STRAWBERRY MARGARITA CAKE
Ingredients
Serves 10
CAKE:
1¾ cups (425 ml) cake and pastry flour
1½ tsp (7 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2 ml) baking soda
½ tsp (2 ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
1 lime, zest only, finely grated
¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
¼ cup (60 ml) milk
⅓ cup (75 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
2 oz + 1 oz (60 ml + 30 ml) white tequila, divided
1 ½ oz (45 ml) orange-flavoured liqueur, such as Triple Sec or Grand Marnier, divided
⅓ cup (75 ml) seedless strawberry jam
COCONUT WHIPPED TOPPING:
2 x 14 oz (398 ml) cans full-fat coconut milk, chilled in refrigerator overnight
3 tbsp (45 ml) icing sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 lime, thinly sliced into rounds, for garnish
1½ cup (375 ml) fresh strawberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Lightly grease a 10-in (25 cm) spring-form pan and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together sugar and lime zest until blended and very fragrant, about 1 minute. Beat in butter until mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then beat in oil and vanilla. Gradually add reserved dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir together until just incorporated. Gradually incorporate milk into batter before adding lime juice, 2 oz (60 ml) tequila, and 1 oz (30 ml) orange liqueur. Mix until batter is uniform and smooth.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- While cake is baking, whisk together remaining 1 oz (30 ml) tequila, ½ oz (15 ml) orange liqueur and strawberry jam.
- When cake is done, remove from oven and place on a rack. Using a skewer or fork, pierce several dozen holes into the top of cake. Slowly pour strawberry mixture evenly over top of cake, allowing it to absorb as you go. Cool cake in spring-form pan to room temperature.
- While cake is cooling, make COCONUT WHIPPED TOPPING: Without shaking, take chilled cans of coconut milk and open them carefully. Pour out as much liquid as possible into a small bowl or container, reserving coconut cream. Save coconut liquid for another use. Place thick, white coconut cream into a large bowl and beat for 1 minute using a hand beater, or in bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Add sugar and continue whipping coconut cream on high until it has increased in volume and forms soft peaks, about 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla and refrigerate Coconut Whipped Topping for 10 minutes before using.
- Once cake is completely cooled, remove from spring-form pan and carefully transfer to a serving platter. Spread top of cake with Coconut Whipped Topping and decorate with lime slices and fresh strawberries. Serve immediately or refrigerate cake up to 6 hours. Then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Drink Pairings
WHITE CHOCOLATE AND PEPPERMINT-DIPPED COOKIES
Ingredients
Serves about 20 to 24 cookies
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (375 ml) white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ tsp (2 ml) peppermint extract
2 ¼ cups (532 ml) all purpose flour
½ tsp (2 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2 ml) kosher salt
1 cup (250 ml) white chocolate
3 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts. Mix until combined.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined. Scoop mixture with a tablespoon and roll into balls. Place balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for about 5 minutes. Rotate the sheet and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges. Remove from oven and cool.
- Melt white chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. Dip half of each cookie in white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Place each cookie on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and let sit until chocolate has set.
Drink Pairings
SUGAR-COATED LEMON FRITAS
Ingredients
Serves 24
FRITAS:
2½ tsp (8 g package) traditional dry yeast
⅔ cup (150 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
3½ cups (875 ml) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (75 ml) granulated sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 lemon, zest only
2 tsp (10 ml) kosher salt
7 tbsp (105 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
canola oil, for deep fryer
LEMON CREAM FILLING:
¾ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp (30 ml) original plain cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 generous pinch kosher salt
LEMON SUGAR COATING:
Instructions
- For Fritas dough, in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir yeast and milk together. Let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add flour, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and salt. Mix on low speed just until ingredients are blended. Remove paddle and attach dough hook. Mix dough until it begins to pull away from sides of bowl. Blend in butter, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, until fully mixed in and dough is soft. About 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap. Tightly seal and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Meanwhile, prepare LEMON CREAM FILLING: Combine all ingredients in a food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse until mixture is smooth and no lumps remain. Transfer to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Temperature should be about 170 F (75 C). Remove from heat. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto surface and refrigerate until cold.
