tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76174572592412536022024-03-13T20:45:48.167-07:00Evil BatchLilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-43255859374321747422011-08-13T23:38:00.000-07:002011-08-13T23:38:20.540-07:00Pineapple Upside Down Cake With A Side of Cookies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MTAGz8JsNqI/TkdqLKE1tyI/AAAAAAAAARI/MIvlftYJKgM/s1600/IMG_2942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MTAGz8JsNqI/TkdqLKE1tyI/AAAAAAAAARI/MIvlftYJKgM/s320/IMG_2942.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The other day, I got a very nice compliment on my recipe for <a href="http://evilbatch.blogspot.com/2007/12/usually-im-bit-of-baking-snob.html">Gingerbread Peach Upside Down Cake</a> (really my mom's), and it dawned on me that I've never even had the original upside-down cake: pineapple! I suppose it's no accident. Pineapple upside-down cake traditionally involves the horrific combination of canned pineapple and maraschino cherries. I find the combination no more appealing congealing atop a slice of syrup-shellacked cake.<br />
<br />
When I saw a recipe for pineapple upside-down cake in Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc cookbook, I had to reassess. Surely Thomas Keller wouldn't put his stamp of approval on an unworthy dessert! Mr. Keller's admitted taste for canned pineapple aroused my suspicions, but the recipe called for fresh and I've never met a Keller recipe I didn't like, so I forged on.<br />
<br />
The sugar topping of the recipe also intrigued me... instead of sticking to the usual brown-sugar and butter combo, Keller invented a "schmear": a fluffy concoction of whipped butter, brown sugar, rum, vanilla and salt. <br />
<br />
Oddly, the recipe only calls for a fraction of the schmear, and Keller unhelpfully advises that you can save the remaining schmear in your refrigerator for up to two weeks (or frozen for 1 month!). What am I supposed to do with a big bowl of schmear in my refrigerator? Make five more pineapple upside-down cakes in the next two weeks? At this point in the recipe I wasn't even entirely sure I liked pineapple upside-down cake so the remaining schmear's fate seem precarious at best.<br />
<br />
Of course, the schmear proved to be evilly delicious. As I stood over the sink, licking the sugary, rum-spiked butter from my fingers, the spoon, and the bowl, I simply couldn't bear to wash it down (the sink, not my throat--let's just say its a good thing I didn't have a glass of milk handy...). Since I'm the only one crazy enough to eat it by the spoonful, I had to find some way to use it in order to save myself from a diabetic coma. Enter Keller-Schmear Cookies! The schmear closely resembled cookie dough pre-eggs and flour so I just tossed in a few more ingredients, and viola! Side of cookies!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e9j7notlu94/TkdqThAOFNI/AAAAAAAAARM/cAzm4xJg9Ug/s1600/IMG_2941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e9j7notlu94/TkdqThAOFNI/AAAAAAAAARM/cAzm4xJg9Ug/s320/IMG_2941.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Now, I know what you are thinking: I made a batch of cookies so that I wouldn't be dessert-less and disappointed when my first bite of cake confirmed that pineapples taste better on pizza and peaches taste better on upside-down cake. Not so! I trust Thomas Keller... even though he likes canned pineapple.<br />
<br />
The pineapple upside-down cake proved to be quite good, although I personally prefer gingerbread-peach. And the Keller Schmear cookies? Maybe it was a little weird to serve cookies with cake, but I think my cookies were better! I should change this post Keller-Schmear Cookies with a Side of Cake. And Thomas Keller should include them in his next cookbook! <br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
<br />
<u>Keller Cookies + Schmear</u><br />
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp<br />
1 1/2 T. honey<br />
1/2 t. dark rum<br />
1 c. packed light brown sugar<br />
1/4 t. vanilla extract<br />
1 egg<br />
1 c. flour<br />
1 scant 1/2 t. baking powder<br />
1/2 t. kosher salt<br />
<br />
<u>Upside Down Cake</u><br />
1 pineapple<br />
<u> </u>1 stick unsalted butter, room temp<br />
1 1/3 c. flour<br />
2t. baking soda<br />
1/2 c. plus 2 T sugar<br />
1/2 t. vanilla extract<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 T + 1t milk<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350. To make the schmear and cookies, combine the brown sugar, butter, honey, rum, and vanilla in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Spread 1/3 cup of the schmear onto the bottom of a 9 in. cake pan, sprinkle with kosher salt, and set aside.<br />
<br />
Mix 1 egg into the remaining schmear until well-blended. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until combined. Refrigerate the cookie dough while preparing the pineapple.<br />
<br />
Hack off ends of the pineapple, cut away the fibrous peel, and slice into rounds or half-rounds. Remove core from the rounds (or half-rounds) and arrange in the pan on top of the schmear (you won't need all the pineapple... for a scrumptious way to use up the leftover pineapple--besides just eating it--try my recipe for <a href="http://wickedlickens.blogspot.com/2011/08/pineapple-la-cabo.html">Pineapple A La Cabo</a>). Go back to making cookies.<br />
<br />
Form the chilled cookie-dough into balls (think ping-pong), roll in granulated sugar, and place on a cookie sheet 2 in. apart. Bake at 350 for 10 min. Cool while you make the cake.<br />
<br />
Sift the flour and baking soda together and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed for three minutes until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, and beat to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides after each addition. Beat in the milk. Add the flour in 3 batches, stirring with a spatula until just combined (do not overmix! overmixing = tough cake).<br />
<br />
Spread the batter over the pineapple, pop in the oven, and bake 15 min. Turn the pan 1/2 turn to ensure even baking, and bake another 20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool cake for 30 min before inverting onto a plate.<br />
<br />
Serve with freshly whipped cream (beat 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream 'till soft peaks form, add 2T granulated sugar and 1/4 t. vanilla, beat gently to combine), and to really dress it up, a glass of Sauternes (a shout-out to the person who inspired me to write my first post in over 4 months!).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-56169711788929696602011-03-17T22:06:00.000-07:002011-03-18T13:41:54.678-07:00Berry Pavlova<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bylMXcZ9AwQ/TYLl95yghyI/AAAAAAAAAQo/6pPOk33JHdY/s1600/IMG_2584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bylMXcZ9AwQ/TYLl95yghyI/AAAAAAAAAQo/6pPOk33JHdY/s320/IMG_2584.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I've been delinquent with my postings in the last four months due to my new diet. It's called the "I'm too busy to eat let alone cook" diet. Really, practicing law does wonders for your figure! Unless you're going for toned... this diet calls for a strict adherence to a no-gym policy, and requires that you sit motionless in a chair for at least 14 hours per day. You'll be as skinny and floppy as a cooked noodle!<br />
<br />
Since I mainly subsist on squished granola bars dredged from the bottom or my purse, or cheese, this simple raspberry pavlova is the most complicated cooking endeavor I've managed in the last four months. <br />
<br />
As I've mentioned before, I'm usually not a huge fan of meringue. Meringue gets a bad rap in my book as being "healthy" since it mostly consists of egg whites and it's low in fat and calories. *shudder* There is nothing worse than a low-fat dessert. BUT this meringue is different. I actually have no idea if this particular dessert is low in calories or fat. I would suspect not given the exorbitant quantity of sugar stuffed into the marshmallowy meringue and the tart raspberry topping, not to mention the thick blanket of heavy whipping cream that crowns the finished creation. YUM! As I said, this meringue is different.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, it was named after ballerina Anna Pavlova, presumably because the lightness of the dessert rivaled that of Ms. Pavlova on point (or maybe because ballerinas have to eat meringue instead of cheesecake so they don't get fat?) Either way, this pavlova is so good that it feeds a lively rivalry between New Zealand and Australia over which country invented it first! (according to good old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlova_%28food%29">Wikipedia</a>). <br />
<br />
It's delicious, it's light, and best of all, it's as easy as pie (or pavlova...) to bake. So whether you're on a real diet, or the "I'm too busy to eat let alone cook" diet, this is the perfect dessert (thank you to my sister who just pointed out that this sentence previously read, "I'm too busty to eat let alone cook." Whoops! If that's the case, you [literally] have bigger problems than I do). I'm going to have a slice right after I finish my dinner of potato chips... I literally just ate potato chips for dinner. Ooook I also had a chocolate peanut butter truffle and a glass of flat champagne.<br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
<u></u><br />
(meringue)<br />
5 large egg whites<br />
1 1/4 t cornstarch<br />
1 1/2 t champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1 1/4 t vanilla extract<br />
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
<br />
(topping) <br />
2 pkgs raspberries<br />
2 pkgs blackberries<br />
1T lemon juice<br />
1 cup sugar + 2-3T extra for the whipped cream<br />
1c heavy whipping cream<br />
<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-52kwTQbFy8g/TYLlA4qjA8I/AAAAAAAAAQY/HyEsrw9uOrw/s1600/IMG_2577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-52kwTQbFy8g/TYLlA4qjA8I/AAAAAAAAAQY/HyEsrw9uOrw/s200/IMG_2577.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medium peaks</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Whisk the egg whites on low until foamy, then add the cornstarch, vinegar, and salt and whisk at medium speed until medium peaks form. Medium peaks = the tips of the whites flop over slightly when you pull the beaters out and look at them. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat at high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Stiff glossy peaks = the whites are stiff and glossy when you lift the beaters out and look at them. No brainer. Whisk in the vanilla extract.<br />
<br />
Use a rubber spatula to scoop the egg white mixture onto the parchment. Shape it into a rough circle as you scoop, and use the spatula to create a shallow well surrounded by a 1-2 in. rim. Like an egg-white pizza, sort-of...<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DWvSGxdllmQ/TYLlOSHFbXI/AAAAAAAAAQc/hzlk2YGUTfk/s1600/IMG_2578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DWvSGxdllmQ/TYLlOSHFbXI/AAAAAAAAAQc/hzlk2YGUTfk/s200/IMG_2578.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stiff glossy peaks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Pop the egg white pizza into the oven and bake for 2 hours - until the outside is firm to the touch and the bottom lifts easily off of the parchment. The insides will still be fluffy and soft. Turn off the oven, and let the meringue cool with the oven door ajar for 2 hours (the gradual cooling prevents the meringue from cracking).<br />
<br />
While the meringue cools, make the berry topping.<br />
<br />
Pour 1pgk raspberries, 1 pkg blackberries, 1c. sugar, and lemon juice into a large saute pan. Crush the berries with a fork and bring to a full boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the berry mixture gets syrupy and gooey. ~ 10 min. Fold in the remaining 2pkgs berries and refrigerate until cold.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Vdc9PPVRkUQ/TYLldh0xYwI/AAAAAAAAAQg/Bfh4wymXAo4/s1600/IMG_2580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Vdc9PPVRkUQ/TYLldh0xYwI/AAAAAAAAAQg/Bfh4wymXAo4/s320/IMG_2580.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg-white pizza</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Just before serving, make the freshly whipped cream. Mmmmmmm. I love freshly whipped cream! Freshly whipped cream is to canned whipped cream as artisan cheese is to cheese whiz. In other words, don't use canned whipped cream unless you want to make your dessert taste like you bought it, expired, from the bakery section of Safeway and then left it in the freezer until it got freezer burn, thawed it, re-froze it and thawed it again, let your cat lick it, and then served it. After you scraped the mold off of it. Seriously, don't use canned whipping cream.<br />
<br />
Anyways, to make the whipped cream, beat the heavy whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually whisk in 2-3 T granulated sugar until medium peaks form. Don't overwhip or you might as well have bought canned whipped cream. Overwhipped cream is way more disgusting... like old butter than you left out so that it melted, the cat licked it, and then it re-congealed into a lumpy blob.<br />
<br />
Hopefully I didn't just ruin your appetite, because now it is time to assemble the pavlova!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jswfZZKNSps/TYLluY4GGrI/AAAAAAAAAQk/1mMJRchVID0/s1600/IMG_2583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jswfZZKNSps/TYLluY4GGrI/AAAAAAAAAQk/1mMJRchVID0/s320/IMG_2583.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zS44wC6KCIc/TYLmNwAgjMI/AAAAAAAAAQs/aQpwblYHXbY/s1600/IMG_2587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zS44wC6KCIc/TYLmNwAgjMI/AAAAAAAAAQs/aQpwblYHXbY/s320/IMG_2587.JPG" width="320" /></a>Pour the chilled berry mixture onto the center of the meringue, and spread so it reaches the rim. Top with the freshly whipped cream. Serve with dark roast coffee. Slice and eat.<br />
<br />
</div>Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-21816871655540681972010-09-14T17:57:00.000-07:002010-09-14T17:57:26.936-07:00Crème Brûlée<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TJAXU6si7zI/AAAAAAAAAPo/pnvdNFP1Ck8/s1600/IMG_1496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TJAXU6si7zI/AAAAAAAAAPo/pnvdNFP1Ck8/s400/IMG_1496.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>This post happened entirely out of necessity. I've been lazy about baking lately, and haven't felt inspired to write a clever post. Then, while idly leafing through my ad hoc at home cookbook one evening, the urge struck to make TK's <a href="http://wickedlickens.blogspot.com/2010/09/bass-baked-in-salt-crust.html">whole bass in a salt crust</a>. TK's recipe instructs you to bury the fish in so much salt that your blood pressure rises just reading the ingredient list. In addition to the extravagant amount of salt, the recipe calls for 8 egg whites. This, of course, leaves 8 lonely, unused egg yolks. Strangely, while I felt no guilt about wasting a whole box of salt on a silly fish, I did feel a twinge of guilt about throwing all those cheerful looking yolks down the drain. What to do with a big bowl of egg yolks? Custard custard custard! And the creme de la creme of custard just so happens to be crème brûlée. <br />
<br />
I figured I'd whip out a few of these babies, serve them to the fam, and be done with it. No post necessary... WRONG! No sooner had I caramelized my first custard and cracked its sugar shell when I knew I would have to post this recipe. With one gentle tap of my spoon, the thin, glassy brûlée snapped into sugar shards, revealing the creamiest custard I'd ever laid eyes on. The first bite was cool, sweet, and outrageously luxurious - the silk negligee of the dessert world. You might save your silk negligee for special occasions, folded neatly between tissue paper and tucked away in the back of your drawer... But there was no way I could let this recipe languish between the dusty pages of some old cook book, waiting for someone's anniversary or bridal shower. Onto the Internet we go! Gasp! (Keep your drawers on. It's just dessert. No photos of unmentionables here). Please try this recipe. It's super easy, and even if you're not a food freak who has every kitchen utensil known to man, including a mini-blow torch, you can still get the brûléed effect by user the broiler in your oven.<br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
3 c. heavy cream<br />
<u> </u>6 large egg yolks<br />
1T vanilla<br />
1/3 c. sugar, plus extra for the brûléed topping<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 300. Combine the cream and vanilla in a medium saucepan, and set the pan over medium-high heat. Cook until small bubbles form at the edges of the pan, about five minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it stand for fifteen minutes while you whisk the eggs. Heat a kettle of water to boiling for a water bath.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and the 1/3 c. sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 2-3 minutes. The cream mixture should have cooled a bit at this point, but you should still be careful not to curdle the eggs in this next step: slowly drizzle the warm cream into the egg mixture, continuing to whisk the eggs as you add the cream. If you add the cream too quickly you will risk cooking/curdling the eggs, so take your time! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TJAXw5Vve5I/AAAAAAAAAPw/TbIXwgMUcdg/s1600/IMG_1475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TJAXw5Vve5I/AAAAAAAAAPw/TbIXwgMUcdg/s320/IMG_1475.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Divide the egg-cream mixture evenly between six 6oz ramekins, or between nine 4oz ramekins. Place the ramekins into a roasting pan or glass baking dish and carefully pour the boiling water into the pan/dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins (this is a water bath). Carefully transfer the pan(s) with the custards into the oven, and bake until the custards are just set. The centers should still jiggle a bit when you jostle the ramekins. 40 minutes should do the trick.<br />
<br />
Remove the custards from the oven and let them cool in the water bath. Lift the cooled ramekins out of their bath, and stick them in the fridge to chill for 4 hours, or overnight.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TJAXjicpiHI/AAAAAAAAAPs/fvCuZPyGnuc/s1600/IMG_1495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TJAXjicpiHI/AAAAAAAAAPs/fvCuZPyGnuc/s320/IMG_1495.JPG" width="320" /></a>To serve, sprinkle about 1t sugar on the top of each custard. Using a kitchen torch, hold the flame 2-3 inches above the sugared surface and slowly sweep it back and forth until the sugar bubbles and caramelizes. Alternatively, preheat the broiler and move the oven rack to the top rung (within one inch of the heating element. If you can't get it that close, just broil it for a bit longer). Stick the sugared custards under the hot broiler for 20-30 seconds - until golden brown. Allow the caramelized surface to cool and harden for that satisfying *snap* as you dig in!Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-23426044016885735592010-08-26T00:18:00.000-07:002010-08-26T00:18:22.118-07:00Mystery Mint Chip Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYKaEIt_1I/AAAAAAAAAOk/R2lhJxaVjlc/s1600/IMG_1108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYKaEIt_1I/AAAAAAAAAOk/R2lhJxaVjlc/s320/IMG_1108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I do weird things with food when I'm bored... although, some would argue I do weird things with food all the time. Just earlier today I (regrettably) found myself slathering almond butter on a spoonful of peanut butter chocolate ice cream. It was 107 degrees outside, and the only edible thing in my freezer was a meager spoonful of ice cream, so I'm not sure why I felt the need to smother that final, cold, precious bite with sticky warm goo. It must be my insatiable quest for adventure and experimentation! <br />
