tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45479633948370408102021-03-25T06:33:02.969-04:00Scrumptious PhotographyShowcasing the scrumptiousness that is all around uskimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-15397483858393950182010-02-02T09:44:00.001-05:002010-02-02T09:46:41.952-05:00Chocolates from Vintage Plantations<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778317419_TFqwE" target="_blank"><img alt="heart shaped chocolate truffle" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778317419_TFqwE-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />When I found out that one of my friends had started dating a chocolatier, I knew it was my duty to obtain some of his chocolates to taste test for my blog :) He was kind enough to send over a box for me to try.<br /><br />His company, <a href="http://www.vintageplantations.com/" target="_blank">Vintage Plantations</a>, not only produces yummy chocolates, but it's focused on helping small chocolate business in the countries where the beans actually grow. Here's a quote from the site: "Our products are made only from fermented, native original Vintage cocoa beans and honor the local flavor of the plantations, each harvest, and the distinctiveness of beans from one farm to another."<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778317047_XKXME" target="_blank"><img alt="box of chocolates with red ribbon bow" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778317047_XKXME-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />I love companies with a true mission to help others, especially ones that make the world a yummier place! Check out some of their delicious and beautiful truffles:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778317578_Hzxet" target="_blank"><img alt="espresso truffle in box of chocolates" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778317578_Hzxet-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778317221_ZZqBj" target="_blank"><img alt="star truffle in box of chocolates" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778317221_ZZqBj-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />There were two of each type in the box, and they were all delicious! I wanted to take a photo of the filling of each one... but unfortunately I consumed them all too fast, so hopefully the outside is enough eye candy for you all ;)<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778318656_p9N3e" target="_blank"><img alt="round caramel chocolate truffle" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778318656_p9N3e-275x275.jpg" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778318107_EYt7k" target="_blank"><img alt="pink painted chocolate truffle" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778318107_EYt7k-275x275.jpg" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778318534_o75kN" target="_blank"><img alt="pink painted chocolate truffle" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778318534_o75kN-275x275.jpg" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778317720_VZbjg" target="_blank"><img alt="heart shaped chocolate truffle" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778317720_VZbjg-275x275.jpg" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778317998_kjeB9" target="_blank"><img alt="milk chocolate painted chocolate truffle" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778317998_kjeB9-275x275.jpg" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778318238_kC876" target="_blank"><img alt="espresso chocolate truffle" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778318238_kC876-275x275.jpg" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778318345_MAVMW" target="_blank"><img alt="milk chocolate painted chocolate truffle" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778318345_MAVMW-275x275.jpg" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778317874_KLyoy" target="_blank"><img alt="praline chocolate truffle" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778317874_KLyoy-275x275.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />They also have some really cute Valentine's Day chocolates in their <a href="http://www.vintageplantations.com/store/our-collections/valentines-day-gifts.html" target="_blank">shop</a>. Check out the "bleeding hearts" with raspberry ganache filling... they look so good! :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#778316870_ZHzS3" target="_blank"><img alt="box of chocolates with red ribbon bow" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/778316870_ZHzS3-595x595.jpg" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-47902278356415292412010-01-25T01:54:00.000-05:002010-01-25T01:54:16.153-05:00Farmer's MarketI stopped for a few minutes at a recent farmer's market near my office. It's so amazing how beautiful fruits and vegetables can be :) Luckily, I had my camera with me and shot some frames.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/11043352_vDBjB#772655444_Fw7Mh" target="_blank"><img alt="macoun apples" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/772655444_Fw7Mh-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br />Macoun apples — my very favorite kind.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/11043352_vDBjB#772659926_KfQhZ" target="_blank"><img alt="macoun apples and other apples in a crate" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/772659926_KfQhZ-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/11043352_vDBjB#772661705_qDMuJ" target="_blank"><img alt="pears in a crate" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/772661705_qDMuJ-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/11043352_vDBjB#772665170_XL2er" target="_blank"><img alt="carrots" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/772665170_XL2er-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br />They had some amazing root veggies!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/11043352_vDBjB#772666900_KSnTV" target="_blank"><img alt="long purple root vegetable" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/772666900_KSnTV-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/11043352_vDBjB#772663601_fvtHa" target="_blank"><img alt="Brussels sprouts" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/772663601_fvtHa-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/11043352_vDBjB#772657013_r4ATZ" target="_blank"><img alt="Brussels sprouts" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/772657013_r4ATZ-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br />They had a few flowers at the market as well. Calla lilies are so elegant :)<br /><br />As you all might be able to tell, I've decided to just go with the flow and post whenever I have something to share that I love. I have a couple of posts on deck involving chocolate and pie... can't beat that :)kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-63536090599930324832009-12-23T01:56:00.001-05:002009-12-23T01:57:33.466-05:00Michael Psilakis - How to Roast a LambA few weeks ago, my husband, our friend and I headed over to the Astor Center for a dinner inspired by the amazing Greek chef, Michael Psilakis. (Check out an article about the night <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-24048-NY-Nightlife-Photography-Examiner%7Ey2009m11d12-An-evening-of-wine-and-Greek-food-with-Chef-Michael-Psilakis-at-The-Astor-Center" target="_blank">here</a>). I was a little apprehensive — after all, the menu started off with octopus! — but everything was magnificent and I enjoyed every second of my dinner.<br /><br />Here's Michael at the helm:<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735868299_CNpk4" target="_blank"><img alt="Michael Psilakis" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735868299_CNpk4-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />As part of the fee for the night, we all got copies of his new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Roast-Lamb-Classic-Cooking/dp/0316041211?ie=UTF8&tag=scrumptphotog-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">How to Roast a Lamb</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=scrumptphotog-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0316041211" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />:<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735868655_9r5BS" target="_blank"><img alt="Michael Psilakis" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735868655_9r5BS-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br />I haven't cooked anything from it yet, but judging by the delicious dinner, I definitely will soon! The book has a lot of really beautiful color recipe photography done by Christopher Hirsheimer & Melissa Hamilton.<br /><br />We started with Roasted Octopus with Salami, Apple & Anchovy Vinaigrette. I seriously thought I was going to dislike this, but it was delicious. The octopus was roasted and not rubbery or fishy at all.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735868954_Spt75" target="_blank"><img alt="octopus dish" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735868954_Spt75-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />Next, we moved on to the Sheep's Milk Ricotta Dumplings with Spicy Lamb Sausage, Spinach, Sundried Tomatoes, Pine Nuts & Feta. Anything with all of those ingredients is going to be spectacular, in my opinion, and this was even better than that. The dumplings were light in texture and very flavorful.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735873775_f4XpS" target="_blank"><img alt="sheeps milk ricotta dumplings" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735873775_f4XpS-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />Next was our main course, the Braised Lamb Shank with Orzo & Root Vegetables. I could eat this all day, every day. It was so good and the meat was perfectly tender.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735877401_zVyWh" target="_blank"><img alt="braised lamb shank" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735877401_zVyWh-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />Finally, for dessert, we had Yogurt with Quince spoon fruit & Jordan Almonds. The yogurt was Greek style, super thick and strained (the only kind I eat!) It was delicious and, although not super sweet, definitely satisfying.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735878565_tyP9m" target="_blank"><img alt="yogurt with quince fruit" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735878565_tyP9m-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br />I had such a great time at this dinner, and I loved hearing Michael Psilakis talk about his past and the path he took, with no formal training, to become the NYC Greek cuisine pioneer that he is today. It is really incredible, and he is such an inspiration.<br /><br />Here are some more photos from the event to inspire you!<br /><br />I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735879103_sH4UL" target="_blank"><img alt="wine glass abstract" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735879103_sH4UL-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735877970_vSZQn" target="_blank"><img alt="lamb with steam" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735877970_vSZQn-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735872574_A22G4" target="_blank"><img alt="Michael on tv screen" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735872574_A22G4-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735871988_KK59c" target="_blank"><img alt="our sommalier" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735871988_KK59c-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735875014_Xgniz" target="_blank"><img alt="Michael live and on TV" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735875014_Xgniz-595x595.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#735869807_RFzwP" target="_blank"><img alt="yummy sparkling wine" src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/735869807_RFzwP-595x595.jpg" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-51023751049722994932009-11-18T02:06:00.004-05:002009-11-18T02:29:57.578-05:00Magnolia CupcakesDuring a recent <a href="http://www.kimberlysalemblog.com/engagements/sarah-david-are-engaged/" target="_blank">engagement shoot</a>, the future bride and groom and I headed to the Magnolia Cupcakes near Radio City. Here are a few pics of the baked goods that I wanted to share! It was so cute inside and not nearly as busy as I'd feared (no line wrapping around the outside of the store as the rumors go!)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#716987150_tGTbH" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/716987150_tGTbH-595x595.jpg" alt="Magnolia sign" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#716987430_BPM5E" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/716987430_BPM5E-595x595.jpg" alt="mini marble cheesecakes" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#716987962_FN7gD" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/716987962_FN7gD-595x595.jpg" alt="cupcakes on display" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#716988481_Sswwb" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/716988481_Sswwb-595x595.jpg" alt="pumpkin spice cake" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#716988962_okycJ" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/716988962_okycJ-595x595.jpg" alt="red velvet cake" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#716989414_xdrz7" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/716989414_xdrz7-595x595.jpg" alt="Magnolia tshirt and apron" /></a></center><br /><br />I tried a pumpkin spice cupcake and it was very tasty :) Can't beat their vanilla vanilla though, if you're in the mood for as-sweet-as-possible!kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-65448647552243279472009-09-16T22:52:00.004-04:002009-09-17T20:01:56.947-04:00"Ice Cream" Cupcakes<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#652056282_ZnmpS" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/652056282_ZnmpS-595x595.jpg" alt="cupcake with 'ice cream' icing" /></a></center><br /><br />This is not actually a bowl of ice cream, it just looks like it! :) <br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#652056384_phLGD" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/652056384_phLGD-595x595.jpg" alt="cupcake with 'ice cream' icing" /></a></center><br /><br />Nope... it's a delicious, and more durable, cupcake. I didn't know quite what to make of these when I saw them in the case in my local Whole Foods, other than I had to get one!! There is some serious buttercream on these guys.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#652056190_yBg89" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/652056190_yBg89-595x595.jpg" alt="cupcake with 'ice cream' icing" /></a></center><br /><br />And the chocolate shell was delicious ;)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#652055982_AiPMJ" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/652055982_AiPMJ-595x595.jpg" alt="cupcake with 'ice cream' icing" /></a></center><br /><br />No recipe this time, since it's more about the decoration, but I would love to see if anyone gets around to making some like this!! I also wanted to leave you all with something sweet, since I'm heading out on vacation for the next couple of weeks. I'm sure I'll have a bunch of food pics to share when I get back!! :)kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-32479533728621098512009-09-02T10:20:00.021-04:002009-09-02T11:01:45.344-04:00Blueberry MargaritasI've been on a summer vacation of sorts from blogging for a while, so I thought I'd jump back in with something refreshing :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4602338_HvmMJ#630522376_fRzzK" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/630522376_fRzzK-595x595.jpg" alt="close up of blueberry margarita" /></a></center><br /><br />A. and I made some blueberry margaritas the other day, inspired by some strawberry and raspberry ones that we had at a local <a href="http://www.maryannsmexican.com/" target="_blank">Mexican restaurant</a>. They turned out to be pretty tasty!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4602338_HvmMJ#630522759_bZQ7C" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/630522759_bZQ7C-595x595.jpg" alt="blueberry margarita" /></a></center><br /><br />We kept the ingredients simple: blueberries, lime juice, lemon juice, agave nectar, and teqila.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4602338_HvmMJ#630520404_bpYti" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/630520404_bpYti-325x325.jpg" alt="lime and lemon" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4602338_HvmMJ#630519620_qqRWv" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/630519620_qqRWv-321x321.jpg" alt="blueberries" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4602338_HvmMJ#630521479_4RvRE" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/630521479_4RvRE-254x254.jpg" alt="tequila" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4602338_HvmMJ#630520514_9h9cN" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/630520514_9h9cN-381x381.jpg" alt="agave nectar" /></a></center><br /><br />A. got this new gadget, the Magic Bullet, that pulverized the blueberries for us. It's a neat little thing, great for smoothies.