Peanut Butter and Julie

Food Blogger Cookie Swap: Lemon-Glazed Almond, Anise, and Cranberry Biscotti

 

 

I've been baking Christmas cookies for as long as I can remember.  I give you Exhibit A:

 

 

 

Groovy shirt, huh?  Too bad I'm sitting, so you can't take in the whole outfit.  It had matching pants, and I also owned the whole look in brown.  My hair seems to have some sort of "Dorothy Hamill with static" thing going on.  Yes, even then I was fierce.

As you can see, my equally stylish brother Jay is slacking on the task at hand, while I meticulously give each cookie its own personality.  Actually, in all fairness, it's highly likely that I told Jay to "Just let me handle everything. They need to be decorated a certain way."   Some things never change.

Here, it looks like I even supervised the pouring of the milk for Santa to make sure that it was done perfectly.  Such a mini-Martha!

 

In my defense, making Christmas cookies was a very important task, which I took very seriously.  Good cookies meant good presents from Santa, and my list from that year was quite ambitious (my mom saved all of my letters):

1. Pretty curls (I'm guessing that I was asking for some sort of a doll here, not curly hair)

2. Sewing set (My current lack of sewing skills indicates that I probably didn't receive this)

3. Cooking set with cookbook (shocking, I know)

4. Strawberry Shortcake

5. Barbie "shinky dinks" (I believe that I meant "shrinky dinks")

6. Dance Party at Barbie's record

7. A Barbie Birthday record (with two hit records, Barbie was clearly the Lady Gaga of that year)

8. Tape recorder (even though I asked for records)

I don't recall exactly what I did or did not receive, but I still have those two Barbie records in a box somewhere along with the cooking set, so the cookies must have been at least moderately successful.

 

 

 

Nowadays, when I make cookies for the holiday season, my motivation has changed.   In fact, I try to get them OUT of the house as quickly as possible, so that I don't start to resemble Santa from behind.  A big assorted box of homemade goodies will always be a welcome gift to your list of co-workers, friends, and people who have helped you throughout the year, and it is one that you can create "assembly-line" style at a relatively low cost.  Marathon holiday baking sessions also provide me with the perfect opportunity to put my own spin on the growing stack of cookie recipes that I have accumulated over time.

 

 

This year, I heard about something called the Food Blogger Cookie Swap on Twitter, and I immediately signed up to participate.  The swap required that all bloggers involved create three dozen cookies from a new recipe, then send a dozen cookies each to three other food bloggers with whom they were randomly matched. 

I love to make biscotti during the holidays, not only because the basic biscotti recipe can be taken in so many different directions, but because they are the perfect cookie for shipping -- they rarely break.  I've been on a bit of an anise kick lately, so I decided to create a flavor containing a hint of anise (nothing too strong) and a few odds and ends from my pantry: sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and lemon.  I was very happy with how they turned out -- the jewel colored cranberries gave the cookies a holiday feel, and the tart glaze was a tasty contrast to the crisp, sweet cookies.  Best part?  I got to keep the ends for myself.

 

 

I also received three dozen yummy cookies from randomly chosen fellow swap participants in return.  Kate's Recipe Box sent me Dark Chocolate Cookies with Mint Creme.  Marie at ReetsyBurger sent some sprinkle-coated sugar cookies.  And Kristin at Per L'Amore DiCibo sent some red velvet cookies made with a cake mix!  Thank you to all three :)

• As noted above, biscotti are perfect for shipping, storing, and swapping!  They will keep for up to three weeks if stored in an airtight container, and they layer very well in shipping containers between waxed paper.  They can also be frozen.
• This recipe is extremely versatile, so feel free to play around with the ingredients.  Swap out the almonds for pecans, pistachios, or pine nuts.  Trade the cranberries for dried cherries, chopped dried figs, or apricots.  Mix in chocolate chips or toffee bits.  The possibilities are endless!

 

Lemon-Glazed Almond, Anise, and Cranberry Biscotti

Makes about 4 dozen biscotti

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

Zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 teaspoon anise extract

2 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries

1 1/2 cups sliced natural almonds, lightly toasted

For the glaze

2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons corn syrup

3-4 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds positions.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugar on medium speed until light.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Continue to beat the mixture for 2 minutes more.  Beat in the lemon zest and both extracts.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated.  On low speed, mix in the cranberries and the almonds.

Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured work surface, and divide it into 3 equal pieces.  Shape each piece into a 12-inch log, spacing two of the logs apart on one of the prepared baking sheets and the third log on the second sheet.

Bake the logs for 15-18 minutes, until golden on top and lightly cracked.  Transfer the positions of the baking sheets halfway through the baking process.  Remove the sheets from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 300F degrees.

Using a serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 3/4-inch slices.  Lay the slices on their sides and return the baking sheets to the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Prepare the glaze:  In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, and enough lemon juice to make a pourable glaze.  Drizzle the glaze over the warm biscotti, then allow the biscotti to rest until the glaze has set.

Sparkly White Wine Cookies

These are the cookies mentioned in my previous post, which were part of my dessert table at the Sterling Ultimate Host competition.  Because they are nice and dense, they are the cookies that I was least worried about breaking into pieces as I traveled from Las Vegas to New York . 

The texture of these cookies reminds me a bit of biscotti, but not quite as crisp, and they are perfect for someone who wants just a little something sweet for nibbling.  In addition to making these using chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, mentioned below, you could also use a sweeter riesling or even a marsala.

Here are my extra tips for making this dessert table delights:

• These cookies travel very well, so they would be perfect for shipping.
• If you find that your dough is too sticky to roll, I would suggest chilling it for an hour, which should make it easier to roll.  You can also lightly flour your hands to prevent sticking.
• If you cannot find anise extract, or if you don't like the anise flavor, feel free to use vanilla or almond extracts instead.
• Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks.  You can also freeze these cookies, tightly wrapped, for up to one month.

Sparkly Sterling White Wine Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

Zest of one orange

3/4 cup safflower or canola oil

2 teaspoons anise extract

1/2 cup sauvignon blanc or chardonnay

4 1/4 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup coarse sugar for rolling the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and place two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds positions.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 minutes.  With the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar.  Mix in the orange zest, and beat for 1 minute more.  Add the canola oil and anise extract, beating until well combined, and then mix in the wine.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.  Mix in the mini chocolate chips.

Place the coarse sugar in a shallow bowl.  Shape the cookie dough into 1-inch balls, then roll the balls in the sugar to coat.  Place the balls on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies until they are lightly browned, 15-18 minutes, rotating positions of the baking sheets halfway through the baking process.  Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. 

 

A Spectacular and "Sterling" Week!

 

Guess what???

I won!!!

I know!  I still can't believe it either.

But before I get ahead of myself, let me back up a bit, in the event that you have no idea what I am talking about.  In October, I mentioned in a post that I had been chosen to be a finalist in the Sterling Vineyards Ultimate Host Contest.  This meant that I, along with the three other finalists, was flown to New York last week to compete in what turned out to be an extremely challenging final challenge.

Challenging, but super fun.  I love a good challenge.

We were given the task of creating the "Ultimate" party from a blank 12X12 space at a New York venue.  The theme was up to us.  We were provided a budget, and we were also allowed to prepare things in advance (which I either shipped to New York from Las Vegas or I carried with me in my three VERY large suitcases.)  Then, from 1-5pm on the day of the party, we had to set up our space.  From 6-9pm, guests and judges mingled throughout the spaces while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and Sterling wines.

The winning space, judged by creativity, originality, adherence to theme, and technical merit, would receive a nice cash prize, a trip to Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga, and the opportunity to serve as Sterling's Ultimate Host in their social media channel.

Not too shabby, eh?

So here's how everything went down:

 

 

Here I am with my fellow finalists, Josh, Nikki, and Lorin, all of whom created impressive and unique spaces.  It was interesting to see how four people could tackle the same challenge in such different ways.  Nikki's space had a chic, minimalist feel to it, and she had the coolest custom-made table that was held up by wine bottles.  Lorin's "Sterling Star" party reminded me of something that you would see for The Oscars or New Year's Eve -- lot's of black and gold with beautifully displayed food.  Very, very elegant.  Josh created a "Winter Solstice" party that was so breathtaking, even Martha would have been impressed.  It was again, very elegant.  I know that the judges had an incredibly tough time deciding, and that all of the guests were very well fed!

 

 

My party was not elegant.  But that's OK.  I wasn't going for elegant. 

