Hello Chippies,

As you probably noticed, there have not been any posts in a few days.  That’s because we are based in Slave Lake, Alberta and if you have been following the news, you know that we had a huge wildfire ravage our community.  Many of our friends and family lost their homes and none of us know what we will be coming home to, whenever that may be.  The town is so unsafe right now that no one is allowed in.  I have no idea how much damage was done to my house or even if I have a job when I get back.   It may be days or weeks before I know anything.  Everything is so uncertain so I ask for your prayers and postive thoughts during this time.

I’ll keep you posted.

Nicole

• 2 strips of bacon
• 1/2 pear, cut into thin slices
• old white cheddar
• 2 slices whole wheat bread
• dijon mustard

Directions:

Cook slices of bacon.  Place on paper towels to absorb excess grease and set aside.  Toast both slices of bread.   When ready, smooth on dijon mustard on one side of the bread.  Top with bacon, thinly sliced pear and white cheddar.  Complete with other slice of bread (you can add dijon to this slice too or simply use butter).

As you can see, I am still haunted by April’s CCC grilled cheese challenge.  This combo of pear and bacon, I thought, was pretty unique.  The white cheddar brought a nice bite to the sandwich and salty bacon is always welcome here.  The lovely pear got a bit lost against the dijon.  It just overpowered it completely so next time I think I’d just leave it out.  Otherwise a pretty cool sandwich.

I give this recipe 7 chips out of a bag of 10.

Notes:
• Putting aluminum foil on the muffin pan heat-proof bowls is essential or they will be stuck to the form. Be gentle when removing the aluminum foil from bacon cups.
• Bacon shrinks a lot so make sure weave is tight on the form. Tuck the ends of the bacon strips inside otherwise they will curl while cooking. A good idea is to insert 4 toothpicks where the crisscrossed bacon meets in the weave.
• For the nut bowls, use about 1 cup of whole nuts to get 3/4 cups of crushed.
• In the maple mousse recipe, after the gelatine has bloomed (softened) in the cold whipping cream, the gelatine MUST be heated to melt completely…contrary to popular belief. Follow the directions as described and never let gelatine boil or it will become stringy and unusable.
• If you make the meringues let them cool in the oven once they are baked… just don’t forget to turn off the oven when they are done. This cooling process will help then dry out nicely and be crispier.
Preparation time:
Bacon cups: preparation 15 minutes, bake 25-40 minutes depending on cup size, cooling 1 hour.
Nut Crust: preparation 30 minutes, baking about 15 minutes, cooling 1 hour.
Maple mousse: preparation 15 minutes, cooling 1 hour, refrigeration 1 hour.
Vegan maple mousse: preparation 10 minutes, refrigeration 1hour.
Meringue Time preparation 15 minutes, baking 45 minutes, cooling 2-3 hours.

Equipment required:
• muffin pan or 6 small ½ cup capacity heat-proof bowls
• heat proof shot glasses for smaller bacon cups
• aluminum foil
• scissors
• knife
• toothpicks
• baking tray
• food processor or zip-lock bag and a rolling pin
• various sizes of mixing bowls
• wooden mixing spoon
• rubber spatulas
• whisk
• small pan
• blender or hand mixer
• baking parchment or silicone mat
• piping bag or large zip-lock bag

Bacon Cups:

Ingredients:
• 24 thin slices good quality bacon

Directions:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C.
2. Take a muffin pan or 6 small ½ cup capacity heat-proof bowls, turn upside down and carefully form aluminum foil covers on the back of 6 muffin cups or the bowls.
3. Taking 2 strips of bacon at a time crisscross the strips over the backs of the muffin cups and cut to size a tad longer then the bottom part of the cup. Now use 1 to 2 more strips to cover the sides of the muffin cups in a weaving fashion. You want a full tight weave because bacon shrinks a lot. For smaller cups I used a shot glass with a square of bacon for the bottom and I wrapped 1 strip around the side.
4. Tuck the ends of the bacon strips inside otherwise they will curl while cooking. A good idea is to insert 4 toothpicks where the crisscrossed bacon meets in the weave.
5. Place muffin pan in a cookie tray to catch drippings. Bake in oven for about 25 to 40 minutes, or until the bacon is golden and crisp but not burned.
6. Cool completely, a good hour, before removing your cups delicately from the foil.

