Pear Ginger Chutney

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 cups (5 pounds) peeled, sliced, firm, ripe pears
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
• 1-1/2 cups seedless raisins
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 cup chopped crystallized ginger
• 3 cups cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks (2 inches long)

Preparation:

1. Place the pears, peppers, raisins, sugar, ginger, vinegar, and salt in a saucepan.
2. Tie allspice and cloves in a cheesecloth bag and add to the pan, along with the cinnamon.
3. Cook slowly until pears are tender and mixture is thick, about 1 hour. Remove spices.
4. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom. Run a rubber spatula around the insides of the jars to release air bubbles. Wipe the jar rims with a clean cloth. Place lids in position and tighten screw bands.
5. Process in a boiling-water-bath canner for 10 minutes.

Yield: About 10 half-pints

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

1 package dry cake mix (any flavor) 24 cake cup ice cream cones water, oil and eggs per cake mix directions on box Preheat oven to 350F.Mix cake mix per directions on box. If using a white cake mix, divide mix into four separate mixing bowls and use food coloring to make different ice cream "flavors". Place ice cream cones in muffin pan and fill about 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Cool on a wire rack. Let cool completely if frosting. Makes 18 to 24 cupcakes

GOLDEN GALUSHKA

   1/2 c. warm milk

   1/4 c. sugar
   1 pkg. dry yeast

Put together and let stand. 1 stick of butter, cut upPut butter into milk so it melts. In a kitchen maid mixing bowl add 1/2 cup sugar and 6 eggs, when mixed well, add milk and butter, then add milk and yeast. MIX WELL TOGETHER. Add 8 or 9 cups flour and knead about 10 minutes (until dough gets shiny and bubbly). Cover and let raise for 1 hour or doubles in size.
Flour board, pour dough out and cut with a very small juice glass into balls. Dip each ball into 1-3/4 pounds melted butter, then into ground nut and sugar mixture.

NUT AND SUGAR MIXTURE:

   4 to 6 c. ground walnuts
   2 to 3 c. sugar

Put into solid angel food cake pan and keep layering with dough balls and nut, sugar mixture (makes 2 pans).Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour.

Kahlua Flourless Fudge Cake

Ingredients

7 extra large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/2 pound unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 pound European bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon espresso

3 Tablespoons Kahlua

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan.
Place egg whites and sugar in a mixer and whip into firm peaks. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat. When melted, add chocolate, stirring occasionally until smooth. Quickly add vanilla, espresso, Kahlua, and chocolate butter mixture to the egg white mixture, gently folding until smooth. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake on center rack for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven. Wait 5 minutes and press sides down so the top of the cake is even. Cool and refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Remove cake from pan and cut with a hot knife into 8 pieces. Serve with fresh berries and vanilla ice cream if desired.
Serves: 8.

Irish Whiskey Christmas Cake

If you've never made a Christmas cake before, this one is dead easy, and you won't be disappointed. I now prefer the much thinner layer of marzipan and icing, and the flavour of the Irish whiskey in the icing, as well as the cake, is brilliant. The instructions here are for four small cakes or one large cake. If you want to keep the cake for any length of time, let the marzipan dry out (covered with a clean tea cloth) for a week before icing.

Makes four 4 inch (10 cm) square cakes or an 8 inch (20 cm) square cake.
I brought bake one of these cakes with me from Ireland and I will never forget how divine it was. I recommend using a good quality whiskey otherwise it will taste quite crappy no matter how drunk the fruits are.

Ingredients

For the pre-soaking:

10 fl oz (275 ml) Irish whiskey
1½ teaspoons Angostura bitters
4 oz (110 g) stoned no-soak prunes
2 oz (50 g) glacé cherries
2 oz (50 g) unblanched almonds
4 oz (110 g) mixed candied peel
1 lb (450 g) raisins
8 oz (225 g) currants
½ rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ level teaspoon ground cloves
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 level tablespoon molasses sugar
grated zest 1 orange
grated zest 1 lemon
½ level teaspoon salt

For the cake:

1 tablespoon Irish whiskey
9 oz (250 g) self-raising flour, sifted
9 oz (250 g) demerara sugar
9 oz (250 g) unsalted butter, softened
5 large eggs at room temperature
1 heaped tablespoon apricot jam

For the icing:

2½ tablespoons Irish whiskey
1lb 2 oz (500 g) marzipan (in a block)
1 lb 4 oz (570 g) unrefined golden icing sugar, plus a little extra for rolling
1 large egg white
1 dessertspoon molasses syrup or black treacle

You will also need an 8 inch (20 cm) square cake tin, greased, the base and sides lined with a double thickness of silicone paper (parchment) to sit 4 inches (10 cm) deep, plus four lengths of ribbon 4 ft (1.2 m) long, 1½ inches (4 cm) wide for four cakes, or one length 6½ ft (2 m) long, 1½ inches (4 cm) wide, for one large cake.



