Monday, November 26, 2012

thanksgiving thanksgiving thanksgiving

a night full of laughs and great food, to give thanks and look around the table only to realize you have everything you need sitting next to you, and on a plate in front of you.

to hide identities I thought of a nifty way to do so! a still homey picture with some-what censored faces... ( I forgot to ask) + (we're running from the CIA....hehe just kidding)



Here are a few of my new favorites...

Cardamom Ice Cream
makes 1 to 1 1/2 quarts


2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Put all the ingredients into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan with a lid and cook, uncovered, over medium heat, whisking occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat. Cover and let the mixture steep at room temperature for 20 minutes. Pour the micture into a shallow pan or bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill completely, 1 to 2 hours.

When the mixture is cold, pour it into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's instructions. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the ice cream to an airtight glass or plastic freezer container. Cover tightly and freeze until the ice cream is firm, at least 4 hours.


I made these little tartlets with the leftover filling


Pumpkin Brûlée Tart
Makes 2, 13 x 4" tarts

Dough;
1 1/2 cup flour ( I did half all purpose, half whole wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Whirl together flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse into pea-size pieces. Drizzle 1/3 c.very cold water over crumbs and pulse just until moistened.
Turn dough onto a work surface and gather into a ball, turning to combine any dry crumbs.
Divide dough in half, form each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill at least 30 minutes.

Filling;
2 cups pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup sugar, plus more for caramelizing top
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
 
 Cut dough in half and shape each piece into a rectangle. Roll each out on a lightly floured work surface into a rectangle measuring about 7 by 16 in.

Preheat oven to 375°. Lay each dough rectangle over a 4- by 13-in. tart pan with removable bottom.

Lift and lower dough into pan (pushing can cause cracking). Trim edges flush with rim of pan, using your thumb or a metal spatula.

Cut pieces of parchment paper to fit into tart shells with about 1 in. overhang on all sides. Fill shells with pie weights. Set pans on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until dough is starting to brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on sheet until only slightly warm, then carefully pour out pie weights and remove parchment.

Meanwhile, blend remaining ingredients (except sugar for caramelizing) in a large bowl. Pour custard mixture into prepared tart shells, dividing evenly.

Reduce heat to 325°. Bake tarts until custard is set and is slightly puffed at edges, about 30 minutes. Cool 1 hour, then chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days, covering with plastic wrap once cold.

Remove tarts from pans and set on a serving platter. Sprinkle tops of tarts generously with sugar. Pass flame of a blowtorch over tops until sugar melts and turns golden brown. Let sugar cool until hard, then cut each tart into pieces.
 
 
 
 



xxo

tossing around some ideas

hand-crafted clay flowers on the side of the canal bank in Brugee, Belguim (from summer)



I'm always looking for new and fun ways to inspire myself to make new blog posts. I've been thinking about doing a post about my favorite teas and mugs, since you know, tis' the season to be cold and rained on. Maybe even snowed on! (SNOW, GUYS! SNOW!) Throwing around the idea for fun kitchen gadgets and some grand winter essentials. Maaaybe winter DIY's? :) Fav cookbooks even? Stay updated ladies and gents, I'll be pumping out the fun posts soon.