chocolate meringue pie

I'm feeling a new dream creeping in, one more exciting future to think about.
Oh yeah.  Time to open a pie shop. And while I might carry the token fruit pie to make people (and my husband) happy, I'm thinking we're all about cream and meringue pies around here.
It's the reaction, the pure joy and love and excitement that people seem to feel just looking at that crisped and airfilled sweet hat of meringue, the knowledge that whatever is under there is going to be good- is it lemon?  key lime? or....chocolate?  Maybe this is the way I can bring joy to the world: chocolate meringue pie.

  
Desserts are more complicated around here than I wish they were.  As much as Joey and I have tried to restrain ourselves from using sugar for the girls  as a reward for eating other things more green and nutritious, we've done it anyway.  I know that it is the wrong thing to do, but when I can see that Rosie will gladly eat a pound of kale when there is a cookie thrown into the deal, I can't help it.  There have been times when she will go a month without a green vegetable, and at that point, I start to feel a little (okay, I'll say it, even if I'm not proud of it)...desperate.  I try to take my own advice ("Relax!  No kid ever died from too much noodles and butter--better to relinquish control.  They'll come around!), but then of course I lose my resolve, and before I know it, I've opened my mouth.  And while I should just be filling it with kale and modeling all that good eating behavior (which I'm doing too!), I have to go ahead and speak.  And there it is.
"4 more bites, and then you can have a cookie."
Ughh, is that really me?
And then dessert becomes something else, something to want and desire and...NEED. 
The main reason why this is hard to watch and participate in, is because there's something else about dessert, something I love so much.  And in a lot of ways, this thing has very little to do with how it tastes.  It's about the excitement of a frosted cake on the counter, or a perfect whoosh of frosting on a cupcake.  It's about the joy we take in something that we eat not because it's good for us, but because it's wonderful. 



I made this pie the day before Valentine's day.  Joey and the girls were hard at work on all their valentines for school and I felt like I wanted to make something too. That week, I'd found this dainty green pie plate on sale due to a character-building tiny chip in the side, and it was calling to me.  And watching Joey and the girls make all their beautiful art, I was determined to create art with that pie plate.

We were going to my parent's for dinner (the last time before they move in!) and I let that pie sit on the counter for a while.  The whole room was littered with scraps of paper and gluesticks, rubber-banded piles of tiny notes in alphabetical order.  Like a mantra those class lists were repeated all day. "Alice, Brianna, Bryce, Conrad, Flora...and on and on."  In the center of it all, the pie held court, cooling gently in its dainty green plate.



When we drove over to my parents', the girls oohhed and ahhed.  There was no talk of how much they would have to eat before they got a slice--it seemed the magic and the beauty of that meringued top inspired them.  It was a good moment for dessert in that car, and the girls thanked me for making something so pretty, and they remarked over and over, "That looks so yummy!".  I added one more resolution to my growing list of things I hope my girls learn about food-- that dessert is about joy and beauty and specialness, not about guilt or need or reward or punishment.  Oh, the food lessons- if we can only let the foods to the teaching.  I'll try to step back.
Leave it to the magic and beauty of the meringue.

 
Chocolate Meringue Pie
from Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts

1 10-inch prebaked pie crust (You can use a straight crust here, or a graham cracker crust is nice too.  Here's my favorite straight pie crust, or for a graham cracker crust, combine 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs with 7 tablespoons of melted butter.  Press the mixture into your pie pan, then refrigerate for 20 minutes, then bake at 375 for 15 minutes)

For the filling:
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten (reserve the whites for the meringue)
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the meringue:
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar

In medium saucepan off the heat, combine the cornstarch, sugar, and salt.  Slowly add a bit of the milk, first making a smooth paste, then adding the rest of the milk.  Whisk in the egg yolks.  Add the chocolate to the milk and place the saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes, or until the pudding thickens and the chocolate melts entirely.  For a long time, the chocolate will be all grainy and it will seem like it just won't come together--it will look like this:
 

Remove from the heat when the pudding is thick.  Even if the chocolate is not absolutely smooth, it is okay--it will continue to melt off the heat.

(don't worry, you're crust will look better than mine.  I had a few graham cracker issues, and I didn't make enough to spread to the edges of my dainty pie pan, so it shrunk.  But if you're following my recipe, you'll have plenty.  And if this does happen to you, the meringue is pretty enough to cover it all)

Stir the vanilla into the pudding.  Spread the pudding into your prebaked pie shell. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until soft peaks form.  Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until you have stiff and glossy peaks, about 5 minutes.  Spread the meringue over the chocolate filling, making sure to extend it to the edges of the crust.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown.  Cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

chocolate ricotta mousse

I have a present for you today. It's my birthday week, and this is how I do things.

