Chocolate Sorbet

Hello, friends,

I can't tell you  how a simple concoction, such as this,  turns into a creamy and decadent chocolate sorbet.  I simply cannot.

Obviously,  some sort of alchemy takes place when basic ingredients, e.g.,  chocolate, water, and sugar are combined,  resulting in the ultimate chocoholic's dream.

What I can tell you is, you need to experience it for yourself. Today. And when you do, please, explain it to me. Go ahead, I'll wait . . .

Chocolate  Sorbet

1 quart water
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I like Medaglia D'oro)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
10 ounces bittersweet  chocolate, chopped 
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, bring water, sugar, espresso powder, and cocoa powder to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Add the chocolate,  and whisk to combine and thoroughly melt the chocolate.  Then, stir in the vanilla.  Transfer mixture to a heatproof bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Freeze in an ice cream maker, according to  manufacturer's instructions.   Makes about 2 quarts.
Adapted from La Maison du Chocolat by Robert Linxe.

 

Mucho Gazpacho

As a kid, there were two things I hated, tomatoes, and my fifth-grade Math teacher (whose name escapes me. Although I'd be inclined to call her an ill bred, blustering old windbag . . . if I knew what that meant).

Anyway, I have since recovered. And today...I love tomatoes.

I've been guzzling this refreshing liquid salad by the gallon. It's helped get me through a very busy, very hot summer.
This soup has also given me enough fuel to keep up with Thumper, about 15 to 20 MPG.
Your mileage may vary.

I prefer this soup smooth, rather than chunky. Some chefs would probably toque-slap me for pureeing Gazpacho until homogeneous. They would insist I carefully cut several pounds of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, by hand.
Ha Ha. Those wacky culinary experts.

Well, I denounce their rigid ways. And I suggest you do the same. Prepare this soup whichever way you like.

Gazpacho

2 pounds Roma tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 small red onion
1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 cups tomato juice
¼ cup Italian parsley
Juice of one lime
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Topping suggestions: crabmeat (my choice), shrimp, diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, sliced avocados, and the list goes on.

Place all ingredients (except toppings) in a blender, or food processor, and purée until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, or pitcher, and refrigerate until very cold, 4 to 5 hours. Makes 6 to 8 servings.



By the way,   I didn't limit my Gazpacho consumption  to the traditional ingredients. I found this dessert-y Gazpacho in a book by a favorite cookbook author, which includes summer berries, as well as a variety of tropical fruits that would make Carmen Miranda chica-chica-boom-chica-boom-boom back to stardom.
Of course, she's no longer with us, but if she were...well, that'd be downright creepy.


Again, I puréed all the ingredients in this soup. Topping each serving with homemade strawberry, kiwi and mango sorbets.
If you want to try making Mango Sorbet here is a really good one from a few years back.
And while I'm not one to over-hype things, I will say that if you try this soup, all your dreams will come true ;-Þ

Exotic Fruit Gazpacho

1-1/2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled
1 pint fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 papaya finely diced
1 kiwifruit, peeled and diced

Garnish with:
Fruit sorbet and fresh mint leaves

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water and sugar. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Reserve.

Set aside 1/2 pint of the smaller strawberries for garnish and combine the rest with the raspberries and lemon juice in a blender or food processor, fitted with the metal blade.
Purée them until smooth. Strain the mixture into a large (non-aluminum) bowl, and add the reserved sugar syrup and chopped mint. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To serve, dice the reserved strawberries. Ladle soup into 6 shallow soup bowls, then arrange the fruits on top. Place a scoop of sorbet in the center of each bowl and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Adapted from: The California Cook, by Dianne Rossen Worthington.




With a nod to Spain and its wonderful cuisine, I'm also including my recipe for a buttery, crumbly cookie, similar to shortbread, called, Polvorones. I think these cookies complement the fruity Gazpacho very well.
And I should confess that, where I'm from, Polvorones are made with lard!
Sorry, I don't normally use that kind of language.
However, you'll be happy to know I broke with tradition by using a combination of butter and shortening.

Polvorones

½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for dredging
2-¼ cups AP flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening and butter, the sugar and salt, about 3-5 minutes. Add flour, all at once, and gently blend, just until dough starts to cling together. Shape tablespoons of dough into balls. Roll in granulated sugar, and, with your thumb, make a slight indentation in the center. Place cookies on parchment lined baking sheets  1½-inches apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  Polvorones should be pale in color
Makes  4½ to  5 dozen cookies.




In other news, Thumper started Middle School this year. No, I will not cry.
But here's a photo of my precious little playmate  which pretty much sums up my feelings at the moment...

Let me also take this opportunity to apologize to my foodie brigade, for having disappeared for four months. 
There were some health issues within our family, and amid the chaos, our beloved pet Louie passed away. This was two months ago, and I miss him.

