Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Labels:

,

    After making the lavender macaroons, I had a bowl full of egg yolks I had to use, so what else could I make but ice cream!!! Rich, creamy, sweet and salty ice cream.

    Those of you who know me, know that ice cream is my weakness. I can never say no to it. There was a time when I thought I was a true ice cream addict and this is no joke. I used to dream about it and crave it every night like any other addict. I used to plan my evening time around my bowl of ice cream. Cookies and cream was my drug of choice. Nowadays, I have learned to control those cravings by telling myself…“Everything in moderation, you must eat everything in moderation”.

    When I started thinking about what flavor of ice cream to make, I kept going back to something with caramel. I thought of caramelized apples, burnt sugar, butterscotch… I’m not sure why but that was the flavor I was craving. So I just took my basic vanilla ice cream recipe but instead of granulated sugar, I decided to use demerara sugar. Demerara sugar is a large grain, amber-gold natural sugar with some original cane molasses left in it which makes it a perfect sugar to caramelize. When cooked, it turns into a rich, dark and potent caramel. Perfect for I wanted. And of course, I needed to add some salt because what is caramel without salt, right? I started with half a teaspoon but had to increase it to one and a half.

    After I churned the ice cream, I tasted it and reminded me of something else but I couldn’t figure out what that was. I thought and thought and realized that this ice cream tastes just like Werther’s caramels! That was my candy of choice for a few years when I was in college. My great friend Beñat and I must have eaten thousands of Werther’s one year… Great memories.

    As for the type of ice cream machine one must use… well, there are different models out there. I own a Krups that works decently but nowhere near the texture you get with professional ice cream machines. These home-use machines tend to deliver a grainy, uneven ice cream but it will do for now. I like the White Mountain ice cream maker the best for home-use. I used it at a friends house and it made a fairly good batch. But of course, if you can get your hands on a commercial one, please do so!


    SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM

    350 grams of organic whole milk
    450 grams organic heavy cream
    120 grams organic egg yolks
    100 grams organic demerara sugar
    1 ½ tsp sea salt
    ½ vanilla bean, split

    In a small saucepan, simmer the whole milk, heavy cream and the split vanilla bean scraping all the vanilla seeds.

    In a large saucepan, we are going to make a dry caramel with the demerara. Heat the saucepan and sprinkle about half of the sugar on it. The sugar will slowly start to melt and turn brown, keep sprinkling more sugar over it until you have incorporated all of it. Stir with a wooden spoon so it caramelizes evenly. It will start to turn darker and it might even have a burnt caramel smell. This is what we want but be careful that it does not burn. Turn the heat off.

    Slowly whisk half of the warm milk and cream mixture into the caramel. This mixture will start to bubble up so be careful not to add too much at once or it will over flow. Keep whisking until bubbles disappear and add the remainder of the milk.

    If you feel there are crystallized caramel pieces in the bottom of the pan, turn heat on and let them melt again.

    Temper the caramel mixture into the egg yolks. Pour this back into the saucepan and cook until thermometer reaches 82ºC. Be careful not to overcook it because it will curdle. Remove from heat and add sea salt. This is going to be the ice cream base.

    Strain the ice cream base into a clean bowl and place it on an ice bath so it cools down quickly. Refrigerate it for at least 4 hours before churning it in the ice cream machine. I usually leave it in the refrigerator over night. Churn it according to your machines’ instructions and freeze it.


    I actually like my ice cream right out of the machine, when it is really, really soft…

    My husband brought some Indian spiced cashews from London a few weeks ago and I sprinkled those on top of the ice cream. I know, odd combination but they actually complemented the ice cream really well… My mouth is watering right now…

Post Title

→

Salted Caramel Ice Cream


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/salted-caramel-ice-cream.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Lavender and Orange Macarons

Labels:

, , ,


    I never saw or tasted French macarons until I was 18. It was my first trip to Paris and I remember seeing colorful pyramids in many patisserie windows. My family made almond macaroons but they were very different, cluster almond cookies.

    I love how colorful, versatile and delicate macarons are but what I love the most is how temperamental they are. Yes, temperamental. It is almost like they are testing your baking and science skills. They are challenging and intimidating if you have never made them before. This is also one of those recipes that you cannot just read about, you really have to look at your ingredients, the humidity in your kitchen, your oven… many factors involved here.

