Gingerbread Cupcakes with Spiced Molasses Frosting

December 8, 2010February 10, 2011 The Culinary Chronicles14 Comments

I think one of my biggest challenges if I ever became a professional cook would be consistency. One day I’ll make something and it’ll turn out quite yummy. But to my disappointment, the next time I make the exact same thing, it’s a flop. Same conditions, no additions, no edits……just different results. Bummer, right?

Unfortunately that was the case when I made these Gingerbread Cupcakes. Last year I made them for the holidays and I was smitten! They had a wonderful flavor and were super fluffy—-I just couldn’t wait to whip some out for this winter season.

I happily volunteered to make these cupcakes for a holiday party my sister recently hosted. I was true to the cupcake recipe and didn’t change a thing. But I did however take some liberties and switched the Cardamom Frosting for my take on a Spiced Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting.

As they were baking, the cuppies emitted a spicy, rich aroma and I just knew the frosting would be a wonderful match for them. Needless to say, expectations were high. But alas, this batch just fell short. The cake did have a great flavor–just as I remembered it but the texture was quite dry and dense. Yeah….I was bummed. The good news is the saving grace was the new frosting—slightly tangy from the cream cheese and deeply fragrant from the spices and molasses.

Golden cuppies before getting their frosting swirls…

Did you happen to catch the cute little gingerbread men sprinkles on top?? Courtesy of Barbara of Pauline’s Cake Decorating Supplies in San Jose, CA

This rendition of Gingerbread Cupcakes is definitely worth a “Do-Over“—especially since I know that they can be deliciously moist. But if for some strange reason I get the same “dry” results, I’ll just turn them into Gingerbread Cake Pops. Shhh! It’ll be our little secret. 🙂

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Gingerbread Cupcakes with Spiced Molasses Frosting
Makes 12 Cupcakes

Gingerbread Cupcakes (from The Spice Kitchen: Everyday Cooking with Organic Spices)
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
½ Cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
½ Cup Molasses
1 Egg
½ Teaspoon Vanilla
½ Cup Boiling Water
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1½ Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 Teaspoon Dried Lemon Zest
¼ Teaspoon Salt

Spiced Molasses Frosting
10 Ounces Cream Cheese, at room temperature
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
¼ Cup Molasses
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3-4 Cups Confectioner Sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin with paper cups.

Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla. In a small bowl, stir together the boiling water and baking soda until dissolved. Stir the baking soda water into the molasses mixture.

Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, lemon zest, and salt into a small bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until the batter is combined.

Spoon the gingerbread batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of one or two of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Place the gingerbread cupcakes on a rack to cool for 30 minutes.

While cupcakes are cooling, prepare frosting. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Mix in molasses, cinnamon, and cloves. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time. Continue adding sugar to desire consistency. Fill a piping bag with the frosting and pipe large swirls on top of the cupcakes.

Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle

December 6, 2010January 27, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles5 Comments

The kitchen is a perfectly acceptable place for Do-Overs. You know, a chance to go back and remake/retry a dish.

When I first made Bobby Flay’s Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle, I was quite happy with the results. It was hearty and savory–comforting for the chillier months. There were, however, a few things that I wanted to change the next time I made it. And it was because of this that I called a “Do-Over“!

A few things that I did that I truly believe are a MUST include:

Constant skimming of the fat and oil
Addition of Red Chili Flakes
Shredding of the cooked meat to remove extra fat & gristle
Substituting Beef Broth for the Port

This recipe is not difficult to make but it does take time—especially with the extra steps I added (and trust me, those added steps were worth it). But once it’s in the oven for those 3+ hours, your house will be filled with such a lovely aroma that it’ll make you forget how much time you spent browning the ribs and chopping all of the mirepoix. 🙂

And on a random note, does any one else experience challenges when trying to snap photos in poor lighting, when you don’t want to use a flash, and when you need to do it quickly so that the food doesn’t become stone cold? My last few photos have suffered such issues and I debated on even posting the photos. But alas, photos are a better illustration than my words alone so they were included–overly yellow/orange cast and all. Oh the trials of being a novice photographer…. 🙂

