Creme Brulee

Is it possible to improve on a creme brulee? I thought it was worth a try.

What I came up with was a cross between creme brulee and creme anglaise. I had an abundance of half and half on hand. So, I used half and half, instead of cream for the creme brulee. Creme anglaise uses milk. Some how I figured this would work.  My "new" custard was tasty. I guess it should named half brulee?

2 cups half and half
1 vanilla bean
1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
hot water for water bath
4 teaspoon sugar

Place half and half and vanilla bean into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and let set for 15 minutes. remove bean.

In a medium bowl, whisk sugar and egg yolks until blended. Slowly add the half and half mixture to the egg mixture, stirring continually. Pour into ramekins. Place ramekins in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until set, about 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove from the refrigerator fro a least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar. Sprinkle one teaspoon of sugar on each. Using a torch, melt the sugar to create a crispy top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before eating.

Makes 4 servings

July 27th is National Creme Brulee Day

Sorbet

Nothing hits the spot like chocolate. And, if it's July, it needs to be cold. Very cold. Chocolate Cherry Sorbet is a super easy dessert which fits the bill perfectly.

Chocolate Cherry Sorbet

3/4 cup cherry jam

1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups water

Combine all the ingredients in a heavy saucepan and stir with a whisk. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring. Cool to room temperature, cover and chill for 4 hours. Pour the mixture into an ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Cover and freeze for 1 hour. Enjoy!

July is National Ice Cream Month

Pudding

It is time to think outside of the box. The pudding box. Yes, pudding can be made without a box and is far more superior. The texture of homemade pudding is simply divine.

Chocolate Pudding

1/4 sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and milk. Add eggs, one at a time. Cook the milk mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and pour through a sieve into to a bowl. Add butter and chocolate and stir until melted. Mix in vanilla. Pour pudding into serving cups or dishes and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Enjoy!

June 26 is Chocolate Pudding Day

Black Cow

Back in 1893, Frank Wisner the owner of a mining company in Cripple Creek, Co and a soda fountain was inspired by the view.

The story goes, that Wisner was gazing at Cow Mountain when the snow-capped mountains inspired him to add ice cream to his root beer instead of cream. You see, up to this point an ice cream soda was made with soda, syrup and cream, not ice cream. The result was the Black Cow Mountain drink. It was soon shortened by the locals to Black Cow.


June 10th is National Black Cow Day

Coconut Macaroons

I have never met a coconut dish I did not like. My short list includes, Pina Colada, coconut ice cream, coconut cake and coconut macaroons.

Coconut is a fibrous one-seeded drupe. A drupe is a fruit with a hard stony covering enclosing the seed, like a peach or olive.

Macaroons are light baked confections. The original macaroon was a small sweet cake consisting largely of ground almonds, similar to Italian amaretti. Most recipes call for whipped egg whites, sugar, nuts or coconut.

Here is a super easy and quick coconut macaroons recipe:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 ½ cups flaked coconut
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and coconut. Stir in the milk and extract using your hands until well blended. Use an ice cream scoop to drop dough onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until toasted.


May 31st is Macaroon Day

Homebrewing

May 7th is National Homebrew Day


The Ten Commandments of Homebrewing

1. Always Sanitize.

2. Practice patience, when the recipe says condition in bottle 3 weeks, do it.

3. Take notes.

4. Share your brew.

5. Never turn down a homebrew. Taste, learn and enjoy.

6. Be ready with a blow off hose.

7. Dark beer is good.

8. Save all brown non-twist bottles.

9. Sanitize.

10. Relax and enjoy your homebrew.

Garlic

Allium sativum aka Garlic.

Grown for over 6000 years and native to Central Asia, garlic maybe the king of the kitchen. Garlic is a fundamental ingredient in many cuisines. It is often paired with onion and tomato. In addition to bulb, the flowers and leaves are sometimes eaten.

Outside of the kitchen garlic is claimed to prevent stomach and colon cancer, help to prevent heart disease and regulate blood sugar. It is an antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. Health tip - you can alleviate garlic breath by eating fresh parsley. To your health!

April 19 is Garlic Day