BakerGal

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce

2012-01-29T19:02:00.002-05:00

This humble looking, great-tasting bread pudding always gets compliments (on flavor, not beauty) and can feed a crowd. It might not be pretty, but the combined powers of chocolate, creamy caramel, toasted pecans and bourbon make for a dangerous quartet on the fork. Beyond that, it has several qualities of a great winter dessert: substantial, almost savory, and served warm.

The bread pudding is great, but the bourbon pecan sauce kicks it to a new level. One should not be had without the other. Don't bother with your top shelf bourbon. Grab what you've got and you'll be fine. Others making this recipe have used plain whiskey or dark rum and still enjoyed the results.

Warning: This is a recipe I've made for the last four winters, and it's not an independent choice anymore - others demand it. A great benefit is that you can make it the day before and pop it in the oven as you sit down to dinner. It's one of my favorite make-ahead desserts.

According to Epicurious, the recipe for this bread pudding was created by Alison Barshak, former pastry chef of the Central Bar & Grill in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She went on to become the executive chef at Striped Bass in Philadelphia. And the hero of everyone I know. Thanks, Alison.

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce via Epicurious

(I've made some edits to the original recipe)

Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 1/4 cups whipping cream

1 cup toasted chopped pecans (toast for 3 to 7 min at 400 degrees)

2 Tbsp bourbon (plain whiskey or dark rum will also work)

Chocolate Bread Pudding

2 cups whole milk (Don't use low-fat or non-fat. It just won't be the same.)

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup granulated sugar

8 oz chopped semisweet baking chocolate (don't use chocolate chips)

8 large eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

One 1-pound challah bread cut into 1-inch pieces

Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce Instructions

Stir sugar and water in heavy large pot over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Mix in corn syrup and lemon juice. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns a golden amber, swirling pan occasionally. Remove from heat and carefully pour in the cream (the mixture will bubble and rise up...take care that it doesn't overflow). Stir over low heat until the mixture is smooth. Increase heat and boil until it is reduced to about 1 2/3 cups, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add pecans and bourbon.

Make Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat before using.

Chocolate Pudding Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine milk, cream and sugar in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until smooth. In a large bowl, beat eggs and vanilla to blend. Slowly pour in the chocolate mixture, whisking constantly as you add it (If it is still too hot it will cook the eggs as you pour it in, so do let it cool briefly, maybe 5 minutes, before this step). Add bread cubes. Let stand until bread absorbs some of custard, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer mixture to a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish or a casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake until set in center, about 45 minutes. Uncover and cool 15 minutes.

Make Ahead: Can be baked in advance and either frozen (probably for a few months), or refrigerated (1 or 2 days). Thaw and reheat in oven before serving.

To Serve: Serve pudding warm or at room temperature with warm sauce.

Hope you all enjoy this one!

BakerGal

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Balls

2011-12-25T21:21:00.000-05:00

I discovered the "Cookie Ball" while devising a tasty paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe. As I tested each new recipe variant, I gauged the batter's spreadability with a "ball test": I'd leave one lump of cookie dough as a perfect ball and see how much it spread out in the oven on its own.

As it turns out, the cookie recipe I settled on barely spreads at all. This means that to get a traditional cookie shape, you need to flatten each cookie well with the palm of your hand before baking. But this also means that you can skip the flattening stage to make ball-shaped chocolate chip cookies! They come out of the oven slightly browned and cookie-liked on the outside while remaining soft and moist on the inside. They were popular: One friend started asking for me to make more spherical cookies just for her to enjoy.

These might look gigantic, but they are each about the size of a walnut.

The recipe can be found in my previous post: Delicious Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. The difference in the recipe is at the end: roll the dough into balls, each about the size of a walnut, and let them bake as-is instead of flattening before baking. Bake until golden brown, let cool, and eat. Note: If you substitute raw honey for the agave syrup that I call for in the recipe, the cookies do spread a small bit on their own.

They are best eaten the day of baking. I tried refrigerating a few and eating them several days later - the texture becomes more chewy throughout and less enjoyable.

Enjoy!
BakerGal

Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Sage Crostini

2011-12-22T18:02:00.000-05:00

Some of the Epicurious reviews for this recipe were negative. Blandness was the most-cited fault. Luckily, the appetizer hit me over the head with pleasure while I was at an event; Only later did I find it online and read the reviews.

The key to making the flavor pop - and avoiding the blandness noted by others - is in the seasoning. You're set up for great success with the staples: A crunchy toasted base, sweet, roasted butternut squash, and lightly salted ricotta seasoned with pepper and lemon zest. Ricotta works wonderfully as a spread, offering creamy richness, moisture, and fresh taste. The accents pull it all together: delightfully crispy fried sage leaves provide texture and aroma and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice give it body and acidity.

To help readers season correctly, I've spelled out specifics of what you need to do - and what not to omit - in the points below and in the recipe. I've also added steps to the recipe to help you prepare more flavorful slices of toasted bread (a detail that Epicurious leaves out).

Do prepare the baguette slices as mentioned below with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Don't try to skimp on the sage. Fresh herbs can be expensive, but without enough of them, forget about enjoying this appetizer. There is no substitute.
Goat cheese lovers might try to sub out the ricotta. Don't do it. The benefit of ricotta is that its subtle flavor lets the sweetness of the squash shine through.
Don't buy low fat ricotta. Fat is satisfying, so live a little.
Do add enough salt and use freshly ground pepper to the ricotta and to the squash. Taste as you go until you get it right.
Don't skip the drizzle of fresh lemon juice and olive oil. The acidity of the lemon juice adds punch without overwhelming, and the olive oil provides more flavor.

I always serve my appetizers in front of a pile of logs...

Recipe for Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Sage Crostini via Epicurious, makes 12

1 two-pound butternut squash (about 4 cups, or about 20 oz pre-diced squash) peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2" cubes

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for roasting squash

1 1/2 tsp packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt for seasoning squash

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper for seasoning squash

24 fresh sage leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for frying sage

1 cup whole milk ricotta

2/3 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning ricotta

12 3/8"-thick baguette slices, toasted

1 clove garlic

Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing crostini with and for drizzling

Fresh lemon juice for drizzling

Note: If you're thinking of omitting ingredients or modifying the recipe, please read the section above on what matters in making this recipe delicious.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mince garlic and mix with a small amount of olive oil, salt, and pepper; brush this mixture onto both sides of the baguette slices and place them on a baking sheet. Toast until golden, turning once, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch closely, as they can quickly become too dark. I ended up with more than 12 slices, but also had plenty of topping to go around.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss squash with 2 Tbsp oil, brown sugar, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste in a large bowl. I've suggested 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper as a starting point, but adjust to your own tastes. Spread evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast. Turn squash occasionally, and roast until golden and tender, 25-30 minutes.

In a frying pan, heat 1 1/2 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until edges begin to curl and turn dark green, 1 to 2 minutes. Don't let them turn brown. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the leaves to to paper towels. Once they've cooled, you can cut large leaves into thirds or quarters using kitchen scissors. Don't shred the leaves and try to skimp on the sage...it's delicious, it brings the whole piece together, and each crostini should have an ample topping. Without enough of it, the appetizer's flavor is half of what it could be.

Mix together the ricotta and lemon zest, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep adding salt and pepper, tasting the ricotta as you go, until you think "This tastes good!" If you don't season it enough, it will taste bland.

TO SERVE: Spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta on each crostini. Top each with some roasted squash. Drizzle crostini with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each crostini with about 2 fried sage leaves. Eat one, then add more salt and pepper if needed.

If you want to make some parts of this in advance, you can prepare the butternut squash, sage leaves and ricotta one day ahead. Refrigerate the squash and ricotta; store the sage at room temperature in an airtight container. Bring the squash to room temperature before preparing the appetizers.

Enjoy!

BakerGal

Delicious Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2011-12-05T11:43:00.001-05:00

After an exhausting (but not exhaustive) baking and taste testing of six paleo chocolate chip recipes a few weeks ago (that post is here), I set out to perfect a paleo chocolate chip recipe of my own - one that would hopefully offer a "less unhealthy" alternative to traditional chocolate chip cookies, but best match their flavor and appearance, using ingredients from the paleolithic diet.

For a starting point, I used a recipe closest in taste and appearance to a traditional chocolate chip cookie (Recipe #6 of my Paleo Cookie Recipe Comparison). Tasters of the original Recipe #6 griped about the oiliness, sweetness, and flavor of the oil, so I began testing changes to the recipe.

I made about 15 different batches, using each one to experiment with different sweeteners, oils, other ingredients (almond nut butter, cashew nut butter, hazelnut flour), and ratios until my taste testers and I were satisfied. For oil, I steered away from non-paleo options (canola oil, vegetable oil) and from paleo options that would introduce non-traditional flavors to my cookie (olive oil, coconut oil, walnut oil). Eventually, I settled on macadamia nut oil. Macadamia nut oil is rich and smooth with a pleasant flavor that doesn't interfere with the dominant cookie flavors. To sweeten the batter, I tested batches made with agave syrup, raw honey, and a homemade paste of dates. Extra dark chocolate chips helped temper the cloying sweetness tasters found unappetizing in the original recipe. I knew I had succeeded when one taster wandered through the kitchen, nabbed a cookie and ate it without realizing it was paleo.

In the process of making so many batches, I learned a few things that are important for the success of this cookie, including sweetener substitutions and measuring almond flour. I've noted these in the recipe notes of the final recipe below.

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, Makes 16-20
5 oz (1 1/4 cups) very finely ground blanched almond flour (NOT Bob's Red Mill...see notes)
1/4 teaspoon salt (I know you're supposed to avoid salt, but this is seriously important for flavor)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup raw agave nectar (or 1/4 cup raw honey plus 1 to 2 tsp water. See below for date paste substitution.)

1/8 cup macademia nut oil (link goes to amazon)
1 tsp vanilla extract
A scant 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips. I used Guittard Extra Dark chocolate chips (63% cocoa and incredibly smooth). Using a darker chocolate (for example, the Guittard 72% Cacao Baking Discs) will make the cookies less sweet.

Heat oven to 325.
Mix almond flour, salt, and baking soda well. In a small bowl, mix agave nectar, Macadamia nut oil, and vanilla. Combine wet and dry ingredients, mixing well. Add dark chocolate chips. Batter should be thick enough that you can roll a small ball between your palms and set it on the cookie sheet without it drooping or losing shape (see notes).
Make 16 - 20 small balls of cookie dough and space them evenly on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press the cookies down as flat as possible with the palm of your hand. This is important! The cookies will NOT spread out on their own.
Bake about 6 minutes. Watch closely and remove when the edges start to brown. . . they could be done at 4 minutes or at 8 minutes depending on the size of the cookie and your oven calibration.

Recipe Notes:

Almond Flour:

The brand of almond flour you use is important because you want a flour that is very finely ground, and this quality varies greatly across brands. Bob's Red Mill almond flour is not finely ground enough - I did a test batch and the cookie batter is too runny and ends up ugly with a grainy texture. Honeyville Farms (link goes to amazon) is the brand I used for the cookies pictured above and would recommend. If you can't find Honeyville Farms almond flour or macadamia nut oil, you can follow the links in the post to Amazon to purchase it, or you can visit the "store" section of the blog, where I've provided links to purchase them.

