Tuesday, December 18, 2007

A Mousse By Any Other Name...



I was going to try to figure out the fat/calorie/protein ratios before posting this, but it hasn't happened yet, and since I promised this recipe to some friends I'm just gonna put it up:


Tofu Chocolate Mousse
This is a recipe that I've modified and played with...if you let the mixture "rest" for a day or so before serving, the tofu-y aftertaste disappears as the tofu absorbs the flavor of the chocolate.
After resting, you can mix the mousse with just about anything, or use it as a base for other chocolate dishes. Your finished dessert will have a different denseness depending on the texture of the tofu you start with: firm tofu will result in a thicker/more dense mixture; silken, more creamy and puddinglike. I have used extra firm, and made truffles...

• 2 12 ounce packages of firm tofu
• 20 ounces of bittersweet chocolate chips--approximately 1 bag plus 2 cups (or heck, you can throw in both bags if you want to make it really rich, and for a real treat, go for those 70% cocoa chocolate bars!)
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp finely ground pepper
• 2-3 Tbsp powdered sugar (optional)

For crust:
• 1 package graham crackers, ground
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

• Using a stick mixer or food processor, puree tofu WELL. The more thorough you are in this step, the smoother and balanced the texture and flavor will be. Using a blender is perhaps the most inefficient way--very messy!

• Add vanilla, salt, and pepper to tofu puree. Salt brings out the nuances of the chocolate--try it, it really works! The pepper adds a bit more flavor undertones as well. You can omit either/both of these, if you like.

• While blending, you can melt your chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler. If microwaving, put in on high for 1 minute, then stir, then microwave for 30 second intervals until completely melted, stirring between each so as not to burn your chocolate. If using a double boiler, be sure that you do NOT get water in your chocolate, or it will seize up and become a glumpy mess.

• Add chocolate to tofu and blend until color is uniform. Since the mix needs to rest for the flavors to blend, don't be surprised if it tastes like, well, tofu. If you like, here is where you would add the powdered sugar if you prefer your chocolate more on the sweet side.

• Make your crust:
grind graham crackers either by crushing them in a plastic bag, or throwing them in your coffee/spice grinder. Melt your butter and mix in graham crackers and sugar. Mixture will be moist and crumbly--press into bottom of pie or springform pan.

• Scoop mousse mixture into crust, and refrigerate for at least an hour--frankly, overnight is better because the tofu taste gets fainter the longer you let it "rest."




Sunday, November 25, 2007

Thursday, November 15, 2007

It's cleaned up..

...and all spankin' new with links and all...
I think I may do the separation after all--I was going to merge this with my main blog, but I don't think I will after all. If you want to read the other one, that will be all headspace and not handspace, then by all means feel free.
If you want patterns, ideas, links, and general crafti HOLY FUCK!!!!!!
THE BIGGEST SPIDER IN THE WORLD JUST CRAWLED ONTO MY LEG!!!

I knocked it into my kleenex box and handed the whole thing over to ttk. "I guess I'm getting rid of that, huh?"
me: "Get a picture first--I wasnt people to SEE what just tried to eat me. And no, I don't want the kleenex back."

where was I?
-----and general crafting stuff, then you're in the right place ~SHUDDER~ (sorry, another spider aftershock)

What I want to know is How the HELL did that Thing get in here, and how did it get so far before I noticed it?

ugh ... ... ugh ... ... ugh ... ... ugh ... ... ugh

I'm going to go change my clothes now. And scratch my whole body with a scrub brush.

No, I'm not afraid of spiders, unless they're the size of my cat.


TTK is in the other room, camera and tripod in hand, cackling madly to himself. I'm not going in there.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Finally, an update.

I have not posted here for months...a year, actually--if you read my other blog, the non-craft one, you'll see that I got incredibly sick and haven't been able to post much.

Well, I'm on Remicade now, and doing MUCH better...hence finally being able to post. I have been crocheting like crazy, since I got bored with the Knifty Knitter thing, and will be getting all my projects together with pictures and everything...

I FINALLY got my invite to Ravelry, a knit/crochet community, and I'm going to get all of my stuff together over there. I'll post here, too, but the pics and stuff will be on Flickr, and linked to Ravelry.

Whee! Workin' away...