I came across this interesting video that will make you take stock in how much time you have to live (on average) and assess how you are spending the time you might call “your time” for recreation, creating art, music, etc. Chances are, you might be using some of that precious time on worrying. Do what you love! Take a look…
Happy Thursday and over the hump day! I hope your week has been as amazing as mine! Here’s the first “Sound Check” for the New Year, 2015.
OK, I love the Dallas Cowboys, but I am also a fan of Peyton Manning and he just happens to play for the Denver Broncos in “The Mile-High City.” So, I thought this recipe would be apropos for my chocolate and football fans.
Yield: Makes 10 servings
To get a super-light mousse, you’ll need to properly fold together the whipped cream, egg whites, and melted chocolate.
Ingredients
1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought
4 large egg whites
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 71% cacao), chopped, plus more shaved with a vegetable peeler for garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup coarsely crushed chocolate wafer cookies (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers), divided
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Special equipment: A 9″ pie dish
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line pie dish with crust; crimp edges decoratively. Fully bake pie crust according to recipe or box instructions. Let cool completely.
2. Whisk egg whites and sugar in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water until sugar dissolves and egg whites are warm but not hot, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until cool, tripled in volume, and stiff peaks form (the tips of the peaks won’t fall over when beaters are lifted from bowl and turned upright), about 6 minutes.
3. Stir chopped chocolate and butter in a large bowl set over same saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth, 4–5 minutes; set aside.
4. Beat 2 cups cream in another medium bowl until medium peaks form (cream should be soft and pillowy), 5–6 minutes.
5. Gently fold egg whites into warm chocolate mixture until fully incorporated (work quickly to prevent chocolate from turning gritty). Gently fold in whipped cream just until no white streaks remain; do not overmix or mixture will deflate. Spoon 1/2 cup chocolate mousse into bottom of prepared pie crust; spread evenly over bottom of crust. Sprinkle 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons crushed chocolate wafers over mousse. Top with remaining mousse, mounding in the center to create a dome. (The point is to add height, not to spread out evenly to edges.) Chill pie.
6. Beat remaining 2 cups cream, crème fraîche, and salt until medium-stiff peaks form (when the beaters are lifted from the cream, the peaks will hold their shape but the tips will fall over). Top chocolate mousse with whipped-cream mixture, following the same rounded dome shape. Chill pie for at least 4 hours or, covered, for up to 3 days. (It will slice best if chilled overnight, allowing mousse to set properly.)
7. Garnish pie with 2 tablespoons chocolate wafers and chocolate shavings. Slice pie using a clean, dry knife; wipe between slices to ensure clean, elegant pieces.
Love this song! Click on “View Original” and Enjoy!
Wizboyy Ofuasia is a Nigerian singer. Listen to his great song “Lovinjitis” featuring Diva Teeyah:
Another chocolate on steroids recipe that you will LOVE! Cocoa nibs (bits of roasted shelled cocoa beans) are available at specialty foods stores or chefshop.com.
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Crust
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
Cocoa nib praline
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup cocoa nibs
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
Chocolate filling
2 1/4 cups whole milk, divided
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Scharffen Berger or Valrhona)
4 teaspoons cornstarch
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Preparation
For crust:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish.
2.Mix melted butter, sugar, and salt in medium bowl. Add flour and mix until well blended. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared dish; crimp edges decoratively. Bake crust until golden brown and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Cool crust completely on rack. Maintain oven temperature.
For cocoa nib praline:
1. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Stir in cocoa nibs and chopped pecans. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until mixture spreads and is deep golden brown, about 18 minutes (mixture will flow together into 1 piece on baking sheet). Remove from oven; cool completely on sheet.
2. Break praline into irregular pieces or shards. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight in single layer at room temperature.)
For chocolate filling and topping:
1. Bring 2 cups milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan; remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 cup milk to blend in medium bowl; whisk in cocoa powder and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils.
2. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and butter; whisk until melted and smooth. Pour filling into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until filling is cold and set, about 4 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
3. Using electric mixer, beat cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
4. Cut pie into wedges. Serve with whipped cream and praline pieces.
Here’s to an amazing first Sunday of 2015! Keep your focus and joy alive!
Chocolate lovers will adore this dessert. The edges and top develop a delicately crisp crust while the center remains moist and fudgy.
Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Prep Time: 20 min
Ingredients
6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cup(s) semisweet chocolate chips (or 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate)
6 large egg yolks
6 large egg whites
1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees; with rack in center. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Place butter and chocolate in a large bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted; cool slightly. Whisk in yolks.
2. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Whisk 1/4 of whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold mixture into remaining whites.
3. Pour into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and is just set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
Getting off to a great start in 2015!!
Egos & Buffaloes 