As Abigail Kirsch knows after catering thousands of weddings, being a newlywed is all about beginning new traditions. One of the most pleasurable of those traditions is entertaining at home. But couples just starting to invite friends, family, and business colleagues for casual or more formal meals need some help in the kitchen, and Abigail Kirsch is here to offer her expert guidance.
Kitchenware: small heavy-bottomed saucepan, wooden spoon
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 7 minutes
Do-Ahead: The sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead. Cool it and then store, covered, in the refrigerator. Reheat the sauce in the top of a double boiler before serving.
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 cup broken pecan pieces
1 tablespoons dark rum
Combine the sugar and 6 tablespoons water in the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to low and slowly cook the sauce, covered, until the syrup has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the syrup from the heat and stir in the cream with a wooden spoon. The sauce will become thicker. Cook the sauce, uncovered, over medium-high heat until it has thickened again, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pecans and rum until well blended.
Cook's Tip: Try the warm sauce over puddings, ice cream sundaes, pancakes, or waffles.
