When I made the beautiful lavender loaves using the lavender buds that Jasmine so graciously sent to me, I found myself in the strange position of not having anyone to share them with. It was a Saturday, no one was home, the neighbours had already been the beneficiaries of other baked goods from me earlier in the week and I didn’t think the loaves would stay fresh enough to be brought to work on the Monday.

Not wanting to waste the loaves, I let them sit on the counter for a day and then I did something I’ve never done before: I made trifle!

I sliced the loaves into thick slices and drizzled them with Grand Marnier. I let them sit for a few hours and then cubed them. I found our best glass bowl and began layering the cubed lavender cake with the leftover Rapid Chiboust from the Gâteau St. Honoré, which was the Daring Baker challenge for May. I topped the cream with strawberries that I had macerated in sugar, Grand Marnier, freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest. I also drizzled more Grand Marnier over each layer of strawberries and sprinkled on a few lavender buds for good measure. To complete the trifle, I whipped up some heavy cream that I had in the refrigerator and piped it over the final layer of lavender cake. I sprinkled on more lavender buds, decorated the border of the trifle with raspberries and used some leftover spun sugar as a garnish.

I completely improvised my first trifle and it was fantastic! It was proof to me that you can take a few really good foods and put them together to make something profoundly delicious.

I hope you take the sun, the warm weather, the promise of a few days of relaxation ahead and put them all together to have a wonderful weekend!

Ciao!

Technorati tags: trifle, lavender

I have to be very honest with you. I’m a little nervous.

As you may have noticed from the picture above and from the title, the June challenge put to the Daring Bakers by our hosts Quellia of All Things Edible and Freya of Writing at the Kitchen Table is bagels.

Eeek!

Why so nervous, you ask?

Bagels scare me. Bagel purists scare me. People who raise their eyebrows and sneer when you tell them where you buy your bagels scare me. I have never known a carboydrate that causes as much acrimony and dissent. I have seen lifeling friends practically come to blows over bagels.

So please, be gentle with me. Here is my bagel story.

When I first read the challenge and the recipe, I felt scared (see above), but also hopeful. I’d made bagels once before in my Breakfast Breads baking class so I’m somewhat familiar with the process.

On the morning that I made my bagels, I began by proofing the yeast in warm water sweetened with honey. I did not use hot water as directed because I’ve learned in my baking courses that hot water can damage and kill yeast. After ten minutes of proofing, the yeast was foamy, creamy and you could definitely smell it.

As directed by the recipe, I then added three cups of flour and the salt. However, I was careful to cover the yeast with the flour first and then sprinkle the salt on the flour. Another tip that we picked up in baking class is that salt added directly to yeast can drastically reduce the yeast’s effectiveness and even kill it. Unlike sugar, which yeast feeds on, salt alters the yeast’s ability to work properly. So if you’re adding flour and salt to yeast, be sure to add the flour first as a buffer.

At this point I removed my watch and and my ring and I got right into it! When people tell me that they don’t like to bake, I always think of this moment. Anyone who sinks their hands into a creamy, floury mixture just waiting to be turned into a dough will immediately feel the joy of baking! Keeping one hand clean (as Quellia recommends), I used the other hand to work in the flour and salt. After a minute or two I had a mushy, wet, yeasty blob! I love mushy, wet, yeasty blobs!!!

At this point, I began adding the remainder of the flour to my blob one cup at a time. As the mixture became drier, I reduced the flour to about half a cup at a time. Once I’d incorporated about six cups of flour, I had to remove my blob from the bowl and begin working it on the well-floured counter. I stopped adding flour after I added about seven and a quarter cups. I felt that the blob was sufficiently dry and I was ready to knead.

I won’t wax poetic about kneading … again. You all know how much I love it. Let’s just say I spent the following ten minutes getting a great upper body workout as I worked my blob into a beautiful dough!

Quellia and Freya’s recipe indicated that the dough should be placed in a well oiled bowl and allowed to rise until doubled in size. I would have preferred that the recipe also give a timeframe for that (”… until doubled in size, which should take an hour to an hour and a half …”), but that became a moot point when my dough absolutely ballooned after only thirty minutes!

In fact, this is what my dough looked like after thirty-five minutes.

Well there’s no rest for the wicked (or weary) so I got right down to forming those bagels! I placed a large pot of water to boil and then added malt syrup.

The recipe indicated that the bagel yield would be 15. Well I looked at this massive piece of dough and envisioned 15 bagel cakes growing right out of my oven. If I’d only divided it into 15 bagels they would have been huge. Instead, I divided my dough into six pieces and then further divided those six pieces.

I decided to try both ways of forming a bagel. For the first few bagels, I rolled dough into a round and then poked a hole in the middle with my finger. I then used two fingers to roll the dough around making the hole in the centre bigger.

For the second formation method, I rolled a piece of dough into a rope and then joined the ends rolling them slightly so that they held together. I eventually settled on this method and formed most of my bagels this way. After forming the bagels, I let them sit for ten minutes before heading to the malt/water bath.

When we made bagels in baking class, we boiiled them for a few seconds. But this recipe requires that you boil the bagels for three minutes on each side. I found this part of the recipe a bit confusing because my bagels went in nice and smooth but came out a bit lumpy and not so pretty. But never one to argue with a Daring Baker challenge, I perservered.

After all my bagels were boiled, I began the fun part of the recipe: how do I top them bagels???

I chose four options: the classic poppyseed, the yummy sesame seed, the even yummier caraway seed with Maldon salt and the not-so-traditional Cheddar cheese. To customize the bagels, I made a wash of egg white and water, which I brushed on to the boiled bagels. Then, each bagel met its topping fate.

