Earl Grey & Bittersweet Chocolate Terrine

Smooth, rich, luscious. Think of it as  mousse on steroids. I used a strong infusion of the Mrs. Earl Grey tea that I had gotten at Teavana a few weeks ago. I thought that the combination of flavors would be a good one, and I purposely used as little sugar as possible to intensify the chocolate flavor to an adult level. It works, it works the same way as a Godiva truffle and a cup of espresso work. This is not Jello Instant pudding, folks, nor is it Hersheys.

It is not hard to make. You do have to make it ahead so it can chill for 8 hours minimum.  The texture is amazing..You will think it is going ot be cakelike but as you putit in your mouth it melts and disappears, leaving an intense chocolate memory. I love this dessert.

It sounds complicated but like riding a bike it is really easy once you know how.

Earl Grey & Bittersweet Chocolate Terrine

Serves 8

• 2/3 c whipping cream divided
• 8 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 2 Tbs unsalted butter, chopped
• 3 Tbs strong infusion of Mrs.Earl Grey, or any other Earl Grey Tea.
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 c sugar

Ganache Glaze

• 1/2 c dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 c heavy cream

Bring heavy cream just to a boil, remove from heat and add chocolate, stir until smooth. Pour and smooth over the cold terrine while still warm.

Method for Terrine

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Cover eggs with hot water, not boiling, and let them come to a slightly more than room temperature.
3. Bring 1/3 c heavy cream just to the boil and remove from heat. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate is fully melted and mixed with the cream. Add the butter. Continue to stir while adding the tea.
4. Whip the eggs and egg yolks for 5-6 minutes, or until nearly tripled in volume. Slowly add sugar and continue to whip. Be sure all the sugar crystals are gone.
5. Whip the last 1/3 of whipped cream. Fold the eggs into the chocolate, then fold the whipped cream in. Be careful not to deflate but mix thoroughly.
6. Set a loaf pan in a pan of warm water. Line the loaf pan with aluminum foil. Spoon the chocolate mixture in it and smooth top. Seal aluminum foil over the top, cutting a few vents in it to let steam escape. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes, checking it halfway through.
7. After 40 minutes it should look somewhat dull on top. Do not overcook!
8. Remove to a rack and allow to cool at room temp for an hour, then put in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
9. Unmold, Smooth the ganache glaze over it, slice, and serve with a dollop of whipped cream…if you dare.

I was raised on  Fig Newtons and they were what I thought figs were…and in 1965 that was good enough. I could eat them by the case and never tire of the magic sweetness, and complex heady flavor of the fig.

It took me until I was in my 20s to actually try a real, dried fig…. and it was years after that before I tried a fresh one.

Dang. There was no turning back. Thing is that figs have a flavor that reminds me of dark chocolate, velvet, and long summer nights… it is just so deep and unending. Hard to explain. How do you explain the flavor of a fig?

Thing is that figs are more versatile than most people give them credit for. Yep. There IS life after Fig Newtons. You have to be careful that the flavors you put with the figs complement them and are not overwhelmed. That is the key..and it isn’t easy to do.

The Balsamic in these figs adds sweet tang and depth that balances the sweetness of the figs. The pepper adds another layer of flavor that leaves your tongue dancing. Once you put the fig mixture on a bed of cream cheese, and top with a little more cheese…well dang.

So you have these heavenly flavors but no texture contrasts. Think about this..all of that figgy goodness on a crunchy croustade. Now your talkin’. How easy is this appetizer? Very easy… and you can easily make this ahead and just spread it on the croustades a before serving time.

Elegant, easy, delicious. This is a recipe that you will use in so many ways it isn’t funny. Have fun with it…and try not to eat all the fig spread before you have the croustades made.

