Anise Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients
1 c unsalted butter
1/2 c confectioners sugar
1 1/2 t ground anise seed
1/4 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla extract
2 c flour

Instructions
Cream together butter & confectioners sugar until fluffy.

Add ground anise, cinnamon & vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.

Stir in flour.

Divide dough in half and form each half into a 1 1/2 inch diameter log wrapped in parchment paper. Wrap tightly and evenly. Refrigerate in a bag for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cover two sheet pans with parchment paper. Remove logs of dough from the refrigerator and slice into 1/4" slices. Place on baking sheets 1/2" apart.

Bake for 5 minutes at 375, reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with a 1/2 t dollop of Nouveau Merlot Wine Jelly in the center.

Plum Galette

(photo copyright Jay Mumper)

Crust Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 ounces of unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks, 10 Tbsp, 137g), cut into cubes
1/4 cup (57 ml) sour cream
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
1 teaspoon cream for egg wash
Coarse sugar for sprinkling (I used Turbinado sugar)

Filling Ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 lb red plums, pitted and sliced into 1/4"-3/8" wide slices
1/3 c sugar
1 T flour
juice of a lemon
zest of a lemon
1/8 t cinnamon



Our plum tree is again producing a ton of plums this year. As in prior bumper-crop years, ours are small but very juicy and sweet.

Make the crust first. This crust is very flaky and works well with the plums.

Instructions

1. Sift the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt) together well. Cube the butter into small cubes and blend into the dry mix with a pastry blender. Allow some larger chunks of butter to remain. After the butter is blended, mix in the sour cream with fork and form dough into a disc-shape, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. (if your plums are small, you'll have plenty of time washing, pitting, and cutting them up while the dough cools...)

2. Place the plum slices in a bowl and add the other filling ingredients. Gently mix them together.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Flour an area to roll out the dough and put the unwrapped disk of dough and let it sit for a few minutes. Roll the dough gently and evenly into a 13" circle about 1/8"-3/16" thick. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and place on the parchment paper covered baking sheet.

5. Starting in the center, arrange the plum pieces in a radial pattern layering 2-3 layers deep (thicker layers in the center). Leave an edge of about 1" to 1 1/4" around the edge. Using a table knife or small spatula, begin rolling the uncovered edge back up over the edge of the plum layer. Move around the circle until the edge is flipped up all the way around.

6. Mix the egg and cream up and begin painting the flipped up edge generously all around the perimeter. Sprinkle coarse sugar generously on the egg washed area.

7. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven. My oven baked these in about 35 minutes, but it could take up to 50 minutes to get the crust evenly browned and the fruit filling fully cooked and bubbling.

Remove and cool for 1 hour. 

Trying serving ala mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and we recommend Springgate's Honey Peach White Wine.

I made this with some changes based on a recipe HERE

Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, without stirring. If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color (I look for the first hint of smoke and remove the pan from the heat immediately) -- about 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Remove the sugar from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble. Stir in the unsalted butter, and salt. Transfer the caramel to a dish and cool.

Based on a recipe I found at http://m.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/salted-caramel-sauce.html

Mini Cheese Cake with Caramel Topping

(I forgot to take a photo with the caramel on top.)

Ingredients

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
• ⅔ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt (I couldn't get fat free Greek yogurt, so I used regular)
• 12 ounces ⅓-less-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• Caramel Sauce (here: http://www.foodiefunk.com/2014/10/caramel-sauce.html)

Instructions

Instead of the 12-cup muffin tin, I used a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin. There was still enough cracker crust mix and cheese cake mix to make about four more cakes. 

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine the melted butter, 1 tbsp sugar and graham cracker crumbs until evenly wet.
3. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin well with cooking spray. Spoon about 1 packed tablespoon crumb mixture into each muffin cup; press crumbs firmly into bottom. Bake at 300° for 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool.
4. Place brown sugar, yogurt, and cream cheese in processor, mixer or blender; process until smooth. Add vanilla, table salt, and eggs; process until smooth.
5. Spoon about 3 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup.
6. Bake at 300° for 18 minutes or until centers of cheesecakes barely move when pan is touched. Remove pan from oven; cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Cover pan; refrigerate cheesecakes 3 hours or until well chilled.
7. Run a thin knife around outside edge of each cheesecake. Carefully remove cheesecakes from pan; place on a platter. Chill cheesecakes until ready to serve.
8. In a double boiler, melt the caramel squares and milk, stirring occasionally.
9. Spoon about 1 tablespoon caramel over each cheesecake.

