Cherry Clafouti ~ Bon Appétit!

I’ve never even tasted it, much less baked it but I have seen recipes for cherry clafouti countless times.

As you can see, my blog header has cherries on it so I obviously really like cherries and “red” also.  I had 15 pounds remaining in the freezer and made some more jam with most of it.  Then along came the magazine…

By being on the cover of the June issue of "Bon Appétit," Gwyneth Paltrow has done something few people have done. The Editor-in-Chief says they do it a few times a year with the right person and of course, he/she has to love food to bag the honor.  It’s an interesting article about Gwyneth and her passion for cooking; except, that isn’t really what attracted me to this issue. 

What naturally drew me in was the article with all the recipes for cherries, especially the clafouti.  Since I’ve never made cherry clafouti I wanted to attempt it though, I’m not sure I would make the dessert again ~ there are a plethora of cherry recipes out there!

I used red-tart cherries from a Wisconsin orchard but you can use Bing, Brooks, Early Burlat, Garnet or Rainier cherries.  As it’s close to the season, here’s the recipe that would be good for using fresh cherries, if you favor clafoutis:

Cherry Clafouti

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted or frozen pitted cherries, thawed, drained

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

4 large eggs

½ cup flour

½ cup sugar

¾ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon kosher salt (I used ¼ teaspoon table salt)

Powdered sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter 10” springform cake pan or eight 2/3 or ¾ cup ramekins or custard cups.

Arrange cherries in a single layer in pan.

Combine milk and cream in a small saucepan.

Bring just to a simmer over medium heat.  Set aside.

Combine eggs, flour, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl.

Whisk to blend.

Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture; whisk until custard is smooth.

Pour custard evenly over cherries in pan. 

Bake clafouti until custard is set and top is golden brown, about 45-55 minutes for cake pan or 30 minutes for ramekins.

Let cool 3 minutes, then run a knife around pan sides to loosen clafouti (if using a cake pan).

Dust top with powdered sugar, cut into wedges and serve.

Note:  Clafouti is traditionally made with unpitted cherries for added flavor.  Leave the pits in if you like; just remind your guests!

Bon Appétit!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway!

Snowballs Mom’s Way

These snowballs are like a winter wonderland; they are delectable and you don’t have to do any shoveling!  

 

This is an elegant “heavenly dessert” that Mom prepared for dinner parties during the holidays.  I have no idea how she came upon this recipe ~ I just know I love the result!  They are soooo delicious if you love sweet luscious pineapple, angel flaked coconut and fresh whipped cream.  They look similar to a Hostess Sno Ball, only larger and taste a hundred times better. 

The preparation is a little time consuming; however, the good thing is that they can be assembled a day ahead of time.  The day before serving, crushed pineapple, chopped pecans and powdered sugar are combined, then spread on 3 stacked vanilla wafers and covered with coconut on serving day.  They’re a great “make ahead of time” dessert and scrumptious beyond words! 

Snowballs

Ingredients:

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained

½ pound (2 sticks) butter

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

4 eggs yolks, 4 egg whites

1 cup ground pecans

3 pints whipping cream

Vanilla wafers

Angel flake coconut

1 tablespoon milk

Day before serving:

Drain crushed pineapple.  You have to end up squeezing it in your hands.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add egg yolks, nuts and pineapple.

Beat egg whites till stiff.

Fold egg whites into pineapple mixture.

Put 3 vanilla wafers together with pineapple filling:  place one wafer on plate, cover liberally with filling, stack another wafer on top, cover liberally with filling, place a third wafer on top of the stack.

Place them in a pan and set in refrigerator overnight.

Next day:

Beat whipping cream until stiff.

Put wafer stack on a spatula.

Cover all but bottom with stiffly beaten whipped cream.

Sprinkle with coconut.

Place in refrigerator till serving time.

Pam’s Notes:  This recipe takes 1 ½ boxes of vanilla wafers.   The recipe can easily be halved.  If you wish, the coconut can be tinted for a festive look:  In a baggie, mix 1 tablespoon milk, a couple of drops of red food coloring and 1 package of coconut together.  Let dry overnight.

An amazingly delicious holiday dessert!!!

Be sure to enter my Tate’s Bake Shop giveaway that was posted on December 3^rd!

Also, check out my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and cookbook giveaway!

Mom’s Grasshopper Pie Recipe

Since this is the day for wearing green garb and paying tribute to the Emerald Isle, grasshopper pie is the perfect dessert.  

