Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousse is a great dessert for entertaining because 1) it looks pretty, 2) everyone gets their own serving, and 3) you can make it a day ahead of time. In fact, you do need to make it at least several hours ahead of time. I decided to prepare chocolate mousse using the darkest chocolate I could find (Trader Joe's has some Belgian 70% cocoa 1 lb bricks). Chocolate mousse is a little bit tricky. If you incorporate the egg yolks when the chocolate is too warm, it will cook, if too cold, it will seize up when the other ingredients are added. If you stir and not fold the egg whites and whipped cream in, your mousse will not be fluffy, but dense.

Almost all recipes I reviewed called for bittersweet chocolate. From what I can tell, bittersweet has a bit more sugar and a bit less cocoa than the 70% dark chocolate I used. If you are going to serve the mousse straight - with no added cream or fruit, and you love the taste of barely sweet dark chocolate, your mousse will be perfect with the 70%. If you layer in fruit (raspberries complement the chocolate quite well) and or more whipped cream, you'll want either to add sugar or use bittersweet chocolate to begin with.

Chocolate Mousse Recipe

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INGREDIENTS

• 4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, diced
• 2 tablespoons espresso or very strong coffee (I used decaf espresso from a local Starbucks)
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon sugar

(Optional) Raspberries and extra whipped cream

METHOD

1 Whip the cream to soft peaks, then refrigerate.

2 Combine the chocolate, butter, and espresso in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not simmering, water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool until the chocolate is just slightly warmer than body temperature. To test, dab some chocolate on your bottom lip. It should feel warm. If it is too cool, the mixture will seize when the other ingredients are added.

3 Once the melted chocolate has cooled slightly, whip the egg whites in a medium bowl until they are foamy and beginning to hold a shape. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until soft peaks form.

4 When the chocolate has reached the proper temperature, stir in the yolks. Gently stir in about one-third of the whipped cream. Fold in half the whites just until incorporated, then fold in the remaining whites, and finally the remaining whipped cream.

5 Spoon or pipe the mousse into a serving bowl or individual dishes. If you wish, layer in fresh raspberries and whipped cream. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. (The mousse can be refrigerated for up to a day.)

Serves 5-8, depending on the size of the servings.

Chocolate Truffles

Please welcome guest author Garrett McCord who is helping us get ready forValentine's Day with these easy-to-make chocolate truffles. ~Elise

Want to show me romance and sweep me off my feet? Then cook for me.

Flowers are a sweet gesture, but I don't have a vase so they end up sitting on my table in an Indiana Jones Big Gulp cup and then my cats end up eating them anyway. Gifts and tokens are sweet and while I may say thank you out loud in my mind I'm saying, "Great, now I have more crud in my house and no place to put it!"

No, if you want to make me swoon, then cook for me. If you don't know how to cook, make me truffles.

Truffles are the simplest of candy to make; cream, chocolate, and time is all it takes to create something blissfully elegant, decadent, and delicious. Be sure to use high quality chocolate, and if you can find it, chocolate that is 62% cacao or higher, and organic cream, as the quality of these ingredients will effect the final product.

Chocolate Truffles Recipe

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INGREDIENTS

Basic truffle ingredients

• 8 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (high quality, 62% cacao or higher), well chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Optional base flavorings:

• Mint leaves (1 bunch, stems removed, chopped, about 1 cup)
• Cinnamon and cardamon (1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom pods)
• Amaretto (1-2 tablespoons)
• Almond extract (1 teaspoon)

Truffle coatings

• Cocoa powder
• Finely chopped walnuts
• Finely chopped almonds

METHOD

1 In a small, heavy saucepan bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer (this may take a while, be sure to stir and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula every few minutes).

If you are using one of the other recommended flavorings, stir it in with the cream (and ignore vanilla in the next step). If adding mint or other solids, after the cream simmers, remove from heat and let seep for an hour. Then strain away solids, and return the cream to a simmer and proceed with recipe.

2 Place the chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add the vanilla, and allow to stand for a few minutes then stir until smooth. (This chocolate base is called ganache.)

