Category: Sweets – Other

Mint Julep Panna Cotta

If you have not tried Panna Cotta for a dessert you are in for a treat.  Easy and good to make ahead.  There are many different recipes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pkg unflavored gelatin powder (such as Knox gelatin)
  • 1 tsp canola oil
  • 1½ c whole milk
  • 4 c heavy cream
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 1 c fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
  • 1 c Kentucky bourbon or Tennessee whiskey

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, stir the gelatin into ¼ cup room temperature water and set it aside to soften (at least 10 minutes).
  2. Pour the oil onto a paper towel and use it to lightly but completely coat 10 small (6 ounce) ramekins.
  3. Combine the milk, cream, sugar, and mint leaves in a small saucepan and heat slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally until the milk comes to a boil (about 30 minutes).
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and skim the mint leaves from the milk with a slotted spoon or strain through a fine strainer. Discard these leaves.
  5. In a 2 quart pan bring the bourbon to a boil over medium heat and boil for 30 seconds.
  6. Add the mint flavored cream mixture and continue to heat until the mixture reaches 175°. (Just below a simmer – not boiling).
  7. Remove from the heat, add the gelatin, and stir well to dissolve the gelatin.
  8. Pour the mixture into the ramekins and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
  9. To serve later, press a small piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the custard and return them to the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
  10. The Panna Cotts can be served in the ramekins or unmolded. Garnish with a mint leaf.

Serves: 10

Source: Adapted from The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern, by Matt Lee and Ted Lee

Tequila Cream Sauce Parfait

This looks more complicated than it really is.  And, once you learn to make a sabayon sauce you can try it with rum, brandy, etc. and different fruits.  Brandy and peaches?  Bourbon and apples?

Ingredients:

  • ½ lb unsalted butter
  • 8 egg yolks
  • ¼ c water
  • ½ c powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbs vanilla
  • 2/3 c gold tequila
  • 2 c heavy cream, chilled
  • 5 c Fresh pineapple, strawberries, kiwis, blueberries (about ½ cup per person)

Directions:

  1. Melt the butter.
  2. Bring an inch of water to a low boil in the bottom of double boiler.
  3. Whisk together the egg yolks and 4 tablespoons of water in the top of the double boiler until stiff. Must be done slowly, over low heat, or you will get
    scrambled eggs. (If it starts to curdle, put in food processor with an ice cube.)
  4. Remove the bowl from the pan and slowly pour the melted butter into the yolks, whisking constantly, until the butter is absorbed into the yolks.
  5. Whisk in the sugar, vanilla and tequila.
  6. Whip the cream until fairly stiff.
  7. Fold whipped cream into the egg mixture until smooth. It will be thin, like cream from a carton. ( It is just a sabayon sauce made with tequila instead of wine.)
  8. Layer the sauce with the fresh fruit in chilled wine glasses or parfait glasses.

Serves: 10

Source: The Santa Fe School of Cooking Cookbook – Spirited Southwestern Recipes, Susan Curtis

Dorothy Zehnder’s Apple Kuchen

Kuchen is the official state dessert of South Dakota. There are as many different recipes as there are German grandmothers in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Some kuchens are made with yeast, some with different fruits, some with no fruit. It is also served for breakfast.

Crust Ingredients:

  • ½ c butter
  • ¼ c sugar
  • ¼ tsp vanilla
  • 1 ¼ c flour

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, combine butter, sugar and vanilla.
  2. Gradually beat in flour.
  3. Press crumbly mixture into bottom and up sides of 9 inch pie plate.
  4. Bake in 350°oven for 5 minutes. Cool.

Custard Ingredients:

  • 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ c sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ½ c peeled and chopped apples
  • 1 ½ c peeled and thinly sliced apples
  • 2 Tab apple juice
  • 2 Tab brown sugar
  • ¼ c sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until combined.
  2. Beat in egg.
  3. Pour custard over crust.
  4. Mix apples, apple juice, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice.
  5. Spoon apple mixture over custard.
  6. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Topping Ingredients:

  • ½ c rolled oats
  • ¼ c butter
  • 1/3 c flour
  • 1/3 c brown sugar

Directions:

  1. Combine oats, flour and brown sugar.
  2. Cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs.
  3. Sprinkle crumbs over pie.
  4. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes more.
  5. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  6. Cut each pie into 6 pieces.
  7. May be served with ice cream if you wish.

Serves: 6

Source: The Bavarian Inn, Frankenmuth, MI Food Network

Comments:  There are some great apples (peeled and sliced) packed in water at Smart and Final. It is a #10 can but you can freeze the rest for apple pie next week.

Coffee-Almond Baked Alaska with Coffee-Caramel Sauce

These are a bit of work – mostly done ahead – but man, were they good!

Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1 c golden brown sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
  • ½ c heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ c unsalted butter (½ stick)
  • 3 Tab brandy, divided
  • 2 Tab dark corn syrup

Sauce Directions:

  1. Combine sugar and espresso powder in a medium sauce pan.
  2. Add cream, butter, 2 tablespoons brandy, and corn syrup.
  3. Whisk over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
  4. Increase heat to medium-high and boil until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to l cup, whisking often, about 8 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat, cool 15 minutes.
  6. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon brandy.
  7. Transfer to microwave safe bowl.
    (Can be made ahead and kept refrigerated until day of dinner.)

Crust and Ice Cream Layers Ingredients:

  1. 2 c coarsely broken amaretti cookies (about 4 oz) (Italian macaroons)
  2. 1 c sliced almonds, toasted
  3. 2 tsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
  4. 3 Tab unsalted butter, melted
  5. 3 pts toasted almond ice cream
  6. 2 pts coffee ice cream

Crust and Ice Cream Layers Directions:

  1. Grind amaretti, almonds, and espresso in a processor.
  2. Add melted butter and 1 tablespoon of sauce.
  3. Blend just until crumbs cling together.
  4. Line (10) 8 oz ramekins with plastic wrap, leaving generous overhang.
  5. Slightly soften almond ice cream in microwave – about 10 seconds on defrost.
  6. Spoon into ramekins.
  7. Spread ice cream in an even layer over bottom and sides, leaving a hollow in the center.
  8. Freeze until firm, about ½ hour.
  9. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon crumb mixture on the ice cream and press gently.
  10. Slightly soften coffee ice cream.
  11. Spoon into hollow center , smooth the top.
  12. Press remaining crust mixture over ice cream.
  13. Cover with plastic.
  14. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
    (Can be made ahead and kept frozen until day of dinner.)

Meringue Ingredients:

  • 6 large egg whites, room temperature
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 c sugar

Meringue Directions:

  1. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and vanilla in large bowl until soft peaks form.
  2. Gradually add sugar, beating until meringue is stiff, about 5 minutes.

Assembly:

  1. Cut 10 squares 5” x 5” of cardboard (I used gift boxes).
  2. Cover them with foil.
  3. Remove top plastic wrap and unmold the ice cream onto the foil squares.
  4. Cover ice cream with meringue, making sure to cover completely (over onto the foil).
  5. Place on a rack on a rimed baking sheet. (They tend to slip around)
  6. Return to freezer until firm about 3 hours.

To serve:

  1. Heat oven to 500°.
  2. Microwave caramel sauce until warm.
  3. Transfer to pitcher to serve.
  4. Bake the Alaskas until meringue is golden brown. Watch carefully, it does not take long.
  5. Serve immediately with caramel sauce.

Serves: 10

Source: bon appétit Desserts

 

Eggnog Shooters

These turned out to be rather fun and different.  If you have shot glasses – even better.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ c water
  • 6 unflavored gelatin powder envelopes
  • 1 ½ c sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 ¼ c prepared eggnog
  • 1 ½ c brandy
  • nutmeg ground
  • ½ pt whipping cream
  • 2 Tbs powdered sugar
  • 132 plastic spoons – red or green

Directions:

  1. Pour water in saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin.
  2. Allow to soak for a minute or two.
  3. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is fully dissolved – about 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk.
  5. Remove from heat and add the eggnog and brandy, stirring to fully incorporate.
  6. Pour into 9×13 glass pan and refrigerate until fully set, several hours or overnight.
  7. Cut 11 x 12 into ¾” x 1” rectangles.
  8. Lightly dust rectangles with nutmeg.
  9. Place rectangle on a plastic spoon.
  10. Whip cream with powdered sugar.
  11. Place a small rosette of whip cream on eggnog rectangles with frosting tip.
  12. Refrigerate.
  13. Serve spoons of shooters on tray.

Serves: 132 spoons

Source: Jelly Shot Test Kitchen

Berry Trifle

Trifles are wonderful because just about anything goes.  You can  vary the fruit, custard, and cake and it is all good.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pt blueberries
  • 1 pt strawberries, hulled, sliced
  • 2 pt raspberries
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ¼ c sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
  • 1 qt whipping cream
  • 1 Tbs sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • 1 11 oz jar lemon curd
  • 1 pound cake, store bought (could be lemon or plain) sliced ½ in thick

Directions:

  1. Place berries in large bowl and sprinkle with half of the lemon juice.
  2. Lightly toss.
  3. Combine berries, sugar, cornstarch and remaining lemon juice in saucepan over medium high heat.
  4. Bring to a simmer and cook just until the berries begin to break down and give up their juices, about 3 minutes.
  5. Take the berries off the heat and let cool. The mixture should thicken as it cools.
  6. In a clean bowl, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
  7. Put the lemon curd into a second bowl. Stir a little of the whipped cream into it.
  8. Then fold in the rest of the cream.
  9. To assemble, spoon a layer of lemon cream into a large glass bowl.
  10. Add a layer of pound cake, breaking the pieces to fit pushing to the edge so some shows outside the bowl.
  11. Then soak cake with a layer of berries and their juices.
  12. Keep going to make 3 or 4 more layers depending on the size of the bowl.
  13. Finish with a layer of lemon cream.
  14. Cover and refrigerate.

