Holiday and Christmas Recipes:
Decadent Vanilla Recipes

Double Vanilla Poundcake with Rum-Vanilla Glaze
Crème Anglaise -- Vanilla Pouring Custard
Pear-Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Bean Scented Madeleines
Persimmon Pudding
Pumpkin Brownies with Vanilla Frosting
Italian Custard Cake
Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce
Palm Sugar Custard
Coconut Sweet Rice
Vanilla Butter Cookies
Vanilla Wafers
Heavenly Chocolate Cookies
Cherry-Vanilla Chocolate Cake with Truffle Frosting
Marvel Chocolate Pie and More
Creamy, Dreamy Chocolate/Vanilla Truffles

Double Vanilla Poundcake with Rum-Vanilla Glaze

Poundcake is an “old faithful” in my repertoire. It keeps well, makes a lovely gift, can be dressed up or down, and if it grows stale, it’s perfect for Bread Pudding or Triffle. I’ve paired it here with Crème Anglaise. You can pour the custard over slices of cake for a triple vanilla wonder.

Ingredients:

1 large vanilla bean, split or cut into pieces
1 cup milk, room temperature
4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (if using salted butter, delete)
2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2-1/2 cups vanilla sugar
6 jumbo eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour milk into a saucepan, add the vanilla bean and scald the milk. Let mixture cool to room temperature. Remove vanilla bean, rinse it off, and set aside.

Resift the flour with the baking powder and the salt onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer on moderately high speed until light, about 3 minutes.

Add the vanilla sugar in two portions, beating thoroughly after each portion is added. Beat in eggs, one at a time, periodically scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure an even mixture. Blend in vanilla extract.

On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Pour and scrape the batter into a lightly buttered, floured 10-inch tube pan, a large square baking pan or three loaf pans. Bake the cake on the lowest rack of the oven for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake emerges clean and dry.

Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Prick holes all over the top of the cake with a thin knife or toothpick and slowly spoon glaze over the cake, allowing the syrup to absorb into the cake.

Rum-Vanilla Glaze

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup rum or brandy (optional)

Preparation:

Place sugar and water in a small saucepan, add in the reserved vanilla bean, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until syrup begins to thicken. Allow to cool slightly before adding extract and rum.

Crème Anglaise -- Vanilla Pouring Custard

This is one of my favorite vanilla custards. The reason I like it so much is that you can pour it over fresh berries or cakes, substitute orange juice for some of the cream and pour it over sliced oranges, or use it as a base under a rich chocolate dessert. You can even turn a simple bowl of fruit into an elegant dessert.

Ingredients:

2 cups milk or 1 cup milk and 1 cup light cream
1 vanilla bean, split down center
6 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

Combine egg yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and beat until thick and pale lemon colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Scald milk with the vanilla bean and set aside, allowing to cool to 100 degrees or so.

Add the milk and vanilla bean, to the egg mixture. Stir, then pour the milk/egg mixture back into saucepan.

Cook over moderate heat stirring mixture until it thickens, but don’t allow mixture to come to a boil. Mixture will be ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Strain custard, then scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cool mixture, stirring occasionally, then chill, covered. Makes 2-1/2 cups.

Note: Sometimes, no matter how careful we are, custard mixtures will separate or have small clumps in the mixture. Don’t despair. You can run the mixture through a blender or food processor, or strain it through the sieve again. It will be a little thinner but quite useable.

Pear-Vanilla Ice

This is a lovely “palate cleanser” or intermezzo course when serving a sumptuous feast. It’s also perfect as a light dessert.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 ripe pears, peeled and cored
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Pear slices and fresh mint for garnish

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, 1 cup water and vanilla bean. Cook over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Pour the syrup into a bowl and let cool.

In a food processor, combine the pears and lemon juice. Purée until smooth, about 2 minutes. With the machine on, pour in syrup (with the vanilla bean removed).

Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour into a shallow pan and place in freezer until frozen. When frozen, run mixture through the food processor until smooth and serve. Garnish with pear slices and mint.

Makes about 3 cups.

Vanilla Bean Scented Madeleines

Madeleines are the quintessential French tea cake, with a crisp exterior and a dense cake-like texture. If you enjoy serving beautiful desserts, it is worth investing in madeleine molds.

A couple of tips: Although you can make Madeleines with regular melted butter, the clarified butter makes the cakes crisper and also easier to unmold. About 2 sticks of butter will yield 3/4 cup clarified butter. Also, the batter must be chilled almost solid to produce the hump in the middle of the cake, the hallmark shape of a Madeleine.

You can chill the batter overnight, covered with plastic wrap. Be certain to wipe off the molds and rebutter them if you are using the molds more than once while making the recipe.

