Confessions of a Bake-a-holic!

Cake + Ice Cream, can it go wrong????  Ummmph…. did I forget to mention “CHOCOLATE”????

DB is the only reason I even blog these days.I really need to get back to my old self and start baking and blogging in full swing.Icecream cakes from Coldstone have always been my fav ones. Making anything like that from scratch is something that I wouldn’t have even dreamt about. I was over excited when I read the months challenge in the DBC forum. Here is how I made it:)

The July 2010 Daring Baker’s 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.

There were some mandatory rules,such as – We had to make the Swiss Roll,a filling,fudge sauce and two kinds of Icecream all made from scratch.And set the dessert in a bowl/pan etc in the order given in the recipe-Swiss roll, first ice-cream, the fudge topping and, finally, the second ice cream.

Preparation time-

For the 2 Swiss rolls-

30 mins each + cooling time (at least 30 minutes) before filling and rolling. The filling can be made while the cakes cool.

-For the ice creams- 5+10 minutes + freezing time

For the fudge topping- 5 minutes + cooling time

Assembly- At least an hour of freezing time between each layer

Swiss roll ice cream cake (inspired by the recipe of the same name from the Taste of Home website)

The Swiss rolls:

Preparation time- 10 minutes

Baking time- 10-12 minutes

Rolling and cooling time- at least 30 minutes

Filling-5-8 minutes

Filling and rolling- 5-10 minutes

Ingredients-

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:

2C / 500 mls/ 16 fl oz of whipping cream

1 vanilla pod, cut into small pieces of about ½ cm (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

5 tblsp / 70gms/2.5oz of caster sugar

Method-

1. Pre heat 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.
2. 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. 
3. Add the flour mixture, in three batches and fold in gently with a spatula. Fold in the water.
4. Divide the mixture among the two baking pans and spread it out evenly, into the corners of the pans.
5. Place a pan in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or till the centre is springy to the touch.
6. Spread a kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle a little caster sugar over it.
7. Turn the cake on to the towel and peel away the baking paper. Trim any crisp edges.
8. 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.
9. Repeat the same for the next cake as well.
10. Grind together the vanilla pieces and sugar in a food processor till nicely mixed together. If you are using vanilla extract, just grind the sugar on its own and then add the sugar and extract to the cream.

Filling -

1. In a large bowl, add the cream and vanilla-sugar mixture and beat till very thick.
2. Divide the cream mixture between the completely cooled cakes.
3. Open the rolls and spread the cream mixture, making sure it does not go right to the edges (a border of ½ an inch should be fine).
4. Roll the cakes up again, this time without the towel. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge till needed, seam side down.

Vanilla Ice Cream:

Preparation time-5 minutes+freezing

I have made the ice cream without an ice cream maker.

Ingredients-

2 and ½ C / 625 ml / 20 fl oz of whipping cream

1 vanilla bean, minced or 1 tsp/ 5 ml/ .15 fl oz vanilla extract

½ C / 115gms/ 4 oz of granulated sugar

Method-

Grind together the sugar and vanilla in a food processor. In a mixing bowl, add the cream and vanilla –sugar mixture and whisk lightly till everything is mixed together. If you are using the vanilla extract, grind the sugar on its own and then and the sugar along with the vanilla extract to the cream.

Pour into a freezer friendly container and freeze till firm around the edges. Remove from the freezer, beat till smooth and return to the freezer. Do this 3-4 times and then set completely.

Hot Fudge sauce:

Preparation time-2 minutes

Cooking time-2 minutes

Ingredients-

1 C / 230gms/ 8 oz of caster sugar

3 tblsp / 24gms/1.5 oz of natural unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tblsp /15gms/ 1 oz of cornflour/cornstarch

1 and ½ C /355ml /12 fl oz of water

1 tblsp /14gms/ 1 oz butter

1 tsp/5 ml / .15 fl oz vanilla extract

Method-

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornflour and water.
2. Place the pan over heat, and stir constantly, till it begins to thicken and is smooth (for about 2 minutes).
3. Remove from heat and mix in the butter and vanilla. Keep aside to cool .

Chocolate Ice Cream-

Preparation time- 5 minutes + freezing

Ingredients-

2C/ 500 ml whipping cream

1 C/230gms/8 oz caster sugar

3 tblsp/ 24 gms/1.5 oz of natural unsweetened cocoa powder

Method-

1. Grind together the sugar and the cocoa powder in a food processor .
2. In a saucepan, add all the ingredients and whisk lightly.
3. Place the pan over heat and keep stirring till it begins to bubble around the edges.
4. Remove from heat and cool completely before transferring to a freezer friendly container till firm around the edges. If you are using an ice cream maker, churn the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instruction, after the mixture has cooled completely.
5. Remove from the freezer, beat till smooth and return to the freezer. Do this 3-4 times and then set completely.

