Blood Orange Chia Pudding

All winter long I’ve been basking in the wonderful taste and nutritional value of the striking blood oranges.  And even though spring is well upon us, I’ve been lucky enough to still get my hands on them at the grocery store.  Now, the real magic happens when you marry blood oranges with yogurt and chia seeds to create an exceptional and lip-smacking treat that you’ll crave every morning.  Yes, we’re talking breakfast and the best part about this breakfast is that this Blood Orange Chia Pudding is a no-cook silky pudding that you whip up the night before.   

  

People have been going gaga over chia seeds for a long while now and I have been on the chia bandwagon myself.  Truth is, with all the nutritional benefits of fiber and omega-3s that they pack they are hard to ignore.  Plus, once drowned in the velvety blood orange juice and yogurt mixture, these chia seeds plump up and turn into tiny fat bubbles that burst onto your tongue and crack under your teeth.  As Giada de Laurentiis noted in her cookbook, they do remind you of tapioca pearls, which I happen to adore, but even if you’re not a tapioca fan, this Blood Orange Chia Pudding will convert you into a chia lover in no time.    

Although it might look like one while sporting a beautiful pale pink hue, this pudding is more than just a flavored, textured yogurt.  It is a smooth, pleasantly thick, creamy, tangy, citrusy and sweet pudding with a lovely somewhat bubbly texture that provides a substantial and filling breakfast in a tiny serving.  Top it with bright fruit and toasted pistachios and you’ve created the breakfast of champions.  

In addition, this Chia Pudding is quite versatile.  While I love the blood orange version, Giada offers a recipe that calls for vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk instead of orange juice.  So, you can definitely replace the blood orange juice with almond milk and still end up with a phenomenal and slightly creamier concoction.  Enjoy!    

Blood Orange Chia Pudding

Adapted from Bon Appétit (February 2016)

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:

·         ½ cup Greek yogurt (or plain yogurt)

·         ½ cup fresh blood orange juice

·         2 Tablespoons honey or agave nectar or maple syrup (whichever you prefer or have on hand)

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         Pinch of salt

·         ¼ cup chia seeds

·         Blood orange segments or blueberries or any other fruit you like

·         Chopped pistachios or sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, blood orange juice, honey, vanilla and salt.  Whisk in the chia seeds.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 8 to 24 hours.  When you’re ready to eat the pudding, stir the pudding and divide it between small bowls or glasses.  I, however, recommend that you divide the mixture between small bowls and glasses, cover them with plastic wrap and then chill for up to 24 hours.  That way, come morning, I only have to grab one of the glasses from the fridge, stir, top the pudding with fruit and nuts and enjoy.  

Before serving, layer the pudding with some orange segments (or other fruit you prefer).  Top with the chopped pistachios and remaining orange segments.  Drizzle with more honey if desired and serve. 

Note: To top the pudding with orange segments, cut the peel and white pith from 2 blood oranges.  How to do that: cut a slice off the top and bottom of the orange, making sure you cut just past the pith to expose the fruit underneath.  Stand the orange upright on a cut end.  Following the curve of the fruit, use a small knife to slice away the peel and pith.  Working over a bowl, cut along either side of membranes to release the segments.  

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

Orange-Lemon Ice Cream

Don’t you just love homemade ice cream?  I know what you’re thinking; here we are, shivering in single-digits temperatures and talking about ice cream.  That sounds kinda out of place but no cold season will ever keep me away from ice cream.  After all, it’s summer in the southern hemisphere! 

Truth be told, I’m a bit of a lost case when it comes to ice cream; I usually avoid stuffing the freezer with this temptation since I’m pretty shameless once I get my paws on it; and I could eat it by the ladle and finish the container in one sitting!  Ice cream has that effect on me.  It goes without saying that after I’m done I’m left with a mountain of regret for not being able to control myself.  What can I say – I’m not perfect. 

Anyway…  For someone who loves ice cream as much as I do it took me forever to get serious and finally take a stab at making my own.  So on Black Friday, we acquired an ice cream maker.  Hooray!!!  It had been on my to-buy list for quite a while. 

