Monday, December 28, 2020

Sweet Pumpkin Persimmon Ginger Creme Brulee/#FamilyBakingChallenge

Sweet Pumpkin Persimmon Ginger Crème Brulee is a mouthful of a title, but this amazing dessert is something special! It is soft and creamy, yet a bit tangy, filling your mouth with the sweet flavors of persimmon, fresh ginger and cream. One great bonus to this tasty recipe~it can be made up to 2 days ahead of when you will be serving. Finish with the crunchy top right before serving!


Sweet Pumpkin Persimmon 
Ginger Crème Brulee
(makes 8 )
(printable recipe at end of page)


4 small Sweet Pumpkin Persimmons
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 inch piece Fresh Ginger
8 large Egg Yolks
6 tablespoons Sugar
coarse sugar for top of Brulee 
or a mix of white and brown sugar




Peel, then chop the Sweet Pumpkin Persimmons into small cubes. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, persimmons and ginger over medium heat, just to a simmer. Remove from heat. Let the persimmon steep in the cream for 30 minutes.

Once the cream mixture has cooled, blend the mix in a blender until the persimmon is very smooth.

Use a large bowl to whisk the eggs with sugar. Gently whisk the cream mixture into the yolk mix.

Lay cheesecloth over a sieve and pour the custard base through it to remove any persimmon pulp. This will ensure that you have a silky smooth brulee.  


Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.  Place the crème brulee dishes in a roasting pan. Pour the custard mix into the dishes.


Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the creme brulee dishes. Bake abut 20-25 minutes until the custard is set but still jiggly in the center. Cool the custard completely. You can cover and chill for up to 2 days.

To brulee the tops, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over each dish. Use a kitchen torch to heat the sugar, or place the cups on a baking sheet  and broil on high, being careful until the the sugar is bubbling and melting and golden brown. Remove from broiler and set aside for the dishes to rest and the sugar will harden to make a crisp top. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you enjoyed this recipe. It is very tasty and bursting with flavor! This recipe and the Sweet Pumpkin Persimmons are courtesy of Melissa's Produce. Thank you Melissa's!


creme brulee, dessert, persimmon, pumpkin persimmon, single serve dessert, make 2 days ahead
desserts, treats, dinner party, buffet, party food
Yield: 8
Author: The Freshman Cook
Sweet Pumpkin Persimmon Ginger Creme Brulee

Sweet Pumpkin Persimmon Ginger Creme Brulee

Soft and creamy these Sweet Pumpkin Persimmon Ginger Crème Brulee make the perfect addition to any dinner party or a get together.

Ingredients

Sweet Pumpkin Persimmon Ginger Creme Brulee
  • 4 small Sweet Pumpkin Persimmons
  • 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1/2 inch piece Fresh Ginger
  • 8 large Egg Yolks
  • 6 tablespoons Sugar
  • coarse sugar for top of Brulee
  • or a mix of white and brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Peel, then chop the Sweet Pumpkin Persimmons into small cubes. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, persimmons and ginger over medium heat, just to a simmer. Remove from heat. Let the persimmon steep in the cream for 30 minutes.
  2. Once the cream mixture has cooled, blend the mix in a blender until the persimmon is very smooth.
  3. Use a large bowl to whisk the eggs with sugar. Gently whisk the cream mixture into the yolk mix.
  4. Lay cheesecloth over a sieve and pour the custard base through it to remove any persimmon pulp. This will ensure that you have a silky smooth Brulee.
  5. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Place the crème brulee dishes in a roasting pan. Pour the custard mix into the dishes.
  6. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the creme brulee dishes. Bake abut 20-25 minutes until the custard is set but still jiggly in the center. Cool the custard completely. You can cover and chill for up to 2 days.
  7. To brulee the tops, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over each dish. Use a kitchen torch to heat the sugar, or place the cups on a baking sheet and broil on high, being careful until the the sugar is bubbling and melting and golden brown. Remove from broiler and set aside for the dishes to rest and the sugar will harden to make a crisp top. 
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @thefreshmancook on instagram and hashtag it #Sweet Pumpkin Persimmon Ginger Creme Brulee

Monday, December 21, 2020

Butterscotch Pear Bread Pudding/#FamilyBakingChallenge

I have to be honest, I have never met a bread pudding I didn't love. Ever since I had a bite of my first one, I have been hooked. Any reason to celebrate, and I am quickly putting the ingredients together to bake. So, when I was gifted some beautiful Butterscotch Pears from Melissa's Produce, I couldn't wait to bake these gorgeous desserts. This time I decided to bake these on my grill. My husband and I recently relocated back to the southwest, where our story began, and baking on the grill had always been my favorite way to bake, especially since you can use the grill year round. It is a lot of fun! I have also included an oven recipe. No matter which way you bake this recipe, you will love these moist and amazing tasting Butterscotch Pears from Melissa's Produce!