Measuring the almond flour by weight is much more precise than measuring by volume, so use a digital scale if you have one. Trying to measure almond flour by volume can lead to over- or under-measurement: if it is too packed or too fluffed-up you fit too much or two little of it into your measuring cup. If you don't have a scale and have to measure by volume, then do your best to gently spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a straight-edged knife. As a rule of thumb for this recipe, you should be able to roll the finished dough into a ball between your palms, and when you set it down it should keep its shape. Add a little more almond flour if it doesn't pass this test.

Sweetener substitutions:
I prefer agave syrup's flavor and performance in the recipe, but tested some substitutions:
Raw honey: It works just as well. I tried a batch that turned out looking almost identical, feeling a little bit chewier, and tasting faintly of honey.
Date paste: If you prefer "whole sugars" that come embodied in their originating fruit, I also tried a date paste that worked but yielded a slightly wetter cookie with slightly less traditional flavor. To make a date paste substitute, take 8 pitted dried dates and chop them very finely. Add 1/4 cup water to the chopped dates and heat in a pan or microwave, stirring frequently until they've softened and absorbed some of the water (about 30 seconds in the microwave, stirring every 10 minutes). Add water as needed to keep them hydrated and jam-like in consistency. Remove from heat and mash the dates as thoroughly as possible with a fork. Add another few teaspoons of water if needed and heat again briefly to further soften the mixture. Place the paste in a measuring cup. If you don't have 1/4 cup of date paste, add enough water to bring the mixture up to the 1/4 cup line. Proceed with recipe as written.

Macadamia nut oil:

It has a long unrefrigerated shelf life, but doesn't often fly off the shelf at your local supermarket, so those bottles may have been there for a while. Be sure to select a fresh bottle.

Enjoy!

BakerGal

Baby Eggplant with Indian Spices (Bharvaan Baingan)

2011-11-28T13:06:00.001-05:00

Baby eggplant stuffed with Indian spices is great for eating, period. Soft, rich, and extremely flavorful, these are so unlike traditional western eggplant preparations that a single bite might change your mind about "hating" eggplant. The tiny egg-sized vegetables make for delightful snack-sized servings and are delicious eaten on their own. You can also throw them on a salad, serve them as a side or main course, or accompany them with long-grained rice and seasoned red lentils.

Simply make two cuts in the eggplant and fill it with a tangy, spicy, flavorful filling. There's no need to core or seed the vegetable. Cook in just a touch of oil along with pungent mustard seeds and curry leaves, and you really have something special when you're done. Grated coconut lends body to the filling and holds a quintet of turmeric, coriander, red chili, garlic and cumin; the moisture of tangy tamarind paste pulls it all together.

I made the recipe after snapping up some fun veggies at a produce wholesaler while in search of the last fresh figs of fall. Though disappointed to find that not a single fig seems to remain in the entire region, I was elated to find a wide variety of uncommon fruits and vegetables, including the egg-sized Indian eggplants and a bag of nerf football-sized banana flowers.

The eggplants pictured were not originally destined for the blogosphere...they was destined for my lunch plate. After having a single taste, though, I realized the recipe was too good not to share. It was going straight into my personal recipe book, and onto the site. Enjoy!

Recipe for Baby Eggplant Stuffed with Indian Spices (Bharvaan Baingan)
6 baby eggplants, each a bit larger than a large egg (often, you can find "Indian Eggplants" of exactly this size at a specialty produce mart, but any small eggplant should work)

Spice paste:
3 tbsp dried grated coconut (not sweetened)
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes or powder
1 tsp finely chopped garlic (one to two cloves)
1 tsp prepared tamarind paste (I use Tamicon brand)
1 tsp soy sauce
a few tsp of water, as needed, to create a thick paste
Salt to taste...for me this was 3/4 tsp

For cooking:
3/4 tsp black mustard seeds
6-8 curry leaves
3-4 tbsp olive oil or preferred cooking oil

To serve: Sprinkle with salt (to taste) and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Wash the baby eggplants, trim the stalks, and in each eggplant make two intersecting cuts to form a cross that goes about halfway through the eggplant.
Place spice filling ingredients in a bowl and mix. Add water, 1 tsp at a time, until you've created a thick paste. Add salt to taste.
Cram the spice paste into the cuts in the eggplants as best you can. I held the cut open, pressed the paste in, used a knife to push it down, and added some more. This worked pretty well.
Heat the oil in a pot or pan on medium to medium-low heat. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and cook till briefly..10-30 seconds. Carefully set the eggplants into the pot, cut side up. Some hot oil might splatter up at your arm, so wear long sleeves if that worries you.
Cook eggplants a few minutes cut side up, then carefully turn them on one side and let cook, turn to the other side and let cook, and finally flip them cut side down and let cook for a few minutes. Try not to let much of the filling fall out. If the eggplants are not done by the time you've reached this point, continue cooking and stirring occasionally in this manner until the eggplants are done. You will notice the skin of the eggplant change color and the flesh become softer.
To serve: Place in serving dish, sprinkle with salt (to taste) and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro leaves.

This will make your home smell like an Indian restaurant. Consider yourself warned.

Happy Fall!

BakerGal

Halloween Finger Cookies

2011-11-20T11:38:00.001-05:00

Whether you call them witches' fingers, monsters' fingers, ladies' fingers or ogres' fingers, these Halloween cookies are a winning combination of gross looks and great tastes. A few people were squeamish about eating them, but I consider that an indication of a successful Halloween dessert.

I didn't know about these great cookies of my own accord. My cousin made some a few years ago and told me that I had to make them. I'm glad I finally did...they were a huge hit! In fact, with Thanksgiving right around the corner, I'm thinking these might even look great along with the traditional spread. I can imagine four fingers and a thumb sticking out of a pumpkin pie, ready to grab the first person to take a slice!

I didn't shop around much for my creepy finger cookie recipe. There are quite a few on the internet, and I tried one of the first that I happened upon. It was pretty delicious: a sandy, shortbread-like cookie that was flavorful. I tried an eggless version out of curiosity, but I've posted in parentheses how to incorporate an egg since I know that egg replacer is not a standard pantry item in most homes.

Another thing I love about this recipe is that it's easy to tweak the various cookie aspects to make a uniquely monstrous dessert. You can try adding some food coloring to make creepier cookies, like green Frankenstein fingers. Or, try switching out the almond for a shelled pistachio if you want an uglier, mangled nail. You can even replace the red frosting for green, purple, or black icing if you want a "monster blood" look. I even made some zombie fingers when I accidentally broke a few fingers while they were still hot and then glued them back together with red icing. They were so cool that I went on to make some more on purpose.

Halloween Finger Recipe, based on recipe at Yeah, That "Vegan" Sh*t, makes about 2 dozen
1 cup margarine (or butter), softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1.5 tsp of Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 2 Tbsp warm water (or use one egg)
2 tsp of a flavored extract or combination of extracts of your choice (I used 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp orange extract, and 1/2 tsp almond extract)
2 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole raw almonds (Sliced almonds are cheaper than whole almonds, but they break more easily and are harder to work with. Or use raw shelled pistachios if you want nastier nails. )
Optional food coloring for fun effect (green = Frankenstein fingers)
1 tube red decorating gel or red decorating frosting

Preheat oven to 325F.
In a mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, EnerG egg replacer/water mix, and extracts.
Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Break off small lumps of dough and roll each one into a cylinder. Gently pinch the dough cylinders to create thin bone areas and first and second knuckle areas. Use a butter knife to make the knuckle patterns. Press an almond firmly into the end of each finger cookie. An important note is that the dough expands while baking. If realistic witch fingers are important to you, try making a few test fingers before baking the whole batch.

Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they begin to brown on the bottom. Let cool for just a few minutes before lifting the almonds, squeezing red decorating gel/frosting underneath them, and pressing them back down.

Also, I froze half of the dough and found that it had no negative effect when I later thawed it, formed more fingers, and baked them.

Enjoy!

BakerGal

Recipe for Pita Chips

2011-11-13T16:20:00.001-05:00

This is a companion post to the Labneh (yogurt cheese) recipe from a few weeks ago. As much as I liked the Labneh, I think more people were excited about the pita chips. Not only did I have an endless pita chip supply, but they were crunchy, toasty, salty, and seasoned with delicious spices.

At least one person remarked that they hadn't realized you could make your own pita chips at home. That remark surprised me...because all you do to make pita chips is take pita bread and toast it (unless you want to make your own pita bread at home, which is also possible...and delicious). I'm not sure how this kind of disconnect between pita bread and pita chip happens. Maybe alienation from the food-making process through exposure to packaged, readymade food products? Again, not sure.

In any case, these were really good, and you CAN make them at home. The recipe is below!

Recipe for Pita Chips
12 pita breads
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic salt (or more, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (or more, to taste)

Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Cut each pita bread into 8 triangles and place the triangles in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the oil, pepper, salt, and basil.
Pour the oil mixture over the pita breads. Turn the breads over with your hands and mix them thoroughly until each bread is coated in oil. Be sure to rotate the bread triangles from the bottom of the bowl to the top and vice versa while mixing. Place triangles on lined cookie sheet.
Bake them in the preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Keep a close eye on the chips - they burn easily.

Serve them with hummus or the dip of your choice.

Enjoy!

BakerGal

Halloween Cake Ball Eyeballs

2011-11-06T20:31:00.000-05:00

As far as Halloween desserts go, cake eyeballs hold a special place in my. . . skull. They're gross, but still really tasty. Most importantly, you don't have to explain to anyone what they are supposed to be. They are eyes. You might have to explain what's in them, though, before anyone will venture a bite.

The idea for edible eyeballs came from a friend who forwarded me the recipe for forkable's rice crispy peanut butter eyes. But after a little brainstorming, it occurred to me that a much grosser version of the treat would have a moist red interior: red velvet cake! Nasty! Wonderful!

Fact: I was so proud of this idea. I was so excited! I called my mom so that she would tell me how awesome I was.

Fact: A single search of the internet told me that other people have had this idea, too. Oh well. Great minds think alike? Besides, let's focus on craftsmanship. I think I bring a special level of finesse to eyeball-making.

Gruesome red-velvet interior...best idea ever!

Okay, so you want to know what's in these things? Let's talk details, kids. Time for an anatomy lesson.

Anatomy of a Cake Eyeball:

The outside: White chocolate coating

The inside: Red velvet cake ball using cream cheese frosting to hold it together

The pupil: M&M

The blood vessels: Red food coloring painted on using the broken half of a toothpick

The bottom of this one looks almost like it was pulled out of a zombie's face, right?

What do people think when you serve a plate of eyeballs? Some people become ecstatic and hold them in front of their eyes. Some are so grossed out that they can't bring themselves to try one.

Those people are missing out. These are delicious! They're sweet and moist, and the combination of red velvet cake, cream cheese frosting, and white chocolate goes down great with a glass of witches' brew.

The main cake eyeball drawback is that they take a while to make. Forget about making the family cake recipe from scratch...bust out the box mix and ready-made frosting for this project. Don't have red velvet cake box mix on hand? No worries. I quadrupled the recipe and only had two boxes of red velvet cake mix on hand...the other two boxes were vanilla. I just dumped 2 oz of red food coloring to each vanilla cake mix and called it good.

The "blood clot" in the middle eye happened when some of the frosting-y cake melted after I dipped it in the hot white chocolate coating. Joy!

Imagine all the fun things you could do with a plate full of these!

Drumroll please.....

