Sauerbraten

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 (5-lb.) beef eye of round
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1½ cups red wine vinegar
  • 3 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 bouquet garni (1 tbsp. pickling spices, 14 whole cloves, 8 whole black peppercorns, 3 bay leaves, 3 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs parsley, wrapped in cheesecloth, tied with kitchen twine)
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 4 slices bacon, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp. flour
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • 6 gingersnaps, crumbled
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 2 tbsp. chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Season beef liberally with salt in large bowl. Bring wine, vinegar, 1 onion, carrot, bouquet garni, and 4 cups water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan; pour over beef. Cover and refrigerate, turning once or twice a day, for 5 days. Remove beef from marinade; pour marinade through a fine strainer into a bowl, and dry beef thoroughly. (Reserve 5 cups of the marinade and the bouquet garni.) Heat 2 tbsp. butter and bacon in an 8-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat; cook until bacon renders its fat, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate; set aside. Add beef; cook, turning, until browned all over, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside.

2. Heat oven to 325°. Add remaining onions to pot; cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 18 minutes. Return beef to pot with reserved marinade and sachet; boil. Cover; bake until beef is very tender, about 2½ hours. Transfer beef to a platter; pour sauce through a fine strainer into a bowl.

3. Return pot to medium-high heat; add remaining butter. Add flour and sugar; cook, whisking constantly, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add sauce, raisins, gingersnaps, and juice; return beef to sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover pot, and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Thinly slice beef; arrange on a platter. Spoon sauce over top; sprinkle with bacon and parsley.


Puerto Rican Pot Roast

  • 1 pound smoked ham, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
  • ½ cup Spanish olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Recaito [see Staple Recipes]
  • One 3 to 3 ½ pound rump roast
  • Fine sea or kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons Achtiote Oil [See Staple Recipes]
  • 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into ½ -inch strips
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 6 cups water or 3 cans (14 ½ ounces) chicken broth
  • One 8-ounce can Spanish-style tomato sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 large Idaho potatoes (about 2 ½ pounds)

1. Grind the ham in a food processor until it’s coarsely chopped—some larger pieces are ok. Set aside 1 cup of the ground ham and stir the olives and recaito into the remaining 2 cups. Take a look at the rump roast. You will be able to see the “grain” of the meat—fibers that run in one direction. You will slice the finished pot roast against the grain, so you want to make pockets of stuffing more or less diagonal to the grain, so some of the stuffing shows in each slice. Make deep cuts about 1 inch apart and diagonally against the grain with a boning knife. To make the holes large enough to fill easily, wiggle a finger around in each cut. Fill each hole to about ½ inch from the opening. Don’t overstuff or when the meat shrinks it will squeeze out all the stuffing. If a little stuffing does get squeezed out during cooking that’s fine; it flavors the sauce. Season the outside of the roast generously with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the achiote oil in a Dutch oven large enough to hold the meat and potatoes comfortably—a 5-quart Dutch oven works well—over medium heat. Add the roast and cook, turning it occasionally, until well-browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. (A sturdy pair of tongs comes in handy here.) The achiote oil will make the meat brown quickly—so keep an eye on it, lowering the heat if the oil begins to discolor. Lift the beef out to a plate and carefully pour or spoon off all but about a tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Add the red peppers and the remaining ham and stir until the little bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot are loosened and the peppers start to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring so it doesn’t stick and burn, for a minute or two. Stir in the vinegar, bring it to a boil and cook until the liquid is syrupy, about 4 minutes.

3. Return the meat to the Dutch oven, stir in the liquid of your choice, the tomato sauce, and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes, skimming the foam and fat from the surface. Adjust the heat so the liquid is at a happy simmer. Cover and cook until the meat is tender, about 2 hours.

4. Remove the meat to a carving board and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm while cooking the potatoes.

5. Bring the sauce to a boil. Let it boil while you peel and cut the potatoes into ½-inch slices. Add the potatoes and cook over low heat until tender, about 20 minutes.

6. Carve the meat against the grain into slices about ¼-inch thick—thick enough so the filling stays in place. Transfer the potatoes to a platter with a slotted spoon. Lay the slices of beef over the potatoes and spoon enough of the sauce over the meat to moisten it. Spoon the remaining sauce into a boat and pass it separately. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the top.


Pork Chile Verde

  • 8 fresh Anaheim chiles
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 pounds trimmed boneless pork cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 4 cups (or more) water

Char chiles. Peel, seed and chop.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add pork; cook until meat browns, stirring often, about 20 minutes.

