Tag Archives: cayenne pepper

A DUET OF SORBETS

Posted in Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by

Now that Fall is upon us, I need to get these sorbets out before it’s too late. Although of course, I have always my wonderful friends from Brazil and Down Under to consider, the lucky ones who are starting their beautiful march towards SUMMER!  The first sorbet is for those who appreciate the bite of citric fruits, and prefer desserts that are not overly sweet.  The second is a lot more mellow, but it has a secret ingredient to shake things up. Don’t knock it until you try it. Trust me!

lime-sorbet

TRIPLE CITRUS SORBET
(inspired by Cook’s Illustrated)

1 cup granulated sugar (1 + 1/4 cup if you prefer)
1 teaspoons grated lime zest
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 + 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh citrus juice
(1 lime, 2 lemons, fresh orange juice to 1/2 cup)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon Cointreau (or vodka) 

Pulse the sugar, zest, and salt together in a food processor until well combined. With the machine running, pour the remaining ingredients through the feed tube and continue to process until the sugar is dissolved.   Strain the mixture into a large bowl and refrigerate for a few hours.
Pour the chilled mixture into the ice cream machine and churn, following the manufacturer’s instructions, until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream. Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and freeze until firm.
ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This was absolutely delicious! If you have a particularly heavy meal, maybe a bit high on fat content (think ribs, maybe?) this sorbet is going to be perfect. The original recipe called for 1 + 1/4 cups of sugar, but I added less and felt it was enough for our taste, as we tend to dislike excessive sugar in desserts. Try the base before churning, and adjust. Make sure to process any additional sugar until it is fully dissolved. I always add some alcohol to our sorbets because it improves texture in the freezer. It is not mandatory for flavor, you can omit it.

cantaloupe-sorbet

CANTALOUPE-CAYENNE SORBET
(adapted from Food Videos)

1 + 1/2 pounds peeled, seeded cantaloupe  (about 4 + 1/2 cups, packed)
1/2 cup white sugar (100 g)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons vodka
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1/4 teaspoon if you dare!)

Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.  Place in the fridge to cool completely for at least 4 hours.

Give a stir with a spoon, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and process it according to the instructions of your machine.

Freeze and enjoy!

to print the recipe click here

Comments: I made the sorbet with only 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and thought it was perfect. However, the moment I mentioned to Phil there was a secret ingredient in it and divulged its identity, he suggested  we (we, got it?) should make another batch without it. He likes the pure flavor of the fruit to shine through. So that was that. A second batch was prepared (and I must admit we did it together) the following weekend without the cayenne and the vinegar for a side-by-side single-blind experiment. He liked the version without cayenne better. Me? I loved the peppery one. It gives just a nice background heat, that I thought complemented the fruit quite well. If you like the combination of sweet and savory, grab your bottle of cayenne and churn away…

triple-citrus-cantaloupe-sorbets-from-bewitching-kitchen

ONE YEAR AGO: Sobering Peach Sorbet

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SIX YEARS AGO: Home Sweet Home (our beloved Pits in one of his last photos)

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CHEDDAR CHEESE CRACKERS

Posted in Appetizers by

Today I finally share a recipe made for a very special reception hosted at our home a few months ago.  These are simple to make in the food processor and have great texture. You know when you bite into a cracker and it feels kind of hard, but in 2.5 seconds it dissolves in your mouth releasing all sorts of enticing flavors? These are exactly it.  The recipe I used was inspired by two sources, Fine Cooking and America’s Test Kitchen, you can certainly adapt it to your own taste. They are a bit spicy, so if you prefer to take the crackers into a different path, omit the cayenne, go for cumin or even some curry, that could be wonderful too. Most important thing is to use good quality Cheddar and Parmigiano cheeses because their flavors will be quite prominent in the crackers.  I guarantee you will have no leftovers at the end of your party…

Cheddar Crackers22

CHEDDAR CHEESE CRACKERS
(inspired by ATK & Fine Cooking magazine)

1 cup extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 tablespoons butter, cut in pieces and kept cold
3 tablespoons water

Process cheddar, flour, cornstarch, salt, cayenne, and paprika in food processor until combined, about 30 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add water and process until dough ball forms, about 10 seconds. Transfer dough to counter and divide in half. Roll each half into 10-inch log, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap logs and slice into ¼-inch-thick coins. Place coins on prepared sheets, ½ inch apart. Bake until light golden around edges, 22 to 28 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let coins cool completely on sheets before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

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Comments: It is easy to open several boxes of crackers to serve alongside cheeses and spreads. But nothing takes a cocktail party to another level like homemade crackers. And homemade bread, of course. These keep very well at room temperature inside a can, so you could prepare them in advance and impress that special group of friends stress-free.  Wait for the question “What brand of crackers are these? They are so good!”.  To that you follow with a short pause… and say as nonchalantly as possible… “These? Oh, these I made myself…”   A little bit of Hollywood never hurt a cocktail party, trust me on that…
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I shared these photos before, but I must say it gives me some pleasure to look at them again, thinking about the marathon of preparation I went through before the party… 
Cheddar Crackers
Make a batch, and you will be hooked!
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