I've got something good for you.

I've got a decadent and fabulous dessert that you can make in ten minutes.
I'm serious. At 1:00 I realized that I didn't know what I was going to write about today. I opened up a few cookbooks, and came across this beauty of a recipe, which Sarah had made as a dessert for her salon dinner party back in August. I was a guest at that one, and it was fabulous.


I had gotten a little overexcited about making ricotta last week, and I had a pound of it in the fridge. I came to this realization at about 1:05. On went the pot of water to boil for the chocolate, which was simmering by the time I had chopped the chocolate. Melt and stir, melt and stir. 1:10. Melted chocolate, ricotta, vanilla, a touch of honey into the food processor. 1:12.
I topped with a bit of double spun raw cream, snapped a few pictures, and I was eating it by 1:15.

Well I had to make sure it was really good before I told you about it, right?

This is far too good to be this easy. I'm serious. I'm telling you now how fast it is, because I am a terrible liar, but when you pull this together for someone who you are trying to deeply impress, I give you full permission to keep that information from them. In fact, why don't you melt a little extra chocolate so that you can smear it on your face, just to show how hard you worked on it.

A note on ricotta before we begin. Of course, the better the ricotta, the better the mousse. I like to make ricotta using this method, which makes a very dry, larger curd ricotta. That sort of ricotta makes a stiffer, dryer mousse, similar to a traditional chocolate mousse in texture. If it is too dry for you, you can add a touch of heavy cream as you go. This stiffer mousse is ready as soon as you have whipped it, although it certainly can be refrigerated if you're not ready to eat it. If you use creamier smaller curd ricotta, like what you will find in the store, the mousse will be softer and a bit more liquid, and also lovely, although requiring at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Chocolate Ricotta Mousse
adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts

3 ounces dark chocolate
1 pound ricotta cheese (see note, above)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon honey
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon maple syrup

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. You can fit a metal bowl over a pot of water. Just make sure that there is no space between the two. Put about an inch of water in the pot and bring to a simmer. Do not let it boil. Fit the bowl on top, and put the chocolate inside of the bowl. Stir the chocolate until it is fully melted.
Combine the melted chocolate, ricotta, vanilla, and honey in the food processor. Process until it is smooth, about 30 seconds.
Beat the heavy cream with the maple syrup until holds soft peaks.
Refrigerate if necessary (see not above). Serve in little cups, topped with whipped cream.

first day

Well, It's 6:57 in the morning, and they're gone already. The mist is hanging on the field out there and I always can't help but feel like it's me starting first grade today.

As someone who writes about food and kids and all those things, I often get requests for lunch ideas. Starting today, once again, I make three lunches in little LL Bean insulated lunch boxes every day. I have no lunch ideas. I only wish you increased sanity as you peruse through the world of school lunch. My children attend a nut-free school, the big one refuses leftovers, the little one refuses vegetables, and everyone wants cheese sticks. So today, the processed foods come out and here we go. I have two suggestions. The first is that you store your tupperware or other lunch containers with the LIDS ON. Even though this takes up more space, it will save you a lot of time shouting curses at six in the morning. The other suggestion is that after they go out the door, and before you have to go to work or do whatever else you have to do in the day, make something with chocolate in it.


Oh, Alice Medrich, how I love you.
The other night, the superior and illustrious Lissa threw a party for Molly and Aurel so they they could sell all their stuff before they go back to Istanbul. I brought this tart, and although I'm usually pretty good with this, it was hard not to feel like the mother of an honor student as I walked in with it. This tart is so so good. And have you gotten your rectangular tart pan yet? I'm telling you, it's an instant self-esteem boost. In the spirit of Julia, all of us servantless American wives can make damn good food, but a nice tart pan will make you feel just a little bit more French.

Bittersweet Citrus Tart with Jasmine Cream
from Alice Medrich, Pure Dessert

For the Topping:

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon good quality jasmine tea
1 tablespoon maple syrup (she uses 2 tablespoons of sugar)

For the Crust:

1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Filling:

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon orange zest, from unsprayed fruit
1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest, from unsprayed fruit
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1/4 cup boiling water

