recipes

A Nightcap for All Ages

64 Arts

Cup of cocoaSo! Originally I thought we’d finish up the preparation of drinks with smoothies and other non-alcoholic bevvies. Things change, however, and with the temperature dropping and folks spending early nights at home, together, a really good hot cocoa recipe can’t be beat. Here’s the one that Todd and I have been enjoying and I’ll bet you have have everything you need right in your cupboard and fridge!

Spiced Hot Cocoa*

1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg
3 cups Milk, divided
Mini-marshmallows

Whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the milk until smooth and heat until steaming. Stir in the remaining milk and heat through (do not boil).  Place some mini-marshmallows into the bottom of a couple of handled mugs or cups and pour the hot cocoa over them.

This recipe makes 4 tidy 6-ounce servings. Or, if you’re like us, 2 normal 12-oz servings. I’m one of those girls that always uses more of the cocoa mix than the package calls for, so I took the original dry ingredients but used only 3 cups of milk instead of 4 and really liked the richness of this ratio instead of following their directions. Who wants wimpy hot chocolate, right?

*adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

 

Miss Mangotini, I Presume

Sips

Mangotini
You know that old friend, the one you were so close to back in the day but then there was that falling out and while you might be civil to one another you certainly don’t go seeking out her company? We all have one whether you call her your ex-bestie or your flat-out-frenemy, those skeletons exist somewhere in your closet.

That’s me and this next drink.

Oh, we were a fabulous combo when I first encountered her on a work trip ‘lo those many years ago. I went to the ends of the earth (or at least the Internet) to find out just the right ingredients and ratio and proudly showed her off all over town while our friendship burned hot and bright.

But then New Year’s Eve happened.

Now, really, it wasn’t Miss Mangotini’s fault, per se. I mean, it’s not like she forced me to consume quite so much that night (but, man, is she tasty!). It’s not like she was the one that decided a refill-run before the stores closed in order to make another pitcher was necessary (no, that was the rest of the party). And it’s not like she kept refilling herself when I wasn’t paying attention (no, in truth, that was another “friend” being “helpful”).

But it was her that I had that, uh, falling-out with the next morning and started off that year as green as my shirt.

That said, after a while you start to wonder how that old friend has been and if there’s a chance you could be friends again. If you could let bygones be bygones. Maybe even introduce her to a new friend that might just be perfect for her?

Mangotini

3 oz Mango Nectar
1 oz Vanilla Vodka
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/8 oz Vermouth

Combine everything over ice and shake some sense into the mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Make two and make some friends.

This drink was possibly my first foray into mixology. I’m fairly sure it was one of the first ones I tried so many versions of just to find the right one. And, for future reference, if you see one that references Snapple* as an ingredient? Run. Run fast.

Back then I hadn’t even met the wonder that in vanilla vodka, much less the rest of the new members of the home bar club. (In fact, I was still using the dreaded Triple Sec back then!) So I thought this reunion would be a perfect time to play match-maker and see what happened. The original drink wasn’t bad–I wasn’t far off the mark however many years ago I made it. But with the vanilla vodka and Cointreau? Amazing. Fabulous. And so very smooth.

Now that M and I have made up (we’re on a first-initial basis again, as you can see), I’m happy to report she’ll be welcome at the bar any time she wants to show up. In moderation, of course.

*I have nothing against Snapple, it just makes for a very weak cocktail, far removed from the lusciousness of using juice or nectar.

Have Your Dessert (Cocktail) First!

Sips

Not that I’d know anything about testing out a super-indulgent cocktail recipe before supper. And if I were to do such a thing, it’s only be to take advantage of the light.

Let’s get down to the business of the G-cocktail, shall we? Which just happened to be inspired by a certain special-occasion dessert.

