Beverages

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

January 6, 2011 by Rebecca 61 Comments

[First published in November 2009]

I’ve received lovely notes from many of you inquiring after my absence here. First, let me thank you all for caring enough to ask. Second, let me explain why I’m reposting this.

My husband and I have visited his Aunt Patti in the Houston Heights area the last couple years just before Christmas. Patti welcomed us lavishly and generously, putting us and other family members in a bed and breakfast near her home, treating us to delicious meals, making us feel at home and loved and special beyond words. Aunt Patti’s sweet tooth is legendary.

This year, my sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law and various uncles and aunts, nieces and nephews made homemade meals for her (due to her MS, she was no longer able to cook for herself), dozens and dozens of cookies, cakes, chocolate toffee, breads, and anything else that we thought would sound good to her.

We brought silly Christmas ornaments to play ‘White Elephant’ and to decorate a small tree for her bedroom so she would laugh when she looked at it. And believe me, those ornaments were laughable.

We talked, we laughed, we ate. And we ate and ate and ate. And when it was time to go, we hugged. We talked about how we were already looking forward to seeing each other next Christmas. Aunt Patti said how much she had loved the hot-chocolate-on-a-stick I had mailed to her the previous year. I promised I would send a batch sometime shortly after the New Year. I meant it.

On January 3rd, we received a phone call from my husband’s brother that Aunt Patti’s house had burned to the ground and that both she and her caregiver, Lisa, were missing and presumed dead. I was sure he was wrong. I hoped he was wrong. He had to be wrong.

He was not.

In the last three days, both Aunt Patti’s and Lisa Sanders’ remains have been found. I can’t send another batch of Hot Chocolate on a Stick to Aunt Patti. And while that’s the least of the concerns, when you miss someone, the little things seem bigger. I had failed to deliver on a promise. So do me a favor, would you? Please make a batch of these. Eat them or -better yet- share them with someone else. Patti would’ve loved it.

In Loving Memory of Evelyn “Patti” Worthington and with eternal thanks to her caregiver Mary Elizabeth “Lisa” Sanders.

Now that I have the attention of the entire state of Minnesota, please allow me to expound.

This is one of the most clever ideas I’ve seen out of the King Arthur Flour Baker’s Circle lately. (And they’re no creative slouches over at King Arthur.) In the most recent e-newsletter* from their test kitchen they included a recipe for Cocoa Blocks.

*If you’d like to receive their free e-newsletter, you can click this link and look for the sign-up box in the lower right hand corner of the page.

Oh sweet merciful heavens. Cocoa blocks. Very utilitarian name, no? Nothing against my King Arthur folks, because I really do love them, but I think the name doesn’t do justice to these little beauties. I’ve renamed them. Henceforth, they shall be called Hot Chocolate On A Stick.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick is a creamy chocolate confection that is much like an ultra-rich fudge. You can, as the new title indicates, put these blocks of chocolatey goodness on sticks for ease in swirling it in hot milk or nibbling.

Or, if you’re a rebel (or not from the Midwest), you can simply leave the squares alone and stir them into your hot drinks. Or you can go another step, as I am wont to do, and skewer a marshmallow on top of the block of chocolate.