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4602338_HvmMJ#630524984_uusqc" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/630524984_uusqc-295x295.jpg" alt="blueberries pureed in magic bullet" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4602338_HvmMJ#630520718_kBve9" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/630520718_kBve9-295x295.jpg" alt="blueberries pureed in magic bullet" /></a></center><br /><br /><a name="blueberrymargaritarecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="blueberrymargarita_recipe"><br />Blueberry Margaritas<br /><br />(Since we didn't really keep track of the ingredients, and the proportions are really a matter of taste, I'm just putting down the ingredient list!)<br /><br />-Blueberries, washed and pureed<br />-Fresh lemon juice<br />-Fresh lime juice<br />-Agave nectar (you can also use honey or simple syrup)<br />-Tequila<br /><br />Mix all ingredients together and serve over ice, with or without a salted rim. Relax and enjoy!<br /></div><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4602338_HvmMJ#630521566_euYrj" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/630521566_euYrj-595x595.jpg" alt="blueberry margarita" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-52730815770137299372009-08-01T19:09:00.008-04:002009-08-01T19:58:48.442-04:00Wedding CupcakesI was so excited to shoot my first wedding a couple of weekends ago! I haven't posted any of the pics on my <a href="http://www.kimberlysalemblog.com" target="_blank">other blog</a> yet, but I just wanted to post a couple of sneak peek dessert photos for you:) They had mini cupcakes instead of a cake — they were so cute and delicious!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#608061092_9mmLn" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/608061092_9mmLn-595x595.jpg" alt="red velvet wedding cupcakes on stand" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#608061161_WyomB" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/608061161_WyomB-595x595.jpg" alt="vanilla wedding cupcakes on decorative stand" /></a></center><br /><br />They were made by <a href="http://www.margaritagrillect.com/" target="_blank">Catering by Christine</a>. My favorite was the vanilla :) It was so moist and yummy!kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-9361669566486177812009-07-15T12:45:00.001-04:002009-07-16T04:39:28.963-04:00New Website!!I'm really excited to tell you all about a project I've been working on for a while... a new website and blog! Not for Scrumptious Photography (ahem... yet!), but for my food portfolio and new portrait blog! <br /><br /><center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kimberlysalem.com" target="_blank"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8zwcoYPTvyk/Sl4CZoQ05EI/AAAAAAAADE8/bMD9bnBcedo/s400/new_website.jpg" border="0" alt="website screenshot" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358723245945447490" /></a></center><br /><br />I've been trying out portrait photography for several months now, and it's been so fun to interact with people rather than just food. My goal is really to shoot weddings... can't beat dressed-up people and gorgeous wedding cake (or cupcakes!) all in one place! :) I'm actually shooting my first wedding this weekend, and I'm both excited and nervous!<br /><br />Links here: <a href="http://food.kimberlysalem.com" target="_blank">food portfolio</a> and <a href="http://www.kimberlysalemblog.com" target="_blank">portrait blog</a> :) Please check 'em out, I'd love to hear what you think!kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-41191074368003700252009-06-26T23:23:00.003-04:002009-06-26T23:34:21.068-04:00Out of the office...We're heading to Mexico for an overdue vacation! (I mean, actually overdue... we were supposed to go in May, but our companies put a travel restriction in place because of the swine flu!)<br /><br />It's been busy around here, as my absence from Twitter and the like has probably shown... so I really can't wait to have some margaritas and eat guacamole on the beach! :) <br /><br /><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/356648112_XMMqN-595x595-1.jpg" alt="umbrella drink with starfish"><br /><br />Happy 4th of July, all!kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-87337947699768279692009-06-19T13:55:00.002-04:002009-06-19T17:10:07.105-04:00Macro Photography with RaspberriesNo recipe this time, I just wanted to share some photos:) I was playing around with my macro lens and got some cool results!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#568009000_DD5w7" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/568009000_DD5w7-595x595.jpg" alt="super closeup of raspberry" /></a></center><br />With a macro lens, if you want a super close-up photo, you don't need to open up your aperture all the way to get that creamy blur (bokeh) in the background. The object is so close to the lens that the amount in focus (depth of field) is very small, even at smaller apertures.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4253670_U45ZH#568009112_tdUdb" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/568009112_tdUdb-595x595.jpg" alt="super closeup of raspberry" /></a></center><br />And you can move back and use it as a regular lens, too ;)<br /><br />If you want to get closeups but don't have a SLR with a macro lens, try using your camera's macro setting. It should have an icon like this: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8zwcoYPTvyk/SjvKtsQ7kiI/AAAAAAAADEc/0a1hZOXb7T8/s1600-h/macro_flower_icon.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 22px; height: 20px; border: none;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8zwcoYPTvyk/SjvKtsQ7kiI/AAAAAAAADEc/0a1hZOXb7T8/s400/macro_flower_icon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349091868757692962" /></a> Just check your camera's manual to see how close you can get :)kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-74400506809913044652009-06-09T00:56:00.000-04:002009-06-09T00:56:00.495-04:00Parisian Apple Tartlet - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558786575_iy2Km" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558786575_iy2Km-595x595.jpg" alt="apple tartlet side view" /></a></center><br />This is, simply put, the easiest dessert that I have made so far. Plus, it is seriously delicious! Jessica of <a href="http://mybakingheart.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">My Baking Heart</a> really hit a home run with this <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a> choice.<br /><br />[<a href="#appletartletrecipe">Parisian apple tartlet recipe</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558782988_P3K6t" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558782988_P3K6t-595x595.jpg" alt="apple tartlet top view" /></a></center><br />All you need to make this dessert (if you buy the puff pastry at the store, that is — I don't even want to contemplate making it at this point!) is a circle of puff pastry, a half of an apple, brown sugar and butter. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558783605_jorYM" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558783605_jorYM-595x595.jpg" alt="pepperidge farm puff pastry" /></a></center><br />Sorry, Dorie... no all-butter puff pastry in the grocery store, so I made do with this.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558784260_3N8oA" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558784260_3N8oA-595x595.jpg" alt="apple in cutter on pastry" /></a></center><br />The cutter was supposed to be 4" wide, but this one was a little smaller and it was the biggest cutter I had. Next time I'll make sure to make it a little bigger, because there wasn't quite enough pastry around the edges.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558784629_ijCsm" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558784629_ijCsm-275x275.jpg" alt="cut up apple" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558785176_sRyqL" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558785176_sRyqL-275x275.jpg" alt="tartlets assembled" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558785699_8UtuB" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558785699_8UtuB-275x275.jpg" alt="topped with brown sugar and butter" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558786215_UrHPb" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558786215_UrHPb-275x275.jpg" alt="baked tartlets" /></a></center><br />There was a little burnt sugar action since the sugar and juices ran off the side of the tartlets. Could be because my pastry was too small... or because I added too much extra sugar ;)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558787255_a2U9x" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558787255_a2U9x-595x595.jpg" alt="close up of tartlet" /></a></center><br />Well, that's it! Easiest... recipe... ever. Love. I think this blog post is causing me more effort than actually making the recipe.<br /><br /><a name="appletartletrecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="appletartlet_recipe"><br />Parisian Apple Tartlet<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />1 1/8-inch-thick 4-inch circle cold puff pastry<br />1/2 firm sweet apple, such as a Golden Delicious or Fuji, peeled and cored<br />1 to 2 t light brown sugar<br />1 t cold butter, cut into 3 pieces<br /><br />[<a href="http://mybakingheart.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">full recipe instructions on Jessica's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1 recipe <br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('appletartlet_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="appletartlet_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 343<br />Fat: 19 g<br />Saturated Fat: 5 g<br />Cholesterol: 10 mg<br />Sodium: 104 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 41 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 2 g<br />Protein: 3 g<br /></div></div><br /><br />I honestly thought it would be healthier, but that pastry is killer! I forgot to weigh my pastry, so I used a guesstimate of 40g of baked pastry per 4" circle to calculate the calories. Might be a little less.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558786909_hNhvc" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558786909_hNhvc-595x595.jpg" alt="close up of tartlet" /></a></center><br />Thanks to Jessica for making my life easy this week :) You can get the recipe on her blog: <a href="http://mybakingheart.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Supplicious</a>. The rest of the tartlets can be ogled through the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a>!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#558787602_aVm2c" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/558787602_aVm2c-595x595.jpg" alt="half eaten tartlet" /></a></center><br />(Note: It's impossible to eat this without getting your hands dirty ;) )kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-50323972575447078932009-05-26T02:00:00.002-04:002009-05-26T10:09:22.493-04:00Chipster-Topped Brownies - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546215444_4EFtR" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546215444_4EFtR-595x595.jpg" alt="chipster brownies topped with ice cream" /></a></center><br />It was a decadent week for <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a>, with Beth of <a href="http://lloydsdinnerandamovie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Supplicious</a> choosing Dorie's Chipster-Topped Brownies as the recipe. The brownie layer of these bars was so chocolaty, and the cookie crunch on top gave a nice texture to this yummy dessert.<br /><br />[<a href="#chipsterbrownierecipe">chipster-topped brownies recipe</a>]<br /><br />(Side note to fellow TWD'ers, I am way behind on commenting! As in, ahem, at least a month at this point. If I leave a comment on a really old post, don't be surprised!)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546215168_5vWNX" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546215168_5vWNX-595x595.jpg" alt="stack of chipster brownies" /></a></center><br />The recipe wasn't difficult to put together, but since it was kind of two recipes in one, it did call for some time and ingredient organization :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546211335_Xhtcs" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546211335_Xhtcs-595x595.jpg" alt="chipster brownies ingredients" /></a></center><br />For the brownie layer, the chocolate and butter are melted together and then poured into the pre-beaten mix of the sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla. The flour is added at the end and only just mixed to combine. (You can add the walnuts here, if you like the things ;) ) Then, the batter is poured into the pan (9"x13") and left to sit while the cookie layer is made.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546212937_MPga8" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546212937_MPga8-275x275.jpg" alt="hershey wrapper" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546216338_vqZxW" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546216338_vqZxW-275x275.jpg" alt="chocolate for brownie layer" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546214092_B49X2" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546214092_B49X2-275x275.jpg" alt="chocolate and butter in bowl" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546216811_UEug2" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546216811_UEug2-275x275.jpg" alt="brownie layer in pan" /></a></center><br />(A. and I went to Hershey Park over the weekend, so I had to include the Hershey unsweetened chocolate in here ;) Actually, it was the only kind of unsweetened chocolate they had at the store, but it still seemed fitting.)<br /><br />The cookie layer was simple too, just creaming the butter and sugars, adding the eggs and vanilla, and then beating in the mixed dry ingredients. Then the chips are added in. Dorie's "playing around" section suggests some alternatives to the standard chocolate chip, such as butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips, but I stuck to the original:)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546210912_TKGZr" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546210912_TKGZr-595x595.jpg" alt="cookie batter on paddle" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546217297_Dep9k" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546217297_Dep9k-275x275.jpg" alt="cookie drops on top of brownie layer" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546215920_vDHfi" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546215920_vDHfi-275x275.jpg" alt="bars ready to go into the oven" /></a></center><br />The hardest part was spreading around the cookie dough so that the layers didn't combine too much. I wasn't really able to get it evenly out to the sides, but it didn't really matter...<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546213552_mcfAz" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546213552_mcfAz-595x595.jpg" alt="chipster brownies, fully cooked" /></a></center><br />..they were still delicious :)<br /><br /><a name="chipsterbrownierecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="chipsterbrownie_recipe"><br />Chipster-Topped Brownies<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />For the brownie layer:<br />6 oz (170 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped<br />3 oz (85 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped<br />2 sticks (8 oz, 227 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces<br />333 g (1 2/3 c) sugar<br />4 large eggs<br />1/2 t salt<br />1/2 t vanilla<br />125 g (1 c) all-purpose flour<br />1 c walnuts, chopped (no weight measurement since I didn't put them in!)<br /><br />For the cookie layer:<br />156 g (1 1/4 c) all-purpose flour<br />1/2 t baking soda<br />1/2 t salt<br />1 1/2 sticks (12 T, 170 g) unsalted butter, room temp.<br />164 g (3/4 c packed) light brown sugar<br />133 g (2/3 c) sugar<br />1 large egg<br />1 large egg yolk<br />1 t vanilla<br />6 oz (170 g) bitttersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 cup store-bought chips<br /><br />[<a href="http://lloydsdinnerandamovie.blogspot.com/2009/05/twd-chipster-topped-brownies.html" target="_blank">full recipe instructions on Beth's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/24th of recipe (2"x1" bar)<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('chipsterbrownie_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="chipsterbrownie_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 411<br />Fat: 25 g<br />Saturated Fat: 13 g<br />Cholesterol: 89 mg<br />Sodium: 144 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 44 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 2 g<br />Protein: 5 g<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546214469_fXMjY" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546214469_fXMjY-595x595.jpg" alt="brownies with piece cut out" /></a></center><br />Thanks to Beth for picking such a rich and chocolaty dessert :) You can get the recipe on her blog: <a href="http://lloydsdinnerandamovie.blogspot.com/2009/05/twd-chipster-topped-brownies.html" target="_blank">Supplicious</a>. The rest of the brownies can be found through the links on the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a>!