MINI COCONUT CARROT LOAVES
Ingredients
Serves 3 loaves
TOPPING:
¼ cup (60 ml) coconut sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped pecans
¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
LOAVES:
2 cups (500 ml) grated carrots
1 cup (250 ml) coconut sugar
2 eggs
⅔ cup (175 ml) coconut oil, melted and cooled
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
1 tsp (5 ml) finely grated orange peel
2½ cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
½ tsp (2 ml) salt
generous pinches each ground cloves and nutmeg
½ cup (125 ml) sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup (125 ml) chopped pecans, toasted
Instructions
- To make TOPPING: Combine topping ingredients together in a small bowl. Stir until crumbly and evenly blended. Set aside.
- To make LOAVES: Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease and line three 5 x 2 x 2-in (13 x 5 x 5 cm) mini loaf pans.
- In a large bowl, combine carrots, sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla and orange peel. Briskly stir to blend.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder and soda, salt and seasonings. Stir to blend. Gradually fold into carrot mixture. Stir in coconut and pecans. Mixture will be quite thick and lumpy.
- Divide among loaf pans and gently tap each pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Smooth the tops with a spatula. Sprinkle with equal amounts of Topping. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in tins on wire rack for 15 minutes before turning out and cooling completely. To store, wrap in parchment paper or place in cookie tins and refrigerate. Best served the next day for easy slicing.
Drink Pairings
STOUT BROWNIES
Ingredients
Serves 12 brownies
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter
6 oz (180 g) dark chocolate
½ cup (125 ml) stout beer
2 cups (500 ml) granulated sugar
1½ cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
⅔ cup (150 ml) cocoa powder
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt
4 eggs
1 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C). Grease a 9 x 14-in (22 x 35 cm) baking dish and line with parchment.
- In a double boiler, melt butter, dark chocolate and stout, stirring just until blended and melted. Remove from simmering water and set aside to slightly cool before adding remaining ingredients.
- In a large bowl, sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk eggs into slightly cooled, melted chocolate until blended. Add chocolate mixture to flour and fold in using a rubber spatula until no lumps remain. Pour batter into greased pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Rotate pan halfway through baking. Remove pan to a wire rack to cool. Then cut into squares and serve.
Drink Pairings
VANILLA TAPIOCA PUDDING WITH PEAR BARLEY ICE CREAM
Ingredients
Serves 3
TAPIOCA PUDDING:
3 cups (750 ml) milk
⅓ cup + 2 tbsp (100 ml) whipping cream
1 vanilla bean
⅔ cup (150 ml) tapioca pearls
⅓ cup (75 ml) granulated sugar
PEARL BARLEY:
6 cups (1.5 L) milk
1½ cups (375 ml) pearl barley
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
⅓ cup + 3 tbsp (120 ml) Trimoline invert sugar or clear corn syrup
POACHED PEARS:
2 cups (500 ml) water
1½ cups (375 ml) granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
3 firm but ripe pears, peeled and sliced
CHOCOLATE BATTER:
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125 ml) cocoa powder
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
1 tbsp (15 ml) rice flour
1 cup (250 ml) sparkling water
Instructions
- To make TAPIOCA PUDDING: Combine milk, cream and vanilla bean in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook over high heat until it begins to bubble around the edges. Reduce heat to medium.
- Rinse tapioca pearls under cold water to wash off excess starch, then add to simmering liquid. Cook until tapioca has softened and mixture is nicely thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- To make PEARL BARLEY: Combine ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir over medium heat until simmering. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally over medium heat until barley is tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Once barley is fully cooked, turn heat to low and steep for another 30 minutes.
- Strain mixture through a fine-meshed strainer and transfer to an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- When firm, place in a container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the freezer until ready to serve. Make 6 cups (1.5 L).
- To make POACHED PEARS: Combine water, sugar and spices in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and simmer. Reduce heat to low, add pears and simmer uncovered, until soft, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and thoroughly cool pears in syrup. Drain pears and set aside until ready to use.
- To make CHOCOLATE BATTER: Preheat deep fryer to 325 F (170 C). Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together to blend. Continuing to whisk, slowly add sparkling water until well combined and batter is smooth.
- Add drained, poached pears to batter and gently turn in mixture to evenly coat. Using 2 forks, remove one batter-coated pear at a time and place in preheated deep fryer. Fry for about 1½ minutes, gently turning for even browning. Then remove to a separate dish and repeat with remaining two pears.
