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Flavor Pairing: Rosemary & Fruit Preserves

Recipe below
A sweet and savory junction ripe with possibilities. Juicy plumpness and intense, fresh-picked fruit flavors fuse with rosemary’s aromatic hits of pine and eucalyptus for a progressive interpretation of familiar flavors. This pair reflects the best of the past and a nod to the future of new regional American cuisine.
 

Preserving fruit is a time-honored way to enjoy seasonal bounty year-round at its flavorful peak of ripeness. Techniques like canning and pickling are enjoying a resurgence as chefs and home cooks shop farmers’ markets and pluck homegrown fruits from their own backyards. Quintessential preserves like peach, strawberry, plum and apricot now share the limelight with savory renditions, such as red pepper and shallot, onion and fig, and more. Rosemary has been greeted with renewed interest as a starring accent for sweeter flavors. Its heady aroma and robust taste lend strength to complement luscious preserves.

The flavors unite perfectly in strawberry-rhubarb glazed Cornish game hens, rosemary-rubbed pork chops with plum preserves, and as a lush accompaniment to a farmstead cheese plate. For dessert, try a rich, Warm Rosemary Brie Cake with Peach Preserves or a twist on a classic cookie, Rosemary Macaroon Thumbprints.

“Preserves work well with rosemary. This herb cuts the inherent sweetness of the fruit, which in turn, allows the fruit to work with savory preparations.”
Bradford Thompson, Executive Chef | Lever House, New York City

RECIPE
WARM ROSEMARY BRIE CAKE WITH PEACH PRESERVES

 The combination of a rosemary-scented cake, creamy brie and peach preserves is a perfect balance of sweet and savory.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon McCormick^® Gourmet Collection^™ Crushed Rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 4 eggs, at room temperature, separated
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 round (8 to 10 ounces) Brie cheese 
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick^® Gourmet Collection^™ Cream of Tartar
• 2/3 cup peach or apricot preserves, at room temperature
 

Directions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, rosemary and salt in small bowl.  Butter and flour 9-inch springform pan.  Slice brie evenly into 3 horizontal layers.  Place 1 layer, skin-side down, in center of bottom of prepared pan.  Cut remaining 2 layers in half.  Place, skin-side down, around brie in pan so that most of the bottom of the pan is covered with brie, leaving about 1/2-inch uncovered around edge of inside of pan.  Set aside.

2. Beat butter and 1/4 cup of the sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Add egg yolks; beat on high speed until well blended, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in 1/2 of the flour mixture, milk and then remaining flour mixture on low speed until well blended, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  
 
3. Beat egg whites in clean large bowl with electric mixer on high speed 2 minutes or until soft peaks form.  Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cream of tartar in small bowl. Gradually beat into egg whites.  Beat until stiff peaks form.  Stir 1/3 of the egg white  mixture into egg yolk mixture until well blended.  Gently stir or fold remaining egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture.  Pour and spread batter over brie to create an even cake layer.
 
4. Bake in preheated 325°F oven 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake. Cool about 30 minutes in pan on wire rack.   Remove rim of pan.  Spread top of cake evenly with preserves.  Serve warm.  Refrigerate any leftover cake.

To Make Ahead: Prepare and bake cake as directed above.  Cool completely. Cover tightly.  Refrigerate.  Several hours before serving, remove cake from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.  Remove rim of pan.  Place cake on baking sheet.  Spread top of cake evenly with preserves.  Heat in preheated 350°F oven 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed through. 

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 290 Calories, Fat 14g, Protein 7g, Carbohydrates 34g, Cholesterol 110mg, Sodium 284mg, Fiber 0g