Nut Bowls:

Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cups crushed nuts of your choice such as almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts
• 1 egg, beaten, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces

Directions:
1. Use a food processor or a zip-lock back with a rolling pin to crush your nuts if whole, use about 1 cup of whole nuts to get 3/4 cups crushed. You want it somewhat coarse.
2. In a bowl mix the nuts with the beaten egg and the sugar.
3. Take 6 small ½ cup capacity Pyrex cups or a similar container and line the inside with aluminum foil. Spread ¼ cup of the mixture in the bowl, all the way up to the sides making sure you have a thin and even clean layer all around.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F/175 degrees C. until the nuts are golden and fragrant (about 15 minutes). Let cool completely before unmolding.
5. Melt chocolate (either in the microwave or over a double boiler). Dip the rims of the cooled nut bowls in the chocolate. Place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened and is set.

Maple Mousse:

Ingredients:
• 1 cup (240 ml/ 8 fluid oz.) pure maple syrup (not maple-flavoured syrup)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 package (7g/1 tbsp.) unflavoured gelatine
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml. g/12 fluid oz) whipping cream (35% fat content)

Directions:
1. Bring maple syrup to a boil then remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and pour a little bit of the maple syrup in while whisking (this is to temper your egg yolks so they don’t curdle).
3. Add warmed egg yolks to hot maple syrup until well mixed.
4. Measure 1/4 cup of whipping cream in a bowl and sprinkle it with the gelatine. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Place the bowl in a microwave for 45 seconds (microwave for 10 seconds at a time and check it in between) or place the bowl in a pan of barely simmering water, stir to ensure the gelatine has completely dissolved.
5. Whisk the gelatine/whipping cream mixture into the maple syrup mixture and set aside.
6. Whisk occasionally for approximately an hour or until the mixture has the consistency of an unbeaten raw egg white.
7. Whip the remaining cream. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the maple syrup mixture. Fold in the remaining cream and refrigerate for at least an hour.
8. Remove from the fridge and divide equally among your edible containers.

Vegan Maple Mousse:

Ingredients:
• 1 package (12 oz.) soft silken tofu
• ¾ cup (14 fluid oz.) pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp agar-agar

Directions:
1. Let tofu come to room temperature. Using a food processor, blender, or hand mixer, blend tofu until just smooth.
2. Sprinkle agar-agar on the maple syrup and let it rest for 10 minutes. Heat maple syrup on the stove to a boil and then let it simmer 5 minutes until the agar-agar has dissolved.
3. In a food processor, blender, or a large bowl, blend the tofu with the maple syrup until creamy.
4. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Remove from the fridge and divide among your edible containers.

Meringue (optional):

Ingredients:
• 3 large egg whites at room temperature
• ¾ cup (165 g./5.5 oz) sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F/150 degrees C.
2. Put the egg whites in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer beat for a few minutes until the whites become stiff. Now add the sugar, a little at a time, whisking until the mixture is stiff and glossy. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down and the mixture won’t fall out.
3. Place baking parchment on to a clean baking sheet. Using a spoon or a piping bag, dollop the meringue into circles that fit inside the rim of your edible cups. (See mine, I wanted height but they fell a bit…which is OK…freeform art)
4. Put the tray in the oven, then immediately turn the oven down to 250 degrees F/130 degrees C. and bake for 45 minutes.
5. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool in the oven for a few hours.
6. Place meringues as decoration on your maple mousse which has already be spooned into your edible containers.

Have fun and be creative when making your individual cups. Add chocolate here, place a meringue there, dip or drizzle chocolate or extra maple syrup. You are limited only by your imagination!

 

Unforunately, I ended up having to sit this challenge out.  April is the most chaotic month of the year for me.  I think it may be even worse than December.  I do encourage you to try this recipe though cause it sounds pretty wicked and I think an edible container is a great way to stretch your creativity.  Maybe once this ridiculous month is over, perhaps I too will have a chance to try this one out.

