Chocolate-Banana-Strawberry Panini ("swoon sandwiches")

May 16, 2012 by jennifer

Something superbly decadent (but not time or labour intensive) to munch on after dinner really is my idea of an aphrodisiacal dessert. These "sandwiches" could also be served as a lovely Valentine’s Day or anniversary breakfast…they are really delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 croissants, cut in half horizontally2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely1 small bananas, cut diagonally into ¼-inch slices4 fresh strawberries, washed and cut into ¼-inch slicescinnamon sugar (3 parts sugar, 1 part cinnamon) for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat your grill pan or panini grill to medium.

2. On a cutting board or other surface, lay the bottom half of each croissant, cut side up and sprinkle each with about ¼ of the chocolate on each.

3. Arrange the banana slices on top of each chocolate covered slice, the strawberry slices on top of those and then sprinkle with the remaining chocolate. Place the top half of each croissant on top.

4. Place the sandwiches on the preheated grill and close the lid (if using a panini grill close and cook, if not turn half-way through cooking). Grill until the chocolate is oozing out the sides and the tops are golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.

5. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Serves 4.

These could also be made with pound cake – which would be deliciously buttery and soft…another taste sensation to add to the mix!

After-Thoughts:

There is just something about oozing warm dark chocolate mingling with the buttery flavour of a croissant and/or pound cake, accented by the tangy sweetness of strawberries and the delicate taste of banana…topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. Wow, these really are the ultimate in aphrodisiacal desserts.

Recipe Origin:

Based on a Williams-Sonoma recipe.

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Deconstructed (Custard) Cannoli

May 16, 2012 by jennifer

I really like "deconstructed" dishes – they give you the opportunity to make and taste each separate component at its very best. While it can be a challenge in the kitchen it is almost always a treat at the table.

Ingredients:

• Custard:4 tablespoons granulated sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch2 large egg yolks2 cups whole/homogenized milk1 teaspoon vanilla extractCannoli Cookies:Vegetable oil for deep frying2 cups cake flour1 cup all-purpose flour¼ cup sugar8 tablespoons shortening1 tablespoon vanilla1 tablespoon honey Pinch of salt½ teaspoon cinnamon1 large eggTo Serve:coffee liqueurvanilla vodkafresh raspberrieschocolate ganache (melt chocolate in very hot cream, whisk when cooled)icing sugarany other liqueurs or toppings you want

Directions:

Custard:
1. Mix together sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Add egg yolks and whisk to combine, forming a roux; then gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until custard thickens to the consistency of thick cream, about 20 – 30 minutes.

2. Transfer to a large bowl, and add vanilla. Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap to prevent a skim from forming, and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 2 hours.

Cannoli Cookies:
1. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pan on stove to 320 F.

2. In a mixer, combine all the cannoli cookie ingredients, adding enough water (1 to 2 tablespoons cold water) until it reaches a dough-like consistency. The amount of water will vary according to the outside temperature and humidity. Roll the dough to ¼-inch thick.

3. Using about a 3" diameter cookie cutter (or an oval-shaped one), cut out the "cannoli". Deep fry them for 3 minutes, until golden brown and flaky.

To Serve:
For each person pour one shot of coffee liqueur and one of vanilla vodka. On their own tray, place a small bowl of custard, a few cannoli cookies, the rasberries, ganache and icing sugar. Allow guests to eat in any order or combination.

After-Thoughts:

My favourite combination was dipping the cookie in coffee liqueur, then into icing sugar and putting dollop of custard with a small dot of ganache and a raspberry…devine!

Recipe Origin:

Cannoli shell recipe from the Arthur Avenue Cookbook

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Christmas Spice Cake

May 16, 2012 by jennifer

Earthy, fragrant, warm. Perfect for the holidays. And I spiced it up even more by baking it in a bundt pan rather than a loaf pan, giving it interesting shapeliness.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce1 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting2 teaspoons baking powder2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon½ teaspoon salt¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg¾ teaspoon ground cloves¾ teaspoon ground allspice1/8 teaspoon black pepper2/3 cup unfiltered apple cider1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon coffee liqueur1 cup packed light brown sugar5 egg whites, lightly beaten½ cup frozen cranberriesicing sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a regular-sized loaf pan, tube pan or bundt pan.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves and allspice in a medium bowl.

