This recipe was derived from Williams-Sonoma’s Essentials of Baking on page 182.  I absolutely love it, wouldn’t change anything about it.  Actually, I made some mini tarts with sliced strawberries, and I actually liked it better when the berries were sliced.  However, if you weren’t planning on finishing it that day, of course you’d still have to use whole strawberries.

The strawberries are glazed with strawberry jam.  The recipe says to melt the jam in a small saucepan before brushing.  I found it much easier the second time I made this, to simply microwave the jam with a little bit of water. 

I made this cake from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home on page 309.  It is extremely moist.  Although I love the cake overall, it is a bit too sweet.  I would recommend leaving out about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of sugar.  There are two additions of sugar within the batter itself, one with egg whites and one beaten with butter.  I would deduct the sugar from the part that is beaten with butter.  It is also iced with meringue, which already has a fair amount of sugar in it.  It is best made the same day it is served.

For a different look, you may choose not to toast the dried coconut, for an all-white appearance. 

An even healthier variation to the “spaghetti” dish I posted last is to replace meatballs with seafood. Shrimp, scallops, crabs, whatever suits your fancy.  For this dish I mixed the noodles with the sauce before plating, and sprinkled on parsley and fresh parmesan cheese.  Also, something I forgot to do last time, was to save about a half cup of the water used in cooking pasta, depending on how much you cooked (I cooked an entire bag of pasta) to pour into the pasta and sauce mixture.  This thickens the dish, aiding in the “sticking together” of the pasta and sauce.  It is also a fair addition of salt, helps bring out the flavor.

Simplest post yet..

I always prefer to use capellini noodles over spaghetti noodles, therefore I cannot simply call this dish “spaghetti.”  It would be a lie, so I have to make due with a longer name in which most people will say “why not just call it spaghetti?” THOSE people are the ones who do not cook.

I always favored Trader Joe’s meatballs.  Of course its great to make your own, but if you were looking for a quick and healthy comfort meal like I was that day, Trader Joe’s has everything you need.  From there i picked up capellini pasta, organic marinara sauce, and turkey meatballs.

Add a little flavor to the sauce by sauteing additional vegetables before pouring the sauce in a saucer.  You may choose others but I stuck with simple yellow onions and crimini mushrooms.  After heating the meatballs briefly in the microwave, I added them to the saucer and covered while simmering.

The instructions for properly cooking pasta is posted earlier in this blog on the first page.  Although authentic Italians say to salt the boiling water like the sea, I do not add much.  Better to allow your guests or family members to season to their own liking.

I know it has been FOREVER since I last posted, but here is a new idea I wanted to share with you all, especially for all you wine drinkers.  I personally haven’t yet developed the taste for wine, but my parents guzzle through their endless supply weekly.  Of course we dispose of the empty bottles in the recycling bins, but they can serve as great decor throughout the house!  Case in point: here are some lovely images I found off of Google.

 

Recipe from Thomas Keller’s “Ad Hoc at Home”

However, the book does not include these wonderful candied carrot curls.  They are super delicate, thin, crispy and sweet, and can easily be eaten alone.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees faranheit

After peeling the skin off a carrot, using a vegetable peeler peel several slices.  Boil water and sugar, making the ratio 1:1 as in a cup of water and a cup of sugar.  When boiling, add the carrot strips and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes.  Remove the carrot strips and discard the syrup.  Let it stand for 15 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, lay the strips flat and bake for 30 minutes until they are dry and flexible.  Leave the oven on.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, curl the strips around it so that they curl. 

Bake again for 30-45 mintues more until they are crisp, some of the carrot strips might uncurl, so bake more than you need.  Carrot curls can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Recrisp in a 250 F oven 10 minutes. (Don’t put them on your cake until just before serving or they will get soggy.)

http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2010/04/candied-carrot-curls-unique-carrot.html

I decorated these with white pearl dust for a subtle shimmer, and white pearlized sprinkles :)

The recipe for these cupcakes can be found in Thomas Keller’s “Ad Hoc at Home” on page 314.  They were extremely fluffy, lighter than chinese bakeries.  I highly recommend these cupcakes, although a little complex to make they are the best vanilla cupcakes you will EVER have.  Be extremely careful not to overmix the batter, part of the recipe is making 2 different mixtures: the actual batter itself, and a meringue.  Mixing the two together before spooning into the baking cups lightened the batter almost to a cloud-like feel.

