Emma's Dessert Recipes Spell checked
Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Coulis
Chocolate Mousse serves four
4 oz Bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate, (not unsweetened)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp raspberry liqueur (Chambord or Framboise)
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup whipping cream
Raspberry Coulis
i pint fresh or frozen raspberries
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1tbsp water
Garnish
3/4 cup whipping cream whipped
Fresh raspberries if available or chocolate shavings
Method for the mousse
Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a bain marie, over hot but not simmering water.
Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the chocolate.
Once the butter and chocolate have melted pour a small but steady stream into the egg yolks and whisk thoroughly and then add the egg mixture back into the chocolate. (If you just add the egg yolks you will end up with chocolaty scrambled eggs!)
Cook mixture gently for a few minutes.
Stir in the liqueur and vanilla and allow the mixture to come to room temperature.
Beat 3/4 cup of whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the cooled chocolate mixture and divide the mousse into 4 individual serving dishes and chill for at least 3 hours. (I tend to make it the day before it is to be served.)
Method for the Raspberry Coulis
Place the raspberries into a small saucepan and cover them with the 1 tbsp of granulated sugar. Add 1 tbsp of water and place over low heat. Using a wooden spoon smash up the berries. Once the berries have liquefied pour them into a strainer to remove the seeds. Pour the de-seeded raspberry juice into a small bottle to drizzle over the mouse before serving.
Store the coulis in the refrigerator.
Method for the Garnish
Whip 3/4 cup of whipping cream until soft peaks form. You can pipe it onto the mousse or you can just spoon it on top. I like to drizzle the raspberry coulis on the mousse before adding the whipping cream and then drizzle more onto the whipping cream.
Crème Brulee
Serves 6
This is a simple recipe but it really is delicious! The first time I made it my children devoured it, much to my horror!!!
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
21/2 cups whipping cream
8 egg yolks
1/4 cup berry sugar (you can use granulated sugar but you will need to measure it put it in a food processor for about 30 seconds and then measure it again)
3 tbsp icing sugar
Method
Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees F
Pour the cream into a medium sauce pan and add the vanilla extract. Bring the mixture to just below a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to allow the vanilla to infuse itself into the cream.
Use a fork or a whisk to mis the eggs and sugar together. Reheat the cream and then pour it in a steady stream into the egg mixture. Strain the whole thing back into the sauce pan. (there will be little bits of scrambled egg in the strainer. This is normal, just discard)
Place 6 oven proof ramekins or custard cups in a roasting pan and then divide the mixture between them. Pour warm water around the custard cups to come about half-way up the sides of the cups.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the custards are set with a slight softness in the centre.
Leave the dishes to cool in the water and then cover them with plastic wrap and refridgerate for 3-4 hours or over night. About 25 minutes before serving remove them from the fridge and sprinkle with the icing sugar. Caramelize using a kitchen blow torch or under the broiler and then leave them at room temperature before serving.
Crème Caramel
Makes 6 individual servings
You can make a large crème caramel using a souffle dish but I prefer to make individual ones.
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cups milk (I use 1% but you can use whatever you would normally use, I've made this dessert with skim milk shh don't tell)
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 eggs
Garnish
1 cup whipping cream
Fresh strawberries
Method:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F
Place 1 cup granulated sugar in the bottom of a medium sauce pan and cover with the 1/2 cup of water. Cook over high heat without stirring until you start to see any part of it turn brown. Cook it until all of the sugar is liquefied and a nice golden brown. You have to watch it carefully or it will burn! Once the caramel is ready carefully divide it into 6 8 ounce ramekins swirling the syrup gently to cover the bottoms of the custard cups. Set aside.
In order to clean the caramel out of the sauce pan you should add water and bring it to a boil and then pour it into a sink this will remove much of the sticky caramel and make clean up much easier!
Place the milk and vanilla extract into a medium sauce pan and bring just to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar together. When the milk is hot slowly pour about half of the hot milk into the egg mixture to bring the eggs gently to the same temperature as the cream to avoid scrambling the eggs. Strain the egg mixture into the remaining milk and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Divide the custard evenly into the prepared ramekins. Set the ramekins into a roasting pan and pour warm water into the pan until it reaches about 1/2 way up the sides of the dishes. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the custards are set. To check it they are done remove one of the ramekins and shake it. If it moves as one mass it is done.
