Sass & Veracity

Chocolate Valentino Cake with Strawberry Banana Ice Cream

As the morning unfolds on this the day of the February Daring Baker's reveal, I'm proud to say I finished my challenge a few weeks ago, which could imply that this post was written and ready to auto publish at midnight.  But no.  I guess that with respect to me, it is possible to be too organized.  Best laid plans, right?

So here I am on my oldest son's thirtieth birthday (shhhhh.....) writing about chocolate cake and strawberry banana ice cream, which, now that I think of it is incredibly appropriate since the chocolate cake I'm thinking of is flourless and my son's food allergies and celiac's issues make it a perfect birthday cake.  Unfortunately, he's not supposed to eat dairy products, either, so the ice cream is a rude accompaniment, packed full of heavy cream and milk. But he doesn't care at this point, and a mother can't exactly tell her thirty-year-old how to live his life. Actually, she can, but I wouldn't be that mother, choosing instead to enjoy my son's company whenever I can and hoping that some day, he'll take his health issues seriously.

This February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef who have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Clearly I chose to have some fun with my ice cream.  I couldn't resist the idea of coming up with flavors that remind me of a banana split.

Ginger Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream Filling

Dear Nick Malgieri,

I saw your Ginger Sandwich Cookies filled with lemon cream in a recent issue of Food & Wine magazine and decided I'd give them a try.  Although gingersnaps have never been and will never be a cookie I find myself craving, the lemon filling did catch my attention and I thought that with the ginger, the flavor could be exceptional.

Although that did not disappoint, the molasses, on the other hand, gave me pause because the last time I made cookies that had molasses in them, the results were less than appealing until I bent them into submission after much trial and error.

Now I know I'm far from perfect on most days, but I have had a modest amount of experience cooking and baking with great success -- thankfully more times than not.  I also use excellent equipment and so cannot blame poor result on either of those factors.

What I'm left with is a question, and I'm asking it of you since this is your recipe and the photograph chosen to illustrate the intended results looks far different than mine -- especially my first batch. 

• When baking cookies with molasses, is there something I just don't understand?  What causes them to spread so?  I know sugar in general causes that, and when using molasses, a smaller quantity is needed, as in this recipe which calls for only 1/4 cup.  Could it be the brand of molasses?  I use Grandma's which is just about the only kind I've ever used, and the jar I used for this batch was opened recently. 
• Although keeping a very close eye on the Ginger Sandwich cookies during the required bake time, I realized I needed to remove them from the oven only half way through the expected 20-minute baking time, and even then, the cookies were far too done.  Actually, burnt.
• I prefer to use convection settings for everything except for recipes with a high quantity of egg, so am used to reducing the heat and cooking time to compensate for that choice. However, because of the previous results, I chose not to use convection heat for this recipe.  On the second batch, again, with only 7 minutes of the baking time elapsed, I had to remove the cookies.

Mr. Malgieri, I know that often, baking is an adventure, and I accept that most of the time.  Because I'm used to reading recipes, I can usually spot one that I think could be problematic, and with this recipe, the cooking time did get my attention.  Cookies rarely bake that long.  Nevertheless, I proceeded like the trusting home cook I am.

I will say your ginger cookies are lovely tasting with a nice bite -- chewy, with a pleasant tartness from the lemon cream which blends well with the overall sweetness.  Very, very nice.  I just wish I'd done them justice.  So I'm curious and would enjoy trying these again, but detest wasting food so need some direction.

Did Food & Wine misprint the recipe?  Or am I just someone who should step away from the molasses?

With the utmost respect,
Kelly

p.s.  They stack pretty good though! 

Upside Down Cutie Cake

With nearly two years writing here, it's only been recently that I've begun to discover other foodies in and around the San Diego area.  Although I've found several, it still amazes me when a new one pops up and I add it to my mental list of, I should create a section just for us in my sidebar.  Now, I'm sure there are lots of reasons we add a new link to our sidebars -- or in some cases, a special page for links, but for me, it's more about keeping it where I can see it.  Then it's easier for me to visit.

