Caramels are much desired the world over and can be made in many different flavors. While vanilla and chocolate are the most popular ones, coffee pairs exceptionally well with the buttery tones of caramel.

The coffee caramels can be wrapped in cellophane as shown in On Baking, or can be dipped in milk or dark chocolate couverture and finished with a touch of fleur de sel, if so desired.

Coffee Caramel

A chewy caramel that does not stick to teeth.

1. Prepare recipe as indicated. Add coffee extract at 245F (118C). Cook further until caramel reaches 245F (118C) again. For a firmer caramel cook a few degrees higher.

Truffles can be made either by using heavy cream, chocolate and a sweetener or are made with butter, chocolate and a sweetener. Both can be delicious and have their own distinct characteristic. If you desire to make truffles with well pronounced flavor (from liquor, extracts, tea, coffee etc) then butter based truffles may be a good choice. The creamed butter mixture, which is consequently light and airy makes it possible for flavors to really shine through, which can be a challenge when using bitter chocolate.

These truffles are flavored with homemade coffee extract and sprinkled with nougatine.

Artisanal Belgian Truffles | Coffee Nougatine

Yield: 60 truffles

1. Mix butter until creamy, add invert sugar and cream more.
2. Melt first listed dark and milk chocolate to 95°F (34°C) and at this temperature to creamed butter. Mix well and add coffee extract and liquor and mix until combined.
3. Let mixture set for approximately 30 minutes or until crystallization starts to take place.
4. Pipe into even mounds. Sprinkle with very thin rolled pieces of nougatine. Do not place the truffles in a refrigerator. Let set in a cool area until fully crystallized, about 2 hours.
5. Temper couverture chocolate as shown on this site and dip truffles, drop onto quality cocoa powder.
6. Carefully roll the dipped truffles into cocoa powder ensuring not to stick the fork into the truffle itself.
7. When firm shake off extra cocoa powder and place in a refrigerator. Serve at room temperature for full flavor experience.

Lemon, lime or passion fruit curd can easily be turned into delicious desserts which are much appreciated by our customers. Curds made over Bain Marie can be a lengthy process which oftentimes keeps us from making it. The good news is that this formula allows for quick results with unsurpassed smoothness.

Use it for sandwiching petit four, serve with scones, filling for tarts or as shown here as a plated dessert.

Assembly:

Prepare curd and pour in frame. Set in refrigerator for one hour and then place in freezer until solid.

Prepare meringue and streusel.

Cut frozen curd quickly into desired size. Place on plate. Allow for defrosting, about 5 minutes.

Decorate with baked meringue, streusel, berries etc.

Quick Lime Curd | Quick lemon curd

This recipe is from On Baking (Named in Europe the best professional book of the world) published with permission from Pearson Prentice Hall

Yield: 1 lb 4 oz (619 g)

1. To use curd as shown in picture use a square frame with approximate size of 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm). Wrap plastic food wrap tightly around frame to create a bottom. Set aside on a baking sheet.
2. Curd will set properly when made as indicated. Adding one sheet of bloomed gelatin (after cooking process) or one extra egg white (along with whole eggs) may be helpful for plating purpose as this will provide a slightly firmer set.
3. Bring citrus juice with half of sugar to a boil.
4. Meanwhile in a bowl whisk eggs with remaining sugar until well combined but not mixed to a thick ribbon.
5. Temper the egg mixture with a third of boiling above. Pour the tempered mixture into boiling juice and whisk vigorously until boiling and thickened, about a minute. (For large batches increase the boiling time)
6. Remove from heat and cool on an ice bath to 120°F (50°C)
7. Add the butter in increments, stirring well with a spatula or add the butter using an immersion blender.
8. Pour immediately into frame or use in glasses, tart shells etc.

*use high quality butter (82% butterfat) for best results.

French Style Meringue

On Baking 3, page 410.

1. Prepare meringue and pipe 1 inch (3 cm) long tubes with a small pastry tip.
2. Using a spoon or small pastry spatula flatten the tube to create an organic shape.
3. Sprinkle with unsweetened coconut if desired.
4. Bake at 225°F (110°C) for about 45 minutes or until crisp. Keep from humidity.

