This is a great coffee cake that is an alternative to banana bread….
- 8 large purple plums
- 1 cup butter (not margarine)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. almond flavouring
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 2 tsp. each baking powder and grated lime zest
- pinch of salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
A couple of hours before serving, slice the plums and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.
In electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Reduce to low speed and add the flour, baking powder, lime zest, salt and eggs and beat until blended. Scrape bowl occasionally. Increase the speed back to medium and beat until smooth.
Spread the batter in the baking dish and top with the sliced plums. (make it look pretty). Top with the topping below.
Topping
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup quick Quaker oats
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Mix together until it resembles coarse crumbs and sprinkle evenly over the plums. Bake about 55 – 60 minutes until cake tests done.
Serve warm with almond flavoured whipped cream.
Pink Sky Smoothie
We serve this when it is a new Bride and Groom or Anniversary celebration. It is pretty to look at and has an ilusive flavour.
Serves 2
- 1/2 cup natural yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. rose water
- 3 tbsp. honey
- 1 ripe mango, pitted and diced
- 6 ice cubes
- edible rose petals (if you can find them at a specialty store)
Pour yogurt, milk and whipping cream into food processor or blender and process until combined. Add the rose water and again, blend until combined. Add the mango along with the ice cubes and beat until completely smooth,.
Pour into your prettiest stemware. Add a couple of rose petals and serve immediately.
Listen to the oohs and ahhs…..
* This is in my B & B Cookbook
Eggnog Cheesecake
Many, many recipes for this cheesecake but it really has a nite ‘bite’ with a gingersnap crust.
You will need:
- 48 finely ground gingersnaps
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 4 pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup white rum
- 2 cups cold commercial eggnog
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup additional eggnog
- freshly ground eggnog
Stir the first three ingredients together and press into a 9″ springform pan.
With your mixer, beat the 4 pkgs of room temperature cream cheese until smooth then proceed with the 4 eggs, beating in after each one, mix the icing sugar and flour together and add to the mixture. Pour into the springform pan.
Wrap the pan in tin foil and set in a larger pan with boiling water halfway up the springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from the water bath and let sit in the oven , with the door closed, for an additional hour. Remove to a rack . Cover and chill for at least 8 hours.
Beat the eggnog and whipping cream together and grate fresh nutmeg across the top.
It well could be your favourite cheesecake
Rhubarb Bars
This is very much like date squares or as we knew it, matrimonial squares.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- 3 cups rhubarb cut into 1/2 inch squares
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick)
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
Combine the first four ingredients and cook until it becomes thick. Cool completely.
Combine crust ingredients and pat two-thirds of the mixture into a greased 9 x 9 inch pan. Add the filling and top with the remaining crumbs. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Cool before attempting to cut.
Be sure to have some vanilla ice cream or whipping cream on hand. Darn, this sound so good I am going to make some.
Gingerbread Waffles
I know, I know…..another recipe for waffles, BUT it is a really nice one! Ya gotta try it.
- 1 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. ginger
- 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg separated
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 tbsp. candied ginger
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
In a bowl combine the first eight ingredients. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar with the egg yolk until fluffy, then add the molasses, buttermilk and butter. Stir into the dry ingredients until combined. Stir in the pecans.
In a small bowl, beat the egg white and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gently fold into the batter.
Bake in a preheated waffle iron until golden brown In a blender, chop the candied ginger until fine.
Whip the cream until soft peaks form and fold in the candied ginger. Top waffles while still warm.
Lemon Mousse
In three weeks time, we will be hosting our “pre-Christmas dinner” with about 10 new friends. We have done this for years (if you are a follower of this site, you will know that). It will be their first. After searching everything I have, I decided on this. I think it will be a good one. Since it can be made 3 days ahead of the dinner, it is a good choice.
- 8-10 lemons
- 2 cups sugar
- 8 large egg yolks, plus 2 whole eggs
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut up
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. whipping cream
- chilled candied lemon zest *
- 1 eight ounce container of creme fraiche
In a large bowl, prepare an ice bath. Set aside. Juice 1 lemon and set aside. Juice enough lemons to make 1 cup of juice. Place the juice, sugar, egg yolks, whole eggs and butter in a saucepan. Cook over a medium heat for about 8 – 10 minutes until it begins to boil.
