Frozen Raspberry and Macaroon Souffle

Serving Size : 12
Preparation Time :1:30

1 pound white chocolate
8 ounces butter
8 ounces egg yolks
10 ounces powdered sugar
4 ounces raspberry liqueur
12 ounces egg whites
2 pounds cream -- whip to soft peaks
4 ounces toasted coconut
2 ounces Coco Lopez
12 ounces raspberries

STEP ONE:
In a large saucepan, melt butter and white chocolate and cool.

STEP TWO:
In bain marie, cook egg yolks, powdered sugar, and raspberry liqueur until thick. Add to melted butter-chocolate mixture. Flavor with juice and pulps of raspberries.

STEP THREE:
Beat egg whites till stiff and whip cream to soft peaks. Combine and flavor with coconut and Coco Lopez.

STEP FOUR:
Combine equal portions of each mixture in 12 souffle dishes. Freeze and serve with raspberry coulis and whipping cream.

Poached Fresh Pears in White Burgundy with Chocolate Sauce

Serving Size : 6
Preparation Time :0:40

6 large fresh pears
1 1/2 quarts white wine
1 cup sugar
6 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup heavy cream
4 squares bitter chocolate
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter -- (or margarine)
1/2 cup strong coffee

STEP ONE:
Select large firm pears. Peel pears, leaving the stems. Core from the bottom, leaving a 3/4-inch hole. Bring the white wine, sugar, and seasoning to a boil in a saucepan. Place the pears in the wine and simmer until tender. Be careful not to overcook. Set aside and let the pears cool in the wine.

STEP TWO: Chocolate Sauce--
Put cream, chocolate, powdered sugar, butter, and strong coffee in a double boiler and heat for 30 minutes or until the chocolate is melted. Mix well.

STEP THREE:
Drain the pears, spoon the chocolate sauce in a nice stem glass or a bowl, and place the pears in the center. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

CHEF'S NOTE:
These pears are excellent served over French Vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Frosting

Serving Size : 12

8 ounces semisweet chocolate square
2 tablespoons light olive oil

In the top pan of a double boiler placed over gently boiling water, melt chocolate. Slowly add oil, stirring until mixture is blended and of a consistency that can be poured.

NOTES : Yield: 1 cup.

Chocolate Sauce for Fresh Fruit

Serving Size : 6
Preparation Time :0:40

1 cup heavy cream
4 squares bitter chocolate
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter -- (or margarine)
1/2 cup strong coffee

Put cream, chocolate, powdered sugar, butter, and strong coffee in a double boiler and heat for 30 minutes or until the chocolate is melted. Mix well.

Chestnut Torte

Serving Size : 8

2 pounds chestnuts
Milk -- to cover
Butter -- for baking pan
1/2 cup butter -- softened
Flour -- for baking pan
6 eggs -- separated
1 whole egg
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fine dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons rum
Chocolate Frosting
1 cup whipping cream -- for topping

Place chestnuts in a large saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil 10 minutes. Remove from heat but do not drain. Remove chestnuts, a few at a time, and peel off hard outer shell and soft inner membrane. When all chestnuts are peeled, drain water and return chestnuts to saucepan. Add milk just to cover and simmer, uncovered, until chestnuts are very tender and milk is absorbed (15 to 30 minutes). Press chestnuts through a sieve and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8 or 9-inch-round pan. In a large bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup of the sugar, beating constantly until stiff peaks form. In another large bowl cream together egg yolks and 2/3 cup of the sugar until fluffy and lemon colored. Gently fold in egg-white mixture alternately with bread crumbs and half of the reserved chestnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean (30 to 35 minutes). Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Turn cake out of pan and split cooled cake in half crosswise to form 2 layers. Crack the whole egg into a mixing bowl and add the 1/2 cup butter, the 2 tablespoons sugar, and rum. Cream until thick and smooth. Beat in the remaining chestnuts until well blended. Prepare Chocolate Frosting as directed and keep warm. Spread chestnut mixture over 1 layer of cake and top with second layer. Pour warm frosting over top. Whip cream until stiff peaks form, then pack into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe whipped cream decoratively on sides of torte.

NOTES : Yield: 8 servings (serving size: one 9 inch torte ).

Cocoa Mocha Mint

Serving Size : 1
Preparation Time :0:05

1 fluid ounce white creme de cacao
1 fluid ounce Kahlua
1 fluid ounce white creme de menthe
1 fluid ounce sweet cream
cracked ice

Fill a mixing glass with cracked ice. Add creme de cacao, Kahlua, creme de menthe, and cream. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Fudgiest Brownies

Serving Size : 12
Preparation Time :0:45

1/2 cup butter
3 ounces baking chocolate
2 eggs -- well beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts -- chopped (optional)
2 cups brown sugar

Melt butter and chocolate in top of double boiler. Cool slightly. Beat in remaining ingredients by hand. Pour into greased a 8" x 12" pan. Bake at 350 degrees until set, or about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Cherry Tarts

Serving Size : 24
Preparation Time :1:00

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 square baking chocolate -- melted
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup maraschino cherries -- finely chopped
24 maraschino cherry halves

Cream butter and sugar; blend in melted chocolate. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Sift dry ingredients together and blend into chocolate mixture. Roll pastry to 1/8-inch thickness on lightly floured pastry cloth. Cut circles with 3-inch cookie cutter and place in buttered tartlet pans or shallow muffin tins.

