Peach pecan entremet

Some of my favorite projects are ones where creativity meets technique, and in which I can explore how a flavor pairing can work together in different ways. This peach entremet checks all of these boxes, which is why I wanted to share some of my process and the recipe for each component.

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This year I've really focused on using the freshest and most in season fruit in my baking. Sourced locally, I can not only get them at the peak of ripeness and flavor, but I get the opportunity to visit farms and pick my own, such fun for me and the kids as well! First came strawberries, then cherries, and then it was apricot and peach season. I got a large box of fresh local peaches and got to work, after playing with them in a few different ways this is the creation that emerged.

These are Goldensweet peaches from Frog Hollow farms, they are sweet and juicy freestone peaches, though firm enough to slice neatly. First, I picked out a few of them, halved them and baked them in the oven until the peel pulled off easily, they were soft throughout (but not mushy) and the juices caramelized slightly on the edges - I then pureed them and put the puree in an airtight container in the fridge to use a bit later. 

A few more of the peaches got chopped up (bowl in that first pic above) and I turned them into a fun and quick compote - a small dash of brown sugar just to draw out the juices because the fruit were sweet enough on their own, a splash of bourbon, some cinnamon and a little cornstarch to thicken. I cooked this all together until softened and slightly thickened, then spooned into hemispherical moulds and put in the freezer to set. 

For the next component I don't have any good pictures, I do need to plan my recipe development a bit more carefully that's for sure. I made a simple gelee with sparkling rose wine, peach puree, brown sugar and gelatin, and let it set on a quarter sheet pan covered in clingwrap. Note to self, lightly oiled foil may work better here, but it was workable. I let this set in the fridge while I whipped up a basic cremeux, then flavored it with a hearty dose of toasted pecan butter. Pecans made another showing in the cake base - a classic joconde sponge, only made with pecan flour.

Last but not least, the piece de resistance, the peach mousse to bring it all together. I used the oven roasted peach puree, gelatin and whipped cream to make a smooth and airy mousse in which I layered all the other components. I made a trial personal sized entremet (3") first to get a taste and decide, and I really do love how well peaches and pecans come together in all this.

For the finishing touch, I wanted to make a mirror glaze, but didn't want to stick with the classic white chocolate one as it felt like it would be too sweet for the subtle flavors of the entremet. Instead, I made a salted caramel mirror glaze with a touch of peach puree and poured it on the warmer side for a thin finish.

Last but not least, I wanted to talk about the theme I centered this dessert around. The larger sharing size entremet was assembled in a 6" hemispherical pan. I actually included the cremeux both underneath the compote as in the mini, and immediately on top of the sponge, with the rose gelee and a layer of mousse in between. I wanted to set up this gelatin based dessert as a jelly-fish, so I made tentacles out of gelatin, use cake scraps and chocolate candies as the bottom of the sea in a vase, and set up a blue backdrop. Not my tidiest work, but pretty fun, what do you think?

Sometimes less is more, even though I spent an eternity adding golden dragees on the bottom of the entremet for an extra touch, I ended up liking it all more without, but presented here is the most dressy version of this jellyfish before I got enjoyed at the table.

I partnered with a friend with experience in mixology, and she came up with two cocktails that paired with this dessert. The first one, refreshing and light, a little tart - puréed peach, peach bitters, rye, creme de peche, angostura bitters, lemon, and tarragon syrup. The second one, recommended to be served with dessert itself, was a strong drink, simple and sophisticated - rye, Lillet rouge, peach bitters, tarragon syrup, red vermouth. Cheers!

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Peach pecan entremet

~ Peach compote ~

Ingredients

• 2 peaches, chopped in even pieces
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp bourbon
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch of salt

Method

1. Mix peaches and brown sugar in a small pot, let sit for a few minutes to draw out juices.
2. Put pot on medium heat, stir occasionally as you bring it to a simmer.
3. Add cinnamon and salt, mix.
4. Add bourbon (off the heat to avoid flame-up), then cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Make slurry with corn starch, add and stir for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
6. Let cool slightly, then chill in the fridge or put in forms in the freezer for entremet layering.

