Pecan Praline Semifreddo With Bourbon Caramel Food

PECAN PRALINE SEMIFREDDO WITH BOURBON CARAMEL

Steps:

• To make the praline, line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Combine the water and the sugar in a saucepan over high heat. Gently swirl the pan around to melt the sugar evenly. Using a candy thermometer, cook the sugar until it reaches 370°F. Add the pecan halves to the caramel and quickly stir the nuts to coat them thoroughly with the caramel. Spoon the praline onto the waxed paper in an even layer to cool. Once the praline has cooled, chop it finely with a knife and reserve.
• To make the parfait, line a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting enough excess wrap hang over the sides to cover the top.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed until it reaches stiff peaks. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, with a rubber spatula, fold the sour cream into the whipped cream. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and refrigerate until needed.
• Have the egg yolks and egg whites in separate bowls. Put the egg yolks in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and add 1/4 cup of the sugar. Whisk the mixture on high speed until you achieve a thick, pale yellow consistency. Transfer the mixture to another bowl and reserve.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Decrease the speed to low and slowly sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup sugar into the whites. Once the sugar is added, increase the speed to high and whisk until medium peaks form.
• Fold the cream mixture into the yolks, then fold in the egg whites in three additions. Fold in the chopped pecan praline.
• Fill your prepared loaf pan with the semifreddo mixture and smooth out the top. Pull the plastic wrap over the top and freeze for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
• To make the caramel, using a candy thermometer, cook the water and the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches 380°F. Remove the caramel from the heat and carefully add the heavy cream. Return it to the stove over low heat. Once the cream dissolves into the caramel, you need to swirl the pan periodically but try not to stir it, remove it from the heat and add the bourbon. Hold the caramel at room temperature until you are ready to serve it.
• To serve the semifreddo, pull the plastic wrap away from the top. Invert the loaf pan onto a platter. Wrap a hot, wet kitchen towel over the loaf pan and gently rub the sides to release the semifreddo. Once the semifreddo is released onto the platter, peel off the plastic wrap.
• Slice the semifreddo into ten equal slices with a sharp knife. Serve each with a drizzle of bourbon caramel.

PUMPKIN AND PECAN SEMIFREDDO WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• For semifreddo:
• Line 9 1/4x5 1/4x3-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap. Blend gingersnap crumbs and brown sugar in processor until combined. With machine running, slowly add butter; process until moist crumbs form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of prepared loaf pan. Chill 10 minutes.
• Whisk pumpkin, honey, and spices in large bowl to blend. Set aside.
• Stir 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil syrup without stirring until candy thermometer registers 248°F, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in hot sugar syrup; beat until mixture is cool, about 7 minutes.
• Fold 1/3 of egg white mixture into pumpkin-spice mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining egg white mixture. Fold in pecans and toffee bits. Spoon mixture into prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen, about 8 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.)
• For caramel sauce:
• Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in 1/2 cup cream, butter, and then crème fraîche (mixture will bubble). Stir in vanilla and salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Stir over medium heat to rewarm before serving.)
• Wipe sides of loaf pan with hot wet cloth. Invert semifreddo onto platter; remove plastic. Cut into 1-inch-thick slices and serve with warm caramel sauce and whipped cream.

BOURBON PECAN PRALINES

Steps:

• Grease 2 baking sheets; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugars, then the cream; cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 236° (soft-ball stage), about 20 minutes. , Remove from the heat; stir in the pecan halves, chopped pecans and bourbon. Immediately drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Let stand until pralines are set and no longer glossy. Store in an airtight container.