Strain this through a fine sieve into a bowl set on top of the ice bath. Stir occasionally until it cools down. Place plastic wrap over the entire surface and set in the fridge for about an hour.
Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Reserve 1/2 cup of the lemon curd to be used later and add the remaining curd to the whipped cream. Gently fold this together with a whisk until well combined.
Fill your ring molds (8-10) equally and place them on a cookie sheet to be placed in the freezer for up to 3 days.
Candied Lemon Zest*
This should be made one day before you make the mousse.
Scrub the skins of 4 lemons
2 cups sugar
1 cup cool water
Remove zest from the lemons with a vegetable peeler. Remove the white pith with a sharp knife and finely julienne. Place the zest in a small bowl and over with boiling water. Let stand for half an hour and then drain.
Bring the sugar and cool water to a boil , stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon zest and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand overnight. Next morning store the zest in the syrup in an air tight container in the fridge until ready to use.
Drain the candied zest and reserve the syrup. Whisk 1/3 cup of the syrup, reserved 1/2 cup lemon curd and the juice of 1/2 lemon in a bowl.
Place the frozen mousse on pretty plates, letting stand for about 5-6 minutes to warm. Mix the creme fraiche wth the 2 remaining tbsp of whipping cream until soft peaks form. Remove the molds, spoon the lemon sauce around the base of the mousse, spoon some creme fraiche on top and add a spoon of candied zest on top.
Put a couple of your best shortbread cookies on the side and serve. (Your choice: whipped, lemon or pecan shortbread). What the heck, make it 1 of each.
Duck Terrine
We have had a couple of requests for this recipe. Trust me, it takes a long time but you will never taste anything better. (Actually 3 days) Read through first.
Serves 10-12
Terrine:
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 Moulard duck breasts (1 3/4 -2 lbs total)
- 4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 2 tbsp. Port (amber)
- 1 tbsp. brandy
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
Freeze milk in a shallow dish, scraping once or twice with a fork to break up the crystals until completely frozen. This should take about 1 hour. Remove the skin and any fat with your fingers. When needed, use a knife.
Set a medium bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice and water under the grinder to catch the meat, then feed only the meat through a second time, adding spoonfuls of the frozen milk as you go. Chill and cover with plastic wrap, in the fridge.
Using the same method, feed the duck skin with fat through twice then add to the duck meat and leave the bowl in the larger bowl of ice.
Add the remaining terrine ingredients and mix with your hands to combine well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
Glazed Shallots.
- 1 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1/2 bay leaf
- 1/2 lb. small shallots, peeled and trimmed
Bring the ingredients to a boil in a 1 quart saucepan stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the shallots (whole) and cover the surface with wax paper and simmer vigorously until tender (about 45 minutes). Transfer from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon to a bowl and discard the sprig of thyme. Boil the liquid until it is about 1/3 cup. Pour over the shallots and cool.
Line and bake the terrine
Set the rack in oven to the middle and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom and all sides of the terrine pan with proscuitto, overlapping the edges slightly and be sure to leave about 2 inch overhang on the long sides. Rub some of the duck mixture on the proscuitto to ensure the rest with stick to it and pack in two thirds of the remaining duck.
Make a trough down the middle with the back of a spoon. Gently push the drained shallots pointed end down in the trough. Pack the balance of the duck mixture on top and bring the overhang of proscuitto over the top (add more if you have to). Wrap in a double layer of tin foil. Rap the mold sharply on the counter to compact the mixture.
Bake the terrine in a water bath for about 2 hours. Remove the foil and cook on a rack for half an hour.
To weigh the terrine, place in a clean baking pan and place a piece of parchment paper on top. Place a piece of wood or cardboard the exact size of the terrine that has been wrapped in foil on top and add a couple tins of soup. Chill this now for about 4 hours. Continue to cool without the weights for at least 24 hours to allow the flavours to develop.
Serving
Run a knife around the edge of the terrine and let stand in about 1 inch of hot water to loosen the bottom for about 2 minutes. Tip the terrine, making sure you have a hand on the top, to drain excess liquid; reinvert on a cutting and with a paper towel gently wipe the excess liquid off the Proscuitto. Let stand for about 30 minutes then cut into 1/2 inch slices and serve on plates that have been drizzled with the wine syrup.
This will keep well if wrapped in plastic and kept chilled for about 1 week.