Now, you would think that I immediately made tons of ice cream once we got it.  Not so much… In fact, the poor thing is still comfortably sitting in the box.  Yep… I have yet to take the ice cream maker out of its box.  Shame on me!  But that hasn’t stopped me from making homemade ice cream.  Which brings me to my next point: sometimes, there’s no stirring, churning or an ice cream maker required to create wonderful homemade ice cream.  And this fantastic Orange-Lemon Ice Cream is here to prove it.

I don’t even know where to begin.  Maybe I should start by telling you that there are only four ingredients in this recipe.  FOUR!  But that doesn’t emphasize how magnificent this ice cream is.  It’s so stunningly delicious, creamy and smooth yet light at the same time with brightly colorful orange and lemon specks that enrich the lovely texture.  One spoonful and your mouth will be coated in an explosion of glorious and sweetly citrusy aroma.  This ice cream is splendid on its own and it’s also a ravishing topper for any bread pudding or a slice of warm, moist cake or whatever dessert you might want to dress up.

Orange-Lemon Ice Cream

Adapted from Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson

Serves:  8 servings

Ingredients:

·         1 large orange

·         2 lemons

·         1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

·         2 ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions:

Grate the zest of the orange and one of the lemons.  Squeeze the juice of the orange and the two lemons and pour into a large bowl with the zest and confectioners’ sugar.  Stir to dissolve the sugar and add the heavy cream.

Using an electric mixer on low speed, whip everything until it holds soft peaks.  Pour into a shallow airtight container (of approximately 2 quarts) with a lid.  Cover and freeze until firm (from 3 to 5 hours).  Remove to ripen for 15-20 minutes (or 30-40 minutes in the refrigerator) before eating.  Serve in a bowl, in cones, with wafers – however you like.  

P.S.:  I do solemnly promise to take the new ice cream maker out of the box and use it to make fancy superb ice cream before too long.

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)       

Hot Mulled Wine & Happy New Year!

I have a confession to make: I’m not a connoisseur when it comes to wine; which is odd considering that my grandfather used to make homemade wine every fall, and now my parents are taking a stab at his recipe and they’re getting closer and closer to perfecting it.  So, wine is something I’ve always been familiar with, but unfortunately never grown to really appreciate it.  If I’m in the mood for a drink when dining out I’ll most likely opt for a cocktail.  Occasionally, I may fall for a Riesling… or anything sweeter than that.  I rarely drink red wine except from when it’s hot and infused with winter spices. Hence, confession number two: I have a soft spot for Hot Mulled Wine.

Once the cold days arrive and the holidays are approaching, everyone in Romania (and most of Europe) from the fanciest restaurant to the neighborhood tavern serves hot mulled wine – vin fiert.  And I’m just like a kid in a candy store, barely containing my excitement until I get to order a glass of aromatic hot mulled wine.  

There’s something warm and comforting about mulled wine.  It warms you up on frigid winter days; it’s perfect to enjoy while out with your friends, while taking a break from the ski slopes or opening gifts by the Christmas tree. But more often than not I love sipping it while snuggling by the fireplace or lounging on the couch on a cold and snowy night.

Mulled wine is generally made with red wine; and even the cheapest red wine will work wonders.  I toss a variety of spices in my mulled wine just like my grandma taught me, but instead of using plain sugar to sweeten it up I prefer the delicate agave nectar or honey.  I also like just a stick of cinnamon in there because it gives the wine a nice and soothing nuance without being overpowering; the cardamom adds a tart lemony rush, the black peppercorns bring a… well… peppery kick while the cloves and star anise enhance the warmth and aromas.  And, for a fruity and citrusy accent, orange slices are an inspired addition.  Hot mulled wine is not your super-luxe holiday drink; instead, it’s a relaxed, fun and festive way to celebrate the winter holidays.  Cheers and Happy New Year everyone! 

Hot Mulled Wine

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:

·         1 liter (4 cups) red wine

·         Heaped 1/3 cup light agave nectar (or honey)

·         1 cinnamon stick

·         1 star anise

·         3 cardamom pods

·         5 whole cloves

·         10 black peppercorns

·         Orange slices for serving

Instructions:

Pour the wine in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the agave nectar, cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom pods, cloves and peppercorns.  Whisk until the agave nectar dissolves.  When the wine gets to the boiling point turn the heat off.  Let it stand for 10-15 minutes.  Pour the mulled wine into glasses (strain the spices out); add orange slices and enjoy responsibly!

