11 December 2011 Buche de Noel with Browned Butter Salted Caramel Frosting

Buche de Noel with Browned Butter Salted Caramel Frosting

December 11, 2011 By

Growing up, my Grandma made jelly roll cake all the time.  A favorite was the vanilla cake with raspberry jam tucked inside and confectioner’s sugar lightly dusted over.  Every Christmas, our family shares a Bûche de Noël, in recent years, it has been purchased because nobody has wanted to tackle making it from scratch.  This will be the first Christmas we spend without Grandma and I have decided to bite the bullet and make our family’s Yule log.  Here is a version I might use, unless I have a chocolate craving.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat an 11×17 jelly roll pan with cooking spray.  Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper and coat the paper with additional cooking spray.
  2. Using a stand mixer, beat the eggs for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add the sugar, Grand Marnier, zest, vanilla and salt and beat for another 2 minutes.
  3. Add flour in quarter cup additions, incorporating with a rubber spatula very gently. Do not over mix!
  4. Spread the batter evenly into the pan and bake for 10 minutes.  Wait 3 minutes and remove the cake from the pan and onto a large kitchen towel dusted with confectioner’s sugar.  Peel off the parchment paper.  Wait 2 minutes and roll the shorter side onto itself using the kitchen towel as a guide until a tight roll is created.  Chill rolled cake for 30 minutes then unroll the cake gently, removing the towel as you go.
  5. Spread 1 cup of frosting on the cake in an even layer then roll back into a tight log.  Cut a 2-inch piece at one end of the cake at an angle and place atop the cake to create a branch stump.  Frost the outside of the cake, including the stump, run a fork over the surface of the cake to create mock bark then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve 10.

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Desserts, French Tagged With: ,

Browned Butter and Salted Caramel Frosting

December 10, 2011 By

My friend Lisa is a huge caramel fan and I’ve designed this simple-to-make frosting with her in mind.  Great used as icing on a cake or as frosting on cupcakes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pound box confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat then cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Add the brown sugar and the cream to the browned butter, lower heat to medium and cook for additional 2 minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Remove from heat, add the vanilla then transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer.
  2. Beat the butter mixture on low for about 4 minutes, until it has cooled a bit.  Add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the frosting is smooth.  Add the sea salt and stir well to fully incorporate.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes before using.

Makes about 2 cups of frosting.

Filed Under: American, Desserts Tagged With: ,
7 December 2011 Dulce de Leche Mini Cheesecakes

Dulce de Leche Mini Cheesecakes

December 7, 2011 By

This weekend, I was asked to bring dessert to a potluck dinner.  The hostess is a caramel fanatic, so I knew that my Dulce de Leche Cheesecake would be well-received, but I wanted something more portable.  This recipe yields 24 two-bite cheesecakes, but can easily be halved if you only need a dozen.

Ingredients:

  • 24 round vanilla cookies (I used Nabisco Nillas)
  • 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup good quality, Dulce de Leche (I used La Salamandra)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Add cupcake liners to two 12-muffin pans.  Place one vanilla cookie in the bottom of each liner.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about a minute.  Add the condensed milk then the eggs, one at a time, and beat for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Divide the batter (I use a measuring cup) among the cupcake liners and bake until the centers of the cheesecakes are nearly set and outer edges are firm, about 23 minutes.
  5. Cool the muffin pans to room temperature then refrigerate the cheesecakes in the muffin pans for at least an hour.
  6. Microwave the Dulce de Leche for about 20 seconds and use to top each mini cheesecake with about a half teaspoon of warm Dulce de Leche.

Yields 24 mini cheesecakes

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Desserts, Eggs Tagged With: , , ,
6 December 2011 Fig Jam and Cambozola Grilled Cheese

Fig Jam and Cambozola Grilled Cheese

December 6, 2011 By

Cambozola blue cheese has the rich flavor of Gorgonzola with the lovely gooey texture of Camembert.  The off-white interior offers striking blue veins.  It’s a cheese that’s growing in popularity because of its creamy texture and buttery, slightly tangy flavors.