<br />
The lack of ice cream in my freezer on a day when I so desperately needed ice cream inspired me to action- as did the article I had just read in this month's Bon Appetit about infusing cocktails with herbs. Our garden is full of herbs! I could infuse my ice cream with herbs! Unfortunately, due to a laissez-faire gardening regime, our herb patch has grown into a monstrous thicket. The labels marking the once-neat rows of herbs have long-since been engulfed by vines, fronds, and giant spider webs. I managed to recognize the basil, rosemary, and curry plants by sight (and smell!), but I doubted anyone in my household would embrace savory ice cream, and never curried ice cream (except my bf who puts curry in everything! I don't want to encourage that haha).<br />
<br />
However, I vaguely remembered my mom mentioning that she had planted some different types of mint in lieu of the usual peppermint. Something about chocolate mint or pineapple mint...? Bingo! What better treat on a hot day than a cool scoop of mint chip?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I traipsed through the herb jungle, dodging gigantic arachnids, ducking spiky stalks, and squinting through the leaves in search of labels, to no avail. None of the plants remotely resembled any mint I'd ever seen. I crushed a few stems between my fingers to see if I could detect a whiff of sharp, minty perfume, but the surrounding foliage failed to produce that familiar fresh scent. One towering plant, however, did smell rather nice. It wasn't too earthy, like rosemary, or too peppery, like basil, and it didn't overpower my nose like the curry. I plucked a fuzzy leaf and inhaled... it had a mild, sweet scent... And did I detect a hint of mint? Sure, why not? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYKnR6CtpI/AAAAAAAAAOo/fFX6xKQ5Sz8/s1600/IMG_1097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYKnR6CtpI/AAAAAAAAAOo/fFX6xKQ5Sz8/s320/IMG_1097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Mint? Poison Oak? Let's eat it and find out!<br />
<br />
I figured if the plant was in the herb patch, it probably wasn't toxic, whatever it was (I've since learned that at least one species of mint, the pennyroyal, IS toxic if ingested, but what dingbat would plant a toxic variety of mint in an edible garden? Hm.... maybe the same type of dingbat who infuses ice cream with random leaves she discovers sprouting up between her tomato bushes...). And so, mystery mint chip was born! The curious herb had such a delicate aroma that I nixed bittersweet chips in favor of the milder flavor of white chocolate. I wanted this bashful plant to have a leading role in my concoction! (although I wasn't above a drizzle of homemade dark chocolate sauce on my own finished scoop).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLGLySqSI/AAAAAAAAAOs/W-GKRuqmAHA/s1600/IMG_1109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLGLySqSI/AAAAAAAAAOs/W-GKRuqmAHA/s320/IMG_1109.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The resulting ice cream definitely had a robust minty kick, tempered by the buttery shards of white chocolate folded into the custard. Based on a Google-image search of different mint varieties (and the fact that I haven't yet sickened and died), I think I may have used chocolate-mint after all. Phew!<br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
3 cups of fresh mint leaves, rinsed and packed (I used chocolate-mint, I think...)<br />
1 c. whole milk<br />
2 c. heavy cream<br />
2/3 c. sugar<br />
pinch of salt<br />
6 egg yolks<br />
two chocolate bars (I used two 3.5oz bars of Lindt white chocolate)<br />
<br />
Put the chocolate bars in the fridge so they remain cold, unless you're lucky enough to have air conditioning. In a medium saucepan, combine the mint, milk, and one cup of the cream. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the cream is scalded (bubbles will begin to form at the edges of the pan). Do not let the cream-mixture boil. Remove the pan from heat, cover, and steep for 30 minutes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLeW6UDQI/AAAAAAAAAO0/NDXWFQxqwAE/s1600/IMG_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLeW6UDQI/AAAAAAAAAO0/NDXWFQxqwAE/s200/IMG_1099.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Reheat the mixture until the cream is scalded again, remove from heat, cover, and steep an additional 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the six yolks together in a small bowl, and set aside.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLWeHxz0I/AAAAAAAAAOw/eDG6PzWRiWo/s1600/IMG_1100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLWeHxz0I/AAAAAAAAAOw/eDG6PzWRiWo/s200/IMG_1100.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Strain the mint out of the cream mixture, and return the cream to the saucepan. Use a spatula or fork to press any remaining cream out of the mint and into the pan. <br />
<br />
Add the sugar, and stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Using a ladle or big spoon, drizzle the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking the yolks constantly to prevent curdling. Continue ladling cream into the yolks (tempering) until they are hot, but not cooked. Return the yolky cream (pre-custard!) to the saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook the custard over low heat until it thickens enough to coat the spatula. Be very careful not to let the custard get to hot or disaster will befall you in the form of curdled custard. As soon as it starts to thicken, take it off the heat! You can always put it back if it's not thick enough. The process will take between 5 and 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
When you're custard has thickened, pour it through a sieve into a separate bowl, and stir in the remaining cup of heavy whipping cream. Stick the whole shebang in the fridge until thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours (or if you're impatient and you have a big empty freezer, you can put it in the freezer to speed things up. Stir it every five minutes or so until cold).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLzzcRFEI/AAAAAAAAAO8/VyEKvy_ERhg/s1600/IMG_1103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLzzcRFEI/AAAAAAAAAO8/VyEKvy_ERhg/s200/IMG_1103.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>While the custard chills, use a big sharp knife to shave the chocolate bars. The goal is to make chocolate shards that will melt in your mouth, instead of big chunks that will freeze into gravel and ruin the consistency of your hard earned treat. Just slide the knife firmly against the edge of the chocolate bar, and little shavings should just pop off!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLpXJ17vI/AAAAAAAAAO4/bk44B_eKRWQ/s1600/IMG_1104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THYLpXJ17vI/AAAAAAAAAO4/bk44B_eKRWQ/s320/IMG_1104.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>When the custard is completely cold, pour it into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Add the chocolate in the last ten minutes of freeze-time. I do not recommend adding almond butter.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-46138817667893000192010-08-22T18:39:00.000-07:002010-08-22T18:39:22.213-07:00Chocolate Meringue Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHL30K_0aI/AAAAAAAAAOM/MQP5KDWlrTE/s1600/IMG_1087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHL30K_0aI/AAAAAAAAAOM/MQP5KDWlrTE/s320/IMG_1087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This recipe gets its name from the crisp-chewy meringue (studded with toasted hazelnuts and pockets of gooey chocolate... mmm) that crowns the chocolate souffle cake beneath. <br />
<br />
When my mom requested that I make this recipe for her birthday, I was not thrilled about it. Up to that point, my contact with meringue had been mostly limited to soggy pie topping and those stiff little cookies resembling pastel ping pong balls (and tasting no better). In my book, meringue had a bad rap as the "light" alternative to my favorite accompaniment (luxurious mountains of sweetened whipped cream!). Why top a delicious chocolate cake with a wispy pile of over sweetened egg-whites when you can just as easily serve it with a dollop of luscious whipped cream?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHMCxHlqUI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/DGys1Cqdnus/s1600/IMG_1090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHMCxHlqUI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/DGys1Cqdnus/s320/IMG_1090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Despite my misgivings, I went along with the recipe, grumbling throughout the sticky process... but just one bite proved me wrong. Though toothache sweet, the meringue oozed with chunks of dark chocolate and paired perfectly with the rich cake and earthy nuts. <br />
<br />
And so began my turbulent, love-hate relationship with meringue. Sometimes, in my quest for the next ethereal meringue delicacy, I beat my whites into a froth only to have them collapse, wet and weeping. Other times, my meringue whips up as soft and sweet as cotton candy, and I fall in love all over again. Worst are the recipes resulting in those cratered wafers that shatter into shards and sugar-dust at the slightest provocation. But this recipe is tried and true. When I want that meringue magic, this is where I turn. What fun to ladle those soft, shimmering layers onto my crackling cake! How glamorous to dress my dessert in silken folds, laden with nuts and chocolate! The voluptuous gown of meringue is quite extravagant and fanciful. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHMO5S6ujI/AAAAAAAAAOU/Q5BdI6VYE9M/s1600/IMG_1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHMO5S6ujI/AAAAAAAAAOU/Q5BdI6VYE9M/s320/IMG_1084.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
If you want to impress your friends, show up to the party with this little lady in tow (the cake, not me! haha). <br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHMsF6JIBI/AAAAAAAAAOc/B0zfncJlv88/s1600/meringue-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHMsF6JIBI/AAAAAAAAAOc/B0zfncJlv88/s320/meringue-2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>10T. unsalted butter, plus a little extra for the pan<br />
1c. hazelnuts<br />
A sprinkle of flour for the pan<br />
3/4c. light brown sugar<br />
6 large eggs, separated<br />
4 large egg whites<br />
12oz. bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled<br />
4oz. bittersweet chocolate bar, roughly chopped<br />
1T. vanilla<br />
1T rum (optional)<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1T. cornstarch<br />
1/4t. cream of tartar<br />
1c. superfine sugar (regular granulated will do just fine though)<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9in springform pan, and sprinkle it with flour. Tap out the excess flour. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast them in the oven until your kitchen smells wonderful, about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and rub them vigorously in a dish towel to remove the skins (don't worry if some of the skin sticks around). Allow the nuts to cool, then roughly chop them and combine them with the 4oz chopped chocolate bar. Set aside.<br />
<br />
To make the cake, cream the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the 6 egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Drizzle in the cooled, melted chocolate, the vanilla, and the rum, and beat until well-mixed. Set the batter aside.<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, beat the pinch of salt with the 6 egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form (use a CLEAN whisk! If you get even a drop of batter, or even water into your egg whites, they won't whip well). This will take about 2 min. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate batter, then gently fold the remaining beaten egg whites into the batter until just combined (don't over-mix!). Pour the batter into the springform pan, and bake 25 minutes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHMdRuVhvI/AAAAAAAAAOY/R7jGVmIeVes/s1600/meringue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHMdRuVhvI/AAAAAAAAAOY/R7jGVmIeVes/s200/meringue.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />
Meanwhile, prepare the meringue. Beat the remaining 4 egg whites and the cream of tartar on high speed (again, clean beaters, clean bowl = important) until frothy. With the mixer running, add the cup of sugar in a slow stream, and then continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Stir the cornstarch into the chocolate-hazelnut mixture, and then fold the chocolate and hazelnuts into the meringue. <br />
<br />
Remove the cake from the oven, and spread the meringue mixture over the top of the cake. Pop it back in the oven and bake until the meringue is lightly browned, crisp, and crackling, 25-30 minutes. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHM3k_HlqI/AAAAAAAAAOg/RFzktE_l5xY/s1600/IMG_1089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/THHM3k_HlqI/AAAAAAAAAOg/RFzktE_l5xY/s320/IMG_1089.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Let the cake stand at least 10 minutes before unmolding, and allow it to cool for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-43365555575987856922010-08-09T15:20:00.000-07:002010-08-09T15:20:19.075-07:00Tomato Tarte Tatin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB4fY82LEI/AAAAAAAAAOE/QI1BLHoELwI/s1600/IMG_0989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB4fY82LEI/AAAAAAAAAOE/QI1BLHoELwI/s320/IMG_0989.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>"Add heavy whipping cream to that list."<br />
"What for?"<br />
"The tomato tart."<br />
"Whipping cream and tomatoes?"<br />
"It's for dessert."<br />
"It's a dessert?"<br />
"Yes, it's a dessert."<br />
"So, it's sweet?"<br />
"Yes, lots of sugar. There's a caramel syrup."<br />
"Caramel and tomatoes... I don't know about that. What do you serve it with?"<br />
"Whipped cream, of course! It's a tart!"<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB26FiEFUI/AAAAAAAAANo/teKbomcCtiQ/s1600/IMG_0987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB26FiEFUI/AAAAAAAAANo/teKbomcCtiQ/s200/IMG_0987.JPG" width="200" /></a>"Aren't you making a side dish for the salmon?"<br />
"No, it's a dessert."<br />
"Well, I think that sounds weird." <br />
<br />
And so went the conversation as I explained the tomato tarte tatin to my mom as she made her grocery list for our dinner. I'm sure she secretly put chocolate ice cream on the list too, in case the tomato tart indeed tasted weird. I've said it before and I'll say it again, oh ye of little faith! When have my oddball creations failed you? Did we throw away my <a href="http://evilbatch.blogspot.com/2010/01/avocado-chocolate-chip-quick-bread.html">Avocado Bread</a>? Was there a single crumb remaining of my <a href="http://evilbatch.blogspot.com/2010/02/chocolate-chocolate-mayonnaise-cake.html">Chocolate Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake</a>? When eyebrows raised as I painted balloons with white chocolate, did I not deliver on my promise of delicious <a href="http://evilbatch.blogspot.com/2010/04/panna-cotta-eggs.html">panna cotta Easter eggs</a>?<br />
<br />
Of course, if forced to choose between no dessert and weird dessert, my family will always choose weird dessert. So with grudging approval, I embarked on my tomato tarte tatin. Given that a tomato really is a fruit anyways, and the recipe appeared in Bon Appetit, I was pretty confident that the dessert would be edible, and probably delicious. Bon Appetit surely wouldn't devote an entire full-color page to a dessert that tasted like Hunt's on puff pastry! The photo was what caught my eye in the first place- it showcased dark red fruits nestled in glossy pools of their own caramelized juices, appearing to be exotic plums on a bed of golden pastry. I was surprised and excited to discover they were not plums, but plum tomatoes!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB3MDlCntI/AAAAAAAAANs/rrx6ztq-aSY/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB3MDlCntI/AAAAAAAAANs/rrx6ztq-aSY/s320/IMG_0979.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
For some reason, I am endlessly delighted by even the smallest of coincidences. Perhaps because I'm convinced there is no underlying theme to the ebb and flow of life, I've developed the notion that a happy coincidence should be savored. You never know what will happen next time! Morbid and exciting at the same time I suppose... Anyways, when I saw the recipe for tomato tarte tatin, my eyes lit up. Our garden had recently sprouted a ridiculous thicket of tomato bushes. What a coincidence!<br />
<br />
One could certainly argue that it wasn't really much of a coincidence... after all, we did plant those tomatoes in June for the express purpose of cooking and eating... but those spindly little plants could have succumbed to blight, been eaten by the army of squirrels camped in our yard, died from our frequent forgetfulness with the watering, or generally failed to flower and flourish. Bon Appetit could have focused on cucumbers! Instead, bushels of fat tomatoes had taken over the entire vegetable patch, rudely intruding into the space reserved for zucchini and peppers and burying the basil under gigantic fuzzy fronds. And Bon Appetit printed a recipe for tomato tarte tatin. A happy coincidence, I say.<br />
<br />
The avant garde tart wowed the crowd and the skeptics were skewered again.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB3cYmjxvI/AAAAAAAAANw/4k9tGp0h3gU/s1600/IMG_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB3cYmjxvI/AAAAAAAAANw/4k9tGp0h3gU/s200/IMG_0980.JPG" width="200" /></a>It tasted similar to a plum tart, but with an interesting tomato flavor that would have been hard to place had no one been the wiser. The recipe called for plum tomatoes, but my bounty included plum, cherry, and heirloom so I used all three. Served hot, dripping with tangy tomato-caramel, and smothered with sugared whipped cream, this weird dessert was irresistible.<br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients for the Tarte Tatin</u><br />
1 3/4 lbs plum tomatoes<br />
3T. softened butter<br />
3/4c. sugar<br />
1t. vanilla<br />
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed (I know, using frozen pastry is cheating, but making puff pastry is way too much effort and your puff pastry likely won't compare to the frozen kind, unless you're a professional pastry chef)<br />
<br />
<u>Whipped Cream Ingredients</u><br />
3/4c. heavy whipping cream<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB3oGO_FfI/AAAAAAAAAN0/rNtkpkPeNxQ/s1600/IMG_0981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB3oGO_FfI/AAAAAAAAAN0/rNtkpkPeNxQ/s200/IMG_0981.JPG" width="200" /></a>1/2t. vanilla <br />
2T granulated sugar<br />
<br />
Bring a large pot of water to boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Cut shallow cross-hatched slits in the bottom of each tomato, and drop them in the boiling water four at a time. Leave the tomatoes in the boiling water until the skin begins to peel away from the slits, 15-30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes and plunge them immediately into the ice bath to stop the cooking. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes, in batches of four. Peel the tomatoes, discard the skins, and cut each in half crosswise.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB3zeYl2uI/AAAAAAAAAN4/g1XYJVoyYL8/s1600/IMG_0982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB3zeYl2uI/AAAAAAAAAN4/g1XYJVoyYL8/s200/IMG_0982.JPG" width="200" /></a>Spread the softened butter over the bottom of a 9 inch cast iron skillet (or other ovenproof pan) and sprinkle the 3/4c. sugar over the butter. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, over the sugar and butter. Fill the skillet completely, nestling the tomatoes close together.<br />
