Good morning all from the frozen north! It was nice last night proving that yes you can grill at -10 deg! Steaks came out great and it gives you that faint memory of summer that's needed after sooooo many freezing days.
Younglisa and Grannys, the chocolate ravioli recipe that worked will be posted below. I suggest making the filling first, then the pasta part since the filling has to chill for a few hours (kind of like me after the first 2 flops
).
Elston: We do the same with bannana's and I throw in a cup of Choc Chips everytime, sometimes nuts sometimes not but always has to have chocolate!
Tonight is party night! We're doing an early christmas with some family friends (that's why I was doing the ravioli btw) and the kid chef decided on the menu which is; Chicken Alfredo, Cheese stuffed jumbo shells with scratch made Marinara sauce,Roasted Garlic bread and a huge salad. Dessert is of course the Ravioli drizzled with caramel and a fruit puree or Blackberry Creeping Cobbler.
Here is the winning recipe:
Cocolate Ravioli
THE PASTA DOUGH:
· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
· 1/4 cup cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
· 3 tablespoons sugar
· Pinch of salt
· 3 large eggs
THE CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM FILLING:
· 3 cups milk
· 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
· 1/2 cup sugar
· 5 egg yolks
· 1/3 cup cornstarch
· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
· 1/2 pound hazelnut chocolate (gianduja), roughly chopped
THE SAUCE:
· 1/2 cup heavy cream
· 1/2 cup milk
· 1 tablespoon sugar
· 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
· 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
THE POACHING LIQUID:
· 8 cups water
· 2 cups sugar
Preparation
For the pasta dough, sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and place the eggs in the well. Using a fork, slowly incorporate the eggs into the flour, until all the eggs have been absorbed. Transfer the dough to a work surface and, using the palm of your hand, lightly knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle a little flour on the kneading surface. The dough is ready if, when you make an impression in it with the tip of your finger, the dough bounces back. Shape into a disk and tightly wrap in plastic film. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile, make the pastry cream: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla bean. Place over high heat and bring to a boil (be careful not to scorch the milk). Meanwhile, using a whisk, in a medium bowl, whip the sugar and egg yolks until pale yellow and frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch and whisk to dissolve any lumps.
Remove the vanilla bean from the milk and discard. Temper the egg yolk mixture by pouring a little of the steaming milk into the yolks, whisking to incorporate. Whisk the egg yolks into the remaining milk in the pan, set the pan over medium heat, and whisk quickly and constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, then whisk for another minute. Add the butter and stir until incorporated. Transfer the pastry cream to a storage container and place plastic wrap directly against the cream to prevent a skin from forming on top. Refrigerate until fully chilled, about 2 hours.
Once the pastry cream has chilled, place the hazelnut chocolate in a microwave-safe container and microwave on high for 1 minute; or melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Remove the chocolate from the microwave and stir. Heat the chocolate for another minute, remove, and stir to melt the remaining chocolate. Add to the pastry cream and stir to incorporate. Return to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Divide the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Using a pasta machine, one at a time, roll out each piece from the widest to the thinnest setting. Keep the remaining dough covered to prevent it from drying out.
To make the ravioli, dust a work surface with flour. Place one pasta sheet on the work surface. Starting about 2 inches from one end, place a teaspoon of filling every 4 inches down the pasta strip, ending about 2 inches from the other end of the strip. Brush the pasta dough with water, fold the dough over, and press to seal, being careful not to trap air inside the ravioli (or they will burst during cooking). Cut the ravioli into half-moons using a cookie cutter or pastry wheel. Press the edges together and squeeze to make the edges of the dough as thin as possible. Set the finished ravioli on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprinkled with flour, to prevent sticking. Repeat with the remaining dough. You should get at least 24 ravioli. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
For the sauce, bring the heavy cream, milk, and sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and stir until melted. Add the butter and stir to incorporate.
To cook the ravioli, bring the water and sugar to a boil in a large pot and boil until the sugar has dissolved. Add the ravioli to the pot and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, gently reheat the chocolate sauce.
To serve, remove the ravioli with a slotted spoon, letting the excess liquid drain, and arrange 4 ravioli on each plate. Drizzle the sauce over each plate. Serve immediately
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; I didnt have any nuts left so I added a little almond extract! It is very cold here this morning....so having the oven going and the aroma of banana bread in the kitchen will be pleasant! 
The Way Life Should Be
