(NAPS)—Get ready to up your holiday baking game with four showstopping but easy-to-prepare desserts from CanolaInfo and The Culinary Institute of America (CIA).
“These recipes are elegant, perfect for the holidays, and use professional culinary techniques that any home cook can apply,” says Scott Samuel, chef-instructor at the CIA, one of the country’s top culinary schools.
(NAPS)—Get ready to up your holiday baking game with four showstopping but easy-to-prepare desserts from CanolaInfo and The Culinary Institute of America (CIA).
“These recipes are elegant, perfect for the holidays, and use professional culinary techniques that any home cook can apply,” says Scott Samuel, chef-instructor at the CIA, one of the country’s top culinary schools.
For example, to make Lemon-Grand Marnier Madeleines, a classic French cookie with the texture of cake, the batter sits refrigerated overnight, which both “hydrates” the flour and permits the aromatic flavors to intensify. In addition, chilled batter forms a crust in the oven before the interior is fully baked, helping to produce a tender crumb.
Each dessert is also made with heart-smart canola oil, which contains the least saturated fat and the most plant-based omega-3 fat of all common culinary oils.
“Using canola oil in place of butter for baked goods and other sweets helps lighten up desserts, plus its neutral flavor and high heat tolerance means it’s extremely versatile in the kitchen,” adds Samuel, who demonstrates how to prepare each recipe in step-by-step online videos.
In his Star Anise- and Orange-Infused Canola Ice Cream, for instance, Samuel shows how to make an infusion by warming canola oil with whole spices and orange peel strips, then blending it into a custard base.
The recipes and videos were produced as an industry service by The Culinary Institute of America to CanolaInfo.
All four recipes are available at www.canolainfo.org:
• Lemon-Grand Marnier Madeleines
• Pistachio Baklava
• Molten Chocolate Cake
• Star Anise- and Orange-Infused Canola Ice Cream.
“Canola oil works well in a variety of desserts,” Samuel adds. “Whether it’s for brushing phyllo dough in baklava, infusing mixtures with flavor or baking up a Molten Chocolate Cake, canola oil really does it all.”
Molten Chocolate Cake
With all the elegance of a plated dessert and all the gooey goodness of a brownie, these individual chocolate cakes are a perfect finish to any special meal. Canola oil in place of butter produces a tender crumb while reducing the saturated fat content.
1 cup canola oil
11 oz dark chocolate (64% cocoa)
7 eggs
6 egg yolks
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup almond flour
1⁄4 cup cacao nibs, finely chopped, or mini chocolate chips
1. In double boiler, add water to bottom pot and add canola oil and chocolate to top pot. Bring water in bottom pot to a boil. Turn heat to low and stir oil-chocolate mixture until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes. Make sure water does not boil again.
2. In bowl, whisk whole eggs, egg yolks and sugars together until well blended. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until thoroughly incorporated.
3. Add all-purpose flour and almond flour into chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Fold in cacao nibs.
4. Brush 10 small ramekins with canola oil and scoop about 6 Tbsp cake batter into each ramekin. You may place filled ramekins in refrigerator or freezer for later baking but bring to room temperature before proceeding with next step.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and unmold ramekins directly onto plate. Serve warm with fresh berries and Star Anise- and Orange-Infused Canola Ice Cream (recipe available at canolainfo.org), if desired.
Yield: 10 servings. Serving Size: 1 ramekin.
Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
Calories 580
Total Fat 46 g
Saturated Fat 13 g
Cholesterol 245 mg
Carbohydrates 39 g
Fiber 5 g
Sugars 28 g
Protein 11 g
Sodium 55 mg
Potassium 132 mg
