Cereal Encrusted French Toast w/Sauteed Bananas

Ingredients:

1 loaf Challah or Brioche, cut into 1" slices
4 large eggs
1/3 c whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 c crushed cereal flakes, any type (I used Barbara's High Fiber w/Cranberries)
12 T butter, divided
3 medium ripe bananas, sliced
1/2 c maple syrup
Powdered Sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 200*.
In a shallow bowl beat eggs with milk, vanilla & salt.  In another bowl add the crust cereal. Add 6 T butter to a cast iron or heavy duty skillet and melt over medium heat.  Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture then coat each side with the crushed cereal.  Place in skillet and cook on each side until a dark golden brown.  Remove from skillet and put in oven proof dish and keep warm in the oven while making the topping.

In a large skillet melt remaining 6 T butter and add sliced bananas.  Saute for 2 minutes then add the maple syrup.  Continue cooking until the bananas are softened.

Warm serving plates in microwave for 1-2 minutes.  Place french toast slices on each plate and spoon banana mixture over top.  Dust w/powdered sugar if desired and serve.





Bon Appetit!

Heavenly Fruitful Delight

This is a very refreshing delight that can be served as dessert or an alternative to fruit salad.  I love all the flavors mingling together, and is this is one of those things that I cannot get enough of.  Just love this as a nice change from the rich, decadent desserts I gravitate to.  Tip:  The longer you chill it, the more the flavors will marry for a better result.  I would suggest a minimum of 2 hours, although you could certainly serve it earlier if temptation gets the best of you!

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained, yes UNdrained

1 20 oz. can chunk pineapple, drained
1 11 oz. can Mandarin oranges
8 oz. fresh blueberries
1 3.5 oz. pkg. vanilla INSTANT pudding, dry
8 oz. container of non-dairy frozen topping, thawed
1/2 c chopped pecans (I prefer to toast them first)

In a large bowl combine cream cheese with undrained crushed pineapple until well blended.  Add in chunk pineapple, oranges and dry pudding.  Stir until combined.  Fold in non-dairy topping and pecans.  Chill until ready to serve!

Note: Feel free to add other types of fruit.  You can omit the blueberries, but the pineapple & oranges are necessary to obtain the best flavor.

Adapted from my Aunt Nancy's recipe.





Have a delightful day!

Hazelnut Cocoa Tuile Cups Filled With Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse

Tuiles are thin, crispy wafers that can be sweet or savory.  Tuile is French for "tile".  In this case, we are talking about sweet, crunchy, chocolately wafers with toasted hazelnuts as the star.  These wafers are delicious just as they are, but I can never just stop there.  I have made them into cups and filled them with a wondrous bittersweet chocolate mousse, topped it with a white chocolate doodle and dusted it with powdered sugar (although the sugar melts into it and you cannot really see it except for a bit around the edges).  I am a huge fan of The Chew, and Carla Hall, one of the 5 co-hosts, made these and I knew I had to too!  The difference is, she made them look easy, and I'm here to tell it to you straight. They are not that easy! She has a TV crew to help her. I have taken Carla's recipe and added my own notes in bold.  There is a link to the original recipe at the end if you would like to compare.  I do not want to discourage you from trying this recipe.  Although somewhat difficult, it's fun and if you are comfortable in the kitchen, you'll have no problems.  It may take you a couple attempts, but then you'll get the hang of it.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups almonds or hazelnuts (toasted & finely ground)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large sauce pot, stir together the butter, sugar and corn syrup over a low heat. When the butter has melted and thoroughly combined, add the nuts, cocoa, flour, salt and vanilla and stir to combine.

Transfer batter to a heatproof bowl allow to cool to room temperature. This can be made up to 2 months in advance and stored and refrigerated in an airtight container.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper (very important - do not skip). Form 4 - 1" balls of batter and place on the baking sheet leaving about 3 inches between each. Dampen a spatula or finger with water and flatten the balls into thin 3" discs. Bake for 6 minutes.  They spread a lot. When working in batches, the cook time may decrease slightly if the pan does not cool completely before starting the next batch. (I used 2 baking sheets and swapped them out)

To shape Tuiles, use an offset spatula to transfer the hot cookies immediately to a small glass bowl or drape over a rolling pin. (You cannot do it immediately - they are gooey and hot as the dickens. You have to wait about 10/15 seconds. See my note below) Gently press to shape then allow the cookies to cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. The offset spatula did not work for me as it tore up the wafer.  I used a silicon mat and picked up the mat on either side, lifted it from the baking sheet and laid it down on the counter.  I then curled back the silicon underneath the wafer in order to grab the edge, picked it up and draped it over a cup.  YOU MUST WORK QUICKLY!  YOU HAVE LESS THAN 20 SECONDS TO COMPLETE THIS BEFORE THE WAFER HARDENS.  You can still use them, they just won't be cups.

Make the Chocolate Mousse. (Since I used hazelnuts instead of almonds, I substituted Frangelico for the Almond Liqueur.)

Once the mousse is set and ready to use, fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (you can also use a scoop or a spoon).  Pipe some chocolate mousse inside each cup.  You can add a white chocolate doodle if you wish and/or dust with powdered sugar.  If not serving immediately, wait until you do before adding the powdered sugar as it tends to melt and disappear.

Carla Hall's original recipe.

Salty & Sweet Caramel & Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

These yummy, crunchy treats are reminiscent of Twix bars.  They have a caramel & peanut butter filling between layers of buttery, salty crackers, and are totally enrobed in milk chocolate and sprinkled with toffee pieces.  Yummy!

