Chicken Breasts with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

·         2 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·         kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         2 cups mixed mushrooms, sliced

·         2 tablespoons minced shallots

·         4 tablespoons butter, divided

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

·         ½ cup white wine

·         ½ cup chicken broth

·         2 tablespoons whipping cream

·         2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

·         ½ lemon, zested

·         Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

1.    Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally. Pound the chicken breasts lightly with a meat mallet until about ½ inch thick. Season the breasts with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper then melt the butter in a large skillet with half of the olive oil. Add 2 of the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the rest of the olive oil to the pan then repeat with the remaining chicken breasts. Cook and transfer to the plate with the other breasts, then cover to keep warm.

2.    Add 1 more tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened, stirring often.

3.    Add the wine and chicken broth to the skillet, bring to a boil, and reduce to half. Add the whipping cream, thyme leaves and the last tablespoon of butter. Stir to combine and add the lemon zest.

4.    Serve the mushroom sauce over the chicken breasts. Garnish with chopped parsley, more fresh thyme leaves and additional lemon zest if desired.

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Almond Nutella Cake

Ingredients

Ingredients for Almond Cake Layers:

• 325 grams super finely ground almond flour (*see note below)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup.
• ¼ tsp salt
• 6 large egg whites, room temp
• ½ Tbsp vanilla extract

For Frosting, Filling & Toppings:

• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp coffee extract or almond liquor or chocolate liquor
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅓ to ½ of a 26.5 oz Nutella jar
• Semisweet chocolate bar for decor

Instructions

1. Trace three 8-inch circles on parchment paper (I baked all 3 layers at once – two on one large baking sheet and one on a second sheet). Trace in a bold pen or permanent marker then flip the paper over so you can see the tracing without putting the batter directly over markings. Lightly butter top of parchment paper with a paper towel. Arrange baking racks with the first rack in the top third of the oven and the second in the bottom third.

How to Make the Almond Cake Layers: Preheat Oven to 325˚F.

1. In a large bowl, combine: 325 grams almond flour with ½ cup sugar, and ¼ tsp salt, and thoroughly whisk together until no large clumps of flour remain.
2. In the clean/dry bowl of your KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 6 egg whites on high speed for 1 minute or until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, add in ½ Tbsp vanilla then add ¼ cup sugar and continue beating on high speed for 2-3 min or until stiff but manageable.
3. Fold the egg whites into the almond meal gently, about ½ cup at a time until no streaks remain.
4. Divide and spread macaron batter as evenly as possible (they’ll stack better later!) onto the three traced circles of your parchment paper. Bake at 325˚F for 12 min, rotate pans between racks and bake another 12 min. Turn oven off and keep in the oven another 15 min. You want it to be dry and crunchy on the outside and semi-soft inside. Remove from oven and let cool to room temp on a wire rack.

Making the Frosting:

1. In the bowl of your mixer, combine 3 cups heavy whipping cream with ¼ cup sugar and beat on high speed (1 min) until soft peaks form, add 2 tsp coffee extract and 2 tsp vanilla extract and continue mixing on high (1-2 min) until spreadable (don’t overbeat). Cover and refrigerate untilready to use.

Assembling Cake:

1. Spread Nutella on the bottom of two of your cake layers and set aside. Add Nutella based on how sweet you like your cakes – I used ½ a tub for my fierce sweet tooth but you can use less ⅓ if you prefer less sweetness.
2. Place the third cake layer (without Nutella on it) on a cake stand and cover generously with frosting. Top with the next layer, Nutella-side-down. Cover the top with frosting. Repeat with last layer then frost the top and sides of the cake. I piped a border around the top of the cake with my large Wilton open-star frosting tip.
3. Top with chocolate shavings, chocolate curls, or grated chocolate covered espresso beans. Refrigerate cake 6-8 hours, or overnight since the almond layers need time to soften up; otherwise it will be difficult to slice.

 

Enjoy it!

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