Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the cream

• 40 cl milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 90g sugar
• 50g flour
• 1 vanilla bean
• optional: 100g dark chocolate

For the puffs

• 75g flour
• 60g butter
• 2 eggs
• 10cl water
• 5cl milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pinch salt

Preparation time
35 minutes

Preparation
To make the cream: put the milk, the split vanilla bean (and the grated chocolate if desired) in a pot and bring to a boil. During that time, put the egg yolks and the sugar in a bowl, and whip for about 5 minutes (until smooth and almost white in color). Add the flour, and mix again until smooth. Slowly pour the boiling-hot milk while stirring until smooth. Put the mix back in the pot, put the pot on medium heat, and stir constantly until the cream boils. At first boil, take the cream out of the heat and let it cool.

To make the puffs: Put water, milk and butter (cut in pieces) in a pot. Add the sugar and the salt, and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Take out of the heat and slowly add the flour, while stirring, until the dough is smooth. Put the pot back on the heat and stir constantly for about one minute, then take out of the heat. Add the eggs one by one, stirring constantly until the dough is smooth. Pre-heat the oven at 220 C (430 F). Put the dough in a pastry pocket, and make 3cm-wide puffs, separated 4cm from each other, on a pastry sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the puffs are brown and puffed.

To stuff the puffs: when the puffs and the cream have cooled, put the cream in a pastry pocket and fill the puffs with the cream.

Serves: 6

Ingredients
Poached Pears

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 cups white wine or white grape juice
• 3 cups water
• Zest of 1 orange, in 1 by 3-inch strips
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8 whole cloves
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 slightly underripe Bosc pears, peeled and cored, with stems intact

Chocolate Sauce

• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup Fra Angelico liqueur
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 8 ounces shaved semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips

• 1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream or low-fat frozen yogurt, softened, for serving

Preparation time
35 minutes

Preparation
This classic French recipe stands a poached pear in ice cream topped with chocolate sauce like a sundae. A low-fat frozen yogurt can also be used. Use a tall, elegantly shaped, and long-stemmed poaching pear like the Bosc.

To make the poached pears, combine all the ingredients except the pears in a nonaluminum Dutch oven or soup pot. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the peeled pears, stem side up, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the pears are just tender. (Ripe pears will cook much quicker.) Remove the pears from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon and regfrigerate for at least 2 hours. The poaching liquid can be stored and reused.

To make the chocolate sauce, bring the cream, liqueur, sugar, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat, add the chocolate, and cover. After 3 minutes, blend in the chocolate until the sauce is smooth. (The sauce can be prepared several days ahead and chilled.)

To assemble, warm the chocolate sauce, if chilled, over low heat or in a double boiler. If it is too thick, add a few drops of cream. Place a large spoonful of vanilla ice cream in each dessert cup. Stand a chilled pear in the ice cream and spoon the warm chocolate sauce over the pears. Serve immediately.

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 3 Tbl. all purpose flour
• 3 Tbl. unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 12 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup brewed strong coffee 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 7 egg whites
• Confectioners sugar

Preparation time
50 minutes

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375º F (165º C). Melt butter in a sauce pot over low heat, whisk in flour and milk and cook until it thickens. Stir in chocolate and stir constantly until it’s melted. Remove from heat and add coffee, vanilla, and half the sugar. One at a time, add the egg yolks while whisking constantly.

Butter a 2-2 1/2 quart soufflé or baking dish.

In a perfectly clean and dry bowl , whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and gradually whisk in the remaining sugar and continue to whisk until the peaks stiffen. Gently fold the egg whites into the soufflé base and pour into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until the soufflé rises 2 inches above soufflé dish. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve immediately because the soufflé will deflate in less than two minutes.

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 8 whole graham crackers, crushed
• 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder or coffee powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• Chocolate curls (optional)

Preparation time
35 minutes

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix crackers, butter and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl; press onto bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust 10 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.

