Praline Baskets With Pumpkin Puree Recipes

PRALINE BASKETS WITH PUMPKIN PUREE

Steps:

• Prepare the praline baskets and set aside.
• Soften the gelatin in the lemon juice and set aside.
• Beat the egg yolks with half of the sugar until the mixture is light and lemon-colored. Add the pumpkin puree, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and orange juice. Blend well. Place the mixture over simmering water and cook, stirring, until it is thickened.
• Scrape the gelatin into the hot mixture and stir to blend. Let stand until cool but not stiff. Fold in the remaining sugar.
• Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them in. Whip the cream until stiff and fold it in. Chill until set. Serve in the praline baskets.

BLUE CORN CAKES

Steps:

• Blend together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and sugar in a mixing bowl.
• Put the yolks in a small bowl and add the milk, stirring. Stir this into the cornmeal mixture. Add the butter and fold in the beaten egg whites. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Lightly coat the bottom of a nonstick fry pan with oil. When it is quite hot add about 1 tablespoon of batter at a time to the pan. Cook about 1 minute until browned on the bottom. Turn the cakes and cook about 1 minute on the second side or until neatly browned. Continue making cakes until all the batter is used.

PRALINE BASKETS

Steps:

• Put the almonds into the container of a food processor and blend until coarse-fine. The ideal consistency would be like that of whole peppercorns. There should be about three cups.
• Put the ground nuts in a saucepan, preferably with a round bottom, and add the sugar and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the ingredients are evenly blended. Take care that the mixture does not burn.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the milk. Stir in the flour. Let stand until cool. Chill thoroughly. When chilled, the mixture should be easy to shape into round balls.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Divide the mixture into 14 or 16 portions, one portion at a time. Shape each portion into a round ball. It is important that you work with only two or three portions at a time. As the balls are shaped, arrange them, spaced neatly and well apart, on rectangles of parchment paper. Cover with a second sheet of parchment paper and roll each portion into circles measuring about five inches. Remove the upper sheet of parchment. (If parchment paper is not available, arrange the balls, two or three at a time, on a buttered baking sheet and flatten them into five-inch circles with the fingers.) Place in the oven on the center shelf and bake eight to 10 minutes or until golden or caramel brown. Do not burn.
• At this point, you must act quickly but cautiously. Remove the rounds from the oven and let stand briefly. The important thing is to allow the rounds to cool for a few seconds or to the precise moment when a metal spatula can be slid beneath each one. If they are allowed to stand too long, they will become brittle and cannot be shaped or molded. Quickly transfer one round at a time into a round-bottom glass or metal container with a capacity of approximately one and one-half cups. Press down to mold the round into a ''basket.'' Quickly proceed to the second and third round, pressing them into shape. The rounds must remain warm as you shape them. If they break slightly, they may be repaired with the fingers, provided they are still warm enough to be malleable. The baskets will become firm as they cool. As they become firm, remove them and set them aside to be filled as a dessert. They may be filled with a chilled pudding or custard mixture, with scoops of ice cream, with fresh fruit or berries and so on. If desired, the inside of each basket may be brushed with melted chocolate before filling.

JANSSON'S TEMPTATION

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Stack the slices and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick strips to resemble French fries. There should be about eight cups.
• Cover the bottom of a baking dish (an oval dish measuring 13 by 8 by 2 inches is ideal) with half of the strips. Drain the anchovies, reserving the liquid, and arrange them symmetrically over the potato layer. Pour the reserved liquid evenly over all.
• Scatter the onions and pepper over the top, and then scatter the remaining potatoes over them. Pour the cream over and sprinkle with pepper.
• Place in the oven and bake 45 minutes to one hour, until potatoes are done.

PRALINE PUMPKIN DESSERT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan. In medium bowl, beat pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice with wire whisk until smooth. Pour into pan.
• Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with pecans. Pour melted butter evenly over top.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes.
• To serve, cut dessert into 4 rows by 3 rows. Serve warm or chilled with dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice. Store covered in refrigerator.

PRALINE-PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, stir together butter, whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into two ungreased 9- or 8-inch round cake pans; sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup pecans.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Carefully spoon batter over pecan mixture in each pan.
• Bake 41 to 47 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Stir remaining 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice into frosting. To assemble cake, place 1 layer, praline side up, on serving plate. Spread with half of the frosting. Top with second layer, praline side up; spread remaining frosting to edge of layer. Drizzle with caramel topping and additional pecans. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

PUMPKIN PUREE FOR PUMPKIN PECAN-PRALINE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut pumpkins in half crosswise; scoop out seeds and discard. Place pumpkin halves, flesh side down, on prepared baking sheets. Transfer to oven and roast until easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly.
• When pumpkins are cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh from skin; discard skin. Place pumpkin flesh in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth.
• Place pumpkin puree in a mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Transfer strainer and bowl to refrigerator; let drain overnight. Discard liquid. Use pumpkin puree immediately, or store in an airtight container refrigerated, up to 2 days, or frozen up to one month.