Decadently Chocolatey Gelato

I have been meaning to try this recipe for a while, but never got around to it until now. Better late than never, I suppose! In any case, this recipe is extremely decadent and may not be for everyone. I did my best to make it less chocolatey due to the many reviews. I guess it is named Deeply Chocolate Gelato for a reason! Even the self-proclaimed chocolate lovers felt like this was a bit too much, so I took some of the chocolate out, without compromising the chocolatey taste! So what makes this gelato and not ice cream, you ask? Well, traditional ice cream is pretty heavy with its fat content (ie. egg yolks, sugar, heavy cream, half and half, etc.). Gelato varies in its sugar content, but normally has a lot more milk than heavy cream in it as you will see from the list of ingredients! It is also softer and less rich than ice cream. Do not substitute the kind of chocolate called for because milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate will not yield the same results. With the added sugar in there, it will be cavity-inducingly sweet and unappetizing. I also recommend adding the coffee liqueur because you cannot taste the alcohol and coffee anything always enhances the chocolate flavor; plus, alcohol does not freeze so I would imagine it helps with the smooth texture of gelato. Just buy two small bottles of it if you do not want to commit to buying a bigger bottle. I just would not mess with a good recipe! A stand mixer is ideal, but I used a hand mixer with the help of my lovely beau. You will also need a candy thermometer or something similar. I love recipes like this one because you can get creative or just keep it simple. Add anything you want to truly make this recipe your own! Happy churning!

Yields: 1.5 quarts of gelato

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups whole milk

1/3 cup heavy cream

3/4 cups sugar, divided

1/4 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used 1/2 cup)

4 extra large egg yolks (I used large eggs, what a rebel!)

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 tbsp. Kahlua or any other coffee liqueur

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Large pinch of Kosher salt

Candy, cookies, nuts, caramel, etc. of your choice, optional

Directions:

1. Add the milk, heavy cream, and 1/2 cup sugar to a 2-quart saucepan and heat on medium-low until the sugar dissolves and the milk starts to simmer.

Add the cocoa powder and chocolate and whisk until smooth. You will have to work with it for a while to smooth it out, about 5 minutes. Pour the whole thing into a big measuring cup unless your saucepan has a spout.

2. Place the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitting with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 3-5 minutes, until light yellow and very thick. 

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

Once incorporated, stop the mixer and transfer the egg and chocolate mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. The candy thermometer should register about 180 degrees F. Do not allow the mixture to boil!

3. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a bowl or big measuring cup and stir in the coffee liqueur, vanilla, and salt.

Allow it to cool on the counter for about 10 - 15 minutes before placing a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the custard and chill completely. The plastic wrap will come off without sticking to the custard once it has been chilled completely, about 2+ hours.

4. Pour the custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions.

5 minutes before the end time of the churning process, add anything in that you would like. I added about 1/3 cup of roughly crumbled chocolate wafers and 1-2 ounces of marshmallow fluff.

Freeze in a covered container. Allow the gelato to thaw slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Beef and Asparagus Stir Fry

While visiting in California, my mom made this and we all loved it! She loves watching Youtube videos (how cute, right?) to learn new recipes to add to her arsenal. This is super simple and quick to whip up. I did not have any onions, but if I did, I would have julienned half an onion and added it in after the meat started to brown. If you have the time, marinate the meat in some soy sauce for at least 30 minutes before you cook to give the meat some flavor. Delicious and can be served in so many ways! You can eat it by itself, with rice, or with egg noodles, etc! The possibilities are endless! Happy cooking!

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 bunch of fresh asparagus

1/2 - 1 lb. beef of your choice (best to get the butcher to thinly slice the beef for you)

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

1/2 of a chicken bouillon cube or 1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon powder

1/2 tsp. brown sugar

Directions:

1. Snap the stems off of all the asparagus and cut them into thirds. Wash them and allow them to air dry in a colander.

2. Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to a wok on medium heat. Allow it to heat up for a minute or two before adding the crushed garlic. Allow it to cook a little and release its fragrance. Add the asparagus and meat to the wok and stir occasionally to evenly cook.

3. Add the oyster sauce, chicken bouillon, and brown sugar to the mixture and allow the meat to brown, about 3-4 minutes. This is where you would also add the julienned onions, if using.

4. Once the meat is just about browned, lower the heat and allow the stir fry to simmer until the asparagus is tender, but still slightly crunchy. Serve immediately and use the sauce produced to pour over rice.

