Theoretically, you can make this coulis with any berry as a base, but the raspberry version is so very, very good that I've never felt the need to stray. Peach sorbet? Chocolate mousse? Cheesecake? Lemon souffle? It works really well on all of them.
This makes a LOT of coulis, so it will make plenty for whatever dessert you plan to top, even if you're serving a small army.
Raspberry Coulis
makes 1.5 cups
Cook in a sauce pan over medium, for ~5 minutes:
12 oz. individually quick frozen raspberries
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp. Chambord raspberry liqueur (optional)
6 tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
Once the raspberries have mostly broken down, pour the hot mixture into a Cuisinart or blender. Add 2 tsp. of lemon juice, then puree briefly.
To remove the seeds, pour the coulis through a fine mesh strainer, working it back and forth with a silicone spatula.
Refrigerate covered for ~1 hour before serving.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Summer Berry Pie
Credit once again goes to Cook's Illustrated for this gem.
Because berries are very acidic, it's best to use non-reactive cookware like stainless steel or non-stick saucepans, silicon spatulas, and wooden spoons for this recipe.
Summer Berry Pie
one 9-inch pie, serves 6-8
Graham cracker crust
Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Melt 5 tbsp. butter in the microwave. In a food processor, process 9 graham crackers until evenly fine, about 30 seconds. (This should yield about 1 cup of crumbs.) Add 2 tbsp. of granulated sugar and pulse to combine. Continue to pulse while adding the warm melted butter in steady stream. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Transfer the crust mixture to a 9-inch glass pie plate. Form the crust by pressing down and around with a 1/2-cup dry measuring cup.
Bake the crust at 325 until fragrant and beginning to brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the plate to a wire rack and let it cool completely while you make the filling.
Pie filling
In a food processor, puree 2.5 cups of the mixed berries for at least 1 minute, until smooth. To remove the seeds, strain the puree through a mesh strainer into a small nonreactive saucepan, scraping with a spatula to extract as much puree as possible. This should yield 1.25 to 1.5 cups. If not, keep scraping!
Whisk together in a small bowl:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
Whisk this dry ingredient mixture into the puree. Bring the puree to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a non-reactive spoon to avoid scorching the bottom. When the mixture has thickened to the consistency of pudding, remove it from the heat and add 1 tsp. lemon juice. Set it aside to cool slightly.
Place all the remaining whole berries into a medium bowl. Melt 2 tsp. red currant (or apple) jelly in second small saucepan over low heat. Pour the melted jelly over the whole berries and toss gently to coat them. (This increases their sweetness while giving them a beautiful glossy sheen.)
Pour the slightly cooled puree into the baked and cooled graham cracker pie shell, then add the whole fresh berries. Loosely cover the pie with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 3 hours to set the puree.
Because berries are very acidic, it's best to use non-reactive cookware like stainless steel or non-stick saucepans, silicon spatulas, and wooden spoons for this recipe.
Summer Berry Pie
one 9-inch pie, serves 6-8
Graham cracker crust
- 9 graham crackers, broken into rough pieces
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted and warm
Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Melt 5 tbsp. butter in the microwave. In a food processor, process 9 graham crackers until evenly fine, about 30 seconds. (This should yield about 1 cup of crumbs.) Add 2 tbsp. of granulated sugar and pulse to combine. Continue to pulse while adding the warm melted butter in steady stream. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Transfer the crust mixture to a 9-inch glass pie plate. Form the crust by pressing down and around with a 1/2-cup dry measuring cup.
Bake the crust at 325 until fragrant and beginning to brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the plate to a wire rack and let it cool completely while you make the filling.
Pie filling
- 2 cups fresh raspberries (~9 oz.)
- 2 cups fresh blackberries (~11 oz.)
- 2 cups fresh blueberries (~10 oz.)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp. table salt
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. red currant or apple jelly
In a food processor, puree 2.5 cups of the mixed berries for at least 1 minute, until smooth. To remove the seeds, strain the puree through a mesh strainer into a small nonreactive saucepan, scraping with a spatula to extract as much puree as possible. This should yield 1.25 to 1.5 cups. If not, keep scraping!