Let the custards cool completely before covering them with plastic wrap and placing them in the fridge. Allow to set for at least 6 hours but overnight is best.
To Serve
Carefully run a sharp knife around the perimeter of the custard and then place a dessert plate over top of it. Flip them over and the custard should release with a pool of caramel surrounding it.
Garnish.
Whip 1 cup of whipping cream that you can either pipe or spoon onto the custards. Fan a strawberry and place it in the whipped cream.
Serve immediately.
I will post the hazelnut pie tomorrow.
i hope that you enjoy these. If you have any questions please let me know.
Hazelnut pie with chocolate ganache
Hazelnuts are also called filberts.
Hazelnuts have skins on them, do not try to peal them when they are raw. Toast them first, (instructions to follow) and then rub them between two tea towels and the skins will fall off. Don't worry if there is still a little bit of skin left on.
Ganache is an amazingly versatile substance. It can be used as an icing, it can be used as a glaze, it can be used to make truffles and it can be piped and used as a decoration. It is really, really easy to make but it will look disgusting in the process and you will likely think that you have made a mistake. DON"T PANIC!!! It will work out, I promise. I have made a million different types of ganache and they have all worked out. The main thing that you have to worry about is the quality of the chocolate that you are using. Please use good quality chocolate such as Callebaut or Lindt. It is expensive, but it truly makes a difference.
Pastry:
I always use a buttercrust pastry when I make pies because I like it the best. The pastry comes out tasting a little bit like shortbread, which I also like. I find this a very versatile recipe and I use it in all the pies that I bake. The thing about pastry is you need to be careful not to overwork the dough, and please use a French rolling pin. They are the best!!! They don't cost very much, you should be able to pick one up at a cooking store for about $15 and they last!!! French rolling pins are one piece of wood that is slightly wider in the centre and narrower at the ends.
Chocolate Hazelnut Pie
Pastry ingredients:
Makes 1 8-10" pie crust. (You can double this recipe if you want to make two singel crust pies)
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unssalted butter cut into pieces.
1/8-1/4 cup ice cold water.
Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and chill for 30 minutes.
Remove bowl from the fridge and place ingredients in a food processor (if you don't have a food processor then cut in the butter with a pastry blender, two knives or your hands) process for a few seconds just to combine those ingredients.
Add the pieces of cold butter to the flour mixture and process just until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Do Not Over Process.
Add the ice water a drop at a time until the mixture holds together.
Place the dough onto plastic wrap and press it into a disk. This will make it easier to roll out later.
Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out. The dough should be rolled until it is 1/8 " thick. Gather the dough around the rolling pin and then place it on top of the pie plate. Allow the pastry to fall into the plate and press it gently into the bottom of it. Trim the edges using scissors or a sharp knife. Crimp or decorate the edges as desired. If there are any holes in the pastry fill them in with the excess dough. Once the pie plate is lined place it in the refrigerator to chill until you are ready to use it.
Hazelnut pie ingredients
3/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
11/2 cups roasted hazelnuts (directions below) and chopped. You have to roast before you chop them.
Roasting hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F
Spread hazelnuts on a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with edges) and spread them out evenly.
Roast in the oven for 13-15 minutes.
The nuts should be a lovely golden brown colour.
When the nuts have cooled place them between two tea towels and gently rub the skins off.
Method
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the brown sugar and corn syrup together until smooth. Whisk in the butter and then add the eggs one at a time beating until you have a smooth foamy mixture. Add the vanilla and the salt and continue whisking until those ingredients have been fully incorporated. Tap the bowl on the counter a few times in order to collapse any air bubbles that have formed during all the whisking!
Remove the chilled pie crust from the fridge and place on a jelly roll pan that has been lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Pour the filling into the prepared pastry and swirl it around to make sure that it is evenly distributed.
Bake the pie for 45 minutes. Cool pie completely before adding the ganache!
Chocolate Ganache
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 lb semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, not unsweetened! Chopped into small uniform pieces
Heat the cream in a small sauce pan just until small bubbles begin to form.
Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Gently whisk the cream and chocolate mixture. It will look disgusting at this point, do not panic. Keep whisking and in the centre a rich chocolate substance will begin to appear continue to whisk until the whole mixture is like this.
When you are ready to glaze the pie, reheat the ganache to between 80 and 85 degrees F and then spread over the pie. Allow the glaze to cool and then you can decorate with whole roasted hazelnuts.