Assembly:

1. Cut the Swiss rolls into 20 equal slices ( approximately 2 cms each ).
2. Cover the bottom and sides of the bowl in which you are going to set the dessert with cling film/plastic wrap.
3. Arrange two slices at the bottom of the pan, with their seam sides facing each other. Arrange the Swiss roll slices up the bowl, with the seam sides facing away from the bottom, to cover the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze till the slices are firm (at least 30 minutes).
4. Soften the vanilla ice cream. Take the bowl out of the freezer, remove the cling film cover and add the ice cream on top of the cake slices. Spread it out to cover the bottom and sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze till firm ( at least 1 hour).I added some sliced strawberries(4 nos) and some toasted walnuts(3tbsp).
5. Add the fudge sauce over the vanilla ice cream, cover and freeze till firm . ( at least an hour)
6. Soften the chocolate ice cream and spread it over the fudge sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4-5 hours till completely set .
7. Remove the plastic cover, and place the serving plate on top of the bowl. Turn it upside down and remove the bowl and the plastic lining. If the bowl does not come away easily, wipe the outsides of the bowl with a kitchen towel dampened with hot water. The bowl will come away easily.
8. Keep the cake out of the freezer for at least 10 minutes before slicing, depending on how hot your region is. Slice with a sharp knife, dipped in hot water.

A closer look at the cake …..

Had to take a picture before they melted:)

Verdict : Anything “chocolaty” and am in for it:).This cake is all about flavors ….there is a strong amount of Vanilla in most layers,the chocolaty taste is something that can make anyone drool.I cudnt stop licking the fudge sauce it was sooo good:).

The cakes were pretty moist the first day and were not so very perfect later.The ice-creams were very good though I felt that they were too sweet(I shud probably reduce the quantity of sugar the next time I make this.) Also the Vanilla ice cream turned a li’l hard after few days.However, I loved this challenge and would surely make this again.

DH loved it and was proud of me:). This time for a change we had friends home only for desserts.D and A liked it alot, infact D updated the pic in FB and I gained some publicity coz of it:-P.

Check out the rest of the Daring Baker’s post here.

“A stitch In Time Saves Nine” -  is the proverb that comes to my mind as I work on the Daring Baker’s Challenge for the month of June’10.  Even though I’ve been busy for the past few weeks, I had made up my mind to diligently participate in my fav forum.

Pavlovas is something that I’ve been meaning to bake for a long time now.Thanks for the challenge,it gave me an opportunity to accomplish this. Pavlova is a meringue based dessert,where in the meringue is with a crispy crust  and soft,light inner.

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.

Note :The recipe consists of four parts.The quantity of ingredients was a lot for all recipes except Chocolate Meringue.Using the provided recipe, I ended up with more than 2 cups of Mascarpone cream(used for drizzling) and I am sure thats too much.One wouldn’t need more than few spoons for drizzling.Similarly, the Mascarpone mousse was a lot too.I suggest to reduce all the ingredients to 1/4th.This is what ideally I should have done. Also, the Meringue was very sweet and chocolaty,reducing the quantity of sugar and cocoa powder would do good.

Recipe 1: 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

Directions:

1. 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.
2. 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.)
3. 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.)
4. 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.

1. Bake for 2 hours until the meringues become dry and crisp. Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe 2: 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
pinch of nutmeg
2 tbsp (30 mls) Grand Marnier (or orange juice)

Directions:

1. 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.

2. 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.)

3. 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.

Recipe 3: Mascarpone Cream (for drizzling):

1 recipe crème anglaise
½ cup (120 mls) mascarpone
2 tbsp (30 mls) Sambucca (optional)
½ cup (120 mls) heavy cream

Directions:

1. 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.

Recipe 4: Crème Anglaise (a component of the Mascarpone Cream above):

I made the creme anglaise a day in advance.

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

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow.
2. Combine the milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan over medium high heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Take off the heat.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Assembly:
Pipe the mousse onto the pavlovas and drizzle with the mascarpone cream over the top. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and fresh fruit if desired.

Verdict:

DH and me felt that it was toooooo very chocolaty. The crispiness of the meringue was wonderful,the mousse was just perfect.I didn’t have any fruits left at home, so used a li’l bit of home made Mango Pudding which went very well with the Pavlova. Overall,a great dessert.I relished it!!!!

This month’s Daring Baker’s was an easy one. I didn’t want to miss out again,somehow managed to make it for this month’s challenge at the last minute.

This month’s challenge recipe was “Piece Montée”, which means literally “mounted piece.” The other name for this dessert is  Croquembouche (“crunch in the mouth”).The original piece montée is a cone like structure made of profiteroles (cream-filled puff pastries) sometimes dipped in chocolate, bound with caramel, and usually decorated with threads of caramel, sugared almonds, chocolate, flowers, or ribbons.

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.