This Boston Terrier, will forever remain the most amazing little friend I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, and sharing pizza with.

He was so intelligent, I know he could've balanced our checkbook if we let him. But, he was head over heels in love with a Boxer next door, so he couldn't be fully trusted with our finances.

But I know my furry baby is happily gallivanting somewhere up in Heaven with Socks, our tuxedo cat.
Needless to say, these were some of the reasons I hadn't felt motivated to blog, but that's slowly changing. Besides, I've missed you all, and couldn't stand being away much longer.


Here's an older " picture of  our gentle coach, "training" Thumper for the 2007 skateboard championship.

Who's a good boy!?!

Summer Peaches' Last Hurrah

"
You talk too much!” quipped Thumper, as I sat quietly, reading a book.
I looked up to see my little hooligan, dimpling, ever so slyly. Completely unaware of my plot to overthrow him with oodles of maternal affection.

His silly little comment got me thinking I may just be a chatterbox. Could it be?
In any case, I’ve decided my posts will be a little less chatty—but not today.

First, I'd like us to bow our heads, and have a moment of silence for the omnipotent Prunus Persica. What would religion have to do with any of this, you ask? Hell if I know.

I do know the urge to do a swan-dive at the sight of juicy, summer peaches is a powerful one. And I'm going to miss them. Particularly, the white peach, with its floral sweetness and lower acidity than its yellow counterpart.



And, since summer is almost over, I'd better get on with it, and share the following recipes, using this fleeting summer fruit.

This one is a simple dessert, but a bit fancy too.


Lacquered Peaches

6 apricots, about ½ pound, pitted*
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cup sugar
4 large peaches (about 1 ½ pounds)
Juice of 1 lemon

Combine the apricots with two cups water, the vanilla bean, and ½ cup sugar in a small saucepan. Boil until very soft, about 15 minutes. Cool. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and submerge the peaches until their skins loosen, about 30 seconds. Drop peaches into a bowl of ice water until they're cool enough to peel.


Put the apricots in a blender, with ¼ cup of their poaching liquid. Process until the mixture is very smooth, adding more liquid, if needed, for the blender to work.

Place remaining ½ cup sugar in a sauté pan.** Cook the sugar on medium-high heat, until sugar melts and turns golden. Reduce heat to low, and pour in the apricot purée. Stir in the lemon juice, until ingredients are blended. Put mixture through a fine mesh strainer.

Place peaches on a lightly-greased baking dish. Spoon the glaze over each peach to cover completely. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Place each peach onto serving plate , without marring the glaze (if you have a fish spatula, use it. It is a great tool for the job).
Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream or Buttermilk Ice Milk.
Adapted from Jean-Georges Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef.




*You can use dried apricots for the sauce. If you do, reconstitute them in hot water for 10 minutes before using.

**This tip will be duhvious to most of you, but here goes: Avoid using a dark pan when caramelizing sugar, or it will be difficult to tell when it takes on color.




...and yet, another favorite, Kolaches!


Raise your hand if you love Kolaches. For the protesting heathen in the back, yeah, YOU. Away with thee. For the rest of you, there's Peach Kolaches. Or is it, Kolachys?
Most of you guys know I'm not from around heah, so feel free to correct me.

I used my favorite Honey Rolls recipe. The only change made, was adding ¼ cup of granulated sugar to the original recipe, as opposed to 2 tablespoons.

Knead briefly, before you shape the dough into 2-inch buns. Place them 1-inch apart, in a prepared, 12" x 17" pan.
To fill Kolaches, make an indentation in each bun using a small, flat-bottomed glass . . . or, the round handle of a wooden citrus reamer (I might've made that up myself).
Fill each bun with a tablespoon of filling.

Peach Filling

Combine 2 cups pitted and chopped peaches with 1 cup peach jam in a bowl. Use the filling as directed.

Cover the buns with a kitchen towel and allow them to rise, until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, prepare the topping.


Streusel Topping

½ cup AP flour
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons chilled butter, diced

Using a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over kolaches just before baking.

Bake Kolaches 25 minutes or until golden. Makes 25-27 buns. Btw, these freeze very well. Filling and Streusel Topping adapted from the book, The Pastry Queen, by Rebecca Rather. Thank you Rosa from Rosa's Yummy Yums for suggesting this book!




In other news...

Thumper went back to school today. And I miss my little playmate already.
He and I spent our summer picking up frogs, snakes and bugs (well, he did the picking, I just nodded appreciatively . . . from afar).

And then, there were those times I told him to go fly a kite! No, seriously. The boy loved it.



We watched "Sponge Bob" as if it were a documentary. We also battled monkeys in space suits, with the aid of the “Agents of Doom.” That's right, heavily-armed chickens. If you have kids, this might actually make sense to you.

