Dark Chocolate Mousse

Recipe by Ellie Krieger

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Yield: 5 servings (serving size 1/2 cup of mousse, 1 tablespoon
whipped cream and 1/4 teaspoon shaved chocolate)

Ingredients

  • 1 (12.3-ounce) package silken tofu, drained
  • 3 ounces high quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon brandy
  • ½ cup plus ½ teaspoon superfine sugar
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons shaved chocolate

Directions

  1. In a blender or food processor, puree the tofu until it is smooth.
  2. Put the chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, ¼ cup water and brandy in a
    saucepan or heat-proof bowl fitted over a pot containing 1-inch barely
    simmering water.
  3. Stir frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Mix in ½ cup of sugar, a little at a time, until smooth.
  4. Add the chocolate mixture to the tofu and puree until smooth and well
    blended. Spoon the mousse into serving dishes, cover and refrigerate
    for at least 1 hour.
  5. Whip the cream with a beater. When the cream is almost completely
    whipped, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and finish whipping.
  6. Top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of
    chocolate shavings and serve.

Applebee’s (Style) Chimicheesecake

Ingredients:
10 to 12 (6 1/2-inch) flour tortillas
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (20 ounce) can cooked apples, very well drained
1/2 cup almond toffee bits
Cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons ground
cinnamon, mixed well)
Vanilla ice cream
Caramel topping

Preparation:
Beat cream cheese until fluffy; add sugar and eggs, then beat again. Add vanilla extract and mix well. Fold toffee bits and apple pieces in cheese mixture. On tortilla place a serving in the middle, about 2 1/2 inches from the side of shell. Tuck sides in slightly and roll shell to seal the filling and hold in the cream cheese. When shells have been stuffed and rolled, place in refrigerator; chill to set filling.

In deep fryer heat vegetable oil. When ready, place chimicheesecake and fry until slightly golden while carefully turning on each side. Remove from oil and drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place chimicheesecake on cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and liberally sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Serve cheesecakes slightly warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel topping.

Grilled sugar bananas with cinnamon, rum, and lime ice cream

Grill pan cooking, Elsa petersen-schlepelern

6 small bananas (i.e. sugar bananas, lady fingers, apple bananas) or 4 regular bananas, unpealed, and halved lengthwise
honey for brushing

ice cream:
1 quart whole milk
1 1/3 c sugar
grated zest of 2 limes
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
1/4 c dark rum
2 egg whites (optional)

to make the ice cream, put the milk, sugar, zest, and cinnamon stick into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring. Boil for 2 minutes then remove from heat and cool (I cooled over an ice bath). Stir in the rum. Churn in ice cream maker or freeze in a plastic container. If the latter, when frozen, beat with a stick blender until thick and creamy. If using egg whites, beat them to a froth, and then blend into mixture.

Freeze the ice cream for up to a week.

To grill the bananas, brush the cut sides with honey, and put, cut side down, on a pre-heated grill or grill pan. Cook for about 5 minutees. Turn over and cook until flesh (poked with fork) is hot and creamy.

To serve, arrange banana halves, cut side up. Add ice cream and sprinkle with grated lime zest and cinnamon.