dessert girl

Fujisan: Molten Chocolate Cake

2012-01-25T20:35:00.000-05:00

I really love a good molten chocolate cake (or molten chocolate lava cake or fondant au chocolat for fancy people ). I know, to some people, it’s an overdone, passé, and almost retro dessert, but I LOVE it. It is, quite simply, warm chocolaty goodness defined, and, when done right, it is simply wonderful. So, it’s no surprise that I can’t get enough of this awesome molten chocolate cake created for the Salon du Chocolate by designer Stéphane Bureaux and his design group. It is practical and artistic and fun, all at once! Simply place a chocolate candle inside the cake, then watch as it slowly burns, filling the interior of the cake with warm liquid chocolate. Viola! Molten Chocolate Cake! To see more yummy creations by Stéphane’s Bureaux, check out his website, right here. For more on the molten chocolate cake, click here.

Sweet Testing: Dark Chocolate Tart with Gingersnap Crust

2012-01-20T20:21:00.002-05:00

I make a lot of desserts that are incredibly time consuming. It is, most of the time, worth the extra time and effort, but, there are times, when I don’t really want to spend five hours in the kitchen. That is where this tart comes in. It is not only incredibly delicious, but also fast and easy to make. Delicious and easy. You can’t really beat that! It’s only downfall is that it may be too rich for some people. Personally, I don’t know the meaning of the words “too rich,” but, you know, some people just can’t handle it. I call those people “wimps.” As far as the recipe itself is concerned, I think the addition of the candied ginger on the top is a must. If you eat a little bit of the candied ginger with each bite, it’ll bring a whole new level of flavor to the cake. If you hate candied ginger, have no fear, the tart will still be super good. I also increased the pepper from ¼ to an 1/8 and added a bit of cinnamon to the base, which I think helps to balance out the chocolaty goodness. You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Dark Chocolate Tart with Gingersnap Crust (adapted from Bon Appétit  via Epicurious)

Crust:
•   8 ounces gingersnap cookies (about 32 cookies), coarsely broken (I used Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Gingersnaps)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Pinch of salt

Filling:
•   12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
•   1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
•   1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped crystallized ginger

Preparation

For crust:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Finely grind gingersnap cookies in processor (yielding 1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cups). Add melted butter and salt; process until moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet.

For filling:
Combine finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and heavy whipping cream in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk egg yolks, egg, sugar, flour, cinnamon, ground black pepper, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Very gradually whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until smooth and blended. Pour chocolate filling into crust.

Bake chocolate tart until filling puffs slightly at edges and center is softly set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack. Sprinkle chopped crystallized ginger over top. Cool tart in pan 20 minutes. Gently remove tart pan sides and cool tart completely. DO AHEAD: Chocolate tart can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tart and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving. Cut tart into thin wedges and serve.

Soda Pop Jelly

2012-01-12T17:44:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine was recently telling me about a local farming family that makes and sells Mountain Dew Jelly at Eastern Market in Detroit. I’m not a Mountain Dew drinker, in fact, I’m not a big pop drinker (or “soda” for those of you not from the Midwest), but I was still intrigued by the idea of a jelly made out of Mountain Dew. What about jellies made out of other soft drinks? A root beer jelly? A Vernors jelly? Now those are jellies that I could get behind! So, I did a little research and, lo and behold, I discovered an Etsy seller (Angela Wilson) who produces a wide-range of pop-infused jellies! Among the flavors are root beer (yay!) and Coca-Cola, as well as Orange, Strawberry, and Pineapple Crush. To buy Angela’s Soda Pop Jellies, click here. If you’re the adventurous type, and would like to try making some Mountain Dew Jelly in your own kitchen, you can find a recipe right here. {Thanks, Tom!}

Note: For those of you outside of the U.S., in the States the words "jelly" and "jam" are used interchangeably. In this case "jelly" does not refer to a solid wobbly thing, but to a spread, usually made with fruit.

Nevie-Pie Cakes

2011-12-26T10:20:00.000-05:00

I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting cake designs, but finding them isn't always so easy. Sometimes months and months will go by until I come across something that really excites me! This cake by Natasha of Nevie-Pie Cakes was just one of those cakes! It's completely hand-painted and utterly lovely. It almost looks like a really great wallpaper, but, you know, on a cake, instead of a wall. As soon as I saw it, I knew that I had to see more of her work! After taking a quick tour of her Flickr page, I'm happy to report that Natasha's other cakes are also quite impressive. There are loads of pretty hand-painted cakes on her page, along with other fun and unique designs. I've chosen a few of my favorites above and below, but you can check out more of Natasha's work via her flickr page, blog, and website. (And, yes, those are "mushroom" cookies at the bottom!)

Lab Partners Cookie Tin

2011-12-04T17:33:00.002-05:00

Last year UK retailer Marks & Spencer hired designer Sanna Annukka to create a gorgeous Scandavian-inspired tin for their Swiss Biscuit Collection. It was, for a cookie container, pretty darn swoon worthy, and this year’s designers, the California-based design team Lab Partners, had a tough act to follow. I’m happy to report that the 2011 tin is equally fantastic. Each of the tins features a cast of characters hanging about a telephone booth. It is super fun and seriously British. Oh, yeah, and there are shortbread cookies inside, so it’s a total win/win!

The Mixing Bowl: Devonshire Cream Tea by Joël Penkman

2011-11-27T11:48:00.003-05:00

Painter and graphic designer Joël Penkman has shared a recipe with us today for Devonshire Cream Tea that is the perfect accompaniment to your morning cup of tea, especially on cold, wintery mornings like the one we had this morning! She uses strawberry jam, but you could easily substitute it with raspberry, plum, or rhubarb jam, just to name a few. It’s a great, easy-to- make way to spice up your breakfast routine. {You can see a larger version of the Devonshire Cream Tea recipe by clicking on the image above. You can also find a text version at the bottom of this post, after the jump.}

I'm a huge fan of Joël Penkman’s work. Quite frankly, it’s difficult for me to take my eyes of her colorful food paintings. There is something really beautiful about the way she paints a jelly rabbit or a box of Krispy Kreme donuts, something lovely about their simplicity. I think my favorite piece is Blackpool Rock. It brings back such great memories of childhood and makes me hungry, all at the same time! You can find more of Joël’s work on her website, right here. You can also click here to visit her Etsy shop and order prints online. I guarantee that looking at her paintings will instantly brighten up your day! Thanks, Joël!

For a text version of the Devonshire Cream Tea recipe, and to see more Joël Penkman images, click Read More below.

Devonshire Cream Tea

225 g / 8 oz flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
50 g / 2 oz butter
30 g / 1 oz caster sugar
150 ml / fl oz milk
1 egg or milk or flour (optional)

Clotted cream
Strawberry jam
Tea

Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C / 425°C / gas mark 7.

Grease and flour a baking sheet.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar.

Make a well in the flour, pour in the milk and quickly mix into a soft sponge with a knife. It is important to stop mixing as soon as all the flour is combined to keep the scones light and fluffy.

Flour your work surface and roll or press out your dough so that it is about 2.5 cm / 1" thick then cut into rounds with a pastry cutter. Collect up all the scrappy pieces and gently squash them together, roll out and cut to make more scones. Brush each scone over with a beaten egg for a glossy crust, milk for a lighter gloss or dust with flour for a dull soft crust.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until well risen and golden.

Serve warm with clotted cream, strawberry jam and a pot of tea.

The Recipe Project

2011-11-19T17:01:00.001-05:00

The Recipe Project, a collaboration between the band One Ring Zero and some of today’s hottest chefs, is at once funny, interesting, and completely unexpected. It asks the question, if chefs are the new rock stars, why not set their recipes to music? And that is exactly what is does. Chefs including David Chang, Chris Cosentino, Tom Colicchio, and Mario Batali provide the recipes and One Ring Zero performs the music, singing the recipes word for word over a wide ranging musical genres. There is a rap version of Brains and Eggs by Chris Cosentino, a pop edition of Peanut Butter Brunettes by Chandra Moskowitz, and a Mario Batali spaghetti recipe that is set to polka music. There really is something for every musical taste (no pun intended)! Also included are interviews and essays by chefs and food writers on how music (and food) has influenced their work and lives. You can check out an operatic version of Peanut Butter Brunettes (the only dessert recipe in the book) below. You can hear a sample of the original, along with more info on the project, by visiting the Recipe Project website, right here. To order the book online, click here.

Ace of Cakes: Who Knew??

2011-10-23T11:46:00.001-04:00

I’ve never been a huge Ace of Cakes fan. I’ve watched the show before and, although I’ve enjoyed it, there’s part of me that gets a little overwhelmed by all those giant sculptural cakes. There’s always this little voice in the back of my head wondering, What do those cakes taste like?? I wasn’t sure how I felt about the whole Ace of Cakes phenomenon, but then I came across this picture on Vince Lupo’s Flickr page and everything changed. The moment I saw this adorable cuckoo clock cake I was head over heels in love! (Check out the fox in the bottom left-hand corner!) And it didn’t stop there! I continued to scroll through Lupo’s images and discovered photo upon photo of some of the most darling cakes that I have ever seen! What wonderful person made these cakes??? And where can I see more of their work?? You can imagine my surprise when I discovered that they were not made by a Scandinavian baking goddess or a hip do it yourselfer, but by Ace of Cakes!! No way! So, I guess I am now, an official Ace of Cakes fan. I’ve actually heard that there cakes are pretty tasty, once you remove the rubbery fondant layer. To check out more pics from Vince Lupo's Ace of Cakes photostream, click here. For more on Ace of Cakes, the show, click here, and here for their bakery's website.

Sweet Testing: Date Butter Tart & Apple Green-Chili Pie With Cheddar Crust and Walnut Streusel

2011-10-15T10:47:00.001-04:00

Back in November of last year, The New York Times put together an amazing slideshow of unique pies and tarts that appeared on their website. I was instantly taken with each and every pie and have being longing to make one ever since! Unfortunately, it just never happened, despite my best attempts to force these beauties upon other people, no one seemed quite as taken with the idea of green chili apple pie, but me! Well, I am happy to announce my pie dreams finally came true recently when my mom made not one, but two of the slideshow pies for my birthday! And I have to say, they were a huge success! So yummy and different! Normally, I have a little bit of a meltdown if I don't have ice cream with my pie, but, in this case, I actually ate around the ice cream, choosing instead to eat the pie in all its naked, untouched glory. Maybe the next time I eat a date butter tart, I'll eat it with ice cream, but this time I wanted nothing but pie! Oh, and while these pies do come with their own individual crust recipes, we opted for the fantastic Whole Foods gluten-free crust, which is a really good pie crust and, of course, it's gluten free, which makes it fun for the whole family! For the apple pie, which contains cheddar cheese in it's crust, my mom simply put the cheese on top of the crust. Click here to check out the recipe for Apple Green-Chili Pie With Cheddar Crust and Walnut Streusel and here for the Date Butter Tart. {Thanks, Mom!}

Inspiration Board: Silhouettes (Part II)

2011-10-07T11:23:00.000-04:00

A couple of years ago (almost to the day!), I posted a piece about using silhouettes as a decorating device. Over the past two years, I've seen a lot of great silhouette-inspired desserts, but, just recently, I've come across some amazing cakes that take the whole silhouette idea to a whole new level. Normally, I wouldn't repeat an Inspiration Board idea, but I loved these cakes so much that I thought it was about time for a follow up! I especially love Melody Brandon's graffiti-inspired cake pictured above. Check out more of my favorites below.

By Berliosca Cake Boutique

By Cakes 4 Fun

A la Mère de Famille's Ice Cream on a Stick

2011-09-30T17:16:00.000-04:00

As the summer of the heat dome comes to a close, I couldn't resist one last summer treat, and these fancy schmancy ice cream bars are the perfect way to say goodbye to summer. Created by Paris' oldest sweet shop, A la Mère de Famille (founded in 1761!), these sticks of frozen loveliness start out with homemade ice cream (chocolate-caramel, pistachio, vanilla, raspberry, mango-passion), which is then rolled-up in chocolate, and layered with with nuts (pistachios, almonds, or hazelnuts). Such beautiful, crunchy goodness. Click here for locations throughout Paris.

Caren Alpert: Food under a Microscope

2011-08-15T16:33:00.000-04:00

More and more these days people seem to be interested in their food: where it comes from, what ingredients are used, is it organic or not. Photographer Caren Alpert takes our growing food fascination one step further by literally putting food under a microscope, an electron microscope to be precise. Alpert’s gorgeous and captivating photographs get inside our food, showing you what it’s made of, below the surface level. I love things that take an everyday object and make you look at it in a whole new way. I think “Cake Sprinkles” (pictured above) is my favorite. The colors are amazing and it almost looks like a picture taken from a sci-fi movie of planets colliding. Then again, all of her photos are pretty swoon worthy.

Oreo Cookie

Fortune Cookie

Chocolate Cake

Life Saver

From Caren: In a society where we are obsessed with our food (either overeating or undereating), let’s see if we really “are what we eat.” I wanted to deconstruct that very thing that I’ve spent so many years recording. I wanted to show what was there, but what we never actually saw.

To see more of Caren’s wonderful microscope photos, click here. You can also check out her commercial photography, right here.

Sweet Testing: Grasshopper Cake

2011-07-24T10:51:00.003-04:00

I swear this isn’t another Baked cake. It has nothing to with Baked. It is a completely unrelated dessert that has absolutely no connection to a particular bakery in Brooklyn known for their mega super delicious treats. Okay, that’s a lie. It is, in fact, a Baked cake. I’ve been thinking of adding a Baked tag to all my Baked recipes because I’ve made so many of them. I can’t help it! They are always good! I was particularly happy with the way this one turned out. It’s like a thin mint cookie in cake form! Actually, it’s better than a thin mint cookie and I really like thin mint cookies. One person told me that it was the best cake that I had ever made, but I usually hear that from at least one person every time I make a Baked cake. I’m telling you, they are just that good!

You can find the complete Grasshopper Cake recipe after the jump.