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Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle
Adapted from Bobby Flay
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
4 Pounds Short Ribs, each about 2-inches long, cut flanken style, across the ribs
Salt and freshly Ground Pepper
2 Dried Bay Leaf
2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Sprigs Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
4 Small Carrots, diced
2 Stalks Celery, diced
1 Medium Onion, diced
2 Medium Shallots, diced
½ Teaspoon Red Chili Flake
1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
2 Cups Red Wine
½ Head Garlic, cloves separated and peeled
4 Cups Homemade Beef Stock
1 Pound Pappardelle
Chopped Parsley
Grated Pecorino Romano, for garnish

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place a 5-quart casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil, and heat until it is almost smoking. Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, add short ribs to the hot oil. Cook ribs until browned on both sides. Remove ribs from casserole, and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare bouquet garni: Place bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and parsley in the center of a square of cheesecloth. Bring edges together, and tie with kitchen string. Set bouquet garni aside.

Add carrots, celery, onion, and shallots to oil in the casserole, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Add chili flakes and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste to the casserole, and stir to combine. Add ½ cup beef broth; stir with wooden spoon until all browned bits have been scraped from the pan and the bottom of the casserole is clean. Add red wine, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Skim off any grease and discard. Add garlic, remaining beef stock, and the reserved bouquet garni.

Return browned ribs to the casserole. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Skim off any grease and discard. Cover the casserole, and place it in the oven. Cook until ribs are very tender, about 3 hours.

Remove the cooked ribs from the casserole. Set the casserole on the stove top over medium heat, and simmer to thicken sauce just slightly. As soon as the short ribs are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, and shred into small pieces. Degrease the sauce and discard the bouquet garni. Return shredded meat to casserole, and simmer to reduce sauce by about half. Check seasonings and add salt/pepper if necessary.

Fill a large pot with water and add a few tablespoons of salt. Set over high heat, and bring to a boil. Salt well, and stir in pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente. Drain pasta, and serve with short-rib ragu, sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with freshly grated Percorino Romano .

Poultry

40 Garlic Cloves Chicken

December 3, 2010February 10, 2011 The Culinary Chronicles8 Comments

Did you know that Alton Brown and Ina Garten got married?

Well…. kind of.

Okay, okay. Technically, I “married” them. Well, more accurately…..I “married” their two versions of 40 Cloves Chicken which resulted in this delicious and wonderfully satisfying classic dish.

I liked Alton’s method of browning the chicken on the stove and then finishing it off in the oven. However, he used no liquids and I wondered if the chicken would be on the slightly drier side. Ina’s version did braise the chicken in liquids and provided a “sauce”. But I chose to eliminate all the extra dairy (butter, cream) and substituted the alcohol with stock. And what did I bring to the party? Red chili flakes and some extra steps to cut out unnecessary fat/grease. 🙂

In the end, Alton + Ina + Me = YUMMY, YUMMY! The chicken was extremely tender, moist, and was perfumed with garlic that was not the least bit overbearing. And OH the garlic! The cooking mellows out the sharpness that fresh garlic has and the cloves took on a rather luscious and creamy texture. If we weren’t already having risotto with our chicken, I would have carb-loaded it up by schmearing the cloves on toasted bread. But there’s always next time!

All in all, this was super easy to make and is a wonderful addition to my “chicken dish” files. And let’s not forget to mention that with all the garlic that went into this chicken—your kitchen and home will definitely be Vampire proof.

Sorry Edward…….Jacob wins this one 🙂

DOH! Did I really just make a Twilight reference? UGH! I HAVE been hanging out with my nieces too much!

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40 Garlic Cloves Chicken
Loosely adapted from Ina Garten and Alton Brown

1 Whole Chicken, cut into 8 pieces
40 Whole Garlic Cloves
2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme
1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
¼ Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Thoroughly season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch Oven heat olive oil to medium high. In batches, brown chicken pieces on both sides and transfer to a plate. Lower heat and add garlic cloves. Turn the garlic often and cook them until they are evenly browned. Add chili flakes and sauté for an additional minute. Carefully add chicken stock and return to a boil. With a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken to the pot and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Place lid over the pot and put into the oven for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is done.

Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Skim off and discard any fat and impurities from the juices. In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the juice and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat and boil for 2-3 minutes until the flour has cooked out and sauce has thickened. Check and season the sauce with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Plate chicken and pour the sauce with garlic over the top.

Desserts/Pastries

Chocolate Raspberry Tart inspired by “World AIDS Day”

December 1, 2010February 10, 2011 The Culinary Chronicles11 Comments

December 1^st is World AIDS Day—an international day that aims to “raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services”.

