chocolate chocolate cookies

since being pregnant i developed this fantasy about me and my kid baking together. leeba, at 17 months, still does not really bake with me, but she does say "cake" every time i use the mixer and runs to see what is going on inside.
last weekend i made chocolate cookies. i used 70% dark chocolate instead of the semisweet that was recommended in the recipe. to be frank, this choice was not made because by some mighty culinary instinct,  it was the only chocolate i had at home. i will admit, i was not sure how it would come out, but figured what is the worse case scenario here? its chocolate. i was concern of the intensity of the dark chocolate, and perhaps that leeba wont like it, after all she is now my most important customer.
once i melted the chocolate i gave some to leeba, in order to see her reaction. boy, she loved it and kept chasing me for more. my joy quickly turned to guilt, "only a bad mother would give her kid so much sugar." so i only gave her one more lick and than hid it away.
the cookies came out delicious and quite complex. i think the photos speak for how leeba felt about them.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (12 ounces) 70% dark chocolate
---------------
PREPARATION
preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do not overheat. 
in another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
in a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate pack.
drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. 
bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. 
cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

*recipe adopted from Marthastewart.com

*עוגיות שוקולד

homemade honey and pomegranate gelto

every time i tell people that i make ice creams at home they pause and ask me; “isn't it really hard?” the answer is NO (yeah, capital letters NO)! its actually very easy, but the magic trick lies in the ice cream maker. contrary to popular belief, not all ice cream makers are these huge machines that take over your entire kitchen, some are small and convenient. i have owned one for many years and it takes only a small spot in my cabinet and a big part of my heart.

... back to the ice cream. this past holiday, rosh hashanah, we had 25 people over to celebrate and eat with us. i cooked a lot of food (the ossobuco recipe is coming soon) but one of the main hits was the ice cream.

you can imagine the scenario, 25 very full, happy and sleepy people on my sofa, me going around asking them if they want some ice cream. no one wanted any. until i mentioned that i had made it myself, at this point i guilted them to have some. i made two flavors, that symbolize the holiday, honey and pomegranate. i have decided to give each person a scoop per flavor so they wont complain to much on how full they are. while i was passing the plates around, a commotion started and kids and adults, all rushing back for more. all ice cream was licked away.

honey gelato:

INGREDIENTS

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup honey

pinch kosher salt

2 1/2 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 plump vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1/4 cup sugar

---------------
PREPARATION

place the egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk together with the honey and salt.

combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan. add the vanilla bean and sugar and bring to boil over medium heat.

when the milk and cream come to a rolling boil, quickly whisk some of the boiling milk into the egg yolk mixture, then return the egg yolk mixture back to the pot.

whisk well to combine the rest of milk with the egg yolk mixture.

strain through a fine mesh strainer and save the vanilla bean for future use.

chill the custard completely, than freeze in a ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

*recipe adopted from mario batali book babbo

pomegranate gelato:

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups bottled pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

---------------

PREPARATION

whisk together cream, milk, sugar and salt in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan.

bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking occasionally. once boiled whisk for 2 minutes. remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.

transfer to a bowl. chill the custard completely, than freeze in a ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

*גלידת דבש ורימונים

nigella's chocolate cloud cake

here's a shocking personal revelation to you, dear readers, i love chocolate cake. when i need to make a dessert my first instinct is chocolate cake and gotta convince myself not to make it every time. but now, 9 months pregnant, hungry for chocolate and with very little energy to cook i needed something delicious and easy, so i decided to go for it, no remorse.



this particular cake has always been on the back burner for me (excuse the pun). this flour less, dark, rich and rewarding cake is easy to make.



particular cake sinks damply on cooling. but fear not, you fill the center with whipped cream and top it off with some sprinkled cocoa powder. and by the way, it tastes divine.



