Pinipig are flattened and toasted glutinous rice grains, the Southeast Asian equivalent of Kellogg’s corn flakes. Its name probably derives from the root word piga, which is Tagalog for squeeze.

The rice grains for pinipig are harvested while still young and green. Admittedly, I have never seen fresh green pinipig, not even in the Philippines, because it quickly loses color once pounded.

To capture that fresh look, some exporters add a weird hue of neon green coloring. Go for the au naturale variety, even if it is a tad less eye-catching. Wouldn’t you rather keep the food equivalent of silicone implants out of anything you eat?

Toasting reawakens its raw rice fragrance, if only for a short time, so add the pinipig to the cookie dough as soon as they cool down. The shards of sweet rice retain crispness well.

recipe adapted from Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan’s Memories of Philippine Kitchens
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Cook Almost Anything

Pinipig (Young Glutinous Rice Flake) Cookies

makes about 2 dozen cookies

Notes:

• Pinipig is also sold as cốm, its Vietnamese name. Try your luck at groceries that focus on Southeast Asian products.

Directions:

Toast the pinipig. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pinipig and toast while stirring often for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Spread out the pinipig over a plate and allow to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 175ºC with racks on the upper third and lower third of the oven. Prepare 2 parchment-lined or lightly greased half-sheet pans or cookie sheets.

Mix the dry ingredients. Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a container with a tight lid. Cover and shake until thoroughly mixed.

Mix (Creaming Method). Beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue beating to incorporation. Beat in the lemon zest.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and continue mixing just until smooth and thoroughly incorporated. Gently fold in the cooled pinipig.

Drop. The cookie dough will be very sticky, so use two teaspoons or a small disher. Drop 12 evenly spaced portions for each sheet pan or cookie sheet. Each cookie dough portion is roughly equivalent to 1 heaping teaspoon, about the size of a cherry.

Bake the cookies at 350ºF / 175ºC for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Let the baked cookies rest on the sheets for a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The scent of rice paddy fields in cookies.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pinipig Cookies

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1. Pasencia – Filipino Meringue Cookies
2. Indonesian Nutmeg Tea Cookies – Kue Kering
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5. Chocolate Brownie Cookies
6. Sables à la Poche Cookies

It’s easy to get carried away at Farmer’s Markets, where the compulsion to grab random things you’ve never used takes over. Letting fresh ingredients sit on the counter for too long defeats the purpose of going to such markets, so I always look for recipes that make the most of seasonal produce.

If you happen to find rhubarb and strawberry in your reusable grocery totes or CSA box, try this Scandinavian-inspired dessert soup. The sweet and sour vanilla-rhubarb base (rabarbersoppa) is done in about 20 minutes, giving you a headstart in figuring out what to do with the rest of your haul.

I prefer to serve rhubarb soup chilled with sweetened cream and sliced strawberries, but ice cream also sounds great with this, doesn’t it?

Now what should I do with radish and still-poopy duck eggs?

recipe adapted from James Peterson’s Splendid Soups
Strawberry Feast hosted by My Kitchen Treasures

Rabarbersoppa (Vanilla-Rhubarb Soup)
Served Chilled with Strawberries and Cream

makes about 6 servings

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
4 cups water
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 pints strawberries, quartered

Directions:

1. Place the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla bean, and water in a pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes with the cover slightly ajar, just until the rhubarb is softened. Cover tightly, let cool, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
2. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife. Reserve the seeds. Strain the soup, pushing down with a ladle to extract liquid from the rhubarb. Discard the pulp and mix the vanilla bean seeds with the strained rhubarb soup.
3. To Serve: Mix together the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla extract (alternatively, serve with whipped cream or ice cream). Place the quartered strawberries in chilled bowls and pour in the rhubarb soup. Drizzle with the cream mixture and serve.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Vanilla-Rhubarb Soup with Strawberries

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Let’s say you’re browsing a cookbook that represents the recipes of your childhood (in my case, it would probably be this one). You find that one forgotten recipe that gives you pause and makes you wonder why you haven’t made it all these years. Reading through the recipe causes sudden cravings and you know, almost by instinct, exactly how it’s supposed to taste.

