Martie on Food Network Star Recipe: Chocolate Roulage from Episode 7

Food Network Star Episode 7: Meet the Press-ure!

The pressure was on when we had to cook a signature dish that would tell the judges who we are in one bite. The additional pressure was the mentors were not going to be on set AND we would be presenting the dish to the press... on camera. My original idea was...  what is a party without cake and ice cream? Since we were going to the Food Network kitchens for the first time, I just knew there would be an ice cream spinner that I could use to make some gorgeous vanilla bean ice cream to go with my individual mini Chocolate Souffle cakes. Alas... there was no ice cream machine and I also found that the cups they secured for me could not go in the oven. PLAN B! With the clock ticking, I had to change my recipe to a recipe using the same ingredients, Chocolate Roulage. On top of that, my oven would NOT heat up and I was down to the wire plating my dish! Ugggh!! Luckily, Justin helped me garnish and it all turned out. Everyone always loves this dessert. Back home in Birmingham, Alabama, Cobb Lane restaurant was known for their Chocolate Roulage... we'd go there for special occasions like bridesmaid luncheons and wedding showers. When they closed, I learned to make Chocolate Roulage and have been making it for Christmas Eve and important family events ever since.

For the show, I make this with a little cayenne and added bourbon to the cream as a nod to my Southern roots. However, I leave these out when making it for the family.  

Chocolate Roulage with Bourbon Cream

Ingredients

Softened unsalted butter, for greasing baking sheet

5 egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon espresso or strong, black coffee
5 egg whites

1cup cocoa powder
2 cups heavy cream

 3 teaspoons Confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup bourbon
seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean pod (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325-degrees.

Lightly butter a rimmed jelly roll/or baking sheet and line with parchment paper and lightly butter the top of the paper as well, especially the corners.

Fit a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium speed until fluffy and the sugar is not gritty, about 10-12 minutes. While the eggs are beating, put chocolate in a bowl and melt over a double boiler. When chocolate is melted, remove from heat, let it cool a bit. Sit the bowl in some cool water for a few minutes, if necessary. Incorporate the egg mixture into chocolate by adding a little at a time to temper the mixture, so you don't cook the eggs. Add vanilla and espresso.

In a clean bowl, and with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Incorporate 1/4 of egg whites into the chocolate mixture; make sure no white streaks remain. Carefully fold in the remaining whites into the chocolate, taking care not to deflate the whites but making sure not to have any white streaks in the batter.

Spread batter in the prepared pan bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 300 degrees and cook for another 5 mintues. Remove from the oven. Spread a dampened tea towel or several dampened paper towels over the top of the cake and let it sit for 30 minutes.  

In a clean bowl, with whisk attachment, whip the cream, Confectioners’ sugar, bourbon, vanilla bean and vanilla on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Carefully turn the cake out onto clean parchment paper making sure to have 4-5 inches of excess paper at the end to help you roll the cake. Using a fine sieve or sifter, sprinkle ½ cup cocoa powder over the top of the cake. Spread the whipped cream mixture over the top, leaving ¼ inch on each side. Using the edge of the parchment paper, carefully roll the cake creating a jellyroll effect, tuck and roll as you go, peeling back the paper along the way. Put the rolled cake seam side down and dust the whole cake with the remaining cocoa.

Chill 2 hours before serving. You might even put the cake in the freezer for an hour before serving so that it is easy to slice. To serve, slice cake with a serrated knife and place on chilled plates. Garnish with a light dusting of cocoa powder and fresh berries. 

Yield: 1 roulage, about 6-8 slices depending on the thickness

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Make it Tonight: Nutella Cookies

My friend Liz recently sent me this recipe for Nutella cookies...and it took me a few weeks to get a chance to make them. Now that I've tasted one, I wish I'd made them a lot sooner! Dark, rich and delicious with cocoa, Nutella and butter... Need I say more? For the unacquainted. Nutella is a hazelnut spread- find it in the peanut butter aisle. Warning- it is highly addictive and these these cookies will soon become one of your favorite recipes. Make them even better by making sandwich cookies with more Nutella, marshmallow fluff, or ice cream! Head's up= this recipe calls for chilling the dough for 4 hours before baking so just be prepared to allow for the chill time.

