Put the eggs in a pot of water. Bring the water up to 140°f and let the eggs sit at that temperature for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not let the water go above 142°f or the whites will start to set. After 3 to 4 minutes, drain the water out of the pot and run the eggs under cold water for 2 minutes. The eggs are now safe to use without cooking them.
Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs being careful not to get any yolk in the whites. Put the whites in the bowl of a mixture and add a pinch of salt. Beat the eggs on medium-low speed with the whisk attachment until the whites start to foam. Add 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tbsp at a time then turn the speed up to high and beat the eggs to stiff peaks. Transfer the whites to a separate bowl.
Add the yolks and another 1/4 cup of sugar to the mixer bowl. There is no need to clean it after beating the whites. Beat the yolks until they are pale yellow and the sugar is fully mixed in. Add 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 tbsp of brandy. Mixing should take 4 to 5 minutes.
Mix the mascarpone into the yolk mixture then fold in the egg whites 1/3 at a time.
In a medium bowl combine the coffee, 2 tbsp of sugar, and 2 tbsp of brandy.
Get a 9X9 casserole dish and spread a thin layer of mousse in the bottom of the dish.
Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee mixture and place, sugar-side down in the dish. Cover the whole bottom of the dish with ladyfingers then top with mousse. Repeat this process until the dish is full. Finish with a layer of mousse and sprinkle with cocoa.
Put the tiramisu in the fridge and let it rest for two hours before serving.
When you look at a panna cotta, it seems like it should be hard to make. It gives off the impression of being this super elegant dessert that you can only get in fancy restaurants. But, it isn’t that at all. It’s actually a really simple dessert. Milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and gelatine, that’s all there is to it. It’s like a very light and elegant pudding. You can make it in under twenty minutes, then throw it in the fridge for a few hours to set. It is a great make-ahead dessert that anyone can put together. It also is a great way to finish the Chef’s Notes Valentine’s Day meal series, which is a three-course meal I’ve been sharing over the past week. You can check out the appetizer and the main course here. If you are looking for a simple dessert to end a romantic meal or something quick you can make for a nice family dinner, panna cotta is the answer. Let’s get to it.
Working With Gelatine
To make panna cotta, you have to use gelatine, something you may or may not be familiar with. Don’t worry, it’s not hard to work with, but there are some things you need to know. First of all, you can find gelatine in any grocery store. It most often comes in powdered form and is usually found in the baking aisle. When working with gelatine, you have to bloom it first. All that means is that you mix the powdered gelatine with cold water and let it sit for a few minutes to hydrate. Then, you have to heat the gelatine until it melts and turns from opaque to translucent. It’s easiest to do this by setting the bowl containing the gelatine over a pot of boiling or simmering water. The gelatine will turn to a liquid in a minute or two and turn clear in another minute or so. Now your gelatine is ready to use.
Making Panna Cotta
To make your panna cotta pour one cup of whole milk (you can also use 2%) and one cup of whipping cream into a 2 qt pot. Add half a cup of sugar and half a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Put the pot on the stove on medium-high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the dairy is just about to boil. Take the pot off the heat and whisk the mixture into the bloomed gelatine.
Cooling The Panna Cotta
The traditional way to serve panna cotta is to let it set in a ramekin, then unmold it, so you have this nice white jiggly dessert on your plate. You can do this, it’s not difficult, and it looks nice. You can also leave it in the ramekin if you’d prefer. If you’re not going to unmold the panna cotta, I suggest setting it in clear glasses. It will look amazing. To cool and set the panna cotta, pour it into four dishes, whatever you’d like. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, making sure to push the plastic right down onto the surface of the panna cotta to prevent a film from forming. Put the dishes in the fridge for at least three hours to set.
Unmolding The Panna Cotta
Again, unmolding the panna cotta is optional, but it really does add a bit of WOW! to the dessert. To unmold the panna cotta, place the ramekin in a bowl of hot water and let it sit for about fifteen seconds. Take it out of the water, run a knife around the inside of the ramekin, put a plate on top of the ramekin and flip it over. You will likely have to jiggle the ramekin a little to get the panna cotta to let go.
What to serve with your panna cotta.
Serve the panna cotta with fresh berries, a fruit compote or a bit of jam. Whatever you’d prefer will be just fine. I opted for jam, but I will share my blueberry compote recipe at the end of the post.
Vanilla Panna Cotta
Panna Cotta is a surprisingly simple dessert that is the perfect way to cap off a romantic meal or even a family dinner.
Keyword: Dessert, No-bake dessert, Panna Cotta, Valentine’s Day
Servings: 4servings
Author: Chef’s Notes
Ingredients
1cupwhipping cream
1cupmilk
1/2cupsugar
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
1packagepowdered gelatin
1/4cupwater
Instructions
In a 2 qt pot, combine the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Put the pot on the stove on medium heat. Heat the mixture, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the milk is just on the verge of boiling.
Pour the water into a medium-sized, heatproof bowl. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin of the water and stir it in. Let the gelatine sit for 3 to 4 minutes.
