Fire in the Hole

Flambe Day was a very exciting and delicious day. We got to light stuff on fire, cook in the dark and then eat it all over icecream!

Crepes Suzette

To begin, this is not my favorite dessert. However, it is a classic and the art of crepe making is a useful skill. Suzette sauce is the flambeed component of this dish. The sauce is a mixture of butter, brown sugar, orange juice and zest as well as some lemon juice and zest. This is then reduced until thickened slightly and then the gran marnier is added and ignited to cook off the alcohol.

A very thin batter that is strained to ensure absolutely not lumps is used to make crepes. A small amount of batter is added to the preheated lightly greased crepe pan (or small omelet pan) swirled around fast to create a thin and even layer. Once the bottom has very lightly browned flip until the other side does the same. Create all the crepes at once.

To assemble this dessert, heat the suzette sauce in a sauce pan and add a crepe or two in the pan for a few seconds until hot. Fold the crepe into quarters and add to serving dish. Add extra sauce also.

Crepes Suzette

Bananas Foster

This famous dessert originates from New Orleans and is one of my absolute favorites. I've even had a bananas foster waffle before (and currently craving it).

To begin the sauce portion of this dish, combine butter, brown sugar and a drop of lemon juice. The acid from the lemon will keep it all cohesive. Cook until starts to thicken but do not brown to much. Add your quartered banana (the riper it is the later on you add it). Heat the bananas thoroughly and until tender. Add the banana liqueur as well as rum and ignite.While the alcohol burns off, VERY CAREFULLY sprinkle cinnamon sugar on it (from very high up above).

Igniting the Bananas Foster

To finish, serve warm over french vanilla ice cream.

To quickly review the next day of class, we made cobblers and crisps.

Blueberry Cobbler

A basic blueberry pie filling is placed in the ramekin and then a par-baked biscuit is put on top and baked until golden brown and bubbling. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Plated Apple Crisp

To make the apple crisp: Saute diced apples in sugar and spices until fork tender. Then pack the apples into a ring (if bottomless cover with foil to create one). Go about 3/4 of the way up the ring with apples and then gently pack down a layer of struesel topping and then mound more on top of the packed layer to give height. Bake until tops are golden. Unmold after cooling slightly and plate as desired. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.