Recipes

Rummy fruit compound butter

Rummy fruit compound butter

This fruit butter is based on the initial steps toward making Black Cake, a Caribbean Christmas cake for which Ramin is famous among our friends and family. The cake calls for dried fruits soaked in rum and puréed then added to a cake batter made with plenty of butter. Normally, the fruits for the cake are soaked for weeks and weeks but we’ve developed a quick method using a microwave to approximate the same flavors. Although it may seem counterintuitive, use a salted butter for this compound butter because the touch of salt enhances the sweet and rummy flavors. This butter is excellent on everything from muffins to waffles and pancakes. It’s even good on toast. Gently toasted nuts mixed with a little bit of this butter, melted, are a delicious topping for Danish and pound cake too.
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 4 ounces (112 g)

Instructions

  • Mix the fruits together in a small microwave-safe bowl and add the rum.
  • Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1 to 1½ minutes, or until the plastic wrap begins to suction to the bowl.
  • Remove the bowl from the microwave and set aside until it is completely cool.
  • Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and add the sugar, cinnamon, allspice and cloves.
  • Mix for 1 minute or until all the ingredients are well combined.
  • Alternatively, you may do this with a whisk by hand.
  • Drain the rum from the fruits and add the fruit to the butter mixture.
  • Discard the rum or keep to drizzle on vanilla ice cream.
  • Mix the fruits well into the butter.
  • Scrape the butter into a small bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  • Alternatively, cut a square of wax paper 12 inches by 12 inches (30 by 30 cm) and scoop the butter into the center of the paper.
  • Fold the wax paper over the butter and roll forward to form a log.
  • Twist the ends of the wax paper tightly.
  • Chill the butter until solid.
  • The butter may also be frozen for later use.

Notes & Wine Advice

It will keep up to 1 month in the freezer. Use slices of butter on warm muffins, scones, waffles or pancakes.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Butter

Candied ginger and apricot sauce

Candied ginger and apricot sauce

This elegant sauce came about after experimenting with dried apricots and candied ginger in a bread pudding that was spiced with cardamom and served with a saffron rosewater crème anglaise. The combination of tart, aromatic and astringent flavors was so heavenly it seemed a shame not harness them in a more a versatile form for use with a variety of other desserts. The end result is this syrup, which features apricot brandy as well as apricot preserves. Serve this as a glaze for donuts and fried dough or cakes, as a topping for vanilla ice cream, or brush on custard tarts or cheesecake prior to garnishing with fresh fruit. It’s also excellent on waffles, crêpes and pancakes. Of course, it’s great with bread pudding too!
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 180 ml

  • 120 ml water
  • 1 tbsp 6 g grated candied ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground saffron
  • ¼ cup apricot preserves
  • 1 cup 200 g sugar
  • ¼ tsp cardamom
  • ½ tsp rosewater
  • 15 ml apricot brandy

Instructions

  • Combine the water, candied ginger and saffron in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  • Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes or until the mixture reduces to 240 ml .
  • Add the preserves and sugar and stir while the mixture is simmering until the sugar is dissolved and the preserves are melted.
  • Simmer for 18 to 20 minutes until the mixture thickens to a syrup.
  • Stir in the cardamom, rosewater and apricot brandy and whisk well.
  • Cool and store in an airtight container.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve with waffles, pancakes, cheesecake, bread pudding or fresh fruit.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Fruit / Sauce

Salted coconut sugar caramel sauce

Salted coconut sugar caramel sauce

This vegan caramel sauce is sure to please everyone with its hint of coconut taste and salty notes. We like to use Hawaiian pink sea salt in this sauce, but the more readily available Himalayan pink sea salt works well too. Serve this sauce over angel food cake, pound cake or vanilla ice cream, or use as a drizzle on top of a caramel sundae or whipped cream on a coffee drink or hot cocoa. Coconut sugar is crystallized from boiled coconut nectar in a process similar to extracting sugar crystals from sugar cane juice. Unlike regular sugar, however, coconut sugar has a low glycemic index, which makes it a better choice for those watching their sugar intake. Coconut sugar is available at gourmet and health food markets.
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 240 ml

  • ¾ cup 108 g coconut sugar
  • 180 ml water
  • 120 ml coconut cream
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ¼ tsp Hawaiian pink sea salt or
  • Himalayan pink salt

Instructions

  • Bring the coconut sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan and then reduce to a simmer.
  • Simmer until the mixture reduces by half, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the coconut cream and whisk very well.
  • Scrape the sides of the saucepan down with a rubber spatula.
  • Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 22 minutes or until the mixture forms a thick caramel sauce.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.