Put a medium pot on the stove with an inch of water in the bottom. Turn the burner on high and bring the water to a boil.
Set the bowl with the gelatine and water over the boiling water and heat until the mixture is liquid and clear.
Pour the hot milk mixture into the gelatin and whisk to combine.
Pour the milk mixture into four ramekins, cover with plastic wrap, making sure to push the wrap down on the surface of the panna cotta to prevent a film from forming on the surface. Put the dishes in the fridge for at least 3 hours to cool and set.
Serve the panna cotta either in the ramekin or unmold it by dipping the ramekin in hot water for 15 seconds, then flipping it over onto a plate and giving it a little shake until the panna cotta breaks free. Serve it with fresh berries, a fruit compote or a bit of jam.
If you really want to impress someone or just want something delicious to finish a meal, look no further. Panna cotta is what you’ve been looking for. I hope that you’ve enjoyed this Chef’s Notes Valentine’s Day mini-series and that you make one or all the parts of this meal. If you do, I’d love to hear about it. You can tell me the comments below or on social media @chefbenkelly. Thank you, everyone, and have a great weekend. Oh, and you can find the other two courses to this meal here and here.
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Heat a small pot over medium heat. Add the canola oil and shallot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shallots start to soften.
Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until a spoon dragged across the bottom of the pot, leaves a line for at least one second.
Indulge in the decadent and irresistible treat of a Chocolate Fondue with this easy recipe. As the third and final installment of the Chef’s Notes Fondue Series, the Chocolate Fondue is a fan favourite and the perfect sweet finish to a delicious Cheese Fondue or Oil Fondue. This recipe requires less than five minutes to prepare, making it an excellent option for impromptu gatherings or a cozy night in. Plus, any leftover fondue can be repurposed into delicious chocolate truffles. Don’t wait any longer. Follow along with this recipe and treat yourself to a rich and velvety chocolate experience.
What to Serve with Your Quick and Easy Chocolate Fondue
To truly savour the rich and creamy indulgence of a Chocolate Fondue, you’ll want to choose the perfect accompaniments. The most common and delicious options include fresh fruit like bananas, apples, oranges, pineapple, and berries, which complement the sweet flavour of the chocolate. You can also serve marshmallows, graham crackers, bits of sponge cake, brownies, or brioche bread for a contrasting texture. To ensure easy dipping, it’s best to cut the fruit and cakes into small, bite-sized pieces.
It’s important to strike a balance when providing accompaniments, as offering too much variety can lead to unnecessary waste. A good rule of thumb for a chocolate fondue is to plan for eight to ten bites per person, whereas oil or cheese fondues served as a meal would require 18 to 20 bites per guest. These estimates should ensure that everyone has plenty to enjoy without leaving too much leftover food to store away in the fridge.
Foolproof Chocolate Fondue Recipe
Get ready to indulge in a rich and velvety chocolate experience with this quick and easy Chocolate Fondue recipe. In a medium pot, bring one cup of whipping cream and a quarter cup of Baileys to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and whisk in two cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips until the chocolate is completely melted and fully incorporated into the cream.
Transfer the chocolate mixture to your fondue pot and set it over medium heat. Stir the fondue frequently to keep it smooth and at the perfect consistency for dipping. That’s all there is to it. With just a few simple steps, you can create a delectable and indulgent chocolate fondue that is sure to impress your guests.
Quick and Easy Baileys Chocolate Fondue
Melted chocolate mixed with hot cream and Baileys Irish Cream, put in a fondue pot for dipping fruit, marshmallows, and bits of cake. It's quick. It's easy. It is delicious. And it is just the thing you need on a cold winter night.
Savouring the Moment: How to Best Enjoy Your Baileys Chocolate Fondue
As you savour the rich and velvety taste of your Chocolate Fondue, it’s essential to know the best way to enjoy it. A small tip to take your fondue experience to the next level is to let the food heat in the chocolate for a minute before savouring it. At the same time, it’s possible to quickly coat your food in the chocolate, allowing it to sit in the warm chocolate for 60 seconds or so will transform each bite into an exceptional delight.
Remember, the beauty of fondue lies in its unhurried pace. Don’t rush yourself while enjoying your fondue. Take your time to savour each and every bite to its fullest potential. So, light some candles, pour a glass of wine and enjoy the company of your loved ones while you savour the indulgent pleasure of a warm and luscious Chocolate Fondue.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading this post and discovering the ultimate quick and easy Baileys Chocolate Fondue recipe. Fondue meals are all about taking the time to savor each bite and enjoy the company of your loved ones. I hope that this recipe has inspired you to bring out your fondue pot and indulge in a rich and velvety chocolate experience.
Remember, it’s best to strike a balance when it comes to providing accompaniments for your fondue. To enhance the flavors of the fondue, allow the food to heat in the chocolate for a minute before savoring each bite.
If you enjoyed this recipe, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. Also, be sure to check out the 400+ other posts on Chefsnotes.com for more culinary tips and delicious recipes.
