Great Taste Magazine

This flaky, tender delicate version of scones served at Coffee, Tea and Tulips are complemented by house made lemon curd and apricot jam imported from Lebanon. 

MISSION VIEJO, Ca. February, 2012—Scones and tea are the top sellers on the menu at Coffee, Tea and Tulips. Owner Michael Samawi shares his recipe for their basic scone. At the tearoom/bistro they make other variations, savory as well as sweet.  Read more »

Suzanna Hoang modified this recipe featuring finger limes from Baked Fig Finger Lime Pudding from heneedsfood.com.
(8 servings)

4 eggs – separated
4 T unsalted butter – softened Read more »

by Executive Chef David Parry at Nautilus Restaurant

Makes 6

by Corporate Chef Katie Averill at Zov's

People that don't know how to make biscotti think that it is something that can't do in their own kitchens. However, it is easy and because of the sharp lines, it comes out looking professional every time.

Coconut Almond Torte with Chocolate Chips by Ghirardelli

Yield: 10 -12 Servings

1 1/3 C Ghirardelli Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (or chop up 3 bars of the Intense Dark 60%)

1 1/4 C whole almonds

1 1/2 C unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 C sugar

8 large egg whites

1 t vanilla

1/4 t cream of tartar

1 C heavy whipping cream

2 t sugar, or more to taste

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. In a food processor, pulse the almonds, salt, and 1/4 C of the sugar to the consistency of crumbs. Set aside. Beat egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tarter at high speed until they hold a soft shape. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 C sugar until eggs whites are stiff but not dry. Transfer to a large bowl. Fold in the almond mixture.

Set aside 1/4 C of the chocolate chips to sprinkle on top of the torte. Fold the remaining chocolate chips and the coconut into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle with the reserved chocolate chips. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the torte is puffed and golden, and the edges are starting to shrink from the sides of the pan. Cool on a rack. To serve, whip cream with vanilla and sugar. Remove the sides of the pan and transfer the cake to a serving platter. Serve torte slices with whipped cream and ripe berries, if desired. Visit Ghirardelli for more ways to enjoy chocolate.

Filling:

3/4 C Sugar

3 T Cornstarch

1/4 t Cinnamon

1 pinch Sea salt

6 C Fruit

Topping:

3/4 C Flour

3/4 C Oats

1/2 C  Brown sugar

1/2 T Baking spice or Cinnamon

1/4 t Sea salt

8 oz. butter- chilled, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Add cut fruit and toss to coat. Place fruit mixture into 11×7 glass baking dish.

Mix together dry ingredients for the topping, add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles small clumps. Sprinkle topping over fruit mixture and bake about 1 hour or until entire mixture is bubbling and the topping is crisp.

by Executive Chef Mark Van Laanen at Trio Restaurant

This dessert is famous for a reason–it’s nirvana to any nut and chocolate lover.

1 C brown sugar

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C honey

1 stick of butter

1 T vanilla

1 1/2 C heavy cream Read more »

Copyright Chef Jacques Haeringer from Two for Tonight, Bartleby Press; $26.95; ISBN: 0-910155-43-7

2  egg yolks

3 T  evaporated cane juice or sugar

2/3 cup  champagne

1/2 t  gelatin

1 T water

1/2 cup  heavy whipping cream

Whip the heavy cream and refrigerate. Combine the yolks and evaporated cane juice in a glass or stainless steel bowl and whisk thoroughly until the mixture whitens. Add the champagne and whisk together completely. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and cook, beating constantly until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a light hollandaise sauce. Remove from heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute. Set aside and allow to cool. Combine the gelatin and water in a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Heat the softened gelatin mixture until the gelatin dissolves and the liquid clears. Whisk the dissolved gelatin into the champagne mixture. Then fold in the whipped cream with the aid of a rubber spatula. Chill for 1 hour before piping the mousse into champagne glasses or dessert dishes. Garnish with fruit marinated in champagne.

