Recipe Thread

[Catty1]

A woman in my walking group told me that butter tarts are unknown in many of the States. I don't like them, but they are a wonderful caramel-raisin treat for many!

This is a recipe called Canadian Butter Tarts from a BBC web page.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1...n-butter-tarts

Recipe from Good Food magazine, July 2003

Ingredients

• 375g pack ready rolled shortcrust pastry (or 375g/13oz homemade)
• 2 large eggs
• 175g light muscovado sugar*
• 100g raisins
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 50g butter, room temperature
• 4 tbsp single cream
• 50g chopped walnuts

* a dark, unrefined brown sugar. Apparently it contains more nurtrients. I think most of us in the Great White North would use brown sugar.

Method

• Preheat the oven to fan 170C/ conventional 190C/gas 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it’s slightly thinner than straight from the pack. Then cut out 18-20 rounds with a 7.5cm fluted cutter, re-rolling the trimmings. Use the rounds to line two deep 12-hole tart tins (not muffin tins). If you only have a regular-sized, 12-hole tart tin you will be able to make a few more slightly shallower tarts.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl and combine with the rest of the ingredients except the walnuts. Tip this mixture into a pan and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until the butter melts, and the mixture bubbles and starts to thicken. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Don’t overcook, and be sure to stir all the time as the mixture can easily burn. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts.
• Spoon the filling into the unbaked tart shells so it’s level with the pastry. Bake for 15-18 minutes until set and pale golden. Leave in the tin to cool for a few minutes before lifting out on to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

[Catty1]

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/tum...n-custard.html



Maple Pumpkin Custard (Gluten-free, dairy-free & low-carb!)
(Serves 6)
1 1/3 c. coconut milk (use light if you prefer)
1 c. pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
1/4 c. grade B maple syrup
1 tsp. stevia powder (or eliminate and increase to 3/4 c. maple syrup)
3 large eggs (room temp)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. clove
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.


2. Heat up water for a hot water bath. [for roaster in oven later on]


3. In a small saucepan, scald coconut milk over low heat.


4. Beat eggs and maple syrup/stevia in small bowl. Slowly whisk into coconut milk in small amounts (or temper egg mixture by adding spoonfuls of coconut milk into small bowl until eggs reach the same temperature as coconut milk. Then add the egg mixture into the saucepan.)


5. Whisk pumpkin, spices, and salt in a small bowl. Add into saucepan and blend well.


6. Pour about 3/4 c. of mixture into ramekins (it should make 6). Place ramekins in a large enough roasting pan and fill pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.


7. Carefully place pan in oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until custard is mostly set but the center still jiggles when shaken.


8. Let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy warm or refrigerated with your choice of toppings (nuts, ginger, coconut ice cream)!

[Karen]

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/tum...n-custard.html



Maple Pumpkin Custard (Gluten-free, dairy-free & low-carb!))!

Now now, not everyone's tummy needs dairy-free gluten free stuff! I wonder if this could be made with actual milk - skim milk, instead of coconut milk ... at least they say you can skip the Stevia by using more syrup!

Thanks, bumping up this thread reminded me - I want to try that Butter Tart Slices recipe - and there's a chance to bring a dessert for next week's church service, and as it is Worldwide Communion Sunday, it would be fun to bring a Canadian dessert!

[Catty1]

Karen, that gluten-free pumpkin whatever recipe was written that way. It did say you could eliminate the Stevia and add more maple syrup. I just might try it!

[cassiesmom]

This isn't a recipe, just a comment. A co-worker introduced me to Honeycrisp apples a few years ago. They're more expensive than other apples but I really like them. A little tart and a little sweet. My mom and dad were at the supermarket over the weekend and bought Sweetie apples, which I think are a fairly new variety. Yummy! So those are now my two favorites- Honeycrisp apples and Sweeties. I don't need honey, peanut butter, caramel apple dip or anything else to go with them. I know I'm getting old because I cut my apples into sections to eat them now instead of just biting in.

[kuhio98]

I'm going to try these Apple Pie Baked Apples when I get home next week. But, ain't no way I'm going to try to make my own pie crust. This girl will make do with store bought. You get Sally's recipe here: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/201...-baked-apples/ I've copied down my version below.

Ingredients:
• Pie crust dough
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon (15ml) warm water
• 5 large, perfectly round apples (I prefer Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon milk
• Caramel sauce for drizzling (optional)

Directions:
Thaw out pie crust in fridge. (My edit)
Make the apple filling: In a very small bowl, mix the cornstarch and warm water together until smooth, creamy, and the cornstarch has disolved. Set aside. Peel and dice 1 apple. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the apple pieces, cornstarch/water mixture, cinnamon, and sugar. Stir constantly for 5 minutes. Switch to low heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and allow to cool off for 20 minutes.

Assemble: Cut chilled pie dough into ¼-inch wide strips with a pizza cutter. I like to chill the strips as I cut out the apples. I suggest putting them on a large cutting board and placing in the fridge. Remember, you always want your pie dough to be COLD.

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Slice off the tops of the 4 remaining apples. Using a spoon (or melon baller), dig out the core. It doesn't have to look perfect. Spoon the prepared apple filling into the cored-out apples. You may have some filling leftover - it's great warmed up over vanilla ice cream. Lay 3-4 strips of the pie dough on top of the apple. Then, working with one new strip at a time, alternate weaving it over and under the dough strips already in place. Repeat until the top of the apple has been covered in this lattice style crust. Using a sharp paring knife, trim excess pie crust around the edges. Repeat with remaining apples and pie dough strips.

Place apples into an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan or pie dish-- really any size baking pan works. In a small dish, whisk the egg and milk together. Lightly brush the tops with egg wash. I sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon on top of the egg wash before going into the oven- this is optional. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbly.

If desired, drizzle each with caramel. We ate ours with a knife and fork and vanilla ice cream on the side. These apples are best enjoyed immediately. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

[cassiesmom]

I was at a meeting one day last week and lunch was served. Part of it was spinach salad with dried cranberries, almonds and Gorgonzola cheese. The dressing was a vinaigrette. I love spinach salad but this was a bit odd. The stems were still on the spinach leaves - I always cut the stems off with scissors or a knife before I wash the leaves. But these were still on, so I just cut them off with my plastic knife and fork as I ate the salad. Does it matter? My niece sometimes puts a handful of spinach leaves into scrambled eggs and she said she trims off the stems if they're really long. I ended up cutting the spinach leaves anyway because I didn't want to be cramming salad into my mouth in front of all the people at the meeting. I don't like cooked spinach but I do like it in salad.


Thanks,
Elyse