The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook (39 page)
Read The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook Online
Authors: Jinx Morgan
Sauté the slivered almonds in butter, then sprinkle them with sugar. Top each champagne glass with some of the sugared nuts, and serve.
Â
Makes 10 servings
Â
C
olumbus included limes among the fruits he brought to the West Indies on his second voyage, in 1493, and they quickly established themselves in the warm, moist Caribbean climate. When Spanish settlers made their way to Florida, they took lime seeds with them. The trees flourished in the Florida Keys, and their fruit eventually became known as Key limes.
The Key lime is about the size of a golf ball, and its skin is usually more yellow than green. Its pungent, fresh flavor is found throughout the Caribbean. Limes are, of course, essential to rum punch and other island libations. The juice of this versatile fruit also is used as a meat tenderizer and marinade, as an astringent for the skin, and as a mosquito repellent.
Although Key limes are not readily available in markets outside the areas in which they are grown, other varieties can stand in very well. Just be sure to select fruits that are heavy for their size so they will be nice and juicy.
Although Key limes have a unique flavor, this tart, cold, and creamy dessert is just fine made with the more common Tahitian or Persian limes.
Â
| ¾ | cup fresh lime juice (preferably from Key limes) |
| 1 | envelope unflavored gelatin |
| 4 | large eggs, separated |
| ¾ | cup sugar |
| 1 | cup chilled heavy cream |
| Whipped cream |
| Toasted shredded or flaked coconut (see [>] ) |
Put ¼ cup of the lime juice into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over. Set the mixture aside, and let the gelatin soften for 10 minutes.
Whisk the yolks in a heavy saucepan until they are smooth. Whisk in the remaining lime juice, then ½ cup of the sugar. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the gelatin, and stir until it dissolves. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Let it cool to lukewarm.
Beat the cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining ½ cup sugar, and continue beating until the cream is stiff. In another bowl, beat theegg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the whites into the cream. Gently fold the cream mixture into the lime mixture. Divide the mousse among six or more champagne or dessert glasses, and chill the mousse until it is firm.
Garnish each glass with a drift of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut, and serve.
Â
Makes 6 servings
Â
This tangy mousse is a welcome finale to a rich meal. We like to serve it with a selection of crisp cookies.
Â
| 4 | eggs, separated |
| 1½ | cups sugar |
| 1 | package unfavored gelatin |
| 1¼ | cup cold water |
| 1 | teaspoon cornstarch |
| Grated zest and strained juice of 3 lemons | |
| ¼ | cup Grand Marnier liqueur |
| 1½ | cups heavy cream |
| 3 | tablespoons confectioners' sugar |
| Toasted shredded coconut (see [>] ) |
Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is thick and lemon-colored. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water, and let the gelatin soften for 10 minutes.
In another bowl, combine the cornstarch with one-third of the lemon juice, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the remaining juice, the lemon zest, and the softened gelatin. Mix well, then stir this mixture into the egg-yolk mixture. Pour the ingredients into the top of a double boiler, and cook them over simmering water, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the Grand Marnier, and cook 1 minute longer. Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat, let the mixture cool, then chill it.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry. Whip the cream, and beat in the confectioners' sugar and remaining Grand Marnier. Fold the flavored whipped cream into the egg whites, and then carefully fold the chilled egg-lemon mixture into the whipped cream and egg-white mixture.
Spoon the mousse into glass dishes, and chill it 2 to 3 hours. Top the mousse with sprinkles of toasted shredded coconut, and serve.
Â
Makes 6 servings
Â
I
t's called the Isle of Spice because Grenada, with only 130 square miles of land, grows and exports almost half the world's nutmeg and mace, as well as cinnamon, saffron, cloves, and allspice. Grenadians say the very air is perfumed.
It was not always so.
After a lot of feuding with the French, who occupied the island repeatedly, the British finally got permanent possession of Grenada just before the start of the nineteenth century. In 1843, an English sea captain on his way home from Indonesia left behind a few small nutmeg trees, and a thriving industry was born. The spices now appear in dishes on virtually every Caribbean island.
Nutmeg is the pit of a fruit about the size of an apricot. It is described as the pig of Grenada because every part of the fruit is used. The flesh is made into jams and jellies; the crimson webbing around the seed is the spice mace; and the nutmegâwell, there is a joke in Grenada that the military invasion in the fall of 1983 was carried out to make sure there would be enough nutmeg around for eggnogs at Christmas.
Now that the kiwifruit is available in produce sections almost every-where, we can enjoy the refreshing flavor and pretty pale green color of this I exotic fruit done up in an elegant I mousse.