The recipe indicated that the bagels should be baked at 400 degrees F. for 25 minutes and then turned and baked for an additional ten minutes. But I found that my first batch of bagels almost burned. So I reduced the oven temperature to 390 degrees F. and baked them for 20 minutes on one side and five minutes on the other side.

The end result was mixed for me. My bagels certainly didn’t look like bagels. This worried me a bit as I could already hear the snickers and criticism. They weren’t puffy like bagels should be. Or at least that’s how I think bagels should be. I think this is my fault in that I divided my bagel dough too much. In other words, I made too many small bagels when the recipe was meant to yield fewer and larger bagels.

I also suspect that the ten minutes of resting time the bagels need between being formed and boiled isn’t enough. I think that I would probably let them rest for 20 minutes should I make these again. This would give the bagels more time to rise.

So appearance-wise, I wasn’t too happy. But taste was another matter altogether.

These bagels were delicious! The exterior was firm but not hard and definitely yielded to the bite. The interior was bready and soft. Once they were cool, we immediately sat down and enjoyed them in our favourite way: with smoked salmon and cream cheese.

My personal favourite were the caraway seed and Maldon salt-topped bagels. I had this combination in one of my baking classes where we made bread topped with caraway and salt. I fell in love with it and often find myself craving it. I thought these bagels were delicious.

And as far as the disappointing disappearance goes, I must admit that the Cheddar cheese-topped bagels didn’t look all that bad. (Stop sneering at me!!!)

All in all, it was a very pleasant June challenge. I made bagels on my own for the first time and while my bagels will not be impressing any of the purists any time soon, we certainly enjoyed them.

I think I acquitted myself admirabley. I just hope that no one who knows me and recognizes me will be throwing bagels at me!

Ciao!

Please check Quellia’s post for the recipe we used.

Technorati tags: bagels, daring bakers

I love The Simpsons.

Love them!

I am one of those people who shares the belief that there are lines from Simpsons episodes that can be applied to virtually every event in life.

One of my very favourite Simpsons episodes happens to be “Lisa the Vegetarian” from the series’ seventh season. And for me, the best part of the episode is the little song and dance that Bart and Homer perform where they repeatedly sing, “You can’t win friends with salad!” to a very distraught Lisa.

Homer … Bart … you are so wrong!

When my “sister” Lis told me that she was planning an event, I didn’t even need to know what it was about. I already knew that I would be participating.

I mean that’s just what sisters do!

But when I found out that the theme was salad, I knew I’d be winning over a lot of friends! I cannot remember a time in my life when I did not eat salad. Without exception, salad appears on our table almost every day of the year.

We end every meal with salad. To be sure we’re not talking about overly involved salads. It’s usually lettuce drizzled with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar with a bit of salt sprinkled on. Occasionally we’ll splurge with a good quality balsamic. In the summer, our salad options expand exponentially. Cucumber and tomato salads will make an appearance. We may have salads with several different types of lettuce, mostly from our garden. But without fail, they are always saved for last.

I’ve heard many different ideas about why it is that Italians eat salad last. The most common one being that salad is a palate cleanser that prepares the way for what comes next, whether that be a cheese course or dessert. In our family what came next was almost always fruit, and my father explained to me a few times that the salad cleaned your mouth for the fruit.

Whatever the reason, I’ve always thought that ending a meal with salad is a nice, light way to put an exlamation mark on the act of eating. Having said that, I don’t put a lot of effort into salad. To me, the best salad is one with excellent lettuce, bathed in good olive oil and vinegar. That’s pretty much it.

But for my sister Lis and her partner in this event, Kelly of Sass and Veracity, I will most definitely go that extra mile. So I made not one, not two, but three extravant salads for their Salad Stravaganza!

We begin with a lovely salad of roast potatoes, green beans and cherry tomatoes. The recipe for this salad comes from an Bon Appétit magazine from earlier this year. The salad is lovely especially with a meal that includes some sort of roast meat or fish. The warm potatoes soak up the dressing and the beans and tomatoes add crunch and colour.

For the next two salads, I turned to Tracy Stern’s lovely Tea Party, which of course has been my Flavour of the Month for May and June. There’s a lovely salad in Stern’s book that consists of Bibb lettuce, green apple and avocado.

The salad is bathed in a Sesame-Green Tea Vinaigrette. While I chose the same elements for the make up of my salad, I used a dressing of my own creation, that I use often at home when I want a dressing that’s a bit more special than the good ol’ standby of olive oil and vinegar.

I love to make a dressing of champagne vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, shallot, sea salt, black pepper and the zest and juice of half a lemon. Here’s the recipe:

1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
juice and zest of half a lemon
3 tbsp. Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Whisk together the shallot, mustard, zest and lemon juice and vinegar in a bowl. Let sit for five minutes.

Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste and use immediately.

For the final salad, I decided to try another recipe from Stern’s book after I came across a pasta salad with chickpeas and roasted red pepper. I added red onion and artichoke hearts to the salad and I’m happy to say that it was a winner!

Best of all I got to take the leftovers to work as a healthy lunch.

250 g. fusilli pasta
handful of basil, minced
a few sprigs of mint, minced
1/2 a red onion, finely chopped
2 red peppers, roasted, cleaned and roughly chopped
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
1 cup artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cook the fusilli according to the directions on the package. Once cooked, let the pasta cool for about 10 minutes before putting the salad together.

Add the basil, mint, red onion, red peppers, chickpeas, artichoke hearts and lemon zest. Mix well.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and the garlic. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking all the time. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the dressing on the pasta salad and mix well and serve.

The pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Ciao!

