Vanilla-Caramel Roasted Pineapple
May 15, 2010 at 4:07 pm | Posted in other sweet, sweet things | 12 Comments
Meet my latest addiction– Vanilla-Caramel Roasted Pineapple. Pineapple is delicious and sweet as-is, but cook it in rum and vanilla-infused caramel, and you may not be able to eat it any other way again. The first time I made it, I did just half a recipe, with half a pineapple. How silly! It was gone in a flash, and I had to make it again!
If you can manage to control the urge to eat every last piece with your fingers and then drink the syrup, you might like to know that it makes for a great tart, and it transforms Greek yogurt into something even tastier than my childhood favorite Breyers flavor. It’s a shame I don’t have some vanilla ice cream in the freezer right now, because I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to make an incredible, syrupy pineapple sundae. Don’t even get me started about pineapple pancakes…
The original recipe comes from Pierre Hermé…I’ve made some minor modifications to it below, basically just to make it a bit quicker/easier to cook and a bit more economical. If you don’t have banana or ginger, you could modify it further and leave them out, with no ill-effects, I’m sure. I do recommend roasting the pineapple in quarters, then cutting them into chunks later, as I imagine the smaller pieces could get mushy otherwise.
Vanilla-Caramel Roasted Pineapple
modified from a recipe by Pierre Hermé
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise and cored
120 gr granulated sugar
30 gr (about 1/2) mashed banana
1 vanilla pod, scraped
20 ml (4 t) rum
4 thin slices of fresh ginger
60 mL (1/4 c) cold water
-In a small heavy-bottomed pot, make a dry caramel (no water) by heating the sugar over medium heat. Wait until the caramel is deep amber. If part of the sugar is caramelized while the rest has not melted yet, turn your pot to move the hot spots under the unmelted sugar.
-Meanwhile, split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds. Add the seeds and pod to the caramel along with the ginger slices. Leave 10 seconds, then pour the cold water into the caramel to stop the cooking process (don’t worry if it seizes). Bring it to a boil and cook gently until the caramel is liquid. Remove from the heat and add the rum and mashed banana.
-Leave in the fridge for several hours or overnight to infuse. The syrup will be quite intensely flavored, but will mellow when it cooks and mingles with the pineapple juices.
-Fish out the vanilla pod (save it) and pass the syrup through a fine sieve.
-Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and lay your pineapple quarters in the smallest oven proof dish that will just hold it. Pour the vanilla-caramel sauce over the pineapple, toss in the saved pod, and bake for about 35-40 minutes, turning and basting the pineapple every ten minutes. It is important to check that the caramel remains liquid or else it will burn. If too thick, just add a splash of water.
-When cool, cut the quarters into slices or chunks. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container, submerged in the syrup.
Tuesdays with Dorie: Quick Classic Fruit Tart
May 11, 2010 at 1:01 am | Posted in groups, pies & tarts, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 36 Comments
My “extended spring break” from work is absolutely lovely, but, to tell the truth, my life is losing a bit of structure. All those things that I had planned to do (spring clean the apartment, organize my digital photos into folders that make some sense, finally get a recipe archive on this blog…just to name a few) are just not getting done. I’ll tell you what is getting done, though…catching up on the DVR list (is anyone else addicted to Sarah’s House??), walking around Tribeca (with a stop for something caffeinated at either Kaffe 1668 or RBC Coffee) and taking afternoon catnaps (yes, even after the coffee). Well, I am enjoying it, because I know it won’t last forever, and I do thank the weekly TWD deadline for keeping my baking in check.
What’s up this week? Cristine of Cooking with Cristine chose a Quick Classic Berry (or Fruit) Tart. This is certainly a classic…I think it was the first tart we learned how to put together in cooking school. I’ve made a couple of these custard–type tarts at home in the recent past. The combination of the crisp cookie-ish crust and the cool pastry cream is killer. Really, I hardly need anything more than that, but a little fruit makes it even better. I fiddled with the traditional glazed berry topping a little bit (since berries are still a tad expensive here) and topped it with some vanilla-caramel roasted pineapple. I am going to tell you how I made this pineapple stuff, because it is easy, it is fab and it could dress up a zillion different things…maybe after my afternoon nap!
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read Cooking with Cristine. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
Tuesdays with Dorie: Burnt Sugar Ice Cream
May 4, 2010 at 1:01 am | Posted in groups, ice creams & frozen, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 37 Comments
I suppose because I work in the pastry biz, I’m often put on the spot about my favorite desserts. If I’m asked to name my favorite to eat, that’s such a tough question…often the answer that comes to mind is just the last thing I’ve tried! But if I have to name my favorite to make, that’s easy…ice cream! I love the way one simple base recipe can be switched up a million different ways. I love tempering the eggs and watching as they magically thicken the custard (geeky, right?). And I especially love that first taste of soft-serve right out of the machine! Yeah, so, needless to say, Becky’s pick of Burnt Sugar Ice Cream for TWD made me pretty jazzed up.