Place the skillet over medium heat and cook until the butter and sugar reduce to a thick amber syrup, about 25 minutes. Watch the pan carefully and use a spatula to gently shift the tomatoes, and do not allow the tomatoes or the syrup to blacken. While the tomatoes cook, preheat the oven to 425.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB4Ds1tsOI/AAAAAAAAAN8/aCkEP_-_7Yk/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB4Ds1tsOI/AAAAAAAAAN8/aCkEP_-_7Yk/s320/IMG_0984.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Remove the skillet from the heat, and drizzle the teaspoon of vanilla over the tomatoes. Top with the pastry, and use a knife to tuck the edges of the pastry around the tomatoes. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the puff pastry rises and becomes a deep golden color, about 24 minutes.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB4SB3LglI/AAAAAAAAAOA/C8uIXvbpmwE/s1600/IMG_0985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB4SB3LglI/AAAAAAAAAOA/C8uIXvbpmwE/s200/IMG_0985.JPG" width="200" /></a>Cool the tart in the skillet for ten minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife. Place a large platter over the skillet, and using oven mitts so you don't sear your hands, hold the platter to the skillet and flip the whole thing over. Carefully lift off the skillet, and arrange any tomatoes that have slipped out of place. Let the tart cool slightly while you make the whipped cream.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB4xKBtVOI/AAAAAAAAAOI/Rj_8AP-GFJY/s1600/IMG_0986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TGB4xKBtVOI/AAAAAAAAAOI/Rj_8AP-GFJY/s320/IMG_0986.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For the whipped cream, beat the cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and sugar, and continue beating on low speed for a few more seconds, just to combine the sugar and vanilla with the cream.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Serve each bejeweled wedge of tart with a fat dollop of sugared cream.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-20319342557662698112010-07-12T22:57:00.000-07:002010-07-12T22:57:53.346-07:00Mascarpone Cheesecake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv5oxT_AWI/AAAAAAAAANU/qfas_S2fm5Y/s1600/IMG_0913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv5oxT_AWI/AAAAAAAAANU/qfas_S2fm5Y/s320/IMG_0913.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I almost called this post "High Maintenance Cheesecake," but then I figured no one would make it because it would sound like too much work. People, sometimes the good things in life take a little extra work! Yes, you have to go out and find some semi-exotic ingredients (mascarpone and creme fraiche). Yes, you need to buy the expensive, delicious brand of shortbread cookies instead of the crappy ones to make the crust. And yes, you either need a food processor, or a big kitchen mallet and a lot of patience to pulverize your expensive cookies into crumbs, but you will be rewarded for your efforts with the creamiest, richest, most luscious cheesecake you have ever eaten.<br />
<br />
It's kind of the same with high maintenance people, right? Right? At least, that is my new motto after realizing that I might be a more high maintenance person than I thought. I like to think of myself as pretty laid back, but when I proclaimed this to my bf (an otherwise very polite and considerate person) he guffawed in my face without a shred of restraint. "You? Ha. You may not be 'high maintenance' but you are DEFINITELY not low maintenance."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv6-gYiBcI/AAAAAAAAANg/dOB8uaVSh80/s1600/IMG_0910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv6-gYiBcI/AAAAAAAAANg/dOB8uaVSh80/s320/IMG_0910.JPG" width="320" /></a>News to me!!!! I championed my cause for an hour or so, and finally convinced him that maybe he was defining "high maintenance" differently than me. Satisfied with my position in the debate, I turned my attention to the cheesecake..... and was promptly put in my place...<br />
<br />
Things were going swimmingly. The shortbread crumbs whirled in the food processor, the oven glowed, and the eggs and cheese waited patiently to be elevated to dessert royalty. I pressed the crust into the pan, popped it in the oven... and ten minutes later shouted a stream of expletives that filled up my cuss quota for the month. My crust had baked to a slightly darker shade of brown than the coveted golden I was going for! <br />
<br />
I sniffed it. "&*%$# Goddammit!" I detected a hint of that hated burned smell. I sighed and dumped the crust into the sink. As the cold sink-water soggified my brown crust and sizzled against the hot pan, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't so laid back. Would a laid back person freak out because the crust of their cheesecake was the wrong shade of brown? Hmm... I hate being wrong, but I do know when to concede defeat and when to battle on, and I wasn't done with this cheesecake just yet! Some things are worth the effort (right??).<br />
<br />
So, pajama-clad and batter-splattered, I headed to Walgreen's with the hope that they carried shortbread cookies so I could start over. It seemed that the world was determined to teach me a lesson for being such an irrational perfectionist. My faulty car alarm began to sound the second I touched the car door, and refused to turn off. The clerk at Walgreen's didn't speak English and directed me to the tampon aisle. When I finally found the shortbread, I hastily grabbed it, which caused the entire towering stack (apparently not too many people purchase shortbread at Walgreens) to catapult into the aisle in a rain of red-checkered boxes. As I approached the checkout counter with my wares, the checkout clerk silently raised an eyebrow (that's what you get for buying four boxes of cookies from a drugstore at night, alone, and in a disheveled state). I paid for the cookies, hurried to my car (lights flashing, horn blaring), and began at square one. I had learned my lesson...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv6b8t_b6I/AAAAAAAAANY/a-GW2BZfxyw/s1600/IMG_0904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv6b8t_b6I/AAAAAAAAANY/a-GW2BZfxyw/s320/IMG_0904.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Back at home, I set the oven at a lower temperature so I wouldn't have to throw away a second crust (what, did you think I was going to say I had learned to be laid back and accept a less than perfect dessert? Not gonna happen). This time, the crust, and the cheesecake, turned out beautifully. <br />
<br />
We devoured our oversized slices of perfect, creamy, hard-earned cheesecake, and the exchange of "mmmmm's" said it all: some things definitely are worth a little extra patience and effort! (here's to hoping I'm the human equivalent of cheesecake... haha...ha?)<br />
<br />
<u>Crust Ingredients</u><br />
1 1/2 c. crumbs from crushed shortbread cookies (Pepperidge Farm Chessmen work well)<br />
3T. sugar<br />
1/4 c. melted butter<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 400. Combine the shortbread crumbs, butter, and sugar until evenly moistened. Pour the mixture into a 9-in springform pan, and press it evenly onto the bottom and up the sides. Bake until golden (so very important), about 5-10 minutes. Mine was irreparably charred (aka slightly too brown) after 10 minutes, so check at 5. Let the crust cool while you make the cheesecake batter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv6tQct3pI/AAAAAAAAANc/sK8AqKeAy18/s1600/IMG_0907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv6tQct3pI/AAAAAAAAANc/sK8AqKeAy18/s200/IMG_0907.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />
<u>Cheesecake</u><br />
2 8oz bricks of cream cheese<br />
<u> </u>2 8oz tubs of mascarpone<br />
1/2 c. creme fraiche<br />
3T. flour<br />
1/4 t. salt<br />
1 1/4 c. sugar<br />
1T. vanilla<br />
3 eggs<br />
<br />
<u>Topping</u><br />
1c. creme fraice<br />
1/4 c. sugar<br />
1t. vanilla<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv7eVgsucI/AAAAAAAAANk/P5qYnYpG3AY/s1600/IMG_0908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TDv7eVgsucI/AAAAAAAAANk/P5qYnYpG3AY/s320/IMG_0908.JPG" width="320" /></a>Turn the oven temp down to 325. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, mascarpone, flour and salt. Beat until fluffy and well-mixed. Add the sugar, creme fraiche, and vanilla, and beat until well-mixed. Scrape down the sides and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula between each egg, to ensure even incorporation. Pour the filling into the crust and bake 50-60 min. <br />
<br />
While the cheesecake bakes, make the topping by mixing together all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl. 5 minutes before the cheesecake is done, take it out of the oven, pour the topping onto it, and return it to the oven to finish cooking. When the cheesecake is done, it should be slightly golden, and should jiggle in the center. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door ajar. When completely cool, cover the cheesecake and chill it overnight before serving. <br />
<br />
If this were a Martha Stewart recipe, it would tell you in great detail how to cut your cheesecake into clean, pretty slices using a thin knife and hot water, but I'm not THAT much of a perfectionist. Hell, I'll eat the cake out of the pan.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-4722920825948300172010-06-22T13:45:00.000-07:002010-06-22T13:46:44.723-07:00Mississippi Mud Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TCEYxbPUNSI/AAAAAAAAANI/Faiv4x7jSM8/s1600/IMG_0624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TCEYxbPUNSI/AAAAAAAAANI/Faiv4x7jSM8/s320/IMG_0624.JPG" width="320" border="0" height="240" /></a></div>So, I lied. I did not post any of the delicious desserts I made as promised last time, but it is not my fault! I have discovered an evil greater than that of hot chocolate chip cookies calling your name straight from the oven: the bar. I'm not talking about lemon bars, or cookie bars, or yummy blackberry pie bars, I'm talking about the big, ugly, California Bar Exam. It has taken over my life! I have not even peeked under the cover of a cookbook for weeks. Luckily, my equally food obsessed friend (you know who you are) managed to (unintentionally) guilt trip me into posting this recipe today. If she can go cheese tasting at Trader Joe's, and can manage to bake from her Cowgirl Cookbook while studying for the bar, then I can at least write about one of the desserts that I promised in my <a href="http://evilbatch.blogspot.com/2010/06/ice-cream-sandwiches-peanut-butter.html">ice cream sandwiches</a> blog post - the one I still reminisce about while I'm eating my preservative-laced, non-homemade (I'm so spoiled!) pepperidge farm cookies in the wasteland of bar study: Mississippi Mud Pie.<br /><br />This will be a short post, since nearly everything I remember about making the mud pie has been pushed out of my brain and replaced with contracts, property, and torts (not tortes, haha I wish! I'd ace that test). I do remember, however, that this was one of the most delicious custard pies I've ever had or made. Picture creamy, dark chocolate filling, nestled in a crumbly-sweet pate sucree (sorry, I don't know how to add the funny little accents to the "a" and "e's"), and piled high with pillows of freshly whipped cream. Cream pies made with Jello-pudding would taste like old socks next to this one, and seriously aren't that much easier to make. If you make your cream pies with Jello-pudding mix, you are just plain lazy (sorry if I've offended you Jello-pudding fans. I guess it's not your fault that you haven't developed taste buds. It's probably genetic).<br /><br />Next time you want a Mississippi Mud Pie, put down the Jello-pudding mix, do NOT call Marie Callender's, and instead give this recipe a try! The picture might not look that appetizing, being half eaten and all, but that's only because everyone was too busy devouring to worry about pictures, I swear.<br /><br /><u>Crust Ingredients</u> (makes 2 crusts unless you tend to eat half of the dough while you cook, like me. You only need one crust for this recipe so freeze the unused dough.)<br />2.5 c. flour<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TCEgALwLA7I/AAAAAAAAANM/T0Op-FHe-FY/s1600/IMG_0580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TCEgALwLA7I/AAAAAAAAANM/T0Op-FHe-FY/s200/IMG_0580.JPG" width="200" border="0" height="150" /></a></div>4T. crisco (vegetable shortening)<br />pinch of salt<br />1T. sugar<br />1.5 sticks of cold cold cold (even frozen) butter<br />5-6 T. ice water<br />A bag of beans (for blind baking)<br /><br />The easiest way to do this is with a food processor. In fact, I won't make pies unless I have a food processor (again, spoiled). Just dump everything except the water in the food processor, and pulse until it forms fine-medium sized crumbs and bits. Then with the food processor running, slowly add the ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. Stop adding water as soon as the dough comes together, or it will be too sticky. You might not use all the water.<br /><br />Form two equal sized disks with the dough, wrap them in plastic wrap, and stick them in the freezer for 15 minutes, or the fridge for at least 45 minutes. Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 325. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out to a size that is a little larger than your pie dish. Dust the rolling surface and the dough with flour as you go to prevent the dough from sticking. Transfer the dough to the pie dish by laying the rolling pin in the center of the dough (dust everything with flour), and folding the dough over the rolling pin on both sides. Lift the rolling pin and put it over the center of the pie dish. Unfold the dough into the pie dish. Don't worry if your crust tears into a bunch of annoying little pieces. Just patch it back together! Remove (eat) the excess dough from the edges.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TCEgLitAbjI/AAAAAAAAANQ/49xKkcLziMI/s1600/IMG_0579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TCEgLitAbjI/AAAAAAAAANQ/49xKkcLziMI/s320/IMG_0579.JPG" width="320" border="0" height="240" /></a></div><br />Because this recipe calls for a custard filling, you must blind bake the dough or it will be soggy and undercooked in the final pie. To blind bake, line the pie dough with parchment paper and pour the beans into the lined crust. Pop the crust in the oven and bake at 325 for about 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is light golden and partially baked. Set aside while you make the filling.<br /><br /><u>Filling Ingredients</u><br />5oz bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips)<br />3.5 T. unsalted butter<br />2T light corn syrup<br />6 eggs<br />1.5 c. packed light brown sugar<br />1t. vanilla extract<br /><br /><u>Topping Ingredients</u><br />1.5 c. heavy whipping cream<br />2T. Sugar<br /><br />Keep the oven at 325. Put the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over low heat, and stir continuously until melted and combined. Be really careful not to burn the chocolate, i.e. don't leave the stove and don't stop stirring. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until well combined. Very slowly drizzle the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, beating continuously as you drizzle (if instead you pour a big glob into the eggs, the heat from the chocolate will probably curdle them and you will have Mississippi Scrambled Mud Pie). Once all the chocolate has been added, beat until thoroughly combined. Pour the chocolate batter into the crust and bake for 35-40 minutes. The baked pie should be firm to the touch, but should wobble slightly in the center when you shift the pie plate. Let the pie cool completely, then cover and refrigerate overnight.<br /><br />When you are ready to serve the pie, make the topping. Pour the whipping cream into a medium bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Add 2T granulated sugar, and beat on low speed for a few more seconds to dissolve the sugar. Mound the whipped cream onto the pie, and serve!Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-61639599930850463542010-06-05T14:50:00.000-07:002010-06-05T14:50:43.932-07:00Ice Cream Sandwiches: Peanut Butter Cookies with Honey Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn6BUWO4RI/AAAAAAAAAM0/TrXh5BXvnOQ/s1600/IMG_0567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn6BUWO4RI/AAAAAAAAAM0/TrXh5BXvnOQ/s320/IMG_0567.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Last week, I went on a baking binge. In a span of five days, I baked a mascarpone cheesecake, a Mississippi mud pie, and two kinds of ice-cream to sandwich between two kinds of homemade cookies. I had to throw a party just to get rid of it all! Ok, that's a lie, the party was the excuse for the baking (but baking can be a great excuse for a party!). Miraculously (or perhaps due to my baking prowess?), every dessert went off without a hitch and attained blogworthy levels of deliciousness. Pretty good track record for a total of six recipes (five new and never tested!). I shouldn't gloat though... the universe will undoubtedly punish such pridefulness by causing my next six attempts to burn and curdle. If I've exhausted my baking karma, the following four posts (oozing with chocolate, swimming in whipping cream, extolling the velvet textures of cheesecake and ice cream alike) should suffice until the divine deity of deliciousness warms up to my efforts again.<br />
<br />
Let's start with the ice cream sandwiches... in particular, with the peanut butter cookie, honey ice-cream sandwiches. For years, Peanut Butter has cheated on Jelly with Honey (including threesomes with Banana behind Jelly's back!). Jelly's old hat, and this ice-cream sandwich needed something fresh, something special. We're not talking Eskimo pies here, people (worst dessert. Belongs in the same category as the tootsie roll - the cookie portion of the Eskimo pie purports to be chocolate but tastes like "brown"). I wanted a frozen treat to put It's It's, Klondikes, and even Haagen Dazs bars to shame. I wanted an ice-cream sandwich that would seduce you into eating several even if you were too full for a single bite. Peanut butter and jelly-ice-cream sandwich? I don't think so. Gloppy Jelly, tart and mottled with nagging seeds couldn't hold a candle to smooth, golden-sweet Honey. Jelly was toast, and Peanut Butter (cookies) embraced Honey (in a billowing ice-cream gown bedecked with golden toffee-nuts). They lived happily ever after ("until dessert do us part!"). At least, that's the romanticized version...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn6krMOFYI/AAAAAAAAAM4/5w51Wi97yzg/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn6krMOFYI/AAAAAAAAAM4/5w51Wi97yzg/s320/IMG_0562.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Both the ice cream and the cookies are fantastic by themselves as well. The honey ice-cream is very rich, and the crunchiness of the toffee-nuts contrasts nicely with the silky cream. I'm not a fan of crunchy cookies, however, so I specifically opted for a recipe that claimed to produce soft ones. The key is to bake the cookies for just the right amount of time - if they start to brown, you've gone too far and they'll be on the crunchy side. A perfectly baked batch of peanut butter cookies will still look a bit like melted balls of dough when you take them out of the oven. Don't worry they'll firm up (without turning crunchy!). Thomas Keller, reigning King of Deliciousness, says that if you want soft cookies you should mist them with water before popping them in the oven, instead of under-baking them. I can't vouch for that method, but go ahead and try it if you're willing to eat crunchy cookies should the mist method go awry. <br />
