Recipe: Atlantas Pricci Restaurants White Chocolate Panna Cotta

From Denny: How many of you like panna cotta? We enjoy this light but tasty dessert at our house often - and it's so easy to make! We love variety and today's recipe is just the ticket.

You can go whole hog and try your hand at making this dessert trio or you could just make the panna cotta with a crushed favorite cookie for a crust to save time.

"This dessert trio from Pricci, White Chocolate Panna Cotta With Pistachio Biscotti and Blood Orange Gelee, is part of a romantic meal they created for Valentine's Day. It can be made a day or two before serving."

Hands on time: 45 minutes
Total time: 3 hours
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

FOR PISTACHIO BISCOTTI:

Makes: about 20 cookies
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 3 hours (includes baking and cooling time)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus more for tops of cookies
Pinch salt
1/2 cup finely ground unsalted pistachios
1 cup all-purpose flour

FOR WHITE CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA:

Makes: 3 1/2-cup servings
Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 3 hours (includes chilling time)

1/2 packet gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR BLOOD ORANGE GELEE:

Makes: 6 2-tablespoon servings
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 3 hours (includes chilling time)

1/2 packet gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup blood orange juice (from 2-3 blood oranges)
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon limoncello

Instructions:

FOR PISTACHIO BISCOTTI: (Take care handling these shortbread cookies; they crumble easily.)

In a stand mixer or food processor combine the butter, sugar and salt until creamy. Add the pistachios and flour and mix until just combined. Divide the dough into 2 pieces; shape each into a ball and then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour.

Roll a disk of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper to 1/4-inch thickness (do not roll too thin, or the cookies will break). Use a biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter to cut into shapes slightly larger than the molds you will use for the panna cotta. Cut into desired shape and arrange on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle the cookies generously with sugar and bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool completely before removing from the parchment. Store in an airtight container.

FOR WHITE CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA:

Combine gelatin and water and set aside. In a medium saucepan combine cream, milk and sugar. Heat until steaming but do not boil. Add the white chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in gelatin and vanilla. Strain the mixture, then pour it into ramekins or molds. Chill, covered, until set, about 3 hours.

FOR BLOOD ORANGE GELEE:

Combine gelatin and water and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring the orange juice, lemon juice and sugar to a simmer. Turn off the heat; stir in the gelatin and limoncello. Strain into a small pan or dish. Chill until completely set, then cut into 3/4-inch cubes.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Assemble immediately before serving: Place a Pistachio Biscotti on each of 2 dessert plates. Run a small sharp knife around the inside wall of two of the panna cotta molds and unmold a White Chocolate Panna Cotta onto each of the cookies. Arrange a few cubes of Blood Orange Gelee around each plate.

Note: You will have extra of each dessert. Each element can be made up to 2 days in advance.
Total time includes baking, cooling and chilling time for the three components of the recipe.

Nutrition:
Pistachio Biscotti, per cookie: 90 calories (percent of calories from fat, 60), 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 6 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 12 milligrams cholesterol, 8 milligrams sodium.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta, per serving: 416 calories (percent of calories from fat, 75), 3 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 36 grams fat (22 grams saturated), 110 milligrams cholesterol, 57 milligrams sodium.

Blood Orange Gelee, per serving: 38 calories (percent of calories from fat, 1), trace protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 7 milligrams sodium.


gelee, biscotti, Valentines Day, pistachio, panna cotta, white chocolate, recipes, Baking and Confections, dessert recipes, Atlanta, Pricci restaurant

Recipe: Lime Pie with a Twist - White Chocolate!

See how tiny these key limes are? Intensely flavored and tart! Image by m kasahara via Flickr

From Denny: In the heat of this summer (which it seems you have heard me endlessly whining about - grin) and to be enjoyed after a good garlicky seafood dish is a citrus flavor to cut the oils, salt and heat.

We adore Key Lime Pie here in Louisiana! Louisianians often visit the Florida beaches and golf courses where we were introduced to such a sweet treat as to what they like to create with Key Limes! (We also love their soft shell crabs - yum!) Here is another twist on the classic recipe by using white chocolate.

Easy Key Lime Pie with a Twist

Yield: one (9-inch) pie

Ingredients:

1 cup whipping cream

1 (11-ounce) package white chocolate morsels

1 tablespoon Breakstone's sour cream (you can use another full fat brand)

1 teaspoon grated Key Lime rind (these things are tiny to grip; if you have a microplane it's easier to grate them)

1/3 cup fresh Key lime juice (these tiny little limes are awesome!)

1 (9-inch) pre-baked chocolate graham cracker crust (I prefer a chocolate crust as I find the plain just a little too bland but you can choose whatever you enjoy!)