This grilled cheese sandwich uses fig jam to compliment the delicious sharpness of the blue cheese.  The mayonnaise adds to the comfort level of an already comforting dish.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp. mayonnaise
  • 2 slices white sandwich bread
  • 1 Tbsp. fig jam
  • 3 thin slices of Cambozola cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat up Panini press or a grill pan over high heat.
  2. Spread 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice.
  3. Spread the fig jam on the un-mayonnaised side of one bread slice.
  4. Arrange the Cambozola slices over the jam.
  5. Top the Cambozola with the un-mayonnaised side of the second bread slice so that both mayoed sides are on the outside and the goodies are on the inside.
  6. Place the sandwich in the Panini press and grill for 3 minutes.  Alternatively, place the sandwich on the grill pan (still on high heat) and top with the weight of multiple pans or a pan with a 2-3 pound weight in it and cook 1 1/2 minutes per sides.
  7. Transfer sandwich to a cutting board and cut sandwich diagonally using a serrated knife.

1 serving.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Entrees, Sandwiches Tagged With: , , ,
29 November 2011 Peanut Butter, Banana and Nutella Panini

Peanut Butter, Banana and Nutella Panini

November 29, 2011 By

My grandma used to make my sister and me peanut butter and banana grilled sandwiches in a cast iron contraption when we were kids.  This contraption, an early version of a Panini press, had long handles that could be flipped on the stovetop until the bread was perfectly browned and gorgeous.  I miss those days and decided to sort of recreate the sandwich using my modern day Panini press and a little twist – Nutella!

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp. softened butter
  • 2 slices whole wheat bread (I like oatmeal and whole wheat for this)
  • 2 Tbsp. chunky peanut butter
  • 1 Tbsp. Nutella
  • ½ ripe banana, sliced

Directions:

  1. Heat up Panini press or a grill pan over high heat.
  2. Spread 1 teaspoon of butter on one side of each bread slice.
  3. Spread the peanut butter on the unbuttered side of one bread slice.
  4. Spread Nutella on the unbuttered side of the second bread slice then arrange the banana slices over Nutella.
  5. Top the Nutella/banana slice with the peanut butter slice so that the buttered side of each bread slice is on the outside and the goodies are on the inside.
  6. Place the sandwich in the Panini press and grill for 3 minutes.  Alternatively, place the sandwich on the grill pan (still on high heat) and top with the weight of multiple pans or a pan with a 2-3 pound weight in it and cook 1 1/2 minutes per sides.
  7. Transfer sandwich to a cutting board and cut sandwich diagonally using a serrated knife.

1 serving.

Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Canadian, Chocolate, Desserts, Entrees, Fruits, Sandwiches Tagged With: , , ,
22 November 2011 Cream of Asparagus and Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese Soup

Cream of Asparagus and Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese Soup

November 22, 2011 By

This comforting soup is perfect on a cold day and it is super simple to make.

Ingredients:

  • 3 one-pound bundles of fresh asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1/2 medium Spanish onion, chopped into 1/2 inch dice
  • 1/2 tsp. each dried thyme, ground nutmeg, salt and pepper
  • 32 ounce container chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces sharp Vermont Cheddar cheese, grated, (like using Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar)

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, coat the asparagus with olive oil.  Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until softened.  Set aside for use later.
  3. Add the vegetable oil, the onion and the spices to a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the roasted asparagus and the chicken stock to the onion mixture in the pot.  Simmer partially covered for 15 minutes over medium-low heat.  Add the cream and warm for 2 minutes.
  5. Working in two batches, add the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute.  ***Be sure to remove the small venting cap from the blender to allow steam to come out and place a kitchen towel to cover the opening.
  6. Pour the pureed soup in a clean pot, add the cheese and gently warm over medium-low heat for 2 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted.

Serves 8 as a starter or 6 as a main course.

Note: Dress the soup with a light drizzle of heavy cream for an elegant touch.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Soups, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , ,
10 November 2011 Crispy Chewy Triple Chip Cookies

Crispy Chewy Triple Chip Cookies

November 10, 2011 By

I’m sort of picky about cookies.  Some cookies I like crispy and crunchy and some I enjoy soft and chewy.  This past weekend, I decided to combine two of my recipes to create a crispy AND chewy cookie.  My tasting panel (ten warehouse workers at my office) really liked the results.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs to the butter mixture, beating well after each one, until fully combined, about 1 minute.  Add the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture – do not overmix.  Add the chips and mix until just combined.
  4. Line four cookie sheets (see notes) with parchment paper.  For each cookie, scoop one tablespoon of batter, place on a cookie sheet and flatten gently with the palm of your hand.  Eight cookies will fit on one each cookie sheet.
  5. Bake, two sheets at a time, until golden, about 13 minutes.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheets then transfer cookies to a cooling rack and continue baking cookies using cooled cookie sheets.

Makes 32 cookies.

