Darjeeling Dreams

Yuzu-Coconut Milk Birthday Cake, with Friends

2012-01-30T16:12:00.000-08:00

I delight in making new friends, don't you? One of the most swell new friends I had the delight of meeting recently is Xiaolu of the delightfully sweet 6 Bittersweets. Her site is amazing, as you have noticed, I am certain. And when I met her this winter, it was like meeting an old friend. For she is just as as warm and sweet and smart and friendly in "real life" as is her site.
Not too long ago, we got to chatting. I had to share my lovely find, to tell someone who loves food and sweet about these lovely yuzu limes. Now, they may not be much to look at, with their bumpy skin and funny squat shape. All their magic lies in their scent and flavor. One wee uncut little lime can scent your whole kitchen, with a smell that is floral and citrusy all at once. And their flavor, with hints of grapefruit and lime, and again, something sweet and tart and flower-like.
And after our conversation, I hunted down a few more yuzus. It was even more delightful to share a few of those yuzu limes with someone who would enjoy them too. And so, off they went, those yuzus along with some meyer lemons. They made it all the way across the country, where Xiaolu turned them into these gorgeous cake shooters. And my yuzus became a celebratory cake, with yuzu-and-coconut milk spiked buttercream, brightly flavored yuzu curd, and layers of yuzu-coconut milk cake. There was no birthday, no anniversary to celebrate, just a sunny, wintry Tuesday afternoon, and the magic of friendship.

Yuzu + Coconut Milk Birthday Cake
Cake
1 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each baking soda, salt
5 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp coconut milk
2 large egg whites
Prepare a 8 x 2 (or 6 x 3, as I used) inch round cake pan by greasing them with butter and placing a circular cutout of parchment to cover the bottom. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix together sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, set aside. In a large bowl, whip butter until it is noticeably lighter. Add sugar, beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat the coconut milk and egg whites. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until more fluffy.
Divide evenly to prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Curd:
1/4 cup yuzu juice
1 tbsp yuzu zest
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Bring a medium/large saucepan of water to a simmer. Suspend a heatproof bowl over this, making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Combine yuzu juice and zest, egg yolks, eggs, and sugar in the bowl. Stir constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula (7 to 10 minutes).
Remove from heat, add cubes of butter. Refrigerate.

New Year, with Christmas Cake

2011-12-31T14:25:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe another year has flown by. It has been an incredible year, and for me so much has changed. A year ago, I could not have being right here. In my favorite city, in my dream of a neighborhood, and so many new opportunities. New friends and new joys, tempered by new stresses and worries too. We need those in life, to make the bright moments shine, and our triumphs greater. To remind us of how beautiful life is.
And so, I wish that your New Year is full of happiness, and that if it comes to pass, that you brave the sadness too. May your life be full of dreams and hope. And, like my Christmas-cake-at-New Years, may it be sparkling, scented, and sweet.

Pain d’Epices with Candied Ginger
Spice Mixture
1 gram cardamom
1 gram cinnamon
1 gram nutmeg
1 gram cloves
1 gram black pepper
5 grams candied peel, minced finely (or zest from half an orange)
½ tbsp grated ginger
Cake ingredients
1 ½ cup AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp granulated sugar
½ cup milk
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tbsp candied ginger, cut into small pieces
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease (or line with parchment paper) a 8 or 9 inch round cake pan. Grind together the cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper. Grate ginger, and mince the candied peel very, very finely (or zest an orange). Combine in small bowl.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine butter, honey, sugars, milk, and spices (including grated ginger and peel/zest) heat over low flame until combined and the sugar has dissolved. After removing from heat, whisk in eggs. Add this wet mixture to the dry flour mixture, whisk thoroughly until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Place slices/pieces of candied ginger in a pattern over the cake, avoided the ½ inch near the edge. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester poked into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before removing from pan. Serve with the candied ginger side up.

Some Goodies to usher in the New Year:
This gorgeous Tumblr got me through finals.
I would love to have some of these in my kitchen.
A new magazine. So perfect for long, cozy winter nights.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

First of all, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas - or Happy Holidays. I had not done a thing to celebrate, as my (first law school) finals coincide with the season. No decorations. So to make things more festive, I baked Christmas cookies. There's nothing quite like the smell of the holidays, and sheets of spice, sugar, butter, and flour certainly carry more than a bit of that scent.
I hope that you all are having a marvelous time, and enjoying the gifts of abundant food, loving family and friends, and atmosphere of generosity and cheerful that comes with the season.

(Full recipes to follow shortly)
Sesame Coins
(See HERE for recipe)
I made my own tahini, by grinding 1/2 cup of oven-roasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and a pinch of salt in a food processor.

Soft Gingersnaps
Makes 2 dozen (24) cookies
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp each ground cloves, cardamom, black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) melted butter
3 tbsp molassas
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup demarrea sugar, for rolling.Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cloves, cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, and salt, and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Combine the warm butter, molasses, both sugars, fresh ginger, and the egg in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture stir until incorporated. The dough will be soft.

Form the dough into 1 tablespoon balls. Roll the balls in the Demerara sugar and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they puff up and crack on the surface and then begin to deflate in the oven.
Slide the parchment sheets of cookies onto cooling racks or use an offset spatula to transfer the cookies, and cool completely. Stored in an airtight container, gingersnaps keep for several days.

Coffee-Hazelnut Cookies
(See HERE for original recipe) Makes about two dozen cookies
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts (when you roast them, you can remove the skins)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp finely ground coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water/brandy (Alice Medrich uses brandy, I did not have any on hand so I used water)
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter)
24-36 coffee beans, for garnish and flavor.

Butter-Pecan Cookies

Double-Chocolate Cherry Cookies
(see HERE)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder (you can use regular, but the cookies will be a paler brown)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp each vanilla extract, salt
6 ounces dark chocolate chunks/chips
1/4 cup dried cherries
I drop tablespoons of batter instead of 1/4 cup-fulls, and thus reduced the baking time to 10-12 minutes.

Orange-Cardamom Shortbread (Nankhatai)
Not pictured
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cups) softened butter
Zest of one orange
4-5 cardamom pods, seeds only, ground (or 1 tsp ground cardamom)
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare baking sheet by greasing generously with flour and butter, or with parchment paper, or silicon baking sheet. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar, add zest, cardamom, salt. Add flour, mix or kneed until combined.
Form dough into 1 tablespoon balls. Flatten slightly, and place 1/2 inch apart. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until slightly golden.

Whole Wheat Honey Tea Cake

2011-07-31T23:46:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick little note, just because I have been busy preparing for the next chapter of my life, but also because I really must share this little cake with you. Its so good that I just think it might turn into my 'go-to' cake. Simple, flavorful, quick, and best of all, it keeps really well. What's not to love? And here's another reason to love it - its made with a blend of whole wheat and unbleached all-purpose flours.
I have modifying my old recipes to include whole wheat instead of just unbleached all-purpose flour. Of course, its more nutritious. I have always preferred the taste and texture of whole wheat bread to white bread. And it works remarkably well it 'everyday sweets'. I've tried in scones, chocolate chip cookies, and, as you see here, tea time cakes. This one is similar to the Miette honey (and ginger) one from earlier this month, but its more substantial. The butter and cream keep it luscious, despite the hearty, nutty element from the whole wheat. There's only 1/3 the amount of sugar that the Miette recipe calls for, and it bakes up beautifully - really gorgeously actually, all fluffy. I recommend eating the cake with a bit of fruit, or compote, maybe even preserves or a drizzle of honey. Feel free to get creative - its such a basic to-go cake that I imagine it would pair well with many, many fruits and flavors.

Whole Wheat + Honey Tea Cake
1/2 cup AP flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) + 3 tbsp butter, softened
Honey syrup (from Miette recipe)
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp water
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour (grease) a 7.5/8 x 3.5/4 loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, combine flours, cornstarch, sea salt. Whisk in sugar
In another smaller bowl, combine egg yolks, egg, and heavy cream.
Whip butter until it is paler in color. Slowly whip in the dry ingredients. Whisk in the wet mixture, and whisk for 2 minutes (electric/stand mixer) or 3-4 (hand whisking). Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. Make Miette's honey syrup while it bakes. After removing from oven, poke a few small holes into the loaf using a toothpick. Pour about a tablespoon of the honey mixture over the cake, and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Pour 2 tablespoon of mixture slowly over the cake, making sure the honey syrup absorbs. Allow it to cool for another 5 minutes. Turn cake over, and pour the remaining syrup over the cake. Serve with blackberries or other fruit, or a berry compote made of frozen berries if berries are not in season.

