Daring Bakers November Challenge: Cannolis

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.

On a full stomach of turkey and cranberry stuff, I managed to fry up some cannolis and convince my equally satiated family members to taste test.


Pumpkin Cannolis...


black pumpkin seeds and chocolate shells with a real pumpkin and spice ricotta filling


Ginger Cannolis...


sugared ginger pieces and chopped ginger wafers top a ginger and vanilla spiced ricotta layered onto plain cannoli shells...

Cooking with the Copain: Scratch Made Corn Dogs

So just after we went to see AB we re-watched a few his episodes to keep the hysteria alive. Josh was particular smitten with the "Man Food" episode that begins as a ruse as Alton is pretending to show the male viewers how to impress their loved ones via fancy food and asks kindly that the women leave while the men are instructed. "It's a surprise!" As soon as the girls are "gone" he pulls a bottle of beer out of tall glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and macho fried food from under the quiche. Of course I didn't leave and we learned how to make homemade corn dogs.


We went and bought a gallon of peanut oil...and I feel like its coating my innards...


They were actually quite easy...but not so much on the stomach a few hours later.


We were going to wrap them up and take them on a picnic to Central Market Park however we didn't think they or our appetites would survive the trip, so we ended up on the front porch.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon peanut oil
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk ( it calls for this but a simple substitution is plain milk with a dash of vinegar)
  
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch, for dredging
• 8 beef hot dogs (I don't eat beef so we used turkey dogs!)

Directions:

Special equipment: 8 sets chopsticks, not separated

Pour oil into a deep fryer or large heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne pepper. In a separate bowl, combine the jalapeno, corn, onion, and buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once, and stir only enough times to bring the batter together; there should be lumps. Set batter aside and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Scatter the cornstarch into a dry pie pan. Roll each hot dog in the cornstarch and tap well to remove any excess.

Transfer enough batter to almost fill a large drinking glass. Refill the glass as needed. Place each hot dog on chopsticks, and quickly dip in and out of the batter. Immediately and carefully place each hot dog into the oil, and cook until coating is golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. With tongs, remove to cooling rack, and allow to drain for 3 to 5 minutes.

(recipe from AB on foodnetwork.com)

Just met AB

For those of you who are not foodnetwork saavy, that would be THE Mr. Alton Brown.


He was doing a book signing at Austin's downtown location of Whole Foods...


It was actually by pure chance we happened up on the marquis at Bookpeople while we were picking something up for Clover (family dog/sister) at REI...


it ends up her package was at the other REI uptown, thank goodness I forgot that little detail...


I'm so glad the boyfriend appreciates good food, and Good Eats, as much as I do...he had the great idea to watch each episode while reading the book at the same time.


Otherwise I would have missed out on one of the best afternoons ever! Alton wouldn't let me carry the books and made the boyfriend do it cause "chilvary's not dead." He also said he wants to move to Austin because no one gives you grief for wearing big cowboy hats here...

Slow Food Feast in the Field: Help Out Local Austin Ventures

Forget spaghetti dinners, though in reality spaghetti is never unwelcome, our local Green Gate Farms is hosting "Slow Food Feast in the Field" to help raise funds for the Austin Discovery School. This is a wonderful opportunity to eat local and fresh and help out your fellow half-pint Austinites. "Enjoy an evening of fresh local food and wine served on the farm under twinkling stars. Chef Jesse Bloom of Ecstatic Cuisine will be preparing a five course dinner paired with wines from Flat Creek Estates. Green Gate Farms is a small historic farm in East Austin. Come explore the grounds, participate in our silent auction, and sit down to a slow feast, fresh from the field."

Saturday, October 24, 2009 7:00 p.m.

