Panna Cotta With Raspberry Sauce
INGREDIENTS
Three ¼ Ounce Envelopes Unflavored Gelatin
½ Cup Cold Water
1 Quart Half & Half
2 Cups Heavy Cream
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Strip of 3 Inch Piece Lemon Zest
1/3 Cup Sugar
Raspberry Sauce
Two 10 Ounce Packages Frozen Raspberries In Syrup – Thawed
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Cornstarch Mixed With 2 Tablespoons Water
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and set aside to soften. Combine the half & half, cream, lemon zest and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add the softened gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Discard the lemon zest and add the vanilla extract. Divide the cream mixture among twelve 6 ounce custard cups. Cover and refrigerate until the panna cotta is set. This should take at least 4 hours. You can refrigerate these overnight if you wish.
To make the raspberry sauce, puree the berries with their syrup, the sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Bring the puree to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, then pour into a tightly sealed container and refrigerate. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
To serve, dip the bottom of the custard cup into a bowl of hot water for 10 seconds. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cream. Invert the cream onto a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining custard cups.
Spoon some of the sauce around the creams. Serve immediately. Serves 12
Wine Poached Ginger Pears
INGREDIENTS
4 Medium Firm Pears
4 Pieces Crystallized Ginger (1 inch size)
1 Cup Red Wine
1 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Honey
3 Thin Strips Lemon Peel
½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. Use a corer or sharp knife to remove the bottom “flower,” and about 1 ½ inch of the core. Place one piece of the ginger into each hollow. Place the pears upright in a medium pot. Combine the wine, water, honey, lemon peel, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and pour over the pears. Cover the pot and place over medium-low heat. Simmer the pears for 20 minutes. Uncover the pot and gently lay the pears on their sides. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and gently turn each pear over to its other side. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stand the pears upright in a medium glass bowl. Pour the wine syrup over the pears. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Can be served with vanilla ice cream or whipping cream. Serves 4
Easy Lemon Curd
INGREDIENTS
3 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Melted Butter
½ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Grated Lemon Peel
You will need a double boiler for this recipe.
In the top of a double boiler, beat eggs and sugar together. Stir in the lemon juice, butter and lemon peel. Cook over simmering water for 15 minutes or until thickened. Use as needed or store in a jar in the refrigerator. Makes 12 servings
**Make sure to use fresh lemons
Grandma’s Chocolate Cake
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
¾ Cup Butter (you can use sour milk)
¾ cup Melted Butter
3 Eggs
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 inch cake pan and set aside. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Melt butter and add to dry ingredients. Next add eggs and buttermilk to dry ingredients. Mix everything together until smooth with an electric mixer. Pour into pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. When done remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. After the cake has cooled, slice cake in half to make 2 layers. It is easier to slice if the cake has been refrigerated for a couple of hours. Frost with Chocolate Butter Frosting. Use 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top and the rest around the cake. Grandma’s Chocolate Cake should be served at room temperature. Serves 12
**To Make Sour Milk: ¾ cup of milk and add either two tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit for five to ten minutes.
Chocolate Butter Frosting
INGREDIENTS
¾ Cup Softened Butter (1 ½ Sticks)
2 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 Squares (4 ounces) Semisweet Chocolate – Melted & Cooled
2 Squares (2 ounces) Unsweetened Chocolate – Melted & Cooled
In a large bowl, with a mixer at low speed, combine butter, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. Mix until almost combined. Next add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolates. Increase the speed to high, beat frosting until light and fluffy which should be for about one minute. Makes about 2 ½ cups
Madeleines
INGREDIENTS
5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter – Melted & Cooled
½ Cup Plus 1 Tablespoon Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 Beaten Egg
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Grated Lemon Zest
Powdered Sugar for Dusting
Preheat oven to 375° F. Brush Madeleine pans with melted butter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour in pans and tap out excess. In a medium bowl, sift ½ cup flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a second medium bowl, beat egg and sugar until thick (5 minutes). Add vanilla and lemon zest. Fold in flour mixture. Fold in remaining melted butter. Spoon heaping tablespoon of batter into each mold. Tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles and evenly distribute batter. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden (springs back when pressed). Remove to a wire baking rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Makes about 12
Calvados Crème Anglaise
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Half & Half
½ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Calvados
½ Vanilla Bean – Split Lengthwise and Sees Removed and Reserved
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
6 Large Egg Yolks Lightly Beaten
In a medium saucepan over medium heat whisk together the half & half, sugar, Calvados, vanilla bean and salt. Cook, whisking often, until mixture just begins to boil and then immediately remove from heat. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks. Using a ladle, slowly stream about 1 cup of the hot half & half mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly and repeat. Return the yolk/half & half mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon or until mixture registers 170° F on an instant read thermometer.
Remove from heat. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the mixture into a stainless steel bowl set in an ice bath. Discard vanilla bean and any solids. Stir until mixture comes to a room temperature. Cover the surface of the crème anglaise with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Makes about 3 cups.
Calvados is a dry apple brandy made in the Normandy region of northern France. Applejack or other apple brandy may be substituted.
Banana Bread Pudding
INGREDIENTS
8 Tablespoons (1 Stick) Butter
4 Bananas – Sliced 1/3 Inches Thick
6 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Milk
1 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Eggs
1 Egg Yolk
1/3 Cups Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Fresh Nutmeg
½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
6 Slices Firm White Bread
Preheat oven to 325° F. Using 1 tablespoon butter, butter a 9 inch deep dish pan and set aside. Cook bananas with 4 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cook until sugar melts and coats bananas. Set aside.
Beat the milk, cream, eggs, yolk, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and remaining 4 tablespoons brown sugar together. Brush bread with the remaining butter, cut each slice in half and layer in dish. Tuck bananas between the slices. Pour in the milk mixture. Press to absorb the liquid. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and bake uncovered until golden brown for about 25 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with Calvados Crème Anglaise.
Makes about 10 servings
English Chocolate Toffee Truffles
INGREDIENTS
¼ Cup Heavy Cream
¼ Cup Whole Milk
1 Tablespoon English Toffee Syrup
6 (1 ounce) Squares Chopped Bittersweet Chocolate
4 (1ounce) Squares Chopped Milk Chocolate
8 Ounce Bag English Toffee Chips – Divided
Combine cream, milk and English toffee syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Combine bittersweet and milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolates, stirring gently until completely melted. Mix in ½ of the English toffee chips. Pour mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate. Chill for at least one hour. Using a small ice cream scoop or a small melon baller, scoop a small amount of ganache. Using your hands, roll ganache to form 1 inch truffles. Coat truffles with remaining toffee chips. Makes about 24 truffles
Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2/3 Cup Softened Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon Pistachio Paste
¼ Cup Confectioners’ Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¾ Cup Unbleached Flour
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Pistachios
Combine butter, pistachio paste, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. With a mixer, that is set to medium speed, beat until light and fluffy. Sift together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed until combined. Fold in chopped pistachios.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut with a 2 inch fluted round cutter. Place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool on the pan for 1 minute. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 24 cookies