Ginataang monggo is one such recipe for me. Enriched with coconut milk, an ingredient used in many Filipino desserts, its distinctive flavor comes from toasted mung beans. It’s a sweet rice-based porridge usually enjoyed around late afternoon to tide you over as dinner is prepared.

This dish reminds me of a Filipino phrase, “nalipasan ng gutom,” meaning, “the hunger has passed.” It describes someone who has gotten used to the pangs of hunger because of going without food for so long, much like getting accustomed to the body odor of an airplane seatmate with questionable hygiene.

Any Filipino mom will tell you that having hunger pass you by is an undesirable state to be in. It leads to crankiness and irrational behavior. Ginataang monggo is one of many treats that keep you sane during that long wait between lunch and dinner.

recipe adapted from Gerry G. Gelle’s Filipino Cuisine: Recipes from the Islands
Monthly Mingle: Ravishing Rice Recipes hosted by Nags

Ginataang Monggo
Toasted Mung Beans and Sticky Rice in Coconut Milk

makes about 4 servings

Mung beans, (not yet) sticky rice, and coconut milk.

1/4 cup mung beans (monggo)
one 14 oz can of coconut milk (gata), about 1 3/4 cups
1 cup water
1/2 cup sticky rice (malagkit na kanin), thoroughly washed and drained
1/3 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Notes:

• Sticky rice is also sold as glutinous or sweet rice at your local Asian grocer.

Untoasted and toasted mung beans.

Directions:

1. In a dry skillet over high heat, toast the mung beans until dark brown. Stir or toss continuously to evenly brown the beans.
2. Using a mortar and pestle or rolling pin, gently crush the mung beans with just enough pressure to split in half and dehull. Separate and discard the hulls if desired (I prefer to keep the hulls intact for added texture and nutritional value).
3. Reserve and refrigerate about 1/4 cup of the coconut milk.
4. Pour the remaining coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups) and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Add the toasted mung beans and washed rice and bring to a boil. Simmer while uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until the rice and beans are thoroughly cooked but still firm. The porridge should have the consistency of loose risotto.
5. Stir in the sugar and salt to incorporation.
6. Serve ginataang monggo hot or cold and top with the reserved coconut milk.

Ginataang monggo – just like how mom used to make.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Mung Beans and Sticky Rice in Coconut Milk

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4. Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk
5. Gyung Dan – Korean Sweet Rice Balls
6. Sautéed Morel Mushrooms and Fava Beans

Even if the recipe name sounds like a few rounds of word association, there’s nothing disjointed about the flavors in this ice cream. Fresh strawberries are mashed with sugar to draw out its nectar and folded with cheesecake ice cream. The rich custard base is blended with cream cheese and lightened with lemon zest and juice.

It has to involve some form of graham crackers to be called a cheesecake, so I baked small rounds of graham cracker crust and served the ice cream on top.

Let’s make this fun and keep the word association going. Take a look at the most recent entry and think of any word that comes to mind. Please leave a lovely comment (preferably G-rated) and add the word you have just thunk (can be NC-17). Let’s see where it goes.

I’ll start: sandwich.

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey’s Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

recipe components adapted from Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
on Graham Cracker Crust Rounds

makes about 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of ice cream
and eight 3-inch graham cracker crust rounds

Self-restraint is a virtue.

Special Equipment:

• an ice cream maker

For the Strawberries:

1 pound fresh strawberries, trimmed and quartered
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Mash the strawberries with the sugar to the desired level of chunkiness.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before mixing with the cheesecake ice cream.

Time elapsed: 2 hours.

