Profiteroles

I should have posted this recipe long ago, but if you are stuck for a festive dessert for this holiday season, I think you can't go wrong with profiteroles!  If you are going to make these tonight, or tomorrow, go get the ice cream now.  I like to serve 3 profiteroles person and serve 3 types of ice cream making each one different.  This year, Peppermint Stick, Vanilla Bean and Pralines and Cream.  But there are lots to choose from, Coffee, Milk Chocolate and Egg Nog were some runner up choices for me.
All the other ingredients are likely in your house already.  For Chocolate Sauce, see recipe, as you might have to add a few things to your grocery list if you want to make your own.  Otherwise get a very good quality sauce that has a thick consistency.
This comes from The Gourmet Cookbook, the one with 1000 recipes!  Preheat oven to 425.  Move shelves to upper 1/3 and lower 1/3 of the oven.  Place parchment or butter 4 cookie sheets.
I doubled this recipe to make plenty for 3 each and for anyone who might stop by for dessert.  Measure out 1 1/2 Cups Flour and place in a bowl.  In a saucepan (I use All-clad) Over medium high heat, melt 1 1/2 Sticks UnSalted Butter, 1 1/2 Cups Water and 1/2 tsp Salt.  Heat stirring until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil.  Lower heat and all at once add flour and stir using a wooden spoon until mixture comes together and leaves the sides of the pan.  This should take about 30 seconds.  Remove pan from heat.  Stir while it cools slightly.  Place mixture in a mixing bowl (pictured is just before adding eggs).  Stir while it continues to cool a little more.  I began mixing on low to remove some of the heat.  Add 6 Eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

Either add mixture to a pastry bag or spoon tablespoon sized dollops onto cookie sheets about 1 1/2" apart.  Place 2 cookie sheets in the oven at a time.  Rotate after 10 minutes, baking for a total of 20-25 minutes until the pasty looks golden brown and looks dry.  Remove from oven and allow to cool before making dessert OR you can make them a day ahead and store in an airtight container.
To assemble, warm chocolate sauce.  I love to serve these on dinner plates even if they have to be washed.  Using a serrated knife, cut in half along the equator and fill with a small scoop of ice cream.  Add chocolate sauce to ice cream and place top of the profiterole on the ice cream.  Dust the tops and plates with power sugar and or cocoa powder.  Serve with either a spoon of a fork and a freshly brewed cup of coffee or a toast of champagne.  If you make these you will completely be impressed with yourself!!

Mom's Butter Crunch

As far back as I can remember we gave our elementary school teachers (grades K-6) gifts at Christmastime. Since there were so many of them in any given year, we always helped in some way to get the gift together.  The youngest kids either measured chocolate or ground the nuts.  We didn't have food processors so we had to grind our nuts in a gadget that was a jar fitted with a grinder.  The top was loaded and the nuts ground as you turned a crank.  It took hours but the nuts were a wonderful consistent size perfect for topping butter crunch.  We used to watch tv and grind the nuts.  I remember my hand used to get tired from turning the crank.
There are many variations of butter crunch today.  I favor the recipe I grew up with.  It's tender and has just the right ratio of candy to chocolate to nuts.  If you are going to make this, I highly recommend you purchase a good candy thermometer.  Interestingly, I have had trouble making it everywhere I have lived since leaving NY.  Relative humidity is likely the biggest culprit, but for some reason, this year, it turned out perfectly!   This recipe dates back to at least the 1960's.
Butter a sheet pan lightly and set it on a trivet or hot pad of some sort.  Add ice water to a measuring cup for testing and have it near by.

In a non-reactive saucepan with a thick bottom (such as All-Chad) add 1 Stick of Butter, 1 Cup Sugar, 1/4 Cup Water and 1/2 tsp Salt.  Attach the candy thermometer to the pan using the clip.  Heat mixture over medium heat, bubbling, until it reaches 290 degrees F (Soft Crack).  You need to stir this just about the entire time.  Use a wooden spoon instead of a metal spoon because it won't transfer heat to your hand.  As it nears 280 begin testing small amounts by dripping the candy into the water.  Once it cools, about 15 seconds, eat the drops testing it until it is tender and crunchy. The last 10 degrees go quickly so continue to do this until it is ready.  The toffee should be a golden brown color.  Remove the candy thermometer from the pan and carefully pour out onto the sheet pan and tilt the pan every which way to get a shape that is a consistent thickness.

Caution, candy making is dangerous as it is VERY HOT.  Warn your family not to touch the sheet pan once you've poured the candy.  Let cool entirely.  Heat 12 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate (such as Nestle's Semi Sweet Chips) in a saucepan over very low heat just until melted.  Spread 1/2 of it onto the toffee.  Top with 1/2 Cup Ground Walnuts and push slightly into the chocolate.  Once cool, turn over the toffee using an off set spatula and repeat using the remaining chocolate and another 1/2 Cup Ground Walnuts.  Once cooled completely, break the toffee by hand.  Store in an airtight container.  Thanks Mom!

Clams Casino

This past Thanksgiving at a week long family gathering in the Outer Banks, NC, my brother and I decided to make clams casino for my Mom, one of her favorites.  The only problem is, she broke her leg on Thanksgiving morning and was transported to Asheville via ambulance.  She had surgery the following day but didn't recover from the trauma of it all and passed away on December 2, 2010.  Scott and I made the clams casino on our last night in the Outer Banks, completely unaware of the impending outcome of the situation.  This is for you Mom.  I have fond memories of making and eating these with you over the years.  The original influence was the Milanese Restaurant in Poughkeepsie, NY.  They don't use green pepper or bread crumbs and it always aggravated my Mom when she ordered them somewhere and those ingredients were in the preparation.

Mom, you have been a huge influence on my love of good food and learning how to make it.  We are both self taught, but you were my original teacher.


Though you can make these alone, I never have.  Buy Littleneck Clams figuring on 6 or so per person.  Using a sharp knife, open and disconnect them from the shell.  Rinse and remove any dark sandy areas.  Dry out 1 side of the clam shell and add a pea sized bit of butter to the shell.  Place the clam on the shell and place on a sheet pan.  Dice Bacon, 1 strip per 6 clams, and saute until just about done.  Remove and let drain on a paper towel.  Finely dice a Medium Onion and saute in the same skillet until translucent.  Add a Splash of good White Wine and a few grinds of pepper and a few pinches of salt.  Remove from heat and season with finely chopped Fresh Parsley.
Preheat Oven to 450.  While oven is warming, top each clam with a small amount of the onion mixture and a few crumbles of bacon.  Bake for about 7 minutes until very hot.  Squeeze Lemon on the hot clams when they come out of the oven and serve immediately.  Serve with the open wine.

I miss you and will always miss our lengthy conversations about food!  Thank you for your patience with me in the kitchen.  If anyone should make these please look up and toast Geraldine, "Dean", or just Mom, she'll be pleased.