Triple Cream Tiramisu
1 1/4 cups Triple Cream
1/4 cup instant espresso
1 1/2 pounds mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
About 30 ladyfingers
4 ounces finest-quality semisweet chocolate finely grated or shaved.
Directions:
In a small saucepan, place 1 cup of the Triple Cream over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the instant espresso and stir until dissolved. Pour into a shallow bowl and set aside to cool completely.
In a bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup Triple Cream, the mascarpone, cream, sugar, and salt. Whisk or beat with a hand mixer at medium speed until the mixture is the consistency of softly whipped cream. Do not overbeat. Set aside.
Working with 1 ladyfinger at a time, dip the cookies into the cold Triple Cream-espresso mixture and completely line the bottom of an 8-inch baking pan or dish with them. Use broken ladyfingers to fill any large holes. Spoon in about half of the mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with about half of the chocolate. Dip the remaining ladyfingers and arrange them in a single layer atop the mascarpone. Top with the remaining mascarpone mixture and sprinkle evenly with the remaining chocolate. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or for up to overnight.
To serve, spoon into individual dishes.
Makes 8 Servings
Suggested wine-Sauterne
Chocolate Lava Cakes
Suggested Wine: Port
Serves 6
Ingredients:
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 5 ounces (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon rum (or brandy)
• Oil or butter for coating ramekins
• Flour for dusting ramekins
• 1½ pints vanilla ice cream
Directions:
Pour about ¾ inch water in the bottom of a double boiler, making certain top pan will not touch water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Chop bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate into small pieces and place in the top of double boiler with butter and place over boiling water. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula until chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
Sift cornstarch and sugar into a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and rum (or brandy), then whisk egg mixture into the cornstarch-sugar mixture all at once. Whisk in the chocolate-butter mixture. Cover and chill batter at least 2 hours, or overnight, before using.
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil (or butter and flour) six 6-ounce ramekins or small soufflé dishes. Place ½ cup batter in each ramekin (a 4-ounce ice cream scooper dipped in hot water works nicely for this). Bake until barely risen and cracked on top, 10 to 14 minutes. Cool about 8 minutes before serving. Unmold onto plates and serve a scoop of ice cream on the side, or serve right in ramekins with a scoop of ice cream on top.
Pecan Squares
Suggested Wine: Zinfandel
Short Dough
Ingredients:
2 cups butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 13 x 18 inch cookie sheet. Place parchment paper on pan and butter paper. Blend together butter, sugar and shortening. Add vanilla, then the eggs, gradually. Sift the dry ingredients together. Stir the dry ingredients into the blended butter mixture only long enough to incorporate. Roll out immediately on to the cookie pan. The dough should come up the sides of the pan. Dock the dough with the tines of a fork to prevent the dough from blistering. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crust is light.
Pecan Filling
Ingredients:
1 pound butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup honey
2 pounds pecans
1/2 cup cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the butter in a saucepan with the sugar, brown sugar and honey. Place over moderate heat, and stir with a wooden spoon until all is dissolved. Cook over high heat for about 4-5 minutes until the mix reaches a temperature of 245 degrees. Do not stir. The mix will foam but should not boil over. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans and the cream with a clean spoon. Pour into the pre-baked short dough. Bake until firm around the edges but slightly loose in the center, about 25-35 minutes. Let cool and cut into small squares.
Zinfandel Cherry & Chocolate Chip Triangle
Suggested Wine: Zinfandel
Zinfandel Cherry & Chocolate Chip Triangle
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 ounces bar milk chocolate
3/4 cup dried cherries, cooked in red wine and chopped
1 cup Zinfandel reduced to 1/4 cup
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets. Place the oats in a food processor and grind to a powder then stir the dry ingredients together. Place the butter in a mixer and whip until light. Add both sugars. Whip until fluffy then whip in the egg and vanilla. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add the cherries and chocolate chips. Mix again. Carefully fold in the reduced Zinfandel without over blending. Roll dough into 1½ inch balls. Place the balls of dough on the greased cookie sheets about 1½ inches apart and shape into triangles with fingers. Bake for 8-10 minutes then allow triangles to cool on a rack. May be refrigerated in airtight containers.
