Heart Bonbons with White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream

Since the start of the New Year I've been on a pretty mean health kick. My body needed a break from all the holiday sweets so I've been eating lean and green and sweating it out in the gym nearly every day. Not too shabby, right? But with Valentine's Day around the corner that's kind of gone out the window because I've had a bad case of chocolate brain the last couple of days. I'm not even all that crazy about chocolate, but yesterday I somehow found myself in the candy aisle at Target holding two giant bags of the stuff (Dove Hearts and Hershey Kisses, thank you), completely unable to resist the pretty pink and red foil wrapped beauties. Once I got home I experienced some serious buyer's remorse and sent the majority of them packing off to John's office and safe from my clutches...

Naturally I just had to make something heart shaped and pretty and chocolatey myself. It's been quite awhile since I've broken out my ice cream maker, I kind of missed it. So I thought:

ice cream+chocolate+hearts=  Heart Shaped Chocolate Bon Bons!

I made these over the course of two days: the white chocolate raspberry swirl ice cream and the raspberry sauce were prepared the night before to ensure proper freezing, and I melted the chocolate and assembled the bonbons the following morning. It got a little messy, I'm not going to lie. But what do you expect when dealing with dipping things in melted chocolate? I'm not kidding when I say that this recipe is a true labor of love...the steps definitely require some patience, but that's what makes it all the more fitting as a special Valentine's Day treat for your loved ones.

makes about 18 bon bons
Ingredients
for the raspberry sauce:
1 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. water

for the white chocolate raspberry swirl  ice cream:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
4 oz. white chocolate
1/4 cup raspberry sauce

for the chocolate shell:
12 ounces dark chocolate chips
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. heavy cream

Special Equipment: heart shaped candy molds (or silicone ice cube trays, which is what I used)

Instructions
1. To make the raspberry coulis, bring raspberries, sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sugar has dissolved, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool and transfer to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth, then pass through a mesh strainer pressing with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible Discard seeds and set sauce aside for later use.

2. To make the ice cream heat the milk in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles begin to appear around the edges of the pan. Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a separate bowl until mixture turns thick and pale yellow. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg yolks, continuing to whisk, then place the entire mixture back into the saucepan. Simmer over medium low heat, stirring constantly until custard thickens and temperature reaches about 170 degrees.

3. Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot custard through a mesh strainer over the white chocolate chips. Let stand for a few minutes, then stir until the white chocolate has completely melted. Add vanilla extract and place over an ice bath to chill the custard to room temperature. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

4. When the ice cream has frozen transfer it to an airtight container, layering the scoops with spoonfuls of the raspberry sauce and swirling it throughout the ice cream. Fill candy molds or ice cream trays with ice cream, cover and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

5. To assemble the bonbons, melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from pan, stir in butter and heavy cream and let sit for about 20 minutes, until chocolate is cool but still melted. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and place in the freezer.

 6. Working quickly, remove one heart shaped mound of ice cream from the mold, (leaving the others in the freezer) and dip it into the melted chocolate, using a spoon or your fingers to quickly coat the ice cream in the chocolate. Transfer to the baking sheet in the freezer. Repeat this process until all the bonbons have been dipped in chocolate, then freeze for at least 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm. If the chocolate begins to harden simply reheat and allow to cool slightly once more before continuing. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

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Profiteroles

I'm going to tell you a little secret. When it comes to my weekly meal delivery service, sometimes I will offer certain dishes on my rotating menu with the hidden agenda of making a little extra for myself, because it's something I'm personally craving. Is that bad? I don't think so.

As a personal chef I take pride in offering food that I would (and do) eat myself, because I don't really see the integrity in doing it any other way...I enjoy being able to present food to my clients that I am excited about, and I love being able to say with absolute confidence, "It's so delicious! When you're finished you're going to wish you had more!" And how would I be able to say that if I hadn't tried it?

Most of the time the food I'm excited about is colorful and vibrant; chock full of fresh, seasonal produce and energizing nutrients to fuel the body. But I'm only human, you see, prone to temptation just like everyone else. And sometimes what I want is a sugary, creamy, chocolatey dessert that's not even slightly good for you in the least bit.

Enter profiteroles, a classic French pastry made out of a dough known as choux which is hollow on the inside (and light as a cloud), filled with vanilla bean pastry cream and topped with rich chocolate ganache. Sinful, yes, but dainty enough to enjoy one or two without inducing too much guilt. I shipped most of these beauties off to clients, but kept a few for myself to take home, photograph and then promptly devour over the kitchen sink. Not so dainty of me, I know.

makes about 12 profiteroles
Ingredients
for the choux pastry:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup water
2 eggs, beaten, plus 1 egg, beaten separately (for egg wash)

for the vanilla pastry cream:
1 cup whole milk
2 tbsp. sugar, plus 1 tbsp. sugar
1 egg yolk
1 egg
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. butter
1 vanilla bean pod, split and seeds removed

for the chocolate ganache:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. butter

Instructions
1. Make the pastry cream. In a heavy saucepan, stir together the milk and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, being careful not to scald. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Whisk together the egg yolk and egg in a bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of sugar and cornstarch, whisking until smooth. Gradually add milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and add vanilla beans and pod. Cook over low heat, stirring often until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Take care not to let the eggs curdle. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, mixing until the butter is completely blended in. Remove vanilla pod, transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
4. Make the choux. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and set aside.
 5. Add the butter and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and, with a wooden spoon or spatula, quickly add the flour mixture. Return to heat and stir constantly until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the pan- this should only take about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. Transfer the dough to an electric mixer and beat on low speed for a couple of minutes to release the steam from the dough. Add the 2 beaten eggs and continue to mix until the dough is smooth and shiny.
7. Spoon or pipe 12 mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, spaced a couple of inches apart. Smooth the top of each mound by lightly tapping with a wet fingertip. Gently brush the remaining beaten egg  on the tops of the dough with a pastry brush.
8.  Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until the shells are golden. Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly for about 10 minutes to let the shells dry out a bit more. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Make the chocolate ganache. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized heat proof bowl and set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
10. To assemble the profiteroles, slice the tops off of each pastry shell, fill with pastry cream and replace the top. Drizzle with warm chocolate ganache. Serve immediately.

