by Kathy Douglas | Nov 21, 2016 | Desserts
With all the ingredients of traditional Pumpkin Pie, this dessert is a new twist. We start our bottom layer with grated dark chocolate (a nice surprise when you get there). More deliciousness is added with our layered Bourbon-Pumpkin Mousse and Whipped Cream. The top is embellished with a sprinkling of toasted pecans and a cinnamon-sugar coated piecrust leaf – perfect for dipping in the dessert. To get a nice brown color on our piecrust leaves, we brushed a little cream before sprinkling with cinnamon and sugar. Using the left over piecrust, we cut out extra leaves for dipping and decorating the serving platter. If you want to add a little more bourbon-kick, we give you the option to add it to your whipped cream.
INGREDIENTS
Piecrust leaves
Pie crust for one pie, homemade or store bought
Flour for rolling out pie dough
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
1-2 tablespoons cream
Pumpkin mousse
½ cup sugar
1-½cups heavy cream
7-½ ounces (½ can) canned pumpkin
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
teaspoon ground nutmeg
teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate
2 ounces shaved dark chocolate
Whipped cream topping
1-½ cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Pecans
4 tablespoons toasted chopped pecans
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the pie crust leaves-
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll out the pie dough to 1/8″ thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out leaf shapes and place on a parchment lined sheet tray. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl then brush the leaves with the cream. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar to cover the pie dough shapes. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap tightly or store in an airtight container if using the next day.
To make the pumpkin mousse-
Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, pumpkin, ½ cup of cream and spices. Stir continuously with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set the bowl over the ice. Stir to cool.
Using an electric hand mixer, whip the remaining cream with the salt, bourbon and vanilla until soft peaks form. Very gently stir into the cooled pumpkin mixture, mixing until the white streaks just disappear. Cover and chill until cold or overnight.
To make the whipped cream –
Using an electric mixer, whip 1-½ cups of cream, bourbon (if using) and the powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Cover and keep cold.
To assemble –
Add 1 tablespoon of grated chocolate to the bottom of four serving bowls. Alternately, layer the pumpkin mousse and whipped cream ending with the whipped cream. Top with piecrust shapes and pecans. Serve chilled. Makes 4 desserts.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 31, 2016 | Desserts
Easy to make, Tartes Pomme are mostly Apples and Puff Pasty. Baked together in the oven, the apples become soft while the pastry expands just enough to create a delightfully crunchy base. The apple cider in the recipe is reduced to create “boiled cider” and then used to brush over the apples as well as a flavor in the icing.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups Apple cider
1 piece Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator, rolled to 10-1/2″ x 10-1/2″
All-purpose flour
2 medium Fuji or honey crisp apples ( about 3″ or less in diameter)
1 tablespoons Turbinado Sugar or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
INSTRUCTIONS
Pour two cups of apple cider into a saucepan. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer to reduce to 1/2 cup cider, about 20-30 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Open the sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll to a 10-1/2” x 10-1/2” inch square.
Using a 3 1/2″ round cookie cutter, cut out 9 rounds of puff pastry. Push straight down with the cookie cutter to avoid twisting. Move to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and poke the top of each round several times with a fork. Set in the refrigerator to keep cold.
Peel the apples. Cut the top off one apple so it is flat. Continue cutting through the apple to get large circles, 1/4″ thick. Repeat with the second apple to get 9 apple circles. Remove only the seeds and stems, leaving the center intact.
Combine the Turbinado or brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger in a small dish. Remove the puff pastry rounds from the refrigerator. Lightly brush one side of the apple circles with the reduced cider and sprinkle 1/2 the sugar and spice mixture over the apples. Place them on the puff pastry rounds, sugar side down. Lightly brush the tops with reduced cider and sprinkle with the remaining sugar and spice mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is puffed, lightly browned, and the apples are tender enough to be pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. (Tip: If the pastry puffs up too high and knocks any apples off, while warm gently push the pastry down and slide the apple back centered on top before cooling.)
While the tarts bake, make the icing – combine the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of the reduced cider. Whisk until the icing is very smooth.
To serve- Drizzle some icing on the plate, top with an apple tart and add a sprinkle of finely chopped walnuts. Makes 9 tartes.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 17, 2016 | Desserts
The combination of apples and cinnamon is the quintessential taste of fall. So welcome cooler days with these easy to make Apple Cinnamon Bars. With their brownie-like texture on the outside, and layer of cinnamon apples in the center, they are especially delicious with a drizzle of brown butter icing over their walnut topping. Take them along with some apple cider for all your fall activities or simply enjoy at home. Be sure to use a piece of parchment longer than the pan to create “handles” for easy removal before cutting.
INGREDIENTS
2 medium apples, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1/2 cup butter, plus one tablespoon, divided, plus more for the pan
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup Walnuts, toasted
Brown Butter Icing
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease with softened butter an 8-by-8-inch pan, add parchment paper then grease the parchment and set aside.
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter, stir in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, cinnamon and then add the sliced apples. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, until apples are softened. Set aside to cool slightly.
Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a sauce pan, cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the 1-1/2 cup of brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla, mixing until blended. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; add to brown sugar mixture.
Add 1/2 the batter to the baking pan, smooth the top. Add the apples in a single layer, scraping all the cinnamon sauce out of the pan over the apples. Add the rest of the batter over the apples and smooth again. Top with the walnuts, lightly pressing them into the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours.
