~Cooking Channel Week-End

I'm spending the long week-end on the couch with my 17 yrs. cat that has an ear infection. So far we like the Cooking Channel. Found a few more shows that look like they might become new faves. (along with the 2 I mentioned before.)

FoodCrafters with Host Aida Mollenkamp is on a mission: to discover and celebrate the absolute masters in independent food production around the USA. These are FoodCrafters, award-winning makers of gourmet cheeses, chocolates, bread and a thousand other delicacies. Rock stars in the foodie world, they're obsessed, compulsive entrepreneurs with a single focused passion: to create the ultimate flavors and tastes. Going behind the counter, Aida rolls up her sleeves and digs in, revealing both how these signature treats are made and what it took to bring them to the table. For anyone who ever cheered on the little guy, FoodCrafters is a behind-the-scenes look at how these food entrepreneurs turned the American Dream into a tasty one. Check out this San Francisco chef.
~Video~

Vanilla Cherry Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped dried sweet cherries
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined; set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat together the butter and sugars over medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate and cherries until they are uniformly distributed.

Scoop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet. Bake until the cookie edges are golden brown, about 14 minutes. Leave the cookies on the baking sheets on racks for 3 minutes. Repeat this process with the remaining dough. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely before serving.



Dolce Vita David is not a chef. He's Italian! Canadian-born David Rocco immerses himself in the charm and beauty of Tuscan life as he visits local markets and prepares authentic, easy-to-learn classic Italian dishes. Inspired by "cucina povera," or peasant cuisine, which is at the heart of Italian cooking, David makes dishes using simple, fresh, seasonal ingredients that any home chef can do anywhere.

SOUFLE AL CIOCCOLATO



250g 70% bittersweet dark chocolate (9oz)
90g sugar (3oz)
90g all-purpose flour (3oz)
1/2 cup of milk (180ml)
5 eggs, yolks and whites separated
30g unsalted butter (1oz)


To start your Soufle al Cioccolato:


Melt chocolate in a bain-marie/double boiler.

Whip egg whites with 1/2 of the sugar until fluffy. Add remaining sugar to egg yolks and whisk well.

Remove melted chocolate from heat. Let cool for a couple of minutes. Combine chocolate with cold milk in a mixing bowl to decrease temperature further. Add egg yolk mixture and continue whisking.

Slowly add flour to the chocolate mixture while whisking. Fold in whipped egg whites until consistency is even and smooth.

Butter 8 baking ramekins and pour in chocolate mixture. Let rest in freezer for two hours.

Bake in preheated oven at 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) for 8 minutes. Serve immediately.



Yield: 8 servings




Indian Food Made Easy Food writer and chef Anjum Anand is passionate about Indian cooking, and she is on a mission to show exactly how simple it is to cook delicious, healthy Indian food at home.

Strawberry Lassi

1 lb fresh strawberries, trimmed and halved (3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cups plain yogurt (whole-milk or low-fat)
1 cup ice cubes

Rachel Allen's Bake!

Baking is back! From cupcakes to casseroles and brownies to bread, sweet and savory baked treats get the Rachel Allen treatment: a showcase of distinctive recipes, tips and techniques demonstrated in easy fashion by a passionate cook. Rachel matches classic techniques with a modern touch and travels among baking artisans to learn their craft, sharing her delicious step-by-step findings in every episode.

Chocolate and hazelnut caramel bars

IngredientsFor the chocolate base
•200g/7oz butter

•50g/2oz cocoa powder

•300g/11oz caster sugar

•2 free range eggs, beaten

•225g/8oz plain flour

For the hazelnut caramel layer
•125g/4½oz butter

•1 x 397g/14oz tin condensed milk

•2 tbsp golden syrup

•75g/3oz caster sugar

•125g/4½oz toasted and halved hazelnuts

For the chocolate topping
•200g/7oz dark chocolate, chopped

•1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil