Golden Beet Soup with Mascarpone Chive Cream

This spring, one of Bouchon’s nightly specials was golden beet puree. Paired with a dry chardonnay, it was a delicious first course and made me wonder where this vegetable had been all my life. The last time I had beet soup was in Poland, after a terrible river raft trip in the pouring rain and my feet were so cold I wasn’t paying any attention to what the borscht tasted like, just that it was warm.

Beets aren’t very common in my kitchen (and I’d be willing to bet most kitchens), so this soup will be unexpected for anyone who tries it. The flavors blend together so well you just swallow a big spoonful and smile. The cool mascarpone with a hint of onion flavor from the chives is a beautiful combination, and when lingered over a glass of wine, makes for an exceptional light dinner (we had an arugula salad with goat cheese alongside) or first course of Thanksgiving or other autumnal dinner party.

It tasted almost identical to what we had in the restaurant, but Andrew thought they might have used pumpkin instead of butternut squash. Next time I make this I’ll use pumpkin instead and see which version we prefer, but considering that I recreated this dish from our favorite restaurant using only my taste buds and an immersion blender, I’m very, very proud.

Golden Beet Soup with Mascarpone Chive Cream

There are many ways to garnish this soup. I remained true to the original soup I tried, but you could also make pesto with the beet greens, use goat cheese, or fried sage leaves.

Wine pairing: Rusack 2007 Chardonnay

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
6 golden beets (skin on, trimmed at the stem and leaves removed)
1/2 of 1 medium butternut squash, seeds removed
1 large onion, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 clove of garlic, diced
Zest of one lemon, plus additional juice to taste
4 cups chicken stock
1 to 2 tsps. cider vinegar
Mascarpone and chive cream (recipe follows)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle squash with olive oil and salt and set on a lined baking sheet. Wrap each beet in foil (this will make the skin easier to remove) and place on the same baking sheet. Roast vegetables for 40-45 minutes until fork tender. Let cool slightly, then gently peel the skin off each beet under running water. Slice in quarters and reserve in a medium bowl. Scoop out the butternut squash from its skin and add it to the bowl with the beets.

In a large stockpot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic and cook for about five minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add beets and butternut squash and stir to combine. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Puree soup with an immersion blender. Add cider vinegar and butter to soup and thin with more broth, if desired. Add lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Mascarpone chive cream, add chopped chives to 1/4 cup Mascarpone and stir to combine. Season with a bit of salt. Dollop a small spoonful into each bowl and serve.

Black Bean Burgers

I’ve posted quite a few burger recipes lately. Okay, two, but they’ve been close together so it feels like more. But I’ve decided to embrace the burger bandwagon this summer, so here’s one more burger recipe, this time for another variation on the classic, using black beans instead of ground meat.

The burgers looked pulled together, but as soon as they hit our mouths they nearly broke apart. That didn’t stop them from being delicious. Cumin helps pump up the black bean flavor, and mashed avocados, well, when aren’t they a good idea? I’ll eat avocados anywhere, anytime, and black bean burgers are a wonderful canvas for them. If you have a few leftover burger buns, this is a great way to use them.

Black Bean Burgers

Gourmet | February 2009

Ingredients
2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 soft hamburger buns

Accompaniments: sour cream; salsa; lettuce

Preparation

Pulse 1 can beans in a food processor with mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cumin, oregano, and cayenne until a coarse purée forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cilantro and remaining can beans. Form mixture into 4 patties.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook burgers until outsides are crisp and lightly browned, turning once, about 5 minutes total. Serve on buns.

Vanilla Ice Cream

Back in January I set a goal to use my ice cream maker more this year, but I pulled it out of the closet a bit earlier than expected. You see, my husband had his wisdom teeth taken out on Friday, so that means for the next week he'll be having lots of soup, smoothies, mashed potatoes, and ice cream. And since he needs to avoid anything with seeds (goodbye, strawberries), I decided on the ultimate ice cream classic: vanilla.

