When it comes to baking, this is a simple, yet completely satisfying sweet treat--a peach blueberry galette. To many, this is less complicated, and less time than baking a pie. Galette is a general French term used to designate different types of round and flat crusty cakes. Its more of a free form pastry. You can use any fruit combo you wish--plums, raspberries, cherries whatever you like. Go for what's in season--buying fresh, ripe fruit will make all the difference imparting a more intense flavor. Serve this warm with a dollop of creme fraiche or whipped cream, and your favorite tea or coffee to give you energy for the next course.Yummy!




peach blueberry galette

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
6 tbsp vegetable shortening, chilled
3 tbsp ice water

3 peaches, cut in 1/4 inch wedges
about 1/4 cup sugar--use more or less depending on how sweet the fruit is
1/2 pint of blueberries
1 egg yolk
2 tsp heavy cream
sliced almonds

In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter and pulse just to coat pieces with flour. Add shortening and do the same, pulsing to cover with flour - you will wind up with "pea-size" pieces of shortening. Transfer dough to a bowl. Gradually add ice cold water, tossing with a fork to moisten. Briefly and gentely knead dough to form a ball. Set aside

Place sliced peaches in a bowl and add 2 tbsp of sugar and toss.  In a separate bowl, add blueberries and 1 tbsp of sugar.

Preheat oven to 425 F. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough to a 12" circle about 1/8" thick. Gently lift and place this onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment.

Starting about 1 1/2 inches from the edge, place peach slices in two circles. Add blueberries to the center and add a few over the galette decoratively.

Fold over the edge of the dough, overlapping the fruit. Sprinkle a small handful of sliced almonds over the fruit. You can also use glazed pecans. Next, whisk together the egg yolk and cream and brush this mixture over the rim of the galette. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the galette and the rim.

Bake until browned, about 20 - 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Loosen the edges and center with a spatula. Lift the parchment to a cooling rack and carefully slide off onto the cooling rack or platter. Serve warm with a dollop of cream.

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This salacious recipe was sent to Seduction Meals by John of Amherst, MA. Get ready for an overwhelming sensation of pure pleasure. "Chocolat Pot de Creme is pure seduction. It's best eaten warm when it is silky and flows over your tongue--the deep taste of chocolate taken in your mouth in the form of soft, silky waves. The seduction is so deep you must take it slowly. Pot de Creme are closest to heavenly when eaten warm and served with a dollop of whip cream"


chocolat pot de creme
makes 6 to 8 Pot de Creme cups...you know you'll want more than one!

2 cups light cream

1/8 cup sugar

4 oz. semi sweet chocolate

6 yolks

1/4 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

These are best made in proper Pot de Creme containers with lids. If other types of ramekins are used they must be covered tightly with tin foil. The surface of the custard must never be exposed throughout the bake.

Directions

• Place 6 yolks in bowl
• Place 1 1/2 cups light cream, pinch of salt and sugar in a heavy bottom sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
• Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a second heavy bottom pan place chocolate and 1/2 cup cream over low heat. Warm just to melt chocolate until the mixture is smooth. Add vanilla. Note: Avoid excessive heat. Do not cook chocolate. If you prefer, you can melt chocolate in a ban marie instead.
• Slowly add cream/sugar mixture to chocolate, lightly stir to maintain a even texture.
• Whisk a small amount of the hot chocolate mixture into the yolks. Add the yolk mixture back into the chocolate and stir over low heat until slightly thicker. Stir constantly.
• Strain chocolate mixture using a medium mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup with a lip. Carefully pour into Pot de Creme containers (with lids) or foil covered ramekins. fill about 3/4 of the  way full, making sure chocolate is not touching the surface of the lid or aluminum foil when covered.
  