Notes:  Don’t have four cookie sheets?  No sweat, cookies bake two cookie sheets at-a-time, so simply bake the first two sheets of cookies and bake a second batch of two sheets once the first ones are done.  You can use 1 ½ cups of light brown sugar if you don’t have dark.  Feel free to use different chips combinations based on your preferences.  You could also replace ½ of chips with ½ cup of chopped nuts to create texture.

 

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts, Eggs Tagged With: , , , , ,
8 November 2011 Raspberry Croissant Bread Pudding

Raspberry Croissant Bread Pudding

November 8, 2011 By

I recently attended a berry virtual tasting hosted by Driscoll’s and WineTwits and created the following recipe to share with the group.  The results are just as tasty when blackberries are used.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cup half and half
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp.  pure vanilla extract
  • 4 croissants, cut into1/2” cubes
  • 1 6-ounce container of fresh raspberries

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  2. Heat cream and half and half in a saucepan over medium heat until just simmering.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, ¾ cup sugar and vanilla until well combined.  Add a ladleful of hot cream to the egg mixture and whisk well to bring up the temperature of the eggs.  Add the rest of the cream to the egg custard and whisk well.
  4. Add the cubed croissants to the custard and gently push down the cubes into the liquid to ensure they absorb as much custard as possible.  Set aside for 20 minutes.
  5. Lightly coat four 10-ounce ramekins with cooking spray.  Add two raspberries to each ramekin then divide the bread and custard mixture between the four dishes.  Divide the remaining raspberries amount the dishes and sprinkle each with the rest of the sugar, about one teaspoon each.
  6. Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for about 35 minutes, until puddings are puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.  Serve while still warm with a drizzle of Blackberry Balsamic Coulis and/or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Makes 4 servings.

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Desserts, Eggs, French, Fruits Tagged With: , , , ,
7 November 2011 Blackberry Balsamic Coulis

Blackberry Balsamic Coulis

November 7, 2011 By

This simple reduction is perfect on both grilled steaks and drizzled over desserts.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pint of fresh blackberries
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the blackberries, the vinegar and the sugar.  Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.  Cook for 10 minutes, mashing the berries with the back of the wooden spoon as they cook and soften.
  2. Strain the berries and their juices into a small bowl.  Using the back of a soup spoon, press down the berries in the strainer to get as much of the juices and smooth flesh into the bowl as possible.  Discard the fruit that couldn’t be strained.

Makes between ½ – ¼ cup.

Notes:  Can easily be made with strawberries or raspberries.  Fresh berries out of season?  Use a 12-ounce bag of frozen, thawed berries.

Filed Under: American, Fruits, Sides Tagged With: , ,
26 October 2011 Heavenly Cheesecake with Bruléed Figs

Heavenly Cheesecake with Bruléed Figs

October 26, 2011 By

It felt very Fall-ish outside this weekend and while looking for inspiration for my dinner party dessert in the produce aisle of the grocery store, I found beautiful, ripe figs. 

This Heavenly Cheesecake with Bruléed Figs is delectable with its creamy/velvety consistency and the slight crunch from the crackly sugar coating on the figs.

Cheesecake Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups Graham cracker crumbs
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 5 8-ounce cream cheese packages, softened
  • 5 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
  • Drop of almond extract
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Fig Topping Ingredients:

  • 8 fresh figs
  • 4 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Cheesecake Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, ½ cup sugar and the melted butter.  Press the mixture into the bottom and ½” up the sides of a 9” springform pan.  Set aside for later use.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs then the yolks, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add the cream, remaining sugar, the almond extract and the flour.  Blend until just smooth – do not overbeat.  Pour cream cheese mixture over the cracker crust in the pan.
  4. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Lower the oven to 250 degrees and bake for an additional 90 minutes or until center of the cake is set but still a bit jiggly.  Cool the cheesecake in the pan for 45 minutes.  Run a small knife between the ring and the cake to loosen any bits from the pan, then loosen the ring and cool another 15 minutes.  Remove the ring and refrigerate up to a day prior to decorating and serving.

Fig Topping Directions:

  1. Quarter each fig from stem to end.  Place fig quarters, skin side down, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
  2. Sprinkle sugar lightly over the fig flesh.  Using a kitchen torch, brulée the sugar onto each fig quarter.
  3. Place figs, bruléed side up onto the cheesecake.

Makes 10 servings.

Notes:  Don’t have a kitchen torch?  No sweat – simply broil the figs on high for 1-2 minutes, until the sugar begins to melt onto the figs.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , , , , ,
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