~ Bubbly gelee ~

For ratios and method, I referenced this recipe, only used 1.5 cups Chandon reserve rose for the bubbly, only 2 tbsp of sugar and 2 tbsp of peach puree along with the 3 tbsp of powdered gelatin.

~ Pecan cremeux ~

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks
• 40 g granulated sugar
• 200 ml milk
• 200 ml heavy cream
• 160 g white chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp pecan butter

Method

1. Beat together yolks and sugar until pale and increased in volume slightly.
2. Combine milk and cream in a pot and bring to a bare simmer.
3. Temper the yolks carefully, pouring in the hot milk a bit at a time while whisking.
4. Return to heat set to medium-low and stir occasionally until thickened (back of spoon test or 180F).
5. Let cool slightly, then add chopped white chocolate and leave for a minute or two until it melts throughout.
6. Incorporate melted chocolate well, use stick blender if needed.
7. Add pecan butter and mix.
8. Transfer to piping bag, secure the end with an elastic and place in fridge until needed.

~ Pecan joconde ~

Ingredients

• 185 g pecans or pecan flour
• 185 g powdered sugar
• 5 eggs, separated yolks
• 50 g all purpose flour
• 25 g granulated sugar
• 45 g butter, melted

Method

1. Preheat oven at 350F. Prepare a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. If using whole pecans, grind up until fine in a food processor.
3. Beat together powdered sugar, egg yolks and ground pecans in stand mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Add flour and mix until just combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks.
6. Gradually add granulated sugar while whisking on high speed until fully incorporated and the meringue has achieved stiff peaks.
7. Carefully fold meringue in pecan mixture, trying to keep as much air into the meringue as possible.
8. Drizzle in the melted butter while folding until incorporated.
9. Gently pour batter in prepared pan and level using a large offset spatula.
10. Bake 8-10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean close to the center of the pan.
11. Invert on cooling rack, remove parchment and let cool.

~ Peach mousse ~

Ingredients

• 150 g granulated sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup peach puree
• 4 sheets of gelatin, soaked in cold water (or 4 tsp gelatin powder)
• 1.5 cups heavy cream

Method

1. First, make an Italian meringue: start by heating up sugar with a splash of water until melted.
2. Put egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer.
3. When the temperature of the syrup reaches 240F, turn on the stand mixer on medium.
4. When the syrup reaches 250F, remove from heat. Make sure the egg whites are already frothy, and start pouring the syrup down the side of the bowl while mixer is still going.
5. Continue to whisk on high until meringue is glossy and it holds stiff peaks.
6. Warm up peach puree slightly in the microwave or in a small pot and add gelatin to melt.
7. Let puree cool slightly, but not set (80-85F), then carefully fold into Italian meringue.
8. Whip the heavy cream until light but still a bit runny, just below soft peak stage.
9. Fold cream into peach mousse and use immediately before it starts setting.

~ Caramel mirror glaze ~

I followed this tried and true recipe for the mirror glaze, blooming the gelatin in half water, half peach puree to tie in the flavors.

Assembly

I'm including the instructions for a straightforward, ring mould cake, the hemispherical cake or a silicone form require assembly upside down.

• Line ring mould with acetate or cling wrap to prevent sticking.
• Cut a circle of joconde to fit the ring mould, then place at the bottom of the prepared ring.
• Pipe a disc of cremeux on the joconde, leaving 0.5"-1" of space to the edges.
• Cut a disc of gelee the same width as the cremeux and place on top.
• Pipe or spoon peach mousse to cover the cremeux and gelee, making sure it fills all the spaces around the edges of the ring.
• Place frozen peach compote in the middle, then spoon/pipe more peach mousse until the compote is well covered by at least 0.5"-1" of mousse.
• Set in the freezer a couple of hours or overnight to set well.
• Bring mirror glaze to desired temperature for pouring (85F or just slightly warmer).
• Unmould cake, place on top of a rack or stable cup/ramekin smaller than the cake placed inside a baking pan to catch the excess glaze.
• Carefully but swiftly pour mirror glaze on top, making sure the sides are well covered. Alternately, you can pour the mirror glaze before unmoulding for a naked sides look.
• Let cake thaw at room temperature for an hour or in the fridge for a few hours, serve chilled.

