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Lavender cake and honey acacia ice cream petit fours

August 27th, 2010 by admin
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The holiday is over and so will summer soon. We went to Cyprus on holiday, like the year before, but this time we decided to stay on the beach and it was amazing. So peaceful, so calm. At nights, it was just us and the sea (and the turtles and the little cute lizards living in the yard).
We just bathed, relaxed, played and enjoyed the food. Oh, the food……, fresh octopus, and mussels and lobsters and snapper and dolmades or moussaka and haloumi and feta. Cyprus is so full of flavor and taste.
Maybe this will be our retirement destination, who knows.

But, that part is over and we back home, caught in the daily hassle and I just realized that one of the things I hate most is waiting. Specifically, waiting without having a clear deadline. This week we decided to upgrade our internet bandwidth and so we were sent some equipment and had to replace the old one. But, nobody said that our internet connection will be down for some time. At first they said it will take 24 hours. Then they added another 24 hours and nobody seemed to know the cause. After 48 hours without connection they noticed that there was something wrong with the upgrade ticket in their system, apologized and gave us (you guessed) another 24 hours wait. God only knows what they will come up with after these 24 hours, but I feel like my head will explode. So I started to write the post offline at home and I will upload it from work, if I will get 5 minutes to review it.
And I also hate the consultants who never give you straight answers. They all repeat the same meaningless bullshit that they are sorry, that they will do their best to bla bla bla, but never give you the expected information.

But waiting can be nice and fun, like waiting for ice cream to set, or for chocolate to melt and then to set on your petit fours.
This month’s challenge had still to do with ice cream, specifically ice cream petit fours or ice cream baked Alaska.
The host for this month is the wonderful Elissa from http://17andbaking.com/.
Blog-checking lines: The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa was the gracious hostess of both. Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make a pound cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The sources for Elissa’s challenge were Gourmet magazine and David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop”.

I chose to make only the petit fours and I will write the original recipes with my changes in italics.
Preparation time:

Ice cream – 45 min active time, ice cream rests/chills for 1 hour then overnight. Without an ice cream maker, the ice cream chills 2-3 hours and must be stirred every 30 minutes.

Brown Butter Pound Cake – 2 hours (includes cooling time)

Chocolate Glaze – 15 minutes

Assembly of Ice Cream Petit Fours – Ice cream must be frozen ahead of time several hours, then the cake and ice cream freeze overnight. After dipping, the petit fours freeze for one hours.

Equipment required:
• Small and medium saucepans
• Paring knife
• 2 quart (2 litres) bowl
• Electric mixer
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Sieve
• 9”x9” (23cmx23cm) square baking pan
• 10” (25 cm) skillet
• Cake leveler/serrated knife
• Cooling racks
• Rimmed half sheets
• Plastic wrap
• Ice cream maker (optional)

I have made honey acacia ice cream using the basic recipe from here, and replacing all the sugar with acacia honey and infusing the milk cream mixture with dried acacia flowers.
Vanilla Ice Cream

1 cup (250ml) whole milk
A pinch of salt
3/4 cup (165g) sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise OR 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract
2 cups (500ml) heavy (approx 35% butterfat) cream
5 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract

1. Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan until the liquid steams. Scrape out the seeds of the vanilla bean with a paring knife and add to the milk, along with the bean pod. Cover, remove from heat, and let infuse for an hour. (If you do not have a vanilla bean, simply heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan until the liquid steams, then let cool to room temperature.)

2. Set up an ice bath by placing a 2-quart (2 litre) bowl inside a large bowl partially filled with water and ice. Put a strainer on top of the smaller bowl and pour in the cream.

3. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks together. Reheat the milk in the medium saucepan until warmed, and then gradually pour ¼ cup warmed milk into the yolks, constantly whisking to keep the eggs from scrambling. Once the yolks are warmed, scrape the yolk and milk mixture back into the saucepan of warmed milk and cook over low heat. Stir constantly and scrape the bottom with a spatula until the mixture thickens into a custard which thinly coats the back of the spatula.

4. Strain the custard into the heavy cream and stir the mixture until cooled. Add the vanilla extract (1 teaspoon [5ml] if you are using a vanilla bean; 3 teaspoons [15ml] if you are not using a vanilla bean) and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

5. Remove the vanilla bean and freeze in an ice cream maker. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can make it without a machine. See instructions from David Lebovitz.