• Bake in a water bath at 300 degrees until the custard is still very "jiggly" on top. Plus/Minus 30 minutes. It's VERY important to remove the custard from the oven when the surface is still quite loose.
• Cooking time varies with size of containers and individual ovens. Do not over cook. It will continue to cook after removed from oven as well as set as they cool.
• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top

When baking you need to keep checking the consistency of the custard by removing the lids with tongs and tapping the side of the containers. The Pots de Creme is done when it has a loose jiggle. The whole idea with this dessert is to have it be really silky. You want it to be just thick enough to sit on a the spoon when you are eating it. The longer you bake it the harder the final product will be. the aim is a chocolat pot de creme that is silky, smooth and melts on your tongue. MMmmm!

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Strawberries and cream--you can't go wrong with that combo. Add a little Port, Brandy and Cointreau and you have one simple dessert that is sure to please. This weekend we are going to enjoy a picnic in the country and this is the dessert that will end our casual lunch. Easy to prepare and easy to travel, Strawberries in Good Spirits, as I like to call this recipe, is always a hit. While I prefer to make homemade whipped cream, see recipe below, in this case for ease of travel, I'll pick up a can of whipped cream. Our picnic will consist of some cheese--a wedge of Manchego and a slice of Tomme de Savoie, a loaf of French bread, mixed olives, duck mousse pate, a sliced pear and a bottle of wine. For the finale... the colorful, sweet strawberries.

Strawberry in Good Spirits
Serves 2

2 cups of strawberries, stems removed, sliced
2 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp Port
2 tbsp Cointreau
2 tbsp Brandy

1 cup cream, whipped
1 tsp Cointreau
1 tsp sugar
If you are traveling it may be easier to buy a can of whipped cream

Slice strawberries and toss with powdered sugar. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Blend Port, Cointreau and Brandy and pour over chilled strawberries. Next add 1 tsp Cointeau and 1 tsp of sugar to the cream and whip. Place the berries in individual dishes and top with whipped cream.

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Bored of enjoying your chocolate in a simple cookie, cake or confection? Let's get creative...make your own chocolate body paint (sweet or spicy to match your mood). Choose your canvas, lift your brush, and paint away.

For inspiration check out Hotel Chocolat, a British owned luxury chocolate manufacturer. The site offers a wide range of premium quality chocolates perfect for gifts or pure self indulgence. Here you will find gourmet cooking products, specialty chocolate gifts, and recipes. I couldn't resist sharing the recipe for chocolate body paint when I read...  "A luscious, chocolaty concoction that will bring out your inner Picasso - what you choose to paint is entirely up to you..."  

Chocolate Body Paint
Ingredients
3.5oz Classic Liquid Chocolat
2oz Unsalted butter
2tbsp Water

Microwave
Mix all of the ingredients together in a microwaveable bowl, heat on full power for 1 minute. Stir and blast for another 30 seconds or until fully melted.

Stove Top
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Gently heat the bowl over a pan of boiling water (double-boiler), stirring occasionally until the chocolate has fully melted.

Leave to cool. Collect your painting utensils and subject - then paint onto a suitable canvas. Add a bottle of champagne, so you can sip little delicate bubbles as you review your canvas and contemplate your next stroke. Picasso never had it so good. Well...OK, I take that back.

Have a canvas, but no time to cook?

You can buy a Chocolate Dipping Adventure.  With the crunch of toasted crostini, the succulence of cherries, the yielding softness of marshmallow... all laden with soft, melting chocolate. Simply heat the chocolate and throw yourself into a seriously satisfying chocolate adventure.

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As a finale to my Seduction Meal I wanted something sweet, seductive and sensational when I hit upon the idea of Tiramisu; a delightful dessert with a blend of luscious sensations...mocha, cream, rum, coffee, and of course, the delicate tease of the lady fingers--mmmm! This dessert certainly fit the bill.


So I set about with my online search for the right recipe. After a few minutes, I came across a site called Heavenly Tiramisu which is filled with everything you every wanted to know about Tiramisu. The history of the dessert, restaurants are rated on tiramisu served across the country, and there is a very good collection of Tiramisu recipes featuring three types: Basic Tiramisu, Tiramisu Varieties, and Healthy Tiramisu (...is there such a thing?). Who ever put this site together is one BIG Tiramisu fan! Here's a line from the site that caught my eye:


While I found many delicious recipes on Heavenly Tiramisu and other sites, the recipe that grabbed my attention is adapted from The Palm Restaurant Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from the Classic American Steakhouse by Brigit Legere Binns, which I found on AARP's web site.

