Couer

Tiramisu Brownie

Notes:
- I tend to make my baked goods with less sugar, so I used 6 Tbsp of sugar in the brownies instead of 1/2 C.
- You may not use all of the filling but this stuff is so delicious, you can just eat it with a spoon (I'm guilty of this).
- I skipped the raw egg yolk (traditionally added) in the filling because I didn't want to deal with it. You can also whisk the egg yolk with the marsala over a bain marie to create a zabaglione for the filling.

Tiramisu Brownies
Espresso Brownie Base
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pats
1 Tbsp instant espresso powder (or sub 2 Tbsp of Kahlua - I have not tried this)
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C AP flour
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mascarpone Filling
8 oz. mascarpone
1/2 C marsala
1/4 C sugar
1 C whipping cream

Topping: Dark chocolate

Make the brownie:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 8 x 8 baking pan with a sheet of foil to make the brownies easy to lift out. You can grease the foil but I didn't.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a large bowl over a bain marie or in a microwave on low power, about 30% (whisk between intervals to insure even heating).

Whisk in the espresso powder to the warm chocolate. Then whisk in the sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs. Finally add the flour and mix until just incorporated (do not overmix).

Spread the batter into the baking pan and bake for about 17 to 22 minutes. Start checking the brownies early. A toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies should come out with moist crumbs.

After the brownies are done, set them aside to cool while you make the filling.

Make the filling:
In a large bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, sugar, and marsala until smooth.

Meanwhile in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. I like to whip it with the machine to soft peaks and then whip by hand to stiff peaks so I don't overwhip (easy to do on a KA).

Fold in about 1/3 of the cream into smooth marscarpone mixture to lighten it. Then fold the rest of the whipped cream into mascarpone. Chill the mixture until the brownies have cooled to room temp.

To serve:
It's easiest to make each serving individually since the filling will ooze out if you cut the brownie (not as soft as ladyfingers). This recipe will make 8 2in x 4in servings.

Cut the brownies into 2 x 4 rectangles. Then cut each rectangle in half horizontally so you get two layers of the brownie (top and bottom).

Add a dollop of the filling to the bottom layer, add the top layer, then add more filling on top. Smooth off the top and sides then grate some chocolate shavings on top.

Nutella Brownie - Browniebabe of the Month

I’m not a big peanut butter fan but I can eat Nutella by the spoonful. My goal was to make a Nutella-esque brownie by using Nutella in the batter and topping the brownies with hazelnuts. I have to admit, I sometimes use boxed brownie mixes but I found that making them from scratch is almost as simple. The perfect brownie is dense, chewy, fudgy, and devoid of nuts but these brownies are an exception to the nut rule.

Nutella Brownies
6 tbsp butter
3 oz bittersweet chocolate
1/4 C nutella
1/2 C sugar (I used 6 Tbsp)
2 eggs
1/2 C flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C hazelnut, chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a square baking pan with 2 sheets of aluminum foil perpendicular to each other. This makes the brownies really easy to lift out. You can also grease the foil but I didn't.

Roughly chop chocolate and cut butter into small pats. Melt butter and chocolate over a double boiler or on low power in the microwave. I used the microwave at 30% power and stirred every minute; it took about 3 minutes.

Whisk in nutella, eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add flour and mix until just incorporated (do not over mix).

Spread into baking pan and scatter chopped hazelnuts on top of the brownies. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.**

Start checking the brownies at 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies should come out with moist crumbs (if it comes out clean then the brownies have overbaked). It is better to underbake than overbake.

Notes:
*I found that the brownies did not have enough hazelnut flavor so next time I use some hazelnut liqueur, like Frangelico, or extract.
**Because I used a glass baking pan, I lowered the oven temp to 325ºF but I had to bake for almost 30 minutes.

Links:
I'm going to submit this recipe to Myriam for the Browniebabe of the Month Event.


Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich



I really thought I was on to something new by using brownies for ice cream sandwiches. But Google told me I wasn't the first only one who thought of this idea. So much for being the pioneer of a new dessert.