FAVORITE BOURBON PECAN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Mix the white sugar, brown sugar, and butter together in a bowl. Stir in the corn syrup, eggs, and bourbon; fold in the pecans. Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C); continue to bake until the pie is set, about 25 minutes more. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

PRALINE SEMI-FREDDO

Steps:

• Remove the seeds from the vanilla bean by scoring down the length and scraping the seeds out of each half.
• Whisk the vanilla seeds and sugar with the egg yolks in a large bowl until pale. In a second bowl whisk the cream until soft peaks form. (Important! Please don't overwhip it.) Then in the third bowl whisk or beat the egg whites with an electric mixer with a pinch of salt until they form very firm peaks (this is when you can pull the egg whites in any direction and they will stay like it).
• At this point add the praline, the cream and egg whites, to the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold in.
• Immediately scoop the contents into your chosen container. Cover wtih plastic wrap and freeze until you're ready to eat it.
• Roast the hazelnuts in the oven at 225C/425F/Gas 7 until golden (about 4 minutes). Really watch them, because if you over-roast them they go bitter and you can't use them.
• Put the sugar and water in a thick-bottomed pan and place on a medium to high heat. The mixture will start to bubble and then turn into a clear syrup.
• To begin with, it will gradually start to color in parts or from the sides. Gently and carefully shake the pan, just moving it to mix the patches of color.
• When it's all golden brown, carefully tip it away from you and gently add the nuts. Turn the heat down to a simmer and gently stir to coat the nuts in caramel.
• When the caramel is dark golden brown, turn it out on to a clean, lightly oiled tray, or on to greaseproof paper on a surface that won't burn. It will cool to a flattish solid sheet.
• When completely cooled (which takes about 20 minutes), smash it up roughly and pulse it in a food processor until the pieces are still quite chunky (very approximate size about 1/2 cm/ 1/4-inch).
• Remove about half the praline, then pulse the rest to a powder (or put it in a tea-towel and bash with a rolling-pin), and add both lots of praline to the semi-freddo mixture.

CARAMEL PECAN BOURBON SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat over to 325 degrees.
• Spread pecans on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned. This takes approximately 5-8 minutes. Watch them carefully so they don't burn. Set aside toasted pecans.
• In a large heavy sauce pan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking. Stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Cook until mixture is reduced to 3 cups. This takes about 10-15 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon, vanilla and pecans. Let cool.
• NOTES: If made in advance, cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. To reheat in microwave use 30% power for a minute or two. For the power notation--adjust to your microwave. The goal is to bring this to a room temperature or slightly warm temperature.

CARAMEL-BOURBON PECAN PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Cook caramels, water, butter and bourbon in medium saucepan on medium heat 8 min. or until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat.
• Spread nuts onto bottom of pie crust. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in medium bowl until blended. Gradually stir in caramel mixture; pour over nuts.
• Bake 40 to 45 min. or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Refrigerate 2 hours.

SALTED BOURBON CARAMEL PECAN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a mixer on low, work the flour and powdered sugar into the cold butter and shortening until you have a relatively uniform, crumbly mixture.
• Make a "well" in the middle of the mixture and pour the vinegar plus 1 tablespoon ice water into it.
• Use your hands to delicately incorporate the liquid, starting from the center of the well and working outward.
• Add to the mixture the remainding 1 tablespoon ice water, adding more if necessary, until you have a dough that holds together in a ball, but does not stick to your hands.
• Roll the dough out on a floured surface. Place the crust into a greased 9" pie dish and prick the bottom several times with a fork.
• For the Filling: Mix the brown sugar, white sugar, salt and melted butter in a large bowl.
• Add the boiling water and stir until sugar and salt dissolve.
• Add the beaten eggs and milk and mix well. If you want a very boozy-tasting pie, add 1 1/2 teaspoon bourbon. Otherwise, add 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Mix in the pecans.
• Spread 1/4 cup caramel on bottom of prepared crust. Heat up the caramel first if it helps to spread it.
• Pour the filling into the crust and bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350.
• Bake about 30 minutes more, or until the pie puffs up, and a knife inserted into the center comes out relatively clean.
• Cool the pie for at least two hours. Before serving, drizzle about 1/4 cup more caramel on top. It helps to heat up the caramel for this step as well.