Win Hearts With Sweet Cranberry Treats This Valentine's Day
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Culture - Food Beverage Press Release2nd February 2010, 01:23pm - Views: 959
 Win hearts with sweet cranberry treats this Valentine’s Day They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but women are also partial to sensory seduction from the kitchen of their heart’s desire. Nothing else shows quite how special your loved one is than cooking up a storm of home-made sweet treats and ensuring the most romantic day of the year really is a feast of love! These cranberry-inspired recipes are perfect for an indulgent breakfast, packing into your loved ones lunchbox for a delicious morning tea surprise or serving up a decadent dessert to share over a glass of champagne. Cranberries are jam packed with antioxidants so they are a great healthy option to indulge in on Valentine’s Day. Check out www.cranberries.com.au for more delicious recipe ideas and information on cranberries’ health benefits. Vanilla cranberry waffles Ingredients: 250g Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla extract 250g Flour 250g Mascarpone or fromage frais 6 Eggs 250g Butter at room temperature 100g Dried cranberries Method Mix the sugar, vanilla sugar and flour. Add mascarpone, eggs and butter and mix it with a hand mixer to a smooth dough. Add cranberries and fold them in with a spoon. Preheat a waffle iron. Pour the dough with a scoop into the rear part of the waffle iron, close the cap and bake for a couple of minutes. Serve the waffles with whipped cream and sprinkled with icing sugar. Makes 16 waffles. Tip: The waffles are most delicious as long as they are hot. But you can pre-bake them as well and heat them just before serving in the oven at a temperature of 200ºC. Vanilla Heart-Shaped Meringues filled with Cranberries Vanilla Meringues 4 Egg whites Pinch Salt 1 ½ cups Caster sugar ½ tsp Vanilla essence Icing sugar for dusting Cranberry Filling 2 cups Fresh or frozen cranberries 1/3 cup Caster sugar 1 Orange, grated rind and juice 2 Tbsp Grand Marnier 300ml Cream, whipped ½ tsp Vanilla essence Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Line 2 heavy baking trays with baking paper and draw 6 small heart shapes on each tray (12 in total). Whip egg whites with salt until stiff but not dry. Add the caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until mixture is glossy before adding the next tablespoon of sugar. Continue beating until mixture is very thick and glossy. Stir through vanilla essence. Using a spoon or piping bag to shape meringue mixture into heart shapes on prepared trays. Place tray in preheated oven, reduce heat to 160deg C and bake for 1-1 ¼ hour or until firm and dry. Cool. Store in an air-tight container until ready to use. Filling: Place cranberries, caster sugar, orange rind and juice in a small saucepan. Heat gently until sugar dissolves and berries just start to release some colour. Add Grand Marnier and cool. To Assemble: Whip cream with vanilla until firm. Place a heart-shaped meringue onto each serving plate, top with whipped cream and spoon over a tablespoon of the berries. Top each with a second meringue heart. Dust with icing sugar and drizzle a little of the juice around the edge of the plate. Makes 6 hearts. Dark chocolate mousse with cranberries & lime 300g Good quality chocolate (should contain 60-70% cocoa solids) 2 Eggs 500ml Double cream 50ml Dark rum 4 Tbsp Dried cranberries, chopped Zest & juice 2 limes Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, being careful not to overheat. Whisk the eggs in a bowl for a few minutes until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the cream. In a separate bowl, quickly whisk the chocolate into the eggs, and add the rum, lime juice, zest & chopped cranberries. Stir to combine and then fold in the cream. Pour into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator. Refrigerate until set and serve. Cranberry Cup Cakes Ingredients: 1¼ cup Frozen cranberries 2 Tbsp Caster sugar 2 Tbsp Lemon juice 1 Tbsp Water 125g Butter ¾ cup Caster sugar 2 Eggs, beaten 2 cup SR flour, sifted ½ cup Milk pinch Salt Icing 1 ½ cup Icing sugar, sifted 2 Tbsp Butter Method Place cranberries, caster sugar, lemon juice and water in a small saucepan. Cook for about 5 minutes over a moderate heat until berries ‘burst’ and are softened. Crush berries using the back of a spoon until a thick puree. Cool. Remove 2 tablespoons and push through a sieve. Set aside for icing. Preheat oven to 180ºC and line a large muffin tray or two small muffin trays with patty cases. Cream butter and caster sugar until pale. Add beaten eggs and cooled cranberry mixture. Stir in sifted flour, salt and milk. Spoon mixtures into paper cases and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden (12-15 minutes if using smaller muffin size). Cool on a wire rack. Icing Place butter and reserved strained cranberry puree in a bowl. Beat in icing sugar gradually until thick and smooth. Use to decorate cup cakes. Makes 10 large or 20 small cupcakes. *Note to the editors: All cranberry products listed above can be found in all major supermarkets around Australia. For further information, images or requests please contact: Chloe Davis USA Cranberries Down Under 02 9286 1263 cranberriesaus@hillandknowlton.com.au Health Benefits of Cranberries Cranberries contain bacteria-blocking compounds that are believed to be helpful in preventing urinary tract infections, and recent research suggests this same function may be useful in blocking the bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers and certain oral bacteria that can lead to gum disease. *USA Cranberries Down Under is sponsored by the U.S. Cranberry Industry – growers of 80% of the world’s best loved fruit. |
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