This is me in the event space that I created.  After much brainstorming, I decided that my theme would be "Apres-Ski at Mount Sterling."  No, there's not really a Mount Sterling -- at least not that I know of -- but I thought that I could incorporate the Sterling brand by creating a fictional ski lodge, complete with a working fireplace, vintage ski equipment (gotta love eBay!), and lots of birch decor.

Whimsical. Rustic. Fun.  That's what I was going for.

Of course, after I decided on my theme, the number one-most important-crucial next item on my agenda was.........what should I wear? 

Hey, I'm a girl.  What did you expect?

 

 

 

I found this fun ski-ish sweater on-line, which, by the way, I will be wearing again and again, because now it is my lucky sweater.  Then I found this cute little ski hat (on sale!) with the snazzy shades knitted right into the design.  Obviously I couldn't pass that up.  Black sparkly skirt and boots -- check!  Outfit accomplished -- onward with the planning!

I love writing poems.  That said, my brand of poetry is much more Dr. Seuss than Elizabeth Barrett Browning.  It always rhymes, and it doesn't require much introspection or interpretation.  I thought that it would be unique to write a poem introducing my guests to the party, kind of setting the scene for them before they entered.  I mounted the poem on foam board and placed in on an easel, which I set outside.

For wall decor, I found these really great removable decals on Etsy (by the way, I am now addicted to Etsy.  Visit with caution -- you've been warned.)  I couldn't believe that I actually found the one with the ski-lift!

I was initially under the impression that our space would have three solid walls with which we could work, but when I arrived that morning, it was two curtains and one wall.  Knot in stomach, beads of sweat starting to form on forehead.  So, I had to regroup and incorporate portions of the wall decals into one scene as opposed to two separate scenes, like I had planned.  I'm not gonna lie -- these were a pain in the butt to apply, especially using a ladder 8-feet in the air when you are afraid of heights.  But I was motivated, and I loved how they looked in the end.

 

 

One thing that I wanted for my space was to have some sort of activity in which guests could participate while they were there.  I found this goofy snow bunny cardboard photo opp. on-line at a party store called Stumps, and I was able to customize the writing.  Here I am with my good friend Erik, giving it a trial run.

 

 

Here's another shot of the whole thing, partially blocked by my Sterling-themed Christmas tree.

 

 

One thing that distinguishes Sterling Vineyards from all of the other Napa Valley vineyards is that they have an aerial tram to bring visitors up to the wine tastings.  I found a toy tram on-line, which I placed at the top of the tree instead of your typical star or angel.

 

 

 

Here's a shot of the entire tree.  The letters below spell out "CHEERS", and I sprayed them with fake snow.  How cool is that snow ski wine bottle holder?  Yep, Etsy! 

 

 

I custom made most of the ornaments on the tree to stick with the theme.  There were reindeer made from Sterling wine corks, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and sparkly red pom-poms (you can kind of see one at the bottom of the picture above), and hand-painted wooden sleds that read "Sterling Vineyards Ultimate Host."  At World Market, I found inexpensive little sweaters, skis, and hats.

 

 

Now, onto the important stuff -- FOOD!

I had two separate areas for goodies.  There was a dessert table, which I appear to be enthusiastically giving a tour of below.  I'm sure that those people are thinking "That's great, Julie.  Can you please move so that we can get our cookie on?"

Notice the hat rack with scarves in the corner.  That was my mom's idea.  Nice touch, mom!

 

 

Below is a better picture of the dessert table that I put together for the party.  Believe it or not, almost everything on the table was homemade by me, and I transported it all from Las Vegas.  Even the super-delicate sugar cookies, which I carried on board with me in a large rolling bag.  Yes, I became one with the bubble wrap and tissue paper.  Amazingly, there were very few casualties along the way.  Need some cookie packaging tips?  I'm your girl.

The only thing that I didn't make myself were the miniature doughnuts, which I purchased from The Donut Pub in Chelsea (and the very un-New York City price of only $5 a dozen.)  I wanted to have snowy-looking powdered doughnuts as part of my display, but they needed to be as fresh as possible.  Plus, I know better than to compete with an established New York doughnut maker (they didn't disappoint.)

 

 

 

I wanted there to be a wide range of options for the dessert bar, so I essentially turned into a one-woman baking machine for the 48 hours prior to my red-eye departure from Las Vegas.  In addition to the doughnuts, I had those savory Blue Cheese, Thyme, and Walnut Cookies from a recent blog post, Maple Rosemary Mixed Nuts, Double Chocolate Cabernet Cookies, made with Sterling Cabernet, White Chocolate "Birch Bark" with pretzels, peanuts, and cranberries, Macadamia-Coconut Snowballs, hand-decorated sugar cookies (these alone took me the better part of a day to make!), and Sparkly White Wine Cookies, made with Sterling Chardonnay.  I think that's it.

NOTE: I usually don't like to do a blog post without a recipe, but this one is already too long, so I have posted the recipe for the Sparkly White Wine Cookies in the following post.  Enjoy!

The savory cookies were a huge hit, as were the sugar cookies, pictured below:

 

 

I tried to maintain a winter or a wine theme with the cookie shapes, so I made snow globes, ice skates, sweaters, mittens, snowmen, snowflakes, wine glasses, and Sterling wine bottles.  Yes, my back was killing me after I finished decorating. 

The wine bottle shapes started to disappear quickly, so I made sure to hide a few for when the judges came around.  I didn't want there to be any cookie tug-of-wars! That would be very un-hostess-like.

 

 

 

The second area for noshing was an interactive make-your-own-s'mores bar, which these lovely guests are enjoying in the photo.

 

 

 

I kicked the idea up a notch by adding homemade chocolate and peppermint marshmallows along with the usual vanilla variety.  In addition to chocolate bars, I offered white chocolate, Andes candies, and mini Reese's Cups for sandwiching, and there were graham crackers, gingersnaps, and pizzelles for the cookie options. 

I don't have a great photo of the bar itself, but you can kind of see it in the corner below, next to that directional sign that I made in my garage.  I learned a very good lesson about spray paint and ventilation that afternoon.

 

 

THEN...........Padma arrived!!!!

 

 

First of all, she is absolutely stunning in person.  Just gorgeous.  And I loved her dress--photos don't do it justice. 

I had the opportunity to take her around my space and explain everything that I did, while various camera people and guests followed.  That whole portion is sort of a blur to me, but I do recall that she asked quite a few questions, and she was much less intimidating than I thought she would be, based on her Top Chef judge persona. 

Padma tried the savory blue cheese cookie and really like it.  I beamed.

 

 

Here I am showing her the vintage posters that I found for my wall.  I received multiple questions about these from guests.  "Where did you find these???"  Honestly?  Sports Poster Warehouse.  $25.  Surprisingly authentic looking.  Who knew?

 

 

Here's Padma enjoying one of my peppermint marshmallows, afterwards telling me "And I don't even usually like marshmallow." 

Again, beaming.

 

I didn't think that I was going to win.  Of course, in these situations, I never ever think that I was going to win.  I'm always full of self doubt.  As Padma started her speech, preparing to announce the winner, I slowly shrunk back into the crowd, working my way behind the large pillar. 

Then, she called my name (which kind of came out in slow motion to me.)  Since I wasn't planning on winning, I was of course holding my big, bulky camera.  So I handed that to my friend, Brett, and made my way on stage.  It's a miracle that I didn't trip.  I always trip.  And look at the heels on those boots.  Like I said, a miracle.

After I hugged Padma, I was handed the microphone for a speech.  I wasn't prepared for this at all, so I have no idea what I said.  I did remember to thank Sterling Wines though -- phew!

 

 

This is my wonderful Ultimate Helper, Christian.  We were each provided with a helper by Taylor PR, who organized and ran this entire event.  I don't know what I would have done without him -- those decals on the wall would have most certainly not happened.  And lucky Christian also got to experience Type-A stressed-out Julie as we got down to the wire.  I think that's why my husband doesn't go to these types of things with me anymore.  He's met that version of Julie many times, so he knows better.

 

 

Here are the other judges from the event, an impressive group of bloggers and freelance writers:  Courtney from Pizzazzerie, Aly from A Little Alytude, Brandon from 30 Nothings, and Lauren from Glam.

Representing Sterling Vineyards as a judge was their brand manager, Keith Scott.  I think that he liked the little wine bottle cookies.  I should probably bring some more when I take the trip to their winery :)

They also presented me with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and one of those really cool big checks, which yes, I took home with me on the plane.

