Daring Bakers Challenge: Panna Cotta & Florentine Cookies

The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.

PANNA COTTA & COFFEE GELEE

Chocolate Panna Cotta
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin
2 cups whipping cream (30+% butterfat)
½ cupsugar
¾ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Pour milk into a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the top, set aside for 2-5 minutes.
2. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir in cream, sugar and vanilla. Bring to a low boil.
3. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Whisk the milk/gelatin mixture into chocolate cream mixture. Whisk until gelatin has dissolved.
4. Transfer to ramekins, or nice glasses for serving.
5. Cover and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight

Coffee Gelee
2 cups good quality brewed coffee
1/4 cup hot water + 2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place granulated sugar and 1/4 c. hot water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tablespoons cold water and let it soften 2 minutes or so.
3. Stir the coffee, sugar, hot water, and vanilla into a small metal bowl, add gelatin mixture and stir well until gelatin has dissolved. If pouring over Panna Cotta, be sure that this mixture is no longer hot, it will melt Panna Cotta if it is, let it come to room temperature.

Florentine Cookie
2/3 cup unsalted butter
2 cups quick oats
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup plain (all purpose) flour
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1½ cups dark or milk chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven to moderately hot 375°F (190°C) (gas mark 5). Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat.

To the melted butter add oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Drop a tablespoon full, three inches (75 mm) apart, onto your prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of your tablespoon, or use a spatula.

Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheets.

While the cookies are cooling melt your chocolate until smooth either in the microwave (1 1/2 minutes), or stovetop (in a double boiler, or a bowl that fits atop a saucepan filled with a bit of water, being sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl).

Peel the cookies from the silpat or parchment and place face down on a wire rack set over a sheet of wax/parchment paper (to keep counters clean).

Spread a tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom/flat side of your cookie, sandwiching another (flat end) cookie atop the chocolate.

This recipe will make about 2 1/2 - 3 dozen sandwiched Florentine cookies. You can also choose not to sandwich yours, in which case, drizzle the tops with chocolate (over your wax paper).

REFRIDGERATOR FRUIT SALAD

Ok, so growing up, anytime we had "fruit salad" was for special gatherings, so very far and few between. My mom never had a passion for cooking, so meals were quick, hearty and repeated (but good too!). Because of that I can't eat spinach (but that's a different story). So, fruit salad was a combination of fruit, held together by a can of cherry pie filling. Yes, I said cherry pie filling. The gooey, packed with sugar, very unhealthy stuff. So, naturally, through life that's what I thought about fruit salad.

I've steadily grown a passion for cooking myself, and love to experiment and make unique things, as well as perfecting the "classic" family meals. It wasn't until this past Christmas (the one 2 months ago), that this "cherry pie filling" topic came up again.

My wonderful still is more of a "naturalist" than I could ever be, but hates cooking, so everything is healthy, quick and easy. And I'm talking about the definition of "quick" and "easy" and I'll add "delicious."

One afternoon over the holiday, we were putting lunch together and I said to myself "I wish we had some pie filling, I would love some fruit salad." My sister turns on her toes with one eyebrow up, then turns back around and whips up this little concoction of delight. Something so simple. Something so healthy. My mind couldn't wrap around it.

And I've made it that way ever since.

So now you now most of the story (I could go into waaaay more explaining, but decided to sum it up) here is this amazing treat. And everything is right in your fridge. Its that easy.

REFRIGERATOR FRUIT SALAD

Depending on how much you want to make...I usually make it for one "sitting," or basically for 4 people.
2 small apples or 1 large [honey crisp is the best for fruit salad!] diced
2 or 3 small oranges [I usually have cuties on hand because of the kids] pulled apart and sliced in half
1 banana [if this is going to be eaten longer than a couple hours, add bananas right before serving]
Whatever else [fruit that is] you have: blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, ect...

This is the best part: What yogurt do you have in your fridge? Its probably you one you like eating in the mornings on a daily bases! I've even used my kids' gogurt one time!
Couple scoops (this is up to you, depending on how much fruit you used) yogurt
This could be from the little cups too! Don't forget!

I make this at LEAST once a week, so I buy a big tub at the store just for the fruit salad. It can be any flavor, but I've found strawberry, black cherry or my favorite, vanilla, works the best for flavor enhancement.This is also very healthy! Get the light & Fit kind and have an evening snack you don't feel guilty over!

Sometimes it just take someone to point out the simplest thing. So now I've pointed it out. Enjoy!

PORK-APPLE MEATBALLS WITH EGG NOODLES

This is a very simple, very quick recipe thats wonderful for those busy nights! Meatballs can be made ahead (before cooked) of time and popped into the oven when ready.