Lavender Brown Butter Pound Cake

19 tablespoons (9.5 oz) (275g) unsalted (sweet) butter
2 cups (200g) sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) (See “Note” section for cake flour substitution) – I used a mixture of kamut, rice, millet and cornstarch
1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
1/2 cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
1/3 (75g) cup granulated sugar – I used 150 g moscavado sugar in place of the 185 g stated
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract – I used 2 tsp edible lavender buds to infuse the butter after browning; sieve after 5 minutes of infusing and continue with the recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C and put a rack in the center. Butter and flour a 9”x9” (23cmx23cm) square pan – I used two 20cm x 20cm pans and it was just fine

2. Place the butter in a 10” (25cm) skillet over medium heat. Brown the butter until the milk solids are a dark chocolate brown and the butter smells nutty. (Don’t take your eyes off the butter in case it burns.) Pour into a shallow bowl and chill in the freezer until just congealed, 15-30 minutes.

3. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Beat the brown butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well, and then the vanilla extract.

5. Stir in the flour mixture at low speed until just combined.

6. Scrape the batter into the greased and floured 9”x9” (23cmx23cm) square pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula and rap the pan on the counter. Bake until golden brown on top and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

7. Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge and invert right-side-up onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Glaze

9 ounces (250g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) heavy (approx 35% butterfat) cream
1 1/2 tablespoons (32g) light corn syrup, Golden syrup, or agave nectar – I used acacia honey
2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract

Stir the heavy cream and light corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add the dark chocolate. Let sit 30 seconds, then stir to completely melt the chocolate. Stir in the vanilla and let cool until tepid before glazing the petit fours.

Assembly Instructions

1. Line a 9”x9” (23cmx23cm) pan (a pan that has the same size as your cake) with plastic wrap, so that no sides of the pan are exposed and so there is some extra plastic wrap hanging off the sides. Spread 1 ¾ to 2 cups (450ml to 500ml) ice cream into the pan. Cover with more plastic wrap and freeze several hours.

2. Once the brown butter pound cake has completely cooled, level the top with a cake leveler or a serrated knife. Then split the cake in half horizontally to form two thin layers.

3. Unwrap the frozen ice cream. Flip out onto one of the layers of cake and top with the second layer of cake. Wrap well in plastic wrap and return to the freezer overnight.

I did it a little different – I placed the bottom half of the cake in the prepared pan, scooped and leveled soft serve ice cream over (right out of the ice cream machine) and let it set for no more than 20 minutes. Then top it with the top half of the cake, press a little but not too much to avoid the ice cream escaping. Wrap and let in the freezer overnight

4. Make the chocolate glaze (see above.)

5. While the glaze cools, trim ¾” (2cm) off each side of the ice cream cake to leave a perfectly square 7.5” (19cm) ice cream cake. Cut the cake into twenty five petit fours, each 1.5”x1.5” (4cmx4cm).
6. Glaze the petit fours one at a time: place a petit four on a fork and spoon chocolate glaze over it.
7. Place the petit fours on a parchment-lined baking sheet and return to the freezer for one hour.

8. 9. and 10. enjoy them one by one while patiently waiting for your ISP to solve your internet issues.

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Let’s roll, swiss ice cream roll cake

July 27th, 2010 by admin
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I have made the cake for my dear husband’s birthday, on the 10th of July and I started writing this post on the 22nd of July so that maybe once in a while I maybe able to do something on time. Please, please be proud of me!
Do not get me wrong, I envy everyone who has the physical time to work full time, spend time with the kiddo, cook and bake everyday, photograph, post process the shots and then do charming blog posts. The kiddo time, the cooking and baking and the photography are the most enjoyable, the full time work is a must and unfortunately the last two are most often postponed indefinitely.

