The Instant Pot Holiday Cookbook
Page 12
When cooking is complete, turn the valve to the Venting position to release the pressure. Remove the lid and pour the fruit mixture into a large bowl.
TO MAKE THE CAKE
In a medium-size bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, eggs, flour, cocoa powder, corn syrup, and apple juice. Mix well. It will be very thick.
Add the mixture to the fruit mixture and mix well. It will be thick. Fold in the nuts and stir until they are mixed in.
Spray the springform pan with cooking spray. Scoop the batter into the springform pan. It should fill the pan almost to the top.
Position the Instant Pot steam rack in the Instant Pot inner pot and add 1 cup (240 ml) water. Place the springform pan onto the steam rack. Secure the lid, ensuring the valve is turned to the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the time to 60 minutes.
When cooking is complete, turn the valve to the Venting position to release the pressure. Remove the lid when all the pressure is released and carefully remove the springform pan, using kitchen mitts. Put the springform pan on a cooling rack and let it cool completely. Remove the rim of the springform pan and use a spatula to remove the cake from the bottom of pan. It should release easily. When the cake has completely cooled, wrap it in decorative plastic wrap and give to your most special friends!
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BUCKEYES
YIELD: Approximately 40 Balls
HANDS-ON TIME: 15 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 5 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 Minutes
BUTTONS TO USE: Sauté
RELEASE TYPE: None
Perfectly melted chocolate, using the Instant Pot as a double boiler, makes it easy to make this traditional holiday treat. For a memorable gift, pack these luscious Buckeyes in a beautiful tin.
1 ½ cups (385 g) creamy peanut butter
½ cup (115 g) softened butter
1 pound (450 g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups (400 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is well blended. Shape the mixture into 1-inch (3 cm) balls. Set them aside.
Pour 2 cups of water into the Instant Pot inner pot and press the Sauté button to heat up the water. Place 1½ cups (50 g) of the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl that is slightly wider than the opening of the Instant Pot. The bowl should sit on top of the Instant Pot opening, not in the pot.
When the water starts to simmer, set the bowl on top of the Instant Pot opening (you will not be using the lid for this recipe). The chocolate will gradually begin to melt. As the chocolate melts, whisk the mixture to combine the melted chocolate.
As soon as the chocolate melts, press the Cancel button to turn off the sauté function. Carefully remove the bowl, making sure to avoid any excess steam that comes out from under the bowl. Place the bowl on a heatproof surface and whisk in the remaining ½ cup (50 g) of the chocolate chips until they melt, then add the cayenne pepper and blend well. If needed, return the bowl to the top of the Instant Pot and press the Sauté button to heat the water in order to melt any remaining unmelted chocolate.
Use a toothpick to pick up each peanut butter ball and dip it halfway into the chocolate. As you lift the ball out of the chocolate, let the excess drain back into the bowl.
Place the chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to cool. Store the Buckeyes in an airtight container in the refrigerator and package them for gifts.
TIP: Insert the toothpicks at a slight angle to prevent the peanut butter balls from slipping off during the dipping process. As soon as you place the dipped balls onto the cookie sheet to cool, remove the toothpicks
APPLE PIE MOONSHINE
YIELD: 20 Cups (4.75 liters)
HANDS-ON TIME: 5 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 60 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 70 Minutes
BUTTONS TO USE: Sauté and Pressure Cook
RELEASE TYPE: Natural Release
You might make a few new friends when everyone hears that you’re making apple pie moonshine for holiday gifts. Don’t worry—this recipe makes enough moonshine to fill approximately 10 mason jars, so no one will be left out!
1 gallon (3.75 liters) apple cider
1 (12-ounce) (355 ml) can frozen apple juice concentrate
½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
1 cup spiced rum
1 (750 ml) bottle vodka or grain alcohol
Place the apple cider, frozen apple juice concentrate, brown sugar, and the cinnamon sticks in the Instant Pot inner pot. Press the Sauté button to heat the pot. Heat the mixture, stirring it frequently, until the sugar has dissolved. Press Cancel to turn off the sauté function.
Secure the lid, ensuring the valve is turned to the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the time to 60 minutes.
When cooking is complete, let the pot naturally release until the float valve (the pin next to the venting knob) drops down into the lid. Remove the lid when the pressure is completely released.
Remove the cinnamon sticks using tongs. Add the rum and vodka (or grain alcohol) and mix well. Let the moonshine cool before transferring it to canning jars for gifts.
NOTE: The hard alcohol gets added after the pressure-cooking process.
LEMON CURD
YIELD: Approximately 2 Cups (480 ml)
HANDS-ON TIME: 5 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 3 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 15 Minutes
BUTTONS TO USE: Pressure Cook
RELEASE TYPE: Natural Release
This delicious gift can be blended into yogurt or used as a dessert topping. Lemon zest is a crucial ingredient—so don’t skip it! You’ll need an ovenproof glass bowl that fits in your Instant Pot to make the lemon curd. (See “Pot-in-Pot Cooking Method” on page xiv.)
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup (200 g) sugar
½ cup (115 g) softened butter
1 cup (240 ml) fresh lemon juice (using fresh lemon juice is well worth the effort here)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
In an ovenproof glass bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until the mixture is well blended and the eggs have turned a light, pale-yellow color. Add the softened butter and whisk the mixture until the butter is well incorporated.
Add the lemon juice and lemon zest to the bowl and blend it into the mixture. Cover the bowl very tightly with aluminum foil.
Position the Instant Pot steam rack in the Instant Pot inner pot and add 1 cup (240 ml) of water to the pot. Place the covered bowl on top of the steam rack. Secure the lid, ensuring the valve is turned to the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the time to 3 minutes.
When cooking is complete, let the pot sit for 10 minutes, then turn the valve to the Venting to release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and carefully lift out the bowl, using oven mitts.
Remove the foil from the bowl. Whisk the curd until it is smooth. Spoon the curd into jars. Secure the lids and refrigerate the jars until you are ready to give them away.
DULCE DE LECHE
YIELD: 14 Ounces (400 g)
HANDS-ON TIME: 2 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 30 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 45 Minutes
BUTTONS TO USE: Pressure Cook
RELEASE TYPE: Quick Release
Your gift will be the hit of the party when you present a jar of this rich caramel dessert topping. You can also add a heaping spoonful of dulce de leche to an after-dinner cup of joe for a rich, decadent drink. You will need a 16-ounce (475 ml) canning jar for this recipe. (See “Pot-in-Pot Cooking Method” on page xiv.)
1 (14-ounce) (397 g) can sweetened condensed milk
Place the Instant Pot steam rack in the Instant Pot inner pot. Pour the can of sweetened
condensed milk into the canning jar, lightly screw the lid on, and place it on top of the steam rack. Fill the inner pot with water until the water comes up to 1 inch (3 cm) below the top of the canning jar.
Secure the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the valve is turned to the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the time to 30 minutes.
When cooking is complete, turn the valve to the Venting position to release the pressure. Remove the lid and carefully remove the jar using tongs or oven mitts.
Allow the jar to cool to room temperature.
PEPPERMINT BARK
YIELD: Approximately 2 Pounds (900 g)
HANDS-ON TIME: 5 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 Minutes plus 2 hours cooling time
BUTTONS TO USE: Sauté
RELEASE TYPE: None
This rich chocolate brittle topped with crushed candy canes might just be the best food gift of the season. Using the Instant Pot for a double boiler makes melting the chocolate a breeze.
cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) (350 g) bag high- quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 (12-ounce) (350 g) bag high-quality white chocolate chips
4 candy canes, crushed
Line a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Set the baking sheet aside.
Pour 2 cups (480 ml) of water into the Instant Pot inner pot and press the Sauté button to heat up the water. Place 1½ cups (265 g) of the semi-sweet chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl that is slightly wider than the opening to your Instant Pot. The bowl should sit on top of the Instant Pot opening, not in it.
When the water starts to simmer, set the bowl on top of the Instant Pot opening (you will not be using the lid for this recipe). The chocolate will gradually begin to melt. As the chocolate melts, whisk the mixture to combine the melted chocolate.
As soon as the chocolate melts, press the Cancel button to turn off the sauté function. Carefully remove the glass bowl, making sure to avoid any excess steam that comes out from under the bowl. Place the bowl on a heatproof surface and whisk in the remaining ½ cup (85 g) of the chocolate chips until they melt. If needed, return the bowl to the top of the Instant Pot and press the Sauté button to heat the water in order to melt any remaining un-melted chocolate. Add the peppermint extract and blend it in well. Pour the melted chocolate chips onto the prepared baking sheet. Set the sheet aside until the chocolate has mostly set, approximately 10 minutes.
Clean the bowl and add all but ½ cup (85 g) of the white chocolate chips to the bowl. Press the Sauté button to heat up the water in the Instant Pot inner pot. There should still be warm water in the pot, but add an additional cup if needed.
When the water starts to simmer, set the bowl on top of the Instant Pot opening. The white chocolate will gradually begin to melt. As the white chocolate melts, whisk the mixture to combine the melted white chocolate.
As soon as the white chocolate melts, press the Cancel button to turn off the sauté function. Carefully remove the glass bowl, making sure to avoid any excess steam that comes out from under the bowl. Place the bowl on a heatproof surface and whisk in the remaining ½ cup (85 g) of the white chocolate chips until they’ve melted. If needed, return the bowl to the top of the Instant Pot and press the Sauté button to heat the water to melt any remaining un-melted chocolate. Pour the melted white chocolate chips onto the semi-sweet chocolate layer and immediately top the chocolate with the crushed candy canes.