Thank you for reading, and I hope this Baileys Chocolate Fondue becomes a staple in your entertaining repertoire. Enjoy!
This week marks the end of my Simple Summer Dessert Series, and I thought I would go out with a bit of a bang. Today, I am going to show you how to make a Chocolate Mousse Cake. At first, it may seem like this is a complicated dessert that should have no place in my simple summer dessert series. However, when broken down into its three parts, this cake is anything but difficult.
This Chocolate Mousse Cake, as I said, has three parts. First, there is the chocolate cake. Because my cake has to be gluten-free and I have very little interest in making a gluten-free cake from scratch, I used a mix which you will see in a minute. If you want to make the cake, just use your favourite chocoalte sponge cake recipe. Nothing hard about this so far. The second part of this cake is the Chocolate Mousse. The mousse has five ingredients in it, two of those are coffee and brandy. The final piece of this cake is the mirror glaze. Easy enough, right? Let’s take a look at the full process.
The Cake
As I said, I used a gluten-free cake mix to make the base of my Chocolate Mousse Cake. The brand I used is called Kinnikinnick. I’ve used this mix previously in this series when I made the Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake. The mix comes together easy enough by mixing eggs, oil, and water, then the cake mix. Because I wanted my cake to be relatively thin (and because I couldn’t find my round cake pans), I baked my cake on a rectangle sheet pan. Bake the cake and let it cool completely before moving on to the next step.
Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate mousse is this super decadent thing, that people assume must be really hard to make. It isn’t. Just like with the Chocolate Mousse Cake as a whole, we are going to break the chocolate mousse down into four parts and simplify the process.
Part 1 – The Base
The base of the mousse is a combination of egg yolks and sugar that are heated over a water bath to thicken them. Beat together four egg yolks and half a cup of sugar in a heatproof bowl. Put the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water and continue to beat the mixture for about five minutes or until it is too hot to dip your finger into. Take the bowl off the heat and continue to beat it on medium for another five minutes to cool the egg mixture down. When finished, the mixture should be pale yellow. You can do all this whisking by hand, but it is much easier to use a handheld mixer. Set the yolks and sugar aside and move on to part two.
Part 2 – Chocolate
The second step in making the chocolate mousse is to melt the chocolate together with espresso and brandy (you can use rum, Irish cream, or no alcohol at all if you would prefer). Use one cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, a quarter cup of espresso or strong coffee, and two tablespoons of brandy. Put all three ingredients in a heatproof bowl, put the bowl over barely simmering water, and let it sit until the chocolate is melted. Stir the chocolate to make sure everything is combined.
Part 3 – The Egg Whites
While the chocolate is melting, put the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer with a pinch of salt, or use your handheld mixer. Beat the egg whites to firm peaks. This should take about four to five minutes on high speed.
Part 4 – Putting it all together
The final step to making the mousse is to mix the yolks and the chocolate. Then, to fold in the egg whites. The purpose of the egg whites is to give the mousse its characteristic airiness, for them to do that, they have to be folded into the mix rather than stirred in. Folding is a process where a spatula cuts through the center of the mix, scoops down and out towards the edges of the bowl. Repeat this until all of the egg whites have been folded into the chocolate. The best way to incorporate the whites into the chocolate is to do it one third at a time. Take a third of the whites, and fold them into the chocolate. Take another third and do the same thing, then take that final third and fold it in.
You have now made chocolate mousse. It can be chilled and eaten as-is with a few raspberries and some whipped cream, or you can use it to layer a cake as we are going to do.
Combine the egg yolks and sugar. Beat well then set over a simmering pot of water and continue to beat until the mixture is too hot to dip your finger into. Remove from the heat and continue to beat for another five minutes.
In a separate heat-proof bowl combine the chocolate, espresso, and brandy. Set over the simmering water until the chocolate has melted. Mix the chocoalte, coffee, and brandy until they are smooth then mix into the egg yolk and sugar mixture.
Beat the egg whites on high with a pinch of salt for five minutes or until they reach stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the yolk and chocolate mixture.
Spoon the mousse into ramekins, cover with plastic, and cool in the fridge for two hours before serving or use to make a chocolate mouse layer cake.
With the mousse ready, it is now time to layer the cake. I used an eight-inch springform pan as my mould. To cut the cake into rounds the correct size of the pan, push the pan into the cake like a giant cookie cutter. Line the base of the pan with parchment paper, and snap the ring in place. Put the first piece of the cake in the pan, cover with half the mousse, top with the second piece of cake, then the rest of the mousse. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer overnight.
The Mirror Glaze
The absolute final step in making this Chocolate Mousse Cakes is to make the mirror glaze and pour it over the cake. Before you start making the glaze, take the mousse cake out of the freezer and put it in the fridge. To make the glaze, I followed this recipe from MarthaStewart.com. The glaze is a combination of cream, sugar, cocoa, water, and gelatin, which is what gives it the mirror finish. I should have cooked my glaze a minute or two longer because it was a little thin, but all in all, it worked well.