Note:  I really like this combination of spices in my mulled wine, but you can spice it up as you fancy; toss in or toss out whichever spices you like.  Also, you can opt for apple or lemon slices instead of oranges.  The options are endless.   

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)       

Chocolate Tart: A Classic

Sometimes, it’s worth being different.  That's why this Thanksgiving I’m skipping the traditional Pumpkin Pie and putting my money on an elegant, luxurious and oh so chocolatey Chocolate Tart.  I’m going big and bold, that’s for sure, and hopefully it’ll pay off! 

I rarely brag about my favorite cookbooks, but this jewel is high up on my list and always good to have close at hand when your sweet cravings kick in.  So, here you have it – I’m head over heels in love with Dorie Greenspan’s superb book Paris Sweets.  I hope that you still recall those buttery sweet golden madeleines I posted a while back.  Yes, those recipes came from this particular book.  Paris Sweets has been living on my cookbook shelf for some time now, but I’ve kind of abandoned it, lately.  Shame on me… 

So, when time came to look for a brilliant chocolate tart recipe to make things interesting this Thanksgiving, I had to dig it up again.  Thumbing through it I not only stumbled upon the perfect recipe and my new Thanksgiving center piece candidate, but I also discovered some new information on – wait for it – chocolate.  You may already know some of it but knowing more about chocolate never hurts.  

Did you know that the liquor, or the so called cacao or cocoa, the ground nib of the cacao bean is what makes chocolate chocolate?  The unsweetened chocolate, or baking chocolate, contains 100 percent chocolate liquor.  All the other chocolates – bittersweet, semisweet, milk, and imported white – are a mix of sugar, often additional cocoa butter, and occasionally cocoa powder.  Therefore, the greater the percentage of cacao, the more chocolatey and less sweet the chocolate will be.  In the U.S., bittersweet and semisweet chocolates are one and the same and, according to the FDA, must contain a minimum of 35 percent cocoa liquor.  That aside, French pastry chefs usually opt for chocolates with a minimum of 60 percent cocoa and more often than not choose chocolates that have 70 percent cocoa liquor or even more.     

For this chocolate tart, I opted for my favorite (and always widely available) Swiss chocolate and my second favorite Swiss brand, Lindt.  In case you’re wondering… my number one Swiss brand is he – and he also happens to love Lindt.  How cute is that?  I used 7 ounces of 70 percent cocoa Lindt chocolate, and 5 ounces of 54 percent cocoa Baker’s chocolate.  I was afraid that my not-so-much-of-a-chocolate-lover side wouldn’t take that much bitterness especially since there’s no added sugar!  

The results are wondrous and whimsical and everything in between.  First of all, you’ll have to really resist the temptation to devour the butter and almond cream when you’re preparing the dough.  The butter scent will overwhelm you and so will the cookie dough that will come out of all the mixing.    

This tart is so simple, yet its flavors are so complex and elaborate.  The crust is crunchy but delicate, sweet and nutty with a faint toasty undertone.  It’s the perfect textural balance to the smooth ganache.  Oh, the chocolate ganache… it’s so glossy that you can almost see your reflection in it.  And it’s insanely rich and silky and every bit as seductive. 

I’ve made the chocolate ganache with and without orange zest.  If you prefer the sophisticated, unadorned classic, leave the orange zest out; if you feel adventurous and in the mood for a classic marriage, add the orange zest.  Trust me, you won’t regret it!  The orange zest adds a tad of freshness and citrusy perfume, boosts the flavors to a new level, and cuts through the smooth dark chocolate richness.  Plus, the chocolate shavings on top boost the tart’s already sensuous good looks.

Needless to say, the flavors and aromas are forever embroidered into my brain and taste buds; but most importantly, this tart reminds me time and time again that I don’t have to be in Paris to indulge in the city’s iconic sweets! 

Chocolate Tart

Adapted from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan

Serves:  About 10 servings

Special equipment:  A 10-inch tart pan

Note:  The recipe calls for a 6 ½ inch tart shell.  However, having only a 10-inch tart pan on hand I thought that it might work just fine if I tweaked the base recipe here and there; and, guess what, no surprises there – it worked out beautifully.  In fact, I would say that I wouldn’t have it any other way – the bigger, the fuller with chocolate, the better! 

