Category Archives: Dessert

Winterfell Shortbread with Honey Caramel

Oh. My. Goodness.

Do you need a pick-me-up? Because if so, you’re in luck.

I imagine these incredible treats might be a seasonal delicacy at Winterfell, perhaps made to celebrate the opening of the Winter Town. The caramel might even be tweaked to include freshly pressed cider from that year’s harvest, or a pinch of spices after a year of successful trading.

The shortbread is soft and buttery, the caramel a bit firmer, but both melt in the mouth. The honey flavor in particular comes through strongly, and as it’s one of my favorite things in the whole world, that makes me very happy. A dash of sea salt on top balances the sweetness, so overall, it’s one of my favorite things I’ve made in quite a while. Yum!

Recipe for Honey Caramel Shortbread

Ingredients for shortbread:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup ground almond meal
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups flour

Ingredients for Caramel:

  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbs. butter
  • pinch of coarse salt, for top

Begin by making the shortbread: Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add in the almond meal and salt. Begin adding in the flour until you have a good mix that holds together and is just shy of too crumbly.

Pat out on a baking sheet in a roughly rectangular shape no thicker than 1/2 inch; don’t worry if the edges look messy. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the shortbread is beginning to turn slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven, and while it’s still hot, make several cuts with a large knife to divide the shortbread into squares. Taste some of the trimmings to make sure they’re good. Allow to cool completely while you make the caramel topping.

Combine honey, sugar, and cream in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir occasionally while it cooks. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches soft ball stage, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Let sit, stirring occasionally, for several minutes, until the caramel starts to cool and thicken a bit. Using a large spoon, drizzle the caramel on top of the shortbread squares in whatever pattern you like. Personally, the more caramel, the better, but you can also zigzag drizzle it across.

There should be plenty of caramel for the amount of shortbread.

Eat the rest with a spoon. No regrets.

 

Elder Scrolls – Sweetrolls

You know, I used to like Sweetrolls, but then I took an arrow to the leg, and couldn’t bake them anymore…

SURPRISE!

I’ve had this recipe kicking around behind the scenes for a little while, and suddenly, it just felt like the right time to share it. Maybe it’s because there’s a Monday looming in the not-too-distant future. Maybe it’s because there’s still snow in the forecast, and I just can handle it.

Or maybe it’s because these are just too good to not share.

These iconic little sweetrolls have become a staple within the world of Tamriel, and with good reason. They’re light, fluffy, and just dripping with that thick icing. The recipe might make four, but that doesn’t mean four servings by any stretch. Personally, I eat two, minimum. Non-negotiable.

So give these beauties a whirl, and let me know what you think. Also, check out my other Elder Scrolls recipes while you’re visiting The Inn, and stop by again soon. I’m always adding more.

 

Elder Scrolls Sweetrolls Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes       Rising: 30 minutes       Baking:15 minutes

Makes: 4 good sized rolls

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup warm milk
  • 2 Tbs. honey
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp. dry active yeast
  • 3 Tbs. butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ½ cups flour

For the Frosting:

  • 2 Tbs. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 Tbs. heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine the warm milk and honey, stirring until the honey has dissolved. Add the salt and yeast, followed by the remaining ingredients. Mixing completely until you have a smooth batter. Spoon evenly into a 5” miniature bundt pan. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, then bake for 15 minutes.

While the rolls bake, make up the frosting by creaming together the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. Gradually add just enough heavy cream to get a smooth, thick icing that barely runs off a spoon.

When the rolls are finished baking, allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then tip out onto a cooling rack. When they are completely cooled, spoon the icing over the tops of the buns, letting it run down the sides a little.

Elder Scrolls – Honey Pudding

Thoughts:

I’ll admit it: I’m a honey addict. Seriously, I buy the stuff in bulk because those squeezy bottles just don’t last long enough in this house. I even have bees out back, and hopefully this summer will get to sample some of my very own honey, made from the flowers around our gardens.

I. Can’t. Wait.

So naturally when I saw this dish in the Elder Scrolls lineup, I jumped at the chance to make it. I mean, who doesn’t love pudding? And a HONEY pudding, to boot? Sign me up!

