sweet pleasure : plaisir sucré

zucchini cake

2007-08-10T02:52:00.000-04:00

This month I am attempting to make desserts inspired from ingredients out of my garden. Truth be told, this is the first year that I have ever really planted vegetables and herbs and actually looked after them. So for the last two months I have been tending to the garden, by watering, pulling out weeds and maintenance. With my busy, crazy and sometimes stressful jobs ( I have five at the moment), I actually find gardening very peaceful and relaxing. Anyways, Since the zucchini was the first vegetable to really be ready for the picking, I decided to make a simple, yet comforting zucchini cake.

Zucchini Cake

1/2 cup pecans toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup shredded raw zucchini
1/2 cup peeled and shredded raw apple
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Grease (or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray) a 9 x 9 inch pan. Set aside.
2. Toast the pecans for about 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
3. Grate the zucchini, using a medium grater, and then peel and grate the apple. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl beat the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended. Beat in the grated zucchini and apple. Add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Then fold in the nuts and coconut. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
3 Tbsp confectioners sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. In a food processor, process the butter and cream cheese until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add in the powdered sugar until fully incorporated and smooth. Add in the vanilla extract. Spread over the top of the cooled zucchini cake. Add toasted coconut and toasted pecans for a more finished look.

taste of the city: 5th annual

2007-07-30T02:28:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a bit of a gluttonous food blur. Vancouver’s 5th Annual Taste of the City event is the perfect opportunity to sample some of Vancouver’s most popular restaurants with tapas sized portions from one to four dollars. So on a warm sunny Saturday, I decided to see how much food I could eat for twenty dollars. Here goes:

A chicken and meatball satay from Saté Satu, Modern Indonesian Cuisine.
A chicken skewer and salad with chili sauce from SIP resto lounge.

A crispy ahi tuna taco with wasabi-lime aioli from Joeys.
A soft taco served with wild mushrooms, goat cheese, pickled cabbage and fresh salsa from Lolita’s.

A simple and classic butter chicken from Ashiana Tandoori.
A tasty bbq pulled pork sandwich from Burgers Etc.

A trio of baby burgers (bbq, honey mustard and pesto) from Temptations, Templeton high school’s culinary program.
A deep fried banana covered in pastry and shellacked with sugar from Goldilocks.

A chocolate covered waffle with fresh berries from Patisserie LeBeau.
A duo of mousses: a asparagus mousse with micro greens and prawn and for dessert, a goat cheese mousse with a blueberry compote from FigMint Restaurant and Lounge.

Having the opportunity to sample food from all these establishments was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Jamming

2007-07-17T00:11:00.001-04:00

This summer I decided that I would learn how to can. I love the idea of being able to preserve fruits and vegetables at their peak and open them up on rainy days. Canning is something that I have always been intrigued by and this year seemed as good as any year to learn how. Armed with the Joy of Canning and a binder full of research and recipes, I began a process of processing.

The idea of canning first came when my friend Elana invited me to go strawberry picking with a group of friends. We ended up picking so many strawberries, the obvious thing to do, was to make jam. The very next day, Elana and I decided to make a variety of strawberry jams. We made straight-up strawberry, strawberry-lavender, strawberry-mint & black pepper and strawberry-rhubarb-ginger. Our first attempt at making the jam was not the success either of us had anticipated, the jam was a little too sweet and did not set properly. Our second attempt resulted in a much more palatable array of jams.

My second canning experience came after a weekend camping trip with my good friend Mie. During our camping trip Mie and I came across a bunch of salmonberry bushes. We picked the berries, having in my mind that I might be able to make salmonberry jelly. On our way back to the city, we also picked up a large basket of gooseberries from a roadside fruit stand. Not knowing what to do with the gooseberries, I decided to make jelly out of that too.

My third experience with canning came when I came across some fresh rhubarb and ginger at the Trout Lake Farmers Market in Vancouver. Rhubarb and ginger are actually two of my favourite flavours so it made perfect sense that I make preserves and marmalade out of these as well. I think by my third experience with canning, I definitely feel more comfortable with the process. I am definitely still a beginner with this, but I look forward to more seasonal fruits and vegetables to can and preserve this summer. I also want to thank, all the individuals who have sampled my jams, gave me their feedback and for taking some of it off my hands. As you can imagine, one person can’t eat that amount of jam that I produced in a two-week span, no matter how good it is!

tonka bean panna cotta with vanilla crumble and mandarin orange sorbet

2007-05-24T02:59:00.001-04:00

This month's Sugar High Friday is hosted by the lovely and talented Tara of Seven Spoons. For this month's SHF #31 Tara asked food bloggers to meditate on the idea of using "Shades of White". As Tara writes "Participation is simple; make a dessert featuring your chosen hue of white. Anything from the palest of champagne ices to frothy zabaglione to the barest tan of hazelnut cookies. Or let the character of form inspire; are you drawn to the simple elegance of blancmange, or the childhood taste of marshmallow, or the towering excess of a meringue crowned pie? The possibilities are endless."

Since I am a simple guy, with simple ideas, I decided to make an easy and satisfying tonka bean panna cotta. This panna cotta is on my menu at Canvas Lounge, where I am currently working and seems to be quite popular. I apologize to all my faithful friends and fellow food bloggers for my absence, but I have been very busy in the kitchen creating some really fun and yummy desserts. Once things slow down a bit I will catch you all up on what I have been exactly doing and what I have been creating. Thanks!

tonka bean panna cotta:

2 Tbsp cold water
1 3/4 tsp powdered gelatin
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup homogenized milk
4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp of grated tonka bean

Pour 2 tablespoons of water into a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let it stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Combine heavy cream, milk, sugar and the grated tonka bean in a saucepan, and place over medium heat. Let the grated tonka bean infuse in the cream for at least 5 minutes. Bring the mixture to a boil and then take it off the heat. Add the softened gelatin and mix until the gelatin has dissolved. Strain through a fine chinios/strainer into a new bowl and discard the grated tonka. Chill over an ice bath just until cool. Pour into small moulds, bowls, glasses or ramekins and chill for at least 3 hours. Makes approximately 8, 1/2 cup servings. It is probably a good idea to make this a day ahead as gelatin never sets as quickly as we might wish.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as my staff and co-workers do at Canvas. Cheers!

5 tips on making panna cotta:

1. Purchase good quality ingredients, as there are usually only 3-5 of them in a panna cotta.
2. The exact amount of gelatin is crucial! If you add too much, you will have the consistency of jello, and if you add too little, you will have a limp liquid cream. The consistency should be a soft, silky cream that is slightly set, almost too delicate to handle.
3. If you are de-moulding the panna cotta, dip the mould in warm water to release it. If the water is too hot, the panna cotta will melt. When de-moulding, take your time, be gentle, and carefully loosen the edges with slightly wet fingers so that you can wiggle it out.
4. If you are de-moulding your panna cotta, make some tuile cookies in the shape of the base of your pannacotta (e.g. if you are making a round panna cotta, make circle tuile cookies). Place the cookie on the bottom of your panna cotta so that, when you invert the mold, the panna cotta rests on the cookie. This will help you transfer the panna cotta onto the plate without denting or destroying the delicate and silky cream. The cookie will also give you a nice crunch, which will provide contrast to the softness of your panna cotta.
5. If you are wanting to pair a jelly or fruit with your panna cotta, pick a flavour that will compliment, stand up to or help cut the intensity of this creamy dessert.

missing in action

2007-04-04T03:09:00.000-04:00

Lychee Soup with Coloured Tapioca Pearls or Abstract Painting?

I have been missing blogging for some time now, as I have been busy with Life. During this last month I made a move from Toronto, where I have been living for the last three years, back to Vancouver. I have gone back to teaching art to university students, I am starting a small company and most suprisingly... I will be working in pastry again, who would have thought? Oh wait, I'm also single again. So like I have mentioned, lots of changes. I look forward to blogging now that I have started settling back in and interweaving art, pastry and everyday life a little more fluidly. Cheers, xo Sam

eating in montréal

2007-02-28T19:49:00.001-05:00

Breakfast at Reservoir

Chocolate Creameux at Cluny Art Bar

Mac and Cheese at Montée de Lait

Hot chocolate from Les Chocolates de Cholé

Last year I visited Montréal for the first time and ate some fabulous and delicious food. This year I had the opportunity to visit two more times and wanted to share some of my favourite spots. Here is a slide show of my Montréal eating adventure.

Cluny Art Bar – Fantastic lunch spot, yummy desserts

Pintxo – Spanish tapas

Montée de Lait – Lovely restaurant specializing in delicious milk and cheese inspired dishes

Trois Petits Bouchons – Nice wine and supper spot

Reservoir – Good reliable breakfast and brunch

Schwartz’s – The one and only deli to get smoked meat sandwiches

Le Club Chasse et Peche – Possibly my favourite restaurant in Montréal serving top quality French food

Au Pied De Cochon – Everything Foie Gras you could ever want

Laloux – A lovely bistro with great desserts

Les Chocolates de Cholé – The best chocolate in Montréal

Santropol – Healthy and hardy sandwiches - homestyle

Patati Patata – Yummy mini burgers and poutine

If you are doing research on where to go to eat in Montréal check out the March 2006 issue of Gourmet Magazine and” the one and only Montréal Food Guide “ written by the lovely and knowledgeable Michelle and AJ of the blog An Endless Banquet.

Technorati Tags: Montréal

a trio of mini parfaits

2007-02-20T23:11:00.001-05:00

Last week I experimented by making a trio of parfaits in mini shot glasses.
from left to right:

1. Vanilla bean panna cotta with fig balsamic and diced strawberries.
2. White chocolate creme brulee, a layer of orange creme brulee and a pecan praline topping.
3. Chocolate pots de creme with crushed chocolate wafers and a layer of carmel mousse.

Technorati Tags: Dessert

sweet seduction

2007-02-19T18:53:00.001-05:00

It starts with a glance…
…or perhaps a touch.
It could be a sound…
…or a scent.
Sometimes it begins with a taste.
It entices and sometimes teases. It can be a glimpse of joys yet to come. It can be spicy, it can be hot, but most importantly (at least this time) seduction must be sweet.

- Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict

The theme for this months Sugar High Friday, SHF 28 is Sweet Seduction. This month, I decided to make two desserts. The first, being a dessert to seduce me and the second, to seduce someone else. Both desserts are incredibly easy. The first dessert is an orange salad made up of blood oranges, cara cara oranges and navel oranges. Pick good quality oranges and segment them. This second picture shows their individual colours which are intense and amazing. Oranges are currently at their peak. Apparently it is easy to seduce me, just give me a fresh simple orange salad.

The second dessert is a chocolate creameaux. Chocolate creameaux has a wonderful silky mouth feel much like pots de crème, but there is no baking involved. Simply make a cup of crème anglaise and pour it over 100 g. of chopped up dark chocolate. For easier mixing, place the chocolate in a food processor and pour the hot crème anglaise on top. Let the custard melt the chocolate for a few minutes before turning on the food processor. Process or mix the chocolate mixture until it is smooth. Pour into small cups or ramekins and let it set in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. This can be made a day in advance and is incredibly easy. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate or raspeberries. It is one of those desserts that will impress and seduce just about any chocolate lover. Sadly, this would probably seduce me as well.

Technorati Tags: Chocolate, Dessert, Oranges, SHF28, Sugar High Fridays

tonka pots de crème

2007-02-18T17:13:00.001-05:00

I learned about tonka beans last year during my first trip to Montrèal. I bought some from Olives et Épices, a fantastic specialty store selling spices, oils, vinegars and a host of other wonderful ingredients. The store, and pastry friends, instructed me that tonka must be heated (eg. through infusion in a cream or baked in a cake). I experimented with tonka crème brulèe and tonka ice cream, and although good, neither product stood out for me. During the past few years, I have seen tonka used in the desserts of several fine restaurants, both in Toronto and during my travels: I started to believe tonka had become trendy. I hadn't appreciated the flavour of tonka until I returned to Montrèal in January. On the trip, I had an amazing tonka pot de crème (served with an orange salad and cocoa nibs) at la Montèe de Lait. I liked the dessert so much that I thought I would recreate it at home. The result turned out very well, and I am enthusiastic to share the recipe. Instead of garnishing the pots de crème with cocoa nibs, I used a 70% dark chocolate, which also worked well. If you want to try the recipe with cocoa nibs, check out Whole Foods Market: they sell small bags of it.

Tonka Pots de Crème

2 cups 10% cream (light cream or half and half)
1 tsp grated tonka bean
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 3/4 cups of the light cream with the grated tonka bean until cream is scalding. Do not boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Beat egg yolks until they are pale in colour. Beat in the sugar, salt, and the remaining 1/4 cup of the light cream.
3. Gradually beat the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly.
4. Strain the mixture into a large measuring cup for easier pouring
5. Place pots de crème cups in a large pan with sides high enough to create a water-bath. Divide the mixture evenly into the cups. Pour hot water in the pan to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Cover the pan with aluminum foil or cover with the pot lids. Place in oven and bake at 350°F (180°C) until the custard is just set around the edges, approximately 30-35 minutes.
6. Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Leave pots de crème in pan in water bath, and allow them to cool to room temperature. Remove the pots de crème from water bath; cover them with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
7. Serve chilled pots de crème with segmented oranges and cocoa nibs or 70% chocolate.

Technorati Tags: Dessert, Tonka

chocolate heaven

2007-01-25T22:19:00.001-05:00

I love chocolate, so when I heard that David Lebovitz was hosting this month’s Sugar High Friday #27: Chocolate by Brand, I was excited. Because I have been busy lately, the deadline for the post slipped right past me. To see the amazing chocolate goodies that bloggers from around the world created for this event check out David’s chocolate round up!

I prepared a chocolate trio, which consisted of a chocolate ice cream cake, a chocolate crème brûlée tart and a chocolate mousse sandwiched between thin layers of chocolate, with a little too much gold dust. The individual pictures are the actual size of the desserts. Below is a recipe for the chocolate crème brûlée tarts.

chocolate crème brûlée tarts

chocolate tart dough

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 large egg yolk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup 35% cream
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder

1. Cream butter and confectioner’s sugar.
2. Add in egg yolk and vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. Add in cream and mix until combined.
4. Sift in flour and cocoa and beat on low speed until just combined.
5. Wrap and chill dough until firm in the refrigerator, approximately 1 hour.
6. This dough is soft, so you need to work quickly when rolling out the dough and pressing into tart pans. Prick the dough all over with a fork and chill tart shells for 10 minutes before placing into the oven. For more perfect shells you can line the tarts with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights,
7. Bake at 325ºF for approximately 15 minutes.
8. Let the tarts cool before pouring in the chocolate crème brûlée

chocolate crème brûlée

500ml 35% cream
5 egg yolks
75 g. sugar
75 g. good quality dark chocolate (chopped)

1. Scald cream in a pot and add 75g. of dark chocolate.
2. In a seperate bowl mix yolks and sugar.
3. Temper yolk/sugar mix with some of the hot cream mix. Add to the rest of the cream mixture. Take it off the heat.
4. Pour the brûlée through a sieve to remove any small traces of egg.
5. Pour brûlée mixture into tarts shells.
6. Place the tart shells in the oven.
7. Bake at 300°F, between 20-25 minutes, or until custard is set.
8. Top the crème brûlée with a small coating of sugar and caramelize with blowtorch.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Chocolate, David Lebovitz, Dessert, SHF27, Sugar High Fridays

food that really schmecks (tastes good)

2007-01-12T21:28:00.000-05:00

I first discovered Edna Staebler when Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict mailed me a package for Canadian Blogging by Post #1. The package included: maple syrup, apple butter, cherry jam, wildflower honey, a small cookbook by Edna Staebler Soups and Salads with Schmecks Appeal, a trio of lovely photographs taken by Jasmine and, last but not least, small bags of black peppercorn, cardamom and homemade candied ginger. A few months later I was in an old bookstore when I came across and bought Edna Staebler’s Desserts with Schmecks Appeal. The appeal of these cookbooks for me is the simplicity in which the recipes are presented, written and made – to me it embodies comfort food. As Edna says, they are “ not elaborate, or exotic, with rare ingredients and mystifying flavours; traditional local cooking is practical: designed to fill up small boys and big men and it is mouth wateringly good.”

Food That Really Schmecks along with the other books Edna has written is a record. It is history of notes and recipes passed on from family and friends in the Mennonite community as well as Edna’s larger community of Waterloo. It is a history that has been preserved and shared thanks to Edna.

“And you will pass on these recipes, not hand written in a little black book, but in a timeless Canadian cookbook.” – Rose Murray

When Jasmine contacted me to make and blog about something from Edna’s book, Food That Really Schmecks, I immediately said yes. After flipping through the book several times, I decided to make a maple syrup cake. There are a few reasons for this. First, I thought what could be more Canadian than maple syrup. Second, I thought I would make use of Jasmine’s maple syrup she bought for me and lastly because Edna represents a part of Canadian food history and culture.

Maple Syrup Cake

Two layers of sweetness and light!

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup maple sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butternuts or walnuts or pecans

Blend the shortening, sugar, syrup, eggs and vanilla. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder, stir in the nuts and add all to the blended mixture. Pour into greased, floured layer pans and bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes. Cool a few minutes, then carefully turn cakes onto racks to become cold. Put together with soft Maple Icing and ice all over.

Soft Maple Icing

1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups icing sugar

Blend butter, syrup and vanilla till smooth, then add gradually and blend in the icing sugar. Delicious, easy to spread – and it stays soft.

Both recipes were simple and straight-forward. The cake was a little drier than I expected so I decided to make some whipped cream. Since I had left over pecans I also made some pecan brittle for another texture. The Maple cake is a simple cake, and is definitely not as sweet as it sounds. The cake would go nicely paired with a cup of tea.

Recipes from Food That Really Schmecks, Edna Staebler

Edna Staebler, who in 2006 passed away in her 100th year, was an award-winning journalist and a regular contributor to Maclean’s, Chatelaine and many other magazines. She is the author of Cape Breton Harbour, Places I’ve Been and People I’ve Known and the Schmecks cookbook series.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Canada, Dessert, Edna Staebler, Food That Really Schmecks, Maple Syrup Cake

new cookies

2007-01-07T16:09:00.000-05:00

Making cookies during the holiday season is something that I have done since I was ten years old; so, it’s like a tradition. Yet, I have noticed that year after year I have tended to make the same standard fare: chocolate chip, peanut butter, shortbread, gingerbread, gingersnaps, sugar cookies, etc. This year, just before the Christmas holidays, I decided to test out some new cookie recipes to broaden my repertoire.

This small project quickly transformed into something much larger than planned. A colleague offered to purchase some of these cookies for the holidays. This rapidly snowballed into a modest, but concentrated, cookie-making venture. During the week leading up to Christmas, I made and sold approximately one hundred dozen cookies. It was a bit insane. Yet, I did in fact test out some new recipes, and I had a number of taste testers to help me critique them. I asked a group of ten testers to rank the cookies on a scale of 1- 5 for taste, appearance and texture. My wonderful testers ranged from seven to seventy years old and, as expected, had varied palates. I thank Hannah, Benjamin, Josh, Debra, Doug, Michael, Karen, Sid, David and Alisa for their valuable input.

I made nine new recipes:

1. Cranberry Orange Cornmeal – Martha Stewart

2. Fig Pinwheels – Martha Stewart

3. Lemon Scented Almond Crisps – Martha Stewart

4. Cinnamon Walnut – Nancy Silverton

5. Brown Sugar Sesame Shortbread – Barbara Tropp

6. Pinenut Biscotti – Karen DeMasco

7. Chocolate Biscotti with Pistachios and Sour Cherries – Claudia Fleming

8. Chocolate Brownie Cookies – Claudia Fleming

9. Butterscotch Cookie – Sherry Yard

The cookie that seemed to stand out was Claudia Fleming’s Chocolate Biscotti with Pistachios and Sour Cherries. I will go out on a limb and say it is the best biscotti that I have made. Since it is so good, I want to share it.

Chocolate Biscotti with Pistachios and Sour Cherries

1 cup dried sour cherries
2 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 large eggs
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 Tbsp coffee extract
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
7 1/2 oz extra-bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks

1. Place the cherries in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn off the heat and let cool. Drain the cherries (this can be done up to 1 week ahead; store the cherries in the refrigerator).

2. Preheat the oven to 325F. Spread the pistachio nuts out on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven, stirring occasionally, until they are golden around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool (keep the oven on).

3. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and set on low speed, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the butter and extracts and mix to combine. Stir in the pistachios, chocolate and cherries. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

4. With wet hands, divide the dough and form it into 2 logs, each 2 inches in diameter. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake until firm, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on rack.

5. Lower the oven temperature to 200F. Using a serrated knife, slice each log on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti on 3 parchment-lined baking sheets and dry them in the oven until firm and crisp, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack.

Makes approximately 4 1/2 to 5 dozen biscotti

From The Last Course, Claudia Fleming

Technorati Tags: Barbara Tropp, Claudia Fleming, Cookies, Martha Stewart, Nancy Silverton, Sherry Yard

happy new year !