Â
| 3 | eggs |
| ¾ | cup sugar |
| 6 | tablespoons Curaçao or Grand Marnier liqueur |
| 2 | cups heavy cream |
| 3 | drops vanilla extract |
| 3 | kiwifruit, peeled and chopped |
| 1 | kiwifruit, peeled and sliced |
In the top of a double boiler, combine the eggs, ½ cup of the sugar, and 4 tablespoons of the liqueur. Whisk the mixture over simmering water until it is thick. Remove the top of the double boiler from over the water, and continue whisking until the mixture has cooled, 3 to 5 minutes. Chill it in the refrigerator.
In a medium bowl, whip the cream until it is thickened. Beat in the remaining sugar and the vanilla, and continue beating until the cream is stiff. Gently fold in the chopped kiwi and the remaining liqueur, and swirl the egg mixture into the cream. Spoon the mousse into wine glasses or tall parfaitglasses. Top each with a slice of kiwi, and refrigerate the glasses until you are ready to serve.
Â
Makes 6 servings
Â
This simple, foolproof recipe makes light work of almost everyone's favorite dessert.
Â
| 8 | ounces semisweet chocolate chips |
| 1 | cup heavy cream |
| 1 | tablespoon instant espresso or instant regular coffee |
| 3 | egg yolks |
| 1 | tablespoon Kahlúa or Tia Maria |
| 1 | teaspoon brandy |
| ½ | cup heavy cream |
| 1 | teaspoon sugar |
| ½ | teaspoon vanilla extract |
Put the chocolate chips into a food processor. Heat the cream and instant coffee until the mixture is very hot, but do not allow it to boil. Pour it into the food processor. Blend for about 1 minute, or until the chocolate is melted.
With the machine running, add the egg yolks one at a time, then the liqueur and brandy. Turn the mixture out into a bowl, and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until the cream is stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled mousse.
Spoon the mousse into champagne or wine glasses, and refrigerate them until the mousse is firm.
Serve the mousse with a little whipped cream on top.
Â
Makes 6 servings
Its gossamer texture and subtle coconut flavor make this a favorite dessert.
Â
| 1¼ | cups vanilla wafer crumbs |
| ¼ | cup grated or shredded coconut |
| â
| cup butter, melted |
| 3 | tablespoons sugar |
| 1 | cup grated or shredded coconut |
| 1 | tablespoon unfavored gelatin |
| ¼ | cup brandy, warmed |
| 4 | eggs |
| ½ | cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar |
| 1½ | cups heavy cream |
| 3 | tablespoons sugar |
| ½ | cup apricot jam |
Preheat the oven to 300°. Spread the coconut in a pie pan, and toast it, stirring it occasionally, for about 6 to 8 minutes. Let it cool.
Heat the oven to 350°. Combine all the crust ingredients, and pat them on the bottom and side of a buttered 9-inch tart pan. Bake the crust for about 8 minutes, or until the top is very lightly browned. Set the baked crust aside to cool.
In a small bowl, soften the gelatin in the brandy. Place the bowl over hot water, and let it sit until the gelatin becomes liquid, about 10 minutes. Beat the eggs with the ½ cup sugar until the mixture is very thick and pale yellow. Beat in the gelatin mixture. In another bowl, beat the cream with the 3 tablespoons sugar until the cream is stiff. Fold the cream and VS cup of the toasted coconut into the egg mixture.
Spread the apricot jam in the bottom of the prepared crust. Mound the filling in the tart shell, and sprinkle the remaining toasted coconut on top. Chill the tart until it is firm.
Â
Makes 1 9-inch tart
A chocolate filling in a chocolate crust is like catnip for most dessert lovers. This tart is especially nice for picnics, as it holds up well when transported.
Â
| 1¾ | cups flour |
| â
| cup unsweetened cocoa |
| â
| teaspoon salt |
| ¼ | cup sugar |
| ¾ | cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits |
| â
to ½ | cup cold strong coffee |
| 12 | ounces semisweet chocolate, melted |
| â
| cup sugar |
| 2 | tablespoons melted butter |
| 2 | tablespoons milk |
| 2 | teaspoons Tia Maria 2 eggs, beaten |
| ½ | cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted 8 to 10 minutes in a 350° oven |
| Â | Â |
| Powdered sugar |
For the crust, put the flour, cocoa, salt, and sugar into a food processor, and blend them by turning the machine on and off three or four times. Distribute the chilled butter pieces over theflour in the processor. Turn the machine on and off several times, until the mixture looks like small crumbs. Add the coffee, and turn the machine on briefly until the contents are well mixed. Using your fingers, press the dough onto the bottom and side of a 9-inch tart pan. Chill the crust for 15 minutes.