Kabocha Squash Beignets

Recipe courtesy of Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes 2 dozen

1 small Kabocha squash
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale or some other Ale
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
vegetable, canola or other neutral oil for deep frying

Palm Sugar Caramel Dipping Sauce:
2/3 cup palm sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 small pandan leaf, cut into small pieces
1 cup coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt

1. Steam the Kabocha squash whole in a steamer over gently simmering water until a knife pierces through the flesh easily, about 40 minutes. Remove from the steamer and let cool. When the Kabocha squash is cool enough to work with your hands, cut the squash in half. Remove and discard the seeds and pulp with a spoon and scoop out the flesh into the bowl of an electric mixer. Set aside until ready for use.

2. Sprinkle the yeast over ¼ cup warm water and let sit until foamy, 10 minutes. Add the evaporated milk, Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to the electric mixer bowl with Kabocha squash. Mix on medium speed with the paddle attachment until well incorporated, then add 2/3 cup sugar with the machine running.

3. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the foamy yeast, then the flour, ½ cup at a time. Once all the flour has been incorporated, mix for 1 more minute. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in bulk, at least 1 hour. If beignets are not to be cooked immediately, the dough may be refrigerated at this point for up 2 days. If you have refrigerated the dough, let it rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours before frying.

4. Fill a medium saucepan with oil to depth of 3 inches. Attach a deep frying thermometer to the saucepan and heat the oil to 350ºF (a small piece of dough will sizzle when the oil is ready). Shape the dough into 2 inch balls with a spoon or ice cream scoop and gently drop one into the oil. Cook about 5 at a time. Cook until puffy and golden brown, about 2 minutes and then turn and cook for another minute. Remove the cooked beignets with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Roll the hot beignets in the remaining 1 cup sugar and serve warm with Palm Sugar Caramel Dipping Sauce.

Palm Sugar Caramel Dipping Sauce:
In a pot, bring pandan leaf, coconut milk and salt to a boil. Set aside to steep. In another pot, bring palm sugar, lemon juice and ¼ cup water to a dark caramel. Carefully whisk in warm coconut milk mixture and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool before serving.

Recipe adapted from An Exotic Finish (Morrow, 2006) By Pichet Ong

Chocolate Kumquat Spring Rolls

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes 3 dozen

5 (56 grams, 2 ounces) kumquats, cut into 1/4-inch slices crosswise and seeded
1/2  cup plus 1 tablespoon (127 grams, 4 1/2 ounces) heavy whipping cream
1/8  teaspoon salt
8 1/4  ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon butter, softened
36 5 X 5-inch square spring roll wrappers
1 large egg, lightly beaten
canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil for deep-frying

Chef’s Tip: Make sure you use thin spring roll wrappers, which can be found in Asian markets, and not egg roll wrappers

1. Put the seeded kumquat slices and their juices into a small saucepan. Add the cream and salt and warm over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat.

2. Put the chocolate into the bowl of a food processor and pour the hot kumquat cream over the chocolate.  Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes, then process until the mixture becomes smooth and shiny. Add the egg yolk, Grand Marnier, and butter and process to combine.

3. Line an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan and transfer to the freezer. Freeze uncovered until completely hard, then unmold and peel off the plastic wrap. Cut the chocolate bar in half lengthwise, then cut each bar into 1/2-inch slices crosswise. You should have 36 2 X 1/2 X 1/2-inch chocolate bars.

4. Take a spring roll wrapper and lightly brush the entire surface with the beaten egg. Align the wrapper so that you see a diamond. Lay a chocolate bar at the end closest to you so that the corners of the bar meet the two adjoining edges of the wrapper to form a triangle. Take the corner closest to you and wrap it around the chocolate, then roll the chocolate away from you one full rotation. Tightly fold the two opposing corners in towards the center, then continue to roll to the end of the wrapper, making sure the end is tightly sealed. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and chocolate.  Freeze the spring rolls for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 days, and take them out only when you are ready to fry them.

5. Fill a small saucepan with the oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 350°F. When the oil is ready (a tiny pinch of flour will sizzle), add a few spring rolls, taking care to not overcrowd the pan. Cook, turning occasionally and adjusting the heat on the stove to maintain 350°F, until golden brown, 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Chocolate and Vietnamese Coffee Tart

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Cocoa Tart Pastry
1/2 cup (113 grams, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (113 grams, 4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (23 grams, 7/8 ounce) cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
1/4 cup (23 grams, 7/8 ounce) almond flour
1 1/3 cups (203 grams, 7 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring
1 large egg
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Chocolate Coffee Ganache:
1/4 cup (75 grams, 2 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 3/4 cups (392 grams, 14 ounces) heavy cream
1/2 cup (113 grams, 4 ounces) evaporated milk
1/3 cup (28 grams, 1 ounce) Vietnamese, chicory, or French Roast coffee powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk ice cream

Chef’s Tip: You can substitute good vanilla ice cream for the Condensed Milk Ice Cream.