Whisk together in a small bowl:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
Whisk this dry ingredient mixture into the puree. Bring the puree to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a non-reactive spoon to avoid scorching the bottom. When the mixture has thickened to the consistency of pudding, remove it from the heat and add 1 tsp. lemon juice. Set it aside to cool slightly.
Place all the remaining whole berries into a medium bowl. Melt 2 tsp. red currant (or apple) jelly in second small saucepan over low heat. Pour the melted jelly over the whole berries and toss gently to coat them. (This increases their sweetness while giving them a beautiful glossy sheen.)
Pour the slightly cooled puree into the baked and cooled graham cracker pie shell, then add the whole fresh berries. Loosely cover the pie with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 3 hours to set the puree.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Mardi Gras king cake
If anyone knows how to make a proper king cake for Mardi Gras, it's Southern Living! Their recipe has a sour cream base for the dough and cream cheese for the filling, which is critical for keeping the cake moist and gives it a nice tang. The dough requires serious stirring power, especially if you use bread flour. We burned out the motor on our small hand mixer one year trying to make it, so beware.
The filling is a plain base to which you can add many different flavors. I recommend using extracts and liqueurs, and trying flavors such as amaretto, raspberry, or orange. Since the dough recipe makes two cakes, you can divide the filling base in half and make two different fillings. Get creative and have fun with this part - the recipe is very forgiving.
King Cake
makes 2 cakes; each yields 10-12 slices
Ingredients list
2 0.25-oz. envelopes active dry yeast
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
7 tbsp. butter
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese
16 oz. sour cream
6-6.5 cups bread (or AP) flour
1.5 cups granulated sugar
3 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tsp. flavoring extracts or liqueurs of your choice
Dough (for two cakes)
Yeast prefers a temperature similar to the human body, so the liquids below should be about the same temperature as your hand. If it's too hot for you to leave your finger in, it will kill the yeast and your dough won't rise.
Combine and let stand at least 5 minutes:
2 0.25-oz. envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Melt in a small sauce pan on low:
16 oz. sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
Remove the sour cream mixture from the heat and let it cool down.
Beat at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer until smooth:
yeast mixture
sour cream mixture
2 large eggs
2 cups bread flour (can substitute AP flour)
Reduce the mixer speed to low, and gradually add 4 to 4.5 cups more flour until a soft dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until it's smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place it into a well-greased bowl, turning the dough ball to grease the top. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour (or until the dough is doubled in size).
Cream cheese filling (for two cakes)
Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Divide the filling in half and flavor each as you see fit. It should require about 1.5 tsp. of extract or liqueur, bumped up to 2 tsp. for chocolate.
Punch down the risen dough, and divide it in half. Roll each portion into a 22x12 inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly on each dough rectangle, leaving 1-inch borders. Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at a long side.
Place one dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Fit a small bowl into the center of the circle to help it hold its shape. Repeat with second dough roll. Cover and let the cakes rise in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes (or until doubled in bulk).
Bake at 375 for 14-16 minutes until golden. Cool cakes on pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes.
Glaze (for two cakes)
Stir together:
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Stir in 2 tablespoons milk. Add up to 2 more tablespoons, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is the right spreading consistency.
Drizzle glaze evenly over warm king cakes. Sprinkle with colored sugars in purple, green, and yellow, alternating colors and forming bands. Let the cakes cool completely before serving.
The filling is a plain base to which you can add many different flavors. I recommend using extracts and liqueurs, and trying flavors such as amaretto, raspberry, or orange. Since the dough recipe makes two cakes, you can divide the filling base in half and make two different fillings. Get creative and have fun with this part - the recipe is very forgiving.
King Cake
makes 2 cakes; each yields 10-12 slices
Ingredients list
2 0.25-oz. envelopes active dry yeast
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
7 tbsp. butter
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese
16 oz. sour cream
6-6.5 cups bread (or AP) flour
1.5 cups granulated sugar
3 cups powdered sugar
2 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. lemon juice3-4 tsp. flavoring extracts or liqueurs of your choice
Dough (for two cakes)
Yeast prefers a temperature similar to the human body, so the liquids below should be about the same temperature as your hand. If it's too hot for you to leave your finger in, it will kill the yeast and your dough won't rise.