Grandma's Apple Pie

 Sometimes nostalgia strikes - it's fun to be transported back to the time and land of my childhood through food. Based on a recipe for Hungarian apple pie and adding a bit of my own spin on it, I tried to recreate the apple pie bar my grandma would make in Romania. 

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Hosting guests was always a big event at my grandma's house, she would always go all out to impress - from a generous array of appetizers, soup, hearty main course and sides, and home made dessert, as well as ensuring appropriate drink pairings. Did you know the best way to start a meal in Romania is with smoked pork belly, red onion and a shot of plum brandy (palinca)? Now you do :)

Her desserts weren't particularly elaborate, but they had that homey goodness of a tried and true treat, passed down from one home cook to another. The additional perk of that is that the ingredient list is usually very accessible, mostly with everyday items that I can have on hand at any time at home. This apple pie is one of those recipes. This is not your classic American pie, not even close. It's somewhere between an apple bar and breakfast pastry, with a flaky yeast leavened dough (though I've heard of it made with baking soda as well) and a pre-cooked apple filling thickened with semolina, a staple in Romanian cooking. 

The dough starts similarly to classic short crust of American pies - cut fat into flour, add flavor and wet ingredients, knead briefly. I used cream cheese for half the fat component for a creamier, more tender crumb, but also added lemon zest for flavor and the wet ingredients include egg and a mix of yeast, warm milk and sugar. The egg adds richness, and the yeast provides the signature fluffiness of this pie bar. Mix the egg and yeast into the flour mix first with a spatula/fork to incorporate without fully melting the butter, then knead briefly to bring together without overworking it. Bring into a rough ball, cover and rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes to get the yeast a chance to work its magic. 

While the dough rests, it's time to work on the filling. My grandma used to grate her apples, and recipes I've found recommended slicing them, I split the difference and cubed mine, I love the uniformity of a smaller cut in any apple bake I make. I also included a pear because I love the flavor and texture, and cut it the same size as the apples. Sautee the apples (and optional pear, or just use another apple) with sweetener of choice and flavorings until softened and the juices start to thicken, around 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat. I used maple syrup for that cozy fall vibe, and added vanilla paste, cinnamon and nutmeg. I don't think I ever encountered maple syrup before moving to the US, so my grandma definitely just used regular sugar, but I couldn't resist the toasty caramel flavor to pair up with the warm spices. Remove from heat, stir in semolina to thicken the filling and set aside to cool.

Roll out half the dough to the shape of your pan in a thin, uniform sheet - you're aiming for something large enough to cover the bottom of the pan and go up the sides about an inch, just like any other pie. Spread filling in to reach every corner of the pan and press gently to fill in all the gaps. Since this is a closed top crust pie, things won't move around and shouldn't sink as you cook, so what you arrange now is what you'll get when it's done. This is the step where you can also add marzipan if using, or you can choose to sprinkle some chopped lightly toasted nuts - almonds or pecans would work great. Roll out the remaining dough to the size of the pan, then pinch the edges to seal. 

For color and shine but also flavor, finish the crust with an egg wash - a whole egg or just a yolk works great. A tip I found is to brush the egg wash, let it sit for 5-10 min to slightly dry, then brush on an additional layer of egg wash - it will be smooth and uniform but richer than just one pass. Lightly poke the crust in a few places for steam to escape. I also make squiggly lines with the back of the fork across the crust for a fun design effect. Certainly not necessary but fun nonetheless.

Bake in a preheated 325F oven for 35-40 minutes, until gloden brown on top and baked through. For best structure/clean cuts, cool completely before serving. However, this is so good still warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, so pick your favorite option and dig in!

