These days, there’s no shortage of stunt cocktails out there—drinks made with zany, unusual ingredients: Sweet peas! Bacon! Hen-of-the-woods mushroom garnish! Cotton candy! Rose foam! These exhibitionist drinks invariably scream, “Look at me!”

And, yes, while I’m often the first one at the bar to order a stunt cocktail, it’s not what I want to serve at a dinner party. For that, I want something elegant, understated, and most importantly, something that complements food. But not a complete introverted wallflower of a drink, either—I want something delicious and balanced, a drink that can hold its own.

Enter the Sparkling Ginger Daisy cocktail. This drink, with a hint of warm ginger and sprightly champagne, is what I want my guests sipping while the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade is on, and the turkey is still roasting. And as everyone’s sampling my signature cornbread stuffing laced with rosemary, as well as my sweet potato casserole sprinkled with ginger and cinnamon, they’ll be washing it all down with these daisies.

The drink starts with equal parts crisp gin and zingy Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur. (I love this stuff. If you buy one new bottle of booze this holiday season, I say this is the one.) Add to this a splash of tart lemon juice for balance and grenadine for rosy, festive color, and top with the lightness of bubbles. Together, these flavors meld together into a sippable sparkler that becomes an easy guest at the dinner table.

It doesn’t scream, it doesn’t whisper. It’s a perfect conversationalist.

Sparkling Ginger Daisy
by Kara Newman
from Spice & Ice
(Chronicle Books, 2009)
Makes 1 cocktail

A daisy is a classic juice-based cocktail sweetened with grenadine or a red liqueur, and often topped with sparkling wine. Here, the bright spice of ginger plays against a backdrop of bubbles for a festive holiday sparkler. And if you feel like gilding the lily, try one or both of the optional special touches below.

convert Ingredients
1 ounce Plymouth gin
1 ounce Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grenadine
Brut champagne

Method
1. Combine the gin, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and grenadine in an ice-filled mixing glass.

2. Stir until well chilled, and strain into a champagne flute.

3. Top with champagne.

Optional touches:
1. Rim the flute with sparkling sugar before pouring in the drink.

2. Garnish with a cherry at the bottom of the flute.

Recipe © 2009 Kara Newman. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

by Rose Levy Beranbaum
from Rose’s Heavenly Cakes
(John Wiley & Sons, 2009)
Serves 12

Jenn Giblin, pastry chef of Blue Smoke, came up with this stellar version of sticky toffee pudding. She uses stout beer, giving it the most compelling flavor of any I have tasted. The cake, which in England is referred to as a pudding, dissolves in your mouth. The toffee sauce is the ideal accompaniment; it absorbs deliciously about an eighth inch into the top of the cake.

An additional and unusual accompaniment, from pastry chef Letty Flatt, is vanilla ice cream flavored with root beer extract.

convert Ingredients
For the batter
1 cup stout beer, preferable Guinness extra stout
1 teaspoon baking soda
About 6 large dates, pitted
6 tablespoons unsalted butter [65F° to 75°F (19C° to 23°C)]
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (sifted into the cup and leveled off) bleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

For the butterscotch toffee sauce
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, preferable Muscovado
1 vanilla bean
16 tablespoons unsalted butter [65F° to 75°F (19C° to 23°C)]
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the pecan and crème fraîche topping
1 1/4 cups pecan halves
3/4 cup crème fraîche, lightly whipped

Method
1. Prepare one 9 by 13-inch baking pan, bottom coated with solid shortening, lined with parchment (no need to coat the parchment or sides). Have ready a baking sheet, lined with plastic wrap and coated with nonstick cooking spray plus a baking sheet or cutting board.

2. Set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) for at least 20 minutes. [If using a Pyrex or dark pan, bake at 300°F (150°C)].

Prepare the dates
1. In a small saucepan, bring the beer to the boiling point. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda. It will fizz up a lot. Pour the beer mixture over the pitted dates. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Remove the dates to a food processor and add a little of the beer mixture. Process until a paste is formed. Gradually add the rest of the liquid through the feed tube. The mixture will be very smooth, dark, and glossy. Scrape it into a bowl and keep it covered until ready to use.

Make the batter and bake the cake
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the eggs in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. (The mixture may appear curdled, but after adding the flour, it will be smooth.)

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the batter and mix on low speed for 10 to 15 seconds just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add half the date mixture and mix just until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture, then the remaining date mixture, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until the batter is uniform in color and no streaks remain.

3. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly with an offset spatula. The pan will be about one-third full.

4. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the pan halfway, and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until a wire cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the center and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center.

5. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pan and the cake, pressing firmly against the pan, and invert the cake onto the prepared baking sheet. Reinvert it onto the second sheet or cutting board. Serve at once or reheat for 5 minutes in a 350°F (175ºC) oven. The cake will be about 1 1/4 inches at the sides and 1 1/2 inches in the center.