This recipe has 3 main components: the pate a choux, the crème patissiere, and the glaze used to mount/decorate it.

Ingredients:

For the Vanilla Crème Patissiere (Half Batch)

1 cup (225 ml.) whole milk
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
6 Tbsp. (100 g.) sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp. (30 g.) unsalted butter
1 Tsp. Vanilla

Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup of milk. Combine the remaining milk with the sugar in a saucepan; bring to boil; remove from heat.Beat the whole egg, then the yolks into the cornstarch mixture. Pour 1/3 of boiling milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so that the eggs do not begin to cook.Return the remaining milk to boil. Pour in the hot egg mixture in a stream, continuing whisking.Continue whisking (this is important – you do not want the eggs to solidify/cook) until the cream thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat and beat in the butter and vanilla.Pour cream into a stainless steel/ceramic bowl. Press plastic wrap firmly against the surface. Chill immediately and until ready to use.

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.

Filling:When you are ready to assemble your piece montée, using a plain pastry tip, pierce the bottom of each choux. Fill the choux with pastry cream using either the same tip or a star tip, and place on a paper-lined sheet. Choux can be refrigerated briefly at this point while you make your glaze.

Use one of these to top your choux and assemble your piece montée.

Hard Caramel Glaze:
1 cup (225 g.) sugar
½ teaspoon lemon juice

Combine sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan with a metal kitchen spoon stirring until the sugar resembles wet sand. Place on medium heat; heat without stirring until sugar starts to melt around the sides of the pan and the center begins to smoke. Begin to stir sugar. Continue heating, stirring occasionally until the sugar is a clear, amber color. Remove from heat immediately; place bottom of pan in ice water to stop the cooking. Use immediately.

Assembly of your Piece Montée: Lay out the unfilled, unglazed choux in a practice design to get a feel for how to assemble the final dessert. For example, if making a conical shape, trace a circle (no bigger than 8 inches) on a piece of parchment to use as a pattern. Then take some of the larger choux and assemble them in the circle for the bottom layer. Practice seeing which pieces fit together best.

Once you are ready to assemble your piece montée, dip the top of each choux in your glaze (careful it may be still hot!), and start assembling on your cake board/plate/sheet. Continue dipping and adding choux in levels using the glaze to hold them together as you build up.

Once done, drizzle with remaining glaze.I used slivered almonds to decorate it.

TIRAMISU,the one that can make me smile all the time. I am so crazy about this dessert that I had even named P’s name as TIRAMISU on my mobile phone:). The best one I have had is in Olive Garden’s which is one of my fav restaurant . The word “Tiramisu” literally means “pick me up”.The original recipe was round in shape and had no liquor in it.These days its made in different shapes and sizes. It is made by dipping Savoiardi biscuits(ladyfinger) in espresso and liquor and layering them with Zabaglione ,a custard or pastry cream made with Marsala wine and mascarpone cheese.ie., MASCARPONE + SAVOIARDI  BISCUITS + ZABAGLIONE  = TIRAMISU

A lot of people confuse Ladyfinger to Lady’s finger(the other name for Okra) .Tiramisu has nothing to do with Lady’s finger(okra):-)

The CHALLENGE here was to make everything from scratch.Even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have thought about making Mascarpone Cheese at home .My first attempt with the cheese was a disaster. I kept stirring the cream and didn’t realize that I didn’t have enough water in the vessel below because of which the upper glass bowl filled with cream almost burnt and I ended up with cheese which was yellow in color, with an oily texture.So I had to re do it.Guess practice makes it perfect.The store bought ones can be very expensive too,this is surely an easy option.

Tiramisu can be made with different flavors, one such interesting one that I came across was “Strawberry Tiramisu” in Aparna’s blog.I am not a “coffee/tea” person,so the idea of using espresso was ruled out.I mixed a tbsp of cocoa powder in warm milk instead of the espresso.

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

RECIPE SOURCE:

Mascarpone Cheese – Vera’s Recipe (Baking Obsession) for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese.
Savoiardi/ Ladyfinger Biscuits – Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home
Tiramisu – Carminantonio’s Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007

THE CHALLENGE:

They have chosen Baltimore pastry chef Carminantonio Iannaccone’s version of tiramisu for a couple of reasons.

• Firstly, his recipe is different from most other tiramisu recipes as he makes a zabaglione, an egg custard which is flavoured with Marsala wine (you may use coffee instead). Even more important is that his zabaglione is cooked so there is no risk from using raw eggs.
• He also makes a vanilla flavoured pastry cream which we haven’t seen in other tiramisu recipes.

I started with : Ladyfinger/ Savoiardi Biscuits

Mascarpone Cheese

Tiramisu (includes zabaglione & vanilla pastry cream)

MANDATORY:

It was a MUST to make our own savoiardi / ladyfinger biscuits and mascarpone cheese with the given recipes. Also, to make the zabaglione and pastry cream using the given recipes.
Sponge cake may be not be used as a substitute. After all, a large part of this challenge is making those biscuits.

