Zoe Cuisine

Banana Bread Frozen Yogurt

 

I have been to Naples, Florida a few times for vacation and the single best part of each trip has not been the weather or the beach but the chocolate chip, walnut and banana gelato at the Ritz Carlton ice cream shop. Every trip has revolved around me trying to figure out how to incorporate this bowl of deliciousness into my day multiple times. I have yet to find a frozen treat that is anywhere near as scrumptious in the Boston area. This gelato literally tastes like frozen banana bread in a cup. The bag of frozen bananas that I have been storing in the freezer for smoothies had been getting pretty full so I decided that I needed to find a way to use them. Since we don't have a decent ice cream shop in walking distance from our condo I decided to get creative and attempt to recreate my Naples obsession. I don't have the time or the energy to try to make gelato from scratch so I improvised with store bought frozen yogurt and my blender. Give this a whirl if you love bananas and need a little respite from this oppressive summer heat!

Banana Bread Frozen Yogurt Ingredients 1/2 cup low fat vanilla frozen yogurt, such as Haagen Daaz 1 large frozen banana, broken into 1-2" chunks 1/2 cup low fat milk 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons chocolate chips or 1/2 chocolate bar cut into chunks Instructions Put first 3 ingredients in blender and process until combined. Mixture should be thick. Pour into a plastic storage container and add in the walnuts and chocolate, stir to combine. Cover container and place in the freezer for at least an hour before serving. Serves 2 View Printable Version

Dulce de Leche Brownies

 

More chocolate. I know, it's been a bit of an obsession lately. I have been trying to use up some pantry items recently and came across a few cans of sweetened condensed milk that I bought over a year ago when I was going to try to make dulce de leche, the popular Latin and South American caramel. So I saw these cans sitting there, gathering dust, and remembered a recipe I had seen in one of my favorite foodie books, The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz. This book is part memoir, part cookbook and entirely hysterical so I suggest seeking it out. For those of you who are not familiar with him, David was a pastry chef at Chez Panisse for many years before packing up and moving to Paris where he writes an amazing blog and many highly acclaimed cookbooks. Many of his pastries are a little out of my comfort zone in terms of difficulty, but this dulce de leche brownie recipe seemed straightforward enough for me to give it a shot. I followed his recipe almost exactly, only substituting 77% Dagoba cacao chocolate bars for the bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, and using the entire 14 oz of dulce de leche instead of just 1 cup. These are amazing served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Dulce de Leche Brownies Ingredients:  8 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing the pan 6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup flour 1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts (optional) 1 cup dulce de leche or confiture de lait (see recipe below) Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8" square pan and line the bottom with parchment or wax paper (this makes them much easier to remove). Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the chocolate, stirring until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sugar, vanilla and flour. Mix in the nuts, if using. Scrape half of the batter into the pan. Drop 1/3 of the dulce de leche in evenly spaced dollops over the batter, then drag a knife through the dollops ever so slightly to swirl it. Spread the remaining brownie batter over the top, making sure the dulce de leche is completely covered, then repeat by dolloping the remaining dulce de leche over the top of the batter. Again, use a knife to swirl the dulce de leche slightly (don't stick the knife completely through the batter to the bottom of the pan, just use it to swirl the top layer).  Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on your oven, or until the center of the brownies feels slightly firm. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting. These brownies will keep well for up to three days in an air tight container. Makes 12 brownies. Dulce de Leche Recipe Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Pour 1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk into a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish. Stir in a few flecks of sea salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place the baking dish inside a larger baking dish (such as a roasting pan) and fill it with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the smaller baking dish. Bake for 1-1 1/4 hours or until the condensed milk is nicely browned and caramelized on top. Check periodically while baking to make sure there is enough water in the roasting pan, refill if necessary. Let the dulce de leche cool completely and then whisk until smooth. Store in the refrigerator until ready for use. This is great as a topping on ice cream or pound cake. Recipes courtesy of David Lebovitz's "The Sweet Life in Paris"

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Double Chocolate Chews

 

I continued my baking binge this weekend with a batch of delicious chewy chocolate meringue cookies. Lately I cannot get enough of the sweet stuff and these treats hit the spot. I was looking for a recipe for some cookies that would satisfy without a tremendous guilt factor and these fit the bill. The key to getting a rich and decadent cookie is using high quality chocolate, as the only other ingredients are egg whites, sugar and vanilla. I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips that are 60% cacao and they worked perfectly. My favorite part about these cookies is that they stay chewy and don't turn hard like a typical meringue. A couple of tips for making these are to make sure that the chocolate is not hot when you mix it in with the egg whites, and that the egg whites are beaten until they are stiff, smooth and glossy. Lastly, do not mix the chocolate and the egg whites too much, instead try gently folding the two together until combined. I included a link in the recipe below for how to beat egg whites to the right consistency if you aren't familiar.

