2 Using the fork, scrape the granita into flaky crystals. Wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer along with six wine glasses. Allow the glasses to chill for about an hour or until they have a lovely frost on them. Fill them with the granita, and serve like a fine wine.
Prairie Pound Cake
Serves 10 to 12
A kaleidoscope of flavors, this cake will be a gourmet experience for everyone. Make certain that the butter is at room temperature so the cake whips right up when you mix it by hand.
2 cups fine yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups sugar
7 eggs
¼ cup whiskey
¼ cup clover honey
1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium-size bowl and set it aside.
2 In a large bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the cornmeal mixture until just blended.
3 Grease a bundt cake pan or disposable tube pan with butter or cooking spray, and pour in the cake batter. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
4 While the cake is baking, add the whiskey to your 1-quart saucepot and place it over high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and stir in the honey. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and chill.
5 When the cake is finished baking, allow it to cool for 10 minutes before inverting it onto your serving platter. Brush on the whiskey honey glaze (yes, use all of it!), cover the cake with tin foil or plastic wrap, and store it on the counter overnight. This cake is best served the second day because the brushed on glaze has time to sink in and infuse the cake with flavor.
Citrus Peach
Upside-Down Cake
Serves 10 to 12
A stunningly beautiful cake, bake it just once to see what I mean. If you can’t find orange blossom honey, substitute any honey you think tastes 1 wonderful or you already have in your crappy little pantry.
3 fresh peaches, halved and pitted (about 1 pound)
2 lemons, zested and juiced
3 limes, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons plus ½ cup orange blossom honey
6 ounces plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch sea salt
¾ cup sugar
4 eggs
Powdered sugar, as needed
Whipped cream, as needed
1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Slice each peach half into four wedges. Place them in your 1-quart stockpot and stir in the lemon juice, lime juice, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 1 tablespoon of butter. Heat this over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the peaches soften slightly and the juices thicken. Set this aside to cool.
2 Line the bottom of a round 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Using your whisk, beat the 6 ounces of butter, sugar, 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of lime zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The butter must be at room temperature to whip up easily. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition before adding the next. Fold in the flour mixture by gently putting your spatula in the center of the bowl and pulling it toward you while scraping the spatula along the bottom. When the spatula breaks the surface of the batter, turn the bowl about an inch, and start again. Each time you pull up and then drop the spatula back into the center, you will fold the flour into the batter. Only do this for about 90 seconds or you will overmix the batter and your cake could turn out tough.
3 Pour the ½ cup of honey evenly over the bottom of the lined cake pan. Arrange the peaches in a single layer over the honey. I usually do mine to resemble a fan that goes in a circle, but make whatever pattern you find attractive. Carefully spoon the cake batter over the peaches, and spread it out evenly, while disturbing the peaches as little as possible.
4 Bake for 15 minutes. Then rotate the cake, reduce the heat to 300°, and continue baking for 1 hour or until the cake is golden brown on top and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
5 Don’t allow the cake to cool for more than 5 minutes or it will not easily release from the pan. Run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a cake platter upside down over the cake pan. Using a towel to hold the hot cake pan, turn it upside down onto the platter.
6 Cut the cake into wedges and serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and a dollop of whipped cream.
My Better Half Groom’s Cake
Serves 8 to 10
Look for organic applesauce and match the apple to the variety used in the sauce. For example, if you find organic applesauce made with gala apples, use gala apple slices. You can “sift” the dry ingredients by sending them through your fine strainer or by whisking them together.
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2½ cups organic applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 apple, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy)
Powdered sugar, as needed
1 Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
2 Use your whisk to whip the room temperature butter and half of the sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add the rest of the sugar and then the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the applesauce and vanilla before folding in the flour and the pecans.
3 Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, and divide the cake batter between the 2 pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
4 While the cake bakes, place the sliced apple and the Calvados into your 8-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Gently stir until the apples are soft and have absorbed the brandy.