<br />
You may want to start the ice cream a day or two early to give the "batter" plenty of time to chill before you freeze it in your ice-cream maker. Make sure to freeze your ice cream drum ahead of time!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn7s5-hswI/AAAAAAAAANA/zXljhQYLWoo/s1600/IMG_0565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn7s5-hswI/AAAAAAAAANA/zXljhQYLWoo/s320/IMG_0565.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<u>Honey Ice Cream</u><br />
1 vanilla bean<br />
2c. heavy whipping cream<br />
1c. whole milk<br />
1/2 c. clover honey<br />
1c. toffee peanuts<br />
<br />
In a large saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and honey. Slice the vanilla bean in half, carefully scrape the seeds into the pot, and then toss in the whole pod. Stir over medium heat to dissolve the honey, until the cream is scalded (begins to form little bubbles around the edges). Remove from heat and steep, covered, for one hour. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (overnight is best). When you're ready to make the ice cream, remove the vanilla pod, stir the mixture to recombine the ingredients, and then pour into an ice-cream maker and proceed according to the ice-cream maker's instructions (usually the mixture churns for about half an hour). After about fifteen minutes, pour the toffee peanuts into the ice-cream machine. Continue churning according to the manufacturer's instructions (another 15 minutes) and then transfer the ice cream to a container and put it in the freezer to firm up (I recommend overnight, but a few hours should do the trick). Meanwhile, make the peanut butter cookies. <br />
<br />
<u>Soft Peanut Butter Cookies</u><br />
1 c. creamy peanut butter (not the oily natural kind)<br />
1c. packed dark brown sugar<br />
1c. white sugar<br />
1c. softened butter<br />
2 eggs<br />
1t. baking soda<br />
1t. baking powder<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn76_t89gI/AAAAAAAAANE/dWBe8wEsyzM/s1600/IMG_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn76_t89gI/AAAAAAAAANE/dWBe8wEsyzM/s200/IMG_0557.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>1t. vanilla<br />
2 1/2 c. flour<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350. Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars together. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Stir the flour mixture into the rest of the batter until completely incorporated. Shape the dough into balls (1 to 1.5 in will give you 40-50 cookies... more than you'll need! The ice cream recipe makes enough to fill about 20 ice cream sandwiches depending on how big you make your cookies, and how thick you want your sandwiches) and roll the balls in sugar. Place the dough-balls on cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie (I never follow this instruction, and my cookies always run together so that I end up with one giant cookie that I have to cut into squares... oh well, squares taste just as good as circles). Use a fork to flatten the cookies by making a crosshatch pattern on each ball. Dip the fork in sugar between each cookie to prevent it from sticking. Bake the cookies for 6-7 minutes (resist the temptation to bake them longer if you want soft cookies!). Let the cookies cool completely before making the sandwiches.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn658xl-zI/AAAAAAAAAM8/JkYEBt2piyA/s1600/IMG_0559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/TAn658xl-zI/AAAAAAAAAM8/JkYEBt2piyA/s200/IMG_0559.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
When the cookies are completely cool and firm enough to handle, take the ice cream out of the freezer. If you're ice cream has been chilling overnight, let it sit at room temperature for ten minutes so it will be more pliable. Grab a cookie. Dollop your desired amount of ice cream onto the underside of the cookie and gently press and spread it a bit with the back of a spoon. Top with another cookie and pop the sandwich in the freezer while you repeat the process with the remaining cookies and ice cream. When you run out of ice cream, remove the sandwiches from the freezer and either wrap them individually in plastic wrap, or do like me and toss them in a big Ziploc bag. They will keep in the freezer for a few weeks (probably longer, but mine were eaten before I could test that theory out...). Serve with a more ice cream sandwiches, a cheesecake, a pie, and party!<br />
<br />
Up next... Brer Rabbit ice cream sandwiches (Molasses Cookies with Brown Sugar Ice Cream)Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-51164147561902527642010-05-21T13:40:00.000-07:002010-05-25T12:40:22.906-07:00Old Fashioned Blueberry Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_blNOtfMhI/AAAAAAAAAMM/QeuTokp2Zsc/s1600/IMG_0535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_blNOtfMhI/AAAAAAAAAMM/QeuTokp2Zsc/s400/IMG_0535.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I'm always suspicious of bakeries endorsed as "the best" by celebrities or the general media, and I'm even more suspicious of the subsequent cookbooks published to capitalize on that new-found fame. Case in point: the cupcakes I sampled at Magnolia Bakery, featured in Sex In The City, were some of the driest, blandest cupcakes I've ever eaten, yet everybody raved about them and probably purchased scores of Magnolia Bakery Cookbooks, exacerbating the dry cake epidemic that plagues many bakeries. Thank goodness Sprinkles set the cupcake trend back on track with their moist and fluffy works of cakelet perfection... mmm must try the new salty caramel flavor...<br />
<br />
Anyways, when I received the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook, with a quote from Gwyneth Paltrow on the front touting their cupcakes as "legendary" and claiming her special occasions are "always chock full of Hummingbird goodies," I was immediately skeptical. How do I know Gwyneth Paltrow is a bona fide foodie with trustworthy taste in cupcakes? And how can Hummingbird's cupcakes be "legendary" when the bakery's owner admits that "cupcakes seem to be unknown in London" (Hummingbird opened in London in '04)? Fishy! Or maybe I'm just hyper-logical... law school will do that to you.<br />
<br />
No offense to the Brits out there, but as far as I know, the UK isn't exactly renowned for its culinary prowess. If you want a sticky or steamed pudding, sure, but can a British bakery turn out a moist cake without covering it with custard, dousing it with sugar-syrup, or baking it in a steam bath? Why, yes, in fact it can.<br />
<br />
Despite my misgivings, I was seduced by the mouth-watering photographs in the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook, and embarked on the Blueberry Cake, pictured with frosting but claiming to be "moist enough to be served without the frosting, if you prefer." I do not prefer frostingless cake, but I demand moist cake! And so I commenced baking. The recipe proceeded a bit oddly, and I've altered the steps for a smoother baking process, but nonethless my cake baked up beautifully- heavy, fragrant, and practically oozing moisture. The frosting recipe likewise proceeded in a strange and backwards manner (Oh those Brits!), but produced a cream cheese frosting so light and fluffy that people proclaimed that it must be made of marshmallows! Not so! The towering, blueberry-bespeckled confection was a sight to behold... But I was unprepared for the first bite...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_blq33IHHI/AAAAAAAAAMU/P5PezSB1zS0/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_blq33IHHI/AAAAAAAAAMU/P5PezSB1zS0/s320/IMG_0530.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Perhaps in the UK, people don't consume pounds of sugar every day, and so are accustomed to mild cake. Still slightly warm from the oven, with a crumbly yet moist crumb, the cake at first seemed like a success. As I forked it into my mouth, however, I couldn't help but furrow my brow... it was...somewhat bland, and had an odd baking-powder bitterness like an undercooked pancake. The frosting was spectacular, but I was horrified to serve bland cake. I held my breath and hoped the clouds of frosting would woo my guests into overlooking the cake's pancakish tastelessness. No one complained, but I took the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook and banished it to the back of my bookshelf with a disgruntled shove. But the story doesn't end there...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_bqdFjo8lI/AAAAAAAAAMY/1qakeIUlKhY/s1600/white-cake-blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_bqdFjo8lI/AAAAAAAAAMY/1qakeIUlKhY/s320/white-cake-blue.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>Although I had vowed not to eat another bite of the disappointing dessert, I succumbed to the sight if its silky frosting and toothsome interior the next morning... and was amazed!!! Overnight, the baking-soda bitterness had dissipated, the cake had softened, and its mild, muffiny flavor paired perfectly with the oh-so-sweet frosting. It was like the cake-fairy had come in the night and magically transformed the ugly cakling into the graceful swan of sweets! I've devoured about half of the cake on my own since that moment, and I'm already planning my next baking adventure from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_bqjDeBIAI/AAAAAAAAAMc/JDitUJAjswY/s1600/eaten-cake-blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_bqjDeBIAI/AAAAAAAAAMc/JDitUJAjswY/s320/eaten-cake-blue.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
While I definitely warmed up to this recipe, I must note that you should be prepared for its unusually mild, almost elegant, not-so-sweet flavor. It's reminiscent of cakes I imagine someone's grandmother might have baked (hence the "old-fashioned" moniker). I recommend baking it the night before you plan to serve it, because the flavor undeniably improved overnight.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>Cake Ingredients</u><br />
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
1 3/4 c. sugar<br />
6 eggs<br />
1t. vanilla<br />
3 1/2 c. flour<br />
2T plus 2t. baking powder (make sure it hasn't expired!)<br />
1c. sour cream<br />
3T. whole milk<br />
2 pints fresh blueberries (some will be used for decorating)<br />
<br />
<u>Frosting Ingredients</u><br />
4 2/3 c. powdered sugar<br />
<u> </u>1 stick unsalted butter, softened<br />
8oz cold cream cheese<br />
<br />
Prepare the cake:<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 325. Butter a 10-in ring mold (or angel-food cake pan if you don't have a ring-mold... who has a ring mold??) and lightly dust it with flour. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream (starting and ending with the flour mixture). Stir in 1 1/2 pints of blueberries (reserving the other half-pint for decoration). Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until golden brown. The recipe claimed this would take 40 minutes, but my brand-new, perfectly calibrated oven took an hour to bake this puppy up. Check the cake after 40 minutes, but if it's barely browning, and a knife inserted comes out gooey, put it back in and check every 10 minutes until the knife comes out clean and the cake is golden. Once you're satisfied with the cake's doneness, allow it to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning it out to finish cooling completely on your wire rack, or cake stand. When you're nearly ready to frost the cooled cake, make the frosting.<br />
<br />
Note: I edited both the cake and frosting steps for a smoother baking process.<br />
<br />
Beat the softened butter and cold cream cheese until fluffy and well-mixed. With the mixer on low, beat in the powder sugar in four additions (you could add it all at once, but a billowing cloud of powdered sugar will surely coat you and your kitchen in a fine layer of sugar-dust). When all of the ingredients have been incorporated, turn the mixer to medium-high and continue beating the frosting until fluffified, at least five minutes (this is where having a stand-mixer comes in handy). According to the book, you should not overbeat the frosting or it will begin to weep, but it should be fine if you stick to the five-minute rule.<br />
<br />
Slather the big 'ole cake with gobs of frosting, covering the top, sides, and center with as many thick, rich layers as it can hold. Dot the top with the remaining half-pint of blueberries, and to really gild the lily, garnish the cake with a final sprinkle of powdered sugar. SERVE THE NEXT DAY for maximum deliciousness! Unless you don't mind the flavor of baking powder...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_blUdH0A8I/AAAAAAAAAMQ/nEd94MrdMZQ/s1600/IMG_0534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_blUdH0A8I/AAAAAAAAAMQ/nEd94MrdMZQ/s200/IMG_0534.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_brM3xtGFI/AAAAAAAAAMg/O09jtJfd6zA/s1600/fatal-cake-blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_brM3xtGFI/AAAAAAAAAMg/O09jtJfd6zA/s200/fatal-cake-blue.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-84509184126272067142010-05-16T21:56:00.000-07:002010-05-16T21:56:27.626-07:00Poppyseed Lemonade Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B0qh1uURI/AAAAAAAAAKw/J3rSp-P2w1g/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B0qh1uURI/AAAAAAAAAKw/J3rSp-P2w1g/s320/IMG_0505.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Raise your hand if you suffered through a very long, very painful, calorie-busting hour of "Skinny Jeans" and then promptly donned sweatpants and consumed twice as many calories in cupcake batter and cream cheese frosting as you burned doing squats to Poker Face. Proof that exercise actually causes weight gain! Luckily, I think the hedonistic pleasure of stuffing these scrumptious cupcakes into my cheeks more than compensated for my wasted workout.<br />
<br />
I normally consider baking from a box to be a form of cheating, but I like to bend the rules when it comes to cake mixes because they make damn good cakes. And if I doctor the mix, it basically counts as a scratch cake!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B3PYtzsyI/AAAAAAAAALM/sKTxKeCe_Wg/s1600/IMG_0497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B3PYtzsyI/AAAAAAAAALM/sKTxKeCe_Wg/s320/IMG_0497.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
These cupcakes were especially satisfying because I made them entirely out of ingredients I had on hand. An old bag of poppy seeds, the sad little half-package of cream cheese in the fridge, and a redolent lemon that had tumbled into the grass from its perch on the lemon bush combined with pantry staples and a cake mix to make a batch of fluffy, citrusy, springtime treats. These would be really cute if you topped them with sugared lavender or rose petals, but even I'm not crazy enough to have those on hand! Although, I do have roses in my garden, and the recipe for sugared blossoms committed to memory... but I wanted instant, workout-negating, my-ass-will-hurt-for-the-next-three-days-so-I-deserve-it, gratification. That's why I love cake mixes! So easy, so yummy, so EVIL...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>Cupcake Ingredients</u><br />
1 butter recipe golden cake mix (butter recipe is always better because butter is always better)<u> </u><br />
The things the cake mix tells you to use (probably a stick of butter and two or three eggs - check the box)<br />
1 LARGE lemon (mine was the size of a softball, no joke)<br />
2t. poppy seeds, plus extra for decorating<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B1xnmKXsI/AAAAAAAAAK0/Z7Mn1I7qm4E/s1600/IMG_0494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B1xnmKXsI/AAAAAAAAAK0/Z7Mn1I7qm4E/s200/IMG_0494.JPG" width="150" /></a><u>Frosting Ingredients</u><br />
4oz cream cheese<br />
1 stick of butter, softened<br />
3c. powdered sugar<br />
1t. vanilla<br />
<br />
To make the cupcakes, follow the cake mix directions for preheating the oven, and prepare your muffin tins by either lightly buttering each muffin-well, or filling the tins with cupcake wrappers. Obviously in my lazy state I went with the latter. Zest and juice the lemon. Check to see how much water your cake mix requires. Pour the lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup, and then add water until you have the amount of liquid specified by the cake mix directions. In a medium bowl, combine the lemon-water with the cake mix, the other ingredients called for by the mix (e.g., butter and eggs), and the zest of the lemon. Add the poppy seeds and beat on low speed until thoroughly mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for the time specified on the cake mix box (aaah this recipe is such a cop-out... but it's goooood). The cake is done cooking when a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B2ceXBpJI/AAAAAAAAALA/DOEK41Yr-Yk/s1600/IMG_0504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B2ceXBpJI/AAAAAAAAALA/DOEK41Yr-Yk/s320/IMG_0504.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B161SHluI/AAAAAAAAAK8/o9YROwC5TCM/s1600/IMG_0496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S_B161SHluI/AAAAAAAAAK8/o9YROwC5TCM/s200/IMG_0496.JPG" width="200" /></a>While the cupcakes bake, make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar half a cup at a time (adding it little by little will prevent a cloud of powdered sugar dust from erupting over your kitchen), mixing slowly and thoroughly after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.<br />
<br />
When the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with the cream cheese frosting, and sprinkle with poppy seeds (or sugar encrusted rose petals...). Eat cupcakes as needed with a glass of milk to mitigate muscle pain caused by Skinny Jeans workouts. Doctor's orders.<br />
<br />
Not much of a sweet tooth? Check out Evil Batch's new savory-sister blog, <a href="http://wickedlickens.blogspot.com/">Wicked Lickens</a>, jointly edited by me and my beau. First up, bacon-salmon sandwiches!Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-21909260839972222182010-05-13T16:38:00.000-07:002010-05-13T16:41:32.133-07:00Strawberry Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S-yLgcRWxcI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/7Dpxu59Bb7g/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S-yLgcRWxcI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/7Dpxu59Bb7g/s320/IMG_0492.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>As of late, my poor ice cream maker has languished amongst my random and rarely-used kitchen appliances (fondue pot, pressure cooker, cannoli tubes, giant cast iron dutch oven...). This was mostly due to the fact that my freezer was stuffed to the brim with God-knows-what (the freezer was full when I moved into my last apartment, but the roommates denied ownership of most the contents... maybe we had our very own freezer time capsule memorializing the diets of the previous owners!). No freezer space means no space for the absurdly large and heavy ice cream drum that needs to freeze overnight prior to ice-creaming. So, summers have come and gone over the past three years, sans home-made ice cream. But I will be ice-creamless no more!<br />
<br />
After moving into my spanking-new cottage a few days ago (complete with a big, sparkling clean, EMPTY refrigerator and freezer!!!), homemade ice cream was at the top of my priority list (seriously, as in right after unpacking my ice cream maker, and before unpacking all of my clothing).<br />
<br />
