Gingerbread Man

Tags

baking, cookies, Cooking, desserts, gifts, gingerbread, holiday

Gingerbread Men …Gingerbread is a term used to describe a variety of sweet food products, which can be anything  from a soft cake to something close to a ginger biscuit (snap) . What they have in common are the predominant flavors of ginger and a tendency to use molasses (treacle) rather than just sugar. That being said gingerbread cookies have been my gift of choice during the holidays. The Idea came from one of my sisters, I made them one year and she said this should be your thing. I have tried to make them ever since , but not every year ,unfortunately, Maybe this year will be a good one. This is my go to recipe. ~ GC

 

 

Ingredients

Makes about 6 1/2 dozen.

•    2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•    2 teaspoons ground ginger
•    1 teaspoon baking soda
•    3/4 teaspoon salt
•    1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
•    1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
•    1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
•    1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
•    2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
•    1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
•    Coarse sanding sugar

 

 

Directions

 

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside. Whisk together flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2.    Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk; beat to combine. Add grated and crystallized ginger and continue beating until combined. Add flour mixture, alternating with molasses, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Continue beating until fully incorporated.

3.    Form into ball wrap with plastic let rest for 2 hours.

4.    Roll out dough until it is 1/4 in thick cut into shapes (Men, Woman, etc.) and place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating pans once, until flattened and dark golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream

Tags

cake, Cooking, fall, food, pumpkin, roulade

I know it’s fall. I can smell it in the air, the nights are getting cool and the days are shorter. Anyway back to topic,  this is a cake I made last year for thanksgiving but never posted the recipe. Seems early to be writing about holiday recipes but the Oct./Nov. magazines are hitting the shelves, I am going to be proactive and put recipes out early enough for people to think about them and hopefully we can all get our fall and holiday menus together early. So with football season upon us and fall in our future lets start getting our fourth quarter recipes together. ~GC

Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream

8 servings

Ingredients

For the cake:

•    3/4 cup all-purpose flour
•    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•    1 teaspoon ground ginger
•    1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•    3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
•    1 cup granulated sugar
•    3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
•    1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting

For the filling:

•    12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese
•    1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
•    2 tablespoons heavy cream
•    1/4 cup minced dried crystallized ginger (not in syrup)
•    Pinch kosher salt

Directions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and grease and flour the paper.

2.    In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt and stir to combine. Place the eggs and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light yellow and thickened. With the mixer on low, add the pumpkin, and then slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated

3.    Finish mixing the batter by hand with a rubber spatula. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake the cake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the top springs back when gently touched.

4.    While the cake is baking, lay out a clean, thin cotton dish towel on a flat surface and sift the entire 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar evenly over it. (This will prevent the cake from sticking to the towel.) As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, loosen it around the edges and invert it squarely onto the prepared towel. Peel away the parchment paper. With a light touch, roll the warm cake and the towel together (don’t press!) starting at the short end of the cake. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

5.    Meanwhile, make the filling. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, and cream together for about a minute, until light and fluffy. Stir in the crystallized ginger, and salt.

6.    To assemble, carefully unroll the cake onto a board with the towel underneath. Spread the cake evenly with the filling. Reroll the cake in a spiral using the towel as a guide. Remove the towel and trim the ends to make a neat edge. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve sliced.

Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream.doc

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Georgia Peaches

Tags

Ideas, menu, peaches, poll

Did you know August is National Peach Month? Well lets learn something about peaches. Being raised in Georgia the “Peach State” you would think I would know all you need to know, but No I don’t so most of the history to follow is courtesy of the Georgia Peach Counsel.

Though peaches were originally planted in St. Augustine, Fla., Franciscan monks introduced them to St. Simons and Cumberland islands along Georgia’s coast in 1571. By the mid-1700s peaches and plums were cultivated by the Cherokee Indians.

Raphael Moses, a planter and Confederate officer from Columbus, was among the first to market peaches within Georgia in 1851 and is credited with being the first to ship and sell peaches successfully outside of the South. His method of shipping peaches in champagne baskets, rather than in pulverized charcoal, helped to preserve the flavor of the fruit and contributed to his success.

Considerable expansion of peach acreage occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, resulting in an all-time high production of almost eight million bushels by 1928. Since then production has decreased to about 2.6 million bushels annually. ¹

Now that we have the condensed history of peaches, I want to have some reader input. Let‘s do a little polling and find out what is the most popular way we like to eat peaches and we will make it together.

