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. Before heading home, Nadia had one more stop planned for us. We were to visit her good friend's orchards. It was the pinnacle of our trip. A farm filled with apple and plum trees, grape vines, raspberry bushes, horses and so much more we didn't get to see.

As soon as we arrived, the skies turned bright blue, clouds dissipated, leaving us with a beautiful summer-like afternoon. I knew how excited the kids would be to pick fruit right off the tree.



The orchard provides much more fruit than the family can consume and Nadia goes often to pick whatever they do not want. "Will they mind if we take some home with us?" I asked feeling a bit shy about taking from someone else's orchard. "Believe me, they are happy we are picking it" she replied.

So we went at it.

There were so many different varieties of apples. The intense dark plum skin on some really drew my attention. I had never seen apples quite that dark. Inside the flesh was white with streaks of pink. Absolutely gorgeous. Do you know which variety that might be?

We loaded a box with apples and plums that we brought back home with us. My mom made vanilla bean, cinnamon and lemon-flavored apple and plum jam as soon as we returned, which she is still enjoying every morning for breakfast.



Needless to say, I cooked a lot with apples last week. One of my favorites, this savory red kuri squash, apple and quinoa crumble with goat cheese, sage and parsley. We ate it with a green salad. It was lovely.

For dessert, one of my childhood favorites that is included in my upcoming cookbook. Gluten and dairy free vanilla and cardamom flavored natillas with sauteed apples. Natilla is a light custard that we grew up eating. My grandmother made it perfectly every time with raw milk and cinnamon. Always makes me think of her.



You can see Nadia's post with images from our visit on her blog. So beautiful.

Red kuri squash, apple and quinoa crumble

serves 4 to 6

Crumble topping

1/2 cup (70 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/2 cup (70 g) quinoa flour
1/2 cup (70 g) cold cooked quinoa
1/2 ounce (15 g) finely grated Idiazabal or Manchego cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil

In a bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients. Add olive oil and stir until a sand-like crumble forms.

Chill the crumble while preparing the filling.

Filling

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium leek, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium red kuri or hokkaido squash, peeled and diced (about 3 cups diced)
1 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
3 sage leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 medium Gala apples, peeled and diced
3/4 cup (185 ml) chicken stock
1 ounce (30 g) goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400F (200C)

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until tender, but not browned. Add the squash, parsley, sage, salt, pepper, and coriander. Increase heat to medium high and stir. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken stock and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook another 5 minutes until soft but not mushy.

Transfer the filling to a greased baking dish or individual over-proof bowls. Top with the crumble.

Bake the crumble until topping golden and filing bubbling, about 30 to 40 minutes for a larger dish and 20 minutes for individuals. Serve warm.

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The apple orchard and a savory squash, apple and quinoa crumble

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The Smells of Pears, Hazelnuts, Brown Butter and Vanilla Bean

It was some time last week. Early morning. I woke up and headed outside to water my plants when suddenly, I realized... autumn had arrived. It was sunny, yet cool and brisk, just like those perfect Florida winter days. I opened all the windows for the first time in weeks. The best feeling in the world.



It took me a few days to really come down from the high of BlogHer Food and I have really been lying low.

San Francisco was wonderful. I really didn't have much of a chance to socialize as I had M. with me and late night parties were just not going on the agenda for us this time. But it was great to spend time with dear friends (old and new), eat some fantastic chilaquiles and sing lots of monkey songs with this little girl.



And so this week, with the cool breeze coming in, I wanted to fill the house with smells of autumn. Sweet, toasty and nutty smells of brown butter, toasted hazelnuts, cinnamon sugar coated cakes... All those wonderful smells I'm sure you know too.



First, pears and raspberries with a hazelnut and oat crumble topping, because it's one of the easiest desserts to make.

And then, pear, hazelnut and brown butter cakes. In fact, I'm just enjoying the last one of the cakes while I type this.

Can you smell them yet?



Oh and one more wonderful act of kindness... A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon this blog by prop stylist Paula Walters. We started talking, one thing led to another and the next thing I know, there are some wonderful vintage cooling racks in the mail for me. Awesomeness. Thank you Paula!