Grasshopper Cake from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Chocolate Layers
3/4 Cup Dark Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/4 Cups Hot Water
2/3 Cup Sour Cream
2 2/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup (1 1/2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
1/2 Cup Vegetable Shortening (I use butter)
1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Firmly Packed Dark Brown Sugar
3 Large Eggs, room temperature
1 Tblsp Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter three 8 inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper and butter this too. Dust with flour knocking out any excess. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine the cocoa, hot water and sour cream. Whisk together and set aside to cool.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

4. Add the butter and shortening to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and beat on medium until light, fluffy and ribbonlike, around 5 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for about another 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Give the sides of the bowl a scrape and give one last mix for 30 seconds.

6. Add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the cocoa mixture, starting and ending with the flour.

7. Divide equally amongst the three pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes before inverting out to cool completely.

Creme de Menthe Buttercream
2 1/4 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 1/4 Cups Milk
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
4 1/2 Sticks, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
2 Tbslp Creme de Menthe
2 1/4 Tsp Peppermint Extract
(if you don't have creme de menthe or don't want to use it substitute 1 Tbslp Vanilla Extract and 1 tsp green food colouring)

1. Add the sugar and flour to a medium saucepan and whisk together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat whisking occasionally for about 20 minutes until thickened.

2. Transfer the mixture to your mixer and beat, with the paddle, on high speed until cooled to room temperature. This might splatter a little so you may want to cover with a tea towel. Turn the mixer to low and add the butter beat on low until thoroughly incorporated and then turn the mixer to medium high and beat until light and fluffy.

3. Add the creme de menthe and peppermint extract and beat to combine. Put the buttercream aside while you make the ganache.

Mint Chocolate Ganache
6 Ounces Dark Chocolate (60 to 72% Cacao), coarsely chopped
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tblsp Creme de Menthe
1/2 Tsp Peppermint Extract

1. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside. Bring the cream just to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes before gently mixing the chocolate and cream together until emulsified. Add the creme de menthe and peppermint extract and stir to combine.

2. Mix for a couple more minutes to help cool then let the ganache sit for about 15 minutes.

Assembly

1. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cake drum. Trim the top if not level. Using a small offset spatula spread about 1/4 cup of ganache on top of the cake layer. Put the cake in the fridge for 1 minute to firm up. Spread about 1 1/4 cups of buttercream on top of the ganache. Top with the second round and repeat. Add the third layer and trim.

2. Crumb coat the cake and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Frost the the side and top of the cake with the remaining frosting and decorate as you desire. The cake will keep very well, if covered, for 3 days. If the room is not cool, you can keep covered in the fridge but remove the cake at least 2 hours before serving.

Giga Pudding

2011-07-18T16:27:00.004-04:00

If you were to ask me, Hey, Erin, what is Giga Pudding, exactly? I would not be able to give you an answer. Apparently, it is a type of pudding. A type of pudding that comes in a bucket. A type of pudding that comes in a bucket and wobbles a lot. Quite frankly, Giga Pudding reminds me more of a toy, than something that is meant to be consumed, which is not surprising given that it's manufactured by a Japanese toy company. It's a food toy, not unlike the Easy Bake Oven of my youth, and I can see how it would appeal to kids. On the other hand, unlike the Easy Bake Oven, Giga Pudding seems to be marketed to adults as well as children, as you can see in this hilarious commercial. I will probably never actually eat Giga Pudding, unless it's on a dare, but I can watch this commercial over and over again. I do quite enjoy watching things wobble. To visit the Giga Pudding website, click here.

Cake Decorating For Kids

2011-07-11T16:47:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite memories from childhood was when I was given a chance to design my very own dinner plate! All the kids in art class were given a white plastic plate and markers and told to draw whatever their hearts desired and then, wallah, through some magical process, our childhood art was turned into a dinner plate that you could actually use! Okay, I’m a little fussy on the whole process, but I remember my design like it was yesterday (a girl and a bird and the words “sing with me”)! It was the first thing that I thought of when I saw this wonderful child-designed cake from Soutine. It’s such a fun idea for a child’s bday…let them create the artwork for their own cake. You could allow them to draw directly on the cake with frosting or with food markers on fondant. You could also have them put their doodles down on paper and then let a professional recreate the design. Such a cute and clever idea! To see more from the Soutine Bakery (NY), click here.

Inspiration Board: Baked Alaska

2011-07-05T17:55:00.001-04:00

Is it just me or has the Baked Alaska taken on a whole new level of gorgeousness lately? I know that I have definitely been obsessed with it these last few months. There’s just something about that beautiful round mound of meringue that gets me ever time. And the things people do with the ice cream/sponge cake fillings, the wonderfully creative colors and designs, just blow my mind! I’m sure if I were ever to tackle this classic dessert, it would not be quite so perfect as these pics, but a girl can dream, can’t she? {Pictured above: Baked Alaska by The Food Network}

Baked Alaska with Chocolate Ice Cream by Martha Stewart

Baked Alaska by Double Cream Single Sugar

Chocolate orange bombe Alaska with hot chocolate sauce by Nick Nairn/Good Food Magazine

The Mixing Bowl: Iced White Chocolate with Warm Blueberry and Thyme Soup by Emma van Leest

2011-06-29T18:36:00.000-04:00

Australian Emma van Leest is one of my favorite paper cut artists. In general, I have a soft spot in my heart for anyone that can create something so delicately beautiful out of a sheet of paper, but Emma’s work goes a step beyond the average paper cutter. Inspired by her travels and studies in the East, specifically China, Indonesia, and India, as well as her interests in Medieval saints, fairy tales, and folk art, Emma creates a unique and fascinating world that is simply awe inspiring. Her work is so breathtaking in its intricacies and subject matter that it’s nearly impossible to resist. I can’t even imagine the work that goes into one of her pieces!

For her Mixing Bowl recipe, Emma has chosen a recipe that is as interesting and creative as her work. She first tasted this sweet concoction at the Queenscliff Hotel and, even though she isn’t a huge fan of desserts, she loved this one so much that she asked the chef for the recipe. It seemed so simple, but, like so many of us know, not all desserts come out exactly as we envisioned! But that’s what I love about Emma’s write up. There is so much story to it! I really enjoyed reading about her struggles with this recipe, and, how, in the end, it was still delicious, although maybe not perfect. I hope you find a special occasion, or just a plain ol’ ordinary occasion, to be a bit adventurous like Emma and try this dessert! It sounds amazing!

You can find the complete recipe and story, along with additional photos, after the jump. You can view more of Emma’s lovely work on her Web site, right here. Thanks, Emma!

My husband Hunter and I got married 2 years ago at the beautiful historic Queenscliff Hotel and we recently went back there to celebrate Hunter’s birthday, where I had this gorgeous dessert. I was really surprised how the blueberry and thyme ‘soup’ is such a fresh herby foil to the richness of the chocolate. Even though I’m not a dessert person usually, I gobbled it up and then asked for the recipe. The chef offered this enigmatic couple of paragraphs, which is particularly curious for its use of imperial measurements (Australia has had the metric system for 40 years):

Iced White Chocolate Fondant with Warm Blueberry and Thyme Soup

4 oz castor sugar

8 table spoons of water

......boil together to get sugar syrup.

Put 5 egg yolks and whisk with hot syrup in bain-marie until thick

Add 9 oz of white chocolate, fold in 1/2 pint of cream / lightly whipped/.

Put into moulds and freeze.

For soup : blueberries 3/4 oz (I think this means pounds, otherwise it's like half a berry)

apple juice 10 fl oz

caster sugar 2 oz

2 sprigs of thyme

Boil for 6 minutes, puree it and pass through a sieve.

Looks easy, but I straight away ruined the sugar syrup – the first batch crystallised into a lumpen mess. Also, it’s not actually a great idea to take 5 egg yolks and whisk them with hot sugar syrup - because hot sugar syrup cooks egg yolks. So perhaps let it cool quite a bit before putting it in the ‘bain-marie’ (which googling told me means putting a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. There were little flecks of cooked egg yolks in the finished product, which my family diplomatically ignored. Also ‘put into moulds and freeze’ sounds straightforward but actually, make sure you line the moulds in cling film so you can get the fondants out in one nice shape. As you can see, my silicon muffin pan rendered lumps, rather than solid shapes.

I also ended up serving the fondants a second time without blending the soup and much less apple juice and the general consensus was that it was much nicer - less sugary and more pretty.

AND what is a fondant, anyway? I realized after a whole heap of googling that fondant is generally considered icing, not a frozen dessert. So I don’t know what the chef is driving at, perhaps it’s a fancy semifreddo. But whatever the true identity of this dessert, it will convert even the most hardened pro-bacon people, including my savoury-centric dad, who had three helpings.

Edible Art: Martí Guixé, Food Designing

2011-06-20T18:27:00.001-04:00

There is a quote from photographer Inga Knölke that appears on Martí Guixé’s home page that reads “A food designer is somebody working with food, with no idea of cooking.” It is the perfect way to introduce the viewer to Guixe’s work, which is all about enhancing the modern idea of food as a product, as opposed to a necessity. By creating objects like a hands-free lollipop, a pie chart which shows the percentage of ingredients in a cake, or a hot chocolate mug that “never gets dirty” he brings whimsy and imagination to objects that we all so often take for granted. Guixe was also the creator of the Candy Restaurant (a place for eating candies) in Tokyo, which was a unique food space where a chef served sweets to diners along with eating instructions. The childlike act of eating candy therefore transformed into a much more formal dining experience. What fun!

photo by asobi tsuchiya

You can find a collection of Guixe’s work in his book Food Designing. You can also check out some of his food-related pieces via his Web site, right here. Be sure to click on both the “food” and “tool” links.

Sweet Testing: Almond Green Tea Cupcakes

2011-06-14T17:49:00.003-04:00

I have come to realize something about myself. I love almond flavoring! I only came to this realization recently, after eating these green tea and almond cupcakes from Baked, but, from now on, I am all about eating anything flavored with almond! Actually, this new found epiphany is not really surprising, given the fact that I eat almonds every day, but as much as I love real live almonds, I don’t know if they can take credit for the yumminess of these cupcakes. I think it’s the more intense almond extract that does the trick. Whatever it is, I think these may be the best cupcakes I’ve ever made! They were definitely a nice change over more traditional chocolate/vanilla cupcakes. Oh, and the green tea taste is very subtle, so if you’re not a tea lover, I wouldn’t let that stop you from trying these! So good!

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Almond Green Tea Cupcakes from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

For the Almond Cupcake
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. pure almond extract
1 large egg
1 cup ice cold water
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

For the Green Tea Frosting
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. unsweetened matcha powder (available at Oriental food stores)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Make the almond cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the almonds until they are a find powder. Put the powdered almonds in a small bowl and set aside.

Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in to a large bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the egg, and beat until just combined. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the ice water, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Fold in the powdered almonds.

Fill the cupcake liners about three quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and place them on the rack to cool completely.

Make the green tea Frosting: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar, flour, and matcha powder together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla and continue beating until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put it in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then mix it again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and mix again.

Assemble the cupcakes: There are many ways to frost a cupcake. If you have a pastry bag, simply fit the bag with the largest tip, fill the bag with frosting, and pipe enough frosting to cover the cupcake. If you do not have a pastry bag, use an ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to scoop the frosting and dispense it onto the top of the cupcake. You can also use an offset spatula to frost the cupcakes.

Breakfast Interrupted

2011-06-08T20:52:00.000-04:00

I’m not a person who likes to waste food. I will eat every last bite on my plate, even if my gut is completely and utterly stuffed and I will often eat the last spoonful of food in a bowl, rather than throw it down the sink. But, despite my aversion to waste, I simply cannot stop watching this utterly charming food video by Bruton Stroube Studio for the Marlin Network, titled Breakfast Interrupted. While there is a small part of me that is upset about the ruining of a perfectly lovely breakfast spread, I feel like there is something oddly calming about the piece as well. It definitely makes me hungry for brunch! For more on Bruton Stroube, click here. (You can also check out short behind the scenes video below.)

The Mixing Bowl: Lemon Meringue Pie by Lindsay J. Haynes

2011-06-02T19:23:00.000-04:00

I first discovered the work of illustrator Lindsay J. Haynes while I was flipping through the current issue of Uppercase magazine, in which we both appear. I'm in the issue rambling on about how food inspires me, while Lindsay shows up in a great article about cereal box art. I was instantly drawn to her retro-inspired take on the classic cereal box. If sugar frosted planets had existed when I was a kid, I definitely would have been buying it! (Okay, my mom wouldn't have let me buy it, but I would have wanted it!) It has just the right amount of believability and kitsch. After scurrying over to her Web site, I was pleased to discover a similar style in much of her work, including her wonderful Twin Peaks prints that I was drooling over for days!

Now on to the dessert! For her Mixing Bowl contribution, Lindsay sent in her mom's recipe for lemon meringue pie. I love family recipes and I love lemon meringue pie, so I'm really excited to try this one! When it comes to desserts, nothing says comfort food like simplicity and tradition! To see a larger version of the lemon meringue pie recipe, just click on the image at the top of this post. You can also click here to check out more of Lindsay's work online. {Thanks, Lindsay!}

Cookbook Excitement: Miette

2011-05-27T15:28:00.004-04:00

Omg, omg. Okay, that’s a little annoying, but seriously…OMG! One of my most favorite bakeries ever, Miette, is releasing a cookbook on June 22nd! I have a sneaking suspicion that my Baked obsession is going to turn into a Miette obsession sometime in the next few months. Right now, there are only a few images available, but I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy, so that I can see what other photos are included inside. Their baked goods are always so lovely to look at, not to mention all together yummy. If you haven't tried anything from their shop, I would highly recommend the toffee and the macarons, which are available by mail order. To preorder Miette: Recipes from San Francisco's Most Charming Pastry Shop, click here.

