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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Stout Spice Bread

YumSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:00:22 -0800

I've been longing to make my friends baked goods in some form other than Christmas cookies, and decided this stout spiced bread was different yet delicious.

I love the idea of individually sized breads, as well as the eco-friendly concept of reusing something disposable. To prevent sticking, remember to butter the canisters and let them cool slightly but not entirely before removing them from their cans. Your home will be filled with the aroma of sugar and spice - and your friends will all be indebted to you! To see the recipe, read more.

Stout Spice Bread
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups unsulfured molasses
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1 1/4 cups stout, such as Guinness, poured and settled
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Equipment: 4 clean 19-ounce soup cans (cannot be enamel-lined), free of sharp edges

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Using a pastry brush, generously butter the insides of four 19-ounce soup cans.
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices; set aside. Put oil, molasses, brown sugar, eggs, yolk, zest, and stout in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-low speed. Reduce speed to low; gradually add flour mixture.
Divide batter among cans, filling them no more than two-thirds full. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean and breads are pulling away from sides. Cool in cans on wire rack 20 minutes; then unmold and let cool completely.
To package, return breads to clean cans. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving, if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

Makes 4 individual breads.

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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Homemade Kahlua

partysugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:20:43 -0800

While it might be too late for you to make Kahlua and gift it next week on Christmas - it takes three weeks for the coffee beans to infuse the vodka and rum mixture - I highly recommend you make this and give it to someone as a hostess gift in early January.

People are always surprised that liquors can be homemade, so it makes for an unexpected gift. What most don't realize is that the best bartenders are busy mixing up everything from homemade Baileys to fresh grenadine. The techniques they use to make these superior mixers are easily adaptable for the home.

A few weeks ago when I decided to make this, I spoke with friend and master mixologist Scott Baird of 15 Romolo in San Francisco. Although most recipes call for simply a clear spirit like vodka or light rum, Baird insists on a mixture of vodka and dark rum for a rich flavor and thick syrup-like liquid. To look at his recipe, read more.

Homemade Kahlua
From Scott Baird of 15 Romolo

Ingredients

1 750 ml bottle vodka or white rum (I used Stoli)
1 1/4 cups dark rum (Scott recommended Pampero, but I couldn't find it)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 pound whole coffee beans
1 tablespoon cocoa nib (optional)
1 vanilla bean
cinnamon stick, slice of orange peel (optional)

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a sealable container. Shake hard to combine.
Label with the date and let sit in a cool, dark place for three weeks. Shake or stir the mixture several times of week.
Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into a clean vessel. Use like you would Kahlua or any other coffee liquor.

Makes 1 bottle of Kahlua.

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Are You Making an Edible Gift This Holiday Season?

partysugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:45:42 -0800

For the past 10 days, YumSugar and I have been going all-out with the edible gifts. We've made everything from classic treats like peppermint bark and peanut brittle to savory delights like spicy cashews and chicken liver pate. We've got two more days left in the series, and I want to know, have we inspired you? Will you be making and giving edible gifts this year?

12 Days of Edible Gifts: Candied Citrus Peel

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:00:50 -0800

This holiday, I wanted to make homemade candy as one of my edible gifts for friends, and I concluded that candied citrus fruit would be the perfect choice. The recipe only calls for fruit, which I always have on hand, and sugar. Candy making doesn't get more basic than that!

I used oranges, but any combination of lemons, oranges, and grapefruit would be wonderful. I can't wait to give this handmade, preservative-free candy to my friends and family - to do the same, check out the recipe and read more.

Candied Citrus Peel
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

8 oranges, 10 lemons, or 6 grapefruits*
6 cups sugar, plus more for rolling

Directions

Cut ends off fruit, and halve fruit lengthwise.
Insert the tip of a small paring knife carefully between fruit and pith about 1/2 inch deep and cut, following the shape of the fruit and keeping skin in one piece. Turn fruit on other end and repeat.
Using fingers, gently pull the peel away. Reserve fruit for another use.
Place citrus peel in a 6-quart pot; fill with enough cold water to cover (about 3 quarts). Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Drain. Soak peel in cold water until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.
Using a melon baller, scrape the soft white pith from the peel, being careful not to tear or cut the skin.
Slice each piece of peel lengthwise into thin strips 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide.
Stir together sugar and 3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, about 8 minutes.
Add strips and reduce heat to medium-low. Using a pastry brush dipped in cold water, wash down any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan. Simmer until strips are translucent and syrup thickens, about 40 minutes. Let the strips cool completely in syrup for 3 hours (or overnight). Strips can be refrigerated in syrup in an airtight container up to 3 weeks.
For sugared peel, remove strips with a slotted spoon. Using fingers, wipe off as much excess syrup as possible, and roll strips in sugar. Let dry.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

