Brandy Snap And Rhubarb Cups Food

BRANDY SNAPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160 fan/ gas mark 4 and two baking trays with baking parchment.
• Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter and sugar have melted. Put the flour and ginger in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the lemon zest and juice and the brandy. Pour in the butter mixture and gradually beat it into the flour until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
• Use a teaspoon to dollop 3 - 4 heaps of mixture onto the prepared baking tray. A heaped tsp is enough for a cigar and two heaped teaspoons is enough for a basket. Space them well apart as they will spread. Cook in batches for 8 - 10 mins until set, golden brown and lacy in appearance. Do not allow to go too dark as they will taste bitter. Leave for a minute before shaping - the snaps should still be pliable but set enough to move without tearing.
• You can shape the brandy snaps into cigars or baskets. To make cigars, oil the handle of a wooden spoon and wrap the brandy snap around. If you have a long handle or more than one spoon, you can do a few at a time. The base of the biscuits should be the bit that touches the spoon so that the top 'presentation' side of the biscuit is seen. Transfer to a cooling rack. To make baskets, oil the base of small ramekins or narrow tumblers and drape the biscuits over them. The top of the biscuit should touch the base this time as this is the bit you'll see.
• Pipe whipped cream into the cigars or use the baskets or cones for ice cream and berries. If not using straightway, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

BRANDY-SNAP CUPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, butter, molasses, zest, ginger, and cinnamon over medium heat. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Whisk in flour. Add cognac, and whisk until smooth.
• Drop batter, 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, onto a baking sheet lined with a Silpat baking mat. Prepare only 2 cookies at a time, as they harden quickly once removed from the oven and are difficult to shape.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Get several custard cups, about 3 inches in diameter and 2 1/2 inches deep, at the ready for molding. Remove snaps from oven, and let cool for 3 minutes. Run a thin spatula all around the perimeter of one snap at a time to loosen the bottom completely. Quickly place the snap, flat side up, over the bottom of a custard cup. Let cool. (If the snap becomes hard before removing from baking sheet, return briefly to the oven.) Repeat with remaining snaps.

BRANDY SNAP AND RHUBARB CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C Line two baking trays with baking parchment. Have ready six tumblers or jam jars. Put the rhubarb in an ovenproof dish with 50g sugar, cover and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Leave to cool.
• Put the butter in a pan with the golden syrup and the rest of the sugar. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, but don't allow it to boil. Tip into a large bowl.
• Add the flour, ginger, and lemon juice and stir until mixed. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly, then put heaped teaspoons on the baking trays, leaving room for them to spread (you'll get about three on each tray, so you'll need to cook them in batches). Cook for 10-12 minutes.
• Leave on the tray for 2-3 minutes to firm up slightly but not go hard. Lift off with a fish slice and drape over the bases of the tumblers or jars, carefully shaping them to make cups. Leave for a minute to firm, then cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the rest of the mixture (you'll make 12-14 cups - the rest can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days).
• Drain the rhubarb and reserve the juice. Mix the mascarpone with the stem ginger (leaving a little back for decoration), the ginger syrup and 2-3 tbsp rhubarb juice. Spoon into the brandy snap cups and top with the rhubarb and reserved stem ginger.

THE FIRESTONES' BRANDY- SNAP CUPS WITH MOUSSE FILLINGS

Steps:

• Place one brandy-snap cup on a dessert plate.
• Spoon half a cup or less of dessert mousse inside the cup, such as pumpkin, praline (see recipe) or orange juice with Grand Marnier (see recipe).
• Spoon one tablespoon of whipped cream on top and place one candied violet or other sweet garnish on top.

BRANDY-SNAP CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Have ready three glass ramekins or custard cups measuring about four and one-half inches wide and two inches deep.
• Combine the butter, sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon and orange rind in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the flour, using a wire whisk. Add the Cognac and stir. Blend until smooth. Set the saucepan in a basin of simmering water to prevent hardening as you work.
• Drop the mixture, one full tablespoon at a time, onto an ungreased baking sheet. Space the tablespoons at wide intervals, remembering that they spread considerably as they bake. Prepare only three snaps at a time because the snaps harden fast once they are removed from the oven and they are difficult to remove.
• Put the snaps in the oven and bake 14 minutes. When the snaps are removed from the oven, let them cool for a second or so. Run a thin spatula all around the perimeter of one snap at a time to loosen the bottom completely. Quickly place the snap inside one of the ramekins and press down to mold into cup shapes. Let cool. If the snaps become impossible to scrape off, return the baking sheet briefly to the oven.
• Continue preparing and baking the snaps until all the mixture is used.

RHUBARB CUSTARD CUPS

Steps:

• Custard cups:.
• Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
• Lightly coat or spray a 12-cup muffin tin with oil.
• Place 1 phyllo sheet on a large cutting board.
• Lightly brush with butter, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp sugar. Cover with another phyllo sheet. Line up all edges.
• Repeat brushing, sprinkling and layering with 2 more phyllo sheets, ending with sugar sprinkled overtop.
• Cut phyllo stack into 12 equal squares. Carefully place 1 square stack in muffin cup, pressing around bottom with your fingers to form a cup. Leave sides of phyllo upright. Do not fold over.
• Repeat with remaining phyllo square stacks. Prick bottoms of cups with a fork.
• Bake in centre of preheated oven until crispy and golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.
• Custard:.
• In a small saucepan, stir 2 tbsp sugar with custard powder until evenly mixed.
• Stir in orange peel.
• Gradually stir in about 1/4 cup cream until no lumps remain. Then gradually stir in remaining cream and vanilla.
• Place over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until gently boiling and thickened, 5 minutes.
• Pour into a medium-size bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Berry-rhubarb sauce:.
• Place frozen or fresh berries in a large saucepan. If fruit is in a frozen block, it will take longer to cook. You will have to break it up with a spoon.
• Add rhubarb. Mix 1/2 cup sugar with cornstarch and stir in until blended.
• Place over medium heat. You do not have to add any water - juices come out of the fruit as it cooks.
• Stir often until a thick sauce forms, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir constantly for the last few minutes of cooking. Reduce heat if sauce starts to stick.
• To serve - spoon about 2 teaspoons of custard into each phyllo cup. Top with rhubarb mixture. Garnish with a mint or lemon balm leaf.
• Note: To prepare this recipe in advance - Prepare phyllo cups, custard and rhubarb sauce. Store cups, covered, at room temperature up to 4 days. Refrigerate sauce, covered, up to 3 days and custard up to 1 day. Fill just before serving.