2006-12-31T11:55:00.000-05:00

Since I have been busy, I haven’t had much time to bake or blog. Still I am slowly continuing to make things that intrigue me. So I decided to make Nigella Lawson’s Clementine Cake, which I have had bookmarked since I saw the recipe in 2004. it only took me two years to get to, oh well! The cake was lovely and moist and best of all simple to make. The version I have made is from the Green and Black’s chocolate book where, Nigella advises to grate 100g of Maya Gold Green and Black chocolate over the cake once it has come out of the oven. Let the chocolate completely cool before you cut. To make mine a little more festive, I dusted it with gold dust. Wishing you all a wonderful 2007!

Technorati Tags: Clementine Cake, Nigella Lawson

chocolate pot de crème

2006-12-28T17:17:00.000-05:00

I didn’t have very much time to make a dessert for Christmas dinner, so I decided to make chocolate pot de crème by Michel Bras. I had some praline left over so, I decided to flavour the cream with it. Make sure to strain the praline out before combining the chocolate and butter into cream.

chocolate pot de crème

7 oz (200g) bitter chocolate
1 3/4 cups (400g) heavy cream
3 Tbsp (50g) unsalted butter

preparation

Boil the cream. Melt broken chocolate pieces with butter. Beat thoroughly with a whisk. Pour into ramekins and keep cold until ready to serve.
* Flavour the cream with coffee or praline, if you wish.

From, The Notebooks of Michel Bras Desserts

I found these cute shot sized ceramic cups at this years One of a Kind exhibition in Toronto. When I bought these, I had pot de crème exactly in mind.

Technorati Tags: Chocolate, Michel Bras

happy holidays!

2006-12-25T23:49:00.000-05:00

I would like to wish everyone a wonderful winter holiday, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Cheers!

xoxo Sam

ottawa: eating our nations capital

2006-12-24T11:50:00.000-05:00

I started my holiday vacation with a few days in Ottawa. It was my first time in Ottawa and I had a great time visiting the parliament buildings, the National gallery, friends and of course eating my way around the city! I would like to thank Emily and a lovely woman I met named Lisa, who made a fantastic list of places for me to frequent. Here is a list of my favourite places.

The Scone Witch

This small café makes some of the best scones I have ever tasted. There scones include: cranberry-orange, current-ginger, vanilla cream, lemon poppy seed and during December gingerbread. The scones are served with an array of condiments, some include: devon cream, lemon curd and strawberry rhubarb jam. The scones here have a wonderful crumb, they are light, moist and buttery. The Scone Witch also does sandwiches, which are held together by savoury square scones. The two sconewitches we tried included smoked salmon with a lovely mushroom soup and a pesto, goat cheese, tomato and olive with a nice side of greens. Wash down all the wonderful baked goods here with a coffee or a house blend of their tea. They have a small selection of food, but they do it well. If I had to pick one place in Ottawa to eat again, it would be The Scone Witch!

The Scone Witch
388 Albert Street
613 232 2173

3 Tarts

If you are looking for cakes or cookies in Ottawa, the place to go would be 3 Tarts. 3 Tarts was recommended to me by a couple of lovely women in Ottawa who work in the industry. Although not what I would describe as a fancy bakery by its décor, 3 Tarts does make a good selection of cakes and tarts. The only sad thing is that they don’t seem to sell them by the slice. Since I wasn’t in the mood to buy a whole cake or tart, I decided to try an assortment of some of their cookies, which were all quite delightful. The best of the lot however was a wonderful Hungarian shortbread cookie, which was eaten quickly and is absent in the photo. So if you are ever in the neighbourhood, I suggest you try it. The Hungarian shortbread consisted of a firm layer of shortbread, rhubarb in the middle and a crumbly shortbread topping… mmm!

3 Tarts
1320 Wellington Street
613 729 9832

Le Boulanger Francais / The French Baker

Hailed as the bakery with the best croissants in the city. They may be the best in the Ottawa, but as a fussy croissant eater myself. I can’t say they are the best croissants I have ever eaten. The croissants here are good and buttery, but I found that they were a bit too bread-like for me. They didn’t seem to have the layers, textures and complexity that I look for in a croissant. Nevertheless, The French Baker is a wonderful bakery filled with quality breads, cakes and an assortment of goodies. Attached to the bakery is Benny’s Bistro, which is a lovely restaurant. I had breakfast there, which was a simple but very satisfying meal. I have heard that their lunches and dinner are also wonderful.

Le Boulanger Francais / The French Baker
119 rue Murray Street
613 789 7941

La Brioche

I don’t know much Middle Eastern baking and pastries, but I do know that I am always open to trying things. I did a lot of sampling at this store. I probably bought three times the amount of pastries as shown in the photograph. If you ever are in this neighbourhood, I would suggest at least going into this simple and modest bakery. The shop is filled with huge heaping piles of sweets, which is quite impressive. My favourite of all the bite sized morsels that I ate was the cashew baklava which was fantastic, I could have eaten a dozen of these yummy pastries.

La Brioche
866 Bank Street
613 565 0002

Thyme & Again

With a lovely storefront, Thyme & Again is one of Ottawa most well known catering companies and a favorite lunch spot. For lunch Thyme & Again has a lovely selection of sandwiches, salads and soups. The shop offers a good range of breads, pastries and baked goods. Thyme & Again also carries the bread of pastry chef Kevin Mathieson who runs Art-is-in Breads. Above is a photo of Mathieson’s twelve grain fennel bread, which was delicious. Art-is-in Bread is definitely raising the standard of bread making in the city and it can be found at local outlets and some of Ottawa’s fine dining establishments.

Thyme & Again
1255 Wellington Street West
613 722 0093

The Wild Oat

Wild Oats Bakery and Restaurant is a wonderful place to get a selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes and wheat-free desserts. With a simple, healthy and tasty menu the Wild Oat is one of those laidback vegetarian hangouts. The desserts here are again simple and tasty, I have been told that the brownies and carrot cake are good. I tried a raw fruit tart, which consisted of raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, mango, carob and an oat crust - it didn’t taste half bad. The bread here looks and tastes great.

The Wild Oat
817 Bank Street
613 232 6232

Technorati Tags: Ottawa

carrot cake

2006-12-19T08:05:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I found some heirloom carrots at the St. Lawrence Market. These carrots were purple on the outside, orange on the inside and very sweet. I thought that I would make a carrot cake and knew exactly which recipe I would use - one from Baking Illustrated. I like this recipe because the emphasis is on the carrot. I find that I am often a purist. This cake has no walnuts, raisins, pineapple, coconut or any of the usual pairings. It is simply carrots with a hint of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Served with cream cheese frosting, this cake is a winner.

* Note: If you decide to use purple heirloom carrots, as I did, the batter of your carrot cake will be purple. However, once it bakes no one will ever know they are eating purple carrot cake!

Carrot Cake

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 pound carrots, peeled (6-7 medium carrots)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups safflower, canola or vegetable oil

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar

1. For the Cake: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position; heat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 13 by 9 - inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray the parchment.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. In a food processor fitted with the large shredding disk, shred the carrots (you should have about 3 cups); add the carrots to the bowl with the dry ingredients and set aside. Wipe out the food processor and fit with the metal blade. Process both sugars with the eggs until frothy and throughly combined, about 20 seconds. With the machine running, add the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process until the mixture is light in colour and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the carrots and the dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through the baking time. Cool the cake to room temperature in the pan or on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
4. For the Frosting: When the cake is cool, process the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla in a clean food processor until combined, about 5 seconds, scraping down the work bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the confectioner’s sugar and process until smooth, about 10 seconds.
5. Run a paring knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment, then invert it again onto a serving platter. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the surface of the cake. Cut into squares and serve.

From, Baking Illustrated, Edited by Christopher Kimball

cookie-making workshop

2006-12-10T22:39:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday I taught a cookie-making workshop. Debra initiated the workshop as a get-together idea with friends. During the three-hour event, we talked about cookie methods, ingredients, techniques and tips to make, shape and store cookies. My goal was to keep the group interested and entertained by explaining baking process, answering questions, and getting them involved as much as possible. I enjoyed having the group roll, scoop and assemble cookies. We made gingersnaps, rugelach, chai butterballs, korova cookies, and orange almond biscotti. I supplied everyone with a small booklet/collection of cookie recipes. I think that we had a good time, and everyone left with cookies. All in all, it was a fun day of baking and eating.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Cookies

new york : post 10

2006-12-03T23:16:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago I was in New York, where I had a small whirlwind of eating, drinking and shopping. In this post I describe some of the places that I visited.

If you love desserts and are heading to New York, check out some of my other posts.
post 1 : Jean George
post 2 : Chickalious & Room 4 Dessert
post 3 : Cream Puffs in New York
post 4 : Bouchon, Fauchon, Minamoto Kitchoan, Wichcraft
post 5 : Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, Rice to Riches, Fluff
post 6 : Serendipity 3
post 7 : Blue Ribbon Bakery, Nougatine
post 8 : Buttercup Bakeshop, Amy's Bread
post 9 : Kee's, La Maison Du Chocolat, Michel Cluizel, Richart, Vosges Haut-Chocolat
post 10 : Doughnut Plant NYC, Lady M Cake Boutique, Tavalon Tea Bar

See a slide show of my New York 2006 Dessert Adventures!

Doughnut Plant New York City

I think the Doughnut Plant served the best donuts I have ever eaten. The storefront for this shop is simple and utilitarian. Their focus is to make the finest doughnuts they can with the highest quality ingredients. Based on my sample, their doughnuts are light, moist and extremely flavourful. Their selection included: Valrhona chocolate, banana pecan, grapefruit, chocolate crumble, cranberry, pannetone, tres de leche and vanilla bean. Being overwhelmed by the choice, I asked for help from my friendly server, who suggested the cranberry doughnut. Based on appearance, I was skeptical of this choice because the donut was glazed in pink and covered in tiny red specks. Nonetheless I bravely took his advice. It was so delicious that I immediately had to try another. I chose the tres de leche. I had one bite and was in heaven. I found it even better than the first. That was it: I had fallen in love with the Doughnut Plant. If you like doughnuts, or just have a sweet tooth, the Doughnut Plant will probably win your heart too.

379 Grand Street
New York
212 505 3700

Lady M Cake Boutique

Lady M is a classy salon on the Upper East Side that has a lovely selection of desserts. Their display case is filled with classic cakes that sound, look and taste exactly as you would imagine. Their cakes include: Lady M Mille Crepes, Miroir Caramel, Gateaux aux Marrons, Gateaux aux Chocolate, Gateaux aux Fromage Blanc, Mille Feuille, Gateaux Citron, Montague de Fraise, Tarte aux Fruits and Le Gateaux New Yorkais. I tried their Lady M Mille Crepes Cake, which I was told was a favourite. It is composed of perfectly shaped, light-as-air, crepes that are sandwiched between thin layers of cream custard. The cake has a hint of cherry liquor and a caramelized top. It was amazing. Although you’ll pay a bit more, I suggest you go to Lady M for a slice of high quality cake. Desserts this satisfying can be hard to come by.

41 east 78th Street (between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue)
New York
212 452 2222

Tavalon Tea Bar

Tavalon Tea Bar is a fairly new teashop near Union and 14th Street that offers a variety of premium loose leaf teas, including green, white, black and chai. They also sell a selection of teapots, tea gift sets and tea accessories. Tavalon offers hip and stylish hot and cool drinks, like the Healthy Buzz, Detox, Chai Seduction, Genius, Herbal Oasis, Tropical Peony, and After Dark. During my visit I sampled a number of flavours and bought a canister of After Dark, which is a blend of herbs, such as chamomile, and tangy exotic fruits that smells absolutely spectacular. I also purchased green tea cookies that Tavalon sources from Amai Tea and Bake House. Some of you might be familiar with Amai Tea and Bake House: It’s run by the lovely Kelli of the blog Lovescool. I have made green tea cookies, but they we certainly not as good as Kelli’s. Tavalon is a cute and stylish tea store and worth a visit if you are interested in quality teas.

22 East 14th Street (between University and 5th)
New York

Here are two other dessert venues that I visited and want to mention:

Balthazar Bakery

Balthazar Bakery is a small and busy shop that you can count on for a small and lovely selection of baked goods. Many loyal New Yorkers frequent Balthazar for their morning coffee and snack. Their display cases are filled with croissants, Danishes, scones, cookies, breads, tarts and miscellaneous small snacks. I had a wonderful pear tart, which had pears poached in red wine arranged on light puff pastry. It was one of the finest pear tarts that I have had in a while. Balthazar has delicious and reliable baked goods.

80 Spring Street
New York
212 965 1785

Francois Payard

It would be wrong to write about desserts in New York without mentioning Francois Payard . If you have never visited Payard’s Patisserie and Bistro, I suggest you go. Payard is undoubtedly one of New York’s most well known pastry chefs. His pastries and desserts are beautiful, elegant and delicious. Upon entering Payard’s, you will see marvelous display cases lined with tarts, cakes, mousse cakes, petit fours, cookies and chocolates. If you have a sweet tooth, are a pastry chef or just love beautiful desserts, I recommend dropping by and picking up some lovely pastries to go.

1032 Lexington Avenue (between 73rd and 74th Streets)
New York
212 717 5252

Since I will not have a chance to head back to New York this year, I have decided to end my series of posts on sweets in New York. I have had a wonderful time discovering, eating, drinking and sharing my experiences. Thank you to all the sweet friends who accompanied me on these excursions, as well as to all the amazing people on-line who recommended places to try. Also, a big thanks to everyone who has continued to read and support my blog. Cheers, Sam!

black sesame truffles

2006-11-24T22:15:00.000-05:00

This month’s Sugar High Friday #25 is hosted by the lovely and talented Johanna of the passionate cook. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love good quality chocolate. Since Johanna’s idea for SHF was brilliant, I knew that I needed to participate. My quick and simple recipe for black sesame truffles is inspired by my recent trip to New York where I had some amazing black sesame truffles from Kee’s chocolates. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

18 ounces of good quality dark chocolate
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
toasted black and white sesame seeds

*I suggest using chocolate like Valrhona, Scharfenberg, Callebaut or Lindt, somewhere around 60% cocoa content. If you use a chocolate with high cocoa content, it will compete with the flavour of the sesame seeds.

*Toast sesame seeds at 325ºF for approximately 10-15 minutes.

Black Sesame Truffles

1. ) Always use the best chocolate you can
2. Chop chocolate into small chunks or bits. I like to chop my chocolate or use chocolate chips and put them in the food processor to create a fine powder.
3. Heat whipping cream on the stove to a boil or in the microwave to a boil.
4. Pour hot cream onto the small chocolate pieces or powder.
5. Stir until it is well blended and incorporated.
6. Let it cool in a bowl or tray in the refrigerator until it becomes firm ,like the consistency of fudge.
7. Take out of the refrigerator and pipe or scoop into small balls, makes approximately 75 truffles.
8. Roll into the toasted sesame seeds.
9. You can refrigerate them, till them become totally firm and then you can keep them out at room temperature.
10. I suggest eating them within a week.

Technorati Tags: Black Sesame, Chocolate, Kee's, SHF25, Sugar High Fridays, Truffles

new york : post 9

2006-11-22T21:22:00.000-05:00

Chocolate on my mind…
A chocolate tasting of five different chocolate purveyors in New York City.

Kee’s Chocolate

Since 2002, Kee Ling Tong has been creating a lovely following for her chocolates. I met Kee at her small chocolate shop in Soho. She was friendly and informative and told me that she makes all her chocolates daily for the freshest quality. Wow. To tell the truth, I didn't know much about Kee’s Chocolate before entering the shop–just that they have a cute website. I highly recommend these chocolates with their fresh ingredients, melt-in-your-mouth ganache and absolutely no pretension. I enjoyed all the chocolates I sampled, but Black Sesame particularly knocked my socks off.

Black Sesame: dark chocolate truffles coated with white and black sesame seeds
Kaffir Lime: dark chocolate ganache with Kaffir lime coated in dark chocolate
Pignoli: dark chocolate truffle coated with pine nuts
Pistachio: white chocolate truffles coated with pistachios

La Maison Du Chocolat

Chantal Coady of Rococo Chocolates has called Robert Linxe the high priest of chocolatiers, I now understand why. If you are a chocolate lover. an aficionado or just a plain chocolate snob, I dare you not to like theses chocolates. The chocolates at La Maison Du Chocolat are, well, just plain awesome. Refined chocolates with classic flavours, subtlety infused in the smoothest, creamiest, ganache: what is there not to like? I enjoyed all of my sampled chocolates tremendously, but the Maïko and Cannelle put me into a chocolate coma. Mr. Linxe is clearly a master at creating some of the best chocolate I have ever eaten.

Maïko: ganache infused with fresh grated ginger
Cannelle: ganache infuse with cinnamon sticks
Yoko: a tea flavoured ganache
Figaro: hazelnut and almond praline wrapped in dark chocolate

Michel Cluizel

The Michel Cluizel shop in New York is actually hidden inside ABC Carpet & Home. If you venture in, you will find lovely cases filled with chocolates displayed like fine jewelry. There is also a small bar, where for a fixed price you can try one of their chocolate tastings. Remember to make a reservation, as they are very particular. I have tried Michel Cluizel chocolates in the past and thought they were good; however, I have always felt unsure whether they were exceptional. After trying these new flavours, I can definitely say that I am a fan. The Mirabelle truffle and the Chestnut Honey were both delightful.

Côte-d’Or: a dark chocolate truffle with gold leaf
Mirabelle: a dark chocolate truffle with ganache and Mirabelle plum gelée
Almond and Orange Peel: almond paste mixed with orange peel coated in dark chocolate
Chestnut Honey: chestnut honey ganache coated in dark chocolate

RICHART

The first time I tried chocolate from Richart was when my friend Dawne came back from a trip to Paris. Fortunately, she brought back and shared some of her chocolates with me. Thanks Dawne! The chocolates at Richart are well, beautiful. I don’t think anyone would contest that. Richart chocolates have a long history in Lyon, France. Two generations on, Michel Richart continues to create chocolates that are designed to develop and pursue the “Art of Tasting”. Most of the chocolates here are silk-screened with cool and colourful designs–sometimes almost too pretty to eat. They are of a high standard; however, I thought that the emphasis should have been placed a little more on the taste rather than the appearance. Do not get me wrong; these are good chocolates. The Apricot Coulis was lovely, and the Roasted Almond was very tasty. The other two chocolates I tried were, however, a bit too strong in liqueur for me. The petit Richart chocolates line is an excellent idea: these bite size chocolates are the perfect size for one small intense shot of chocolate.

Raisins soaked in Grand Cru Champagne: dark ganache with raisins soaked in Champagne coated in dark chocolate
Apricot Coulis: apricot coulis coated in white chocolate
Roasted Almond: milk chocolate ganache with roasted almonds coated in dark chocolate
Malt Ganache: dark ganache with Malt whiskey coated in dark chocolate

Vosges Haut-Chocolat

To say that the chocolates here are worldly is an understatement. Ever since Katrina Markoff opened Vosges, she has created quite a stir in terms of her approach to chocolate making. The chocolates here are globally inspired pairing exotic spices and flowers with high quality chocolate and craftsmanship. Vosges is chocolate for the new international palate. If you are open to new and unusual flavours not commonly found with most chocolatiers, give these chocolates a chance. Although I wasn’t crazy about all the flavours I tried, I especially liked Naga which was delicious.

Absinthe: Chinese star anise, fennel, pastis, dark chocolate and cocoa powder
Black Pearl: ginger, wasabi, dark chocolate and black sesame seeds
Naga: sweet Indian curry powder, coconut and milk chocolate
Oaxaca: guajillo and pasilla chilies with dark 75% Tanzanie chocolate and organic pumpkinseeds

Technorati Tags: Chocolate, Kee's, La Maison Du Chocolat, Michel Cluizel, New York Restaurants, RICHART, Vosges Haut-Chocolat

canadian parcels

2006-11-12T09:44:00.000-05:00

Last week I came home to find two packages waiting for me. The first package I received was from Paige of chef-girl.net. If you haven’t seen Paige’s blog, check it out, it is filled with cool recipes and fantastic photos. The CBBP #2: Our Season’s Bounty care package I received was filled with some cool treats from Halifax. I received a post card with a note from Paige, a bookmark, a nice blended tea called Celtic Colours, maple and wild blueberry truffles and a package of mulling spices. A thoughtful package with an East coast theme. Thanks Paige!

The second package I received was from Kelli Ann of avoir une famille n’est pas comme un téléroman, who sent me a little gift for organizing CBBP#1: Chocolate. Kelli Ann sent me a lovely knitted designer dishcloth. I actually love these dishcloths, and I don’t knit, so a big Thank-you goes out to Kelli Ann.

If you missed Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict's CBBP#2 round-up check out the wonderful dishes and recipes that Canadian food bloggers shared.