Pear, Hazelnut and Brown Butter Cakes

makes a dozen mini bundtcakes

1 cup (125 grams) superfine brown rice flour
1/2 cup (50 grams) hazelnut flour
2 Tbs (20 grams) tapioca starch
1/8 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
10 Tbs (140 grams) unsalted butter, browned
1/3 cup (85 grams) brown sugar
1/3 cup (100 grams) maple syrup
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
2 eggs
2 pears, grated
1 cup (200 grams) superfine sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook it until the milk solids start to turn brown on the bottom of the pan and smells nutty. Strain it and let it cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the first seven ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs and vanilla bean. Add the cooled brown butter and whisk. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and whisk until incorporated. Fold in the grated pears.

Divide the batter in the mini bundt pan mold. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.

Let them cool for a couple of minutes in the pan. Remove the cakes from the pan and toss them in the cinnamon sugar.

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Butterscotch Smoked Almond, Raspberry Vanilla and Peach Basil... A Trio of Frozen Treats

Summers are always full of activity and hassle around here. I have been meaning to write about these ice creams and sorbets for days now, but something always seemed to come up. And aren't summers about relaxing and not rushing anyway?

The oven has been turned off for the most part. This heat and humidity deserve nothing but a freezer full of frozen treats and that is what we have been up to. As I mentioned to you in my last post, I spent an entire day in the kitchen making ice cream and sorbet bases. This is when I wish I had a commercial grade ice cream maker or even better, a PacoJet.



There are very different palates in this household so when it's time for ice cream, I must take into account everyone's preferences. The fact that I cannot have any dairy at the moment, certainly limits my choices of ice cream. That is really not that big of a deal as I prefer fresh fruit sorbets in the summer when fruit is so luscious.

These peaches were super ripe and juicy. I love their color once they were blanched and peeled. So bright. I made a simple syrup flavored with some of my own thai basil and lemon thyme and then added the pureed fruit. Once frozen I served it with a little bit of raspberry syrup and fresh raspberries. Amazing.



When we move to C's flavor territory, he wants chocolate, vanilla, nuts, caramel... All those flavors that I reserve for colder months. I had to grant his wish for ice cream sandwiches with gluten free fudge cookies and butterscotch and smoked almond ice cream. For a minute, I almost licked the spoon as I was making the butterscotch anglaise with all that muscovado and vanilla bean. Almost.



J. is always simple. Vanilla ice cream. Not many add-ons or texture contrast. He is a boy of simple needs, but I did sneak in some raspberries in there for these vanilla and raspberry swirl ice cream cones. The cones were also used as bribing mechanism to prolong a modeling shoot I had with miss D. She was a trooper, but once she was done with the ice cream, that was it. She was done, done.



Our sumer travels begin this week with our trip to Seattle where I will be visiting family, friends and teaching a small workshop. The class is full and I hope it doesn't disappoint. I can't wait to get there and smell the rugged Pacific NW sea. It has been too long.

Peach, Basil and Lemon Thyme Sorbet

600 grams fresh peach puree (from about 6-7 peaches)
150 ml water
150 grams sugar
Juice of half a lemon
1-2 Tbs fresh basil and lemon thyme leaves, to taste

Make a syrup with the water and the sugar by bringing them to a boil. When sugar dissolves, turn the heat off, add the herbs and let them steep in the syrup for a couple of minutes. Taste it to see the intensity you like. Strain the syrup and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for an hour or until chilled.

Blanch the peaches in boiling water for a few seconds to peel the skins. Shock them in ice water. The skin will come right off. Cut the flesh and puree it in the food processor. We want about 600 grams of puree.

Mix the peach puree with simple syrup and lemon juice. Churn in ice cream machine. Add a few leaves of lemon thyme at the end if you would like. Freeze.


