Gingerbread Pear Trifle

This is a dessert my aunt Paula often brings to holiday dinners. She and I share a love of food, cooking and ginger! We really enjoy taking cooking classes together, sharing favorite recipes and swapping cooking tips and stories. She recently taught a “Northwest Holiday Dinner” themed cooking class and fortunately for me, she shared all her recipes from the class including; White Bean, Prosciutto and Spinach Bruschetta, Pear and Hazelnut Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Syrah Sauce (incredible!), Creamy Polenta, and her famous Gingerbread Pear Trifle.

This year we spent Christmas with Curtis’ family so I decided, even though I’d be missing my family, I didn’t need to miss out on one of my favorite holiday desserts! So I made it for the first time and even though there are several steps and layers, it’s actually a pretty simple dessert. I made all the steps two days in advance and then assembled the trifle on Christmas morning before we joined our family. This dessert would also be special enough to serve on New Year’s Eve.

Happy New Year and as one of my favorite Christmas cards we received this year said (thanks Jenny D!) – Wishing you lots of happy!


GINGERBREAD PEAR TRIFLE

Aunt Paula & Sunset Magazine

GINGERBREAD:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup molasses
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl; mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, the cloves, and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk 3/4 cup granulated sugar with 1 egg until thick and pale.
Stir in applesauce, molasses, fresh ginger, oil, and 1/4 cup hot water.

Stir in flour mixture.

Spray an 8 by 8 inch square pan with vegetable oil spray.
Pour batter into pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

Let rest 5 minutes; turn out onto rack and let cool. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

SAUTÉ PEARS:
3 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add pears. Cook, stirring until soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, fresh ginger, and salt.

CUSTARD:
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons butter

In a pan over medium heat, whisk half-and-half, eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until thickened, 10 minutes. Take off heat; stir in vanilla and butter. Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator.

WHIP CREAM:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

In a large bowl, beat cream, powdered sugar, and ginger until soft peaks form.


ASSEMBLE TRIFLE:
3 Tablespoons amaretto or brandy (I used amaretto)
1/4 cup candied ginger, finely chopped

Put half the gingerbread cubes in a trifle dish or glass bowl.

Sprinkle with half the amaretto or brandy.

Spoon half the pears and liquid over gingerbread.

Pour half the custard over pears.

Top with half the whipped cream and half the crystallized ginger.

Repeat layers.

Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 1 day.

Double Chocolate Cranberry Bars

I made these bar cookies for dessert when Jenny and her family came for dinner and that night I think I was really full because they tasted good, but didn’t knock my socks off. But they must have gotten better because over the next couple of days Curtis and I (well let’s be honest here, it was mostly me!) managed to polish off the rest of the pan. I’d put these in the same category as the coconut cookies we love so much. Curtis keeps hinting I should make them again soon!

I used kosher salt which I think gave them that addictive combination of salty and sweet. And the cranberries offset all the chocolate with a little bit of tartness. They’re quick and easy, so I’m planning to make a batch before Thanksgiving so we’ll have cookies to share with our crew of out of towners.



Double Chocolate Cranberry Bars
Food & Wine (November 2011)

Gooey Chocolate Layer

Ingredients:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Line the dish with parchment paper, leaving 1 inch of overhang on the long sides.
In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips in the sweetened condensed milk over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and let cool to room temperature.

Dried Cranberry and White Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ½ sticks unsalted butter (10 ounces), at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups white chocolate chips (I only used 1 cup)
1 ½ cups dried cranberries

In a medium bowl, mix the flour with the oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and both sugars at medium speed until creamy. Add the egg followed by the egg yolk and vanilla, beating well between additions and scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the dry ingredients, then add the white chocolate chips and cranberries and beat until incorporated.

To make the bars:

Press half of the cookie dough into the prepared baking dish. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the dough and spread evenly. Top with small dollops of the remaining cookie dough; don't worry if the dollops don't completely cover the chocolate mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350, until the top is lightly browned. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Luck of the Irish Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

I took this recipe and skipped the Bailey’s Cream Cheese frosting (as divine and celebratory as it sounded) and instead used leftover Dulce de Leche frosting I had from this recipe. Because really, who doesn’t love chocolate and caramel? I thought about making green frosting, but I figured these beauties topped with gold wrapped chocolate coins would make them festive enough for St. Paddy’s Day!


Chocolate Guinness Cake
haute apple pie

1 cup butter
1 cup Guinness
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
About 1 cup of Bailey’s to drizzle on top of the cooked cake.

Bailey’s Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces room temperature cream cheese
2 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
5-6 Tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream

or Dulce de Leche frosting
Joy the Baker

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup dulce de leche, plus more for drizzling
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly. Then, mix in the Guinness and cocoa powder. Set aside.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

In a third bowl, mix the eggs and sour cream.

