Mascarpone Petite Fours, served with Lynfred 2009 Pinot Grigio!
Soooo, yeah, the Pinot Grigio is not pictured because we drank it while we were making this…
I couldn’t believe it, but this was one of the most difficult, if not the number one most difficult, recipe that we’ve ever attempted. Notes on why are in the ITEMS! section below. However, if you like vanilla, and you like cheesecake, and you like the rest of the ingredients you see on the list, I would highly suggest trying to tackle this recipe, and not worry about how it LOOKS, but just focus on the taste. I’m not a fan of cheesecake (which is really what this was, white chocolate-covered cheesecake squares), and I loved this.
So, be patient, work methodically, and this recipe will be highly rewarding.
Also, please recommend us if you’d like.
ITEMS!
-Most important: MELTING WHITE CHOCOLATE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING IN THE WHOLE WORLD OF CHOCOLATE MELTING. I HIGHLY suggest using the double-broiler method of melting (should be on the package) and keep a constant eye and mix going on the chocolate as it melts. Don’t use the microwave! Also, look up online to see different ways to keep the chocolate from binding…we used about a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Time to melt about 12 ounces of white chocolate was well over an hour. Leave yourself lots of time.
-Vanilla bean sugar should be made from scratch. This is pretty easy. Buy a vanilla bean (a couple of bucks at a place like Whole Foods), then chop it up into pieces and mix it with the sugar. Let it sit for a few days so the sugar can really bind with the vanilla flavoring. Vanilla bean sugar from scratch is 100 percent better than any vanilla-flavored sugar you’ll find at the store.
-For the biscotti, make sure you don’t get anything except the PLAIN almond biscotti, no chocolate on top, and no toffee inside if you can help it.
-Total prep cooking time is a LOT longer than what it suggests. First you need to let the original mixture chill for 30 minutes and the cake to chill overnight. Then, it says it will only take about 1 hour and 10 minutes to cool, but it took us almost 2 and a half hours to get the desired consistency. I know ovens vary, just throwing it out there.
-Regarding the white chocolate melting, it was noted that the squares should be dipped into the chocolate…we were unable to do this, so we drizzled over the top, it was still really good.
-Be careful cutting the cheesecake. It sticks to the knife really easily.
Recipe from the Private Kitchen of Lynfred Chef Joe Hetman
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups ground crumbs from almond biscotti (about 6 ounces)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 1/4 cups vanilla bean sugar
2 large eggs
2 pounds white chocolate, melted
DIRECTIONS
1 - Mix biscotti crumbs and butter in bowl.
2 - Press mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
3 - Chill for 30 minutes (or overnight if you want).
4 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
5 - Wrap the outside of a 9-inch-diameter spring form pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil.
6 - Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone and 1 1/4 cups vanilla bean sugar in a large bowl until smooth.
7 - Add eggs 1 at a time; beat just until blended.
8 - Spread cheese mixture evenly over crust in pan.
9 - Place spring form pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of spring form pan.
10 - Bake until cheesecake is golden and center of cake moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
11 - Transfer to a rack; let cool 1 hour.
12 - Chill overnight.
13 - Cut into 1-inch-by-1-inch squares.
14 - Using 2 bamboo skewers on either side of each square piece, dip into the melted white chocolate, allowing for excess to drip off, and place on parchment paper to set.
15 - As white chocolate cools, grate fresh lemon zest over the tops if you like.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, served with Lynfred Rose Sangria!
This cake was, in short, delicious. The recipe given below yields pretty much an angel-food cake from what I could taste. It might seem intimidating at first, but just follow the directions carefully and before long you’ll have a really tasty dessert. The only note I would put in here is to have a medium-small cake pan…the one we used had a bit too much surface area and so when we flipped it over it broke up a little bit. However, it did not affect the taste. (recipe for the Lynfred Rose Sangria coming next).
Makes 6-8 servings
Recipe from the Private Kitchen of Lynfred Chef Chris Smith
CAKE BATTER INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons butter3 tablespoons brown sugar
Pineapple rings
Whipped cream
Maraschino cherries and nuts (optional)
Cake pan
DIRECTIONS
1 - Melt 3 tablespoons butter in the cake pan; sprinkle with 3 tablespoons brown sugar.
2 - Arrange pineapple rings in an attractive pattern, garnish if desired with halves or slices of maraschino cherries or nuts.
3 - Sift flour and measure. Add baking powder and salt. Sift again.
4 - Cream butter and add sugar gradually. Cream all together until light and fluffy.
5 - Add unbeaten egg and beat thoroughly. Add vanilla.
6 - Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, stirring only enough after each addition to blend thoroughly.
7 - Pour batter over rings and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 45 to 50 minutes.
8 - Invert pan on a cooling rack. Let cake remain in inverted pan for 1 minute to allow syrup to drain onto cake.
9 - Serve with fresh whipped cream.
Almond-Crusted Veal with Israeli Couscous, served with a 2005 Cabernet Franc and Oreo Cookie Pie for dessert!
For this meal, we substituted regular steaks for the veal and it still worked out well. However, the couscous wasn’t that great, most probably due to us overcooking it…unless you’re a big fan of couscous, rice would work just as well here.
Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups chopped almonds
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
Four 6 ounce veal breasts
Egg wash
Salt
Pepper
Vegetable oil
Aluminum foil
Mixing bowl
Mixing spoon
Cooking brush
Baking sheet
DIRECTIONS
1 - Preheat oven to 425.
2 - Mix the almonds, breadcrumbs, flour, and butter in a bowl. Set aside.
3 - Brush an aluminum foil lined baking sheet with the vegetable oil.
4 - Place veal on foil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
5 - Bake in oven for 3-5 minutes.
6 - Remove from oven and brush the tops with egg wash.
7 - Equally divide the almond mixture among the tops of the veal.
8 - Pat down to form them around the top.
9 - Return to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
10 - Remove, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