Halloween Cake Ball Eyeball Recipe

Cake Balls Recipe

One 18.25 oz box red velvet cake and ingredients called for on the box

3/4 of a 16 oz container of ready-made cream cheese frosting

Food-safe plastic gloves

Bake the cake according to directions and let cool completely.
Once cooled, crumble it into a large bowl or large tupperware, making sure no large bits remain. One method to quickly crumble cake is to rub two chunks of it together.
Scoop 3/4 of the container of frosting into the cake and mix thoroughly using a spoon. The rest of the frosting isn't going to get used. Enjoy it.
Put plastic gloves on now, because you'll end up with red hands if you don't.
Next step: "Roll your eyes," hardy-har-har. Roll the cake into eyeball-sized balls, place on a wax paper or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours or freeze for 15 minutes.
While they are chilling, prepare the chocolate coating.

White Chocolate Coating Recipe

1/2 bar (~2 oz) edible paraffin wax

2 12-oz bags white chocolate chips

toothpicks and a spoon

Melt the paraffin wax in the microwave.
Pour the hot wax over the chocolate chips and melt the whole ensemble until smooth using a method of your choice: Either place it in a pan over low heat, use a double boiler, or microwave it. In any case, be sure to stir frequently and heat carefully, as the mixture can burn easily.
Once the chocolate mixture is melted and smooth, take a few eyeballs out of the fridge or freezer.
My preferred method for dunking these treats was to drop them in the coating, fish them out with a spoon, stick a toothpick into them, and transfer via toothpick to a wax paper-coated cookie sheet.
Only dunk one eye at a time, and have the M&Ms at the ready, because the coating hardens quickly.

Pupils & Blood Vessels

1 medium or large bag of M&Ms

Red food coloring

Press an M&M into the middle of the eyeball to make the pupil.
Once you're done with all the eyes, draw the blood vessels: Break a toothpick in half to provide a wider "brush" surface to paint with, dip it in a dish or cup that contains several drops of red food coloring, and paint away!

They were so popular, I'm tempted to make them again before next Halloween. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, you know...

BakerGal

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies: Comparing 6 Recipes

2011-10-24T00:06:00.000-04:00

Each recipe is represented above in succession beginning with Recipe 1 and ending with Recipe 6.

After undertaking the challenge of designing a delicious "paleo brownie" recipe for a friend, I decided it was time to tackle paleo chocolate chip cookies. (After testing these six recipes, I created my own very tasty paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe.)

My ultimate goal is to deliver a cookie that looks and tastes as close as possible to a traditional chocolate chip cookie but does not step far outside the bounds of the paleo way of eating. That means excluding most refined oils (other than nut oils, olive oil, and coconut oil) and refined sugars (though many of the paleo cookie recipes break this), dairy (other than a few eggs), and flour or other domesticated and refined grains and legumes. For a longer description of what people generally consider "paleo," you can refer to the post in which I compared 5 paleo brownie recipes.

Before recipe-smithing on the fly, I wanted to get a sense of the existing recipe landscape. I searched for what looked like to the top paleo chocolate chip recipes on the internet and tested them. The results are below, along with a photo and link corresponding to each recipe I reviewed. I've included notes on flavor and appearance based on my own observation and the help of three tasters.

In the coming weeks, I'll develop my own (hopefully) better recipe taking the best of what I've learned from these and traditional chocolate chip cookie recipes. Again, my goal for this future cookie is to get as close as possible to the traditional chocolate chip cookie in appearance and taste. Keep your eyes peeled for that upcoming post! NOTE: Done and done. . . I crafted my own delicious paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe based on what I learned from the six recipes below and trial-and-error recipe tweaking.

Finally, though some of the cookie recipes below may not be up to modern gustatory standards, any cave man would prefer them to rotting meat!

Recipe 1: Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Paleo Project
Flavor: After hearing me list the ingredients and then taking a bite, one taster commented with surprise: "I don't dislike it!" Not too sweet, but not bland, the other tasters described it as a "less sweet chocolate chip cookie." All of us thought it was sweet enough to be palatable, without being as sweet as a standard cookie. I balked, though, at the recipe's lack of salt. According to my taste, a hint of salt is one of the key characteristics of a classic chocolate chip cookie.
Texture: These cookies are surprisingly lightweight - maybe half the weight of a similar sized standard chocolate chip cookie - and not very durable. My tasters described the texture as "okay," "muffiny," and "grainy." One taster likened it to a "cupcake cookie" similar to the cookies that can be made using funfetti cake mix. I thought the inside of the cookie had a kind of pasty, wet texture (maybe from coconut milk?) that I didn't care for.
Appearance: They look rugged, like they're made out of processed granola. The first few batches held their shape like biscuits, so I flattened the last batch before baking to make them look more normal. You would not mistakenly reach for one thinking it was a normal chocolate chip cookie.
Overall: I was skeptical about the lack of sugar (sweetness comes only from dates, chocolate chips, and 1/2 Tbs honey), but this was plenty sweet and pretty good! I didn't care, though, for the light texture. Still, at least one taster preferred this recipe to recipe 5, which yields a cookie that is more standard in taste and texture.

Recipe:
2/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond butter in natural oils
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage (BakerGal: I used SO Delicious brand)
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 Tbs cinnamon (BakerGal: I omitted, because it isn't a standard flavor in choco chip cookies)
1/2 Tbs honey
5 medjool dates, pitted (BakerGal: I used 6 deglet...medjool can be hard for me to find.)
1 cup chocolate chips, or Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips

Preheat to 350 F.
In food processor, combine all ingredients except for chocolate chips until smooth. Remove blades and combine dough with chocolate chips. Scoop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet. (For me, this made ~24 cookies).
Bake for 18-20 minutes/until cookies brown on surface. (For me, it took 15 minutes.)

Recipe 2: Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Food Lovers' Primal Palate

Flavor: This tastes more like a standard chocolate chip cookie, and more like a cookie in general, than the results of recipe 1. One taster mentioned that he wouldn't have known it was a "specialty" cookie. While the coconut flavor comes through, the maple flavor is not very noticeable. (Note: One blog reader commented that she did not find the coconut flavor to be overwhelming, even though she hates coconut. She also adds an additional half teaspoon of salt to the recipe, which may impact the overall flavor).

Texture: Cakier than a standard chocolate chip cookie. While the batter seems too wet and oily at first, it dries out while baking. Still, I found the cookie center to have a slightly pasty, wet texture, so perhaps err on the side of baking these longer rather than shorter.

Appearance: These look a lot more like chocolate chip cookies than most of the other recipes, but they need to be pressed flat before baking to achieve the standard cookie look, as they spread very little while baking. A few tasters noted that the exterior is not like a normal chocolate chip cookie...it is shiny/glossy (We're guessing that the maple syrup caused the glossiness). The cookies are also more yellow than standard.

Overall: Tasters thought it was good, but didn't rave about it. Based on taster comments, this could pass as a regular cookie recipe, but not as a regular chocolate chip cookie. Also, I'm not sure maple syrup fits the bill for most who eat paleo foods, since it's not much different from refined granulated sugar in terms of sugar content.

Recipe:
3 cups blanched almond flour (See notes under recipes 5 and 6 on best brands to use)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (Note - one blog reader suggests upping this to a total of 1.5tsp salt)
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, unrefined
1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
Pour wet ingredients into dry and beat until combined. Melt coconut oil, pour into batter, and blend until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop small spoonfuls of dough.
Bake for 8- 15 minutes. (BakerGal: I baked for 12 min, this made about 36 cookies)

Recipe 3: Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies from Regina on the Elana's Pantry Forum
Flavor: Taster comments included: "smells and tastes like there are oats in it," "does not taste like a chocolate chip cookie." I thought this tasted pretty good, but was maybe just a little too sweet.

Texture: In terms of approximating a cookie, I thought this was the least offensive texture so far. Tasters described the texture as "gingerbready," "loaf-like," and "crunchiness" at the bottom of the cookie. I found the cookies to be soft, again somewhat wet inside but not undercooked, and crispy on the bottom. The batter is denser and dryer than any of the other recipes I tested (though the resulting cookies were not dry) and looks much more like traditional cookie dough.

Appearance: Because of the palm sugar, these are much darker than normal chocolate chip cookies: "looks like pumpkin bread"was one taster's assessment. I had to press these cookies flat before baking to help them be cookie-shaped.

Overall: This could also probably pass as a real cookie - but not a standard chocolate chip cookie. Also, I haven't looked into the use of palm sugar in the paleo diet. According to the manufacturer packaging, palm sugar ranks lower on the glycemic index than regular sugar. I plan to do a little more reading about sugars and oils before working on my final recipe.

Recipe: 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut flour (BakerGal...just use 1/2 cup...way easier and no big difference)
1/2 tsp baking soda
BakerGal: I added 1/2 tsp salt, since the recipe mentions adding salt below, but not in the ingredient list
8 tablespoons refined coconut oil (BakerGal: this is equal to 1/2 cup, in case you wanted a shortcut)
1 cup blonde palm sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand is soy and dairy free)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk the coconut flour and the baking soda together in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl mix together the coconut oil, palm sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla, then add the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the chocolate chips.
Bake for 13 minutes. (BakerGal: For me, this took only 8-10 min. Watch closely!)
(BakerGal: This made ~24 cookies.)

Recipe 4: Paleo(ish) Chocolate Chip Cookies from Fitness Fail

Flavor: Tasters described this as "bland," and "yuck." It tasted a lot like bread with chocolate chips in it. I was again surprised that there was no salt in the recipe, but even more surprised to see that there was no oil. :(

Texture: The texture is also very much like bread: both cake-y and springy.

Appearance: These do look something like a chocolate chip cookie...more than recipe 1 or 3. Again, I pressed them flat before baking. Still, they ended up looking kind of rough and pointy where parts of the dough had failed to melt down under the heat (due to the structure from the high-fiber coconut flour and lack of temperature-sensitive fats)

Overall: This was the least-liked cookie recipe. Nobody cared much for it, either as a stand-alone cookie recipe, or as a stand-in for a real chocolate chip cookie. Still, here it is for the curious:

Recipe:

1 cup almond meal/almond flour
¼ cup granulated splenda/honey/sugar (BakerGal: I tried using Splenda/fake sugar once in a baked good, and it was AWFUL, just AWFUL, bitter and nasty. So, I used palm sugar that was left over from the previous recipe, hoping to maintain moisture ratios called for in this recipe.
½ tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix the dry ingredients (Almond meal, chips, splenda/sugar, baking soda). Add all other ingredients and mix throughly. Place small spoonfuls on a parchmentpaper-lined baking sheet. The batch should make around 15. Bake for ~10 minutes, until they start to brown. Touch them with your finger to check if they have hardened to determine whether they are done.
(BakerGal: For me, this recipe made about 12-16 cookies.)

Recipe 5: Based on Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies from Elana's Pantry

Note: I changed this recipe quite a bit from the Elana's Pantry version by replacing the butter with oil. Skip ahead to Recipe 6 for a better attempt at the recipe.
Flavor: All tasters, myself included, were put off by the taste imparted by the oil that I used (walnut). While the original recipe called for grapeseed oil, most paleo experts are rabidly opposed to using grapeseed oil, so I was trying to use a paleo-friendly oil that wouldn't impart cookie-unfriendly flavors. Walnut oil might actually work fine...I think I just need to use less of it. Otherwise, there were no negative comments on the taste.

Texture: "Soft," "limp," and "oily" were comments from tasters.

Appearance: This and recipe 6 looked the most like real chocolate chip cookies, but there was so much oil in this (my fault) that the cookies looked wet and translucent. Gross!