    The basic macaron recipe has been adapted from a recipe by Sebastien Cannone, MOF, chef instructor and owner of the French Pastry School in Chicago. I have been to four of his classes and he is phenomenal. Not only is he a technical genius, he focuses very much in the quality of ingredients, flavors and all senses involved in the culinary experience. On top of that, he is a great communicator… Very, very inspiring man.

    I would say that there are several keys to a beautiful macaron. One is that the egg whites we use are somewhat old. This means that some water content has evaporated and more solid matter is left which will help in the stability of the meringue. For that, I separate the egg whites from the yolks a couple of days before I am going to make the recipe. I leave the egg whites in a bowl uncovered in the refrigerator until I am ready to use them.

    The type of oven also plays a big role in the outcome. I am afraid it might take several batches of ruined macarons to come up with the perfect ones. The oven temperature and how even the heat is distributed is key. So test a couple of times.


    I would describe these macarons as lavender and orange scented rather than full, bursting flavor ones. I like the hint of lavender and the freshness of the orange against the almond. I love almonds so I really wanted these macarons to be simple.

    So finally, here is the recipe.

    LAVENDER AND ORANGE MACARONS

    Makes about 4 dozen small macarons

    181 grams almond flour
    243 grams powdered sugar
    138g egg whites
    3 grams egg white powder
    2 grams of finely ground sea salt
    81 grams granulated sugar
    Zest of one orange
    5 drops of blue food coloring (I used a natural food coloring made from blueberry concentrate)
    dried lavender leaves

    In a large bowl, sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar and salt. Set aside.
    In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg white and the egg white powder. Whip in medium speed until egg whites start to increase in volume. I know a lot of recipes say to whip the egg whites at high speed but I find that it is better to start slower to build a better structure for the meringue.

    When the egg whites are almost fully whipped and very fluffy, slowly start adding the sugar, sprinkle it in. After all the sugar is incorporated, continue to whip the meringue in high speed now until stiff peaks have formed. This is when we will add the orange zest and the food coloring.

    Add the dry ingredients to the meringue and with a spatula, fold the meringue into the dry ingredients. This is called “macaroner” and is also a tricky part. It is better to fold slowly and test a couple of macarons because it is possible to over fold this mixture. We are looking for a shiny mass. For this amount of ingredients, I would say that it will only take about 10 to 15 strokes. But again, it is better to check for consistency. We are looking for a mass that spreads a little but not too much otherwise our macarons will be flat.

    Pipe the mass onto half sheet pans lined with silpats. Sprinkle the wet macarons with dried lavender leaves. Make sure to pick out any stems or hard pieces.

    Let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes so they dry. We want the tops to not stick to our finger when we touch them. This will ensure a crack-free macaron.



    Have your oven preheated at 325 degrees. Bake one sheet pan at a time positioning it in a middle rack. Bake for about 8 minutes and rotate sheet pan to ensure even baking. It should take about 14 minutes but that depends on the oven. We want to be able to pick up the macaron without it falling apart but we don’t want to over bake it either. It is better to bake it slowly so no browning occurs.

    Remove them from the oven and slide the silpat onto a cold surface. Let them cool on the silpat.

    ORANGE BUTTERCREAM FILLING

    I don’t ever follow a recipe for buttercream. When I was in culinary school my chef instructor, chef Schmidtke drilled in my head the numbers 1-2-3, meaning 1 part of egg whites, 2 parts of sugar and 3 parts of butter. So that’s what I follow.

    50 grams of egg whites
    100 grams of granulated sugar
    150 grams of room temperature unsalted butter
    Zest of one orange

    In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together egg whites and the sugar lightly. Place over a water bath until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch. Bring bowl to the electric mixer and whip until stiff peaks form. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time while whipping. Add the orange zest and mix until incorporated.

    Pipe a teaspoon of the buttercream on a macaron and top with another one that is similar size.


    I know I probably bored you with all my extra comments but I hope you try to make them. They are worth the effort for sure!

Post Title

→

Lavender and Orange Macarons


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/lavender-and-orange-macarons.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Arroz Con Leche

Labels:

,



    If there is one particular flavor or smell that describes my childhood that would be cinnamon. I grew up in my grandfather's pastry shop and it seems like every pastry had cinnamon. Custards were always flavored with cinnamon, even pastry cream which according to all current recipes, it is supposed to be made with vanilla.