I normally opt for non-fruit desserts (mmmmm chocolate....), but now that it's spring (and the strawberries and peaches aren't being shipped from Venezuela or wherever) it's pretty hard to resist the shiny, fat apples, fragrant, fuzzy peaches, and giant jewel strawberries in the produce section. Hence the strawberry ice cream! This custard-style recipe contains a lot of fat, which promotes aeration and produces a luscious, creamy (almost fluffy!) ice cream. The strawberries are finely chopped rather than pureed to lend a pale pink hue and light strawberry flavor to the finished treat, with every mouthful punctuated by vibrant, tangy bits of fruit.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S-yLwmuTeiI/AAAAAAAAAKY/o0eT2Opm8uM/s1600/IMG_0484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S-yLwmuTeiI/AAAAAAAAAKY/o0eT2Opm8uM/s320/IMG_0484.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As a bonus, the cooked custard that forms the ice cream base (minus the strawberries) can double as a wonderful creme anglaise - just halve the ingredient quantities, omit the lemon and replace it with 1t. vanilla (or use a the seeds of a vanilla bean if you want to get fancy... and expensive...), and proceed as directed. Once the creme anglaise has cooled, add chocolate cake!<br />
<br />
But I digress... (thoughts of chocolate tend to do that) back to the ice cream!<br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
1 pint fresh strawberries<br />
<u> </u>1T. fresh lemon juice<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1c. sugar<br />
1c. whole milk<br />
2c. heavy whipping cream<br />
<br />
If you are using an ice cream maker with a drum that must be frozen in advance, make sure it's frozen!<br />
<br />
In a large saucepan, combine the cream, milk, lemon juice, and 1/2c. sugar. Heat on low until scalded (little bubbles will start to form at the edges, but do NOT let it boil!). While the cream mixture heats, beat the eggs with 1/4c. sugar until well combined.<br />
<br />
When the cream mixture reaches scalding temp., temper the egg mixture. The eggs must be tempered, i.e., slowly brought up to the temperature of the cream, before they are added or the cold eggs will scramble when they hit the hot cream, and I'm pretty sure scrambled-egg ice cream won't be as delicious as strawberry. To temper the eggs, whisk them continuously while slowly drizzling in a thin stream of hot cream. I usually whisk with one hand, and ladle with the other, but you can also enlist a helper to either whisk or ladle. Keep whisking and ladling until you've added about half the cream mixture to the eggs, and they are hot to the touch. At this point, you can safely add everything back into the sauce pan, but you're not out of the woods yet!!! The mixture still needs to be heated until it reaches that velvety, custard consistency. Keep the heat on low, and stir constantly until the mixture thickens slightly (supposedly this happens around 170, but I only had a meat thermometer and it probably wasn't very accurate in custard so I stopped cooking mine when the thermometer said 160).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S-yMVm5joWI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Cy7CKRMtnKg/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S-yMVm5joWI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Cy7CKRMtnKg/s320/IMG_0483.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It is very, very important to stir constantly, and not leave the custard unattended even for five seconds while you search for your candy/meat thermometer. It will curdle (i.e. the eggs will scramble). Don't feel bad if your eggs scramble, but don't bother trying to resuscitate curdled custard. I promise you it will be disgusting. Just bite the bullet, and throw the lumpy mess out. Yes, I did curdle my eggs (thanks to my five-second thermometer hunt), and yes I threw the entire thing down the drain and started over (it might be a good idea to have some extra ingredients on hand if you're a custard newbie). The second time went smoothly though! (literally, haha). When your custard thickens, remove it from the heat and pour it into a metal bowl. Cool completely, either by refrigerating, or by placing the metal bowl in a bigger bowl filled with ice and stirring the custard to chill it (this speeds up the cooling process, which otherwise takes about 2 hours).<br />
<br />
While the custard chills, remove the stems from the strawberries, and chop finely. Combine the chopped/crushed berries with the remaining 1/4c. sugar in a small bowl, and refrigerate until the custard is cooled.<br />
<br />
When your custard is cold, stir in the berry mixture, and pour the entire mixture into your ice cream maker. Let the directions for the ice cream maker take you from here! (usually it freezes for about 30 minutes in the ice cream maker, and the resulting ice cream is very soft. I like to pack it in tupperware, and freeze it again overnight for the familiar, solid texture).<br />
<br />
Serve with chocolate sauce (what else? ha.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S-yL-DT0muI/AAAAAAAAAKc/rk1s5ZEc5yU/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S-yL-DT0muI/AAAAAAAAAKc/rk1s5ZEc5yU/s320/IMG_0489.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-85561236014134706812010-04-27T16:02:00.000-07:002010-04-27T16:04:48.188-07:00Graham Cracker Buttermilk Bundt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S9dshAdY1SI/AAAAAAAAAKI/7M1qXw6cfgk/s1600/bundt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S9dshAdY1SI/AAAAAAAAAKI/7M1qXw6cfgk/s320/bundt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>You never know when baking inspiration will strike. Studying has recently stymied my usual obsessive recipe reading, and I thought my baking dry spell would continue through finals, but lo and behold, this recipe snuck through my distraction radar!<br />
<br />
In a moment of weird and impromptu food creativity, I had decided to try graham crackers with brie and jam instead of regular crackers (very good - you should try it). As I inspected my age-old graham cracker box for an expiration date (three weeks ago, but I figured they were fine since they were still sealed...), I noticed the box featured a recipe for something other than graham cracker crust. Interesting! Apparently you can make bundt cake from graham cracker crumbs! I had to try it.<br />
<br />
I'm normally skeptical of bundt cakes because they tend to turn out dry, but I noted that this recipe called for drenching the entire warm, spice-laden, walnut-studded cake with a hot sauce composed of butter and sugary buttermilk. Can't go wrong there! Solution to dry cake? Poke it full of holes and pour in tasty liquid. Worked like a charm! Hello warm, moist dessert. I recommend reserving some of the hot sauce to pour over individual slices. Whipped cream wouldn't hurt either.<br />
<br />
<u>Graham Cracker Buttermilk Bundt Cake</u><br />
<u> </u><br />
Cake Ingredients:<br />
<br />
1/2 c. vegetable oil<br />
1 stick butter, melted (1/2 c.)<br />
1 1/2 c. sugar <br />
3 eggs<br />
1t. vanilla extract<br />
2 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1 c. (14 squares) graham cracker crumbs<br />
1/2 t. salt<br />
1 t. baking porwder<br />
1 t. baking soda<br />
1 t. cinnamon<br />
1 t. allspice<br />
1 t. nutmeg<br />
1 c. buttermilk<br />
1 c. chopped walnuts<br />
<br />
Buttery Buttermilk Sauce ingredients:<br />
1 c. sugar<br />
1/2 c. buttermilk<br />
2 t. vanilla<br />
1/3 c. melted butter<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 300. In a large bowl, blend the melted butter, oil, and sugar thoroughly, and add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well. In a separate bowl (or in your Cuisinart if you're going to pulverize the crumbs in there anyways), stir together the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and spices. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk (start and end with the flour mixture - i.e. flour, buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, flour). Stir in the chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into a well-greased (grease that sucker REALLY well - my cake got stuck to the pan and I had to repatch it after inverting) bundt pan. Bake 1hr., or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes (make the sauce while the cake cools), then invert onto a plate.<br />
<br />
To make the sauce, combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan and boil for one minute. Reserve about 1/3 c. of the glaze for spooning over individual slices. Use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake (Everywhere! Really go crazy. More holes = more sauce-cake contact = more moistness!), and then spoon the hot sauce over the warm cake. Spoon the "run-off" back onto the cake to ensure thorough moistening. Do not let one drop escape!<br />
<br />
Serve the cake with the extra sauce, and freshly whipped, sweetened whipping cream.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-82786501232630832602010-04-25T18:27:00.000-07:002010-04-25T18:28:19.581-07:00The Art of Sharing FoodAny foodie worth their salt knows that when you go out to eat, you should order family style. Sharing maximizes tasting potential, and avoids the inevitable quandary of whether to order that delicious pork-belly with butter-sauced morels, or the potentially equally delicious gorgonzola gnocchi with toasted walnuts. Mmmmmmmm. Order/eat both!<br />
<br />
There is nothing worse than the awkward experience of dining with a "non-sharer" - someone who looks askance at the suggestion of sharing and proceeds to order, all for themselves, a huge entree that couldn't possibly be consumed by a single person anyways! While the rest of the table exchanges plates and comments on the flavors with gusto, the lone-orderer huddles in the corner and suspiciously hoards his or her precious meal.<br />
<br />
Worse is the scenario in which you go to dine with one other person who insists on order the SAME meal that you have just ordered!!! This is completely unacceptable foodie behavior unless one of you has a grave communicable disease, or the rest of the menu is disgusting (in which case, why are you eating there to begin with??).<br />
<br />
Of course, there are certainly scenarios in which food-sharing is neither desirable, nor acceptable. For instance, I object to requests for bites of my sandwich, licks of my ice-cream, or tastes of my teeny-tiny truffle that barely serves one person (unless we have previously agreed to share this particular morsel). Sandwiches are absorbent, carefully balanced affairs. Unless I'm already swapping saliva with the "sharee" on a regular basis, I don't want the edges of my sandwich bread moistened by someone else's saliva, nor do I want them spilling all of my avocado and tomato out before I've finished enjoying my meal. The saliva argument also holds for the ice cream cone. After someone else's warm tongue has melted the side of your ice-cream so that the drips dribbling down the side of the cone are mixed with stranger-saliva, the whole treat just loses its appeal. Asking for a lick of ice cream is like asking to borrow my toothbrush! Gross! And one should never take the last bite or sip of another's delicious meal or beverage (nor should one take a GIANT bite of someone else's minuscule treat). Just the other day I purchased an adorable, mini peanut butter cupcake to savor during the long hours of professional responsibility, and as I walked to class, I was overcome with anxiety that some uncouth person would ask for a bite! I even contemplated scarfing down the little morsel before heading to my seat to prevent such a tragedy. There are subtle ways, however, to deter efforts at misguided sharing. So, while I encourage you to order family style when dining out, you can follow these tactics when you want to preserve the integrity of your sandwich, or when your truffle is just too good to share:<br />
<br />
When eating something delicious:<br />
1. Do NOT comment on its deliciousness! This will encourage responses of, "oooh, can I have a bite?"<br />
2. Do not try to feign disgust. This might seem like a good course of action, but believe it or not, it might encourage your fellow diners to ask for a bite just to see how gross your food tastes. This sounds counter intuitive, but think about it, how often do you take a big whiff of the air after someone says, "Ew, what's that smell?" Same concept.<br />
3. Do claim that you have a cold, or even better, claim that you have a festering cold sore in your mouth. No one will want to share with you. Downside - people will think you have herpes.<br />
4. Preemptively provide a crumb to deter requests for larger portions.<br />
5. Eat your food in a really gross manner, e.g. slobbering all over your sandwich, or smearing it around on your plate. If someone still wants a bite, give them the cold, wet corner of the bread (that might be too gross to actually go through with...).<br />
6. Tell the requester you are diabetic, and that you must eat the entire portion to prevent a hypoglycemic coma.<br />
7. Be a true evil biatch and just say NO.<br />
<br />
Recipes to follow shortly... a.k.a after finals!Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-8514289706571551242010-04-08T18:23:00.000-07:002010-04-08T18:23:23.867-07:00Panna Cotta "Eggs"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S753bdy7i7I/AAAAAAAAAJg/9rB0yK_HaPA/s1600/small-egg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S753bdy7i7I/AAAAAAAAAJg/9rB0yK_HaPA/s400/small-egg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>These looked almost TOO much like wiggly soft-boiled eggs to enjoy as a dessert, but they were fun to make! The shell is constructed by spreading melted, cooled white chocolate (about 3/4 of a bag) over partially inflated balloons. The white chocolate was pretty hard to work with - it refused to melt into a smooth, glossy liquid like normal chocolate - so my "egg shells" ended up a little, um, rustic looking... If you like regular chocolate better than white chocolate, and you don't care about creating an authentic looking egg, go with regular chocolate for ease of construction (you could pretend it was a really really dark brown egg!). If I made these again I'd stick with white chocolate despite its relative fussiness because I personally think lemon tastes gross with regular chocolate (as does any fruit. That includes raspberry!). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S755SnQ04SI/AAAAAAAAAJk/d9UeyqE9qvI/s1600/IMG_0855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S755SnQ04SI/AAAAAAAAAJk/d9UeyqE9qvI/s320/IMG_0855.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The hardest part of this whole process is inflating the balloons. I think I must be a sissy or something because I could not inflate a single balloon to save my life! I finally gave up and had to enlist my younger brother (whom, I might add, has chronic lung problems, yet had no trouble blowing up those suckers). <br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S757vtcjIWI/AAAAAAAAAJo/B8oJsJtLGPk/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S757vtcjIWI/AAAAAAAAAJo/B8oJsJtLGPk/s200/IMG_0854.JPG" width="200" /></a>Two balloon tips: 1) don't over inflate them... you're going for chicken eggs, not ostrich eggs; and 2) do NOT spread the chocolate on the balloons until it has cooled or you will create a chocolate hand grenade instead of a chocolate egg-shell. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S757w5d0i9I/AAAAAAAAAJs/oAX8GhCdvrs/s1600/IMG_0863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S757w5d0i9I/AAAAAAAAAJs/oAX8GhCdvrs/s200/IMG_0863.JPG" width="200" /></a> As the chocolate hardens, the balloons will begin to deflate. Snip a tiny hold in the deflated portion of the balloon and SLOWLY let the air escape. Peel the balloon off the chocolate to reveal a cute little eggshell cup!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S757y7WSV9I/AAAAAAAAAJw/AqgZHdgvQ_M/s1600/IMG_0864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S757y7WSV9I/AAAAAAAAAJw/AqgZHdgvQ_M/s200/IMG_0864.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Panna cotta with a dollop of lemon curd mimics the eggy innards to complete the look. For some reason, my panna cotta started to weep, which normally irritates me, but in this case it worked with my theme because it looked like wet egg-white (slightly unappetizing, but oh well).<br />
<br />
<u>Panna Cotta</u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S75-FrdZ7YI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/jeHLVD7bO5w/s1600/IMG_0867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S75-FrdZ7YI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/jeHLVD7bO5w/s200/IMG_0867.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>3 c. heavy cream, divided<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1/2 c. sugar<br />
2 tsp. gelatin<br />
1/4 c. water<br />
<br />
<u>Lemon Curd</u><br />
1/2 c. sugar<br />
3 egg yolks<br />
1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice<br />
1/2 stick softened butter<br />
2 tsp. grated lemon rind <br />
<br />
To make the panna cotta, combine the sugar and half the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat. Pour 1/4 c. water in small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let sit for a few minutes so the gelatin can soften. Add the gelatin mixture to the cream and sugar and stir well to combine. Add the remaining cream and the vanilla, stir. Put the liquid panna cotta mixture in the fridge until you have completed the lemon curd (but don't take forever or you'll end up with a big pitcher of firm panna cotta!)<br />
<br />
Make the lemon curd: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, egg yolks, and lemon juice over low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and the grated lemon rind. Set the lemon curd in the fridge to cool.<br />
<br />
Remove the panna cotta from the fridge and carefully fill each egg-cup.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S75_dzJNvCI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/bpp-vJIAayk/s1600/IMG_0878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S75_dzJNvCI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/bpp-vJIAayk/s320/IMG_0878.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Place filled egg cups in the fridge until the panna cotta has hardened completely. When firm, add a spoonful of lemon curd yolk.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S75_wQbqF1I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/jm11TNj7L5I/s1600/IMG_0892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S75_wQbqF1I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/jm11TNj7L5I/s320/IMG_0892.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I think I might try adding the lemon curd to the center of the panna cotta before it hardens next time to see if it solves the gross wet weeping problem. It really did look like an egg...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S76A6MdHwHI/AAAAAAAAAKA/uSJH93nPhOI/s1600/IMG_0905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S76A6MdHwHI/AAAAAAAAAKA/uSJH93nPhOI/s320/IMG_0905.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-65487893951315932852010-03-15T23:15:00.000-07:002010-03-15T23:32:52.952-07:00Momofuku v. Neiman Marcus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58abwFaZEI/AAAAAAAAAIE/VyDB_LKQPus/s1600/IMG_0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58abwFaZEI/AAAAAAAAAIE/VyDB_LKQPus/s200/IMG_0246.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58aomOzbDI/AAAAAAAAAIM/2AcrItdIVkk/s1600-h/IMG_0251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58aomOzbDI/AAAAAAAAAIM/2AcrItdIVkk/s200/IMG_0251.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Cult cookies go head to head!<br />
<br />