¹ http://www.gapeaches.org/

Crème Brûlée

Tags

custard, desserts, eggs, vanilla

Def  (noun): Crème Brûlée is a French term, that in English translates into Burnt Cream. This simple custard is cooked and cooled. A small amount of sugar is sprinkled on the top, and the sugar is caramelized using a small torch or beneath a broiler. 
This classic custard gets its’ delicate flavor from the simple mixture of cream and eggs. Traditional crème Brûlée does not use any additional flavorings such as vanilla.                                

So now we are all know what it is, now lets learn to make it. Crème Brûlée is a great dessert, and it does not need to be reserved for dining out. So try it I have made 100’s if not 1000’s of them and if I can do it so can you! ~GC

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Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

A small blowtorch  is a useful tool for caramelizing the sugar topping. You can also broil the custards until the sugar turns dark brown.

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

For Custard

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 5 large egg yolks

 

For Crème Brûlée

• 12 teaspoons sugar
• Fresh Berries (optional for garnish)

Method

Make custard:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place six 3/4-cup ramekins on a sheet pan.

Using small sharp knife,cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape seeds from vanilla bean. Add seeds and bean to saucepan with the cream. Stir over medium heat until  mixture comes to simmer. Cover pan, reduce heat to very low and simmer gently 10 minutes to infuse flavors. Strain into large measuring cup.

Whisk yolks with sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture just to blend. Return custard to measuring cup; divide among dishes. Pour enough hot water into pans to come halfway up sides of dishes. Carefully transfer pans to oven.

Bake custards until almost set in center when pans are gently shaken, about 30 -35 minutes for ramekins. Using metal spatula, transfer custards in dishes to work surface; cool 30 minutes. Chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Make Crème Brûlée:

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons sugar evenly over each custard. Working with 1 custard at a time, hold blowtorch* so that flame is 2 inches above surface. Direct flame so that sugar melts and browns, about 2 minutes. I know not everyone hase a torch, so you can place all your custards on a baking sheet and place under broiler until brown.

Garnish crème brûlées with fruit.

 

*Available at some cookware stores.

Fresh Berry Tart

Tags

berries, desserts, pastry cream, summer, tart

The 4th of July is behind us, and as this would have made a great dessert for the occasion but there is no reason why you can’t make it now. Berries are in season and the local farmers markets are overrun with great fruit, with great prices. I know this tart looks complicated but it is really easy, if you take it one step at a time and try no to get overwhelmed. The separate steps can be made ahead and assembled at the last minute,pastry cream holds well. The crust could be made in advance but it would be better to do it the same day. ~GC

SWEETENED SHORT PASTRY  (PÂTE SUCRÉE)

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 & 1/2  cups all-purpose flour

1 pinch teaspoon salt

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Place butter and sugar in a food processor. Pulse about 15 times until sugar disappears. Add flour and salt and pulse again about 15 times until butter is no larger than small peas.

Stir together egg yolk and cream. Add to the food processor and pulse about 8 times, just until incorporated. The dough should be in crumbly pieces. Transfer dough to a cutting board and press from the outside just until it holds together, knead the dough a few times until it becomes one smooth piece. Flatten into a 6-inch disc. Wrap well and refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes until firm enough to put into the tart pan.

Roll dough into an 1/8-inch-thick circle. Work quickly so that dough does not soften. If it becomes too soft, place it  on a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze until firm.

For a 9 & 1/2- by 1-inch tart pan, cut dough to an 11-inch circle. Lift the dough and drape it evenly into the tart pan, and press dough into the sides of the pan. The dough should come about 1/8 inch above the rim of the pan because it will fall during baking.

Bake at 425° for 5 minutes. When the dough starts to puff, prick it lightly with a fork (docking). Then bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes.

Baked crust will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM

1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Bring half and half to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk sugar, eggs, egg yolk and flour in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot half and half. Transfer to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Boil 1 minute. Pour into medium bowl. Stir in vanilla. Press plastic onto surface of pastry cream. Cover; chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

ASSEMBLING THE TART

about 1/4 cup fruit preserves, such as apricot, raspberry, or currant for glazing (optional)

3-4 cups fresh berries, rinsed, hulled (if necessary), and dried

If using preserves with whole fruit or seeds, microwave until liquid and bubbling, stirring once or twice. Strain. This should yield about 3 tablespoons.