Technorati tags: salad, salad stravaganza

When I read that The Domestic Goddess was bringing Sugar High Friday back to its beginning (so to speak), I was happy. It’s only right, after all, that the person who created such a popular event should get to host it every now and then. But I was even happier when I read that the theme for this month’s Sugar High Friday was The Sweetest Thing - our favourite desserts.

To be sure there have been SHFs that have been interesting, challenging and even a bit out there. But it’s nice, every once and awhile, to get back to the very foundations of your love for something - in this case dessert.

To say that one particular dessert is my very favourite is a bit difficult for me. I am a Cream Puff after all and I believe in supporting all of my family members, be they muffin, cake, pie, tart, custard or cookie. There is, however, most definitely one particular dessert that makes my heart swell with happiness as soon as I hear it mentioned: my Coconut Cream Cake.

Now to be fair, it isn’t really “my” Coconut Cream Cake. It is in fact a cake that belongs to Caprial Pence of Caprial’s Desserts (written with Melissa Carey). If you’ve ever seen the book or have the good fortune to own it, it’s the cake pictured on the front cover. I don’t often buy cookbooks without looking at them. But I bought this one as soon as I laid eyes on that cover.

I didn’t know what kind of cake it was, but I didn’t really care. I wanted it and so the cookbook had to be mine. As it turns out, it’s an incredible cookbook. I guard my copy jealously and I cherish every batter-stained page.

There’s no question, though, that were you to pick up my copy, it would almost definitely open of its own volition to page 236 and the recipe for Coconut Cream Cake.

As layer cakes go, it’s very straightforward. You begin with a sturdy cake with a soft and moist crumb that has been augmented by coconut milk. You add to it a delicious pastry cream made partly with more coconut milk and boosted by shredded coconut. And you finish with a lovely and simple buttercream, covered in toasted shredded coconut.

Really, on the surface there’s nothing unusual or out of the ordinary about this layer cake at all.

For me, it’s the coconut. My endless love.

I would crawl to the ends of the earth for coconut. I will eat it fresh or dried. I will eat it in sweet food or savoury food. I will drink anything even remotely associated with coconut flavour.

I remember the first time I tasted coconut like it was yesterday. I was a child, visiting my grandparents in Italy, and some friends of the family came to visit and they brought along some fresh coconut. After opening the coconut and cutting it into pieces, they plunged a plate of the stuff deep into the basin of the town’s fountain. And there it stayed for some time while the water turned the coconut icy cold. My first taste of it was a revelation! It was crunchy and sweet. But there was this hint of a nutty creaminess that I was immediately addicted to.

This cake makes me think of that first bite of coconut every single time I bake it. While I mostly bake for others, this is a dessert that I bake strictly for myself.

But of course this time around, I’m baking it for you too.

Enjoy …

Ciao!

Cream Puff’s Very Favourite Coconut Cream Cake
From Caprial’s Desserts by Caprial Pence and Melissa Carey.

Note: It’s best to make the pastry cream and the cakes the day before assembling the cake. I usually make them the night before. I make the buttercream just before I’m ready to begin assembling the cake. Once I begin assembling, I like to refrigerate the cake after each step. To frost the cake, I find that a cake stand is invaluable. If you want to read an amazing post about what it takes to bake and decorate cakes, read Anita’s post all about it on her blog Dessert First. This cake will easily serve 12 people.

For the coconut cake:

1 cup butter (2 sticks), cold and cut into small cubes
1-3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
3 cups sifted cake flour
1-1/2 cups coconut milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and grease two 9-inch pans. Line the bottoms of the pan with parchment paper and then grease the parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar at high speed. Mix until the butter is light and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes).

Turn the mixer to low speed and add the eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

Combine the dry ingredients (salt, baking powder and flour) and add to the butter/egg mixture in two additions, alternating with the coconut milk. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 25 minutes to 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake.

Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before unmolding them and peeling off the parchment paper. Let the cakes cool completely before filling them. If you make the cakes the day before assembling the cake, wrap them in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

For the coconut pastry cream:

1 cup half-and-half
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups heavy cream

In a saucepan, combine the half-and-half and the coconut milk and heat on high until the mixture is just about to boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, the cornstarch and the sugar. Whisk until well combined and the eggs are pale yellow (about 3 or 4 minutes).

Dribble in a few drops of the milk mixture and whisk. Continue dribbling in a bit of milk (don’t add it all at once or you may cook the egg yolks) and whisking. Once you’ve added about half of the milk, you can then add the rest in a steady stream, whisking all the time.

Return the milk/egg mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat (whisking constantly) until the mixture becomes very thick. This should take about 5 minutes or so. You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture bubbles and you can see the bottom of the pan as you drag the whisk through it. Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded coconut.

Pour the pastry cream into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap (the plastic wrap should touch the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming). Refrigerate overnight.

When you’re ready to fill the cakes, whip two cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream into the cold pastry cream until combined.

For the buttercream:

2 cups half-and-half
1 egg yolk
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 pound unsalted butter (2 cups), at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Combine the half-and-half, the egg yolk and the cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly to ensure that it’s smooth. When it comes to a boil it will thicken considerably. Remove from the heat and pass it through a sieve. Refrigerate for two hours.

After two hours, combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for 10 minutes, stopping every once and awhile to scrape down the sides of the bowl. After 10 minutes, the mixture will be almost white in colour and very light and fluffy.

Add the salt and mix.

With the speed on low, add the cold half-and-half mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure it’s well incorporated.

Add the vanilla extract and mix.

Use the buttercream right away.

To assemble the cake:

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Split the two 9-inch cakes in half so that you have four layers.

Place one layer, cut side up, on a cake plate or cake cardboard. Spread about half a cup of coconut pastry cream on the cake layer. Leave about half an inch border all the way around to ensure the pastry cream doesn’t leak out.