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Grandma's Apple Pie

Makes a 10"x10" pie

Ingredients

• 250g flour
• 4 tbsp butter, chilled
• 4 tbsp cream cheese
• 65g powdered sugar, divided
• zest of one lemon, divided
• 1.5 tbsp warm milk
• 3.5g instant yeast (half a packet or 1 tsp)
• 1 egg
• 3 medium apples
• 1 medium pear
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 30g maple syrup
• vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp semolina
• 1 egg/yolk for brushing on top
• 2-3 tbsp marzipan (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven at 325F.
2. In a small bowl, mix 5g powdered sugar, the warmed milk and the yeast and set aside for 5-10 min to activate.
3. Cube butter and cream cheese and add into flour. Cut them in using a pastry cutter or butter knife until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
4. Mix in 60g of powdered sugar, half the lemon zest and a pinch of salt, combine lightly.
5. Add yeast mixture and one egg, then knead lightly until it comes together.
6. Cover bowl and let this rest for 30 minutes.
7. Chop up apples and pear in small cubes, then mix in medium pot with the maple syrup, remaining lemon zest and a splash of vanilla extract.
8. Bring apple mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then cook a few minutes until the fruit is softened and the liquid thickened.
9. Remove from heat, add semolina and set aside to cool.
10. Roll out half the dough in a thin sheet, then lay in the greased pan to cover the bottom and 1" up the sides.
11. Gently press in cooled filling, and top within thin slices of the marzipan, if using.
12. Roll out the second half of the dough and lay on top of the filling, press together around the edges to seal.
13. Brush on top with egg or just egg yolk, then create a pattern on top using a fork.
14. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the bar is cooked through and the top is golden brown.
15. Let it cool for a bit before cutting in squares to server.

Notes:

• I added cream cheese in the crust for a lighter, most tender crumb. however, if you prefer a more crisp crust you can use all butter.
• If you don't have/want the pear, you can always just use 4 apples. Play around with the varietals to get some variety of texture. I used two Gala and one Granny Smith. 
• I couldn't resist and added some nutmeg to the fruit as well. Any combination of warm spices you enjoy would work well.
• I used an adjustable square form with parchment to get the 10"x10" size, but this would turn out quite well in a 9"x9". A rectangular 9"x13" would be ok too but the dough may be so thin that it wouldn't hold up.

Fruity Upside Down Magic Cake

Recently I've been playing around with making renditions of a childhood favorite dessert that my mom used to make and I always enjoyed. She simply called it ✨ Magic Cake✨. 

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This started with me thinking up ways to use seasonal fruit in new ways after a few trips to you-pick farms ended up with way more fresh fruit than we could consume in a few days. First fruit rendition involved peaches, but it came out overall too wet, I had messed with the recipe a bit too much and including applesauce was not a good idea. An important lesson learned, I find that yogurt is a better way to lighten up the butter in the recipe.

Inspired by the classic strawberry rhubarb flavor combination, I made this recipe by laying strips of rhubarb at the bottom of a large loaf pan lined with parchment (4" x 9") and I baked it briefly to soften just slightly as I couldn't get them to lay flat otherwise. I then layered thinly sliced strawberries on top and moved on to the actual magic cake. 

I can't help but feel the recipe originally came about by accident, but what a happy accident it is. Essentially, it's your classic pound cake technique of whipping butter+sugar, adding the yolks, flour, and milk then folding in the egg whites whipped separately for a light, springy texture. But someone somewhere may have gone heavy handed with their milk measurement and this was born. As the base of the batter is quite liquid before the egg whites go it, it separates beautifully in the oven and creates these layers of separation with distinct textures - a denser, rich custard on the bottom, a light, milky custard in the middle, and a fluffy springy cake layer on top. It's magic because it's a one bowl batter that bakes into a 3 layer cake. The strawberry rhubarb cake would present these layers in reverse as I planned it to be an upside down cake of sorts.