Cut brownies into the desired size of ice cream sandwich. Chill brownies in the freezer for 20 minutes so it is easier to slice. Slice the brownie in half horizontally. Add about 1/4 C ice cream to the bottom half of the brownie and smooth out the top and sides. Add the top half and lightly pat down the sandwich. Chill the sandwich in the freezer for another 20 min before serving.

I used coffee ice cream for the sandwich. The chocolate, hazelnut, and coffee flavors were reminescent of a hazelnut mocha.

julias (& mine...) french apple tart

RECIPE

flaky pie dough
175g flour
1 teaspoon salt
120g butter, cut in small pieces
about 60 ml ice water

mix flour and salt and put in a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. add the butter - piece after piece - and mix until mixture looks coarse. carefully add the water (you might not need all of it - careful!) and mix only until it is incorporated. turn out on a working surface and fold it over on itself 2-3 times and gather it together. form a disk and wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

filling
1kg sour apples (braeburn - really any cooking apple or granny smith)
150g sugar
1 tablespoon flour
a generous pinch of cinnamon
40g fresh breadcrumbs
juice of one lemon

peel and core the apples. quarter, then finely slice the quarters. put in a large saucepan and drizzle with half of the lemon juice. add sugar, flour, cinnamon and breadcrumbs. add a tablespoon of water and put on high heat. bring to the boil, then lower the heat and cook apples until soft and ready to be mashed (with a wooden spoon - potato masher - heavy spoon). dont overdo it - a few small lumps and bumps will make the filling interesting. let cool.

heat the oven to 200 c° and put a rack in the middle of the oven.
roll the chilled dough on a slightly floured surface into a circle so it fits a 25cm fluted pan tart with a removable bottom. cut off the excess dough at the rim with a sharp knife and line the tart with parchment paper and fill with baking beans. chill for about half an hour.
then put in the oven and bake until golden brown for about 30 minutes (how fiery is your oven? - keep an eye on it, it might be ready after 20 minutes). when baked, let cool (with beans and parchment paper still in tin). leave oven on but reduce to 190c°.

when the shell is cool, spoon the apple purée into the tart shell and smooth evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon. the filling should come to just below the rim of the tart.

topping
3-4 apples (such as granny smith or any cooking apple)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons of butter, melted
1 tablespoon of sugar
confectioner's sugar for dusting

peel and core the apples and finely slice them, drizzle lemon juice over them to prevent them from browning. arrange the apples in a circle over the purée. the slices should overlap each other, but dont worry if it doesnt look as good as on the picture. save your nerves for the crime story on tv tonight. arrange as many slices as needed, brush them carefully with the melted butter and sprinkle with the sugar.

bake the tart in the middle of the oven for about 35-40 minutes (again: how fiery is your oven - make sure you keep an eye on it from time to time). when the edges of the apples have started to brown, take out of the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. before serving dust the tart (or just its edges as julia did it) with confectioner's sugar. or do it like me and serve a generous dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream with it.

Chocolate Espresso Cake - Serves 12

For the Cake:

• 9 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

For the Glaze:

• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 6 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup

FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 9-inch diameter nonstick cake pan. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. (Do not burn.) Stir rum and espresso powder in large bowl until espresso dissolves. Whisk sugar and eggs into espresso mixture to blend. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Stir in warm melted chocolate mixture, then flour. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until cake just puffs in center, about 45 minutes. Cool in pan on rack, 15 minutes. Cake will deflate as it cools; guide edges into pan as it cools. Run small sharp knife around edges of cake. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.

FOR GLAZE: Stir rum and espresso powder in small bowl until espresso dissolves. Bring cream and butter to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in rum mixture and corn syrup. Let glaze stand at room temperature until no longer hot, but still liquid.

Place cake on 8-inch cardboard cake round. Set cake on rack over baking pan. Gradually pour glaze over cake, covering completely. Chill until glaze is set. Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Keep cake refrigerated.