And finally, make certain that the oven is preheated before placing tins in to bake.

Madelaines are best served slightly warm. Store in airtight jars or tins (assuming there’s any leftover).

Ingredients:

3 extra large eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla beans (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
2 vanilla beans, split
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1-1/3 cups sifted unbleached flour
3/4 cup clarified unsalted butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla beans

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the butter with the 2 vanilla beans. Gently steep over low heat for 10 minutes to release the aromatic oils; do not boil.

Remove from the heat, and set aside to infuse for 30 minutes. Remove beans from butter, wipe off, and save for another use.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until light colored and thick enough that it falls in ribbons. Beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and ground vanilla beans.

Fold flour into eggs, using a rubber spatula. Fold in the 1/2 cup flavored butter untiljustincorporated,don’t overfold. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Using a small pastry brush, grease two 12-form Madeleine molds with 2 tablespoons of melted clarified butter, spreading evenly.

Refrigerate the molds until the butter is set, about 10 minutes.

Spoon rounded spoons of the batter into the center of the molds. Do not smooth batter and fill each mold only about 2/3 full.

Bake in the center of the oven for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 7 to 10 minutes. The Madeleines should be gold in the center and browned around the edges.

Remove from the oven and sharply rap the mold against a surface to loosen them. Turn out, and cool slightly on a wire rack. When Madeleines are still slightly warm, dust with vanilla-scented powdered sugar. Divine!

Will make about 2 dozen 3-inch cakes or 3 dozen 2-inch cakes.

Persimmon Pudding

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1-1/2 cups very ripe persimmon pulp
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup vanilla brandy or
1/4 cup brandy and 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup pitted, chopped dates
1 cup toasted, coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a pan of water in the bottom of the oven to provide extra humidity.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Incorporate the persimmon pulp, flour, baking powder, coriander, dates soaked in vanilla brandy and walnuts. Mix well. Pour into six buttered custard cups, a Bundt mold, or bread pans.

In small containers the puddings should be done in about 25 minutes, in a mold it may take nearly an hour. Add more water to the pan in the oven if necessary.

Serve warm with lemon sauce and vanilla-flavored whipped cream.

Note: You can make Persimmon Pudding ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. For additional flavor and to keep the pudding very moist, wrap it in a towel that is dampened with additional vanilla brandy. The pudding also freezes well.

Lemon Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup water
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

Mix sugar and cornstarch in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add water in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Cook until thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla. Taste and add more lemon juice if necessary. Serve warm over Persimmon Pudding slices.

Pumpkin Brownies with Vanilla Frosting

There’s something magical about desserts made with pumpkin. Maybe it’s the spices as I feel that way about carrot cake too.

These brownies are perfect for a cozy evening, especially with a good cup of vanilla tea.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup honey
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each salt, baking powder, and ginger
1/4 teaspoon each allspice and cloves
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9x2 inch pan
Cream together eggs, butter, sugar, honey, pumpkin and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves and allspice. Slowly add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, stirring just to combine. Fold in pecans. Pour batter into pan.

Bake about 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and cool completely in the pan.

Spread cool brownies with vanilla frosting, then allow to set. If necessary, chill until set, then cut into bars.

Vanilla Frosting

Ingredients:

3 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon cream or milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar.

Preparation:

Cream together ingredients, gradually adding sugar. Add more milk or cream if necessary to bring to easy-mixing consistency.

If you’re interested in a different approach to cranberries this year, here’s a refreshing palate cleanser that’s also festive.

Italian Custard Cake

Ingredients & Preparation:

1 10-inch angel food cake, cut or torn into pieces approximately 1-1/2 inch square. Put them into a very large mixing bowl and set aside.

Oil a 10-inch tube pan or 9 x 13 x 3 inch rectangular plan. Set aside.

Custard Sauce:

In a small bowl put 1/2 cup cold water. Sprinkle 1 envelope (1 tablespoon, 7 grams) unflavored gelatin over the water and set aside.

In a medium size bowl add 6 extra large egg yolks and beat slightly. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup Sherry or dry Marsala wine and 1/4 cup water.

Transfer mixture to a heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until custard thickens (thermometer should read 170 degrees). Do not allow to boil.

Remove from heat and immediately strain into a clean bowl. Gently blend in the softened gelatin. Set mixture aside.

Put 2 cups whipping cream into a large bowl and beat until cream begins to thicken. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract plus 1 tablespoon Marsala or Sherry. Beat until creamy-thick. Refrigerate.

Place the bowl of warm custard sauce over a larger bowl with ice covering the bottom. Stir gently with spatula until the custard sauce becomes cold and begins to thicken. Remove custard sauce from ice and fold in the chilled whipped cream.