I left half blank with just the frosting, and the other half I simply garnished with pink pearl sprinkles :)

INGREDIENTS:  yields: 30

NOTE:  The milk and sour cream can be substituted for 1 and 1/2 cup buttermilk, still delicious but not quite as moist :)  I also like to add an extra tablespoon or two of cocoa powder, to enrich the flavor.

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1 oz Red Food Color
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

(NOTE: make double this amount of frosting if you plan to pipe on the frosting rather than simply spread)

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 Tsb sour cream
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in buttermilk, food color and vanilla. With a rubber spatula, fold in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overmix. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
3. Bake 10 minutes, then rotate and bake for another 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.
4. Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, bring back to room temperature before serving :D

Recipe from: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/red-velvet-cupcakes-3/Detail.aspx

yields: one 8 in. round cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

For Crust:

+30-33 honey graham cracker squares

+3 Tbs brown sugar

+1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

For Filling:

+1 and 1/2 lbs (three 8oz packages) cream cheese

+1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar

+juice of 1 lemon

+3 eggs

+3/4 cup milk

+3/4 cup sour cream

+1 Tbs vanilla extract

+1/4 cup flour

For Sour Cream Topping:

+1 cup sour cream

+1/4 cup sugar

+1 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

(NOTE: you may use a water bath if you like, but I have problems with water baths leaking into my cheesecakes even with an aluminum foil shell, and so I place a pan of water to the side of the cheesecake to keep the moist atmosphere)

Before you begin, please have the eggs and cream cheese ready at room temperature.  If you plan on making a cheesecake as a gift, cut a parchment paper round to fit the bottom of the springform pan using the pan itself to trace the circle.  Butter the sides of the pan, and place the paper circle at the bottom.  This is so you can life the cheesecake off the bottom of the pan to place in a box or on some sort of cardboard/paper plate.

In a food processor, process the graham crackers to fine crumbs, then combine the brown sugar and pulse a few times to distribute.  Add the butter, and process until crumbs are moistened and start to stick and hold together.  Using plastic food wrap as a glove, press the graham cracker crumbs into the springform pan and halfway up the sides.  Pre-bake the crust in the oven for 10 minutes before pouring in the filling.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy.  Then mix in the milk until smooth.  Mix in the eggs one at a time until just incorporated.  Add the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and flour and mix until smooth.  Pour the crust into the prepared pan, and bake for 1 hour or until the center is almost set.  Turn off oven and let the cake cool inside with the door closed for 5-6 hours.  Doing this will prevent cracks, and will also keep the cake from sinking in the middle (the top will be perfectly even and smooth).  After, put in refrigerator and chill until serving.

Meanwhile, make the sour cream topping.  Mix together the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Spread on the cake after it is chilled, and AFTER you have removed the sides of the springform pan. To remove the sides, run a knife along the edges of the cake carefully, then pull the latch all the way open.  For a clean, smooth cut, dip your knife into hot water and wipe with a paper towel after each use when cutting the cake.

I garnished with berries and lemon zest :)

ENJOY

(May be stored and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days)

Cookies & Cream Strawberries

Process oreo cookies in a food processor, it will all turn into these fine, moist cookie crumbs.  After melting white chocolate in the microwave using the instructions given in the previous post, dip the strawberries exposing a little ring of the red.  After getting rid of the excess chocolate, immediately roll in the oreo cookie crumbs.  Expose a part of the white chocolate for a better presentation, set on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and let set.

Bride and Groom Strawberries

For the Groom:  Dip just the front of a strawberry into the white chocolate, let set.  When it is solid, dip each side into dark chocolate to get a great heart-like point.  Using a toothpick, do the button and bow-tie detailing.

For the Bride:  Dip as much of the strawberry as possible in white chocolate, do not let red show through, let set.  Using a piping bag going at an angle from the bottom up, do quick drizzles over the strawberry and stop halfway.  Do the same on the other side.  Using white pearl sprinkles with a steady hand, place sprinkles along the top and curve along the look of the dress.

More coming :)

Assorted Strawberry box!