Make the glaze and let it cool to room temperature. Take the cake out of the springform pan and set it on a cooling rack set over a large bowl. Pour the glaze over the cake then, put the cake on a plate, pop it in the fridge for an hour or two to finish defrosting, and for the glaze to set, then serve.
Conclusion
This Chocolate Mousse Cake is incredible, but it is also very rich. Serve it in small pieces with a little dollop of whipped cream. It goes great with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk. Now, I know that there are a bunch of steps to making this cake, but are any of them overly tricky? I honestly don’t think so. Do you? If you have any questions or comments, let me know in the comments section below.
Thank you for reading the post. If you liked it, remember to share it on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter by clicking the icon to the left of the right of the page. Did you know that Chefsnotes.com has almost 400 posts just like this one? Imagine all the great tips, tricks, and recipes you’ve missed. Don’t miss any more! Subscribe to Chef’s Notes by putting your email address in the subscription box below. You will be notified of every new post. And if you would like to know more about me, click the link below to read my story.
It is entirely forgivable if you think of bread pudding as a winter dessert. It can be dense and rich. But I’m here to tell you that it also makes a fantastic summer dessert. This Strawberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding is the perfect dessert for a beautiful summer day. The combination of strawberries and white chocolate tastes like pure sunshine. Now, don’t you want to eat sunshine? I know I do. Alright, enough chit chat, let’s take a look at the recipe.
The Base
The base of this Strawberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding is a perfect base for any bread pudding. You could substitute the strawberries in this recipe for blueberries, or replace the strawberries and white chocolate for bananas and dark chocolate. The point is that when you master this recipe, you are learning to make bread pudding period. So, you can use this recipe to create your own by adding new combinations of ingredients. The base is four eggs, a half-cup each whole milk, and whipping cream then three-quarters of a cup of sugar. Mix this all together.
The Bread
You can’t have bread pudding without bread. Shocker, I know. Ideally, a lovely brioche is a perfect bread for bread pudding. However, I am using a basic gluten-free bread. You can use whatever bread you would like. The only recommendation I will make is to not to use a bread with too strong a crust as the crust won’t soften that much. Use four cups of bread in total.
It is best to use either stale bread or to toast the bread before adding it into the egg mixture. Toasting the bread or using stale bread will help the bread keep its structure. So, rather than just being one solid mass of soggy bread, the bread pudding will have texture. You don’t have to toast the bread or use stale bread, but I do recommend it.
Add the bread to the egg mixture, press it down and let it sit for about five minutes. You want the bread to absorb as much of the egg mixture as possible. As the bread pudding cooks, all that egg mixture in the bread will turn into a custard. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
The Strawberries and White Chocolate
In total, use one cup of sliced strawberries. Keep that ratio in mind. If you are adding fruit to a bread pudding, go for a four to one ratio of bread to fruit. If you add more fruit than that, the juices that escape when cooking may water down the custard, ruining your bread pudding. Along with the strawberries, add in three ounces of chopped up white chocolate. You can add more chocolate if you’d like, but I found that three ounces to be the perfect amount.
Mix it and Bake It
With all of the ingredients in the bowl, and the bread finished soaking, mix it all up and pour it into a parchment-lined nine-inch pan. I used a little roasting pan from IKEA. You can use a nine-inch cake pan, or even put this in a lined muffin tin. I’ll leave that up to you. Bake the bread pudding on 350°f for twenty-five minutes. If you make this in muffin tins, it will take about twenty minutes to bake.
Some people swear by baking their bread pudding in a water bath, but I don’t find it needs it. I’ve had no issues baking this bread pudding without a water bath. If you do want to cook it that way, go ahead, it won’t hurt anything, but it may extend the baking time by ten minutes or so.
Check the doneness of the bread pudding by giving the pan a little shake. If the whole thing wobbles a bit, it is probably done. If the center kind of waves, it’s not done. You can also check it by sticking a knife in the center, like a cake it should come out clean. Once the bread pudding is baked, let it cool for five to ten minutes before digging in.
Serving The Strawberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding
You can serve your Strawberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding however you’d like, but I found it didn’t really need anything. To make the plate pretty, I grated some white chocolate onto it before putting the bread pudding down, and I garnished it with a fresh strawberry, that was it. I don’t think this needs a sauce, whipped cream, or ice cream. It is excellent on its own.
Conclusion
Even though I think that you should make this recipe (see the full recipe below), I think it is more valuable as a base recipe. I’d love to see what kind of unusual combinations you come up with. Tell me about them in the comments below.
Thank you for reading the post. If you liked it, remember to share it on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter by clicking the icon to the left of the right of the page. Did you know that Chefsnotes.com has almost 400 posts just like this one? Imagine all the great tips, tricks, and recipes you’ve missed. Don’t miss any more! Subscribe to Chef’s Notes by putting your email address in the subscription box at the top right of the sidebar. You will be notified of every new post. And if you would like to know more about me, click the link below to read my story.
Strawberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding
The taste of summer in a bread pudding. What more do I need to say?