Garnish: lime slices

Directions:

Over low heat in a medium saucepan you want to combine the white chocolate morsels and the whipping cream.

Cook 5 minutes or until white chocolate melts; stir constantly. Remove from heat and now add the sour cream, lime rind and juice; stir well. Note: The reason you remove it from the heat is that you don't want the sour cream to separate or the white chocolate to seize up on you.

Note: Variation - Before you pour this mixture into the crust you can add some zing with another variation: spread a thin layer of sour cream on the bottom of the crust. You could also spread a thin layer of melted semi-sweet chocolate here too! I've even placed finely chopped butter-roasted pecans here.

If you want to just proceed with the basic recipe and skip the variations, go ahead and pour the sour cream-lime mixture into crust. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Garnish, if desired with more whipped cream, finely chopped butter-roasted pecans and lime slices for beautiful presentation! Dare I say it? Lip-smacking good! :)

Feel free to subscribe to Comfort Food From Louisiana just click on the orange feed icon next to the feed count right hand side at the top of the page! Thanks for visiting!

Recipe: Easy KeyRecipe: Lime Pie with a Twist - White Chocolate!

See how tiny these key limes are? Intensely flavored and tart! Image by m kasahara via Flickr

From Denny: In the heat of this summer (which it seems you have heard me endlessly whining about - grin) and to be enjoyed after a good garlicky seafood dish is a citrus flavor to cut the oils, salt and heat.

We adore Key Lime Pie here in Louisiana! Louisianians often visit the Florida beaches and golf courses where we were introduced to such a sweet treat as to what they like to create with Key Limes! (We also love their soft shell crabs - yum!) Here is another twist on the classic recipe by using white chocolate.

Easy Key Lime Pie with a Twist

Yield: one (9-inch) pie

Ingredients:

1 cup whipping cream

1 (11-ounce) package white chocolate morsels

1 tablespoon Breakstone's sour cream (you can use another full fat brand)

1 teaspoon grated Key Lime rind (these things are tiny to grip; if you have a microplane it's easier to grate them)

1/3 cup fresh Key lime juice (these tiny little limes are awesome!)

1 (9-inch) pre-baked chocolate graham cracker crust (I prefer a chocolate crust as I find the plain just a little too bland but you can choose whatever you enjoy!)

Garnish: lime slices

Directions:

Over low heat in a medium saucepan you want to combine the white chocolate morsels and the whipping cream.

Cook 5 minutes or until white chocolate melts; stir constantly. Remove from heat and now add the sour cream, lime rind and juice; stir well. Note: The reason you remove it from the heat is that you don't want the sour cream to separate or the white chocolate to seize up on you.

Note: Variation - Before you pour this mixture into the crust you can add some zing with another variation: spread a thin layer of sour cream on the bottom of the crust. You could also spread a thin layer of melted semi-sweet chocolate here too! I've even placed finely chopped butter-roasted pecans here.

If you want to just proceed with the basic recipe and skip the variations, go ahead and pour the sour cream-lime mixture into crust. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Garnish, if desired with more whipped cream, finely chopped butter-roasted pecans and lime slices for beautiful presentation! Dare I say it? Lip-smacking good! :)

Feel free to subscribe to Comfort Food From Louisiana just click on the orange feed icon next to the feed count right hand side at the top of the page! Thanks for visiting!

Video: Paul Deen Shows Us Sweet Treats

From Denny: Paul Deen is always as entertaining as she is useful showing us how to make easy tasty recipes! Here she is demonstrating some of her desserts from her new cookbook. She tends to do a lot of versatile recipes, some of which I'm sure we could substitute chocolate if we desired - maybe white chocolate and lemon combinations would be interesting too! Take a look!

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Recipe: Triple Chocolate-Cookie Trifle Pie

From Denny: Here is a fun chocolate version of the trifle that is kid-fun and kid-friendly! Try this decadence on your family, friends and company who come to visit. They will be impressed at the presentation. Get the kids to help you decorate with the cookies. The recipe uses my favorite chocolate: Ghiradelli!

From: Southern Living Magazine, a fabulous recipe database.

