Tag Archives: brown sugar

Brown Sugar Simple Syrup

22 Oct

I started making this recently…  I had seen how chefs in the Food Network prepared simple syrups using white sugar…  but I do not use white sugar at all.  Would I be able to replicate with brown sugar??

OF COURSE!!!

This is super simple to make and great to sweeten ice teas and natural juices made at home.  At the Yoga Center we sometimes whip the brown sugar with water in a blender to make it easier to dissolve in a cold liquid, but this technique works well, especially if you’re not using the blender at all.

 

BROWN SUGAR SIMPLE SYRUP

3 cups of brown sugar
3 cups of water

 

  1. Mix together the brown sugar and the water in a large sauce pan.
  2. Bring to a quick boil and allow the brown sugar to dissolve well in the water.  It’ll take about 10-15 minutes.

Allow to cool and use to sweeten your favorite cold drinks…  like this Passion Fruit/Guava Fizzy drink.

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Passion Fruit/Guava Fizzy Drink

20 Oct

I wanted to serve a signature drink for my sister’s baby shower…  she couldn’t drink anything with alcohol and the room we were having the activity didn’t allowed it either.  It gave me the perfect situation to serve a non-alcoholic punch that would be enjoyed by everyone.

I have made a version of this drink using champagne…  I served it at my friend’s bridal shower.  So this is an updated version using frozen fruit pulp, as opposed to frozen fruit juice.  You can find frozen fruit pulp in almost any supermarket in Puerto Rico and also in Southern Florida, where the shower was held.

 

 

PASSION FRUIT / GUAVA FIZZY DRINK

2 passion fruit pulp – defrosted
1 guava pulp – defrosted
½ cups brown sugar simple syrup
About 50 oz natural ginger ale – between 4-5 cans or bottles
1 cup of fresh strawberries, sliced

 

  1. In a large punch bowl mix together the defrosted fruit pulps, the simple syrup, ginger ale and fresh strawberries. 
  2. Add the ginger ale slowly because it will create lots of fizz.  If you find it makes too many bubbles, just skim them using a large spoon.
  3. Add ice to keep the mixture cold for guests.

 

 

If you want to make this ahead for a party, this is how I made it.

  1. I mixed the fruit pulps with the simple syrup to create kind of like a fruit juice concentrate. 
  2. I sliced the strawberries and froze them in individual layers divided by parchment paper.
  3. At the party, I mixed together the juice concentrate with the ginger ale and added the frozen strawberries last.  Add ice to keep the mixture cold.

 

If you want to make individual drinks, just add fruit concentrate in a tall glass, add ginger ale to taste and add ice as needed.   You could also mix with water and it will taste fine too.

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Rosemary Almonds

16 May

I love almonds.  They’re one of my favorite nuts, next to cashews, pistachios and hazelnuts.  I love almonds, not only for their flavor and crunchy texture, but also because they’re a great source of protein.  I read somewhere that eating 5-10 almonds a day gives you all the protein you need for that day.  Great news for me… because I rather eat almonds than beans any day of the week.

I wanted to treat the mothers in my life with something I made… instead of something bought.  I read this recipe in the Barefoot in Paris Cookbook where Ina uses cashews to re-create these bar nuts she ate at Union Square Café in New York.   I decided to go with almonds instead of cashews because I needed to make a large batch and almonds tend to be less expensive than cashews. 

I loved the results…  and as Ina says in her book, these taste best when they’re still warm.

 

ROSEMARY ALMONDS

3 cups peeled raw almonds
2 tbs minced fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tbs kosher salt
1 tbs unsalted butter, melted

 

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread thee almonds on a baking sheet and toast for about 10-15 minutes, particularly if you soaked the almonds to peel them.  If you prefer to keep the almonds with their skin, toast them for a shorter time to avoid burning them.
  2. While the almonds are in the oven, combine the rosemary, salt, pepper, sugar, and butter in a large bowl.
  3. Add the toasted almonds to the large bowl with the salt/sugar/rosemary mixture.  Toss well to combine.
  4. Serve warm if possible.

 

These are great as a snack, as a hostess gift… you name it.  They’re super delicious.

 

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Coconut Tembleque

26 Apr

Tembleque is a Puerto Rican dessert, traditionally made mainly during Xmas time.   However, it can be enjoyed year round.  And it’s a special treat when you can taste it outside of Xmas… very unexpected.

The name “tembleque” comes from the verb “temblar” or “to tremble”.  The dessert is a jiggly/trembly custard made with coconut milk, sugar and set with cornstarch.  I added the word coconut in the name for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar to the tembleque dessert.  But, we do not add the word coconut in front; it would be “redundant”, because tembleques are only made with coconut milk… there are no other versions… yet. (This explanation is giving me ideas…)

We decided to make this because so many people in the Center who are avoiding wheat, spelt and dairy products so dessert options need to get more creative each time.  Plus, this would be a good accompaniment to other true Puerto Rican delicacies such as Arroz con Gandules and Alcapurrias.

It’s easy and super delicious…  check it out.

 

 

 

COCONUT TEMBLEQUE

Makes about 24 servings

 

12 cups of coconut milk
1 ½ cups of brown sugar
6 cinnamon sticks
1 ¼ cup cornstarch, diluted in some reserved coconut milk and ½ cup water
Ground cinnamon, to garnish

 

  1. In a large pot, pour about 10 cups of coconut milk, sugar, cinnamon sticks and bring to a simmer.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the remaining coconut milk, the cornstarch and water.  Whisk together well and pour into the simmering coconut milk. 
  3. Whisk in the whole coconut milk mixture until it thickens slightly.
  4. While it still hot, CAREFULLY (because it can burn you – I speak from experience), divide in individual servings, about  1/3 – ½ cup each.  
  5. Garnish with a sprinkle with ground cinnamon on top.
  6. Refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.  Serve cold.

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Pear Spread

3 Apr

Pears have been on sale for the longest time every time I visit the grocery store.  So I decided to buy some the other day to make my roasted pears for the French Dinner.  I love these roasted pears, but it was time for some diversity…  so I decided to make butter – Pear Butter.

I am not going to question how the name came to be… especially after my previous post about a punch called a “bull”.  If I were to name this in Spanish it would probably be something like “Compota de Peras” or Pear Compote.  However, I believe the name Pear Spread is truer to the final application.

Here’s how I made it…

 

PEAR SPREAD

2 ripe Bartlet Pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup water
2 tbs white balsamic vinegar
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
 
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla powder
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of salt

 

  1. Combine pears, water, vinegar and lemon juice in a medium heavy saucepan.  Cover and simmer until pears are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20-25 minutes.
  3. Puree the mixture using a hand blender or in a food processor.  If using the food processor, be careful transferring the mixture to the food processor and back into the saucepan again, because the liquid is very hot.
  5. Add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to the pureed mixture.  Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
  6. Increase the heat to medium and boil gently uncovered until mixture reduces and thickens, about 1 hour.  Stir occasionally to prevent any scorching in the bottom.
  7. Discard the cinnamon stick.  Spoon the spread into canning jars if canning.  I do not know how to do that, so I just waited for the mixture to cool down some and transferred to a plastic container and ate it all within a week.

 

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