Nutella Cookies- stuff with more Nutella, marshmallow fluff or ice cream for awesome sandwich cookies:))NUTELLA COOKIES

Makes 4 dozen cookies- depending on the size

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup Nutella

1 teaspoon vanilla

finely chopped, toasted hazelnuts

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Beat sugar and butter on medium speed for five minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to fully incorporate the egg before adding the next one. Add the Nutella and vanilla; beat until combined. Chill dough four hours or overnight. The Nutella makes the dough very soft and you really need to chill it well before you bake. If you don't have time to chill for 4 hours, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and pop it in the freezer for 1 1/2 hours before baking.

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a very small ice cream scoop to insure uniform size cookies. Roll the tops and sides in the chopped hazelnuts. (you can substitute another nut like almonds if you can't find the hazelnuts) Do not get the nuts on the bottom of the cookie. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes... more for crisp cookies and less for softer cookies. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets.

The cookies will spread as they bake so leave a bit of room between them.

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Holiday Entertaining: Spicy Ginger Cookies

I learned this recipe from my friend Judy Feagin, who let me come bake more than 700 cookies with her yesterday for her church's holiday open house. Judy retired from Southern Living magazine- so she really knows what she is doing. I learned so much about cooking baking but more than that, I had so much fun!

Here's one of the recipes we made: her holiday ginger cookies. Use a small ice cream scoop to measure the cookie dough. It makes the whole process simple.

TAKU GINGER COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup molasses

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar in the raw or turbinado sugar for dipping

Space oven racks evenly. Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter and sugars together until fluffy.

Beat in egg and molasses.

In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture.

Using a small ice cream scoop, form walnut-sized dough balls and roll the tops and sides in raw sugar- just the tops and sides... don't get the sugar on the bottom.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake 10-12 minutes for softer cookies, longer for crisp cookies. Cookies will crack on the top. Excellent served warm.

Need more holiday recipes? Try some of these:

 HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

HOLIDAY COCKTAIL RECIPES

KELLY'S ENGLISH TOFFEE COOKIES

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Sure Fire Favorites: Old-Fashioned Southern Lemon Meringue Pie

For some reason, I've had a craving for lemon meringue pie for about 2 months. This has long been a favorite of mine- my mother would make it for my birthday... but I've never really been able to master the thing and as any of you who know me know-- my mom did not use recipes. Therefore, I've been about the task of recreating her recipe and think I finally have it down. Lemon meringue pie is finicky, I've decided. It does not like too much humidity. It does not like too much heat. But even if it fails to set up properly or the meringue gets a bit sticky, there is still no better pie to me than this one. Hey, and if it doesn't set up, you can always use a spoon:)

OLD-FASHIONED SOUTHERN LEMON MERINGUE PIE

This can be used for tarts or for a pie. It will make about 12 tarts. One thing I learned from several mistakes is to pay attention to the directions and stir, stir, stir. Don't get distracted:)

You will need one crust, the filling, and the meringue topping. This took me about an hour, start to finish, not including the time to cool the pie completely before serving.

PASTRY PIE CRUST

I picked up some tricks from Alton Brown for crust making... I think my mom would have approved.

Makes a 9-inch pie crust

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt (use regular table salt)

1/3 cup butter, chilled for 20 minutes

2 tablespoons shortening, chilled for 20 minutes (Alton uses lard-I chose Crisco)

3 tablespoons ice water (sprinkled in one at a time and you may need 4 depending on consistency)

Use a food processor with the blade attachment. Add the flour and salt. Pulse twice to combine. Then cut the butter into small cubes. Pulse a few times. Add the shortening. Pulse a few more times - until the mixture looks a bit like little peas. Be careful not to over mix. Next, let the processor run and drizzle in the ice water one tablespoon at at time until the dough just starts to come together. You may only need 3 tablespoons. Some days I have needed 4 so that the dough starts to form into a ball. Don't over mix it. Stop the food processor just as it starts to come together.

Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic. Working quickly so the heat from your hands does not melt the butter, form into a disc. Wrap in the plastic and refigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

To use: lightly flour the surface of another piece of plastic wrap and your rolling pin (and your hands). Gently roll out the crust, taking care to work quickly and not over handle or over work the dough. Use the plastic to drape the crust over the pie plate. Put a second pie plate over the top of it to gently press the dough into the pie plate. Remove the plastic wrap and you've got a pretty great looking pie crust. Easy, peasy.

You have to blind bake this pie crust before filling it. Prick the sides and the bottom with a fork. This prevents the pastry crust from puffing up too much. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

LEMON MERINGUE FILLING

For a 9 inch pie or 12-15 tarts, depending on the size of your tart pan

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups whole milk

4 egg yolks, beaten well. Reserve the whites for the meringue.

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

 In a heat-proof bowl, add the egg yolks and beat them well until they are slightly thickened. Add the sugar, salt, and cornstarch to a saucepan. Use a fork to combine the ingredients. Add the milk, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring each addition to incorporate very well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil one minute, stirring constantly to keep it from burning. Remove from the heat. Carefully temper the egg yolks with the hot mixture... add 1/4 cup of the hot liquid into the eggs, stirring constantly, to bring the eggs up to temperature. (If you do this step too quickly, you will end up with scrambled eggs) Add another 1/4 cup of the hot mixture to the eggs and then turn the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan.

Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter. Stir well to combine. Pour into the baked pie shell once you have the meringue ready to go. Some people butter the bottom of a baked pie shell to act as a barrier between the filling and the crust so it won't get soggy. I did not do this step but you can if you like.

MERINGUE

4 egg whites

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (find it in the spice aisle)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Put the egg whites in a mixing bowl. Add the cream of tartar. Beat on high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time until all the sugar is added and stiff, shiny peaks form. This takes about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Spread the meringue over the hot pie filling. The key is to make sure to seal the edges so the meringue doesn't shrink away from the crust.

Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Put the pie on a wire baking rack and allow it to cool before cutting it. I usually allow it to sit for 20 minutes and then put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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Martie Knows Parties: My Mom's Pound Cake Recipe

I love a story with a happy ending! My mom was one of those classic Southern "pinch of this" cooks... and she was one of the best cooks ever. She started cooking when she was very young, having to help in the kitchen at the Alabama Children's Home where she lived from the age of four until eighteen. Well, being really dumb and away from home much of my life, I never got her to write down her best recipes and I cannot tell you how much I regret that. (note to everyone- get your precious family recipes down in writing) 

Me with my sweet Mom on Easter Sunday; check out the doughnut on my head!About 15 years back, my friend, Janet asked me for my mom's pound cake recipe. I called home and got it from my mom... scribbling it down on a piece of legal paper at the office. Well, I lost touch with Janet for a long time-- I was traveling all over and she moved to Kansas from Chicago. Through Facebook, Janet and I reconnected a while back and she reminded me that she had my mom's pound cake recipe and still makes it every Easter!!!! I was so thrilled to find that out! Well, this past Sunday, my mom's pound cake graced Janet's table for Easter once again and she shared the photos with me. I am so delighted to share both the recipe and Janet's photo with you!

I don't think this recipe varies much from the cream cheese pound cake recipe we've all shared and passed around... the key difference is the almond extract.

MY MOM'S POUND CAKE

Ingredients

Janet's Easter Pound Cake, my Mom's recipe3 sticks butter, room temperature
1 - 8 oz package cream cheese , softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300. Prep a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan... grease and flour or spray with Baker's Joy.

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the cream cheese and the butter at medium speed until creamy. Then add the sugar, a little at a time. Next, add the eggs, one at a time, beating until they are combined. Turn the speed on the mixer down. Combine the salt and the flour; adding a little at a time until it is blended. Add the almond and vanilla.

Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a wire cooling rack to allow it to cool completely.

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