Pomegranate-Pear Tarts + Nambé GIVEAWAY

November 21, 2012June 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles76 Comments

If you are anything like me, you’re still finalizing what dishes you’ll be making for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I’ve got the desserts squared away but still need to commit to an appetizer or two……Baked Brie? Cheesy Mushroom Bread? Oh, the options…

But if you are in need of a dessert to wow your guests, you must try out these beautiful Pomegranate-Pear Tarts.

You can use whatever types of pears you like but I find that either Bartletts or Anjous work out best. I also put a light honey-glaze to provide a little bit of sweetness and a sheen. As for the pomegranates, they added a great freshness and crunchy texture while giving a bit of tart flavor. Alternatively, you can sprinkle the tops with crushed pistachios.

Not only are these tarts eye-catching and delicious but they only take a few minutes to put together! Perfect for holiday entertaining when I always seem like I’m racing the clock.

And since this is a time for giving Thanks….our amazing friends at Nambe are giving us a chance to say THANK YOU to our readers with a giveaway!

One reader will have the chance to win this gorgeous Handled Tray !

~~How to Enter:~~ THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED…Thanks!

Leave a comment and tell us what the first thing you’ll serve using the Nambe Handled Tray

For extra chances to win, leave a separate comment for each indicating which of the below you did:

Subscribe to The Culinary Chronicles & get automatic emails when new posts are published (If you already Subscribe, leave a comment indicating so);
Like the Nambé Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” Nambé, leave a comment and let us know); or
Like our Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” us, leave a comment indicating so); or
Follow @CulinaryChron on Twitter (If you already Follow us, leave a comment indicating so).

The deadline to enter is Monday, November 26th at 5pm (PST) and the winner will be announced the next day.

THANKS so much Nambé and HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS!

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Pomegranate-Pear Tarts
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Bartlett or Bosc Pears, cored and sliced lengthwise to 1/8 inch width
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon warm water
¼ cup pomegranate arils
fresh whipped cream or ice cream, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, gently roll the puff pastry to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut the sheet into 4 equal squares.

Transfer the puff pastry to a parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving ample space in between each square.

Leaving a ½ inch border of the puff pastry around each square, shingle the pear slices so that all 4 pieces have been covered. Gently fold over the dough on each side of the squares and pinch the corners to seal.

In a small bowl, mix the honey and water together until combined. Brush the tops of the pear slices with the honey glaze. Transfer the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Rotate the sheet halfway through baking.

Remove the tarts from the oven and cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the tarts with the pomegranate arils and serve immediately with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.

Desserts/Pastries

Flourless Chocolate Chip Biscoff Cookies + King’s Hawaiian Winner!

October 9, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles4 Comments

You probably won’t believe me but I actually don’t eat sweets regularly. Not that I don’t want to—but even I try to practice some self restraint. 🙂

But there are times when that little sweet tooth just aches from some goodness. And that’s when I quickly grab a spoon and reach into the kitchen pantry for my jar of Biscoff Spread.

Biscoff Spread (also known as “cookie butter”) is a creamy spread that has the consistency of smooth peanut butter and has chopped up bits of Speculoos Cookies in it. The flavor is reminiscent of gingerbread, which you may recall, I am just crazy about!

A few months ago I went on a quest to put Biscoff Spread in everything possible. Oh it was a glorious time….

One of the creations that came about were these cookies that were a spin off of my old flourless peanut butter cookies. They’re quick, easy and have a slightly crispy texture. This is also a great recipe for kids to use.

And now for the winner of our King’s Hawaiian Giveaway! Drum Roll please………….

CONGRATS Sarah who said she would fix up some delish Breakfast Sandwiches with her King’s Hawaiian Products…..SUPER ONO! Sarah, please check your email for instructions.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated! And a HUGE MAHALO NUI LOA to our friends at King’s Hawaiian!!!

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Flourless Chocolate Chip Biscoff Cookies
Makes approximately 1½ Dozen

Ingredients:

1 Cup Biscoff Spread, or cookie butter spread
½ Cup Sugar
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¾ Cup Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

With the exception of the chocolate chips, mix all the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the chilled dough into rounded tablespoons and place on the sheet a few inches apart. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 3-4 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

**Although this cookie dough does not add in flour, it is not a gluten free recipe due to the ingredients in the Biscoff Spread/Cookie Butter Spread.

Breads · Desserts/Pastries · Giveaways · Sponsored

Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Bourbon Sauce + King’s Hawaiian GIVEAWAY!!

