Cheese, Sweet Yogurt w/ Minted Strawberries Serves Bring water and granulated sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and stir in mint. Remove from heat and steep 10 min. While mixture is steeping, beat cream cheese until fluffy and beat in yogurt, confectioners sugar, and vanilla. Chill yogurt cheese 15 min. Pour syrup through a sieve over berries in bowl, pressing hard on mint, and chill 10 min. Serve strawberries and syrup over a dollop of yogurt cheese. Water 0.33 c Sugar 0.25 c granulated Mint 0.5 c fresh leaves Cream Cheese 6 oz, softened Yogurt 0.5 c plain Sugar 2 T confectioners Vanilla 0.25 tsp Berries, Strawberries 10 large Cherries Jubilee Serves 4 Heat cherry juice w sugar and zest. Boil 5 min. Top pound cake w vanilla ice cream. To sauce, add cherries and 4T brandy. Boil 1 min and remove from heat. In ladle, warm 2 T brandy and light. Pour into fruit while blazing. Spoon, flaming, over cake. Cherries 1 lg can black w juice Lemon Zest 1 tsp Cake 4 slices pound Alcohol, Brandy 6 T Cherries, Spiced Serves Boil 1 c cherry juice, 1.33 c sugar, .67 c vinegar, cinnamon stick and 1 tsp cloves for 5 min. Pour over 28 oz cherries. Chocolate Mousse Hotel Hershey Serves 12 Melt chocolate and stir in Kirsch and warm water. Whip egg yolks w .25 c sugar and fold into chocolate. Whip whites w remaining sugar and fold into chocolate. Slightly under-whip the cream and fold into mix. Fill glasses and chill. Chocolate 8 oz semi sweet Chocolate 1.5 oz bitter Water 2 oz warm Liqueur, Kirsch 1 oz Egg 5 separated Sugar 0.5 c Heavy Cream 1 pt Chocolate Truffle Loaf Serves 12 Line 8.5x4.5x2.5" loaf pan w plastic wrap. Mix .5 c cream w yolks. In 3 qt saucepan stir chocolate, corn syrup and butter over medium heat until melted. Add egg mix. Cook 3 min. Cool to room temp. Beat remaining cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mix. Pour into pan. Refrigerate overnight or chill in freezer 3 hours. Serve w Raspberry Sauce. Heavy Cream 2 c Egg Yolks 3 slightly beaten Chocolate 16 oz semi sweet Butter 0.5 c Corn Syrup 0.25 c Vanilla 1 tsp Clafouti, Nectarine & Blueberry Serves 6 Preheat oven to 325. Butter a 2 qt shallow baking dish. Cut up nectarines and macerate w blueberries in wine 15 min. Melt butter and cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar and salt. Whisk in flour until combined well and whisk in milk, butter, vanilla and .25 c wine from fruit mix until smooth. With a slotted spoon, transfer fruit to baking dish, reserving wine for sangria, and arrange in bottom. Carefully pour batter over fruit and bake in upper third of oven until puffed and set in center, 55-60 min. Transfer to rack to cool. Just before serving, dust w confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or at room temp Nectarine 2 Berries 1 c blue Wine, White 1 c fruity Butter 5 T unsalted Egg 4 large Sugar 0.5 c Salt 0.125 tsp Flour 0.5 c Milk 1 c Vanilla 1 T Clafoutis Serves 6 Whisk eggs and .5 c sugar. Stir in brandy, salt and flour. Whisk in milk, vanilla and butter to form a smooth batter. Place fruit (tossed w a little sugar if sour) in buttered baking pan. Pour batter over and bake at 375 for 35-40 min. Cool 5 min and serve warm w powdered sugar. Egg 4 Sugar Alcohol, Brandy 2 -3 T Flour 0.67 c Milk 1.5 c or heavy cream Cherries 1 lb or use glazed apples Butter 6 T melted Vanilla 1 tsp Salt 0.5 tsp Coeur La Crème  Serves 6 Serves Beat cottage cheese, vanilla, and cream cheese until smooth, gradually adding heavy cream. Season to taste w salt. Line Coeur la Crème dish(es) w cheesecloth and fill w cheese mix. Stand dish on plate in refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, unmold and garnish w berries and honey or liqueur, Cottage Cheese 1 c Cream Cheese 8 oz Heavy Cream 1 c   Vanilla .25   tsp Cranberry Sorbet Serves Combine berries in large saucepan over medium high. Bring to simmer and cook until most of the berries are popped, 5-6 min. Puree in batches in food processor. Strain through sieve into bowl. Add sugar and lemon juice; stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool. Freeze in shallow 2.5 qt casserole until almost set, 1.5 hrs. Transfer to mixer bowl and beat until frothy. Freeze again until firm, at least 4 hours. Makes 9.5 c. Cranberries 2 bags, 12 oz each Berries, Blueberries 2 c fresh or frozen Sugar 2.5 c Lemon Juice, Fresh 6 T Crème Brulee Serves 8 Preheat oven to 300-325. Place 8 three-quarter cup ramekins in a roasting pan. In saucepan set over low heat, combine the cream, vanilla bean and salt. Bring to low boil for 5 min.  