dessert

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Z

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Zakarian Chocolate Pudding! Sometimes you look to a celebrity chef for inspiration. Today’s feature recipe is brought to you by “Iron Chef”, Geoffrey Zakarian. Although it is filed under Dark Chocolate Pudding, its decadent taste and smooth consistency remind me more of a French Silk Pie. Do I have your undivided attention? Can you hear me now? This is most definitely a chocolate-lovers dream! By serving it in shot glasses, you control the portion and everyone gets a taste. Mr. Zakarian serves it with whipped sour cream. I modified it a bit by adding crushed pistachios and a slice of strawberry. 
ZAKARIAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING 
Ingredients:

6 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup light cream

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 pinch sea salt

4 large egg yolks

Whipped sour cream, optional

Strawberries for garnish

Pistachios for garnish
Instructions:

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream and light cream to a bare simmer. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt, and egg yolks. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper it, whisking all the while. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Pour in the melted chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour into glasses or custard cups. Refrigerate until chief and set, about 3 hours. Serve with whipped sour cream, if desired. Garnish with fresh strawberry slice and chopped pistachios. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter X

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: X-Treme Fudge Bouchons! These chocolate fudge brownies are the perfect bite-size dessert at the end of a meal. Because they are baked in a popover pan, their shape resembles a cork, or French bouchon. The dense chocolatey cake is filled with rich dark chocolate morsels and dusted with powdered sugar making it an appealing dessert, no matter the occasion. Picnic season is upon us. Treat yourself to a taste of France. 
X-TREME FUDGE BOUCHONS
Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened 

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar plus 3 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

12 ounces butter, unsalted and melted

6 ounces semisweet mini chocolate morsels

Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour popover pan. Set aside. Sift together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and kosher salt. Set aside. Using a stand mixer, combine eggs and sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes. It will appear thick and very pale in color. Add the vanilla extract. Reduce to low speed alternating 1/3 of dry ingredients, then 1/3 of warm butter until all is blended. Add semisweet chocolate morsels. Place popover pan on a baking sheet and fill each mold two-thirds full. Place in the oven. Bake for 25-28 minutes until tops look shiny and a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack for 3 minutes. Invert mold and allow bouchons to cool upside down. Lift off popover pan. When cool, dust with powdered sugar. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter S

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Spiced Pear Blueberry Cobbler! For a truly gourmet experience, this dessert is spot on. You may notice a very distinct flavor, but can’t quite put your finger on it. Not only is it different, it’s alluring and extraordinary. I’m here to tell you, the secret ingredient is cardamom. Not only is it a key ingredient in the spiced pear combination, but if you scroll down to the bottom, you’ll find it’s the grande finale and the perfect compliment for this exotic cobbler. Cardamom sprinkled on ice cream that has been drizzled with honey is practically like eating two desserts…in one. Bonus points!
SPICED PEAR BLUEBERRY COBBLER 
Ingredients for Filling:

1 cup blueberries 

1 tablespoon cornstarch 

3 pears, peeled, cored, and chopped

1/4 cup orange marmalade 

1 tablespoon agave nectar 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cardamom 

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 
Instructions:

In a shallow bowl, place blueberries. Sprinkle with corn starch. Turn to coat. Set aside. In a medium bowl, toss pears with orange marmalade, agave nectar, and lemon juice. Add ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. Gently fold in blueberries. 
Ingredients for Batter:

1 cup sugar 

3/4 cup butter 

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cups almonds, sliced
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. Cream together sugar and butter. Mix flour, sea salt, and baking soda together. Add dry ingredients. Batter will be crumbly. Spread 3/4 batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Layer fruit filling, spreading to edges. Crumble remaining batter on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar and sliced almonds. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm, a la mode with vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with natural honey and sprinkled with cardamom. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Lovely Lace Cookies! For the keen observer, you may notice this is the same recipe I used for Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough*. There is a simple explanation. For those who are unable eat an entire batch of raw cookie dough, there is an alternative. Simply split the portion and bake a batch of Lovely Lace Cookies. But be forewarned. Once you drizzle them with chocolate, you may eat them faster than ever. I did. No shame!
LOVELY LACE COOKIES
Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

1 cup flour 

2 tablespoons light cream

1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips 

Chocolate Syrup for drizzling
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. In a food processor, combine butter and brown sugar. Cream together. Add vanilla extract and sea salt. Pulse to blend. Gradually add flour. Dough will be slightly crumbly. Add light cream. Pulse to mix well. By hand gentle fold in semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. Drop by level teaspoons onto nonstick baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Watch carefully. Do not burn. Cool on baking sheet until firm, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving. 
*Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough can be referenced under Letter E at https://snapshotsincursive.com/2017/03/23