Combine and let stand at least 5 minutes:
2 0.25-oz. envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Melt in a small sauce pan on low:
16 oz. sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
Remove the sour cream mixture from the heat and let it cool down.
Beat at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer until smooth:
yeast mixture
sour cream mixture
2 large eggs
2 cups bread flour (can substitute AP flour)
Reduce the mixer speed to low, and gradually add 4 to 4.5 cups more flour until a soft dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until it's smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place it into a well-greased bowl, turning the dough ball to grease the top. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour (or until the dough is doubled in size).
Cream cheese filling (for two cakes)
Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Divide the filling in half and flavor each as you see fit. It should require about 1.5 tsp. of extract or liqueur, bumped up to 2 tsp. for chocolate.
Punch down the risen dough, and divide it in half. Roll each portion into a 22x12 inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly on each dough rectangle, leaving 1-inch borders. Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at a long side.
Place one dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Fit a small bowl into the center of the circle to help it hold its shape. Repeat with second dough roll. Cover and let the cakes rise in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes (or until doubled in bulk).
Bake at 375 for 14-16 minutes until golden. Cool cakes on pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes.
Glaze (for two cakes)
Stir together:
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Stir in 2 tablespoons milk. Add up to 2 more tablespoons, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is the right spreading consistency.
Drizzle glaze evenly over warm king cakes. Sprinkle with colored sugars in purple, green, and yellow, alternating colors and forming bands. Let the cakes cool completely before serving.
Asian cucumber salad
I found this recipe in the New York Times "recipes for health" section, and decided to use it to take advantage of the amazing Persian cucumbers that are always available at my local produce market. The original calls for sunflower or grapeseed oil, which I wasn't willing to buy for a single recipe - instead, I subbed in neutral-flavored peanut oil. I also ditched the cilantro, again because the recipe only calls for a little and the rest of the bunch would just liquify in my refrigerator.
Asian cucumber salad
serves 4-6
Thinly slice using a mandolin:
6-8 small thin-skinned Persian cucumbers (about 2 pounds)
Place the sliced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt. Let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse off the salt, then blot with paper towels to remove excess water.
Whisk together in a large bowl:
3 tbsp. rice vinegar
3 tbsp. peanut oil
2 tbsp. dark sesame oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 inch minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. cayenne
freshly ground pepper
Add 1 bunch of green onions, sliced thinly. Toss the sauce mixture with the drained cucumbers, and salt to taste. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving, stirring occasionally.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Chicken sausage with pesto pasta
This is a recipe I found on RealSimple. It's a great fast weeknight dinner - I love the efficiency of boiling the pasta and the vegetables together in one pot. Although the original recipe calls for only 8 oz. of sausage, I use an entire 12 oz. package of Aidell's and the ratio of sausage to other ingredients is just fine.
I wanted more pesto flavor, so I amped up the amount from 1/3 to 1/2 cup. Your mileage may vary here, especially depending on what pesto you use. If the sauce is lumpy or not coating the pasta properly, thin it out with some water, preferably reserved cooking water from boiling the pasta (since this contains gluten). My preferred brand is the Cucina & Amore "Pesto alla Genovese".
Also, remember that Parmesan cheese can be quite salty - don't add extra salt to your sauce until after the cheese goes in!
Chicken sausage with pesto pasta
serves 6
Brown in olive oil for about 6 minutes:
one 12 oz. package of Italian chicken sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
Boil for 9 minutes:
3/4 pound medium shells pasta
For the last 7 minutes, add to boiling pasta:
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
For the last 3 minutes, add:
1 cup frozen peas
Drain pasta and veggies. Return to the pot.
Toss with:
1/2 cup pesto (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salt to taste
if needed: add water to loosen the sauce
Once the seasoning level for the pasta and veggies is right, add in the browned sausage rounds.
I wanted more pesto flavor, so I amped up the amount from 1/3 to 1/2 cup. Your mileage may vary here, especially depending on what pesto you use. If the sauce is lumpy or not coating the pasta properly, thin it out with some water, preferably reserved cooking water from boiling the pasta (since this contains gluten). My preferred brand is the Cucina & Amore "Pesto alla Genovese".
