S'mores Cupcakes

With sunny days and barbecues just around the corner, marshmallow and chocolate was on my mind.  

Crunchy, buttery graham crust (which I admittedly ate by the spoonful right out of the bowl...) was layered underneath moist chocolate cake with pockets of melted chocolate.  And of course, crowning the top, the star of the show, marshmallow!  I got to use the torch, always a plus.  Fire throwing!

They were so cute!  Even Shelby, who forever despises chocolate, appreciated these.  The chocolate is rich, but not bitter-dark.  Sweetly reminiscent of the Hershey bars commonly used in s'mores, but better.

And the torch, oh my, that thing is a beast.  Six inches of blue flame, I felt like a super-hero, fire butterfly or something... yeah

It makes the decoration a snap, just pipe on the marshmallow, run the flame over it, and boom, you're done.  Easy, but impressive to those who don't know...

So, now you make them.  And send me pictures.  All that. 

For the graham crust:

1 sleeve graham crackers

1/4 - 1/2 cup melted butter

1/4 cup sugar

pinch salt

So, this is a guessing game, you gotta taste it to make it how you like it.  Some don't like super lots of butter, some do.  I do.  I used 1/2 cup.  You can use less, or even more!

Smash the grahams.  I do this in a big ziploc bag with a rolling pin.  Just put them in the bag, and roll over it until they are crushed.  

Mix with sugar and pinch of salt, and stir in butter until it is how you like it.  I like mine to hold together when compressed.  But since it is going on the bottom of cake, it doesn't really have to.  

OK, so now you have the crust mixture, press it into the bottom of your cupcake liners.  I made minis, you can obviously do as you like.  Minis are cute though, and I found that the graham bottom keeps them super moist.  My crust was 1/4 inch thick about. 

Set aside filled tins while you make cake batter.

For the batter:

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp cream + enough hot water to make 1 cup

1 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Oven at 350 degrees. Two regular sized muffin tins, lined or greased and floured. 

Beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy (two minutes? three?). 

While it is beating - sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. 

Back to the mixer, add in the eggs one at a time, beating after each until it is well mixed. Beat in the vanilla extract until just incorporated. 

Mix in half the flour mixture on medium speed. Then mix in the hot water/cream. Then the remaining flour mixture. Let it sit until slightly cooled. 

Meanwhile pulse the chocolate chips until chopped. When the batter has cooled slightly, stir in the chocolate. 

Put batter in muffin tins on top of graham crust, about a 1/4 cup in each for regular size, a tablespoon or so for minis. You know, just 3/4 of the way full or so.

Bake until toothpick comes out clean, but a few crumbs are ok. ((if they look done but the tester comes out completely gooey, you might have stuck it through a melted chocolate morsel, so try again)) Mine took about 10 minutes(minis) but all ovens are slightly different.

For the marshmallow:

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

2 tbsp water

pinch salt

1 egg white, room temperature

pinch cream of tartar

a bit of vanilla extract

Heat sugar, salt, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan until 240 degrees.  

Meanwhile, beat egg white and cream of tartar in a mixer, beat until soft peaks. 

Now, when your syrup in heated to 240, turn mixer to low and drizzle in a tiny bit of syrup.  When incorporated drizzle in the rest of the syrup in a slow stream.  Increase speed to medium or high, whip until marshmallow is stiff and shiny.  Add in vanilla and beat a little more.  

Now once your cupcakes are done you must LET THEM COOL.  Otherwise the marshmallow you pipe on with melt and run and it will be a mess.  

Once cooled, pipe on the marshmallow and quickly torch.  

Yay!  Done!  

Earl Gray Panna Cotta with Lemon Raspberry Sauce

It was sunny.  Tea seemed nice.  So did ice cream.  And pudding.  And popsicles.

This is what happened...

Earl gray infused panna cotta with raspberry sauce, and a hint of lemon, and lots of sunshine.

For the panna cotta:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or more of milk or cream but just 3 cups total, depends on how rich you want)
6 tbsp sugar (I used brown sugar, simply because it was what I had a lot of, I think regular would be better)
3-5 bags tea, I used earl gray
2 tsp gelatin, so 1 packet -1/4 tsp for the brand I used

Mix the milk and cream.  Heat 1 1/2 cups mixture and the sugar to just a simmer, add tea bags and let infuse for maybe 10-15 minutes.

Put other half cream/milk mixture in a bowl, sprinkle gelatin over it to bloom.  Then whisk!

