Pear and Honey Cake

Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope you had wonderful holidays with your loved ones, with lots of good food. I thought the first post of the year should be something simple yet delicious, and golden, as I hope 2010 will be.

Pear and honey cake
DH mag #14

• 3 pears (600g), cut in half, then each half into four wedges, seeds removed
• ½ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (184g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (116g) light brown sugar, packed
• 3 eggs
• 1 ½ cups + 1 ½ tablespoons (225g) all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; generously butter a deep 23cm (9in) fluted flan/tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. 
   
3. Combine the pears, honey and lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until the pears are just tender. Drain the pears, reserving the poaching liquid.
4. 
   
5. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg over the butter mixture, beat in slow speed just to incorporate then fold through the milk.
6. 
   
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and arrange the pears on top. Bake for 50 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer – you might want to check the cake after 40 minutes.
8. 
   
9. Carefully remove the cake from the pan while still warm, spoon over the reserved poaching liquid and serve immediately.

Serves 8

Chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies

No Christmas food series would be complete without a gingerbread recipe – these are from Martha’s website and they are delicious!

I placed the cookies in little bags and tied them with a red ribbon: they are going to be one of the gifts to my coworkers – I hope they like them!

Are you making edible gifts this year, too? I’d love to hear about them.

Chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies

• 196g (7oz) best-quality dark chocolate
• 1 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon (220g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• ½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter
• ½ cup (88g) dark-brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

1. Chop chocolate into 6mm (¼in) chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
   
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 ½ teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 2.5cm (1in) thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
4. Preheat oven to 165°C/325°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Roll dough into about 3.7cm (1 ½-in) balls; place 5cm (2in) apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
5. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen – I used 1 leveled tablespoon of dough per cookie and got 42

Cinnamon candy canes

Oh, yes, more Christmas recipes – and get ready, because there are still a few more to come. :)

These cookies are easy to make - and shape, I promise - and the granulated sugar adds a nice sparkle to them. The recipe comes from DH mag #24, the first issue of that magazine I ever got and it was a present from my good friend Valentina. After taking a look at that issue, I immediately subscribed and became addicted – but that you’ve already noticed. :)

For more holiday inspiration, check the lovely Paul’s beautiful Christmas countdown.

Cinnamon candy canes

• ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (184g) unsalted butter*
• 1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (218g) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 ½ cups + 2 ½ tablespoons (375g) all purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten with a fork
• granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Place butter, sugar and cinnamon in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the flour, egg and egg yolks and process until a smooth dough forms – my processor wasn’t strong enough to process the dough, so I prepared it on my Kitchen Aid using the paddle attachment. Lightly knead the dough, divide in two parts and wrap each one in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
2. Roll 1 leveled tablespoon of the dough to form a log (roughly 10cm/4in long). Carefully bend the top to form a candy cane and place onto prepared sheets, 2.5cm (1in) apart. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool.
3. 
   
4. Brush the canes with the egg white and sprinkle over the sugar. Store the cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.

* the recipe wasn’t specific about the temperature of the butter, so I used it cold but not too firm (left it out of the fridge for 20 minutes or so)

(Note: pregnant women should not eat raw egg white)

Makes 40

Dark chocolate, cinnamon and hazelnut truffles

A quick look at my sweet recipe index and you'll notice that I don’t make truffles very often – I love working with chocolate, but mostly stick with cookies and cakes. To me, truffles are such a special treat they call for a special occasion as well – like that gorgeous pair of shoes you’ll only wear on your birthday or anniversary. :)

These were made for a special someone, a dear friend of mine who happens to be crazy about shoes, too – let’s just say that her last name could pretty much be Bradshaw. :)

Dark chocolate, cinnamon and hazelnut truffles
from DH mag #42

• 450g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
• 1 ¼ cups (300ml) heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 40 hazelnuts, roasted*
• 1 cup (90g) cocoa powder

Place the chocolate, cream and cinnamon in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Pour into a lightly buttered 1 liter-capacity dish and set aside to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm enough to roll.

Roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture into rough balls. Press a hazelnut into the middle and roll to enclose.

Place the cocoa on a baking tray, place the truffles on the tray and gently shake to coat.

* place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for 5 minutes or until lightly golden. Place the hot hazelnuts in the fold of a tea towel and rub back and forth to remove the skins.

Makes 40 – I halved the recipe and got 25 truffles

Pear fritters

Pears were delicious, and I’m guessing apples would be wonderful, too – you can find the original recipe here, but I’ve adapted it to avoid having too much batter left. If there’s some, fry in small portions, by spoonfuls, and dust in cinnamon sugar as well:

Pear fritters

• 1 cup (200g) caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (150g) self-rising flour
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup (160ml) milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar, extra
• vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 2 Williams' pears, thinly sliced, seeds removed
• all-purpose flour, for dusting

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.

Place the flour, egg, milk, vanilla and extra sugar in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Heat the oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat until hot. Dust the pear slices with plain flour and dip in the batter – you might want to use the back of a spoon to make sure the batter sticks to the pear slices. Deep-fry, in batches, for 2–3 minutes or until golden and crisp on both sides. Remove from the oil and place over some paper towels to remove excess oil.

Toss the hot pear fritters in the cinnamon sugar to coat and serve.

Makes about 20

Spiced sable rounds with eggnog glaze

Today’s cookies are a proof that there’s still kindness in the world – people who will do something nice for someone else even though they live on the other side of the planet.

I bookmarked one recipe last January already thinking of making it for the holidays. But when I reached for it on my del.icio.us a couple of weeks ago the link no longer worked... Google showed me someone on Flickr who had made those cookies and I asked her if she had the recipe posted somewhere – she didn’t, but was kind enough to send it to me by email. Isn’t that sweet?

Anastasia, thank you for sending me this great recipe – the cookies turned out delicious! I wish I could send some your way.

xoxo

Spiced sable rounds with eggnog glaze

Cookie dough:

• 1 ¼ cups (282g) unsalted butter, cold and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (218g) caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 4 cups + 4 tablespoons (600g) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Glaze:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 1 tablespoon dark rum - I used white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 2 cups + 2 ½ tablespoons (300g) icing sugar, sifted
• freshly ground nutmeg, for scattering

Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine. Add lemon zest, spices, flour and baking powder and mix until just combined. Divide dough in four equal parts and form each one into a log that is a little more than 3.5cm (1 ½ in) thick. Wrap well in baking paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180°C; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.

Unwrap one of the dough logs (keep the others in the fridge) and slice it into 6mm (¼-in) rounds. Place onto prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes or until just golden – mine needed 15 minutes for staying in the fridge for 24 hours.

Repeat with the remaining logs.

Make the glaze: whisk egg, brandy, rum and vanilla paste (if using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds with the back of a knife and add to the bowl) in an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add the sugar and whisk until thick and pale.

Spread icing over warm cookies then scatter with a little nutmeg and cool on a wire rack. Let glaze set completely before storing the cookies.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 90 – I halved the recipe and got 48

Eggnog brûlée

Last Saturday I tuned in for my weekly dose of Ms. Lawson and they aired one of her Christmas episodes – which I confess to have seen three times already, without an ounce of guilt; she got me into holiday spirit even more with her delicious food. My holiday recipe series continues and after the spiced brigadeiros I present you eggnog brûlée.

Don’t be surprised by the hard caramel crust on top of the dessert: I don’t own a torch and therefore tried Donna Hay’s hint of running a hot spoon over the sugar topping; that failed miserably, but I was decided to have a brûlée topping no matter what – even if I had to make some caramel on the side and pour over the custard. It was a matter of honor, after all. :)

Eggnog brûlée
DH mag #36

• 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 5 egg yolks
• ¼ cup + ½ tablespoon (56g) caster sugar
• 1/3 cup (66g) caster sugar, extra

Preheat the oven to 150°C/330°F. Place the cream, vanilla seeds and bean, cinnamon and brandy in a saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a boil.

Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Discard the vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks and slowly pour the cream mixture over the egg mixture, whisking well to avoid cooking the eggs.

Return to the saucepan and stir over low heat for 6-8 minutes or until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon – do not let boil. Pour the custard into four ½ cup (120ml) capacity ovenproof dishes and place in a deep baking dish. Pour enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake for 15-20 minutes or just until set. Remove from the oven, set aside to cool completely then refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

Top each brûlée with the extra sugar and gently run a hot metal spoon* or brûlée blow torch over the top until sugar caramelizes – since I don’t own a torch and the spoon-technique failed, I prepared some caramel and poured over the set custard.

* the spoon might get permanently tarnished

Serves 4

Spiced brigadeiros

When I was little and heard people saying that “time flies”, I’d usually think “what are these people talking about?” – I guess it only started feeling that way to me after I turned 20. Now my baby sister is a year away from going to college... Well, you get the picture. :D

Holiday season is here again – even though sometimes it seems that Christmas was last month – and my tree is already decorated; time to start thinking about the food.

To me, spices are a synonym of holiday food and I thought that adding them to a Brazilian candy would make a wonderful combination – I was pretty glad with the result, especially after my last squashed brigadeiros. :)

I used Paula’s wonderful brigadeiro recipe as a guide and substituted the chocolate for cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Spiced brigadeiros

• 1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy (whipping) cream
• ½ heaping tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter + a bit extra for buttering the plate
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• granulated sugar, for rolling the candy

Butter a large plate and set aside.

Mix the condensed milk, cream, flour, 1 tablespoon butter, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon in a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes – when the bottom of the pan starts to show and the mixture is a bit thicker, remove from heat and immediately pour into the prepared plate. Set aside to cool completely, then refrigerate to make rolling easier.

Roll small portions of candy into balls (lightly butter your palms to do it), roll through the granulated sugar and place into fluted paper cups.

Makes 32

Banana and dried cranberry tea cake

I know, I know... Another banana post in less than a month – please bear with me and my full-of-bananas-freezer. :D

This recipe comes from a book a bought several months ago but only recently became addicted to – and with a whole chapter devoted to bananas, I’ll be using it again soon. :D

Banana and dried cranberry tea cake

• 2 cups (280g) all purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup (83g) dried cranberries, coarsely chopped if too large
• 8 tablespoons (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons (28g) shortening, room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas blended with ¼ cup sour cream – I used yogurt

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Butter the insides of a 22.5x12.5x7.5cm (9x5x3in) loaf pan* and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon onto a medium bowl. In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with 1 teaspoon of the sifted mixture.

Cream butter and shortening in the large bowl of an electric mixer on moderate speed for 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 2 minutes longer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl frequently with a rubber spatula to keep the batter even-textured.

On low speed, alternately add the sifted mixture in three additions, with the mashed bananas-sour cream blend in two additions, beginning and ending with the sifted ingredients. Stir in the cranberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, mounding it slightly in the center.

Bake the tea cake for 55 minutes or until risen, set and golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached to it. Cool the loaf in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, unmold it onto another rack and cool completely – turn the cake so the top is upwards. Dust with icing sugar.

Let the tea cake mellow for at least 2 hour before slicing it.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

* I halved the recipe, used a 8x19x5cm loaf pan and baked the cake for 30 minutes

Makes about 12 slices

Ovaltine thins with cinnamon sugar

After a visit to Lizzie’s beautiful blog – if you still don’t know it, stop reading me and go check her amazing cookies – I started feeling a little nostalgic: she posted a Calvin & Hobbes strip, and I absolutely love Calvin & Hobbes. It reminded me of when I worked as a teacher and one of my lovely students gave me two Calvin & Hobbes books as a gift - Ana Paula, if you’re reading this: xoxo. :)

Back then I did not bake as much as I do now – with two jobs and working Saturdays, it was a bit difficult – but my students were such special people I would gladly bring them cookies every day. And I’d start with these bars.