Combine cream, espresso powder and vanilla in small bowl; set aside. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, then eggs 1 at a time. Beat in flour. Stir espresso mixture until powder dissolves; beat into cream cheese mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter over crust. Bake cake until edges are puffed and beginning to crack and center is just set, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool on rack 30 minutes; chill cake uncovered until cold, about 6 hours. Cover; keep chilled at least 1 day and up to 2 days.

Cut around cake to loosen. Release pan sides. Top with curls, if desired.

Ingredients

• Pastry Cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 5 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Cream Puffs

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs

Glaze

• 10 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preparation time
70 minutes

Preparation
For pastry cream
Whisk sugar and flour in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in milk, then egg yolks. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until cream thickens and boils, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill pastry cream until cold and firm, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

For cream puffs
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, whisking until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Remove from heat. Add flour and cocoa all at once; whisk until smooth and blended (dough will form ball). Stir over low heat until dough leaves film on pan bottom, about 2 minutes. Transfer dough to large bowl; cool to lukewarm, about 8 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat in eggs 1 at a time.

Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets in at least 64 scant 1-inch mounds. Using moistened fingertips, smooth any pointed tips on mounds. Bake puffs 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F. Continue to bake until puffs are firm and beginning to crack and dry on top, about 23 minutes longer. Transfer puffs to rack. Using small knife or chopstick, poke hole in side of each puff near bottom to allow steam to escape. Cool puffs completely.

Spoon pastry cream into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch plain round tip. Pipe into each puff through hole in side.

For glaze
Place 10 ounces chocolate in small microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high for 15-second intervals until beginning to melt; stir glaze until completely melted and smooth.

Dip bottom of 4 filled cream puffs into glaze. Arrange puffs, spaced about 1/4 inch apart, in square on plate. Dip bottom of 3 more puffs into glaze. Arrange in triangle atop first 4 puffs, pressing slightly so glaze holds puffs in place. Dip bottom of 1 more puff into glaze; place on top. Drizzle mound of puffs with some of glaze. Repeat with remaining cream puffs, forming 8 desserts. Refrigerate until glaze sets and holds puffs together, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Serves: 12

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 c cracker crumb
• 1/4 c Margarine; melted

Filling

• 14 oz Caramel
• 5 oz milk
• 16 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 ts Vanilla
• 2 Egg whites; whipped
• 1/2 c chocolate chips

Preparation time
15 minutes

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). Prepare a 9″ pie pan with cooking spray and flour; set aside. To prepare crust, combine cracker crumbs and margarine in a small mixing bowl.

Press into prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes; set aside.

In 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, melt caramel candy with milk over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Pour over crust.

To prepare remaining filling ingredients, combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, egg whites, and chocolate chips. Pour over crust. Bake for 40 minutes.

Loosen cake from rim of pan. Cool.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 12 oz white chocolate, broken into small pieces
• 4 tbsp water
• 2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp instant (powdered) gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup milk chocolate bits or chips

Preparation time
20 minutes

Preparation

• In a double boiler, melt white chocolate bits in water.
• Whip the heavy cram until thick.
• Fold the melted white chocolate into the cream.
• In a small cup, combine powdered gelatin with cold water. Heat in microwave at high for 45 seconds, until gelatin is dissolved.
• Mix into the white-chocolate cream.
• Add some chocolate bits or chips and fold, then pour contents in a mold. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
• To serve, immerse mold in warm water, then invert on a serving plate.
• Garnish with chocolate bits and mint leaves if desired.

Serves: 18 canollis

Ingredients

Filling

• 3 cups Ricotta cheese (use the full fat kind)
• 1 1/4 cups Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Finely chopped candied
• Citron (optional)
• 1/4 cup Semi=sweet chocolate pieces

Pastry

• 3 cups Flour
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3 tablespoons Shortening
• 2 Eggs – well beaten
• 2 tablespoons White vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Cold water
• 2 ounces Pistachio nuts
• 1 Egg white – slightly beaten

Preparation time
45 minutes

Preparation

For filling
Combine and beat until smooth (about 10 minutes with an electric mixer at medium-high speed). Stir in, mixing thoroughly, citron and chocolate pieces. Place mixture in refrigerator to chill.

