CAKES TO CELEBRATE EASTER

Posted in Cake, Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

I am thrilled to share these because they were my first cakes frosted using my electric turntable, a wonderful gift from my hubby last month (check it out at my last In My Kitchen post). Amazing how much easier it was to get a smooth frosting! Without further ado, here is the first cake, fully dressed for an Easter Party.

VANILLA-ALMOND CAKE WITH RASPBERRY FILLING
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

345 grams (3 cups) cake flour
2 teaspoons)baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
226 grams (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
375 grams (1 + 3/4 cups) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
160 grams egg whites (about 5 eggs)
170 grams (¾ cup) sour cream
170 grams (¾ cup) whole milk
Swiss meringue buttercream for frosting
seedless Raspberry jam for filling

Prepare three 6-inch round cake pans lining them with parchment and spraying with baking spray.

Heat oven to 350F.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Reserve. Mix the sour cream and milk together, making sure they are at rom temperature and well incorporated. Reserve.

n the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar. Cream together on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through mixing. Slowly pour in the egg whites while the mixer continues running.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients into the bowl in three additions with the milk/sour cream mixture in two additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed between additions until almost fully incorporated. Finish mixing by hand with a spatula.

Transfer the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, until a tester comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the cakes in their pan completely on a cooling rack before turning out of the pan.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Basis formula: 1X egg whites + 2X sugar + 2X butter

For the three layer 6-inch cake I started with 200g egg whites. The magic is all in the temperature control.

Start by dicing your butter and placing at room temperature for at least a couple of hours before making the buttercream. The reason for that is the closer the temperature of the egg whites/sugar and the butter match each other, the smoother the whole preparation will go. All problems with Swiss meringue buttercream happen when there is a sharp difference between those temperatures.

Mix sugar and egg whites and whisk well, then over a bain-marie bring them to 140 F minimum. I take it to 149F because I find it makes a nicer emulsion to work with. Place in a KitchenAid type mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed for about 10 minutes. You want a stiff meringue.

Most recipes will tell you that it will be enough to bring the mixture to room temperature level, or not feeling warm if you touch the bowl. However, if you measure the temperature inside the bowl you will notice it will probably still be at mid 90’s Fahrenheit, way above the butter that is waiting to be incorporated.

My advice is to turn the mixer off and walk away. Come back in 10 minutes, give it a 20 sec mix, check, the temperature. Still a bit too high? Walk away and repeat the process. I find that if the egg white mixture is around 80F it will be ok to incorporate with the butter, which might be around 72F or so.

Now start incorporating the butter with the mixer running, you can squish it with your fingers as you drop them to help incorporate even better. Once all the butter is added, whisk at high speed for a couple of minutes, change to the paddle attachment and mix for another couple of minutes to smooth out air bubbles.

Two problems might happen if the temperature was not a real good match: buttercream will be grainy (butter too cold), or soupy (meringue too hot). Both can be fixed by either warming the bowl (hair-dryer works great), or placing it in the fridge for 15 minutes and whisking again. Contrary to popular belief, Swiss meringue is not that tricky and can always be salvaged even if it looks like Armageddon in a bowl.

For the layers I added a circle of white buttercream on the perimeter of the cake, filled the center with raspberry jam, and repeated that for the upper layer. I crumb coated with white frosting, then dyed most of the buttercream with Sky Blue (just a couple of drops), and the tiniest amount of black to mute the tone. A small portion was dyed brown for the nest. Malted chocolate eggs and sprinkles finished the decor.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is pretty much like a wedding type cake, very white because you omit using egg yolks. It is delicate and moist, truly one of my favorites for layered cakes. I adapted the recipe from versions that call for more sugar, I prefer the cake a little less sweet. Sugar is important for structure so there is a limit of how much you can reduce, but this formula works great. My rookie mistake was to use parchment paper to add the sprinkle border at the bottom, and it took me so long to do it, that the buttercream warmed up and the paper got stuck at places. All my hard work to get the smooth surface was a bit compromised, but nothing that strategically placed sprinkles would not fix!

Feedback on the cake was wonderful, I cannot show you the cut cake as I dropped it whole and it was cut later in the evening. But I hope it looked ok inside…

Moving on…

LEMON POPPY SEED LAYERED CAKE WITH BLACKBERRY FILLING

I cannot share this recipe because it is copyrighted from a very interesting book called “I’LL BRING THE CAKE” by Mandy Merriman. It is unusual in the sense that all cakes start from a boxed mix, but they are heavily doctored. If you are totally against boxed mixes, the book is not for you, but I wanted to give those a try and her cakes are quite delicious.

This was my very first cake using the turntable, and I opted for a watercolor effect, which started by adding blotches of darker color all over the frosted cake.

Then you just turn the cake and allow the color to mingle with the background until you are satisfied. For the decorations on top I mixed the white with the mauve-dyed buttercream and used the trusty 1D tip for rosettes.

I hope you found some inspiration for your Easter festivities with this post!

ONE YEAR AGO: Flower Stencil Sourdough

TWO YEARS AGO: Happy Easter!

