Prunes Poached in Red Wine

Makes 4 servings.

Prunes are really dried plums that have enormous health benefits.  This is a delicious, versatile dessert that I like to serve warm, either as is or with a dollop of chocolate sorbet and biscotti.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ½ cups good quality dry red wine
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 vanilla bean, cut into very thin slices
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 7 ounces pitted prunes (See Note)
  • Zest from one orange, cut into thin strips, optional

PREPARATION

  1. In a small saucepan with a cover, combine wine, honey, vanilla bean and cinnamon.
  2. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 5 minutes.
  3. Add prunes, bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and add the zest.

NOTE:

Prunes come in 7 ounce packages. 

 
 

Baked Apples Filled with Walnuts

Makes 4 servings.

This is an easy, convenient and healthy fall and winter dessert when one craves something warm to end a meal. This dish can also be reheated.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE WALNUT FILLING:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted margarine, melted
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

FOR THE APPLES:

  • 4 medium Macintosh apples
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • ¼ cup water

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F
  2. Combine the walnut filling
  3. Rinse the apples. With a melon scooper, scoop out the center core from the top of the apples without piercing the bottom.
  4. Peel half of the apple from the top. Prick the rest of the skin with the tip of a knife to keep it from bursting,
  5. Fill the center with walnut filling pressing the filling down.
  6. Place apples in an ovenproof dish. Combine wine and water and pour over the apples.
  7. Bake for about 45 minutes, basting the apples occasionally until they are soft and still retain their shape. 
  8. Serve warm. 
 
 

Baked Forelle Pears

Makes 6 servings.

I like to serve seasonal fruit warm in the winter.  I prefer this variety of pears because they are smaller.  I also find that baking the fruit in pomegranate juice brings out the pear flavor.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 Forelle pears, with stems, not overly ripe
  • 1 ½  cups pomegranate juice (See Note)
  • 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar

GARNISH

Kernels from fresh pomegranate, optional

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat oven to 450F
  2. With a melon scooper, scoop out the center core from the top of the pears
  3. Without piercing the bottom. Peel, but be sure not to damage the stems.
  4. Place the pears on their side in a nonreactive dish.
  5. Combine the pomegranate juice and the sugar and pour over the pears.
  6. Bake the pears uncovered for 10 minutes, turn the pears over with 2 spoons and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the fruit is soft, but still keeps its shape.
  7. Serve the pears with their stems up and with the juices.
  8. Garnish with pomegranate kernels, if you like.

NOTE:

Pomegranate juice is available in 16oz bottles.

 
 

Large Flourless Chocolate Almond Torte

Makes 16-18 servings.

If you are expecting a large crowd this dessert is delicious cake to serve. It is light and not too sweet, and I like to serve it with berries and chocolate sorbet.  The cake freezes very well too. Be sure to wrap it in wax paper, foil and place in a Ziploc before putting it in the freezer.

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ pound blanched almonds
  • 6 ounces high quality imported semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted margarine at room temperature, cut into small pieces plus 2 tablespoons for greasing the pan
  • 8 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise and scrape off the seed (See Note)
  • 1/3 cup sifted unsweetened, imported cocoa powder

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Grease a 12x2½ inches spring form pan with margarine. Line it with wax paper and grease the paper.
  3. Grind almonds finely, almost like flour in the food processor.
  4. Place chocolate and margarine into a double boiler set over simmering water. Melt the chocolate until smooth, remove the top and cool.
  5. Beat the egg yolks in an electric mixer using a balloon whisk, at medium speed, adding 1 cup sugar gradually until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  6. With the motor off fold in almonds, chocolate, vanilla seeds and cocoa. Combine well with a large rubber spatula.
  7. Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer, at high speed, until small peaks show. Now add the 1½ tablespoon sugar until stiff. With a large rubber spatula, fold half of the whites into the chocolate mixture. Reverse the process and spoon the chocolate over the whites. Gently fold the two together making a motion like a figure 8 until just combined.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes. A cake tester inserted in the center should come out almost dry.
  9. Cool on a wire rack. Remove the rim and invert unto a serving platter. Discard the wax paper.

NOTE

Vanilla beans should be cut horizontally to expose the inside seeds. Use the tip of a knife to collect the seeds. If you only need half of the seeds of a bean, simply cut the bean in half, before you cut it open.  

 
 

Pistachio Biscotti

Makes about 4 dozen.

These biscotti are crisp and delicious with a touch of lemon.  They keep very well refrigerated in an air-tight container with wax paper between the layers. It's nice and convenient to have them on hand.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 8 ounces shelled pistachios

  • 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

  • Scant 1 cup sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • Grated zest of 1 lemon

  • 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk at room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325F.

  2. Spread pistachios on a baking sheet and bake until they are fragrant and just beginning to brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool.  

  3. Line an 18x13 inch cookie sheet with parchment paper.  

  4. Chop the pistachios coarsely, in 3 batches, in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and transfer to a large bowl.

  5. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and lemon zest.

  6. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the eggs, vanilla extract and oil. Mix well with a wooden spoon until dough sticks together. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and work with your hands to form a smooth rectangle, about 6x4.

  7. Cut dough into 3 equal parts. 

  8. On a lightly floured work surface roll each piece of dough into a 12x1 inch smooth log.  Lightly flatten the tops and square the ends. Place the logs on the cookie sheet, leaving a little space between them (they grow a bit). 

  9. Bake for 25 minutes, until the tops are firm to the touch.  

  10. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board.  While the logs are still warm, cut them with a serrated bread knife into ½ inch slices (do not be discouraged if some brake, it is the hard nuts that make it difficult to cut).

  11. Arrange the biscotti on the same baking sheet and return them to the oven for 10 minutes, turn over and bake for another 10 minutes.                

  12.  Cool on a wire rack.