It's been a long time, folks!
Rest assured, I will get back to takin' pictures of yumminess just as soon as I settle into my temporary home in December.
Hopefully, come January, I'll be in a nice, sunny, new kitchen of my own.
xoxo
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
brownies, cut and stacked
As promised, pictures to accompany the only brownie recipe I'll ever use again!
Just as was mentioned, they set up nicely on the outside...
...and ridiculously moist and fudgy on the inside.
Seriously, y'all, this one is a keeper.
Just as was mentioned, they set up nicely on the outside...
...and ridiculously moist and fudgy on the inside.
Seriously, y'all, this one is a keeper.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
brownies
Thank you, Anna and Nic, for bringing to my attention the genius of Alice Medrich!
On a whim, I decided to bake up a pan of brownies for a co-worker's going-away event tomorrow.
After Googling various combinations of "brownies", "unsweetened chocolate" (it's what I had on hand), and "8-inch square pan", I found this interesting recipe with its use of an ice water bath to render the brownies firm on the outside, yet creamy on the inside.
Now, the brownies smell delectable... but I haven't actually tried them yet. Or even cut them, for that matter. They're just happily hanging out in their water bath, waiting to cool down.
I'll hopefully have some shots of the brownies sans-pan and bath tomorrow... if I can successfully shoot them before everyone gobbles 'em up!
NEW CLASSIC BROWNIES
Recipe courtesy of Alice Medrich's Cookies and Brownies
Serves 16
8 T unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400F and line and 8-inch square metal baking pan with foil.
Melt the butter and the chocolate together, on top of a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring often until smooth. Stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Add eggs one at a time, followed by flour. Stir until very smooth, about 1 minute. Add nuts, if using.
Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake at 400F for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare a water bath. Fill a large roasting pan with water and ice about 1 inch deep.
When the brownies are done - and they will look a bit dry on top - take them immediately from the oven and place in the water bath. Add more ice to the water if necessary. Allow to cool completely in the bath before removing the pan and cutting the brownies.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
On a whim, I decided to bake up a pan of brownies for a co-worker's going-away event tomorrow.
After Googling various combinations of "brownies", "unsweetened chocolate" (it's what I had on hand), and "8-inch square pan", I found this interesting recipe with its use of an ice water bath to render the brownies firm on the outside, yet creamy on the inside.
Now, the brownies smell delectable... but I haven't actually tried them yet. Or even cut them, for that matter. They're just happily hanging out in their water bath, waiting to cool down.
I'll hopefully have some shots of the brownies sans-pan and bath tomorrow... if I can successfully shoot them before everyone gobbles 'em up!
NEW CLASSIC BROWNIES
Recipe courtesy of Alice Medrich's Cookies and Brownies
Serves 16
8 T unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400F and line and 8-inch square metal baking pan with foil.
Melt the butter and the chocolate together, on top of a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring often until smooth. Stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Add eggs one at a time, followed by flour. Stir until very smooth, about 1 minute. Add nuts, if using.
Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake at 400F for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare a water bath. Fill a large roasting pan with water and ice about 1 inch deep.
When the brownies are done - and they will look a bit dry on top - take them immediately from the oven and place in the water bath. Add more ice to the water if necessary. Allow to cool completely in the bath before removing the pan and cutting the brownies.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Friday, September 22, 2006
sugar high friday #23
It's another Sugar High Friday, and my first delicious time participating...
Well, sort of.
(I was so excited by the prospect of participating in my first food blogging event, that I entered terrrrrribly early with my Diet Coke Cake -- thank you, again, AK! -- and figured I should enter something else closer to the 22nd.)
This month's theme, thanks to Alanna, the Veggie Evangelist, is SURPRISE INSIDE. I thought it might be fun to interpret this theme by using an unexpected fruit or vegetable ingredient. Zucchini in a sweet quick bread seemed too obvious, but...
Tomato soup?
A little culinary history...
What would become the Campbell Soup Company was founded in 1869. Around the turn of the century, Americans began purchasing 10 ounce cans of tomato soup for a dime a piece. The company issued cookbooks in the early 20th century which included a rather peculiar dessert: tomato soup cake.
From the Campbell Soup Company website:
(Muchos gracias to my friend, Alicia, who was a gracious hostess and saved the day with her gorgeous KitchenAid mixer and spacious, well-lit kitchen!)