So that was my exciting week.  I am still floating away on cloud 9, and I can't wait to take my trip to Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga.  Thank you again to all of my friends who came to the event to support me and cheer me on. 

And thank you to Sterling Vineyards!!  I look forward to serving as your Ultimate Host!!

Don't forget to look at the next post for that Sparkly White Wine Cookie from my dessert bar :)

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Macarons

"What are you making?" Eric says with mild interest as he wanders into the kitchen in search of Fritos, his current snack obsession.

"Macarons."

"Oh, I love macaroons."

"No, not macaroons. Macarons."

Blank stare. Silence. Resumes search for Fritos.

I then go on to explain that the beloved macaroons to which he referred (I love them too, for the record) are the super-sweet, super-moist mounded cookies made of mostly coconut and often dipped in chocolate. A macaron, on the other hand, is a petite "sandwich" composed of two melt-in-your-mouth meringue-like almond flour cookies filled with buttercream, jam, or ganache. They were first created in the French patisserie Laduree in the 1800s, and they come in a variety of flavors and colors.

"Oh. Cool." Exits kitchen, Fritos in hand.

100 bucks says he heard none of that.

I should have just responded that I was making "cookies" and saved my breath.

In the event that you haven't noticed, macarons are EVERYWHERE. They have been this year's cake-pop, which of course was last year's cupcake.

I'm admittedly a little bit tardy to the macaron party. In the past twelve months, these adorable, bite-sized, traditional French sandwich cookies have gotten more media exposure than the Kardashians. They have been blogged about on-line, written about in magazines, made multiple T.V. appearances (most recently on Top Chef, Just Desserts), and they are even the subject of several popular cookbooks. Man, I need to find out who their agent is, stat!

Still, I had never made macarons before, so I wanted to give them a try and add my own bit of je ne sais quoi to the recipe. One can never have too many varieties of macarons, after all, and I sincerely doubt that these little pieces of cream-filled heaven will ever be at risk of overexposure (can't say the same about the Kardashians though.)

I've seen macarons created in just about every flavor combination under the sun, and although I was really tempted to make the scrumptious looking PB&J version that was recently a hit with the judges on TCJD, I decided to come up with something different.

Chocolate and gingerbread is one of my favorite flavor combinations, although you don't see it pop up in dessert recipes very often. I first tried it when I made a chocolate covered gingerbread cake, and the spiciness of the ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in the gingerbread served as a delicious contrast to the rich and sweet chocolate frosting. In this recipe, the cookies are gingerbread flavored, with a bit of molasses and dark cocoa powder for depth, and the filling is a smooth bittersweet chocolate ganache. I dare you to eat just one--not possible!

I realize that we still need to get through Halloween and most of autumn, but these guys would be a perfect addition to a festive holiday dessert table or a cookie exchange. Besides, it's never too early to start thinking about the holidays, right?

 

Here are my extra tips for making these chocolate 'n spice sweets:

• The cookies will turn out the best if the egg whites are at room temperature. Place the egg whites in a bowl, cover, and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 6 hours or overnight before using.
• Don't have almond flour in your pantry or available at your store? Never fear! You can make your own: Place whole unblanched almonds in the work bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. Be careful to stop the processor before the almonds turn into almond butter! Transfer the ground almonds to a fine mesh sieve and sift into a bowl. Voila! Almond flour! You can return any leftover almond pieces to the processor to process again and then resift.
• The cookies and the filling can be prepared one day in advance. Make sure that the cookies are covered tightly when stored so that they do not dry out. The filling can be covered and chilled.
• If you don't have equipment for piping the batter into rounds, you can use a large zip-top bag instead. Fill the bag halfway with the batter, and then snip off a corner to create a round piping tip.

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Macarons

Printable Recipe

Makes about 40 macarons

For the cookies

1 1/4 cups almond flour

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

4 egg whites, room temperature

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons molasses

For the filling

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon butter, cubed

1/8 teaspoon salt

Prepare the cookies: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine the almond flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Process the mixture for 30 seconds, and then sift it into a medium bowl.

Fill a small saucepan with a few inches of water and bring it to a simmer. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until they are foamy. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the temperature of the egg whites reaches 100 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and whisk in the cream of tartar.

Attach the bowl to the electric mixer and fit it with the whisk attachment. Whisk the egg whites at medium-high speed until soft peaks form, then gradually add the sugar. Continue to whisk until the egg whites are glossy and they come to stiff peaks. Switch the speed to low, and slowly mix in the molasses.

Carefully fold the egg white mixture into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly incorporated. FIt a pastry bag with a medium round tip and fill it with the batter. On the prepared sheets, pipe the batter into 1 or 1 1/2 inch rounds, spacing 1-inch apart. Allow the piped rounds to rest at room temperature, uncovered, for 1-2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325F degrees, and place the racks in the center positions in the oven. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, then reverse the positions of the two trays. Bake for 8-10 minutes longer, or until the cookies are firm and dry. Cool completely on a rack.

Prepare the filling: Place the cream and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Allow the chocolate to sit for 1 minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter and the salt. Allow the mixture to cool completely before proceeding.

Pipe or spread some of the chocolate filling onto the flat side of half the prepared cookies, and then create sandwiches using the other half of the cookies, pressing gently to adhere.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Doughnuts

Much like my dad, I have a weakness for doughnuts.  Unlike my dad, I cannot eat as many doughnuts as I want without turning into a doughnut.  If you inherit the weakness, then it should be a given that you also inherit the metabolism, right?  *Sigh*  So unfair.

 

 

My dad is particular to those cinnamon-sugar coated apple cider doughnuts found at the farm stands during the fall months.  I, in a rare turn of events, am less picky.  Cake, yeast-raised, Boston cream, glazed, powdered sugar, holes, crullers, sprinkles, spice, chocolate, coconut......I pretty much like 'em all.

I have, however, always been much more partial to the Dunkin' Donuts variety vs. any of the other brands.  And for some reason Krispy Kremes don't appeal to me at all.  Must be a raised-in-the-northeast thing.  Biting into a powdered cake or a glazed chocolate Munchkin immediately takes me back to elementary school recess.  Those special "Munchkin Days" were the best days ever!

 

Not only do I love to eat doughnuts, I have also developed a fondness for making them from scratch.  There is something very satisfying about producing a beautifully raised and glazed, perfectly round batch of doughnuts and holes.  Maybe it's the "You made those?!?" reaction, which you are almost guaranteed to hear (although it usually comes out more like "Yuh muh thuh?!?", due to mouth full of doughnut.)  Or maybe it's due to you conquering that somewhat daunting task of frying pastries, and then thinking to yourself "Hey! I made those!" ("Ah muh thuh".)

 

When I do prepare doughnuts, I need to find a home for them, stat (after the requisite sampling, of course.)  Otherwise I'll pick at them, crumb-by-crumb, all day long.  This distributing of the doughnuts, as you can imagine, is not the most difficult of tasks.   I have yet to find a potential recipient whose reaction is of the "Fresh doughnuts?  Thanks, but I'm good" persuasion.

These guys are going to the FedEx office.  They always get my stuff where it needs to be when it needs to be there, and they run a lot this time of year, so I figure that donuts are just what they need.

 

I've been on a huge gingerbread kick lately: creme brulee, macarons, and my planned recipe for Thanksgiving breakfast, blueberry gingerbread pancakes.  So, creating a gingerbread-flavored doughnut has been on my list.  I decided to give this recipe an extra fall kick with the addition of pumpkin puree in the dough, which also helps to keep these treats nice and moist.  As far as toppings go, some people love a glaze, while others go for the sugar (while some of us, ahem, go for both.)  So, I have included maple glaze and a spiced sugar options below.

 

 

These doughnuts would be a welcome addition to breakfast for your family and guests on Thanksgiving morning -- or on any morning this holiday season.  Because the dough can be prepared in advance, all that needs to be done that day is the cutting, frying, and glazing/sugaring.  Enlist kids or a willing helper to assist with the rolling and cutting portion as well as the finishing touches.  Anything leftover from breakfast will taste great served alongside hot cider as a mid-day treat.