Butterscotch and Smoked Almond Ice Cream

450 grams heavy cream
250 grams whole milk
1 vanilla bean, scraped and seeded
75 grams butter
150 grams muscovado sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 egg yolks
125 grams smoked almonds, coarsely chopped

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the muscovado. Don't caramelize it or it will turn bitter, only melt them. Add the heavy cream, milk and salt and bring them to a boil.

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and temper the liquid into them. Return the custard back to the pot and cook on low heat until it reaches 84C or 183F. Strain the custard through a fine sieve and chill it over an ice bath. When cooled, refrigerate the mixture overnight. Churn it in the ice cream machine and add the chopped smoked almonds at the end. Freeze.


Vanilla and Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream

500 grams whole milk
140 grams heavy cream
150 grams sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
6 egg yolks
175 grams raspberries
40 grams sugar

Place the whole milk, heavy cream, vanilla bean and half of the first amount of sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. In the meantime, whisk together the egg yolk and the other half of sugar in a medium bowl. Temper the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Return this to the pan and cook to 84C or 183F. Strain the ice cream base through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and chill over an ice bath. When cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

In the meantime, macerate the raspberries with the 40 grams of sugar (even mash them a bit) until sugar dissolves and juices come out.

Churn the vanilla ice cream base in the ice cream machine. When finished, add the raspberries, mix and transfer to a container and freeze.

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Butterscotch Smoked Almond, Raspberry Vanilla and Peach Basil... A Trio of Frozen Treats

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Gluten Free Pastel de Arroz, Molds with a History and a Nomination

As I have told you many times before, I grew up in a pastry shop and I am not exaggerating one bit when I say it was the most wonderful way to grow up. It really was. We lived about 50 meters across the street from the shop and my grandparents lived just above it. Often times, we would go out on the balcony and could have an entire conversation with my amama Miren who spent time observing the street out her window. And she liked to chat, a lot.

I describe those smells often as they are engraved in my head. Milk simmering, cinnamon, vanilla, sugar, lemon peel, the smell of butter being rolled into puff pastry everyday. It really was an idyllic childhood.



Pastel de arroz was always my favorite tart. Crispy and flaky puff pastry encasing a wonderful baked custard that smelled of cinnamon, vanilla and lemon peel. On Sundays, they would make suspiros which were the pastel the arroz topped with a dome of air-like chiboust slightly caramelized. Need I say more. I am not sure where the name pastel de arroz (rice tart) came from as this recipe contains no rice at all. I will have to look into that, but this is one of the most traditional tarts in the Basque Country. So simple.

Last time my parents visited, my mom brought for me these old tart molds that belonged to my grandfather. They must be at least 50 years old and I think they are one of my most treasured belongings. They really show their usage as the inside still feels slightly greased. So much history.



On another note, I wanted to share with you that Saveur Magazine has nominated Cannelle Et Vanille for "Best Food Photography" in a blog in their first ever Food Blog Awards. I am so honored to be nominated amongst such great people. You can vote and view the rest of categories and nominees here.



The traditional recipe uses puff pastry, but I baked the tarts in a gluten free pie dough. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Pate Brisee

makes 8 3"x1" tart molds

85 grams sweet rice flour
35 grams quinoa flour
30 grams amaranth flour
25 grams tapioca starch
20 grams sugar
3 grams salt
2 grams xanthan gum
115 grams butter, cold and cut into small dice
60-80 grams ice cold water

Place the flours, sugar, salt and xanthan gum in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to air ingredients. Add the cold diced butter and pulse about 10 times. Add the ice cold water and pulse until flours are wet but do not over mix it (it doesn't have to form a ball). Start with 60 gram of water and add more if needed.

Transfer dough into your work surface and press it together. Wrap it in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disk. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Roll the pastry with a rolling pin to about 1/8-1/16" thickness. Use some of the flours so the dough doesn't stick to your work surface. You can also roll it between two sheets of parchment paper. Must work quickly.

Cut circles of dough and fill the tart molds. Cut the top edges. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours. In the meantime, make the custard and let it cool completely.

Pastel de Arroz Custard

250 ml whole milk
60 grams butter
Zest of half a lemon
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean
60 grams cornstarch
55 grams sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk

Place milk, butter, lemon zest, cinnamon and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat off and let it steep for 10 min.

