TROPICAL FRUIT AND ROSEMARY WHITE CHOCOLATE BARS
Ingredients
Serves 42 Bars
2 lbs (1 kg) white chocolate
1 tbsp (15 ml) minced fresh rosemary
¼ tsp (1 ml) sea salt
¼ cup (60 ml) finely diced candied kiwi
¼ cup (60 ml) finely diced candied pineapple
¼ cup (60 ml) finely diced candied papaya
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped slivered almonds
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.
- Stir in rosemary and salt until evenly distributed and salt has dissolved. Transfer chocolate to prepared jelly roll pan and spread out evenly, then top with candied kiwi, pineapple, papaya and almonds.
- 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.
Drink Pairings
WINNING CHOCOLATE ROSEMARY POPCORN
Ingredients
Serves 4
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
½ cup (125 ml) popcorn kernels
½ cup (125 ml) chopped dark chocolate
1 tbsp (15 ml) sea salt flakes
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, place olive oil and 5 sprigs rosemary. Set over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and transfer rosemary to a paper towel-lined plate.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat infused olive oil over medium-high heat. Add popcorn kernels, cover and gently shake pan every 30 seconds until you hear popping. Once popping is constant, gently shake pot back and forth continually over burner. When popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove pan from heat, remove lid and pour popcorn immediately over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Gently melt chocolate in a double boiler. Remove crispy rosemary leaves from stems and coarsely chop.
- Drizzle popcorn with warm melted chocolate; then sprinkle with chopped rosemary and sea salt. Set popcorn aside at room temperature allowing chocolate to harden, about 2 hours.
- Just before serving, break up popcorn and transfer to a serving bowl. Popcorn may be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve.
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
SUMMER ANTIPASTO BOARD
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
1 small green zucchini, thickly sliced on the bias
1 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small wheel brie cheese
1 small log goat’s cheese
10 slices prosciutto
2 fresh apricots, halved and pitted
½ cup (125 ml) mixed olives
¼ cup (60 ml) liquid honey
¼ cup (60 ml) grainy mustard
¼ cup (60 ml) cornichons or small dill pickles
1 baguette, sliced
Instructions
- Grease grill and preheat barbecue to 350 F (180 C). Toss zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on barbecue grill or place in a grill basket. Grill zucchini over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side. Remove and cool.
- Arrange all ingredients on a large platter or wooden board, placing olives, honey, mustard and pickles in small individual bowls.
Drink Pairings
WHITE CHOCOLATE ALMOND MACAROONS
Ingredients
Serves 24 Macaroons
4 oz (125 g) white chocolate, broken into small pieces
2½ cups (625 ml) unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup (125 ml) slivered almonds, finely chopped
¾ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1 ml) sea salt
3 large egg whites
1 oz (30 g) white chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place white chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water. Stir until chocolate is almost melted. Remove bowl with chocolate from simmering water and stir until creamy. Set aside until cooled, but still loose.
- In a large bowl, combine coconut, almonds, sugar and salt. Stir together to blend.
- Beat egg whites with an electric mixer just until foamy. Stir into coconut mixture until blended. Add cooled chocolate and stir until mixed.
- Using a large spoon, shape mixture into 1½ tbsp (22 ml) loosely shaped stacks about 1-in (2.5 cm) apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until macaroons are firm to touch but still a little soft in centres.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and grate remaining chocolate over top of macaroons. Cool on a rack. Store macaroons for up to 3 days in a tightly covered container at room temperature.
