RASPBERRY GANACHE MACARONS

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

The first recipe of the year should be special. Special in the sense that it should involve something I love to make, something that turned out particularly delicious, and that I will be making again and again as the year goes by. Two options fought hard in my mind to be featured. Mirror-glazed cakes, and French macarons. If you’ve been around the Bewitching, you know that my obsession with macarons is several years old. Mirror glaze is a more recent adventure, but not less fascinating for me. What made me go for macarons? The fact that I have five macaron recipes not yet shared with you. Mirror-glaze cake? I only have one. Another factor that tipped the scale was that my last macaron post happened last August, whereas shiny cakes were featured just a couple of weeks ago. So that pretty much settled it. I made this batch of pink macs to give to dear friends, which also made them much more special to me.

RASPBERRY GANACHE MACARONS
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the shells:
198 g powdered sugar
113 g almond meal
113 g egg whites at room temperature
a pinch of cream of tartar
100 g granulated sugar
pink gel color from AmeriColor
2 drops vanilla extract

for the filling:
8 ounces white chocolate
1/2 cup raspberry jam
2 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

to decorate:
drizzle of white chocolate
freeze dried-raspberries
sparkly sprinkles

Line 2 or 3 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats. Layer the powdered sugar and almond meal in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal, about 15 seconds. Pass through a sieve and transfer to a small bowl. Set aside.

Place the egg whites and pinch of cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Make sure that the bowl and the whisk are impeccably clean. Starting on medium speed, whip the whites with the cream of tartar until they look like light foam. The whites should not appear liquid. The foam will be light and should not have any structure.

Slowly rain in the granulated sugar, trying to aim the stream between the whisk and the side of the bowl. Turn the speed up to medium-high. Continue to whip the meringue until it is soft and shiny. It should look like marshmallow creme. Add the gel color and the vanilla. Staying at medium-high speed, whip the egg whites until the mixture begins to dull and the lines of the whisk are visible on the surface of the meringue. Check the peak. It should be firm. Transfer the whites to a medium bowl.

Fold in the almond meal mixture in three increments. Paint the mixture halfway up the side of the bowl, using the flat side of a spatula. Scrape the mixture down to the center of the bowl. Repeat two or three times, then check to see if the mixture slides slowly down the side of the bowl. Put the mixture in a piping bag fitted with one of the tips listed above. Pipe on the prepared baking sheets.

Slam each sheet hard four to six times on the counter. Then fist bump each end of the sheet’s underside twice. Let the unbaked macarons dry until they look dull but not overly dry. Drying time depends on humidity. Ina dry climate, the macarons can dry in 15 to 20 minutes; in a humid climate, it can take 35 to 40 minutes. If using edible gold powder, sprinkle a little with a brush and use a hand-held fan to spread it over like dust.

While the macarons are drying, heat the oven to 330 F (170 C/gas mark 3). Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack. Check in 11 minutes. If the tops slide, then bake for 2 to 3 more minutes. The macarons should release without sticking. Check one or two. If they stick, put them back in the oven for 1 to 2 more minutes. Let the macaroons cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Make the filling: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a pot of simmering water on low heat. Stir chocolate until melted. Remove from heat, and whisk in jam and heavy cream. Cover and chill 2 hours, or until cold. Whip it with a hand-held electric mixer until it reaches a good consistency for piping. Transfer ganache to a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip.

Assemble the macarons: find two macarons similar in size and pipe a good amount of filling to the bottom of one of them. Place the other on top and squeeze gently to take the filling all the way to the edge. Decorate any way you want, or leave them plain. Store in the fridge for 24 hours for perfect texture.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I am very happy with this bake. I think the raspberry ganache worked very well as a filling, because the white chocolate is sweet, but the raspberry balances it all. I made this exact filling twice, first time I used raspberry jam with seeds, this time it was seedless. I liked them both, actually. Since seedless can be a bit harder to find, I advise you not to worry too much about it, either way it will be great.

But what gave me the real thrill was finally getting a nice swirl pattern on the filling. I guess the secret is whipping the ganache once it’s cold and making sure it is the right texture for piping a nice star-shaped mound. Until this time the swirl would just be lost once I sandwiched the cookies together, the filling (be it buttercream or ganache) did not have the correct density to hold its shape. I hope I can repeat it in the near future…

To get the raspberry dust, simply press a few freeze-dried raspberries through a small sieve on top of the chocolate drizzle before it sets. These little bits of powder pack intense sharp flavor and really pump up the raspberry component. Freeze-dried fruits last a long time, so I always make sure to keep a bag in the pantry.