INGREDIENTS
9 ounces (250g) dark chocolate (min 70% cocoa solids)
1/2 cup unsalted softened butter
6 eggs, 2 whole, 4 separated
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tbs cointreau (optional)
1 orange, zested (optional)
9 inch (23cm) springform cake tin

for the cream topping:
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs cointreau (optional)
1/2 tsp cocoa powder for sprinkling
---------------
PREPARATION
preheat oven to 350 F (180C)
line the bottom of the cake pan with baking parchment.
melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, add the butter and let melt in the warm chocolate.
beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 1/3 cup of the sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture, the orange-flavored liqueur and the orange zest.
in another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk until the whites hold their shape but are not too stiff. lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites.
pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the center is no long wobbly. cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.

when you are ready to eat, place the still pan-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the sides of the pan from the cake. Don't worry about cracks or rough edges, it's the crater look we're going for here.

whip the cream until it's soft and then add the vanilla and orange-flavored liqueur and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff. fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly with cocoa powder pushed through a tea-strainer.


*image taken from www.nigella.com

*נייג'לה לוסון עוגת ענן של שוקולד

homemade marshmallows

i love surprises, thats what i feel every time im suddenly reminded of a lost receipt. thats the story of these forgotten marshmallows. i made them for michele in november as an after-wedding sweet. i figured that after a long exhausting and enthralling day, she will need something sweet and fun just as the adrenaline begins to fade. i wanted the sweets to be "wedding white" and pretty. these marshmallows were just the right thing.



making marshmallows is super easy. but i have to warn you about one thing; odor. while mixing all the ingredients together it started smelling awful and i almost fainted from disgust and surprise. i was worried that they will turn out into a smelly goo but thankfully they did not. the smell comes from the gelatin. though i got a pack of unflavored gelatin, which lacked odor, once combined with the rest of the ingredients it began to smell. do not let that frighten you, the smell will not linger. just remember to keep your windows open, i promise you it will be worth it.



INGREDIENTS
nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup cold water, divided
3 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
garnish:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
---------------
PREPARATION
line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with foil.
coat foil lightly with nonstick spray.
pour 1/2 cup cold water into bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment. pour gelatin over water. let stand until gelatin softens and absorbs water, at least 15 minutes.
meanwhile, combine 2 cups sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cold water in heavy medium saucepan. stir over medium low heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil.
attach candy thermometer to side of the pan increase heat to high and boil till syrup reaches 240°F, about 8 minutes. remove from heat.
with mixer running at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture in thin stream down side of bowl (avoid pouring syrup onto whisk, as it may splash). gradually increase speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick and stiff, about 10 minutes (looks like thick creme of marshmallow). add vanilla and beat to combine, about 30 seconds longer.
scrape marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top with wet spatula. mixture is very sticky so just smooth it out as best as you can. let stand uncovered at room temperature until firm, about 8 hours.
run a small sharp knife around the edges of the marshmallow to loosen it from the pan. invert the pan onto a large cutting board that has been dusted with powdered sugar.
coat large sharp knife with nonstick spray. cut marshmallows into squares or other shapes. toss each in remaining powdered sugar to coat. store the marshmallows in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to two weeks.

*Makes about 24 - 2 1/2 inch marshmallows
*מרשמלו

thanksgiving meal

this thanksgiving i have decided to bend tradition and not make a turkey. we did not have big plans and only had few friends over for dinner. they were all israelis anyway, so the symbolism of the turkey would not have been missed. my husband, his brother and their father are fried chicken lovers and would drive 2 hours off course on any trip to try the local fried chicken offering. considering my husband and his brother would be present, i have decided that this would be a great opportunity to give it a go. after hearing how hard it was to make home fried chicken, i took comfort in the fact that my small group of friends will understand if the meal turned into a complete disaster.
call it a lack of proper english, call it haste, but off the bat i made a huge mistake. while preparing the chicken for marination, when the recipe called to "skin" only the wings, i did the opposite. I skinned the chicken and left the wings alone. just as i was about to drop the chicken into the frying pot, it hit me like a drum stick in the stomach, a vision of me sitting with my husband at blue ribbon restaurant eating fried chicken and enjoying the... SKIN! after a few quick breaths, and no other choice I decided to continue. i was worried that the chicken will either dry quickly or the batter will not hold. the good new is, the chicken came out moist, with wonderful crispy batter, delicious and cooked to perfection. i gave myself credit for making the first "healthy" fried chicken.
i had bought too much chicken and used only half of it for the thanksgiving meal. ignoring the accidental "success" of the skinless fried chicken, i have invited more friends for a second round meal the following day. this time i prepared the chicken accordingly. both chicken dishes came out divine, but the version with the skin was better. my husband and his brother were in a 48-hour fired chicken heaven.
i served the chicken with wonderful fluffy homemade biscuits, roasted fingerling potatoes with dried figs, amazing baked beans and a mixed green salad. for dessert i have made a bittersweet chocolate pecan pie.

