Kevin's Watch

Each year, I like to make a new dessert for jul. But, I have to try it out in the weeks before to learn how to make it and to see if it will taste good. This year, I am thinking about this so far:
www.e-magin.se/paper/4193r5bt/popup/34
the paj recept there

The criteria for this is that it needs to not be too hard to make since I am making so many other dishes the same day and that it not be too over the top on sugar and so. Anyone have some suggestions for easy, but nice desserts that would be good for jul?

Do you have a slow cooker/crockpot, or perhaps a dutch oven/clay cooker which could mimic the same type of cooking, Ananda? If so, this is a favorite of mine. Although it may not be extravagant enough for Yule...

Apricot Glazed Pears

6 large Ripe, firm fresh pears
1 cup Apple juice
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Butter or reduced-fat margarine
1 Cinnamon stick
1 jar (12 oz. size) apricot preserves

Peel pears, leaving them whole with stem intact. Place in slow cooker. Add apple juice, vanilla, butter and cinnamon stick. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Remove pears with slotted spoon. Place in individual dessert dishes. Heat apricot preserves in small saucepan until melted. Top each pear with preserves sauce.

A scoop of good vanilla ice cream is a nice accompaniment...

Menolly wrote:Do you have a slow cooker/crockpot, or perhaps a dutch oven/clay cooker which could mimic the same type of cooking, Ananda? If so, this is a favorite of mine. Although it may not be extravagant enough for Yule...

Apricot Glazed Pears

6 large Ripe, firm fresh pears
1 cup Apple juice
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Butter or reduced-fat margarine
1 Cinnamon stick
1 jar (12 oz. size) apricot preserves

Peel pears, leaving them whole with stem intact. Place in slow cooker. Add apple juice, vanilla, butter and cinnamon stick. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Remove pears with slotted spoon. Place in individual dessert dishes. Heat apricot preserves in small saucepan until melted. Top each pear with preserves sauce.

A scoop of good vanilla ice cream is a nice accompaniment...

hmm... that does sound nice. I don't have the cooker thingie or room for my oven to be in use for 3 or 4 hours for this that day, but there are faster cooking variations I see. I think I will try kardamom cookies (since these, I can make the day before), glazed pears with vanilla ice cream one of my test weeks to see how it goes. That sounds great! Thanks, Menolly!

I have never done it, but I think the pears can also be served cold or at room temperature. Just in case you decide to make them the day before.

I made the pears this weekend (no peaches) to try it and it was voted down. I like it, though!

Ah well.
Glad you enjoyed them, though!

I have a recipe for strawberries in brown sugar and lime juice, but I think of it more as a summer dessert.

I usually default to cookies at Yule, so I'm not going to be a big help. Sorry, Ananda....

aliantha wrote:I have a recipe for strawberries in brown sugar and lime juice, but I think of it more as a summer dessert.

POST IT! POST IT! POST IT!.................POST IT! POST IT! POST IT!

Ananda wrote:This year, I am thinking about this so far:
www.e-magin.se/paper/4193r5bt/popup/34
the paj recept there

This was not good, so anyone thinking it might be nice, be warned.

If anyone is interested, here is a sort of traditional swedish sweet that is really nice to make around jul.

Kardemummabröd

175g butter
2,5dl sugar
2 eggs
8dl wheat flour
2t pounded cardamom
2t bake powder

topping
2t sugar
1/2t cinnamon


Oven to 200 C

-Use a mortar and pestel to grind the cardamom (use whole and grind them instead of buying ground- it is way better this way)
-Mix butter and sugar well (I sort of melt the butter, but which method is to your preference)
-Add the eggs one at a time and mix in well
-Mix the flour, cardamom and bake powder well
-Add the flour mix to the rest to make a dough
-Split into 4 pieces
-Roll out each piece to a roll and flatten (maybe cm or so high)
-Place roll on baking surface with bake paper on it
-Mix the sugar and cinnamon topping and shake it on top of the rolled out pieces
-Bake for 10 mins in the middle of the oven
-Cut the rolls diagonally while warm

They will look like this:

Might have to try the cardamom things.

Jeez, Orlion, okay, okay. I'll pull out the recipe and post it when I get home.

I made kanelbullar this week. Picture isn't very good since it is from my ipod These are cinnamon thingies.

take equal quantities of toffe yoghurt, vanilla yoghurt, and double cream. Fold them into one another untill evenly mixed and then serve with the lightest, sweetest doughnuts you can acess [we call them 'yum-yum's' in the UK]. This dessert takes five minutes to prepare and tastes heavenly.

Totally forgot to post the strawberry recipe. Here you go. (The original's here: www.denverpost.com/ci_8734726?source=rss )

2 tablespoons brown sugar, lumps broken up
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled, and halved or quartered (depending on size)

In a medium skillet on medium-low heat, stir together the brown sugar, butter, lime juice and cinnamon. Cook until bubbling. Add the strawberries and toss for 2 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.