3. Combine cider, lemon juice and coffee liqueur in a different bowl.

4. Beat apple sauce and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until well combined. Add egg whites 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition (mixture may look curdled).

5. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and cider mixture alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined. Stir in cranberries.

6. Pour batter into pan and bang pan on counter once to release any large air bubbles.

7. Bake cake until it begins to pull away from sides and a skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

8. Cool cake in pan on rack 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge and invert onto rack and cool completely, at least 1 hour.

9. Dust top with icing sugar and serve with warm apple cider, cinnamon coffee or spiced hot chocolate.

After-Thoughts:

· The changes I made: took out the butter, changing it to applesauce, I think I tripled the spice measurements, added pepper to see if it gave it a kick (I don’t think it’s noticeable, really), took out one teaspoon of lemon juice and put in one teaspoon of coffee liqueur, changed the 3 eggs to 5 egg whites and added in the cranberries for a "festive" touch. Whew!

· This cake would be best baked in a loaf pan; the batter doesn’t rise in the way that a bundt cake or angel food cake does, so why bake it in a bundt cake pan? BECAUSE I WANTED TO…and the loaf pan was waaaay at the back of the cupboard.

Recipe Origin:

Based on a Gourmet 2004 recipe

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Cinnamon-Sugar Palmiers

May 16, 2012 by jennifer

I remember having palmiers from a small Hungarian bakery a few blocks from my parents house when I was a child. My mom would be stopping in there on our way home from the library or the grocery store and would allow me to have one treat…I would, without fail pick a "butterfly cookie" every time.

Ingredients:

• ½ package puff pastry¼ cup sugar2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar¼ cup corn syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is about ½" thick. Transfer to a sugared (1/8 cup sugar) surface and continue to roll out to form a rectangle (it should be approximately 1/8" thick), pressing into sugar. Sprinkle with another 1/8 cup of sugar and the cinnamon sugar and roll a few more times to press sugar into dough.

2. With narrow end towards you, roll tightly until you reach the middle. Turn and do the same with the other side. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes. Cut into ¼" slices and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Bake 8 minutes. Meanwhile combine corn syrup with ½ tablespoon water. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat palmiers with corn-syrup mixture and then bake another 5 minutes. Turn cookies over, brush with corn syrup again and bake until golden brown, another 5 – 7 minutes.

4. Cool on wire racks and store for up to a week in an air tight container.

After-Thoughts:

· this recipe is a conglomeration of a few palmiers recipes and my own ideas; I have no idea where any of the original recipes are from…but it has evolved each time I’ve made them…it will probably be different next time I make them again!

Recipe Origin:

* adapted from a few different recipes…not an original, but close to it!

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Chocolate Turnovers

May 16, 2012 by jennifer

These turnovers are really quite delicate; and because there is only one bite-sized piece of chocolate in them they’re not over poweringly CHOCOLATELY…the light sifting of sugar or cocoa on the top nicely rounds everything out

Ingredients:

• 1 package puff pastry3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk20 pieces chocolate – bite sized (any kind you like)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to form a 12-inch square (it should be approximately 1/16" thick). Brush away excess flour.

2. Cut pastry into 3" squares and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Pour milk or cream into a small bowl and brush two adjacent edges of each square with it. Place a piece of chocolate just below the centre of each square and fold down the unwashed corners to enclose the chocolate (forms a triangle). Gently but firmly press down to seal.

4. Freeze for 20 minutes (or until chilled) and then brush with remaining milk wash. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 15 – 20 minutes.

5. Allow to cool completely. While covering one half of turnover, sift icing sugar and or cocoa powder over other half. Serve.

After-Thoughts:

You could, instead of dusting with icing sugar, drizzle melted chocolate on top in a zigzag…yum

These could also be made with jam…but then they wouldn’t be as decadent, would they…?

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