A Chocolate Techniques Class with Tilla

When my friend Tilla told me about the Chocolate Techniques Class he planned to attend in November,he asked if I was interested. It took me about 2 minutes to decide, I got on the internet and enrolled immediately. It was being held at The Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan. I am a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America but they had only just touched on chocolate, I had always wanted to study the mysteries of chocolate and here was a perfect opportunity. Having heard some good things about ICE and couldn't wait to begin. Our class began at 10 AM, I picked up two coffees from Starbucks and met Tilla in the lobby.
We absolutely adored our instructor, Michelle Tampakis. We both agreed we learned more about chocolate in the first hour of that class than we had learned in our entire lives. I finally understand what the percentages listed on the chocolate bars mean.
After a lecture that began with the cocoa bean to the resulting coverture, Michelle than tempered dark chocolate and made coconut and almond clusters. Here she demonstrates an almond roasted completely thorough. Important because if it isn't completely roasted the moisture left in the nut will spoil the chocolate and cause the nut to become rancid, shortening the life of the confection. Not that anything will last long enough to become rancid around my house.After tempering the chocolate, she mixed in the almonds and coconut and spooned them onto a parchment lined sheet pan.
Left to set up, she explained that hardening in the air will make them dry a looking dull.
Once they had set up, she than drizzled them in milk chocolate. Dull or not, they looked delicious!We went to work at tables that were already set up with everything we could possibly need. They even had someone to wash the pots!
We had decided to make white chocolate clusters with walnuts and dried cherries. Tilla began measuring the chocolate.
We had to melt the chocolate and bring it up to a temperature between 115 degrees and 120 degrees.
Stir to dissolve the lumps.
Cool the melted chocolate down to 84-88 degrees F by adding extra chocolate, or seeding as it's called.Keep checking the temperature. The chocolate needs to be between 84 and 88 degrees for white and milk chocolate, dark has to be within the zone of 87-91 degrees. This is for the ultimate shine and flavor. Sometimes you have to go back to the bain marie to warm it a bit. We spent a lot of time going back and forth between the stove and table. Michelle said the best way to melt chocolate was in a microwave oven. The school had none, so we used a bain marie. A simple metal bowl in a pot of simmering water.Once the chocolate was at the correct temperature, we added 12 ounces total of walnuts and cherries.Working quickly, they were folded into the white chocolate.Tilla, hard at work.
Once the clusters were spooned onto the sheet pan, and cooled, we melted some dark chocolate and piped it on top. They looked gorgeous!About this time another class delivered the dessert they had been making that morning. Layers of chocolate and vanilla mousse topped with meringue. Yummy! We were starting to develop symptoms of sugar shock!
Moving right along, we decided to make a dark chocolate bark of pistachios and dried cherries.
Tilla became an expert at tempering chocolate! He could really work that thermometer.
Can you tell we both adore dried cherries?
To enhance the look of the bark, always top it with more of the same ingredients you used to make it. Here we placed more pistachios and dried cherries on the top. Then we used the white chocolate we had already tempered to drizzle on the top.
The finished product!Michelle than began dipping fruit in chocolate.
We had to follow suite.
We learned to dress our strawberries in tuxedos.My favorite was the dried mango dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with chili pepper flakes.
The white chocolate was just as yummy.
Tilla was really trying hard to get the feel of making a paper coronet for piping. Rest assured he finally got the hang of it.
Michelle then demo-ed transfer paper for decorating chocolate.
Spread your tempered chocolate over the transfer plastic.
Cut angles into the chocolate.
Roll it up and put it in the refrigerator to chill.
When it has set, remove and slowly unwind the plastic. The chocolate will break into triangles which are perfect to decorate a finished dessert or ice cream.
These are the on-line purveyors Michelle recommended.
We were able to bring our unused chocolate home.
Tilla and I knew we couldn't live withou a chocolate thermometer, on Michelle's recommendation we immediately went to JB Price at 60 East 31 st. street, on the 12 th floor. A store to the trade. OK, we loved it. And we both promptly blew 50 bucks each!
Here we are with our new Thermometers. And they even threw in free baseball caps decorated with their logo.
My box of confections before it was attacked by my teenagers! I quickly took a few pieces to my neighbor Natasha.
All photos and text are property of The Gypsy Chef.

