Creme Brulee

I planned on making Creme Brulee for Christmas dinner this year.  It has been a favorite of our family for years.  I looked on my blog, because I was sure I had posted it long ago. But to my surprise it wasn't here. I decided I better post it. I like having my blog because it enables me to have access to my favorite recipes wherever I happen to be (as long as I have internet access).  
Several years ago, Emma invited me to attend a charity event with her and Clark at LeCaille Restaurant.  It is a very nice restaurant, in a very quaint, beautiful setting.  I had never been there, so I was very excited to go.  Allan was out of town, so Charis went with me.  It was a lot of fun and the food was delicious.  The one thing on the menu that was most memorable for me was the Creme Brulee.  I had never had it before that night.  It was so good.  I decided I really wanted to learn to make it.
That year, for Christmas, Allan bought me some ramekins and a kitchen torch.  Allan loves the kitchen torch.  Every time I make Creme Brulee, he insists on torching the tops.  It really isn't that hard to make.  Just don't over bake it or it will be kind of rubbery instead of melt in your mouth smooth and creamy.
At LeCaille, they put just a smidge of raspberry jam on the bottom of the ramekin before they poured in the Creme Brulee.  It was a delicious surprise.


Vanilla Creme Brulee
6 large egg yolks
6 Tablespoons sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengwise or 1 t. real vanilla extract (the vanilla bean is better)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
6 teaspoons granulated sugar (or 8-12 teaspoons packed brown sugar).

Preheat oven to 325
Whisk yolks and 6 Tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend.  Scrape in the seeds from vanilla bean. Gradually whisk the cream into the sugar and eggs.  Divide mixture among 6 - 3/4 cup custard cups or ramekins.  Arrange dishes in 13x9x2 inch baking pan.  Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of dishes.
Bake custared approximately 35-40 minutes until the custard is set.  Do not overbake or your custard will be rubbery.  Remove the pan from the oven and remove custard cups from the water.  Allow custards to cool before placing in the refrigerator.  Chill overnight. 
Two hours before serving, sprinkle 1 teaspon sugar on top of each custard, spread the sugar evenly.  using a kitchen torch, carefully carmelize the sugar on top.   Or, Place dishes on small baking sheet. Broil unil sugar just start to caramelize, rotating sheet for even browning, about 2 minutes. Sugar should be a pretty golden brown, not black. Chill until caramelized sugar hardens, about 2 hours.

Carmel Apple Popcorn

I'm a little reluctant to post this recipe.
I've made it for several family parties this year. I made it for Elijah's baptism. and Allan has taken it to work a few times. Every time I make it, people tell me how delicious it is. Several people have actually told me it is the best popcorn they have ever eaten.  It is that good!  That's why I am a little reluctant to share the recipe.  If I ever find a popcorn contest, I might just enter this, since it is actually my very own creation.  I'm a little concerned that someone may beat me to it.  Oh well, here goes.  Be prepared, it is a little addicting.

Carmel Apple Popcorn

2 gallons popped popcorn (8 oz. unpopped)
Several handfuls of dried apples (to taste)

1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. Apple flavoring  (available at Bakers Cash and Carry)
Pinch of baking soda

White chocolate (available at Bakers Cash and Carry)

Cinnamon Sugar in a shaker

            2 Tbsp. Cinnamon

            6 Tbsp. Sugar

Put popped corn and dried apples in a very large bowl.
Melt butter in saucepan. Add corn syrup, then brown sugar and water. Mix and place on medium heat. Stir constantly; bring to a hard boil.  Add pinch of baking soda and apple flavoring, stir in thoroughly. Remove immediately from heat and pour caramel sauce over the popped corn and mix thoroughly.

Spread popcorn on a large strip of parchment paper (4-5 feet) drizzle with melted white chocolate. While the chocolate is still wet sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. When the chocolate has set up, turn popcorn over and repeat on other side (if desired)

Break into bite sized pieces.

Chocolate Cream Cake

My stake has a tradition of having a dinner for all the women in the stake before the annual Church Women's broadcast. this year, our ward was in charge of the food. We had homemade cakes for dessert. Someone brought a Raspberry Torte (actually 4 of them). Someone else brought Coconut Cream Cakes. Another lady brought 4 Black forest Cakes. And a Chef in our ward brought 8 cheese cakes. They were all different, and all beautiful and all delicious. I was asked to bring 4 chocolate cakes. They couldn't be from a mix. I made two with whipped cream filling and chocolate butter cream frosting and two with chocolate filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting. This is the recipe I used.

Sour Cream Chocolate Layer Cake

2 cups cake flour

1 ¼ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

¼ cup hot water

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Chopped Nuts

In large bowl of mixer, stir together flour, sugar, soda and salt. Add sour cream, butter and eggs. Beat at low speed just until blended. Then beat at medium speed w minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. At low speed stir in chocolate. Add water and beat at medium speed 2 minutes more, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in vanilla. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 in layer cake pans. Bake in preheated 350° oven about 25 to 30 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on racks 10 minutes, then invert on racks, remove from pans. Turn layers top sides up and let cool. Cut rounded tops of cakes. Fill with Chocolate Cream Filling between layers. Frost with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Garnish with chopped nuts or chocolate sprinkes.