Overall: I failed in a few ways with this recipe: First by trying to replace the butter with an equivalent amount of oil...which turned out to be too much oil, secondly by using an oil that had too strong a taste, and finally, I may have under-measured the almond flour by using a measuring cup. I weighed the almond flour in Recipe 6 in order to make sure I had an accurate measurement. If you're trying to decide whether to make recipe 5 or 6, make recipe 6. Recipe 6 comes straight from Elana's Pantry as a dairy-free recipe, calling slightly less oil, and it works better as a result.)

Recipe:

Recipe 6: Based on Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies from Elana's Pantry

Note: I followed this recipe closely, only exchanging grapeseed oil for a nut oil.
Flavor: Salt was doubled in this recipe compared to Recipe 5, and most tasters thought it was an improvement. One taster thought these were a great variant on a traditional soft chocolate chip cookie. However, some tasters thought that the walnut oil imparted a flavor that just didn't work. I would suggest a different type of oil, or less oil. While the original recipe called for grapeseed oil, most paleo experts are rabidly opposed to using grapeseed oil, so I was trying to use a paleo-friendly oil that wouldn't impart cookie-unfriendly flavors. Otherwise, there were no negative comments on the taste.

Texture: Like a soft chocolate chip cookie, but a bit oily. Tasters used adjectives like "soft," "limp," and "oily" to describe these cookies. Most objected to the oiliness, but one taster thought they were a great soft cookie.

Appearance: For one taster, this cookie conjured up memories of Mrs. Field's cookies in terms of look. Of all the cookie recipes tested, this one looked the most like a standard chocolate chip cookie. I pressed down on the top of these cookies before baking to help them flatten.

Overall: These were the most like regular chocolate chip cookies in terms of appearance and taste, but all six tasters objected to the amount of oil. I thought the oiliness might be due to an inaccuracy in measuring (The first time around, I measured by volume using a measuring cup, which can make it easy to over- or under-measure). However, I made the recipe again and weighed the almond flour with a digital scale. The result was improved, but still too oily. Aside from oiliness, this would be one of the more promising recipes.

Recipe:

2 ½ cups blanched almond flour (BakerGal: Don't use Bob's Red Mill brand...too coarse. Use one of Elana's recommended brands: http://www.elanaspantry.com/ingredients/blanched-almond-flour/ Also, if you have a scale, measure this by ingredient weight for best accuracy. 1 cup blanched almond flour = 4 oz by weight, so 2.5 cups = 10 oz by weight)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup grapeseed oil (BakerGal: I used walnut, a more paleo-friendly oil, as I had hoped it wouldn't impart strong flavors like olive oil and coconut oil do.)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup agave nectar
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl. Mix wet ingredients into dry.
Form 1-inch balls and press onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press them down a bit before baking.
Bake for 7-10 minutes
(BakerGal: This recipe made ~36 cookies.)

I hope some of you find these recipe reviews helpful in your own search for your favorite paleo chocolate chip cookie. Again, if you want to see the recipe I formulated after learning from the above recipes, you can find it here.

Again, I'll be using what I learned about the ingredients and outcomes of these recipes to hopefully fashion a final paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe that more closely approximates the standard chocolate chip cookie we all know and love!

Enjoy!

BakerGal

Labneh (Yogurt Cheese) with Pita Chips

2011-10-12T14:46:00.000-04:00

Labneh (also known as lebni or labni) is a yogurt-based cheese common in the middle east, though similar preparations can be found elsewhere, including in Greece, Afganistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. After a friend of mine raved about this cheese, I put it at the top of my list of foods to try!

It was easy to make and delicious. Yogurt imparts the dominant flavors: tart, light, and fresh. Extra virgin olive oil poured on top adds a contrasting grassy, herbaceous note. My preferred mode of transit to mouth: toasted pita seasoned with salt, olive oil, and herbs.

Requiring little more than yogurt and salt, the recipe is simple: strain yogurt to remove the whey, resulting in a thicker yogurt. The longer you let it strain, the thicker it becomes. The result is a soft, fresh cheese that you can use in a variety of ways: packed in olive oil, as a dip, as a substitute for sour cream or cream cheese, served with honey à la greek yogurt, or used as an ingredient in sweet or savory dishes.

Olive oil is an important condiment when serving labneh. One of the more traditional preparations is to roll the cheese into small, walnut-sized balls and then store them in extra virgin olive oil. I opted for another common (and much easier) route: put it in a bowl. Even when served as a dip, though, the cheese is drenched in olive oil before being sprinkled with herbs (crushed mint, powdered sumac (za'atar) made into a paste with olive oil, thyme and garlic are all common accompaniments, depending on your country of reference).

Above, I've catalogued my approach to decorating the dip: garlic, herb, and oil-packed olives add some color in the top photo, paprika and olive oil top the dip in the second photo, and oil-packed sun dried tomatoes garnish the center of the dip in the bottom photo.

I had wanted to use powdered sumac (Za'atar) as a garnish - it is a beautiful red color and has an acidic fruity tartness similar to that of a lemon - but didn't have the time to track down a supply. Instead, I used paprika - the nearest thing in terms of color, and flavorful in its own right.

Also, although I had wanted to use whole milk yogurt, the yogurt fairy brought me nonfat yogurt. I was sad to lose the delicious fatty richness of whole yogurt and was worried that I would end up with a runny mess, but it worked fine! So if you prefer a low-fat cheese, follow your heart!

I strained the yogurt for three days to achieve the consistence seen above.

Recipe for Labneh (Lebni)

Equipment:
Sieve large enough to hold 1 quart of yogurt
Bowl to hold sieve
Sterile cloth napkin, paper towel, or cheesecloth folded until it is 4 or more layers thick (I tried all three options, and preferred using a cloth napkin. Layers of paper towel worked, too, but I kept worrying that they would break.)
Rubber band

Ingredients:
1 quart yogurt
1/2 tsp - 1 tsp salt (err on the 1/2 tsp side if you'd like to use it as a dessert)
Extra virgin olive oil
Za'atar/powdered sumac, or paprika
Fresh herbs of your choice
Olives and pita bread, if served as a dip

1) Line the sieve with a sterile cloth napkin, paper towel, or folded cheesecloth, and set the lined sieve in a bowl that will catch the whey as it drains.
2) Mix yogurt and salt thoroughly and pour into lined sieve. Gather edges of your sieve liner and secure them together with rubber band.
3) Let sit in fridge 24 to 72 hours depending on the consistency you prefer. If you're not sure how long this will take, open the sieve liner and check consistency at 24 hour intervals until it reaches the desired thickness. Labneh will keep for one to two weeks in the refrigerator.
4) To serve as a dip, place in dish and top with olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika or za'atar and fresh herbs, serve with pita bread and olives.

Note: If you can find a way to hang the sieve liner from a hook so that it is suspended above the bowl, you can ditch the sieve and the labneh will strain much faster. One suggestion is to place a wooden spoon handle across a tall container and hang the package from the handle using a rubber band.

A few friends told me they loved the pita chip recipe, so I'll share that with you, too (here it is). However, I'll save it for next week or the following; I'll need the rest of the time to whip up a bunch of cookie recipes that I'd like to compare...another post on the horizon!

Enjoy!

BakerGal

Gin & Tonic Cake Recipe!

2011-10-03T01:46:00.000-04:00

I had the idea to make the cake of all cakes: something unexpected, exciting, inebriating! "Life changing?" you ask. Maybe even that; I wanted to make a gin & tonic cake. A GIN & TONIC CAKE! Are you excited yet? Should I repeat again in all caps?

For such an outstanding idea, though, I was surprised that I couldn't find any recipes online that fit my criteria. All I wanted was a towering lime-flavored cake (and classy, too...i.e. ditch the intense green food coloring), soaked in a syrup of gin, tonic and lime juice, with a similarly flavored light cream cheese frosting. Is that so much to ask for? Really, internet.

You can see the soaked portion of each layer...it might look a little soggy, but doesn't actually taste soggy.

I decided I would have to build my dream cake by piecing together each element on my own. This risky and time-consuming approach was an overall success, but I won't lie...all did not go as planned.

Happily, it was tasty. Sadly, it didn't change my life...and somehow (also sadly?) I did think that a cocktail in cake form might change my life. One friend summed up the main problem in a nutshell: "I can taste the gin and tonic now that you tell me it's there."

I don't want to have to obtain a liquor license to serve this cake, but I do want it to have a gin and tonic flavor that's loud and clear. What to do? More gin? More tonic? Add juniper berries to the batter? Only time and more tweaking will tell.

There were other problems, too...explained below. For daring bakers and those readers who are just curious, I provide the recipes and what I thought about the outcome of each of the cake components below.

I'd still call it an overall success: it was a pretty awesome idea to bring to life, was much admired by those who consumed it, and made a tasty lime-flavored cake that did have a noticeable, if not totally obvious, gin and tonic flavor.

Frosting incorporated cream cheese, whipped cream, and gin and tonic syrup. Delicious, but not sturdy enough.

THE RESULTS?
Cake: I was happy with it. It cooked faster than I expected (the original recipe suggested 25 minutes, but the layers cooked more quickly). As a result, it may have turned out a bit dry - nothing that a little bit of cocktail poured on top couldn't fix.

Gin and tonic syrup: This turned out fine, but I want something stronger so that the flavor of the cake's namesake cocktail is unambiguous. Next time around, I would omit the water and instead dissolve the sugar in lime juice to make the simple syrup. I might even omit the sugar - there's plenty in the cake and frosting as it is - to get more flavor packed into each ounce of liquid.

Frosting: I took some liberties with the frosting, and all did not go well. I wanted a cream cheese-based frosting that wasn't as dense as real cream cheese frosting. Solution? Adding whipping cream sounded right to me. Then I also added gin and tonic syrup, because that seemed important. The result was just a little too runny. Next time, I'd try sour cream instead of whipping cream, or use gelatin as a stabilizer.

The whole package: It was okay, but still needs some tweaking. I'm providing the recipes for my own record and for those who are curious. It's definitely worth trying to improve upon!

Future tweaking: Keep the cake, cut the water from the gin and tonic syrup, use sour cream instead of whipped cream. If you try your hand at your own version of a gin and tonic cake, definitely drop me a line!

Lime Cake Recipe for Gin & Tonic Cake (Makes three 8-inch rounds)

After surfing the interwebs for a while, I settled on an Epicurious recipe for the cake. It looked like the cake would be sturdy enough to handle being drenched in G & T syrup while living up to my flavor expectations. I did make some changes: I doubled the recipe, incorporated all of the zest into the batter, omitted the lime glaze, and replaced the self-rising flour with a combination of regular flour, baking powder and salt.

3 sticks butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup milk

Zest and juice from 6 large limes

(Set ~2 Tbsp lime zest aside for frosting and ~1 Tbs zest for garnish, use remainder of zest for batter, set aside juice for syrup)

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 2/3 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 1/3 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch round baking pan, and place buttered parchment paper rounds in the bottom of each pan. Using electric mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar in large bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in milk, lime juice, and zest (set aside 3 Tbsp zest for frosting), then beat in flour. Batter will be very thick. Pour batter into the cake pans and level the batter. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. For me, this was about 15-20 minutes.

Gin & Tonic Syrup

To get that authentic gin & tonic flavor, I felt that I needed to make a huge gin & tonic and incorporate it into both the cake and the frosting. I looked to those who had gone before me in this territory, and deferred to a recipe for gin & tonic syrup used to soak a white chocolate sheet cake.