Top with a second layer of cake, and once again spread about half a cup of pastry cream on the layer.

Top with a third layer and repeat with the pastry cream.

Top with the final layer and press down to ensure that the cake is firmly in place. At this point I like to refrigerate the cake for about half an hour to give the pastry cream a chance to settle and firm up a bit. I usually make the buttercream while the cake is in the refrigerator.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator and begin icing. There are many different opinions on how to ice a cake. The way I like to do it is to spread a thin layer of icing on the top and the sides of the cake. Don’t worry if you pick up cake crumbs. Once you’ve done this, put the cake back into the refrigerator for about half an hour to firm up the buttercream.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator and this time, add a nice thick layer of buttercream all around. Begin by putting a cup or so of icing on the top of the cake. Spread it evenly across pushing the buttercream all the way to the edges. Once it’s even on top, begin pushing the buttercream at the edges down the sides of the cake, adding more buttercream as needed. Once you’re done, smooth the sides of the cake as best you can. Even out the edges of the cake by placing your icing spatula flat on the edge and smoothly sliding it towards the centre of the cake. This should give you a nice edge all the way around.

Place the cake in the refrigerator for about ten minutes. Remove the cake and carefully apply the toasted shredded coconut all around the sides of the cake and on the top of the cake if you wish. If you have any extra buttercream, feel free to pipe a decorative design on the cake.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 or 4 hours before serving.

Technorati tags: shf, sugar high friday, coconut, coconut cream cake, cake

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the greatest benefit of blogging is the chance to meet so many wonderful people.

Shortly after I began blogging I had the good fortune to meet Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Sensual Gourmet. Intelligent, warm, witty, sexy, sweet, beautiful - these are all adjectives that could very easily apply to Jasmine.

But the one adjective that is most popular with me is generous.

A little over a month ago, I was moaning and complaining to Jasmine about how difficult it was to find certain ingredients in Toronto. As great a city as it is, in terms of baking products and equipment, Toronto can be a very small pond.

I was in search of organic lavender and was finding it very difficult to source in this great city of ours. I had no luck locating it and ended up extremely frustrated by the blank stares and silly questions I got in response to my queries for this product.

I happened to tell Jasmine about it and she immediately offered to send me as much lavender as I wanted from a local supplier (in her neck of the woods).

It’s taken me awhile, but Jasmine I’m finally thanking you in the most public way I can imagine.

To express my gratitude, I’ve made you this very special Lavender Cake from Tracy Stern’s Tea Party.

Thank you for being such a sweetheart!

Ciao!

Lavender Cake
Adapted from Tea Party by Tracy Stern.

Note: Stern adds lemon to this cake in her book but I’ve changed it to orange. This recipe yields two 8-inch loaves.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds (blanched)
1-1/2 cups sugar
grated zest of 1 orange
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 large eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. dried lavender buds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch loaf pans.

In a bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt). Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the almonds and 2 tbsp. of the sugar. Process until the almonds are ground. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, remaining sugar and orange zest. Mix on medium high speed until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Add the orange juice and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternately. Begin and end with the dry ingredients in three additions. Be sure to add the dry ingredients on low speed. Mix well after each addition of dry ingredients and buttermilk.

After adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk, add the almond mixture and the lavender buds and mix until just combined.

Spread the batter in the prepared pans and be sure to even it off.

Bake the cakes for 50 minutes to an hour, or until they are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes. Then unmold the cakes and let them continue cooling on a wire rack.

Serve as is or dusted with icing sugar.

Enjoy!

Technorati tags: lavender, lavender cake

You may recall that a few months ago, the fearless Daring Bakers scaled Martha Stewart’s Crepe Cake Mountain.

We tamed the beast.

But having tamed it, a number of us decided that perhaps the beast wasn’t that scary after all. The general consensus at the time being that Martha’s cake was a tad disappointing. For myself, it turned out to be an awful lot of effort for so-so results.

There was, however, one positive thing to come of the whole excercise. On Martha Stewart’s site, there was a video link to a demonstration of the making of the crepe cake. During the demonstration, Martha explains that her version of the crepe cake is based on a very famous crepe cake from New York’s Lady M Cake Boutique.

After the letdown of the chocolate crepe cake, I went back to the video and watched it again. Intrigued by Lady M Cake Boutique, I googled the bakery and discovered that it’s quite famous, if a little mysterious.

As Web sites go, Lady M’s doesn’t tell you very much. It does, however, offer a most enticing view of the crepe cake for which it is famous.

So that’s what the real crepe cake looks like!

Hot on the trail of this cake, I did some more searching and came across an article by Amanda Hesser in the New York Times. An excellent article, it paints a most intriguing picture of Lady M Cake Boutique. And Cream Puff loves a mystery!

But bakery aside, what the article also does is provide a recipe for the Lady M Milles Crêpes™. (Yes. It’s trademarked.)

I’ll admit that I was skeptical. And a bit wary. Did I really want to use all those eggs not to mention time in pursuit of a crepe cake that could very well be just as disappointing as the first crepe cake I tried?

Hell yes!

I began by making the vanilla pastry cream filling so that it could chill overnight along with the crepe batter. I must say the filling was very straightforward. If you’ve ever made pastry cream before you should have no trouble with this one. It consisted of milk, vanilla, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and butter. So far, so good!

On to the crepe batter! Now I must tell you that I did have some assistance from Mama Cream Puff (she’s in Italy right now and we miss her so) with the crepe batter. Mama Cream Puff prepared the batter during the afternoon (while Cream Puff was work) so that it could sit in the refrigerator overnight, as required by the recipe. The crepe batter consists of butter, milk, eggs, flour, sugar and a bit of salt.

