Exquisite Hazelnut-Chocolate Cakes

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cakes, chocolate, chocolate hazelnut cakes, desserts, Frangelico, hazelnut-chocolate cakes, hazelnuts, Italian desserts, nutella

I just love the combination of hazelnuts and chocolate, don’t you? The first thing that comes to mind is Nutella. And although these little cakes are reminiscent of that delicious spread of hazelnuts and chocolate, there is no Nutella to be found in them whatsoever. They do share a few main components, hazelnuts and chocolate, but the cakes have an added ingredient to them: an absolutely divine liqueur known as Frangelico. If you love hazelnuts and have yet to be introduced to Frangelico, then you must give it a try. I would say it is the Italian equivalent to Bailey’s Irish Cream. Perfect on the rocks, in baked goods, even in your coffee. I had some in my cafe-latte this morning. Perhaps not ideal first thing in the morning, but hey, it sure was yummy!

Frangelico dates back to over 300 years, to the Piemonte region of northern Italy, and was distilled by Christian monks living in the hills of that area. Legend has it that its name is the abbreviation for Fra. Angelico, a hermit monk believed to have inhabited the magnificent Piemonte hills during the 17th century. Take a look at the monk’s-habit-shaped bottle with the traditional rope-belt around it’s waist. Charming, no?

Distilled with Tonda Gentile hazelnuts which are a specialty grown in this northern region of Italy, they are bigger, plumper, more uniform, shed their skin easily and allows for toasting with no bitter taste. It’s no wonder these hazelnuts are sought after from confectioner’s like Ferrero Rocher and, you guessed it, Nutella!

So why do these little cakes remind me so much of Nutella? The intense hazelnut taste, the smoothness of the chocolate, it’s rich, moist texture. But don’t take my word for it. Give these babies a try and see for yourself!

Recipe adapted from Mario Batali’s Babbo Cookbook.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. of bittersweet chocolate
• 2 oz. of unsweetened chocolate
• 4 oz. of toasted hazelnuts
• 3 tablespoons of confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 cup of Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup plus 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup of hazelnut butter
• 6 eggs, separated
• 2 teaspoons of brewed espresso coffee, cooled completely
• 3 teaspoons of Frangelico
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan or 12 3-inch ramekins with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Melt the 2 chocolates together and set aside to cool. I use the bain-marie method.

In food processor, pulse the hazelnuts, confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder to form a fine, sand-like mixture. I made sure the hazelnuts weren’t blitzed completely, so as to keep a little crunch. I used hazelnuts with their skin on. Immediately after toasting them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, rub the hazelnuts between your fingers and the skin will shed right off.

In an electric mixer, beat the butter and 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in the hazelnut butter, then the egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in the espresso, Frangelico, and vanilla, followed by the melted chocolate. Fold in the nut mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy and then gradually add the remaining 5 tablespoons of sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into the cake batter. If using ramekins, place them on baking sheets and divide the batter evenly among them.

Bake the cakes for 16 to 18 minutes, until they puff up and no longer look wet on top. If making a 9-inch cake, bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in the ramekins, or pan, on a wire rack.

Don’t be surprised when your cakes go from looking like this…

to looking like this.

I was serving these little cakes to a group of 25 people. So I gently ran a knife around the rim and inverted them upside-down.

The presentation was lacking somewhat so I decided to whip up some 35% cream with a couple of splashes of Frangelico. The addition of a toasted hazelnut on top and voila! Ready to serve.

Sunday Roast

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beef rib, roast beef, roast beef dinner, roast rib of beef

We celebrated two birthdays yesterday, Emma and my brother Carmine. On the menu, a delicious roast beef with amazing oven-roasted potatoes, all inspired by Jamie Oliver. The best cut of roast beef is a rib of beef left on the bone. The marbling of fat throughout helps keep the meat moist. It was French-trimmed by my butcher, meaning the meat was cut off the bone. The eye of the rib, the meat, was then placed back on top of the ribs and tied together with twine. Keeping it on the bone prevents it from getting dry during roasting, as well as adding flavour to the pan drippings, making for a deliciously rich gravy.