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#546212418_BF6Vf" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/546212418_BF6Vf-595x595.jpg" alt="group of chipster brownies" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-90726305950684854842009-05-12T03:55:00.001-04:002009-05-12T10:02:27.830-04:00Tartest Lemon Tart - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534541388_ZUoDn" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534541388_ZUoDn-595x595.jpg" alt="tart slice with whole tart in background" /></a></center><br />Although I have been loving all of the chocolate in our group lately, it was nice to have a bit of sunny citrus for this week's <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a>: whole-lemon tart, chosen by <a href="http://www.babettefeasts.com/" target="_blank">Babette</a>!<br /><br />[<a href="#tartestlemontartrecipe">tartest lemon tart recipe</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534540964_JjrZe" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534540964_JjrZe-595x595.jpg" alt="slice of tart with bite on fork" /></a></center><br />I had a few misgivings about putting the lemon in, rind and all, but it turned out to be really delicious and lemony. I'm also a big fan of Dorie's shortbread crust recipe, and that was as good as always!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534519758_aNCdp" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534519758_aNCdp-440x440.jpg" alt="dry crust ingredients" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534519110_iLZjc" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534519110_iLZjc-440x440.jpg" alt="butter cut up in bowl" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534518421_BN5cx" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534518421_BN5cx-595x595.jpg" alt="crust crumbles" /></a></center><br />I had to use a springform pan because the bottom of my tart pan disappeared, but I thought it still turned out OK looking:)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534517664_7fgVd" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534517664_7fgVd-595x595.jpg" alt="crust pressed into pan" /></a></center><br />The filling was pretty simple to make — cut up lemons and sugar blended or processed together (I used the food processor since I already had it out to make the crust), then blended together with the cornstarch, egg, melted butter and heavy cream.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534516739_MgEhV" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534516739_MgEhV-595x595.jpg" alt="filling ingredients" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534516018_fJ4DN" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534516018_fJ4DN-275x275.jpg" alt="lemons in food processor" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534515256_MaR4e" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534515256_MaR4e-275x275.jpg" alt="lemons and sugar mixed" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534514504_izF7J" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534514504_izF7J-381x381.jpg" alt="all ingredients in food processor" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534513731_mQvTn" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534513731_mQvTn-254x254.jpg" alt="filling fully mixed" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534513073_cyW3C" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534513073_cyW3C-595x595.jpg" alt="filling in tart shell ready to be baked" /></a></center><br />My tart took a while longer than the suggested baking time, almost another 15 minutes. It was really jiggly there for a while, but it turned out just fine.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534512429_ef9z4" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534512429_ef9z4-595x595.jpg" alt="fully baked tart" /></a></center><br />It was delicious! Some people commented that it turned out too bitter for them, but it was just perfect for me. Not too sweet, not too sour (although I do like sour types of candy!) Anyway, yea, it comes highly recommended :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534542248_MTTjg" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534542248_MTTjg-595x595.jpg" alt="fully baked tart on cake plate" /></a></center><br /><br /><a name="tartestlemontartrecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="tartestlemontart_recipe"><br />Tartest Lemon Tart<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />1 9-inch tart shell (I used Dorie's sweet tart dough as suggested)<br /><br />For the filling:<br />1 1/2 lemons, scrubbed and dried<br />300 g (1 1/2 c) sugar<br />1 large egg, room temp<br />2 large egg yolks, room temp<br />1 1/2 T cornstarch<br />1/2 c heavy cream<br />4 T butter (1/2 stick), melted and cooled<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.babettefeasts.com/2009/05/twd-tartest-lemon-tart-thats-right.html" target="_blank">full recipe instructions on Babette's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/8th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('tartestlemontart_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="tartestlemontart_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 502<br />Fat: 24 g<br />Saturated Fat: 14 g<br />Cholesterol: 164 mg<br />Sodium: 164 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 70 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 2 g<br />Protein: 5 g<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534541890_h9U8T" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534541890_h9U8T-595x595.jpg" alt="slice of tart" /></a></center><br />Thanks, Babette, for choosing this tangy and delicious tart! Get the recipe on her blog: <a href="http://www.babettefeasts.com/2009/05/twd-tartest-lemon-tart-thats-right.html" target="_blank">Babette Feasts</a>. Don't forget to check out the rest of the tarts on the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a> too :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#534540537_4ZkZ4" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/534540537_4ZkZ4-595x595.jpg" alt="half eaten slice of tart" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-29860117407563468172009-05-07T15:20:00.000-04:002009-05-07T15:20:01.439-04:00Marinated Pan-Roasted Steak<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493849643_kYnjV" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493849643_kYnjV-595x595.jpg" alt="steak sliced on cutting board" /></a></center><br />I know my blog has been pretty much 99% desserts so far, so I just wanted to change it up a bit with a big steak ;) Seriously, unless you don't eat red meat, you should find an excuse to make this steak ASAP. It is amazing! (So amazing that I didn't get a chance to do a real photo shoot... we gobbled it up too fast:) )<br /><br />[<a href="#panroaststeakrecipe">skip to recipe</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493846938_ipPZs" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493846938_ipPZs-595x595.jpg" alt="steak sliced on cutting board" /></a></center><br />I'd just like to state that I had never cooked a steak before attempting this, and it still came out beautifully. The salting and marination do most of the work, so if you do those properly, you can cook it however you like and I'm sure it will be great. Since I live in an apartment with no outside to grill, I pan-seared the steak and then roasted it in the oven. It doesn't have to be a wonderful cut to turn out great — I used a bottom sirloin, and it was like butter.<br /><br />Here is the glorious <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirloin" target="_blank">bottom sirloin</a>:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493851842_aLCkT" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493851842_aLCkT-595x595.jpg" alt="raw steak" /></a></center><br />I don't know all that much about cuts of meat, but according to Wikipedia, this cut is more tough than top sirloin (and a heck of a lot less expensive).<br /><br />After buying your steak and all necessary supplies for the marinade, start to whip up the marinade. You can use your favorite marinade recipe; I went with a garlic, ginger and scallion marinade from <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/" target="_blank">Cooks Illustrated</a>.<br /><br />You don't have to go too crazy chopping all of this up, because it's going to go into the food processor after this :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493846416_M7HVH" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493846416_M7HVH-289x289.jpg" alt="garlic - whole" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493850255_Gpt56" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493850255_Gpt56-262x262.jpg" alt="garlic - minced" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493845360_nSnLA" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493845360_nSnLA-381x381.jpg" alt="scallions - cut up" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493847336_Nmvhd" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493847336_Nmvhd-254x254.jpg" alt="scallions - minced" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493847741_ZDC7U" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493847741_ZDC7U-275x275.jpg" alt="ginger - whole" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493850806_9neDB" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493850806_9neDB-275x275.jpg" alt="ginger - minced" /></a></center><br />Dump into food processor, add sesame oil & olive oil, and process.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493851077_9tdpx" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493851077_9tdpx-595x595.jpg" alt="garlic, ginger, scallions in food processor" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493850003_B827N" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493850003_B827N-381x381.jpg" alt="sesame oil" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493849229_s4s2y" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493849229_s4s2y-254x254.jpg" alt="olive oil" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493851567_gMDMG" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493851567_gMDMG-595x595.jpg" alt="finished marinade" /></a></center><br /><br />Marinade complete :)<br /><br />Now, take your steak, and salt it LIBERALLY on both sides.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493845988_ta64Z" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493845988_ta64Z-595x595.jpg" alt="salted steak" /></a></center><br />Then smear all of the marinade on top of the salt on both sides. Wrap well in plastic wrap and let sit for at least an hour, and up to 24 hours.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493850523_9QzbT" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493850523_9QzbT-595x595.jpg" alt="marinated steak" /></a></center><br />When you're ready to start cooking, preheat the oven to 450° F. Take the steak out of the plastic and wipe off most of the salt/marinade paste. Heat some vegetable oil in a skillet (the skillet should be ovenproof, preferably cast iron) until it smokes, and then place the steak into the hot skillet.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493851321_Wrya7" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493851321_Wrya7-595x595.jpg" alt="steak in skillet" /></a></center><br />SIZZLE! Did I mention you need to turn on the exhaust fan? Yea, do that :)<br /><br />Sear 3-4 minutes on the first side. Turn the steak over with tongs and sear 3-4 minutes on the other side.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493848837_Ny55t" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493848837_Ny55t-595x595.jpg" alt="steak in skillet" /></a></center><br />Place the entire skillet into the hot oven and roast — 4-5 minutes will get you to medium-rare. I used a probe thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the meat to be really sure. You should cook until it is slightly less done than desired, because it will continue cooking a bit after it's out of the oven.<br /><br />Next is the hardest part. You need to let the steak REST under an aluminum foil tent for 5-10 minutes after it's out of the oven. I know, I know. Just do it! In the words of Alton Brown, your patience will be rewarded.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4214249_coy4u#493845664_LX5Bv" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/493845664_LX5Bv-595x595.jpg" alt="cooked steak on cutting board" /></a></center><br /><br />Marinated Pan-Roasted Steak<br />Adapted from <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=6691" target="_blank">Cooks Illustrated</a> (link is members-only)<br /><a name="panroaststeakrecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="panroaststeak_recipe"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />Marinade:<br />4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil <br />2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil <br />3 medium cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)<br />2 medium scallions, minced (about 3 tablespoons) <br />3" piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 3 tablespoons) <br /><br />Steak:<br />1 steak, 2 pounds (almost 1kg), patted dry with paper towels <br />enough kosher salt to crust the meat<br />2 teaspoons vegetable oil <br />1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)<br /><br />To make the marinade:<br />Put all ingredients into food processor and process until smooth. You can make this ahead and refrigerate until you're ready to use it. <br /><br />To prepare the steak:<br />Poke the steak with a fork about 20 times per side. Liberally salt both sides of the steak to create a crust. Then coat both sides of the steak with marinade. Wrap well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 24 hours.<br /><br />To cook the steak:<br />Heat the oven to 450° F (230° C, gas mark 8). Heat the vegetable oil in a 12" ovenproof skillet until the oil smokes. Wipe the marinade and salt off of the steak, and if you like, season with the black pepper. Put the steak into the hot skillet (stand back a bit in case the oil splatters).<br /><br />Sear the steak until browned, 3-4 minutes. Flip with tongs and sear for another 3-4 minutes on the other side. If you have a probe thermometer, stick it into the thickest part of the meat. Place the entire skillet into the oven and roast until slightly less done than you like it. A final result of medium rare will require 4-5 minutes in the oven.<br /><br />Remove the hot skillet from the oven and transfer the steak to a cutting board. Place a tent of aluminum foil over the steak and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/4 of steak (1/2 pound raw)<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('panroaststeak_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="panroaststeak_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 468<br />Fat: 29 g<br />Saturated Fat: 9 g<br />Cholesterol: 155 mg<br />Sodium: 535 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 1 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 0 g<br />Protein: 48 g<br /></div></div><br /><br />I heartily recommend this marinade and pan-roasting method! It's also endorsed by my husband A., who was originally scared that I would ruin a good steak ;) Wrong! We loved it. Let me know if you've ever cooked a steak this way, or if you have any marinade recommendations! :)kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-37729953245594171492009-04-28T12:45:00.005-04:002009-05-07T15:25:34.827-04:00Chocolate Cream Tart - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523034356_xRCh6" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523034356_xRCh6-595x595.jpg" alt="whole chocolate cream tart" width="595" height="397" /></a></center><br />It's finally my turn to pick the recipe for <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a>!! I was so excited to finally choose, but nervous at the same time. It's a big responsibility to choose a dessert for so many people ;) Anyway, after many vacillations I ended up choosing the Chocolate Cream Tart, which, according to Dorie, is a dressed-up version of a very American dessert, chocolate cream pie.