Napoleon Sunday, Jul 6 2008 

Desert and French , olga 11:43 am

INGREDIENTS:

For Puff Pastry:
1/2 of a 17 1/4-ounce package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry, thawed

For Cream Filling:
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup half and half or light cream
2 slightly beaten egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup whipping cream

For Glaze:
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons boiling water

Fruit Preserve or Jam Filling: (optional)
1/3 cup seedless raspberry or strawberry jam or preserves

Chocolate Drizzle Topping:
1 1/2 tablespoons melted semisweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS:

For Puff Pastry: Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or plain brown paper; set aside.

Unfold puff pastry sheet and trim edges to a 9-inch square. Cut pastry into nine 3-inch squares. Transfer pastry squares to the prepared baking sheets; prick pastry. Bake in a preheated oven for 18-23 minutes, or until golden (Or bake according to package directions.) Carefully remove pastries from baking sheet. Cool on a rack.

For Cream Filling:
In a heavy, medium saucepan stir together sugar, flour, and salt. Slowly stir in half-and-half or light cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Slowly stir about half of the hot mixture into beaten egg yolks. Return all to saucepan. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Cover surface with plastic wrap and cool just until warm without stirring. In a small mixing bowl beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into warm pastry cream.

For Glaze:
In a medium mixing bowl combine confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Stir in enough boiling water to make a glaze of spreading consistency; set aside.

To Assemble:
Use the tines of a fork to separate each pastry square horizontally into 3 layers.

If Using Fruit Jam or Preserves:
Spread about 1 teaspoon of the raspberry or strawberry jam or preserves on each bottom layer. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pastry cream over raspberry preserves or if not using a layer of fruit jam or preserves, spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pastry cream on the bottom layer and preceed as follows:
Top with middle pastry layers. Spread another 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pastry cream on each middle layer. Finally, top with remaining pastry layers. Spread glaze over top of napoleons, then drizzle with melted chocolate. Chill up to 1 hour.

 

Key Lime Pie Sunday, Jul 6 2008 

American and Desert , , olga 11:42 am

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (3 to 4 limes)
4 teaspoons grated lime zest
4 egg yolks
1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
11 graham crackers
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

It’s easier to remove the lime zest from whole limes so I would start with that. Then I would cut the limes in half and squeeze out the juice being careful not to include any pits.

Process the graham crackers in a food processor or blender and then melt the butter and have it at the ready.

Whisk the egg yolks and lime zest together in a bowl until tinted light green. This takes about 2 minutes

Beat in milk, then juice and set aside at room temperature till it thickens.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar in another bowl.

Add butter and stir with a fork until well blended.

Pour this mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and press over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Try using the bottom of a measuring cup to make sure the graham cracker mixture forms a firm crust on the bottom of the pie pan.

Bake on the center rack for about 15 minutes until the crust is lightly brown, remove and let cool to room temperature.

Pour the lime filling into crust, spread evenly, and then bake for 15 minutes until the center sets, but still wiggles when shaken.

Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate for at least three hours until well chilled.

Some of you might like to serve it with a whipped cream topping or a meringue topping, but I prefer keeping it simple. If the pie seems to be sticking to the pan when serving, try dipping the pan into a bowl of warm water to loosen it.

 

Citrus Truffles Saturday, Jun 14 2008 

Chocolate and Desert , , olga 1:40 am

ABOUT:

Truffles with lemon, lime and orange flavors

SERVINGS:

Makes 36

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz white chocolate
1/2 cup cream
2 oranges
1 lemon
1 lime

DIRECTIONS:

Melt white chocolate over a a tightly fitting double broiler or in a microwaveable bowl with short bursts in the microware. Cool to warm

Zest cistrus zest into the cream.

Bring the cream to a boil them remove from heat. Cool to warm.

Pour cream into small bowl through a fine sive.

Mix the cram and the chocolate together in a bowl and thoroughl mix with a wisk

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 30 min

Use scoop to scrape across surface of firmed ganache to create balls of desired size. Eject from scooper and quickly roll between hands to round out th form. Place on a plate.Repeat until ganache is all rolled into small balls.

Roll each piece individually in cocoa intil covered and place on another plate.Or dip truffles in tempered chocolate. Store covered in refrigirator up to 3 months.

 

Espresso Panna Cotta Saturday, Jun 14 2008 

Desert and Italian , , olga 1:38 am

ABOUT:

From Giada De Laurentiis

SERVINGS:

2

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 heaping teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 small white chocolate bar, for garnishing
1 small dark chocolate bar, for garnishing

DIRECTIONS:

Place the milk in a heavy, small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over and let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves, but the milk does not boil, about 2 minutes. Add the cream, espresso powder, sugar, and salt. Stir over low heat, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Pour the cream mixture into 2 martini glasses, dividing equally. Cover and refrigerate, stirring every 20 minutes during the first hour. Chill until set, at least 6 hours and up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, use a vegetable peeler on the chocolate blocks to create about 1 tablespoon each of the white and dark chocolate shavings. Sprinkle the shavings over each panna cotta and serve.

 

Chocolate Temperatures Saturday, Jun 14 2008 

Chocolate and Desert , , olga 1:35 am

Uncontrolled crystallization of cocoa butter typically results in crystals of varying size, some or all large enough to be clearly seen with the naked eye. This causes the surface of the chocolate to appear mottled and matte, and causes the chocolate to crumble rather than snap when broken. The uniform sheen and crisp

bite of properly processed chocolate are the result of consistently small cocoa butter crystals produced by the tempering process.

