Brazo De Mercedes Recipes

This recipe was definitely inspired by my cousin Buggy in Canada...Thanks for making this happen Buggy!!!











from http://www.fareasttravelonline.co.uk/brazo_demercedes.html

Ingredients (FILLING):
1 cup condensed milk
8 egg yolks
1 tsp Vanilla essence
2 tbsp butter

optional :add 1/4 cup toasted and finely ground cashew nuts

Procedure:
In a double-boiler, combine milk and egg yolks.
Cook, stirring continuously until thick.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla essence and butter. Set aside.

Ingredients (for MERINGUE):
8 egg whites
1 tsp Cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

Procedure:
Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until peak form.
Add sugar gradually while whisking continuously until stiff but not dry.
Fold in Vanilla.
Spread Meringue onto greased, parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees until brown.
Invert onto another piece of parchment, sprinkle with granulated sugar.
While hot, spread the filling and roll.

Dust top with a bit more sugar.

Bananas Foster

I got this recipe from my Clinical Instructor Carla Douglas. So yummy!!

This one doesn't involve the alcohol, but if you would like to flambe this dessert, omit the rum extract and add 1/2 cup each Creme de Banana and dark rum after you coat the bananas. Ignite the mixture and swirl the skillet quickly to baste the bananas with the sauce until the flame goes out.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 bananas
3 tbsp orange juice
4 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp rum extract
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
4 mint sprigs, optional for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well.

2. Cut bananas in half crosswise, then in half lengthwise. Brush with orange juice, reserving remaining orange juice.

3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar mixture and reserved orange juice.

4. Cook the mixture, stirring continually until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rum extract. Add the bananas and stir gently to coat. Remove from heat.

5. Place 5 bananas quarters in each of 4 individual glass serving bowls. Top each with serving with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with remaining sauce. Garnish with mint, if desired, and serve.

Gyros and Tzatziki

Adapted by Jeanne and Kathy from http://www.recipelink.com/mf/31/12316
by Karen Mintzias (16 servings)
and from http://appetizer.allrecipes.com/az/Tztziki.asp

Kathy and I did a test run on this recipe...and with the help of our taste tester Henry...these are our recommendations:

Use all lamb!!! It tastes better.
Do not use ground meat..use sliced meat instead!!
If you're on a budget...beef still tastes good...but really...lamb is the way to go!!
Use the pitas for Gyros...do not use the pocket pitas!!!
The best way to heat up the pita is to nuke them (Microwave!)

GYRO (revised recipe by Jeanne and Kathy)

1 1/4 lb Lean ground or sliced beef
1 1/4 lb Lean ground or sliced lamb
1/4 c Oregano
1 1/2 tb Onion powder
1 tb Garlic powder
3/4 tb Ground pepper (or more)
1 tsp Thyme
3/4 tsp Salt

TZATZIKI (YOGURT SAUCE):
1 c Plain yogurt
1/4 c Finely chopped cucumber
1/4 c Finely chopped onion
1-2 cloves, minced
2 tsp Olive oil
Salt & white pepper

For extra yogurt sauce:
4 cups (32 ounces)plain yogurt
1 large English cucumber, peeled and shredded
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and white pepper to taste


8 large Pita breads for Gyros
Thinly sliced onion rings
Sliced Tomato
Lettuce

For gyro meat: Preheat broiler or prepare barbeque. Combine ingredients lightly but thoroughly in large bowl. Shape into 16 thin patties and broil, turning once, until done as desired.

For yogurt sauce: Place a cheese cloth over a medium bowl and strain the yogurt 6 hours in the refrigerator, or over night. Drain as much excess liquid from the cucumber and garlic as possible.
After draining the yogurt and cucumber, combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble sandwich, place meat on top of each pita half and top with yogurt sauce and onion slices. Add sliced tomato and lettuce

Enjoy!!

Baklava

This is a really great recipe!!!!

Baklava

Recipe submitted by: Donna Townsend on http://christmas.allrecipes.com/az/Baklava.asp
but Recipe Adapted by Jeanne and Kathy

The phyllo dough for this recipe is found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Add a little lemon zest to the sugar sauce, if desired." Recipe yields about 24-30 diamonds.

INGREDIENTS:

1 roll of phyllo dough (8 oz) ( A package of a 16 ounce phyllo dough has two rolls)
1/2 pound chopped nuts (walnuts, pistachios, etc) (approximately 1 cup)
1/2 cup butter melted ( Use more butter if necessary. Realistically, you will end up using 1 cup butter,melted...LOL)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (add extra if you like..We did 1 teaspoon)
1/4 cup honey

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C).

Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.

Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside.

Unroll phyllo dough. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly.
Repeat placing two sheets of dough and buttering it thorougly until you have 8 sheets layered.
Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top.
Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go.
Do this until you have 3 layers of nut mixture
After the last nut mixture, place two sheeps of dough on top and butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 6-8 layers

Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until baklava is golden and crisp.

Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.