Archive for July, 2009

Hmm, what a strange month and what a strange going challenge.
I kept postponing the challenge until I realized it was already the 26th and no postponing was available, so I put up my sleeves and got to work.

As normal, I started with the dough. But the dough was sticky, really sticky. I refrigerated it, but after 1 hour, nothing changed. I put it in the freezer and after half an hour it was acceptable. So, I rolled, cut and baked the cookies.
Then, I started working on the marshmallow. I used a tried and tested recipe (from Dorie Greenspan). It all went ok, but as it was really hot and I was nervous from the cookies I went to the garage to punch the “stress reliever” bag and when I got back, the marshmallow was not pipeable anymore. I could heat a little of course, but I have used cocoa nibs chocolate chunks inside so heating would have ruined everything.
I had no more time to start over, so I decided to treat the mallows as molded cakes. So I tempered chocolate, coated my molds, spooned marshmallow inside, topped with the cookie and voila – mallow bombes .

They are tasty, but I do not think I will go back to them soon or at least until I forget the “nice” experience.

The mandatory text:
“The July Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.”

For the lemon basil cookies
Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: about 2 dozen cookies

• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used 10 g lemon basil leaves)
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together

Before following the recipe as noted below, I placed the sugar and basil leaves in a food processor, and pulsed a few times until the leaves are well chopped.
1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.

For the marshmallow
Note: I used Dorie’s recipe and added 100 g of cocoa nib chocolate chunks

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 egg whites , room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
6. Transfer to a pastry bag.

For the chocolate glaze
Note: I just tempered 500g chocolate and used it to coat the molds

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.

To assemble
1. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
3. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
4. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
5. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

I am always looking forward to vacations, but it is so comforting returning home afterward.
We had quite an eventful July so far: going to Cyprus, my love’s birthday, a dear friend’s wedding and now we have a new member in the family: Ed aka Mister Cat. He is with us for 4 days already but did not manage to take a picture of him: always playing, running around and jumping at stuff.

Getting back to real life, blogging included, is damn hard. I still have my head between the clouds. I still feel like swimming and walking on the beach at evening to smell the salty air and feel the breeze. C’mon, snap out of it now.

When returning from the airport, we stopped in the mountains and bought the most precious wild raspberries and blueberries. At this time of year you can see lots of people selling buckets of forest fruits freshly picked from the woods. If I could I would just take them all, as forest fruits are so addictive.

Back home I felt like baking a familiar, dear recipe that brings comfort along. So, I made choux. I wanted to use some of the berries so I made a blueberry sauce with Grand Marnier for a little kick and paired it with a jasmine green tea chiboust.

For the choux
I used this recipe.

For the green tea jasmin chiboust

4 egg yolks
100 g sugar
30 g cornstarch
350 ml milk
2-3 tbsp jasmine flavored green tea
3 g gelatin powder (not specific to chiboust but I wanted the cream to have more body)
250 g whipped cream

Put the milk on medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the tea (use an infuser), cover the pot and let steep for 1 hour. Beat the yolks and the sugar until pale. Add the cornstarch and beat well to combine. Place the gelatin in cold water to bloom. Drain and reheat the milk. Pour 1/4 of the milk over the yolks to temper them. Pour the rest of the milk and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture back into the pot and allow it to thicken over low heat while constantly stirring.
When the yolk mixture is thick enough, add the bloomed gelatin and whisk to dissolve it. Let it cool to room temperature and then gently incorporate the whipped cream.

For the Grand Marnier blueberry sauce
250 g blueberries
50 g brown sugar
50 ml Grand Marnier
10 g cornstarch (dissolved in cold water)

Add the fruits, sugar and liqueur in a pan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Add the cornstarch while stirring. Allow it to thicken and remove from the heat.
Let it cool completely before using.

To assemble
Cut the choux in half. Pipe chiboust on one half, pour some sauce over and top with the other choux half. Sprinkle confectioners sugar on top and enjoy.

VACATION!!!!
We are flying to Cyprus in the morning and I just can’t wait to leave. I miss the sea so much, I miss not having anything to do, anywhere to get in time to. I miss walking the streets with no final point, I miss discovering people and places, having my mind empty. No emails, no meetings, no deadlines, for 10 days.
I haven’t packed yet. I needed to take care of the blueberries that were sitting in the fridge first. I could have frozen them you might say. And you are right, I could have. But then, it wouldn’t be me.
I turned them into a refreshing blueberry mousse paired with chamomile and it felt like I was fair to them: they did not deserve the “freeze” attitude.

For the blueberry cake

280 g flour, sifted
8 g baking powder
130 g brown sugar
2 large eggs
80 g butter melted and cool
240 g yogurt
150 g blueberries

Preheat the oven at 175 C. Butter and line with parchment paper a 29*38 cm baking sheet.
Sift together the flour and the baking powder. Add the sugar.
In a separate bowl combine the eggs, yogurt and butter. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. Mix until combined. Add the blueberries and gently fold them into the batter.
Bake the cake for about 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Let it cool to room temperature.

For the blueberry mousse

5 g gelatin+ cold water
250 g blueberries
40 g sugar
200 g whipped cream

Place the gelatin in the water and let it bloom.
Puree the blueberries. Add the sugar and place on medium heat. When the sugar is dissolved add the gelatin and mix until melted. Let the blueberries cool to room temperature. Gently fold in the whipped cream.

For the chamomile mousse
3 egg yolks
4 g gelatin
50 g water
100 g sugar
250 g whipped cream
15 g dried chamomile buds

Place the water, sugar and chamomile buds in a pan, cover it and bring to boil over medium high heat. When it boils, uncover it, lower the heat and let it cook to 238 F. In the meantime soften the gelatin in some water and whisk the yolks. Place the softened gelatin on a water bath or in the microwave and melt it.
Once the sugar syrup reaches 238 F, remove the buds , and slowly pour the syrup over the yolks while mixing. Next, pour the gelatin over the yolks and continue mixing until the mixture increases in volume, thickens and cools.
Add the whipped cream and carefully fold it into the yolks.

For the chamomile syrup
150 g water
1-2 tbsp chamomile buds
sugar to taste

Boil the water with the sugar. Add the buds, cover the pan and let them steep for 15 minutes. Drain the syrup.

To assemble

Cut out a 24 cm circle from the cake. Place it inside your cake ring. Brush it generously with the chamomile syrup.
Pipe the chamomile mousse and smooth the top. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the mousse to set a little.
Pipe the blueberry mousse on top and smooth it. Refrigerate overnight. Unmold the cake, decorate with fresh blueberries and icing sugar and enjoy.