Chocolate Pudding Pie

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma’s “Pie & Tart”

Makes one 9-inch pie (8 servings)

1 Chocolate Cookie Crust (see below)

Filling:

2 1/2 cups whole milk
5 ounces (155 g) chopped semisweet chocolate (or chocolate chips)
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup (185 g) sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping:

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish: chocolate curls

1. For the Filling: In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the milk and chocolate. Whisk them occasionally until the chocolate is melted.

2. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar, whisking them until pale yellow. Add cornstarch, salt and vanilla.

3. Slowly pour the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, whisking them well.

4. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and cook over medium heat until it thickens and begins to bubble slowly, about 7 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and stir the mixture until it’s smooth, about 1 minute.

5. Pour the chocolate filling into the cookie crust, and smooth it with a spatula. Cover it with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface, and refrigerate it for 2 hours.

6. For the Chocolate Curls: Microwave a medium-size chunk of chocolate on low for about 5 seconds. Using a vegetable peeler, slowly and evenly scrape the edge of the chunk until curls form. (If it’s too cold, the peeler will make ragged shavings instead of curls, so repeat warming the chocolate as necessary.) Refrigerate the curls until ready to use.

7. For the Topping: Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk (whip) attachment, beat the cream, sugar and vanilla on medium-high until stiff peaks form.

8. Spoon the whipped cream onto the pie, and use a spatula to spread it evenly, being careful not to disturb the chocolate pudding underneath.

9. Decorate with chocolate curls.

10. Refrigerate the pie until ready to serve, but let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Cookie Crust
1 1/4 cups (4 ounces) cookie crumbs from chocolate wafers (pulverized in the food processor)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter and sugar.

3. Pat the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan.

4. Bake for 5 minutes.

One-pan dark chocolate chunk skillet cookie

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chocolate chunks

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in an 8 inch cast iron skillet set over medium-low heat. Stir in sugars and vanilla and remove from heat. Let rest until pan is warm, but no longer very hot, about 5 minutes.

2. Crack an egg onto the butter and sugar mixture, and use a fork to whisk it well into the mixture. Place flour, baking soda, and salt on top, and very carefully stir into the mixture until smooth and well-mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks. Place in the oven for 15 minutes, or until starting to turn golden on the top and around the edges, but soft in the center. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry-pecan baked french toast

Ingredients:

1-2 baguettes (depending on size) - I used whole grain baguettes
6 large eggs
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pecans
1/2 stick butter (plus 1 teaspoon butter)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries

Directions

1. Butter a 9×13 baking dish. Cut 1 1/2 inch slices from the baguette and arrange in one layer in the dish (about 6-8 slices). Whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a large bowl and pour evenly over the bread. Refrigerate mixture, covered, until all liquid is absorbed by the bread, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
2. When you are ready to bake and serve, preheat oven to 350 F. Spread pecans evenly in a shallow baking pan and toast in middle of oven until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Toss pecans with 1 teaspoon butter. Alternately (and this is what I did), toast the pecans in a skillet in one layer over medium heat, stirring often. Toss with 1 teaspoon butter. (I did this the night before to save time the morning of.)
3. Sprinkle pecans and blueberries evenly over bread mixture. Cut remaining 1/2 stick butter into pieces and heat with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar in a small saucepan, stirring, until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Drizzle butter mixture over bread and bake mixture 30 – 40 minutes or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling.

Nutella Candy Bars

1 cup Nutella
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (finely ground)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted

4 Tablespoons Nutella
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips.

Put 1 cup of Nutella in a large bowl.

In a food processor, grind up the graham crackers. Measure out 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs and add them to the Nutella.

Add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix everything together.

Pour in 1 cup of melted unsalted butter and stir to completely combined.

Spray the inside of the pan with non stick spray. This will help the wax paper/parchment paper stick to the pan. Line a 9 by 12 baking pan with wax paper or parchment paper.

Put the Nutella Candy Bar mixture in the pan and press it down evenly.

For the topping:

In a microwavable bowl, melt together 4 Tablespoons of Nutella and 1 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips.

Pour of the Nutella Candy Bars and spread it out evenly.

Refrigerate the Nutella Candy Bars for 1 hour. Let the Nutella Candy Bars come to room temperature before you eat them!

