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.

 

STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER...OR AT LEAST 'TIL THE END OF JUNE

"You won't find a better-tasting strawberry in your supermarket!" boasted local berry farmer, with arms folded behind his back, as if he were about to address the parliament.

His farm, a barren expanse of dirt, just weeks before, is now a canvas of perfectly red strawberries, that would rival a Cézanne painting.

As I merrily romped across the field, basket in one hand and camera in the other, eager to welcome the berries much-awaited arrival, I noticed my guys, 'J' and Mr. Man-pants, avoiding eye contact with me, and following not-so-closely behind. Strange people.

Trivial bothers aside, I came home with enough berries to please everyone. Some of the fruit was turned into an intensely-flavored strawberry sorbet, and the rest went into this strawberry soup.

I've never been a big fan of the color pink, but I may have to reconsider.

Too girly? You bet.
It is undeniably pink, and proudly so. Its clean, bright taste, captures the singular essence of summer.
But call it a smoothie, and I will give you such a pinch.

For the record, dear husband will gladly admit — with face pixelated and voice altered — that he likes it too.

Strawberry Soup

3 cups fresh strawberries
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1½ cups water
½ cup Rosé wine*

Slice strawberries, reserving some for garnish. Macerate strawberries and sugar a few hours or overnight, covered, in the refrigerator.
Place all ingredients in a blender, and purée until smooth. Put mixture through a fine strainer. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled before serving. Yield: 4 servings.

*Feel free to substitute a favorite, dry white wine for the crisp Rosé.

For the sorbet, it's important to taste the fruit before you begin, as you may not need all of the simple syrup called for. My MI. berries were so sweet, I left out the ¼ cup of syrup.
I also recommend straining the berry mixture, for a silky texture to this cool treat. If you don't mind the tiny seeds, omit this step.

Another tip: I like to use an immersion blender to aerate the fruit mixture prior to processing. It is not an essential step, but I think it makes a lighter product. Forgo this step and you'll still have a sorbet to sing about.

Strawberry Sorbet

2 pounds fresh strawberries, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1¼ cups simple syrup, recipe follows

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and purée until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove all seeds.

Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly. Freeze in an ice cream maker, according to manufacturer’s instructions.


Simple syrup

1½ cups sugar

Combine sugar with one cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, and cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool completely before using. If not using right away, keep refrigerated until needed.

Wishes for a weekend full of romping, because trudging through life ain't fun.






Joining:
Designs by Gollum's Foodie Fridays

Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday

A Tuscan Birthday Fare

Thumper's birthday was  weeks ago, but I had to share with you this milestone.
Although, the boy turned 12,  he's almost taller than me. And no longer shops for clothes in the boy's department. Fact is,  he's been recently spotted  wearing "man pants."

So, I was not too surprised when my suggestions for his birthday cake— a Star Wars theme, or perhaps, a Little Big Planet's Sackboy cake—were crushed.

"Mom, I don't want  cake—that's for babies. What I really want is Spaghetti and Meatballs!"

Say what?!

Have I spent all these years frolicking-in-sugar-in-order-to-someday-provide-my-kid-with-a-homemade-birthday-cake-for nothing? (comes up for air).

"Listen, Mister Man Pants, you're getting a cake, whether you like it or not!"

 
Being that my little guy is all grown up now, I honored his birthday wish—somewhat.  I baked him an old favorite  amongst his  peers,  Spaghetti Cake.

The cake was chocolate  (use your favorite chocolate cake recipe, or try this or this one.)
I baked it in an oval-shaped pan. The cake was  crumb-coated with a pale yellow-tinted buttercream. Then, the spaghetti strands were  piped from a #5 pastry tip.

I considered making truffles for the meatballs, but didn't think they'd  look realistic enough. Besides,  most kids  love Rice Krispies Treats, right?  So making  meatballs, using chocolate and rice cereal was a no-brainer.
Cake was garnished with fresh chocolate mint—Amore. The "tomato sauce" was   raspberry sauce.

Incidentally, in case you were wondering,  the wine  was for me—not the child.

Speaking of wine.  What would a traditional Tuscan fare be, without grapes? Which, btw, also happens to be the boy's  favorite fruit.

Well, I could've handed the boy a bunch of grapes, and called it a day.  But I wouldn't have slept through the night, unless I took the  fruit  to another level.
Concord Grape Sorbet was the answer  (Btw, leaves and tendrils were all made of Marzipan).

