Pouding Chomeur (Poor Man's Pudding)

Maclean's Magazine recently featured a story about "Pouding Chomeur", a traditional Quebecois desert that is made with Maple Syrup. Translated literally, "Pouding Chomeur" means "unemployed person's pudding".

You can find the article here:
http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/02/08/the-very-rich-poor-man’s-pudding/

Dad was so tempted by the sound of the dish that he baked up a batch for us, and it really was delicious! We had it warm with some vanilla icecream...

The recipe that he used is as follows:

Pouding Chomeur

BATTER:
1 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 C milk
1/4 C melted butter
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 C raisins

SAUCE:
1 1/2 C water
1 C real maple syrup
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp cornstarch


PREPARATION:
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and nutmeg in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, butter, and lemon rind. Pour over dry ingredients. Sprinkle with raisins and stir until just combined. Spread in greased 8" square glass baking dish

Whisk together water, maple syrup, butter, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Pour over batter.

Bake at 350F until golden and firm to the touch; 40-45 minutes.

Maple Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail

I had someone inquiring at the Farmers' Market yesterday about a recipe for a maple cocktail for her gourmet club. I was able to find this video on youtube with instructions for making a maple old fashioned whiskey cocktail. Looks delicious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UksnUyBfUA

Maple Whipped Cream

Happy Thanksgiving!! I'm currently baking up a pumpkin pie for our family dinner tonight, and thought I'd share my idea of topping it with some maple whipped cream. It's super easy to make and is great with apple, pumpkin, or blueberry pie, but would also make an extra special topping for pancakes or waffles.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cold whipping cream
2 tablespoons cold maple syrup

Preparation:
Have mixing bowl and beaters chilled for best results. Beat whipped cream until soft peaks form; add maple syrup and beat until firm. Makes about 1 cup of whipped cream. Note: this recipe is easily doubled.

Maple Rhubarb Pie

The perfect end to your spring BBQ or picnic

3 cups rhubarb, cut up
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 egg
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt

Beat the egg, then add the sugar, maple syrup and flour. Mix thoroughly, and then stir in the rhubarb.

Bake in a two-crust pie at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, and then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Fresh Fruit Salad with Maple Syrup

A sophisticated and elegant twist on a very simple dessert.
(serves 5)

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons orange or almond flavored liqueur,
or rum or cognac (optional)
4 cups fresh fruit pieces (strawberries, peaches, apples, grapefruit, orange, banana, cantaloupe, blueberries, kiwi fruit, etc.)

Mix maple syrup and liqueur together. Gently stir maple syrup mixture into fresh fruit pieces. Allow to stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve chilled. Great with plain yogurt or ice cream!

Grilled Maple Sweet Potato Slices

Flavored with maple syrup and cinnamon, grilled sweet potatoes are a unique alternative to regular potatoes

2 sweet potatoes
1 large zip-lock bag
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
Aluminum foil

Wash sweet potatoes and slice lengthwise about 1/4-inch thick. Place maple syrup, cinnamon, and brown sugar in zip lock bag, add sliced sweet potatoes and let air out before you seal up. Mix with your fingers so that all the slices are coated. Marinate in fridge until ready to cook.

When ready to grill, place entire contents of bag in foil and close up, poke some vent holes on top so steam can escape and put on grill for about 5-7 minutes. They should be tender but still crisp.

Take out of foil and grill to brown more if desired.

Maple Salmon with Asparagus

A quick and delicious spring dinner (Serves 2)

2 salmon steaks
Olive oil or butter
¼ cup pure maple syrup
10 stalks fresh asparagus
Slivered almonds for garnish

Prepare Salmon Steaks
Sauté in heavy fry pan in small amount of hot olive oil or butter until brown and then turn to brown the other side. Remove from pan and drain oil.

Return salmon to hot pan and pour 1/4 cup maple syrup over the steaks. After a couple of minutes turn the steak again to coat the other side. Serve hot.

Prepare Sautéed Asparagus
In a fry pan, heat a small amount of olive oil. Toss in fresh asparagus and sauté until heated through. This takes less than five minutes.