    Arroz con Leche is our version of rice pudding but in this case there are no eggs involved, no zest, no vanilla, no raisins, only milk, sugar, salt and cinnamon. So simple but so warm. I can say this is my all time favorite comfort food and of course, comes from my grandmother Miren.


    I could dedicate an entire post to my grandmother. I suppose most people can but MY grandmother was very special, IS very special I should say. She worked along side my grandfather in the pastry shop. He got most of the credit for their success but she was the backbone. Always very warm, quiet, giving and a very, very strong woman.


    Her arroz con leche is legendary in our family but she never wrote down the recipe so my mom and I worked on it for a few days to finally come up with the right quantities of ingredients to make something that resembled my grandmother's recipe. I think we got it and it's fantastic. The key has to be good ingredients and lots of love and attention. This is not a recipe that you can whip up in a Kitchen Aid, pour in a pan and leave it in a hot oven. Oh no, you must stand by the stove for almost the entire cooking process, stir and stir, let it do its pil-pil (which is the Basque word for simmering). In this case the love and detail in the cooking process are key. and I often compare it to making a milk risotto.


    We always had excellent ingredients available in the pastry shop. The raw cows milk came from the farm up the street every morning. It was delivered in large metal containers and you could always see the fat layer right on top. It was my grandmother's job to boil it twice to pasteurize it so it could be used in the recipes for the pastry shop. I remember the cream layer on top of the milk... That used to be our afternoon snack spread on a piece of bread sprinkled with sugar. Decadent to say the least. Considering I do not have access to raw milk in Florida, I always use organic whole milk.



    Arroz Con Leche

    2 liters (half a gallon) of organic whole milk
    1 cinnamon stick
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    100 grams (1/2 cup) of organic milled sugar
    100 grams Valencia short grain rice or Arborio rice

    In a saucepan, slowly heat the milk, salt and the cinnamon stick. Bring it to a low simmer, the lower the better.


    Add the rice and the sugar and stir. It has to cook for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes in low heat and it must be stirred often, every 5 minutes or so. We want to keep the heat low enough that it doesn't burn the sugar but high enough that there are small simmer bubbles forming.

    The milk will start to turn a little caramel color and that is due to the caramelization of the sugar. A thin layer of fat will also form on the top. Keep stirring and that will disappear although personally I love when that happens.

    Ladle into bowls, top with crumbled Maria cookies or graham crackers and sprinkle freshly grated cinnamon on top.



    If you don't want a skin to form on top of the milk, cover the surface with plastic film and then refrigerate. As I mentioned before, I think that's the best part but that's just my personal taste.

    Enjoy! On egin!



    Lavender and Orange Macaroons coming soon....

Post Title

→

Arroz Con Leche


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/arroz-con-leche.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Lemons

Labels:

,


    So I know I said that arroz con leche would be my next post but that was before I decided to make lemon bars. I went to the market today and I just couldn't let those lemons get away. They looked beautiful, plump and juicy and I had to get them. I love citrus and I live in Florida.


    I have a million recipes for lemon bars but I have to admit that this one from Magnolia Bakery is my favorite one. The short crust is as flaky as it gets, so delicate that is even hard to pick up. The filling is simple, creamy and tangy, just eggs, sugar and lemons.


    Lemon Bars from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

    Makes half a sheetpan

    For the crust:

    1 lb butter, room temperature
    1 cup powdered sugar
    1/2 tsp salt
    2 tsp lemon zest
    4 cups all purpose flour


    In a mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar with paddle attachment. Add salt, lemon zest and the flour. Mix only until combined and crumbly.

    Spread soft dough onto the sheetpan, going up the sides and flattening it as much as possible. I use a sheet of parchment on top and the bottom of my measuring cup.

    Refrigerate the dough for about half an hour.

    Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden.

    For the filling:

    3 cups sugar
    9 eggs
    1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
    9 tsp lemon zest (about 7-8 lemons)

    In a bowl, whisk eggs with sugar. Add zest and juice. Whisk until combined.

    Pour the custard into the baked crust, return to the oven and bake at 325 for another 25-30 minutes until the custard is set.

    I love these lemon bars warm out of the oven. The crust melts in your mouth!!

Post Title

→

Lemons


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/lemons.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Starting the pastry blog

    Hello to anyone out there reading this!