VARIATIONS:

Tiramisu is usually made in square dishes and cut into squares to serve. If you want to be different, please feel free to give full rein to your creativity as to how you want to present, decorate and serve your tiramisu. Make it square, round, as individual servings, or whatever! However, your version of Tiramisu must contain the mascarpone cheese and the savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits you made.

PREPARATION TIME:

Tiramisu is made up of several components which can be made separately and ahead of time and put together the day before serving.
Making Tiramisu from scratch requires about 2 to 3 days (including refrigeration) from when you start making the mascarpone to the time the tiramisu is served. So this challenge requires some prior planning.

TIRAMISU

(Recipe source: Carminantonio’s Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings

I first started with the biscuits.The below mentioned recipe was just perfect,I ended up with 46 small biscuits.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)

Ingredients:

3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar,

Method:Preheat your oven to 350 F , then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.

Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5″ long and 3/4″ wide strips leaving about 1″ space in between the strips.Sprinkle half the confectioner’s sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.

Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.( It might be a good idea to decide the size of the dish in which you intend to set the dessert, and make the fingers to a size which would fit that dish. This makes it easier when assembling the tiramisu later. Do remember that ladyfingers/ savioardi puff up a little while baking.)

MASCARPONE CHEESE

• (Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
  This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese,though we need 1/3 Cup for this recipe.

Ingredients:
474ml / 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method: Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.

Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Method – Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.

Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup whole milk

Method: Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.) Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
1 cup chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method: Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.( Placing the bowl (in which cream is to be whipped) and the beaters of the hand held electric mixer in the fridge for about 1/2 to 1 hour before hand makes the cream whip up very well.)

For dipping the Savoiardi:

1.5tbsp Cocoa powder

2 cups of warm milk(I used 2% milk)

2 tsp rum extract

2 tbsp sugar

Mix all the above ingredients in a shallow dish and set aside to cool.

To assemble the tiramisu:

Line an 8”round pan with plastic wrap. In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Now to start assembling the Tiramisu.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened dipping mixture, about 1 second per side. (Do not dip the ladyfinger/ savoiardi into the coffee solution for more than ONE second, or they might become very fragile & disintegrate. Extra soaking is likely to spoil the end product, making it soggy). Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.(Keeping it overnight didn’t help me much,I ended up freezing it which worked well)

To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer. Cut into individual portions and serve.

Verdict: Tiramisu was out of the world.Its one of the finest Desserts I’ve ever made.If not for DBC ,I wudn’t have thought about making this from scratch.It was very moist,creamy and delicious.Using cocoa instead of expresso din’t make much of a difference.I had some friends home for dinner and served this for Dessert and everyone loved it.I adore this  dessert and can die for this one

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Dobos Torte

Cannoli

Six more days for the Bake-a- Cake event,hurry up with your entries.You don’t want to miss the gift…what say?

I have reached a point in life where the idea of home  baked desserts is more appealing than the store  bought ones,this way I also have control over the ingredients I use. If I had to ever choose the best cake,Black Forest Cake would win the first place . The cake combines the soft texture  of chocolate cake with loads of cream. It is one of the most tender and moist cakes.

It’s a creation of the German’s.Originally called the “Schwarzwaelder Kirschtorte”.It typically consists of several layers of chocolate cake with whipped cream and cherries sandwiched between each layer.Whipped cream is also used for frosting,maraschino Cherries and Chocolate shavings are used for decoration.Traditionally,the Kirsch syrup(cherry liqueur)is added to this cake,I just ended up using lil bit of brandy.I believe in Europe the cake almost always contains Alcohol and would probably not be considered authentic without it.

Some cakes are so good looking that they can be decorated with endless possibilities. For added attention and extra flavor sprinkle grated chocolate generously on the cake.Looks matters the most,don’t they? A cake that tastes so fresh deserves a spectacular presentation….isn’t it? Here I present the famous Black Forest Cake.

Basic Chocolate Cake:

2 Cups – All Purpose Flour

10tbsp Butter( I used melted butter )

5  Large Eggs

1 Cup Milk (I have tried using buttermilk instead of milk)

1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa powder

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking soda

Salt  a pinch

1 tbsp Chocolate Extract or Vanilla Extract

1 ½ Cup Sugar

Filing:

8 oz Maraschino cherries (with the syrup and the stem)

A tbsp Brandy

A tbsp cornstarch

3tbsp sugar

½ tsp Vanilla extract

For the frosting:

1 pint heavy whipped cream

¼ Cup sugar

A tsp Vanilla extract

Decorating the cake:

Chocolate curls – a few(optional)

Grated chocolate – a cup

Cake -  Preheat oven at 350F . Line the bottoms of two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper circles. Grease and flour the pans.Sift  together flour,cocoa,baking powder ,salt and baking soda. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Beat in the eggs and the extract. Mix in the flour alternating with 1/2 cup of milk. Pour into the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean,approximately e about 35mins. Cool the cake on rack. Unmold the cake and remove the parchment paper very carefully.Using a cake leveler or a serrated knife level the cake,this is very important whenever we make a layered cake. Most of the cake pans are about 2” in height. I got the perfect two inch height so I cut the cake horizontally into two,ending up with four round layers. You may even go ahead without cutting the cake and make a two layered cake.