Garnish with slivered almonds.

Maple Ginger Glaze

Great on the BBQ with chicken, pork, or salmon (serves 6)

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Heat olive oil or melt butter in saucepan. Sauté garlic until lightly browned. Add maple syrup and simmer for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Grill meat on the first side for 6 minutes, then turn and brush the seared side generously with the glaze. Cook for another 6 minutes, and turn again. Brush with the glaze and cook for 1 minute. Remove from grill and serve. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Maple Classic Dressing

A hint of maple flavor adds complexity to a simple dressing. (makes 1 cup)



1/3 cup cider or balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil. Drizzle the dressing over salad greens and toss before serving.

Refrigerate the remaining dressing.

Maple Syrup Pie

It's not Thanksgiving here in Canada, but if it gives you an excuse to make a pie, who am I to argue? Over at Epicurious, there is a recipe for Maple Syrup Pie from the Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens where it was known as "Tarte au Sirop d' Érable":

"My husband and I had an absolutely fantastic dessert at Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens while on vacation in Quebec, Canada," Says Deb Kalikow of Natick, Massachusetts. "Maple syrup pie served with crème fraîche is its specialty. The pie capped off a perfect dinner of delicious French-Canadian dishes. We ate at another restaurant the next night and tried the maple syrup pie there. We were so disappointed by our first bites that we then went back to Aux Anciens Canadiens and waited an hour just to have another piece of their pie."

Don't be tempted to forgo the cream with this pie; it perfectly complements the dessert's rich silkiness and balances the sweetness.

Be careful making it as it is apparently easy to undercook the interior, though the commentor said it was still delicious.

Making Mead with Maple Syrup

Ken Roberts has some links to different maple syrup mead recipes.

• Made with honey and maple syrup
• Made with pure maple syrup

The page also mentions maple syrup wine and a liquor made from maple syrup.

The Maple Syrup Cookbook

If you're looking for maple recipes, you might want to take a look for "Maple Syrup Cookbook" by Ken Haedrich, published by Storey Publishing (144pp, paperback - US$10.95; ISBN 1-58017-404-3).

Maple syrup isn't just for breakfast anymore. Ken Haedrich offers recipes, both sweet and savory, that feature maple syrup and its wonderful earthy, tangy qualities.

Steamed Brown (Maple) Bread

In much of North America, a brown bread is just a type of whole wheat bread (usually a 10% mix), but in the Canadian Maritimes and parts of New England, brown bread is a type of white bread made with molasses. On the Care2 website, I found a recipe for Steamed Brown Bread made with Maple Syrup instead of molasses. Sounds pretty nice.

Quick While You Still Have Time: Jack 'O Lantern Quesadillas with Chipotle-Maple Pumpkin and Black Beans Recipe

Via CD Kitchen, here is an interesting recipe: Jack 'O Lantern Quesadillas with Chipotle-Maple Pumpkin and Black Beans. If you're sick of pumpkin pie (what!), these quesadillas just might be another option for those looking for more pumpkin-maple options.

Another Recipe: Maple Walnut Bars

Via Recipezaar:

This is a quick and easy bar cookie made with a cake mix crust. I was given a huge bottle of maple syrup on the condition that I make cookies and this is what I used it for. These are not overly sweet and a great fall cookie.

Today's pick is a recipe for Maple Walnut Bars. Of course, you can always start from scratch rather than using a cake mix like the recipe. As well, walnuts are nice, but I'm more of a Pecan man myself, so it might be worth doing a little substitution.

Maple Creme Caramel

Ingredients

• 500ml double cream (if none available, use whipping cream)
• 1 big vanilla pod
• 100g granulated maple sugar for the creme caramel mixture
• 6 flat teaspoons of granulated maple sugar for the topping
• 6 egg yolks
• approx. 75ml maple syrup
• canola or other light oil for greasing ramekins

Note: Use your judgement with this recipe and adjust ingredients to suit your style or diet. Double cream makes the best creme caramels, but it is incredibly fatty. Most of the ingredients are adjustable so you'll still have a very nice creme caramel, don't be afraid to experiment.

