Cookies, Hot Chocolate & Grilled Cheese

Because it's COLD outside!

Just a reminder to subscribe if you haven’t already and that my offer on paid subscriptions is still on until February 1st. The second part of today’s post is for subscribers and I feel that that’s a good system for those who want some and others who want it ALL!

Now let’s talk winter food!

Last night there was a big blizzard in Montreal with 27 cm (11 inches) of accumulation overnight. It’s like Whoville around here this morning. And it’s still snowing!

Dog, in the backyard, on a snowbank, this morning

Of course we’re in Canada in late January, so this kind of weather is to be expected. Happily I live with a man who finds shovelling incredibly exciting so the walkways and driveway around here are always pristine. And it’s not all that cold. Best of all, this kind of weather is ideal for calorific foods. Call it the polar bear diet, a lineup of dishes required for sustenance in Nordic lands. Even if you’re just on the couch watching someone else shovel the snow, it’s important to eat heartily just in case a polar bear breaks into your backyard and next thing you know you’re running for your life. I mean the chances of seeing a polar bear in the streets of Montreal are as high as spotting a kangaroo. But you never know. Could happen.

Also, a lot of people in Quebec ski, either downhill or cross country, and after all that effort you need some sort of payback. This Wednesday on the Radio Canada show Penelope, I took part in a segment called Le Combat des Chefs, with three cooks competing according to a theme, this week’s being après ski. The other two chefs are Stelio Perembelon and Robert James Penny, alias Bob le Chef. I’ve known both of these fellows for a decade (or more!) and we always have a good time doing these bits on the radio, Stelio being the serious one, Bob being the funny one, and me… the no-holds-barred critic.

On this week’s show for the savoury dish, I decided on a grilled cheese sandwich de luxe, paired with a terrific wine from the Jura (see review below).

Beautiful grilled cheese sandwiches

As for the sweet, I opted for hot chocolate (natch!) along with that ultimate dunking cookie, biscotti. I’m a latecomer to the world of biscotti and always love making these simple cookies, mine being of the more cookie-like biscotti rather than the almost cracker-like and less sweet Italian version. The particularity of this cookie is that it’s baked twice: once as a log, then sliced once cooled, and then sliced on a diagonal to produce those wonderful sliver-shaped cookies.

The logs once baked the first time, and then the sliced logs before being laid down and baked a second time.

The recipe below can be made with any mix of nuts as long as you have 150g (1 cup) in all. For an added boost of flavour, you can also blend in some anis seeds, fennel seeds and/or lemon or orange zest.

As for the hot chocolate, as it’s made only with chocolate, the quality of the chocolate you choose makes all the difference. This hot chocolate is quite light, so if you like it even more chocolatey, add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder to the milk while heating. But if you like it sweeter, only add the sugar afterwards. And taste it before you add too much sugar because when it’s too sweet well… you might as well have used Quick (which I just discovered has turned into Nesquick)

Quick: Hot and cold chocolate drink powder mix, big in the olden days.

The recipes in French are available on Radio Canada’s food site. And here are the recipes in English:

Almond, hazelnut and pistachio biscotti

Three-Nut Biscotti

For about 34 cookies

2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

3 tablespoons (40g) butter, room temperature

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/3 cup (50g) whole toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup (50g) hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup (50g) pistachios, coarsely chopped

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a bowl using a hand mixer), beat butter, sugar and oil on high speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla and almond extract. Beat until light and creamy Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed until flour disappears. Stir in nuts by hand. Refrigerate dough while you preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the chilled dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a 25-cm (10-inch) long log. Place on parchment-paper-lined baking sheets a few inches apart and flatten them slightly. Bake for 30 minutes, then let cool for a good 20 minutes. Transfer the logs to a cutting board and, using a bread knife, cut them diagonally into slices about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick.

Place the biscotti flat on the baking sheet, reduce the oven to 325ºF (160ºC) and bake for about 15 minutes. Turn the cookies over and bake for another 15 minutes, until golden and crisp through and through. Let cool completely on a rack before serving.

Hot Chocolate

for 2 cups

1 1⁄2 cups (375 ml) milk

1⁄4 cup (60 ml) 35% cream

2 oz (55g) semisweet chocolate (around70%), finely chopped

Pinch cinnamon + whipped cream, for garnish

In a small saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a boil. Meanwhile, place the chocolate into a small bowl. Pour 1/3 of the hot milk over the chocolate, wait 30 seconds, then whisk until the mixture is shiny and smooth. Gradually whisk in the remaining hot milk until everything is well blended. If it’s not hot enough, return to the pan and reheat a bit. I don't like to bring it to a boil because hot chocolate takes forever to cool down. Serve with pinch of cinnamon if desired and — why not? — a spoonful of whipped cream.

Photo by JEAN-BAPTISTE DEMOUY of Radio-Canada

Grilled cheese sandwich with onion jam and honey (and a wine to go with!)