Crepes Suzette with Vanilla Ice Cream and Orange Butter Sauce

Crepes Suzette with Vanilla Ice Cream and Orange Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
Orange butter, recipe follows
1 tablespoon butter to brush the crepe pan 


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add milk and eggs to blender and combine. Add the flour 1/2 a cup at a time, blending after each addition to ensure there are no lumps. Add pinch of salt and melted butter then blend for 30 seconds until you achieve a smooth, silky consistency. Set aside in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to rest. While it rests make the orange butter sauce.

Dip a piece of kitchen paper in butter and grease a small frying pan. Ladle a spoonful of batter into the pan. With a flick of the wrist swivel the pan in order to get a nice even covering all over. A good crepe should be paper- thin. Cook on a high heat and flip it over when you see the edge turning golden brown. Remove crepes from pan and fold in half and press into a muffin tray to form little cup shapes. Bake in hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes until slightly crispy and brown around the edges, the middle should remain spongy and light.

Orange Butter:

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon orange zest

Combine the butter, sugar, citrus juices, and zest to a small saucepan and cook for about 10 minutes until it caramelizes. It should be a golden color. Continue to whisk and reduce until syrupy-about 10 minutes. When done, set to the side.

To assemble, place crepe "cup" in the center of plate and place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the cup. Drizzle with the orange butter sauce

Candy Bar Croissants

Candy Bar Croissants

Ingredients:

1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 plain milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 ounces each), broken into small pieces
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Directions:

Unroll crescent roll dough; separate into triangles. Brush with butter. Arrange candy bar pieces evenly over triangles; roll up from the wide end. Place point side down on a greased baking sheet; curve ends slightly. Brush with egg and sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 375° for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 8 servings.

French Bread

French Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)

1 pkg. dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon shortening (we used unsalted butter)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3 - 4 cups flour

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

 Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour; beat at medium speed of an electric mixeruntil smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Let stand 10 min. Stir gently for a few seconds; cover. Repeat gentle stirring at 10 min. intervals for 40 min. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each half to a 15- x 8-inch rectangle. Roll up jellyroll fashion, starting with the long side; pinch ends and seam to seal. Place loaves, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet. Make diagonal slits about 1/4-inch deep down the length of loaves, using a sharp knife. Combine egg white and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; beat with a wire whisk until blended. Brush loaves with egg white mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds (if desired). Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 45 min. or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 min. or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Yield: 2 loaves. 

Alton Brown’s Crème Brulée

Alton Brown’s Crème Brulée
 
Ingredients:


1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh berries. Yields six servings.

Dark Chocolate Crepes

Dark Chocolate Crepes

Ingredients:

2 cups milk
2 eggs
2-1/2 TB melted butter
1 oz. dark chocolate, melted
1-1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Melt the butter and chocolate together, mixing to combine and smooth out the chocolate. In a large bowl combine the milk and eggs. In a separate, smaller bowl combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the milk and eggs with the dry ingredients, continue whisking as you incorporate the butter and chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour, or overnight. Be sure to re-whisk the batter before you cook the crepes.

Butter a hot fry pan, then wipe out the excess butter with a paper towel so it is dry. Pour in a small amount of crepe batter and tilt so that the batter covers the bottom of the pan. As the edges begin to peel up flip the crepe for a few seconds to cook the other side.

Blue Bayou Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Blue Bayou Monte Cristo Sandwiches
(Disneyland)

Ingredients:

1 quart oil for frying, or as
needed
2/3 cup water
1 egg
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 slices white bread
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices turkey
4 slices ham
1/8 tsp ground black
pepper
1 TB powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Heat 5 inches of oil in a deep-frying pan to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). While oil is heating, make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper; whisk into the egg mixture until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.

2. Assemble sandwiches by placing one slice of turkey on one slice of bread, a slice of ham on another, then sandwich them with the Swiss cheese in the middle. Cut sandwiches into quarters, and secure with toothpicks.

3. Dip each sandwich quarter in the batter so that all sides are coated. Deep fry in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides. Remove toothpicks and arrange on a serving tray. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Light Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Light Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Ingredients:

8 Slices of Texas Toast Bread (the thick, square slices)
4 Slices of Virgina Baked Ham
4 Slices of Turkey
4 Slices of Swiss Cheese
Mustard
2 Eggs
1-1/2 Cups Milk
1 tsp Nutmeg/Cinnamon
Raspberry Preserves
Powdered Sugar

Directions:

Spread mustard on 4 slices of the bread
Layer slices of the following: cheese, turkey, ham
Place bread on top to make sandwich
Combine eggs, milk & spices in a bowl & mix.
Dip the entire sandwich in the mixture (you'll need to turn over the sandwich to make sure both sides are covered)
Grill in a grill pan lightly sprayed with pam to prevent sticking
Give the sandwich a sprinkle of powdered sugar & a dollup of raspberry jam

Crepes

Crêpes


Ingredients:

1 cup flour
4 eggs
2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 tsp grated orange (optional)

Directions:

Blend ingredients in blender. Spray pan with cooking spray and put in a 1/4 cup of batter and spread around by picking up pan and moving in a circle. Cook on medium for a couple of minutes.


Sweet fillings:

• Just maple syrup
• Butter (or brown butter) and a little sugar
• A little dab of warm nutella
• Sautéed apples, pears, peaches, or bananas
• Some lemon curd (try 1 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger in the crepe batter)
• Any kind of berry fresh or cooked and served with a dab of creme fraiche
• thick yogurt, good honey, and some soaked dried apricots
• cinnamon
• whipped cream
• powdered sugar
• chocolate chips
• Nutella & banana
• Nutella & Strawberries
• Strawberries, bananas, French custard
• Strawberries & Whipped cream
• Caramel custard, bananas, pecan strussel, milk chocolate, whipped cream

Savory fillings: (omit the orange zest and vanilla)

• Sautéed good quality ham and a little grated gruyere or comte (try ½ tsp fresh grated nutmeg in the crepe batter)
• A slice of serano ham, a few shavings of parmesan, and some fresh arugula tossed with lemon juice and olive oil
• Ricotta with quick sautéed spinach or asparagus and some toasted pine nuts
• A fried egg with some good sea salt
• Some mild soft blue cheese (try Gorgonzola Dolce, Cambanzola, or St. Agur) with toasted walnuts and a little honey 
• Quick sautéed tomatoes with a little fresh chevre and olive oil (try 1 tsp chopped fresh herbs in the crepes – oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, or chervil)
• Le Bahn MI: Coconut braised pork shoulder, pickled carrots, candied jalapenos, nappa cabbage with mint, cilantro and basil
• Chicken breast, Az cheddar, green chiles, salsa, avocado
• Manchego cheese, fig jam, toasted almonds, smoked duck
• Vegan pesto, avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach
• Basil Pesto, mushrooms, goat cheese, spinach, tomatoes, chicken
• Applewood smoked bacon, eggs & Az cheddar

*See also Blood Orange Syrup