<br /><br />[<a href="#chocolatecreamtartrecipe">chocolate cream tart recipe</a>]<br />[<a href="#chocolateshortbreadtartdoughrecipe">chocolate shortbread tart dough recipe</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523039708_uoChi" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523039708_uoChi-595x595.jpg" alt="back side of tart slice" width="595" height="397" /></a></center><br />I was really happy with my pick! Although it had several components, it wasn't all that difficult to put together, and the combination of ingredients was amazing. As some people commented in the <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/qa-chocolate-cream-tart/" target="_blank">P&Q</a> this week, the assembled tart was much tastier than each individual component.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523043579_foatC" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523043579_foatC-595x595.jpg" alt="tart slice with bite on fork" width="595" height="397" /></a></center><br />The tart is made with a chocolate shortbread crust, filled with a chocolate custard and topped with whipped cream. Dorie's recipe is not too sweet and really packs a lot of chocolate flavor.<br /><br />The main flavor note is from whatever chocolate you use in the custard filling, so I used a very dark chocolate.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523024805_QQB5h" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523024805_QQB5h-595x595.jpg" alt="chocolate custard ingredients" width="595" height="397" /></a></center><br />The custard is similar to other custards we've made — whisk the egg yolks together with sugar, cornstarch and salt, temper the mix with boiled milk and then add the rest of the milk, and thicken over heat. Butter is whisked in at the end.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523041709_8nqWF" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523041709_8nqWF-275x275.jpg" alt="whisking eggs in saucier" width="275" height="184" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523046663_3dyn5" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523046663_3dyn5-275x275.jpg" alt="after adding in milk" width="275" height="184" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523042893_NCa7Z" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523042893_NCa7Z-275x275.jpg" alt="thickened custard" width="275" height="184" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523037828_yEQnJ" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523037828_yEQnJ-275x275.jpg" alt="whisking in chocolate" width="275" height="184" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523035266_xM8UT" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523035266_xM8UT-275x275.jpg" alt="chocolate fully mixed in" width="275" height="184" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523045638_vNUTK" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523045638_vNUTK-275x275.jpg" alt="whisking in butter" width="275" height="184" /></a></center><br />I made the custard ahead of time and chilled it in the fridge until I was ready to make the rest of the tart. The crust is basically the same as the crust we made for <a href="http://www.scrumptiousphotography.com/2008/06/tuesdays-with-dorie-la-palettes.html">La Palette's strawberry tart</a>, except for the substitution of cocoa powder for half of the sugar.<br /><br />Don't forget the salt! It's such a small amount, but really adds a kick. I usually add a little bit more salt than called for.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523047589_a5Vpy" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523047589_a5Vpy-275x275.jpg" alt="flour" width="275" height="184" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523032053_KAd2f" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523032053_KAd2f-275x275.jpg" alt="cocoa powder" width="275" height="184" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523040567_82BHD" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523040567_82BHD-275x275.jpg" alt="powdered sugar" width="275" height="184" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523031249_c7gEb" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523031249_c7gEb-275x275.jpg" alt="butter" width="275" height="184" /></a></center><br />(Sorry... forgot to take a pic of the egg yolk ;) )<br /><br />The crust is assembled in the food processor, then pressed into a buttered tart pan. Dorie warns not to go overboard mixing the dough to keep a sandy texture... I think I did overmix a little, but it was still delicious!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523038790_Ld6mH" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523038790_Ld6mH-275x275.jpg" alt="dry ingredients in food processor" width="275" height="184" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523030400_S2kPT" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523030400_S2kPT-275x275.jpg" alt="dry ingredients mixed" width="275" height="184" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523026713_j6MtK" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523026713_j6MtK-275x275.jpg" alt="butter about to be cut in" width="275" height="184" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523036839_2ntmt" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523036839_2ntmt-275x275.jpg" alt="mixed dough" width="275" height="184" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523029539_c4qjf" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523029539_c4qjf-275x275.jpg" alt="dough pressed into pan" width="275" height="184" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523028650_XSDbS" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523028650_XSDbS-275x275.jpg" alt="baked shell" width="275" height="184" /></a></center><br />Once the crust is cooled, fill it with the chocolate custard and then make the whipped cream :) (NOTE: I realized after publishing that I used the entire pint of heavy cream instead of the 1/2 cup called for in the recipe! That's why there is soo much delicious cream ;) )<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523033647_qUNor" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523033647_qUNor-595x595.jpg" alt="whipped cream ingredients" /></a></center><br />Don't forget the chocolate decoration on top! Dorie suggested making chocolate curls with a vegetable peeler. I'm sure the curls would have been prettier if my chocolate was room temperature, but I didn't really want to wait.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523027699_Uuo7q" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523027699_Uuo7q-595x595.jpg" alt="chocolate curls" height="595" width="397" /></a></center><br />Then top the tart with whipped cream, and decorate!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523032707_xJAos" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523032707_xJAos-595x595.jpg" alt="tart with whipped cream on top" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523025835_rCvjk" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523025835_rCvjk-595x595.jpg" alt="finished tart" height="397" width="595" /></a></center><br /><br /><a name="chocolatecreamtartrecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="chocolatecreamtart_recipe"><br />Chocolate Cream Tart<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />For the filling:<br />2 cups (475 g) whole milk<br />4 large egg yolks<br />6 Tbsp (12.5 g) sugar<br />3 Tbsp (7 g) cornstarch, sifted<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />7 oz (200 g) bittersweet chocolate, melted<br />35 g (2 1/2 Tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and at room temperature<br /><br />1 9-inch Chocolate Shortbread Tart Dough, fully baked and cooled<br /><br />For the topping:<br />1/2 cup (120 ml) cold heavy cream<br />1 1/2 Tbsp (11 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted<br />1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract<br /><br />Chocolate shavings or curls for decoration, or cocoa powder for dusting<br /><br /><br />To make the filling:<br />Bring the milk to a boil. <br /><br />Meanwhile, in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the yolks together with the sugar, cornstarch and salt until well-blended and thick. Whisking without stopping, drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the hot milk — this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they don't curdle — then, still whisking, add the remainder of the milk in a steady stream. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking constantly (make sure to get in the edges of the pan), bring the mixture to a boil. Keep at a boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.<br /><br />Whisk in the melted chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the bits of butter, stirring until they are fully incorporated and the custard is smooth and silky. You can press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the custard to create an airtight seal and refrigerate the custard or, if you want to cool the custard quickly, put the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water and stir the custard occasionally until it is fully chilled, about 20 minutes. (If it's more convenient, you can keep the custard, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)<br /><br />When you are ready to assemble the tart, whisk the chocolate cream vigorously to loosen it and to bring back its velvety texture. Spoon the cream into the tart shell, stopping just short of the crust's rim (you may have some left over) — you want to leave room for the topping. Smooth the top and, if you are not serving the tart immediately, press a piece of plastic wrap against the cream and refrigerate the tart until needed (or up to 6 hours).<br /><br />To make the topping:<br />Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream until it just starts to thicken. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the cream holds firm peaks.<br /><br />Spread the whipped cream over the tart and smooth it with a metal icing spatula or, if you prefer swirls, go for them. Serve the tart now or refrigerate it for up to 2 hours before serving. When you are ready to serve the tart, scatter chocolate shavings or curls over the top or, if you'd prefer, lightly dust the top with cocoa powder.<br /></div><br /><br /><a name="chocolateshortbreadtartdoughrecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="chocolateshortbreadtartdough_recipe"><br />Chocolate Shortbread Tart Dough<br /><br />156 g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour<br />22 g (1/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder<br />26 g (1/4 cup) confectioners' sugar<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />127 g (9 Tbsp) very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into pieces<br />1 large egg yolk<br /><br />Put the flour, cocoa, confectioners’ sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in — you should have pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and some the size of peas. Stir the yolk, just to break it up, and add it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg is in, process in long pulses — about 10 seconds each — until the dough, which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and curds. Just before you reach this stage, the sound of the machine working the dough will change — heads up. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and very lightly and sparingly knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.<br /><br />Press the dough into the buttered pan. Press evenly over the bottom and up the sides, using all but one little piece of dough, which you should save in the refrigerator to patch any cracks after the crust is baked. Don’t be too heavy-handed — press the crust in so that the edges of the pieces cling to one another, but no so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, before baking.<br /><br />To partially or fully bake the crust:<br />Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit (190° Celsius, Gas Mark 5).<br /><br />Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. (Since you froze the crust, you can bake it without weights.) Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon. For a partially baked crust, patch the crust as necessary, then transfer the crust to a cooling rack (keep it in its pan).<br /><br />To fully bake the crust:<br />Bake for another 8 minutes or so, or until it is firm and golden brown. Keep a close eye on the crust's progress — it can get too dark in a flash. Transfer the tart pan to a rack and cool the crust to room temperature before filling.<br /><br />To patch a partially or fully baked crust, if necessary:<br />If there are any cracks in the baked crust, patch them with some of the reserved raw dough as soon as you remove the foil. Slice off a thin piece of the dough, place it over the crack, moisten the edges and very gendly smooth the edges into the baked crust. If the tart will not be baked again with its filling, bake for another 2 minutes or so, just to take the rawness off the patch.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/8th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('chocolatecreamtart_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="chocolatecreamtart_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 532<br />Fat: 34 g<br />Saturated Fat: 20 g<br />Cholesterol: 218 mg<br />Sodium: 185 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 50 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 3 g<br />Protein: 8 g<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523035929_Y5F9N" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523035929_Y5F9N-595x595.jpg" alt="slice of tart with whole tart in background" height="397" width="595" /></a></center><br />Thanks to everyone who is baking along with me this week! :) I hope you loved the recipe as much as I did! Check out everyone else's tart on the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a>!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#523044575_QCroM" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/523044575_QCroM-595x595.jpg" alt="close up of tart with slice taken out" height="397" width="595" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-70293710644902333372009-04-14T16:40:00.001-04:002009-04-14T16:40:01.260-04:0015-Minute Magic Chocolate Amaretti Torte<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512128205_R8AP3" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512128205_R8AP3-595x595.jpg" alt="closeup of chocolate torte" /></a></center><br />I guess the busyness of the past few weeks has taken its toll, because this whole weekend I've been sick :( So, I was glad to see that the awesome Holly of <a href="http://phemomenon.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">PheMOMenon</a> chose something called 15-Minute Magic Chocolate Amaretti Torte for this week's <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a>, because I wasn't up for putting a lot of energy into it this week!<br /><br />[<a href="#chocolateamarettirecipe">chocolate amaretti torte recipe</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512128842_9u5fi" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512128842_9u5fi-595x595.jpg" alt="view of torte from above" /></a></center><br />I have a confession to make, though. I didn't use amaretti! We looked everywhere for them — an Italian specialty store, the regular grocery store AND Whole Foods. Nada. So I went with these butter cookies, which had almonds in them:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512120575_qCot2" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512120575_qCot2-595x595.jpg" alt="orange almond butter cookies" /></a></center><br />They worked and gave the final cake a nice orange flavor, so it was fine by me.<br /><br />I cut this recipe down to 1/3 of the original, because I didn't want to pass on my sickness to anyone else by giving the torte away, and (probably more to the point) I forgot to buy eggs and only had one left. So, I used this chocolate souffle pan (thanks Annie!) to make two 3-inch cakes.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512119125_5TVH9" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512119125_5TVH9-595x595.jpg" alt="chocolate souffle pan" /></a></center><br />The cake allegedly takes 15 minutes to get from the cookie-processing stage to the oven. It took me 20 (but I blame taking photos for the extra time).<br /><br />Almonds and cookies:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512121385_jGtS8" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512121385_jGtS8-595x595.jpg" alt="processed almond flour and cookies" /></a></center><br />Egg, sugar and butter:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512122326_Zf85D" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512122326_Zf85D-595x595.jpg" alt="egg, sugar and butter in processor" /></a></center><br />All together, plus chocolate:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512123211_d6F7u" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512123211_d6F7u-595x595.jpg" alt="batter almost done" /></a></center><br />Batter in the pan:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512124184_HiRxd" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512124184_HiRxd-595x595.jpg" alt="batter in the 3inch pan" /></a></center><br />20 minutes later, fully baked:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512125583_Uqc5p" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512125583_Uqc5p-595x595.jpg" alt="baked chocolate cakes" /></a></center><br />Not only did I not use amaretti, I also didn't have any heavy cream for the glaze. I just used butter.