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Pumpkin Pie Truffles

Happy Halloween everyone! In honor of this candy-crazed holiday I present to you a sweet treat that's not only appropriate for Halloween but would also be wonderful to serve at Thanksgiving, which is scarily sneaking up on us...

How adorable would these pumpkin pie truffles look at the dessert table?

I love making truffles because you can pack a whole bunch of flavor into a tiny bite-sized treat. Perfect if you are watching your waistline and don't want to indulge in a whole slice (or 3) of pie, but still want to satisfy that sweet tooth. These truffles contain all the pumpkin pie goodness your heart desires in one little bite- the creamy pumpkin filling, the warm Fall spices, even the graham crackers! They're all in there, enrobed in a decadent coating of chocolate. Mmmmm...

makes about 18 truffles

Ingredients

1/2 cup white chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs, plus 1 tbsp

1 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 tbsp powdered sugar

6 oz chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Melt white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 45 seconds, then in 15 second intervals, until completely melted.

2. In a food processor, combine white chocolate, pumpkin puree, 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs, cream cheese and powdered sugar. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill mixture for at least 2 hours.

3. Roll the chilled mixture into 1 inch balls, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes.

4. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. When chocolate has melted, dip truffles into chocolate using a fork or toothpicks and return to baking sheet. Immediately garnish with reserved graham cracker crumbs and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

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Peppermint Bark Cookies

Chocolate and peppermint go hand in hand this time of year (hello peppermint mocha!), and the combination is always present in some form during my yearly holiday baking extravaganza. So when I came across these lovely cookies in the Williams-Sonoma holiday catalog and balked at the price tag ($23 for a mere dozen), I set out to create a homemade version. I scoured the web to find a chocolate wafer cookie recipe and stumbled upon the perfect one from Smitten Kitchen, a blog I have known to be a reliable recipe source for years. After that it was just a matter of melting the chocolate, crushing the candy canes, a little dip here and a sprinkle there, and voila! Better than store-bought, positively jolly peppermint bark cookies. And the icing on the cake (or cookie, in this case): by making these yourself at home, you'll end up with four times as many cookies for a fraction of the cost. What are your favorite treats to bake during the holidays?

makes about 40 cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and slightly softened
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups white chocolate chips
4 tbsp vegetable shortening
1 tbsp peppermint extract
3 candy canes, crushed

Instructions
1. Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of food processor and pulse several times to mix thoroughly. Add butter, milk and vanilla and continue to pulse until dough begins to clump. Transfer dough to a large bowl or a cutting board and knead a few times until evenly blended.
2. Form the dough into a log about 14 inches long and 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the log of dough into 1/4-inch thick slices and place them one inch apart on the lined sheets (cookies will spread).
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, then remove from oven and cool cookies completely, first on baking sheets and then on cooling racks.
5. Melt the chocolate and shortening in a double boiler or heatproof glass bowl set over a heavy saucepan filled with simmering water, taking care not to let the bowl touch the water. Stir occasionally with a spatula and remove from heat as soon as chocolate has reaches a smooth consistency. Stir in peppermint extract.
6. Dip each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate, coating completely. Set on a sheet of parchment paper and immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Allow chocolate to harden at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

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White Chocolate Meyer Lemon Truffles

With the holidays in our midst I thought I would share a fun, festive recipe for these White Chocolate Meyer Lemon Truffles. I was inspired to make them after spending some time recently with my friend Jessica Foster, owner of Jessica Foster Confections here in Santa Barbara. Her truffles are incredible, and the Meyer Lemon is among my favorite flavors that she makes, so I decided to give them a go. She covers all of her truffles with a divine chocolate ganache coating, but I left my version bare- save for a light sugar coating- because they remind me of tiny snowballs! These would make amazing homemade gifts for friends, family and co-workers, which is exactly what prompted me to make them. Stay tuned for more holiday themed posts!

makes about 30 truffles
Ingredients
9 oz. good quality white chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
zest of one meyer lemon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
pinch of salt
3 tsp. lemon juice
superfine sugar, for dusting

Instructions
1. Finely chop the white chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
2. Add lemon zest to cream in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer, taking care not to boil. Remove from heat.
3. Add butter and salt to white chocolate, then pour hot cream mixture into bowl. Melt over a saucepan with simmering water until smooth (do not allow water to touch glass bowl). Add lemon juice and stir to combine. Chill mixture for at least 4 hours.
4. Using a teaspoon or a small cookie scoop portion out 1 inch balls of ganache mixture. Roll in your hands to form a ball (quickly, as it will begin to melt from the heat of your hands).
6. Immediately sprinkle each truffle with the sanding sugar and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
7. Allow to set for at least 5 minutes before serving (will keep for up to two weeks when stored in an airtight container).

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