Remove tea bags from milk/cream/sugar mixture.  Heat again to boiling, then whisk into the gelatin mixture to dissolve gelatin.  If it does not dissolve all gelatin, then heat the whole thing in a double boiler, whisking until dissolved.

Pour into molds, or ramekins.  I used a tea cake pan that had 12 spots, the mixture filled all 12, perfect!  I had leftover to fill 1 ramekin, too.

Let sit in refrigerator for at least 8 hours.  I just left mine overnight (it makes a good breakfast!)

To unmold use a towel and hot hot water.  I actually used a hairdryer a little bit, because the cake pan I used as a mold was super thick metal, so the hot water didn't get through the chill.  But on the ramekin the towel worked just fine.  If you're having trouble, run a knife around the outer edge, and with your hand on the panna cotta, jiggle it, you know, that made no sense...

Anyways, they are delicious!

For the raspberry sauce:
some raspberries, maybe 2 pints?
a lemon
some sugar
a bit of raspberry jam, seedless is good, not necessary though, just perhaps 1-2 tbsp
the leftover 1/4 tsp gelatin from above, or maybe more or less if you want

Puree raspberries.  Heat the puree in a pan with the jam.  Make it pretty hot, but not boiling or anything.

Taste it, add sugar to taste, remember there will be lemon too.  Let the sugar dissolve.  Stir.

Bloom gelatin in lemon juice.  Add to raspberry mixture.  Let melt and dissolve and all that.

Then let the whole thing cool.  If it is too thick, whisk in more lemon juice, or some simple syrup, depending on your tastes.

Serve the sauce over the panna cotta.  Garnish with mint or something, I didn't have anything pretty though...

(confession:  I ate mine right out of the mold for breakfast this morning...with leftover chocolate sauce... and the raspberry sauce...)

Caramelized Pear and Bacon Empanadas with Thyme Maple Syrup

Hello again.

It has been a while.  I've been busy busy busy with work (and play, but sadly most of that play has not been in the kitchen....) but last Wednesday I found time to make some lovely empanadas.  Now, it's up to you to decide whether they are better as an appetizer (a rather sweet one) or a dessert (not too sweet as far as desserts go)

Caramelized pears accented by fresh thyme, with a cornmeal bacon crust, drizzled with a syrup boasting the complex medley of sap and herb.

Maple and thyme is one of my favorite flavor combinations, and here a syrup of just those two ingredients lets their simple but complex flavor show through together.

Cornmeal Bacon Dough:
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup creme friache
1 tbsp butter, unsalted, melted and cooled
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
8 slices bacon
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup


Cut the bacon into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces, cook in a pan over high heat, when crisp add the brown sugar. Stir continuously for two minutes or until the pan is getting dry, then add the maple syrup. Cook, stirring, until bacon is caramelized and crisp. Remove bacon from pan using slotted spoon letting oil drip off, then spread bacon in a thin layer on a baking sheet or plate to cool. 


Proof yeast with sugar in 1/4 cup of the warm milk until foamy and yeast is doubling in size, about 5-10 minutes. 


Beat in remaining milk, egg and egg yolk, creme fraiche and butter. Stir in cooled bacon, making sure the little pieces aren't all stuck together. Mix in flour, cornmeal and salt and knead using the dough hook until a soft dough comes together. 


Turn out onto a board and knead with your hands, about four minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled bowl, turning dough to coat with a little oil, and let rise for 1 1/2 hours in a warm place or until doubled in size.


Pear Filling:
6 large firm pears
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
3 sprigs fresh thyme


Mix granulated sugar with brown sugar, set aside. 


Remove cores and stems, and cut pears into rough 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with sugar mixture to coat.


Heat butter in a large heavy pan, cast iron works well. When hot and foaming, add sugared pears and 3 thyme sprigs. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is bubbling. Cook about 3-5 more minutes, and then pour off most of the liquid, leaving just a bit to coat the bottom of the pan and the pears. Pears should now brown easier, but keep stirring so they don't get stuck. When pears are starting to get soft, 2-3 more minutes, add the 2 tablespoons maple syrup and stir continuously until liquid has been cooked off. Remove from heat, place pears in a bowl and let cool.


Maple Thyme Syrup:
1 cup maple syrup
4-6 sprigs fresh thyme


Place 1 cup maple syrup with 4-6 sprigs thyme in a saucepan. 


Four sprigs makes for a medium sauce, while six will be quite strong. 


Bring to a boil, and let boil gently for three minutes. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit for at least an hour. 


