Day Recipe Food Community

November 2, 2007

Puff Pastry Pinwheel Cookies with Jam Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , — Anna @ 11:40 pm

Supermarket staples — puff pastry and fruit jams — are transformed into delicate teatime treats that require very little effort.

Makes 40.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 17 1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

  • 1 egg, beaten to blend (glaze)

  • 1/2 cup (about) sugar
  • 1/2 cup (about) assorted jams (such as raspberry, apricot and kiwi)

  • powdered sugar (optional)

    DIRECTIONS

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly butter 2 heavy large baking sheets. Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 16×13-inch rectangle. Trim edges neatly, forming 15×12-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle into twenty 3-inch squares. Using small sharp knife, make 1-inch-long diagonal cut in all 4 corners of 1 square, cutting toward center (do not cut through center). To form pinwheels, fold every other point of puff pastry toward center of square, pressing to adhere. Repeat with remaining puff pastry squares.

    Brush pinwheels lightly with egg glaze. Sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Place scant 1/2 teaspoon jam in center of each. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake until pinwheels are golden and puffed, about 13 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to rack and cool. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet, glaze, sugar and jam.

    Sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar, if desired. (Can be prepared ahead. Place cookies between waxed paper sheets in airtight containers and freeze up to 2 weeks; thaw before packing, or store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days.)

    • Share/Bookmark

    • Caribbean Christmas Pudding with Brandy Butter Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , — Anna @ 11:20 pm

    Rum and spices-classic Caribbean ingredients-also happen to be the classic ingredients in the traditional English steamed pudding. This lovely version of the Christmas dessert is from the Grand View Beach Hotel, Villa Point, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Begin preparing it at least one day before serving.

    Serves 10.

    INGREDIENTS

  • brandy butter
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 5 tablespoon brandy

  • pudding

  • 1 2/3 cups dried currants (about 8 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup candied cherries or other chopped dried fruit such as apricots or figs (about 4 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup pitted prunes, chopped (about 4 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup chopped candied orange peel
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup dark rum

  • 3 cups fresh white breadcrumbs

  • 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons all purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

    DIRECTIONS

    For Brandy Butter:
    Using electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Beat in sugar. Gradually beat in brandy. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)


    For pudding:
    Mix currants, candied cherries, prunes, orange peel, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Pour rum over and stir to blend. Let stand 30 minutes.

    Mix breadcrumbs, sugar and flour in medium bowl. Add to dried fruit mixture and stir to blend. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.

    Generously butter 2-quart pudding mold with lid. Mix almonds and baking powder in medium bowl. Whisk melted butter, eggs, milk, vanilla extract and almond extract in large bowl. Stir in almond mixture. Stir butter mixture into dried fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pudding mold. Smooth top. Cover pudding mold with lid.

    Place pudding mold on rack in large pot. Add enough boiling water to pot to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pot and steam pudding over medium-low heat until tester inserted into center comes out clean, adding more boiling water to pot if necessary, about 2 hours. Transfer mold to rack and cool 5 minutes. Turn out pudding. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cool. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate. To reheat pudding, unwrap and return to buttered mold; cover mold. Place mold on rack in large pot. Add enough hot water to pot to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pot and steam pudding over medium-low heat until heated through, about 45 minutes. Transfer mold to rack. Let stand 5 minutes. Turn out pudding.)

    Transfer pudding to platter. Serve warm with brandy butter.

    • Share/Bookmark

    • Chocolate-Cinnamon Rice Pudding Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , — Anna @ 11:00 pm

    An easy and scrumptious twist on the classic rice pudding from Habitation Lagrange in Martinique.

    Serves 6.

    INGREDIENTS

  • 4 1/2 cups milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
  • 2/3 cup long-grain white rice
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

  • 4 large egg yolks

  • 3 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    DIRECTIONS

    Mix 4 cups milk, rice, sugar and cinnamon sticks in heavy large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until rice is tender and mixture is very thick, stirring often, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard cinnamon sticks.

    Whisk egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup milk in medium bowl. Whisk in some of hot rice mixture. Return egg mixture to remaining rice mixture. Stir over medium-low heat until the thermometer registers 160°F., about 3 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla. Transfer pudding to large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Serve cold.

    • Share/Bookmark

    • Eggnog Cremes Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , — Anna @ 10:40 pm

    Crunchy candy-coated cranberries make festive garnish for this inventive dessert. Begin preparing the custards a day before serving.

    Serves 6.

    INGREDIENTS

  • crèmes
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup bourbon

  • cranberries and caramel

  • 18 fresh cranberries
  • 18 toothpicks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup water

  • ground nutmeg

    DIRECTIONS

    For cremes:
    Preheat oven to 325°F. Place six 3/4 cup custard cups or soufflé dishes in 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bring half and half to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Whisk yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot half and half into yolk mixture. Whisk in bourbon. Divide mixture equally among custard cups. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. Bake custard until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Remove custards from water. Cool on rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight.


