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!

Saffron Pear Ice Cream

Rich saffron ice cream with a hint of pear is perfectly accented by a drizzle of dark chocolate ganache.

Ice cream:
1 cup milk
3/4 cup minus 2 tbsp sugar
2 cups heavy cream
7 egg yolks
1/2 vanilla bean
4-6 very ripe/juicy pears
large pinch saffron strands (up to 1 tsp, loosely packed, depending on the flavor intensity you're after)
pinch salt

Pour milk into a saucepan. Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the saucepan, and throw in scraped pod. Add the salt, sugar and saffron too.  Heat on low until almost simmering, then remove from heat and let sit for about an hour.

While it is sitting, skin the pears and cut them up into pieces, I find about 1inch pieces work well.  Heat the pears gently in a saucepan over low until they start to release more of their juice. (If you're scared of them sticking or burning which can happen if they aren't terribly juicy, add a tiny bit of water to the pan and proceed, you will just have to reduce it more later)  Squish them around and then strain the pear juice out, pressing the solids to the strainer to get as much juice as possible.  Discard the pear solids.  Put the pear juice back in the sauce pan, and reduce it until it is around 1/4 cup, or even less.  Let it chill in the refrigerator until room temperature or cooler.

Once the milk mixture is done sitting, set up an ice bath.  In the smaller bowl (not the one with the ice...) pour the cream and cooled pear concentrate.  Set a strainer on top.

In another bowl, about medium size, whisk the egg yolks together gently.

Rewarm the milk until it is almost simmering, then drizzle it slowly into the egg yolks while whisking, then pour the milk/egg mixture into a double boiler with an inch or two of water in the bottom..  Cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides and bottom too.  When the custard is thick enough to coat the spatula, pour it through the strainer into the cream/pear mixture.  Discard saffron and vanilla pod.  Stir mixture over the ice bath until cool, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.  I usually let it chill overnight.

Freeze in your ice cream maker.

Semisweet Chocolate Ganache:
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Put chocolate in a bowl.  Heat cream until simmering, then pour over chocolate.  Let sit for five minutes, then stir slowly until it is smooth and shiny.  Let cool at room temperature.

Assembly:


I cut my ice cream into wedges with a knife, and drizzled ganache over the wedges.  The pear flavor comes out a lot more if you serve it with a slice of fresh pear.  If the ganache gets too hard to drizzle (it most likely will, especially if you refrigerate it) just microwave for a short bit.  5-15 seconds usually gets mine perfect if it's straight out of the fridge.

Madeleines with Strawberry Sauce

Moist, sweet madeleines and fresh strawberries, served with a drizzle of vanilla custard sauce.  

Madeleines:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
3 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Sift together dry ingredients.  Set aside.

In mixer, beat eggs and sugar until thick and increased in size, three to five minutes.  Add extracts and beat to combine.

Fold in flour, do not overmix.  Add a small amount of batter to butter and mix well, then slowly fold butter mixture into batter.

Chill for about an hour.

Oven at 375 degrees.  Butter and flour madeleine pan.  I used a miniature madeleine pan.  Fill the molds (about 3/4 the way full, leaving the mound in the center) and bake until golden around the edges and springy to the touch.  My minis took between seven and ten minutes.  When you remove them from the oven they should come out of the molds easily.

Strawberry Sauce:
5 strawberries
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds

Dice strawberries quite small.  Mix with sugar and seeds from the vanilla bean.  Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for a minute.  Let sit in refrigerator until chilled.  Best served after chilling a day or two, but still good otherwise.

Vanilla Custard Sauce
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup half and half (it was what I had, you can use a cream/milk mixture also)
1/2 tbsp water
1 vanilla bean, seeds separated
2 tbsp sugar

Whisk egg yolks and sugar until frothy on top.  Heat remaining ingredients in a saucepan until it is almost boiling.  Whisk hot cream mixture into eggs, then return all to saucepan and heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula.  Heat until it is a loose custard, about 1-2 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature, then chill.

Serve with the sauces and enjoy!

Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes with Cucumber Mint Buttercream

Lemon and olive oil chiffon cake with strawberry cognac filling under a cucumber mint buttercream topped with a candied cucumber slice, fresh strawberry and pearlized mint leaf.

For the cake:
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 cup olive oil
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
zest of two lemons

Oven at 375 degrees.  Line cupcake tin.

Sift flour, baking powder and 1/2 cup sugar into a bowl.

Into a smaller bowl combine egg yolks, oil, water, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest.  Beat with a hand mixer until thoroughly combined.  Add to dry ingredients and beat for a minute or two on medium speed.