THREE YEARS AGO: Mini-Blueberry Cakes

FOUR YEARS AGO: Wood Plank Cookies, Learning from the Best

FIVE YEARS AGO: OMG Spinach Pies

SIX YEARS AGO: Avgolemono Soup, My Way

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Sourdough Chocolate Twist Bread

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Dan Lepard Times Three

NINE YEARS AGO: Turkey Portobello Burger

TEN YEARS AGO: Raspberry Ricotta Cake

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2014

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Whole-Wheat Pasta with Lemony Tomatoes and Spinach

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Blood Orange Duck: A work in progress

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Grilled Mahi-mahi with citrus marinade

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Memories of Pastéis

28Dec2024

GINGERBREAD CUTOUT COOKIES

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

I am a bit surprised that I never blogged on this particular recipe, adapted over the years from several sources, including a version from Phil’s family. It uses a small amount of baking soda, that makes the cookie puff a little bit but not spread too much. My current favorite version includes ground star anise, I am kind of smitten by its flavor.

GINGERBREAD CUTOUT COOKIES
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

375g flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 + 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cardamoon
1/2 tsp ground star anise
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter (170g)
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg

Mix flour, baking soda and spices in a large bowl. Reserve.

To a mixer, add butter at room temperature and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add molasses, mix until incorporated. Add egg and mix. Add the flour mixture in two steps, mixing at low speed.

Place dough in fridge for 1 hour to overnight. Roll out, cut shapes, bake preferably from frozen for 10 min, at 350F.

Decorate if desired, when at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I love the smell of these cookies while baking and also as they sit later at room temperature. The star anise is a fantastic addition, a tip I got a few years ago from Haniela.

ONE YEAR AGO: Ube Linzer Cookies

TWO YEARS AGO: Four Festive Macarons

THREE YEARS AGO: Cuccidati, from Tina to You

FOUR YEARS AGO: Festive Macarons to Welcome 2021!

FIVE YEARS AGO: Episode 6, Cookies in The Great American Baking Show

SIX YEARS AGO: Brazilian Chicken and Heart of Palm Pie

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Roasted Butternut Squash with Walnuts and Tahini Sauce

EIGHT YEARS AGO: The Complicit Conspiracy of Alcohol

NINE YEARS AGO: Candy Cane Cookies

TEN YEARS AGO: Macarons: Much better with a friend

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Our Mexican Holiday Dinner

TWELVE YEARS AGO: The Ultimate Cranberry Sauce

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Edamame Dip

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Gougeres

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Beef Wellington on a Special Night

5Oct2024

GERMAN CHOCOLATE MACARONS

Posted in macarons by sallybr

These were made with a colleague from our department in mind, it was a big Birthday for our IT wizard who is also a lover of German Chocolate Cake. I decided to make a filling that started as a brigadeiro would, but with coconut for good measure. Some toasted pecans in the center. And a coating with chocolate. Gold luster powder to add the mandatory bling, as if you don’t sparkle on a Birthday there is something wrong with you!

GERMAN CHOCOLATE MACARONS
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

For the shells:
200g powdered sugar
115 g almond flour, preferably super fine
115 g egg whites at room temperature (approx. 4 eggs)
1/8 tsp of cream of tartar (optional)
100 g granulated sugar
¼ tsp vanilla paste or extract
brown and a tiny bit of red gel food color

Line 3 heavy baking sheets with parchment/baking paper or Silpat mats. Layer the powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal, about 12 pulses. Pass through a sieve and transfer to a small bowl or to a sheet of parchment/baking paper. Set aside.

Place the egg whites and 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 in five additions, trying to aim the stream between the whisk and the side of the bowl. Turn the speed up to high. Continue to whip the meringue until it is soft and shiny. It should look like marshmallow creme (marshmallow fluff). Add the vanilla. 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, add the gel color.

Fold in the almond flour mixture in two 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 your choice of piping tip (round, ¼ or ½ inch in diameter or 6 – 12 mm). Pipe circles. Slam each sheet hard four to six times on the counter/worktop. Let the unbaked macarons dry until they look dull but not overly dry. Drying time depends on humidity. In a dry climate, the macarons can dry in 15 to 20 minutes; in a humid climate, it can take 35 to 40 minutes.

While the macarons are drying, heat the oven to 300 F. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack. Check in 11 minutes. If the tops slide or move (independently of the ‘feet’ when you gently twist the top), then bake for 2 to 3 more minutes. Check one or two. If they move when gently touched, put them back in the oven for 1 to 2 more minutes until they don’t move when touched. Let the macaroons cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. The macarons should release without sticking.

Assemble the macarons: find two macarons similar in size and add 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. Store in the fridge for 24 hours for perfect texture.

For the filling:
1 can condensed milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tbsp cocoa powder
toasted pecans, chopped fine
melted dark chocolate or candy melts
toasted sweetened coconut
golden luster spray (optional)

Before filling the shells, melt chocolate or candy melts and dip ONE shell that will be the top half way into it. Immediately sprinkle toasted coconut on top.