Prep: 25 min., Cool: 20 min., Chill: 8 hr.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided

1 1/2 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bars, chopped

1 (4-oz.) white chocolate baking bar, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (12.5-oz.) package assorted cookies

2 tablespoons mocha liqueur (optional)

2 (6-oz.) containers fresh raspberries

Raspberry Glaze

Directions:

1. Microwave 1/2 cup cream at HIGH 30 seconds to 1 minute or until hot (do not boil). Place bittersweet chocolate in a large bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate, and stir until smooth. Repeat procedure with 1/4 cup cream and white chocolate. (If chocolate does not melt completely after stirring, microwave at HIGH for 10-second intervals just until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.) Stir 1/2 tsp. vanilla into each chocolate mixture until well blended. Cool 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, let 2 1/2 cups cream stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

3. Beat 1 1/2 cups cream at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until medium peaks form. Gently fold one-fourth of whipped cream into cool bittersweet chocolate mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining whipped cream.

4. Beat remaining 1 cup cream at medium-high speed until medium peaks form. Gently fold one-fourth of whipped cream into cool white chocolate mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining whipped cream.

5. Crush 6 to 7 cookies to equal 1/2 cup crumbs. Sprinkle on bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Spread half of bittersweet chocolate mixture over crushed cookies in pan. Arrange cookies around sides of pan (about 19 cookies). Spread white chocolate mixture over bittersweet chocolate mixture.

6. Crush remaining cookies, and sprinkle over white chocolate mixture in springform pan. Drizzle with liqueur, if desired. Spread remaining bittersweet chocolate mixture over crushed cookies. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

7. Remove sides from pan. Mound raspberries in center of trifle; brush with Raspberry Glaze. Serve immediately.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Bars, Ghirardelli White Chocolate Baking Bar, Pepperidge Farm Distinctive Entertaining Cookie Collection, and Godiva Mocha Liqueur.

Raspberry Glaze: Combine 3 Tbsp. seedless raspberry jam and 2 tsp. water in a small glass bowl. Microwave at HIGH 10 to 15 seconds or until smooth.

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings

Recipe: The Bonzo Cake (delicious calorie monster)

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

From Denny: Like a lot of Louisianians I lived in the Atlanta metro area for some time. Let me tell you: awesome restaurants in that city! Since we lived there some have closed and new ones invented in their place, probably by the same restaurant group famous in the area (Pano's and Paul's).

I still remember the awesome White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie from the former Buckhead Diner! Actress Elizabeth Taylor (now 75 years old) used to order up as many as ten of these pies whenever she was traveling through the area. Yes, they were that good. Also, have the recipe too that the local newspaper, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, printed up for everyone at the height of the restaurant's popularity.

This recipe from the same newspaper's food section sounds killer good! Enjoy! Also, they have a great food section so clicking on the title link will take you there to explore other delights.

Since one slice of this cake is literally over 1,000 calories you might want to get 100 friends to help you eat this delicious monster! :)

If you happen to be traveling to or through Atlanta and want to check out Murphy's, then read this review so you know what to expect in the way of food, atmosphere and price, go here.

***

From the Atlanta Journal-Consititution:

From the menu of Murphy's
997 Virginia Ave., Atlanta, Georgia
404-872-0904

Q: I had a wonderful first experience at Murphy's on Virginia Avenue recently. The lunch portions are great! But the dessert was even better. I had the Bonzo, which consisted of a layer of brownie, then a layer of cheesecake, then a layer of chocolate mousse, all topped off with a whipped-style cream. It was fantastic! - Jan Phillips, Atlanta"

A: This dessert was created several years ago when the folks at Murphy's, a Virginia-Highland mainstay, noted that three desserts on the menu -- the fudge brownie a la mode, the cheesecake and the chocolate mousse -- did very well. "Wouldn't it be great if we could roll them all into one, " somebody said. Somebody else agreed and the Bonzo was born.

***

Bonzo Cake

Hands on time: 45 minutes

Total time: 4 hours and 45 minutes

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

For the brownie:

Shortening for the pan

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

1 1/3 cups cake flour

1/3 cup cocoa

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cheesecake:

25 ounces (three 8-ounce packages plus 2 tablespoons) cream cheese

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the chocolate mousse:

14 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups (11 ounces) whipped cream

9 egg yolks (from pasteurized eggs (available at Harris Teeter), to avoid slight risk of salmonella)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Instructions:

For the brownie: Grease a 10-inch springform pan. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt margarine. Add chocolate morsels, stirring often.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix well.

Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture. Scrape bowl to get chocolate off sides and bottom of bowl. Mix well.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

For the cheesecake: Bring cream cheese to room temperature. (When ready to add cheesecake layer to cooled brownie layer, preheat oven to 300 degrees.)

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Pour mixture over cooled brownie layer and bake, checking after 45 minutes. If it is still liquid, continue baking up to 15 minutes until set. Remove and set aside to cool.

For the chocolate mousse: Melt chocolate in a double boiler and keep warm.

Whip cream and set aside. Beat egg yolks until volume has doubled. Add sugar and hot melted chocolate at medium speed. Immediately fold in whipped cream.