And since we’re playing with marshmallows already, why not make them homemade*? That opens up the possibilities of all kinds of decadent flavor combinations; mocha chocolate with cocoa marshmallows, orange chocolate with vanilla marshmallows, plain chocolate with raspberry marshmallows, or pure chocolate and vanilla marshmallows.

~~~ ~~~

*Last year Val posted a homemade marshmallow recipe in our Homemade Christmas Gifts series. (See that post here!) Homemade marshmallows, if you’ve never had them, are a completely different animal than those little round foam-like jobbies you get in bags at the grocery store. They’re ethereally light, sweet and endlessly customizable. Have a hankering for an orange flavored marshmallow without the nasty food coloring? It can be done. Want a mocha marshmallow? (Just try finding THAT at your local mega-mart.) It’s only moments away. You get my drift, right?

So if you combine luscious, velvety, rich fudge with light-as-air homemade marshmallows it should follow that what you’ve created is heavenly. And it is. Oh, it is! Not to put too fine a point on it, but having these in my kitchen was the only thing standing between me and a potential sale of my children to the gypsies early career apprenticeship commitment for my children. I hid in the bathroom with a ‘Hot Chocolate on a Stick’ and nibbled my irritation away.

I could’ve taken a cup of hot milk to the bathroom with me, but I was in a hurry, people. I needed the chocolate and I needed it fast. The kids, on the other hand, found the stash while I was hiding (and small price to pay for the peace it brought me) and stirred theirs into hot cups of milk. I hear tell that they enjoyed it immensely. The chocolate rings around their mouths bore out their testimony.

Kid tested. Mother approved.

~~~ ~~~

May I recommend that you whip up a batch or two or three of these? Keep one batch for yourself. Wrap one batch in plastic and pretty ribbons for gift-giving. And that last batch? Well, give it away one at a time to your kids’ teachers, bus drivers, your preacher, the mail carrier, the elderly man or woman down the road who lost their spouse this year, the gal in the apartment two doors down who looks a little lonely, or anyone else who looks like they could use a good dose of seasonal cheer.

First, a marshmallow refresher!

Homemade Marshmallows

This is mainly Val’s recipe, but I’ve added a few of my own notes.

Follow this link for the original post and a printable version of this recipe.

Ingredients:

.75-oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes of Knox gelatin)
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or other flavor extract)
Confectioners’ sugar

Line 9 x 9-inch or 8 x 8-inch pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil it using your fingers or non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil. As soon as it is boiling, set the timer and allow to boil hard for 1 minute.

Carefully pour the boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, starting on low and moving up to high speed. Add the salt and beat for between 10 and 12 minutes, or until fluffy and mostly cooled to almost room temperature. After it reaches that stage, add in the extract and beat to incorporate.

Grease your hands and a rubber or silicone scraper with neutral oil and transfer marshmallow into the prepared pan. Use your greased hands to press the marshmallow into the pan evenly. Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow, creating a seal. Let mixture sit for a few hours, or overnight, until cooled and firmly set.

Sprinkle a cutting surface very generously with confectioner’s sugar.

Remove marshmallow from pan and lay on top of the sugar.

Dust the top generously with sugar as well.

Use a large, sharp knife to cut into squares.

Separate pieces and toss to coat all surfaces with the sugar.
Store in an airtight container.

Now for the Hot Chocolate on a Stick!

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Scroll to the bottom for an easy-print version of this recipe!

Ingredients:

½ cup heavy cream
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/4 cups)
3 cups semisweet chocolate (3 cups chopped chocolate bars or chips)
3/4 cup unsweetened baking chocolate (4 ounces)
wooden sticks, lollipop sticks, candy canes or bamboo skewers
optional, crushed candy canes, marshmallows and/or cocoa powder

Line an 8 x 8-inch pan or a 9 x 9-inch pan with foil and set aside.

Combine the cream and sweetened condensed milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat until it is steaming, but not boiling, stirring occasionally to keep from scorching.

Add all of the chocolate and remove from the heat. Allow the chocolate to melt, undisturbed, for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, whisk firmly until it is thick and shiny. You can add a few drops of flavoring extract or oil at this point, or add some powdered espresso or vanilla. Whisk vigorously again to incorporate the flavoring (if used.)

Use a rubber or silicone spatula to spread the mixture out evenly in your prepared, foil-lined pan.

Allow to cool at room temperature 12 hours or overnight so that it firms slowly.

Take the fudge from the pan and remove the foil. Place on a cutting board.

Using a knife heated with hot water and wiped dry, cut the fudge into 36 equal-sized cubes. You can either stick a lollipop stick (or candy cane) into the center of each block or leave as is. Additionally, you can press the cut sides of the fudge into crushed candy canes, roll them in cocoa powder or top with marshmallows.