My Vanilla Ice Cream
500mls fresh milk,
500mls fresh cream,
2-3 cups sugar,
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed,
6 egg yolks

Put milk in a saucepan. Split the vanilla pod and scrap out the seeds, put them in the milk together with the pod. Heat the milk until simmering point. Meanwhile, cream the sugar and egg yolks in another bowl until pale. Trickle the milk into the egg yolk and stir well. Bring them to the stove on a low heat, stir well. Cook until the mixture is thicken and covered the back of the spoon. Strain and remove the vanilla pod. Let cool. Whisk the cream until soft. Take one tablespoon of the cream to the egg mixture, mix well. Then, mix in the rest. Pour into a freezer-suitable container, freeze for 2 hours. Remove from the container into a food processor, process until smooth. Return it to the container and freeze again. It's pretty much easier if I have an ice-cream maker, but I don't, unfortunately.

Butterscotch Sauce

1 ½ cups (12 fl oz) (single or pouring) cream,
50g (1 ¾ oz) unsalted butter,
1 cup (175g / 6 ¼ oz) brown sugar.

Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil and cook for 5-7 minutes or until thickened.

Flan From Mireille

This very simple flan has been adapted from Mireille Guiliano's book French Women Don't Get Fat. It is one of those quick easy recipes suitable for lunch or even as a breakfast dish.

ASPARAGUS FLAN
16 asparagus stalks or 1 can asparagus
120g streaky bacon coarsely chopped
8 eggs
500ml milk
250ml cream
salt and pepper

If using fresh asparagus peel, boil in salted water for 5 minutes, drain and cool. If canned drain.
Saute bacon in non stick pan till crisp. Drain on paper towel.
Combine eggs, milk and cream. Season to taste.
Preheat oven to gas mark 4/180C
Pour egg mixture into baking dish, about 25cm x 2.5cm deep.
Sprinkle in asparagus and bacon.
Bake 15 - 20 minutes till custard is set but not dried out.
Serve immediately with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Croissants

Ingredients:

350g butter

50g icing sugar

30g sunflower oil

7g salt

2 eggs

42g fresh yeast (one cube)

200ml milk

500g flour

an additional egg yolk to brush the croissants

if desired: chocolate or Nutella as a filling

Opposed to what many believe, croissants are NOT of French origin and despite the plethora of legends and myths that are and have been circulating, the croissant is Viennese. Backed up by the fact - so Alan Davidson, editor of the Oxford Companion to Food- that no printed recipe for the croissant (as we know it today) appears in any French recipe book before the early 20th century (the earliest French reference he found in Payen’s Des substances alimentaires from 1853).

Where was I? Yes, my croissant. ONE, it’s got to be a perfect mix of chewy and fluffy, which makes it easier to “unwrap” (my favorite way of eating a croissant). TWO, light-golden-brown in color. THREE, not too flaky, which makes it an excellent don’t-need-a-plate snack. FOUR, baked with plenty of butter, getting your fingers all greasy is a good sign and unavoidable and FIVE, a melt-in-your-mouth taste. Hm, I wonder, am I asking too much?

If you’re not satisfied with the croissants readily available at your local bakery, why not go ahead and give it a try yourself? But be warned, this is not as simple as my alternative way to start a Sunday morning…

The butter block: Knead the butter shortly to be able to form a butter block which is square (about 22×16cm/8.5×6.3 inch) and about 1cm (0.4 inch) thick. Books usually give instructions about the exact size of the block, but I found it to be less important, as long as you adapt the size of the dough (see below). I had my working space covered with a sheet of parchment paper, in which I wrapped the prepared block. Place in the fridge and chill it; it should not become rock hard though!

Preparing the pre-dough: Dissolve the yeast in milk and combine with sugar, eggs, oil, flour and salt. Knead only very lightly. If too soft, add a bit more flour. Form a rectangle, double in size of the butter block. Place the chilled butter in the center and fold the flaps over the butter without stretching them too much (lock-in). Carefully press together the edges to seal in the butter. The dough package should be folded uniformly to form a nice square.