Filling – Drain the cherries(reserve 5-6 cherries for decorating the cake) and reserve the syrup in a saucepan. Combine the brandy,sugar,Vanilla and brandy.Discard the stems of the cherries.Stirring constantly, add the cherries and cook over low heat until thickened.  Cool completely before use. I had chopped the cherries into two before cooking them.

Frosting –  Just before frosting , whip the cream, sugar and extract until it forms stiff peaks.This will be used for frosting as well as filling. Reserve ½ cup of whipped cream to decorate the cake.

Assembling the cake – Place one cake layer on a cake board/plate. Spread some whipped cream,topping it with some cherry filling.Place another cake layer and repeat the same until all cake layers are used.Frost the top and sides of the cake evenly.Using a knife or any flat spatula gently cover the cake with grated chocolate.Spoon the reserved frosting into a pastry bag fitted with any decorating tip of your choice and decorate the cake.Place the remaining cherries and chocolate curls on top of the cake.Enjoy!

Verdict - This was one of the best cakes I have ever made….super moist and rich.Perfect for chocolate lovers like me

This is off to Bake-a-Cake event hosted by me:)

Don’t miss to participate in Bake-a-Cake event and win a wonderful gift.Last date – 27th Feb’10.

We always need something luscious and sweet in our lives every now and then.Chocolates lifts my spirit and makes me happy.There is a reason for this – Chocolate contains a chemical called phenylethylalamine that naturally occurs in our brains and is responsible for controlling our moods.More about chocolate mentioned in my earlier post here.

I have been on and off from blogging,one or the other things keeps me busy.I was so very looking forward to participate in Meeta’s Monthly Mingle ( hosted by Jamie for this month)mainly coz it had my fav ingredient – CHOCOLATE.I baked some Austrian Bread Pudding with chocolate for the event today.Austrians are famous all around the world for their Apple Strudel. They also make a variety of puddings, cakes and tarts.My favorite has always been their puddings,you can find my Hazelnut Pudding which I had baked earlier. As far as I know,Austrian Bread Pudding does not contain chocolate. However, it surely added a different flavor to this traditional recipe giving it a complete new dimension.

Here is how I made it-

Black Seedless Raisins – 3 tbsp(I used organic)

Rum – 3tbsp

3tbsp Butter

5-6 slices of old white bread or bite sizes of challah

1 Apple, peeled cored and sliced

3 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp All spice powder and grounded nutmeg

2 egg yolks,beaten

Semisweet Chocolate chips/pieces – ½ Cup

½ Cup milk( I used whole milk)

½ Cup Heavy cream + 2tbsp to melt chocolate

Chocolate Extract – ½ tsp(You can substitute Vanilla Extract)

2 tbsp Sliced Almonds for garnishing

Method: Soak the raisins in rum overnight. Melt chocolate with 2 tbsp of heavy cream in the microwave. Separately add Cream,Milk,Sugar and the spices to the beaten egg yolk.Add this mixture to the melted chocolate and stir to remove any lumps. Meanwhile preheat oven at 375F.

Remove the crust from the bread and generously apply butter and cut into small pieces. Spread them in one layer on a greased pan (I used an 8” oval pan).Sprinkle the apple and raisins (drain the liquid before using).Place another layer of the bread slices on top of it. Gently pour the prepared liquid all over the bread,sprinkle the drained rum and sliced almonds and bake for 30-35 min, until the top is browned.

Serve warm with Whipped cream/Icecream.

Verdict: You don’t have to go to Austria to taste this, its so simple to make at home:) Instead of rum I have also tried using chocolate milk(mixed a spoonful of drinking chocolate with milk),plain milk can also be a good option.Few bread slices on the top and the sides were crunchy making it all the more yummy,this is the best thing i like about it.Its surely a perfect twist to a traditional recipe.