Eat immediately or wrap tightly and store at room temperature.

If you make more than one batch and use different flavorings for the marshmallows or chocolate, you can use different colored ribbons to indicate the flavors. Silver for mocha chocolate and vanilla marshmallows, gold for plain chocolate and raspberry marshmallows, for instance…

Hey… Someone’s snuck off with my raspberry marshmallow Hot Chocolate on a Stick…

Oh well, I’ll make more.

Remember, it’s Christmas time!

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Author: Rebecca Lindamood Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Recipe type: dessert, candy

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 36

This creamy chocolate fudge confection can be nibbled in its pure form, skewered on a stick alone or with homemade marshmallows and simply eaten or swirled into hot milk for a hot chocolate that is second to none.

Ingredients

½ cup heavy cream
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (1¼ cups)
3 cups semisweet chocolate (3 cups chopped chocolate bars or chips)
¾ cup unsweetened baking chocolate (4 ounces)
wooden sticks, lollipop sticks, candy canes or bamboo skewers
optional, crushed candy canes, marshmallows and/or cocoa powder

Instructions

Line an 8 x 8-inch pan or a 9 x 9-inch pan with foil and set aside.
Combine the cream and sweetened condensed milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat until it is steaming, but not boiling, stirring occasionally to keep from scorching.
Add all of the chocolate and remove from the heat. Allow the chocolate to melt, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, whisk firmly until it is thick and shiny. You can add a few drops of flavoring extract or oil at this point, or add some powdered espresso or vanilla. Whisk vigorously again to incorporate the flavoring (if used.)
Use a rubber or silicone spatula to spread the mixture out evenly in your prepared, foil-lined pan. Allow to cool at room temperature 12 hours or overnight so that it firms slowly.
Take the fudge from the pan and remove the foil. Place on a cutting board.
Using a knife heated with hot water and wiped dry, cut the fudge into 36 equal-sized cubes. You can either stick a lollipop stick (or candy cane) into the center of each block or leave as is. Additionally, you can press the cut sides of the fudge into crushed candy canes, roll them in cocoa powder or top with marshmallows.
Wrap tightly and store at room temperature.

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Filed Under: Beverages, Desserts, Gifts, Holiday Food, Instructional, Kitchen Techniques and Hints, Rebecca, Recipes, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: Food gifts, food on a stick, homemade gifts, hot cocoa

Chai Lattes and Hot Caramel Apple Cider

October 1, 2010 by Rebecca 31 Comments

Welcome to my third entry post for Project Food Blog on Foodbuzz.com. The theme of the challenge for this round is “Luxury Dinner Party”. The good folks at Foodbuzz.com prompted thusly: “Celebrate! You’ve made it this far, and the next challenge is to hold a party for your friends and family (at least four guests). Whether you’re an experienced host or an entertaining newbie, get creative and host a luxurious dinner party. Share your hosting secrets with readers. ” I ran into a bit of a snag but the show had to go on! How did I do? I’ll let you judge…

“…[Weed] out what you yourself like best to do, so that you can live most agreeably in a world full of an increasing number of disagreeable surprises.”

~MFK Fisher

While planning our fabulous dinner party we all got the flu.

There was no reason at all to let a disagreeable surprise like the flu stand in the way of living as agreeably as possible. Clearly our previous plans were waylaid*, but the family gamely agreed to carry on when I solemnly pledged not to include any pictures of snuffly noses or red-rimmed eyes in the post. Luxury is a state of mind, after all, and we were of a mind for some luxury.

*Would you attend a dinner party thrown by a cook who looked and sounded as though you might find her lung in your soup? Exactly.

We respected the rules of the competition. And so invitations went forth…

The children all R.S.V.P.’d.

Then we hiked up our softest jammy pants, adjusted our fuzziest socks, combed our hair and generally made ourselves presentable (to keep ourselves in the spirit of the thing) for a Flu Fighting Feast of the First Degree.