A bit nervous at how smoothly things were going, I got up the following morning to make the crepes and I was immediately suspicious. The batter looked a bit on the thin side.

Hmmmm.

But Mama Cream Puff assured me that she followed the directions exactly so I shrugged and carried on.

While a few crepes (at the beginning) suffered tragically short lives and had to be put out of their misery in the food recycling bin, I quickly got the hang of it and discovered that while the batter was thin, it created lovely crepes. I had to be careful because they were a bit on the delicate side, but in no time at all I had about 30 beautiful crepes (you need 20 to make the crepes cake).

Somewhat amazed at how quickly things were proceeding, I decided to carpe diem and put that baby together! I added whipped cream and kirsch to the pastry cream, took out my nicest cake stand and began building.

You know what. It was pretty easy!

The crepes were delicate and very flat, which made spreading the pastry cream simple. The pastry cream was most spreadable and most delicious as I found it quite difficult not to suck up as much as I was spreading onto the crepes.

And before I knew it, I had a crepe cake!

I refrigerated it as directed and was very patient, which is not like me but I didn’t want all this effort to go to waste. Finally, later that day, I unveiled the crepe cake, which I’d garnished with some red currants that I had in the freezer from last year’s crop. I’d also bruleed the top crepe as the recipe suggests. Hey, any chance I have to use my kitchen blowtorch, I’m there!

The moment of truth was when I cut into the cake and served it.

It was incredible! It was easy to slice and serve and the taste was unbelievable. Everyone loved it and I knew right then and there that I would be making this dessert for Christmas Day!

Flushed with success, I thought of my Daring Bakers and all the struggles over Martha’s cake (which … pardon my ineloquence … truly sucks by comparison) and I shed a tear.

Okay, that’s not really true. I didn’t shed a tear but I did smile because I’d found the real crepe cake. The one that kicks Martha’s crepe cake’s ass!

Ciao!

The Real Crepe Cake
(Same recipe as the one from the New York Times but with a few minor liberties.)

For the crêpes batter:

6 tablespoons butter
3 cups milk
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tbsp. sugar
Pinch salt
vegetable oil

The day before serving the cake, make the crepe batter and the pastry cream. For the batter, cook the butter in a small pan until brown like hazelnuts. Set aside. In another small pan, heat the milk until steaming; allow to cool for 10 minutes. In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter. Pour into a container with a spout, cover and refrigerate overnight.

To make the crepes, bring the batter to room temperature. Place a nonstick or seasoned 9-inch crepe pan over medium heat. Swab the surface with the oil, then add about 3 tablespoons batter and swirl to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, about 1 minute, then carefully lift an edge and flip the crepe with your fingers. Cook on the other side for no longer than 5 seconds. Flip the crepe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until you have 20 perfect crepes.

For the vanilla pastry cream:

2 cups milk
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
3 1/2 tbsp. butter

Bring the milk to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract then set aside for 10 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice and set aside a small bowl that can hold the finished pastry cream and be placed in this ice bath.

In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place pan over high heat and bring to a boil, whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Press the pastry cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the small bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath and stir until the temperature reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate.

To assemble the cake:

2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons Kirsch
icing sugar (optional)

Whip the heavy cream with the tablespoon sugar and the Kirsch. It won’t hold stiff peaks but that’s okay. Fold it into the pastry cream.

Lay 1 crepe on a cake plate. Using an icing spatula, completely cover with a thin layer of pastry cream (about 1/4 cup). Cover with a crepe and repeat to make a stack of 20, with the best-looking crepe on top. Chill for at least 2 hours. Set out for 30 minutes before serving. If you have a blowtorch for creme brulee, sprinkle the top crepe with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize with the torch; otherwise, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Slice like a cake.

Batter adapted from ”Joy of Cooking.” Pastry cream adapted from ”Desserts,” by Pierre Herme and Dorie Greenspan. Serves 10.

Technorati tags: crepes, crepe cake, lady m cake boutique

Have you ever looked at a plate of pasta, your very favourite pasta, and thought back to the first moment that you tried it? Or how about the first time you tasted the richness of a tiramisu’ or the crisp bite of a biscotto?

Being born in an Italian family means that I actually have few recollections of the first time I tasted most dishes. I was probably eating pastina (soup with pasta), polpette (meatballs) and amaretti (almond cookies) before I could even talk! Still, though, I do have some memories of the first time I tried a dish. I still remember the first time I tried a pizza baked in a wood-burning oven and I can still taste the crispness of that crust!

Food and memory feature prominently in this post and its thanks to my dear Cath of beautiful blog A Blithe Palate. Several months ago, Cath approached me the opportunity to have a sneak peek at Faith Heller Willinger’s soon-to-be published book, Adventures of an Italian Food Lover.

Faith Heller Willinger is a food writer based in Florence, Italy. American by birth, Willinger married a Tuscan man and settled in Italy, although “settled” isn’t probably quite the right term. Fueled by a burgeoning love of food and wine, Willinger began exploring Italian food with a passion that is to be admired. And she saw Italian food in the unique way that only someone who is new to it can see it. Her experiences are documented in a number of books, most notably Eating in Italy.

Adventures of an Italian Food Lover is a difficult book to describe. When I first received a galley copy, I was deeply curious especially after a conversation with Cath who described it as unlike any cookbook she’d ever seen. In fact, to simply call it a cookbook is grossly unfair.

Willinger’s latest work truly is an adventure. Memory-filled narratives introduce each recipe. The pages of the book are graced with the artwork of Willinger’s sister, Suzanne. And the recipes themselves are both recipe and introduction to a new set of friends for the recipes all originate from people that Willinger has met during her food travels.