The Groom's Cake Cocktail

The Groom's Cake Cacktail

For those unfamiliar, the groom’s cake is a particularly Southern wedding tradition that is, thankfully, spreading thanks to the global nature of wedding blogs and reality television. An alternative to the (frequently) dry, white wedding cake, the groom’s cake was usually chocolate but, really, these days can be any size, shape or flavor the groom decides (or the bride allows). Often the cake represents a hobby of the groom’s and is one of the few times the groom might have any input into the wedding!

As my mind wandered down this path, I also remembered a cake I did for a friend’s husband that was German Chocolate–the cake itself is only part of the equation; that gooey coconut frosting is another matter entirely! Dreams are made of that nutty, super-sweet stuff.

The Groom’s Cake

1 1/2 oz Vanilla Vodka
1 1/4 oz Godiva Liqueur
1 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
3/4 oz Buttershots
1/4 oz Frangelico
Flaked coconut and cocoa powder for garnish

Combine vodka, Godiva, butter-schnapps, condensed milk and Frangelico over ice in a shaker and shake while you do a run through of the Electric Slide–just to keep in practice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with cocoa and coconut.

Alternately, skip the rim adornment and mix a little of the coconut and cocoa with more of the condensed milk, maybe a splash of frangelico, too, and top something sturdy with the mixture and float it in the drink. I used a mini rice cake for the raft and it worked quite well (and made a nice treat at the end of the cocktail!).

Even though we just did a chocolate cocktail 4 letters ago, I’m firmly of the belief that you really can’t have too much chocolate in your cocktail repertoire (or, you know, life in general), so we’ll go with it. The idea was to create a velvety-smooth concoction reminiscent of the cake and icing combo (second only to red velvet cake* with cream cheese frosting, I’d a guess) that is clearly a desert cocktail.

How’d we do? You’ll just have to try it yourself and see, won’t you!

And, yes, I’ve made a version of the bleeding-armadillo Groom’s cake before. Not exactly like the one from Steel Magnolias but it did have grey icing (poured fondant, in this case) and its beady little eyes, according to the recipient, followed you around the room. Which is only a good thing considering the person that ordered it meant it as a somewhat twisted joke.

MCC: Pomegranate Khabisa

Nibbles

It’s the last Thursday of the month which means another foray into the realm of Medieval food!

~~~oOo~~~

Once again we took a recipe from the Anonymous Andalusian cookbook, this time a sweet treat of pomegranate.

 

Pomegranate Khabisa

Pomegranate Khabisa

Khabisa with Pomegranate

“Take half a ratl of sugar and put it in a metal or earthenware pot and pour in three ratls of juice of sweet pomegranates [rumman sufri; probably tart pomegranates were more common in cooking] and half a uqiya of rosewater, with a penetrating smell. Boil it gently and after two boilings, add half a mudd of semolina and boil it until the semolina is cooked. Throw in the weight of a quarter dirham of ground and sifted saffron, and three uqiyas of almonds. Put it in a disk and sprinkle over it the like of pounded sugar, and make balls [literally, hazelnuts] of this.”

Andalusian Measurements:
ratl = a pound; in school I learned little phrase “a pint is a pound, the whole world round” which means you can use a volumetric pint of water for recipes that call for equal weights of flour and water and whatever else (very common in baking ratios). Since pomegranate juice isn’t incredibly dense, we’re using a volumetric pint for the ratls of juice–if it were a heavier liquid (like cream or buttermilk), you’d want to actually weigh the liquid
uqiya = approx. 1.3 oz
mudd = 16 cups; it’s actually 4 Liters, if you want to be exact; if you’ve ever used a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, though, you know that 4 cups is roughly equivalent to a Liter
dirham = roughly a teaspoon

As written, this makes a pretty big batch of pomegranate treats. A slightly more manageable quantity can be made by the recipe below:

Pomegranate Khabisa

¼ cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, plus additional for rolling
1 pint pomegranate juice
¼ oz rosewater
1 ½ cups semolina flour
¼ cup chopped almonds
pinch saffron

  1. Combine the sugar, juice and rosewater in a saucepan and bring to a boil. A non-stick pot is especially helpful and the final product is pretty sticky.
  2. Mix together the dry ingredients and then add them to the liquid, bringing to a boil again.
  3. Stirring constantly, continue to cook the mixture until very thick–like a thick oatmeal, this won’t take long at all.
  4. Scoop out small amounts of the mixture, roll into balls and then roll in granulated sugar. Place on a platter or inside little truffle or mini-muffin cups  and serve.

Steps to make Khabisa

As simple as boil, cook, scoop and roll.

Depending on the brand of pomegranate juice you use will determine the finished color of the khabisa. I’ve made it before with the popular grocery store brand that comes in the double sphere bottle and it’s come out much more vibrant than this batch, which was made with an organic pomegranate juice and ended up more a deep plum color.

Kept in an airtight container these will keep for a week, at least (if they last that long). We love the chewy, sweet treats with just a bit of crunch from the nuts (we subbed cashews–not correct for the time period but preferred in this house). And if you can stand to leave some for the next day, the rosewater becomes just a little more prominent and adds a nice dimension to the dish.

