Cooking with the Academy Awards
I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I follow what goes on via the Internet. The short clips and news articles are good enough for me to find out what’s happening so I’m not totally lost when people talk about their favorite shows.
This past weekend, the big news was the Academy Awards. Tons of articles, photos, film trailers, critic reviews and people twitting, blogging, chatting and commenting on who should and shouldn’t win the coveted Oscar.
The favorite for best actress was definitely Meryl Streep. She played Julia Child in the movie “Julie and Julia,” based on the book by the same name.
I’m an avid reader and I write book reviews for several publishers and publicists. I’ve also read some books when my reviews were requested by the authors themselves.
However, I’ve not read “Julie and Julia,” so I don’t know how the movie compares to the book. In fact, to be honest, I haven’t seen the movie, either. I had every intention of seeing it, but it just didn’t fit into my busy schedule.
That means I also don’t know if, indeed, Streep is the actress who deserved to win, so I’ll just take everyone’s word for it until I get around to watching the DVD.
I use the Internet for a lot of different things. Besides posting my reviews, I do a huge amount of research on books, both new and old. I also look up recipes for my own use and for folks who ask for cooking advice and particular recipes I can’t find in the many cookbooks I own.
So, in honor of Oscar, I decided to see what recipes from the book and movie were posted online. Well, I found quite a variety. One site features recipes specifically from food celebrities and shows.
That site has several from “Julie and Julia,” including one for French silk pie, also known as chocolate meringue, which is one of my favorites. This version may be a little complicated, but it has to be positively decadent!
French silk pie
30 chocolate wafers
2 tablespoons chopped pitted dates
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
1 tablespoon water
1-1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 large egg
1/2 cup 1 percent milk
8 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ounces bittersweet (not sweetened chocolate)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dried egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Chocolate shavings, optional
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
2. Prepare crust: Combine chocolate wafers and dates in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add 2 tablespoons water and oil; process until moistened. Press into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan.
3. Bake the crust until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Prepare filling and garnish: Combine coffee and water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top and set aside to soften.
5. Whisk egg, milk, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let mixture come to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add the reserved gelatin mixture; stir until dissolved. Add chocolate and vanilla, stirring until melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
6. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 5 tablespoons brown sugar, beating until meringue is smooth and glossy.
7. Whisk one-fourth of the meringue into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Scrape chocolate mixture into the remaining meringue and use a whisk to incorporate it with a folding motion. Spoon into the crust and chill, uncovered, until set, about 3 hours.
8. If desired, garnish with chocolate shavings before serving.
Tip: To make chocolate shavings, place a block of chocolate (2 ounces or larger) on wax paper and microwave on defrost until slightly softened but not melted, 15 to 30 seconds. Use a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler to shave off curls. If the chocolate gets too hard to shave easily, warm it again.
No comments:
Post a Comment