This page is a collection of my recipes (in alphabetical order).
Chocolate Ganache I
6oz heavy cream
5oz chocolate (I like to use a very dark chocolate)
1 1/2 oz butter (room temperature)
Heat cream to just boiling. Pour over chocolate and let sit a couple minutes. Using a wire whisk, whisk together ONLY THE CENTER of the mixture until completely emulsified. Then work your way through the rest of the mixture until perfectly smooth. Add the butter and whisk until smooth. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
To reheat: heat over medium low heat in a DOUBLE BOILER and whisk until smooth.
This recipe is great over ice cream.
Creme Brulee
8 egg yolks
1 qt cream
1 vanilla bean
6 oz sugar plus extra for topping
Preheat oven to 325deg. F. Pour cream into a medium saucepan. Cut vanilla bean in half the long way, scrape the seeds into the cream, and add the pod to the cream; cover and heat to just until it starts to boil. Remove from heat; leave stand, covered 15 minutes. Combine the egg yolks and sugar with a wire whisk. SLOWLY add the cream--you want to gradually increase the temperature of the eggs. Strain with a chinois (or a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth) into a pitcher. Place ramekins onto a sheet pan with sides and pour custard into ramekins. Place on center oven rack and pour hot water into the sheet pan (water level should be to about half the level of the custard). Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until custard is set (there should still be some movement--but the custard should move all together, not as ripples like liquid). Remove from water bath and cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until almost ready to serve.
Topping
Remove custard from refrigerator. Top with a thin layer of sugar (you should be able to see a tint of yellow from the custard through the sugar). Use a torch (I use a butane torch from a kitchen store, but we used a pretty heavy duty propane one at the hotel I used to work at) to caramelize the sugar. Start at one edge and slowly work your way around the ramekin until all the sugar is caramelized. Refrigerate about 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours) before serving. Makes 10-12 servings, depending on the size of the ramekins used.
Creme Chantilly
8oz heavy whipping cream, cold
1 Tbsp sugar
1-2 tsp vanilla extract (scroll down for my recipe)
Chill the bowl and whip attachment for electric mixer (whipping cream gets more volume when kept cold--a cold bowl and whip allow for quicker whipping). Add all ingredients and whip until desired consistency (soft peaks). Do not over-whip--you'll literally make butter.
Graham Cracker/Vanilla Wafer/Oreo Crust
1 1/2c graham cracker, vanilla wafer, or oreo crumbs
1 Tbsp sugar (for graham cracker crust only)
~3-4 Tbsp melted butter
Combine sugar and crumbs. Add enough melted butter to make the crumbs stick together, but the mixture should not be greasy.
Bake at 375deg for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown (for graham cracker/vanilla wafer). You should just be able to smell the mixture baking.
Pastry Cream
16oz milk (whole milk is best)
1.5 oz sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
2 egg yolks
1 egg
1.25 oz cornstarch
2 oz sugar
1 oz butter
pinch of salt, to taste
Combine milk, sugar, and vanilla bean (scrape the seeds into milk, then add the pod) in a heavy 2-or 3qt saucepan. Heat to just boiling. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit 10-15 minutes. In a stainless steel bowl, whisk together the egg and egg yolks. Sift in the sugar and cornstarch and beat until smooth. SLOWLY beat the hot milk mixture into the eggs in a thin stream. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. As the mixture comes to a boil, it will thicken. Boil one minute, still stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and salt. (Salt is used only to bring out the flavor of the custard). Pour into a shallow pan and cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper (directly on the custard) to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled. When ready to use, whip until smooth.
Pie Dough
(makes one crust)
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp sugar
pinch salt
1/3 c lard, butter, or 1/3 c plus 1 Tbsp shortening
1 tsp vinegar
~2 Tbsp ice cold water
flour for dusting
Mix dry ingredients thoroughly. Cut in lard until mixture resembles small peas. Add vinegar and enough water until dough just cleans the sides of the bowl. Dust work surface with a little flour and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Line pie plate and either fill or flute edges and dock with a fork. To pre-bake the crust for cold pies, dock with a fork and line with parchment paper and pie weights (I just use dry beans).
Vanilla Extract
10-12 vanilla beans
approximately 1 liter vodka (I use Skyy vodka)
Pour a little vodka out of the bottle to make room for the beans. Slice the beans down the center. Scrape the seeds into the bottle of vodka and add the pods. Cover and shake well. Put the date on the bottle somewhere--your vanilla extract will be ready in 6 months. Shake the bottle well every day or every other day.
Note: if you want double strength vanilla, remove the pods after 6 months and add 10-12 new beans (scrape the seeds into the bottle, then add the pods). Repeat the same process for another 5-6 months.
