a little zaftig » Desserts

English Summer Strawberry Trifle

Laura — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:58:16 +0000

When the house is helter-skelter, the list is too long, and my energy is flagging, the best thing I can do for myself is to invite friends for a meal. The cleaning and the cooking have to be done anyhow, I figure, so why not have the happy reward of their company at the end? Step one for a summer supper: make trifle. If you’re unfamiliar with trifle, it’s a quintessentially English dessert: layers of sturdy sponge cake soaked with sherry, lush custard, bright jam, and fresh fruit, all topped with a crown of softly whipped cream. This one is the epitome of an English summer afternoon. In fact, when I moved to England the first time, I arrived at the end of summer, to hot afternoons, sherry in the garden as the sun waned, and strawberries with a pour of cream. I’ve made dozens of trifles, but it’s never occurred to me to translate those afternoons. I’m so happy I finally did.

English Summer Strawberry Trifle
Yield: about 12 servings (plus delicious leftover custard and jam)

One recipe génoise (below)
1/3 c. good sherry
A double recipe of vanilla custard (recipe here)
One recipe of strawberry lemon verbena refrigerator jam with candied lemon slices (recipe here)
Two pounds fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
One cup heavy cream, softly whipped with 2 T. sugar

Make the jam first and get it chilling in the refrigerator.

Make the custard and chill it.

Make the sponge cakes and allow them to cool.

Take a little break. Trifle is a bit of a project, but you’ll be so happy you made each element when you’re tucking in later with gusto.

With a long serrated knife, trim the edges from your cakes and slice off a thin layer of the top. This will pretty them up and allow the sherry to soak in.

Place one cake layer in the bottom of your trifle bowl, trimming the cake if necessary to snuggle in nicely.

Pour half of the sherry onto the cake, distributing it evenly.

Spread the cake layer with jam, a fairly generous smear.

Top it with a pour of custard, perhaps about ¼ “ deep.

Top it with half of the strawberries.

Repeat the process once again: cake, sherry, jam, custard, berries.

Cover the trifle with cellophane and keep it in the refrigerator until it is time to serve.

Whip the cream, spoon it over the top, and serve.

Génoise
Adapted from Larousse Gastronomique
Yield: two 8-inch cake layers

Ingredients:
½ c. unsalted butter
8 eggs
1 1/3 c. superfine sugar
¼ t. salt
1 t. vanilla extract
2 ¼ c. all purpose flour

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and butter two 8-inch cake tins.

In a small saucepan over the lowest possible heat, melt the butter and set it aside.

Bring a large pan or the base of a double boiler filled with water to a simmer over high heat. Lower the heat so that the water is not actively simmering.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, the top of a double boiler, or a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla.

With a glove-style hot pad on one hand, place the bowl over the barely simmering water. If you are using a double boiler, the hot pad is unnecessary.

Whisk the egg mixture vigorously, taking care not to tip the bowl, until it is voluminous, pale, and thick, about 30 minutes. You may need to wrap your whisk handle with a towel or hot pad as it heats up, so keep one nearby.

Wipe the bottom of the bowl with a towel.

If you are using the bowl of an electric mixer, hook it up and continue to beat it using the wire whip.

If you are using a double boiler or other bowl, transfer the egg mixture to a bowl in which you can continue to beat air into it with an electric mixer or handheld mixer.

Beat the egg mixture continuously until it reaches room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Ever so gently, fold in the flour using a spatula.

Pour the tepid butter gently into the side of the bowl, and ever so gently fold it in.

Divide the batter into your cake tins and give the tops a bit of a smooth if necessary.

Bake until they are golden and they spring back when pressed lightly in the center, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Champagne Jelly

Laura — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:58:40 +0000

Yesterday a childhood friend from France came for a visit. I served caramel rolls and pecan sticky buns and cinnamon rolls and pots of coffee. And then we moved on to champagne. I had half a bottle left and decided this morning to mold it into a shimmering champagne jelly. I used a small mold, but you could use a couple of bottles of champagne and a standard mold if you were making this with a plan and for a group. It couldn’t be easier. Warmed, with a wee bit of sugar for some added sweetness and some plain gelatin whisked in, it will be set in a few hours. I am going to serve it with some barely sweetened and softly whipped cream tonight. It’s a nice way to use up leftover bubbly and makes a sweet and easy finish for a weeknight supper. It would be lovely, too, on an Easter buffet. I couldn’t resist a tumble of these golden raspberries as a garnish.