The first three-fold: Roll out with a rolling pin, turn the dough over occasionally to keep the edges even. Don’t forget to dust the dough with flour to prevent it from sticking. Continue until the dough is about 1cm (0.4 inch) thick again. Then fold the dough like a business letter into 3rds. Do another three-fold. Cover with foil and chill for about 30 minutes.

Do two or three more three-folds, cover and chill for a few hours (or over night) before proceeding and forming the croissants.

Cut the dough in half to make handling easier and roll it out until about 3mm (0.1 inch) thick. Cut in pointed triangles, fill with a piece of chocolate or a small teaspoon of Nutella (if desired) and form little crescents by rolling the shortest side tautly up to the tip of the triangle. Place all on a parchment covered tray, paint thinly with egg yolk (more for looks) and let rise for an additional 15 minutes.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (355°F) for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on size, until they are golden brown.

Resume: Considering the fact that this was a first for me, both making the puff paste AND the croissants, I felt like the queen of baking. Seriously, I wasn’t quite sure if I could pull it off, preparing something as advanced as puff paste. It was a huge relief to see the croissants turn out not only pretty looking, but also deliciously tasting. I’ve experimented quite a bit with sizes and fillings, but I’m sure there are plenty of tricks I haven’t considered, yet I’m very happy with the results. What’s the catch? The time factor - it does take quite a bit of time, is it worth it: you bet! Too bad our freezer isn’t large enough, otherwise I would have loved to try freezing them - unbaked - for next Sundays.

Note to self (for next time): If the dough is too delicate to handle between the turns - put it in the fridge for a few minutes. Maybe add an extra pinch of salt? Try baking them on silicone mats, to prevent their bottoms from turning too dark… Think of additional fillings…

Crème Caramel

750mL milk
1 vanilla pod
150g caster sugar
6 tablespoons of water
butter for greasing the terrine
6 eggs
75g caster sugar

Lightly butter the 28cm ot 1.2L terrine.
Put the milk in a pot, split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the milk, add the pod. Heat until almost boiling then turn off the heat and leave to infuse while you make the caramel.
Put the 150g sugar and the water in a heavy bottomed pot. Keep on a low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved so the caramel does not crystallise. Once the sugar has dissolved turn up the heat and boil until a good caramel is achieved. Keep an eye on it because it can change very quickly. Pour the caramel into the terrine to cover the sides and bottom of the dish. Leave to cool.
Put a pan with enough water to come half way up the terrine in a 150°c oven to heat.
Beat the eggs and the 75g sugar, add the infused milk discarding the vanilla pod. Sieve into the caramel covered terrine. Without covering with the lid, place in the bain-marie and cook for 45 minutes or until it is set and a knife inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool then refrigerate.
When ready to serve run a knife around the edge then stand in a sink of hot water for a few minutes to melt the caramel. Turn out and slice to serve. The longer it is refrigerated the easier it will be to turn out and the better it will keep its shape.

Raspberry Pecan Pancakes

Ingredients:

300-350ml milk

3 eggs

50g butter, melted

300g flour

1.5 tsp baking soda

50g vanilla sugar

Combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar (regular sugar prepped with used vanilla beans/shells) in large bowl.

Whisk eggs with the milk and the melted butter together in a separate bowl and add to flour mixture.

Heat half of a tsp of butter in a (non-stick) pan and add a large scoop of batter as soon as butter throws bubbles. On top add the chopped pecans and raspberries. Bake until set (be careful not to burn the bottom), turn and bake until both sides have gained a nice light brown color.

Just before serving top with maple syrup. As the package contained some wonderful honey, I couldn’t resist and added some drops of it, too!