TOMATO SOUP CUPCAKES
Recipe inspired by: Sarah Kramer (via Rene from Ottawa, Ontario)
Serves 12
10 ounces condensed tomato soup
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
8 ounces cream-cheese (vegan, if you prefer)
2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray cupcake tin with non-stick cooking spray. Mix soup, sugar, and oil until uniform. In separate bowl, mix flour, soda, baking powder, and spices. Combine wet ingredients with dry and mix to combine. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 17-20 minutes, or when tester comes out clean. Meanwhile, blend cream cheese and sugar together to create icing. Dip tops of cooled cupcakes into icing to frost.
More pictures to be found here.
Update: Perhaps after the many emails I've received, I should mention how they actually tasted! I'd say that they were rich in flavor like a good spice cake, quite moist, but a bit spongy until they'd been cooled in the fridge. Alicia and I weren't sure why this was, as she's an ol' pro at vegan baking and hadn't run into this problem before. Most vegan cakes we've made incorporate vinegar, however, so perhaps the omission had something to do with it? Other than that, they were delicious -- and yes, you could detect a bit of the tomato soup, but it's a taste that you wouldn't necessarily identify without knowing it was in there. The icing, of course, was decadent.
Enjoy, and happy Sugar High Friday!
Well, sort of.
(I was so excited by the prospect of participating in my first food blogging event, that I entered terrrrrribly early with my Diet Coke Cake -- thank you, again, AK! -- and figured I should enter something else closer to the 22nd.)
This month's theme, thanks to Alanna, the Veggie Evangelist, is SURPRISE INSIDE. I thought it might be fun to interpret this theme by using an unexpected fruit or vegetable ingredient. Zucchini in a sweet quick bread seemed too obvious, but...
Tomato soup?
A little culinary history...
What would become the Campbell Soup Company was founded in 1869. Around the turn of the century, Americans began purchasing 10 ounce cans of tomato soup for a dime a piece. The company issued cookbooks in the early 20th century which included a rather peculiar dessert: tomato soup cake.
From the Campbell Soup Company website:
The idea to use condensed soup in recipes originated in a cookbook entitled "Helps for the Hostess" that was published in 1916. [C]ooking with soup remains so popular that Americans use more than 440 million cans each year in a variety of easy-to-prepare recipes. Campbell’s Soup ranks behind only meat/poultry, pasta, and seasonings/spices as the ingredient most often used to prepare dinner each evening.I found a similar (vegan!) recipe in Sarah Kramer's "La Dolce Vegan!" and altered it a bit for my own taste.
(Muchos gracias to my friend, Alicia, who was a gracious hostess and saved the day with her gorgeous KitchenAid mixer and spacious, well-lit kitchen!)
TOMATO SOUP CUPCAKES
Recipe inspired by: Sarah Kramer (via Rene from Ottawa, Ontario)
Serves 12
10 ounces condensed tomato soup
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
8 ounces cream-cheese (vegan, if you prefer)
2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray cupcake tin with non-stick cooking spray. Mix soup, sugar, and oil until uniform. In separate bowl, mix flour, soda, baking powder, and spices. Combine wet ingredients with dry and mix to combine. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 17-20 minutes, or when tester comes out clean. Meanwhile, blend cream cheese and sugar together to create icing. Dip tops of cooled cupcakes into icing to frost.
More pictures to be found here.
Update: Perhaps after the many emails I've received, I should mention how they actually tasted! I'd say that they were rich in flavor like a good spice cake, quite moist, but a bit spongy until they'd been cooled in the fridge. Alicia and I weren't sure why this was, as she's an ol' pro at vegan baking and hadn't run into this problem before. Most vegan cakes we've made incorporate vinegar, however, so perhaps the omission had something to do with it? Other than that, they were delicious -- and yes, you could detect a bit of the tomato soup, but it's a taste that you wouldn't necessarily identify without knowing it was in there. The icing, of course, was decadent.
Enjoy, and happy Sugar High Friday!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
"meat"loaf sandwich
In celebration of Slashfood's Sandwich Day...
It ain't that pretty, but it qualifies as a sandwich nonetheless!
I toasted two slices of whole wheat bread, slathered them with mustard, stuck a couple garlic dill pickle slices on there, some gooey soy cheddar cheese, and then, the piece de resistance, a slab of my vegan bean & rice "meat"loaf.
'Twas delicious! As with its meaty counterpart, even vegan "meat"loaf is better reheated the next day... and who doesn't love a sandwich?
It ain't that pretty, but it qualifies as a sandwich nonetheless!
I toasted two slices of whole wheat bread, slathered them with mustard, stuck a couple garlic dill pickle slices on there, some gooey soy cheddar cheese, and then, the piece de resistance, a slab of my vegan bean & rice "meat"loaf.
