What's On My Plate » pecan

Pumpkin Pecan Mascarpone Pie

Tonya — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:56:29 +0000

Canadian Thanksgiving just passed and to keep with the seasonal tradition I decided to make a pumpkin pie. But this time around it wasn’t going to be any ordinary pie. I had a tub of mascarpone in the fridge courtesy of my uninspiring and wanted a way to use it up. After some researching I found this recipe for a pumpkin pie made with mascarpone. I immediately had visions of a pumpkin cheesecake pie which sounded absolutely decadent! While this dessert sounds amazing I wanted to kick it up a notch. Last year I made this fabulous pumpkin pecan pie which is essentially a pumpkin pie with a pecan pie topping. Otherwise known as the best of both worlds. I decided to use the pumpkin mascarpone pie recipe and top it with the pecan pie topping.

I had a bit of trouble with the pumpkin pie filling. My mascarpone would not easily combine with the pumpkin because it was too hard. Next time I would let the mascarpone come to room temperature before attempting to mix it in. The resulting filling is definitely on the runnier side than I’m used to. Because of this when I poured the pecan mixture on top of the pumpkin, the pecans started to sink right into the pumpkin! That made me nervous. I figured the pie would be way too sweet.

This was not the only “disaster” to plague my pie. Since the pecans had sunk instead of floated my filling began to run over while in the oven. This wouldn’t have been so tragic (I was baking the pie on a baking sheet) if the filling hadn’t taken down a section of the pie crust with it. Oh yes, it was a sight to behold to say the least.

Despite the cosmetic appearance, the pie was pretty good. Sure, it didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to I still enjoyed it. The pumpkin fill was really creamy and I enjoyed the crunch of the pecans. As anticipated the pie was a bit on the sweet side but alas not tragically so. Next time I would opt to use either recipe but not combine them.

Source recipes:
Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie
Pumpkin-Pecan Pie with Whiskey Butter Sauce

Gooey Butter-Tart Squares

Tonya — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:54:05 +0000

The other day I was REALLY craving butter tarts but didn’t want to go out and buy some. That’s when I got the brilliant idea of MAKING them. Now since butter tarts a Canadian specialty it’s not that easy to find recipes for them. Well not enough recipes with feedback to be able to discern how delicious the recipes are. I ended up on the Chatelaine website where I came across this recipe for butter-tart bars. I was totally on board with the idea of making bars because I was feeling a bit too lazy to make individual tarts and rolling dough (or whatever is required) so this pat in the pan dough thing was right up my alley.

I halved the recipe and substituted pecans for raisins since raisins freak me out. I guess this turned out a bit like a quick pecan pie more so than like butter tarts. I think next time I would increase the amount of filling because I did miss some of the gooeyness. But seriously, these are pretty delicious. As in I could eat the whole pan tonight kind of delicious. But I won’t because that would be obscene.

Stay tuned, I’m all about making butter tarts from scratch!

GOOEY BUTTER-TART BARS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter , at room temperature
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Generous pinch of salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
2 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two 8-inch square pans or one 9×13-inch pan. Measure 1½ cups flour into a small bowl along with the brown sugar and butter. Stir together until well blended.
Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pans. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven until light brown and set, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the pans to a rack while preparing the filling. Leave the oven temperature at 350F.
To make the filling, whisk the eggs with the vanilla and salt until foamy. Beat in the granulated sugar. Gradually beat in remaining flour. Stir in the corn syrup, then raisins. Pour the filling over the partially cooked base.
Immediately return the pans to the oven and continue baking until the squares are well browned and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 20 to 23 more minutes. Remove the pan to a rack to cool. The squares will sink slightly and the filling will set as they cool.
Cut into 32 squares. Serve at room temperature. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.

(via Chatelaine)

Fruitcake Bars

Tonya — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:35:26 +0000

This fruitcake is going to ruin my holiday season. Seriously. I was flipping through Canadian Living the other day and came across this recipe for Fruitcake Bars. Now I realize that fruitcake is one of those things that is controversial. I’ve never been a big fan of fruitcake especially from only really having the kind that you get from the supermarket. Gross. My uncle makes Jamaican Black Cake over the holidays but that’s another story. I realized that fruitcakes could be delicious when I tried a Monastery Fruitcake from Berryville, Virginia. It was delicious and fresh and the dried fruit wasn’t freaky!

This year I wanted to order a fruitcake from them for the holidays but never got around to it (next year, I swear!) but still have been craving some yummy fruitcake. I considered finding a local purveyor but didn’t want to think about the whole endeavour that long. When I saw the Canadian Living recipe the whole thing seemed very feasible. What made me very happy was that the recipe didn’t call for raisins. Raisins freak me out. It called for dried pears. Dried pears! Who knew that dried pears belonged in fruitcake? The recipe had me at hello.

I headed out to my local bulk store and stocked up on various dried and candied fruits, went to the LCBO and bought some rum and went to work. I ended up making a 9″ x 9″ cake instead of a 13″ x 9″ cake – so I made about 3/4 of the recipe instead of the full one. That was fine. I also forgot to buy icing sugar at the bulk store and then my local Metro was sold out of icing sugar (crazy!) so I decided to forgo doing an icing rather than trek around my neighbourhood in search of icing sugar. Not a problem. And Brazil nuts don’t do it for me so I went for pecans.

Now I say that this cake is ruining my holiday season because I made the cake on Saturday evening. It is now Monday evening and there is only a 2-inch square of cake left. There are only two of us eating this cake. I kid you not. This cake is so delicious that it has been inhaled. I’m contemplating making another one for New Year’s… I’m not quite done with quenching my thirst for fruitcake! This cake is so moist, just boozy enough with the rum and the fruit to cake ratio is perfect.

I’m loving it.

Rating: ***** (out of 5)

Fruitcake Bars

1 cup (250 mL) candied mixed peel
3/4 cup (175 mL) each coarsely chopped dried apricots and dried pears
3/4 cup (175 mL) coarsely chopped candied pineapple
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup (50 mL) amber rum or brandy
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp (4 mL) mace (or 1/4 tsp/1 mL ground nutmeg)
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each ground cinnamon and allspice
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
Pinch baking soda
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened
1/2 cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
2 tbsp (25 mL) liquid honey
3 eggs
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
3/4 cup (175 mL) coarsely chopped Brazil nuts
Rum butter Icing:
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter
2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar
4 tsp (20 mL) amber rum

Preparation:
In large bowl, combine mixed peel, apricots, pears, pineapple, ginger and rum; toss well. Cover and let stand for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.

In small bowl, whisk together flour, mace, cinnamon, allspice, salt and baking soda. In separate bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar and honey until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time; beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture just until incorporated. Add fruit mixture and Brazil nuts; stir to combine. Scrape into 13- x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan lined with double layer of parchment paper.

Set shallow pan on bottom rack of 300°F (150°C) oven; pour in enough hot water to come halfway up sides. Bake bars on centre rack until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Let cool in pan on rack; remove from pan and remove paper.

Rum Butter Icing: In bowl, beat together butter, icing sugar and rum until smooth; spread over bars. Trim edges. Cut crosswise into 6 bars. Cut each into 12 slices.
Additional Information

* Tip: To soak dried fruit quickly, toss with rum in microwaveable bowl. Then cover and microwave on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes or until hot. Let cool, covered, until at room temperature, about 1 hour.

(From Canadian Living, December 2008)