Cheese Cake (King Cake) Éclairs (Serves 12)

A colleague at work got to sample these after our Mardi Gras dinner and she seems to have taken a liking to them. She has asked that I post the recipe, and while these didn't get Star Recipe Status owing to the pate choux coming out too dense, I have agreed to put it out there. Perhaps she can improve on the pastry dough or the technique? Perhaps you can too?

-Chez


Software for éclair pate choux:

• 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon whole milk
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 to 6 large eggs (dough)
• 1 egg (wash)
  

Software for cream cheese pastry cream:

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Software for tangerine glaze and assembly:

• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed tangerine juice
• 1 teaspoon tangerine zest
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
• Cake decorating gel or paste (Mardi Gras colors - optional)
  

Hardware:

• large pastry bag, 1/2-inch-tip, and 1/4-inch tip

Instructions

Make éclairs:

· Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
· In medium saucepan, combine 1 cup milk, butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
· Bring to boil over moderate heat, stirring with wooden spoon until butter is melted.
· Add flour all at once and cook, beating constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms ball, about 15 seconds.
· Transfer dough to bowl of standing electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
· Beat in 5 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Check consistency by lifting spoonful of dough; dough should form soft peaks and fall from spoon in slow, bending hook. If dough is too stiff, beat in 6th egg.
· Spoon batter into large pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch tip. Pipe 5-inch-long, 1-inch-wide logs onto baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each log.
· In small bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon milk to make egg wash. Brush each éclair with egg wash and bake 15 minutes, switching position of sheets halfway through baking. Lower oven temperature to 325°F and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 10 more minutes.
· Remove éclairs and turn off oven. Using small, sharp knife cut small slit in 1 long side of each éclair. Return éclairs to oven, propping door slightly open, for 5 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to rack to cool.

Make pastry cream:

· Have ready large bowl half full of ice water.
· In medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. In heavy medium saucepan over moderate heat, bring cream to boil.
· In stream, pour ½ of hot cream into egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Whisk mixture into remaining cream in saucepan and place over medium heat.
· Cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon to prevent boiling, until pastry cream thickens enough to coat back of spoon, about 3 to 4 minutes.
· Remove pan from heat and set in bowl filled with ice water. Cool pastry cream, stirring occasionally, until thick and cool, about 30 minutes.
· In large mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese and cooled pastry cream. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch-tip and set aside.

Make glaze:

· In medium bowl, combine tangerine juice and zest. Slowly whisk in confectioner's sugar until thoroughly combined.

Assemble: Pipe pastry cream into éclairs through slits in sides. Using small pastry brush spread glaze over top of each éclair and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Decorate with gel or paste as you wish and return to refrigerator

NOTE: Bring to room temperature before serving.

Lentil Soup (Serves 8)

Soup is a staple in the cold, dreary months of winter here in Illinois, so it should take no one by surprise that this little lovely won Star Status on 2/22, during our "Mardi Gras" Theme Day.

The soup was excellent but the balsamic vinegar cream (reduction) was a very good 'optional' and I strongly recommend you drizzle it on to the soup right before you serve. It brings a whole new dimension to this hearty soup. Serve it with a hearty, crusty bread and you have a meal good for any wintery day.

- Chez

Software

• 3 tablespoons extra–virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery stalks plus chopped celery leaves for garnish
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed, drained
• 1 14 1/2–ounce can diced tomatoes in juice


• Balsamic vinegar cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium–high heat.


2. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 15 minutes.


3. Add 4 cups broth, lentils, and tomatoes with juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium–low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.


4. Transfer 2 cups soup (mostly solids) to blender and puree until smooth.


5. Return puree to soup in pan; thin soup with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls, if too thick.


6. Season with salt, pepper.


7. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with celery leaves and drizzle balsamic vinegar cream to taste.

Bitter Chocolate Soufflé Cake (Makes 8-6 oz servings)

If you are a fan of dark chocolate but not a big lover of the super-sweet concoctions that some chocolate desserts become then this one is for you. The words that best describe the light texture and airiness of this dessert is “chocolate air”.

We tried this one on 2/15 and my wife (who never picks the dessert as her favorite) broke with tradition and opted to choose this as her Star Recipe of the Day. I hope that you like it as much as we did.

