Wild Ginger

My mother's father was Swedish - his father from Uppsala and his mother from Lund - and some Swedish traditions survive in my family until today. My favorite (as well as my wife and kids') are Æbleskivers, those lovely little spherical pancakes so enjoyed by Swedes and Danes. You'll need an Æbleskiver pan, a cast iron skillet with little dome like pockets to cook the batter in. Should you not be able to find once easily at your local gourmet shop or via Amazon, try here.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups butter milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 whole eggs, separated
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

2 TB of melted butter, combined with 2 TB of vegetable oil

PREPARATION

• Separate eggs. Beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside.
• In another bowl, beat egg yolks. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, milk, flour, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well. Fold in egg whites.
• Preheat æbleskiner pan over medium-low heat.
• Brush the insides of the wells in the pan liberally with the oil and butter mixture (batter is sticky and you're essentially going to fry it anyway
• Fill each well about three-quarters full of batter
• Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until bottom of ball is nicely browned. Turn balls over and cook until browned. My mom swears that knitting needles are the traditional tool of choice for flipping but I find bamboo skewers or a pair of forks suit the purpose just fine.
• Keep balls warm, covered with a towel on a plate in the oven, about 200°F, until all the pancake balls are cooked. Serve 3 or 4 to a plate, drizzle with your favorit syrup (lingonberry is the traditional choice) or with a bit of powdered sugar.

If you're intimidated by the thought of getting the flipping technique down, try this video for a tutorial.

It is traditional to stick a bit of fruit inside of your aebleskivers. I small prune, a dried cherry or apples are common favorites (my daughter likes chocolate morsels). A good method is to cut a tart apple into small chunks, about sugar cube-size. Place the cubes in a plastic bag. Add 2 TB of sugar and ½ TSP of cardamom. Close top of bag and shake well to coat the apple pieces. Fill the wells with half full with batter and place an apple cube inside right after pouring the batter in.

Whatever you do, don't substitute plain milk for the buttermilk. You can leave out the cardamom, but then.... well, then they'd just be fried little batter balls, now wouldn't they?

Every year, one the Christmas treats we look forward to the most is the small plate of Christmas goodies that my Aunt Sue makes. Sue Zanteson is an amazing cook, an accolade she would quickly shrug off but everyone in her life will affirm. We love the carmels, the cookies... but the big hit is the Almond Roca. I think this is the recipe she uses and it sure is good.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb unsalted butter, cut into chunks, plus more for the pan
3 cups granulated sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
½ tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp light corn syrup
3½ cups coarsely chopped toasted slivered almonds
9 oz 41% milk chocolate, melted

PREPARATION

• Lightly butter a 17-by-12-by-1-inch baking sheet, and line with parchment paper to cover the bottom and all sides. (The butter will anchor the parchment to the pan.)
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sugar, water, lemon juice, and corn syrup and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture boils, stop stirring. Brush down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water.
• Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and cook for 15 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 300°F (150°C). If the mixture threatens to boil over, lower the heat as necessary. (If the liquid is too shallow for the thermometer to measure the temperature, tilt the pot to get an accurate reading.) Resist the temptation to stir; if the caramel is not coloring evenly, swirl the pan from time to time.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 2 cups of the almonds. Quickly spread the caramel in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Spread the chocolate over the top of the caramel, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups almonds. Let the chocolate harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
• Break the roca into irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.

Cherie found this recipe in Gourmet Magazine six or seven years ago and it instantly became a Christmas staple in our house. Make this with Guiness, not another stout, which mixes with the molasses to make a dark and rich cake. The cinnomon, cloves, nutmeg, cardomom and gingerroot give it a holiday spice that evokes images of Christmases over the last millenium. This is a moist, flavorful and wonderful cake.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup molasses
½ tbsp baking soda
3 large eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp ground ginger
1½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1 tbsp grated, peeled fresh gingerroot

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 6-cup Bundt pan.
• In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the stout and molasses and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. Allow to sit until the foam dissipates.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs and both sugars. Whisk in the oil.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom.
• Combine the stout mixture with the egg mixture, then whisk this liquid into the flour mixture, half at a time. Add the fresh ginger and stir to combine.
• Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the top springs back when gently pressed. Do not open the oven until the gingerbread is almost done, or the center may fall slightly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 6 servings.

This is the original Ben & Jerry's® recipe, lifted right out of their recipe book (go buy it!). This could, quite possibley, be the best ice cream ever.

