Fromage Blanc Parfaits With Citrus Fruits And Caramel Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the fromage blanc, sour cream, scallions, dill, chives, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight) for the flavors to blend. Serve in a small bowl surrounded by crackers and/or fresh vegetables like crudites.

Steps:

• In a large, heavy saucepan, add the milk and the cream for a richer fromage blanc. In a mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and lemon juice and stir to combine well. Add the buttermilk-lemon juice mixture to the milk and begin to heat the milk, over low heat and very slowly, to 175 degrees F. While the milk is heating, stir only twice, making 2 strokes each time, with a heat-proof spatula or other flat utensil. Check the temperature often. As soon as the temperature reaches 175 degrees F, remove the pot from the heat and allow to sit, undisturbed, for 10 minutes.
• Line a large colander with 2 layers of fine cheesecloth and set over a large bowl. Gently ladle the curds and whey into the colander and allow to drain until the drips of whey slows, about 2 minutes. Tie the corners of the cheesecloth together to form a hanging pouch, and hang pouch over a bowl and allow to drain until the cheese reaches the desired consistency.
• Serve as is, with preserves, honey or fresh fruit, or add salt or fresh herbs, to taste, and enjoy as a savory appetizer. If a rich cheese is desired, spoon or pour a bit of heavy cream over the top before serving. Also, if a very smooth product is desired, beat the cheese briefly with an electric mixer before serving.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 week. If cheese is marinated in oil with fresh herbs, it will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.

Steps:

• To make the parfaits, place the fromage blanc, mascarpone, almond paste, milk and sugar in a metal bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Heat until the sugar and almond paste are dissolved, whisking occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1 tablespoon of water. Pass the cheese mixture through a strainer into another bowl. Add the gelatin and place back over the water, whisking just until gelatin dissolves. Let cool. Stir in the amaretto.
• Refrigerate the mixture until it is chilled and beginning to set; do not let it get firm. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Stir in 1/3 of the cheese mixture, then fold in the rest. Spoon into 6 1/2-cup ramekins. Refrigerate for several hours.
• To make the sauce, squeeze the juice from 4 of the blood oranges and all of the navel oranges. Set aside. Working over a bowl to collect any juice, use a paring knife to remove all the peel and pith from the mandarin oranges and the remaining blood oranges. Cut the sections out from between the membranes. Thinly slice the kumquats crosswise, removing any pits. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar on the side of the pan. Cook until the sugar turns a nice caramel color. Quickly remove from heat and carefully add the orange juices. Return the sauce to the heat and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the orange sections and kumquats. Set aside.
• To serve, dip the bottoms of the ramekins briefly in hot water. Run the tip of a small knife around the edge of the parfaits to loosen. Unmold onto 6 dessert plates. Spoon some of the sauce and fruit beside each one and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Stir the fromage blanc, cream, honey, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and vanilla seeds together in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To assemble, spoon the fromage blanc mixture into shallow bowls. Place the fruit artfully on top and drizzle the dessert with raspberry sauce. Serve with extra raspberry sauce on the side. I find that some people like it less sweet with just a drizzle of sauce while others prefer more sauce.

Steps:

• Using a small, sharp knife, cut off the tops and bottoms of the oranges and grapefruit, then slice the peel off them vertically, taking care to remove all the white pith below the skin of the fruit.
• Spoon the yogurt onto a platter or into a large bowl. Turn each fruit on its side, then slice it into rounds that are between 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch thick. Place the sliced fruit on top of the yogurt in an attractive pattern, then place the platter or bowl into the refrigerator.
• Make the caramel. Put the sugar in a large sauté pan set over medium heat, then add to it 1/2 cup or 125 milliliters of water, and swirl the pan to dissolve the sugar. Let the mixture come slowly to a boil, without stirring, then lower heat slightly, and cook until the syrup has gone a very deep amber color, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add the saffron to the caramel and swirl to mix it in.
• Pour the caramel over the sliced fruit. Return to the refrigerator for an hour or so, or serve right away.

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved. Stir in flour and ground hazelnuts. Drop teaspoons of batter, spaced 2 inches apart, onto a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)
• Make the mousse: Place 2 tablespoons cold water in a bowl, and sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Bring sugar, corn syrup, and remaining 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, swirling gently once mixture begins to color, until dark amber, 12 to 13 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Carefully add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking after each addition until butter melts (caramel will bubble). Add 1/4 cup each cream and creme fraiche. Add salt, and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Add gelatin mixture, and stir until combined. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally.
• In a bowl, whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups cream and 1/4 cup creme fraiche until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into caramel. Cover mousse, and refrigerate for 10 minutes (or overnight).
• Assemble parfaits: Cut peel and pith from citrus. Slice fruit along membranes to release segments.
• Layer segments and mousse in 6 serving glasses, beginning and ending with segments. Refrigerate, covered, until mousse is set, at least 1 hour (or overnight). Serve with lace cookies.

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until it all melts into a light gold syrup, 5 to 6 minutes. Continue to cook to a golden brown color, about 1 minute more. Carefully add the fruit all at once and reduce the heat to medium-low. The hot syrup may bubble and become foamy.
• Continue to cook, stirring constantly until any hard clumps of caramel dissolve and the fruit pieces soften and break down, about 4 minutes. Stir in the salt and heavy cream until there are no white streaks then remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl and use immediately, or cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Serve warm as a topping for ice cream, pies or tarts, or use as a caramel filling for layered cake or trifles. If cold, reheat gently in a small saucepan over low heat.