Whip egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add sugar and beat until there are medium peaks.

Blend a cup or so of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the rest.

Fill the cupcake tin, about 24 cupcakes.

Bake for about twenty minutes.  Do not disturb them while they are cooling, but once mostly cooled they can be transfered to a wire rack.

For the candied cucumber:
1/2 large cucumber
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
handful mint, roughly chopped

Oven at 200 degrees.  Slice cucumber thinly but so it still holds shape.  Mix sugar, mint and water in a large saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved and it is hot.  Turn heat to low, and add cucumbers.  Do not let them overlap or they will stick, I did mine in two batches.  Cook on low for twenty to thirty minutes.   Lay cucumber on a parchment covered baking sheet and let sit in oven for a few hours, mine took about two.  They are done when crispy/chewy.  Reserve the sugar syrup for making the buttercream.  Extra syrup is also good to flavor drinks.

For strawberry filling:
2 pints strawberries
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup cognac
dash of pectin

Slice strawberries into pieces, and put in sauce pan with the sugar and half the cognac.  Cook until strawberries begin to break apart, then add pectin and cook a little longer. When it looks about thick enough remove from heat and stir in remaining cognac.  Let cool.

For the buttercream:
4 tsp meringue powder
4 tbsp warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup cucumber mint syrup (from cucumbers above)
pinch salt

Beat meringue powder and water until soft peaks form, add sugar slowly, then add 1/4 cup syrup.  Beat until peaks are stiff and glossy.  Add salt.  Add butter 1 tbsp at a time, making sure it is all incorporated before adding more.  Once all the butter in added beat for another minutes until smooth and a little fluffy.  Add as much of the remaining syrup as you want so the taste in strong enough.

Assembly:


Fill cupcakes with strawberry filling, I cut cones out of the cupcakes and then fill the hole.  I replace the top of the cone.

Frost with buttercream.  I used a piping bag with no end fitted on.

Top with a small strawberry, a slice of candied cucumber, and a mint leaf.  I brushed my mint with pearlized dust.

They are now ready to serve!

Black Tea Marshmallows with Dark Chocolate and Toasted Almonds

Fluffy black tea marshmallows dipped in a rich dark chocolate and rolled in freshly toasted almonds.

For the marshmallows:

3/4 ounce gelatin

1 cup water

3 english breakfast tea bags

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

pinch of salt

powdered sugar for coating

Brew very strong tea from the water and tea bags.  Place in refrigerator to chill down.  Once chilled, mix 1/2 cup tea with gelatin in the bowl of your mixer(fit mixer with whisk).  Let sit.

In a sauce pan stir together sugar, remaining tea, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt.  Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Once dissolved, let boil without stirring until it is 238 to 240 degrees.  I use a candy thermometer, but mine is shifty, so I test it is ready by dropping a bit in a bowl of ice water, if it is pliable when not hot anymore it should be about right.  

((note: the color is from the tea, not sugar browning))

Turn mixer with gelatin on low speed, pour hot sugar in slowly, it helps slow it down if it runs down the side of the mixer bowl.  Turn mixer to high and whip for about ten minutes, maybe a little more.  Meanwhile, oil a glass dish for them to set it.  My dish was about ten by eight.  I like them to be small, so an eight inch square could work for larger marshmallows.  

Marshmallow is done whipping when it is thick and fluffy.  Pour into oiled dish and smooth top with an oiled spatula.  It will be very sticky!

Let sit for two to three hours.  It is done setting when the top isn't sticky anymore and you can pull it away from the sides of the dish.  

Now you cut them.  Cover your surface with powdered sugar, and take the marshmallows out of the dish.  This could take a little prying, but shouldn't be too hard.  Cut them with an oiled knife into whatever shape, I made squares.  Roll them in powdered sugar, and shake off the excess.  Done!

Marshmallows are good on their own, or in hot drinks, or even roasted over a fire!

Assembly:

dark chocolate, about 8 oz

almonds, about 2 cups, toasted and chopped

Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler,  then dip marshmallows in one by one letting excess chocolate drip off.  I used a skewer.  After you dip each one, roll it in the almonds and set aside to dry. 

These make great gifts! 

Or desserts for a party!

Squash Soup with Goat Cheese and Smoked Paprika

Hearty winter soup with a hint of smoky sweet paprika and creamy goat cheese.

Recipe:

2 pounds squash, cubed

1 large onion

chicken stock - enough to cover squash

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is beginning to brown.  Add oregano and saute another few minutes, add squash and enough stock to barely cover it.  Simmer until squash is tender.  

