Frozen Cranberry Nougat Food

FROZEN CRANBERRY NOUGAT

Steps:

• Put the juice and star anise in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the cranberries and reduce the heat to low. Poach gently until the cranberries are tender, but don't let them burst.
• Chill, in the poaching liquid, before serving.
• Heat the oven to 350°F or 325°F on convection.
• Spread the pistachios and almonds out on a baking sheet and bake until the nuts are hot but not browned or toasted, about 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the sugar in a saucepan and mix with enough water to make a texture like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat to 285°F. Add the hot nuts and stir until the sugar turns white. Scrape out onto a Silpat and let cool completely. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the nuts for garnish. Break up the remaining nuts with your hands and put in a food processor. Pulse to coarsely chop the nuts.
• Put the dried cranberries and Chambord in a glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds or bring to a simmer in a small saucepan. Let cool completely. Drain well, reserving the Chambord. Chop the cranberries. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the Chambord.
• Put the egg whites and a pinch of cream of tartar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk. Start beating the whites at medium speed while you cook the honey.
• Put the honey in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat to 250°F.
• Microwave the gelatin and Chambord for 30 seconds or heat gently in a small saucepan until melted.
• With the mixer still at medium speed (the egg whites should be holding whip marks, like whipped cream, at this point), pour the honey in a steady stream into the whites, avoiding the whisk and the sides of the bowl. Add the gelatin. Turn the speed to high and beat the whites until the sides of the bowl feel cool.
• In a separate bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks.
• Fold the egg white mixture into the cream, then fold in the chopped nuts and macerated cranberries. Fill a pastry bag and pipe into twelve Flexipan savarin molds (2 3/4 inches). Level off the tops. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Alternatively, you could spread the mixture in a 9 x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment and cut squares when you're ready to serve the dessert.
• Unmold the frozen nougats and place one on top of a tuile on a dessert plate. Garnish with a spoonful of the poached cranberries, some of the poaching liquid, and the reserved nuts. Repeat for each serving.

EASY PISTACHIO-CRANBERRY NOUGAT

Steps:

• Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Spray parchment and dust with milk powder. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add marshmallows and cook, stirring, until melted, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in milk powder, then cranberries and pistachios. Transfer to prepared pan, pressing or spreading to evenly fill. Lightly dust top with more milk powder. Let stand until set, at least 2 hours.
• Use overhangs to lift nougat out of pan. Cut as desired (we made strips slightly less than 1/2 inch wide, then cut them in half again to create about 4-by-3/4-by 1/2-inch pieces). Store between layers of parchment or waxed paper at room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

FROZEN CRANBERRY MARGARITAS

Steps:

• Pour all the ingredients into a 3 qt plastic container; beat with a wire whisk till well blended.
• Cover and freeze for at least 24 hrs, till slushy. Serve in margarita or cocktail glasses.

FROZEN CRANBERRY SOUFFLé WITH SPUN SUGAR CRANBERRY WREATH

Steps:

• Make the cranberry mixture:
• In a heavy saucepan combine the cranberries, the sugar, and the water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until it is thickened, and let it cool completely.
• Make the Italian meringue:
• In a small heavy saucepan combine the sugar and the water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup, washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the side of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until it registers 248°F. on a candy thermometer and remove the pan from the heat. While the syrup is boiling, in the large bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, with the motor running add the hot syrup in a stream, beating, and beat the meringue at medium speed for 8 minutes, or until it cools to room temperature.
• Fold the cranberry mixture into the meringue gently but thoroughly. In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat the cream until it just holds stiff peaks and fold it into the cranberry mixture gently but thoroughly. Spoon the soufflé into a 2 1/2-quart (8-inch diameter) freezer-proof glass serving bowl, smoothing the top, and freeze the soufflé, its surface covered with plastic wrap, overnight. The souffleé may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and frozen.
• Make the spun sugar wreath:
• In a small heavy saucepan combine the corn syrup and the sugar, bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and boil the syrup until it is a golden caramel and registers 320°F. on a candy thermometer. While the syrup is boiling, oil lightly a 12 inch-square sheet of foil and on it arrange the cranberries in a 6-inch-wide wreath shape. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool for 30 seconds. Dip a fork into the syrup and drizzle the syrup over the cranberries, repeating this procedure until the cranberries are covered with the syrup and a solid wreath is formed. (If the syrup becomes too thick to drizzle from a fork, reheat it over moderate heat until it is the right consistency.) Let the wreath cool completely. The wreath may be made 2 hours in advance (preferably not on a damp day) and kept in a cool, dry place.
• Pry the wreath gently from the foil, arrange it on the soufflé, and garnish it with the mint sprigs.