Based on a recipe I found at http://www.mysanfranciscokitchen.com/mini-salted-caramel-cheesecakes/

Blackberry Panna Cotta topped with White Chocolate Cream Mousse

Ingredients:

Blackberry Panna Cotta

2 c blackberries simple syrup
3 c heavy cream
2 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 c white sugar

White Chocolate Mousse

8 oz good white chocolate broken up
1/2 c heavy cream for ganache
3 c heavy cream for whipping

Instructions.
Day 1 - make Panna Cotta.

1. Put blackberry syrup in a large saucepan on low heat.
2. Sprinkle gelatin powder on top and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
3. When gelatin is all wet an wrinkly, begin to whisk.
4. Add sugar and whisk until all is dissolved.
5. Add cream and vanilla and heat gently. DO NOT BOIL or even simmer. When warm and all well combined, remove from heat.
6. Pour into 12-14 - 6 oz cups or ramekins (about 1/3 to 1/2 full.)
7. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Day 2 - make White Chocolate Cream Mousse

1. In a large microwave safe bowl combine chocolate pieces and 1/2 c heavy cream.
2. Microwave in high for 30 seconds at a time, whisking between until chocolate is melted and combined with cream. 
3. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl (or power mixer bowl with a whisk attachment) pour 3 c COLD heavy cream. 
5. Whisk by hand or with mixer at medium speed for several minutes until cream forms soft peaks. (Do not over mix or you will make butter!)
6. Put about 1/2 of whipped cream into the chocolate-cream mixture and whisk gently to combine. 
7. Add chocolate & cream mixture back into whipped cream bowl and whisk gently to combine. Do not over mix.

Assembly

Portion cream onto tops of cups or ramekins of Panna Cotta.

Chill for two hours before serving.

Blackberry Simple Syrup

Ingredients:
4c fresh blackberries
4c white sugar
4c water

Instructions.
Put all ingredients in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. 

Stir continuously mashing the fruit as you stir. Use a potato masher to help breakdown the fruit. (The idea here is to extract the juice from the pulp and seeds.)
Heat until mixture begins to just boil and remove from heat.
Set aside and allow to cool.
Pour through a fine strainer to separate pulp and seeds from syrup.
Put the syrup in a quart (or two pints) and refrigerate for up to three weeks or freeze in a muffin tin for longer storage.

Ready for the freezer.

Robin Egg & White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

4 3/4 c white flour
2 t baking soda
2 t salt
4 sticks softened unsalted butter
3 c brown sugar
2 t vanilla extract
4 lg eggs
4 c broken Robin Egg (malted milk) candies pieces
2 c white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375° F. Add parchment paper to at least two baking sheets.

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Gradually beat in flour mixture. 

Gently fold in candie and white chocolate chips by hand

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets

Bake for 9 minutes or until golden brown. Do not over bake.

Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Cardamom-Ginger Crunch

Ingredients
2 c (1 lb) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
1 c sugar
3 c flour, sifted
11 t ground ginger
3½ t ground cardamom
2 t baking powder
2 t kosher salt
1½ c confectioners' sugar
3 T golden syrup or dark corn syrup

Heat oven to 375°. 

Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish

Instructions

Put 18 tbsp. butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat with a handheld mixer on medium until fluffy. Add flour, 3 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. ground cardamom, baking powder, and 1 tsp. salt; mix until incorporated but still crumbly. Transfer mixture to reserved dish; press flat with your hands. Bake until shortbread is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool.

In a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining butter, ginger, cardamom, and salt and the confectioners' sugar and syrup. Bring to a boil and pour over shortbread; cool. Cut into 2" rectangles.

http://www.saveur.com

Double Dark Chocolate Brownies

3/4 c Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1/2 t baking soda
2/3 c melted butter, divided into two 1/3 c containers
1/2 c boiling water
2 eggs
1 1/3 c flour
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
12 oz Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/butter a 9x13 glass baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk cocoa and baking soda.  Add 1/3 c melted butter and blend well.  Add boiling water and stir until well mixed.

Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining melted butter.  Add flour, vanilla and salt and mix.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into 9x13 dish spreading evenly.

Bake 35-40 minutes until edges pull away from dish.


Cool completely before cutting.

Lemon Curd filled Gingerbread Cups

Gingerbread Cups

1 3/4 c flour

1/2 c    dark brown sugar

1 t        baking powder

1 stick  chilled butter, diced

get recipes @ goboldwithbutter.com

1 T       molasses

1 t        vanilla

1 T       ginger

1 t        cinnamon

1/4 t     allspice

1/2 t     salt

1 T       water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease two or more mini-muffin tins with oil.

1.      In a food processor, add all dry ingredients and diced butter. Pulse until crumbly.

2.      While processing, add vanilla, molasses, and water.

3.      When creamy, stop.

4.      On a piece of wax paper, floured, dump out your mixture and form into a rectangle. Sprinkle more flour and fold paper over. Freeze for an hour or more.

5.      When ready to use, roll out dough to 1/8" thick.  Cut into 2 1/2" dia circles.

6.    Place a circle on each mini-muffin cup and press dough down into corners.  Use a knife to trim excess from top.

7.    Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges brown.  Cool on rack.

From Just a Pinch Recipes
---------------------------------------------------------------

Lemon Curd

3 lemons

1 1/2 c sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

4 extra-large eggs

1/2 c lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)

1/8 t kosher salt

Directions

1.      Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.

2.      Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.

3.      Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

4. Serve by placing 1 teaspoon (+/-) filling in each Gingerbread cup.

From Food Network’s Ina Garten

Polenta, Camerbert and Thyme Hor D'Oeurves

6 c water
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
2 c coarse cornmeal
Extra Virgin Olive oil
8 oz Camembert Cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons thyme 

1. Lightly oil 2 baking sheets. Combine 6 cups water and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil. Gradually add cornmeal, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to low. Blend in grated parmesan cheese. Cover and cook until polenta is thick and creamy, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
   
2. Preheat oven to 375°F.
   
3. Spoon warm polenta out onto wet work surface. Roll out polenta with wet rolling pin to 3/16" thickness. Cool completely. Using wet 1 3/4- to- 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out polenta rounds. Discard polenta scraps.
   
4. Transfer rounds to baking sheets. Lightly brush polenta with oil. Bake polenta 25 minutes. Turn polenta rounds over. Lightly brush with oil and bake until polenta is slightly puffed and pale golden, about 15 minutes longer.
   
5. Slice Camembert cheese into 1/8" wedges. Place a wedge on each polenta round as you place them on a platter. Sprinkle with thyme and serve.

Based on a recipe from Bon Appétit, March 2000

Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients
12 oz dark chocolate chips
1 c heavy cream
pinch of salt
1/2 t vanilla extract

Pieces of fresh fruit (Apples, Strawberries, Raspberries, Bananas, Oranges) and/or dried fruit (Apricots, Apples, candied Ginger)

Heat cream over medium heat until steaming (do not boil).  Mix in chocolate and whisk until melted and blended.  Remove from heat and mix in salt and vanilla.

Pour directly into warm fondue pot.

Serve with trays of fruit.

If fondue begins to thicken, add cream one tablespoon at a time to keep soft.

Rueben Dip

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing
16 ounces sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed dry
8 ounces shredded corned beef
16 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and dressing.
2. Spread sauerkraut into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer corned beef, Swiss cheese, and the mayonnaise-dressing mixture on top of the sauerkraut.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Hot Fudge Sauce (just added - Merlot Wine-based version)

2 cups sugar
12 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons cornstarch
4 dashes salt
2 cups water
8 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons vanilla

Mix dry ingredients.
Stir in room temperature water.
Microwave 90 seconds--stirring every 30 seconds.
Blend in butter and microwave 30 seconds more and stir.
Continue to alternate microwaving for 30 seconds and stirring until it reaches desired thickness. (The longer you cook it, the thicker it gets.).
After microwaving stir in vanilla.

Serve warm.

Merlot variation:
Replace the 2 c water with 2 c Merlot and prepare as above.