Pancakes with Bananas & Caramel Sauce

Pancakes
1 1/2 cups flour
pinch of salt
50g butter, melted
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Topping
380g can caramel condensed milk
1/2 cup cream
3 bananas
6 scoops vanilla ice cream

note: for topping, I use 3 Tbs sweetened condensed milk cooked with 1 cup of fresh cream and 3 Tbs of golden syrup. Cook until thick, stirring continuously if you don't want burnt caramel. If you want a thinner consistency, you can add more fresh cream.

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the combined butter, milk, and eggs. Whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for an hour before cooking.

Heat a frying/crepe pan and wipe with buttered paper. Pour 2 Tbs of batter in the pan and swirl to get an even layer. Cook for a minute and then flip to cook the other side. Stack between paper towels and cover with a cloth to keep warm.

Combine the caramel condensed milk and cream and gently warm. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Serve the pancakes topped with sliced banana, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Coeur a la Creme

COUER A LA CREME

COUER
225g (8 oz) softened cream cheese
2/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons icing (confectioners') sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch salt

Sauce
1 cup raspberries
2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Beat together cream cheese, sour cream, icing sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and salt untilsmooth. Push mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any tiny lumps.

Line a heart shaped mould with a single layer of dampened cheesecloth .
Fill moulds with mixture to top and level. Fold cheesecloth over tops and press down lightly. Place in a shallow pan to catch drips and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours).

Raspberry Sauce
Mash half of the raspberries with sugar. Stir in the remaining whole berries and lemon juice. Push through a sieve to remove seeds.

To Serve
Unmold coeurs onto serving plate and carefully remove cheesecloth. Let coeurs sit at room temperature 20 minutes before serving. Spoon raspberry sauce around. Decorate with remaining raspberries and a sprinkle of icing sugar.

Soul Food's Chocolate & Raspberry Brownie

300g coverture chocolate, chopped, 300g butter, diced, 6 eggs, 2 cups caster sugar, 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup (Dutch) cocoa, 2 tsps vanilla essence, 1 cup frozen raspberries, ½ cup chopped chocolate, extra

Preheat the oven to 170C. Line a 20cm x 30cm slice pan with baking paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of hot-not boiling-water. Mix, until completely combined. Beat the eggs and sugar, until fluffy (but not too fluffy). Add the chocolate and butter mixture.

Sift the flour and cocoa and fold into the chocolate mix. Add the vanilla. Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the raspberries and extra chocolate evenly over the top. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean at the edges and the centre is slightly gooey.

Cool and cut into 16 pieces. A light warming in a microwave before serving is highly recommended. Serve with lashings of cream on the side. Serves 16.

Molten Chocolate Cakes
1/4 cup plain (all Purpose) flour, sifted
1/3 cup icing (confectioner's) sugar, sifted
3/4 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
2 egg whites beaten
80 grams (3 ozs) butter, melted
160 grams (6 ozs) dark chocolate, melted
4 x 10 grams (1/3 oz) squares dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 150C (300F).
Place flour, sugar, almond meal, egg whites, butter, and chocolate in a bowl and mix well to combine.
Spoon half the mixture into 4 x 1/2cup (4 fl oz) capacity lightly greased oven proof dishes.
Place the chocolate squares on top of the mixture and top with the remaining mixture.
bake for 20 minutes or until cooked but gooey in the middle.
Stand in dish for 5 minutes before turning out.

Christmas Mince Pies

PASTRY
1 1/2 cups plain flour
125g butter
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water (approximately)

Sift flour into bowl, rub in butter, add sugar, egg yolk and enough water to mix to a firm dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Cover and place in fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll pastry between two sheets of plastic food wrap to about 2.5mm thickness.
Cut into rounds large enough to line patty tins.

Fill with Fruit Mince (my fruit mince was a gift from Emma). Top with pastry or leave plain.
Bake in a moderately hot oven for 10 minutes. Cool in tins before removing.
Serve with icing sugar if topped or a spoonful of whipped cream if plain.

