THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BAKING

Posted in Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

My husband and I agree on most important subjects, from personal finances to laboratory experiments. However, we can’t decide who is the most stubborn. Obviously, it is not me, but this week, I confess to a certain amount of stubborn determination…

…I baked a cake.

FONDANT AU CHOCOLAT
(from a food blog)

175 g bittersweet chocolate
240 g butter
400 g sugar
8 eggs
130 g all purpose flour

Butter a 10-inch round cake pan.

Melt the chocolate with the butter and reserve.

Place a pan with a small amount of water inside over the stove burner, and bring the water almost to a boil. Place a large bowl over the simmering water, and add to it the sugar and the eggs (still cold from the fridge). Beat them together with a whisk or an electric beater, just until the mixture is at room temperature.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg/sugar, whisk to incorporate. Sift the flour over it in three additions, and mix with a spatula until smooth, but do not over-mix.

Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake in a 350F oven until barely set in the center.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was the most straightforward recipe! No creaming butter and sugar, no cooking syrup to the “hair-of-an-angel” state, held at exactly 237.8 F while pouring over the spinning blades of a mixer. Still, I created another Armageddon in my kitchen.

The recipe instructed to bake the cake for 30 minutes until barely set. I baked for 35 minutes and it seemed set. Unfortunately, I didn’t stick a tester in the center because I didn’t want to ruin the surface. Unfortunately, I trusted my “instincts” and removed it from the oven. You’ll notice that I omitted the baking time in the recipe: please use a toothpick to make sure the fondant is cooked.

The recipe didn’t specify when or how to unmold it. I am aware that some cakes should cool in the pan, others should come out right away. I compromised and waited 10 minutes. It unmolded easily, but while flipping it over, the cake broke in two unequal pieces. One fell on the cake stand, the other on the countertop. Between them flowed a voluminous lava of chocolate batter, too much to qualify my production as a “molten chocolate cake“. Instead it became a “Cocoa Tsunami”, that took no prisoners.

I admit to shedding a few tears. The saint I married assembled the pieces on a baking sheet, placed them back in the oven at a mellow 325 F for 30 minutes, and I regained my composure. Once both the cake and I had cooled off, I shaved chocolate all over to cover the abuse.

Fate has repeatedly told me to stay away from cake baking. I’m just too stubborn, perhaps I must now admit, more than the man I married. But, no need to tell him that… 😉

Notes to self:
1. Never use your bare hands to stop a flow of hot cake batter.
2. Chocolate fondant cake is so awesome that it’s worth the struggle.

ONE YEAR AGO: Pain de Campagne

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24Sep2010

BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIES

Posted in Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

When I began the Bewitching Kitchen I hoped it would reflect our day to day cooking, from meat to fish, from pastas to grains, with frequent bread baking and infrequent sweets popping up on its pages. I also hoped that the move to Los Angeles and the nano-kitchen wouldn’t dramatically change anything, but I recently realized that something’s been bothering me: I haven’t made any “sweets” in over a month!!!

To return a sense of normalcy to the nano-kitchen, this week I baked a batch of butterscotch brownies and surprised our new labmates with it. I followed a recipe I’ve been remembering ever since I saw it in one of my favorite blogs, Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIES
(from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, originally from Molly O’Neill’s New York Cookbook)
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75g all purpose flour (1/2 cup)
1 tsp baking powder
65 g unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
215 g brown sugar (1 cup, well packed)
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (OR omit the walnuts, and double the choc chips amount)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350F (175 C), and line a 8″ square pan (20 cm) with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave, and add the brown sugar, stirring well until dissolved and smooth. Remove from the heat, and allow it to cool for 5 minutes (do not skip this step or you might end with scrambled eggs later).

Add the egg and vanilla extract, mix until incorporated. Add the flour and baking powder mix, stir vigorously to combine. Gently mix in the walnuts and chocolate. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top feels firm to the touch. You can insert a toothpick to test if it’s fully baked, but try not to over bake it.

Remove from the oven, let it cool in the pan for half an hour, transfer to a cooling rack. When cool, cut in small squares with a very sharp knife.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: According to Celia you can omit the walnuts, and double the amount of chocolate instead. They’ll be a bit more gooey that way. I advise you to use the best tasting chocolate you can find and afford, because it’s the prominent flavor in this sweet. Celia warned that they would be “flat and ugly, cracking all over as you slice them.” Well, what they may lack in looks they deliver in flavor: my new colleagues inhaled them, leaving only a few crumbs at the end of the (successful!) meeting. 😉

Note to self: This recipe makes a very small batch, if serving at a party, make a double batch because they will disappear quickly.

ONE YEAR AGO: Autumn Vegetable Soup

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5Aug2010

THE RHUBARB BROUHAHA: REVELATION COMPOTE

Posted in Desserts, Sweets, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

May 2009. While browsing at Tea and Cookies I became smitten with a recipe. Her description of its texture and flavor, plus the fact that she called it a “revelation,” made me crave for it, even though I’d never had it before. I even left a comment on the site with a commitment to make that dish the following weekend. Why did it take over a year to finally do so? I simply couldn’t find any fresh rhubarb! I’ve been on a quest for it ever since.

