Monday, December 10, 2012
Peppermint Twist Cheescake
Ingredients:
1 box chocolate wafer cookies (I used gluten-free chocolate cookies) shopping list
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/3 cup peppermint mints, red and white candy canes or round candies, crushed
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
peppermint mints, additional, crushed for decoration
Crust: Wrap outside of a 9" springform pan with aluminum foil. Process cookies and sugar in food processor until fine. Add butter and blend thoroughly. Press into bottom and up sides of pan. Refrigerate crust while making filling.
Filling: Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well-blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add half & half and the extracts. Stir in crushed candy canes. Pour filling into crust.
Bake until filling is set in center and edges are puffed, about 50 minutes. (Took considerably longer for me...maybe another half an hour or so.) Transfer to rack and cool 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
Topping: Stir sour cream, sugar and extracts in small bowl to blend. Pour mixture over hot cheesecake, covering completely. Return cheesecake to oven and bake until top begins to set, about 8 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Serve: Using small knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove sides of pan and garnish just before serving with additional crushed peppermint candy canes.
NOTE: I didn't use the topping as there wasn't enough room in my pan for it. Didn't miss it! Delicious without the topping. (Does that make this a diet recipe if you leave off the topping? LOL) Also, sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies just before you serve it or they will melt and not be as pretty. It will taste just as good though!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Tomatoes as deserts
http://soursaltybittersweet.com/content/case-tomatoes-dessert-and-four-recipes-fresh-tomato-juice-tomato-curd-shortbread-squares-and
The Case for Tomatoes as Dessert and Four Recipes: Fresh Tomato Juice, Tomato Curd, Shortbread Squares, and Candied Basil
Posted by Margot | Filed under: bar cookies basil candy curd dessert improvising pastry recipe seasonal shortbread tomato tomato juice
AUG
28
2010
The Legal Exception: Green Tomato Pie
When the Supreme Court decided in Nix v. Hedden that tomatoes couldn’t be legally considered a fruit because they weren’t customarily eaten for dessert, there was only one real exception: green tomato pie. The green tomatoes left on the vine at the end of the growing season aren’t especially palatable, at least when they’re raw. They’re hard, and contain substantially less of the sugar, acids, and aromatic compounds that give ripe tomatoes their distinctive flavor. Thanks in part to the 1991 Academy Award-nominated film based on Fannie Flagg's novel Fried Green Tomatoes and the Whistle Stop Cafe, many people are familiar with the idea that green tomatoes can be eaten breaded and fried. Fewer people know that green tomatoes are such a blank slate that they can just as easily be used in sweet preparations. Sliced or minced and cooked in a pastry crust with lots sugar and some cinnamon or other spices, tomatoes make a sweet-tart fruit filling reminiscent of apples. The dessert was common in the American South by the mid-19th C.
However, it specifically relies on tomatoes that don’t taste like tomatoes. While it might seem like ripe tomatoes would be the more obvious choice for desserts because they’re so much sweeter, the savory meatiness imparted by the high glutamate content makes the flavor seem inappropriate for sweet applications.
At Least It’s Not Raw Trout
Still, if there’s anything the age of salted caramel and bacon chocolate should have taught us, it’s the fact that sugar plays well with salty, meaty flavors traditionally confined primarily to savory appetizers and main dishes. Indeed, dessert ice cream made with traditionally-savory flavors has become one of the hallmarks of avant-garde cuisine. Smoked bacon and egg ice cream is one of Heston Blumenthal’s most celebrated creations—and, notably, served with a sweet tomato jam as part of the breakfast-themed dessert that’s a fixture on the menu of his three-Michelin-starred restaurant The Fat Duck. A San Francisco ice creamery named Humphry Slocombe recently profiled in The New York Times offers many savory-sweet flavors including foie gras, “government cheese,” and salted licorice. And the competitors on Iron Chef America have presented the judges with ice cream desserts using secret ingredients ranging from abalone to the infamous raw trout.
Tomato ice cream may sound like just another novelty or oddball flavor, but in fact, it may have preceded all this recent nouveau frippery, possibly even dating back to the very origins of ice cream in America. In the 18th C., when ice cream was still a relatively new invention and hadn’t yet become common in England or America, Benjamin Franklin got his first taste of the churned, frozen custard while visiting Paris. He liked it so much that he wrote in a letter home: “I am making an effort to acquire the formula so we may sample this lovely fare upon my return to Philadelphia.” French and American cookbooks from the era suggest that the most popular flavors back then were apricot, raspberry, rose, chocolate, and cinnamon, but it has been rumored that the flavor Ben Franklin liked best was tomato.
Given the lack of documentary evidence for the existence of tomato ice cream in the 18th C. and in light of the Nix v. Hedden decision, the Franklin rumor is improbable. However, after making something very akin to tomato ice cream last year for Battle Tomato, I feel like it’s not entirely impossible. Prepared with enough sugar, tomato is a perfectly plausible dessert flavor—like strawberry’s slightly funky cousin or a less-tart gooseberry. It’s a tiny bit peculiar, perhaps, but also really alluring, a savory-sweet combination reminiscent of salt-water taffy or yogurt-covered pretzels or anything else that simultaneously hits sour, salty, and sweet tastes. It can be really delicious.
Tomato Squares
When I was trying to figure out what kind of dessert to make for the housewarming party—something I hadn’t made in a while, something I’d only make for company—Brian suggested lemon squares. I’d just been thinking that basically any dessert you can make with lemons should also work with tomato, so I decided to put that to the test. Tomato juice may not be quite as acidic as lemon juice, but I thought it would be tart enough to set off the buttery richness of a shortbread crust and eggy curd filling, but I also hoped the bars might get a little extra something from the savory-ness of the tomato.
I started by making some fresh tomato juice using heirlooms from the garden, which turned out insanely good—perhaps the purest, richest tomato flavor I’ve ever tasted. I used about a cup of that in place of most of the lemon juice in my standard lemon curd recipe, which uses a basic cake-mixing technique to obviate the need for straining by coating the egg proteins in fat before adding the acid. That also turned out totally delicious—the first time I tasted it to see if I needed to adjust the level of sugar or acidity, I just kept going back for more. Just as I had hoped, the tomato added a totally new dimension to the curd, giving it a little oomph and intrigue. I put most of it in the refrigerator and then licked the pan clean. I used the curd to top the shortbread crust that Rose Levy Beranbaum recommends for lemon bars, which I like because it stays crisp even after being topped with a wet filling, cooked it until the curd was just barely set. The curd was more of a golden color, but as it cooked, the red pigments started to come through more. And voila: tomato squares!