fried chicken: (recipe taken from epicurious.com)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons onion powder with green onion and parsley
5 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons dry mustard
4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 3- to 3 1/4-pound fryer chicken, backbone removed, chicken cut into 8 pieces, skinned (except wings)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
5 cups (or more) peanut oil (for frying)
---------------
PREPARATION
in 1-gallon resealable plastic bag, mix buttermilk, dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon black pepper. add chicken pieces. seal bag, eliminating air. turn bag to coat chicken evenly. refrigerate at least 1 day and up to 2 days, turning plastic bag occasionally.
whisk flour, baking powder, garlic powder, remaining 1 tablespoon onion powder, 4 teaspoons salt, 3 teaspoons dry mustard, 3 teaspoons cayenne and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass dish. with marinade still clinging to chicken pieces (do not shake off excess), add chicken to flour mixture; turn to coat thickly. let chicken stand in flour mixture for 1 hour, turning chicken occasionally to recoat with flour mixture.
pour oil to depth of 1 1/4 inches into deep 10- to 11-inch-diameter pot. attach deep-fry thermometer. heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. add 4 pieces of chicken, skinned side down, to oil. reduce heat to medium-low and fry 5 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain oil temperature between 280°F and 300°F (oil should bubble constantly around chicken). using wooden spoons, turn chicken over. fry 7 minutes. turn chicken over again. fry until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. using same spoons, transfer chicken to large rack set on baking sheet.
reheat oil to 350°F. repeat frying with remaining 4 pieces of chicken. serve chicken warm or at room temperature within 2 hours, or chill up to 1 day and serve cold.
whisk flour, baking powder, garlic powder, remaining 1 tablespoon onion powder, 4 teaspoons salt, 3 teaspoons dry mustard, 3 teaspoons cayenne and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass dish. with marinade still clinging to chicken pieces (do not shake off excess), add chicken to flour mixture; turn to coat thickly. Let chicken stand in flour mixture for 1 hour, turning chicken occasionally to recoat with flour mixture.
pour oil to depth of 1 1/4 inches into deep 10- to 11-inch-diameter pot. attach deep-fry thermometer. heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. add 4 pieces of chicken, skinned side down, to oil. reduce heat to medium-low and fry 5 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain oil temperature between 280°F and 300°F (oil should bubble constantly around chicken). using wooden spoons, turn chicken over. fry 7 minutes. turn chicken over again. fry until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. using same spoons, transfer chicken to large rack set on baking sheet.
reheat oil to 350°F. repeat frying with remaining 4 pieces of chicken. serve chicken warm or at room temperature within 2 hours, or chill up to 1 day and serve cold.



roasted fingerling potatoes with dried figs and thyme: (recipe taken from nytimes.com)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound dried black mission figs or other dried figs
1 1/2 cups brewed black tea, more if necessary
2 pounds fingerling potatoes
1 head garlic
5 sprigs of thyme
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
---------------
PREPARATION
place figs in a bowl, cover with hot black tea and let cool. cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight, depending on initial softness of figs.
preheat oven to 400 degrees. wash potatoes well and trim any bad parts. separate garlic head into individual cloves but do not remove outer skin.
drain figs. in a bowl, combine garlic, thyme, figs, potatoes and olive oil; toss. place on roasting pan and bake until potatoes are tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 30 minutes. remove and season immediately with salt and pepper. serve.