'Twas delicious! As with its meaty counterpart, even vegan "meat"loaf is better reheated the next day... and who doesn't love a sandwich?
Sunday, September 17, 2006
tarts
This is silly, I know...
Pictures of tarts from Tisserie that I didn't buy.
And didn't eat.
But oh, how pretty!
Now, I did, however, eat this tart -- warm goat cheese and caramelized onion -- at my first trip to Balthazar today at brunch.
The filling absolutely dissolved in my mouth upon contact with my taste buds. (Yes, it was that good.)
(Oh, and in non-tart-related news, my mom enjoyed a Ramos Fizz for the first time in twenty years!)
Mmmmm.
Pictures of tarts from Tisserie that I didn't buy.
And didn't eat.
But oh, how pretty!
Now, I did, however, eat this tart -- warm goat cheese and caramelized onion -- at my first trip to Balthazar today at brunch.
The filling absolutely dissolved in my mouth upon contact with my taste buds. (Yes, it was that good.)
(Oh, and in non-tart-related news, my mom enjoyed a Ramos Fizz for the first time in twenty years!)
Mmmmm.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
hardtack
After visiting a Civil War reenactment in Monroe, New York, and watching the entire Ken Burns documentary "The Civil War", I began thinking about culinary culture during that period in history. I found a recipe for hardtack, a soldier's dietary staple, and decided to bake it up.
Let me tell you, it ain't yummy in the least.No salt was typically used in hardtack, as salt would allow the cracker to retain moisture, thus causing spoilage. Just flour and water.
Many soldiers wittily remarked that the only government-issued meat they ate during the war came in the form of the various weevils, worms, and maggots that burrowed their way into their hardtack.
No bugs in this batch, folks.
HARDTACK
Recipe courtesty of: history
Serves: Not many, hopefully
Six parts flour
One part water
Mix and knead until a pliable dough is formed. Roll out to quarter-inch thickness and cut into several rectuangular shapes. Using the tines of a fork, pierce the dough in several areas.
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes and allow to sit overnight for maximum molar-breakage.
Let me tell you, it ain't yummy in the least.No salt was typically used in hardtack, as salt would allow the cracker to retain moisture, thus causing spoilage. Just flour and water.
Many soldiers wittily remarked that the only government-issued meat they ate during the war came in the form of the various weevils, worms, and maggots that burrowed their way into their hardtack.
No bugs in this batch, folks.
HARDTACK
Recipe courtesty of: history
Serves: Not many, hopefully
Six parts flour
One part water
Mix and knead until a pliable dough is formed. Roll out to quarter-inch thickness and cut into several rectuangular shapes. Using the tines of a fork, pierce the dough in several areas.
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes and allow to sit overnight for maximum molar-breakage.
Monday, September 04, 2006
tomato
I firmly believe that nothing says unofficial-last-day-of-the-summer-season more than a red, juicy, ripe tomato straight from the Union Square Greenmarket.
With kosher salt...
...and freshly-ground pepper.
With kosher salt...
...and freshly-ground pepper.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
black sesame seeds
They're not just for those sushi rolls anymore...
BLACK SESAME CREAM PUFFS
Recipe courtesy of Los Angeles Times, adapted from a recipe by Keiko Nojima of Patisserie Chantilly, Lomita, CA
Serves eight
Pate a choux:
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs, divided
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
Black sesame crème:
3/4 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
2-1/2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
2 cups milk, scalding
1-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut up
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons black sesame paste
4 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons soy flour
For the pate a choux: Bring milk, 2/3 cup water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter and allow to melt. Remove from heat. Add flour all at once and stir until mixture is completely blended and forms a ball. Return saucepan to the heat and cook, stirring until the mixture does not separate and the pan has a thin film on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and beat in 3 eggs, one at a time, until blended. (Post tip: Avoid overheating the eggs by beating them all together and then adding a spoonful of the warm mixture, one at a time, to eggs in food processor or mixer.)
To make the puffs, spoon or pipe about 1/4 cup of choux for each puff onto two greased baking sheets. Beat the remaining egg and brush it over the puffs. Combine black and white sesame seeds and sprinkle over top of each puff. Wipe off spilled egg from baking sheet.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the puffs are doubled in size and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Make a small slit on the side of each puff to allow steam to escape.
For the pastry crème: Beat together sugar and egg yolks until pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Stir together flour and cornstarch and beat into egg mixture. Slowly beat in hot milk.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring, until boiling and thickened. Boil 1 to 2 minutes; stir constantly.