You're laughing, right?  Because I know lots of people use readers, and I have a few myself.  But for some reason, I've never gotten into the routine of actually using it and so I find myself flitting from one place to another without a care in the world.

It's shameful, this gadabout lack of organization, but lovely things do come from it.  I'll call it serendipitous that I happened onto Food Blogga's recipe for Clementine Upside Down Cake the other day.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try it since I've had a box of "Cuties" for longer than I'd like to admit, thinking they'd end up in marmalade. 

Sure, like I'd make marmalade. Well, I thought I might, tempted by all the amazing citrus in the markets right now and a bundle of fresh vanilla beans I purchased not too long ago.

My grandmother used to make pineapple upside down cake in her black cast iron skillet, and it's been years since I had a taste of that.  But I've always been more fond of tangerines than pineapple -- especially canned pineapple, so the idea of sweet tangerine flavor soaked into a light cake sounded perfect.

Looks like the marmalade will have to wait a bit longer, because I just had to make this cake.

Tuiles and Orange Yogurt Sabayon

Thursday:  8:10 am

I swore I'd not be late on this month's Daring Baker's challenge.  I even mentioned to others I'd complete it two weeks into the month, but time has a way of passing so quickly these days and before I knew it, this week was upon me and bearing down hard.

Two days ago, I cut some forms for the tuiles we are to have made.  And even yesterday, I retrieved some egg whites from the freezer to thaw so I could begin work.  But did I?  No.  So here I am today just getting started.

I know what you're thinking.  What a slacker.  And you'd be right, but it's only a bit after 8am, and I've got plenty of time even with the refrigeration time that's required for the recipe.

I'm thinking that zabaglione or pots de creme should go with my tuiles.  But I'll let you know.  So come back later even though you've got hundreds of others to visit.  I'll be posting in stages.  This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

11:12 am

The good news is that it's still Thursday.  Even better?  I'm done with the tuiles!  They're very easy to make, but do require a 30-minute refrigeration time before baking, and if you're me, then you forgot to turn on the oven and had to wait an addition period of time after the cookies were were already on the chilled baking sheets.  It never fails...

Very few ingredients are needed to make tuiles:  only 1/4 c. softened butter, 1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour, 2 large egg whites, and a splash of vanilla.

 

The soft butter and powdered sugar are mixed to a paste, the egg whites added gradually while stirring to bring the mixture together.

The flour is added gradually as well, stirring, but not over-mixing until everything comes together.  A splash of vanilla is incorporated and then the whole mixture goes into the fridge for about 30 minutes.  Line the baking sheets with parchment or silicone and chill them as well.

Use some cardboard to cut out the shape you'd like to use.  I used corregated cardboard and then pinched the inside edges before using an offset spatula to spread batter over the forms.

If you'd like, add some of the cocoa powder to a small amount of the batter and mix well before spooning it into a decorators bag with a plain tip.  Make whatever decorations you'd like and then put the sheets into a 350 degrees F oven for about 7 minutes or until the edges of the tuiles are barely brown.

Remove them immediately from the pan with a thin edged spatula and use wooden spoon handles or rolling pins to shape them.  But you really have to hurry, because if you don't, then yours will be as flat and crisp as mine, poor little cute things.

Have some fun making other shapes, too, and maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to twist a few!

Okay, off to make the dessert they'll go in.

6:30 pm

Yes, it's late.  A lot later than I thought I'd be, but the goings on of a day tend to make some things take longer than I'd like.  Especially this dessert which, by comparison, is very easy.

Orange Sabayon

1 lg. egg

1 lg. egg yolk

1/3 c. sugar

zest of 1 orange

1/3 c. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 T lemon juice

For the dessert...

1 orange

0% fat Greek yogurt

Prepare an ice bath in a bowl large enough to set the top pan of a double boiler.

