Conserve-ation

Honoring the end of one season and the beginning of another I made Peach Almond Conserve  and Cranberry Apple Conserve  this week.  Conserves are similar to preserves but are made with a combination of fresh and dried fruits and often contain nuts.   These conserves are made without pectin and with less sugar than most jams, giving them a softer, chunkier texture with lots of fruit taste.  A good conserve blends the flavors of the fruits without losing their individual character. 

Here are my recipes for some delicious seasonal conserves.

Cranberry Apple Walnut Conserve
2 cups cranberries
6 cups apples (peeled, cored, cut in 1/4 inch slices, then cut in half)
1/2 cup orange juice
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup walnuts (rough chopped)
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 cinnamon sticks
1 whole star anise
2 tablespoons Contreau (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Place walnuts in single layer on cookie sheet
Toast in oven until just slightly browned and fragrant
Set nuts aside to cool
Cook cranberries in orange juice and spices until they begin to soften slightly and pop (about 10 minutes)
Add apples, raisins, and sugar
Cook gently until apples soften and mixture begins to thicken
Stir in remaining sugar and Contreau
Boil until mixture gels (will be a softer spread than a traditional jam)
Remove cinnamon sticks and star anise
Stir in walnuts
refrigerate, can, or freeze

Peach Almond Conserve
8 cups peaches (peeled, pitted, cut into 1/2 chunks)
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup dried currants
2/3 cup slivered almonds
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons Ameretto (or 1 tsp almond extract)

Cook peaches, currants and cinnamon sticks until they get slightly soft and juicy
Add sugar and Ameretto (or almond extract) turn up heat
Boil until mixture gels (will be a softer spread than a traditional jam)
Remove cinnamon sticks
Stir in almonds
Refrigerate, can, or freeze

Baby Biscuits with Cranberry Conserve & Pumpkin Whipped Cream

Don’t get me wrong, I like a big slab of pie as much as anyone,  but sometimes a heavy dessert is just too much.   These adorable petite biscuits manage to pack all the tart, sweet, warm flavors of the season into a few bites.  They make a perfect  addition to your holiday dessert table. and a light treat after a huge festive meal. 

Baby Biscuits with Cranberry Conserve & Pumpkin Whipped Cream
Biscuits
1 stick butter
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Cinnamon and Sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together flour and baking powder in a large bowl.  Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs using hand pastry blender, food processor or stand mixer. Do not over mix.    Scoop out 24  lumps of dough (approx 2 Tbs) onto an ungreased baking tray leaving an inch between.  Bake until light brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Cranberry Conserve
3 cups Cranberries
1/2 cup Water
1/4 cup Orange Juice
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 tsp Lemon Zest
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts

Combine all ingredients except nuts in a large saucepan.  Heat slowly to a boil. Boil one minute and then lower heat and cook until thickened (about 15 minutes).  Remove cinnamon stick, stir in nuts and allow mixture to cool slightly then refrigerate.

Pumpkin Whipped Cream
1 cup Heavy Cream
3 Tbs Pumpkin Puree
2 tsp Confectioners Sugar
Dash of Cinnamon

Assembling the Dessert
Split cooled biscuits, spread a bit of the whipped cream on bottom half of biscuit, top with small dollop of cranberry conserve, carefully replace the top of the biscuit and serve right away.