We will be on holiday from the beginning of August and I promised myself that I will try to talk to myself and make some kind of strategy for dealing with what I need and want to do (the need and the want are not the same, but I will have to hang in there for a while longer).

cherry pit ice cream, cherry pit, cocoa nib,

So back to the fun part, the ice cream. Boy do I love ice cream and apparently this runs in the family, as between the two of us (the kiddo and me) we manage to ingest pretty large quantities of ice cream every week (be it summer or winter). She challenged me to make all flavors that exist, convinced that this flavors thing has a beginning and an end. She will sooner or later understand that with ice cream (and a few other things) the playground is kind of limitless. She will be happy when she will fully understand that, as I am for sure.
For this month challenge I made an ice cream I was dreaming to taste since last autumn, but did not get the chance until cherries were back in season and I could take their pits for it. I first read about the cherry pit ice cream on Helen’s marvelous blog, then I read more details from Shuna and then I was haunted for several long months. Oh, but the wait was so so worth it. The ice cream tastes divine.
Then, I had to come up with the second ice cream to pair it with the superstar, and I remembered having nougat listed pretty high on my to do list and so, I went with a raw cocoa bean ice cream full of chocolate (pistachio&cashew) nougat bits. The ice cream was not new to us, but the nougat bits just gave it a different meaning – deliciooous.
The July 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Sunita of Sunita’s world – life and food. Sunita challenged everyone to make an ice-cream filled Swiss roll that’s then used to make a bombe with hot fudge. Her recipe is based on an ice cream cake recipe from Taste of Home.
For the original recipe, please visit Sunita’s blog – she does not use an ice cream machine.
I need to use the machine, as the ice cream I make has a lower fat content, due to medical and even taste bud reasons and because I absolutely adore my ice cream machine. By the way, am I the only one who loves starring for minutes at the ice cream getting churned? The process simply amazes me and the soft serve ice cream right out of the bowl is just pure delight.
For the hotfudge sauce, I preferred to use a recipe using chocolate and not cocoa powder and I chose to make more layers of it, thinner than the original recipe, which seemed to overwhelm the delicate ice cream layers.

For the cake rolls
6 medium sized eggs
1 C / 225 gms caster sugar /8 oz+ extra for rolling
6 tblsp / 45gms/ a pinch over 1.5 oz of all purpose (plain) flour + 5 tblsp/40gm /a pinch under 1.5 oz of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted together
2 tblsp /30ml / 1 fl oz of boiling water
a little oil for brushing the pans

For the filling

250 g mascarpone
20 g honey
1 vanilla bean (seeds of)+ 1 tsp vanilla extract
250 g whipped cream

Preheat the oven at 200 deg C /400 deg F approximately. Brush the baking pans ( 11 inches by 9 inches ) with a little oil and line with greaseproof baking paper. If you have just one pan, bake one cake and then let the pan cool completely before using it for the next cake.
In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar and beat till very thick; when the beaters are lifted, it should leave a trail on the surface for at least 10 seconds.
Add the flour mixture, in three batches and fold in gently with a spatula. Fold in the water.
Divide the mixture among the two baking pans and spread it out evenly, into the corners of the pans.
Place a pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or till the center is springy to the touch.
Spread a kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle a little caster sugar over it.
Turn the cake on to the towel and peel away the baking paper. Trim any crisp edges.
Starting from one of the shorter sides, start to make a roll with the towel going inside. Cool the wrapped roll on a rack, seam side down.
Repeat the same for the next cake as well.

For the filling, beat the mascarpone until creamy. Add the sugar and the vanillas and beat a little longer. With a wooden spatula, fold in the whipped cream.

Spread a layer of mascarpone cream over each roll, drizzle with some fudge sauce and gently roll the cake back. Wrap in plastic and place in the freezer for an hour before attempting to cut slices.

For the hot fudge sauce
(adapted from here)
225 g bitter sweet chocolate
84 g butter
320 ml water
130 g moscavado sugar
240 g honey

Over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Meanwhile, heat the water to boiling. Stir the chocolate- butter mixture into the boiling water. Add the sugar, honey and salt and mix until smooth. Turn the heat up and stir until mixture starts to boil; adjust heat so that sauce is just maintained at the boiling point, stirring occasionally. Allow sauce to boil for nine minutes.
Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.

