Autumn Fruits With Cinnamon Custard Recipes

Steps:

• Cut the cold butter and cream cheese into the flour with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (This can also be done in a food processor: pulse the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles cornmeal; add the cream cheese and pulse until it's the size of small peas.) When you squeeze a handful of the mixture, it should form a ball. Shape the dough into a round disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Toss the sliced apples and pear with the orange juice. Whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cornstarch. Toss the fruit with the sugar-spice mixture and set aside.
• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Set out an 8-inch tart pan, or, if you'll be making a free-form tart (galette), lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to form a 10-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the tart pan or baking sheet. Arrange the fruit decoratively in the tart pastry. If you're baking the tart on a baking sheet, leave a 2-inch rim of dough and fold it up over the edge of the fruit (the pastry folds will overlap).
• Bake the tart in the preheated oven until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and brush it with the apricot jam.

Steps:

• In a large skillet cook vermouth or apple cider over low heat just to boiling. Carefully add pears, apples, and star anise to the hot liquid. Sprinkle sugar over fruit. Cook fruit mixture, covered, for 5 minutes or until the fruit is just tender.
• To serve, using a slotted spoon carefully transfer the cooked fruit to individual dessert bowls. Discard poaching liquid. Drizzle fruit with Cinnamon Custard. Makes 6 servings.
• Cinnamon Custard: In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan combine 1 beaten egg, 2/3 cup milk, and 4 teaspoons sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just coats the back of a spoon; stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a dash of ground cinnamon. Remove custard from heat. Place saucepan in a bowl of ice water for approximately 10 minutes to stop cooking process. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bring just to room temperature to serve.

Steps:

• To make the stewed fruits, in a saucepan over high heat, combine the port, honey and cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low so that the port simmers. Add the pear halves and cook gently until tender and slightly translucent but not mushy, 20 to 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to a cutting board. Discard the cloves. Add the apricots to the simmering port and cook gently until soft, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the pear halves lengthwise into wedges. When the apricots are done, remove the pan from the heat and add the pear wedges. Set aside. To make the polenta custard, in a saucepan over medium heat, warm the brandy until hot. Remove from the heat, add the raisins and let stand for 30 minutes. In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the milk and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the polenta. Continue to whisk for 2 to 3 minutes. Change to a wooden spoon and continue to simmer, stirring periodically, until the polenta is almost thick enough to hold the spoon upright, 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter six 1/2-cup ramekins. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta and sugar. Add the cooked polenta and stir well. Drain the raisins and add them along with the cinnamon to the polenta. Stir in the eggs. Distribute evenly among the prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins, spaced well apart, on a baking sheet. Bake until set and a knife inserted into the center of a custard comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Just before the custards are done, gently reheat the fruits. Divide them and their liquid among 6 individual plates. Loosen the edges of the custards with a knife and invert them over the fruits. Drizzle with the crème frîache mixture. Dust the tops with confectioners' sugar and serve. This recipe yields 6 servings.

Steps:

• In a large skillet cook vermouth or apple cider over low heat just to boiling. Carefully add pears, apples, and star anise to the hot liquid. Sprinkle sugar over fruit. Cook fruit mixture, covered, for 5 minutes or until the fruit is just tender.
• To serve, using a slotted spoon carefully transfer the cooked fruit to individual dessert bowls. Discard poaching liquid. Drizzle fruit with Cinnamon Custard. Makes 6 servings.
• Cinnamon Custard: In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan combine 1 beaten egg, 2/3 cup milk, and 4 teaspoons sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just coats the back of a spoon; stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a dash of ground cinnamon. Remove custard from heat. Place saucepan in a bowl of ice water for approximately 10 minutes to stop cooking process. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bring just to room temperature to serve.

Steps:

• 1. In a large skillet cook vermouth or apple cider over low heat just to boiling. Carefully add pears, apples, and star anise to the hot liquid. Sprinkle sugar over fruit. Cook fruit mixture, covered, for 5 minutes or until the fruit is just tender. 2. To serve, using a slotted spoon carefully transfer the cooked fruit to individual dessert bowls. Discard poaching liquid. Drizzle fruit with Cinnamon Custard. Makes 6 servings. Cinnamon Custard: In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan combine 1 beaten egg, 2/3 cup milk, and 4 teaspoons sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just coats the back of a spoon; stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a dash of ground cinnamon. Remove custard from heat. Place saucepan in a bowl of ice water for approximately 10 minutes to stop cooking process. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bring just to room temperature to serve. *Note: Core fruit, if desired.