Lady Finger Sponge (1/2 recipe)

6 oz Egg yolks

3 oz Sugar

9 oz Egg whites

5 oz Sugar

1/4 tsp Lemon Juice

10 oz Pastry Flour, sifted

Procedure

To mixer add:

Egg Whites @ speed 2

Add Lemon juice (to stabilize the whites)

Once it bubbles move to speed 3

Add (2nd quantity of) sugar slowly

Whip to stiff peaks and pour into a bowl—set aside

Whip egg yolk on speed 3

Add sugar and whip to ribbon consistency

Cut and fold egg yolk mixture to egg whites

Sprinkle flour on top and fold in (2 or 3 batches)

Pipe with 806 tip onto a sheet pan

Bake @ 375

Mascarpone Filling

2 egg yolks

6 oz sugar

4 oz water

2 oz corn syrup

1 lb Mascarpone

1 lb 8 oz heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Method

In a pot add water and sugar

Add corn syrup

Heat to 220

Temper egg yolks and add to mixer. Beat at speed 3 until a sabayon (ribbon) consistency

Gently fold in cream

Layer Sponge

cut out 2 circles from sheet pan.

Cover 1st layer with coffee syrup

then add a layer of cream

add 2nd layer of sponge

cover with coffee syrup

add 2nd layer of creat

Cover with cocoa powder

Usually I just throw together a salad, or people make their own sandwiches. But last week I decided to make something new for the entire office (all 7 of us). Many of my co-workers had heard of quinoa, but never prepared or eaten it. It’s one of my favorite grains so I figured it was a great chance to introduce it to the others.

They almost gobbled it all up before I could take a picture.

A delicious office lunch

This dish was super easy and was done in 30 minutes. You could easily modify it a thousand different ways based on what you have on hand. It was a perfect warm lunch for a chilly fall day.

Pesto Quinoa with Apple Gouda Chicken Sausage

Recipe

1 tbs olive oil

1 med onion, diced

2 cups quinoa, rinsed (otherwise it will taste VERY bitter)

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

4 tbs prepared pesto

1/4 cup dried cherries

3 links Apple Gouda Chicken Sausage , sliced

Salt

Pepper

Method

Sautee onion in olive oil in a medium sized pan until soft.

Add quinoa and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then cover and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes

Meanwhile, toast pine nuts until fragrant. I chose to rough chop mine, but you could leave them in whole if you wanted.

When quinoa is finished add the remaining ingredients and mix together.

See, I told you it was easy.