One week before you intend to bake the cake, measure out the whiskey, bitters and 3 tablespoons of water into a large saucepan, then roughly chop the prunes, cherries and almonds and finely dice the mixed candied peel. Add these, along with the rest of the pre-soaking ingredients, to the pan, ticking them as you go to make sure nothing gets left out. Now stir and bring the mixture up to simmering point, then, keeping the heat low, simmer very gently, without a lid, for 15 minutes. After that, allow everything to cool completely, then pour the mixture into a large jar with a lid or an airtight plastic container and leave it in the fridge for seven days, giving it a little shake from time to time.

When you're ready to bake the cake, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1, 275°F (140°C). (For important information about cooking at gas mark 1, click here)

All you need to do is measure out the flour, sugar and butter into a very large bowl, then add the eggs and either whisk or beat with a wooden spoon until everything is evenly blended. Now gradually fold in the fruit mixture until it is evenly distributed. Then spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, levelling the surface with the back of the spoon. Bake in the centre of the oven for 3 hours without opening the door, then cover the cake with a double thickness of greaseproof paper and continue to bake it for a further 30 minutes or until the centre feels springy when lightly touched.

Cool the cake for 45 minutes in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling. When it's completely cold, wrap it in a double layer of greaseproof paper, then foil, and store it in an airtight container.

When you are ready to finish the cake, if you are making the four small cakes take a sharp knife and cut the cake into quarters so you end up with four 4 inch (10 cm) square cakes. Then melt the jam with the whiskey in a small saucepan and stir it a few times until all the lumps have dissolved. Now, using a brush, coat the surface of each cake quite generously with it. Take the marzipan and cut off a quarter of the block, then, on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll the piece into an 8 inch (20 cm) square. Now, with a sharp knife, cut the square into quarters so you end up with four 4 inch (10 cm) square pieces. Gently take each square and place one on top of each cake, lightly pressing the marzipan down. Next, cut the remaining piece of marzipan in half and roll each half into a strip measuring 6 x 16 inches (15 x 40 cm), then cut each strip in half lengthways so you are left with four strips: one for the sides of each cake. Press each strip lightly around the edges of each cake and pinch to seal at the join with the top piece of marzipan.

To make the 8 inch (20 cm) cake, just leave the cake whole. Melt the jam and whiskey as above and use a brush to coat the surface of the cake. Take the marzipan and cut off a quarter of the block, then roll this piece out to an 8 inch (20 cm) square and place this on the top of the cake. Cut the remaining piece of marzipan in half and roll each half into a strip measuring 3 x 16 inches (7.5 x 40 cm), then use these strips to cover the sides of the cake.

For the icing, sieve the icing sugar, then place the egg white and molasses (or black treacle) in a large bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, whisk together thoroughly. Now, with the whisk running, add a tablespoon of icing sugar at a time and keep adding it until the mixture thickens. As it begins to crumble, add a tablespoon of the Irish whiskey to combine the mixture, then carry on adding more icing sugar until it becomes thick. Add another tablespoon of whiskey, then the rest of the icing sugar and whiskey, and keep whisking until everything is blended together.

If you are making the 4 smaller cakes divide the icing into four. Using a palette knife smooth icing over the top and down the sides of your cake or cakes, dipping the knife into a small saucepan of simmering water to make it easier to spread. To finish, dip the knife in the simmering water once more and make swirls with the knife over the surface, then leave the iced cake or cakes to dry overnight. Wrap each cake in greaseproof paper, then in foil, and keep in an airtight container.

When you're ready to finish the cakes, carefully place a length of ribbon around each one, tying the ends in a bow.

Mayan Hot Chocolate

This recipe is inspired by Vianne from the book/film Chocolat by Joanne Harris

2 cups boiling water
1 chile pepper, cut in half, seeds removed (with gloves)
5 cups light cream or whole or nonfat milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 to 2 cinnamon sticks
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or
3 tablets Mexican chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons sugar or honey, or to taste
l tablespoon almonds or hazelnuts, ground extra fine
Whipped cream

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add chile pepper to boiling water. Cook until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Remove chile pepper; strain water and set aside. (You can omit this step by using 2 large pinches to 1/4 teaspoon pasilla or ancho dried chile pepper powder or a combination of the two. Do not use chili powder — a mix of spices with cumin and oregano. Use pure ground red chile pepper like the rich pasilla, chile negro or ancho).

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream or milk, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick until bubbles appear around the edge. Reduce heat to low; add chocolate and sugar or honey; whisk occasionally until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolves. Turn off heat; remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Add chile-infused water, a little at a time, tasting to make sure the flavor isn't too strong. If chocolate is too thick, thin with a little more milk.