Champagne Jelly
Yield: 1 16-ounce molded gelatin, about four to six small servings

Ingredients:
½ bottle champagne
2 T. sugar
2 packets (½ oz.) unflavored gelatin

Method:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the champagne to a simmer.

Whisk in the sugar and sprinkle the gelatin across the top. Whisk it in vigorously.

Simmer for a minute.

Pour the champagne into a small mold and refrigerate it until it is set, about 3 hours.

To unmold the jelly, pull the jelly gently away from its mold with your fingertips to encourage it to release. Then center a plate over the mold with the serving side of the plate touching the mold. Holding them tightly together, flip them over, so the the mold is upside down and the plate is right side up. Remove the mold. The jelly should be wiggling happily on the plate. If it is being a little stubborn, you may dip the bottom of the mold into hot water for a few seconds until it is willing to slither out.

A Fool for April Fool’s

Laura — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:08:36 +0000

We’re kind of nutty for April Fool’s Day around here. We’re a silly family in the first place (see here). My Dear Husband is the truly funny one, but the rest of us take on April Fool’s with something of a mission, as our one day of the year to make him laugh. We start talks around January or February, planning in secret, because brainstorming and pulling off a really spectacular April Fool’s Day joke takes time. Here are some favorites from our Pranks and Monkeyshines archives.

In 1997, my agency in Tokyo left a message on our answering machine. (I had been working doing things like Disney-style dancing in toilet bowl cleaner commercials and overly dramatic roles in cheesy medical dramas for Japanese television.) They wanted my Dear Husband’s measurements and to know whether or not he would consider being featured in an upcoming underwear spread. Yes, underwear. We went whole hog. Circa 1999, our church music director left a message inquiring about him taking on the role of Shambleshanks the Railway Cat in the church production of Cats. (No, they weren’t really doing any productions of anything.) He hates musicals, and church + musical was too hard to resist. In 2002, he was the Member of the Month at his gym, and, after telling his colleagues about it, he visited a puzzled staff member in the gift shop to claim his prizes, and an equally confused employee in the membership office to ask about having his picture taken for the lobby display. I think the best part of that joke was returning to the office to tell everyone that, no, he was not the Member of the Month. Around 2005, he received a letter, postmarked from the correct post office, from an acquaintance who waxed poetic about the mystical connection between them. Weird can apparently be very, very funny, too. And our best prank was in 2007, the year that I washed an entire set of white undershirts every week for three months, carefully pulling them from the rest of the laundry and hiding them. They were one size smaller than my Dear Husband’s actual size, and, as predicted, on the morning that we made the swap, he emerged in one of the appropriately aged t-shirts to announce that he thought he was bulking up. There was some mock flexing involved. Oh, we howled that year.

We’re starting a new April Fool’s tradition now. Our April Fool’s tomfoolery hasn’t been quite the same without our Honey Girl here, now that she’s away at college. So we’re making a fool for April Fool’s, a creamy blend of whipped and sour creams, stewed berries, and crushed biscuits, for dessert.

I read some time ago, in an Irish cookbook I think, about the bilberry, or fraughan as it is called in Ireland. It’s a member of the same botanical family as the wild blueberry and the huckleberry. I haven’t gotten myself to Ireland yet, so I’ve never had a bilberry, but I thought stewing some wild blueberries and some blackberries might approximate the flavor. And I folded them into a bilberry fool. If getting up to April Fool’s high jinx isn’t your cup of tea, perhaps celebrate with this.

Bilberry Fool
Yield: four servings

Ingredients:
1 c. frozen wild blueberries
1 c. frozen blackberries
¼ c. sugar
…
1 c. heavy cream
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. sour cream
…
4 Rich Tea biscuits, or similar plain cookies such as Nilla Wafers

Method:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the berries and the sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream and the sugar until it is lofty.

Gently fold in the sour cream.

