~~~ Crème brûlée ~~~

(photo courtesy of Dorie Greenspan)

This is a dish I have never attempted ... yet.

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Of course everyone knows that Creme Brulee is a rich, creamy dessert topped with a layer of hard caramel. It is normally served cold. The custard base is traditionally flavored with vanilla, but can also be flavored with lemon, orange, rosemary, coffee or many other fruit flavorings.
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Ingredients:
8 egg yolks

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup granulated white sugar (for the caramelized tops)

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Preheat oven to 300ºF. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add the cream and vanilla. Continue to whisk until well blended. Strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.
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Divide mixture among 6 ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins in a water bath (large pan filled with 1 or 2 inches of hot water) and bake until set around the edges, but still loose in the center, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove cups from water bath and chill for at least 2 hours.

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When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. For best results, use a small, hand-held torch to melt sugar. If you don't have a torch, place under the broiler until sugar melts. Re-chill custards for a few minutes before serving. (This recipe serves 6)

Monday we will talk CHOCOLATE Creme Brulee!

~ Chef ~

~ Fresh Granola Bars ~

I'm not a fan of granola bars (especially those store bought things) and the price of them are ridiculous! So here's a recipe which will yield more (dollar for dollar) and be much more fresh.

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup of oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts (total of 10 to 15 ounces)*
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ pan with parchment paper, allowing it to go up on the sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper and any of the exposed pan, or coat with a non-stick spray. Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter, liquid sweeteners (honey and corn syrup) and water. Toss the wet ingredients with the dry and peanut butter until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Spread in the prepared pan pressing firmly to ensure it is molded to the shape of the pan. (A piece of plastic wrap or a spatula can help with this.)

Bake the bars for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. They will still seem soft and almost under baked when you press into the center of the pan. They will set once they are completely cooled. Cool the bars in the pan completely on a cooling rack. Once cooled use a serrated knife to cut the bars into squares. If the bars seem crumbly, chill the entire pan in the fridge for 30 minutes which will fully set them and make them able to be cut.

To store wrap the bars individually in plastic or stack them in an airtight container. In humid weather, it’s best to store the bars in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.

*Suggestions: Dried cranberries, apricots, pecans, coconut, walnuts, dried apples, raisins or even chocolate chips. Use your imagination! The possibilities are endless.

~ Chef ~

~ . ~ . ~ National Almond Day ~ . ~ . ~

Yep, something as simple as an Almond

has its very own day!

Despite the fact that almonds are good for you ... did you know … if you are eating almonds on their own, it is beneficial to eat them plain (unsalted) and have no more than 10 almonds a day? Why no more than 10 you might ask? Well, almonds are among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating almonds. Laboratory studies have shown that oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body.

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Almonds are an ancient food that have been written about even in the Bible. They were thought to have originated in regions in western Asia and North Africa. These days almonds are grown in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Morocco, as well as in California. The cultivation of almonds in California, the only state in the US that produces them, has an interesting history. Almond trees were originally brought to California centuries ago when missions were created by the Spanish, but cultivation of the trees was abandoned when the missions were closed. Almond trees found their way back to California in the 19th century via the eastern United States. In 1840, almond trees were brought over from Europe and were first planted in New England. Because the climate on the Eastern seaboard did not support their cultivation, the trees were brought to California where they thrived and continue to do so today.

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In addition to being eaten raw, almonds are a wonderful addition to salads, butter and of course baked goods. So grab a handful and enjoy! ~ Chef ~

- - Cinnamon Rolls - -

Ingredients:
1 cup of warm milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup of butter, melted
3 tbsp warm water
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/3 cups of flour
3/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp white sugar

2 tsp yeast

Combine the milk, egg, butter, water and vanilla together then set aside. Now mix together the flour, salt and sugar together. Slowly add your wet ingredients to your dry. Then make a small bowl in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the yeast into it. Continue to work your dough until all ingredients are kneaded well. Place dough into a bowl, cover with plastic, sit bowl in a warm place and let rise. Once the dough has risen, place it on a floured surface and roll out into a large rectangular shape (about 1/4 inch thick) using a rolling pin. Make sure you have enough flour on the counter so the dough doesn't stick when you roll it out.

Filling:
1 cup of brown sugar
4 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter, softened

Combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Spread the softened butter all over the entire surface of the rectangular shaped dough. Next sprinkle the filling over the dough. Carefully roll up the dough as tightly as you can.If it sticks to the counter, slowly ease the dough up with your fingers - be careful not to tear the dough. Use a piece of thread to cut the dough. Carefully slide the thread under the dough then cross the thread so it cuts the dough into 1 inch thick pieces. Place the cut cinnamon rolls into a glass baking dish that is thoroughly coated with butter. Cover the rolls with a dish towel and set in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until light brown on top - do not overcook!

