Butterscotch Pudding

Saveur

Serves 8

FOR THE PUDDING:

• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 tbsp. powdered gelatin
• 10 oz. high-quality butterscotch chips, such as Guittard
• 2 tbsp. bourbon
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 3 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved

FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE:

• ⅔ cup sugar
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 tbsp. light corn syrup
• 2 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• Flaked sea salt, to taste

Make the pudding: Combine milk, gelatin, and 1 tbsp. water in a bowl; let sit to soften gelatin, about 5 minutes. Place butterscotch and bourbon in a blender; set aside. Boil cream, both sugars, salt, and vanilla seeds in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin dissolves. Pour into blender, let sit for 5 minutes, and purée until smooth. Divide among eight 6-oz. serving glasses. Chill until set, about 4 hours.

Make the caramel sauce: Heat sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; cook, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber. Meanwhile, boil cream and kosher salt in a 2-qt. saucepan. Pour into caramel; cook, stirring, until smooth. Let cool; divide sauce among set pudding cups. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt before serving.

Banana and Dark Rum Bread Pudding

Saveur

Serves 12

 
FOR THE PUDDING:

• 1 tbsp. butter, to grease the pan
• 12 Mexican sweet pan rolls, seedless hamburger buns, or potato rolls (about 28 ounces total), cut or torn into 1-inch cubes
• 4 very ripe bananas
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 3 eggs
• ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
• ¼ cup dark rum, like Myers
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 cups whole milk

  FOR SAUCE:

• ¼ cup dark rum, like Myers
• 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Make the bread pudding: Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 9"x13" casserole dish with the butter; fill with the torn bread.  

In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Add sugars, maple syrup, eggs, and salt and blend together. Add ¼ cup rum, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, cream, and milk and whisk until incorporated. Pour the mixture over the bread and mix together gently. Refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes. If it starts to look dry, add a little milk to the bread. Bake for 30 minutes or until most of the custard is absorbed—the mixture shouldn't be too dry.

Make the sauce: Heat the rum and the condensed milk in a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and darkens to a golden brown. Pour the sauce over cooked bread pudding in the casserole dish; serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Roma Eggs

Saveur

SERVES 4–6

• 1 loaf ciabatta or foccacia (about 15 oz.), split lengthwise and cut into quarters
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought pesto
• 8 slices prosciutto
• 2 Roma tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼"-thick slices
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 4 eggs
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 300°. Place bread cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet; brush with ¼ cup olive oil. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and spread cut sides with pesto.

Heat remaining oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and fry, turning once, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Place prosciutto on bottom halves of bread. In same pan, add tomato slices and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Place tomatoes on top of prosciutto.

Bring a 10" skillet of salted water to a simmer over medium heat; add vinegar. Crack eggs individually into 4 small dishes. Slip eggs into simmering water; turn off heat, cover, and cook until whites are just firm, 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove eggs from water, and place on top of tomatoes and prosciutto; top with parmesan and pepper. Serve with bread tops on the side.

My Notes: Delicious and simple. They need a little sharpness though--either arugula, lemon zest, or balsamic would work well.

MXF 

Candied Pineapple and Cashew-Lime Pound Cake

Tasting Table

Yield: One 5-by-9-inch pound cake 

• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• ½ cup water
• 1½ cups finely chopped fresh pineapple (about ½ medium pineapple)
• 4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled (use the edge of a teaspoon to scrape off the skin) and finely chopped
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon at room temperature
• 1¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• Zest and juice of 3 medium limes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes (plus cooling) 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, add 1 cup of sugar and the water and bring to a simmer. Add the chopped pineapple and cook until the pineapple is translucent around the edges, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the pineapple pieces to a medium bowl. Add the chopped ginger to the hot syrup, return to a simmer, cook for 2 minutes, turn off the heat and set aside.

Add the cashews to a rimmed baking sheet and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large plate to cool.

Grease a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan with the 1 tablespoon of room-temperature butter. Add 1 tablespoon of flour and tap the pan to evenly coat the bottom and sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1¼ cups flour, the baking powder and salt.

To the bowl of a food processor, add the remaining 1 cup sugar and the cooled cashews and process until the mixture is very fine, about 15 seconds. Add the lime zest and pulse the mixture until it is fragrant, about ten 1-second pulses. Add the lime juice, eggs and vanilla and process to combine. With the food processor running, add the melted butter, processing until incorporated. Add the candied pineapple and pulse 4 times to incorporate. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the dry ingredients, using a whisk to gently stir the batter together. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake the cake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°. Continue to bake until the center of the cake resists light pressure and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes more. Remove the cake from the oven. Return the ginger syrup to a bare simmer over medium heat, then strain the syrup into a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Discard the ginger (or save and eat like candy).

