Rocky Road

If I was going to be stranded on a desert island, and could take only one candy, Rocky Road would be my choice. I know that Rocky Road can mean different things to different people, depending on where you live, but for me it is white chunks of soft and spongy marshmallow together with crunchy peanuts, all enrobed in a silky smooth dark chocolate. 


Ingredients:
500 gr. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
200 gr. mini marshmallows
180 gr. pistachios and peanuts


Have ready a parchment lined baking sheet.
In a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate.

Add the marshmallows and nuts to the tempered chocolate and stir just until they are completely coated with chocolate. 

Do this quickly and stir as little as possible as the chocolate sets very fast. Immediately spread the rocky road on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

Let the Rocky Road sit at room temperature until firm and then cut into pieces. Or, you can place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the Rocky Road is firm.

Frozen Banana bites

Frozen Banana Bites are coated in healthy things like peanut butter, ground flax seed or trail mix and then dipped in chocolate. A recipe that represents equilibrium: a perfect balance between health and flavor. All the ingredients are healthy. And all the ingredients rank high on flavor, especially when combined!


Ingredients:
4 small bananas
100-120 gr. unsweetened dark chocolate
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1-2 tablespoons of milk


Cut bananas into slices and spread them with peanut butter.

Put them on parchment paper and let them freez into the fridge or freezer.
Melt the chocolate and, once melted, pour the milk in. Remove bananas from freezer and roll them into the chocolate.
Put them again on parchment paper and put again in the freezer to freez.

Once frozen decorate as you want =)

White Chocolate Blueberry Scones

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, frozen whole 
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries 
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt


Whisk together dry ingredients, add cold butter and milk and cream.
Whisk well with your hands and form a ball with the dough.

 Turn the dough and any floury bits onto a well floured work surface. Lightly flour your hands and the dough and knead the dough gently 6-8 times until it just holds together in a ragged ball, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Roll dough into approximate 12-inch square. Then fold dough into thirds like a business letter, using bench scraper or metal spatula to release dough if it sticks to counter top. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form approximate 4-inch square. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer 5 minutes.
Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll again into a 12-inch square. Sprinkle blueberries and white chocolate chips evenly over surface of dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded in dough. Using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen dough from work surface. Roll up dough, pressing to form tight log, and pinch the seam closed. 

Lay seam-side down and press log into 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles.

 Transfer the scones to parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Pistachio Meringue Sandwich-Macaron Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup of almond flour
1/4 cup of pistachio flour
250 gr. powder sugar
3 large wgg whites
For filling:
400 ml. whipping cream
100 gr. pistachio paste 
+ sugar (optional)


Prepare two baking sheets with parchment or silpats and set aside.
Preheat oven to 180°.
Add half of the powdered sugar, whole almonds or almond meal, and pistachios to a food processor and process to a fine, even powder. (I recommend processing even if using almond meal as I often find it not finely ground enough.) When done, sift the contents of the processor bowl into a large mixing bowl to remove any last lumps. If there is only a small amount of larger particles left in the strainer, I just throw it out; however, if there is a significant quantity, i.e. more than 1-2 tablespoons, return all ingredients back to the processer and continue to grind to a finer texture. 

Add the egg whites with remaining powdered sugar the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until frothy. Turn the mixer speed to high and continue beating until the meringue holds stiff peaks.


Add one half of the meringue to the mixing bowl containing the almond/sugar/pistachio mixture and fold in using a silicon spatula. Add the remaining meringue and continue to fold until the batter looks like flowing lava. It will be thick but should still spread. 


Add the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a tip or a gallon sized plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe out circles of batter on the prepared baking sheets approximately 1.5” wide in diameter. Allow some distance between the piped circles for spreading. When finished piping, rap the baking sheets on the counter firmly to allow any air bubbles to settle. Sprinkle chopped pistachios on half of the shells, if a topping is desired. 
Set the pans aside for 2 hrs to allow the macarons to dry and a skin to form on top. Test by gently poking with your finger. The macarons will be ready when dry to the touch and your finger only leaves a slight impression. 

Bake for 15 minutes to 180°.

For filling: whis the cream until puffy and add pistachio paste.

Mix well and add sugar if you want.

With another pastry bag fill the cookies with pistachio cream and cover with another shell.
Let them cool in the fridge or let them coagulate at room temperature before serving =)

Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter French Toast

Ingredients:
3 slices thick bread
2 tablespoons butter
2 whole eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
1/4 cup peanut butter, melted
3 full tablespoons Nutella


In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. On a plate, add corn flake crumbs and sugar, and mix well.

Preheat a large skillet on medium-low heat. Add bread to egg mixture and let soak on each side for about 60 seconds. Remove from egg mixture and thoroughly dredge through corn flake crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and add bread. Fry until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes each. 

Repeat with additional bread, using remaining tablespoon of butter for the next 2 pieces.
Top french toast with melted peanut butter and Nutella. Devour!

Oreo Balls

I biscotti più amati d'America, tramutati in tartufi ricoperti di cioccolato croccante..!
Che connubio! Sono da provare in tutti i gusti: stesso ripieno, copertura diversa con tutti i tipi di cioccolato ed essenze!
Perfetto dessert della Domenica!
Buon 1° Aprile :D


Ingredienti:
250 gr. Biscotti Oreo
Philadelphia q.b.
250 gr. cioccolato (bianco, nero, gianduja)


Frullare nel mixer i biscotti fino ad ottenerne una polvere. Aggiungere a cucchiaiate la Philadelphia, quanto basti per ottenere un composto appiccicoso e pastoso. Porre in frigo per mezz'ora.

Rimuovere la pasta dal frigo e formare con le mani delle palline, non più grandi di una noce e disporle in fila. 

