Ricotta Cheese

This stuff is so delicious, I highly suggest making a double-batch, minimum. Trust me when I say you'll find a use for it....

Ricotta Cheese
based off of Little B Cooks

Ingredients:
2 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbs. white wine vinegar

Instructions:
1. Line a colander with 2 layers of dampened cheese cloth, and set over the sink.
2. Add milk, cream, and salt to a sauce pan and bring to a full boil over medium heat. Turn off heat and stir in vinegar. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes.
3. Pour into colander and drain for 20-25 minutes, or until desires thickness is reached.
4. Use, or store in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.

Dark Chocolate Tart

This was super rich and tasty. Unfortunately they do not sell graham crackers in France, so I made this crazy cookie crust thing, but it worked out : ) Definitely will make again when I get back to the states and have graham cracker access.


Dark Chocolate Tart
from dough puncher

Ingredients:
1 graham cracker crust (chocolate or honey)
8 + 1 3/4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used half and half milk and 74%)
1 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs. evaporated milk (or heavy whipping cream)
1 tsp. honey (or corn syrup)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs. water

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F (175 C)
2. In a sauce pan (or in the microwave), bring 1 1/4 cups of the evaporated milk to a boil. Take off the heat, and pour over 8 oz. of the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Then, gently whisk to combine.
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla, and salt together. Whisk into chocolate mixture.
4. Then pour the mixture into the prepared crust, and bake for 18-25 minutes, until the filling is set 3 inches from the edge but center isn't quite set. Let cool for 1 hour.
5. Boil the remaining 2 Tbs. of evaporate milk, and then remove from heat. Then pour over the remaining 1 3/4 oz of chocolate. Let sit for a minute, then whisk to combine. Then whisk in the honey and water. Pour ganache evenly over the pie, tilting the pie to even out the ganache. Let pie sit for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie
adapted from flourishing foodie

Ingredients:
1 pre-made pie crust
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (15 oz.) roasted pumpkin
12 fl. oz. evaporated milk
(1 cup. heavy cream, 1 Tbs. vanilla sugar for whipped cream if desired)

Instructions:

If using real pumpkin:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325F (160 C), cut into 1" or 2" cubes, removing skin, and place in baking pan (with 2 inch lip). Cover with foil, and bake for 90 minutes, or until meat is tender.
2. Into blender, take pumpkin chunks out of oven-pan, removing from the liquid that has separated during the baking and blend. Then pour puree into paper-towel lined colander, and press until liquid does not surface to the top.

3. Pre-heat oven to 400 F (205 C).
4. Butter pie/tart pan, and lay dough into the pan, and trim excess. Freeze for 20 minutes.
5. In medium bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cloves.
6. In large bowl, beat eggs with whisk. Add pumpkin puree and sugar mixture and whisk.
7. Slowly add evaporated milk, and whisk until all ingredients are combined.
8. Pour pumpkin filling into pie crust. In small bowl, whisk 1 egg white and 1 Tbs. water. Brush crust with egg wash, then cover crust with tin foil.
9. Cook for 15 minutes at 400 F (205 C), then reduce heat to 350 F (175 C) and cook for 35 minutes.
10. Remove pie from oven, remove tin-foil, and cook for last 15 minutes at 350 F (175 C).
11. Let pie sit for 2 hours before serving.
12. Beat vanilla sugar and heavy cream until desired consistency, and serve with pie.