Gently fold in ½ of the stewed berries until the mixture is beautifully streaked with the fruit.

Place a spoonful or two of the stewed berries into four dessert glasses or dishes. Top them with ¼ of the berried whipped cream. Add another spoonful or two of the berries on top.

Crush the biscuits and scatter them over the top.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Whipped Fresh Sheep’s Milk Ricotta with Frozen Blueberries

Laura — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:01:57 +0000

My Honey Girl and I attended a cheesemaking class with Jodi Ohlsen Read of Shepherd’s Way Farms yesterday, at a charming shop in St. Paul called Egg Plant Urban Farm Supply. I’m totally smitten. They stock baby chicks(!), chicken coop, gardening, cheesemaking, canning, and maple syrupping supplies, and more. It’s a small retail space, but I could have spent hours there, browsing the tasteful and intelligent selection of useful bits and bobs. During the class, as an aside, Jodi described a dessert she had made with some of her fresh sheep’s milk ricotta. Um, yes please. And thank you may I have another. Here it is. Simple, savory, buttery, creamy, with a pop from the sweet blueberries, it’s a cheese course died and gone to heaven. Note: Describe what you are serving to your family or guests, lest, like my Dear Husband, they have a moment where they imagine something has gone terribly, terribly wrong with the whipped cream until understanding dawns and an expression of bliss spreads.

More about Shepherd’s Way, plus recipes to showcase their seriously amazing cheeses here.

Whipped Fresh Sheep’s Milk Ricotta with Frozen Blueberries
Yield: four servings

Ingredients:
2 c. fresh sheep’s milk ricotta cheese
2 c. blueberries (I used frozen, since it’s still winter in Minnesota.)
2 T. confectioners’ sugar (optional) (I did not add sugar.)
1 T. sugar (optional) (I did not add sugar.)

Method:

In a food processor, whip the ricotta until it is fluffy and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Toss the blueberries with the sugar if you would like to sweeten them.

Place a few blueberries in the bottom of four small dessert glasses or cups, or into a small bowl to serve family style. Dollop 1/2 c. of whipped ricotta into each glass or cup, or dollop all of the cheese into the small serving bowl. Top with the remaining blueberries.

Orange Chocolate Muffin Pudding

Laura — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:56:27 +0000

Sometimes I feel a bit like the bear family that Goldilocks disturbed, or at least how I imagine they would feel, not really bothered so much as surprised. Surprised to come home to find their bedclothes rumpled and their chairs sat upon. Except that it’s not a not-so-little bear that’s disturbing my house. It’s my Sweet Boy, who is 16. I find my toothpaste tube in a state that could only be produced by the grip of a bear. Or the tips of scissors bent (How does that happen?). Or a chunk of glass suddenly missing from the corner of a table. The food disappears from the refrigerator and the pantry at an alarming rate. And books and clothes and winter garb can be found in the strangest places. If you live with a teenage boy, your own bear, you will understand what I’m talking about perhaps. When these things ruffle my feathers, I remember that he will be leaving soon, and that I’ll miss these things, really. It’s nice to take care of someone, to make sure that there is more food in the pantry and refrigerator and clean laundry delivered to bedside tables. Soon he won’t be singing next to me in the car, or teasing me playfully in the kitchen while we cook together. He is the kindest hearted person I know, so if a little mess comes along for the ride, well, that’s okay with me. Until I can’t any more because he’s away at college, I’ll pick up pairs of gloves and boots and make desserts I know he’ll like, like this creamy bread pudding made with leftover muffins. Make some for your own bears, messy or otherwise.

Orange Chocolate Muffin Pudding
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
Butter for the ramekins or baking dish
8 orange chocolate muffins (recipe here)
4 eggs
½ c. sugar
1 ¼ c. heavy cream
1 t. vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter 4 8-ounce ramekins or a small to medium baking dish.

Cube the muffins and place two in each ramekin, or all of them in the baking dish.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla.

Pour a generous ½ c. into each ramekin, or all of the mixture into the baking dish.

Press down the muffins a bit to soak up more of the egg and cream mixture and let them sit for a couple of minutes.