Puree it until it is mostly smooth but has a few chunks of squash left.  Serve with goat cheese and smoked paprika on top, and a hearty bread on the side.

Almond Snowflakes

Almond Sugar cookies cut to look like snowflakes. 

Cookies:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl .  In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy, add in egg and extracts.  Beat well.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in thirds until it is a soft dough.  It may be sticky.  Divide dough in half and flatted each bit.  Wrap the two discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate  for 2-3 hours.

Oven at 350 degrees.  Roll out dough, if it is too hard and cracks let it soften for a few minutes.   Cut out your snowflakes with cutters or by hand.

Bake on a cookie sheet, it does not need to be greased.  They should be done in around ten minutes, depending on how thick and wide they are.  When they are done, let them cool completely before icing.

Icing:
1 tbsp meringue powder
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp warm water

Mix in a stand mixer on medium speed for about ten minutes.  I colored mine very slightly so it looked a brighter white, I used a mix of violet and aqua, in paste colors.  About the tip of a toothpick of each. Very little...

You can then pipe the icing onto your cookies in any way you'd like!  Also, use any other decorations. I brushed luster dust onto mine when they were done so they were shiny!

Lemon Curd

Tart, sweet and creamy lemon curd is good on just about anything!

Recipe:
2 eggs + 2 yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice/zest of the lemons
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
pinch of cardamon
salt

Whisk eggs and yolks in a sauce pan until well blended.  Add the rest of the ingredients, and whisk over low heat until it coats the back of a spoon.  Pour into a jar or dish and refrigerate until chilled.

Enjoy on anything you'd like, or eat by the spoonful!

Black Peppercorn Ice Cream with Vodka Cranberry Sauce

Slightly spiced ice cream, with an almost floral flavor, goes wonderfully with tart-sweet cranberries.

Ice cream:
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
3/4 tbsp ground black peppercorn
1/2 tbsp bruised/almost cracked black peppercorns
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups heavy cream
6 egg yolks

Heat the milk, sugar, ground pepper, peppercorns, vanilla bean seeds and bean, salt and 1 cup cream in a sauce pan, when it is hot remove from heat and let sit for half hour or so.

When it has steeped, heat it back up.  Whisk egg yolks together while it it heating.  When it is hot, very slowly pour the pepper mixture into the egg yolks while whisking.  Put the whole bit back in the saucepan.

Set a fine strainer on top of a large bowl, in the bowl put the remaining cup of cream

Return to heat, and stir/scrape constantly until it thickens and coats the back of the spatula.   Then pour through strainer into bowl with cream, throw away peppercorns/bean left in strainer. Stir the mixture together over an ice bath until cool.  Refrigerate until chilled.

Freeze in your ice cream maker.

Cranberry Sauce:
4 cups cranberries (fresh are best)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vodka
1 tsp pectin

Heat cranberries, sugar, water, and half of vodka in a sauce pan, cook and stir until cranberries are bursting.  Add pectin, continue heating/stirring until it is pretty thick.  It will thicken as it cools though.  When it is thick enough and most all cranberries have burst, remove from heat.  Let cool for a few minutes, then stir in remaining vodka.

Serve over the ice cream!

Currant and White Peppercorn Scones

Well-loved at every tea party I've ever had.  Good with earthy teas.

Recipe:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper (more or less to taste)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 - 3/4 cup milk

1/2 - 3/4 cup dried currants

Oven at 400 degrees.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Cut in the butter (I do this with my hands - makes it easier) until it is coarse.  Add the milk until it is doughy, add as much as you need.  Add dried fruit, knead three or four times and roll out.  Cut into whatever shape you'd like, I just use a knife and make triangles.   Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 minutes or so, until golden, time depending on the size of your scones.   Enjoy with tea!  And lemon curd...recipe coming soon...

Braided Bread

Airy yet satisfying white bread braided and sprinkled with poppy-seeds.

Recipe:
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
5 - 5 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 egg
poppy-seeds

Add yeast to warm water.  Measure in sugar, and mix until dissolved.  Add 2 cups of flour, mix well, and let proof for ten minutes.  If the bubbles appear, then stir in the salt.  Then add flour 1 cup at a time until it is the right consistency.  Knead for five to ten minutes.  Place in greased bowl, and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, it should double in size.

Punch the dough down, knead a little, and then divide in half.  Divide each half into thirds.  Roll out the thirds into long snakes, about 1 inch thick or so.  Braid the thirds, pinch and tuck ends under.  You should have two braided loaves now.  Cover and let rise for about thirty minutes.