Strain out thyme, and refrigerate syrup.


Asssembly:
Cornmeal Bacon Dough
Pear Filling
Maple Thyme Syrup
1 egg
a few springs thyme


Oven at 450 degrees. 


Punch down dough, and roll out to 1/8 inch thick. 


Cut into circles, any size will work, whatever size cutter you have handy, I find 4-6 inch circles easiest to work with though. 


Spoon filling into center, be sure to squeeze out extra liquid before placing it on dough. A little less then 1/4 cup filling seemed to work well for mine, you want them plump but not to the point to exploding. 


Moisten edges of dough slightly, and press closed firmly with your fingers, then use a fork to crimp the edges. 


Arrange empanadas about 2 inches apart on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Beat egg with 1 tbsp water, and brush on tops of empanadas. Sprinkle with thyme leaves, just a few. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until golden.


Serve warm, and drizzle with thyme maple syrup. Also, some extra syrup in the side is good for dipping.

Brown Bread with Kumquat Butter

It's raining, Annie.

A beautifully rainy and cloudy day, the perfect weather for a steamed up kitchen window.  A hearty, slightly sweet loaf of rustic bread?  I think so.

Things have been hectic, I haven't had the time in the kitchen lately to give birth to my thoughts, and therefore they have been dashing around my head preventing me from doing pretty much anything.  I figured I should fix the whole fiasco before it got too late!

Brown bread with a hint of molasses, a generous amount of wheat germ, and lots of missing-you-for-weeks love packed in there.

This loaf is perfect sliced and toasted in the morning, or the afternoon, or pretty much whenever.  I made some kumquat butter to spread on it, but it really doesn't need it, though the citrus brightens up the dense wheat for sure.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups wheat germ

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp salted butter

2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup molasses

Oven at 350 degrees.  Place your baking sheet in to let it warm up.

Sift flours with baking soda and salt, whisk in wheat germ.  

Cut in butter with your fingers until there are no more chunks.  It should look sort of like cornmeal texture.  

Add molasses and 2 1/2 cups buttermilk.  Stir in until it is damp and dough like.  You may need more buttermilk, keep adding until it is right.  

Knead gently, and when it is a smooth lump, divide into as many loaves as you'd like.  I made two, and they were quite large.  

Once you have divided it into balls, cut an X on the top of each.  About 1/2-1 inch deep depending on how big your loaves are.  

Place on hot baking sheet, and put back in oven.  I made two loaves and baked them on the same pan, they took about 45-50 minutes.  Depending on the size of your loaf/loaves it may take as few as 25 minutes for quite a few small loaves, or a bit longer if you made one giant loaf.  

Once it is done let it cool for quite a while on a wire rack.  

I was too impatient, so I left to go rollerblading while I let mine cool.  ((Well, actually I broke off a piece to eat warm and then left.  But shhhh...))

Kumquat Butter

some butter

some kumquats

I use about half a stick of butter and maybe six kumquats.  Just take the zest or peel or whatever part you like, I used the peel.  Mix it into your softened butter.  Add salt or honey or both.  I also added the tiniest hint of cardamom, but I'm a sucker for spices, I throw them in everything, I just don't tell people...

Another Flower - Sugar Lily

Here is another gumpaste flower that I made in my spare time, a lily.  Again, apologies for the bad quality picture, but my camera has gone missing!

Maybe sometime I will do a tutorial for a flower...

Sugar Orchid

Hello all, I've been super busy and not cooking nearly as much as I'd like to be!

 I promise there are posts to come though, I have that culinary itch...

Today I did find time to make a few gumpaste flowers. Here is a picture of the orchid, it was taken on my phone though, in a dim room... so not the best quality. Believe me, it's much prettier in person...

Blackberry and Blood Orange Cake

Chocolate sour cream cake soaked with blood orange syrup, layered with semi-sweet ganache and vanilla pastry cream embedded with fresh blackberries, surrounded by piquant blood orange whipped cream and topped with a blackberry mirroir. 

Note: this cake takes a few days... I will explain my process using three days, with the cake being served on the third day in the evening, but you could spread it out over four days, or cut it down to two.

For the chocolate sour cream cake:
1/3 cup butter, unsalted, room temperature, in small pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped roughly, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup sour cream

Oven at 275 degrees.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x3 cake pan, line bottom with parchment.

Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder.  Set aside.

Start some water on the stove to boil, about 1 1/2 cups.