All I have to say: I would proudly serve this up to any courtesan in Venice, and better yet, to the love of my life.

Tiramisu
Serves 8
Note: For the best results, make this 24 hours in advance of serving

1 cup heavy cream
 4 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon dark rum, Amaretto, Kahlua, or Godiva liqueur (I used dark rum)
1 scant tablespoon chocolate syrup
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1 2/3 cups mascarpone, soften at room temperature for 1 hour
3 (3 1/2-ounce) package lady finger cookies
3 cups very strong, cold coffee
Cocoa powder, for dusting


In a large, cold bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the tiramisu.

In the bowl of an electric standing mixer, combine the egg yolks, rum, chocolate syrup, and sugar. Beat the mixture at a high speed for 2 minutes. It should be quite thick and leave a trail when the beater is lifted away. Place the softened mascarpone in a large mixing bowl, and gently fold in the beaten egg-and-chocolate mixture. Fold in the chilled whipped cream.

Dip each ladyfinger briefly into the coffee, and arrange in rows on the bottom of a rectangular (preferably 6-inch x 12-inch) baking dish. Gently spread an even layer of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers, and top with a second layer of coffee-dipped ladyfingers. Spread with the mascarpone mixture, make a third layer of ladyfingers, and end with a layer of the mascarpone. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for no less than 24 hours, and up to 36 hours. Cut into squares for serving, and dust each one generously with cocoa powder.

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This recipe for panna cotta is so easy to prepare and absolutely divine to share as the perfect ending to your Seduction Meal. I found this recipe in the July issue of Oprah Magazine (2006). The balsamic strawberries can be served over plain yogurt, cottage cheese, sweetened ricotta cheese or your favorite pastry cups.



Panna Cotta
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin
2 cups buttermilk

Balsamic Strawberries
1 pint ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered or sliced
3 tbsp packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

To make panna cotta: In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until hot. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water; let stand 3 minutes or until soft. Add gelatin to hot cream and stir until gelatin dissolves. Remove pan from heat; stir in buttermilk until well blended. Pour mixture into each of 6 dessert cups or bowls. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.

To make balsamic strawberries: Combine strawberries, brown sugar and vinegar in a bowl; toss to coat berries. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight. To serve, spoon strawberries and juices over panna cotta.

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Shantell from Florida fell in love with Pequin Chili Chocolate Cupcakes and wrote to Seduction Meals to spread the word. She found the recipe on CupcakeBlog.com which is about - you guessed it - cupcakes. More specifically each post features a unique cupcake recipe created by the bog's publisher, baker, and photographer-- Cheryl Porro. Cheryl has many admirers of her sweet treats and Shantel is one of them.

"These cupcakes are really something magical...giddy and sophisticated.  You must try them.  I ordered Valrhona Chocolate from l'epicerie in NYC, and pequins from worldspice.com in seattle.  The chocolate does matter...and be sure to follow the directions carefully.  So good....I promise." Shantell

Cupcakes
~24 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/4 cup water
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground pequin chilies
2 sticks butter
1-1/2 cups dark brown sugar
 3 large eggs
 1/2 cup sour cream
 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Boil water in a kettle then measure out 1-1/4 cup.
2. Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium sized bowl, add boiling water, whisk until smooth, set aside.
3. Sift flours, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Add the ground pepper, set aside.
4. In a standing mixer, beat butter until creamy.
5. Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
6. At medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beat well between each.
7. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined.
8. Add about a third of the flour mixture, beat briefly until combined.
9. Add about half of the chocolate mixture, beat briefly until combined.
10. Repeat, adding flour, chocolate, then flour. Beat until just combined. Scrape down bowl if needed.
11. Fill cupcake papers about 3/4s full. Bake at 350 degree oven for 22-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean

Chili Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1-1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon ground pequin chilies
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
2-3 cups powdered sugar, optional

1. Heat the cream over medium heat until it bubbles around saucepan edge.
2. Place pepper and chopped chocolate in a medium sized bowl.
3. Pour heated cream over the chocolate
4. Let the mixture sit for about 30 seconds then start whisking it until smooth.
5. Add butter in pats and mix until combined.
6. set aside mixture and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until cool.
7. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Optionally you can add sifted powdered sugar and beat until combine. This will sweeten the frosting and make it less rich and intense. Also helpful if you are low on chocolate and want to stretch the frosting a bit further...

Assembly

1. Frost cooled cupcakes.
2. Top with something red

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Sweet Temptation can be found in this creamy cheesecake creatively enhanced with a topping of startling red color, and the sweet and tart flavor of the always captivating pomegranate.

Creamy Cheesecake with Pomegranate Topping (Recipe from the Pomegranate Council)

CRUST
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 9, 5 X 2.5 crackers)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

FILLING
2 8-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest

TOPPING
Seeds from 2 pomegranates
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350'F. In a 9-1/2 inch springform pan place crust ingredients and with fingers, blend until combined well. Press mixture evenly over bottom and 3/4 inch up side of pan.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat filling ingredients on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until cheesecake is just set in center. (Cake will continue to set as it cools.) Transfer cake in pan to a rack and cool, about 3 hours.

Place juice in a 1 cup liquid measure and add water. Sprinkle gelatin over pomegranate juice and let stand 1 minute to soften gelatin. Remove the seeds from the pomegranates--set aside.

Transfer gelatin mixture to a small saucepan. Add sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into a bowl and set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water, stirring mixture gently until it is cold and slightly thickened but not set. Stir in pomegranate seeds and spoon topping onto chilled cheesecake. Chill cake until topping is set, about 1 hour. Remove side of pan and serve chilled.

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Who doesn't love creme brulee? Serve up this delicious creamy custard nestled under a brittle sheet of caramelized sugar, and you are sure to experience adoration from those around you.


Creme Brulee (serves 4)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 extra large or jumbo egg yolks
medium orange or large lemon, grated zest only
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean
1 Tbsp of sugar, or brown sugar per serving

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare some boiling water.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cream and the orange or lemon zest (you choose the flavoring you prefer); cook, stirring occasionally until small bubbles appear around edges of pan, 5 - 6 minutes. Set aside.

In a bowl, beat egg yolks and the 2 tbsp of sugar; until smooth and light. Slowly pour hot cream mixture into egg yolks, a little at a time, beating continuously until well blended. Strain mixture through a fine sive into a bowl to remove the zest and vanilla bean. Divide mixture among four 4 oz. ramekins.

Arrange ramekins in a baking pan and place on middle shelf of preheated oven. Fill pan with boiling water halfway up side the of ramekins. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until custard is just set, about 25 minutes. The custard will be soft when you take them out of the oven. Be sure to give them plenty of time to chill and set before glazing. Chill 2 - 3 hours.
 
Fire it up!
Now the fun part! Add 1 tablespoon evenly over the top of each ramekin. With the creme brulee torch, move the flame continuously over the surface of the custard in a circular motion until the sugar melts and becomes golden brown and bubbly. It might be a good idea to practice on the first two, so the last two are perfect for your Seduction Meal. Serve immediately.

Note: I tried this recipe using a small propane torch. As you can see it wasn't strong enough to fully melt the sugar. If you experience this, try using your broiler. Some recipes call for brown sugar, others use white sugar--I think white sugar or raw sugar creates more of a "sheet" of caramelized sugar than the brown sugar I used. I have some testing to do. 

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When I want to make Crepes Suzette I turn to master chef Jacques Pepin. A real show-stopper, this delicious orange flavored sweet doused in Grand Marnier and Brandy makes a dramatic presentation when fired up. The crepes are ultra thin and cooked with orange butter--both so easy to make.


