INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
300g whole milk
300g heavy whipping cream
25g sugar
400g dark chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, and sugar; place over simmering double boiler. Heat mixture whisking constantly until the mixture reaches 168ºF (75ºC). Remove from heat and whisk in dark chocolate until fully melted and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap touching surface and refrigerate overnight.
INGREDIENTS:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
DIRECTIONS:
Remove label from can and place unopened can in Instant Pot. Add water to cover can. Process on high for 30 minutes. Allow Instant Pot to cool naturally. Remove can and continue to cool until warm to touch. Open can and place contents in bowl; whisk and serve.
INGREDIENTS
Rolls
1 cup water
1 cup milk
½ cup butter
2 tbsp yeast (instant)
½ cup sugar
2 tsp salt
4 eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten with fork
8-10 cups flour
butter, softened
brown sugar
cinnamon
Frosting
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
⅛ tsp salt
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Rolls
Combine water and milk to a saucepan and heat to near boiling. Pour water/milk mixture into bowl of stand mixer; melt in butter. Add sugar and salt; mix to dissolve. Mix in 4 cups of flour; check temperature (should be approximately 99°). Mix in yeast; add eggs. Mix in 4-6 cups flour, until is elastic, and not sticky. Knead for 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove dough to an oiled bowl. Roll dough over to coat and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray; allow to rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size. Punch down; divide in half.
Roll out two rectangles of dough to ⅓ to ½ inch in thickness. Rub softened butter over dough; sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll and slice into rolls and place on large baking sheet lined with parchment, release foil, or silpat. Let rise a second time covered with a plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. When doubled, bake at 350° for 15 minutes.
Frosting
In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter. Mix in salt, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
INGREDIENTS
Pâte à Choux Pastry
1 cup water
½ cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
4 eggs
Custard Filling
½ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks (or 2 eggs), beaten
2 tsp vanilla (or other flavoring)
Chocolate Icing
1 square unsweetened chocolate (1 oz)
1 tsp butter
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tbsp boiling water
DIRECTIONS
Pâte à Choux Pastry
Preheat oven to 400º. In saucepan, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Add flour in one installment; stir vigorously over medium heat until mixture no longer sticks to the side of the pan and forms a ball (about 1 minute). Remove from heat. By hand, beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until mixture is smooth and velvety. Drop from spoon onto an ungreased baking sheet.1 Bake until dry (approximately 45-50 minutes). Allow to cool slowly. Makes eight puffs.
Cut cooled pastries, fill with Custard Filling and ice with Chocolate Icing.
Custard Filling
In a saucepan, mix sugar, salt, and flour; stir in milk. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir a little more than half of this mixture into beaten egg yolks. Blend into hot mixture and bring just to boiling point. Cool and blend in vanilla.
Chocolate Icing
Over a double boiler, melt together chocolate and butter. Remove from double boiler; blend in sugar and water. Stir until smooth but not stiff.
Notes:
1 For Éclairs, place pâte à choux pastry dough in a pastry bag and pipe 12 fingers approximately 1-inch wide and 4-inches long. Bake as above; fill with custard and frost with chocolate icing.
Crust
2 cubes butter, melted
1½ cups flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
Combine ingredients and spread in 9×13 cake pan; bake 20 minutes at 400º, cool.
1st layer
1 pkg (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cool whip
Fold together and let set for a few minutes; spread carefully on crust.
2nd layer
1 pkg (6 oz) instant chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
Mix as per instructions on box. Be sure to use only 2 cups milk; spread on first layer.
3rd layer
1 pkg (6 oz) instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
Mix as per instructions on box. Be sure to use only 2 cups milk; spread on first layer.
4th layer
1 cup cool whip (or more)
Spread Cool Whip vanilla layer; top with shavings from Hershey’s chocolate bar. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
Halloween is one of our favorite holidays, and our neighborhood on Tudor Street knew how to do Halloween right. Each year the parents got together to organize a haunted celebration for the kids. The annual party included a spook alley, games, and traditional neighbor treats–we all have great memories. Grandma’s homemade popcorn balls were a big hit every year!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup white corn syrup
⅓ cup water
¼ lb butter
¾ tsp vanilla
¾ tsp salt
3 to 4 quarts popcorn, popped
DIRECTIONS
Boil until soft ball stage (in cold water); add vanilla and pour over pepped corn and make into balls. Wrap balls in wax paper and put in brown paper bag to store.
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup water
2 cups sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ tsp red food coloring
1 tsp cinnamon flavoring
6-8 apples
DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except apples. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high and boil until temperature reaches 290°. Push wooden sticks into clean, dry apples and dip apples into mixture to coat. Place on silpat to cool.
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
6 tbsp butter
3/4 cup apple cider syrup
In a small mixing bowl, thoroughly combine salt, and spices; set aside.
Coat a 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift the caramels out. Spray the parchment as well.
