Maple Nut Fudge

Last night I made maple fudge in honor of Canada Day, which takes place every July 1. The holiday commemorates the establishment of the Canadian Confederation – the union of the provinces, colonies and territories of British North America on July 1, 1867. This marked the beginning of a new phase of Canadian independence which culminated in full sovereignty in 1982. It's important to note that Canada still recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State (as she is in Australia, New Zealand, and many Caribbean and South Pacific islands).

While the maple leaf first appeared on the Canadian flag in 1965, it was a Canadian symbol as early as 1700. In 1996 the maple tree, which grows naturally in all ten Canadian provinces, was declared the national tree of Canada.

Well before European colonization, Native Canadians discovered the culinary properties of maple sap which is used to produce maple syrup. The sap is harvested by drilling a hole into the xylem of a maple tree. A mature sugar or black maple will produce 40 liters of sap which will be distilled into one liter of syrup. Canada produces 80% of the world’s maple syrup – approximately 30 million liters in 2005.

Makes 16-24 pieces (about 2 pounds)

Ingredients
2 cups real maple syrup (from Canada, of course)
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with foil, wax or parchment paper. Generously grease with butter.
2. In a large pan bring maple syrup, sugar and cream to a boil over medium heat.
3. Continue to boil, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 240 F on a candy thermometer. The mixture will take a while to heat up, then will bubble vigorous for 20 or more minutes as water evaporates.
4. Remove from heat and add butter and salt. Do not mix. Let mixture cool to 105 F.

5. Add walnuts and vanilla and beat until the mixture thickens and loses its gloss.
6. Pour fudge into the prepared pan and cool to room temperature. Cut into 16 or 24 pieces. Refrigerate overnight.

This fudge is soft and should be stored wrapped in wax paper, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. You can also freeze it for up to four months – thaw by leaving it in the fridge overnight.

Summer Trifle

While trifle is sometimes associated with Christmas, it also makes a lovely summer treat – the chilled, layered combination of sponge cake, fruit, custard and whipped cream is perfect in the heat. My mother’s trifle was a modern version ideal for the working woman – a combination of store-bought Swiss roll, jello, Bird’s Custard and canned fruit. This version uses fresh ingredients and more labor.

This is the second dessert this month inspired by Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. At one point protagonist Charles Ryder indulges in a Mavrodaphne trifle. Mavrodaphne (literally black laurel) is a sweet dessert wine from Greece. The trifle referenced in the book contains the Greek wine substituted for sweet sherry, the traditional alcohol used in trifle. Chef John Fothergill at the Spreadeagle Inn in Thame (a village near Oxford) was famous for his Mavrodaphne trifle.


Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients
1 recipe of English Custard (about 3 cups)
2/5 to 1/2 recipe Lemon Sponge Cake (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/3 to 2/3 cup sweet sherry, port, sweet wine or fruit juice
1 to 1 1/2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 small banana, sliced
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons rose water (optional)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)
chocolate shavings or other garnish

The above photos correspond to various stages of trifle preparation. I refer to them top to bottom as photos 1-5.

Directions
1. Prepare custard in advance and use at room temperature or chilled. Do not use warm custard.
2. Slice stale sponge cake into 3/4-inch cubes. Using raspberry jam, attach two cubes of cake together. (see photo 1)
3. In the trifle bowl, pour alcohol or juice over cake and toss until the liquid is absorbed.
4. Add sliced strawberries and bananas and toss again. (see photo 2)
5. Cover with a layer of custard, making sure it settles over the cake-fruit mixture. (see photo 3)
6. Whip cream, rose water and powdered sugar until stiff.
7. Top trifle with whipped cream and decorate with chocolate shavings. You may also garnish with toasted sliced almond, fruit, sprinkles or cocoa powder. (see photos 4 and 5)
8. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours before serving.

Be sure to use a clear glass bowl to show off the layers of your trifle.

English Custard

I have early memories of standing beside my mother in the kitchen, impatiently watching her making custard. It would begin with milk and Bird’s Custard powder, and after what seemed like a very long time, it would magically transform into a thick yellow sauce. As a young child I would only eat custard on its own; as I grew older I learned to pair it with apple pie, mince pie and Marks & Spencer's Christmas pudding (incidentally, M&S no longer operates in Canada).

Technically custard refers to a mixture of egg yolks and milk thickened with heat. Years later I learned that Bird’s is not in fact custard at all – it is a cornstarch mixture created by Alfred Bird for his wife who was allergic to eggs.

Custard is used in a variety of desserts including crème brûlée and as a filling for tarts. While most custards are used in sweet dishes, quiche and frittata are examples of savory custards.

Unlike the English, the French never use thickeners for their custard (known as crème moulée); when thickeners are added they refer to it as crème pâtissière (pastry cream) which is used to fill éclairs, profiteroles and mille-feuille (Napoleans).

Making custard from scratch is much easier than you think. It requires some stirring, but by using a touch of cornstarch you can speed the process along significantly.


Serves 8 to 10 as a sauce

Ingredients
2 1/3 cups heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. In a large saucepan heat the cream until it is just about to simmer. You can tell it is ready when the surface begins to gently roll but no bubbles have yet formed.
2. While the cream is heating, in a large bowl use a balloon whisk to beat the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch.
3. Carefully pour the hot cream, a little at a time, into the egg mixture and whisk vigorously.
4. Once mixed, immediately pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Heat to simmering and whisk constantly until the mixture is thick and creamy.
5. Remove from the heat, add vanilla extract, and stir thoroughly. Serve warm. Or pour the custard into bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Store in the refrigerator.

Lemon Sponge Cake

Sponge cake, so called because of its airy structure reminiscent of a sponge, is a light cake perfectly served with berries (or other soft fruit) and whipped or ice cream. Unlike butter cakes, sponge contains no rising agents (such as baking powder, baking soda or yeast) and little or no butter. Whipped egg whites provide the height, which makes the cake especially susceptible to falling if the oven is opened during baking. The crumb can be described as a hybrid of pound cake and Angel Food cake.

While simple on its own, sponge cake often forms the foundation of ornate desserts such tiramisu, trifle, and Buche de Noel (Yule Log). This version incorporates lemon zest to add a citrus flavor and fresh scent.

Serves 12

Ingredients
8 eggs, separated
1 cup of granulated sugar
2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of lemon extract (optional)
powdered sugar (optional)

Directions
1. Line a 10-inch springform pan with wax paper or parchment paper. There is no need to grease the pan. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Whip egg whites until frothy. Slowly add sugar and beat until glossy and stiff.
3. In another bowl, using the same hand mixer whip egg yolks, lemon zest and lemon extract until creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg yolks into the egg whites. Be careful not to overmix which will deflate the egg whites.
5. Combine the flour and cornstarch and gently sift into the egg mixture. Fold in carefully, then fold in melted butter.
6. Transfer the batter to the pan. Spread evenly with the spatula and shake the pan to remove air bubbles.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Once the cake has cooled, run a knife around the cake to detach it. To serve, slice with a serrated bread knife.

To serve, dust with powdered sugar and slice with a serrated bread knife.