Daring Bakers: Orange Tian (March 2010)

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.

This recipe looked difficult with all of its parts and steps, but honestly, once you get into it and take each step as it comes it's actually not that difficult. Here's what our host Jennifer had to say:

"This is a scrumptious dessert that I made for the first time a few months ago at the Alain Ducasse Cooking School in Paris, France. The dessert is made of different layers: a pate sablee with orange marmalade, a flavored whipped cream topped with fresh orange segments and served with a caramel and orange sauce. You build the dessert upside down and then unmold the dessert so that the bottom layer (the orange segments) becomes the top layer. I really enjoy making this dessert, it’s wonderfully citrusy, elegant and fun to put together."

The hardest part of this whole dessert for me was the caramel step. Mine never really did set up properly and I didn't bother to try again. I made mine in a springform pan and then unmolded the morning I took it in. It was in the freezer for days versus minutes and was still fine. It is best served when it's thawed but still slightly cold....so the 10 minutes is probably right...I just can't plan like that! :-)

The dessert was a big hit at the office. It is light and airy, citrusy and the pate sablee is divine! I would make it again for someone that wanted a dessert that wasn't traditional cake or pie. I may skip some of the more labor intensive steps like making my own marmalade next time.

The Recipe: Orange Tian
Preparation time:

- Pate Sablee: 20 minutes to make, 30 minutes to rest, 15 minutes to roll out, 20 minutes to bake
- Marmalade: 20 minutes to make, 30 minutes to blanch
- Orange segments: 20 minutes, overnight to sit
- Caramel: 15 minutes, overnight to sit
- Whipped Cream: 15 minutes
- Assembling: 20 minutes
- Freezer to Set: 10 minutes

For the Pate Sablee:
2 medium-sized egg yolks at room temperature
Granulated sugar 6 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon; 2.8 oz; 80 grams
Vanilla extract ½ teaspoon
Unsalted butter ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams ice cold, cubed
Salt 1/3 teaspoon; 2 grams
All-purpose flour 1.5 cup + 2 tablespoons; 7 oz; 200 grams
Baking powder 1 teaspoon ; 4 grams

Directions:
Put the flour, baking powder, ice cold cubed butter and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs yolks, vanilla extract and sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture is pale. Pour the egg mixture in the food processor.

Process until the dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a homogenous ball of dough. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you obtain a ¼ inch thick circle.

Using your cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.

For the Marmalade:
Freshly pressed orange juice ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams
1 large orange used to make orange slices
Cold water to cook the orange slices
Pectin 5 grams
Granulated sugar: use the same weight as the weight of orange slices once they are cooked

Finely slice the orange. Place the orange slices in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard the water, re-fill with cold water and blanch the oranges for another 10 minutes.

Blanch the orange slices 3 times. This process removes the bitterness from the orange peel, so it is essential to use a new batch of cold water every time when you blanch the slices. Once blanched 3 times, drain the slices and let them cool.

Once they are cool enough to handle, finely mince them (using a knife or a food processor).

Weigh the slices and use the same amount of granulated sugar. If you don’t have a scale, you can place the slices in a cup measurer and use the same amount of sugar.

In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes). Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

For the Orange Segments:
For this step you will need 8 oranges.
Cut the oranges into segments over a shallow bowl and make sure to keep the juice. Add the segments to the bowl with the juice.
YouTube link on how to segment an orange.

For the Caramel:
Granulated sugar 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
Orange juice 1.5 cups + 2 tablespoons; 14 oz; 400 grams

Place the sugar in a pan on medium heat and begin heating it.

Once the sugar starts to bubble and foam, slowly add the orange juice. As soon as the mixture starts boiling, remove from the heat and pour half of the mixture over the orange segments.

Reserve the other half of the caramel mixture in a small bowl — you will use this later to spoon over the finished dessert. When the dessert is assembled and setting in the freezer, heat the kept caramel sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until it thickens and just coats the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). You can then spoon it over the orange tians.

[Tip: Be very careful when making the caramel — if you have never made caramel before, I would suggest making this step while you don’t have to worry about anything else. Bubbling sugar is extremely, extremely hot, so make sure you have a bowl of ice cold water in the kitchen in case anyone gets burnt!]

For the Whipped Cream:
Heavy whipping cream 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
3 tablespoons of hot water
1 tsp Gelatine
1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar
Oange Marmalade (see recipe above) 1 tablespoon

In a small bowl, add the gelatine and hot water, stirring well until the gelatine dissolves. Let the gelatine cool to room temperature while you make the whipped cream. Combine the cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip the cream using a hand mixer on low speed until the cream starts to thicken for about one minute. Add the confectioner sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high. Whip the cream until the beaters leave visible (but not lasting) trails in the cream, then add the cooled gelatine slowly while beating continuously. Continue whipping until the cream is light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and fold in the orange marmalade.

[Tip: Use an ice cold bowl to make the whipped cream in. You can do this by putting your mixing bowl, cream and beater in the fridge for 20 minutes prior to whipping the cream.]

Assembling the Dessert:
Make sure you have some room in your freezer. Ideally, you should be able to fit a small baking sheet or tray of desserts to set in the freezer.

Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Lay out 6 cookie cutters onto the parchment paper/silicone.

Drain the orange segments on a kitchen towel.

Have the marmalade, whipped cream and baked circles of dough ready to use.

Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch either and that there are no gaps. Make sure they fit snuggly and look pretty as they will end up being the top of the dessert. Arrange them as you would sliced apples when making an apple tart.

Once you have neatly arranged one layer of orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter, add a couple spoonfuls of whipped cream and gently spread it so that it fills the cookie cutter in an even layer.

Leave about 1/4 inch at the top so there is room for dough circle.

Using a butter knife or small spoon, spread a small even layer of orange marmalade on each circle of dough.

Carefully place a circle of dough over each ring (the side of dough covered in marmalade should be the side touching the whipping cream). Gently press on the circle of dough to make sure the dessert is compact.

Place the desserts to set in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

Using a small knife, gently go around the edges of the cookie cutter to make sure the dessert will be easy to unmold. Gently place your serving plate on top of a dessert (on top of the circle of dough) and turn the plate over. Gently remove the cookie cutter, add a spoonful of caramel sauce and serve immediately.

Enjoy With Love,
Christina

Darking Bakers: Tiramisu (February 2010)

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

Here's a bit about Tiramisu from our challenge hosts:
"This divine Italian dessert translates to mean ‘pick me up’, supposedly referring to the ‘kick’ provided by the strong coffee, sugar and alcohol in it!

On the other hand, a slight mistake in spelling it as "Tiramuso" could end up meaning that you were "pulling a sulky face"! Classic tiramisu is made of alternate layers of espresso soaked ladyfinger biscuits and a cream made from mascarpone cheese and zabaglione (an egg custard).

The perfect Tiramisu is a balance of flavors of a sweet zabaglione, strong coffee, marsala wine, creamy mascarpone cheese and the dusting of unsweetened cocoa.

So when, where and how was tiramisu born?

Tiramisu is said to have its origins in Treviso (Italy), and there are quite a few stories about how it came to be created.

One story traces the tiramisu as far back as the Renaissance claiming that it was first made in honour of the visit of Grand Duke Cosimo di Medici to Tuscany. Yet another one points to the tiramisu being an adaptation of the "Zuppa Inglese" referring to the sponge cake and cream layered English Trifle.

However, experts in this area generally agree that the tiramisu as we know it today, was born in the ‘70s.

Some believe that the Tiramisu was created in the Le Beccherie (a restaurant in Treviso). Others suggest that Tiramisu was first made in 1971 by an Italian baker named Carminantonio Iannaccone in a small bakery in Treviso, Italy."

What a challenge this was! I was excited to try my hand at this dessert, though I typically do not enjoy it while out and about at restaurants. I find that the texture (fairly mushy) is not my favorite, the coffee flavor is not something I enjoy and if I'm going to have dessert there are usually a plethora of other items on the menu I would rather have.

That said, I have always wanted to know how it was made so that I could possibly change it up to make it into something that I would enjoy. You see, in my quest to become an Italian Nonna (grandma), this would need to be a staple in my recipe box. Also, since I had just taken a pastry class from an Italian chef, I was feeling inspired when I started to tackle this challenge.

(Instead of showing you the step by step of the recipe, I thought I would share my thoughts...let me know what you prefer!).

The recipe was very well written and easy to follow once you have all the ingredients. I will say that my sink is FULL of dishes though. It seemed that each thing used a bowl along with a this or that. I'm not complaining, I love a sink full of dishes as long as the result is worth it.

I did not make the mascarpone cheese from scratch. I could not find the proper kind of cream. The other Bakers in our private forum said to shy away from using ultra-pasteurized cream, which is all I could find. I suppose I could have made the 45 minute trek out to "the country" to a place that sells direct from a dairy, but honestly I did not have the time or mental energy to do that this time. Sorry to the hosts, but I passed on this part (hoping it would not fully disqualify me as a participant).

The ladyfingers were probably the most challenging for me due the folding and egg whites. I know I need to practice with those more in order to become more competent and confident. They seemed to turn out really well though. The part that I thought was fairly simple was the custards. BUT, it seems that like any good challenge those parts that you think will be simple turn out to be a challenge and vice versa.

My custards didn't seem to want to set. As you will see in the glamour shot, the top layer is a bit goopy (is that a word!?). I am going to consult with my new Italian chef friend to see if he can diagnose what went wrong.

I am also not sure I soaked the ladyfingers long enough in the sweetened espresso. As most of you that ready my ramblings here know, I am not a coffee girl... ick.... so I think I thought that if I barely dunked the ladyfingers that the flavor would be reduced. Of course, this could be true, but at the same time it changed the dish a bit. The ladyfingers were still fairly "solid" when I cut into the dessert.

The one thing that did surprise me was how absolutely easy (and delicious!) the whipped cream was! I know I had seen fresh whipped cream made on tv before, heard all about how easy it was, but never really believed it was *that* easy....but it is! I literally dumped the ingredients in the trusty Kitchen Aid, attached the whisk, turn it on and *poof* a few minutes later I had really delicious whipped cream! Try this if nothing else!

Taste...OK, I have to admit. At the time I am posting this I've not actually tasted the whole thing. I've tasted the goopy cream, which was really good. I tried a ladyfinger and thought that while good, it would likely not be very good on its own (which is likely why they are normally incorporated into other desserts). I am hoping to convince myself to try a small piece later just so I can report back. In the meantime, I am also gathering feedback from my co-workers as I brought in the dish to share. Check back for an update!

