The Fumbling Foodie

Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato

OK guys, this is it: a rich chocolate dessert that's easy to make.  Perfect for Valentine's day. Just make sure that the chocolate you use is about 70% cocoa or better. And while you are at it, use real vanilla extract.

 

Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato

 

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, peeled, and ground

 

Trader Joe's has the hazel nuts.  They are shelled but raw and unpeeled. Put them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.  Put them in the oven preheated to 350F. Let them roast for 15-20 minutes.  When you can smell that wonderful scent then they are ready.  Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely.

 

After they've cooled, grab a handful, wrap them up in a dish towel and rub them together.  When you unwrap them, most of the shins will have come off. Don't worry about the skins that are still adhered.  It doesn't matter. I ground the hazelnuts to about the consistency of coffee grounds in my Cuisenart Mini-Prep.

 

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, eggs, chocolate chips, vanilla, sugar, cocoa, and half the hazelnuts. Cook over medium heat whisking constantly until the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture just starts to boil.  Strain through a fine sieve and discard the solids. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

 

Place the chilled mixture and the remaining hazelnuts in an ice cream maker and process.  I have one of these Cuisenart ice cream makers with the built-in refrigeration unit.  No crushed ice to buy.  No rock salt.  No stains on the patio.  Just flip the switch and 45 minutes later you have gelato.

 

Serves about 6

 

Bacon and Swiss Souffle

"OOOPS, I bought the wrong kind of bacon. Here see what you can make with this."  So said my Sweet Lady Wife as she handed me a package of maple-flavored bacon.

It didn't take long for me to decide upon a souffle.  I bought some Gruyere cheese and ended up with a pretty decent-tasting meal.

Bacon and Swiss Souffle

5 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

bread crumbs

1 3/4 cups grated Gruyere cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

1 1/3 cup whole milk

4-8 slices of bacon

Butter the insides of a 6-inch souffle dish and then coat it with breadcrumbs.  Preheat the oven to 375F. cut the bacon crosswise into 1/2 inch strips and fry until done.

Make a collar for the souffle dish: Cut a strip of parchment paper at least as long as the diameter of the souffle dish.  Fold it in half lengthwise, wrap it around the outside of the souffle dish and secure it with twine. you are basically extending the sides of the souffle dish upward so that when the souffle rises, it goes up and not out over the edges of the dish.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour until well combined, and then slowly mix in the milk.  Whisk vigorously so they combine evenly and keep whisking until it forms a sauce about the consistence of a milkshake.  Add the egg yolks and bacon, combine well. Set aside and let cool a bit.

Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.  VERY GENTLY fold a spoonful of the now-cooled  sauce into the whites to loosen the mixture.  hen VERY GENTLY fold the egg whites into the sauce. (You are doing this gently so as to not break the zillion little air bubbles in the whipped egg whites)

Pour the mixture into the prepared souffle dish and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until it has risen nicely and the top is browned. It should jiggle a bit when bumped.

When it's done immediately remove the collar and place the dish on the table.  

Mothers Day Postponed One Week

I had to work dawn til disk last weekend and so was unable to treat my Sweet Lady Wife to the Mother's Day she deserved. She was very understanding and supportive but I know I had to make up for it this weekend.

Breakfast: Blackberry-Stuffed French Toast

This is from Gwen Ashley Walters wonderful Cool Mountain Cookbook. I've made this before and it is my wife's favorite.

















Spinach Salad with Blue Chees, Pecans, and Creamy Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 shallot, minced
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 tblsp raspberry vinegar
2 tblsp rice wine vinergar
2 tblsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey

Blend raspberries, shallot, thyme, and all three vinegars in the blender.

Drizzle in the olive oil and honey.







Sear-Roasted Salmon with Roasted New Potatoes

This is my favorite way to prepare salmon. Sear it in the saute pan on the stovetop over high heat. Then put it in the oven for a few minutes to finish.

My Sweet Lady Wife likes these potatoes so well I think I could serve them and get forgiveness for any sin.















Dessert: Chocolate and Banana Crepes

Crepes are an easy favorite in the Fumbling Foodie household. Smear some Nutella on half the crepe, add some sliced bananas and fold the crepe in half. Drizzle a little Nutella on top and add a dollop of whipped cream.

Homemade Cookies and Cream

This is almost too easy

Peaches and Cream Parfait

Straight out of the September 2007 issue of Fine Cooking. The two factors that made this so orgasmically delicious were:

1. Marinating the peaches in a water-brown sugar-Amaretto mixture for an hour
2. Mixing honey into the whipping cream

This ranks up there as one of the best desserts I have made.

Chocolate Mousse

This year my Mother asked for chocolate mousse instead of cake for her birthday. I have made chocolate mouse a couple of times before from Saint Julia's recipe but I wanted something a little lighter. I also wanted to perfect the chocolate tart crust I have been working on. Tonight it turned out exactly right and everyone raved about it.