proper salt pork

baked beans: (recipe taken from epicurious.com)

these beans boast two staples of montreal cuisine —sweet maple syrup and rich salt pork*.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb dried navy beans (2 1/4 cups)
1 (1/4-lb) piece salt pork (rind discarded)
4 1/2 cups water
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
2 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 cup Grade B maple syrup
1 tablespoon dry English mustard (preferably Colman's)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
---------------
PREPARATION
pick over and rinse 1 lb dried navy beans (2 1/4 cups). soak in cold water to cover by 2 inches at least 8 hours. drain.
put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. rinse and pat dry 1 (1/4-lb) piece salt pork (rind discarded), then cut into 3 pieces.
put beans and pork in an oven proof 3-quart heavy pot with a lid. add 4 1/2 cups water, 1 large onion (finely chopped; about 2 cups), 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1/2 cup grade B maple syrup, 1 tablespoon dry english mustard, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine. cover pot and bake until beans are just tender, at least 3 to 4 hours.
reduce oven temperature to 325°F. remove lid. bake beans, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed but beans are still saucy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. remove from oven. stir in 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste.

* make sure that you get a real salt pork. its should be completely white. its hard to find. i got mine at whole foods.



buttermilk biscuits: (recipe taken from epicurious.com)

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
rounded 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 stick (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 tablespoon milk or cream for brushing biscuits
---------------
PREPARATION
put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda onto a sheet of wax paper, then sift again into a bowl. blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms (dough will be moist).
turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 6 times. pat out dough on a floured surface with floured hands, reflouring surface if necessary, into an 8- by 5 1/2-inch rectangle. trim all 4 sides with a knife, dusting knife edge with flour before each cut. cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then into thirds crosswise to form 6 (2 1/2-inch) squares, flouring knife between cuts. transfer biscuits with a metal spatula to an ungreased baking sheet, arranging them 2 inches apart, and brush tops with milk or cream. Bbake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.



bittersweet chocolate pecan pie: (recipe taken from gourmet magazine)

INGREDIENTS
1 (3 1/2- to 4-oz) fine-quality 60%- to 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate bar, finely chopped
* pastry dough
2 cups pecan halves (7 oz), toasted and cooled
3 large eggs
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
---------------
PREPARATION
preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring. remove from heat.
roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. fit into a 9-inch pie plate. trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. fold overhang under and press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively.
spread chocolate in bottom of pie shell with back of spoon and let it set, then cover with pecans.
whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl, then whisk in corn syrup and pour over pecans.
bake pie until filling is puffed and crust is golden, 50 to 60 minutes. (If pie is browning too fast after 30 minutes, loosely cover with foil.) cool pie on a rack to warm or room temperature. serve with whipped cream.

* click here for a video by gourmet magazine, explaining how to make the pastry dough

pastry dough: (recipe taken from gourmet magazine)

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water
---------------
PREPARATION
blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
squeeze a small handful of dough: if it doesn’t hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.
turn out dough onto a work surface. divide dough into 4 portions. with heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. gather all dough together with pastry scraper. press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk.
wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

vanilla snap biscuits

so now that i have my perfect vanilla extract it was only natural that i will start using it. what could be a better way to roll out my extract than with simple, easy and delicious vanilla biscuits? perfect with tea or coffee.

INGREDIENTS
6 oz (185g) butter, chopped
1 cup sugar
vanilla sugar*
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 egg
---------------
PREPARATION
process the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a food processor until smooth.
add flour and egg and process till combine.
remove the mixture and wrap with plastic wrap.
refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or until firm.
preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
arrange baking trays with with non-stick baking paper.
roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick.
cut the dough using a cookie cutter.
place on baking trays.
sprinkle biscuits with vanilla sugar.
bake for 10-13 minutes or until the biscuits are golden on their bases.
cool on the trays.



vanilla sugar:

INGREDIENTS
1 vanilla bean
1 cup granulated sugar
---------------
PREPARATION
slice down side of bean with back of knife and scrape seeds into airtight container with the sugar. shake well till combined.
use as regular, granulated sugar.