This dish, like so many Elder Scrolls recipes, didn’t disappoint. It’s thick and richly flavored, with all the nommy goodness of pure honey, but without being overpowering. It’s a great summertime picnic contribution, and reminds me of warm, sunny days spent out in the garden. The dark earth, gently bobbing flowers, and the steady hum of bees industriously working.

I’ll admit quite readily that although I shared this with family, I personally ate two out of the four servings, and felt no regret. It’s delish.

Be sure to check out my other Elder Scrolls recipes as well, and enjoy!

Honey Pudding Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes      Cooking: 10 minutes       Chilling: 1 hour

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 whole vanilla bean, or 1 tsp. extract
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
  • 3 Tbs. cornstarch
  • 3 egg yolks
  • pinch salt

Pour the milk into a medium pot over medium heat. Split the vanilla bean down the middle with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the pod to the pot of milk, and bring to just under a boil. Add the sugar and honey, and stir for a few minutes to allow the vanilla to steep into the milk. Fish out the pod, scrape any remaining seeds from it, and discard.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, cornstarch, egg yolks, and salt. While still whisking, pour a little of the hot milk into the bowl to temper the mixture, then pour everything back into the pot. Cook for around 5 minutes more, stirring all the while, until the mixture has thickened noticeably. Remove from heat, strain into a clean bowl, and cover with plastic. Chill for at least an hour to help the pudding set.

 

Panforte

Bartolomeo Scappi strikes again!

I recently queried you all on Facebook about your favorite traditional holiday cookies and sweets. One of the most intriguing of those suggestions was for “Panforte”, an Italian confection that struck me as super medieval in origin. And for the first time in a long while, I summoned the oomph to do a modern and historical recipe comparison. I didn’t find an exact corollary, but I found a recipe in Scappi that looked to have similar ingredients, and tried that.

While the list of ingredients is similar, the two dishes are quite different. The panforte, which I’ll admit I’ve never had before, is really dense, packed with all sorts of nuts and preserved fruits. It’s an ideal superfood for long travel, as it stays pretty much the same after baking.

The historical recipe? ZOMG. It’s like a proto-mince pie in flavor, with more texture than the usual smooth consistency added by the almonds. My husband is a consummate Anglophile, and he thinks he likes it even better than mince. When warm, the filling is gooey, slowly oozing out of the crust, and it might just be my new favorite winter recipe…

Where in Westeros?

I could definitely see this being made in King’s Landing, and exported to different regions of Westeros, as the various ingredients would be easier to come by in the big trading hub city. It would likely be a special dish, perhaps connected to a holiday from the Faith of the Seven.

The recipe likely originally came from across the Narrow Sea, and traveled with traders. I expect it’s a new dish in King’s Landing, but one that will take the city by storm.

Cinnamon Tourte Recipe, 1577

“To prepare a cinnamon tourte, or some other sort. Get a pound of milanese almonds and grind them with a pound of sugar, two ounces of Neapolitan mostaccioli, three ounces of pinenut paste, one ounce of cinnamon, four ounces of clarified honey, two ounces of dried peaches that have steeped, and two ounces of candied orange peel. When everything has been ground up in a mortar, add in a beaker of rosewater to make the mixture thinner. Then have a tourte pan ready, lined with a rather thick sheet of dough make of fine flour, salt, oil, pinenut milk and sugar; put the filling into it. That tourte should not be too deep. Cover it over with another sheet of dough worked in any of a variety of ways. Bake it with a low heat, giving it a glazing of sugar and rosewater. Serve it hot or cold as you like. In the same way you can make a marzipaned tourte made of ground almonds, sugar and rosewater; or else marzipan paste. You can also make a tourte that same way with various candied fruits mixed with the marzipan paste and pinenut paste ground up with them. And for a tourte that you want to have a slightly roasted flavor, put in orange juice or verjuice.” -The Opera of Bartolomeo Scappi, 1577

Ingredients for dough:

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4-1/2 cup almond milk

Ingredients for filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups sliced or slivered almonds
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cookie crumbs
  • 1 Tbs. cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup dried peaches, or apricots, diced
  • 1/4 cup candied orange peel, diced
  • 1/2 cup warmed honey
  • dash each rosewater and orange juice

Begin by making the dough – combine the flour and sugar, then work in the olive oil, followed by as much almond milk as it takes to bring the mixture together into a cohesive, workable dough. Form into two discs, then wrap in plastic and set aside.

