Steamed Persimmon Pudding

A fuyu persimmon fruit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw






Fuyu and Hachiya are the most common persimmon types. The Fuyu is firm and crunchy when ripe, while the acorn-shaped Hachiya is quite soft. For this recipe, choose 2 bright orange Hachiya persimmons that have the stem and leaves still attached. Hachiya persimmons ripen after the first frost  are often sold rock hard. To hasten the ripening, place them in the freezer for 4 hours. As they thaw, they will become very soft. Cut away the top of the persimmon, scoop out the pulp, and whirl briefly in a food processor before pressing through a sieve with a wooden spoon to remove any fibers.

Steamed persimmon  pudding recipe needs just that thawed persimmon to complete the pudding. Hachiya persimmon can be used for this but even Fuyu persimmon can be also used for its perfection.

Raspberry Tart

Raspberry tart, 2008. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




To prevent eggs from curdling when they are added to hot liquid, they must first be tempered, or heated in a gradual, controlled way. This is an important step when making custard (such as the pastry cream in this recipe) or any sauce that requires mixing uncooked eggs and a hot liquid. To temper eggs, beat them lightly until blended, then whisk in a little of hot liquid to raise their temperature. Gradually add the remaining hot liquid while whisking constantly. At this point, the mixture can be returned to the stove for further cooking.

Lemon Curd Tartlets

Lemon Curd Tartlet - Postal Hall (Photo credit: avlxyz)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




When a recipe calls for both citrus zest and juice, always zest the fruit first. If possible, use organic fruit for zesting. Whether the fruit is organic or conventionally grown, rinse it in warm water to remove any dirt, wax, or chemicals, then pat dry. Use a zester, vegetable peeler or Microplane grater to remove just the thin, colored portion of the rind, being careful not to remove the bitter white pith underneath. To juice, slice the fruit in half crosswise. Working over a bowl, use a reamer or citrus juicer to extract the juice. Strain the juice before using to remove any seeds and pulp.

Lemon Curd Tarlets recipe will make use of the ability of zesting and juicing fruits. This can be done pretty quickly just like juicing a fruit out but it has superb benefits that can surely zest you.

Harvest Fruit Pandowdy Pie

English: Mixed nuts and dried fruit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




Removing the moisture from fruit concentrates its sweetness and flavor and results in fruit that is sticky, firm and chewy. As dried fruit ages, its sugars can become crystallized; immersing the fruit in boiling water of a few minutes, however, will soften its texture. Golden raisins, Muscat raisins, apricots, peaches, sour cherries, prunes and dried currants are all delicious choices for this pandowdy. Chopping dried fruit is made easier by first chilling the fruit in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Typically, a pandowdy refers to a kind of deep-dish cobbler sweetened sliced apples or other fruit topped with dough and baked. This variation uses a full pie crust, which is pushed down into the filling during baking so that it absorbs the delicious fruit juices and makes it taste extraordinary.

Rustic Nectarine Galette

Nectarines summer 2006 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




Nectarines, a firmer cousin to the peach, have smooth yellow skin with red highlights. Select nectarines that are firm but not hard, fragrant, and free of blemishes. Nectarines continue to ripen  when left at room temperature. If they give slightly when pressed, they are ready to eat, at this point they should be either used immediately or refrigerated and used within 5 days.

One's curiosity about the real taste of nectarines will be satisfied upon including in your menu list this Rustic Nectarine Galette. Unfold in your very taste bud the first discovery of the real nectarine goodness in your .
dessert.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Pumpkin_Pie.jpg Scrumptious and good for you! Pumpkin pie is loaded with a healthful phytonutrient called beta-carotene. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw


To make fresh pumpkin puree, first find a good baking pumpkin, such as Sugar Pie, Baby Bear, or Cheese. Split the pumpkin in half, leaving the seeds in place, and put the halves, cut side down in a baking dish. Add water to a depth of 1/2 inch (12 mm). Bake at 350 degrees F until a knife easily pierces the pumpkin, about 45 minutes, adding water as needed to maintain the original level. When the pumpkin is cool, scoop out and discard the seeds, then scoop out the flesh. Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. the puree freezes well up to 3 months.

