'Tis the season for good food, drink, and often unexpected guests. How a few staples can easily be turned into fun holiday finger foods.
MULLED APPLE CIDER
INGREDIENTS
- Apple Cider 2L
- Whole Cinnamon Sticks 3pc
- Whole Allspice Berries 3pc
- Whole Star Anise 3pc
- Whole Cloves 3pc
- Vanilla Pod - split open 1pc
- Clementine Oranges - juiced 3pc
- Pomegranate - seeded 1pc
- Raw Sugar 3tbsp
TECHNIQUE
- Combine all ingredients, bring to simmer, reduce heat to serve
SPICED PEAR COFFEE CAKE with HAZELNUT STEUSEL
SPICED PEAR COFFEE CAKE
INGREDIENTS
- D'Anjou Pears - cored and sliced with skin on 3pc
- Unbleached White Flour 2cups
- Baking Soda 1tsp
- Buttermilk 1cup
- Whole Egg 2pc
- Dark Brown Sugar - packed ½ cup
- White Granular Sugar ½ cup
- Ground Cinnamon 2tsp
- Ground Ginger ½tsp
- Unsalted Butter ½ cup
- Pure Vanilla Extract 1tsp
- Fine Sea Salt pinch
TECHNIQUE
- Butter and flour a baking pan, preheat convection oven to 325°F
- Combine butter with sugar until velvety and smooth, add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla, mix until smooth
- Combine in separate bowl sift flour, baking soda, spices and salt
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until completely incorporated, pour into prepared pan
- Core and slice pears with skin on, arrange on top of the cake batter, top with hazelnut streusel
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer passes cleanly out of the cake, top with raw sugar
HAZELNUT STREUSEL
INGREDIENTS
- Dark Brown Sugar - packed ½ cup
- Ground Cinnamon 1tsp
- Ground Ginger ½ tsp
- Ground Cloves ¼ tsp
- Hazelnuts - toasted 1cup
- Raw Sugar 2tbsp
- Unsalted Butter 4tbsp
TECHNIQUE
- Heat sauté pan over medium-high heat, toast hazelnuts until fragrant
- Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, heat mixture until well combined