October 3, 2012June 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles47 Comments

I am a sucker for Bread Pudding.

There’s something so darn comforting and mouthwatering about a bowl full of this goodness. Rich, sweet–almost sinful.

Drools.

With Autumn finally coming around, it was the perfect time to make an apple version highlighting the warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. And the only thing to take it over the top was a decadent drizzle of Caramel flavored by good ol’ Bourbon.

Inspired by my visit with the great o’hana of King’s Hawaiian, I used the slightly sweet Original Hawaiian Sweet Round Bread for the pudding. I also cut back on the amount of sugar in the custard base since the final dessert would be sweet enough from the luscious Caramel Bourbon sauce.

But the awesomeness doesn’t stop here! One of our lucky readers has the chance to win a cornucopia of goodness courtesy of our friends from King’s Hawaiian!

The winner will receive a vast assortment of King’s Hawaiian baked products, King’s Hawaiian coffee, apron and more!! Needless to say, you will be a very HAPPY CAMPER!

How to Enter:

Leave a comment and tell us what the first thing you’ll make with some of the Kings Hawaiian Bread products

For extra chances to win, leave a separate comment for each indicating which of the below you did:

Subscribe to The Culinary Chronicles & get automatic emails when new posts are published (If you already Subscribe, leave a comment indicating so);
Like the King’s Hawaiian Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” King’s Hawaiian, leave a comment and let us know); or
Like our Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” us, leave a comment indicating so); or
Follow @CulinaryChron on Twitter (If you already Follow us, leave a comment indicating so).

Due to shipping challenges, this Giveaway is limited to those in the continental United States. Sorry! 🙂

The deadline to enter is Monday, October 8th at 5pm (PST) and the winner will be announced the next day.

Best of luck friends and MAHALOS King’s Hawaiian!!

Pssst! Don’t forget to make this Apple Bread Pudding!

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Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Bourbon Sauce

Ingredients:

Caramel Bourbon Sauce:
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
¼ Cup Water
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes
¼ Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Bourbon
Sea Salt (optional)

Bread Pudding:
2 Large Eggs, beaten
¾ Cup Milk
¾ Cup Heavy Cream
½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3-4 Pinches Nutmeg
2 Pinches Salt
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
6 Cups Kings Hawaiian Sweet Bread, cubed and toasted (Brioche can be substituted)
1 Cup Apples, cubed (I chose a mix of Granny Smith and Fuji)
Additional Unsalted Butter to grease the pan
Fresh Whipped Cream (optional)

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, dissolve the sugar and water over medium-high heat. Once the liquids begin to bubble, swirl the saucepan around and continue cooking until it reaches an amber color. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the cubes of butter one at a time until fully incorporated. Remove from heat and whisk in the heavy cream. (The liquids will bubble up so be careful!) Stir in the Bourbon and a few pinches of sea salt (optional). Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and thoroughly butter the bottom and sides of an 8×8 inch pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the first 8 ingredients of the bread pudding. Add in the cubed bread and apples making sure that they have been coated by the custard mixture. Let set for 5 minutes to allow the bread to absorb some of the custard. Pour the entire contents into the greased pan and spread evenly. Take a few spoonfuls of the Caramel Bourbon Sauce and drizzle on the top. Bake the Bread Pudding in the preheated oven for approximately 35-40 minutes until the custard has set and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to slightly cool before cutting. Serve warm with additional sauce drizzled on top and fresh whipped cream.

Desserts/Pastries

Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

August 24, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles1 Comment

Okay. Allow me to let you in on a little known fact……….

My loved ones have the CUTEST kids. True story.

And they’re not just adorable. These kids are truly so bright, intelligent, and loving. C’mon now!

So when my dear friends J and C were celebrating their daughter Emma’s 1st birthday, I jumped at the chance to show my little Emma how much I love her!

For her Plaza Sésamo themed party, I made these bright sugar cookies with royal icing for one of her party favors.

For the cookie dough, I turned to Martha Stewart’s recipe for the Ideal Sugar Cookies and Annie Eat’s Royal Icing Recipe. Both are easy to follow with nice results and I was quite pleased with how the colors popped. And for those who need a little help with flooding cookies, check out Annie’s tutorial here It’s fantastic with step by step photos.

I hope you had a wonderful birthday Emma! Tia loves you! 🙂

Desserts/Pastries

I love Kitchen Gadgets…and Cherry Clafoutis

August 1, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles3 Comments

I’m not one of those gals who dream about huge walk in closets for my clothes and accessories–though let’s be honest, I also wouldn’t turn it down either.