 

Here are some extra tips for making these holiday-spiced sweets:

• If you like an extra punch of ginger in your gingerbread, chop up some crystallized ginger and add it to the dough, or sprinkle it on top of the glaze for garnish.
• You can also dress up theses doughnuts even more by adding chopped dried cranberries, raisins, or toasted nuts to the dough.
• When cutting out the shapes, try dipping the cutters in flour first.  This helps to prevent the dough from sticking to the cutters.
• One of the handiest tools that I own for frying is a spider skimmer, pictured below.  It facilitates removing items from the fryer while draining.  I found mine for about $4 at the international market, in the Asian foods section.

 

Pumpkin Gingerbread Doughnuts

Printable Recipe

Makes about 15 doughnuts and holes

Ingredients:

4 cups cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons shortening (preferable butter-flavored)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons unsulphured molasses

2/3 cup sour cream

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Canola oil for frying

For the spiced sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon

For the maple glaze

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon maple extract

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3-4 tablespoons hot water

In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening with both sugars at medium speed until well combined.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the molasses and beat for one minute more, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream and the pumpkin puree.  Add this mixture alternately with the dry ingredients to the electric mixer bowl, mixing after each addition until combined.  At this point, the dough should be very sticky and resemble buscuit dough.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover, and chill for at least one hour or overnight.

Place enough canola oil in a large pot to reach 2-inches in depth an place over medium heat.

For the spiced sugar: Stir together the sugar and the spices in a medium bowl.

For the maple glaze: In a medium bowl whisk together the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, maple extract, and maple syrup.  Whisk in enough of the hot water to yield a thin glaze.

Transfer the chilled dough onto a generously floured work surface and roll out to a 1/2-inch thickness.  Using either a doughnut cutter or two round cutters (about 2 1/2-inches and 1-inch in diameter), cut the dough into as many doughnuts and holes as possible.  Carefully reroll any scraps and cut out more doughnuts and holes.

Once the oil has reached a temperature of about 325F degrees, add the doughnuts and holes, a few at a time, to the pot, making sure not to crowd them.  Fry the doughnuts for about 15 seconds, then carefully flip them.  Fry them for about 1 minute, until golden brown, then flip and fry again on the other side for about 1 minute more, until dark golden brown.

Transfer the doughnuts to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain and continue the process with the remaining doughnuts.

If using the spiced sugar, toss the still warm doughnuts in the sugar mixture until coated on all sides.

If using the glaze, dip one side of the still warm doughnuts into the glaze, then place them on wire racks until the glaze sets, about 15 minutes.

 

Holiday Entertaining: Gingerbread Creme Brulee

Broken items in our home don't tend to become fixed items until it is absolutely necessary for them to be fixed.

It wasn't until we had guests coming over for dinner on the patio that we deemed it "necessary" to mend the outdoor speaker system, which had been a problem for months. So Eric spent the better part of the day with his head stuck into our audio-visual center (better him than me), changing wires, turning knobs, and mumbling something about calling The Geek Squad.

Then there's the kitchen cabinet, which I "accidentally" kicked in one particularly stressful afternoon. Long story. I don't really feel the need to fix that just yet. It kinda adds character to the space.

 

I feel very fortunate to have two ovens in my kitchen, since I obviously spend quite a chunk of my waking hours there. One oven is a convection, and the other is conventional, and on many occasions they have been in use simultaneously.

A few months ago, as I was roasting sweet potatoes in the convection oven, I heard a click. The oven had apparently become possessed, locking by itself and starting the cleaning cycle. I couldn't turn the oven off, and I couldn't open it, so I watched in a panic as the internal temperature rose, and rose. My poor little foil-wrapped potatoes were trapped, about to meet their demise. Eric ran to the fuse box and flipped off the oven, which I was finally able to open when it had completely cooled. By then, the unsalvagable sweet potatoes were pathetic piles of burned mush.

Hoping that this was just a one-time fluke incident, I continued to use the oven.  The next few attempts ran smoothly, with no charred chicken or blackened brownies.  When I was toasting bread for bruschetta, however, it happened again.  Click.  Lock.  Heat.  Ugh.

Since that day, I have worked in a one-oven kitchen, avoiding what I know will be an expensive repair, including phrases like "new motherboard" and "expired warranty." Fortunately, I haven't really needed the second oven......until now.

 

 

Like many of you foodies out there, when I do Thanksgiving at my house, I like to do it BIG, I like to do it ALL, and I like to do it FROM SCRATCH.  Yes, it's a ton of work, and I turn into a flour-stained, sleep-deprived mess for 48 hours, but I love the whole process, and I thrive on the frenzied schedule.  Last year, I didn't get to cook, so this year we are having a group in our home.  Two ovens will be needed.  Time to fix the oven.

Even with two working ovens, it's crucial that my menu contains some items that can be prepared well in advance, and which do not require any sort of reheating.  I'm also planning for the potential news that whatever ails my oven will require an out-of-stock part which takes two weeks to arrive.  Make-ahead desserts are a must.

Whenever I host Thanksgiving, I like to do a buffet of dessert options for my guests.  Of course we have something in the pumpkin and apple families, but I also like to throw in a little cranberry, a dash of chocolate, and my personal favorite, gingerbread.  Having gingerbread cap off your turkey day meal is akin to Santa Claus ending the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade -- it welcomes the Christmas holiday.

This year, I am planning to serve a Gingerbread Creme Brulee dessert in small ramekins.  That way, guests can take a little bit of everything.  This dessert can definitely be prepared in advance and chilled, and the small cups provide a nice visual contrast to the larger pies, tortes, trifles, and cakes.  The warm spices in this dessert mixed with the cool, creamy custard and the sweet, caramelized top are sure to make your guests feel very thankful!

 

 

 

Here are my extra tips for making these marvelous make-ahead desserts:

• If you have a hand torch for making creme brulee, by all means use that as opposed to broiling them. I received one several years ago as a gift, and while I don't use it often, I definitely have fun with it when I can!
• If you aren't serving the creme brulee immediately after caramelizing the tops, you can chill them for several hours, loosely covered or uncovered. It is best to serve them fairly soon after caramelizing though, for a nice crisp crust that contrasts with the creamy filling.
• Crystallized ginger can be a bit hard to find, but this time of year it is easier. Look in the bulk foods section of your grocery store (where the grains, nuts, flours, dried fruits are stored in bulk), in the dried fruit section, or sometimes it is even in the produce section. If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, I've found that they sell bags of the ginger at a fairly reasonable price.
• If you don't have ramekins or creme brulee dishes, you can use small oven-proof cups (just be sure that they are indeed oven-proof!)

 

Gingerbread Creme Brulee

Printable Recipe

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups half and half

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

8 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon molasses

6-8 tablespoons granulated sugar

Lightly sweetened whipped cream and chopped crystallized ginger for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300F degrees.

In a heavy medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the cream and the half and half to a low boil, and then turn off the heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and molasses until well combined. Gradually add the hot mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until thoroughly incorporated. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat for 1 minute more, whisking constantly.

Divide the custard among 6-8 ramekins (4-6 ounce sizes work the best), filling them almost to the top. Place the ramekins in a large baking dish with deep sides, spacing them apart. Pour enough hot water into the baking dish so that it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake the custards for 30-40 minutes, or until the tops are set.

Carefully remove the ramekins from the baking dish and transfer them to a baking sheet or a tray that will fit into your refrigerator. Chill the custards until they are very cold, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat the broiler. After the custards have chilled, sprinkle the top of each with about 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Watching closely, place the ramekins under the broiler until the sugar starts to caramelize and turn golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Allow the creme brulees to rest for a few minutes, and then serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of candied ginger (optional).

 

Holiday Entertaining Series: Sweet and Savory Cocktail Cookies

At 5:30 a.m. yesterday morning, on my way to the kitchen to make granola, I pulled up to the Starbucks drive-though.

"Good morning!  Welcome to Starbucks!  Can I interest you in one of our wonderful breakfast wraps?!!?"

"Uh, no, thank you.  Just a venti-non-fat-extra-hot-latte, please."

"One ventinonfatextrahotlatte coming right up, Julie!  I'll see you at the window!"

I don't know why, but I'm always a little bit embarrassed when the baristas know me from my order through the drive-through speaker.  True, there aren't many customers who consistently show up at 5:30 in the morning with my exact order, but I do go to Starbucks a lot.

At the window, I handed Stacy (I don't really know that her name is Stacy, but she looks like a Stacy) my Starbucks gold card -- like I said, a lot -- to pay, and in exchange I received.......

A RED CUP!!