100 g sugar

100 ml water

200 ml gin

400 ml tonic water

100 ml lime juice (or juice from appx 6 large limes)

Dissolve the sugar in the water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Combine the cooled syrup with the gin, tonic water and lime juice. I soaked each layer of the cake liberally with the syrup as I assembled the cake, added a 1/4 cup to the frosting, and still had some syrup left over.

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting

This frosting has both a detectable cream cheese flavor and a light texture, but it is not as sturdy as I would have liked. I suppose that's not too surprising, since I came up with the recipe on the fly. I would not recommend using it to make this cake, but for the record, here's what I did:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature 

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 Tbsp lime zest

1/4 cup G & T syrup

2 cups heavy whipping cream

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter until fully combined. Add sugar, zest, G & T syrup, and whipping cream, and switch out paddle attachment for whisk attachment. beat on high until the frosting holds peaks.

As mentioned above, this frosting is not so sturdy; I had to chill it to help it thicken up a bit. I then frosted the cake and set it in the freezer for an hour or so until it was time for dessert, just to be sure that frosting wouldn't ooze out.

In the future, I'd remove the heavy whipping cream and instead add 2 cups of sour cream. I'm guessing I'd need to double the frosting recipe to cover the cake since I would lose a lot of volume by omitting the whipping cream.

I'm not sure when I'll try version two of the gin and tonic cake, but I will be sure to share when I do! Again, let me know if you've ever tried something similar or have any ideas!

BakerGal

Salted Caramel & Vanilla Cheesecake

2011-09-25T21:56:00.000-04:00

This cheesecake is really good! The vanilla, shortbread and caramel flavors are wonderful together, their sweetness offset by a tangy sour cream topping and DELIGHTFUL sprinkling of salt.

What else is great? The recipe uses both ricotta and cream cheese, creating a fluffier texture than cheesecakes that use only cream cheese and a smoother texture than those that use only ricotta.

Plus, if (like me) your cheesecakes often crack on the top despite loving care and precautions, the sweetened sour cream layer covers up everything beautifully. Woohoo! I'm definitely planning to use this trick on my next cheesecake malfunction.

What's not great? The original recipe uses the metric system, so the conversion results in unusual measurements (like 1.4 cups). Oh well!

Recipe for Salted Caramel & Vanilla Cheesecake

Original recipe at donnahay.com

Ingredients:

500g shortbread cookies (I used Keebler Sandies Shortbread Cookies. A 12.8 oz box is 363 grams, so you need 1.38 boxes)
1/2 cup (60g) almond meal

2/3 cup (150g) melted butter

1.4 cups (350g) ricotta cheese

2.2 8-oz blocks (500g) cream cheese

1 cup (175g) brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tablespoons Lyle's Golden Syrup (this UK product can be found at Whole Foods in US)

1/4 tsp table salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup (250ml) half & half (also known as "single cream" or "pouring cream")

1 cup (240g) sour cream

1 tablespoon sifted powdered sugar

Caramel Sauce:

1 cup (250ml) half & half, (also known as "single cream" or "pouring cream")

1/4 cup (60g) butter, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup (175g) brown sugar

sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

Directions:

Process the cookies and almond meal in a food processor until coarsely chopped, then add the butter and process a bit more to combine. Press the mixture into a greased 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the ricotta and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 5–6 minutes or until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for 3–4 minutes or until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the golden syrup, salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat until well combined, and pour into the crust. Place the tin in a baking dish and pour in enough boiling water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the tin. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove cheesecake from the baking dish and allow to cool in the tin. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.

Place the cream, sour cream, powdered sugar and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until soft peaks form. Top the cheesecake with the cream, and either serve immediately or refrigerate overnight.

To make the caramel sauce: Place the cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil, and cook for 5–7 minutes or until thickened. Set aside and allow to cool.

To serve: Slice cheesecake, drizzle with caramel sauce, and sprinkle with salt.

BakerGal

Berries and Cream Popsicles

2011-09-19T20:29:00.000-04:00

Mmmmmmm! Delicious frozen berry & cream popsicles! They're not as sweet as the Cookies and Cream Popsicles I made recently, but are full of flavor and just as easy to make. In this recipe, I used homemade whipped cream for the base and added sour cream to give it a tangy bite (compared to Cool Whip and cream cheese in the Cookies and Cream recipe).

Brutal honesty: I liked the Cookies and Cream Popsicles better. I can't pin down what specifically I prefer about the other recipe, but I think the base was tastier and sweeter. The next time I'm faced with hot weather, I'll have to whip up another batch of these berry pops using the cream base from the Cookies & Cream Popsicle recipe. More delicious food! Exciting!

In other exciting news, I just got some land to plant a garden on (about 10 feet by 17 feet). It's getting cold out, but hey, no big deal - I planted some cold-weather vegetable seeds. Let's hope they grow into something before frost hits! Send optimism/heating lamps, please.

If it works out, I'll feature some of the produce in an upcoming post!

Recipe for Strawberries and Cream Popsicles
Makes about 18

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla
4 T sifted powdered sugar
1.5 cups berries (either fresh berries that you've mashed, or frozen berries).
Additional powdered sugar to taste, as needed

3-oz dixie cups

Popsicle sticks

In a large bowl, beat the sour cream until soft. Add the whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar and beat on high with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold in the berries (I used frozen sweetened strawberries in syrup in one batch and frozen raspberries in another). Because berries vary in sweetness, and some frozen berries may or may not have added sugar, the batter may benefit from more sweetness; Give it a little taste and add more powdered sugar as needed. Pour/spoon into paper cups and add the popsicle sticks. Freeze at least 4 hours, or until firm.

OR if you want a cream base that is even thicker and sweeter, and freezes into a soft solid, you can use the "cream" recipe from Cookies and Cream Popsicles - I haven't tried it with berries, but I have a hunch that it will be tasty.

Fall is here now, so no more popsicles!
BakerGal

Cookies and Cream Popsicle Recipe

2011-09-11T22:51:00.000-04:00

These are a WIN! They're delicious, and criminally rich compared to last week's melon popsicles. Basic recipe: Oreos and cream get into a delicious brawl. You press pause and eat it.

This recipe is also a good way to let out some frustration and sooth the nerves. Step first: Smash up a bunch of Oreo cookies. Step last: eat popsicles until you feel better. All around great program for emotional repair. Right?

In any case, these popsicles turned out great and my guests were happy. They disappeared quickly, too. Reasons? 1) Delicious, 2) Cool Whip's mystery ingredients keep them bite-ably soft, so you can chow down instead of nibbling patiently.

Cookies & Cream Popsicles Recipe
Adapted from peanut butter oreo popsicle recipe at passthesushi.com
1 container cool whip, thawed
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
18-22 Oreos (more or less...just follow your heart)
1T sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
3oz dixie cups and popsicle sticks or plastic spoons
OR popsicle molds
Makes about 20-24 3oz popsicles

Put cookies in a ziplock bag and destroy them with something until they're broken into medium-large chunks. Put all of the chunks in a pasta strainer that has pretty big holes in it, and sift out the fine cookie dust. Save it for later. Sifting helps you in two ways: 1) It keeps the "cream" part of the popsicle from turning gray when you mix everything together, and 2) You can save the fine dust for decorating the top of the pops before you freeze them.

Stick cream cheese in the microwave if you need to soften it up a bit more. Then, put it in an electric mixer with sugar and vanilla and whip until smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip, then fold in the cookie chunks.

Fill your popsicle molds or dixie cups. I used 3oz paper dixie cups, and the mixture was thick, so I had to carefully fill the cups to avoid trapping air bubbles (as a result, this recipe takes longer to make than last week's pour-n-freeze melon popsicles). Add the popsicle sticks or plastic spoons - the batter is thick enough to hold them up - then pour fine cookie crumbs on top of each popsicle and press down a bit so they stick.

Freeze these for at least 4 hours for best results, though they'll never get rock solid. To remove dixie cups, just peel them off.

I'm hoping for a few more sunny days left before I break out the cold weather clothing....

BakerGal

Melon Popsicle Recipe

2011-09-05T14:23:00.000-04:00

THEY LOOK SO HAPPY! At least, they did...until they started melting into puddles during my photo shoot. Eight popsicles were harmed during the production of this blog post...

Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and a hint of lemon and lime are all it took to throw together a load of cool and colorful frozen treats for the afternoon. This was so simple and so quick to do...it would be tons of fun for kids to try.

For the cantaloupe and watermelon, I used lemon juice and threw in a little zest, too - so refreshing! I did the same with lime for the honeydew pops. Personal fave? The cantaloupe pops. They had a smoother texture than the other two.

Melon Pops Recipe
1 melon (watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew)
4 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice per honeydew-size melon (optional)
Popsicle molds (or popsicle sticks & 3 oz Dixie cups, or ice cube trays with toothpicks)

1. Process melon and citrus juice in blender or food processor until completely smooth.
2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 4 hours.
3. If you are using Dixie cups, freeze until slushy and somewhat thick, then stick popsicle sticks in and continue to freeze until solid.

The quantity this makes depends on the size of the fruit and the size of the molds you are using. Dixie cups are great for this project because you're not going to run out. The honeydew melon made about 24 3oz servings, the cantaloupe made about 12 3oz servings, and the watermelon made so many servings it would have been ridiculous to count them.

You can add sweetener if your fruit isn't ripe (up to 1/2 cup granulated sugar or equivalent sweetener per melon should be plenty). I found that sugar was overkill for already ripe fruit, so you might as well keep it healthy.

Summer isn't over yet (at least not here!), so enjoy the last of it while you still can!

BakerGal

Food Photography Tips: Food, Props and Backgrounds

2011-08-28T21:05:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the fourth in a series of posts about basic food photography! I've divided the tips into four posts that I've published weekly: lighting, camera settings, photo composition, and setting up food/props/backgrounds.

I've designed the tips below for beginners regardless of camera make and model, but have kept owners of digital-point-and-shoot cameras in mind to help them take higher quality photos with the equipment they already own. Hope you enjoy!

BakerGal Food Photography Tips, Part 4: Food, Props and Backgrounds

Food selection:

Pick your model - Find the nicest piece of food to photograph (often called the "hero" among food photographers/food stylists).
Find a stunt double - If your "hero" could easily be damaged while setting up and arranging the shoot, do a test run with the next best piece of food, and swap in the best piece once everything is correctly in place.
Check the details - One you've placed the food in its setting, do a visual check for fine details: brush away unwanted crumbs, and check for thumbprints on the plate and other unwanted items that will detract from the subject.

Props:

More is not better - Do use props to enhance your photo, but don't overdo it - too many props can confuse your photo and detract from your main subject.
Choose wisely - Think about what goes with the food you're photographing and consider including it (a garnish that describes or complements the flavor, silverware, serving implements, drinks).
Props aren't just pretty - When carefully chosen, props can provide information about your food (a twist of orange peel garnish on an orange-scented cake) and context about how you imagine it might be eaten (Marcona almonds and Manchego cheese as props for a Spanish date-almond loaf that would be served on a cheese plate). You can also use props to help food stand out against the chosen background (i.e. a white napkin set underneath a cookie bar).

Location/Background:

Don't clean...crop! - The closer you crop the photo the less background you have to worry about preparing. If the background is some part of your home, this especially important. Cropping can prevent each photo shoot from becoming a cleaning session!
Find the best light - Take the food to the place with the best natural light, even if that's not in the kitchen or not even in your house (I've gone outside before).
Make a background - If the background is a location that doesn't suit the food, don't worry! You can get creative with decorative papers, fabrics, core board, and stone/wooden cutting boards to make a variety of surfaces and backgrounds in non-dining locations.