On the chocolate drizzle: you don’t have to temper the chocolate for that. It will not be as shiny as if you go through the trouble of tempering, but with all the other sprinkles on top, I don’t think it makes much difference. You can conceivably use Candy Melts, but their taste does not compare with the real thing. And for great friends, how could I not use the very best?

Finally, I little comment about the pictures. The two initial photos were taken with my camera, all others with my cell phone. The difference in color is striking. Oddly enough, the cell phone depicted them more realistically as far as the shade of pink. I don’t know why that would be the case, it’s a bit frustrating, as I think overall the quality of the shots with a real camera is much better. Oh, well. If anyone has some input, drop me a line at sallybr2008 at gmail dot com. MERCI BIEN!

ONE YEAR AGO: Pain au Chocolat

TWO YEARS AGO: Two Unusual Takes on Roasted Veggies

THREE YEARS AGO: Kadoo Boranee: Butternut Squash Perfection

FOUR YEARS AGO: Creamy Broccoli Soup with Toasted Almonds

FIVE YEARS AGO: Fennel and Cheddar Cheese Crackers

SIX YEARS AGO: A Festive Pomegranate Dessert

SEVEN YEARS AGO: My First Award!

EIGHT YEARS AGO: A Message from WordPress

NINE YEARS AGO: Turkish Chicken Kebabs

1Jan2019

HAPPY 2019 IN MY KITCHEN!

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

I wish I could say that 2018 was a great year, but it was not the case. I am happy to see it go and hope that 2019 will be lighter and better on many levels. Today, on the first day of this new year, I invite you for a virtual walk around our kitchen, a tradition started by Celia and now hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. It’s been three months since my last IMK post, so there’s a lot to share. Ready? Let’s go!

Starting with gifts…

From our dear friend Denise, shipped all the way from England, a great environment-friendly and personalized coffee cup. Isn’t it adorable? Made from bamboo wood, it’s light and keeps beverages hot for a while. She also gave me a hot cocoa mix that is absolutely divine, albeit dangerously addictive. I like to add one (or two) teaspoons right into my morning cappuccino, but only on Sunday mornings. You know, that moderation thing…

From our dear friends from Oklahoma, Marijo & Vlad, the world’s tastiest pears, from Harry & David. You cannot have better pears. Ever. Last year they gifted us with amazing bottles of balsamic vinegar, and we just opened the second one not too long ago.

From our dear friend Cindy, also from Oklahoma, a collection of wonderful goodies, proving she knows us very well. Because… sprinkles? I am addicted. A very colorful plate? That has my name all over it. And an oyster knife? We inhale oysters in obscene amounts from September until the weather warms up. Thank you so much, Cindy! Oyster knife tried the very day we got your package, and approved by the resident Oyster Shucker.

From our friend Ines, straight from New York… A cookbook that could not be a better fit for me! Thank you so much, he is absolutely great, his recipes always work. I’ve been a follower of his blog for a long time… Thank you!

My turn to give a gift… This was a gift for Phil, could not resist having this cup special ordered for him. Isn’t it adorable?

I cannot believe that even the mark on the back of the Jack Russell resembles Buck, although his is a little lower, right on his butt. Oh, well – close enough. To order one, click here. (free advertisement, I get nothing back if you order, just sharing the love).

In our kitchen…

A batter dispenser, that was featured in a recent dessert post. In this picture you can see it has three different nozzles (two hanging from the handle, one installed) that twist on and off the bottom. Each has a slightly different diameter, so that depending on the fluidity of the batter you can decide which one to use. I love it. It would also work to make perfectly shaped pancakes, if you are into that sort of thing…

In our kitchen…

Organization time! We got some sturdy shells for the basement, so I could finally organize all my baking items. A second shelf – to be assembled soon – will hold baking pans and glassware, hopefully I’ll be able to show it on my next IMK post.

Still in organization mode, my stencils are now much easier to find and choose. I placed them inside plastic folders with sturdy color paper inside so the pattern is clearly visible. Have I mentioned I’m a bit obsessed with stencils?

These are a little bigger, each is a 6-inch square. Perfect for cakes or breads, but some might also work for macarons with the help of the air-brush.

