Have I ever confided in you that I just adore Pears??? Well . . . it's true. They are  my favourite of all the autumn fruits . . . ok . .. so I say that about everything.  I guess I am just a glutton at heart . . . but I do LOVE pears an awful lot!


Red, green . . . yellow.  Tall thin hard ones like the Conference pear . . . or short red and fat round Bartletts . . . Williams, Comice . . . d'Anjou . . . I have no preference.  If it's a pear, I am well acquainted with it's finer qualities and . . . well, I love them.  Ohhh . . . tiny little Seckles . . .

 Pickled, canned, jammed, chutney'd or poached . . . if it's a pear . . . I'm there.  (I know I am corny.)

 

I love to eat them raw . . . perfectly ripe and sweet . . .  so ripe and so juicy that you need to hold them in a napkin to keep the juices from running down your chin and on to your sweater . . .



I love to eat them still slightly crisp . . . unpeeled and sliced into salads . . . especially nice with blue cheese crumbled over top . . . some nicely toasted walnuts sprinkled about . . . and a tangy vinaigrette dressing just to offset the sweetness of the pears, that creaminess of the cheese, the crunch of the walnuts . . . and if you include endive or chicory leaves . . . so beautiful with that bitter edge.



Tucked into cakes, pies, breads, muffins  . . . I love them all. 



This week I  came up with a favourite  new way to eat them . . . Pear Dumplings.  Stuffed with mincemeat . . . wrapped in  puff pastry, sprinkled with demerara sugar . . . and baked until the pastry is crisp and golden, the pear is just tender . . . and the mincemeat having spiced that beautiful pear from the inside out . . . oozingly delicious when you break your fork into that tender flesh.

 

A spicy little hidden surprise . . . lashings of custard are a must.



*Pear and Mincemeat Dumplings*
Makes 4 servings
Printable Recipe

This is not a dessert for the faint of heart . . . make sure you bring your appetite!  Impressive and delicious!

4 firm conference pears, with stems attached
4 heaped dessertspoons of your favourite mincemeat
1 packet of ready rolled all butter puff pastry
1 free range egg, beaten
demerara sugar to sprinkle
Icing sugar to dust
warm custard to serve

Have all of your ingredients ready to go.  Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Have a baking tray ready that you have lined with baking paper. 

Unroll your pastry.  Cut a two inch slice off of one end and cut it into 4 squares. Place each square leaving space in between them onto the lined baking sheet. 

Peel your pears and cut a slice off of the bottom of each so that they will stand upright.  Using the small end of  a melon baller, go in through the bottom and scoop out the seeds, discarding them.  Stuff this core with mincemeat.  Place each stuffed pear onto one square of the puff pastry.  Brush the remaining puff pastry with the beaten egg and cut into narrow, long strips, about 1/3 inch in width.  Wind the pastry squares around each pear, folding the edges of the squares on the bottom up inside and covering the pears completely, leaving just the stem sticking out the top.  Sprinkle with demerara sugar.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the heated oven until golden brown.  Remove from the oven.  Allow to cool for several minutes.  Dust with icing sugar.  Lift each pear carefully into a dessert bowl.  Ladle warm custard around and serve.

This weekend is the Canadian Thanksgiving. Generally speaking, Thanksgiving is not celebrated over here in the UK, or at least not the Canadian one at any rate. It's quite possible that you may find a small fuss being made over the American one, as there must be a lot of Americans living over here. Put it this way . . . there is never any difficulty finding cranberries, tinned pumpkin or turkeys around the end of November . . . but second Sunday in October?? Very difficult, if not close to impossible to find.

 

 I've never quite been able to understand why the Americans celebrate Thanksgiving so late in the year, almost on top of Christmas as it were . . . let's face it there is not really a lot of harvesting going on at the end of November, and if Thanksgiving is supposed to be a holiday to celebrate thanks for the great harvest . . . it makes better sense that it would come closer to the end of summer, rather than almost on top of the beginning of winter . . . but meh . . . that's just me I guess.  I like Thanksgiving no matter when it occurs.  In fact, I like Thanksgiving so much I would celebrate it on both the Canadian and American days if I could!

 

I like the fact that the Canadian one comes right at Harvest time . . . and I like the fact that the American one sort of ushers in the Holiday Season of good cheer!  I'm not hard to please.  I just like celebrating and any holiday celebrated with special foods is a.o.k. in my books!

