Tiramisu Toffee Cake

Tiramisu Toffee Cake

Delicious and light but rich in flavor!!  Love this cake!  Bake the day before you plan to serve. Chill overnight to allow the flavors to meld.  Serves 12 - 14

Tiramisu Toffee Cake

Ingredients

1 package white cake mix (regular size)

1 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature

4 egg whites

4 Heath Baking Chips (5 ounces), chopped

FROSTING:

4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

2/3 cup raw sugar

1/3 cup Dark Chocolate syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups heavy whipping cream

6 tablespoons strong brewed coffee or Espresso, room temperature 

Heath Baking Chips (3 ounces), chopped

Directions

Line two greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, coffee and egg whites; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Fold in Heath Chips.

Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the whipping cream. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the coffee. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Sprinkle lightly with Heath Chips. Repeat layers twice. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with Heath Chips. Sprinkle with chocolate powder, if desired.

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Thai Mango Coconut Custard

Delicious and Refreshing!

This beautiful and refreshing dessert can be whipped up in no time!  The coconut milk adds to the tropical flavor, while keeping the custard lower in fat than those made with cream.  You will need two mangoes.  My favorites are the 'Ataulfo' or 'Manila' mangoes from Mexico.  If you are going for authentic Thia you can try to find the Asain variety, but for me, the Manila are sweet juicy and perfect for this recipe!

Mango Coconut Custard

The Chef In My Head

4 servings

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced into cubes

1 cup coconut milk, regular or lite

2 1/2 T. cornstarch

2-3 T raw sugar

3 egg yolks

optional garnish: fresh mint leaves

Set aside 3-4 T of cubed mango for garnish and place the rest in food processor (you want about 1 cup).  Add sugar and process about 20 seconds to create a smooth mango puree.  Leave this in the processor.

Pour 1/4 C. of the coconut milk into a small bowl.  Add the cornstarch and stir rapidly with a whisk to dissolve.  Add this mixture plus the egg yolks to the processor.  Process for about 10 seconds.  Set aside.

Pour remaining coconut milk into a pot over medium heat.  Bring to a light boil, stirring continually until small bubbles form and the surface is lightly steaming.  Pour this hot cocunot milk into your processor (over the mango/egg mixture).  Immediately process to combine, about 10 seconds.

To finish the custard, pour all of this back into your pot and switch heat to med-high.  Stir continuously and reduce heat to medium until mixture thickens, 7 - 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, taste for sweetness, adding a little more sugar if desired.

When thickened to your liking, pour or scoop into serving dishes or glasses.  Refrigerate until cold.  To serve, distribute reserved cubes of mango over the top of the custard.  Add sprigs of fresh mint if desired, and ENJOY!

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Strawberries & Blackberries with Limoncello

Strawberries & Blackberries with Limoncello

I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite Food Network buddies, Ina Garten.  Oh yes, I consider her a friend, she's on my TV, therefore in my house more than most people or even my husband for that matter.  Yeah, we go way back.

I have made several versions of her original recipe many times and it always has rave reviews!  Don't think for a second that it's a girly kind of dish, the men all love it too.  I can't decide if it's the macerated fruit in the Limoncello or the amazing sauce with the lemon curd in it, you will have to decide for yourself.  It looks so wonderful if you can serve it in a clear dessert dish of some kind.  Come to think of it, the last time I made it and served it in wine glasses.  This time I used plain white coffee cups, just as good, but not as pretty, oh well.

Strawberries & Blackberries with Limoncello (adapted from Ina's Fruit Salad with Limoncello)

7 ounces Greek yogurt

1/3 C good bottled lemon curd

1 T honey

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp grated lemon rind

2 C sliced strawberries

1-1/2 C fresh blackberries

2 T sugar

3 T limoncello liqueur

Fresh mint (optional for garnish)

For the lemon yogurt topping, whisk together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey, vanilla and grated lemon rind and set aside at room temperature.

For the fruit salad, carefully toss together the berries, sugar and limoncello.  Allow them to stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to let the berries macerate with the sugar and liqueur.

Serve the bowl of berries with a dollop of lemon yogurt on top.  Top each with a sprig of fresh mint.

Note:  I have prepared the berries and the sauce separately the day before and kept in the refrigerator until about an hour before serving.  Turns out great every time!