To make the filling, combine the almonds, sugar, cookie crumbs, and cinnamon in a food processor. Blitz everything until you have a nice even mixture of coarse nuts and sugar. Add in the diced fruit, then stir in the warmed honey. Add a dash each of rosewater and orange juice.

Preheat the oven to 325F. Roll out half of the dough and lay in a pie pan. Scoop the filling into the pan, then roll out the other half of dough and lay over top. Trim off any excess, then crimp the edges closed. Bake for around 45 minutes, or until the dough seems cooked through. Allow to cool somewhat before slicing, as the filling is is quite runny when hot.

Image result for scappi pans

Modern Panforte Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Butter for greasing the pan
  • 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. each ground ginger and coriander
  • 1/4 tsp. each ground mace and cloves
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1/2 cup each toasted hazelnuts and walnuts
  • 1/2 cup each dried apricots, dried figs, golden raisins, dark raisins
  • 3/4 cup dried cherries
  • 1/4 cup candied orange peel
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup white wine (brandy?)
  • Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 300F, then butter a round 8″ pan (springform will make this the easiest) and line the bottom with a disc of parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper as well, and set aside.

Roughly chop all the nuts and move them to a large bowl. Add in the dry ingredients and toss until evenly mixed. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, water, and wine over medium heat, stirring until dissolved. Add the dried fruit and allow to cook for around 10 minutes, until the fruit has absorbed some of the liquid. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir vigorously, until the entire batter is mixed evenly.

Carefully pour the mix into the prepared pan, pressing down to make sure there are no gaps. Bake for about an hour, until the panforte is browned and a little puffy.

Either serve warm, or allow to sit for a few days for the flavors to develop. Cut into thin slices, and serve with tea or coffee. It should keep, wrapped, in a cool area for up to a month. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

 

Nutmeg Logs

Nutmeg Logs, a holiday cookie

When life gives you a snow day, I suggest making cookies to share the luck and happiness.

I had never heard of Nutmeg Logs before I queried everyone about their favorite holiday treats. But when several of you listed them as your fave cookies, I knew I had to learn more. One look at them online, and I was hooked. One taste, and they’re a new staple in my own holiday rotation.

They might not look like much, but these cookies are little powerhouses of flavor. Between the hefty dose of nutmeg and the rum-buttercream frosting, they’re great little festive treats for at home or taking to neighbors. Of course, in the lifelong tradition of me messing with tried and true recipes, I added little branch nubs to my logs to make them more tree-like. Couldn’t help myself, but I think they’re actually pretty cute this way.

While I don’t see these as a Westerosi dish, that’s no reason to not make them. Have a plan for the finished cookies, though, or you might regret eating them all yourself…

Nutmeg Log Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 sticks butter
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 2 1/2 cups  flour

Frosting:

  • 3 Tbs. butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • dash of rum
  • 4-6 tsp. milk or cream
  • extra nutmeg for topping

Start by making the dough: cream together the sugar and butter, then add in the vanilla, egg, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add in the flour until you have a dough that is no longer super sticky; I had to switch from spoon to mixing by hand before it all came together, but that should give you a good guideline for when it’s good to go. Form into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least an hour.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide your chilled dough in half, and put the remaining half back in the fridge while you make the first round of cookies. Roll the dough out into a long log no more than an inch thick. Cut into pieces about 3-4″ long, and set on the baking sheet. If you’d like to add those little branch nubs, roll out some of the dough smaller than the rest, and cut into short pieces with one angled end. Press the angled side onto the larger log dough, smoothing with your finger or a small spoon to help fuse the pieces together. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look too fancy, as the frosting will cover all that.

When  your baking sheet is full, bake the cookies for 12 minutes. When done, remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat this with the other half of the dough.