Place the ramekins or baking dish onto a baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until set and golden brown. Do not overbake. The pudding should be custardy, not dry.

Serve warm.

A Banana Bread Spectacular :: From Plain Jane Loaf to Homey Dessert: Banana Bread Sautéed in Clarified Butter with Caramelized Bananas & Flaming Whisky Sauce, Tea Cake with Celtic Crossing Frosting, and More!

Laura — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:31:03 +0000

Our Sweet Boy Freddy woke up to a happy surprise. His friend Carly came over to bake with me Sunday morning. Much silliness ensued.

I told my friend William yesterday that I suffer from recipe brain. It’s a blessing, until it isn’t. It wakes me up, keeps me up, and seldom lets me rest. I see images, literally, of recipes, ideas for any ingredient I see, and how to take something I’ve made, a custard or a jam or a loaf of bread, say banana bread, and turn it into something else. So that’s what I’m up to today, sharing some of the thoughts that popped into my head when I used up some overripe bananas with Carly.

I think everyone should have one really good recipe for all of the basics. This banana bread is the best I’ve ever had. I may be a bit biased since it’s my great aunt’s recipe, which I’ve tweaked just a little over the years, but when I made it for a friend some years ago, she hunted all over the Twin Cities for it, thinking it had come from a pastry shop. It’s ultra moist—almost bread pudding-esque—sweet and homey.

This is how I remember my great aunt, whom I called Grandma Sherry: sweet, old school Catholic, the kind of person who dreamed of having a grand stone fireplace and who painted one on the wall of her modest house with little pots of color from the craft store. When she was older and I lived nearby, I used to bring her dinner every afternoon and then we’d have cocoa and a little chat. I learned that she was a feisty, daring young woman—a kind of uber-cool ingénue. She changed her name from Kaye to Sherry because she thought it more sophisticated, dropped out of school, and met her then-boyfriend Mac who worked on the railroad for late-night dates in the city. She’s pictured above on the right with my grandma. And here, the two of them off to my grandma’s wedding in St. Paul.

I like this bread best unadorned with a cold glass of milk. It’s the perfect after school nibble or mid-afternoon pick me up.

But it’s also nice as a simple teacake with a little Celtic Crossing frosting. (We added a few chocolate chips to a couple loaves just for Carly.)

And if the loaf has lasted more than ten minutes, it’s also delicious sliced and toasted with a bit of mascarpone laced with powdered sugar and Celtic Crossing liqueur.

When I’m feeling fancy, I might caramelize some bananas slices, add some whisky and extra butter to the pan and light it ablaze tableside to be spooned over the sautéed slices of bread. (Pyrotechnics not pictured.) A little plain whipped cream or whipped crème fraiche on top would be nice, too. If you refrigerate the banana bread before you make it this way, the contrast of temperatures is appealing, and the bread has an exceptionally creamy texture. Serve with a dram of whisky and toast to Grandma Sherry!

Banana Bread
Yield: two loaves (I like to eat one loaf and pop the other in the freezer so that I can make an impromptu dessert later.)

Ingredients:
¼ c. shortening (Don’t overthink it. Just plop it in.)
½ c. unsweetened applesauce
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 c. all purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 c. milk (I use whole milk but any milk you have will work.)
1 t. vinegar
2 t. vanilla extract
3 large overripe bananas, mashed until they are liquid

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease and flour two bread pans.

Mash the bananas until they are liquid.

Cream the shortening and the sugar.

Add the applesauce and mix thoroughly.

Add the eggs and mix thoroughly.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Add the vinegar to the milk and allow it to sit for a few moments.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk to the batter, mixing gently between additions. I add half the flour, then half the milk, then half the flour, then half the milk.

Add the bananas and the vanilla and mix gently.

Divide the batter evenly into two loaf pans and smooth the tops.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out nearly clean. Do not overbake.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the breads and remove them from their pans. Finish cooling on a rack. When cool, wrap tightly in cellophane and then foil.

This bread may be stored at room temperature, wrapped well, for several days. It is also delicious served cold from the refrigerator.

The bread may be wrapped in cellophane and then foil and stored in the freezer. Bring to room temperature on the countertop.