Have a great (long) weekend! ~Erin

Maggie Austin Cake

2011-05-21T09:51:00.000-04:00

I am totally smitten with Maggie Austin Cake (Washington DC). In fact, I’ve been collecting photographs of Maggie’s cakes for a while now and only recently realized that the gorgeous cakes that I had been ogling over all these months had all been created by the same person! She definitely has some of the most beautiful and creative cakes around. I’m especially fond of her stained glass series of cakes and cookies, but her cakes with the delicate paperlike detailing run a close second! They actually remind me a bit of filo pastry. I’ve chosen some of my favorites above and below, but you can check out more of her wonderful designs on her Web site, right here.

Embroidery Cake

2011-05-15T12:36:00.000-04:00

I’ve never been very good at sewing. I’m the type of person who sews a button on a shirt and then watches as it falls off a week later. A needle and thread are not my friends. An embroidery cake, on the other hand, now that’s something I can get behind! You get all the fun of creating an embroidery pattern without having to do any of the actual sewing!

The floral design, which was created by Stephanie for her blog A Clockwork Lemon, is based on an actual embroidery pattern and uses jimmy sprinkles instead of thread! So lovely and creative! Normally, I wouldn’t just repost another person’s blog post, but this one was too special to pass up! To learn more, check out Stephanie’s post, right here.

The Mixing Bowl: Strawberry Shortcake by Lee Price

2011-05-09T19:31:00.000-04:00

Food, generally speaking, makes me happy, eating it, thinking about it, looking at it, so when I first saw Lee Price’s photorealistic oil paintings of women and food, I was thrilled! The way she uses food is amazing! At first, there is that initial surface reaction of seeing a gorgeous, beautifully rendered image, but the more you look at her work the more you realize that beneath the quiet facade, so much more is going on. For me, her work definitely brings up issues of how the role of food changes in a society where a high supply of goods makes food consumption less about survival and more about our mental state, how eating a candy bar can, often, comfort us or shame us, cause arousal or nausea, depending on our emotions at any given time. As much as I love food, even I am guilty of letting my emotions affect my eating, of letting what I eat, sometimes, affect my emotions. The human race’s relationship with food is a complicated one and, I, for one, couldn’t stop looking at Lee’s paintings. Really lovely and interesting work.

Given the fact that she is vegan, Lee actually makes a lot of the baked goods that are featured in her paintings. Of course, I was super excited when she agreed to snap some photos for us the next time she made something for a shoot. I love, love, love seeing the process of her making the dessert and then seeing the finished painting (see image below). I was also really happy that she used a Strawberry Shortcake recipe from the BabyCakes cookbook, which is a great book for vegan and gluten-free baking (note: this recipe is only vegan, not gluten-free because of the spelt flour).

The Evoke Contemporary Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico is currently running an exhibition of Lee Price’s work, you can click here for more info. You can also see more of Lee’s paintings on her Web site, right here.

You can find the complete recipe and more images after the jump. Thanks so much to Lee for sharing her work!

Strawberry Shortcake recipe from Babycakes by Erin McKenna

3 cups white spelt flour plus ½ cup for dusting
½ cup evaporated cane juice
1 ½ Tbl baking powder
1 tsp salt
7 Tbl coconut oil
1 Tbl vanilla extract
2/3 cup hot water
vanilla frosting (I took frosting from another book just because I was familiar with this recipe and I know the frosting would hold up to several hours of shooting in a hot room, but the babycakes frosting recipe looks yummy.)
1 ½ cups sliced strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, evaporated cane juice, baking powder, and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, and hot water to the dry ingredients. Combine until slightly moist dough is formed.

Dust the counter generously with flour. Roll the dough through the flour until it is coated on all sides. Gently pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick rectangle and cut out 12 shortcakes with a 3-inch round cookie cutter. Place the shortcakes on the center rack for 16 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The finished shortcakes will have a slightly golden, flaky crust.

Let the shortcakes cool on the sheets for 15 minutes, or until completely cool. Cut them in half horizontally and spread each side with 1 Tbl vanilla frosting using a small offset spatula. Spoon 1 generous Tbl strawberries onto one of the halves and top with the second half. Garnish with more frosting and strawberries. Store filled shortcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Creamy Vanilla Frosting from Vegan Baking Classics by Kelly Rudnicki

1 cup dairy-free margarine (I use Earth Balance)
2 Tbl soy milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups confectioners sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together margarine, soy milk, vanilla, and salt until incorporated. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar, and mix on low for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium, and beat for 4 to 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Chill about 30 minutes before using.

Sweet Testing: Vegan, Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, Just Like Mom Used to Make

2011-05-03T20:43:00.002-04:00

No, my mom didn't make vegan or gluten-free cookies when I was growing up, let alone a cookie that was both free of dairy AND gluten, but, if she did, they would have tasted like these cookies! Vegan and/or gluten-free baking isn't always easy. Not every dessert holds up to the conversion, but the classic, hard to screw up, chocolate chip cookies, seems to have survived the transition effortlessly. Okay, there was some effort involved, on the part of BabyCakes, who created this recipe, but believe me when I tell you that you will not be able to tell the difference between this cookie and the white flour/dairy version.

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Gluten-free, Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (from BabyCakes)

Servings: Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup coconut oil
6 Tbsp. homemade applesauce or store-bought unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice
2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla and evaporated cane juice. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a grainy dough is formed. Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Using a melon baller, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the portions 1 inch apart. Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The finished cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the center.

Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before covering. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Inspiration Board: Muppets

2011-04-27T17:10:00.000-04:00

The Muppets, stars of the television series The Muppet Show, as well as numerous big screen movies, often get the short end of the stick when it comes to dessert decoration. They are often overlooked for their older, more popular cousins on Sesame Street, so when I saw these wonderful cupcakes by Cupcake Occasions, I was sooo excited. I'm especially fond of the Beaker cupcake because that's what we used to call my mom when I was an adolescent, not because she spoke in a high-pitched squeak, but because she and the red-haired Muppet shared the same job. After doing some additional Muppet dessert research, I came across the cake below, which was made by Heather and is based on my all-time favorite Muppet movie, The Great Muppet Caper. I was in Muppet heaven.

Animal Cake by Denheath Desserts

The Mixing Bowl: Black Bottom Cupcakes by Alyssa Nassner

2011-04-21T20:20:00.001-04:00

This afternoon was so happy and sun shiny that it seemed like a great time to post this awesome recipe from illustrator Alyssa Nassner. Colorful and cheery, Alyssa's work goes perfectly with the spring season. Flowers, bike rides, animals . . . her work has spring written all over it! And the Black Bottom Cupcake illustration that she created for her Mixing Bowl recipe is equally adorable. Not to mention, that it looks mighty delicious! Who doesn't love a rich and chewy, multicolored cupcake? Really who?

A recent graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, Alyssa Nassner has already worked with clients such as Chronicle Books, Dwell Studio, and UPPERCASE Magazine. In addition, Alyssa also runs Small Talk Studio, an online store that specializes in fun home goods and paper products. I took one look at her bicycling raccoons print and was instantly smitten. To check out more of Alyssa's work, you can visit her website, right here, as well as the Small Talk Studio Etsy page, right here.

To see a larger version of the Black Bottom Cupcake recipe, simply click on the image at the top of this post.

Sweet Testing: Aunt Sassy Cake (Pistachio Cake with Honey Buttercream)

2011-04-16T11:22:00.001-04:00

It’s official. My Baked obsession has started to infect other members of my family. Recently, when my mother had to make a bday cake for a friend, she told me that she wanted to make something from Baked and asked if she could borrow my cookbook, Baked Explorations. I, of course, was more than happy to oblige, as long as she saved me a piece! The dessert she ended up choosing was Aunt Sassy Cake and I’m so glad that she did because I’ve been wanting to try it every since I got the cookbook! I’m a huge pistachio fan, so anything with this particular nut is right up my alley. The cake itself was light and buttery and reminded me of the cakes my mom used to make when I was little. It has a very homey quality that I love. Oh, and when I say it’s light, I mean that in the sense that it’s not a rich chocolate cake, not light in terms of calories. I mean, it’s a three-layer cake. There is no such thing as a calorie-light three-layer cake! And if you happen to see one, I wouldn’t recommend eating it! Better to eat a small piece of this cake, than a large piece of a factory made “lite” one.

You can find the complete recipe for the Aunt Sassy Cake after the jump.

Aunt Sassy Cake (from Baked Explorations)

Ingredients

Cake:
1 cup shelled pistachios
2 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Buttercream:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
24 Tbsp. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Assembly:
1/3 cup crushed pistachios

Directions

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325° F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust parchment with flour and knock out excess flour.

In the bowl of food processor, pulse the pistachios until they are coarsely chopped. Transfer about 2 tablespoons’ worth of the coarse pistachios to a large bowl. Continue to process the rest of the pistachios until they are almost powdery-but not a superfine dust. Stir the pistachio powder into the reserved coarse pistachios. Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt, together over the large bowl containing the pistachios mix. Stir to combine.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the whole egg, and beat until just combined. Turn the mixture to low.

In a measuring cup, make 1 1/2 cups ice water. Add the flour mixture to the mixer in three parts, alternating with the ice water, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. For each addition, turn the mixer to low to add ingredients, then up to medium speed for a few seconds until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form (You can do this by hand. Don’t be intimidated, it should only take 2 to 3 minutes). Do not overbeat. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the rack and let cool completely. Remove the parchment paper.

Make the honey vanilla buttercream: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add milk and cream and cook over medium heat whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer with paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool (this takes at least 7 to 9 minutes of mixing) then add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the vanilla and honey and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, set the bow over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.

Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface, and evenly spread about 1 1/4 cups frosting on top. Add the next layer, trim and frost it, then add the third layer. Spread a very thin layer of frosting over the sides and top of the cake and put it in the refrigerator for bout 15 minutes to firm up. (This is known as the crumb coating and will help keep loose cake crumbs under control when you frost the outside of the cake.) Spread the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish the cake with crushed pistachios and refrigerate it for 15 minutes to it firm up before serving.

This cake will keep beautifully in a cake saver at room temperature for up to 3 days, if the weather is humidity free. Otherwise, put it in a cake saver and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Let the cake sit a room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.

The Mixing Bowl: Eton Mess (Strawberries and Cream) by Dicky Bird

2011-04-10T20:59:00.001-04:00

Liz Wells from Dicky Bird just sent over this super cute illustration with a super cute title, Eton Mess, for her Mixing Bowl recipe, which is not surprising given all the super cute images on her Web site. That’s a lot of super cutes, but what can I say? It’s friggin super cute! The recipe itself, a version of the classic strawberries and cream combo, is a cinch to make and could easily be mixed and matched with all the different fruits available during the spring/summer season. Just buy your favorite fruit, whip up some meringue, and dig in!

From Liz: Strawberries & Cream - the best combo ever created, mixed up with crunchy-on-the-outside and squishy-on-the-inside homemade meringue - it’s just so delicious.

Dicky Bird is a fantastic greeting card company based in London. Influenced by nature, mid-century design, and Japanese culture, Liz creates whimsical and colorful designs that are completely delightful. I'm especially fond of the "fairy tale" cards, like the Goldilocks card pictured below. Love those! To check out the full collection and to shop online, click here. Thank you, Liz, for sharing this wonderful sweet treat!

You can find the complete recipe for Eton Mess after the jump.

Eton Mess

Ingredients
175g golden caster sugar
3 egg whites
450g strawberries
1 rounded tablespoon unrefined icing sugar
570ml double cream

1 / Weigh out your caster sugar, so it’s ready to go.

2 / Place 3 egg whites in a very clean bowl and whisk until you get ‘soft peaks’ (that slightly tip over when you lift the whisk). Add the caster sugar a little at a time until it’s completely whisked in.

3 / Take rounded dessertspoonfuls of the mixture and place them in rows on a lined baking tray. Put them on the middle shelf of the oven (preheated to 150°C), turn the heat down to 140°C and leave for 1 hour. Then turn the oven off and leave the meringues overnight to dry out.

5+6 / Whip up the double cream. Chop half the strawberries and, together with the icing sugar, whizz up into a puree. Pass through a sieve to remove the seeds.

7 / Chop the rest of the strawberries and break the meringues into rough pieces. Place them in a large mixing bowl together and fold in the cream.

8 / Finally, gently fold in all but 2 tablespoons of the puree to create a pretty marbled effect. Pile into a serving dish, spoon the rest of the puree over the top and eat!

Patrick Roger: Chocolate Feathers

2011-04-05T17:33:00.000-04:00

Patrick Roger, one of the most creative chocolatiers in France, has just released his spring 2011 line, and it includes an Easter collection of beautifully rendered chocolate fowl, hens, and cockerels. Like everything he does, Roger created these lovelies with both humor and skill. I love all the feather details and the hen with the necklace is fantastic! You can purchase your very own chocolate bird by visiting one of Roger's Paris shops, prices begin at 49 euros. Click here for locations. If you'd like to try Roger's sweets on a much smaller scale, his boxed candies are available for international delivery via his Web site, right here.

Cadbury's Return of the Goo

2011-03-29T18:52:00.000-04:00

Call me a dork, but I kind of love this catapult game from Cadbury, which allows you to "egg" any location in the world with a giant Creme Egg. All you have to do is enter the address into the little box of the main page, pull back the catapult, and then, wallah, watch as the egg flys through the air and splatters across your chosen target. The game uses Google Maps technology, so the effect is, somewhat, realistic. I picked my office building for my egging and let me tell you, seeing your place of work covered in Cadbury Egg goo, is especially hilarious, not to mention dreamy. Who wouldn't want their rooftop covered with candy?? Click here to start egging.

The Mixing Bowl: Tiramisu by Zara Picken

2011-03-23T19:23:00.001-04:00

I love learning interesting tidbits about food, like why there isn’t flour in flourless chocolate cake or how and when chocolate and peanut butter first hooked up, so when illustrator Zara Picken sent me her recipe for Tiramisu, along with an explanation of the dessert's name, I was instantly smitten.

From Zara: I wanted to evoke the colours of the dessert and the meaning –"tira mi su" loosely means “pick me up” or “lift me up” in Italian and the dessert was intended as a cheering dish to be eaten when feeling low. I also referenced the Italian origin of the dessert by imagining the illustration in the context of a 1930s Italian Art Deco poster, the sort you might see in a café.

Pretty neat, huh? I love that Zara put so much thought behind her recipe/illustration!

