TIP OF THE DAY: Add Bourbon To Dessert
 You can simplify this fancy Cherries & Bourbon dessert and still enjoy the delicious combination of flavors. Photo courtesy Trace Restaurant | Austin. |
Adding spirits to baked goods—Bourbon, Grand Marnier, liqueur, rum—adds a subtle nuance. We serve spiked desserts with a shot or liqueur glass of the featured spirit. It‘s a lovely end to an evening. And it can be as simple as drizzling the spirit over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
September is Bourbon Heritage Month. Bourbon and cherries are a wonderful pairing, as demonstrated by this recipe from Janina O’Leary, executive pastry chef at Trace restaurant in the W Hotel in Austin, Texas. Cherries and Bourbon features an airy cupcake dipped in tres leches milk and fried. Alternatively, you can bake the cake in a pan and serve it as squares. If this sounds like a lot of work (it is!), try the simplified version. Don’t fry the cake. Don’t swirl the sorbet and ice cream together, but serve two separate, small scoops. Don’t have time to make the cherry sorbet? Just make the vanilla-Bourbon ice cream. Don’t have time to make the ice cream? Buy a pint of vanilla, soften it, and stir in the Bourbon. |
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RECIPE #1: CHERRIES & BOURBON DESSERT RECIPE The cupcakes are topped with cherry sorbet and vanilla-bourbon ice cream, with an optional garnish of homemade cherry pie filling. Cupcake Ingredients 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners. 2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture, and mix well. Finally, stir in the milk until the batter is smooth. Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared pan. 3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven; for cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. The cake is done when it springs back to the touch. |
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RECIPE #2: CHERRY SORBET RECIPE Ingredients Mix all ingredients, strain, and process in an ice cream machine. You can substitute any fruit for the cherries. Whatever the fruit, this will be far better than most canned products. Ingredients 1-1/2 cups cherries + 1 cup, fresh or frozen |
 No time to make your own vanilla Bourbon ice cream? Buy vanilla ice cream, soften it, and stir in the Bourbon. Photo by FunkyBG | Dreamstime. |
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Preparation 1. COMBINE. Add the ingredients to a medium saucepan; stir to combine. 2. HEAT. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Raise heat and bring to a gentle boil; cook until desired consistency. 3. ADD. Stir in the final cup of cherries. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to serve. Ingredients 1. COMBINE. Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat. 2. WHISK. Put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk lightly. 3. COMBINE. When the cream mixture is starting to steam and tiny bubbles have formed along the edge of the pot, whisk a cup or so, ¼ cup at a time into the yolks, to temper the eggs. 4. WHISK. Once the eggs are tempered, whisk them into the cream mixture. Stirring constantly, cook over low heat or until the cream mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. 5. ADD. Turn off the heat and stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract. Process the mixture according to your ice cream maker’s instructions 1. Place the cupcake in the center of the plate or bowl. Surround with spoonfuls of cherry pie topping. 2. Top the cupcake with cherry sorbet and vanilla ice cream. 3. Garnish with bourbon whipped cream or cherry whipped cream. Chef O’Leary has also garnished with cherry powder and edible flowers. |
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