Chocolate Tart Crust

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into smaller pieces
2 eggs

Lightly beat the eggs and set aside. MIx the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and work the mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture is the consistency of course meal. Add the eggs and mix/stir until the dough just comes together. Depending upon where you live, temperature, and humidity, you may need to add a couple sprinkles of water for this to happen.

Shape the dough into a ball and lightly flour the work surface. Lay a 1/8-inch wooden dowel at the left and right edges of the work surface. Roll out the dough. When your rolling pin is riding on the dowels you know that your dough is 1/8-inch thick. Place the dough into a 10-inch deep dish quiche pan. Gently work it down into the corners so the dough is resting against the entire inner surface of the pan. Trim the dough even with the top of the pan.

Place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up. and preheat the oven to 350F. Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork. Lay a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the shell over the dough and put a pie shell weight (one of those things that looks like a series of beads) on top of the parchment paper.

Put the shell on a baking sheet and place it in the oven for NINE minutes. (I have made this several times, each time seting the time a little shorter until I got the finished shell with the consistency I wanted).

After nine minutes, remove from the oven and place it on a rack to cool.

Chocolate Mouse

4 egg yolks
6 egg whites
3/4 cup baker's sugar
1/4 cup oragne liqueur
1/4 cup dark rum
6 ounces semi-sweet dark chololate chips
1 stick softened unsalted butter
pinch salt
1 Tablespoon regular granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Prepare a pan of almost-simmering water. Prepare a second large bowl of ice water. Mix the orange liqueur and bakers sugar. Lightly beat the egg yolks to combine them and then add the orange liqueur-sugar mixture. Beat until the mixture becomes very pale and thickens a bit. Then set the mixing bowl over the almost simmering water and continue to beat for 5-7 minutes until the mixture becomes hot. Then move the bowl to the ice water, continue beating until the mixture is the consistency of mayonnaise.

Using the same pan of simmering water, set a small bowl or pan in it and pour in the rum and chocolate chips. Stir continuously. When the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat and begin adding the butter one peice at a time, stirring continuously. If the mixture cools too much, re-immerse it in the simmering water as necessary.

Place the egg yolk mixture in your mixer's bowl, set the speed on medium-high and then add the chocolate. Let it beat the chocolate and egg yolk mixtures together for 1- 2 minutes.

Using either a different mixing bowl for your mixer (or removing the chocolate mixture and cleaning the bowl thoroughly) beat the egg whites, pinch of salt, and the cream of tartar to form stiff peaks.

Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Then gently fold in the rest.

Pour the mousse into the tart shell and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Before serving, apply some whipped cream to the top and sprinkle chocolate shavings on the whipped cream.

Serves six

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

The neighborhood Baskin-Robbins had closed. In my house this qualifies as a full-blown crisis.

It was natural then that one of the first ice creams I would make in my new Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker would be mint chocolate chip. I wanted this to be the best possible ice cream I could make. Therefore I gravitated toward the recipes using egg yolks. These recipes require a little more work but result in a much richer feeling on the tongue.

This was roll-your-eyes good. My Sweet Lady Wife's words upon first taste were, "Oh this is good!" Here second words - keep in mind she is trying to lose weight - were, "Please don't make this very often."

I served it in my first attempt at making hippenmasse, those edible bowls you see dessert served in. This first attempt did not come out very well. I had trouble spreading the dough thin enough on the cookie sheet. When I get it perfected I will post complete how-to-instructions.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
green food coloring

Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and mint extract togther in a small bowl until smooth and pale yellow. Set aside.

Set aside 1/2 cup milk. Combine the cream and remaining milk in a saucepann heat to not quite a boil. Keep it that way, sirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Prepare an ice bath by placing ice cubes in a large bowl and adding enough water to cover them. Set aside.

Whisking constantly, pour a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Then pour all the egg/cream mixture back into the remaining cream mixture. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup milk.

Trasfer the mixture to a medium bowl and immerse it in the ice bath. Stire until completely chilled. Stir in the green food coloring a few drops at a time until the mixture reaches the desired color. Chill the mixture for 4 hours.

Place it in the ice cream freezer, turn it on, and get out the spoons.

Gentlemen, Start Your Ice Cream Makers

With the arrival of my new Cuisinart Supreme Commercial Quality Ice Cream Maker yesterday, I just had to make some ice cream.

Or in this case some Orange-Pineapple-Banana Cream Sherbet

12 oz can Frozen Orange-Pineapple-Banana Juice Concentrate (thawed)
3 tablespoons sugar
3 cups 2% milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract.

Mix the Juice, sugar, and 1 cup milk in the blender until well blended. Pour into a suitably-sized container. Add the remaining milk and the vanilla. Stir well. Pour the mixture into the mixing bowl. Assemble the paddle, lid, and arm. Set the timer for 60 minutes. When you hear the 'Ding!' get out the spoons.