For the Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream:

3 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

1 pound cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

all of the strawberries

For the Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Directions:

1. Prepare a double boiler.
2. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and light. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and slowly add to the egg yolks while stirring.
3. Heat over a double boiler while stirring constantly, just until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
4. Remove immediately from the heat. Stir in the cold cream to stop the cooking, followed by the vanilla extract and salt. Strain using a fine mesh strainer.
5. Cool the custard completely at room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
6. Using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese with the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until light and smooth.
7. Slowly add the chilled ice cream base and mix until smooth.
8. Churn, churn, churn.
9. In a large chilled bowl, fold in the sugared strawberries. You can also pour the strawberries directly into the ice cream maker if it can handle the volume.
10. Serve immediately for a soft-serve consistency or store in an airtight container and freeze.

For the Graham Cracker Crust:

Notes:

• The graham cracker crust recipe will be enough for a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for about 10 minutes at the same temperature.

Graham Cracker Crust Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 175ºC. Prepare a sheet pan lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
2. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and the sugar. Add the melted butter and continue mixing until well-blended and thoroughly moistened.
3. Divide the graham cracker crumb mixture into 8 equal portions and evenly space on the lined sheet pan. Flatten and tightly pack the crumbs into rounds about 3 inches wide (I used a 3-inch cookie cutter to help shape the crust).
4. Bake at 350ºF / 175ºC for about 8 minutes.
5. Let the graham cracker crust cool completely before removing from the sheet pan.

Ready to go. Where’s the ice cream?

To Serve:

Place a graham cracker crust on a small plate. Set a generous scoop of strawberry cheesecake ice cream on the crust and enjoy.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

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6. Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

Gotta love it when experiments in the kitchen turn out great. I’ve always wanted to do some sort of ice cream cake. With the chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream recipes featured in this month’s Daring Bakers challenge, I came up with this idea. From top to bottom:

• Flourless chocolate cake moistened with Kirschwasser (German “cherry water” brandy)
• A thin layer of pureed cherry preserves
• Plain vanilla ice cream
• Frozen liquid sablé crust

If the frozen liquid sablé crust sounds weird, that’s because it’s borrowed from the Alinea cookbook. You won’t need to sneak into a laboratory and steal a tank of liquid nitrogen, though. The sablé crust is actually pretty straightforward.

The sandy textured frozen crust starts off as a normal shortbread made with a bit of almond flour. The baked sablé is then blended with oil, poured into a springform pan, and frozen to kickstart the bottom-up cake assembly.

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

frozen liquid sablé recipe adapted from Grant Achatz’s Alinea

Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake on a Frozen Liquid Sablé Crust

makes one 8-inch ice cream cake

Components:

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Kirschwasser Simple Syrup (optional)
Pureed Cherry Preserves
Vanilla Ice Cream
Frozen Liquid Sablé Crust

Special Equipment:

• 8-inch springform cake pan
• ice cream maker
• weighing scale (optional)
• digital thermometer (optional)

For the Flourless Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
semisweet chocolate, chopped                     16            454
unsalted butter         1/2 cup + 2 tbsp          5            142
whites from large eggs            5
yolks from large eggs             5

Flourless Chocolate Cake Instructions:

Preheat Oven    375ºF / 190ºC

Prepare an 8-inch springform cake pan by greasing with butter and
lining with a parchment circle.

Melt the Chocolate
                Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Set
                over a pan of simmering water and melt while stirring
                often. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the
                water.

Mix             Put the egg yolks and egg whites in separate bowls.

                Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks (do not over-whip or
                the cake will be dry).

                With the same beater, beat the egg yolks together. Add
                the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate and mix with a
                rubber spatula until smooth.

                Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
                Follow with remaining egg whites and fold gently only
                until the white streaks disappear.

Pan             Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform pan.
                The batter should fill the pan about 3/4 of the way full.
                Place the cake pan on a cookie sheet or sheet pan.

                Level and bake immediately.

Bake            375ºF / 190ºC for 25 minutes, or until a digital
                thermometer reads 140ºF / 60ºC.

                If you do not have a digital thermometer, the top of the
                cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester
                will appear wet.

Cool            Cool the cake on a wire rack for about 10 minutes
                before unmolding.

Baked flourless chocolate cake.

