Rachel Ray's Pot de Creme

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• 4 demitasse cups
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• skip the alcohol and add some vanilla
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar (OR use the canned whipped cream)
• Edible flowers (found in the produce department) or candied violets, for garnish (optional)

Heat milk in a small pan over moderate heat until it comes to a boil.

Using the low setting on a blender or food processor, combine the egg, sugar, salt, chocolate chips, and vanilla Pour in the boiling milk in a slow stream (the hot milk will cook the egg and melt the chocolate). Process or blend 1 minute, until smooth.  Place in the fridge for  30 minutes 

Just before serving, beat the cream with a whisk or hand mixer until soft peaks form. Add a little sugar and beat again to combine.

Top each chocolate cup with a dollop of cream and garnish with an edible flower or candied violet. Place cups on saucers and serve with demitasse spoons alongside.

Serves: 4 servings in demitasse cups, 2 servings in tea cups

Lime Cheesecake ala Marcia

This is our wonderful neighbor, Marcia, who bakes but doesn't cook.  She comes down about once a week with a treat which would feed 10 people.  This week's offering was this lovely lime cheesecake, green being her favorite color.  PLUS she can rattle off the recipe usually as she sits with us!

CRUST
11 full size graham crackers crushed to equal 1-1/2 cups
1/2 cup sugar
6 T unsalted butter

Press into a spring form pan and bake 8-10 minutes

4-8oz  cream cheese softened and BEAT
1-1/2 cups + 2 T granulated sugar and WHIP WITH CREAM CHEESE
4 large eggs BEAT IN ONE AT A TIME
1/2 cup + 2 T lime juice
2 T lime juice

BLEND THESE IN and pour into the crust

Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours it will jiggle just a litte but not set-set.  Some ovens may require up to 30 minutes more.  WATCH

PEASANT BREAD

I found this recipe through a book and it was everything the woman said it was.

512g flour  (4 1/8 cup if you can't weigh it!)
2 t. kosher salt
2 t. sugar
1-1/4 t instant yeast
2 c lukewarm water

Whisk the dry ingredients together and add the water.  Mix until it forms a sticky ball.

Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot for 90 minuytes

Turn on the oven to 425 degree F.

Butter TWO PYREX 322 bowls (or one 323 Pyrex which is l.5 ltr)  The smaller bowls make for a more rounded bread loaf but the other works just as well.

Separate dough into the 2 bowls and rise to the rim.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes and 375 degrees for 17-20 minutes.

HERE IS THE LINK FOR MORE ILLUSTRATIONS ON HOW-TO AND MORE VARIATIONS

https://alexandracooks.com/2012/11/07/my-mothers-peasant-bread-the-best-easiest-bread-you-will-ever-make/

Applebee's Chocolate Mousse Shooter

2 T butter
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)----reserve 1 T for later
1 T Godiva Chocolate liqueur (?)
1 t vanilla
2 large eggs, separated
2 T granulated Sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

8 oreo cookies
1/2 cup chocolate fudge sauce
Canned Whipped Cream


1.  In a double boiler add butter, then set the heat to low.  When the utter has melted, add the chocolate chips, except for the 1 T that you set aside .  When chips are melted, add the liquor and vanilla,   Remove bowl from heat and whisk in egg yolks

2.  In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks Stir egg whites into the chocolate mixture

3.  In another medium bowl, combine the sugar with the cream and then whip the cream until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into chocolate.

4.  Chop the remaining 1 T of chips into small bits the size of rice. Stir this chocolate into the mousse, then cover and chill the mousse for 3-4 hours.

5.  Open the oreos and scrap out the filling (use a life, not your teeth)  Pop the chocolate wafers into a plastic bag and pound on it with a kitchen ballet until yo've got a bag full of crumbs.

6.  Make each serving by spooning 2 T of Oreo cookie crumbs into the booth of 4, 6-oz rocks glass. Spoon 1/3 cup of children mousse into the glass, and top it with 1 T of chocolate fudge topping. Warm up the fudge a bit in the jar in your microwave so that it's easy to spoon into the glass.
Spray a pile of whipped cream on top and sprinkle with some of the leftover oreo crumbs.

Serves 4