Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse and Baked Eggs for a Weekend of Comfort Food

This past weekend was the first time since we came back from our trip that I didn't have to work and I took full advantage of it. Friday I finished shooting a cookbook (no, not mine) and I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend with my family and my kitchen. Books to read, movies to watch and lots of different recipes in my head to try.

Evenings are also turning cooler, letting us know that yes, autumn will soon arrive. It takes time in South Florida, but we wait anxiously.



I wait patiently all year for winter squash season. It is definitely one of my favorite ingredients to cook with and of course to eat. Soups, clafoutis or doughnuts like these are always in my repertoire. So when I walked into Whole Foods and saw the large array of pumpkins and squashes they had, I felt a sudden rush of happiness. The kind that food gives you.

I sliced and roasted the red kuri squash with the seeds and all. Perfectly seasoned, it's the perfect side dish or snack by itself. I used some of it for a creamy soup and the rest for cheesy and creamy baked eggs.



The recipe is an adaptation of Shauna and Danny's baked eggs with taleggio from their new book "Gluten Free Girl and the Chef". I had pre-ordered the book months and months ago and I was so excited when it finally arrived this week. It is beautiful. Mouthwatering recipes, some really simple, some more complex. All highlighted by Lara's gorgeous photography.

I can seriously say I want to cook every single recipe from this book. Smoked salt caramel ice cream, braised balsamic rabbit, crisp pork belly with wild rice, cabbage, sour cherries and honey-sage gastrique... The names alone make my mouth water.



I wanted something simple for our Sunday breakfast, so I made the baked eggs with taleggio and added some roasted red kuri squash, fresh oregano and finished them with a roasted pumpkin seed and apple cider vinaigrette. Delicious.

A book everyone should own, gluten free or not.

And of course, we needed our sinful treat. Chocolate and hazelnut mousse squares. Soft chocolate, hazelnut, banana and teff cake topped with super silky and easy chocolate mousse. These from my own repertoire. The perfect ending to a relaxing weekend.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscuit

makes enough for half a sheet pan, but we will only use half of it. i recommend freezing the rest for another time or eating it alone as a snack.

3 eggs
3/4 cup (150 grams) cane sugar
1 cup (280 grams) pureed bananas 9about 3-4 bananas)
1 cup (125 grams) light olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup (100 grams) teff flour
1/3 cup (50 grams) sweet rice flour
1/2 cup (50 grams) hazelnut flour
2 Tbs (15 grams) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp (4 grams) baking soda

In a large bowl, whisk together the teff, sweet rice, hazelnut flours, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, banana puree, oil and vanilla extract. Add the liquids to the dry and whisk until combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the batter (will be rather liquid) onto the pan and spread evenly.

Bake at 350F until set about 15-18 minutes. Let it cool completely before making the mousse. We will only need half of it so wrap the other half and freeze it for another time.

Chocolate Mousse

370 grams bittersweet chocolate
370 grams heavy cream, whipped to soft peak

Line a quarter sheet pan with the chocolate and hazelnut cake.

Melt the chocolate over a water bath and let it cool slightly. When cool, add about 3/4 cup of the whipped cream into the chocolate and whisk to lighten it. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the rest of the cream. Fold gently but quickly until all incorporated.

Spread the chocolate mousse over the biscuit and refrigerate until set. Cut into squares and garnish with roasted hazelnuts.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse and Baked Eggs for a Weekend of Comfort Food

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A Craving for Gluten Free Coconut Doughnuts

A few weeks ago, my best friend Jill and I were texting back and forth at insane hours of the morning trying to design the perfect doughnut. She told me about the chocolate and blueberry doughnut she once had at The Donut Mill and I told her plain is good enough for me. "How about a super coconut charged doughnut?", I texted. Coconut flakes invaded my brain and that's when I told myself this would be the next baking project.



I have never been much of a fried dessert kind of person, but it was about a year ago during my last trimester, when I started to have those cravings again. Fried dough and perhaps something to dunk it in.



I am really trying to be good about limiting the amount of sugar I eat these days. In fact, according to my doctor, I should have none. Zero. I am also trying to be a better, mindful eater, so when I ate these on Saturday, I enjoyed every single bite.