3 Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator for two hours. Remove and with a teaspoon roll out balls of the ganache. Roll in your hands quickly (as it will melt from the heat of your hands) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

4 Roll in cocoa powder or chopped nuts and serve, or place back in the refrigerator until needed.

Makes 30-40 chocolate truffles.

Blackberry Slump

Have you ever heard of a dessert called a slump? The Joy of Cooking defines a slump as "steamed fruit topped with dumplings". I first encountered the idea of a slump in a cookbook about the cooking of Newport, Rhode Island, in the first chapter on colonial cooking. Apparently, this dessert goes back to colonial days. It's synonymous with a "grunt", and which word you use, slump or grunt, depends on the locale. In Rhode Island, slump is used. In Massachusetts, grunt is more common.

Etymology aside, what's cool about slumps is that they are like cobblers, except they're made on the stove-top instead of the oven, and they have dumplings instead of biscuits. Yes, berries cooked with sugar, topped with dumplings. (You should have seen my dad's face when I explained the dessert I made for him. The way he lit up when the word "dumpling" was mentioned was priceless.) Soft, fluffy dumplings, bathed in sweet, tart, ruby berries, and doused with cream.

Sigh.

Dad practically ate the whole batch!

This recipe uses blackberries because that's what I happened to have, but you could use any berry. Traditionally in New England native blueberries are used. I do recommend serving this with cream or vanilla ice cream. Blackberries can be quite tart, which the cream can help cut.

Blackberry Slump Recipe

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes

This recipe uses blackberries, but you could easily use any berry you would like, such as blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries.

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INGREDIENTS

Dumplings:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup whole milk

Berries:

• 4 cups fresh or frozen (defrosted and drained) blackberries
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet your berries and how sweet you would like your slump to be)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup water

• Whipping cream or vanilla ice cream for topping

METHOD

1 In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your clean hands, cut the butter into the flour until the flour resembles a coarse meal. Add the milk all at once and stir until the flour is just moistened. Handling the dough as little as possible, form into a ball. Set aside.

2 In a 2-qt saucepan, add the berries, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water. Heat until boiling, stirring a few times so that the berries are well coated with the sauce. Once the berry mixture is boiling, tear off spoonful chunks from the dough ball and drop onto the fruit around the edges of the pot. You should have enough dough for 6 dumplings. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes, without peeking at the dumplings.

Place dumplings in serving bowls and top with berries. Serve with cream or ice cream. Serve hot or chilled.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

"I found my thrill, on Blueberry Hill..." While I'm pretty sure this song isn't about blueberries, every time I hear it all that comes to mind is a huge mound of them waiting for me to dig in. (Like Rock Candy Mountain, but made of blueberries.) During the summer when they're in season, I can't get enough of them. I'll buy baskets of blueberries just for me to eat, all by myself. No guilt. No justification needed (though if you do need a reason, they're great for your brain and are considered a superfood). Half a basket gets dumped into the morning's cereal, the rest nibbled throughout the day. We keep bags of frozen blueberries around forpancakes or smoothies; fresh ones are usually just eaten straight. With this blueberry frozen yogurt recipe, you can use either fresh or frozen blueberries, though you might want to lean to the frozen as you are going to freeze them anyway, and the frozen berries are usually cheaper. The tartness of the yogurt seems to just intensify the flavor of the blueberries, and a little cinnamon adds a touch of spice.

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Recipe

Frozen blueberries work great for this recipe.

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INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (about 1 1lb)
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 cup to 1 cup of sugar (depending on how sweet your blueberries are, and how sweet you want the result to be)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups full fat plain yogurt (full fat yogurt is preferred, if you use low-fat or non-fat yogurt, substitute 1/4 cup of it with heavy whipping cream)
• 1/2 cup whole milk

METHOD

1 Place the blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stirring, until all of the sugar has dissolved. While the mixture is heating, use a potato masher to mash up the blueberries. When all of the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

If you want a smooth result, you can process the cooled mixture in a food processor, or skip, in which case you'll have pieces of blueberries which can add flavorful texture to the frozen yogurt.

2 Stir in the yogurt and milk until completely incorporated. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight) until completely cold.

3 Process the blueberry yogurt mixture in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions (usually about 25 minutes). Serve immediately (it will be soft) or let it firm up a bit by freezing it for several hours.

Make about 1 quart.

Red Velvet Brownies

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Our red velvet brownies are a bite-size version of the classic cake. Top them with cream cheese frosting for an ultimate holiday dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
• 3/4 cup butter $
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs $
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Small-Batch Cream Cheese Frosting
• Garnish: white chocolate curls

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.
2. 2. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in flour and next 4 ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
3. 3. Bake at 350° for 44 to 48 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).
4. 4. Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles; gently remove foil. Spread Small-Batch Cream Cheese Frosting on top of brownies, and cut into 16 squares. Garnish, if desired.

Note:

Line pan with foil by trimming two long foil pieces to a 9-inch width. Fit strips, crossing each other, in the pan.

Strawberry cheesecake

in sean

Paul Rankin layers citrusy crushed biscuits, stewed strawberries and cheesecake in this easy yet dramatic dessert.

Ingredients

For the biscuit layer

• 150g/5¼oz crushed digestive biscuits
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• ½ tbsp freshly grated lemon zest, very finely chopped
• 6 tbsp orange juice or juice from the strawberries

For the strawberry layer

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tsp cornflour, dissolved in a little cold water or orange juice
• 100g/4oz caster sugar
• 1kg/2lb 3¼oz strawberries, cleaned and sliced

For the cheesecake layer

• 2 sheets gelatine
• 1-2 tbsp of lemon juice
• 350g/12¼oz cream cheese
• 225g/8oz caster sugar
• 300g/10½oz thick Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 tbsp of vanilla extract

To serve

• whipped cream
• sprigs of mint

Preparation method

1. For the biscuit layer, mix all the biscuit ingredients together and reserve.
2. For the strawberry layer, place the lemon juice and water into a small saucepan and mix in the cornflour well.
3. Bring to the boil and when the cornflour is dissolved, mix in the sugar and the strawberries.
4. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool and thicken.
5. For the cheesecake mixture, soften the gelatine in the lemon juice and a spoonful of water if needed, for 3-5 minutes.
6. Heat the mixture gently over a low heat in a small saucepan until the gelatine is completely dissolved.
7. Meanwhile whisk the cream cheese and the sugar in a mixer or blender on medium speed.
8. When the sugar is dissolved turn down the speed and add the yoghurt and the gelatine.
9. When the mixture is blended together add the vanilla extract.
10. To assemble, place the biscuit layer into the base of six wine glasses, add a good dollop of cheesecake mixture, then add some strawberries. Chill the mixture for a few hours and top with whipped cream and a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.

Apricot and Yogurt Parfaits

Apricot yogurt, my favorite French yogurt, was the inspiration for these parfaits. The presentation transforms the mixture of apricots and plain yogurt into a beautiful dessert

1 cup apricot puree

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

2 cups low-fat (2%) thickened yogurt or Greek-style yogurt

1 tablespoon finely chopped almonds, toasted or raw

1. Make the apricot purée as directed. If desired, add to it 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.

2. Spoon 1/4 cup thickened yogurt into the bottom of each of four tumblers or parfait glasses. Top with 2 tablespoons of the apricot purée. Make another 1/4 cup layer of yogurt on top of the apricot purée, and finish with another 2-tablespoon layer of apricot purée. Cover tightly and chill for at least one hour. Just before serving, sprinkle finely chopped almonds over the top.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: The assembled parfaits will hold in the refrigerator for a day. Sprinkle on the almonds just before serving.