This is off to Meeta’s Monthly Mingle hosted by Jamie of Life’s a feast. Thanks Jamie for choosing the perfect theme:)

CHOCOLATE has something to always delight me.Who doesn’t love CHOCOLATES ??? I am in for anything chocolaty, it helps me be happy when I am sad. Did you know Chocolates are good for memory? I believe it contains a certain chemical epicatechin which improves the blood flow in the brain.I remember as a kid, Mom always forced me to have more okra (ladies finger) and yogurt rice,she believed that it would  increase my arithmetic capacity. I wish she knew more about chocolates:)

Though Chocolate is considered as a modern day sweet, but it has been around for several thousand years. An interesting read – In a way Chocolate does grow on trees,the cacao tree.I believe the cacao tree needs three things to survive:high temperature,high humidity and a special insect that pollinates its flowers.The flowers that do not produce fruit develop large pods that contain cocoa beans.The beans are removed and roasted and their papery husks removed by gently crushing the beans into little irregular pieces known as nibs.The nibs are ground,and the fat they contain – cocoa butter is then liquefied.The whole mixture is then turned into a mass called chocolate liquor, which despite its name is a solid and does not contain alcohol. The chocolate liquor is then used to make cocoa and chocolate.

Hmm well that’s the theory,coming to yet another interesting book.I should say it’s one fantastic collection by Good Housekeeping .They had come up with all their favorite recipes in one book….only CHOCOLATE recipes!!!!  I found it in the library and couldn’t wait to try some totally chocolaty and yummilicious desserts.I baked this rich soufflé like dessert in individual ramekins. I have tweaked the recipe a li’l bit to suit my requirements.

Prep time – 30mins plus chilling

Bake – 25mins

Makes – 10 servings

Ingredients:

¾ Cup Hazelnuts(you can substitute Blanched almonds),toasted and skinned

¾ Cup Sugar

4 tbsp butter,softened

7 large eggs separated

8 squares(8ounces) semisweet chocolate,melted and cooled

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp chocolate extract(optional)

2 tbsp condensed Milk(optional)

Method –

Toast the Hazelnuts – Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.Bake at 350 for about 6mins,stirring occasionally.To skin them,wrap the still warn hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel and let stand for about ten mins.Rub off using the towel.

Melt Chocolate – Microwave chocolate until melted in the microwave,ensure to stir in between.If the chocolate doesn’t melt easily, you can add some heavy whipping cream(a tbsp at a time).

Generously, butter 8-10 ramekins.In a Food Processor,pulse hazelnuts with ¼ Cup sugar until they are finely ground. In a bowl with a mixer at medium speed, beat butter and ¼ Cup sugar until creamy.Add egg yolks one at a time.Beat in the hazelnut mixture,extract,condensed milk and chocolate until blended. Separately,beat egg whites until soft peaks form.Add the remaining ¼ Cup sugar li’l by li’l,beating until the sugar has dissolved and egg whites stand stiff.Gently fold in the egg whites to the chocolate mixture just until blended.Spoon the batter into prepared ramekins.Cover and refrigerate to four hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F.Place the ramekins in large roasting pan to come halfway up sides of the ramekins.Bake until knife inserted comes out clean,about 30mins.Transfer and cool.Serve warm with Whipped cream or ice cream.Sprinkle li’l sugar or powdered sugar if you like.

Each serving : About 500 cals,37g total fat.

I couldn’t resist taking the picture of my finished bowl:)

Verdict –  Why go to restaurants for such elegant desserts? Nothing can compare to a freshly prepared homemade puddings. Its yummilicious. Eating Chocolate is in itself an art and a passion. It is more important to appreciate it, whether you bite or allow it to melt in your mouth ,enjoy it slowly with enjoyment. Though this Pudding contains nuts, the chocolate over powers the taste.Tah dah…this is specially made for all the Chocolate lovers!!!!

A quick review – Sherry Yard’s the Secret Books of Baking is one of the finest books on Baking. She has created Desserts for Grammy Awards;Emmy awards and academy awards too.Even the most elaborate pastry creations can be broken down to simple pastry that anybody can master,that’s what Secrets of Baking is all about.Her book is like a bible to me.Not only does she talk about how ingredients work she also talks about how recipes are interlinked. Her Deep Dark Chocolate Tart and Halsey tart is to die for.I tried the “Danish Braid Bread” from her book and I must say it was just perfect….simply outstanding!!! This bread is called the “Vienna Bread” in Denmark and in the rest of the world it’s the “Danish Bread”.When I had decided to bake this bread,the looks of it made me a li’l nervous but it wasn’t that difficult as I had anticipated it to be.Sherry made it a lot easier .I tweaked the recipe a li’l to suit my taste.I always wanted to participate in the Bread Baking Day event and finally here it is – perfect Bread for Jamie’s Birthday Party .Isn’t this apt for your party Jamie???? Here it is for your eyes….

Danish Dough-(called the D`etrempe)
1 ounce fresh yeast or a tbsp active dry yeast
½ whole milk
1/3 cup Sugar
Zest of 1 orange,finely grated
1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
2 large eggs,chilled
¼ Cup fresh orange juice
3 ¼ cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp salt

For the Butterblock(called the Beurrage)
2 Sticks butter,unsalted
¼ Cup All Purpose flour

Filling –
3 Pears ,peeled and finely chopped
½ C Sugar
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
½ tsp Vanilla extract
¼ Cup lemon juice
2 tbsp butter

For the Egg wash –
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

Dough – Combine yeast and milk in a bowl of standing mixer,mix on low speed.Slowly add sugar,orange zest,vanilla extract,eggs and orange juice and mix well.Combine flour and salt and li’l by li’l .Knead the dough for five mins more until smooth. Add a li’l more flour if its sticky.Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30mins.