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512126578_qGU9c" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512126578_qGU9c-595x595.jpg" alt="glazed cakes" /></a></center><br /><br />These are the ingredients/nutrition facts, as originally written (not as pictured!)<br /><br /><a name="chocolateamarettirecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="chocolateamaretti_recipe"><br />Chocolate Amaretti Torte<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />For the Cake:<br />6 amaretti cookies<br />3/4 c (~60 g) blanched slivered almonds<br />113 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp<br />100 g (1/2 c) sugar<br />3 large eggs, room temp<br />113 g (4 oz) bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled<br /><br />For the Glaze<br />113 g (4 oz) bittersweet chocolate, chopped<br />1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream<br />2 tablespoons sugar<br />2 tablespoons water<br /><br />[<a href="http://phemomenon.blogspot.com/2009/04/twd-15-minute-magic-chocolate-amaretti.html" target="_blank">full recipe instructions on Holly's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/8th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('chocolateamaretti_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="chocolateamaretti_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 497<br />Fat: 37 g<br />Saturated Fat: 18 g<br />Cholesterol: 132 mg<br />Sodium: 42 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 36 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 4 g<br />Protein: 8 g<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512127616_xcgKM" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512127616_xcgKM-595x595.jpg" alt="whole mini cake" /></a></center><br />Thanks to Holly for this simple and chocolatey pick! Get the recipe on her blog: <a href="http://phemomenon.blogspot.com/2009/04/twd-15-minute-magic-chocolate-amaretti.html" target="_blank">PheMOMenon</a>. You can check out the rest of the tortes on the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a>!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#512129326_neb3m" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/512129326_neb3m-595x595.jpg" alt="torte with piece taken out" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-18241350093010666152009-04-07T11:55:00.000-04:002009-04-07T11:55:00.725-04:00Banana Cream Pie - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507341220_hLVTK" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507341220_hLVTK-595x595.jpg" alt="piece of banana cream pie with bite on fork" /></a></center><br />Whew... the past few weeks have been kind of a whirlwind. My rugby season has started, I'm taking a studio lighting photography class, and I've been working on another project that I will tell you about soon! Anyway, I practiced some time management skills for this week's <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a> and successfully baked up a Banana Cream Pie, the recipe chosen by our resident songbird, Amy of <a href="http://singforyoursupperblog.com" target="_blank">Sing For Your Supper</a> :)<br /><br />[<a href="#bananacreampierecipe">banana cream pie recipe</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507340350_qpj3W" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507340350_qpj3W-595x595.jpg" alt="whole banana cream pie" /></a></center><br />I don't remember ever having banana cream pie before, but I'm glad I made this recipe -- it was really delicious! I really liked the cinnamon and nutmeg in the custard, and I think it added a level of sophistication to the pie.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507326506_xeURh" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507326506_xeURh-595x595.jpg" alt="sifting brown sugar" /></a></center><br />(Have you ever sifted brown sugar before?? Weird. I wonder if it actually made a difference!)<br /><br />The main filling for this pie is a brown sugar custard with the aforementioned cinnamon and nutmeg, and I could really eat it all day. In fact, I think it would be amazing to churn it into ice cream with banana bits. Someone please do this and let me know how it is ;)<br /><br />Making the custard:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507328238_qa2M6" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507328238_qa2M6-595x595.jpg" alt="eggs in pan" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507329178_tsBrk" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507329178_tsBrk-275x275.jpg" alt="whisking eggs, sugar" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507329984_x53sT" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507329984_x53sT-275x275.jpg" alt="after drizzling in the hot milk" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507330767_r6wpM" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507330767_r6wpM-275x275.jpg" alt="butter about to be whisked in" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507331501_sV9wf" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507331501_sV9wf-275x275.jpg" alt="finished custard" /></a></center><br />My biggest challenge with this pie was the crust. I'd never really made a successful single-crust pie — the only other time I attempted it was for the <a href="http://www.scrumptiousphotography.com/2008/11/tuesdays-with-dorie-thanksgiving-twofer.html">Two-fer pie</a>, and that was definitely not great-looking! (In that post, I blamed the shrinkage on the pie pan...HA!) My first attempt at the crust produced this:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507333606_tN7ZG" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507333606_tN7ZG-595x595.jpg" alt="bad pie crust" /></a></center><br />Totally shrunken and burnt. (After I removed the too-dark parts, it did still taste great, though!) So, I broke out my copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0936184752?ie=UTF8&tag=scrumptphotog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0936184752">Baking Illustrated</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=scrumptphotog-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0936184752" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> to see what I'd done wrong. My crust looked exactly like the "unattractive crust" picture in there ;) Apparently there were a few cardinal sins broken during the first go-round, including letting the dough get too warm and not rolling it out to a large enough size (should be 4" wider than the pie pan). <br /><br />My second attempt was a whole lot more successful, and I even got fancy with a crimped crust ;) It still shrank a little bit, but looked a whole lot more like pie crust than before.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507334244_u8BBP" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507334244_u8BBP-275x275.jpg" alt="pie crust" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507334931_KHNK6" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507334931_KHNK6-275x275.jpg" alt="pie crust" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507335631_KK2V4" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507335631_KK2V4-595x595.jpg" alt="crimped pie crust" /></a></center><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507336249_RinLB" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507336249_RinLB-595x595.jpg" alt="fully baked pie crust" /></a></center><br />Once the crust was cool, it was time to fill the crust with goodness. Take bananas:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507336959_DdA6f" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507336959_DdA6f-595x595.jpg" alt="ripe bananas" /></a></center><br />Cut into slices:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507337645_e4f89" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507337645_e4f89-595x595.jpg" alt="banana slices" /></a></center><br />Layer with custard (3 layers custard, 2 layers bananas):<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507338427_LhUxu" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507338427_LhUxu-595x595.jpg" alt="banana layered with custard in pie shell" /></a></center><br />Then, when it looks like this:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507339925_eeSTQ" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507339925_eeSTQ-595x595.jpg" alt="pie crust filled" /></a></center><br />Top with a delicious whipped cream/sour cream mix, and serve immediately :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507342201_A3DpR" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507342201_A3DpR-595x595.jpg" alt="pie in pan with slice cut out" /></a></center><br /><br /><a name="bananacreampierecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="bananacreampie_recipe"><br />Banana Cream Pie<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />For the Custard<br />2 cups (475 ml) whole milk<br />6 large egg yolks<br />107 g (1/2 cup packed) light brown sugar, pressed through a sieve<br />38 g (1/3 cup) cornstarch, sifted<br />1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg<br />pinch of salt<br />1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />3 tablespoons (42 g) cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits<br />3 ripe but firm bananas<br />1 9-inch single pie crust, fully baked and cooled<br /><br />For the Topping<br />1 cup (238 ml) cold heavy cream<br />2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted<br />1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />2 tablespoons sour cream <br /><br />[<a href="http://singforyoursupperblog.com/pies-and-cobblers/tuesdays-with-dorie-queen-for-a-day/" target="_blank">recipe instructions on Amy's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/8th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('bananacreampie_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="bananacreampie_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 655<br />Fat: 34 g<br />Saturated Fat: 19 g<br />Cholesterol: 232 mg<br />Sodium: 603 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 78 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 3 g<br />Protein: 11 g<br /></div></div><br /><br />Yikes. All I can say is... cut it into smaller pieces :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507340769_v8rv4" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507340769_v8rv4-595x595.jpg" alt="piece of pie with full pie in background" /></a></center><br />Thanks to Amy for this delicious pick! The recipe is on her blog: <a href="http://singforyoursupperblog.com/pies-and-cobblers/tuesdays-with-dorie-queen-for-a-day/" target="_blank">Sing For Your Supper</a>. You can check out the rest of the delicious pies on the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a>!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#507341789_ARKpj" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/507341789_ARKpj-595x595.jpg" alt="half eaten piece of pie" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-7465282132356272212009-03-30T15:30:00.002-04:002009-03-30T15:30:04.284-04:00Lou Manna's Food Photography WorkshopA couple of weekends ago, I was lucky enough to spend the day at the studio of <a href="http://www.loumanna.com/" target="_blank">Lou Manna</a>, a commercial food photographer here in NYC. He was giving a workshop through <a href="http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=WS_List" target="_blank">Adorama</a> all about digital food photography, so obviously I had to check it out!<br /><br /><center><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/499723590_hwqcd-595x595.jpg"></center><br /><br />Here's Lou. He is definitely a character! He is very approachable and outgoing, and not afraid to speak his mind. In his own words, he's "in your face", kind of like his style of food photography — bold and striking! (He really liked that pointer and nearly broke his TV with it at one point ;) )<br /><br />Lou is the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592008208?ie=UTF8&tag=scrumptphotog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592008208" target="_blank">Digital Food Photography</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=scrumptphotog-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1592008208" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />, which is a great read and has a lot of good information about both photography basics and working with food in particular. I definitely recommend it as a jumping off point, as well as <a href="http://www.digitalfoodphotos.com/blog/" target="_blank">his blog</a>, which also has some photography tips.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/499725482_Eewoo-595x595.jpg"></center><br /><br />His studio has a big kitchen, and the rest is filled with computer and photo equipment. One corner of the studio was dedicated to props — glasses, plates, fabrics, and an incredible amount of little bits and bobs to add character to the photos.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/499724163_o73N3-595x595.jpg"></center><br /><br />We also had the pleasure of working with <a href="http://www.denniswilliford.com/" target="_blank">Dennis Williford</a>, aka "The Photo Cook". Dennis is a chef and photographer, and he cooked us a delicious lunch and helped us to style food for our photo shoot at the end of class.<br /><br />The first half of class was a meet & greet, followed by a portfolio critique of each of the students' portfolios, which was very insightful and helpful. After that, Lou gave a presentation to go over some concepts like color balance, composition, and working with the food. We had some chicken cacciatore for lunch, and then Lou went deeper into the subject of lighting. To end the class, each person styled their own food and took photos. <br /><br />Lou works mainly with studio lighting, which was perfect for me since that is what I use in my "finished product" photos on this blog. His setup is a bit more sophisticated than mine, though!<br /><br /><center><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/499726356_i54sQ-595x595.jpg"></center><br /><br />Lou's primary studio setup is a stand with a sheet of translucent plexiglass serving as the base. The translucency is great, because you can shine light coming from underneath to get a bright white backdrop for the food. The food in the picture was styled by one of the other students in the class.<br /><br />Some food styling action:<br /><br /><center><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/499725110_x4NuZ-595x595.jpg"></center><br /><br />Dennis helped me with my styling and suggested that I use this beautiful purple potato. I'd never seen one like this before:<br /><br /><center><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/499726842_d6mVj-595x595.jpg"></center><br /><br />Lou set up the lighting for us, using a main light with a softbox, a bright backlight and some mirrors to reflect light back into the shadows. He is a huge proponent of mirrors and a technique which he calls "feathering the light", which means directing the main light slightly away from the subject and bouncing it back with reflectors.<br /><br />Here's one of my attempts — I opted for a relatively simple salad and used some of the cool props available. Dennis gave me the tip to keep the salad in the fridge while setting up my shot to keep it looking fresh.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/499727199_LpUhD-595x595.jpg"></center><br /><br />That one was OK, but Lou made it more enticing by spraying a mix of water and glycerin onto the salad:<br /><br /><center><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/499727569_rxsTg-595x595.jpg"></center><br /><br />I guess that's why most of the food used for professional photos isn't actually eaten! :) <br /><br />In professional food photography, no matter what kind of style the final shot has, there is always a stylist at work to keep the food looking its best. If you're interested in learning more about food styling, I have taken and highly recommend the <a href="http://www.photostylingworkshops.com/store/home.php" target="_blank">online food styling class</a> given by Photo Styling Workshops. You can also check out Lou's blog or book, or the wonderful blog of Lara Ferroni, <a href="http://www.stilllifewith.com/" target="_blank">Still Life With</a>.kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-45676607956409965252009-03-24T00:10:00.000-04:002009-03-24T00:10:07.043-04:00Blueberry Crumb Cake - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497604952_Uon4P" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497604952_Uon4P-595x595.jpg" alt="piece of blueberry crumb cake" /></a></center><br />I was so happy to see that Sihan of <a href="http://www.fundamentally-flawed.