Candied Basil Leaves
Thinking they looked a little plain on their own, I decided to garnish them with some candied basil leaves—like a sweet take on caprese salad. First, I tried the method suggested by a cookbook called Wine Mondays, which involved poaching the leaves in a sugar syrup with a high ratio of sugar : water and then baking them at a low temperature until they crystallize. Unfortunately, they discolored, probably because there was a hot baking stone still in the oven and I’m an idiot.
So I improvised a second batch by simply poaching the leaves in a 1:1 simple syrup, dredging them in some extra sugar to crystallize them, and drying them at room temperature on wax paper. That worked pretty well, although once I put them on the bars, they absorbed a little moisture from them and ended up soggier than I would have liked. If I ever decide to candy leaves again, I’ll probably use another method I’ve read about that involves brushing the leaves with raw egg white, dredging them in sugar, and then baking them at a very low temp (~150F) until they’re hard and dry.
Very similar to candied mint leaves—intensely sweet and herbal.
Please, Try This At Home
I’ve included all the recipes I used below, separated in case all you’re looking for is a good recipe for fresh tomato juice. If you want to try making tomato bars but this seems intimidating or tedious, there are lots of ways to simplify the process. You could use store-bought tomato juice instead of making your own, and probably should if you can’t get vine-ripened tomatoes from a garden or farmer’s market because at least canned and bottled tomato products are made with vine-ripened tomatoes at their peak, unlike the tomatoes you get at most supermarkets. If you don’t want to bother with a cooked tomato curd, I’ve included a recipe for an uncooked bar cookie filling below which you could use fresh or store-bought tomato juice in. Obviously, the candied basil leaves are optional. This doesn’t have to be a major undertaking.
You could also use tomato juice in place of citrus juice or fresh, ripe tomatoes in place of fresh fruit in any other dessert recipe. If using fresh tomatoes, you probably want to peel and seed them first to prevent them from watering down the recipe too much. I can imagine fresh tomatoes in place of peaches or cherries in a pie, or sweet cherry tomatoes caramelized on top of a tarte tatin. You could whisk tomato sauce or tomato paste into a standard cake, custard, or icing recipe or use slightly cooked-down tomato puree in place of applesauce or pumpkin puree in a muffin or spice cake. If you think the people you’re serving might be wary of tomatoes for dessert, you can always use the strategy Campbell’s used to sell its Tomato Soup Cake recipe to thousands of housewives during the Great Depression: call it “Mystery Cake” (or pie, or ice cream or whatever) and make people guess at the key ingredient. They’ll come to the realization that it’s delicious before they ever figure out that it’s tomato.
Recipe: Fresh Tomato Juice (from Simply Recipes)
(makes about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of juice)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 T. lemon juice
Method:
1. Core and chop the tomatoes roughly.
2. Place in a medium saucepan with as much of juice as you can get off the cutting board, and the rest of the ingredients.
3. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the flesh is mostly broken down and very liquid.
4. Force through a fine mesh sieve or several layers of cheesecloth and discard the solids.
Recipe: Tomato Curd (adapted from Fine Cooking)
(makes about 4 cups, more than enough to fill a 6-layer cake, two 9” pies, or a 9x13 pan of bar cookies; halve to fill a two-layer cake, one 9” pie, or an 8x8 pan of bar cookies)
Ingredients:
6 oz. (12 Tbs.) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 cup tomato juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
Method
1. Using a stand or hand mixer or food processor, cream together the butter and sugar for at least 1 min or until the mixture is smooth and begins to lighten in color.
2. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition and for 2 minutes after all the eggs have been added.
3. Add the tomato juice and lemon juice and beat until smooth. Mixture will likely look curdled or uneven.
4. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to look smooth.
5. Raise the heat to medium and cook, still stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens just enough to coat a spoon or spatula thickly enough that you can run your finger through it and see a trail. 170F on a candy thermometer—the mixture should not boil, but may begin to bubble gently at the edges and steam a little bit.
6. Chill until ready to use.
Recipe: Shortbread Squares (adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum)
(fills a 9x13 pan; halve for 8x8)
Ingredients:
For the crust:
20 T. (12 oz) butter
4 T. powdered sugar
4 T. granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 3 cups cake/pastry flour
1/2 t. salt
For the filling:
approximately 4 cups of fruit curd, pastry cream, or cheesecake batter
OR
8 large eggs
2 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
2/3 c. fresh lemon juice (or substitute 1/3 cup of any other juice, like guava or cranberry)
2 t. lemon zest
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen fruit (optional; omit for lemon bars; however, blueberries and lemon make a great combination)
powdered sugar for dusting
Method:
For the crust:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
2. Cut butter into 1-inch cubes and chill.
3. In a food processor, process the granulated sugar for 1 minute or until very fine—sugar dust will probably rise from the food processor like smoke, that’s normal. Add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt and pulse to combine. If you don’t have a food processor, just whisk the dry ingredients together.
4. Add the chilled pieces of butter and pulse until it’s just a lot of moist, crumbly pieces and no dry flour particles remain.
If you don’t have a food processor, cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two crisscrossing knives.
5. Dump the crumbs directly into an ungreased 9x13 pan and gently press all over to make it a solid layer of shortbread dough.
6. Prick the dough all over with a fork—the dough may want to come away with the tines, I just use two fingers to hold the dough down on either side of the fork tines as I quickly pierce the crust.
7. Bake 30-40 min or just until barely browning at the edges.
For the filling:
If using a prepared filling, simply spread it over the top of the crust and then return to the oven for 25-35 minutes or until the filling just barely jiggles in the center when the pan is shaken.
If using the filling recipe above:
1. Whisk together the sugar and baking powder and then combine with the eggs and whisk until they are beaten well and the mixture is smooth.
2. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest.
3. Stir in the fruit, if using and pour the egg mixture over the shortbread crust.
4. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is just firm and does not move when the pan is gently nudged, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.
Recipe: Candied Basil
whole basil leaves (about 20 large or 40 small)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1. Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool to lukewarm (the bottom of the pan should be cool enough to touch).
3. Place clean, dry basil leaves in the syrup and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
4. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup sugar on a baking sheet. Toss the leaves in the sugar.
5. Place the leaves on wax paper and let them dry overnight or for at least 4 hrs.
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green tomato pie
Submitted by P J Evans (not verified) on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 23:30.
My grandmother made green tomato pie one time while she was living with us (she would have been nearly 90 at the time). It was pretty tasty - she used raisins in it, as well as 'white' tomatoes*. It tasted like mince pie. (You can find recipes for the filling under names like 'mock mincemeat' in older cookbooks, and even some more recent ones.)