Celtic Crossing Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese
½ c. unsalted butter, softened
¼ c. Celtic Crossing liqueur
1 1/3 c. powdered sugar

Method:

Mix all ingredients until creamy and smooth.

Sautéed Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 loaf banana bread, sliced
a knob of butter (or clarified butter if you have some), about 3T.

Method:

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the banana bread slices in a single layer and fry lightly until golden brown.

Flip the slices and fry the other side until golden brown.

Serve immediately.
This is delicious topped with Sweet Mascarpone with Celtic Crossing Liqueur or with Caramelized Bananas with Flaming Whisky Sauce and Whipped Cream or Whipped Crème Fraiche, all below. If you don’t want to fuss with these, it’s nice with a dusting of powdered sugar. I could go on all day, but let me just add that it’s also wonderful as the basis for bread pudding.

Sweet Mascarpone with Celtic Crossing Liqueur

Ingredients:
8 ounces mascarpone
powdered sugar to taste, about ½ c.
a little dribble of vanilla extract, about 1 t.
a good dribble of Celtic Crossing Liqueur, about 3 T.

Method:

Mix all ingredients until creamy and smooth.

You may substitute any liqueur that appeals to you, of course. A bit of orange zest might also make a nice addition.

Caramelized Bananas with Flaming Whisky Sauce
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 bananas, sliced
a good knob of butter, perhaps 3 T.
a generous sprinkle of brown sugar, about ¼ c.
a few glugs of whisky, about ¼ c.

Method:

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter.

Add the banana slices and the sugar.

Cook until the sugar melts and the bananas take on a nice bit of color.

Add the whisky and ignite it. (Be careful!)

Continue to cook after the flames die down until the sauce is a nice syrupy consistency.

A few toasted pecans or walnuts or spiced nuts might make a nice garnish.

Simplest Whipped Cream or Whipped Crème Fraiche

Ingredients:
1 c. cold heavy cream or crème fraiche
sugar to taste, perhaps ¼ c.
a little dribble of vanilla extract, perhaps 1 t.
You may add a dribble of any complimentary liqueur, too.

Method:

Add the cream or crème fraiche, the sugar and the vanilla to a cold metal bowl.

Whip the cream or crème fraiche until soft peaks form.

Tipsy Pudding with Spiced Wine & Honey Cream Cheese

Laura — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:42:57 +0000

I remember the St. Patrick’s Day of my childhood as the day of the Irish Sheridan sisters: there were the twins, Marguerite and Mary, and Kathleen, whom I also called ‘grandma,’ and Delores, my grandma, the youngest. We have pictures of them, all decked out in green and standing in a row, smiling brightly, a version of the same image for every year they gathered. They were separated in childhood when their mother died of typhoid fever and their father, an Irish lover of the drink, was unable to care for them. They were reunited years later and remained close; in fact, my grandma and her sister Kaye lived a block apart for almost all of their adult lives and chatted on the phone every day. They had a sweetness about their connection, one that comes perhaps from years of separation and longing, and from gratitude which does not fade. They were dear to me, my guides, my bellwethers, my lodestars. I’ll celebrate without them this week, as they have all passed away now, and remember them with such fondness as we eat this tipsy pudding. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Tipsy Pudding with Spiced Wine & Honey Cream Cheese
Adapted from Margaret Johnson’s Irish Puddings, Tarts, Crumbles, and Fools
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 ¼ c. fresh bread crumbs from 5 or 6 slices of white bread
2 large eggs, separated
¾ c. sugar
2 t. finely grated lemon zest
…
3 c. red wine (not cooking wine, something delicious you would drink)
¼ c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/3 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
finely grated zest of 1 orange
½ c. sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
10 whole cloves
…
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 T. honey
3 T. heavy cream

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Smear 6 4-ounce ramekins with soft butter and set them aside.

Tear or cut the crusts from the bread and tear the bread into pieces. Place them in a food processor and grind until they are fine bread crumbs.

In a medium bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and lemon zest for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and foamy.

In a small bowl, using a clean electric beater, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Stir a bit of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Then gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites.

Gently fold in the bread crumbs.

Divide the batter into the ramekins and bake for 20 minutes, or until the puddings are set.

