Mixed Berries with Mascarpone Limoncello Cream Monday, Jul 7 2008

ABOUT:

From Bon Appetit

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
1/2 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons limoncello (lemon liqueur)

8 cups assorted fresh berries (such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and hulled sliced strawberries; about 2 pounds)
3/4 cup raspberry preserves
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

DIRECTIONS:

Combine whipping cream, mascarpone, 3 tablespoons sugar, and limoncello in large bowl. Beat until soft peaks form.

Combine all berries, raspberry preserves, lemon peel, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in another large bowl; toss gently. Divide berry mixture among 8 coupes. Top with mascarpone cream.

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Roasted Pears with Brown Sugar and Vanilla Ice Cream Sunday, Jul 6 2008

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup apple juice
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 firm Bosc pears, peeled, halved, cored (about 1 pound)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the pears cut side up in an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Whisk the apple juice and sugar in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the butter. Pour the sauce over the pears. Bake until the pears are crisp-tender and beginning to brown, basting occasionally with the juices, about 35 minutes.

Spoon the pears onto plates. Top with ice cream. Drizzle with any juices and serve.

The pears can also be served frozen. To do so, cool the pears, then place them in the freezer until frozen solid, about 8 hours.

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Orange Segments with Berries and Balsamic Cream Sunday, Jul 6 2008

INGREDIENTS:

4 navel oranges
3/4 cup inexpensive balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1 teaspoon sugar
12 ounces fresh strawberries, quartered

DIRECTIONS:

Cut the peel and white pith from the oranges. Cut between the membranes to release the segments.

Whisk the vinegar, creme fraiche, and sugar in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until it thickens and resembles a sauce, about 8 minutes.

Arrange the orange segments and strawberries decoratively on plates. Drizzle the warm balsamic sauce over the fruit and serve. Alternately, the balsamic sauce can be served at room temperature and spooned atop the fruit.

This is great served with frozen yogurt or ice cream.

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Orange Tart Sunday, Jul 6 2008

INGREDIENTS:

Puff Pastry Shells, baked

2 large eggs, cold
2 large egg yolks, cold
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted
butter, cut into 6 pieces

DIRECTIONS:

Bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil in a pot that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl you will be using for the sabayon. Meanwhile, in a large metal bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, and sugar for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is smooth.

Set the bowl over the pot and, using a large whisk, whip the mixture while you turn the bowl (for even heating). After about 2 minutes, when the eggs are foamy and have thickened, add one-third of the orange juice. Continue to whisk vigorously and, when the mixture thickens again, add another one-third of the orange juice. Whisk until the mixture thickens again, then add the remaining orange juice. Continue whisking vigorously, still turning the bowl, until the mixture is thickened and light in color and the whisk leaves a trail in the bottom of the bowl. The total cooking time should be 8 to 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and leave the bowl over the water. Whisk in the butter a piece at a time. The sabayon may loosen slightly, but it will thicken and set as it cools. Pour the warm sabayon into puff pastry shells.

Preheat the broiler. While the sabayon is still warm, place the tart under the broiler. Leaving the door open, brown the top of the sabayon, rotating the tart if necessary for even color; this will take only a few seconds, so do not leave the oven. Remove the tart from the broiler and let it sit for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve at room temperature or cold.

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Napoleon Sunday, Jul 6 2008

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.

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Key Lime Pie Sunday, Jul 6 2008

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.

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Citrus Truffles Saturday, Jun 14 2008

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.

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Espresso Panna Cotta Saturday, Jun 14 2008

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.

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Pear and Almond Cakes Thursday, Jun 12 2008

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.

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Chocolate Peppermint Bar Cookies Thursday, Jun 12 2008

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.

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