I adapted the recipe from the magic cake write-up on the Jo Cooks blog to remind me of the proportions my mom used. My mom's key to getting the light springy cake on top (on the bottom if you do an upside down version like this) is to start the cake in a hotter oven and finish cooking in softer heat - her old recipe helpfully said "somewhat hot, then moderate heat. It turns out with the right steady heat that's not really necessary, so that's one thing I don't have to worry about anymore - preheat the oven to 325F to get it ready.  I tried for an ombre look but as it was on the bottom the colors blended a bit more than I'd like. Also a bit unexpected (but really cool), the layer of strawberries floated up as they baked and settled right in the middle layer, so it's beautifully layered top to bottom rhubarb-custard-strawberry custard-cake. 

Start out by separating the eggs - set aside the whites for the moment and whisk up the yolks with the sugar until fluffy and lightened up in color. Add in melted (and cooled) butter and vanilla and whisk some more, then mix in all the flour until well incorporated. Finally, gradually add warm milk until well combined - the warmth of the milk helps maintain a smooth texture at this stage. With a clean whisk (or mixer beaters), whip up egg whites and cream of tartar until lightened up, then continue whisking at high speed until you get stiff peaks. Don't overwhip or it will separate and not hold its volume. Fold the meringue in the batter in stages until no lumps of egg whites remain, it's ok if it's not completely incorporated or if there seems to be batter at the bottom of the bowl, it's meant to separate a bit as it bakes anyway. Pour into lightly greased or parchment lined pan and bake for 40-60 minutes - times vary based on the material of your baking dish, oven temperature stability and overall thickness, but you're looking for a lightly golden color on top and set on the edges, but still wobbly in the middle. It will set perfectly as it chills in the fridge.

A further variation that I love is the chocolate take on it - simply sub out half the flour for cocoa powder, the richer the cocoa the more chocolatey the final result you'll have. I made the chocolate version you see here with peach and pineapple for a golden-dark striped look to honor World Honey Bee Day, it was also sweetened with honey alone, so yummy! Since I used the cake ring and parchment, I didn't invert it either so it's a reversed upside down cake aka regular cake with fruit on the bottom and middle :)

Garnished for serving with white chocolate honeycomb and a honey dark chocolate patty, you can never have too much chocolate!

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Fruity Upside Down Magic Cake

Makes a 6" square or large loaf (4"x9")

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp greek yogurt
• 6 tbsp flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• (Optional) fruit of choice - peach, strawberries etc

Method

1. Preheat oven at 325F and line you baking pan with parchment paper (or oil lightly, pieces won't come out quite as cleanly though).
2. Melt butter in the microwave and set it aside to cool slightly. Measure out yogurt to come to room temperature. Warm up milk 40 seconds in the microwave as well to prepare for use.
3. (Optional) Thinly slice any fruit you want to use and line the bottom of the baking dish with it in a thin and even layer.
4. Separate eggs into two bowls, yolks in the larger one. 
5. Whisk yolks with sugar until fluffy and paler in color.
6. Add butter and vanilla, whisk well.
7. Incorporate flour, then gradually whisk in milk until smooth.
8. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
9. Gradually fold into the batter until most of the meringue is incorporated, don't overmix.
10. Pour into prepared pan and bake until edges are set and top is lightly golden. It should still be wobbly in the middle when it comes out of the oven.
11. Let it come to room temperature before setting in the fridge several hours or overnight. Serve chilled or take out a few minutes early to warm up slightly.

Notes

• I have tried this recipe with several fruit already - if it's baking friendly (i.e. you can include it in a cake/pie), then it will probably work ok for this as well, your limit is your imagination!
• You can go full butter and just use 4tbsp of butter in the recipe. Any milk is ok, I love using a nut milk but full fat dairy will yield a richer result.
• For the chocolate variation, I used 3 tbsp of flour and 3.5 tbsp of cocoa for a rich color and flavor.
• I wrote up the recipe for the basic sugar version, I've used maple syrup and honey as 1:1 substitute before and it turned out great. Note that the yolks won't really whisk up in volume or turn pale with a liquid sweetener, and the cake will be a little more custardy and have a thinner cakey layer as a result, but equally delicious.

Banana oatmeal blueberry muffins

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One predictable things about kids is that they're unpredictable. Sounds cliche but many cliches exist for good reason. Case in point, bananas! On weeks when I don't have or buy any, oh boy they'd really love a banana for snack. Sometimes I just grab a couple and they devour them immediately. So naturally, when I buy a whole bundle of bananas, they hardly get touched and actively rejected. 