The beauty of this recipe is the method. It lends itself to any flavor you'd like (try cocoa powder, espresso or fruit puree), and because it's egg-based, it tastes extra creamy, like the ice cream you'd buy in the store. Andrew couldn't have any, but I crumbled some amaretto cookies on top of my bowl for extra crunch and it was absolutely delicious.

Vanilla Ice Cream

Recipe courtesy Everyday Food

Makes 1 1/2 quarts

8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups skim milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

Directions

In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt until blended. Gradually whisk in milk.

Cook over medium, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard thickens slightly and evenly coats back of spoon (it should hold a line drawn by your finger), 10 to 12 minutes.

Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl set over ice. Stir in cream and vanilla. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until chilled. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to a resealable plastic container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours (or up to 3 months).

Wine Resolution #2 + Truffle Grilled Cheese

I’m the kind of person who likes to make lists and then add check marks next to the tasks I complete. Memorial Day weekend allowed me to cross off another wine resolution: Go to a Wine Bar and have a flight of wine.

Andrew and I headed to Bottle Rock in Culver City, a place we had been meaning to try since September. Their concept is simple: order wines by the glass from a prepared list, or order any wine on the menu (at least two glasses) and they’ll open a new bottle. The rest of the bottle will be saved and it’s written on the board for other customers to try. (I know what you’re thinking, we didn’t actually have a flight, but it still counts, especially since this is the first of many wine bars we plan to try.)

We started with a glass of white (Chardonnay for me, Sauvignon Blanc for Andrew) with a cheese platter, then moved to reds for caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes and burrata cheese and their claim to fame, truffle grilled cheese. Let’s just say the grilled cheese was melt-in-your-mouth amazing, so amazing, in fact, that we ordered two.


Here's  a photo of our attempt to recreate it. The white bread slathered with butter was dead-on, but the truffle goat cheese didn’t quite pull through. On our walk back from Whole Foods it occurred to me that the cheese at Bottle Rock was likely a cow’s milk cheese so it would melt like cheddar does. Using goat cheese was the first attempt at many to get it right, and although we didn’t manage to pull it off completely, it's all part of the fun on a culinary adventure. But  don't say you haven't been warned. If you go, order the grilled cheese and you’ll never look back.

Lamb Burgers with Goat Cheese and Garlicky Spinach

You know summer is close when I start posting about burgers. Last week I went traditional, and although juicy cheeseburgers have their place in this world, I couldn’t resist these decadent lamb burgers from Food & Wine. It’s been a while since I’ve had lamb, and I couldn’t believe how tender it was. Every bite melts in your mouth (it also doesn’t hurt that a toasted bun is slathered in goat cheese and topped with wilted spinach). The goat cheese/spinach combo was so appealing that I might be topping it on a grilled Portobello sometime soon...

The recipe garnished the burgers with marjoram leaves, but I took it a step further and drizzled on reduced balsamic vinegar to finish it off. Paired with a crisp glass of rose, it was a great end to the holiday weekend.

Lamb Burgers with Goat Cheese and Garlicky Spinach

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

1/2 pound spinach, stems discarded and leaves rinsed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

2 tablespoons dry red wine, preferably Pinot Noir (I substituted red wine vinegar)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large garlic clove, minced

4 slices of peasant bread or brioche

4 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into 4 pieces

1 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions

Heat a medium skillet over moderately high heat. Add a large handful of spinach and cook, stirring, until the leaves are wilted. Transfer the wilted spinach to a colander and repeat with the remaining leaves. Gently squeeze the spinach dry, coarsely chop and reserve.

In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the red onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 7 minutes. Transfer the onion to a large bowl and let cool. Add the ground lamb to the bowl and break it up slightly. Add the red wine, cumin, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and blend well. Gently form the mixture into four 4-inch patties.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 40 seconds. Add the wilted spinach and cook, stirring, until hot. Season the spinach with salt and pepper, cover and keep warm.

For the balsamic vinegar, bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until vinegar has thickened, about 10 minutes. Watch it closely toward the end--a minute can be the difference between perfect and burned vinegar.