The day before, or earlier in the day that you are making the tart, make the infused cream. Stir the tea leaves and cold cream in a jar. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours, but not more. Strain the tea leaves out of the cream and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.
To make the crust:
position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the flour and mix until just blended. The dough will be very soft. It will firm up a bit after a few minutes, so you can let it stand if it seems unworkable.
Press the dough into your tart pan. Have patience. A spatula will help. Make sure that you really get it into the corners if you are using a rectangular pan. Place the pan on a cookie sheet and bake until the crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Prick with a fork if it bubbles up. Let cool completely on a rack before you even start the filling.
To make the filling:
Combine the chocolate, butter, and citrus zest in a small heatproof bowl. Set it in a wide skillet of simmering water. The bowl should not touch the water. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl and put a strainer over it. Leave the skillet on low heat.
Place the egg yolk in a small bowl and gradually whisk in the 1/4 cup of boiling water. Place the egg bowl into the skillet (this can touch the water) and stir constantly with a spatula, scraping the bottom to prevent the egg from cooking, until the mixture registers 160 degrees with a candy thermometer. Remove the bowl from the skillet and scrape the mixture into the strainer over the bowl of chocolate. Stir gently until the egg is incorporated.
Pour the mixture into the cooled tart shell and spread it evenly. Place in a covered container or cover with wax paper and chill for at leat 3 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, remove the tart from the refrigerator. Remove the tart pan sides.
Whip the infused cream, adding the maples syrup or sugar as you go. Whip it until it holds a soft shape.
Serve each piece with a dollop of cream.

Mole au Poulet

I have a funny history when it comes to cutting up chickens. It was never something that I learned how to do, but then when I got all preachy and dogmatic about only buying local chickens, it was something that I had to learn. I have this really great friend Ron, and although he's a raw foodist, he is more talented at preparing and cooking meat than anyone I know. A few years ago, he took pity on me and we stood in his beautiful farmhouse kitchen, cutting up multiple chickens. Then we made Patricia Wells' Vinegar Chicken, which is a phenomenal thing. I felt very good about myself for acquiring this useful and hardcore skill, and for the next few months I cut up chickens serenely and full of self love.
Then something changed. I took a break, and when I came back to cut up a chicken, the logic wasn't there for me anymore. I hacked at the thing, there were ribs everywhere, and I cut myself on the butchered skeleton of the poor thing. Cutting yourself on a raw chicken is really gross, and also a bit traumatic, and for the next few years, we had only roast, whole chicken.
This week, I felt it was time to try my hand at the knife again. I claim to be all into cooking and everything, and what kind of cook won't cut up a chicken? As further motivation, I've been reading David Lebovitz's new book, and he entranced me with an easy quick mole that he swears tastes like the real thing.
Of course, in my usual style, I decide to accomplish this task at the very wrong time. I've been at work all day, and come home at six to pass like a ship in the night past Joey, who is off to a staff meeting for his upcoming art camp. The kids are finishing their omelettes, and they are totally crazy. I mean, whirly, loopy crazy. They're jumping up and down, making fart jokes, walking down the hallway on their hands- some other force has possessed them.
"Girls! Put on your pajamas!"
"No! Mom, Pom, loo lee la! Ha!" (Maniacal laughter from both)
"Okay, then keep a lid on it until I tell you I've cut this chicken!"
"Huh?" (This has peaked their interest)
"Don't ask questions! Out of my kitchen!"

I face my adversary, knife in hand.
"Ew! I see blood!"
"Out of my kitchen!" Perhaps the knife raised above my head finally gets my point across.
I start to go for it, and it starts out pretty well. Cut the skin by the thigh, break the joint, remove the leg. Same on the other side. Pretty similar with the wings, but whoops, I cup into the breast by mistake. I start to feel a little worried. And then around the back, I just get lost. Before I know it, I'm in that old nightmare only it's really happening, and there are chicken ribs everywhere. And what am I supposed to do with the neck? And all of the organs attached to the back? It's a mess. And Rosie has snuck back into the kitchen and has perched herself on top of a stool so that she can give Sadie a play by play.
"Bones! Ew! and bloody! and raw! and ew!"
"This is an animal that we are thankful for and we will respect," I say. "And it's delicious."
"Ew!"
I'm agreeing with her at this point, although I won't admit it. The chicken has won, and I'm not feeling too excited about eating it. And I'm also afraid that I might cut my mouth on the hack job that I did of its ribcage.
Good thing that I am slathering it in chocolate chili sauce. We just might come through okay.

Mole au Poulet
from David Lebovitz's The Sweet Life in Paris

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces, or 4 legs and 4 thighs
1 T coarse salt
2 bay leaves
1/2 batch, about 2 cups Chocolate Mole (see below)
a few toasted sesame seeds

Put the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add salt and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer for twenty minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest for twenty minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a platter. Reserve the cooking liquid. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange the chicken pieces in a baking dish just big enough to hold them all.
Add a bit of the cooking liquid to the mole. The sauce should be the consistency of runny chocolate pudding. Discard the rest of the liquid or use it in place of water to make rice.
Spoon the mole over the chicken and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds and serve.