Technorati Tags: Canada, Canadian blogging by post, CBBP#2

wild cranberries

2006-11-05T23:06:00.000-05:00

Last week I went to St. Lawrence market where I found some wild cranberries. They looked so fresh and amazing that I decided to buy some. I thought about all the wonderful and experimental things I could do with cranberries. Then I picked up my copy of Chez Panisse Fruit and looked up cranberries. In the book I found a simple cranberry upside-down cake, I haven’t made an upside-down cake in ages! Although I really enjoy playing with flavours and all my cool gadgets in the kitchen, I also enjoy the art of simple baking. Use fresh seasonal fruit and the best ingredients to make delicious quality desserts.

The vibrant red jewel like cranberries makes this cake look absolutely stunning. The texture of the cake is moist and the flavour of this cake shines with the tart cranberries complimented by the sweet brown sugar and orange glaze. I served the cranberry upside-down cake with whipped cream flavoured with Cointreau, make sure you add enough liqueur to get the full effect! I definitely recommend serving the cake with whipped cream. Yum!

a little wild cranberry

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Topping:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar packed
2 3/4 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice

Batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 lbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Use a 9-inch round or 8-inch square cake pan with 3-inch sides.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

1. To make the topping, place butter and brown sugar in the cake pan. Place the pan on a stovetop burner over low heat and melt, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the mixture starts to caramelize, turning a slightly darker shade of brown, remove from heat and let cool. Scatter the cranberries evenly in the bottom of the pan and drizzle in the orange juice. Set aside.
2. To make the cake batter, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla. Add the egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each to make sure it is thoroughly incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredients and the milk in stages: mix in about a third of the flour mixture, followed by about half the milk, mix in another third of the flour, then the rest of the milk; finally, add the last third of the dry ingredients.
3. In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat the whites until they form firm peaks. Fold the whites into the batter in two batches. Pour the batter over the topping in the prepared pan and bake until the top is slightly brown and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 50 to 60 minutes. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream flavoured with a little orange liqueur. Serves 8.

From Chez Panisse Fruit, Alice Waters

Technorati Tags: Baking, Cake, Chez Panisse, Cranberry, Dessert

indian sweets : part 3

2006-11-04T22:24:00.000-05:00

During October my goal was to learn about Indian sweets and desserts. Although I didn’t have the time or experience to make all the wonderful things on my list, I am glad that I took time out to learn. I looked through many books and magazines for Indian dessert recipes and ideas, but the most useful tool in my research was the Internet. Here are a list of wonderful sites where I found lots of inspiration and many of the recipes that I made. If anyone knows of any good sites or books on Indian sweets and desserts, please let me know, I would greatly appreciate it.

www.bawarchi.com
www.daawat.com
www.food-india.com
www.indianfoodforever.com
www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/

This week I made gulab jamuns and malai peda. Gulab jamun is the first Indian dessert I tried and I still love it as much as the first time. If you haven’t tried it, think of round cakey dumplings fried and soaked in sugar syrup lightly flavoured with orange blossom water. I made the peda, because I was interested in using khoya (concentrated milk solids). The malai peda has a smooth fudge like texture, which is flavoured with cardamom and decorated with pistachios.

Gulab jamun made with flour, milk powder, sugar, almonds, cardamom and ghee.

Malai peda made with khoya, sugar, cardamom and pistachios.

Technorati Tags: Gulab Jamun, Indian Desserts, Indian Sweets, Peda

pâtes de fruits

2006-10-27T22:51:00.000-04:00

apple, raspberry and pear pâtes de fruits

Lately I have been busy with life and work, so unfortunately I haven’t had much time to blog. I did however make time to research and make one of my favourite confections, pâtes de fruits (fruit jellies).

My post this week is my entry for two different blogging events. First, Canadian Blogging By Post #2 hosted by the lovely and wonderful Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict. The theme for this second installment of CBBP is “Our Seasons Bounty”, which is where I got the inspiration for making pâtes de fruits in the first place. I started with apples because they are in season, inexpensive and contain lots of pectin.

The other blogging event I am participating in is Sugar High Friday
#24, hosted by Jeanne of Cook Sister!. This month’s theme is Little Bites of Delight (petit fours, mignardises, friandises). Since I was making the pâtes de fruits, I thought that it was a great fit as a mignardises. I remember it being served to me as a mignardises when I had a spectacular dessert tasting at Les Chèvres when I was in Montréal earlier this year.

I tried a few different recipes for pâtes de fruits. This recipe is relatively simple and gave good results. The recipe is from Lenotre's Ice Creams and Candies. In this book, there is more specfic information regarding different flavours of pâtes de fruits and cooking times. These homemade fruit jellies are softer than commercial ones but taste just as good. If you are wanting to make the ones exactly like what you find in the stores, use apple pectin. Apple pectin is however quite difficult to find, but if you are able to find it, I suggest using it for a firmer jelly.

Pâtes de Fruits (Basic Fruit Jelly Recipe)

500 g fruit pulp/puree
600g sugar
15g butter
170ml liquid, pectin based, jelling agent (Certo)
For coating (optional)
Coarse, granulated sugar

Preparing the fruit: wash, peel, and seed the fruit as necessary. Most fruits are then pureed. Some fruits are used as they are and others are mixed with syrup from canned fruit. Because of their relatively neutral taste, pear, peach or apricot syrups are the best; they can even be mixed together.

Preparing the Mold and Jelling Agent: On a baking sheet or other surface that can stand high temperatures without cracking or warping, place a sheet of nonstick parchment paper and set the metal frame, flan ring, or metal rulers on it; or simply line a small brownie pan with parchment paper.

Cooking the Fruit Jelly: In a large saucepan, place the fruit pulp or fruit pulp-syrup mixture and the sugar. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, stirring constantly with a spatula. Once a full, rolling boil is reached, start the cooking time; this will be from 4 to 9 minutes, always at a rapid boil and stirring constantly, depending on fruit used. Add the butter halfway through the cooking time. When it is time, remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add the liquid jelling agent; stir vigorously for a few seconds to be sure that is completely mixed into the jelly mixture.

To Mold, Cut, and Serve the Fruit Jellies: As soon as the jelling agent has been stirred in, pour the boiling hot fruit jelly into the frame or brownie pan. Allow to set and cool completely, which will take at least 2-3 hours. When the jelly is completely cold, run the blade of a knife all around the edge to detach it from the frame or paper; then cut it into squares about 1 inch. Lift off the frame; then roll the squares one at a time in granulated sugar (preferably large grained). This step is not absolutely necessary; it does, however, keep the jellies from sticking to each other if piled on top of each other when served and makes them more attractive.

To Store: The uncut jellies will keep for 2 months wrapped in the non-stick parchment paper it is molded on. Placed in a box, and kept in a cool cellar or the refrigerator. If kept in the refrigerator, the jelly picks up a little moisture but it keeps its shine better. Once cut and rolled in sugar, the jellies will keep for a week in a closed container in the refrigerator; it is preferable to place them in individual paper cases if they are to be stored in this way to keep them from sticking together; these homemade fruit jellies are softer than commercial ones.

Technorati Tags: Canadian blogging by post, CBBP#2, Pâtes de fruits, SHF24, Sugar High Fridays

indian sweets : part 2

2006-10-21T23:26:00.000-04:00

My exploration with Indian desserts continues. Excluding the mango lassi that I made, the desserts this week are a bit more technical than last week. They are more technical because they require you to understand the temperature, consistency and viscosity of your ingredients. Making these sweets are much like making candies and confections. I want to stress that I am an amateur when it comes to making Indian sweets. I did make mistakes, I overcooked my Mysore pak the first time, but I persevered and tried it again. My one key advice when making any of these or any other Indian desserts is to use the best ingredients possible. These desserts contain very few ingredients, so the quality of what you put in makes all the difference. I have also found it helpful to make my own ghee, that way you know the quality and freshness of the butter that is going into your dessert. Here are the four Indian desserts I tried my hand at this week:

A simple and yummy mango lassi. If you have never tried a lassi, it is a simple a yogurt and milk based drink it can be either sweet or salty. I prefer the sweet kind and with the addition of mango it is just plain good.

Mysore pak is a traditional sweet, which originates from… you guessed it, Mysore, India. It is made from besan (chick pea flour), sugar, ghee and cardamom. I found that the most helpful tips for making this from the knowledgeable Indira of Mahanandi, who has a wonderful blog and is clearly an expert at Indian cuisine.

Coconut burfi made with fresh shredded coconut, sugar, ghee and cardamom. Coconut burfi should be flavourful with a soft and chewy consistency.

Almond burfi is a common type of burfi, other common nut burfi’s include: cashew and pistachio. Almond burfi is made from ground almonds, sugar, ghee, and cardamom. It holds together and has the same weight as fudge, but it has a different texture and mouth feel.

My two favourites this week are the mango lassi and the almond burfi. If you try out either of these recipes, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Technorati Tags: Indian Desserts, Indian Sweets, Lassi, Mysore Pak, Coconut Burfi, Almond Burfi

challah

2006-10-16T21:03:00.000-04:00

The International Union of Bakers and Bakers-Confectioners (UIB) declared the 16th of October as World Bread Day.

So Zorra from Kochtopf is hosting a “World Bread Day” blogging event.

Although, I didn’t bake a loaf of bread for this event. I wanted to share the challah bread that I have been enjoying almost every Friday since I moved to Toronto. Challah is a braided egg bread which is soft, moist and flavourful. I think that the best challah in Toronto is from Harbord bakery. Harbord Bakery is one of the oldest Jewish bakeries in Toronto; it has been open since 1926. Other tasty treats on my list from Harbord bakery include their sweet cheese buns and rugelach.

Harbord Bakery
115 Harbord Street
Toronto
416 922 5767

Technorati Tags: Challah, Bread, World Bread Day

indian sweets: part one

2006-10-09T01:18:00.000-04:00

This month, I decided that I would learn about Indian sweets and desserts. I have always enjoyed seeing and eating these sweets, but I never entertained the idea of making them because I always imagined them to be time consuming and laborious to produce. Last week, after eating at some lovely Indian restaurants and talking to people who knew about Indian desserts, I decided I wanted to learn more. So, I did some research and made a list of some of the sweets that I wanted to make. If you are interested in knowing more about your favourite Indian desserts, check out this nifty information from Wikipedia.

I made four desserts this week: first, a kulfi, which is a dense frozen dessert made with condensed or evaporated milk, sugar, pistachio, cardamom and saffron;

second, a sooji halwa (a semolina pudding) that consisted of semolina, milk, sugar, water, ghee, cardamom and raisins;

third, a mango kulfi, which contained evaporated milk, cardamon, sugar and mango puree;

and last, a kheer, which is a rich rice pudding often made with white basmati rice, milk, sugar, cardamom and chopped nuts.

All four of these desserts were surprisingly simple to prepare.

Technorati Tags: Indian Desserts, Indian Sweets, Kulfi, Halwa, Kheer

poached pears and chocolate rice pudding

2006-09-30T11:58:00.000-04:00

I like when desserts pairings seem to naturally fall into place. I purchased some small Barlett pears the other day from Kensington Market, so I decided to poach them with half a bottle of Riesling that I had left over from the night before. I have been wanting to make Pierre Hermé's chocolate rice pudding with caramelized rice crispies for some time now, and since I had a bunch of left over chocolate from my chocolate ginger brownies and chocolate pudding, I thought that it might be a good opportunity. I like when I have everything on hand at home. Here is the recipe for the poached pears. The chocolate rice pudding recipe can be found in Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé. Pierre's chocolate rice pudding definitely did not disappoint. It was chocolatey, creamy, sweet - without being too sweet and comforting.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Dessert, Pierre Hermé

canadian blogging by post #2 : our season’s bounty

2006-09-27T22:40:00.000-04:00

The lovely and generous Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict will be hosting Canadian Blogging By Post #2 : Our Season's Bounty. Check out Jasmine’s wonderful blog for more details. It would be fantastic to have more bloggers participate, as it is a great way to create and get to know the Canadian food blogging community. Here is more information if you are curious about Canadian Blogging By Post #1 : Chocolate, the recipe round-up or the package round-up.

Technorati Tags: Canadian blogging by post, CBBP

cardamom apple cake

2006-09-26T22:13:00.000-04:00

This apple cake is one that I have been making for years. It has a wonderful moist crumb texture, it contains apples and cardamom and it is incredibly easy to make. The recipe is from a cookbook titled The Girls Who Dish! Seconds Anyone?, a compilation of recipes from top women chefs in Vancouver. This fabulous cake recipe was created by Margaret Chisholm.

cardamom apple cake

1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp orange zest
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 McIntosh apples
icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease and flour a 10-inch 925cm) springform pan or 9 x 5-inch (23 x12-cm) loaf pan.

Beat the butter and sugar until pale and light. Add the eggs and continue beating until well combined. Stir in the vanilla, orange juice and orange zest. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Core the apples, but leave the peel on. Chop the apples into coarse chunks. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture, folding it together until it’s just mixed. Fold in the apples. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested in the centre of the cake. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool it on a rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

From Margaret Chisholm, The Girls Who Dish! Seconds Anyone?

Technorati Tags: Apples, Baking, Cake, Dessert

apple desserts

2006-09-24T21:48:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday I went apple picking. These are the desserts that I made with my Spartan, McIntosh, Gala and Wealthy apples.

Apple, Ginger and Raisin Crumble

Apple Cranberry Cobbler

Apple Dumpling aka Mele In Crosta
The recipe for this can be found in the classic Italian cookbook, The Silver Spoon.

Apple Galette

Apple Strudel with Walnuts and Raisins

Cardamom Apple Cake

Technorati Tags: Apples, Baking, Dessert

chocolate tarts

2006-09-22T23:59:00.000-04:00

This month’s Sugar High Friday is hosted by the lovely and prolific Alanna of A Veggie Venture. The theme for September’s SHF is a “Surprise Inside”. I had many ideas of what I could make, but in the end I left it to the last minute and I decided to make a simple and straightforward chocolate tart. The surprise or the twist of the tart is that there are two layers. The tart is filled with a milk chocolate ganache and is then topped with a dark chocolate ganache. A simple and elegant chocolate tart with a tender chocolate pastry and two layers of delicious ganache.

I have made this tart many times before. I have experimented with it by adding instant coffee to create an espresso tart and I have added caramel to create a chocolate bar tart. This time I experimented by adding a layer of caramelized rice crispies. Sadly it wasn't as crispy as I would have liked, so I don't recommend adding in rice crispies. This is one of the reasons why I find Sugar High Friday's valuable, it provides me with an excuse to play, experiment and share what I do and learn in the kitchen. I also enjoy seeing the wonderful array of things food bloggers create, it is tremendously interesting and inspiring.

chocolate tart dough

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 large egg yolk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup 35% cream
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder

1. Cream butter and confectioner’s sugar.
2. Add in egg yolk and vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. Add in cream and mix until combined.
4. Sift in flour and cocoa and beat on low speed until just combined.
5. Wrap and chill dough until firm in the refrigerator, approximately 1 hour.
6. This dough is soft, so you need to work quickly when rolling out the dough and pressing into tart pans. Prick the dough all over with a fork and chill tart shells for 10 minutes before placing into the oven. For more perfect shells you can line the tarts with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights,
7. Bake at 325ºF for approximately 15 minutes.
8. Let the tarts cool before adding in the layers of ganache.

The amounts for the ganache will fill approximately 8-10 small tarts

milk chocolate ganache

200g. milk chocolate
150ml 35% cream

1. To make a ganache, chop your chocolate into small pieces.
2. Bring the cream to a boil, on either the stove or the microwave.
3. Transfer your cream to a small bowl and add in your chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes before stirring. Once the chocolate is fully incorporated your ganache is done.
4. Fill the tarts half way with the milk chocolate ganache and level it as evenly as possible.
5. Once all your tarts are half filled, place them in the refrigerator or freezer until the chocolate has set up. Once the chocolate has firmed up, you can then make the dark chocolate ganache and pour it over top.

dark chocolate ganache

200g. dark chocolate
160ml 35% cream

1. To make a ganache, chop your chocolate into small pieces.
2. Bring the cream to a boil, on either the stove or the microwave.
3. Transfer your cream to a small bowl and add in your chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes before stirring. Once the chocolate is fully incorporated your ganache is done.
4. Pour the dark chocolate ganache on top of the milk chocolate layer and place in the refrigerator so that chocolate sets up.
5. Once the chocolate has firmed up, serve with a quenelle or whipped cream or a sprinkle of fleur de sel.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Chocolate, Dessert, SHF23, Sugar High Fridays, Tarts

korova cookie aka world peace cookie

2006-09-19T22:34:00.000-04:00

I only heard about the Korova cookie last week from the sweet and fabulous Anita of Dessert First. Anita’s title was “My Favorite Cookie Ever”. If you have ever read Anita’s blog, you’ll know that she is serious about pastry; so, when she said it was her favourite, I knew I needed to make them. I recommend reading Anita’s post as it is crafted with genuine excitement, knowledge and passion – plus, she has the recipe written with wonderfully detailed directions. The original recipe can be found in Dorie Greenspan’s book Paris Sweets. The Korova cookie, which is also known as the World Peace Cookie, is the creation of famed French pastry chef Pierre Herme.

The cookie was delicious, and best of all it was simple to make. It has a well-balanced flavour and texture. The flavour is intense and rich with chocolate; the sweetness is counterbalanced by fleur de sel. The texture is dense, crumbly, moist and melt-in-your-mouth good. This recipe is a keeper. Once again, I would like to thank Anita, Dorie and Pierre.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Cookies, Dorie Greenspan, Korova Cookie, Pierre Hermé, Dessert First, World Peace Cookie

apple picking

2006-09-18T21:41:00.000-04:00

My Apple Picking Montage

This weekend I went apple picking at Chudleigh’s, an apple farm in Milton, just west of Toronto. I only moved to Toronto two years ago; however, I have the impression that picking apples at Chudleigh’s is a bit of a tradition for many people who grew up here. The farm is over 100 acres and has approximately 28,000 apple trees. Apple picking usually begins in mid-August and usually winds down in late October. This year I decided to go early and a bunch of my favourite apples were ready to be picked. The variety of apples that I picked this weekend were McIntosh, Royal Gala and Spartan. Last year, I went in mid-October and I picked Jonagold and Russet’s. With a wide selection of apples which include: Tydemans, Wealthy, Ginger Gold, McIntosh, Spartan, Gala, Cortland, Empire, Red Delicious, Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious, Northern Spy, Jonagold, Russet, Mutsu and Fuji, Chudleigh’s is definitely the place to go apple picking. I had a great time walking around the farm choosing, picking and eating apples and enjoying the fresh air. With three large bags of apples in my apartment, I am positive you will be seeing an apple dessert post sometime soon.

Royal Gala

Technorati Tags: Apples, Chudleigh's

chocolate for your inner child

2006-09-17T00:21:00.000-04:00

The other day while I was shopping, I saw the September issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine. On the cover is a beautiful photo of Martha’s new kitchen. I gave in, bought the magazine and lusted over Martha’s: marble countertops, pots, knives, convection oven, stainless steel appliances and tableware. I then flipped through the magazine to see if there were any recipes I wanted to try. I found two chocolate recipes. The first was a chocolate ginger brownie, which is one of those mix everything in one-bowl recipes and the second was a simple chocolate pudding. The memories I associate with both these desserts are of childhood – when things were simple and carefree. So I dedicate these desserts to the child in all of us.

When making chocolate desserts, I usually go by the following guideline: use good chocolate! The types of chocolate that I prefer to use are Valrhona, Scharfenberg, Callebaut or Lindt. The quality of your chocolate will affect the quality of your desserts and baked goods - try not to compromise. For the brownies I used a dark bittersweet Callebaut and for the pudding, I used a dark semisweet Callebaut. The ginger in the brownies was a nice touch, it gave the brownies a rich and complex flavour, that was familiar and comforting, without being too sweet or intense. The chocolate pudding was tasty, simple and satisfying. The flavour and consistency is exactly what a chocolate pudding should be. Both recipes are incredibly simple and comforting.

chocolate ginger brownies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp course salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter an 8” square baking dish. Line bottom with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over 2 sides. Butter parchment; set aside. Melt butter and chocolate together in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining ingredients.
2. Pour batter into prepared dish. Smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out with moist crumbs, 30- 35 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Brownies can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature up to 4 days.

chocolate pudding with whipped cream

1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups milk
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar

1. Whisk granulated sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt in a medium pan. Whisk in milk and yolks. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking, until thickened, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and butter; whisk until melted.
2. Pour pudding through a sieve into a heatproof bowl and set in an ice-water bath. To prevent a skin from forming, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until cold and set, about 40 minutes (up to 2 days).
3. Whip cream and confectioner’s sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Divide cold pudding among 4 bowls, and serve with whipped cream.