My little J. and I sat outside in the sun and ate the doughnuts in silence. And when does that ever happen?



All this got me thinking of how amazing it would be to run a doughnut shop or any shop for that matter. I had thoughts of my childhood when we sat on the step in front of the pastry shop and just watch people come in and out all afternoon long.

Who knew doughnuts could inspire so much, but they do as one of the goals for my upcoming trip to Seattle will be to see how many doughnut recipes I can get out of Lara. As you might know, she is coming out with a book entirely dedicated to them. How beautiful will this book be! It's already pre-ordered in my shopping cart.



I know you will be disappointed when I tell you I'm keeping this recipe for something I'm working on. I promise it will be good and worth the wait. Something special. They are indeed gluten-free and dairy-free with lots of coconut flour, coconut milk, coconut extract and shredded coconut.

Consider this a sneak peek.

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A Craving for Gluten Free Coconut Doughnuts

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Stone Fruits, Baking Tarts and the Giveaway Winner

I have to admit that every year, I have a hard time adjusting to the summer season here in the South. Once we enter the rainy season, it gets very, very hot, humid and stormy. We spend a lot of time in the pool and indoors away from the scorching sun. Baking becomes almost like a luxury as we try not to over-heat the house too much. But summer also means stone fruit season and that makes it all worth it.

This weekend we found the ripest and most beautiful nectarines and white peaches. I saved some for sorbet and used the rest for tarts. I couldn't resist.



Because I love both custard and frangipane tarts and because I cannot choose one over the other, I decided to make a little bit of both. I used the nectarines for these super simple nectarine and pistachio frangipane tarts and cherries for cherry and cinnamon flan tarts. Both creamy and very flaky.

Even though sometimes I like to experiment with flavors and I am very intrigued by new techniques and cooking methods, I have to admit that a slightly warm fruit tart with some vanilla ice cream is all I could ever ask for. My ideal way to end a meal for sure.



And finally, what most of you might be waiting for... the winner of the raspberry powder giveaway is ibb of Living in a Matchbox (please contact me so I can get all your information). Thank you everyone for participating and commenting. I should have little giveaways like this more often!



Short Dough

Makes enough for about 12 3-inch tart rings

250 grams butter, room temperature
125 grams powdered sugar
1 egg
Zest of 1 orange
370 grams flour
2 grams baking powder
3 grams salt

Cream the butter and the powdered sugar together. Add the zest and the egg and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and paddle well.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined.

Divide the dough into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten the disks slightly with your hands. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and if it's too hard to roll, let it come to room temperature for about 10 minutes. Roll to 1/8" thick. Cut circles that are larger than your tart rings. Fill the tart rings and place them on a sheetpan lined with parchment.

Let the filled tart rings rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours so the dough relaxes and doesn't shrink in the oven.

Pistachio Frangipane

200 grams butter, softened
200 grams sugar
2 eggs
60 grams flour
200 grams pistachios, ground to a fine meal

Cream the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg. Scrape and mix well. Add the flour and the ground pistachios and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

If you are only going to use a little bit of bit, you can freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months.

Assemble the Pistachio and Nectarine Tarts

Dock the bottom of the tarts lightly.

Place the pistachio frangipane in a pastry bag fitted with a pastry tip (#5) and fill the tarts about halfway.

Cut thin slices of nectarine and place them on top of the frangipane. Press them lightly into the frangipane.

Bake the tarts at 375F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cherry, Cinnamon and Vanilla Flan Tarts

100 ml heavy cream
100 mil whole milk
6 egg yolks
50 grams sugar
5 grams cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cherries

Use the same short dough recipe but this time, use ring molds that are a bit higher. Fill the ring molds with the rolled short dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Dock the bottom of the short dough, line the inside with parchment, fill with dried beans and blind bake for 15 minutes at 350F.

Prepare the flan filling by whisking together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Add the heavy cream, whole milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Whisk until incorporated. Strain this custard through fine sieve.

Cut and pit the cherries. Fill the pre-baked tart shells with the cherries. Make sure you fill them to the top. Pour the custard into the tarts and bake them at 325F for about 20 minutes until bubbly and set.