Pour the cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the cream. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.

Whisk the egg yolks and maple sugar together in a large bowl to blend. Bring the cream back to a boil, adding the egg mixture, whisking all the time until thick.

You are going to need six "3/4-cup" custard cups or ramekins, lightly grease the cups with oil. Pour a little maple syrup into the bottom of each (enough to cover the bottom + up to 1 Tbsp. per custard cup more). Arrange the cups on a baking pan.

Make sure you strain the egg mixture through a fine sieve, then divide mixture into the cups. Before placing in the oven, pour into the baking pan enough warm water to come halfway up the sides of the cups.

Place the pan on the middle shelf and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the custard sets, it should still be a bit wobbly in the middle. A fork inserted into the creme should come out clean. Avoid overbaking or the custard will become rubbery. Remove from the water and allow the cups to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Chill overnight if possible.

When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle one level teaspoon of maple sugar evenly over the surface of each creme cup.

If you are brave, you can caramelize the maple sugar with a blowtorch.

If you aren't that brave, preheat the broiler. Place the dishes on a baking sheet. Broil for about 2 minutes (rotating the sheet twice for even cooking) or until the sugar begins to caramelize.

Chill until the caramelized sugar hardens.

For a change, you can make "Maple" Crema Catalana by using a stick of cinnamon instead of the vanilla pod.

Serve and enjoy.

Quick Bits: Maple Candy

Sweet Marie's post about the sugar-on-snow (which I've never tasted) got me curious about Maple candy.

The 18th Century Cuisine blog has an short entry with some photos about boiling down sap and making maple sugar.

Baking911.com has a page on maple candy which talks about the various types of maple candy. Here are the ones they list:

• Maple Sugar (Granulated or Molded)
• "Crunchy" Hard Maple Sugar
• Molded Soft Sugar Candy
• Maple Spread (Cream or Butter)
• Maple Fondant or Nougat (Ohio Maple Cream)
• "Jack Wax" or "Maple on Snow"

I assume the last one is the same as "Sugar on Snow". Apparently their source was Ohio State U., I wonder what other regional names there are for different maple candies like "Sugar on Snow". I kinda like "Jack Wax", though it doesn't sound too appetizing.

If you're in a rush, Astray has a 14 minute Maple Candy recipe ...

Make Your Own Sugar-On-Snow

Most maple fans have had the experience of visiting a maple farm during syrup season and being treated to a sticky helping of sugar-on-snow. The traditional maple treat is made from nothing but pure maple syrup, however, if you tried to pour the bottle from your fridge on the snow bank in your yard, you'd be sorely disappointed. What's the trick? Unlike hardwood carving, you CAN try this at home... (Ask your Mom and Dad first) Boil approximately 1 cup of pure maple syrup (Aunt Jemima's won't work!) until it reaches 236 F on a candy thermometer. If you boil the syrup a little less, it will be very soft and sticky. It you boil it a little longer, it will be more brittle. Pour syrup directly over clean snow or crushed ice. You may pour small round servings, or choose to pour strips which can then be rolled onto a popsicle stick. Either way, prepare to get sticky, and watch out for loose fillings!

Maple Syrup Pad Thai

While looking for maple syrup recipes, I stumbled across a type of Pad Thai made with Maple Syrup. Pretty cool ... I haven't tried the recipes, but they look good:

• Here's one recipe called Young-Coconut Pad Thai With Almond Chile Sauce which features a tablespoon and a half of maple syrup
• Another one just called Pad Thai (Spicy Thai Rice Noodles) but including 2 tbsp of maple syrup
• And finally another one called Pad Thai with Tofu but only one tablespoon of maple syrup (boo!)

Jamie Oliver's Maple Syrup and Pecan Tart

British chef, Jamie Oliver takes a stab at making a maple syrup treat:

Maple syrup and pecan nuts are fantastic Canadian flavours. What I've done here is make a traditional English treacle tart, but I've used maple syrup as well as golden syrup and have added nuts.

Go to the Guardian website and check the recipe out!