Today on Chef’s Notes, we are going to take a look at how to make delicious Italian Almond Meringue Cookies. I first had these cookies about ten years ago. They were made by an old Italian woman that used to do prep in a restaurant where I used to work. She told me that the secret to these cookies is to whip them for a very long time. According to this lovely Italian woman, the mixer should pretty much be smoking by the time it has finished mixing. I don’t recommend taking things so far that your mixer bursts into flames, but the cookies are best when mixed for about ten minutes on high. Of course, that’s only one part of the equation. Let’s take a look at the full process of making these meringue cookies.
Toasting the Almonds
Almond meringue cookies need almonds, so that is where we are going to start. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add to it half a cup of almonds. Do not add oil to the pan. Keep the almonds moving as much as possible while they are toasting. Cook them for about 4-5 minutes or until they turn golden brown. You can do this in the oven at 350°f for about 10 minutes, for a more even roast. However, I prefer to toast nuts in a pan, rather than in the oven because I have more control, even if the toast isn’t as uniform. Once the nuts are toast, pour them out of the pan on to a plate and let them cool to room temperature.
How to make Meringue
The almonds are toasted and cooling. Now it’s time to make the meringue. Use four egg whites that have been sitting at room temperature for about half an hour. It is essential that there is no egg yolk at all in the whites. The fat from the egg yolk will prevent the whites from reaching the volume they need to make these cookies. It is also vital that the mixing bowl not have any oil or grease in it at all. I find it helps to rub the inside of the mixing bowl with lemon before making the meringue. The acid from the lemon will break down any small amounts of grease that are on the bowl. However, make sure not to rub the bowl with the lemon rind. Natural lemon oils will come out and cling to the sides of the bowl, ultimately defeating the purpose.
Put the four egg whites in the bowl of the mixer and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the egg whites start to foam. At this point, add in the salt, lemon juice, and almond extract. Turn the speed of the mixer up to high and slowly add the sugar about a third of a cup at a time. When all the sugar is in the meringue, step back, leaving the mixer on high, and set a 10-minute timer. When the timer goes off, the meringue is ready.
A note about the amount of sugar.
There is 1 cup of sugar in this recipe, which may seem like a lot. Do not cut this back. If you do, the meringues won’t set properly. This recipe makes 24 cookies, minimum so, even though it seems like a lot of sugar, it is only half a teaspoon in each cookie.
When the meringue is ready, and the almonds have cooled, you can combine the two. Put the almonds in the bowl with the meringue, and using a spatula, gently fold them into the meringue to evenly spread them throughout. Put the meringue in a large piping bag with an opening big enough for the almonds to come out. I was out of piping bags, so I used a large ziplock bag with one corner cut out. This worked reasonably well.
Pipe the meringue cookies on to two parchment paper-lined baking sheets. I find it helpful to spray the sheet pan with cooking spray before putting the parchment down. This helps hold the paper in place and prevents it from rolling. You can also set a dab of meringue on each corner of the sheet pan before putting the parchment down. The meringue in the edges of the pan will have the same effect as the cooking spray, but it can be a bit more challenging to clean afterwards.
Bake the cookies at 225°F for two hours. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before putting in an airtight container. If the meringue cookies are left unsealed for too long, they will start to pull moisture from the air and get soggy and sad. These cookies will last in an airtight container for about a week before they begin to go stale.
Conclusion
Whether you have some company over, want something nice and light to have with your afternoon tea or coffee, or just feel like something sweet, these Italian Almond Meringue Cookies are the perfect thing. Yes, they take a while to bake, but there is very little active time involved. You can put a batch of these together in a few minutes, pop them in the oven then go about your day. I promise, two hours after these go in the oven, you will be dying for something sweet and past you will have delivered.
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Italian Almond Meringue Cookies
A simple and delicious Almond Meringue Cookie recipe that also happens to be gluten-free.
Keyword: Almond Cookies, Cookies, Gluten Free, Meringue, Meringue Cookies
Servings: 24cookies
Author: Chef Ben Kelly
Ingredients
4Egg WhitesRoom Temp
1cupSugar
pinchof salt
1/4tspLemon Juice
1/4tspAlmond Extract
1/2cupSlivered Almonds
Instructions
Pour the slivered almonds into a hot, dry pan and toss to toast them until they are golden brown. Remove the almonds from the pan, and let cool to room temp.
Slowly whip the egg whites until they start to foam.
Add the salt, almond extract, and lemon juice and turn the mixer on to high.
Slowly pour in the sugar and whip on high for 10 minutes.
Fold the toasted almonds into the meringue and spoon into a piping bag with a wide opening.
Pipe the meringue into 2 tbsp mounds onto a parchment-lined sheet pan.
Bake in the oven at 225°F for two hours. Remove from the oven and let cool completely then put in an airtight container and eat within one week.