In our kitchen…

My gorgeous bread lame holder, sold by Elaine from foodbodsourdough.com. You have no idea how light it is, a pleasure to work with. No two holders look the same, each is a unique piece of art. She ships worldwide, in case you are tempted.

In our kitchen…

Mycryo, a fantastic product that I had to order online, but if you are lucky enough to live in a big city with a specialized baking store, you might be able to find it more easily. It is cocoa butter in powdered form. Not only you can add to custards and mousses, but apparently it makes the job of tempering chocolate a lot easier. I haven’t tried it for tempering yet, but once I do, I’ll report back. One great use for it, is sprinkling on sweet pie crusts after blind baking. Not only it provides a subtle flavor, but it helps sealing the crust.

In our kitchen…

Elderflower is one of my (many) passions. The cordial is lovely added to carbonated water and a few ice cubes. Recently I got introduced to elderflower tea. It is Zen in liquid form, my favorite way to end the day.

In our kitchen…

A sourdough boule with decorative scoring… I am having a blast with different patterns, baking at a pace of two loaves per month. Even at that pace it is more bread than we can consume, but some slices end up as croutons, they elevate some salads to Hail Caesar level.

In our kitchen…

Some festive serving platters, all found at Marshalls for very cheap. I love the golden one, which you will have an opportunity to see very soon, holding a batch of macarons. Side note, can you imagine I have not one, not two, but FIVE macaron posts waiting patiently to show up on the blog?

In our kitchen…

My very first attempt at cookie decorating. These are not sugar cookies, they were made from leftover sable dough from one of my entremet type cakes. My plan was to just cut them in round shape and be done with it, but the man I married insisted that “you need to practice a new skill, look at all the cookie cutters we have, go for it”. The cutters are actually his, he used to do a lot of Christmas cookie decorating back when the kids were young. As far as taste is concerned, I like them even better than sugar cookies. On the subject of looks, all I can tell you is that the Road to Hell is Paved with Royal Icing, and it will take me a while to face that nightmarish flowing substance again. Enough said.

In our kitchen…

Direct consequence of the above. Just in case I get crazy enough to attempt cookie decorating in this life, I will try it with an icing pen. It cannot possibly make things worse than they were on a certain Sunday morning.

In our kitchen…

A set of 9 star-shaped piping tips, to give me the incentive to get better at all things buttercream. Also very nice to fill macarons, as you will see before this month is over.

In our kitchen…

Where we live, frozen açaí pulp is not available. Buying the stuff online seems reasonable until you move the product to the shopping cart and add shipping charges. They insist on FedEx overnight, only option. Yeah, sure. All of a sudden açaí pulp costs about the same as platinum. Thanks, but no thanks. I will give this powder a try, my goal is to make açaí mousse. If anyone has advice, leave me a comment, will you? And just to make sure all my readers are on top of it, here’s how you say the word as a native (any other way makes Brazilians cringe and run away screaming).

In our kitchen…

I am in complete awe of this one…It’s a micro-scale to weigh less than 15 grams with great precision. The first picture shows my hand next to it, giving you an idea of how small it is, so cute. The balance, not my hand. Obviously. In many patisserie recipes this gadget comes in handy. Think gelatin, pectin, but also salt in bread baking, I prefer to measure it with more precision. In the central picture you see the balance in action, measuring 0.5g of osmo-tolerant yeast. I know. Posh to the limit. This baby came with a standard for 50g weight, which was immediately used to check accuracy of my other, regular-size balance, several years old. Spot on!

In our kitchen…

A nut cracker, recommended by America’s Test Kitchen as their top choice. I dislike chopping nuts, and this gadget does a beautiful job. Uniform pieces, fast and without the mess I normally do all over the countertop. In fact, the moment I start chopping nuts, Bogey QT™ and Buck approach the area, waiting for catapulted goodies. Full disclosure: they did not approve the acquisition of this gadget.

In our kitchen…

I caved and bought peeled hazelnuts from Nuts.com. They are worth every penny, in my opinion. The road to hell might be paved with Royal Icing, but then when you get there, your job is to peel hazelnuts. For. Eternity.

But, what the heck?
Why is Bogey Quit That™ so upset?
And why is that Jack Russel telling me to talk to the tail?

Well, it looks like I hurt their delicate feelings. I better let them have their five minutes of blog glory.

The weather has been pretty tough on the pups lately, which means staying inside the whole morning, going out a little bit at lunch time, then back inside until we come home from work.