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup coarsely chopped white chocolate
¼ cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate
¼ cup chopped pecan halves
¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
¼ cup halved chocolate-covered almonds
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

PREPARATION

• Combine the coarsely chopped chocolates, pecans, walnuts, and chocolate-covered almonds in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
• Melt the unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Whisk in the milk, a little at a time, and heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt and whisk to blend.
• Pour the chocolate mixture into the cream mixture and blend. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1 to 3 hours, depending on your refrigerator.
• Transfer the cream mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.
• After the ice cream stiffens (about 2 minutes before it is done), add the chocolate and nuts, then continue freezing until the ice cream is ready.

This is another very simple dessert - different and simply elegant. Its a custard with no dairy, just basically eggs and sugar. Classic.

INGREDIENTS
1½ cups sugar
8 egg yolks
grated zest of 2 oranges
1 cup fresh orange juice
orange segments for garnish

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• In a small heavy sacuepan, melt ½ cup sugar and 2 tbsp water over high heat. Swirl pan to melt the sugar. Cook, without stirring, until caramel-colored and fragrant. Do not let it get too dark, or it will taste bitter. Carefully pour caramel into a flan mold or ramekin. Swirl quickly to coat bottom and sides.
• Whisk eggs with remaining sugar in a bowl; add orange zest and juice. Mix well.
• Pour mixture into prepared mold or cups and place them in a baking pan. Pour hot water into pan to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Cover baking pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake 35-40 minutes (or up to an hour if you use a single mold). A knife inserted into the center should come out clean if not, cook 2-3 more minutes and check again. Let custards cool slightly, and then cover with foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled.
• Run a thin knife blade around the edges of the cups - invert onto individual plates and spoon caramel over the top.
• Top with orange segments.

I love candied ginger and candied orange peel. Fortunately, they're pretty easy to make. This recipe works best with really thick orange rind (like the rind on the oranges on my neighbor's tree!).

INGREDIENTS
6 to 8 large, thick-skinned oranges
6 cups sugar
¼ cup Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur

PREPARATION

• Slice the ends off the oranges and discard. Cut the oranges into quarters, then cut off all but 1/2 inch of the pulp, which keeps the peel from becoming bitter as it cooks. Cut the quarters into thin slices.
• Place the orange slices in a 6-quart saucepan and cover with cold water. Over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain off the water and repeat this process with fresh cold water two more times.
• After the third boil, drain the orange slices, rinse them in cold water, and remove any pulp that is still attached. In the saucepan, combine the orange slices, 3 cups of the sugar, and the orange liqueur, and cook over low heat until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly.
• Continue to cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring frequently. Most of the sugar will be absorbed by the peel as it cooks. Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately begin the next step.
• Place the remaining 3 cups sugar on a sheet of waxed paper. Roll spoonfuls of the orange slices in the sugar, separating the slices to coat them completely.
• Transfer the slices onto another sheet of waxed paper and let them air-dry (20 to 30 minutes).
  In a tightly covered container, the peel will keep for 2 to 3 months in the refrigerator.

For an extra added touch of elegance, dip in some melted dark chocolate before serving.

Once I figured out that most ice creams are really just a variant of custard, I thought "why does anyone make custard?", which reveals my prejudices about ice cream, doesn't it? Butter pecan is one of my favorites. I prefer dark brown sugar, but most people will probably to use the lighter brown sugar to keep that more delicate color in their dessert. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS
1½ pecan halves, finely chopped
3 large egg yolks
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
¾ cup light cream
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

PREPARATION

• Place pecans on a cookie sheet and roast them at 350°F for 6 minutes. Turn the sheet once, front to back, for even toasting. Remove baking sheet from the oven when pecans are fragrant, but not blackened.
• Set aside until pecans are cool.
• Whisk egg yolks in a medium heat-safe bowl until pale yellow and set aside.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt butter until it begins to brown and smell nutty, stirring constantly. Add brown sugar and stir until melted. Reduce heat to low, add milk and light cream, and bring to a simmer. Add half the milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk until blended.
• Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the remaining milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. (Be extremely careful not to overheat, as it is easy to curdle egg yolks. Small lumps will quickly develop, and the correct consistency will be ruined. If testing with a candy thermometer, do not heat past 170°F.)
• Strain the batter into a clean, large heat-safe bowl. Stir in heavy cream and vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate the batter until completely cold, preferably overnight.
• Stir the batter gently and freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Add the toasted pecans to the ice cream in the last 5 minutes of churning and let the machine mix them in. Remove the ice cream with a spatula and store in a plastic container in the freezer.