Imagine that. Imagine compiling a set of recipes from your friends and your family. How special would that be?

This book is so engaging. I read it from cover to cover in three days, something I’ve never done before with a “cookbook”. I have a feeling that if you could see it, you’d probably do the same!

The main reason behind receiving a copy was preparation for a very exciting event that Cath and I will be hosting based on Adventures of an Italian Food Lover. Within the next month or so, a number of bloggers in this community of ours will be receiving a copy of Willinger’s book and they’ll be charged with the task of choosing a recipe and preparing it for whomever they wish. They’re posts on the book will not be a book review, but rather an account of their experience sharing the dish they made.

For myself, as soon as I saw the recipe for Lucia’s Walnut Cake, I was incredibly drawn to it. First of all because it is so unique and unusual in the way that many Italian sweets are. It’s a “cake” made of egg whites, sugar and walnuts. No flour.

But I was also drawn to the recipe because I could imagine sharing it with my paternal grandmother, Pia. I don’t think I’ve ever really spoken much about my Nonna Pia. I met her only a few times in my life although I was fortunate enough to spend several months with her each time. She was the sort of woman that would put us “modern women” to shame.

She had six children, she was a farmer, she cooked over a fire, she had hands that were stronger than any man’s, she could hike into the hills forever and never get tired, she was intelligent and kind, she could protect her family and find a way to survive with next-to-nothing … she was formidable!

But there are two things that I remember most about my grandmother. I remember her beautiful, long grey hair that she would plait and then tie in a knot. And I remember the simple but delicious food she made. In particular I remember her plum jam and the simple cakes that she baked for us to enjoy with our morning coffee. Nothing fancy, just simple, wholesome food.

And for some reason when I saw the recipe for Lucia’s Walnut Cake, I knew that it would be the sort of cake I could share with my Nonna Pia. It’s something delicious out of almost nothing.

I hope that when Adventures of An Italian Food Lover is published in July, you’ll pick up a copy and meet all of Willinger’s charming friends. And I also hope that you’ll stay tuned for the blog event based on the book.

In the meantime, I hope you find a new food adventure every day!

Ciao!

You can read Cath’s post here.

Technorati tags: faith heller willinger, italy, italian food, lucia’s walnut cake

Tonight, my family and I will be watching the final episode of the program The Sopranos. After all these years, it finally comes down to one episode.

We’ve always been a television family. While many lament the television as causing the breakdown of so many family values, I’ve always found that in my family, it’s been a gathering point. We’ve spent countless nights gathered in the living room watching television.

While much of what we watched was Italian programming, like most immigrants we became quickly versed in the traditions of a new country. We all became hockey fans watching Hockey Night in Canada. And who among us didn’t spend the summer wondering who really shot J.R.?

But the one aspect of film and television that always posed a challenge was the portrayal of Italians.

My parents worked hard to ensure that we had the best of both worlds. We were taught about Italian music, food, history and culture, all the while being encouraged to appreciate the advantages and values of our new country. Being born in Canada, my brother and I grew up with the benefits of two very different yet equally rich environments.

We were always warned to avoid stereotypes about Italians, or any cultural group for that matter. This explained my parents’ unease with mob jokes or the more and more common use of words that were a hybrid of English and Italian dialect. While others found this amusing, my parents frowned upon it and regarded as disrespectful to both our Italian heritage and our Canadian culture.

And yet, there was always a strange attraction to certain films about Italians. I’d be lying if I said that The Godfather wasn’t a classic in our family. And I’d also be lying if I said that we didn’t think that Goodfellas was one of the best moves ever made.

As I got older, and began to think through my identity as an Italian Canadian, I was often confused by this. How could we disdain any association with many of the stereotypes associated with Italians and yet wax poetic whenever someone mentioned the name Corleone?

It didn’t make much sense to me.

So when The Sopranos first came into being, for my family it was just another show about Italians in the mob. Granted we didn’t have access to The Sopranos at first. As an HBO program, we weren’t able to view it in Canada and when it finally was available, it was a considerable amount of time before we watched our first episode to try and figure out what the big deal it was.

And what a big deal it turned out to be.

From the first, the show about a crime family in New Jersey was captivating in a way that few shows have ever been. Part of its appeal was the writing and acting to be sure. Say what you want but the cast of The Sopranos have put in some of the best performances ever seen on television.

We’ve had many family discussions about The Sopranos and why the show resonates. Someone once made the point that The Sopranos, as with all films and shows on the subject, depict Italians in a position of power, albeit violently gotten power. And for the Italian immigrant who may have suffered so much, it’s a sort of revenge fantasy. It’s a chance to stick it to the society that wasn’t so welcoming when they first arrived.

Maybe.

I know for myself, I find the show unbelievably compelling. I don’t think I’ve seen another show that has me thinking and reflecting as much as this one. Through all the violence and humour, I would always find myself thinking, “I can’t believe I’m watching this.”

I’d laugh at all the jokes that my parents would never allow us to utter and think, “I can’t believe I find that funny.”

I’d identify with all the stereotypes of the immigrant Italian and think, “I can’t believe I recognize elements of my own family in what I’m seeing.”

It’s like looking in a mirror and seeing a distorted reflection that you never thought could possibly be there. To a degree, I think I both love and hate The Sopranos.

I love the show because it’s just so damn good. But I hate it because no matter what, it reinforces all the stereotypes that I know to be wrong.

But I can’t stop watching.

And why in the world do we care so much about what happens to Tony Soprano? A character who has committed such ghastly acts as he has should be hated, reviled and punished.

But I would be lying if I didn’t say that there is some small part of me that doesn’t secretly hope that he somehow escapes the bullet that is surely destined for him.