Both recipes are from Martha Stewart Living, September 2006

Technorati Tags: Baking, Chocolate, Dessert, Martha Stewart

peaches peaches peaches

2006-09-12T22:51:00.000-04:00

This Sunday I had eight guests over for dessert after seeing a movie in the Toronto International Film Festival. I had three hours available to make dessert before heading to the movie; so I knew I had to make something simple. I had a large basket of peaches and decided that I would make use of them. Eighteen peaches later, I had made a trio of desserts.

a vanilla bean panna cotta on shortbread with a peach compote

slices of fresh peach on shortbread with an ice wine sabayon

a frozen peach and ginger parfait on shortbread with diced peaches and ground pepper

For the vanilla bean panna cotta recipe, check out my post on the panna cotta trials.

For a soft and delicate shortbread that you can easily cut through with a fork, try using a recipe with icing sugar, cornstarch and a high butter content. Usually, the softer the dough the softer the cookie will be once it’s baked.

Lastly, here is the recipe for the frozen peach and ginger parfait:

1 1/2 Tbsp ginger root, peeled and sliced
6 peaches, peeled, halved and pitted
3 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/4 cup 35% cream, whipped

1. Blanche the peeled and sliced ginger root in hot water for a minute. Transfer to a food processor and process for a minute. Then add the peeled and pitted peach halves and process it till pureed. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Place this mixture aside or in the fridge.
2. Whip your 35% cream to a stiff peak, but avoid turning your cream into butter. Place the whipped cream in a container and put it in the fridge until needed.
3. In a heatproof bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with the confectioners’ sugar; then, still beating, place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water to create a bain-marie. Keep beating the mixture; when the mixture is lukewarm, remove the bowl from the pan and go on beating until the mixture is cool. If you are lazy like me, I just use my KitchenAid bowl over the pot and then transfer the bowl back to the mixer so that it can do all the work.
4. Once the mixture is cool, fold in the peach and ginger puree. Once combined, fold in the whip cream. Pour the parfait mixture into a 6-cup mold, or into a pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Freeze for approximately 4-6 hours.

* I would also recommend serving the parfait with small pieces of diced candied ginger.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Dessert, Peaches

can you can? : nope

2006-09-06T19:08:00.000-04:00

I have some understanding of the basic principles and techniques of canning but have never gotten into it. I missed the elusive 22nd Sugar High Friday event in August titled “Can you can”, an event on canning jams and preserves. It looked like fun and would have been a good excuse to practice canning…oh well! The jams and preserves that 52 food bloggers made look absolutely wonderful. Check them out at Nicky and Oliver's beautiful blog Delicious Days.

Although I don’t can, I eat. Here are a couple of preserves I purchased at Fauchon while I was in New York. The first is Strawberry with Rose Petals and the second Corsican Clementine Sweet Orange. You can see by the picture that I have been eating my way steadily through the Clementine. At US $11 per jar, these preserves can sure add up. I ended up spending US $36 on preserves. Yes, I know it sounds silly, but they are sooo good. I should probably practice canning, ‘cause if I keep buying preserves and jams at this cost I will go broke. They were amazing on the soft buttery brioche that I devoured in two minutes after taking the photo. Yum.

Technorati Tags: New York, Fauchon, SHF, Sugar High Fridays

italian plum torte

2006-09-03T14:39:00.000-04:00

When I received an email that Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice and Lis of La Mia Cucina were putting together a blogging event, I knew that I had to participate. To show up to this glorious summer feast titled “La Fiesta al Fresco”, make anything you want as long as it features one fresh ingredient. This virtual feast seems like a wonderful way to celebrate the end of summer.

This weekend I found some lovely Italian plums at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto.
Since plums are in season and at their peek, I decided to make a simple Italian plum torte. I hope you all enjoy. This recipe also goes out to my friends in Vancouver who are lucky enough to have a plum tree and have so many plums they are not sure what to do with them.

This recipe is from the December 2002 issue of Chocolatier Magazine.

Italian Plum Torte

1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs
8-10 Italian plums, halved and pitted or 5 large red or black plums, cut in quarters and pitted
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat 350ºF. Butter and flour 8” springform pan; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together, baking powder and salt.
3. In a 5-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, using a paddle attachment, cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for one minute, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Arrange plum quarters and halves on top. Combining remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a sharp knife, around edge of torte. Remove side of springform pan and serve torte warm or cool.
5. You can serve torte with heavy cream, vanilla ice cream or just on its own.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Dessert, La Fiesta al Fresco

new york : post 8

2006-08-30T18:26:00.000-04:00

Buttercup Bakeshop
I have to admit that I was skeptical about the cupcake craze that began some six years ago. Every city that I travel to somehow has a cupcake store. I have been to Magnolia and their cupcakes were definitely nothing to write about. So when my friend Phillip suggested we go for cupcakes, I was a little hesitant but I decided to give in and just go with the flow. We bought three cupcakes (red velvet, sour cream spice with walnuts and “devil dog” a cupcake topped with a marshmallow frosting) and a serving of chocolate trifle, which Matt and Phillip swear by. The buttercup bakeshop is simple in its approach to old-fashioned desserts. They produce favourites such as carrot cake, coconut layer cakes, red velvet cakes, cheesecakes and a host of other comfort desserts. The cupcakes, cakes and desserts here are simple and satisfying, they don’t pretend to be anything other than what they are.

Buttercup Bakeshop
973 Second Avenue (Between 51st and 52nd Sts)
New York
212 350 4144

Amy’s Bread

With three locations and fourteen years of being in the bread business, Amy’s Bread is a reliable venue for all your bread needs. They have a good selection of breads, which include: organic, whole wheat, black olive, rosemary, sourdough, semolina and a range of specialty breads. Since I was having lunch alone, I had one of their Tuscan sandwiches, which contained proscuitto, provolone, tomatoes, lettuce and herbs. I also sampled their seeded, black olive and semolina, raisin and fennel twists. If you love bread as much as I do, stop by and pick up some bread from Amy’s.

Amy’s Bread
250 Bleecker Street at Leroy Street
New York
212 675 7802

Other Eats

Fleur de Sel, a well known New York restaurant, French cuisine. Try their amazingly priced 3 course $25 or 4 course $42 tasting menu at lunch. I had the 4 course tasting and it was fantastic.
5 East 20th Street
New York
212 460 1900

La Bergamote, a good and reliable French patisserie with the standard fare.
169 9th Avenue
New York
212 627 9010

Three Tarts, the store is half collectibles and half edibles. The edibles include: cookies, petit fours, parfaits, sorbets, tarts and chocolates.
164 9th Avenue
New York
212 462 4392

Oms/b, rice ball café with a small selection of desserts.
156 East 45th Street
New York
212 922 9788

I hope that these posts will help you on your next trip to New York.
See more pictures of my New York Dessert Adventure.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Dessert, New York, New York Restaurants

new york : post 7

2006-08-30T14:59:00.000-04:00

Blue Ribbon Bakery

I convinced my friend Gwenessa to lunch with me at the Blue Ribbon Bakery, even though I had already had lunch an hour earlier. I would describe this Restaurant as a small, brightly lit and very comfortable bistro. Located in the basement of the restaurant is an old brick oven where all the restaurants artisan breads are made. The tapas like menu offers a good range of breads, meats, cheeses, appetizers and wines. Since we were not very hungry we sampled a range of their wonderful artisan breads and had some salads. When it came to dessert, the waiter suggested the warm chocolate chip bread pudding, which was topped with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream and drenched with warm chocolate sauce. This dessert was clearly made with quality ingredients and may be one of the best bread puddings I have had. I was also told that the banana walnut bread pudding drizzled with banana caramel sauce is also good. The food at Blue Ribbon Bakery was made with fresh quality ingredients. The next time that I have a chance to dine here, I will definitely be ordering a lot more.

Blue Ribbon Bakery
35 Downing Street (Downing and Bedford)
New York
212 337 0404

Nougatine

I wasn’t really in the mood to put on a pair of dress pants and dress shoes for Jean Georges, so I decided that my friends and I would go to the more casual Nougatine which is located right before entering JG. The meal at Nougatine is creative and complex in its subtle simplicity. The food is made in an open style kitchen, the same kitchen as the food for JG. My prix-fixe lunch included: a tomato salad with mixed greens, bacon and a foam vinaigrette; crispy chicken made with rice krispies and cornflakes with candied carrots and squash in a yuzu sauce; dessert, consisted of a sabayon on poached apricots and cardamom shortbread with candied pistachios; all of which got washed down with my black cherry-yuzu soda. The food, the portions, the price and the service at Nougatine make this restaurant a wonderful choice and one that I would definitely recommend. Often overlooked because of JG and other fine dining establishments in NYC, Nougatine offers good food without pretension.

Nougatine
1 Central Park West (between 60th and 61st Sts.)
New York
212 299 3900

Technorati Tags: Dessert, New York, New York Restaurants

new york : post 6

2006-08-29T12:47:00.000-04:00

Over the coming days, I will be writing three new posts about my dessert experiences in New York City. This trip was planned as a birthday get-away for Mie, Teresa and myself (my birthday is still 4 months away). We have been friends ever since high school and their friendship means a lot to me. I would also like to thank Matt and Phillip for their friendship, hospitality and for always recommending new and wonderful places. I had a fantastic time in New York, sleeping-in, eating and most of all hang out with friends.

If you are interested in other places to go to in New York, check out my first five posts written in May, 2006.

post 1 : Jean George
post 2: Chickalious & Room 4 Dessert
post 3 : Cream Puffs in New York
post 4 : Bouchon, Fauchon, Minamoto Kitchoan, Wichcraft
post 5 : Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, Rice to Riches, Fluff

Serendipity 3:

Serendipity: to make discoveries, by accident and sagacity, of things not in quest of.

I first saw the film Serendipity in 2002, the summer I came back from grad school in London, I never heard of it while I was England. For all those who haven’t seen it, it is a romantic comedy starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale where they fall in love by chance. My sister made me watch it. Anyhow, there is a scene where they meet up at a restaurant in New York named Serendipity.

Serendipity 3 is a fun and accessible restaurant, which brings up memories of comfort food and childhood favourites such as hot fudge sundaes. I’m not sure whether it was the movie or their reputation, but this restaurant can be difficult to get into. On two other visits to New York, I had planned on eating there, but the lines to get in were unmanageable. On this trip however, my friends and I were able to get in within 10 minutes of waiting in line. Once we were in, we ordered the “coward’s portion” of the banana split as we didn’t think we could eat the ridiculous amount of ice cream in the “outrageous banana split” and the “big apple” pie. The frozen hot chocolate, I have been told is the drink to get. All their ice cream creations are made with Häagen Dazs.

The reason why I think this restaurant does well, is that it plays on our sense of nostalgia. Our dessert at Serendipity was simple and enjoyable. However desserts like sundaes and banana splits are things that I rarely indulge in. I would recommend Serendipity 3 if you were looking for comfort food, desserts or a bit of nostalgia, otherwise don’t bother braving the line.

Serendipity 3
225 E. 60th St. (between Second and Third Ave)
New York
212 838 3531

Technorati Tags: Dessert, New York, New York Restaurants

tiramisu : pick me up

2006-08-28T22:20:00.000-04:00

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert typically made from ladyfingers, espresso coffee, mascarpone cheese, eggs, cream, sugar, Marsala wine, cocoa and rum. The name tiramisu means “pick-me-up”, referring to the two caffeine-containing ingredients, espresso and cocoa.
The ladyfingers are sprinkled with or briefly soaked in a mixture of the coffee, rum, and sugar. They are then layered with a mixture of mascarpone cheese and a custard made from egg yolks, Marsala and sugar, known as zabaglione. Cocoa powder is then sprinkled on top.

From Wikipedia

A couple of weeks ago, I got together with my good friends Mie and Teresa to make tiramisu. For many years, Teresa has been making her family’s recipe for tiramisu and, since she is a professional at it, I thought I’d learn a thing or two. I have to admit that I have made Teresa’s recipe before but it is just not the same. So what is the difference? Well, I think it is a few things: one, I love to eat other people’s food; two, anything made with love is good; and three, lots of alcohol. Instead of using rum, try Martini or Frangelico. Since Teresa’s family recipe is a secret, I cannot publish it. I have however included a recipe for savoiardi/lady fingers. I made these for our tiramisu, rather than buying them from an Italian grocery store. They are very simple to make and even easier to eat.

Our tiramisu was two layers of ladyfingers, which had been soaked in coffee and Frangelico, topped with mascarpone/zabaglione filling and dusted with Valrhona cocoa. It was fun, simple, tasty and satisfying.

savoiardi : ladyfingers

8 egg whites
250g sugar
8 egg yolks
250g cake flour

1. whip egg white and sugar into a meringue
2. mix yolks into meringue
3. fold in cake flour
pipe and bake @ 390ºF till golden

Technorati Tags: Baking, Dessert

asian sweets

2006-08-28T00:27:00.000-04:00

Vancouver for me is undoubtedly is one of the best places in North America for Asian cuisine. This summer I went to many of my favourite restaurants and cafes. What I often find absent in Asian cuisine is desserts. The Asian sweets that I found this summer in Vancouver were primarily from the Chinatown and the Richmond night markets, which are open during the summer months in Vancouver and Richmond, BC. These night markets are wonderful for fantastic and authentic Asian street food; knock off wallets and bags and cute gadgets and stationary that nobody really needs. Here are some of the desserts that I sampled:

watermelon bubble tea with large tapioca pearls - refreshing and naturally sweet, fantastic, except for the bubble/tapioca phobic

shaved strawberry ice with strawberry, mango and coconut jelly - flavourful and suprisingly delicious

bubble waffle - light, airy waffles with a touch of sweetness

red bean with shaved ice and coconut milk - simple and refreshing without being too sweet

passion fruit ice with kiwi and coloured sprinkles - the artifical passionfruit and the cloying sweetness turned me off

waffle like fish with red bean paste - light, crisp and packed with redbean goodness

Technorati Tags: Vancouver

ganache

2006-08-27T16:51:00.000-04:00

In 2003, Peter Fong opened up Ganache Patisserie in Yaletown, Vancouver. Ganache is a modern patisserie, which offers a good and diverse selection of individual pastries and cakes. They range from the classics like crème brûlée, lemon tarts and napoleons to seasonally inspired creations. They also produce chocolates, bon bons, french macaroons and one of a kind wedding cakes. Ganache offers a level of creativity and risk taking that not many pastry shops in Vancouver offer and this is precisely the reason why I recommend it.

Ganache
1262 Homer Street
Vancouver, BC
604 899 1098

Technorati Tags: Vancouver

biscotti

2006-08-23T11:42:00.000-04:00

I was inspired to make biscotti from a friend who enjoys baking biscotti on his weekends. I have made biscotti many times, with many variations on flavour and consistency of the biscotti dough. For instance there are firm doughs, soft doughs and doughs that are so soft and airy that you need to pipe them through a piping bag. Anyways, for my experiment, I decided to pack as many ingredients and flavours into my biscotti that I had around the house. I did ended up with a biscotti that was jam packed fruits and nuts. I myself am personally a minimalist when it comes to flavours, but the biscotti seemed to hail good response from the party in which I brought these to. The high density of fruits and nuts make these biscotti a little finicky to cut. They are also not as crisp and crunchy as your regular biscotti as they have a higher ratio of filling to dough.

almond, pecan, pistachio, ginger, cranberry and orange biscotti

1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup pistanchios
1/2 cup candied ginger finely cubed
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups + 2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1. toast nuts and set aside
2. cream butter, sugar and orange zest
3. add eggs and vanilla
4. add dry ingredients
5. at the end, add in nuts, candied ginger and dried cranberries
6. roll into 2 logs and chill for approximately 1 hour
7. bake at 350°F for approximately 20 - 25 minutes or until done
8. let biscotti cool for 10 minutes before slicing
9. dry out biscotti for 5-10 minutes at 300°F on each side for your desired crunchiness.

Technorati Tags: Baking, cookies

simple summer fruit desserts

2006-08-17T02:44:00.000-04:00

The last couple of weeks I have been so busy I have been absent from my computer and the blogosphere. The following are images of simple fruit desserts that I have made in the past couple of weeks, but I have not had time to write about.

Vanilla creme brulee with fresh raspberries

Rhubarb frangipane tart

Apricot frangipane tart

Cherries being pitted

Classic cherry clarfouti

blueberry-basil sorbet

2006-07-28T21:11:00.000-04:00

Sarah of The Delicious Life is hosting the 21st edition of Sugar High Friday. This month’s theme is “Ice Ice Baby”, here are Sarah’s instructions: How you interpret Ice Ice Baby is up to you – churn your own ice cream, freeze a fruit ice, build a sundae, hug two cookies around a snowball and call it a sandwich, or create some other de-luscious thang that’ll help us cool down in the high heat of summer. Anyone who has been reading my blog this last month should know that this theme shouldn’t be a problem for me.

The other night my friend received a large quantity of blueberries from a friend of his who went blueberry picking. He had so many blueberries he almost didn’t know what to do with them, but then he decided he wanted to make a blueberry sorbet. He called me up and asked me if I wanted to help. Since I have never made blueberry sorbet before I was curious and agreed to help him. I invited him over and we searched for some blueberry sorbet recipes. We decided to use a simple blueberry sorbet recipe which we found on epicurious. We did however alter the recipe by adding 5 medium-sized leaves of basil and 2 tablespoons of vodka to the original recipe. We added the basil and the vodka during the blending process. It was a simple and refreshing sorbet, which definitely tasted of blueberries with a small hint of basil.

Technorati Tags: Blueberry, SHF, Sorbet, Sugar High Fridays

mixed berries with lemon honey sorbet

2006-07-22T03:11:00.000-04:00

The weather seems to be getting hotter. In the heat, it is hard to concentrate and get things done at times. Here is a fresh and simple summer dessert: mixed berries with sorbet. I made a quick lemon honey sorbet for my berry salad. If its too hot or inconvenient, I suggest buying some lemon or raspberry sorbet to spoon on top.

Lemon honey sorbet

100 g. sugar
100 g. honey
275 ml water
juice of 7 lemons

Place the sugar, honey and water in a pan, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a while. Juice your lemons. Mix the lemon juice and the sugar syrup together, cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight. Stir sorbet mixture and freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Technorati Tags: Ice cream, Sorbet

c restaurant

2006-07-21T05:40:00.000-04:00

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting and spending sometime in the kitchen with my friend and colleague Merri Schwartz. Merri is the pastry chef at C restaurant in Vancouver. The food at C features some of the finest local seafood and produce that Vancouver has to offer. It has a wonderful reputation and is consistently rated one of the top restaurants in Vancouver for contemporary fine dining. Over the last three years at C, Merri has been making and creating fantastic sweets in the pastry kitchen. Everything in the pastry kitchen is made in-house from freshly baked artisan breads and crackers, to ice creams and sorbets and most importantly plated desserts. Shown below, are six new desserts currently on the menu at C. If you have the opportunity to dine at C, I definitely recommend it. Don’t forget to save room for dessert.

My favourites on Merri’s new menu are creamy and seasonal. Creamy is a crème brûlée with a small pool of raspberry and rose puree hidden inside; it is served with raspberries, Turkish delight, pink peppercorn shortbread and a rose caramel. Seasonal is rhubarb and almond tart plated with rhubarb jelly, crushed almonds, milk and honey ice cream with a leaf of caramelized fireweed honey.

Creamy: crème brûlée, raspberry and rose
Balance: warm and cold cherry, gingerbread, chocolate

Sharp: fromage frais cheesecake, blackcurrant, pecan
Chocolate: single estate chocolate pate, apricot, cocoa

Chilled: milk chocolate and peanut butter ice cream cake, banana
Seasonal: rhubarb and almond tart, fireweed honey

Technorati Tags: Dessert, C restaurant, Merri Schwartz

raspberry and salmonberry tarts

2006-07-19T00:48:00.000-04:00

Berries are definitely in season, so I decided to make two berry tarts. The tarts are composed of pâte sucrée dough, a vanilla pastry cream and topped with fresh berries. These tarts make a simple and satisfying summer dessert. The raspberries were picked from Philippe’s garden and the salmonberries were picked with the help of my two nephews and niece, during a recent trip visiting them on Vancouver Island.

Pâte sucrée

21/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup ice water

1. Place the flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and process for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture, and process until the mixture resembles course meal, about 10 seconds. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks and ice water. Add egg-water in a slow steady stream through the feed tube, with the machine running, just until the dough holds together. Do not process for more than 30 seconds.

2. Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Divide into 2 equal pieces, and place on 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.

Makes two 11-inch tarts, two 9-inch tarts, or two 8-inch tarts.
This pastry dough may be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost by refrigerating overnight or letting stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

* From the Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

Pastry cream

2 large whole eggs
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped,
or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in tablespoons

1. Combine the eggs, yolks, and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. Turn off the machine. Sift in the cornstarch; beat on medium-low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

2. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Combine the milk, the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and the vanilla bean and seed scrapings in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, and discard the vanilla bean. Whisking constantly, slowly pour half of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture; whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Set over medium heat, and whisk until the mixture reaches the consistency of pudding, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until melted and incorporated after each addition. Place the bowl over the ice bath, stirring occasionally, until chilled. Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming; let chill overnight or at least 11/2 hours before using.