Spread chocolate mousse over cooled cheesecake.

Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes: A chocoholic's dream, this rich, decadent dessert takes a bit of time but is certainly worth the effort. Our tester, Sara Levy, said you could substitute unsweetened chocolate in the mousse layer if you like a less sweet chocolate. In addition, she said, you could make the dessert through the cheesecake layer and freeze it. On the day of serving, let it thaw, add the mousse layer and then chill before serving.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 1038 calories, 14 grams protein, 68 grams fat (percent calories from fat, 59), 102 grams carbohydrates, 402 milligrams cholesterol, 441 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.

Mixing traditions makes Easter cake twice as tasty

From Denny: Did you know that long before there was a reason to celebrate Easter the ancient Romans used to put cheese in their cakes and make cheesecakes for their fertility rites of Spring?

From the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel comes a wonderful food article with two recipes, one for Dark and White Chocolate Cheesecake and the other for the 1942 traditional Devil's Food Cake.

This is one gorgeous version of Easter cake I can't wait to make this weekend!

***

Mixing traditions makes Easter cake twice as tasty

By NICK MALGIERI

Long before there was an Easter, the Romans used cheesecakes and cakes bound with cheese in their fertility rites.

This was natural. Spring gives birth to new grass-lined pastures, and cows graze contentedly on fresh greens again, after a winter diet of straw and hay. The milk is richer and more plentiful, and cheese-making begins again in earnest after the long winter.

Cheesecakes are associated with Easter in many cultures. In Italy, ricotta cheese figures in Easter pies and pastries. In Russia, an elaborate dessert called pashka is laced with freshly made ricotta-like cheese and often accompanies kulich, the traditional Easter bread.

Right here at home we can combine these two Easter traditions in a spectacular dessert to serve for the holiday. It's a layered cheesecake in which white and dark batters are separated by a moist and flavorful devil's food cake.

Here are a few hints for success:

• Bake the cake layer a day or two before you intend to assemble the cheesecake, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate it. It will be firmer and easier to slice through when you are ready to assemble the finished cake.

• Make sure the pan you use is at least 3 inches deep or the batter will not have room to puff slightly, as it often does.

• Finally, make your life easier by baking the cheesecake a few days in advance and storing it wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator.

To unmold the finished Dark and White Chocolate Cheesecake successfully, set it on a heated burner (turned off) on the stove top to warm for a few seconds, then run a sharp paring knife between the cake and the inside of the pan. Unbuckle the side and remove it. Slide a wide spatula under the cheesecake and ease it onto a platter.

Allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving. Cut the cake with a sharp, thin-bladed knife dipped in hot water and wiped between each cut.

Then sit back and accept all the praise for making the perfect Easter dessert - one that is steeped in tradition and also delicious.

Dark and White Chocolate Cheesecake

Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings

1 layer 1942 Devil's Food Cake (see recipe below)

2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature (divided)

1 cup sugar (divided)

5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided)

6 large eggs (divided)

5 ounces best-quality white chocolate, melted (see note)


Directions: Butter bottom only of 9-inch springform pan that is 3 inches deep. Line bottom with parchment or wax paper. Have available a 15 1/2 by-10 1/2-inch jellyroll pan. Heat a kettle filled with warm water to be used for baking the cheesecake.

Make 1942 Devil's Food Cake. Slice one layer in half horizontally to make two layers and place one of those sliced layers in the bottom of the prepared springform pan.

To make dark chocolate batter: With paddle attachment of a heavy-duty standing mixer set on the lowest speed, beat half the cream cheese until smooth, no more than 30 seconds.

Stop mixer and scrape bowl and beater. Add half the sugar in a stream and beat no more than 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl and beater. Add melted dark chocolate and beat only until absorbed, no more than 30 seconds. Beat in half the vanilla.

Add 3 eggs, one at a time, mixing only until each is absorbed. Stop and scrape sides and beater after each addition.

To make white chocolate batter: Use another bowl and follow the same procedure as for the dark chocolate batter, using remaining cream cheese and sugar, the melted white chocolate, and remaining vanilla and eggs.

Wrap aluminum foil around bottom of springform pan to come at least 1 inch up the sides. Pour dark chocolate batter into pan over cake layer already in pan. Place other sliced cake layer on batter and pour in white chocolate batter. Place pan in the jellyroll pan and pour warm water into pan to a depth of ½ inch.

Bake cheesecake on middle rack of preheated 350-degree oven about 75 minutes, or until lightly colored and firm except for the very center.