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Part 3 ~ Lemon Mousse

Lemon Mousse

There is plenty of intense lemon flavor in this lemon curd lightened with whipped cream.

Can also be used between cake layers for a delightful filling.

Lemon Mousse

2 T cold water

1 tsp powdered unflavored gelatin

6 large egg yolks

Grated zest of 4 lemons (about 4 tsp)

1/2 C lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)

3/4 C sugar

1/8 tsp coarse salt

1/2 C (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2- inch pieces

1/2 C heavy cream

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the cold water over the gelatin; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and salt, and whisk to combine.  Set over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.  Do not boil.  Whisk in the gelatin.

3. Strain through a fine strainer into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat until slightly cooled, 2 to 3 minutes.  Beat in the butter a little at a time, and continue beating until smooth and completely cooled.  Transfer to a large bowl and let stand until the gelatin just begins to set, about 10 minutes.

4. Wash and dry the mixer bowl.  Add the cream and beat with the whisk attachment until medium peaks form.  Fold into the cooled lemon mixture and refrigerate until very cold and the mousse is set 2 to 3 hours.

Thank you Susan for a lovely meal!

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Espresso Chip Meringues

Meringue is made basically by beating together room temperature egg whites and sugar in either a crystalline or syrup form. There are different types of meringue, soft or ordinary or European meringues such as French, Italian and Swiss.  

Beating or whisking causes the protein in the egg whites to unfold, forming films that trap the air bubbles, and the sugar stiffens the foam. By varying the amount of sugar in the final mix, you control how hard or soft the final meringue will be. As the mixing time increases, the bubbles become smaller and more numerous; this increases the volume and makes a more-stable structure. (A beaten egg white can increase six to eight times its original volume.)

Warning: The bowl in which you whip egg whites should be immaculately clean and completely grease-free. Even the tiniest bit of grease (or egg yolk) will cause them to break down into a pathetic soup. Recipes sometimes call for the addition of cream of tartar or lemon juice to aid whipping. Some people swear by copper bowls for maximum volume

Once you start a making whipped egg whites, continue it straight through and finish it off. Don't stop halfway to take a break. After you have finished whipping the egg whites, use them immediately; they'll start deflating in 5 minutes or so. Some meringues are cooked or baked. This will set the structure. During heating, the air bubbles expand, causing the volume to expand until the white's protein network surrounding the bubbles solidifies.

Sugar fills an important role in meringue. It stabilizes the beaten egg white foam which enables it to sit longer and hold its shape better than without. Sugar pulls the water from the eggs and allows it to set better. When using sugar, your meringue can run the risk of getting a gritty texture. To solve this, use superfine sugar when making meringue because it dissolves faster than table sugar. 

The challenge in making perfect meringue is neither to under- nor overbeat the eggs. Underbeating introduces too little air, and the batter will rise inadequately. If overbeaten (read recipe carefully for the terms "soft peaks" and "stiff peaks"), the mixture can separate.  However, overbeating will cause the proteins to lose their ability to hold the small air bubbles causing it to lose volume or collapse. Some information from http://www.foodproductdesign.com

My husband has an insatiable sweet tooth!  It usually hits him late at night and the poor thing is just SOL.  I have done my best to rid our pantry of sweets and he suffers for it.  He's the mouse in the pantry getting into the chocolate chips searching for anything sweet.  I (sometimes) feel sorry for him and make him a special treat.  This particular day, my guilt got the best of me and I decided to surprise him with these meringues.  They are super easy to prepare.  He gets his chocolate chips and I get my espresso (one of my weaknesses).

Espresso Chip Meringues Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

3 egg whites, at room temperature

Pinch fine sea salt

3/4 C superfine baker's sugar*

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. instant espresso powder

2/3 C mini semisweet chocolate chips

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt until frothy, about 1 minute.  With the machine on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time.  Add the cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and espresso powder.  Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick and holds stiff peaks, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.  Drop 1/4 to 1/2 cups of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Rotate the pan and bake for another 30 minutes.  Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely while still in the oven, about 2 hours.

Store airtight in a plastic container for up to 4 days.

*Can be found at specialty cooking stores or process regular granulated sugar in food processor until fine.

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