EGGNOG BUTTER CAKE BARS
Ingredients
Serves about 80 bars
COOKIE BASE:
1½ cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 ml) cream of tartar
½ tsp (2 ml) baking soda
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cups (175 ml) granulated sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup (60 ml) eggnog or milk
EGGNOG TOPPING:
¼ cup (60 ml) light corn syrup
¼ cup (60 ml) eggnog
1 vanilla bean, split in half, seeds scraped out
1 tbsp (15 ml) rum extract
¾ cup (175 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups (310 ml) granulated sugar, divided
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
1 large egg
1¼ cups (310 ml) all-purpose flour, divided
1 ½ tsp (7 ml) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (2 ml) ground nutmeg
Instructions
- To make COOKIE BASE: Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line a 9x13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Separately, cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add egg and eggnog, mix until well incorporated. Add flour mixture and stir together until just combined. Dollop into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes before setting aside on a wire cooling rack.
- To make EGGNOG TOPPING: Whisk together corn syrup, eggnog, vanilla seeds and rum extract. Set aside.
- Cream together butter, 1 cup and 2 tbsp (280 ml) sugar and salt until pale and fluffy. Add egg and beat until well combined. Add a third of the flour and stir until just combined. Add half eggnog mixture and stir until just combined. Repeat adding flour and eggnog mixture until last of the flour has been incorporated. Dollop over cookie base and spread out evenly.
- In a bowl, whisk together remaining sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle over entire surface of eggnog topping. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Eggnog topping should be lightly set and still jiggle under cinnamon crust. Cool completely at room temperature. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) squares before serving. Eggnog bars will keep refrigerated for 1 week. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Drink Pairings
CROQUEMBOUCHE
Ingredients
Serves 8
1 x Basic Choux Pastry (make ahead, see BASIC CHOUX PASTRY RECIPE)
SALTED CARAMEL PASTRY CREAM:
¾ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar, divided
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
¼ cup (60 ml) cornstarch
6 large egg yolks
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
¼ tsp (1 ml) fleur de sel or sea salt
CARAMEL SAUCE/ SPUN SUGAR GARNISH:
⅔ cup (150 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) corn syrup
one 4 x 8-in (10 x 20 cm) Styrofoam cone
Instructions
- Prepare BASIC CHOUX PASTRY as per Master Recipe. Once puffs have cooled, make a small incision in bottom of each.
- Prepare the SALTED CARAMEL PASTRY CREAM: In a medium-sized, heavybottomed saucepan, combine ½ cup (125 ml) sugar and the water. Over mediumlow heat, cook until caramelized and deep amber in colour, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat milk in separate saucepan or in microwave until hot, but not boiling.
- Remove saucepan with sugar syrup from heat and whisk in milk in a slow, steady stream. Return saucepan to low heat and stir until smooth. Remove and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together cornstarch and ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar. Whisk in egg yolks. Continue whisking while adding prepared hot caramel mixture in a thin, steady stream.
- Transfer mixture back to saucepan and heat, whisking constantly, over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it thickens and just comes to a boil. Immediately strain through a fine meshed sieve into a clean bowl and stir in butter, vanilla and salt. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface, and refrigerate until needed.
- Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip (Wilton 71) with Salted Caramel Pastry Cream. Insert tip into each puff and fill with cream. Set puff aside on a large cookie sheet as they are filled.
- Wrap Styrofoam cone with parchment paper and place pointedside up on sheet of parchment paper.
- To make a CARAMEL SAUCE: Combine ⅔ cup (150 ml) water, sugar and corn syrup in a heavy-bottomed medium-sized saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until amber in colour. Do not mix. Remove from heat and place saucepan in larger bowl of hot water to keep from hardening too fast. Dip side of each puff into caramel and stick puffs together in a pyramid around prepared cone.
- To make SPUN SUGAR GARNISH: Cut looped ends of a wire whisk with a wire cutter or use 2 forks held facing each other and dip ends into caramel sauce. Wave caramel back and forth over a parchment-lined box, allowing strands to fall in long, thin threads over sides. Take strands and wrap over Croquembouche.
Drink Pairings
EL CAESAR
El Caesar puts a fiery Mexican twist on the Canadian classic. This bold cocktail swaps vodka for smooth tequila, brightens the mix with fresh lime juice, and turns up the heat with a serrano chili pepper. It's a vibrant fusion of spice, citrus, and savoury depth. Perfect for those who like their Caesars with a kick.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) El Jimador Tequila Blanco
1 oz (30 ml) fresh lime juice
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper
Clamato juice, to taste
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 serrano chili pepper
Instructions
- In a lowball glass, combine El Jimador Blanco and lime juice. Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Clamato juice, to taste. Stir to mix. Cut serrano in half, lengthwise, and add to glass. Add ice and serve.