For the nougat

145 g sugar (moscavado)
45 g glucose
60 ml water
155 g honey
50 g egg white
10 g sugar
130 g chocolate (as black as possible)
125 g roasted pistachios
125 g roasted cashews

Prepare a pan with parchment paper inside, dusted with cocoa powder.
Melt the chocolate over a double broiler.
Whip the egg whites on low, while you place the sugar, water and glucose in a pan on medium high heat until it reaches 155 C.
At the same time, bring the honey to a light boil until it reaches 120 C. Before this, start whipping the whites on high and add the 10 g of sugar. When the honey reached the correct temperature, set the mixer on low and start pouring the honey over the whites. Increase the speed to high, and when the sugar syrup reaches the correct temperature, add it to the whites as you did with the honey. Increase the mixer speed back to high and continue whipping for 5 more minutes. Put the mixer back on low and add the melted chocolate continuing to whip for another minute.
Add the nuts and fold them in. Spread the nougat on the cocoa dusted pan you have prepared. Let sit at room temperature until cool. Dust the top with cocoa powder, cover with another piece of paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the cherry pit ice cream
6 egg yolks
720 ml full fat milk
200 ml cream (I used 100ml 15% fat and 100ml 35% fat)
75 g moscavado
85 g honey
100 g cherry pits, crushed

Place the milk, the cream and the pits in a pan and bring to a boil. Take off the heat, cover the pan and let the milk infuse for 2-3 hours. Strain the pits, add the honey to the milk and bring back to a gentle boil. In the meantime, beat the yolks with the sugar until thick and pale. Pour the milk mixture slowly over the yolks while constantly mixing. Pour back in the pan and heat the preparation to no more than 78 degrees C and stir the mixture continuously. Place the pan over an iced water bath and when cool enough, place in the fridge to chill further overnight.

Churn in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer instructions.

For the cocoa nib nougat ice cream
6 egg yolks
720 ml full fat milk
200 ml cream (I used 100ml 15% fat and 100ml 35% fat)
75 g moscavado
85 g honey
80 g cocoa nibs
200 g nougat, small diced

Place the milk, the cream and the nibs in a pan and bring to a boil. Take off the heat, cover the pan and let the milk infuse for 1-2 hours. Strain the nibs, add the honey to the milk and bring back to a gentle boil. In the meantime, beat the yolks with the sugar until thick and pale. Pour the milk mixture slowly over the yolks while constantly mixing. Pour back in the pan and heat the preparation to no more than 78 degrees C and stir the mixture continuously. Place the pan over an iced water bath and when cool enough, place in the fridge to chill further overnight.

Churn in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer instructions and towards the end of churning, add the nougat pieces.

To assemble

Cover the bottom and sides of the bowl in which you are going to set the dessert with cling film/plastic wrap.
Cut the rolls into 2 cm thick slices. Arrange slices on the bottom and up the sides of the bowl. Scoop some cherry pit ice cream and level it, drizzle some sauce. Add some more ice cream and then drizzle more fudge sauce. Continue with a layer of cocoa nib ice cream, fudge sauce drizzle and another ice cream layer.
I had roll slices left, so I arranged them on the “bottom to be”. Wrap in plastic and place in the freezer for a few hours.
Place a pan on the bottom of the bowl, invert it to release the cake, peel off the plastic wrap, cut and enjoy. And then enjoy some more….

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Late, late, late Pavlova for the Daring Bakers

July 1st, 2010 by admin
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I know, you know, all my friends know that I will never ever be awarded Miss Punctuality title. As a matter of fact I hate deadlines in my personal life (I live with them at the office). To make it sound nice, we can say I am an artist who thinks time pressure kills creative initiatives. Weell…. I am not, but still, it sounds better like this.

I finished the Pavlova in time, but since then there was not a spare moment for me (between work, my mom visiting, my daughter’s vacation and feeding my family) to sit down and post it.

So, I made the cocoa pavlova sprinkled with cocoa nibs for the extra crunch and munch, topped it with the chocolate mascarpone mousse, caramelized peaches and drizzled with some lavandel mascarpone cream. It is deeeelicious – crispy, strong, fresh and flavourful in the same time.

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard

Thank you Dawn for a wonderful challenge and excuse my ……….. for posting it so late.