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter G

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Gluten-free PB Blonde Brownies! Even though I don’t have a restricted diet, I can appreciate the benefits of choosing gluten-free options from time to time. And to be honest, I like the natural nutty flavor of chickpeas as a substitute for white flour. It turns out to be a nice compliment to the natural peanut butter taste. Reward yourself with a touch of chocolate in these blonde brownies. Now that’s something to savor. 
GLUTEN-FREE PB BLONDE BROWNIES 
Ingredients:

15-ounce can organic chickpeas, drained

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/3 cup pure honey

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1/3 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter chips

Coarse sea salt for garnish 

Semi-sweet mini chocolate chips for garnish
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a food processor, combine chickpeas, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, peanut butter, honey, egg, and vanilla extract. Process until batter is smooth. By hand, fold in mini chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Spread batter evenly in a 8″x8″ square nonstick pan. (Use nonstick oil, if necessary.) Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top. Bake 17-20 minutes until edges are golden brown and the center passes the toothpick test. Cool 15 minutes on wire rack. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cut into squares and serve. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter E

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! Now you have no reason to sneak a teaspoon of cookie dough when that sweet craving strikes. Since this recipe eliminates the need for a raw egg, it removes the worry of allergic reactions. Whip up a batch in minutes. I like the idea of spooning half the dough into a canning jar to keep in the refrigerator. Makes snacking unbelievably yummy! The remaining dough can be formed into truffle-size portions and stored in the freezer for later. Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough makes a great gift from your kitchen as well, that is if you have any left to share. 
EDIBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH 
Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

1 cup flour 

2 tablespoons light cream

1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips 
Instructions:

In a food processor, combine butter and brown sugar. Cream together. Add vanilla extract and sea salt. Pulse to blend. Gradually add flour. Dough will be slightly crumbly. Add light cream. Pulse to mix well. By hand gentle fold in semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. Transfer dough to a jar and store in the refrigerator. For snack size portions, use a small cookie scoop to keep them uniform. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter U

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Upside-Down Pineapple Bundt Cake! This light and easy alternative for dessert will satisfy your sweet tooth without packing on the pounds. The secret is the tropical taste of pineapple. 
UPSIDE-DOWN PINEAPPLE BUNDT CAKE
Ingredients:

1 box Angel Food Cake Mix

1 20-ounce can of Crushed Pineapple with Juice

1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions:

Set oven rack to lowest setting. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray Bundt pan with non-stick cooking oil. Sprinkle brown sugar on the bottom of the pan. Mix the Angel Food Cake Mix with the Crushed Pineapple, including juice, by hand for one minute or until well blended. Pour into Bundt pan and place in oven on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 35-45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and the cake is set. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
Option: Garnish with a sprig of tarragon and top with maraschino cherries, stems removed. 
Serving Suggestion

Mixed Berry Sauce:
1 pound of fresh blueberries 

1 pound of fresh mulberries 

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar
In a medium sauce pan add berries, water, lemon juice, and sugar. Cook on medium heat, while stirring until the berries reduce down. Change the heat to low setting and press the berries against the side of the pan to make them burst. Continue cooking for 30 minutes until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Add 2 drops of lemon extract while stirring with a spoon. Pour into jar and store in refrigerator. 

Hint: This is delicious on toast or pancakes or ice cream. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter N

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Neiman-Marcus Cake! Repeat after me, “Butter is my friend. Butter is my new best friend.” One bite of these sweet cream butter bars and you’ll swear they came from a French bakery. Look no further than the Neufchâtel cheese filling for confirmation. I always serve this cake with fresh fruit for the ultimate pâtisserie experience. 
NEIMAN MARCUS CAKE
Ingredients:

1 lb. box of yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 lb. powdered sugar

8 oz. bar of Neufchâtel cheese

1 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup sliced almonds
Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Stir cake mix, melted butter, and one egg. Press into the bottom of a greased and floured 9 x 13 glass dish. Mix powdered sugar, 2 eggs, almond extract, and softened Neufchâtel cheese until smooth. Pour over top of cake mix. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Bake 50-60 minutes. Cool. Cut into squares and serve with fresh strawberries. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Mexican Spiced Brownies! Olé! If you’re as crazy about adding a “kick” to your palate, look no further. (And if you’re not, the recipe can be modified.) The wild ride adrenaline rush you get from chili peppers can be addictive. I like the fact that your immune system can get a boost. The color of red chili peppers signals its high content of beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A. Combine the chili with dark chocolate and there you have it…..permission to eat brownies!
MEXICAN SPICED BROWNIES
Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or a smidgen of cayenne pepper)

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Preheat oven to 350°. Melt the butter and add to the sugar. Stir until blended. Add the eggs, vanilla, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon powder to the sugar mixture. Mix well. Slowly add the flour and cocoa powder. Stir until smooth. Pour into a greased 9 x 9 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
***For regular brownies, omit crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. 
Chocolate Icing:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract

2 tablespoons warm milk
Gently mix butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and milk until frosting is of spreading consistency. Spread evenly on cooled brownies. Sprinkle top with semi-sweet mini chocolate morsels.