For the Kirschwasser Simple Syrup (optional):

2 tablespoons simple syrup
splash of Kirschwasser

For the Vanilla Ice Cream:

2 cups / 473 ml heavy cream
1 cup / 237 ml whole milk
2/3 cup / 134 grams granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Ice Cream Instructions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt to a bare simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
3. Cool completely at room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
4. Churn to a soft consistency after making the frozen liquid sablé crust.

For the Frozen Liquid Sablé Crust:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all-purpose flour           1 scant cup           4.1          118
almond flour                      5 tbsp          1.4           39

unsalted butter, at room temp   1/4 cup           2.0           57
granulated sugar                  3 tbsp          1.3           38
salt                            1/4 tsp
egg yolk                          1      

vegetable oil                     6 tbsp          2.8           80

Frozen Liquid Sablé Crust Instructions:

Mix             Sift together the all-purpose and almond flours.

                In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, sugar,
                and salt with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add the
                egg yolk and continue mixing until well-blended.

                Slowly add the flours and continue mixing only until
                a dough is formed. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate     At least 1 hour

Preheat Oven    350ºF / 175ºC

Prepare a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or silicone.

Roll Out        Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface
                and roll out until about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake            20 minutes, until golden brown

Prepare an 8-inch springform cake pan lined with plastic wrap.

Blend           Break the the baked sablé into small pieces and place
                in a blender along with half of the vegetable oil.
                Blend on high speed while drizzling the remaining
                vegetable oil.

Freeze the Sablé
                Pour the liquefied sablé into the lined springform pan.
                Freeze for at least 1 hour or until thoroughly set.

Liquefied almond shortbread, ready to freeze.

Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake Assembly:

Freeze the Ice Cream
                Place the churned ice cream on top of the frozen liquid
                sablé and level. Freeze for at least 1 hour or until
                thoroughly set.

Fill            Unmold the frozen ice cream cake and place on a serving
                plate. Apply a thin layer of pureed cherry preserves,
                about 6 tablespoons.

To Finish       Moisten the flourless chocolate cake by lightly brushing
                with the Kirschwasser simple syrup, if using. Set the
                chocolate cake on top of the ice cream.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake

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Preparing a Tarte Tatin in this way guarantees a crisp and flaky crust. Unlike traditional Tarte Tatin recipes, the puff pastry crust is baked separately from the caramelized apples. The basket-shaped puff pastry crust is made ahead of time and filled right before serving.

In addition to looking spiffier than the typical brown disk, I think this method is also easier and more foolproof. Unmolding a traditional Tarte Tatin can end in disaster if it decides to remain glued to the skillet. Still delicious, but not pretty.

A vol-au-vent is a hollow puff pastry shell meant to contain a sweet or savory filling. Vol-au-vents tend to be more diminutive in scale than this 8-inch tart and are usually served in appetizer or hors d’oeuvre form. French for “flight of the wind,” the puff pastry crust lives up to its name as a light and airy nest for the golden brown apples and buttery caramel.

recipe adapted from Sherry Yard’s Desserts by the Yard

Tarte Tatin in Vol-au-Vents

makes two 8-inch Tarte Tatins, about 8 servings

Ingredients:

two 8-inch puff pastry squares, preferably all-butter
one lightly beaten egg (for egg wash)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 apples, peeled, split in half lengthwise, cored, and quartered
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Notes:

• Until I mess around with homemade puff pastry, I’ll be using Trader Joe’s all-butter puff pastry. Containing two 8-inch squares (with a bit of trimming), additional rolling is unnecessary for this recipe. Less rolling = more puff.
• The original recipe recommends Fuji apples.

Puff Pastry Crust Directions:

Preheat Oven    400ºF / 205ºC with a rack in the middle of the oven

Prepare a half-sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Shape the Puff Pastry
                Using a paring knife, cut a 3/4-inch frame around the
                puff pastry, such that 2 opposing corners are still
                attached to the center.

                Lift one unattached corner and fold to the opposing
                corner.

                Repeat with the opposing unattached corner to finish.