Sabayon, or Zabaione in Italian, is a sweet or savoury sauce made of egg yolks whisked over a double boiler with some kind of alcohol, usually, a sweetened or fortified wine. Versions of this sauce used for dessert, like the one we are going to make today, also contain sugar and are served over fresh berries, or cake. Savoury versions are often finished with fresh herbs and served over chicken or fish. Sabayon is perfect for summer because it takes very little time to make, you don’t have to turn the oven on, and it is delicious. Let’s take a look at how to make it.
Macerating The Berries
The dessert that we are making today is Sabayon served over fresh berries. So, the first thing to do is to prepare the berries. Hull and quarter 1 cup of strawberries and put them in a bowl with a 1/2 cup each of blueberries, and blackberries (you can use whatever type of berries you’d like). Sprinkle the fruit with 1 tbsp of sugar, stir, and let sit for 20 minutes.
Setting Up The Sabayon
The first two ingredients to get ready for the Sabayon are the egg yolks and the sugar. I find the easiest way to separate the egg yolks from the whites, is to break the eggs into a bowl and scoop the yolks out using my hands. Use whatever egg separation method you prefer. I’ve only used four egg yolks in this recipe because I prefer a relatively thin Sabayon. However, if you would like it to be more custard-like, you can use five to six egg yolks and keep the rest of the ingredients the same.
Put the egg yolks into a heatproof bowl, and add to them 1/4 cup of sugar. Beat the egg yolks and sugar for a minute or two before adding in the next two ingredients.
Cooking the Sabayon
The alcohol I used is Brandy, but you can use Marsala Wine, a dry white wine, red wine, vermouth, sherry, or port. You can pretty much use whatever you want. I like to add the alcohol after the egg yolks have cooked and set a little bit. Some people prefer to combine all of the ingredients at once. You can choose which way is best for you.
After you have beaten the yolks and sugar, add in 1/2 a tsp of vanilla extract and mix. Put the bowl over gently simmering water and whisk for 3-4 minutes. Add in 1/4 cup of alcohol, and keep whisking for another 8-10 minutes. Do not stop whisking through the entire cooking process. There are two reasons for this. First of all, if the mixture stops moving, it will start to cook to the bottom of the bowl, which means your Sabayon will have bits of cooked egg yolk in it. Secondly, the key to the texture of Sabayon is the air. You want to get as much air into the sauce as you can, and this is done by continually whisking. Think about it as if you are making whipped cream. When the sauce has tripled in volume, it is ready.
Putting it all together
Remove the Sabayon from the heat and set aside. Put the berries in serving dishes and spoon the Sabayon over them. It is best to serve the Sabayon right away, though you can chill it in the fridge with the berries.
Sabayon
Sabayon or Zabaione is an Italian sauce that can be either savoury or sweet. This version is sweetened and served over fresh berries.
Because Sabayon can be made both sweet and savoury, it is a very versatile sauce. Once you get the hang of making this sweet version, try a savoury version over a nice piece of salmon or trout. Enjoy!
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Chocolate cake (gluten-free), chocolate whipped cream, and macerated strawberries combine to create something so unique, so amazing, so delicious, that I’m not even sure I should tell you about it. It may be illegal. But you know what, you’re cool, and you deserve to experience this Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake in all its glory. Just as long as you promise not to tell anyone, I think it will be okay.
In all seriousness, I have never seen a double chocolate strawberry shortcake. I’m sure someone has done it, I’ve just never seen it. So, I thought I would make it and bring it to the masses, and that is what we are going to look at today. So, let’s get to it.
Chocolate Cake
Short cake vs. Cake
The real difference between Cake and Shortcake is that shortcake, as we know it is like a cross between a cake and biscuit. But you know what, I took some liberties here and used regular chocolate cake. I’m not the first to sub out the shortcake for regular cake, that’s for sure. But, you could easily choco-fy your regular shortcake recipe to get the same effect. That is if you would prefer a more traditional shortcake. I’m going to leave that up to you. As I said, I chose to use a regular chocolate cake but you do whatever you’d like.
I hate to say this, but I used a mix to make my cake. First of all, I do not enjoy baking at all. Second of all, gluten-free baking is such a pain that I don’t even bother. And, in all honesty, this KinniKinnick cake mix is pretty good. You don’t have to use a cake mix if you don’t want too. But, know that it’s alright if you do.
The Strawberries
The strawberries I grabbed at the grocery store the other day, in all honesty, I was kind of taken aback by the price, which was $8 a pint. If I hadn’t already decided to make this dessert, I would never have bought them. Intellectually, I understand that with COVID-19, it’s been hard to find workers to pick the berries, and the prices have to go up. But, emotionally, Jesus! It is pretty hard to spend $8 on a pint of local strawberries in the middle of the summer. But again, I do understand as hard a pill it is to swallow.
I washed the strawberries, took the stems off, sliced them and sprinkled them with 1 tbsp of sugar. I then wrapped the berries in plastic and put them in the fridge for a few hours. As the strawberries sit, the sugar pulls moisture out of them, creating a sauce, softening the berries, and intensifying their flavour. Once the berries have sat for an hour or two, they can be used to make Strawberry Shortcake as we are going to do, but they can also just be served over ice cream or whipped cream.