Riportare in frigo per un ora, dopodiche squagliare i tipi di cioccolato a bagnomaria e tuffare i tartufi nel cioccolato. Riporre nuovamente sulla teglia e poi in frigo =)

Nutella Chocolatey French toast

Being the son of Italian parents, Nutella seems to have been around me since birth. I love the stuff. Can’t get enough of it. I wish I could live off Nutella alone. Imagine my surprise when during this year’s edition of our neighbourhood holiday walkabout I realized not everyone has heard of this heaven sent that fills me up with chocolate and hazelnut goodness.
After being told by Pina, on numerous occasions, that my recipe was going to be a failure, I am proud to say they were the hit of the party. Consider yourself lucky I am willing to share it.


Ingredients:
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups chocolate milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
cup Nutella
12 bread, (1/2 inch thick), such as brioche
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
Powered sugar for dusting


Whisk together eggs, chocolate milk, cinnamon, in a medium bowl, and set aside. Lay out 6 slices of bread on work surface. Top each slice with Nutella. Top with remaining bread slices; press gently to seal the sandwiches.

Quickly dip sandwiches into batter for a couple seconds. Carefully turn sandwiches over and repeat on other side.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry half of the French toast until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. 

Serve with powered sugar =D

Brioche Danubio

The original recipe called for a 30-45 minute rise for the sponge, a 2-hour first rise for the dough, an overnight (at least 4-6 hours) second rise after the dough was deflated from the first rise, and a final two hour rise after the nanterre (the bumpy loaf shape) was formed. And as much as I love baking bread, it can be hard to manage the timing of all of these rises. I found that the dough worked really well if, after the overnight rise, the nanterre was shaped and the loaf pan refrigerated for the day. 


My game plan: 
Evening: Make dough, first rise, place in the fridge overnight (needs about 3 1/2 hours, with 30 minutes of that active preparation).
Next morning: Divide dough into segments, place in loaf pan, refrigerate, go to work.
Following evening: Come home from work, take dough out, give it a final rise, and bake.


Ingredients
Sponge:
1/3 cup whole warm milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 large egg
2 cups flour 

Dough:

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks butter (see note

Baking:

1 large egg beaten with one tablespoon cold water

Prepared loaf pans with dough

Note: Before starting this step, take 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter and leave it out so it can come to room temperature. 

Warm the milk to roughly 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit and it transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. I find that active dry yeast works best around 95-100 degrees, so I would heat the milk to about 105 degrees, because it will cool once poured into the bowl. Add the yeast, egg, and 1 cup of flour to the bowl and mix with a spatula until combined. Add the other cup of flour, covering the mixture completely.  Allow to sit uncovered for 30-45 minutes, after which there will be cracks all over the flour on top. Place bowl in stand mixer, fit with dough hook, and proceed to completing the dough.

For dough: Add sugar, eggs, salt, and 1 cup of flour to the sponge, then mix on medium-low speed until combined. Bring the speed up to medium, then add the last 1/2 cup of flour. At this point, set a timer for 15 minutes and knead the dough on medium speed the entire time. If your mixer becomes too hot, stop to let it cool down. As the mixing continues, the dough should become more elastic and start slapping the sides of the bowl. If it doesn’t after 5-7 minutes, the dough is too wet. Add more flour by the tablespoon to bring the dough together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.  While you wait, take the butter and mash it so it becomes more pliable. The butter should not be oily, but smooth and cool. I like to put the butter on a plate and use an offset spatula to mash it.

After the 15 minutes are up, turn the mixer to medium-low and add butter two tablespoons at a time. The dough will become, for lack of a better term, a wet mess. Do not panic and keep mixing. After all of the butter has been added, turn the mixer to medium-high and mix until the dough starts to come together. Bring it down to medium and keep mixing until the slapping sound is heard again, with the dough back to its original elasticity. Add up to 1 teaspoon of flour if the butter is incorporated and the dough is still too wet. 

Butter a large bowl and place the dough in it. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until double in size, roughly 2 to 2 1/2 hours. 

I like to use these tubs from Rubbermaid, which have airtight lids. Very useful for dough rises. 

Once the dough has doubled in size, deflate it by gently lifting every edge gently and letting it fall. Cover the bowl again, place in the refrigerator and let rise overnight. 

After the second rise is complete (the next morning), deflate it again, then turn to a lightly floured board. Give it a couple of kneading turns to smooth out the dough and round it into a disk. Cut the disk in half, then each piece in half three more times to produce sixteen equal pieces. 

Butter two loaf pans measuring approximately 10 x 5 x 3 inches and place eight rounds of dough in each one. The dough should be evenly spaced and will not necessarily touch each other. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator (see alternative to placing in the refrigerator). When close to baking time, take out of the refrigerator, allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then bake. 

Alternative: If not placing in the refrigerator, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for two hours, then bake. 

Preheat oven 180°. Brush the tops of the loaves (the rounds of dough should be touching, but it is ok if there are still small gaps) with the egg wash and be then place in the oven. Set a timer for 25 minutes. After 12 minutes, open the oven and give the tops another coat of egg wash. Bake for the remainder of time. Open the oven, pull a loaf out and being very careful, tap the top of the loaf with your hand. If it sounds hollow (like tapping an empty box), the loaf is done. I found these loaves do best when slightly under-baked, which leaves them perfectly moist. 

If not serving immediately, cool the loaves completely and wrap in plastic wrap.

Oreo Fritters

Ingredients:
1 cup of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
pinch of salt
1 egg
2/3 cup of milk
12 Oreos

Mix together flour, baking and salt. Add egg and, gradually, the milk, mixing well while you pour it. 
Preheat oil, and butter every Oreo into the dough and place into the warm oil. Fry until its brown.
Serve them hot =)