It's dreadfully quiet here, and there's no one to tell me I talk too much. Any volunteers?



I hope your summer has been as wonderful!

Coconut Macaroons. Oh, Mother of Science, what'll they think of next?

Okay, so how many of you knew coconut was so incredibly healthy? Let's see a show of hands. One . . . two?
Apparently this tropical wonder is highly valued for its amazing healing powers. Why, coconut water alone (which I drink like a lonely sailor on leave), provides our bodies with antioxidants, and it's loaded with vitamins and minerals. And, studies have confirmed coconut's use in treating some of the following conditions: Nausea, Ulcers, Baldness (would I make this up? ;-), jaundice, sore throat, skin infections, and the list goes on.
Which brings me to the health benefits of these Coconut Macaroons. Are there any?

Well, no.

But, if you're a coconut head like me, and happen to be in the mood for a real treat, then these, lighter-than-air macaroons will (temporarily) fix whatever ails you. These macaroons are not like the ones most of us grew up with. Remember those? Made with sweetened condensed milk and sweetened shredded coconut. Truth is, I still like those cloyingly-sweet delicacies. But these, I shamelessly confess, are quite a bit better.

The following technique combines unsweetened coconut folded into an Italian meringue, resulting in the lightest little puffs of coconut, which will instantly dissolve in your mouth, causing your eyes to roll into the back of your head.

You may be tempted to enhance the meringue by adding flavorings, and extracts, but resist the temptation. These innocent looking clouds pack a wallop of coconut flavor with very few ingredients.



Coconut Macaroons

1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
3 large egg whites at room temperature
3 cups (8 ounces) finely grated, unsweetened (desiccated) coconut

Special equipment: a standing electric mixer, a candy thermometer

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

Cook sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until it reaches soft-ball stage (or registers 238°F on a candy thermometer). While syrup boils, beat whites in standing mixer on low speed until stiff peaks form.

Gradually pour hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl into the whites, beating constantly on high speed (be careful not to let syrup touch beaters when pouring, or it will spatter and harden). Continue beating until meringue is room temperature. It will resemble a very thick, marshmallow creme. Stir in coconut. The following may be too intense for some viewers ;-)

But, seriously, don't you just want to dive right in and roll in it? Yeah, me neither.



Put mixture in a large pastry bag, with a large, round pastry tip * (I used a 1A tip). And pipe mixture onto prepared baking sheets.



Bake macaroons 1 sheet at a time, in middle of oven for 12 minutes, or until just firm enough to be removed from the baking sheet without losing their shape. But try not to let them take on color.
Carefully transfer to a rack to cool. Macaroons are fragile when they emerge from the oven, but will set as they cool.
Recipe adapted from a 2000 issue of Bon Appetít. This is why I won't part with some of those old magazines, and don't even think you can make me.

*Note: If you don't have a pastry tip, don't fret. You could also drop these from a rounded tablespoon, and -with slightly damp fingers- shape them into cones or pyramids. Or, make mini pavlovas, and top them off with any fresh fruit in season, or sorbets. I topped mine with Papaya/Mango Sorbet . . . but, Coconut Ice Cream would be fantastic. OMG. WHY do I always have these AH-HAH moments after the fact?

Color Therapy

Do you want to know what my favorite color is? No?
Well then, pull up a chair and I'll tell you all about it.

My favorite color is referred to as the color of love. It is a strong, sexy color. In some cultures this color is associated with good luck, energy, fortune, creativity and joy. And -as if you needed a bigger hint- some of my favorite fruits are intensely painted this color: Tomatoes, Cherries, Watermelon and Strawberries!

What was that? This color is also symbolic of blood, you say? Do I sense a hint of hostility here? Well, there's really no need to see red.
And because I believe blood should be on the inside, I will get right to the point, and tell you what my favorite color is: Black!

You may cease fire.
Just making sure you were paying attention. At least, I'm the first to admit I suck at placating my blogging audience. All right, so red, RED! is my favorite color. Now you can all sleep at night.
By the way, do you know what's red, white, and scrumptious all over?

Crème Fraîche Ice Cream Topped with Homemade Strawberry Jam. Word.
Incidentally, the candied roses are easy enough to make and will be featured in a future blog entry.



Crème Fraîche Ice Cream

Zest and juice of one lemon
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2/3 cup granulated sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 cup crème fraîche

Before you begin, have ready a strainer, and a bowl resting in a larger bowl that is filled with ice.



In a medium-size saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and lemon zest. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean and add to the cream mixture, along with the pod.

Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and let it sit 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk sugar and egg yolks together until mixture forms a ribbon when whisk is lifted. Gradually beat in hot cream mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Do not let mixture come to a boil, or it will curdle. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Stir in the lemon juice and crème fraîche. Cool the mixture quickly by putting the custard in the bowl immersed in ice. Once cooled, cover and chill custard thoroughly. Freeze in an ice cream maker following manufacturer's instructions. Makes 1 quart.


Now -to me- homemade Strawberry Jam had always been something I simply purchased and stored in the back of the refrigerator until it spoiled, and the mold grew big enough to break out of my fridge to freedom. I never ate that stuff, and I reckon I bought them only because I got lured by the pretty little jars they came in.

It wasn't until my sister in law (whom I shall only refer to as "Karen" [her real name]) shared a jar of her homemade Strawberry Jam with me that made my tastebuds stand up and take notice. Needless to say, but say I will, I knew I had to try my hand at preserving these lovely little jewels of Summer. Thank you sister "Karen" for your inspiration!



Strawberry Jam

3 pints ripe strawberries, rinsed well and hulled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 cups granulated sugar

Add strawberries to a 3-quart pan set over moderate heat. Crush strawberries with a potato masher, but try not to purée the berries. Mix in the sugar and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, or until the mixture has started to thicken. Skim foam from surface and spoon jam into sterilized jars. Seal according to manufacture's directions. Makes five 6-ounce jars.

Daylight come and she wanna go home.

What do ice creams and sorbets have to do with a blog mainly dedicated to baking? Absolutely nothing. Nothing to do with baking and everything to do with memories.

Looks like I haf son splainin to thoo. You see, my mom just flew down to the Pearl of the Caribbean, Cuba (voluntarily, I might add), to spend a few weeks with her dear sister, my lovely aunt Carmelina. Mom will also be in the company of her brothers, nieces, nephews and a friendly mob of curious onlookers.
Mom and I have made these trips together in the past, but not this time. I just couldn’t part with my crew here at home, so I stayed behind.

Needless to say, but say I will, I’m feeling melancholy, and a bit nettled, thinking about the fun I could’ve had seeing everyone, enjoying unisonous conversations as we always do whenever we all get together; always too many stories to catch up on, and never enough time to cover them all. I also would’ve loved revisiting my old stomping grounds. Ay caramba. Today is one of those days when I could use a good Cuban Mojito, and I don’t drink.
And for those of you out there skim-reading this . . . I'M POUTING!

Pouting aside, I decided to try to get back some of that beautiful tropical island flavor and maybe a little ambience, by making and enjoying some of my favorite treats, Coconut Ice Cream and Mango Sorbet, which --by the way-- are all history now.
There are so many variations of ice creams using these two tropical fruits, such as, Mango/Ginger Sorbet, Coconut/Banana Ice Cream, etc. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but, I wanted to indulge my taste buds with the true and purest of flavors, one fruit at a time. ¡Por favor!

These cool treats are put together quickly; they're delicious, and they’re (snicker) good for you too, which is why I felt so virtuous when I shoveled the entire thing in my mouth. Kidding!
I’m a firm believer that one should enjoy everything in moderation, and may lightning strike me if I’m lyi . . . Boom! Crash! Zzzzzap!



Mango Sorbet

2 mangos, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt

Make a simple syrup by combining 1 cup water with the ½ cup of sugar in a pan. Bring to a boil, and cook until sugar completely dissolves. Cool slightly. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Chill mixture thoroughly. Then, freeze in ice cream maker, according to manufacturer's instructions.




If you like coconut, then I strongly suggest you try this one, and call me on your way to Heaven. Incidentally, the chocolate cup was made by painting several coats of melted chocolate into a small, round bowl. I let each coat set, before adding the next. The quickest way to do this is by setting the chocolate cup in the fridge between coats. The butterfly was made from sugarpaste.

Coconut Ice Cream

1 (15 oz. can) Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
1¼ cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup shredded fresh and toasted coconut or dried unsweetened coconut
pinch of salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl and chill thoroughly. Freeze according to ice cream machine directions. Store in the freezer for 3-4 hours or overnight before serving.

And if you’ve been searching for a take-no-prisoners Hot Fudge Sauce, your search is over.

Rich Hot Fudge Sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup sifted cocoa
½ to 1 teaspoon instant espresso (I use Medaglia D'oro), optional
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan, heat the butter and cream over medium heat until the butter is melted and small bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
Whisk in the brown sugar and corn syrup. Continue to cook gently, until the mixture is smooth and sugar has completely dissolved. Add the cocoa, instant espresso, vanilla and salt. Whisk again until smooth. Remove from heat and strain mixture through a fine sieve. Straining the sauce is optional, but I’m persnickety about such things. This will keep refrigerated for 2 weeks, but it won't last that long. Adapted from the book, At Blanchard's Table.