Chocolate Cake

Required time: about 40 minutes

Ingredients:

200 g butter

200 g high quality dark chocolate (70 % cacao)

250 g sugar

4 eggs

2 tablespoons of flour

Grease the sides of a spring mould (mine has a size of 26 cm) with butter and line the bottom with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to a 190 degrees Celsius.

Break the dark chocolate in smaller pieces (I used 70 % dark chocolate from Lindt this time, but if you have the chance try it with Valrhona…) and heat it slowly with the butter in a bain-marie. When everything has melted, add the sugar, stir and let it cool down for about 5 minutes.

Now add four eggs, one by one and stir well with a wooden spoon or a whisk after each. Finally add two tablespoons of flour and blend well.

Pour the mixture in the spring mould and put it in the oven for about 25 minutes. The original recipe in my book has a literal mistake in it, the first part of the text demands 22 minutes baking time, in the detailed description it says 35 minutes. That’s quite a difference! I prefer chocolate cakes, that are smooth, moist and fudgy - just melt in your mouth, so I went with the shorter baking time. Since I made this cake at least four times now, I adapted the perfect baking time for my spring mould and oven, which is 25 minutes.

Take the cake out of the oven and out of the spring mould. The original recipe tells you, that the cake tastes best on its second day - this is where I disagree. Still slightly warm, this cake just melts in your mouth when you eat it - heavenly. Add some whipped cream, vanilla sauce or vanilla ice cream, everything will melt over the cake… simply irresistible :) Reminds me of my favorite dessert at our favorite French restaurant - mi-cuit au chocolat - more details on both, restaurant and mi-cuit are soon to come…

Burnt Caramel Pots de Crème

Prep time: 20 min., baking: 45 min.

Ingredients (serves 4-6, depending on cup size):

90g cane sugar

1 tbsp water

90ml whole milk

230g heavy whipping cream

3 large egg yolks

80g milk chocolate (I used Lindt)

Add water and sugar to a medium sized pot and stir at medium heat. Continue to stir occasionally until the sugar melts. Stop stirring and cook until the sugar turns dark amber (about 5 minutes).

Meanwhile combine cream and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Once the sugar is the right color, remove from the heat and step by step add the hot cream. The mix will splatter and foam, so do it slowly - first add half a cup, then a cup, then the rest. Whisk well to remove any burnt caramel from the bottom of the pot.

Add the egg yolks to a bowl, whisk well and slowly add the caramel mix. Again, start with a small amount, to warm the egg yolks gradually. Then add the chopped chocolate (had to nearly double the amount, until I found the right taste for me) and whisk until it melts completely.

Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve and spoon into several small cups. I’m sure it’s obvious, but due to the desserts’ richness small cups are totally fine. I used both espresso cups and mini muffin cups, because I wasn’t sure if the crème would really set in the higher espresso cups, something I had experienced troubles with earlier.

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Place the cups in a large enough casserole or other deep baking dish and fill it up with the hot water until it reaches about halfway up the cups’ sides. The original recipe calls for covering the pan with aluminum foil and baking the crème for about 25 minutes, so the top is set, but the custard as a whole still jiggles when tapped. I removed the aluminum foil after 25 minutes and nothing was set (yes, I used an oven thermometer…). So I decided to discard the foil and leave it in the oven for a few more minutes. Turns out, after 20 more minutes I had the results I was looking for and I removed the cups from the hot water.

Note: Not sure why it took so much longer to bake, but to be on the safe side, check after the first 20 minutes and use your gut feel to decide if it needs more time.

White Mousse Au Chocolat

Required time: prep. 15 min., chilling ~6 hours

Ingredients (serves 4):

200g white chocolate (high quality)

100g heavy cream

Heat up the 100 ml cream, pour over the white chocolate (broken into pieces). Let the mixture dissolve over a bain-marie, blend well and chill the result for some hours (the original recipe says at least four hours). The original recipe proceeds with something like: Whip it again and serve. What? How is it supposed to get airy and light? The results was strange, good taste (quite sweet), but gooey. I have no idea, why this recipe is filed under the name “mousse”!?