I don’t pretend to be an expert on HIV and AIDS but I am proud to have siblings who are and work tirelessly towards the treatment, research, education, and yes—-even the development of vaccinations. So on this day, I ask that you join me and take a minute to learn more and share that knowledge. Don’t know where to start? Here’s a brief list of resources you can peruse:

The theme for World AIDS Day 2010 is “Universal Access and Human Rights”. Beautiful, poignant, and to the point….don’t you think? So to honor World AIDS Day 2010, I made individual Chocolate Raspberry Tarts –equipped with raspberry red ribbons! And although I am almost positive these delicious tarts will be finished by the end of the day, advocacy and awareness of HIV and AIDS should not.

Together, We can Educate, Advocate, and Act.

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Chocolate Raspberry Tart

Ingredients:

Shortbread Crust
1 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
½ Cup Confectioner Sugar
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1½ Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoons Cornstarch
¼ Teaspoon Salt

Chocolate Filling
10 Ounces Good Quality Dark Chocolate, chopped
1 1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon Framboise or Raspberry Extract
*Fresh Raspberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a brush, grease a 9 inch tart pan with melted butter. (Or four individual sized tart pans like I did.)

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, and salt. In a standing mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract. Slowly begin incorporating in flour mixture a few spoonfuls at a time. When the dough begins to come together, transfer to the prepared tart pan and press dough into it. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork and place in freezer for at least 10 minutes to let rest. Once chilled, line the tart with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes, until edges are lightly golden brown and set. Carefully remove the parchment paper from the pie and place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes until center of tart is golden brown. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

Using a double boiler, heat the cream until it’s very hot but not boiling. Remove from stove and add the chocolate. Gently stir the mixture until all the chocolate is melted and combined. Add Framboise (or raspberry extract) and stir until combined. You should have a beautiful glossy mixture when finished. Pour chocolate filling into the thoroughly cooled baked crusts. Carefully tap the side of the pan to even out the filling. Leave tart on the counter to cool (about 30 minutes) and then move to the refrigerator to chill for an additional 2 or 3 hours. The filling should be firm when done.

Remove the tart from refrigerator and carefully slide out the outer pan ring. Transfer tart to serving platter and garnish with raspberries. ENJOY!

Breads · Side Dish

Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits…REDEMPTION!

November 29, 2010March 30, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles16 Comments

Man, oh man… You’re going to really want to make these. For real.

Some of you may recall a few months ago when I tried to make a knockoff of Red Lobster’s Cheddar Biscuits. They were good—but not great. And lucky for everyone, this gal was determined to find a better version. I was on a mission. And Hallelujah! I’ve found it!

Thanks to a little tweaking and edits to Cooks Illustrated Drop Biscuits, I am happy to share these little goodies with you all. Cheesy, flavorful and super easy to make. And since they’re “drop biscuits”, you don’t have to mess around with rolling out the dough.

I’m a happy camper! In fact, I’ve got to show you them again. Just indulge me, okay?

And of course, these would be fabulous for any upcoming holiday festivities. 🙂

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Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated
Makes approximately 12 biscuits

Ingredients:

2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Sugar
¾ Teaspoon Table Salt
½ Tablespoon Garlic Powder, plus 1 teaspoon to be added to the 2 tbsp melted butter for brushing biscuits
1 Cup Cold Buttermilk
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 Tablespoons Chopped Chives (or scallions)
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing biscuits

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, garlic powder and salt in large bowl. Combine buttermilk and 8 tablespoons melted butter in medium bowl, stirring until butter forms small clumps.

Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of bowl. Fold in cheese and chives. Using greased ¼ cup dry measure, scoop level amount of batter and drop onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet (biscuits should measure about 2¼ inches in diameter and 1¼ inches high). Repeat with remaining batter, spacing biscuits about 1½ inches apart. Bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes.

Brush biscuit tops with a mixture of the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter & 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Breads · Breakfast/Brunch

Alton Brown’s “Overnight Cinnamon Rolls”

November 26, 2010November 26, 2010 The Culinary Chronicles35 Comments

<Sigh>…….I had high hopes for these. My boy, Alton Brown, rarely leads me astray. But after a 14-hour process that included triple proofing of the dough, these rolls just fell short.