- To serve, place a pear alongside Tapioca Pudding and top with a scoop of Barley Ice Cream.
Drink Pairings
SALTED TOFFEE BACON BARK
Ingredients
Serves 10 to 12
45 to 50 salted saltine crackers
1 cup + ¼ cup (310 ml) unsalted butter, divided
1 cup (250 ml) dark brown sugar
14 cups (3.5 L) mini marshmallows
1 tbsp (15 ml) Malden sea salt
3 oz (90 ml) bourbon
3 cups (750 ml) dark chocolate chips, divided
5 strips crispy bacon, minced
¼ cup (60 ml) raw pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil, allowing at least ½-in (1 cm) of overhang on all sides. Grease aluminum foil with a good layer of melted butter before laying out crackers in a single layer. Break crackers as needed to fill entire bottom of pan.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together 1 cup (250 ml) butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Once butter has melted and mixture is well combined, allow to come to a boil. Let boil for 2 more minutes, stirring continuously. Then, immediately pour mixture over crackers and spread to cover in an even layer. Bake until very bubbly, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1 cup (250 ml) chocolate chips. Melt chocolate chips for 4 minutes. Spreadover toffee surface in a thin layer. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) butter, marshmallows and bourbon over mediumlow heat until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth. Spread marshmallow sauce over frozen chocolate layer using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with sea salt before chilling in freezer until marshmallow layer is firm, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, fill a medium-sized saucepan with 1½-in (3.5 cm) water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Place remaining chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set over simmering water. Stir constantly until chocolate is melted and smooth. Working quickly, pour chocolate over marshmallow layer and spread into an even layer. Before chocolate sets, sprinkle with bacon bits and pumpkin seeds. Freeze bark until top chocolate layer is firm, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- When ready to serve, remove bark from pan using foil overhang before carefully peeling foil away from hardened bark. Cut into pieces using a sharp knife. Serve while still chilled, as bark will become soft at room temperature. Bark may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Drink Pairings
SPICED ALE AND PRETZEL CARAMELS
Ingredients
Serves 40 large caramels
12 oz (355 ml) IPA beer, divided
2 cups (500 ml) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 ml) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
1 cup (250 ml) clear corn syrup
½ tsp (2 ml) cinnamon
⅓ cup (75 ml) broken pretzel sticks or about
40 mini pretzels
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup (250 ml) IPA beer to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until beer has been reduced to 1 tsp (5 ml), about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Grease a 13 x 9-in (33 cm x 23 cm) baking pan with butter and line with two sheets of crisscrossed parchment paper. Alternatively, lightly spray two silicone moulds, each with twenty 1-in (2.5 cm) square cavities, with cooking oil.
- In a 4 quart (4 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together remaining beer, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, whipping cream and corn syrup. Place over medium heat and simmer while stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until mixture reaches 244 F to 246 F (118 C to 119 C) on a candy thermometer, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in beer reduction and cinnamon. Immediately pour into prepared pan or moulds and top with pretzel sticks or mini pretzels. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
- Remove caramel block onto a cutting board that has been lightly greased with vegetable oil and peel off parchment paper. Position pretzel side up and, using a lightly oiled knife, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) squares. If using silicone moulds, simply pop out caramels. Wrap individual caramels in squares of parchment or wax paper. Caramels may be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks
Drink Pairings
PUMPKIN CANNOLI
Ingredients
Serves 20 cannoli
CANNOLI SHELL:
20 round dumpling wrappers
¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, melted
FILLING:
1 cup (250 ml) mascarpone cheese
½ cup (125 ml) ricotta cheese
¾ cup (175 ml) pumpkin purée
¾ cup (175 ml) icing sugar, plus extra if needed
1 tbsp (15 ml) golden or spiced rum
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
6 oz (180 g) dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup (125 ml) pistachios, crushed
Instructions
- To make CANNOLI SHELL: Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of each wonton with a generous layer of butter. Wrap one buttered wonton around a cannoli form and place on a baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with remaining wontons. Bake turning once or twice until golden brown and crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove shells from form and place on a rack to cool. Repeat until all shells are baked. May be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature before use.
- To make FILLING: In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together mascarpone, ricotta, pumpkin purée, icing sugar, rum, nutmeg and vanilla until well combined and smooth. In a medium-sized bowl and mixer fitted with a wire whisk attachment, whip cream until firm peaks form, about 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture. Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- To assemble cannoli, melt chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Dip ends of each wonton shell into chocolate. Dip chocolatecovered ends into crushed pistachios before setting shells on a parchment-lined baking tray, seam side up. Allow chocolate to harden and set in refrigerator for about 15 minutes. Remove shells from baking tray and pipe filling into both ends. Place filled shells back on baking tray and drizzle remaining melted chocolate over cannoli. Set chocolate by refrigerating cannoli another 10 to 15 minutes before serving with a light dusting of icing sugar, if desired.
Drink Pairings
SPIRITED TARTS
Ingredients
Serves 8
LIMONCELLO CURD:
6 large egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon zest
½ cup (125 ml) cold unsalted butter, diced
¼ cup (60 ml) limoncello liqueur
GRANOLA CRUST:
1½ tbsp (21 ml) light brown sugar
1½ tbsp (21 ml) vegetable oil
1½ tbsp (21 ml) liquid clover honey
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ cup (125 ml) toasted hazelnuts
1 cup (125 ml) large-flaked rolled oats
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
MERINGUE GHOSTS:
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) water
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) table salt
⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) cream of tartar
brown gel food colouring, for garnish
Instructions
- To make LIMONCELLO CURD: Fill a medium-sized saucepan with 1½-in (3.5 cm) water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized glass or stainless steel bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and zest and whisk to combine.
- Set bowl with egg mixture over simmering water, making sure bowl does not touch water, and whisk constantly until mixture thickens and coats back of a spoon, about 9 to 11 minutes
- Remove bowl from heat and whisk in butter until blended. Stir in limoncello. Strain curd through fine-meshed sieve set over a bowl. Cover curd with plastic wrap, pressing wrap onto surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in refrigerator until cold. Curd may be made up to 4 days ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use.
- To make GRANOLA CRUST: Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C). Generously grease eight 3-in (8 cm) tartlet moulds before setting on a baking tray. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, stir together brown sugar, oil and honey over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- In a food processor, pulse hazelnuts until coarsely chopped. Add oats and salt, and pulse until finely ground. Add brown sugar mixture and pulse again 4 or 5 times until well combined. Press 2 tbsp (30 ml) mixture into bottom and up sides of each tartlet mold. Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Let granola crusts cool in moulds for 20 minutes. Gently remove crusts from moulds using a thin pairing knife to loosent. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature. May be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- To make MERINGUE GHOSTS: Shortly before serving, bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until soft-ball stage registering 235 F (113 C) on a candy thermometer, about 3 to 5 minutes. As mixture cooks, occasionally wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
- In a large bowl whip together egg whites and salt with an electric mixer until frothy. Add cream of tartar and increase speed to medium, whipping until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. With mixer att medium speed, pour hot sugar syrup in a very thin stream down side of bowl. Once all syrup has been added, increase mixer speed to medium-high and whisk until egg whites are firm and glossy and mixing bowl is cool to the touch, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip 1½-in (3.5 cm) wide.
- To assemble tarts, fill each shell with limoncello curd and smooth to create a flat top. Pipe meringue ghost shapes onto curd. Dip a small paintbrush in brown gel and dot meringue to form eyes and mouth of ghost. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
BRÛLÉE CRANBERRY TART
Ingredients
Serves 8
WALNUT CRUST:
1¼ cups (310 ml) raw walnut halves or walnut pieces
1 cup (250 ml) white rice flour
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
6 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
CRANBERRY FILLING:
12 oz (340 g) fresh cranberries
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
1 tsp (5 ml) orange zest
½ vanilla bean, split in half
½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
SPARKLING CRANBERRIES:
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar, plus extra for coating
½ cup (125 ml) water
1½ cups (375 ml) fresh cranberries
GARNISH:
½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
½ tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract
2 tbsp (30 ml) icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated sugar
orange zest, for garnish
Instructions
- To make WALNUT CRUST: Heat oven to 350 F (180 C). In a food processor, grind walnuts with half the rice flour until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add remaining rice flour and salt and pulse 4 times. In a medium-sized bowl, cream butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon for a couple of minutes until pale and thick. Add nut mixture and stir until dough comes together. If it seems crumbly, add some cold water, 1 tsp (5 ml) at a time, making sure not to exceed 2 tbsp (30 ml) total. Press dough evenly into a 10-in (25 cm) fluted tart pan. Prick bottom of crust with a fork and freeze for 30 minutes or up to several days if desired. Bake chilled tart shell until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool at room temperature on a wire rack.