 

 

I was completely taken aback by the color of my caffeine vessel, practically dropping it as I reached through the window to Stacy's* extended arm.  After all, it was only November 1st -- much, MUCH too early for this sort of nonsense.  OK, I don't really think that it's nonsense.  I actually love the red cups.  But November 1 is pushing it just a bit.

Now, those of you who still haven't ventured over to the Starbucks extra-dark coffee side might be wondering what the big deal is.  Red cup.  White cup.  So what?  Allow me to enlighten you.

The appearance of the red Starbucks holiday cup is the gunshot that kicks off the frenzied holiday marathon.  It gives stores and radio stations the O.K. to start playing Bing Crosby tunes.  It means that the Salvation Army can set up in front of the supermarket and that Santa should head to the mall.  And it starts the wheels turning in all of our heads: Can I still order a fresh turkey from the butcher?  What on earth am I going to get for my dad?  Where did I store those Christmas lights in the garage? 

 

And, of course, the biggie: What am I going to serve for ThanksChristmaKkuh dinner and our annual holiday cocktail party/cookie exchange/open house??

Aaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!!!!!

Relax -- take a deep breath.  As luck would have it, I am armed with an arsenal of holiday recipes and ideas, which I will be posting throughout the next few months, and which I hope will give you some help with your festive events.  Some creations will be my own and some will be reprints or riffs on recipes that I have torn out from magazines over the years (my holiday file is massive!)

For starters, I have one of each.  Whenever I have a cocktail party or a finger-foods type of get together, I find that people are always impressed if I supplement the crackers or flatbread type of food with something that I created on my own.  They really shouldn't be all that impressed, since what I usually create is super easy, but that can be our little secret. 

 

 

I had made my own blue cheese coins several years ago, but I had forgotten about them until I was reading the most recent issue of Food and Wine magazine, in which Dorie Greenspan has a piece featuring three of her own "cocktail cookie" recipes.  Eric and I had a little cheese and wine shin-dig this past weekend, so I decided to make one of Dorie's sweet variations along with a savory cookie of my own.

Dorie's cookie pairs dark cocoa with a hint of spicy cayenne and a sprinkling of flake salt -- a trio that works so well together.  These cookies are versatile, pairing well with coffee and both red and dessert wines.  You could also serve them alongside peppermint stick ice cream.

My savory blue cheese, walnut, and thyme cookie is a great complement to a cheese tray, or you can just set out a bowl of them for nibbling (they will disappear quickly!)  Both varieties would also make a great hostess gift, packaged in a box so that they don't crumble

 

 

 

Here are a few extra tips for making these cute cocktail coins:

• The rolled out and frozen cookie dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept frozen for up to 2 weeks.
• The baked cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Feel free to experiment with different flavor combination:  substitute ground ginger for cayenne in the chocolate cookies, fresh rosemary for the thyme in the cheese cookies, almonds for walnuts, etc.
• Try adding some finely chopped dried fruit to the dough for another variation: figs, apricots, and cranberries would all work well!

 

Dorie's Chocolate-Cayenne Cocktail Cookies (slightly modified)

Printable Recipes

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

8 ounces butter, softened

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg yolk

Flake salt, for sprinkling

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cayenne, and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed until light ad fluffy.  Add the egg yolk and beat until well combined and smooth.  Add the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated.

Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead it gently until it comes together.  Divide the dough in half and press each half into a disk.  Roll out each disk between 2 pieces of parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thick.  Slide the parchment paper-covered disks onto a baking sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour, until very firm.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Working with one layer of dough at a time, peel off the top sheet of parchment paper.  Using a 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter, stamp out the cookies and close together as possible.  Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with some of the flake salt.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they are just firm.  Shift the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through.  Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Julie's Blue Cheese, Walnut, and Thyme Cocktail Cookies

Makes about 6 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces blue cheese (I used Point Reyes)

8 ounces chilled butter, cubed

1 large egg yolk

Place the walnuts, sugar, and the thyme in the work bowl of a food processor; pulse until the walnuts are finely chopped.  Add the flour, salt, and the blue cheese to the bowl and pulse to combine.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Add the egg yolk and process until large clumps of dough form.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and form it into a ball.  Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a disk.  Roll out each disk in between two pieces of parchment paper to a thickness of about 1/4-inch.  Stack the parchment paper-covered disks on a baking sheet and freeze until very firm, at least 90 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Working with one sheet of dough at a time, peel off the top sheet of parchment paper.  Using a 1 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out cookies as close together as possible and arrange about 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden.  Let the cookies cook on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

Spiced Butternut Cupcakes with Brown Butter Buttercream

 

Well, I did it again.

It has been two weeks since my last post, but that's because it was a busy two weeks.  I did have some rather lofty and laughable aspirations of posting a new recipe within 3 or 4 days of the Tate's Bake Shop giveaway (congratulations to the winner, Donna!), so I missed the mark by just a tad.  Note:  In this case, "a tad" is defined as 11 days.

So here's a rundown of past two weeks:

First, some exciting news!  Well, it's exciting for me at least.  Eric's kind of excited too, since there's a potential substantial cash prize involved.  Those two words always seem to get his attention.  Last week, after submitting a video entry, I learned that I am one of four finalists who will be vying for the title of Sterling Vineyards Ultimate Host!  Now, I don't know all of the details yet, but I do know that I will head to NYC in December to compete against the three other finalists for not only this prestigious title, but for $40,000 and a trip for four to Napa!!  AND, as if that basket of goodies isn't enough, we will be judged by none other than Padma "Please pack your knives and go!" Lakshmi of Top Chef fame.  No, I'm not at all intimidated. Not one teensy-weensy bit.  At least that's what I keep telling myself.  

You can bet that I will be praying to the Hosting Gods every night for divine hosting inspiration between now and December.

 

 

I also had the opportunity to serve as a judge for Mix 94.1's Bite of Las Vegas, our largest local food and music festival, which was loads of fun.  Basically, my job (and I use that term loosely) was to visit the 40 food vendors at the festival, sample their best menu items, and then choose the winners in about 10 different categories.  Yeah, it was rough. 

My co-judges for the event were my friend, local food critic Al Mancini, and my new friends, chef Sammy D. from First Food & Bar at the Venetian, and our reigning Miss Nevada, the beautiful Alana Lee, who is doing one heckuva job representing our state.  At 21-years-old, she has 100 times more charisma in her little toe I than ever had at that age..........but that's probably why she's Miss Nevada at 21, whereas I was waiting tables at The Outback.

 

 

The big winner of the day was a relatively unknown mom & pop barbecue joint called H&H BBQ.  I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it was the best barbecue that I have ever had.  I say this as a girl who lived in Texas for 6 years and who went to graduate school in North Carolina, where BBQ is a religion.  Seriously, give H&H a try.  You won't regret it.

 

 

Right after my brutal judging gig, my mom arrived for a quick visit.  Between you and me, I think that she really came to visit her beloved grand-dogs, who have the Pavlovian response of rolling over onto their backs and sticking their stomachs upwards whenever she (a.k.a. Chief Belly Scratcher) enters the room.

In between belly-scratch sessions, Eric and I took her to see the Cirque du Soleil show, The Beatles LOVE, which is by far my favorite of all their Las Vegas shows.  To be honest, I'm not quite deep enough to really understand all of the symbolism that occurs during the show.  I think that the creator might have had some, ahem, herbal assistance when he was coming up with his ideas, if you get my drift.  It was still extremely entertaining, and I will definitely see it again.

And then, right after my mom departed, Eric came down with the flu over the weekend.  No offense, but you men are such babies when you are sick.  As a result, we missed our dinner out to celebrate our 8-year anniversary.  On the bright side, as Eric put it, "At least I was able to go back to work on Monday and maintain my 16-year streak of no missed work days."  Such a hopeless romantic, that Eric.

 

So in addition to all of the above and my work obligations, I have two big fat recipe flops to blame on this delayed post.  Occasionally I'll have one idea that works really well in my head, but it is either a complete failure in the taste or the appearance department (or both.)  Most food bloggers out there know that, even if your creation tastes extraordinarily yummy, it is extraordinarily tough to sell it to your readers if the picture doesn't do it justice.  So, recipe #1 was a mess in the photo department.  

Recipe #2 was just a mess.  Period.