Nutritional information per serving: 165 calories; 3 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 8 milligrams cholesterol; 24 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 39 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein

Melon Delima Almond Smoothie

You can juice pomegranates using a citrus press: Just cut the pomegranate in half and press down and twist it on the press. Be careful to wear an apron so you don’t get splattered with the beautiful red juice. Half of a medium-size pomegranate will yield about 1/4 cup of juice if pressed this way. Or you can, of course, use a juicer.1/4 cup freshly squeezed pomegranate juice

1/2 pound cantaloupe or another sweet yellow-fleshed melon, like Crenshaw or Persian melon

12 almonds, soaked overnight or blanched and skinned

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 drop almond oil

1 slice fresh ginger (optional)

1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed for a full minute. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Yield: 1 serving.

Advance preparation: This is best when drunk right away.

Nutritional information per serving: 228 calories; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 37 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 47 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein

Seven foods that will naturally cleanse your liver






(NaturalNews) The primary way in which your body expels toxins is via the liver, which detoxifies and cleanses your body by continuously filtering the blood of poisons that enter it through the digestive tract, the skin, and the respiratory system. But when your liver becomes overworked as a result of stress or excessive exposure to toxins, your entire system can be thrown off balance, and your health severely compromised.

Since the liver is also responsible for producing bile, another form of detox
ification that is metabolically necessary for the breakdown and assimilation of fats and proteins from your food, it is exceedingly important that your liver be properly maintained. Without a well-functioning liver, your body will be unable to cleanse itself and absorb nutrients, which is a recipe for a health disaster.

"The thousands of enzyme systems that are responsible for virtually every body activity are constructed in the liver," writes Dr. Karl Maret, M.D., about the importance of vibrant liver function. "The proper functioning of the eyes, the heart, the brain, the gonads, the joints, and the kidneys, are all dependent on good liver activity."

"If the liver is impaired from constructing even one of the thousands of enzyme systems the body requires, there is an impairment in overall body function and a resultant greater metabolic stress on the individual."

So here are seven important foods you may want to begin incorporating into your diet in order to maintain a healthy liver.

Garlic, grapefruit, green tea, and green vegetables

Garlic contains numerous sulfur-containing compounds that activate the liver enzymes responsible for flushing out toxins from the body. This bulbous relative of the onion also contains allicin and selenium, two powerful nutrients proven to help protect the liver from toxic damage, and aid it in the detoxification process.

Grapefruit is rich in natural vitamin C and antioxidants, two powerful liver cleansers. Like garlic, grapefruit contains compounds that boost the production of liver detoxification enzymes. It also contains a flavonoid compound known as naringenin that causes the liver to burn fat rather than store it (http://www.dailymail.co.uk).

Green tea is loaded with catechins, a type of plant antioxidant that has been shown in studies to eliminate liver fat accumulation and promote proper liver function (http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v26/n11/abs/0802141a.html). This powerful herbal beverage also protects the liver against toxins that would otherwise accumulate and cause serious damage.

Leafy green vegetables such as bitter gourd, arugula, dandelion greens, spinach, mustard greens, and chicory also contain numerous cleansing compounds that neutralize heavy metals, which can bear heavily on the liver. Leafy greens also eliminate pesticides and herbicides from the body, and spur the creation and flow of cleansing bile.

Avocados, walnuts, and turmeric

Rich in glutathione-producing compounds, avocados actively promote liver health by protecting it against toxic overload, and boosting its cleansing power (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/12/001219074822.htm). Some research has shown that eating one or two avocados a week for as little as 30 days can repair a damaged liver.

Walnuts, which contain high levels of l-arginine, an amino acid, glutathione, and omega-3 fatty acids, also help detoxify the liver of disease-causing ammonia. Walnuts also help oxygenate the blood, and extracts from their hulls are often used in liver-cleansing formulas.

Turmeric, one of the most powerful foods for maintaining a healthy liver, has been shown to actively protect the liver against toxic damage, and even regenerate damaged liver cells. Turmeric also boosts the natural production of bile, shrinks engorged hepatic ducts, and improves overall function of the gallbladder, another body-purifying organ.


Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/035946_liver_cleanse_foods.html#ixzz1xImddItV

Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin
Good skin care — including sun protection and gentle cleansing — can keep your skin healthy and glowing for years to come.