Dock            Using a fork, prick or dock the center of the puff
                pastry (Trader Joe's puff pastry comes pre-docked).

Glaze           Glaze the tops of the borders with the lightly beaten
                egg. Keep the egg wash from dripping down the sides to
                allow the pastry crust to fully rise in the oven.

Bake            400ºF / 205ºC for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to
                350ºF / 175ºC, rotate the baking sheet, and bake for
                another 15 to 20 minutes, until the puff pastry crust
                is well-browned.

Cool            Let the puff pastry crust cool completely on a wire
                rack before filling.

Caramelized Apple Filling Directions and Tarte Tatin Assembly:

1. Make the Caramelized Apple Filling. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Continue cooking the butter until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the sugars evenly on the skillet. Arrange the apples in a tight circular pattern on the skillet, cut side down.
2. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook for about 12 minutes. Using tongs or a spatula, turn the apples onto the other cut side and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the apples are a deep golden brown.
3. Remove the apples, leaving the caramel in the skillet. Add the heavy cream, if using, and the lemon juice to the caramel. Lower the heat to medium-low and whisk continuously to deglaze. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the caramel is thickened and warm.
4. Assemble the Tarte Tatin. Place rows of apples in the puff pastry, about eight to twelve slices for each puff pastry crust.
5. Spoon the caramel over the apples or serve on the side. Slice the Tarte Tatin into serving portions and serve while still warm.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Tarte Tatin in Vol-au-Vents

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Flavors don’t have to be big and bold all the time. Subtlety has its merits but when using rose essence, a light hand is very necessary. It can easily turn the simplest desserts into a mouthful of potpourri — you don’t want to end up with food more appropriate in the bathroom than on a dinner table.

Rose water is available in Indian and Middle Eastern grocery stores. I found a French version (photo below) in a local gourmet shop for a reasonable price. It is primarily used in desserts and sweet cold drinks.

Rose water accentuates. Its barely-there presence perfumes crave-worthy treats such as gulab jamun and Turkish Delight. You may also find it as an optional ingredient in madeleines and marzipan.

recipe adapted from Godiva

Chocolate Rose Water Ganache Tart

makes one 9- or 10-inch tart, about 6 to 8 servings

For the Chocolate Tart Dough:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all-purpose flour             1 1/3 cups          6.0          170
unsweetened cocoa powder          6 tbsp          1.3           36
salt                          pinch

unsalted butter, softened        12 1/2 tbsp      6.2          177
granulated sugar                  7 tbsp          3.1           88
large egg yolk                    1
heavy cream                   1 1/2 tsp

Equipment:

• 9- or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom

Chocolate Tart Dough Instructions:

Mix             Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

                In a separate bowl, mix together the butter and sugar
                with a rubber spatula only until thoroughly
                incorporated. Add the egg yolk and cream and continue
                mixing until well-blended.

                Add the flour and cocoa powder mixture and continue
                mixing only until the dough is thoroughly moistened.

                Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and shape
                into a disc. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate     At least 1 hour

Roll Out        Let the tart dough warm for about 10 to 15 minutes at
                room temperature, until malleable but still slightly
                chilled.

                On a lightly floured work surface, dust the top of the
                tart dough with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll once
                from the center and away from you and once again from
                the center towards you. 

                Rotate the dough one-eighth of a turn and keep rolling
                in this manner to maintain a round shape. The tart
                should be about 12 to 13 inches in diameter and 1/8 of
                an inch thick.

Line Tart Pan   Chill the tart dough if it seems too soft to handle.

                Gently lay the rolled dough in the tart pan and begin
                flattening from the center towards the sides. Ensure
                that the dough is in full contact with the pan to
                minimize air pockets.

                Flare out excess tart dough and pass a rolling pin
                over the top to trim the edges.

Refrigerate     At least 30 minutes

Preheat Oven    350ºF / 175ºC

Blind Bake      350ºF / 175ºC for 18 to 22 minutes, until the tart
                crust is dry to the touch. Let the crust cool
                completely before filling with the ganache.