*'White' tomatoes are full-sized tomatoes, just before they start to ripen. They're actually a whitish green at that point, instead of really green.
reply
The Case for Tomatoes as Dessert and Four Recipes: Fresh Tomato Juice, Tomato Curd, Shortbread Squares, and Candied Basil
Posted by Margot | Filed under: bar cookies basil candy curd dessert improvising pastry recipe seasonal shortbread tomato tomato juice
AUG
28
2010
The Legal Exception: Green Tomato Pie
When the Supreme Court decided in Nix v. Hedden that tomatoes couldn’t be legally considered a fruit because they weren’t customarily eaten for dessert, there was only one real exception: green tomato pie. The green tomatoes left on the vine at the end of the growing season aren’t especially palatable, at least when they’re raw. They’re hard, and contain substantially less of the sugar, acids, and aromatic compounds that give ripe tomatoes their distinctive flavor. Thanks in part to the 1991 Academy Award-nominated film based on Fannie Flagg's novel Fried Green Tomatoes and the Whistle Stop Cafe, many people are familiar with the idea that green tomatoes can be eaten breaded and fried. Fewer people know that green tomatoes are such a blank slate that they can just as easily be used in sweet preparations. Sliced or minced and cooked in a pastry crust with lots sugar and some cinnamon or other spices, tomatoes make a sweet-tart fruit filling reminiscent of apples. The dessert was common in the American South by the mid-19th C.
However, it specifically relies on tomatoes that don’t taste like tomatoes. While it might seem like ripe tomatoes would be the more obvious choice for desserts because they’re so much sweeter, the savory meatiness imparted by the high glutamate content makes the flavor seem inappropriate for sweet applications.
At Least It’s Not Raw Trout
Still, if there’s anything the age of salted caramel and bacon chocolate should have taught us, it’s the fact that sugar plays well with salty, meaty flavors traditionally confined primarily to savory appetizers and main dishes. Indeed, dessert ice cream made with traditionally-savory flavors has become one of the hallmarks of avant-garde cuisine. Smoked bacon and egg ice cream is one of Heston Blumenthal’s most celebrated creations—and, notably, served with a sweet tomato jam as part of the breakfast-themed dessert that’s a fixture on the menu of his three-Michelin-starred restaurant The Fat Duck. A San Francisco ice creamery named Humphry Slocombe recently profiled in The New York Times offers many savory-sweet flavors including foie gras, “government cheese,” and salted licorice. And the competitors on Iron Chef America have presented the judges with ice cream desserts using secret ingredients ranging from abalone to the infamous raw trout.
Tomato ice cream may sound like just another novelty or oddball flavor, but in fact, it may have preceded all this recent nouveau frippery, possibly even dating back to the very origins of ice cream in America. In the 18th C., when ice cream was still a relatively new invention and hadn’t yet become common in England or America, Benjamin Franklin got his first taste of the churned, frozen custard while visiting Paris. He liked it so much that he wrote in a letter home: “I am making an effort to acquire the formula so we may sample this lovely fare upon my return to Philadelphia.” French and American cookbooks from the era suggest that the most popular flavors back then were apricot, raspberry, rose, chocolate, and cinnamon, but it has been rumored that the flavor Ben Franklin liked best was tomato.
Given the lack of documentary evidence for the existence of tomato ice cream in the 18th C. and in light of the Nix v. Hedden decision, the Franklin rumor is improbable. However, after making something very akin to tomato ice cream last year for Battle Tomato, I feel like it’s not entirely impossible. Prepared with enough sugar, tomato is a perfectly plausible dessert flavor—like strawberry’s slightly funky cousin or a less-tart gooseberry. It’s a tiny bit peculiar, perhaps, but also really alluring, a savory-sweet combination reminiscent of salt-water taffy or yogurt-covered pretzels or anything else that simultaneously hits sour, salty, and sweet tastes. It can be really delicious.
Tomato Squares
When I was trying to figure out what kind of dessert to make for the housewarming party—something I hadn’t made in a while, something I’d only make for company—Brian suggested lemon squares. I’d just been thinking that basically any dessert you can make with lemons should also work with tomato, so I decided to put that to the test. Tomato juice may not be quite as acidic as lemon juice, but I thought it would be tart enough to set off the buttery richness of a shortbread crust and eggy curd filling, but I also hoped the bars might get a little extra something from the savory-ness of the tomato.
I started by making some fresh tomato juice using heirlooms from the garden, which turned out insanely good—perhaps the purest, richest tomato flavor I’ve ever tasted. I used about a cup of that in place of most of the lemon juice in my standard lemon curd recipe, which uses a basic cake-mixing technique to obviate the need for straining by coating the egg proteins in fat before adding the acid. That also turned out totally delicious—the first time I tasted it to see if I needed to adjust the level of sugar or acidity, I just kept going back for more. Just as I had hoped, the tomato added a totally new dimension to the curd, giving it a little oomph and intrigue. I put most of it in the refrigerator and then licked the pan clean. I used the curd to top the shortbread crust that Rose Levy Beranbaum recommends for lemon bars, which I like because it stays crisp even after being topped with a wet filling, cooked it until the curd was just barely set. The curd was more of a golden color, but as it cooked, the red pigments started to come through more. And voila: tomato squares!
Candied Basil Leaves
Thinking they looked a little plain on their own, I decided to garnish them with some candied basil leaves—like a sweet take on caprese salad. First, I tried the method suggested by a cookbook called Wine Mondays, which involved poaching the leaves in a sugar syrup with a high ratio of sugar : water and then baking them at a low temperature until they crystallize. Unfortunately, they discolored, probably because there was a hot baking stone still in the oven and I’m an idiot.
So I improvised a second batch by simply poaching the leaves in a 1:1 simple syrup, dredging them in some extra sugar to crystallize them, and drying them at room temperature on wax paper. That worked pretty well, although once I put them on the bars, they absorbed a little moisture from them and ended up soggier than I would have liked. If I ever decide to candy leaves again, I’ll probably use another method I’ve read about that involves brushing the leaves with raw egg white, dredging them in sugar, and then baking them at a very low temp (~150F) until they’re hard and dry.
Very similar to candied mint leaves—intensely sweet and herbal.
Please, Try This At Home
I’ve included all the recipes I used below, separated in case all you’re looking for is a good recipe for fresh tomato juice. If you want to try making tomato bars but this seems intimidating or tedious, there are lots of ways to simplify the process. You could use store-bought tomato juice instead of making your own, and probably should if you can’t get vine-ripened tomatoes from a garden or farmer’s market because at least canned and bottled tomato products are made with vine-ripened tomatoes at their peak, unlike the tomatoes you get at most supermarkets. If you don’t want to bother with a cooked tomato curd, I’ve included a recipe for an uncooked bar cookie filling below which you could use fresh or store-bought tomato juice in. Obviously, the candied basil leaves are optional. This doesn’t have to be a major undertaking.