Featuring
FESTIVE FRUSTINGO BARS
Ingredients
Serves about 48 squares
1 cup (250 ml) golden seedless raisins
½ cup (125 ml) candied red cherries, coarsely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) candied ginger, coarsely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) chopped pecans, toasted
¾ cup (175 ml) blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
4 oz (125 g) finely chopped dark chocolate, about ¾ cup (175 ml)
2 tbsp (30 ml) golden corn syrup or liquid honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) fine dry bread crumbs
1 orange, zest only
½ tsp (2 ml) cinnamon
2 generous pinches freshly grated nutmeg
3 tbsp (45 ml) coconut oil
8 oz (250 g) dark chocolate, melted
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13-in (3.5 L) baking dish and line with parchment paper with ends overlapping edges. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- In a large bowl, combine raisins, candied cherries, ginger, nuts and chopped chocolate. Toss to mix. Drizzle with syrup or honey and gently toss to blend. Sprinkle with bread crumbs, orange zest, and seasonings. Gently toss to evenly distribute.
- Drizzle with oil and gently fold in. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan. Firmly press mixture into even layer. Bake in centre of oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove and place pan on a rack and spread top with melted chocolate using a palate knife. Cool in pan on a rack. Then refrigerate for 3 hours or until cool and firm. Lift out of pan onto a cutting board and cut into approximately 48 squares with a serrated knife.
- Store in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for several days.
Drink Pairings
CREAMY SALSA VERDE
This simple yet delightful recipe for Creamy Salsa Verde will leave your guests asking for more. Tailor the spice to your liking and elevate the taste of this salsa by first grilling your tomatillos, Serrano chilies, and Vidalia onion until tender and charred.Ingredients
Serves about 2 cups (500 ml)
10 medium sized tomatillos, husked, rinsed and roughly chopped
2 Serrano chilies, stemmed and roughly chopped, keeping seeds
1 garlic clove
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped Vidalia onion
½ cup (125 ml) cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a blender place tomatillos, chilies, garlic and onion. Pulse until tomatillos break down and mixture is still slightly chunky. Add cilantro, avocado, lime juice and a pinch of salt. Pulse again until salsa is well combined, creamy but still has some texture. Season to taste with additional salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Best served same day it is made.
- Note: If your grill is on you could add an extra dimension to this salsa by tossing whole tomatillos, Serrano chilies and a quarter Vidalia onion in a little vegetable oil and grilling until tender and charred. Let cool before making salsa.
Drink Pairings
DUTCH BABY PANCAKE WITH CINNAMON-GLAZED APPLES
Ingredients
Serves 6
CINNAMON-GLAZED APPLES:
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
¼ cup (60 ml) whipping cream
3 tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter
½ tsp (2 ml) kosher salt
¼ tsp (1 ml) ground cinnamon
DUTCH BABY PANCAKE:
4 tbsp (60 ml) unsalted butter, divided
4 large eggs
¾ cup (175 ml) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (175 ml) milk
2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
¼ tsp (1 ml) kosher salt
icing sugar, for dusting
Chantilly or flavoured whipped cream, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- To make CINNAMON-GLAZED APPLES: In a dry, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat. Stir occasionally until golden brown and caramelized. Add apples and cream to pan, being very careful as it will bubble up. Gently stir to coat apples, dissolving caramel with juices from apples and cream. Add butter, salt and cinnamon. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until apples are tender and cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. They should be nicely glazed with sauce. Can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Serve at room temperature or gently reheat and serve warm.
- To make DUTCH BABY PANCAKE: Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Melt 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter. Place in a blender with eggs, flour, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend batter until smooth. Heat a 10-in (25 cm) cast iron frying pan over medium heat. Add remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter and swirl to melt. Add all of the batter to hot pan and swirl to coat bottom. Transfer pan to oven. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Pancake will puff up but start to deflate once removed from oven.
- Pour glazed apples into middle of pancake. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately with Chantilly or whipped cream.
Drink Pairings
DUNGENESS CRAB SALAD WITH PICKLED GREEN STRAWBERRIES
Ingredients
Serves 2
PICKLED GREEN STRAWBERRIES:
8 green strawberries, sliced
2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) water
5 tbsp (75 ml) rice wine vinegar
5 tbsp (75 ml) granulated sugar
1 lime, juice only
1 orange, zest only
3 black peppercorns, whole
6 coriander seeds, whole
SALAD:
1 large Dungeness crab
½ tsp (2 ml) crushed red pepper flakes
1 shallot, sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced in half (germ removed)
2 to 3 tsp (10 to 15 ml) tomato paste
⅞ cup (207 ml) grape seed oil
1 egg yolk
2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juice only, divided
2 dashes rice wine vinegar
kosher salt and espelette, to taste
8 white asparagus spears, peeled
granulated sugar, for water
fresh pea shoots, for garnish
10 cured fennel, shaved for garnish
puffed wild rice, for garnish
fresh soft herbs such as pea shoots and chervil, for garnish
Instructions
- Make PICKLED STRAWBERRIES ahead of time. Place strawberries in a glass container large enough to hold all remaining ingredients.
