From MM: 10-Inch Chocolate Ganache Torte with Caramel Sauce

10-Inch Chocolate Ganache Torte with Caramel Sauce Serves 10-12

Ingredients

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

7 tbsp sugar

1 cup pecan halves

Place pecans and sugar in food processor and grind until pecans are medium ground. Place in stainless bowl and mix in melted butter.

Place in 10-inch spring form pan and pack evenly in bottom only.

Bake in 350-degree oven for 6-8 minutes, until golden brown, then cool.

Filling

Ingredients

16 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 egg yolk

pecan halves for garnish

Place melted chocolate in food processor with cream and blend until smooth. Add egg yolk and scrape bowl; continue blending until fully incorporated.

Place mixture evenly in spring form pan. Place pecan halves around the outside of torte and chill for at least one hour before serving.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

4 tbsp unsalted butter

7 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Melt butter, add sugar and whisk until bubbling. Slowly add cream and bring to a boil. Cool until lukewarm.

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Executive Chef Ken Sharp El Gaucho 2505 1st Avenue Seattle (206) 728-9593

From MM: Apple Omelet with Cinnamon Cream

Apple Omelet with Cinnamon Cream Serves 2

Ingredients

4 whole brown eggs

1 medium apple, peeled, cored, sliced thin

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp whipping cream, whipped with a pinch of cinnamon

Beat the eggs, sugar and 2 tbsp of cold water with a whisk, until frothy.

Heat the butter in a non-stick skillet, when the butter starts to foam, add the apple and cook until golden brown.

Add the eggs, swirl the pan back and forth so they will cook evenly. Fold the omelet and invert onto a warm serving plate.

Spoon the whipped cream over the top and serve.

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Wine A late harvest Riesling

From MM: Chocolate Ganache with Crème Anglaise

Chocolate Ganache with Crème Anglaise Serves 4

Ingredients

6 oz chocolate

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp cream

2 tbsp port wine

1 tbsp butter

Melt chocolate in double boiler with butter.

Combine cream and port wine.

Heat cream and wine – but do not boil.

When chocolate is melted, combine with warm cream.

Pour into plastic lined bowl and refrigerate.

Crème Anglaise

Ingredients

1 cup half & half

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp hazelnut liquor

In a bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar.

In a heavy pot, heat half & half to a simmer.

Pour over egg yolk mixture, while whisking.

Return to pot over low flame, stir. Stir constantly until thickens enough to coat back of spoon. Add liquor.

Strain through a fine sieve and refrigerate.

From MM: Creme Brulee

Crème Brûlée Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

4 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

6 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Bring milk and cream to a boil. Whisk together the sugar, eggs and vanilla until it becomes pale and yellow. Add the hot milk to the mixture and blend well.

Pour the mixture into 4 small ramekins or gratin dishes. Bake for 45 minutes in a water bath until the custard sets. Chill.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of each custard and place the ramekins under the broiler in the oven until the sugar caramelizes evenly over the top. Serve with your favorite cookies.

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Wine A luscious Dessert Wine

From MM: Creme Caramel

Crème Caramel Serves 4

Ingredients

1 egg yolk

3 whole eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups milk, scalded

1 tsp vanilla

garnish: mint, crème fraiche, red berries

Whisk eggs, sugar, and vanilla together. Stir in hot scalded milk.

Pour batter over hardened caramel in custard dishes.

Place the dishes in a water bath, and bake in oven at 325 degrees for approximately 40 minutes, until custard sets.

To serve, run the blade of a paring knife along the top edge of the crème caramel, invert each mold onto a plate. Garnish with a sprig of mint, crème fraiche and red berries.

Caramel

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsp water

In a saucepan, boil the water and sugar until dark brown, then pour and coat bottom of 4 ovenproof custard molds.

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Wine From the Côtes du Rhone, a fruity Tavel Rosé

From MM: Autumn Brie Tart with Spiced Fig Pear Butter

Earth & Vine Provisions Autumn Brie Tart with Spiced Fig Pear Butter

Ingredients

2 cups ginger snaps, finely ground & firmly packed

1 cup pecans, finely ground & firmly packed

4 oz butter

13.2 oz baby Brie wheel

1 (9-oz) jar Earth & Vine Provisions Spiced Fig Pear Butter

2 (15-oz) cans Bartlett pear halves in lite syrup

Trim skin off Brie and cut into cubes, set aside and let it come to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, combine ginger snap crumbs and ground pecans; blend together.

Melt butter in microwave and stir into ginger/pecan mix, blend with fingers or fork until completely moist. Press mixture into bottom of 11 x 1-inch tart pan firmly and evenly, set aside.

In a food processor, blend Brie and Spiced Fig Pear Butter until creamy. Gently spread Brie mixture evenly over tart crust.

Drain juice from canned pears, slice pear halves into 5-6 slices. Starting on the outer edge of tart, fan pears in a circular arrangement until tart is completely covered with pears, (you may have some pears left over). Chill for 3-4 hours before serving. Optional: Top with fresh figs.

From MM: Glazed Apples with Espresso-Cream Sauce

Glazed Apples with Espresso-Cream Sauce Serves 4

Ingredients

4 granny smith apples, peeled but not cored

1/4 cup apple juice

1/4 cup honey

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp ground allspice

1/4 cup brewed espresso

3 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the peeled apples in a shallow baking dish.

In a small saucepan, combine the apple juice, honey, butter, allspice, and espresso. Heat until the butter melts, stirring occasionally.

Pour the mixture over the apples and bake them for 50 minutes, basting them with the liquid in the baking dish every 10 to 15 minutes.

When the apples are tender and glazed, remove them from the baking dish to a serving plate or plates; set aside and keep warm.

Mix the cream with the liquid in the baking dish and serve warm over the apples.

From MM: Honey Cake

Honey Cake for Rosh Hashanah Serves 4

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tbsp honey

1/4 cup water

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp each cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg

1 cup nuts, chopped (almonds, filberts, pecans, etc.)

1 cup raisins and/or figs, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter one 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.

In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs until light and fluffy. Add honey and water and beat until smooth.

In another bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, and spices.

Gradually add dry ingredients into the creamed mixture in three parts, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl.

Fold in chopped nuts and figs or raisins by hand.

Bake for about one hour.

From MM: Lemon Mousse

Lemon Mousse Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup lemon juice

zest of one lemon

1 1/2 cup milk, scalded

3 eggs separated

garnish: mint leaves and red berries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, butter, lemon juice, and rind.

Beat egg yolks and combine with milk. Add to the above mixture. Beat egg white until stiff and fold in.

Pour the mousse in 4 individual ramekins, place them in a pan filled with hot water so it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool before serving.

Decorate with a sprig of fresh mint and a red berry.

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Wine A rich and creamy Côtes du Rhone Dessert Wine

Serve with a Madeleine cookie.

From MM: Madeleines

Madeleines Makes 24

Ingredients

4 whole eggs

1 cup sugar

zest (grated peel) of lemon

1 cup cake flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl using a whisk, or in a food processor, whip the eggs and sugar until mixture is a foamy pale yellow.

Add the lemon zest. Fold in the flour, then the melted butter.

Butter and flour the madeleine tins. Fill each one 3/4 full with the batter. Bake for 10 12 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove from tins and place on cooling rack. The madeleines are ready to eat as soon as they are cool. You may dip them in your favorite tea or cafe au lait.

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Note: These little cakes were the favorites of Louis XV and became fashionable in Versailles and Paris. The recipe was kept secret for a long time until it was sold for a great sum of money to the bakers of the village Commercy in France, who made it their specialty.