Neapolitan Mousse

Neapolitan Mousse 
A Sophisticated Version Of Classic Flavors We Grew Up With!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking

 

Ingredients
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup whipped cream cheese
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, pureed
2 tbsp sweetened coco powder

Cooking Tools
Food processor
Hand mixer
Medium mixing bowls

Directions
In a food processor, puree fresh strawberries, place in refrigerator to keep chilled.  In a mixing bowl; add cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.  Start to whip at low speed, so you don't have a cloud of powdered sugar, then whip on high until smooth and well blended. In a separate bowl; add whipping cream and using a hand mixer, whip cream on high until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into the whipped cream cheese mousse mixture until well incorporated. Divide the whipped cream cheese mousse mixture into 3 equal portions into separate bowls.  This mixture is the base for all three flavors.  Place the first, plain vanilla mixture in the refrigerator to chill until ready to layer. In the second bowl, fold in pureed strawberries and blend until well incorporated. In the third bowl; add coco powder to the vanilla mousse mixture and using a hand mixture to blend well ( don't over whip, or you will end up with butter).  To assemble:  In a serving glass, add a layer of chocolate mousse, then strawberry mousse, then top with the vanilla mousse. Repeat with the other serving glasses.  Chill in refrigerator for an hour before serving.
Serves 4

Cronuts

Cronuts
How Simple Is This Recipe!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: Approx. 15-20 minutes

 

Ingredients
1 box frozen puff pastry, thawed
flour for dusting
oil for frying
2 cups powdered sugar
several tbsp of milk or water

 Cooking Tools
Parchment lined sheet pan
Cooling rack
Round cookie or doughnut cutter
Rolling pin
Deep frying pan

Directions
Thaw puff pastry in refrigerator. Flour the surface that you will roll out your dough.  Unwrap both sheets of puff pastry dough and place one directly on top of the other. Using a rolling pin, roll to stretch out dough a few inches larger than the original size. Using the seams on the dough as reference, fold 1/3 of dough into the center, then the other 1/3 over back over the first fold.  Roll out the dough again until the dough is stretched out in all directions. If the dough starts to stick, just dust with a little flour. Using the doughnut cutter, cut out Cronuts and place on parchment paper. Place oil in deep frying pan, just enough for a few inches so its enough oil for the Cronuts to swim around. Heat oil to medium-high, place a few Cronuts at a time, not to overcrowd. Cook for a minute or two on each side until golden brown and it puffs up. Remove Cronuts to a sheet lined cooling rack, repeat with the rest of the Cronuts. As the Cronuts are cooling, In a mixing bowl; add powdered sugar and milk or water and whisk until smooth.  Dip warm Cronuts into the glaze and place back on cooling rack to let the glaze drip off.  Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cook's Note:  When you place dough into the heated oil, the dough will sink to the bottom as it starts to bubble and puff, then it will rise to the surface, turn once it starts to get golden brown.
Yields 8-10

Pots de Creme

Pots de Creme
For The Chocolate Lovers!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

 

Ingredients
1 tbsp instant coffee
2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla extract
7 egg yolks
whipped cream for garnish

Cooking Tools
Large roasting pan
8 ramekins

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 Degrees F.  In a sauce pan and medium heat; add milk, sugar and instant coffee, bring to a slight boil and stirring constantly.  Once the sugar  and coffee have dissolved, take off heat.  Stir in chocolate chips until melted, add vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, slowly whisk in chocolate mixture to the whisked eggs a little at a time until the eggs are brought up to temperature, add the rest of the chocolate mixture.  Place chocolate mixture into a small pitcher and pour equally among the ramekins.  Place ramekins in the roasting pan and pour enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the custard is just set and a knife inserted into custard comes out clean.  Remove the ramekins from roasting pan, place on a cooling rack, then chill in refrigerator.  garnish with whipped cream.
Serves 8