Chocolate Fudge

Okay, okay, I know this is far from 'healthy', but come on, it's the week of Valentine's Day! What better excuse to whip out all the chocolate concoctions and indulge? My beau loves his chocolate fix from time to time so I decided to make him something he can enjoy that is homemade! The first time I made the recipe, it did not turn out right. Yes, I was discouraged because I rarely fail at any recipe, but after taking a 10 minute break, I decided to get right back to it and try again. What a waste of chocolate; my heart hurts a little! In any case, make sure you follow the steps below carefully or else you will end up with a crumbly, oily, gritty, rock-hard mess! I used a food scale to measure out the amount of marshmallow fluff needed because I cannot find a 7 oz. jar of fluff and I wanted to accurately measure out half of that for my use. You can substitute heavy cream for the evaporated milk if you would like. I also took the liberty of decreasing the amount of sugar to make it less sweet, which is reflected in the recipe. Since this was a part of my significant other's gift, I decided to use a heart-shaped silicone mold. Get creative! Lightly grease any pans with a spray or butter (or line with aluminum foil) if you are not using silicone! Remember to work fast and have everything measured out and ready to go because the fudge sets pretty quickly. Happy fudge making!

Yields: 48 bite-sized pieces

Ingredients:

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow crème/fluff

1 ¼ cup white sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

¼ tsp. salt

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup chopped nuts, optional

Directions:

1. Line an 8x8 inch pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to low and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly (very important!). It will turn a slight amber color.

3. Remove from heat and let it sit for a minute before pouring in semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. (The chocolate will seize up if you put it in while the mixture is scalding hot still = crumbly, gritty, oily, rock-hard yucky 'fudge'.) Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla and nuts (if using). Pour into prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until firm.

Balsamic Butter Asparagus

I am finally unpacked and settled after my extended California vacation to visit family and friends. Time to get back to eating better! To start off right, I have been making healthier meals, like simple herbed chicken and butternut squash soup. In keeping with this theme, I decided to bake some asparagus for lunch! I just had to jazz it up a bit, but if you want to keep it simple, just season with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake. Either way, it will be delicious! Happy cooking!

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh asparagus
Cooking spray or olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. soy sauce

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Rinse and thoroughly dry the asparagus bunch. Snap the ends off of each asparagus (can also just trim instead). Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Coat with baking spray or olive oil and season with a little bit of salt.

I think Stonewall Jackson approves!

3. Bake asparagus for 12 minutes, or until tender.

4. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to brown before removing it from the heat. This will take about 1-2 minutes max.

Stir in the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar.

Pour mixture over the asparagus and enjoy!

Chocolate Macarons with a Nutella Filling

Last week, I brought my baking necessities with me to California! My cousins wanted to bake and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to teach them how to make macarons. It is not as intimidating as a lot of people make it out to be, but maybe that is just the baker in me! In any case, we decided upon chocolate macarons! I love how baking brings everyone together. It was so fun being able to share my passion with others! Happy baking!

*Tip: Since the batter tends to ooze easily, I highly suggest that after you fit a pastry bag with a round tip, twist the pastry bag right above where the tip starts and tuck it into the tip so that the batter does not flow out until you are ready for it to!

 

Yields: 20 - 35 macarons depending on size

Ingredients:
Shell

100 grams almond flour

200 grams powdered sugar
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

100 grams egg whites

30 grams granulated sugar

Filling

Nutella, room temperature

Directions:

1. Cut parchment paper to fit 2 baking sheets. Outline a 1 1/2 inch circle cutter on the parchment paper 1 inch apart from one another, flip the paper over, and place it on the baking sheets.

Put a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (I used an Ateco 808 tip) in a large cup and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder together and mix with a whisk until combined. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until it is foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and whip until the mixture becomes a glossy meringue with stiff peaks. You will know it is ready when you pull the whisk attachment out and the peak stands up straight. Be careful not to overbeat the meringue!

Great example found off the internet!

4. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the egg whites and fold in gently with a spatula. Fold just until the ingredients are combined and no lumps or streaks remain. The batter should not be runny; it should be more like molten lava. It should not take more than 50 strokes. Test the batter by putting a small amount on a plate: if there is a small beak that does not fall down, give the batter a couple of turns.

5. Transfer the mixture to the pastry bag. Pipe batter right in the center of the circles on the parchment paper and do not fill all the way as it will spread out. Pipe the batter by holding the bag completely vertical perpendicular to the baking tray. Tap the baking sheets on the counter well to remove any air bubbles. If there are stubborn bubbles, be sure to pop them using a toothpick. Allow the cookies to rest at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes - 1 hour. You know it is ready to be placed in the oven when you touch it with your finger and it is not sticky.

6. In the meantime, preheat oven to 290 degrees F (it is best to invest in an oven thermometer if your oven is older) and set oven racks in the lower half of the oven. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until the macarons appear set but are not browned, about 20 - 22 minutes. *You can also just cook one tray at a time to allow one to harden more.* Take the shells out to cool on the counter. Once cooled, carefully remove them from the parchment paper and transfer to a wire rack, matching them up in pairs by size. You can place unused shells in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple days or in the freezer for 2 weeks.

Cute mini macarons

7. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tip with the filling. Take one of the shells of a pair and pipe about a tablespoon mound of filling into the center of the flat side of the shell. Top the shell with its other half  and gently push down until the filling reaches the edge. Repeat for the rest of the shells.

8. You can now eat them right away if you cannot wait, or you can store them in an airtight container and allow them to mature in the refrigerator overnight or for 48 hours before serving. Enjoy!