"I like to add a little excitement to family tradition without making it complicated or more work. These recipes add a twist on tradition, but can all be made ahead, so that you can spend time visiting with your family and guests and not preparing food the whole time," said Ms. Haynes.

"Not everyone loves Christmas pudding, even though it's an annual tradition in many households. Ginger, Almond and Lemon Cake makes a great alternative, and is also perfect for snacks when you have afternoon visitors. I also like a twist on the traditional turkey stuffing. The Apple and Dried Cranberry Stuffing is full-flavoured and a perfect complement to turkey or chicken", describes Linda.

One of North America's leading artisan bakeries, ACE Bakery's famous baguettes and artisan breads are available at hundreds of restaurants, hotels, caterers, grocery and gourmet food shops across Canada, New York State, the Midwest U.S.A and as far as the Bahamas. ACE Bakery opened in 1993 as an artisan bakery creating hand-made, European-style rustic breads. The gentle shaping of each loaf, long fermentation periods and a stone deck oven all work to create exceptionally flavorful products with a light, airy texture and crisp, golden crust. The breads contain no preservatives and are made with the best all-natural ingredients.

Community involvement is an essential part of ACE's philosophy. The company donates a percentage of its net profits to charitable organizations in the principal centers where ACE breads are sold. ACE's focus is on food and nutrition programs that assist low-income members of the community, financing culinary scholarships and supporting organic farming initiatives. All royalties from the sale of The ACE Bakery Cookbook are donated to support these efforts.

Ginger, Almond, and Lemon Cake
(photo available)

Serves 8 to 10

I like to put a compote of pineapples and raisins on the plate beside the cake in the winter. Top with whipped cream if you like, or a Lemon-Wine Sauce. This is a great alternative to Christmas pudding, and makes a great snack.

7 Tbsp. (105 mL) fine sugar, plus extra for dusting cake tin
1 cup (240 mL) very fine dry white breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) baking powder
1 cup (240 mL) roughly chopped skinned whole almonds
¼ lb. (113 g) butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) lemon zest
¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped crystallized ginger
6 egg whites
Icing sugar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Cut a round piece of parchment paper large enough to fit the bottom of a 8 to 9-inch (20 to 23-cm) round cake tin. Grease the inside of the tin, put the parchment in the bottom, butter the parchment, and dust it and the sides of the tin with fine sugar.

Mix the 7 Tbsp. (105 mL) sugar, breadcrumbs, baking powder, and almonds in a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients including the whipped egg whites. Transfer into a food processor, and add the lukewarm butter. Pulse until the mixture is the consistency of brown sugar. Return to the mixing bowl, sprinkle in the lemon zest, and add the crystallized ginger.

Mix well so that they are well distributed throughout the batter.

Whip the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, but are not glossy. Mix 1 cup (240 mL) of the egg whites into the batter. Gently fold half of the remaining egg whites into the batter, and then fold in the second half. Pour the batter into the cake tin, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the cake tin.

Lemon-Wine Sauce

1 egg, extra large
¼ cup (60 mL) sugar
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) lemon juice
1 cup (240 mL) dry white wine
zest of ¼ lemon

In a small bowl, whisk the egg and sugar together until it turns pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and wine to the egg mixture and combine. Transfer to a double boiler and whisk continuously until it is warm and slightly thickened. Be careful not to overcook, as the egg could scramble. Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest.

Green Beans with a Soffrito and Toasted Breadcrumbs

Serves 4 to 6

Soffrito, usually made of olive oil, garlic, onion, parsley, and tomato, is the base of many Italian dishes. This easy way to dress up green beans could be served as a cold salad if you tossed the beans in a light vinaigrette before heaping the soffrito and crumbs on top.

2 Tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil
1/3 cup (80 mL) finely chopped cooking onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup (120 mL) fresh white breadcrumbs
½ lb. (225 g) French haricot vert or green string beans

To make the soffrito, heat 1 Tbsp. (30 mL) of the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until pale gold and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have disintegrated and the onion is soft. Reserve.

Sauté the breadcrumbs in the remaining 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) of oil and reserve.

Boil or steam the beans until slightly crispy. Drain. Toss the beans into the warm soffrito. Turn into a bowl and sprinkle with as much of the breadcrumbs as you like.

The soffrito can also be heated on its own and spooned over the beans after they have been tossed in a little olive oil. Then sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the soffrito.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook ©

Apple and Dried Cranberry Stuffing

Makes enough stuffing for a 12 to 14 lb. turkey

This full-flavored, delicious stuffing is also wonderful for chicken, pheasant, or partridge.

1 ACE baguette (500 g) or large loaf of white bread
3 to 4 Tbsp.(45 to 60 mL) finely chopped sage
½ cup (120 mL) unsalted butter
4 cups (950 mL) sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only
4 medium-sized tart green apples, peeled, cored, and diced
4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
½ cup (120 mL) dried cranberries
½ cup (120 mL) minced fresh parsley
1 cup (240 mL) turkey or chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lb. (455 g) sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, meat crumbled and sautéed over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until cooked (optional)

Cut the bread into ½-inch (1.2-cm) cubes, trimming the crust if you wish. Put the cubes on cookie sheets and bake in a 275°F (135°C) oven until crisp but not browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sage, leaks, apples, and celery, and sauté until the leeks soften, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, mix in the dried cranberries and cool to room temperature. The recipe, up to this point, can be made one day ahead and refrigerated.

In a large bowl, mix the bread cubes, the cooled fruit and vegetable mixture, parsley, stock, salt and pepper to taste, and toss gently. Add the sausage, if using.

Stuff the turkey just before roasting.

The ACE Bakery Cookbook ©

For more information, contact Samantha Mesrobian, 416/241-3600 x.305, smesrobian@acebakery.com.


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