    I feel like a little kid on her first day of school. What a terrifying thought that is! I have always been shy of crowds, introductions and so on. But I really wanted to start a pastry journal, mostly for myself, to keep me going and to force me to bake everyday. I am a pastry chef, you see. And the first thing people ask me is... "So where do you work?"... "Hmmm..." I think to myself... "Well... currently I don't work anywhere. I'm taking care of my son". "ohh..." they respond and stop there.

    It's funny because I haven't worked outside of my house for almost two years but I have never stopped considering myself a pastry chef. Isn't that funny? If I was working at a store or if I had a Marketing Coordinator title, I wouldn't say that I'm a store clerk or a Marketing Coordinator after two years. But yes, I am a pastry chef and so are my uncles and so was my grandfather, back in the Basque Country, that is.

    So this is my introduction and my first official blog. Ciao!



    Rice Pudding (Arroz con Leche) coming soon.....

Post Title

→

Starting the pastry blog


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/starting-pastry-blog.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Recipe Index

Post Title

→

Recipe Index


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/recipe-index.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

About Cannelle Et Vanille



    I am Aran, a Basque ex-pat living in the US since 1998, and this is Cannelle Et Vanille, my baby, my blank canvas for creating anything and everything sweet that comes out of my heart. Why the name Cannelle Et Vanille? Because those are the smells and tastes of my childhood and this blog is very much filled with nostalgia.

    I am a mother of a boy and a girl who keep me busy and a freelance food writer, stylist and photographer. This blog is a journal of all my recipes, travels and life stories.

    I am also working on my first cookbook that will be published by Little, Brown & Company in the fall of 2012.

    I love comments and feedback so please don't hesitate to contact me at aran@arangoyoaga.com.

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    After responding so many emails about the same topics, I thought it would be a good idea to add a FAQ section. Hope this answers some of your questions...

    I am looking to buy a new camera and I like your photography. What camera do you use?

    I think which camera to use depends on many things, mainly how you will be using it, what you are trying to achieve with it and of course, your budget. I started with a Canon Rebel XT, went on to a Canon 50D and now a Canon 5D. I think the Rebel was a great camera, but I do love my 5D.

    Where do you get all those lovely props?

    I have a tableware and prop addiction and I might just have to rent a studio just to store all of my things. Lots of my dishes are from Anthropologie, Lekker, but some of them are also from back home. There is a hole in the wall hardware shop in Bilbao that always surprises me with little cool things.

    Why do you always use grams?

    I'm European and that is what I am accustomed to and also, all the professional kitchens I have worked in have used grams. If you would like to convert grams to ounces, all you have to do is divide the grams by 28.375 and that will give you he ounces you need.

    Can I send you my products so you can review them in your blog?

    I don't do product reviews in my blog. Sometimes, there might be something that I love and must share with you but never paid and always my initiative. The same applies to event reviews or cookbook reviews.

    I am interested in advertising on your blog. Do you have any ad spaces open?

    For a long time, I wanted this to be an ad free space, but a couple of months ago, after really looking at all my possibilities, I decided to become part of Martha Stewart's "Martha's Circle" and PlateFull. I am very happy with them at the moment and do not have any other ad spaces available.

    Can I write a guest post in your blog?

    This blog is a personal journal of my recipes, photographs and stories and I want to maintain it that way, so no, at the moment I do not have guest bloggers.

    Can you do a guest post in my blog?

    I have done some guest posts in the past, but right now I have no free time really. You might see me over at a friend's blog at one point or another, but that will be rare. Maybe when I have more time.

    Can we exchange links?

    I love sharing my favorite links, websites and blogs, but I don't systematically exchange links. I need to get to know it and love it. I hope you understand this.

    Do you sell your baked goods anywhere?

    No, I don't. I do some catering at times so contact me if you have anything in mind although I might not always be able to accommodate your request.

    Do you teach baking, styling or photography classes?

    I am happy to say that I am starting to teach food styling and photography workshops again now that my kids are a bit older. The upcoming workshop in Dordogne, France is sold out, but stay tuned as I will announce future dates soon.

    I have tried your recipes and they don't work the way I wanted them to work. Can I contact you to ask specifics?

    Actually, I love those kinds of emails. Some recipes are more temperamental than others so if you are having problems, email me and I will do my best to help. I am very good about that.

    Where did you go to school to be a stylist and a photographer? How can I get into this field?