Zara Picken is an illustrator based in Bristol, England whose work combines mid-century modern design, muted colors, and surreal elements to create something totally unique. Given the fact that Zara is influenced by things like the writing of Haruki Murakami and the film Inception (both of which I love), it's not really surprising that I've developed a fairly major crush on her work. I'm especially fond of her series of people with electronic devices instead of heads. Those may be my favorite pieces. You can check out more of Zara's marvelous work, including the electronic head people via her Etsy shop, Web site, and Flickr page.

You can find the tiramisu recipe and more pics after the jump.

Tiramisu (Recipe adapted from The Food of Italy ”)

Ingredients
5 eggs, separated
180g caster sugar
300g mascarpone
250ml cold strong coffee
3 tablespoons brandy or sweet Marsala
36 small sponge fingers
80g dark chocolate, finely grated

1. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy.

2. Add the mascarpone and beat until the mixture is smooth.

3. Whisk the egg whites in a glass bowl until soft peaks form. Fold into the mascarpone mixture.

4. Pour the coffee into a shallow dish and add the brandy. Dip enough biscuits into the coffee to cover the base of a 25cm (approx 10in) square dish. The biscuits should be fairly well soaked but not so much that they break up.

5. Arrange the biscuits as a tightly packed layer in the base of the dish.

6. Spread half the mascarpone mixture over the biscuit layer.

7. Add another layer of soaked biscuits and then another layer of mascarpone, smoothing the top layer neatly.

8. Dust with grated chocolate to serve.

Inspiration Board: Henna

2011-03-18T17:32:00.000-04:00

When I first laid eyes on these gorgeous cakes by Rora Does Cake, I couldn't get over how breathtakingly unique they were. The detailing is so intricate and unusual, at first I thought they were inspired by lace patterns. After a little bit of research, I discovered that they were actually created using henna techniques, and it all started to make sense! It really is a great method to use as design element. The cake sort of becomes a blank canvas, making even the most ordinary dessert feel special!

Almond Banana Bavarian Tart by Foodaholics

Diwali Cupcakes by The Cupcake Place

The Mixing Bowl: Black and White Present (Mascarpone) Cupcakes by Tamar Levine and Jennifer Becker

2011-03-12T17:37:00.006-05:00

One of the best things about having a website is that it gives you the opportunity to come across new and interesting work that you may not have otherwise seen. You get the chance to discover the work of strangers and, every once in a while, you stumble upon a little unknown something that is so fantastic and wonderful that it makes you do a little happy dance in your seat! This is exactly what happened a couple of months ago, when I was first introduced to the work of Tamar Levine, a fashion, portrait, and fine art photographer based in Los Angeles. After noticing that Tamar had graciously tweeted one of my posts, I checked out her website, and I was so happy that I did! Her photos are so feminine and retro and surreal . . . all things that I love. I want to live inside them or, at the very least, hang them on my wall!

Tamar, who created her Mixing Bowl contribution with the help of her friend and fellow photographer Jennifer Becker, definitely has a penchant for the girlie side of life, so it only makes sense the her recipe for Black and White Present Cupcakes would be not only be pretty but theatrical as well. Just like her photos! Unfortunately, I couldn't include all of my favorite Tamar photographs here, but there is a large selection of images on her website. You can check them out by clicking here. You can find the complete recipe and more photos after the jump. Thanks, Tamar!

Black and White Present Mascarpone Cupcakes!!

INGREDIENTS!

Cupcakes!!

1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting!!

4 tablespoons butter , softened, but not melted.
8 oz of mascarpone cheese
3 cups of powdered sugar

Bows!!

Black Fondant

DIRECTIONS!

For cupcakes:
Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In one large bowl, mix mascarpone, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. In same bowl, beat eggs into the bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add flour mixture, milk, and vanilla to the larger egg mixture bowl.
Pour mixture into muffin tin. Bake for around 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out nice and clean.

Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

For frosting:
Mix butter and cheese together, then gradually add the sugar until there are no lumps.

For the bows:
We followed this tutorial, substituting white for black fondant.

Macaron vs. Cupcake

2011-03-02T21:11:00.000-05:00

The print pictured above is by graphic designer Vahram Muratyan who recently produced a series of adorable images that asks the question, Which is better, Paris or New York? By comparing two similar images, one stereotypically Parisian, the other classic New York, the viewer is asked to take sides. Now, before I give you my opinion on the age old macaron versus cupcake battle, I should probably first make a SHOCKING confession. You may want to sit down for this. Oh, wait, you probably are sitting down. Okay, here it goes… I’ve never actually eaten a macaron! I know! It’s pretty pathetic. Food sites have been filled with these babies for the last few years, but I have yet to sample one. So, as much as I like voting, I think I’ll have to abstain this time. It wouldn’t be right to cast my ballot when I don’t have all the information, but I'd love the hear your opinion!

If you want to check out Vahram's Paris vs. New York blog, click here. If you're interested in picking up a Macaron/Cupcake print for your home, click here to check out Vahram’s Paris vs. New York prints ($24 each).

Sweet Testing: Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust (Gluten Free)

2011-02-25T15:59:00.001-05:00

I was seriously considering not posting this recipe because the photos I took turned out to be a little too Country Living for my tastes, but, after much debate, I decided to bite the bullet and post it because

A) The cheesecake was mighty delicious and I’m not even a huge cheesecake fan.

B) There is a cool visible layer on the outside of the cheesecake, which I love!

C) I wanted to show everyone that I do, occasionally, make desserts that aren’t from Baked!

D) This recipe can easily be made gluten free and I know that everyone appreciates a good gluten-free dessert!

I am also excited to be sharing this recipe because it is, in fact, a really cinchy one. Although, I am not happy that I still, somehow, managed to make not one, but two mistakes while preparing it! It was fifty percent my fault and fifty percent the fault of a missing step in the original recipe, but still . . . two mistakes! Oy vey. It actually turned out to be super yummy despite my errors, and I am thus posting my slightly altered version of the recipe, instead of the original.

Oh, and please note, the pomegranate seeds have nothing to do with the recipe, but were part of delicious pomegranate/orange juice/champagne concoction that was served before dinner. You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Ingredients:

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (Trader Joe's carries delicious gluten-free gingersnaps! Check the ingredient list on your gingersnaps to make sure they are free of gluten.)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons butter (melted)
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (room temperature)
3 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1. In a food processor, process the gingersnap cookies. Mix the cookie crumbs, ginger, and butter and press into the bottom and up 1 inch along the sides of a 9 inch spring form pan.

2. Bake the crust in a preheated 350F oven for 5 minutes and set aside.

3. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of baked crust.

4. Cream the cream cheese.

5. Mix in the eggs one at a time followed by the sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla and then the spices.

6. Pour the mixture into the spring form pans.

7. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until it is set, about 60-70 minutes.

8. Let it cool completely.

9. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.

Ice Cream Roses

2011-02-18T17:13:00.000-05:00

Is it just me or did everyone know that ice cream that has been molded in the shape of a rose is like . . . a thing?? I've heard of rose petals being used to flavor ice cream. I've even seen rose-shaped ice cream as a specialty item and served in a bowl, but never have I scene so much fanciness in a common ice cream cone! I searched and searched for more info on the history of this flowery treat, but couldn't really find anything, other than that it seems like rose-shaped ice cream is usually found in Europe and Asia, which is probably why I haven't seen it! Does anyone have any info on when/where/how this trend started?

Photos by Aseerat Galb, Stuart Eve, Julie Upmeyer

The Mixing Bowl: I Scream Sandwiches by Polli

2011-02-12T11:31:00.002-05:00

Maja Rose and Tess Lloyd of the fantabulous jewelry company Polli have shared a recipe for ice cream sandwiches with us today that I’m totally gaga about! Not only is the ice cream beautiful to look at it, but it can easily be switched up with different fruits and flavors, depending on the season. You can even change it to match your favorite color! The Polli ladies selected dark chocolate, raspberry, and blackberry in honor of Polli staff member Sherri, who was celebrating her birthday. It was Sherri’s fondness for purple that inspired the lovely color theme! What a fantastic birthday treat! I hope you enjoy it!

Polli is an Australian-based company that is known for its unique and contemporary jewelry, homewares, and decorations. My sister first introduced me to their metal jewelry many years ago and I instantly fell in love with their fun and beautifully intricate designs. I’m currently obsessing over their fox earrings (how cute are those??) and the tandem pendant (such great details), but, really, their Web site is filled with so much eye candy that it’s nearly impossible to make a decision as to what I want to get next. I’m sure, after a quick browse, you’ll be hooked, too!

Click here to check out the Polli Web site. You can find the complete recipe for the I Scream Sandwiches and more photos after the jump. Thanks, Maja and Tess!

If you need help converting the measurements, click here for a nifty conversion calculator.

I Scream Sandwiches

Start at least one day before.

Ingredients
Butter for greasing
250g punnet raspberries (if frozen allow to thaw)
250g punnet black berries
120g good quality dark chocolate (chopped)
6 egg yolks
½ cup caster sugar
1 tsp corn flower
2 cups pure cream
16-20 Butter crisps

Grease a 1.5 liter terrine or loaf tin, then line with plastic wrap leaving enough overhanging to cover the ice cream, place in the freezer to chill.

Puree the raspberries in a blender, then press through a sieve into a bowl, discard the seeds. Put aside then repeat with the blackberries.

With an electric beater beat the egg yolks, sugar and corn flower until thick and pale. Place the milk in a heavy based saucepan and heat to just before boiling point. Slowly add the milk to the egg mixture whilst stirring. Return the mixture to the saucepan constantly stirring cook on low heat till the mixture forms custard, about 3-4 minutes.

Divide the custard into 3 bowls, while still hot. Add the chocolate to one, raspberries to the next and blackberries to the last. Cover the surface with baking paper so a skin doesn’t form, place the bowls in the fridge.

When the mixtures have cooled whip the cream to form peaks and divide into the 3 bowls, folding into the mixtures. Churn the blackberry mixture in an ice cream maker, once the ice cream forms press into your prepared terrine, let freeze for two hours. Keep the other two mixtures in the fridge.

Then churn the chocolate mixture then spread over the blackberry ice cream, allow to set for two hours, and then repeat with the raspberry mixture. Then cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and allow to set for at least 4 hours if not over night.

To serve, unwrap the terrine and turn out the ice cream onto a board. Cut 3 cm thick slices then place between two butter crisps and cut any overhanging corners, put these in a bowl for latter. Serve immediately! The ice cream will keep for a week.

Edible Art: Volcano Flambe

2011-02-06T10:46:00.001-05:00

I post a lot of things in the Edible Art series that, although they are, indeed, edible, you probably wouldn't want to actually eat them. Let's face it. Most of these art pieces are probably covered with all sorts of chemical sprays to keep them looking pretty and, really, they aren't meant to be consumed. That said, I feel fairly comfortable in saying that this is the first genuine Edible Art post that I've done because it's a dessert you can actually eat and order off the menu!

A collaboration between artist Marina Abramovic and Park Avenue Winter’s executive chef, Kevin Lasko, the Volcano Flambe turns the dessert course into a performance piece. This sweet concoction, which is sort of like a kicked up version of the classic Baked Alaska, consists of dark chocolate ice cream, meringue, and banana mousse that is covered with gold leaf and topped with spun sugar. Put all of this onto a a cookie crumb base, add a little flame of rum, and, voila, you have a Volcano Flambe! Not only is it beautiful to look at, but before the dessert is placed in front of you, you are instructed to don a lab coat and put on a pair of head phones to enhance the experience. Through the headphones, you hear Marina Abramovic telling you to close your eyes and breathe, which is actually really great advice to give someone before they start eating. It probably allows you to enjoy your food more! If this all sounds good to you, head over to Park Avenue Winter in New York City, where, for $20 you can eat art. The Volcano Flambe will only be available until March 20th, but there will be more artist/chef collaborations at Park Avenue (enter season here) in the future.

Photos by Diane Bondareff, courtesy Park Avenue and Creative Time

Heirloom Recipe Card Box

2011-01-31T09:43:00.000-05:00

I've always wanted a recipe box, but I have yet to start the transfer from printouts to cards. It's just so easy these days to print a recipe or to keep them all stored on your hard drive that the idea of moving everything over to recipe cards seems like a daunting task. I would like to do it someday, though, and these recipe boxes from Rifle Paper Co. are exactly what I have in mind. They remind me of my mother's recipe box: wooden, sturdy, simple. At $125 a piece they are more than a bit pricey, but that's because each box is made by local craftsmen from locally salvaged hardwood (trees that were destined for landfills), so your recipe box will not only be totally unique, but also, a little bit, green. Click here for more info. {Thanks, Rose!}

Edible Art: Jell-O Town

2011-01-24T19:23:00.000-05:00

I’m not a fan of Jell-O. I’ve never liked it, not even as a kid. It never really satisfied me as a dessert and, flavorwise, it has always struck me as boring, but Jell-O as an art form, now that’s something that I can get behind and artist Liz Hickok would be just the gal to do it!

Liz is a San Francisco-based artist who transforms Jell-O, the humble dessert of childhood, into fun, colorful cityscapes, complete with wobbly buildings and edible bridges. San Francisco, New York, Wilmington. Liz has constructed each one out of Jell-O. She’s even turned the fictional town of Twin Peaks into a Jell-O paradise, a fact that makes me love her even more.

Sweet Testing: Chocolate Coffee Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache

2011-01-18T17:48:00.005-05:00

I’ve always wanted to make a drippy cake. (I know that’s not the technical term. Is there a technical term?) For some time now, I’ve been obsessed with cakes that feature dark, chocolaty drips down their sides, so when I saw this cake in the new Baked cookbook, I knew that I had to try it! I’ll admit it. I was a little intimated. I am no Martha Stewart when it comes to presentation, but I think it turned out really well! And it was delicious, too! Seriously yum! It was definitely worth the effort. If you’re not a fan of coffee flavored sweets, have no fear. The coffee flavor is really subtle . . . and I hate coffee.

You can find the complete recipe for the Chocolate Coffee Cake after the jump.