My favorite story behind the origin of crepes suzette is this version (from Wikipedia).

The dish was created out of a mistake made by a fourteen year-old assistant waiter Henri Charpentier in 1895 at the Maitre at Monte Carlo's Café de Paris. He was preparing a dessert for the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII of England, and his companion whose first name was Suzette.

This is told by Henri Charpentier himself in Life a la Henri, his autobiography.

 "It was quite by accident as I worked in front of a chafing dish that the cordials caught fire. I thought I was ruined. The Prince and his friends were waiting. How could I begin all over? I tasted it. It was, I thought, the most delicious melody of sweet flavors I had ever tasted. I still think so. That accident of the flame was precisely what was needed to bring all those various instruments into one harmony of taste . . . He ate the pancakes with a fork; but he used a spoon to capture the remaining syrup. He asked me the name of that which he had eaten with so much relish. I told him it was to be called Crepes Princesse. He recognized that the pancake controlled the gender and that this was a compliment designed for him; but he protested with mock ferocity that there was a lady present. She was alert and rose to her feet and holding her little shirt wide with her hands she made him a curtsey. 'Will you,' said His Majesty, 'change Crepes Princesse to Crepes Suzette?' Thus was born and baptized this confection, one taste of which, I really believe, would reform a cannibal into a civilized gentleman. The next day I received a present from the Prince, a jeweled ring, a panama hat and a cane."

CREPES SUZETTE
Orange Butter
The orange butter is excellent by itself spread on cake layers as an orange butter cream.

Suzette Butter
3/4 stick butter
1/4 cup sugar
Peel of 1 orange removed with a vegetable peeler
Juice of 1 orange (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons sugar

Place the butter, sugar, and orange peel in the bowl of a food processor and process until the orange peels are no longer visible and the whole mixture is a uniform orange color. Add the juice slowly with the machine on so that the butter absorbs it. Set aside.

Crepes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 stick butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup cold water
1 tablespoon oil

In a bowl combine the flour, eggs, 1/2 cup milk, melted butter, salt, and sugar. Mix well with a whisk. The batter should be very thick; it is easier to get rid of lumps in a thick batter than in a thin one. Work it until it is smooth, then add the other 1/2 cup of milk, the cold water, and the oil. Stir well.

Heat the skillet and butter it lightly for the first crepe (I melted some butter in a bowl and used a brush to lightly butter the skillet before cooking each crepe. Be sure to remove any bits with first to ensure a smooth crepe). Pour about 2-4 tablespoonfuls of batter on one side of the skillet. The amount will vary depending upon the size of your skillet. Immediately tip the skillet, shaking it at the same time to make the batter run all over the bottom. The speed at which the batter is spread determines the thickness of the crepe. If you do not move the skillet fast enough, the batter sets before it has a chance to spread and the crepe will be thick. Practice with the first two crepes you make.

Cook it on medium to high heat for about 30 seconds. (After the first few seconds when the batter settles, I start to shake the pan from time to time so the pancake does not stick to the skillet). To flip, bang the skillet on a pot holder on the corner of the stove to get the crepe loose, and flip it over. I found this is easiest to do if you tilt the skillet away from you, slide the pancake to the very end of the skillet and then flick the pan towards you. This too will take practice but you'll get the hang of it after your first or second crepe.

Preparing the Crepes Suzette
Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the orange butter on each crepe, and fold the crepes in fourths. Butter generously a large oven proof platter and sprinkle it with sugar. Arrange one dozen stuffed crepes on it, overlapping slightly, but leave a space at the end of the platter where the sauce can accumulate. Sprinkle the crepes with 2 tablespoons of sugar and place them under the broiler, approximately in the middle of the oven if your broiler is in the same unit, for about 2 to 3 minutes. The surface of the crepes will caramelize and the sauce will slightly bubble.

Fire it Up!
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
1/4 cup Grand Marnier or homemade orange liqueur


 
Pour 1/2 Cup of Cognac or brandy and 1/4 cup Grand Marnier on the very hot crepes and ignite.  Bring the platter to the table and incline it slightly so that the flaming juices gather in the space you left. Spoon up the liquid and pour it back, still flaming, onto the crepes. When the flame subsides, serve two crepes per person with some of the sauce.