Green Gate Farms, 8310 Canoga Avenue, Austin TX 78724

Tickets are $100 each

Participants must be 21 and over

Here is a link to the Austin Discovery School's website where you can purchase tickets: www.austindiscoveryschool.org

or you can send a check to:

Austin Discovery School
8509 FM 969 Suite 200
Austin, TX 78724

Tickets may also be purchased at the front office of the school

Sponsor List:

Motorblade Postering Service
Slow Food Austin
Ecstatic Cuisine
Marquee Event Group
Flat Creek Estate
Stacey Hoyt Events
Sweet Leaf Tea
Richard's Rainwater
Elixercoffee.com
Texas Olive Ranch
Texas Medicinals
Good Flow Honey
Mary Louise Butters Brownies

For more information about this event and its contributors follow these links:


About Slow Food, www.slowfoodaustin.org
Sara Weber, Slow Food Austin President
The Slow Food Austin Convivium hosts slow educational and taste events throughout the year. It is part of Slow Food International, founded in 1986 in Italy, in reaction to the opening of first the McDonalds in Pizza Spagna near the historic Spanish Steps in Rome - a nod to the contrast with fast food values. The organization was created to celebrate and promote rich and delicious food traditions that are part of our cultural heritage.


About Green Gate Farms, www.greengatefarms.net
Skip Connett and Erin Flynn, co-owners
Green Gate Farms, a small family farm, uses sustainable methods to grow vegetables, flowers, and meat just eight miles east of downtown Austin at the historic Bergstrom farmstead. Visitors and volunteers are encouraged to participate in our weekly CSA membership program, shop at our farm stand, tour the farm, and join in our workshops and events.


About Ecstatic Cuisine, www.ecstaticcuisine.com
Jesse Bloom, Chef
Ecstatic Cuisine creates spectacular food events that inspire clients, nourish community, and sustain the earth. They use Iocal and organic ingredients in a unique brand of world fusion cuisine. Their professionalism, passion, and uncompromising gift for flavor combine to create food experiences that are, in a word, ecstatic.

Daring Dobos: Daring Baker August Challenge

Let me just start off by saying my main migraine trigger is dark chocolate. So as much as these little sponge cupcakes flirted with my senses and no matter how luscious the homemade chocolate butter cream looked lounging in the bottom of that Pyrex bowl I would resist the urge. Or so I thought. Lets just say I feel like my migraines are now so fine tuned that I can discern the depth and richness of a dark chocolate by the severity of my headache, its quite an art really. Well on a scale from one to ten this episode of precise cocoa discernment was off the charts. Please, Daring Hostesses, please pick something without chocolate for September. My chocolate/migraine sensors are only to be used on rare occasions.

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful
of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos
Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite
Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.


As always, my changes are in between *asterisks*

Sponge cake layers (not really layers in a cupcake though. Makes 18 regular sized)

• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups (162g) confectioner's (icing) sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (112g) sifted cake flour (SUBSTITUTE 95g plain flour + 17g cornflour (cornstarch) sifted together)
• pinch of salt

Chocolate Buttercream

• 1 cup (200g) caster (ultrafine or superfine white) sugar
• 4oz (110g) bakers chocolate or your favourite dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (250g) unsalted butter, at room temperature.
• bit of vanilla
  

Caramel topping

• 1 cup (200g) caster (superfine or ultrafine white) sugar
• 12 tablespoons (180 ml) water
• 8 teaspoons (40 ml) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (e.g. grapeseed, rice bran, sunflower)

Finishing touches

• 18 whole hazelnuts

Preheat to 400 degrees F. Be sure to check on the cupcakes as sponge cake seems to cook quicker.

1.Beat the egg yolks, 2/3 cup (81g) of the confectioner's (icing) sugar, and the vanilla in a medium bowl with a mixer on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted a few inches above the batter, about 3 minutes. (You can do this step with a balloon whisk if you don't have a mixer.)

2.In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 2/3 cup (81g) of confectioner's (icing)sugar until the whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, stir about 1/4 of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remainder, leaving a few wisps of white visible. Combine the flour and salt. Sift half the flour over the eggs, and fold in; repeat with the remaining flour.
3. Fill cupcake papers about half way. Sprinkle in a few chocolate chips or chopped up pieces to act like chocolate frosting "layers"

Directions for the chocolate buttercream:

NB. This can be prepared in advance and kept chilled until required.

1.Prepare a double-boiler: quarter-fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.