Chocolate Coffee Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache (from Baked Explorations)

For the classic chocolate cake

3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup sour cream
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I used butter, instead.)
1 1/2 cups sugar (I cut the sugar by 1/4 cup)
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbs vanilla extract

For the coffee buttercream

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (I cut the sugar by 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (three sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbs coffee extract (I used strong coffee, instead.)

For the chocolate glaze

8 oz good quality (60-72%) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbs light corn syrup

Assembly

10-12 chocolate covered espresso beans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter three 8 inch round cake pans, line them with parchment paper, and butter the parchment, Dust the parchment with flour and knock out excess flour.

In medium bowl, mix the cocoa powder and sour cream with 1 1/4 cups hot water and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes – the mixture will appear to string or ribbon throughout the bowl. Add the sugars and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 more minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing about 10 to 15 seconds after each addition until the egg is incorporated into the mixture. Then turn the mixer to low, add the vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.

Beginning with the dry ingredients, add the dry mixture and the cocoa mixture to the mixer bowl in three alternating parts, ending with the dry. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Use an offset spatula to level the batter. Bake the cakes for 35-40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 30 to 45 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the rack and let them cool completely. Remove the parchment.

Make the coffee buttercream

In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool (this takes about 7-9 minutes; however, you can speed up the process by pressing bags of frozen berries or frozen corn around the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl). Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about another 1-2 minutes.

Add the vanilla and coffee extracts and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.

To assemble the cake

Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface, and evenly spread about 1 1/4 cups frosting on top. Add the next layer, trim and frost it, then add the third layer. Spread a very thin layer of frosting over the sides and top of the cake and put it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to firm up. (This is known as the crumb coating and will help you keep loose cake crumbs under control when you frost the outside of the cake.) Spread the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate it for 15 minutes to firm it up.

Make the chocolate glaze

Place the butter, chocolate, and corn syrup in the top of a double boiler. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir the glaze to release excess heat.

Glaze the cake

Slowly pour about 3/4 of a cup of the glaze over the cake. Use a small offset spatula to smooth it out to the edges. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to set the glaze. Remove from the refrigerator and slowly pour the rest of the glaze over the cake. It should run down the sides in thick streams. You should be able to control the size and length of the streams by the pour. Feel free to experiment, and have no fear in playing around. This is the fun part, and there is no right or wrong way. Garnish with chocolate covered espresso beans. Chill the entire cake for approximately 20 minutes, or until glaze is set, then transfer to a cake plate. Serve at room temperature.

(Tip from me: Just pour the chocolate slowly and help push it to the edges with a spoon. If you just give it a little push, it should slide over the rim of the cake and down the sides. That worked for me, anyway!)

The cake can be stored, covered in a cake dome or cake saver, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Cooking with Photoshop

2011-01-12T20:27:00.000-05:00

I’ll admit it. Sometimes it takes me all day to bake a cake. I don’t know if that’s because the desserts I enjoy making tend to be more complicated or if I’m just really slow in the kitchen, but either way I thoroughly enjoyed watching this creative stopmotion video, Cooking with Photoshop, by artist Maya Rota Klein. Not only does it make baking look so easy, but it was made doubly entertaining by the fact (and I’m sure most food bloggers would agree) that I’m constantly processing photos and therefore do often feel like I’m cooking with Photoshop! If only baking were that easy! (Thanks, Lotta!)

The Mixing Bowl: Chocolate Macarons by Marina Ekroos

2010-12-29T21:03:00.002-05:00

I was first introduced to the photographer Marina Ekroos while researching info on the Ikea cookbook, Homemade is the Best. I came across a comment by someone, saying that the photographs in that book reminded him/her of the work of Marina Ekroos. Who is this Marina Ekroos? I wondered. I quickly googled her name, found her Web site, and instantly feel in love with her work. Apparently, other people have, too, as there have been a slew of articles written about Marina in the past few months. Most of them mention the similarity between her photos and the Ikea images, and, more importantly, the fact that Maria was creating minimalist aerial food photos long before the Ikea cookbook was ever released. In addition, Marina’s amazing photographs do not only capture the ingredients used in a dish, like the Ikea photos, but also the process, and the finished product. A complete recipe all in one photo! So beautiful and clever! That said, I was, of course, so happy when she agreed to shoot a recipe for us! Those chocolate macarons look delicious and I adore the little guide underneath! Thanks, Marina! To check out more of Marina’s wonderful work online, click here.

[If you need help converting the measurements, click here for a nifty conversion calculator. Recipe adapted from Nohanna.]

Peacock Lollipop Holder

2010-12-20T20:58:00.001-05:00

This lollipop holder by Jonathan Adler is totally impractical, but I think I love it. You certainly couldn’t keep the lollipops unwrapped, unless you were having a party or something, and they would be eaten quickly. If you left them naked for weeks at a time they would get all sticky and covered with dust. Yuck! Still, I really like the idea and the retro style of the peacock. It’s sort of like an updated take on the candy dish. J. Adler is the best. He always makes such cheery things. I hope everyone has a great holiday! :-) --Erin

Sweet Testing: Salt & Pepper Tree Cookies and Peppermint Deer

2010-12-12T11:03:00.003-05:00

I love the holidays. I’ll admit, the preparation stresses me out, but the actual celebration, is always my favorite time of the year, so when Urban Outfitters asked me to contribute a holiday recipe for their blog, my mind immediately started swimming with ideas! At the time, I had just gotten the new (and fabulous) Baked cookbook, Baked Explorations, and I was itching to try one of the recipes. It didn’t take me long to select their salt and pepper sandwich cookies for the first half of my post, and, boy, was I glad that I did! These cookies are amazing. I literally took one bite and then, for a minute straight, said nothing but, oh, my god, these are so good. Oh, my god, these are so good. OH, MY GOD, these are sooo good! They were really flavorful, like a little party in your mouth. Everyone else seemed to love them, too. Well, except for a friend of mine that doesn’t like salt, but he’s a weirdo.

For the second half of my dessert, I went straight to my mom’s recipe for white chocolate peppermint bark. My mom has been making these yummy treats for xmas since I was little and they always bring back such fond childhood memories. I changed it up a bit by using deer molds, instead of the traditional bark form. I hope you enjoy it! [A special thank you to my mom, MB, and Tiesha for taking the time to help me out!] To view the Urban Outfitters post and step-by-step photos, click here. You can find the recipes after the jump.

Salt-N-Pepper Sandwich Cookies

Adapted from Baked Explorations

Ingredients

for the cookies

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel (basically sea salt)
• 2 teaspoons white pepper
• ¼ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona, which is what I used)
• 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, cool but not cold
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 ounces good quality dark chocolate, melted

for the filling

• 5 ounces vegetable shortening, room temperature (if you don’t like using shortening, replace with butter)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks, at room temperature
• 3 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon light rum

Cookies

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, fleur de sel, pepper, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and beat until uniform in color. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again for 10 seconds.

3. Add half of the dry ingredients and beat for 15 seconds. Again, scrape down the bowl, add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated.

4. Loosely shape the dough into two balls, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

6. Unwrap one ball of dough and divide into two equal portions. Place the first portion on a lightly flour-dusted surface and return the other half to the fridge.

7. Use your hands to knead the dough until pliable and form into a small disc. Roll the dough into a ¼-inch-thick round. I will still be slightly sticky, so you may have to flip and lightly flour it a few times while you work. Transfer cut cookies to cookie sheets, leaving about one inch of space around each cookie.

8. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with a little extra fleur de sel, and then bake them for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through the baking time. The tops of the cookies will look a bit dry and possibly cracked. Place the baking sheets on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.

Vanilla Filling

9. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening and butter until lump-free and smooth. Add the sugar in three parts, mixing each part until just combined. Add the salt, vanilla, and rum and beat again for 10 seconds. The filling should be thick, but spreadable (like the inside of an Oreo). If it is too thick, add a drop or two of water as needed. If the mixture is too thin, add a few tablespoons of confectioners' sugar.

Assemble the Cookies

10. Use a pastry bag or small spoon or knife to apply about 2 tablespoons of filling to the flat side of a cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat. Let them set up for about 15 minutes before serving. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days.

White Chocolate Peppermint. This recipe is pretty simple. Actually, there isn’t really a recipe per se. Here is all you need to do:

As a guideline, you can combine 1 lb. of chocolate with 1 large candy cane stick (or 3 regular-sized candy canes), but it really depends on how much peppermint you want to use.

White Chocolate. Chocolate discs work best or you can chop some white chocolate. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.

Peppermint. Place candy canes in a zip lock bag. Smash candy canes with rolling pin or other blunt instrument. Keep pounding away until all that’s left are small pieces or larger pieces if that’s what you’re into. The super thick candy cane sticks work best for this, but the thinner, traditional candy canes work as well. Combine peppermint with melted chocolate. Pour into molds. Smooth top with knife. Freeze until solid.

The Mixing Bowl: English Apple Cake by Pigeon Post

2010-12-06T19:04:00.000-05:00

It’s been quite a while since we’ve had a Mixing Bowl post (sorry about that!), so I’m super excited about today’s recipe and I’m especially thrilled that it’s from Pigeon Post! Created by Studio Tipi founders Keith-yin Sun and Judi Chan, Pigeon Post is inspired by both folk art and mid-century design. They produce utterly original work that is both classic and modern at the same time (with a touch of whimsy thrown in for good measure)! There is quality of surreal familiarity in their illustrations that I adore, so, of course, I was really glad that they agreed to share a wonderful seasonal recipe with us this month!

From Pigeon Post: We love cakes. And as the cold winter starts to set in nothing beats a freshly baked, nicely spiced, traditionally flavoured good old slice of cake. This recipe from Nigel Slate, one of our favourite food writers, is not only simple and easy to follow, but it never fails to deliver amazing results.

I love too many of their illustrations to include them all here, so I’ll just send you to their Web site so you can check out the full collection, including their collaborations with the Art Gallery of Alberta. You can also click here to visit their Etsy store. Dessertgirl readers can get an extra 10% off at the Pigeon Post shop by entering the discount code HOHOHO2010 at checkout (valid until December 17th).

You can find the complete recipe after the jump. Happy baking!

English Apple Cake from Nigel Slater’s The Kitchen Diaries
If you need help converting the measurements, click here for a nifty conversion calculator.

130g butter
130g brown sugar
3-4 medium apples
juice of half a lemon or lime
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 eggs
130g flour
1 tsp baking powder
*best, of course, to use all organic and/or locally produced ingredients

Set the oven at 180 °C/Gas 4. Line the base of a square 24cm cake tin, about 6cm deep, with a piece of baking parchment.

Put the butter and caster sugar into a food mixer and beat till light and fluffy. Whilst this is happening, cut the apples into small chunks, removing the cores as you go and dropping the fruit into a bowl with the juice of the half lemon. Toss the apples with the cinnamon and brown sugar.

Break the eggs, beat them with a fork, then gradually add them to the butter and sugar. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold them gently into the mixture. Scrape into the lined cake tin.

Put the spiced apples on top of the cake mixture, then scatter with the breadcrumbs and, if you wish, a little more brown sugar.

Bake for fifty-five minutes to an hour. The edges should be browning nicely and the centre firm.

Leave to cool for ten minutes or so before turning out. Eat warm.

Edible Art: A Matter of Taste

2010-11-28T12:08:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I made a silent vow, I am not buying any more clothes for at least a month! I don’t spend a lot of money on clothes, but my closet is pretty packed, so I try to restrain myself, every once in a while. In the meantime, I can get my shopping, and eating kicks, between the pages of Fulvio Bonavia’s photography book A Matter of Taste. In the book, Bonavia combines fashion and food by recreating classic accessories out of edible parts. Among Bonavia’s creations are a pair of chocolate earrings, a blueberry handbag, and a sardine bracelet. It’s an incredibly creative undertaking full of color and humor. I love it! I’ve only included the dessert-related images in this post, but you really should head over to his site to check out the additional photos. The prosciutto (?) ring is a must see . . . although I’m still not certain if it’s made out prosciutto or something else! [Thanks, Cassie!]

Inspiration Board: Thanksgiving

2010-11-21T09:34:00.002-05:00

A quick Thanksgiving Inspiration Board for everyone in the States. The holiday season sort of snuck up on me this year. Maybe because of all the warm weather that we've been having. Woo hoo! Even if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I must insist that you click on the link to the Pies and Tarts slideshow that appeared on the New York Times Web site earlier this week. (See Rye Pecan Pie below.) So many amazing pies for Thanksgiving or any time of the year. I swooned a little bit while looking at it. I want to make each and every one! Happy Thanksgiving!

[Pictured above] Thanksgiving Turkey Cake from Chow. It's the turkey, the sweet potatoes, and the mashed potatoes all in one. Plus, it looks like a cake! It reminds me a lot of the retro sandwich loafs that I wrote about earlier this year.

Thanksgiving Day Cookies by Eleni's ($65). Sooo cute! Check out the texture on the one in the upper left-hand corner.

Rye Pecan Pie from The New York Times. Perhaps, the most beautiful pecan pie ever! The crust is just gorgeous. Be sure to check out the Apple Green-Chili Pie as well for a unique spin on the classic dessert.

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake from Woman's Day. I love a cake with distinct layers.

Photography: Chocolate Indulgence

2010-11-15T17:21:00.000-05:00

These two photographs have a couple of things in common. Not only do they both feature mouths drenched in chocolate, but they both have a sort of creepy, horror movie vibe about them, while at the same time touching on themes of addiction and sexuality. They both show the darker side of chocolate, so to speak. The side that isn’t just sweet and happy. The side that’s a little freaky. The top one by Brittanie Pendleton is definitely a bit vampiresque, while the bottom pic, by photographer Phillip Toledano, actually reminds me a little bit of the Joker from Batman, one part scary, one part silly fun.

