sticky chewy messy gooey

i bought this book a few months ago, "sticky, chewy, messy, gooey" by jill o'connor. to be honest, i totally bought it because it's a beautiful book, the bonus is, all the recipies are written well, are simple, and almost all chocolate! i think i've read it about 10 times, drooling over the photos. last night i finally made my first dessert from it- chocolate mascarpone cheesecake pots with shortbread spoons (page 27-28, and the cover photo!).

it was so easy to follow, and had my oven not been in a bad mood, it would have turned out perfect. my oven you see, is rather small, and doesn't maintain a constant temperature and usually it takes at least 3 times making a recipe to determine the exact baking times. as it was, my chocolate cheesecakes were only near perfect. if anyone knows me, that's not quite good enough when it comes to desserts. my shortbread spoons were perfect... the second time i made them- the first time i put too many on the sheet and they all melded together whilst baking and broke when i tried to seperate them.

the recipe calls for ramekins or oven safe coffee cups or bowls. i went out to canadian tire in search of classic white ramekins with fluted edges and found these great mini pots. i'd seen them before at the gourmet warehouse but never had a need for them before, as much as i had liked them then. now, i couldn't resist!

chocolate mascarpone cheesecake pots

1 cup heavy cream
4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup sugar
3 large eegs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch o' salt
1tbsp dark rum, brandy or grand marnier (optional (i chose brandy as i don't like rum and didn't have any GM))
boiling water as needed
vanilla ice cream
shortbread spoons for serving (recipe follows)

position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325F

in a saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. remove the pan from the heat before the cream starts to boil oand add the chocolate, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. set aside and let cool to room temperature.

in a large bowl, whisk together the mascarpone and sugar until smooth add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition utnil the mixdture is smooth. add the vanilla, salt, and rum (if using) and whisk to combine.

pout the cooled chocolate mixture into the mascarpone cheese mixture and whisk gently until smooth.

put eight 4oz custard cups, ramekins, or small oven proof coffee cups in an empty 9x13" baking pan. divide the chocolate-cheesecake mixture among the cups.

put the baking dish in the oven and then carefully pour boiling water into the pan, adding just enough water to reach halfway up the sides o fthe custard cups. cover with aluminum foil.

bake until the tops of the cheesecakes appear solid but jiggle slightly when shaken, 30-40 minutes. the perfect consistency is a little soft, but not liquid. the cheesecake pots will firm up as they cool. transfter the pots from the baking pan to a wire rack and ledt cool to room temperature. cover each pot with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight before serivng. the cheesecake pots can be prepared up to 2 days before serving.

top each cheesecake pot with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with chocolate and caramel sauces.

shortbread spoons

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour1/4 tsp salt
in a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. stir in the vanilla. add the flour and salt and stir together until the mixture forms a soft dough.
pat the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. refridgerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.
on a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out 1/4" thick and cute into 4 inch spoons (trace a small desert spoon onto some cardstock). place the shortbread spoons on a parchment lined baking sheet and refridgerate until cold and very firm, 45-60 minutes.
position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300F. remove the shortbread spoons from the refridgerator and immediatly place in the oven. bake until the edges of the cookies are a pale, golden brown but the centres are still bery pale, 25-30 minutes. transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let cool slightly. using a large metal spatula, transfter the cookies from the baking sheets to the wire racks and let cool to room temperature. store the cookies, tightly covered at room temperature, for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 weeks.

pavlova

my sister said in a comment on another post that she was thinking of making pavlova. last saturday i bought blackberries and a big jug of whipping cream to make just that. muaHaaahaHa! i beat her to it, not intentionally...

pavlova is named so after the famed russian dancer, anna pavlova- light and sweet, crispy on the outside and soft and chewy in the centre. aparently there is much controversy over this dessert as to it's origins- australia and new zealand both vying for ownership (much like anzac cookies aparnetly).

pavlova (serves 4)

2 egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup superfine sugar (if unavailable, put granulated sugar in your blender and wrrrr!)

blackberries, washed and resting in the fridge overnight with sugar

whipping cream

preheat your oven to 200F and line a cookie sheet with parchment (to make perfect pavlovas, trace out 4 circles with pencil on the parchment and flip over).

