Dessert Archives - The Petite Gourmande

Tag Archives: Dessert

Pumpkin Roll

Posted on November 10, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

This roulade-style dessert is reminiscent of fall’s most classic flavors. It can be made with regular cream cheese or pumpkin. Both ways are equally delicious and I alternate on the cream cheese as my husband prefers the pumpkin and my daughter prefers the regular cream cheese. My own personal favorite uses hazelnuts.

Serves 16

Ingredients:

For the Cake

¾ cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¾ cup sugar

¼ tsp salt

For the filling

¾ cup pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

½ tsp orange extract

1½ cups finely chopped walnuts (or roasted hazelnuts)

¾ cup confectioners sugar, plus more for dusting

8-oz whipped cream cheese (or pumpkin spice cream cheese)

3 TB unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Great a 16 x 12 inch nonstick jelly roll pan and dust with flour. Set aside.

3. In a medium mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and orange extract with electric mixer until smooth.

4. In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet and mix until well combined and smooth.

5. Pour the batter into the jelly roll man and level with spatula. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Let cake stand until cool.

7. Dust a large, clean dish towel with confectioners sugar and carefully invert cake onto towel.

8. Gently roll cake into a log and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

9. Make the filling by combining cream cheese, confectioners sugar, and butter with electric mixer and beat until smooth.

10. Remove cake from refrigerator and carefully unroll. Spread filling evenly onto cake. Re-roll cake into log shape and refrigerate.

11. When ready to serve, cut into wheels and dust with a little more confectioners sugar.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Petite Gourmande

© 2018 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved

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Chocolate Soufflé

Posted on October 27, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

One of todays favorite around the world, chocolate soufflé is a delicate dessert that will leave anyone asking for more. Once baked, they should be served immediately to look its best.

Ingredients:

8oz of semi-sweet chocolate

1/4 cup of sugar

3 egg yolks, left at room temperature

7 large egg whites

2 tbs of butter

2 tbs of granulated sugar, for lining

6 ceramic ramequins (5 oz.)

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon of orange extract

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven at 375 degrees.

2. Butter the inside of ramequins and sprinkle granulated sugar lightly.

3. Melt the chocolate in double-broiler over simmering water and stir until completely smooth texture is obtained.

4. Remove the melted chocolate from heat and add in the egg yolks on by one. Mix well and set aside.

5. In the mixer, beat the egg white on medium until soft pick. Raise to high and add sugar slowly until stiff pick.

6. Gently fold the egg white mix one quarter at a time into the chocolate mixture until completely combined.

7. Place ramequins on baking tray and fill each one to make them 3/4 full.

8. Pass the end of your thumb around the circumference of the ramequin to help the soufflé rise evenly.

9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until soufflé rises and the top is still jiggly in the center.

10. Serve immediately.

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Almond Phyllo Swirl

Posted on June 15, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Almond Phyllo Swirl

This delicious dish looks as unique as it tastes. Shaped like a snake, it is a traditional Moroccan dessert of layers of rich pastry filled with almonds and orange blossom water.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 cups raw almonds

1 egg, separated

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar plus 1 teaspoon for garnish

2 tablespoons orange blossom water

1 teaspoon almond extract

10 sheets phyllo dough

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grind the raw almonds and place in a mixing bowl.

3. Lightly beat the egg white and add it to the ground almonds.

4. Add the confectioners’ sugar, orange blossom water, and almond extract to the almond mix.

5. Thoroughly mix all ingredients to form a paste and then form into sausage-shaped rolls (approximately 3).

6. Unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. While you are working with a phyllo sheet, Keep the rest of the block covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.

7. Take one sheet of the phyllo dough and brush it with melted butter.

8. Place a second sheet of the phyllo dough on top off the first and brush its surface with butter.

9. Lay one of the filling rolls lengthwise on top of the buttered phyllo dough, about 1 inch from the edge. Roll up the pastry and make into a coil. Place it in the center of a buttered, 10-inch round, nonstick baking pan.

10. Repeat steps 7 through 9 until all 3 pieces form a large swirl in the pan.

11. beat the egg yolk and brush it over the top of the entire swirl.

12. bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.

13. sprinkle with the cinnamon and remaining teaspoon of confectioners’ sugar.

Happy Cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

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Mother’s Day Brunch

Posted on May 11, 2018 by Ruth Barnes Leave a comment

Celebrating Mother’s Day with family is truly a wonderful privilege. On this day we take the opportunity to show our moms how important and special they are to us and shower them with a large serving of unconditional love.

Comfort, warmth, and care are some of the words that come to mind when I think of my mother, and these two dishes encompass those wonderful feelings. Salmon Lasagna is both comforting and delicious, with wonderful hints of lemon flavor. The chocolate lava cake is warm, gooey and sweet on the inside, a dessert that is sure to put a smile on your face, just like mom.