Whisk the sugar and cornstarch into a bowl. Add the eggs and whisk them until a smooth paste forms. Temper the warm liquid into the egg base while whisking. Strain this custard through a sieve and let it col completely before filling the tarts.

Preheat the oven to 425F for about 15 minutes before using. Have your rack positioned in the lower middle part of the oven.

Fill the tart molds with the cooled custard (about 3/4 full). Bake the tarts at 425F for about 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown and crust completely baked. It will puff up slightly and then sink in the middle.

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Churros with Spiced Chocolate Bisque to Satisfy a Late Pregnancy Craving

I believe a few weeks ago, I told you that I don't usually like fried desserts or that I have not had much of a chocolate craving as of late. Well, I must take all of that back as this week I fried up the largest batch of churros and cooked the richest chocolate bisque I have made in a long time. We were able to open all windows this week and let the cool autumn breeze come in. Most of you are probably bundled up in scarves and coats by now, but we have had an unusually warm month (even for Florida), so this was a great feeling.



As I approach the last couple of weeks of this pregnancy, all I want is to be comforted and have all the ones I love close. C. returned from his trip to Montana and now we are getting ready for my parents to arrive.

One night while C. was giving me a much needed foot rub, we were talking about memories and my family back home. Suddenly the thought of chocolate con churros hit me. Cinnamon sugar churros dipped in a thick chocolate custard. "I must make them tomorrow", I said and so I did.



The traditional hot chocolate served in Spain doesn't contain eggs. It is a thick chocolate cream usually thickened with a bit of cornstarch or made with a special kind of chocolate that contains thickeners. This recipe is a bit like a creme anglaise flavored with dark chocolate, coffee, orange, fresh ginger, cinnamon and vanilla bean. It can be served warm or even cold, but I really like the churros dipped in a warm custard.

Churros

125 ml water
125ml whole milk
110 grams butter
pinch salt
large pinch sugar
150 grams flour
3 eggs

Canola oil for frying

Cinnamon sugar for coating

Place the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring this to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a smooth ball.

Transfer this mass to the bowl of an electric mixer (or can do it by hand) and start mixing with a paddle attachment. When most of the steam has evaporated, add the eggs one at a time. Mix until it comes together to a smooth thick mass.

Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (#5).

In a wide pan that has tall sides, pour about 3" deep of canola oil. Heat it to 350F. When it reaches the temperature, pipe the batter into the oil and cut with scissors. Fry them until golden brown. Remove the churros from the oil and roll them in cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately.

Spiced Chocolate Bisque

500 ml heavy cream
200 ml whole milk
100 grams sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
1 star anise
1 stick of cinnamon
Zest of 1 orange
3 slices of fresh ginger
5 grams cocoa powder
3 grams instant coffee powder
6 egg yolks
135 grams dark chocolate, chopped

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla bean, star anise, cinnamon, orange zest and fresh ginger. Bring it to a boil. Turn the heat off and let it steep for about 10 minutes. Return the mixture to a boil and add the cocoa powder and instant coffee powder. Whisk well.

Place the egg yolks in a large bowl and temper the milk mixture into them while whisking. Return this mixture to the sauce pan and cook for a couple of minutes while constantly stirring until lightly thickens.

Place the finely chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Place a fine sieve over the bowl and pour the custard over the chocolate. Mix until all the chocolate is melted and you have a smooth cream.

Can be served warm, room temperature or cold. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It will thicken when it cools.

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Some Roasted Plums, Coconut Milk Risotto and Muscovado Cakes

Last week, I had to deal with some unexpected (arent't they all?) health issues, which forced me into a blog hiatus and necessary rest. It was nothing serious, but enough to stop me from baking and shooting as much. Sometimes life has funny ways of making us slow down even if it's against our own will. I appreciate all the concerned emails wondering if something had happened or if I had gone into premature labor. All is well and just excited for the new season.



