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New Cookbook TASTE Test: pudding and pound cake
Published: 4/15/2012 8:08 PM
Last Modified: 4/15/2012 8:16 PM


photos from Sweet Home




Think of the recipes that you make time and time again. Are they the same dishes that you grew up with?

Family recipes have an advantage in our respective palates. They offer comfort, continuity.

We like to dabble in recipes from far reaches - as we should - but we always, always come home.

I have some recipes to share with you from the cookbook Sweet Home: Over 100 heritage desserts and ideas for preserving family recipes by Rebecca Miller Ffrench.

I liked the presentation of this book and the recipes. This is a dessert cookbook derived from the author's own family heritage.

So, they have already proven worthy for her family. Let me know how they work for yours.


Nilla Wafer Pudding

Serves 10 to 12
3 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
4 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon lemon juice
50 vanilla wafers, crushed, plus a few
whole for decoration

1. Put the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl and whisk slightly.
Set aside.
2. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan
over medium heat. Carefully add the milk to the pan, whisking
constantly for 8 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken. Do
not let the pudding come to a complete full boil, just a gentle one.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and pour half the thickened milk
into the egg yolks and whisk well.
4. Return the to the heat. Gently add the yolk mixture to the pan.
While stirring constantly, bring the mixture back to a gentle boil,
and continue to stir for 1 more minute.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and 1/2 teaspoon
of the vanilla extract. Set aside.
6. Whip the cream until light and fluffy. Do not overbeat. Stir in the
confectioners’ sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
7. Cut the bananas into 1/2-inch slices and sprinkle with the lemon
juice. Carefully toss to coat all the bananas.
8. In the bottom of a 2-quart bowl, spoon in 2 cups of the vanilla
pudding. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup crushed wafers. Arrange 1 cup of
the sliced bananas decoratively over the wafers. Spoon in the rest
of the pudding and coat with 1 cup crushed wafers. Arrange the
remaining bananas (reserve a few slices for decoration) on top
of the wafers. Cover the entire surface with the whipped cream.
Decorate with the reserved banana slices and whole wafers.
Serve immediately or put in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Pistachio Lover's Pound Cake

Serves 12
Pound cake:
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
2/3 cup ground pistachios

Pistachio Glaze
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/4 cup crushed pistachios

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with
parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on the two long sides
of the pan. Grease the pan and parchment using baking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,
cream the butter, sugar, and honey on medium-high until light
and fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping and scraping down the sides
of the bowl as necessary.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Alternately, add the flour and the milk in five parts, beginning
and ending with the flour. Beat on medium-high for about 20
seconds between additions, stopping and scraping down the sides
of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and
the pistachios. Beat on low until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and
30 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until cracked on top and
a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
After 1 hour of baking (or sooner if needed), cover the cake with
aluminum foil to prevent the top from becoming too brown.
6. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire
rack set over wax paper.
7. Make the pistachio glaze: Combine the confectioners’ sugar,
butter, honey, and cream in a small saucepan. Cook over mediumlow
heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble.
Continue to cook for 1 more minute while continuing to stir.
Remove the glaze from the heat.
8. Slowly spoon the glaze over the top of cake, allowing it to soak
in between spoonfuls. Some will run down the sides. Sprinkle the
crushed pistachios over the top of the cake and let sit for 1 hour
before serving.





Reader Comments 1 Total
miss myrtle (10 months ago)
The Nilla pudding is an old comfort food desert. My kids loved it. Nicki, that pistachio cake looks like a Blue Ribbon winner. Here is my casata recipe which won one. Next time I make it.. I will use this pistachio lb cake.

CASATA
½ GAL. Whole milk, 2 cups sugar, 8 T heaping cornstarch Mix sugar with cornstarch well, 4 eggs 2T vanilla. Boil milk slowly add cornstarch to boil. Keep watch Make sure you keep stirring until it thickens. In a deep large platter: layer of custard, layer of pound cake cubes, layer of Hershey bar, chopped pineapple, cherries. Top with cool whip/cinnamon and nuts. 1 lb. ground pecans, 1 lg. can chrushed pineapple drained, 1 large Hershey bar, 1 large jar marchino cherries, 1 pound cake, and large container of whipped cream.
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Taste

Food Writer Nicole Marshall Middleton joined the Tulsa World in May 1993 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She has covered crime, city government and general assignment beats during that time - but mostly crime. But when she isn’t at work, Nicole is a devoted food hobbyist. She enjoys meal planning and cooking with her husband, Steve, every day of the week and on holidays it’s a family affair. When the opportunity to become the food writer at the Tulsa World presented itself in the summer of 2011, Nicole jumped at it. She is excited to explore a new side of Tulsa and make the transition from crime to cuisine. .

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