Roasted Tomato and Spinach Farfalle or Katy a la Farfalle

Tonight I decided to make a dinner for my daughter. Yesterday I made The Pioneer Woman's famous Steak Sandwich for my son. Cowboy food she called it, my son said "Yee Haw" which sounded sort of strange with his New York accent. My daughter had turned her nose up, she hates steak and onions. My son is still singing it's praises. Tonight it was her turn, I would make my daughter a dinner she would appreciate. I knew she would like a nice veggie pasta. She loves my oven roasted tomatoes, so I wanted to include those in the dish. As I walked through the grocery I designed the dish. I chopped garlic and cooked it in olive oil with a pinch of the Greek oregano Nick and Debbie had given me. I threw in some oven roasted tomatoes, gave it a quick stir and then added an entire package of spinach. Covered the pot and let it steam for a minute, gave it a toss and then tossed it with the pasta. I topped it with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper. Katy was thrilled, she loved it. She immediately named it Farfalle a la Katy. Of course, as my son pointed out, she names everything after herself. Regardless of what we called it, there was none left. She's also a ham in front of the camera! Please pay no attention to the pics. For some reason mine are getting worse and worse. Anyone with ideas for shooting in this low light winter night, please let me know. Farfalle a la Katy

1 package cherry tomatoes, split and roasted
1 package baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil olive
Parmesan cheese, for grating
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 box Farfalle pasta

Cook the pasta until it is al dente. If you use the De Cecco brand, cook about 12 minutes. (Check out their web site. They have a lot of terrific recipes and ideas.) Drain the pasta reserving a tablespoon of the cooking water.
Toss in a pasta bowl with a gulg of olive oil.
Put the minced garlic, oregano and the olive oil in a large saucepan. I prefer my La Creuset 4 quart saucepan, it's old but reliable.
Turn the heat on under it and when you smell the garlic aroma add the tomatoes.
Give it a few turns with a wooden spoon and then add the spinach. Season with Sat and pepper.
Stir in the reserved pasta water.
Cover the pot and allow to steam for a minute.
Pour half the sauce onto the pasta, grate a little Parmesan cheese over it and toss.
Pour the rest of the sauce over the top add lots more grated cheese and serve.


All photos and text are property of The Gypsy Chef

Cumin Scented Yogurt Dip

My son came home from school famished. Having eaten at Niko's Greek Taverna, he wanted a "Greek Treat". I pulled the Plain Fage Greek yogurt out of the frig, add some cumin, fresh garlic, a bit of diced cucumber, salt and pepper. Stirred it up and served it with Toasted wholewheat pita wedges. He loved it. Quick, easy and delicious, it was the perfect afternoon snack. The child purposely ignored me while I snapped his pic!
Because I was serving the dip immediately, I did not drain the cucumber. If you would like to make this in advance, dice the cucumber, place in a strainer and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to drain for 30 minutes. Pat dry and then proceed with the recipe. Removing the excess liquid will ensure your dip remains thick and doesn't become watered down by the cucumber.

Cumin Scented Yogurt Dip

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped, peeled and seeded cucumber
1 garlic clove put through a garlic press

2 pieces of pita bread, toasted and cut into wedges

Stir the yogurt, cumin, garlic and cucumber together, serve immediately.

Download recipe pdf

All test and photos (regardless of how bad) are property of The Gypsy Chef

Door Knobs of Jardins des Thevenets

I am feeling pretty rotten today. I'm not sure what's ailing me, Flu, horrid cold or virus, but all I can think about is Jardins des Thevenets in the Auvergne. Sitting outside at the dining table, under the roses with the sun shining on my face enjoying the warmth of the day.
I took these pics of the door knobs and window latches just before leaving in October. I enjoyed the little details I kept finding around the place. It seems like a good time to re-live the beauty of that October French Adventure. Arriving at Jardins des Thevenets, you literally have your socks knocked off by the beautiful view of the gates and manor house.
Inside is a feast for the eyes. Exquisite details become a part of a sensual experience. Red trim on windows with a burgundy tassel graces the Red Room, which opens out onto the front garden.
A gold metal door knob suites this gray door leading to the White Room. Pretty swanky, I think.
The door leading to the kitchen has a brass knob that sees a lot of use. This one I love, but I just can't remember where it was.
Originally green, then painted black, this one has seen years of use.
Same design, just subtly different.
My grandmother's house was filled full of white porcelain knobs like this one.
I love these windows in the African Room. The latches are beautiful. We had just arrived and Randy had stripped to his boxers, poured himself a glass of red wine and declared, "I'm so glad my life on Earth is over, it's so much easier now."
This one reminds me of my Grandmother's kitchen door.
Can't remember where this door is, but it's a bit unusual.
I love this knocker.
Kinda of medieval churchy if you ask me.
Red!
This one is very elegant.
I never realized how many red doors there were.
Tassels seem to make all the difference. As soon as I am feeling better, I am running out and buying tons of tassels to put on my windows.
All text and photos belong to The Gypsy Chef.