White Chocolate-Mocha-Hazelnut Truffles

Yield: 1 Servings

Ingredients:

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
8 oz Good-quality white-chocolate; finely chopped
1/4 c Heavy cream
1/2 ts Instant coffee powder or crystals
1 1/2 tb Coffee-flavored liqueur; or coffee

COATING
1 1/4 lb White chocolate;-approximately
1 1/2 c Hazelnuts

To prepare ganache: Place chocolate in a deep bowl and set aside in a warm place. Combine cream and coffee powder in a medium saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately pour over chocolate, stirring until smooth. (If all of the chocolate doesn’t melt, place chocolate over a bowl of hot water and stir until melted.) Stir in liqueur. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or freeze for 1 hour, until firm.

Using a melon baller or a teaspoon, scoop out small 3/4-inch portions of the ganache. Roll each portion into a ball between your palms and place on a wax paper-lined baking tray. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.

To make coating:
Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in 350-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and rub in a kitchen towel to remove skins. (Some flecks of skins can remain.) Finely chop nuts and set aside. Chop half the chocolate and place in a heavy saucepan. Break the remaining chocolate into large chunks. Over low heat, melt the chocolate in the pan, stirring, just until smooth.

Remove pan from heat. Working with a few pieces at a time, add chunks of chocolate and stir. Add chocolate until chunks no longer melt when stirred in. (This is tempering chocolate so it will stand without softening at room temperature. If desired, simply dip truffles in melted white chocolate and store in the refrigerator.) Dip ganache centers in white chocolate, rolling to coat, then roll in chopped hazelnuts. Let stand until set, or refrigerate.

Public Domain Recipe

Hazelnut Meringue with Mocha Filling

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c Hazelnuts or almonds, ground
2 tb Cornstarch
1 1/2 c Sugar, fine granulated
8 Egg whites
2 ts Lemon juice

A light, luscious hazelnut meringue cake with chocolate coffee filling is a dream dessert after a buffet. To make a taller cake pipe three 8-inch circles and fill as directed. This looks spectacular but is harder to cut.

Preheat oven to 225F (110C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or foil. Draw a 10-inch circle on each sheet. Turn sheet over so pencil will not come off on meringue. Combine hazelnut and cornstarch making sure there are no lumps. Place egg whites in bowl of electric beater and whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in sugar, beating until stiff peaks form and mixture is glossy.

Beat in lemon juice. Sprinkle nut mixture over the whites and quickly fold in. Either gently spread or pipe meringue into the two circles. Place in oven and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meringue is dry but not colored. Cool on baking sheet. Remove from parchment paper and store at room temperature in an airtight tin for up to three weeks.

MOCHA FILLING:
Stir together coffee and Kahlua until coffee is dissolved. Beat whipping cream until it thickens and holds its shape. Beat in icing sugar and sifted cocoa. Add coffee mixture and beat until cream is stiff. Do not overbeat; cream should be thick and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. To assemble, spread half of cream on one layer. Top with second layer and remainder of cream. Decorate with chocolate curls, chocolate coated coffee beans or spread a doily on cream and sifted cocao over.

Public Domain Recipe

Quail Roasted with Vanilla, Coffee and Spices

Yield: 6 Servings

COOKING RIGHT SHOW #CR9617
Ingredients:
12 Bobwhite or other quail
1 tb White sesame seed
12 Black peppercorns
20 Coriander seeds
3 Whole cloves
2 Juniper berries
1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
1 Small bay leaf
3 tb Freshly ground espresso coffee; ground very fine
1 ts Salt
2 ts Sugar
3 tb Light olive oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. On a baking sheet arrange in separate piles, the sesame, peppercorns, coriander, cloves, juniper berries and cinnamon and toast until the sesame seeds are golden colored (about 25 minutes). In a mortar and pestle or a hand coffee grinder, finely grind the toasted spices along with the bay leaf. Add the coffee, salt and sugar and continue grinding till all is well pulverized.

Lightly rub the spice mixture over the skin of the quails. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. In a saute pan, heat the oil and cook the quail for about 5 minutes, browning on all sides. If necessary, do in two batches and keep quail warm while completing the cooking. Quail should be cooked medium rare and still be juicy and pink.

Serve two quail per person in a pool of the vanilla scented butter sauce (*recipe follows). Garnish with thinly sliced parsnips which have been quickly deep fried until crisp and sprigs of mint.

*Vanilla Scented Butter Sauce
COOKING RIGHT SHOW #CR9617

Preparation Method:
3 Tablespoons shallots — chopped
1/2 Cup mushrooms — sliced
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Cups flavorful quail or chicken stock
1 Cup dry white wine
2/3 Cup heavy cream
1 3-inch vanilla bean — split
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Saute the shallots and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter till lightly browned. Add stock add wine and reduce by half. Add cream and vanilla bean and reduce again to a light sauce consistency. Strain. Scrape the soft center of the vanilla bean into the strained sauce. Correct seasoning with drops of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whisk in remaining butter in bits. Hold the sauce in a warm water bath until serving time (up to 2 hours).

Public Domain Recipe

Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s Chocolate Souffle

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Unsweetened chocolate
1/4 ts Salt
2 tb Sugar
1 c Milk
2 tb Hot water
3 Egg yolks; beaten
1 ts Instant coffee powder
4 Egg whites
2 tb Flour
1/4 c Sugar
1/2 ts Vanilla extract

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot water. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, hot water, and coffee powder, mixing well. Stir in flour and salt. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly. Bring to boiling point. Pour small amount of mixture into beaten egg yolks. Add egg yolks to chocolate mixture, beating well; cool. Beat egg whites in mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour into souffle dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until puffy. Serve immediately with whipped cream.

Public Domain Recipe