Sweet & Sparkly

I don't know about you, but making grand plans for New Year's Eve always seems to leave me a bit, well, limp. I hate spending a ton of money for mediocre meals and service from surly waiters who are pissed to be working that night. I hate trying to find cabs, and waiting in line trying to get a drink at whatever party I spent a mint to get in to, and most of all hate the melodrama that invariably plays out three feet away from me.

So for the past three years, I've been holding a late-starting party with lots of sweet treats, bubbly and cocktails. It's great because people can have dinner at their favorite restaurant and still make it over in time to "Auld Lang Syne" with friends and really, what more could you ask for?

Since I've been such a ('scuse my language) slack-ass when it comes to recipes lately, I thought I'd share one for a Coffee-Caramel Trifle that has made it into the annual rotation. However, despite the pleas I'm sure to get in that there comments section, I will NOT share the recipe for my Fleur de Sel brownies (aka "crack brownies", as Alder called them). Some things are just not meant for sharing

Coffee-Caramel "Trifle"
This dessert is not a classic trifle. I serve it in small votive-type candle holders. This recipe makes about 16 individual "mini" servings.

• 2 c. whole milk
• 1 2/3 c. heavy cream, chilled
• 6 egg yolks
• 3/4 c. packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp dark rum
• 1 pound cake, cubed
• 2 large bananas, peeled and sliced
• Handful of cocoa nibs

   
1. Heat milk and 2/3 cup of cream in a heavy saucepan. Meanwhile, in a double boiler, whisk the eggs, sugar and flour until smooth. Slowly whisk in hot milk mixture, being careful not to "cook" the eggs.
2. Continue to stir the custard until it thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Set the bowl on ice, and chill the custard, whisking every few minutes. Stir in the vanilla, and set aside.
3. Combine the remaining cream, espresso powder and half the rum (3 tbsp) in a mixer and whip to firm peaks.
4. Gently fold a third of the coffee cream into the cooled custard; repeat until all the cream has been incorporated.
5. To assemble, place a layer of pound cake in the bottom of each dish, topping with a few slices of banana, and a tablespoon or more of the custard. Lay one more layer of cake and banana on top, then drizzle all the dishes with the remaining rum.
6. Finish with a final layer of custard-cream, and garnish with a few cocoa nibs or freshly whipped cream (or both!)

Tags: Food, Food+Drink, Dessert, New Years Eve, 2007, Recipe, Entertaining, Dessert

Comments

[shuna fish lydon]

in heaven all desserts start with the ingredients:

cream, yolks, brown sugar, vanilla bean.

good for you for having that tradition No Matter What!

[sam]

And there you go claiming you are not a baker or a dessert maker and next thing I know you have a crack brownie recipe???? You are a dark horse Ms Fatemeh.
Now what do I have to do to get you to make me some???

[Cindy]

How interesting to serve the trifle in candle holders - any pics?

Have been reading your blog, glad to see that the new year is starting nicely for you!

[Brett]

New Year's Eve just wouldn't be the same without Fatemeh's fleur de sel brownies!

[Hilary Dracomirescu]

I was searching google for "baked beet chips" and it directed me to your page. This is lucky for me, as I think I've stumbled upon an amazing culinary blog (I'll probably be making regular visits here). Over Christmas my mother sent me home with a ridiculous number of fresh beets and I need to use them up before they go bad, and lets face it, even a seasoned Romanian grandmother could not use up these beets with her own recipes, let alone a 19 year old one like myself.

I love how connected you are to your Persian food, that's how I am with my native country's food also. If you ever get the urge to cook up some Romanian food, I'd be happy to lend some recipes! I plan to make the beet chips tomorrow afternoon, and I'll probably be back to tell you how they turned out.

-Hilary