Makes 3 cups. This will fill two 9-inch tart shells, three 3 x 14-inch rectangles, or up to four-dozen 3-inch tartlets. It can be made ahead and chilled for up to 3 days.

*From the All New Joy of Cooking

Technorati Tags: Dessert, Raspberry, Salmonberries, Tarts

sweet corn ice cream & fresh mint ice cream

2006-07-16T01:58:00.000-04:00

Doesn't it look like a big scoop of butter?

A couple of weeks ago my friends Kajola and Terry came over to try two new ice creams I made: sweet corn ice cream and fresh mint ice cream.

If you like corn, this ice cream is a definite must. Use the freshest corn you can find. The better the corn, the better the ice cream. This recipe is adapted from Claudia Flemings, The Last Course.

Sweet corn ice cream

1 cup 35% cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
5 egg yolks
2 ears of fresh sweet corn, shucked

1. Place cream, whole milk and corn in a small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once it has come to a boil, take it off the heat and let the corn infuse for 30 minutes. Blend with a hand mixer, blender or food processor.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp of sugar with the egg yolks until well mixed. Temper the egg yolk mixture with 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture.
3. Once tempered, add the rest of the egg mixture into the cream mixture. Bring the mixture up to 85ºC or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the corn and cool. Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator over night or until completely cool, at least four hours.
5. Process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

I find fresh mint in ice cream to be lovely and refreshing. It is definitely better than the common artificially flavoured and coloured mint ice cream. The mint in the recipe here is infused with milk and cream to create a wonderfully distinct flavour. There are many types of mint. I like using peppermint or spearmint, keeping in mind that peppermint has a stronger flavour than spearmint. Other mints might also taste delicious.

Fresh mint ice cream

1 cup 35% cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup roughly chopped mint

1. Place cream, whole milk and mint in a small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once it has come to a boil, take it off the heat and let the mint infuse for 30 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp of sugar with the egg yolks until well mixed. Temper the egg yolk mixture with 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture.
3. Once tempered, add the rest of the egg mixture into the cream mixture. Bring the mixture up to 85ºC or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the mint and cool. Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator over night or until completely cool, at least four hours.
5. Process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Technorati Tags: Ice cream

summer ice cream round-up

2006-07-02T22:55:00.000-04:00

Summer is here, and it is definitely hot!

The creativity and commitment of food bloggers never ceases to amaze me. For my summer ice cream event, food bloggers from across the world have shared some wonderful recipes.

Danielle from Habeas Brulee makes an intriguing Thai ice tea ice cream. Ice tea and ice cream are both great in the summer, and I can only imagine that they taste fabulous together. (USA)

Elena from Intrepid Gourmet makes a beautiful pink cherry blossom ice cream inspired by the cherry blossoms of Japan. (UK)

Kieran from Ice Cream Ireland pushes the limits of ingredients to make ice creams beyond what we generally imagine. Kieran came up with a fancy and sophisticated Dom Perignon sorbet. (IRE)

Lara from Cookbook 411 creates a lovely and elegant pear gelato with dark chocolate phyllo cookies. (USA)

Nabeela from Trial and Error makes a fresh mango sorbet to beat the heat. (USA)

Pepper of Frugal Cuisine experiments with matcha (green tea powder) to create some intriguing products like coconut matcha ice cream. (CAN)

Francesca of Fiordizucca creates a stunning butternut squash ice cream. (UK)

Riana of Garlic Breath (don't let the name fool you, because there is much more than garlic on her blog) makes a beautiful and lively lemon gelato. (FR)

Jasmine from Confessions of a Cardamom Addict makes strawberry ice cream, a perennial favourite for many, me included . (CAN)

Melissa of Hecticium creates a number of goodies: pistachio ice cream, prune frozen yoghurt and pistachio stuffed dates. (UK)

Tea of Tea and Cookies makes a creative Singapore ice cream, which contains chili flakes, black peppercorn, candied ginger and pistachios. (USA)

Bridget of Pint Sized Cookery offers a simple, satisfying and lovely three berry custard. (USA)

Cindy of Sourcream Timbits shows us that you can make a lovely sorbet without an ice cream maker! Check out her mango sorbet. (CAN)

Bonnie of Daydream Delicious confesses that she doesn't like frozen desserts; so, she shares a lemon posset, which looks like a lovely summer dessert! (UK)

Marilyn from Cauponilla seems to have a love of chocolate; she offers a classic chocolate gelato. (USA)

Mickey of Kitchen Inferno uses Chambord liqueur to make an intriguing Chambord ice cream. (USA)

Emily from Appetitive Behavior offers up a yummy looking frozen gianduia mousse. (USA)

Alanna of A Veggie Venture makes buttered pecan ice cream (with pecan meringue cookies) – looks wonderful. (USA)

Ramya of Cascading Flavors creates an unusual red finger millet (ragi) ice cream, which sounds healthy and still delicious. (USA)

Vanessa from Tongue and Cheek turns a favourite summertime drink into a sorbet. Check out her mojito sorbet. (CAN)

Faith of Mekuno Cooking offers an orange and honey caramel ice cream – fantastic job, Faith! (USA)

Ulrike of Küchenlatein makes a beautiful and ethereal elderflower sorbet. (GER)

Meeta from What's for lunch, honey? creates a cool and refreshing lemon sorbet with Limoncello. (GER)

Julie from Cookbook Addict offers up an all American favorite – Ben's chocolate ice cream from Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. (FR)

Stefanie from Couteau Bonswan provides a topping for all our ice cream, Grandma Noble's chocolate syrup. (USA)

Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice creates a strawberry ice cream with a lovely twist: strawberry crème fraîche ice cream with coconut, vanilla sugar and lemon zest. It looks divine! (CAN)

Chopper Dave & Mrs D from Belly Timber make a wicked and stunning vodka watermelon sorbet. (USA)

Jason from Pursuing My Passions creates an intriuguing edamame ice cream. I have edamame in my freezer and want to use it to try this one. (USA)

Megan of Chez Megane makes an irresistible ice cream sandwich with her chocolate brownie cookies and chocolate chip mint ice cream – need I say more! (FR)

Your host, Sam of Sweet Pleasure : Plaisir Sucré, offers a simple and satisfying chestnut ice cream. (CAN)

Anita from Dessert First shares two mouthwatering recipes: white peach sorbet and roasted cinnamon ice cream. (USA)

Last, but not least, Keiko from Nordljus creates a lovely and unusual gooseberry and elderflower ice cream. (UK)

A big thank you to everyone who participated! I had a great time reading all your wonderful posts. This might become an annual event!

Technorati Tags: Gelato, Ice cream, Sorbet, Summer ice cream event

chestnut ice cream

2006-07-01T15:29:00.000-04:00

Simple and satisfying, chestnut ice cream is my contribution to my summer ice cream event!

I am growing increasingly fond of chestnut as a flavour. A versatile nut, chestnut can be eaten candied, boiled or roasted. Another important use of chestnut is ground as flour, which can then be used to prepare bread, cakes and pasta. My favourite chestnut recipes include roasted chestnuts, marrons glacés and chestnut cake.

The ice cream I describe here tastes of pure chestnut. The recipe calls for less sugar because the chestnut spread used as an ingredient is very sweet. Chestnut puree can be used instead; however, the quantity of sugar will then need to be increased. I decided to use chestnut spread partly because it contains glucose, and glucose helps create a smoother (less icy) ice cream that tends to last longer. Sweetened chestnut spread can often be found in ethnic or specialty food stores.

Chestnut ice cream

1 cup 35% cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
5 egg yolks

1 - (225g) can of sweetened chestnut spread

1. Place cream and whole milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. In a small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of sugar with the egg yolks until well mixed. Temper the egg yolk mixture with 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture.
3. Once tempered, add the rest of the egg mixture into the cream mixture. At this point you can add the sweetened chestnut spread and mix until combined. Bring the mixture up to 85ºC or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and cool. Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator over night or until completely cool, at least four hours.
5. Process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Technorati Tags: Chestnut, Ice cream, Summer ice cream event

adzuki bean ice cream

2006-06-30T21:43:00.000-04:00

adzuki bean ice cream with whipped cream

The adzuki, or red, bean is small and reddish-brown and has a nutty-sweet flavour. It probably originated in China and is currently primarily imported from China and Thailand, where the bean is harvested in November and December. In Asia, adzuki beans are usually cooked to a soft consistency. They are served with coconut milk or cooked with rice, their bright colour tinting the rice an attractive pink. It is also common to find adzuki beans sweetened with sugar and made into cakes and sweetmeats.

Adzuki beans are used in many Asian desserts. Although I have eaten adzuki bean ice cream, I have never made it myself, until recently that is. For my first attempt, I used store bought sweetened red bean paste. The result was an ice cream that had flavour but lacked texture. I think that the texture of bean is what makes red bean ice cream special. It is the combination of red bean texture and sweet nutty flavour that is comforting.

My second attempt involved making sweetened adzuki beans. I then added a cup of the sweet beans to my ice cream base. Unfortunately, the colour and flavour were weak, and there was now too much texture. During my third and final attempt, I added two cups of sweetened adzuki bean to the ice cream base and blended the mixture in a food processor. This technique created an adzuki bean ice cream with colour, taste and just enough texture. I served the ice cream with whipped cream, which compliments its flavour and texture. I highly recommend that you try adzuki bean ice cream.

sweet adzuki beans

1 cup dried adzuki beans (red bean)
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt

1. Place beans in a bowl of water and soak overnight.
2. Drain beans and rinse well. Put the beans in a saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and drain. Return to the saucepan and add water to cover the beans by 1 cm. Bring to a boil and simmer, skimming any scum from the surface. Continue to simmer until beans are soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, stirring frequently, until beans thicken, at least another 30 minutes. It is very important to stir beans frequently as sugar can cause mixture to stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, add pinch of salt and stir well. Let cool.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.

adzuki bean (red bean) ice cream

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
2 cups of cooked sweet adzuki beans

1. Place heavy cream, whole milk and 1/3 cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar with the egg yolks until well mixed. Temper the egg yolk mixture with 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture.
3. Once tempered, add the rest of the egg mixture into the cream mixture and bring mixture up to 85ºC or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Let the mixture cool and then add the 2 cups of adzuki beans. Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator over night or until completely cool, at least four hours.
5. Blend the adzuki bean ice cream mixture in a blender or food processor. Once processed, the adzuki bean ice cream mixture is ready to be spun in an ice cream maker.
6. Process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Technorati Tags: Adzuki Bean, Ice cream, Red Bean

soy minimalism

2006-06-25T02:05:00.000-04:00

I have been preoccupied with my move over the past couple weeks; yet, I have still been thinking that I would participate in the next Sugar High Friday. As I was wandering around the blogosphere, I was surprised to find out that SHF#20 and IMBB#27 were both being hosted by Reid of Ono Kine Grindz. The theme of this joint blogging event is “The Joy of Soy: Prepare a dish using Soy.”

I have had ice cream on my mind because of my upcoming ice cream event. So, I thought I would make edamame ice cream. I bought the edamame beans but decided that I had become a little too engrained in the ice cream theme. I wanted to make something with soy that showed soy’s wonderful natural flavour. Since my mother was in town at the moment, I asked her to walk me through the steps of making soy milk and dessert tofu.

My parents have been cooks all their lives and food runs strong in my family. (For my part, I have been to pastry school and have experience working in the industry, although I currently work in another field.) My mother has been making homemade soy milk and dessert tofu for many years, but it is only now that I have gone into the kitchen with her to learn.

The process of making soy milk and dessert tofu is similar. The only difference between the recipes is the ratio of water and the addition of cornstarch and gypsum powder in the dessert tofu. The taste of fresh homemade soy milk is much better than most store bought, and homemade can be sweetened to your liking. The dessert tofu is light, smooth and delicate. It is the kind that you find in restaurants, often served with a sweet ginger syrup. I find that the soy milk and the dessert tofu bring back fond memories of my childhood, especially all the wonderful things that my mom made in the kitchen.

Fresh soy milk

2 cups dried soy bean
Sugar to taste

1. Soak 2 cups of dried soy beans in a large bowl with a lot of water. The beans need to soak overnight, or for at least 6 hours, until softened.
2. When the beans have finished soaking, drain in a large sieve or colander.
3. In a blender or food processor, add two cups of soaked beans with 3 cups of water, and blend until finely pulverized.
4. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve, cheese cloth or a fine mesh straining bag into a large bowl. Strain out as much liquid as possible.
5. Pour another 3 cups of water over the ground soy mixture, straining and incorporating as much of the soy flavoured liquid as possible.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 until you have no more soaked soy beans. Discard the excess soy bean pulp.
7. When you are done, remove excess foam on the soy milk with a small sieve or spoon.
8. Then pour the soy milk through a fine sieve one more time and place in a heavy bottomed pot.
9. Bring the soy milk to a boil on medium heat. The mixture should be stirred often. Pay attention, as the soy milk can boil over suddenly, or worse may burn.
9. After the soy milk has come to a boil, take it off the heat and let it cool. You can drink it hot or cold. If you like your soy milk sweetened, as I do, I recommend adding sugar while the soy milk is hot, because it will dissolve easier. For this amount of soy milk, I found that 1/2 cup of sugar worked well. However, I suggest you add sugar to your taste. Once cooled, store in the refrigerator for up to one week. Makes approximately 4 liters.

Fresh soy milk is simple, tasty and nutritious.

Dessert tofu

3 cups dried soy bean
1 1/2 tsp corn starch
1 1/2 tsp gypsum powder

1. Soak 3 cups of dried soy beans in a large bowl with a lot of water. The beans need to soak overnight, or for at least 6 hours, until softened.
2. When the beans have finished soaking, drain in a large sieve or colander.
3. In a blender or food processor, add two cups of soaked beans with 2 1/2 cups of water and blend until finely pulverized.
4. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve, cheese-cloth or a fine mesh straining bag into a large bowl. Strain out as much liquid as possible. Then pour another 1/2 cup of water over the ground soy mixture, straining and incorporating as much of the soy flavoured liquid as possible.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have no more soaked soy beans. Discard the excess soy bean pulp.
6. Once you are done, remove the excess foam with a small sieve or spoon.
7. Then, pour the soy milk through a fine sieve one more time and place in a heavy bottomed pot.
8. Bring the soy milk to a boil on medium heat. This mixture should be stirred often. Pay attention, as the soy milk can boil over suddenly, or worse may burn.
9. In a small bowl, add 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch and 1 1/2 tsp gypsum powder to 1 Tbsp water. Place this mixture into a large casserole dish – one that has a lid.
10. Once the soy milk has come to a boil, pour it into the casserole dish. Do not stir. All you need to do is place the lid on the dish and let it cool for 30 minutes.
11. Once cooled, you can carefully spoon the tofu into bowls. Eat it warm, or put it in the refrigerator and have it as a cool refreshing dessert.
12. As I mentioned above, dessert tofu of this kind is very soft and silky. It is often served with sweet ginger syrup. Makes approximately 10 cups.

Ginger syrup

4 ounces fresh ginger
2 cups water
1/4 cup brown sugar

1. Grate ginger.
2. In a saucepan, combine ginger, water and sugar.
3. Simmer on low until sugar is dissolved.
4. Strain before serving.
11. Once cooled, you can carefully spoon the tofu into bowls. Eat it warm, or put it in the refrigerator and have it as a cool refreshing dessert.

Technorati Tags: Dessert, Drink, Is My Blog Burning, IMBB, SHF, Soy, Sugar High Fridays

summer garden

2006-06-24T02:51:00.000-04:00

This summer I am housesitting for a good friend in Vancouver. In the process, I have been adjusting to life in Vancouver and to a different kitchen. I didn’t bring my appliances, cookbooks or usual equipment, which I always keep on hand at home. In some ways, this change is a good challenge, because it compels me to be more creative: I have to work with the tools and resources that I have here.

The interior of my friend’s place is beautiful, and his garden is truly amazing. For instance, the garden’s assortment of herbs includes: lavender, sage, rosemary, tarragon, oregano, mint, cilantro, parsley, chives, thyme, lemon thyme, creeping thyme, and others I haven’t identified yet. He also has raspberry and black current bushes. There are many plants in various stages of growth that will offer tomatoes, zucchini, leafy greens and things that will surely be a pleasant surprise. My friend has also planted a beautiful assortment of flowers. In short, the garden looks fantastic, and I feel very fortunate to be staying here. Thanks so much, P.!

With such a fabulous array of herbs, berries, vegetables and flowers, I will certainly be drawing from this wonderful garden in my baking and in my posts. Cheers!

pistachio affogato

2006-06-17T17:53:00.000-04:00

I am writing from Vancouver. I arrived last Saturday and am settling in. Settling in because I will be working and blogging from here for the next few months. During this time, I hope to discover, eat and review some interesting food destinations. I was in Vancouver a year ago to visit family and friends. The first thing I did on my last visit--directly after I came into the city from the airport--was to have a pistachio affogato from Mondo Gelato. On this trip it took as long as a day before I had this tasty dessert.

An affogato is a simple Italian dessert: espresso poured over top of gelato. With simple desserts, the quality of the ingredients are often what makes them good. The better the espresso and the gelato, the better the affogato. For people who like espresso and gelato, a good affogato is a must!

I don't drink coffee often: possibly a cup once or twice a year. I love the smell of coffee, but drinking it just makes me hyper and jumpy. For me, being more hyper just results in a melt down. So, it sometimes seems odd to me that I like the combination of espresso and gelato so much.

Over the years I have had many flavours of affogato. My favourite, however, remains pistachio. The rich roasted flavour of pistachio brings back memories of cracking open roasted pistachios as a child. The nuts were always lightly salted, which helped enhance the subtle nutty flavour. The pistachio gelato at Mondo is the best pistachio gelato (or pistachio ice cream, for that matter) that I have had. I have also made pistachio gelato several times, using various recipes, ingredients and techniques, and I still can't make one that tastes as good as theirs. Because I like Mondo's so much, I seem to try pistachio gelato almost everywhere that I travel. I have also been told that their espresso is excellent by those who are more adept in that area.

Mondo Gelato is a chain that has stores in Vancouver, San Francisco, Beijing and Italy. So, if you happen to be in a city with a Mondo Gelato, sit down and try a simple and very satisfying affogato. You might also become hooked.

Technorati Tags: Gelato, Ice Cream, Mondo Gelato, Affogato

strawberry shortcake heaven

2006-06-04T19:41:00.000-04:00

2005: strawberry shortcake with strawberry-red wine sorbet and vanilla crème anglaise.

Which strawberry shortcake would you prefer?

I seem to make strawberry shortcake at least once a year. I guess it is one of those comfort desserts that is both easy to make and well loved. It is especially good when you have a tender biscuit, fresh local strawberries and vanilla whipped cream.

This recipe comes from Baking Illustrated, which is by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine. It makes a wonderfully moist and tender biscuit.

2006: strawberry shortcake with strawberry-balsamic sorbet and balsamic caramel leaf

Start the recipe by preparing the fruit, then set the fruit aside while preparing the biscuits to allow the juices to become syrupy. After cutting 6 perfect rounds of dough, we found that the scraps could be pulled together, kneaded, and cut to get 1 or 2 more rounds. These shortcakes will be a little tougher and less attractive than those from the first cutting.

Fruit:
8 cups strawberries (about 2 1/2 pounds), hulled
6 Tbsp sugar

Shortcakes:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface and biscuit cutter
5 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp half and half or whole milk
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 cups whipped cream

For the fruit:
1) Place 3 cups of the hulled strawberries in a large bowl and crush with a potato masher. Slice the remaining 5 cup berries and stir into the crushed berries along with the sugar. Set the fruit aside to macerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

For the shortcakes:
2) Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position and heat the oven to 425ºF. in a food processor, pulse the flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, the baking powder, and salt to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over and process until the mixture resembles course meal, about fifteen 1 – second pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl.
3) Mix the beaten egg with the half-and-half in a measuring cup. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Combine with a rubber spatula until large clumps form. Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and lightly knead until it comes together.
4) Use your fingertips to pat the dough into a 9 x 6 inch rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, being careful not to over work the dough. Flour a 2 3/4 inch biscuit cutter and cut out 6 dough rounds. Place the rounds 1 inch apart on a small baking sheet, brush the tops with the beaten egg white, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. (Dough rounds can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before baking.)
5) Bake until the shortcakes are golden brown, 12 – 14 minutes. Place the baking sheet on the wire rack and cool the cakes until warm, about 10 minutes.

To assemble:
6) When the shortcakes have cooled slightly, split them in half. Place each cake bottom on an individual serving plate. Spoon a portion of the fruit and then a dollop of the whipped cream over each cake bottom. Cap with the cake top and serve immediately.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Dessert, Strawberry

summer ice cream event!