Balsamic and Black Pepper Figs

• 1 lb dried figs, chopped
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 TBS. brown sugar
• 2 tsp cracked black pepper, or more to taste

1. Place figs in a pan with the balsamic, sugar, water, and black pepper.
2. Simmer until figs are soft and liquid is absorbed.
3. Taste and check for flavor.
4. Cool

Serious? Is that it? It sure is. Just spread baguette toasts with cream cheese, then a dollop of fig, and sprinkle with feta. It is absolutely amazing. Sweet and sour and tangy and  peppery; rich and creamy, and crunchy.

Great for those holiday appetizer buffets you will be attending before you know it. Great for parties. Great for snacks… Just do it.

images: Marye Audet

For years I *really* hated French Toast.  Commercial white bread, dipped in unseasoned egg and fried… it came out eggy and gooey. ick. That was French toast in the house when I was a kid. Generally I just asked for Corn Pops (yes, still a weakness).

Then one day I saw someone make it with french bread. Another time someone made it with Brioche…Pound cake…and I was struck with an amazing thought: French toast can be good.

Wow.

Now when I make French toast I am creative about it. Not just the toast but the topping for it. I mean, you can substitute all kinds of things for the milk or cream… add all sorts of flavors and textures. And toppings? Heck yeah!

When I was on my banana kick this past week I made a crunchy French toast that screamed for a warm fruit topping. No, really, it screamed. I thought the neighbors were gonna call FTPS. (French Toast Protective Services). Just to shut it up I threw some bananas, pineapple, and walnuts in the syrup I was making. Added a little rum extract….

Luckily the French toast got very quiet and the rest of the morning was without incident.

Now, I am not eating this stuff because I am on my low carb thing (14 days 6 pounds so far) but the family enjoyed it. You will, too.

Crunchy French Toast with Tropical Compote

• 16 slices of bread of choice, day old and slightly stale
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 6 eggs
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp rum flavoring
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Pinch of baking powder
• 4 cups Rice Krispies cereal, slightly smashed

1. Heat griddle until drops of water dance across it. Brush lightly with butter.
2. Whisk all ingredients except the bread and the cereal until well blended with a little froth on top.
3. Dip the bread into the wet mixture and allow excess to drip off.
4. Place in the cereal to coat both sides.
5. Fry on the griddle until it is golden brown and crispy. Turn and repeat on other side.
6. Keep warm.

Tropical Compote

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 can pineapple chunks in natural juice
• 3 firm bananas
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 tsp rum flavoring
• 1 pinch salt
• Water as needed

1. Drain the pineapple reserving the juice. Set pineapple aside.
2. Measure the juice and add enough water to make 1 3/4 cups.
3. Add to sugar in a large saucepan.
4. Bring to a boil and boil for about 2 minutes, stirring.
5. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients.
6. Serve hot over the French toast.

Serves 6-8

images:marye audet

All of a sudden life got interesting and fun rather than predictable and tiring. Some of the changes have been hard, some have been delightful, some have been heartbreaking…. and many haven’t even happened yet.

Life is cool like that. You just never know what can happen if you just keep breathing in one more time than you breathe out, you know?

Nine months ago I had several weeks of being suicidal. Where the only reason that I did not go through with my thoughts was the fact that I had children that needed me and my sense of adoration and responsibility toward them. I would never have imagined, on October 24th, that on July 24th I would be cherished, that I would be looking at the best year of my life financially, that I would be traipsing around the Western Caribbean for a week, and that there would be so much laughter in my house. I thought that my life would be endless days of hard work just to keep the kids in clothes and food…

I don’t know why I am taking this route to my thoughts this morning. Maybe someone needs to hear it. Maybe I just needed to say it. Breathe in one more time than you breathe out….. things will get better.

So…. let’s change it up with this week’s Saturday Surfing, shall we? It’s all about summer fruit this week…..

