Chunks of chocolate cake doused in hazelnut liqueur and layered with dollops of chocolate-hazelnut pastry cream make a spectacular dessert. Gold leaf, which adds a touch of elegance, can be found in many baking supply stores.
Boozy custard is a treat in itself, but we take it over the top by serving it in homemade chocolate bowls.
Janice Beaton loves good cheese, which led her to open Janice Beaton Fine Cheese just three years ago in Calgary. Besides the large selection of carefully chosen Canadian and European cheeses and other fine-food products, the store also widely promotes local products, such as organically grown heirloom-seed tomatoes. Recent and popular additions to the store are in-house prepared frozen foods, the most in-demand item being this macaroni and cheese, made with blends of cheese from the store. Beaton always likes to include a sharp and tangy cheese in the mix for extra flavour and combines at least two different cheeses, although she says using all old Cheddar or Gruyère will make a fine dish, too. She encourages you to experiment with favourite cheeses; just remember to use ones that melt well.
Microwave this colourful side dish in a ring mould to ensure even cooking.
Serve in shallow soup bowls with multi-grain rolls. Started making this years ago for something hearty and filling for my large family and economical.