This frozen treat tastes like the grape juice many of us enjoyed as kids. Remember how it tasted purple?
Oh, you'll need a spoon for this one—or not—if you're a kid at heart.

I froze Concord grapes from last fall  for the occasion. Can't find Concord grapes? Make the sorbet with Concord grape juice. Can't find Concord grape juice? Use grape-flavored water. Can't find water?
...I'm way ahead of you...

Ain't I a stinker?

I'm kidding, of course. I just  think you should try this, sometime.

 Chocolate Rice Krispies Meatballs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ounces  unsweetened chocolate
1 package (10 oz., about 40) large marshmallows, or, 4 cups miniature  marshmallows
 6 cups Kellog's Rice Krispies cereal

In large saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Stir often.  Add marshmallows and stir until marshmallows are completely melted. Remove from heat.

Add 6 cups of the rice cereal, stirring  until well coated. Allow mixture to cool  about 10 minutes,  or until  cool enough to handle.  Roll meatballs from the chocolate mixture, using a small, greased,  ice cream scoop. Place ‘meatballs’ on  parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, and set aside until completely set.

 Concord Grape Sorbet

1½ pounds Concord grapes

¼ cup water

Simple syrup (recipe follows)

1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

 Prepare an ice bath, set aside. Wash and stem the grapes. Combine grapes  and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, until the liquid begins to bubble and grapes start releasing their juices, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat, and simmer until grapes begin to break apart, about 3 minutes more.

Pass mixture through a food mill, or fine sieve into a large bowl set in the ice bath; discard solids.

Stir frequently, until completely cool. Stir in the simple syrup and the lemon juice.

Transfer mixture to an ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Place in an airtight container, and store in freezer until ready to serve, up to 2 weeks. Serves 10.

Simple Sorbet Syrup

Simple syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for at least 2 months.

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup water

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar completely dissolves, about 8 to10 minutes. Allow to cool, and then, refrigerate until needed. Sorbet recipe, courtesy of Martha Stewart.

Raspberry Sauce

One 10 ounce bag  frozen raspberries

¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Chambord, optional

Bring raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a gentle boil. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add Chambord.

Purée in a blender until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Cool completely, and refrigerate until needed. This sauce also freezes well.
_________________________________

And there you have it:

Thumper loves pasta.
Thumper loves meatballs.
Thumper loves Italian cuisine, in general.

So, what was my mercurial son's birthday dinner?

Chinese food.

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!

When life gives you lemons...

I

t all started innocently enough. I picked up a needle.
You're probably seeing the recklessness of my actions, but, at the time, I didn’t see the harm in it. An occasional fix was all I needed to get by —or so I thought.

This little escapade spun out of control, progressively taking over my life, as I struggled to find a more intense rush with every line.
For a while, this ineffectual road to nowhere, consumed my very soul. Disrupting work, relationships and even my health. Yes, this addiction had (seemingly) provided boundless energy, causing sleeplessness and weight loss.

The needle consequently led to experiments with Jute Twine —and even Sisal!— just a couple of spools, mind you. I went from crocheting one bag a week to one bag a day!

Give me a moment (choke!)

I've completed 6 bags so far. The one pictured was my first one. Ain't it precious?
However, being $8.37 in the hole, I've contemplated pawning away my Chia Herb Garden kit (a Christmas gift), to support this ungodly habit. I've hit rock bottom. Do I need intervention?


Update.

I'm happy to report that I've found new coping skills to resist temptation.
Praise be unto thee, Elvis.

I have dropped the devil's crocheting pitchfork, and traded one addiction for another. Baking. I quickstepped into the kitchen to play with some white stuff. Fortunately, flour washes off quite easily.

So, let me to put a lid on my A & E special, and focus instead on some favorite recipes, using lemons. Lisbon, Eureka, Meyer, whatever makes you pucker.
And hope this will help those who are still battling Martha-ism.
Unless, of course, you're one of those people who feel you can quit (tee hee) any time (snort!) you want to. ROFL!

First up is the Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. Using regular lemons in this recipe added a slight bitter edge to the cake, which I liked. But, less acidic Meyer lemons will result in a sweeter cake. Delicious, either way.




Whole Lemon-Poppy Seed Cake

For the cake:
1½ unpeeled lemons, washed well
1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups AP flour
2¼ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

For the glaze:
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice


Position rack in the center of your oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 1½ quart loaf pan*.

Quarter the lemons, and in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the lemon pieces with ½ cup of sugar, until pureed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure no large pieces remain.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and remaining sugar until smooth. Add the lemon pulp. Whisk in the melted butter to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds to combine. Gently fold into the lemon mixture until combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Cake is done when a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and cool 15 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to glaze.