 

Most years I haven't been able to celebrate any Thanksgiving at all.  When I worked down South for the American family, I was always working on the Canadian Thanksgiving, and . . .  no surprise here . . . I was always working on the American one too!!  Go figure!  I always spent days getting things ready for their dinner . . . and I never even got to enjoy a plate of dinner myself.  (I know . . . . it was kinda weird the way that went.)



Anyways, what's the point to all of this??  Well, this year I am actually celebrating Thanksgiving and with some fellow Canadians too!  Hooray!!  I am in charge of desserts.  I searched online to find something that would be really special and I found this recipe for these tarts that looked really nice on the Canadian LCBO page.  There are a lot of nice looking recipes on there.  It sounded really nice, and unusual.

 

The flavors were very autumnal sounding and definitely celebratory . . . sweet roasted parsnip ribbons, a lemony goat's cheese filling . . . a buttery oatmeal cookie crust. What's not to like about that???  Tasty and quite unusual I'd say!  But when you can't find tinned pumpkin to make a pumpkin pie . . . one must adapt.



They turned out quite nicely . . . but I wouldn't say they are altogether transportable.  They're quite delicate and so I am going to make something else to take.  But if you are going to be staying home, do give them a try, and not just at Thanksgiving either.  I think these would be fabulous at any special dinner, but only if you are eating it at home.



*Cinnamon Roasted Parsnip and Lemon Goats Cheese Tarts*
Makes 6 servings
Printable Recipe

This unusual dessert will have your guests guessing!!  It's delicious!

For the crust:
300g of fine crunchy oat cookie crumbs (something like a hob nob, 2 cups)
pinch salt
115g of unsalted butter, melted (1/2 cup)

For the Roasted Parsnips:
2 medium fresh parsnips, peeled and trimmed
100g of soft light brown muscovado sugar (1/2 cup Packed)
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TBS unsalted butter

For the Lemon Goats Cheese Filling:
125g (4 ounces) fresh soft goats cheese
95g of golden caster sugar (1/2 cup)
1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest from an un-waxed lemon
1 large free range egg

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.  Butter six 4 inch tart tins, with removable bottoms.  Place them on a baking sheet.

Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and salt for the crust.  Divide this mixture equally amongst the tart tins. Press the crumbs firmly into each pan bottom and up the sides all around.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Set aside to cool completely.

To do the parsnips, using a vegetable peeler, peel long shavings of parsnip off of each until you reach the core inside, peeling off as many as you can.  Toss the ribbons of parsnip in a small casserole dish along with the lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Dot with butter, cover and bake until tender, about 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.  Arrange these roasted parsnip ribbons in the bottoms of the cooled tart shells.

Beat the soft goats cheese together with the sugar.  Whisk in the lemon juice, lemon zest and the egg.  Spoon this mixture over the parsnips, dividing it equally amongst the tarts and covering the parsnips completely.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until set.  Cool to room temperature.  Chill for at least three hours before serving.

If desired garnish with some sifted icing sugar and a few sprinkles of lemon zest.

Notes:  Things I would do if making these again.

1.  I found that my parsnips were not tender in the allotted time.  It took far longer and they ended up being more candied, than roasted.  If I make them again (and I do think I will) I will cut the parsnips into small cubes or batons and parboil them for a few minutes before roasting them for a shorter period of time so that they are more roasted and less chewy.

2.  I also would only use half the amount of brown sugar and lemon juice and butter.  I felt the quantities were far too much for the amount of parsnips.

3.  I would make 4 tarts instead of 6, making them a bit deeper and having the final cook time for a tiny bit longer in order for the goats cheese cheesecake mix to cook through.  I thought these tarts, whilst delicious were a tad bit on the skimpy side as far as filling went.

4.  Although the cookie crust is very nice, I think I would opt to use either short crust pastry next time, or filo pastry.  I didn't think that the cookie crumb crust held up very well, despite baking it twice.

Since I am away at the Turkey Awards in London, I have another  lovely guest post here for you today from my friend Giuseppe of the blog Il Paladino del Gusto.


(I hope that he doesn't mind me sharing his photo with you.)