But no, I dream about a huge kitchen with spacious storage for cooking gear.

That.Would.Be.So.Rad.

But I have to confess….although I do face some serious storage issues, that does not mean I stop collecting cooking gadgets. I just love them!

So when I got my hands on a Cherry Pitter courtesy of OXO, I was STOKED! I couldn’t wait to grab some of the sweet summer black cherries that have been in season and start pittin’!

I decided to make a simple Cherry Clafoutis to showcase the fruit and maximize the wonderful flavor. I’ve been told that traditional Cherry Clafoutis are made with intact cherries to add that “almond-like” flavor. But really…how pleasant is it to spit out pits while enjoying dessert? Meh–not so much!

In hopes of emulating the flavor without the pits, I used almond extract and added some Amaretto liqueur. The end results were quite delicious. Fairly light considering the “custard-like” clafoutis batter and slightly sweet from the cherries.

And with that….. ‘Pits out Homies!

(Sorry, I just couldn’t resist….)

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Cherry Clafoutis
Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used almond extract)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Amaretto liqueur (optional)
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375°. Butter cake pan or ramekins. Arrange cherries in a single layer in pan. Combine milk and cream in a small saucepan; bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Set aside. Combine eggs, flour, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl; whisk to blend. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture; whisk until custard is smooth. Stir in Amaretto. Pour custard evenly over cherries in pan. If necessary, gently shake pan to allow custard to settle. Bake clafouti until custard is set and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes for ramekins and 45-55 minutes for cake pan. Let cool 3 minutes, then run a knife around pan sides to loosen clafouti (if using a cake pan). Dust top with powdered sugar; cut into wedges and serve.

From Bon Appetit

Desserts/Pastries

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas

July 3, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles4 Comments

Don’t you just love delish treats that are quick and easy? And when they can be served at a holiday or themed party, it’s even better!

With Independence Day quickly approaching, I whipped up a few batches of these beloved Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas to cool down the hot summer days with. I went with some festive sprinkles for a patriotic touch but hey–anything goes!

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

ps. I plan on throwing down some baby back ribs that day. What are y’all planning on putting on the grill? 🙂

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Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas
Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 Bananas, cut in half
8 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
1 Teaspoon Vegetable Oil
6 Popsicle Sticks
Toppings (sprinkles, nuts, chopped candies, etc.)

Slide a popsicle stick in each of the banana halves. Place the bananas in the freezer and allow to chill for 2-3 hours. Combine the chocolate with the teaspoon of oil and microwave in 20 second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bananas from the freezer. Dip each of the bananas into the chocolate and gently roll/shake the excess chocolate off. Sprinkle each banana with your choice of topping and rest on a wax paper lined tray. Repeat with the remaining bananas. Once complete, place the tray of bananas in the freezer for approximately one hour until hardened. ENJOY!

Breads · Desserts/Pastries

Nutella Swirled Banana Bread

June 4, 2012June 4, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles5 Comments

I’m Bananas…..

For Nutella.

Shocking— I know.

So why not add Nutella to Banana Bread? Seemed like a Win-Nguyen Situation to me.

And it sure was 🙂

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Nutella Swirled Banana Bread
Makes one 9-inch loaf

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the pan
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons Nutella

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Spoon 1/2 the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread 1/2 the Nutella on top and lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife. Do not over mix. Spoon the rest of the batter on top and repeat with Nutella swirls.

Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (The bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

Slightly adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Desserts/Pastries · Drinks

Show Stoppin’ Jell-O Shooters

May 5, 2012May 12, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles16 Comments

I love the month of May. Not just because it’s my birth month (hint: this gal loves chocolates, camera accessories, and flip flops….) but because it usually is the trigger for a flood of celebrations—birthdays, weddings, anniversaries….parties galore!

And if you’re anything like me, I cannot go to a party without bringing something—a bottle of wine, dessert, flowers, etc. But let me tell you, whenever I show up with these little goodies, they’re an instant HIT!

Just take citrus of your choice and slice it in half. With a sharp pairing knife, run it along the inside of the fruit but do not cut through all the way. Use your fingers to gingerly and slowly pull out all the segments so that all that remains is the rind of citrus. I will warn you that this does take some time. I also find that lemons or oranges are easier to do but limes add such a pretty color pop!