Oh yeah, read this through first and loudly proclaim “damn, I can do this!”
Raspberry/Blackberry Soup
We had a big dinner for the management team that built our house and we served this soup. We still hear them talking about it – in a good way!
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 cup water, divided
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup white cranberry juice
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 8 oz. raspebrry/cranberry yogurt (fabulous)
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- powdered cinnamon
Put the berries and 1/4 cup of water in the blender amd puree until smooth. In a large saucepan combine pureed fruit with remaining water, cranberry juice, sugar, cloves and cinnamon stick. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat and cool.
Strain soup into a large bowl (this will take a few minutes, so be patient). Add the lemon juice and yogurt, whisking until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until very cold.
When ready to serve, add a dollop of sour cream in the center and a light sprinkle of powdered cinnamon.
This is another fabulous cold soup and a great change of pace for the taste buds.
Taste Rate – 12 out of 10
Fresh Salmon Fillets in a Pancetta Cream Sauce
Serves 4
- 1 lb. fresh salmon fillets about 1/2 inch thick and cut into 4 equal portions
- Olive oil for brushing
- 1 medium julienned carrot (1/2 cup)
- 1 small zucchini and
- 1 small yellow squash, julienned
- 2 oz. pancetta (make sure it has lots of fat)
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 2 tbsp. julienned fresh basil
Steam the vegetables until crisp-tender (about 3 minutes)
To make the sauce, fry the pancetta, reserving any liquid. Coarsely crumble and set aside. Using the reserved liquid, stir in the whipping cream. Boil gently, uncovered until it thickens slightly. Stir in the basil. Remove from heat, but keep warm.
Rinse the salmon and rinse dry. Place the fish on a greased, unheated boiler pan, tuck the thin end of the fish underneath and brush with olive oil. Broil about 4 inches from t he broiler for 4-6 inches until the fish flakes easily.
To serve, divide the sauce on four plates, place the fish over the sauce and pile the vegetables on top. Add the crumbled pancetta over all. In this recipe you could also use bacon, but it will give an entirely different flavour.
Maple Tarts #1
I have two recipes for maple tarts. Both are good.
You will need:
- Frozen puff pastry tart shells
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 cups whipping cream, divided
- 1 tsp. maple flavouring
- 1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
- caramel sauce
Prick the tart shell all over with a fork and bake according to instructions.
Combine all ingredients except the 2nd cup of cream and caramel sauce, in a saucepan with no heat. whisk until completely blended. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 12 minutes. Bring the filling just to the boil and remove from the heat. It should be thick.
Pour the filling into the baked shells and when cooled down place in the fridge for about one hour. Whip the second cup of whipped cream and put a dollop on each tart. Using “Plate Scraper” caramel sauce, drizzle some over the top. They look so professional and taste absolutely incredible!
Sticky Toffee Puddings
Oh my goodness, are these good. Let’s see…..yeah, you could almost lick your fingers, it is so good.
You need:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 c up dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
Butter 8, 4 oz. ramekins. Bring water to a boil and add the vanilla and baking soda and cranberries, set aside to cool. Cream the butter and sugar until really light and fluffy. Lightly beat the eggs and add to the butter mixture gradually in three stages.
Sift the flour and baking powder together, gently folding into the batter. Fold cranberry mixture into the batter and portion into the ramekins and bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes.
To make the toffee sauce, combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the puddings from the ramekin dishes by running a knife around the edge.
Invert on a plate and drizzle with the toffee sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.
The sound you will hear now is people trying to gather up every drop of the sauce. This one is definitely beyond yummy-yummy!
* A note….I just made this with dried tart cherries, by mistake I might add, and it is equally as delicious. In fact, Don says he prefers it.
Hot Chocolate With Attitude
Everyone loves a hot cup of hot chocolate when the nights are cold, stormy, snowing or if you live in a tropical area, PRETEND. This is really yummy.
- Try to buy the best quality white chocolate you can.
- You need one cup of white chocolate
- 1 cup coconut cream (unsweetened)
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp. Godiva White Chocolate liqueur
Warm the milks and cream over medium heat. Add the chocolate and stir until completely melted. Do not boil. Remove from heat and add the liqueur. The alcohol will give the drink an extra touch of warm and snuggly.
Now, let the cold winds blow. Who cares?