Which recipe will take the cake? The trendy newcomer or the urban myth? First let's get the lowdown on the new darling of baking pop-culture. All across the food-blogosphere, bakers are abuzz about <a href="http://www.momofuku.com/milkbar/default.asp">Momofuku Milk Bar</a> in New York City, where pastry chef and owner Christina Tosi crafts zany treats from odd-ball ingredients such as milk crumbs, marshmallows, cereal, pretzels, and potato chips. Offerings include Crack Pie (future post with food obsessed friend!), Cereal Milk Soft Serve, and our contender, the Compost Cookie. Blogs are ablaze with raves about the innovative Compost Cookie, so named for its hodge-podge of junk-food mix-ins. Thanks to <a href="http://regisandkelly.go.com/recipe-finder.html?_cat=chef&_val=Christina%20Tosi">Regis and Kelly</a>, we have the (supposedly) tried-and-true original recipe, which has proliferated across baking blogs since its debut.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58c6DbPy4I/AAAAAAAAAIk/DwapGmPk9Vc/s1600-h/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58c6DbPy4I/AAAAAAAAAIk/DwapGmPk9Vc/s320/IMG_0236.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Compost</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58cI_3NA3I/AAAAAAAAAIc/MNHVYx7z--8/s1600-h/IMG_0234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58cI_3NA3I/AAAAAAAAAIc/MNHVYx7z--8/s320/IMG_0234.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>On the other side of the oven we have the infamous Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie. Legend has it that a customer enamored of NM's delectable chocolate chipper asked for the recipe, and was told by her chipper waitress that it would cost her "two-fifty." The cookie aficionado readily handed over her credit card (after all, the cookie she had just consumed probably cost more than $2.50), only to discover with horror that the stuffy department store had charged her <i>two hundred </i>and fifty dollars for the recipe. Her complaints fell on deaf ears, and she vowed revenge by dissemination. Whether or not the urban legend holds water, a Google search for "Neiman Marcus Cookie" returns 134,000 hits! To debunk the myth, NM posted the recipe for their <a href="http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/service/nm_cookie_recipe.jhtml">"signature" chocolate chip cookie</a> online, but this recipe differs notably from the <a href="http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/fooddrink/a/cookie_recipe.htm">one that spread like wildfire</a> in chain emails across America. Did Neiman Marcus, otherwise known as "Needless Markup," post a decoy recipe to dispel its corporate bad-guy rep, and distract home bakers from the real deal? Probably not. Wikipedia claims that NM didn't even serve a chocolate chip cookie at their cafe pre-legend. We have decided to take NM at their word, and allow their posted recipe to compete against Momofuku's Compost Cookie.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58dkBZ91dI/AAAAAAAAAIs/Yy2VtbOrGCs/s1600-h/IMG_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58dkBZ91dI/AAAAAAAAAIs/Yy2VtbOrGCs/s200/IMG_0250.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
So which cookie prevailed? Drum-roll please.....<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The majority of judges have found that the Compost Cookie is......!<br />
<br />
GARBAGE.<br />
<br />
NM's recipe might not be worth $250, but I wouldn't pay ten cents to eat another greasy, overly salty Compost Cookie. I can only hope that the real thing outshines the recipe floating around on the web, because 9 out of 10 tasters were ambivalent at best about this cookie. One person described it as, "pretty good until you hit a greasy potato-chip pocket." Another astutely questioned Momofuku's wisdom in naming their cookie after trash. I mean, "Momofuku" already sounds kind of like... well, <i>Motherf*er</i>. Why make it any worse? More than one person poked fun at the cookie's odd name (which, by the way, Momofuku has trademarked) by gleefully stating, "I'm gonna go get me some <i>Motherf*ing trash cookies</i>!"<br />
<br />
Just so I don't sound like an unsophisticated hick, I'm going to point out that "Momofuku" means "lucky peach," (I looked it up on their website) which seems quite adorable and appropriate for delicious treats. But in combination with the "Compost" moniker, Momofuku begged belittlement! <br />
<br />
I do think the Compost Cookie cookie has potential, and I'm sure the actual cookie isn't even in the same league as my amateur creation. I think the problem stems from the recipe's vague ingredient list, which provides little direction about the types and quantities of "snack foods" and "baking ingredients" required for success. I went with potato chips (also included in Tosi's version), Chex-mix, chocolate chips, and Symphony bars, which resulted in a greasy, liquefied mess. I think replacing the chips with oats and the Chex with pretzels might yield a more palatable, cookie-shaped cookie. Overall, I say leave this one to the pros (although I have to admit it was fun chop up a bunch of junk food, and the endless possibilities may tempt me again....)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58d3XFb7CI/AAAAAAAAAI0/Qua0H_HVQoY/s1600-h/IMG_0242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S58d3XFb7CI/AAAAAAAAAI0/Qua0H_HVQoY/s320/IMG_0242.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Garbage disposal?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Moving on to Neiman's signature chipper - a solid recipe. The addition of instant coffee gives the cookie an interesting depth. It holds its shape in the oven (without an hour's worth of chilling, which did absolutely nothing for the Compost Cookie anyways), and the cooled cookie has a slightly crispy exterior that yields to a soft, chewy center. It could use a little more buttery goodness, but overall its worth rotating into the repertoire.<br />
<br />
And the winner is..... Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies! Sorry for that moment of confusion. It's just that this old standby beats both contenders. If its not broken, don't fix it. <br />
<br />
<u>Momofuku Compost Cookies</u><br />
<u><br />
</u><br />
1 c. softened butter (2 sticks)<br />
1 c. sugar<br />
3/4 c. packed brown sugar<br />
1T. corn syrup<br />
1t. vanilla<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour<br />
2tsp. baking powder<br />
1tsp. baking soda<br />
2tsp. kosher salt<br />
1 1/2 cups "baking ingredients" (e.g., chocolate chips, chopped Symphony bar, Rollos, Cocoa Krispies, whatever your heart desires)<br />
1 1/2 cups "snack foods" (e.g., crushed potato chips, pretzels, Chex-mix, goldfish, fritos, oats, etc. - air on the side of less greasy/salty)<br />
<br />
Cream butter, sugar, and corn syrup until pale and fluffy, 2-3 min. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then mix in the eggs and vanilla on low speed. Increase the speed to medium-high, and beat for ten minutes. The sugar crystals will dissolve completely, and the mixture will gradually lighten and balloon in size.<br />
<br />
At the ten minute mark, return the speed to low and mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just incorporated. Add the baking ingredients and mix until incorporated. Add the snack foods and mix until incorporated.<br />
<br />
Use a 6oz ice-cream scoop to parcel out the dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment (or the next best thing in your cabinet - in my case a brownie pan, and thank goodness because my cookies would have ended up on the bottom of the oven after oozing everywhere!). Refrigerate the cookies for at least an hour, and up to one week. If you do not do this, you most certainly end up with cookie soup (and you might anyways).<br />
<br />
When you are about ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure the cookies are spaced 4'' apart to avoid a cookie plateau, and bake 9-11 minutes or until golden at the edges and center. Find an adventurous eater and enjoy your creation!<br />
<br />
<u>Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies</u><br />
<u> </u><br />
1/2 c. (1 stick) softened butter<br />
1 c. packed brown sugar<br />
3 T. white sugar<br />
1 large egg<br />
2t. vanilla<br />
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1/2t. baking powder<br />
1/2t. baking soda<br />
1/2t. salt<br />
1 1/2 t. instant espresso powder<br />
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 300. Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix for another 30 seconds. Sift the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, and then add to the butter mixture on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and coffee.<br />
<br />
Dollop the dough in two-tablespoon increments onto a cookie sheet, spacing the dough blobs about 3'' apart. Bake 20 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. You can bake them longer for extra crispiness, but everyone knows that soft-chocolate chippers are better.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-13138641191204183112010-02-28T22:39:00.000-08:002010-02-28T22:42:31.191-08:00Snickerdoodle Sweet Potato Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4tfg9oPhdI/AAAAAAAAAHk/X07-rPSpmrU/s1600-h/IMG_0233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4tfg9oPhdI/AAAAAAAAAHk/X07-rPSpmrU/s320/IMG_0233.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Necessity is the mother of invention! These were supposed to be snickerdoodle pumpkin pie bars, but apparently canned pumpkin is a seasonal item (and pureed sweet potato isn't??). Hello people! We're in L.A. There are no seasons here! It would be more accurate to call it a "holiday" item. If we went by the seasons in L.A. we'd be serving strawberry shortcake and peach ice cream with our Thanksgiving turkeys. Since when do people only make pumpkin pie during Thanksgiving and Christmas anyways? The bakery at the grocery store was selling pumpkin pie! Totally illogical. Canned pumpkin should be available year-round for bakeholics who want pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and snickerdoodle pumpkin pie bars.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4tgSDbr9CI/AAAAAAAAAH0/LOpGJrK1AJ0/s1600-h/IMG_0232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4tgSDbr9CI/AAAAAAAAAH0/LOpGJrK1AJ0/s320/IMG_0232.JPG" /></a></div>Alas, I had to make do with sweet potato. I guess I wasn't really that inventive, since most people probably can't tell the difference between pumpkin and sweet potato in baked goods anyways (the recipients of my bars were none the wiser). Personally, I don't think pumpkin tastes anything like sweet potato. Pumpkin produces a custardy, smooth filling, whereas sweet potato is starchier, and has a slightly ashy taste. I think the starchiness actually worked to my advantage in this recipe, because I needed to cart the bars to school to bribe my friend, and wobbly custard bars are much harder to transport and handle than sturdy starchy ones.<br />
<br />
I borrowed my friend's Planet Earth DVD's last year and only just got around to returning them. I also borrowed his roommate's favorite DVD set (Rocky) and kept it for a year (I think it's understandable to take an entire year to wade through the entire collection of Rocky DVD's. Sorry Joe). Baked goods work really well as a bribe to avoid the loss of DVD-borrowing privileges (with guys, at least. Your girlfriends might accuse you of making them fat. Your gym-obsessed little brother might also accuse you of making him fat, but he will still eat half of your bars and drink all of your milk, and then he will borrow your car and not put gas in it). When I handed the bars (and the DVD's) over, I got a delighted high five and the response of, "you should borrow more so we can get more stuff!" I ran into another friend in the hall with my snickerdoodle bars and he offered to let me keep his DVD's as long as I want if I brought him baked goods. Haha, I guess I can cancel my Netflix subscription! These bars were definitely scrumptious enough to do the trick! (I sampled them before I sent them off, of course).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4tgATHQBzI/AAAAAAAAAHs/bXcg4LeGyaQ/s1600-h/IMG_0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4tgATHQBzI/AAAAAAAAAHs/bXcg4LeGyaQ/s320/IMG_0231.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The finished bars had a pronounced butter flavor, and retained their soft, custard-like texture while being firm enough to cut into small squares (as if I was going to eat just one small square). The cinnamon-sugar topping took me back to my childhood when I'd slather a river of melted butter on a piece of toasted white bread before burying it in mountains of cinnamon-sugar (no, wait, that was yesterday). There is something deliciously frivolous and playful about the combination of cinnamon-sugar and snickerdoodle-sweet potato, but despite their cutesy appeal, they are seriously good. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4tgrxOLIEI/AAAAAAAAAH8/0sAeaqZNA_U/s1600-h/IMG_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4tgrxOLIEI/AAAAAAAAAH8/0sAeaqZNA_U/s200/IMG_0222.JPG" width="150" /></a><u>Snickerdoodle layer</u><u> </u><br />
3 c. all-purpose flour<br />
2 t. baking powder<br />
1 t. salt<br />
2 c. packed dark brown sugar<br />
1 c. softened butter<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 T. vanilla<br />
<br />
<u>Sweet-potato layer</u><br />
1 c. sugar (white, granulated)<br />
1/2 c. softened butter<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 1/2 c. pureed sweet potato (pumpkin works too)<br />
1 c. all purpose flour<br />
<u> </u>1 t. baking powder<br />
1 t. salt<br />
1 t. pumpkin pie spice<br />
<br />
<u>Cinnamon-sugar topping</u><br />
2 T. sugar (white, granulated)<br />
<u> </u>2T. cinnamon<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9x13 in. baking pan, and lay a piece of parchment paper across the middle (for easy bar removal). <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Make the snickerdoodle layer:</b> sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl, and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until the mixture lightens and becomes fluffy. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended (batter will be thick) and spread in the bottom of the prepared pan.<br />
<br />
<b>Make the sweet-potato layer: </b>in your large bowl (no need to wash out the snickerdoodle remnants), beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar. Mix in the sweet potato puree and the eggs. In the medium bowl (that previously housed the snickerdoodle flour-mix) whisk together the flour, salk, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the dry mixture to the pumpkin mixture, and beat on low speed until thoroughly mixed. Spread the pumpkin batter over the snickerdoodle batter in the pan.<br />
<br />
<b>Make the cinnamon-sugar topping:</b> in a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the surface of the batter. <br />
<br />
Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. You might want to check at 35 minutes in case you have a miscalibrated oven (nothing worse than burned bars!). The bars will puff up as they cook, and if they do not looked puffed then don't bother poking them; they're not done (wet, sloppy bars might actually be worse than slightly overcooked ones...). Let the bars cool for about an hour before you cut them. Don't worry! They will still be warm and moist. Devour at your leisure, or use as bribes.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-47168829941849866832010-02-23T00:12:00.000-08:002010-02-23T21:13:39.073-08:00Stolen Secret Cheesecake<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4OGYyLUcdI/AAAAAAAAAHE/Tzu42zDpkzs/s1600-h/IMG_0219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4OGYyLUcdI/AAAAAAAAAHE/Tzu42zDpkzs/s320/IMG_0219.JPG" width="320" /></a>Loosen up those morals! All is fair in love, war, and baking. Besides, I didn't actually <i>steal </i>the recipe, I just copied it down on the sly... it did not involve snooping around through my roommate's room or thinking of excuses to go upstairs and "say hi" in an effort to ascertain the location of the coveted recipe... Who actually has a secret recipe anyways??? The whole point of baking is sharing!<br />
<br />
This is definitely one of the best classic cheesecake recipes I've come across (although I'm not sure what the big deal was, since it seems like a fairly ordinary recipe on its face), and it's pretty much foolproof. Trust me, if my crazy ex-roommate could make it, you can. He cooked some of the worst food I've ever had the misfortune to taste. For example, his gag-worthy rendition of pasta shells with cheese reminded me of festering pimples. I'm serious! The first bite seemed to pop in my mouth, and lukewarm, grainy cheese oozed from the rubbery shell. I excused myself discretely to spit it out. He also kept a vat of "recycled," a.k.a. never-replaced-ever, cooking oil on the kitchen counter at all times, and burned everything from shrimp to banana fritters in it! I'm sure it must have been some kind of fire hazard. I would definitely nominate him for that "Worst Cooks in America" show. Despite his dubious cooking skills, he thought he was an amazing, chef extraordinaire, and was constantly bragging about his innovative recipes and culinary prowess. He was a "talker." My other roommates and I would get stuck listening to him rant for hours, powerless to so much as hint that we (urgently) needed to be somewhere (anywhere!) else. So when he bragged to me about his super-secret, best-in-the-world cheesecake recipe, I was nonplussed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4OHhNQ-voI/AAAAAAAAAHU/ThHgCpzn488/s1600-h/a-little-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4OHhNQ-voI/AAAAAAAAAHU/ThHgCpzn488/s200/a-little-cake.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />
Finally, after months of listening to him boast about the mythical cheesecake, I entered our kitchen one day to find him madly mixing an array of cheesecakey ingredients. I approached and asked what he was making, and he immediately snatched his dirty little index card up off the counter, lest I catch a glimpse of his precious secret recipe, and leered at me. "I'm making my secret cheesecake," he said, his nasal tone tinged with pride. "Oh, great." I replied, "You'll have to let me try some." He turned his back to me, shielding his batter. "Hmph, it has to age two days." he muttered. What?? Age?? It's cheese<i>cake</i> not cheese! I thought. But I ignored him and excused myself before I got trapped.<br />
<br />
Sure enough, the mysterious cheesecake sat wrapped in the back of our fridge for two whole days. It looked magnificent beneath it's glossy plastic-wrapping, and I despite myself, I became wildly curious. At the end of the second day, I waited with bated breath (for once) for my roommate to come home and allow me to sample the fabled cake. He so very-kindly obliged me a hair-sized slice, but every wispy bite was flawlessly creamy, dreamily rich, and oh-so-over-the-top. I had to have that recipe! And now, I do. And I would like to share it with you.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4OH0meP_9I/AAAAAAAAAHc/9--8rbcqhMM/s1600-h/another-little-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S4OH0meP_9I/AAAAAAAAAHc/9--8rbcqhMM/s320/another-little-cake.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Enjoy!!!!</div><br />
I added a traditional graham cracker crust because the secret recipe just called for "any crust." <br />
<br />
<u>Graham Cracker Crust</u><br />
1.5 c. crushed graham crackers<br />
1/4 c. sugar<br />
1/2 t. cinnamon<br />
1/4 c. melted, unsalted butter<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 400. Butter a 9-in spring-form pan (you can use any size, but the cooking time may vary and you might have extra batter if you go smaller). In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until combined and evenly moistened. Pour the mixture into the spring-form pan, and press it along the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake about 10 minutes. <b>Reduce the temperature to 350 </b>(cheesecake is forgiving at lower temperatures - I cooked mine at 300 by mistake with no adverse results - but don't accidentally cook it on 400 or it will be dry and very, very disappointing). Let the crust cool and prepare the cheesecake.<br />
