Dessert – Page 16 – Rosemary and the Goat

Migas Bark

Bark made from breadcrumbs?

Last weekend we were in Chicago visiting our son and daughter-in-law who live in Bucktown. They have such wonderful restaurants, and so many are within walking distance of their home. One night we went to this new little restaurant Mado. Their motto is Midwestern farmers, Mediterranean flavors. This restaurant is on one of the busiest streets in trendy Bucktown.

This restaurant is owned and operated by a husband and wife Allie and Rob Levitt, who met at culinary school. They have worked in some of Chicago’s best restaurants. The restaurant processes and cure all their own meats and serve almost all of it, I think. We had a tripe dish while there and my son had a dish that had tenderloin, heart, and belly. The restaurant’s menu changes daily so you never know what delicious things may be showing up on the menu.

The New York Times did a review on the restaurant and said, “don’t miss the migas bark” and that is what the waiter told us that night. We ordered that along with a cornmeal cake which I will be making later this week.

This is my attempt to recreate the migas bark we had that night.

This is a simple little bark but so good and crunchy you would not know you were eating chocolate and bread crumbs.

Tonight was our lady’s night out and we had sushi and came back to my house for pool floating time. That is always fun with a glass of wine and tonight my husband brought us out a chilled plate piled high with the chocolate migas bark. Yum!

Start with some very good chocolate. The better the chocolate, the better the bark will be. I used bittersweet because that was the remainder of my 10# block of chocolate I had in my pantry. Mado’s bark was a dark chocolate.

I stopped by Panera Bread on my way home yesterday and picked up this little sourdough bread bowl. Cute isn’t it. Makes me want to make some soup to put in it, but today it is going for a dunk in the chocolate.

Make bread crumbs with it, then toasted them in the oven until nice and crispy.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or set bowl over pot of boiling water and stir until melted.

Fold in the crumbs and spread on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.

Spread it very thin, the thinner the better.

Migas Bark

Ingredients

1 lb. very good dark chocolate
1 – 1 1/2 bread crumbs torn into pieces

Instructions

I didn’t measure anything but I would say I used about 1 lb. of chocolate and about 1/2 of that small loaf of bread. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water until melted and smooth. Put the bread into a food processor and process until you have coarse crumbs. I toasted my crumbs in a 175 degree oven about an hour or until they were nice and brown.
I processed the crumbs a little more if I still had some chunks. You do not want fine bread crumbs, just coarsely processed. Mix in the crumbs (use your judgement on how many to use). Pour this mixture out onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Chill in refrigerator until firm. Break up and put in container until ready to eat. Enjoy.

July 22, 2009 By Sherry

Appetizers/ Dessert/ Morning Foods

Coconut Banana Puffs

Sherry Sherry bo berry

Banana fana fo ferry

Fe fi mo merry

Sherry…..

The Name Game…………….. Boy do I ever keep dating myself.This song was really popular when I was a teenager. When I first thought of making these little banana puffs I thought of this song. Don’t know why this keeps happening, but I will go to make something for the blog and something pops in my head that reminds me of what I am about to make.

I think I am having Thurberish moments. James Thurber once said on writing, “I don’t believe the writer should know too much where he’s going. If he does, he runs into old man blueprint”. Hey, maybe that’s me trying to not get old. My mind wanders all over the place sometimes. Today, it’s wandering in the direction of making these Coconut Banana Puffs.

These delicious little puffs of coconut are just waiting to be gobbled up. I have made these for many showers and parties that I have catered over the years.

You can buy your creme fraiche but you will pay $4-$5 for it verses the cost of whipping cream and one tablespoon of buttermilk and it is better homemade.

Mise en place and ready to go. (Everything in place). Bananas ready to take their dive into the creme fraiche and then a roll in the coconut. I’m not sure if it is the acidity of the cream but these will stay fresh and not turn dark for several days.

Look at that creme fraiche. It is so easy to make, why buy it? If you have never made creme fraiche, it may take 24 hours, but it is really easy. You mix the whipping cream and buttermilk, cover, let set 24 hours and when you come back to it you have this wonderful cream that you can use on top of soups, entrees, desserts or dip your bananas in it like I am doing here.

And ready for a dive into the coconut.

Now, ready to be eaten.

Coconut Banana Puffs

2018-01-23 08:03:14

I've made these for "decades" now and still live the tartness of the creme fraiche and the bananas and coconut. Such a light little dessert.

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Creme Fraiche Ingredients

1- 8 oz. carton whipping cream
1 Tbsp. buttermilk
3-4 bananas, cut in 3/4-1″ pieces
Sweetened coconut

Instructions

Put the whipping cream and the buttermilk in a bowl, stir and cover loosely with either cheesecloth, napking or paper towel. Set this on the counter for 24 hours. When you come back to this, it will be nice and thick. Put in the refrigerador and chill, it can be stored for up to 2 weeks. After it has become nice and cold, you are ready to make the banana puffs.
Have everthing in place — a bowl of coconut*, bowl of creme fraiche, and banana pieces. Take one banana at a time, dunk it in the creme fraiche and using a knife take off any extra that may drip off. Now pop this in the bowl of coconut and roll to cover and set in container to be refrigerated when you are finished. That’s it! Enjoy.