Butterscotch Pear Bread Pudding
(Makes 4)
(printable recipe at end of page)

4 tablespoon Butter
3/4 cup Sugar, divided
3 large Butterscotch Pears
6 cups stale Brioche Bread, cut into small cubes
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Milk
4 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt



Rinse your pears, then peel and slice them into small pieces. You want them to fit into the baking cups you are baking them in.  

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and stir until combined. Add the pear slices, placing them in a single layer in the pan. Cook, without stirring for 8 minutes until the pears begin to caramelize.  Flip the slices over and cook for approx. 5 minutes longer until the fruit and caramel are golden brown.

While the pears are cooking, use a medium bowl to prepare the custard by whisking together the 1/4 cup of sugar, whipping cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.

Spray four custard cups with pan spray, then fill each cup with a combination of pear slices and cream mix.

Sprinkle the top of the apples with cinnamon. Place the dishes in a heat resistant pan and fill the pan half way up with hot water, creating a water bath. Don't let water get in the cups. If you are baking this on the grill, heat your grill to 425 degrees. Once it is to temperature, place the pan on the grill and close the lid. Check on the bread puddings every 20 minutes, just to be sure they are baking well. Check with a toothpick, just like you would in an oven. Both recipes will take between 50-60 minutes. If the toothpick come out clean, they are done. 
If you are baking in an oven, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Follow the above recipe, and when it is time to place in the oven, bake for 50-60 minutes, checking at 45 minutes. 

Enjoy these amazing Butterscotch Pear Bread Puddings using Melissa's Produce! They taste amazing!

Keep scrolling for a printable recipe! Thanks for visiting!







butterscotch pear, brioche bread, heavy whipping cream, heavy whipping cream, dessert, individual desserts,
dessert, treats, bake on the grill,
dessert
Yield: 4
Author: The Freshman Cook

Butterscotch Pear Bread Pudding

Butterscotch Pear Bread Pudding is made with Butterscotch Pears, Brioche Bread, and heavy whipping cream, just to start. Bake on the grill or in the oven for an amazing, tasty dessert! 

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoon Butter
  • 3/4 cup Sugar, divided
  • 3 large Butterscotch Pears
  • 6 cups stale Brioche Bread, cut into small cubes
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • Pinch of Salt

Instructions

  1. Rinse your pears, then peel and slice them into small pieces. You want them to fit into the baking cups you are baking them in.Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and stir until combined. Add the pear slices, placing them in a single layer in the pan. Cook, without stirring for 8 minutes until the pears begin to caramelize. Flip the slices over and cook for approx. 5 minutes longer until the fruit and caramel are golden brown.While the apples are cooking, use a medium bowl to prepare the custard by whisking together the 1/4 cup of sugar, whipping cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.Spray four custard cups with pan spray, then fill each cup with a combination of pear slices and cream mix.
  2. Sprinkle the top of the apples with cinnamon. Place the dishes in a heat resistant pan and fill the pan half way up with hot water, creating a water bath. Don't let water get in the cups. If you are baking this on the grill, heat your grill to 425 degrees. Once it is to temperature, place the pan on the grill and close the lid. Check on the bread puddings every 20 minutes, just to be sure they are baking well. Check with a toothpick, just like you would in an oven. Both recipes will take between 50-60 minutes. If the toothpick come out clean, they are done.
  3. If you are baking in an oven, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Follow the above recipe, and when it is time to place in the oven, bake for 50-60 minutes, checking at 45 minutes.
  4. Enjoy these amazing Butterscotch Pear Bread Puddings using Melissa's Produce! They taste amazing!
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @thefreshmancook on instagram and hashtag it #Butterscotch Pear Bread Pudding
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Saturday, December 19, 2020

A Christmas Cookie Bakers Dozen

It is that time of year again. I can smell the amazing, comforting aroma of Christmas Cookies..... It has been such a weird and difficult year, so, perhaps these cookies will take your mind off the chaos, if only for a bit!