Always trust your instincts - at least if you are a woman ;) I whipped an additional 100 ml of heavy cream and carefully folded it under the chilled chocolate-cream mixture. Chilled it again for some hours. The result was much better, very light and smooth with a wonderful taste, although it didn’t have the well-known mousse-texture with those tiny little air bubbles inside. I added some passion fruit, which turned out to be a perfect combination.

Chocolate Crème Brûlée

Required time: prep. 30 min., baking 25 min., serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

200ml milk

250ml heavy cream

half of a vanilla bean

4 egg yolks

50g sugar

60g milk chocolate

30g dark chocolate

fine brown sugar for caramelizing

1 Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Cook cream, milk and the vanilla bean (shell & the scraped out seeds) in a small pot and bring to a boil. Although the original recipe called for a whole vanilla bean, I just used one half as vanilla only plays a supporting role in this dessert. Remove from the stove. Start melting the two sorts of chocolate over a bain-marie - another change in plans, as the original recipe only uses dark chocolate, but I wasn’t in a bitter mood…taste-wise high quality chocolate always pays off.

Combine egg yolks and sugar and blend well, until the mix becomes pale and thick. Add the warm (not hot) cream mix to the eggs and blend well. Return the mix to the pot and stir over low heat for 5-10 minutes (do not boil), until custard coats the back of a wooden spoon, then remove from heat.

Now add it to the melted chocolate, blend well and pour the mixture into ovenproof ramekins and align them in a deep baking dish. Add enough water to cover half the sides of the ramekins and bake at 160°C (320°F) for 25 to 30 minutes.

When done, remove from oven and chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, add a thin layer of brown sugar and have fun with your blow torch!

White chocolate&lime addiction

Prep time: 20min. plus chilling & freezing

Ingredients (~4 scoops):

250g heavy cream

50g white sugar

zest of two untreated limes

50g white chocolate, chopped

juice of 1 lime

200g Greek yogurt (substitute with regular drained yogurt)

to finalize: zest of another untreated lime

White chocolate&lime addiction:

Combine heavy cream, sugar and lime zest and heat up in a small pot until the sugar has dissolved, then remove from heat. Add the chopped white chocolate and stir until it has completely dissolved, then add the freshly squeezed lime juice. Strain through a fine mesh sieve before finally adding the Greek yogurt and let cool down in the fridge for at least an hour.

Setup your ice cream machine according to the instructions and freeze your ice cream. As soon as the ice cream comes together nicely and may only need two or three more minutes, add the additional lime zest. The lime zest in step 1 will lose its vivid green color quickly (and ends up in the sieve)

Pâte à Choux

(adapted from The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard)
Yield: ~10 medium choux

½ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp sugar
Pinch of salt
¼ cup water
¼ cup whole milk (4%)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large eggs

In a large bowl, sift flour sugar and salt.

In a medium saucepan, bring water, milk and butter to a boil. Remove from heat and add the flour mixture – stir vigorously to incorporate.

Return mixture to medium heat, and keep stirring for approx 4 minutes, or until the dough has a very smooth consistency – similar to smooth mashed potatoes. Remove from heat.

Turn dough into the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for a couple minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure that each one is fully mixed in. Continue to mix for an additional 2-3 minutes until the dough is very smooth and shiny.

Using a piping bag and tip, pipe choux into mounds ~1.5 inches across and 1.5 inches high on a baking sheet fitted with a silipat or parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 425F. Place the choux into oven, on the center rack, and bake for ~10 minutes, or until puffs begin to rise. Turn oven down to 350F, and with the oven door propped open, cook for another 15-20 minutes – or until the choux have nicely browned.

Remove from oven. Transfer onto cooling racks and allow to cool prior to use. Extras may be frozen.

Chocolate Sauce
(adapted from The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard)
Yield: ~1 cup

2 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp water
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Keep boiling for a minute or two, until the mixture begins to thicken slightly. Remove from heat.

Combine the cream and butter in another small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Place chopped chocolate into a bowl, and pour the cream/butter mixture over top. Stir to melt chocolate.