UPDATE: So I finally got an opportunity to taste my creation. I must say it was good, but the coffee flavor was too much for me to make it through a whole serving. Feedback from the people at work was that it was really good. One person did say that the ladyfingers were a bit dry, but not so bad that they did not finish the portion they took. SO...my recommendation is that if you enjoy tiramisu, give this a go....if you are like me and are not/were not too fond of it before, you likely will not like this version either. Piacere! (Italian for Enjoy!)

The not-so-glamorous glamor shot

PS: Happy Anniversary to me! This blog has now been up
and cooking for one year!

Thanks to everyone who reads it...if you have any suggestions,

recommendations or requests, please let me know!

The Recipe: Tiramisu

The recipes for this challenge are presented in the following order:

A. Tiramisu (includes zabaglione and vanilla pastry cream)

B. Mascarpone Cheese

C. Ladyfinger/ Savoiardi Biscuits

PREPARATION TIME:

Tiramisu is made up of several components which can be made separately and ahead of time and put together the day before serving. Making tiramisu from scratch requires about 2 to 3 days (including refrigeration) from when you start making the mascarpone to the time the tiramisu is served.

The zabaglione and pastry cream also need 4 hours to an overnight for chilling, as does the main dessert. The flavours mature after an overnight rest, and the dessert can be kept refrigerated for 2-3 days.

Once assembled, the tiramisu can be frozen till you need to serve it, in case you are not serving it immediately.

TIRAMISU

(Recipe source: Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )

This recipe makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

For the zabaglione:

2 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons sugar/50gms

1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)

1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

For the vanilla pastry cream:

1/4 cup/55gms sugar

1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract

1 large egg yolk

3/4 cup/175ml whole milk

For the whipped cream:

1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)

1/4 cup/55gms sugar

1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract

To assemble the tiramisu:

2 cups/470ml brewed espresso, warmed

1 teaspoon/5ml rum extract (optional)

1/2 cup/110gms sugar

1/3 cup/75gms mascarpone cheese

36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)

2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:

For the zabaglione:

Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.

In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.

Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.

Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the pastry cream:
Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.

Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.

Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)

Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

To assemble the tiramisu:

Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8" by 8" should do) or one of your choice.

Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.

Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.

Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.

To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.

MASCARPONE CHEESE
(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese

Ingredients:
474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method:
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.

It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.

Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.

Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2" to 3" long) ladyfingers.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated

6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner's sugar

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.

Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.

Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.

Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.

Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.

Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.

Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

NOTES/ TIPS FROM DARING BAKER HOSTS:

• If you cannot find Marsala, port wine is considered a good substitute.
• If you would rather not use alcohol in your tiramisu due to diet restrictions or because you want to serve it to children, you may replace the Marsala with an equal amount of espresso or coffee.
• Many people, especially those who are not excessively fond of coffee, might find brewed espresso very strong. In this case, please feel free to dilute the espresso or coffee to the desired strength.
• It is generally suggested that cream with 25% fat is best for making mascarpone, but 36% works just as well.
• It is acceptable to use lime juice in the marscapone cheese.
• The mascarpone recipe below is for approximately 340gms of mascarpone. The tiramisu recipe requires only 1/3 cup/75gms so you may scale down the recipe to requirement or put the extra mascarpone cheese to other equally good use. (100gms cream will yield approximately 75gms mascarpone)
• While using the double boiler to make the mascarpone as well as the zabaglione, always ensure that the bottom of the bowl on top doesn't touch the bottom of the lower one. It is important to use a stainless steel bowl to pour your cream into, while making the mascarpone.
• Ladyfinger batter is very fragile so fold in the flour and yolks very carefully into the meringue so that the whites don't lose their volume.
• It might be a good idea to decide the size of the dish in which you intend to set the dessert, and make the fingers to a size which would fit that dish. This makes it easier when assembling the tiramisu later. Do remember that ladyfingers/ savioardi puff up a little while baking.
• Ladyfinger biscuits may be stored up to a week in an airtight container.
• Placing the bowl (in which cream is to be whipped) and the beaters of the hand held electric mixer in the fridge for about 1/2 to 1 hour before hand makes the cream whip up very well.
• Do not dip the ladyfinger/ savoiardi into the coffee solution for more than ONE second, or they might become very fragile & disintegrate. Extra soaking is likely to spoil the end product, making it soggy.
• If you would like to de-mould your tiramisu from your dish (cutting can be easier and neater this way, you can line your dish with plastic wrap (leaving a little extra on the sides of the dish) and then start assembling your tiramisu. Once the tiramisu sets in the refrigerator, you can use the overhang to pull the tiramisu out of the dish.

Enjoy with Love,

Christina

Daring Cooks: Mezze (February 2010)

The 2010 February Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums. Michele chose to challenge everyone to make mezze based on various recipes from Claudia Roden, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Dugid.

From Michele: “The challenge is to prepare a Mezze (pronounced “mez”) Table including, but not limited to, homemade Pita bread and Hummus. If you’re not familiar with mezze, it’s more of a style of eating than a specific recipe or recipes. Mezze is a bunch of small dishes served all at once—sort of like the Middle Eastern version of Spanish Tapas. It can be served as appetizers before a meal, or as the meal itself.