There are a few choices on how to cook a roast and at what temperature. You can seize it on all sides first, on the stove-top, and then roast in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes per pound. Or you can seize it in the oven for 15 minutes at a high temperature of 425 F and then reduce the heat to 350 F, for 15 minutes per lb. I did no seizing. I made a yummy rub, slathered it over the roast and popped it into the oven at 400 F for 15 minutes per lb.

For an 8 lb. Rib of Beef Roast

*Remove roast from fridge 30 minutes prior to using it.

6 or 8 garlic cloves

1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves

8 anchovy filets, packed in oil and drained

Zest of 2 lemons

3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil

3 onions, peeled and quartered

3 carrots. peeled and cut in 3

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

Don’t let the anchovy filets deter you from making this rub. They have an affinity with red meat and there is absolutely no “fishy” taste whatsoever. Anchovies are used to add saltiness and depth of flavour to a dish. One would never know they’re in there unless they were told. I tried to use my mortar and pestle to mash up the rub, but I’ve discovered that I really need a proper mortar and pestle. I had to use the mini part of my food processor to turn the ingredients into a paste-rub. If you’ve got a good mortar and pestle, add the garlic, rosemary leaves, anchovy filets and lemon zest and mash it all up. Otherwise, use something electric to help you along. Add enough olive oil to turn it into a nice paste and rub it over the roast.

Throw the onions, carrots and rosemary sprigs into a large roasting pan. Sit the roast on top of the veggies and plunk the whole thing into a preheated 400 F oven. Roast for 15 minutes per lb. My 8 lb. roast took 2 hours.

Oh, the aroma that came wafting out of my kitchen was out of this world! Once the roast is done, remove it to a serving platter and tent it with foil, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. This is when I popped my amazing oven-roasted potatoes, which I will post later, into the oven and began working on the gravy. Once you’re ready to slice up the roast, cut off the twine and remove that gorgeous hunk of meat off the ribs. If you’ve got a dog, lucky him! Or her!

Gravy

Skim about half the fat out of the roasting pan. Mash-up the veggies. Place the pan on the stove-top over medium heat. Once it starts to simmer, add 1 cup of white wine. It doesn’t have to be wine. You could add some beef stock or water instead. Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour, salt and pepper, stirring and scraping up all the little bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Those little brown bits are the tastiest little morsels ever! Once it’s thickened a little, you’re done. It ends up being a cross between a jus and a gravy. Pour it into a gravy separator, pushing down on those veggies through the little holes, releasing those flavourful juices into the gravy. Let sit for 10 minutes. Fill your plate with a thick slice of roast, a little gravy over the top, some of those yummy roasted potatoes and enjoy your Sunday roast!

Winning Valentine’s Day Dessert

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cayenne pepper, chocolate, chocolate pots, chocolate pots with cayenne pepper, cinnamon whipped cream, desserts, Grand Marnier whipped cream, Valentine's Day Dessert

After my third attempt in presenting my brother with a dessert deemed worthy of his Valentine’s Day dinner menu, success! Although he liked them all, this one was the winner. Cayenne Chocolate Pots with Grand Marnier Whipped Cream. Outrageously decadent, I admit, but just perfect for chocoholics who are looking for that little twist in their chocolate pot. The taste of cayenne pepper is completely undetected. After the first spoonful you get the rich, unctuous taste of dark chocolate. After the second spoonful, you are in chocolate heaven! At this point, you start to feel a little heat at the back of your throat. By the third spoonful, the warmth that engulfs your throat and mouth, just slightly, leaves you with a pleasant sensation. And I haven’t even mentioned the whipped cream with Grand Marnier. Well, what more needs to be said about the marriage of dark chocolate and orange liqueur? Pure lusciousness in a pot!

I made a kid-friendly version for the girls. Meaning, no cayenne and freshly grated cinnamon in the whipped cream instead of Grand Marnier. And I made them in heart dishes. I chose to wait before having my dessert. I have to say, these are not for the faint-of-heart. It is pure, chocolate indulgence at its best. I thought that surely the girls couldn’t finish them off and that I would swoop in and clean-up their bowls. Clearly, I was mistaken!

