Month: December 2010

Contributed by Dame Madelaine Bullwinkel

This is a no-bake cake from the kitchen of Monique Fillieux whose husband Pascal is the third generation producer of Jean Fillieux Cognac. I serve it with Crème Anglaise (below)

Ingredients
4 ounces butter cookies, crushed
7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
13 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs, separated at room temperature
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Jean Fillioux Cognac
Confectioners’ sugar

Method
1. Place the cookies in a plastic bag and coarsely crush them with a rolling pin. Reserve.

2. Break the chocolate bars into 1/2″ pieces and combine in a glass bowl with the butter. Microwave this mixture on full power for 1-1/2 minutes. Remove and stir until smooth. Stir the yolks into the warm chocolate mixture along with the cognac.

3. Beat the whites to soft peaks adding the sugar while beating to create a meringue consistency. Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture in two installments. Fold in half the cookies with the second addition of egg whites. Fold in remaining cookies.

4. Spoon the fondant into a 8″ cake pan the sides of which are buttered and the bottom lined with wax paper or parchment.. Cover and refrigerate until firm, 2 hours. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before cutting into wedges. Serve with Crème Anglaise.

For Crème Anglaise
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cognac

Method
1. Heat the milk just to the boil. Beat the egg yolks with sugar until the mixture lightens in color.

2. Pour the hot milk over the yolk and sugar mixture whisking vigorously. Return the custard to the pan over medium low heat until it thickens noticeably and coats a spoon. Strain this custard into a measuring cup. Off the heat stir in the cognac, and chill.

contributed by Dame Donna Pierce
My mother loved cashew nuts so much, her three daughters gave her a box of fresh roasted nuts for each birthday. One year, my grandmother created these muffins using cashew crumbs from the large box we had used babysitting money to purchase. Feel free to substitute pecan or walnut pieces for the cashews. If you don’t have a ricer, mash very ripe bananas with the back of a fork until mushy.
Yield: 1 dozen large or about 36 mini-muffins

Ingredients
3 ripe bananas
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup each: brown sugar, milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon each: almond and vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped roasted cashew nuts

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Press bananas through a ricer into a large bowl or mash well with a fork; stir in butter, white and brown sugar, milk, egg and extracts. Set aside.

3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; stir in to banana mixture. Add 1/2 cup of the nuts.

4. Spoon batter into lined mini-muffin tins. Top muffins evenly with remaining 1/4 cup of crushed nuts. Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 16-18 minutes.

contributed by Dame Meme Hopmayer

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, unbeaten

Oil

Method
Make the batter
1. Sift flour before measuring. Mix milk, water, sugar, salt and egg together. Stir slowly into flour, then beat until smooth with rotary or electric beater at medium speed.

Make the rosettes
1. In large saucepan, heat approximately 1 inch oil to 365°F.

2. Attach rosette iron to handle and immerse iron in hot oil until thoroughly heated.

3. Lift out iron, shake off excess oil (or blot with paper towel).

4. Dip iron into batter, but only until it covers 3/4 of the iron. (Do not cover entire mold with batter). Hold iron in the bowl for a few seconds, lift it out and shake off any excess batter.

5. Dip the batter coated mold into the hot oil. As soon as the rosette begins to brown slightly lift the mold and let the rosette fall into the hot oil. Turn rosette over to cook for a few extra seconds.

6. With tongs, lift the finished rosette out of the hot oil and allow to drain on paper towels.

7. Repeat until all the batter has been used. You will lose a few of the first rosettes, but once you get going, you will be on a roll.

Allow rosettes to cool and dust with powdered sugar and place a dab of our favorite jam in the middle (I use seedless raspberry). Children love making these.

contributed by Dame Meme Hopmayer
Yield: 48 cookies

Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 9 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins or currants
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup high quality apricot preserves (pureed in food processor)
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

Method
Continue reading “Rugelach (suitable for Christmas or Hanukah)” →

Contributed by Dame Donna Pierce
Serves 6

Ingredients
3 tablespoons each: olive oil, flour
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 small yellow onions, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, salt, black pepper
1/4 teaspoon, or to taste, ground red pepper
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken broth or water
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds large Gulf shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 tablespoons each, fresh: thyme, Italian parsley
3 cups cooked rice

Method
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat; add flour. Cook stirring, until light brown, about 3 minutes; add celery, onions and bell pepper. Lower heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, dried thyme, salt, black and red pepper; raise heat to high. Heat to a boil. Lower to a simmer; add the bay leaves. Cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend, about 25 minutes.

3. Uncover; raise heat to medium high. Stir in shrimp, fresh thyme and parsley. Cook until shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Cover; remove from heat. Serve over cooked rice.

Contributed by Dame Madelaine Bullwinkel

I serve this with drinks before dinner.

Ingredients
3 large eggs
3/4 cup unbleached flour
6 ounces Roquefort cheese
1/3 cup pineau blanc
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Butter for coating the terrine

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Generously butter a small terrine or mold.

2. Beat the eggs together with a fork as if you were making an omelet. Sift the flour onto the eggs and carefully fold it in. Crush the cheese and incorporate the wine. Stir this into the egg and flour mixture followed by the baking powder and walnuts. Spoon this batter into the prepared mold

3. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 200°F. Cover the cake with aluminum foil if it gets overly browned.

4. Remove to a rack to cool for 10 minutes before unmolding. Serve warm or at room temperature.