For the glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice with the sugar and bring to a high simmer. Simmer 2 to 2 minutes, or until reduced by half. Brush the glaze all over the cake while it is still warm. Adapted from: The Sweet Melissa Baking Book.

*I baked these individual cakes using (greased and floured) water cooler paper cones I found at a local, restaurant supplier. I placed them in a jumbo cupcake pan for support, while they baked. Coffee mugs also work.

I

f you have ever preyed upon an entire cheesecake —and who hasn't— then lock up that guilt into the steamer trunk of your psyche and throw away the key, because this dessert will deliver a one-two punch of cheesecake-flavored awesomeness, without so much as a whimper of guilt.
You will forgive me for using the word: "awesomeness," won't you? My 10 year old has been quite the influence.

Lemon Buttermilk Ice Milk

1 ¾ cups sugar
Zest from 2-3 lemons
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 quart buttermilk
1/8 teaspoon salt

Put the sugar and zest in a medium size bowl. Add the juice to the sugar and mix well.
Add the buttermilk and salt. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved (I prefer to store this mixture in the fridge overnight, and stir again, just before freezing). Freeze in an ice cream maker, and chill 4 hours or overnight, before serving. Serves 8. Adapted from Desserts 1 - 2 - 3 by Rozanne Gold





Here's another favorite for my lemon people. These are as light as soufflés, with a delectable layer of lemon pudding.

Steamed Lemon Pudding

Softened butter for ramekins
¾ cup granulated sugar plus additional for ramekins
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup lemon juice
3 eggs, separated
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Zest of 2 lemons, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Grease eight 4-oz ramekins with butter and coat with granulated sugar. Combine in a mixing bowl the buttermilk, lemon juice, and the egg yolks. Mix the flour, remaining sugar, salt, and lemon zest in another bowl. Whip the egg whites in a third bowl until soft peaks form.
Whisk the dry ingredients with the buttermilk mixture, and fold in the egg whites gently, a third at a time. Ladle the batter into prepared ramekins, filling almost to the top. Place the puddings in a roasting pan, and pour warm water around them until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with lightly greased foil, and bake for 18 minutes or until puddings begin to rise slightly. Remove the foil, rotate the pan front-to-back, and bake another 20 to 25 minutes, until pudding is golden and springs back when touched. I served this with Blackberry Sorbet. Recipe: Karen Demasco of Craft.
And in case you were wondering, that's not a bat propped on the steamed pudding, but a butterfly I cut out from homemade blackberry leather, using a cookie cutter.



Have any lemons left? How about making Deviled Eggs, for dessert?

You could try a Sour Cream Pound Cake or the Whole Lemon Poppy Seed Cake recipe, above. Bake them in a greased and floured egg-shaped pan. Ice them with simple confectioner's glaze (substituting a little lemon juice for the water), and topping them with Pierre Hermé's delightful Lemon Cream, piped from a 4B pastry tip, or any large star tip.
Serve with a side of (cherry) ants. You'll need 3 cherries for each ant. Just run a toothpick through the cherries for the body. Then, save all the curved cherry stems you can find for the legs, and insert into the body, as shown. You'll also need stems for the "feelers." That's it. Kids, like me, love this stuff.



Lemon Cream

1 cup sugar
zest of 3 lemons, removed with a zester and finely chopped
4 large eggs
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 4-5 lemons)
2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons (10 ½ oz) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces, softened

Getting Ready: Have an instant-read thermometer, a strainer and a blender (first choice) or food processor at hand. Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan.

Put the sugar and zest in a large heatproof bowl that can be set over the pan of simmering water. Off the heat, rub the sugar and zest together between your fingers until the sugar is moist, grainy and very aromatic. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the lemon juice.

Set the bowl over the pan, and start stirring with the whisk as soon as the mixture feels tepid to the touch. Cook the lemon cream until it reaches 180°F. As you whisk—you must whisk constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling—you'll see that the cream will start out light and foamy, then the bubbles will get bigger, and then, as it gets closer to 180°F, it will start to thicken and the whisk will leave tracks. Heads up at this point—the tracks mean the cream is almost ready. Don't stop whisking or checking the temperature, and have patience—depending on how much heat you're giving the cream, getting to temp can take as long as 10 minutes.