We received a big box of plums as a gift and have been enjoying them everyday. Purple, red, yellow pluots, prune plums... a beautiful assortment. It seems like every year plums mark the end of summer for me and the excitement for the new season begins.

I have been living vicariously through everyone else who gets to go apple picking and visiting orchards this time of year as we have none around us. But even that is exciting enough right now.



I have been baking with muscovado sugar a lot lately. It adds a richness and moistness to cakes and cookies that is hard to get any other way. No wonder it is called "moist sugar"! And even though I have never liked sugar in my coffee, I even started putting some muscovado in my morning dose following Ashley's advice.

The roasted plum and muscovado mini cakes are moist and rich with a touch of sour cream and lemon, but also unexpectedly light. We served these for friends during a play date on a rainy afternoon.



The coconut milk risotto is a slight variation on my arroz con leche recipe that I make all the time. It is much lighter, a bit less sweet and much faster to cook. I served it with the warm roasted plums, red currants and a sprinkle of pink peppercorns. My new favorite.



Coconut Milk Risotto

500 ml whole milk
20 grams sugar
pinch of salt
10 grams butter
60 grams arborio rice
120 grams coconut milk

In a saucepan, warm the whole milk, sugar and pinch of salt over a medium heat.

In the meantime, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the rice to it and sautee it for about a minute. Add about half of the warm milk and stir over medium heat. Let it bring to a light simmer and then reduce the heat if necessary. Cook the rice in the milk while constantly stirring. When that milk has reduced, add a little bit more of the remaining warm milk and continue stirring. Proceed like that until all the milk has been added and the rice is cooked, which will take about 20-25 minutes. (Note that if you have added all the milk but the rice still not tender, you may add extra just to finish cooking it).

Finish the cooking process with the coconut milk. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the risotto into a bowl to chill. I like mine at room temperature but you might store it in the refrigerator.

Roasted Plums

4 plums
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
pink peppercorns
star anise
Juice of half an orange
musvocado sugar, some for roasting and some for sprinkling at the end

Cut the plums in half and remove the pit. Place them on a roasting dish. Add the star anise, pink peppercorn, vanilla bean, orange juice and sprinkle each half plum with muscovado sugar.

Bake the plums at 350F for about 30-40 minutes until tender.

Cut them into wedges and serve them on top of the coconut milk risotto accompanied by some red currants, muscovado sugar and pink peppercorns.

Roasted Plum and Muscavado Sugar Cakes

Makes a dozen 3 inch mini cakes

180 grams butter, room temperature
150 grams muscovado sugar
125 grams granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
180 grams sour cream
180 grams flour
4 grams baking powder
6 plums
muscovado sugar for sprinkling

Cream butter, muscovado sugar, granulated sugar, lemon zest and vanilla together until light. Add the eggs one at a time. Scrape the bowl well. Add the sour cream and mix. Add the flour and baking powder and mix until batter comes together.

Lightly butter and flour mini cake molds (I used tart rings that are 3"x1"). Pipe the batter into the molds. Place thin slices of plum on top and sprinkle with some more muscovado sugar.

Bake at 350F for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Wait until slightly cool to unmold them.

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Vanilla Fleur de Sel, Caramel and Chocolate Dobos Torte... back with the Daring Bakers

I can't believe it is the end of August already and time for another Daring Bakers challenge. I was quite disappointed with myself when I wasn't able to finish last month's recipe, but life got so busy that it was impossible. This month hasn't been any different with my trip to New York for Sunday Suppers, my little boy's summer activities, a new school year and a couple of small projects, but I finished it and here it is. Vanilla fleur de sel, caramel and chocolate Dobos Torte.



This is the first chocolate dessert I have made in a long time. The heat makes me crave fruit desserts, ice creams, granitas and such. When I started thinking about how to build this cake, I even thought I was going to temper some chocolate, but I gave up after the first attempt. It just wasn't happening. Too hot and too humid. Even the caramel decorations only lasted an hour. But I have to say it was a hit with my friends and family for whom summer heat is no obstacle when it comes to chocolate and caramel.