This Charming Candy

2010-11-08T12:55:00.001-05:00

When Kate and Susan from This Charming Candy first sent me the link to their Etsy shop, my first thought was, hmmm . . . these lollipops sort of remind me of the suckers that they used to have at the doctor's office when I was a kid. They looked so simple and unassuming. But as we all know, looks can be deceiving. It didn't take me long to realize that I had, indeed, been wrongly stereotyping the This Charming Candy pops, once I caught a glimpse of the flavors: Pistachio-Marshmallow? Vanilla-Cardamom? Apple-Anise? These were definitely not doctor's office lollipops!

The more time I've spent looking at the pics of Kate and Susan's lollies on their Etsy site, the more I've come to love their sweet retro charm. I also really like fact that these lollipops are handmade in small batches and contain only a few ingredients, so you definitely feel like you're getting something that's way more fresh and special than, well, doctor's office lollies! To check out the full selection of This Charming Candy lollipops and to shop online, click here.

Salon du Chocolat Fashion Show

2010-11-02T19:33:00.002-04:00

The world famous Salon du Chocolat took place in Paris last weekend, the latest stop in the festival's year long jaunt around the globe. Chocolatiers, chocolate producers, and chocolate fans descended upon the city for five days of exhibitions, demonstrations, and oh, yeah, chocolate . . . as far as the eye can see. Oh, course, my favorite part of Salon du Chocolat, whether it's in Paris, Madrid, or Tokyo, is the chocolate fashion show! That's when you get to see models strut their stuff wearing oodles and oodles of chocolate jewelry, hats, and clothing. Seriously, it’s fashion and chocolate. What’s not to love?? My favorite outfit by far was the dress by chocolatier Patrice Chapon (see below). Totally breathtaking!

The Salon du Chocolat fashion shows, are held in major cities throughout the year. The U.S. version takes place in New York November 11-14. You can find more info right here.

If your interested in seeing pastry chefs creating fashion out of chocolate, check out the Edible Fashion episode of Bravo's Top Chef: Just Desserts. A recent challenge featured the chefs creating chocolate outfits and I was super impressed with the results! For more info, click here.

{Photos courtesy of the Salon du Chocolat}

Enjoy Cupcakes

2010-10-27T18:25:00.000-04:00

I know that the whole dessert truck trend probably reached it's peak last summer, but I'm a sucker for all things cute and vintage, so I couldn't resist posting this pic of the adorable cupcake trailer used by Enjoy Cupcakes. Actually, this particular trailer isn't the usual food truck that roams the streets of a large city looking for customers. Instead, it parks itself right in the middle of your wedding reception, baby shower, birthday celebration, or any other party event that you can think of! Unlike a more traditional party, where, usually, the food trailer is hidden from view, Enjoy Cupcakes puts it's vintage Shasta trailer front and center.

But, wait, it gets even better! Enjoy Cupcakes offers over 170 different cupcakes flavors AND the flavor combinations are actually original and interesting. For instance, there is a HUGE selection of wine cupcakes, like Tart Ginger Lime Chardonnay and Caramel Pinot, as well as other mouth watering options like Pumpkin Smores, Chocolate Churro, and Chocolate Salted Peanut Buttery Caramel Crunch. Did I mention that they have cake, too?

If you are interested in hiring Enjoy Cupcakes for an event, you can find more info on their Web site. They also have two storefronts in California, one in Los Olivos and the other in Solvang. If you don't live in California, but would still like to sample their sweets, you can have cupcakes shipped straight to your door. Click here for more info on how to order.

Will Cotton

2010-10-21T16:50:00.000-04:00

Ladies and gentleman, I love Will Cotton's work. How much do I love it? So much so that it's frankly ridiculous that I haven't written about him before now. Alas, there are so many sweet things to write about and so few hours in the day! Anyway, I've finally gotten around to putting something together and now, without further ado, I am very happy to present my Will Cotton post!

Will Cotton, an American painter and artist, is the current king of dessert art. He creates glorious landscapes filled with cotton candy clouds, candy cane houses, and nude female figures. Drawing inspiration from such diverse sources as pin-up girls, Dutch medieval poetry, and the children's game Candy Land, Cotton uses classical painting techniques to create an enchanting world where human desire is at the forefront. I love the surreal and dream-like elements of his work and, well, of course, the candy! All this sweet stuff isn't just in his head, either. He actually uses real baked goods, making a lot of the desserts that appear in his work.

Some of you may recognize Cotton's work from the cover of Katy Perry's California Gurls album, which features a painting he did of Perry. He was also the artistic director behind her video for "California Gurls," which is filled with loads of classic Cotton imagery. Click here to check out more of Cotton's work online.

Square Cupcakes

2010-10-15T12:12:00.001-04:00

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to here it, does it make a sound? If a cupcake is square and not round, is it still a cupcake? These are just a couple of life's deepest philosophical questions that have been plaguing humanity for generations. In my opinion, the answer to both questions is "yes," but I know that there are probably many of you out there that would disagree. Is a square cupcake still a cupcake or is it just a piece of cake? Does the roundness of a cupcake make for easier eating? Does the shape matter? Certainly, the folks at Cupcakes Squared, a bakery in San Diego, have no problem with changing the shape of the traditional cupcake, considering that their store is filled with, not round, but square cupcakes! Some may consider this to be a bit blasphemous, but not me. I'd try one of their square cupcakes any day! Especially the Pistachio Pomegranate . . . mmmm. If you would like to try your hand at making your own square cupcakes, check out the resources below.

Wilton Square Silicon Baking Cups

Fat Daddio's Square Muffin Pan

Square Baking cups from Baking Idea

Sweet Testing: Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream

2010-10-09T11:42:00.001-04:00

Yes, it's true. It's another Baked cake. I know. You're shocked, right? Actually, I've been wanting to make this cake ever since I first got Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. Every time a birthday or a holiday or some other cake-required celebration comes around, I put it on a list of suggestions and it always gets overlooked! So, when I was asked what kind of cake I wanted for my bday, I immediately picked this one! And I was so glad that I did! So, so yummy! One cake eater/red velvet fan said that it was the best red velvet cake that she have ever had! I have to admit, though, that I liked it a whole lot better the next day. The cinnamon seemed much stronger. I don't know if that's because the flavors needed time to percolate or if I had just eaten too much food prior to cake time. Then again, I often tend to like baked goods more the next day, but that's just me and my weirdness.

You can find the complete recipe for Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream after the jump.

Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream (adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking)

INGREDIENTS

Cake Layers:
1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red gel food coloring (see note below)
1/4 cup boiling water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cinnamon Frosting:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Decoration:
Red Hots (cinnamon imperials) candies

PREPARATION

Red Hot Velvet Cake Layers:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and boiling water. Set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Stir the buttermilk and vanilla into the cooled cocoa mixture. Sift the flour and salt together into another medium bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, to the egg mixture in three separate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until incorporated. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda and stir until the baking soda dissolves; the mixture will fizz. Add to the batter and stir until just combined.

4. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.

Cinnamon Frosting:

1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.

2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; beat until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.

Assemble the cake: Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread about 1 1/4 cups of the frosting on top. Top with the next layer, trim and frost the top, then add the third layer. Put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish the cake with the Red Hots and refrigerate again for 15 minutes.

Note: Resist the urge to add extra food coloring to this recipe to achieve a redder cake. Subtlety is a virtue here. The purpose is not to turn the cake or the tongues of the cake eaters a radioactive color. The red in this recipe should be sly, smoky, bricklike, and restrained.

Homemade is Best by Ikea

2010-10-03T10:13:00.001-04:00

Hel-lo gorgeous! That's what I thought when I first saw the photos from Ikea's new baking book Hembakat är Bäst (Homemade is Best). These beautiful images, taken by photographer Carl Kleiner and styled by Evelina Bratell, were inspired by high fashion and Japanese minimalism are Ikea's attempt to break from traditional food photography by focusing on the ingredients, instead of the finished product. The 140-page coffee table book contains 30 classic Swedish baking recipes, including Schackrutor, which Petra Borner was so kind to make us last year. The only bummer in all this is that Hembakat är Bäst is apparently only available in Ikea stores in Sweden and only for a limited time. Ikea, you're such a tease! If you'd like to see more from this colorful and interesting cookbook, Ikea's advertising agency is featuring pics on it's Web site, right here. Also, click here to view images on photographer Carl Kleiner's Web site.

Edible Art: Sweet Bed

2010-09-27T11:47:00.000-04:00

The artist Brusse is all about love. Street art, installations, mixed media pieces all examining and exploring the subject of l-o-v-e. He's done a lot of interesting pieces over the years, but, personally, the piece that I can't get enough of his candy-inspired "Love Injection" bed. And I'm not even a romantic person! Actually, squash that. I am a romantic person. I'm just not attracted to romance in the traditional sense (i.e. candlelit dinners, boxes of chocolates, stuffed bears), but something about this makes me go awwww. Maybe it's the sugar. All I know is that I'd much prefer candy on my sheets than rose petals, although it would probably be a good idea to buy some cheap white sheets that you could toss (or use as rags) if they stained. To check out more of Brusse's love work, you can visit his Web site, right here.

Fig & Kindle

2010-09-21T20:45:00.000-04:00

Sarah Goldschmidt over at Fig & Kindle recently sent me a link to her Etsy shop and boy, am I glad that she did! Her glass brittles may be the most gorgeous brittles that I have ever seen and the flavors are so creative! This isn't your ordinary peanut brittle. At the Fig & Kindle shop you'll find walnut rosemary, saigon cinnamon, and wasabi pea brittle! I don't know which one I would want to sample first! There are also cocoa cinnamon and almond anise cookies available in their Etsy shop as well. Yum! Besides all of the eye candy, personally, I have a hard time resisting anything with the word "fig" in the title. Love the word...love the fruit! Sarah's brittles (and more) are available right here. Click here to check the Fig & Kindle blog as well. [Thanks, Sarah!]

Inspiration Board: Candy

2010-09-15T18:16:00.001-04:00

Oh, wow! Do I love this cake or what?? When I first came across this Rock Candy Cake on Style Me Pretty, I thought, that is the greatest wedding cake I have ever seen. Okay, I admit it, I probably have said that about other cakes in the past, and I think I said it again when I saw the Dots Cake featured below, but it's definitely one of my favorites. It's beautiful and fun and simple all at the same time. Who knew that rock candy could look so sophisticated! If I attended a wedding and there was a Rock Candy Cake, I'd be a happy girl. Seeing this cake actually inspired me to do a little research to find other ways in which candy can be used as a design element in food and this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it! {Rock Candy Cake by Cocoa + Fig, photo by Red Ribbon Studio}

Candy Dots Cake, by Lochel’s Bakery, courtesy of Philadelphia Wedding

Gumball Cake by A Sweet Design

Heston Blumenthal’s Popping-Candy Chocolate Cake by Chubby Hubby {This cake is amazing, but if you'd like a simpler approach to incorporating Pop Rocks in your desserts, try sprinkling it on top of a cake or cupcake.}

Kitchen Stickers by Hu2 Design

2010-09-08T17:44:00.000-04:00

I think my love of wall stickies is probably rooted in my childhood love of stickers, but, really, I think that it's the way that they easily transform an otherwise boring room that makes me a fan. I love the idea of completely changing a wall without the use of paint or stencils. These playful stickers by Hu2 Design would work perectly in a kitchen or dinning area. I espeically like the one titled Essential Dessert Recipes. It's a design element and a cookbook all in one! Click here to shop the Hu2 sticker collection online.

Edible Art: Paul Wayne Gregory

2010-09-03T17:24:00.000-04:00

I have a major weakness for chocolate sculpture. Don't ask me why. Probably because it combines two of my favorite things: art and food! So, of course, I'm loving these amazing pieces by chocoltaire Paul Wayne Gregory, despite the fact that the chocolate bust pictured above reminds me of the clay head in Lionel Richie's amazingly bad Hello video.

If you'd like to chocolate sculpture of yourself or your loved one, Paul is available for comissions. He'll even do a full body version, if that's what you're into. If you like your chocolate on a much smaller scale, you can order Paul's award winning Pure Indulgence chocolate box, which includes a chocolate made out of popping candy, along with other sweets via his Web site. As an added bonus, you'll be happy to know that Paul's candy is made without any artificial food flavorings or artificial compounds and a minimal percentage of sugars. Woo hoo! Click here to check out more of Paul's work and to shop online.

Blast From the Past: Cakes Men Like

2010-08-30T20:38:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it’s the little things that just make my day. I came across the silliest and corniest cover for this little cake booklet from 1953 and instantly became obsessed with it. It's so hilariously awful and so perfectly vintage, I knew that I had to find out more! Turns out these babies were printed in the early fifties for either GM or Western Electric employees. Cakes Men Like is actually part of a series of "how to please your man" cookbooks. Some of the other titles include Pies Men Like, Desserts Men Like, Meat . . . Men Like. Men, men, men! Man, I am sooo glad that I did not have to put up with that crap and am able to laugh about it now.

I don't know how well they researched these cakes, though. Apparently, they think that midcentury men like pink cakes. Would Don Draper request a pink cake from Betty? Does Betty know how to make a cake? Hmmm. Find out in next week's exciting episode! Click here to get a free copy of Cakes Men Like on Scribd. Enjoy!

Sweet Testing: Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

2010-08-24T20:17:00.006-04:00

I have had a craving for a Peanut Butter and Banana Creme Pie for a long time, ever since I first heard about it last year, so I was really happy when my father picked this as his dessert of choice during a recent visit. I was doubly happy when I searched the internet for a recipe and discovered that my favorite bakery, Baked, has their own version of this delicious treat! And let me tell you . . . it was soooo good!! I cheated a little bit and used a Whole Foods brand gluten-free pie crust, which I highly recommend for people with gluten allergies. Usually, I don't really care for store bought pie crust, but this one is a definite winner AND it's gluten free! So, because I wanted to make the pie edible for people with gluten allergies and because I was short on time, I didn't end of making the vanilla wafer crust that goes with this recipe, but I'm sure the pie would be even more amazing with that added element, although it was pretty damn good without it! For that reason, I can't really speak to the ease of the crust preparation, but the filling was super easy to assemble and came together quite quickly. Easy and a total crowd pleaser. What's better than that?

(p.s. For Baked fans, another teaser video for the new cookbook has been released. It features one of my favorite things: baked goods with miniatures. To watch it, click here.)

