Irish Soda Bread
- Details
| 3 1/2 cups/875 ml | all-purpose flour | |
| 3 tbsp/50 ml | granulated sugar | |
| 3/4 cup/175 ml | raisins (optional) | |
| 1 tbsp/15 ml | caraway seeds (optional) | |
| 1 tbsp/15 ml | baking powder | |
| 1 tsp/5 ml | baking soda | |
| 1/2 tsp/2 ml | salt | |
| 1 1/2 cups/375 ml | buttermilk | |
| 3 tbsp/50 ml | melted butter | |
| 1 | egg |
- In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, raisins and caraway seeds (if using), baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter and egg; pour over dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
- Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; knead lightly just until dough holds together.
- Place on greased baking sheet; flatten into 9 inch (23 cm) round.
- With sharp knife, score top into eights.
- Bake in 375 F (190 C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
- Let pan cool on rack for 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
Guinness Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate-Honey Sauce
- Details
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2002
| 12 ounces | Guinness stout | |
| 2 cups | heavy cream | |
| 2 cups | whole milk | |
| 3/4 cup | granulated sugar | |
| 1 | vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise | |
| 6 | egg yolks |
In a large saucepan, simmer the Guinness until reduced by 3/4 in volume, about 8 minutes. Combine the cream, milk, and sugar in a medium, heavy saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan and add the vanilla bean halves. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream, to the hot cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to keep a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Remove from refrigerator and add the Guinness reduction, whisking until well blended. Pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.
Dark Chocolate-Honey Sauce:
| 2 cups | whipping cream | |
| 1/4 cup | honey | |
| 20 ounces | bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped | |
| 2 tsp | vanilla extract |
In a medium saucepan, scald cream and honey medium heat. Remove from the heat. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Add the hot cream, let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla. Let stand until cool but still pourable. Serve over Guinness ice cream.
Yield: 1 quart
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Crespelle with Roasted Asparagus (a la Bob)
- Details
Pronounced "cress pell eh"
| 2 bunches | asparagus | |
| 3 tbsp | butter | |
| 3 tbsp | flour | |
| 1 cup | whipping cream | |
| 2 cups | homo milk | |
| 2 lbs | goat cheese (Oops did I mention this was expensive) | |
| 1/4 cup | chopped chives | |
| 12 | fresh sheets of lasagna | |
| lots | fresh grated parmesan cheese (OK . . . very expensive) | |
| grated rind of 2 lemons | ||
| fresh ground pepper | ||
| sea salt |
- preheat oven to 450
- brush asparagus tips (top 3 inches of a spear) with olive oil
- lightly dust with fresh ground sea salt
- place on cookie sheet and roast near top of oven for 8 minutes
- set aside
- in a large pot on medium heat
- melt butter and add flour
- cook 1 minute
- and whipping cream and homo milk
- raise heat to med/high and whisk to boil
- reduce heat too low and simmer 5 minutes
- fold in goat cheese
- add grated rind of 2 lemons and chopped chives
- season generously with fresh ground pepper
- grease 2 rectangular cake pans generously with butter
- take an individual fresh (packaged) lasagna sheet and lay it out on wax paper (long side from left to right)
- pour serving spoon of sauce across middle from side to side (longways)
- lay 5 asparagus tips (upright) at right side of sheet ... intersecting the sauce
- pour one heaping tablespoon of parmesan on top of asparagus
- fold (roughly 1 1/2 inch folds) lasagna sheet from right to left ... slowly so the sauce gets gentle pressed to the top and bottom .... you should have to fold it over about 3 times
- lay it snuggly in cake pan with open side down and away from side-end of pan
- repeat until pan is full . . . 6 Crespelle to a pan
- repeat with other buttered pan
- pour remaining sauce evenly over the two pans . . . brush if necessary
- cover tightly with aluminum foil
- refrigerate and/or bake for 30 minutes at 350 . . . check - if not bubbling and hot through then bake another 5 minutes (Note: if pans come straight out of the refrigerator then it'll take 35 minutes and you may still have to add another 5)
- Dust with parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper and serve
Chocolate Guinness Cake
- Details
Cake
| 2 cups | Guinness | |
| 2 cups (4 sticks) | unsalted butter | |
| 1 1/2 cups | unsweetened cocoa powder | |
| 4 cups | all purpose flour | |
| 4 cups | sugar | |
| 1 tbsp | baking soda | |
| 1 1/2 tsp | salt | |
| 4 | large eggs | |
| 1 1/3 cups | sour cream |
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups Guinness and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. With an electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in a separate large bowl. Add Guinness mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on low speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean; about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.
Icing
| 2 cups | whipping cream | |
| 1 lb | bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate - NOT UNSWEETENED, chopped |
Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, STIRRING FREQUENTLY, about 2 hours.
Place first cake layer on plate, right-side up. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer, upside down. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer, right-side up. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.
Asian Plum Sauce
- Details
| 9 (1 1/2 lb or 750g) | purple plums, washed and pitted | |
| 1 1/2 cups | brown sugar, firmly packed | |
| 1 cup | cider vinegar | |
| 1 1/2 tsp | salt | |
| 1 1/2 cups | onion, finely chopped | |
| 3 | cloves garlic, crushed | |
| 1/4 cup | raisins | |
| 1 tsp | soy sauce | |
| 1/4 tsp | chili powder | |
| Pinch each | ground cloves, cinnamon, ginger, allspice |
- Finely chop plums in a food processor or by hand. You should have about 1 3/4 cups.
- In a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan, combine plums, sugar, vinegar and salt.
- Bring to a boil over high heat and boil gently, uncovered, 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add onions, garlic, raisins, soy sauce, chili powder, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and allspice; return to a boil.
- Reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered for 45 minutesor until mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Remove hot jars from canner and ladle sauce into jars within 1/2 inch headspace.
- Seal with 2-piece metal lids.
- Process in boiling watercanner for 10 minutes for 250ml jars and 15 minutes for 500ml jars.