Bon Appetit Desserts (108 page)

Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk egg yolks and remaining ½ cup sugar in medium bowl to blend; gradually whisk in hot milk. Return mixture to same saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 6 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat and add gelatin mixture. Stir until gelatin dissolves.

Stir custard into cranberry mixture. Chill until cool but not set, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat cream in another large bowl until peaks form. Fold cream into cranberry mixture in 2 additions. Set cranberry custard aside at room temperature while preparing lemon custard.

LEMON-GINGER CUSTARD
: Place 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over and let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes. Stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Using electric mixer, beat cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Using same beaters, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in another large bowl until smooth. Mix in lemon peel and minced ginger. Stir ⅓ of cream cheese mixture into gelatin mixture. Return gelatin mixture to bowl with cream cheese mixture and beat to combine. Immediately fold in whipped cream in 2 additions.

Spoon ¼ cup cranberry custard into each of eight 10- to 12-ounce glasses. Top cranberry custard in each wineglass with ¼ cup lemon custard, then ¼ cup cranberry custard. Spoon remaining lemon custard into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe large rosette of lemon custard atop each. Garnish each parfait with 1 crystallized ginger slice and 1 cranberry. Refrigerate parfaits until set, about 4 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Tuaca Zabaglione with Sautéed Vanilla Pears

Zabaglione (or in French
, sabayon),
the airiest of all custards, is made by beating egg yolks, wine, and sugar in a bowl over simmering water. Here, that mixture is enhanced with some whipped cream, becoming a sophisticated sauce. And instead of wine, the liquor is Tuaca—a sweet citrus- and vanilla-flavored Italian liqueur. If you can’t find it, Grand Marnier or any other orange liqueur would make a fine substitute.
6 servings

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

2¼ pounds firm but ripe pears (about 6 small), peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch cubes

¼ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup Pinot Grigio or other dry white wine

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

8 large egg yolks

½ cup sugar

6 tablespoons Tuaca liqueur

2 tablespoons plus 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Powdered sugar

PEARS
: Melt butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add pears; sauté 1 minute. Add both sugars and wine and toss until sugar dissolves. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Cook until pears are tender and juices in skillet form thick syrup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool. Discard vanilla bean.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

ZABAGLIONE
: Whisk egg yolks, sugar, Tuaca, and 2 tablespoons cream in large metal bowl to blend well. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. Using electric mixer, beat yolk mixture constantly until zabaglione thickens and thermometer inserted into center registers 140°F for 3 minutes, about 7 minutes total. Place metal bowl in larger bowl of ice and water. Whisk occasionally until zabaglione is cool, about 3 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup cream and cinnamon in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cool zabaglione in 3 additions. Chill until cold.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Divide pears among 6 dessert glasses. Spoon zabaglione over pears. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Tiramisù Eggnog Trifle

Brandy, rum, and nutmeg give classic tiramisù an eggnog twist; presenting it in a glass trifle dish makes it a showoff holiday dessert. As with all trifles, it’s best to make this a day ahead to allow all the flavors to mingle.
16 to 18 servings

1⅓ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1¼ cups water, divided

¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon dark rum

4 tablespoons brandy, divided

12 large egg yolks

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese

2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

7 tablespoons Kahlúa or other coffee liqueur

2 6.15-ounce boxes or four 3.5-ounce boxes crisp ladyfingers (about 60 cookies)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, finely ground in processor, divided

Chocolate Leaves (see recipe)

Whisk 1⅓ cups sugar, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup rum, 3 tablespoons brandy, egg yolks, and nutmeg in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and candy thermometer inserted into mixture registers 140°F for 3 minutes, about 5 minutes total. Remove bowl from over water. Whisk mascarpone, 1 container at a time, into warm custard until blended.

Using electric mixer, beat cream, vanilla, remaining 1 tablespoon brandy, and remaining 1 teaspoon rum in another large bowl until cream holds peaks. Fold in mascarpone mixture.

Bring remaining 1 cup water to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and espresso powder; stir to dissolve. Mix in Kahlúa. Submerge 1 cookie in espresso mixture, turning to coat twice; shake excess liquid back into saucepan. Place dipped cookie, sugared side facing out, around bottom side of 14-cup trifle dish, pressing against side of dish (cookie may break). Repeat with enough cookies to go around bottom sides of dish once. Dip more cookies and arrange over bottom of dish to cover.

Spoon 2 cups mascarpone mixture over cookies; spread to cover. Sprinkle ¼ cup ground chocolate over, making chocolate visible at sides of dish. Repeat with more cookies dipped into espresso mixture, mascarpone mixture, and ground chocolate in 2 more layers each. Cover with 1 more layer of dipped cookies and enough mascarpone mixture to reach top of trifle dish. Sprinkle remaining ground chocolate over, covering completely. Cover and chill overnight.

Gently press stem ends of largest Chocolate Leaves around edge of trifle. Fill center with smaller leaves.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 8 hours ahead. Chill.

Chocolate Leaves

Gold-dusted chocolate leaves add a magnificent look to the trifle, as well as to a host of other holiday desserts. Use them to dress up glazed brownies, cakes, or chocolate mousse. You’ll find the edible gold dust at cake and candy supply stores, online at amazon.com or pastrychef.com, or from Jane’s Cakes & Chocolates at 818-957-2511.
Makes about 40

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

40 assorted sizes of camellia leaves or lemon leaves, wiped clean Gold dust (optional)

Line large baking sheet with foil. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth and instant-read thermometer inserted into chocolate registers 115°F. Brush chocolate over veined side (underside) of 1 leaf, coating thickly and completely. Arrange chocolate side up on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining leaves and chocolate, rewarming chocolate if necessary to maintain 115°F temperature. Chill leaves until firm, about 45 minutes. Starting at stem end, carefully pull back green leaf, releasing chocolate. Return chocolate leaves to baking sheet.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Using small artist brush, carefully brush some leaves with gold dust, if desired.