Some lovelies for you:
~ Too pretty to eat off of.
~ Original idea for sweet treats.
~ Great idea for a party...or a lazy afternoon.

Some Scones + A Crumble

2011-07-26T23:24:00.000-07:00

For the record, I am not a morning person. That does not mean that I don't love breakfast. Or morning. There's something a little magical about mornings. Particularly how the air feels cleansed, and the world washed in dew. A new day, a fresh start, a clean slate. That must be why breakfast is thought to be so crucial - it sets the tone for the remainder of the day.
In that spirit, I am going to share with you two breakfast treats. One is an indulgent treat, and the other slightly less so. The creme fraiche scones are full of cream and butter, slightly sweetened. They are amazing with fresh raspberries, but I think they would pair well a compote made of frozen berries. The peach crumble is almost healthy. Its made with one of my newest discoveries: coconut palm sugar. It is an alternative to cane sugar and agave nectar. Don't let that, or its crumbly, reddish brown appearance fool you. Its delicious, tasting not of coconut but instead similar to brown or demerara (raw) sugar, with notes that are reminiscent of maple syrup and caramel. Rather than serving it with ice cream, we had it with chilled plain yogurt. An added bonus: it is very quick and easy to make, especially if you do as I did and make and freeze the crumble portion the night before.

Creme Fraiche Scones
2 1/4 cup flour (1/2 whole wheat pastry flour + 1/2 AP OR all AP flour)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into small cubes and frozen/chilled
1/2 cup creme fraiche
Heavy cream and/or demerara sugar
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt. Add sugar.
Add pieces of cold butter, stir well. The dry mixture will coat the butter.
Add creme fraiche, one tablespoon at a time. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture while adding the liquids, mixing until combined. Knead a little if needed. The mixture will seem dry and crumbly at first, resist the temptation to add extra liquid.
If you have a biscuit cutter, wash and dry your hands and dust them with flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead a few times to gather it into a ball. Roll or pat the dough into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out the circles, cutting as closely together as possible and keeping the trimmings intact. If you don't have a biscuit, use a straight-sided 1/4 cup measuring cup, or a thin bottle to cut out circles of dough.
Place scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure the scones are at least 1 inch apart. Freeze the prepped scones for at least 30 minutes. Brush with heavy cream and/or sprinkle demerara sugar over the scones.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400°F. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until the edges have just turned golden brown.

Peach Crumble
For oat crumble
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar*
1/2 tsp salt
scant 6 tbsp (1 stick minus 2 tbsp) butter, melted
For peaches
2 lbs peaches
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp mild honey
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine oats, whole wheat flour, coconut palm sugar, salt, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, and flatten into a patty. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
In the meantime, bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Place peaches into the water, two at a time, for about 20 seconds. Remove and place under coldest running water. Peel the skins. Repeat process until all the peaches are peeled. Slice peeled peaches into 8 equal slices. In a medium bowl, combine peach slices with cornstarch and honey.
Butter a 13 * 9 inch baking pan. Fill with peach mixture. Distribute the crumble as evenly as possible over the top of the peaches.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumble is a deep golden-brown.
*Coconut palm sugar can be found in bulk area at natural food stores, including Whole Foods Market, or online. Can substitute with regular cane sugar.

As you can see, the remodeling is not quite finished. The boy is working on projects that actually pay, and the graphics for my banner have been delayed (boo).

Some lovelies for you:
~ French mini cups. I'd like a set in pink, white, and grey, please.
~ A charming salt cellar.
~ Latest professional food/lifestyle photographer love. Delicious.
~ High tea. Next month.

Honey-Ginger Tea Cake with Peaches

2011-07-10T23:34:00.000-07:00

It is summertime in the Northern hemisphere. It is a time of abundance. There's so much good food in summertime. Zucchini, tomatoes, corn. I just got my hands on my favorite delicate thin French green beans. They appear for a few months in mid-summer, and the brevity of their season makes them more precious. I toss with some almost-burnt shallots and toasted almonds, and those slender green sticks become as addictive as french fries. And lets not forgot summer's abundance of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, apricots, cherries, peaches, plums. Like our ancestors through recorded history, we celebrate with when such bounty is available. Once it was feasts hosted by kings, and now we have get-togethers, picnics, barbeques, bonfires. When we really celebrate, its for a birthday or a wedding. The purpose remains the same: we find unity and pleasure in food.
When we humans get together, it often centers around food. The ancients got it right when they talked of people coming together, sharing a small bond after they'd broke bread together. Isn't it true, that you feel just a bit closer to someone after sharing a meal? You are vulnerable while eating. You also feel pleasure, and a sense of well-being that comes with physical nourishment. Think of how much more intimate a dinner party is than one involving cocktails. There is something private about the act of consuming food. When we share the act of eating with others, we open up to those with whom we break bread. Or with whom we slice cake.

Cakes, especially, are meant to be shared. They are too big to eat by one or two. This one can go almost anywhere. I bet it would be great at a barbeque, especially if you threw those peaches on the grill for a few minutes and got some nice grill marks. It would work well at dinner party. Even though its called a tea cake, I bet it would be nice with a cup of coffee. And it definitely goes with great conversations.
It is difficult to describe it. This cake defies logical, because it is both rich and light. It tastes like a cross between a moist pound cake and an eggy chiffon cake. The texture is better than chiffon or pound cake, more substantial. The honey is added as a syrup. I reduced the amount of sugar by half, and increased the amount of honey by one tablespoon. It was the perfect amount of honey - distinct but not overpowering. And it all absorbed into the cake easily. I also added ginger, because it doesn't get enough attention in summer. And I paired the cake with peaches because honey and ginger just go with peaches. However, it would probably be just as nice with blackberries, apricots, or even mangoes.

Honey-Ginger Tea Cake
Makes one 8 inch loaf cake

Adapted from Miette: Recipes from San Francisco's Most Charming Pastry Shop
Original Recipe HERE
1 1/3 c AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp ground ginger
4 egg yolks
1 large egg
1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 c sugar
5.5 oz (1/2 cup + 3 tbsp) butter, at room temperature
3 tbsp honey, warmed and thinned with 1 tbsp water, to make a syrup
Tea pairing: Phoenix oolong, preferably one with peach or honey tones. However, this will work with most teas.

P.S. Please ignore the cyber dust...I am remodeling this week :)

Independence, with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sorbet

2011-07-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

I think that the fourth - Independence Day here in the U.S. - is one of my favorite holidays. Its the only truly summer holiday, since neither June nor August has one. Its patriotic and pretty, with that red, white, and blue. It means lots of parties, food, and fireworks. And coincidentally, its my grandparent's wedding anniversary. Its also the day the boy and I met.
And with those events to celebrate, I decided to make a very simple, but extra-special treat. It involves two of my most favorite things: ice cream and berries. I opted to make a vivid red raspberry sorbet, and a comforting and pale vanilla ice cream that would be topped by a few blueberries.

Vanilla Ice Cream
1 cup whole milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 vanilla bean
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Heat the milk, salt, and vanillas (extract, bean) in a saucepan, at the lowest temperature possible for at least 10 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil or simmer. Remove from heat, and allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean, and scrape it into the mixture.
Stir together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and gradually add warmed milk by the 1/4 cup-full, stirring constantly as you pour. Pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.
Cook over low heat, alternately whisking and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Remove from heat, and whisk vigorously to make sure there are no eggy lumps.
Pour the mixture into the cream, and beat for 2 minutes to combine. Chill the mixture until it is cool - at least 10 minutes. Chill for at least half an hour (you can chill overnight if you want). Prepare in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.

Raspberry Sorbet
2 cups of fresh raspberries
1/2 cup caster (or fine) sugar
1 1/3 cup water
In a heavy saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Allow it to cool in the refrigerator for 20 minutes (or longer). Prepare in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.

I partially chose desserts that involve my favorites because this Independence Day, too, will have added meaning to me. Even though the American Dream is not as easy to achieve as it sometimes is made out to be (especially in this economy), the opportunity to strive for it is still there. For me, what I am appreciating is the opportunity to pursue my personal dreams. And that opportunity is not just legal and physical, but social and spiritual. The freedom to be the type of person we want to be. For me, it was to be a lover of words, books, and knowledge. Which leads me to the really, really, REALLY exciting news. I just found out myself. What the really, really, REALLY big news is that - in less than two months' time - I will be starting law school. I thought I was going to be retaking the admissions test this fall, and applying for next fall - but suddenly - those plans changed. I am still in a state of shock. But, it feels like everything before this has lead me to this point.