In a stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar until it gets really thick, maybe seven or so minutes.  Add the butter, and mix until smooth.  Add sour cream and mix again until smooth.  Mix in melted warm chocolate until fully incorporated.  Add the sifted ingredients, mix but be careful not too much.

Once your water is boiling, measure out 1 cup and add to batter, mix until smooth.  It will thin out quite a bit.

Pour batter into greased/lined pan.  There might be a bit too much batter, do not overfill your pan.  Bake until springy and a toothpick comes out clean.  Mine took around 70-75 minutes.  Watch carefully, it could be less or more.

Once done, allow to cool before unmolding.  Wrap in plastic until ready to use so it doesn't dry out.

I usually make this on the first day, so two days before serving.  Can be kept at room temperature.



To make blood orange concentrate (needed for the syrup and the whipped cream):

You will need fresh blood orange juice, about 3 cups, the amount of oranges needed to get the juice varies on how large/ripe your oranges are.  Reserve one orange for decor purposes.  Pour the juice into a saucepan, heat over medium heat until reduced to 1 cup.  Strain, and cool.

I usually make this on the first day.  Refrigerate until needed.




To make blood orange syrup:
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup blood orange concentrate (above)
1/3 cup water

Heat sugar and water to a boil, stirring a little.  Remove from heat, cool completely.  Stir in blood orange concentrate.

This is also made on the first day.  Refrigerate until needed.



To make the semi-sweet chocolate ganache:
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp rum

Put chocolate chips in a bowl, set aside.  Heat cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate.  Let sit for five minutes.  Then, use a spatula to stir gently until fully combined, shiny, and smooth.

Transfer to a food processor, add rum, and process to blend.  Allow to cool at room temperature.

I make this on the first day, and refrigerate until needed.  It will warm up very quickly in the microwave (be very careful not to overheat) or let it sit at room temperature for a few hours.



For the blood orange curd (needed to make the whipped cream):
1 gelatin sheet
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup blood orange concentrate (above)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup butter, unsalted, room temperature, in small pieces

Soften gelatin in 2 cups cool water, less than 5 minutes.  Proceed to the next bit, but when it has softened squeeze it out so it is ready for quick use.

Whisk eggs, egg yolks, sugar, blood orange concentrate, and lemon juice in a double boiler.  Whisk constantly until it thickens to a custard, 5-7 minutes.  Quickly whisk in the butter and remove from heat.  Whisk in the softened gelatin sheet.

Strain into a bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap pressed right onto the surface, and refrigerate.

I make this on the first day, too.  When ready to make whipped cream, use directly from the refrigerator. 

Vanilla pastry cream - step 1:
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
1/2 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp potato starch
1 tbsp  unsalted butter, room temperature

Heat cream, milk, and vanilla bean seeds to a boil.

While it is heating, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, and both starches.  When cream mixture has begun to boil, slowly pour it into egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly.  Pour all back into the saucepan, and cook, medium heat, whisking constantly, until it has thickened into a custard.   Strain into a bowl, and mix in the butter.

Cover with plastic wrap pressed onto surface, and cool in refrigerator.

This is made on day 1 also, use directly from refrigerator when ready.




Vanilla pastry cream - step 2:
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
4 gelatin sheets
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, small pieces
Vanilla Pastry Cream - step 1 (above)

Whip cream until medium-soft peaks form, hold in refrigerator.

Soften gelatin sheets in cool water for five minutes, squeeze out water, and melt gently in a small saucepan.

Place vanilla pastry cream step 1 in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat gently to loosen.  Add butter, mix until combined.  While machine is beating fast, pour in the melted gelatin in a slow stream.   Mix until smooth.  Take whipped cream out of refrigerator, and fold into pastry cream with a rubber spatula.

This step is for day 2, which is the day we will be assembling the cake, do not make this step any day but assembly day.




Blood orange whipped cream:
4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp sugar
blood orange curd (above)

Whip cream and sugar until stiff peaks.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in blood orange curd (it helps to loosen curd with a whisk before folding in) until well mixed and an even color throughout.  Do not over mix, it will make it weak.

This step is for day 2, which is the day we will be assembling the cake, do not make this step any day but assembly day.




Assembly:
1 9" chocolate sour cream cake
1 recipe blood orange syrup
1 recipe semi-sweet chocolate ganache
1 recipe blood orange whipped cream
1 recipe pastry cream
2 pints fresh blackberries, reserve the prettiest and largest for decor

You will also need a 10x4 or 10x5 removable bottom cake pan, 10x3 could work but your room to build upwards is limited with it.  In a pinch, springform will work, but not nearly as well.  Also, a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" or 1/2" tip (plain is good, but a star or whatever will work ok), this is not entirely necessary but makes things easier.