Fortunately, the third time was a charm.  I had been experimenting with butternut squash puree in desserts instead of pumpkin, inspired by this year's rumored pumpkin shortage.  The butternut puree has a higher water content, and the flavor is not quite as bold as pumpkin, so there was a bit of trial and error involved with the ingredient ratios.  That said, when you roast the butternut squash before pureeing it, it becomes extra sweet and caramel-ly, which sets it apart.  These butternut cupcakes are super moist and basically interchangeable with pumpkin cupcakes in the event of a pumpkin stock-out.

Now, onto the really important stuff:  Let's discuss the buttercream.

 

If you've never had anything with brown butter in it or on it, I'm really, really sorry. Nutty, rich brown butter is not only one of the best aromas in the world, it transforms everyday recipes from ho-hum to woo-hoo!  The idea occurred to me to take my simple vanilla buttercream recipe and replace the regular butter with brown butter.  What resulted was one of the best, if not the best, simple buttercreams that I have every made.  Addictive. I could not stop taking little samples here and there.....and there.  See the little flecks of the brown butter in the photo above?  I'm kicking myself for not making a triple batch (suggestion: make a triple batch).

 

Here are some extra tips for preparing these squash-based sweets:

• The brown butter buttercream can be prepared up to five days in advance and chilled, covered, until ready to use.  Allow it to come to room temperature before proceeding.
• Make some extra brown butter and chill it separately.  Use it for spreading on toast or warm rolls, topping pancakes and waffles, or on a baked sweet potato!
• Butternut squash puree:  Preheat the oven to 425F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.  Spray the foil/parchment with nonstick baking spray.  Using a sharp chef's knife, halve a large butternut squash lengthwise and place the halves, cut sides down, on the baking sheet.  Pierce the halves several times with the tip of the knife.  Bake the squash until it feels soft to the touch and the skin has browned, about 40-50 minutes (depending on the size.)  When the squash is cool enough to handle, remove the seeds and the pulp with a large spoon.  Remove the peel and transfer the flesh to the work bowl of a food processor.  Puree the squash until smooth.
• If you have any leftover squash puree, save it for a healthy side dish!  Mix it with some cinnamon and maple syrup -- yummy!

Spiced Butternut Cupcakes with Brown Butter Buttercream

Printable Recipe

Makes about 28 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

1 cup canola or safflower oil

1 cup sugar

1 cup golden brown sugar, lightly packed

4 large eggs

2 cups butternut squash puree (see tips above)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Brown Butter Buttercream

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces

4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3-5 tablespoons heavy cream

Prepare the cupcakes:  Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the oil with both sugars until well combined and smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Beat in the butternut squash puree and the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butternut mixture, beating until smooth and well combined.

Using an ice cream scoop (or a spoon) transfer the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.  Bake the cupcakes until the tops are firm and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean, 16-18 minutes.  Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the buttercream:  Place the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.  Melt the butter, stirring occasionally, and continue to cook until the butter has turned deep brown in color and it has a nutty aroma.  Allow the butter to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a bowl.  Chill the butter until it has firmed up but is still soft enough to stir.

Place the butter, confectioner's sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat the mixture on low speed until well incorporated, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and beat until combined.  Add the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well for 30 seconds after each addition, until your desired buttercream texture is achieved.

Decorate the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream, either by spreading with a knife or by using a piping bag.

Peanut Butter and Julie's Favorite Things for 2010 (and a holiday muffin recipe!)

It's not easy living in Oprah's shadow.  I mean, she gave her audience a cruise.  She gave her audience a car that won't even be available for another six months.  She brought her audience the Black Eyed Peas.  She brought them a holiday medley performed by Johnny Mathis and Josh Grobin at the same time.  And she fed them with macaroni and cheese, chicken pie, Williams-Sonoma croissants, and the world's biggest tin of popcorn.  Where was my granola you ask?  I was wondering the same thing.  I'm sure that my email invitation was lost in my spam folder.  Darn.  I was this close to fame and fortune.  I'd say "maybe next year," but as we all know, this is (sniff) Oprah's 25th, and her very last year as a talk show host.  I'm not sure I recall what life without Oprah was like.  I mean, I'm just slightly older than 25 as it is......

So perhaps the Fourth Annual Peanut Butter and Julie Favorite Things list isn't quite as expensive or as luxurious as that of Oprah's 25th, but what it lacks in terms of personal transportation, diamonds, and all-expenses paid vacations, it certainly makes up for in charm, affordability, and quality (Are you buying any of this?  Good.)

This year, as with year 1, year 2, and year 3, all of the items on the list are my own selections.  They have not been solicited by anyone or by any company.  While a few of the items are creations of my friends, they did not ask me to promote them.  I chose to promote them because I think that they are outstanding products, things that I would buy for my friends, my family (or myself!)

So, without further ado (drum roll), I give you Peanut Butter and Julie's Favorite Things for 2010!!

1. Whenever I go to Sephora, the beauty product superstore where I always feel like I am too old to be a customer, I tend to become completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of products that they have on the shelves.  I've never been one to wear a lot of makeup, so I don't even know what half of the products are for.  Primer?  Dunno.  Facial highlighter? Not a clue.  If I don't walk in with a plan, I'll emerge an hour later empty-handed and extremely stressed out.  That's why I've started heading straight to the Philosophy section, my safe haven.  Here's the thing about me, oh marketers of America: Once I'm loyal to a brand, I'm loyal until I am given a seriously good reason to change brands.  I've been using Kiehl's products since I was about 18, and I've been using Philosophy products since they launched. I especially love Philosophy for their holiday food-themed scents, ones that are truly reminiscent of their titles:  Candy Cane, Have a Cherry Christmas, Peppermint Bark, Cinnamon Buns, Dreamy Tangerini.....the yummy list of flavors goes on and on.  Last year, while hiding from the overly agressive Sephora salesgirl behind the Philosophy rack, I tried a sample of the new, and very appropriately named, Melting Marshmallow body lotion.  While I don't know if it smells exactly like a marshmallow, this lotion truly melts into my skin, and in this desert climate, you have no idea what an important trait that is.  I quickly stocked up for the year.  This year, they've come out with an even better scent of the same lotion, called The Gingerbread Girl .  It hits the mark as far as aroma is concerned, with that same "melting" quality.  Yes, I smell like a walking bakery, and I'm OK with that.

2.  O.K., so Oprah totally stole this one from me, but I'm going to go ahead and forgive her because, well, she is Oprah after all.  Plus, it's her 25th season, so I completely understand if she is running out of ideas for her Favorite Things list, and she needs to look to people such as myself for assistance.  It's fine, O.  I'm here for you.  I may have mentioned once, or maybe one hundred times, that I am a sweet potato fanatic.  FAN. A. TIC.  With the exception of cheesecake, which I won't go anywhere near, simply put the words "Sweet Potato" on a product label, and you have my attention (and likely my money too.)  When I exhibited at the Fancy Food Show in New York this past June, I had a short amount of time to  peruse the aisles of the immense Javits Center and check out what the other exhibitors were peddling.  Many of the items on display were of the ho-hum-I've-seen-this-somewhere-before genre: truffled this, chipotle that, bittersweet chocolate thingamajigs.  I was about to give up and return to granolaland, when I passed by Low Country Produce's booth, and I sampled their Sweet Potato Butter.  In a word: yum.  It took almost all of my will-power to not slip a few display jars into my bag.  Perfect for toast, dinner rolls, or even by itself straight outta the jar, this smooth and sweet spread is lightly spiced with a hint of lemon juice, and it would make the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone who is sweet on sweet potatoes.

3.  It never fails.  I walk into Target for my monthly supply of Crystal Lite and a box of aluminum foil, and I walk out with three packages of cute cupcake liners, a candle, mascara, a set of retro-looking plates, puppy biscuits, and about five t-shirts.  I buy almost all of my t-shirts at Target.  And why not?  Target makes fantastic t-shirts, and they're only about $7-$9 each.  Of course, when you purchase them by the truckload, that bargain price can really add up.  The marketing folks at Target have really figured out their target (get it?) customer (that would be me) too, because they come out with t-shirts for just about every holiday (I Heart Arbor Day!!) and trend.  Well, team Tar-jay, you might be interested to know that you now have some competition from the folks at  Food Tees, a brand of naturally sweet food-themed tees, tanks, and bags that I recently found on-line.  While the price runs a bit higher than your average Tar-Tee, I think that the increased cuteness quotient more than makes up for the difference. 