2006-06-01T03:30:00.000-04:00

Summer is coming up, and it's going to be hot! To battle the heat I plan to host a one-off ice cream event on July 1st. To join in, make an ice cream, gelato, sorbet, sherbet or another frozen dessert. Then, blog about it and send me the link by Saturday, July 1st . I will do the round-up that weekend. You can include photographs, recipes or stories; the choice is yours. You can make a beloved family recipe, share your favourite recipe, or experiment with wild and creative flavours. Start churning that ice cream maker!

If you are interested in participating, email me the following information once you have posted your entry:

- The name of your recipe
- The permalink URL of your ice cream entry
- Your name
- Your blog’s name
- Your blog’s front page URL

Email me your entry details at sweetpleasuredessert@yahoo.ca.

Technorati Tags: Ice Cream

strawberry terrine with fresh coconut

2006-05-31T23:38:00.000-04:00

Last month I participated in Jihva for Ingredients #1 : mango. The ingredient for Jihva this month is strawberry, and the event is hosted by the Baking Fairy. Over the past month, I have been making all sorts of strawberry desserts: strawberry juice, strawberry marshmallow, strawberry ice cream and strawberry short cake (which will soon be posted). With strawberries on my mind, I chose to try a recipe that has intrigued me for some time — a strawberry terrine with fresh coconut.

This strawberry terrine is from the Notebooks of Michel Bras: Desserts. The ideas in Bras's book are exquisite and original. His poetic sensibility for art and food is apparent. Throughout the book are sketches, recipes, information about ingredients and photographs of nature. The book ties together all its elements in an atmosphere of creativity, imagination and pleasure.

The composition of the terrine is actually rather simple. The tricky parts are: (1) defrocking the coconut; (2) making sure that your softened butter incorporates with the coconut, sugar and water mixture; and (3) cutting the finished product, as it is rather pliable. The difficulty cutting the dessert results from the high proportion of strawberry to coconut: you need to pack the strawberries tightly because they are basically holding themselves and the dessert together. This dessert shows off the clean and distinct flavours of strawberry and coconut — a lovely and unusual combination.

I recommend preparing this dessert three to four hours in advance to give it plenty of time to set.

Strawberry Terrine with Fresh Coconut

3 pts. (600 g) strawberries
1/4 cup (80 g) grated coconut
3 Tbsp (4 cl) water
3/4 cup (160 g) sugar
6 Tbsp (80 g) butter
1 1/2 gelatin leaves
1/2 cup (120 g) heavy cream
1 Tbsp (1 cl) red wine

9 inch (22 cm) aluminum pan mold
serves 8

Strawberries
Wash the strawberries quickly. Drain them and remove the stems. Put aside on a dry towel.

Coconut Cream
In a mixing bowl, combine the grated coconut, water, 1/2 cup (120 g) sugar, and softened butter. Mix thoroughly. Soften the gelatin in cold water and dissolve it in 2 Tbsp (30g) boiling heavy cream. Slowly mix the cream into the coconut mixture. Allow to set. Whip the remaining heavy cream and gently fold into the coconut cream.

Assembling the Terrine
Cut 2 pt. of the strawberries in half. Alternate layers of strawberries and cream in the mold. Pack the strawberries in as tightly as possible. Remember that this is a strawberry terrine with coconut and not the other way around. Chill the remaining strawberries at least 1 to 2 hours.

Strawberry Coulis
Prepare the coulis by blending the remaining strawberries, sugar and red wine.

Before Serving
Remove the terrine from the mold by placing the mold in a basin of hot water. Slice the terrine with a knife dipped in hot water. Serve with the coulis.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Coconut, Dessert, Jihva for Ingredients, Michel Bras, Strawberry

plaisir sucré

2006-05-28T23:38:00.000-04:00

“Pleasure is a state…bliss…an action, and both of them, in our culture, are held to be unspeakable, beyond words.” Richard Howard in the forward to Roland Barthes’ The Pleasure of the Text

Pleasure is the literal translation for the French word plaisir. Plaisir means, among other things, amusement, delight, enjoyment, fun, indulgence, and joy. This constellation of meaning embodies my excitement and love for art, food and pastry. Pleasure is something we rarely talk about. We feel it, experience it, and embody it. This blog is my modest attempt to share and document my experiences.

Plaisir Sucré was my initial idea for the name of my blog. I changed to Sweet Pleasure, an English translation, for practical reasons: English is my first language and is currently the dominant language on the web in North America, where I live.

Plaisir Sucré is also the name of a cake created by the famed French pastry chef Pierre Hermé. In 1993 Hermé constructed Cherry on the Cake. This revolutionary cake was daring in its use of milk chocolate, an ingredient looked down upon, especially in Hermé’s native France. It created a major stir in French pastry circles and was widely discussed. Plaisir Sucré is a revamp of Cherry on the Cake—a plated version of the mythical cake. It has the cake’s components, minus the cherry, its flavours and its wonderful textural interplay. The Plaisir Sucré has five elements: (1) hazel dacqouise, (2) hazelnut praline, (3) milk chocolate ganache, (4) milk chocolate whipped cream and (5) thin sheets of tempered milk chocolate.

The recipe for the Plaisir Sucré is in Pierre Hermé’s book Chocolate Desserts. Although it’s manageable for the experienced home baker, this cake does require patience and time because of its many components. If you are planning to make this dessert at home, I strongly suggest decreasing the recipe’s portion size, as the Plaisir Sucré is rich, decadent and intense. This dessert is definitely a showstopper!

Technorati Tags: Bakery, Blog, Dessert, Pierre Hermé, Plaisir Sucré, Sweet Pleasure

guinness stout ginger cake with ice creams

2006-05-26T10:00:00.000-04:00

This month’s Sugar High Friday, which is being hosted by the knowledgeable and prolific Ruth of Once upon a Feast, has a ginger theme. For the event, I decided to make a ginger dessert by the distinguished pastry chef Claudia Fleming. On my recent trip to New York, I hoped to sample some of Claudia’s desserts. I knew she had left New York’s Gramercy Tavern and Amuse. I did research and found out that she and her husband, chef Gerry Hayden, were in the midst of opening North Fork Table and Inn on Long Island's East End. Because it was not yet open, I searched further and discovered that Fleming and Hayden had designed the menu for the IFC Waverly pub in NYC. On the menu was Claudia’s Guinness stout ginger cake. So, I went to the IFC Waverly eagerly in search of her desserts, including the ginger cake. Yet, sadly, I was out of luck. The company that runs the IFC Waverly pub had cancelled her dessert menu, apparently because of cost and a lack of business.

So, here I am making the Claudia Fleming dessert that I didn’t have a chance to try. My contribution to Sugar High Friday #19 is Claudia’s Guinness stout ginger cake served with her ginger and gingersnap ice creams and a chocolate ginger sauce. It is variations on the theme of ginger and a tribute to Claudia Fleming. The ginger cake has a rich, intense flavour. The ginger ice cream is a pure pleasure—people who admire ginger’s spiciness and kick will absolutely love it. The gingersnap ice cream is comfort food, reminiscent of ginger snap cookies and with more complexity than the ginger ice cream.

Claudia’s recipes can be found in her sole cookbook, The Last Course. I very much hope that Claudia will put out another pastry book.

Guinness stout ginger cake

1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup molasses
1/2 Tbsp baking soda
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup grapeseed or vegetable oil
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1 Tbsp grated, peeled fresh gingerroot

1. Pre heat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, line the bottom and sides with parchment, and grease the parchment. Alternatively, butter and flour a 6-cup Bundt pan.
2. In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the stout and molasses and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. Allow to sit until the foam dissipates.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs and both sugars. Whisk in the oil.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom.
5. Combine the stout mixture with the egg mixture, then whisk this liquid into the flour mixture, half at a time. Add the fresh ginger and stir to combine.
6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the top springs back when gently pressed. Do not open the oven until the gingerbread is almost done or the center may fall slightly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Ginger ice cream

4 oz peeled fresh gingerroot, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups sugar
12 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and 1 cup of the sugar and bring to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.
3. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and add a little to the egg yolk mixture to warm it, whisking constantly to keep the yolks from curdling. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot milk mixture, whisking the milk constantly as you pour.
4. Return the custard to the stove and cook it over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl. Stir in the crushed peppercorns and the salt. Chill the custard until it is thoroughly cold, at least 4 hours.
6. Strain again and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Gingersnap ice cream

2 oz peeled fresh gingerroot, sliced (about 16 quarter-size slices)
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp cracked black peppercorns
1/2 nutmeg crushed
2 cardamom pods, cracked
12 large egg yolks
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp dark molasses
Pinch of salt

1. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the ginger and let it blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ginger to a heavy saucepan. Add the milk, cream, granulated sugar, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and cardamom and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and allow the spices to infuse for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, and molasses.
3. Return the milk mixture to the heat and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add a little of the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture to warm it, whisking constantly to keep the yolks from curdling. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot milk mixture, whisking the milk constantly as you pour.
4. Return the custard to the stove and cook it over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the salt and strain the custard through a fine sieve, Chill until thoroughly cold, at least 4 hours.
5. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Cake, Claudia Fleming, Dessert, Ice Cream, SHF, Sugar High Fridays

confections #1 : marshmallow experiments

2006-05-24T23:15:00.000-04:00

Although I have made my share of desserts and have some chocolate making under my belt, I do not have much experience with confections. So, I recently decided to expand my knowledge of candy and confections. I started with marshmallows: they are light, soft, fun and seem to be in vogue. They also bring back some fond childhood memories. As I have discovered, marshmallows are one of those things that are much better made at home!

My first attempt at marshmallows a few week ago met with little success. They didn't achieve enough volume and were awfully sticky. My theory of why is fairly simple; the recipe did not bring the sugar to the correct temperature and I substituted white corn syrup—an ingredient I didn't have. Fortunately, I found another recipe and some white corn syrup. This marshmallow recipe can be found at Brownie Points. I halved the recipe for the three batches I made. I wanted to test flavourings that could be added to marshmallow; so, I experimented with a powdered spice, an alcohol and a fruit. The three I tried were cardamom, melon liqueur and strawberry.

cardamom marshmallow
add 1 teaspoon ground cardamom to the gelatin and water mixture

melon marshmallow
I used 1/2 cup of Midori Liqueur—a melon flavoured liqueur from Japan. I reduced the midori liqueur to 1/4 cup to concentrate the flavour and to take out the alcohol. I added the reduced Midori to a gelatin and 1/4 cup water mixture. I also omitted the vanilla extract. It is important to remove the alcohol content from the liquor; otherwise, your marshmallow will not get the volume required.

strawberry marshmallow
I used a 1/4 cup of strawberry juice. You can also use strawberry puree. Add the juice or puree to the gelatin mixture with 1/4 cup water and omit the vanilla extract. To make strawberry juice, place strawberries in a double boiler and heat for 15-20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve or cheese cloth to recover as much liquid as possible.

In the end, I was pleased with how the marshmallows turned out. I'm fond of cardamom as a spice; so I liked the cardamom marshmallow best. Marshmallow is surprisingly simple to make, once you have a little practice.

Technorati Tags: Candy, Confections

canadian blogging by post #1 : package round-up

2006-05-21T23:00:00.000-04:00

Curious to see what Canadian food bloggers sent each other in the first Canadian Blogging By Post (CBBP) event? If so, click on the word "package" in the list below to see the amazing treats each blogger received. Some packages haven't arrived, but as soon as they are posted I will add them. You may also want to look back at the recipe round-up for CBBP #1 to see the fabulous chocolate desserts that bloggers made.

The packages received by Jasmine from Confessions of a Cardamom Addict.
The package received by Elizabeth from Rabbit Hole.
The package received by Cindy from Sourcream Timbits.
The package received by Rob and Rachel of Hungry in Hogtown.
The package received by Tania of The Candied Quince.
The package received by Vanessa of Tongue and Cheek.
The package received by Candy of Dessert by Candy.
The package received by Zoubida from Kitchen Culture.
The package received by Christine of Knife Skills.
The package received by Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice.
The package received by Raspberry Sour of The Sour Patch.
The package received by Kelli Ann of avoir une famille n'est pas comme un téléroman.
The package received by Linda of Kayak Soup.
The package received by Jen from The Canadian Baker.
The package received by Jennifer of The Domestic Goddess.
The package received by Sam of sweet pleasure : plaisir sucré.

Once again, I would like to thank everyone for participating. CBBP #2 will be hosted by Tania of The Candied Quince. The exact date for CBBP #2 has not been set; however, it will take place in early fall and have a harvest theme. I am sure Tania will fill us in on the details in a couple months. CBBP events are open to Canadian bloggers. Please feel free to participate.

Technorati Tags: Canada, Canadian blogging by post

meme: recipe collection

2006-05-20T16:48:00.000-04:00

When Jasmine from Confessions of a Cardamom Addict tagged me for the recipe meme, I was leaving for New York. I tabled the meme for a short time due to work and CBBP #1. Now that I have a little breathing room, I thought I’d get down to it.

From where do you obtain the recipes you prepare?
My recipes come from a variety of sources. Many are from friends, family and places that I have worked. I like to construct recipes from principles and techniques with which I have a firm foundation. I also use my favourite cookbooks: for instance, I am fond of the Joy of Cooking. More recently, I find myself looking at recipes on the Internet, in magazines and within other food blogs.

How often do you cook a new recipe?
I like to prepare one new recipe a week—two or three if I am feeling ambitious. Otherwise, I’m pretty lazy.

Where do you store your favourite recipes?
I have a computer database in which I store many of my recipes, and I seem to come back to it time and again. Like Jasmine, my database is organized and cross-referenced in a number of ways: alphabet, category, flavour, ingredient, source, etc. I also have a binder where I store duplicates of the recipes. The recipes are in plastic sleeves, so that when I make a mess, which is often, they can be quickly wiped off.

How large is your recipe pile? Is it organized? If so, how?
My cookbooks and pastry books are getting unruly. During my recent trip to New York, I bought seven. Yes, my luggage ended up being heavy! I previously mentioned my online database, but since we are talking recipe pile, I have approximately 24 binders of recipes. They are labeled from A to Z and are organized by author. Other binders on my shelf include notes, research and clippings from magazines and blogs.

What is the oldest recipe in your “to try” pile?
Too old.

Are you ever going to make those recipes in your to try pile?
No—not all of them. Many are only there for inspiration or emergencies.

Do you follow a recipe exactly or modify as you go?
If I have never made a dessert/pastry before, I generally follow a recipe to the word. If I think a recipe is fantastic, I usually don’t mess with it. I only modify and change a recipe when I think it could be improved or when I wish to test its limits.

What is one new recipe that you’re scared to try?
I’m not afraid to try recipes. I’m often too lazy to make something that will take an inordinate amount of time. Except, when I have a purpose, I will be in the kitchen till the task is done.

Tag at least one new food blogger for this meme (“new” as in only blogging a few months). Kristina from the Branches of an Olive Tree

Tag at least one food blogger you visit regularly but never interacted with?
I post comments to anyone I visit regularly,

Tag at least one food blogger you constantly visit and leave comments.
Linda from
make life sweeter!

Tag anyone else you want.

Cheers,
Sam

Technorati Tags: Recipe Collection, Recipes

a dessert montage

2006-05-15T19:08:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday, my lovely partner Michael and I had a dessert party. Michael has been relatively silent on my blog but is extremely important for he is often reading, editing and sampling new dessert recipes and ideas. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it.

Michael recently completed his master’s degree; so it seemed like a wonderful opportunity to invite some people over from his degree program to celebrate. With the plans in place, I set to work developing a list of the desserts that I wanted to prepare. I initially intended the dessert sampling to be interesting, simple and as little stress as possible. It didn’t quite turn out as simple as I had intended. The dessert list constantly changed and expanded. In the end, I made approximately twenty different desserts for a party of twenty guests, who had no prior knowledge of what was in store for them. Here is the menu:

Apple Crumble
Blackberry Hazelnut Financiers
Blueberry Tarts
Candied Nuts
Caramel Hazelnut Chocolate Bar
Cheese Plate with Fruit
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Chocolate Mousse (Lactose Free)
Cream Puffs with Chocolate and Coffee Cream
Cream Puffs with Hard Caramel and Vanilla Cream
Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream
French Macaroons
Grapefruit Granita
Lemon Blueberry Madeleines
Lemon Tarts
Orange Shortbread
Pineapple with Basil Cream
Strawberry Juice
Vanilla Crème Brûlèe

The desserts took about three days to prepare. On the last day, we had the help of Carly, Chizuru and Emily, three friends of ours. They helped to make a cheese plate, dip strawberries into chocolate, pipe cream into the cream puffs, and sprinkle gold dust on numerous goodies and much more. Thank you Carly, Emily and Chizuru!

We set a table with 12 of the desserts, while the other goodies were brought out every ten minutes or so. Because all the desserts were “mini” in size, most of our guests, who were certainly adventurous, brave and sugar-resistant, tried almost all. The evening was fun, relaxed and casual, with a group of happy graduates enjoying dessert and each other’s company. We thank everyone for coming, as Michael and I had a wonderful time.

Here is a slide show of the evening’s desserts. Hope you enjoy; we certainly did!

Technorati Tags: Baking, Dessert

canadian blogging by post # 1 : a package from a cardamom addict

2006-05-14T22:44:00.000-04:00

I arrived home on Friday to find a large brown box on my dining room table. Because I organized CBBP #1, I guessed immediately that the package would likely be from the lovely and talented Jasmine from Confessions from a Cardamom Addict. I wish that I could say that I chose Jasmine, but the match-up for CBBP was actually rather systematic. Here’s how it worked. I created a list of the bloggers who emailed me their recipe link and postal address in the order that they contacted me. The CBBP bloggers were then sent the contact info of the person above them on the list. Jasmine was the first person to send her information, and I had included my name last on the list. Consequently, Jasmine sent her package to me. Of course, I had no idea what Jasmine was going to send.

The generous parcel that Jasmine sent me included a warm handwritten letter explaining the contents of the package. When putting her package together, Jasmine kept in mind the Eat Local Challenge. So, she went to some of her local farmers markets for the majority of the items. The package included: maple syrup, apple butter, cherry jam, wildflower honey, a small cookbook, a trio of lovely photographs taken by Jasmine and, last but not least, small bags of black peppercorn, cardamom and homemade candied ginger. Jasmine said that these three spices represented her and her culinary traditions. The package was put together with thought and care. Thank you very much Jasmine! The nature of blogging by post is chance and surprise; that’s what makes it fun and exciting! Well done everyone!

*I will be putting together a post round-up of the packages that CBBP participants received. If you would like your post to be included, send me an email, and I will gladly add your post to the round-up.

Technorati Tags: Canada, Canadian blogging by post, CBBP, Confessions of a Cardamom Addict

canadian blogging by post # 1 : recipe round-up

2006-05-07T09:20:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the round up for the first Canadian Blogging By Post event. The theme for this round is chocolate. Before CBBP was cooked up, I read in a magazine that chocolate is the new wine! I laughed. Journalists are always making these sorts of comparisons. Ironically, today there is some truth to the statement: at least, the demand for varied and high quality chocolates is present and growing. Artisan chocolate shops seem to be popping up everywhere, offering a range of chocolates in varying cocoa percentages and, even, bean origins. Sophisticated chocolate is now more readily available to the home cook. Also interesting is that three 2006 IACP cookbook awards went to books on chocolate. The popularity of high quality chocolate is growing rapidly.

Canadian bloggers from across the country shared with CBBP some of their favourite chocolate recipes. From desserts that dazzle to baking that comforts, these posts are an enticing collection that prove that good chocolate is here to stay and is not a trend.

Jasmine from Confessions of a Cardamom Addict posts Apple Fritters with Chocolate-Maple Syrup, which not only looks great but also represents Canada by using real Canadian maple syrup! I love that Jasmine’s dessert is another entry in her "cooking by proxy series”, in which her ex-partner cooks while she instructs.

Elizabeth from Rabbit Hole is not a foodie blogger but rather a scrap blogger. Her site reminds me that there are more than food bloggers out there! Elizabeth posts a delicious and wonderful looking Chocolate Mud Pie! Thanks Elizabeth for participating.

Strawberry from Sourcream Timbits shows us how to make an Indonesian snack called Kue Pukis. Don’t let the English phonetics of the name fool you: this snack looks good and the ingredients sound wonderful.

Rob from Hungry in Hogtown yet again shares an adventurous and inspiring recipe from El Bulli—Chocolate with Wasabi. Need I say more? Check out his post.

Tania of The Candied Quince serves things up Toronto-style by making Chocolate Crinkle Cookies from Torontonian Bonnie Stern. Tania notes: “These cookies are typical of Bonnie’s recipes. They are easy to make, call for readily-available ingredients, and offer outstanding results.”

Vanessa from Tongue and Cheek brings us mouthwatering Chocolate Macaroons with Pistachio Buttercream. Sounds delicious. Thanks Vanessa!