A simple mezze meal could be something like pita bread, hummus, olives, roasted almonds, and some feta cheese. If you want to be more elaborate you can add salads, other dips, cooked beans, roasted meat or fish, a variety of flatbreads, and on and on. The presentation is important as you want your mezze table to be just as appealing to the eye as it is to the stomach. I know that eating this way isn’t second nature to most people, but it can be a fun way to share a meal with those close to you.”

I was excited about this challenge because I have eaten mezze style before at Lebanese restaurants. The smaller portions and variety can be a fun way to try new things. I decided that beyond the required pita bread and hummus for the challenge I would add my absolute favorite olives (more on these later) and tabouli.

I had made hummus before so I knew this was going to be the easy part! The ingredients are typically on hand with the exception of tahini. Tahini is a sesame paste and can be replaced with peanut butter but I chose to purchase some at the store to make a more authentic hummus.

I whirled the (canned and drained) chickpeas in the food processor then added the other ingredients. It smelled so good.

Once I was done with the hummus I decided to make the tabouli. Instead of doing it from scratch, since I wasn’t sure I would like it and the ingredients could be a bit pricey, I bought a box mix. The instructions were very easy…pretty much just add water, olive oil and fresh tomatoes, then chill. Easy…done.

I moved on to the pita bread. As you may have read before, breads or yeasts and I have a love hate relationship. I love to attempt, but hate that I always am afraid they won’t turn out. So with some fear I got started. At the first “rest” I was still was not feeling very confident.

After I started to add more flour, I think I gave up stirring a bit too soon. As I was kneading I had to keep adding flour so that it wouldn’t stick to the counter. This didn’t seem to make too big of a difference other than I was COVERED in flour and bread dough! A messy process for sure!

Once it was in the bowl for the “rest and rise” phase, I was feeling a bit better (the smell of a yeast dough rising is amazing), but still worried it wouldn’t rise. But, it did! It was still very sticky once I went to divide and conquer the dough for the individual breads. I didn’t get any pictures of this process because again my hands were covered in flour and dough. They rolled out much like the dumplings I had made before…very springy dough.

The first batch went into the oven and I think that the oven was not hot enough yet. They turned out alright, but did not puff or balloon up as expected. I waited to put the next batch in until I knew the oven was at the required temperature and they puffed up beautifully!

All in all this challenge, though messy, was not that difficult for me but I was still glad to do it. Making your own pita bread could come in quite handy on weeks like we had last week when the snow storms create panic and the bread and eggs are gone from the grocery store. Most people that would attempt to make their own breads would likely have all the ingredients on hand or could easy purchase them during a snow panic. The hummus is high in protein and fairly good for you…it is easy to share with others as well. Just make sure that if you are sharing with a loved one you both eat it if you plan on kissing….it does pack a decent garlic punch!

Now, more about the olives in the glamour shot below. These olives are the best I have ever had. They simply have a flavor that others do not compete with. They are Mama Leone’s Double Stuffed Rockets. They are a green olive stuffed with jalapeño and garlic. They have a great balance of heat. I do not find them to be too hot unless you eat several quickly…but the cure for that is a swig of milk. If you would like to try these olives, they can be purchased online from Leonard Mountain. The folks that run this company are top-notch and wonderful people. I have no trouble endorsing them or their products (for free! unasked even!). Their other olives and breads are great too. Give them a try.

The Recipes:
Pita Bread – Recipe adapted from Flatbreads & Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
Prep time: 20 minutes to make, 90 minutes to rise and about 45 minutes to cook

2 teaspoons regular dry yeast (.43 ounces/12.1 grams)
2.5 cups lukewarm water (21 ounces/591 grams)
5-6 cups all-purpose flour (may use a combination of 50% whole wheat and 50% all-purpose, or a combination of alternative flours for gluten free pita) (17.5 -21 ounces/497-596 grams)
1 tablespoon table salt (.50 ounces/15 grams)
2 tablespoons olive oil (.95 ounces/29 ml)

Directions:
1. In a large bread bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups flour, a cup at a time, and then stir 100 times, about 1 minute, in the same direction to activate the gluten. Let this sponge rest for at least 10 minutes, or as long as 2 hours.

2. Sprinkle the salt over the sponge and stir in the olive oil. Mix well. Add more flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Rinse out the bowl, dry, and lightly oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until at least doubled in size, approximately 1 1/2 hours.

3. Place a pizza stone, or two small baking sheets, on the bottom rack of your oven, leaving a 1-inch gap all around between the stone or sheets and the oven walls to allow heat to circulate. Preheat the oven to 450F (230C).

4. Gently punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half, and then set half aside, covered, while you work with the rest. Divide the other half into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece with lightly floured hands. Roll out each piece to a circle 8 to 9 inches in diameter and less than 1/4 inch thick. Keep the rolled-out breads covered until ready to bake, but do not stack.

5. Place 2 breads, or more if your oven is large enough, on the stone or baking sheets, and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until each bread has gone into a full balloon. If for some reason your bread doesn't puff up, don't worry it should still taste delicious. Wrap the baked breads together in a large kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft while you bake the remaining rolled-out breads. Then repeat with the rest of the dough.

Hummus – Recipe adapted from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden
Prep Time: Hummus can be made in about 15 minutes once the beans are cooked. If you’re using dried beans you need to soak them overnight and then cook them the next day which takes about 90 minutes.

