sugar

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Sunshine Eats: Moroccan Stuffed Dates! The next time you throw together a Charcuterie Board, surprise everyone with an elegant delicacy of royal ancestors. Their natural sweet flavor and crunchy texture make pitted dates ideal for snacking. And who doesn’t love finger-food? When stuffed with an amazing almond paste, and a sprinkling of rose water, a superior appetizer is born. Impress yourself by turning ordinary into absolutely delicious. 
MOROCCAN STUFFED DATES
Ingredients:

8 ounces pitted dates

3/4 cup natural almonds

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

dash of cinnamon 

1 teaspoon rose water

1 teaspoon almond extract

1-2 teaspoons water

12-16 walnut halves

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions:

Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon; mix well. Add rose water, almond extract, and one teaspoon of water. Pulse until mixture becomes a paste, adding another teaspoon of water if necessary. Fill each date with the almond mixture, using a demitasse spoon. You want the paste to form a slight bulge over the top of the slit. Repeat until all dates are filled. Place the stuffed dates on a serving platter. Garnish with a walnut half and a dusting of powdered sugar. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Sunshine Eats: Financier Almond Cake! Not everyone lives around the corner from the best pastry shops in Paris. So we manage by baking at home. My son, Johnny, and his wife, Katie, treated me to their gluten-free version of a popular French sweet. Know what you get when you combine ground natural almonds, luscious brown butter, and airy egg whites? Clue: It’s a French pastry chef’s dream! By choosing a small cupcake mold or ramekin, this springy honey-sweet dessert becomes a star attraction at the end of a meal. Drizzle it with a lightly sweetened St~Germaine glaze, top it with a fresh raspberry crown, and you’re bound to feel a tiny bit Parisienne. Ooh-la-la!
FINANCIER ALMOND CAKE
Ingredients for Cake:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sliced almonds 

1/4 cup coconut flour

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 egg whites

1 tablespoon natural honey

1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter 2 ramekins or coat a 6-count muffin tin with butter or nonstick oil. Set aside. Melt the butter over medium heat. Do not burn. Simmer until brown bits begin to form. Lower heat and simmer, stirring frequently to scrape the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until butter turns dark brown, not burnt, for about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile pulse the sliced almonds and coconut flour in a food processor until nuts are finely ground. Transfer flour mixture to a medium bowl. Whisk in the powdered sugar. Fold in the egg whites, mixing until smooth. Gently stir in the honey. Finally, fold in the cooled brown butter. Stir until batter is smooth. Spoon into the greased ramekins or muffin pan. Spread batter evenly. Bake 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. If using a muffin pan, invert after 5 minutes to remove mini-cakes from pan. 
Ingredients for Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons St~Germaine liqueur 

Fresh raspberries for Garnish

1 teaspoon ground almonds for Garnish
Instructions:

Sift powdered sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in St~Germaine liqueur until a smooth consistency is reached. Gently spoon the glaze over the top of the cakes. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a sprinkling of ground almonds. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter X

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: X-Treme Fudge Bouchons! These chocolate fudge brownies are the perfect bite-size dessert at the end of a meal. Because they are baked in a popover pan, their shape resembles a cork, or French bouchon. The dense chocolatey cake is filled with rich dark chocolate morsels and dusted with powdered sugar making it an appealing dessert, no matter the occasion. Picnic season is upon us. Treat yourself to a taste of France. 
X-TREME FUDGE BOUCHONS
Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened 

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar plus 3 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

12 ounces butter, unsalted and melted

6 ounces semisweet mini chocolate morsels

Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour popover pan. Set aside. Sift together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and kosher salt. Set aside. Using a stand mixer, combine eggs and sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes. It will appear thick and very pale in color. Add the vanilla extract. Reduce to low speed alternating 1/3 of dry ingredients, then 1/3 of warm butter until all is blended. Add semisweet chocolate morsels. Place popover pan on a baking sheet and fill each mold two-thirds full. Place in the oven. Bake for 25-28 minutes until tops look shiny and a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack for 3 minutes. Invert mold and allow bouchons to cool upside down. Lift off popover pan. When cool, dust with powdered sugar. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter V

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Vietnamese Dipping Sauce! Like any good dish, the sauce can make or break it. Some like it sweet and mild, others prefer hot and tangy. As you pull everything together, don’t be shy about taking a taste test. If you prefer less sweetness, adjust accordingly. Do the same to crank up the heat a notch or two. I took the advice from a friend of mine who puts this sauce on everything from spring rolls to noodles to salads to fish. It’s amazing!
VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE
Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup rice vinegar 

1 cup fish sauce

2 cups sugar

10 red chili peppers, chopped fine

1 clove garlic, crushed
Instructions:

Combine water, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, chili peppers, and garlic in a pan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter U