Light a grill. Lightly brush the bread with olive oil and grill, turning once, until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Spread the fresh goat cheese on the bread and top with the garlicky spinach.Brush the lamb patties with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until the patties are nicely charred outside and medium-rare within, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chopped lamb steaks to the bread, garnish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, if using.

Strawberry Birthday Cake + CAF's 1-Year Anniversary

I just celebrated another birthday, and it also happens to be the one-year anniversary of my blog! Celebrations were in order, and this cake was a great way to kick off the holiday weekend.

Every year for my birthday my mom would ask what kind of cake I wanted, and my answer was always the same: strawberry cake with strawberry icing.  So on May 23rd she opened the box of Duncan Hines and spread the baked cake with canned frosting. It was everything I could have wanted. That is, until I caught on to the obsession of this whole bake-from-scratch thing.

I love strawberries, and count the seed-studded fruit as one of my favorite indulgences.  They can be covered in chocolate, dusted with sugar, or poured over angel food cake.  When my in-laws found out I loved strawberries, I spent several years driving back to Santa Barbara with a trunk load of strawberry-flavored treats. Strawberry cereal, strawberry pop tarts, strawberry candy. If they were shopping and something strawberry caught their eye, it was mine. They’ve since caught on that it’s really the fresh berries I’m after, and still stock chocolate sauce and plastic containers full of them when we visit (so sweet!).

So, was this cake everything I hoped it would be? Absolutely. Although some experiments might be in order during the next few years (cupcakes, strawberry icing, strawberries between the layers, etc.), this recipe as is, was exactly what I wanted.

Strawberry Birthday Cake or Pink Lady Cake or Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe courtesy Smitten Kitchen, via Sky High

This cake makes quite a bit of batter, so you have several options for how you’d like to proceed. I happen to have two, 8-inch cake pans and was feeling lazy (on the Friday afternoon of a three-day weekend), so I opted for two very thick cake rounds instead of three. I later cut them in half to create four layers.

Cooking times may vary depending on how much batter you place into each pan. For two pans, I spread 5-6 heaping ladle’s of batter into each. What began as 30 minutes turned into something like 45-50, so just check on them and adjust your baking times accordingly.

I added three small drops of red food coloring to the batter. For the frosting, I planned on keeping the color white, but then threw caution to the wind and started adding food coloring. I lost count around drop eight, but just add them one by one until you get the desired color. I might add more next time for a more neon pink, or less to keep it elegant, so just follow your heart.

For the cake
4 1/2 cups cake flour
3 cups sugar
5 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups pureed frozen strawberries*
8 egg whites
2/3 cup milk
1 to 2 drops red food dye, if using (to make the pink color pop more)
4 to 6 large strawberries, thinly sliced (These are optional, but I think adding them between each layer really drives the strawberry flavor home.)

For the cream cheese frosting
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks; 6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Make the cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350»F. Butter three 9-inch round or 8-inch square cake pans. Line with parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixer bowl. With the electric mixer on low speed, blend for 30 seconds. Add the butter and strawberry puree and mix to blend the ingredients. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes; the batter will resemble strawberry ice cream at this point.

3. In another large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, milk and red food dye, if using, to blend. Add the whites to the batter in two or three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and mixing only to incorporate after each addition. Divide the batter among the three prepared pans.

4. Bake the cakes for 30 to 34 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the layers to cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert and turn out onto wire racks and peel off the paper liners. Let stand until completely cooled before assembling the cake, at least an hour.

Make the cream cheese frosting
5. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Frost and assemble the cake
6. Place one cake layer on a cake board or platter. Tucking scraps of waxed paper under the edges of the cake will protect the board or plate from any mess created while frosting the cake. (I forgot, as can be clearly seen above.) Spread about 2/3 cup frosting over the layer, spreading it to the edge and lay strawberry slices on top. Repeat with the second layer. Add the top layer and frost the top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, reserving a small amount if you wish to tint it and pipe a decoration on the cake. If not, you can decorate the cake top with thinly-sliced strawberries. Remove the waxed strips to reveal and neat, clean cake board.