Oven at 400 degrees.  Whisk egg and 1 tbsp water together. Brush dough with egg wash.  Sprinkle with poppy-seeds.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy hot with topping of your choice.  Also makes good toast and sandwiches!

Linguine with Clams

Fresh linguine in a creamy clam sauce with parmesan cheese and a hint of lemon.

Recipe:
1 pound linguine
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup clam juice
1 (15 oz) can baby clams
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup shaved or shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 lemon
salt/pepper

Start cooking the pasta until it is a little chewy-crunchy-er than al dente.  Reserve some of the pasta water.

In a large pot heat the oil, saute the onion and anchovies until the onion is getting clear/golden and the anchovies are dissolved.  Add garlic, red pepper, oregano, and thyme.  Cook until garlic is fragrant and beginning to color.  Stir in wine and clam juice, cook until reduced by about a third.  Add clams, cook a few more minutes.

Add the pasta and 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water.  Cook the pasta in the sauce, adding more pasta water as needed until the pasta is perfectly cooked.  Add the cream, cook until coated but not at all dry.  Stir in butter in small pieces, and stir in cheese.  Stir just until it is a creamy cheesy sauce that coats the pasta, but not dry!   Add salt/pepper as needed.  Stir in parsley.  Serve sprinkled with a little lemon juice and red pepper flakes.  Enjoy!!!

Bacon Caramel Corn

A salty-sweet treat for fall, caramel corn with crispy bacon and cayenne pepper, you'll find yourself eating the whole bowl!

Recipe:
1/2 cup popcorn kernels, popped however you'd like
1/2 pound bacon (+ or - depending on how bacon-y you want it)
1 tsp salt
1/4 - 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste, I like mine spicy)
a pinch ground cardamom
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp light corn syrup
oil for coating utensils

Oven at 350 degrees.

Chop bacon into bits, the size is up to you, I prefer slightly larger bacon pieces so mine were about an inch. Cook until almost crispy, it will crisp more in the oven.

Grease a bowl, and in it combine popcorn, cooked bacon, salt, cayenne pepper, and cardamom.  Toss it around a little.

Put sugar, water, and corn syrup in saucepan.  Stir to combine.  Heat until sugar dissolves, then let it cook on high until it is amber with no stirring.  Swirl the pan occasionally.  While that is heating, line a cookie sheet (a rim around the edges makes it easier, but is not necessary) with foil, and then grease the foil.  Grease two wooden spoons.  Now, back to the caramel, when it is the right color, take it off the stove and add the whipping cream.  It will bubble, but stir it until it is all blended.

Pour over popcorn mixture, and toss with greased spoons until it is all coated.  Now put it on the cookie sheet.  Put it in the oven. Bake until shiny and getting crispier. Stir it around once in a while. I test mine by taking a piece out and waiting for it to cool, then seeing if it is crisp.  Don't let it burn! Mine took about 15 minutes.  When it is done, let it cool on the sheet, and break up large clumps.  Then it is done!  Very delicious with spiced cider.

Anchovy Crackers with Habanero Honey and Goat Cheese

Savory crackers lightly flavored with anchovy, spicy-sweet honey and creamy goat cheese - perfect with before dinner drinks!

For the anchovy crackers:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup butter, chilled

1/3 cup parmesan, grated

6-8 anchovies in oil, drained

1 tsp ground black pepper

Oven at 400 degrees.  Grease a baking sheet or two.  Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until it comes together into dough.  Press dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about twenty minutes.  Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut with cookie cutter, or into squares/wedges with a knife.  Place on greased baking sheets, and put in oven for 6-8 minutes, or longer, until golden around the edges.  

For the habanero honey:
1-2 habanero peppers
1 cup honey

Heat honey in a small saucepan until warm and liquid-y.  Meanwhile slice habanero pepper(s) into quarters, removing stem, and seeds if you want, I leave the seeds in.  Add as many quarters to the honey as you would like.  Eight quarters in very very very very spicy!  I only recommend it if you are sure you like spicy food, very spicy food.  I use three quarters. And it is plenty spicy for my taste. Leave the pepper quarters in the honey for a bit, the longer you leave them in the spicier it gets.  Stir and taste often.  When it is spiced enough for your liking, strain the peppers and seeds out.  Let it get to room temperature and thicken up.

To serve:


Arrange the crackers on a platter, alongside the honey and some goat cheese.  I rolled a goat cheese log in fresh cut chives, which was nice.  Habanero honey is good on lots of things - I like it in tea and on peanut butter sandwiches, but try in in place of honey anywhere you see fit!