Serve in small cups and offer ground almonds or hazelnuts and whipped cream.

Molten Chocolate Cinnamon Cakes

(recipe from Cook's Illustrated, The Best Recipe)
These can be made with our without the cinnamon, add a pinch of chili pepper for a bold flavor.. it will really bring out the sensuality of the chocolate ~ 2 large pinches to 1/4 teaspoon pasilla or ancho dried chile pepper powder (or a combination)

8 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
8 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously butter and flour 8 small ramekins or custard cups. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a large bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Do not let the bowl touch the water, instead using the steam to gently and indirectly heat the chocolate. Stir the chocolate occasionally for even melting. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs, yolk, vanilla, salt and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until mixture lightens in color and triples in size, about 7-8 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate and the flour (and cinnamon) to the egg mixture and gently fold together without deflating the eggs too much. The batter will be foamy.

Ladle the batter equally into the 8 ramekins. Bake for 12 minutes, until the outside is set and the center is still jiggly. Loosen the cakes by running a knife around the edge and invert it on a plate. Let cool 30 seconds – 1 minute and lift off the ramekin. Serve immediately with whipped cream, ice cream, or a strained fruit puree. Serves 8.

These can be made the day before, refrigerated and baked the next day with decent results, although the same day is preferable.

Besitos de Coco - Coconut Kisses

Prep Time : 10min Cook Time : 35min

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut (or vanilla) extract

PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease a 13x9x2 cookie sheet.
3. In a bowl, thoroughly mix all ingredients together into a dough.
4. Divide the dough into 24 uniform balls.
5. Place the balls on the greased cookie sheet forming peaks at the top like a kiss and bake for about 35 minutes. They should be golden.

Servings: 24 cookies.

Alternatives
Can dip the finished product in chocolate and/or nuts

Butterscotch Caramels

• 3/4 c. condensed milk
• 2 c. light brown sugar
• 1 c. butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. dark Karo corn syrup

Cook together to 240°. Add 1 tsp. vanilla. Cook to 246°.

Pour into buttered tin 1” deep.

Press nuts into candy if desired. Cut when cool.

Gummi Bears

1 small box (3oz) Jell-o with sugar, any flavor
7 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 c water

Mix in a sauce pan until the mixture resembles play dough. Place pan over low heat and stir until melted.

Once completely melted, pour into plastic candy molds, and place in the freezer for 5 minutes.

When very firm, take out of molds and eat!

Alternate: should be able to use sugar-free Jell-o or non-sweetened Jell-o with apple juice or pear juice as a substitute for sweetener

Almond Roca

• 2 cups (1 pound) butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup whole almonds
• 1 large package chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnuts ground in a blender

Melt butter over high heat. Add sugar, stirring until it foams up well. Continue over high heat, adding almonds. Continue to cook, stirring continually until mixture is color of mahogany and sugar is all melted. (Take it off the heat for a moment if it starts to smoke.)

Stir as you take it off the heat permanently and pour quickly onto your biggest flat pan with sides. Tilt to spread evenly.

After 5 minutes, pour on chocolate chips. When they have melted a bit, spread them over the top of the hot mixture with a rubber scraper. Scatter ground walnuts over the top, shaking to distribute evenly.

Cool at least three hours at room temperature. Candy is thoroughly cooled when the chocolate is dull looking. Break into pieces and it's ready to eat.

Chocolate Toffee Crunch Squares

• 2 packages milk chocolate chips (11 1/2-oz)
• 1 C. crushed toffee pieces or packaged toffee bits
• 1 C. salted peanuts
• 1 C. halved pretzel sticks
• 1/2 C. sweetened coconut flakes (optional)
• 1/2 C. white chocolate chips
• 1 t. shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)
• Paper candy cups (optional)

Line a 9-inch square pan with plastic wrap. Place chocolate chips in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100 percent) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.

Immediately add toffee bits, peanuts, pretzels, and coconut, if desired; stir to coat.

Spread mixture into prepared pan; cover with plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate 45 minutes or until firm.

Place white chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Using fork, drizzle white chips mixture over chocolate mixture in pan. Cover; refrigerate 5 minutes or until firm.
Bring to room temperature. Remove chocolate mixture from pan and place on cutting board, top side up; discard plastic wrap. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares. Place each square in a candy cup, if desired. Store in covered container in a cool place.

Makes about 3 dozen squares.

Variation: Chocolate Toffee Haystacks — Prepare chocolate mixture as above. Instead of spreading square pan, drop chocolate mixture by slightly heaping tablespoons onto wax paper-lined cookie sheet or tray. Refrigerate until firm. Melt white chips as directed above; drizzle over "haystacks."