CHRISTMAS CASSATA

Cassata is Sicily’s gift to the world of fabulous desserts. It is an especially festive cake to serve at Christmas. I’ve taken the liberty of amending Sicily’s traditional confection because candied fruit is not high on my list of favorite things. In this recipe, I’ve substituted chocolate and raspberry jam laced with a liqueur for the banished fruit.

If you’ve run out of time, a store-bought pound cake can substitute for a homemade version. Assemble the cake at least a day ahead, cover and refrigerate.

Before serving, ice the entire cake with the chocolate frosting. Then fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, to create a baroque effect by piping swirls of chocolate icing over the top and sides.

Garnish with almonds if desired.

1 9x5-inch pound cake
2 c. good quality ricotta
4 1-oz. squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped in very small bits
1 oz. Grand Marnier
1 ½ c. raspberry jam

Beat the ricotta until smooth. Chop the chocolate into fine bits. In a bowl, mix the chocolate bits with the Grand Marnier and the jam. Using a serrated knife, cut off the ends of the pound cake and the top part if it is rounded. Cut the cake horizontally into 1/2-inch thick slices. Put one layer on a cake plate and spread with a portion of the ricotta and the chocolate-liqueur mixture. Repeat using all the layers of the cake, all of the cheese, and all the raspberry mixture, ending with a top layer of plain cake. Press the filled cake gently. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 24 hours.

Chocolate Frosting:

8-oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup strongly brewed coffee
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter

Melt the chocolate with the coffee in a small saucepan over low heat.

Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the chilled butter a tablespoon at a time. Chill until it will spread easily.

Frost the cassata. Pipe swirls of frosting using a pastry bag and a large star-tip.

Garnish with almonds if desired.

Crabmeat Mousse

1 packet unflavored gelatin

¼ c. cold water

2 c. (16 oz.) Kraft Miracle Whip

2 c. crabmeat, canned or fresh, not frozen. Remove any cartilage or tendons.

2 hard cooked eggs, chopped into small pieces

½ c. green pimento olives, chopped. Reserve 1 olive for decoration

2 tsp. capers, chopped if large

4 scallions, bulbs only, minced

Curly parsley to decorate the mold

Sliced almonds

Pimentos

Dissolve 1 packet gelatin in ¼ cup cold water in a Pyrex measuring cup.

Set the cup in a small saucepan of water and warm over moderate heat until the gelatin dissolves.

Put the Miracle Whip, gelatin, crabmeat, eggs, olives, scallions and capers in a bowl and stir to incorporate the ingredients.

Lightly oil a 5 cup fish mold with vegetable oil and transfer the mixture to the mold.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.

To unmold and decorate:

Add about an inch of hot water to a large pan or sink.

Set the mold in the water for about a minute. Be careful not to get any water on the filling. Invert the mold on to the serving platter. You may have to use a finger under an edge to release it.

Cut the reserved olive in half for the eyes.

Cut a sliver of pimento to create a smiley mouth or a round one.

Some curly parsley for the eyebrows.

Slivers of pimento vertically on the tail with frills of parsley separating the body from the tail.

Cover the whole body with sliced almonds, overlapped in neat rows.

Serve with toast points or crackers.

The crabmeat mousse will work well with any decorative mold, minus however, the frivolous fun of creating a whimsical fish.

Blueberry Crumble

Jacques Pepin's Blueberry Crumble Serves 4

Sweet Simplicity, Jacques Pepin's Fruit Desserts

2 c. blueberries, about 10 oz.
1/4 c. apricot preserves
2 Tbsp. orange juice
3 oz. pound cake, sponge cake or cookies, crumbled
1 c. yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix the blueberries, preserves, and orange juice together in a bowl. Transfer the mixture to a
3 -cup gratin dish.
4. Crumble the cake or cookies on top, covering the blueberries entirely, and bake for 30 minutes.
4. Serve the crumble lukewarm, topped with 2 generous tablespoons of yogurt or whipped cream.

Chewy Cranberry-Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: forty-six 3-inch cookies

Adapted from a recipe in Fine Cooking 2002

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
8 oz. unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 c. dried cranberries
1 c. chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir in the oats.
1. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then scrape down the sides of the bowl; add the honey and vanilla and beat until blended.

3. Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating until well combined. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts.

4. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls about 2-inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake until the centers are soft but no longer look wet, 9-11 minutes, rotating the sheets for even browning. Repeat with the remaining dough.

5. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Labels: Cookies

My Mother’s Pesto Sauce, Amended

Serves 4-6

Wine Suggestion: Chardonnay

1 lb. linguine
2 c. fresh basil leaves, moderately packed
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed with the blade of a heavy knife
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. softened, unsalted butter
3 oz. cream cheese
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Put the basil, oil, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender. Mix at high speed until evenly blended.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and using a fork, beat in the butter, cream cheese and Parmesan cheese.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt. Blend in 3 tablespoons of the hot water from the pasta pot to lighten the pesto sauce. Cook the linguine in ample amounts of salted water to al dente.
4. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the pesto sauce.
5. Serve in individual bowls and pass the Parmigiano.

Biscuit Tortoni

Serves 6

Lazzaroni di Saronno cookies are imported from Italy. They come individually packed in various tissue colors in an attractive red tin. The cookies have a long shelf life.

1 c. crushed Amaretti cookies
¼ c. sugar
pinch salt
¾ c. whole milk
8 oz. heavy cream
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. almond extract

1. Using a rolling pin, pulverize the Amaretti cookies on a piece of wax paper. Reserve ¼ cup.
2. Transfer ¾ cup cookie crumbs to a medium bowl.
3. Stir in the sugar and salt.
4. Stir in the milk.
5. Allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes.
6. Whip the cream and add the extracts.
7. Carefully fold the flavored cream into the cookie crumb mixture.
8. Spoon into ramekins or soufflé dishes.
9. Sprinkle the tops with the reserved crumbs.
10. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and freeze until firm.
11. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving