Holiday Desserts

Poached Raspberry Pears

Ingredients:

4 ripe pears
1 pkg. frozen raspberries in syrup
1 cup truffle mixture

Preparation:

Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. Core the pear carefully from the bottom with a melon baller.

Meanwhile, bring raspberries to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the pears and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or until the pears are tender, turning frequently.

White-Chocolate Truffle Filling

Ingredients:

6 oz. white chocolate
3 Tbs. cream
1 Tbs. pear liquor, optional

Preparation:

Combine the ingredients and heat in a microwave for one minute. Stir to blend well, and chill for one hour or until ready to use.

Upside-Down Apple Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
4 medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled, halved and cored
premade pie-crust dough

Preparation:

In a frying pan, cook the sugar over medium heat until it turns to golden caramel. Place the apples in the frying pan and continue to cook for approximately five minutes until the apples are barely tender.

Chocolate Gift Bags

Ingredients:

melted chocolate
small gift bags

Preparation:

Buy small gift bags from a gift or specialty shop. Make sure the bags are smooth and have a waxy finish on the inside. Trim the top of the bags with pinking shears to give the appearance of a grocery bag.

Make the melted chocolate and coat the bottom of the bag first. Let it harden so that the bag is stable and easier to work with. Spoon chocolate all the way up the sides of the bag.

When the chocolate is set, gently peel away the paper gift bag to reveal a solid chocolate bag (figure E). Fill the bag with whipped cream or chocolate coins and serve.

Hint

While just about any chocolate will work for this presentation, it is easier to work with dark chocolate chips. Chocolate with a lot of milk solids, such as white and milk chocolate, become too thick too fast. They will work, but you'll have to move fast!

A Cup of Mousse

Ingredients:

6 oz. premium chocolate
1 cup cream, heated
1 pasteurized egg

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients to a blender and whip until smooth. Pour into demitasse cups and chill until set, about 2 hours or until ready to serve. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

* Note: Though this recipe uses heated cream, it's not hot enough to kill any bacteria that may be contained in raw eggs. Use only pasteurized eggs, which are available in many grocery stores.