While the cookies are baking, you can make your frosting. Using a hand mixer or your own brute strength, cream together the butter, vanilla, rum, and some of the powdered sugar. Gradually add the rest of the sugar, followed by just enough of the milk, a dash at a time, to make a smooth, spreadable frosting. Give it a taste to make sure you like the balance of rum. Taste it again to make sure. Right.

When the cookies are completely cooled, cover them with frosting. A spoon will work for this, but I found that spreading it with a finger worked best for me and gave me the most control. When the frosting is just starting to set, score it with a small fork to give the appearance of tree bark. Sprinkle with a bit more nutmeg, and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Baking!

One of the best things about this time of year is the nearly constant stream of delicious goodies that turn up at work functions, or are dropped off by kindly neighbors and family. Baking at home fills the house with familiar smells of special spices, and let’s be honest: having the oven on to warm up the kitchen doesn’t hurt any!

Dessert is pretty much my favorite part of a meal (unless there’s cheese involved. or risotto…), and in a way is responsible for this whole blogging adventure, since the first recipe we posted way back in 2011 was for the first version of lemoncakes.

Since we are still limited by physical distance, we can’t have a big holiday bakeoff together (OR COULD WE?!?), but in the spirit of the season, here are some of my favorite recipes from the blog that have a little holiday flair. Most are great for delivering as little gifts to neighbors or bringing to a holiday party. I’m hoping to make up little plates and deliver them to neighbors.

I’d love to know what your families make every holiday season, SO as a bonus, if you comment below with your favorite holiday treat, I’ll put your name in a drawing for a set of Game of Thrones wax seal coasters (like these). The drawing will take place next Wednesday, Dec. 14th, at noon est.

Update: And the winner is Elizabeth F, who recommended some tasty sounding St. Nicholas cookies she encountered in Prague. Congrats!

Image result for game of thrones wax seal coasters

In the meantime, try some of these tasty recipes:

And Happy Holiday Baking!

Winterfell Roasted Chestnuts in Brandy

candied chestnuts

Thoughts:

Chestnuts are a seasonal treasure in the autumn and winter, and if you’ve never tried them, you’re definitely missing out. While they might look like strange little alien foods once they’re peeled, the flavor and novelty of them makes all the effort worth it.

The chestnut harvests in the past couple of years have been dodgy, so I was delighted to find a beautiful batch in the store just before Thanksgiving. The cashier gave me a knowing smile in the checkout line, indicating that she, too, loved these tasty little morsels.

The chestnuts are soft and tender when roasted just long enough, and while naturally sweet on their own, the simple syrup takes them up to the next level of delectable. A dash of spice and brandy gives them an extra holiday flavor boost, and the end result is something so tasty and snackable that I scarcely got a picture before they were all gone. Plus, that extra pizzazz of fiery brandy makes for an impressive preparation!

Where in Westeros?

While I could see plain roasted chestnuts being a favorite winter street food in the cities of Westeros, this strikes me as a very northern recipe. Can’t you just imagine the steaming pans of these gems being enjoyed in the Winter Town outside the walls of Winterfell? Or see the young Stark kids sneaking a few out of the kitchen while indulgent cooks pretend not to notice?

Roasted Brandy Chestnuts Recipe

Pairs well with: ice cream, brandy or mead,

Roasting: 30 minutes       Prep: 15 minutes      Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. chestnuts (roughly 35 or so)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tbs. honey
  • 1 cup brandy
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Carve an X into the flat side of each chestnut with a sharp knife, then boil for 30 seconds. Drain and move to an oven-safe pan. Roast in oven at 425F for about 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool until handleable, then peel.

Move the peeled chestnuts to a frying pan, sprinkle with the sugar and honey, then add brandy and warm over medium heat. Using a long match or lighter, light the brandy. Shake the pan slightly, keeping on the heat, until the brandy burns out. Add the cinnamon, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally to coat the chestnuts, until the mixture thickens somewhat into a syrup. Serve warm.

 

“Colonial” Thanksgiving, 2016

 

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So as you may have seen in previous years (2014, 2015), our family has started doing a “colonial” Thanksgiving celebration. I use the quotes because it’s far from strictly colonial in terms of preparation and authentic recipes, but we do try to keep things mostly historical, and then we use only candles and oil lamps once it gets dark. I also have grand ambitions to grow everything we eat. Maybe if I really get the vegetable garden sorted out next year! In the meantime, we’ll settle for locally grown.

