Biscotti Plum Pudding With Spiced Red Wine Syrup Food

SCOTTISH PUDDING

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, mixed spice, cinnamon, mixed fruit, golden raisins and margarine. Bring to a boil and let simmer for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour, baking soda and eggs. Pour into a microwave-safe bowl.
• Place the bowl into the microwave, uncovered. Cook for 10 minutes on full power. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve warm with your favorite custard.

PUMPKIN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, cloves, and ginger together in a large bowl.
• Beat white sugar, butter, and brown sugar together in another bowl using an electric mixer until light and crumbly. Add eggs; beat for 1 minute. Add pumpkin puree, molasses, and vanilla extract; beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Blend in the flour mixture using the mixer or a wooden spoon until dough is sticky and incorporated.
• Cover dough with waxed paper; refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Dip your hands into a small bowl of water. Shape the dough into two loaves that are 1 inch high, 3 to 4 inches wide, and 10 inches long, Place each loaf onto a baking sheet; top with pumpkin seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bottoms are dry, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Transfer loaves to a flat work surface. Cut each into 10 diagonal slices about 1/2 inch thick. Place sliced biscotti back on the baking sheet.
• Continue baking until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Continue baking until dry, about 20 minutes more. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

BISCOTTI-PLUM PUDDING WITH SPICED RED-WINE SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine the wine, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, orange zest and 1 1/4 cups of sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes. Strain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, place the plums in a large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup sugar. Let stand for 20 minutes. Place the biscotti in a large plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin until coarsely crushed. Spread them in a 7 1/2-by-11 1/2-inch shallow baking dish.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the plums with their juice over the biscotti. Drizzle the wine syrup over the plums. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the plums are soft but not mushy, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on ripeness. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SPICY BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING

Steps:

• Whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and salt in a saucepan until smooth. Add the milk and half-and-half and stir to combine. Bring the ingredients to a simmer over medium heat whisking constantly. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla, butter cinnamon and cayenne. Pour the pudding into 4 small serving bowls and chill for 1 hour before serving.

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• To prepare the plums: wash and cut them into quarters, then remove the stones.
• Tip the sugar into a pan with 225ml water, the cinnamon and vanilla. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Slide the fruit into the syrup. Bring the pan to the boil, then let it simmer for 5-10 mins - depending on the ripeness - until the plums are soft. Leave to cool slightly and serve as they are with something creamy.

PISTACHIO BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter and sugar in the work bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large bowl and hand-held electric beaters). Cream butter and sugar at high speed until pale, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Beat in lemon zest and almond and vanilla extracts.
• In a separate medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. At low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture. As dough is coming together, add the pistachios and mix until incorporated. You will have a soft, sticky dough.
• Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. With floured hands, shape each piece into a log about 12 inches long. Place logs well apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Logs will spread as they bake.)
• Bake logs for 25 to 30 minutes, until firm and lightly browned all over. Remove and cool logs on a rack until cool enough to handle. (Don't rush this step or you risk crumbling when slicing.) Using a serrated knife, carefully cut into slices, crosswise or at a diagonal. Thicker 1/2-inch slices are easier to cut; thinner slices are a bit more elegant.
• Place slices in one layer on baking sheet and return to the oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes (less for thinner slices). Flip each slice and bake again for another 5 minutes. Let cool completely, until biscotti are crisp and dry, before transferring to a tin.