Strawberries & Almond Pastry Cream Tart

Strawberry, Chocolate and Almond Cream Tart

I know, I know, you’re going to get scared with this one, but it really is easy and can be done in stages, over time, as it will take several hours total.  However it will be SO worth it.  Consider the decorating an art project on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

When I make a dessert (in this case a tart), I Like to add depths of flavor to what I am making.  This wonderful dessert has a lot of delicious flavors to tantalize the sweet tooth.  Use this recipe as a base, then change it up to suit your own tastes.  For Example: Instead of plain Gram Crackers for the crust, I use Chocolate or Cinnamon Flavored.  I always add a Liquor to my Chocolate Ganache, mousse or puddings, such as Grand Mariner or Cointreau (Orange), Frangelico (Almond), Cherry Heering (Cherry) or Chambord (Raspberry) flavored Liquor.  Whatever I happen to have on hand.  Note! Most liquor stores carry Miniatures, perfect for cooking, if you don’t want an entire bottle.  Most of the time when using sliced fresh fruit (in this case Strawberries) I will marinate in 50/50 sugar water and liquor (see previous suggestions).

Fruit (prep)

Marinate Strawberries

1.     Before preparing the rest of the steps, Slice 10 ounces of Fresh Strawberries, reserving the best whole one for a center garnish.

2.     Place into a small bowl.

3.     Sprinkle with sugar (about 1/4 cup)

4.     Pour 2 ounces (4 Tablespoons) of Frangelico over the sugared Fruit

5.     Add enough water to just cover the fruit.

6.     Carefully stir and allow to marinate for at least an hour.

Make a Tart Shell

Gram Cracker Tart Shell

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Cinnamon Graham Cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup sugar

Preparation:

1.     Combine all ingredients; press over bottom and up sides of an 11-inch Tart Pan. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Note! A tart pan is shallow with a removable center. Tip! Lining the bottom with a circle of parchment paper will ease removal and plating.

2.     Set aside and allow cooling for the next step.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

·        9 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (60% Cacao) (I like Ghirardelli)

·        1 cup Heavy Cream

·        1 Tablespoon Frangelico (optional)

Making Chocolate Ganache is Simple

Directions

1.     Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chocolate chips, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the liquor if desired. The Chocolate will turn from dull tan to Shiny Black when properly tempered.

2.     Pour Ganache into the Tart shell, over top of the Gram Crust, and swirl to coat the bottom completely, allowing the sides to coat as well.

3.     Chill completely awaiting the next step.

Pastry Cream

Ingredients ·        2 cups milk ·        1/4 cup white sugar ·        2 egg yolks ·        1 egg ·        !/4 cup Corn Starch ·        1/3 cup Sugar ·        2 Tablespoon Butter ·        1 teaspoon Almond Extract

Directions

	Making Pastry Cream 1.     In a heavy saucepan, stir together the milk and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
	2.     In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Stir together the remaining sugar and cornstarch; then stir them into the egg until smooth. 3.     When the milk comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream while mixing so that you do not cook the eggs. 4.     Return the mixture to the saucepan, and slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the eggs don’t curdle or scorch on the bottom.
	5.     When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and Almond, mixing until the butter is completely blended in. 6.     Pour into a heat-proof container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled before using. Final Assembly Assemble the tart 1.     At this point you have a Gram Cracker Shell lined with Beautiful Chocolate Ganache.  2.     Melt 3 Tablespoons of Raspberry Jam in the microwave (about 30 seconds on high) 3.     Pour on top of the cooled Ganache and thinly spread all over the top of the chocolate. 4.     Fill the shell with the chilled Pastry Cream and smooth out with a hot offset Spatula. 5.     Using the Marinated Strawberries, carefully top the Pastry Cream with a dessert design of your Choice, Placing the whole Strawberry in the center. 6.     If desired, melt 2 ounces more of chocolate over hot water, then drizzle over the top of the tart, finishing off with sprinkled powdered confection sugar.   Chill the Completed Tart Chill for a couple of hours, Remove from mold and enjoy the decadence.

Two Minute Chocolate Lava Cake with Caramel Toffee Sauce

Ok, for all of

Chocolate Lava Cake with Caramel Toffee Sauce

you Chocoholics that are reading my Blog, this one is a real winner:  I love Chocolate, Period.  It’s always a challenge, when you have that chocolate pang, what to make that is quick and simple that will drive away the withdraw from the last fix.  I promise this is the quickest and best chocolate dessert cake you have ever had.  The dessert, I kid you not, takes 2 minutes to make, one to mix and one to cook.  Alright, I lied, that’s only for the cake the sauce actually takes about 5 times that amount of time.