PORK-APPLE MEATBALLS WITH EGG NOODLES

Preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease (really good) with butter.

In a large mixing bowl, combine:
1 lb ground pork
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 small granny-smith apple, peeled and grated
1/2 small white onion, grated
3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
and 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Shape into small to medium size meatballs (you'll have at least 16) and arrange on baking sheet. Broil until golden and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling salted water, cook:
1 package (12oz) egg noodles
Until al dente. Drain and return to pan and toss with:
4 tablespoons butter, cut into peices
5 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
Divide noodles onto plates and top with meatballs.

CHALLAH

CHALLAH
(Braided loaf bread)

Combine in a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer and let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes:
1/2 cup warm water
2 1/4 (1 package) active dry yeast
add:
1/2 cup bread flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large yolks, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons veg oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix by hand or on low speed until thoroughly blended, gradually stir in:
2 1/2 cups bread flour
Knead for about 8 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticks to your hands or the bowl. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn once to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (1 to 1 1/2 hours).

Punch down the dough, knead briefly, and return to the bowl. Refrigerate, covered, until it has nearly doubled in size (2 to 12 hours). The dough is ready to be shaped.

Divide dough into 3 pieces. Roll into balls, let rest for 10 minutes.

Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with:
cornmeal
Roll each ball into ropes and dust with flour. Braid entire length of dough, tuck ends under.

Brush over load:
1 egg
pinch of salt
Loosely cover the braid with oiled plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush loaf again with egg wash and sprinkle with:
poppy seeds
Bake until the crust is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on rack.

Ravioli Rolling Pin-- HOW TO USE

I finally got to put my super-cool Ravioli Rolling pin to use!!! First, I will give you the recipe for the filling.

Ravioli Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 
1 or 2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed, cooked, and all water squeezed out
1 pound veal, ground finely
1 pound pork, ground finely
salt and pepper
dash freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
2 teaspoons fresh marjoram, finely minced, or 1 teaspoon dry (optional)
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 eggs

Dough:
5 cups of flour
3 teaspoons of salt
2 eggs (Up to 4)
1-1/2 cups water, approximately (start slow and use judgment)

Make your pasta dough, wrap in floured plastic, and let it rest.  

Brown the meats in a fry pan.  Let cool.  Run the meat through a grinder (or food processor), so it is very fine.

In a large bowl, cream the cheese with an electric mixer until it is soft.  Add the spinach, meats and seasonings.  Mix well with a wooden spoon to combine.  Add the cheese and eggs.

Roll out the dough very thin (do not go past #5 on a pasta machine--but mine broke, so I had to hand-roll it out)

When you have two sheets of dough (or one very long sheet, cut in half) lay one sheet on your workspace, spread some of the filling thinly on the pasta, leaving a half inch border.  

Lay the other sheet on top.  

Roll firmly with the rolling pin.  

Cut the ravioli apart with a fluted pastry wheel.

And there you go!

After cutting them, lay them on a floured jelly-roll pan and freeze--then bag them up in portions of your choosing!

When ready to cook, place them gently in a pot of water that it GENTLY boiling. If boiling to "hard" then they will fall apart. Boil for 2-3 minutes.

OR, you can bread them and cook them in a saute-pan. Dip in egg wash, then in Italian bread crumbs, cook in pan with a bit of oil until lightly browned. <----this is my favorite way of doing them!! yum yum! Enjoy!

BAKLAVA

This is a fairly easy dessert to make. You just have to be pretty speedy so the fillo dough doesn't dry out. Have everything prepped and ready to go before you start.

BAKLAVA

1 (16oz) package fillo dough
1 lb (16oz) chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13-inch pan.

Chop pecans then toss with cinnamon. Set aside.

Unroll 1 package fillo dough (or phyllo, depends on brand). Cover with dampened cloth to keep from drying out so quickly as you work. Place 2 sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered.

Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with 2 sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go.

Top layer should be 8 sheet deep (buttered between every 2)

Using a sharp knife, cut squares (or diamond shapes) all the way to the bottom of the pan.

Bake for 50 minutes until the baklava is golden and crisp.

Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.


Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. Leave uncovered (it will get soggy if it is wrapped up)

Ravioli Rolling Pin

After reading several blogs and scanning through a bunch new ones on a boring evening, I cam across this bad boy. I immediately fell in love. I HAD to have it. And so I got it.

 Strange-looking, huh?

Its a ravioli rolling pin. Can you say GENIUS?!  I love making ravioli and my family LOVES eating ravioli, so I'm ready to get this bad boy dirty!

Thanks to The Italian Dish I know have an amazing new tool in my kitchen. And its gonna get dirty this week!