In truth, I’m not sure what went wrong. The reviews of the recipe were raving and I even watched the video. I followed every detail to the tee (something you definitely need to do when making Alton’s recipes) and used newly purchased yeast. The rolls did rise but not nearly as high as the ones from the show—despite the extra time I gave, too. And the end results were rather dense….no soft pillows of goodness as I had hoped. I did, however, like the icing as the cream cheese gave the slight tang that was a nice addition.

Will I try it again? Eh…I’m not sure. I’ve been eyeing America’s Test Kitchen’s Cinnamon Rolls for some time now and I’m more inclined to give that one a spin before coming back to this one. Especially since there’s no yeast or proofing involved!

Sorry Alton….you’re still my Boo though. 🙂

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Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
From Alton Brown

Ingredients:

Dough
4 Large Egg Yolks, room temperature
1 Large Whole Egg, room temperature
2 Ounces Sugar, approximately ¼ cup
3 Ounces Unsalted Butter, melted, approximately 6 tablespoons
6 Ounces Buttermilk, room temperature
20 Ounces All-Purpose Flour, approximately 4 cups, plus additional for dusting
1 Package Instant Dry Yeast, approximately 2¼ teaspoons
1¼ Teaspoons Kosher Salt
Vegetable oil or Cooking Spray

Filling
8 Ounces Light Brown Sugar, approximately 1 cup packed
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
Pinch Salt
¾ Ounce unsalted butter, melted, approximately 1½ tablespoons

Icing
2½ Ounces Cream Cheese, softened, approximately ¼ cup
3 Tablespoons Milk
5½ Ounces Powdered Sugar, approximately 1½ cups

For the dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, butter, and buttermilk. Add approximately 2 cups of the flour along with the yeast and salt; whisk until moistened and combined. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with a dough hook. Add all but 3/4 cup of the remaining flour and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough, add more flour if necessary; the dough should feel soft and moist but not sticky. Knead on low speed 5 minutes more or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead by hand about 30 seconds. Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, lightly oil the top of the dough, cover and let double in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until well incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.

Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle with the long side nearest you. Roll into an 18 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the 3/4-ounce of melted butter, leaving 1/2-inch border along the top edge. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border along the top edge; gently press the filling into the dough. Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Firmly pinch the seam to seal and roll the cylinder seam side down. Very gently squeeze the cylinder to create even thickness. Using a serrated knife, slice the cylinder into 1 1/2-inch rolls; yielding 12 rolls. Arrange rolls cut side down in the baking dish; cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 16 hours.

Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and place in an oven that is turned off. Fill a shallow pan 2/3-full of boiling water and set on the rack below the rolls. Close the oven door and let the rolls rise until they look slightly puffy; approximately 30 minutes. Remove the rolls and the shallow pan of water from the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

When the oven is ready, place the rolls on the middle rack and bake until golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, approximately 30 minutes.

While the rolls are cooling slightly, make the icing by whisking the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Spread over the rolls and serve immediately.

A shame really as they don’t look too bad. <Sigh>…back to the drawing board!

Side Dish · Vegetables/Vegetarian

Potato Mushroom Gratin–PERFECT for Thanksgiving!

November 25, 2010March 30, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles23 Comments

Okay…you caught me. I mentioned this dish during my 2009 Thanksgiving post. But it is SO DELISH and EASY that I had to spotlight it again…and this time, on its own!

This Gratin is rich, earthy, and utterly satisfying—PERFECT for the holidays. And the best thing yet, you can make it days in advance and just pop it in the oven to warm up before serving. Nguyen-Win Situation! Kudos Bruce Aidells, this one is a keeper!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL! Gobble-Gobble!

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Potato-Mushroom Gratin
From Bruce Aidells

Ingredients:

5 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
2½ Pounds Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1½ Teaspoons Coarse Kosher Salt, plus additional for mushrooms
¾ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper, plus additional for mushrooms
1¼ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream, divided
1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (about 3 ounces), divided
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Thyme
6 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
12 Ounces Fresh Crimini Mushrooms, sliced

Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush 13x9x2-inch glass or oval ceramic baking dish with 2 tablespoons oil. Arrange 1/3 of potatoes, slightly overlapping, in dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour 1/3 cup cream over; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering 1/3 of potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/3 cup cream, and 1/4 cup cheese 2 more times. Bake uncovered until potatoes are tender, adding cream by tablespoonfuls if dry, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven; maintain oven temperature.