Make the butterscotch toffee sauce
1. While the cake is baking, make the toffee sauce. In a small saucepan, place the brown sugar. With a small sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise in half. Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the sugar. Rub the seeds in with your fingers. Remove and reserve the pod. With a silicone spatula, stir in the butter.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, lemon juice, salt, and the reserved vanilla pod. The mixture will be slightly grainy but will become totally smooth on standing. Reheat, if necessary, and remove the vanilla pod before serving.

Make the pecan topping
1. Spread the pecans evenly on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for about 7 minutes to enhance their flavor. Stir once or twice to ensure even toasting and avoid overbrowning. Cool completely. Break or chop them coarsely and set aside.

Complete the sticky toffee pudding pudding
1. Cut the sticky toffee pudding into thirds the long way and fourths the short way. Set each portion on a serving plate. Pour 3 tablespoons of the toffee sauce on top of each serving, allowing it to cascade over the sides and pool onto the plate. Sprinkle the lightly toasted pecan pieces over billowy dollops of crème fraîche.

Variation:  individual sticky toffee puddings
Bake as individual puddings in small ramekins or brioche molds filled about half full. (Using 3/4-cup ramekins will yield 12 puddings; the standard 1/2-cup brioche mold will yield 18 puddings.)

Notes: If measuring rather than weighing, pour the beer carefully against the side of the measuring cup to prevent foaming. If there is some foam, allow it to settle so you can get an accurate measure.

If you desire more texture, reserve two of the dates and pulse them in, after you have processed the date mixture, until only small pieces remain.

Recipe © 2009 Cordon Rose, LLC. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

by Rose Levy Beranbaum
from Rose’s Heavenly Cakes
(John Wiley & Sons, 2009)
Serves 10 to 12

I am forever grateful that the editors of Fine Cooking magazine encouraged me to create this glorious pumpkin cheesecake. I had feared that the spices usually associated with pumpkin-flavored desserts would fight with the cream cheese, but then I discovered that using turbinado sugar, with its mild overtones of molasses, and leaving out the spices made it possible to enjoy the true pumpkin flavor. Pecans are a time-honored complement to pumpkin, especially this cheesecake, and the addition of a caramel topping ties all the flavors together so perfectly that this has become one of my very favorite cheesecakes.

Plan Ahead: Make at least 1 day ahead.

convert Ingredients
For the gingersnap crust
1/2 pecan halves
1 cup gingersnap crumbs, lightly packed, preferable Swedish brand, processed to medium crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
2 pinches salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the pure pumpkin filling
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin, preferably Libby’s
1 cup turbinado sugar
2 cups heavy cream, cold
1 pound cream cheese [65°F to 70°F (19°C to 21°C)]
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

For the caramel piping glaze
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream, heated
1 tablespoon unsalted butter [65°F to 75°F (19°C to 23°C)]
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method
1. Prepare one 9-by-2 1/2- to 3-inch springform pan by coating with nonstick cooking spray. Set this pan in a slightly larger silicone pan or wrapped with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent seepage. Have ready one 12-by-2-inch round cake pan or roasting pan to serve as a water bath.

2. Set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) for at least 20 minutes.

3. Spread the pecans evenly on a baking sheet and bake for about 7 minutes to enhance their flavor. Stir once or twice to ensure even toasting and avoid overbrowning.

Make the gingersnap crust
1. Place the gingersnap crumbs in a food processor. Add the pecans, sugar, and salt and process until fine crumbs, about 20 seconds. Add the melted butter and pulse 10 times just until incorporated.

2. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, begin by pressing the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and partway up the sides. To keep the crumbs from sticking to your fingers, it helps to place a piece of plastic wrap over the crumbs and to press them through the wrap. With a 6-inch round cake pan or a flat-bottomed straight-sided measuring cup, smooth the crumbs over the bottom and at least 1 1/2 inches up the sides. Be sure to press the bottom thoroughly so that the crumbs are evenly distributed.

Make the pumpkin filling
1. In a small heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin and sugar over medium heat and bring the mixture to a sputtering simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick and shiny.

2. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the mixture into a large food processor and process for 1 minute with the feed tube open. With the motor of the food processor running, add the cold cream. Add the cream cheese in several pieces and process for 30 seconds, or until smoothly incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl two or three times. Add the eggs and yolks and process for about 5 seconds, or just until incorporated.

3. Using the silicone spatula, scrape the filling into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly with a small offset spatula. Set the pan in the larger pan and surround it with 1 inch of very hot water.

4. Bake the pumpkin cheesecake for 45 minutes, turning the pan halfway around in the oven after the first 25 minutes. Turn off the oven without opening the door and let the cake cool for 1 hour.

5. Remove the pan to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover the cheesecake with a large bowl or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. To unmold, use a small propane torch to heat the outside of the pan or wipe the sides of the pan with a dish towel run under hot water and wrung out.