- To make FRITAS: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, spray with cooking oil. Roll out refrigerated dough on a generously floured countertop to about ½-in (1.25 cm) thickness. Cut dough into rounds using a 1½-in (3.75 cm) round cutter. Place 1-in (2.5 cm) apart on parchmentlined baking sheets. Gather up scraps, knead gently together, roll and repeat until all dough has been used. Spray some plastic wrap with cooking spray and place oiled side down gently over dough. Place baking sheets aside in a warm place until dough is slightly puffed, about 1 hour.
- To make LEMON SUGAR COATING: Stir together sugar and zest in a bowl. Set aside.
- To cook, fill a deep fryer with canola oil and heat until it reaches 350 F (180 C) on a deep fryer thermometer. Line another baking sheet with paper towel. Add Fritas to hot oil 2 or 3 at a time. (Adding too many will reduce oil temperature too quickly.) Fry until puffed and golden brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes, turning a couple of times with a slotted spoon, then remove to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining Fritas. When cool enough to handle, toss with Lemon Sugar Coating and set aside to fully cool before filling.
- To fill Fritas, whisk lemon cream to loosen. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a very small tip. Poking a hole in each Frita, pipe 2 tsp (10 ml) into centre of each. Fritas are best when served same day they are made.
Drink Pairings
VANILLA BEAN PANNA COTTA WITH BOURBON PEACHES
Ingredients
Serves 6
6 sheets gelatin
2 cups (500 ml) half and half cream
2 cups (500 ml) cold whipping cream
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) Madagascar vanilla paste or 2 vanilla pods, seeds scraped
1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter
2 fresh peaches, peeled, stone removed and each cut into 12 thin slices
2 tbsp (30 ml) raw brown sugar
2 to 3 oz (60 to 90 ml) bourbon
1 cup (250 ml) crumbled Amaretti cookies
½ cup (125 ml) fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Place gelatin sheets in a shallow bowl of cold water. Set aside for a few minutes to soften and allow to bloom.
- In a medium-sized saucepan combine half and half cream, granulated sugar and vanilla paste or seeds. Bring to a slow simmer over medium heat. Using your hands, squeeze out excess water from gelatin sheets and add to half and half cream. Raise heat to mediumhigh and cook, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved completely.
- Remove saucepan from heat and strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a large bowl. Slowly stir in ice cold whipping cream using a spoon. Then pour into 6 individual serving glasses. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
- When panna cotta has set and you’re ready to serve, melt butter in large frying pan. Add sliced peaches and cook until pale golden on one side. Then flip slices and add sugar. Toss over medium heat until sugar is melted. Carefully add bourbon as it will flare up. Remove pan from heat allowing flame to burn out. Cool briefly.
- Sprinkle crumbled cookies onto panna cotta and spoon peaches in bourbon sauce over top. Garnish with a few raspberries and serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
WINE-BRAISED PLUMS WITH YOGURT
Ingredients
Serves 6
½ cup (125 ml) each white wine and water
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
2 x ½-in (5 x 1.25 cm) piece of lemon zest
2 x ½-in (5 x 1.25 cm) piece of orange zest
1 lb (500 ml) freestone plums, halved, pitted, cut into wedges
3 cups (750 ml) thick plain Greek yogurt
½ cup (125 ml) hazelnuts or almonds, toasted and chopped
½ cup (125 ml) granola
Instructions
- Combine wine, water, sugar, salt, vanilla seeds and citrus zest in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add plums and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook plums for 3 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until plums have softened slightly. Remove saucepan from heat and set plums in syrup. Best refrigerated overnight to enhance flavour, but can be served right away.
- To serve, place ½ cup (125 ml) yogurt into serving dish. Drain plums and ladle on top. Garnish with nuts and granola.