Unlike most new ice cream makers, this thing has its own refrigeration unit so there is no ice and salt to buy, no mess to clean up; no bowl to remember to put in the freezer the night before.

Strawberry Banana Dessert Crepes

So, What to do with the leftover crepes from tonight's dinner? Well, lemme see. We have some strawberries, bananas, and Cool Whip. The makings of a nice dessert crepe, I'd say.

Put some of the strawberries in the blender and puried them, cut up the rest and thinly sliced the banana. Put a scoop of strawberries, some of the banana slices and a spoonful of Cool Whip on the crepe and roll it up.

Ladle some more Cool Whip on top, drizzle on a little of the strawberry puree and your done.

White Chocolate Souffle with Raspberry-Chocolate Sauce

This is without a doubt the best dessert I have ever prepared.

This is the perfect dessert to serve guests for several reasons: Souffles are impressive (maybe not to a proffessional pastry chef, but to us mere mortals and our guests, a souffle is impressive). It tasts SOOOO good. You would think that with the white chocolate, dark chocolate and raspberry it would be cloyingly sweet but it's not. The second-best thing about this souffle is that there are no souffle collars to fuss with. The best thing about this souffle is that the entire thing can be made up ahead of time and kept in the refridgerator. As dinner concludes, pop them in the oven at 375F for 15-20 minutes.

Gentlemen: if you are looking for a dessert to serve to a lady that you are trying to impress, this is it.

This recipe is adapted from Fine Cooking's recent Chocolate issue. I have doubled the amount of vanilla, and I recommend using the finest vanilla extract you can find. I used Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract. Regarding the unsalted butter: English and Eurpoean butters have a higher butterfat content, and you can really tell the difference.

White Chocolate Souffle with Raspberry Chocolate Sauce

Raspberry Chocolate Sauce:
1/4 cup fresh raspberries
3 oz Ghirardelli 60% cocoa semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons European unsalted butter

Souffle:
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 tablespoon iodized salt. (don't use kosher salt, the granuals are too big)
3/4 cup whole milk
6 oz Ghirardelli white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Additional butter and sugar for the ramekins

Put a pie pan in the freezer for several hours to chill. You are going to be pouring hot liquid into it so metal or pyrex are preferred.

lightly butter six 4.5 oz ramekins. Mine are 3 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches deep. Coat the inside of each buttered ramekin with granulated sugar. Invert and pour out the excess.

Puree the raspberries in a blender. Pour the pureed raspberries through a sieve into a small bowl, using a spatula to squeegee the liquid through and leave the seeds behind (discard the seeds).

In a double-boiler or small saucepan set in a larger pan of simmering water, combine the raspberry puree, semisweet chocolate chips, butter, and sugar. Stir frequently until melted together and smooth. Grab the ice cold pie pan out of the freezer and pour this mixture into it. Tilt the pan as needed to get the mixture spread evenly over the bottom surface of the pie pan. Return the pie pan to the freezer. When the mixture has set up, divide it into six equal portions and use your hands to form each portion into a little ball. Put the balls back into the pie pan and put the pan in the refrigerator.

Seperate the egg yolks from the whites (you will need both). The whites should go into a large clean bowl big enough to be used with your hand mixer (or put them in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer).

Combine the flour and salt in a saucepan. Add a small amount of milk and combine. You want a smooth paste. Then add the rest of the milk, combine, and place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture has thickened a bit (like a cream sauce, about 4 minutes), remove a bit of it from the saucepan, add it to the egg yolk,s and whisk gently. (This allows the yolks to warm up without cooking them). Add the yolk mixture back into the saucepan, cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. When it is about the consistency of mayonnaise, remove it from the heat, place it into another bowl along with the white chocolate chips. Stir or whisk until the white chocolate chips are fully melted and combined. Add the vanilla. Set aside

Beat the egg whites in their own bowl( mentioned above). Add the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue meating until medium-firm peaks form.

Gently fold a heaping spatula load of egg whites into the white chocolate mixture, then add the remaining egg whites. Fold gently to preserve the air in the egg whites.

Take the chocolate balls out of the refridgerator. Place one in the center of the bottom of each ramekin. Fill each ramekin with the white chocolate/egg white mixture until it is no higher than level with the top of the ramekin. (1/8 inch below the top of the ramekin works well for me.)

At this point you can cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and put it in the refridgerator, awaiting dinner time.

When it is time for dessert, preheat the oven to 375F, remove the plastic wrap and pop them into the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until portions of the top have turned a light golden brown.

Serve immediately but warn your guests that they are still VERY hot. (The original recipe said to let them cool for a few minutes but I really don't understand that because the souffles will deflate.)