I have included a bakers dozen of some of my favorite Christmas Cookies. I try to make these cookies every year, but it has not been possible this year, so instead I am sharing them with you, hoping you might be inspired, curious, or just hungry! Maybe you know someone who would love these! Have a Merry Christmas!






























Click on the title of each cookie and it will connect you to all the info you will need to bake the cookies! I hope you try one or two or all of these recipes!

Merry Christmas!
from
The Freshman Cook!






























Thursday, November 19, 2020

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Brownie Balls/#CranberryWeek

Cranberry Pistachio Brownie Balls are my second recipe of this week celebrating cranberries! They are easy to make, fun to eat, and are a great treat to include in a gift basket or on a cookie/candy holiday tray! I started this easy-to-make recipe by using store baked brownie bites. If you are in any type of time crunch, as we often are this time of year, this will save you a lot of time. I used dried cranberries w/orange and fresh pistachio nuts for this recipe. I dipped some of the brownies balls in milk chocolate, some in powdered sugar and some I  did not dip at all. They all taste amazing! I hope you enjoy them! 


Cranberry Orange Pistachio Brownie Balls
(makes 2-3 dozen brownie balls)
(printable recipe at end of page)

25 small Brownie Bites
1/2 cup chopped Pistachios
1/2 cup Orange Cranberries
10 ounces Milk Chocolate - chopped 
4-5 tablespoon Sweetened Condensed Milk
10 ounces Milk Chocolate-chopped 
Confectioners Sugar

These are the brownies that I used. I purchased them at Sam's Club and they taste wonderful!

Crumble the brownies into small pieces, then place them in a mixing bowl. Mix condensed milk with the chopped milk chocolate. Heat in the microwave or on the stove using low heat. Let chocolate cool a little. Add the pistachios, orange cranberries, and melted chocolate. I mixed them with a fork at first, but it was only a few minutes when I put on some disposable kitchen gloves and used my hands to mix everything together. Much quicker, and a better mix!

Use a tablespoon scoop to pull your mix from the bowl. Roll the scoops into chocolate balls. Place them on a cutting board or wax paper. Refrigerate if necessary. It is sometimes easier to work with when the chocolate is a bit chilled. Melt the chocolate for dipping the balls. Roll some in confectioners sugar, and some plain if you want. They taste fantastic anyway you make them!

Thank you for stopping by today!  Check out more fabulous cranberry recipes from some blogging friends! :

Thursday Cranberry Recipes


cranberry, orange, pistachio, brownie,
dessert, treat
dessert
Yield: 15-20
Author: The Freshman Cook
Print
Cranberry Orange Pistachio Brownie Balls

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Brownie Balls

Ingredients

  • 25 small Brownie Bites
  • 1/2 cup chopped Pistachios
  • 1/2 cup Orange Cranberries
  • 10 ounces Milk Chocolate - chopped
  • 5 tablespoon Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 10 ounces Milk Chocolate-chopped
  • Confectioners Sugar

Instructions

  1. Crumble the brownies into small pieces, then place them in a mixing bowl. Mix condensed milk with the chopped milk chocolate. Heat in the microwave or on the stove using low heat. Let chocolate cool a little. Add the pistachios, orange cranberries, and melted chocolate. Use a tablespoon scoop to pull your mix from the bowl. Roll the scoops into chocolate balls. Place them on a cutting board or wax paper. Refrigerate if necessary. It is sometimes easier to work with when the chocolate is a bit chilled. Melt the chocolate for dipping the balls. Roll some in confectioners sugar, and some plain if you want. They taste fantastic anyway you make them!
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @thefreshmancook on instagram and hashtag it #Cranberry Orange Pistachio Brownie Balls
Created using The Recipes Generator

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Cranberry Praline Fudge/#CranberryWeek

Welcome to #CranberryWeek! A whole week of celebrating the goodness and beauty of cranberries with my blogging friends, starting with this Cranberry Praline Fudge. The recipe begins with making Pecan Pralines. Once they are made, they are incorporated into the fudge recipe creating the most amazing flavors together! I made this fudge with the holidays in mind. I baked them in a mini brownie pan, so they can be given as gifts in a holiday tin or wrapped individually with cellophane to be included in a gift basket. Anyway you wrap them, your guests will love them!


