I went to a great class this week and I wanted to share the experience as well as a really great recipe that I received. I went to the Lake View Appliance Distributing Corporate office and showroom in Bensenville, IL where the Viking cooking school offers complimentary product cooking demonstrations and dinners that are open to designers and clients who are interested in their products.
We used all Viking Appliances and learned a bit more about them and tasted what they could produce. The recipes are simple and delicious and their appliances reduced the amount of time it would take to make them in an older kitchen.We worked with the Induction Cook top and the Convection Oven, both products were easy to use and made the experience even more fun.
On the menu was a Mediterranean Bread salad, Dry-Rub Barbecued Salmon with Summer Tomato, Sweet Bell Pepper, and Cucumber Relish, Basmati Rice Pilaf, and Warm Chocolate Tarts. It was delicious and they let you take the recipes home with you. The recipes are all provided by the Viking Cooking School. The induction cook top was great to use and to see in action. It boiled the rice in under a minute and the surface was still cool to the touch. The salmon was baked in about half the time in the convection oven.
I thought that I would share the recipe for the Warm Chocolate Tarts with you because it is very simple to make and a great treat!
What you Need:
Tarts:
8 Ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
12 mini-graham cracker pie crusts (available in the baking aisle at the grocery store)
Whipped Cream:
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
1. For the Tarts: Preheat the oven to 325 F; position a rack in the center of the oven. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the heavy cream and milk in a medium sauce pan, and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Allow to stand for 30 seconds, then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Whisk the egg into the chocolate mixture. Place the tart crusts on a baking sheet. Pour the filling into the crusts, dividing it evenly between them.
5. Bake the tarts just until the edges of the filling are set; the centers will still be a little soft, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool the tarts on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. For the whipped cream: Combine the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium high speed just until soft peaks form. Top each tart with a dollop of whipped cream and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Check out the Viking Website at http://www.vikingrange.com/consumer/index.jsp
and the Lake View Appliance Distributing Website http://www.lvdistributes.com/index.html
If you are interested in the Viking Product Cooking Demo call me for the dates and more information. 630.462.0254