<br />
<u>Secret Cheesecake</u><br />
4 pkgs (the ones that look like bricks) cream cheese<br />
<u> </u>pinch of salt<br />
5 eggs<br />
1 c. + 2T. sugar<br />
3/4 c. sour cream<br />
2T. vanilla<br />
<br />
<u>Topping</u><br />
1 pint sour cream<br />
<u> </u>1/2 c. sugar<br />
1t. vanilla<br />
<br />
Make sure the oven is set to 350. Beat the cream cheese and salt until fluffy. Add <b>three </b>of the eggs, <b>one at a time</b>, beating well after each addition. Beat in the 1c. + 2T of sugar. Add <b>the other two eggs</b>, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, add the 3/4 c. sour cream and 2T. vanilla and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared crust and bake 45 - 60 min. The cheesecake should be set at the edges but still jiggly through the middle. Check it at 45 minutes, and if it looks really watery still, put it back in and keep checking every 10 minutes until you are satisfied. <br />
<br />
While the cheesecake bakes, stir together the topping ingredients. As soon as the cheesecake is set to your satisfaction, take it out of the oven and immediately pour the topping into the pan, over the cheesecake. Spread the topping evenly, and return the cheesecake to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and let it cool completely on the counter-top.<br />
<br />
Here is the weird part. When the cheesecake has cooled completely, wrap it in plastic or cover with tinfoil (mostly to protect it from funky fridge smells) and stick it in your fridge. Leave it there for <b>two days</b>. I know this will take willpower, but do it. This must be the secret part of the recipe because I've never heard of this step before. The longest I ever chilled my cheesecakes was overnight, and usually I can't beat my family away with my spoon for even that long! But who am I to challenge the mysterious secret recipe? I left this one for two days, as instructed, and it turned out fabulous. If impatience gets the better of you, let me know how you fare!<br />
<u> </u><br />
<br />
Dedicated to my fellow Food Whores, and partners in crime. You know who you are.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-1348588247941682522010-02-17T12:20:00.000-08:002010-02-17T12:20:56.723-08:00Chocolate Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uwzcFmXnI/AAAAAAAAAGU/7cSJOJGh3Uc/s1600-h/IMG_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uwzcFmXnI/AAAAAAAAAGU/7cSJOJGh3Uc/s320/IMG_0187.JPG" /></a></div>Wipe that grimace of disgust off your face! Would I really be posting this recipe if it was gross? I assure you I am 100% anti-mayonnaise. I think it is the most disgusting supposedly edible substance you could ever put in your mouth. I can't even stand to be near a jar unless it is completely sealed, with no crusty or quivering mayo creeping over the edges (ugggh shiver of disgust). I practically had to don a biohazard suit to prepare this recipe, but I was determined to conquer the mayo cake!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uvzSEKuHI/AAAAAAAAAGE/vor-1PQln4Q/s1600-h/IMG_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uvzSEKuHI/AAAAAAAAAGE/vor-1PQln4Q/s320/IMG_0171.JPG" /></a>If I hate mayonnaise so much, you ask, why did I feel compelled to spend hours ruining a cake with it? (Not so fast, the cake is damn good). Pure, morbid curiosity. I've never been able to resist the urge to teeter out onto the culinary limb. Normal is boring, as I always say! This recipe really isn't all that "out-there," though. Unsubstantiated sources tell me that this cake is some kind of Southern favorite (Southerners, correct me if I'm wrong). Others claim it is a throwback to the depression era (when people couldn't afford butter, but had plenty of sugar, chocolate, and eggs? Hm, sounds fishy...). Whatever the origins of mayo-cake may be, the Internet is rife with recipes for it. Several recipes even call for a chocolate-mayo frosting, but I drew the line there. While I managed to wrap my mind around the idea of mayo in a cake (it's just oil and eggs, juuuussst oil and eggs. Every cake has a variation of oil and eggs! Plus, the oven cooks it alllll away) thinking about globs of raw mayo, wiggling and jiggling on top of the cake, gave me the willies. Oh god, that is just revolting. I'm going to gag. Let's change the subject - back to delicious cake! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uwN6pwKPI/AAAAAAAAAGM/iHyr2IU5cXA/s1600-h/IMG_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uwN6pwKPI/AAAAAAAAAGM/iHyr2IU5cXA/s320/IMG_0170.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uyV7Z2r7I/AAAAAAAAAGs/DQPxU7kF0v4/s1600-h/IMG_0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uyV7Z2r7I/AAAAAAAAAGs/DQPxU7kF0v4/s320/IMG_0178.JPG" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chocolate and mayo... match made in Heaven?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The worst thing about making this cake was that I repeatedly had to remind myself NOT to lick the batter off the spoon. HORROR! I cannot begin to tell you how grossed out I would be if I ate raw mayo mixed with chocolate and sugar. Barf. That being said, a good cook tastes her food along the way to learn about the flavors that make up the final product, so I will admit that I took a tentative, <i>minuscule </i>lick (more of a poke with the tip of my tongue, really) off the end of my spatula after I'd poured the batter into the pans. And it wasn't horrible! It tasted like regular chocolate cake batter, and the batter actually looked really appetizing. It was smooth and glossy, and deeply chocolaty. MMMM I wish it hadn't had mayonnaise in it so I could've licked the bowl!!!! Even though the batter tasted fine, I wasn't willing to risk accidental consumption of unmodified mayo. I'm was sure that a sinister, unmixed mayo-blob lurked somewhere in the dark folds of the batter, waiting to ambush my tongue. Shudder!!! Besides, I knew I would consume enough frosting and ganache to make up for lost batter. It took every iota of my willpower to avoid gobbling up the frosting like chocolate pudding. <br />
<br />
Don't be fooled by the gloppy, attack-of-the-blob appearance of the partially completed cake. The gloppy, globby mess gets more recognizable with every step of the recipe, and then... viola! The sleek slice. The masterpiece! The ugly mayo duckling becomes a delicious chocolate swan. Of course, I had to trick my sister and roommate into eating this devilish dessert ("What? No, I have no idea who put an empty bottle of mayonnaise in the trash with the empty box of sugar, chocolate chip package, and butter wrappers. How peculiar..."), and I'm strategically posting this AFTER they've succumbed, muah haha! And succumb they did. They salivated and watched eagerly as I cut the cake's chocolate cloak. They oohed and ahhhed at the superior moist interior, the glossy frosting, and the gown of ganache. They fell upon their unctuous confections and the room lapsed into silence, punctuated only by an occasional, blissful, "mmmmmmmm." No other "M" word was mentioned.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uy3hBnI-I/AAAAAAAAAG0/aOODuarlGgc/s1600-h/IMG_0189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uy3hBnI-I/AAAAAAAAAG0/aOODuarlGgc/s320/IMG_0189.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Bottom line: the cake was a happy accident, and I will definitely make it again. In fact, it was one of the best chocolate cakes I've made! The sea-salt sweetness of the butter frosting is a perfect counterpoint to the bittersweet ganache, and that moist, dark mayo-cake holds its own. I know which recipe I'm making next time someone wants chocolate cake! (You just made a mental note to yourself not to ask me for chocolate cake, didn't you? Mistake!!! It's sooo delicious I promise).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uvmMmLenI/AAAAAAAAAF8/C1WmxIXOgMQ/s1600-h/IMG_0192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uvmMmLenI/AAAAAAAAAF8/C1WmxIXOgMQ/s320/IMG_0192.JPG" /></a></div><u>For the cake:</u><br />
2 c. all purpose flour<br />
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
1 1/4 t. baking soda<br />
1/4 t. baking powder<br />
1 1/3 c. sugar<br />
1/3 c. dark brown sugar, packed<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 t. vanilla<br />
1 cup of wiggling jiggling disgusting mayonnaise<br />
1 1/4 c. water<br />
1 T. brandy<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter two 8 in pans (or two 9-in pans) and dust with flour. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat the white and brown sugars together with the eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the whole cup of mayo, and beat until incorporated. In a small bowl, stir together the water and brandy. Alternate adding the flour-mixture and the water-mixture to the egg batter, starting and ending with the flour-mixture. Pour batter into pans and bake 30-35 min, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool 10 minutes, remove from pans, and cool completely.<br />
<br />
While the cake cools, make the ganache.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uzKJqCFMI/AAAAAAAAAG8/_ZZwhtXxAKs/s1600-h/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3uzKJqCFMI/AAAAAAAAAG8/_ZZwhtXxAKs/s200/IMG_0172.JPG" width="200" /></a><u>Ganache</u><br />
1 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream<br />
12 oz bittersweet chocolate chips<br />
<br />
Combine the chocolate and the cream in a saucepan. Stir continuously over low heat until melted and glossy. Set aside to cool, and start the butter frosting.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>Butter Frosting</u><br />
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened<br />
Sea salt or other coarse salt (I had a sea salt grinder, and used a turn's worth of salt)<br />
2 c. powdered sugar<br />
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips<br />
<br />
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (or place in a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water if you lead an inconveniently microwaveless life like me). Allow the chocolate to cool to room temperature before continuing. Whip the butter, salt, and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate and whip until incorporated.<br />
<br />
Get ready to assemble! We're going to be pouring chocolate over the cake. This can be kind of tricky if you don't have the right tools, but soldier on with your make-shift setup and you'll be fine. If you have one, place a metal cooling rack inside a cookie sheet with raised sides. If you have neither, try to find something else that will prevent your table from getting covered in chocolate. I covered the bottom of a brownie pan with tinfoil, and then put a tinfoil "wall" all around the pan to catch the chocolate ooze. Put one cake round on your cooling rack/brownie pan setup. Frost the top and the sides of the cake round with butter frosting. Top with the other cake round, and use the rest of the butter frosting to cover the cake. Put the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes to let the frosting set.<br />
<br />
Remove the cake from the fridge. Stir the ganache to break up any skin that has formed, and heat briefly if necessary. The ganache should be at room temperature, and should have the consistency of loose pudding. Pour about half of the ganache over the cake, letting it ooze over the top and down the sides. Use a spatula to guide the ganache over as much of the cake as possible. Slowly pour the remaining ganache over the cake, again letting it ooze its way down the sides. Gently smooth the top with your spatula to coax the ganache to drip and drizzle in attractive drops down the sides of the cake. Set the whole shebang in the fridge and let it set for 20 minutes more. Remove from the fridge and use the biggest metal spatula you can find to lift the cake off of the cooling rack/brownie pan, and set it on a plate. Decorate with something pretty (all they had at Whole Foods was a bag of sub-par caramel hearts. Next time I'm getting Lindt truffles and cutting them in half, and putting truffle halves around the border). Mmmmmmmayonnaise!!!<br />
<u> </u>Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-25177666157756474252010-02-11T17:51:00.000-08:002010-02-11T17:54:07.002-08:00Blueberry Muffin Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3PGvsviP2I/AAAAAAAAAF0/y-Gao4leSik/s1600-h/blueberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S3PGvsviP2I/AAAAAAAAAF0/y-Gao4leSik/s320/blueberry.jpg" /></a></div>Blueberry Muffin Bread: A Cinderella Story. Once upon a time, there was a man who hated butter. (Insert screeching-to-a-halt noise). Rewind! Repeat! Hates <i>butter</i>? Who could possibly hate butter? That was my reaction. Apparently, along with the small minority of strange people who hate chocolate and cheese, there are those who detest the rich, fatty-glory that is butter. My depositions professor is one of those misguided souls (He also hates cheese!!! Gasp!). His casual utterance of this fact shocked me, and I was sure I had misheard him. He might as well have said, "I hate kittens and butterflies! I hate summertime and popsicles! I'll have some delicious cake, but hold the delicious."<br />
<br />
I rationalized that perhaps he has a health-conscious outlook on life, but Prof. seems like a decidedly straightforward person. He would have said, "I love butter but I choose cardboard." Plus, he seems more into burgers than beer tofu and acai. I decided I needed to bake something and bring it to class to test his exaggeration factor. Something nice and buttery... Cookies!<br />
<br />
So... obviously, the title of this post is NOT "buttery cookies." I did start out with a cookie recipe, though unbeknownst to me it was the WORST cookie recipe EVER. I should have known that the ill-fated cookie recipe (Grandma's sour cream delights or something of the sort) was a dud. The cookies looked plain and buscuit-like in the photo, and the recipe suggested I spread them with jam - obviously to distract the eater from the fact that they have no flavor. I moved on in search of something more promising, but alas, I could find no other cookies calling for the sour cream (with its fast approaching "use by" date) in my fridge. Being a stubborn person, I proceeded to bake Granny's questionable cookies instead of opting for a more fitting pastry genre (sour cream coffee cake, duh). After whipping up the dough (yum!), I put a small batch in the over, and popped the rest in the fridge to wait its turn. Fast forward ten minutes. Pull cookies from oven. Remove from sheet. Bite into piping hot... blandness? Another bite to make sure... Dang it!!!!. Dry, stiff, bland, gross. No cookies for depos class. No cookies going to the ball (to carry the strained Cinderella metaphor). Maybe Granny was senile and penned the wrong recipe to poor grandchild. Or maybe her taste buds departed with her youth (what's the grand-kid's excuse?). Whatever the reason, I now had a huge bowl of dough languishing in my fridge. But I wasn't ready to admit defeat! <br />
<br />
I turned to Paula Deen for help. Drawling, y'all-ing Paula Deen is the queen of all things gooey, decadent, and BUTTERY. She kind of looks like a fairy-godmother... If anyone could've save my withered sand-pucks, it was her. Sure enough, a recipe for Paula's pound cake inspired me to doctor my dough. With just two cups of sugar and four more eggs I had a cure. Despite over-mixing (cardinal baking sin!), random extra ingredients, and a highly unorthodox preparation, my dough metamorphosed into a fluffy, sugar-crusted, blueberry studded treat! Glamorous! (For a realistic idea of the results, picture Duncan Hines blueberry muffins in loaf shape). Although I can now live Happily Ever After, my muffin bread, sadly, will not get to go to the ball (i.e. depos class). Too hard to serve and other plausible excuses. I'm eatin' the whoooole thing!<br />
<br />
<u>Blueberry Muffin Bread</u><br />
<br />
3 c. sugar<br />
1 c. softened butter<br />
1 T. vanilla<br />
1 c. sour cream<br />
6 eggs<br />
3.5 c. flour<br />
1 t. salt<br />
3/4 t. baking soda<br />
3/4 c. fresh or frozen blueberries (I used about a handful of frozen wild blueberries)<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 325. Butter two loaf pans or one 10-c. tube pan, dust with flour. Cream the butter and sugar, and then mix in the sour cream, vanilla and eggs until well blended. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries (avoid mashing unless you want ugly gray bread). Pour into pan(s) and bake 1 hr and 20 min, or until dark-golden. A knife inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-57845581168602060112010-01-27T00:50:00.000-08:002010-01-27T00:54:48.906-08:00Avocado Chocolate Chip Quick-bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_7d1nl1lI/AAAAAAAAAFE/F2BywWe6_kA/s1600-h/avo-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_7d1nl1lI/AAAAAAAAAFE/F2BywWe6_kA/s320/avo-3.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
The (future) avocato experiments with avocado! Plenty of naysayers attempted to stifle my creative inspiration, and claimed my half-baked plan would birth the Frankenstein of breakfast breads. Oh ye of little faith! When was the last time I baked something inedible? That's what I thought. Much like the misunderstood monster, my Franken-bread isn't a looker like it's tall, golden, banana blessed cousin. It has a greenish cast and a sunken middle, but its physical imperfections conceal a soft, tender crumb, gilded with gooey chocolate. If we can accept and adore carrot cake and zucchini bread why not avocado quick-bread? The avocado can hold its own against the garish carrot or tedious zucchini any day. Like the banana (the familiar and celebrated star of America's favorite quick-bread) the avocado is mild, creamy, buttery, and slightly sweet. The avocado likes to associate with vegetables, but it is a fruit (well, according to <a href="http://ucavo.ucr.edu/General/FruitBerry.html">University of California's Avocado Information page</a> it's a very large berry...), and it's high time the avocado joined the ranks of other fruits in breakfast and dessert recipes! And I'm not just talking about the garnish on huevos rancheros. I do have to admit that I don't envision myself making avocado cobbler anytime soon so maybe we can just ignore the Avocado Information page and pretend an avocado is not a berry. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_7oruLEqI/AAAAAAAAAFM/0ly1r4RNHN0/s1600-h/avo-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_7oruLEqI/AAAAAAAAAFM/0ly1r4RNHN0/s320/avo-4.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Obscure Avocado<br />
</div><br />
The more I thought about the similarities between avocados and bananas, the more obsessed I became with concocting an "avocadoey" version of banana bread. My original plan was to bake my favorite banana bread recipe and substitute an equal amount of avocado for the banana. It hadn't even occurred to me that there might be a legitimate avocado quick-bread recipe out there already! Turns out there are quite a few, so I decided to conduct a taste-test bake-off: My recipe v. the Internet! In the end I adapted both recipes to fit my own specifications, so I'm taking full credit for the deliciousness of either result, and blaming any failures on inherent flaws in the pre-adapted recipes (obviously, ha ha). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_76CP0vjI/AAAAAAAAAFU/uxHyCci6-mQ/s1600-h/avo-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_76CP0vjI/AAAAAAAAAFU/uxHyCci6-mQ/s320/avo-9.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_8EyJRUVI/AAAAAAAAAFc/xXAoCnw0jm8/s1600-h/avo-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_8EyJRUVI/AAAAAAAAAFc/xXAoCnw0jm8/s320/avo-7.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Battling breads<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_8OJ-NjnI/AAAAAAAAAFk/71kKgA9n7tQ/s1600-h/avo-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_8OJ-NjnI/AAAAAAAAAFk/71kKgA9n7tQ/s320/avo-2.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