Notes

*Tip — I put just a little coconut at a time in a bowl instead of the whole bag. If you do it this way, you won’t end up having big chumps of coconut that have gotten mushy from tossing the bananas.

Rosemary and the Goat https://rosemaryandthegoat.com/

July 16, 2009 By Sherry

Dessert/ Pies/Tarts

My First Summer Fruit Galette

First crush, first date, first kiss, first Summer Fruit galette!

Do you remember your first crush, your first date, your first kiss, your first born (& 2nd and 3rd)? I do, and I will remember my first Summer Fruit Galette.

These days I get a lot of my inspiration in cooking from my kids. They love to cook and try new recipes and since being “empty nesters” for the last several years, I have gotten into the habit of just throwing something together for dinner. Since starting this blog a month ago, I think I am getting some of my creative juices flowing again. So, today I have decided to try a Summer Fruit Galette.

For some reason the word “Galette” brings to mind a little French woman with a scarf on her head standing in her kitchen after a long hard day of doing chores. She wants to make something special for dessert tonight for her family. She won’t be making a lattice top crust or one of those crust with the cute little shapes cut out. No, she will be making this rustic free form tart full of fruit she has just picked from her garden. This will be a quick, easy dessert for her to throw together for her family.

So, this is my attempt to be that little lady, I don’t have scarf on my head, but I do have the desire to make this nice tart for my husband and friends who are coming to dinner tomorrow night. — Sherry

Cherry jam is sometimes hard to find but delicious.

Roll pastry out very thin.

Have all your fruit ready to put on the pastry.

Just fold and pleat the crust up, bringing it over the filling.

This was delicious the next day reheated. With or without whip cream – I served with sugar free ice cream. Had to cut calories someway.

My First Summer Fruit Galette

Ingredients

Crust:

2 c. all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
12 Tbsp. cold butter cut in 3/4″ chunks
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
7 Tbsp. ice water

Topping:

1 carton blackberries
1 carton raspberries
4 nectarines and peaches combination
2-4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1/3-1/2 c. cherry jam or your choice

Egg Wash:

1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
sugar for dusting crust.

Instructions

Crust: Put the flour, salt, sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times. Add in 1 tsp. vanilla and while you pulse as you go, add the chunks of butter one at a time. Pulse until you have small pea size pieces. Start adding the 7 tablespoons of water as you pulse. When this starts to come together, turn out onto pastry cloth or cutting board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Flour your board or cloth a little (don’t use too much flour) and also a little on your rolling pin. Roll the pastry to a 14″ circle. Move this onto your large cookie sheet. It can overlap the edges a little because you are going to be folding in the edge over the fruit. Topping: Peel, pit and slice the peaches and nectarines. Put the peaches, nectarines, blackberries, and raspberries in a bowl. Toss these with the sugar and flour until coated. Spread the cherry jam on the center of the crust, leaving about 1 1/2-2″ not covered with the jam around the outside edges. Arrange your fruit in the center coming to withing the same 1 1/2-2″ of outside edge. Now start folding in the crust over he fruit, pleating when necessary, all the way around the tart. Beat the egg with the water. Brush this mixture over the turned up crust edge and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in 350° for 30-40 minutes or until nicely browned.

July 14, 2009 By Sherry

Cake/ Dessert

Blackberry and Raspberry Upside Down Cake

What to do with those summer fresh blackberries and raspberries — make cake!

I remember back when my grandmother would make a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. She would use an old cast iron skillet. I believe this is the best way to make a pineapple upside down cake. The pan is nice and heavy and I think it helps to caramelize the brown sugar and the pineapple. I always wanted to be the one (I have a twin sister) who put the cherries in the center of the pineapple rings. I’m sure we took turns.

So, this is a different upside down cake and I didn’t use a case iron with this recipe. Instead I used a 9″ non-stick cake pan. Over the 4th when I was grocery shopping, (my favorite chore) I saw all these beautiful blackberries and raspberries and decided I needed to try this recipe I have had for seven years. A little flour, sugar, butter and berries and this wonderful cake appeared out of my oven, begging me to try a piece. I did and now I need to give it to a neighbor so I’m not finishing it off.

Isn’t it beautiful. A little powdered sugar or whipping cream and a grate or two of lemon zest and you have a great brunch dessert. This recipe called to double the parchment (I used waxed paper). I didn’t double it and now know I will the next time. The waxed paper got pretty limp and I think it definitely needs to have two layers. I usually cut a piece of waxed paper and put the pan on top and using scissors, draw around the bottom of the pan. Then cut out the circle and you will need for your pan.

