Challah Pear Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
I first read about Confituras’ Salty Caramel Pear Butter in one of my favorite Austin food blogs, Local Savour. I knew right away that I wanted to use it to make Christmas cookies, and last Wednesday I bought a jar of pear butter from Stephanie herself just for that purpose. Well. Sort of. I never actually made it to the cookies because as soon as I sampled a little of the pear butter, I ended up eating half the jar. I still needed to make something for dessert that night, so I came up with this challah pear pudding with salty caramel sauce. For the recipe I used cinnamon...
Read MoreThanksgiving: Butternut Squash Kugel
This kugel is my answer to that icky-sticky sweet potato casserole that is so popular in some Thanksgiving circles. I prefer this dish mainly because it does not have marshmallow cream along the top. However, there are other advantages: this kugel has a firmer texture than sweet potato casserole, it is much easier to prepare, and it’s healthier. I adapted this recipe from one published on Allrecipes.com, using fresh squash puree instead of frozen cubes, substituting wheat flour for all-purpose, and reducing the sugar. On Thursday I plan to serve this as a side dish during the...
Read MoreThanksgiving: Mini Apple Persimmon Pies (Vegan)
This weekend was one of the few times my “real” job intersected with my food blog. I had the distinct pleasure of making a few dishes for a Thanksgiving potluck hosted by one of my colleagues. He hosted the party in honor of a visiting saxophone quartet from Helsinki, Finland. This meal was the quartet’s first-ever American Thanksgiving, and I made a sweet potato pie and these adorable apple persimmon pies to share with our visiting friends. I originally planned to make a large, double crust American apple pie. However, I just couldn’t resist the persimmons at...
Read MoreApple Persimmon Compote
Persimmons and apples are a natural duet; the spicy sweetness of the persimmon is complemented by the apple’s tart flavor, and the flesh of both fruits are similar enough that they cook at the same speed. I originally conceptualized this apple-persimmon pairing as a filling for mini pies, but it has lots of other delicious uses. Traditionally, compotes are served as a dessert, either chilled or warmed and garnished with whipped cream. However, you’re selling the dish short if you limit it to just desserts! Here’s are some ideas for how to use this recipe in your meal...
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