Ghent, place of my birth.

With thousands of you visiting chefeddy.com on a daily basis I thought it may be a good idea sharing something more than another recipe. After all, being in the food industry may spark an interest in visiting Belgium some day. Ghent Belgium is rated # 3 on National Geographic’s Travelers list of beautiful historic places. Ghent is nestled between Brussels and Bruges, about a good 40 minute drive either way. Many tourists only visit the named above, too bad for them, as the Historic center of Ghent boasts a complete different type of “feel” and architecture than that of Brussels. It is a must see indeed. The historic center is car free thus you walk along the people who live and work in Ghent and who will quickly make you feel as you already belong. This is NOT a city where you feel as a tourist who MUST visit or buy something to absorb the place. Ghent will slow you down and will make you take your time to enjoy a patio with good coffee, Belgian beer, lunch, dinner, dessert etc. Stay as long as you want on the patio, no one will rush you as the Gent HORECA (HOtel, REstaurant, CAfé) owners will respect and be truly grateful for your visit.

It is true that you can eat exceptionally well in Belgium, (the amount of Michelin rated star restaurants per capita is extraordinarily high). But most of us do not frequent these on a daily basis. When we are in the historic area of Ghent we frequent many restaurants and many are very good, but everyone has favorites and I am sharing mine. For coffee we like to stop at 3,14 (Pi) at the Groentemarkt. Delicious cappuccino and coffee served in a friendly manner in a cool interior make it a great spot indeed. Picture below 3,14

For lunch or dinner we favor restaurant The Graslei found on n°7 of the street of the same name. When weather is good, take a seat on the breathtaking patio overlooking water and buildings dating from the 13 th century. If the weather is slightly cold, you can still sit on the patio as luxury blankets are on each and every chair and outdoor heaters will be on. Inside, the décor is beautiful, immaculate and stylishly Belgian. Retaining parts of the old building mixed with the new. The food you say? Always delicious and very generous and will make you want to come again, even the same day. Ilse, the proprietor will greet you with tremendous enthusiasm and Jonas and the other attentive wait staff will serve you gracefully and respectfully. Plenty of excellent wine choices at the Graslei, although for lunch or in the afternoon on the patio I may reach for one of Belgium’s most delicious beers, a Trippel Karmeliet, a beer I also use on occasion to cook savory dishes.

Picture above: Courtesy Restaurant Graslei

When preparing desserts for huge events, having enough equipment can be an issue. Who has, let’s say 800 individual rings handy? Therefore I like to teach students ways of using ordinary equipment and yet, still obtaining stylish results. One example is featured here. A standard American type sheet pan is used to obtain this dessert. First thin ladyfinger batter was spread onto a sheet pan and baked. Once cooled and released is was placed on a plastic food film lined sheet pan. Moistened with coffee syrup and then topped with mascarpone cream. After freezing it was released from the pan and cut into rectangle sized shapes.

Mascarpone cream for Tiramisu

Yield: 33 cm x 45 cm (13 x 18 inch) size sheet pan.

*If using this cream to fill in verrines (glasses) gelatin can be omitted.

1. Place gelatin leaves in very cold water and set aside.
2. In a cold bowl whisk heavy cream to very soft, barely a ribbon consistency. Over-whipping will result in poor results. Set aside.
3. Fill a saucepan with a small amount of water and bring to a boil and then turn to a low simmer.  In a bowl whisk together egg yolks and measured water. Add sugar and whisk well. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the yolk mixture reaches at least 165°F (74°C). Remove from heat.
4. Remove the gelatin leaves from the water and squeeze well to remove excess water. Whisk the gelatin into the yolk mixture. Add the mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract and whisk smooth.
5. Add the soft whipped heavy cream and gently fold into the above using a spatula. Fill into the mold immediately.

Philadelphia Cream cheese is indeed one of the few cheeses which make it possible to create smooth, delectable and creamy cheesecake. However, using a large percentage of this type of cheese for the production of cheesecake, can result in cakes which tend to be a bit heavy for today’s consumer. Therefore I prefer to mix a rather large amount of Greek Yogurt into the cheese mixture. It makes it lighter, while at the same time making it superbly creamy. Greek yogurt also provides a slight tangy flavor found in cream cheese.