1. To make the tart shell: Put the first six ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal. With the machine running, add the egg, and process just until the mixture comes together. Form the mixture into a ball, press it into a 1-inch thick disc, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, at least 4 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or an 8-inch tart ring set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

3. Lightly flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, rotating the circle a quarter-turn with each roll. Lightly flour the surface of the dough and loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin. Unroll the dough into the prepared tart pan and press the edges up along the sides, trimming off any excess.

4. Freeze until hard, 30 minutes, then line the shell with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, like dried beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the shell from the oven and remove the pie weights and parchment paper and bake until the dough is dry to the touch, 5 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

5. Meanwhile, make the ganache: put the chocolate in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Stir together the cream, evaporated milk, coffee powder, and salt in a small saucepan and set over low heat. As soon as it simmers, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve over the chocolate. Immediately begin whisking, incorporating the chocolate into the cream. Once the chocolate melts and the mixture becomes smooth and shiny, whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then the sweetened condensed milk. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and pour into the cooled tart shell.

6. Turn the oven down to 275°F. Bake the tart for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for 10 more minutes. When done, the middle should still jiggle slightly, but not be wet. Remove from the oven, cool completely, and serve.

Vietnamese Coffee Fortune Cookies

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes approximately 50 cookies

½ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons condensed milk
1 ¾ ounce Vietnamese coffee powder
9 ounces all purpose flour
¾ ounce milk powder
7 ounces confectioner’s sugar
5 1/2 ounces egg whites

With the paddle attachment in an electric mixer, mix cream butter, condensed milk, salt and coffee powder just until combined, about 3 minutes. In the meantime, sift together confectioner’s sugar, flour and milk powder. Add sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix to combine, scraping the bowl as necessary.

With the mixer at low speed, slowly add in egg whites and mix until incorporated. Scrape bottom of bowl again and mix well. Chill batter with plastic wrap covering directly on surface for at least 1 hour before use. Spread batter onto silpat using a stencil with 4” round circles. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until done with surface dry to the touch, about 5 minutes.

Place fortune paper in middle of each circle, fold in half and then bring the two points together with the seam on the broad side. Lay into a ridged tuile pan to cool. It is imperative that the cookie is folded when hot otherwise the cookie will break.

Recipe Adapted from “An Exotic Finish” By Pichet Ong (Morrow-Harper Collins, 2007)

Kabocha Squash Cheesecake with Walnut Cookie Crust

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes one 9-inch pie, about 10 serving.

Kabocha Squash Cheesecake:
1 3-pound (1,344 grams) kabocha squash
1 8-ounce package (240 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (200 grams, 7 1/8 ounces) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons brandy
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Walnut Cookie Crust:
1/4 cup (60 grams, 2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
1/2 cup (60 grams, 2 ounces) walnuts
1/2 cup (72 grams, 2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar, packed
7 (177 grams, 6 1/4 ounces) graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
2 teaspoons fresh lime zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon sweetened condensed milk, optional

1. To make the filling: prepare a steamer by filling a large round casserole with water to a depth of 3 inches. The casserole should be able to fit the squash comfortably and have a tightly fitting lid. Put a steamer rack or crumpled heavy duty aluminum foil on the bottom; the rack or foil should be just above the line of water. Set over medium heat and bring to a steady simmer. Put the whole squash on the rack, cover the pot, and steam until a knife pierces through the flesh easily, 1 hour. Remove from the heat, uncover the pot, and cool in the steamer until cool enough to handle.

2. Meanwhile, make the crust: preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan, line with parchment paper, and butter the paper. Set aside. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 15 minutes. Cool completely. Turn the oven down to 300°F.

3. Put the walnuts and half the brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the walnuts are coarsely ground. You can also crush the walnuts by hand, gently pounding them with a heavy skillet or rolling pin. Transfer the ground walnuts to a mixing bowl and add the graham cracker crumbs, lime zest, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and remaining brown sugar. Mix well, then add the melted butter and mix with your hand until everything is evenly moistened. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides. Bake until golden brown, 12 minutes, and cool completely in the pan.

4. When the squash is cool enough to handle, remove it from the steamer, cut it in half, and scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp. Scoop out 2 1/2 cups of the squash flesh into a small bowl. Put the cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and process, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally, until the mixture is light and smooth. Add the squash and process again, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally, until smooth. Add the brandy and eggs and process just until they are incorporated. Finish mixing with a spatula and transfer the filling to the cooled crust. Bake in the preheated oven until the center is set, but still slightly jiggly, 1 hour. Cool completely and serve with sweetened condensed milk if so desired.