Mother’s Day Salmon and Spinach Lasagna

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1-16 ounce box of lasagna

1- 32 ounce container of ricotta cheese

3 tbsp unsalted butter for sauteing the onion and spinach

2 pound skinless salmon fillet

1 large onion chopped

6 garlic cloves minced

2-16 ounce bags of frozen spinach

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1- 8 ounce bag of shredded mozzarella

1/2 bunch of parsley chopped

1 bottle of white cooking wine (optional)

1 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

9×13 baking dish

non stick cooking spray

For Sauce:

5 tbsp flour

5 tablespoon butter

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

1. In a large pot bring water and salt to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the directions on the box. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

2. Defrost the spinach, drain of excess water and set aside.

3. In a medium sauté pan melt the 3 tablespoons of butter, and sauté the onion for 4 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Then add the spinach, season with salt and pepper to taste and combine well. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.

4. In a medium pot add 4 cups of water, 1 1/2 cups of white wine (optional), and juice of one whole lemon. Bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat, and add the fish and simmer for 10 minutes, or until fish flakes with a fork. Remove the fish from pot and let cool. Flake the fish, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

6. In a medium bowl mix the ricotta, eggs, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

7. For the béchamel sauce melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Then add the flour and constantly whisk. Season with salt and pepper, slowly add the heavy cream and continue whisking. Then add the nutmeg and whisk until sauce thickens and becomes smooth.

8. Spray the baking dish thoroughly, covering the bottom and sides. Spread 3 tablespoons of sauce so that the pasta will not stick. Spread 3 pieces of lasagna noodles on the bottom of the dish. Then layer 1/2 cup of spinach over the noodles. Next, layer 1/2 cup of the ricotta mixture over the spinach. Then layer a 1/2 cup of the flaked fish. Lastly, add a 1/4 cup of the sauce and spread it evenly over the fish. Repeat the process until you have 12 layers.

9. The last layer, which will be your top layer, you will end with only lasagna noodles. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

10. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes or until the cheese is golden.

Mother’s Day Chocolate Lava Cake

Makes 8 cakes

Ingredients

10 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/4 stick unsalted butter

4 whole eggs ,plus 4 yolks

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

baking spray for greasing

2 tbsp powdered sugar

assorted berries

8 -5 ounce ramekins

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

1. In a double boiler set on low heat melt the chocolate and the butter, mixing frequently, until smooth. Set aside and let cool.

2. In a bowl whisk the whole eggs, and in a separate bowl whisk the yolks.

3. Pour the sugar into the chocolate mixture and combine well.

4. Add the flour, vanilla, the eggs and yolks to the chocolate mixture. With a hand mixer on medium speed mix until fully combined.

5. Place the ramekins on a baking tray and spray with the non stick baking spray.

6. Fill the ramekins 3/4 full with the chocolate mixture.

7. Place the baking tray in the oven on the center rack and bake for 12-14 minutes.

8. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

9. Flip each ramekin over onto individual plates, dust with powdered sugar and decorate with your favorite berries.

Lets raise a glass, to all the moms of the world who provide unconditional love and endless support, and wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day!

The Petite Gourmande

Crème Brûlée

Posted on April 28, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Creme Brulee topped with raspberries, a recipe by Ruth Barnes, The Petite Gourmande

With Mother’s Day fast approaching, you’ll want to start planning the perfect meal to make the moms in your life feel special. Crème Brûlée is one of those classic desserts you find on many a restaurant menu. It never goes out of style and is the perfect ending to a meal, no matter the occasion. This elegant dessert can be made with a variety of flavors, and even toppings. This recipe is for creamy vanilla, which can be served warm or cold. It’s perfect for Mother’s day but not exactly a kid friendly recipe as it involves a blow torch, this is where you dads will shine! What man doesn’t want to bake with a blow torch?

Makes six servings.

Ingredients

6 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup granulated sugar, with additional 6 tsp reserved for topping

½ pint berries

Tools

6 crème brulee dishes (or ramekins)

Cooking torch

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Pour cream into saucepan. Add vanilla, lightly whisk mixture and cook on low heat until hot.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks. Add sugar and continue to mix until sugar is melted.

4. Slowly stir the milk mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Strain the egg cream through a fine sieve.

5. Place ramekins into deep baking tray. Fill each ramekin with mixture.

6. Carefully pour hot water into bottom of baking tray until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 30 minutes.

7. Remove ramekins from oven and place on cooling rack. Let ramekins cool completely. Cover ramekins with plastic wrap and chill ramekins in refrigerator for two hours.

8. Once chilled, sprinkle one teaspoon of sugar onto top of each serving. Holding torch 3-4 inches above the ramekin, caramelize top of each serving until golden brown.