Add chiles, cumin and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes. Add 4 cups water. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until meat is very tender and sauce just coats meat, about 1 hour. If necessary, increase heat and continue to simmer until sauce is reduced and just coats meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Meatloaf

ingredients

  • 1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs (from 2 slices firm white sandwich bread)
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium celery rib, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 pound bacon (about 4 slices), chopped
  • 1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
  • 1/2 pound ground pork (not lean)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Garnish: cooked bacon

preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Soak bread crumbs in milk in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, cook onion, garlic, celery, and carrot in butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low, then cook until carrot is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Add to bread-crumb mixture.

Finely chop bacon and prunes in a food processor, then add to onion mixture along with beef, pork, eggs, and parsley and mix together with your hands.

Pack mixture into a 9- by 5-inch oval loaf in a 13- by 9-inch shallow baking dish or pan.

Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatloaf registers 155°F, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.


Hamburger Steaks with Mushroom Gravy

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lb. ground beef chuck
  • ½ cup grated onion
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp. hot sauce
  • 1 ½ tsp. ground allspice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ⅓ cup canola oil
  • 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2 slices bacon, finely chopped
  • 5 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 rib celery, finely chopped
  • 1 bouquet garni (6 sprigs thyme, 6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, and 1 bay leaf tied with kitchen twine)
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
  • Chopped parsley, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine beef, onion, Worcestershire, hot sauce, allspice, and salt and pepper in a bowl, and mix until thoroughly combined. Form mixture into four 5" oval patties, about 1" thick, and transfer to a plate. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Heat oil in a 12" cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until browned, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl, and set aside. Add bacon to skillet, and cook, stirring, until its fat renders, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and set aside. Add patties to skillet, and cook, turning once, until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 8 minutes for medium. Transfer to a serving platter.

3. Drain and discard all but 3 tbsp. fat from skillet, and add 3 tbsp. butter; add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and bouquet garni, and cook, stirring, until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add dried mushrooms and wine, and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add 1½ cups water, bring to a boil, and cook until gravy is thickened, about 8 minutes. Pour gravy through a fine strainer into a bowl, pressing on solids in strainer; discard solids. Stir in remaining butter and sherry vinegar, and season with salt and pepper; stir in reserved cooked mushrooms.

4. To serve, spoon gravy over steak patties and garnish with reserved bacon and chopped parsley.


Guava Glazed Pork

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 7 ounces guava paste, chopped (3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt
  • Two 3/4-pound pork tenderloins
  • Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate. heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low. Add the guava paste and water and cook, stirring, until the paste has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, ketchup and cayenne. Season with salt.

Set the pork tenderloins in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish and brush them all over with half of the guava glaze.

Light a fire or heat a grill pan over moderate heat. Grill the pork, turning and brushing with the remaining glaze, until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.


Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 24 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce, use a meaty flavor such as Italian sausage or use your favorite flavor [Meat based flavors suit this dish best.]
  • 6 ounces dry spaghetti noodles
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or Monterey Jack)
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1 pint (16 ounces) ricotta cheese, low fat is fine
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese OR cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Grease quiche dish with butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Pour spaghetti sauce in a small sauce pan, cover and place on the stove to warm. Sauce does not have to simmer, but it is good for it to be at least very hot. Meanwhile..

3. Prepare spaghetti noodles as directed. And while the noodles are cooking ...

4. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt until well blended. Set aside.

5. When the noodles are done, pour into a colander to drain. Do not rinse the hot pan ...

6. Add to the hot pan- 2 tablespoons butter. Do Not put the pan back on the hot stove eye. Let the butter melt and then add the drained noodles back into the pan.

7. Add to the noodles- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese and 2 beaten eggs. Stir until the cheese, eggs, and noodles are well mixed.

8. Check the sauce. Is it hot? If the sauce is hot, turn off the stove.

9. Pour the noodles into the buttered quiche pan and spread out over the bottom of the pan. Spread the noodles up the sides like a crust.

10. Spread the ricotta cheese mix on top of the noodles. Spread out the cheese over the noodles, but not up the sides.

11. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the ricotta cheese.

12. Bake in the 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes. The sauce on top should have some bubbles rising.

13. Remove from over and sprinkle the top with the 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese OR cheddar cheese and place back into the oven for 10 minutes.