Lavender + Honey Ice Cream with Laced Honey Cookies

2011-06-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

My mind has been racing with all the possibilities and promises that summer holds. There is so much to do, going to the beach, midnight bonfires, farmer's markets laden with bright fruit. The blogosphere is exploding with watermelon, cherries, rhubarb, and an amazing number of berries. And I love berries. Yet, I give you this - a pale, pale ice cream and delicate gold cookies.
The golden cookies have become a favorite of ours. I love thin snappy little cookies, and these are certainly the thinnest and crispest. The recipe comes from Alice Medrich, and she calls them honey snaps. The prosaic name does not fit. These cookies are too ethereal, too gorgeously lovely. Almost pretty enough to want to weave into a golden-summer lace gown. You'd probably get a little sticky from the honey and sugar, but I am sure the butter would be very moisturizing. Its probably easier - and tastier - to have the cookies to dress up a little bowl of ice cream.
We also love ice cream around here. Ice cream is my first sweet-thing love. The San Francisco area has several excellent ice cream shops that we like. The boy likes Bi-Rite Creamery, for its comforting flavors and very creamy ice cream. My personal favorite is Berkeley's Ici. Their ice cream is rich, obviously custard-based, and the flavors change daily. Flavors such as sour cherry-creme fraiche, rose-vanilla, candied cocoa nib, rosemary candied pine nut, chocolate and salted almond, peach-habanero sorbet, and even, just once, a darjeeling flavor. Last week, they had a lavender-honey flavor. The lavender and the honey were both very subtle, with the lavender a tiny bite of slightly astringent floral-herby flavor, and the sweet mellow honey balancing it exquisitely. I had to try my hand at it, and I believe my recipe is very close.

Lavender-Honey Ice Cream
Note: It is very important to chill the mixture before beating the honey. If the mixture is warm when you add honey, it may curdle.
1 cup whole milk
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp food-grade lavender blossoms
pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1/4 cup honey
Heat the milk, salt, lavender in a saucepan, at the lowest temperature possible for at least 10 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil or simmer. Remove from heat, and allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture.
Stir together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and gradually add warmed milk by the 1/4 cup-full, stirring constantly as you pour. Pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.
Cook over low heat, alternately whisking and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Remove from heat, and whisk vigorously to make sure there are no eggy lumps.
Pour the mixture into the cream, and beat for 2 minutes to combine. Chill the mixture until it is cool - at least 10 minutes. Beat in honey. Chill for at least half an hour (you can chill overnight if you want). Prepare in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.
Honey Snaps
From Alice Medrich's Pure Desserts, page 174

P.S. I have some really, really, REALLY exciting news, and an oatmeal dish to share with you. Soon!

Love, and Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

2011-06-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, when I first started making raspberry buttermilk cakes, the boy declared that it was his favorite. Last week, he had surgery on his broken ankle. Because I knew he was not feeling well, I asked him if he wanted this cake. Like so many girlfriends and wives, boyfriends and fathers, mothers and grandmothers, I turned to food. There is a unique magic in food, that we use something that is meant to nourish our bodies to show others that we want to nourish them too. It shows that we care about their physical and emotional well-being. We want to spend time with them, we want to comfort, care, bring a little measure of happiness. And in particular, baked goods, from crusty slices of bread to pretty layer cakes, are meant to be shared and to soothe and comfort.
I made two raspberry buttermilk cakes last week. I really wish I could make a lot more of them, and share them with all of you. Perhaps with good conversation and cups of lovely warm tea. This is a recipe I return to summer after summer. What's more, these are the first market raspberries of the year. Which means that - summer weather is finally here! And how better to celebrate than with cake? Especially this cake. It is homey and complex, just barely sweet yet rich and flavorful. The butter and buttermilk make it luscious, the whole wheat adds depth and texture, and the raspberries contribute bright little bursts of fruity, sometimes tart, sometimes sweet raspberry flavor.

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup cake flour (2/3 cup AP flour, 2 tsp replaced with corn starch)
1 tbsp baking powder
6 tbsp butter, softened
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
zest of 1 lemon
1 generous cup of ripe raspberries
2 tbsp demerara sugar (I used THIS)
Line a 9-inch springform (or 9*3) circular pan with parchment paper and butter sides. Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a medium bowl, combine whole wheat flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, whip together butter and sugar, until the mixture is smooth and pale. Whisk in buttermilk, egg, and lemon zest. Add dry ingredients (flour mixture). Whisk thoroughly, until smooth and homogenous.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle raspberries as evenly as possible over the top of batter. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tbsp of the raw/demerara/namasatoh sugar over the cake. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining 1/2 tbsp of raw sugar. Allow cake to cool for 10-15 minutes prior to removing from pan.
Tea pairing: A hearty black, such as an Assam or Yunnan. I chose a lighter Darjeeling, which works well with the berries.

A few little (ceramic) lovelies for you:
- My favorite new teacup
- Quaint pedestal plate. I'm fascinated with aged, textured wood, what about you?
- This serving ware.
- These cups. And this plate is too pretty, isn't it?

Rainy Days and Sunny Apricot Almond Cream Tart

2011-06-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

Normally, I love it here in Northern California. I am embarrassingly proud and sentimental over it. Whenever I see the San Francisco city skyline, I think my heart swells just a little. There is something glorious about the way hills meet the ocean, the mixture of modern skyscapers and pastel Victorians, how everything looks just a bit more lovely and romantic against grey skies and afternoon fog. The sky feels higher, more distant, and the air here always has a bit of a salt tang. I have lived my entire life within a few miles of that glorious bay.

At the same time, I am not exactly happy with the non-Spring that we are having this year. It has been raining since Saturday. Record-breaking rains. On the positive side, it means our drought is over (we live in a place that is surrounded by water and yet we are always threatened by water shortages). And the effect it is had on the livelihoods of local farmers. Rains that have ruin my favorite strawberries several times. And according to someone at my very favorite orchard, there was a possibility that the hail had damaged the apricots, and there was a good chance we would not have any.
Still, I braved the rain on Saturday and stomped alone through the famous Ferry Building Farmer's Market. For my efforts, I had soaked slippers and a few pounds of beautifully bright peach-gold-blush apricots. These were the most perfumey apricots I had ever smelt - I wish I could bottle their scent. And the taste was exquisite. Distinctly flavored, and sweet with just a touch of tartness where the skin met the tender flesh. After I ate at least a pound of them myself, I opted for a simple dessert in which the apricots would be the star. Something that would allow the apricot to keep its flavor and shape. And what could possibly be more appropriate than a tart? Even though they are decadent, there is something elegant and almost light about them. A bit like summer sunshine.

Since these apricots were very flavorful and strong, I opted for a rich almond frangipane instead of delicate pastry cream. The hearty nutty, roasted effect is further heightened with a brown-butter enhanced crust. The tart tastes warm, and the apricots are almost hidden by the thick nutty pastry cream. And when you bite into them, its as if a small explosion of bright, sunshiny flavor fills your mouth. Its positively addictive.
A few tips: use the very best, fresh apricots you can find. Also, buy raw almonds and roast them in the oven. Not only does this intensify the almond flavor, but it adds a roasted element that offsets the slightly jammy baked apricots.

Apricot Almond Cream Tart
1 brown-butter shortbread tart crust
(See HERE. Rather than simply melting the butter, add 1/2 tbsp extra butter
and brown it until it smells nutty and is deeply golden-brown in color)
Almond Frangipane (nutty pastry cream)
3.5 ounces whole almonds, roasted at 325°F for 10 minutes
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract (or scrapings of a 1/2 vanilla bean)
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream
8-10 ripe apricot, split in halves with seed removed
Roast almonds. Place into a blender/food processor. Pulse the blender/processor to chop coarsely, then blend, stopping often to redistribute. Stop when the almonds are close to the consistency of a fine cornmeal.
Prepare/bake tart crust. Keep oven at 325°F.
While crust bakes, make almond pastry cream. In a heavy bottom medium saucepan, heat 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream. Slowly pour 1/4 cup heavy cream ONLY into yolk mixture, and whisk mixture while pouring. Use a spatula to get all of the mixture into the pot. Add the ground almonds. Heat over medium heat, while alternatively whisking and scraping the bottom of the pot. Heat until the mixture just begins to bubble, or until it is thick. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream.
Place apricot halves onto the tart crust. Pour (or spread) the almond cream.
Bake the mixture until the almond cream has set and apricots have softened, about 25 minutes.
Tea Pairing: A fruity Darjeeling would work well.

A few little things for you:
This video, about a wonderful (but always crowded) bakery in San Francisco's Mission
This gorgeous photo slideshow of Spring and Japanese cherry blossoms.
This book. For the tea lover and the chef.

