Happy Halloween!

It’s one of our favorite holidays and we’re talking about our favorite scary movie of all time: The Shining. In episode 102 we create some new takes on old faves that admittedly might not make it to your next dinner party table, but also a very pretty yet deceivingly simple dessert that absolutely should. The little boy who lives in your mouth is gonna love it.

 

 

 

Jack’s Spaghetti & Meatballs

Which scene in The Shining haunts us the most? The one where Jack obsessively dips his bacon in his runny egg. That man loves to play with his food. And if this movie has taught us anything, it’s that play prevents you from having a psychotic break that makes you want to take an axe to your family. Jack clearly didn’t play with enough food. This spaghetti and meatballs is our public service announcement to you: playing with your food saves lives.

 

 

Danny’s PB & J

Danny and Tony love three things: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, REDRUM, and giant knives.

 

 

Feature Recipe

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Stacked Pavlova with (Red)Rum Cherries

This dessert was inspired by two of the most visually stunning parts of The Shining: The snow…and the blood pouring out of the elevator. Just try not to think of the second part when you’re eating it.

 

Cherry Pavlova

INGREDIENTS

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Meringue

4 large eggs whites, room temperature

1 cup superfine sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp white vinegar

Pinch salt

 

Cherry Filling

3 cups cherries (we used a mixture of sweet and tart)

½ cup sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp rum

 

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

1 – 8oz. package of cream cheese

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup of sugar

Powdered sugar, for decoration

 

INSTRUCTIONS

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• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. On one parchment sheet, draw an 8-inch circle; on the other draw one 6-inch and one 4-inch circle.

• While meringues are cooling, prepare cherry filling. Place first five ingredients in a saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until liquid thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Cool to room temperature.

• Combine the sugar and cornstarch. Beat the eggs whites and salt with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar/cornstarch mixture and beat until fully combined. Add the vinegar and beat until shiny, stiff peaks form. Spoon meringue into the circles on the prepared pans, about one inch thick. Place remaining meringue in a piping bag and pipe one-inch meringues on parchment paper in space around disks.

• Bake until the meringues are crisp and dry on the outside, about 1 – 1-½ hours. After one hour, check frequently to ensure that the meringues do not brown. Turn of the oven and cool meringues in oven, with the door closed, for one hour.

• Mix all of the cream cheese whipped cream ingredients in a bowl. We started by whipping the cream cheese until fluffy, then adding the other ingredients.

• Carefully transfer 8-inch meringue to a serving dish. Top with half of the whipped cream and half of the cherry filling, allowing the juice to run over the sides of the meringue. Place the 6-inch meringue on top, and top with half the remaining whipped cream and half the remaining cherries. Place the 4-inch meringue on top, and top with half the remaining whipped cream and all the remaining cherries. Place the remaining whipped cream on top of the cherries. Arrange small meringues on top of whipped cream and around the sides of the assembled pavlova.

• Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

 

BONUS: Our Trip to The Overlook, er, The Majestic Hotel

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Stanley Kubrik took a lot of inspiration for the sets in The Shining from real life places. Parts of the interior of The Overlook were based heavily on what was until recently called the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park (now called the Majestic Yosemite Hotel). Coincidentally, we had a trip planned to Yosemite before we even knew that this was the case! Of course once we learned this little tidbit we had to go see the Overlook…er…Majestic Yosemite for ourselves. The similarities are unnerving. We kept expecting creepy twin girls to pop out or an axe to the chest at any moment. Notwithstanding, both the hotel and the park are stunningly beautiful, definitely on the list of places you must visit in your lifetime. You may end up wanting to stay …forever.