When I teach cheesecakes, I have noticed that students tend to pay close attention to the demos and instruction. As is the case with so many things, something as simple as cheesecake is not that simple at all. Oftentimes cheesecakes result in products which “glue” to our palate.

Key things to remember when making cheesecake:

1. Use cream cheese which is at room temperature. It cuts the amount of time that the mixture will be mixed. Long mixing times breaks down cream cheese and results in a thin batter and consequently a crumbly cheesecake.
2. Mix on lowest speed possible. Mixing on medium or high speed incorporates air cells. This “soufflés” the cheesecake during baking, but since there is no starch present, it will collapse when removed from oven. This makes it not only unsightly, but it also creates a dry feel in the mouth.
3. Use a Bain Marie and low temperatures when baking. It creates a superior smooth textured cheesecake.
4. This recipe does not allow freezing of the cake.

Cheesecake

Yield: 12-14 servings.

1. Choose a 20 cm (8 inch) spring form pan wrapped in 3 ply aluminum foil or for a plated dessert use a frame placed on 3 ply aluminum foil. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with extra granulated sugar. Set aside.
2. On lowest speed using a paddle attachment mix room temperature cheese and sugar. When smooth and lump free ad one egg at a time waiting for previous added egg to be fully incorporated.
3. Add vanilla, lemon zest and yogurt and mix to combine.
4. Pour into buttered and sugared molds of choice and place in Bain Marie, bake at 325°F (160°C) until center of cheesecake no longer trembles. Time will depend on pan used.
5. Unmold next day onto a prebaked crust of choice.

While I lived in Belgium I was puzzled why cinnamon was used in such large amounts in baked goods in the United States. Later I learned that the type of cinnamon used in North America and many European countries differ. American Pastry Chefs and Bakers mainly use Korintje and Vietnamese “Saigon” Cassia Cinnamon while many European countries use Ceylon Cinnamon. Most baked items can only use a small amount of Ceylon cinnamon since the citrusy and peppery notes it contains quickly become domineering. Vietnamese cinnamon, although not apologetic in flavor intensity works in sweet harmony with sugar, vanilla, caramel and butter.

Interesting to note that for centuries Ceylon cinnamon was considered the best in the world, however selective plantings and hybridizing made Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon a true star, especially in cookies, breakfast items, breads etc.

In the United States raisin bread is often made containing a “cinnamon swirl”. This swirl is obtained by rolling cinnamon raisin dough into a long rectangle. It is then sprinkled with a cinnamon sugar mixture and rolled up. For an unsurpassed result use high quality Vietnamese Cassia cinnamon. The recipe for cinnamon sugar is below; the raisin bread recipe is in |On Baking|, edition 3 on page 250.

Yield: 8 ounce, 240 gram

1. Mix the ingredients.

Toasted hazelnuts deliver an incomparable flavor to this shortbread. For optimum flavor, toast hazelnuts in a medium temperature oven until the heart of hazelnuts are golden brown. I do not advise to grind hazelnuts in a food processor without another ingredient present; it most often leads to hazelnut paste. Adding pastry flour to the toasted hazelnuts prevents this from happening.

For optimum flavor prepare dough at least one day in advance as in most cases a fuller aroma develops.

Needed for Assembly:

1. Place a small amount of candied kumquats onto pre-baked hazelnut shortbread.
2. Pipe chilled lime curd onto kumquat and top with another shortbread.

Toasted Hazelnut Shortbread

1. Mix butter and powdered sugar until well blended but not creamed.
2. Add egg and salt.
3. In a food processor combine toasted and cooled hazelnuts with pastry flour and process until hazelnuts are ground finely. (Similar size as polenta).
4. Add hazelnut and flour mixture to butter mixture and mix until just combined. Place in a refrigerator until cold enough to be rolled.
5. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface about 3 credit cards thick and cut into desired shapes. If desired sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.
6. Bake at 350°F (180°C) until light golden brown, about 12-14 minutes.

