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Pots de Creme au Chocolat with Raspberry Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients:

  •  2 cups half-and-half
  •  4 squares semisweet chocolate
  •   6 egg yolks
  •   1/4 cup sugar
  •   1/2 teaspoon salt
  •   vanilla extract
  •  1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
  •  2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

  •  In 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, heat half-and-half until tiny bubbles form around edge of saucepan (do not allow to boil)
  •  Set saucepan aside. – In double boiler over hot, not boiling, water, melt semisweet chocolate squares, stirring occasionally with rubber spatula
  •   Remove double-boiler top to work surface and, with rubber spatula, beat egg yolks into the melted chocolate until smooth; then stir in sugar and salt
  •   Gradually stir half-and half into the chocolate mixture until thoroughly blended.
  •   Replace double-boiler top over simmering (not boiling) water.
  •   Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture coats back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
  •   Pour mixture into six 6-ounce pots de crme cups or stemmed glasses. Refrigerate for about 4 hours or just until the mixture is set.
  •   In a small bowl with mixer at low speed, beat cream, confectioners sugar and teaspoon vanilla until stiff; use to top pots de crème
  •   Finish off with a drizzle of Raspberry balsamic reduction (pour Raspberry balsamic into small pot and heat on medium low until reduced by half)
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Oli Orange Cake

Ingredients:
 

  •  1  18 1/2 oz. box Duncan Hines golden Butter cake mix
  •  1/2 cup sugar
  •  3/4 cup Blood Orange fused olive oil
  •  Zest of a medium orange
  •  4 eggs
  •  1 cup sour cream
  •  1 t. vanilla
  •  Orange Blossom honey

Preparation:

  •  Mix together cake mix, sugar, oil, eggs, orange zest, and sour cream.  Blend well.
  •  Stir in Vanilla extract
  •  Pour into 9X13 baking pan
  •  Bake in a 325 degree preheated oven for 40 minutes.
  •  Cool and cut into bars
  •  Drizzle honey over bars (if desired)

Contributed by:  Lea Duncan
 

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Italian Style Blood Orange Cookie

Ingredients: (yields approx. 48 cookies)

  •  3 cups unbleached organic flour
  •  2 cups granulated cane sugar
  •  1 t. salt
  •  2 t. baking powder
  •  2 oranges, peel finely grated
  •  1 cup Blood Orange fused Olive Oil
  •  2 large eggs (room temperature), whisked
  •  2 T freshly squeezed orange juice
  •  Powdered sugar for garnish

Directions:

  •  Preheat the oven to 350F
  •  Using a mixer, blend the sugar, Blood Orange oil, orange juice and eggs.  Beat on medium speed until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes
  •  In a seperate bowl, whisk together the flour and remaining dry ingredients
  •  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions beating in between additions until no dry spots remain
  •  Pipe the cookie dough using a pastry bag fitted with a star shaped pastry, portioning approximately two teaspoons of dough per cookie, onto a parchment lined cookie sheet pan. 
  •  no pastry bag?  use two spoons to drop batter onto the cookie sheet
  •  bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes
  •  Increase the heat to 425F and bake for an additional 2 minutes to aid in creating a golden brown exterior.
  •  Remove the cookies to a rack to cool.  When fully cooled, dust with powdered sugar.

recipe shared from Rachel Bradley-Gomez

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French Beignets with Aged Blackberry-Ginger Balsamic Reduction

BEIGNET INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 whole milk
1/2 pkg. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, beaten
3 and 3/4 cups sifted flour
Powdered sugar, for dusting

BEIGNET DIRECTIONS:Pour boiling water over butter, sugar and salt. Add milk. Let stand until warm. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add to milk mixture with the beaten egg. Stir in 2 cups flour. Beat. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Cover with waxed paper and a cloth; chill until ready to use. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Do not let dough rise before frying. Cut into squares and fry a few at a time in deep hot fat at 360 degrees. Brown; turn and brown on other side. Drain; sprinkle with powdered sugar.  

AGED BLACKBERRY-GINGER BALSAMIC GLAZEGLAZE DIRECTIONS:Take 1 cup of Blackberry-Ginger Dark Balsamic Vinegar. In a medium saucepan over low heat, slowly reduce the balsamic vinegar by 50%. This you do by bringing the balsamic to a low boil, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Dip your spoon into the balsamic and when it coats the back of the spoon it should be ready. You should have 1/2 cup.  Allow to cool to room temperature which will thicken it further. Serve with warm beignets. Note: you can also use this glaze for drizzling over grilled beef, goat cheese, baked apples and even ice-cream! Makes around 2 dozen

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Eton Mess

  • 4 cups strawberries (hulled and chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp fine granulated sugar
  • 4 Tbsp Espresso balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 12 meringues (crumbled)
  • Mint springs (for garnish)

Preparation:

1.                  In a large bowl add the strawberries, sugar and espresso balsamic vinegar and leave to macerate.

2.                  Beat the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks appear.  Fold in the crumbled meringues with about two thirds of the strawberry and balsamic mixture.

3.                  To serve fill 4 tall glass serving bowls with the strawberry meringue mixture.  Top each glass with the remaining strawberry and balsamic mixture.

4.                  Garnish with a spring of fresh mint.

Adapted from Judith McLoughlin recipe