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Glaze:
3/4 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3-4 tsp milk

Combine the ingredients together and mix thoroughly making sure to remove any lumps. Once the cinnamon rolls are finished baking, remove from the oven and drizzle with the glaze. Serve immediately!

~ Chef ~

~ Happy Valentine's Day ~

These are personal-sized cakes I make to order.

Of course, for Valentine's Day the specialty is Red-Velvet

with Cream Cheese frosting.

Hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day!

~ Chef ~

~ More on Gelato ~

(Photo courtesy of Elaine McCardel - The Italian Dish)

Before I start my post I want to say "Thank You" to Elaine McCardel. She has a blog titled The Italian Dish (http://www.theitaliandishblog.com/). Be sure and check out her blog as it will leave you hungering for Italian.

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Today, we are going to talk ingredients and the most important thing to remember is FRESH, FRESH, FRESH. Always use the freshest ingredients when making Gelato. Most of the ingredients you will need are probably already in your kitchen.

MILK - depending on whether you want to make a cream flavor (such as chocolate or vanilla) or a fruit flavor (such as strawberry or peach), you need either water or milk. The best type of milk for the cream flavors of Gelato is whole milk (3.5%). The milk helps the Gelato obtain a creamy and smooth texture, but it also increases its resistance to melting. Also, milk used in Gelato is a great way to not only add protein to your diet but to get an extra serving of calcium.

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WATER - if you want to make a fruit flavor of Gelato (also known as sorbetto) use water. While tap water will work just fine filtered water is preferred.

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SUGAR - not only does sugar bring sweetness to the mix but it also helps decrease the freezing point and increase the viscosity. There are many different types of sugar that can be used. These include: sucrose (cane sugar), dextrose, lactose (natural sugar from milk), fructose (natural sugar from fruit) and invert sugars (glucose, honey and corn syrup).

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FRUIT - is a great addition to any fruit-flavored Gelato (known as sorbetto). Fruit can be added as fresh, frozen, juice or fruit puree. The natural acidity in the fruit helps to characterize the flavor and the natural sugar sweetens the mix. While fresh fruit makes for a really intense Gelato, frozen or fruit puree is a great way to enjoy your favorite fruit out of season.

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AIR - is an important ingredient too! As Gelato is being frozen, the liquid mix is whipped with air to increase the volume of the product and smooth out the texture.

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For a mouth watering recipe see Elaine's blog as she has a Chocolate Gelato recipe that sounds simply delicious! Now go get some FRESH ingredients, make a batch of Gelato ... then sit back and enjoy!

~ Chef ~(Photo courtesy of Elaine McCardel - The Italian Dish)

~ Gelato ~

Gelato means “frozen” and is the Italian word for ice cream. The best gelato is made daily in small batches. Gelato has less air in it and a lot less butterfat (0-8% as opposed to 16-30% in premium commercial ice cream).

Gelato is an age-old delicacy that dates back thousands of years. It was during the Italian Renaissance when the great tradition of Italian gelato began. The famed Medici family in Florence sponsored a contest, searching for the greatest frozen dessert. A man named Ruggeri, a Tuscan chicken farmer and cook in his spare time, took part in the competition. Ruggeri’s tasty frozen dessert of sweet fruit juice and ice (similar to today’s sorbet) won the coveted award. The news of Ruggeri’s talent traveled quickly and Caterina de Medici took Ruggeri with her to France. Caterina was convinced that only he could rival the fine desserts of French chefs – and had to make his specialty at her wedding to the future King of France. Ruggeri became so famous that he was beaten and robbed by jealous French chefs. So he left his gelato recipe in a sealed envelope along with his resignation letter and fled back home to his chickens.

Gelato made its way to the Americas for the first time in 1770, when Giovanni Basiolo brought it to New York City. By 1846, the hand-crank freezer was refined and changed the way Americans made this frozen dessert. The freezer kept the liquid mixture constantly in motion and kept it cool throughout, making a product that was no longer granular, but creamy. Gelato did not make a name for itself in the U.S. until the late 1900s – although its popularity still had a long way to go. Today, gelato stores are opening all over the U.S. as Americans start to appreciate the superior quality of gelato and learn about the intense flavor, the natural ingredients and the nutritional value of gelato. Gelato still remains largely undiscovered in the U.S. compared to Europe. Tomorrow, we will discuss the ingredients in gelato. ~ Chef ~