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Cranberries Move From Sauce to Sorbet

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:28:15 -0800

Although Thanksgiving is all about tradition, I love to take a quintessential holiday ingredient and add a new twist to it. Cranberry sauce is essential to turkey day, but it's time to move this berry over to dessert - with a white wine and ginger infused cranberry sorbet. Normally sorbet is served between courses to cleanse the palate. However, I like to offer it after the feast for guests who prefer something lighter and more refreshing than pumpkin pie. If you're interested in moving your cranberries from the dinner table to the dessert table, keep reading.

Sink Your Teeth Into Blood-Orange Sorbet

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:15:47 -0700

Inspired by the vampire-themed party, I decided to make my own bloody, yet delicious, treat. With Halloween only a few days away, I pulled out the ice-cream maker and started on a blood orange and mint sorbet - a perfect treat for your fangtastic friends! Although the last time I made ice cream, I had a problem with curdling custard, making this sorbet was easier and much less risky.

I started with a mint-infused simple syrup. While it cooled, I pulled out my glass citrus press (just like my grandmother had!) and hand-juiced the blood oranges. Even with the manual juicing, the whole process is quite quick and in only a few hours, I had refreshing and flavorful sorbet. If you want to feed your vamp guests this sensational sorbet, keep reading.

Showcase Fresh Red Currants in a Stunning Granita

YumSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:00:48 -0700

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I caught sight of something new to the produce aisle: red currants. I'd never seen fresh red currants, and I was enamored by the dainty clusters of berries, each reminded me of a brilliant garnet cabochon. Needless to say, I brought a carton home - despite having no idea what to do with them.After some preliminary tasting and research, it became clear that although it's possible to eat red currants out of hand, reducing them in sugar helps round out their piquancy. Ultimately, I blended their slightly tannic flavor with raspberries in a granita creating the perfect ending to an Indian Summer day. Learn one great application for red currants when you read more

Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:30:38 -0700

I'm pretty traditional when it comes to birthdays and I can't remember celebrating one without a special cake. It may come as a shock, but every year, I make my own birthday cake. Researching cake recipes and going through the process of baking one has become a ritual that I look forward to and enjoy - as much as the senselessly extravagant birthday party. For 28, I've decided on a chocolate truffle cake with ganache topping and rum syrup. Instead of serving regular vanilla ice cream, I'm upping the ante and pairing the cake with a tropical sorbet terrine. It has three (coconut, raspberry, and mango) layers of sorbet that I think will perfectly complement the richness of the cake. To look at these scrumptious dessert recipes, read more.

Tropical Sorbet Terrine
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 pint coconut sorbet, softened
1 pint raspberry sorbet, softened
1 pint mango sorbet, softened

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 6-cup (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches) loaf pan with a long strip of plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides; set aside.
Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool completely.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted coconut in prepared pan. Dollop coconut sorbet on top, and spread evenly; sprinkle with cup toasted coconut. Repeat with raspberry sorbet and remaining cup toasted coconut, then mango sorbet. Fold plastic overhang over sorbet, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 2 weeks.
To serve, unfold plastic, and invert pan onto a plate; remove plastic. Slice terrine crosswise with a serrated knife.

Serves 12.

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Chocolate Truffle Cake
From Saveur

Ingredients

For the cake: 
11 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 
1 1⁄2 cups flour 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, preferably 54%,  chopped 
1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
 7 eggs, separated 
1⁄2 tsp. salt 
1 cup sugar 
1⁄2 cup dark rum
For the ganache
 24 oz. semisweet chocolate, preferably 54%,  roughly chopped
 3 cups heavy cream 
Chocolate shavings 
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

