Holiday parties have come along way since the invention of Pinterest and Instagram. No longer can you just slap on Mariah Carey and put a bunch of boxed cookies out. There's far too much pressure for that! Lucky for you, we have ex-Sassafraz pastry chef and PC Cooking School instructor, Chef Lindsey Greflund to walk us through her top six recipes for holiday entertaining.
From doughnuts to banoffee cake, it's all here and they were baked to order and tested by the chef herself just for Foodism, so you know they are good. Erm, can we please have your job Lindsey?!
Frozen Doughnuts
Ingredients
750g All-purpose flour
2g Salt
75g Icing sugar
20g Instant active yeast
200g Homo milk
150g Unsalted butter (softened)
1 pint Ice cream
200g Whipping cream
Oil for frying
Method
Combine all dry ingredients into an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium to low speed – add milk and eggs. Add butter and continue to mix dough until smooth and elastic. TIP: Dough is ready when the texture resembles skin to touch.
Roll out dough to half-inch thickness and cut into desired shapes. Place shapes on parchment lined paper and allow to rise. NOTE: This can take up to 30 minutes. Once the doughnuts have doubled in size – they are ready to fry. Heat oil to 300°F. Fry each doughnut 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Place doughnuts on cool rack and set aside. Once cool, cut each doughnut in half and set aside.
In a bowl add the whipped cream and fold in the softened ice cream. Working quickly fill each doughnut with as much ice cream as it can hold. Place the top of the doughnut on the ice cream and return to freezer.Once the doughnuts are hard start decorating with your choice of chocolate sauce, sprinkles or powdered sugar. Store in freezer before serving.
Red Wine Poached Pear & Goat Cheese Tart
Ingredients
150g Apple juice
150g Red wine (your choice)
100g sugar
4-5 Bartlett pears
200g Goat cheese
1 package all butter puff pastry (store bought, unless you're feeling super adventurous)
1 egg
Method
Combine the red wine, apple juice and sugar in a pot and bring to a slow simmer.
Peel and core the pears. TIP: Make sure to remove a large core area of the pear to allow for the goat cheese. Cut each pear in half and rest core side up in the red wine liquid. Cook the pears on low heat for 30 minutes. Test pears with a fork – they should be soft but still able to hold their shape. Allow pears to cool – set aside.
Once pears are cool, dry each one off individually and fill the core space with goat cheese. Place each pear on a piece of unfolded puff pastry dough, core side up. Cut around each pear, allowing half a centimetre around each.
Crack egg into a bowl and stir. Brush each pear pastry in the egg wash. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
TIP: Tarts can be covered and stored overnight in refrigeration. Warm before serving.
Banoffee Pavlova
Ingredients
4 Large eggs
3 Ripe bananas
175g Sugar
10g Lemon juice
10g Cornstarch
250g Whipping cream
75g Icing sugar
1 Vanilla bean
1 can Dulce de Leche
Method
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and trace the shape of your serving dish on the paper. Turn the sheet over so the markings are on the other side.
Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk and turn on to medium until frothy. Slowly add the sugar to prevent clumping. Mix until soft. Add the lemon juice and cornstarch one at a time – mix for 5-7 minutes. Spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper and spread evenly on the traced paper allowing 1 inch distance from the border.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake for 1 hour and allow to cool.
For serving, add whip cream with vanilla and icing sugar to cover. Add sliced bananas and drizzle with Dulce de Leche. Serve immediately.
Pate a Choux
Ingredients
250g water
110g Unsalted butter
135g All purpose flour
Pinch of salt
4 Large eggs
Whipped Cream or Chocolate Mousse
Method
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl sift the salt and flour together.
Place the water and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the flour and salt mixture and stir until blended. Cook mixture for one to two minutes or until mixture pulls away from the sides and leaves a thick film on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Once cool, add all 4 eggs but one at a time and blend each one in before adding the next. Pipe your desired shapes onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue to baked till golden brown (30 minutes exactly).
Let the choux cool before you fill the éclairs with your choice of whipped cream or chocolate mouse.
Fried Apple Cinnamon & Caramelized Pineapple Rings
Ingredients
4-5 Apples, sliced and peeled
1 Pineapple, sliced and peeled
135g All purpose flour
2g Baking soda
20g Sugar
1 Egg
250g Buttermilk
150g Sugar
15g Cinnamon
1 can Dulce de Leche
Oil for frying
Method
Preheat frying oil to 350°F
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together. Add buttermilk and egg. Dry each apple and pineapple ring with paper towel.
Dip each into the dry batter and drop into the frying oil. Fry each ring for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Coat apple and pineapple rings in cinnamon sugar blend. Serve immediately with Dulce de Leche drizzled on top or on the side for dipping.
Deconstructed Cherry Pie
Ingredients
1 Package frozen cherries
1 Package all butter puff pastry
150g Sugar
1 Vanilla bean cut in half
50g Cornstarch
50g Water
1 Egg
Sugar for dusting
Method
Place frozen fruit, sugar and vanilla bean in a saucepan and place on medium to low heat. Stir occasionally until fruit releases juices. Blend in cornstarch and water into the beery mixture. Allow to thicken.
For pastry, roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. Transfer pastry onto parchment lined baking sheet and brush each with egg wash and heavy dust sugar.
Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool.
To assemble, stack pastry and filling on plates alternating between berries and pastry. Pair with your favourite ice cream or whipped cream.