Ingredients:

Buttery crackers, 1 box (I used Club crackers)
12 T butter
1/2 c whole milk
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
1 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs
2 1/2 - 3 c milk chocolate chips
2 T Crisco
Toffee pieces

Spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray.  Line with wax paper and lightly spray again.  Put down 1 layer of crackers.  Set aside.

In a large saucepan place butter, milk, sugars & peanut butter; stir until butter & peanut butter are melted. Bring to a boil over medium low heat and whisk in the graham cracker crumbs.  Boil for 5 minutes, watching carefully and whisking every few minutes.  Mixture will darken.  Take care not to burn.  Remove from heat and pour half over the crackers in the pan.  Spread evenly with an offset spatula. Place another layer of crackers on top and pour the remaining mixture over those, spreading evenly.  Add one last layer of crackers and press down gently.  Let set up at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

Once layers are firm, turn out onto a cutting board.  With a large, sharp knife cut between the crackers to separate them into bars.  Place parchment paper or wax paper on a baking sheet; set aside. Prepare the chocolate.  In a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (or top of double boiler), melt together chocolate chips & Crisco.  Heat only until chocolate chips become shiny and then stir until well blended and smooth.

Situate the baking sheet next to the melted chocolate.  With 2 forks, dip each bar into the chocolate until completed covered. Let excess drip back into the pot and place bar onto the baking sheet.  Repeat for all bars.  Sprinkle toffee piece on top and allow to set up before serving.

This recipe adapted from Michael Symon's recipe on The Chew.

Raspberry Mocha Mini Bundt Cakes

A coffee chocolate chip cake filled with a cream cheese vanilla bean creme and raspberry jam and topped with a mocha bittersweet ganache. There is a dehydrated raspberry, chocolate covered espresso bean and mini chocolate chips on top.

Ingredients:

1 Box Yellow Butter Cake Mix
1/2 tsp. baking soda (due to the acidity of the buttermilk and the coffee)
1/4 c Kahlua
1 T espresso powder
3 large eggs
1/2 c buttermilk
1/3 c mini chocolate chips
1 c seedless raspberry jam
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c heavy cream, whipped
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (I used paste)
9 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet
1 c heavy cream
1 T espresso powder
2 T Kahlua
Raspberries and Mini Chocolate Chips for decoration, if desired

Preheat oven to 350*.  Spray two (2) mini bundt pans with baking spray; set aside.  Note: If you only have 1 pan, bake them in batches.

In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, baking soda, eggs and buttermilk.  In a small microwave safe bowl, combine the Kahlua and espresso powder and heat in microwave for 16 seconds. Stir until thoroughly blended.  Add to the cake mixture and blend for 30 seconds on low speed. Raise to medium and continue beating for 2 minutes. Stir in mini chocolate chips.

With a medium scoop, fill each bundt mold halfway with batter.  Bake for approx. 14-16 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.  Cool in the pan 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack until to cool completely.  Prepare a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.  Cut about a 1/2" slice from the top of each bundt and place the tops and bottoms side by side on the baking sheet.

Make the creme by beating the cream cheese until light and fluffy, add the vanilla and blend.  Fold in the 1/2 c whipped cream.  Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip and pipe onto one half of each bundt.  Fill a second pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip with raspberry jam and pipe onto the 2nd half of each bundt.  Place the two (2) halves together and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Remove the chilled bundts and begin making the ganache.  In a heatproof bowl place 9 oz. of bittersweet chocolate chips.  In a small saucepan bring 1 cup of heavy cream just to a boil over medium heat.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and begin to whisk. Add 1 T espresso powder and 2 T Kahlua and continue to whisk until smooth.  Immediately spoon the chocolate over each bundt.  Decorate as desired.  Chill until ready to serve.

This recipe adapted from Taste of Home's Mini Almond Fudge Cakes.

Chocolate Pomegranate Torte

 

Ingredients:

20 Oreo cookies

4 T butter, melted

1 lb. bittersweet chocolate

2 sticks butter, cubed

1/4 c orange liqueur

8 eggs

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

Pomegranate seeds

Confectioners' sugar

White Chocolate Hearts (if desired)

Preheat oven to 325*

Cover bottom of 9" springform pan with parchment.  Wrap outside with heavy duty aluminum foil. Set aside.

Place cookies in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin or a meat tenderizer until small crumbs.

Place in a bowl and add melted butter.  Stir until well combined and press into the bottom of the springform pan.

In a bain marie or double boiler, add butter, chocolate and liqueur.  Heat over medium heat until melted.  Place eggs, vanilla & salt in the bowl of a mixer and beat until doubled in size and frothy.

Fold into chocolate mixture a small amount at a time to avoid cooking the eggs.  Once completely folded in, pour on top of crust and place springform pan in a large roasting pan.  Place on center rack in oven and pour hot water into roasting pan until it reaches halfway up cake pan.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until the outside edges of the torte are firm.

Turn off heat, remove from water bath and let cool to room temperature.  Afterwards, chill in frig for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove torte from springform pan and turn out onto a cake plate.

Place a doily on top and sift confectioners' sugar over it.  Lift off doily and add pomegranate seeds.  You can also melt white chocolate and make hearts on wax paper. Add a stem to the hearts in order to stick into the torte. When chocolate hardens, carefully remove and attach to the center of the torte.