Just for Great Taste readers, The Best of American Beer & Food author Lucy Saunders shares some of her amazing recipes with one very special ingredient. For more information, visit www.beercook.com

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Molten Ganache (Makes 8 servings) Executive Chef Jeff Foresman of the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in Texas prepared this special dessert for a dinner hosted by Jaime Jurado and the Spoetzl Brewery of Shiner, Texas. I recommend making the ganache ahead of time so it’s easy to bake and serve warm, with a glass of stout or doppelbock for dessert.

Read more »

Compliments of The Culinary Institute of America GINGERBREAD COOKIES WITH ROYAL ICING: Makes about 24 cookies Flourless cooking spray 3 3/4 C  All-purpose flour – plus extra for dusting 2 t  Baking Soda 1 1/2 t Ground Ginger 1 1/2 t Ground Allspice 1 t Salt 8 T (1 stick) Unsalted Butter – at room temperature 2/4 C Tightly packed Dark Brown Sugar 1/2 C Honey 2 Large Eggs Royal Icing (optional, recipe follows) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray or line them with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, allspice, and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and honey on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until smooth and light, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until the dough is evenly mixed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, pat into an even disk, and chill until firm, at least 10 minutes. Roll out the dough to a 1⁄4-inch thickness. Use 51⁄2-inch cookie cutters to cut out cookies. Transfer to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies until they are firm, about 12 to 14 minutes, depending on size of cutter used. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely before decorating, if desired. Bake the remaining dough in batches as directed. ROYAL ICING: Makes about 1 cup 2 Large Egg Whites 1/8 t  Cream of Tartar 1 1/2 C Confectioners' Sugar – sifted Liquid or paste food coloring(s), as needed (optional) In the clean, grease-free bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggwhites on low speed just until they become loose, about 1 minute. Add the cream of tartar and continue mixing on low speed until the whites become frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar gradually with the mixer on low speed. Continue to mix until the icing holds a soft peak and is dull in appearance, about 2 minutes. The icing is ready to use for piping lines, Or add a small amount of water until the icing reaches a looser consistency for flooding, or filling in, an outline. If desired, divide the icing among smaller bowls and add coloring(s). If you won’t be using the icing right away, take the following steps to keep the icing from drying out: Clean the sides of the bowl or container to remove any drips; if a dry crust develops on the bowl, small pieces can drop into the icing and clog the tip of your pastry bag or parchment paper cone. Place a dampened paper towel directly on the surface of the icing and then cover the bowl very tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Note: You may prefer to use pasteurized egg whites in this recipe to eliminate any food safety concerns. Adapted from the CIA’s Baking at Home cookbook. ©2009 The Culinary Institute of America

By Jennifer Kopp, CEPC, pastry chef, Chevy Chase Country Club, Chevy Chase, Md., a member of ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association Serves 4 1 1/4 C Unsalted Butter 1/2 C Sugar 2 Large Eggs 1 t Vanilla Extract 1 3/4 C All-purpose flour 2 t Cinnamon 1/4 C Almonds – Toasted & Sliced In bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add flour, cinnamon and almonds; mix just until incorporated. Wrap dough in plastic; refrigerate until chilled. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll chilled dough out to a thickness of 1/4 inch; cut out circles of dough 2 inches in diameter. Dock dough circles all over with fork. Refrigerate until chilled; bake on parchment-lined baking sheets until lightly golden brown.