For the Chocolate Meringue (for the chocolate Pavlova)
3 large egg whites
½ cup plus 1 tbsp (110 grams) white granulated sugar
¼ cup (30 grams) confectioner’s (icing) sugar
1/3 cup (30 grams) cocoa powder
cocoa nibs to sprinkle before baking
Directions:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200º F (95º C) degrees. Line two baking sheets with silpat or parchment and set aside.
Put the egg whites in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar about 1 tbsp at a time until stiff peaks form. (The whites should be firm but moist.)
Sift the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder over the egg whites and fold the dry ingredients into the white. (This looks like it will not happen. Fold gently and it will eventually come together.)
Fill a pastry bag with the meringue. Pipe the meringue into whatever shapes you desire. Alternatively, you could just free form your shapes and level them a bit with the back of a spoon. (Class made rounds, hearts, diamonds and an attempt at a clover was made!).
Bake for 2-3 hours until the meringues become dry and crisp. Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

For the Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse (for the top of the Pavlova base)

1 ½ cups (355 mls) heavy cream (cream with a milk fat content of between 36 and 40 percent)
grated zest of 1 average sized lemon
9 ounces (255 grams) 72% chocolate, chopped
1 2/3 cups (390 mls) mascarpone (don’t forget we made this a few months ago – get the printable .pdf HERE)
pinch of nutmeg
2 tbsp (30 mls) Grand Marnier (or orange juice) – I used orange blossom water

Put ½ cup (120 mls) of the heavy cream and the lemon zest in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once warm, add the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let sit at room temperature until cool. Place the mascarpone, the remaining cup of cream and nutmeg in a bowl. Whip on low for a minute until the mascarpone is loose. Add the Grand Marnier and whip on medium speed until it holds soft peaks. (DO NOT OVERBEAT AS THE MASCARPONE WILL BREAK.). Mix about ¼ of the mascarpone mixture into the chocolate to lighten. Fold in the remaining mascarpone until well incorporated. Fill a pastry bag with the mousse. Again, you could just free form mousse on top of the pavlova.

For the Mascarpone Cream (for drizzling)
1 recipe crème anglaise
½ cup (120 mls) mascarpone
2 tbsp (30 mls) Sambucca (optional) – I did not use it
½ cup (120 mls) heavy cream

Prepare the crème anglaise. Slowly whisk in the mascarpone and the Sambucca and let the mixture cool. Put the cream in a bowl and beat with electric mixer until very soft peaks are formed. Fold the cream into the mascarpone mixture.

For the lavandel Crème Anglaise (a component of the Mascarpone Cream above)

1 cup (235 mls) whole milk
1 cup (235 mls) heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
6 tbsp (75 grams) sugar
1-2 teaspons edible lavandel flowers

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow.
Combine the milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan over medium high heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Take off the heat.
Pour about ½ cup of the hot liquid into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to keep from making scrambled eggs. Pour the yolk mixture into the pan with the remaining cream mixture and put the heat back on medium. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon. DO NOT OVERCOOK (it should be no more than 78 degrees C).
Remove the mixture from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture is thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours or overnight.

For the caramelized peaches
5 medium peaches (diced, skin on or off)
30 g butter
moscavado sugar (to taste)
vanilla extract

Melt the butter untill bublling. Add the peaches and sprinkle the sugar. Let them boil and bubble until the liquid is reduced. Add a splash of vanilla extract and take off the heat. Let cool completelly before assemblying.

Assembly

Pipe the mousse onto the pavlovas, spoon some peaches over and drizzle with the mascarpone cream over the top.

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The mighty croquembouche

May 27th, 2010 by admin
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The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.
I filled the choux with rose bavarian, pistachio bavarian and a red pepper strawberry jelly in the middle. I just piped one mousse from one side, then the jelly and then the 2nd bavarian.

Pate a Choux (Yield: About 28)
¾ cup (175 ml.) water
6 Tbsp. (85 g.) unsalted butter
¼ Tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup (125 g.) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs

For Egg Wash: 1 egg and pinch of salt

Pre-heat oven to 425◦F/220◦C degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Preparing batter:
Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. At boil, remove from heat and sift in the flour, stirring to combine completely.

Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until the batter dries slightly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Transfer to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute to cool slightly.

Add 1 egg. The batter will appear loose and shiny.
As you stir, the batter will become dry-looking like lightly buttered mashed potatoes.
It is at this point that you will add in the next egg. Repeat until you have incorporated all the eggs.

Piping:
Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip (I piped directly from the bag opening without a tip). Pipe choux about 1 inch-part in the baking sheets. Choux should be about 1 inch high about 1 inch wide.

Using a clean finger dipped in hot water, gently press down on any tips that have formed on the top of choux when piping. You want them to retain their ball shape, but be smoothly curved on top.
Brush tops with egg wash (1 egg lightly beaten with pinch of salt).