1.5 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight (or substitute well drained canned chickpeas and omit the cooking) (10 ounces/301 grams)
2-2.5 lemons, juiced (3 ounces/89ml)
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
A big pinch of salt
4 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) OR use peanut butter or any other nut butter—feel free to experiment) (1.5 ounces/45 grams)
Additional flavorings (optional) I would use about 1/3 cup or a few ounces to start, and add more to taste

Directions:
1. Drain and boil the soaked chickpeas in fresh water for about 1 ½ hours, or until tender. Drain, but reserve the cooking liquid.

2. Puree the beans in a food processor (or you can use a potato masher) adding the cooking water as needed until you have a smooth paste.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Enjoy with Love,
Christina

Daring Bakers: Nanaimo Bars with Gluten-Free Graham Wafers (January 2010)

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.

Ahh the Olympics! I love the Olympics! They are just around the corner and the Daring Bakers are honoring the host country, Canada, with this month's challenge. Our host is from Canada and she chose a traditional Canadian dessert bar.

Lauren says, "Nanaimo Bars are a classic Canadian dessert created in none other than Nanaimo, British Colombia. In case you were wondering, it’s pronounced Nah-nye-Moh. These bars have 3 layers: a base containing graham crackers, cocoa, coconut and nuts, a middle custard layer, and a topping of chocolate. They are extremely rich and available almost everywhere across the country."

Lauren also has Celiac Disease so she challenged us to make our Nanaimo Bars gluten-free! I know very little about Celiac or the gluten-free lifestyle, so this was a great introduction into that for me.

The first part of the challenge was to make our own gluten-free graham crackers. I had a hard time finding the special flours needed so I just purchased gluten-free all-purpose baking mix and hoped for the best. The dough came together fairly easy. The only issue was that it was SO STICKY! Even after rolling it out a bit with a lot of (gluten-free) "flour" on the counter, I had trouble moving it to plastic wrap. I would suggest that you dump it right out onto the plastic wrap....save a step and a mess!

I chilled my dough overnight, but I was surprised at how soft it was even after that. I rolled it out onto parchment paper because other Daring Bakers had said that it was difficult to transfer to the baking sheet. I'm glad I did this because I can see how it would have been a challenge because the dough softened so quickly, turning a bit sticky again.

One re-chilled, the dough was off to the oven. I must say, it smelled wonderful! The honey and vanilla really shine through while baking. They didn't quite turn out as solid as I'd thought they would, but since I was just going to whirl them into crumbs for the bars, I didn't mind. Honestly, the taste of the graham crakers alone was a little to be desired...but they were decent. I may try them again with "wheat flour" to see if that helps with both the consistency and the flavor.

Once the graham crackers cooled, I started to make the bars. The ingredients were easy to find and what you would normally find in desserts. I found that a bit surprising because of the challenge to be gluten-free. I suppose I never really thought about what did or did not have gluten in it.

Since I don't have a traditional double-boiler, I use the old fashioned pot with a bowl on top method. It works great except you have to be careful for the steam escaping. The bottom layer had me worried. It involves adding an egg to the warm chocolate. I added a bit of the chocolate to the egg and then added that to the rest of the mixture. It worked out great although it did have me worried at one point...it does not look glamourous at first....but keep going, it comes together!

The custard layer is my favorite! It is pulled together much like a frosting or icing would be. This is made a ton easier by remembering to have room temperature butter. I used vanilla pudding, because I could not find the custard powder that was suggested.

For the final layer, I used my microwave. I find it easier when you just have the chocolate and butter to zap it instead of doing it on the stovetop. I'm sure our great-grandmothers would have loved to have this choice! The trick with using the microwave for this is to set it for less time than you would think it would take and then slowly add if necessary. I find that for 4 ounces of chocolate with 2 tablespoons of butter my microwave takes about 30-40 seconds....then stir, stir, stir! Of course, this receipe requires that the chocolate then cool down a bit before pouring it onto the custard layer. Don't skip this step! Mine was fairly cool and still tried to mix a bit along the edges. Another tip: Use an off-set spatula for this step. It made it a lot easier!

I then chilled the whole thing overnight. The top layer becomes hard again. It's really solid and a bit difficult to cut. I must say though that the end result is beautiful! Very layered and precise in those layers. After taking the glamour shot I took the pan to work and shared with my co-workers. They raved! I thought that they were really good, though the bottom layer was an interesting texture for me. I swapped out the coconut and put oatmeal in its place...but I can see where coconut would be very good in these (if you like coconut, which I don't).

All-in-all, this is a quick easy dessert that was a big hit! I'd make it again, especially since the ingredients are common enough (the wheat version at least!) that I'd likely have most of it on hand. Thanks to Lauren for a fun challenge, educating us on Celiac and introducing us to a truly Canadian dessert. While watching the Olympics this year I will enjoy knowing that I know a bit more about the host country and their foods.....but I must say....

GO TEAM USA!!!

The Recipe:
Preparation time:

Graham Wafers: 30 to 45 minutes total active prep, 2 ½ hours to overnight and 45 minutes inactive prep.
Nanaimo Bars: 30 minutes.

