-flavors of the season

Combine in medium pot over high heat:

1 cup sweet red wine
1/2 cup jam or jelly (grape or any bramble berry flavor)
2 cinnamon sticks
several whole cloves
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 orange, sliced

Boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Strain and let cool until lukewarm.

In a separate pot, bring to a simmer:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean, if you have it)

Meanwhile, beat until smooth and pale yellow:

8 egg yolks

Slowly pour cream mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to pan and heat until 140˚F for 4 minutes, if you are concerned about undercooked eggs.

Slowly stir cooled wine mixture into cream mixture.

Churn in ice cream maker.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Almond Swirl Zucchini Bread

First, make the almond filling:

16 oz almond paste (2 cans)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

Beat all ingredients together until smooth and well mixed.

For zucchini bread batter:

3 cups white all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup shortening, melted

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3/4 brown sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini, drained

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour two loaf pans (8 x 4).

Mix flour salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. Beat eggs, oil, shortening, both sugars, and vanilla extract. Add zucchini. Stir zucchini mixture into dry ingredients.

Cover the bottom of each pan with about 1 inch of zucchini batter. Spread a layer of almond filling down the middle, leaving an inch of batter on either side. Cover with another layer of batter, about 1/2 inch thick. Follow diagram of cross section to make the almond swirl.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, covering top with foil if it begins to brown too much.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Blackberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

2 cups cream
1 oz white chocolate
8 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup blackberries

Combine cream, white chocolate, sugar, and cream cheese in heavy bottomed pot. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until white chocolate melts. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in blackberries and transfer to ice cream maker to process.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Duck Egg Ravioli

Fresh Egg Pasta:

2 3/4 cup wheat flour
4 eggs, room temperature

Place flour in processor. Add eggs. Using on/off turns, blend until clumps of moist dough form (do not process into ball). Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface; shape into ball. Knead until smooth, sprinkling lightly with flour if sticking, about 3 minutes. Wrap in plastic. Let rest at room temperature at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Filling:
You have two options. You can mix all ingredients except for the duck eggs, fill the ravioli, then crack an egg into each ravioli. This is the "traditional" way to do it. However, this also results in REALLY HUGE ravioli. But it's also way cooler, in presentation and texture. So if you don't want REALLY HUGE ravioli, simply mix the duck egg into the filling. It will not be as thick, but it will still have the full flavor, if not the same texture or drama.

Cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap. Set pasta machine to widest setting. Flatten 1 dough piece into rectangle; run through machine or roll out as thinly as possible with rolling pin. Cut into 2x2 inch squares. Fill each with 1 heaping teaspoon of filling mixture, top with second square, and tamp edges down with fork.