Tiramisu

Ingredients

• 6 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese (see note)
• 1 3/4 c whipping cream
• 1 1/2 cups strong espresso, cooled
• 1/3 c dark rum or Kahlua
• 24 packaged ladyfingers
• 1/4 c sour cream
• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

Directions

In a double boiler bowl, using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Plasce over a simmering water until it doubles in volume and becomes light and thick 8 to 10 minutes.  Add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth.

Beat cream till stiff peaks form then fold in cheese mixture.
.

In a small shallow dish, add espresso and rum. Dip each ladyfinger into espresso for only 5 seconds. Letting the ladyfingers soak too long will cause them to fall apart. Place the soaked ladyfinger on the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking dish or trifle bowl, breaking them in half if necessary in order to fit the bottom.
Spread evenly 1/3 of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Repeat ending with a layer of cheese mixture. Cover tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours.
Before serving, sprinkle with chocolate shavings. or chocolate covered expresso beans.

**Mascarpone is expensive and not easily bought here. I make my own this way: Beat 8 ounces of cream cheese, 2 T heavy cream and 1/4 cup sour cream till light.  Mix with egg mixture.

I placed this in a Trifle dish and topped it with whipped cream and chocolate espresso beans. Yum!.

Chocolate leaves

People seem to be facinated with our chocolate leaves that we used to decorate the desserts every year. It could not be easier, really!

I went to the market and asked for some lemon leaves at the florist counter. They cost me a buck or two.

Wash and dry leaves thoroughly. Cut from stem.


Melt some semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate over hot water till smooth and flowing. Spread chocolate on underside of leaf. Make sure it's thick over the center vein. Allow to cool on wax paper in the fridge. When it hardens, carefully peel the leaf off the chocolate. Careful as chocolate will melt easily. Store the finished leaves in the fridge till ready for use.

Here is one of our dessert recipes from the party...Orange-scented Chocolate Cake with Blood Orange compote

Orange-Scented Bittersweet Chocolate Cake with Candied Blood Orange Compote

Bon Appétit (December 2009)

12 to 14 servings

Ingredients

Compote
    •    3 medium or 4 small blood oranges
    •    2 1/2 cups (or more) water
    •    1 cup sugar
    •    2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
Cake
    •    2 cups all purpose flour
    •    3/4 teaspoon baking powder
    •    1/2 teaspoon salt
    •    1 pound bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
    •    1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
    •    1 1/4 cups sugar
    •    1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
    •    1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
    •    2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
    •    4 large eggs
    •    3/4 cup sour cream
Glaze
    •    6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
    •    1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
    •    2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
Special equipment
    •    8 10-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides
    •    Small offset spatula
INGREDIENT TIP
: Blood oranges are available at some supermarkets and farmers' markets. If you can't find them, use another thin-skinned citrus fruit (such as tangelos) instead.

Preparation

COMPOTE

    •    Cut ends off oranges. Cut oranges with peel lengthwise in half, then cut each half lengthwise into 3 wedges. Combine 2 1/2 cups water and sugar in large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add orange wedges and any accumulated juices to syrup and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until orange peel is soft and translucent and syrup is reduced and thickened, turning orange wedges occasionally and adding more water by 1/4 cupfuls as needed if syrup is too thick before orange wedges are soft, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in orange liqueur. Cool 15 minutes. Transfer to small container. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled. Bring to room temperature before using.

CAKE
    •    Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Lightly butter 10-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter parchment.
    •    Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Combine chocolate and butter in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; stir until chocolate-butter mixture is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; add both sugars, orange liqueur, and orange peel and whisk until blended (mixture will look grainy). Add eggs, 2 at a time, and whisk until just blended after each addition. Whisk in sour cream. Add flour mixture and stir in with rubber spatula just until incorporated. Transfer batter to prepared pan; spread evenly.
    •    Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes. Run small knife around sides of cake to loosen. Invert cake onto rack; peel off parchment. Cool cake completely (center may sink slightly).

GLAZE
    •    Combine chocolate and butter in small metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; stir until chocolate-butter mixture is melted and smooth. Whisk in corn syrup. Cool glaze until barely warm but still pourable, about 10 minutes.
    •    Pour glaze onto center of cake. Using small offset spatula, spread glaze over top of cake, leaving 1/2-inch plain border around top edge. Let stand at room temperature until glaze sets, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.
    •    Using hot dry knife and wiping knife clean between slices, cut cake into slices. Divide among plates. Serve some candied orange compote alongside.

The Dessert Party!

After a hectic day of prepping and primping, the desserts fulfilled their destiny and the guests seemed pleased with their choices most people tried a bit of everything. We all had a great time and spirited conversation. We drank champagne with various treatments, my favorite was a touch of brandy. A lot of folks drank apricot nectar or pomegranate juice in theirs. I think the fan favorites were varied. A lot of people enjoyed the Lime Blackberry Pie but for some the Orange chocolate torte with Blood orange compote. Some just liked the cheesecake this year while my daughter and her friends gave the macaroons high marks. Photos of the following with recipes added as I have time.

Lime Blackberry Pie with meringue



Orange chocolate tart with blood orange compote (Sorry for the focus here)



Lemon Pave

French Macaroons with orange scented chocolate ganache

Tiramisu Trifle

Italian Cream Cake

The lovely hostesses Brenda and Lori

Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecake



Jeff and Michale, John, Debbie and Dora




Alison, Nicholas, Brooke and Mackenzie



Making progress.....

