Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Soliciting Recipes

As I spent all Thanksgiving day in a happy cooking haze, there are some things I will likely make again, such as my new "mashed cracktatoes" (featuring sherry-sauteed onions) so named for their unbelievably addictive quality. Luckily I wrote down how I created them. When I get home I'll look it up so I can post it. Oh, also the apple-ginger sorbet and the Guinness ginger cake turned out well. I'll post those too if you want.

Meanwhile, I really want to know about Library Liddy's Notorious Cranberry Sauce, as well as any other special recipes anyone has to offer that they tried and liked this year.

(Come Christmas I'll be bringing out those Library Squirrel Cookies recipes, never fear. I think I'll try the ginger ones this year--it's my theme!)

So, what did you all try making this year that turned out well?

12 comments:

Liddy said...

I've made the Guinness ginger cake two years in a row now (this being an anticipated third year) for my work holiday party. It was the first cake I ever made from scratch, and according to one staff-husband, "the best cake EVER." If that's not a recommendation I don't know what is.
I'll post the cranberry recipe this afternoon. I'm supposedly getting my leftovers back tonight, but I'm not keeping my fingers crossed. arrr.

Liddy said...

Bourbonned Orange and Cranberry Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup orange zest
2 cups water
1 cups white sugar
2/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3-4 cups cranberries
1 tablespoon bourbon


DIRECTIONS:
In a small pan over medium heat, combine the orange zest and water. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving zest and 1/3 cup liquid.
To the reserved liquid, add the orange juice, lemon juice and most of the sugar. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes uncovered, stirring often.
Add cranberries; increase heat to medium-high and boil for about 10 minutes or until the cranberries have popped (fun!) and a small spoonful of sauce sets on a cold plate. Add sugar as needed to make it as sweet as you like. Keep in mind that it will taste sweeter while it's hot than it will when cold, so if it's a little extra sweet, it's okay.
Remove from heat, stir in bourbon. I let it set in a big ol' bowl and that worked just fine.

Andrew said...

Okay. Hit me with the Guiness cake recipe.

liz said...

I got this recipe here and did not modify it. I just didn't use the frosting--seemed like overkill.

Ginger Stout Cake

Cake
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
3/4 cup stout (beer), flat, room temperature

For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Sift first 6 ingredients into medium bowl; set aside. Using electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Beat in flour mixture alternately with stout in 3 additions each (mixture may look curdled). Beat just until smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. [Liz: I worried mine were burning by the burnt-sugar smell near the end, but they turned out perfect.] Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic; let stand at room temperature.)

[Makes two cakes (or layers).

We ate it warm (with its crispy, caramelized outside--yum!) topped with brandy cream (1 carton heavy cream whipped with 1 TBSP brandy).]

liz said...

PS: I would have floured my pans more heavily if I had known how stubbornly sticky these cakes were.

Oh yeah, the crispiness is only an extremely thin (perhaps 1 molecule thick!) outside layer, and it disappeared when the cakes cooled.

I had looked up some traditional Yorkshire ginger cake recipes, too, but TheLimey was extremely pleased with this recipe and thought it was absolutely perfect, so I didn't move on to them.

liz said...

I should also mention that I made this "punch" last winter for a party and it turned out very festive. Extremely festive.

In fact I initially forgot to add the fruit juice (like one of the reviewers) which made it even more authentically Norwegian -- basically just a mug of hot spiced booze! (Probably a bit tastier and less dangerous with juice included.)

Andrew said...

Thanks for the ginger cake recipe. I think it will be a nice addition to our Buddhist holiday feast!

argotnaut said...

Are you _sure_ you're my sister?

At any rate, you should ask Frinkenstein for the Buddhist "meat"loaf and gravy recipe. Hhhgggghhhhlll.

liz said...

Well, let it be posted!

Andrew said...

OK. Posted, it is.

argotnaut said...

P.S.: "I would have floured my pans more heavily if I had known how stubbornly sticky these cakes were" really, really, really ought to be a euphemism, but I don't know fer what.

Tim said...

Liz made a cranberry cake that was really fantastic. And that's coming from a guy who doesn't like cranberries all that much. I'll see if I can snag the recipe for you.