Eddie Ho!

Something witty here about the name and this dessert

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Ingredients

• 1 small package instant vanilla pudding
• 1 c. whipping cream
• 1 c. half and half
• 1 high quality chocolate candy bar
• 2 c perfectly ripe berries
• 1/2 c rum
• 1/2 c brandy
• 1/4 c anisette
• 1 pound cake

How to:

Finely mince the chocolate candy bar,  You should have a s scant 1/4 c of  minced chocolate. Place the chocolate in a medium mixed bowl. Add the pudding mix, whip cream and the half and half. Mix the ingredients together and place the bowl in the refrigerator to allow the pudding mixture to thicken while preparing the other ingredients.

Slicing strawberries

Carefully rinse and thoroughly drain the berries in a strainer. We like to use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.  Set aside some of the prettiest berries to decorate the top of the trifle. Gently combine the rest of the berries in a small bowl.

Combine the alcohol in a 2 cup liquid mixing cup and set aside.

Slicing the pound cake

Using a good bread knife, carefully slice the pound cake into three horizontal slices: top, middle and bottom. Place the bottom of the pound cake, cut side up in a narrow casserole pan or a serving dish with sides. The key here is that you need sides to contain this delicious boozy dessert. Bean likes to use the same container she marinates in because it has a slight ridge that elevates the cake and keeps it from disintegrating in the surplus alcohol. She saves the pretty dishes for serving slices of this tasty treat.

1. Using a tablespoon, patiently spoon about 1/3 of the alcohol mixture over the pound cake. Don’t just pour it on the pound cake, too much liquid too fast turn this cake to mush and it won’t be able to support the top layers.


Patiently spooning

2. Take the pudding filling out of the refrigerator. Spoon and spread about 1/3 of the filling over the bottom of the pound cake.


Pudding filling

3. Spread little more than 1/3 of the assorted berries over the pudding filling.


Berry layer

4. Spoon 1 generous TBS of the alcohol mixture over the berries

Add the middle layer of the pound cake on top. Repeat the booze, pudding, berry and booze steps above.

Add the top layer of the pound cake on top. Repeat the booze, pudding, berry and booze steps above.

Use the reserved berries to decorate the top of the trifle. Refrigerate for at least four hours before serving. This is a dessert that really is better the next day. Serve this dessert slightly chilled  for the best flavor and consistency.

I don’t usually make my own cannoli shells. I pick the cannoli shells up at an Italian specialty store so I can devote my time to the delicious fillings. These cannoli fillings are a Sicilian family recipe, passed down.  There are also plenty of great recipes for making shells on-line.  I met a professional baker at the Food and Wine Pairing release party and she said she made cannoli shells once.  The cannoli were the best she ever had, but could not believe the hassle of making the cannoli shells from scratch.

Chocolate Cannoli

Chocolate Cannoli filling

• 2 pounds ricotta cheese
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dried citron
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup chocolate chunks (semi-sweet)
• 1/4 cup of creme de cocoa or Bailey’s Irish Cream

Cooking instructions:  I prefer to dice up chocolate rather than using the chunks found in the store because they are too big.  So after dicing the chocolate, basically combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate over night.  This allows the flavors to blend.

Important note:  Best way to serve cannolis is by adding filling to shell just prior to serving or you end up with soggy shells.

Sherried Cherry Cannoli filling

• 2 pounds ricotta
• 1 cup dried sweet cherries
• 1/4 cup sherry, plus sherry to taste (I used Harveys Bristol Cream)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chunks (semi-sweet dark)
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla

Sherried Cherry Cannoli

Soak the dried cherries in 1/4 cup sherry for a couple of hours.  Chop up chocolate from a candy bar into small bits (I think this works better than chocolate chips or pre-made bits).  Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and let set over night in refrigerator to let the flavors blend and saturate.

Fill shells just prior to serving to maintain shell crispness.

Wine Pairing

I served this at the Food and Wine Pairing Network Launch party.  We tried it with several wines but my favorite pairing was with St. Supery‘s Moscato.

When it comes to sweet and succulent shrimp and scallops, I prefer a simple preparation.  A lot of times people do so much to seafood that you lose the essence of the seafood. This recipe is all about the shrimp!

Succulent prawns

• 3 TBS unsalted butter
• 1 TBS regular olive oil, don’t use extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 pound fresh jumbo  prawns in the shell, heads removed
• 1/2 cup Chardonnay
• 2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 fresh lemon, cut into wedges

Cooking prawns

In a sauté pan, melt the butter and add the olive oil over medium heat. Heat until the butter starts to bubble, but don’t let the butter brown. Add the crushed garlic cloves and stir them into the butter until they are well covered with the oil. Add the jumbo prawns to the pan. Cook the prawns for 3 minutes on each side. Do not over cook!

Stir the Chardonnay into the pan. Add the parsley and fresh ground pepper and serve immediately with the lemon wedges. Be sure to serve it with something to soak up the tasty garlicky wine sauce. We used Italian bread but the next time I make this, I will serve this over a lightly herbed lemon rice.

Prawns with Ken Wright

Wine Pairing

I made this dish to serve with one of my all time favorite wines, Ken Wright Chardonnay for a dinner “work” party.  It would be good with a Viognier or an off-dry Riesling. I am also tempted to try it with one of my new favorite white varietals, Siegerrebe.