9. Serve each with garnish of berries of your choice.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The Petite Gourmande

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Honey Pastry Triangles with Almonds

Posted on April 21, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Honey Pastry Triangles with Almonds

Briouat bil Looz ul Ashul

There are many types of honey, each with its own flavor. When I make honey pastry triangles and cigars, I serve each kind with a different kind of honey for variety. I have many lovely memories of my mom making these with us, so I thought I would share this wonderful recipe with you today.

Serves 15 (30 triangles)

Ingredients

1 package phyllo dough (20 sheets), thawed if previously frozen

1 stick melted butter, at room temperature (for brushing phyllo dough)

1 egg yolk, beaten

The nut filling

1 pound ground blanched almonds

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 stick melted butter, at room temperature

The syrup

1 cup honey

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare the nut filling: Place all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Set aside while you prepare the phyllo.

3. Unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. While you are working with a phyllo sheet, keep the rest of the block covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.

4. Use a pair of scissors to cut the sheets into 3 1/2-inch-long strips.

5. Take two strips of phyllo. Brush the first strip with melted butter and place the second one on top of it. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the nut mixture in the middle of the strip, about an inch from each edge of the phyllo. Fold one corner up to the opposite side to make a triangle. Then fold the triangle straight up and repeat until only the top edge of the dough is exposed. Brush the top edge with egg and press to seal. Repeat this step until all the strips have been used.

6. Coat a large baking pan with butter and lay the phyllo triangles in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. While the triangles are baking, make the syrup.

7. Prepare the syrup: Put the honey and orange blossom water into a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

8. When the triangles are done, remove the pan from the oven and dip the triangles, one by one, into the honey syrup. Let the honey set for a few minutes and place on a serving platter.

Happy Cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

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Baby Cheesecakes

Posted on December 30, 2017 by admin 2 comments

These wonderful baby cheesecakes are great for entertaining or a little individual treat for yourself with a cup of coffee. I use at least two different types of berries. Perfect for New Year’s Eve (they go great with a glass of bubbly!) or any special celebration, your guests will be delighted by the decadent individual portions on a fancy platter and will probably go back for seconds. Double the recipe if you want leftovers. Makes approximately 16 pieces

Ingredients:

For the crust

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

2 sp granulated sugar

3 TB unsalted butter, melted

For the filling and topping

3 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp lemon zest

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 TB flour

½ pint each blackberries and raspberries or blueberries for the topping

1 small bag semi-sweet chocolate pieces (for decorative topping)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2. In a medium mixing bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and mix well.

3. Place one heaping teaspoon of the graham cracker crumb mixture into each cup and flatten to bottom. Set aside.

4. In a standing mixer or using electric beaters, beat the cream cheese on medium low until soft and smooth. Reduce speed to low and add the sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and lemon zest and combine until smooth. Blend in flour and continue to mix on low until completely blended and smooth.

5. Place one scoop of cream cheese mixture into each muffin well, about ¼ cup in each. When all wells are filled, gently tamp tray to settle mixture and avoid air pockets.

6. Place tray in oven and bake for 25 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and let stand until cool, then refrigerate for 90 minutes.

8. Microwave 1 cup of the chocolate pieces in a microwave-safe cup for 30 seconds or until chocolate is melted.

9. Remove cup carefully from microwave and drizzle chocolate over cheesecakes.

10. Top each cheesecake with berries and serve.

The Petite Gourmande

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Working with Chocolate

Posted on October 29, 2016 by admin Leave a comment

Working with chocolate can be intimidating and it’s easy to make mistakes.

But I encourage you to try and you’ll see that with a little practice you can master it!

Here are a few tips that will help you be successful:

o Break or chop chocolate into small pieces. It will help the melting process go more quickly and it will be easier to stir.

o Use a double boiler when melting, instead of directly over heat. Chocolate is quick to melt and quick to burn.

o If you prefer, you can melt it in the microwave. Do it in a microwave safe bowl and at reduced power. Melt at 10-15 second intervals and stir in between. Keep going until your mixture is smooth and creamy.

o Do not mix any milk, cream, or water into chocolate when it’s melting if you want it to firm up again. It’s important to keep the chemical composition consistent.

o Your bowl, spoon, cutting board, and any other tools should be clean and dry. As mentioned above, you don’t want any water to interfere with the melting process.

o When cooling, use wax paper. It will keep things clean and peel away easily.

o To store, make sure you use an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry place at 60–75°F. Poor storage conditions will cause the chocolate to develop a light-colored powdery surface, this is caused by sugar or fat crystals rising to the surface and is called “bloom”. Making sure the chocolate doesn’t get too warm will prevent this.

o If stored properly, dark chocolate actually improves with age like a fine wine.

o Like with any recipe, a higher quality ingredient will make for a better product. I like to use a fine chocolate to get the best results. But if you are just starting out and practicing, use any type you want!

Remember to have fun with it and enjoy!

Happy cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

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