creme

Xanthic Crème Brûlée

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Xanthic Crème Brûlée! Whenever you’re feeling a little “French”, imagine yourself at the Palace of Versailles, where everything reeks of opulence and grandeur. The popular “burnt cream” custard dessert boasts of its crackly, caramelized coating in shades of deep golden brown. Take the back of a dessert spoon and snap it onto the surface, thereby causing the top layer to separate for a glimpse of the silky creamed filling beneath. Just for kicks, I invite my guests to torch their own dessert, catching a whiff of the slightly burnt sugar aroma up close and personal. Pay no attention to the fine trickle of drool leaking from the corner of their mouths. This is sheer entertainment at its finest. 

XANTHIC CRÈME BRÛLÉE 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

4 large egg yolks 

Pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 300°. Over medium-high heat, bring two cups of water to a boil. Set aside. This will be used for the water bath. In a saucepan over low heat, warm the heavy cream and vanilla paste. Allow the mixture to start to simmer, stirring gently. In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, sea salt, and sugar. Whisk together until the yolks break down. Once the cream mixture is simmering, slowly pour a fourth of it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you work. This step tempers the eggs so they will not curdle. Add the remaining cream and whisk gently until thoroughly combined. Do not over mix to avoid air bubbles from forming. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Divide the custard equally between 4 (6-ounce) ramekins, filling almost to the top. Place the ramekins inside a baking tray. Carefully add the boiling water to the tray, avoiding the ramekins. The water should reach halfway up the height of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the tray to the oven. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until the crème brûlées are set around the edges. The centers should still remain wobbly in the middle when gently shaken. Immediately transfer the ramekins to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The next day, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over the surface of each ramekin. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar to a deep brown color. Add fresh fruit, if desired. Enjoy. 

Peanut Butter Fudge

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Sweet Celebrations: Peanut Butter Fudge! Once a year, my mother would send me a batch of her homemade peanut butter fudge. And, truthfully, I seldom shared it. Not because I was selfish, because it was THAT good! Now that she is no longer able to give me that glorious care package, I have assumed her role for others. The baton has been passed so the family tradition continues. Every peanut butter-lover should try some for yourself. One bite of this melt-in-your-mouth creamy fudge may lead you start a tradition to “Pay it Forward”.

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 cup natural peanut butter, creamy

1 teaspoon vanilla

7-ounce jar marshmallow creme

Instructions:

Combine butter, sugar, and milk in a 2-quart pan. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling over medium heat for four minutes. Stir constantly to prevent scorching. Be sure to scrape sides as well. Remove from heat. Work quickly stirring in peanut butter until completely melted. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into greased 9″x13″ pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares.

Whoopie Pies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Sunshine Eats: Whoopie Pies! Dip into your past for a childhood favorite that has been around since your parents and grandparents were kids. Some say it’s a cookie, others refer to it as a cake, but the name that seemed to stick more than any other is “Whoopie Pie”. No worries, one bite and it simply won’t matter. You’re hooked. Picture this: Sweet, creamy marshmallow fluff sandwiched between two chewy dark chocolate mounds. I know, right?!

WHOOPIE PIES

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon molasses

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

7-ounce jar marshmallow creme

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream together butter, vegetable oil, molasses, and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg. Add vanilla extract. Combine flour, baking soda, sea salt, and cocoa powder. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir until blended. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. (I baked 6 cookies per sheet to allow room for them to form a perfect circle.) Bake 8-10 minutes. Watch carefully. Cool for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. To fill, spread a generous dollop on the bottom half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies. Wrap and chill 2 hours before serving.

Fabulous Fruit Dip

Experience the Holidays: Fabulous Fruit Dip! Recently I served a delightful fruit cup for breakfast when family came to visit. Because it is made with Greek yogurt and nutmeg, it’s an impressive alternative to ordinary yogurt. Think of it as Summer-in-a-Cup. Whether you decide to arrange a generous fruit platter for a crowd or scale it down to individual portions, the results are the same: heavenly delicious!

FABULOUS FRUIT DIP

Ingredients:

1 large orange*

8 ounces of Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature

4 ounces marshmallow Creme

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon orange extract

1/8 teaspoon orange zest

Smidgen nutmeg

Assorted fresh fruits

Mint Sprig for Garnish

Instructions:

Cut 1/3 off the top of the orange to create a “bowl”. Carefully run a sharp knife around the inside. Do not cut through the peel. Gently scoop out the fruit. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together Neufchâtel cheese and marshmallow creme. Beat until smooth. Fold in Greek yogurt. Make the zest by using the top portion of the orange peel. Add orange extract, zest, and nutmeg. Blend thoroughly. Chill one hour. Scoop into the orange “bowl” before serving. Garnish with fresh mint sprig. Place on a serving platter surrounded by fresh fruit.

* For individual servings, choose four small navel oranges.

Fabulous Fruit Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Fabulous Fruit Dip! Recently I served a delightful fruit cup for breakfast when family came to visit. Because it is made with Greek yogurt and nutmeg, it’s an impressive alternative to ordinary yogurt. Think of it as Summer-in-a-Cup. Whether you decide to arrange a generous fruit platter for a crowd or scale it down to individual portions, the results are the same: heavenly delicious!

FABULOUS FRUIT DIP

Ingredients:

1 large orange*

8 ounces of Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature

4 ounces marshmallow Creme

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon orange extract

1/8 teaspoon orange zest

Smidgen nutmeg

Assorted fresh fruits

Mint Sprig for Garnish

Instructions:

Cut 1/3 off the top of the orange to create a “bowl”. Carefully run a sharp knife around the inside. Do not cut through the peel. Gently scoop out the fruit. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together Neufchâtel cheese and marshmallow creme. Beat until smooth. Fold in Greek yogurt. Make the zest by using the top portion of the orange peel. Add orange extract, zest, and nutmeg. Blend thoroughly. Chill one hour. Scoop into the orange “bowl” before serving. Garnish with fresh mint sprig. Place on a serving platter surrounded by fresh fruit.

* For individual servings, choose four small navel oranges.