14. Remove from oven and let sit for around 15 minutes. Slice and serve. Serve with a salad. Serves 6-8.


Ravioli with Rice, Spinach, and Sausage Filling

“Lost” Ravioli with Rice, Spinach, and Sausage Filling “Raieu” (Ravioli) di riso all’Alta Val Trebbia Interpretted and adapted from the original recipe by Julia della Croce

This recipe is based on Alice Benner’s great-grandmother’s lost recipe, which was handed down through oral tradition, imprinted in Alice’s taste memory and told to me. I reconstructed it based on Alice’s recollection of the ingredients her grandmother used, and by researching the historical food of her native Tuscany and its surroundings. A very similar recipe to Alice’s description of the ravioli was a specialty of the Alta Val Trebbia Valley in the Appenines, where Liguria meets Tuscany in Italy’s northwest. To reproduce the “indescribably delicious” ravioli Alice remembers, I stuck close to genuine local ingredients of the Tuscany region: arborio rice, Tuscan sheep cheese (called cacio, or caciotta), pork sausage. The cheese should be semi-aged (3-5 months). If Tuscan pecorino (sheep cheese) is unavailable, use a similar semi-soft sheep cheese from Sardinia (fior di Sardegna); Campania (pecorino paglierino from Eboli); Calabria; or Sicily. Semi-aged Spanish manchego or a similar artisanally produced semi-aged American sheep cheese would also be suitable. Above all, avoid pecorino romano--it’s too aged (hard) and way too salty; using it here is what contributed to Alice’s poor results with the recipe at first. In Alice’s ancestors’ native region, ravioli di riso were a dish of the summer holidays, served as a first course. When pigs were slaughtered in January, a sausage was made, carefully preserved by smoking and set aside for the summer. The lightly smoked sausage gives a pleasant faint smokiness to the filling, but fresh Italian pork sausage can be substituted. Lard provided a tasty flavor base for the filling, supplemented with fruity local olive oil, or not (I have substituted extra-virgin olive oil with the modern cook in mind). These ravioli are anointed with a simple home-made tomato sauce (recipe follows), which should be made in advance of the ravioli. Here are three recipes you will need for the the filling, the sauce, and the ravioli dough.

Special equipment needed: hand-cranked pasta machine, dough scraper, sieve, fluted pastry wheel, rolling pin; ample freezer space.

For the filling:

  • 1/3 cup arborio, carnaroli, or vialone nano rice
  • 1 cup whole or 2% milk
  • fine sea salt
  • 12 ounces fresh baby spinach, stemmed
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 12 ounces smoked luganega, or substitute fresh Italian sweet pork sausage meat
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 4 ounces freshly grated semi-aged (semi-soft) Tuscan sheep cheese (cacio or caciotta) or substitute one of the other cheeses mentioned in the headnote
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the ravioli dough: (makes about 1 pound)

  • 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus additional
  • 4 “large” eggs at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil

To make the filling: Bring the milk to a boil. Stir in the rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover tightly and simmer over low to medium-low heat without stirring. When the milk is entirely absorbed, about 15 minutes, take the pan off the heat and allow the rice to cool, lid on.

To cook the spinach, steam or boil it until it wilts. Alternatively, in a wide skillet, saute it in 2 teaspoons of olive oil until it collapses, about 2 minutes. Drain it well and use your hands to squeeze out excess water. Chop and set it aside.

Wipe out the skillet and put in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Warm the oil over medium heat until it begins to shimmer being careful not to let it overheat. Add the onion and garlic and saute it over very low heat until it is thoroughly softened but not colored, about 12 minutes. If using pre-cooked, smoked luganega-style sausage, mince it finely by hand or a food processor and set it aside. If using fresh sausage, remove it from its casings and add it to the skillet. Saute gently until it is cooked through. Add the cooked spinach to the pan and toss. Take the skillet off the heat and allow it to cool, lid on.

To assemble the filling, to the cooled rice add the egg yolk, nutmeg, grated sheep cheese, and pepper, using a wooden spoon to blend well. Now mix in the sausage mixture. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Chill the filling aside while you make the pasta.

To make the ravioli dough:

Assemble all the ingredients on an ample work surface. Keep at hand several clean dish towels, a sharp knife, a fluted pastry wheel, and 6 sheet pans lined with clean cloth kitchen towels.

Mound the flour and salt directly onto your work surface. Make a "well" in the center. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs and oil and pour the mixture into the well.