Happy Snapping!
BakerGal

Food Photography Tips: Photo Composition

2011-08-22T11:02:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the third in a series of posts about basic food photography! I've divided the tips into four posts that I'll publish weekly: lighting, camera settings, photo composition, and setting up food/props/backgrounds.

I've designed the tips below for beginners regardless of camera make and model, but have kept owners of digital-point-and-shoot cameras in mind to help them take higher quality photos with the equipment they already own. Hope you enjoy!

BakerGal Food Photography Tips, Part 3: Photo Composition

Rule of Thirds: Many swear by the rule of thirds when it comes to visual composition. To try this out yourself, imagine that your camera screen is divided into thirds, both vertically and horizontally. As you compose the photo, try to place major elements either along these vertical and horizontal lines or at their intersections. (For more, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds).

How many cookies?: Another rule of thumb that is helpful when using multiples of an object: odd-numbered multiples are usually more pleasing to the eye than even-numbered multiples. Keep this in mind when deciding how many cookies, asparagus spears, etc. to set aside for your photo.

Keep the viewer's eye moving: Some people suggest that a successful composition keeps a viewer's eye moving throughout the piece. One approach includes arranging the food to create angles that will draw the viewer's eye deep into the photo and back again into the foreground, or roughly in a circle throughout the photo. Another approach is to try using a repeated color placed strategically throughout the arrangement that will draw the eye throughout the photo.

Angle of photo: When choosing where to place the camera, try to select angles other than those at which you usually see food. A photo taken from the angle at which you regularly see food is going to make the food seem, well....regular. Scanwiches (http://scanwiches.com/) provides a great example of innovative food images (cross-sections!). For a starting point, very low angles tend to flatter food and make it appear grandiose. Branch out from there: experiment taking photos from the lowest angle possible, from below the food, from straight above, etc.

Distance of photo: Very close photos allow you to show off details, help you fill the page, and mean you have less to set up in the background. Most people are not used to getting so close to something they want to photograph; begin by getting as close as you can without sticking your camera in the food (use Macro setting or the appropriate lens), and reposition to further distances as you continue photographing.

Try multiple arrangements: Don't be afraid to take a ridiculous number of photos of the same item in a variety of settings from a variety of angles and distances. Don't stop to judge yourself too harshly while you're working. Wait until you're viewing the photos on a computer to really evaluate them before paring them down.

"That was a delicious photoshoot!": Don't eat or get rid of your food setup until you've evaluated the photos! You might realize something was out of place and want to shoot a few more.

Next week I'll cover a few more items: food props, background ideas, and food selection and preparation.

Happy photographing!
BakerGal

Food Photography Tips: Camera Settings

2011-08-14T20:42:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the second in a series of posts about basic food photography! I've divided the tips into four posts that I'll publish weekly: lighting, camera settings, photo composition, and setting up food/props/backgrounds.

I've designed the tips below for beginners regardless of camera make and model, but have kept owners of digital-point-and-shoot cameras in mind to help them take higher quality photos with the equipment they already own. Hope you enjoy!

BakerGal Food Photography Tips, Part 2: Camera Settings

Manual mode: The most important thing you can do as a beginner is to understand absolutely everything your camera can do. Let go of the safety net provided by fancy presets like "fireworks mode" and "portrait mode," and instead start experimenting with the manual mode settings.

Macro: Find the macro setting on your camera and start getting really close to your food. If all you have is a point-and-shoot digital camera, macro is a great way to cheaply imitate some of the tight focus you can do with more expensive cameras and lenses. It also lets you get close enough to show off the finer details of the food you're shooting.

ISO: When you increase or decrease the camera's ISO setting, you're modifying the sensitivity of the camera's light sensor. In general, you want to always use the lowest ISO setting possible (least light sensitive), as it will introduce the least digital noise/graininess to your photos. A setting of 100 is a good starting point for most bright settings. However, you'll find a higher ISO/increased light sensitivity may be needed to compensate for dim settings. Slowly bump up the ISO until you find a balance point where you can capture a good photo with the least digital noise.

Shutter delay (from Part 1: Lighting):
Shooting in low light is not ideal. It can result in interesting shots, but most often it just means a grainy photo (see ISO settings, above) and blurriness. A lot of blur in low light photos happens when the photographer fails to hold the camera steady and/or presses the button to take a photo, causing camera shake (assuming that the subject is stationary). To prevent this, try using a tripod or level surface to steady the camera and use at least a 2 second shutter delay so the camera can settle between when you press the button and when it shoots the photo.

White balance: Again, this is another setting you can find in a camera's manual settings. When you're setting up the shot, place something white in the arrangement and take a look at it through your camera screen. If it looks blue or orange, you need to adjust the white balance settings. If you have access to photo-editing software, this can sometimes be adjusted later but sometimes the wrong cannot be fully undone. It helps to do the best you can the first time around.

Good luck and keep practicing (I will be!),
BakerGal

Food Photography Tips: Lighting

2011-08-07T17:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first in a series of posts about basic food photography! I'll present the tips in four posts (lighting, camera settings, photo composition, food/props/backgrounds) over the coming weeks.

I've been learning about food photography for the last few months - reading about techniques, practicing them, and looking critically at professional food photos - and the work is slowly beginning to pay off. I still have a lot more practice ahead, but I wanted to share what I've learned so far with other beginning home food photographers and bloggers.

I'm still using the standard point-and-shoot digital pocket camera I've had all along, but my photos have improved drastically through the new knowledge and techniques I've been practicing. The archived posts provide a rich source of comparison for how my photos have improved over just a few months. For example, compare the honey, almond & date treat photo taken two months ago with the gingerbread leaf photo taken about 10 months ago:

Honey, almond & date treat: Not over/under exposed, natural light source (window),
appropriate white balance, composed background w/depth of field. (Jun 2011)

Gingerbread cookies: Overexposed/light too intense, poor white balance = plate looks yellow,
incandescent light, highlights on black teakettle in background distract viewer's eye,
and photo background is messy kitchen! (Nov 2010)

I've geared the advice below toward any beginner, regardless of camera make and model, but have kept owners of digital point-and-shoot cameras in mind in particular. The tips below don't require fancy equipment, lenses, or expensive cameras - just time, patience, and a new attention to detail. Hope you enjoy!

BakerGal Food Photography Tips, Part 1: Lighting

Flash or no flash: DON'T use flash. Food is full of fine details and you'll want to get very close shots of your food to showcase these details. Flash will wash out details and provide overwhelming brightness at close distances. It will also cast an unpleasant light and unnatural shadows.

Light source: Use natural daylight. Try to shoot near a window, in a bright naturally lit room, or outdoors. Consider how the color of the light changes at different points in the day and the direction, length, and darkness of the shadows it will cast.

Light intensity: The ideal light is uniform and bright. The more universal the light source, the fewer deep shadows you'll have obscuring your food. Common light intensity problems and related tips:

Bright light that casts deep shadows (i.e. bright sunlight through the window): Try placing the food between the window and a white panel to bounce light from the window onto the dark side of the food. You can arrange one or more large styrofoam panels, white cardboard panels, or other flat surfaces covered in a white material around the food, you have much greater control over the light. You can also experiment with filtering the light through a curtain.
Low light, resulting in blurry photos: Shooting in low light is not ideal. It can result in interesting shots, but most often it just means a grainy photo (see "ISO" under Part 2: Camera Settings) and blurriness. A lot of blur in low light photos happens when the photographer fails to hold the camera steady and/or presses the button to take a photo, causing camera shake (assuming that the subject is stationary). To prevent this, try using a tripod or level surface to steady the camera and use at least a 2 second shutter delay so the camera can settle between when you press the button and when it shoots the photo.
The food is ready, but the sun has set: Sometimes the food is ready, but the sun is not. You can often just throw the food in the fridge or freezer and wait until the next day, or until the light quality has improved. If refrigerating or freezing the food doesn't change its appearance and you aren't trying to convey the temperature of the food through the photo (steam, condensation, etc.), consider yourself good to go.

Use light to bring attention to the subject: You want to do everything you can to draw the viewers' attention to the main subject of the photo: delicious food. One way to help achieve this is to use light panels and curtains to shed more light on the subject of the photo and less light on the background. Pay close attention to the photo as you set it up...is one of the items in the background - props or objects, or tablecloth - brighter than the main subject of the photo? Are there reflections on shiny surfaces in the background that will distract the viewer from the main subject (see gingerbread cookie photo above)? Luckily, you are not taking a landscape photo...you have almost full control over lighting and objects and can easily move things around until you're satisfied.

Next time, I'll cover some basic camera settings that are helpful for the beginning food photographer.
Hope you find these helpful!

BakerGal

BakerGal Chewy Paleo Brownie Recipe

2011-08-01T16:04:00.000-04:00

After testing and reporting back on a slew of paleo brownie recipes, it was time to take what I'd learned and try to design my own, hopefully better, paleo brownie.

I had originally tested five recipes: one relied heavily on almond butter, another two incorporated chopped fruit for sweetness, and the last two called for coconut flour and coconut oil. All used honey as the main sweetener. (Since this attempt, I've also tested six paleo chocolate chip cookie recipes and crafted my own delicious paleo cookie recipe.)

Determined to get as close as possible to traditional chewy brownie taste and texture (and to avoid complicated recipes and exotic ingredients), I decided to ditch the fruit and coconut brownie recipes and use the first, almond butter-based recipe, as a starting point. I turned to one of my favorite publications - Cook's Illustrated - to glean tips about making the perfect brownie. They had discovered the secret to a make-at-home brownie with the satisfying chew of box brownie mix (use the right ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat) and also knew how to get that shiny/crackly brownie top (use white sugar, not brown sugar).

Even armed with this new info, though, I was still at a loss: With no added fat in this recipe, I had no ingredients I could tweak to get anywhere near the perfect ratio. And, with white sugar on the not-paleo list, I had no chance of scoring a crackly brownie top.

I decided to just jump in and try things out on my own. Three brownie batches later, I finally hit on success: a recipe with a deep chocolate flavor that was sweeter and chewier than last week's almond butter brownie. It's not too cakey or too dense, and not soggy like some of the recipes I had worked with before. The main changes I made include:

Instead of honey, I used light agave syrup, which has a light caramel-like flavor (and added more of it).
I added more cocoa and "bloomed" it by heating it in the agave syrup to intensify its flavor.
I removed the eggs: With so much moisture coming from the agave syrup and almond butter, eggs made the brownies too moist for my taste. Below, I explain how to add an egg to the recipe if you'd like.
It's hard to imagine an entire family on the paleo diet, so I also downsized the recipe from a 9x13 pan to an 8x8 pan.

A more baked layer forms on the top and edges that provides chewiness and protect the inside from drying out.

Note: I preferred the egg-free version the day of, but I thought it was a little dry the next day, so I am considering one more eggless variation where I use 1 cup of almond butter and 1/4 c applesauce. Taste-testers preferred the version with the egg, saying that it still tasted moist without getting too dry or chewy, and felt that it was more like box brownies than the eggless version.