Equipment required:

• Food Processor
• Bowls
• Parchment paper or silpats
• Cookie sheets
• Double boiler or pot and heatproof bowl
• 8 by 8 inch square pan
• Hand mixer or stand
• Saucepan

For Gluten-Free Graham Wafers
1 cup (138 g) (4.9 ounces) Sweet rice flour (also known as glutinous rice flour)
3/4 cup (100 g) (3.5 ounces) Tapioca Starch/Flour
1/2 cup (65 g) (2.3 ounces) Sorghum Flour
1 cup (200 g) (7.1 ounces) Dark Brown Sugar, Lightly packed
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Baking soda
3/4 teaspoon (4 mL ) Kosher Salt
7 tablespoons (100 g) (3 ½ ounces) Unsalted Butter (Cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen)
1/3 cup (80 mL) Honey, Mild-flavoured such as clover
5 tablespoons (75 mL) Whole Milk
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Pure Vanilla Extract

* Note: I used 2 1/2 cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Mix instead of the above flours. You could also use the same amount of regular all-purpose flour, though it would no longer be gluten-free.

Directions:
1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pulse on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. If making by hand, combine aforementioned dry ingredients with a whisk, then cut in butter until you have a coarse meal. No chunks of butter should be visible.

2. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky.

3. Turn the dough onto a surface well-floured with sweet rice flour and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 2 hours, or overnight.

4. Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of sweet rice flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be quite sticky, so flour as necessary. Cut into 4 by 4 inch squares. Gather the scraps together and set aside. Place wafers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat with the second batch of dough.

5. Adjust the rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).

6. Gather the scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll. Dust the surface with more sweet rice flour and roll out the dough to get a couple more wafers.

7. Prick the wafers with toothpick or fork, not all the way through, in two or more rows.

8. Bake for 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Might take less, and the starting location of each sheet may determine its required time. The ones that started on the bottom browned faster.

9. When cooled completely, place enough wafers in food processor to make 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) of crumbs. Another way to do this is to place in a large ziplock bag, force all air out and smash with a rolling pin until wafers are crumbs.

Nanaimo Bars
For Nanaimo Bars — Bottom Layer
1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup (50 g) (1.8 ounces) Granulated Sugar
5 tablespoons (75 mL) Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) (160 g) (5.6 ounces) Gluten Free Graham Wafer Crumbs (See previous recipe)
1/2 cup (55 g) (1.9 ounces) Almonds (Any type, Finely chopped)
1 cup (130 g) (4.5 ounces) Coconut (Shredded, sweetened or unsweetened)

*Note: I used oatmeal instead of coconut.

For Nanaimo Bars — Middle Layer
1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons (40 mL) Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Vanilla Custard Powder (Such as Bird’s. Vanilla pudding mix may be substituted.)
2 cups (254 g) (8.9 ounces) Icing Sugar

For Nanaimo Bars — Top Layer
4 ounces (115 g) Semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons (28 g) (1 ounce) Unsalted Butter

Directions:
1. For bottom Layer: Melt unsalted butter, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.

2. For Middle Layer: Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light in colour. Spread over bottom layer.

3. For Top Layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.

Enjoy with Love,
Christina

Daring Cooks: Pork Satay (January 2010)

The January 2010 DC challenge was hosted by Cuppy of Cuppylicious and she chose a delicious Thai-inspired recipe for Pork Satay from the book 1000 Recipes by Martha Day.

Cuppy reminds us that, "satay (or sate) is very often served as “street fare” all over the world, and you dip your cool little meat skewer into any variety of dipping sauces. In the US, I’m proud to say, we created the coolest and tastiest satay on the planet – the all-American corn dog. Hooray for the USA!"

Personally I have enjoyed satay in the past, if for no other reason than it normally comes with peanut sauce....and I love peanut sauces! The main focus of this challenge was to properly marinate the meat.

So, you start by making the marinade. I, of course, had a food processor so I used the cheater method. Once all the ingredients were in the bowl....whirl!!!...it was done.

The next step was to cut the meat. I decided to use pork since that was the traditional meat used for Satay, and I don't mind eating it. I hardly ever remember to use pork in my everyday cooking, so it was a nice change of pace. The hardest part about prepping the meat was (besides my aversion to touching raw meat) figuring out how to cut it so that I could thread it onto skewers and get the presentation. Once I figured it out though, it was easy. Just remember to continually wash those hands and use a separate cutting board for your meats! No cross-contamination here!

Pour in the marinade, squeeze out the air and pop into the refrigerator. I always put my marinating meats onto a paper towel and plate, just in case the bag it is in leaks...nothing worse than meat marinade all over the bottom of the refrigerator!

The next day, I got busy making the peanut sauce, pepper dip and cooking the satay. Both the peanut sauce and pepper dip were easy to make. I would have preferred a bit more heat, but I don't think I used the right kind of peppers in mine (as they were too hard to find!). Next time I will play with it a bit and add either some crushed red pepper flakes or that super spicy schiracha sauce they use in Vietnamese restaurants (I also used it in the Chicken Pho recipe). I used chunky peanut butter...I like the texture of a peanut in the sauce.

The pork was threaded onto skewers. Though this is an optional step, I say go for it if you're going to serve to anyone other than yourself. It makes for a great presenation and is quite traditional. These would make for a great appetizer at a party.

As I've mentioned, the county I live in does not all condo owners to have grills. SO, I use my George Foreman grill for my grilling. It works...I actually love that I don't have to worry about flipping the meat and it cuts the cooking time in half because you're cooking both sides at one time. Of course, the downside is that you don't get that true grill flavor....oh well...maybe someday I'll have it all. :-)

The satay turned out great! The yellow color from the turmeric was fun and the sauces were really good. I made some white rice to serve with them, just to make it more of a meal. I loved the peanut sauce (not sure I've met one I didn't like though), and the pepper dip was really good as well. Here are their glamour shots:

Thanks to Cuppy for a great recipe and a launching point for marinating!

