Paw Mikkelsen, Gourmet Girl's Executive Pastry Chef!
Paw was born and raised in Denmark. His parents owned a pastry Shop and he started working for his dad when he was 11. He then left his fathers pastry shop at 15 to apprentice for another pastry shop in Denmark to gain further experience.
Read more about Paw Mikkelsen here...
Almond Serpent Cake
For the pastry:
Six sheets of phyllo dough 10"long
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg beaten with 2 tbs of water
Almond filling:
2 1/2 cups ground almond flour
1 cup confectioner sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp water
2 tbs orange flower water
1/2 cup butter
Combine almonds,sugar, cinnamon,water, orange flower water and soft butter.
Mix well until it becomes a paste, chill for 1 hour.
Separate the almond paste in to 1 2 equal balls, roll each ball in to 5 inch long rolls.
Method
Spread out 2 sheets of phyllo dough overlapping by 1 1/2 inch, seal them with the melted butter. The sheet should be about 18 inches long.
Place 4 almond paste rolls in a row.
Fold the phyllo dough over the almond paste and roll tightly to form one long roll. Carefully push and crinkle the roll to stop the skin from splitting when coiling.
Repeat with the rest of the phyllo dough.
Brush a baking sheet with melted butter.
Start to coil one of the almond rolls bending it very gently at the beginning of the coil. Continue to to form the coil with the rest of the rolls sealing the long rolls together with the melted butter.
Brush the coil with the beaten egg and bake for 25-30 min or until golden brown at 350F.
To serve:
Cool first then dust with confectioner sugar and decorate with fine lines of ground cinnamon.
Gourmet Girl Master Chocolatier Ingo Wullaert
While living in his hometown Ghent, Belgium, Ingo Wullaert developed an extreme passion for chocolate. It did not take long before he decided to follow his passion by attending one of the most exclusive programs at the International Culinary School of Bruges, Belgium, where he earned the title of Master Chocolatier.
Now, together with his family in Naples, Florida, Ingo Wullaert brings this traditional Belgian craftsmanship for all of us to enjoy! Ingo Wullaert serves customers worldwide with his unique chocolate creations, handcrafted daily from only the finest Belgian chocolate, freshest ingredients and without the use of preservatives. He invites you to experience the difference.
Nutty fruit delight
Makes about 24 truffles
Ingredients:
2 oz. raisins
2 oz. dried prunes
2 oz. dried apricots
2 oz. walnuts
2 oz. almonds
2 oz. salted pistachio nuts
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 pound Callebaut semi sweet dark chocolate
Cocoa powder
Powdered sugar
Grinded salted pistachio nuts
Directions:
Make a smooth paste by finely grinding all nuts, dried fruit and cinnamon in a food processor.
Divide the paste in equal parts of ½ oz. and hand roll them into little balls.
Chop the chocolate in small pieces.
Melt 3/4 of the chocolate in a double boiler and remove from heat.
Add remaining chocolate to the melted chocolate and stir well until chocolate pieces are melted away.
Dip each previously made ball in chocolate and gently roll it in the cocoa powder, grind pistachio nuts or powdered sugar.