Brownie Sugar

A topping ganache includes 1 cup heavy cream, 1/8 cup sugar, and 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate (add mint extract if you wish). Other toppings Chris Koch recommends are peanut/peanut butter, pecan/caramel sauce, and macadamia nut/white chocolate.

Ingredients:
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (shredded block)
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 ounces butter, cubed
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the sugar, chocolate, and butter, and microwave for two minutes. Stir to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a stand mixer, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the espresso powder and vanilla. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, and then fold the flour mixture into the chcolate and eggs. Don't overmix or incorporate too much air into the batter. Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with vegetable oil spray and line the bottom with parchment (make the paper long enough to overlap the ends). Pour batter into the pan and spread to smooth top. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Let cool in pan, then lift out with the paper and cut.

Pairing spicy and sweet makes a traditional treat even hotter.

Aztec Chili Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1/2 each vanilla bean, split with seeds removed
1 each dried red chili, split with seeds removed
1 3" cinnamon stick
1 1/2 ounces grated bittersweet chocolate
4 ounces whipped cream
bittersweet chocolate, for garnish

Simmer milk in a saucepan with vanilla bean, cinnamon, and chili. Heat through for about a minute. Whisk in grated chocolate, and continue to simmer until melted. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain out spices, top with whipped cream, and sprinkle with grated chocolate.

Shrimp Asparagus Brie Tartlets

Ingredients:
24 mini tartlet shells
4 ounces asparagus, blanched
1/4 pound shrimp pieces, par cooked
1/2 quart heavy cream
4 eggs
salt and papper
1 1/2 ounces brie, cubed

Whip the cream and eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Lay the tartlet shells on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Then, place brie, shrimp, and asparagus in the shells, and fill the shells with the cream mixture.

Bake at 325 degrees until set. The cooking time will depend on size of shell being used.

All Recipes from Chef Chris Koch, www.chef-chris.com

Grapes With Bleu Cheese and Walnuts

Servings: 10

20 oz walnuts
4 oz Bleu cheese, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
30 each seedless grapes

Toast the walnuts, cool, and chop finely.

Mix the cheeses together and chill slightly.

Mold cheese mixture around the grapes to coat completely. The thickness should be about ¼”.

Roll the grapes in walnuts to coat completely, chill to firm completely.

Yield: 30

Profiteroles with Curried Chicken

Servings: 24

Pate a choux (See recipe below)
16 oz chicken stock
2 tsp curry powder
20 oz chicken meat, cooked, minced
4 oz mayonnaise
1 T. chutney
2 T. fresh cilantro leaves, minced
4 oz celery, brunoise

Pipe pate a chou to create 1” puffs, egg wash, and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, reduce to 350 degrees for 10 minutes, reduce to 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

Add curry to stock in a sauce pan and bring to a boil; reduce to 2 T.

Blend together the reduction, chicken, mayonnaise, chutney, cilantro, and celery.

Remove top 1/3 of puffs, spoon in filling, replace tops.

Pate a choux

1 c. water
4 oz. butter
1 c. flour
1 pinch salt
5 eggs, plus 1 egg for puff recipe (below)
1 T. water

Place the butter, water, and salt in a heavy pot, bring to boil.

Quickly stir with a wooden spoon and then stir in the flour to combine completely.

Continue stirring for a minute or two to form.  When a film begins to form on the bottom of the pan, and the dough forms one solid mass when shaken from side to side in the pot, the first step is complete.

Transfer the dough to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, and begin running at medium speed to cool slightly (until very little steam rises from the bowl).

Remove one egg from the shell into a small bowl or cup and add the dough, blend in completely. Never add eggs directly to the dough in case the egg is bad or shells are present.

Continue adding each egg after the previous egg has been combined. (All eggs may not be used.)

The paste will be very thick and shiny with thick threads pulling away from the bowl, but still attached.  The dough is now ready to use in a variety of ways.

(To make puffs: Pipe or spoon onto parchment or silpat (about a tablespoon for each puff).

For éclairs, pipe a line of spirals one upon the other about 3” long and 1/2 “ thick.

Whisk the egg and water together. Brush each portion of dough all around, brushing up from the bottom. This will give the finished product a nice sheen.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce to 200 degrees until completely dry, about 10 minutes.)

Caviar Stars

Servings: 24

1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg
1 T. water
6 ounces sour cream
1 ounce caviar
2 T fresh chives, 1” pieces

Follow the directions on the box to thaw the dough. Roll the dough out to about 8” by 12”.

Cut pastry into 24 squares. From near the center of each square, slice out to each corner.

Form pinwheels by folding every other point to the center.

Mix egg and water, egg wash each pinwheel.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Pipe sour cream into center and garnish with caviar.

Place one length of chive onto each piece.