A few weeks ago I stopped by a Homeland supermarket that I don’t normally shop, and while walking through the produce section I saw, in all its glory, fresh rhubarb! I heard myself saying aloud: “OOOOOH! RHUBARB”! A lady standing nearby gave me a strange look and moved away, taking her child by the hand, in that protective mode that Moms often display in the face of a loony. Too excited to care, I grabbed a full bunch and left the store with THE biggest smile ever. My husband finds it unpalatable, but I’m not so predisposed!

REVELATION RHUBARB COMPOTE
(from Tea and Cookies)
2 Tbs butter
1 lb rhubarb
3/4 cup sugar
2 TBS orange liquor (optional)

Trim the rhubarb of the ends, and split it lengthwise. Cut across in 1/4 inch pieces, forming small cubes.

In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb with the sugar and set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the sugar-coated rhubarb and the orange liquor, if using. Let this cook over a medium heat, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes. When the rhubarb has started to release juices, gently stir.

Continue cooking the compote over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the juices are all released, then begin to thicken. Cooking time is about 10 to 15 minutes total, until the compote looks thick and the rhubarb is tender.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I could ‘t help but think of “Happy in the Kitchen” by Michel Richard. No, the book doesn’t have a recipe for rhubarb, but Happy in the Kitchen described me to a “T” while making this compote. Maybe it was the long wait to finally get my hands on the plant, or maybe the anticipation of how it would taste. It is indeed delicious! My beloved stayed true to principles and didn’t care for it. But I loved it: by itself, with yogurt, with a swirl of honey, or… best of all, over my homemade fromage blanc with a bit of agave nectar. Each bite was unique in its own combination of flavors, and a perfect way to either start or end a day.

ONE YEAR AGO: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peanut Sauce

28Jul2010

SWEET EMERGENCY

Posted in Desserts, Sweets, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

You need to bring something sweet and tasty for an event that will take place in less than 24 hours.

You are cake challenged.

What could you possibly do? Get into panic mode? Call 911? Worse yet, grab something from the grocery store? No need. Emergency cupcakes to the rescue!

EMERGENCY BLENDER CUPCAKES
(from Abigail Dodge, The Weekend Baker)

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed, sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 + 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For frosting:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1 cup condensed milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Optional: sprinkles for decoration

Heat the oven to 375F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt in a blender. Cover with the lid and process until combined. Add hot water, oil, egg, and vanilla. Process until smooth, making sure to stop a few times and run a spatula around the edges to ensure it is fully homogenized. Pour into the prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 of the way.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean – about 17 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Prepare the frosting by melting chocolate and butter in the microwave. Add condensed milk, corn syrup, vanilla and salt.
Whisk until well blended. Set aside at room temperature, whisking frequently. The frosting will thicken as it cools. When completely cool, cover with plastic wrap until ready to frost the cupcakes. It can be prepared in advance.

Decorate with sprinkles if you so desire…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This recipe is all over the internet, getting praises from both experienced and naive bakers. Experienced bakers love the fact that they can have something simple but delicious ready at the drop of a hat. Naive bakers… well, we need this recipe. It is a dream come true for those with cake insecurities. One important note: the frosting recipe makes A TON. Unless you plan to have cake emergencies on a daily basis for a month, consider halving it. 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: The bread we love

22Jul2010

HEAVENLY HOMEMADE FROMAGE BLANC

Posted in Desserts, Sweets, General by sallybr

When I lived in France I often had lunch with Valerie, a beautiful French woman with a sensible approach to food and life in general, who was also our laboratory technician. Her meals always involved a small appetizer, the main dish and dessert, followed by a shot of espresso. During those lunches she introduced me to three French delicacies: Kyr Royale, Badoit water, and fromage blanc , her favorite light dessert. I became hooked on all three the first time that I tried them.

With regard to French cheeses, fromage blanc doesn’t get the praise it deserves. It’s smooth, tangy, light, and refreshing. Plus, you can enjoy it in different ways: plain, or with honey, sugar or fruit; with salt and herbs as a spread for crusty bread, or whipped with cream to incorporate in recipes.

I’ve been in a state of fromage blanc withdrawal since then, but no longer! Thanks to a tiny package from the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company, I’m the proud owner of almost 2 pounds of fresh cheese that sent me straight back to Paris as I drizzled it with honey and raised a spoonful to my lips… I’m sure Valerie would love it too! 😉

FROMAGE BLANC
(recipe from New England Cheesemaking Supply Co.)

1 gallon of whole milk, pasteurized
1 packet of DS culture (order here)
(cheese cloth for draining)

Heat the milk in a large pan to 86F. Add the contents of the package and mix well. Cover the pan and allow it to sit at room temperature for 12 hours.

Line a colander with double thickness of cheesecloth, place it in the sink, and carefully ladle the curdled milk into it. Let it drain for 6 to 12 hours, depending on how thick you like it to be. (You can do this step in the fridge, placing the colander inside a pan to catch the draining liquid).

When the cheese is in the consistency you like, remove it to a container and keep it refrigerated.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

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Comments: If you have ever considered making cheese at home, I urge you to try this recipe! I cannot praise enough the customer service at New England Cheesemaking Supply: contrary to the other two companies I contacted, they went out of their way to ensure that I would get the culture quickly. A real pleasure to deal with! I am now tempted to make mozzarella at home, their website makes everything seem pretty easy… 😉 And they have a nice blog too, check it out here.

ONE YEAR AGO: A Perfect Sunday Dinner