But, they seem to make the best of it…

Even though it is so cold outside, Oscar manages to get in trouble. Our resident Burr Boy.

Of course, he has to whine and howl as if he’s being skinned alive while we work hard to get the nasty burrs off his face. Fun times.

He is not the only one giving us grievances. Bogey Quit That™ decided to treat his fur to a nice mud rub, 24 hours after he arrived squeaky clean from a visit to Petsmart for special shampoo and brushing. I was not exactly thrilled. The stuff had already dried up by the time we arrived home. He seemed quite pleased with himself.

Here we are, ready to help Dad get that roast chicken ready for dinner. He is making Mexican-style chicken fajitas. We like chicken fajitas. We like chicken. Any chicken.

You might have some chicken tomorrow, for the time being we have some dog treats for you, but first you need to answer us… have you been naughty or nice?

Dog food bag: another great find at Marshalls… love that store!

Actually, their Mom has a different opinion. She hopes to get a bit more respect in the New Year. Here’s what happens when she asks the pups to sit for a picture…

And here’s what happens when Dad is the one asking…

Maybe we could behave a little better with Mom, but I still think I don’t deserve this type of treatment. My personal scent was at its best to receive the New Year with paws up. Now, I am gonna smell like a bag of clementines.

We’ll feel sorry for you when we wake up, brother… Right now we are too comfy to care…

Naughty or not, we find them impossibly cute. Osky and Bogey QT can wink, and no one does a head twist as cute as Bucky Boy…

We might wink, but don’t ever expect us to see eye to eye…. HA!

To close this post, the pups offer a few bits of wisdom
for your New Year!

Oscar says….
Always show affection to the ones you love!

Bogey says…
Enjoy to the fullest each good moment of your day…

Buck says…
Play hard, but take the time to relax too. It’s important.

I hope you enjoyed the first tour of the year through the Bewitching Kitchen… My plan for 2019 is to focus even more on baking, but still keep the blog as varied as possible, with “regular” recipes posted weekly. It is hard to believe, but in a few months the BK completes 10 years of life!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

ONE YEAR AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!

TWO YEARS AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen: Happy New Year!

FOUR YEARS AGO: And another year starts…

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen: January 2014

SIX YEARS AGO: Tacos with Pork in Green Sauce

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Maui New Year!

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Natural Beauty

NINE YEARS AGO: Sunflower Seed Rye

28Dec2018

BRAZILIAN CHICKEN AND HEARTS OF PALM PIE

Posted in Brazilian cooking, Poultry by sallybr

I have two favorite ways out of culinary trouble: rustic and fusion. I am calling this fusion cuisine. The filling is a very traditional example of Brazilian cooking (Torta de Frango e Palmito), and the crust – hot water pastry – originates from England. They were a good match, shaping a dish that is perfect for chilly evenings (sigh). Leftovers keep well for a few days. The pastry is so sturdy that it does not suffer from being re-heated. Obviously, this is very filling, a small piece will be enough as a satisfying meal. You could make it vegetarian by adding a bunch of roasted veggies in place of the chicken, but make sure to double the amount of hearts of palm in that case, you want it to be a prominent flavor.

BRAZILIAN CHICKEN AND HEARTS OF PALM PIE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

equipment: 9-inch springform pan

for the pie crust:
400g all-purpose flour
150g bread flour
½ tsp fine salt
80g unsalted butter
100g lard
200ml water

for the filling:
3 chicken breasts, bone-in
2 tsp salt (divided)
1 tsp black pepper (divided)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
squeeze of lemon juice
1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained (about 15 oz)
250-300 g hearts of palm, drained and diced
1/2 to 1 cup frozen green peas
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup whole milk
fresh parsley and cilantro, minced (to taste)
1/4 cup cream cheese
a few slices of fresh mozzarella (optional, see comments)
egg wash to brush the dough (1 egg + 1 tsp water, whisked well)

Make the filling. Poach the chicken breasts very gently in water seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. I like to bring the water to almost a boil, turn the heat off, and leave the chicken in the pan for 15 minutes. Keep in mind it will cook longer in the pie. When chicken is poached and cool enough to handle, shred the meat with your fingers or a couple of forks. Reserve.