Double Chocolate Chews Ingredients: 12 oz. (typically 1 bag or 2 cups) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks or 12 oz dark chocolate chopped into small chunks 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract pinch of salt 3 egg whites 1/3 cup sugar Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips in a large heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on the stove. Cool until just warm to the touch. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer in a separate bowl for 2 minutes, or until white and foamy. Add sugar in 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly. Continue to beat the egg whites for about 6 to 8 minutes or until soft peaks form and the meringue is a snowy white color (Click here for clarification on this process). Fold the meringue into the melted chocolate in three batches, being careful not to deflate the egg whites. Continue folding until no white streaks remain and the batter is stiff. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Drop the cookies onto the sheet pans using heaping tablespoons. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the exterior of the cookies look dry. Cool on baking sheets. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 24 cookies.

Recipe courtesy of Vegetarian Times, April 2009 issue

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Ricotta Mini Cakes with Lemon Glaze

 

While I was in the waiting room at the doctors office today I came across this recipe in one of the magazines I was flipping through. I knew I had half a container of ricotta in the fridge that was left over from my last batch of turkey ricotta meatballs, so I was drawn to this recipe as a way to use it up instead of making more meatballs or a heavy pasta dish. I quickly snapped a picture of the page the recipe was on with my iphone so I could visit it later (so much easier than scribbling down all the ingredients by hand!). I was pleased to see that I had all the ingredients to make the cookies so I got right to work when I got home. These cookies are really easy to make and cook quickly too. Instead of using the basic glaze the recipe called for which just uses confectioners' sugar and milk, I decided to jazz it up a little by substituting lemon juice and zest to make a lemon glaze. I was really happy with the taste and texture of these cookies when I tried them. They are very light and subtly sweet, like a cakey sugar cookie. They reminded me a lot of the sugar plum cookies an old co-worker used to make around the holidays that I absolutely loved. The lemon glaze makes these a nice, refreshing spring treat. Now that I have eaten three in the span of 5 minutes, I am packaging up the rest to distribute to family and neighbors because these are addictive!

Ricotta Mini Cakes with Lemon Glaze Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 cup part skim ricotta cheese 1 tsp vanilla extract Glaze 2 cups confectioners' sugar 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice zest of 1 lemon Instructions: For the cookies - Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together; set aside. Beat the butter and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer on low or medium-low speed until blended (you can also use a stand mixer or beat it together by hand). Mixture will look grainy. Add the egg, ricotta and vanilla, beating until combined. On low speed, add the flour mixture in increments and beat until blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared pans. For a neater looking cookie, chill the batter and then roll a tablespoon of batter lightly in your hand to form a ball before putting on the sheet pan. Bake at 350 for 14 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges. Let cool on the sheet pans for about 3 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely. For the lemon glaze - Beat or whisk confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and zest together until well blended. The mixture will be thick. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze and use the back of a spoon or a knife to spread evenly. It may be easier to use a knife or spoon instead of dipping. Set aside or put in the fridge until the glaze has hardened. For a basic unflavored glaze, substitute 3-4 tablespoons milk for the lemon juice and zest. Recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies.

Cookie recipe courtesy of Chris White, Bordentown, NJ

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Rice Pudding

 

If you are looking for an easy, delicious, and comforting dessert inspiration then look no further than this rice pudding. I am a fan of all puddings, but had never tried to make rice pudding until this weekend. I kept seeing recipes for different versions on blogs and in magazines, and all looked amazing and simple. I decided to merge two recipes for my first foray into rice pudding, one from Gourmet and the other from Food and Wine magazine. I liked that one used arborio rice (which I happened to have a box of already on hand) while the other used an interesting combo of lemon, vanilla and cinnamon as flavoring. You can really let your imagination run wild with rice pudding by adding everything from raisins to rum. It is a very basic dessert classic that is as satisfying plain as it is dressed up. Another selling point is that it is very inexpensive to make for a crowd. You can serve this family style out of a big ceramic dish or spoon into delicate glasses or ramekins for a more elegant presentation. 

Rice Pudding Ingredients: 1 cup arborio (risotto) rice 2 1/2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 cinnamon stick 3 strips of lemon zest (approx 3-4" in length each) 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Instructions: Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the rice and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the rice and return it to the saucepan. Add the milk, cream, cinnamon stick and zest. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low and cook for about 25 minutes, until the rice is very tender (it will still look a little soupy, that's ok as the rice will absorb more liquid as it sits). Stir in the sugar and vanilla and remove the pan from heat. Discard the cinnamon stick and zest. Pour the pudding into a 9x13 inch baking dish (or any large dish that will allow the pudding to be spread out to cool). Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until chilled, preferably 2-3 hours.  When ready to serve, distribute the pudding evenly between 6 ramekins or small glasses. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or fresh fruit of your choice.  Serves 6.