This year, my mother is gung ho to make a stew outside over a cookfire, which I think will really take the whole thing to the next wacky level. Our house was built in 1795, but due to some remodels and a fire, doesn’t have that classic brick kitchen oven setup, or you could bet your breeches I’d be using that.

The biggest change this year is that we won’t have a turkey. I made many, many tasty turkeys during the WoW Cookbook process, so it turns out that nobody in the family is quite ready to eat any more just yet. I think there’s still some in the freezer, waiting to be made into soup. But that’s actually pretty traditional. Just take for example this account from 1748 New Hampshire:

“Our bay is full of lobsters all the summer and affordeth variety of other fish; in September we can take a hogshead of eels in a night, with small labor, and can dig them out of their beds all the winter. We have mussels … at our doors. Oysters we have none near, but we can have them brought by the Indians when we will; all the spring-time the earth sendeth forth naturally very good sallet herbs. Here are grapes, white and red, and very sweet and strong also. Strawberries, gooseberries, raspas, etc. Plums of tree sorts, with black and red, being almost as good as a damson; abundance of roses, white, red, and damask; single, but very sweet indeed… These things I thought good to let you understand, being the truth of things as near as I could experimentally take knowledge of, and that you might on our behalf give God thanks who hath dealt so favorably with us.” -William Haywood’s journal, Charlestown, NH

Or this account, from 1779 Connecticut:

“Of course we could have no roast beef. None of us have tasted beef this three years back as it all must go to the army, & too little they get, poor fellows. But, Nayquittymaw’s hunters were able to get us a fine red deer, so that we had a good haunch of venison on each table. These were balanced by huge chines of roast pork at the other ends of the tables. Then there was on one a big roast turkey & on the other a goose, & two big pigeon pasties. Then there was an abundance of good vegetables of all the old sorts & one that I do not believe you have yet seen. Uncle Simeon had imported the seed from England just before the war began & only this year was there enough for table use. It is called sellery & you eat it without cooking. It is very good and served with meats. Next year Uncle Simeon says he will be able to raise enough to give us all some. It has to be taken up, roots & all & buried in earth in the cellar through the winter & only pulling up some when you want it to use. Our mince pies were good, although we had to use dried cherries as I told you, & the meat was shoulder of venison instead of beef. The pumpkin pies, apple tarts & big Indian puddings lacked for nothing save appetite by the time we had got around to them.”

I don’t know about you, but those descriptions definitely set my mouth watering!

Here’s the current plan, which always changes at the last minute. I’ll hopefully be posting any new recipes that turn out well:

Flair

  • Hand washing water – (also makes the house smell nice)
  • Beeswax and bayberry candles
  • Pewter, linen, antler, and assorted other period dishware

Appetizers

Main

  • Venison Stew – traditional, 1749
  • Cod in Coals – traditional

Sides

  • Cranberry Chutney – 1767, with some tweaks
  • Blueberry Chutney – ad lib, homegrown
  • Roasted Squash with homemade maple syrup
  • Cabbage, onions, and bacon

Dessert

Drinks

 Sources used:

  • The First American Cookbook, Amelia Simmons, 1796
  • The Compleat Housewife: or, Accomplished Gentlewoman’s Companion by E. Smith, 1754
  • Vinetum Britannicum, J. Worlidge, 1691
  • Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management, Mrs. Beeton, 1861
  • The Way to a Man’s Heart, various authors, pre-1891
  • Dr. Chase’s Receipt Book, Dr. Chase, 1887
  • Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery, Karen Hess, 1749

The Verdict?

As my mother put it, “Why would anyone settle for turkey when they could do this?!” We had an absolute blast, and the extra smoky flavors from cooking over the fire put everything right over the top. From shaking up cream to make our own butter, to toting that giant cod to and from the firepit, it was a holiday to remember. My mother prepped the cod by wrapping it in cabbage leaves and clay (8 lb turned out to be a lot of fish), and baked some bread in her woodstove. The star of the day, the venison stew, was rich and hearty, with chunks of meat, sausage, and root vegetables swimming in a flavorful broth. The handwashing water was a big hit, and while the lemon pie didn’t quite set right, it was tasty enough to perfect- more on that later. We concluded the evening, as always, with dramatic readings in the livingroom, by candlelight.