July 7, 2009 By Sherry

Dessert/ Pastries

Nutella Cherry Dumplings

Life is like a bowl of cherries.

That was the title of a song sung by Ethel Merman in the movie Scandals in 1931. That is way, way before my time (a few years anyway). You have heard the expression give me lemons and I’ll make lemonade. Well, you give me Nutella and fresh cherries and I’m going to make these little Dumplings.

This is the perfect time of the year to buy fresh cherries. And if you don’t have a cherry pitter, you really need one. It makes pitting so much quicker. I love pitting cherries. Can’t tell you why I get pleasure out of that but, as the song says “live and laugh at it all”.

Cherries are one of my favorite fruits. I love cherry pie, cherry cobbler, cherry Kool Aid and even Luden’s Cherry Cough Drops. I use to love cherry Tootsie Roll Pops when I was a kid. Couldn’t wait to get to that chocolatety center. (Hum, maybe that is why I like these little dumplings so much.)

These are so simple to make and only take a few minutes of frying and a dust of powdered sugar. I tried making one just by folding it over in a half circle but it wasn’t as pretty. I’m going to freezing these before they are fried to see how they do once they are thawed and fried. — Sherry

Nutella Cherry Dumplings

Ingredients

1 jar of Nutella
Fresh Cherries pitted
Gyoza Wrappers or wonton wrappers
Powdered Sugar for dusting
Oil for deep frying

Instructions

Take the Gyoza wrapper or won ton wrapper and lay several out on your cutting board. Put about 1- 1 1/2 tsp. of the Nutella in the center and add about 1 1/2 chopped cherries to the center of the Nutella. If you are using the Gyoza wrapper they are round. Moisten the outer edge with a little water. Pull two sides up to meet and seal, now pull the other two sides up and press to make the little rectangular pouches. After you have several made, heat your oil to 350°. Fry the dumplings until golden brown and then drain on cooling rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. These would be great with a bowl of cherry or chocolate ice cream.

July 5, 2009 By Sherry

Dessert/ Desserts

Mandarin Orange Napoleons

What about those wrinkled little oranges? I don’t think they get enough respect. You can buy them for around 50 cents a can. Not as expensive or tropical sounding as tamarind, guava, star, passion, or dragon fruit, but they are oh so good. Those tiny little segments of citrus that burst in your mouth can be used in salads, wonderful in main dishes and in all kinds of desserts. It is hard to stop eating them once you take the lid off the can. I’m guilty of eating a whole can by myself.

What is a Mandarin orange? It comes from a small citrus tree resembling the orange tree and is just one variety of the orange family. The fruit is oblate in shape, not round like the orange. I have never bought or even seen a fresh Mandarin orange. Although tangerines are similar, they are not Mandarin oranges. They are a variety of the Mandarin orange tree. Mandarin oranges are easily peeled with the fingers.

Not to sound like Forrest Gump, but I have made Mandarin Orange Chicken Bites, Mandarin Orange Cake, Mandarin Orange Napoleons, Mandarin Orange Chicken and Rice Salad. I have put them in Tropical Mandarin Pork Kabobs, a 24 hour fruit salad, a Cashew Chicken salad with Mandarin Oranges and even topped a tea sandwich with a Mandarin Orange. It is a pretty versatile little fruit.

June 30, 2009 By Sherry

Cookies/Bars/ Dessert

White Chocolate Raspberry Bars

What could be better than white chocolate and raspberry?

These little bars are so wonderful. My daughter gave me this recipe a few years ago. They freeze beautifully. Just remember to cut them in very small pieces because they are so rich.

When I catered, I used this recipe often for parties because the bars could be cut in 1″ squares and be just the right size for a bite of sweet at the end of a cocktail party.

BLAST TO THE FUTURE: As this blog developed I started doing blast to the past recipe of some of my favorites. I recently had to start using a different recipe card for the blog and started putting some of the older recipes into a better format. So this is a blast to a future Frozen Fruit with Hot White Chocolate Sauce that is so good you won’t believe you haven’t tried it before.

White Chocolate Raspberry Bars

2016-09-23 00:43:55

Delicious and rich flavors of white chocolate and raspberry.

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Ingredients

1 cup butter
4 cups vanilla chips
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup Raspberry Preserves
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove and add 2 cups of the vanilla chips. Let stand. Do not stir.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at high speed, until lemon colored. Stir in vanilla chip mixture. Add flour, salt and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until just combined.
Spread 1/2 of batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Stir in remaining 2 cups of chips into remaining batter and set aside.
Melt raspberry jam in a saucepan and spread evenly over cooked batter. Gently spoon remaining batter over fruit. sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely and cut into 1 x 1 squares.

Rosemary and the Goat https://rosemaryandthegoat.com/

June 6, 2009 By Sherry

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