Adventure 4: Panna Cotta

This adventure had to set over night, hence why it's a bit late.

This week's Adventure was Panna Cotta, and Italian dessert that literally means "cooked cream."

Recipe
ingredients
1 cup almond milk, divided

• 1 (1/4-ounce) package unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• garnish- sliced almonds, shaved chocolate, chocolate or fruit syrup, etc.

Tools
medium saucepan or medium pot
small bowl
several ramekins- straight edged works best.
plastic wrap

Pour 1/3 cup almond milk into a small bowl and stir in gelatin; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, stir together heavy cream, remaining almond milk, and sugar. Bring to boil over medium heat, watching carefully as the cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan.

Pour gelatin and almond milk into cream mixture and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add  almond extract and vanilla extract and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. 

Remove from heat and pour into 6 (4-ounce) individual ramekins.

Leave ramekins uncovered at room temperature to cool. When cool, cover with plastic wrap  and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (can be left overnight.)

To remove, run a knife around the sides of each ramekin and invert over a serving plate.

Cover with garnish.

Adventure:
So I didn't have ramekins, and decided to use, as you can see, a large glass bowl. It took longer to set up- a lot longer, nearly 9 hours, but it came out ok in the end, and It was nice because it was more like a cake to cut slices from- easier to share. It was hard to get out of the bowl, though, so If you are making one large Panna Cotta, I'd say use something that isn't domed, like a pie pan, or an 8 by 8 pan. That's what I'll be doing.

For the garnish I used shaved chocolate- i bought a block of milk chocolate and used a cheese grater, then covered the Panna Cotta with the shavings. traditionally, Panna Cotta is served with fruit, but I'm, not a fan of fruit, so chocolate it was.

The edges were a bit jagged, but it still tasted wonderful.

Success.

Adventure 3: Corn Souffle

Sorry this is late.
Yesterday's adventure was Corn Souffle

Recipe:

Ingredients:

15 oz whole kernel corn

15 oz creamed corn

1/2 cup vegetable oil

8 oz sour cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

Tools

Mixing bowl

Casserole dish

Preheat oven to 350 F

Stir first 6 ingredients together in a large mixing bowl

When the oven is ready, add in Muffin mix

pour mixture into casserole dish

bake for 70-90 minutes

Adventure:

The word Souffle freaks people out. Oh, I can't make souffle, that's hard. Most souffles are very tricky, but this one? Nope. Easy as pie- easier, in fact. It takes a long time to cook, but only about five minutes to prep.  I had to bake mine the full 90 minutes, but for people with stronger ovens, check at 70 and then see if it needs more time. The souffle came out perfectly. It's more than a bit sweet, but still pretty good for you, and it makes a great side dish.

Success.

Adventure 2: Anise Biscotti

Today's adventure: Anise Biscotti.

Recipe:
Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1 and 1/4 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 teaspoon anise extract

1 and1/2 teaspoons anise seed

1 egg yolk

Tools:

baking sheet

 large bowl

Mixer (mixmaster, kitchenaid, etc)

pastry brush

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

 In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. 

Gradually add the vanilla and eggs while mixing. 

Sift together the flour and baking powder; stir into the egg mixture. 

Add the anise extract and anise seed. 

Roll dough out into 2 logs as long as your baking sheet will allow. 

Press down each one to about 3/4 inch in height, and 3 inches wide. 

Brush with egg yolks 

Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown. 

Slice on a diagonal slant, slices should be about 3/4 inch wide. 

Place slices back onto the cookie sheet and return to the oven for 10 more minutes, cookies should be dry and lightly toasted.

Adventure:

I didn't have a mixer, so I made these by hand, and the dough was considerably drier and much more crumbly, which made most of the cookies break apart and crumble. My friend Isabelle came over and helped make these. We also might have added a bit too much Anise extract, but it still tasted fine.

All in all, sort of a success.

Adventure 1: Breakfast Tortilla

Welcome to Adventures in the Kitchen!
Today's adventure is a Breakfast Tortilla- which also tastes good for lunch or dinner.

Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 flour tortilla
1 large egg
cheddar cheese
oil
teaspoon- 2 teaspoons water
optional: Salsa, sour cream, pepper, chopped chives, cilantro, diced ham, pre-cooked sausage.

Tools:
Frying pan
fork
lid- must be able to cover frying pan and tortilla!

Put about a quarter sized dollop of oil in your frying pan, turn the heat on high.
Use the tortilla to coat the pan with the oil.
Wait for the pan to get hot- not just warm.
Flip tortilla, add cheese.
Crack egg into tortilla, use fork to scramble.
If adding ham, or sausage add now.
Lift up corner of tortilla, add in water, cover with lid.
Turn heat down to low for 2 minutes, then turn off.
DO NOT REMOVE LID.
Leave on hot burner for 4-5 minutes.
Slide onto plate, add toppings.
Fold in half.
Enjoy.

Adventure:
Turns out my frying pan is smaller than my tortillas! The lid cut through some of the edges, others I pulled off to eat while the egg cooked. But despite the ragged edges, it still tasted fine, and came out well- fluffy on the inside and lightly crisped on the outside. I added dried mustard and chopped chives to mine.

Success.