If you have never had vanilla fleur de sel, I encourage you to taste it. The contrast of the coarse salt with the warm and sweet vanilla is outstanding. It really made this dessert. It added texture and contrast in flavor that everyone noticed. It can be a bit expensive, but a little goes a long way. There are many purveyors, but I got mine from here.



The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

Sponge Cake

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups (162g) confectioner's (icing) sugar, divided
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (112g) sifted cake flour (SUBSTITUTE 95g plain flour + 17g cornflour (cornstarch) sifted together)
pinch of salt

1.Position the racks in the top and centre thirds of the oven and heat to 400F (200C).

2.Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil.

3.Beat the egg yolks, 2/3 cup (81g) of the confectioner's (icing) sugar, and the vanilla in a medium bowl with a mixer on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted a few inches above the batter, about 3 minutes.

4.In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 2/3 cup (81g) of confectioner's (icing)sugar until the whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, stir about 1/4 of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remainder, leaving a few wisps of white visible. Combine the flour and salt. Sift half the flour over the eggs, and fold in; repeat with the remaining flour.

5.Spread the batter amongst the sheet pans. Bake at 400F until lightly golden on top, about 7 min. Let the sponge cool.

Vanilla Fleur de Sel, Chocolate and Caramel Buttercream

4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) caster (ultrafine or superfine white) sugar
4oz (110g) bakers chocolate or your favourite dark chocolate, finely chopped
2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (250g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
175 grams caramel syrup
3 grams vanilla fleur de sel

1.Whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale and thickened, about five minutes. You can use a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer for this.

2.Fit bowl over a water bath. Cook the egg mixture, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes until you see it starting to thicken a bit. Whisk in the finely chopped chocolate and cook, stirring, for a further 2-3 minutes.

3.Scrape the chocolate mixture into a medium bowl and leave to cool to room temperature. It should be quite thick and sticky in consistency.

4.Fold in the caramel syrup and the fleur de sel.

5.When cool, beat in the soft butter, a small piece (about 2 tablespoons/30g) at a time. An electric hand mixer is great here, but it is possible to beat the butter in with a spatula if it is soft enough. You should end up with a thick, velvety chocolate buttercream. Let it chill for a couple of hours.

Milk Chocolate Chantilly

250 grams heavy cream
90 grams milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces

1.Boil the cream and pour over the milk chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Let this ganache rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then whip it as whipped cream.

Caramel Decorations

200 grams of sugar

1.In a small saucepan, sprinkle about a quarter of the sugar into an even thin layer.

2.Turn the heat up to medium high. When the sugar starts to melt and turn caramel, sprinkle another 50 grams of sugar approximately and stir gently. The heat from the melted sugar will start to melt the new sugar we added. proceed like that until all sugar has been added and it has melted into a dark caramel.

3.Shock the pan quickly in an ice bath and let the caramel cool slightly until it is not too runny but not too hard.

4.Oil a round cookie cutter that is about 2" in diameter. With a spoon, lift some of the caramel and wrap it around the cookie cutter. It might take a couple of tries to get the consistency right.

5.Let the caramel harden around the ring for a few seconds and then gently remove it. Store the caramel decorations in an air tight container. Depending on the humidity in your kitchen, they might last up to a day.

Assemble the Torte

1. Cut the half sheet pan of sponge in half. Flip over and peel off the parchment from the bottom. Divide the buttercream into five equal parts.

2.Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the first layer of sponge on top of it. Spread one fifth of the buttercream, top with another layer of sponge. Proceed like that until all four layers of sponge are used and finished with a leyr of buttercream. Freeze the cake for an hour to make it easier to cut.

3. Whip the milk chocolate chantilly and reserve in the fridge.

4. Cut the torte into rectangles. Spoon quenelles of the milk chocolate chantilly on top of the torte. Sprinkle vanilla fleur de sel on top and top with caramel circles. Serve immediately.

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Daring Bakers and Rushing Through a Cheesecake

As you are reading this, my little one and I are on a transatlantic flight home, or perhaps even there by now.

