Caramelized Brazil Nut Strudel Food

SALTED CARAMEL-APPLE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Make the caramel: Combine the granulated sugar, 1/3 cup water and the salt in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, gently swirling the skillet occasionally but not stirring, until amber, 8 to 10 minutes. Brush any sugar crystals off the side of the skillet with a wet pastry brush. Remove from the heat and whisk in 3 tablespoons butter and the vinegar (the mixture will bubble).
• Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 12 minutes. Strain the apples and transfer to a bowl; set the caramel aside. Toss 1 tablespoon gingersnap crumbs and the cinnamon with the apples; let cool completely.
• Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Let cool, then skim off the foam and discard. Spoon the melted butter into a bowl, leaving any solids in the pan.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a sheet of phyllo on a clean kitchen towel or piece of parchment with a long side in front of you. (Keep the remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel.) Lightly brush the phyllo with some of the melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Layer another sheet of phyllo on top; brush with more butter and sprinkle with more sugar. Repeat with the remaining 4 sheets of phyllo. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons gingersnap crumbs on top.
• Spoon the apple filling onto the phyllo in a strip along the bottom edge, leaving a 1-inch border. Use the towel or parchment to help roll the phyllo into a log, starting at the bottom edge. Place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with more butter and sprinkle with more granulated sugar. Make a few slits on top with a knife to vent. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Beat the heavy cream in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, then gently fold in some of the reserved caramel (you may need to whisk the caramel first to loosen). Dust the strudel with confectioners' sugar and cut into pieces. Serve with the caramel whipped cream and more caramel; sprinkle with salt.

CARAMELIZED APPLES WITH CHEDDAR STREUSEL

Steps:

• For the streusel: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a bowl, combine flour, butter, brown sugar, pecans, and smoked paprika. Using a pastry cutter, work the ingredients until a rough dough forms; it should resemble large grains. Place streusel on a nonstick baking sheet in an even layer. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake until toasty, 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the apples: In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add sugar and water. Bring to a low boil, occasionally swirling the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sugar begins to caramelize and turn light brown to amber; this is a little tricky and needs to be watched continuously. When light brown, turn off the heat, add the apples and whisky, and light on fire to flambe (this will cook out some of the alcohol). Then, add the butter and turn heat to low. Cook the apples, flipping to coat in the caramel, about 2 to 4 minutes. In the meantime, combine the whipped cream and creme fraiche.
• To assemble: Divide the apples into 8 individual serving dishes or one large one. Top with a dollop of the creme fraiche mixture and some streusel.

HEAVENLY HOTS

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients except the vegetable shortening in a large bowl. With a wooden spoon, beat until smooth. This can also be done in a blender.
• Heat the griddle or skillet until it is very hot. Film with shortening. Drop small spoonfuls of batter onto the griddle, making sure that when they spread out they measure less than three inches in diameter.When a few bubbles appear on top of the pancakes, turn and cook the second side briefly. Serve with maple syrup.

CARAMELIZED BRAZIL-NUT STRUDEL

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, apricots and rum. Set aside.
• Melt the two tablespoons of butter in a large heavy skillet just until foaming. Stir in the apple and let it cook over medium heat for about five minutes until softened. Add the brown sugar, lemon juice, zest, cinnamon, cloves, salt and raisin-apricot mixture. Mix well. Turn up the heat and allow the mixture to boil gently until thickened and slightly reduced - five to six minutes.
• Add the chopped Brazil nuts and stir to blend. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan.
• On a clean work space, spread a large towel, place one sheet of phyllo on it and brush a 1-inch strip along the top with melted butter. Place the lower edge of a second sheet of phyllo along the buttered edge of the first sheet, overlapping about 3/4-inch. Brush both sheets lightly with butter and sprinkle about two tablespoons of bread crumbs evenly over this. Repeat with the third and fourth, and again with the fifth and sixth, sheets of phyllo. Place the seventh phyllo sheet on top, brush the edge with butter and place the eighth sheet on top, but do not brush all over with butter.
• Transfer the nut mixture to lower edge of phyllo, forming it into an even cylinder, and leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on each side. Holding the towel by the lower edge, flip it, causing the phyllo to roll over on itself. Turn in the phyllo edges and continue to roll.
• Carefully roll the strudel onto a cookie sheet, seam side down. Brush the top and ends with butter and bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
• Remove from the oven and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar and garnish with the three whole Brazil nuts. To serve, use a serrated knife to cut 1-inch slices and garnish with unsweetened whipped cream.

