I have taken a break from baking because I have been forced to cut back on sweets for health reasons. What a bummer! But I wanted to do some blogging this week, particularly with folks looking for dessert ideas for Valentine's Day. Since many people consume chocolate for the holiday, I decided to start off with a chocolate torte.
I am trying to sneak in some healthier recipes, where I can, because I am becoming more conscious about what sugar and refined foods do to our bodies. So I am not planning to annoy you with why you should not eat sweets with every post just because I can't eat any...after all, this IS a dessert blog. But, why not be informed? And why not attempt to eat healthier when you can? So this recipe made the cut because it is flourless.
The reason you hear so many people talk about "no sugar, no flour" diets is because refined flours have been milled so much that nearly all of the nutritional value has been lost. They are very fine in texture and enter the blood stream as rapidly as refined sugars, causing spikes and drops in energy levels. Refined flours include white flour as well as products created with white flour, such as cookies, cakes, pastries...uhmmmm, practically everything on the blog! Lol. So, this is a healthier dessert option.
I am watching one of my favorite movies, National Lampoon's Vacation, while the smell of chocolate and almonds is wafting through the house...This is pure torture!
Chocolate Almond Torte (adapted from Bon Appetit)
1 1/2 c blanched slivered almonds
1 c sugar
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 large eggs, separated
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter 10-inch springform pan. Combine almonds and 1/3 cup sugar in processor. Blend until almonds are very finely ground. Transfer almond mixture to medium bowl. Add chocolate and 1/3 cup sugar to processor. Blend until chocolate is finely ground, about 45 seconds; stir into almond mixture. Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl for about 5 minutes. Beat in extracts and orange peel. Fold in chocolate-almond mixture, then butter.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl until stiff. Fold whites into chocolate batter in three additions. Transfer batter to springform pan.
Bake torte for about 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cut around pan sides to loosen; release sides. Serve with fresh fruit or whipped topping.
Grand Marnier Whipped Cream
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp Grand Marnier
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer or hand-held mixer, beat all ingredients until soft peaks form.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Virtually Everything Sweet, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
Christmas Eve was a really busy day. I love this part of the holidays...the doorbell was ringing all morning, Christmas music was playing in the background, and I was able to visit with friends that I only get to see once or twice a year. As Diana Krall sang Christmas Time is Here, I reflected on 2010 and savored moments like these, spent with friends and family.
After finishing all of my holiday baking, I was craving a cookie to have with the chocolate sorbet I was testing out for New Year's Eve. I have been trying to find a cookie, other than a shortbread, to scoop my ice cream out with. It needed to be thin, crunchy and packed with flavor. These lace cookies fit the bill.
Lace cookies only have a few simple ingredients but they taste and look like it took hours to make. As you are preparing them for baking, you'll think perhaps they will not turn out properly because they start out as just a blob on the cookie sheet. They don't have any form, like your typical cookie dough. But when they are done, the finished product is nothing short of perfection.
This is not something you should try if you are in a hurry. They are very delicate but can be shaped any way you like, if you move quickly and carefully enough. They will harden quickly so you can only bake 3-5 at a time. You can place them over a rolling pin and they'll look like a Pringles potato chip. You can roll them around a wooden spoon and have a cylinder. Or you can shape them around a metal cone to have a mini cookie cone. But no matter how they are shaped, they taste like pure heaven.
They'll put you in the mind of a waffle cone or perhaps a fortune cookie. Other than me burning the crap out of my fingers each time I shaped them, I would say these might rank as one of my Top 5 cookies.
Orange Lace Cookies
1 stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and set aside. Whisk flour and sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the orange juice and zest. Combine the juice mixture with the dry ingredients. Incorporate the butter and blend until fully combined. Refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour batter into a pastry bag and pipe cookies onto Silpat at least 3 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Be careful not to over bake.
Allow cookies to cool for approximately 60 seconds before attempting to move them. Using a spatula, carefully remove the cookies from the Silpat and shape them by molding them around a rolling pin or similar object. Once cooled, store them in airtight container for up to 3 days.
Almond Lace Cookies (Recipe from Martha Stewart Living)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon orange liqueur
3/4 cup almonds, ground
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, cream, and liqueur. When butter has melted, stir in remaining ingredients with a wooden spoon. Cook until bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With a spoon, place cookies onto Silpat at least 3 inches apart. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown. Be careful not to over bake.
Allow cookies to cool for approximately 90 seconds before attempting to move them. Using a spatula, carefully remove the cookies from the Silpat and shape them by molding them around a rolling pin or similar object. Once cooled, store them in airtight container for up to 3 days.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Virtually Everything Sweet, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