The Recipe:
Pork Satay with Peanut Sauce

Satay Marinade
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 T ginger root, chopped (optional) (2 cm cubed)
2 T lemon juice (1 oz or 30 mls)
1 T soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp ground coriander (5 mls)
1 tsp ground cumin (5 mls)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric (2-2.5 mls)
2 T vegetable oil (or peanut or olive oil) (30 mls)
1 pound of pork (loin or shoulder cuts) (16 oz or 450g)

Feeling the need to make it more Thai? Try adding a dragon chili, an extra tablespoon of ginger root, and 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz or 15 mls) of fish sauce. (I keep some premature (still green) dragon chili peppers in the freezer for just such an occasion.)

Directions:
1a. Cheater alert: If you have a food processor or blender, dump in everything except the pork and blend until smooth. Lacking a food processor, I prefer to chop my onions, garlic and ginger really fine then mix it all together in a medium to large bowl.

2a. Cut pork into 1 inch strips.

3a. Cover pork with marinade. You can place the pork into a bowl, cover/seal and chill, or place the whole lot of it into a ziplock bag, seal and chill.

Chill Chart
Pork               Beef/Lamb     Chicken          Vegetables        Tofu (no oil)
4-8 hrs           6-8 hrs           1-4 hours        20 min – 2 hrs   20 min – 4 hrs
Up to 24 hrs   Up to 24 hrs   Up to 12 hrs   Up to 4 hrs        Up to 12 hrs

Faster (cheaper!) marinade:
2 T vegetable oil (or peanut or olive oil) (1 oz or 30 mls)
2 T lemon juice (1 oz or 30 mls)
1 T soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp ginger powder (5 mls)
1 tsp garlic powder (5 mls)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (5 mls)

Directions:
1b. Mix well.

2b. Cut pork into 1 inch thick strips (2-2.5 cm thick), any length.

3b. Cover pork with marinade. You can place the pork into a bowl, cover/seal and chill, or place the whole lot of it into a ziplock bag, seal and chill.

Cooking Directions (continued):
4. If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak your skewers in warm water for at least 20 minutes before preparing skewers.

5. Gently and slowly slide meat strips onto skewers. Discard leftover marinade.*

6. Broil or grill at 290°C/550° F (or pan fry on medium-high) for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just start to char. Flip and cook another 8-10 minutes.

* If you’re grilling or broiling, you could definitely brush once with extra marinade when you flip the skewers.

Peanut Sauce
3/4 cup coconut milk (6 oz or 180 mls)
4 Tbsp peanut butter (2 oz or 60 mls)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp brown sugar (5 mls)
1/2 tsp ground cumin (2.5 mls)
1/2 tsp ground coriander (2.5 mls)
1-2 dried red chilies, chopped (keep the seeds for heat)

1. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add soy sauce and lemon, mix well.

2. Over low heat, combine coconut milk, peanut butter and your soy-lemon-seasoning mix. Mix well, stir often.

3. All you’re doing is melting the peanut butter, so make your peanut sauce after you’ve made everything else in your meal, or make ahead of time and reheat.

Pepper Dip (optional)
4 Tbsp soy sauce (2 oz or 60 mls)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp brown sugar (5 mls)
1-2 dried red chilies, chopped (keep the seeds for heat)
1 finely chopped green onion (scallion)
Mix well. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Tamarind Dip (optional)
4 Tbsp tamarind paste (helpful link below) (2 oz or 60 mls)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 finely chopped green onion (scallion)
1 tsp brown or white sugar, or to taste (about 5 mls)
Mix well. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Enjoy with Love,
Christina

Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Cupcakes are fun! They're all the yummy goodness of cake, but in your own personal, "I don't have to share" size. I have a friend who had a birthday this past week and we're all getting ready to celebrate so I thought I'd make some cupcakes to take to the party. After asking the guest of honor their flavor choice, I hunted down this recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes on a new favorite website, Joy of Baking. It doesn't have any "eye of newt" ingredients, so it's fairly easy to make (some may struggle to find the dutch processed cocoa, but I found mine at Whole Foods and I know in my hometown in CA they sell it at Raley's).

As with every new recipe I normally follow the recipe as is the first time. The batter came together a lot like cookie dough actually. It wasn't until I added the cocoa mixture that I thought it was actually going to work.

The first batch I made I think I only used 1/2 cup water in with the cocoa so it was still pretty thick (oops!). The second batch I made sure to use the full cup, I think it turned out a bit better (so follow the recipe!).

I filled the cups up probably a little more than recommended because I like when my cupcake has a top and you can't really see the cup from the top of the cake. Into the oven they went!

Once out of the oven, since I'd not tried this recipe before, I decided to taste one...just in case! I liked both versions with these notes: The first batch is more dense, a tad dry but still really good, not quite as sweet. They also remind me of the chocolate muffins you get at Costco. The second batch (as the recipe is written) is true cupcake form. Shiny, fluffy, sweet (but not overly so) and chocolate-forward in the flavor. Both are really good. I preferred the one with the recipe as written, but I also love sweets. I think that those that don't like overly sweet things would love the first batch. (First batch on left, Second batch on right in photo below.)

