Cream Puffs

This is part of my Hero Collection, it represents Joan of Arc. I chose this recipe because she was French, and these are French.

Joan of Arc is a hero to me because she knew what her mission was and she was determined to do it no matter what. She was brave and a good leader.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Sift the flour into a bowl

Put the butter and 2/3 cup water into a small saucepan and heat gently until melted. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and add in the flour all at once.

Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth; the mixture should form a ball. Cool for 10 minuets. 

Gradually add the eggs, beating very well after each addition to incorporate.

Continue adding the egg, little by little, to form a stiff, smooth, and shiny paste. 

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain nozzle.

Pipe walnut-sized rounds, set well apart. Bake for 20 minuets until risen and golden. 

Remove from the oven and slit the side if each bun to allow the steam to escape. 

Return to the oven for 2 minuets to crisp, then transfer to a wire reck to cool completely.

Pour 1/2 cup cream into a saucepan and whip the rest until just peaking. 

 Add the chocolate, butter, and syrup to the cream in the pan and heat gently until melted.

 Pile the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a 1/4 inch star nozzle.

 Pipe cream into each puff.

Stir the sauce well. Put a little blob on each one.

Cream Puffs

Pastry

1/2 cup flour

4 tablespoons butter

2 large eggs beaten

Filling and Topping

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

7 ounces chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons corn syrup

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Sift the flour into a bowl. 

Put the butter and 2/3 cup water into a small saucepan and heat gently until melted. 

Bring to a boil, remove from heat and add in the flour all at once.

Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth; the mixture should form a ball. Cool for 10 minuets. 

Gradually add the eggs, beating very well after each addition to incorporate.

Continue adding the egg, little by little, to form a stiff, smooth, and shiny paste. 

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain nozzle.

Pipe walnut-sized rounds, set well apart. Bake for 20 minuets until risen and golden. 

Remove from the oven and slit the side if each bun to allow the steam to escape. 

Return to the oven for 2 minuets to crisp, then transfer to a wire reck to cool completely.

Pour 1/2 cup cream into a saucepan and whip the rest until just peaking. 

Add the chocolate, butter, and syrup to the cream in the pan and heat gently until melted.

Pile the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a 1/4 inch star nozzle. 

Pipe cream into each puff. Stir the sauce well. Put a little blob on each one.

These are not very sweet! You can use sweetened whipped cream if you want to.

Tapioca Pudding

This is part of my Hero Collection, it represents my cello teacher, Mr. Goodman. I chose this recipe because I asked him what his favorite dessert is, and he said tapioca pudding was.

Mr. Goodman is a hero to me because he is very patient, understanding, kind and doesn't care how many times you need to try something to get it right.

Instructions: 

 In a bowl, soak tapioca in 2 cups of room temperature water overnight.

Drain water.

  In a double boiler, heat milk just until no longer cold.

 Add salt and tapioca. Continue heating until small bubbles appear at sides of the pan. Cover, turn heat to very low and cook for one hour. Make sure that the milk mixture does not simmer or boil!

 Separate egg whites from the yolks. Beat egg yolks and sugar together until they are a light yellow color. Add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolks and blend thoroughly. Then add the yolk mixture to the hot milk mixture, stirring consistently.

 Place the double boiler over medium heat and cook until tapioca mixture is very thick, about 15 minuets.

Beat the egg whites until stiff.

 Slowly fold the egg whites into the hot tapioca mixture

Stir in vanilla.

Serve warm or chilled.

Tapioca Pudding

1/2 cup tapioca pearls

2 1/2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs separated

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl, soak tapioca in 2 cups of room temperature water overnight. Drain water.

In a double boiler, heat milk just until no longer cold.
Add salt and tapioca. Continue heating until small bubbles appear at sides of the pan. Cover, turn heat to very low and cook for one hour. Make sure that the milk mixture does not simmer or boil!

 Separate egg whites from the yolks. Beat egg yolks and sugar together until they are a light yellow color. Add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolks and blend thoroughly. Then add the yolk mixture to the hot milk mixture, stirring consistently. 
Place the double boiler over medium heat and cook until tapioca mixture is very thick, about 15 minuets.
Beat the egg whites until stiff.  Slowly fold the egg whites into the hot tapioca mixture. Stir in vanilla.

Serve warm or chilled.

Buttermilk Biscuits

This recipe is part of my Hero Collection, it represents Tom from Uncle Tom's Cabin. I chose this recipe because I got it from a cookbook by Edna Lewis, a chef of Southern cuisine. Edna Lewis was the granddaughter of an emancipated slave. And her cookbooks are very traditional.

Tom is a hero to me because he had a lot of integrity. He was also very kind, friendly and faithful.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

 In a large bowl, sift the flour, salt, soda and baking powder.

 Add the lard, and blend together with a pastry cutter or your fingertips.

 Until the mixture is has the texture of cornmeal.

 Add the buttermilk all at once by scattering it over the dough. Stir vigorously with a stout wooden spoon. The dough will be very soft in the beginning, but will stiffen as you keep mixing.  After the dough has stiffened, scrape from the sides of the bowl into a  ball, and spoon onto a lightly floured surface for rolling. Dust over lightly with about a tablespoon of flour as the dough will be a bit sticky. Flatten the dough out gently with your hands into a thick, round cake, and knead.

Dust lightly if needed, be carful not to use too much flour and cause the dough to become too stiff. Dust the rolling pin and rolling surface with flour. Roll the dough out evenly to a 1/2-inch thickness. 