For the Chocolate Rose Water Ganache:

9 ounces / 255 grams semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons rose water

Chocolate Rose Water Ganache Directions and Tart Assembly:

1. Combine chocolate, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to boil over medium-high heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate mixture.
2. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently in a circular motion from the center and work your way outwards. Stir in the rose water.
3. Pour the warm ganache in the cooled tart crust. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until the ganache is set but still shiny.
4. Cut into wedges and serve with fresh raspberries.

Bow shika wow wow.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Chocolate Rose Water Ganache Tart

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Flan de Naranja is a light and silky custard dessert topped with soft caramel. Instead of milk or cream, this recipe uses freshly squeezed orange juice brightened with its own zest.

This light, dare I say healthy, flan recipe is also as easy as custard desserts get. There is no need to precook the custard, which means there’s zero chance of screwing up and ending with orange-flavored scrambled eggs.

The trickiest part is making the caramel. I’m hoping that rendering a few pounds of sugar inedible for the sake of testing means that I’m somewhat qualified to give a few tips on caramelizing.

recipe adapted from Penelope Casas’ The Foods and Wines of Spain

Flan de Naranja
Orange Custard

makes 4 servings

Equipment:

4 six-ounce ramekins
a bain-marie / water bath (a 9 x 13-inch baking dish filled with hot water)

For the Caramel:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons corn syrup (optional)

For the Orange Custard:

6 large eggs
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (about 4 to 5 oranges)
1 teaspoon orange zest

Notes:

• Why add corn syrup to the caramel? Adding corn syrup prevents the caramel from crystallizing.
• To caramelize the syrup evenly, a bit of agitation is needed. Swirling the pan gently instead of stirring keeps the syrup from turning into a sandy mess.

Caramel Directions:

1. In a small skillet, mix together the sugar, water, and corn syrup (if using). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Start swirling the syrup gently (don’t stir) and continue cooking until the caramel is amber-colored.
2. Immediately pour the caramel into the 4 ramekins to coat the bottom evenly. Let the caramel set and cool completely before making the custard.

Orange Custard Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF / 165ºC.
2. Make the orange custard. Lightly beat the eggs with a fork until light-colored, taking care to minimize the amount of air incorporated into the eggs. Add the sugar and continue beating while pouring in the orange juice. Strain. Add the orange zest and stir.
3. Prepare the bain-marie/water bath. Place cloth or paper towels in an empty 9×13-inch baking dish (this helps insulate the bottom of the ramekins from excessive heat). Set the ramekins on the towels and distribute the custard evenly. Place in the preheated oven and carefully pour enough hot water in the baking dish to at least the same level as the custard.
4. Bake at 325ºF / 165ºC for 45 to 55 minutes, until the custard is set in the center. A wooden skewer inserted in the center of the custard should come out clean. Remove from the bain-marie/water bath and let cool at room temperature. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
5. To serve, run a thin-bladed knife around the custard edge and invert on a plate to unmold. Some of the caramel will remain stuck to the bottom of the ramekins.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Flan de Naranja – Orange Custard

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4. Swiss Meringue with Raspberries and Almonds
5. Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting
6. Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

If there is one cookie I’ve had the most of in sheer volume alone, pasencia cookies would easily top the list. This is one of those things you mindlessly snack on while reading a book or waiting for dinner to get done.

This recipe is an easy way to use up those pesky small amounts of leftover egg whites. For larger amounts of about a dozen whites, angel food cake comes to mind. I have yet to see a killer egg white omelet recipe, not that I’ve been actively looking for such a thing.

These fat-free meringue cookies are light and crisp with a hint of vanilla. It’s a lot like making French macarons but instead of almond flour, we use plain old wheat flour.