4. The specialty food community is onto me.  Clearly, word has gotten out that I love salt, because over the past decade an entire new industry has been created out of what used to be a fairly boring ingredient.  When I was growing up, our pantry contained one kind of salt: Morton's in the blue tube.  We occasionally had a box of kosher salt on hand, but it was never used for our table, and I think that we actually had that same box for my entire childhood.  As I glance over my shoulder into my kitchen, I see no fewer than eight options of various colors and crystal sizes for seasoning my food.  Not only do we now have sea salt, we have Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, not to be confused with Hawaiian Red Sea Salt or, my personal favorite, Smoked Sea Salt.  Last year, for Christmas, my mom (who happens to be married to a fellow salt-a-holic), gave me this Napa Style 5-Salt Box, from Michael Chiarello's store, Napa Style in, you guessed it, Napa Valley.  The wooden box contains five little square wells with lids, and it comes with five different salts: Sun-Dried Tomato, Citrus Rosemary, Roasted Garlic, Gray Salt, and the aforementioned Hawaiian Red.  I might have gone through those salts fairly quickly (suddenly, everything could use just a little sprinkle of salt), but fortunately I can just refill the box with my own variety of flavors.  This would make a great housewarming gift for the foodie who has everything.

5. One of my favorite traditions every holiday season is decorating the tree, even if I end up doing it on my own (Eric doesn't always get into the holidays quite like I do.  It's in my blood.)  My parents did a great job of saving all of the ornaments that I collected over the years, from an angel made out of a paper plate, who is slowly losing her glitter, which I made at the Pennington Presbyterian Church Christmas Bazaar one year, to a golden Snoopy ornament, engraved from my friend Amy in 1982.  I don't know if Martha Stewart would really approve of my tree-decorating skills.  I like to think of my technique as more freestyle than department store chic.  My tree is definitely over-crowded with ornaments, but there is no way that I am leaving any off, and there is always room for more, especially super-duper adorable ones (see photo).  I recently discovered that my friend, Linda Bibbo, is not only an extremely talented cook, but she also makes the most adorable Christmas ornaments, which she sells at various craft shows (or sells out!)  These hand-made, 4" glass ornaments sell for $18 each plus shipping, and they can be personalized on the back or at the bottom.  Linda doesn't currently have a web site (which makes these ornaments even more of a unique gift), but she can be contacted via email (which I can provide for you), and she can usually ship within 5 days or less.  Oh boy, oh boy!!  Another ornament for my tree!!  Eric will be so thrilled.

 

6. Recently, I've come to terms with the fact that I don't have the shopping attention span or patience to call myself a TRUE fashionista.  Come to think of it, I'm probably a salesperson's dream.  I walk in, see a pair of shoes that I like, try them on, and buy them, usually in about 10-15 minutes.  I like to hit the malls early and on weekdays, so crowds aren't an issue.  Outlet shopping is my worst nightmare.  That said, I devour fashion magazines as if they were an 8-ounce cup of Golden Spoon Vanilla Malt frozen yogurt covered in rainbow jimmies, so I am aware of the trends.  I'm just too short on time to follow them all, so I need to pick just a few.  Eric is going to kill me for divulging this, but this past year we both became avid watchers of The Rachel Zoe Project  on Bravo.  I adore Rachel Zoe.  I want to be her friend.  Plus, I completely identify with her trials and tribulations from a woman business-owner's (and Starbucks addict's) perspective.  Although Eric doesn't necessarily get the whole fashion aspect of the show, I think that he identifies with Rachel's husband, Roger.  No, I don't force Eric to walk around indoors wearing a scarf and carrying a man-purse, but Eric sometimes looks at me when I am obsessing about all things culinary the same way that Roger looks at Rachel when she obsesses about Chanel.  Unlike Rachel, I don't own a lot of Chanel clothes. O.K., I own no Chanel clothes.  BUT, I do own Chanel......nail polish.  Every season, Chanel ingeniusly comes out with fantastic new limited edition colors that always sell out (anyone remember Vamp?)  I buy a few of these every year, although I opted to skip the army green color -- didn't really flatter my skin tone.  While, in true Chanel form, these polishes are pricier than normal polish, they are of great quality, and they are a fun, unique, and affordable gift for someone who enjoys fashion.   As Rachel would say, they are "major."  

7. I think that the world would be a better place if there were more chocolatiers, don't you agree?  I mean, how many times do you see someone biting into a decadent bittersweet chocolate-covered salted caramel with an unhappy expression on their face?  Never.  It's hardly rocket science.  Chocolate makes people happy.  Sure, the after-effects of not being able to squeeze into your skinny jeans might not be the ultimate joyous occasion, but skinny jeans are stupid anyhow, and they should all be burned.  So.......guess what?  I have a FRIEND who is a real live chocolatier.  A fantastic one too.  Jealous? It's kind of like knowing Willy Wonka, except she doesn't hang out with Oompa-Loompas (that I know of) or wear crazy hats.  I met Ruth Kendrick this year through a mutual Facebook friend, who knew that we both owned small gourmet food businesses.  After exchanging emails, Ruth and I decided to exchange products.  I sent her a sampler of my granola, and she sent me a HUGE sampler of her Chocolot Artisan Confections, her perfectly gorgeous, beautifully packaged, hand-crafted, rich, creamy, and irresistible truffles.  I'm usually pretty proud of my will-power, but it was completely shot after my first bite.  I ended up buying a bunch to put into holiday gift baskets.  Boy, am I going to be popular!!  My favorite flavor???  Definitely the Meyer Lemon....or the Fleur de Sel Caramel....or the Orange Cream....or the Praline.......(clearly I can't decide, so I may need to sample again.)

8.  I think that few people would argue the fact that bacon is everywhere these days.  Not only is bacon in your BLT for lunch, but it's also showing up in your Maple Bacon Cupcake for dessert.  In the past few years, I've seen bacon ice cream, bacon chocolate truffles, candied bacon caramel popcorn, bacon toffee, bacon mints (fail), and even bacon Jolly Ranchers (not really, just wanted to see if you're paying attention.)  I've read write-ups from supposed culinary trend experts who have proclaimed that the bacon trend is "so over", much like the cupcake or the ubiquitous slider.  Um, no.  It's not.  That's clearly the overdose of nitrates speaking.  Bacon will never be over, much like culottes will never be stylish.  I am fairly confident that I am not alone when I say that I especially love the combination of salty caramelized bacon with something that is particularly sweet, like the classic combination of pancakes and bacon drenched in maple syrup.  The other day, I was shopping at Whole Foods when I came upon a carefully crafted pyramid of Mo's Bacon Pancake Mix, the latest creation from those geniuses at Vosges chocolate.  First they came out with Mo's Bacon Bar, which I thought would be impossible to top.  Well they didn't exacty top it -- rather they broke it up into pieces and added it to pancake mix to create a perfect stocking stuffer or gift basket item.  I don't know who this Mo guy is, but I like his style. 

9. There are certain baking classics, such as chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and blueberry muffins, for which I am determined to discover "the best" recipe, at least in my opinion.  I am 100% satisfied that I have found the ultimate recipe for two of those three items.  The chocolate chip cookie is still a challenge.  Cakey?  Crisp?  Nuts?  Chunks or Chips?  Oh well, I suppose that I am willing to sacrifice continual testing and sampling, all in the name of research of course :)  Another recipe for which I constantly get positive feedback is my sugar cookie recipe.  Ever since I created this combination about six years ago, it has become my standard for decorated cookies throughout the year.  Confession time:  Whenever I have posted this recipe on my blog in the past, I might have made one little change in the ingredient list.....but I had a perfectly good reason for doing this: my secret ingredient isn't exactly a shelf staple. Whenever I prepare these cookies, I use a special flavoring ingredient that I discovered in the King Arthur's Catalog: Fiori di Sicilia (I think that this means something like "Flowers of Sicily" -- anyone??)  Just a smidgen of this fragrant extract added to cookie dough or cake batter yields a vanilla-orangey scent and flavor that will truly set your baked goods apart.  If I happen to be out of Fiori di Sicilia, I'll usually substitute some orange zest and extra vanilla extract, but it's never quite the same.  So, that's my secret.  Merry Christmas.