An Anniversary, A Giveaway, and A Strawberry Tart

2011-05-30T04:21:00.000-07:00

On the eve of the anniversary of Darjeeling Dreams, I was not sure if it would continue past the year. When I started blogging, I had graduated with my second degree. Somewhere in the future, another degree awaited (and still awaits) me. After writing because I had to, I wanted to write because I wanted to. And I needed a little journal, a place to catalog my favorite photographs and photographers, a small memory book of things I did not want to forget. I soon began to add recipes, because a blog seemed like a nice, tidy way to record and recall them. And those aspects - writing for the joy of it, challenging myself with new recipes, and my budding interest in photography - coalesced into this food, or more accurately, dessert blog format. Creating or modifying recipes, photographing them, telling a story, it is a wonderful creative outlet. Yet, it asks for more confidence than I have. It asks that I put myself out there, little me into the vast cyberworld. I second-guess every post I write, all of the photographs I take, and question every recipe I create or tweak.
And, I can't give up my little site. I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience of blogging. Which is why I want to continue blogging. Being able to write, and to write as you want, is lovely. And since I am sharing my dessert making adventures, I am forced to continue experimenting and making new things. So I've stopped making meyer lemon shortbread every week, and discovered how very much I love tarts. Oh, and cupcakes aren't as bad as I thought they were either. As for the photography, I now have a record of my ever-growing interest in photography. If you go back to Friday, June 25, 2010, you can see the first 'real' photograph I ever took. I unwittingly created a photography journal of my efforts. Perhaps best of all are the wonderful people I have 'met' and all of the beautiful, interesting, inspiring sites I've come across. I had hoped that I might meet a few like-minded people, people who find beauty in the everyday, and maybe people who enjoy food. I wish I could give each and every one of you something, but I cannot possibly afford it. So instead, I am going to leave you with a simple and simply delicious strawberry tart. It is definitely the easiest tart I have featured here - the crust comes together quickly, the pastry cream takes no more than 10 minutes over the stove top, and slicing strawberries is the most time-consuming step. And I am also going to leave you with a 'tea and cookies' giveaway.

Strawberry Tart
1 10-inch tart crust (see HERE)
2 baskets of strawberries, preferably Chandler or Seascape
Pastry Cream:
1 cup whole milk
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar, sliced
3 tbsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
Prepare/bake tart shell.
While tart shell cools, prepare pastry cream. Pour milk into a heavy medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer. In a medium bowl, combine yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla (if using). Slowly pour hot milk by 1/4 cupfuls into yolk mixture, and whisk mixture while pouring. Use a spatula to get all of the mixture into the pot. Heat over medium heat, while alternatively whisking and scraping the bottom of the pot. Heat until the mixture just begins to bubble, or until it is very thick. Allow it to cool thoroughly before spreading evenly over tart shell.
Layer strawberries in desired pattern over the pastry cream. You may sprinkle a bit of sugar over the strawberries if they are not sweet enough. Slice and serve.

And now the tea and cookies giveaway. I got the idea for what to give away from a few of my dearest friends on Twitter. I have discovered it is a very nice way to connect and get to know each other. And because of this, I am allotting extra entries if you follow me on Twitter.
The giveaway includes:
-a copy of Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy: Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies, by Alice Medrich.
-a batch of Fleur d'Oranger Biscotti OR Milk Bar's Blueberries and Cream Cookies (winner can choose)
-a package of Fukamushi Sencha
For each entry, please leave a separate comment. There are three ways to enter:
-leave a comment telling me you'd like to enter
-follow DarjeelingDream on Twitter
-Tweet the following: I entered the tea and cookies giveaway on Darjeeling Dreams {http://tinyurl.com/3d2shsj} @DarjeelingDream
Sorry, since this giveaway includes food items, it is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. The giveaway ends at midnight, Tuesday June 7.

Pea + Porcini Risotto with Browned Butter

2011-05-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, you've come to the right place. I've really wanted to share a few luxurious savory dishes for a while now. One of the reasons that I do not is that I rarely use measurements when making dinner. I was taught to cook using approximations, and we did not even have measuring cups or spoons in the house. In Indian cooking, the cook's skill is thought not to rely on recipes, but on in their hands, their hearts, and their heads. To be a good cook, good instinct and experience is thought to be needed. Rather than receiving your mother or grandmother's recipes, one is taught to cook by observation and with years of practice. Most importantly, a person with a kind heart, a generous spirit, with love for both cooking and for those they are cooking for, is the better cook.
For me, I feel like there is so much left to learn in my cooking journey. As someone who cooks, I feel it is important to keep experimenting, to learn new things, to explore. Risotto is a fairly new dish for me. I began making it last winter. I made a cool weather version with Indian-spiced cauliflower, pan roasted with garam masala, and served with those almost-burnt onions found in Indian rice dishes. This spring, I just knew I had to use peas. I've fallen for fresh shelled sugar snaps in a big way. I love the burst of sweet flavor in the fresh ones. Since peas are so delicate, I tried to keep the risotto light as well.
Although risotto's creaminess comes from the building up the starches in the rice, I find that most recipes include generous amounts of butter and cheese. With this recipe, I tried to reduce the amounts of both but to keep it feeling and tasting just as decadent and delicious. The onions are sauteed in a combination of olive oil and a little butter for scent, and the amount of cheese is reduced. The risotto is topped off with luxuriously browned butter, which has more 'oomph' than regular butter. And adding the 'fat' in at the last minute means you can get away with using less of it. The rice base is creamy and rich, the porcinis add heartiness, the bright green of peas and the tart acidic wine (or you can use a smaller amount of lemon juice) balances the richness...and the gorgeous brown butter adds an nutty, almost caramelized note. With this risotto, I still felt like I was eating something sinful.

Pea + Porcini Risotto:
2 3/4 cups broth
1 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb (or 1 - 1.25) cup canaroli or arborio rice, unwashed
1/2 cup dry white wine (use a few tablespoons of lemon juice or good-quality vinegar if avoiding alcohol)
1/2 ounce dried porcini, reconstituted at least 1/4 cup hot water (reserve water)
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, shaved
1 cup fresh (or frozen) peas
1/2 tbsp white wine (or substitute 1 tsp lemon juice if avoiding alcohol)
chives, sea salt, pepper
Porcini
For the porcini, reconstitute for at least five minutes in very hot water (just under boiling temperature). Reserve at least 1/4 cup water. Dice porcini into 1/2 inch pieces.
Risotto
Bring the water from the reconstituted porcini, broth and water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat a heavy pot over medium heat, then add the olive oil and 1/2 tbsp butter. When butter had melted completely, add onion and saute until soft and slightly browned. Add garlic, saute for another minutes. Add rice and cook, constantly stirring. Add the white wine and cook until it has almost absorbed, there should be a small amount of liquid left (about 2 tbsp)
Start by adding 1/2 cup of the broth-water mixture. Cook and constantly stir at a simmer, until absorbed. Continue this process for approximately 20 minutes, or until rice is al dente, with a slight chewiness in the center. Prior to removing from heat, stir in porcini, salt, pepper. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Allow risotto to cool for a few minutes, stir in cooked peas.
Peas and Browned Butter
While making the risotto, place a medium saucepan of water to boil. When boiling, add about 1 teaspoon of salt, and shelled peas. Cover, allow peas to cook for one and half minutes. Remove from heat immediately, place in colander, and rinse thoroughly in cold water.
To brown butter, place in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until is deeply browned and smell nutty. Remove from heat, add white wine or lemon.
To serve:
Serve with additional salt, pepper, freshly snipped chives, and browned butter.

Carrot Cupcakes

2011-05-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

Like many of our senses, scent and taste can stir many memories. The smell of onions and scallions being fried in ghee (clarified butter), or the sight and taste of a small square of carrot cake bring out particularly strong emotions in me. The former is a vague emotion, a feeling of being safe and comfortable. The latter is stronger, steeped in nostaglia. Carrot cake reminds of a time past, and of an era that lives only in my remembrances.
I grew up with my paternal grandparents. Especially when I was small, they were just as big a part of my life as parents are for most. They took me to school and picked me up, brought pretty dresses, my favorite striped hat and pink sneakers, taught me not to put my elbows on the dinner table and how to tie my shoelaces. They tried to convince me to eat more, and cajoled me with little pastel-frosted cookies and carrot cake. Carrot cake was almost a daily occurance, as my grandfather brought me a little plastic-wrapped piece several times a week. It was always the same: a small rectangle, covered with a layer of cream cheese frosting that I scraped off, a dense burnt sienna and studded with raisins and nuts. And so, when I think of carrot cake, I feel about four years old. The world is sunny and bright, and I am standing before an old-fashioned white tiled counter. My grandfather is in the living room, and my grandmother is still healthy and strong, prepping dinner, with me in the kitchen. It is afternoon, and I have been forced to come inside because the wind and clouds will show up soon.