(p.p.s. Sometimes I feel like every recipe I make is from Baked. Someone seriously needs to hide their cookbooks from me!)

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie (Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit. This recipe will also appear in Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented, which will be released October 1st.)

Ingredients

vanilla wafer crust (I used a Whole Foods brand gluten-free pie crust instead)
•6 ounces vanilla wafer cookies
•6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
•2 tablespoons sugar
vanilla pudding filling
•1/3 cup sugar
•1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
•1/8 teaspoon salt
•1 cup heavy whipping cream
•1/2 cup whole milk
•2 large egg yolks
•1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
•1 tablespoon unsalted butter
•4 firm but ripe bananas, peeled, divided
•3 tablespoons orange juice, divided

peanut butter layer
•3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
•1/2 cup powdered sugar
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
•2/3 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Preparation

vanilla wafer crust
•Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients in processor; blend until mixture resembles moist crumbs, about 1 minute. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish and press mixture onto bottom and up sides (not rim) of dish. Bake crust until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven; press crust with back of spoon if puffed. Cool crust completely.
vanilla pudding filling

•Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan until no lumps remain. Gradually whisk in cream, then milk. Add yolks and scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; whisk to blend. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until pudding thickens and boils, about 5 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Spread warm pudding in cooled crust. Chill until filling is cool, about 1 hour.

•Thinly slice 3 bananas on diagonal. Combine banana slices and 2 tablespoons orange juice in medium bowl; toss to coat. Transfer banana slices to paper towels and pat dry. Arrange enough banana slices in single layer over vanilla custard filling to cover completely.
peanut butter layer

•Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla, then peanut butter. Beat cream in another medium bowl until firm peaks form. Fold large spoonful of whipped cream into peanut mixture to loosen, then fold in remaining cream in 2 additions. Spread peanut butter layer evenly over bananas. Chill at least 3 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

•Thinly slice remaining banana on diagonal. Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon orange juice (to prevent fruit from browning), then pat dry with paper towels. Arrange banana slices around top edge of pie.

La Pâtisserie des Rêves

2010-08-17T18:25:00.003-04:00

First of all, I can't believe that I have written anything about Philippe Conticini's La Pâtisserie des Rêves yet! I've been meaning to do a post on this pastry shop since it opened last year in Paris, but, alas, like many things, it just kept slipping out of my memory. Anyway, I am in love with this shop! Not only are the desserts gorgeous (and I've heard tasty), but it's the way that the food is displayed that really gets me. At La Pâtisserie des Rêves each delicious pastry is treated like a work of art or, perhaps, a science experiment, and displayed beneath a bell jar. Each of the jars is temperature controlled based on the sweet contained inside, while a pulley system attached to the ceiling allows the jars to be raised and lowered. What fun! It's also a much easier way to view the desserts than having all the customers crowd around a display case at the counter. It really is a unique and creative shop, a fact that is not all that surprising when you consider that in 2005 pastry chef and owner Philippe Conticini wrote a cookbook titled Sensations Nutella, which is devoted entirely to, you guessed it, Nutella. For more info on La Pâtisserie des Rêves, click here.

Inspiration Board: Plaid

2010-08-09T09:18:00.000-04:00

Okay, I know that it's a little out of season to be talking about plaid, but I love these plaid desserts too much to wait until Fall! Besides, today I feel like breaking the rules! Just think of this as a Fall 2010 preview! I love all of these designs, but I have to say that the pink plaid cakes is my favorite one in the bunch! Very cute! Check out all the plaid dessert below to find your favorite. [Above: Chocolate Plaid Pear Cookies with Gold Leaves by Diane Drake]

Pattern Cookie Rounds: Plaid by Whipped Bakeshop

Plaid cupcakes: Cookies and Cream by Happy Little Cupcakes

Plaid Birthday Cake by dancerina

Isaac Mizrahi 8" Tartan Plaid Cheesecake by Junior's ($44)

Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits

2010-08-03T21:03:00.001-04:00

I know that right about now you're probably thinking, Erin, a chipotle biscuit doesn't really qualify as dessert. At first, I was thinking that exact same thing, but then I changed my mind. Here's why.

1) This recipe is from the Baked cookbook and 99% of the recipes in that book could be served as a dessert.

2) Biscuits are pretty much a dessert food. I mean they are a fairly large component of strawberry shortcake, which is undeniably, a dessert.

3) Biscuits are usually eaten with breakfast, most often with a sugary jam on top, and let's face it, unless you're eating bacon and eggs, breakfast is basically dessert.

So, there you have it. Even though we ate these biscuits during a meal and not after it, I think I've made a pretty strong case for including them on the dessert menu. The biscuits themselves were mighty yummy. The chipotle giving them a nice, comforting, smoky flavor. The only thing I would change the next time around would be to maybe use a little less chipotle powder. Baked actually recommends using less spice, if you don't have much heat tolerance. I went with the full dosage, and the chipotle powder that I used was fresh, so the biscuits ended up being a little too spicy for me. That said, they were so yummy that the fact that my mouth was a little burny didn't stop me from eating three of them! I just think it would have been a little more enjoyable with less powder, but it all depends on what you can handle.

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking (the bestest cookbook in the universe)

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chipotle powder (or 1 teaspoon if you prefer less spice)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups grated and tightly packed sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
Kosher salt for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pepper, chipotle powder, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and the 1 teaspoon of salt.

3. Add the butter and, using your hands or the back of a wooden spoon, work the butter into the dough. The mixture should look like coarse sand. Add the cheese and stir to thoroughly incorporate it into the dough.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

5. Use a small ice cream scoop or a 1/4-cup measuring cup to scoop the dough and drop it in mounds onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with kosher salt and bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean.

6. Transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack. The biscuits can be served slightly warm or at room temperature (we like them slightly warm).

7. Store the biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Edible Art: Share the Sweet

2010-07-30T13:03:00.002-04:00

I love it when I see something dessert related and within a few seconds I find myself smiling with delight. That's what happened to me recently when I first saw these wonderful candy designs by Norwegian designer Maria Tovslid. Titled Share the Sweet, Tovslid's series was created to change the way we read, interact with, and consume candy. The three pieces, the chocolate, the lollipop, and the licorice, are molded in such a way to draw attention to the experience of sharing. It's candy that not only makes sharing easy, but encourages it. What's better than that?? You can check out more of Maria Tovslid's work on her Web site, right here.

Bittersweet

2010-07-24T10:41:00.000-04:00

I love people who think creatively with food, who create new dishes and flavor combinations, who don't take food or themselves too seriously and therefore end up making food that stirs your emotions, whether they are making you smile or laugh . . . or gag. Rick at Bittersweet is just such a person. He has only been blogging for eight months, but he has already posted recipes for Cough Syrup Cupcakes, Candyland cake, Twinkie Milkshake, Tie Dye Tiramisu, Chocolate Mountain, Red Velvet Pancakes, and Apple Pie French Toast, just to name a few. I don't think there's ever been a cake, a pie, or a cookie on Rick's site that I didn't like. Okay, I'll admit that sometimes his ingredients scare me, but I admire his originality and the sense of fun he brings to each and every recipe! Always unique and unexpected, Bittersweet is definitely one of my favorite places to visit.

Cookbook Excitement

2010-07-21T18:45:00.000-04:00

I'm not a big buyer of "things," but if I have one weakness (besides clothes), it's baking cookbooks! I get them for xmas and birthdays and I buy them as gifts for myself. I'm even guilty of purchasing cookbooks and then never actually using them! They just sit on the shelf staring back at me. Needless to say, if there's one thing that I don't need, it's another cookbook. That said, there are a number of new cookbooks on the market right now that I'm super excited about. Here are just a few.

First up, Fat Witch Brownies: Brownies, Blondies, and Bars from New York's Legendary Fat Witch Bakery. Yes, that's right, you no longer have to go to NY in order to sample some Fat Witch goodness. Now you can make Fat Witch brownies, blondies, and bars right in your own kitchen! With over 50 recipes for everything from a Banana Bread Brownie to a Breakfast Brownie, you're bound to find the perfect brownie for you. (Releases September 2010).

For all of you out there who, like me, are fascinated with the current trend of alcohol-spiked desserts, there are two new cookbooks on the market to help inspire you. The first one, Booze Cakes, includes recipes for cakey desserts like Rum and Coke Whoopie Pies, White Russian Cupcakes, and Pink Champagne Cake, among others.

The second one, The Boozy Baker, was written by food writer, Lucy Baker (who also happens to be a co-writer for the Fat Witch Cookbook) and with 75 recipes it will cover all your drunken dessert needs. Inside the pages you will find recipes for Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract, Green Tea and Banana Cake with Sake Syrup, and Donut Bread Pudding with Tennessee Whiskey Sauce. Fancy!

The Mixing Bowl: Apricot Flaky Scones by Elisabeth Klos

2010-07-15T20:54:00.000-04:00

I'm a big fan of breakfast. Eggs, hash browns, pancakes, toast with jam. I love it all! I will admit, though, that on most mornings I'm strictly a granola gal (I don't even put milk on my cereal, although sometimes I'll add berries on top, if I have them on hand!). Every so often, though, I like to treat myself with a little breakfast delight. These apricot scones, brought to us by painter Elisabeth Klos, are the perfect something special for when you have guests over brunch or on days when a bowl of corn flakes just isn't going to do the trick!

Elisabeth Klos is a fantastic painter based in California who also just happens to have a whole series of oil paintings devoted to desserts! It's the perfect combination of art and sweets! I'm really taken with the doughnut painting, but there's also something about that crust on the pumpkin pie piece that I just love!

From Elisabeth: I love painting and drawing sweets/baked goods because they evoke such a warm, nostalgic, happy feeling in me and in most of my customers. The process works something like this: First I do a decoupage under the painting with packaging labels from old flour bags, sugar bags, Hershey bars, etc. (You can see the label in the scone painting - the Gold flour symbol to the left of the scones.) Then I usually do color blocking as a backdrop to a simple portrait of the dessert using oil paint. Sometimes I use a rubber stamp to put text under the dessert.

Elisabeth's paintings are available for sale on Etsy, right here. If you're looking for something specific for the dessert lover in your life, Elisabeth will take custom orders as well. I think it would be really fun to give an avid baker a personal portrait of their most famous dessert: mom's apple pie in oil! You can find contact info and more images on her Web site. Click here to check it out and here to view her blog.

You can find the complete recipe and more of Elisabeth's work after the jump. Thanks, Elisabeth!

Apricot Flaky Scones (from Baking for All Occasions, recipe courtesy of Food Gal)
(makes 12-14 scones)

For scones:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons moist dried apricots, finely diced to yield 3/4 cup
1/2 cup unsalted, shelled pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

For glaze:

2 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk
3 tablespoons turbinado or other raw sugar

Before baking: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

To make scones: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and whisk to blend. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter just until the majority of the butter chunks range in size from peas to coarse crumbs. Stir in the apricots and nuts, if using.

Stir orange zest into buttermilk, and drizzle half of the buttermilk evenly over the surface of the flour mixture. Toss lightly with a fork. Then add remaining buttermilk and toss until mixture comes together in a shaggy mass. If any areas remain dry, gradually add more buttermilk, 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time, tossing lightly to distribute the buttermilk. With lightly floured hands, transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface, shape into a rough, semi-cohesive mass, and knead gently about three times.

On the lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12 by 5-inch rectangle. Fold dough into thirds like a business letter; working from a short end, lift bottom one-third of the rectangle up over the center and then fold top third down to cover. This folding creates layers of dough and fat, so the scones will puff up slightly as they bake and will have a flaky texture. Roll out the dough again into a 14 by 5 1/2 by 3/4-inch rectangle. Transfer it to a baking sheet, place a piece of plastic wrap on top, and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, to rest and to partially chill the dough.

Carefully transfer the chilled dough to a cutting board. Cut small wedges with a sharp knife. You’ll have 11 to 13 of them, depending upon how large you cut them. Place wedges, about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. (Depending upon the size of your baking sheet, you might need to use two pans.) Gently press the 2 end pieces from the rectangle together to form a wedge, and add it to the others on the baking sheet.

To glaze scones: Brush tops of scones with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake scones until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature the same day they are baked.

Spaghetti Ice Cream

2010-07-09T17:18:00.003-04:00

Am I the only one that didn't know that ice cream shaped like spaghetti is like...a thing...in Germany? Yep, that's right. It's called spaghettieis (spaghetti ice) and it's not really noodles, but ice cream that has been pressed through a spaetzle press. To assemble, simply place the "noodles" over whipped cream, add strawberry sauce instead of tomato sauce and replace the cheese with white chocolate, coconut, or grated almonds and voila, you have spaghettieis. When I first saw it, I thought it was just another fondant-covered novelty dish, but I was wrong! It's actually well-known dessert in Germany and has been around since the 1960s! Want to try making it yourself? Click here for a recipe.

[Photo by Christian Cable]

The Mixing Bowl: Honey Joys by The Bunny Theory

2010-07-06T17:31:00.001-04:00

This week’s recipe is by talented Australian artist, Carmen Hui (The Bunny Theory) whose Web site Forgotten Fancies I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a few weeks ago. Carmen's site focuses on chronically the various "stuff" in her life through illustration. She attempts to attach a level of meaning to each object and describes any significance it may (or may not) have had on her life. It's a really interesting and creative take on excess and the idea of putting a value on "things." It definitely makes you think about all the crap that you own. Maybe even making you think twice before you add something new to your collection! Hmmm . . . what am I going to think of these bright yellow flats in ten years?

For her Mixing Bowl contribution, Carmen has send us a recipe for Honey Joys, which are made almost entirely out of Corn Flakes! You know how I love a recipe with nontraditional ingredients and this one sounds really interesting! Also, it's super simple and not labor intensive, at all! I hope you'll get a chance to try the recipe! Let me know what you think! To check out Carmen's Web site, click here. Thanks, Carmen!