Don't have time for intensive skin care? Pamper yourself with the basics. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay the natural aging process and prevent various skin problems. Get started with these five no-nonsense tips.

1. Protect yourself from the sun

One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.

For the most complete sun protection:

Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. When you're outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours — or more often if you're swimming or perspiring.
Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.
Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.
2. Don't smoke

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow. This depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.

If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

Nama :  Ari sastia a

Kelas : 3EB08

Npm  : 20209070

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2. Dia (membeli) beberapa kaus dalam dua tahun terakhir.

3. Dia (tulang akan) daging nanti.

4. Pada saat Anda sampai di sana mereka sudah (kiri).

5. I (tenggelam). Tidak ada yang menyelamatkan saya.

6. Dia mengatakan dia (belum kembali) buku belum

7. Apa yang (melakukan), Anda (waduk) saat ini?

8. Dia (pikir) suaminya akan membeli lemari es baru.

9. Berapa banyak (telah Anda spen) t di London sejauh ini?

10. Dalam satu bulan kali saya (belajar) kata mord dari sebelumnya

11. Setelah dia (melihat) jerapah ia berbicara kepada penjaga gawang.

12. Dia (membeli) gulma-pembunuh ketika mereka menangkapnya.

13. Pipa selalu (memberikan) kesulitan selama musim panas.

14. Trout (meningkat) ketika mereka mencapai danau.

15. (Apakah Anda mengenali) patung ini?

16. Mereka mengatakan bahwa mereka (tidak akan melakukan) besok.

17. Apa yang telah (melakukan) sejak resital terakhir Anda?

18. Seperti itu (hujan) dia memasang payung nya.

19. Mereka (mendengar) Beethoven lebih baik dilakukan di awal tahun.

20. Apa yang (akan) di sini?

21. Saya baru saja (menyadari) apa maksudnya.

22. Saya tidak pernah (ditanam) krokus lagi.

23. (Apakah Anda menikmati) diri sendiri ketika aku melihatmu di pesta itu?

24. Saya (pergi) ke kebun binatang dan aku pergi sementara mereka masih berbicara tentang mengunjungi itu.

25. Dia (berlabuh) di Tilbury pekan lalu.

26. Dia selalu (mempercepat) terlalu cepat.

27. (Do) Anda mendengar bahwa kebisingan mengerikan?

28. Pada saat pemadam tiba, rumah telah (keruntuhan).

29. Saya melihat jenis baru wiper kaca depan mobil sementara aku (berjalan) mengelilingi pameran kemarin. 

30. Mereka (telah menunggu) untuk take off sejak sepuluh pagi ini.

31. Dia (shot) setidaknya tiga harimau di India tahun lalu.

32. Kami (melihat) apa yang kita lihat.

33. Dia (mendengar) sebuah berseru-seru burung hantu saat ia berjalan melalui kayu.

34. Mereka (telah memproduksi) seratus kaos sehari-hari selama dua bulan sekarang.

35. Dimana anda (akan) ketika saya bertemu dengan Anda?

36. Siapa (diberitahu) belalang menari? Semut dalam dongeng.

37. Mereka (memakai) sepatu hak tinggi musim lalu sehari-hari.

38. Apa yang (akan Anda lakukan) dengan pistol di mobil Anda?

39. Dia masih tidak (ditemukan) jam tangannya.

40. Saya (kiri) ada beberapa tahun sebelum saya menemukan sarang.

41. Ketika itu (menyengat) dia?

42. Dia (seperti) kerang. Tentu dia (lebih suka) lobster.

43. Naga-lalat (memiliki) sangat indah sayap.

44. Waktu dan pasang (tidak menunggu) untuk siapapun, jangka katakan.

45. I (membeli) beberapa pemangkas baru di hari lain.

46. Gadis di kotak membayar jarang (tersenyum) saat ini.

47. Saat dia (membuka) boot spareel jatuh keluar.

48. Terlalu banyak koki (manja) kaldu.

49. Dia (itu meninggalkan) Italia dengan pesawat kemarin.