Using a fork, gradually draw in the flour from the inside of the well, always working the fork in the same direction to prevent air pockets from forming. Use your free hand to protect the outside wall until the wet mixture is integrated. When the mixture becomes too stiff to work with using the fork, scrape the dough from the fork into the well and continue forming the dough with your hands. Continue forming the dough into a very soft ball. It should be firm enough to handle, but soft and very pliable. If there is too much flour to be absorbed, do not use it all. The dough should be soft but not wet or sticky in the least. If the dough is too soft, add flour a little at a time until you get the right consistency. Set the dough aside; scoop up the flour left on the board and sift it. Discard all the dried out bits of dough.

Lightly flour the surface and using the heel of your hand, knead the dough from the middle of the ball outwards, as you would do for bread dough. Do this for about 5 minutes, or until it is smooth, even, and elastic, maintaining its round shape. Wellkneaded dough makes rolling and cutting easy, and produces pasta that is tender but firm. Divide the dough into four equal parts and cover it with an inverted bowl and let it to rest for 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Rolling and cutting using the pasta machine: Set up your pasta machine so that everything on your work surface is within easy reach. Be sure the machine is free of dried dough bits.

Working with one section of the dough at a time, lightly flour your work surface. With a standard rolling pin, flatten the piece you are working with. Dust it lightly with flour. Set the rollers of the machine at the widest possible setting. Feed the dough through the roller without pulling it or stretching it. Drape it over your hand with your thumb up in the air to avoid puncturing it. Take the dough strip and fold it in thirds as you would a letter. (This will keep the piece of dough in a uniform rectangular shape, which is important as you roll it out thinner and longer through the machine.) Press it flat with your hands and fingertips to get all the air out and lightly flour one side only (the other side remains un-floured so that it will adhere to itself when you fold it in thirds again). Pass the dough strip through the rollers at the widest setting for a total of three times, folding it in three each time. Then set the rollers one notch past the previous one. Pass the dough through again, collecting it at the other end. Repeat the process of folding it in thirds and pressing out the air, flouring it lightly on one side, then putting it through a higher notch each time. Continue doing this at each setting, finishing this rolling-out process with the setting at the next to the last numeral on the knob.

Roll out only one strip of dough at a time for the ravioli, as the dough must be porous in order to seal properly. While you roll out each strip and form the ravioli, keep the remaining dough sections under the inverted bowl to prevent them from drying out. Work quickly in order to prevent the dough strip from drying out.

Fresh-filled pasta should not rest longer than fifteen minutes or so at room temperature after they have been filled, or an hour or two (depending on the moistness of the filling) in the refrigerator. The ravioli can stick to the surface, breaking when you try to lift them
if they are left out too long. It is best to refrigerate them if you plan to cook them promptly after making them If not, freeze them, leaving adequate space between them to prevent them from sticking together. Layer them only if you are going to freeze them, putting waxed paper between each layer. If you plan to cook them right after making them, do not stack them--keep them separate on numerous trays and do not let them touch.

Cutting and filling the dough strips for ravioli:

Cut one strip of dough in half cross-wise and lay in out on an ample work surface. Cover with other half with clean kitchen towels. Working quickly, place a mounded teaspoon of filling at 3-inch intervals in rows along the pasta strip.

Dip a pastry brush into beaten egg, or yolk; paint the area around the filling and just to the edges of the dough strip to completely surround each mound and ensure a secure seal.

Place the second sheet of dough over the filled sheet, matching up the edges and corners. Use your fingers to press out any air pockets and press down firmly around each filling mound to seal well.

Use a fluted pastry wheel or 10-inch chef’s knife to cut 4-inch square ravioli. Press down around each filling mound once again to secure the envelope seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Cooking the ravioli

Smear an ample, shallow serving dish with a few tablespoons of the tomato sauce. Drop the ravioli a few at a time into plenty of gently boiling salted water. Stir and immediately cover. When the water comes to a second boil, remove the lid. Cook for 3-4 more minutes from the moment the water has returned to a boil. Cook gently--if the boil is too vigorous, the pasta envelopes can break. Using a “spider” or wide mesh spoon, lifting them out as soon as they are cooked, allowing excess cooking water to drip off. Transfer the ravioli to the platter. Total cooking time should not exceed 3-5 minutes.


