Plum and White Chocolate Mousse

Time & Serves

• Preparation time: 10
• Cooking time: 10
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 12 Gingernuts
• 25 g butter, melted
• 850g can Watties Black Doris Plums in Syrup
• 120 g white chocolate, chopped
• 250 g cream cheese, soft
• 1 cup cream, lightly whipped to soft peak stage

Method

1. Place the gingernuts in a food processor and process until crumbed, or crush with a rolling pin.

2. Stir melted butter into the biscuit crumbs. Spoon the crumbs into the base of 6 serving glasses.

3. Drain the Wattie’s Black Doris Plums in Syrup , reserve the syrup. Cut the plums in half and remove the stones.

4. Reserve 6 plum halves and mash the remaining with a fork. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over hot water and set aside to cool.

5. Beat the soft cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the melted white chocolate and mashed plums. Carefully fold through the lightly whipped cream.

6. Divide plum mixture between the serving glasses. Chill for 30 minutes.

7. To serve: Top with a plum half and pour over a little of the reserved plum syrup.

Garnish with a mint leaf.

Chocolate Fondue

Chocolate Fondue Recipe

Ingredients:
12 ounces of dark chocolate (chips or roughly chopped if from a block)
8 ounces of heavy cream
A pinch of salt
Dippables such as strawberries, banana pieces cut into 1-inch chunks, dried appricots, candied ginger, apple pieces

Method:
1. Warm the cream over moderate heat until tiny bubbles show and begins to lightly and slowly boil. Add the chocolate and whisk until smooth and full incorporated.
2. Immediately transfer to a fondue pot heated at low or with a low flame, or serve straight from the pot.
3. Arrange the dippables on a platter or plates around the chocolate pot. Use a fondue fork, bamboo skewer, seafood fork, or salad fork to dip the fruit pieces and other dippables into the hot melted cream chocolate mixture. Eat immediately.
If the fondue begins to feel a little stiff, add a tablespoon of heavy cream and stir. It will help it go a little longer. Eventually, it will cook down though and you may need to start a new pot.
Variations
Add a tablespoon or two of Bailey's Irish Cream to the chocolate. Other liquors such as Grand Mariner, Amaretto, or Kirsch are equally yummy.
Add a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and ancho chili pepper for a nice Mexican Chocolate.
The contents of a vanilla pod or some vanilla extract are always a decadent touch to chocolate.
A good pinch of espresso powder can do wonders!
Orange zest or grapefruit zest is nice way to create a slightly fruity chocolate.
A few tablespoons of Torani flavoring syrups (the kind used for coffee or Italian sodas) can add a nice dimension of flavor as well.
White chocolate is always a nice change, and spiked with a little liquor or citrus zest becomes heavenly.
Steeping the cream for an hour beforehand and while heating it can add a nice subtle flavor, lemongrass for white chocolate or a bag of Earl Grey tea for dark chocolate are particularly stylish and contemporary.

Apple Cranberry Pie

Apple Cranberry Pie Recipe

Ingredients:
Crust Ingredients2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling

1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour

16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 teaspoon salt

1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar

3 to 6 Tbsp ice water

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 1/4 pounds of 1/4-inch thick slices of an assortment of good cooking apples such as Granny Smith, Pippin, Golden Delicious

1 1/2 tablespoons brandy1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Egg Wash:

1 large egg yolk

1 Tbsp whipping cream

Method:
1.In a food processor, combine flour, almonds, salt and brown sugar, pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready, if not, add a little more ice water and pulse again.
Remove dough from machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully shape into 2 discs. Do not over-knead the dough! You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These bits of butter are what will allow the result crust to be flaky. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F.
3. Combine cranberries, sugar, flour and allspice in large bowl. Mix in apples, then add brandy and vanilla extract.
4.Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Gently fold in half. Place on to a 9-inch pie plate, lining up the fold with the center of the pan. Gently unfold and press down to line the pie dish with the dough.
5. Spoon in apple filling, mounding slightly in center.

6.Roll out second disk of dough, as before. Gently turn over onto the top of the apples in the pie. Pinch top and bottom of dough rounds firmly together. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork.
7. Stir yolk and cream in small bowl to blend. Brush over top of pie. Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake pie until apples are tender and crust is golden, anywhere from 50 minutes to an hour 5 minutes, depending on the type of apples you are using. Transfer to rack; let stand 1 hour. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.

Apple Carrot Cupcake

Apple Carrot Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil (light olive oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated carrots (about 3 medium)
1 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated tart apples, such as Granny Smith (about 2 medium)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
5 ounce fresh, mild chèvre (goat cheese), at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cups powdered sugar

Method:
1 Preheat oven to 350° and place rack in the center of the oven.
2 In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices, cocoa, pepper, and salt. Whisk to combine, then stir in oil and eggs. Stir in carrots, apples, and pecans.
3 Set aluminum or paper cupcake holders in muffin tins. Spoon the batter into the cupcake paper cups, three-quarters of the way to the top. Bake approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
4 Beat goat cheese, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until combined.Once cupcakes are cool, apply frosting.
Makes 24 to 28 cupcakes.

Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of kosher salt (regular salt will suffice)
1 cup of rolled oats
1 1/2 cups of coarsely chopped pistachios, raw and unsalted
1 1/2 cups of white chocolate chips

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cream the butter and sugars together on high speed for three minutes.
2. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat for 3 minutes, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and rolled oats. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture slowly, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice to ensure even mixing.
4. Fold in the pistachios and white chocolate chips. Drop heaping teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets, add an extra pistachio or two on top of each bit of dough for decoration if desired.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to set up on the cookie sheets before moving to a baking rack to cool completely.
Makes 6 dozen.