Winter Recipes

For my family, holiday time means food, and lots of it. With all that free time over winter break, I like to use some of that time to bake. It really adds to the festive feel, and who doesn’t love food? I sorted through holiday recipes and picked out a few of my favorites, and a few that I’m definitely going to try over break.

Chocolate-Orange Pots de Crème with Candied Orange Peel (courtesy Bon Appetit)
Rich and creamy chocolate with a hint of orange zest…how could anything that decadent not be delicious?

Candied orange peel
1 orange
1 cup sugar, divided
3/4 cup water

Pots de crème
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

For candied orange peel:
Using vegetable peeler, remove orange part of peel from orange in long strips. Cut peel lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide strips. Stir 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Add orange peel; simmer 15 minutes.
Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar in small bowl. Using slotted spoon, remove peel from syrup and transfer to sugar. Toss to coat. Cool, tossing occasionally. Cover bowl and let stand at room temperature overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep covered.)
For pots de crème:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring milk, cream, Grand Marnier, vanilla, and grated orange peel to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Whisk yolks and sugar in medium bowl until pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Strain into 2-cup measuring cup.
Divide mixture between two ounce custard cups. Place cups in small baking dish. Add enough water to baking dish to come halfway up sides of cups. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake until custard is set, about 40 minutes. Remove cups from water in dish. Place in refrigerator uncovered until cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 6 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Top with whipped cream, garnish with candied orange peel, and serve.

Sufganiyot (courtesy Joan Nathan, The Children’s Jewish Holiday Kitchen)

This traditional Jewish recipe has been been modified into a team effort. Make this recipe with younger siblings or other relatives for a holiday bonding experience.

1 scant tablespoon (1 package) dry yeast
4 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup lukewarm milk or warm water*
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter or pareve margarine, softened*
Apricot or strawberry preserves
Sugar
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
*Use butter and milk if serving at a milk meal, and water and pareve margarine for a meat meal

Child: Mix together the yeast, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the milk. Let sit to make sure it bubbles.
Child: Sift the flour and mix it with the remaining sugar, salt, cinnamon, egg yolks, and the yeast mixture.
Adult with Child: Knead the dough until it forms a ball. Add the butter or margarine. Knead some more, until the butter is well absorbed. Cover with a towel and let rise overnight in the refrigerator.
Adult: Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch.
Child: Cut out the dough into 24 rounds with a juice glass, or any object about 2 inches in diameter. Take 1/2 teaspoon of preserves and place in center of 12 rounds. Top with the other 12. Press down at edges, sealing with egg whites. Crimping with the thumb and second finger is best. Let rise for about 30 minutes.
Adult: Heat 2 inches of oil to about 375°. Drop the doughnuts into the hot oil, about 5 at a time. Turn to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Child: Roll the doughnuts in sugar.

Profiteroles (courtesy Thomas Keller, Bouchon)

These traditional Christmas time cream puffs are a real holiday treat. It’s a light and delicate dessert that doesn’t overwhelm if you’ve just had a large meal.

1 cup water
5 1/3 tablespoons (about 3 ounces) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 to 5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups Chocolate Sauce
1 1/2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Line one baking sheet with a Silpat and a second one with parchment paper (or line both sheets with parchment if you don’t have a Silpat). Set up a heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment.
Combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour all at once, and stir rapidly with a stiff heatproof or wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan is clean, with no dough sticking to it. The dough should be glossy and smooth but still damp.
Enough moisture must evaporate from the dough to allow it to absorb more fat when the eggs are added. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the dough from coloring. A thin coating will form on the bottom and sides of the pan. When enough moisture has evaporated, steam will rise from the dough and there will be the nutty aroma of cooked flour.
Immediately transfer the dough to the mixer bowl and mix for a few seconds to release some of the heat from the dough. With the mixer on medium speed, add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next one; scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn off the machine. Lift some of the dough on a rubber spatula, then turn the spatula to let it run off: It should fall off the spatula very slowly; if it doesn’t move at all or is very dry and falls off in one clump, beat in the additional egg.

Place the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 15 disks (this will give you 3 extras for testing) about 1 1/2 inches across and just under 1/2 inch thick on the Silpat-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them, as they will expand when baked. Pipe the remainder on the other sheet. (You will have about 4 dozen in all.) Bake the 15 puffs for the recipe and freeze the ones on the second baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer container and freeze for another time.

Bake the puffs for 10 minutes, turn the sheet around, turn the oven down to 350°F, and bake 15 minutes more. Remove one puff and break it open: It should be hollow inside and not gooey or eggy; if it is still moist, return it to the oven and check in 5 minutes. Cool the puffs completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container until serving time.

To serve:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Warm the chocolate sauce in a double boiler or a microwave. Warm the profiteroles on a baking sheet in the oven.
Split each profiterole in half and arrange 3 on each plate. Place a small scoop of ice cream in the bottom half of each profiterole and top with the lid. Spoon the sauce over.