And although the boy has been asking for carrot cake for months now, I hesitated in making it. I cannot recall having it since childhood. When I finally did, I changed it from the classic cake into cupcakes, small and compact and different in appearance from the cake I was used to. I omitted the raisins, and upped the amount of ginger and added a hint of cardamom. The ginger adds spicy heat, and the cardamom is another element of youth. Somehow, cardamom tastes a bit milky and creamy despite its fire, and so it blends with the dairy-rich cream cheese frosting. Cardamom is like vanilla in Indian cookery - it shows up in most sweets. It even shows up in many savory dishes. These cupcakes are not dense - they are fluffy but still moist. Because of the moistness, they taste better the day after you make them. Which works perfectly for me, because I can eat one every afternoon, again.

Carrot Cupcakes
Makes approximately 16 cupcakes
1 1/2 cups carrots (approximately 12 ounces)
1/4 cup (or more, to taste) walnuts
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup canola oil (grapeseed or other mild-flavored would work as well)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/8 cup golden-brown sugar (6 tbsp)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp fresh finely grated ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 - 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grate carrots. Use a baking sheet to toast walnuts for 5-10 minutes, or until slightly darkened. Chop into 1/4 inch pieces. Clean baking sheet, and place 15-16 3-oz baking cups on a flat baking sheet.
Sift together AP flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, butter, and sugars. Whisk in eggs. Add the gingers, nutmeg, cardamom, aand cinnamom. Add the flour mixture. Whisk in carrots and walnuts, and beat until incorporated.
Divide batter evenly among prepared cupcakes liners/pan. You can fill approximately 2 1/2 tbsp of batter in each.
Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 10 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), softened
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 vanilla bean
Generous 1 1/2 cup powdered/confectioner's sugar
Beat together butter and cream cheese until the mixture is smooth and pale in color. Scrape the seeds of the half vanilla bean into the frosting, add 1/2 cup of sugar and beat well. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until smooth.
*I labelled these 'intermediate' not because they are difficult to make, but because they are time-consuming. I used fresh but small carrots, which took a very long time to grate.

Tiramisu + Cupcakes

2011-04-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

Tiramisu is one of those desserts that everyone seems to love. There is something wonderful in the combination of delicate airy ladyfingers soaked in alcohol-spiked espresso, and layered with rich mascarpone custard and thickly dusted with cocoa. When its done right, the creamy, bitter, cake-like layers all blend together in one perfect, seamless whole. The sum is greater than the (albeit great themselves) parts.Now, I have heard so many people say that tiramisu is their favorite dessert. Even the boy, who (tragically) does not like sweets (I know! He even complains about all the butter and sugar I buy!) gets that little gleam in his eye over tiramisu. And yet, it cannot even compare to the popularity of cupcakes. Personally, I had never been a cupcake person. Mentally, I imagine something like wedding cake, in a small, colorfully cutesy form. With a flavorless texture that tasted of cardboard and sawdust, covered up with cloying sweet mounds of stiff buttercream. Instead, I approach the homemade cupcake with the idea that it was merely a miniature cake. Why not make tiramisu a more convenient, hand-holdable dessert as well? That is the idea behind these cupcakes. I turned my normal cupcake base into a lighter and more sponge-like, soaking the very plain vanilla sponge in a strong liquored up espresso, covering it with a light mascarpone-whipped cream topping, and dusting it with some bitter chocolate.

Tiramisu Cupcakes
For 12 3-oz cupcakes:
1 cup AP flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each baking soda
2 extra-large egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
5 generous tbsp butter, cut into 1/2 - 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean
Mascarpone frosting
8 oz. mascarpone, at room temperature
5/8 cup whipping/heavy cream (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp)
1/4 cup confectioner's/powdered sugar
Coffee-Liquer Syrup
1/3 cup of strong espresso
2 tbsp granulated or caster sugar
2 tbsp of Kahlua, dark rum, marsala wine...
1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa or grated bitter/semisweet dark chocolate
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 12 3-oz baking cups on a flat baking sheet.
Sift together AP flour, cornstarch, baking powder,and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Place egg whites in a large bowl, and add the 1/4 cup of sugar and salt. Mix for 4-5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. If you hold the bowl upside down, the peaks should hold.
Pour milk into small saucepan. Scrap the vanilla bean, add scraped seeds and vanilla bean pod to the milk. Heat until milk is warm. Immediately add butter and remaining sugar to the mixture. Mix thoroughly until butter has melted.
Using a rubber spatula, alternately fold the dry ingredients and milk-butter into the egg whites, a third at a time. Be careful not to lose the volume of the egg whites.
Divide batter evenly among prepared cupcakes liners/pan. You can fill 2 1/2 to scant 3 tbsp of batter in each.
Bake for approximately 15-18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
In the meantime, make the mascarpone frosting. In a large, cool bowl, combine 1 cup (8 oz) of mascarpone, 5/8 cup cool heavy cream (or double cream), and 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar. Using a whisk (balloon whisk would be best), beat until the mixture is homogeneous, thick, and still smooth. Be careful not to overwhip: the mixture will lose its smoothness and the taste of the overwhipped cream will overwhelm the mascarpone.
Also, make the coffee-liqueur syrup. Brew coffee/espresso. While it is still bot, combine with sugar and liqueur, and stir until sugar has dissolved.
To assemble: Poke 5-6 holes into cupcakes using a small toothpick. Pour at least 1/2 tbsp of coffee-liqueur syrup over each cupcake. If the cupcakes are not absorbing quickly enough, pour about 1 tsp over each, and wait a few minutes for it to absorb, and then add 1/2+ per cupcake. Allow the cupcakes to rest for an additional 5 minutes.
Divide the mascarpone frosting evenly among cupcakes, and frost as desired. Grate bittersweet/semisweet chocolate over the cupcakes OR sift cocoa powder over each (see NOTE).
NOTE: You can also core the syrup-soaked cupcakes and fill with some of the mascarpone frosting, and top with a thinner mascarpone layer for a more layered, tiramisu-like effect. For 'show', the grated chocolate looks nicer, but adding cocoa powder instead tastes more authentic.

The First Signs of Spring...

2011-04-09T22:15:00.000-07:00

First of all, I'd like to mention that I recently tried my first batch of cake pops. They are meant to be shared, and I made them for a very sweet blogger friend of mine. You can - and I hope do - check out my guest post on the lovely and amazing Indian Simmer. I also really, really recommend looking around, because it is a truly inspirational place.

It is beginning to feel a lot like spring here...finally. Spring is, and always has been, my most favorite season. I even love the light of it, a lovely soft blue/green instead of the rich gold of autumn. It is the season of renewal, of rebirth. It is no wonder that the poets sing of it. Oh, and the flowers...how I wish I brought my camera the day I saw that the dogwood and tulip trees were all-aflower in Berkeley! And now, wisteria everywhere...on porches of the beautifully aged Victorians in Hayes Valley (San Francisco), creeping out of restrictive fences... Everything is so austerely bright.

Spring means strawberries. Real strawberries, fresh and in season, bursting with flavor. To celebrate their arrival, I made strawberry shortcakes. I realize I say this about a lot of things, but I do truly adore strawberries, and always have. While they are in season, I eat some practically every day. Often with yogurt and honey for breakfast or a snack, but sometimes I'll wash a bunch and leave them in a small colander, ready to be eaten through the lazy weekend afternoon. One of the nicest ways to eat them is with a fresh, flaky biscuit and a pouf of whipped cream. The strawberry shortcake, of course.