As soon as it reaches 180°F, remove the cream from the heat and strain it into the blender (or food processor); discard the zest. Let the cream stand, stirring occasionally, until it cools to 140°F, about 10 minutes.
Turn the blender to high (or turn on the processor) and, with the machine running, add the butter about 5 pieces at a time. Scrape down the sides of the container as needed. Once all the butter added, keep the machine going, for another 3 minutes. If your machine protests and gets a bit too hot, work in 1-minute intervals, giving it a little rest between beats.

Pour the lemon cream into a container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to create an airtight seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (The cream will keep in the fridge for 4 days and, or tightly sealed, in the freezer for up to 2 months; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.)



Oops. J'ai oublié. Mesdames et Messieurs, would you care for caviar, oui? But something happens to me whenever I think of Pierre Hermé. I'm gonna marry that man someday. Restraining order be dammed! Forgive my French!

The "caviar" was piped from tinted Piping Gel, and allowed to dry up (uncovered), for several days. The caviar may take longer to set up, if it's hot and humid where you live.



...so, in conclusion, when life gives you lemons, rejoice! Or, send them to me.


I'd like to take one quick second to thank Monique, Joey, Carol, and Canarybird, for allowing me a little time away. And to all of you guys (you know who you are) who kept an eye on me, with the patience of angels. Thank you all!

Raise your hand...

...if you know Sweet Melissa. No. Not the Allman Brothers 60’s hit song. Quit sniffing the patchouli, you hippies.

I’m referring to the Sweet Melissa Baking Book by Melissa Murphy. I’ve only had this book for about a month, and so far, I've tried one recipe. Please, hold off on the lynching for a moment. Like most foodies, I have far more cookbooks than I have time to read them. But, I intend to turn to this book often, with its simple and mouthwatering recipes.

Ok, back to my point, if I had one...

...Sweet Potato Bread was the first recipe I tried from said book. And may I add, a very delicious choice, as well. I made only one change, which I'll include below.



Oh, and I baked it in this...say ahlo to my leetle friend:




It promised to make better cakes, so I had to get it. Ain't it a beauty? I'm powerless over vintage cake pans. I don't know how well you can see it, but this model comes with a curious little trapdoor. It might've been put there so you could insert a knife to loosen cakes, or perhaps to act as a vent. I dunno. What do you guys think?

And you know, contrary to popular belief, these old pans are not at all the pain-in-the-ass-tronomical-sense-to-clean you might think they are. As long as you: grease and flour it; parchment paper it, or pan coat it.


Hmm, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it were me who went off on a tangent, again.


But seriously, this is a very moist and flavorful bread, and I found it tastes even better the next day. It also keeps well if wrapped in plastic wrap for 3 days. And it freezes well. Give it a try.


Sweet Potato Bread with Cinnamon-Rum-Orange-Glaze
Makes one Bundt pan

Bread:

Two 15-ounce cans sweet potatoes, drained *
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 large eggs
2 cups AP flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped


Cinnamon Rum Orange Glaze:

¼ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup rum
½ cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks

Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven t0 350°F. Butter and flour a 10 cup Bundt pan.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed, mash the sweet potatoes until smooth. Add the sugar and oil and mix to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Add the flour mixture into the sweet potato mixture in three batches. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Do not over mix. Stir in the pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Level the batter by lifting the pan a few inches and dropping it onto the counter a couple of times. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting onto a rack for glazing.


For the glaze: Combine the orange juice, rum, sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a small nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat and reduce by half. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly before glazing the bread.
Use a pastry brush to glaze the warm bread generously. Wait 10 minutes and glaze again.

* I used roasted sweet potatoes, instead of canned. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake (unpeeled) sweet potatoes for 1 hour, or until tender. Set aside until cool and comfortable enough to handle. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

I served this with Cranberry Sorbet , which came from Simply Recipes. Lacking white cranberry juice, I substituted freshly-squeezed orange juice, with great results. So, if you like cranberries, you'll enjoy this.



I garnished the plate with Candied Orange Peel, which I made using the entire fruit (the orange peel and its juice) to make the syrup. Use the juice, instead of water, for optimum flavor - swear to Gad. That's a little secret from me to you.

And, instead of candied orange strips, try using small cookie cutters, or, as I did, heart-shaped hors d' oeuvres cutters, for a little variety. But, cut them out before crystallizing.



Well, I'm off to treat myself to a dainty little sliver of this rich and delicious bread.

Did I just hear a "Pffft!"

Ok, so I'm a hypocritical liar. Why, I'm practically a member of Congress. And, I confess, I've had 23 dainty slivers, so far.

This meeting is adjourned.

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.