Ponte’s Pastry Chef, Holly Caporale, knows that summer is not the time to spend hours in the kitchen, not when sun, surf and sand call upon our heartstrings! At the same time, quality, freshness and flavor are elements to never compromise on when it comes to her sweet creations. Chef Holly has an arsenal of warm-weather treats up her sleeve and is pleased to share a couple of them with you.
Ginger-Cinnamon Honey Poached Citrus and Vanilla Ice Cream
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- Segments of 2 grapefruit and 3 oranges
- 1 cup honey
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Fresh ginger, medium diced (from a 1” x ½” piece)
- Chopped, toasted pistachios
- Vanilla ice cream of your choosing.
Pour honey into a saucepan. Segment the citrus fruit over the saucepan so that the juices run into it and place fruit segments in saucepan. Heat honey and citrus over medium heat just until it comes to a boil. Remove pan from heat and let cool for a couple of minutes. Carefully remove the poached citrus segments and set aside in refrigerator until cold.
Place cinnamon sticks and chopped fresh ginger into honey. Return to heat and slow boil until reduced by half. Remove from heat, strain out the sticks and ginger and let honey syrup cool. To serve, place 3 scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream in a bowl. Place some of the cold citrus segments on top. Drizzle with ginger-cinnamon honey and top with chopped pistachios. Enjoy immediately!
Great Ganache, 3 Ways
Yield: 6 cupcakes or 20 small spoonful’s, or 20 truffles
Ingredients:
- 8 oz of your favorite chocolate (If in bar form, chop into pieces the size of chocolate chips)
- 4 oz heavy cream
- 4 oz coconut milk (stirred so fat is evenly distributed)
- Favorite toppings, such as chopped nuts, toasted coconut, berries, graham cracker crumbs, mini marshmallows, m&m chocolate candies, crushed peppermint candies, citrus zests
- 12 oz chocolate for truffle dipping
Place 8 oz chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. In a small pot, bring heavy cream and coconut milk just to a boil. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes undisturbed. Carefully mix cream/milk into chocolate using a spatula or whisk. This is your ganache.
If you want to use the ganache in small spoonful’s, let the ganache sit in refrigerator for 20 minutes until set enough to sit on the spoon without running over. Sprinkle with your favorite toppings and serve while ganache is soft.
If using ganache for cupcakes, let the ganache set a little more and then pipe or spoon onto chocolate cupcakes and top with your favorite toppings. Hold in refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
If you want to use the ganache to make truffles, melt 12 oz chocolate over a double boiler or carefully melt in microwave. With rubber gloves on, and while dipping chocolate is melting and cooling a bit, roll cold ganache into 3Ž4” balls. Dip into warm dipping chocolate and let excess run off. Drop the truffles into finely chopped nuts, chopped toasted coconut or cocoa powder until evenly coated. Place truffles in refrigerator until ready to serve.
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