In a 4+ qt saucepan, combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, sugar, butter and apple cider syrup. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and continue cooking without stirring until the mixture reaches 248˚; remove from heat and stir in spice mixture. Pour caramel into prepared pan; cool completely at room temperature.
Remove caramels from pan and cut into squares; wrap in parchment paper to store.
9 cups Rice or Corn Chex
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Place cereal in a large bowl; set aside. In another bowl combine chocolate chips and peanut butter; microwave for 1 minute; stir. Microwave another 30 seconds and stir unit mixture is smooth; stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour mixture and powdered sugar into a Ziploc; shake to coat.
1 pkg (16 oz.) white mini marshmallows
2+ tbsp water
2 lbs confectioners sugar, sifted
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
Place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a mixing bowl. On high, microwave in 30 second increments for approximately 2 1/2 minutes (or until marshmallows are melted), mixing well after each 30 seconds. Pour about 3/4 of the confectioners sugar over the melted marshmallows; fold into the marshmallows (if you would like to add any flavoring or color, it should be added at this point). Place shortening in a large mixing bowl. Grease your hands and the countertop liberally: pour marshmallow mixture onto the countertop. Knead the mixture. Continue to knead, adding additional confectioners sugar and re-greasing countertop (and hands) to keep fondant from sticking. If it tears easily, add water (about 1/2 tsp at a time, up to a total of 5 tsp). Knead until fondant forms a firm, smooth, elastic ball that stretches without tearing, about 8 minutes. Wrap fondant securely and allow to rest overnight. Knead fondant until smooth; roll out to 1/8″ thick.
2 cups sweet rice
31⁄2 cups water
3-4 ripe mangos, cut into bite-size pieces or 2 pkgs frozen mango
1⁄2 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
2 cans coconut milk
1⁄2 tsp salt
4 tsp coconut flavoring
2 tsp vanilla
4 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water
Soak the sweet rice in 2 cups water for 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour. The sticky rice can be steamed or made in a pot. To make it in a pot, do not drain. Add 11⁄2 cups (more) water to the rice, plus 1⁄2 can coconut milk, 1⁄2 tsp salt, 2 tsp coconut flavoring, and 2 tbsp brown sugar. Stir this into the rice, lifting any rice grains that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then partially cover with a lid (leaving some room for steam to escape). Turn the heat down to medium-low (#2.5 to 3 on the dial). Allow to simmer for 20 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed by the rice. Remove the pot from the heat, place the lid on tight, and leave to “steam” cook for 5-10 minutes.
Make sauce and serve the dessert right away, or store the rice (covered) in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
To make the sauce, warm the rest of the coconut milk together with 1⁄2 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, 2 tsp coconut flavoring (optional) and 2 tsp vanilla flavoring over medium heat (5 minutes). Add cornstarch (dissolved in the water) to the sauce and stir to thicken it slightly. As it thickens, turn heat to low. When thickened, remove from heat. Tip: Try not to boil the sauce, or you will lose that wonderful coconut flavor. Before serving, taste-test the sauce for sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. If too sweet for your taste, add a little more coconut milk.
Place scoops of the sticky rice in bowls (Note that sticky rice can be served cold, warm, or at room temperature, as desired). Ladle a generous amount of warm coconut sauce over the rice (creating an “island” of sticky rice). Add slices/pieces of ripe fresh mango. (If using frozen mango, be sure to give it enough time to thaw before serving.)
My first experience with Sesame Glutinous Balls was at a restaurant in Singapore. The centers can be filled with just about anything. The sweetened sesame is a nice contrast to the more savory glutinous exterior.
Filling:
4 tbsp black sesame seeds (OR 1 package prepared black sesame seed paste)
2 tbsp water
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄3 to 1⁄2 cup brown or white sugar
Dough:
1 cup glutinous rice flour
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄2 can coconut milk
1⁄2 cup dry roasted peanuts, or cashews, crushed; or sesame seeds, roasted (optional)
Filling:
Place black sesame seeds in a spice grinder. Grind for about 30 seconds, or until sesame seeds break down into a thick and glossy powder.
Place ground seeds in a sauce pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add water, salt, and sugar. Stir constantly until the sugar melts and a thick, black sauce forms (like melted chocolate in consistency) about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and taste-test for sugar, adding up to 1⁄4 cup more sugar if not sweet enough. Tips: The black sesame seed paste needs to be quite sweet in order to balance out the savory glutinous rice dough that will surround it. Place the sweetened paste in the refrigerator to cool.
Dough:
In a mixing bowl, add rice flour and salt; stir to mix Add coconut milk and stir to form a stiff dough. More flour or coconut milk may be required, depending on how thick or thin the coconut milk is. Dough should be pliable (like play dough) and shouldnʼt be too sticky.
Roll individual balls of dough. Place the balls on a clean, dry surface.
Using your index finger, indent each of the balls. Remove the black sesame paste from the refrigerator – it should have thickened (almost like taffy in consistency). Spoon some of the paste into each ball (about 1⁄2 tsp).
