Pecan Panna Cotta with Maple Chocolate Sauce

I love panna cotta and love pecans... and maple chocolate pecan tart is one of my favorite desserts so i thought the same mixture of flavors in a panna cotta would be terrific, and it was!

Ingredients:

3 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup pecan
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 small ramekins (5ounces)
unflavored oil spray

Maple Chocolate Sauce:
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place pecans on a food processor until finely chopped or put them on a ziplock bak and run your pastry roll over it until finely crushed.
In a small saucepan heat cream, vanilla, sugar and finely crushed pecans. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and let it cool.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until evenly moistened, about 5 minutes.
Lightly oil 6 ramekins.
Reheat cream mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat and mix in gelatin until completely dissolved.
Pour mixture into prepared ramekins. Let it cool down completely, cover with plastic film and refrigerate over night.

For the sauce, bring the maple syrup to a boil in a small saucepan. remove from heat and quickly whisk in butter, chocolate and salt until all melted. Pour into air tight jar and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. When ready to use sauce, microwave for 1 minute and stir it in well.

To remove panna cottas from ramekins, run a knife thru the sides of the ramekins. Set up a bowl with a little boiling water. Place ramekin bottoms into hot water for 30 seconds. Turn ramekins into serving plates, it should come off easily. Drizzle maple chocolate sauce over it and serve immediately.

Delicious Brownies

I have been trying to bake the perfect chewy brownies, something that will taste as good as the Fat Witch Bakery Brownies from NYC.
Have tried different recipes, but I'm thinking this one is a keeper! Chewy and not too sweet, perfect!
This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated, don't remember which issue as i copied it waiting in line at a grocery store.

1/3 cup dutch-processed cocoa
1 teaspoon instant espresso
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a 1 inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix cocoa, expresso an boiling water until dissolved. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until combined. Add melted butter and oil, it will look slightly curdled. Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.
Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle of brownie comes out with a few crumbs on it. Cool in baking dish on a wire rack for 1 hour. Lift brownies from pan with foil. Return to rack and cool completely, about 1 more hour. Cut into squares and serve. Store at room temperature in airtight container for up to 5 days.