Final Product

My Passion Project Recipes




Mexican Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 8 cups whole milk
• 2 ⅔  cups (8 ounces) chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt

Directions

• In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients and 1 cup water over medium heat, whisking constantly, until hot but not boiling, about 8 minutes (the mixture should smooth). Pour into 4 large mugs.

Crispy Fried Tofu With Sweet Chile Sauce

Ingredients

• For the Tofu1 (14-oz) block Mori Nu "Extra Firm" Silken Tofu (see Tips)
• 3/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1/4 cup Cornmeal
• Salt and ground Pepper to taste
• Chili Flakes to taste (optional)

• For the Sweet Chili Sauce3 tbsp Sugar
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
• 2 tsp Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp Sambal Oelek (see Tips)

Tips
1. Tofu: If you cannot find the Mori Nu brand, then simply use "Medium-Form" or "Soft Tofu". The book mentions that you can also use Firm/Extra Firm tofu but that it will taste drier.
2. Sambal Oelek is an Indonesian Chile paste. If you cannot find it, use whatever chili paste is available to you and add as per taste. You might need less/more than the 1 tbsp depending on the type of chili paste you are using other than the one mentioned.
Method
1
Slice the tofu into cubes/1-inch thick slabs. But before that make sure that drain any water and pat it dry completely.
Important Tip: I was a little slack in doing a good job and it shows the way it fried. So make sure to use several layers of paper towels and let it sit  for few minutes esp. if you are using the tofu that comes with water
2
While that's draining, mix the remaining ingredients in the "Tofu" section in a pan.

3
Make sure to blend it well.

4
Next add the tofu cubes to this mixture.

5
Coat it well. Due to the mistake (as mentioned in the Step 1 tip), my coating was not as smooth as it should be.

6
In a shallow (12 inch non stick) pan heat some 3/4 cup of vegetable oil until shimmering in med-high heat. Carefully add the tofu to the oil

7
turning it until its crisp and golden on all sides. It takes about 5 minutes. Gently lift the tofu

8
and drain them on paper towels. You can transfer them to 200F oven to keep them warm.

9
Meanwhile for the sauce, whisk all the ingredients mentioned in a small saucepan

10
and cook over med-high hear, whisking constantly, until the sauce is hot and thickened. take around 5 minutes. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

That beautiful shiny, glossy and addictive sauce works so wonderfully with that crispy tofu.
The crispiness when you first bite into it then leads to softness of the  silken tofu. Though being a lover of tofu, I can eat them all alone, my better half preferred it with the sauce.

Cinnamon Apple Pie with Crumb Topping X2

All Butter Single Pie Crust:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into pieces

4-6 tbsp ice water

Whisk together flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Rub in butter with your fingertips, pressing it into the flour mixture and breaking it up, until mixture resemble very coarse sand and no pieces larger than a large pea remain. Using a fork, stir in ice water until dough almost comes together into a ball. Press dough into a ball with your hands and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 30-60 minutes before using.

Filling:

4-5 med/lg Jonagold or other pie apples

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix apples, sugar, flour, spices, salt and vanilla together in large mixing bowl. Let stand for at least 10 minutes.
Set aside while dough is rolled out.

Crumb Topping:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

In a large bowl, whisk together remaining flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour melted butter over flour mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula until large, moist crumbs form.
Preheat oven to 425F.
Roll out chilled pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Press crust into plate gently. Pour apple mixture into the pie crust and gently spread into an even layer. Sprinkle crumb topping over apple slices, using your fingertips to break up and distribute the crumbs evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes at 425F. Lower oven temperature to 375F and bake for additional 35-40 minutes, until apples are tender and crust is browned. If crumb topping becomes too dark, gently tent a sheet of aluminum foil.
Allow pie to cool completely before slicing.
Serves 8.