2.Fit bowl over the boiling water in the saucepan (water should not touch bowl) and lower the heat to a brisk simmer. Melt chocolate.

3. Beat the butter and sugar into light fluffy cloud. Add vanilla. Whip once more.

5.When chocolate has cooled slightly, beat in with the soft butter mixture. An electric hand mixer is great here, but it is possible to beat the butter in with a spatula if it is soft enough. You should end up with a thick, velvety chocolate buttercream. Chill while you make the caramel topping.

Directions for the caramel topping:
1.Stir the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved into a smooth syrup, turn the heat up to high and boil without stirring, swirling the pan by the handle occasionally and washing down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan with a wet brush until the syrup has turned into an amber-coloured caramel.

2. Using a large spoon pour little pools of caramel, roughly the size of the top of one cupcake. When they have slightly hardened, but not much!, use a knife to score the little rounds like a pizza. It isn't necessary to completely slice the the caramel round through. When they are fully hardened they will break apart quite easily.

Assembling the Dobos

1. Once cupcakes have completely cooled, frost them with the chocolate butter cream liberally. Top with a fan of the caramel slices, sticking them into the frosting at angles. Leave room for a hazelnut in the very middle.

2. Eat!

Eat!

Joy of Food, and the things to which it relates

Firstly, Da came to town ditched the in-laws and made pesto in my new kitchen. He brought with him a bushel of basil from our family garden and spouted that there was plenty more at home! It was a mad dash of a pesto session as I had to make it to work on time. We made two kinds: pecan pesto with pecans and pecan oil and regular pesto with the classic olive oil and pine nuts. I prefer the pecan. I've put it on pasta, my sandwiches, saltines, and cheese. There are no limits to the wonders of pesto!


Secondly, my three musketeers gang was reunited in a day of general giggles and gourmanding. Started with Italian food at the Texas branch for ex-mafia members. We ordered the Roasted Pie with hot peppers, onions and garlic. Then it continued with of course a trip to Sonic happy hour. Then cupcakes at home. Sponge cake cupcakes with chocolate swirled into the batter and topped with homemade whipped cream with cinnamon and strawberries. The end of summertime tasted sweet.


The night ended, well sort of, with a belated trip to HEB for a few things to finish off our planned feast of side dishes. Macaroni and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes with skins mind you, Homemade gravy from impromptu drippings, Alex really wanted Caprese salad so we had that and finished the lot with watermelon. The gravy was the real delight seeing as our uber veggie Divya had never tried gravy seeing as the vegetarians tend to not have the means or need for gravy making with the whole no meat thing. Gravy tastes good sans meat drippings let me just say.


Lastly, Alex, the darling girl she is gave me my birthday present a little early. A loverly new tea pot complete with red poppies! My inner Angela Lansbury said a clear yes to this one.

Tut Tut...It does Not look like Rain...

***The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.***


Since we have been sweating in the everlasting summer heat I decided to channel someone who knows best: Pooh Bear. I know what you are thinking...what does Pooh Bear know about rain? Well you remember when he tries to get to the bee's nest by pretending to be a rain cloud and singing a song to casually cover up his licks smacking at the mere thought of honey? You know..."I'm just a little black rain cloud...hovering over the honey tree...I'm just a little black rain cloud...pay no attention to little me". From below Christopher Robin pitches in with an added "Tut Tut! It looks like rain" while sporting a classic umbrella...

Well in hopes that channeling my inner Pooh Bear would actually bring about a bit of rain, I made this months Daring Baker's challenge accordingly. Honey Mallows dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with a little bees pollen. Pooh Bear, be jealous.

Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: about 2 dozen cookies

• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together
• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows
• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping.

Homemade marshmallows:
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup ( I used honey instead)
• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 egg whites , room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
6. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.

My Changes:

*I substituted honey for the corn syrup for a "healthier" mallow
* I baked the cookies in a long sheet pan, much like a sheet cake
*then I spread the mallow mixture over the sheet cookie to set
* I then chopped the cookie-mallow into little squares and dipped in chocolate and dusted with bee pollen