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Stone Fruits, Baking Tarts and the Giveaway Winner

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Strawberry Picking

As I have mentioned before, we are in the middle of strawberry season here in Florida. This past Saturday, a friend and I took the boys up to Palm City to go strawberry picking for some Valentine's Day fun. Sometimes, I forget what ripe, freshly picked strawberries are supposed to taste like. Pure sweetness that brings me back to the times we used to pick strawberries from my grandparents' farm.

It's amazing to watch boys at play, digging in the dirt, pulling weeds, looking for bugs. I have never been particularly physical and have always been very tidy, clean and organized, so I am now discovering a new side of me thanks to my little boy. It took several good scrubbings to get those hands, feet and faces clean.



We picked two large baskets of strawberries, which is definitely more than what we can consume in a couple of days. We shared some with neighbors, froze some for later consumption and I have been baking away with the rest. I am also planning on making some more strawberry pate de fruit, strawberry sorbet, strawberry shortcakes and strawberry jam, which I will share with you later.




Here is one of C's favorite desserts, which is yogurt panna cotta with layers of strawberry mousse and strawberry gelee topped with meringue sticks. And then one of my favorites, which is an apple and strawberry galette. I know I said we really don't celebrate Valentine's Day, but maybe I lied... just a little. Hope you had a great weekend too!



Yogurt Panna Cotta

I used homemade yogurt for this, which is a bit thinner than commercial yogurt. You can also use buttermilk or creme fraiche. The bit of acidity is really nice.

200 grams heavy cream
45 grams sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 grams sheet gelatin
100 grams plain yogurt

In a small saucepan, cook the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla bean until it comes to a boil. In the meantime, soak the gelatin in ice water. When the cream has come to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the softened gelatin. Whisk to dissolve it. Pour this into a clean bowl and let it cool to about body temperature. Add the yogurt and whisk well.

Pour the panna cotta into your molds or jars and let it set in the refrigerator.

Strawberry Mousse

100 grams strawberry puree
10 grams sugar
2 grams sheet gelatin
75 grams heavy cream, soft peaks

Warm half of the strawberry puree with the sugar. In the meantime, soak the sheet gelatin in ice water. Add the softened gelatin to the warm strawberry puree. Add the rest of the puree and let it cool.

Fold in the whipped cream into the puree base. Pour this mousse on top of the yogurt panna cotta and let it set in the refrigerator.

Strawberry Gelee

150 grams strawberry puree
30 grams sugar
2 gram sheet gelatin

Warm half of the strawberry puree with the sugar. In the meantime, soak the sheet gelatin in ice water. Add the softened gelatin to the warm strawberry puree. Add the rest of the puree and let it cool.

Pour this gelee on top of the strawberry mousse and let it set in the refrigerator.

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Strawberry Picking

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Weekend Baking

We are finally having winter-like temperatures around here and it feels great to bundle up and wear scarves. I even had to bring my herb plants inside at night because of the freezing temperatures. It's like a treat for those of us who have to live under air conditioning most of the year.

All I can think about are soups (I am craving this) and chocolate. Hot chocolate, chocolate cupcakes and a lazy weekend.

My little boy keeps helping me in the kitchen and I try to take some decent photos to share with you, but it's almost impossible to juggle him, the chocolate mess and a camera all together. So instead, here are some photos of him actually behaving and enjoying a cupcake. Rare are the times he behaves this well. I suppose a cupcake can motivate many of us!



This chocolate buttermilk cupcake recipe comes straight from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook and the icing is a simple whipped chocolate ganache. Talk about comfort food.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes
adapted from "Magnolia Bakery Cookbook" by Jennifer Appel and Alyssa Torey

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

In an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and the brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the melted chocolate and mix until well incorporated. Scrape the bowl. Add the vanilla and half of the buttermilk. Add the flour and baking soda, mix and finish with the remainder of the buttermilk. Mix until well incorporated. Scoop into baking cups and bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.

Whipped Chocolate Ganache

100 grams heavy cream
125 grams bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Bring the heavy cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Mix slowly starting from the center until all incorporated and creamy. Let it cool completely for about an hour. Whip until thick.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

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Weekend Baking

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