Ovaltine thins with cinnamon sugar
slightly adapted from DH mag #47

• 1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (218g) caster sugar
• 1/3 cup (100g) Ovaltine
• 2 ½ cups + 2 ½ tablespoons (375g) all purpose flour, sifted
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup (100g) caster sugar, extra
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; lightly butter a 30x40cm (12x16in) baking tray and line it with non-stick baking paper, leaving a 2.5cm (1in) overhang*.

Place the sugar, Ovaltine and flour in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the eggs, butter and vanilla and mix until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs – I used an electric mixer in low speed.

Press the dough into the prepared baking tray, filling it completely.

In a small bowl, combine extra sugar and cinnamon. Brush the cookie dough with the egg white and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden – mine baked for 35 minutes.

Allow to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then carefully lift it out of the pan – I had trouble lifting the huge uncut cookie from the pan; after a few tries, I slid a thin metal removable bottom (from another baking pan) under the foil and removed the whole thing from the pan.

Cut into rectangles/bars.

* I used a 26x40cm pan, lined with generously buttered foil

Makes 24

Walnut, cranberry and cinnamon rugelach

I told you once that I can be quite stubborn sometimes – and I wasn’t kidding. :D

Kate Zuckerman’s pretty rugelach cookies had been on my mind forever, but I never had all the ingredients on hand. Well, I finally did – on a 30ºC (86ºF) day. I knew it was too hot and that the dough sounded too delicate for such temperature, but I insisted on making it anyway.

All I can say is that the cookies were delicious – a couple of friends loved them – but they did not turn out as beautiful as Kate’s, because I could not roll the dough correctly.

Living and learning – I hope so. :D

Walnut, cranberry and cinnamon rugelach

Dough:

• 8 tablespoons (4oz/112g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 112g (4oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup (140g) all purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Filling:

• 1 cup (110g) walnuts, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup (55g) dried cranberries, coarsely chopped (the original recipe called for currants)
• ½ cup (100g) caster sugar
• 1 egg, for egg wash

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy and has increased in volume, 5-8 minutes. On slow speed, add the dry ingredients and beat until the dough is thoroughly combined. Set the mixer on medium speed and beat the dough for 15 seconds.

Using a rubber spatula, scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough tightly and press it down until it is 2.5cm (1in) thick. Refrigerate the dough at least 2 hours or overnight.

Make the filling: in a bowl, using a fork, toss together the chopped walnuts, cinnamon, cranberries and ¼ cup (50g) of the sugar. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a rough rectangle approximately 32x40cm (13x16in). Using a pizza cutter or paring knife, trim the dough into 2 rectangles measuring 16x40cm (6 ½ x16 in).

In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Lay out each rectangle with the 16-in side directly in front o f you on the counter. Brush off any excess flour. Brush the egg wash over the entire surface of the dough. Evenly coat both rectangles of dough with the walnut filling, leaving a 2.5cm (1in) wide strip of dough on the edge farther away from you. Starting with the dough edge closer to you, tightly roll the dough away from you, tucking the filling under the dough as you roll. When you reach the strip of dough without topping, apply a little pressure to seal, and roll the log so that the seam is on the bottom, against the counter. Gently slide the logs of dough onto a cookie sheet, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour; refrigerate the remaining egg wash. The logs can be stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours or in the freezer for 1 week.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF ½ hour before baking. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper or foil.

Glaze the chilled logs with the reserved egg and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup (50g) sugar. Slice each log into 2.5cm (1in) cross sections – you should get between 16 and 18 slices from each log. Place the cookies 2.5cm (1in) apart on the prepared sheets* and bake until puffed and dark golden brown, 15-18 minutes – mine needed 30 minutes to become golden brown.

Allow the cookies to cool for 15 minutes before removing them from the sheets.

Cookies will keep, well wrapped, for 4 days.

* the recipe did not specified how the cookies should be placed on the sheets, so I baked the first batch with the cut side down and the other with the cookies standing with the seam down – imho, the second batch looked prettier, but a couple of cookies fell down while in the oven

Makes 32-36 cookies – I got 33