Drink Pairings
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE PARFAITS
Ingredients
Serves 8
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
¼ cup + 2 tbsp (60 ml + 30 ml) berry sugar, divided
½ cup (125 ml) full fat plain Greek yogurt
1 lemon, zest only
4 cups (1 L) fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 tbsp (15 ml) Chambord raspberry liqueur, optional
¼ tsp (1 ml) cinnamon
8 shortbread cookies, crushed
8 small perfect strawberries, 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 ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar until firm peaks form. Fold in yogurt and lemon zest. Transfer to a piping bag filled with a 1A piping tip and refrigerate while preparing strawberries.
- Place half the strawberries in a large bowl. Crush with a fork or a pastry blender until mashed. Add remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar, liqueur and cinnamon and stir in to blend. Very finely dice remaining strawberries and fold into mashed berries.
- To assemble, line up 8 x 6 oz (175 ml) glasses. Place a crushed shortbread cookie in the bottom of each glass reserving a few crumbs for garnish. Pipe about 2 tbsp (30 ml) cream on top of shortbread crumbs followed by a layer of crushed strawberry mixture. Repeat with another layer of cream and strawberries and ending with piped cream. Dust with shortbread crumbs and garnish with a berry. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best served the same day.
Drink Pairings
WHISKY CHOCOLATE CAKES WITH HONEY WHISKY ICE CREAM
Ingredients
Serves 8
HONEY WHISKY ICE CREAM:
2 cups (500 ml) whipping cream, divided
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
6 large egg yolks
⅓ cup (75 ml) clover honey
1 tbsp (15 ml) single malt Irish whiskey
CAKES:
4 oz (125 g) dried, pitted prunes
3 tbsp (45 ml) single malt Irish whiskey
½ lb (250 g) 70 percent dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
¼ tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt
5 large eggs
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 ml) ground almonds
3 tbsp (45 ml) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- To make ice cream, prepare a large ice bath with ice and water. Nestle an empty bowl in ice water bath to thoroughly chill. Add 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream to chilled bowl and set it and the ice water bath aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together remaining 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream, milk, salt and vanilla bean seeds over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, to make ice cream custard base, in large bowl, whisk egg yolks and honey until thick and light in colour. While whisking constantly, slowly pour warmed cream mixture into egg yolk mixture. Transfer mixture back to saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, with a heatproof spatula over medium heat. Custard base is ready when it starts to steam and coat spatula. It will register about 170 F (77 C) on a thermometer. Remove saucepan from heat and strain custard through a finemeshed sieve set over chilled cream nestled in ice water bath. Stir both together until cooled. Remove bowl from ice bath, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- To freeze ice cream, stir whiskey into custard before pouring into ice cream maker and freezing according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container, cover and freeze for up to 1 week.
- To make CAKES: Soak prunes with whiskey for 2 hours, up to overnight, in a bowl. Drain, finely chop and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Generously grease 8 x ¾ cup (175 ml) ramekins or metal panna cotta moulds with butter and set aside.
- Place chocolate, butter and salt in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure bottom of bowl does not touch water. Stir occasionally until butter and chocolate has melted and are well combined. Remove bowl from saucepan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until thickened. Using a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate mixture, ground almonds and prunes. Divide mixture among ramekins, place on a baking sheet and bake until centre of cakes spring back when lightly pressed about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
- To serve, run a small knife around cakes to loosen. Place a serving plate on top of 1 cake and invert onto plate. Repeat with remaining cakes. Top with a scoop of Honey Whisky Ice Cream and serve immediately.
Drink Pairings
TARTE AU SUCRE (CANADIAN MAPLE SUGAR PIE)
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
TART SHELL:
1½ cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (175 ml) butter, chilled and small diced
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
¼ cup ice water
MAPLE SUGAR FILLING:
1½ cups (375 ml) pure maple syrup
½ cup (125 g) butter
½ cup (125 ml) 35 percent heavy cream
2 tsp (10 ml) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
2 large eggs, well beaten
Instructions
- To make TART SHELL: In a food processor, pulse flour and chilled butter. until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in water, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Flatten to a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Roll dough out to fit a 9-in (22.5 cm) pie plate with a slight overhang. Trim and fold in overhang and crimp edge of pastry. Place in refrigerator until ready to fill.
