Vanilla Bean Rum Or Brandy Butter Hard Sauce Food

VANILLA BEAN RUM OR BRANDY BUTTER (HARD SAUCE)

Steps:

• Beat butter until light and fluffy (I use a hand held mixer).
• Gradually blend in the powdered sugar; add vanilla and cream, beating well to combine.
• Beat in the rum, to taste.
• Transfer to a pretty glass serving bowl, dust with nutmeg.
• Cover with cling film and refrigerate several hours or overnight, or may be packed into jars for holiday gift giving.
• Serve as a rich topping over warm holiday desserts such as Christmas pudding, soft gingerbread or spicecake, or apple or mince pies and tarts.
• Keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator.

BRANDY BUTTER (HARD SAUCE)

Steps:

• Place butter, confectioners sugar, orange rind, orange juice, and brandy or cognac into food processor and mix until smooth. Pile sauce into serving bowl and refrigerate. Remove from fridge about one hour before serving.

HARD SAUCE FOR BREAD PUDDING AND OTHER DESSERTS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• With a standing or hand-held mixer , beat the softened butter until creamy.
• Add the powdered sugar and mix while scraping the sides of the bowl, so the sugar and butter come together evenly.
• Add the vanilla extract, brandy, rum, or whiskey, and spices.
• Mix, scraping the sides again, to combine.
• Spoon the sauce into a bowl.
• Serve immediately and enjoy.

HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• In a mixer bowl, beat the butter until creamy, then blend in the rest of the ingredients and continue beating until the mixture is smooth.
• Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator to soften slightly about 1 hour before serving.

FETTUCCINI WITH VANILLA BEAN LOBSTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Place lobster tails in a saucepan of well-salted water, cover and bring to a boil. As soon as the pan comes to a boil, turn off the heat and allow lobster tails to sit in hot water for 5 minutes. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Drain lobster tails and let cool, just until they are cool enough to handle. Remove lobster meat from tails by gently cracking apart the underside of the shell, or carefully cut through shell with a pair of sharp kitchen scissors. Cut lobster tails on an angle into 1/2" slices and set aside.
• With the tip of a pairing knife slice open vanilla bean and scrape out seeds. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. While pasta is cooking heat a large skillet on medium high. Add butter to skillet and when it foams add vanilla bean seeds and pod and shallots and reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring for 1 munute. Add lobster pieces and continue cooking and stirring until lobster is cooked through and coated with butter mixture. Reduce heat to low and drain pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.
• Add hot pasta to skillet along with 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water, increase heat to medium and continue tossing mixture until sauce thickens slightly, adding a bit more cooking water if needed to nicely glaze pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper and arrange pasta on serving plates. Sprinkle with parsley and finishing salt.

HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT

Steps:

• Put vanilla bean in a clean jar and cover with rum or brandy.
• Cap the jar and store in a cool and dark place for at least 6 weeks to let the flavor develop.
• Once a week lightly shake jar.
• Strain the vanilla extract through a cheesecloth lined strainer and into a sealed jar.
• Give as a gift with a recipe that uses vanilla or a handbaked gift.
• If giving at Christmas time I double or triple my recipe.

RUM OR BRANDY BUTTER

Steps:

• Using a mixer beat the unsalted butter, icing sugar, brown sugar, water and brandy together until creamy and fluffy.
• Refrigerate until needed.

BRANDY BUTTER

Steps:

• Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale, then whisk in the brandy, one tbsp at a time, until you are pleased with the taste. Scrape into a serving bowl and chill for 1 hr or for up to 3 days, before serving. Freeze for up to a month.

AUNT JEANNIE'S HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer (MUCH easier than by hand as my aunt did), beat butter until creamy.
• Add sugar and blend well; stir in milk.
• Add brandy and vanilla, one teaspoon at a time to prevent separation.
• If sauce begins to separate, add more sugar.
• Turn into serving dish and decorate, if desired.
• Chill.