Best Martha Stewarts Brandy Butter Dessert Sauce Recipes

BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. In a medium bowl, lightly beat egg yolks.
• In a small, heavy saucepan, bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Add butter and sugar, and stir until completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Whisk 1/4 of hot cream mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Transfer egg-yolk mixture back to saucepan, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking frequently, until mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. (Mixture will have the consistency of a thick pudding.) Remove from heat, and stir in cognac. Transfer sauce to a clean bowl, and place in ice bath to chill. Brandy sauce will keep in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 1 week.

BRANDY BUTTER

Steps:

• Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on medium-high speed until creamy. Mix in the brandy.

YUMMY BRANDY BUTTER

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, beat the butter until it is really soft and light. Gradually blend in the castor sugar and brown sugar, then finally mix in the brandy. Spoon into a ramekin or small dish, and rough up the top. Cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

HARD SAUCE FOR BREAD PUDDING OR CAKE

Steps:

• Mix sugar, butter, cornstarch, salt and cold water together in a small sauce pan.
• Add hot water and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
• Add vinegar and vanilla.
• Serve hot over warm bread pudding or warm pound cake.

MARTHA STEWART'S BEARNAISE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine vinegar, wine, shallots, black pepper, and 1 1/2 teaspoons tarragon in a small saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat until reduced to 1 tablespoon, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of water to reduced vinegar mixture.
• Whisk until thick and pale, about 2 minutes.
• Set pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk at reasonable speed reaching all over bottom and insides of pan, where eggs tend to overcook.
• To moderate heat, frequently move pan off burner for a few seconds, then back on.
• As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, then thicken.
• When the bottom of the pan is visible in the streaks left by the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from heat.
• By spoonfuls, add soft butter, whisking constantly to incorporate each addition.
• As the emulsion forms, add butter in slightly larger amounts, always whisking until fully absorbed.
• Continue incorporating butter until sauce has thickened to consistency desired.
• Season with salt, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped tarragon and, if desired, pepper.
• Add a few droplets of lemon juice if necessary.

BRANDY BUTTER (HARD SAUCE)

Steps:

• Place butter, confectioners sugar, orange rind, orange juice, and brandy or cognac into food processor and mix until smooth. Pile sauce into serving bowl and refrigerate. Remove from fridge about one hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE-GINGER CAKE WITH BOURBON SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch Bundt pan. Dust with cocoa powder, and tap out excess; set aside. Put butter, molasses, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter has melted. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Add eggs, milk, and grated ginger to the molasses mixture; whisk to combine. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, and cinnamon into a medium bowl.
• Gently fold the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until just combined. (There should be lumps remaining.) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• Invert cake, and unmold onto a cake stand or a large serving platter. Using a spoon, drizzle the warm bourbon sauce over the cake in a back-and-forth motion. Serve immediately.

HARD SAUCE

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.

SHALLOT-BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add brandy. Bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half. Whisk in stock and cream and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in thyme; season with salt and pepper.