Also, remember that Parmesan cheese can be quite salty - don't add extra salt to your sauce until after the cheese goes in!
Chicken sausage with pesto pasta
serves 6
Brown in olive oil for about 6 minutes:
one 12 oz. package of Italian chicken sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
Boil for 9 minutes:
3/4 pound medium shells pasta
For the last 7 minutes, add to boiling pasta:
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
For the last 3 minutes, add:
1 cup frozen peas
Drain pasta and veggies. Return to the pot.
Toss with:
1/2 cup pesto (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salt to taste
if needed: add water to loosen the sauce
Once the seasoning level for the pasta and veggies is right, add in the browned sausage rounds.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Chewy chocolate chip cookies
Move over, Toll House: my husband wants his chocolate chip cookies to be chewy instead of crispy, and the recipe for that is Alton Brown's. I've recorded the recipe as we made it, rather than replicating Alton's exactly.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 dozen cookies
Melt 1 cup of salted butter in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup.
In a large bowl, combine and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth:
2 ounces granulated sugar
8 ounces light brown sugar
1 cup melted butter
Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl:
12 ounces bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Whisk together wet ingredients in a Pyrex measuring cup:
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/8 cup 2% milk
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
Slowly pour in the wet ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture. Beat for about 30 seconds until mixed. Add the dry ingredients in batches, until completely incorporated.
Stir in 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips.
Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Portion out eight 1.5 oz. cookies per baking sheet. Cook at 350 for 12 minutes on the top oven rack.
Shopping list
2 large eggs
1/8 cup 2% milk
1 cup salted butter
12 ounces bread flour
2 ounces granulated sugar
8 ounces light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 dozen cookies
Melt 1 cup of salted butter in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup.
In a large bowl, combine and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth:
2 ounces granulated sugar
8 ounces light brown sugar
1 cup melted butter
Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl:
12 ounces bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Whisk together wet ingredients in a Pyrex measuring cup:
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/8 cup 2% milk
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
Slowly pour in the wet ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture. Beat for about 30 seconds until mixed. Add the dry ingredients in batches, until completely incorporated.
Stir in 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips.
Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Portion out eight 1.5 oz. cookies per baking sheet. Cook at 350 for 12 minutes on the top oven rack.
Shopping list
2 large eggs
1/8 cup 2% milk
1 cup salted butter
12 ounces bread flour
2 ounces granulated sugar
8 ounces light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
Friday, November 29, 2013
Turkey gravy from pan drippings
This recipe couldn't be simpler. You simply deglaze your roasting pan and thicken the deglazing liquid with a little flour. Wondra flour is a great product to use here, since it's designed not to clump.
This is taken from an Alton Brown instructional video, which unfortunately didn't have a written-out recipe to accompany it.
Turkey gravy from pan drippings
Remove the cooked turkey from the roasting pan. Place the pan on your stovetop and heat it to medium from below with 2 burners.
Add to deglaze the pan:
1 c. red wine
3 c. low-sodium chicken stock
Whisk until all the browned bits have become resuspended. Pour the resulting pan liquid through a strainer into a Pyrex mixing cup.
Skim the fat from the top, and spoon the fat back into the hot roasting pan.
Add and whisk for 1 minute:
1/3 c. Wondra flour
Add the remaining liquid back to the pan. Whisk while simmering until the hot liquid just begins to thicken. (It should coat the back of a spoon.)
Pour into a gravy boat and serve.
This is taken from an Alton Brown instructional video, which unfortunately didn't have a written-out recipe to accompany it.
Turkey gravy from pan drippings
Remove the cooked turkey from the roasting pan. Place the pan on your stovetop and heat it to medium from below with 2 burners.
Add to deglaze the pan:
1 c. red wine
3 c. low-sodium chicken stock
Whisk until all the browned bits have become resuspended. Pour the resulting pan liquid through a strainer into a Pyrex mixing cup.
Skim the fat from the top, and spoon the fat back into the hot roasting pan.
Add and whisk for 1 minute:
1/3 c. Wondra flour
Add the remaining liquid back to the pan. Whisk while simmering until the hot liquid just begins to thicken. (It should coat the back of a spoon.)
Pour into a gravy boat and serve.
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