Sautee the shallot in olive oil with a touch of salt and pepper in a large skillet until fragrant. Add the shredded chicken breast, tomatoes, hearts of palm pieces and heat for a couple of minutes, stirring. Dissolve the flour in the milk, whisking well to avoid lumps. Pour into the meat mixture and heat until it starts to thicken. Add the cream cheese, then the frozen peas and mix everything gently. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Add the minced parsley and allow the mixture to cool completely before assembling the pie.

Make the pie dough. Place the flours, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Place the butter, lard and water in a small saucepan and heat until boiling. Allow to cool slightly, then pour onto the flour mixture and stir with a large wooden spoon. Once it is cool enough to handle with your bare hands, knead the mixture until smooth and elastic. Roll out about 2/3 of the dough and cover the bottom and sides of the springform pan, making sure to take the dough all the way to the top. Unless your pan is a true non-stick pan, you will be better off by slightly greasing it with butter.

Add the cool filling, top with a few slices of mozzarella, and cover the pie with the remaining dough, rolled out a little bigger than the diameter of the pan. Join the bottom and top dough to seal the pie. Brush the surface with egg wash and make two or three cuts on top to allow steam to be released during baking.

Heat the oven to 400 F. Bake the pie for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350F and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool over a rack for 20 minutes before opening the springform pan and serving the pie.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The combination of chicken, hearts of palm and green peas is a true classic in Brazilian cooking. Sometimes made as filling for appetizers called “empadinhas” – not to confuse with empanadas, another South American concoction but made with a different type of dough and usually much bigger. Empadinhas are tiny, one or at most two-bite delicacies. I should make some before too long, although they are quite a bit of work to prepare.

Now, confession time. The real Brazilian version of this pie takes a type of cream cheese that is not available in the US, called “requeijão”. I decided to use cream cheese, but completely forgot about it until I grabbed the cold filling and saw the package of cream cheese un-opened next to it. That is why I decided to add some mozzarella slices on top. I really like the way it turned out, so I included it in the recipe. Double cheese won’t hurt, I say go for it.

This was made back in July, so we enjoyed it with peak of the season tomatoes and cucumbers in a refreshing salad. For a winter meal, I suggest a fennel and orange salad, which will go perfectly with all the flavors in the pie.

Note to self: make empadinhas before the blog turns 10 years old!

say it as a native:

ONE YEAR AGO: Roasted Butternut Squash with Walnuts and Tahini Sauce

TWO YEARS AGO: The Complicit Conspiracy of Alcohol

THREE YEARS AGO: Candy Cane Cookies

FOUR YEARS AGO: Macarons: Much better with a friend

FIVE YEARS AGO: Our Mexican Holiday Dinner

SIX YEARS AGO: The Ultimate Cranberry Sauce

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Edamame Dip

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Gougeres

NINE YEARS AGO: Beef Wellington on a Special Night

22Dec2018

DOMINIQUE ANSEL’S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Posted in Cake, Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Chef Dominique Ansel’s shout to fame materialized in 2013 when he created the cronut, a cross between a croissant and a doughnut. On the first day he started selling cronuts, a blogger from New York’s The Grub stopped by, had one, and raved about it in the popular blog. Poor Mr. Ansel had no idea that next morning a line of more than 100 customers would be screaming for a cronut. You can read the whole story here. I have Ansel’s book “The Secret Recipes” which includes the method for his cronuts (they take three days to prepare). I am not too fond of fried pastries – just don’t care for dealing with all that oil at home, and would prefer to stop by his bakery in New York and enjoy one “sur place.” But I adore his cookbook. In the opening chapter he talks about one unusual “ingredient”: time. How important it is to consider time in a recipe and respect it. He illustrates the point with madeleines, that must be enjoyed within 3 to 5 minutes of baking. Being a timing fanatic, I was immediately captivated by his opening chapter. Today I share with you his chocolate mousse cake, with a modern look given by his unusual decoration: mini-meringues that he calls “mini-me’s.” I changed the look a bit, making the “mini-me’s” slightly bigger, and adding just a layer at the bottom of the cake, to allow the mirror glaze to shine. Sprinkled golden stars because… sometimes you need stars in your life.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE
(from Dominique Ansel’s Masterclass online video)

I don’t have permission to publish the recipe,
so I will share a very simplified overview.