What is “burnt sugar?” It’s caramel taken half a step further…deep dark and just smoking. Don’t be afraid to take it to this stage for the best flavor. But do be prepared to move fast with your milk and cream when you reach it, or instead of getting the complex sweetness with a bitter edge that you are after, you will wind up with something that is just plain burned (and a pot that’s hard to clean!). Stand back when you add the milk and cream to the hot caramel…it will bubble and spit (you can minimize that by heating the liquids first), but the fury dies down quickly.
If you’ve given up on making ice cream at home because it turns rock hard as it sits in the freezer, give this one a shot. Because of the caramel, it stays luxuriously soft, creamy and easy to scoop. And the taste– oh momma! It’s perfect in an affogato, prefect for leftover DdL cookie sandwiches and perfect on its own, with just a sprinkling of pink salt.
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read Project Domestication. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
Tuesdays with Dorie: Chockablock Cookies
April 27, 2010 at 1:01 am | Posted in cookies & bars, groups, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 23 Comments
Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet decided on Chockablock Cookies for TWD this week. Why “chockablock?” Because they are loaded with good stuff– dark chocolate, dried fruit (I used cherries) and nuts (cashews here). Oops, I almost forgot to mention the oats, coconut and molasses. Don’t worry, the molasses doesn’t make then seem like spice cookies…it gives them a lovely chew and a brown sugary sweetness.
Usually extra cookie dough winds up in my deep-freeze, and is pulled out when I have nothing else prepped for dessert. But not this time…these guys were gone in a blink. Yeah, they are that good.
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read Popsicles and Sandy Feet. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
The Cake Slice: Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting
April 20, 2010 at 7:30 am | Posted in cakes & tortes, groups, layer cakes, sweet things, the cake slice | 22 Comments
This is the second time I’ve made a banana cake with The Cake Slice Bakers. The two are quite different, but my reaction is the same: bananas make for a darn good cake! The cake itself was so moist and flavorful. I can see it being great with a little cinnamon or espresso powder mixed in, or re-engineered as a snack cake. It’s one I’ll make again, for sure…
…The chocolate frosting, though was a different story. It turned super thick after I added the last addition of powdered sugar. So thick, that I couldn’t spread it. Rather than toss it in the bin, I put it over gentle heat until it just started to soften. Then it was use it or lose it time, so I immediately swiped it on the cake in one pass. I think I did a reasonably good job, all things considered, but can you see how the frosting looks a little dry and crackly? It tasted good, and had quite a fudgy consistency, actually, but I think I’ll go with a tried-and-true chocolate frosting next time and save myself the stress.
Here’s a printable link to the recipe. Or get your hands on a copy of Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott. Cruise through the list of The Cake Slice Bakers to check out all of our banana cakes this month!
Tuesdays with Dorie: Sweet Cream Biscuits
April 20, 2010 at 1:01 am | Posted in biscuits/scones, breakfast things, groups, tuesdays with dorie | 25 Comments
If I’ve learned anything from this week’s TWD, it’s that I make lousy biscuits. Well, let me clear that up…these Sweet Cream Biscuits (chosen by Melissa of Love At First Bite for TWD) tasted good, especially topped with some homemade strawberry-vanilla bean smoosh, but they were not the high, flaky biscuits of my dreams. Overworking must have been the culprit, although after seven years of baking professionally, I like to think that I know when to stop.
But I won’t let you get me down, biscuits. No, no…I will master you yet. You just wait and see.
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read Love At First Bite. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
Apple Waffles
April 14, 2010 at 5:26 pm | Posted in breakfast things, pancakes/waffles | 10 Comments
I am finally starting to see a few leafy green things (look out ramps and asparagus!) at the Greenmarket, but where the heck are the fruity things? Yeah, rhubarb, you may technically be veg, but I’m talking about you. It’s still nothing but the same sad apples I’ve been seeing for the past six months…which of course I bought last week. And because they tasted like apples from six months ago, they sat in the fridge for another week, until a feeling of guilt swept over me and I had to think of ways to use them up.
R’s mum gave us a waffle iron for Christmas. A great present (it makes two at a time!), but I’ve no place to put it in our little kitchen, so it lives in its box in the back of the coat closet. Most of the time it’s out of sight, out of mind, but once in a while I like to pry the iron from its styrofoam protectors and switch-up the pancake routine. Why the heck not make apple waffles?
I didn’t have it so together that morning that I was able to make waffles and saute apples to go on top…instead I simply poured a little cider and a little maple syrup into a sauce pan, and let it reduce for a couple of minutes. Voila…cider-maple syrup atop a golden spiced apple waffle. Perfect for spring– hehe.