Butter Block – Combine butter and flour in a mixer.Cream on medium speed until smooth and lumpy.Set aside at room temperature.You should it end up with fully creamy texture,which should be easy to spread.
Once the Dough is chilled,transfer it to a work surface.Using a rolling pin,roll the dough into a rectangle (close to 18×13inches) and ¼ inch thick. L’il dough can help if its still sticky.Spread butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough.Fold the left edge of the dough to the right, covering half of the butter block.Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center right.This is the first turn.

Place this on a baking sheet ,wrap in a plastic film and refrigerate for 30mins.Place the dough again on a floured surface, the open ends should be on your right and left.Roll again to a rectangle, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third.This is the second turn. Again refrigerate the dough for 30mins.Roll out,turn and refrigerate the dough two more times,for a total of four more times.Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least five hours to overnight.The Danish dough is ready to use.

Filling – Toss the pears with all ingredients except butter.Melt butter over medium heat.Saute the pear mixture intil soft and caramelized.Cool it.(The original recipe called in for Apple Filling)

Make the Braid – Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into a 15×20inch rectangle,1/4inch thick. Place it on the baking sheet.Create a fringe down one long side of the pastry by making parallel,5 inch long cuts with a knife,spacing them 1 inch apart.Repeat on opposite side.Spoon the filling down to the center of the rectangle.Starting at one end,fold the strips of fringe over the filling,alternating one by one,right,left,right and so on.When the last strips have been folded,trim them neatly.

Egg Wash – Whisk together egg and yolk in a small bowl.Using a pastry brush,lightly coat the braid with the egg wash.

Bake - Cover the braid with plastic film and allow it for proofing for about 2 hours,or until doubled in volume or light to the touch.Preheat the oven at 400F.Place on the center rack and bake for 10 mins.Rotate the pan from back to front,turn the oven temperature down to 350F and bake for 8-10mins.The original recipe called in for 15-20mins,but mine was done in less than 10 mins.Cool and serve the braid.The cooled braid can be wrapped tight and stored refrigerated for upto 2 days or freeze for a month.

Verdict – Aesthetic looks makes it all the more appealing.Good texture makes it all the more intriguing. This pastry tastes and looks best when it is filled with a fruit filling that isn’t very juicy.I love love loved it A must try recipe!

Forget love– I’d rather fall in chocolate:).

I had to rework on my site as I changed my Domain.Thanks to P and R who helped me with it. I was hoping this to work before DBC and thank god,its just up in time.This month, it’s a Gluten free challenge,a dessert of Canadian origin – a type of no bake Chocolate square. Sweet Rice flour and Sorghum flour were the two new entries to my pantry.The challenge had two parts – Making Graham Crackers and then using it to make the Nanaimo bars.I have always used store brought Graham Crackers and making them from scratch was quite a task.On the other hand the bars were pretty easy to work with. They consisted of a crumb based layer on the bottom,a total chocolaty top with a creamy vanilla custard in between.

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.

Preparation time:
• Graham Wafers: 30 to 45 minutes total active prep, 2 ½ hours to overnight and 45 minutes inactive prep.
• Nanaimo Bars: 30 minutes.
For Gluten-Free Graham Wafers

Ingredients

1 cup (138 g) (4.9 ounces) Sweet rice flour (also known as glutinous rice flour)
3/4 cup (100 g) (3.5 ounces) Tapioca Starch/Flour
1/2 cup (65 g) (2.3 ounces) Sorghum Flour
1 cup (200 g) (7.1 ounces) Dark Brown Sugar, Lightly packed
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Baking soda
3/4 teaspoon (4 mL ) Kosher Salt
7 tablespoons (100 g) (3 ½ ounces) Unsalted Butter (Cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen)
1/3 cup (80 mL) Honey, Mild-flavoured such as clover.
5 tablespoons (75 mL) Whole Milk
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pulse on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. If making by hand, combine aforementioned dry ingredients with a whisk, then cut in butter until you have a coarse meal. No chunks of butter should be visible.
2. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky.
3. Turn the dough onto a surface well-floured with sweet rice flour and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of sweet rice flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be quite sticky, so flour as necessary. Cut into 4 by 4 inch squares. Gather the scraps together and set aside. Place wafers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat with the second batch of dough.
5. Adjust the rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
6. Gather the scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll. Dust the surface with more sweet rice flour and roll out the dough to get a couple more wafers.
7. Prick the wafers with toothpick or fork, not all the way through, in two or more rows.
8. Bake for 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Might take less, and the starting location of each sheet may determine its required time. The ones that started on the bottom browned faster.
9. When cooled completely, place enough wafers in food processor to make 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) of crumbs. Another way to do this is to place in a large ziplock bag, force all air out and smash with a rolling pin until wafers are crumbs.

