Martha Stewarts Brandy Butter Dessert Sauce Food

HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and brandy or Cognac; beat until combined. Transfer to a serving dish, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

BRANDY BUTTER

Steps:

• Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on medium-high speed until creamy. Mix in the brandy.

BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. In a medium bowl, lightly beat egg yolks.
• In a small, heavy saucepan, bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Add butter and sugar, and stir until completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Whisk 1/4 of hot cream mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Transfer egg-yolk mixture back to saucepan, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking frequently, until mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. (Mixture will have the consistency of a thick pudding.) Remove from heat, and stir in cognac. Transfer sauce to a clean bowl, and place in ice bath to chill. Brandy sauce will keep in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 1 week.

TRULY BRITISH BRANDY BUTTER: FOR FESTIVE FIGGY AND PLUM PUDDING!

Steps:

• Place the butter and sugar in a medium size bowl and whisk together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the brandy a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Place in a container and chill.
• Delicious served over hot mince pies or Christmas pudding.

CHOCOLATE-GINGER CAKE WITH BOURBON SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch Bundt pan. Dust with cocoa powder, and tap out excess; set aside. Put butter, molasses, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter has melted. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Add eggs, milk, and grated ginger to the molasses mixture; whisk to combine. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, and cinnamon into a medium bowl.
• Gently fold the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until just combined. (There should be lumps remaining.) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• Invert cake, and unmold onto a cake stand or a large serving platter. Using a spoon, drizzle the warm bourbon sauce over the cake in a back-and-forth motion. Serve immediately.

SHALLOT-BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add brandy. Bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half. Whisk in stock and cream and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in thyme; season with salt and pepper.

CHOCOLATE-BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring cream, sugar, brandy, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour over chocolate, and whisk to combine.

BRANDY DESSERT SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix ingredients together in a saucepan.
• Bring to the boiling point, stirring until ingredients are fully incorporated and sugar is completely dissolved.
• Serve very hot.

MARTHA STEWART'S BEARNAISE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine vinegar, wine, shallots, black pepper, and 1 1/2 teaspoons tarragon in a small saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat until reduced to 1 tablespoon, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of water to reduced vinegar mixture.
• Whisk until thick and pale, about 2 minutes.
• Set pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk at reasonable speed reaching all over bottom and insides of pan, where eggs tend to overcook.
• To moderate heat, frequently move pan off burner for a few seconds, then back on.
• As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, then thicken.
• When the bottom of the pan is visible in the streaks left by the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from heat.
• By spoonfuls, add soft butter, whisking constantly to incorporate each addition.
• As the emulsion forms, add butter in slightly larger amounts, always whisking until fully absorbed.
• Continue incorporating butter until sauce has thickened to consistency desired.
• Season with salt, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped tarragon and, if desired, pepper.
• Add a few droplets of lemon juice if necessary.