Although these little pots are quite simple to make and only requires 5 ingredients, the quality of the chocolate you use has got to be exceptional. I tend to use Belgian chocolate, Callebaut. But you can use Valrhona, Barry, Scharffen Berger… just not the baking chocolate you pick-up at the grocer’s.

Chocolate Pots

2 cups of whole milk
500g of dark chocolate (more or less 70% cocoa), chopped up
6 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, optional

Over medium heat, bring milk to a simmer. Add the chocolate chunks, stirring until melted. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks. Slowly begin to add the chocolate, one ladle at a time, whisking continuously. You want to do this slowly so the eggs don’t cook and scramble. Once you’re about 1/2 way through, add the remaining chocolate and continue to whisk. Add the vanilla, salt and cayenne if using. I’m not very good at measuring and keeping track. Instead, I taste. So after adding say 1/8 of a teaspoon of cayenne, I tasted the chocolate and adjusted until I got the desired effect. Transfer the mixture to small pots, cups, glasses, bowls… or into one large bowl. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours for the small pots and 3 to 4 hours if using a large bowl. Add a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!

Whipped Cream

1 cup of 35% whipping cream

1 teaspoon freshly grated cinnamon or about 1 tablespoon of Grand Marnier

Whip up the cream until soft peaks form. Fold in some freshly grated cinnamon. Or if you’re using Grand Marnier, whisk it into the cream as you’re whipping it up. Again, I kept adding little splashes of it as I went along. Taste and adjust to your liking.

Ultimate Stovetop Potatoes

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fried potatoes, potatoes, side dish, stove-top potatoes

Potatoes, the world’s favourite root vegetable. Whether or not it is loved as much in your household as it is in mine, you have got to give these a try. So simple, yet amazingly scrumptious! What makes them so good? They’re fried in butter and extra virgin olive oil until they’ve absorbed all of that yumminess, making them crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

As I was cutting up the potatoes, Peter walked into the kitchen and asked if those were just for the girls. When I replied in the negative, he asked if I was kidding. Those wouldn’t be enough for the four of us, he went on. He had a point. Of course, we could always eat more potatoes. But did we really need to?

I peeled and cubed 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes.  I rinsed them in cold water and then dried them on a dish towel.

In a frying pan over medium heat, I added 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 or 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. I added the potatoes, pepper and about 1 teaspoon of salt. I let them sit in the pan for about 6 or 7 minutes without stirring, allowing for a crust to form.

Once I did stir them, I allowed them to cook for a good 5 minutes at a time before stirring again. After a total of about 25 or 30 minutes, having absorbed all of that golden butter and fruity olive oil, they were done.

Peter was right after all. Charlotte took her first bite and was in Potato Heaven. As for Emma, they were the best potatoes she’d ever had. An argument broke out over who would get the left-overs. Needless to say, there were no left-overs and all three were glaring at me, demanding to know why I had made so little potatoes. Give them a try and see for yourself. Make sure you have plenty more than I did, or you might have to quell an argument over this simple spud!

White Chocolate and Passionfruit Mousse

Next up on the dessert list for a restaurant Valentine’s Day dinner is White Chocolate and Passionfruit Mousse. How good does that sound? As good as it looks! With 4 simple ingredients, you can indulge in a fabulous dessert.

Recipe from Nigella Lawson

300 g white chocolate

10 passion fruits, or 20 tbsp passion fruit pulp

6 eggs, separated

300 g raspberries

Melt the white chocolate. I use the double boiler method but you can also melt it in the microwave. If you use the microwave, do so in 15 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted. Set aside to cool.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently mix the egg yolks with the cooled chocolate. Mix the passionfruit pulp, including juice and seeds, into the chocolate mixture and then fold into the egg whites until completely incorporated.

You can use a large bowl or small, individual bowls. I used all sorts of pretty glasses. Martini, brandy, champagne and just plain drinking glasses. Line the bottom with raspberries.

Fill each glass or bowl with mousse and top with a raspberry. Sit back and enjoy!