Strawberry Shortcakes
(adapted, see HERE for original source information)
1 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup butter, cut into cubes + frozen at least 30 minutes
1 large egg
1/4 cup cream
Whipped 'Chantilly' cream and strawberries - see note
Preheat oven to 395°f.
Blend together flour and frozen butter. Combine in a food processor and process for approximately 45 minute. If you don't have a processor, combine flour and butter on cool surface, and use knife or pastry cutter to cut butter into flour.
The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal.
Mix together the cream and the eggs and then pour into the food processor while pulsing. A soft dough should form within a few seconds. Stir the liquid in with a spatula if you aren't using the food processor. Don't overmix.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and gently shape into a rectangle approximately 1/2 inch thick. Fold in thirds lengthwise, turn one quarter turn and repeat once more. This gentle folding creates a tender, flaky biscuit.Roll the dough out (or pat out with hands) to about 1/2 or 3/4 inch thick. Cut out your biscuits with whatever shape you like.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the tops are just golden brown.
NOTE - To Assemble: Slice the desired amount of strawberries - one of those green pint baskets should be more than enough. If you are using the pint basket, sprinkle approximately one tablespoon of sugar over the slices, and allow the mixture to sit for at least 10 minutes. The strawberries will soften and produce a sort of strawberry juice, and this will help meld all the ingredients together.
Chantilly cream is vanilla-flavored whipped cream. In a bowl, combine 1 cup whipping/heavy/double cream, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean scrappings, and 2 - 4 tbsp fine sugar. Whip with a whisk until soft peaks form. Do not overwhip. The cream will whip faster if your bowl and cream are cool/cold, and if have and use a balloon whisk.

Here are a few lovely things I'd love to share:
This photographer
And this one too
This charming bracelet - and its for a great cause

Labneh + A Lebni Tart

2011-04-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

Once I get an idea or a goal in my head, it tends to stay there. I am ~~stubborn~~ determined that way. Blame my grandmother. I flipped through Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert virtually, and the lebni tart stole my heart. It was beautiful - in Medrich's words, like a pristine little white dress. Classic, minimalist, but with a twist, and so, just my style.
All I needed was the lebni. Lebni, or labneh as its sometimes called, is simply a yogurt cheese. Rather than souring or turning milk or cream, labneh begins with yogurt as the base ingredient. I thought it would be easy to find, but after trying various grocery stores, high-end pantries, and even a cheese shop or two - nothing. Given my ~~stubbornness~~ determination, I could not let go of the idea. I had to have the tart. Lucky for me, I found out that it is actually quite easy to make labneh at home. In fact, in the Lebanese culture, it is sometimes made and formed into balls, bathed in olive oil, and then served for breakfast.
Even more lucky for me, I just happened to make the perfect amount of labneh for this tart. However, the best part of this tart was that I got to share with my grandmother. From her comes my stubbornness. My tendency to drink tea at all hours of the day and night. A love of history and of learning. She encouraged my kitchen experiments and passed down her love of sweets. So when she had a bite of this tart, her face, ever so slightly, lit up.

I think I know why. This tart is well-worth the very minimal effort - all it takes is a little planning. The closest dessert to it would perhaps be cheesecake (but its much easier). However, lebni tart is the cheesecake that grew up. It has picked up a light grace and elegant sophistication. It has soul and depth, in that it is tangier yet more complex and creamy and yet shed itself of the thick gumminess of cheesecake.

Labneh Tart:
Adapted from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert, for original see HERE
Tart shell:
1/2 cup/1 stick butter
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp each, vanilla extract and salt
1 cup (4.5 oz) flour
Filling:
3 large eggs
3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp honey
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz/1 1/2 cup lebni/labneh (see below)
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
My variations: I used homemade lebni/labneh. Also, I cut back on the sugar and used a combination of honey and sugar in the tart filling. I found that the filling cooked very quickly, in approximately 12 minutes - this could be because I used an old-fashioned gas oven.
How I made the labneh/lebni: Place 20 oz. of Greek style yogurt in a cheesecloth, and tie the cheesecloth. Place into a colander, and place colander into a large bowl. Leave at room temperature, for 24-48 hours. A whey-like water will slowly drip out. You should have approximately 12 - 13 oz of labneh/lebni leftover (or 1 1/2 cups).
Tea pairing: Creamy desserts work with a variety of teas. Anxi/Iron Goddess of Mercy, formosa, phoenix oolongs would all work, as would a floral Darjeeling.

Walnut + Semolina Cake with Honey, Cardamom, Cinnamon Syrup

2011-04-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

I've fallen for Middle Eastern food in a big way. Specificially, Lebanese, Turkish, and Syrian cuisines. It is comforting and familiar, in the way that something that one can easily fall in love with often is. For me, it has similarities to Indian food, the spices, the use of many small dishes to make a meal, with some of the light freshness of modern 'California' cuisine. My infatuation started with a delicious memoir, and this line: "Who thinks of such things? What god leant down and whispered in what mortal ear to put walnuts inside an eggplant? And then to eat it with wine? I wanted to cry." And it continued with this book, which is equally beautiful, in its descriptions of Turkey, Turkish food, and photographs that dazzle and awe.
Now, eggplant is certainly not one of favorites. Walnuts would be more like it, which is why this recipe grabbed my attention. I can see why there wasn't a photograph included in the book. These squares of cake are not much to look at, are they? They are plain, crumble easily, not glamorous. Until you bite into one. This so-called cake is closer to bakalava in flavor and richness than it is to fluffy cake. It tastes of butter-toasted walnuts, fiery cinnamon and cardamom, the sweet syrupy honey tempered by the tart touch of lemon, all encased in moist yet crumbly, textured semolina.

Walnut + Semolina Cake with Honey, Cardamom, Cinnamon Syrup
Adapted from Turquoise, see HERE for recipe, I listed the ingredients and modifications
1/3 lb walnuts
1/2 cup/2 sticks butter (I'd imagine you could use ghee or a vegan alternative like Earth Balance)
7 oz Greek-style yogurt (Fage sells a 7 oz container)
3 oz sugar (1/4 cup)
5 oz honey (scant 1/2 cup)
9 oz (approximately 1 1/2 cups) semolina flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
For syrup:
3 tbsp honey
5 oz sugar
2/3 cup water
juice of small lemon
4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 stick cinnamom
I increased the cooking time - still 20 minutes prior to application of syrup, but up to 12 minutes post-application. After the 20 minutes, the cake will be underdone - don't worry, it will continue to cook after the syrup has been added. Another tip, something I forgot, if you do make these, I'd recommend freezing them for 20 minutes or so after cooling so the squares will be cleaner.
Tea pairing: A brisk black. I also tried a Moroccan tea - gunpowder green with mint - which worked nicely.

Momofuku/Milk Bar's Blueberries + Cream Cookies

2011-03-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

Just the other day, I was looking at my recipe index, and I realized that I had hardly posted any cookie recipes. Which is a pity, because cookies are wonderful, (usually) very easy to make, they bake quickly, they can be eaten out of hand. And cookies are just so comforting, so sweetly humble and reminiscent of childhood. I actually bake them quite often, and yet I so rarely share the recipes. I should correct that, and I am starting with these.
I made a large batch of these blueberry + cream cookies last week. I baked them late one night, after dinner, and nibbled on about half of one. It was nice - the bottoms were very crisp and almost caramel-like, while the centers were still pillowy. However, I polished off more cookies than I want to admit the next day - they were wonderful by then. The sweetness had somehow mellowed, and all of the flavors came together by then. Which reminds me of another nice aspect of cookies: they taste just as good the next day. Or at any time of day, for that matter.

This recipe looks complex, but rest assured that it is actually quite easy. Its a very basic cookie recipe, except for the milk crumbs. They actually only take a few minutes to make, and while they're toasting in the oven, you can prepare the cookie batter. I also saw the first batch of this year's blueberries at the farmer's market this weekend - and I believe that you can use fresh berries instead of dried.

Blueberries + Cream Cookies
For recipe, see THIS BLOG
My changes: I substituted milk for the glucose - too hard to find, and the cookies were sweet enough already. I increased the amount of blueberries to a full cup. May I also suggest a bit of lemon zest - it would add a nice contrast to the sweet 'cream' crumbs, and the bright flavors of the lemon + blueberry are magical together.

Coconut Carnaroli Kheer (Rice Pudding)

2011-03-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

I have never liked rice pudding. I've had several versions of rice pudding - or kheer, as its called in Hindi. Its ubiquitous at religious ceremonies, made in the morning, left uncovered, and served, cold, mushy, gelatinous, before lunch or dinner. Most children seemed to love it. So much so that relatives gave my mother funny looks, as if she had failed in some motherly duty.
Logically, I would think that I'd like kheer/rice pudding. I love rice - I cannot go more than a day, maybe two, without eating some. You may have noticed that I like creamy, spicy sweets too. As I've grown up, I notice that I, like most people, begin to like foods I could not abide as a child. So many of us bloggers have described the experience: finding a fresher version of a once-despised vegetable, or a new technique for cooking an old-and-disliked dish. Which is why I came around to making my own version of kheer. I cut down the amount of sugar, omitted the raisins, increased the spices, and used coconut milk in addition to regular. Perhaps most significantly, I used carnaroli rice rather than a long-grained one. Carnaroli rice is similar to arborio in that they are both very short grained and starchy, with carnaroli being the shorter and plumper of the two. I believe it was that rice that made the greatest difference, for the resulting dish felt like a revelation. Because of the creamy starchiness, the rice melted into the coconut-flavored cream seamlessly, yet, the plump kernels still retained just a hint of nutty due to the firm inner center. The cream itself was - with just the right consistently, and delicately flavored of coconut, brightened with fiery chai-flavoring spices. I am salivating as I write, and dreaming of making some more right now. And so, as with so many other things, I think I do, after all, like rice pudding.