- Prepare pickle mixture. In a pot combine water, vinegar, sugar, lime juice and orange zest, peppercorns and coriander seeds, bring to a simmer until sugar is dissolved. Pour over top of strawberries in container, allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. If you can the strawberries properly they will keep for a year.
- To make SALAD: Cook crab in a large pot of simmering water for 5 minutes remove from water to a large bowl. Remove legs and claws and place body back in simmering water for an additional 3 minutes. Carefully remove meat from shells, reserving leg and claw shells, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Place leftover leg and claw shells in a medium saucepan over low heat for several minutes, stirring regularly. Add pepper flakes, shallot and garlic, cook for several minutes then add tomato paste and cook for several more minutes, preventing colouring. Add grape seed oil and leave on low heat until oil has developed desired taste, about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and allow to cool. Refrigerate crab oil until ready to use.
- With crab oil make a mayonnaise. Place egg yolk and Dijon in a bowl, whisk in reserved crab oil, then thin with juice from half a lemon and a couple dashes of rice wine vinegar to achieve desired thickness and balance. Season with kosher salt and espelette.
- In a bowl, dress reserved crabmeat with prepared mayonnaise and freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste. Add a bit at a time, gently fold in meat, season to taste. Set aside.
- Simmer asparagus in a large saucepan of water heavily seasoned with sugar and kosher salt until tender, cool on a tray. Cut into small bite-sized pieces then fold into crab mixture.
- To assemble, arrange crab and asparagus in serving dishes with a few slices of Pickled Green Strawberries. Season with some remaining freshly squeezed lemon juice and pinch or 2 of espelette to taste. Garnish with pea shoots, cured fennel, puffed wild rice and soft herbs, serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
CREOLE DEVILLED EGGS
Ingredients
Serves 24
12 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (125 ml) vodka
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
2 tsp (10 ml) salt, plus extra for seasoning
½ tsp (2 ml) ground black pepper
24 peeled and deveined raw, medium-sized shrimp with tails
⅓ cup (75 ml) Greek yogurt
¼ cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 green onion, minced
½ tsp (2 ml) Creole seasoning
¼ tsp (1 ml) hot sauce
fresh minced chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Place eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan. Cover eggs with water and bring to a boil. Cover, remove saucepan from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Drain eggs and place under cold running water until just cool enough to handle. Tap eggs to break shells and peel. Discard shells and set eggs aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine vodka, lemon juice, salt and pepper and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, cover and cook until shrimp turns pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and transfer shrimp to a bowl. Chill shrimp 1 hour in refrigerator.
- Slice eggs in half lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks. In a bowl, mix together remaining ingredients until smooth. Season to taste.
- To serve, spoon yolk mixture into egg white halves. Top each deviled egg with a chilled, cooked shrimp and garnish with a pinch of minced chives. May be loosely covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 1 hour before serving.
Drink Pairings
AVOCADO LIME PARFAITS
Ingredients
Serves 8
2 cups (500 ml) whipping cream
¾ cup (175 ml) sweetened condensed milk, chilled, divided
5 tbsp (75 ml) berry sugar, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
2 large, ripe Haas avocados
1 tbsp (15 ml) lime zest
3 tbsp (45 ml) lime juice
1 lime, cut into wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- Place whipping cream in a large, chilled mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in ½ cup (125 ml) chilled condensed milk until firm peaks form. Beat in 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar and vanilla and transfer to a piping bag filled with a 1A piping tip. Refrigerate while preparing avocado purée.
- Peel avocados and remove the pits. Coarsely chop and place in a blender or food processor along with ¼ cup (60 ml) remaining sweetened condensed milk and sugar. Pulse until blended, scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula. Add lime zest, reserving a little for garnish, and lime juice. Continue to pulse until very smooth. Transfer to a piping bag filled with a 1A piping tip.
- To assemble, line up 8 x 6 oz (175 ml) glasses. Pipe about 3 tbsp (45 ml) avocado purée into the bottom of each glass. Pipe a layer of whipped cream on top of avocado making sure to evenly cover avocado to prevent it from discolouring. Add another layer of avocado and top with a thick layer of cream. Garnish with a little lime zest and a wedge of lime. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best served the same day.
Drink Pairings
BLACK COD WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 tbsp (30 ml) cooked black beans, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-in (2.5 cm) piece ginger root, peeled and minced
2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) Chinese cooking wine
1¼ lb (625 ml) black cod fillets, skin on, scales removed, cut into 4
1 green onion, julienned
1 small red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine black beans, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and cooking wine. Stir together to make a paste. Set aside.
- Place black cod fillets skin-side down on a heatproof platter (or plate) that will fit into a bamboo steamer and spread black bean sauce evenly over top. Place platter in steamer over a wok filled with just enough boiling water that so it does not touch the bottom of steamer. Steam, covered, over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked and flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove platter from steamer. Garnish with green onions and sliced chili, if using.