Make the cake: Heat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper. Grease pan with 1 tbsp. butter. Add 1⁄4 cup flour; shake to evenly coat inside. Invert and tap out excess flour; set pan aside.
Set a medium bowl over a 1-qt.saucepan of simmering water. Add chocolate; melt. Set aside to let cool.
In a large bowl, beat the melted chocolate, butter, and confectioners' sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour and salt and mix until just combined; set batter aside.
In a bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until frothy. Sprinkle in 1⁄4 cup sugar and beat to form stiff, glossy peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into the cake batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a rack; let cool. Invert and unmold cake. Cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers; set cake layers aside.
Dissolve remaining sugar and 1⁄4 cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until syrup has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum; let cool.
Make the ganache: Place chocolate in bowl of a standing mixer. Bring cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan; pour over chocolate; let sit for 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, combine chocolate and cream. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until ganache reaches room temperature. Chill until ganache has the consistency of peanut butter, 2 hours. Transfer bowl to standing mixer fitted with a whisk. Whip on medium speed, 15–20 seconds.
Place bottom cake layer on a cardboard cake circle. Using a pastry brush, brush cake with one-third of rum syrup. Using a butter knife, spread 1 cup ganache evenly across cake top. Top with second cake layer and one-third of rum syrup; repeat process with remaining cake, rum syrup, and ganache. Spread remaining ganache over cake. Press chocolate shavings onto sides. Shake cocoa powder over cake with a mesh sieve.

Serves 16.

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Let's Dish: What Foods Are You Sick Of?

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:00:36 -0800

On last Wednesday's season finale of Top Chef, guest judge Rocco DiSpirito declared that he was sick of eating foie gras.

Although, I have to side with fellow judge Branford Marsalis, who claimed he "could eat foie gras all day," I can completely relate to Rocco when it comes to being tired of certain foods.

Personally, I'm weary of seeing nothing but crème brûlée, sorbet trios, and flourless chocolate cakes on dessert menus.

What dishes are you completely over?

Source

10 Unexpected Thanksgiving Leftovers

YumSugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Thanksgiving leftovers can sometimes be too much of a good thing. Tons of turkey meat and side dishes can be great, but not if they mean eating uninspired leftovers with monotonous flavors. Thankfully, there's loads you can do with leftovers beyond pot pie, sandwiches, and chili. Here are ten of our favorite new ideas.

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Yummy Link: Kiwi Sorbet

YumSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 06:01:18 -0800

Even though winter is hitting many of us hard, sometimes a frosty treat really hits the spot; especially when it's made with fresh fruit. That's why this kiwi sorbet has caught my attention. I'm going to pull the covers up, turn the heater on and indulge! - Vanilla Garlic

Oprah Says Ciao!

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:18:33 -0800

Yesterday Oprah announced her yearly Favorite Things list. It's chock full of great gift items - um hello, I want that crazy fridge! - but there's one thing that you can run out and get yourself: Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbetto.

"I love it because the flavor is just so refreshing," said Oprah, and well, I couldn't agree with her more. The ingredients are all natural and the blood orange juice is shipped straight from Sicily. It's also amazingly flavorful and completely cleanses your palate. I've seen it at a few of my local grocery stores, but you can also order it online (4 pints for $32.95).

Source

Yummy Link: Champagne Sorbet

YumSugar — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:43:18 -0700

It's no lie, I gasped out loud when I saw this recipe for champagne sorbet. Two of my favorite things are now together at last - doesn't it just look amazing?! - Tartelette

Low-Fat Red & White Dessert For the 4th

partysugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:43:18 -0700

Sorbet is a great alternative to ice cream. It's perfect for those who are lactose intolerant, refreshingly fruity, and way lower in fat. While it's great served alone in a delicate little bowl, it's more festive as part of a super simple frozen dessert. This dessert is so simple, the only thing you need is time for it to freeze. Purchase groceries today, assemble tomorrow night, and serve on Wednesday. Serve on a white plate, garnished with blueberries, for a patriotic splash.

I know lots of you will love this recipe, so get it now, just read more

Low-Fat Raspberry Sorbet Dessert
From Kraft Foods

1 pt. (2 cups) raspberry sorbet, softened
1 cup cold fat free milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) vanilla flavored instant pudding & pie filling (recommended: Jello's fat free, sugar free, reduced calorie version)
8 oz whipped topping, thawed (such as Cool Whip)
1 cup raspberries

Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with foil. Spoon sorbet into pan; freeze 10 min.
Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping; spread evenly over sorbet in pan.
Freeze 3 hours or overnight.
To unmold, invert pan onto plate; remove foil. Let stand 10 to 15 min. to soften slightly before cutting into 12 slices to serve.
Place one slice on each of 12 dessert plates. Top evenly with raspberries. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Serves 12.

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