Sweet Nutcracker Braid Food

THE NUTCRACKER "SWEET"

Steps:

• For the caramel nut pies: Roll dough to 1/4-inch and fit into 4 small flan rings and chill. Combine sugar with enough water to cover in saucepan and place over high heat. Cook sugar to caramel stage (a maple syrup color). Carefully add glucose, cream, milk, salt and walnuts to caramel mixture. Cook the mixture, while stirring, until it is thick like pancake batter. Let the mixture cool. Spread the cooled mixture into the bottom of chilled tartlet shells. Pipe or spread creme d'amandes over the caramel. Bake tarts in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until evenly browned on top. Allow tarts to cool, cut into 4-inch slices and finish with sweetened whipped cream before service.
• For the Chocolate Espresso Bonbons: Put the chocolate into a work bowl. Dry roast the espresso beans in a saute pan over a medium flame until a strong coffee aroma is present. Coarsely crush the beans on a cutting board with the bottom of a pan. Make an infusion with the hot espresso beans and cream. Allow the mixture to steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain the cream into a clean pan. Bring the infused cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Gently stir the ganache until the chocolate is incorporated. Let cool slightly. Stir in the coffee liqueur, salt and softened butter. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. Line coffee cup bonbon molds with tempered chocolate, tapping to make sure molds are lined and have no air bubbles. Once chocolate is set, fill molds with espresso ganache leaving room to seal molds. Seal molds with tempered chocolate, allow to set and remove from molds. Finish bonbon cups with a swirl of mascarpone cream "froth" and dust with cocoa.
• Sift flour and salt together and set aside. Place the butter in a mixer and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating until just incorporated. Add flour mixture all at once until it forms a ball. Fatten dough into a disk and chill.
• In a mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and almond paste until light and fluffy and smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, incorporating fully. Add pastry cream powder or cornstarch and mix to combine. Add rum and brandy.
• Blend ingredients together and fit into pastry bag for easy piping.

NUT BREAD (ORIGINAL BETTY CROCKER)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°.
• Grease bottom only of loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches, or 2 loaf pans, 8½x4½x2 ½ inches.
• Mix all ingredients; beat 30 seconds.
• Pour into pan(s).
• Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 9-inch loaf 55 to 65 minutes, 8-inch loaves 55-60 minutes; cool slightly.
• Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan.
• Cool completely before slicing.
• To store, wrap and refrigerate no longer than 1 week.
• *If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.
• Apricot Nut Bread: Mix 1 cup finely cut-up dried apricots.
• Banana Nut Bread: Decrease milk to 1/3 cup and omit orange peel. Mix in 1 ¼ cup mashed bananas (1 to 3 medium). Bake 9-inch loaf 65 to 70 minutes.
• Cranberry-Cheese Nut Bread: Decrease nuts to 1/2 cup. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces) and 1 cup cranberries, cut into halves. Bake 9-inch loaf 65 to 70 minutes.
• Date Nut Bread: Omit milk. Mix 1 1/2 cups boiling water and 1 1/2 cups cut-up dates; cool. Stir into the batter.
• Whole Wheat Raisin Bread: Substitute 2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour and honey for the brown sugar. Mix in 1 cup raisins.

BRAIDED SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• Mix together water, warm milk, and yeast.
• Add melted margarine, sugar, salt and flour.
• Knead dough, place in bowl, cover and let rise in warm place 1 hour.
• Divide dough into 6 parts.
• Shape dough into 6 long pieces (length of baking sheet).
• On baking sheet, braid 3 of the pieces together like you would hair, then braid remaining 3 pieces together.
• Cover and let raise 1 more hour.
• Brush beaten egg on top and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.