In today’s Toronto Star, there is an excellent article by Vinay Menon about the final episode of The Sopranos. One of the interesting points that Menon makes is that perhaps what is behind Tony Soprano’s appeal is the perception that his crimes notwithstanding, Tony Soprano can be redeemed.

Maybe. Maybe not.

All I know is that I am hardpressed to think of another character so completely compelling. He’s repulsive and horrid, to be sure. But no matter what, you still want to know what happens to him.

As the final episode of The Sopranos loomed, I found myself thinking about it quite a bit. I’ve had many discussions with friends and family about how we think the show will end. Unsurprisingly, I even found myself picking up a copy of The Sopranos Family Cookbook at the bookstore.

I’d initally written this cookbook off as a farce. Having never looked through it, I just thought it was a bit of marketing and promotion - like The Sopranos hasn’t made enough money for all involved.

But a few weeks ago I finally did look through it and what I found was a clever, humourous book that is just another example of how well planned out The Sopranos is. For this reason its creator David Chase must be recognized for his talents.

Written from the point of view of the actual characters, The Sopranos Family Cookbook is both serious and tongue-in-cheek. It’s both a cookbook and a piece of satire. It’s funny but not lighthearted. It’s the perfect capture of The Sopranos in book form.

And right off the bat, there is a recipe for “Sunday Gravy”. Those of you familiar with Italian cooking may know that for many, Sunday mornings means a pot of tomato sauce bubbling on the stove. In my family, we call this sugo, which is the Italian word for sauce.

When I first heard the term “gravy” in reference to tomato sauce, I shuddered. I have no idea why it would be called gravy. I can’t help but picture goopy, grey sauces when I think of gravy. I do not associate it in anyway with the sugo that my grandmother and mother would make every Sunday morning.

Our sugo is a brilliant producton of olive oil, meat (most often a piece of veal shoulder with the bone in), garlic, hot pepper, salt, tomato paste and our very own raw tomato that we preserve each year. Cooked slowly for several hours, it is the hallmark of virtually ever Sunday for as far back as I can remember.

In the spirit of The Sopranos, I decided to swallow my revulsion at the word gravy and give it a go. While the “gravy” I made is a hybrid of what my mother usually makes on Sunday and the recipe in the book, it’s still sugo to me.

As for Tony and the gang, who knows what will happen. Will tonight be his end or will he continue on the violent road he has travelled for so long?

Either way, it’s arrivederci, Sopranos.

Ciao!

Sunday Gravy, My Way
Inspired by The Sopranos Family Cookbook and Mama Cream Puff

Note: This is a combination of the way family’s way of making sugo (sort of) and the recipe for Sunday Gravy from The Sopranos Family Cookbook. If my mother reads this (she’s in Italy), I apologize in advance for any no-nos. You have to understand that sugo is a big deal in Italian family’s and messing with the recipe is generally frowned upon. You will undoubtedly have lots of sauce left over so let it cool and then store in the refrigerator. The sauce should keep in the refrigerator for a week. You can freeze tomato sauce, but I don’t like doing that. It’s always best to make a fresh pot.

3 tbsp. olive oil
pork ribs (small segment)
bone-in veal shoulder (about a pound, cut into pieces)
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup tomato paste
raw tomato sauce (I use my family’s raw tomato sauce. I measured the amount and it works out to about 60 fl. ouces. You can buy plum tomatoes in a can and run them through a food mill.)
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
red chili pepper flakes (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot.
Add the pork ribs and saute until browned on all sides (about 5 minutes). Remove the ribs to a plate.
Add the veal shoulder and brown on all sides (about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the pieces). Remove to a plate.
Drain off most of the fat and oil in the pot. Add the garlic and saute until the garlic begins to turn golden. Discard the garlic.
Add the tomato paste and stir for a minute.
Add the raw tomato sauce and 1-1/2 cups of the water. You may need to add more water as the sauce cooks.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Add the chili flakes if using.
Return the ribs and veal shoulder to the sauce. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, lower the heat and partially cover the pot. Simmer for several hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin with a bit of water.
After two hours, test the sauce. If it’s deep red and no longer water, it’s ready. Remove the meat and serve along side the sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Enjoy!

Technorati tags: the sopranos, sunday gravy, tomato sauce

When I was a very little girl, I had a fascination with the airport. My parents would take me to Toronto’s Pearson International Airport and park on the top level so that I could watch the planes take off. Maybe it’s because our house is so close to the airport, but I always loved looking up into the sky and watching the planes fly by.

Now that I’m older, airports still have a strange pull. I love the idea of departing; going somewhere else. Somewhere new. And yet it’s always a bit sad and not just when you return from a vacation. There’s an inherenet loneliness to airports. So many people, so many faces that you’ll rush by in a second and never see again.

It’s bittersweet.

On Tuesday, I brought my mother to the airport for her flight to Italy and as soon as I set foot in the terminal, that feeling of wanting to be somewhere else washed over me.

As we stood in the slowly moving line, amongst so many people getting ready to visit Italy, I kept hearing snippets of conversations. People talked about how long they’d been in Canada and who they were going back to visit. People talked about what part of Italy they were from and where they were born. They talked about how long it had been since their last visit and how long they would stay.

And for most of them, I could tell that there was a sense of eagerness not just for travel, but to return to what is their spiritual home, if not their real home.

For my mother, it’s a return to my father. My mother’s family is all in Canada yet my father’s family is all in Italy. So she goes there to stay with her sisters-in-law and her brothers-in-law. She goes there to soak in the place where my father was born. She goes to our little itty bitty house there that has been slowly and painstakingly repaired.