Sprinkle thyme and garlic slices over gratin. Toss mushrooms in medium bowl with 3 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Arrange mushroom slices atop gratin around edge of dish. Drizzle with 1/4 cup cream; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Continue to bake uncovered until mushrooms are tender and potato edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes longer. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool 1 hour in dish; cover and chill. Before serving, cut gratin into 10 pieces. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Cover with foil and rewarm in 350°F oven, 10 to 15 minutes.

Desserts/Pastries

Chocolate Soufflés with Raspberry Sauce

November 24, 2010November 24, 2010 The Culinary Chronicles8 Comments

I love spending time in the kitchen with my nieces (baby nephew is still a tad too young for cooking). The older ones are at the “tween” and “pre-teen” age and cooking/baking has been a wonderful time for us to catch up and bond.

I recently had a “Girls Night” with them–Dinner, Dessert, and a DVD. 🙂 They had the chance to choose whatever they wanted to eat for dinner, pick up the ingredients at the store, and then prepare it. Not only did it give them the chance to see exactly what went into the food they were eating but they were able to celebrate in the success of creating a delish meal!

Together, we made Mini Turkey Sliders on Kings Hawaiian Rolls (with all the fixins’) and fresh cut Cajun Seasoned French Fries. And for dessert, Chocolate Soufflés with Raspberry Sauce. You may be thinking, “Aren’t Soufflés too difficult to make with kids?” I resolutely say, NOPE! One just needs to follow all the steps in the right order, and VOILA! Deliciously decadent Soufflés that are light and fluffy—and let’s be honest. They look darn impressive. In fact, the most difficult step was snapping a photo quick enough before the Soufflés fell. (Yeah…..I was a little stressed while trying to get good lighting and a photo in time. <Sigh>…the challenges of being a novice photographer!)

If you’re new to Soufflés, I really suggest trying the recipe below from Zen Can Cook. It’s quite straight forward with wonderful results. The only edits we made was the addition of a pinch of Cream of Tartar when whipping the meringue (for extra stability) and serving it with my Raspberry Sauce versus their Creme Anglaise. I personally think the tartness of the Raspberry Sauce is a wonderful pairing for the deep set chocolate flavor—allowing the overall dessert to not be too sweet.

And if by chance you find yourself with a Soufflé or two leftover, fear not! Pop the ramekin into the microwave and warm for about 10-15 seconds. Invert the Soufflé onto a plate and serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and drizzle of raspberry sauce. And there you have it–-Warm Chocolate Cake a la mode! Just as delish and surprisingly, still light and fluffy!

With that dear friends, I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday filled with laughter, fun, and of course…Foodventures 🙂

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Chocolate Soufflés with Raspberry Sauce
Serves 6

Chocolate Soufflé (from Zen Can Cook)
1/3 Cup Half-and-Half
3 Ounces Valhrona Manjari or your favorite bittersweet chocolate, chopped
½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, preferably Valhrona
1/3 Cup Water
8 Large Egg Whites
½ Cup Granulated Sugar
Pinch of Cream of Tartar
Powdered Sugar for Dusting

Raspberry Sauce
10 Ounces Frozen Raspberries
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup Red Wine
Zest of 1 Lemon

Place all raspberry sauce ingredients in a medium sized, heavy saucepan. Simmer on medium-low until berries have broken down and the wine has cooked off. Approximately 10-15 minutes. Let cool.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use a pastry brush (or your fingers!) to coat the inside ramekins with softened butter. Fill the mold with granulated sugar, and then pour out the excess.

Pour the half-and-half into a saucepan and heat over medium high heat until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat and make a ganache by adding the chopped chocolate. Stir well until combined and all of the chocolate has melted. Make a double-boiler by setting a large mixing bowl over a pot of boiling water. Place the ganache in the mixing bowl, add the cocoa powder and water, and whisk until very hot. Remove from the heat and set aside.Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whip on medium speed until foamy. Add Cream of Tartar. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and make a French meringue by adding the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and whipping the whites to stiff but not dry peaks. Do not over whip the egg whites! You can tell the egg whites are over whipped if they start to separate and resemble scrambled eggs. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold about half the meringue into the warm chocolate mixture. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining meringue, being careful not to deflate the batter. The soufflé mixture should be homogeneous in color, but if you still see streaks of meringue in the batter, that’s okay. Use a large spoon to gently place the soufflé mixture in the buttered and sugared mold. Fill to about 1/4 inch below the rim of the mold. Run your thumb around the rim to remove the excess butter and sugar. Bake until the soufflé has risen to about 1 1/2 half-inch over the rim and starts to brown on top, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and dust the top with powdered sugar.

