Wednesday, July 25, 2012

D: Dessert

Chocolate Souffle (recipe below) 





Coconut-Lemon Layer Bars
(recipe below)






Fruit-On-The-Bottom Greek Yogurt Parfait (recipe below) 









Apple Rhubarb Crisp (recipe below)
Lemon Blackberry Cheesecake with Whipped Cream


















RECIPES


Chocolate Souffle- Got this recipe from a food prep class. Everyone is always so intimidated by souffle, but it really isn't THAT difficult. The batch from the photo above was left in the oven just a bit too long, due to an error of my own fault, but every other time they have come out perfectly, even in a kitchen that found a way to screw up even the most time-tested recipes.

1.5 oz. butter
3 tbsp. cocoa (or dark cocoa)
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 pinch salt
6 oz. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
& a little extra butter and sugar for the ramekins.

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. 
  • Butter 5 souffle ramekins, covering whole inside and top of dish. Coat in sugar, if there isn't butter for the sugar to stick to in certain spots, add butter and sugar. This prevents the souffle from sticking and allows it to rise beautifully.
  • Melt butter and cocoa in a medium bowl over simming water in a small pot. Stir in flour, first 2 tbsp. sugar, and salt using a heat resistant spatula. It will be very thick. 
  • Slowly whisk in milk and place the bowl back on the simmering pot, stirring constantly until it thickens to a creamy consistency. If the chocolate sauce separates, stir in a small amount of water. Stir vanilla into chocolate sauce.
  • Beat egg yolks in another bowl and temper eggs by adding chocolate sauce a little at a time and whisking well into the yolks. Set aside.
  • Beat egg whites to foam,and continue beating until they form soft peaks and then gradually add last 2 tbsp. sugar, beating until peaks fold over. They should be stiff and shiny. 
  • Fold the meringue (beaten egg whites) into the chocolate sauce a third at a time, and pour the mixture into the ramekins and bake. Check after 15 minutes. They should move slightly but be set as a whole.

PROBLEMS OCCUR IF: You wait too long to get the beaten egg whites into the chocolate sauce, and therefore, into the oven. The air beaten into the egg whites is what makes the souffle mixture rise the way it does. If you didn't preheat your oven before preparing the mixture and dishes, they won't rise properly. If you open the over door too frequently or take out the ramekins before the souffle has risen and set, they will fall. Once a souffle has fallen, it does not get back up! They will fall naturally within 10-15 minutes, sometimes sooner, after taking them out of the oven, so serve quickly! And they do well topped with whipped cream!


Coconut-Lemon Layer Bars- recipe from Kitchenaid
2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs (or graham cracker)
6 tbsp. butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. grated lemon peel
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 egg
1 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c. chopped macadamia nuts

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
  • Stir together vanilla wafer crumbs and butter in a medium bowl. Press crumb mixture firmly in the bottom of a 13"x9" baking pan.
  • Place cream cheese, lemon peel, lemon juice, and egg in a mixing bowl and beat on medium-low until smooth. Spread evenly over the crumb mixture.
  • Layer with white chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts; press down firmly.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely and cut. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This recipe supposedly makes 32 bars, but I do not understand how that is even close to accurate. I usually get anywhere from 9-15 bars.


Fruit-On-The-Bottom Greek Yogurt Parfait-
1 c. plain greek yogurt
1/4 tsp. vanilla or other extract
2 tbsp. blueberries or other berry
A few other berries
1 tbsp. almonds
Powdered Sugar (optional)

  • Mash up most of the berries on the bottom of your bowl. 
  • Mix greek yogurt with extract and scoop onto the mashed berries. 
  • Top with leftover berries, almonds, and powdered sugar.


Apple-Rhubarb Crisp- http://southernfood.about.com/od/fruitcrisps/r/bl30623m.htm
(As per the reviews, I halved both the white and brown sugar, and it was still very sweet, but not too sweet. I used approximately 2 tsp. of ground cinnamon, a dash of ground nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp. of ground clove. I also used 2 and 1/2 cups of frozen unsweetened rhubarb and two apples chopped into small chunks.) Clicking the link will get you the actual recipe, but below is my rendition, which got rave reviews at my office!

1/2 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 c. all-purpose flour (or whole wheat!)
3/4 c. quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 c. melted butter
2 heaping tsp. cinnamon
1 dash ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground clove
2.5 c. sliced rhubarb (frozen or fresh)
1.5 c. sliced apples
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla

  • Preheat your oven to 350 F.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove; mix together until crumbly. Press half of the mixture into a buttered 8"x8" baking dish. Top with sliced rhubarb and apples.
  • In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, water, and vanilla. Cook together until clear and slightly congealed. Pour over rhubarb and apples. Pour remaining crumb mixture on top.
  • Bake for 45-55 minutes.
  • Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.


Lemon Blackberry Cheesecake with Whipped Cream- http://www.ivillage.com/lemon-blackberry-cheesecake/3-r-408025 (original recipe from My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking by John Besh/Andrews McMeel Publishing)

2 tbsp. butter, softened
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
2 lbs. cream cheese
1.5 c. sugar
3/4 c. milk
4 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1.5 pints blackberries
1 lemon (juice and zest)

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter and press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a greased 9" springform pan.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Then blend in the milk and beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to combine. Mix in the sour cream, flour, and vanilla until smooth.
  • Divide the mixture into two bowls.
  • In a food processor or blender, puree 1 pint of blackberries with the lemon zest and juice. Pour the puree into one bowl of the cheese mixture along with the remaining 1/2 pint of whole blackberries and mix well.
  • Pour the blackberry filling onto the prepared crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and pour the remaining cheese mixture (without blackberry) on top. Return to the oven and bake for 1 hour, until the topping is set.
  • Let cool, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
  • Cover in whipped cream (recipe below) and fresh blackberries!


Note: Many of the originial recipes do not involve whipped cream, but it is easy enough to make.

Whipped Cream-
Beat heavy whipping cream on high until it starts to fluff a bit, then add powdered sugar to taste and continue whipping on high until it forms stiff peaks (when the whipped cream holds its shape when the beaters are pulled out.)


Other wonderful recipes I've used that don't have pictures:
  • The Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe- it is golden, especially when baked using the instructions found here!
  • This Chocolate Chip Whole Wheat Banana Bread Recipe
  • These Fried Mozzarella Sticks
  • Chewy Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies
  • Earl Grey Tea Cookies- my sister is obsessed!
  • Zebra Cake- not only does it look cool, but it tastes incredible! Made this for my cousin's high school graduation party, and it was a huge hit!

Enjoy! And feel free to leave me your recipes. I'd LOVE to try them! :)

2 comments:

  1. Just FYI - The apple rhubarb crisp is vegan, if you use margarine (like Earth Balance) instead of butter! I think I'll try that one. Thanks for the recipe! :)

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    Replies
    1. Oh wonderful! I hadn't even thought of that, but I'm sure it would work. It was delicious and your girls will love it. It's a perfect combination of sweet and tart :)

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