~~~oOo~~~

Did you give this month’s dish a try? Link up in the comments!

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Beggar’s CAN Be Choosers

Nibbles

Or choice morsels to treat yourself and guests too.

Minted Pea and Mushroom Beggars Purse

Minted Pea and Mushroom Beggar's Purse

I mean beggar’s purses, of course, like the kind I made for this year’s Fairy Fest. They most likely get their name from the Medieval-style cloth purses made from a circle of fabric and a simple drawstring. Whether made from pastry, as below, or crêpes or pasta, the fillings can be sweet or savory–really, anything goes.

Personally, I love the pastry ones best and prefer to use square pieces as a base as as not to have any waste. Puff pastry doesn’t do too well re-rolled (though if you’re going to try it, stack the scraps together and then roll out to the desired thickness–this keeps the layers intact the way just smooshing the bits together will not). Plus, when the sides are gathered up, the pointed corners make a delightful petal shape on top of the purse that is quite decorative.

Minted Pea and Mushroom Beggar’s Purses

Makes 36

8 oz Frozen Peas
1 stick (4 oz) Unsalted Butter, diced
8 oz Mushrooms, diced
2 Tbsp chopped Mint
1 Tbsp dried Thyme
1 Tbsp dried Parsley
1 tsp Sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 packages Puff Pastry Dough (4 sheets)
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water, for egg wash
Fresh Chives, optional, for ties

To Make the Filling:

Cook peas according to package directions; drain off any remaining water.

Stir together the cooked peas with butter, mushrooms and seasonings, allowing the heat from the peas to melt the bits of butter. Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 375° F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide each sheet of puff pastry dough into 9 equal pieces, about 3 inches square. On a lightly floured surface, roll each square out, gently, to about 4″ squares.

To Make the Purses:

To each square of puff pastry add 1 heaping tablespoon of filling to the center.

Brush a circle of water or egg wash around the filling (this will help the pastry stick together up top).

Draw together the centers of each side and then the corners, leaving the ends of the corners free to lay to the side like tissue paper out of a gift bag.

Squeeze together the top of the newly-formed pouch, just under the corner-points and finish with a tie of chive around the neck of the pouch. (See illustration below)

How to Form Beggar's Purses from Puff Pastry Squares

How to Form Beggar's Purses from Puff Pastry Squares

Brush the tops of the purses with egg wash and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown.

Either serve warm or let cool and refrigerate until needed. They keep very well and will reheat in about 30 minutes in a 350°-oven. They do okay in a microwave, too, but it’s not my first choice for reheating.

(adapted from the recipes “Sweet Peas with Mint” and “Mushrooms in Cream” from Celtic Folklore Cooking)

This filling would also be excellent pureed smooth and used as a filling for ravioli. They smell divine when baking and taste even better!