By Jennifer Kopp, CEPC, pastry chef, Chevy Chase Country Club, Chevy Chase, Md., a member of ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association Serves 4 Chocolate custards: 1/2 C  Milk 1 T  Cocoa Powder 2 T  Sugar – Plus 1 t Sugar 1/3 C Heavy Cream – Plus 1 T Heavy Cream 1/3 C Dark Chocolate Couverture – Chopped 1 Large Egg 2 Large Egg Yolks 1/2 t Rum 1/4 t Vanilla Extract Coconut sorbet: 2 C  Coco Lopez cream of coconut 1 1/2 C  Coconut Milk 3/4 C  Hot Water 2 T  Rum Extract Chocolate-Banana Empanadas: 2 C  All-purpose flour 1/2 C  Unsalted Butter 1 Large Egg 1/4 C  Water 1/4 C  Sugar 1 1/2 t Cinnamon 1/4 t  Ginger – Ground 1/4 t  Salt 1 Banana 1/4 C  Chocolate Pieces Canola oil for frying Finish and serve: Raspberry powder, if desired Chocolate garnish, if desired To make chocolate custards: Preheat oven to 300°F. Place milk in saucepan. Stir together cocoa powder and half of sugar; whisk into milk. Whisk in cream; bring mixture to a boil. Place chocolate in bowl; pour in a third of hot milk mixture. Whisk to incorporate; pour in another third. Whisk again; add remaining milk. In bowl, whisk together egg, yolks, remaining sugar, rum and vanilla. Whisk in chocolate mixture. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Grease small ovenproof ceramic or metal cups; place them in a glass or metal baking dish that is approximately twice the height of cups. Pour custard mix into each cup. Pour water into baking dish until water comes about halfway up sides of cups. Bake until custard is set and a paring knife inserted into center of each comes out clean. Remove custards from water bath; refrigerate until completely cold and set. To make coconut sorbet: In medium saucepan, bring cream of coconut, coconut milk and water to a boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, stir in rum extract; chill mixture. Freeze sorbet according to manufacturer’s directions for your ice-cream maker. To make Chocolate-Banana Empanadas: Combine flour and butter in bowl of a food processor; pulse until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add egg and water; pulse just until combined. Form into disk; refrigerate until chilled. Roll chilled dough out on floured surface. Cut dough into circles 2 inches in diameter. In bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Cut banana into small pieces; toss in spice mixture; save remaining spice mixture. Place a few chocolate pieces and banana pieces on bottom half of each dough circle. Fold top of each over to enclose filling. Seal edges; press down all around edges of dough with tines of fork. (If edges don’t seal firmly, paint edges of dough circles with water or egg white before folding in half.) Deep fry empanadas until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Coat empanadas in remaining spice mixture; serve warm. To finish and serve: Dust plates with raspberry powder. Place cookie on each plate. Unmold custards by running paring knife around inside of custard cups and inverting them over cookies. Put fruit salsa and a warm empanada on each plate. Top custards with quenelles or scoops of coconut sorbet. Garnish with chocolate decorations; serve.

By Jennifer Kopp, CEPC, pastry chef, Chevy Chase Country Club, Chevy Chase, Md., a member of ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association Serves 4 1/3 C  Chopped Milk – Chocolate 1/3 C Praline Paste 1 3/4 C Feuilletine or Cornflakes – Crushed In top of double boiler set over simmering water, combine chocolate and praline paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat. Place Feuilletine in bowl, drizzle with chocolate mixture; toss until thoroughly coated. Roll mixture out between sheets of parchment paper until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Refrigerate until set. Using a 1 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out disks.

By Jennifer Kopp, CEPC, pastry chef, Chevy Chase Country Club, Chevy Chase, Md., a member of ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association Serves 4 1 C Heavy Cream 1/2 C Milk 1/4 C Sugar - Plus 1/3 C Sugar 1 1/2 C Coffee Beans 3 C Half-and-half 4 Large Eggs 1 1/4 C White Chocolate – Chopped In saucepan, bring heavy cream, milk and 1/4 cup sugar to a boil. Pour into mixing bowl; add coffee beans. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let sit for 45 minutes to infuse. In separate saucepan, bring half-and-half to a boil. In medium bowl, whisk eggs with remaining 1/3 cup sugar until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot half-and-half into eggs. Return mixture to saucepan; cook, stirring until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour into a mixing bowl; stir in white chocolate. Pour cream and coffee bean mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to strain out coffee beans. Discard beans. Stir coffee-flavored cream mixture into white chocolate mixture. Pour entire mixture through fine-mesh sieve; refrigerate until chilled. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions for your ice-cream maker. Transfer ice cream to plastic container; freeze until ready to serve. Chef’s note: “Feuilletine” flakes are thin crushed wafer cookie flakes. You can substitute crushed cornflakes, or crush wafer rolls into small flakes.