Our first course was, naturally, a soup course. We indulged in a velvety chicken soup with light-as-air dumplings made from my grandmother’s “Never-Fail Dumplings” recipe. Everyone knows that nothing cures the flu faster than homemade chicken soup and Grandma’s dumplings. I do believe lungs started clearing.

Our second course was our hot drinks course. We harnessed the season and pampered ourselves with steaming sweet apple cider dressed with a spoonful of dulce de leche and a hearty dollop of whipped cream. The warmth of the drinks soothed our throats and quieted the chills. While whipped cream isn’t traditionally recommended as a flu curative, it certainly helped mend our spirits if not our respiration.

There were also spicy, hot Chai Lattes for the tea lovers among us. Topped with a cap of frothed milk and a cinnamon stick they warmed parents and children alike. Believe me, that felt like a million bucks.

We retired to the den for the dessert course; Vanilla Scottish Shortbread…

Lots of cuddles, and an ibuprofen.

And a luxuriously good time was had by all.

~~~~~~~~~

If you find yourself hosting a Flu Fighting Feast, take advantage of these simple tips to make your evening sparkle:

Put cushy pillows on the seats.
Have a blanket draped over the back of each person’s chair so they can wrap up when overtaken with the chills.
Make sure to put out place markers with names clearly written in case you forget who you are because of fever.
Above all, remember to ditch the whole plan and snuggle on the couch while watching a movie if you find it’s just too much to remain upright.

For a printer-friendly, photo-free version of these recipes, click here!

Chai Lattes

Recipe adapted from the Stash Tea Company

Ingredients:

10 standard-sized Chai teabags (I prefer the Stash brand.)
7 cups cool fresh water
1 cup whole milk plus additional milk for frothing
1/4-1/2 cup sugar, depending on how sweet you like your chai
Optional: whole cinnamon sticks for a flavorful garnish

Combine water, milk and sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Add the teabags to the liquid and bring to a boil, partially covered. Remove cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Pour chai into a tea pot (or into a Mason jar with a lid for storage in the refrigerator.)

To froth milk, use a handheld frother or pour at least 1/4 cup of milk into a blender and process until fluffy. Put milk in a microwave safe container,uncovered, and heat for between 30 seconds and 1 minute, depending on the strength of your microwave. Watch closely, because the milk expands and wants to boil over.

To serve, fill a mug 2/3 full with the hot chai. Spoon the frothed milk over the tea until you reach the rim of the mug. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Use the cinnamon stick to swirl the hot milk and chai together.

Hot Caramel Apple Cider

Ingredients per serving:

6 ounces (3/4 of a cup) fresh apple cider
1 Tablespoon dulce de leche or caramel sauce
Heavy whipped cream, to taste

Heat apple cider in a saucepan or in the microwave just until steaming. Stir in a generous tablespoon of dulce de leche or caramel sauce until it is completely melted. Top the cider with whipped cream just before serving.

This is my third entry in Project Food Blog over at Foodbuzz.com.Did you like this recipe and the post? I’d appreciate your vote of support! I will let you all know here when voting opens up on October 4th! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for getting me this far and for your continued support!

Pssst… Are you still with me? I have a favor to ask. The next challenge, if I make it there, requires a photo tutorial. So I’d like, if I may, to get your opinion. Would you like a photo tutorial on Scottish Shortbread? Homemade Chicken Soup and Dumplings? How to open the new-fangled ibuprofen bottles? Something else entirely? Do let me know!

Filed Under: Beverages, Project Food Blog 2010, Recipes Tagged With: #pfb2010, Beverages, Challenge #3, hot drinks, kid friendly, Luxury Dinner Party, Project Food Blog

Celery Soda

May 11, 2010 by Rebecca 20 Comments

I have to admit that Celery Soda is not exactly a normal sounding recipe. While watching Alton Brown whip together this recipe on Good Eats, my first thought was, “Celery WHAT?” My incredulity notwithstanding, the idea took hold.

