Samantha M. Lopez 1/3/25 Samantha M. Lopez 1/3/25

Recipe: The Perfect Tiramisu

Likely my family’s favorite dessert, Tiramisu is the one I’ve practiced making most of all, and I like to believe I’ve perfected the recipe that my family loves so much. As a New Yorker, and Colombian coffee enthusiast, this dessert expertly covers the textures and flavors that I so love.

COURSE // Dessert

Prep Time: 45 minutes Servings: 9

Ingredients:

6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar, divided
1 cup heavy cream, cold from the fridge
8 ounces of mascarapone cheese (usually 1 package)
1 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons of dark roast coffee (for brewing) or 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 packages of ladyfingers or Savoiardi in Italian (this time I substituted with 2 packages of Stella D'oro Margherite Chocolate & Vanilla Cookies in lieu of spongey lady fingers and it worked out wonderfully)
2 ounces of bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate for grating

Instructions: 

Prepare Tiramisu

Set aside a 9×9-inch baking pan or dish. (Preferably glass or ceramic)
Make 1 cup of strong coffee and pour into a wide, shallow bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of sugar to coffee and stir until the sugar dissolves. Set the bowl aside. Optional: add 2 tablespoons of marsala wine (my loved ones and I are not fans)
You will need a double boiler. If you have one, use it. If you’re like me and don’t, find a heat-safe bowl that fits over a small saucepan. Fill the saucepan with an inch or two of water and place over medium-low heat. Bring the water to a simmer.
With the heat-safe bowl still on the counter, add the egg yolks and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Beat with a handheld electric mixer at medium speed until frothy, 20 to 30 seconds.
Place the bowl over the simmering water, and continue to beat on medium using an electric hand mixer until the mixture has tripled in volume, looks pale yellow, and the beaters leave distinct tracks as you move them through it, 5 to 7 minutes. Every recipe I’ve seen says 10 minutes but I find it’s much closer to half that amount and have made the mistake of over-beating only because I was trying to follow directions. Don’t be like me!
(Look for a thin ribbon that falls from the beaters when lifted from the bowl.) Do not stop beating until you do, and keep the water below at a low simmer during this step (otherwise, you risk scrambling the eggs). 
Remove the bowl from the heat, and while it is still hot, beat in the mascarpone cheese until just combined. Set aside to cool. 
In a clean bowl with clean beaters, whip the cream (still cold from the fridge) until it reaches medium-firm peaks. As you pull the beaters away, the peaks will hold for a bit and then slowly fall back - that’s when it’s perfect.   
Use a spatula to delicately fold half of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Then, repeat with the remaining whipped cream. The whipped cream will slightly deflate, but the mixture should be light and airy.

Assemble Tiramisu

Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee for a few seconds and line the bottom of the dish. Depending on the shape of your dish, you might need to break a few into pieces to fit.
Spoon half of the mascarpone filling over the ladyfingers and spread into an even layer. Grate half of the chocolate over the filling.
Dip the remaining ladyfingers into the coffee and arrange a second layer over the grated chocolate.
Spoon the remaining mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers, and finish by grating more chocolate to cover the top completely.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
When ready to serve, add more grated chocolate and leave it at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Slice into squares and serve.

Samantha M. Lopez 2/1/23 Samantha M. Lopez 2/1/23

Recipe: Crème Brûlée, A Moment to Indulge

Créme brûlée is the kind of dessert that tastes like luxury. A truly impressive dessert worthy of making for any occasion, it’s much easier to make than it seems. I hadn’t found a recipe that didn’t need any tweaking or adjustments in terms of time or steps, so over time (and some trial and error) I wound up putting together the parts that worked to guide me when this dessert is requested - which is often since getting this recipe down. I did buy a small handheld torch online for the job but if you don’t have one for your créme brûlées yet, I’ve included instructions on how to use your double broiler to achieve the same glass-like caramelization you can’t wait to break through and indulge in.

Creme Brûlée

COURSE // Dessert

Prep Time: 1 hour Servings: 4
Total Time: 6 hours - overnight

Ingredients

5 egg yolks (6 for a more decadent custard)
2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8th teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of sugar, plus about 4 teaspoons of sugar set aside for brûlée topping

Instructions

1. Set the eggs and cream out so they warm up to room temperature.

2. Heat oven to 325 degrees. In saucepan, cream, vanilla bean and salt; cook over low heat until hot. Let sit for a few minutes, then remove the vanilla bean. If using vanilla extract, add it now.

3. In a bowl, beat yolks and sugar together until light. Stir about a quarter of the vanilla cream into this mixture, then pour sugar-egg mixture into cream and stir.

4. Pour mixture into four six-ounce ramekins and place in a large baking dish, filling It with boiling water halfway up the sides of the ramekins, creating a water bath or “bain-marie.”
Tip: I find it’s helpful to line the baking dish with a kitchen towel before adding the water to keep the ramekins from sliding around.

5. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until centers are just barely set. Cool completely.

6. Refrigerate for several hours at least, and up to a couple of days.

7. When it’s time to serve, top each custard with about a teaspoon of sugar in a thin layer, spreading the sugar evenly over the surface by gently moving the ramekin back and forth in your hand.

8. Holding a kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from custard, caramelize the sugar on top of each ramekin maintaining a constant circular and side-to-side motion until sugar is melted and light golden brown (about 4 minutes).
Optional: You can also use a broiler to caramelize, placing the ramekins on a baking pan or cookie sheet. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes or until sugar is melted and forms a glaze.

9. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving.

Samantha M. Lopez 3/15/22 Samantha M. Lopez 3/15/22

Recipe: Creamy Venezuelan Guasacaca

I’m always willing to try out a sauce, especially one made with ingredients I love and am used to enjoying. Venezuelan Guasacaca is creamy, smooth, fresh, and incredibly delicious. Perfect for dipping, dressing, and spreading on anything — empanadas, veggies, on a sandwich. The possibilities are endless. I often like to make this sauce early in the week for lunch, and find different ways to enjoy it throughout the next few days. It only takes 5 minutes to put together with a blender or food processor so it’s an excellent addition at any time.

Venezuelan Guasacaca

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 Quart

Ingredients

2 large ripe avocados (seed removed)
1/2 medium yellow onion, halved
2 cloves of garlic
About 1 cup of cilantro
About 1/2 cup of parsley
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Chop the cilantro, parsley and onions into smaller chunks to make it easier to process and prevent over-blending.
Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in the blender or food processor. Blend until all ingredients are nicely blended and the sauce has a smooth, homogeneous, and creamy consistency.
Transfer to a jar or bowl and add olive oil. Stir until oil is completely incorporated.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your preference.
Enjoy on everything!