In the spirit of making lemonade from lemons, I made a whole bunch of things from browning bananas. A recent favorite combination has been bananas and quick oats in baked goods. I paired it down to this one bowl, easy to throw together and delicious recipe that is suitable for many form factors - muffins, donuts, bars. I will walk you through the basic recipe, what mix ins I've tried (and lessons learned, heh) and variations that can elevate this to the next level. 

First step is to mash the bananas - if you can patiently enough for them to be over-ripe (decent amount of brown on the skin, flesh very soft and starting to get mushy at the ends) then that's really the ideal point. They're extra sweet, creamy and very easy to mash down for the recipe. If you prefer less ripe, then any ripeness level where you no longer see green on the outside is ok. Start out with all the bananas in a large bowl - this will be your working bowl and everything will come together right in here. With a firm whisk or fork, mash the bananas until mostly smooth (small chunks ok), then whisk in sugar, egg and vanilla extract until uniform. Add melted butter and stir well. 

Now you can measure all your dry ingredients on top. Remember you want to avoid overmixing so you don't get gummy muffins, so after measuring the flour scatter the leaveners, spices, salt and oats on top so they more readily mix uniformly. It's pretty forgiving, no worries. Mix just until everything is incorporated.

It's time to incorporate the add-ins. For my first go-around I used blueberries, they were beautifully ripe and starting to soften so I didn't want them to go to waste. Simply fold them quickly into the batter until they're distributed pretty well throughout. You can also use frozen blueberries, mix them in frozen so they don't get the mixture overly wet when getting incorporated. They'll bake just as well as fresh.

The texture comes out fluffy but moist, with a bit of chew from the oats and creaminess from the bananas, truly delightful. The kids are eager to eat these by the handful. 

Now let's talk form factor - no treat is complete around here until it becomes a donut. For whatever reason, donuts and waffles are far more exciting to my kids than muffins and pancakes, and first impressions matter. Something I found with donuts is that fruit mixed inside can get stuck in the pan and affects the structural integrity of the baked good enough that it may fall apart when taken out. That happened with my apple cake donuts (especially when I tried using peaches inside) and it happened with these (see blueberry one below). As a result, I recommend sticking with the add ins on top for donuts, they look prettier too and make the treat easier to manage. Side note: rhubarb needs some sweetness, if you pick it as a topping as I did, make sure to sprinkle some sugar/drizzle some honey on top or else it dries out and it crisps up more than ideal. 

To serve, enjoy as is with or without a hot cup of coffee. Or embrace the donut form factor (no worries, works with muffins too) and jazz it up a bit with vanilla yogurt and a drizzle of nut butter on top. To demonstrate the versatility of it, yesterday was National Ice Cream Sandwich day, so I took a muffin from my latest batch with peaches inside, sliced it in half and enjoyed it with a scoop of chunky monkey ice cream, delightful indeed! The possibilities are endless.

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Banana oatmeal blueberry muffins

Makes 10 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 medium ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup quick cooking oats
• 2/3-1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Method:

1. Mash bananas in a bowl with a firm whisk or fork.
2. Add sugar, egg and vanilla and mix well until fairly smooth (a few small lumps of banana are ok). 
3. Stir in melted butter, mix well. 
4. Add dry ingredients, fold until incorporated, don't overmix! Add blueberries, if using frozen don't thaw first so they keep their structure a bit. Scoop in paper lined muffin pan, bake at 375F for 20-22 min until golden on top.

Notes:

• For added flavor, brown the butter when melting it. On medium heat, keeping a watchful eye, leave it on the heat for a bit longer once it's done melting. You're looking for the separated milk solids to turn a golden amber color. As soon as that happens, remove from heat. Let cool slightly before adding to the batter so you don't scramble the eggs.
• You can get creative with your spices! I like to add a pinch of cardamom or alspice to complement the cinnamon. Or leave warm spices out altogether and use a bit of extra vanilla or a splash of rum extract.