Sticky Toffee Apple Pie

Pie Crust

  • 1-1/2 cups of flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup cold butter cut in small pieces
  • 1/2 cup of refrigerated Crisco® shortening

Apple Filling

  • Five medium to large Michigan Cortland, Ida Red Apples, peeled, thinly sliced, diced
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons flour
  • 4 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Sticky Toffee Pudding Filling
  • 1/2 cup praline pecans
  • 1 stick of butter softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 T heavy cream
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 1 egg - beaten
  • 1/2 cup self-rising flour

Crumb topping

  • 3/4 cup of flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick of butter softened

Homemade Caramel

  • 1- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
  • 1 Tablespoon real vanilla extract

Praline Pecans

  • 1 cup of chopped pecans
  • 2 T butter
  • 2 T brown sugar

Pie Crust

Mix all above ingredients in Kitchenaid style mixer on medium speed swiftly until crust appears “pea-like.” Carefully sprinkle water in crust mix until it starts to become moistened and gathers together. Pat into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for at least one half hour. Roll out on to floured surface and make and crimp crust. Freeze until ready to use.

Apple Filling

Cook above ingredients in large pan on medium heat until cooked halfway. Stir in 3/4 cup homemade caramel (see directions below) until melted.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Filling

Mix above ingredients just until blended.

Crumb Topping

Mix all together all crumb topping ingredients by hand or a pastry blender until fine and crumbly.

Homemade Caramel

In heavy 3 quart saucepan, combine all ingredients, but vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, covering all parts of bottom of pan with wire whisk to avoid scorching. Stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, constantly stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until caramel reaches 244F on a candy thermometer or firm-ball stage. Pour in glass container. Cool to use.

Praline Pecans

Melt butter in small pan on medium –low heat until melted. Add pecans and sugar and stir ingredients until you start smelling the nuts roasting. Take off heat and cool. Crumble.

Directions for Assembling Sticky Toffee Pudding Apple Pie:

Spread sticky toffee pudding mixture on bottom of crust. Put apple mixture over pudding mixture. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for one hour or until knife easily slides into center of pie with no resistance. If pie becomes too brown before done, turn down oven to 350 degrees to finish baking and cover with foil completely. Top with a generous amount of homemade caramel and praline pecans.


Southern Comfort Caramel Apple Pie

Basic Pie Crust:

  • 2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
  • 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
  • 2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
  • 2/3 CUP (11 TABLESPOONS) CHILLED UNSALTED BUTTER, CUT INTO SMALL PIECES
  • 4 TO 5 TABLESPOONS ICE WATER

Topping:

  • 1/2 CUP PECANS
  • 1/3 CUP SUGAR
  • 3 TABLESPOONS DARK BROWN SUGAR, PACKED
  • 1/2 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON
  • 1/4 TEASPOON SALT
  • 1/3 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
  • 1/3 CUP (5 1/3 TABLESPOONS) CHILLED UNSALTED BUTTER, CUT INTO SMALL PIECES

Filling:

  • 5 TO 6 MEDIUM-SIZE TART APPLES, SUCH AS BRAEBURN, CORTLAND OR WINESAP
  • 1/2 CUP (1 STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER
  • 3 TABLESPOONS GROUND CINNAMON
  • 1 CUP SUGAR
  • 3/4 CUP SOUTHERN COMFORT LIQUEUR
  • 1/2 CUP HEAVY CREAM

Garnishes (optional):

  • VANILLA OR CINNAMON ICE CREAM
  • WHIPPED CREAM
  • CARAMEL SAUCE

To Make the Crust: Using a food processor, pulse to combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add butter; pulse until the mixture looks crumbly. Add 4 tablespoons ice water, and pulse until the dough begins to form a ball. If it doesn’t, add the additional 1 tablespoon water, and pulse. Gently mold the dough into a disk,; wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Clean your food processor (you can just wipe it out) to make the topping.

To Make the Topping: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer, and toast them in the oven for about 7 minutes, until golden brown and aromatic. Coarsely chop the nuts.

In a food processor, process both sugars, the cinnamon, salt and flour for about 1 minute. Add butter; pulse 10 to 15 times, until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the pecans. Refrigerate the topping, covered, in a a medium bowl until ready to use.

Transfer the unwrapped pie dough to a lightly floured flat surface. Roll it into a 1/8-inch-thick circle large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. (To keep the dough from sticking, gently pick it up every once in a while and rotate it in place, adding more flour underneath if necessary.)

Wrap the dough lightly over the rolling pin, and set it in the ungreased pie plate. Press it into place, and crimp the outside edges with your finger or a fork.