Serve immediately with a side of Raspberry sauce.

Nina and Stephanie with their creations.

Poultry

Thomas Keller’s “Mon Poulet Roti” (Roast Chicken)

November 22, 2010May 23, 2014 The Culinary Chronicles18 Comments

I was on a Keller-Kick. I’m not ashamed to admit it. He’s a Culinary Rock Star and we are but his mere groupies 🙂

I have long since wanted to make his Roast Chicken as he has so often named it as one of his desired “last meals on earth”. I’ve seen him demo it several times (and seen other bloggers give it a spin) and loved the simplicity of it all.

With an extra chicken and fresh thyme conveniently in the fridge, I had no excuse. And although I already had the recipe to refer to, I took the opportunity to view the following video for reassurance:

Looks easy right? And deliciously juicy? Well, it WAS! On both accounts! The skin was crispy and well seasoned—the meat extremely tender. And because of the extra step of removing the wishbone before trussing the bird, it was beautifully simple to carve.

I am happy to report that my young niece and nephew gobbled it up for dinner. And by “gobbled”, I actually mean “inhaled”. Kid Tested and Approved!

If Turkey seems a tad overwhelming or just simply too much for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday, give Thomas Keller’s Roast Chicken a try. So easy and delicious that you’ll be able to save your energy for all of the Black Friday sales/shopping the next day. 🙂

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“Mon Poulet Roti” (Roast Chicken)
From Thomas Keller’s “Bouchon” Cookbook

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it’s a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.

Now, salt the chicken— I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it’s cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper. (Love freshly ground pepper!)

Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone — I don’t baste it, I don’t add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don’t want. Roast it until it’s done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I’m cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip — until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook’s rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be super elegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side (Which I don’t feel necessary as the chicken turned out to be quite flavorful) and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You’ll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it’s so good.

Desserts/Pastries · Miscellaneous

“Ad Hoc at Home” Winners & Decadent Brownies

November 19, 2010February 10, 2011 The Culinary Chronicles4 Comments

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for Thomas Keller’s “Ad Hoc at Home“. The response was truly overwhelming—so much so that I was convinced to pick TWO winners!

Drum roll please…..

Congrats to Xochitl M. (Fallon, Nevada) and Virginia R. (Artesia, California)! WOOT! Hope you both enjoy this lovely book and are inspired to try out some of Keller’s delish delights!

And in the spirit of “Ad Hoc at Home“, I decided to make the utterly decadent Brownies from the book. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with these bad boys. And in truth, “decadent” doesn’t even begin to describe them! So ridiculously choco-licous that you’ll just have to whip them up yourself.

You won’t regret it. For reals.

And if you have a few extra minutes, check out the video link at the end of this post with Chef Keller as he dicusses “Ad Hoc at Home”.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! (I know I will—Harry Potter comes out today!!) 🙂

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Brownies from Ad Hoc at Home
From Chef Thomas Keller

Ingredients:

¾ Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Unsweetened Alkalized Cocoa Powder
¾ Pound (3 sticks) Unsalted Butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Large Eggs
1¾ Cups Granulated Sugar
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Paste
6 Ounces 61 to 64% Chocolate, chopped into chip-sized pieces
Powdered Sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350F. We use a 9-inch square silicone mold, because it keeps the edges from overcooking; if you use a metal or glass baking pan, butter and flour it. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.

Melt half the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Put the remaining butter in a medium bowl. Pour the melted butter over the bowl of butter and stir to melt the butter. The butter should look creamy, with small bits of unmelted butter, and be at room temperature.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until thick and very pale. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then add one-third of the butter, and continue alternating the remaining flour and butter. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer poked into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it. If the pick comes out wet, test a second time, because you may have hit a piece of chocolate chip; then bake for a few more minutes longer if necessary. Cool in the pan until the brownie is just a bit warmer than room temperature.

Run a knife around the edges if not using a silicone mold, and invert the brownie onto a cutting board. Cut into 12 rectangles. Dust the tops with powdered sugar just before serving.