• Lemon Blackberry Turnovers
• Stone Fruit and Almond Crumble
• Blueberry Crumb Pie
• Lavender Cheesecake with Blueberries and Lavender Honey
• Peach and Cherry Delight with Lavender Mascarpone Cream
• Peach Fried Pies
• Saveur’s Plum Tart
• Strawberry Nutella Crumb Bars
• Southern Living’s Pecan Peach Cobbler
• Bing Cherry Sorbetto

Have a great week!

image: marye audet

Congrats to the five winners in this weeks giveaway:

1. Linette Gerlach
2. Cindy Turner
3. Louis
4. Kristin Cook
5. Lisa H.

I will be emailing you shortly. I just need you to get back to me with your information so I can pass it on to the publisher. Congrats!

Gotta love bananas.

Have you noticed that bananas are not considered upscale? I mean not that many five star desserts start out with a banana. Nope. It is the afterschool, milk and cake crowd that loves these things. And so do I.

In fact, you may find this hard to believe BUT my family once ate a whole case of bananas in two days….and lived to tell the tale.

If you love banana you are going to adore this cake. While I was baking it the whole house was banana scented. The flavor is intensely banana with a hint of rum. And, moist? Listen, if this was a state it would be Washington, o.k.?

This cake is moist. The texture changes from the tender cake to the crunchy walnuts and the creamy frosting make it interesting. Drooling yet?

The walnuts in the filling are cuddled (yes cuddled!) by a thick, sweet, rich caramel that is just thick enough to hold them together without being so thick you have to chew it.

The cream cheese frosting is rich and creamy and the slight tang from the cream cheese adds a nice flavor contrast to the sweet caramel. But, do not be fooled…it is definitely the banana that stars in this show.

This is an old fashioned cake. It isn’t fancy, or difficult but it is really, really good. I promise.

C’mon… you know you want some of this….

Old Fashioned Banana Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup very ripe mashed bananas (let them get almost liquid in the peel..seriously)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. rum extract
• 1/3 cup sour cream with enough heavy cream added to make 1/2 cup total

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients.
4. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each.
6. Beat in the banana.
7. Add the vanilla and rum extracts.
8. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
9. Spoon into pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
10. Cool in pan 10 minutes and then turn out to cool completely.
11. When completely cool cover one layer with filling. Add second layer.
12. Frost with the cream cheese frosting and garnish with walnuts.

Filling

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbs flour
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk or light cream
• 3 tbs unsalted butter

Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens. Ad 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 cup of chopped toasted walnuts, and a pinch of salt. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 - 8 oz packages of Philadelphia cream cheese
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tbs vanilla

1. Beat the butter and cream cheese until well blended and fluffy.
2. Add the confectioner’s sugar and continue to beat until smooth. You may need to add a bit more or less than specified.
3. Beat in the vanilla.

images: marye audet

O.k.. this giveaway is for a copy of the Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Eat Healthier, Prevent Disease, and Add Years to Your Life.

This is what Amazon says :

“The Flexitarian Diet” is the first book to describe what is potentially the next big diet and nutritional movement - ‘flexitarianism’. The concept has grown so popular that “Bon Apetit” selected ‘flexitarian’ as a hot trend for 2010. A flexitarian diet is part-time vegetarianism but, as the name suggests, flexitarianism is also about flexibility! a healthy, guided, customizable, appetizing, and family-friendly flexibility. “The Flexitarian Diet” begins with a quiz examining three nutrition factors: food preferences and aversions; whether the reader’s current diet is likely to cause shortfalls or overloads in particular nutrients; and, which food habits they most want to change. The answers point to best starting point for that reader.

There will be FIVE winners. Yep… I have five copies at my disposal.   Sooo… if you have been thinking of healthier eating..now may be the time!

Rules for enetering:

1. Leave a comment
2. Follow me on twitter - leave a comment telling me you did
3. Blog the contest and link to it and leave a comment
   
4. Sign up for the rss feed and leave a comment
   

Each person can only win one book. Contest will start today and end on Friday July 23 at 12 noon. Good luck!