2 lbs of butter
3 dozen eggs
3 quarts of cream
6 pounds of chocolate
3 pounds of apples
2 pounds of lemons
2 pounds of limes
3 blood oranges
2 branches of lemon leaves
assorted liqueurs
non stop oven time
a blow torch
4 bouquets of mixed flowers
a ton of dishes, washed and rewashed
every spare bit of fridge space
16 bottles of wine and champagne
20 pounds of ice
One very messy kitchen and a very patient wife (who cleaned the whole place while I rested)

Chocolate Almond Macaroons soon to be stuffed with orange scented chocolate ganache

Busy in the kitchen

Trying to get as much prep work finished as I can for the party Saturday night.
Last night was all about pie crusts, lemon and lime curds and preparation for what lies ahead. Choosing the right pans and utensils. Re checking the grocery list. I still have a few things to pick up at the store. Baked the genoise for the Pave last night. That can sit for a few days.

Still need lady fingers (or I'm gonna have to make them) and several other small items to complete the fare for the night. I need lemon leaves for the chocolate decorations just a million little details that need to be gone over. Lucky I have tomorrow off!

Valentine's dinner?  Well we just had NY Strips (a T Bone for Ben) and a 1 pound lobster tail that I overcooked ever so slightly as the kitchen was busy and help was scarce.  I had decided to make Naan again and it turned out great but it took longer than I expected to cook and things got a little out of had, especially with steaks out on the grill. Mackenzie likes her steak just so and I am always worried that they will over cook. Hers was done perfectly and the rest were to my wife's liking but the lobster suffered for attention. Oops. Maybe a do over. It was all good though. No flowers or cards anymore. Just good food, a great wine and fantastic company.  Dessert will be this weekend anyway. Looking forward to a lot of great friends coming over and hopefully I didn't over do the guest list!

Italian Cream Cake

After dinner at Nicola's on Saturday, Lori had tested one of the recipes for this weekends Dessert Party. This was a big hit. So luscious and light with the right spot of lemon. This will be hit at the party for sure. Meyer lemons are in the stores in Nebraska. Can't say I have ever had one before but we decided to include a few citrus recipes to take advantage of them.



Lemony Cream Butter Cake
cake layer adapted from the Ricotta Blintz Casserole  recipe in “Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes,” by Jeanne Kelley
For the cake –

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (heaping)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (which was about 1 lemon for me)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• zest of two lemons

For the cream cheese filling –

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease or spray a 9″ springform pan with vegetable spray.
Make the filling — In a large bowl or bowl of a standmixer, beat the cream cheese on medium-high to high speed for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
Add confectioners’ sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Add butter, both extracts and lemon zest. Beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Make the cake — In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon zest until combined. Do not overmix.
Pour batter evenly into springform pan. Carefully pour filling mixture evenly over the cake batter to within about 1/2 inch of the edge of the pan. (The filling should cover all but the outer 1/2 inch, at which point the cake batter will be visible.)
Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake has puffed up and toothpick inserted near edge of cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove springform sides and allow to cool on rack for 1 hour. Transfer to refrigerator and chill completely before serving.
Serve chilled, with a little sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar.

Crostini Alla Romana

Nicholas called the other day asking for this recipe. I had made it so often the last few summers when the sage was growing well. I knid of forget about it in the winter but it is a fantastic appetizer especially if you use fresh mozzarella or at least whole milk mozzarella.

Crostini Alla Romana

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:

15 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

20 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 12 1/2-inch thick slices ciabatta bread
• 12 slices thinly sliced prosciutto (about 6 ounces)
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 sage leaves
• Pinch salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the slices of ciabatta on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden around the edges, about 8 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven. Place the prosciutto slices and mozzarella on the crostini toast and return to the oven to melt the cheese, about 8 more minutes.
Meanwhile combine the butter and the sage leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted and starting to brown in spots and the sage leaves are crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Transfer the crostini to a serving plate. Drizzle the crostini with the sage butter and serve immediately.

Eating Omaha...Nicola's

Last night we had the honor of visiting Nicola's on 13th and Jackson. Cold night but well worth the trip. As our routine, we brought our own vintage and paid a corking fee. Seems to be a cheaper way to drink the good stuff and not pay an outrageous mark up. Even with the fee it's cheaper. Dinner was magnificent. First a cheese tray. Olives and assorted cheeses with crostini and crackers. A drizzle of olive oil and a dash of pepper. Yum.

We all ordered something different tonight. No specials (sorry Lori, I feel bad) It seems we always get burned on specials so I like to stick with signature dishes for a first time visit. Tonight's entrees were Lobster Ravioli, Mediterranean Lasagna, Ravioli and meatballs and the Bolognese. All was supper tasty and everyone appeared to happy. I know I sampled the Lasagna and wow was that great! We brought home a fair bit of food. Definitely a keeper and it looks like the rest of Omaha is aware of that.

For dessert, Lori made a test run of one of the desserts we had chosen for the party this weekend. Very good and light. Delicious. Food coma.

Looking forward to our next venture out. Lent is on the horizon so it will have to be seafood for us that night.

Cooking the same ol' thing

We are in a pre lenten rut these last few weeks. Planning the dessert party, getting ready for the major cleaning push that is going to happen and me being sick with a cold really takes the fire out of my cooking.

I have been cooking,  but basically the old standbys. Creativity has left me for the moment as I focus on desserts and trying to balance an array of possibilities that will elicit the appropriate responses from our guests but also represent a diversified portfolio of sweets and a mix of texture and flavors.

Every party has to have a Pave. I generally make strawberry or lemon so one of those with definitely be on the menu. Something chocolate and something spicy. something cheesy and something fruity is always a good mix. Decadence just comes with the territory. Perhaps a trifle this year or a tiramisu? I was looking for something artisan. Small individuals but they take a while and anyone who knows me knows I am not a patient man.

I have little time left and have to meet with our co-hosts to verify the task at hand. I have a few ideas still rolling around that need to jell up. Then I need to make that grocery list and pick up about 5 pounds of chocolate and a few quarts of cream. Hmmm.......