By Jennifer Kopp, CEPC, Pastry Chef, Chevy Chase Country Club, Chevy Chase, Md., A member of ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association Serves 4 Milk chocolate crème: 1 sheet Platinum Gelatin 3/4 C  Milk 1/4 C  Heavy Cream 3 Large Egg Yolks 3 T Sugar 1/4 T Cinnamon 3/4 C Chopped Milk Couverture Chocolate 1/4 t Brandy 1/4 t Vanilla Extract Dark chocolate ganache: 1 C Heavy Cream 3/4 C Dark Couverture Chocolate – Chopped Dark chocolate fritters: 2 Large Eggs 2 T Oil 1/2 C Milk 1 t Vanilla Extract 1/2 C Sugar 1 C All-purpose flour 1/4 C Almond Flour 1/4 C Cocoa Powder 1/2 t Baking Powder Canola oil for frying Confectioners’ Sugar – For Dusting Finish and serve: Melted Chocolate – For Painting (optional) Chocolate Cake or Brownies – Cut into 1 x 2-inch rectangles Marinated Raspberries Raspberry Jellies -if desired Croquant sticks – if desired To make milk chocolate crème: •Bloom gelatin in water; set aside. Meanwhile, bring milk and cream to boil. In a medium bowl, whisk together yolks, sugar and cinnamon. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot milk mixture into yolks. Return egg mixture to saucepan; cook, stirring, until mixture thickens enough to coat back of a spoon. •Place chocolate in small metal bowl. Pour hot milk mixture over chocolate; stir until smooth. While still warm, stir in gelatin. Cool mixture; stir in brandy and vanilla. Refrigerate until very firm. To make dark chocolate ganache: •Bring cream to boil in small saucepan. Place chocolate in bowl; pour in hot cream; stir until mixture is smooth, shiny and somewhat elastic. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, pressing down on wrap so it touches surface of ganache. Refrigerate until set. •Scoop out teaspoon-sized balls of ganache; freeze. (You will have ganache left over; it can be served warm as an accompaniment to the dessert, or kept refrigerated for another use.) To make dark chocolate fritters: •In bowl, stir together eggs, oil, milk, vanilla and sugar. Sift flour, almond flour, cocoa and baking powder together in another bowl. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture; blend until smooth. Set batter aside for 15 minutes. •In small, deep saucepan, heat oil to 350°F. Dip each frozen ball of dark chocolate ganache into batter; gently drop into oil. Fry until fritters float and are evenly browned. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners’ sugar; serve warm. To finish and serve: •Paint rectangle of melted chocolate on each plate. Place scoops of white chocolate coffee ice cream on crunch disks; place one on each plate. Dip metal spoon in very hot water; roll quenelles of milk chocolate crème. Set one on top of each chocolate cake (or brownie) rectangle; place on plates. Place 3 raspberries next to cake. Add warm fritter to each plate. Garnish with raspberry jellies and croquant sticks; serve.

By Leticia Santana 10 Large Egg Yolks 12  Large Eggs 1/2 qt Lemon Juice 1 lb  12 oz Granulated Sugar 1 lb Unsalted Butter – soft Place eggs & yolks in bain marie with sugar and whisk. (Do not cook eggs. You want them to foam). Add in juice while whisking. When thickened let it sit for about 30 minutes, Whisk in butter. Let sit for about ten minutes. Remove from bain marie and place in #2 hotel pan. Immediately cover with plastic wrap or lemon cream will form a skin. Place in refrigerator overnight.

