Hello Recipe Club,

I would like to thank Chef Steve Collins for his great recipes this week. I would also like to thank his dear wife Billie who worked so diligently with me on this project. The Grilled Pears with Gorgonzola and Honey in today's recipes is on my shopping list for this weekend! Hopefully Chef Steve will be back this June for our BBQ and Grilling month. Remember...if you need to know anything about grilling and smoking, pick up a copy of Grilling and Smoking with The Home Chef.

Next week, we will feature some traditional holiday recipes for your enjoyment. Have a fine weekend.

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Blue Corn Tiramisu

This is a New Mexican inspired take on this classic Italian dessert. My wife loves the smooth, sensual texture and the heavenly flavor. You can't go wrong when you mix chocolate, coffee, Kahlua and cream. The cake can be made a day in advance. The assembly is easy and it can be done a few hours in advance. Refrigerate until ready to use. If you don't have the time to bake, you can make a classic tiramisu using store-bought ladyfingers.

Makes 8 servings

Cake Ingredients:

5 eggs, separated
3/4 cup white sugar, divided
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup finely ground blue cornmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectioner's sugar, to dust

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 8"x8" baking pans with parchment paper.

Whisk egg yolks with 1/4 cup sugar and the vanilla until pale yellow and thick. Whip egg whites with an electric mixer. When soft peaks begin to form, gradually add remaining sugar and beat until medium stiff.

Fold the egg yolks into the whites. Sift the flours together and fold into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and then dust with confectioner's sugar.

Filling Ingredients:

8 ounce mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup Kahlua
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preparation:

With an electric mixer, mix the cheese and the Kahlua. Add the confectioner's sugar, scraping the sides to mix well. Gradually add the cream and whip to soft peaks.

Syrup Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup espresso
1/4 cup Kahlua

Preparation:

Add boiling water to the sugar and blend thoroughly. Add the espresso and the Kahlua.

To assemble:

Cut the cake into 1/2"x4" strips. Dip the strips in the syrup. Arrange 1/2 of the strips on the bottom of a trifle dish or soufflé pan. Cover with half of the filling. Generously shave good quality chocolate for this. 

Repeat the process. You can decoratively arrange raspberries or strawberries on top if you like. Chill for at least one hour. This can be made a day in advance.

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Freeform Pear Frangipane Tart

This elegant free-form tart is delicious and surprisingly easy to make. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream of just as it is.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Crust Ingredients:

8 tablespoons butter, diced
2 to 5 tablespoons ice water
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour

Preparation:

Chill the butter and the water. Put the hazelnuts and sugar in the food processor and grind finely. Empty the nut/sugar mixture then put the flour into the food processor. Put the nut/sugar mixture on top of the flour and pulse to blend well.

Add the butter to the food processor and pulse to a coarse grain texture. Mix in just enough of the ice water into the pastry for it to hold together. Turn the dough out onto a board, form into a ball, flatten and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll the pastry dough in a circle, about 12 inches in diameter and one-quarter of an inch thick and place on a cookie sheet.

Frangipane Ingredients:

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup brandy
2 eggs

Miscellaneous Ingredients:

4 pears, peeled, halved and seeded, then sliced lengthwise and cut in slices
2 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar mixed together to sprinkle

Preparation:

Blend hazelnuts, butter and sugar in food processor until a coarse paste is formed. Add eggs and brandy and pulse again until mixed well. Generously daub half the frangipane in the center of the crust covering a nine-inch diameter of the crust.

Arrange the pears on the frangipane and then top with the remaining frangipane mixture. Fold up the remaining crust over the pears leaving an open space in the middle. Brush the crust with the cream and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over it. 

Bake for 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Let rest for at least 20 minutes and serve.

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Grilled Pears with Gorgonzola and Honey

If you want a healthier, yet elegant dessert with your holiday meal, these grilled pears are perfect

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 pears
walnut oil to brush on the pears
2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Frangelica

Preparation:

Prepare the grill. Mix the pecans and Gorgonzola cheese. Mix the honey with the Frangelica. Cut the pears in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Mound the cheese mixture in the hollow of each pear half. Brush the skin of each pear with the oil. Grill until the cheese begins to soften. Serve with the honey mixture.

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