Esalen Cookbook (24 page)

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Authors: Charlie Cascio

BOOK: Esalen Cookbook
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To make the piecrust: The best way to mix the flour and butter for pie dough is with a food processor. Place the flours, salt, and Sucanat in a food processor and pulse the mixture. Cut the cold butter in small chunks and pulse it into the flour until you have a texture like coarse bread crumbs. Remove mixture from food processor and place in a mixing bowl to finish. (If you don’t have a food processor, place the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and work the cold butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers or with a pastry cutter. Do this step quickly so the butter doesn’t get warm.)
 
Sprinkle half the ice water over the dough; work dough with your hand by folding and pressing it against the sides of the bowl. Add half again the remaining water and work the dough with your hands, folding and pressing. If the dough has not come together and taken shape, add the remaining ice water and work the dough as you have been doing. The dough should be a little wet to the touch. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
 
After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface or between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Press dough out with your hands into a 4-inch circle. Then roll out into a 12-inch diameter circle with a rolling pin, rolling from the center outward. Lay the dough evenly over a pie pan and gently lift up the edges of the dough so it slips into the creases of the pan. With your fingers, gently press dough to the sides of the pan. Trim excess, leaving 3/4 inch hanging over the edge of the pan. Turn the edge of the dough under so that it is flush with the edge of the pan. Make a fluted edge by pushing the edge one direction with your index finger and in the opposite direction with the other index finger and thumb. This recipe makes one 10-inch piecrust (or one 9-inch piecrust with a little dough left over).
 
Robin Burnside
 
CHOOSING APPLES
 
When choosing apples for a pie, I recommend using half tart apples, such as Cox Pippen, Gravenstein, or Granny Smith, and half flavorful sweet apples, such as Fuji, Golden, or Johnnygold. The tart apple will hold its shape and bake well, while the sweet apple will cook down into a sauce texture and help develop the flavor of the pie.
 
PIE FILLING
 
6 cups cored, peeled, and sliced apples
(about 2½ pounds cut into ¼-inch slices;
if using organic apples, leave the skin on)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup Sucanat (dehydrated cane juice) or honey
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup maple syrup
 
To make the filling: In a mixing bowl, mix sliced apples with the lemon juice, and then add the Sucanat or honey, cinnamon, and flour and toss. Add the maple syrup and coat the apples well. Pour apples into unbaked piecrust. The apple filling should appear to be over the edge of the pie pan. Press mixture with a spatula to ensure there are no air pockets.
 
Cover the filling with Maple-Pecan Crumb Topping and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes; then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 50 minutes more or until the apples are tender. Let pie fully cool so its juices will set up before serving.
MAPLE-PECAN CRUMB TOPPING
 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup Sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)
⅓ cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup chopped pecans
 
To make the crumb topping: Soften the butter to room temperature, and then place it in a mixing bowl with the flour and Sucanat and blend. Add the oats and cinnamon; mix well. Add the maple syrup and pecans. This should be a crumbly paste.
GERMAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
 
Marion Cascio brought this recipe to Esalen from her parents’ restaurant near Hanover, Germany. She worked in the restaurant from the time she was a young girl until she entered culinary school. When we let this “mousse loose” in the dining lodge, it creates havoc, as people can’t stop eating it until it’s all gone. When we take the empty serving bowl to the dishwashing station, there are even those who follow the bowl to lick it clean!
 
Serves 6
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 eggs
1 pint whipping cream
 
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
 
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. When the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and slowly pour eggs into the hot liquid chocolate as you vigorously whisk the mixture with an electric hand mixer or wire whisk. Be sure to pour slowly as you whisk, or you risk the eggs curdling and lumping in the chocolate.
 
Beat the cream until you have stiff peaks, and then gently fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Pour into individual serving bowls and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.
 
Chocolate Tantric Pie
 
CHOCOLATE TANTRIC PIE
 
This is a sweet chocolate pie with the spicy bite of ginger and cayenne pepper. It’s guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth, internally warm your belly, and give you that unmistakable tantric glow. There is very little work to creating this dessert. It’s a big favorite in the Esalen dining lodge.
Serves 8
1½ cups half-and-half or whipping cream
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup chopped candied ginger
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Piecrust for a 9-inch pie (see page 185)
 
Over medium heat, bring half-and-half or whipping cream to a simmer in a 1-quart saucepan, stirring to prevent scorching on the bottom. Whisk as you slowly pour the chocolate chips into the cream and continue to stir until the chocolate has melted. Stir in half the almonds and half the ginger. Stir in cayenne if using. Pour mixture into a prebaked 9-inch pie shell. Sprinkle the remaining almonds and ginger on top. Cool until firm, slice, and serve.
CHOCOLATE WACKY CAKE
 
If you’ve dined at Esalen in the past six years, chances are you’ve had this vegan dessert. It’s probably one of the most-served desserts to come out of the Esalen bakery. Most diners don’t realize that it’s vegan (made without animal products) because of its rich texture and taste.
 
Serves 12
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups Sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)
or brown sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
⅔ cup cocoa
1 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 cups water
 
In a mixing bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients until they are well blended. Add the wet ingredients to the dry; stir just until the ingredients are mixed. Don’t overmix.
 
Pour into two 10-inch round cake pans that have been greased and floured. Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a rack to cool. Frost with your favorite frosting.
 
Chocolate Walky Cake
 
 
John Blunt
 
JOHNNY’S CHEESECAKE
 
When I was kitchen manager at Esalen, people would come to me and pay to have this cheesecake served to all the diners on their birthday. The recipe came from Johnny’s Swedish grandmother and Johnny made it for many of the Carmel and Big Sur restaurants where he worked before arriving at Esalen.
Serves 12
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
 
14 graham crackers
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
 
To make the crust: Grind the graham crackers in a food processor for about 1 minute; add the salt and pulse for a few seconds more. You should have about 1½ cups of crumbs. Melt the butter and with the food processor running, slowly pour in the butter. The crust should hold together when pressed in your hand.
 
Put crumbs into a buttered springform pie pan. Using the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup, press the crust into the pan. This recipe will fill a 6-inch springform to the top, or an 8-inch springform halfway up the sides.
FILLING
 
16 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons powdered sugar
 
To make the filling: Mix the cream cheese and sour cream together in a bowl. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Then add the lemon juice, salt, and powdered sugar. Mix until the filling is velvety and fluffy, which should take about 8 to 10 minutes with an electric mixer.
 
Pour filling into crust and bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees F for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should start to brown around the edges and have a slight wiggle in the center when gently shaken. If the cake is overbaked, it will dry and start to crack on top. Remove from oven and let cool. After it is cool, place the cheesecake into the fridge to set up. The cake should be refrigerated for 2 hours before frosting and 8 hours total to firmly set up. It is important to thoroughly chill this dessert. If you cut it before it’s completely cool, it will not hold its shape.

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