…

In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring the wine, lemon juice and zest, orange juice and zest, sugar, and spices to a simmer.

Cook the wine until it is reduced and a bit syrup-y.

Remove the whole spices. You may strain the wine if you prefer.

…

In a medium bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, honey, and heavy cream until they are smooth and whipped.

…

To serve, remove the puddings from their ramekins by running a dull knife around the edge of each one and tipping them out. Place each one on a pretty plate and spoon the syrup-y spiced wine over the top. Place a dab of honey cream cheese on top.

Vanilla Custard

Laura — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 19:48:03 +0000

I made coconut macaroons yesterday. This recipe is an Ole to their Lena, a Hardy to their Laurel. It’s a pairing recipe in every sense, a frugal sister to egg-white only recipes, and a happy partner for a crumble or a figgy pudding or a slice of chocolate cake. You could eat it with a spoon, a kind of childhood dessert, simple and comforting, and oft overlooked. But I think it’s best as half of a pair. And it’s awfully nice to have a little jar of vanilla custard in the refrigerator when the mood strikes. You’ll find yourself dribbling it on all sorts of things—into a pool over a sugared biscuit, or nested in a trifle between layers of sherry-soaked gènoise and homemade jam. I first had this kind of pourable custard when I was a student at Oxford, with a gooseberry crumble, a doubly happy discovery. I was a visiting student at Keble College, and I had finally learned that if you didn’t get your paws in there to grab the family style platters of the night’s offerings, you might sit the entire dinner, quietly and politely, holding up a platter in the hopes that one of the waitstaff would kindly refill it. Alas, you might also walk away hungry. I was even more shy then than I am now, so I left more than once without a single morsel crossing my lips. (Thank goodness for pub grub. ) But on a student budget, I eventually learned to get in there and fight for my supper. English students, I should clarify, were otherwise extrememly polite; conversation was lofty (when it wasn’t banal) and manners were definitely on display. Thank goodness I got my act together before they served the gooseberry crumble with a pourable, old-fashioned custard like this one. Mine is a little less gummy than the version served in the Keble dining hall. It’s thicker than crème anglaise but not quite a pudding, a dreamy partner for just about anything sweet, and especially so for anything tart. Since it only takes a few minutes to stir up, bookmark it and make it when you next make something with egg whites and need an Astaire to your Rogers.

Vanilla Custard
Yield: about 1 ½ cups

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
1 pint (2 c.) heavy cream (I love Cedar Summit Farms.)
1 vanilla bean (or a dribble of vanilla extract in a pinch)
¼ c. sugar

Method:

Fill your kitchen sink with a few inches of ice water. This will be your insurance policy against grainy or curdled custard.

Place the egg yolks in a medium saucepan and give them a quick whisk.

Add the cream and whisk together thoroughly.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out its pulp with the dull side of a knife.

Add the pulp and the vanilla bean to the pan and whisk together.

Whisk in the sugar.

Over medium heat, warm the soon-to-be custard, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Do not allow it to boil.

Stir more vigorously as the custard begins to thicken. Watch carefully here. You want a silky, thickened custard but do not want the custard to become grainy. Keep in mind that the chilled custard will be a bit thicker than the hot.

If your custard appears grainy, plunge the pan into the ice water in your sink, and whisk madly. It will come around. Actually, I always whisk it in the sink, as it brings the temperature of the custard down so that you can eat it sooner.

Swedish Rice Pudding with Spiced Sour Cherry Compote

Laura — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 23:48:29 +0000

In the Scandinavian countries, it’s traditional to place a single whole almond in the rice pudding served at Christmastime. Whoever finds it receives good luck for the year and a marzipan pig, a yuletide symbol of this good fortune. We usually make this rice pudding for Christmas, but seeing as we’ll be eating it on New Year’s Eve this year, it seems fitting to present the pig as a hogmanay.

Swedish rice pudding differs from other rice puddings in its heightened creaminess and richness. I cook two eggs with additional sugar into the pudding and fold two cups of whipped heavy cream into the chilled rice pudding. It’s pretty heavenly, with or without the sour cherry compote.

This recipe is part of a winter menu (here).

