Red Wine Caramel Apples

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This just might be heaven.  This recipe popped up on my Yahoo.com home page, and this might be the perfect adult Halloween treat.  I would definitely be in an apple bobbing contest for these- so fun.

Red Wine Caramel Apples

Ingredients:
8 small McIntosh apples, stemmed, washed well, and dried
1 1/2 cups red wine
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Equipment: 8 wooden ice-pop sticks; a candy thermometer

Directions:

Insert a wooden stick halfway into each apple at stem end. Line a tray with wax paper and lightly grease paper. Boil wine in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 2 1/2-to 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until dark amber. Add reduced wine (mixture will bubble up and steam) and swirl pan. Add cream and simmer, stirring, until incorporated, then continue to simmer until thermometer registers 238°F. Remove from heat and cool to 200°F. Holding apples by the sticks, dip them in caramel and swirl to coat, letting excess drip off, then hold apples up (stick end down) for about 15 seconds to allow more caramel to set on apples. Put caramel apples, stick side up, on greased wax paper and let stand until caramel firms up, about 30 minutes.

Cook It Raw!

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cook it rawThis past Saturday, I got to go to an amazing event called Cook It Raw.  Here is the description from the website. “Cook It Raw BBQ Perspectives will feature more than 40 local and internationally acclaimed chefs preparing their interpretation of Lowcountry BBQ. This event will be a celebration of all things BBQ with a focus on the regional ingredients native to Charleston, rice, fish, game meats, as well as the bounty of the local harvest. Our chefs will place a focus on healthy and whole foods with a focus on vegetables and grains.”  It was held out at Bowen’s Island, which is a very special place on the way to Folly Beach.  The whole thing could not have been better planned, and the day could not have been more beautiful.  Tables upon tables of oysters, different types of fish, and BBQ of every kind, from goat to tongue to pig’s head, and on and on.  Even with over 500 people at the event, there were no long lines at the tables, and it all ran flawlessly.  Everything was served and cooked in beautiful Le Creuset Flame cookware, and there were several wineries and breweries on site offering delicious beverages.  And the chefs, ohhh the chefs- they ranged from Sean Brock and Mike Lata out of Charleston to Albert Adria from Barcelona and April Bloomfield from NYC to pit master Rodney Scott from Hemingway, SC.  Chefs from Sidney, London, Mexico City, California, and Canada were all on site to provide the most exquisite food.  My favorites, shockingly, were the goat (it was phenomenal) and the pork taco, followed closely by Rodney’s full pig BBQ, which is what the picture is of.  What a special day!

Weekend Sticky Buns

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Even though it was a short week, I am so glad it is Friday.  We don’t have much planned for this weekend other than some school projects due next week and of course Walker’s football game bright and early on Saturday morning.  I was trying to think what would be a good breakfast for him before his game (I must brag a little as his team is undefeated and has only been scored on once- they are pretty amazing), and I found this recipe for sticky buns.  Yum- I haven’t had a sticky bun in a long time.  My mother used to make them for us on Christmas morning, but I think these are just the ticket for a great start to a Saturday.

Sticky Buns

Ingredients:

3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) quick-rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
FILLING:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
TOPPING:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup molasses

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Pecan Shortbread with Chocolate Drizzle

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We just spent a wonderful long weekend up in Western North Carolina with friends, and the leaves could not have been better.  We sat by the fire, we hiked, and we ate a ton.  I hated for it to end. Here is a picture from on of our hikes from the top of Hawksbill.  The weekend definitely got me in the mood for fall recipes, and while searching for some today, I came across this tasty number on www.delish.com for pecan shortbread with chocolate drizzle.  What a great combo- I can’t wait to try it.

Pecan Shortbread with Chocolate Drizzle

Ingredients:

3/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup(s) pecan flour , or 1/2 cup whole pecans, finely ground
1/4 cup(s) sugar
1/8 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
Large pinch of salt
1 stick(s) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
1 large egg yolk
8 pecan halves
2 ounce(s) bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a large rimmed baking sheet. In a medium bowl, stir the all-purpose and pecan flours with the sugar, cinnamon and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal. Add the egg yolk and blend it in with a fork. Lightly knead the shortbread dough until it is smooth.
Transfer the shortbread dough to the prepared baking sheet and flatten it into a 6-inch round. Refrigerate the dough until it is well chilled, about 20 minutes.
Using the blunt side of a knife, score the dough into 8 wedges. Lightly press a pecan into the wide end of each wedge. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the shortbread is browned around the edge. While the shortbread is still warm, cut it into wedges with a serrated knife. Let the shortbread cool to room temperature, then drizzle with the chocolate and serve.

 

Callie’s Biscuits and Southern Traditions

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I am so, so, so excited for Callie’s Biscuits and Southern Traditions cookbook to come out on October 15th.  Callie’s is a staple at parties in Charleston, from her amazing biscuits to the delicious pimento cheese- everything she makes is fantastic, and I am thrilled that she is putting out a cookbook!  I am also thrilled that there is a Biscuits and Bourbon after party at Billy Reid, which is just super fun.  Make sure to pre-order yours today!

Mississippi Mud Pie

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Walker spent four days out at Camp St. Christopher on Seabrook Island with his grade- 75 10 year olds.  I don’t think you could have paid me to be a chaperone for that field trip.  They had a ball playing in the mud pit and learning more about the lowcountry natural life.  They had to keep a journal and when they got back, they had to right a paragraph on all of the senses- what they heard, saw, tasted, smelled, felt.  I think if Walker could have written about the Mississippi Mud Pie they had for dessert one night for all of the senses he would have- instead he just used it for taste.  Here is my favorite Mississippi Mud Pie recipe- enjoy!

Mississippi Mud Pie

(from www.foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients
For the crust: 9 chocolate graham crackers (1 sleeve)
1/3 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling: 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs

For the topping:
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
Chocolate sauce, for drizzling (optional)

Directions:

Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pulse the graham crackers and pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and process until moistened. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the chocolate crumb mixture for topping, then press the rest into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until set, about 10 minutes; transfer to a rack and let cool.Meanwhile, make the filling: Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring. Remove from the heat, then stir in the flour and salt until smooth. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup, coffee liqueur and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring until smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake until set and cracked on top (like a brownie), about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool slightly, about 2 hours (the pie should still be slightly warm).

Make the whipped cream: Beat the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla with a mixer until soft peaks form. Top the pie with the whipped cream, pecans and reserved chocolate crumb mixture. Drizzle with chocolate sauce.