Blend cream cheese, sugar, and egg; fold in chopped cherries. Place 1 tablespoon filling in each tart. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, top with cherry half. Chill.

Yield: approximately 2 dozen tarts.

Moongdal Vadas

Ingredients
2 cups green moong dal
soaked for 2 hours in water.
1 cucumber
1 onion
1 carrot
4" pieces white pumpkin or squash
1 capsicum
1/2 cup cabbage, broken in big pieces
3-4 green chillies
1" piece ginger grated (optional)
shallow fry for pancakes

Method
Grind drained dal fine, either in a stone grinder or mixie.
Use minimal water.
Chop all veggies into chunks.
Mix and chop fine in a vegetable chopper
Chop green chillies very fine.
Mix all ingredients into dal, except oil to fry.
Beat with hand to blend well.
To make vadas:
Heat oil in a frying pan. When hot, reduce heat, add small dumplings of mixture. Fry to a
light golden brown, drain on kitchen paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Serve hot with green and tamarind chutneys, or sauce.

Handvoh Flour

Ingredients
1 cup wheat
1 cup jowar
1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup bengalgram dal.

Method
Roast the grains lightly in a heavy pan, individually.
Mix, cool and grind to a flour.
Cool, store in airtight container, in dry area.
Add water to knead to a smooth dough when required.
Proceed to pat thick chappati, sprinkle finely chopped coriander, onion , chillies, etc. over
it, press in.
Make small hole in it with blunt end of hand churner.
Roast on hot griddle over low flame till roasted crisp.

Thaalpeeth Flour

Ingredients
1 cup wheat
1 cup jowar
1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup bengalgram dal.

Method
Roast the grains lightly in a heavy pan, individually.
Mix, cool and grind to a flour.
Cool, store in airtight container, in dry area.
Add water to knead to a smooth dough when required.
Proceed to pat thick chappati, sprinkle finely chopped coriander, onion , chillies, etc. over
it, press in.
Make small hole in it with blunt end of hand churner.
Roast on hot griddle over low flame till roasted crisp.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1 cup tomato puree
2 onions chopped
2 green chillies slit
1/2 tsp. ginger paste
1/2 tsp. garlic paste
1 spring onion bunch chopped fine
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1/2 tsp. clove-cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. tomato sauce
salt to taste
2 tbsp. butter or oil

Method
Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a large saucepan.
Add ginger, garlic pastes. Stir.
Add chopped onions, green chilli, stir fry till light pink.
Add all dry masalas, sugar, salt, stir. When the oil separates, add rice. Stir, add
tomato puree, sauce, bring to a boil.
Add 1 1/2 cups water, stir gently. Bring to a boil, taste liquid to check salt, etc.
Cover, simmer on low till almost cooked. Stir occasionally in between, adding more
water if required. When about done, add spring onions, coriander.
Stir gently, allow all water to evaporate. Serve hot with or without a gravy vegetable.

Tawa Vegetables

Ingredients
100 gms ladies finger (bhindi)
100 gms small brinjal or cut big into small pieces
100 gms karela fully peeled off and dipped in water to remove some bitterness
100 gms potatoes in medium long pieces
100 gms cauliflower cut into medium pieces
50 gms carrot in long thin pieces
100 gms arbi peeled and cut in long thin pieces
1 litre cooking oil for frying
salt as per taste
2 tea spoonful garam masala
amchoor powder mixed with red chilli

Method
Put oil in karahi/deep pan.
Now cut ladies finger/brinjal/karela from one side to make pocket.
Fill in garam masala with salt.
If you like put amchoor also here for sour taste.
Fry all the above vegetables.
Preferably all vegetables should be dried and pre baked in oven to remove some water.
Fry each lot of vegetables for 6 minutes each.
Now mix these vegetables on tawa and sprinkle salt on these and mix so not to damage
physical appearance.
Whenever want to serve heat on tawa and serve.
Should always be served with yellow dal if possible.

Bean Sprouts

Ingredients
1 cup bean sprouts
1 1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. cornflour
1 tsp. grated ginger
1/2 tsp. soya sauce
1 tbsp. spring onion finely chopped
1/2 tbsp. oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Boil the sprouts so that they are done but not soggy.
Drain and spread on a plate. Mix the cornflour in 1/2 cup water.
Heat oil in a pan, add ginger and fry for a minute.
Add the remaining water (1 cup). Bring to a boil.
Add the cornflour mixture, and stir till it comes back to a boil.
Add the soya sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
Pour thick gravy onto the bean sprouts.
Sprinkle the chopped spring onion on top.
Serve hot with steamed rice or fried rice