Swedish Rice Pudding with Spiced Sour Cherry Compote

Pudding Tips

I use short grain rice, such as sushi rice or Arborio rice, in my rice pudding. It’s not traditional, but it makes the pudding extra creamy. If you use sushi rice, give it a few rinses in cool water before cooking it.

Tempering means adding a little of a hot liquid to a cooler liquid to before adding the cooler liquid to the rest of the hot liquid. In this case you stir a little of the hot milk and rice into the eggs before adding them to the pudding. If you don’t temper the eggs in this way, you risk forming scrambled eggs in your pudding.

Bear in mind that the pudding will be significantly thicker when it is cold. You only need to cook it until it thickens slightly in the final stage.

The rice pudding and compote will keep covered in the refrigerator for about one week.

Swedish Rice Pudding

Ingredients:
¾ c. short grain rice
1 ½ c. water
pinch of salt
4 c. whole milk
1 c. sugar, divided
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2 c. heavy cream (I love Cedar Summit Farms.)
cinnamon for dusting the top
1 whole almond to hide in the pudding

Method:

In a very large pan, bring the water to a boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the rice.

Cover the pan and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all of the water.

Add the milk, ½ c. sugar, and the vanilla to the pan and stir them together.

Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the vanilla bean.

Whisk together the eggs and the remaining ½ c. sugar.

Temper the eggs by stirring a little of the rice and milk into the eggs and sugar. Then whisk the eggs gradually into pan.

Cook on the lowest possible heat, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Do not allow the mixture to begin to boil.

Transfer the pudding to a large bowl and cover it with cellophane pressed directly to it. Chill it in the refrigerator.

When the pudding is cold, whip the cream and fold it gently into the pudding.

Transfer the pudding to a serving dish, press a single almond into the pudding, and dust the top with cinnamon if you wish.

Serve plain or with the spiced sour cherry compote.

Spiced Sour Cherry Compote

Ingredients:
20 ounces frozen sour cherries
good red wine to nearly cover
a few glugs of good port
½ c. sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean
2 sticks of cinnamon
1 star anise
small handful of allspice berries
piece of a whole nutmeg
small handful of red peppercorns
1 T. cornstarch

Method:

Put the cherries into a medium pan. Pour in good red wine ‘til it reaches the bottom of the top layer of cherries.

Pour in a few glugs of good port until the liquid nearly covers the cherries.

Stir in the sugar and salt.

Place the cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice berries, nutmeg, and red peppercorns on a piece of cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Tie it into a bundle with cooking string and place it in the pan.

Split the vanilla bean down the middle lengthwise and add it to the pan.

Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat.

Stir a little water into the cornstarch to make a smooth paste.

Stir it into the pan and simmer for a minute.

If it is not sufficiently thick, make a little more cornstarch paste and add it slowly to the pan.

Remove the spice pouch and vanilla bean from the compote and serve warm.

You may refrigerate the compote if you are going to serve it later.
Warm it over the lowest heat possible and serve it warm.

Winter Supper: Swedish Meatballs, Rot Kraut, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Fennel and Green Apple Salad with Juniper Berries, & Swedish Rice Pudding with Spiced Sour Cherry Compote

Laura — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 03:56:36 +0000

After two months spent preparing for Christmas, when it’s over the mood in our house is usually a little tired. A long, gray winter lies ahead of us and the magic of Christmas is past. It’s nice, then, to continue the festivities for a few days by making a meal or two like this one. It’s simple, and many of its elements may be prepared ahead, so it isn’t a great deal of work. And it seems to lift everyone’s spirits. Today it is raining of all things! Soon the temperature will fall again and everything will be a sheet of ice. Then another six inches of fresh snow will blanket us, and the temperature will dip to single digits. It’s nice to be gathered around the table with nice food, warm company, and nowhere we need to go.

In the Midwest, recipes for these dishes abound. These are my versions. Tinker happily with them as you wish. There are tips for making the recipes in concert at the end of the post.