Pour half of the custard cream mixture over the angel food cake. Using a large spatula, fold the cream into the cake. Add the remainder of custard cream and continue to fold until all the cake pieces are well coated.

Pour into the oiled pan. After half the mixture has been transferred, tap the pan to settle the contents to ensure no air holes are present. Add balance of mixture.

Cover and refrigerate the dessert cake until fully set (6-8 hours or overnight). The cake must be used soon after because the gelatin may not hold more than a day or two.

To Serve:

Whip 1 cup heavy cream (1-1/2 cups if using the rectangular pan) with 1 tablespoon Sherry or Marsala and 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract.

Unmold the custard cake onto a serving platter and ice with whipped cream mixture. Garnish the cake with seasonal berries and mint or geranium leaves, or grated chocolate.

Serve with a pitcher of strawberry-raspberry sauce or a thin chocolate sauce.

Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups of hulled sliced strawberries or raspberries (or one 16 ounce package of frozen berries without sugar)
2 tablespoons of Chambord Liqueur or Marsala
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Place ingredients in food processor or blender and blend till smooth. Add additional liqueur (or water if preferred) if mixture is too thick.

Sieve through a mesh sieve to remove seeds. Serve alongside cake.

Palm Sugar Custard

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup coconut milk
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup palm sugar, melted*
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

Preparation:

Warm cream, coconut milk and vanilla bean over medium heat. Let vanilla steep for about an hour.

Lightly whisk egg yolks, then slowly add in warm cream, whisking constantly till well blended. Stir in the warm palm sugar. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

Pour into 6 1/2- cup ramekins or custard cups. Bake in a water bath, covered, about 45 minutes at 350 degrees, until just beginning to set, but still jiggley in the center.

Cool to room temperature and serve. Makes 6 servings.

*Palm sugar, or coconut sugar, is available from Asian food markets. It is the boiled- down sap of palm trees, similar to our maple syrup. It is usually firm or grainy when purchased, but when warmed, it becomes a delicious syrup.

Coconut Sweet Rice

This Balinese dessert is similar to desserts from many countries in Southeast Asia. You can use regular rice, but if you can find a glutinous rice (such as Arborio or sushi rice) it creates a richer texture to the dessert. If fresh mangoes are in season, they pair very nicely with this dessert.

Ingredients:

2 cups well-washed glutinous rice
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup freshly-grated coconut

Preparation:

In a saucepan, bring the rice and coconut milk to a boil, stir several times and turn off the heat. Let stand for 15 minutes to allow the rice to absorb the milk.

Pile rice on aluminum foil in a Chinese-style steamer (or a deep saucepan with a vegetable steamer set into pan), and steam for 20 minutes.

Make a fairly thick syrup by cooking the brown sugar, water and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.

To serve, place a mound of rice on a plate. Scatter 1 heaping tablespoon grated coconut over the rice, and drizzle syrup over the rice-coconut mixture.

Vanilla Butter Cookies

Everyone who enjoys baking should have a few standard recipes that are so good that you become known for them. One of mine is this butter cookie recipe. Friends beg for me to make these cookies during the holidays. While it isn't necessary to use Tahitian vanilla extract, its unique flavor is definitely showcased in this cookie.

Ingredients:

8 ounces unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons pure Tahitian vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon finely ground vanilla bean
2-1/4 cups unbleached flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt

Preparation:

In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten yolks and vanilla and beat thoroughly.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition.

Form the dough into a ball, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate overnight,or place in freezer for about 30 minutes.
Use non-stick pans or line pans with parchment paper. Spray lightly with baking oil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place dough between 2 pieces of wax paper and roll to a thickness of slightly less than 1/4 inch. Using a cutter, stencil, or inverted glass, cut cookies and transfer to baking sheets.

Bake for about 12 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Place pans on cooling racks for about 5 minutes, then carefully remove cookies. Allow cookies to cool thoroughly before serving. Frost with confectioners glaze, if desired. Place cookies in an airtight tin or jar until ready to serve.

This recipe makes between 3 and 4 dozen cookies, depending on cookie cutter size.

Confectioners Glaze

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
5 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

Melt butter until nut-brown. Remove from heat. Add sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir until smooth.

Vanilla Wafers

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup vanilla sugar
1/4 cup egg whites
1/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line heavy, large cookie sheets with parchment, then butter generously. Beat butter and sugar in medium bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg whites and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour and salt (batter will be soft).

Drop batter by level teaspoonfuls 3 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake until edges are golden brown and centers of cookies are still pale, about 7 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. Store in airtight container. (Can be prepared a few days ahead.)