When my mother had finally checked in, I walked her to the Gate and saw her off. Her last words to me were, “Take care of my little tomato plants.”

In the middle of an airport, it all comes back to what really counts … tomato plants and a trip to somewhere else.

Safe passage to travellers everywhere.

Ciao!

Rose Meringues
Adapted from Tea Party by Tracy Stern.

Note: I’ve never made pavlova before so I consider this to be the first step on my way to that most noble of desserts. Basically you’re looking at a 1/4 of sugar per egg white. It sounds like a lot but surprisingly the meringues do not end up overly sweet. If you don’t have rosewater, use another flavouring like vanilla extract. You can bake the meringues several days ahead and store them in an airtight container. It’s best to make the strawberry cream the same day that you serve these. Don’t assemble these until just before serving.

I made these because they reminded me of being in a plane looking at the clouds.

For the meringues:

4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. rosewater (optional)

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and the rosewater together gradually adding the sugar until you have a very stiff mixture. The egg whites should hold stiff peaks when you pull the whisk out.

With a tablespoon, drop the mixture onto the baking sheets in large mounds (about 2 inches in size). Be careful not to crowd the mounds together. (You can also use a piping bag to do this).

Bake for an hour, or until the meringues have dried and are not sticky to the touch. They will be slightly golden on top and around the edges. Be careful not to burn them.

Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.

For the strawberry cream:

1 cup heavy cream
1 pint strawberries or other berries
1 tbsp. icing sugar
1 tsp. rosewater

In a blender, combine one third of the strawberries with the icing sugar and rosewater. Blend until smooth.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the whipping cream until very thick and stiff.

Fold the strawberry mixture into the whipped cream.

To assemble:

Once the meringues have cooled, spoon a generous dollop of the strawberry cream onto each meringue. Top with the remaining sliced strawberries and serve.

Technorati tags: meringues, rosewater, strawberries

I hope everyone is enjoying a good week so far. I know I am! I had a day off on Tuesday and got to spend lots of time baking and trying some new recipes.

And even better is the news that on Wednesday, Cream Puffs in Venice will be featured in a podcast interview conducted by the lovely Adrienne of Adrienne’s Essentials.

Several months ago, Adrienne e-mailed me wondering if I’d be interested in being featured in a podcast feature she and her friend Toya host each Wednesday.

Adrienne sent me the questions in advance, which gave me the opportunity to prepare a bit. It was all exciting and fun and a bit strange as I’ve never been interviewed before. It was an excellent way to remind myself of many of the reasons why I started this blog in the first place.

The podcast will be up on Wednesday June 6th so be sure to check out Inspirational Wednesdays if you’re interested.

Adrienne and Toya, thank you so much!

Ciao!

After the excitement of baking for a bridal shower at the beginning of May, I could not have possibly imagined what was to happen next. I was barely over the high of baking (and being paid for it) when I had what I consider to be an opportunity of a lifetime.

I had lunch with Dorie Greenspan.

Dorie is the author of many incredible cookbooks including Baking with Julia, Paris Sweets and the recently pubished Baking: From My Home to Yours. In April, Dorie was awarded the James Beard Foundation award in the Baking and Dessert category, and deservedly so.

Dorie was in Toronto for the Santé: The Bloor-Yorkville Wine Festival. As soon as Dorie e-mailed me to let me know that she’d be in town, I knew I had to make time to meet with her.

After a few e-mails, we agreed to meet at the Avenue bar and lounge in the Four Seasons Hotel for lunch. I arrived early and chose a table by the window. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. I fidgeted in the chair and kept fussing with my top. I looked at the menu. I looked outside. I tried to imagine what it would be like saying hello to Dorie.

And then there she was. And the very first thing she did was give me a huge hug. Within seconds, I felt like I’d known Dorie forever. She is as sweet and charming in person as she is in her cookbooks.

Over the course of almost two hours, we talked about everything from living in Paris to creating recipes. With a wonderful sense of humour, Dorie imparted so much wonderful advice and encouragement. I told her about the Daring Bakers and how much baking meant to me.

I find myself at a point in my baking where I’m trying to figure out how to create recipes of my own, but I don’t want to fail. Dorie very wisely pointed out that it’s okay to try something and chuck it if it doesn’t work out. It was a liberating piece of advice! I was amazed by Dorie. Her energy and her presence were infectious.

Best of all, Dorie signed my copy of Paris Sweets, a book that I hold most dear!

But before I knew it, I had to return to work. I would have loved to have spent the rest of the afternoon with Dorie and walked over to The Cookbook Store. Gracious as ever, Dorie sent me on my way with another hug and a smile.

As I made my way back to work, I could hardly believe that I’d just had lunch with Dorie Greenspan. When I got back to work, a number of my colleagues were eagerly awaiting the details as I’d told them about the lunch. I got to relive it all and it was no less exciting and unbelievable.

In the days that followed, as I reflected on Dorie’s words, I had this overwhelming urge to bake for her. That may sound silly, but baking is the best way I know to share my appreciation. I have a little theory that we bakers share a generosity gene and I think Dorie proves that. Her selflessness, her willingness to share what she knows and give advice, I think it’s all because of that little bit of baking DNA!

For Dorie, I decided to bake one of my most favourite little treats. They’re called Pasticcioni (plump pastries) and are from Viana La Place’s dear, sweet cookbook, La Bella Cucina. They’re plump little cakes filled with a dollop of pastry cream and baked. While the original recipe advises to eat them while warm or the day that they’re baked, I actually like them if they’re a few days old. They’re lovely dipped in espresso and then bitten into to find the pastry secret inside. Sometimes, I also like to tuck a perfect blueberry or raspberry inside each one as a little treat.

Technorat tags: dorie greenspan, paris sweets