*בסקוויט בטעם וניל

vanilla extract

i love making food from scratch, specifically foods that are not so commonly made at home, such as coffee ice cream or limoncello for example. vanilla extract is one of those specialty foods, so when i came across a recipe on travelers lunch box for it, i had to do it.

PREPARATION
buy good (not necessarily expensive) vanilla beans. i went on ebay and ordered from vanilla products USA 2 kinds of vanilla beans; madagascar bourbon planifolia and grand A gourmet tahitian vanilla beans. the organic vanilla bean company is also a good source. 1/4 pound bag contain plenty of vanilla’s to go around so i would not order more than that per bag.



buy a 4 oz. bottle of vanilla extract. buy something good. i got a nielsen-massey bottle. anything goes just make sure it is made from real vanilla extract. if you can not get your hands on a good quality vanilla extract, its ok, it will just take for your vanilla extract longer to be ready.

buy 2 bottles of booze. anything with around 40% alcohol is good; such as vodka, light rum and bourbon. buy the cheapest you can find. it is not about the taste of the alcohol it is about the alcohol itself. the vanilla’s flavor will eventually dominate.

get a 1 quart/liter glass container with a lid. you can use anything from a jar to an old liqueur bottle. just make sure its very clean and the lid is closed tightly.

pour one bottle of the store-bought extract and one bottle of the alcoholic liquid into the container. now start adding your vanilla beans. if you have used ones by all means throw them in. if not use new ones. start with 4-6 beans cut down the middle. put the lid on tightly, shake it and put the container in a cool, dark cupboard.

every few weeks add vanilla beans to the container. if you use them in your bakings throw them in after a nice rinse.



give your bottle a light shake every week. at first it will strongly smell like alcohol, but within time the vanilla flavors and scent will start to take over.

after 9-12 week it should be ready. decant into a clean bottle or small bottles if your going to give some away. do not discard the beans, add your second bottle of vodka and start all over :)

*תמצית וניל

profiteroles with coffee ice cream and chocolate sauce

image courtesy of gourmet magazine

it was liron’s birthday few weeks ago, and one of his favorite treats is ice cream, specially coffee ice cream. so i got to work and decided to make these profiteroles that i found in one of my gourmet magazines. they looked so adorable, special and yummy. so i had to give them a shot.
their recipe called for bought coffee ice cream, but i have decided to make mine from scratch. i found a great recipe on simply recipes. making the ice cream and the profiteroles were a bit of work, but if you divide the work, each component by itself its easy to make. for example, you can make the ice cream on one day and the profiteroles the next.





while making the profiteroles, their pointy peaks tends to burn, so tap them down with a finger dipped in water before baking.
as for the ice cream, i used decaffeinated coffee. i felt that we had enough sugar to keep us buzzing so there was no need to add caffeine.



do not forget to serve it all with a nice alcoholic beverage. i have served mine with a very rare and special bourbon (pappy van winkle’s family reserve 15 years old) we were all very happy!



coffee ice cream:

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whole coffee beans
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon finely ground coffee (press grinds through a fine mesh sieve)
---------------
PREPARATION
heat the milk, sugar, whole coffee beans, salt, and 1/2 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan until it is quite warm and steamy, but not boiling. once the mixture is warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a medium size metal bowl, set on ice over a larger bowl. set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. set aside.
reheat the milk and coffee mixture, on medium heat, until again hot and steamy.
in a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. slowly pour the heated milk and coffee mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm milk, but not cooked by it. scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof, flat-bottomed spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula so that you can run your finger across the coating and have the coating not run. this can take about 10 minutes.
pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. press on the coffee beans in the strainer to extract as much of the coffee flavor as possible. discard the beans.
mix in the vanilla and finely ground coffee, and stir until cool.
chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

profiteroles:

INGREDIENTS
1 qt coffee ice cream
3/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
---------------
PREPARATION
chill a small metal baking pan in freezer. form 18 ice cream balls with scoop and freeze in chilled pan at least 1 hour (this will make serving faster).
preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. butter a large baking sheet.
bring butter, water, and salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until butter is melted. reduce heat to medium, then add flour all at once and cook, beating with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from side of pan and forms a ball, about 30 seconds. transfer mixture to a bowl and cool slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
add eggs 1 at a time, beating well with an electric mixer after each addition.
transfer warm mixture to pastry bag and pipe 18 mounds (about 1 1/4 inches wide and 1 inch high) 1 inch apart on baking sheet.
bake until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes total. prick each profiterole once with a skewer, then return to oven to dry, propping oven door slightly ajar, 3 minutes. cool on sheet on a rack.

