Debbie loves to cook Philip loves to eat

Here are a couple of recent successes something savoury and something sweet
 Home

Death By Chocolate


YIELD: 4 ice cream sundaes

PREPARATION: 1 1/2 hours plus chilling, freezing and cooling times.

Chocolate velvet ice cream:

5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups heavy (whipping) cream
1 cup milk
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Hazelnut coffee cream:

2 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup fresh roasted hazelnut flavoured coffee beans
1 tablespoon Italian hazelnut liqueur, such as Capella or Frangelico
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate fudge sauce:

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Assembly:

Fresh brewed coffee, to thin chocolate sauce
4 to 8 cigarette cookies

Make the chocolate velvet ice cream:

  1. In a medium bowl, using a wire whisk, stir the yolks, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and salt until blended.
  2. In a heavy, medium non-corrosive saucepan, bring the remaining sugar, cream and milk to a gentle boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Gradually whisk about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the beaten egg yolks until blended. Return this mixture to the saucepan.
  3. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly with a flat-edged wooden spoon, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the custard has thickened slightly. It is done when you can run your finger down the back of the coated spoon and the path  remains in the custard. The custard will register 175 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat.
  4. As soon as the custard is ready, add the chocolate to it. Let the custard stand for 30 seconds and then whisk until smooth. Strain the chocolate custard into a large non-corrosive metal bowl. Set the bowl over a larger bowl containing ice and ice water for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the custard is cool. Remove the bowl from the bowl holding the ice water and stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until very thick and cold.
  6. Scrape the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Pack the churned ice cream into a 1-quart container. Cover and freeze for a few hours or overnight.

    7.  
Make the hazelnut coffee cream:
 
  1.  Put the white chocolate into a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan bring the cream and coffee beans to a gentle boil. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and steep for 10 minutes.
  2. Return the saucepan to the heat and bring the cream mixture back to a gentle boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Ladle  about 1 cup of the hot cream over the white chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate.    Whisk until smooth. Pour the remaining cream mixture (including the coffee beans) over the chocolate and stir until blended. Stir in the hazelnut liqueur and vanilla. Cover the surface of the hazelnut coffee cream with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.


Make the chocolate fudge sauce:

  1.    Put the chocolate in a small bowl. In a heavy medium saucepan, stir together the cocoa and sugar. Slowly whisk in the evaporated milk to make a smooth paste. Stir in the corn syrup.
  2.    Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 4 to 6 minutes and gradually bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 30 seconds  to melt the chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate.


Assembly:
 

  1.  Put four 10-ounce pilsner glasses in the freezer to chill.
  2.  Remove the bowl of chocolate fudge sauce from the refrigerator. Gently stir 1 to 3 tablespoons of fresh brewed coffee  into the sauce to thin it to a sauce like consistency.
  3. Dip one end of each cigarette cookie into the sauce. Place the dipped cookies onto a plate.
  4. Strain the chilled hazelnut coffee cream into a large bowl. Discard the coffee beans. Using a hand-held electric mixer set  at high speed, beat the cream for 1 to 2 minutes, until it starts to form stiff peaks. Do not over-beat or the hazelnut cream will become grainy. Reserve half of the hazelnut cream for decorating the tops of the sundaes.
  5. Put one small scoop of the chocolate velvet ice cream into the bottom of each chilled pilsner glass, and top each one with  a dollop of hazelnut coffee cream. Drizzle about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chocolate fudge sauce over each serving. Repeat the layering process with the remaining ice cream, hazelnut cream and sauce, finishing with a large scoop of ice  cream drizzled with chocolate sauce.
  6. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a large closed star tip (such as Ateco #9) with the remaining hazelnut cream. Decorate the  top of each sundae with the hazelnut coffee cream. Garnish each sundae with one or two chocolate-dipped cigarette cookies. Serve immediately.


BROWN SUGAR FUDGE

 

Ingredients:
------------

5 fl oz evaporated milk

14oz light brown sugar

¾ cup unsalted butter in pieces

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp vanilla essence

1¾ cup icing sugar

 Instructions:

  1.  Bring milk, brown sugar and salt just to the boil  Lower heat and summer until soft ball stirring all the time.

  2.  Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl.  Beat in vanilla essence and icing sugar gradually.  Beat until fudge thickens (about 5 minutes)

  3.  Pour into tin (not greased). 

  4. Chill uncovered.

 

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS


Ingredients:
------------
1 kg  lean lamb meat or 500g lamb, 250g beef and 1/2 chicken
2 onions (minced )
60 g  chick peas (soaked over night)
2  white turnips (in quarters)
2  large carrots, sliced
2 tsp olive oil
salt
black pepper
1/4 tsp  ground ginger (to taste)
1/4 tsp   saffron  (to taste)
500 g    couscous (or more)
60-120 g   raisins
3  courgettes, sliced
120 g   thick beans
2    tomatoes
2 tblsp  minced parsley
cayenne- or chilli pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 tblsp butter

Instructions:

  1. Put meat, onions, chick peas, turnips and carrots in a pan, cover with water. Add oil and pepper. Season with ginger and saffron to taste. Boil for about 1 hour. Add salt when chick peas are soft.
  2. Make couscous (follow instructions on the package).
  3. Add raisins, beans zucchini, tomatoes and parsley to the stew and boil for another 1/2 hour.
  4. Take out one cup of the sauce and stir in cayenne/chili pepper and paprika powder. Return to Stew.