Raisin Walnut Cookies Food

PECAN RUM RAISIN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Place the dark and golden raisins, rum and orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, remove from the heat, cover and set aside.
• Meanwhile, pour the cream, milk, vanilla bean and 1/3 cup of the sugar into a large saucepan and heat it to a simmer over medium heat. Place the egg yolks, the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar and the salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until very thick. When the beater is lifted, the mixture will fall back on itself in a slow ribbon. With the mixer on low, pour 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. While stirring with a wooden spoon, pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, until thickened (175 degrees F to 180 degrees F on a candy thermometer). The mixture will be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (your finger should leave a trail on the back of the spoon). Immediately pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the vanilla bean. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until cold.
• When ready to freeze, drain the raisin mixture, reserving the rum and discarding the orange zest. Mix 3 tablespoons of the drained rum into the cream mixture (discard the rest). Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. At the end, stir in the raisins and pecans, transfer to a quart container and freeze.

RUM RAISIN POUND CAKE WITH COCONUT GLAZE

Steps:

• Combine the raisins and rum in a small bowl and soak for several hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan or ring pan.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar. Beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Beat in the eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat on low to combine. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture. Fold in the raisins with their soaking liquid.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• While the cake is baking, make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar and coconut milk together in a small bowl until there are no lumps; add more coconut milk or sugar to reach the consistency of school glue.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and place on the rack. While the cake is still warm, drizzle the coconut glaze over the top and sprinkle with the shredded coconut.

RAISIN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine 4 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, and salt in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Blend in the cold butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add to the flour/butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Combine the raisins and 1 tablespoon flour and then add to the dough and mix quickly. The dough may be a bit sticky.
• Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough out to 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick. You will see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into squares with a 4-inch cutter and then cut in half diagonally to make triangles. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Brush the scones with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the outsides are crisp and the insides are done.

CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Mix one batch of the White Pan Loaf dough according to instructions given in recipe.
• Place the just mixed dough in a clean bowl lightly dusted with flour. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature (75 degrees to 77 degrees) for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until it doubles in volume. (An indentation made by poking your finger deep into the dough should not spring back.)
• While the dough is rising, place the raisins in a bowl or a plastic container and fill with warm water to come just below the top of the raisins. (If you use too much water, you will rinse away the natural sweetness of the raisins.)
• Place the dough on a very lightly floured surface. Gently deflate the dough and pat it into a rectangle that is about 3/4 of an inch thick, and about 6 inches by 12 inches in size. The short sides should be the top and bottom edges.
• Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, and sprinkle it evenly over the dough.
• Drain the raisins and toss them with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Spread the raisins evenly over the dough and gently press them into it.
• Starting at a short side, roll the dough into a log. Roll the dough tightly, keeping the skin of the dough slightly taut, and tucking in any raisins that fall out, but don't stretch the dough so tight that the skin tears. Seal the seam of the log gently but tightly using the heel of your hand against the surface of the table, or pinch it shut with your fingers.
• Place the loaf in an oiled or buttered 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the loaf has risen almost 1 inch above the sides of the pans.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Place the loaf pan on the center oven rack. Using a plant sprayer, mist the loaf 8 to 10 times, then quickly shut the oven door. Spray the bread again after 2 minutes.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 20 to 30 minutes longer, until the crust is deep brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. The crust may color quickly because of the cinnamon and raisins in the dough; watch carefully and cover the top of the loaf loosely with foil if it is browning too fast. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and place the loaf on a rack to cool. Let cool completely before slicing, or the bread will fall apart. This bread keeps well for at least 2 days.

OATMEAL, WALNUT AND RAISIN COOKIES

Steps:

• Position the racks in the top and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and allspice in a large bowl.
• Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the eggs 1 at time until blended, then beat in the vanilla.
• Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions until smooth. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts with a rubber spatula. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared sheets about 2 inches apart.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the pans halfway through, until golden brown but still soft in the center, about 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CINNAMON-RAISIN RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Bring the rice, cinnamon, a pinch of salt and 3 1/2 cups of the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepot set over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is just tender, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar, vanilla, egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk in a medium bowl until smooth. While whisking constantly, slowly add about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the yolk mixture until smooth and then whisk back into the pot. Stir in the raisins.
• Simmer the pudding, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Remove and discard the pieces of cinnamon stick.
• Pour the pudding into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate, if desired. Serve at room temperature or cold, sprinkled with freshly ground cinnamon.