fit your mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk the egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla on medium to soft peaks. add the superfine sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until you have stiff glossy peaks.

put the meringue in a piping bag fitted with a coupler, but no tip, and pipe the meringue onto the parchment starting in the centre of your circle and swirl to your marked size. pipe a second layer just on the outside of the mound making a bowl. another option is you can just plop 4 equal amounts onto the parchment and with an offset spatula make the bowls.

bake for 40-50 minutes, depending on how thick your bowls are. let cool completely on cookie sheet on a wired rack.

put the cooled pavlova on serving plate, dollop with whipped cream, layer on some blackberries and top with more whipped cream. oh, so good!

it's a marshmallow world!

last night we got a pretty good dumping of snow, enough to close schools anyway. just before lunch seth and i took a walk to our local grocer in the snow. i think seth hit me with a snowball every 10 feet or so. he's loving the snow that's for sure! it got me thinking... how can i make snowballs to eat...? i mean, i can probably make a sugar or butter cookie and roll, cut and ice them, but i think i've had enough of that for at least a couple weeks after ella's party. it's too cold for ice cream rolled in coconut (well, many would argue about that...). but what about rice krispies rolled in coconut??? while we were at the store i picked up a box of rice krispies, a bag of marshmallows, white chocolate, and sweetened coconut.

seth was very excited to make them with me, until his buddy finn came over and then i was left on my own to create. woe is i.

my first thought was to make the snowballs, temper the white chocolate, then dip and roll. then i just figured what the heck, why not just do it the easy way for once!

white chocolate rice krispie snowballs

1/4 cup butter

1 package of mini marshmallows

1 cup white chocolate

1 tsp vanilla extract

10 cups rice krispies (or other similar cereal)

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (could be more, i didn't measure)

line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper.

melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large pot or saucepan. you can do this in the microwave, too, in a microwaveable bowl, but i almost never use ours.

add marshmallows and white chocolate and stir utnil completely melted, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

with buttered hands (i didn't care too much for getting my hands all gooey... ick, and stick!lol!) grab some mixtue and form a ball. roll into coconut. let completely cool and enjoy.

the tea party

ella said she wanted to have a tea party for her birthday. immediatly i thought mad hatter. i began my search for games the mad hatter, white rabbit and doormouse would have played. indoor croquet was not an option, we just don't have the room. there wasn't much out there for 7 and 8 year olds, most of the ideas i found were too old, so i stuck to the basics... musical teacups, simon says, and best decorated hat.

food was easy to figure out.



classic cucumber sandwiches and mini loaves of banana bread


sugar cookies and fruit

i always do chocolate dipped strawberries, and it's never a tea party without tea (frozen strawberry daquari mix mixed with peach grape sparkling juice- heart ice cubes from ikea!)

the cake turned out okay, i chose to make a vanilla sponge cake, swapping out the vanilla extract for strawberry extract, with strawberry cream cheese icing. i was mildly dissappointed in the final result, although the kids didn't complain so i really shouldn't either. just wasn't perfect.

after 3 hours of entertaining and smiling and laughing, i needed a drink. i made a stubbly beaver. mmmmm.

stubbly beaver

1 ounce vodka
1 ounce irish cream
1 ounce butterscotch schnappes
3-4 ice cubes
milk

add each ingredient over ice, stir and enjoy.

strawberry cake test

ella has been asking for a strawberry cake for quite some time now. for some reason i haven't been able to find a real strawberry cake recipe. the ones i have found are either shortcake or "take your white cake mix and add a box of strawberry flavoured jell-o". it was some time ago when i swore i wouldn't make another boxed cake, nor am i the biggest fan of gelatin. i found after having to add oil, milk and eggs to their dry ingredients it was almost like making my own cake... except with the added chemicals. MMMmmm. i always have flour, sugar, baking soda and powder, salt and butter on hand so why not just make cakes from scratch? i have found a great chocolate cake recipe, a butter cake, and vanilla sponge cake that i use pretty much all the time... but still no strawberry. so i kinda made one up. i've made up my apple pie recipe and many savoury dishes, but never a cake which is probably why it took so long to try.