Giuseppe is a handsome Italian Chef who cooks and works in Parma, Italy and has very kindly offered to step into my place while I am away.   He has a degree in Gastronomic Sciences, and is a trained Pasta Chef, and works as a manager/trainer in the Food and Beverage Industry in Italy.  I hope you will give him a very warm welcome and go and visit his page in return.  Remember that English is not his first language, nor is Italian mine!  I think together we have done very well with this presentation,  so for now here is the dessert that he wishes to share with us.

 

 *Sformatino al Ciccolato*
Chocolate Souffle cakes with custard
makes about 5-6 servings
Printable Recipe

This dessert is the most popular on the menu at the restaurant where I work.  It is very delicate and very delicious!
(Note:  The recipe was originally to serve 50 people.  I (Marie) have adapted it to serve only 5 or 6.)

For the little souffle cakes:
100g plain chocolate
100g of unsalted butter
100g of plain flour
80g of caster sugar
2 large fresh free range eggs
1 tsp baking powder

For the Custard:
250ml of whole milk
250ml of double cream
7 large free range egg yolks
125g of caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla
15g of cornflour (cornstarch)

 

Method:
For the Custard:
Mix the milk and double cream together in the top part of a double boiler.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together and whisk this into the milk mixture. 

Whisk together the cornflour with some cold water to make a paste.  Whisk this into the milk mixture.  Place the saucepan over the bottom pot of the double boiler, over simmering water, over medium heat.  Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 82*C.  Remove from the heat, whisk in the vanilla,  and allow to cool, stirring occasionally.  Cover the surface with some plastic cling film to keep a skin from forming.

For the souffle cakes:

Melt the chocolate and butter together in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them together with the sugar.  Sift together the flour and baking powder.  Fold this into the egg mixture, then add the melted chocolate butter mixture and beat thoroughly.

Butter 5 to 6 ramekins and dust lightly with some caster sugar.  Divide the chocolate mixture between them.  Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Bake the souffle cakes for 10 minutes without opening the door.

Ladle some of the custard sauce into the bottom of 5 to 6 dessert plates.  Top each with a chocolate souffle cake, turned out.  If desired dust with some icing sugar to serve.  These cakes are best served warm so that the middle is soft.  It will solidify as it cools, so these are best served warm to hot.
 Do NOT over bake!

Many thanks Giuseppe!

I'll be back tomorrow with something delectable from our shared neighbour France.  (We're being very European this weekend!)

I have to say up front that one of my absolute favourite flavours has to be ginger. I love it in any way shape or form. It's wonderful, dried and powdered . . . and sprinkled into spicy cake and cookie batters. I love it freshly grated . . . and cooked up into wonderfully fragrant stir fries and sauces. I also like to make a delicious lemon and ginger tea with the fresh ginger root. (It's just wonderful steepedin boiling water, along with the juice and zest of half a lemon . . . and then served with a bit of honey and a great cure all for when you have the sniffles . . .)






I love to eat it candied, well . . . just like it was candy! You can keep your sour coated candies . . . I'll choose a nice firey piece of candied ginger over them any day of the week! Candied ginger and chocolate?? It's a marriage made in heaven . . . especially when coated in dark chocolate.

I also love it preserved in syrup. I keep a jar or two of those tasty sweet and spicy nuggets in my larder at all times . . . just waiting to be used in a recipe or two, and I often glaze my cooked carrots with a mixture of butter and a teaspoon or two of the delicious syrup from the jar. Have you ever tried the syrup spooned over vanilla ice cream? FABULOUSLY delish! Trust me . . . and add a few chopped bits of the ginger as well. You'll thank me for it, yes . . . you will!



I'm happy to say that ginger is a real favourite flavour of my Todd's as well. Something that we can obsess over and share together. It's a wonderful thing!



I made these tasty cheesecake squares the other day. Just the perfect chilled dessert for a hot summer day. (They do eat a lot of spice in hot countries don't they?) This really fit the bill for this time of year! Todd scarfed down two of these delicious squares at one sitting and was rooting through the fridge to find another one only a few hours later.

Ahh men . . . what can you do, but love them . . .



*Ginger Cheesecake Squares*
Makes 12 squares
Printable Recipe

Imagine a smooth and creamy cheesecake stogged full of tiny bits of candied ginger, floating atop a crisp base created from crushed gingernut biscuits. Top the whole thing with some sweetened whipped cream and more candied ginger and you have a wonderfully refreshing summer dessert, fit for a king, or at least the king of my castle at any rate!