Tempering Temperatures Couvertures

Heat chocolate for following coatings
105 – 110 F high gloss
100 – 115 F good gloss
95 – 100 F satin gloss

Temper to following:
Dark Chocolate 86 – 91 F
Milk Chocolate 86 – 90 F
White Chocolate 84 – 86 F

 

Pear and Almond Cakes Thursday, Jun 12 2008 

Desert , , olga 8:15 pm

ABOUT:

From Bon Appetite Magazine

SERVINGS:

Makes 6

INGREDIENTS:

Pears:
1 750 ml bottle dry white wine
2 cups sugar
3 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs grated orange peel
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
8 whole cloves
6 firm but ripe Bosc pear, peeled and cored

Cake:
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tbs sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole almonds, toasted
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp light corn syrup
6 large egg whites

Vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS:

For Pears:
Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan.

Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Add pears and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered until pears are tender, turning occasionally, 30 – 50 minutes.
Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to platter. Boil liquid in saucepan until reduced to syrup, about 10 minutes. Reserve syrup.

For Cake:
Position rack in center of oven, preheat to 375 F.

Butter 6 ramekins.

Melt 3/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook until butter is golden brown, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Cool slightly.

Combine sugar, flour and almonds in processor. Blend until almonds are finely ground. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder. Add browned butter and corn syrup. Stir until mixture begins to clump together. Add egg whites, whisk until well blended.

Place 1 pear, stem end up, in center of each ramekin. Spoon scant 1/2 cup batter around pear in each.

Bake until cake is golden around edges and tester inserted into cake near center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.

Brush pears with syrup.

Serve warm with ice cream.

 

Chocolate Peppermint Bar Cookies Thursday, Jun 12 2008 

Chocolate and Desert , , , , olga 8:03 pm

ABOUT:

From Gourmet Magazine

SERVINGS:

Makes 32

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
1 cup coarsely crushed peppermint hard candies (1/4 lb)

DIRECTIONS:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 13- by 9-inch metal baking pan with 1 sheet of foil, allowing 2 inches of foil to hang over each end of pan, and butter foil (except overhang).

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg until combined. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and candy.

Spread dough evenly in pan and bake until puffed and beginning to pull away from sides of pan, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, then, lifting with foil, transfer to a cutting board. Cut into bars and lift off foil with a spatula.

Cooks’ note: Bars keep in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days.

 

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies Saturday, Apr 26 2008 

Chocolate and Desert , , , olga 3:39 pm

ABOUT:

Peppermint butter cream is sandwiched between homemade chocolate cookies; then the sandwiches are rolled in crushed candy canes. From Bon Appétit.

SERVINGS:

Makes 18

INGREDIENTS:

Cookies:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg

Filling:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops (or more) red food coloring

1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)

DIRECTIONS:

For cookies:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate cookies to racks and cool completely.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and 2 drops food coloring. Beat until light pink and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.

Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). (Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)

 

Sour Cherry Clafouti Saturday, Apr 26 2008 

Desert and French , , olga 3:25 pm

ABOUT:

Clafouti is a custard-like baked French dessert that is typically made by baking fresh fruit (traditionally cherries) and a batter, somewhat similar to pancake batter, in a baking dish. This recipe came to me from one of chef Cheryl Vea from PCC class

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups pitted Sour Cherry
1/3 cup Grand Marnier
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups milk
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoons melted butter
Powdered Sugar
Caramel Sauce
Creme Fraiche

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F
Combine cherries with Grand Marnier and 1/4 cup of sugar.
Let it sit while making the rest of the batter.
Place the rest of the sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, salt, 2 Tablespoons of melted butter
and the flour in a blender and blend at top speed for about 60 secs.
Pour the remaining butter in the bottom of a 7 – 8 cup ovenproof pan and set the pan over a medium heat on your stove.
Pour in a thin film of batter and cook for about 1 – 2 mins or until it begins to set lightly.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the cherry mixture over the surface of the batter, reserve the drained liquid. Pour the rest of the batter over the cherries and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula.
Bake until the top is puffy and golden, about an hour.
Heat caramel sauce to a liquid consistency.
Mix in together Cherry Liquid and Creme Fraiche.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve either hot or warm.
Drizzle the flan with caramel sauce and creme fraiche sauce.

 

Blueberry Lemon Cream Tarts Friday, Apr 18 2008 

Desert , , olga 6:44 pm

SERVINGS:

Makes 4 desserts

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 1/3 cups blueberries (6 oz)
Confectioners sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F with a baking sheet on middle rack.

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and butter in a bowl with a fork until combined well, then press mixture with your fingers and back of a spoon evenly and firmly onto bottom and up side of each tart pan. (If using ramekins, press mixture 3/4 inch up sides.)

Put tart pans on preheated baking sheet and bake crusts until slightly darker, about 10 minutes, then cool 10 minutes on a rack. (Ramekins will need to cool an additional 5 minutes in refrigerator.) Gently push bottom of each tart pan to loosen crust, then invert crust onto your hand and place on a serving plate. (If using ramekins, leave crusts in ramekins.)

While crusts cool, whisk together brown sugar, sour cream, and vanilla in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, then add sour cream mixture and zest, beating until just combined well.

Divide cream cheese filling among tart shells, spreading evenly, then top with blueberries and dust with confectioners sugar.

 

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