Notes & Wine Advice

Drizzle warm sauce over ice cream, cake, pie, brownies or coffee drinks.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Sauce
Diets; Vegan

Guinness chocolate sauce

Guinness chocolate sauce

This unusual version of chocolate sauce uses Guinness stout with its caramel and honey notes and underlying toastiness. This sauce is as delicious mixed with milk for chocolate milk as it is over ice cream.
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 240 ml

  • ¾ cup 150 g granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup 43 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 240 mlGuinness stout
  • 1½ cups 270 g semisweet chocolate chips
  • 10 ml vanilla

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, salt, cocoa powder and Guinness.
  • Bring to a boil and turn down and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the chocolate chips and the vanilla.
  • Cool completely and serve over vanilla ice cream or a brownie sundae.
  • Store unused sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Chocolate / Sauce

Guava and ginger glaze

Guava and ginger glaze

Guava and ginger combine in this glaze for a bright tropical flavor profile that is wonderful for homemade donuts, sweet fritters like beignet or even scones. It is particularly good on banana cake.
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 240 ml

  • 1½ tbsp 22 ml water
  • 1¼ tsp 6 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 g powdered ginger
  • 60 ml guava jelly
  • 2 cups 240 g powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and whisk well.
  • Simmer for 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and cool.

Notes & Wine Advice

Use as a glaze on your favorite donut, beignet or scone.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Sauce

Sweet pickled ginger

Sweet pickled ginger

You’ll recognize pickled ginger if you’ve ever eaten in a sushi restaurant. It is the pale pink condiment that you see on the side of your plate. With its mix of aromatic heat and sweetness, our version is excellent not just as a side dish to sushi but as a garnishment to desserts, particularly those that have more of an Eastern twist. Younger ginger rhizomes are less woody and more tender, plus only young ginger will have a pink tinge when pickled, so we recommend you try to get those for this recipe.
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: about 480 ml

  • 14 oz 392 g ginger, preferably young
  • 2 quarts 2 L plus 45 ml water, divided
  • 9 tbsp 135 ml rice vinegar
  • 2¾ tsp 13 g kosher salt, divided
  • 5 to 6 tbsp 63 to 75 g sugar, or to taste

Instructions

  • Peel the ginger and cut it lengthwise into paper-thin slices 1 to 1½ inches (25 to 38 mm) long.
  • In a small saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of water, the rice vinegar, 2½ teaspoons (15 g) of salt and the sugar, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
  • Cook the mixture, stirring, until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
  • Turn off the heat, and transfer the liquid to a clean quart container with a tight-fitting lid.
  • In a medium pot, bring about 2 quarts (2 L) of water to a boil over high heat.
  • Add the ginger slices all at once, and blanch them for 20 seconds if you’re using young ginger, or 30 to 40 seconds if the ginger is mature.
  • Drain the ginger in a large, flat-bottomed colander, spreading the slices so that they dry quickly.
  • Sprinkle the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt over the ginger slices, and toss gently.
  • While the ginger slices are still hot, transfer them to the ready container of pickling liquid.
  • When the ginger slices contact the vinegar, they will turn a pretty, faint pink color.
  • Refrigerate the ginger for two days, covered, before using.
  • Use on top of ice cream, to garnish panacotta or even as a side condiment to fish.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Sauce

Passion fruit and cognac syrup

Passion fruit and cognac syrup

Passion fruit is brightly colored yellow, sweet-tart tropical fruit that is quite nice with vanilla custard, panna cotta or a lemon mousse. The fruit is pulpy and full of seeds, however, so we like to use a passion fruit purée concentrate, like the one available at Perfect Purée, for this preparation, which is more syrup than sauce. The cognac is just a flavoring agent so mix it in after the syrup is prepared and cooled.
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 360 ml

  • 240 mlwater
  • 2 cups 400 g sugar
  • 60 ml passion fruit purée
  • 15 ml cognac

Instructions

  • Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
  • Whisk well to combine and dissolve the sugar.
  • Continue to simmer until the mixture is reduced to a thick syrup, about 26 to 28 minutes.
  • Stir in the passion fruit purée and cognac and remove from the heat.
  • Chill and store in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
  • Serve with vanilla custard, crème brûlée or coconut panna cotta.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Fruit / Sauce

Rum and orange glaze

Rum and orange glaze

This wonderfully simple dessert sauce has a lovely orange flavor and hue that is made even more tropical with the spicy sweetness of rum, star anise cinnamon. It is quite nice for dressing up simple desserts like pound cake or angel food cake. The rum is a key flavor component so use the best quality rum that you can find. We like to use a good quality orange marmalade with bits of visible orange zest because it makes for a nice presentation within the finished sauce.
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine the marmalade, water and rum in a small saucepan and whisk very well to combine.
  • Add the cinnamon stick and star anise pod and heat over medium heat.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer.
  • Simmer the sauce until it is reduced to a syrup, about 18 to 20 minutes.
  • Allow it to cool completely, then remove the cinnamon stick and star anise.
  • Store in an airtight jar.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve with pound cake or angel food cake.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Fruit / Sauce

Sweet almond and cardamom cream sauce

Sweet almond and cardamom cream sauce

This sauce is an essentially crème anglaise enriched with almond butter and almond extract. Crème anglaise is the classic French vanilla sweet-cream sauce that is the base for vanilla ice cream and crème brûlée. You must use whole milk rather than lower fat varieties or the sauce won’t set. Almond butter is available in most supermarkets as an alternative to peanut butter. Make sure you get an extra smooth variety. Vanilla bean really puts this sauce into the realm of the spectacular. Cardamom and almond are a pairing common in the Middle East, and a flavor that was very popular in Europe during the Medieval period. The cardamom adds an almost minty aroma and flavor to the sauce that makes it an ideal pairing with fruit-based desserts like an apple or pear strudel.
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 360 ml

Instructions

  • Combine the milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan.
  • Using a sharp paring knife, score the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
  • Add the seeds and the whole bean to the pot with the milk and cream and set over medium heat.
  • Bring the milk mixture to just under a simmer, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Whisk in the cardamom, almond butter and almond extract.
  • Whisk very well to combine and ensure the almond butter is melted.
  • Bring the milk to a simmer once again.
  • Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk very well to combine.
  • Remove the vanilla bean from the milk mixture then slowly add the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks in a thin stream, while whisking vigorously.
  • When all the milk has been added to the yolks, pour the whole mixture through a fine mesh sieve back in to the saucepan over medium-low heat.
  • Cook the crème anglaise until it thickens, while whisking, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Do not allow the mixture to boil.
  • When the crème coats the back of a spoon without dripping it is ready.
  • Chill the crème in a bowl with plastic wrap placed right against the surface of the crème.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve chilled with pear or apple strudel.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Nuts / Sauce

Hibiscus syrup

Hibiscus syrup

We absolutely love the syrup made from dried roselle hibiscus flowers. Hibiscus syrup is common in Central America and the Caribbean, where it is the basis of a traditional drink called sorrel. Our hibiscus syrup is the perfect mix of sweet and tart. We make a batch of this and keep in the refrigerator to use in place of syrup over pancakes. It’s also wonderful with poppy seed cake and as an accompaniment to iced tea.
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 480 ml

Instructions

  • Combine the water, sugar and hibiscus flowers in a large saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and continue to simmer until a thick syrup forms, about 12 to 15 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
  • Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
  • Add both the seeds and the bean to the hibiscus mixture.
  • Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes then strain through a fine sieve.
  • Strain again through a cheesecloth to remove fine powdered hibiscus debris.
  • Let the syrup stand at room temperature until cool, about 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight jar or bottle and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve with pancakes, waffles, cake or light mousses.
————————————————————————————————–
Course; Sauce