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Truffle Brownie Bites

 

This past weekend I catered another cocktail party for 50 people which was a great success! The hostess and I worked very closely on the menu together and she actually handed me a few recipes of dishes she wanted me to create that I had never tried before. She is a big fan of the Pampered Chef cookware line and the recipes she gave me came from the cookbooks that they published. I was a little hesitant to try new recipes from a new source for a big party but I obliged and luckily averted any culinary disasters. Although I was not very impressed with their coconut shrimp appetizer recipe, I was thrilled with the incredibly simple yet very decadent tasting truffle brownie bites. I love making bite size food for parties, first off because it looks cute, secondly because it means less plates and silverware needed and finally because the the food can be popped in your mouth easily while you are holding a cocktail. These brownie bites were the perfect sweet ending to the various savory treats we served. They are made with very few ingredients in not much time at all which is the best part. Your guests will never guess that their rich taste could be so simply prepared. Although these brownies are delicious served as is with just the ganache, I think it is much more festive to top them with various candies or fruits of your choice. I decided to top mine with a single white chocolate dipped pretzel nugget for a triple chocolate effect. I also placed the finished bites in foil mini cupcake wrappers so guests wouldn't get chocolate on their fingers, plus they look prettier that way! Bring these adorable little treats to your next holiday gathering or even just to your office to surprise your coworkers. They'll be gone in a flash!

Note: I highly recommend using a silicone mini muffin pan to make these. These pans can be bought at any kitchen store or Target and ensure that the desserts will release beautifully every time with no mess.

 

Truffle Brownie Bites Ingredients: For the brownies: 2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 2/3 cup all-purpose flour For the ganache: 1/2 cup whipping cream 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels Instructions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 2/3 cup of the chocolate morsels and the butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 20 seconds at a time for up to 60 seconds, stirring at each interval. The mixture should be smooth and all of the chocolate melted. Add the sugar and the egg and mix until blended with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Add the four and mix until just incorporated - this will be a stiff batter. Spray the wells of a silicone mini muffin pan with non-stick canola cooking spray (or use a regular mini muffin pan with cupcake liners) and fill each well until it is 2/3 of the way full. I usually use a 1/2 teaspoon as a scoop when I am filling and then I press the batter in the well with my finger to evenly distribute it to the edges. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set. If the centers still seem a little underdone, that's ok. When you remove the brownies from the oven, use the rounded back of a 1/4 teaspoon to make an indent in the center of each brownie while they are still warm, this will form a well or a little cup for the filling. Let brownies cool in the pan for about 3-5 minutes and then remove and place on a plate or cooling rack. To make the ganache, pour the cream into a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes or until it is hot. Add the chocolate morsels and whisk until smooth. Place bowl in the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes or until the mixture is cooled and starting to thicken.  To decorate the brownies, use a 1/4 teaspoon to scoop the ganache into the indentation of each brownie. You may also spoon the ganache into a resealable plastic or pastry bag, use a small knife to trim off one of the bag corners and pipe the ganache into the center of the brownies. Top the brownies with the garnish of your choice. I recommend: toasted coconut shavings, toasted hazelnuts or sliced almonds, fresh raspberries, whipped cream, sprinkles, maraschino cherries, candied orange peel or any small candies of your choice. This recipe is supposed to yield 24 brownies, I found that it made closer to 20.  Recipe adapted from the Pampered Chef View Printable Version

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I was at a champagne and dessert baby shower a week ago where the hostess served the most delicious and decadent candies, cakes and pastries. My favorite by far was a pumpkin chocolate chip cake that she had made herself. Since my favorite food item of the holidays is pumpkin pie, I was immediately drawn to this dessert. I love the sweet and spicy elements of pumpkin pie from the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Her cake used all the same spices as you would use in a pie, but with the ingenious addition of chocolate chips for richness and added sweetness. I could not get over how moist the cake was. She told me that she only uses half the amount of oil that the recipe called for and substituted the other half with applesauce. I have heard of this being done to lighten desserts and think it is a great trick. I favor using non-fat vanilla yogurt to accomplish the same goal. I think it also keeps sweets moist while lessening the fat, plus I tend to have yogurt on hand in the fridge more often than applesauce. Either one works great. This recipe is very versatile as you can dress this up by baking it as a cake using a fancy bundt pan, as the hostess did, or else it can easily be made into a more casual loaf or muffins. When I recreated this at home after the shower I chose to make muffins, both regular and mini size, for better portion control. Since I am only cooking for two, baking a cake is not very efficient as it will go to waste. Muffins, however, can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and frozen in a ziploc bag. That way you can enjoy the fruits of your single baking effort multiple times. Try these served warm and topped with frozen yogurt or ice cream for dessert.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon each of ground spices: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger 1 teaspoon salt 1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin (unseasoned) 4 eggs 1/2 cup oil 1/2 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons vanilla non-fat yogurt 1 12 oz. bag chocolate chips Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fold in the chocolate chips. Add batter to a greased 12 muffin tin. This recipe will make approximately 16-18 large muffins, 12 large and 12 mini muffins, or 1 bundt cake. Bake for approximately 25 minutes for large muffins, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Mini muffins will only take about 15 minutes. A cake will take 45 minutes to 1 hour. View Printable Version