Chocolate Whipped Cream
I am always surprised by how surprised people are when I serve them chocolate whipped cream. A lot of people don’t seem to know that you can flavour whipped cream. Well, if you didn’t know, now you do. There is a full recipe below, but basically I combined some cream with cocoa, sugar, and vanilla extract and beat it until it was thick. That’s it.
Chocolate Whipped Cream
A delicious, chocolatey, alternative to plain whipped cream.
Start the mixer on low speed and mix until the sugar and cocoa are dampened by the cream then turn the speed up to high and mix for 3-4 minutes or until the cream is thick.
You may need to stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl down at least once to make sure all the cocoa and sugar is incorporated into the cream.
Once the cream is thick, it is ready. Now, try not to eat it with a spoon. Good luck.
Putting the Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Together
Rather than making individual Strawberry Shortcakes, I made one big one. To do this, cut the cake in half and carefully remove the top piece. Spread about half of the chocolate whipped cream over the bottom piece and then spoon the strawberries over the cream. Gently place the top of the cake back on and cover that with the remaining chocolate whipped cream.
I garnished my cake with chocolate shavings. The shavings make the cake look beautiful and add that little “extra” element. The easiest way to make the chocolate shavings is to take a chocolate bar and grate it on a cheese grater right on to the cake. That’s what I did, and it worked like a dream.
Conclusion
Despite the chocolate cake, chocolate whipped cream, and chocolate shavings, this cake is not overly chocolatey. With every bite, it is still clear that the strawberries are the star of the show as they should be with any Strawberry Shortcake recipe.
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A few months ago, my wife made me a dessert that her late grandmother used to make. As I watched my wife fold condensed milk into lemon jello, I was appaled. That was until I tried it. That dessert had a few layers to it, one of them being this lemon “mousse” that I had watched her make. Fast forward to last night; I had this orange creamsicle no-bake cheesecake idea in mind. To set the no-bake cheesecake, I needed gelatine, which I thought we had in the cupboard. Unfortunately, we used the gelatine a few weeks ago to make a game for our son. We (I say we but this was 100% my wife) encased some of his toys in it and let him dig them out. He loved it, but I had no gelatine. We did have orange jello, though. I remembered that lemon dessert from a few months ago and went to work.
This dessert is a complete experiment, and I’ll be the first to say that it needs a lot of refining. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this. Even the one big mistake I made turned out to be a happy accident. So, with that, let’s take a look at my experimental no-bake orange creamsicle cheesecake.
Making the Orange Creamsicle Cheese Cake Mixture.
The first step to making this concoction is to soften the cream cheese at room temperature for about an hour then beat it until smooth and creamy. Once the cream cheese reaches the desired consistency, add in a 1/2 cup of cream and mix.
Jello
While the cream cheese and cream are getting to know each other, mix the package of orange jello with 1 cup of boiling water. Stir the mixture until all of the jello powder is dissolved, then let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes before adding the ice cube to help boost the cool down process.
Sweetening
While the jello is cooling, add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the cream and cheese mixture along with 1 cup of icing sugar mixed in a 1/4 cup at a time. I added the sugar after the jello but immediately realized I should have reversed these steps, so that is what I am suggesting you do.
Finishing the creamsicle base
The final step in making the creamsicle base is to add the orange jello mixture to the cream and cheese mixture. When I combined my jello mixture and my cheese mixture, the jello was still relatively warm, and it melted the cheese and made a very liquid mixture. This mixture took longer to set than I thought it was going to, but this also gave it a smoother texture than I was expecting. I don’t recommend having the jello mixture too hot, but if you follow the process I described above, it will still be warm enough to create this great smooth texture.
Graham Cracker Base
What is a cheesecake without a graham cracker base? Probably one that has an oreo cookie base would be my guess. Anyway, I did this part kind of weird. That’s saying a lot considering what this recipe is. We started sleep training our baby yesterday, and the last thing I wanted to do was make a bunch of noise blitzing graham crackers in a food processor. So, I opted for the much quieter hand-crushed method. My cracker based didn’t end up very fine, but I went with it anyway.
Use about ten graham crackers (mine were gluten-free), crush them either in a food processor or by hand, then pour 1/3 cup of melted butter over them. Mix the butter into wet all of the cracker chunks. The final step here is to push the mixture into the bottom of a 6-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper.
Putting it together
The obvious last step here is to pour the cheesecake mixture over the cracker crumbs. When I did this, some of my more substantial chunks of graham crackers floated to the top of the cheese mixture. I’m not going to lie to you; it looked pretty ugly. However, when I ate the cake later, these pieces added a very welcome texture and crunch to the cake. I’m going to call it a happy accident.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 3 hours. I think it’s better to leave it in the refrigerator overnight to let it set fully, but I’ll leave that up to you.
Tasting the cake
Right off the bat, let’s address the elephant in the room. This cake looks like a frittata that’s been laced with a jar of Cheese Wiz; I know this. However, the taste is exceptional. It tastes like an orange creamsicle, which was my goal from the beginning.