For the crust:
200g ginger flavoured biscuits, finely crushed
60g unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the filling:
500g (2 large containers) of cream cheese (Philadelphia)
124 ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
2 TBS caster sugar (superfine)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
125 ml (1/2 cup) whipping cream, lightly whipped

For the topping:
125ml (1/2 cup) whipping cream
2 tsp caster sugar
1/4 cup candied ginger, thinly sliced



Pre-heat the oven to 170*C/325*F. Lightly grease a 9 inch square baking tin and line with some baking paper, leaving the paper hanging over the edges so as to make the squares easier to lift out when you go to serve it.

Combine the biscuit crumbs for the crust, along with the butter and cinnamon. Press into the base of the tin. Pop into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, or until firm.

Beat the cream cheese, golden syrup and sugar for the filling with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the ginger and the lightly whipped cream. Pour over the base. Bake in the heated oven for about 25 minutes, or until just set. Turn off the oven heat and allow to cool in the oven, with the door propped slightly ajar.

Beat the cream for the topping together with the sugar, until soft peaks form. Spread over the cooled cheeesecake base. Pop into the refrigerator and chill for several hours before serving. To serve, cut into squares and top each square with some of the sliced candied ginger. Delicious!

Note: By large I mean the 8 ounce containers of philadelphia!

It's the weekend and time to have a little bit of a splurge. I've been slimming lately and so I haven't really been indulging overly much in desserts of any kind . . . and in truth, I haven't really wanted a lot in the way of sweets hanging around our house . . . hence the single portion goodies.



The Toddster . . . he is like a stick man. We are Jack Sprat and his wife . . . truly. He can eat whatever he wants and never puts on an ounce. Me??? I just have to sniff it, and my waistline explodes expands. Ok . . . so I do a little bit more than that . . . *sniff *sniff. Life just ain't fair!!



In any case, I had a presentation to do at the church the other night for our Christmas in July August evening with the ladies. I was in charge of presenting gifts in jars and I did a few gifts in mugs. Very cute stuff. Anyways, I ended up with all these baking mixes to use up that had created and so today, I thought I would bake the Apple Crumble in a Mug one . . . but as a single dessert for the Toddster, just big enough for him to enjoy all by himself.



I adapted the instructions somewhat . . . and I added some extra fruit to it, instead of just apples. I did bake it in a mug, but you could bake it in a tiny casserole dish or large ramekin if you wanted to. It turned out perfectly . . . delicious.



I cut down on the original amount of butter in the topping. It called for 3 TBS and I thought that a bit much, even for Todd. I also increased the baking time as at the end of the suggested one, as mine was not done as much as I would have liked it to be in that time . . . I wanted the top to have a bit of crunch. I mean that's the whole point of the topping . . .right??



In any case . . . the Toddster enjoyed . . . and I was good and just sniffed. *sniff*



*Apple and Berry Crumble for One*
Serve one generously, or two judiciously
Printable Recipe

A delicious and easy crumble, perfectly sized for one person . . . or two if you are wanting to share and not that greedy!

For the topping:
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt
4 TBS old fashioned rolled oats
3 TBS soft light brown sugar
1 1/2 TBS plain flour
1 1/2 TBS cold butter, cut into bits

For the fruit mixture:
1 medium Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 TBS mixed berries (I used raspberries and blueberries,
but you could use just one or even just blackberries, black currants, etc.
just what you have to hand)
3 TBS granulated sugar
1 TBS plain flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
a few gratings of fresh nutmeg

To serve:
pouring cream, vanilla ice cream, or vanilla custard (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter an individual casserole dish, ramekin or large mug.

Place the fruit in a small bowl. Whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg for the fruit, and then toss it into the bowl with the fruit, giving it all a good mix together. Spoon into your prepared container.

Mix together all of the dry ingredients for the topping. Drop in the butter and rub together until crumbly, using your fingertips. Crumble over top of the fruit. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is nicely browned and the fruit is bubbling. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before tucking in, with or without cream, custard or ice cream!

