Chocolate Pistachio French Toast Food

PISTACHIO FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Arrange bread in two shingled rows in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine cream and baking chips. Microwave, covered, on high for 4-5 minutes or until chips are melted, stirring occasionally. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Whisk in eggs, honey, extract and cinnamon until blended. Stir in cream mixture; pour over bread. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight. , Preheat oven to 350°. Remove French toast from refrigerator while oven heats. For topping, in a small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, honey and cinnamon. Stir in pistachios and baking chips. Sprinkle over bread slices. , Bake, covered, 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO COOKIES

Steps:

• Make filling: Bring 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved; set aside.
• Put egg yolks in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk by hand until yolks are warm to the touch, about 2 minutes. Fit mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix yolks on medium speed; pour in sugar syrup. Raise speed to high; mix until mixture is cool and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; drizzle in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Make cookies: Put pistachio paste and rest of sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Mix in the egg white, vanilla, and salt.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a small (about 1/4 inch) plain round tip (such as Ateco #10). Pipe 1-inch rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing about 1 inch apart.
• Bake cookies until firm and golden around edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer on parchment to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
• Place cookies, bottom sides up, on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Spread 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons chocolate filling on bottom of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Freeze 1 hour.
• Make glaze: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add shortening; stir until combined. Let cool, stirring, until mixture is lukewarm.
• Using a chocolate fork or regular fork, hold 1 cookie at a time above bowl of chocolate glaze. Spoon glaze over cookie, letting excess drip back into bowl. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Garnish with slivered pistachios. Refrigerate until set, 5 minutes.