Let steep 15 min. In large bowl, slowly combine egg yolks and granulated sugar. Pour in the hot cream and stir gently to combine. Strain the custard into a pitcher, discard the vanilla bean and use a spoon to skim off any bubbles on the surface of the custard. Pour custard into the ramekins, filling them to the rim. Place pan in oven and carefully pour warm water into pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of ramekins. Loosely cover the pan w aluminum foil. Bake until set, 1-1.25 hours. Remove ramekins from water bath and allow to cool. Cover individually and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, preheat the broiler. Uncover the ramekins and place them on a baking sheet. Top each w 1 T brown sugar and, using a metal spatula of knife, spread the sugar evenly over the custards. Broil 5" until sugar browns and caramelized, 30 sec to 2 min. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 4 hours. Heavy Cream 4 c Vanilla 1 bean, split lengthwise Salt 1 pinch Egg Yolks 8 large Sugar 0.75 c plus 2T Brown Sugar 8 T Crème Caramel--Coffee Serves 6 Preheat oven to 325. Place six 1/2 cup ramekins or soufflé dishes in large baking pan. Place pan in oven until dishes are hot (about 10 min). Meanwhile, bring 1c sugar and 1/4 c water to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until mixture turns golden brown, swirling occasionally, about 6 min. Immediately pour caramel into ramekins. Working quickly, carefully tilt ramekins to coat sides w caramel. Cool. Bring milk to boil in heavy, large saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in instant coffee. Whisk eggs, yolks and remaining 1/3 c sugar to blend in large bowl. Gradually whisk in hot milk mix. Stir in rum. Divide custard among prepared ramekins. Place ramekins in large baking pan. Add enough boiling water to come 1/2" up sides. Bake until edges are set and centers move only slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1.25 hours. Remove from water and refrigerate until set, about 6 hours (can be made 2 days ahead) Run small sharp knife around edges to loosen. Invert onto plates and serve. Sugar 1.33 c Water 0.25 c Milk 2 c WHOLE Coffee 4 tsp instant granules Egg 3 Egg Yolks 2 Alcohol, Rum 2 T dark Crème-Caramel Tart w Lavender Serves 8 Special notes: 10" glass pie plate, 9.5" plate or cardboard round, 10-14" serving plate w lip. Make crème caramel: Preheat oven to 350. Cook 1 c sugar in a dry large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, swirling and shaking pan (to help sugar melt evenly), until sugar is melted and caramel is deep golden. Immediately pout caramel into pie plate, tilting to coat bottom and sides evenly. Bring cream, milk, lavender, salt and remaining 1/2 c sugar to a simmer and remove from heat. Let stand 15 min, then reheat. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding lavender. Whisk whole eggs and yolks together in a bowl and slowly whisk in hot cream mix. Pour custard over caramel. Bake in a water bath in middle of oven until set but still trembling slightly (custard will continue to set as it cools), 40-45 min. Remove pie plate from oven and cool on a rack. Chill, loosely covered w plastic wrap at least 2 hours. Make pastry crust: Blend together flour, sugar, salt and butter w fingertips or pastry blender until mix resembles coarse meal. Drizzle 1.5 T ice water over mix and toss w fork until incorporated. Test mix by gently squeezing a small handful. It should hold together w/o crumbling apart. If necessary, add the remaining .5 T water (if you overwork mix or add too much water, pastry will be tough). Turn mix out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. Smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together and form it into a disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic until firm, at least 1 hr. Preheat oven to 350. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 10.5" round and slide onto a baking sheet. Trim dough to a 9.5" round (use plate as guide). Prick round all over w fork and chill 30 min. Bake in middle of oven until golden, 20-25 min, and cool completely on baking sheet on rack. Assemble tart just before serving (parts may be made a day ahead): Run a thin knife around edge of crème caramel and rotate pie plate back and forth to make sure crème caramel is loosened. Slide crust on top of crème caramel, centering it carefully, and invert serving plate on top of crust. Invert tart onto serving plate (caramel will run to edge of plate) Garnish with fresh violets. Sugar 1.5 c for cc Heavy Cream 1.5 c for cc Milk 1.5 c for cc Lavender 3 T fresh or dried flowers Salt 0.125 tsp Egg 3 large Egg Yolks 3 large Flour 1 c Sugar 2.5 T for crust Salt 0.125 tsp for crust Butter 5 T unsalted for crust Water 1.5 -2 T ice