Add the sugar/water mixture, along with the Irish Cream. Combine thoroughly, and keep in a warm place until use.

To assemble profiteroles:
Cut a choux in half. Scoop out a small helping of ice-cream (homemade is best!) and place into the center of the bottom of the choux. Place the top on, and garnish with the Chocolate Sauce, and some freshly whipped cream. Enjoy!

Classic Vanilla Ice Cream ( Serve with Pâte A Choux )
Yields: ~2 cups (6 small servings)

1 cup single cream (I used 18% coffee cream)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways)
4 egg yolks, beaten)
1/4 cup fine white sugar)
1 cup double or whipping cream (I used 36% whipping cream)

Pour the single cream and vanilla bean into a medium saucepan over low heat, and bring to just below the point of boiling. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the yolks and sugar in the top half of a double broiler. Place over the bottom of the double broiler (containing about 1″ of water), and heat until the water is simmering. Do not let the water, or yolk/sugar mixture come to a boil. Stir until the mixture becomes thick and creamy. Discard the vanilla bean, and gradually add the scalded cream to the yolk/sugar mixture. Continue to cook for ~15 minutes, stirring quite frequently. Place mixture in the refrigerator to chill.

In a mixing bowl, whip up the double cream until it begins to hold its shape. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

Once cold, beat the double cream into the first mixture. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your ice cream maker.

M’s Pudding

For the sauce:
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1-2 tbsp butter

For the Cake:
1 tbsp butter
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt

[Preheat oven to 350F] In a deep baking/casserole dish, combine the sauce ingredients [and stir until the sugar is dissolved]. [In a separate bowl] Combine the cake ingredients [starting with the dry ones, mixing with a fork - then adding the wet ones] until batter comes together [with minimal lumps]. Pour cake batter onto the sauce mix. [Do not combine.] Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes [or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Serve pieces of cake and spoon caramel sauce over, liberally.]

Green Tea Ice Cream

• 2 c cream
• 2 c. milk
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1/4 c. matcha
• 1/4 t salt
• 4 eggs

Special equipment: an ice cream maker.

The proportions in the ingredient list above will give you a fairly aggressive tea flavor for your ice cream. Reduce the the matcha to as little as two tablespoons for a more delicate approach.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, especially if a few lumps formed despite your heroic diligence. (I usually get a few small lumps. Shhhh, don't tell.) Cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Soursop Sorbet

• 1 1/2 c. soursop, seeds removed then pureed
• 1 c. cold water
• 1/2 c. sugar
• juice from half a lime

Mix ingredients together then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Serves 4-6 as a light dessert on a hot summer day. For other variations, try adding several teaspoons fresh ginger and/or 1/4 cup spiced rum.

Blueberry Muffins
Sift together:
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Blend:
3/4 cup natural yoghurt
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and toss in a cup of blueberries.
Spoon into muffin tins.
Bake at 200C for 20 minutes.
To serve - Cut a slit in the top and add a sliver of butter and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Ingredients for the shortcrust:

220g flour

110g cold butter

50g sieved icing sugar

1 egg yolk

a pinch of salt

Shortcrust: Mix all ingredients, sieve the icing sugar and knead it together. Quite tricky, because the dough obviously doesn’t want to stick together, that’s why I stopped kneading the dough with the KitchenAid - it just didn’t work. (I’m not very patient with “high-maintenance” dough, but this time the outcome was definitely worth the effort!) Things started to improve with hard manual labor. Form a ball, cover it with foil and let it rest in the fridge for about half an hour. Then roll it out about half a centimeter thick (dust board with flour as needed) and press into 12 cm (~5 inch) buttered flan tins (which I didn’t have, so I used my Crème brûlée forms). Repeatedly poke a few holes across the bottom, line with parchment paper and add pie weights (I used rice, dry beans work, too) and prebake them in the oven at about 175°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes. Take the crusts out, remove the baking weights and let them cool down.