This month's Daring Bakers challenge almost didn't happen for me, but I couldn't let that happen after skipping last month's lasagna recipe. I rushed through it and didn't really have a chance to experiment much, but I did it and that's what counts, right? Or so I hope!



The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

We were given free range to try different flavors, presentations and decorations. I had a bit of pistachio paste leftover, but not enough to flavor the entire base, so I decided to make "bi-color" cheesecakes. Half pistachio and half vanilla with a chocolate cookie crust. Topped it with chopped pistachios and spun sugar. Although with the humidity here, I'm not sure if that was a smart idea.



After I made this base, I realized I still had a lot of raspberries leftover that needed to be eaten before our trip, so decided to make a small batch of cheesecake base and flavor it with some dried rose leaves that my friend Deb brought back from Morocco. She is such a sweetheart.

I thought cheesecake popsicles would be fun for the kids. Make sure to infused the heavy cream with the rose leaves for about 5 minutes, strain it and cool it before adding it to the base. The amount depends on personal preference as not many people like strong floral taste in their desserts, especially children. Also add fresh raspberries to the cheesecake base at the end.

I baked the cheesecake in shot glasses at 300F also in a water bath and they turned out great.



I promise to share photos from our trip soon. Laster arte!

Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake

Chocolate Cookie Crust

2 cups / 180 g chocolate short dough crumbs
1 stick / 4 oz butter, melted
2 tbsp. / 24 g sugar

Cheesecake Base

3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature
1 cup / 210 g sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup / 8 oz heavy cream
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. vanilla extract (or the innards of a vanilla bean)
1/4 cup pistachio paste

Preheat oven to 320F. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

Place ring molds on a deep baking dish lined with parchment paper. Then we will place this baking dish inside a larger deep baking dish that will hold the water bath.

Mix together the crust ingredients and press a couple of tsp into individual ring molds. Set aside.

Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice to the cream cheese base and cream until smooth.

Divide the cheesecake base into two bowls. Add the pistachio paste to one and mix well.

Pour pistachio base half way up into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the pan that holds the ring molds.

Bake 15 minutes, until it is semi set but not completely baked. Remove from oven and pour the remaining vanilla cheesecake batter on top of the pistachio. Tap gently and return to oven and finish baking for another 20 minutes or so.

Let the cheesecake cool in the ring molds and refrigerate overnight before unmolding.

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Strawberry and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Floats

It is strange to think that Spring has begun but it is already the end of strawberry season for us. From now on, juicy strawberries will most likely be arriving from California and we will have to wait another nine months to go strawberry picking again.



I think I told you about the family of kid farmers that has a stand at our farmer's market, the Veggie Kids. I managed to get a dozen of fresh farm eggs this weekend and I decided we could make some strawberry and vanilla bean ice cream to end the strawberry season.



A couple of nights ago, Jill and I were talking about our favorite comfort foods, diner foods and childhood favorites. She was telling me about how much she loves root beer floats and what a treat they are for her. I have to be honest, I always thought that root beer tasted like medicine but that might be because I didn't grow up drinking it. I never even knew what it was until I came here for the first time.

Unlike me, Jill is not much of an ice cream fanatic, but I thought she would enjoy some ice cream floats with fresh berries, strawberry vanilla bean ice cream and citrus flavored sparkling water. And she did.



Strawberry and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

500 grams whole milk
140 grams heavy cream
40 grams glucose
150 grams sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
120 grams egg yolk
175 grams strawberries, hulled and diced
40 grams sugar

Place the whole milk, heavy cream, vanilla bean, glucose and half of the first amount of sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. In the meantime, whisk together the egg yolk and the other half of sugar in a medium bowl. Temper the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Return this to the pan and cook to 84C or 183F. Strain the ice cream base through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and chill over an ice bath. When cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

In the meantime, cook the hulled and diced strawberries with the 40 grams of sugar in a small saucepan for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.

Churn the vanilla ice cream base in the ice cream machine. When finished, add the cooked strawberries, mix and transfer to a container and freeze.

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Strawberry and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Floats

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