Let the bark sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours until it has fully set. Remove the bark from the baking sheet and break it into pieces. Package the bark for gifts.
HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER
YIELD: Approximately 6 Cups (1.5 liters)
HANDS-ON TIME: 10 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 8 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 Minutes
BUTTONS TO USE: Pressure Cook and Sauté
RELEASE TYPE: Quick Release
Apple butter makes a great topping for nearly everything—toast, ice cream, yogurt, fresh fruit . . . you name it. See how many creative ways your friends use this delicious gift!
5 pounds apples of choice (Yellow Delicious, Granny Smith, and Gala are good choices), peeled, cored, and cut into large slices.
1 cup (240 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Place all the ingredients in the Instant Pot inner pot and stir them well. Secure the lid, ensuring the valve is turned to the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the time to 8 minutes.
When cooking is complete, turn the valve to the Venting position to release the pressure. Press the Cancel button to turn off the pot.
Open the lid and stir the mixture. Press the Sauté button and continue to stir the apple mixture until it has thickened just enough to hold a spoon in a mound. For a finer texture, blend the apple butter with an immersion blender. Press the Cancel button and transfer the apple butter to a bowl. Let it cool in the refrigerator, and then spoon the apple butter into individual jars for gift giving.
SPICED CASHEWS
YIELD: 4 Cups (950 ml)
HANDS-ON TIME: 5 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 Minutes plus 15 minutes in oven
TOTAL TIME: 40 Minutes
BUTTONS TO USE: Sauté and Pressure Cook
RELEASE TYPE: Quick Release
A jar of homemade, spiced cashews is a great alternative to bringing a bottle of wine to a party.
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups (600 g) whole cashews
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
cooking spray
Press the Sauté button to heat the Instant Pot inner pot. When the display reads “Hot,” add the butter. As soon as the butter melts, add the remaining ingredients. Sauté the mixture, stirring it constantly for 2 minutes, until the cashews are well coated. Press Cancel to turn off the sauté function.
Add ¾ cup (120 ml) water to the pot, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Secure the lid, ensuring the valve is turned to the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the time to 10 minutes.
While the cashews are cooking, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
When cooking is complete, turn the valve to the Venting position to release the pressure. Remove the lid and transfer the cashews to the baking sheet using a slotted spoon. Spread the cashews in one layer on the baking sheet and place it in the oven for 15 minutes, turning the sheet once.
Remove the tray from the oven and let the cashews cool completely before packaging them.
HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT
YIELD: 2 Cups
HANDS-ON TIME: 5 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 60 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 120 Minutes
BUTTONS TO USE: Pressure Cook
RELEASE TYPE: Natural Release
Your friends will be amazed when you hand them a beautiful bottle of homemade vanilla, and it couldn’t be easier (or more economical) to make. You will need a 16-ounce (475– ml) heatproof canning jar for this recipe. (See “Pot-in-Pot Cooking Method” on page xiv.)
4 grade B vanilla beans (these can be found online and are less expensive than grade A vanilla beans sold in grocery stores)
2 cups (480 ml) 80-proof vodka
Slice the vanilla beans lengthwise, and then cut each of them in half. Place the vanilla beans in the canning jar and fill it up to the thread lines with vodka. Place the lid on the jar and tighten it.
Position the Instant Pot steam rack in the Instant Pot inn
er pot and add 1 cup (240 ml) of water. Place the canning jar onto the steam rack and secure the lid, ensuring the valve is turned to the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the time to 60 minutes.
When cooking is complete, let the pot sit for another 60 minutes, and then turn the valve to the Venting position to release any additional pressure.
Remove the lid of the pot and carefully remove the canning jar, using tongs or oven mitts. The jar will be very hot. Place the jar on a cooling rack or hot pad and allow it to cool completely.
Transfer the vanilla to decorative bottles, and place one or two of the vanilla beans into each bottle. Store the bottles in a cool, dry place.
MARSHMALLOW FUDGE
YIELD: 36 Pieces
HANDS-ON TIME: 15 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 Minutes
BUTTONS TO USE: Sauté
RELEASE TYPE: None
The marshmallows in this recipe give the fudge a nice lift, and it’s sure to be a hit with the lucky person who receives it as a gift.
2 cups (400 g) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (200 g) milk chocolate chips
1 (14–ounce) (397 g) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups (100 g) mini marshmallows
1 cup (120 g) walnut pieces, salted and toasted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Put semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, butter, and salt into the Instant Pot inner pot. Press the Sauté button and allow the pot to heat up, stirring the mixture occasionally as the pot heats.