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
WHISKY CINNAMON SWIRL CAKE
Ingredients
Serves 10
DOUGH:
½ cup (125 ml) water
2 tbsp (30 ml) bourbon whisky
2 tbsp (30 ml) 2 percent milk
3 tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
2¾ cups (675 ml) all-purpose flour, divided, plus extra for dusting
3 tbsp (45 ml) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) fine sea salt
2¼ tsp (11 ml) instant yeast
1 large egg
FILLING:
3 tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ tbsp (22 ml) ground cinnamon
¼ cup (60 ml) light brown sugar
WHISKY GLAZE:
1 cup (250 ml) icing sugar
⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) fine sea salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) 2 percent milk
1 tbsp (15 ml) bourbon whiskey
¼ tsp (1 ml) vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1 ml) finely grated lemon zest
Instructions
- To make DOUGH: In a small saucepan, stir together water, bourbon, milk and butter over medium heat. Stir until butter has melted and mixture is hot to touch.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups (560 ml) flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Stir in bourbon butter mixture and then egg. Add only enough of reserved ½ cup (125 ml) flour, 2 tbsp (30 ml) at a time, to make a soft dough that gently pulls away from sides of bowl.
- Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make FILLING: Fold butter, cinnamon and brown sugar together in a bowl with a rubber spatula until well combined.
- Grease an 8-in (20 cm) springform pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.
- Roll rested dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 12 x 15-in (30 x 38 cm) rectangle. Spread Filling mixture on top. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut dough into six 2-in (5 cm) wide strips. Loosely roll up 1 strip and place, upright cut-side down, in centre of prepared pan. Taking each additional strip, loosely coil around centre roll, pinching each strip to end of previous one. The dough should not quite fill the whole pan and be loose. Keeping coils loose ensures dough has room to expand as it rises. Cover pan with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm location until doubled in size, about 60 to 90 minutes. While cake is rising, preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Bake cake uncovered for 15 minutes. Then lay a sheet of foil loosely over top to prevent it from becoming too dark, and continue baking another 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed and lightly golden brown. If some coils start to rise out of cake while baking, simply press down with back of a spatula.
- While cake is baking, make WHISKY GLAZE: In a medium bowl, whisk together all glaze ingredients and set aside.
- When cake is done, rest in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing sides of springform pan and transferring to a serving plate. Just before serving, drizzle with Whisky Glaze. Cake is best served the same day it is made but will keep, refrigerated an airtight container or tightly covered for up to 4 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Drink Pairings
WHITE CHOCOLATE, RASPBERRY AND RUM-SOAKED CITRUS SEMIFREDDO
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
1 cup (250 ml) candied citrus (or Christmas cake mix, available at specialty food stores)
½ cup (125 ml) rum or brandy
cooking oil spray
8 oz (250 g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 large egg yolks
¾ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
1¼ cups (300 ml) whipping cream
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
1 cup (250 ml) fresh raspberries
fresh raspberries, for garnish
¼ cup (60 ml) candied citrus, for garnish
CANDIED ORANGE PEEL:
1 large orange
1 cup (250 ml) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) water
Instructions
- In a bowl, macerate candied citrus with rum or brandy. Cover and marinate at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
- To make CANDIED ORANGE PEEL, remove peel in long, wide strips, including an equal thickness of pith. Cut into thin juliennes. Bring water and sugar to a boil, then reduce heat. Add the julienned peel and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, or until peel is soft. Remove and set peel on parchment paper to dry. Reserve infused sugar syrup for other purposes, such as cocktails.
- Spray a 9 x 5-in (2 L) loaf pan with oil and line with plastic wrap with a slight overhang.
- Melt white chocolate in a double boiler, making sure top pan does not touch simmering water. Remove just before it is fully melted and stir until smooth. Set aside.
- Place yolks and sugar in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure bottom of bowl does not touch the water. Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale, thick and creamy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool.
- Combine whipping cream and vanilla extract or vanilla seeds in a chilled bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Drain macerated citrus fruit well, reserving any extra liquid. Save reserved liquid to mix in with the ¼ cup (60 ml) candied orange peel reserved for garnish.
- Gently fold egg yolk mixture into whipped cream, then gently add raspberries and the drained citrus. Pour into loaf pan or mould and seal with plastic wrap. Freeze for 4 to 6 hours or overnight, until well frozen.
- Unmould and cut into slices. Serve on chilled serving plates and garnish with raspberries, candied orange peel or remaining marinated candied citrus.