Chocolate cake component: he uses a flourless chocolate base, starting with 11 eggs, separated in yolks and whites. The yolks are beaten with sugar until tripled in volume, then a French meringue is added to the yolks. Finally, some cocoa powder is gently mixed and the batter is distributed in two half-sheets for baking. You can use any chocolate concoction you like, a genoise like this one, or a Joconde like this one, as long as you have 2 circles of cake of similar thickness, 8 inches in diameter.

Chocolate Mousse: I started the mousse preparation by blooming 2 tsp gelatin in 30mL very cold water for 10 minutes. Then 310g of whole milk was brought to a boil and poured over 310g dark chocolate (70% cocoa). The ganache was emulsified well, then the bloomed gelatin added and gently but thoroughly mixed. Heavy cream (450g) was whipped to the consistency of melted ice cream, and gently folded in the chocolate ganache/gelatin. Mousse is ready to use to assemble the cake.

Chocolate Mirror Glaze: This is not the traditional mirror glaze with condensed milk and glucose, but a much simpler variation, similar to a pouring ganache used in Opera Cakes, for instance. It starts with blooming 12g of gelatin in 60g of water for at least 10 minutes. Then, 200g sugar is mixed with 140g heavy cream and heated until the sugar is fully dissolved. Water (150g) is mixed with 70g cocoa powder in a bowl to form a paste. The bloomed gelatin is added to the hot heavy cream (make sure it is not hotter than 80 C), mixed well to dissolve. That is added to the cocoa powder paste and emulsified well. Ideally, the glaze should be stored in the fridge overnight and used next day to cover the cake.

Assembling the cake: I like to wrap the base of a tall 8-inch ring cake with plastic wrap, bringing it up along the sides (it is easier to do if you add a few drops of water to the outside of the ring). Add a piece of acetate inside the ring to facilitate un-molding later. Place the first cake layer at the bottom, cut to fit exactly inside the ring. Add mousse, the second cake layer, and mousse to cover. Freeze overnight.

Next day, bring the mirror glaze to room temperature, warm gently in the microwave until it reaches 90 to 95 degrees F. You must minimize bubbles in the glaze, either by using an immersion blender, or passing the mixture through a fine sieve. I actually do both things to make sure it is very smooth. Remove the cake from the freezer, un-mold, place over a rack on a baking sheet. Cover by pouring the glaze at the center in a circular motion.

Decoration: make small meringues using any Swiss meringue recipe you like. I used this one. I baked mine at 175 F for 40 minutes only, then let them in the oven turned off for 30 minutes with the door slightly ajar. Add the meringues to the sides of the cake or in any pattern you like. Sprinkle with stars or other sprinkles. Leave in the fridge to de-frost for a couple of hours before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe overview, click here

Comments: Just to make sure I made it clear, this recipe is NOT part of his cookbook. It is demonstrated online in his Masterclass video. Which, by the way, is excellent! He is very personable, and his attention to detail, even if not unexpected, is a joy to see in action. In the video he teaches how to make perfect madeleines, a fantastic apple tart, croissants, and this delicious cake.

I had no issues to make the cake or assemble it. My favorite step – I am sure you won’t be surprised – is the final glazing. The cake was waiting in the freezer for 5 days, actually. We had a trip planned and the day after we arrived back we were supposed to attend a potluck dessert party, tradition of our department for the past few years. This was our contribution.

So, if you want to have a very easy time on the day you need to serve a special cake, consider this one. Everything can be made in advance (way in advance!), on party day you just need to make the glaze and the meringues. Which, by the way, are obviously not mandatory. The mirror glaze is so beautiful, you can add some sprinkles, or a drizzle of white chocolate and still have something super special to serve to your guests.

And… speaking of mirrors…

The day Sally photobombed her own shot!

The cake was very well-received at the party. I think it had the right level of sweetness and chocolate intensity, a very smooth and luscious mousse, with the tender cake to tease the palate. And the meringues! Honestly, I think under-baking them a tad is the right way to go. As they sat on the side of the cake, they got a bit more creamy instead of crumbly and dry. I had quite a bit of meringues leftover.

Bogey Quit That ™ practices his paranormal telekinesis.

😉

I close this post with a quote from Chef Ansel’s book…

We live in a world where every creation strives to be both instantaneous and eternal. To respect time as the supreme ingredient is a battle of breaking habits and changing perceptions. Nobody likes to wait; nobody likes to rush. But when you treat time as an ingredient, it changes everything.