Remove from oven and carefully remove cheesecake from pan filled with hot water. Remove foil and cool completely on rack. Wrap cheesecake and chill overnight before unmolding.

Note: Make sure to use the best-quality white chocolate you can find or it won't impart much chocolate flavor to the batter.

-----

Only one of the layers is used to make the cheesecake above. You may freeze the other layer and keep it until the next time you prepare the cheesecake. Or simply serve it with whipped cream.

1942 Devil's Food Cake

Yield: Makes two (9-inch) round layers

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, plus butter for greasing pan (divided)

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

Water

1 ½ cups sugar

6 tablespoons sour cream

1 1/3 cups bleached all-purpose flour (see note)

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs


Directions: Butter two (9-inch) round pans and line with parchment or waxed paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt chocolate in large heat-proof bowl set over hot but not simmering water. Let cool. Add the 6 tablespoons butter to bowl of chocolate, then pour in ¾ cup boiling water. Stir well to mix. Whisk in sugar and sour cream.

In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt to mix well. Stir flour mixture into chocolate mixture. Whisk in eggs last.

Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake on middle rack of preheated oven about 25 to 30 minutes, or until well risen and firm. Cool cakes in pans on racks 5 minutes, then unmold and finish cooling.

If you are going to finish the cake on the same day you baked it, wrap layers in plastic and keep at room temperature. Freeze for longer storage.

Note: To measure, spoon flour into dry-measure cups and level off.

Recipe: White Chocolate Walnut Bread Pudding

Image by jwinfred via Flickr

White Chocolate & Walnut Bread Pudding

Photo of another version of white chocolate bread pudding. Awesome presentation, wow!


From: O'Donnell's Restaurant, Chef Phil O'Donnell

Ingredients:

1½ quarts milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 large eggs

3 cups sugar

1- to 1 ½ lbs. stale New Orleans style French bread

½ lb. white chocolate

1 cup chopped walnuts


Directions: Add milk and vanilla to a sauce pot and scald. Set aside.

Put eggs and sugar into mixing bowl and whip until doubled in volume.

Slowly whisk scalded milk into egg and sugar mixture.

Add this mixture to the bread in large mixing bowl and let soak for 20 minutes.

Fold in the white chocolate and walnuts.

Put into a 13” x 9” casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check for doneness by placing a toothpick into the center of the dish. If it pulls out clean, the bread pudding is done. Serves 8-10.

Recipe: Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Martha Stewart knows her chocolate and her cookies. Check out her site for more tempting cookie treats!

“Two kinds of chocolate plus walnuts and coconut equals one tempting treat.”

From: MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients:

Yield: Makes about 5 dozen.


1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 cups white-chocolate chunks (about 9 ounces)

1 3/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, (about 6 ounces)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla.

2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Mix into butter mixture on low speed until well combined. Stir in chocolate, coconut, and walnuts.

3. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 2 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

Copyright 2008 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Recipe: Strawberry White Chocolate Napoleons

Napoleons are a popular sweet in Louisiana and especially New Orleans. Even the restaurant chain of La Madaleine features them daily as do other pastry shops.

This recipe is easy to make because of the purchased frozen puff pastry. All you do after baking is fill them with an easy white chocolate mousse mixture and top with fresh strawberries. Of course, the final garnish is a lovely drizzle of melted semi-sweet chocolate.

Strawberry White Chocolate Napoleons

Yield: 12 servings

From: Kraft Foods


Ingredients:


1 sheet frozen ready-to-bake puff pastry

1 package (6 squares) premium white baking chocolate

1 ½ cups heavy or whipping cream, divided

1 1/3 cups sliced strawberries

2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted


Directions: Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along fold marks. Bake on cookie sheet 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire racks.

Microwave white chocolate and ¼ cup of the cream in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until white chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until white chocolate is completely melted. Cool 20 minutes or until room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Beat remaining 1 ¼ cups cream in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. DO NOT OVERBEAT. (It will separate and become useless.) Fold ½ of the whipped cream into white chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream just until blended.

Split each pastry strip into 2 layers. Set aside 2 of the top layers. Spread remaining 4 layers each with ½ cup of the white chocolate mousse and 1/3 cup of the sliced strawberries. For each dessert assemble 2 layers and top with 1 of the reserved layers. Drizzle with melted chocolate.

Refrigerate up to 4 hours. Makes 12 servings.

We Believe In Santa

Santa left me a dress made all from delicious white chocolate and a beautiful handbag for Christmas! Santa is so clever!

We Believe In Santa:

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Over 50 photos of Santa's believers and Santa sightings! Do you believe in Santa? Do you believe in spreading goodwill? Join us this season to gift others with more than mall presents.