Baking:
Bake the choux at 425◦F/220◦C degrees until well-puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 350◦F/180◦C degrees and continue baking until well-colored and dry, about 20 minutes more. Remove to a rack and cool.
Can be stored in a airtight box overnight.

For the rose bavarian
190 ml full fat milk
37 g raw sugar
3 yolks
5 g gelatin+cold water
190 g whipped cream
10 rose buds

Bring the milk and the roses to a boil and then cover and let steep for one hour.
Place the gelatin in cold water to bloom.
Sieve the milk and reheat it.
Beat the yolks and the sugar until pale.
Pour the milk over the yolks while constantly stirring. Return to low heat and cook to 76 degrees Celsius. Melt the gelatin and add it to the milk-yolk mixture. Let cool to room temperature. Mix in the cream and let it almost set at room temperature.

For the pistachio bavarian
190 ml full fat milk
37 g raw sugar
3 yolks
5 g gelatin+cold water
190 g whipped cream
50 g ground pistachios

Place the gelatin in cold water to bloom.
Bring the milk to a boil.
Beat the yolks and the sugar until pale.
Pour the milk over the yolks while constantly stirring. Return to low heat and cook to 76 degrees Celsius. Melt the gelatin and add it to the milk-yolk mixture. Let cool to room temperature. Mix in the cream and the pistachios and let it almost set at room temperature.

For the red pink pepper strawberry jelly
200 g strawberries
25 g sugar
5 g gelatin
a few pink peppercorns

Puree the strawberries. Add the sugar and the peppercorns and heat the mixture until the sugar disolves. Let it steep for a while, discard the peppercorns and add the melted gelatin. Let the jelly cool and start to set.

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Vanilla cheesecake with rosemary pepper strawberries

May 21st, 2010 by admin
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Finally, we felt Spring for a little. No more dark days in a row, no more cold rains…. I was getting kind of springy and I love it.

Two weeks ago we went up north to visit C’s grandfather. We went by his orchard and there I smelled the fresh grass and the blooming trees. It is just amazing how everything looks better, smells better when the sun is up.
If time would stop for a few hours at least I would just sit lying in the grass and dreaming of the days when we will be picking the wonderful apples and plums and pears and bake the most amazing tarts and pies and upsidedown cakes, and moussses, and…..

In the meantime though I settled on a simple vanilla flavored cheesecake, filled with the most amazing black pepper and rosemary sauce lying on a bed of rice crackers. It was so light and packed with so much flavour…..

And the rainy days are back and my mood went back down waiting for the sun to step in already.

For the rice crackers
115 g butter
95 g moscavado
1 egg yolk
160 g rice flour
50 g tapioca starch
a pinch of salt

Cream the butter and sugar together for 3-5 minutes. Add the yolk and beat until incorporated. Add the flours and salt and mix untill it comes together. Make a dough ball, flatten it a little, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven at 175 C (350 F). Roll the dough to 4 mm thick and cut out whatever shapes you desire. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until golden. Let cool completelly on a cooling rack.

For the crust
190 g rice crackers
85 g melted butter

Mix the crackers and butter and press the mixture on the bottom of the cheesecake pan. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
For the black pepper and rosemary strawberry sauce
400 g straberries
80 g sugar
60 g orange juice
rosemary and peppercorns

Place all the above ingredients in a pan over medium low heat. Bring to a boil and simmer untill thickened. Let cool to room temperature. Remove the peppercorns and the rosemary.

For the cheesecake
680 g cheese (homemade mascarpone)
200 g sugar
3 eggs
vanilla bean + vanilla extract
225 g heavy cream

Preheat the oven at 175 C.
Prepare a big pan that accomodates your cheesecake pan and boil water for the bain mare.
In the bowl of your stand mixer beat the cheese with the sugar and vanilla seeds untill creamy. Add one egg and beat just untill blended. Do the same for the rest of the eggs.
Add the cream and vanilla extract and fold it in. Pour a little more than half of the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or untill a little set.
Pour the strawberries on the cheesecake and top with the remaining batter. Bake another 20-25 minutes or until set but still jiglly. Let cool in the oven for about an hour (out of the water). Cover and refrigerate overnight.

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