    For cranberries and caramel:
    Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil. Lightly oil foil. Place 1 cranberry on the point of each toothpick. Combine sugar, light corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to saucepan. Increase heat to medium-high and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber and thermometer registers 325°F, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 15 minutes. Carefully pour 2/3 of syrup onto 1 prepared baking sheet, tilting sheet to spread caramel thinly; set baking sheet aside.

    Working quickly, tilt saucepan and carefully dip 1 cranberry into remaining hot syrup to coat lightly. Place candy-coated cranberry on second prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cranberries. Allow caramel on baking sheet to cool and harden. Break caramel candy into 1- to 2-inch pieces. (Caramel candy and berries can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

    Sprinkle custards with nutmeg. Stand a few candy pieces upright in custards. Remove cranberries from toothpicks; place 3 berries atop each custard.

    • Share/Bookmark

    • Raspberry Linzer Tart Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , — Anna @ 10:20 pm

    In this terrific take on the classic Linzer-torte, an almond-cinnamon cookie crust is the delicious base for layers of chocolate and raspberries with raspberry jam. Cookie-crust stars top the whole thing off.

    Serves 8.

    INGREDIENTS

  • crust
  • 2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup ground toasted blanched almonds (about 2 1/2 ounces)
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • filling

  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
  • 1 1/2-pint basket raspberries
  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

  • powdered sugar

  • lightly sweetened whipped cream

    DIRECTIONS

    For crust:
    Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and egg in medium bowl until creamy. Add flour, almonds, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; beat just until well blended. Measure 3/4 cup of dough; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill. Using floured fingertips, press remaining dough over bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Pierce dough in several places with fork. Chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

    Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake crust until light golden, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. Maintain oven temperature.

    Roll out chilled dough disk on generously floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into stars, using 2-inch and 3-inch star cookie cutters. Transfer cookies to baking sheet. Bake until cookies are light golden, about 6 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool. Maintain oven temperature.


    For Filling:
    Melt chocolate chips in top of double boiler set over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Spread chocolate over bottom of crust. Arrange berries over chocolate, spacing evenly. Stir jam in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Spoon jam over raspberries.

    Bake tart until crust is golden brown, about 35 minutes (filling will still appear slightly liquid but will set up as tart cools.) Transfer tart to rack and cool. Arrange stars atop tart, overlapping points. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve with whipped cream.

    • Share/Bookmark

    • Pecan, Apple and Raisin Tartlets with Rum Cream Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , — Anna @ 10:00 pm

    Here’s a sophisticated but easy desert.

    Serves 4.

    INGREDIENTS

  • 2 large tart green apples (such as granny smith), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17 1/4-ounce package), thawed

  • 4 tablespoons toasted pecans, finely chopped

  • 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream

  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

    DIRECTIONS

    Combine apples, brown sugar, raisins, water and 1 tablespoon rum in heavy medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until apples are tender, stirring until occasionally, about 15 minutes. Cool apple mixture completely.

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out pastry to 10-inch square. Cut out four 4 1/2-inch pastry rounds, using 1-pound coffee can or individual tart pan bottom as guide (reserve remaining pastry for another use). Press 1 tablespoon pecans in center of each round, leaving border. Transfer rounds to baking sheet. Spoon 1/4 of apple mixture onto each round, leaving 1/2-inch border.

    Bake tartlets until brown on bottom and puffed at edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Beat cream, powdered sugar and remaining 1 tablespoon rum in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Serve tartlets with rum cream.

    • Share/Bookmark

    • Rum-Laced Cream Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , — Anna @ 9:40 pm

    Makes about 2 cups.

    INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup chilled whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum

    DIRECTIONS

    Beat whipping cream, brown sugar and rum in medium bowl until soft peaks form. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

    • Share/Bookmark

    • Chocolate Icing Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: — Anna @ 9:20 pm

    Makes about 2 cups.

    INGREDIENTS

  • 3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 9 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

    DIRECTIONS

    Bring first 3 ingredients to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Mix in kirsch. Remove from heat. Let stand until spreadable, whisking occasionally, about 1 hour.

    • Share/Bookmark

    • Chocolate Cream Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , — Anna @ 9:00 pm

    Makes about 3 cups.

    INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
  • 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

    DIRECTIONS

    Bring 1/2 cup cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm.

    Beat remaining 1 cup cream and sugar in large bowl to medium peaks. Fold in chocolate mixture. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

    • Share/Bookmark

    • Chocolate-Peppermint Sauce Recipe

    Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , — Anna @ 8:40 pm

    Great over simple vanilla ice cream.

    Makes About 1 3/4 Cups.

    INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 cup crushed candy canes or other hard peppermint candies (about 6 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

    DIRECTIONS

    Combine cream, crushed candy canes and water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until candy melts. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat.)

    • Share/Bookmark
    • Older Posts »

    Powered by WordPress