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.