Chocolate Cream Filling

½ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

Dash of salt

1 cup milk

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla

In small saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt. Gradually beat in milk with whisk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and beat in egg. Return to low heat for 30 seconds while beating. Add chocolate and beat until melted. Beat in vanilla. Remove from heat and place plastic wrap directly over top on filling to keep skin from forming. Chill. Stir before using.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (3 ounce) cream cheese, (softened)

2 tablespoons butter

2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled.

2 ½ cups unsifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla

In small bowl of mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until light and smooth. Stir in chocolate and salt, add sugar alternately with half and half, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Stabilized Whipping Cream

1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin

¼ cup cold water

3 cups heavy whipping cream

¾ cup powdered sugar

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Combine gelatin with water in a small saucepan. Let stand until thick. Over low heat, stir constantly until just dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. (It should still be liquid). Whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla until slightly thick in a large mixing bowl. Turn mixer on low and gradually add the gelatin, then beat on high until the cream is thick.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

4 tablespoons cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons softened butter

2-3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix cocoa and powdered sugar in missing bowl. Add softened butter, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Zucchini Bread

Charis called me yesterday looking for this recipe. I didn't know I hadn't posted it here.

When I was engaged, Emma made me a file of her favorite recipes. Many of them became my "go to" recipes as I learned to cook for my family. This is one of the recipes she gave me.

ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs well beaten

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup oil

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

½ tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped nuts

Mix eggs, sugars, oil, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients, zucchini and nuts. Let sit 20 minutes. Grease 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350º for 35-40 minutes.

Chocolate Mousse

When I was in college, I spent one semester living at the Sill Home Living Center on the University of Utah campus. It was the best experience I had while I was in college. I loved it. I lived there with my best friend, Sharon Hale. I learned a ton and had a lot of fun. Shortly after I lived there, they did away with the Home Living Center. Now it is just called, The Sterling W. Sill Building. One of Dallin's professors has her office in the building now. I think it is so sad. But I guess they think that the education we got there, is not neccessary in today's world.

A few months after we finished our semester there, all the girls that had lived there together, gathered for dinner. I was in charge of dessert. I made Chocolate Mousse. I never made it agian until Valentine's day this year. It was really good. Allan really liked it. I piped it into small heart shaped cups, I had made out of chocolate. They were quite pretty and delicious.

Chocolate Mousse

4 oz bar of high quality dark chocolate (Ghiradelli) Use 7 of the 8 squares (use last square as a garnish)

10 oz heavy whipping cream

¼ cup extra fine granulated sugar (not powdered) or just grind regular sugar in food processor

1 large egg white

1 tsp. almond extract

Break chocolate into small pieces and set aside

In a small saucepan, heat half of the cream until it begins to boil. Turn off heat, add the chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the mixtureinto a bowl set over a large bowl of ice water and add the rest of the cream and almond extract. Using a hand held electric whisk, beat the mixture to soft peaks. Remove the bowl fromg the iced water.

Separate egg white into a bowl (glass or metal)

Whisk the egg white with a handheld electric beater until stiff peaks form. Add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue whisking to a soft meringue.

Carefully fold the meringue through the chocolate mixture, then spoon into chilled serving glasses.

Or refrigerate and when cold, pipe into serving cups.

Chill before serving.

Cherry Cordial Popcorn

We have two girls in our ward who were baptized last spring. They are both so cute. I just love them dearly. They were both born in our ward. Both their parents had been members of the church since they were in high school. But they hadn't attended in years. They were active in another church. Their family attended the open house of the Draper Temple. Nicole and Ashley were so excited by it that they convinced their parents to let them have the discussions. The whole family started coming to church. They will be going through the temple and being sealed at the end of the month. They are so happy. Lisa, the mom, is now my visiting teaching partner. I have never had such a committed partner. They are just an amazing family. I'm so excited for them.

Last week, they brought me some Cherry Cordial Popcorn for my birthday. It was so yummy, I decided I should figure out how to make it.

Cherry Cordial Popcorn

4 quarts popped corn

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. Cherry flavoring oil (available at bakers supply stores like Baker's Cash & Carry)

red food coloring

semi sweet molding chocolate

white molding chocolate

Keep freshly-popped orn warm in large baking pan in 200 degree oven. Combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and cream of tartar in medium saucepan. Bring to poil. stirring constantly. Cook to 250 degrees without stirring. Remove from heat. After boiling action ceases, add flavoring and color. Add soda and stir in quickly but thoroughly. Put warm popcorn in a large bowl. Pour syrup at once while foamy over warm popcorn. Mix gently to coat popcorn. Spread onto parchment paper and break into pieces.

Melt chocolate in microwave, one minute at a time at 30% power until barely melted. Drizzle over popcorn. Do the same with the white chocolate.

Chocolate M&M cookies

Valentine's day is one of my favorite holidays. I like everything about it. (look at my Valentine Blog). I mostly like making Valentines for the people I love. Allan likes to take Valentine treats to work. Actually, he likes to take any kind of treats to work. I usually make him sugar cookies or waffle cookies at Valentines. But this year I found a new recipe. The recipe for these cookies is almost the same as the recipe for Rolo cookie (minus the Rolos). I think they are really cute and Allan likes them even better than Rolo cookies. I think he'll be taking some to work this year.

Chocolate M&M Cookies
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda

M&M's

2 Tablespoons sanding sugar (to roll dough in).

Cream butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and cocoa. The dough will be very thick and sticky. Form into balls and roll in sanding sugar. Push 6-7 M&M's in the top of each ball of dough. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes