Ambrosia

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Ingredients:

1 Granny Smith apple

1 navel orange

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

4 oz. sour cream

Juice of 1 lime

Preparation:

Peel and core apple then cut into 1/2 inch cubes.  Coat apple pieces well with lime juice.  Set aside.  Peel orange and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.  Whip cream and sugar until stiff peaks form.  Whip sour cream into whipped cream.  Drain apple pieces and pat dry.  Fold the apple, orange, coconut, and almonds into cream mixture.  Chill for at least two hours.

Variation:

You can add maraschino cherries, pineapple or substitute your favorite fruits.

History:

I had an extra apple from a pie recipe and a fresh orange from my tree that needed to be used.  This is what they became.  It's strange that I would like this because I hated coconut as a kid.

Peach Ice Cream

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Ingredients:

2 cups chopped fresh peaches,

    peeled

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg yolks

Preparation:

In a bowl, combine peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon juice.  Purée in a blender.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight. 

In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, heavy cream, milk and vanilla.  Bring just to a boil.  In a bowl, whisk egg yolks.  While whisking, stream in about 1/3 cup of the warm cream mixture until eggs get warmed.  Then stream warm eggs into cream mixture while whisking.  Return cream to heat and stir constantly until it returns to boil.  Mixture will thicken as it returns to a boil.  Remove from heat and strain into a bowl set over ice to chill or just refrigerate several hours or overnight until cold.

Combine peach purée and cream then transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Serving Suggestion:

Does anyone really need a serving suggestion for ice cream?  Well, if you do, here's one.  Grab a spoon and dig in!

Variation:

You can use fresh strawberries or raspberries instead.

Egg Nog Créme Brûlée

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Ingredients:

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup Egg Nog

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

5 egg yolks

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbs. brown sugar, packed

Granulated sugar for surface of custard

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300º.  Have a pot of boiling water ready.  Pour cream and egg nog into a small saucepan and whisk in the cinnamon.  Set over medium-low heat and warm the cream mixture until bubbles form around the edges of the pan and steam begins to rise from the surface (about three minutes).  Remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, salt and sugars.  Slowly pour in the cream mixture, stirring until blended.  Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.  Divide the mixture among four 8-ounce ramekins and place in a large baking pan.  Add boiling water to fill the pan half way up the sides of the ramekins.  Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custards are just set around the edges, with a uniform jiggle (about 35 to 45 minutes).  If ramekins are deep rather than shallow, the longer cooking time may be required.

Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours or up to three days.  Just before serving, sprinkle 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar evenly over the surface of each custard.  Using a kitchen torch according to the manufacturer's instructions, move the flame continuously in small circles over the surface until the sugar melts and lightly browns.  Serve immediately.

Peach Mousse

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Ingredients:

2 very ripe peaches (about 3/4 pound)

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 cup chilled heavy cream

2 large egg whites, room temperature

Pinch of cream of tartar

1/4 cup sugar

Preparation:

In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the peaches for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the skins will peel off easily, plunge them into cold water, and remove the skins. Cut the peaches into chunks, discarding the pits, and purée them with the lemon juice until the mixture is smooth.

Beat the cream until it holds stiff peaks. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are frothy, add the cream of tartar, and beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat in the sugar, a little at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff glossy peaks. Transfer the peach purée to a large bowl, fold in the whipped cream and the meringue, and spoon the mousse into 6 wine-glasses. Freeze the mousse in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator for 1 hour, then transfer it to the refrigerator for 2 hours. Serve it chilled but not hardened.

History:

Recipe comes from Gourmet Magazine.

Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake Pie

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Ingredients:
5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (24 small gingersnaps)

2 Tbs. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 15-oz can solid-pack pumpkin

Preparation:
Make crust by combining the butter, cookie crumbs, 2 Tbs. sugar and 1/8 tsp. salt and pressing evenly on the bottom of a 9 inch pie shell.

Preheat oven to 350°. Place 3/4 cup sugar and cream cheese in mixing bowl and mix until smooth. Add eggs, milk, flour, spices, and salt and mix until just combined.

Reserve 2/3 cup cream cheese mixture in a glass measuring cup. Mix remaining cream cheese mixture with pumpkin. Pour into crumb crust. Stir reserved cream cheese mixture and drizzle decoratively over top of pumpkin mixture then swirl with spoon.

Put pie on baking sheet and bake for 35 to 45 minutes until center is just set. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill, loosely covered with foil.

History:
Gourmet Magazine page 112, November 2006.