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">fundamentally-flawed</a> chose Blueberry Crumb Cake for <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a>! I was drawn to the picture of this recipe, and was seriously considering choosing it for my own turn (which is coming up soon!! :) ) Anyway, the cake definitely lived up to the picture in the book. It was moist and delicious, with the crunchy, buttery topping adding a nice texture and flavor.<br /><br />[<a href="#blueberrycrumbrecipe">blueberry crumb cake recipe</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497604280_mqGkd" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497604280_mqGkd-595x595.jpg" alt="full cake on white plate" /></a></center><br />I didn't think it needed any accompaniments, but I'm sure it would be great with some tea. I'm not a huge fan of coffee and fruit (more like coffee and chocolate!), but some nice herbal tea could work;)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497596605_Hd7qc" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497596605_Hd7qc-595x595.jpg" alt="crumb ingredients in food processor" /></a></center><br />First step was to mix all of the crumb ingredients together. I omitted the walnuts and added some extra of everything to compensate. What can I say... I am a crumb lover!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497597250_JEQzP" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497597250_JEQzP-595x595.jpg" alt="crumbs mixed" /></a></center><br />I may have gone too far in mixing the crumbs, but I don't think it really mattered because it gets all mushed together anyway when you put it on top of the cake.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497598067_kiGtS" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497598067_kiGtS-595x595.jpg" alt="ingredients" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497598934_o4Czt" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497598934_o4Czt-595x595.jpg" alt="berries in flour" /></a></center><br />The berries are tossed in flour first to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497599763_57xsX" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497599763_57xsX-595x595.jpg" alt="sugar and zest" /></a></center><br />I really love Dorie's method of mixing zest and sugar together. Mostly because I get to lick the flavored sugar off my fingers afterwards ;) (Don't worry... hand washing follows;) )<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497600473_sk5BA" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497600473_sk5BA-595x595.jpg" alt="finished batter" /></a></center><br />Thick and creamy finished batter! Easy to assemble with the creaming method.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497601379_c5mp2" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497601379_c5mp2-595x595.jpg" alt="batter in pan" /></a></center><br />Smoothing the batter into the pan after folding in the berries...<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497602376_gu2tP" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497602376_gu2tP-595x595.jpg" alt="batter in pan" /></a></center><br />And then smothering it all with delicious crumbs.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497603312_RCuKm" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497603312_RCuKm-595x595.jpg" alt="baked cake" /></a></center><br />It smelled heavenly!<br /><br /><br /><a name="blueberrycrumbrecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="blueberrycrumb_recipe"><br />Blueberry Crumb Cake<br /><span class="recipeNotes">(Note: I omitted the walnuts and slightly increased the rest of the ingredients for the crumbs in the pictures)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />Crumbs:<br />70 g butter (5 T), room temperature<br />50 g sugar (1/4 c)<br />73 g light brown sugar (1/3 c packed)<br />42 g all-purpose flour (1/3 c)<br />1/4 t salt<br />1/2 c chopped walnuts<br /><br />Cake:<br />280 g blueberries (2 c/1 pt)<br />250 g all-purpose flour<br />2 t flour for covering blueberries<br />2 t baking powder<br />1/2 t baking soda<br />1/4 t salt<br />1/4 t ground cinnamon<br />1/8 t freshly grated nutmeg<br />132 g sugar (2/3 c)<br />Grated zest of 1/2 lemon or 1/4 orange<br />85 g butter (6 T), room temperature<br />2 large eggs<br />1 t vanilla extract<br />1/2 c buttermilk (4 fl oz)<br /><br />[<a href="http://fundamentally-flawed.blogspot.com/2009/03/and-my-heart-sank.html" target="_blank">recipe instructions on Sihan's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/8th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('blueberrycrumb_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="blueberrycrumb_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 490<br />Fat: 22 g<br />Saturated Fat: 11 g<br />Cholesterol: 95 mg<br />Sodium: 488 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 68 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 2 g<br />Protein: 7 g<br /></div></div><br /><br />I thought it wasn't too bad at first... turns out, I'd typed in the amounts wrong ;) D'oh!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497605629_yHPyk" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497605629_yHPyk-595x595.jpg" alt="piece of blueberry cake with full cake in background" /></a></center><br />Dear Blueberry Crumb Cake, why must you have so many calories?? ;)<br /><br />Thanks to Sihan for picking this yummy recipe! If you want to practice some portion control, go get the full recipe at <a href="http://fundamentally-flawed.blogspot.com/2009/03/and-my-heart-sank.html" target="_blank">fundamentally-flawed</a>. The rest of the cakes can be found on the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a>!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#497606365_8yDhv" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/497606365_8yDhv-595x595.jpg" alt="blueberry cake with bite taken out and coffee mug in background" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-43427615990367109842009-03-17T02:15:00.006-04:002009-03-17T17:02:38.680-04:00French Yogurt and Marmalade Cake - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492351282_wTtG3" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492351282_wTtG3-595x595.jpg" alt="slice of yogurt cake, covered in lemon cream" /></a></center><br />This gloriously simple cake was chosen by Liliana of <a href="http://www.cookbookaddiction.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Cookbook Addiction</a> for the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a> recipe this week. The cake is supposed to be covered on top with a marmalade glaze, but instead I made some of Dorie's lemon cream for a deliciously tart and rich topping.<br /><br />[<a href="#yogurtcakerecipe">yogurt cake recipe</a>]<br />[<a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/04/lemon-lemon-lemon-cream-recipe.html">lemon cream recipe at serious eats</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492350619_P5sqX" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492350619_P5sqX-595x595.jpg" alt="cake on wooden tray with two slices cut" /></a></center><br />The cake was extremely moist because of the oil added to the batter, which allowed the light citrus flavor of the zest to shine through. The yogurt also adds some moistness and a slight tang.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492343234_3BCSQ" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492343234_3BCSQ-595x595.jpg" alt="kumquats in package" /></a></center><br />I actually used kumquats for this, since I'd bought them on a whim the other day and forgot to get a lemon. I love kumquats, but it's not an easy feat to zest them, especially if they're the tiniest bit soft! I managed to eke out around a tablespoon from the whole package. And then, I proceeded to eat so many of the zested kumquats that my lips burned.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492344194_Kuwd9" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492344194_Kuwd9-595x595.jpg" alt="ingredients" /></a></center><br />Photos of the cake assembly. It's really a very simple cake... whisk the dry ingredients together, then combine the zest and sugar in another bowl. Dump the eggs, yogurt and vanilla into the sugar and whisk to combine, then whisk in the dry, and finally fold in the oil with a spatula.<br /><br /><center><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492349744_vWQoA" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492349744_vWQoA-275x275.jpg" alt="sugar and zest" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492345045_kH6nk" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492345045_kH6nk-275x275.jpg" alt="dumped in wet ingredients" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492347506_SfRUM" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492347506_SfRUM-275x275.jpg" alt="after adding dry ingredients" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492348702_Vm9zL" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492348702_Vm9zL-275x275.jpg" alt="after adding folding in oil" /></a></center><br /></center><br />...then dump that into a waiting loaf pan, bake, and there you have it :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492339358_ZZsPP" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492339358_ZZsPP-275x275.jpg" alt="batter in loaf pan" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492340374_FLqKn" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492340374_FLqKn-275x275.jpg" alt="baked cake" /></a></center><br />Even though you are supposed to serve it original side up, I really liked the look of the upside-down cake too ;)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492341552_vJtnH" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492341552_vJtnH-595x595.jpg" alt="loaf cake upside-down" /></a></center><br />I also finally made the <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/04/lemon-lemon-lemon-cream-recipe.html" target="_blank">lemon cream recipe</a> that everyone raves about, and it is amazing! It went really well with the cake, too.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492335762_RQtj9" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492335762_RQtj9-595x595.jpg" alt="lemon cream ingredients" /></a></center><br />I loved the fact that although Dorie's lemon curd recipe has significantly less butter, the lemon "cream" recipe has more tang and <span style="font-style:italic;">less</span> of a buttery flavor!<br /><br />I read in the <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/problems-and-questions-the-most-extraordinary-french-lemon-cream-tart/" target="_blank">P&Q</a> that some people had problems getting the custard up to 180°, but I didn't have a problem with it.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492336654_RAemc" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492336654_RAemc-595x595.jpg" alt="custard in food processor" /></a></center><br />The key to this recipe is adding the butter bit by bit to the warm (140°) custard while the food processor is running to create an emulsion. The silky texture of the finished cream is amazing.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492337610_3KmcL" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492337610_3KmcL-350x350.jpg" alt="lemon cream emulsifying in food processor" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492338534_vFXwD" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492338534_vFXwD-350x350.jpg" alt="lemon cream closeup in food processor" /></a></center><br /><br /><a name="yogurtcakerecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="yogurtcake_recipe"><br />French Yogurt and Marmalade Cake<br /><span class="recipeNotes">(Note: I'm omitting the lemon cream, since it was optional, and including the glaze in this info)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />Cake:<br />125 g all-purpose flour (1 c) <br />45 g ground almonds (1/2 c)<br />2 t baking powder<br />pinch of salt<br />200 g sugar (1 c)<br />zest of 1 lemon<br />125 g plain yogurt (1/2 c) <span class="recipeNotes">(I used 2% Greek yogurt)</span><br />3 large eggs<br />1/2 t vanilla extract<br />1/2 c canola or safflower oil<br /><br />Glaze:<br />1/2 c lemon marmalade<br />1 T water<br /><br />[<a href="http://cookbookaddiction.blogspot.com/2009/03/french-yogurt-cake-with-marmalade-glaze.html" target="_blank">recipe instructions on Liliana's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/8th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('yogurtcake_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="yogurtcake_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 373<br />Fat: 7 g<br />Saturated Fat: 19 g<br />Cholesterol: 80 mg<br />Sodium: 184 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 32 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 1 g<br />Protein: 6 g<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492342169_k8Tyo" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492342169_k8Tyo-595x595.jpg" alt="overhead shot of cake with slices cut" /></a></center><br /><br />Thank you, Liliana, for picking a simple and delicious recipe! You can get the full recipe at <a href="http://cookbookaddiction.blogspot.com/2009/03/french-yogurt-cake-with-marmalade-glaze.html" target="_blank">her blog</a>. The <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a> is there if you want to see more of these beautiful cakes!<br /><br />Oh, and Happy St. Patty's Day!!! :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#492351738_hSQhr" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/492351738_hSQhr-595x595.jpg" alt="half eaten cake slice with lemon cream on top" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-6029944936991107932009-03-10T02:45:00.001-04:002009-03-10T17:12:49.848-04:00Lemon Cup Custard - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#488614940_wjBp4" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/488614940_wjBp4-595x595.jpg" alt="custard cup with spoon and lemon, bite of custard on spoon" /></a></center><br />Bridget of <a href="http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Way the Cookie Crumbles</a> chose Lemon Cup Custard for the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a> recipe this week. A. and I thought it was very tasty! I forgot to add the lemon extract, so it wasn't extra lemony, but it had just a hint of flavor. <br /><br />[<a href="#lemoncustardrecipe">lemon cup custard recipe</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#488612187_Whbry" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/488612187_Whbry-595x595.jpg" alt="cup of custard with spoon alongside" /></a></center><br />There were a lot of negative comments on the weekly Problems & Questions post on the TWD blog. Apparently people thought it had too much of an "eggy" flavor/texture, but I think that's just how custard is. Personally, I thought it was very good, and I was also happy to have a dessert that was lower in sugar and calories and higher in protein than normal!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#488612432_S8QsY" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/488612432_S8QsY-595x595.jpg" alt="cup of custard with lemon in back" /></a></center><br />There were only a few ingredients in this recipe, just the basics for a custard. For this type of recipe it's best to use quality ingredients, since each one plays so much of a role in the flavor and quality of the finished dessert.<br /><br />(And there is the lemon extract that I forgot to add! D'oh)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#488613593_efDta" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/488613593_efDta-595x595.jpg" alt="ingredients" /></a></center><br />It is a pretty straightforward recipe, although I thought steeping the lemon rind in the milk was a little odd. I ended up letting it steep for like 2 hours because I'd mistimed dinner, but I think that just gave it a little bit more of a chance to infuse.<br /><br />Whisking the eggs and sugar:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#488611340_9geD7" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/488611340_9geD7-595x595.jpg" alt="whisking eggs and sugar" /></a></center><br />I forgot to strain the milk while combining it with the eggs, so after I combined it all I strained it into another bowl and skimmed off the top.