Slowly mix the Guinness mixture into the egg mixture. Then, add the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into a well buttered spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 20 minutes, remove from the pan and place on a cake plate.

Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a fork. Slowly spoon 1 cup of Bailey’s over the cake.

Next, make the Irish Cream frosting by creaming the cream cheese and confectioners sugar. Add the Bailey’s a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Frost your cake.

OR, make the caramel frosting: Place cream cheese in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds, until very soft and pliable. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the butter and dulce de leche. Beat on medium speed until well incorporated. Stop the mixer and add the salt and powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy and lighter in color. Generously spoon frosting on top of cupcakes, or use a large frosting tip to pipe on frosting.

For garnish, heat a few spoonfuls of dulce de leche over a low flame until just pourable. Then drizzle it over the cupcakes and top with a few sprinkles (or gold coins). Add a few sprinkles of fine sea salt if you’re feeling fancy.

*I made cupcakes instead, so I baked them for about 20 minutes at 350. I also threw a few handfuls of milk chocolate chips into the batter.

Escargot, Sardines and Beets, Oh My!

Happy New Year!

We stuck with tradition this year and rang in 2010 in style at Lisa and Tom's. The Stimach's believe in celebrating New Year's with family, best friends and a ton of food! The food theme is always a multicultural potluck which over the years has ranged from tripe (yuck! ) and goat curry to quail eggs and durian (stinky!).

The goal this year was to experience new food and ingredients, from different regions, that were both unique and DELICIOUS (read: edible). It was a success.

Chef Tom made garlic naan, Thai corn fritters, escargot, Brazilian chicken empanadas, crab stuffed - bacon wrapped jalapenos, sardines, and chicken lettuce wraps (he was originally intending to fill these with squab - another ingredient for another day). The snails, which Tom drenched in butter and garlic were much better than I could have ever imagined. Even the kids were brave enough to give them a try.

Selena licking the snail shell clean


Mmmmm!


Bacon wrapped, crab stuffed jalapenos


Brazilian Chicken Empanada


Thai Corn Fritters


Along with Kristi's appetizer (bacon, cheesy goodness), Curtis declared Tom's lettuce wraps the best dish of the night. Tom created these by pulling from two recipes here and here.

Kristi and Curtis working hard


Chef Tim made Russian pirogues, borscht, and Russian potato something-or-other that tasted like hash browns. My favorites, hands down were Tim's pirogues, Tom's empanadas and my soup (see below). Although it didn't win any popularity awards, I'm a fan of beets, so I thought the borscht was mighty tasty too. Hopefully I'll be sharing Tim's Russian recipes with you soon (Tim, please?).

Authentic Russian fare or hashbrowns? You tell me.


Phil made Thai prawn fried rice (delicious) and there was a nice variety of "normal" food there that everyone else contributed.

Curtis and I made Jamaican beef patties, pepperpot soup, prosciutto wrapped melon, and popcorn balls. I'll definitely be making the pepperpot soup again (recipe below).

Jamaican beef patties


Thanks to Lisa and Tom for letting us (and Murray!) stay in their upscale guest house! Even though things got a little crazy toward the end of the night (RIP my favorite shot glass) - it was the perfect way to end 2009 and kick off a new decade!

Quick Jamaican Pepperpot Soup (Eating Well, February 2010)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound sirloin steak, trimmed, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
1 small white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced Scotch bonnet chile pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
4 cups water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pound sweet potato (about 1 large), cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
1 cup chopped okra, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
3 cups chopped callaloo, collard greens or spinach (I used spinach)
3 scallions, sliced
1 14-ounce can "lite" coconut milk, well shaken

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add steak and ½ tsp. salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add onion, garlic, chile pepper and thyme to the pot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk water and cornstarch in a bowl or large measuring cup; add to the pot along with sweet potato and okra. Bring to a boil over high heat; boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in callaloo (or collards or spinach) and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt; cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add scallions and the steak plus any accumulated juices. Cook until the steak is hot and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in coconut milk.

Snuggie Super Model

Blue Cheese Shortbread Leaves with Cream Cheese Chutney Roulade and Candied Curried Pecans

Per Megan's request, here is the recipe for my mom's candied curried pecans. And I’m including the entire recipe for blue cheese shortbread cookies with cream cheese chutney roulade because it’s one of the best appetizers I’ve ever had! The pecans are just an extra bonus to go along with all this deliciousness. (Sorry I don’t have a picture, I was too busy eating!)

Candied Curried Pecans

Makes about 3 cups

1 ½ t. onion powder
1 ½ t. garlic powder
1 ¼ t. coarse kosher salt
¾ t. curry powder
¼ t. cayenne pepper

2 T. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 T. honey
3 c. pecan halves

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Mix onion and garlic powder, 1 t. salt, curry powder and cayenne pepper in small bowl to blend.