    I might not be the best person to answer this question. I went to university for business and economics. Even received a MBA, but then switched to culinary. I attended culinary school and worked for different restaurants and hotels. I am a self taught stylist and photographer. My advice is to find a photographer/stylist you admire and try to assist them. That's the best way to learn. And practice, practice, practice.

    Why are all your recipes gluten-free?

    In December of 2005, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and in 2009, I developed Meniere's Disease (or Autoimmune Inner Ear Disorder, not certain). I started reading about the benefit of a gluten-free diet for people with autoimmune conditions, so in late 2009, I started living gluten-free. In April of 2010, after exhaustive testing, I found out I have genetic gluten sensitivity, which seems to be the cause of many of my health issues. I have been living strictly gluten-free since then and will be this way for the rest of my life. All my symptoms have disappeared.

    How can I convert your gluten-free recipes?

    Most recipes are a simple conversion. Add all of the gluten-free flours and use regular all purpose wheat flour instead, but if you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me directly.

    Why do you moderate comments?

    I didn't moderate comments for a long time, but after a series of anonymous comments and lots of spam, I decided to moderate them. I do not mind criticism. I welcome it, but you must be upfront about your identity and not hide. This is not the place for rants, unload frustrations or sell products. I want to keep it open, but I will not tolerate mean spirited comments and cowardly behavior.

    I hope these answered some of your questions. If not, please email me directly at aran@arangoyoaga.com.

    I hope you enjoyed visiting this little blog of mine...




    All images © Aran Goyoaga and cannot be used without permission. If you wish to feature some of my photos or text in your blog or web site, please contact me first to ask for permission and inquire about licensing rates. See "Copyright and Licensing Terms".

Post Title

→

About Cannelle Et Vanille


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/about-cannelle-et-vanille.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Links

Post Title

→

Links


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/links.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Copyright and Licensing Terms

    All images and content are copyright of Aran Goyoaga and cannot used without permission.

    If you would like to feature some of my images in your blog or site, please contact me first. For commercial use, publication and general distribution, please inquire about licensing rates at aran@arangoyoaga.com.

Post Title

→

Copyright and Licensing Terms


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/copyright-and-licensing-terms.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Press For Cannelle Et Vanille Includes

Post Title

→

Press For Cannelle Et Vanille Includes


Post URL

→

http://mercymadame.blogspot.com/2008/01/press-for-cannelle-et-vanille-includes.html


Visit Merci Madame for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Popular Posts

  • swing
    Dress: ASOS . Shoes: Pour La Victoire . Trench: Gap. Sunglasses: Karen Walker . Bag: YSL. Flower Pin: c/o Ban.do . Jewelry: David Yurman, P...
  • Sugar High at Turtle River Montessori and Blogging for Babies
    I have always been a conscious eater, trying to cook almost everything I eat myself, buying local as often as possible, etc. That's how ...
  • two timer
    Shoes: c/o Loeffler Randall . Outfit #1 : Top: Forever 21. Skirt: Kaelen c/o Satine . Sunglasses: Karen Walker . Necklace: Saks5th. Jewel...
  • Food Styling & Photography in La Dordogne, Part 1
    Every once in a while the stars line up to create unforgettable moments. This is how I feel about the week we spent in La Dordogne, France ...
  • What I could eat for the rest of my life
    This morning I was answering some questions for an upcoming interview and the following question arose. "What would you eat if you coul...
  • retro
    Dress: Charlotte Taylor. Shoes: Banana Republic. Sunglasses: Karen Walker . Jewelry: Jcrew, David Yurman, Michael Kors , Gap, BR, YSL . Nec...
  • The apple orchard and a savory squash, apple and quinoa crumble
    It had been raining all day on our last day in Vermont . I loved the grey skies and how they brought out the intensity of the colors . Befor...
  • Food Styling & Photography in La Dordogne, Part 2
    I woke up to the sound of the church bells ringing . It was Wednesday at 7 o'clock in the morning - our third day into the food styling ...
  • hope
    Both tops: Ralph Lauren. Sunglasses: House of Harlow . Jewelry: Michael Kors , YSL , David Yurman (bracelet c/o), Pomellato, Jcrew, Gap, B...
  • city slicker
    Denim: Current/Elliott . Chambray Shirt: Jcrew . Plaid Shirt: Ralph Lauren. Shoes: Zara (old). Sunglasses: Burberry ( similar here ). Jacket...

My Blog List