Chocolate Mousse, One Mousse, Two Different Presentations

Most Amazing Chocolate Mousse Ever.
Serve it with red currant or if you like, garnish it with chocolate shavings.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into very small pieces
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 eggs, separate
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
• red currant for garnish
• chocolate shavings for garnish

Directions:
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over but not touching barely simmering water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring, until the chocolate melts, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and continue to stir until the butter melts and is incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds.



Separate 1 egg, placing the white in a large bowl and adding the yolk to the chocolate. Quickly whisk in the yolk, fully incorporating it. Repeat with the remaining 2 eggs. Remove the bowl from over the saucepan and let cool to lukewarm.



Add the salt to the egg whites. Beat the whites until stiff peaks form, then beat in the confectioners' sugar. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate, being careful not to deflate the whites.



Spoon the mixture into a large bowl or individual glasses. Cover and refrigerate until very firm, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve well chilled.
I like it when it's warm.-) Try and see for yourself what is the best for you.

Healthy Meals That Satisfy Your Taste Buds

Photo by Cooking Melangery

Sean K. is a guest writer from The Blog Content Guild who writes on the subjects of healthy living, eating, and lifestyles.

Eating too many fatty foods can lead to heart complications and high blood pressure. We all know that it’s important to eat healthy, but does that mean sacrificing taste? Not necessarily. You can create healthy meals that satisfy your need for delicious food without making you feel guilty. There are several ways to help you eat healthier meals and still feel satisfied. Here are some of them:

A. Eat a Little Bit of Everything

It’s important to eat balanced meals that include a variety of nutrients. This means your meals should include items such as dairy products, fruits, vegetables, grains and protein.
Let’s look at the typical meal of a hamburger and fries. This only provides you with starch, protein, and fat. There are a lot of other nutrients out there. Try swapping the hamburger for a grilled chicken sandwich, or swapping the fries for a side salad and fruit on the side. These changes can give you a meal that has a greater variety of nutrients, and that is much healthier.

B. Set Aside Some Time to Spend in the Kitchen

Cooking more is a simple and inexpensive way to help watch what you eat. Eating out can be expensive, especially with a family. Try and get in the habit of eating in a few nights a week. Also, you can try new recipes, incorporate spices, and use colorful vegetables to help keep meals interesting. A colorful meal also contains a variety of important nutrients. For example, yellow fruits and vegetables contain beta-carotene and vitamin C, whereas blue and purple fruits and vegetables include vitamin C, resveratrol, and fiber. Also, by cooking yourself, you can better monitor how much fat, sugar, and sodium goes into your meals.

C. Consider Serving Sizes

It’s essential to know correct portion sizes. A serving of meat is no more than three ounces, or the size of a standard deck of cards. If this method doesn’t work, you can also buy scales for weighing food to help you be more precise.
Another important thing to remember is that it’s okay to treat yourself, as long as you do so responsibly. If you don’t allow yourself any treats, it will make it a challenge to stick to your healthy eating plan. So instead, the next time you find yourself craving your favorite dessert, get it—just split it with a friend. You’ll still get to enjoy it, but only half of it, so you’ll consume fewer calories. Also pay attention to snacks. Mindless snacking can easily destroy eating plans. Instead of scarfing chips from a bowl, count them out on a plate so you’re aware of how many you’re eating. Also, try taking smaller bites of your food. This will most likely reduce the amount of food you take in.
Try out these tips in your life and see what works best for you. There are several ways to eat healthier and still love what you eat. Hopefully, these tips will help improve your life and your eating habits.

Apple Torte with Cranberries and Raisins

This beautiful autumn cake makes the house smell so divine while it bakes.
You may serve it for breakfast, afternoon tea or for holiday dinner.



Ingredients:

• 2 large Golden Delicious apples
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more for dusting
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract, I use cranberry extract
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup raisins, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 375°F.
Lightly butter a springform pan, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Peel the apples, halve and core them, and then slice thinly. Place in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Set aside.



In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the sugar until creamy. Stir in the butter, milk and cranberry extract. Sift the flour into a separate bowl and stir in the baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Using a wooden spoon, gradually incorporate the egg mixture. Drain the raisins and add to the batter along with the pine nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the apple slices in concentric circles over the surface. Sprinkle with sugar.



Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely, then release the pan sides and slide the cake onto a serving plate. Dust the top of the cake with sugar. Cut into wedges to serve.

 

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Soup with Nutmeg, Homemade Crispy Baked Beet Chips, and Dry Apricot-Hazelnut Bread

This picture-perfect, crusty loaf will satisfy both the novice and the experienced baker. Use it for breakfast toast or sandwiches.

Ingredients for apricot-hazelnut bread: 

• 300 ml mineral water
• 1 tbsp dry yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup shelled and roasted hazelnuts
• 1 cup dry apricots, cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 cups bread flour (min 12% protein)
• 1/2 cup rye flour

Direction for apricot-hazelnut bread:
Mix the yeast with the brown sugar, add a bit of water and two tablespoons of flour, stir thoroughly, leave for 10 min. Add in the rest of the water and mix well. Adding gradually the flour make a dough, add the salt, dry apricots and roasted hazelnuts at the end. Knead the dough for 5 min, shape into a ball, dust thoroughly with the flour and leave to rise covered in a container for 1 hour. Shape the bread into a loaf of any form, generously sprinkle with the flour and transfer the loaf onto a baking paper. Cover with the kitchen towel and leave for 30 min.

Preheat the oven together with the baking tray to 420F. Score the loaf, using a sharp knife at a 45° angle. Bake for 5 min, reduce the heat to 400F, and bake for 35 min. Switch off the oven, transfer the bread on a grid and keep it in the oven for 10-15 min, leaving the oven door ajar.
Take the bread out of the oven and cool down completely on a wire rack.



As colorful as it is good to eat, soup is sure winner, whether for midweek family supper or a dinner - party first course. A delicious soup that makes the most of freshly picked apples.
Ingredients for roasted sweet potato and apple soup:

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 leeks, sliced thinly
• 1 large carrot, sliced thinly
• 1 lb 5 oz/600 g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 2 large apples, peeled and diced
• 5 cups broth
• freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup light cream
• salt and pepper
• fresh chives or cilantro, to garnish

Directions for soup:
Preheat an oven to 400ºF.
In a bowl, combine the carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until the carrots are tender and golden around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes.



In a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and sauté, stirring, until tender 5 to 10 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables, broth, nutmeg and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium- low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Using a blender, food processor or stick blender, puree the soup, then pass it through a chinois. Return the soup to the pot add cream and season with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish each serving with a cilantro sprig and the beet chips.
Serve immediately.



Ingredients for beet chips:

• 1-2 beets, large, scrubbed clean
• nonstick cooking spray
• salt, to taste

Directions for beet chips:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Using the slicing blade of your food processor, a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice beets thinly. You want them to be the size of a potato chip.
Spread evenly on a cookie sheet, spray with nonstick spray and season with salt.
Roast about 2 hours, turning halfway through, until crisp. Check often to make sure they don't burn. you may need to roast for a shorter or longer period of time depending on your oven and how crisp you want them - so keep an eye on them -)