You could also use tomato juice in place of citrus juice or fresh, ripe tomatoes in place of fresh fruit in any other dessert recipe. If using fresh tomatoes, you probably want to peel and seed them first to prevent them from watering down the recipe too much. I can imagine fresh tomatoes in place of peaches or cherries in a pie, or sweet cherry tomatoes caramelized on top of a tarte tatin. You could whisk tomato sauce or tomato paste into a standard cake, custard, or icing recipe or use slightly cooked-down tomato puree in place of applesauce or pumpkin puree in a muffin or spice cake. If you think the people you’re serving might be wary of tomatoes for dessert, you can always use the strategy Campbell’s used to sell its Tomato Soup Cake recipe to thousands of housewives during the Great Depression: call it “Mystery Cake” (or pie, or ice cream or whatever) and make people guess at the key ingredient. They’ll come to the realization that it’s delicious before they ever figure out that it’s tomato.
Recipe: Fresh Tomato Juice (from Simply Recipes)
(makes about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of juice)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 T. lemon juice
Method:
1. Core and chop the tomatoes roughly.
2. Place in a medium saucepan with as much of juice as you can get off the cutting board, and the rest of the ingredients.
3. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the flesh is mostly broken down and very liquid.
4. Force through a fine mesh sieve or several layers of cheesecloth and discard the solids.
Recipe: Tomato Curd (adapted from Fine Cooking)
(makes about 4 cups, more than enough to fill a 6-layer cake, two 9” pies, or a 9x13 pan of bar cookies; halve to fill a two-layer cake, one 9” pie, or an 8x8 pan of bar cookies)
Ingredients:
6 oz. (12 Tbs.) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 cup tomato juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
Method
1. Using a stand or hand mixer or food processor, cream together the butter and sugar for at least 1 min or until the mixture is smooth and begins to lighten in color.
2. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition and for 2 minutes after all the eggs have been added.
3. Add the tomato juice and lemon juice and beat until smooth. Mixture will likely look curdled or uneven.
4. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to look smooth.
5. Raise the heat to medium and cook, still stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens just enough to coat a spoon or spatula thickly enough that you can run your finger through it and see a trail. 170F on a candy thermometer—the mixture should not boil, but may begin to bubble gently at the edges and steam a little bit.
6. Chill until ready to use.
Recipe: Shortbread Squares (adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum)
(fills a 9x13 pan; halve for 8x8)
Ingredients:
For the crust:
20 T. (12 oz) butter
4 T. powdered sugar
4 T. granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 3 cups cake/pastry flour
1/2 t. salt
For the filling:
approximately 4 cups of fruit curd, pastry cream, or cheesecake batter
OR
8 large eggs
2 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
2/3 c. fresh lemon juice (or substitute 1/3 cup of any other juice, like guava or cranberry)
2 t. lemon zest
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen fruit (optional; omit for lemon bars; however, blueberries and lemon make a great combination)
powdered sugar for dusting
Method:
For the crust:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
2. Cut butter into 1-inch cubes and chill.
3. In a food processor, process the granulated sugar for 1 minute or until very fine—sugar dust will probably rise from the food processor like smoke, that’s normal. Add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt and pulse to combine. If you don’t have a food processor, just whisk the dry ingredients together.
4. Add the chilled pieces of butter and pulse until it’s just a lot of moist, crumbly pieces and no dry flour particles remain.
If you don’t have a food processor, cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two crisscrossing knives.
5. Dump the crumbs directly into an ungreased 9x13 pan and gently press all over to make it a solid layer of shortbread dough.
6. Prick the dough all over with a fork—the dough may want to come away with the tines, I just use two fingers to hold the dough down on either side of the fork tines as I quickly pierce the crust.
7. Bake 30-40 min or just until barely browning at the edges.
For the filling:
If using a prepared filling, simply spread it over the top of the crust and then return to the oven for 25-35 minutes or until the filling just barely jiggles in the center when the pan is shaken.
If using the filling recipe above:
1. Whisk together the sugar and baking powder and then combine with the eggs and whisk until they are beaten well and the mixture is smooth.
2. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest.
3. Stir in the fruit, if using and pour the egg mixture over the shortbread crust.
4. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is just firm and does not move when the pan is gently nudged, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.
Recipe: Candied Basil
whole basil leaves (about 20 large or 40 small)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1. Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool to lukewarm (the bottom of the pan should be cool enough to touch).
3. Place clean, dry basil leaves in the syrup and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
4. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup sugar on a baking sheet. Toss the leaves in the sugar.
5. Place the leaves on wax paper and let them dry overnight or for at least 4 hrs.
Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
green tomato pie
Submitted by P J Evans (not verified) on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 23:30.
My grandmother made green tomato pie one time while she was living with us (she would have been nearly 90 at the time). It was pretty tasty - she used raisins in it, as well as 'white' tomatoes*. It tasted like mince pie. (You can find recipes for the filling under names like 'mock mincemeat' in older cookbooks, and even some more recent ones.)
*'White' tomatoes are full-sized tomatoes, just before they start to ripen. They're actually a whitish green at that point, instead of really green.
reply
Tomato Pie, Savory
Ingredients
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 prepared refrigerated piecrust
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces, including the green part
4 large red tomatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices, preferably home grown
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil, cut in ribbons
2 cups shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
1.Preheat oven to 450
2. Sprinkle flour over counter or pastry marble and roll pie crust dough to fit a 7×11–inch rectangular baking dish, making sure dough comes up the sides of the dish. Poke bottom of crust with a fork in several places. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.
3.Remove from Oven to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees
4.In a cast iron or heavy skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until it begins to sizzle. Add onions and sugar. Sauté until onions are very brown and caramelized.
5.Add garlic and stir constantly for another 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic is cooked through and tender. Remove onions and garlic from skillet and set aside to cool.
6.In the bowl of a food processor, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, heavy cream, sour cream, honey mustard, Parmesan cheese, and green onions. Process until well mixed. Transfer to a small mixing bowl; set aside.
7.In a cooled pie crust, layer half of the following ingredients: sautéed onions, cream cheese mixture, sliced tomatoes, salt, black pepper, basil and Gruyère cheese. Repeat layering using remaining ingredients.
8.Bake 35 minutes or until pie is bubbling and top is browned.
9.Remove from oven and cool fro 15 to 20 minutes before slicing
Details
Ready Time:
0 min
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Bret and Alex's Chewy Chocolate Cookies
Bret and Alex's Chewy Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips, chopped
4 egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 c. chopped walnuts
Instructions
Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix powdered sugar, flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. Add egg whites and vanilla; mix with a fork or electric mixer on medium until batter is just moistened. (Do not overbeat or batter will stiffen.)
Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets in evenly spaced mounds. Bake cookies until tops are lightly cracked and glossy, about 15 minutes. Cool briefly, then carefully remove from parchment paper with a spatula. Cookies may be soft and fragile so proceed carefully to lift cookies and place them on racks to cool. Do not wait too long to remove them from baking sheets, for they will stick, even to parchment paper. Repeat with remaining batter. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Chocolate Maccaroon Sandwich Cookie
This month’s MacTweet Challenge is a good one. We’ve been asked to recreate one of our favorite desserts as a macaron. What to do…what to do. Lemon Meringue Pie…no. Banana Whipped Cream Cake…another no. Creme Brulee…definitely no. S’mores…been done. German Chocolate Cake…bingo!
This and Strawberry Whipped Cream Roll are the two big birthday requests in my house. The more I thought about it the more perfect I knew GCK would be for this challenge. Who doesn’t love the rich, creamy coconut filling and those luscious chocolate layers? I knew I could make a macaroon just as good. Would you believe that I googled German Chocolate Cake Macarons and NOTHING came up. Any recipe I’ve ever searched for has had at least a million sources. Sugar cookies alone bring up 4,750,000 sites FYI. Maybe I’ve hit on something new. Wouldn’t that be fun. So here you are, ladies and gentlemen, at the threshold of a new discovery. The big questions is…will you like it?
My favorite chocolate macaron recipe is one I found at Barbara Bakes. Barbara is the person who built up my confidence enough to try making what seemed like an impossibly difficult dessert that I first tried almost two years ago when I was in Paris. It took three tries before those elusive little feet and nice domed tops appeared and even now, after making macarons many times, I still get a big smile and a happy heart when I pull a baking sheet of macarons out of the oven. If you haven’t tried making them I urge you to do so. It may take a time or two to get the feel of what the batter should look like when you are ready to pipe it onto the pans but it is well worth the effort. I made a template that I use that helps me pipe all the macs the same size and you can find the directions HERE for how to make one for yourself.
Chocolate Macarons…from
The Sweet Life in Paris
by David Lebovitz at Barbara Bakes
1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar
1/2 cup powdered almonds (50 g) (I used Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour)
3 tablespoons (25 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 large egg whites (75 g), aged 1 to 3 days at room temperature
5 tablespoons (65 g) granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (In my oven this was too hot so I lowered the temperature to 300 degrees)
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2 inch, 2 cm) ready. If you set the pastry bag in a glass it’s much easier to fill.
Grind together the powdered sugar with the almond flour and cocoa so there are no lumps. Use a food processor since purchased almond meal isn’t quite fine enough.
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
Carefully fold in the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps).
Pipe the batter onto the parchment-lined sheets in 1 inch (3cm) circles, evenly spaced 3 cm apart. Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. Sprinkle the tops of half of the macarons with finely chopped pecans when you pipe them. The nuts won’t stick to the dough after it forms a skin. Let them set at room temperature for about an hour until they form a skin that doesn’t stick to you finger when you touch them.
Bake for anywhere from 12 to 15 minutes depending on your oven. It’s trial and error until you find the temperature and baking time that work for you. Let macs cool and then carefully remove them from the baking sheet.
Coconut Pecan Filling
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
4 eggs yolks, slightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 7-ounce package flaked coconut, chopped
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
Mix milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks and vanilla in a large saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 15-18 minutes or until mixture thickens and turns a light golden brown, stirring constantly. The mixture won’t be thick enough to spread and will thicken up after the coconut is added.
Add coconut and mix well. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate to a consistency that will hold its shape. Makes about 4 cups. Fill macarons and refrigerate.
This filling is delicious as a frosting for cupcakes.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Peppermint White Chocolate Fudge
Peppermint White Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients
1-1/2 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup butter, softened, divided
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup Daisy Brand Sour Cream
12 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate, chopped
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow cream
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Directions
Line a 9-in. square pan with foil. Grease the foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside.
In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, sour cream and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a rapid boil; cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage), about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat; stir in white chocolate and marshmallow creme until melted. Fold in peppermint candy and extract. Pour into prepared pan. Chill until firm.
Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 pounds.
Editor's Note: We recommend that you test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Sweet Potato Pie
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sweet-potato-pie-recipe/index.html
Ingredients
1 pound 3 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
3/4 cup packed, dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
5 egg yolks
Salt
1 (9-inch) deep dish, frozen pie shell
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Special equipment: steamer basket
Directions
Put cubed potatoes into steamer basket and place steamer basket into a large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of basket. Allow to steam for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Mash with potato masher and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place sweet potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment. Add yogurt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, yolks, and salt, to taste, and beat until well combined. Pour this batter into the pie shell and place onto a sheet pan. Sprinkle pecans on top and drizzle with maple syrup.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the custard reaches 165 to 180 degrees. Remove from oven and cool. Keep refrigerated after cooling.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cream Cheese and Bacon
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Baked-Sweet-_-Savory-Mashed-Potatoes-Recipezaar?columns=6&position=2/34
Ingredients
3 12 lbs baking potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 tbsp salt (divided)
16 ozs sweet potatoes (syrup drained mashed)
8 ozs cream cheese (softened)
6 slices cooked bacon (crumbled)
34 cup sour cream
23 cup chicken broth
12 tsp pepper
bacon (crumbled, garnish)
1
Bring potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and water to cover to a boil. Cook 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
2
Return potatoes to pan. Add sweet potatoes and cream cheese. Mush until smooth with potato masher. Stir in bacon, next 3 ingredients, remaining 2 teaspoons of salt.
3
Spoon mixture into lightly greased 11x7-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 20 minutes.
4
Garnish with the rest of the bacon.
Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/baked-sweet-savory-mashed-potatoes-79746?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 12 lbs baking potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 tbsp salt (divided)
16 ozs sweet potatoes (syrup drained mashed)
8 ozs cream cheese (softened)
6 slices cooked bacon (crumbled)
34 cup sour cream
23 cup chicken broth
12 tsp pepper
bacon (crumbled, garnish)
1
Bring potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and water to cover to a boil. Cook 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
2
Return potatoes to pan. Add sweet potatoes and cream cheese. Mush until smooth with potato masher. Stir in bacon, next 3 ingredients, remaining 2 teaspoons of salt.
3
Spoon mixture into lightly greased 11x7-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 20 minutes.
4
Garnish with the rest of the bacon.
Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/baked-sweet-savory-mashed-potatoes-79746?oc=linkback
Bret's Peppermint Meringue Cookies
Bret's Peppermint Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (increases volume, stabilizes)
3 tbsp white sugar
2 peppermint candy canes, crushed
2 tsp. peppermint schnapps
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites, vinegar and salt to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar while continuing to whip until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Fold in 2/3 of the crushed candy canes, reserving the rest. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls, one inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle remaining crushed candy canes over the top.