To Make the Filling: Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Peel, core and cut the apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

When the butter starts to foam, add the apples and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle it on the apples, and reduce the heat under the skillet to medium-low. Simmer the apples for about 1 minute.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apples from the skillet to a large baking sheet, and arrange them in a single layer. (If you heap them in a pile, the hot apples will steam and get soggy.)

Pour the Southern Comfort into the butter-sugar mixture in the skillet. Simmer the mixture over medium heat at least 5 minutes, until the alcohol burns off. Add the cream, and continue cooking about 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is thick as pourable caramel. Return the apples to the skillet.

Pour the apple filling into the unbaked pie crust, and sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is brown. Serve the pie warm or at room temperature with ice cream, whipped cream or caramel sauce.


Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

PASTRY

  • 6 tablespoons blanched almonds
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

FILLING

  • 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
  • Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree (10 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

GELÉE

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries (1/2 pound)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

In a food processor, pulse the almonds until coarsely ground. Add 1/2 cup of the flour and process to a fine powder; transfer to a bowl. In the food processor, pulse the butter and confectioners' sugar until creamy. Pulse in the egg and vanilla. Pulse in the remaining 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of flour, the almond flour and the salt until a soft dough forms. Pat the pastry into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 14-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and unroll it over an 11 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Gently press the pastry into the rim. Fold in the overhanging dough and press to reinforce the side; the side should be twice as thick as the bottom. Trim off any excess pastry and refrigerate until firm.

Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the pastry for about 25 minutes, or until set. Remove the parchment and weights and bake for 10 minutes longer, until the crust is golden and cooked through. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, brown sugar, ground spices, nutmeg and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin puree until smooth. Beat in the cream, maple syrup, vanilla and eggs at low speed until blended.

Put the crust on a large, sturdy baking sheet and set it in the oven. Pour the pumpkin custard into the crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the custard is just set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Cover the edge with foil if the crust starts to brown too much. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries with 1/2 cup of water and cook over moderate heat until they begin to pop, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine sieve. Rinse out the saucepan.

Add the sugar and 1/4 cup of water to the saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring, until dissolved. Let cool. Stir in the orange juice and cranberry puree.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of water and let stand until softened, 5 minutes. Microwave for 10 seconds, or until completely melted. Whisk the gelatin into the cranberry mixture and pour the gelée over the pumpkin custard; shake it gently to even it out. Refrigerate the tart until set, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Remove the tart ring and serve.


Coconut Buttermilk Pie with Blackberry Caramel

CRUST

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

FILLING

  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure coconut extract
  • 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

BLACKBERRY CARAMEL

  • 2 cups blackberries (8 ounces), halved
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
  • 2 teaspoons blackberry liqueur
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Toasted sweetened shredded coconut, for garnish

MAKE THE CRUST In a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle the buttermilk on top and pulse until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather up any crumbs and pat the dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round, a scant 1/4 inch thick. Ease the dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim the overhanging dough to 1 inch, fold it under itself and crimp the dough decoratively. Refrigerate the crust until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the crust in the lower third of the oven for about 20 minutes, until barely set. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Cover the edge of the crust with strips of foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until the crust is lightly browned. Let cool on a rack. Leave the foil strips on the crust rim. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°.

MAKE THE FILLING In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale. Add the buttermilk, butter, coconut milk, flour, vanilla seeds and both extracts and whisk until smooth, then stir in the shredded coconut.

Set the pie plate on a baking sheet. Pour in the custard and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until set around the edge but slightly jiggly in the center. Transfer to a rack and let the pie cool completely.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE BLACKBERRY CARAMEL In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of blackberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries start to burst. Transfer the berries and any juices to a blender and puree until nearly smooth. Transfer the puree to the saucepan and let cool slightly, then whisk in the cream, blackberry liqueur, vanilla and salt.

In a medium saucepan,combine the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Cook over moderate heat, swirling the pan and brushing down the side with a wet pastry brush, until the sugar dissolves. Cook undisturbed until an amber caramel forms, about 7 minutes. Add the blackberry cream (be careful, it may boil vigorously) and simmer, whisking, until the caramel is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool slightly, then stir in the remaining 1 cup of blackberries; let cool to room temperature. Garnish the pie with toasted coconut, cut into wedges and serve with the blackberry caramel.

MAKE AHEAD The coconut-buttermilk pie can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; serve chilled or at room temperature. The blackberry caramel can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.