Salted Chocolate-Caramel Truffles

Dinner parties are where I shine. I love to really bring my A game for a great dinner, and I think an mportant part of a great dinner party is a delicious edible take home gift. Salt, Caramel, and Chocolate are a classic amazing combination. So I though the best take home treat would be a truffle and I wanted to make the classic caramel truffle vegan, and they turned out fantastic . They take some time and patience but they are simple enough for you to fo at home with no need for special equipment. Enjoy.

What you need:

• 20 oz bittersweet, semisweet, or dark chocolate chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1/4 cup soy creamer
• 1/4 tsp fleur de sel
• Cocoa Powder
• Fleur de Sel for topping

1. Place 8 ounces chocolate in metal bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until chocolate is smooth. Remove chocolate from over water.
2. Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, occasionally brushing sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, brushing down sides and swirling pan occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Stir over very low heat until caramel is smooth. Mix caramel and 1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel into melted chocolate. Chill until truffle filling is firm, at least 3 hours.
   
3. Place cocoa in bowl. Using 1 tablespoon truffle filling for each truffle, roll into balls, then roll in cocoa. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover; chill overnight.
   
4. Line 13x9x2-inch baking sheet with foil. Place remaining 12 ounces chocolate in medium metal bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until chocolate is melted and smooth and thermometer inserted into chocolate registers 115°F. Remove bowl from over water. Working quickly, submerge 1 truffle in melted chocolate. Using fork, lift out truffle and tap fork against side of bowl to allow excess coating to drip off. Transfer truffle to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining truffles. Sprinkle truffles lightly with additional fleur de sel. Let stand until coating sets, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
   

Ginger-Pear Cranberry Sauce

I love cranberry sauce. And lucky for my in my family not many do, which means a couple of things, I get to eat more of it and I get to try new twists on the classic without worrying about it being to “weird” for the rest of the family. So every year I try a new cranberry recipe. Last year it was the classic orange-walnut addition, and this year it’s ginger a pear two great fall ingredients. This recipe is less sweet than a traditional cranberry sauce, which I prefer, and the ginger and pear add depth and texture. Try it out, not jsut for thankgiving but for any occasion, add to you oatmeal or maybe top your (soy) ice cream with some warmed up.

What you need:

• 1 (12oz) bag fresh cranberries
• 2 bosc pears, peeled and chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger (you may add more if you like more of a bite)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• Pear slices and mint leaves for garnish

1. In 3-quart saucepan, heat all ingredients except pear garnish to boiling on high, stirring occasionally.
2. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, 5 to 7 minutes or until most cranberries pop and pears are tender, stirring occasionally. (Mixture will thicken as it chills.)
3. Spoon sauce into serving bowl; cover and refrigerate 3 hours or up to 4 days. Garnish with pear slices and mint.

Homemade Bagels

I love Bagels, I mean who doesn’t? Crazy people, thats who. Well bagels have always been that item that you get from you favorite bakery, and would never dream of making yourself, right? Well I decided to give it a go. And it ended up not being to hard. It was a lot of steps, but not hard. And they were so yummy and satisfying to make! Try them out and top with whatever you would like. Toast and enjoy with some shmere (vegan of course).

What you need:

• 1 1/2 cups tepid water (105F-110F)
• 2 packets active dry yeast or 4 1/2 tsp
• 4 cups bread flour
• 2 Tbsp malt syrup
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 4 tsp granulated sugar
• Egg Replacer equivalent for one egg
• Toppings: Sesame Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Coarse Salt

1. Place 1 1/2 cups of the tepid water in a bowl and dissolve the yeast completely; set aside. Combine flour, malt syrup, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add yeast mixture, scraping any undissolved yeast out of the bowl with a spatula.
2. Place 1 1/2 cups of the tepid water in a bowl and dissolve the yeast completely; set aside. Combine flour, malt syrup, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add yeast mixture, scraping any undissolved yeast out of the bowl with a spatula.
3. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a large oiled bowl, and turn it to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm place, until it is noticeably puffy and springs back when you poke it, about 20 minutes. (The dough will not double in size.)
4. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425°F and arrange the rack in the middle. Fill a large, wide, shallow pan (about 3 to 6 quarts) with water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and let simmer. Cover until you’re ready to boil the bagels. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper greased with oil or cooking spray. Place a metal rack inside of a second baking sheet and set aside.
5. Turn the risen dough out onto a dry surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 3 ounces each. (While you work, keep the dough you’re not handling covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.) Roll each piece into a 9-inch-long rope, lightly moisten the ends with water, overlap the ends by about 1 inch, and press to join so you’ve created a bagel. As necessary, widen the hole in the middle so it is approximately the size of a quarter. Cover the shaped bagels with a damp towel and let rest 10 minutes.
6. After resting, stretch the dough to retain the quarter-size hole (the dough will have risen a bit) and boil the bagels 3 or 4 at a time, making sure they have room to bob around. Cook for about 30 seconds on each side until the bagels have a shriveled look, then remove to the baking sheet with the rack in it. Adjust heat as necessary so the water stays at a simmer.
7. Brush the egg replacer all over the bagels, then sprinkle as desired with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or coarse salt. Arrange the bagels on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 1 inch apart and bake. Rotate the pan after 15 minutes and bake until the bagels are a deep caramel color and have formed a crust on the bottom and top, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes so the interiors finish cooking and the crusts form a chewy exterior.