The thing I love most, perhaps, about approaching a holiday like this is that it takes away so much of the pressure that can do in what should be a festive time. Nobody was worried about the turkey prep, or whether their cranberry sauce would hold up to Aunt Mabel’s scrutiny. Instead, it’s about the adventure of the cooking, and having fun together. And because we try to make the dinner with all local or homegrown ingredients, it gives us a proper appreciation for the effort that goes into growing and preparing the food. Looking back in time, it’s easy to marvel at the amount of hard work that went into keeping a family alive and fed. Here’s to all the hunters and housewives that have gotten us to where we are today!

And speaking of that, I’m thankful for the years you all have spent here at The Inn with me, and I hope you’ll join me for many more to come!

Gooseberry Hops

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I first saw this idea over on Ivan Day’s site, Historic Food, and knew that I had to try it at some point. But that was actually several years ago, when I didn’t even know where to buy gooseberries in New England, let alone expect to have any of my own.

But when I found myself in my own house, with heaps of fertile dirt outside (the place used to be a giant sheep farm), I went in search of a few currant and gooseberry bushes of my own. In the process, I discovered that they are scarce in the states in part because of what I’ve nicknamed the War on Fruit. It turns out that the genus ribes, of which gooseberries and currants are members, can also be a carrier for a disease that harms pine trees.

But surely, I thought, New Hampshire will sell me some of these plants- they live free or die! Nope. They’re banned in the entire state! But trusty old Vermont came through for me, and you’d better believe I planted one of each- red currant, black currant, and gooseberry. This was the first year they produced anything in quantity, so I get to actually play with the fruits, and see what cool old recipes I can dredge up. They’re all classic fruits, noted throughout the medieval period, and especially in colonial American cooking. So that’s where I’m headed for the gooseberries!

This is a recipe from 1792, which means it’ll be a perfect contender for colonial Thanksgiving this year. The idea is to string together several sliced gooseberries so that they look like candied hops flowers. It’s so quirky. I love it.

I followed the instructions (below) pretty much exactly. I’m also lucky enough to have inherited some massive concord grapevines, so the leaves for blanching were no problem. And I’ve got to say, I’m utterly charmed by how they turned out. They look just like little juicy hops! I could easily see them being a simple subtlety down in the Reach, where they love all things green and growing, but I could also see them being a treat up North, where they would be preserved to liven up some cold blustery day.

That’s what I’ve done with mine- they’re in a jar of the sugar syrup in the fridge, topped off with a little brandy, until I can pour a bit of beeswax in there to seal them up until Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to seeing how they are then!

Recipe for Gooseberries in Imitation of Hops

TAKE the largest green walnut gooseberries you can get and cut them at the stalk end into four quarters. Leave them whole at the blossom end, take out all the seeds, and put five or six one in another. Take a needleful of strong thread with a large knot at the end; run the needle through the bunch of gooseberries, tie a knot to fasten them together, and they will resemble hops. Put cold spring water into your pan, with a large handful of vine leaves at the bottom; then three or four layers of gooseberries, with plenty of vine leaves between every layer, and over the top of your pan. Cover it no that no steam can get out, and set them on a slow fire. Take them off as soon as they are scalding hot, and let them stand till they are cold. Then set them on again till they are of a good green, then take them off, and let them stand till they are quite cold. Put them into a sieve to drain, and make a thin syrup thus: To every pint of water put in a pound of common loaf-sugar, and boil it and skim it well. When it is about half cold, put in your gooseberries, let them stand till the next day, give them one boil a-day for three days. Then make a syrup thus: To every pint of water put in a pound of fine sugar, a slice of ginger, and a lemon-peel cut lengthways very fine. Boil and skim it well, give your gooseberries a boil in it, and when they are cold, put them into glasses or pots, lay brandy-paper over them, and tie them up close. –The Housekeeper’s Instructor,1792

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 cups fresh gooseberries
  • several fresh grape leaves
  • 1 lb. sugar to every pint water
  • a slice of fresh ginger
  • a little lemon peel
  • a large needle and some thick cotton or linen string

Cook’s Note: The original directions are pretty great, and I followed them fairly closely until near the end; my gooseberries were ripe when I started, and I worried that the continuous boiling in sugar syrup would cause them to fall apart. We’ll see if I was wrong to mess with a good thing!