Until next time, happy eats!

• 2 slices of whole wheat bread
• 4-6 strawberries, sliced
• 2 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
• zest of orange (optional)
• drizzle of honey
• powdered sugar to garnish, if desired

Toast the bread.  While toasting, mix the softened cream cheese with a bit of zest from an orange (how much is up to you, but I’d say about 1/2 a teaspoon should be good).  When the bread is ready, slather both slices with the cream cheese mixture.  Slice the strawberries and lay them evenly on one slice.  Drizzle the strawberries with honey.  Top with the other slice of bread and cut into 2 halves.  Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

This is a great treat and a super spin on a “grilled cheese”, if you will.  I can not stress enough how important is it that you have bread that will hold up to the strawberries, which is why I recommend a whole wheat variety.  No soft white bread here, Chippies.  Get hearty stuff.  Anyway, the orange zest lends a subtle tang while the honey gives some wonderful sweetness.  Creaminess from the cheese is texturally wonderful and do yourself a favor and get the best strawberries you can find.  It will make a difference.

I give this recipe 8 chips out of a bag of 10.

No, I didn’t fall off the face of the planet over the last couple of weeks, but it has been extremely hectic around here.  April is always a chaotic month filled with dance festivals, an anniversary (which has yet to be celebrated this year) and my daughter’s birthday.  This year Miss Chipette turns 9 and she was hoping for a Monster High (hence the hot pink and black colours) themed party.  This was not the original plan and left me a little stressed on how to proceed with less than a week to get it all done. 

I made the above cake using pretty much every cheat method known to man.  I used a white cake mix and coloured it hot pink with bought white frosing inbetween the layers.  Then I tinted chocolate icing black to cover the outside of the cake.  I melted down some Wilton candy melts and used a mold to make the hearts and tinted some left over white frosting with Wilton rose colouring to get the hot pink border piped on.  The cake “topper” is actually a toy of Count Fabulous of Monster High which lights up that Miss Chipette wanted anyway (thanks J. for the idea).  And tadaa!  The cake was complete.  I was a little sad my hot pink did not match the Count’s shirt but it did go with his bow so I guess that’s ok.

The kids loved the cake, by the way.  The hot pink interior was unexpected and was met with a chorus of “oooohs” which, I have to say, was quite fabulous.  I found though that the black tint I used on the icing made it taste bitter but was ok once you ate it with the ice cream I had on hand.

Oh, and the girls also found it hilarious that their tongues were all black afterward as well.

Happy birthday, Miss Chipette.  Love you forever and then some.

XOXO, Mom

Jamie found this recipe on a piece of yellowed paper in her dad’s collection of clipped out and hand-written recipes from the 1970’s, no source, no date, and she tried the recipe and it was brilliant!

Preparation time:
For the dough:
10 – 15 minutes preparation of the dough
8 – 10 minutes kneading
45 – 60 minutes first rise
10 – 15 minutes to prepare meringue, roll out, fill and shape dough
an additional 45 – 60 minutes for second rising.

Baking time: approximately 30 minutes

Equipment required:
Measuring cups for dry ingredients
Measuring cup for liquid
Measuring spoons
Cutting board and sharp knife for chopping nuts & chocolate if using
2 large mixing bowls
1 small mixing bowl
1 medium mixing bowl for beating egg whites, preferably plastic or metal
1 medium saucepan
Electric mixer or stand mixer
Wooden spoon
Rolling pin
Spatula
Clean kitchen scissors or sharp knife
Plastic wrap & clean kitchen towel
Parchment paper
2 medium-sized baking trays (or 1 large if your oven is large enough)
Cooling racks
Serving platter
Vegetable oil to grease bowl

FILLED MERINGUE COFFEE CAKE
Makes 2 round coffee cakes, each approximately 10 inches in diameter
The recipe can easily be halved to make one round coffee cake

Ingredients
For the yeast coffee cake dough:

4 cups (600 g / 1.5 lbs.) flour
¼ cup (55 g / 2 oz.) sugar
¾ teaspoon (5 g / ¼ oz.) salt
1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons / 7 g / less than an ounce) active dried yeast
¾ cup (180 ml / 6 fl. oz.) whole milk
¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fl. oz. water (doesn’t matter what temperature)
½ cup (135 g / 4.75 oz.) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature

10 strands saffron for Ria’s version (Saffron might be hard to find and it’s expensive, so you can substitute with ½ – 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom or ground nutmeg. Or simply leave it plain like Jamie’s version)

For the meringue:

3 large egg whites at room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup (110 g / 4 oz.) sugar

For the filling:

Jamie’s version:
1 cup (110 g / 4 oz.) chopped pecans or walnuts
2 Tablespoons (30 g / 1 oz.) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (170 g / 6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate

Ria’s version:
1 cup (130 g / 5 oz.) chopped cashew nuts
2 Tablespoons (30 g / 1 oz.) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon garam masala (You can make it at home – recipe below – or buy from any Asian/Indian grocery store)
1 cup (170g / 6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips ( I used Ghirardelli)

Egg wash: 1 beaten egg
Cocoa powder (optional) and confectioner’s sugar (powdered/icing sugar) for dusting cakes

**Garam (means “hot”) masala (means “mixture”) is a blend of ground spices and is used in most Indian savory dishes. It is used in limited quantities while cooking vegetables, meats & eggs. There is no “one” recipe for it as every household has a recipe of their own. Below, I am going to share the recipe which I follow.

4 or 5 sticks (25 g) Cinnamon Sticks (break a stick and open the scroll)
3 ½ tablespoons (25 g / less than an ounce) Cloves, whole
100 g. (3.5 oz.) Fennel seeds
4 tablespoons (25 g / less than an ounce) Cumin seeds
1 ½ tablespoons (10 g / less than half an ounce) Peppercorns
25 g (less than half an ounce) Green Cardamom pods

In a small pan on medium heat, roast each spice individually (it hardly takes a minute) until you get a nice aroma. Make sure you stir it throughout so that it doesn’t burn. As soon as each spice is roasted, transfer it to a bowl to cool slightly. Once they are all roasted, grind into a fine powder by using a coffee grinder, or pestle & mortar. Store in an airtight container and use as needed.

Directions:

Prepare the dough:

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups (230 g) of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted. Ria’s version: add the 10 saffron threads to the warmed liquid and allow to steep off of the heat for 10 minutes. This will give the mixture a distinct aroma and flavor and a yellowish-orange hue.

With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add the eggs and 1 cup (150 g) flour and beat for 2 more minutes.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface (use any of the 1 ½ cups of flour remaining) and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.

Place the dough in a lightly greased (I use vegetable oil) bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.

Prepare your filling:In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the filling if using. You can add the chopped nuts to this if you like, but I find it easier to sprinkle on both the nuts and the chocolate separately.

Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue:
In a clean mixing bowl – ideally a plastic or metal bowl so the egg whites adhere to the side (they slip on glass) and you don’t end up with liquid remaining in the bottom – beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque. Add the vanilla then start adding the ½ cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

Assemble the Coffee Cakes:

Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Punch down the dough and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of the dough at a time (keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic), roll out the dough into a 20 x 10-inch (about 51 x 25 ½ cm) rectangle. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch (3/4 cm) from the edges. Sprinkle half of your filling of choice evenly over the meringue (ex: half of the cinnamon-sugar followed by half the chopped nuts and half of the chocolate chips/chopped chocolate).

Now, roll up the dough jellyroll style, from the long side. Pinch the seam closed to seal. Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined cookie sheets, seam side down. Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal.

Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife (although scissors are easier), make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch (2 ½ cm) intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring.

Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings.

Cover the 2 coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Brush the tops of the coffee cakes with the egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should sound hollow when tapped.

Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheets onto the table. Very gently loosen the coffee cakes from the paper with a large spatula and carefully slide the cakes off onto cooling racks. Allow to cool.

Just before serving, dust the tops of the coffee cakes with confectioner’s sugar as well as cocoa powder if using chocolate in the filling. These are best eaten fresh, the same day or the next day.