And boy did it ever take hold. My brain kept trying to imagine how a syrup steeped with celery seeds would taste. It’s not that it was a huge investment in time, resources or money. It was just two measly tablespoons of celery seed, two cups of sugar and a cup of water. I enjoyed tossing around the idea of the soda almost more than I wanted to make it. But make it I did.

And I could kick myself for waiting so long.

It’s not good.

It’s great.

It’s more complex than I ever imagined it to be. Trying to nail down the flavors for description is like trying to get boys into the bath tub. In a word? Elusive. Two words? Elusive and slippery. Every time you think you have it it evades you. But I’ll try. For you all, I’ll try.

The first impression is not of the sweetness, although it’s right there; your first sense of the syrup is the light smell of celery. It’s not quite identifiable as celery; it’s a fresh, herbal scent. And it smells more of celery than it tastes of it. That light, fresh, herbal taste is present, but if you didn’t know it was made from celery seed you might not be able to call it. The biggest ‘A-ha!” moment from the whole experience is that the subtle tongue-tingling feeling that you get when you eat celery is there when you sip the syrup mixed with soda water. Even that is more of a lower case “Is this celery?” than it is a “Hey! Celery!”

What is not elusive and slippery about this is how refreshing it is. My word. A tall glass of this on a hot day and the world will melt away while you stay cool. Not as cool as a cucumber but as cool as celery. It cools you on a cellular level. This is going to be my secret weapon during the dog days this summer. That is, if we ever get dog days…

According to Alton Brown, the celery syrup in this recipe is invaluable in mixing cocktails. Feel free to wing it. Let me know if you come up with something wild and wacky and mixological. Maybe you’ll invent the newest cocktail craze. Could happen. All because of this syrup.

I probably don’t need to tell you this, but I will anyway; this is so much better for you than most off-the-shelf sodas you can buy. And it’s almost sinfully less expensive than the fancy-pants gourmet and all-natural sodas that are available. We’re talking about pennies per glass here. No funky additives, no High Fructose Corn Syrup, no wacky extracts or bizarro unpronounceable ingredients. Okay, some might argue that Celery Soda is -at the very least- unusual or exotic, but it’s refreshing and really dadburned good!

Psst. There’s one other thing. But it’s for adults-only. I’ve been told by a reliable source that celery (in all it’s forms) has some potent aphrodisiac effects; so use with caution. Or without. Wink wink.

Now you might print this one and put it in the pile of recipes to try or file it away or bookmark it. I’m all about that. But don’t let the hot months get away from you before you try this.

Celery Soda

Scroll to the bottom of this post for an easy print version of this recipe.

from Alton Brown

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup of water
2 Tablespoons of freshly crushed (lightly) celery seed
chilled unflavored seltzer or soda water

Stir the sugar and water together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the celery seeds. Cover the pan and steep, off of the hot burner, for one hour.

After an hour, it is time to strain. Line a fine-mesh sieve or colander with dampened fine cheesecloth or coffee filters. Pour the syrup into the strainer. If you need to do this in stages, do so, but try not to overflow your cheesecloth or coffee filters as this will allow celery seeds into the syrup.

That wouldn’t be a disaster, but it would at a possibly undesirable textural element to your syrup. Pour the syrup into a jar, fit on a tight lid and chill completely before use.

To mix a soda:

Pour 2 Tablespoons of chilled syrup into a tall glass with about 1/4 cup of chilled seltzer or soda water. Stir well to combine so that the syrup is fully integrated into the soda. Add ice to the glass and fill the rest of the glass with more chilled soda. Serve immediately. Ah!

Store unused syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to six months. That’s right! It lasts for six whole months!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Celery Soda

Author: Alton Brown

Recipe type: Homemade Soda, Flavoured Syrup

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 12

Refreshing, unique, and healthy, an icy glass of this unusual sounding homemade soda really hits the spot on steamy summer days. Serve this alongside grilled hot dogs or hamburgers and potato salad instead of a cola or sweet soda and you will never go back!