Chicken with Three M’s: Mustard, Mascarpone and Marsala

I realize that lately I keep saying “this is my new favorite... INSERT DISH HERE.” I suppose it’s a side effect of trying so many new recipes. Sure, I have my staples. This soup. This pasta. And a few others. But it’s been a while since chicken has really amazed me. Though skin, definitely, is a big help. For months and months I had only skinless, boneless chicken in my freezer. Bor-ing. There was only so much of it I could take. So during my latest Costco trip, I broke free and grabbed bags of skin-on thighs. I’m so glad I did.

And did you know you can make Chicken Marsala without Marsala? I suppose at that point it would need a new title, but don’t cast this recipe aside if you don’t already have some in the fridge. I added a splash each of white wine and balsamic vinegar instead and it was wonderful. The mushrooms add an earthy flavor and taste delicious wrapped up in creamy mascarpone sauce.

Chicken with Three M's: Mustard, Mascarpone and Marsala

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces (I used four chicken thighs)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine (I substituted splashes of balsamic and white wine vinegar)
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish
12 ounces dried fettuccine

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

A Big Juicy Burger + Homemade Hamburger Buns

Sometimes I rate the quality of a food magazine by the number of pages I dog-ear. A magazine is even better if I find my way back to those pages and make the recipes that initially piqued my interest. Lately, Food & Wine has been hit or miss for me. It just depends on the month, the theme, the recipes themselves, but there have been enough useful issues to warrant renewing my subscription year after year.

So, each year around this time magazines do their summer grilling/summer parties issues, but I was not prepared for what was in store this time around. I’m telling you, I must have dog-eared every other page in the June issue. The cover recipe alone (a big, juicy burger) made my husband pick up the magazine from the ottoman in the living room and bring it to me in the kitchen, hold it up proudly and ask: “When can we make this?”

I have a good feeling about summer. And now that we’ve sold the grill that didn’t fit on our patio and replaced it with a smaller, still functional version that does fit, we’re ready to go. So let’s start grill season off with a classic. Summer is probably the only time I’ll eat a hamburger. I never order them in restaurants, and aside from the occasional In-n-Out drive-through after loading up our trunk at Costco, I pretty much avoid them all together. But now that I’ve discovered I can make my own hamburger buns (people, this was a revelation!), there might be a few more burgers on our menu this season. And if you have ever been to the mostly-West coast burger mecca that is In-n-Out, well, they just might have some competition.

Big Juicy Burger

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine

The original recipe is below, but to make these burgers more like In-n-Out’s, I replaced the raw, red onions with chopped, caramelized onions. Saute them in a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper for about 15-20 minutes. I also omitted the bacon and lost the BLT element, but you’re more than welcome to use it.

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon grated onion

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

12 ounces thickly sliced bacon

1 1/3 pounds ground beef chuck

1 1/3 pounds ground beef sirloin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 6 slices

6 hamburger buns, split and toasted

6 iceberg lettuce leaves

6 slices of tomato

6 slices of red onion

Directions

For the Russian Tarragon dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the ketchup, red wine vinegar, onion, parsley, tarragon and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and refrigerate.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Drain and cut the bacon into large pieces.

Light a grill and fill a large bowl with ice water. Gently mix the ground chuck with the ground sirloin, salt and pepper. Form the meat into six 4-inch patties, about 1 1/4 inches thick. Submerge the patties in the cold water and let soak for 30 seconds. Immediately transfer the burgers to the grill and brush with some of the melted butter. Grill over high heat for 9 minutes for medium-rare meat, turning once or twice and brushing occasionally with butter. Top the burgers with the cheese during the last minute of grilling and let melt.

Spread the Russian dressing on the buns. Set the lettuce leaves and tomato slices on the bottom halves and top with the burgers, red onion and bacon. Close the burgers, cut in half and serve right away.