Pasencia Recipe – Filipino Meringue Cookies

makes about 36 bite-sized cookies

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all-purpose flour               1/4 cup           1.1           30
confectioner's sugar            1/2 cup           2.1           60

whites from large eggs            2               2.1           60
lemon juice                     1/2 tsp
vanilla extract              splash
granulated sugar                  2 tbsp          1.1           30

Special Equipment:

• A pastry bag
• A plain round pastry tip (about 1/4- to 1/2-inch opening)

Notes:

• Have all of the ingredients at room temperature before continuing.
• You can also replace the lemon juice with 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar.

Directions:

Preheat Oven    275ºF / 135ºC

Prepare a half-sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment
paper or silicone.

Mix (Sponge Process - Meringue Method)
                Sift together 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar and
                flour. Set aside until needed.

                In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until frothy.
                Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and granulated
                sugar. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.

                Using a wide rubber spatula, fold in the sifted flour
                and confectioner's sugar.

                Continue folding until the flour and sugar are
                thoroughly absorbed and the meringue is smooth and
                glossy. When tilting the bowl, the meringue should
                move sluggishly.

Pipe            Deposit the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a
                round pastry tip (about 1/4- to 1/2-inch opening).

                With the pastry tip perpendicular to the sheet pan,
                pipe 3/4-inch rounds spaced about 1 inch apart.

Bake            275ºF / 135ºC for 22 to 26 minutes, or until the edges
                of the cookies turn light brown.

Cool            Let the cookies cool for at least 15 minutes before
                removing from the sheet pan. The cookies will be
                fragile while warm but will crisp as they cool.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pasencia – Filipino Meringue Cookies

Similar Posts:

1. Swiss Meringue with Raspberries and Almonds
2. Lenguas de Gato – “Cat’s Tongue” Cookies
3. Chocolate Brownie Cookies
4. Sables à la Poche Cookies
5. Indonesian Nutmeg Tea Cookies – Kue Kering
6. Pinipig Cookies

Two-in-one recipes are more fun when booze is involved. That is fact. In this recipe, we end up with bonus snifters of basic vino caliente, or South American mulled wine, to go with blushing red poached pears. Granted, there isn’t anything exclusively South American about the spiced wine component, but vino caliente sounds much cooler than “hot wine,” doesn’t it?

Once the pears are poached, some of the spiced wine is simmered down into a light and fruity syrup. The wine reduction keeps the richness of the dulce de leche sauce in check.

Warm dessert. Spiced wine. Winter will be over before you know it. For sunnier days, serve the pears with dulce de leche ice cream or make a granita out of the leftover vino.

recipe adapted from Maria Baez Kijac’s The South American Table

Peras con Salsa de Dulce de Leche
Poached Pears with Dulce de Leche Sauce

makes 4 generous servings

4 ripe but firm Anjou or Bartlett pears
walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped for garnishing

For the Poaching Liquid:

1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
a strip of zest from 1 lemon or lime

For the Dulce de Leche Sauce:

1/2 cup dulce de leche
1/2 cup light whipping cream
1 tablespoon rum or brandy (optional)

Notes:

• The poached pears, spiced wine syrup, and dulce de leche sauce can be made ahead of time. Reheat just before serving.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the poaching liquid. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the red wine, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, and citrus zest to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes.
2. While the poaching liquid simmers, prepare the pears. Peel, cut in half lengthwise, and core to remove the seeds.
3. Add the pears to the poaching liquid. Cover and poach the pears for about 10 minutes, until tender but still firm. Transfer the pears to a large platter.
   
4. Remove all but 1 cup of the poaching liquid from the saucepan (reserve the excess wine and enjoy as a warm beverage). Simmer the remaining wine over medium heat until reduced by half and slightly thickened.
5. Prepare the dulce de leche sauce. Heat the dulce de leche and cream over medium heat. Stir until smooth and continue cooking only until the sauce is heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum or brandy (if using).
6. Spoon a few tablespoons of the dulce de leche sauce on small serving plates. Slice the poached pears and set on top of the dulce de leche sauce. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the spiced wine syrup over the pear slices and top with walnuts or pecans. Serve while still warm.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Poached Pears with Dulce de Leche Sauce

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6. Red Wine Granita