Melt butter and honey with remaining ¼ t. salt in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add pecan halves and stire to coat; remove from heat.
Add spice mixture and toss to coat pecans evenly.
Spread pecans in single layer on prepared baking sheet.

Bake pecans until dry and toasted, about 40 minutes.
Cool completely.
Separate pecans.
Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. (I froze them.)

Blue Cheese Shortbread Leaves with Cream Cheese Chutney Roulade

Shortbread
3 ½ oz. crumbled blue cheese (about ½ cup)
3 T. unsalted butter, room temp (I use salted)
½ c. all purpose flour
¼ c. cornstarch
¼ t. coarse salt
1/8 t. ground black pepper 1/3 c. walnuts, finely chopped

I toasted the walnuts, but then the dough was too crumbly. Next time I will try not toasting. I added a little extra butter to try and get dough to stick together.

Blend cheese and butter in processor until creamy.

Add flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add walnuts and process just until moist clumps form.

Gather dough into ball.
Flatten into disk.
Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough between sheet of plastic wrap to 1/8 to ¼ inch thickness. Remove top sheet.
Using 2 ½ inch x 1 inch leaf-shaped cookie cutter, cut out leaves. Transfer leaves to prepared baking sheets. Gather dough scraps and reroll; cut out additional leaves. Transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer leaves to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temp. I froze them.)

Roulade
6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 T. and 1 t. dry sherry
½ t. curry powder
1/8 t. salt

1 c. mango chutney
¾ c. green onions, thinly sliced

Mix cheeses, sherry, curry powder and salt. Spread cream mixture into a 10 x 8 inch rectangle (or thereabout) on a piece of plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for about 20 minutes to harden. Spread ½ c. chutney and about half of the green onions on cream cheese mixture. Roll from the long side jelly roll style in to a log. Gently press remaining green onions onto roulade (I made a day ahead and just sprinkled the onion on just before serving). Wrap the roulade tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to two days.

To serve: Place roulade on platter. Surround with shortbread leaves.
Top roulade with remaining 1/3 cup chutney and serve.I served with the curried pecans too!

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Praline Crunch

This was my one and only job for Thanksgiving dinner. It's one of our favorite pumpkin pies (next to Costco pumpkin pie) that originated from my Grammy Jean.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Praline Crunch (Grammy Gross)

Ingredients:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 T. rum
1 ½ cup cooked pumpkin
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
½ t. salt
½ t. pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup milk
3 eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup sour cream

1. Soften gelatin in rum
2. Combine pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, spice and milk – bring to a boil over low heat stirring often
3. Beat egg yolks. Blend in small amount of hot pumpkin mixture. Cook and stir 2 or 3 minutes after adding egg.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in soaked gelatin until dissolved – chill until filling begins to set
5. Beat egg whites until stiff – gradually beating in sugar. Fold whites and sour cream into pumpkin mixture.

Praline Crunch
¼ cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Melt butter in skillet. Stir in sugar. Add pecans. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture turns golden, about 3 minutes. Put on the bottom of a baked pie crust. Pour chiffon mixture over and chill.

Pie madness beings with Pear Pie

Three pear pies for Curtis’ birthday dinner!


Open Face Pear Pie

1. Unbaked 9” pastry shell (see recipe below for Barbara’s pie crust)
2. Bake blind (using foil and pie weights) @ 400 degrees for 10 minutes
3. Remove pie weights and foil and bake 4 more minutes

Reduce heat to 350 degrees

4. Peel 4 medium Bartlett pears (yellow but firm) and halve and core them. (I sometimes quarter them to get them to all fit in the pie dish)
5. Place pears in pie dish with the cut side down with the narrow ends of the pear toward the center.

Cream together:
¼ cup butter
1 cup sugar

Add:
¼ cup flour
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Pour mixture over pears. Bake at 350 degrees until firm (45 min – 1 hour) or until filling is set and lightly browned. Cool before cutting.

Barbara’s Pie Crust
Click here to learn about Barbara's pie class

2 ½ C. all-purpose flour
½ lb. unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ C. + 1 Tbsp. cold water

Mix together the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Dice the butter into ~ ½ inch cube (6 slices and then each slice into 9 pieces). Add to the food processor and pulse 5 times (each pulse about 1-1 ½ seconds) until the mixture has pea-sized lobules of butter still visible in the flour. Add the water while quickly pulsing the flour mixture to evenly distribute the water through the butter-flour mixture. Do not over mix! (It will look dry and crumbly)

Dump out the mixture onto plastic wrap. Bring together into a ball. Cut the ball in half and form two separate discs in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Roll out or freeze dough for up to one month.