Key Lime Mousse Pie

Ingredients

Crust:
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling:
6 tablespoons fresh key lime juice
1 1/4 ounces (1 envelope) package unflavored gelatin
2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
10 (1-ounce) squares white chocolate, chopped
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lime zest
1 1/2 ounces white chocolate, grated or shaved into curls, for garni

Directions

Crust:

Mix together the cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Filling:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the lime juice. Whisk in the gelatin and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat. Add 10 ounces of white chocolate and stir until smooth. Allow to cool.

Using an electric mixer, blend together the cream cheese, sugar and lime zest in a medium bowl, until smooth. Slowly beat in the cooled white chocolate mixture into cream cheese mixture.

Using clean, dry beaters, beat the remaining 2-cups heavy cream in a small bowl, until it forms soft peaks. Fold it into the white chocolate mixture and pour into the pie crust. Cover and freeze overnight.

Remove from freezer and let thaw for about an hour, run a sharp knife around inside of springform pan to help loosen the pie. Release springform ring from the bottom of the pan and transfer the pie to a serving plate. Grate or curl the white chocolate over the top and garnish with candied lime peel. Cut into wedges with a knife that has been dipped into hot water and serve.

Thai Lime Coconut Soup

Thai Lime Coconut Soup

Serves 2

2 stalks lemongrass

2 T olive oil

1 C chopped onion

1 T fresh ginger, minced

2 red Thai chilies or red jalapenos, sliced into ultra thin rings

1 can chicken broth (2 cups)

1 C unsweetened coconut milk (2 cups)

4 kaffir lime leaves (or zest of 1 lime)

2 T fish sauce

2 T fresh lime juice

3 T cilantro leaves, chopped

1 t sugar

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin bite-sized strips or nuggets

Peel off the tough outer layers of the lemongrass and roughly mince the softer inners.

Heat oil in a large soup pot and add onion and ginger. Cook a couple minutes until the onion softens. Add chilis and lemongrass; stir a minute. Add broth and sake; simmer 5 minutes. Add cocnut milk, lime leaves (or zest) fish sauce, cilantro, lime juice and sugar; simmer 30 minutes.

Add chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.

Blue Coconut Macarons with French Buttercream

Ingredients:
3 egg whites, aged*
5 tbsp granulated sugar
2/3 cup almond flour
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp rum extract
8 drops of neon blue food coloring


Method:


In a food processor, process almond flour and confectioners sugar until well mixed. Sift the mixture through sieve, and divide in half.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, whip egg whites until foamy.

While beating on high, slowly add sugar. When soft peaks form, add extracts and food coloring if desired.

Beat until stiff peaks,has a glossy texture, and mixture doesn't drip from the beaters.

Into the whipped merengue, fold in the first half of the almond mixture. When just blended, add additional dry mixture, folding until mixture is blended.

Be careful not to over-mix!

Place mixture in a piping bag fitted with round tip.

On to a parchment lined baking sheet, pipe in small circles, about the size of a quarter; leaving room for the batter to spread.

Rap sheet firmly against the counter, or flat surface. This helps the macaron to get it's pied shape.

Before baking, let batter dry, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 300. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Cool completely.

Pipe a small amount of french buttercream on flat side of macaron, top with other half making a sandwich. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen filled macarons.

* Aged egg whites: Covered and set at room temperature overnight.

Coconut French Buttercream Filling

Ingredients:
•3 eggs
•2/3 cup granulated sugar
•2/3 cup water
•1 tsp coconut extract
•1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, and stirred.


Method:


In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat eggs for about 5 minutes.

Eggs should be light and fluffy.

In a small sauce pan, heat water and sugar over medium high heat.

Cook until mixture comes to a soft ball stage. To test, spoon a small amount of mixture into a glass of cold water, if the syrup forms into a ball that can be picked up, it is ready.

While mixer is running, pour a fine, thread like stream into the egg mixture. Beat mixture until the bottom of the mixing bowl is cool to touch .

Add softened butter in 2-3 separate increments. The frosting will dramatically change texture. Do not be alarmed!!

Keep beating and it will lighten and become smooth again, about 5-7 minutes.

When adding flavoring, the butter cream will separate again.

Repeat beating process until smooth again.

Fill macarons with a small amount of buttercream. Leftovers may be refrigerated or frozen for next use; mixing well after becoming room temperature.

Makes about 2 1/2-3 cups

Alcohol free grapefruit jello shot
1 1/3 C. grapefruit soda
1 T. lime juice
2 envelopes Knox gelatin
2/3 C. grapefruit juice
1 T. sugar
Pour soda and lime juice into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin.  Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two.  Heat over medium heat and add sugar until gelatin is dissolved, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the grapefruit juice.  Pour into a loaf pan or mold.  Put in the refrigerator to set for a few hours or over night.