Passion Crepes

Tags

crepes, desserts, Passion Crepes, passion fruit, passion fruit caramel sauce, pastry cream, Valentine's Day Dessert, vanilla pastry cream

February is the month of LOVE. I can just imagine some of you rolling your eyes and thinking that every month should be the month of love. Some of you may be of the opinion that Valentine’s day is far too commercial. And you’re right. I always show my loved ones how much they are appreciated and loved, no matter what month it is. But I have to admit, I love Valentine’s Day. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not into going out and spending money on gifts. But I do love giving them that little extra something. Sweets for my sweets! Like making heart-shaped desserts, or serving chocolate pudding in heart-shaped bowls. And that’s not something I do every day. And besides, how can I not love Valentine’s when Emma reminds me every year that she is my Valentine gift. She was born on the 15th, you see.

I’ve mentioned before that my brother is a Chef and owner of an Italian restaurant, La Vieille Banque. He rang me the other day asking for a dessert idea for his Valentine’s Day dinner. Needless to say that Valentine’s is HUGE business for restaurants. I gave it some thought. What is Valentine’s Day about? Sweet, love, heat… And what came to mind was chocolate, passion fruit, cayenne pepper.

First up is Passion Crepes. Crepes filled with a vanilla pastry cream and drizzled with a passion fruit caramel sauce. I came across this recipe in the South Beach Wine & Food Festival Cookbook. It was originally created by Claude Troisgros for a special dinner for Bill Clinton. I thought I’d give it a try. The pastry cream was pure bliss. The passion fruit sauce, divine! The crepes were light and fluffy and slightly sweet…superb! The only downfall is the amount of time it takes to make the crepes. I’ve made crepes before, but never this way. They’re great if serving a small group, say 8 to 10 people. But if you need to make over 100, which is what my brother needs, it is far too time-consuming. The recipe yields 20 crepes. It takes 20 minutes to cook up 5 crepes! You would need a Pastry Chef along with 2 Sous-Pastry Chefs to get 100 of these done!

Pastry Cream

3 large egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp flour

1 cup whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

In a mixing bow, whisk egg yolks with sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour.

In a saucepan, bring milk, vanilla bean and vanilla seeds to a boil.

Remove pan from heat and gradually stir in the egg yolk mixture. Return pan to the heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and cook until thick, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl, allowing to cool for at least 2 hours. Note: If you fill your crepes with a substantial amount of cream the way I did, you should double up on the pastry cream.

Passion Fruit Caramel Sauce

8 oz./225 g passion fruit

3/4 cup sugar

8 tbsp water

2 tbsp cold butter

There’s a passion fruit dessert which is quite popular amongst the Portuguese community and because of this, Portuguese grocery stores carry passion fruit pulp. It comes frozen in 1 lb./450 g and can be found both with the seeds or without. Lucky for me, we have a Portuguese neighbourhood here in Montreal where I scooped up a few packages of each. If you’re in a part of the world where you can purchase them fresh at this time of year, you’re even luckier than I am! So, begin by combining the sugar and 1 tbsp of water in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until it turns a light caramel colour. Do keep an eye on it as it takes but a few seconds to go from light in colour to dark, turning your caramel into a bitter-tasting one. Remove from heat and add passion fruit with seeds and remaining 7 tbsp of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted and set aside.

Crepes

10 large eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

1 cup plus 1 tbsp flour

2 cups whole milk

6 tbsp butter

1 tsp baking soda

In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1/2 cup of sugar until pale and smooth. Gradually add the flour.

In a saucepan, bring the milk and butter to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool 2 minutes. Pour hot milk into egg yolk mixture and mix well.

In a clean bowl, beat egg whites and remaining 1/2 cup of sugar until soft peaks form. Stir in the baking soda. Fold the egg whites into the batter.

Heat oven at 350 degrees F.

Heat some butter in a non-stick pan and add a generous ladle of batter. You can use a 6-inch pan if you’ve got one and fill with enough batter to cover. I used a larger pan and made 6-inch crepes, making it easier to lift. Cook 2 minutes on one side only and then place crepe on a baking sheet. I was able to fit 5 crepes on my baking sheet. Bake in oven for 10 minutes.

Fill each crepe half with a generous amount of pastry cream. Fold over and either sit atop some passion fruit sauce, or drizzle sauce over crepe. Or both! Enjoy!