Place a ten inch cardboard cake round into the cake pan instead of the metal bottom.

Take your cooled cake, and using a long thin serrated knife level out the top.  Cut the leveled cake into three even layers.

Set aside 1 1/2 cups blood orange whipped cream.  Fill your pastry bag with the rest.

Place the first layer onto the cardboard round in the cake pan.  Center it nicely.  Drizzle or brush with a little less than 1/3 of the blood orange syrup.  Pipe the blood orange whipped  cream into the space between the edge of the cake and the pan. ((You will do this all the way up, therefore creating a smooth whipped cream outside to your cake.)) Spread about 1/3 of the ganache over the soaked cake layer, being careful not to get in into the outer layer of whipped cream.  On top of the ganache, spread a thick layer of pastry cream, but not more than 1/2 of the recipe.  Press the blackberries into the pastry cream in one layer, cut them in half if you'd like.  Now, again, pipe the whipped cream into the space on the side, making sure to fill it completely and not let any of the inside layers seep through.

Now place your second layer of cake in the pan, centering it well.  Soak with another 1/3 or less of the syrup.  Pipe whipped cream around the outer rim.  Spread with another 1/3 ganache, top with another thick layer pastry cream and more blackberries.

Now for the last layer of cake.  Center it in there.  Soak with syrup.  Pipe whipped cream around edge. Spread on ganache.  Pipe a little more around the edges. Now, we are going to use that 1 1/2 cups whipped cream we set aside to cover the top.  Being careful not to push ganache into the outer rim, spread whipped cream over the top of the cake, making a very smooth even top.

Tightly wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer overnight.

This assembly is done on the second day, the day before serving.  Since for my example, I am serving the cake in the evening, I will do tomorrow's steps in the morning so that the cake will have time to defrost for eight hours.  Be sure to think about defrost time, no one wants a frozen cake! (unless it's ice cream cake!)

Blackberry Miroir
8 ounce frozen blackberries
3 gelatin sheets
1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp glucose (may use light corn syrup if glucose is unavailable)
1/3 cup blackberry jam, strained (raspberry jam will work too, and result in a lighter color miroir)

Process the 1 cup frozen blackberries in a food processor until pureed.  Measure out 1/2 cup.

Soften gelatin in cool water, 5 minutes.

Heat puree, sugar, glucose, and jam in a saucepan, medium-high heat, bring to a boil.  Using a candy thermometer, heat until 220 degrees. Removes from heat.

Squeeze excess water form gelatin, and stir into berry mixture.  Heat again, about 2 minutes, over medium-high heat.

Strain, and let cool slightly.  Must be used while warm and liquid though.

Made on the third day in the morning, at least 10 hours before serving.


Finishing:
1 blackberry, large and pretty
1 blood orange, sliced into thin even slices
1 assembled cake, straight from the freezer
1 recipe blackberry miroir, still quite warm

Remove cake from freezer, and pour the warm blackberry miroir on the top of the cake.  Quickly swirl it around so the miroir reaches the sides of the pan and forms and even glassy top.

Return to freezer for an hour or so.

Now to unmold the cake, gently heat the sides with a hairdryer (a towel, soaked with hot water and rung out, pressed to the sides also works).  Don't get it too warm, just ever so slightly so it can slide out.   Once it can slide out, simply push the cardboard cake round up from the bottom so the cake slides out of the sides of the pan.  Viola!

If the whipped cream on the sides of your cake isn't completely smooth, you can smooth it out with an offset spatula, but it shouldn't need that.

Decorate as you wish with the orange slices and blackberry.  If your oranges are particularly juicy, or you're just worried about the miroir getting too mushy, either dry them out a bit on paper towels. or wait until it is time to display the cake to decorate it.  I arranged my slices in a spiral, and placed the blackberry in the middle, simple but elegant.  A toothpick works well to help the blackberry stand up.

Defrost cake for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator, and at least 1 hour right before serving at room temperature.  You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 16 hours, and at room temperature for up to 3 hours.

Finishing with the miroir must be done on the third, and final, day.  At least 9 hours before serving to give it plenty of time to defrost.  Other decorating can be done whenever.

Your cake is now ready to serve!  Remember to enjoy it after all that hard work!