Candy of Desserts by Candy makes a wonderful looking Chocolate Panforte. Candy clearly tackles chocolate decadence head-on: her ingredients are unsweetened chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, high quality cocoa, hazelnuts and Grand Marnier!

Zoubida of Kitchen Culture prepares Moroccan Nut and Chocolate Squares, which look absolutely stunning. The title of her blog states, “what happens in a Moroccan-French-Canadian woman’s kitchen…”. It appears wonderful things. Check out her blog.

Christine of Knife Skills brings us Black Bottom Pecan Praline Bars from Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate. Simple and satisfying.

Ivonne from Cream Puffs in Venice makes a wonderful looking Chocolate Pecan Spread. Inspired by Out to Lunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs of Mildred Pierce, Ivonne does it again.

Raspberry Sour of The Sour Patch makes Mexican Chocolate Ice Box Cookies for both CBBP and Cinco de Mayo. Her recipe comes from veteran Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts. Mmm…chocolate and spice!

Kelli of avoir une famille n'est pas comme un téléroman explains her love affair with peanut butter. She makes a delightful Surprise Peanut Butter Cookie from Canadian Living.

Linda from Kayak Soup makes a fantastic sounding Mexican Chocolate Pecan Bar, which has been on the menu of Frontera’s Grill House restaurant for 13 years. Thanks for sharing Linda.

Jen of The Canadian Baker shows us how to make lovely Caramel-Layered Brownies—a simple and wonderful treat. It took her a long time to decide what to make, and she almost didn't participate. I am certainly glad she did.

Jennifer of The Domestic Goddess, who started the incredibly popular Sugar High Friday, shares another fantastic treat, Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk.

Sam of Sweet Pleasure : Plaisir Sucré, and the host of this event, offers his homemade Caramel Hazelnut Chocolate Bar. Is it as decadent as it looks and sounds? Feel free to give it a try!

I want to thank all the participants of the first Canadian Blogging By Post. I would especially like to thank Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice and Tania of The Candied Quince for their assistance and input in getting this event off the ground. I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing and reading everyone’s post. All we do now is wait in anticipation for our packages to arrive in the mail. Cheers!

Technorati Tags: Baking, Canada, Canadian blogging by post, CBBP, Chocolate, Dessert

canadian blogging by post # 1 : caramel hazelnut chocolate bar

2006-05-06T21:19:00.000-04:00

When I chose chocolate as the theme for the first CBBP, I had in mind that I would contribute a recipe that everyone could make and appreciate. So, here is my favourite homemade chocolate bar. I suggest using good quality chocolate in the recipe. I used Callebaut milk and dark chocolate. Valrhona, Scharfenberg and Lindt are also safe bets.

The bar is constructed in layers. The base is made from milk chocolate, praline paste, and feuilletine, which is a small crunchy wafer. If you are not able to find or make praline paste, you can use Nutella. On top of the base, milk chocolate ganache is poured. Once the milk chocolate layer is frozen, dark chocolate ganache is used to form the third layer. If you enjoy true decadence, add a final layer of caramel sauce to finish things off.

Caramel and hazelnut chocolate bar

Base:
125g feuilletine
240g milk chocolate
75g praline paste or Nutella

Second layer:
145g cream 35%
200g milk chocolate
25g caramel sauce

Third layer:
160g cream 35%
220g dark chocolate

Fourth layer, caramel (optional):
210g sugar
70g water
140g cream 35%

Use a 9” x 13” sheet pan with at least 1” height

Base:

1. Melt milk chocolate in microwave for approximately 1 minute. Take out, and mix until smooth. If you still have chunks of chocolate, heat at 10 second intervals until chocolate is melted.
2. Once the chocolate is smooth, add praline paste or Nutella and mix until fully combined. Add feuilletine and mix until combined.
3. Then, pour the mixture in your sheet pan, spread evenly with a palate knife and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Second layer:

1. Make a milk chocolate ganache: Heat cream on the stove or microwave until boiling and then pour cream over the milk chocolate. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then mix until the ganache is smooth. If there are still chunks of chocolate, heat in microwave for 10 second intervals until it is smooth.
2. Add caramel sauce to the mixture and combine thoroughly.
3. Then pour and spread over the frozen feuilletine base. Work quickly using a palate knife to spread this mixture over the base, trying to get the layer as even as possible. Banging the bottom of the pan on the counter may help achieve a more level surface. Place in the freezer for 1 hour.

Third layer:

1. Make a dark chocolate ganache: Heat cream on the stove or microwave until boiling and then pour over the dark chocolate. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then mix until the ganache is smooth.
2. Working quickly using a palate knife, spread this mixture over the prior layers, trying to get it as even as possible. Banging the bottom of the pan on the counter may help achieve a more level surface.
3. Place in the freezer for 1 hour before adding a caramel topping. If you are not adding caramel, leave the pan in the freezer for four hours before serving.

Fourth layer (optional):

1. Make a caramel sauce by placing 210g of sugar and 70g water in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook the sugar until the sugar turns a golden amber colour.
2. Once amber, work quickly. Take sugar mixture off the heat. Immediately add 140g of cream and stand back, as the mixture will bubble and splatter. Then, using a wooden spoon, mix until the cream and sugar are combined to make a caramel. If there are lumps of sugar that have not dissolved, return to the heat and stir until melted.
3. Let the caramel cool for 5-10 minutes before pouring a thin layer on top of the frozen bar. Work quickly, using a palate knife, to spread this mixture over the prior layers, trying to get it as even as possible. Once again, banging the bottom of the pan on the counter may help achieve a more level surface. Place in the freezer for four hours, or over night if possible.

To serve, cut the chocolate bar with a sharp knife that has been heated with hot water or a butane torch. This helps achieve a clean edge. I suggest cutting small, thin slices, as the bar is extremely rich. To bring out the flavours, I recommend letting the bar warm up for a few minutes before serving. You can keep the chocolate bar in the freezer for up to two weeks, but I am sure it will disappear before then.

Technorati Tags: Canadian blogging by post, CBBP, Dessert, Chocolate, Caramel

new york city : post 5

2006-05-06T21:02:00.000-04:00

Thoughts about my NYC experience

Some of the other establishments that I visited:

1. Chinatown Ice Cream Factory: This small ice cream parlour’s regular flavours include almond cookie, black sesame, ginger, red bean, taro and ube. Their exotic flavours include chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, butter pecan and rum raisin.
2. Rice to Riches: a store selling 30 different flavours of rice pudding! Their flavours include raspberry statement, rest in peach, hazelnut chocolate, coconut coma, pistachio saffron and many more.
3. Fluff: a fun, whimsical café that makes homemade versions of Hostess Twinkies, Snowballs and Susie Q’s, along with other great American classics.

Some places I look forward to visiting in the future:

1. Café Boulud: for desserts made by French pastry chef Eric Bertoïa—I can’t wait.
2. Michel Cluizel Chocolate Bar: this chocolatier offers a 35-minute guided chocolate tasting for US$35.
3. WD50: a hip and hot restaurant that serves innovative and playful food and dessert.

My hope is that these NYC posts will help you on your next trip to this great city, or even inspire you to visit.
See more pictures of my New York City dessert adventure!

Technorati Tags: Cafe Boulud, Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, Dessert, Fluff, Michel Cluizel, New York, New York Restuarant, Rice to Riches, WD50

new york city : post 4

2006-05-06T20:06:00.000-04:00

Bouchon Bakery

In lieu of being able to afford to eat at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry, Per Se and Bouchon, I will gladly settle for Bouchon Bakery. On the 3rd floor of the Time Warner Building, right above Per Se, sits Bouchon Bakery. There, Pastry chef Sébastien Rouxel of Per Se offers an assortment of lovely and affordable treats. During our breakfast visit, we sampled a seasonal Danish, a pain au raisin, and a chocolate TKO cookie. The seasonal Danish was filled and topped with roasted pistachios, which were fantastic, and additionally topped with apricot. The pain au raisin was made of plump green and red raisins twisted into light, buttery and tasty Danish dough. My companion claimed it was the best he’d ever had. The TKO cookie consisted of two chocolate cookies sandwiching a lovely butter-cream. Thomas Keller proves that he can also do casual pâtisserie very well. Two thumbs up for Bouchon Bakery.

Fauchon Paris in New York

As one enters Fauchon, it is hard not to be affected by the décor. Fauchon’s signature white, pink and black colours demand attention. I am told that Fauchon Paris in New York is a modest version of their flagship store in Paris. With a beautiful display of pastries, chocolates, cookies, jams and confections, Fauchon is a wonderful specialty store. While I was in Fauchon, I saw Susan Sarandon buying jams and chocolates as small gifts for friends. The clientele varies, but the store feels a bit chi chi. The items here are definitely pricier than the average chocolatier or pâtisserie, but is it worth it? In my opinion, yes. I sampled the apple tart, which consisted of a thin layer of pastry topped with thick chunks of caramelized apples held together by a surprisingly pleasant apple glaze. The pastry chef Florian Bellanger has designed a wonderful tart—absolutely delicious! I also bought a number of other yummy confections, chocolates, caramels and red fruit candies. Fauchon is a fancy shop, but one I adore. I can’t wait to visit their flagship in Paris.

Minamoto Kitchoan

This elegant shop sells some of the finest Japanese confections, known as wagashi, in New York City. Minamoto Kitchoan has stores in other cities, such as London, Paris, Singapore, Taipei, and Hong Kong, as well as shops in southern California and Japan. From red bean sandwiched pancakes, through mochi and dango (which are different forms of rice cakes), to jellies, sponge cakes and cookies, Minamoto’s pastries and confections are small, cute and beautifully packaged. With an interesting range of flavours not commonly found in Western bakeshops, Minamoto serves up some cool and creative sweets. I tried three confections. The first was a plum suspended in plum wine jelly garnished with gold leaf. Second, I had a cake that was filled with red bean paste. Third was Hakuunno-Hotori, a pastry filled with white bean paste. The confections here are unusual, inspiring and beautifully made and packaged. Pass by if you have never experienced wagashi and if you love Japanese design.

Wichcraft

Well-known chef Tom Collichio of Gramercy Tavern and Craft has opened Wichcraft, a takeout chain that serves fresh and tasty gourmet sandwiches. This chain has become very popular, with new shops popping up around New York and a few scattered across the U.S. Wichcraft serves up sandwiches at price of about US$9. It also sells soups, salads, coffees, pastries and ice creams. Although somewhat steep in price, the food is made with quality ingredients. We sampled two sandwiches: the first included goat cheese, avocado, celery, watercress and walnut pesto on multigrain bread, and the second was a grilled greyer sandwich with caramelized onions on rye. I recommend trying their ice cream sandwiches, which cost US$3.50. The two on the menu the day we went were homemade graham crackers with cinnamon ice cream and chocolate cookies with banana ice cream. Although slow during the busy lunch rush when we were there, Wichcraft’s fare was tasty, fresh and higher quality than most fast food.

Technorati Tags: Bakery, Bouchon Bakery, Fauchon, Florian Bellanger, Minamoto Kitchoan, New York, New York Restaurants, Sébastien Rouxel, Thomas Keller, Tom Collichio, Wichcraft

new york city : post 3

2006-05-04T19:41:00.000-04:00

Cream Puffs in New York

Before heading to New York, I was curious about the current cream puff rage; so, I decided to investigate while I was there. With friends, I sought out cream puff purveyors in Manhattan and sampled their wares. If you want to do the cream puff taste test for yourself, the three shops I review are conveniently located in Greenwich Village and Chelsea.

Beard Papa’s

My Beard Papa’s cream puff was decent but nothing to rave about. I felt that their reputation has unfortunately surpassed their puff. The choux paste was crunchy and the pastry cream filling generic. On the positive side, the bakery décor was funky and the staff pleasant. I credit Beard Papa’s for starting the cream puff sensation.

Choux Factory

My cream puff at Choux Factory was slightly better than Beard Papa’s—better primarily because the vanilla cream filling had more flavour. Overall, the puff was simple in flavour and, I thought, a little too simple in presentation. The atmosphere was decent but the service rather poor.

Puff + Pao

The food at Puff and Pao, the newest cream puff purveyor in NYC, was hands down my favourite. With a light choux paste and freshly whipped vanilla cream, Puff and Pao does cream puff right. The interior of the bakery was comfortable and contemporary, and the service was friendly, diligent and incredibly knowledgeable. Puff and Pao also makes savoury paolitos, small Brazilian-style cheese breads, which were delicious.

These are my thoughts. Yet, if you are really fond of cream puffs, I encourage you to try making your own. They are not complicated to prepare, and the results will likely be at least as good if not better than what you can find in most shops. Follow instructions and use high-quality ingredients to get the best results.

Technorati Tags: Bakery, Beard Papa's, Choux Factory, Cream Puffs, New York, Puff and Pao

new york city : post 2

2006-05-04T19:29:00.000-04:00

ChikaLicious

ChikaLicious, a well-known dessert bar in Manhattan, is run by husband and wife team Don and Chika Tillmans. It is an intimate place seating twenty. With a modest and efficient staff, ChikaLicious turns out an array of beautiful plated desserts. I found the dessert tasting, which is the specialty, to be delightful. At US$12, the tasting includes an amuse, a plated dessert and an assortment of petit fours. For $17, customers also receive a glass of wine paired for the dessert.

During our visit, the amuse was a mint ice cream sitting atop a light and soupy chocolate gelée. My companions and I ordered three desserts. One was a carrot and pineapple mille feuille that consisted of a carrot cream that was sandwiched between crunchy noodle-like pastry layers. The mille feuille was topped with pineapple sorbet and plated with a carrot sauce. This dessert was an interesting and tasty play on mille feuille. The flavours and textures worked wonderfully together.

The second dessert was a honey parfait in a blackberry soup topped with tuile. The parfait was cold, light and refreshing, while the berry soup and tuile complemented its subtle honey flavour.

Third, we had a coconut panna cotta that was served with basil sorbet, mango-pineapple salad and sweet basil seeds. Of all three desserts, this was my favourite. The soft and delicate panna cotta worked beautifully next to the juicy chunks of fresh mango. The dessert paired fresh fruit flavours that complimented each other perfectly.

The petit four plate included a toasted coconut marshmallow, which was light and ethereal, a classic dark truffle, which was high in cocoa, and a thin vanilla bean cookie. It was a great way to end this fantastic dessert tasting.

The creative desserts at ChikaLicious were constructed on flavours, colours and textures that clearly worked well together. I am not surprised that ChikaLicious is often full and sold out before closing. If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss ChikaLicious!

Room 4 Dessert

Slick, trendy and hip is how I’d describe Room 4 Dessert. This dessert bar is a narrow, twenty-seat, space in lower Manhattan that has a beautiful, modern interior. It is a three-month old hotspot that is a must for dedicated foodies. I would suggest arriving early or making a reservation, as the bar can easily fill up. The dessert menu is engaging and deceptively simple. There are three categories: first, desserts in glasses, second, tastings with multiple components and, finally, dessert alternatives, which include cheese plates and assorted petit fours. They also feature creative cocktails and a large selection of wines and spirits.

The desserts by the glass are beautifully layered creations that mix soft and crunchy textures with bold and interesting flavours. The “ice ice café” that my dessert companion ordered was an exquisite blend of coffee gelée, coffee cream, sweet basil seeds and ground cocoa nibs served with a frozen passion fruit parfait. The flavours and textures made my taste buds go wild.

There were four dessert tastings on the menu, and I sampled three.

First, “something about chocolate” included a warm chocolate financier drizzled with olive oil, a light chocolate soup called “bubbles”, a chocolate sabayon topped with brown sugar and a smooth silky chocolate ice cream that sat on a bed of feuilletine. Second, “red” consisted of a hibiscus jelly, raspberry bread, a beet sorbet on caramelized cereal and a vanilla parfait with a red wine caramel. Third, “pique nique springtemps” had a small bun with a pomelo and tomato compote, a beer sorbet, a rhubarb panna cotta with crumble and a rhubarb pomelo compote.

All three desserts were of a high caliber—engaging, experimental and artistic. Pastry chef Will Goldfarb does a wonderful job of pushing the dessert envelope. He creates conceptual desserts that have customers think and rethink flavours and techniques. They are desserts that delight and intrigue, that call diners to sample the entire menu.

Technorati Tags: Chika Tillman, ChikaLicious, Dessert Bar, New York, New York Restaurants, Room 4 Dessert, Will Goldfarb

new york city : post 1

2006-05-03T23:51:00.000-04:00

Over the coming days, I will be writing five posts about my dessert experiences during a five day get-away to New York City. Upfront, I would like to thank Gwenessa, Phillip, Matt and Michael, who indulged me in my sugar-induced adventure around New York.

Jean Georges

When I was planning my trip to New York, I decided that I wanted to try at least one high-end restaurant. There are many highly regarded chefs in New York; so the decision was difficult. After talking with friends and completing two weeks of research, I decided on Jean Georges, the premier restaurant of famed chef Jean-George Vongerichten. I made a reservation for lunch, because it's much cheaper than dinner and is easier to get space. Generally, reservations need to be made about a month ahead, especially for dinner.

For lunch, Jean Georges has a very reasonable prix fixe menu. For US$28, diners are able to choose two courses from an extensive and appealing list of about twenty items. The items are widely varied and include lobster, beef, lamb, scallops, and sea bass. Before one is served the two courses, an "amuse" or appetizer is offered. The amuse that I had included three items: a white asparagus soup with a raspberry infusion; a small toasted appetizer topped with crab and watercress; and a small spoon of fava bean compote. The quality was excellent—a perfect way to start lunch. The two courses that I ordered were pan-fried scallops (which were perfectly tender) with braised cauliflower and a Dijon mustard sauce and sea bass in a tasty light soup with baby vegetables. Both dishes were wonderful, and I found myself in happy bliss.

Of course, I had to order dessert, especially as the pastry chef is Johnny Iuzzini. Iuzzini, who is 29, has worked at some of the top restaurants in New York: Payard, Daniel and Jean Georges, to name a few. With such an impressive track record, my expectations were high. I wasn’t disappointed. All the desserts on the menu are tastings, and with my lunch companions, I had the pleasure of trying two. The first was a duo of an Alsatian rhubarb tart with elderflower gelée and an almond meringue with a rhubarb and lemon grass sorbet. The second was a quartet! It included: crème fraiche cheesecake with Meyer lemon jam; chartreuse ice cream; blood orange sorbet in a tarragon sauce; and finally a kumquat strudel (which escaped my photo). At US$8 each, they were surprisingly inexpensive. I thought about ordering the two other desserts on the menu but resisted. The flavours, colours and textures were well integrated, creating dessert tastings that were solid in technique, pairing, taste and presentation. In short, Iuzzini’s desserts were spectacular!

When I thought our meal was about to end, our server wheeled out a small cart. On it was a wonderful assortment of mignardises (which are included in the prix fixe). We were served miniature macaroons the size of dimes, a small plate of wonderfully flavoured chocolates (licorice, earl grey, and coconut) and a trio of flavoured marshmallows (vanilla bean, coffee, and grapefruit). Did we eat them all? You better believe it!

If the excellent food and beautiful décor wasn’t enough, the service at Jean Georges was impressive. The staff was knowledgeable, helpful and extremely professional. Our lunch was brilliant. The next time I am in New York I will definitely book again.

Technorati Tags: Jean Georges, Johnny Iuzzini, New York, New York Restaurants

jihva for ingredients # 1 : mango pudding with coconut sago

2006-04-30T12:16:00.000-04:00

mango coconut pudding with coconut sago

I discovered Indira and her lovely blog Mahanandi on IMBB. There, I read about her event “Jihva for Ingredients” and was struck by the poetic meaning of the word “Jihva”. In Sanskrit, Jihva means taste, desire and deep longing. The theme for Jihva for Ingredients #1 is mango – a fruit that I have always loved. Whether it’s mangoes from Mexico, Haiti, the Caribbean, South America or the Philippines, I deeply appreciate this fruit. I was surprised to learn, though, that there are over 1,000 varieties of mangoes in the world. When you are selecting mangoes, ripeness can be determined by smelling the end or by squeezing the fruit – it should be slightly soft to the touch.

My first thought was to make mango pudding, which resembles a cross between a jelly and a pannacotta. Mango pudding is something that I always make room for when I go for dim sum. It is made in a variety of ways: sometimes with cream, sometimes with diced mango, and sometimes with agar-agar. The recipe that I made, mango coconut pudding with coconut sago, combines mango with coconut – two flavours that compliment each other perfectly. It is a dessert that counterbalances the creamy texture of mango pudding with the small pearls of tapioca in coconut milk.