Nanaimo Bars
Ingredients:
For Nanaimo Bars — Bottom Layer
1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup (50 g) (1.8 ounces) Granulated Sugar
5 tablespoons (75 mL) Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) (160 g) (5.6 ounces) Gluten Free Graham Wafer Crumbs (See previous recipe)
1/2 cup (55 g) (1.9 ounces) Almonds (Any type, Finely chopped)
1 cup (130 g) (4.5 ounces) Coconut (Shredded, sweetened or unsweetened)

For Nanaimo Bars — Middle Layer
1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons (40 mL) Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Vanilla Custard Powder (Such as Bird’s. Vanilla pudding mix may be substituted.)
2 cups (254 g) (8.9 ounces) Icing Sugar

For Nanaimo Bars — Top Layer
4 ounces (115 g) Semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons (28 g) (1 ounce) Unsalted Butter
Directions:

1. For bottom Layer: Melt unsalted butter, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.
2. For Middle Layer: Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light in colour. Spread over bottom layer.
3. For Top Layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.

Verdict: When it comes to chocolate,nothing else seems to matter.Its sinful!!!!!
The chocolate over powers any other flavor in this bar.I think the custard was a little less and I cudnt get good thick middle layer.However it is,just one small square of this bar can satisfy ones chocolate cravings!

It’s the holiday season everywhere.I so very wanted to have a Christmas Tree at home,somehow it just didn’t happen.I was happy to at least make the Gingerbread House and enjoy the festive mood.I wasn’t too confident when I read the Daring Baker’s Challenge for this month,wasn’t sure if wud be able to go with it.Finally made up my mind and decided to make it well in advance and there I go ..hell,the roof broke into two. I was thoroughly disappointed. Later,used royal icing to stick them togetherand hurray it worked. Luckily the shapes where not as bad as I had anticipated, after baking they had increased a lil in size but I cud easily trim them down.I wanted to make a very small house so used up a lil bit of batter to make cookies.Though the house looks good I had to hide a lot of cracks and cuts,to cover these up I brushed them with melted white chocolate.I cant think of anything other than chocolates for decoration so used a lot of chocolate morsels,sprinkles and M&M’s.Here I present my Gingerbread House.

The December 2009 Daring Bakers? challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers, everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.

I used Y’s Recipe ?
Scandinavian Gingerbread (Pepparkakstuga)
from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas http://astore.amazon.com/thedarkit-20/detail/0816634963

1 cup butter, room temperature [226g]
1 cup brown sugar, well packed [220g]
2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
? cup boiling water
5 cups all-purpose flour [875g]

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the dough along with the flour. Mix to make a stiff dough. If necessary add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Chill 2 hours or overnight.
2. Cut patterns for the house, making patterns for the roof, front walls, gabled walls, chimney and door out of cardboard.

3. Roll the dough out on a large, ungreased baking sheet and place the patterns on the dough. Mark off the various pieces with a knife, but leave the pieces in place.
4. [I rolled out the dough on a floured bench, roughly 1/8 inch thick (which allows for fact that the dough puffs a little when baked), cut required shapes and transferred these to the baking sheet. Any scraps I saved and rerolled at the end.]
5. Preheat the oven to 375′F (190′C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. After baking, again place the pattern on top of the gingerbread and trim the shapes, cutting the edges with a straight-edged knife. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.

For the Roof-
1 cup white chocolate(bars/morsels)
Stirring in between, melt the Chocolate in the Microwave.Allow it to come to room temperature and gently brush it over the roof.Refrigerate,until use.Decorate it using Royal icing(recipe below)

Royal Icing:
1 large egg white
3 cups (330g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Beat all ingredients until smooth, adding the powdered sugar gradually to get the desired consistency. Pipe on pieces and allow to dry before assembling. If you aren’t using it all at once you can keep it in a small bowl, loosely covered with a damp towel for a few hours until ready to use. You may have to beat it slightly to get it an even consistency if the top sets up a bit. Piped on the house, this will set up hard over time.

Assemble the house Place a thick Cardboard for the base.I filled my pastry bag with royal icing and generously applied it at the bottom of the wall and used cans to support the walls.Add a second wall securing it with syrup on top and on the sides touching the first wall.Repeat the same for other walls as well.Allow it to dry before working on the roof.Apply the icing generously on all sides and place the roof and again wait till it dries completely.Use chocolate morsels,sprinkles and M&M to decorate the house.

Tah dah.I MADE IT:-D

Verdict: Its one of the best things that I have baked this season…it was total fun.I am surely gona make them each and every year.Thanks DBC!