A savory cheesecake? What the...? Its actually quite good and something that so different yet familiar.

INGREDIENTS
For the crust
1 cup finely ground Wheat Thins or other wheat crackers
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the pesto
1 ½ cups packed fresh basil leaves
6 oz. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, reserving 2 tbsp of the oil
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 tbsp pine nuts

For the filling
1 lb mascarpone (available at specialty foods shops and cheese shops)
8 oz. cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
3 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 tbsp all-purpose flour

8 oz sour cream
1 tsp all-purpose flour
sun-dried tomato slices for garnish
basil sprigs for garnish
assorted greens with vinaigrette

PREPARATION
Make the crust:
In a bowl blend together the cracker crumbs, the walnuts, the butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a buttered 10-inch springform pan and bake the crust in the middle of a preheated 325°F. oven for 10 minutes.

Make the pesto:
In a food processor purée the basil, the sun-dried tomatoes with the reserved oil, the garlic, the Parmesan, the pine nuts, salt and pepper to taste until the mixture is smooth.

Make the filling:
In the bowl of an electric mixer blend together the mascarpone, the cream cheese, the eggs, and the flour until the mixture is very smooth.

Pour half the filling into the crust, spoon the pesto over it, spreading the pesto carefully with the back of a spoon, and spread the remaining filling over the pesto. Bake the cheesecake in the middle of a preheated 325°F. oven for 1 hour.

In a bowl blend together the sour cream and the flour, spread the sour cream topping on the cheesecake, and bake the cheesecake for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until it is set. Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a rack and chill it, covered loosely, for at least 3 hours or overnight. Remove the side of the pan, garnish the cheesecake with the sun-dried tomato slices and the basil, and serve it with the greens.

This was appropriated from the venerable Williams Sonoma Complete Entertaining Cookbook by our friends Sameer and Beth for our supper club. To paraphrase Homer Simpson, "Mmmmm.....cobbler."

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds mixed berries
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup granulated sugar, plus 3 tablespoons of the same
2 tbsp corn starch (corn flour)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

Cobbler topping
2 and ¼ cups of unbleached all purpose flour
½ cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 large egg
¾ cup heavy double cream
¼ cup finely minced crystallized ginger
Vanilla bean ice-cream for serving

PREPARATION
Spice Paste

• Combine all spice rub ingredients plus 2 teaspoons in a food processor. Pulse until a smooth paste forms.
• Brush the paste over the ribs, coating them evenly on both sides. The ribs can be cooked now, or, for more intense flavor, cover them loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerator overnight.

Prepare the ribs

• Preheat oven to 375 deg F. Lightly butter a 9X13 inch baking dish.
• In a bowl, combine the berries, lemon juice, ½ cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and ground ginger and toss to coat the berries evenly. Pour the berry mixture into a prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
• To make the topping in a food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda and pulse briefly to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and cream. Pour the egg mixture into the food processor and pulse just until the topping mixture holds together. Remove the blade from the food processor and stir in crystallized ginger.

OR

• To make the topping by hand, in a bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
• Scatter the butter pieces over the top and using a pastry blender or 2 knives cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and cream. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring and tossing with a fork until the topping mixture holds together. Stir in the crystallized ginger.
• Using soup spoon, place dollops of the topping evenly over the berries, leaving a 1 inch border uncovered around the edge of the dish.
• Sprinkle 3 tablespoons granulated sugar over the top. Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake the cobble until the top is golden and the berry filling is bubbling, for about 35 minutes.
• With a large spoon or spatula, scoop out the cobbler onto individual plates and serve. Accompany with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Imagine this on Cheesecake...or pecan or walnut pie....

INGREDIENTS
1½ cups sugar
½ cup water
½ cup bourbon
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter

PREPARATION

• In a dry 3-quart heavy kettle cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden.
• Cook caramel, without stirring, swirling kettle, until deep golden.
• Remove kettle from heat and carefully add water and bourbon down side of kettle (mixture will bubble and steam).
• Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Stir in butter until incorporated and cool sauce to warm.

Butterscotch bourbon sauce may be made 1 week ahead and chilled covered. Reheat sauce to warm before serving.