In the top of a double boiler pan, whisk the eggs until foamy.  Gradually mix in the sugar whisking until well combined.  Add the juices and the zest, mixing well.  Place the pan over a gently simmering pan of water and stir the citrus mixture constantly until the mixture thickens like a pudding.  Place the pan in the ice bath and continue to stir until it cools.

To create a light dessert, section an additional orange and place the segments in a wide-mouthed glass.  Make sure they're well drained or the juice will pool in the bottom of the glass.  In a small bowl mix 1/2 of the chilled sabayon and 1/4 c. of the yogurt.  To serve, mound the orange yogurt sabayon over the oranges.  Don't forget to include the tuiles!

Notes:

• The tuiles are surprisingly easy to make.  Unfortunately, I baked mine for 7 minutes instead of 5 while I was looking for the browned edges and then didn't move quite fast enough to get them positioned over the rolling pin and wooden spoon handles.  I did have a chance to try it with another batch, so know not to bake them quite so long.
• The sabayon is also easy to put together.  If you wanted to fatten it up a bit, you could mix it with whipped cream and/or a bit of mascarpone.

Glazed Crumb Cake with Cardamom and Pecans

We weren't snackers or dessert eaters when I was growing up, so the idea of crumb cake didn't occur to me until I had my first job fresh out of high school working in a grocery store when I was 17.  They came individually wrapped, and if I kept my eyes open, I could find a few on the day-old bakery rack for 10 cents. But it wasn't just crumb cakes.   I remember being fascinated by all the packaged baked goods, amazed that the selection was so huge.  It was like being in a strange kind of food Disneyland having my very own income and anything I wanted to purchase at my fingertips.

My mother didn't keep too many "goodies" in the house beyond what was packed in our lunches, and even then, variety was almost non-existent.  And grocery stores in general were an oddity to me because she shopped at the Navy Commissary, and rarely took us with her.

So when I came across this recipe for crumb cake in an old magazine, I had to try it, remembering my long ago fascination with those oh-so-moist little cakes and the crumbly tops that make a sweet mess each time you sink your teeth into one.

There will be no hiding the fact that you've had your hand in the sweets! 

Maple Oat Apple Crisp

I think one of the nicest aspects of the food blog world is meeting people and having someone take the time to say, "I like your blog."  It's not expected even though ultimately, that's what most of us are working for, isn't it?  Maybe it's not what we began blogging for, but it seems that in the long run, it's a lot of work if no one's enjoying what we produce.

Keeping a non-digital scrap book would be far less time consuming, but oh, so quiet.  At this point, I could never give up the spirited noise that greets me each day that I sit down to work -- whether it's from twitter, or reading blogs, or responding to comments made on mine, the positive energy that greets me is invaluable!

Recently, I was tagged by Karen of Mignardise to share six random things about myself, and I'm grinning, because I like to have fun with these things.  But I'm thinking you may need the bribe of a nice bowl of some warm Maple Apple Crisp and a cup of coffee to go with my random nuggets of information. I have a tendency to blather on a bit.

Chocolate Mousse

It figures that after a rather extended break from blogging for the holidays, I'd surface to confess that for the first time since joining the Daring Bakers 18 challenges ago, I decided not to participate in the bake fest this month.

I'm feeling quite sheepish about it, too, so I'm not going to bore you with my whining  and excuses.  Instead, I'll send you to this month's hosts, Hilda of Saffron and Blueberry and Marion of Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux to take a gander at the French Yule Log I was to have made -- but didn't.  It is quite the beautiful creation!

Instead, I have a simple, but decadent chocolate mousse that we enjoyed after our Christmas dinner with some sweetened cream and raspberries.  This is my favorite chocolate mousse recipe because it's very straight forward, so quick to make, and very, very chocolatey.