By Mariana Delgado Gambini A member of the American Culinary Federation Serves 4 Chiffon cake: 2 1/4 C  Cake flour 1 1/2 C  Sugar 1 T Baking Powder 1/2 T – Plus 1 Pinch Salt 1/2 C Vegetable Oil 7 Large Egg Yolks 3/4 C Orange Juice – Fresh 2 T Orange Zest – Freshly Grated 2 t Vanilla Extract 9 Large Egg Whites 1 t Cream of Tartar Poached apples: 6 Medium Gala Apples – Cored from the bottom and peeled 1/2 Lemon 1/2 Gallon Apple Cider 1 C  Light-Brown Sugar – Packed 1 Cinnamon Stick 2 Whole Cloves Vanilla mousse: 32 Oz  Milk 3 Vanilla Beans – Split 9 1/2 Oz Sugar 12 Oz Egg Yolks 24 Sheets Gelatin – Bloomed 53 Oz Heavy Cream Finish and serve: Thin layers of crispy phyllo Short dough cookies Small apples filled with vanilla mousse Caramel sauce Chocolate sauce Chocolate garnishes and other garnishes of choice To make chiffon cake: •Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt into large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together oil, yolks, orange juice, zest and vanilla; whisk into flour mixture, whisking until batter is smooth. •In bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar; continue beating until whites hold stiff peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating until mixture makes stiff, glossy peaks. Stir a third of whites into batter to lighten. Fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon batter into a 10-inch greased and floured cake pan. Bake in middle of oven until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Invert pan immediately onto a rack; let cake cool completely in pan upside down on rack. To make poached apples: •Put apples in a wide, heavy 5-quart pot; add lemon, cider, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Cover; bring to a boil over medium heat (this will take 25 to 30 minutes). Remove from heat; cool apples in cider, covered. Finely dice apples before serving. To make vanilla mousse: •In a medium saucepan, heat milk, vanilla beans and half sugar until small bubbles form around edges of pan. In large bowl, beat yolks with remaining sugar. Whisking constantly, very slowly whisk hot milk into yolks. Pour mixture back into saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture thickens enough to coat back of spoon. Immediately remove from heat; strain into large bowl. Add bloomed gelatin; stir until dissolved. Place bowl over an ice bath; stir until cooled but not set. Whip cream to medium peaks; fold it into cooled custard. To finish and serve: •Cut out rectangles of chiffon cake; cover top of cake with diced poached apples. Place rectangle of crispy phyllo sheets on top of apples; cover top with dollops of vanilla mousse. Place another layer of phyllo on top. Place stack on each plate. Place cookie on each plate; top with an apple filled with mousse. Pipe sauces on plates; garnish as desired.

By Drew Garms, Executive Sous Chef, Okalahoma City Golf and Country Club, Oklahoma City A member of the American Culinary Federation Serves 4 Pears: 4 T  Unsalted Butter – cold 2 Pears – Split & Cored 1/4 C Sugar 1/2 C Pear Brandy A few drops of lemon juice 1 vanilla Bean – Split 4 1-inch cubes Saga blue cheese Streusel: 2 T Sugar 2 T Almond flour 2 T All-purpose flour 1 T Oatmeal A pinch of salt 2 T Unsalted Butter – Cold & diced Finish and Serve: 8 oz. Baby Lettuce Aged balsamic vinegar – to taste Olive oil, to taste Salt and freshly ground pepper – to taste To make pears: •In large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Place pears in skillet cut-sides down; cook until caramelized on bottom. Add remaining butter and sugar to skillet; cook until sugar starts to brown. Turn pears over; add brandy, lemon juice and vanilla bean. Baste each pear with a liquid in pan. Continue cooking until pears begin to soften, but are still quite firm. Remove pears from skillet with a slotted spoon; place a cube of cheese in center of each; set aside. •Continue cooking caramel in pan until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set aside. To make Streusel: •Combine sugar, flour, oatmeal and salt in bowl of an electric mixer. Add butter; mix with paddle attachment until streusel is well mixed and holds together. (Do not over mix.) Finish and serve: •Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover tops of stuffed pears with streusel; Bake until streusel is golden brown and pear is soft. •Toss lettuce with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Arrange a handful of lettuce on each plate with a warm pear half. Drizzle plate with some pear caramel.

By Chef Katie Averill Although “healthy” and “spa” are words that don’t generally belong in a baking column, one bread recipe that continues to graduate from one of my recipe scrapbooks to the next is for Banana Rye Loaf. Who would ever put rye and banana together and expect good results? This savory bread will be a hit with a spa breakfast or in a bread basket with a light dinner as well. It’s low fat, but most importantly, it’s full of fiber Banana Rye Loaf 1 C Warm Water 2 envelopes Active Dry Yeast – (NOT the same as instant yeast) 1/4 C Honey 1/4 C Unsalted Butter – softened 1 T Salt 3 C Rye Flour 2 1/2 C All-purpose Flour 2 C Banana – mashed Sprinkle yeast over the water and let sit 10 minutes. Add honey, butter, rye flour, 1/2 C all purpose flour, and salt. Mix with a dough hook on medium speed for two minutes. Alternately add the banana and the remaining all-purpose flour. Continue to knead for 10 minutes to make a soft dough. Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. (Don’t rush the dough, if it hasn’t doubled it’s not ready). Divide the dough in half and round each half into a ball. The goal is to have a smooth surface with creases on the bottom. Place rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover, and let double again. Make two slashes horizontally and two slashes vertically (like a tic-tac-toe board) across the top of the bread. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 minutes.  Check the bottom for a golden color.