- To make MAPLE SUGAR FILLING: Preheat oven to 325F (165 C). Heat a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring maple syrup to a gentle boil, reducing the heat if necessary, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and cream until combined. Transfer ½ cup (125 ml) of mixture to a small bowl and whisk in flour and salt. Add flour mixture back into the saucepan and continue whisking, allowing to cool slightly. While whisking, slowly pour into the beaten eggs until well mixed.
- Pour filling into chilled pie shell and bake in middle of oven, until centre is golden brown, bubbly and firm when lightly touched, about 45 minutes. Pie can be served slightly warm and garnished with sweetened whipped cream.
Drink Pairings
THE NEW ÉCLAIRS
Ingredients
Serves 24
1 x Basic Choux Pastry (make ahead, see BASIC CHOUX PASTRY RECIPE)
GLAZE:
10 oz (300 g) Fondant
food colouring, colour and quantity as needed
ÉCLAIR FILLING:
3 large eggs
⅓ cup (75 ml) granulated sugar
Pistachio, Raspberry or Lemon Flavouring
6 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
PISTACHIO FLAVOURING:
⅓ cup (75 ml) pistachio paste
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla
RASPBERRY FLAVOURING:
3 oz (90 g) raspberries, puréed and strained
1 tsp (5 ml) almond extract
LEMON FLAVOURING:
½ cup (125 ml) strained lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) ginger syrup
Instructions
- Prepare BASIC CHOUX PASTRY as per Master Recipe up to step 4. Place dough in a pastry bag fitted with a ½-in (1.25 cm) plain tip (or Wilton 4B1 tip that will produce ridged éclairs). Pipe éclairs 4-in (10 cm) in length directly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To help with size, draw stencils on parchment and place, drawn-side down, on baking sheet. Bake éclairs for 15 minutes or until well puffed and golden, then lower oven to 325 F (170 C) and continue to bake another 30 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely on baking sheet. Will keep for 2 to 3 days in refrigerator in a covered container.
- Prepare ÉCLAIR FILLING: In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, whisk together eggs and sugar until light in colour.
- Depending on flavour preference, add one of either pistachio paste, strained raspberry purée or strained lemon juice to the saucepan. Add cut butter and whisk constantly until butter is melted and mixture is thick. Simmer gently for a few seconds. Pour into a fine meshed sieve set over a bowl. Then, for pistachio flavouring stir in vanilla, for raspberry stir in almond extract, and for lemon stir in ginger syrup. Cover with plastic wrap pressed into surface of filling to prevent skin from forming, and refrigerate to thicken.
- Pierce bottom of éclairs in 2 or 3 places and fill with desired prepared filling using a piping bag.
- To make GLAZE: Heat 10 oz (300 g) fondant in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat just until melted. Stir in food colouring, as desired. Dip éclair tops into fondant, removing excess. Alternately, buy coloured fondant and roll out into a thin sheet. Cut size to fit éclairs and press down to adhere.
- Decorate as desired.
Drink Pairings
STRAWBERRY ALMOND WHITE CHOCOLATE BARS
Ingredients
Serves 42 Bars
2 lbs (1 kg) white chocolate
½ cup (125 ml) freeze-dried sliced strawberries
⅓ cup (75 ml) dried apricots, cut into slivers
⅓ cup (75 ml) unblanched sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Instructions
- Lightly oil a 10 x 15-in (20 x 38 cm) jelly roll pan and line with plastic wrap with edges extending over sides of pan.
- To make bars, coarsely chop white chocolate and place in a double boiler or a large bowl over simmering water. Stir gently as it begins to melt. Remove from heat just before fully melted and continue stirring until smooth.
- Spread plain white melted chocolate out evenly on prepared jelly roll pan, then top with strawberries, apricots and sliced almonds. Gently press into melted chocolate.
- Set bars aside for a couple of hours to slightly firm. Then score the surface into bars before refrigerating for several hours until fully firm.
- Separate into bars and store in a tightly covered container in a cool place until ready to serve.