To make the icing – melt the butter and cook until it becomes a nutty brown color. Strain the butter through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl leaving the dark sediment behind in the strainer; discard the sediment. Add the powder sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk, whisking until very to smooth. If the icing is too thick to drizzle, add the other tablespoon of milk. Using a fork, drizzle the icing over the bars, then refrigerate allowing the icing to set up and the bars to cut easier. Lift out of the pan using the parchment paper, place on a cutting board, and slice into 16 squares.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 3, 2016 | Desserts
Get “game day ready” with our quick and easy Football Pastries! Perfect for your next tailgate party, our cute football shapes are loaded with a delicious filling and will look great on your tailgating table or platter. Filled with delectable chocolate chip & vanilla pastry cream, these treats will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. For a special treat, fill your football shapes with softened ice cream and store in the freezer until ready to serve. You can purchase Dufour Chocolate Puff Pasty locally at Whole Foods.
INGREDIENTS
14 ounces Dufour Chocolate Puff Pastry
2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split, pulp removed
6 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup cornstarch, sifted
3 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
½ cut finely chopped dark chocolate
4 ounces of white chocolate
INSTRUCTIONS
Defrost the puff pastry over night in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the dough from the packaging and lay out on a cutting board. Using a cookie cutter cut out as many shapes as you can to have an even amount. Place the cut outs on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off, open the door and leave the puff pastry in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
Fill a large bowl with ice cubes; place smaller metal bowl inside and set aside.
Bring milk, vanilla bean pulp and pod to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
Whisk yolks, sugar and cornstarch together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Whisking constantly, drizzle in one-quarter of the hot milk. Add the rest of the liquid in slow steady stream. Increase the heat to medium, remove the pod and, whisking vigorously, bring mixture to boil. Cook the mixture until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Pour into the bowl set over ice and cool completely. When cooked, add the finely chopped chocolate. Refrigerate until very cold. Place the pastry cream in a piping bag.
In the microwave, melt the white chocolate. Add to a piping bag, and add laces to half of the puff pastry football shapes. Refrigerate to set the laces.
To finish, using the remaining shapes, pipe to thickly cover with pastry cream, top with the football shapes with laces. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 26, 2016 | Desserts
Warm vanilla with deep notes of maple, our pudding-like créme has all the nuances of fall. The crispy, sweet and salty bacon adds a perfect contrast with its candied perfection. Top it off with sweetened whipped cream and crushed Nilla wafers. We like using ball jars to show off the layers and candied bacon.
INGREDIENTS
6 pieces of thick cut applewood smoked bacon
¼ cup maple syrup plus 2 tablespoons, divided
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple sugar or light brown sugar, divided
2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split, pulp removed
6 large egg yolks
⅓ cup cornstarch, sifted
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup mini Nilla wafers, crumbled into small pieces, plus more for topping
Whipped cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a cooling rack on the baking sheet. Lay the bacon on the rack. Using ¼ cup of maple syrup, baste one side with the maple syrup and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon maple or brown sugar. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn the bacon over, brush the second side with ¼ cup maple syrup and top with 1 tablespoon maple or brown sugar. Bake for 15 more minutes. Remove immediately and place on a parchment lined plate to cool completely.
Fill a large bowl with ice cubes, place smaller metal bowl inside and set aside.
Bring milk and vanilla bean pulp to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle in ½ cup hot milk. Add the rest of the milk in slow steady stream. Increase the heat to medium and whisking vigorously, bring mixture to boil. Cook the mixture until it is extremely thick and looks like pudding, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Pour into the bowl set over ice to cool completely, then refrigerate until very cold.
To assemble: In the bottom of six ball jars, or tall dishes, place the crumbled Nilla wafers evenly. Layer with one layer of pudding, then a thin layer of maple syrup. Follow by another layer of pudding, then top with whipped cream and a couple crumbled mini Nilla wafers. Keep cool; when ready to serve slide one piece of candied bacon down the side of each ball jar or dish of layered maple créme.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 11, 2016 | Desserts
All the football stadium favorites in one delicious treat – a combination of brownie, caramel, popcorn, peanuts, and M&M’s. Select your M&M’s (or any candy coated chocolates) in the same colors as your favorite team. Or make everyone happy and split the topping using half of each team’s colors!
INGREDIENTS
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, plus extra to butter the pan
Unsweetened cocoa powder
3 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup of homemade caramel sauce or high-quality jarred sauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups of lightly salted popped popcorn (we used Skinny Pop)
½ cup blanched, roasted and lightly salted peanuts
½ cup of M&M’s (or any candy coated chocolate candy) in your team colors
DIRECTIONS
Butter a 9“ inch springform pan, Line bottom of pan with a parchment paper round and butter the parchment paper. Sprinkle unsweetened cocoa powder lightly over the butter (replacing flour); dump out any extra.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter together, whisking to combine, set aside to cool. Heat the caramel sauce in a small saucepan to warm.
In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugars together until well blended. Whisk in the corn syrup and the vanilla and then the melted butter and chocolate. Add the dry ingredients, whisking to combine. Pour into the springform pan making an even layer.
Place the popcorn and nuts in a large bowl. Pour the caramel over and toss to combine until all the caramel has coated the popcorn and peanuts. Add 2/3 of the M&M’s and toss. Place evenly over the brownies, pressing lightly in to the top of the batter. Sprinkle the remaining M&M’s over the popcorn/caramel mixture.
Bake the brownie for 55-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife between the brownie and the springform pan and remove the sides. Cool completely. Remove the pan bottom and parchment. Cut in to wedges.
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