Wine and Cheese Night with friends and this is a winner. Make it ahead and you are in good planning mode.
- 4 phyllo sheets (13 x 17 inches)
- 8 tbsp. melted butter, divided
- 4 oz. lean bacon, chopped
- 2 large sweet onions, (is there such a thing?) thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 6 oz. chevre cheese (goat’s cheese)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup half and half cream
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 12 regular size muffin tins and set aside. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on work surface, and be sure to keep the others covered with a damp cloth. Brush lightly with butter. Top second sheet over the first and brush with butter. Repeat until finished, reserving 2 tbsp. of butter.
Use a sharp knife and cut crosswise into 4 strips and lengthwise into 3 strips (this will make your 12 squares). press each one into a muffin cup and bake for about 5-6 minutes until golden but not completely cooked. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before filling.
Lower oven to 350 degrees.
Cook bacon in a skillet over low heat stirring often. When crisp remove and drain on paper towels. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of buttter and add the onions and cook over medium heat, again stirring often until they change colour. Add the garlic and thyme leaves. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for about 12-15 minutes until tender and caramelized. Mix in the bacon.
In a bowl mix together the cheese, eggs, cream and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whip until smooth. Evenly divide the onion mixture into the phyllo cups and top each one with about 2 tbsp of the egg mixture. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until the custard has set and the cups are golden brown. If they begin to brown too quickly, gently lay a sheet of tin foil over the top.
Add 5-6 other nibblies and you have a successful party.
Make sure to have a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc nearby.
Have fun!
Plum Tart With Port In Rustic Phyllo Crust
Another yummy dessert to make and serve to family and friends, no matter the occasion. (who needs an occasion to enjoy this?) You can change the fruit to Peaches and Amaretto, or whatever your favourite fruit is. Just match the liqueur and fruit together and you have a win-win dish.
- 2 cups nice tawny coloured Port
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. allspice
- 6-8 plums, halved, pitted and cut each half in quarters
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 10 sheets Phyllo pastry sheets
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- sugar to coat
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil the Port, 1/2 cup brown sugar and allspice in a large skillet until reduced to about 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes).
Place the plums in a large bowl, sprinkle the flour over and toss to coat. Drizzle 1/3 cup of the sauce over the plums and toss to coat. Reserve the remaining sauce.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay the sheets of phyllo on the work surface, covering with plastic and topping with a damp towel. This way they won’t dry out while working. Take the first sheet of pastry and lay on the parchment paper, brush with melted butter and lightly sprinkle with sugar. Repeat for all the layers.
Spoon the plums onto the phyllo, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of pastry all around the edges. Fold the edges of the phyllo up over the plums. Drizzle the remaining syrup from the bowl over the plums. Carefully brush some melted butter over the edges of the pastry and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar.
Bake the tart until crust is golden (do not burn) and the plum syrup is bubbling. (35-45 minutes). If the pastry edges are getting too brown, cover with foil.
Cut while warm in wedges and serve with, can you guess?…..sweetened whipped cream and drizzle the reserved sauce over.
OMG! This is good….better than good…..gotta go and buy me some plums…..ooooohhhhh!
French-style Apple And Almond Sheet Tart
I love this dessert. The best apple to use is a Gala and since they are in abundance this time of year, it should be incentive to go and get some to make this dessert. Right?
Crust
- 8 sheets of phyllo pastry, thawed
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 1/2 tbsp. sugar
- 3-4 Gala apples, peeled, halved, cored and cut into thin slices
- 1/2 cup peach preserves
- 3 tbsp. water
Position rack in center of the preheated 350 degree oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Stack the phyllo sheets with plastic wrap and then a damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out. Place a phylo sheet, one at a time, on the baking sheet and brush with the melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with the sugar and continue with the second one, repeating until all are prepared in the same way.
Almond Cream
This should be made before the phyllo gets started because it has to be chilled for a few hours.
- 1 1/4 cup almond flour (ground almonds)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
Whisk the flour and sugar together in a medium size bowl. Whisk together the egg, vanilla in another bowl. Whisk one half the almond mixture into the egg. Whisk in the whipping cream, then fold in the remaining almond mixture. Cover with foil and chill at least 4 hours.
Spoon dollops of the cream evenly over the phyllo, leaving 1/2 inch border all around. Carefully, closely space the slices around the tart on top of the cream. Bake for about 40 minutes until the apples are tender, custard has set and the crust is golden.
Not done yet, but close.
Combine the preserves and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until melted. Brush this over the apples and tart edges.
Cut in slices and serve. Adding a dollop of whipped cream wouldn’t hurt anyone, except the left hip. Alright, add two, and then the right hip will be happy.
Enjoy! This is truly yummy.
Coconut Rice Pudding Springrolls With Raspberry Sauce
Deep fried springrolls – take a back seat. This is the dessert version and is actually, super delicious.