5 When finished baking, allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before inverting one pan onto your serving platter. Layer the apple slices on top of this cake round, and then invert the second round onto the layer of apple. Dust the entire cake with powdered sugar by dropping a tablespoon or so into your fine strainer and shaking it over the cake.
Individual Sour Cherry
Tiramisus
Serves 4
Normally making a tiramisu from scratch takes several hours, mainly because of all the time needed for the custard between the cookies to set up. With this version, I make a mousse instead of custard so there’s no set-up time needed, and I love the deconstructed presentation.
1 pound cherries, pitted and halved
1 cup vodka
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 tablespoons sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ cup freshly brewed espresso (or very strong coffee)
16 lady fingers, Italian sponge biscuits
Your favorite bar of chocolate shaved with vegetable peeler
1 In your 12-inch sauté pan, combine the cherries, vodka, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons of sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the cherries to soak for 20 minutes, and then place the pot over medium heat. When it comes to a simmer, use a slotted spoon to scoop the cherries into a medium bowl. Continue reducing the cherry sauce for about 15 minutes until it reaches a thick
syrup, and then remove it from the heat.
2 Fold the mascarpone into the bowl of cherries, and set aside. In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the cherry mascarpone, then fold in the rest, and set it in the refrigerator.
3 In a small bowl, stir 3 tablespoons of sugar into the espresso until it dissolves.
Quickly dip each lady finger into the sweet espresso and set two alongside each other on a dessert plate. Scoop a large dollop of cherry mousse on top, then place two more cookies turned in the opposite direction on the mousse.
Top with a small spoon of mousse. Drizzle the vodka cherry syrup around the dessert, and sprinkle with the chocolate shavings.
Grasshopper Layer Cake
Serves 10 to 12
Butter is what makes a cake tender. This recipe combines the butter with milk, making the cake tender yet able to hold its shape. By melting the butter, this cake batter stirs together in minutes with no elbow grease at all!
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups sugar, plus more for pans
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons more for topping
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure mint extract
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
8 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70% cocoa)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of these dry ingredients, and add the 8 ounces of melted butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix this all together until it is smooth. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and then lightly dust with sugar, and divide the cake batter between the 2 pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes, and turn the cakes out onto cooling racks. Cool for another 20 minutes.
2 While the cakes are cooling, use your whisk to whip the heavy cream, 1½ teaspoons of mint extract, and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Place in the refrigerator.
3 In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the dark chocolate, 2 tablespoons of butter, corn syrup, and remaining ½ teaspoon of mint extract. Microwave for 30 seconds, and then stir. Microwave in 10-second intervals until the chocolate sauce is uniformly melted and smooth.
4 When the cake is completely cool, use a long strand of dental floss (mint is fine in this case!) to cut horizontally through the center of each cake round. Then cut horizontally through each piece again making 4 thin cake disks. Place one disk in the center of your cake platter, and top it evenly with . of the mint whipped cream. Top with another cake disk, . of the whipped cream, a cake disk, the final . of whipped cream, and then the final cake disk. Spread the chocolate sauce over the cake, allowing some to drizzle down the sides. Cut into wedges and be prepared to be amazed at what you’ve created. To present, I do little more than to stand a beautifully layered slice on a plate.
Sweet Cheese
Cranberry Purses
Serves 12
The humble cheese Danish inspired this recipe. I changed the design to resemble a trendy purse and incorporated a vibrant melt-in-yourmouth center.
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons orange zest
¼ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for dusting
15 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup honey
2 sheets (one box) frozen puff pastry thawed
¼ cup heavy cream
1 Preheat the oven to 350°. In your 1-quart saucepot, combine your cranberries, lemon zest, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract, and sugar and place them over medium heat. Cook slowly until the cranberries soften, remove from the heat, and refrigerate.
