SUCCESS TIP:
In general, rich, dark, full-bodied rum is a standard for cooking and for spiking punch.
For daiquiris and many other cocktails, many people prefer a dry, light rum.
Rum's rich tropical taste complements a number of foods, including chocolate and coffee, and certain varieties of fruit (apple, banana, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mango, orange, pineapple, pumpkin, strawberry and tangerine), and some nuts (almond, chestnut, hazelnut, pecan, pine nut and walnut).
Rum Buns
Currants plumped in rum and a touch of rum in the icing punch up the flavour of these handsome buns. If you wish, replace the rum with apple juice or water.
1/3 cup dried currants
1/4 cup rum full-bodied
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm (105 to 115ºF) water
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup warm (105 to 115ºF) milk
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. butter, softened
4 1/2 to 5 cups unbleached flour
1 egg
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg white, beaten
with 1 teaspoon water
Rum Glaze (recipe below)
METHOD
1. Place currants in a small bowl. Add rum, cover, and let stand while preparing dough.
2. Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl of electric mixer. Add 1 tablespoon of the 1/3 cup sugar. Let stand until yeast is soft (about 5 minutes).
3. Add remainder of the 1/3 cup sugar, milk, salt and softened butter.
4. Add 3 cups of the flour. Mix to blend, then beat at medium speed until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Add egg, beating until smooth. Mix in currant mixture. Stir in about 1 1/2 cups more flour to make a soft dough.
5. If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a pastry cloth dusted with some of the remaining flour. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny, and small bubbles form just under surface (15 to 20 minutes), adding additional flour, if needed, to prevent sticking. If kneading in a heavy-duty electric mixer, allow 10 to 12 minutes, then hand-knead for a minute or two.
6. Turn dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).
7. Punch dough down. Cover with inverted bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.
8. Roll dough out on a floured surface into a 12-by-18-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter. Mix the 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture over buttered surface. Starting with one of 18-inch sides, roll dough tightly, jelly-roll fashion. Moisten long edge with a little water and pinch to seal. Cut into 12 equal slices.
9. Place slices, cut sides down, in a well-greased, shallow 10-by-15-inch baking pan. Let rise until doubled in bulk (20 to 25 minutes). Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
10. Brush rolls lightly with egg white mixture. Bake until well browned (25 to 30 minutes). Drizzle with Rum Glaze and sprinkle with pecans. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 1 dozen buns.
Rum Glaze
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon butter, softened
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons rum
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
METHOD
Place sugar and butter in a small bowl. Gradually blend in rum, stirring until smooth and of a good drizzling consistency.
If fresh strawberries are in season, you can freeze them yourself instead of purchasing packaged frozen berries. Wash and hull one heaping pint of fresh strawberries. Then arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them until partially frozen before using them in the recipe.
Strawberry Daiquiri
Substitute banana, papaya, pineapple, fruit cocktail, mango for the strawberry. For an alcohol-free version, replace the rum with apple or pineapple juice.
1 juicy lemon, halved
Sugar, for frosting glasses
1 package (16 ozs.) frozen unsweetened
strawberries, partially thawed
OR 2 cups of sliced bananas or
other fruits
1 cup dry, light rum
6 tbsp. sugar
1 cup crushed ice
Whole fresh (unfrozen) strawberries
with stems, for garnish
OR put cherries, banana slices or other
fruits on a toothpick for garnish
Cocktail straws
METHOD
1. To frost daiquiri glasses, place in refrigerator or freezer until well-chilled. Rub a lemon half around the rim of each glass to coat it with juice. Holding glass upside down, dip rim in sugar; repeat with remaining glasses. Return glasses to refrigerator or freezer until needed.
2. Squeeze enough juice from lemon halves to yield 2 tablespoons. In blender, combine partially frozen strawberries, rum, lemon juice, the 6 tablespoons sugar and ice. Whirl at high speed until frothy and well-combined.
3. Pour into frosted glasses and serve at once, garnishing each drink with a fresh strawberry, if desired. Serve with straws.
Serves 4 to 6.
NOTE: In her book 'Shake Dat Cocktail', published by MacMillan, Gleaner Food reviewer Rosemary Parkinson suggests adding 1/2 oz. of Cointreau for taste, and a shot of Tequila for an extra kick.
Instead of sugar, she suggests sugar syrup to prevent the grainy taste of undissolved sugar grains. To make sugar syrup, boil 2 cups of sugar in 1 cup of water.