(My unbaked cake pictured above)

I enjoy having coffee cake and this version was a bit unusal to me. But a great version. I added a mixture of dark and milk chocolate along with the pecans and meringue. I did end up rolling up my cake the wrong way though–DUH! You’re supposed to roll it up along the “long” side, not the short one. So my poor little cake ended up being small and chubby. It was quite delicious though (not too sweet), even if it came out a little dry (I suspect I may have overbaked it a touch), but a little ice cream on top solved that problem quite nicely. :0)

I give this recipe 8 chips out of a bag of 10.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
17 caramels, unwrapped and cut into small pieces (yes, you can eat one)
1 cup dark 50% chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees Celsius).

In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla; mix well.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Blend flour mixture into wet mixture until just blended.

Stir in caramels and chocolate chips.

Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls onto a lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Chocolate and caramel is one of my favorite duos so when I saw this recipe I almost wet myself.   Then, I realized with mounting horror, that I am not exactly great at making chocolate chip cookies.  I don’t know why but I somehow always screw something up.  Hence, in this house, it falls to Mr. Chips to make them.  Today, though, he is at work and I am at home with some time on my hands. 

Cookie baking time.  Yup, gotta suck it up and get in there to try again.

Turns out that this recipe is pretty good but my batter seemed a little dry.  Did I mismeasure the butter?  Anything is possible.  I added a couple tablespoons of milk to help it hold together better and popped my cookies into the oven.  They smelled divine.  I waited impatiently to test one out.

The verdict?

Slightly crisp along the outside and soft and sticky on the inside.  The flavor was alright but I hated how badly the caramel stuck to my teeth. 

Note to self: do not eat these in front of someone you are trying to make a good impression on.  Eat them alone with a cold glass of milk.

I give this recipe 7.5 chips out of a bag of 10.  Mr. Chips secret family recipe still reigns supreme.

• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable margarine
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 cup sliced white mushrooms (about 6 to 8 mushrooms)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed, dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1×12 ounce can reduced-fat evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1×5 ounce can light water-pack tuna, drained and flaked
• 3 cups NO YOLKS noodles (prefer Extra Broad), cooked according to package directions
• 1/3 cup canned French fried onion rings

1. Melt the margarine in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion, bell pepper and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to mix in. Add salt, thyme and pepper; stir again.
2. Gradually add evaporated milk, stirring constantly, scraping up any browned bits in bottom of skillet. Add peas. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until milk is slightly thickened. Stir in tuna and NO YOLKS noodles. Spoon noodle mixture into a large, shallow baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Sprinkle onion rings over noodles. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until onion rings and noodles are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let set for a minute before serving.

Just from the name of this casserole, I knew I would have to make a few substitutions.  First off, Mr. Chips does not do tuna.  Ever.  Secondly, both he and the Kiddie Chips dislike peppers.  Oh dear.  After I took pause for a moment, I knew what I would do: substitute ham for the fish and thinly sliced carrots for the peppers.  Worked wonderfully!  I was curious about the fried onion rings.  I had only ever seen them on tv (it is my experience that this is a big thing in the US).  Luckily I was actually able to find a small can of them in my grocery store.  And, bonus!  My kids actually ate them!  I convinced them that even though they were onions, they were onion CHIPS.  Ah hah!!  And we all know, chips can’t be bad, right?  :0)

Tastewise, this was an ok casserole.  It was slightly dry because I put in too many noodles for the amount of sauce.  Why do people write recipes and give the measurement for noodles in cups (and not bother to say whether this is before or after the noodles are cooked) when the bag the noodles come in uses grams???  This confuses me and I am the first to admit I am mathematically challenged.

Anyway, aside from my noodle issue, we did polish off the casserole over the next 2 days.  No real complaints about this recipe but it wasn’t well received enough to bother doing again, I think.  I did like how easy it was to put together and that most people would have the ingredients on hand or would be able to substitute without much effort.