strawberrry cake with white chocolate butter-creamcheese icing

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
2 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

preheat oven to 350degrees F. grease and flour three 9" cake pans. in a saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil, add strawberries and cook for 5 minutes or until strawberries are very soft. let cool for 5 minutes and then blend and strain the mixture- you should have 2 cups (add water if not); set aside. sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as necessary and stir in vanilla. add the flour mixture alternately wiht the strawberry mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans.

bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. cool completely before frosting.

white chocolate butter-creamcheese icing

8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 package (8 ounces) philly cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
In a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, gently melt the white chocolate. Allow to cool for 2 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy. Beat in the melted white chocolate. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, and vanilla, beat at low speed, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl, until light and fluffy.

i made a little marzipan strawberry to sit ontop.

it's a pretty dense cake, i'm not sure if it's "the one" yet, although the icing is pretty good- sweet and tangy, but i'd like more of a white chocolate taste. i may leave it out next time... or not. i love white chocolate. my next test i think i'll take the vanilla sponge cake and fold in some strawberry puree.

gingerbread houses

this afternoon was spent with the kids decorating the gingerbread houses. two for friends, and the third, a close-enough replica of our own abode. i used the same gingerbread recipe as the gingerbread army, it's pretty standard and very simple. i also used the staple royal icing recipe.

seth and his house

ella and her house

our house on my grandmother's cake plate

next year when i make our house again i'm going to cut out windows and fill them with life savers! yummy stained glass!

gingerbread army

i don't know how people know it, but apparently i scream, "i can bake wicked cookies!"

last weekend i was approached by another parent at ella's ballet school, asking for donations of baked goods... "you look like a mum that knows how to bake!" is what she said. i was totally caught off guard, and once my name was down on the volunteer list, it was, "oh! you're the artist!" i had no idea the other parents referred to me as that. nice though.

so as prep for the bake sale i made some gingerbread men (thank you meagan for making the dough for me)... an army in fact... i can fit 15 cookies on each of my cookie sheets, and i think there was at least 6 trays. i also made an equal amount of sugar cookie stars and snowflakes. once i ice all of them i'll post more pics.

gingerbread cookies
(adapted from a martha stewart recipe)

6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unsulfured molasses

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Add flour mixture; combine on low speed. Divide dough in thirds, and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats (a French nonstick baking mat). Set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut into gingerbread people shapes. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.
4. Cut out desired decorations and place on cookies. Press currants into dough to create eyes and buttons. To create hair, roll a piece of dough into a ball and pass through a clean garlic press. Attach hair to heads. Bake until crisp, but not darkened for about 20 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks.
5. Decorate with royal icing.

party time!

my friend kaaren throws the best parties. always guaranteed a good time. this past saturday was no exception... mexican theme hallowe'en party. one of the first costumes we thought of was the mexican bee from the simpsons, but unfortunatly we couldn't find it anywhere and i wasn't about to make one. while out shopping for her own costume, my sister picked up a very large sombrero. derek already had a sarape and i painted his face like a sugar skull. i, myself, went as frida kahlo.

as a gift for our gracious host i laboured over my counter making a sugar skull cake. i used the best chocolate cake recipe i have (i'll post that another time) in my betty crocker dome cake pan. i'm still not fully convinced about the pan though, it tends to dry out the outer layer of the cake when you've got the centre filled. inbetween the layers i used some dulce de leche. i carved the skull shape with a big serrated knife and then covered the whole thing in a very thin layer of buttercream, called a crumbcoat.

then more buttercream, and fondant rolled out smooth.

last, and most labour intensive... the decorating with royal icing.

chocolate chip cookies

it's raining out. the kids are going nuts. what do we do? bake cookies! mmm, warm from the oven chocolate chip cookies...

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups chocolate chips

pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, line cookie sheets with parchment or silpat.

in a medium sized bowl sift or whisk together the flour and baking soda, set aside. in the bowl of an electric mixer ,fitted with the paddle attchment, on medium cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, scraping down sides with a rubber spatula as needed. add eggs one at a time, incorporating well. add salt and vanilla. add flour mixture until just combined and then toss in the chocolate chips. do not overmix.

drop dough onto prepared sheets about 2" apart and bake for 8-11 minutes. cool on sheets for one minute and then transfer to wire rack to cool.

mmmm!