Note: Since mangoes are not always in season, I suggest using pre-made mango puree in desserts, as the puree has a more consistent taste and sweetness. Many bakeries, restaurants and hotels use puree because it is also cost effective. Mango puree is often sold in specialty and ethnic food stores. I have found mango puree at Loblaws/The Real Canadian Superstore, for all you Canadians.

mango coconut pudding

500ml mango puree
100g sour cream
250 ml heavy cream
400ml whole milk
100 ml coconut milk
90g sugar
10g gelatin

1. Mix mango puree and sour cream together in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a small bowl add gelatin and 2 Tbsp of water; let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
3. In a small pot, add heavy cream, whole milk, coconut milk and sugar and bring to a gentle boil. Add the gelatin to the cream mixture and stir until dissolved.
4. Let the mixture cool a bit; add the mango and sour cream mixture and then mix until fully combined.
5. Pour the mixture into glasses, cups or ramekins, and chill until set.

coconut sago

15g sago tapioca pearls
250ml coconut milk
250ml whole milk
60g sugar

1. In a small pot or saucepan add whole milk and tapioca pearls. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
2. Add sugar to the mixture and simmer for another 10 minutes.
3. Once the tapioca mixture is finished cooking, stir in coconut milk and simmer for 5 more minutes.
4. Let the mixture cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight. If the mixture is too thick, gradually add coconut milk or whole milk until you achieve the desired consistency.
5. Spoon coconut sago onto mango coconut pudding and enjoy.

Technorati Tags: Coconut, Jihva for Ingredients, Mango, Pudding

caramelized pear tarts

2006-04-25T11:46:00.000-04:00

pears tarts laying in the sun after their caramel bath

A few years ago I learned how to make this delicious pear tart during a stage at Bishop’s restaurant in Vancouver. The stage was under pastry chefs Dawne Gourley and Lisa Miki. For many years Bishop’s, which emphasizes seasonal, local and organic produce, has been one of Vancouver’s top restaurants. I was impressed by Bishop’s warm refined atmosphere, personable service and lovely high quality food. During my stage, Dawne and Lisa, who I highly respect as pastry chefs, were wonderful teachers and mentors.

Bishop’s pear tart, which is simple but spectacular, is a variation on the traditional tarte tatin made with apples. Cornmeal pastry is used rather than puff pastry to make single-serving tart shells. The pastry forms over the shape of the pear, creating a form-fitting shell. I used ripe organic pears and organic cornmeal, but regular pears and cornmeal work just fine.

Cornmeal pastry

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbsp cold water

Filling: caramel and pear

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
3 pears

Makes 6 tarts, each 3.5 – 4 inches in diameter

To make pastry:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC
2. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and work into flour mixture until the texture becomes mealy.
3. Add water and stir until just combined.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the refrigerator to 20 minutes.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out six, 3.5 – 4 inch circles.

Filling:

1. Make a caramel by combining sugar and butter in a saucepan on medium heat; cook until golden, 3 – 4 minutes. Pour approximately 2 Tbsp/30ml of caramel into six small tart sized pans.
2. Peel, halve and core pears. Place a half pear, cored sized down, on top of the caramel in each pan. Take the pastry round and place it on top of each half pear, pressing down around it to follow the shape of the fruit.
3. Bake in the oven until pastry is golden and pear is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
4. To serve, invert the tarts onto individual plates.

* Recipe from John Bishop & Dennis Green, Simply Bishop’s

The tarts can be made a few hours ahead of time and can be rested in the refrigerator. When you are ready, simply heat pears in the oven till warm and then serve. The tarts are lovely served with the remainder of the leftover caramel in the tart pans, with caramel sauce and with vanilla bean ice cream! I hope you enjoy making and eating these I much as I do.

Technorati Tags: Bishop's, Caramel, Pear, Tarts

what's for pud? : tipsy cake

2006-04-23T22:18:00.000-04:00

When I first saw that Sam from Becks and Posh and Monkey Gland from Jam Faced was hosting “What’s for Pud?”, I was intrigued. Their directions were clear and simple, make an English dessert: “English not British. No Irish, Scottish or Welsh delicacies today, thank you.” I’ve sampled a few English desserts, partly because I did my Master’s degree in London a few years back. During that time, I did what any student would do: workout, eat, text message friends, shop, drink at cafes, eat, go clubbing, sleep and try to study before class. With this post, I was flooded with fantastic memories of shopping in the food sections at Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer, Fortnum and Mason, Harrods, Blue Bird, and all the wonderful markets in London. I fortunately had a chance to eat and sample some really amazing food and dessert there.

So, when I decided to make trifle, I wanted to make one that was reminiscent of the classic “English” version. Here is what the Larousse Gastronomique tells us about trifle:

“A favourite English dessert – despite its name meaning ‘of no account’ – eaten on festive occasions. Also called tipsy cake, it is usually made of sherry-soaked sponge cake with custard and often jam, decorated with cream and sometimes fruit; however, recipes go back to the 16th century with many variations…”

I believe that this dessert is popular for a number of reasons. It’s simple (traditionally using left-overs). It contains delicious ingredients like whipped cream, pastry cream, macerated fruit, and alcohol-soaked cake (the English like their alcohol). Finally, all of this is combined to make a muddle of tasty goodness. After flipping through many of my cooking and pastry books, I chose two or three recipes that jumped out at me. I then amalgamated recipes to create a contemporary English trifle. The version that I made uses Nigella Lawson’s Madeira cake, Grand Marnier, raspberries, strawberries, my favourite pastry cream from Michel Bras, whipped cream and finally is topped with chocolate and pistachios. If you are bringing this to a party or event, trifle looks magical in a glass bowl. However, if you are serving this at a dinner party, I suggest using small glasses or cups as it will look beautiful and be easy to serve.

Madeira cake

240g softened unsalted butter
200g sugar
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 eggs
300g flour
10g baking powder

Butter and line a loaf tin (23 x13 x 7 cm) or circular cake pan (20 x 20 cm)

1. Cream butter and sugar together and add lemon zest.
2. Add one egg at a time and mix until combined.
3. Add flour and mix, then add lemon juice until just combined.
4. Pour mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake in the oven for approximately 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.

*Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s How to be a Domestic Goddess

vanilla pastry cream

1 vanilla bean (spit lengthwise as scraped)
250 ml whole milk
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
45g sugar
15g cornstarch

1. In a small pot add milk and the vanilla bean seeds and pod. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Let the vanilla infuse in the milk for five minutes.
2. In a small bowl mix the egg, egg yolk and sugar together. Mix until it turns pale. Then whisk in the cornstarch and mix thoroughly.
3. Temper the egg mixture with a small amount of the milk mixture.
4. Once tempered, add the rest of the egg mixture to the milk mixture.
5. Put the mixture back onto the stove and bring the mixture to a boil stirring constantly with the whisk. When the mixture comes to a boil, lower heat and cook until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.
6. Once the mixture is done, pass it through a fine sieve into a shallow container. Immediately cover the pastry with plastic wrap directly over the pastry cream. This is done to prevent a skin from forming on the top of the pastry cream.
7. Refrigerate until completely cool.

* From The Notebooks of Michel Bras: Desserts

other ingredients

alcohol: Sherry, Madeira wine, Port, Grand Marnier or Cointreau
raspberries, strawberries and other fruits
whipped cream
chopped or sliced nuts: almonds, pistachios, etc.
chocolate (optional)

English trifle assembly:

1. Cut Madeira cake into slices or cubes and place in small bowls or a large glass bowl.
2. Drench the Madeira cake with 1/4 – 1/2 cup of your chosen liquor.
3. Mash some of the raspberries and strawberries and mix with whole berries, spoon overtop of the drenched Madeira cake.
4. Mix pastry cream and pour over top of the berry compote.
5. Whip some cream and dollop or pipe over top of the pastry cream.
6. Let the flavours of the liquor, berries, pastry cream and cream soak into the cake and each other. Let the trifle rest in the refrigerator overnight or for 4-6 hours.
7. Top with nuts, chocolate or other condiments.
8. Spoon the trifle out and eat!

Technorati Tags: English Trifle, Whats For Pud?

sugar high friday # 18 : midori liqueur kanten jelly

2006-04-18T18:52:00.000-04:00

The lovely Chandra of Lick the Spoon, who may love desserts just as much as me, is hosting this month’s Sugar High Friday #18: Liquor. I contemplated the vast array of things I could make that contained liquor, and when all was said and done, I decided to make a Midori liqueur kanten jelly. By the way, if you have never made Nigella’s gin and tonic jelly, I highly recommend it! Jelly after all is fun, simple and satisfying. Oh wait! So is liquor – mind you, in sensible doses. When I first came across Nobou Iwaseya’s recipe for Midori liqueur kanten jelly, I was floored by the mesmerizing image of fruit suspended in green jelly. Midori is a beautiful green-coloured liqueur made from melon by Suntory. It does not taste artificial or sickly sweet like some other liqueurs and has a wonderful light and subtle melon flavour. The Midori liqueur kanten jelly is a sexy show stopping dessert that is flavourful, refreshing and light.

midori liqueur kanten jelly:

2-3 figs, peeled
juice of 1/2 lemon
2-3 Tbsp water
125 ml Midori liqueur
1 kanten (agar-agar) stick (10 g.)
450 ml mineral water
4 Tbsp granulated sugar
12 seedless green grapes, peeled and halved
12 blueberries
6 small strawberries
3-4 white marshmallows (optional)

1. First prepare the fruits. If using figs, mix the lemon juice and water in a small bowl, dip the peeled figs in it, and drain on paper towels. Cut crossways into 3 to 4 rounds depending on size.
2. Put the Midori liqueur in a small saucepan and heat over high heat for 2-3 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set to cool.
3. Soak the kanten (agar-agar) in plenty of water for 5 minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Break the kanten into small pieces, place in a saucepan with the mineral water, and cook on moderate heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has completely melted. Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve into another saucepan. Place the saucepan on a moderate heat, add the sugar to the kanten liquid and stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. When it is about body temperature, mix the Midori liqueur. It will set quickly so do not leave for long.
4. Arrange the fruits, and marshmallows if using, artistically in a 560ml/1pint jelly (jello) mould or small clear glasses, and pour over the kanten and Midori mixture. All the fruits rise to the surface; so if you want to avoid this, use half the fruits and half the kanten mixture while warm, leave in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, and then arrange the remaining ingredients on top when the mixture is body temperature. Leave to set for 20 minutes. Kanten liquid sets very quickly so it needn’t be chilled. When set, remove from the mould and cut into 4 pieces. Arrange on individual plates and serve.
*Recipe adapted from Nobou Iwaseya, Masterclass in Japanese Cooking

Nobou Iwaseya, the chief chef for all Suntory restaurants abroad, shows how to make green jelly using kanten (agar-agar), a healthy, vegetarian alternative to animal gelatin. This vegetarian version sets quickly at a higher room temperature; so start cooking the kanten after all the other ingredients have been prepared. Midori, probably Suntory’s most renowned product outside Japan, is a liqueur made from melon.

You can of course use gelatin for this dessert if you are making it in individual dishes, but if you make one large jelly and cut it into four, kanten is a much better choice as it is easier to cut in straight lines. Midori is a strong liqueur; so boil to evaporate all alcohol content before use otherwise it won’t set properly. You can use any fruit or combination of two or three kinds in this beautiful green jelly.

Technorati Tags: Fruit, Jelly, SHF, Sugar High Friday

chocolate, fruit and almonds

2006-04-15T20:53:00.000-04:00

Another quick and easy dessert for Passover is chocolate fondue! Just make sure to use kosher for Passover chocolate if you are making the recipe for Passover. What is kosher for Passover chocolate? Well, it is chocolate that does not contain lecithin. Lecithin is a soy-based emulsifier that helps bind and smoothen all the chocolaty goodness in most chocolate. The several different types of chocolate that I had in my pantry contained lecithin, including Valrhona, Callebaut, Scharfenberg and Lindt!

Chocolate fondue is a dessert that is good for any occasion. I served it with fruit including: pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, clementines and bananas (which mysteriously disappeared when I photographed the dessert). To complement the chocolate and fruit, I often like to have small madeleines or small cubes of pound cake. Since flour wasn’t an option, I decided to try a new recipe. I recalled that, about a month ago, Ivonne from Cream Puffs in Venice posted her family’s amaretti recipe and the pitures looked spectacular. The recipe also contained no flour. So, instead of making something cakey, I made Ivonne’s wonderful amaretti. Thanks Ivonne! The key to this dessert is good quality chocolate, fruit and almonds as the recipes are simple, straightforward and very satisfying.

chocolate ganache: for your fondue

250g good quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
250ml heavy cream 35%

1. Chop chocolate up into small pieces.
2. Heat cream in the microwave or boil cream on the stove.
3. Pour the hot cream onto the chocolate and let it sit for 10 minutes.
4. Stir the chocolate and cream mixture until smooth.
5. The ganache can be made ahead – just heat the ganache for 30 seconds or until warm before serving. Serve the chocolate fondue warm with the fruit and cookies. I like to serve the chocolate fondue in small, individual, ramekins so that everyone can dip as much as they want!

nuts! hazelnut, pecan and walnut macaroons with almond ice cream

2006-04-15T20:47:00.000-04:00

During the holiday weekend, I was invited to a Seder. I gladly offered to bring dessert, but little did I know how many restrictions there are during the Passover holiday. This was not my first Seder, but previously I had not had the responsibility for making dessert. Instead, I simply took it upon myself to drink the four required glasses of wine and to eat a large amount of food.

Since the Seder normally has multiple courses, I decided that I would make a light dessert. My first idea was to make macaroons. Classic French macaroons are made with ground almonds, sugar and egg whites and are often sandwiched with either an almond filling, a flavoured butter cream or chocolate ganache. I thought I would make different flavours of macaroons by using various types of ground nuts in the batter. The three types I chose were hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts. I enjoy these three, and they are amazingly versatile in baking. I also had never before experienced hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts in macaroons. Each produced lovely cookies that highlighted their delicious flavours. To compliment the macaroons, I made a roasted almond ice cream.

*Note: If you want these macaroons to be kosher for Passover, you need to substitute the icing sugar for a kosher for Passover version. Kosher for Passover icing sugar can be made by pulverizing 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 Tbsp of potato starch in a food processor. I have found, though, that you may taste a little potato starch flavour in the Kosher icing sugar.

French macaroons:

100g icing sugar
100g ground almonds (With each type of macaroon, I substituted 100g of its particular nut. When I ground the nuts in a food processor, I found it helpful to add the icing sugar for a finer grind.)
35g egg whites
70g granulated sugar
20g water
35g egg whites

Makes approximately 60 cookies – 30 cookies when filled and sandwiched.

1. mix icing sugar, ground nut and egg whites in a mixer w/ a paddle until incorporated. set aside.
2. in a thick bottomed pot, bring granulated sugar and water to a boil, 107ºC – 110ºC (like an Italian meringue)
3. whip egg whites with a whisk attachment to medium peaks and add sugar and water mixture. whip until mixture cools to body temp.
4. fold the nut mixture with the meringue until incorporated. do not fold too much.

• add a little colour to make pastel coloured macaroons.
• pipe out dots, roughly the size of a loonie (3cm) in diameter
• it is helpful to let macaroons sit for 15 minutes after piping, so that the mixture can settle before placing in the oven; this results in a macaroon with a nice foot

Bake at 160ºC for approximately 15 minutes in a double pan.

If you want to sandwich these cookies…

macaroon filling:

80g almond paste
40g butter

mix together until fully incorporated and soft, pipe neatly into French macaroons.

roasted almond ice cream:

1 cup cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
150g roasted almonds

Makes approximately 500ml
1. roast almonds in the oven at 350ºF for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. boil cream and roasted almonds, let simmer and then sit for 30 minutes.
3. in another small pot, add milk and half the sugar and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix sugar and egg yolks. Then temper egg yolks with a small portion of the heated milk. Once tempered, add the rest of the egg mixture into the milk and bring mixture up to 85ºC or until it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
4. let the mixture cool and then add in the cream and roasted nuts. Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator over night or until completely cool, at least two hours.
5. put the mixture through a fine sieve. process in an ice cream maker.

dark chocolate mousse

2006-04-07T17:24:00.000-04:00

About a week ago, when I asked Josh what he wanted for dessert for his 11th birthday, he immediately answered chocolate mousse. To tell you the truth, I was hoping to make something more challenging, but it was his birthday after all; so chocolate mousse it was. When making chocolate desserts, I usually go by the following guideline: use good chocolate! The types of chocolate that I prefer to use are Valrhona, Scharfenberg, Callebaut or Lindt. Seeing that the dessert I was making was for a eleven-year-old boy, I decided to use a 43% dark chocolate from Lindt.

To make the dessert more interesting, I decided to pair it with a chocolate sorbet and double chocolate biscotti. I thought that the chocolate mousse would compliment the intensity of the chocolate sorbet and crunchiness of the chocolate biscotti. The dark chocolate mousse was a standard recipe of mine that I often use. Yet, it was the first time I’d made the chocolate sorbet. The sorbet was intense and would definitely not be to everyone’s liking; only people who appreciate an extremely high cocoa content in their chocolate would appreciate it. The double chocolate biscotti recipe delivered a good chocolate flavour with the right amount of crunch.

Having made the three elements and tasting them together, I decided that including the sorbet made the dessert more for a grown up than a child. So I omitted the sorbet and served the mousse with just the double chocolate biscotti.

dark chocolate mousse, whipped cream and cocoa brut served with chocolate sorbet and double chocolate biscotti

dark chocolate mousse:

100 ml eggs
35 g sugar
200 g dark chocolate
250 ml whipping cream 35%
25 ml dark rum or brandy (optional)

makes about 8 servings

Whip eggs and sugar into a sabayon over a bain-marie. Melt chocolate and add to the sabayon mixture. Whip up cream and fold into chocolate mixture as soon as it has cooled down a little, so that it does not melt the cream instantaneously. Fold in rum or brandy if you are adding. Pour the mousse into glasses, ramekins or a plastic container. If you let it set in a container, you can later, scoop the mousse into a pastry bag and pipe the mousse with a star tip into glasses, bowls, tarts or anything you desire.

chocolate sorbet

4 oz (115 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa power, sifted
3 Tbsp whipping cream 35%
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

makes about 1 quart

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine the sugar and 2 1/2cups (550 g) water in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Whisk in the cocoa powder and boil for another minute. Pour the hot syrup over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cool in an ice-bath, then refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Whisk the heavy cream and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Pour into and ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately or pack into an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to one week.

*Recipe from Francois Payard’s, Simply Sensational Desserts

double chocolate biscotti

makes about 30 biscotti

The recipe that I used for my double chocolate biscotti can be found at www. epicurious.com. The original recipe is actually triple-chocolate biscotti that I have made into a double by omitting the white chocolate chips.

the orange called blood

2006-04-06T17:23:00.000-04:00

“The blood orange is a variety of orange (Citrus sinensis) with crimson, blood-coloured flesh. The fruit ranges from small- to medium-sized; its skin can be pitted or smooth. Blood oranges owe their distinctive appearance to a pigment called anthocyanin not typically found in citrus, but common in other red fruits and flowers. Not only is the inside of the orange darkly pigmented, but depending on the variety, the outside may feature dark washes of red. The exact reasons for the unusual inside colour are unknown. However, it seems that light, temperature and variety are important contributors.

There are three types of blood oranges, the Tarocco (native to Italy), the Sanguinello (native to Spain), and the Moro, which is the newest of the three and is grown in San Diego, California. The Tarocco is a medium-sized fruit and is perhaps the sweetest and most flavourful of the three types. However, its internal reddish color is unreliable. The Sanguinello, discovered in Spain in 1929, has a reddish skin, few seeds, and a sweet and tender flesh. The Moro, a recent introduction into the blood orange family, is the most colorful of the three types, with a deep purple flesh and reddish orange rind. This fruit has a sweet flavour with a hint of raspberry. Blood oranges cultivated in the United States are in season from December to March (Texas), and from November to May (California).” (Wikipedia)

I am sad that the blood orange season is ending. So I decided to make one more dessert this season to celebrate this lovely orange. I fell in love with this orange a few years ago because of its juicy, sweet and less acidic interior, as well as its amazingly beautiful colour. But really it is the taste that I have grown fond of, and I think that it is a wonderful orange for desserts. The dessert that I have composed is built around Martha’s blood orange gelato. The gelato sits on a pound cake, which includes blood orange zest, and is accompanied by segments of orange and a blood orange jelly. The flavours blended easily to create a casual and comforting ode to the blood orange.

blood orange gelato on blood orange pound cake, blood orange segments and blood orange jelly

blood orange gelato

2 cups whole milk
zest of 1 blood orange
1 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
5 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream

makes approximately 1 quart

In a medium saucepan, combine milk and orange zest. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and remove pan from heat. Let steep 30 minutes. In a small saucepan, cook orange juice over medium-low heat until reduced by three-fourths, 30-40 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and let orange syrup cool completely. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream at medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, 3-5 minutes. Return milk to a simmer. Add half of the warm milk to egg-yolk mixture; whisk until blended. Return new mixture to saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat back of a wooden spoon. Have ready an ice-water bath. Remove saucepan from heat; immediately stir in cream. Pass mixture through a sieve set over a medium bowl. Place bowl in ice-water bath; chill. Stir in orange syrup. Freeze in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Store in an airtight container.

*Recipe from Martha Stewart’s, Desserts