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#488615574_9wNyt" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/488615574_9wNyt-595x595.jpg" alt="scraping bubbles off of custard" /></a></center><br />Voilà, the baked custard! These ramekins actually held 1/4 of the recipe instead of 1/6, so I ended up tacking on a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#488614301_CoNE5" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/488614301_CoNE5-595x595.jpg" alt="baked custard" /></a></center><br /><br /><a name="lemoncustardrecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="lemoncustard_recipe"><br />Lemon Cup Custard<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />2 1/2 c whole milk (590 ml)<br />1 1/2 t lemon zest (about 1 lemon)<br />4 large eggs<br />100 g sugar (1/2 c)<br />1/4 t lemon extract or 1/8 t lemon oil (optional)<br /><br /><br />[<a href="http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/lemon-cup-custard/" target="_blank">recipe instructions on Bridget's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/6th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('lemoncustard_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="lemoncustard_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 173<br />Fat: 7 g<br />Saturated Fat: 3 g<br />Cholesterol: 151 mg<br />Sodium: 87 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 22 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 0 g<br />Protein: 7 g<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#488614525_XiBZG" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/488614525_XiBZG-595x595.jpg" alt="custard cup with spoon on platter" /></a></center><br /><br />Thank you, Bridget, for picking this recipe (and sorry about all the haters! ;) ) Check out <a href="http://crumblycookie.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">her blog</a> for the full recipe, and don't forget to look at the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a> to see the rest of the custards.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#488611655_3vwUU" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/488611655_3vwUU-595x595.jpg" alt="custard cup ramekin on top of lemon with spoon" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-38232671703095688682009-03-03T11:30:00.000-05:002009-03-03T11:30:00.505-05:00Chocolate Armagnac Cake - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484311982_JZYZH" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484311982_JZYZH-595x595.jpg" alt="slice of chocolate cake" /></a></center><br />Chocolate Armagnac Cake, chosen by LyB of <a href="http://andthenidothedishes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">And then I do the dishes</a> as this week's <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a> recipe, has one of the more amusing backstories in Dorie's repertoire. It's the cake that got Dorie fired! As the story goes, she once substituted prunes and Armagnac for raisins and Scotch in this cake, and was subsequently booted from her restaurant job.<br /><br />[<a href="#chocarmagnacrecipe">chocolate armagnac cake recipe</a>]<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484311576_ZsMRW" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484311576_ZsMRW-595x595.jpg" alt="whole cake" /></a></center><br />Though it sounded a bit weird to me to have prunes in a chocolate cake, they did give the cake a lot of moisture and sweetness. I thought they were a nice addition (even though I forgot to cut them up, so I ended up with whole prune chunks).<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484309752_rD74K" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484309752_rD74K-595x595.jpg" alt="flaming prunes on the stove" /></a></center><br /><br />I had a lot of fun flaming the prunes! ;) I used Scotch whisky instead of the called-for Armagnac, since I couldn't think of any other foreseeable use for the Armagnac. I ended up not being able to taste the flavor of the Scotch too much in the end product, although the kitchen smelled Scotch-tastic for most of the baking process.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484310743_i3RWk" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484310743_i3RWk-595x595.jpg" alt="prunes and empty Scotch bottle" /></a></center><br />I also used almond flour instead of the ground pecans, because, well, I am lazy and I already keep almond flour in the freezer.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484310971_2agAs" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484310971_2agAs-595x595.jpg" alt="adding dry ingredients to batter" /></a></center><br /><br />Beaten egg whites gave some structure to the cake.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484310078_Xp5b7" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484310078_Xp5b7-595x595.jpg" alt="folding in egg whites" /></a></center><br />Baking and glazing the cake:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484310434_r82JG" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484310434_r82JG-275x275.jpg" alt="batter in pan" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484309151_XNBJu" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484309151_XNBJu-275x275.jpg" alt="fully baked cake" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484309457_GZ2eN" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484309457_GZ2eN-275x275.jpg" alt="peeling off the parchment" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484311281_QVTyE" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484311281_QVTyE-275x275.jpg" alt="putting on the glaze" /></a></center><br />The glaze was a mix of melted chocolate, powdered sugar and butter, AKA deliciousness.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484308511_CzqWe" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484308511_CzqWe-595x595.jpg" alt="glazed cake on stand" /></a></center><br /><br />Here are the recipe ingredients and nutrition facts! Be afraid, be very afraid.<br /><br /><a name="chocarmagnacrecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="chocarmagnac_recipe"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />Cake:<br />45 g finely ground pecans or walnuts (2/3 c) <span class="recipenotes">(I used almonds)</span><br />31 g all-purpose flour (1/4 c)<br />1/4 t salt<br />12 moist, plump prunes, pitted and cut into bits<br />1/4 c plus 3 T water<br />1/4 c <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagnac_(drink)" target="_blank">Armagnac</a> <span class="recipenotes">(I used Scotch)</span><br />200g bittersweet chocolate (7 oz), coarsely chopped<br />113 g unsalted butter (1 stick, 1/2 c)<br />3 large eggs, separated<br />133 g sugar (2/3 c)<br /><br />Glaze:<br />85 g bittersweet chocolate (3 oz), coarsely chopped<br />3 T powdered sugar<br />42 g unsalted butter (3 T)<br /><br />[<a href="http://andthenidothedishes.blogspot.com/2009/03/twd-chocolate-armagnac-cake.html" target="_blank">recipe instructions on LyB's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1/8th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('chocarmagnac_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="chocarmagnac_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 548<br />Fat: 35 g<br />Saturated Fat: 19 g<br />Cholesterol: 123 mg<br />Sodium: 106 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 51 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 4 g<br />Protein: 6 g<br /></div></div><br /><br />I finally got wise and calculated the nutrition facts BEFORE eating this cake;) It didn't stop me from eating it, though. Sigh.<br /><br />Many thanks to LyB for this week's pick! Head over to <a href="http://andthenidothedishes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">her blog</a> for the full recipe, and look at the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a> to check out the plethora of cakes.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#484312366_YeEJv" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/484312366_YeEJv-595x595.jpg" alt="cake slices with full cake in background" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-68241315130588604442009-02-24T02:14:00.001-05:002009-02-26T11:45:09.840-05:00Caramel Crunch Bars - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479759132_PXtKw" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479759132_PXtKw-595x595.jpg" alt="pile of caramel crunch bars with extra toffee" /></a></center><br /><br />For this week's <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a> recipe, Whitney of <a href="http://www.whatsleftonthetable.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">What's Left on the Table</a> chose Caramel Crunch Bars. This was sort of a dark horse recipe for me. Even though it looks pretty tasty in ice-cream sandwich form in the book, I didn't realize how deliciously addictive and candy bar-like they would be. Plus, because I couldn't find the Heath bits in the store, I learned how easy it is to make toffee... which may be bad for my health in the long run;)<br /><br />[<a href="#toffeerecipe">toffee recipe</a>]<br />[<a href="#caramelcrunchbars">twd recipe</a>]<br /><br />There are a few different flavors in these bars that meld together deliciously, namely toffee/caramel, chocolate and a kick of espresso in the bar itself. I added a little extra salt to everything, which, for me, made everything that much more delicious.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479759421_ixZ7F" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479759421_ixZ7F-595x595.jpg" alt="chocolate and toffee bits" /></a></center><br /><br />For the toffee recipe, I searched around and found a nice-looking recipe at <a href="http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/159/English-Toffee" target="_blank">Cooking for Engineers</a>. It's pretty simple, basically just combining butter, sugar, a touch of salt and a little water, cooking until it gets to 300° F and then stirring in some vanilla extract.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479752606_mgdkY" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479752606_mgdkY-595x595.jpg" alt="toffee ingredients" /></a></center><br /><br />Cooking the toffee:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479758641_68prw" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479758641_68prw-275x275.jpg" alt="butter and sugar in pan" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479760588_zM6NZ" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479760588_zM6NZ-275x275.jpg" alt="melted in pan" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479761299_ZpqFe" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479761299_ZpqFe-275x275.jpg" alt="boiling in pan" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479762117_ksZ2m" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479762117_ksZ2m-275x275.jpg" alt="at 300 degrees" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479762547_AHboz" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479762547_AHboz-275x275.jpg" alt="after stirring in vanilla" /></a></center><br /><br />After the vanilla is stirred in, pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat, let cool and then break apart into bits. Use any means necessary;)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479753205_P2WbP" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479753205_P2WbP-275x275.jpg" alt="toffee poured onto pan" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479753852_szbRq" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479753852_szbRq-275x275.jpg" alt="breaking toffee by hand" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479754373_YX8AM" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479754373_YX8AM-275x275.jpg" alt="smashing toffee" /></a></center><br /><br />The only bad part about making this the day before is that half of it will probably be eaten by the next day, so make sure to reserve enough for the recipe ;)<br /><br />The bars themselves were straightforward to make. The slight twist was the instant espresso powder, which gave a subtle zing to the finished product.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479754798_ta9U5" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479754798_ta9U5-595x595.jpg" alt="dry ingredients" /></a></center><br /><br />As Dorie said, the batter was very thick, so it took me a while to spread evenly in the 9"x13" pan. It ended up being more crunchy than sandy for me, so I was glad for the chocolate bits that broke it up a bit.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479755381_6ToQy" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479755381_6ToQy-595x595.jpg" alt="batter" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479755943_bvYss" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479755943_bvYss-595x595.jpg" alt="batter spread in pan" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479756559_9n46U" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479756559_9n46U-595x595.jpg" alt="baked shortbread base" /></a></center><br /><br />I used a different type of chocolate on top than in the bar, and the different chocolates ended up working very well together. The one on top was slightly more bitter, which went with the espresso.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479757143_56cDj" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479757143_56cDj-595x595.jpg" alt="spreading chocolate" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479757775_JvBTi" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479757775_JvBTi-595x595.jpg" alt="toffee sprinkled on top" /></a></center><br /><br />Here is the Toffee Bits recipe, with Caramel Crunch Bar info below. The toffee recipe makes more than you'll need for the bars, so you could halve it or third it.<br /><a name="toffeerecipe"></a><div class="recipe" id="toffeerecipe_recipe"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />225 g unsalted butter (2 sticks, 1 c)<br />200 g sugar (1 c)<br />2 tsp water<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br /><br />Melt the butter, sugar, water and salt together in a saucepan over low heat. Continue heating and stirring until the mixture reaches 300° F (150° C). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract (be careful, it will bubble). <br /><br />Pour hot mixture onto a sheet pan lined with parchment or a silpat. Let the toffee cool to room temperature and break apart into pieces as small and uniform as you can get them.<br /></div><br /><br />Caramel Crunch Bar ingredients and nutrition info:<br /><a name="caramelcrunchbars"></a><div class="recipe" id="caramelcrunchbars_recipe"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />Base:<br />188 g all-purpose flour (1 1/2 c)<br />1 t instant espresso powder, or finely ground instant coffee<br />1/2 t salt<br />1/4 t cinnamon<br />225 g unsalted butter (2 sticks, 1 c) at room temperature<br />110 g light brown sugar (1/2 c packed)<br />50 g sugar (1/4 c)<br />1 t vanilla extract<br />3 oz bittersweet or milk chocolate (85 g), finely chopped<br /><br />Topping:<br />6 oz bittersweet or milk chocolate (170 g), finely chopped<br />3/4 c Toffee Bits<br /><br />[<a href="http://whatsleftonthetable.blogspot.com/2009/02/twd-caramel-crunch-bars.html" target="_blank">recipe instructions on Whitney's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per 1"x2" piece (I got 48 bars, so I'm rounding up): 1/50th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('caramelcrunchbars_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="caramelcrunchbars_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 104<br />Fat: 7 g<br />Saturated Fat: 4 g<br />Cholesterol: 13 mg<br />Sodium: 26 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 10 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 1 g<br />Protein: 1 g<br /></div></div><br /><br />Nutrition info is not too scary this week, but I DARE you to try to just eat one of these... it's impossible! ;) I guess the serving size should be doubled.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479758263_FKgLq" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479758263_FKgLq-595x595.jpg" alt="bars on plate" /></a></center><br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://whatsleftonthetable.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Whitney</a> for this week's fabulous recipe! Don't forget to go check out her blog for the full recipe, and look at the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a> to see everyone else's creations.<br /><br />Another apology to my fellow TWD'ers this week, I am still very behind on my reading... just have a lot going on! Hopefully I can empty out my google reader backlog this week!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#479759796_fdKyz" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/479759796_fdKyz-595x595.jpg" alt="half eaten bar" /></a></center>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-62860126328406900262009-02-17T01:00:00.001-05:002009-02-17T10:25:53.428-05:00Devil's Food White-Out Cake - Tuesdays with Dorie<center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475313039_gkyKe" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475313039_gkyKe-595x595.jpg" alt="devils food cake with slice on plate" /></a></center><br /><br />I know everyone in <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a> has been looking forward to this week, because Stephanie of <a href="http://confessionsofcityeater.