Seems that chocolate chippers are big time favorites. Kind like cherry or apple pie. My sweetie, Mary Ann, used to make nestleé Toll House chippers regularly. For some unknown reason to me she stopped making them. Years ago.
Then about two weeks ago I was watching Alton Brown on the Food TV channel. His fanaticism that day focused on none other than chocolate chippers. He spent the entire 30 minute program making three variations of the delicious chippers. The first was The Thin. He and his helper (looked a lot like the cookie monster) explained why and how the cookies were flat. Next Mr. Brown made a batch of what he calls The Puffy. On cue his cookie monster told us why. Last was The Chewy.
I tried the chewy variation. Big. Bold. And full of chips. Nestlé, semi-sweet chocolate chips. MA asked what the difference was between Toll House cookies and The Chewy. Seems very little. But then maybe that was Mr. Brown's point. Only small changes make big changes in the texture of the of the finished cookie.
At any rate, I'm on to the next batch, The Thin. Why don't you try them and let me know. Betcha can't go wrong with any 'em.
So your class reunion's this year.... and you're the person-in-charge of fun and everything else? My Class Reunion.exe does the everything-else part for you. This program tracks and prints reports for it all...... so your reunion gets raves and you get some fun.
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Flan as described by 'Food Lover's Companion' is 1. a round pastry tart that can have a sweet or savory filling. 2. A famous Spanish baked custard coated with caramel. One of the yummiest desserts in my stable of recipes is 'the famous Spanish baked custard''.
Easy to make and a treat for dessert. Many flan that I have tasted had a coarse, rubbery texture that is not appealing to me. This one by Foods of the World is a smooth custard on the order of crème caramel.
My version is a little different from the original in that I do not place orange segments in the flan cup before adding the custard. Start by heating the water and sugar until it cystalizes and darkens. Keep in the mind that the Spanish like a dark, almost burnt sugar to offset the sweetness of the custard. Experiment with the color until you get it the way you like it.
When the sugar is the right color pour about 1½ tablespoons into a 5 to 6 ounce soufflé dish. They are available at gourmet shops and Bed, Bath and Beyond. Swirl the sugar mixture to cover the bottom. Next make the custard by bringing the milk to a boil with the cinnamon sticks and zest of orange. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
While the milk is coming to the simmer, add sugar to eggs in mixing bowl until well blended. In a thin stream, add hot milk mixture. Pour into soufflé dishs, add to baking pan. Add enough boiling water to come 2/3 the way up the soufflé dishes. Bake for 45 minutes.
Click title to get the recipe and enjoy your just desserts.
Can't have homebrew without the accompanying nibblers. Since I get the Home Brew Digest delivered via email daily, I am the recipient of one mighty fine recipe. Jeff Renner, one of the homebrewers who is also a commercial baker, posted this recipe some time ago. Can't go wrong using a pretzel recipe from a commercial baker who is also a homebrewer.
Shortly after reading about the pretzels, I found the salt that seems to be a requirement for pretzels. Unfortunately, the next ingredient, lye, took me a little longer to find. At about the same time I found the lye, FoodTV had a show about pretzels and suggested baking soda as the ingredient of choice.
Jeff's original recipe called for 2 tablespoons yeast and a rise of 30 minutes. I decided to use 1 tablespoon instant yeast and let rise for one hour, which is similar in time and quantity for some of my other flour recipes. I also cut the amount of sugar in half; first batch was kinda sweet for me.
He suggests using siliconed parchment paper. Spraying the baking sheet with a food grade non-stick spray works equally as well. I also use a large dutch oven so I can boil five or six at a time.
Click here to get the recipe.
Easy to do and a treat when you are quenching your thirst.
Satanic Fudge Brownies. That is what Caroline Romanski calls her recipe for some of the most decadent chocolate brownies made. 27 ounces of bittersweet chocolate balanced with 20 ounces of sugar and eight ounces of flour. Oh, don't forget the six extra-large eggs.
Since we do this only ever so occassionally, jump into it and try some. Easy to make - takes about 20-25 minutes to mix - and devilishly good. In fact they are so chocolatey that they could use some créme anglaise to help mellow them a bit. But then, that adds more eggs, sugar and cream. Don't want to do that. Just take smaller portions of the brownies. If you can.
Somewhere I read that Scharffen Berger chocolate was THE choclate to use. This time I used the ordinary grocery store kind. Next time will be Scharffen Berger 70% bittersweet.
Click on the title to get the recipe. And then give your tongue a sleigh ride.
Sometime ago America's Test Kitchen came up with a recipe for a tasty, easy to make chicken breast. Although they use dried Panko bread crumbs, I think a viable alternative is to use fresh crumbs. Jacques Pépin has said repeatedly that by using fresh bread crumbs a much smaller amount of fat is absorbed. Try it both ways and you decide.
First, let me share with you a very easy to do recipe I saw Jacques make. Start with a pork tenderloin cut into 1¼" rounds. Place a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper over them and flatten with a mallet or the bottom of a heavy sauce pan. Should be 1/8" thick. Mix one egg in a flat pasta type bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Mix thoroughly.
Take three pieces of bread. Cut into cubes and place into a processor. Pulse until you have bread crumbs. Place crumbs into a flat pasta type bowl. Mix in salt and pepper to taste.
In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon oil until foam subsides. Meanwhile, dip each cutlet first into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs. Place into hot sauté pan and sauté about 2 minutes on first side. Turn over and sauté for another 1½ minutes.
Serve with your favorite vegetables and salad.
This same process can be used on veal and chicken. When doing chicken breasts, remove the fillet and save for another time.
I mentioned a recipe from America's Test Kitchen which is similar. You can view here it, try it and then do some experimenting. I have made it a couple of times as is. The next time I will use fresh bread crumbs. Be careful not to over sauté the chicken cutlets because of the almond addition. Tends to burn. So use lower heat or shorter time.
Let me know which one is your favorite.