BakerGal Chewy Paleo Brownie Recipe
1 1/4 cup raw light agave syrup, gently heated (or raw honey)
3/4 cup natural cocoa powder
1 1/4 cup almond butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp chocolate extract (optional)
1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1. Heat agave syrup gently over stove until warm (do not allow to boil). Stir in cocoa powder over low heat until smooth. Cocoa burns easily, so keep the heat on very very low.
2. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients except salt until thoroughly mixed.
3. Sprinkle batter with salt, and fold batter to mix it in.
4. Pour into foil-lined or parchment paper-lined 8x8 baking pan (or, grease the pan with coconut oil or your preferred oil)
5. Bake at 325F for 40-50 min. Use toothpick inserted in center to determine done-ness. (I baked mine in a glass pan at 325F for 45 minutes, and it seemed perfect). Let cool completely before cutting. Store in a plastic ziplock bag to preserve moisture.

The recipe can accommodate an egg. It will make the brownies more tender and moist, and a little less chewy. To include an egg:
Reduce almond butter to 1 cup. Mix egg with vanilla extract, chocolate extract, espresso powder, and baking powder before combining with agave-cocoa-almond butter mixture.

Enjoy!

BakerGal

Paleo Brownies: Comparing 5 Recipes

2011-07-25T01:04:00.000-04:00

Paleo brownie using recipe #5

Did paleolithic humans eat brownies? Proooobably not. But I think they could have. Key ingredients? Probably nuts, cocoa, eggs, and honey/fruit for the closest approximation.

After hearing from a friend who is following a paleo lifestyle (consuming only foods that were available to our paleolithic ancestors) about the perils of searching for a tasty brownie recipe that only uses paleo ingredients, I decided to take on the challenge.

Paleo ingredients include foods that can be hunted/gathered (meats, fish, eggs, fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs) and exclude foods attributable to the agricultural revolution and animal domestication (grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugars and oils, and other "manufactured" foods).

So, making a "paleo brownie" means removing almost every standard brownie ingredient from the recipe: sugar, flour, butter/oil, milk/soymilk. Chocolate bars and chocolate chips are also out - they often contain sugar, dairy, fats, and soy. This reductive process pretty much leaves you with cocoa powder, eggs, and creativity.

I searched for what people claimed to be the best paleo brownie recipes on the interwebs and tested them. For each recipe reviewed below, I provide a picture and a few notes about the flavor, texture, appearance, "cut-ability," and the recipe. I may have cut a few corners (see "coconut oil," "eggs" and "special flavor-enhancing ingredients" below), but next week I'll be searching for a way to eschew coconut oil and eggs from my favorite recipes below. I may also find ways to cut back on honey and rely more on fruit as a sweetener.
(Update: Using what I learned through these recipes, I made my own, uber-delicious chewy paleo brownie recipe the following week, which you can find here. Also, since this attempt, I've also tested six paleo chocolate chip cookie recipes and devised my own delicious paleo chocolate chip cookie.)

Coconut oil: Some paleo communities online were open to using coconut oil. I used some in the last two recipes, but I still consider it a refined oil, so in this coming week's paleo brownie attempt, I won't be using any.
Eggs: I used them, though some paleo followers restrict consuming eggs to two a day. In the coming week, I'll be experimenting with egg-free paleo brownies and will share the results in next week's post.
Special flavor-enhancing ingredients: These might not be paleo, but are included in tiny quantities, have very little nutritional impact, and deepen the chocolate flavors (which is important, considering everything else I'm leaving out): vanilla extract, chocolate extract (not chocolate flavoring, but rather chocolate overtones that deepen chocolate flavor), espresso powder (1 tsp undetectably deepens chocolate flavor without adding a coffee flavor), salt, baking soda (doesn't add to chocolate flavor, but helps the brownies rise).

A note about finding ingredients: Whole Foods had all of the ingredients I was looking for, including coconut flour, almond flour, coconut oil, ground flaxseed, and chocolate extract. If you have trouble finding any of these specialty ingredients, I've provided Amazon links in the previous sentence.

Recipe 1: Damn-Near-Paleo Brownies from The Foodee

Recipe 1 relies on honey and almond butter for sweetness, body, and fats.

Flavor: Chocolatey, and the almond butter imparts a slight fruit flavor.
Texture: True chewy brownie texture. Turned out a bit dry for me (though not everyone thought so).
Appearance: Almost reddish, does not rise much, top is shiny & dry
Cut-ability: A bit crumbly
Recipe for 9x13 pan with a few BakerGal changes:
16oz almond butter
2 eggs
1 cup honey
1 tbsp pure vanilla
1.5 tsp chocolate extract and 1.5 tsp espresso powder (BakerGal recipe additions)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda

Blend almond butter and honey until smooth (may need to heat gently).
Add eggs, vanilla extract, chocolate extract, and espresso powder.
Blend cocoa, salt, and baking soda.
Line a 9x13 pan with foil or parchment paper (or grease with your preferred oil), pour batter in and smooth out with back of spoon.
Bake at 325F for ~30-40 minutes.

Recipe 2: Flourless Apricot Brownies from Civilized Caveman Cooking

Recipe 2 incorporates honey, diced apricots and almond butter.

Flavor: Not too chocolate-y or sweet. The occasional bite of apricot seemed comparatively tart.

Texture: Like a cake, not a brownie. Light/fluffy and moist.

Appearance: Looks like chocolate cake. Can see chunks of fruit in brownies.

Cut-ability: Cuts easily

Recipe for 8x8in pan with a few BakerGal Changes:

1 cup almond butter (BakerGal substitution, instead of coconut milk)

1/2 cup honey (BakerGal substitution, instead of agave syrup)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp chocolate extract and 1 tsp espresso powder (BakerGal additions)

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 eggs

1/2 cup fresh apricots diced (~1 large apricot, though I had to cut into 4 to find a super ripe one)

Hand mix all ingredients with exception of apricots (may need to gently heat almond butter and honey and combine separately first). Fold in apricots evenly.

Pour your batter into an 8in x 8in baking dish lined with foil or parchment paper (or greased with your preferred oil).

Bake at 325F for ~30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. (Took 40 minutes for me).

Recipe 3: Flourless Date Brownies from Civilized Caveman Cooking

Recipe 3 incorporates honey, diced dates and almond butter.

Recipe 3 is the same as above in terms of all the metrics - the only difference is to replace fresh apricots with 1/2 cup dates. Pour 3 Tbsp hot water over dates and let them soak for a bit before incorporating into the batter.

The occasional bite of date was very sweet and imparted a raisiny flavor.

These took 30 minutes for me to bake (recipe above).

Recipe 4: The Infamous Paleo Brownie Recipe from Key Ingredient

Recipe 4 includes coconut flour, applesauce, and almond meal.

Flavor: Strong chocolate flavor, very slight coconut flavor.

Texture: Very heavy, wet, fudge-y texture with cake-like structure.

Appearance: Very dark brownies, some visible lumps of almond flour.

Cut-ability: Awful...knife pulls half of brownie off as you cut through it.

Recipe for 8x8-in pan with a few BakerGal changes:

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

2 eggs

1 1/3 cup honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp chocolate extract and 1 tsp espresso powder (BakerGal addition)

1 cup cocoa powder (BakerGal upped cocoa & honey amount b/c chocolate bar omitted from original recipe)

2 1/2 Tbs and coconut oil (BakerGal addition as sub for omitted chocolate bar... used 2Tbs coconut oil and 2 tsp applesauce. Nut butter or apple sauce would likely also work well.)

½ cup almond meal

¼ cup coconut flour

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking soda

Whisk eggs until they lighten in color. Combine with other ingredients and mix. Pour into 8x8-in pan lined with foil or parchment paper (or greased with your preferred oil). Bake at 350F for ~30-40 min. Remove from oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

Recipe 5: Paleo Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies from Paleo Project

Recipe 5 relies on applesauce, honey, coconut flour and coconut oil.

Flavor: Strong chocolate flavor and noticeable coconut flavor.

Texture: Denser texture than recipe 4, still wet but less moist and less of a cake-y structure.

Appearance: Very dark chocolate color, very solid-looking.

Cut-ability: Very easy to cut. Knife slides right through without destroying brownies.

Recipe for 8x8-in pan with a few BakerGal changes:

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 cup cocoa powder (BakerGal upped cocoa & honey amount b/c chocolate bar omitted from original recipe)
1 1/3 cup honey (BakerGal substitute for agave syrup)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 eggs
1 tsp chocolate extract, 2tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp espresso powder, and 1/2 tsp salt (BakerGal flavor-enhancing additions)

Melt coconut oil (if solidified), mix with unsweetened cocoa and coconut flour. Add honey, applesauce, extracts, espresso powder, salt, and eggs, and mix. Line 8x8 pan with foil or parchment paper (or grease with your preferred oil) and pour batter in. Cook at 350F for 30-40min, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Recipe 6: BakerGal Chewy Paleo Brownie Recipe
I didn't make 5 batches of brownies for nothin'! I set out to learn what makes a great paleo brownie through these recipes; Using what I learned I made my own, uber-delicious chewy paleo brownie recipe the following week. You can find the recipe in the link above or here.

It is more like a traditional brownie than the above recipes (sweeter, chocolatier, without coconut or honey aftertastes), and can be made with or without an egg.

Enjoy!

BakerGal

Pan de Datiles Recipe

2011-07-18T16:28:00.000-04:00

One of the things I enjoy most about cheese plates is the opportunity to showcase a cultural cuisine. Cultural context provides a theme to the arrangement, a little gourmet flair, and a stage for learning and appreciation.

If I gave a pep talk to sad cheese plates, I'd definitely let them know they can be the pièce de résistance at any gathering if done well: something to appreciate and explore, not just something to tide people over! When there are so many things about cheese plates to love (versatility, complex flavors, and centerpiece-worthy arrangements (and cheese!) are just a few that come to mind), it can be sad to see them so often relegated to potluck-snack status. Cheese plates everywhere: achieve your dreams!

Enter pan de datiles: cheese plate pep-talk in food format. It's the perfect addition to an Iberian-cuisine cheese plate. Dates and toasted almonds compressed together make for nutty flavors and raisiny sweetness in this Spanish treat. Pair it with some Spanish cheeses (Manchego, in particular) and other regional highlights (Marcona almonds, Pedro Ximenez or oloroso sherry), and start celebrating! Cured meats, even ones that aren't from Spain (finocciono in particular, an Italian fennel salami), would also pair nicely with this set up. Make the cheese happy.

You can sometimes find pan de datiles at a local fromagerie or in the cheese section of your local grocery store. Unfortunately, these imports from Spain are often pricey, and sometimes they're no longer fresh (read: rock-hard) or have been made without traditional flavor-enhancing spices.

Consequently, my take on an at-home version of Pan de Datiles is below:

Recipe for Pan de Datiles (Date Cake)

1 lb dried pitted dates (appx 3 1/3 c) (I could only find Deglet: Medjool are more moist.)

1 cup raw whole almonds

2 to 3 Tbsp honey

up to 3 tsp brandy (optional)

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

parchment paper, wax paper, or rice spring roll wrappers

1) Toast almonds lightly in the oven (350 F for about 5-7 minutes). Careful not to over-do otherwise they'll take on a bitter taste (or burn). They should become fragrant and barely change color. While you're waiting, you can roughly chop the dates with a chef's knife (helps you discover any pits, and preps them for the food processor).

2) Place the toasted almonds in a food processor and roughly process so that some halves still remain. Set aside.

3) Place the chopped dates in the food processor along with the remaining ingredients (honey, brandy, cloves, cinnamon, salt) and process until the dates are chopped and ingredients are mixed. You don't need to grind it into a paste...leave some chunks in there for a "rustic" look. Place this mixture in a bowl with the almonds and knead to mix.