Heavenly Chocolate Cookies

This is one of my favorites for holiday cookie baking. They’re part cookie, part candy, with lots of nuts. The recipe makes a large batch of cookies but the recipe can be cut in half.

Ingredients:

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut into small pieces
12 ounces bittersweet bar chocolate, chopped coarsely
8 tablespoons unsalted sweet butter, room temperature
4 extra large eggs, room temperature
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet bar chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3 cups coarsely chopped, toasted English walnuts, pecans, or a blend of both

Preparation:

Place oven rack in middle of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment or foil.

Melt unsweetened chocolate, 12 ounces of the bittersweet chocolate, and the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the ingredients slowly, stirring until smooth. Let cool to warm.

In a medium bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until light and frothy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in chocolate mixture. Add flour, baking soda and salt and beat just until blended. Stir in nuts and chocolate.

Make mounds of cookies by the tablespoon (or by 1/3 cup if you prefer large cookies) on cookie sheets, allowing space for spreading.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes. The surface should be dry but the centers soft. Cool cookies on racks. Best served warm so that chocolate pieces are soft.

Cherry-Vanilla Chocolate Cake with Truffle Frosting

Cake Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups thick sour cream
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican
Scant 2-1/4 cups unbleached flour or cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans or one 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan.

Mix together sour cream, sugar, butter and vanilla extract. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to sour cream mixture. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Pour into pan(s) and bake until the cake springs back when lightly touched (about 20 – 30 minutes, depending on pans used).

Cool on rack for 10 – 15 minutes. Remove cake from pans and sprinkle lightly with Kirsch (cherry brandy). If the cake has been baked in one large pan, cut cake in two layers and sprinkle both layers with Kirsch.

Filling Ingredients:

12 to 16 ounces cherry preserves
2 tablespoons Kirsch
2 teaspoons Tahitian vanilla extract

Mix well and reserve 2 teaspoons of preserves to use as glaze. Place bottom layer of cake on serving dish. Cover with cherry preserves, then place top layer onto cake. Frost with Truffle Frosting.

Decorate cake with fresh cherries that have been pitted and glazed with the balance of the preserves, and sprigs of mint.

Truffle Frosting Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into small pieces or run through food processor
1/4 pound unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon Tahitian vanilla extract

Preparation:

Place sugar and cream in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add chocolate and butter, cut into little pieces. Mix well.

When chocolate and butter are completely melted, add pinch of salt (optional) and vanilla extract. Place in refrigerator until mixture has cooled. If necessary, beat with a spoon or whisk until frosting is the right consistency for frosting the cake.

Marvel Chocolate Pie and More

Ingredients:

6 ounces of high-quality bittersweet chocolate, in small pieces
3 tablespoons light cream
2 tablespoons sugar
4 large or extra-large eggs separated
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (preferably Mexican)

1 pie shell, baked and cooled
1/2 pint whipping cream
2 teaspoons fine sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

Melt chocolate, cream and sugar over very low heat just until the chocolate has melted. Remove from heat, stir and set aside to cool.

Separate eggs. Beat the yolks just until blended. Fold them into the cooled chocolate mixture. Add Mexican vanilla extract and set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture, folding just until blended. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the whites, again folding just until blended.

Pour into the baked pie shell and chill.

To Serve: Whip cream with sugar and vanilla extract. Cover pie with cream, then sprinkle with cocoa or shaved bittersweet chocolate.

For Chocolate Mousse

Prepare chocolate mixture as above. Fold in 3/4 cup of whipped cream. Mound into glasses or serving bowls. Decorate with raspberries and serve with raspberry sauce.

Creamy, Dreamy Chocolate/Vanilla Truffles

Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
2 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation:

In a heavy saucepan, place cream and vanilla beans over medium heat, until the cream bubbles around the edge. Remove from heat and allow to steep for several hours or overnight. Reheat again till the cream bubbles around the edge, remove from heat, remove vanilla beans and pour into a measuring cup. You will want no more than 1/3 cup cream.

Pour cream into a bowl, add butter and finely chopped chocolate, submerging the chocolate completely with a wooden spoon.

Scrape seeds from vanilla beans into the chocolate mixture. Slowly stir mixture with a rubber spatula until it is completely blended and smooth.

Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour, or until a spoon of chocolate ganache mixture holds its shape.

Using a pastry bag or a melon baller dipped in cornstarch, make truffle balls and place onto a baking sheet. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until completely firm.

Roll each chocolate truffle between the palms of your hands, then roll in cocoa. Place in decorative candy cups and serve, or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several weeks. Makes about 30 truffles.