After you’ve cleaned them out, place the citrus “shells” in a baking dish so that they’re snug against each other. Follow the directions to prepare the gelatin of your choice and carefully pour it into the shells. If you’re looking to make your shooters for adults, replace 1/2 of the cold water with chilled vodka and a few tablespoons of cointreau.

Refrigerate the filled citrus shells overnight and then carefully slice into wedges with a sharp knife when you’re ready to serve.

Whether you’re bringing them to an event or serving them at your own party, guests will LOVE them! Fact 🙂

And with that friends, Happy May and have a fantastic weekend!

Desserts/Pastries

Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée for Leonidas.

April 4, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles6 Comments

In a Vietnamese family, the Đích Tôn is a position that holds a great deal of honor and duty. He is the eldest grandson by the eldest son and is responsible to not only carry on the family name but also our traditions and history.

And this past December, my parents’ Đích Tôn made his debut in the world– Leonidas Knox Nguyen.

Of course, Dad was thrilled beyond belief. And how could he not be? Leo is freaking adorable and such an alert little guy. And those cheeks! I could just squeeze and zerbert them all day!

A month after his arrival, my brother and his fam came from NYC for an extended stay so that we could all meet Leo and spend time with his big sis, Luna. While they were here, V and L held a small gathering with the immediate family in Leo’s honor. It gave the fam an opportunity to give our blessings, best wishes and words of us advice to Leo.

Admittedly, there’s a lot resting on the little guy’s shoulder. But at just 3 months, I can tell he will far exceed anything we could possibly hope for.

Oh! And as for the Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée–I whipped up a few batches for Leo’s gathering. Don’t worry Leo, as soon as those teeth come in, Cô Nam will be stuffing you with goodies. xoxo!

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Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée
Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 Large Egg
4 Large Egg Yolks
½ Cup Sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for each serving
3 Cups Heavy Cream
2 Vanilla Bean Pods, split lengthwise with beans scraped out
1 Pint Fresh Berries, washed and dried

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and ½ cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined. Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan with the emptied vanilla bean pods and beans until it’s very hot to the touch but not boiled. Remove the vanilla bean pods and with the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Pour into 6 to 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.

Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.

To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar caramelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens. Serve with fresh berries on top.

Slightly adapted from Ina Garten

Desserts/Pastries

Thin Mint-Chocolate Cupcakes for St. Paddy’s Day!

March 16, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles24 Comments

This is the time of year when I stock up on bottles of Guinness, Baileys and well…..all things Green.

To make dozens and dozens of Guinness and Baileys Cupcakes, of course!

But this year, I wanted to go a different route and since my niece (alright, more like my sister) was selling Girl Scout Cookies, utilizing the beloved Thin Mint® Cookies was a no brainer!

These cuppies were a great alternative to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Rich and moist chocolate cake filled with chunks of Thin Mint® Cookies and topped with a lightly minty buttercream and cookie. DEE-LISH!

But if you aren’t big on Thin Mints® (which may be slightly CRAZY!), try one of these other GREEN LOVING cuppies!

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Buttercream

Fluffy Lime Cupcakes with Lime Whipped Cream

But no matter which sweet treat you choose, have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!!

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Thin Mint-Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 2 Dozen Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1½ Teaspoons Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
1¼ Cups Granulated Sugar
5 Ounces Dark Chocolate, finely chopped
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Strong Brewed Hot Coffee
2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Large Egg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Thin Mint® Cookies (or other chocolate mint cookies), roughly chopped

Buttercream:
4 to 5 Cups Confections Sugar, sifted
2 Cups Unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 to 5 Tablespoons Milk
½ Teaspoon Mint Extract

Garnish:
1 Dozen Thin Mint® Cookies, cut in half
Shamrock Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in muffin pans and put one cookie on the bottom.

Place finely chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour hot coffee over it. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to sit for a few minutes. Remove plastic and stir until smooth. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. In a mixing stand, beat egg for a few minutes until it becomes pale yellow. Beat in oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and slowly add the chocolate. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Fold in chopped Thin Mint® Cookies. Scoop batter into the lined cups–about 3/4 way. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cooling racks.

Prepare the frosting: In a large mixer bowl, whip the butter for several minutes until very light and fluffy. Slowly add about half of the powdered sugar a few spoonfuls at a time until incorporated. Slowly drizzle in the milk and whip until combined. Mix in the mint extract. Add the rest of the powdered sugar until your desired consistency has been achieved.

Fill a pastry bag and pipe frosting on top of cooled cupcakes. Garnish with ½ a cookie and sprinkles.

ENJOY!