Sugar, Spice, Everything Nice

(CBS)  Tori Ritchie was looking for a way to get out of her Thanksgiving dessert rut. Sure, everyone in her family loves the traditional pies, but she was itching to try something new.

The favorite dessert flavors for Thanksgiving are pumpkin, pecan, apple, and cranberry, but four desserts are a bit much -- so why not combine them instead, she reasoned?

Her Cranberry-Apple-Orange Tart puts a delicious, new spin on the saying "It's apples and oranges." And the Pecan Pumpkin Butter Trifle is like a hybrid cake-tart-parfait that's as pretty as it is tasty.


Cranberry-Apple-Orange Tart

Tori says: "Ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg add a warm spiciness to this tart crust. A lattice top, easily prepared using a lattice cutter, shows off the colorful fruit filling underneath."

For the dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the filling:
6 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
2 3/4 cups sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 vanilla bean
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
4 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick and tossed with 3 Tbs. sugar

Vanilla ice cream for serving.

To make the dough, in a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Put the butter in a separate bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 10 minutes.

In a food processor, pulse the flour mixture until blended, about 5 pulses. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 15 to 20 pulses. Add 1/3 cup of the ice water and pulse twice. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water 1 Tbs. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap the disks separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, in a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan, add the bean and stir to combine. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have popped, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Remove the vanilla bean and discard. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a large fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. When the foam subsides, add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Add the apples to the cranberry mixture and stir to combine.

Remove 1 of the pastry disks from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes. Place the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured waxed paper and roll out into a 14-inch round. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer to an 11 3/4-inch tart pan and press the dough into the pan. Trim the dough so that it is flush with the top edge of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 400°F. Place a baking sheet on the middle rack.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining dough disk into a 12-inch round. Using a lattice cutter according to the manufacturer's instructions, cut out a lattice top. Keep the dough on the lattice cutter and freeze for 5 minutes.

Transfer the filling to the tart shell. Remove the lattice from the freezer and carefully invert it onto the filling. Crimp the edges slightly.

Place the tart on the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes. Cover the edges with aluminum foil if they begin to get too dark. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Accompany each slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serves 10 to 12.

(Williams-Sonoma Kitchen)



Pecan Pumpkin Butter Trifle

According to Tori: "A traditional English dessert, trifle consists of a sponge cake or ladyfingers layered with fruit, spirits and whipped cream. During colonial times, English settlers adapted their cherished family recipes to incorporate New World ingredients. Sugar was a precious commodity in those days, so the dessert was usually reserved for special occasions, including the annual harvest feast, and autumn trifles typically featured seasonal ingredients. Here, we continue the tradition with a rich, creamy trifle that showcases two of Americas favorite flavors: pumpkin and pecan.

"For an elegant presentation, assemble the trifle in individual glasses or clear glass bowls to showcase the colors and textures of the various layers. Presenting the desserts individually allows each one to maintain its attractive appearance right down to the last spoonful."

1 package spiced pecan pumpkin quick bread mix
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup pecan pumpkin butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup water
1 cup pecan halves, toasted

Prepare the quick bread batter and bake according to the package instructions. Let cool completely. Cut the bread into 15 slices, each 1/2 inch thick. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the cream, vanilla and sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, fold in the pecan pumpkin butter. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the maple syrup, brandy and water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

To assemble the trifle, place 3 slices of the quick bread in the bottom of a trifle bowl or deep soufflé dish, cutting the slices in half or into quarters as needed to form a single layer of bread. Using a pastry brush, brush the bread with some of the maple syrup mixture and let it soak in. Using an offset spatula, spread 3/4 to 1 cup of the whipped cream mixture evenly over the bread. Repeat the layering process 3 to 4 times. Garnish the trifle with the pecan halves. Serves 12 to 14.

Make-Ahead Tips: Up to 1 day in advance, bake the pecan pumpkin quick bread and let cool, then wrap with plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Prepare the pumpkin butter whipped cream and maple syrup mixture and refrigerate separately in airtight containers; be sure to rewarm the syrup mixture before using. On Thanksgiving morning, assemble the trifle and refrigerate until serving time.

(Williams-Sonoma Kitchen)

[denn034]

Thanks.

[allunknowing]

Can you post the Calorie, Fat, and Cholesterol counts for all of these recipes?

Thanks.

Yours truly,
Michael Jacobson, CSPI