 Pierce the surface of the dough with a table fork.

 Dust the biscuit cutter in flour first; this will prevent the dough sticking to the cutter and ruining the shape of the biscuit. Dust the cutter as often as needed. Don't wiggle the cutter when cutting the biscuit! Cut the biscuits close together to avoid having big pieces of dough left in between each biscuit. Trying to piece together and re-rolling leftover dough will change the texture of the biscuits.

 Place the biscuits 1/2 inch or more apart on a heavy cookie sheet or baking pan.

 Bake for 13 minuets.

Remove from the oven, and let them rest for 3 to 4 minuets. Serve hot. Covered in butter or some other yummy topping.

Buttermilk Biscuits

From The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis

3 cups sifted flour

1 scant teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup lard

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk (if you are using regular sweet milk, omit the baking soda and 2 tablespoons milk)

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

 In a large bowl, sift the flour, salt, soda and baking powder.  Add the lard, and blend together with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture is has the texture of cornmeal. 

Add the buttermilk all at once by scattering it over the dough. Stir vigorously with a stout wooden spoon. The dough will be very soft in the beginning, but will stiffen as you keep mixing.
After the dough has stiffened, scrape from the sides of the bowl into a  ball, and spoon onto a lightly floured surface for rolling.
Dust over lightly with about a tablespoon of flour as the dough will be a bit sticky.
Flatten the dough out gently with your hands into a thick, round cake, and knead.
Dust lightly if needed, be carful not to use too much flour and cause the dough to become too stiff.
Dust the rolling pin and rolling surface with flour. Roll the dough out evenly to a 1/2-inch thickness.  Pierce the surface of the dough with a table fork.
Dust the biscuit cutter in flour first; this will prevent the dough sticking to the cutter and ruining the shape of the biscuit. Dust the cutter as often as needed. Don't wiggle the cutter when cutting the biscuit! Cut the biscuits close together to avoid having big pieces of dough left in between each biscuit. Trying to piece together and re-rolling leftover dough will change the texture of the biscuits. 

 Place the biscuits 1/2 inch or more apart on a heavy cookie sheet or baking pan. Bake for 13 minuets.Remove from the oven, and let them rest for 3 to 4 minuets.
Serve hot. Covered in butter or some other yummy topping.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

This recipe is part of my Hero Collection, and it represents my Mom.  I chose this recipe because my mom loves this recipe!

This recipe is very easy and this is a good one-pot meal. 

My Mom is a hero to me because she is patient, kind, encouraging and loving.

Instructions:

Heat the oil in 4-6 quart Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened. About 5 minuets.

Stir in the chili powder and cumin or Garam Masala.

Then add the broth and sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender about 15 minuets.
Add the tomatoes and beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the mixture is heated through and slightly thickened, about 15 minutes more. Stir in the orange zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve the chili topped with green onions, cilantro, and sour cream.


Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
From Family Fun Magazine 

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin or Garam Masala
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes or 2 (29-ounce) cans sweet potatoes, rinsed and chopped
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons orange zest (optional)
salt and pepper


Heat the oil in 4-6 quart Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened. About 5 minuets.
Stir in the chili powder and cumin or Garam Masala. Then add the broth and sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender about 15 minuets.
Add the tomatoes and beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the mixture is heated through and slightly thickened, about 15 minutes more.
Stir in the orange zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the chili topped with green onions, cilantro, and sour cream.

Pairs very well with The Best Cornbread, which I previously posted.

"Mighty Change" Pudding Cake

This recipe doesn't use eggs. It is a great last minuet desert for when you find out you need to make a desert for something, and you probably already have everything for it!

This recipe is part of my Hero Collection, and it represents Alma the Younger.

I chose this recipe because Alma had a "mighty change of heart". When this cake comes out of the oven, the outcome is completely unexpected!

Alma the Younger is a hero to me because he repented and had a change of heart when he made big mistakes, and he fixed his mistakes.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and four tablespoons cocoa.

Add milk, oil and nuts. We were out of nuts so we used unsweetened coconut.

Press mixture into an ungreased 9"x13" pan.

Blend brown sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the top and pour the hot water over it all.

Bake for 45 minuets.

It will look crusty on top, but will jiggle when you shake it because of the surprise pudding on the bottom! Remove from oven and let cool a bit to let the pudding thicken.
Serve it warm, but not too hot.

When you cut into it, the top is cakey, but the bottom is the consistency of pudding-y hot fudge.
If you eat some the next day (if it lasts that long!), the pudding is especially thick.
Best served with whipped cream or ice cream and then spoon the fudgy pudding on top.

"Mighty Change" Cake

From A Family Raised on Sunshine by Beverly Nye

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons cocoa, separated.

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons oil

2 cups chopped nuts (we were out of nuts, so we used unsweetened coconut)

2 cups brown sugar

3 cups hot water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and four tablespoons cocoa.
Add milk, oil and nuts or coconut.
Press mixture into an un-greased 9"x13" pan.
Blend brown sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the top and pour the hot water over it all.
Bake for 45 minuets.

Remove from oven and let cool.
Serve it warm, but not too hot.
When you cut into it, the top is cakey, but the bottom is the consistency of pudding-y hot fudge.
If you eat some the next day, the pudding is especially thick.
Best served with whipped cream or ice cream.
Enjoy!