You’ll see that there are a couple of steps to make this splendid chocolate tart; don’t let that discourage you.  What I recommend is that you prepare the dough the day before and let it rest in the fridge overnight. 

Ingredients for the Sweet Tart Dough:

·         2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

·         ½ cup ground blanched almonds (¼ cup of these were toasted before I ground them)

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         2 large eggs, at room temperature

·         3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions:

Note:  This is a large recipe – enough for two 10-inch crusts.  With a dough like this, the texture is always better if you make a large batch, so it’s best not to cut the proportions; rather, make the full recipe and freeze the dough you don’t need at the moment: frozen tart dough is always a good thing to have on hand.  Frozen disks of dough take 45 to 60 minutes at average room temperature to reach a good rolling-out consistency.   

In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter until creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Add the confectioners’ sugar and process to blend well.  Add the ground almonds, salt, and vanilla and continue to process until smooth, scraping the bowl as necessary.  Lightly stir the eggs together with a fork and, with the mixer running, add them to the bowl; process for a few seconds to blend.  Finally, add the flour and process until the mixture just starts to come together.  When the dough forms moist curds and clumps and then starts to form a ball, stop! – you don’t want to overwork it.  The dough will be very soft, and that’s just as it should be.

Gather the dough into a ball and divide it into 2 pieces.  Gently press each piece into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic.  Freeze one disk if you plan on making only one tart, and put the other one in the fridge.  Allow the dough to rest in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or for up to 2 days, before rolling and baking (The dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to a month.) 

Butter the tart pan and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  What makes this dough so delicious – lots of butter – also makes it a little difficult to roll.  What I found to work best is to roll the dough out on a sheet of plastic wrap.  Just flatten a large piece of plastic wrap against the counter and roll the dough.  Flour the rolling pin often so that the dough doesn’t stick to it.  Turn the dough over often so that you can roll it out on both sides.    

Once rolled out, center the dough (exposed side down) over the tart pan.  Gently press the dough against the bottom of the pan and up the sides, remove the sheet of plastic wrap, and roll your rolling pin across the rim of the pan to cut off the excess.  If the dough cracks or splits while you’re working, don’t worry – you can patch the cracks with leftover dough (moisten the edges to “glue” them into place).  Just be careful not to stretch the dough in the pan (what you stretch now will shrink later).  Chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

When you are ready to bake the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line the crust with a circle of parchment paper or foil and fill with dried beans or rice. 

Bake the crust for 25 minutes, or until very lightly colored.  Remove the parchment and beans and bake the crust for another 12-14 minutes, or until golden.  Transfer to a rack to cool. (Baked crusts can be kept uncovered at room temperature for about 8 hours).   

Ingredients for the Chocolate Ganache:

·         12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

·         1 cup heavy cream, plus 1 Tablespoon

·         2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

·         3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         Optional: orange zest from one large orange

·         Optional: bittersweet chocolate shavings to decorate the top of the tart

Instructions:

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and keep it close at hand.  In a small bowl, beat 1 Tablespoon of the heavy cream with the egg yolks just until the eggs are liquid.  Check that the butter is soft but not oily.  If necessary, either beat it with a rubber spatula to soften it or smear it against the counter under the heel of your hand. 

Pour 1 cup of the heavy cream into a saucepan, add the vanilla extract, whisk together, and bring the mixture to a full boil over medium-low heat.  Then pour the hot cream over the chocolate.  Wait for about 30 seconds, then, working with a whisk, gently blend the cream into the chocolate.  Still whisking delicately, incorporate the yolks, followed by the butter (and orange zest if using).  Pour the ganache into the crust.  Jiggle the crust a bit to even out the ganache, and leave the tart on the counter until the filling sets, about 20 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.  (If your kitchen is really warm, pop the tart into the fridge for 20 minutes, just to set the ganache, then keep it at room temperature after it has set).

Note 1:  The recipe states that the tart is best served at room temperature the day it is made.  We couldn’t finish it all the day I made it so I refrigerated it overnight.  It was still perfect the second day and the following, too.  Just make sure to let the tart stand at room temperature for about 2 hours before serving. 

Note 2:  This tart is lovely straight up, on its own, but it’s just as lovely with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraȋche.

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)