- Chez

Software –

• 6 1/2 ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Vanilla ice cream (optional)
• Dark chocolate fudge (optional)
• Chocolate ice cream topping ‘shell’ (optional)

Hardware –

• 8 6oz ramekins
• Parchment paper
• Metal baking sheet
• 1 Hot pad
• 1 Large metal bowl
• 2 Small metal bowl
• Electric mixer
• Wire cooling rack

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place a piece of parchment paper on the metal baking sheet and place in freezer for 10 minutes. (optional-garnish)
3. Remove sheet and drizzle a small ‘doo-dad’ of ice cream topping ‘shell’ on the paper, one for each ramekin, for a total of 8. Place back in freezer to harden. (optional – garnish)
4. Place dessert plates in freezer.
5. Place hot pad inside large metal bowl and place one of the small metal bowls on top of it. Turn on pad to medium/high.
6. Place the chocolate and all of the butter in the small bowl apparatus and heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has melted but is not too hot (DO NOT EXCEED 100 F).
7. Stir until smooth.
8. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar together until thickened slightly and lighter in color.
9. Whisk in the flour and then add the chocolate mixture.
10. Place the egg whites in the second small metal bowl and place on the hot pad until warmed slightly.
11. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and whip with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 1/2 tablespoons more sugar. Turn the speed to high and add the last 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, whipping the whites to firm peaks.
12. Stir a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
13. Fold in the remaining whites, in two separate additions, ensuring that you ARE folding and NOT MIXING! 10 swirls only… “Walk away, just walk away!”
14. Divide the batter among the ramekins.
15. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the tops are puffed and feel firm to the touch, about 12 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 3 minutes.
16. Meanwhile, if you are going to use the optional presentation pictured above, remove dessert plates from freezer and smear a dollop of chocolate fudge on the plate and add a single scoop of ice cream. Return plates to freezer.
17. After the cakes are cool, drizzle a very small amount of the ‘shell’ topping onto them.
18. Remove plates from freezer and set ramekins on them.
19. With a clean knife, make a slash into the ice cream ball and insert the doo-dad.
20. Serve immediately or your doo-dad will melt!

CHICKEN NUGGETS WITH HONEY MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE

Our second Star from 2/8 Brunch was the chicken nuggets with its honey mustard dipping sauce accompaniment. The chicken is good all by itself, but add the honey-mustard and it goes over the top.

Bon Appétit!





Software-Chicken:

• 2 cup crushed sour-cream-and-onion-flavored potato chips
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4 chicken breast fillets, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
  

Software-Honey Mustard:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or juice from 1/2 lemon
• Horseradish, to taste

Preparation-

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all of the ingregients to the honey mustard sauce.

Cover and chill for at least 3 hours before use.

Spread the crushed potato chips in a shallow dish.

Beat together the egg and milk in a shallow bowl.

Dip the chicken cubes into the egg mixture and then dredge them in the chips.

Place the chicken nuggets on a baking sheet and drizzle with melted butter.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Bee Kiss (Makes 2 servings)

2/8/09 Brunch was themed around honey, a first for Chez… but it was also a first in that all of the meal items; the drink, the main item and the supporting items of the meal, scored 10 out of 10. We were hard pressed to bring you a single item as a Star Recipe, so we didn’t… we gave you two. The Bee Kiss is the first offering and if you are a fan of creamy honey, this one is for you.

Bon Appétit!

Software:

• 3 ounces light rum
• 2 ounce honey
• 3 ounces heavy cream
• Small edible flowers (optional)
  

Hardware:

• Cocktail shaker
• Martini glasses
  

Preparation:

1. Warm honey in microwave – but do not boil!
2. Combine rum and honey in shaker, stir well, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. Prior to serving, add heavy cream to shaker and sir to combine.
4. Pour into glasses and garnish with edible flower.
   

NOTE: Do not add ice to the mixture! If you do, the honey will collect and harden around the ice and will no longer be part of the drink.

Polamalu Punch (Makes 10 servings)

It can go by any name you like, but since this one was created for the Super Bowl we have called it 'Polamalu Punch'. Take heed however... it is deceptively good but go slow. Like its namesake it will knock you on your butt if you are not on guard.

Bon Appétit!

Software:

• 3 cups Hawaiian Punch


• 2 cups apple juice


• 1 cup cranberry juice


• 2 cups ginger ale


• 1 cup Berry vodka


• 1 cup Triple Sec
  
  

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl or pitcher


2. Add ice and stir


3. Ladle and serve