Hickory Nut Creams Food

BUTTERNUT AND HICKORY NUT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• In a small saucepan melt butter and stir in nuts and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer nuts to a baking sheet and bake in middle of oven until fragrant and one shade darker, about 6 minutes. Cool nuts completely.
• In a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan whisk together sugar and cornstarch and whisk in yolks, milk, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt until combined well. Cook custard over moderate heat, whisking, until it just comes to a boil and simmer, whisking, 1 minute. Transfer custard to a bowl and cool. Chill custard, covered, until cold. Stir in vanilla and cream until custard is combined well and freeze in an ice-cream maker. Transfer ice cream to a metal bowl and stir in nuts. In freezer harden ice cream until firm. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead and kept frozen, covered.

HICKORY NUT CREAMS

Steps:

• Stir sugar and cream together in a large saucepan until sugar dissolves.
• Heat to 234F on a candy thermometer or until a drop of the mixture forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water.
• Cool to lukewarm.
• Add vanilla extract, butter and nuts; beat until creamy.
• Drop from spoon onto waxed paper.

GRANDMA'S HICKORY NUT CAKE

Steps:

• For the Cake: Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes. Mix dry ingredients together lightly with a fork. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix well. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Pour into a greased and floured 13x9-inch pan (or 2 8-inch round cake pans). Bake at 325 F for 45--50 minutes. Cool.
• For the Frosting: Make frosting by melting butter in a medium saucepan. Add brown sugar; boil 2 minutes. Add milk; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm. Beat in sugar and vanilla. (You may add 1/2 cup chopped hickory nuts if desired.) Frost the cake and decorate with reserved hickory nuts.

HICKORY NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a cookie sheet.
• Cream sugar and butter together; add eggs and molasses and beat well.
• Add raisins and nuts.
• Sift dry ingredients together and add to the batter.
• Roll thinly on a lightly floured board and cut with a cookie cutter.
• Bake on prepared cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.

WALNUT COFFEE CREAMS - CANDY

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, cood cream and corn syrup over low heat until corn syrup dissolves. Remove from heat; add coffee. Mix thoroughly; cool. Stir in sugar; mixture should form soft peaks. If not, add some more sugar. Chill covered 2 hours.
• Melt chocolate in a bowl or top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Drop by teaspoonfuls on waxed paper and flatten to form small chocolate buttons. Let set.
• Spoon filling into a small pastry bag fitted with a fluted nozzel. Pipe a rosette around edge of each chocolate button. Leave indentation in center. Place a walnut piece in cavity. Chill 30 minutes or until firm. Remove paper.
• Refrigerate in a covered container with waxed paper between layers up to 2 weeks.