Maple Pecan Custard Food

MAPLE PECAN TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to handle., Divide dough into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a 5-in. circle; transfer to 12 ungreased 4-in. fluted tart pans with removable bottoms. Trim crust even with edges. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the first 6 filling ingredients. Pour into tart shells; arrange pecans over tops. Bake 25-30 minutes or until centers are just set (mixture will jiggle). Cool on wire racks. If desired, serve with ice cream. Refrigerate leftovers.

MAPLE PECAN RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the raisins and bourbon. Set aside.
• Combine the rice and salt with 1 1/2 cups water in a medium heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stir once, and simmer, covered, on the lowest heat for 8 to 9 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed. (If your stove is very hot, pull the pan halfway off the burner.)
• Stir in 4 cups of half-and-half and the sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the rice is very soft and the pudding is thick. Stir often, particularly toward the end. Slowly stir in the beaten egg and continue to cook for 1 minute. Off the heat, add the remaining cup of half-and-half, the vanilla, maple syrup, maple flavoring, and the raisins with any remaining bourbon. Stir well. Pour into a bowl, and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Cool slightly, add the pecans, and serve warm or chilled. Drizzle each serving with extra maple syrup, if desired.

MAPLE PECAN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate while preparing filling., In a bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until smooth. Add maple syrup, butter, vanilla, salt and pecans. Pour into crust. , Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. If desired, top with whipped cream to serve. Store in the refrigerator.

MAPLE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients.
• Pour into small custard dishes or individual souffle cups.
• Set molds in a pan of hot water and bake, uncovered at 350F for 40 minutes or until the blade of a kitchen knife in center comes out clean.
• Serve warm or cold.

MAPLE PECAN GRANOLA WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix oats, pecans, and almonds together in a bowl. Whisk oil, maple syrup, and water together in a measuring cup and pour over oat mixture; stir until evenly coated. Spread oat mixture onto 2 baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes; stir and continue baking for 12 minutes more. Stir and bake until granola is golden brown, about 12 minutes more. Cool to room temperature.
• Mix cinnamon and cardamom together in a container with a lid; add dates, raisins, and cranberries. Cover container and shake until fruit is coated. Stir dried fruit into cooled granola.

MAPLE PECAN BAKED APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Core apples. Peel top third of each apple. Using small sharp knife, cut 1/4-inch-deep line all around each where peel and flesh meet. Using small sharp knife, cut about 1 1/4-inch-wide, 1-inch-deep hollow in top of each apple. Cut off thin slice from bottom of each to allow apples to stand flat. Place apples in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
• Finely chop 2/3 cup pecans, raisins and coconut in processor. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in maple syrup, lemon peel, cinnamon and nutmeg. Divide filling equally among hollows in apples.
• Spread 1 tablespoon preserves over top of each apple and into hollows. Press 1 tablespoon chopped pecans atop each.
• Combine apple juice and butter in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts. Pour into dish around apples. Cover dish loosely with foil. Bake apples 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake until apples are tender, basting with juices every 10 minutes, about 35 minutes longer. Serve apples warm with pan juices.

MAPLE-PECAN BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside. Arrange bread on two large rimmed baking sheets; bake until dry (but not browned), about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together half-and-half, eggs, syrup, vanilla, and salt. Add bread to custard and toss. In prepared dish, stand slices upright in rows, pressing on each row to compact it. Pour any remaining custard in bowl over top and let stand 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle bread pudding with pecans and bake until center is hot and most of custard is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve with maple syrup and cream, if desired.

MAPLE BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Toast pecans in butter, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes, sprink with salt to taste. Cool pecans and chill in a sealable bag or bowl. Pecans can be made up to 3 days in advance.
• In heavy sauce pan bring cream, half and half (or milk), maple syrup and salt just to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.
• In a bowl beat yolks until smooth. Add hot cream in a very slow stream, whisking (pour slowly over yolks so as not to scramble the eggs, this is important), and pour back into pan.
• Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until thermometer reaches 170 degrees F. Pour custard through a sieve into a clean bowl and cool. Stir in extract, cover bowl.
• Chill custard at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day.
• Freeze custard according to your ice cream maker directions, adding pecans during the last few minutes of the cycle. Transfer chilled ice cream to an airtight container (I put in a sealable bowl, and cut parchment paper to fit directly on top of the ice cream), freeze until harden about 2 hours.
• As you eat ice cream up, cover exposed areas with parchment to prevent freezer burn. Ice cream will keep for about 1 week.

MAPLE BUTTER-PECAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Coarsely chop pecans. In a skillet melt butter over moderate heat until foam subsides. Toast pecans in butter, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Cool pecans and chill in a sealable plastic bag. Buttered pecans may be made 3 days ahead and chilled.
• In a heavy saucepan bring cream, milk, maple syrup, and salt just to a boil, stirring occasionally. In a bowl beat yolks until smooth. Add hot cream mixture to yolks in a slow stream, whisking, and pour into pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170° F. Pour custard through a sieve into a clean bowl and cool. Stir in extract. Chill custard, its surface covered with plastic wrap, at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day.
• Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker. Transfer ice cream to a bowl and fold in chilled pecans. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.

MAPLE SYRUP CUSTARD CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk eggs in a bowl until lightly beaten. Add milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract; gently beat until incorporated. Pour mixture into six 1/4-cup ramekins. Arrange ramekins in a baking dish. Pour enough water into baking dish to cover ramekins halfway up the sides.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the center of a custard comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove ramekins from baking dish and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.