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SPICED SOUR CHERRY COMPOTE
Vyšniu kompotas
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
3 heaping cups sour cherries, pitted
1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Combine water, sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add cherries, lower heat to medium and squeeze in juice of lemon half. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain cherries and set them aside, saving the liquid. Carefully remove cloves and cinnamon stick; discard. Remove vanilla bean, rinse and set it aside for future use. Return cherry juice to saucepan. Cook over low heat until reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk into boiling cherry juice. Continue cooking, whisking, until syrup comes to a boil again. Remove from heat. Add cherries to syrup and toss gently. Compote may be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.
PLUM CAKE
Slyvu pyragas
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. sugar
5 egg yolks
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsps.) butter
1 tsp. baking powder
Quick mixing flour
5 egg whites
10 small plums
Dough: Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, sugar, egg yolks, butter and baking powder. Keep adding quick mixing flour until the dough is very thick. Beat the egg whites until thick. Mix the thick egg whites with rest of dough. (Dough will be watery). Put in a greased 9 x 13 in. pan. For a thicker cake crust use an 8 x 12 in. pan.
Wash and dry plums. Cut plums into halves and remove pits. Put the halves into the pan about one inch apart. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. After cooling, sprinkle the plum cake with powdered sugar.
FRUIT AND ICE CREAM PIE
Vaisiu ir ledu pajus
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup melted margarine
2 cups raw cranberries (save 15 for garnish)
1 orange, not peeled, diced
1/2 cup sugar
20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice
2 tbsp. orange liqueur (optional)
1 qt. vanilla ice cream, softened
8 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and margarine. Press into 8 or 9-inch springform pan. Combine cranberries, one-half orange and sugar in food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped. Drain 20-ounce can pineapple, save juice for beverage. Fold pineapple, cranberry mixture and liqueur into ice cream. Pour into prepared crust. Freeze until firm. Remove from freezer 45 minutes before serving. Garnish top with drained 8-ounce can pineapple, reserved cranberries, and one-half orange. Serves 8 to 10.
CHOCOLATE NAPOLEONS
Šokoladiniai Napoleonai
1/2 pkg. (171/4 oz. size) Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry sheets (1 sheet)
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate pieces, melted and cooled Confectioners’ sugar
1 square semi-sweet chocolate, melted (optional)
Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into three strips along fold marks. Cut each strip into six rectangles. Place two inches apart on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack. In medium bowl place cream and cinnamon. Beat with electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in melted chocolate pieces. Split pastries into two layers. Spread 18 halves with chocolate cream. Top with remaining halves. Cover and refrigerate up to four hours. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle with melted chocolate if desired. Makes 18.