Winter Supper: Swedish Meatballs, Rot Kraut, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Fennel and Green Apple Salad with Juniper Berries, & Swedish Rice Pudding with Spiced Sour Cherry Compote

Dinner Tips
The Swedish meatballs and gravy freeze well. Make them up to a month ahead, thaw them in the refrigerator, and warm them gently on the lowest heat possible, stirring frequently.

When you make the gravy, add the liquids very gradually and stir vigorously to avoid lumps. If you do get lumps, strain the gravy before you add the meatballs.

You may cook the potatoes and hold them in the hot water until you are nearly ready to serve dinner. Then drain them and mash them.

The salad is simple and very quick to assemble. You may make it at the last minute just before you are ready to serve dinner. A benriner is an inexpensive Japanese mandoline. Coincidentally, “Benri ne?” means “Isn’t it convenient?” in Japanese. If you don’t have a benriner or a mandoline, you may slice the fennel and apples with a knife. Just plan more time to do so.

The Rot Kraut may be made up to a week ahead and kept in the refrigerator. In fact, its flavor improves a bit over a couple of days.

The Swedish rice pudding and compote may also be made a few days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground pork
2 pounds ground beef (80% lean)
12 slices white bread
6 eggs
salt and pepper
1 scant c. whole milk
pinch or two of allspice
pinch or two of ground ginger
pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg
pinch or two of freshly ground cardamom
butter for frying the meatballs

Method:

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until they are just blended.

Roll the meat into balls the size of a pingpong ball.

Heat a very large skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, melt a good knob of butter and fry the meatballs until they are golden brown on all sides. Alternatively, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake the meatballs in a glass or ceramic dish for 45 minutes. Frying produces better flavor, but is more labor intensive.

While the meatballs cook, make the gravy.

Place the cooked meatballs into the gravy and simmer for 30 minutes.

Gravy for the Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter
8 T. all purpose flour
1 heaping T. grainy mustard
8 c. beef stock (preferably homemade)
4 c. whole milk, divided
½ c. flour

Method:

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter.

Stir in the 8 T. of flour and cook for a minute or two.

Stir in the mustard.

Very gradually add the broth, stirring constantly.

Shake one cup of the milk with ½ c. flour until you have a smooth paste. Stir it into the gravy.

Add the remaining 3 c. milk and stir.

Simmer until thickened, stirring contantly.

Add the meatballs and simmer for 30 minutes.

Rot Kraut

Ingredients:
1 head red cabbage, sliced on a benriner or mandoline into paper thin slices
3 slices bacon, diced
1 large onion, sliced thinly
½ c. natural apple juice
½ c. red wine vinegar
3 T. brown sugar
½ c. red wine (not cooking wine)

Method:

In a very large pan, sauté the bacon until it is crisp.

Add the onions and sauté them until they are soft.

Add the cabbage and all of the other ingredients and stir it all together.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat to lowest possible, cover the pan, and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often, until the cabbage is soft and fragrant.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
5 pounds Yukon gold or waxy potatoes
6 T. unsalted butter
2 c. heavy cream (I love Cedar Summit Farms.)
salt and pepper

Method:

Peel the potatoes and place them in water to cover in a large pan.

Bring the water to a boil over high heat and reduce it to a simmer.

Simmer the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until they are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Drain the potatoes in a colander.

Place the butter and cream in the pan and warm them.

Add the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher until they are very smooth and creamy.

Season them with salt and pepper to taste.

Fennel and Green Apple Salad with Juniper Berries

Ingredients:
2 bulbs fresh fennel
2 tart green apples
a small handful of juniper berries, crushed with a sharp knife
a drizzle of olive oil
2 T. white vinegar
salt and pepper

Method:

Using a benriner or mandoline, slice the fennel and apples into paper thin slices.

Scatter the juniper berries over the top.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and toss.

Swedish Rice Pudding and Spiced Sour Cherry Compote

Recipes here.

Recipes In Concert

1. Make the rice pudding and refrigerate it.

2. Make the Rot Kraut.

3. Add the whipped cream to the rice pudding and refrigerate it.

4. Make the meatballs.

5. Make the gravy while the meatballs fry or bake.

6. Make the compote.

7. Boil the potatoes.

8. Set the table.

9. Make the salad.

10. Mash the potatoes.

11. Serve the meal.