Spread pastry cream evenly into the crust. Place fresh berries on top.glaze berries with preserves. Refrigerate 1-3 hours before serving

Key Lime Pie

Tags

citrus, desserts.lime, pie

Who doesn’t like Key limes? The taste of citrus, Florida, spring and summer all wrapped up in one neat green package. Key Lime pies are simple to make ~ heck, the recipe is usually on the can of sweetened condensed milk! If you don’t have your own recipe, try mine. Enjoy!  GC

 

Key Lime Pie Recipe

 

Ingredients

Crust:
16 graham crackers, crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
1 stick (1/4 lb) margarine or butter
Pie:
4 large or extra large egg yolks
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key lime juice (approximately 12 Key limes)
2 teaspoons grated lime peel, green portion only

Preparation

Crust:
Mix the ingredients and press them into a 9" pie plate. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10 – 12 minutes until lightly browned. Place on a rack to cool.
Pie Filling:
Use an electric mixer and beat the egg yolks until they are thick and turn to a light yellow; don’t over mix. Turn the mixer off and add the sweetened condensed milk. Turn speed to low and mix in half of the lime juice. Once the juice is incorporated, add the other half of the juice and the zest,and continue to mix until blended (just a few seconds). Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake at 350F for 12 minutes to set the yolks .

Serving:
If you like, serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a twist of lime.  Makes one 9” pie or six 4” tarts.

Angel Food Cupcakes

Tags

cake, desserts, frosting, snacks

Angel Food is light and airy, and making them as cupcakes is a great idea. They’re easier to eat, share and store.  I topped these delicious cupcakes with a Seven Minute icing that is very light – much lighter than the usual buttercream – and the combo turned out GREAT. Enjoy!  GC

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 6 large egg whites (about 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350° F. Line 18 small muffin cups with paper muffin cups.

Sift the flour and powdered sugar together 3 times; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat or whisk egg whites with the salt until frothy. Add the cream of tartar; continue beating to soft peaks. Add granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.

With a spatula, fold in about 1/3 of the flour and powdered sugar mixture. Fold in another 1/3, then finish with remaining mixture. Gently fold in the vanilla.

Using a small ice cream scoop or large tablespoon, fill muffin cups about 2/3 to 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Cool for 5 minutes in pan on rack. Remove cupcakes to a rack to cool completely before frosting with Seven Minute frosting.

Seven Minute

Frosting

Made with beaten egg whites, this frosting is similar to meringue, but is more stable and sturdy enough for piping. And, like meringue, it also takes well to browning with a small kitchen torch. Use immediately, as the frosting will harden quickly (have your piping bag ready).

This recipe is from "Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes."

Ingredients

•      1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
•    2/3 cup water
•    2 tablespoons light corn syrup
•    6 large egg whites, room temperature

   Directions

   1. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230 degrees.

   2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.

   3. As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees, remove from heat. With mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to medium-high; whisk until mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes. Use immediate

Lilliputian Spring Desserts

Tags

cake, desserts, keylime, spring

After a never-ending winter, finally there are signs of spring in the air!  We’re ready to come out of hibernation, Easter has passed . . . okay, so I am behind on my spring baking ~ oh, well!  Two of my favorite desserts are Key Lime pie and Angel Food cake; they are both light and refreshing. The next two posts will explain how to make each individual dessert. I am splitting them up so as to make them easier to read, but they’re pictured together as if ready for an afternoon tea.  Enjoy! GC

Biscotti al Pistachio Cranberry

Tags

biscotti, coffee, cookies, cranberry, tea

I was online the other night catching up with friends and fellow foodies via Facebook, Twitter and such when I saw that somebody was making Biscotti. This “tweet” reminded me of how much I love both making and sharing this crispy, delicious Italian treat, so I dug through my  recipe files to find my favorite one. While I was putting together all of the ingredients (my “mise” for you regular readers!),  I found a few things from the holidays that were left over or not used at all, so I decided to incorporate them.  A new adventure!  ~GC

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Ingredients:

Makes about 3 dozen.

 

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup boiling water

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place cranberries in a small bowl; add boiling water. Let stand until plump, about 15 minutes. Drain, and set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until combined. Mix in cranberries and pistachios.
3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each piece into a 16” x 2” log, and transfer to prepared baking sheet.  Place logs about 3 inches apart. With the palm of your hand, flatten logs slightly. Brush beaten egg over surface of the dough logs, and sprinkle generously with sugar.
4. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until logs are slightly firm to touch, about 25 minutes. Transfer logs from parchment paper to a wire rack; let cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
5. Place logs on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut logs crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place a wire rack onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange slices, cut sides down, on rack. Bake until firm to touch, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven; let biscotti cool completely on rack.

* Biscotti can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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What a nice surprise! The cranberries and pistachios were leftover “mise” from the holidays and really worked with the basic biscotti recipe. And now, a “tweet” to all my coffee and tea drinking friends:  I have TREATS!!