Classic Hard Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Puree the tomatoes to a smooth, creamy consistency in a food processor or with an immersion blender. (If you like a more country feel, you can wait and break them up in the pan later with a wooden spoon.)
• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. When hot, add the onion and saute 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until you see the color start changing. If you'd like to make the sauce spicy, add the red pepper flakes.
• Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer about 30 minutes. (If you did not puree the tomatoes, use a wooden spoon to break them into pieces while they cook.) Strive for balance in the consistency of the sauce: It has to be fluid, but it should not look overly wet. Add the basil and remove from the heat. Toss with just-cooked pasta.

Steps:

• Mix together the sugar, butter, vanilla and egg in a saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar melts. Add the brandy and stir for 1 minute. Add the nutmeg and orange zest, and serve warm.

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and brandy or Cognac; beat until combined. Transfer to a serving dish, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar together thoroughly. Beat in the spirit, a little at a time, until the mixture is quite smooth. Serve by spoonfuls over individual slices of pudding.

Steps:

• Beat butter or margarine until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Sift confectioners' sugar into the butter. Add rum, vanilla, and nutmeg. Beat on high speed for 5 minutes. Serve at once over cake, or cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using if refrigerated.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, nutmeg, allspice and water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and extracts. Serve with spice cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients.

Steps:

• Put the cut-up butter in a 1-cup glass measure with a pouring spout, and microwave until completely melted and clear but not bubbling (or heat in a warm oven, 190°F., about 30 minutes). Skim off any foam from the top, and cool until lukewarm but still liquid.
• Combine the vinegar, water, and seasonings in a 3-cup, heavy-bottomed, non-reactive saucepan, and simmer slowly over medium-low heat until the liquid reduces to 1 teaspoon. Mix in 1/2 tablespoon cool water, strain the liquid into a cup, and return it to the saucepan.
• Whisk in the yolk, then 1/4 of the clarified butter. Place over medium-low heat, and continue whisking across the bottom and around the sides of the pan until the yolk-and-butter mixture thickens to a sour cream consistency. If the yolk is overcooked, it will start to scramble; if undercooked (as in "blender Hollandaise" recipes), it will taste raw.
• Dunk the pan briefly in cold water; then slowly dribble in the rest of the butter off heat, whisking constantly, without including the milky liquid at the bottom. When all the butter is absorbed, the sauce should be the consistency of a medium-thick mayonnaise; whisk in the cream (or water) so it forms soft, slowly dissolving peaks.
• To keep the sauce from congealing, set it in a pan of hot tap water, but the sooner it is served, the better.
• If the sauce overheats or the butter is added too fast, the oily fat can separate out. If that happens, during or after cooking, it is easy to fix: Put a teaspoon of water in a small bowl, add a spoonful of the separating sauce, and whisk them together until creamy; then gradually add the rest of the sauce, spoonful by spoonful, until the whole thing is reconstituted.

Steps:

• Place egg yolks and water in the top of a double boiler and beat well with a wire whip or fork.
• Put all but 2 tbs of the butter in a small saucepan over moderately low heat (about 225F degrees) until just melted.
• Add 1 tbs of the cold butter to the egg and water mixture and place over hot, not boiling water.
• Whip constantly until egg yolks thicken slightly.
• Remove from heat and whip in the second tbs of cold butter.
• Gradually pour the melted butter into the egg mixture, beating constantly.
• Place over hot, not boiling, water (water below should not touch bottom of pan) cook until thickened, whipping constantly.
• Thickened Hollandaise should hold the imprint when a fork or whip is drawn across the surface.
• Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, salt, and cayenne.
• Sauce may be placed in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water, covered, and kept until serving time.
• Serve with vegetables, baked or broiled fish, and shell-fish.
• Note: if you use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.

Steps:

• In small bowl, combine all ingredients beat at high speed until well blended. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving time. Serve over warm dessert. Store in refrigerator.Nutrition Information Per Serving: Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon * Calories: 80 * Calories from Fat: 35 * % Daily Value: Total Fat: 4 g 6% * Saturated Fat: 2 g 10% * Cholesterol: 10 mg 3% * Sodium: 40 mg 2% * Total Carbohydrate: 10 g 3% * Dietary Fiber: 0 g 0% * Sugars: 10 g * Protein: 0 g * Vitamin A: 2% * Vitamin C: 0% * Calcium: 0% * Iron: 0% * Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit, 1 Fat or 1/2 Carbohydrate, 1 Fat