*Use flour with protein content between 8.5% and 10%.

Oftentimes Valentines desserts are shared and therefore I prefer flavors which will be adored by both love birds. Consequently a chocolate foie gras filled Mille feuille may not be the best choice here. If this particular dessert does not work for you check out the links below to my site for additional Valentine dessert options.

Chocolate mousse

Mendiants

Valentines Petit Four Sec

Passion fruit white chocolate mousse

 Mascarpone Cream Raspberry Tarts on Hazelnut Tart Dough

1. Prepare hazelnut tart dough and make tart shells.
2. Pipe raspberry ganache into tart shells.
3. Prepare mascarpone cream and fill tart shells.
4. When mascarpone cream is firm decorate with raspberries.
5. Decorate with chocolate cranberry heart.

Hazelnut Tart Dough

Yield: Hazelnut tart dough for 12 individual tarts

1. Toast hazelnuts in a medium temperature oven until the hearts are golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
2. In a bowl mix the butter until creamy and smooth. Add the powdered sugar and combine well. Scrape the bowl and add the egg, salt and vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Place hazelnuts and flour in a food processor and blend until hazelnuts are finely ground.
4.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture and blend until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Chill the dough until firm. About 30 minutes in the freezer or chill overnight in the refrigerator.
6. Roll the dough on a floured surface about 3 credit cards thick.
7. Line the tart ring. Prick the dough with a fork and place in a 375°F (180°C) oven. After a few minutes check the tart, if bubbles develop prick the dough. Bake until golden brown. About 15 minutes and let cool.

Ganache with Raspberry liquor

1. In a saucepan bring the heavy cream and invert sugar to a boil.
2. Place the chocolate in a bowl and add the boiled cream in 5 increments. Stir with a spatula. Add the liquor.

Mascarpone cream

1. Place the gelatin leaves in very cold water and set aside.
2. In a cold bowl whisk the whipping cream to very soft ribbon consistency. Absolutely do not whip to a peak! Set aside.
3. Fill a saucepan with a small amount of water and bring to a boil and then turn to a low simmer.  In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks and measured water. Add the sugar and whisk well. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the yolk mixture reaches at least 165°F (74°C). Remove from heat.
4. Remove the gelatin leaves from the water and squeeze well to remove excess water. Whisk the gelatin into the yolk mixture. Add the mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract and whisk smooth.
5. Add the soft whipped heavy cream and gently fold into the above using a spatula. Fill into prebaked tart shells.

White Chocolate Cranberry Decor

Temper white chocolate couverture and add dried cranberries. Spread on acetate and once firmed as leather cut into desired shapes. See “On Baking” for additiona

Marmalades with fresh tasting and refined flavor notes can be very delicious on scones, toast, fillings for certain cakes etc. Combining varieties of citrus into marmalade can create most delectable results and I suggest being adventurous in creating your own. For this particular recipe I use in my opinion, two of some of the most underused fruits in the baking lab: kumquats and Pink Grapefruit. A delightful combination that I particularly like to use with chocolate desserts.

Citrus contains an abundance of pectin which can make the preparation of marmalades quick and efficient and leads to “fresh” (not cooked) flavors. For some citrus marmalades or gelée with low amounts of peel (therefore low amounts of pectin) I will bundle the seeds in a cheesecloth pouch and cook along with the mixture. Seeds of citrus contain pectin as well which will be released during cooking. In general I prefer to use organic fruits when I will use the peel or zest since they are treated with chemicals.

Kumquat Pink Grapefruit Marmalade

1. Slice kumquats in thin slices and place in a nonreactive saucepan. Add grapefruit zest and grapefruit meats cut in small pieces. Add sugar and combine.
2. Allow sugar to melt to make stirring over heat easier. Bring to a boil while stirring and simmer on low for approximately 20 minutes or until properly thickened. Cooking on high heat will prevent sugar from penetrating the peel of kumquat and may create crystallization.
3. If cooked to soft and slightly runny stage (ideal for filling cakes) keep marmalade frozen to prevent spoilage.