Thursday, August 20, 2009

Nutella Chocolate Tart

This is something similar to my previous attempts on Tarte au Chocolat. The only different is the topping change to shredded chocolate instead of hazelnut. Craving for rich and smoothie chocolate dessert? Here you go...
Recipe from BBC Olive magazine:
Make 4 x 10cm tartlets
For the pastry:
220g plain flour
110g unsalted butter
20g sugar powder
pinch of salt
2 egg yolk + 2 tbsp cold water
For the fillings:
275g hazelnut paste (or Nutella)
125g 70% dark chocolate, plus a block for brushing the pastry
300ml double cream
450ml milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
some chocolate shavings or toasted nuts for topping
Making the tart pastry:
  1. Mix the eggs yolks with 2 tbsp cold water stir with a fork until well combine. Place the flour into the bowl of a food processor, followed by the cold butter and the salt. Turn the processor on and pulse several times until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

  2. Add the egg yolk/water mixture and pulse again. Be careful not to overwork the pastry. Stop pulsing when the mixture has the consistency of chunky breadcrumbs.

  3. Turn the pastry out onto a clean, floured work surface and, with floured hands, bring together to make a dough, but don't knead. Shape into a flattened ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. You can keep the pastry at this stage for 2-3 days if not using it immediately.

  4. Remove the pastry from the fridge. On a clean, floured work surface, roll it out with a floured rolling pin until it's slightly larger than the flan ring. Using the rolling pin, lift the pastry and lay it over the flan ring. With your fingers, lightly press the pastry into the sides of the ring. Run a rolling pin over the top of the ring and pull away the excess pastry at the edges. Using your fingers, gently press the pastry up to slightly build up the height of the pastry at the edges.

  5. Line the tart with a piece of parchment and chill it for 20 minutes so it doesn't shrink when you cook it.
  6. Heat the oven to 200'C. Add baking beans or rice and bake it for 15 minutes, then lift out the parchment and beans and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the pastry is dry and a good brown colour. You must cook and colour the pastry properly, once the chocolate goes it it won't colour any further. Turn the oven down to 160'C.

Making the filling:

  1. Put the hazelnut paste and chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream and milk to a boil and pour it over., mix everything together with a whisk until you have a smooth liquid.
    Whisk in the eggs.

  2. At this point you'll find it hard to believe that the filling will set but it will end up with a beautiful creamy texture. Putting the tart together
    Melt a little chocolate and use it to brush the inside of the tart, this will make the pastry leak-proof and stop it from going soggy. The secret to this bit is to brush the tart while it i still warm so the chocolate soaks in and fills any little cracks.

  3. Put the tart back on the oven shelf and pour in the filling right up to the top. Cook for 40 minutes the tart should still be very wobbly but not liquid. Once its completely cool down, it'll set. Top with shredded chocolate.

hgtv - air date

Per Meg, we have an air date. September 11!

**********
Hey Craig,
As of right now we are planning on airing your show on 9/11. I will be sending out an email in the beginning of that week to remind everyone and the following week you will receive your DVD. I will update you if there are any changes.
Thank you

-Meg
***********

We also have a bunch of updates on the house - stairs, more drywall, floors... pictures are forthcoming.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Cabinet Basics for Newbies at Segale

I received this notice today and thought I would pass it on here. I have known Don Segale since he had a small shop with four employees in San Bruno back in the early '80s. He is one of the most reputable people in the industry and builds a quality cabinet with a catalyzed varnish finish.

If you are in the market for local custom cabinetry, Don is your man.

Peggy


At Segale Bros. we will be trying something new based on an idea from the NKBA meeting a few months back at Standards Of Excellence in San Rafael.

We will be holding our first Consumer seminar.

This seminar is meant for homeowners and end-users with no knowledge of cabinetry. This is not meant as a sales opportunity, but as a tool for people to feel more comfortable with cabinet planning and terminology. As you can all probably agree, most homeowners are clueless when it comes to cabinets, and then get overwhelmed when the education begins. We would like to "soften the blow" by starting off with the fundamentals.

Please help us by passing the word along. If you or anyone has specific questions feel free to contact me directly:

david@segalebros.com / 650-784-5202 mobile

Here is the information:

Segale Bros. Consumer Seminar

Please attend our first Consumer seminar entitled: "CABINET FUNDAMENTALS" on Saturday August 29th from 11:00am to 1:00pm in our showroom in Hayward. The seminar will be an overview of cabinets, including construction types, materials (including "green" options), accessories, case work and cabinet doors.

This seminar would be good for anyone planning to remodel a kitchen or is planning any major cabinetry project.

We will serve light refreshments.

Attendance is open to the general public, but reservations are required.

We are located at 1705 Sabre Street (@ Corsair) near the Hayward airport, Highway 92 and Highway 880.

Please phone 1-800-286-2915 to reserve your place.

Segale Bros. has been in business since 1976, and has been at the forefront of the cabinet industry for decades. We offer custom cabinets, cabinet refacing, closet and garage systems and home offices. We also represent two factory lines of cabinets: Medallion and Columbia.

Please visit www.segalebros.com for more information.