Rum Raisin Clusters Recipes

Steps:

• Bring rum almost to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from heat; add raisins, cover, and let cool. Drain and blot dry.
• Melt chocolate and butter in microwave, 1 minute, 20 seconds. Stir until smooth, then stir in coarse salt, cornflakes, and raisins. Drop mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheets in 1 1/4-inch mounds. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Chill until set, about 30 minutes or up to 5 days.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine 1-1/2 cups flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating just until combined. Toss raisins with remaining flour. Fold raisins and pecans into batter. , Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately brush muffins with syrup. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Combine chocolate chips and whipping cream in a small saucepan.
• Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
• Stir in rum until smooth.
• Stir in raisins and pecans.
• Spoon into foil cups or drop by a spoon in small mounds onto baking sheet lined with waxed paper.
• In another small saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly; drizzle over raisin clusters.
• Chill until firm.
• Store in a tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Steps:

• For the pancakes: In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the rum, orange juice and raisins, and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain the raisins and reserve the soaking liquid.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, cardamom and nutmeg. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, orange zest, vanilla and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the rehydrated raisins. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Brush a generous coat of clarified butter onto a large cast-iron griddle over medium heat. Add a scant 1/4 cup of the batter to the pan and cook until the bottom is lightly golden brown and bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancake over and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown. Transfer to a plate. Repeat for the remaining pancakes.
• For the glaze: Beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Thin out the glaze with some of the raisin soaking liquid¿it should be just pourable.
• Serve 3 pancakes per person, drizzle each stack with the glaze and top with warm maple syrup or honey, if desired. Garnish with confectioners' sugar and fresh mint.

Steps:

• In a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, heat the cream until hot to the touch but not boiling and turn off the heat. Add the butter and 12 ounces of the chocolate to the hot cream. Stir until the chocolate melts. Meanwhile, mince the raisins and combine them with the rum in a small bowl. Stir the raisins and rum mixture into the melted chocolate mixture, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 6 hours or overnight.
• The next day, using a very small (1 1/4-inch) ice cream scoop (you can also use 2 spoons), scoop balls of the mixture onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• When the chocolate is cold, place 10 ounces of the remaining chocolate in a small glass bowl and heat it in a microwave on high for 20 seconds exactly. Stir the chocolate and continue to heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate is smooth and shiny. This will take 5 or 6 times, depending on your microwave. Add the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate and stir until smooth. The chocolate should be 85 degrees F to 90 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. If it¿s too cool, heat it briefly in the microwave. You¿ll want it to be pourable.
• Using 2 spoons, pick up a chilled ball in one spoon and warm chocolate in the other and roll them around together until the chilled ball is completely coated in warm chocolate (don¿t drop the ball into the chocolate or the warm chocolate will cool off!). Place the coated truffle back on the parchment paper. Continue coating the balls until they¿re all covered with milk chocolate. Allow to sit at room temperature until the chocolate hardens. Serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• Place the raisins in a mixing bowl or glass jar and add water so that it covers the raisins by at least 1/2-inch. Stir in the rum or flavored alcohol. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. It is even better to allow the raisins to hydrate for 2 to 3 days. They will become very plump as they absorb the liquid. You can keep them in the refrigerator for a few weeks. When you are ready to use them, strain the amount that you need through a fine-mesh sieve before adding them to the recipe.

Steps:

• Line baking sheet with buttered wax paper; set aside.
• Melt chocolate with condensed milk and vanilla in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in raisins.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet.
• Refrigerate until firm.