To unmold the cheesecake run a knife along the inside edge of the springform pan, then slowly release the ring of the pan and remove it. Cut the cake, serve with some whipped cream and enjoy it in all it’s weird and delicious glory.
Conclusion
My original intent with this dessert was to combine fresh-squeezed orange juice and grated orange zest with cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, cream and a little gelatine to set it. That would have a more natural flavour and would be more refined than this monstrosity that I ended up making. But I’ve got to tell you, I didn’t hate this thing. Like I said, even those crunchy cracker chunks strewn throughout the cake added a certain je ne sais quoi to the eating experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.
You can see the full recipe below. Take it, use it, refine it, and let me know how it goes. I’d love to see what you do with this.
Thank you for reading and remember to subscribe to the blog (at the top right of this page) so you never miss a post again. And, share this post on Facebook because that will help me continue to grow and produce “great” content like this. For some more refined desserts, check out my Simple Summer Dessert Series.
10Graham CrackersI used gluten-free ones. (you could just use graham crumbs)
1/3cupButter
Instructions
Soften the cream cheese to room temperature for at least an hour then put in the bowl of your mixer and beat on high until it is creamy and smooth.
While the cream cheese is working in the mixer combine the Jello powder with the hot water, mix and let cool for about 10 minutes then add the ice cube, stir and let sit another few minutes.
Add the cream to the cream cheese and mix thoroughly. One the cream is incorporated add in the vanilla, then the icing sugar a 1/4 cup at a time. Finally, add in the Jello mix.
Crush the graham crackers into small pieces (you can just use graham cracker crumbs for this but the chunks give the dessert a nice texture). Pour the butter over the broken crackers and mix to moisten all of the cracker chunks. Push the mixture into the bottom of a 6-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper.
Gently pour the cheese and jello mixture over the cracker crumbs, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours. I found leaving it in the fridge overnight gave the dessert a better texture.
All that is left is to unmold the dessert, cut it, serve it, and enjoy!
One of my all-time favourite desserts is lemon curd. It is tart, a little sweet, refreshing and delicious. The dish that we are going to look at today is lemon curd that has been lightened in both flavour and texture by the addition of whipped egg whites. The egg whites give the lemon curd an incredible airiness that is sure to please. It’s like having both the lemon and meringue in one homogenized spoonful. If you like lemon curd as much as I do then you are going to love this. Let’s take a look.
This is how to make…
Lemon Mousse Cups
Making lemon curd
As I said in the intro, this lemon mousse is made by first making lemon curd, then folding whipped egg whites into it. So, the obvious first step is to make the lemon curd. To do that start with 1 tsp fresh grated lemon zest, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 egg yolks (the whites reserved), and 1/4 cup of butter cut into small pieces. Put all of these ingredients into a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot on the stove on medium heat. Slowly whisk the mixture until it thickens. This will take between 8-12 minutes. Once the lemon curd has thickened, scrape it into a large metal bowl using a spatula. Set the lemon curd aside to cool slightly.
Making the mousse
With the lemon curd made and cooling the time has come to whip the egg whites. Make sure the bowl is very clean. It helps to wipe the side of the bowl down with a little vinegar or lemon juice as any grease on the sides of the bowl will prevent the egg whites from gaining the proper volume.
To start, turn the mixer onto a medium-low setting. Continue at this speed for 2-4 minutes or until the egg whites start to foam. At this point, you have the option of adding in 2 tbsp of sugar. I left it out because I prefer my lemon curd and mousse to be fairly tart. If you like it a little sweeter, add 2 tbsp of regular sugar into the egg whites now, then turn the speed up to high. If you aren’t going to add extra sugar it is still time to turn the mixer up to high. Beat the egg whites on high until they form stiff peaks. That means if you dip a spoon into the egg whites and pull it out, any eggwhites still on the spoon will hold their form.
Lemon Curd meet Whipped Egg Whites
Once the egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks they can be added into the lemon curd. The best way to do this is to divide the egg whites into thirds (approximately) and add them one third at a time. The first portion of egg whites can be mixed in to loosen the mixture. The second and third portions should be folded in so that they maintain their volume. Once the final portion of egg whites has been fully incorporated into the lemon curd the mousse is ready and can be portioned into ramekins, wrapped with plastic and put in the fridge for a minimum of two hours.
Serving the lemon mousse
I really love lemon and raspberries together. They not only look great together but they also taste great. So, I like to serve this lemon mousse with a few raspberries. Garnish the dish with a sprig of mint for a pop of green and you have a beautiful dessert that anyone would be happy to eat.
Conclusion
Once you taste this dish you will immediately understand why I’ve included it in my Simple Summer Dessert Series. It looks and tastes like summer. Enjoy!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this dish in the comments. Remember to subscribe to the blog so you never miss a post again and if you enjoyed this post share it!
Lemon Mousse Cups
Light and airy, tart and sweet, this is a simple summer dessert that can’t be beaten.
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