Assemble bites by spreading a thin layer of aioli on crostini and topping with an anchovy.
Also on hand: bowls of gourmet olives, seasoned nuts, and an assorted cheese and fruit plate.
Dessert
Cinnamon Chocolate Cigarettes (adapted from Gourmet Cookbook, March 2002).
Three egg whites
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together all the ingredients except chocolate. Work in batches of four, or, if you’re a novice pastry chef, two. Drop one level teaspoon of batter for each cookie onto a nonstick baking sheet or buttered baking sheet, then spread the dollop of batter into a 3-inch round with the back of spoon.
Bake cookies until edges are brown, about six to eight minutes.
Now it’s time to be quick: lift one cookie off sheet with a spatula, and then roll it around a pencil or chopstick to form your cigarette. Immediately slide it off and transfer to a rack to cool. Repeat until you’ve used all the batter. (If rolling gets difficult, you can put the cookies back in oven to soften.)
Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of hot water. When cookies are cooled, dip top of cookie into melted chocolate and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set.
Cookies can be made up to two days in advance. A perfect accompaniment—vanilla bean ice cream.
Drinkable Dessert
This is warm, rich alcoholic beverage is a great way cap the Oscar evening.
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
3 cups milk
1/4 cup (or to taste) Crème de Menthe
Mix first four ingredients in large saucepan over low heat until chocolate mixture is a thick uniform paste. Add in milk, stirring until well blended. Stir in crème de menthe and serve in mugs. Top with whipped cream if desired.
For related articles read Oscar on the Rocks.
