Cream puff with lemon cream filling

Lemon-cream filling:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
• 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Cream puffs:

• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour (sifted, then measured)
• 6 large eggs, divided

Assembly:

• Robin Eggs malted milk candy (optional)
• 4 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped

• Special Equipment: Pastry bag with 1/2-inch plain round tip

Preparation

For lemon-cream filling:
Combine sugar, egg, lemon juice, lemon peel, and pinch of salt in heavy small saucepan; whisk to blend. Add butter. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until curd is hot and thick enough to coat spoon (do not boil), 4 to 5 minutes.

Transfer lemon curd to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat cream in another medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into curd in 3 additions. Cover and chill filling 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

For cream puffs:
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring with wooden spoon until butter melts. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until dough forms and pulls away from sides of pan. Continue to stir until film forms on pan bottom, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer dough to large bowl. Cool 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 egg and, still using wooden spoon, beat until blended. Add remaining 5 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each, then beat until dough is smooth and shiny, 2 to 3 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe 1- to 1 1/4-inch mounds, spaced about 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Using wet finger, smooth tops of mounds.

Bake puffs 15 minutes. Reverse baking sheets. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to bake until puffs are dry, firm, and deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Cool puffs on baking sheets.

For assembly:
Cut each puff horizontally in half; pull out any soft dough. Fill puff bottoms with 1 tablespoon lemon-cream filling. Place egg-shaped candy atop filling, if desired. Press on puff tops to adhere.

Place white chocolate in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over small saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until chocolate is soft and almost melted. Remove from over water; stir until completely melted and smooth. Using teaspoon, drizzle white chocolate decoratively over each cream puff. Arrange filled puffs on platter. Refrigerate until chocolate glaze sets, at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours.

macadamia cookies with white chocolate

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Beignets with fudgy chicory chocolate sauce

Beignet
use a zeppole recipe and baked them

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 2 cups bread flour
• 7 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• BAKE on a lightly oiled baking sheet

In a large saucepan over moderate heat, combine 2 cups water with the butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the salt. Cook until the butter and sugar are melted, about 2 minutes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat. Stir in the flour then place over low heat, and using a wooden spoon, beat constantly until the dough is stiff, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool for 4 minutes.

Transfer the batter to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and let the dough sit for 2 minutes. Turn the mixer on low and add the eggs, one at a time, until the batter is thick and ribbonlike (the dough should be the temperature of lukewarm water). Cover with plastic wrap and let the batter cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

Fudgy Chicory Coffee Sauce

You’ll want to find a can of chicory and coffee for this recipe, although you can also substitute strong black coffee or espresso. I used French Market brand chicory and coffee.

The coffee flavor is very subtle, so feel free to adjust to your own tastes.

1/3 cup brewed chicory coffee
1/8 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

Heat the coffee, butter, cream and sugar until the butter and sugar have melted, and the mixture is smooth. Add the chocolate, and remove from heat. Let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes to melt the chocolate. Then whisk until smooth. If the mixture has cooled too much before the chocolate has completely melted, return it to low heat and whisk continuously. You can serve it warm, or let it cool and thicken.

ENJOY!
Thanx epicurious

Perfectly scrumptous Hummus

Garbanzo Beans - 2 cans- drain and reserve the liquid

Garlic - 4 cloves minced or coarsely chopped and added to processor to mince

small piece of a canned chipotle pepper or more to taste
( softer to work with)

1/3 cup sesame tahini
(if you want, we like it. Hey try making it too!)

2/3 cup canola oil

juice of 2 lemons

1 tsp. sea salt or to your taste

In a food processor, add the chipotle pepper and garlic and process till minced. Add the other ingredients and pulse till nicely blended. Add more lemon juice if needed. If too thick, you can thin with reserved liquid from the garbanzos.
(thanks Joyce)

Gnocchi

Ingredients

2 pounds of baking potatoes
1 cup all purpose flour
1 Whole egg plus
1 Egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons softened and unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Salt

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Tomato sauce (see our recipe for a good and easy one here)

Instructions

• Boil the potatoes in their jackets, drain, peel and put through a food mill. While the potatoes are still warm, blend in the flour, add the egg, egg yolk, butter and salt.

• Place the potato mixture on a floured board and knead lightly; the dough should be soft. Roll the dough in 1" thick sticks about 10" long. Cut each roll into 3/4" pieces. Rub each piece of dough lightly over the coarse side of a cheese grater.
Place on wax paper on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook
the gnocchi until they rise to the top of the water. If you leave them longer you end up with a soggy mess.

• Remove the gnocchi to a warm bowl. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, top with the tomato sauce, although you can also eat as is, and serve at once.

Leckie's Birthday Carrot Cake

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 3 cups finely shredded carrots
* 1 cup cooking oil
* 4 eggs
* 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)
* 1/2 cup raisins chopped with 3/4 cup water
Directions

1. Grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2-inch round baking or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan or bundt pan; set pan(s) aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add carrots, oil, and eggs. Beat with an electric mixer till combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan(s) or a bundt cake pan.

3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes for round pans or 35 to 40 minutes for 13x9-inch pan or bundt pan until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or, place 13x9-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Cover and store in refrigerator. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting: 2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened; 2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup orange juice 1 cup granulated sugar

Beat together softened cream cheese and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating well to reach spreading consistency.
Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving . . . so make a day ahead : )

Baklava with Walnuts and Almonds

Yield: Approximately 24 pieces

* For the filling:
* 1 lb. walnuts, coarsely ground
* 1/2 lb. almonds, coarsely ground
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

* For the syrup:
* 2 cups water
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* Juice of half a lemon
*

* 1 lb. phyllo pastry sheets
* 1/2 lb. unsalted butter, melted

In a plastic food bag using a rolling pin crush the walnuts and then in another bag crush the almonds,
Mix the walnuts, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Unwrap the Phyllo:

Carefully remove the Phyllo roll from the plastic sleeve.
12 x 18 inch sheets. Using a scissor or sharp knife, cut the sheets in half to make two stacks of 9 x 12 inch sheets. To prevent drying, cover one stack with wax paper and a damp paper towel while working with the other.

Assemble the Baklava:

Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom and sides of a 9 x 12 rectangular pan. Begin by layering six sheets of phyllo making sure to brush each with melted butter.

Add half of the nut mixture in an even layer. Pat it down with a spatula to flatten.

Continue layering another 6 sheets of phyllo. Add the remaining nut mixture in an even layer. Top with the remaining phyllo sheets.

Before baking, score the top layer of phyllo (making sure not to go past the top filling layer) to enable easier cutting of pieces later. I place the pan in the freezer to harden the top layers and then use a serrated knife.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the phyllo turns a rich golden color.

Prepare the Syrup While the Baklava is Baking:

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and the sugar and mix well. You want the syrup to be slightly thickened. Stir in the juice of half a lemon. Allow the syrup to cool slightly.

When the baklava is out of the oven and still warm, ladle the syrup carefully into the pan. Baklava can be refrigerated or stored at room temperature.