4) Draw and cut two 7-inch diameter circles out of wax paper or parchment paper, or use two rice spring roll wrappers (I used the spring roll wrapper method as seen in the photo below and in the top-view photo above. The were conveniently about 6.5 inches in diameter). Spoon the date mixture into one of the circle areas to form a roughly 1- to 2-inch thick disc. Press gently into shape and top it with the other paper/rice circle. Place between two sheets of wax paper, and set several large heavy books on top to help compress it into a flat, even disc. Let rest several hours or overnight with the books on top, and it will become more slice-able. Before serving, trim away the excess to perfect the disc shape, remove parchment paper or rice spring roll wrapper, and slice thinly.

I sandwiched the mixture between two round spring roll wrappers, compressed it, and then trimmed away the excess.

You can get a good look at the rice spring roll wrapper method in the photo above. Dry spring roll wrappers are the perfect pre-measured circles, but they don't slice up too nicely and they don't taste very good either. Make sure to remove them before slicing and serving.

Below are photos of my "research subjects" - two date-nut cakes (one with walnuts and the other with almonds) imported from Spain that I sampled to get a taste of the competition. These products were delicious, but really no more than dates and nuts pressed together. As you cut into them, you can see whole dates layered on top of each other with almonds caught in between (like a delicious sedimentary rock....flashback to geology 101: dropstones). It might be possible to make such a minimal date-nut cake at home, but you'd need something really heavy to compress the two ingredients thoroughly enough!

BakerGal

Easy Recipe for Healthy Almond, Honey & Date Treats

2011-06-13T00:36:00.000-04:00

This easy recipe makes it to my list of desserts for the hot summer months because there's no baking involved (ahem, except for toasting the almonds). You combine honey, almonds (or any kind of nuts), and dates with a little vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, and you end up with a tasty and healthy treat that isn't too sweet. The flavor of honey shines through the strongest, followed by toasted almond, bringing baklava to mind...a huge bonus in my opinion!

These treats go well in a lunch box or at a potluck, but they're also a great high-energy snack to take on day hikes; they're packed with potassium, fiber, protein, and (healthy) fat. In other words, they pack enough "oomph" to help keep you going and feeling full, whether it's fuel for a workout or even part of breakfast. They are pretty much like home-made, bite-sized energy bars.

Equipment-wise, you'll need a food processor. Just throw the ingredients in there, give them a spin, and roll them into bite-sized morsels. It's quick, easy, and the last step is fairly kid-friendly.

Mini food processors won't do, though. There's only so much they can handle, and I learned that dates are not on the "can-handle" list. My mini died halfway through that struggle (with a very sad noise), and "rustic" best describes the resulting chopped date mixture. Also, safety message #2: photography can be dangerous.

Summary of the day's hazards:

Equipment deaths during food prep = 1 mini food processor
Lost-worktime injuries during photo shoot = 1 (elbow + concrete wall = Hello Kitty bandaid)

Recipe for Healthy Almond, Honey & Date Treats (makes ~25)
1 lb dried pitted dates (appx 3 1/3 c) (I used Deglet. You can also use Medjool; they are more moist.)
1 1/4 cup raw whole almonds (appx 6 2/3 oz, or ~0.42 lb)
1/4 cup honey (or less...see note below)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
Vegetable oil for your hands to help you form the treats

Notes: A friend was able to find the medjool dates that had evaded me and she tried these out herself. She commented that with medjool dates, the batter was so moist that she didn't need honey and she still found it to be sweet enough. She also coated the treats with a mixture of crushed toasted walnuts, orange zest and cinnamon for a delicious flavor combination! Using Deglet dates, I found that a 1/4 cup honey (equal to 4 tbsp) wasn't too sweet. However, reduce honey to match your own preferences. For every tablespoon of honey you omit, you may want to add 1 tsp water to make up for lost moisture.

1) Toast almonds lightly in oven (350 F for about 5-7 minutes). Careful not to over-do otherwise they'll take on a bitter taste (or burn). They should become fragrant and barely change color. While you're waiting, you can roughly chop the dates (helps you discover any pits, and preps them for the food processor).

2) Place half of the toasted almonds in a food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Remove them from the food processor and set them aside.

3) Place the remaining whole toasted almonds in the food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Throw the chopped dates in the food processor along with the remaining ingredients (honey, vanilla, cinnamon, salt) and process until the dates are finely chopped and ingredients are evenly mixed.

4) Coat your hands lightly in vegetable oil, and roll into walnut-sized pieces. Roll them in the finely ground almond, and set aside.

5) Eat them!

Variations: Explore new flavor combinations by using different types of nuts (pistachio, walnut), adding citrus zest (1 tsp of orange or lemon), or different spices (1/4 tsp ground clove, cinnamon or cardamom).

Mmmmm!

BakerGal

Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes (J.R.'s Family Recipe)

2011-06-06T07:10:00.000-04:00

omg
OMG!

OO M M GGGGG !!
O O MM MM G !!
O O M M M G GGG !!
O O M M G G
OO M M GGGGG !

These are DELICIOUS and easy to make. They're so moist that "cake" doesn't even come to mind as a description, and they are chocolate-y without being overwhelming. The closest cake I could compare it to? Well, maybe imagine what it might be like if a red velvet cake and a chocolate cake had a super-moisturized kid. Delicious, obviously.

I promise it's good. And, if you don't like cupcakes but you do believe in second chances, then try these.

From now on, ditch the "Extra-Moist" boxed cake mix...this is the real deal. You can see what I mean in the two photos below: moisture is practically pouring out of your computer. The secret? My hunch is that the cup of sour cream in the recipe has something to do with it.

So moist, a goldfish could live in it.

After hearing about these cupcakes multiple times on separate occasions and being told about the miracles they were working (Being supremely moist? Converting cupcake-haters into cupcake-lovers?), I decided it was time to try them. I did, and I have to say, we're all pretty lucky that J.R.'s mom agreed to share this recipe with us.

J.R. told me that this is the standard recipe for birthday cakes in her family. Aging has never sounded so delicious. Plus: "The recipe is kind of fail-proof (a.k.a. my dad can make it)." Bonus!

So moist, you could water a plant with it.

Texas sheet cake is often topped with a fudgey, chocolate frosting, but not this time. To pay homage to the family that shared the recipe, I frosted the cake true to their family tradition with the vanilla buttercream frosting recipe they use and an edible flower (candied, in fact!) for decoration.

Check below for the cake and frosting recipe, and take a look at my post on how to make candied flowers if you'd like to try that, too.

Texas Sheet Cake (J.R.'s Family Recipe)

Makes one 9"x13" sheet cake, or a double layer round cake, or 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter

1 cup water

6 tablespoons Hershey's cocoa powder (unsweetened)

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Bring to a boil: butter, water, cocoa. Let cool briefly.

3. In a bowl, mix: flour, sugar, salt, baking soda.

4. Pour boiled cocoa mixture over flour mixture. Blend well.

5. Mix eggs and sour cream together in bowl just until smooth (makes them easier to blend into the other ingredients). Stir into remaining mixture just until combined. Be gentle with the eggs...if you over-beat them, you may end up with a dry cake.

Bake in an ungreased pan for 20-22 minutes (or less for cupcakes). Let cool completely before frosting. The cake freezes well, too, if you'd like to stash some away for later (It's SUPER exciting to discover some in the freezer when you thought it was all gone...based on recent personal experience).

Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Honestly, this cake is so amazing that you don't need frosting. But, if you want frosting, this is the deal:
3 3/4 cup (1 pound) confectioners sugar

1 stick (1/4 pound) butter at room temperature

3-4 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine in a large bowl with mixer at low speed. Add more milk if necessary. Use immediately, or refrigerate. Will keep for up to 2 weeks in refrigerator. Let refrigerated frosting come to room temperature, then whip briefly before using.

Fancy cupcake wrappers. Exciting! Volcanic! Good lookin'!

I thought it would be fun to try some free-standing fancy cupcake wrappers. Annnnd...What did I learn?
#1. Expensive
#2. Overflow! ("Fill halfway"...they don't really mean that, do they? Yes. Yes, they do - though I gladly ate the "volcanic" mistakes.)
#3. Good lookin' (makes up for #1 and #2)

Thanks, J.R. & family! New favorite recipe...
BakerGal

How to Make Candied Flowers

2011-05-31T01:11:00.000-04:00

Candied flowers: They taste like crispy marshmallows, they look like flowers, AND you can make them at home. But, why bother? My top reasons:

INSTANT SPECIALNESS:

Coolest drink garnish ever. Candied flower on edge of iced tea? Candied mint leaves for a mojito? Yes and yes.
Brunch foods are better with whipped cream and a candied flower (Home-made waffles?)
Candied flowers make cheap ice cream taste better. Believe.

INSTANT PRETTINESS:

So that steak didn't turn out so great? At least now you can make it pretty. Then, put on a brave face, order takeout, and call it a night.
Decorating cupcakes or a cake? Throw caution to the wind and add an edible flower like I did.

EAT THE MISTAKES:

Top reason for most delicious home food experiments.

For the brave home food decorators out there, I provide detailed instructions and more pictures below. The instructions might look daunting, but the whole process is pretty basic: choose edible flower, coat lightly, sprinkle with sugar, let dry. They keep for weeks.

My experience? Well, I started out using pansies, but the petals were too big and thin to support the weight of sugar. Mini pansies? Bingo. I had a much easier time. Still, I went through quite a few flowers before I had six that looked really good. Practice, practice, practice. I was overzealous with the sugar the first few times; Those flowers ended up looking like sugar cubes.

Want to try? Here's what you'll need:

Small artist's brush with a fine point (use a new one that has not been used for painting)
Small plate
Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Fresh edible flowers (if you buy them, confirm they don't have pesticides or chemicals sprayed on them. The best approach is to use your own flowers so you can be sure. One alternative is to buy a plant, cut off all the blooms, and wait for new flowers to sprout. The new blooms that come up will be pesticide-free.)
Pasturized egg whites (Buying commercially pasteurized egg whites takes the guesswork out of egg safety. You won't need more than 1/4 cup of whites for 1 cup of flowers).
Superfine sugar (At least half a cup should be enough for 1 cup of flowers). You can use regular granulated sugar, but it doesn't look as nice.
Patience. Some of them aren't going to look pretty. Sage advice: Eat them and move on.

Now, how to make candied flowers....

DIRECTIONS:

1) Brush the top and bottom of each flower petal with a thin layer of egg white. Don't dunk the flowers - the whites either won't stick to some areas without the attention of a brush (and those un-covered parts will wilt), or you'll end up with too much egg and the flower won't get crispy.

2) Pour some of the superfine sugar on a small plate. Hold the flower above the plate and gently sprinkle the flower with sugar. Flip over, and sprinkle sugar on the other side. If you continue to add too much sugar, the flower will become completely matted in thick sugar, and it will begin to look more like a sugar cube than a flower. (Random thought....could you make salted flowers using salt instead of sugar? Would that work, and is it too gross to try? What would you eat them on?)

3) Set the flowers on the parchment paper so they aren't touching. Allow to air dry 1 to 3 days, or until crispy.

If you're in a race against time, you can preheat the oven to the lowest possible temperature while you're working. When all your flowers are on the baking sheet, turn off the oven and let them dry in the oven for 6 hours or until crispy.

4) Store in an airtight container. They should keep for at least several weeks and up to several months.

Happy Baking (and eating)!

BakerGal