Apple Waffles– makes about six 6.5″ round waffles
from a recipe in Waffles: From Morning to Midnight by Dorie Greenspan
Steph’s note: The recipe halves wonderfully if you don’t need six. You can also individually freeze any extra waffles for later breakfasts.
3 T unsalted butter
1 ½ c all-purpose flour
2 t double-acting baking powder
1 t cinnamon
¼ t allspice
pinch of nutmeg
¼ c sugar
¼ c firmly packed light brown sugar
1 ½ c milk
2 large eggs
1 t pure vanilla extract
1 medium-sized apple, peeled and grated
maple syrup, or applesauce, and butter, for serving
-Preheat waffle iron. If you want to hold the waffles until serving time, preheat your oven to 200°F.
-Melt the butter; reserve. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices and sugars (make sure the brown sugar is free of lumps). In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry, whisking until they are just combined. Fold in the grated apple and melted butter.
-Lightly butter or spray the grids of your iron, if needed. Brush or spray the grids again only if subsequent waffles stick.
-Spoon out ½ cup of batter, (or amount recommended by your waffler’s manufacturer) onto the hot iron. Spread it over the grids with a metal spatula or wooden spoon. Close the lid and bake until browned and crisp. They are soft, so you may have to gently peel them off the iron with a fork and spatula.
-Serve immediately with suggested toppings, or keep the finished waffles, in a single layer, on a rack in the preheated oven while you make the rest of the batch.
Tuesdays with Dorie: Swedish Visiting Cake
April 13, 2010 at 8:47 am | Posted in cakes & tortes, groups, simple cakes, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 27 Comments
A couple of years before I got married (when going on vacation with friends was still “allowed”), my friend Fani and I visited Denmark and Norway. We had a great time, but I probably would have added Sweden to the list if I’d known there would be cake!
Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs picked Swedish Visiting Cake for TWD this week. This cake has been calling my name since I got BFMHTY. It comes together so easily by hand…I probably should have just gone ahead and made it ages ago, but no, I waited.
I followed Julia’s lead and swapped out the almond extract for a sprinkling of cardamom. The cardamom, the lemon zest and the almonds on top gave it great flavor. It’s a sturdy little cake but not at all heavy. I was fascinated by the instruction to remove it from the oven while it’s still “damp.” My cake tester was noticeably wet, but the cake really did finish cooking as it cooled.
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan (she also has an apple version here on Serious Eats) or read The Dogs Eat the Crumbs. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
Tuesdays with Dorie: Mocha-Walnut Marbled Bundt Cake
April 6, 2010 at 1:13 am | Posted in bundt cakes, cakes & tortes, groups, simple cakes, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 29 Comments
Two bundts in a row– I am a lucky girl! I made this Mocha-Walnut Marbled Bundt Cake for our Easter dinner. Last week’s Coconut Tea Cake went unadorned, but for this one, I stirred up a quick chocolate sour cream frosting (thinned out with a little coffee leftover from making the cake batter), so my springtime pastel hundreds and thousands would have something to stick to.
Chocolate, coffee and ground walnuts all in one moist cake– what’s not to like? It’s tasty, it’s easy, and I’m glad that Erin of When in Doubt…Leave it at 350 picked it for TWD.
I have jury duty today. Perhaps a little snack-sized piece of this will find its way into my tote…
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read When in Doubt…Leave it at 350. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
Tuesdays with Dorie: Coconut Black Sesame Tea Cake
March 30, 2010 at 5:54 pm | Posted in bundt cakes, cakes & tortes, groups, simple cakes, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 29 Comments
Between the time I wrote this and now, I’ve left my job, gone to Florida and back and gone to Seattle and back. Whew! I just got home last night, hence the delay in posting (and my poor showing in the comments department over the last couple weeks).
I’m really glad that Carmen of Carmen Cooks picked this Coconut Tea cake for TWD— it’s been on my “would someone hurry up and choose it?” list like forever! I couldn’t resist doing one of Dorie’s “playing around” variations, so I added black sesame seeds to mine…I just know that when my husband sees it, he is going to ask me if I baked a cake with fleas!
I also used rum, in addition to vanilla, and toasted, unsweetened coconut (I get this at the healthfood store, and I think it helped to temper the sweetness of the cake…there’s a lot of sugar in the batter, afterall!). I made half the recipe in a six-cup bundt pan, and it was done in 35-40 minutes. This is just the type of cake I love: easy-peasy to make, in bundt form, moist and tastes like coconut! I haven’t tried it with tea yet…that’ll be tomorrow, when I sit down with a cuppa to watch episodes of The Ricky Gervais show on HBO On demand. Yes, I have a lot going on now that I’m not working…
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read Carmen Cooks. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
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