LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2024

Fair Trades from page 161

Less is More from page 97

2. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter. Beat in whole eggs and yolks. Whisk on low speed until mixed but still lumpy. Beat in sugar and salt. Add flour and milk-yeast mixture, scraping down sides with a rubber spatula to ensure all yeast is incorporated into mixture. Using hook attachment, knead on low speed until mixture comes together and forms a soft dough, 2 to 3 minutes. If dough is really sticking to bowl, beat in more flour 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, just until dough doesn’t stick to sides. When soft but not sticky, remove dough to an oiled bowl. Or remove dough to counter, oil mixer bowl and place dough back in the oiled bowl. Cover. Let dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

MULLED MUSCAT Although most people reach for the red to make their mulled wine, this recipe calls for white, as well as a little honey, brandy and fresh pear slices. 8 oz Muscat wine or de-alcoholized Muscat wine 2 oz honey 2 oz brandy 1 tsp (5 mL) thin ginger slices 3 star anise 4 mandarin orange wheels 2 dashes Bark & Bitter Honestly Aromatic Non-Alcoholic Bitters 1. Gently heat up all ingredients, except the bit ters, pear and pink peppercorns, in a saucepan over low heat. After 25 minutes, remove from heat and pour into two clear cups, taking care to strain out solids. 2. Add a dash of non-alcoholic bitters to each glass. Garnish with pear slices and peppercorns. HANKY PANKY Created in the early 1900s by Ada Coleman, the first woman head bartender at the American Bar at London’s Savoy Hotel, this drink is decep tively simple and an expertly balanced mix of bitter and sweet, whether made with traditional or non-alcoholic gin. 1 oz gin or de-alcoholized gin 1 oz sweet red vermouth 1/4 oz Fernet-Branca (LCBO 220145, 500 mL, $28.15) 1 orange twist for garnish 1. Combine all ingredients except garnish in an ice-filled mixing glass. Stir for 30 seconds and strain into a chilled coupe. 2. Rub the orange twist along the rim of the glass, express the oils into the glass and drop it into the drink. 6 thin slices fresh pear for garnish 8 pink peppercorns for garnish Makes 2 drinks

CHOCOLATEY PULL-APART COFFEE CAKE If you prefer a yeasted doughnut over a cake one, this risen, brioche-style (almost French toast–like) pull-apart cake is for you. The definition of coffee cake is a sweet baked delight that matches well with a hot cup of coffee, so we’ve taken the best of all these dessert worlds and rolled them into a tasty treat you’re encouraged to eat with your hands. It is a pull-apart cake, after all! DOUGH 3/4 cup (175 mL) whole milk (3.25%) 1 pkg (8 g) active dry yeast 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature 2 whole eggs 2 egg yolks 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar 1 tsp (5 mL) kosher sea salt 4 cups (2 L) all-purpose flour, plus more, if needed Vegetable oil for bowl FILLING 1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1/2 cup (125 mL) lightly packed brown sugar 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon 4 oz (115 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped STREUSEL TOPPING 1/2 cup (125 mL) lightly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour 1/4 cup (60 mL) butter, at room temperature

3. Meanwhile, prepare filling by stirring butter with brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

4. Prepare topping by mixing brown sugar, flour and butter with your fingertips and thumbs. Grease a large bundt pan with butter.

5. When dough has risen, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

6. Knead dough on a lightly floured counter. Roll into a square, 16 × 16 inches (40 × 40 cm). Using a spoon or rubber spatula, spread filling mix ture over surface of dough, spreading right to edges. Sprinkle with chocolate. Cut into roughly 16 squares.

7. Sprinkle bottom of bundt pan with the streusel mixture and set on a baking sheet.

8. Stack four pieces of dough on top of one another. Turn the stack and add to the pan so they run vertically in bottom of the pan. Gently nudge and flop them into place, so that the dough takes up about a quarter of the baking pan. It may look a bit messy, but this means it will come out with a more swirled, pull-apart effect. Repeat with remaining dough until you’ve arranged evenly around the whole pan. If dough is unevenly distributed, gently jiggle pan to even it out. 9. Bake in centre of preheated oven until golden on top, 35 to 40 minutes. Dough will rise a lot during baking. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, set a large serving plate over pan. Invert pan, remove and set aside. Serve cake warm or at room temperature. It’s best the day it’s made. If making ahead, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature up to 1 day.

Butter for greasing

1. To prepare dough, pour milk into saucepan or bowl. Heat just until lukewarm, 110° to 115°F (43° to 46°C), about 3 to 5 minutes over medium on stovetop or 40 seconds in microwave. Sprin kle yeast overtop. Let stand until bubbling or foamy, 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes 10 servings

Makes 1 drink

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———————— HOLIDAY 2024