Fallen Chocolate Soufflé Cake

Recipe adapted from Bittersweet by Alice Medrich

Ingredients

¼ Cup (1 oz) Blanched Almond
3 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
3 oz Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate, finely chopped
½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Natural or Dutch-Process)
1 Cup Sugar
½ Cup Boiling Water
2 Large Eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 Tbsp Brandy
2 Large Egg Whites, at room temperature
Scant ¼ tsp Cream of Tartar
2 to 3 tsp Powdered Sugar
Lightly Sweetened Whipped Cream for topping (optional)

An 8 x 3 Springform Pan or Cheesecake Pan with a removable bottom

Method

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375˚F. Place a round of parchment paper in the bottom of the cake pan and spray the sides with vegetable oil spray.

In a food processor or blender, grind the almonds with the flour until very fine.

Combine the chocolate, cocoa, and ¾ cup of the sugar in a large bowl. Pour in the boiling water and whisk until mixture is smooth and the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the egg yolks and brandy; set aside.

Combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat on high speed until stiff but not dry.

Whisk the flour and almond mixture into the chocolate. Fold about a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, and then fold in the remaining egg whites. Scrape the batter into the pan and level the top if necessary.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Cool the pan on a wire rack. The torte will sink like a soufflé.

Taking care not to crack the edges of the torte, run a knife between the torte and the sides of the pan to release the cake. Remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto a plate. Remove the pan bottom and paper liner. Turn right side up on a platter. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift a little powdered sugar over the top. Serve with a little whipped cream, if you desired.

Fluffiest Pancakes Ever

Ingredients:
225 grms plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tbs sugar
pinch of salt
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
300ml milk
30 gms butter, melted and cooled

butter for frying

Directions:
Add the first sixingredients to a blender and mix until the all ingredients are incorporated. Transfer batter to a jug (this makes it much easier to pour). Add a small knob of butter to a frying pan and pour a small amount of batter. Fry on one side until bubbles start to form on the top side. Flip over and cook the reverse side for less than thirty seconds. Serve with maple syrup.

Note: This recipe yielded 12 pancakes. You may need to add extra milk once the batter is sitting for a while as it may become slightly thick. Just add enough to get the same consistency as you started off with.

Sautéed Greens with Pine Nuts and Raisins Recipe

From Smitten Kitchen

Collards and kale lose less of their volume when cooked than do spinach or turnip greens, so if cooking them, chop them a bit smaller than you would the spinach or turnip greens.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 bunch kale, chard, collards, or turnip greens, etc., about 1 pound, tough stem centers removed (if any) and discarded, greens chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Roughly 1/2 cup dry white wine or water
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1 Heat a large sauté pan hot on medium-high heat and add the pine nuts. Toast them until they are fragrant and begin to brown. Pay attention as pine nuts burn easily. Stir or toss the nuts frequently. Once they are toasted, remove from pan and set aside.
2 Add the olive oil to the pan and swirl it around. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds; the pan should already be hot, so it won't take long for the garlic to begin to brown. Add back the pine nuts, add the raisins and the greens and mix well. Sauté, stirring often, until the greens wilt and begin to give up some of their water, anywhere from 1-2 minutes for spinach to 4-5 minutes for collards or kale.
3 Sprinkle a little salt and red pepper flakes on the greens. Add the white wine (can substitute water)—use a little more wine if you are cooking collards, a little less if you are cooking spinach. Toss to combine and let the liquid boil away. Once the liquid boils off, remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 2, can easily be doubled

Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe

From the Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds broccoli, stems removed (can use vegetable peeler to peel, then slice and eat like celery), large florets cut, yielding about 8 cups of broccoli florets
Salt for blanching water
2 strips of thick-cut bacon (about 2 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips
1/3 cup all purpose flour
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cream
1 cup whole milk
2 to 3 teaspoons of freshly cracked black pepper (1 to 2 teaspoons if using fine ground black pepper)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

METHOD
1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 Tbsp salt for 2 quarts of water). Add the broccoli florets and boil for 3-5 minutes or until just tender enough so that a fork can easily pierce the floret, but still firm. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
2 While the water in step one is coming to a boil, cook the bacon pieces on medium heat in a frying pan until lightly browned, but not crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat. Set aside.
3 Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. In a bowl, whisk the eggs into the flour, then whisk in the cream and milk. Add the black pepper (more or less to taste), salt, and mustard. Mix in about a third of the cheese.
4 Place the parboiled broccoli florets in the casserole dish, sprinkling about a third of the cheese over the broccoli florets as you lay them down. Sprinkle the bacon pieces over the broccoli. Pour the egg, cream, milk, cheese mixture over the broccoli, moving the broccoli pieces a bit so that the mixture gets into all the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining cheese.
5 Bake for 25-40 minutes, or until set. Once the top has browned, you may want to tent with aluminum foil to keep from burning.

Serves 5 as a main course, 10 as a side.