I give this recipe 7 chips out of a bag of 10.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk

Butterscotch

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons Scotch (or other whisky)
• 1/4 cup 35% cream, hot
• 2 tablespoons salted butter

Vanilla buttercream icing

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons 35% cream, hot

I enjoy making cupcakes.  To me, they are a fun, simple dessert.  Not as big as a slice of cake but enough to give you a little something sweet to end a meal with.  My favorite part of this challenge was filling the cupcake with butterscotch.  I love the idea of a suprise filling.  :0)

And for my little guy who isn’t so crazy about butterscotch, I filled a few of these little gems with Nutella:

Overall, these cupcakes were very tasty.  My one beef is with the buttercream frosting.  Way to sweet for me!  Be warned: have a glass of milk handy to wash it down with.  Otherwise a nice cupcake to have in your repertoire.

I give this recipe 7.5 chips out of a bag of 10.

A few tips from Mallory:

• First, when you sprinkle your gelatin over your milk, be sure that it’s a thin even layer of gelatin, no clumps. When you heat it up after it’s soaked a bit, you’ll be less likely to get any lumps of gelatin in the finished product.
• Second, if you would like to unmold your Panna Cotta from a ramekin simply run a knife along the edge, dip the ramekin in a bit of hot water, then invert onto your serving platter. Viola! Unmolded Panna Cotta. (Be aware though, Panna Cotta is not Jell-o, it’s got a much softer texture so it does not keep its shape in the same way as Jell-o)
• If you cannot find powdered gelatin/only have access to sheet gelatin this can be used. Please follow the directions on the package for conversions.
• Milk substitutes, such as skim, almond, or even coconut milk can be used in the vanilla Panna Cotta in place of the whole milk, but cream is important. In order to get the right texture there needs be a certain percentage of cream fat! There are lower fat recipes out there that use yogurts in place of milk, but the recipes I’ve chosen are full fat, sorry guys!!
• The Florentine cookie and chocolate Panna Cotta are quite sweet, maybe too sweet for some. To lessen the sweetness factor consider using a dark chocolate, or bittersweet in both recipes. In regards to the Panna Cotta, I would reduce the sugar to 1/4 or 1/3 of a cup, and perhaps pair it with a more bitter element like coffee gelée or a tart fruit.

Preparation time:
• 20-25 minutes to prepare the Panna Cotta – at least 6 hours to chill
• 20-25 minutes to prepare the cookies 6-8 minutes to bake

Equipment required:
• Small mixing bowl
• Two medium sized heavy bottom pot or saucepan
• Wooden spoon and/or whisk
• Glasses or ramekins – something to pour and serve your Panna Cotta in
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Silpat or wax paper or parchment paper
• Baking sheet
• Small bowl

Giada’s Vanilla Panna Cotta

Ingredients
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
1 tablespoon (one packet) (15 ml) (7 gm) (¼ oz) unflavored powdered gelatin
3 cups (720 ml) whipping cream (30+% butterfat)
1/3 cup (80 ml) honey
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) granulated sugar
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Pour the milk into a bowl or pot and sprinkle gelatin evenly and thinly over the milk (make sure the bowl/pot is cold by placing the bowl/pot in the refrigerator for a few minutes before you start making the Panna Cotta). Let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin.
2. Pour the milk into the saucepan/pot and place over medium heat on the stove. Heat this mixture until it is hot, but not boiling, about five minutes. (I whisk it a few times at this stage).
3. Next, add the cream, honey, sugar, and pinch of salt. Making sure the mixture doesn’t boil, continue to heat and stir occasionally until the sugar and honey have dissolved 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, allow it to sit for a few minutes to cool slightly. Then pour into the glass or ramekin.
5. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Add garnishes and serve.

Hope you love it!

Chocolate Panna Cotta

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (7 gm) (¼ oz) unflavored powdered gelatin
2 cups (480 ml) whipping cream (30+% butterfat)
½ cup (115 gm) (4 oz) sugar
¾ cup (145 gm)(5 oz) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Pour milk into a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the top, set aside for 2-5 minutes.
2. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir in cream, sugar and vanilla. Bring to a low boil.
3. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Whisk the milk/gelatin mixture into chocolate cream mixture. Whisk until gelatin has dissolved.
4. Transfer to ramekins, or nice glasses for serving.
5. Cover and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight

Nestle Florentine Cookies

Recipe from the cookbook “Nestle Classic Recipes”, and their website.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup (160 ml) (150 gm) (5.3 oz) unsalted butter
2 cups (480 ml) (160 gm) (5 2/3 oz) quick oats
1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) (8 oz) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) (95 gm) (3⅓ oz) plain (all purpose) flour
1/4 cup (60 ml) dark corn syrup
1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1½ cups (360 ml) (250 gm) (9 oz) dark or milk chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven to moderately hot 375°F (190°C) (gas mark 5). Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat.