Disclaimer: This cookbook is being supplied by the publisher. No money changed hands, I am not endorsing this cookbook. This giveaway is provided as a fun service to my readers.

I had a busy week. Running to the VA Hospital for a check up on the thyroid levels…shopping for rapidly growing kids…working, of course! I have never felt like I am on a hamster wheel so much as I have in the past few years! I always saw myself as sitting on the front porch, sipping coffee… savouring the delicious smell wafting from the kitchen…

I love my life. I just wish I could turn the switch to slow.

Summers used to be so slow, didn’t they? I would wake up with the delicious feeling that each day held mystery and adventure…and it did. Bike rides, picnics, swimming, fishing, crawfish hunting, the feel of the cold creek as it bubbled around your toes….

Food… what foods remind you of those childhood summers? Corn on the cob, strawberry shortcake, hamburgers on the grill… roasted marshmallows.. Eskimo pies….the fat blackberries the grew in the field not to far away…

Take time to enjoy life a little this summer. I have take much more time off than usual… went to a water park, have gone out to eat, have gone to movies, and have walked around stores. Mostly I have spent time with the people who mean the most to me; my family and friends.

Priceless.

Servin’ up a short stack this week… enjoy!

Adorable Popcorn Cupcakes

Raspberry Carrot Cake

No Bake Zebra Mocha Icebox Cake

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

Cherry Pie Squares

What I wanted to see was if I could make it work in a slow cooker and if I could spice it up just a little. I started with a recipe that I had seen in Saveur.

I used chicken breast. I realize that using whole chicken cut up will add more flavor because of the bones but I rarely by anything but chicken breast. My family eats chicken breast really well… sometimes other parts not so much. You can use a whole chicken, cut up or chicken thighs if you don’t want to use chicken breast.

I also used, yes, a full pound of bacon. The smoky flavor meshed well and because I was using chicken breast the extra fat was a good thing. I also added a little jalapeno for bite. In retrospect I think chipotle would have been better and I will do that next time. The flavors here are warm and fresh, exotic and comforting all at the same time. It is a nice introduction to curry flavor for those that have not had it before. I used my crockpot. It just made it simple and kept the kitchen cool.

Before the chicken went into the crockpot I dredged it in flour and sauteed it in the bacon fat. This gave it a great color and flavor that held throughout the cooking time. I really think it was an important step.

You want to serve this with rice or even couscous. The meat is tender and the vegetables slump together in a melange of warm camaraderie.  A sprinkle of toasted pecans on the top of each serving adds nice texture and a little flavor boost. I made my 6 qt crockpot full - but don’t worry… it freezes great!

Country Captain

• 6 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs pepper
• pinch of cayenne
• 1 lb bacon
• 3 Texas 1015 onions, chopped
• 2 Bell peppers, chopped
• 1 Yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 6 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 4 16 oz cans of diced organic tomatoes (really, it makes a difference in flavor)
• 3 heaping teaspoons of curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup currants
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans for garnish
• Rice to accompany the Country Captain

1. Cut the chicken breast in chunks
2. Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne
3. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off excess. Set aside.
4. Chop the bacon up and cook it until crisp
5. Remove from the pan and reserve the  drippings
6. Sear the chicken in the hot bacon fat until golden on each side, but not cooked through. Remove from pan.
7. Saute the onions, celery, apples, and peppers in the same pan until they begin to soften. Add garlic and saute for five more minutes. Set aside.
8. Pour the tomatoes into a crock pot.
9. Add the curry, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, bay leaf, and butter. Stir well.
10. Add the bacon, cooked vegetables, currants and chicken and stir.
11. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
12. To serve, spoon over rice. Sprinkle on toasted pecans and more currants.

Serves 18-20 easily (Makes 6 quart crockpot full)

images: marye audet (c)2010

Erica email me with your address so that I can get that information to the company as soon as possible. Meanwhile…. everyone else, keep your eyes open for the next giveaway!