Tricks for a Perfect Creme Anglaise

I love the custard sauce that is served with almost every English pudding. It is called Creme Anglaise which of course means English cream.

I had a Christmas pudding which I wanted to steam and eat with the creme Anglaise. Yesterday was the day I finally did it. The pudding needed to be steamed for an hour.

I found a recipe on BBC which I thought would be a good choice for the sauce. I had to find a site online to convert the measurements but it was worth it.

I used 4 egg yokes with 1/3 cup of sugar and a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and beat it together with a whisk. In the meantime I took the cup of heavy cream and brought it to the point of a boil. Of course the recipe called for double cream which in my opinion is even heavier than our heavy cream.

Now comes the tricky part. Not turning the eggs into scrambled eggs. The cream has to be very slowly incorporated into the egg mixture. Once it is all together it needs to go back on low heat until the mixture thickens up just enough to coat the back of a spoon.

It really has a delightful taste and was just perfect with the Christmas pudding. An I was so busy trying not to end up with scrambled eggs that I didn't take pictures. I am going to make it again and will try to get pictures, lol but no promises.

The Little Potato Company Garlic Parsley

As I was walking in the veggie department at Tri Town Foods in Portland I saw this cardboard package. It had a picture of little potatoes on the front. Since I love roasted veggies I was drawn to this box. It is a microwave product, I was intrigued. 

You remove the cardboard cover and the season pack and cook in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. You then let it sit for 2 minutes. Remove the plastic film and apply the season pack. I also added two tablespoons of butter. 

I give it 4 stars, it was delicious. I served it with baked pork chops and applesauce. We would definitely eat it again, the only drawback is the cost which was $4.39.  Actually since it is four servings it is not that bad, not much different than Simply Mashed Potatoes.

Wine and Goat Cheese are Made for Each Other

Goat cheese is an under-appreciated cheese in the United States. Goat cheese is a little tangier than cow's milk cheese and can bring any cheese spread up a notch. When it comes to pairing goat cheese and wine, there are several varieties that are easy to find and are perfect for livening up any wine and cheese party that you might be planning. Wine and goat cheese are made for each other.

I have to admit that when it comes to cheese, I love to shop at Whole Foods. The staff is knowledgeable and will always allow you to sample anything you are planning to buy. Go in and experiment, try a few goat cheese varieties to find the ones that fit your personal taste.

Like any good cow's milk cheese, goat's milk cheeses come in a variety of forms. They can be fresh or aged, crumbly or soft, strong-flavored or very subtle. Here are a few choices to satisfy any pallet.

Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove has a blue vein running through it. It is a pasteurized goat cheese and has a very creamy texture. It is an aged cheese that comes in a wheel and has a crust. It is a cheese that is great for spreading on a cracker or slicing into a salad where you want a lot of flavor. It is pungent and tangy. Pair this cheese with some fresh seasonal fruit and white wine. A nice choice in a crisp white wine would be a 2009 Riesling from Seven Hills Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington State. It has a fruity flavor with a touch of honey that is a good match for the tang of the Humboldt Fog cheese.

Capricho de Cabra is a fresh goat cheese from the Murcia region of Spain. It has a very creamy texture and a subtle taste. It hasn't been aged so there is no rind. It has a richness that can be attributed to the higher fat content. Because it has a lighter more delicate taste it needs to be paired with a wine that will not overpower it.

One nice choice in a red wine is a Pinot Noir from Monterey California. The 2006 Loredona Pinot Noir is an excellent choice to pair with this light Spanish cheese. The bottle of wine is inexpensive at $18.95.  According to Natalie MacLean of Nat Decants "The Loredona ("lady flower") shows classic Pinot Noir aromas, including cherry, cedar, plum, and earth. A fine choice. My note: A beguiling and silky pinot with lovely layers of ripe cherries and some cinnamon."

Rond du Cher is a French goat cheese that has been pasteurized. It has a fine ash coating. This is a dense cheese that has a nutty flavor as well as a complex combination of fruity notes. A little goes a long way with this delicious cheese.