Recipe from THE SWEET SPOT: Asian-Inspired Desserts by Pichet Ong

Spiced Coconut Brownie

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Nonstick baking vegetable oil spray
5 cups (340 grams, 12 1/8 ounces) finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut
1 cup (155 grams, 5 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 1/4 cups (510 grams, 18 1/4 ounces) unsalted butter
18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
7 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
7 large eggs, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups (458 grams, 16 1/3 ounces) sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup (198 grams, 7 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 12 X 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.

2. Spread the coconut on another rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until light brown and fragrant, 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, sift together the flour and baking powder and set aside. Melt the butter, bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, salt, and cayenne, if so desired, together in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally to blend. When completely melted and smooth, remove from the heat.

4. Put the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk at medium speed until frothy. With the machine running, add the sugar and continue to whisk until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and doubled in volume, 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix to incorporate. Turn the mixer speed to low, add the melted chocolate in a slow, steady stream, and whisk for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer, fold in the flour mixture, the cooled toasted coconut, and chocolate chips.

5. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake until a tester comes out barely clean, another 10 minutes. The surface should be dry to the touch. Cool in the pan and serve.

Chef’s Tip: You need to cool these brownies for at least one hour before enjoying them warm and at least two hours before you can cut them cleanly into squares. If you eat these brownies too soon after baking, the heat of the cayenne pepper may be overpowering.

Chinese Almond Cookies

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Makes 3 dozen

1 3/4 cup (272 grams, 9 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (210 grams, 7 1/2 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups (132 grams, 4 3/4 ounces) almond flour
1 cup (226 grams, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup (60 grams, 2 1/8 ounces) slivered almonds
1 large egg white

1. Sift together the flour, sugar, and baking soda and set aside. Put the almond flour, butter, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Paddle on medium speed until the mixture resembles cornmeal, 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the egg and almond extract and mix until well-incorporated. Turn the speed to low and add the flour mixture. Mix just until no traces of flour remain.

2. Transfer the dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap, flatten into a 1-inch thick disc, cover tightly, and refrigerate until hard, at least 30 minutes. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Form the dough into 1/2-inch balls and put on the baking sheets 1 inch apart. Use the palm of your hand to press the balls into 1-inch circles. Press 4 slivered almonds into each cookie, decoratively arranging them to look like an X. Brush the tops of the cookies with the egg white, then bake until golden and crisp around the edges, 15 minutes. Cool completely on the cookie sheet and serve or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Persimmon and Olive Oil Cake

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Serves 20

Cake
14 ounces all purpose flour
½ ounce baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
18 ½ ounces sugar and 1 cup additional for lining molds
7 ounces almond flour
9 eggs
zest of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces extra virgin olive oil and 1 cup additional for lining molds
4 ripe fuyu persimmons
2/3 ounces raw sugar

1. Brush cake mold with additional olive oil and line with additional sugar.  Set aside until use. Sift together flour, almond flour and baking powder.  Trim off skin of persimmon and cut each half into 8 wedges.

2. In a mixer, beat eggs at medium speed with orange zest until frothy, 1 minute.  Add sugar and salt and beat at high speed until ribbon stage, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and beat for another minute. Whisk in dry ingredients at low speed until incorporated. Take some of the batter to make a liaison with oil. Fold into rest of batter, making sure that there aren’t any lumps.

3. Fill cake mold with cake batter and place 3 wedges of persimmon in the center. Use remaining additional olive oil to brush the top of persimmon. Sprinkle the top of persimmon wedges with a pinch of raw sugar. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven until tester comes out clean in the center, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly before unmolding.

Almond Tofu with Kiwi in Rock Sugar Syrup

By Pichet Ong, Author, The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Time: 30 minutes plus 3 hours to chill

Almond Tofu Base
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
1½ cup almond milk
1½ cup soymilk
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond oil
Pinch of salt

Kiwi in Rock Sugar Syrup
4 ripe kiwis
¼ cup Chinese yellow rock sugar (2 ounces)
½ cup water

Method

For Almond Tofu Base
Sprinkle gelatin over almond milk in a large cup and let sit for a minute. In the meantime, bring soymilk and sugar to a scald in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in the gelatin and almond milk mixture. Add almond extract and stir to blend. Pour into 8 glasses or molds and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

For Kiwi in Rock Sugar Syrup
Bring sugar and water to a boil. Let sit until all the sugar melts. In the meantime, peel and cut kiwis in half. Cut each half into 4 wedges and place in a bowl. Pour the sugar syrup mixture onto the kiwis and refrigerate the mixture completely before use.

Assembly
For each portion, serve almond tofu with 4 pieces of kiwi and about 4 tablespoons of syrup.

Recipe adapted from “An Exotic Finish” by Pichet Ong (Morrow-Harper Collins, 2007)