ONE YEAR AGO: Slow-Roasted Eye of the Round Beef

TWO YEARS AGO: Steam-Roasted Indian-Spiced Cauliflower

THREE YEARS AGO: Creamy Zucchini-Mushroom Soup

FOUR YEARS AGO: Ken Forkish’s Pain au Bacon

FIVE YEARS AGO: Carrot and Cumin Hamburger Buns

SIX YEARS AGO: Potato Galettes a l’Alsacienne & Book Review

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Caramelized Carrot Soup

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Miso-Grilled Shrimp

NINE YEARS AGO: Pain Poilane

19Dec2018

PORK TENDERLOIN ROULADE WITH PUMPKIN AND PECANS

Posted in Pork, Poultry, Sous-Vide Cooking by sallybr

This is a super simple recipe, but one that looks like you spent a considerable effort to bring to the table. I made it sous-vide, but you don’t have to do it this way, I offer alternatives for stove-top cooking. You can also use chicken breasts instead of pork, I made it both ways, not sure which one I prefer, I think the pork makes it easier to roll and looks a bit more tidy in the end. So that’s the one I picked to highlight today.

PORK TENDERLOIN ROULADE WITH PUMPKIN AND PECANS
(adapted from The Essential Sous Vide Cookbook)

2 pork tenderloins (about 1.2 pounds each)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup canned pumpkin purée
¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
2 tsp Southwest spice mix (I used Penzey’s)
3/4 cup chicken broth (divided)
¼ cup apple cider
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon flour

Heat the water bath to 150°F.

Butterfly the pork tenderloins and use a rolling-pin or a meat mallet to flatten the meat to about 1/4 inch thick. Protect them with a plastic wrap and sprinkle the meat with a tiny amount of water before pounding. Season with salt and pepper all over.

In a small bowl, stir together the pumpkin purée, the pecans, the Southwest mix, and a smidgen of salt. Spread half the filling on each piece of meat, leaving a ½-inch border around it. Roll up each pork tenderloin jelly-roll style, starting at the narrow end, and tie with kitchen twine (use 4 or so pieces to cover the extension of the roll).

Pour ¼ cup of chicken broth and the apple cider into the bag. Add the roulades, and seal using the water displacement method. Place the bag in the water bath and cook for 5 to 6 hours. Remove the roulades from the bag, reserving the cooking liquid (pass it through a sieve if you prefer a smooth sauce in the end). Place the roulades on a paper towel–lined plate and pat them dry.

In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the pork and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. If needed, add a bit more oil to the skillet, add the flour, cook it for a couple of minutes, then add 1 cup of chicken broth plus the reserved cooking liquid. Cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove the strings from the meat, cut in slices and serve with the gravy.

For non-sous vide cooking: make the roulades and start by browning them on all sides on a skillet with very hot olive oil. When golden brown, add the chicken stock and apple cider, cover, and simmer gently until cooked through, making sure the liquid comes at least to half the height of the roulades. Depending on the thickness of the roulades, it will take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Baste the roulades and turn them around on all sides during cooking. Once done, reduce the cooking liquid by boiling, or if you like more of a gravy consistency, do the flour trick as described in the recipe.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The temperature for cooking pork is a matter of taste. I’ve mentioned it before, we don’t care for pork still pink in the center, so I always go for 150F. You should do what suits your taste. The sous-vide has two advantages, the flexibility in time – you can even push the cooking time a bit further, if needed – and the way it keeps the roulade shape during cooking, even though it is not vacuum-sealed. Of course, the texture of the meat is perfect when made sous-vide, but you can still get a very nice meal on the stove-top, it just takes a bit more of tending during cooking. You don’t want to over-cook the delicate meat, or leave it uncooked in the center. As I mentioned, I also used chicken breasts, and the rolled effect is not as nice, but it still tasted great. For chicken breasts, I reduced the cooking time to 4 hours, and used 148 F. Probably not much difference from 150F, but that’s what I did.

I love to find uses for canned pumpkin puree, because I often use some in a recipe and have leftovers staring at me later. Yes, it freezes well, but there is a limit to the number of little packages one can keep track in the freezer. I rather open a can, use it all up, and move on. When I made the recipe a second time, I did not even toast the pecans and it was still very nice, so a few shortcuts here and there don’t hurt. The sous-vide is perfect for working days. I can prepare it all the evening before, leave the bag in the fridge, set up the water-bath at lunch next day, and arrive home to a nice, almost effortless dinner. A couple of side dishes, and we are set.