Multi-fandom Recs: 300, TBC, Crossover, Dexter, HP, Rome, Tribute Vid, Chocolate Tart, YG

[turnonmyheels]

I can't believe I nearly let December get away without recs. What was I thinking? Some Yuletide recs, but not all. I've barely begun my Yuletide reading.

300

Lessons NC-17, speechless from the hotness.

The Breakfast Club

The Tender Things That We Were Working On Brian/Bender. Future fic, a reunion invitation comes in the mail. Completely and utterly satisfying.

Crossover
Friday Night Lights/Sarah Connor Chronicles

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret by devilc Characters: Derek Reese, Tim Riggins, Landry Clarke, Matt Saracen. Derek POV. Left me with chillbumps that wouldn't go away.

Dexter

A Motherfucking Roly-poly Chubby-cheeked Shit Machine Debra Morgan, Rita Morgan, Dexter Morgan.

Oh, what the hell. At the very least, Dexter was bound to do something goofy she could hold over him for the rest of his life. "Can I swear?" she grinned.

Rita hesitated, then smiled back. "I'm kind of counting on it."

"Deal."

Fan Tribute Vid

An a Capella tribute to John Waters.


Harry Potter

Beautiful by shocfix Ron/Hermione, PG-13 and perfectly perfect in its perfection.

Recipe - Chocolate Ganache Tart

I made this for Christmas dinner. It took way longer than 15 minutes, why do these things always lie about length of prep time?

Game plan: The tart can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator.

The cherry-vodka sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.


INGREDIENTS
For the crust:

* 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
* 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1 vanilla bean, halved, seeds scraped, bean reserved
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
*

For the filling:

* 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut into small pieces
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
*

For the cherry-vodka sauce:

* 2 (10-ounce) bags frozen cherries (about 4 cups)
* 1/2 cup vodka
* 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS
For the crust:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Combine butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and salt in a large bowl and stir until evenly incorporated. Add flour and stir until just combined and a soft dough forms.
3. Sprinkle dough over the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a measuring cup or your fingers, evenly press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan (flour the cup occasionally to prevent sticking).
4. Cover the tart shell with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once chilled, prick it all over with a fork and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.


For the filling:

1. Place chocolate and butter in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Combine cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves and liquid is just at a simmer, about 4 minutes.
3. Pour over chocolate and butter and let sit until melted, about 4 minutes. Gently stir until smooth.


To assemble:

1. Pour ganache into the cooled tart shell and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill until set, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
2. Once set, slice and serve with cooled cherry-vodka sauce.


For the cherry-vodka sauce:

1. Place cherries, vodka, sugar, and reserved vanilla bean in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cherries start to break down and syrup has thickened, about 50 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Rome

Sic Semper Tyrannis Brutus, Brutus/Antony, Antony/various. *phenomenal*

You do know that Caesar has spoken Latin all his life?" Brutus asked, reading. "I mean only that you probably won't be able to cow him into submission with your mastery of syntax alone, much as you enjoy trying."

"Oh, very droll."

"Is it not the purpose of language to communicate clearly?" Winding Cicero up was inexcusably entertaining. He prickled so easily, a blustery hedgehog of a man, delightful in his insecurity.

Young Guns

Tally All Antecedents Doc and his various relationships.

Billy smiles back just a little. Still wild, still free, but heavier now, weighted down by his own inevitability. Words ring through Doc's head, a million stanzas learned and lost over the years coming back to him. Doc was no poet. But he was a hell of a verse.

Comments

[ldthomps.livejournal.com]

Guh, that tart looks gorgeous! I think the people who do the timing are the ones who've made the same thing a million times with the best of food processors, etc., and therefore can fly through them, which is ridiculous.

I was stunned that earthkat's husband made a fabulous ganache just by throwing some milk in the microwave, then stirring in a bag of ghiradelli chips. It set beautifully and was much less work than the stovetop version I'd been slogging through.

Cherry vodka sauce? YUM.

[turnonmyheels.livejournal.com]

That tart is incredible [imagine french accent please] It wouldn't have taken so long if I hadn't burnt the crust and had to make a second one. Also? I chopped the chocolate pretty fucking fine by hand and that took about an hour. But I was drinking and hanging out with the guys so there was nothing to complain about there.

That sauce? Would be AWESOME on ice cream. It too, took twice as long as the recipe said, but I think I was cooking it too slow at the beginning.

Other than chopping the chocolate the ganache was very easy and came together rapidly