APPLE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat 75g of the sugar and the vanilla seeds in a medium, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-low heat for 5-8 mins, or until golden brown and caramelised. Add the apples, currants, sultanas, allspice, nutmeg and walnuts, then cook for 10 mins or until the apple is tender. Remove the apple mix from the pan with a slotted spoon and cool to room temperature.
• Line two baking trays with baking paper. Place a sheet of filo on one of the trays, then brush lightly with the melted butter. Sprinkle over 1 tsp sugar. Repeat the process until there are 3 layers of filo. Repeat with the remaining sheets of filo on the second tray.
• Divide the apple mix along the shorter edge of both pastry sheets and gently roll into 2 logs, tucking in the ends as you go. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle over 1 tbsp sugar. Can be made up to one day ahead, kept chilled. Bake for 25 mins, or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Let cool slightly, then cut each strudel into 6 diagonal slices. Serve two slices each with a dollop of crème fraîche on the side.

BRAIDED PUFF PASTRY STRUDEL WITH CARAMELIZED MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Defrost the puff pastry overnight and keep cold in the refrigerator.
• In a heavy skillet "dry sauté" the mushrooms (no oil, high heat), until you hear a popping sound in the pan. Lower the heat to medium and add the butter. Stir in the shallots and cook for about three minutes. Add the garlic and the thyme, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for a few more minutes, or, until the shallots are tender and caramelized.
• Chop the spinach and fold it into the above vegetable mixture. Cook briefly until it is wilted and reduced in volume. Empty the contents of the skillet into a medium bowl and set aside.
• Remove the casing from the sausages, crumble them, and place the loose sausage meat in the same skillet used for the vegetables (no need to add oil to the skillet, as the sausage will render some amount of fat while cooking). Cook the meat over medium heat until it is lightly browned and cooked through, stirring often. Add the fresh sage and cook for another minute.
• Remove from the heat and add the vegetable mixture back into the skillet. Fold half of the cheese in and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400° F.
• Lay out the first defrosted puff pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper, lightly dusted with flour. Return the second roll of puff pastry to the refrigerator to keep cold. Unfold the puff pastry and, with a rolling pin dusted with flour, gently even it out to a ¼" thickness. You should have a square about 11" x 11". Trim off the top corners and then cut notches in the bottom (this will make the braid look neat). Carefully lift the parchment paper and place it on a baking sheet. Cut 1"-thick strips diagonally down both sides of the pastry leaving the center uncut. There should be an equal number of strips on both sides.
• Add half of the filling down the center of the puff pastry and sprinkle the half of the remaining shredded cheese on top of the filling. Fold the top and bottom flaps over the filling. Form the braid by crossing the strips diagonally over the filling, alternating from side to side as you go. When you get to the end, trim off any extra strips and tuck under any overhanging dough.
• Place the strudel in the refrigerator to keep the puff pastry cold. Repeat each of the above steps with the second piece of puff pastry and the remaining filling and cheese. Remove the baking sheet with the first strudel from the refrigerator. Place the second braid on the baking sheet, 2" apart from the first.
• Lightly brush the top only (not the sides) of the strudels with some egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes. With a large spatula, remove the strudels to a rack and let them cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

CARAMEL & BRAZIL NUT CAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 8 " square pan and set aside until needed.
• Combine the flour, sugars, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
• Lightly beat in eggs, do not over mix, add the nuts and spread in the bottom of the prepard pan.
• Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. If you have a gas oven or if you have a hot oven you may want to check at 20 minutes, cake should spring back when touched.
• In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients and pour over cake. Broil for 1 or 2 minutes until bubbly and light brown.
• While still warm, cut into bars and cool on a wire rack. If using chocolate to drizzle over the bars, do that after they have cooled.
• Then grab a tea, coffee or milk and enjoy this decadent treat.

CARAMELISED NUTS

Steps:

• Mix together all the ingredients in a pan and place over a moderate heat. Stir constantly, allowing the mix to caramelise and turn brown and making sure all the nuts are well coated.
• Pour the nuts onto some greaseproof paper. Don't worry if they are stuck together, as they can be separated when cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.