Tip and Recipe of the Month

All Buttered Up

Procedures & Notes:

• For Maple Butter, combine ½ cup softened butter and ¾ cup pure maple syrup and mix until fluffy.
• For Cinnamon Butter, blend ½ cup softened butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
• For Orange Butter or Lemon Butter, combine ½ cup softened butter and ½ teaspoon fresh orange zest or lemon zest.
• For Strawberry Butter, combine ½ cup softened butter and two large, fresh, ripe, hulled strawberries with confectioners’ sugar to taste.
• For Honey-Pecan Butter, toast 1/3 cup pecans in a shallow pan for about 8 minutes and finely chop. Beat ½ cup softened butter until fluffy, then beat in 2 tablespoons of honey. Mix in the pecans.
  

Apple Cinnamon Cannoli

This recipe is perfect for Sunday brunch or even dessert. Try it with some of the flavored butters showcased in the Tip of the Month!

Vanilla Crème Anglaise

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Cannoli

• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup dark rum
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into ½ inch pieces or sliced
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 6 sheets phyllo dough
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Preparation

For the vanilla crème, scald the cream with the vanilla bean in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean, rinse and save for another use.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until pale yellow. Whisk ¼ cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks; whisk the egg yolks into the hot cream.

Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the mixture coats a wooden spoon, stirring constantly. Pour through a fine strainer into a bowl. Whisk for 1 minute. Chill for 3 hours or longer.

For the cannoli, combine the raisins and rum in a small bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes or longer. Drain, discarding the rum.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan. Add the apples and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice and raisins. Cook until the apples are tender. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool for 1 hour or longer.

Place 3 sheets of phyllo dough on a work surface, leaving the remaining sheets covered with a dampened paper towel. Brush melted butter on the first sheet. Spread about ½ cup of the apple mixture along the short side of the sheet, starting about 2 inches from the edge. Roll up tightly. Brush melted butter on the second sheet. Place the filled roll on the edge of the second buttered sheet and roll them together. Brush melted butter on the third sheet. Place filled roll on the edge of the third buttered sheet and roll them together. Repeat the procedure with the remaining ingredients. Place both rolls on a nonstick baking sheet and brush the tops with melted butter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes. Sift the confectioners’ sugar on top of each cannoli and slice with a serrated knife. Serve hot with the vanilla crème.

Note: Purchased cannoli shells can be used instead of phyllo.