Bake for 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until dry. Cool on baking sheets.
Ingredients
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (increases volume, stabilizes)
3 tbsp white sugar
2 peppermint candy canes, crushed
2 tsp. peppermint schnapps
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites, vinegar and salt to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar while continuing to whip until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Fold in 2/3 of the crushed candy canes, reserving the rest. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls, one inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle remaining crushed candy canes over the top.
Bake for 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until dry. Cool on baking sheets.
Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheels
Ingredients
1 batch Sugar Cookies, recipe follows
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
Directions
Divide the dough in half and add chocolate and vanilla to 1 half and incorporate with hands. Add egg yolk, peppermint extract, and crushed candy to other half of dough and incorporate with hands. Cover both with plastic and chill for approximately 5 minutes. Roll out doughs separately to approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Place peppermint dough on top of chocolate and press together around the edges. Using waxed paper or flexible cutting board underneath, roll dough into log. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Remove dough from the refrigerator and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Place cookies 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat and bake for 12 to 13 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Sugar Cookie:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Flaky Pastry Dough Recipe
FLAKY PASTRY
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. cold butter, cut into sm. pieces
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. vegetable shortening
1 egg, lightly beaten
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips. Work in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the egg and gather the dough into a ball. Flatten the dough into a 6 inch disk, wrap well and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Roll the pastry into a 12 inch circle. Fit loosely into a 10 inch glass pie dish. Pour pie filling into pie shell and bake approximately 45 minutes.
CandiCaine
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/candy-cane-cocktail-recipe/index.html
This is a flaming shot made of overproofed peppermint schnapps, concentrated essence of elf, and a sprig of holly for poison. --Kingdom of Loathing
Ingredients
1 shot vanilla rum
1 shot white chocolate liqueur (recommended: Godiva)
1 shot peppermint schnapps
cocoa powder and chocolate shavings for garnish
Candy cane, garnish
Directions
Add all liquid ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into martini glass. Garnish with candy cane.
This is a flaming shot made of overproofed peppermint schnapps, concentrated essence of elf, and a sprig of holly for poison. --Kingdom of Loathing
Ingredients
1 shot vanilla rum
1 shot white chocolate liqueur (recommended: Godiva)
1 shot peppermint schnapps
cocoa powder and chocolate shavings for garnish
Candy cane, garnish
Directions
Add all liquid ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into martini glass. Garnish with candy cane.
White CHocolate Recipe
WHITE CHOCOLATE
16 oz Cocoa butter
1 tsp lecithin
14 oz powdered dry milk (yes, this is what the professionals use)
14 oz sugar (powdered yourself, the prepowdered has cornstarch that makes the chocolate gummy)
You can also consider added a few onces of milk fat (clarified butter) as in done by most professionals. It makes a slightly differant white chocolate.
Because there are no cocoa solids present, you don't have to worry about roasting, cracking or grinding any cocoa beans. You can go straight to the Santha for refining.
Place the melted Cocoa butter in your Santha Wet Grinder. It is very helpful to have your solid ingredients warmed up to at least 120 F, including the Santha drum. Slowly add the 14 oz of sugar and 14 oz of milk powder into the melted cocoa butter while the Santha is running. Run the Santha until the white chocolate is of the smoothness you desire. I find 8-10 hours is about right. Your tastes may vary. If you pre-grind your sugar in a small food processor or coffee grinder (about 2 minutes work), you can usually reduce refining time by 2-3 hours or so.
After it is out of the Santha temper and mold up your chocolate into the shape of your choice.
Place into a cool, dry place to solidify and then unmold, ususally about 24 hours later to be safe. This can be done in a refrigerator if you wish.
White chocolate benefits from the resting like real chocolate, but I have found you need to protect it from heat and light a bit more or it can turn "off".
Santha is a brand of wet grinder machine. Wet grinders are very popular tools in the South Indian kitchen used to make paste out of soaked grains and lentils. At one time, a wet grinder consisted of a large rock with a hole in it, where a cylindrical rock with a wooden handle fit in. The grain and lentil mixture was poured in with water and the cylinder rotated by the handle on the top to grind the food together. The ground paste is used for various food items like idli, dosa, and vada.
Pumpkin and Mint Cookies
http://delishhh.com/2011/11/13/pumpkin-mint-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Pumpkin Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields: 40 cookies | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 15 minutes
½ cup sugar
1 (1/2 cup) stick butter room temperature
1 egg
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup mint chocolate chips
Turn oven onto 350F
Mix sugar, butter and egg in a mixer until fluffy. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt and set aside. Then in a third bowl mix the peppermint, vanilla, pumpkin and mint chocolate chips. Then mix the three bowls together into one just until combined.
Using a tsp add these cookies with an inch apart on a cookies sheet with parchment paper or silicon liner. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
Pumpkin Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields: 40 cookies | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 15 minutes
½ cup sugar
1 (1/2 cup) stick butter room temperature
1 egg
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup mint chocolate chips
Turn oven onto 350F
Mix sugar, butter and egg in a mixer until fluffy. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt and set aside. Then in a third bowl mix the peppermint, vanilla, pumpkin and mint chocolate chips. Then mix the three bowls together into one just until combined.
Using a tsp add these cookies with an inch apart on a cookies sheet with parchment paper or silicon liner. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Harry Potter - Butterbeer
BUTTERBEER
Start to finish: 1 hour (10 minutes active)
Servings: 4
1 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
6 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda
In a small saucepan over medium, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 F on a candy thermometer.
Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar and 1/4 heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.
In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses (about 1/4 cup for each glass). Add 1/4 cup of cream soda to each glass, then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/07/02/harry-potters-butterbeer-recipe-uncovered/#ixzz2BR0YPO69
Harry Potter - Coconut Ice
You Will Need:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups whole milk
2 Tbs golden syrup or light corn syrup
1/4 stick (2 Tbs) unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup ground dessicated coconut (shredded sweetened coconut is fine)
few drops red food coloring
1. Grease an 8 x 8" square pan and line with parchment or wax paper.
2. Combine the sugar, milk, golden syrup, butter, heavy cream, and salt in a LARGE saucepan (as you cook, it expands like crazy, so you should definitely use a 4qt pot or larger).
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the butter is melted and the ingredients are combined.
4. Clip a candy thermomenter to the side and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 238 degrees. This takes at least 30 minutes. Be patient and DO NOT turn up the heat!
5. Remove the pan from the heat and wait until the mixture cools to 125 degrees. This also takes a long time; you may want to place the pot in an ice bath to speed up the process a bit.
Note that it's no longer white :(
6. Remove the thermometer and add the vanilla and coconut. Beat/stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture loses its glosses and is very thick (10-15 minutes). You really might want to enlist some help!