- 1/2 cup arborio rice
- 2 x 14 oz. cans light coconut milk
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 2 inches lemongrass
- 1/4 tsp. preserved ginger, diced small
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup dried apricots, diced
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 10 phyllo pastry sheets
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 container of pistachio ice cream
- fresh raspberries for garnish
In a pot stir together the rice, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla bean, lemongrass, ginger and salt over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked and thickened slightly, 20 – 30 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl, discard the bean and lemongrass and stir in the apricots. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place 3/4 cup of shredded coconut on a parchment line cooking sheet and bake, stirring once, until golden, 5 – 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Gently unroll phyllo sheets and place on a kitchen towel. Cover with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying out as you are working.
Lay one sheet of pastry, long side facing youi on a dry flat surface and brush evenly with a coating of the melted butter and fold in half, lengthwise. Brush lightly again with the melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. of the toasted coconut. Spoon 3 tbsp of the rice pudding along the side closest to you and gently roll up the dough around the pudding. Fold in the sides over the filling and continue to roll the dough to encase the filling.
Transfer seam side down, to another parchment lined baking sheet and top with a little more butter. Repeat process with remaining pyhllo. Sprinkle with remaining non-toasted coconut and bake until golden brown and the pudding has warmed through (15 – 20 minutes). Let cool slightly before serving the the Raspberry Sauce below.
Raspeberry Sauce
3 cups fresh raspberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
In a small pot stir together all ingredients over medium heat. Cook until raspberries start to release their juices and break down, about 5 minutes.
Taste. If too tart, add more sugar and cook, stirring constantly until dissolved.
Place in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain sauce through a fine sieve; discard solids and refrigerate sauce until ready to use.
When ready to serve, set 2 spring rolls on a plate, put a splash of sauce and drag across the plate. Add fresh raspberries and serve. Add a large scoop of pistashio ice cream on the side. Voila!
Remember the mantra…..damn I can do this…..you just did.
Judith’s Rhubarb Strudel
This is the time for a perfect dessert with rhubarb. Make sure you try this, it is truly awsome.
- 4 cups sliced rhubarb
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp quick cooking tapioca
- 2 tbsp chopped ginger in syrup
- 1 tbsp grated orange zest
- combine and set aside.
- 6 sheets phyllo pastry
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1/3 cup fine bread crumbs, divided
- Icing sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place one sheet phyllo on clean work surface. Cover remaining sheets with damp towel so not to dry out. On each sheet cover with melted butter and sprinkle bread crumbs. Repeat for all six layers.
Spread rhubarb mixture on top, leaving two inch border. Fold in sides, and roll up jelly roll style.
Place seam side down on parchment lined cookie sheet and cut five slots in top of pastry to allow steam out.
Bake for thirty minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Trust me, you can’t make enough of this stuff, even when you say you don’t like rhubarb…..you will!
My friend Judith gave me this recipe many years ago and with her permission it is now here for you to try. Too good to be true!
Fresh Fig And Pear Strudel With Ginger Cream
Okay….so you are going to show off tonight. Why not? Do this and you will be…
Serves 8
- 1 1/2 lbs. fresh figs, stemmed, cut into 6 wedges each
- 1 1/2 lbs firm but ripe Anjou pears, peeled cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup frozen cranberry-raspberry concentrate, thawed
- 1 tsp grated lemon peel
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Generously butter a large baking sheet. Place the fruit pieces on the baking sheet, sprinkle with sugar and roast for about twenty minutes until tender and just starting to brown. Remove from oven and transfer the fruit to a bowl to cool. Stir in the concentrate and lemon zest and chill until cold.
Strudel
- 6 tbsp dried bread crumbs
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 10 thawed phyllo sheets
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
Butter another baking sheet. Mix the crumbs, three tbsp of sugar and one tsp cinnamon in a bowl. Place a clean kitchen towel on work surface. Place one phyllo sheet on towel with short edge toward edge of work surface. Be sure to cover the remaining phyllo sheets with a damp tea towel so they don’t dry out.
Brush phyllo sheet with some melted butter, sprinkle with one-eighth bread crumb mixture. Repeat this with two more phyllo sheets, first the butter then one-eighth of crumb mixture each. Top with the fifth phyllo sheet and brush with melted butter. With a slotted spoon, place one-half of the mixture along one short side of pastry stack. Be sure to leave a one inch border along the long sides. Sprinkle one-half tbsp sugar and one-quarter tsp over the fruit mixture.
Brush folded sides with butter. With short sides, start rolling being sure to enclose all the fruit. Brush all over with melted butter and place strudel with seam side down on baking sheet. Repeat the very same procedure with the second strudel.
This can now be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge.
To bake, position rack in centre of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Once again, brush the strudel with melted butter and bake about twenty minutes until golden in colour. Cool this for about ten minutes. Cut with a serrated knife on the diagonal, discarding the ends (yes, you can taste). Stand one piece on each plate and put a dollop of ginger cream on the side of the strudel. Serve this dessert warm.
Ginger Cream
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tbsp minced peeled ginger
- 2 1/4 tbsp Berry sugar
- 1 cup whipping cream
Combine the water and ginger in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar melts. Simmer this now for about five-six minutes until it becomes syrupy. In a medium bowl whip the cream until stiff peaks form and carefully fold in the ginger mixture.
This can be made earlier in the day (about four hours before) and kept chilled in the fridge.
After serving this, your guests will have gone home, picked up their sleepingbags and returned. They really will not want to leave.