Whiskey Apple Donut

Of course to celebrate National World Whiskey Day you can always drink some whiskey - or you could put in into whipped cream and spoon some on top of a pan fried donut with sautéed apples. We’re going with the latter.

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored & diced small
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 glazed donut, sliced in half
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat non-stick pan- melt 1 tablespoon butter and add apples, cooking just to soften
2. Add sugar to the apples, mix until sugar melts then add pinch of salt and stir in 1 tablespoon whiskey, cook out the alcohol- about a minute, set aside
3. Put cream, sugar and 1 tablespoon whiskey in a mixer or large bowl and beat until soft peaks form- You can DEFINITELY over beat whipping cream, so be careful
4. In a separate non-stick pan- melt a little butter and place the donut cut-side down until  lightly toasted
5. Plate the donut, cooked side up, add some whipped cream and top with apples & finally a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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Butter Tarts

The quintessential Canadian dessert? Yes or no, it’s still crazy delicious… eh.  

Makes approximately 12

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pre-made pie crusts, rolled out to approximately 14 inches in diameter
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup softened Finlandia butter*
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pecan halves
• Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cut pie dough into 3 ½ inch circles, and fit into cups in amuffin pan
3. Put remaining ingredients in a bowl, except pecans and mix very well to combine – then stir in pecans
4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way full and bake approximately 20 minutes
5. Let them cool in the pan about 10 minutes before carefully removing and eating…if you can wait the 10 min

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WATCH HOW EASY THEY ARE TO MAKE...

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*Finlandia Butter can be found at Vons, Albertsons and Safeway. Finlandia Cheeses are also available, in Southern California at Costco and other fine retailers.

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Pound Cake w/Boozy Whipped Cream & Fruit

Makes 1 pound cake

So good, so buttery, so delicious.  And once made, do this trick from my mother. The trick of spreading soft butter on still warm, delicious pound cake.  It might not be right, but if it’s wrong, it’s wrong for all the right reasons. 

1 cup butter, softened, + extra for greasing

2 cups sugar

5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons Chambord (raspberry liqeur)

Fresh fruit for serving

Powder sugar & toasted almonds for serving

• Preheat oven to 325

• In a mixer, beat butter with sugar until smooth

• Add eggs one at a time, 30-45 seconds apart, then add vanilla extract, lemon and zest - mix a couple minutes

• Combine flour, salt & baking soda - mix well then add to the mixing butter about 1/2 cup at a time until just incorporated

• Butter bundt or loaf pan well, and a few tablespoons of flour and move pan around to get flour everywhere, then shake out excess flour - pour in mix

• Bake about an hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean

• While it cooks, beat cream with Chambord until thick

• Let cool and grill slices in a pan, bbq or even broil then top with the whipped cream, fruit and add the powdered sugar and almonds

FRESH BOURBON TRIFLE

This is little trifle is bourbonsentric! The nuts go perferctly with the bourbon. It's dead easy.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 8 strawberries, sliced
• 12 raspberries
• handfull blueberries
• 2 tablespoons salt butter
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup steel cut oats
• pinch Kosher salt
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup bourbon whisky

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat buter in small pan on low heat, add oats and pecans, keep moving, cook 4 mins
2. Whip cream in processor, 10 secons on high, add bourbon and honey, whip 20 seconds, it should be thick and light
3. Get layering: fruit, oat/nut mix, cream, fruit, oat/nut mix, fruit, cream. Eat!

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

(Faux) Ginger Creme Brûlée

Ok, here's the deal. Creme Brûlée is a pain in the ass to make - no doubt about it. My version is not a pain at all. It doesn't exactly replace the real thing - but it's pretty darn close.

Ingredients

• One 3.5 Kraft Vanilla Snack Pack Pudding, well chilled
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Sugar

Directions

1. Mix pudding and ginger well in a small bowl
2. Fill a small ramekin about 2/3 full with pudding and smooth over the top, refrigerate at least 1 hour
3. Remove from fridge, sprinkle about a tablespoon of sugar evenly over the top
4. Using a plumbers torch or small culinary torch, burn the top to a golden brown
5. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes
6. Serve...knowing some of your friends will think you worked your ass off making it

WATCH HOW EASY IT IS TO MAKE... 

Fresh Mango and Lime Ice

Serves 6

The perfect dessert after a big dinner. The recipe calls for rum and you can use whatever you like - but the coconut in Malibu Rum gives it a amazing tropicalness - is that a word?

Ingredients

• 3 mangos, peeled and roughly chopped - save 4 mango wedges for garnish.
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Juice from 3 limes
• 3 tablespoons Malibu Rum (trust me)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to blender, and blend until smooth
2. Pour into 9x13 baking pan Freeze until solid - 3 to 4 hours.
3. Scrape across the top with a big spoon to make a 'shave-ice' like snow, and put into serving glasses - martini glasses work well.
4. Garnish with lime zest and a mango wedge
5. The other option is to cut the water in half, add more rum and call it a drink with a name like an Island Breeze. But then you'll need one of those little umbrellas...