Hi everyone…and special thanks to those of you who posted entries to the contest to win a copy of Sugar, by Anna Olson. I made Anna’s Cranberry Gratin as part of my Thanksgiving feast, and it was a big hit, with a bonus of being extremely easy to make. The recipe is on my website if you want to check it out.
I’ll announce the winners of the contest on Wednesday and be in touch with them so I can mail out the books. In the meantime, a couple of contestants asked if everyone would be so kind as to post the actual recipes they were talking about. If you’d like to contribute, just post your recipe here.
If you’re short of reading material, check out this feature my alumni e-newsletter is running this month. It’s a pretty good retrospective of my career in journalism over the past 20 years.
BEST-EVER LEMON PIE (Ann Landers)
1 baked 9″ deep-dish pie shell
1 1/4 cups sugar
6 tbsp. cornstarch
2 cups water
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp. vinegar
Mix sugar and cornstarch together in the top of a double boiler. Add the water. Combine egg yolks with lemon juice and beat until well mixed. Add to the rest of the sugar mixture. Cook over boiling water until thick – about 25 minutes. (This does away with the starchy taste). Now add the lemon extract, butter, and vinegar, and stir thoroughly. Pour mixture into pie shell and let cool slightly. Cover warm filling with meringue and brown at 350º for 10 minutes.
NEVER-FAIL MERINGUE (Ann Landers)
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp.cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
3 egg whites
6 tbsp. sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan. Add boiling water and cook, stirring until clear and thickened. Let stand until COMPLETELY cold. With electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar, and beat until stiff but not dry. Turn mixer to low speed; add salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture. Turn mixer to high again, and beat well. Spread meringue over pie filling. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Dear Mr. Genova,
I made your Cranberry Gratin by Anne Olson.
It tasted delicious but I was wondering about the texture.I followed the receipe
perfectly.When it cam out of the oven it looked great.I went to scoop some out .The
gratin was really loose and liquidy.It tasted great my kids loved it and so did my
guests but I didn’t know if that was how it
was supposed to be.Should it have been a little firmer more like a soft pudding,
than a tastey runny porridge????? Hope you can tell me what it is supposed to look like Thanks Diane
Baked Apple Sponge
3 cups sliced apples,about 4 apples
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. each, butter and lemonjuice
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup fruit sugar
1 tbsp. cold water
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cupsifted cake and pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
Mix first four ingredients in a greased 8 inch square baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes or in the microwave(without foil) for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile beat egg yolks until thick and add fruit sugar gradually, continuing to beat until mixture is very fluffy and sugar almost melted. Fold in water, almond extract and sifted dry ingredients, then stiffly beaten egg whites. Spread mixture over apples. Bake a 350F for 20-25 minutes. Serve with cinnamon flavoued whipped cream. Serves 6-8. I add cinnamon to apples.
CRANBERRY COFFEE CAKE
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup white sugar
1 cup frozen cranberries (cut in half) and kept frozen until used, so they won’t bleed in batter
1 cup raisins (soaked in boiling water and drained)
BROWN SUGAR/NUT MIXTURE
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Grease a 10″ tube pan (one that the bottom comes out is best)
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, beat well.
Add dry ingredients and beat until well blended.
Fold in sour cream, raisins and cranberries.
Add 1/2 batter to tube pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of brown sugar/nut mixture, then rest of batter. Top with remaining brown sugar/nut mixture.
Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
Best served warm.
I am looking for a kaffir lime tree in the Lower Mainland if possible, any ideas anyone? Thanks.