10.This is another one of my favorite things that happens to also be a creation of one of my friends.  Hey, what can I say?  I have talented friends, and I'm not afraid to brag about them.  I've mentioned in the past that I occasionally participate in cooking/recipe competitions, a hobby that has allowed me to meet some wonderful friends (who don't think that I'm weird for sitting around and discussing food for hours on end.)  A few weeks ago, I competed in (and won!) the Aetna Healthy Food Fight which took place in L.A.  Our challenge was to prepare an entire healthy Thanksgiving feast, using a limited list of ingredients, in 90 minutes.  Oh yeah, and the judge?  Bobby Flay.  The Iron Chef himself.  No pressure there.  One of the other competitors, Camilla Saulsbury, is someone that I have been friendy with via email and Facebook, but we had never actually met in person.  Not only has Camilla set the bar for cooking contest success -- she has won just about every major competition there is -- but she is a Phd-carrying successful cookbook author, fitness instructor, blogger, former professor, mom, and wife.  Oh yeah, and she's gorgeous......and nice........and humble.......and funny (I know that you wanted me to say that she was mean or snobby or something, but sorry, you simply can't hate her.)  Anyhow, Camilla and I were both flying solo during our stay in L.A., since both of our husbands had to work, so we essentially became each other's "plus ones."  We had a fantastic time eating our way through the menu at Mario Batali's Osteria Mozza and working out next to Fabio of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter fame at the gym (I have to say, he looks pretty good in person.)  When Camilla announced the title of her newest cookbook last year, I felt like it had been written just for me:  750 Best Muffin Recipes .  No, I didn't accidentally add a zero to the number.  That's 7.5.0.  As in, a new recipe every day for over two years.  As in, about $.03 per recipe.  Sounds like a good deal to me!  I love a well-crafted, moist on the inside, but slightly crisp on the outside muffin, and from the recipes that I have tried so far, I will be very happy baking my way through this book.  Muffins for breakfast, savory muffins, gluten-free, international, vegan.....they're all inside, and then some.  Here is a yummy recipe from the book that I whipped up yesterday, perfect for the holidays:

Camilla's Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Muffins (from 750 Best Muffin Recipes)

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

3/4 cup sour cream

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks

1/3 cup coarsely crushed red and white striped peppermint candies

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, butter, and peppermint extract until well blended.  Whisk in the sour cream until blended. 

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.  Gently fold in the chocolate.  Divide the batter equally among the prepared muffin cups.  Sprinkle with candies.

Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.  Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 3 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool.

 

O.K., folks!!  That's all that I've got.  I'm exhausted.  Time for a nap.  Happy holiday shopping!!

Spiced Sweet Potato Ice Cream Pie

I've said it once.  Actually, I've probably said it about 1000 times, but that's not going to stop me from saying it again:  I love sweet potatoes. 

I've never been a huge fan of white potatoes themselves.  I know;  that's very un-American.  Baked potatoes don't thrill me, and I'm rarely tempted by french fries.  Luckily, Eric consumes enough of those to fulfill my quota.  And mashed potatoes?  The majority that I've tasted are just blah.  There was this one restaurant that we went to, which served a sort of mashed potato "tasting" with your entrees, including lobster mashed potatoes and truffle mashed potatoes.  I'll admit that those versions were pretty darn outstanding.  But let's face it:  You can add lobster and truffles to just about anything and make it outstanding.  In that situation it wasn't really about the potatoes, now was it?

My first memories of sweet potatoes are probably similar to those of most people, ones that involve Thanksgiving dinner.  My mom would always make candied sweet potatoes, using the canned version in syrup, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, and I think raisins (Mom, am I right?)  The tops of the potatoes would get nice and caramelized in the oven, and this super sweet dish was the perfect foil to her savory gravy, turkey, and stuffing (and it tasted even better the next day.)  Since my dad and brother never indulged in orange food, other than Doritos, I could have as much as I wanted.

When I started to become a bit of a health nut, and my taste buds became less sugar-dependent, I started to realize that sweet potatoes didn't necessarily need to be doused in sugar, syrup, and more sugar to be delicious.  They were, after all, SWEET potatoes, right?  Sometimes for dinner, I'll just roast up a red-skinned variety and top it with the tiniest amount of butter, cinnamon, and maple syrup:  heaven.  The same applies for the very similar tasting, but even lower calorie butternut squash.  I consume these two vegetables on such a regular basis, it's a wonder that my skin hasn't turned a spray-tanned Snooki shade of orange by now.

Sweet potatoes and butternut squash are a great substitute for pumpkin in most recipes, and I'm always trying to think of new ways to incorporate them into my cooking and baking.  While using fresh pumpkin puree might be the only way that Martha Stewart rolls, it's a huge pain in the butt to make, and it's not attainable year-round.  Fresh sweet potato puree is ten times easier, so that is what I like to use in muffins, pies, pancakes, etc.

I believe that I've also mentioned about 1000 times that I'm not a huge dessert person.  Obviously, there's nothing that I love more than creating desserts.  I just like to give them away, probably because I find it much more gratifying to watch others enjoy something that I've made.  Ice cream is the exception, especially the fresh or homemade variety.  If a restaurant dessert menu offers a tasting of exotic ice creams and sorbets, it's hard for me to turn that down.  When Eric and I were in Jackson Hole this summer, I must have dragged him to the town square ice cream shop every other day to get a scoop of their local huckleberry ice cream.  I could never work in an ice cream shop.

After a humongous Thanksgiving dinner, I tend to decline dessert.  I might take a bite off of someone else's plate, just to taste, but a heavy piece of custard or fruit-filled pie is usually not even a little bit tempting.  I love the idea of serving an ice cream pie though.  It's essentially a scoop of ice cream in a thin cookie crust (in this case gingersnap), and it seems like a much more refreshing option than some other alternatives. Plus, you can use the leftover ice cream and cookies to make fun mini sandwiches for the kids...or adults who should be seated at the kids table.

I love to play around with my ice cream maker.  I have a really inexpensive version, and it has never  failed me.  This is my first attempt at sweet potato ice cream, and I was really thrilled with the results.  You can definitely omit the spiced pecans, but I think that they add some great texture and flavor.  Here are my extra tips for making this cool and sweet post-Thanksgiving dinner treat:

• Here's a great bonus ideas for a fun kids dessert: Use leftover ice cream, gingersnaps, and chopped nuts to create some fun mini Sweet Potato Gingersnap Ice Cream Sandwiches.  You can also roll the outsides of the sandwiches in sprinkles, coconut, mini chocolate chips, etc.
• The ice cream pie can be prepared up to one week in advance.  Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze.  Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cutting and serving to guests.
• While you can definitely mash the baked sweet potato flesh to make a puree, I have found that a much better method is to actually puree it in a food processor, as this yields a much smoother outcome -- more suitable for an ice cream base.
• Instead of using a combination of whole milk and cream, you may use all half and half (or even al heavy cream if you want a REALLY rich ice cream.)

Spiced Sweet Potato Ice Cream Pie

Serves 8-10 (with leftover ice cream for ice cream sandwiches!)

For the ice cream:

3 medium red-skinned sweet potatoes

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the spiced pecans:

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups pecan halves

For the crust:

2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps

2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Prepare the ice cream base:  Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.  Prick the sweet potatoes several times with the tines of a fork and wrap them in foil.  Bake for one hour or until soft.  When cool enough to handle, peel and then puree the potatoes in a food processor (or mash the potatoes.)  Measure out 1 3/4 cups puree.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and maple syrup.  Place the milk in a medium saucepan set over medium heat; bring to a simmer.  Slowly add the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly so that you won’t scramble the eggs.  Return the mixture to the saucepan set over low heat.  Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it thickens to a custard consistency, 8-10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the potato puree.  Mix in the cream and vanilla.  Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover, and chill until very cold (at least 3 hours.)

Prepare the praline pecans:  Keep the oven at 325F degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick baking spray.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg white and water until foamy.  Whisk in the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.  Add the pecans, and toss the mixture until the nuts are evenly coated.  Spread the pecans in an even layer onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant.  Cool completely.  Reserve 15-20 pecan halves for garnish, and coarsely chop the remaining pecans.

Prepare the gingersnap crust:  Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.  In a medium bowl, stir together the gingersnap crumbs, sugar, and butter until the mixture is evenly moistened.  Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch glass pie plate.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set.  Cool completely.

Prepare the ice cream:  Transfer the chilled custard to your ice cream maker, and prepare according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Five minutes before the ice cream is ready, add 1 ½ cups of the chopped praline pecans to the machine.  When the ice cream is ready, transfer it to the gingersnap crust, smoothing the top (there will be ice cream left over.)  Arrange the reserved pecan halves decoratively on top.  Cover the dish and freeze for 2 hours, until firm enough to slice.

Garnish the pie slices with lightly whipped cream or caramel sauce (optional).