For those of you who love to cook and are always looking for new recipes. .Maple syrup plays an important role in Quebec kitchens.  It is an important ingredient of many authentic Quebecois dishes.  This first recipe is one taken from "One Whole Clove", a website of Sarah Lou, who resides in Quebec and shares many of her families French-Canadian recipes (check out her sweet recipes section. . .) You can view the site at: 
 
http://onewholeclove.typepad.com  


MAPLE SYRUP TARTS


Ingredients:

1/3 cup (75 mL) butter

1/3 cup (75 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) water

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) maple syrup

24 3 inch (7.5 cm) frozen tart shells, baked, cooled

Preparation:

In medium saucepan, melt butter. Blend in flour. Gradually stir in water, then maple syrup.

Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Let cool a few minutes.

Pour into tart shells and let stand until cooled and set.

Maple_syrup_pie_1


   Here is a recipe provided by Madeleine (Robidoux) Kirzinger of Manitoba, Canada.
It is a recipe handed down by her great-great grandmother Robidoux.

ROBIDOUX SPICE CAKE


1 cup white sugar                                        3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup of margarine OR 3/4 cup oil                  1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup of light cooking molasses                   1 tsp of baking powder
2 eggs                                                       1 tsp cinnamon  
1 cup milk                                                   1 tsp cloves
                                                                 1 tsp ginger 
                                                                 2 cups of raisins


Cream margarine or oil with sugar and add eggs, and blend well.  Blend flour, baking powder and baking soda together and add to mixture, adding the milk at intervals.  Blend in the spices and raisins.  Lightly oil two regular bread pans and line with wax paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes.  Remove from pan immediately and allow to cool on rack.  Freezes well.

(Note - I've make this recipe a few times, but instead of the bread pans I use a bundt pan.  When the cake is cool enough I frost it with a maple glaze.  It's very good!  Kim)

Fèves au lard

(Baked Beans with Maple Syrup)

2 cups dry white beans
7 oz salt pork, cut into cubes
1 cup chopped onions
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp dry mustard

Soak beans overnight in cold water. Drain and mix in bean pot with other ingredients. Cover with water and mix well. Bring to boil, cover and bake at 300°F for 4 hours, then uncovered for 1 hour.

Translated from a recipe found on the Web site of the Association des Restaurateurs des Cabanes à Sucre du Québec.

  http://www.joycesfinecooking.com/French.htm

Canadian Nanaimo Bars


Yield: 1 Servings

Ingredients

  Bottom
1/2 c  butter
1/4 c  sugar, granulated
1/3 c  cocoa powder; unsweetened
1 egg; beaten
1 3/4 c  graham wafer cracker crumbs
1/2 c  nuts; finely chopped
1 c  coconut; shredded
 
  Middle
1/2 c  butter
3 tb light cream
2 tb custard powder
2 c  icing sugar
 
 Top
4 oz semisweet chocolate
2 tb butter

Instructions

Bottom Layer: In double boiler, melt butter, sugar and cocoa; add egg
and cook until thickened. Add crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press into
un-greased 9 inch square pan.

Middle Layer: Beat together butter, cream, custard powder and sugar;
spread over base. Chill.

Top Layer: Melt chocolate with butter; cool slightly. Pour over second
layer; chill. Cut into bars.

http://www.joycesfinecooking.com/FCRecipes/canadian_nanaimo_bars.htm


Pets De Soeurs


(translated literally it means 'Nuns farts". Not the most appetizing title for a recipe! The finished product resembles cinnamon buns. . .)

Dough

3c Flour
2tb Baking powder
1ts -Salt
1ts Sugar
0.5c Lard
½ to ¾ cups Milk

Filling

2tb Butter; softened
1c Brown sugar
1ts Cinnamon
1c –Water

Sift the dry ingredients together. Blend in the lard to form a coarse mixture. Gradually add the milk until a soft dough is formed. Roll the dough until it is fairly thin, although it should be thicker than a regular pie crust. Butter the dough with soft butter, cover with 1/4 inch of brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll and slice into circles about 1/2 inch thick. Pour water into a casserole dish. Put the sliced dough into the casserole dish and bake at 375F for about 30 minutes or until the pets de soeur are golden brown. 


http://onewholeclove