Thursday, November 21, 2013

Secret Persimmon Family Recipe You Will Enjoy

It's not so secret anymore! You're going to LOVE this persimmon bar recipe. I have been making it for my family and friends for several years and it's definitely one of my favorites. I'm always wanting to find a way to eat all the persimmons that I am given. I don't have a persimmon tree myself, but I manage to gather these treasures from others who have buckets and buckets of them this time of year.

I like these bars because they are perfect with a cup of tea on a cold and blustery day. Maybe you make them too and will find these moist and nutritious goodies something you will crave every year.




Persimmon Bars with Lemon Glaze

Photo



Bars
3 ripe Fuyu or Hachiya persimmons
1 ½ tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp baking soda
1 ¾ C All purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves


 1 large egg                                                                                         
1 C granulated sugar
½ C Canola oil
½ C. dried apricots chopped
½ c dried plums chopped
1 C chopped walnuts

Glaze
1 C confectioners’ sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13X9 dish knocking out excess flour or use parchment paper in a Pampered chef Bar Pan. Cut off and discard green stem and puree all three persimmons in food a processor until combined. Add lemon juice baking soda and blend well.

Sift together flour, spices and salt in a med size bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together egg, sugar and oil until combined. Add flour mixture alternately to persimmon mixture starting and ending with the flour mixture until combined. Stir in nuts, apricots, and plums. Spread batter onto baking pan and bake until golden and a wooden toothpick comes out clean about 22 minutes.
Stir together all glaze ingredients until smooth and spread over bars while warm.
 Cool on a wire rack and cut crosswise into 8 strips, then lengthwise into fourths, for a total of 32 bars. Bars keep in an airtight container for 3 days.
Enjoy!

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine Dec 2004

I made them and brought them to a holiday party last night. This was a reunion for my friends who I worked with several years ago at Andronicos Cooking School. I was inspired to post this blog today because my friend Rose asked me for a copy of the recipe. Here you go Rose!
 



 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Trick or Treats? I think Treats!

Happy Halloween Sherri Dean AlvarezHalloween is fun. We all love to dress up and spend time with the people we love.
Why not make these lovely witch hat cupcakes?
They are easy and a blast to decorate. Get into the holiday spirit with your kids and make them today.


Brownie Cupcakes
Makes 20 cupcakes



1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup white chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 325ยบF.  Line cupcake tins with paper liners.

Melt butter and chocolate together in a heat proof bowl fitted over a pot of simmering water.

In a bowl, mix together flour and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Stir as little as possible.  Add chocolate mixture, vanilla extract and chopped white chocolate. Mix all ingredients together.

Spoon batter into prepared cupcake tins and fill ½ full only.  Bake 30 minutes or until done.


Chocolate Ganache
Makes about 2 cups
1 cup heavy cream
½ pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon Espresso
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small sauce pan, heat cream to a scald but do not boil.  Shut off heat and melt in chocolate and butter. Once chocolate and butter has been incorporated add espresso and vanilla extract.

ASSEMBLY:  Pour enough ganache to fill the top of each brownie cupcake to the top of the liner.  When cool and almost set – top with chopped nuts, white chocolate curls or Fleur de Sel ( French sea salt).
Or go one step further and take ice cream cones, melt dk chocolate and paint the cones until coated. Decorate with blue sprinkles. Delish!