Run a paring knife around the edges of the pan to release the pound cake. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack. Use a pastry brush to coat the top of the cake with the ginger syrup. Cool completely before slicing and serving.

My Notes: I used store-bought candied pineapple (leftover candied pineapple was the impetus for trying the recipe). This turned out beautifully. Full of flavor, moist and such a lovely perfect color.

 

MXF

Banana Caramel Ice Cream

Martha Stewart

Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 2/3 cups sugar, divided
• 1 2/3 cups whole milk
• 1 2/3 cups plus 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
• 3 to 4 very overripe bananas (skin should be more brown than yellow), mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Prep time: 20 mins / Total time: 5 hours 20 mins

Vigorously whisk together egg yolks and 2/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl until pale yellow and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, bring milk and 2/3 cup cream to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, and gradually whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture into pan, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until thick enough to coat the spatula, about 1 minute (do not let boil). Pour custard into a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water, and let cool, stirring occasionally. Puree bananas with half the custard in a blender until smooth, and transfer to bowl with remaining custard. Stir in vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup cream until combined, and pour through a fine sieve into another bowl. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

  

Place water, corn syrup, and remaining sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally (do not stir). Raise heat to high, and continue to cook in same manner until mixture turns deep amber, about 9 minutes more. Remove from heat, and slowly pour in remaining cream. Add remaining salt, and simmer caramel 1 minute. Place pan in a bowl of ice water, and let cool until warm but not hot. Remove from ice bath, and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until fully incorporated.

  

Place a 5-by-10-inch loaf pan (9 cups) in freezer at least 10 minutes. Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Spread one-third of ice cream in pan, and drizzle with one-third of caramel (it should be fluid but just barely warm; reheat slightly if necessary). Swirl caramel into ice cream with a wooden skewer. Repeat 2 more times until all the ice cream and caramel have been used. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Hazelnut Raspberry Jelly Roll

Martha Stewart

Servings: 10

For the Cake

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for pan
• 1/3 cup skinned whole hazelnuts, deeply toasted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted but not very hot
• 3 to 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting, plus more for towel

For the Filling

• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons high-quality raspberry preserves or jam, such as Bonne Maman (one 13-ounce jar)
• 1 cup very cold heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur, such as Frangelico

Prep time: 25 mins / Total time: 3 hours

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 11 1/2-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet (1/2 inch deep) with cooking spray, and line with parchment. Coat parchment with spray, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Meanwhile, pulse hazelnuts, flour, and salt in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped, about 1 minute. Sift flour mixture, discarding any pieces of nuts in sieve.

Whisk together eggs, yolks, and granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Beat with a mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Raise speed to high, and beat until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle flour mixture on egg mixture in 3 additions, folding with a rubber spatula and drizzling in butter toward end of last addition. Spread batter in pan, and bake until top is golden, 7 to 8 minutes.

Loosen cake from pan with a paring knife. Dust a clean kitchen towel with confectioners' sugar, and invert cake onto towel. Peel off parchment. Starting from a short side, tightly roll up cake in towel. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

Make the filling: Unroll cake, and spread with jam, leaving a 1/4-inch border on all sides. Beat cream with liqueur until medium peaks form. Spread cream over jam, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Starting from a short side, roll up cake as tightly as possible. Place cake, seam side down, on a baking sheet or in a platter. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Dust with confectioners' sugar, slice, and serve.

Green Salad with Grilled Corn, Cheese, Basil and Grilled Tomato Vinaigrette

Martha Stewart

Tomatoes grilled to the point of collapse are the key to this savory, chunky dressing.

Servings: 6

• 2 ears corn, husked
• 1 large tomato (3/4 pound)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (from 1 small garlic clove)
• 2 heads Boston lettuce, trimmed, leaves separated
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 4 ounces caciocavallo or Parmesan cheese, shaved

Prep time: 45 mins / Total time: 45 mins
Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill corn, turning, until charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut kernels from ears.

Cut tomato in half. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt. Grill tomato, turning, until charred and softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and core; smash flesh with fingers. Whisk in vinegar, garlic, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Combine corn, lettuce, basil, and cheese. Toss with dressing, and season with salt if necessary. Serve immediately.