Chocolate Mousse #38

                                               Chocolate Mousse   (page 430)

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

1/4 cup liqueur (Grand Marnier, amaretto, Chartreuse, or port)

6 Tbsp. sugar

2 cups heavy cream, plus additional for whipping cream garnish


1. Place a double boiler or small saucepan over low heat, and melt chocolate. When chocolate is almost melted, remove pan from stove and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. 

2. Place egg yolks in a heavy saucepan and ad 3 Tbsp. water. Place pan over very low heat and beat constantly with a wire whisk until yolks start to thicken. Add liqueur and continue beating until mixture reaches the consistency of hollandaise sauce. The mixture has become a sabayon. Remove from heat.

3. Fold in melted chocolate. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

4. Beat egg whites until softly peaked. Add 4 Tbsp. sugar and continue beating until stiff. 

5. Stir about 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest. refrigerate until cold.

 6. Beat whipping cream until softly peaked. Add remaining sugar and beat until stiff. Fold into the mousse.Divide mousse among 12 individual goblets, cover and chill until ready to serve, or transfer mousse to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate. Serve with additional unsweetened whipped cream, if desired.  Serves 12-18 people.

  
                               This is one happy baker, after just taking a taste of this               chocolate mousse.

Lemon Wafers #37

   

                                     Lemon Wafers  (page 141)

1/2 cup sugar

Zest of 2 lemons

4 ounces, (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in 1-inch pieces
3 large egg whites

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. strained fresh lemon juice

1. In a food processor, combine sugar and lemon zest. Process until zest is finely minced, about 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Add butter and process until creamy, about 20 seconds. With processor running, add egg whites. Continue to process, adding flour one tablespoon at a time, salt, vanilla and lemon juice. Process until a thick batter is formed. Scrape into a small bowl, and stir to combine thoroughly.

2. Place a rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degres. While oven is heating, let batter sit at room temperature, about 15 minutes. Butter and flour two cookie sheets. 

3. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter on prepared baking sheets, and bake for about 8 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.Remove cookies at once to a rack.Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

                      *Light, delicate, with a wonderful fresh lemon flavor!*

Applesauce with Wine and Vanilla #36

                                                        Gravenstein apples

                                   Applesauce with Wine and Vanilla (page 368)


3 pounds fragrant apples such as: Gravenstein, McIntosh, or Gala
(6-8 apples), peeled, halved and cored

1 cinnamon stick, or 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 2-inch piece vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise

2 strips lemon zest

1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice, or to taste

2 Tbsp. dry white wine

1. Place apples in a large, heavy saucepan with other ingredients and 2 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat, and simmer apples, covered, until soft, for 20-30 minutes. remove pan from heat, and let cool slightly. Discard cinnamon stick and vanilla bean.

3. Puree apples and pan juices in a blender or food processor. Strain and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about 4 cups (8 servings)

Almost halfway to 75 recipes!

                                       
I am within a few recipes of being halfway to 75 recipes created from the New York Times Dessert Cookbook. I have 4 months to go, and so if I can bake 10 recipes a month, then I will have accomplished what I set out to do back in March.

So far with this blog egging me on, I have tried many recipes that I would not otherwise have made. There are some recipes that I tend to shy away from...like custard and pudding recipes.These desserts don't appeal to me, but I will force myself to make at least one custard...just for you...whoever you are out there.

If you look at the mainstay of recipes that I have made so far, you can probably gather that I like pie quite a bit, or tarts...which are very similar to pie. I also really like chocolate...who doesn't? I will push myself to make recipes that I am not fully attracted to initially in order to broaden my repertoire, and also to challenge myself...and not get in a rut.

I have discovered that the large majority of recipes from this cookbook are for basic home cooks. Julia Child might be a bit disappointed in the lack of really challenging recipes, but for the basic home cook these recipes are just right.

~Kathy~

Carrot Cake #31

                                  Carrot Cake (page 72)


1 1/2 cups corn oil

1 pound carrots, (3 cups grated)

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Cream cheese frosting

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Oil 3 9-inch cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper and oil the paper.

2. Trim, peel and grate the carrots. You should have 3 cups. Set aside.

3. Combine sugar and 1 1/2 cups oil in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat.Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to batter, beating on medium speed. Stir in grated carrots and pecans. 

5. Spread batter in pans and bake 45 minutes. Allow cakes to cool on racks, remove from pans, peel off paper, and ice with cream cheese frosting. Serves 8-10 people.

Key Lime Pie #30

                                                                  Key Lime Pie   (page 249)


1 cup plus 2 1/2 Tbsp. graham cracker crumbs

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 large egg yolks

1 1/2 tsp. grated lime zest, pref. Key lime

1  14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

2/ 3 cup Key lime juice, pref. fresh

1 cup heavy cream

3 Tbsp. confectioner's sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine graham crackers, butter and granulated sugar. Press mixture into bottom and sides of a buttered 9-inch pie pan, forming a neat border around edge. Bake crust until set and golden, about 5 minutes.

2. Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very shiny, about 5 minutes. 

Gradually add condensed milk, and continue to beat until thick, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add lime juice, and mix just until combined. 

3. Pour lime mixture into crust. Bake until filling has just set, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. 

                           *disclaimer: I used a store bought graham crust*

4. Place pie in freezer for 15-20 minutes before serving. In an electric mixer, combine cream and confectioner's sugar. Whip until nearly stiff. Cut pie into wedges; serve very cold, each wedge topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 8.

                               Slightly tart, with a mild lime flavor.

Baked Rhubarb Compote with Fresh Strawberries #29

                   Baked Rhubarb Compote with Fresh Strawberries  (page 371)

1 1/2 pounds fresh rhubarb, cit in 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 pint ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced

Whipped cream


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

2. Mix the rhubarb with the sugar and cinnamon. Spread in the baking dish, cover and bake 20 minutes. Allow to cool about 30 minutes, then fold in the strawberries. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 6. 

Baking and Camping

                                       Baking and Camping

These two activities, both of which I fully enjoy, just don't go together for me. 
First of all, I don't bake when I am camping, having never been the A plus scout who could make a box oven really work well. 

Second, there are too many nature-filled activities to spend time at the campsite mixing batter. The trails are beckoning, and there is only so much daylight, so doing something like baking cookies seems a waste of time in the outdoors. 

Third, I never take along cookbooks or recipes on a camping trip. If I can't make it from memorization, then it isn't a "camping recipe"! Hence the plethora of sloppy joes, spaghetti, walking tacos, and pizza in a bun dinners while camping. 

Fourth,I bake BEFORE the camping trip. For instance today I am baking chocolate chip cookies, poppy seed bread, and a new dinner (for which I need to follow the recipe), for our camping trip tomorrow. After today I won't want to bake for a week! 

Fifth, baking on a camping trip would require me to pack more ingredients, utensils, and pans...and we just don't have the space for them. 

Sixth, I believe that in order to renew and recharge, it is vital to take a break, even from something you really love to do.

~Kathy~

Maple-Banana Bread Pudding #28

                                 Maple-Banana Bread Pudding  (page 426)

1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups 1-inch cubes stale or lightly toasted brioche
or whole grain bread

1 2/3 cups whole milk

1/3 cup maple syrup

pinch of nutmeg

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups diced banana (about 2 bananas, not too ripe)

1 Tbsp. light brown sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 6-cup baking dish with 1/2 Tbsp. butter.

2. Place bread pieces in mixing bowl. 

Heat milk and syrup in saucepan until syrup dissolves into milk.

 Add nutmeg. Pour over bread and allow to sit about 30 minutes to saturate.

 Stir in eggs. 

Fold in diced banana.

3.Transfer mixture to baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar, and dot with remaining butter. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until it is starting to look crusty on top. Serve warm, with whipped cream.Serves 6.

Lemon Curd #27

                                        Lemon Curd (page 313)

 8 large egg yolks

1/2 cup lemon juice

Grated zest of two lemons

3/4 cup granulated sugar

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter


1. In the top of a double boiler, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice and zest. Add the granulated sugar, and whisk to blend. Place over simmering water. Whisk until thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

2. Dice half the butter and whisk in, a piece at a time. Place the top of the double boiler in a large bowl of ice water, and stir frequently until chilled. Transfer mixture to a container, cover and refrigerate. It may be stored for up to 3 days. 

Sauteed Apple Pie #26

                                   Sauteed Apple Pie  (page 236)


4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

10-12 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and
sliced 1/2 inch thick

3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

pie crust pastry

1 Tbsp. heavy cream


1. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet, preferably not nonstick. (Apples will not caramelize as well in a nonstick pan.) Add apples, sprinkle with 3/4 cup sugar, and saute, turning apples, about 10 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized. Fold in cinnamon. Spread cooked apples on a platter to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide pastry into two unequal halves; roll out larger portion on a lightly floured board, and line pie pan. Spoon in cooled apples. Roll out remaining pastry, and cover pan; seal and crimp edges. 

3. Brush pastry with cream, and dust with remaining sugar. Bake about 40 minutes, until pastry is golden. Cool briefly, then serve with ice cream. Serves 8-12.

Comment: Not too sweet, just the right amount of cinnamon, and better than Marie Calendar's!