Banana Whip

Looking for a sweet treat to beat the heat in this weather? When the temperature rises I turn straight to soft serve. Since it doesn't always make sense to pull the car out (yes I have to worry about being able to find a parking spot) at night to go to the local ice cream parlor, and I have yet to find a store bought soft serve to keep in the fridge that is any good, it means it is time to get creative. My nutrition instructor gave me a great idea for a healthy homemade soft serve substitute. Peel a few bananas, seal them in a plastic bag and pop them into the freezer until they are completely frozen. When they are ready, break them into a few smaller and more manageable pieces, and put them in a blender with about 1/4 cup non fat plain or vanilla yogurt (per 2 bananas). Blend until just mixed and you have a delicious and nutritious frozen fruit delight. Now this probably won't tame your cravings for cherry garcia or double chocolate brownie ice cream, but if you are a banana lover like I am then it will do just fine. The bananas make this super creamy and thick so it is the exact consistency of soft serve. I like to top mine with some raspberries or blueberries. Why not get a dose of antioxidants with your serving of potassium? If you need something a little sweeter try adding a little honey or mixing in some dark chocolate chips after blending. This is a great kid friendly dessert too. Let them help you use the blender and see how this favorite fruit can be transformed into a frosty whipped treat before their eyes.

A Baby Shower

This past weekend my friend Chelsea and I hosted a baby shower for our friend Liz. Liz is due in just five weeks with her first baby - a girl to be named Amelia. Thirteen lovely ladies gathered at my place to feast on tea sandwiches, salads, bellinis, sparkling lemonade and cupcakes. Lucky mommy to be Liz got tons of great loot to stock the nursery with. Chelsea and I were a stellar event planning team (for a couple of amateurs!); I tackled the food and she did everything from invitations to flowers, drinks and favors. I was excited to be able to test out some of my culinary skills on the menu. I got really amazing feedback from all of the guests on the food, especially the curry chicken salad spread and the cupcakes. I promise to post the recipes this week so keep checking back! Here is the recipe for the icing used on the pink vanilla cupcakes in the picture. It is a great all purpose icing that is easy to make and can be dyed any color with food coloring. I piped the icing using a pastry bag (check out Wilton for cake decorating supplies), but you can spread it on very easily and it will still look and taste great.

P.S. If anyone needs help planning their next shower or small party, or just wants to order some cupcakes, I am open for business! 

Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Frosting      Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Instructions: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Yield: enough for 2 dozen cupcakes or 1 (9-inch) layer cake

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Hostesses with the Mostesses. 

Mini cupcakes with chocolate ganache. Click for recipe.

Chalkboard artwork courtesy of the chef whose drawing skills are a bit rusty these days, but it's the thought that counts right? Quote reads:

"A mothers joy begins when a new life is stirring inside... when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the first time, when a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone." - Anonymous

Man, that quote gives me chills every time I read it! And to think I pulled it off a random website. God I love the internet.

The Menu

Assorted Tea Sandwiches

Mini Pastries

These are just a few of the adorable little desserts we have been preparing for the buffet graduation dinner today. We tested these out last week on a day that was devoted entirely to mini pastries. I think it was my favorite class of the semester! We made chocolate and lemon cheesecakes, a variety of chocolate dipped bite size brownies flavored with everything from hazelnuts to chipotle powder, and tarts filled with coconut pastry cream, lemon curd and chocolate ganache. I was amazed at how easy many of the recipes were. Everything came out looking and tasting so professional that I am sure they will be a hit at the party tonight. For some reason, people go crazy for mini versions of just about everything - I know I do! Recipes to follow shortly! 

A chocoholic's dream! Chocolate coconut tarts, chocolate lemon curd filled tarts, chocolate cheesecakes and chocolate dipped brownies.

Chocolate cheesecakes topped with chocolate ganache and chocolate dipped brownies. Decorating the desserts with melted milk chocolate was my favorite part.