This recipe is so easy and fool-proof that I wish I had a super-easy label to catergorize it. Its also gluten-free, and I would imagine that you could make it vegan but using almond or soy milk instead of regular.

Coconut Kheer/Rice Pudding
3-4 smaller servings
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup carnaroli rice (use arborio if you cannot find)
2 tbsp sugar, preferably raw
4 cardamom pods, seeds only, crushed
pinch of salt
1 tbsp minced candied ginger (or use 1 inch piece of a ginger if not available - see note)
9-10 ounces of coconut milk (do not use 'lite' - it is simply watered down)
optional: shredded, toasted coconut for serving
In a saucepan, combine the milk, rice, sugar, salt, and cardamom with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and ginger and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is very tender and the liquid is thickened, about 10 minutes.
Let cool slightly, about 5-10 minutes, before spooning into bowls and serving.
Note: If using whole ginger, remove prior to serving.
Tea pairing: Milk, rice, and coconut...I suggest a darjeeling, or possibly a light assam. Or if you like, a cup of masala chai.

Hazelnut Brown-Butter Cake

2011-03-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

Your birthday should be a holiday. It should be recognized by everyone for the special day that it is, and celebrated accordingly. A small holiday, filled with little happinesses. I personally always feel a little tiny shock when the date of my birthday is mentioned as the most ordinary of days. For me, it is most certainly not. Do you feel the same way?
It seems universal to spread the happiness and celebration through the sharing of special food, whether it be a Korean soup, American buttercreamed cake, or that modern tradition of going out to dinner. For me, a cake. When I was three, it was frosted pale blue and yellow, trimmed in roses, and immortalized by my father photographing me stealing bits of frosting with my fingertips. When I was five it was made by my uncle's girlfriend, a deep pink thing decorated with teeny little strawberries and my name written in blue. And on this Saturday birthday, February 26, it was a simple sponge cake of toasted ground hazelnuts and brown butter.
The cake appears simple and humble, but let me assure you that is not. It is magical in its juxtaposition of richness and moistness, yet surprisingly light, almost airy. It tastes complex, adult - and is such a great way to celebrate growing wiser. This cake is made of sophisticated brown butter, which is called beurre noisette, hazelnut butter, by the French. It is a beautiful thing, more intensely aromatic than regular butter, nutty and complex and silky rather than creamy. To dress it in frosting or frills would be akin to dressing a cashmere-wearing sophisticate in tutu. Rather, you may opt for a dignified bit of whipped cream or creme fraiche, but not much more.

Hazelnut Brown Butter Cake
Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques - Original recipe HERE
5 ounces of hazelnuts (1 heaping cup)
1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), plus extra for greasing the pan
1/2 vanilla bean
1/3 cup AP flour
1 1/8 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
1 tsp baking powder
6 large egg whites
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°f. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet, and toast for approximately 12 minutes. Place the nuts in a clean tea towel, and rub between palms. The majority of skins should crumble off, and you can leave the more difficult to remove bits for texture.
Cut out a circle of parchment paper and fit in on the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (or a tall 9-inch pan). Brush the bottom with some butter.
Cut the butter into cubes, and place cubes into a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the butter, and place the pod into the saucepan. Cook butter for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it is deeply golden-brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat - it may burn if you leave it on warm range - and remove the vanilla pod. Allow the butter to cool.
In the meantime, grind the toasted hazelnuts. Add in the flour, confectioners' sugar, and baking powder and pulse to combine.
Place the egg whites in large sturdy bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the 1/4 cup of sugar and salt, and mix for 4-5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. If you hold the bowl upside down, the peaks should hold. If needed, transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl using a rubber spatula.
Alternate folding the dry ingredients and brown butter into the egg whites, a third at a time. Be careful not to lose the volume of the egg whites. Scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the bits of vanilla and brown butter from the saucepan.
Pour batter into your prepared cake pan, and bake for one hour. Cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter or cake stand when ready to serve.
Tea pairing: I suggest a darjeeling. The muscatel quality will work well with this cake I believe.

Pear + Almond Frangipane

2011-03-02T00:06:00.000-08:00

In a way, you could say that this is the worst time of year. There is nothing - unless you include a few motley citrus - at the markets. It is that in-between time of year, when you are tired of winter and spring seems so far away. Even the trees and bushes are melancholy, and not producing fruits and flowers. Instead, I have been rediscovering how delicious nuts are and how magical butter becomes when browned.
I have been thinking of the non-edible too. Like this reading nook, and longing for that chest/table made of salvage wood, and a cozy chair. And the utter gorgeousness of the Interior Porn Tumblr, which I could - and have - spent hours looking through. I am anxiously waiting for the arrival of my new mortar & pestle. Wanting a copy of this magazine. And sipping on too many cups of this incredible tea.
And I always think of the edible. Like frangipane. Frangipane is similar to pastry cream, but with ground almonds or hazelnuts adding both texture and flavor. Something of its luscious nubby texture reminds me of a warm winter sweater. It is comfortable and just so good that it tastes familiar. Paired with the last of this winter's pears and a flaky shortbread crust, it makes for an elegant and still cozy treat.

Pear and Almond Frangipane Tarts
Makes one 10-inch tart or 4 4-inch
1 prebaked all-butter pastry crust (follow link for recipe) If preparing smaller tarts, remember to divide pastry among 4 tart pans prior to pre-baking.
For frangipane
6 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp honey
7/8 cup almond, finely ground
1 tbsp AP flour
1 egg
1 egg white
pinch of salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
For pears
3 medium pears, cored and thinly sliced OR 5 seckle pears, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
To serve
1-2 tbsp raw (or granulated) sugar
Prepare your pastry crust and tart molds.
Make sure oven is preheated to 350°f. Prepare frangipane by combining butter, sugar, and honey. Add in ground almonds and flour. Then add egg, egg white and salt, and whisk until very smooth. Gently stir in heavy cream and vanilla. Pour frangipane mixture into prepared tart crust(s).
Top the tart(s) with the pear slices. Sprinkle nutmeg, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of the frangipane mixture have turned golden-brown. Serve with raw or granulated sugar.
.

'A Man's Cake' - Guinness Chocolate Cake

2011-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

Even I cannot believe that I have not posted anything in almost three weeks. A series of minor tragedies and triumphs have gotten in the way - problems with the oven, a flu that's going around...
I meant to make this cake three weeks ago, even bought the guinness for it. I suggested it to the boy while he drove to the store. Chocolate, olive oil and of course, dark Irish beer, with some sort of a sweet-tart whipped frosting. His immediate response? That it sounded like a man's birthday cake. I suppose it is a rather masculine cake. Not frilly, or pretty, but instead - tall, dark, and handsome.
In a way, I am happy that I got to make the cake now, for Valentine's day. The perfect Valentine dessert should be something that can appeal to both sexes, so I wanted to avoid pink, rosewater, swirls of frosting, and general fussiness. Yet, the V-day dessert should be complex, seductive decadent, and a bit mysterious. This cake certainly fits the bill. Topping it off with the cream cheese frosting is a bit like gilding the lily, but its a wonderful combination.

Guinness Chocolate Cake
Makes one 10-inch or tall 9 inch cake
3/4 c. dutch-processed cocoa, sifted
1 cup Guinness or dark Stout beer
12 tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cup sugar, preferably caster/fine
1/2 cup molasses
2 large eggs
1/3 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract AND salt
2 cups AP flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
Cream Cheese 'Frosting'
1 cup (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup heavy cream, cold
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325°f.
In a saucepan, combine cocoa, Guinness, butter, and oil. Over medium-low heat, stir until butter has melted and mixture is homogeneous. Remove from heat, and allow for it to cool for 5-10 minutes. In the meantime, prepare your 9-inch springform pan (or regular 10 inch) by greasing it with butter, and covering the bottom with parchment paper. Also, combine sugar, molasses, eggs, creme fraiche/sour cream, and vanilla in one bowl. In a large bowl, combine salt, flour, and baking powder. Pour approximately half of the molasses mixture and half of the butter-beer mixture into the dry ingredient, and whisk well. Pour the remaining half of the molasses and beer-butter mixture and continue beating, until the mixture is homogeneous. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap pan against a hard surface to remove any air bubbles.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Test for doneness with a cake tester (toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake).
Allow cake to cool thoroughly - at least 15 minutes - before cutting or topping with cream cheese frosting.