Book-Cut Cake

2010-06-30T17:30:00.001-04:00

I’m a big fan of both paper-cut artist Su Blackwell and cake designer Kate Sullivan, so I was really excited to hear that Kate had created a cake based on Su's book-cut sculptures! (See pic at the end of the post for an example of Su's work.) The cake was designed by Kate as a thank you to the staff at her son's school. Such a great idea for a school party and it turned out so well! Great job, Kate!

Click here to check out Kate's blog and here to visit her Web site.

Edible Art: Lolli-Pop

2010-06-24T19:47:00.002-04:00

I'm not a fan of labels, but I do love the concept behind this new photo book, Lolli-Pop, by Italian photographer Massimo Gammacurta in which he takes iconic symbols from companies like Nike, Channel, Izod, and MTV and turns them into lollipops. The project actually began as a limited-edition art experiment by Gammacurta and became so popular that he was able to develop into an entire book filled with his colorful edible logos. I love stories like that and I love the way that the suckers poke a little fun at corporations that most of the time take themselves much too seriously.

For more images from the book, you can visit Gammacurta's Web site, right here. You can also order Lolli-Pop via the publisher by clicking here.

Star Wars Cookie Cutters & Pancake Molds

2010-06-21T18:30:00.000-04:00

In awesome cookie cutter news, Williams Sonoma has just introduced these new Star Wars cookie cutters! Featured in the set are cutter of Darth Vader, Yoda, Boba Fett, and a stormtrooper. Seriously, how much fun would it be to spend the afternoon making make Yoda and Darth Vader cookies??

And if that isn't enough, you can also buy these Star Wars pancake molds to complete your set. I imagine that both of these items are meant to entertain kids, but I know quite a few adults that would go gaga over them as well! Click here to check out the entire Star Wars collection!

The Mixing Bowl: Rhubarb and Fruit Pie by Eleanor Grosch

2010-06-18T19:00:00.001-04:00

I first came across the work of designer and illustrator Eleanor Grosch many, many years ago when she was simply PushMePullYou Design and had a little Web site where she sold her geometric animal prints and indie rock posters. Back then, Eleanor was one of my desktop favorites! I loved the strong lines and simplicity of her work and her illustrations were always in high rotation on my computer screen! One of my all-time faves! It was therefore only natural that I’d invite her to share a recipe with us here on The Mixing Bowl. I can't adequately express how excited I was when she actually agreed to the assignment and then sent along this amazingly simple recipe for Rhubarb and Fruit Pie! The cinnamon and rhubarb combination sounds delicious! I hope you'll give it a try!

Eleanor Grosch of PushMePullYou Design has worked for companies like Keds, Giro, and Urban Outfitters, as well as for musical acts like Wilco, Feist, and Death Cab for Cutie, among others. In addition, she also works as an interior design consultant and has a notecard series titled Flock that was released by Chronicle Books in 2008 (Yay, Chronicle).

If you love illustration like I do, be sure to check out Eleanor's Web site, right here. Thanks, Eleanor! You can find the complete recipe and more pics after the jump.

Rhubarb and Fruit Pie - makes 2 Pies

2 Pie Crusts (ready made!)
3 beaten eggs
1.25 cups sugar
1.5 cups strawberries chopped
1 cup nectarines chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
.25 cup flour
2 cups chopped rhubarb

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine eggs, sugar, flour, and spices in a bowl and mix them together
3. Mix fruits together with the eggs, sugar, flour, and spices.
4. Pour mix into pie crusts
5. Bake on 400 degrees for 45 mins.

Let's Get Baked

2010-06-15T18:03:00.004-04:00

I love this little teaser video for the new Baked cookbook, Baked Explorations, due out in October.

a) Their first cookbook, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, is my most favoritest cookbook in the whole wide world, so, of course, I'm just a little bit excited about the new one.

b) I love Olivia Newton-John. Really, who doesn't?

I was such a big ONJ fan as a kid, that, as an adult, I actually once said to someone "You’re a fake and a phony and I wish I never laid eyes on you." Yes, sometimes, I have the maturity level of a ten-year-old. Actually, now that I think of it, he may be the one person on the planet who doesn't like Olivia Newton-John!

To pre-order Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented, click here.

Vintage Chocolate Posters

2010-06-09T18:08:00.002-04:00

I can't even express how much I love, love, love this vintage chocolate poster by Hervé Moran for Lanvin! I'm a big fan of vintage advertisements, but this one has my name written all over it! So colorful and cute! After stumbling across this print the other night, I spent a good chunk of the rest of my evening searching the Internet for more vintage chocolate posters to ogle and awww over. I found a ton that I love, but this Red Riding Hood ad still holds the top spot in my heart. I've posted the rest of my favorites below. Images are either inexpensive reproductions from All Posters or prints from the International Poster Gallery ($200-$2000).

Sweet Testing: Chocolate Stout Layer Cake

2010-06-03T20:19:00.001-04:00

This is one of those cakes that has been on my "to do" list for a while now, but I only recently got around to making it! The whole beer dessert trend has been on the rise for a while now and the idea of putting beer into baked goods is not a new one, but, as I know quite a few beer fanatics that would smile big after being served a stout cake, it's still a topic that I wanted to cover. Besides, I think the beer dessert trend is still rising. I don't think we've reached the peak yet or that it's come to head, so to speak, so I think it's still relevant. :-)

The cake itself was really delicious! Sometimes a really tasty chocolate cake just hits the spot, you know, and this one had a really nice chocolaty flavor. I kept thinking of it as a very masculine cake, probably because of the beer and the color, but also because it's not overwhelming sweet cake, which was fine with me. Sometimes, too much sweetness ruins a cake. Oh, and it didn't taste at all like beer, but there isn't much beer in it, so I wasn't expecting it to. It was more about the fun of serving a beer cake than serving a cake that tastes like beer!

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Chocolate Stout Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting, adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

Cake
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup chocolate stout, regular stout, or porter (chocolate stout works the best, if you can find it)
2/3 cup freshly brewed coffee

frosting
1 pound bittersweet chocolate (54% to 60% cacao), chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

(Note from DG: Make sure that you use bittersweet, not dark chocolate, otherwise the frosting will be too bitter. If your store doesn't have bittersweet, simply add powdered sugar - about 1 1/3 cups and more cream to the dark chocolate until you get the desired taste/consistency that you want.)

CAKE PREPARATION
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of each cake pan with parchment paper round; butter and flour parchment. Place chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water and set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in large bowl until fluffy and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in lukewarm melted chocolate, then stout and coffee. Beat flour mixture into chocolate mixture in 2 additions just until incorporated.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in another medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into cake batter to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Divide batter between prepared cake pans (about 3 cups for each); smooth tops.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks and cool in pans 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; remove parchment paper and cool completely.

FROSTING PREPARATION

Place chopped chocolate in medium heatproof bowl. Combine whipping cream and espresso powder in medium saucepan. Bring cream mixture to simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Pour cream mixture over chopped chocolate; let stand 1 minute, then whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Chill chocolate frosting until slightly thickened and spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours (or for quick chilling, place frosting in freezer until thickened and spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes).

Using serrated knife, trim rounded tops from both cake layers so that tops are flat. Place 1 cake layer, trimmed side up, on 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round, then place on rack set over baking sheet. Drop 1 1/4 cups frosting by large spoonfuls over top of cake layer; spread frosting evenly to edges with offset spatula or butter knife. Top with second cake layer, trimmed side down. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake.

Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before serving.

The Mixing Bowl: Dutch Almond Cake by Alja and Her Mom

2010-05-31T21:16:00.001-04:00

Today my friend Alja is kind enough to be sharing her mother's delicious recipe for almond cake. Alja and her family moved from The Netherlands to the States when she was five and although she's been living in the U.S. for many years now, deep down, she'll always been a Dutch girl at heart. Every now and again she'll bring a special Dutch treat into the office, like these bread sprinkles or the almond cake, and I get super excited! What's really great about this cake is that it looks so unassuming, but, man, is it packed with a lot of yummy almond flavor. So humble and simple, sort of like modern Dutch architecture. :-) Thanks, Alja!

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

From Alja: My mom can make this cake half asleep, and I think she sometimes does. try it with a little real whipped cream!

1 stick butter
1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder
dust of salt
1/2 lb. almond paste

Melt butter, add sugar and egg, mix. Separately, mix flour and powder, add to ingredients. Fork in almond paste. Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Blast From the Past: Pistachio Cake

2010-05-26T18:41:00.004-04:00

I have been fixated on all things pistachio ever since I had a delicious pistachio cupcake at Sugar Sweet Sunshine last month. I always loved pistachio-flavored treats as kid (pistachio ice cream was my favorite flavor!), but somewhere along the line I stopped eating it. This may be, in part, because I grew up and started to become interested in trying new things, but also, I think, maybe, pistachio fell off the flavor charts in the dessert world. You really don't see pistachio ice cream that much anymore. Anyhoo, ever since I had that cupcake, I am all about the pistachio again! The mere thought of it makes me drool! Not pretty. So, in order to help curb my pistachio cravings, I decided to make an old school pistachio cake. You know, the kind that requires one box of cake mix and one box of instant Jello pudding mix.

The ingredients and the simplicity of the recipe totally brought me back to being a kid, especially when I smelled that pudding mix for the first time in ages. Such a wonderful, heavenly scent. It was definitely one of those scent/memory moments for me. I will say that making this cake was a bit surreal, not only because of the pistachio flashbacks, but because it required a boxed mix. I really, really, really, don't like boxed mixes. Don't get me wrong. They're yummy and all, but there are just too many ingredients in those things for my taste. I did manage to find a relatively harmless cake mix though, that was also gluten free: Betty Crocker's Gluten-free Cake Mix. The ingredient list on the box is short and recognizable and it was really good! You wouldn't even have known that it was gluten free! So moist and yummy! There could have been a bit more pistachio flavor in my opinion, although everyone else liked it. I've heard that you can buy pistachio paste for more intense flavor. Has anyone tried that?

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Pistachio Cake

1 pkg. white or yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding mix
3 eggs
1 c. club soda or water
1/2 c. oil
chopped nuts

Combine all ingredients in large mixer bowl, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and frost.

Frosting: There is an easy, Cool Whip frosting that usually goes with the classic pistachio cake recipe, but, because the cake is made almost entirely from mixes, I wanted to make my frosting from scratch.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread.

Ingredients/Grams/Ounces/Volume

Unsalted butter, slightly softened 312 11 1⅜ cups
Shortening 84 3 ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon
Sugar 300 10.58 1½ cups
Egg whites 150 5.30 From 5 large eggs
Light corn syrup 40 1.40 2 tablespoons
Kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ¼ teaspoon ¼ teaspoon
Vanilla extract 1¼ teaspoons 1¼ teaspoons 1¼ teaspoons

1. In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening together for 1 to 2 minutes, until they are light in color and texture but not too soft. Scrape this mixture into a different bowl and set it aside to use later. Clean the mixing bowl to use for the egg whites.

2. Combine the sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, and salt in the top pan of a double boiler. Heat over simmering water, stirring frequently, until the sugar granules have dissolved and the temperature on a food thermometer registers 140ºF. Transfer the whites to the clean mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer with a whip attachment, whip the whites on medium to medium-high speed until the mixing bowl feels just cool to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. The mixture should be white and fluffy and very thick.

3. Add the butter mixture and the vanilla to the egg white mixture and whip again, on medium speed, until the frosting has a smooth, creamy, spreadable texture, almost like stiff whipped cream, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. The frosting can be used immediately or stored in an airtight container at room temperature, but it should be used within 3 days. You may have to stir it briskly to re-fluff it if it’s been sitting for a long time.

A Wedding Carnival

2010-05-22T18:10:00.005-04:00

I don't know why, but every time I post something wedding related, I feel like I need to preface it by saying that I don't like weddings! I don't know why. Maybe because women and weddings are such a stereotype. So many people assume that all women are obsessed with weddings and I'm so not, never have been. For that reason, I feel like I have constantly justify wedding posts. It's if I want to say, I'm not posting this because I have a wedding fetish, but because it's totally awesome!!! :-) And as you can see it is . . . totally awesome! For a person that is not into the whole wedding thing, I went completely googly-eyed when I saw these pictures of Eunice and Daniel's wedding! Actually, my giddiness over these pictures made perfect sense to me once I discovered that Eunice, who is the co-founder and creative director of the fabulous design studio Hello! Lucky, drew inspiration for her wedding from one of my favorite photographers, the super-talented Tim Walker. Hello! Lucky + Tim Walker = me, swooning.

What do I love most about this wedding? The pie bar, of course. I love, love, love the trend in weddings to include a dessert table instead of or in addition to a traditional wedding cake. It's such a fun and homey idea! The wedding cake itself is quite cute as well, especially that silhouetted cake topper on top!

On the nondessert front, I can't get enough of the wedding platform that they used during the ceremony. Is that not the greatest wedding stage you've ever seen. Awww . . . this is definitely my dream wedding and for someone who doesn't even have a dream wedding, that's saying something!

I've only touched the tip of the party sweetness here, for more photos, see the Spring 2010 issue of Martha Stewart Weddings or just click here. You can also find more photos on the Hello! Lucky Web site, right here. [All images by Emily Nathan.]

Popbar

2010-05-18T19:52:00.001-04:00

Holy popsicle, Batman. Have you ever seen such beautiful popsicles in your entire life?? Me neither. You may have guessed already, but these cold treats from Popbar in NYC aren't any ordinary chin covering, corn syrup laden popsicles. Nope. These babies are made out of frozen gelato and sorbetto! While the ingredients are imported from Italy, all popsicles are made with real fruit and hormone-free milk at the store, and each and every one is Kosher certified, gluten free (except for the toppings, which may or may not contain gluten), and preservative free. Here's how it works: pick your flavor, dip in chocolate (dark, white, or milk), and add toppings (Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pistachios, Shredded Coconut, Coffee Grains, Granola, Biscotti, Brownie Chunks.) You get to mix and match flavors and toppings from among 25 rotating flavors. I don't know about you, but that pistachio PopGelato has my name written all over it!

Oh, and for those of you who think this all sounds vaguely familiar, Popbar is the American version of the Stick House chain in Italy. Click here for more info.