7. Assuming your mixture is still light enough, add a couple drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly (or get really fancy and scrape half the white batter into the pan, then dye the other half pink and pour it over the top!).
8. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cool completely before cutting into 1" squares. Store in an airtight container (it keeps for several weeks).
Yummy! Despite the fact that my coconut ice has yet to turn out the correct color, it is still quite delicious! I definitely recommend that you give it a try! Enjoy!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Butternut Squash Bread
Butternut Squash/Pumpkin Bread
1 cup butternut squash or pumpkin purée
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the butternut squash puree, eggs, oil, water and sugars until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
3. Stir the dry ingredients into the butternut squash mixture. Combine just until incorporated; do not over mix. Pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Bret's Glowing Buffalo Wings of Awesomeness
Bret's Glowing Buffalo Wings of Awesomeness
(Makes about 6 cups of sauce)
2 red bell peppers,
1/2 cup of water
1/3 cup of chopped onion4 cloves chopped garlic
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 stick of butter
4 oz of Chipotle Tabasco Sauce
1/2 c. lemon juice1 tablespoon jam (hot pepper, or apricot)
1/3 cup of spicy ketchup
1 large nectarine
Glowing:
6 Cherry Peppers
or
Blazing:
6 Cherry Peppers
2 Jalapeno Peppers
or
Inferno:
6 Cherry Peppers
2 Jalapeno Peppers
3 Habanero Peppers
Choose heat level and use only the peppers listed. If Blazing is chosen, only use 6 cherry peppers and 2 jalapenos, not 12 cherry peppers.
Use the broiler in the oven to grill the peppers, cut red bells in half and place all peppers on a cookie sheet. Place in broiler on high heat. Turn the peppers every five minutes until browned on all sides.
Chop onion, tomato, garlic while the peppers broil.
Melt butter in large frying pan. Add onion, tomatoes, and garlic, tobasco and saute.
Once peppers are browned, remove fro cookie sheet. Remove stems, and add to a blender with a 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend on high and allow to percolate.
Let all cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Immediately pour into blender and add the percolated cayenne pepper sauce. Blend on high for two minutes. Add the lemon juice, jam and ketchup, and blend again for a few seconds. Pour back into the pan where you melted the butter, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Marinate the chicken wings in sauce for 1- 2 hours. Place in baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Mediterranean Chicken and Couscous Salad
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked Israeli couscous- 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped capers
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil $
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 (7-ounce) packages 98% fat-free chicken breast in water
- Preparation
- Cook couscous according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine olives and next 7 ingredients (olives through garlic) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add couscous to olive mixture; toss gently to coat. Stir in chicken just before serving.
Bret and Alex's Chicken Apple Salad
1 c. shredded chicken
1 apple, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1/3 c. raisins
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp honey mustard or cranberry honey mustard
2 c. chopped lettuce
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Mix and toss
1 apple, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1/3 c. raisins
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp honey mustard or cranberry honey mustard
2 c. chopped lettuce
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Mix and toss
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Weird fruits and veges
http://www.cuisinevegan.com/vegan-fun/fruits-vegetables-youve-never-heard-of/
How to grow okinawan sweet potatoes (purple ones)
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-grow-okinawan-sweet-potatoes-3938236.html
How to grow okinawan sweet potatoes (purple ones)
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-grow-okinawan-sweet-potatoes-3938236.html
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Homer's Good Morning Burger
The Good Morning Burger {sb}
- ingredients:
- 18oz ground beef patty
- 6-8 tbl. of rich creamy butter
- 8 stripes of bacon
- 4 slices of ham
- 3 fried eggs
- instructions:
- sizzle the ground beef, bacon, ham, and eggs on the grill.
- place the beef on a bun, the top with bacon, ham and eggs.
- soak in butter.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Pinto Bean Pecan Pie
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,162,148162-226192,00.html
| PINTO BEAN PECAN PIE | |
1 can pinto beans and juice
1 c. chopped pecans 3 c. sugar 1 c. butter, melted 1 sm. can flaked coconut 4 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 3 sm. unbaked pie shells
Mash or blend beans in juice. Beat eggs, add all ingredients and mix well. Pour into pie shells, bake at 300 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. For 2 large pies, bake at 325 degrees for 60 minutes.
| |
Strait Pinto Bean Pie
Directions
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Zuccini Fritters
1 1/2 pounds small, firm zucchini grated in 4 cups
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and finely chopped, white parts only about 1/2 cup
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablesppons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 eggs
1 tablespoon paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces crumbed feta cheese about 1 cup
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups light olive oil or vegetable oil
1 recipe Yogurt -Garlic Sauce
Place the grated zucchini in a colander, sprinkle it with salt and let it drain for about 15 minutes. Squeeze out the excess juice and place the zucchini in a large bowl together with the scallions, dill, parsley, eggs and paprika, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the feta cheese and flour a little at a time and incorporate them well.
Heat the oil in a skillet, then lower the heat to medium. Scoop out tablespoonfuls of the zucchini mixture and gently drop them into the hot oil. Make sure you do not crowd the fritter in the skillet. Fry them all over until they’re golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain the fritters on paper towels. Serve them at once. Alternatively, serve them at room temperature with yogurt-garlic sauce.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Bret's Split Pea Soup
1 bag dry split peas
1 1/2 to 2 lb pork meat, chopped into small bits
2 medium onions, chopped small
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground sage
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
5 medium to large potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 long carrots, peeled and chopped coarsely
4 tbsp plain yogurt
1 c. heavy cream
olive oil
Rinse peas, put in pot and cover with water. Bring to boil for 10 minutes. Turn off fire and let sit for 30 minutes until peas are softened.
Heat enough olive oil to lightly cover a large flying pan. Add onions, garlic, spices, and pork. Fry until everything is cooked. While that is cooking, peel and chop other vegetables.
Once peas are softened, turn fire on and cook on low for 30-45 minutes until peas start falling apart.
Put carrots and potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Cook on high until vegetables are a little tender.
In batches, use a blender to puree the peas into a smooth consistency. Add a cup of water to thin out the peas in the blender. Process all peas this way. Once all peas are pureed, add back to big pot. Add
Add vegetables and meat mix into the soup. Add yogurt and cream to soup. Stir and simmer for a further 15 minutes to blend flavors. Salt and pepper to taste.
1 1/2 to 2 lb pork meat, chopped into small bits
2 medium onions, chopped small
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground sage
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
5 medium to large potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 long carrots, peeled and chopped coarsely
4 tbsp plain yogurt
1 c. heavy cream
olive oil
Rinse peas, put in pot and cover with water. Bring to boil for 10 minutes. Turn off fire and let sit for 30 minutes until peas are softened.