My banana bread adaptation wasn't as pretty as the "real" avocado bread, but I liked it better. The taste volunteers couldn't agree on a hands-down winner, so I'm posting both versions. Both were admittedly... different. But really yummy! We should all know by now that "different" is not a synonym for "bad." So get over your prejudice against avocado desserts, and give one of these recipes a try. If you can't bring yourself to serve Franken-bread at your afternoon book club meeting, you could wait until Halloween. Its oddball color and unconventional flavor will blend in with the other kooky treats, and you can pass yourself off as festive instead of freakish - next to all the other ghoulish goodies, no one will notice your misbegotten monster.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_8ZzDGk_I/AAAAAAAAAFs/FbCxh0VTUGE/s1600-h/avo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1_8ZzDGk_I/AAAAAAAAAFs/FbCxh0VTUGE/s320/avo-1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<u>Avocado Chocolate Chip Quick-bread I (Banana bread adaptation)</u>:<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour one loaf pan. <br />
<br />
Cream 1 c. sugar with 1/2 c. softened butter. Add two eggs and mix well. In a separate bowl, stir together 1 and 1/4 c. flour, 1 t. baking soda, and 1/2 t. salt. Add 1 1/2 c. mashed avocado to the egg mixture and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips. Pour batter into greased pan and bake until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean (1 hr- 1.5 hrs).<br />
<br />
<u>Avocado Chocolate Chip Quick-bread II (spiced version)</u>:<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour one loaf pan.<br />
<br />
Cream 1 c. sugar with 1/4 c. softened butter. Add two eggs and mix well. In a separate bowl, stir together 1 and 1/3c. flour, 1 t. baking soda, 1/2 t. baking powder, 1/2 t. salt, 1/2 t. cinnamon, and 1/2 t. allspice. Add 1 and 1/2 c. mashed avocado and 1/4 c. buttermilk to the egg mixture. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips. Pour batter into greased pan and bake until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean (1 hr - 1.25 hrs).<br />
<br />
Don't knock it 'till you've tried it!Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-81909107291385837112010-01-24T20:15:00.000-08:002010-01-24T20:18:54.334-08:00Delicious Snack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S10YLKmY-mI/AAAAAAAAAE8/vDFOgRPcnNU/s1600-h/IMG_0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S10YLKmY-mI/AAAAAAAAAE8/vDFOgRPcnNU/s320/IMG_0058.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ciabatta Ricotta Burrata Nutella Dulce Grilled Sandwich. <br />
</div><br />
That was too long for the post title. I tend to focus my posts on baking and dessert, and this delicious snack (ok, it was really my dinner) fits neither of those categories, but it weaseled its way in after my sister heard the tantalizing sizzle of butter in the pan, caught me licking a golden drop of dulce off my finger, and asked what I was making. I got halfway through the description of my meal ("Ciabatta ricotta burrata nutella...") before my voice trailed of sheepishly and I realized I had crossed the line of food-weirdness. Her mouth dropped in disbelief and her eyes devoured the crusty, oozing, buttered sandwich as I carried it to my seat. "Can I have a bite?" She asked hopefully. At that moment I knew my mad-hatter recipe had to go on the blog so the world could indulge in my hedonistic treat. <br />
<br />
This glorified grilled cheese sandwich will only work with top-quality ingredients, which I suggest you obtain from a good Italian deli. I am lucky enough to live a hop-skip-and a jump away from <a href="http://www.baycitiesitaliandeli.com/">Bay Cities Deli</a> - the Willy Wonka of Italian delis. My favorite snack ever is a torn chunk of hot Bay Cities bread, slathered with dulce de leche and topped with gooey burrata or fluffy ricotta. I was inspired by a recent streak of grilled cheese dinners to transform my regular impromptu snack into a respectable sandwich (although I admit that a sandwich filled with chocolate and caramel sounds more frivolous than respectable...), melted and griddled to perfection. If you live anywhere in West L.A. and have not yet sampled the fresh cheeses and breads from Bay Cities, or their marvelous sandwiches, you're deprived and I feel sorry for you. <br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients</u><i> </i><br />
<br />
1 loaf of freshly baked ciabatta bread<br />
1 jar Nutella<br />
1 jar dulce de leche<br />
1 tub fresh ricotta cheese<br />
1 tub of burrata <br />
2 tsp. butter<br />
(obviously you won't need the whole loaf/jar/tub of each of these ingredients... or maybe you will!)<br />
<br />
Saw off a large hunk of ciabatta, and split down the middle to form a future sandwich. Spread your desired amount of ricotta on one half of the bread, and top with burrata. Remember, the burrata and ricotta are going to melt out the sides of the sandwich, so go easy! On the other half of the bread, spread a thick layer of Nutella, and top with a thick layer of dulce de leche. Press the Nutella-dulce half down on top of the cheesy half. Heat the butter in the frying pan until it sizzles and bubbles, then press the sandwich into the golden butter-foam. Grill on medium-low until the cheese melts and the sandwich is heated through. I cheated and used the toaster oven after a few minutes to get mine really toasty, but for the more patient folk, covering the frying pan will help trap the heat and get your delicious snack ready lickety-split.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-29921217947813352562010-01-23T18:21:00.001-08:002010-01-23T18:28:46.440-08:00Lemony Pound Cake Doom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1uuYMnJF7I/AAAAAAAAAEs/15vLFcfeHRk/s1600-h/lemon-doom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1uuYMnJF7I/AAAAAAAAAEs/15vLFcfeHRk/s320/lemon-doom.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Cake is a dangerous thing. This cake is pure evil. Like an ancient Latin manuscript that invokes demons when unearthed, my friend and I came upon this recipe buried amidst equally intriguing blogged recipes. It once occupied an honored place amongst the glossy pages of Rose's Heavenly Cakes, but this fallen angel has been warped and adapted into the cake Siren. Warm from the oven, golden and piquant, soft, and irresistibly moist... you will be doomed.<br />
<br />
My equally food-obsessed friend and I concocted this recipe in conjunction with a recipe for lemon meringue pie, and the evilness of the cake recipe asserted itself even before we began baking! Some malevolent hand guided us to pick a horrible pie recipe involving corn starch (as a bona fide foodie, I am ashamed to admit I made a custard pie containing cornstarch), and NO SUGAR. Somehow, probably because we were distracted by the evil pound cake recipe, we failed to notice that the pie filling contained not one iota of sugar. We baked the entire pie, and only noticed when we sampled our creation that something had gone horribly wrong. It might've made a nice sauce for a chicken dinner, but under a mound of meringue it was just plain gross. The lemon pound cake obviously stole the show. If cakes could cackle, ours would have.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1uujyoS7aI/AAAAAAAAAE0/bS7soSRNgjM/s1600-h/incantation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1uujyoS7aI/AAAAAAAAAE0/bS7soSRNgjM/s320/incantation.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Naked Lemons<br />
</div><br />
<u>Cake Ingredients</u><br />
<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 egg yolk<br />
3/4 c. sour cream, plus one T. sour cream<br />
2t. vanilla<br />
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1 1/4 c. sugar<br />
1 1/2 t. baking powder<br />
1/2 t. baking soda<br />
1/2 t. salt<br />
2 T. lemon zest<br />
14 T. unsalted butter, softened<br />
<br />
<u>Lemon Topping</u><br />
<br />
1/2 c. sugar<br />
6 T. lemon juice<br />
<br />
Butter and lightly flour 10 c. tube or bundt pan. Preheat the oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, 1/4 c. of the sour cream, and the vanilla. In a separate, larger bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the butter and remaining sour cream, mixing on low speed until just moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffier. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce mixing speed to low, and add half of the egg mixture, beating until incorporated. Add the rest of the egg mixture, and beat on low until incorporated. Spread the batter evenly into the pan, and bake for 45-55 min. The cake is done when a knife inserted in it's center comes out clean. Meanwhile, make the lemon topping:<br />
<br />
In a small saucepan, mix the lemon juice and sugar over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Do not allow the mixture to boil. When the cake comes out of the oven, skewer it or stab it all over with a knife (sounds so evil!) and drizzle with half of the lemon topping (ouch! lemon on stab wounds!). Unmold the cake (using a springform mold came in handy- no need to wait for it to cool!) and drizzle with the remaining syrup. Torture yourself by waiting until the cake is cool enough to handle, or devour the steaming cake immediately and sacrifice your tongue and lips for its melting texture.Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-10427973135303665732010-01-19T13:00:00.000-08:002010-01-19T13:02:36.036-08:00Butter<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1YcjYf-WMI/AAAAAAAAAEU/BJR5bzaWvIQ/s1600-h/blog-butter-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1YcjYf-WMI/AAAAAAAAAEU/BJR5bzaWvIQ/s320/blog-butter-2.jpg" /></a>When I was in kindergarten our class made butter from scratch. We took turns churning heavy cream throughout the class period until the cream became thick, and we spread it on graham crackers for snack time. Now that I've actually made butter from scratch, I realize that the kindergarten concoction was really over-whipped cream, but the memory of eating our own creamy creation has stayed with me and inspired me to try the real deal! This recipe is a great way to use up that extra whipping cream sitting in your fridge. Supposedly you can use cream that has begun to turn, but I think that sounds kind of gross and I recommend using delicious fresh cream. There is something satisfying about crafting basic ingredients by hand. I like to get carried away and imagine life as a local dairy farmer churning out fresh butter and specialty cheeses to sell to foodies around the world! Luckily, you don't have to be a dairy farmer to make your own butter (or your own cheese, but that will be a future post). Read on!<br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
<br />
Heavy cream (any amount - I used about a cup)<br />
Ice water (for washing)<br />
1/4 t. salt per cup of heavy cream (if you want salted butter)<br />
<br />
<u>Beat That Butter!</u><br />
<u> </u><br />
Place the heavy cream in a bowl and whip on high speed. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer, but if you have one I recommend using the stand mixer with a splash guard. I only had a hand mixer, so I enlisted a volunteer to hold a towel around the bowl to prevent the cream from flying all over me and my kitchen. Keep whipping the cream. Keeeeep whipping.... The cream will pass soft peaks, firm peaks, curdled stage....keep it up... At between five and ten minutes the cream will "break," i.e. it will separate into a solid and a liquid: butter and buttermilk! Whip a minute or so past the break, and then take a spatula and press the butter into one large ball. Squish it against the side of the bowl to remove as much buttermilk as possible, and then carefully pour the buttermilk into a separate container (save for use in pancakes!). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1Yc5_vxNII/AAAAAAAAAEc/QnA-OHzodDw/s1600-h/blog-butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/S1Yc5_vxNII/AAAAAAAAAEc/QnA-OHzodDw/s200/blog-butter.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Now you need to wash the butter to remove the rest of the buttermilk residue. You can eat the butter without washing it, but it will last much longer if you follow this washing procedure: pour some ice water into the butter, and mix on high speed for a minute. The water will become cloudy. Pour the cloudy water down the sink and repeat until the water is relatively clear. Squish the butter to get as much water out as you can, pour it off, and add the salt. Mix on low speed to incorporate. Viola! Fresh salted butter for your butter crock!Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7617457259241253602.post-50687620929498375352009-10-31T16:43:00.006-07:002010-01-16T17:51:20.879-08:00Coconut Cream Meringue Cake<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/SuzYAEBsTtI/AAAAAAAAAEE/9CJisngu2vw/s1600-h/cake-sliced.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_595bZcm2mxQ/SuzYAEBsTtI/AAAAAAAAAEE/9CJisngu2vw/s320/cake-sliced.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398927548902821586" border="0" /></a><br />Ahhh the taste of success. It's really the cake that tastes so wonderful, but it's always nice to make a slam dunk after a horrible failure. Thank you <a href="http://www.finecooking.com/">Fine Cooking</a>! Fine Cooking is officially my new favorite food magazine. Ok, that's a lie, Fine Cooking has been at the top of my list for quite awhile. They won me over with their big glossy pictures, and backed up their photo skills with superb recipes. This is one of those recipes. The picture in the magazine is a little better than mine, but I wanted to give you the "real thing," not some gussied up Styrofoam frosted with shaving cream (I'm on to you Fine Cooking! No way those gorgeous pictures are real. Next thing you know people are going to start claiming that no airbrushes ever touched those photo-captured fashion models).<br /><br />This cake has the "Wow" factor in every respect: three fat layers, moist from sinful amounts of butter and sour cream, are buoyed on puddles of custard that has been stuffed with fluffy coconut and lightened with clouds of whipped cream. Then the whole shebang is smothered with enough meringue to kill a diabetic. I should know. THEN, the meringue is caramelized with the handy kitchen-torch I'm sure all of you have lying around in your kitchens. If you don't own a kitchen blow torch you should probably get one. Even if you only use it one time, to make this cake, it will be worth it (provided you don't somehow screw up the cake before you get to the torching).<br /><br />In the interest of full disclosure, let me say that this is not a trivial recipe. In addition to a beautiful, miraculously good cake, I ended up with cramped hands, sore arms, seven-thousand dirty bowls, and a kitchen splattered with egg whites and whipping cream. Not to mention I felt ill after nibbling cake batter and frosting for 3 hours. But don't let me dissuade you! The cake is freakin' delicious.<br /><br />One more tip: not a good idea to put a roll of paper towels behind the cake while caramelize the meringue. Aiming flame thrower at flammable objects = bad.<br /><br />Cake:<br />2 sticks unsalted butter, softened<br />13.5 oz all-purpose flour (3 c. for those of you without baking scales)<br />4 t. baking powder<br />1/2 t. kosher salt<br />1 c. coconut milk (shake well, room temp)<br />1 T. vanilla<br />2 c. sugar<br />2 large eggs at room temp<br />6 large egg whites at room temp (don't throw away the yolks! save 3)<br />2/3 c. sour cream<br /><br />Coconut Filling:<br />2 c. heavy cream<br />3 large egg yolks<br />3/4 c. sugar<br />2 T. flour<br />1 c. sweetened flaked coconut<br />2 T. unsalted butter<br />1 T. vanilla<br />pinch of kosher salt<br /><br />Meringue:<br />3 c. sugar<br />1.5 c. egg whites (about ten large) at room temp<br /><br />Make Cake:<br />Preheat the oven to 350. Butter three cake pans and line with parchment. Butter the parchment. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.<br /><br />In a 1 c. measure, mix the coconut milk and vanilla.<br /><br />Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl and add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat slowly to incorporate. Add half the coconut milk and beat to incorporate. Alternate adding flour and coconut milk, beating after each addition to incorporate, and ending with the flour. Beat in the sour cream.<br /><br />In a clean bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks (lift out the beaters and the whites should droop a little off the ends). Dollop some egg whites into the batter and stir to loosen. Fold remaining whites into the batter gently. Divide batter between three pans and bake 25-30 minutes. A toothpick poked into the center should come out clean. Now, the recipe instructs you to position the pans so that two are on the top rack and one is on the lower rack, and no pan is directly over another. This sounds like a bunch of hooey to me, but do it just in case.<br /><br />Make the Filling:<br />In a medium bowl, whisk yolks with 1.5 c. of the cream. In a medium saucepan, combine the yolk mixture with the flour and sugar. Cook over medium heat, whisking continually, until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cooking, whisking, for 8-10 minutes. The mixture should achieve a pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut, vanilla, and butter. Allow to cool to room temp. Whip the remaining half cup cream into soft peaks and fold into the cooled pudding.<br /><br />Make the Meringue:<br />Set a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, and whisk the egg whites with the sugar until the sugar melts completely, 3-4 min. Rub the mixture between your fingertips to ensure complete melting. Transfer the mixture to a cool bowl and beat on low speed until the mixture becomes opaque and thickens, 4 min. Raise speed to medium and beat the mixture to barely-soft peaks. Increase speed to high and whip the mixture until thick and glossy. Peaks should stand up and curl slightly when the beater is lifted. This should take another 4 min or so.<br /><br />To assemble, unmold the cakes and sandwich half the filling between two layers. Add the rest of the filling to the top layer, and place the third layer over it. Don't forget to remove the parchment. Mound the meringue on the cake. You do not need to use all of it! Dollop gobs here and there and spread it to cover the cake completely, then pile a little more in the center for good measure. You'll probably use about a third, but if you really want to you can use all of it. I just prefer to have a few crumbs of cake with my meringue.<br /><br />To make the fancy little spikes on the cake, dip your fingers into the meringue and lift. Poke the cake all over until it's crazy looking.<br /><br />Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue by holding the torch a few inches from its surface and guiding the flame around the cake until it is browned to your liking.<br /><br />Invite 10 people over to help you eat it because it won't keep very well! Nothing worse than slimy second-day meringue! Ok, another lie. I ate two pieces the second day. But I don't recommend refrigerating leftovers (cardinal cake sin), and since the whole thing is made of eggs I wouldn't advise keeping it too long. Shouldn't be a big problem!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Lilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072736297186416778noreply@blogger.com0