Serves: 15

Source: Tyler Florence, Food 911

Chocolate Raspberry Terrine

OMG!  Chocolate like you have never eaten!  But you might want to cut the recipe – it makes enough for a ship load of people.

Ingredients:

  • 9 lbs chocolate, chopped coarsely
  • 32 oz heavy whipping cream (36%)
  • 2 lbs butter, unsalted
  • 8 oz raspberry sauce, plate scraper (a cooking term for that raspberry syrup that decorates the plate.)
  • 2 pts fresh raspberries
  • 2 c whipping cream
  • 2 Tab confectionery sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. In a double boiler heat the chocolate, butter, heavy cream and half the raspberry sauce until smooth and the chocolate has melted completely.
  2. Line loaf pans with plastic wrap and fill each one half way, evenly distribute the fresh raspberries.
  3. Fill the loaf pans the rest of the way.
  4. Wrap the plastic over the top.
  5. Place in freezer until one hour before service.
  6. Whip cream with vanilla until foamy, gradually add confectionery sugar, beating until soft peaks form.
  7. Cut loaf into slices.
  8. Place on plate that has been squiggled with the raspberry syrup.
  9. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and raspberries.

Serves:  Makes 8 Terrines

Source: Executive Chef, American Cruise Lines

Notes:  On the ship, these were made in a 8 inch spring free pan, cut into wedges. Two wedges were place on the plate with points crossed, a dollop of whipped cream and two raspberries on the side.  Lovely!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sour Cream Apple Pie (sans crust)

I am not fond of pie crust so I just put this into a casserole and baked it.  YUM!

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 1¼ cup sour cream
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 6 cups peeled, sliced tart apples (about 1 1/4 pounds of slices)
  • 1 9″ unbaked pie shell, frozen or chilled in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or a 2 quart baking dish.

Topping:

  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • ¼ cup butter, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon (or more, more is always better)

 

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.  Beat together sour cream, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla and egg (can beat by hand).
3. Add apples, mixing carefully to coat well.
4. Put filling into a pie shell and bake at 400 degrees initially for 15 min. (or in a 2 quart baking dish)
5. Reduce oven to 350° and continue baking for 30 more minutes.
6. While the pie is baking, prepare the topping by stiring together flour, sugar, cinnamon.
7. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
8. After 30 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle with Topping.
9. Bake for and additional 20 more minutes or until topping is browned.

Let cool for a hour before serving.

Serves: 8.  (Ha Ha – 4 of us finished it off!)

Source:  This is a combination of a recipe from Pillsbury and allrecipes.com


Blood Orange Gel

Kim  Alter of Haven in Oakland made this sauce to accent her Smoked Forbidden Rice.  It can be made with any citrus and on just about anything from chicken and fish to desserts.  (4/11/15 Just had a drink called a Golden Dragon at the new dumpling restaurant Din Tai Fung in South Coast Plaza – wow! bourbon, blood orange liquor and a hint of ginger.  Sounds weird but it works.)

 Ingredients:

  • 2 blood oranges, whole
  • 1 c water
  • 1 cup sugar

Instructions:

1. Place the oranges in a pot of cold water.
2. Bring up to boil, and let the oranges simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Strain the oranges and place them back in the pot with cold water.
4. Bring to a boil and repeat one more time.
5. On the third time, combine the sugar and water, making a simple syrup.  Bring it to a boil.
6. Add the oranges and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
7. Remove the oranges from the simple syrup.
8. Then place the whole oranges in a blender. (Yes, the whole orange – seeds and all)  and blend until smooth.
9. Add simple syrup to get the right consistency and sweetness.
10. Strain.

Source: Chefs’ Holiday 2013, Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite

Angela Pia

Once upon a time (in the 50’s-60’s) there was a restaurant in San Francisco – Pietro’s 311.  One of  a multitude of North Beach/produce district hangouts, this one served a wonderful dessert –  Angela Pia.  And they would share the recipe.  It is a bit “fussy” but worth the effort.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Eggs, separated
  • 1 c Cream, whipped
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • ½ c Sugar
  • 1 oz Brandy
  • 1 oz Rum
  • 1 Tbsp unflavored gelatin (1 envelope)

Instructions:

  1. Soak gelatin in ¼ c cold water for 5 minutes.
  2. Stir over hot water until dissolved completely.
  3. Beat egg yolks and sugar until lemon colored.
  4. Add rum and brandy.
  5. Whip cream to soft peaks.
  6. Add vanilla
  7. Beat egg whites.
  8. Stir gelatin into egg yolk mixture.
  9. Fold beaten egg whites, whipped cream, egg yolk mixture together.
  10. Pour into individual dishes.
  11. Refrigerate.

Serves: 4 – 6

Notes:

  • Keeps only 24 hours.  Turns rubbery.
  • You can double but not triple (don’t know why, but it doesn’t work)

Source: Pietro’s 311, 311 Washington St, San Francisco  (Telephone Yukon 6-0605)  Long Gone, too bad.