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup of water
2 Tablespoons of freshly crushed (lightly) celery seed
chilled unflavored seltzer or soda water

Instructions

To Make the Syrup:

Stir the sugar and water together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the celery seeds.
Cover the pan and steep, off of the hot burner, for one hour.
After an hour, it is time to strain. Line a fine-mesh sieve or colander with dampened fine cheesecloth or coffee filters.
Pour the syrup into the strainer. If you need to do this in stages, do so, but try not to overflow your cheesecloth or coffee filters as this will allow celery seeds into the syrup.
Pour the syrup into a jar, fit on a tight lid and chill completely before use.

To Serve as Soda:

Pour 2 Tablespoons of chilled syrup into a tall glass with about ¼ cup of chilled seltzer or soda water.
Stir well to combine so that the syrup is fully integrated into the soda.
Add ice to the glass and fill the rest of the glass with more chilled soda.
Serve immediately. Ah!

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Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Beverages, Component Foods, Desserts, Gifts, Healthy Foods, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: homemade soda, unique soda, unusual soda

Homemade Grand Marnier Clone

April 26, 2010 by Rebecca 13 Comments

Mmmmm. Oranges. I love them. Dearly.

I’ve even been known to eat the peels of oranges, candied or not; minus the pith, of course! Orange is one of my favorite flavors to add to baked goods, hot drinks, custards, and more. Sometimes that’s easily accomplished by squeezing a little wedge of orange into or over a dish, but sometimes it requires a little more finesse. Sometimes it requires Grand Marnier.

This classic liqueur is basically the essence of oranges blended with cognac (fancy-pants brandy). There are times when that small addition of alcohol is necessary to release flavors that otherwise would remain sadly locked away in their little alcohol-soluble encapsulated molecules*. And there is no substitute for a little nip of something potent at those times.

*Think tomatoes, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, etc… All of those have flavors that cannot reach their full potential unless joined with alcohol. I’m not saying you have to drown your food, I’m just saying a judicious glug added to a recipe can make the difference between ‘great’ and ‘spectacular’.

A couple weeks ago, I shared my recipe for Blueberry Tiramisu and a quick, informal poll showed that most of you wanted to know how to make a Homemade Grand Marnier Clone. This means one of two things:

You want to refill the bottle of the ‘real’ stuff you bottomed out when you generously made margaritas for your entire neighborhood. Or…
You, like me, just want to prove that you can do it better than ‘the man’ does. You know. The ‘Grand Marnier’ man. Sitting in his fancy chateau in Les Alpes, sipping his apéritif and laughing haughtily at all the hoi polloi paying big money through the nose for something that can be made so easily at home. *Insert snooty Gallic snicker here.

Well, one way or the other, I’m your gal. There is one really difficult thing in this recipe, though; you’re going to have to wait 2-6 months after putting it together before you start sipping if you want it to taste like the real deal. Of course, if you’re popping it in a blender with a bunch of ice, some sugar syrup, lime juice and tequila, you have my blessing to cheat on that time frame a bit. I mean honestly. Is it REALLY going to make a difference how ’round’ a flavor you have if you’re going that direction?

But if you want to sip on this or use it in cheesecakes or dunk ladyfingers in it for tiramisu or add it to pastry cream or drizzle it over crêpes prior to flambéeing the tar out of them, you may want to go that extra mile. Trust me.

Psst. Hey. Want to impress your favorite food or wine or cocktail aficionado? Decant the finished liqueur into a beautiful bottle with a cork or stopper, wrap with a lush (pun intended) ribbon and watch their jaws drop and eyes pop when you tell them what’s in it. I tried this out on my favorite wine snob (her description, not mine) friend and asked her whether she thought it measured up to the real thing. Her response? “This is amazing! This is BETTER than Grand Marnier! Grand Marnier WISHES it tasted like this.”

For a photo-free, printer-friendly version of this recipe with no blah-blah, click here!