Use thumb and fingers to flatten out the sides, then close the dough over the paste. Reshape the dough back into a ball, rolling it between your palms as before. Place the finished balls on a clean, dry plate. If balls are sticking, lightly oil the plate.
Drop the sticky rice balls into a pot of boiling water. At first they will drop to the bottom of the pot. Allow them to boil for 6-8 minutes, or until they begin to float in the water. Drain and set the sticky rice balls on a clean surface.
Optional: Spread crushed nuts or roasted sesame seeds on a plate. Roll the sticky rice balls in the nuts and place on a serving plate.
Serve the sticky rice balls warm or at room temperature. To store, cover the balls, but don’t refrigerate, as this will harden the glutinous rice dough. Consume within 24 hours, or wrap in plastic and store in the freezer.
Grandma Honey makes these popcorn balls every Halloween to give to friends and family. Occasionally, friends from the old neighborhood will make the trek to Grandma Honey’s new home on Halloween, knowing that popcorn balls will be there waiting.
4 qt Popcorn, popped
1 cup sugar
1⁄3 cup white corn syrup
1⁄3 cup water
3⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄2 cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla
In a saucepan, melt margarine; add sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Stir to combine. Once the mixture comes to a boil do not stir. Cook to soft-ball stage. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Pour over popcorn. Mix and form into balls.
Zr. Volder, a sweet little Indonesian oma, taught me how to make these traditional Indonesian treats in her little kitchen in Delft, The Netherlands. I have great memories of Zr. Volder, including two books she gave to me when I left Delft. One she inscribed with her name and a message that makes me smile to this day. The second is a photo book of the city of Delft, circa 1960.
12 ripe bananas
1⁄2 cup rice flour
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup thick coconut milk
1 cup water
oil
Peel bananas, cover and set aside. Beat together the remaining ingredients, except oil. Let stand for about 25 minutes.
Heat oil to smoking point, then reduce heat slightly. Dip the bananas, one at a time, into the batter, then slide into the oil. Do not fry more than three at a time or the oil temperature will drop too much, making the batter oily. Cook until golden brown, turning once or twice. Lift out and drain. Serve hot.
1 pound dark, bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (high-quality!!)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp peppermint extract
cocoa, as needed
Chop chocolate into 1⁄2” pieces. Heat cream to boiling and pour over chocolate; wait 60 seconds and add mint extract. Using a whisk, slowly stir the center until the mixture begins to come together. Continue to stir. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to stir. When all of the mixture is consistent, place in refrigerator for at least one hour. Form into balls and roll in cocoa.
8 cups corn puffs
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup pecans
1 1⁄3 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut flavoring
Place corn puffs, almonds and pecans in a large mixing bowl. Heat sugar, corn syrup and butter to soft ball stage; stir in vanilla and coconut flavoring. Pour over corn puff mixture and mix. Cool on a cookie sheet
1 1⁄2 cups sticky rice (gạo nếp)
1⁄4 tsp salt
1 can (19 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
2 mangoes, peeled and sliced
1⁄4 cup sugar
Prepare rice (for instructions, click this link). When rice is done, remove from heat and transfer to a rice bowl.
Open coconut milk and skim the thick cream from the top into a small saucepan. Add sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves (about 1 min). Pour over rice, mix well, cover and set aside until liquid is absorbed (about 30 min).
Serve at room temperature with mango slices.
2 tbsp butter
1⁄4 cup brown sugar dash cinnamon
1⁄4 cup crème de banana
3 tbsp Grand Marnier
1 banana, sliced
3 tbsp rum
vanilla ice cream
In a sauté pan, melt butter; add brown sugar, cinnamon, crème de banana and Grand Mariner. Bring to boil. Add banana and cook for +/-3 minutes. Away from flame add rum; ignite. When flames die down, return to cook top and simmer until raw alcohol flavor is gone. Serve over vanilla ice cream.
Vanilla poached pears are a simple, yet visually impressive desert. I can’t think of a more beautiful end to an elegant meal.
INGREDIENTS
Pears:
1 bottle (750 ml) Pinot Gris
1 cup water
3⁄4 cup sugar
1-2 vanilla beans, split and seeded
1⁄4 tsp cinnamon
6 Bosc pears, peeled with stems intact
Filling:
1 1⁄2 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 tbsp sugar
1⁄2 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, combine Pinot Gris, water, sugar, vanilla seeds and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Core pears from the bottom and place into liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a medium simmer; cook covered for 30 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove pears and place on serving dish; refrigerate until cool. Increase the heat to high and reduce liquid to approximately 1 cup (20-25 minutes). Place in a small container; refrigerate until cool.
In a small saucepan combine gelatin, sugar and milk over low heat. Stir until gelatin in completely dissolved. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Gradually add whipping cream and mix well. Refrigerate until thickened. Just prior to serving, fluff with fork until smooth.
Fill pear cores with cream mixture and place on individual serving plates. Drizzle with 2-3 tbsp of the sauce and serve. Crème Fraiche can be substituted for the filling.