Remove from heat. Add butter, stirring until it’s melted. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a bowl and cover. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Creme puff assembly: In a chilled bowl, beat the whipping cream and sugar until the mixture forms soft peaks. Remove the chilled creme from the refrigerator. Fold in whipped cream, sesame seeds and sesame paste.
Cut the tops off the cooled cream puffs and pipe half the creme sesame mixture into the bottoms of the puffs. Drizzle each with honey, then pipe in remaining creme. Put the tops on the puffs, sprinkle each with soy flour and serve.
BLACK SESAME CREAM PUFFS
Recipe courtesy of Los Angeles Times, adapted from a recipe by Keiko Nojima of Patisserie Chantilly, Lomita, CA
Serves eight
Pate a choux:
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs, divided
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
Black sesame crème:
3/4 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
2-1/2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
2 cups milk, scalding
1-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut up
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons black sesame paste
4 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons soy flour
For the pate a choux: Bring milk, 2/3 cup water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter and allow to melt. Remove from heat. Add flour all at once and stir until mixture is completely blended and forms a ball. Return saucepan to the heat and cook, stirring until the mixture does not separate and the pan has a thin film on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and beat in 3 eggs, one at a time, until blended. (Post tip: Avoid overheating the eggs by beating them all together and then adding a spoonful of the warm mixture, one at a time, to eggs in food processor or mixer.)
To make the puffs, spoon or pipe about 1/4 cup of choux for each puff onto two greased baking sheets. Beat the remaining egg and brush it over the puffs. Combine black and white sesame seeds and sprinkle over top of each puff. Wipe off spilled egg from baking sheet.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the puffs are doubled in size and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Make a small slit on the side of each puff to allow steam to escape.
For the pastry crème: Beat together sugar and egg yolks until pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Stir together flour and cornstarch and beat into egg mixture. Slowly beat in hot milk.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring, until boiling and thickened. Boil 1 to 2 minutes; stir constantly.
Remove from heat. Add butter, stirring until it’s melted. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a bowl and cover. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Creme puff assembly: In a chilled bowl, beat the whipping cream and sugar until the mixture forms soft peaks. Remove the chilled creme from the refrigerator. Fold in whipped cream, sesame seeds and sesame paste.
Cut the tops off the cooled cream puffs and pipe half the creme sesame mixture into the bottoms of the puffs. Drizzle each with honey, then pipe in remaining creme. Put the tops on the puffs, sprinkle each with soy flour and serve.
Monday, August 28, 2006
diet coke cake
Anatomy of the fabled Diet Coke cake...
First comes the cake mix.
Then the egg whites.
Add a can of Diet Coke (or, in our case, Coke Zero).
Stir, stir, stir...
Pour into prepared pans.
Smooth before baking.
Lick the bowl--salmonella be damned!
While baking, make the frosting with one part Cool Whip and one part pudding mix.
Stir with a splash of milk.
Frost.
Decorate.
And eat!
Update: Entered in September's Sugar High Friday and see Slashfood and Lifehacker for another variation!)
First comes the cake mix.
Then the egg whites.
Add a can of Diet Coke (or, in our case, Coke Zero).
Stir, stir, stir...
Pour into prepared pans.
Smooth before baking.
Lick the bowl--salmonella be damned!
While baking, make the frosting with one part Cool Whip and one part pudding mix.
Stir with a splash of milk.
Frost.
Decorate.
And eat!
Update: Entered in September's Sugar High Friday and see Slashfood and Lifehacker for another variation!)
Friday, August 25, 2006
mustard
A few weekends ago, while vacationing in Brooklyn (a mere train ride away, yes, but sometimes it feels like light years from Manhattan), I was able to finally visit Fairway. Boy, what a fantastic selection of condiments!
Being the mustard fanatic that I am, I picked up few jars.
I couldn't resist this Scottish vodka chili mustard, though I haven't opened it yet and haven't a clue what I'll do with it.
I bought a couple of standard Maille mustards and then combined them -- one, a spicy Dijon mustard and another, the whole grain variety.
And what to do with that mustard but to pair it with whole wheat pretzel sticks?
Being the mustard fanatic that I am, I picked up few jars.
I couldn't resist this Scottish vodka chili mustard, though I haven't opened it yet and haven't a clue what I'll do with it.
I bought a couple of standard Maille mustards and then combined them -- one, a spicy Dijon mustard and another, the whole grain variety.
And what to do with that mustard but to pair it with whole wheat pretzel sticks?
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