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Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Stuffed Jalapenos- Ole!

May5

Jalapenos and peanut butter….jalapenos and peanut butter.  Something I could not get out of my head since about 2 years ago when a friend requested I bring some to a meeting we would both be attending.  The friend claims to be from Mexico, and claims that jalepenos and peanut butter are a delicacy when you hit the roads south of the border. Jalapenos and peanut butter….  2 years later, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo…I had to try them. 

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Stuffed Jalapenos

Sir Wes has a nice little jalapeno pepper plant growing in the backyard, which I helped myself to.  After washing them I carefully split them length wise, not cutting the top part.  I swirled my paring knife around a bit and then I gently tapped out the seeds. 

Dessert from the backyard!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup confectioner sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 small jalapenos, seed and inner flesh removed
  • White and dark chocolate coins

Method

Blend the peanut butter, sugar and salt together until smooth.  Carefully fill each jalapeno and wipe any excess peanut butter.  Melt chocolate in a double boiler as directed by the package instructions.  Gently dip the filled jalapeno into the melted chocolate and place on parchment paper until the chocolate coating is set.  Refrigerate up to a week.

Sweet and Spicy!

The jury is still out on jalapenos and peanut butter, but all have agreed they are not for the meek! 

Who is willing??

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Ole!!

Blue Cheese Truffles

Feb12

I am a curious chef- I often wonder …Can this work? …Will this taste good?  What if…?  Streeeeeetch the imagination…..!  That’s how good, better, and finally best comes around.   I saw Blue Cheese Truffles on a chocolatier’s website a few weeks ago and have not been able to let go.  Hmmm…sounds good… sounds gross…maybe…eh..

Blue Cheese Truffles

 

One bite and I was convinced.  Blue Cheese Truffles are undoubtedly delicious.   Forget Vosges. 

Blue Cheese- Most people love it or hate it!

 

Ingredients

Blue Cheese Truffle Mise en Place

 

Filling

  • 2 ounces blue cheese, softened
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 ounces dark chocolate
  • 1 teaspoon almonds, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried cherries, finely chopped

Coating

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate

I added dried cherries and almonds, but you can skip them if you want, or you can substitute with bacon.

Method

Bring cheese to room temperature; it should be soft enough to blend with a fork.  You can microwave it for a few seconds if necessary.  Add in the sugar and blend well.  Add chopped almonds and cherries.  Melt 2 ounces of chocolate in a double boiler and blend into the cheese mixture.  Refrigerate until mixture is firm.  Scoop into teaspoon size balls and place in refrigerator until ready to dip.

Blue Cheese Truffle Filling

Melt remaining chocolate in double boiler.  Dip balls in chocolate and allow excess chocolate to drip off.  Place truffles on parchment paper and let the chocolate set. 

Dipped Blue Cheese Truffles

 

They are best served the same or next day.  They do need to be refrigerated if serving the next day, but bring to room temperature before serving.

Blue Cheese Truffles- Take a chance!

 

This recipe makes about 10 truffles, delicious truffles…

Blue Cheese Truffles

 

Enjoy!  And encourage your friends and family to step out of their comfort zone- this is where the best surprises are discovered!

Benne Wafers- A Charleston Treasure!

Dec18

On the 7th Day of Christmas Cookies I pretended to be back in my favorite place in the world, Charleston, SC.  I spent about 5 years there while I was going to the College of Charleston and now my parents reside there.  There truly is no place like home!  And when home is Charleston you are one of the luckiest- Especially if you are a food lover!   The Low Country is packed with history and tradition, creativity and inspiration.  Chefs today redefine the Charleston classics while pushing the envelope in the culinary world- a chef’s playground! 

Benne Wafers

Among other treasures you can find in Charleston are these famous treats- Benne Wafers.   They are light and crisp, native to the Low Country.  It is said that sesame plant was first grown in Africa, and that the West Africans, as slaves, brought it to this country in the 17th and 18th centuries, calling sesame “benne”.   Legend has it that eating sesame seeds brings good luck.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup melted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Racks and Racks of Benne Wafers

Method:

Blend butter and sugar together until creamy. Add vanilla and egg; beat until light and fluffy. Mix in sesame seeds, flour, baking powder, and salt. Drop by half teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets, allowing enough room for spreading. Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes. Remove from pans immediately.

 Makes 5 dozen cookies.

One of Charleston's Best Treats!

 Happy Eats!

Salted Caramel Candies

Dec14

On The Third Day of Christmas Cookies… I found the Sea Salt!

Melt in your mouth perfect!

This is a recipe from the Ritz Carlton in Amelia Island, straight from the Bakery.  There is an amazing restaurant, Salt, at the resort, which Sir Wes and I love to indulge at for our anniversary.  On the last trip to Amelia, we discovered these indescribably, ridiculous, caramels, made from the restaurants specialty sea salt collection.  They are amazing! 

I followed the exact recipe from the Ritz Carlton kitchen-

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1.7 pounds       Unsalted Butter
  • 2 cups               Heavy Cream
  • 1 Tbsp              Fleur Del Sel (salt)
  • ½ cup               Glucose Syrup
  • 5 cups               Sugar, Granulated 
  •                           Water

 PREPARATION:

  • In medium sauce pan, heat butter, heavy cream, and fleur del sel salt until mixture starts to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • In large pot, place the sugar and glucose, add enough water to the sugars so when mixed, the sugars resemble wet sand. Using a pastry brush, wash the sides of the pot with water so that there is no sugar on the sides (otherwise your sugar will crystallize).
  • Cook the sugar on high with a lid. Remove the lid once the sugars have dissolved and the mixture is bubbling.
  • When the sugar reaches a light amber color, slowly pour the cream mixture on top of the sugar. Pour about a third of the cream and then whisk, repeating until you have used all the cream. CAUTION! The mixture will bubble up and release lots of steam.
  • Place your thermometer into the sugar. Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches 125 Celsius. Occasionally whisk the sugar while the temperature is rising. Have your silpat-lined tray ready on a heat resistance surface.
  • Once the caramel reaches 125 Celsius, pour onto the silpat covered tray. Be careful as sugar is extremely hot. Let set for 4 hours.
  • Run knife around the sides of pan and flip caramel onto cutting board.
  • Sprinkle with extra fleur del sel salt, cut into pieces and enjoy!

    Just the right amount of salty and sweet!

 

Notes:

Glucose Syrup may be purchased in most craft stores (i.e. Michaels) in the cake decorating or candy sections. It is extremely sticky. The best way to measure it is by using a glove. Fleur Del Sel salt is available in our “Salt Shop” at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and may be found in an upscale grocery store.

You’ll need a silpat (silicone non-stick baking mat available at Williams Sonoma) to line the tray you pour the caramel. Use a candy thermometer or digital thermometer to read temperatures up to 125 Celsius.

Salted Caramel Candies

 Salted Caramels….I don’t think I can ever go back to Caramel Squares- Sorry Kraft!