Home Party Dessert Recipe
1/22/2012
Chocolate Madeleines
(for madeleines)
1 stick plus 2 T unsalted butter
3 oz semisweet chocolate
2 T cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
pinch salt
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 t vanilla extract
(for cocoa frosting)
3 T unsalted butter
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 T cocoa powder
2 drops red food coloring
1 egg
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted after measuring
(for decoration)
1 oz bittersweet chocolate
12 silver candy pearls
>how to make<
(for madeleines)
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Lightly grease or butter the indentations of a madeleine mold.
*Melt the butter and chocolate over low heat and stir until chocolate is melted. Set aside.
*Combine cocoa, sugar, flour, and salt in a sauce pan.
*In a bowl, lightly beat eggs, yolks,and vanilla together with a fork until well blended.
*Stir chocolate mixture into the dry mixture, then add egg mixture and blend well.
*Place saucepan over very low heat and, stirring constantly, let the mixture warm for around 2 minutes.Remove from heat.
*Fill the madeleine mold half full with batter.
*Try for uniformity in size, especially if you are making oysters and pearls.
*Bake 12 minutes. Turn out; cool.
(for cocoa frosting)
*Melt the butter in a saucepan and let it turn just slightly nut-brown.
*Remove pan from the heat and add the vanilla, cocoa, food coloring, egg, and sugar.
*Beat with an electric mixer or whisk until very smooth.
(assembling)
*To make Oysters and Pearls, simply place a large dollop of cocoa frosting midway on the flat side of 1 madeleine cookie, then prop and wedge another cookie above it as if an oyster shell were half open.
*Let the frosting harden.
*Place a silver candy pearl at the tip of the shell.
*Brush the tops of the shells with melted chocolate.
-makes 12 oysters and pearls or 24 madeleines-
Note: This recipe was taken from "The Joy of Chocolate".
(for madeleines)
1 stick plus 2 T unsalted butter
3 oz semisweet chocolate
2 T cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
pinch salt
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 t vanilla extract
(for cocoa frosting)
3 T unsalted butter
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 T cocoa powder
2 drops red food coloring
1 egg
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted after measuring
(for decoration)
1 oz bittersweet chocolate
12 silver candy pearls
>how to make<
(for madeleines)
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Lightly grease or butter the indentations of a madeleine mold.
*Melt the butter and chocolate over low heat and stir until chocolate is melted. Set aside.
*Combine cocoa, sugar, flour, and salt in a sauce pan.
*In a bowl, lightly beat eggs, yolks,and vanilla together with a fork until well blended.
*Stir chocolate mixture into the dry mixture, then add egg mixture and blend well.
*Place saucepan over very low heat and, stirring constantly, let the mixture warm for around 2 minutes.Remove from heat.
*Fill the madeleine mold half full with batter.
*Try for uniformity in size, especially if you are making oysters and pearls.
*Bake 12 minutes. Turn out; cool.
(for cocoa frosting)
*Melt the butter in a saucepan and let it turn just slightly nut-brown.
*Remove pan from the heat and add the vanilla, cocoa, food coloring, egg, and sugar.
*Beat with an electric mixer or whisk until very smooth.
(assembling)
*To make Oysters and Pearls, simply place a large dollop of cocoa frosting midway on the flat side of 1 madeleine cookie, then prop and wedge another cookie above it as if an oyster shell were half open.
*Let the frosting harden.
*Place a silver candy pearl at the tip of the shell.
*Brush the tops of the shells with melted chocolate.
-makes 12 oysters and pearls or 24 madeleines-
Note: This recipe was taken from "The Joy of Chocolate".
1/05/2012
Banana Cream Pie
(Pie Shell)
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1 T sugar
3 T shortening, chilled
4 T cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4" pieces
4~5 T ice water
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
(Filling)
1/2 cup plus 2 T sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 t salt
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 vanilla bean, about 3" long, split lengthwise
2 T unsalted butter
1~2 t brandy
(Topping)
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 T sugar
1 t vanilla extract
2 medium bananas
>how to make<
(Pie Shell)
*Process the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined.
*Add the shortening and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds.
*Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture; cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1-second pulses.
*Turn the mixture into a medium bowl.
*Sprinkle 4 T of the ice water over the mixture.
*With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix.
*Press down on the dough with the broad side of the spatula until the dough sticks together, adding up to 1 T more ice water if the dough will not come together.
*Flatten the dough into a 4" disk.
*Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days, before rolling.
*Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
*Sprinkle the work surface with 2 T graham cracker crumbs when rolling out the dough.
*Sprinkle more crumbs over the dough itself.
*Continue sprinkling additional crumbs underneath and on top of the dough as it is rolled to a 12" circle, coating the dough heavily with crumbs.