Heat enough olive oil to lightly cover a large flying pan. Add onions, garlic, spices, and pork. Fry until everything is cooked. While that is cooking, peel and chop other vegetables.
Once peas are softened, turn fire on and cook on low for 30-45 minutes until peas start falling apart.
Put carrots and potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Cook on high until vegetables are a little tender.
In batches, use a blender to puree the peas into a smooth consistency. Add a cup of water to thin out the peas in the blender. Process all peas this way. Once all peas are pureed, add back to big pot. Add
Add vegetables and meat mix into the soup. Add yogurt and cream to soup. Stir and simmer for a further 15 minutes to blend flavors. Salt and pepper to taste.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Cincinnati "Skyline" Chili
http://americanfood.about.com/od/classicchowdersandstews/r/cinnchili.htm
The inventor's Greek roots can clearly be seen in the unique blend of spices. The secrets to this recipe are the long slow cooking, as well as the overnight refrigeration, which allow for all the excess fat to be removed. I've also included the five "ways" for ordering this wonderfully different chili, which is usually served over spaghetti.
Ingredients:
1 quart cold water
2 lbs ground beef
2 cups crushed tomato
2 yellow onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 whole bay leaf
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
cooked spaghetti to serve chili over, optional
Preparation:
Add beef and water to a 4-quart pot. Bring to a simmer while stirring until the ground beef is in very small pieces. Simmer for 30 minutes and add all the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer on low, uncovered, for 3 hours. Add water as needed if the chili becomes to thick.
Refrigerated the chili overnight, and the next day remove the layer of fat from top before reheating and serving.
1-way: just the chili
2-way: chili served over spaghetti
3-way: chili, spaghetti, and grated Cheddar cheese
4-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, and onions
5-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans
All "ways" are served with oyster crackers.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
OLD FASHIONED SOFT MOLASSES COOKIES
1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening or lard (non hydrogenated)
2 cups molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream or Greek style (thick) yogurt
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in a small amount of hot water
6 cups flour (or more)
1 cup shortening or lard (non hydrogenated)
2 cups molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream or Greek style (thick) yogurt
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in a small amount of hot water
6 cups flour (or more)
Cream together sugar and shortening (butter may be used but cookies will spread out more when baked), add molasses, vanilla, sour cream or yogurt, slightly beaten egg and spices. Dissolve baking soda in just enough hot to mix; add to dough.Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough, stirring just until combined.
Cover bowl and set dough aside for one hour in a cool place.
After 1 hour, roll dough out 1/4-inch thick, or slightly thicker, and cut with a large round cutter dipped into flour or cocoa before each cut. (Note: For fancy cutouts, add a little more flour to make a stiffer dough, making dough easier to handle).
Lift cut-out cookies gently with a spatula to a greased cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated 350°F for about 15 minutes or until done.
Cookies should be soft inside.
Spicy Variation: Add 1 tablespoon rum or bourbon, increase cloves and nutmeg to 1 teaspoon and ginger to 1 1/2 teaspoons (very spicy and an acquired taste)
Cover bowl and set dough aside for one hour in a cool place.
After 1 hour, roll dough out 1/4-inch thick, or slightly thicker, and cut with a large round cutter dipped into flour or cocoa before each cut. (Note: For fancy cutouts, add a little more flour to make a stiffer dough, making dough easier to handle).
Lift cut-out cookies gently with a spatula to a greased cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated 350°F for about 15 minutes or until done.
Cookies should be soft inside.
Spicy Variation: Add 1 tablespoon rum or bourbon, increase cloves and nutmeg to 1 teaspoon and ginger to 1 1/2 teaspoons (very spicy and an acquired taste)
Pink Grapefruit Yogurt Cake Recipe
ingredients:
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 1/2 pink grapefruits
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 1/2 pink grapefruits
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup canola oil
Grapefruit Syrup
1/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
2 T granulated sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
2 T granulated sugar
Grapefruit Glaze
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2-3 T freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
2-3 T freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Dust lightly with flour too. Set pan aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, add the grapefruit zest to the sugar. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, sugar, and zest with large spoon or spatula. Whisk in the eggs-you can do all three at once. Mix until smooth and then add in the vanilla and stir again.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until flour is incorporated.
Add the oil and mix well. It might take a minute to get the oil mixed in, but it will.
Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until your cake tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly touched in the center.
Cool on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes and then remove from the pan. While the cake is cooling make the syrup and glaze.
For the syrup, in a small sauce pan add the grapefruit juice and sugar. Whisk over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
For the glaze, in a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice. If it is too thick, add more juice, if it is too runny, add more sugar.
Poke little holes into the cake with a toothpick. Spoon the grapefruit syrup over the cake and let it soak in. Let the cake cool to room temperature and then add the glaze. Drizzle over the top of the cake.
Greek Panna Cotta Dessert
Ingredients
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons cold water
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
One 17.6-ounce tub of Greek yogurt, such as Fage Total brand (2 cups)
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup semi-dry white wine, such as Vouvray
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons cold water
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
One 17.6-ounce tub of Greek yogurt, such as Fage Total brand (2 cups)
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup semi-dry white wine, such as Vouvray
1/4 cup honey
Directions
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water; let stand until softened, 5 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, bring the cream, sugar and vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer. Off the heat, stir in the gelatin until melted. In a bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth. Gradually whisk in the vanilla cream; remove the vanilla bean. Pour the mixture into six 1/2-cup ramekins and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, simmer the apricots in the white wine over moderately low heat until the apricots are plump and the wine has reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Stir in the honey and simmer the syrup until thickened, about 5 minutes; let cool.
- Run a knife around the inside of each ramekin. Set a plate on each ramekin and invert each panna cotta onto a plate; you may have to tap and shake the ramekins to loosen the panna cottas. Slice the apricots and spoon them on top of the panna cottas. Drizzle with some of the honey syrup and serve.
Greek Potato Salad With Yogurt and Mustard Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1 lb waxy potato , peeled, cooked and cubed
- 1 chopped red onion
- 1/2 cucumber , washed, not peeled, cut into small cubes (remove the seeds if there are many)
- 1 finely chopped celery rib
- 1/2 bell pepper , any color, chopped
- 10 olives , halved (green or black)
- 2 hard-boiled eggs , chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 1 cup thick Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon capers , roughly chopped
- 2 minced anchovy fillets (or salt if you do not like ansjovies)
- pepper
- 1 large garlic clove , crushed
- 2 tomatoes , cut in wedges
Directions:
- 1Mix together in a large bowl: potatoes, onion, cucumber, celery, bell pepper, olives, eggs, parsley and mint.
- 2Mix the yogurt with the mustard, cayenne, capers, anchovies (or salt), pepper and garlic, taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- 3Gently mix the dressing with the salad, transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the tomatoes (and more olives if you like).
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