Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie

 Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (2.5 oz / 71g) 
• 1/3 cup honey (4 oz/ 113g) 
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (6 oz /170g), at room temperature 
• 4 large eggs (7 oz /200g), at room temperature 
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (1.8 oz /50g) 
• 1 (15oz/ 425g) can unsweetened pumpkin puree 
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 teaspoon  kosher salt (0.11 oz /3g) 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Brown the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.  
3. Add honey and cook until it darkens some and you smell a savory nutty flavor. 
4. Remove from heat and slowly add the cream.
5. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. 
6. Add the brown sugar to the eggs and whisk until slightly lightened in color and foamy.
7. Add the pumpkin to the egg/sugar, then add the salt, spices and vanilla extract. Whisk really well to incorporate.
8. Slowly add the hot mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk as you add. 
9. Pout into your pie crust and bake at 325° for 45-60 minutes. 
10. It's done when the entire surface has puffed and is slightly domed and there is a slight wobble still in the pie. 

 

Eggnog

  

Ingredients:

•  4 egg yolks 
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• 4 egg whites

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.
2. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
3. Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Carribbean Rum Cake Recipe

 
Ingredients:

• Cake Base:
• 2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup pastry cream filling mix or instant vanilla pudding mix, dry
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup white or golden rum (Mount Gay works great)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon butter rum flavor (optional but excellent)
• 1/4 cup pecan or almond flour, for dusting baking pan. You can substitute this for getting almonds and running them through the food processor. 

• Rum Syrup:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup white or golden rum
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spritz a 10 to 12 cup bundt pan with cooking spray or baking flour spray (very important to get this right, don't miss any spots or it will stick). Sprinkle on the pecan or almond flour and turn the pan to coat evenly. Set aside.
2. Place all of the cake ingredients except the rum, vanilla and butter rum flavoring in the bowl of your stand mixer and blend on medium speed for 2 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the bowl after one minute.
3. Add the rum, vanilla and flavor if using to the batter and blend for another minute. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread level with a spatula.
4. Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes. You may smell the nut flour toasting at first, especially those not covered in cake batter. When done, the cake will test clean on a cake tester. Bundt cakes are difficult to test properly with a short toothpick. Instead try a piece of dry uncooked spaghetti or linguine.
5. Leave the cake in the pan to cool slightly while you make the soaking syrup.
6. In a medium-sized saucepan combine the syrup ingredients, except vanilla. Bring to a rapid boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the syrup thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
7. Use a long skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Pour about 1/4 of the syrup over the cake (still in the pan). Allow the syrup to soak in, then repeat again and again until all the syrup is used.
8. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and allow the cake to sit out overnight to cool completely and soak in the syrup. When ready to serve, loosen the edges of the cake and invert on to your serving plate. If the cake is stuck in the pan put it back in a warm oven (325°F) for about 5 minutes. It should then release and come out of the pan. 

Prime Rib

Ingredients:

• 5-8 lbs Rib Roast, bone-in
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. One day before you cook the roast remove from packaging and let dry out in fridge uncovered. 
2. Pull roast out of fridge and let come to room temperature before baking. About 2 hours. 
3. Cover roast in salt and pepper at least one hour before roasting. 
4. Roast in a 200°F oven until it hits 120°F at the center.
5. Remove from oven and tent lightly with aluminum foil and let it rest at least 30 minutes and up to one and half hours.  Alternately if you need more time simply FTC  (foil, towel, cooler) for up to 6  hours.
6. 10 minutes before serving, remove the foil and place it back into an oven preheated to its highest possible setting (500°F+). Roast until well-browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. 
7. Carve and serve immediately.
8. For more info about Prime Rib, read this guide.

Yorkshire Pudding

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (or beef drippings) 

 Directions: 

1. In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, flour, and salt. Blend until well combined and place in the refrigerator until ready to use (allow to rest for at least 30 minutes).
2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. Put 1 teaspoon of the oil (or beef drippings) into each section of a 12-hole Yorkshire pudding tray or muffin tray and put into the oven on the top shelf until very hot, almost smoking.
4. As soon as you take the tray from the oven, pour in the batter to three-quarters fill the tins (it should sizzle) and immediately put back into the oven.
5. Bake until the Yorkshire puddings are well risen, golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Don't open the oven door until the end or they might collapse.
    
   Note: the key is COLD batter and HOT pans. 

 

Perfecto Pork

Ingredients:

• Boneless pork loin (NOT tenderloin) cut 2/3rd's though lengthwise on non-fat side
• 2 teaspoons salt
• pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 1/2 teaspoon ground bay leaves
• 3 cloves mashed garlic

Directions:

1. Mix together garlic, salt and herbs and coat pork with mixture. 
2. Cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours. 
3. Pull pork out of the fridge 1 hour before you begin to cook it. 
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
5. Cook pork until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. 
6. Flip pork so fat side is up and broil on high until the fat melts and turns brown, be careful not to burn it.
7. Remove from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes before you slice.

Victoria Tea Pastry

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cups flour
• 3 eggs
• Another 1/2 cup butter 
• 2 Tablespoon cold water
• 1 Tablespoon almond extract

Topping:

• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring 1 cup water and 1/2 cup butter to a boil in a sauce pan. 
3. Remove from heat and immediately stir in 1 cup flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
4. In a stand mixer combine 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup cold butter (cut into little pieces) and blend well with the pastry attachment.
5. Slowly add 2 Tablespoons of cold water. 
6. Mix until dough forms into a ball. 
7. Divide in half and place side by side on a cookie sheet sprayed with oil. 
8. Flatten to about 1/2 inch thick and keep 1 inch apart. 
9. Add 3 eggs to the first mixture, one at a time. Fully mix in each egg before adding the next. 
10. Add almond extract and mix well. 
11. Evenly spread on each dough strip.
12. Bake 1 hour at 350 degree, do not open the oven during this time. 
13. Cool 10 minutes and frost with topping. 
14. For the topping combine 1/4 cup butter (softened) with 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. 
15. Spread on warm pastries and sprinkle to toasted almonds on top. 

Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup shortening (or unsalted butter, which I prefer)
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (~400 grams soft white wheat)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and molassus until well blended.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Stir into the creamed mixture until blended. Chill for 1 hour, or until firm.
3. Heat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
4. Shape the dough into small balls about 3/4 inch in diameter; roll in the granulated sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 to 2 inches between cookies. 
5. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until set. Cool in pan on a rack for 2 minutes; remove to a rack to cool completely.
   Makes about 4 dozen cookies.