2. To the melted butter add oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Drop a tablespoon full, three inches (75 mm) apart, onto your prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of your tablespoon, or use a spatula.



3. Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheets.



4. While the cookies are cooling melt your chocolate until smooth either in the microwave (1 1/2 minutes), or stovetop (in a double boiler, or a bowl that fits atop a saucepan filled with a bit of water, being sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl).



5. Peel the cookies from the silpat or parchment and place face down on a wire rack set over a sheet of wax/parchment paper (to keep counters clean).



6. Spread a tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom/flat side of your cookie, sandwiching another (flat end) cookie atop the chocolate.

This recipe will make about 2 1/2 – 3 dozen sandwiched Florentine cookies. You can also choose not to sandwich yours, in which case, drizzle the tops with chocolate (over your wax paper).

Note: The next two recipes are just examples – If you want gelée to go with your Panna Cotta, feel free to use them, or find other gelée recipes to use.

Coffee Gelée

Adapted from this recipe in Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
2 cups (480 ml) good quality brewed coffee
1/4 cup (60 ml) hot water + 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water
1/2 cup (120 ml) (115 gm) (4 oz) granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons (7½ ml) (3½ gm) (1/8 oz) unflavored powdered gelatin
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place granulated sugar and 1/4 c. hot water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tablespoons cold water and let it soften 2 minutes or so.
3. Stir the coffee, sugar, hot water, and vanilla into a small metal bowl, add gelatin mixture and stir well until gelatin has dissolved. If pouring over Panna Cotta, be sure that this mixture is no longer hot, it will melt Panna Cotta if it is, let it come to room temperature.

Fruit Gelée

Recipe by Mallory

Ingredients:
1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) (8 oz) fruit (strawberries, raspberries, mango, blackberry, etc.)
*Note: Certain fruits interact with gelatin and stop it gelling like pineapple and kiwi etc.
3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
1/4 cup (60 ml) (60 gm) (2 oz) granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons (7½ ml) (3½ gm) (1/8 oz) unflavored powdered gelatin

Directions:

1. Sprinkle gelatin over water.
2. Place fruit and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Now mix the gelatin into the strawberry mixture and stir until gelatin has dissolved.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool (close to room temp, again, if you’re planning on layering on pouring on top of your Panna Cotta, a hot mixture will also heat up your chilled Panna Cotta).

I’ve made panna cotta before.  A looooooooooong time ago and it wasn’t great.  It wasn’t necessarily bad, it was just meh, y’know?  Before diving into this challenge, I did a bit of research and found you can really make panna cotta your own by changing up the flavors in a variety of ways.  I love being able to adapt a recipe.  :0)  The above photo shows the vanilla version of the panna cotta as given to us by our hostess.  It is actually quite sweet so to cut that a bit, I added a dark chocolate ganache on top.  The florentine cookies are wonderful.  Soft, chewy, sweet but with the dark chocolate drizzle on there, it gives a super balance.  Yum!

Then I thought I’d try a version with a strawberry gelee.  I let my panna cotta set for about 3 hours before adding the gelee on top.  After an additional 2 hours, I tried to smooth on my chocolate ganache.  As you can see it was a little thick resulting in a lumpy top.

Flavorwise, though, it was a winner.  I am really glad I went with dark chocolate because otherwise I am sure the effect would have been too sweet and cloying.  This recipe takes very little time to prepare so it’s a great one to make in advance for guests.  Makes you look like a culinary genius for very little effort! :0)  I would love to try a butterscotch version of this or a coconut pineapple one.  So many options!  Some of our resident Daring Bakers even came up with savoury versions–be sure to check those out too!  Amazing!

I give this recipe 8 chips out of a bag of 10.