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Unbelievable Bacon Jam! Your morning just got better. Everyone loves bacon, right? And coffee is often casually referred to as a “cup of morning joe”. Know what you get when you mix the two together, along with a few other items from the food pantry? You guessed it: Bacon Jam that can be slathered on buttered toast or added later to a Charcuterie Board. Tested on guests at Gail’s Kitchen, this recipe is spot on. Give it a try and see for yourself. You can thank me later. 
UNBELIEVABLE BACON JAM
Ingredients:

9 slices Applewood Smoked Bacon, sliced thick

4 tablespoons bacon grease

1 large red onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup 

3/4 cup brewed coffee 

1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, diced

1 teaspoon smoked sea salt

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions:

Cook the bacon until brown and slightly crispy. It should be chewy. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons bacon grease. Add diced red onion. Turn to coat. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Sauté until onions are cooked, stirring frequently. Set aside. In a medium sauce pan, combine apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, remaining bacon grease, brewed coffee, pickled jalapeños, smoked sea salt, Dijon mustard, and bacon pieces. Add cooked onions. Stir well. Bring the bacon jam to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 45 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the jam is thick. The bacon jam should appear chunky. Refrigerate in an airtight container. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Lovely Lace Cookies! For the keen observer, you may notice this is the same recipe I used for Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough*. There is a simple explanation. For those who are unable eat an entire batch of raw cookie dough, there is an alternative. Simply split the portion and bake a batch of Lovely Lace Cookies. But be forewarned. Once you drizzle them with chocolate, you may eat them faster than ever. I did. No shame!
LOVELY LACE COOKIES
Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

1 cup flour 

2 tablespoons light cream

1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips 

Chocolate Syrup for drizzling
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. In a food processor, combine butter and brown sugar. Cream together. Add vanilla extract and sea salt. Pulse to blend. Gradually add flour. Dough will be slightly crumbly. Add light cream. Pulse to mix well. By hand gentle fold in semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. Drop by level teaspoons onto nonstick baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Watch carefully. Do not burn. Cool on baking sheet until firm, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving. 
*Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough can be referenced under Letter E at https://snapshotsincursive.com/2017/03/23

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter E

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! Now you have no reason to sneak a teaspoon of cookie dough when that sweet craving strikes. Since this recipe eliminates the need for a raw egg, it removes the worry of allergic reactions. Whip up a batch in minutes. I like the idea of spooning half the dough into a canning jar to keep in the refrigerator. Makes snacking unbelievably yummy! The remaining dough can be formed into truffle-size portions and stored in the freezer for later. Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough makes a great gift from your kitchen as well, that is if you have any left to share. 
EDIBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH 
Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

1 cup flour 

2 tablespoons light cream

1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips 
Instructions:

In a food processor, combine butter and brown sugar. Cream together. Add vanilla extract and sea salt. Pulse to blend. Gradually add flour. Dough will be slightly crumbly. Add light cream. Pulse to mix well. By hand gentle fold in semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. Transfer dough to a jar and store in the refrigerator. For snack size portions, use a small cookie scoop to keep them uniform. 

This is Where it All Began for the Old Kōloa Sugar Mill

Take a step back in time, circa 1800, where a lush and fertile land along the southern coast of Kauai housed a sugar plantation that sustained an entire island. The Old Kōloa Sugar Mill was born. King Kamehameha III reigned supremely when Christian missionaries came with a message to share. Because the Native Hawaiians preferred fishing and living off the land, it was necessary to maintain a sustainable workforce. Thus, Chinese flocked to Kauai to work, in addition to Japanese, Koreans, and Filipinos. The Old Sugar Mill of Kōloa quickly relocated from the town to 980 acres near a waterfall and seaport. At the current site it became a large-scale industry, producing 225,000 tons of sugar in 1898. “This is where it all began” is splashed across the rusted and decaying abandoned storage bin as a reminder that everything must come to an end. Now what stands is a shell of deteriorating remains. Still, 161 years is a good run. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Orange, Pineapple, Banana Ice Cream! And, before you ask…..No, you do not need an ice cream maker. What I love the most about this refreshing recipe is that any fresh fruit can be used for a mélange of flavor choices, depending on the season.
ORANGE-PINEAPPLE-BANANA ICE CREAM
Ingredients:

1/3 cup mandarin oranges, frozen

1/3 cup pineapple chunks, frozen

1 banana, frozen

1/4 cup powdered sugar 

1/2 cup heavy cream, very icy cold
Directions:

Combine the frozen fruit and sugar in a food processor or blender. Process on “Pulse” until the fruit is roughly chopped. With the processor running, slowly add the heavy cream until fully mixed. Transfer fruit ice cream to a plastic storage container with lid. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until firm. To serve, use a melon ball scoop to form bite-size portions. Garnish with dried fruit and shredded coconut.