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Confessions of a City Eater</a> chose Devil's Food White-Out Cake, AKA the "cover cake"! This is the gorgeous cake featured on the cover of Dorie's book. It's definitely a striking cake, with the stark contrast of pure white marshmallow topping against the deep brown of the chocolate cake inside.<br /><br />[<a href="#devilsfoodwhiteout">recipe</a>]<br /><br />Besides being pretty, the cake is very tasty as well! I especially liked it a day after baking, because it became a lot denser and fudgier in the fridge.<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475314793_EtntK" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475314793_EtntK-595x595.jpg" alt="devils food cake side view" /></a><br /><br />The cake itself had three different kinds of chocolate in it — melted dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and chunks of milk chocolate mixed in throughout the batter. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475322310_JgwnL" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475322310_JgwnL-275x275.jpg" alt="melted chocolate with spoon" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475321853_m43WK" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475321853_m43WK-275x275.jpg" alt="cocoa powder and dry ingredients" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475315280_uCJkk" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475315280_uCJkk-275x275.jpg" alt="milk chocolate bar" /></a></center><br /><br />I haven't eaten milk chocolate in so long that it was a bit strange to me and didn't actually taste like chocolate. I thought it was good in the cake, not terribly noticeable from a flavor perspective, but nice to have for the texture.<br /><br />The batter is assembled via the creaming method, creaming the butter and sugar first, adding the eggs, vanilla, and melted chocolate, and then adding the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. The final step of adding boiled water to the batter was new to me, but worked out fine.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475322892_VoRgF" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475322892_VoRgF-275x275.jpg" alt="creamed butter and sugar" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475323512_BpGB9" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475323512_BpGB9-275x275.jpg" alt="eggs added" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475324113_j2oRp" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475324113_j2oRp-275x275.jpg" alt="vanilla and chocolate added" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475324641_fE7Pv" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475324641_fE7Pv-275x275.jpg" alt="after adding dry ingredients and milk" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475325173_uba9e" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475325173_uba9e-275x275.jpg" alt="finished batter" /></a></center><br /><br />Batter in the pan...<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475315911_BU9Ak" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475315911_BU9Ak-595x595.jpg" alt="chocolate cake batter in pan" /></a><br /><br />And the finished cakes:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475316474_gUtBn" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475316474_gUtBn-595x595.jpg" alt="chocolate cakes baked, in pans" /></a></center><br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475317009_QgoE7" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475317009_QgoE7-595x595.jpg" alt="baked cakes, side view" /></a><br /><br />The frosting was a marshmallow style frosting, with syrup at the soft ball stage poured slowly into the running mixer on top of whipped egg whites. Mine came out very fluffy and sticky!<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475318569_847hi" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475318569_847hi-595x595.jpg" alt="marshmallow frosting" /></a><br /><br />Meanwhile, I split the cakes into four layers, not without difficulty because they were so tender. I crumbled the extra layer for the outer decoration (and used the leftovers for some white-chocolate-covered cake balls!)<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475317459_DWoiP" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475317459_DWoiP-595x595.jpg" alt="bottom layer of cake" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475318164_eWyYE" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475318164_eWyYE-595x595.jpg" alt="crumbled cake layer" /></a><br /><br />Frosting the cake was a little challenging at first, because the frosting is so sticky that it kind of clings to the cake, so the cake kept coming up and ripping. I eventually got the hang of it and just tried to get the coating right the first time.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475319062_Bnwdm" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475319062_Bnwdm-275x275.jpg" alt="first layer with frosting" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475319540_mn5gN" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475319540_mn5gN-275x275.jpg" alt="frosting for second layer" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475320062_UR7im" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475320062_UR7im-275x275.jpg" alt="third layer on top" /></a><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475320498_JmnA5" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475320498_JmnA5-275x275.jpg" alt="after crumb coat" /></a><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475321348_na8L9" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475321348_na8L9-275x275.jpg" alt="frosting done" /></a></center><br /><br />After frosting, I just decorated the sides and top with the crumbled cake layer. Harder than it looks! I had to tilt the cake to get the crumbs on the sides, which was a little scary for me, but it worked out ;)<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475313646_i9yQK" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475313646_i9yQK-595x595.jpg" alt="decorated cake" /></a><br /><br />Here are the ingredients and calories, as usual. I'm really warning you about the calories this time. But what do you expect from a fudgy chocolate layer cake? At least there's no butter in the frosting!<br /><br /><div class="recipe" id="devilsfoodwhiteout_recipe"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />Cakes:<br />166 g all-purpose flour (1 1/3 c)<br />40 g unsweetened cocoa powder (1/2 c)<br />3/4 t baking soda<br />1/2 t baking powder<br />1/4 t salt<br />140 g unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks/10 T), room temperature<br />110 g light brown sugar (1/2 c packed)<br />100 g sugar (1/2 c)<br />3 large eggs, room temperature<br />1 t vanilla extract<br />2 oz bittersweet chocolate (57 g), melted and cooled<br />1/2 c buttermilk or whole milk (118 ml), room temperature<br />1/2 c boiling water (118 ml)<br />4 oz semisweet or milk chocolate (113 g), finely chopped<br /><br />Marshmallow filling/frosting:<br />1/2 c egg whites (4 large)<br />200 g sugar (1 c)<br />3/4 t cream of tartar<br />1 c water (118 ml)<br />1 T vanilla extract<br /><br /><br />[<a href="http://confessionsofcityeater.blogspot.com/2009/02/twd-devils-food-white-out-cake.html" target="_blank">recipe instructions on Stephanie's blog</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per slice, 1/12th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('devilsfoodwhiteout_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="devilsfoodwhiteout_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 469<br />Fat: 26 g<br />Saturated Fat: 16 g<br />Cholesterol: 106 mg<br />Sodium: 208 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 55 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 2 g<br />Protein: 6 g<br /></div></div><br /><br />Thanks again to <a href="http://confessionsofcityeater.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie</a> for picking this delicious cake. I counted it as my birthday cake, even though I made it a few days before! :) Go check out her blog for the full recipe, and see all the other cakes on the <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a>.<br /><br />To my fellow TWD'ers, I still have all of your floating islands saved on my google reader! Sorry I am so behind, but hopefully I can get fully caught up this week! :)<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#475314235_F8anG" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/475314235_F8anG-595x595.jpg" alt="slice of cake with fork" /></a>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547963394837040810.post-21681396861595074662009-02-10T01:30:00.000-05:002009-02-10T01:30:00.821-05:00Floating Islands - Tuesdays with Dorie<a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470946046_jFKUb" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470946046_jFKUb-595x595.jpg" alt="floating island in shape of a heart" /></a><br /><br />I didn't really know what to expect from this week's <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithdorie.com" target="_blank">TWD</a> recipe, chosen by Shari of <a href="http://www.whiskblog.com/" target="_blank">Whisk: a Food Blog</a>, except that it was going to be interesting! Shari is always so creative with her baking, and this recipe, at least according to the photo in the book, looks as beautiful and fragile as any fancy dessert. As it turns out, it was a bit (JUST a bit) more hardy than it looks, but still very beautiful!<br /><br />As you can see above, I attempted to make hearts for Valentine's Day (which is also my birthday!) That is the only one that came out looking like a heart. In other words, I stopped being patient enough to use the cookie cutter ;) I also forgot to dye the meringue pink with my powdered food coloring... sigh!<br /><br />[<a href="#floatingislands_recipe">recipe</a>]<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470949630_qSrMM" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470949630_qSrMM-595x595.jpg" alt="floating islands with ladle" /></a><br /><br />Since A. is a Simpsons fanatic, of course he kept quoting the "I'd like a single plum, floating in perfume, served in a man's hat" line. I expected no less;) He was very impressed with both the taste and looks of this dessert (as was I!)<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470948761_FggCR" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470948761_FggCR-595x595.jpg" alt="single floating island" /></a><br /><br />The journey towards this dessert began by making some crème anglaise. I'd never made it before, but it seemed fairly easy, since I'd made pastry cream successfully. Basically, some boiled milk is whisked into egg yolks and sugar (after tempering), and that cooks on the stove top with constant stirring until thick.<br /><br />It began well...<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470950062_8i9KT" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470950062_8i9KT-595x595.jpg" alt="boiling milk" /></a><br /><br />Eggs and sugar whisked together...<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470950720_SVCaF" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470950720_SVCaF-595x595.jpg" alt="egg yolks and sugar" /></a><br /><br />The boiled milk is poured in a little at a time until tempered, and then the rest is slowly poured in while whisking to create this mixture:<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470951149_znFui" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470951149_znFui-595x595.jpg" alt="yolks, sugar and milk" /></a><br /><br />And then it is heated until... wha???<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470951727_EKBwC" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470951727_EKBwC-595x595.jpg" alt="curdled creme anglaise" /></a><br /><br />People, this is NOT what you want to end up with. Dorie's recipe said to take the mixture to 180°, but I never got there, so I just kept going until disaster struck. I didn't want to waste it, though, so I did some online searching and found <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/CremeAnglaise.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a>, which says you can blend in a food processor if it curdles. So, I just mixed it with my stick blender and called it a day ;)<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470952252_DVqSB" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470952252_DVqSB-595x595.jpg" alt="blending the creme anglaise" /></a><br /><br />I'm sure the texture wasn't superb, but it still tasted amazing!<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470952662_vMojY" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470952662_vMojY-595x595.jpg" alt="finished creme anglaise" /></a><br /><br />The next day, I whipped up the lovely meringue. I used Dorie's trick of microwaving the egg whites (left over from the crème anglaise) in short bursts until they were room temperature. Meanwhile, the poaching milk was on the stovetop getting to a simmer.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470953130_hcibU" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470953130_hcibU-595x595.jpg" alt="just-whipped meringue" /></a></center><br /><br />I had to do something Valentine-y, so I decided to experiment with a heart cookie cutter. It actually worked better than I expected it to! The meringue keeps its shape pretty well, especially if you don't leave it in the poaching liquid too long so it totally expands.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470953606_pz4gm" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470953606_pz4gm-595x595.jpg" alt="heart cookie cutter" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470954508_itcqT" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470954508_itcqT-595x595.jpg" alt="heart meringue in milk" /></a></center><br /><br />Here are the puffy meringues as they cooled, and some of my kitchen aftermath!<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470953989_ebZd5" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470953989_ebZd5-595x595.jpg" alt="cooling meringues" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470945495_SPVSD" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470945495_SPVSD-595x595.jpg" alt="kitchen aftermath" /></a><br /><br />When the meringues had chilled in the fridge long enough, I made the caramel to drizzle on top. You have to be quick, because the cooling caramel became hard as a rock in a matter of minutes!<br /><br />Here is the converted recipe and [hidden] nutrition info. I'm excluding the caramel, because I barely used any of it, and whatever, it's a garnish! ;) I calculated in 1/4 cup of milk to represent the poaching liquid — not sure exactly how much ended up in the finished product.<br /><br /><div class="recipe" id="floatingislands_recipe"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients:</span><br />Crème anglaise:<br />2 cups whole milk (475 ml)<br />6 large egg yolks (100 g)<br />100 g sugar (1/2 c)<br />1 1/2 t vanilla extract<br /><br />Meringue Islands:<br />2 cups milk (475 ml)<br />4 large egg whites (135 g or 3/4 cup), at room temperature<br />pinch of salt<br />50 g sugar (1/4 c)<br /><br />Caramel (optional):<br />100g sugar (1/2 c)<br />1/3 c water (80 ml)<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.whiskblog.com/2009/02/tuesdays-with-doriefloating-islands.html" target="_blank">click for the rest of the recipe</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nutrition Facts</span> from <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com" target="_blank">NutritionData.com</a>:<br />per serving, 1/6th of recipe<br /> <a onClick="ReverseContentDisplay('floatingislands_nutrition'); return true;" style="text-decoration: underline">[click to show or hide]</a><div id="floatingislands_nutrition" style="display: none; position: absolute"><br />Calories: 219<br />Fat: 8 g<br />Saturated Fat: 3 g<br />Cholesterol: 219 mg<br />Sodium: 98 mg<br />Carbohydrates: 31 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 0 g<br />Protein: 8 g<br /></div></div><br /><br />At least there is more protein than usual... ;) Darn egg yolks!<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470946758_hvu7N" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470946758_hvu7N-595x595.jpg" alt="meringue close-up" /></a><br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://www.whiskblog.com/" target="_blank">Shari</a> for picking this delicious recipe, which I'm sure I would have been way too scared to try by myself! Go check out the recipe on her blog, and then the rest of the <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">TWD blogroll</a>!<br /><br /><a href="http://kisi.smugmug.com/gallery/4727033_NAmoZ#470947571_cy2Gf" target="_blank"><img src="http://kisi.smugmug.com/photos/470947571_cy2Gf-595x595.jpg" alt="meringue heart with red ribbon" /></a>kimberly salemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09676557303167421852noreply@blogger.com36