*If using grapefruit, adapt the recipe since the fruit has more pith, which is bitter and must be completely removed. If making candied grapefruit, after scraping the pith from the peel (in Step 4), simmer peel for 20 minutes more, and repeat to remove remaining pith.

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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti

partysugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:00:14 -0800

Biscotti is typically a sweet treat, but it's delicious when made with savory ingredients like Parmesan cheese and fresh-cracked black pepper. These crisp, cracker-like cookies make a delightful homemade gift.

Don't be intimidated by the recipe, although it involves dough and double baking, it's actually uncomplicated. I've never made biscotti and was a little nervous, but the technique was surprisingly simple. Be sure to read the recipe carefully before you begin to bake.

The recipe makes a large batch so I gave some to my grandfather and his girlfriend, and served the rest with wine and salami at an informal dinner party. To fill your house with a marvelous, comforting smell, bake these and read more.

Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (2 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
Special equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder*

Directions

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
Pulse peppercorns in grinder until coarsely ground.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 2 cups cheese, and 1 tablespoon ground black pepper in a large bowl.
Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Whisk 3 eggs with milk and add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quarter dough. Using well-floured hands, form each piece into a slightly flattened 12-inch-long log (about 2 inches wide and 3/4 inch high). Transfer logs to 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging logs about 3 inches apart.
Whisk remaining egg and brush some over logs, then sprinkle tops of logs evenly with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 1/2 tablespoon ground pepper. Bake, rotating sheets 180 degrees and switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until logs are pale golden and firm, about 30 minutes total.
Cool logs to warm on sheets on a rack, about 10 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
Carefully transfer 1 warm log to a cutting board and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife. Arrange slices, cut sides down, in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining logs, transferring slices to sheets.
Bake, turning over once, until golden and crisp, 35 to 45 minutes total. Cool biscotti on baking sheets on racks, about 15 minutes.

Makes 5-6 dozen biscotti.

*I do not own a spice grinder, so I hand cracked the black pepper using my everyday pepper grinder.

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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Sweet and Spicy Brittle

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:15:29 -0800

During the holidays, I keep homemade brittle in pretty packages to ensure that unexpected guests don't leave empty handed. This year, I made two different types of brittle: a classic peanut brittle and a more exotic, spicy brittle with pine nuts. However, it's easy to make brittle with any nut, seed, spice, or dried fruit.
Making brittle can be a daunting task, but with a couple of helpful tips, the procedure is uncomplicated. A candy thermometer is essential. There's a limited amount of time between brittle and burned sugar disaster, so have all the nuts and other ingredients ready and waiting. When the amount of steam produced by the boiling water and sugar mixture lessens, you have reached the hard-crack stage. Most importantly, remember to be patient! Get started on this crunchy, sweet, and spicy gift when you read more.

Sweet and Spicy Brittle
From Epicurious

Ingredients

Classic Peanut Brittle
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup salted peanuts
Spicy Pine Nut Brittle
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 250°F. Lightly oil a large sheet of foil on a baking sheet, then warm in oven.
Cook sugar and water in a deep 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork, until melted and pale golden.
Cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan, until golden. If making the spicy variation, immediately stir in red pepper flakes, salt, and nuts and cook, stirring, until nuts are golden, about 1 minute.
Once brittle reaches hard-crack stage (about 300°F) quickly pour onto foil, tilting baking sheet to spread brittle evenly before it hardens. (If caramel hardens too fast, put in a 400°F oven until warm enough to spread, 1 to 2 minutes.) Cool brittle on baking sheet on a rack until completely hardened, then break into large pieces.
If you want to create brittle pops, cut skewers into thirds. Alternate the sticks on a foiled and oiled cookie sheet. Cook the brittle as directed above, pour on the foil covering 1/3 of the top of each stick. Once cooled, carefully break apart brittle pops.

Makes 1 1/2 cup brittle of each type.

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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Vanilla Hot Chocolate Mix

YumSugar — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:30:00 -0800

During Winter, nothing epitomizes warmth more than a steaming cup of rich hot chocolate. This holiday, why not package that feeling for your loved ones by making inexpensive and thoughtful homemade hot cocoa?

Unlike store-bought mix, which often tastes chalky and watered-down, this edible gift is velvety in texture and pure chocolate in flavor. This year, I'm making a large batch and distributing individually decorated packages of mix to members of my extended family. To make your own version of this luscious-tasting gift, read more.

Vanilla Hot Chocolate Mix
From Epicurious

Ingredients

4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split crosswise
1 1/2 pounds high-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
8 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process

Directions

Place sugar in large bowl. Split half vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape seeds into sugar, and add pod. Work seeds in with your fingers. Cover snugly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.
In food processor fitted with metal blade, process semisweet chocolate and milk chocolate until finely ground, using 4-second pulses. (Process in two batches if necessary.)
Remove pod from sugar. Add ground chocolate and cocoa powder to sugar and whisk to blend.
To gift, carefully transfer mix to decorative jars or bags. Add instruction labels for recipents: "For each serving, heat 8 ounces milk in small saucepan over medium heat until scalded (or microwave 2 1/2 minutes at full power). Whisk in 1/4 to 1/3 cup mix. Serve with unsweetened softly whipped cream or marshmallows. Mix keeps airtight at room temperature for up to six months."

Makes 10 cups of mix (24 to 36 servings).

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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Homemade Grenadine

partysugar — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:00:10 -0800

With its bright red color, there is a common misconception that grenadine, the syrup used to flavor many cocktails, is made with cherries. The thick, sweet liquid is actually made with pomegranate juice (the word grenadine is derived from the French word for pomegranate, grenade).

When I realized that the sweetener was very simple to make, I decided to whip up a batch and present it to my sister, who enjoys the occasional "cherry" coke. Homemade grenadine is a great hostess gift, especially for someone who is into mixology. To look at the incredibly easy recipe, read more.

Homemade Grenadine
From Food and Wine Cocktails 2008

Ingredients

1 quart pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon orange flower water

Directions

In a medium saucepan, simmer the pomegranate juice over moderate heat until reduced by half.
Add the sugar and the orange flower water and stir until dissolved. Let cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Smoky Cashews

YumSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:50:56 -0800

When it comes to holiday presents, the men in my life are incredibly easy to please: Both my dad and my guy love to receive gourmet gifts, like quality fruits and nuts. Hence, I knew this recipe for smoky cashews would be the perfect edible gift for both of them. If you're strapped for both time and cash, this gift is your best bet: It only requires a few unfussy ingredients and 20 minutes of time. For a holiday offering that you'll be proud to present, read more.

Smoky Cashews
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 cups (9 ounces) unsalted cashews, toasted
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon smoked hot paprika
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Toast cashews: Spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 350ºF, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Toss cashews with remaining ingredients until evenly coated.
Cashews can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

Makes 2 cups.

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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Hazelnut Kiss Cookies

YumSugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:00:12 -0800

Every holiday season, I love indulging in those classic peanut butter cookies dimpled with a Hershey Kiss center. For our 12 Days of Edible Gifts, I experimented with this same concept to create a Ferrero Rocher-inspired treat. The combination of hazelnuts and chocolate is always divinely delicious and these crumbly hazelnut cookies with chocolate middles are no exception. They're simple to make and easily gifted in a festive basket or decorative to-go container. To make these delectable cookies for your friends and family, read more.

Hazelnut Kiss Cookies
Adapted from The Taste of Home Cookbook

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup Sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup ground roasted hazelnuts
48 unwrapped Hershey Kisses

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Place whole hazelnuts on a large cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes until fragrant. Be careful to not burn the nuts. Fresh from the oven place hazelnuts in a clean dish towel, rub against the towel to remove the skin. Grind or finely chop hazelnuts.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix eggs, yolks and vanilla well. Combine flour and salt and add a third at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie baking sheets. Flatten each ball and place a Hershey Kiss in the center of each cookie.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until cookies have set. Only the bottom of cookie will turn golden brown. Watch the cookies closely as the tip of the chocolate can burn. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

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