Garnish with blood orange slices and if you like sprinkle confectioner's sugar across top. 

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A fiery sweet Seduction Meal that is sure to fan the flames of desire in you both. A delicious New Orleans standard --Bananas Foster. The dish was created by Paul Blangé at Brennan's Restaurant; it was named for Richard Foster, a friend of Owen Brennan's and New Orleans Crime Commission chairman. This dish is a true show stopper and fun to make together--you'll definitely impress when flaming up the skillet!


Bananas Foster
1/4 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
4 firm bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Makes 4 servings.

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.

Light it up!
When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. If you have an electric stove, add a match to the skillet, however, you might want to remove the skillet first, to an open area so the flames do not shoot up and hit something. (Keep a large metal lid on hand to cover the dish in case your flambe gets out of hand). When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately; the warm sauce will quickly melt the ice cream. I had a hard time photographing this because the ice-cream melted so quickly.

On a last note:, when dealing with fire, I highly suggest practicing before serving to master the art of working with fire.

Bananas Flambe
Another easy dessert that you can Fire Up for your Sweet Seduction

1 large firm banana
5 tspn honey
5 tspn of chopped walnuts and pecans
4 tspn brandy

Cut banana in half, place in a small flameproof dish. Drizzle cut surface of each half with 2 teaspoons of honey and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Broil the bananas about 4-5 minutes until heated--do not burn. Remove from broiler and carefully pour brandy over bananas and Fire it Up! Serve Immediately

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"Poaching fruit is a good trick to have in your bag of dessert techniques. With half an hour or so of simmering in a flavorful liquid, you can transform an ordinary supermarket pear or other fruit such as a peach or an apricot, into a first-class dessert any time of the year", Julia Child on Poached Pears, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home cook.


 
Poached Pears
.
2 1/4 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups dry white wine such as Orvietto or Muscadet
4 1/2 cups of water
2 lemons, for peel and juice
2 tsp vanilla
6 large, firm, ripe pears, such as Bosc or Bartlett

For Serving
Chocolate Sauce
Slices of pound cake or Madeleine cookies
Mint Sprigs

Preparing the poaching syrup. In a large saucepan or stockpot, about 6 quarts, pour the sugar, wine and water and stir well. With a sharp vegetable peeler, shave 10 - 12 long strips of lemon peel (lemon zest only). Cut the lemons in half and squeeze out the juice, removing  pits. Add the peel, juice and vanilla to the pot. Bring to a boil, cook for about 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar, and turn off the heat

Meanwhile prepare the pears. Slice the bottom of each pear flat so it will stand upright. Peel the pears leaving the stems and a small amount of skin on the top (decorative touch). With a melon baller or a knife, scoop out the inside of the pear through the flat bottom, removing entire core and seeds. You will have to scoop 3 or 4 times to get out all the seeds.

Cooking and cooling the pears. Set the pears in the hot syrup, which must cover them completely. Add more syrup if necessasry. Lay a double thickness of paper towels over the pears, then weight them down by placing a small plate (a salad plate) or lid, to keep them submerged and prevent discoloring.

Return the syrup to a boil and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil and poach for about 30 minutes, just until the pear can be pierced through with the tip of a sharp knife. Remember, the poaching time for pears will always vary, so test them frequently. Remove the cooked pears from the heat and let them cool in the syrup for at least 3 hours or overnight, leaving towels and the plate or lid in place.

Chocolate Sauce
1 cup of  half-and-half or cream
6 oz best-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped in small pieces
1/4 cup strong espresso (or 1/4 cup strong black coffee mixed with 1 tsp instant espresso powder)
Vanilla extract, rum, cognac, or bourbon (optional flavorings) - I added a dash of rum.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream to a bare simmer. Whisk the chocolate pieces and the espresso or coffee into the hot cream, until completely smooth. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tbsp rum, cognac, or bourbon. Cool before using. 