When I am wanting a hearty dessert using fresh fruit, this has become my go-to cookbook. It's filled with fabulous recipes for everything from warm berry buckles and crumbly crisps to beautifully fruited bread puddings. It's filled with fabulous ideas of using up your fruit bounty and there is nothing more wonderfully abundant than fruit at this time of year.

I would never have thought of pairing raspberries with pears until I saw this fabulous pan dowdy recipe . . . and then it made perfectly delicious sense!!



Imagine it . . . firm, ripe pears . . . combined with fresh sweet ripe Scottish raspberries . . . all nestled beneath a biscuity blanket, lightly flavoured with candied ginger.



Oh my . . . but this is fabulously good.



Moreishly good.



Extremely tastilicious!!



Especially when served warm along with some nice cold pouring cream. 'Nuff said.



*Gingered Pear and Raspberry Pandowdy*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

There is something about this combination that is comforting and incredibly moreish. Pears and raspberries are a fabulous marriage . . . and the candied ginger in the topping is this dessert's crowning glory.

For the fruit filling:
96g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
2 TBS plus 1 tsp corn flour (cornstarch)
pinch of fine seasalt
4 large pears, peeled, cored and sliced (2 pounds of prepared fruit)
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
a generous half pound of fresh raspberries (2 cups)
1 TBS butter, cut into bits

For the topping:
175g of plain flour (1 3/4 cups)
3 TBS (plus 1 TBS for sprinkling) of granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine seasalt
10 TBS cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 ounces chopped candied ginger (1/3 cup)
156ml plus 1 TBS of cold buttermilk (2/3 cup plus 1 TBS)



Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a 9 inch deep dish pie pan. Set aside.

Rub the sugar, cornflour and salt together for the fruit filling, in a large bowl. Todd with the pears and lemon juice until well coated. Gently fold in the raspberries. Trasnfer the fruit to the prepared pan. Dot with the butter.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Whisk together with the granulated sugar, baking powder and sea salt. Drop in the butter. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the candied ginger. Stir in enough of the buttermilk to make a soft dough. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface to a round large enough to cover the fruit. Carefully place on top of the fruit. Brush with some of the remaining buttermilk and sprinkle with the remaining TBS of granulated sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes, in the lower third of the oven. Decrease the oven temperature to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the pastry it golden brown and the juices are bubbling and thick. Allow to cool for half an hour before serving.

This is fabulous when served with either ice cream, warm custard, or pouring cream. It will keep, covered loosely at room temperature for up to 3 days.

We may not be having dry weather here at the moment . . . and it's not really been warm . . . it's probably the nicest weather for Wimbleton . . . but that hasn't stopped the Strawberries from ripening . . . and it hasn't stopped me from indulging!



SCRUMMO!! I love, Love, LOVE Strawberry Season. I keep myself from eating them the whole of the year so that I can enjoy them even more in the summertime.



And this was the perfect way to welcome in the first day of summer . . .



Gently roasted summer strawberries, lightly sweetened with a mixture of butter, brown sugar . . . and lightly spiced with some ground cardamom . . .



Roasted just long enough to make them even sweeter, but not long enough to make them mushy . . . they still retain a bit of their bite . . .



Spooned into your prettiest dishes and then topped with some lovely softely whipped cream flavoured with honey and vanilla . . .



Sigh . . . this is summer in a bowl. The rain may fall and the wind may lash against the window panes . . . but summer is here . . .



and it comes in a plump juicy berry, wearing a little green cap!



*Roasted Summer Berries, with Honey Whipped Cream*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

One of the tastiest of summer treats!

500g of English Strawberries (about 1 pound)
2 TBS butter
4 TBS soft light brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

For the Cream:
225ml of double or whipping cream (1 cup)
2 TBS runny honey (I like wildflower or clover)
a few drops of vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Wash and then gently dry the berries with some paper towelling. Hull them and if they are large, cut in half.

Whip the cream with a wire wisk until it just starts to peak. Stir in the honey and vanilla. Set aside and keep cool.

Melt the butter in an ovenproof skillet. Add the sugar and cardamom and stir to melt the sugar. Once the sugar is melted, turn off the heat and add the berries, tossing them gently to coat them in the mixture. Bang the pan into the oven. Roast for 2 to 3 minutes, give them a stir, and roast for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Spoon the roasted berries into serving dishes and top each serving with a dollop of the honey cream. Drizzle any juices over top. Serve immediately.