Recipe: Espresso-Ganache Tartlets

Espresso-Ganache Tartlets

Yield: 6 servings

From: Bittersweet Pastry Shop, Chicago, Illinois.



Crust:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup sugar

1 large egg

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt


Ganache filling:

¼ cup hot water

1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder

¾ cup whipping cream

2 Tablespoons sugar

10 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) OR semisweet chocolate, chopped


Directions for crust: using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in medium bowl until light. Beat in egg. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat just until blended. Divide dough among six 3-inch-diameter tartlet pans with 1-inch-high sides and removable bottoms. With floured fingertips, press dough into pans. Refrigerate 1 hour, then freeze 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake tartlets until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely.

Directions for filling: Mix ¼ cup hot water and espresso powder in small bowl until espresso dissolves. Bring cream and sugar to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Mix in espresso mixture. Pour hot filling into tartlets. Chill until chocolate sets, at least 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Remove tart pan sides from tartlets. Transfer to plates and serve.

Recipe: Graham Cracker Torte & Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream

Graham Cracker Torte & Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream

How many times when you had just a few leftover graham crackers languishing in the back of your pantry? What to do with them? Along comes this easy fun recipe to solve the dilemma of frugality that even has some protein in it! The torte combined with the tart ice cream will remind you of lemon meringue pie.

While for February it's too cold in most climates to eat ice cream, just keep this recipe on hand for when the weather does heat up to intolerable and cooling lemon is just wonderful to beat the heat! Right now try out the torte to see how easy it is and enjoy.

Crazy weather this year in Louisiana! Cold below freezing for days then up to pleasant in the 70's for several days and you never know what to expect. You never know when you might want to make some ice cream in February! :)



Yield: 6 – 8 servings

From: Betty Berry


Ingredients:

3 egg whites at room temperature

1 cup sugar, divided

¾ cup fine graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sweetened whipped cream, optional

Directions: Preheat oven to 300° F. Beat egg whites until stiff; gradually add ½ cup sugar.

Combine remaining sugar, graham cracker crumbs and baking powder. Add to egg whites along with pecans and vanilla. Blend lightly but well.

Pour into a buttered 8-inch pie plate. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

Cool, slice into wedges and top with whipped cream or Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream.

Note: Torte will fall and crack in center when cool, so don’t panic!)


***


Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream


Yield: 8 (1/2 cup) servings


Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

6 large lemons

1 quart low-fat organic buttermilk

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon peel zest


Directions: Place sugar in a medium-size bowl. Grate the zest of 2 – 3 lemons to produce 2 teaspoons of zest. Juice as many lemons as needed to get ½ cup lemon juice. Add zest and juice to sugar. Mix well.

Add buttermilk and salt. Stir until sugar dissolves Chill 4 hours or overnight.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes 8 (1/2 cup) servings

Nutrition: 243 calories, 1 gram fat, 1 milligram cholesterol and 153 milligrams sodium.

Bruce Springsteen in 1981 - Jole Blon

Goes with article: Guide to Traditional Cajun Songs

Guide to Traditional Cajun Songs

Guide to Traditional Cajun Songs: "Much like the raconteur tales of old, according to the tastes of the performer, the lyrics of the songs were often improvised or made up as they went along. This created an on-going evolution as the songs were in a constant flow of change. These early Cajun songs were generally performed as unaccompanied ballads. They were narrative songs."

Serious in depth article about the evolution of Cajun folk songs. 5 videos for your listening pleasure too!

By Jerilee Wei
Video above of Bruce Springsteen, rock version of Cajun Jole Blon

Ten Illustrated Quotes: Humor

Ten Illustrated Quotes: Humor: "Collecting humorous quotes is always a laugh out loud moment well spent. Well, I’m always advising people to live out loud…"

We do so love a good laugh down here in Louisiana, enjoy!

By Denny Lyon
Photo by Midnight-digital