Mole au Chocolate
(from David Lebovitz again)

If you can, make this at least a day before you plan to use it. I found that the flavor was infinitely better the second day. This also freezes well.

10 dried ancho or poblano chiles
3/4 cup raisins
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups water or chicken stock
1 T canola oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 T sesame seeds
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
3 tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped, or 1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes and their juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground anise seeds
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp chile powder

Remove the stems from the chiles. Slice them in half lengthwise and scrape out most of the seeds. Put the chiles in a nonreactive pot, cover with water, set a small plate on top to keep the chiles submerged, and simmer for 10 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let stand until cool.
Put the raisins and chocolate in a blender. Heat the water or stock, and then pour it in the blender and let stand for a few minutes to soften the chocolate.
In a skillet, heat the oil, then saute the onion until limp and transluscent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently.
Drain the chiles and add them to the blender along with the onion and garlic, sesame seeds, almonds, tomatoes, and all the spices. Taste, and add more chile powder and salt if it needs it.

Daring Bakers Challenge... cake and ice cream!

Somehow I ended up going for the cliche on this one, and I made this on Valentine's day. Now it's been a couple of weeks so I need to emotionally recreate the evening for myself. You can come along too.

OK, OK, here we go...
My friend Molly was coming back from Istanbul, and her mom and brother came over too. Joey fulfilled his constant fantasy of valentine's day lasagne by making it himself, and then we at cake and ice cream.


It was very good.
All of it.

The next day there was more cake, luckily, because the kids slept through the first time. It was still very good.


The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Although the hosts provided an ice cream recipe, they also encouraged creativity in this part of the challenge. I had a freshly borrowed copy of David Lebovitz's Ice Cream Bible for food bloggers, and I went delving there. Somehow I ended up at Anise Ice cream, which sounds not so delicious to me, but in his golden pages David said that I should try it with chocolate and it would blow my mind, so there I landed. I felt very daring.
Let me say here that this is a cake that should be in everyone's repetoire. It is easy and really amazing if you are a chocolate person. So after you finish reading this, go buy yourself a large hunk of chocolate and make this cake.




Preparation Time: 20 minutes
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped (I used dark chocolate, but you can be creative here)
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

David Lebovitz was entirely right about the anise ice cream. It's subtle, and has a fantastic texture, and it brings out the flavor of the chocolate. I have a licorice hating family, and everyone gobbled this one.

Anise Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

makes one quart

2 tsp anise seeds
2 c heavy cream
1 c whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 T honey
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks

Toast the anise seeds over moderate heat in a medium saucepan for about 3 minutes, or until they become fragrant. Pour in one cup of the cream, then add the milk, sugar, honey and salt. Heat until warm, then cover, remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Rewarm the anise infused milk mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm anise infused milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Discard the anise seeds and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze in your ice cream maker.

Chocolate Blocks with ginger and cranberries

Are you feeling gift stress? I suggest that you channel this into baking and sweet making. The sweets will be fabulous gifts, and eating them will ease your stress as well. The whole thing is pretty cost effective and you can be sure that your gifts won't go unused.

We're on our second snowstorm in 3 days. The kids are going crazy, my husband is compulsively crafting, and I'm popping out sweets faster than I can pack them. So this will be the first of a few recipes I'll pass along. Get ready.

These are Chocolate Blocks. The originally recipe for these babies come to me through Orangette, who in turn had gotten it from Gourmet Magazine. You can find the original recipe here, but my version changed the insides a bit.

Some of you reading this will be receiving these from me over the next week. Forgive me for ruining the surprise, but trust me- you'll want the recipe as soon as you eat one.
Oh, and this one wins the super easy award. Have fun with it....

1 1/4 lb of good quality chocolate, bittersweet
2/3 cup candied ginger, cut into little pieces
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1 1/3 cup almonds, chopped small
good quality sea salt
vegetable oil, for greasing

Line a 9x9 baking pan with foil and grease it lightly with vegetable oil.
In a double boiler or metal bowl over a pot with a few inches of water, melt the chocolate at a medium temperature. The water should just be simmering. Stir until the chocolate is smooth. Stir in the fruit and nuts.


Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth with a spatula and sprinkle the whole thing with sea salt.

Cover lightly and put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Pop it out of the pan and cut into squares.


These can be stored in the fridge for two weeks, layered with wax paper between them. This recipe makes about 60 blocks.