Blackberry Turnovers

Français : Chausson aux pommes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




Puff pastry, used in many sweet and savory French dishes, is made by layering butter within the pastry dough and repeatedly rolling and folding the dough. When the dough is baked, the butter melts and produces steam that causes the tender pastry to form many flaky layers. Using frozen puff pastry is a fine alternative to making homemade dough, which is labor-intensive. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator according to the package instructions, and keep it chilled until ready to use.

Now here's the best recipe to use frozen puff pastry without even trying the laborious homemade dough. You will be surprised how much you can accomplish with this best alternative ever. It will surely save your time and effort without sacrificing the goodness that your recipe can offer.

Cherry Pie

Everyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE CHERRIES! For a while now I have been wanting to make a REAL cherry pie. No not from those nasty canned cherries but from fresh New Mexico cherries. But everytime I would buy a bag, I would end up eating them all. (Yeah, I love cherries that much!) Today, I resitied the urge and pitted cherries until my fingers were purple. A little sugar, flour and a few hours later I came up with this litle beauty. YUMMY!! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




There are two types of cherries: sweet and sour (tart). Sour cherries are grown in the north and midwestern United States. Because they have a very short season and need to be cooked before eating, most recipes call for processed and jarred sour cherries, which are convenient and readily available. If you prefer to make Cherry Pie with sweet cherries, substitute 4 cups (1 1/2 lb/750 g) pitted fresh sweet cherries for the sour cherries, omit the cherry juice, reduce the amount of sugar to 3/4 cup (6 oz/185 g), and add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (essence)

Plum Buckle

plum almond buckle (Photo credit: protographer23)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




Fresh plums are available from late spring through summer. You will find these juicy fruits in an assortment of colors, from yellow and green to deep pink, purple, and scarlet. You can check the varieties available at your local farmers' market, and choose firm, fragrant fruits with sweet, tangy flesh.

Plum Buckle will be a good recipe to try after you purchased plums in the market. May you will be able to capture a good sense of color and taste needed to enhance the quality of your plum buckle.

Apple Brown Betty

Traditional danish dessert (dansk æblekage) with layers of apple and butter-browned bread crumbs and whipped cream (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




The bread crumbs in this dish absorb the butter and apple juices and begin to caramelize, giving the brown betty its marvelous texture. Choose a simple coarse bread with a firm texture; rustic Italian or French bread and sweet baguettes are good choices. Avoid eggs that are rich in eggs or milk, as they will make the dessert mushy. To make bread crumbs, remove the crusts from the slices of slightly stale bread (let the bread sit out overnight, or dry the slices in a low oven), chop coarsely, and use a food processor to reduce the pieces to coarse crumbs.

By simply following the correct way of making bread crumbs, you can make your Apple Brown Betty an outstanding dessert for your family. Try it now!

Cranberry and Pear Crumble

Organic Bartlett pears (Williams Bon Chrétien pears), Seattle Tilth Harvest Festival, Meridian Park (adjacent to the Good Shepherd Center), Wallingford, Seattle, Washington. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




Anjou and Bartlett pears are the best for baking because they remain firm and smooth when cooked. Anjou pears are almost egg-shaped, with green skin often tinged with yellow when the pear is ripe. Bartlett, or William's pears have thin skins that turn from dark to green to light green and then to yellow as they ripen. When choosing pears for baking, select those that are firm but not rock hard, have a good fragrance, and are smooth and unblemished with stems still attached. Autumn is the best season for Anjou and Bartlett pears, but they are available almost all year long.

Cranberry and Pear Crumble recipe would be best if Anjou or Bartlett pears will be used in cooking. It would not only give color to your cooking but also an unforgettable aroma of the pear's fragrance and the crumble's delectable taste.

Spiced Blueberry Cobbler

Blueberry Temptation (Photo credit: kitsunebabe)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw




Highly aromatic nutmeg with the hard brown pit of the fruit of the nutmeg tree is one of the oldest cultivated spices. The seed's lacy outer covering when dried and ground, is used as a separate spice called mace. Once nutmeg is grated, its volatile oils quickly begin to evaporate and its flavor diminishes. For the best flavor, buy whole nutmeg rather than ground, and grate it as needed using a specialized nutmeg grater, a fine rasp-style grater or the smallest holes on a box grater.