*Transfer the dough to a 9" pie plate.
*Trim the dough edges to extend about 1/2" beyond the rim of the pan.
*Fold the overhang under itself; flute the dough or press the tines of a fork against the dough to flatten it against the rim of the pie plate.
*Refrigerate the dough lined pie plate until firm, about 4 minutes, then freeze until very cold, about 20 minutes.
*Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
*Press a doubled 12" piece of heavy duty foil inside the pie shell, and fold the edges of the foil to shield pie weights over the foil.
*Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
*Carefully remove the foil and wights by gathering the corners of the foil and pulling up and out.
*Continue baking until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes more.
*Transfer to a wire rack.
(Filling)
*Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan.
*Add the yolks, then immediately but gradually whisk in the milk and evaporated milk.
*Drop in the vanilla bean.
*Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently at first, then constantly, as the mixture starts to thicken and begins to simmer, 8 to 10 minutes.
*Once the mixture simmers, continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute longer.
*Remove the pan from the heat; whisk in the butter and brandy.
*Remove the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds, and whisk them back into the filling.
*Pour the filling into a shallow pan.
*Put plastic wrap directly on the filling surface to prevent a skin from forming; cool until warm, 20 to 30 minutes.
*Spoon half amount of the warm filling into the pie shell.
*Peel 2 bananas and slice them over the filling.
*Top with the remaining filling and, once again, place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the filling surface.
*Refrigerate the pie until completely chilled, at least 3 hours.
(Topping)
*When ready to serve, beat the cream and sugar in the chilled bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed to soft peaks; add the vanilla.
*Continue to beat to barely stiff peaks.
*Spread over the filling and serve immediately.
-serves 8-
Note: This recipe was found in "Baking Illustrated".
(Pie Shell)
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1 T sugar
3 T shortening, chilled
4 T cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4" pieces
4~5 T ice water
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
(Filling)
1/2 cup plus 2 T sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 t salt
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 vanilla bean, about 3" long, split lengthwise
2 T unsalted butter
1~2 t brandy
(Topping)
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 T sugar
1 t vanilla extract
2 medium bananas
>how to make<
(Pie Shell)
*Process the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined.
*Add the shortening and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds.
*Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture; cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1-second pulses.
*Turn the mixture into a medium bowl.
*Sprinkle 4 T of the ice water over the mixture.
*With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix.
*Press down on the dough with the broad side of the spatula until the dough sticks together, adding up to 1 T more ice water if the dough will not come together.
*Flatten the dough into a 4" disk.
*Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days, before rolling.
*Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
*Sprinkle the work surface with 2 T graham cracker crumbs when rolling out the dough.
*Sprinkle more crumbs over the dough itself.
*Continue sprinkling additional crumbs underneath and on top of the dough as it is rolled to a 12" circle, coating the dough heavily with crumbs.
*Transfer the dough to a 9" pie plate.
*Trim the dough edges to extend about 1/2" beyond the rim of the pan.
*Fold the overhang under itself; flute the dough or press the tines of a fork against the dough to flatten it against the rim of the pie plate.
*Refrigerate the dough lined pie plate until firm, about 4 minutes, then freeze until very cold, about 20 minutes.
*Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
*Press a doubled 12" piece of heavy duty foil inside the pie shell, and fold the edges of the foil to shield pie weights over the foil.
*Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
*Carefully remove the foil and wights by gathering the corners of the foil and pulling up and out.
*Continue baking until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes more.
*Transfer to a wire rack.
(Filling)
*Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan.
*Add the yolks, then immediately but gradually whisk in the milk and evaporated milk.
*Drop in the vanilla bean.
*Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently at first, then constantly, as the mixture starts to thicken and begins to simmer, 8 to 10 minutes.
*Once the mixture simmers, continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute longer.
*Remove the pan from the heat; whisk in the butter and brandy.
*Remove the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds, and whisk them back into the filling.
*Pour the filling into a shallow pan.
*Put plastic wrap directly on the filling surface to prevent a skin from forming; cool until warm, 20 to 30 minutes.
*Spoon half amount of the warm filling into the pie shell.
*Peel 2 bananas and slice them over the filling.
*Top with the remaining filling and, once again, place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the filling surface.
*Refrigerate the pie until completely chilled, at least 3 hours.
(Topping)
*When ready to serve, beat the cream and sugar in the chilled bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed to soft peaks; add the vanilla.
*Continue to beat to barely stiff peaks.
*Spread over the filling and serve immediately.
-serves 8-
Note: This recipe was found in "Baking Illustrated".
Labels: Banana Cream Pie recipe, Pie dough coated with graham craham cracker crumbs, Vanilla Cream Pie recipe
