Brigadeirão- A Very Rich Chocolate Flan

A few weeks back a friend from Brasil asked me for my mom's chocolate flan recipe, the minute she posted the question on facebook, all other childhood friends were reminded of that delicious and super rich chocolate flan my mom would make for us...

I'm making these in individual pans, but if you prefer to use a regular size bundt double up the recipe to have a good size flan, and make sure you have enough people to eat with you as i don't want to be responsible for anyone's diabetes....

Ingredients:

2 cans sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 tablespoons good quality baking cocoa, i use ghirardelli

5 egg yolks

1 egg

2 cups sugar, to caramelize pans

Blend all ingredients but the sugar together until well mixed.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare your caramel, by melting the sugar until you reach an amber color, i like making it on the pan i'll be using, but you can prepare in a different pot and pour on the pan you will be using, working quickly since the sugar will harden very fast.

Pour chocolate mixture onto prepared pans and set the pans over a "Bain Marie - A large pan containing hot water in which smaller pans may be set to cook food slowly or to keep food warm".

Place in preheated oven and bake for 55 minutes. If using a regular size bundt pan, cook the flan for 2 hours over a "bain marie". Remove from oven and let it cool down. Cover the pans and refrigerate for at least for hours or overnight.

To remove flans from baking dish, set pan over your stove top and heat the bottom of the pan over very low heat. You want that caramel to melt and pour over the flan when turned. Flip pans over the serving platter and it should come off easily, if not, run a knife very carefully around flan and that will do it. This is a rich, sticky, gooey dessert,... but so good!!!!

Chicken Pot Pie

I am the biggest fan of chicken pies, i like them very much the brasilian way with a tomato base but also love the american way, full of delicious chunks of celery, carrots and peas in a white cream sauce.
The weather is changing and fall is in the air, and my mind can only see rich meals ahead...
I made enough for 2-9inch pie dishes, but half recipe will fill 4-10oz ramekins if you prefer them that way.

Ingredients:

3 lbs chicken breast, cut into 1 inch chucks

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, sliced

3-4 carrots, sliced

2 tablespoons marsala wine

1 cup frozen pearl onions

1 cup frozen peas

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups chicken stock, homemade is always best

1/3 cup half and half

Fresh thyme and parsley chopped(as much as you like)

Crust:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 sticks or 1 cup of cold unsalted butter, sliced into 1 tablespoon pieces (place butter pieces in freezer 10 minutes before using it)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

6-8 tablespoons ice cold water

Egg Wash:

1 egg, well beaten mixed with 1 tablespoon of water

Make your crust first. Pulse together flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse about 8-10 times. Add shortening and pulse 8-10 times. Add water slowly and keep pulsing until the mixture crumbs up. Pour dough onto your work surface and divide it by two. Form 2 balls and wrap them in plastic film. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days ahead.

Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over chicken pieces. Cook chicken in hot butter for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently for even cooking. Add onions, celery and carrots and cook for about 10 minutes. Add Marsala wine and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add frozen peas and frozen pearl onions. Add flour and stir it well, making sure all chicken and veggies are coated with it. Add chicken stock and half and half and keep stirring until it thickens. Season to taste and add fresh herbs. Pour into pie dishes and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Remove dough from refrigerator and place it on a floured surface. Roll the pastry out to a 10 inch circle. Place on top of pie and cut off the leftovers hanging from the corners. Make indentations with a fork to secure the filling all around the pie dish. Make a few slits on top of pastry to release steam while cooking. Brush tops with egg wash and bake it in preheated oven for 25 minutes, about 15-20 if making individual ramekins. Bake on top of cookie sheets as the filling might bubble up and pour onto sides of baking dish making a mess in your oven.