Do you love grasshopper cocktails?  I am a huge fan of mint and love grasshopper cocktails with that fresh minty intoxicating taste.  However, when I want a little more substance than a drink and to have my mint too, I go for grasshopper pie in a huge way.  This is a retro pie going back to the 1950’s and 60’s. 

Mom used to make grasshopper pies and I would love to follow her tradition; however, mint is not a favorite of Bill’s so that means I have to devour it all.   But surprisingly, a slice or two comes up missing.  I know because I count them! 

GRASSHOPPER PIE

1 chocolate cookie crust

32 large marshmallows or 3 cups miniature marshmallows

½ cup milk

¼ cup crème de menthe

3 tablespoons white crème de cacao

1 ½ cups chilled whipping cream

Few drops green food coloring

1 (12-ounce) bar semi-sweet chocolate OR reserved wafer crumbs.

For pie crust:

1 ½ cups crushed chocolate wafers

¼ cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix crumbs and margarine.  Reserve 3 tablespoons for topping, if desired.

Press remaining mixture firmly against bottom and side of pie plate. 

Bake for 10 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.

For Filling:

Heat marshmallows and milk over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until marshmallows are melted.

Place mixture in a bowl.

Refrigerate until thickened.

Stir in liqueurs.

Beat whipping cream in chilled bowl until stiff. 

Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream.

Fold in food coloring.

Pour into crust.

Sprinkle with reserved wafer crumbs.
Refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.

OPTIONAL:

Just before serving, scrape a knife along chocolate bar to make shavings.

Scatter shavings over pie.

Yum, heavenly satisfying!!!

There was a young lady one fall
Who wore a newspaper dress to a ball.
The dress caught fire
And burned her entire
Front page, sporting section and all.

A man who was dining at Crewe,

Found quite a large mouse in his stew,

Said the waiter, "Don't shout!

And wave it about,

Or the rest will be wanting one too.

There once was a farmer from Leeds

Who swallowed a packet of seeds 

It soon came to pass 

He was covered with grass 

But has all the tomatoes he needs.

                  

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!

French Silk Pie

Who doesn’t love the classic decadent French Silk Pie with its mousse-like filling of luscious, delectable chocolate?  With tomorrow being Valentine’s Day, here is another dessert that is nearly perfect!

I don’t know about you but, pie is my absolute favorite dessert and this pie will make your sweetheart drool!  This French Silk Pie is so easy to make and it will thrill even your most avid chocoholic.  Go for the best quality of chocolate; the better the chocolate, the better the pie. 

With its mounds of chocolate mousse between a great pastry shell and a heavenly layer of whipped cream, you will have him begging for more!  Plus, the shaved chocolate on top makes a pretty presentation. 

It's a powerful chocolate pie and it won't last long!

 

French Silk Pie

Ingredients:

1 baked pie shell

2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate

½ cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 (4-ounce) carton frozen whipped topping

¾ cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Shaved chocolate (optional)

Method:

Place chocolate in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil. 

Reduce heat to low, cook until chocolate melts.  Let chocolate cool.

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer. Until light and fluffy.

Stir in chocolate. 

Add eggs, one at a time, beating 5 minutes after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.

Fold in whipped topping, and spoon mixture into baked shell.

Chill 2 hours.

Beat whipping cream until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form.

Spread whipped cream on pie; garnish with shaved chocolate, if desired.

Ummm, good!  Can’t you just taste it now?

A Delicious, if Unusual, Creamed Corn

Marilyn, my sister-in-law, introduced me to this quirky recipe many years ago.   Sadly, she passed away earlier this year; so this is for you, Marilyn!

Cob of Corn with Water Droplets
John Hay

Corny as it sounds, I love corn, especially fresh on the cob and this is almost as good.  Now, this time of year, I use frozen corn.  It’s a great side dish for a holiday meal and cooks up in a jiffy.  It’s easy to prepare and always a hit.  

It is a bit unusual though in that after the ingredients are combined, it forms a solid frozen clump but, it smoothes out after cooking a while.  So don’t be alarmed when that happens. 

Delicious Unusual Creamed Corn

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. frozen kernel corn

8 oz. whipping cream, NOT WHIPPED!

8 oz. milk

1 t. salt

¼ t. Accent

6 t. sugar

¼ t. cayenne

2 T. melted butter

2 T. flour

Method:

Combine all but last 2 ingredients. 

Bring to boil, simmer 5 minutes.

Blend butter with flour and add to corn.

Mix well and serve.

ENJOY!