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Simple Tip: Heat Syrup in Hot Water

partysugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:15:56 -0800

During our girls Winter weekend, my sister made the most delicious corn cakes with spicy sausage for breakfast. Since we were feeding a crowd, it was necessary to heat the entire bottle of maple syrup.

While you can easily heat syrup in the microwave, the best way to heat syrup or ice cream toppings is in a pot of hot water. The temperature gradually increases and no burnt or caramelized crystals form.

Start by filling a large saucepan with water. Loosen the cap on the syrup and gently place the bottle in the water. Heat over medium-high heat, bring the water to a simmer, and warm the syrup. Keep an eye on it to ensure that it doesn't burn.

Got a tip for heating syrup? Please share with us below!

Shake Things Up For St. Patti's Day

partysugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:18:57 -0700

One of the guys here at the Sugar HQ has been seriously craving milkshakes. He's talked about milkshakes so much that now I want one! Not just any old shake though, I'm hungry for a glorified adult one. This St. Patrick's Day version with a chocolate stout sauce is made by combining store-bought hot fudge with thick creamy beer. It would be an excellent conclusion to a St Patrick's Day dinner and loads of fun if served in shot glasses at a larger party. Sound scrumptious? Check out the recipe when you read more.

Chocolate Stout Shake
From Better Homes and Gardens magazine

Ingredients

1/4 cup chocolate stout beer or stout beer
1/2 cup prepared chocolate fudge ice cream topping
1/2 gallon vanilla bean ice cream
1 cup milk
6 purchased chocolate-and-nut-covered pretzel rods (optional)

Directions

In a small saucepan heat beer and chocolate topping until warm and combined. Cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in a blender combine ice cream and milk, half at a time. Cover and blend until combined.
Divide ice cream mixture among 8 glasses.
Drizzle with chocolate sauce and, if desired, serve with chocolate-covered pretzel rods.

Serves 8.

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Come Party With Me: Christmas Caroling

YumSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:05:22 -0800

I know it may be a little old fashioned but I think it's time we bring back Christmas caroling. That's right, you guessed it, let's throw a Christmas caroling party. Invite a group of people over (we all know a few American Idol wannabes) then put on your big coats and head out into the cold to sing for your neighbors. Afterwards invite everyone back in for some hot soup and a hot chocolate bar. Make this party particularly memorable and ask guests to wear their tackiest Christmas sweaters. To make this party your own read more

Invites: To emphasize the tacky sweater concept create mini sweaters for invites. Visit your local Goodwill to scout large, chunky, cheesy sweaters. Cut into pieces and glue onto red or green metallic card stock. Cut the card stock/sweater into mini sweater shapes about 4x5 inches (you want it to fit into a regular sized envelope). The front should look like a mini sweater and on the back you can write in the specifics of the party. Slide into an addressed envelope and send to your guests.

Menu: Keep the menu uncomplicated, serve a crab dip, crackers, and fresh sliced salami while you wait for all the guests to arrive. Leave a creamy tomato soup warming on the stove for after the caroling. Serve mini ham and cheese sandwiches with the soup. Pair chocolate fudge and rice crispy treats with the hot chocolate bar.

Decorations: This is one party where no decorations are necessary. The tacky sweaters are decorations themselves and act as conversation starters. Don't light candles and leave the house to go caroling because, potentially, this could lead to a fire risk. Create a booklet of lyrics to the Christmas songs you plan to sing and give each of your guests one upon their arrival. When you return from caroling ask a friend to light a fire and another to light your candles. Turn on some music and bowl up the soup.

Music: Pump up guests by playing a CD of the Christmas carols you are going to sing at the start of the party. For the after party portion when you return from caroling your friends may be Christmas caroled out so put a few of your latest favs on rotation. My picks: Gwen Stefani's Sweet Escape, Fergie's The Dutchess, and the Killer's Sam's Town.

Drinks: When guests arrive offer them an apple pie shooter to loosen up their inhibitions and put them in the singing spirit. For drinks you can plan a naughty & nice hot chocolate station. Start with a good hot chocolate base (which you can leave on super-low heat, stirring every so often) and leave out a tray of nice: mini-marshmallows, cinnamon sticks, whip cream, dinner mints, etc. and a tray of naughty: grand marnier, kahlua, irish cream, etc. If your guests are not interested in the hot chocolate you can always serve Port, sparkling wines (and juices) or mulled wine.

Yummy Links: Weekly Food News Roundup

YumSugar — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 10:01:01 -0700

Watch out, there's been yet another beef recall. - Epilog
Ben & Jerry's launches a new flavor vanilla ice cream with fudge brownies and raspberry sauce - in America it's called Dave Matthews Band Magic Brownies, in the UK it's called Bohemian Raspberry. - Slashfood
Could this be the best bowl of noodles in the world? - Serious Eats

Rumor has it that competitive eating mega champ Kobayashi will not attend the annual 4th of July Nathan's hot dog eating contest. - Will Work For Food
With the price of high fructose going up, will soda makers switch back to real sugar? - Baking Bites
New York's got themselves a new festival, this time it's a Food Film Festival. - The Food Section
Have you been following the story about the food blogger who's been stealing other bloggers posts and passing them off as his own? - Chow
Are frozen artichoke hearts better than canned ones? - Apartment Therapy Kitchen

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Come Party With Me: Graduation - Menu (Dessert)

partysugar — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 14:32:18 -0700

I know it's traditional to serve a large sheet cake that says Congratulations, but I love to surprise guests by breaking the usual party rules. Besides I'm all caked out right now and want to serve an extraordinary dessert that's summer appropriate. Make a dessert that will please your grad by asking them what they want. My sister's favorite dessert combination is chocolate and peanut butter, so I'll make frozen choco peanut butter bars with a hot fudge sauce. Sounds decadently delicious doesn't it? Well, take a look at the recipe and start drooling, just read more

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars With Hot Fudge Sauce
From Gourmet magazine

For chocolate layer
Vegetable oil for greasing pan
7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts (4 oz)
For peanut butter layer
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (not "natural")
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
For hot fudge sauce
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make chocolate layer: put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, allowing 2 inches of foil to hang over 2 opposite ends of pan, and lightly brush foil (except overhang) with oil.
Melt chocolate with butter, sugar, and salt in a double boiler or a large metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, whisking occasionally, until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk in eggs and vanilla, then stir in peanuts.
Pour batter into baking pan and bake until set and edges are slightly puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer cake in pan to a rack to cool completely.
Make peanut butter layer: beat cream cheese, peanut butter, confectioners sugar, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined well, about 4 minutes.
Beat cream with vanilla in a bowl with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until it just holds stiff peaks, then gently fold into peanut butter mixture until just combined.
Spread mixture evenly on top of chocolate layer and freeze, pan covered with foil, until firm, about 2 hours.
Make hot fudge sauce: bring cream, syrup, sugar, cocoa, salt, and chocolate to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until chocolate is melted.
Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla until incorporated. Cool sauce to warm.
To serve: carefully lift cake from pan by grasping overhang. Trim 1/4 inch from edges of cake and discard, then cut into 8 bars. Peel off foil and serve bars with sauce.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: hot fudge sauce can be made 1 week ahead and cooled completely, then chilled in an airtight container or jar. Reheat before using. Leftover bars can be frozen, individually wrapped in plastic wrap, up to 4 days.

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