By Chef Tony Priolo of Picollo Sogno

FOR THE PASTA: 3/4 C  Semolina flour 1/4 C  All-purpose flour 1 T  Olive oil 1  Egg 1  Egg yolk Pinch of sea salt FOR THE FILLING: 1/2 C Squash – pureed/cooked/drained (butternut, pumpkin or kabocha) 1/8 C  Amaretto cookies – crushed 1/8 C  Ricotta cheese – drained Pinch of nutmeg Pinch of all spice 1 T  Fruit mustard – optional FOR THE CAPPELLACCI: Method: In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients together & mix until smooth.  Adjust the seasoning.  Roll out the pasta dough (skipping a "number" each time on the "pasta roller", until the dough is thin enough for the filling:  usually the last number on the pasta roller). Place a small amount of semolina flour onto the table so the pasta does not stick.  Lay out the pasta sheets & cut into two down the center of the pasta sheet. Brush off excess flour, with a brush coat lightly both sides of the pasta with an egg wash (egg mixed with water).  Place a small dollop of squash filling 1-inch away from each other until one of the pasta sheets is covered completely. Cut the pasta into squares with the dollop in the center.  Fold over into a triangel & cut the edges to equal out the pasta.  Squeeze the end together so it forms a "priest hat". FOR THE SAUCE: 2 T  Butter – unsalted 1/8 C  Walnuts – shelled 12  Sage leaves 1 C  Chicken broth - can substitute vegetable broth Method: In a large saut'e pan, heat the half of the butter with the walnuts & sage until the butter becomes lightly brown.  Add the chiciked broth & remaining butter & cook down by half.  Add the cooked Cappellacci to the sauce and add salt & pepper.  Toss & serve immediately. Read the Kudo. Click Here

By:  Chef Gabriel Caliendo 1 oz Butter 1 oz Sugar Pinch Salt Pinch Five Spice 1 Banana – Cut into 1 inch chunks 1 oz Banana liquor 1 Egg 1 T Cornstarch 1/2 C Half & Half 1 t Vanilla extract Graham Cracker Crust Whipped Cream Chocolate sauce or raspberry puree In a non-reactive pan heat butter, sugar, salt and five spice. Cook until the sugar is lightly caramelized. Add the banana and toss…(careful the sugar is very hot). Deglaze the pan with Crème de Banana….(careful of flare ups). Cook until reduced and syrup is formed. Remove from heat and cool down quickly. Whip eggs in a stainless steel bowl for one minute. Add cornstarch and half & half and cook over low heat until thickened. Once thickened remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Fold banana mix into custard mix and chill completely. Serve banana mix atop your favorite graham cracker crust with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and raspberry puree.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHILE CREME DE POTS Chef Doris Kwan for Z'Tejas Dessert Contest Serves 8 An Unbelievably rich and decadent dessert! 2 1/2 C heavy cream 11 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona), chopped 6 large egg yolks 1 t pure vanilla extract or paste 1/2 t salt 1/2 t ground cinnamon 2 t powdered red chile pepper Freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings for garnish 1. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream with the chocolate. Stir constantly until mixture is melted and smooth. Add the salt, vanilla and chile pepper and simmer for an additional minute. Set aside and cool slightly. 2. In a mixer, beat the egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 2 min. Slowly place the beaten egg yolks into the chocolate mixture stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Heat the entire mixture over a low heat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens up and coats the back of the spoon. 3. Pour into dessert ramekins or a wine glass. Serve immediately or dessert may be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Before serving, top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings. This dessert may be served warm or cold.