- To make CRANBERRY FILLING: Place cranberries, sugar, orange juice and zest and vanilla bean in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until cranberries have popped and softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a sieve set over a bowl, use a rubber spatula and press cranberry liquid into bowl. Whisk butter into warm cranberry liquid.
- Place eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk lightly. Slowly whisk a cup of warm cranberry mixture into eggs to temper, then add remaining cranberry mixture and whisk to combine.
- Return cranberry mixture to saucepan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over low heat until just bubbling and thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a non-reactive bowl. Cool to room temperature. If not using right away, cover filling with plastic wrap, pressing wrap onto surface of filling to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate. Filling may be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Pour cooled cranberry filling into prebaked tart shell and smooth top with a spatula. Bake for 10 minutes to set filling. Cool on a wire rack at room temperature. Tart may be stored, lightly covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- To make SPARKLING CRANBERRIES: Place cranberries in a medium-sized bowl.
- In a small saucepan, stir together sugar and water over mediumhigh heat until simmering and sugar has dissolved. Remove saucepan from heat and cool mixture until warm to the touch. Pour over cranberries. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove berries from syrup and place on a wire cooling rack with a piece of parchment paper placed underneath. Spread berries so they are not touching each other and let dry for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Working in batches, roll a handful of berries at a time in extra granulated sugar to coat. Place sugared cranberries on a parchmentlined baking sheet and continue coating remaining berries. Let cranberries dry for two hours at room temperature before using. Cranberries may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. Makes 1½ cups (375 ml).
- To make GARNISH: In a chilled bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla extract and icing sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over top of tart, leaving a ½-in (1.25 cm) border. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Using a blowtorch and holding flame at least ½-in (1 cm) from surface, move flame back and forth over sugar until bubbling and dark amber. Let stand for 5 minutes before dolloping whipped cream in centre of tart and topping with Sparkling Cranberries and curls of orange zest. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
APPLE AND CHEESE ROSE TARTLETS
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 red unpeeled apples, halved, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
¼ cup (50 ml) water
1 sheet, frozen puff pastry, thawed
all-purpose flour, for rolling pastry
½ cup (125 g) plain cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp (60 ml) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
½ cup (125 ml) grated sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Generously grease a muffin tin with butter or cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place apple slices in a bowl. Top with lemon juice and water. Microwave 3 minutes or until apples are slightly softened. Remove apples and pat dry on paper towel. Set aside.
- Lightly dust counter surface with flour. Roll out puff pastry and cut into 4 even-sized strips lengthwise, about 3-in (7.5 cm) wide. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese over pastry. Mix together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle about a tsp (5 ml) over the cream cheese. Sprinkle a bit of cheddar cheese over each strip.
- Arrange apple slices, overlapping pieces over top half of the pastry strip and making sure the rounded part of the apple is sticking out of the top of the pastry. Fold bottom half of the puff pastry up over the bottom of apple slices. Starting from one end, roll up pastry like a rosette, enclosing the apple slices. Place in muffin tins, apple-side up.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Remove from muffin tins and set on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Drink Pairings
APPLE STREUSEL KUCHEN TORTE
Ingredients
Serves 8 to 10
STREUSEL TOPPING:
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) butter, melted
¼ cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
KUCHEN TORTE:
¾ cup (75 ml) soft butter
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ cup (125 ml) milk
1½ cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2 ml) baking soda
½ tsp (2 ml) salt
4 to 5 apples, peeled, cored and sliced, ¼-in (0.5 cm) thick
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- To make STREUSEL TOPPING: Mix together sugar, butter, flour and cinnamon until a crumble mixture forms. Set aside. Makes ¾ cup (175 ml).
- To make KUCHEN TORTE: Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease bottom and sides of a 9-in (23 cm) springform pan with butter and line bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and milk and beat together until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until smooth and blended. Spread batter onto bottom of prepared pan. Arrange apples over batter. Evenly sprinkle Streusel Topping over apples.
- Bake until apples are tender and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Topping should be golden. Remove and cool in pan on a wire rack before running a knife around inside of pan and removing the sides. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.