Homemade Grand Marnier Clone

While this is a project that is simple, it is definitely one that requires forethought. At a bare minimum, this liqueur takes 2 months to be ready. And yes, it will be delicious at 2 months, but if you go all out, whole hog, pedal to the metal and give it the full six months to age you will be rewarded with an amazing depth of flavor and smoothness. Of course, if your patience is anything like mine, you’ll want to try it sooner, so do what I do: divvy the batch into two containers, one for now and one for later. ~or~ Double the batch! You could quadruple it for the same price as a 750ml bottle of the real deal. And I think you’ll find that this is not only just as good as the ‘benchmark’ but even better!

Ingredients:

The zest of 8 oranges (gently washed and toweled dry before hand). Take care to get the zest only- no white pith!
1 cup granulated white sugar
4 cups brandy (Using a better quality brandy or cognac will result in a much smoother sipping finished product.)
optional, 1 teaspoon liquid vegetable glycerine (This creates a finished product with a more velvety mouth feel.)

Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of the sugar over the zest in a mid-sized bowl or mortar and squish together with a pestle or the back of a heavy spoon.

Continue smooshing and adding sugar 1/4 cup at a time until the sugar and orange zest are almost paste-like.

Transfer this mixture to a large, clean jar with a tight fitting lid.

Pour the brandy over the mixture and stir well.

~And here is where the photos stop. Honestly, I’m all out of the aged stuff and I’m not willing to wait 6 months before I post this recipe for you. Take my word for it. It’s pretty and it’s delicious. I’ve made it many times before. Remember my amazing yet ill-fated Blueberry Tiramisu? That *sob* work of art used the very last of my Homemade Grand Marnier Clone. (Blasted dog!) So if you make this now, we’ll have it available at just about the same time. To your health!

Cap tightly and age 1-3 months, shaking weekly, in a cool, dark place. (Basements are usually perfect for this!)

After at least 4 weeks (the longer you let this age, the better it will be!) shake the jar well and pour the mixture through a fine mesh stainless-steel strainer into a bowl or large measuring cup with a spout. Rinse the strainer and the jar that you used to age the liqueur. Line the strainer with cheesecloth or a clean tea towel and pour the liqueur back into the aging jar. If using the liquid glycerine, stir it in at this point. Cap tightly again and continue aging for an additional 1-3 months.

Filed Under: Beverages, Holiday Food, Instructional, Kitchen Techniques and Hints, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Stretching your dollars, Vegetarian Tagged With: Beverages, drinks, Food gifts, Frugal Food, frugal gifts

Chai Latte Tea Concentrate

January 8, 2010 by Rebecca 12 Comments

I love tea.

Part of the reason tea charms me so is the power it possesses to transport me to another place or time. Whatever the stress, boredom or weariness is that hangs over me, it falls away in the time-honoured ritual of brewing and sipping a cup of tea. In the best circumstances this is an unhurried process. Measure the tea into the strainer. Wait for the water to boil with a book in hand. Gently pour the boiling water over the tea leaves and be amazed -for the millionth time- at the miraculous alchemy that turns humble water and leaves into ambrosia.

But even when conditions aren’t optimal for a quiet, contemplative tea brewing experience -as happens more often than not in a home with five young sons- tea retains the ability to alter my mood for the better with its mere presence. Having a cup of tea at hand is my insulation from what the world throws at me.

It is no exaggeration to say that the post-holiday level of noise and chaos around these parts has been, in a word, extreme. With the kids reluctantly returning to studies, the weather being consistently frightful, and the gentle glow of the festive start to the new year ebbing away, tea moves from the realm of luxury to necessity. Although the available time to tarry over crafting the perfect cuppa has dwindled my desire for drinking it has not. The solution is tea concentrate.

Get it?

Tea?

Solution?

Please forgive me.

Tea concentrate makes it possible for me to turn out a Chai Latte capped with whipped cream and dusted with fragrant cinnamon in less than two minutes. My Chai Lattes rival the green about the gills mermaid’s at a fraction of her waterway robbery prices.