 

Mousse au Chocolat
serves 4

7-1/2 oz. dark chocolate
1/2 c. half-n-half
3 egg yolks
5 egg whites
3 T plus 1 tsp. sugar

Coarsely chop chocolate and combine with half-n-half in a small sauce pan over low heat, stirring occasionally until chocolate is completely melted.  Off the heat, beat in the egg yolks one at a time, stirring rapidly with each addition.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition and until whites are stiff and glossy.

Using a whip, add whites to chocolate mixture a third at a time, carefully folding to incorporate and lighten.

Divide mousse into four serving bowls and chill for at least one hour before serving.

Notes:

• I used bittersweet chocolate but have used semisweet as well.  Trader Joes sells giant bars for a great price, so this dessert is fairly inexpensive.
• I routinely freeze left over egg whites in small marked baggies.  It comes in handy for recipes like this when more whites than yolks are required.  To thaw, I set them in a cool dish of water, occasionally pressing on the whites in the bag to break them up.  It doesn't take very long.
• I doubled this recipe and it generously served 11 with perhaps 2 more servings left over.
• I found this recipe a few years ago in The Paris Cafe Cookbook by Daniel Young.  It's a collection of recipes from 50 of the "best" Paris cafes and I haven't tried one that hasn't been delicious.

Flourless Chocolate Almond Spice Cookies

This is my last official 12 Days of Cookies entry, finished a week behind my other cookie-baking buddies:  Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen, Sandy of At the Baker's Bench, Courtney of Coco Cooks, Judy of No Fear Entertaining, and Jerry of Cooking by the Seat of My Pants.  And you'd think I'd be completely done with all cookies after this marathon, but I was roped into graciously agreed to baking a few more for a good friend's party yesterday. 

I think it's fitting that these flourless bites of chocolate and almonds found their way onto her big cookie platter, don't you? 

One of Gourmet's Favorite Cookies from December 1994, Heart-Shaped Chocolate Almond Spice Cookies, or "Basler Brunsli" are a pleasant shift from the norm both in taste, ingredients, and preparation for me.  The "dough" is predominantly nuts and chocolate with egg whites and sugar.  A food processor makes the prep simple.  

Caramelly Honey Nut Squares

Today is all about nuts.  Lots and lots of nuts -- which is perfect for me about now as I listen to the painters downstairs finally, finally ripping the paper off the floor which has been taped on for more than a week.  I thought yesterday they'd be done, but they're putting finishing touches here and there.  Clearly, they're very thorough, which I'm grateful for.  I'm so ready to roll up my sleeves and rearrange my things again.

Dust.  Vacuum.  Hang pictures.  Tackle the pile in the garage to unbury my books.  Gather things for one last big donation of the year...

...then decorate for Christmas. 

Like I said -- NUTS!  Or in this case, Biscotti Quadrati al Miele e alle Noci:  Honey Nut Squares, Gourmet's Favorite Cookie from 2003.  These are a delightful bite of flaky cookie crust, creamy honey caramel and three kinds of nuts.  You can't get much easier for something pleasant, crunchy, and surprisingly, not too sweet. 

That makes eleven cookies with one left to go.  Here's nuts to you!  

GingerDoodz: Gourmet's Favorite Gingerbread Men

Yesterday I was a baking maniac, working to finish working on the remainder of my 12 Days of Cookies, belatedly.  With our bedroom in decent order, and the family room beginning to resemble a place where we can relax again, I was able to put in a full day while the resident hunkster kept one eye on the television and football, and worked through his honey-do list -- laundry included.

I asked my 16-year-old to design some faces for Gingerbread Men, one of Gourmet's Favorite Cookies from December 1959.  Of course you'd never find gingerbread men looking like this in the time of "Leave it to Beaver,"   so I'm thinking Gingerdoodz would be more appropriate. 

Well, except for the one I designed. 

He's a bit on the happy side...or just plain loopey.  After all, no one sane would wear an outfit like that, would they?  Definitely a candidate for "What Not to Wear."

But every group needs a cheerleader, right?