It is strong enough to stand up to just about any wine but an Australian Shiraz. Yalumba Vineyard has a 150-year history of producing fine wines and they have several vintages of their Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon, which have the perfect combination of chocolaty overtones and subtle hazelnut flavor, the 2005 is especially well suited.

The combination of goat cheese and wine is a natural one. Combined with fresh fruits and crackers it makes the perfect beginning or end to any meal or party table.

My Favorite Snickerdoodles

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One of the most universally loved cookies in the world is the snickerdoodle. It is also delicious and very easy to make which may be part of the reason it is so well loved. The origin of the name is shrouded in the mysterious veil of time. 

Roll the batter into small balls and dip in the sugar and cinnamon mixture and place on a cookie sheet or stone. Try to keep the cookies about the same size so that they will all bake to the same doneness.

It may have either Dutch or German origin but it may just as easily just be a silly New England name. It lends itself very well to making large batches of cookies and is a Christmas plate staple in many families.

You will need:

• 2 sticks of butter or 1 stick of butter and 1 stick of butter flavored shortening
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

To roll the cookies in:

• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and blend with your electric mixer. There is really no difference in the taste or texture of the cookie if you substitute butter flavored Crisco for half of the butter. Add the eggs one at a time alternating with the dry ingredients. Beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.

Mix the 2 tablespoons white sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and place in a small bowl. 

When the batter has cooled, turn the oven on to 400 degrees. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven. 



Bake in oven for eight to ten minutes. When making then last week I found with my oven 12 minutes was ideal. If you want crisp cookies let them cool on the sheet, if you want softer cookies move the cookies to a cooling rack.



This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies. This recipe doubles or triples easily. I never vary it because it is perfect the way that it is. Why mess with perfection? You could however use colored sugar to roll the cookies in for a festive touch. This is a great recipe to let the children help with. They really love rolling the balls of dough in the sugar.
 
If you want to make up gift bags to give away just double or triple the recipe.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese frosting is a staple of most baker’s repertoire. You can’t have carrot and banana cake or pumpkin bars without cream cheese frosting. It is simple and luscious and a great compliment for just about any cake you can bake. Here is the most basic of frosting recipes and some quick variations.

1 stick of butter

8 ounces of cream cheese (don’t use low or not fat versions in this recipe)

2 cups confectionery sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter and the cream cheese in a large bowl. Using your electric mixer beat until smooth. Slowly add the sugar and the vanilla. Spread on your favorite cupcake, cake, bar or muffin and enjoy.

You can change the taste by replacing the vanilla extract with almond extract, mint extract or rum extract. Replace the vanilla with 2 teaspoons of very strong coffee. If you want mocha add a couple of tablespoons of cocoa powder with the coffee.

You can change the look by adding a couple of drops of food coloring to match any color you prefer. Sprinkle your baked goods with shots, dots, jimmies or red hots. You will think of a hundred ways to make this recipe your own.

When you need a quick and easy frosting to slather on your favorite cake or bar there is nothing that is better than this decadent and luscious choice. You may want to keep a small container stashed in the fridge so that you can bring those store bought brownies up to gourmet standards.

No Bake Christmas Treat: Peanut Butter Munchies

Peanut butter munchies are a very simple treat but the taste is amazing. They can be made very pretty with whatever you decide to roll them in. This recipe also came from Deb Brown.

2 cups sifted confectionery sugar

1¼ cup crunchy peanut butter (Skippy preferred)

¼ cup stick margarine

Dash of salt

2 cups Rice Krispies

A bar of semi-sweet or sweetened Barkers chocolate or a bag of milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet Ghirardelli chocolate chips

Just about any chocolate that will melt can be used in this recipe and even butterscotch chips make a different but very interesting taste.

Mix the first 4 ingredients with an electric mixer, add Rice Krispies and fold in.  Melt the chocolate. Form mixture into one inch balls and dip in melted chocolate. The balls can then be rolled in coconut, jimmies, chopped peanuts or colored sugar or nothing at all. Place on a piece of parchment paper until the chocolate hardens. 

These can be refrigerated for several weeks or they freeze well.