Spiced Cranberry Pear Sundaes Food

PEAR AND CRANBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and toss quickly with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with the flour. Pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the 1/4 cup ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and form into 2 disks. Wrap the disks with plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Roll each pastry disk into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer them to 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• For the filling, peel, core, and quarter the pears. Cut each quarter into big chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Divide the pear chunks between the pastries, covering the dough and leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cranberries over the top of each tart.
• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the two tarts. Gently fold the border of each tart over the pears, pleating it to make a circle.
• Bake the crostatas for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the pears are tender. Let the tarts cool for 5 minutes, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer them to wire racks.

SPICED CRANBERRY-PEAR SUNDAES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and then add pears, cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, and juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened and the liquid has reduced slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl to cool before serving, at least 15 minutes.
• To serve, scoop ice cream into bowls, top with cranberry-pear compote, and sprinkle with gingersnaps.

SWEET-AND-SPICY CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring cranberries, brown sugar, cloves, and 1/3 cup water to a rapid simmer over medium. Cook until berries burst and mixture becomes syrupy, 10 minutes. Stir in cayenne and lime zest and juice. Season with salt. Serve at room temperature.

SPICED CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat orange juice and water in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Mix in cinnamon stick, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Add cranberries and cook, stirring occasionally, until they pop, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and pour sauce into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.

SPICED CRANBERRY CRISP CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. For topping, in a bowl, combine 3/4 cup cake mix, butter and water; stir in pecans. For cranberry filling, in another bowl, combine cranberries, sugar, preserves and 2 tablespoons cake mix., In a third bowl, combine cream cheese, eggs, milk, pie spice and remaining cake mix; beat on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Transfer batter to a greased 13x9-in. pan. Spoon cranberry filling over top to within 1/2 in. of edges. Sprinkle with topping to edges of pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

GINGER PEAR CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine cranberries, diced pear, orange juice, sugar, water, candied ginger, orange zest, star anise, cinnamon stick, garam masala, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
• Remove cinnamon stick and star anise. Chill until ready to serve.

SPICED PEAR-AND-CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Combine cranberries, pears, orange peel and juice, sugar, cinnamon stick, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to burst and pears are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely; discard cinnamon stick and serve.

SPICED PEAR CRANBERRY COBBLER

Steps:

• For pastry: In medium bowl, combine flour & salt; add chilled butter & shortening. with pastry blender, combine until mixture resembles cornmeal. Sprinkle with ice water. Toss lightly with a fork until dough holds together when pinched. Flatten dough to a round; wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare filling: In large bowl, combine pear slices & cranberries. Sprinkle with 1 1/4c sugar, whole wheat flour, allspice & cardamom; mix thoroughly. Spread fruit mixture into a 13x9x2" pan; dot w/1TB butter. Heat oven to 375°F.
• On lightly floured surface, roll pastry to about 1/8" thick, making it 1" larger than the rim of the pan. Place pastry over fruit. Crimp border around rim. Cut 3 2" slits in pastry. Dust w/1tsp sugar. Bake 45 minutes until browned & fruit is bubbling. Cool 15-20 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

SPICED CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cranberries have burst and the mixture has thickened. (I put the cloves in a tea diffuser for easier removal and usually cook the sauce a little longer than the time given.).
• Transfer the sauce to a bowl and let cool.
• The sauce may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.
• Serve at room temperature.