Of course, what is a cupcake without frosting!? I whipped out my handy, dandy, trusty buttercream recipe and tinted it a bright pink...the theme is princess afterall! I got this recipe from a Wilton cake decorating class I took a few years ago. The trick is to use gel colorings...not the liquid stuff unless you want a thin frosting (which isn't great for piping and having it hold up). I decided to distinguish the two batches by the sparkling edible glitter on one, and the decorations.

Aren't they cute!? Here is the guest of honor's special cupcake!

Happy Birthday CP! Thanks for being such a great friend!

The Recipe: Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
Original Cupcake recipe can be found here.
Original Buttercream recipe can be found here.

Chocolate Cupcakes
1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water (The first batch I only used 1/2 cup)
1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature. 

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16-20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.

Buttercream Frosting
I'm giving you the one I actually used...the one on the Wilton site if slightly different.
1 cup solid white vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 teaspoon flavoring (I used Wilton Clear Butter..you can use vanilla, just remember it'll make it off-white in color)
2 tablespoons water (More if you want a thinner frosting...adapt as necessary...I ended up adding a bit more because it's dry here right now.)
1 lb. pure cane confectioners' sugar (approx. 4 cups)
1 tablespoon Wilton Meringue Powder (You can find this easily at Michael's craft stores)

Cream shortening, flavoring and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy.

This is the point where you add in your coloring. I used Wilton gel in pink. Just add it using a toothpick and then whip away again for a minute or so until the color is fully incorporated. I normally have to scrape down the bowl a few times before it's right.

Enjoy with Love,
Christina

Brownie Pudding

Last spring one of my bestest friends in the whole world, Lola, called me and asked if I would want to join her and some of her family and their friends on a Carnival Cruise to the Mexican Riviera in September. After about a nano-second of thought, I agreed that it would be way too much fun! I was in! I prepped all summer by being stressed out, making payments toward the trip, filling out travel documents for our good US of A and yet finding time to get my base tan (no sunburns allowed for me!) and plan excursions for Lola and I.

Once I was on my way to LA for boarding the ship, I had my vacation face on and let the cares of the world melt away....melt....ahh.....(can you see that stress level falling?!). I met the group....what a wonderfully, spectacular, (enter every great adjective here) and over-the-top-fun group they were/are! We got off to a great start right away and the fun didn't end....well, really ever!

As those of you who have cruised before will know, the food on any cruise is normally wonderful...this cruise was no exception. We dined on way many luscious entrees at lunch and dinner (lobster, steak, silky soups, escargot, you name it!), marvelous snacks at any time you had a thought to grab one (can you say 24 hour pizza bar?! It’s great after dancing the night away until 2-3am) and countless scrumptious desserts (the almost 24-hour ice cream station is dangerous...serve yourself!!), and were all looking for our stretchy clothes after day 2 on board.

One of the desserts deserves special mention. Most of our crew sampled it the first night at dinner. It was a warm chocolate melting cake with vanilla bean ice cream. You just gained 5 pounds reading that… ha! We fell in love….some harder than others (yes, Mike H…I’m talking about you). Sure they had other desserts each night, but this was a “classic” that was offered every night….and every night it made it to our table for at least one person. It was engrained into our cruising memories and hearts instantly. So ooey, gooey and warm. Rich and chocolatey but not overpoweringly so. Bliss in a ramekin…really…

The mission was clear….find the recipe for this sinful dessert and recreate. One of our group members was savvy. He asked a crew member on a special tour for the recipe…score!!! He gave it to me…we were on our way! Woot!

Sadly our time on the cruise ended (Oh, the memories! Oh the tans! Oh, the hangovers…shhh.). We excitedly planned for a reunion around Christmas time….I promised to try to recreate the succulent warm chocolate melting cake (yep, another 5 pounds).

As December approached I thought I might want to try to figure out if this recreation was possible. I scoured my home looking for the recipe we’d absconded with from the crew….yikes! I’ve lost it!! NOOOOO! Much sadness ensued. But, not all hope was lost. You see…I’d looked at the recipe pretty good when we first got it so I realized it was similar to others I’d tried before. I set off to try to find what I thought could be a close replacement. I went to my go-to-gal Ina…yep, Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. In her book, Back to Basics she has a recipe for Brownie Pudding. It looked close….and promised ooey-gooeyness. I thought I’d give it a try.

It was easy enough to assemble. Baking was a breeze. The true test was going to be the tasting. I drove it 2 hours to the reunion…hoping it would past the test.

The reunion was in full swing when I got there…the group hadn’t changed a bit, though we were missing a few people (missed you Lola and Ashley!). Dinner was ready and served shortly after I got there (OMGoodness….so good….great job gang!). Then it was time for dessert…the long awaited dig into our brownie pudding. It oozed….it looked gooey….and…it was….actually really close to the cruise dessert. No, it wasn’t perfect….ice cream would have helped, but it was really good. SO chocolatety…. a success, even though not a slam-dunk recreation. The group ate most of it (remember, it’s pretty rich, a little goes a long way).

So…no glamour shot (too much fun and digging in for all that), but I’d say give this a try…you may only gain 3 pounds…I'll leave you with a glamour shot of Mexico instead.

The Recipe: Brownie Pudding
Courtesy of Ina Garten’s Back to Basics
You can also find it on foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur, optional
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy with Love,
Christina