Make the caramel piping glaze
1. Have ready a 1-cup heatproof glass measure coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water until all the sugar is moistened. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is bubbling. Stop stirring completely and allow the mixture to boil undisturbed until the mixture turns a deep amber [360°F (180°C) or a few degrees lower because its temperature will continue to rise]. Remove it from the heat and as soon as it reaches temperature, slowly and carefully pour the hot cream into the caramel. It will bubble up furiously. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mixture gently, scraping the thicker part that settles on the bottom.

3. Return the pan to very low heat, continuing to stir gently for 1 minute, until the mixture is uniform in color and the caramel is fully dissolved. Remove it from the heat and gently stir in the butter until incorporated. The mixture will be a little streaky but becomes uniform in color once cooled and stirred.

4. Pour the caramel into the prepared glass measure and allow it to cool for 3 minutes. Gently stir in the vanilla and allow the caramel to cool until no longer warm to the touch, stirring gently three or four times.

Note: The glaze keeps covered for up to 3 days at room temperature and for at least 3 months refrigerated. To reheat: If the caramel is in a heatproof glass container at room temperature, microwave it on high for 1 minute, stirring twice. Alternatively, place the container in a pan of simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally, until warm, about 7 minutes.

Apply the glaze
1. For a decorative lacing effect, you can pour the caramel glaze over the pumpkin cheesecake from the glass measure, but for the greatest precision, use a pastry bag fitted with a small decorating tip, or a resealable plastic bag with a very small semicircle cut from one corner.

Highlights for success
After the caramel is prepared, do not stir it too much, because this may eventually cause crystallization. However, corn syrup will help to prevent the caramel from crystallizing when stirred. It also lowers the caramelization temperature. I adore the flavor of caramel, so I like to have as much depth of flavor as possible without any burned flavor. I like to bring this caramel up to 360°F (180°C) for maximum flavor. Also, the darker you make the caramel, the less sweet it will seem, but you risk burning it if you don’t have an absolutely accurate thermometer. A viable alternative is to use a light-colored or transparent silicone spatula so that you can see the color of the caramel as it darkens. It’s best to have the cream hot and the butter at room temperature to avoid splattering when they are added to the hot caramel. Cold cream, however, speeds the cooling and is practical if you are pressured for time, but it must be added very slowly.

Recipe © 2009 Cordon Rose, LLC. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

by Kara Newman
from Spice & Ice
(Chronicle Books, 2009)
Makes 1 cocktail

Rich with the flavors of orange and vanilla and the caramelized goodness of bourbon, this fall spice cordial sits more on the spiced than spicy side of the spectrum. This sweet cordial pairs well with autumn pies and other desserts or makes a great sipper to enjoy fireside.

convert Ingredients
For the chipotle-orange syrup
2 cups water
1 chipotle pepper
2 strips dried orange peel, or fresh peel, if dried peel is not available
3/4 cup sugar

For the cordial
1 ounce bourbon
3/4 ounce chipotle-orange syrup
1 ounce vanilla vodka or Navan vanilla cognac
2 dashes Regan’s orange bitters
Orange peel, for garnish

Method
Make the chipotle-orange syrup
1. Bring the water to boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and add the chipotle pepper and orange peel. Cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Strain with a fine-mesh sieve and add the sugar.

3. Return to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool.

4. Pour the syrup into a container and keep in the refrigerator.

Make the cordial
1. Mix together all the ingredients except for the orange peel. Shake together with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with the orange peel.

Recipe © 2009 Kara Kewman. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

by Diane Morgan
from The New Thanksgiving Table
(Chronicle Books, 2009)
Serves 8 to 10

Brussels sprouts are one of the most maligned winter vegetables, probably because they are often cooked so poorly. They are usually served whole, overcooked, and underflavored—but this need not be the case. Simply trimming and halving the Brussels sprouts, or better yet shredding them, brings out the flavor inside these tightly, delicately layered orbs. Diced smoked ham and toasted pecans add flavor and crunch to the sprouts.

convert Ingredients
2 pounds Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
One 1/8-inch-thick slice smoked ham, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
Pinch of sugar
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans

Method
1. Trim the stem end of the Brussels sprouts and remove any yellow or spotted outer leaves. Cut the Brussels sprouts into very thin slices about 1/16 inch thick, and use your fingertips to separate the slices into shreds. Alternatively, shred the Brussels sprouts using a food processor with the coarse shredding disk attached. Place in a bowl and set aside until ready to sauté.

2. In a 14-inch sauté pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until soft but not browned. Add the Brussels sprouts and sauté for about 3 minutes until bright green and barely crisp-tender.

3. Raise the heat to high and add the ham and stock. Stir to blend, cover the pan, and steam for about 2 minutes longer until the Brussels sprouts are crisp-tender. Season with a little sugar, salt, and pepper. Transfer the Brussels sprouts to a warmed serving bowl and top with the toasted pecans. Serve immediately.

Do Ahead: This Brussels sprouts sauté is best when made right before serving. However, the ingredients can be prepared and chopped up to 8 hours in advance. Cover the prepared Brussels sprouts, garlic, and pecans and set aside at room temperature. Chop the ham and place it in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Recipe © 2008 Diane Morgan. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.