Thursday, May 27, 2010

The Elegance of European Desserts

There is just something elegant about European desserts. Flavors of rich chocolate, decadent cream and fresh fruit are just some of the key elements you may find in these delicious treats. From the simple, yet elegant chocolate mousse to the richly layered tiramisu, European desserts tempt you like no other.

Desserts can be served as an ending to a wonderful dinner party or you can have an entire party centered around the desserts themselves. This is definitely the way to go if you are having trouble deciding which dessert to serve. Desserts go well with wine, so it is simple to plan an evening of culinary decadence.

A fun way to serve mousse or other creamy desserts is to put them in a wine or champagne glass. This novel way of serving dessert adds instant elegance to your European desserts (as if they needed any help).

Tortes, chocolate souffles, eclairs, cannoli, or creme brulee are perfect examples of simple, elegant desserts you can serve at a dessert party. Use fresh, seasonal fruit to highlight your desserts. The fruit adds color, it freshens the palate between rich desserts, and it makes everyone feel they are still eating healthy.

Think about your presentation. Use candles and lace tablecloths to add that vintage touch of class. European desserts deserve all the hype they get, so play it up. Add a bouquet of fresh flowers on the table and use elegant china and silverware. Enjoy the rich theme.

Recipe for Creme Brulee

This simple yet decadent custard is known for its hard candy top.

What You Need


1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water

How to Make It

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put the cream, vanilla bean and the pulp into a medium sized saucepan. Turn the heat on medium-high and bring to a careful boil. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean. You may be able to save it for another use.

Put 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks in a medium bowl and blend them well until they begin to lighten in color. Add the cream slowly, stirring continually. Pour the mixture into 6 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a large deep cake pan or roaster. Pour hot water in the pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekin sides. Bake until the creme brulee is just set, but trembles in the center. This will take about 40 to 45 minutes. When done, remove the ramekins and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. They will keep up to 3 days.

Take the creme brulee from the refrigerator at least half an hour before browning the top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar between the ramekins, spreading it evenly across the top. Use a torch to melt the sugar until it forms a crisp candy top. Allow the dessert to rest for around 5 minutes before serving.

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