Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
8 ounces sweet or semisweet baking chocolate, melted with 1/4 cup strong coffee
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
3 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
3 egg whites
1/4 cup instant superfine sugar
5-6 mint leaves, chopped finely, optional
Whipped cream, optional
Directions
Beat the butter into the chocolate. One by one, beat in the egg yolks. Beat the cream over ice until it leaves light traces on the surface.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. While beating, sprinkle in the sugar by spoonfuls and continue beating until stiff peaks are formed.
Add the chocolate mixture to the egg white bowl, and delicately fold in the cream. Gently mix in mint leaves. Distribute the mousse between 4-6 serving bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill several hours.
If desired, top with freshly whipped cream and garnish with mint.
Enjoy!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Perfect Chocolate Mousse
Makes 6-8 servings
Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child via David Lebovitz
Ingredients
6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 ounces (170g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup (60ml) dark-brewed coffee
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup (170g), plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) dark rum (I left this out)
1 tablespoon (15ml) water
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
1. Heat a saucepan one-third full with hot water, and in a bowl set on top, melt together the chocolate, butter and coffee, stirring over the barely simmering water, until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
3. In a bowl large enough to nest securely on the saucepan of simmering water, whisk the yolks of the eggs with the 2/3 cup of sugar, rum, and water for about 3 minutes until the mixture is thick, like runny mayonnaise. (You can also use a handheld electric mixer.)
3. Remove from heat and place the bowl of whipped egg yolks within the bowl of ice water and beat until cool and thick, as shown in the photo above. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until frothy. Continue to beat until they start to hold their shape. Whip in the tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until thick and shiny, but not completely stiff, then the vanilla.
5. Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder of the whites just until incorporated, but don’t overdo it or the mousse will lose volume.
6. Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl or divide into serving dishes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm.
Storage The mousse au chocolat can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child via David Lebovitz
Ingredients
6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 ounces (170g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup (60ml) dark-brewed coffee
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup (170g), plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) dark rum (I left this out)
1 tablespoon (15ml) water
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
1. Heat a saucepan one-third full with hot water, and in a bowl set on top, melt together the chocolate, butter and coffee, stirring over the barely simmering water, until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
3. In a bowl large enough to nest securely on the saucepan of simmering water, whisk the yolks of the eggs with the 2/3 cup of sugar, rum, and water for about 3 minutes until the mixture is thick, like runny mayonnaise. (You can also use a handheld electric mixer.)
3. Remove from heat and place the bowl of whipped egg yolks within the bowl of ice water and beat until cool and thick, as shown in the photo above. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until frothy. Continue to beat until they start to hold their shape. Whip in the tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until thick and shiny, but not completely stiff, then the vanilla.
5. Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder of the whites just until incorporated, but don’t overdo it or the mousse will lose volume.
6. Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl or divide into serving dishes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm.
Storage The mousse au chocolat can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Chocolate Peanut Butter Revel Bars
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
3 cups quick cooking oats
For Filling:
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and baking soda together until creamy. Add in eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until combined.
With the mixer on low, add in the flour and mix until completely incorporated, scarping down sides of bowl as you go. Add in the rolled oats (you may need to use a little elbow grease to mix them in). Set dough aside.
For the filling, combine peanut butter, chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in a microwave safe bowl. Heat mixture in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until chocolate is melted. Stir unril smooth, then add peanuts and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
Press about two-thirds of the oat mixture into the baking pan. Spread chocolate filling evenly over the oats mixture. Dot the remaining oat mixture over the top of the chocolate.
Bake 22-25 minutes, until top is lightly browned. The chocolate may still look moist. Allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack.
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
3 cups quick cooking oats
For Filling:
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and baking soda together until creamy. Add in eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until combined.
With the mixer on low, add in the flour and mix until completely incorporated, scarping down sides of bowl as you go. Add in the rolled oats (you may need to use a little elbow grease to mix them in). Set dough aside.
For the filling, combine peanut butter, chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in a microwave safe bowl. Heat mixture in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until chocolate is melted. Stir unril smooth, then add peanuts and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
Press about two-thirds of the oat mixture into the baking pan. Spread chocolate filling evenly over the oats mixture. Dot the remaining oat mixture over the top of the chocolate.
Bake 22-25 minutes, until top is lightly browned. The chocolate may still look moist. Allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack.
Citrus-Garlic Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
4 large bone-in, skin on chicken breasts, about 3 pounds
4 large whole chicken thighs, about 2 pounds
1/2 navel orange, zested, plus the juice of 1 whole orange
2 limes, 1 zested, both juiced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
Freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
Put the chicken in a large nonmetalic bowl. Put the orange and lime zests in a small bowl and add the fruit juices. Whisk in the olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and a generous grind of black pepper. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss until well coated. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes but no longer than 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put a rack on a rimmed baking sheet. With tongs, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and arrange them on the rack leaving space between each piece. Drizzle a small spoonful of the marinade over the top of each chicken piece; season well with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when meat is pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Cool slightly before serving or let stand until room temperature before refrigerating for later use.
4 large bone-in, skin on chicken breasts, about 3 pounds
4 large whole chicken thighs, about 2 pounds
1/2 navel orange, zested, plus the juice of 1 whole orange
2 limes, 1 zested, both juiced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
Freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
Put the chicken in a large nonmetalic bowl. Put the orange and lime zests in a small bowl and add the fruit juices. Whisk in the olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and a generous grind of black pepper. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss until well coated. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes but no longer than 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put a rack on a rimmed baking sheet. With tongs, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and arrange them on the rack leaving space between each piece. Drizzle a small spoonful of the marinade over the top of each chicken piece; season well with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when meat is pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Cool slightly before serving or let stand until room temperature before refrigerating for later use.
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