While I’m normally a loose-leaf tea girl, bagged Chai tea is one of my diversions. If you don’t already have a brand that you prefer, I like Stash and Bigelow chai blends. Use whichever brand you prefer. If you prefer, you can use rice milk, soy milk, or almond milk in place of dairy milk both in the brewed tea and the prepared latte.

With a cup of Chai Latte in hand I can laugh while staring into the whites of our inevitable winter’s eyes. I can tune out the sound of the boys wrestling two feet behind me. I can tackle that pile of laundry in the basement. Well, maybe I should have another Chai Latte before I try that laundry part…

For a photo-free, printer friendly version of this recipe, click here!

Chai Latte Concentrate

Ingredients:

12 Chai tea bags
4 cups cold, fresh water
1 1/2 cups milk

Place the tea bags, cold water and milk in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. When you reach the boil, drop the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and squeeze the tea bags to extract as much flavor and liquid as possible. Discard tea bags and transfer the Chai Latte Concentrate to a heat-safe container. Allow to cool to room temperature, put a tight fitting lid on the container and store in the refrigerator for up to 12 days.

To prepare a Chai Latte:

When making the Chai Latte you have ultimate control over flavors, sweetness and creaminess. If you like a richer latte, use chocolate syrup as your sweetener and substitute half and half for your milk. If you’re watching your calories, use low-fat milk and stevia. My own personal preference dictates a latte lightly sweetened with half agave and half sugar and made creamy with whole milk. But see? This is another advantage of making it at home. You can be as high or low maintenance as you want and no barista will give you the stink eye.

Ingredients:

1/3- 1/2 cup of milk
1/2- 2/3 cup of Chai Latte Concentrate
1-3 teaspoons, to taste, of sweetener. I use a combination of agave nectar and raw sugar

Optional for serving:

Whipped cream
Cocoa powder
Ground cinnamon

Truthfully, doesn’t this just make you happy to see such a large container of heavy cream? My soul cries with joy.

Pour milk and concentrate into a saucepan or a microwave safe measuring cup.

Heat just until steaming. Pour into your serving glass and sweeten to taste.

Top as desired. I give mine a tall cap of whipped cream…

…and a dusting of cinnamon.

Sip. Relax. Repeat.

Filed Under: Beverages, Component Foods, Kitchen Techniques and Hints, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: Food gifts, tea

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

December 2, 2009 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Now that I have the attention of the entire state of Minnesota, please allow me to expound.

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Kid tested. Mother approved.

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Let’s do a quick refresher on the marshmallows:

Homemade Marshmallows

Follow this link for the original post and a printable version of this recipe.

This is mainly Val’s recipe, but I’ve added a few of my own notes.

Ingredients:

.75-oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes of Knox gelatin)
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or other flavor extract)
Confectioners’ sugar

Line 9 x 9-inch or 8 x 8-inch pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil it using your fingers or non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil. As soon as it is boiling, set the timer and allow to boil hard for 1 minute.

Sprinkle a cutting surface very generously with confectioner’s sugar.

Remove marshmallow from pan and lay on top of the sugar.

Dust the top generously with sugar as well.

Use a large, sharp knife to cut into squares.

Separate pieces and toss to coat all surfaces with the sugar.
Store in an airtight container.

Now for the Hot Chocolate on a Stick!

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Scroll to the bottom for an easy-print version of this recipe!

Ingredients:

½ cup heavy cream
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/4 cups)
3 cups semisweet chocolate (3 cups chopped chocolate bars or chips)
3/4 cup unsweetened baking chocolate (4 ounces)
wooden sticks, lollipop sticks, candy canes or bamboo skewers
optional, crushed candy canes, marshmallows and/or cocoa powder