Make a “brigadeiro” mixture by adding condensed milk, butter, cocoa powder and coconut to a sauce pan. Heat in medium heat constantly stirring until the mixture releases from the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool, but do not refrigerate. You can pipe it on the shells if it is still slightly warm, but not too hot.

Add a circle of coconut brigadeiro to a bottom shell, sprinkle a little bit of pecans in the center. Cover with the decorated and fully set top shell. Spray gold luster if you like. Place shells in the fridge overnight.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I normally prefer not to add cocoa to the shells, just to the filling, because macarons are finicky enough and sometimes “stuff happens” when you add cocoa. I had never used brigadeiro to fill them, and from the feedback I got, it worked quite well. I did not have a macaron but tried the brigadeiro mixture and that is one good tasting brigadeiro, I might repeat it and roll it like the traditional stuff.

ONE YEAR AGO: Dressing up the Oreo Cookie

TWO YEARS AGO: OMG Roasted Sweet Potatoes

THREE YEARS AGO: Air-Fried Eggplant Raita

FOUR YEARS AGO: Turkey-Pumpkin Roulade with Cider Sauce

FIVE YEARS AGO: Strawberry-Vanilla Mini-Cakes

SIX YEARS AGO: Bourbon-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Pea Pesto

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Chocolate Chip Cookies from Naturally Sweet

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Little Bites of Paradise

NINE YEARS AGO: Maple-Glazed Pumpkin Bread

TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2014

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Grilled Steelhead Trout

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Brown Butter Tomato Salad

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Spelt and Cornmeal Rolls

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Roasted Potato and Olive Focaccia

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire

24Sep2024

AÇAI-BLACKBERRY SORBET

Posted in Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Sorbet is Phil’s area of expertise, I rarely make it or eat it, but I have to tell you, this one turned out so spectacular that I find myself craving it and going for a little bowl at the end of the night. I urge you to give it a try, as açaí is readily available these days in most supermarkets. Recipe was conceived by the amazing man I married, and I am just here to share his greatness.

AÇAÍ-BLACKBERRY SORBET
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

4 cups blackberries
300g frozen açaí pulp (3 sleeves of Sambazon brand)
1/2 cup sugar
1 banana
juice of 1 lime
2 Tablespoons vodka
2 Tablespoons creme de cassis (or another liqueur of your choice)

Mix all ingredients in a Vitamix type blender. We don’t mind the seeds of the blackberries, so no need to sieve them out. Process until fully smooth, let it sit in the fridge overnight, covered.

Next day, mix it briefly with a spoon, churn in your ice cream machine.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Above you see the two recent productions of the husband. The first one is already in the blog for many years, he adapted the Cantaloupe Cayenne to make it with two kinds of melons (Cantaloupe and Santa Claus). For my taste, the açaí-blackberry is a total winner, very complex flavor, not very sweet, excellent texture. Keep in mind that the small amount of alcohol is never cooked out, so this is not appropriate if you are serving dessert for people who cannot consume it. You can also omit it, the texture will suffer a bit, but it will still be delicious.

ONE YEAR AGO: A Bouquet of Macarons

TWO YEARS AGO: Chocolate-Hazelnut Tartlets

THREE YEARS AGO: Turkey Taco Salad

FOUR YEARS AGO: Cheese and Pesto Emmer Roll-ups and Elaine’s Cookbook Review

FIVE YEARS AGO: Mango-Hazelnut Entremet Cake

SIX YEARS AGO: Lebanese Lentil Salad and a Cookbook Review

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Cottage Loaf

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Sourdough Loaf with Cranberries and Walnuts

NINE YEARS AGO: Sichuan Pork Stir-Fry in Garlic Sauce

TEN YEARS AGO: Our Green Trip to Colorado

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Ditalini Pasta Salad

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Celebrate Wednesday with a Thai Seafood Curry

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Post-workout Breakfast

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Semolina Barbecue Buns

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Lavash Crackers

20Jul2024

PIE POPS

Posted in Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

What a completely fun concept! Bake a pie, but make it small. Really small. And don’t forget to get a stick going, for that pop experience… The idea comes from Cook’s Desserts Illustrated (available at amazon.com), which is a must-have for any baker out there. I cannot publish the exact recipe and method from the book, but let me share the overall process.

Get your favorite, preferably all-butter pie crust recipe, roll it out thin, and cut 3 inch rounds…

Transfer half of the rounds to a large rimmed baking sheet, add a stick to it, and one tablespoon of the filling of your choice (I used apple butter + cream cheese, as suggested in the book).

Freeze that for 10 minutes, then brush egg wash on the edges and add the second set of pie rounds on top. Crimp the edges, cut small slits with a sharp knife, brush with more egg wash…

and bake them at 375F for about 25 minutes…

You can conceivably use any filling but make sure it is not too wet. Keep in mind these are to be enjoyed just holding on the stick, no plate, nothing. You don’t want to have filling running all over the place. It is such a cute concept, and perfect to share! I hope you’ll give this method a try soon…