For pastry shells
Sift together first 4 ingredients into a bowl. Cut shortening in with a pastry blender until pieces are size of small peas. Stir in eggs. Blend in, a tablespoon at a time, the vinegar and cold water. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 8 minutes. Use a small amount of additional flour if necessary to get a smooth dough. Wrap in waxed paper and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Set out six aluminum cannoli tubes (6 inches long, about 3/4-inch diameter). Set out deep saucepan or automatic deep-fryer. Add vegetable oil (or half vegetable oil and half olive oil) and heat to 360 F. Cut an oval shaped pattern from cardboard (about 6 x 4 1/2 inches). Blanche pistachios in boiling water, then cool and finely chop pistachios. Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with a pastry cutter and using the oval pattern. Wrap dough loosely around tubes slightly overlapping opposite edges. Seal edges by brushing with egg white. press edges together to seal.

Fry only as many shells as will float uncrowded one layer deep in the hot oil. Fry about 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning occasionally in the oil. Drain over the pan before removing to paper toweling. Cool slightly and remove tubes, then cool completely. Continue forming and frying cannoli shells.

When ready to serve, fill with the chilled ricotta filling. Sprinkle ends with the chopped nuts and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

Pudding

• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces (about 5 1/2 ounces)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened
• 1 tblsp bourbon
• 5 eggs, separated
• Pinch of salt
• Bourbon Sauce

Bourbon Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tblsp bourbon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation time
45 minutes

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water and set the bowl over a pan of hot but not simmering water. Stir with a whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the water and let the chocolate cool to room temperature.

Coarsely chop the pecan pieces in a food processor. Remove 1/2 cup of the pecans and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar to the remaining nuts and grind to a fine powder. Combine the finely ground pecans, bread crumbs and cinnamon in a bowl; mix well and set the mixture aside.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter with half the remaining sugar until soft and light. Beat in the cooled chocolate and then the bourbon. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until smooth. Stir in the pecan bread crumb mixture.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until they form very soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar in a slow stream and continue beating until the egg whites hold soft peaks. Stir one-fourth of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

Pour the batter into a buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish or 8 inch square baking pan. Smooth the top. Scatter the reserved chopped pecans evenly over the surface of the batter. Place the baking dish in a larger pan and pour hot tap water into the larger pan to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake the pudding in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pudding puffs and feels slightly firm when pressed with the palm of the hand; do not overbake.

To serve, spoon the warm chocolate pecan pudding onto dessert plates. Ladle 2 or 3 tablespoons of the Bourbon Sauce over. Pass the reamaining sauce separately.
Bourbon Sauce

In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the milk and sugar. Bring to a boil over moderate heat.

Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl until liquified. When the milk boils, gradually whisk 1/3 of it into the yolks. Return the remaining milk to a boil over low heat and whisk in the yolk mixture. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes; do not let boil. Immediately remove from the heat.

Whisk the sauce constantly for 1 minute to cool. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and whisk for 30 seconds. Stir in the bourbon and the vanilla. Serve warm.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4 tsp gelatine
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 11oz tin evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preparation time
15 minutes

Preparation
Chill the evaporated milk in the fridge for several hours. (It will not beat up well if it is at room temperature) Measure out the gelatine carefully. Add the milk. Stir well, then leave to stand for 5 minutes. In a medium sized saucepan mix the cocoa, sugar and water. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the softened gelatine. Stir until the gelatine has completely dissolved. Stand the chocolate mixture in cold water to cool but DO NOT let it set. Beat the evaporated milk until very thick. Add the cooled chocolate mixture gradually, then;

• Turn into one large dish to set.
• Spoon into individual dishes.
• Spoon mixture into glasses or individual dishes alternately with spoonfuls of whipped cream and/or raspberries or stewed peaches.
• Spoon into a mould that has been wiped with cooking oil to prevent sticking. Leave to set. Colour darkens and flavour becomes more marked if pudding is left for several hours. To unmould, loosen edges with fingers, then loosen one side and turn onto a dampened plate. DO NOT stand the mould in warm water unless all else fails.