Serving the pears. You can serve the poached pears as they are, moistened with their syrup, or in any variations found in the Julia and Jacques cookbook. I choose to serve this with the chocolate sauce, using a "fluted" pear.

Fluting the pear. Slice through the side of the pear with diagonal cuts at 1/2 inch intervals all around, starting from the top and moving diagonally towards the bottom. (See photo). Press down gently on the top to separate and display the fluted slices.

Plating the dish. If using pound cake, cut 1/2 inch slices of the cake and cut out a 3" or 4" circle or disk from each, using a round pastry cutter or a paring knife. Pour a pool of chocolate sauce onto a dessert plate, set a cake round in the center, and stand a pear, fluted or not, on the cake. I used Madeleine cookies instead and added a few small pieces of pecans in the chocolate sauce. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

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For the Love of Food is a wonderful blog filled with recipes, reviews and other food related stories by Nicole King, a foodie and world traveler. She is running a fun event, through Is My Blog Burning?, called Taste and Create where she has created a gathering point for the food-blogger community to have their recipes tested by their peers.

26 different food bloggers have been paired for this event. Each participating blog will browse through their partner's blog's entries and pick out one dish that grabs their attention. Seduction Meals is partnered with food blog Dulcedo and my attention was immediately drawn to her post about Mexican Wedding Cookies.


Dulcedo is a food blog written from Seattle. There were quite a few recipes that I would have liked to try, but I was most interested in the story of the Holiday tradition of Dulcedo's  grandmother's snowball cookies also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies. I LOVE these cookies and have always wanted to try baking them, so this is my chance. The recipe originated from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook... and they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!


Mexican Wedding Cookies (Snowballs)
Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

1 cup (3 3/4 ounces) pecan halves
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, combine pecans with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and pulse until nuts are finely ground. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar/nut mixture, flour, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar (sifted) on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour mixture and beat on low until the dough just comes together.

Using a 1" scoop, drop dough about 2 inches apart onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies are pale and just beginning to get tiny cracks on top, 10-12 minutes. Leave cookies on the baking sheet until firm enough to move, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Place remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl and roll cookies in it to coat completely. Cookies should be kept in an airtight container layered between sheets of waxed or parchment paper.

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Using the freshest sweet and ripe strawberries of the season, this dreamy dessert was submitted by Virginia, NYC.

Seizing the moment is key to a quickie seduction. I needed a quick dessert to seal the deal without fuss or missing a beat, which is how this recipe came about. You and loverboy/girl can taste the honeyed creamy mixture and the berry liqueur concoction, and all the ingredients are lickable.

Biscotti is a light yummy finish to any meal. Amaretto is very romantic. Add smooth marscapone ricotta for body and honey for sweetness. Its a surefire way for the perfect finish to a seduction meal or the quickie your meal may lead to. My "quickie Imagination" coupled with a "seize the opportunity and use what was on hand" was successfully rewarded, as this can be eaten before, during and after a truly seductive encounter.

creamy strawberry almond biscotti

4 pieces of almond biscotti

1/2 cup Amaretto

6-8 strawberries, washed and halved (quartered if berries are large)

3 sprigs fresh chopped mint leaves

1/2 cup of marscapone

1/2 cup part skim ricotta

4 tablespoons honey

Soak berries and mint in 1/4 cup of Amaretto - set aside. Mix marscapone and ricotta with honey until creamy, set aside. Soak almond biscotti in remaining Amaretto. Refrigerate all ingredients except biscotti until you moment of Seduction.

Spoon ricotta/marscapone mixture onto a biscotti. Spoon the strawberry/mint mixture on top of that. Feed to your object of desire...lick fingers and any other part the mixture drips onto--enjoy!

You can use flavored biscotti, fruit and liquor can be tailored to your preference, i.e. hazelnut biscotti with chocolate liqueur and raspberries or cherries. Enjoy this guaranteed combo for a quickie seduction

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