Lavender Lemon Yogurt Cake

2011-01-24T21:07:00.000-08:00

Although you'd probably never know it, I've been baking a lot lately. Most of what I have been making is very easy - chocolate chip or blueberry cookies, whip-it-up cakes. Simple, unfussy cakes are my favorite type. You know the type: some people call everyday cakes or those cakes you make on a weekday to cheer yourself up. Having a friend over for tea, or after a simple dinner cake. I like to think of them as whip-it-up cakes: you can throw everything into a big bowl - no creaming of butter and sugar - pour that batter into a pan, and within about half an hour you've got a hot sweet yummy thing, practically begging to be eaten.
At the same time, I have been obsessing over certain flavor combinations lately. Simple ones, like spiking chocolate chip cookies with cinnamon and lots of vanilla, or filling a plain cake with lemon curd and blueberry jam. I have been especially infatuated with Meyer lemons. I do adore meyer lemons, with their tart lemoniness balanced with an unexpected sweetness. O, and I rediscovered how much I like lavender. There was a farm stand at the market this Saturday, with baskets of it. The almost spring-like air was scented with that clean herbal scent. Together, the sunny citrus and floral lavender evoked spring very strongly. And when combined in a easy, dreamy cake, the flavors could cheer up a dull winter day. They might even deceive you into thinking Spring has already arrived.

Lavender Lemon Yogurt Cake
Cake:
1 stick butter
2-3 tbsp lavender (depending on personal taste)
1 cup AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsweetened yogurt
zest from a medium (Meyer) lemon
Glaze:
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp sugar
juice of one medium (Meyer) lemon, strained so that it pulp-free

To infuse the butter: To infuse, cut the butter into cubes and place into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the lavender. Once butter has melted, reduce heat to lowest heat setting and cook for 8 minutes. Stir occasionally and do not allow the butter to brown. Remove from heat, allow the butter to cool for 5 minutes. Strain the melted, lavender-scented butter, pressing down on the dried lavender to maximize the amount of butter and the intensity of the lavender flavor.
You should have approximately 6 tbsp of butter remaining.
To make cake: Preheat 350°f.. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.
Sift together together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, egg and oil.
Add butter-sugar-egg, yogurt, and lemon zest to dry ingredients, mix until just combined.
Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
While cake is baking, prepare glaze. Combine water and sugar in small pan, bring to a boil, making sure that the sugar is completely dissolved. The liquid should be clear and just a bit thicker than water. Remove from heat, add in lemon juice.
When the cake is thoroughly cooled, brush the syrup liberally onto the cake. The glaze should be thin and should soak into the cake.
Tea pairing: Try an anxi or a formosa oolong.

Walnut Shortbread Sandwiched with Salted Chocolate Ganache

2011-01-17T04:58:00.000-08:00

Walnuts make me think of childhood. Particularly fresh walnuts, still in their crinkly, wood-like shells. I was very small, about six years old, when I had my first walnut. They were a gift from a very kindly neighbor, an older gentlemen who loved children. His grandchildren lived somewhere far away, and he rarely saw them. Every year, he would go off to the country and pick boxfuls of walnuts. He gave us a few boxes, of deliciously fresh nuts. There were other kindly older neighbors. He was not the only kind neighbor we had. There was also the nice older couple next door who gave me stuffed animals, and the house of elderly ladies that shared fresh blueberry pies with us every summer. It was a lovely and safe neighborhood. Perhaps too, it was a lovely and safe world, one in which neighbors got to know one another and felt comfortable allowing their children around.
And so, when I found a little brown bag of wild English walnuts, I felt a bit of nostalgia. I bought them home and marveled at how pretty the little shells were. As you may have noticed, I find little sweet things particularly delicious and mood-brightening. I wanted to use some of those walnuts in a sweet recipe that would highlight their flavor. I've found that nuts work beautifully in shortbread: they add body and balance out the floury sweetness. This walnut version is perhaps one of the best versions I've had yet. The walnuts add a wonderful nutty heartiness. Moreover, the addition of sea salt is heavenly - it draws out the nutty, buttery, chocolatey flavors and yet brings them all together. And did I mention how utterly easy this recipe is - no freezing of dough, no cookie cutters, and start to finish, the whole recipe takes less than half-an-hour.

Walnut Shortbread with Salted Chocolate Ganache
(Makes 12 cookie sandwiches)
Adapted from King Arthur's Flour
Cookies
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1.5 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp golden-brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp bourbon (optional)
1/2 cup AP flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 finely chopped walnuts
Chocolate Ganache
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 generous tsp honey
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate,
(chopped or processed in food processor into crumb-sized bits)
1-2 tsp sea or flake salt
Special equipment: mini madeleine pan
In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, olive oil, sugar, vanilla, and bourbon, until light, fluffy, and creamy. Add the flour, cornstarch, and walnut, and beat well. Refrigerate for 30+ minutes.
After cookie dough has chilled, preheat oven to 375 f. Press one teaspoon of cookie dough into each madeleine mold, pushing the dough so that the sides, top, and bottom are completely filled.
If you don't have a madeleine pan, measure out the dough in tablespoons. Form into balls, and flatten the bottoms slightly.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until browned. While cookies cook, make the ganache. Combine the heavy cream and honey in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in chocolate bits and salt. Cool until mixture is slightly thickened, whisking occasionally.
To assemble: spread 1/4-1/2 tsp of the chocolate ganache in the center of the half of the cookies. Allow to set for a few minutes, and cover with the other half of cookies.
Tea pairing: A strong brisk black (i.e., Assam, Kennan, Lapsong Souchong), a roasted green tea (hojicha, or a strong Chinese green).

Happy New Year....and Apricot Bread Pudding

2011-01-02T23:43:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe its 2011 already. Its a little exciting, new year, so many possibilities and things to hope and dream for. I hope that it will be a prosperous and wonderful year for all. A year in which the world - and especially the people in it - becomes more happy.
Right now, there is a lot of uncertainty in my life. Which is why I take so many pleasure in the little things. For example, over the last week, I have been indulging in a lot of Green Ecstasy. I am sure that you are thinking all sorts of naughty thoughts of what it could be - some sort of absinthe or exotic cocktail. It is actually quite innocent, just a wickedly good potion of deep-steamed sencha sprinkled with a touch of matcha and sipped warm. The name comes from the fact that is SO green, the most verdant imaginable taste - grassy and marine and practically mossy...
And so, I've been keeping a small bowl of matcha on my counter top, and because its in my sight, sprinkling it on everything. Its slight bitterness provides a great foil to the sweetness of many desserts. And one afternoon, I toasted a piece of brioche, spread it with a little mascarpone, added a generous amount of apricot conserve, some toasted almonds, and sprinkled on that ubiquitous matcha. That combination of flavors worked so well that I knew I had to turn it into a dessert. And thus, this bread pudding was born. It is the first bread pudding recipe I've made, with a simple custard and just a little bread. It is creamy, not soggy, and the tart apricot and strong matcha balance the lusciousness beautifully.

Individual Apricot Bread Pudding with Matcha
Serves eight
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp honey5 1/4-inch thick slices of brioche (approximately 6 oz)
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp mascarpone/cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp Grand Marnier (optional)
1 cup apricot conserves (or apricot preserves, or 8 small fresh apricots)
1 tbsp matcha powder
Preheat oven to 350°f. Place eight 6-oz ramekins in one large (or two smaller) baking dishes.
Melt together butter and honey. Slather onto one side of each slice of brioche. Remove crusts, and cut each slice into approximately 1*1 inch cubes. Set aside. In a large bowl, make custard by whisking together eggs, egg yolks, mascarpone, sugar, and Grand Marnier.
Divide apricot as evenly as possible among ramekins. Arrange brioche over the apricot, so that they just overlap slightly. Cover the brioche layer with the custard, pressing down on the brioche so that it absorbs the custard. Return ramekins to baking dish, and fill dish with water until it reaches half-way up the sides of the ramekins.
Place baking dish in oven, taking care that the water does not splash into the bread puddings. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread is puffed up and slightly golden brown, and the custard is set. Let the pudding cool for at least 10 minutes. To serve, run a knife around the edge of the ramekin to loosen and invert quickly onto serving plate. The apricot layer should be facing up now. Sift matcha evenly over each bread pudding serving.