I like to use plastic baggies and make batches of the dry ingredients so all I have to do is mix with the wet, when I am ready make one of these.  (Here’s a hint, make these for dessert for a dinner party and your guests will think you slaved for hours)  You will not believe, how light, spongy and Chocolate oozy moist these are, until you make your fist one.  The original Idea for these came from a pinterest post I saw about a year ago, but that recipe I hated, as it called for peanut butter.  It was dry and nasty, so I began to do my thing and eventually came up with this recipe.  Please People, if you are going to do this, make your own sauce, don’t buy it in a jar.  The Caramel Toffee Sauce will last in the fridge for a couple of weeks or you can freeze it.  Just warm it up before serving.  Also, if you are going to substitute, please don’t tell me (I can see the Milk chocolate and Bosco flying now) it won’t taste the same.  Here we go:

Note#1 Make the Caramel Toffee Sauce First and set aside or prepare in advance and refrigerate.  Make the cake(s) just before you are ready for dessert and serve hot.

Note#2 if you substitute 1/4 cup of Chopped Dates in place of the Apple Sauce you will come fairly close to English Sticky Toffee Pudding, which I love when visiting the UK. (Note!, save your cards and letters, yes I do know English Sticky Toffee Pudding does not use Chocolate, this would be the colonies version, Specifically New Jersey)

For Caramel Toffee Sauce

(Note, this is a half recipe Sauce will serve 4)

1/4 cup sugar

3 1/2 Tablespoons butter

3 ounces Heavy cream

Directions:

Melt the Butter in a small sauce pan over Medium High Heat.  Add the Sugar and keep stirring until the mixture darkens to caramel color then add the cream and cook on Medium heat until the sauce achieves a desired thickness. 

The Lava Cake

1 Tablespoon (Packed) brown sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

1 Tablespoon Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa

1/4 Teaspoon baking powder

1 Egg

2 Tablespoons (Chunky) Applesauce

1/8 Cup Large Bitter Sweet Dark Chocolate Chips (I use Ghirardelli’s 60% Cacao)

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir the egg, brown sugar, Apple Sauce, flour, cocoa and baking powder with a fork. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a “Pam Sprayed” ramekin or Coffee mug.

Microwave for 60 - 90 seconds. (Eyeball this, as each Microwave is different and depending on the Size and Quantity of Cups at one time, will vary slightly) invert onto a plate. Cover with warm sauce and serve hot, sprinkled with a little Powdered Sugar and Whipped Cream if desired.  Serves 1.

Hope you enjoy this, I love it.

David

Loaded Potato Soup (Crock Pot)

Crock Pot Potato Soup

I probably have at least a dozen recipes for Potato Soup.  Some with Onion or without, with cheese or without, Cream, Milk or a mix thereof, with butter or without, Puree or Chunk, Thick and Thin.  This recipe however is one of my favorites for a number of reasons.  First it contains Garlic and I love Garlic, then it doesn’t heat up the kitchen, time is not critical, finally the smells in the house are incredible.  The point I am making, is start with the Potato then use your imagination to create what you enjoy.  Of course, I hope you enjoy this recipe.  Pare it with a couple of slices of crusty Garlic Bread.

Ingredients & Directions:

5 large Eastern Potatoes, Peeled and Cubed to bite size.

Serve with some nice Toasted Garlic Bread

1 Large Vidalia Onion, Diced

1 Large Carrot, Diced

1 large stalk of Celery, Diced

5 Cups of Water

4-5 Chicken Bouillon Cubes (I actually like this better than Stock)

3 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1/2 Stick (1/4 cup) Butter

1 Tablespoon Parsley (use half this amount if dry)

1/2 Teaspoon Thyme

1 Tablespoon Salt

Pepper to taste

Combine the above ingredients in a large crockpot; cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours (potatoes should be tender). In the last hour stir in the Chives, Milk, Cream and Cheese

3 Tablespoons Chopped Chives or Spring Onion

1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup of Milk

1/2 Cup of Heavy Cream

Serve with a large Dollop of Sour Cream, sprinkled with Bacon and more Cheese

8 Strips of Bacon Fried Crisp and Crumbled

Sour Cream

 

Enjoy

David