Take your gooseberries and slice them into four segments, starting at the stem end, and leaving the blossom end still attached. Carefully scoop out all the seed and discard them. Tie a large knot in one end of the string, then thread about 6 of the prepared gooseberries onto the string, turning each slightly so the petals are alternately spaced. It helps if you start with a larger gooseberry on the bottom, then slightly decrease the size of each as you go up. Cut the string, leaving several inches at the top, and repeat this until you’ve used up all your gooseberries.

Line a pot with grape leaves, then lay the gooseberry hops on top. Cover with a few more grape leaves, then cover the whole assortment with water. Put the cover on the pan, and bring up to just under a simmer, then remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer the hops to a clean jar, and make up your sugar syrup. Dissolve the sugar in the water in a saucepan over medium heat, along with the ginger to give it a little flavor. When it’s dissolved, pour over the “hops” until the jar is mostly full. You may need to gently push the gooseberries back down. At this point, I topped the jar off with a little brandy, but I also plan to seal it with a little wax on top. It’s in the fridge for now, until I get a spare moment to melt the wax!

Highgarden Apple Roses

Highgarden Apple Roses

Thoughts:

The people have spoken, and the winner of my recent Twitter poll for the next recipe’s region was overwhelmingly Highgarden. I guess we are all in the mood for some green growing things and flowers after winter, huh? :)

These stunning little show-stopping desserts are actually easier to make than you might guess. You may remember seeing them as part of Margaery Tyrell’s ideal meal from last summer, but I’ve never quite stopped thinking about them since. They’re just beautiful as an addition to a feast spread, but they’re also a nice surprise dessert to a simple dinner.

The variations presented simply by the choice of jelly are numerous- personally, I really love a version with apple cider jelly, but consider also a rosehip jam (perfect for Highgarden), or a redcurrant, or even a thin layer of lemoncurd. Try them out, and see what you think!

Highgarden Apple Rose Recipe

Makes: about a dozen, depending on size

Prep: 45 minutes      Baking: 20-25 minutes

Pie dough:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 stick salted butter
  • cold water

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 apples
  • 1 cup water
  • splash of cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • pinch each cinnamon and nutmeg
  • 3 tablespoons jelly
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Start off by making your pie dough so it has time to chill: combine the flour and sugar, then rub in the butter until you have only small pieces remaining. Gradually add in the cold water until you have a dough that comes together. Fold over on itself several times to encourage layering, then wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a standard muffin tin, and/or a mini muffin tin (I like making at least two different sizes for a nice look on the plate).

Combine the water, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

Slice each apple in half down the stem end, the scoop out the core using a sharp knife or the small end of a melon-baller. Slice the apples as thin as you can, then pop them into the prepared pan on the stovetop to keep them from browning. Stir the apple slices as you cook them for around 5-10 minutes, until they are starting to turn translucent but still hold their shape. Strain them out of the pan, and set aside to cool somewhat.

Take the pie dough out of the fridge and roll out half at a time on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4″ thick, and about 10″ wide (you can do shorter strips, or cut long strips in half if using a mini muffin pan). Cut into long strips about 1 1/2″ wide. Spread a very thin layer of jelly on each strip, then begin layering the apple slices on the top half of each strip, as below:

DSC04051

Fold the bottom of the strip up over the top, then gently coil the apples and dough into a cinnamon roll shape, which should give you that lovely rose shape on the top. Move each finished rose to the prepared muffin pan, then continue until all the dough and apples are used up.

Bake for around 25-30 minutes, or until the dough starts to turn golden. These apple roses are best served warm, and are also delicious with a little ice cream or custard sauce on the side.

Apple Rose with custard and redcurrants

Apple Rose with custard and redcurrants