Cranberry Praline Fudge
(makes 24 mini fudge)
(printable recipe at end of page)


Pralines
6 tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 cup White Sugar
1 1/2 cups chopped Pecans
1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
Vanilla Extract

2 cups semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup light Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
1/4 cup reduced fat Evaporated Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Pralines
5 ounces dried Cranberries



Begin with making the pralines. Add the butter, sugar, pecans, evaporated milk, and light brown sugar into a medium pot. Bring the temperature to a high heat once it starts to bubble. Mix everything together in the pot and stop stirring.

Cook until the pot begins to boil. Let it boil for 2 minutes. After the timer rings, add the vanilla and remove praline mix from the stove immediately. Start stirring and keep stirring the pot. The stirring is helping the mixture cool by incorporating air into the pot. Continue to mix until you hear a scraping sound on the side of the pot. That indicates that the mix is ready to be poured.

Pour the mixture onto the parchment and wait for it to cool. In the meantime, you can begin to put together your fudge recipe. This recipe can be made over a day or two, if you have the time.  


Once the praline is cooled, break it apart and place in a plastic bag or container until the fudge is made.

Start the fudge by mixing together the semisweet chips, corn syrup and confectioners sugar. 

Add in the evaporated milk and vanilla. Mix well.

Mix in the cranberries.

Add the praline that you broke up earlier in the recipe. You might not want all of the praline to be used in this recipe. You can start with approx. 1/2 of the praline to be used, and always add more if you want. Mix the praline into the fudge.

Spray the inside of your mini cupcake pan with cooking spray. Spoon the fudge into each cavity. When you are done, top some of the fudge cups with a small chip or two of praline or some cranberries. I like doing a few of both, and then I also make some with both cranberries and praline on top! 

I hope you enjoyed this Cranberry Praline Fudge recipe and I would love to hear from you if you make this fudge for gifts, dessert, of just because! 

Scroll down to the end of the page for a printable recipe and don't forget to check out all the very yummy recipes my fellow bloggers made to celebrate #CranberryWeek! 


Wednesday Cranberry Recipes


Cranberries, Cranberry, Fudge, Pralines, Brownies,
dessert, treats, snacks, chocolate
treats, snacks, American
Yield: 12
Author: The Freshman Cook
Print
Cranberry Praline Fudge

Cranberry Praline Fudge

Ingredients

Cranberry Praline fudge
  • Pralines~
  • 6 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 1/2 cup White Sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped Pecans
  • 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
  • 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Fudge~
  • 2 cups semisweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1/4 cup light Corn Syrup
  • 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
  • 1/4 cup reduced fat Evaporated Milk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • Pralines
  • 5 ounces dried Cranberries

Instructions

  1. Begin with making the pralines. Add the butter, sugar, pecans, evaporated milk, and light brown sugar into a medium pot. Bring the temperature to a high heat once it starts to bubble. Mix everything together in the pot and stop stirring.Cook until the pot begins to boil. Let it boil for 2 minutes. After the timer rings, add the vanilla and remove praline mix from the stove immediately. Start stirring and keep stirring the pot. The stirring is helping the mixture cool by incorporating air into the pot. Continue to mix until you hear a scraping sound on the side of the pot. That indicates that the mix is ready to be poured.Pour the mixture onto the parchment and wait for it to cool. In the meantime, you can begin to put together your fudge recipe. This recipe can be made over a day or two, if you have the time. Once the praline is cooled, break it apart and place in a plastic bag or container until the fudge is made.Start the fudge by mixing together the semisweet chips, corn syrup and confectioners sugar. Add in the evaporated milk and vanilla. Mix well.Mix in the cranberries.Add the praline that you broke up earlier in the recipe. You might not want all of the praline to be used in this recipe. You can start with approx. 1/2 of the praline to be used, and always add more if you want. Mix the praline into the fudge.Spray the inside of your mini cupcake pan with cooking spray. Spoon the fudge into each cavity. When you are done, top some of the fudge cups with a small chip or two of praline or some cranberries. I like doing a few of both, and then I also make some with both cranberries and praline on top! 
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @thefreshmancook on instagram and hashtag it #Cranberry Praline Fudge
Created using The Recipes Generator