chocolate sauce:

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy (optional)
---------------
PREPARATION
heat sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling pan occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is dark amber.
remove from heat, then add cream and a pinch of salt (mixture will bubble and steam). return to heat and cook, stirring, until caramel has dissolved.
remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until melted, then whisk in vanilla and cognac (if using). keep warm, covered.

serve:

halve profiteroles horizontally, then fill each with a ball of ice cream and drizzle generously with warm chocolate sauce.

*פחזניות עם גלידת קפה ורוטב שוקולד

fudgy coffee brownies

in my hope to be soon ex apartment, i have not had much success as far as baking is concerned. my oven could never get the job done, or so i thought. frustrated, i almost gave up on baking altogether. until, as a last resort, i bought an oven safe thermometer. quickly i learned that my oven was more than a 100 degrees off. with the help of the thermometer i felt i got back in control.
i love baked goods that have coffee in them, even though i am not a coffee drinker myself. so when i came across these fudgy coffee brownies, in one of my gourmet magazines, i had to give them a try. they were really easy to make and came out wonderful, the mixture of the chocolate and the coffee was just right. a great way to start the day with your coffee or, in my case, tea.



INGREDIENTS
2 sticks 8 oz. (227g) unsalted butter
5 oz (140g)unsweetened chocolate
2 tbs instant-espresso powder
2 cups sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
---------------
PREPARATION
preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. butter and flour a 13- by 9-inch baking pan.
melt butter and chocolate with espresso powder in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, whisking until smooth. remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. whisk in sugar and vanilla. whisk in eggs 1 at a time until mixture is glossy and smooth.
whisk together flour, cinnamon, and salt, then whisk into chocolate mixture.
spread batter in pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with crumbs adhering, 25 to 30 minutes. cool completely before cutting.

*בראוניז קפה

chocolate balls

i would like to share with you my favorite dessert while growing up in israel. a desert my late mother used to make. no matter how many times she told me to stop, i would eat those chocolate balls one after another. to this day, the smell and taste of this dessert, is a sweet reminder of her. so for this mother’s day (yes i know i am really late) i have decided to make them in her memory.
glancing at the recipe it seemed like an easy dessert to make and it was till i had to form the actual balls and roll them in the coconut flakes. my mother, as was her nature, never mentioned how much time, work, and patience it took to roll and coat these balls properly. especially when you want them to be perfectly round and evenly white from the coconuts rather than smudged up and elliptical. i guess kids (me included) do not really care how they look, but at my old age it is important.
these particular chocolate balls are made with crushed tea biscuits called petit beurre which are crisp cookies made with butter. what i like to do, is put the biscuits inside a big sealed plastic bag and crush them with the help of a rolling pin. i crush them till they reach to the approximate size of a grain of rice. once i actually make the balls, i found it helpful to keep my hands wet. the wet hands prevent the mixture from sticking to my fingers making the chocolate balls smoother. after couple of hours i had my chocolate balls all lined up, pretty and ready to be eaten. they sure tasted as i remembered them.



INGREDIENTS
7 ounce (200 gram) petit beurre biscuits
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cacao powder
2/3 cup milk
7 ounce (200 gram) butter at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut flakes
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PREPARATION
place biscuits inside a big sealed plastic bag and crush them with the help of a rolling pin. crush them till they reach to the approximate size of a grain of rice. transfer into a medium bowl.
mix together with the sugar and cacao powder. stir in milk, butter and vanilla extract until well blended.
in flat plate put coconut flakes.
form the mixture into 1 inch balls by rolling in your hands, or by using a cookie scoop. cover with coconut flakes and place on wax paper.
store in an airtight container in the fridge.

*כדורי שוקולד