2 In a small bowl, stir the cream cheese and honey together until smooth. Cut the puff pastry into 3-inch squares. You should get six per sheet. Place the puff pastry squares on your work space and drop a tablespoon of honey cream cheese into the center of each. Now drop a tablespoon of cranberry mixture onto each. Pull up the corners and pinch them together tightly (so they don’t pop open) to create little purses.
Swap It
Instead of tart cranberries, feel free to use blueberries, raspberries, or cherries for the filling.
3 Place the purses 1 inch apart on a baking sheet, brush them with cream, and dust with sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Allow the purses to cool for 8 minutes before serving.
Heavenly Cheesecake
Serves 8 to 10
Most cheesecakes, even good ones, tend to be incredibly dense and heavy. My cheesecake eats like a heavenly cloud because I use mascarpone cheese, which is softer and lighter than commonly used cream cheese.
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup quick cooking oats
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 pinches sea salt
15 ounces Ricotta cheese
1 pound Mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 Preheat the oven to 350° and line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, oats, brown sugar, and salt until moistened. Press into the bottom of the springform pan, packing it tightly with your fingertips so it is even and compacted.
2 In a large bowl combine the ricotta, mas-carpone, sugar, pinch of salt, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth, and then whip in 1 egg and then 1 egg yolk at a time. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the springform pan and place in the oven.
Swap It
If you like, you can substitute cream cheese plus two tablespoons of honey for the mascarpone cheese in this recipe.
3 Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown and set in the middle. As soon as you take it out of the oven, run a knife around the outside of the cheesecake to release it from the side of the pan and set the whole thing in the refrigerator until chilled. Cut into slices. The light decadence of this dessert lends itself well to kiwi, passion fruit, strawberries, grapes, or chocolate. Arrange the fruit in a fanlike pattern over the entire cheesecake for a beautiful table presentation, or over a single slice for individual servings.
Mexican Chocolate Soup
Serves 6 to 8
This recipe began as a warm chocolate pudding with a bit of a kick, but by thinning the pudding I created a lighter version that is ever-so-pleasing to the palate.
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 Ancho chilies, dried
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whipped cream, unsweetened
Red chili powder, for garnish
1 In your 1-quart saucepot, place the milk, sugar, and Ancho chilies over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and soften the chili, and bring to a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
2 Place the chocolates in a large bowl, and pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate. Whisk the milk and chocolate together until the chocolate melts.
3 Add the heavy cream to a heavy-bottom stockpot, and place it over medium heat. When it begins to simmer, slowly whisk in the chocolate mixture, and continue whisking until everything is combined and smooth. Turn the heat down to low, and allow the chili to steep for 8 minutes.
4 Place a fine strainer over another large pot, and carefully strain the chocolate soup to remove any chili stem and seeds. Replace over the l
owest heat until you are ready to serve. Ladle soup into each serving bowl or coffee cup, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and dust lightly with chili powder. Serve immediately or the cream will melt.
Swap It
If you want to tone down the spice, use only one chili. For the kid at heart in all of us, feel free to use marshmallow “croutons” instead of whipped cream to top this souper dessert.
Mike Modano’s
Favorite Cookies
Yield 15 to 20 Cookies
This recipe is very CLK friendly because you don’t need a mixer to cream the butter and sugar, just a little elbow grease. Thank you Chef Jeffery Hobbs for introducing me to the ultimate chocolate chip cookie that you’ve served to Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars.
6 ounces unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 whole egg plus one yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups plus
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cocoa or substitute semi sweet)
1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
1 Preheat oven to 325°. Melt the butter in the microwave but allow it to cool down a bit to keep from melting the chocolate prematurely. Using your whisk, combine the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
2 In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sea salt and baking soda. Add this flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and fold until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and pecan pieces. Be careful not to overmix.
3 Take a ¼ cup measure, and portion out your cookie dough onto a sheet tray, placing each cookie about 3 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the sheet tray around once to bake them evenly. Take them out when they are just golden brown around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on the tray and store whatever cookies are left (they’ll go fast!) in an airtight container.
Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens Page 19