*

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Recipe courtesy Annie’s Eats

The buns ended up smaller than I expected. I might not have waited long enough for the second rise, but regardless, I ended up with 9, slider-size buns. Next time I’ll make five large buns instead, but you can play around with the recipe until it’s right for you.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. sugar
2 ¼ tsp. instant yeast
¼ cup warm water (105°-115°)
1 cup warm milk (105°-115°)
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
3 to 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. cold water
sesame, poppy or caraway seeds, or coarse salt, for topping

Directions

In a bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve the sugar and then the yeast in the warm water.  Add the milk, oil, salt and 1 ½ cups of flour to the yeast mixture.  Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.  Gradually add flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  Switch to the dough hook and knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough, about 7-9 minutes.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl.  Turn once to coat the entire ball of dough in oil.  Cover with a tightly-woven dampened towel and let rise until doubled, about one hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface.  Working with oiled hands, divide the dough into 9 equal pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball, and flatten into 3 ½ -inch disks.  For soft-sided buns, place them on a well-seasoned baking sheet a half-inch apart so they will grow together when they rise.  For crisper bun, place them three inches apart.

Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

15 minutes before you want to bake the buns, preheat the oven to 400°.  Just before baking, brush the tops of the buns lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with any desired toppings.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190°.  When the buns are done, remove them from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack.  This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

* Note: This particular dough should be quite slack, i.e. very relaxed in order to make soft and tender buns.  So you want to add only enough more flour, past the 3 cup point, to make the dough just kneadable, sprinkling in only enough more to keep it from sticking to you or the work surface.

Pasta with Anchovies and Zucchini Ribbons

Before you get turned off at the thought of anchovies in your dinner, hear me out.  You might be surprised to know that anchovies, as strange as they look stacked in a can, are delicious. In fact, anchovies are a brilliant little ingredient because, when used, they actually disappear into your dishes. That’s right. You won’t even be able to see them, or even pin down the taste of them.

They are complete flavor enhancers, and if anchovies still freak you out, there’s always anchovy paste, which brings all the flavor without having to pull them out of their can and chop them up. So, hopefully I’ve convinced you to give them a chance. If so, this is a great recipe to try. Also, this one. All you need are a few kitchen staples and you’ll have pasta on the table in no time.

Pasta with Anchovies and Zucchini Ribbons

Recipe adapted from Gourmet

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 lb spaghetti
3 garlic cloves
12 oil-packed flat anchovy fillets (or 2 tablespoons anchovy paste)
1 1/2 lb zucchini (about 3 medium), thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Heat oil and butter in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté zucchini 1/2 tsp salt until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente.

While spaghetti cooks, mince and mash garlic and anchovies together to form a paste. Add paste to onion with 1/2 tsp pepper and sauté 2 minutes. Add zucchini and sauté until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes.

Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain spaghetti. Add spaghetti to zucchini mixture with reserved cooking water and toss to coat. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and zest.

Peaches with Amaretti

Let me introduce you to my new favorite dessert. Whenever I have a dinner party, this will likely be my top pick to close the meal. Ok, maybe not every single meal, but it’s really so good, and has far too many dinner-party-perfection qualities not to at least consider it.

Let’s discuss. First, it’s a complete make ahead dish. You can grill the peaches, sprinkle them with sugar and let them rest in a baking dish all afternoon. And they only need to bake for 10 minutes – the perfect amount of time to rest after the main course. Second, the flavors are lovely, and slightly unexpected.  Amaretto is one of those “wow” flavors, in my opinion, because we’ve all heard of almonds, but the liqueur is something that isn’t usually stocked in every liquor cabinet.

Next, texture. The mascarpone is creamy, peaches are soft, and cookies crunchy. One little bite has everything. And finally, this little dessert has great stage presence. They look special on the plate, and will end your next meal on a perfect note.Peaches with Amaretti

Peaches with Amaretti

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

8 ripe peaches, cut in 1/2 and pitted (or one peach per person if small)
1/4 cup good almond liqueur (recommended: Amaretto Di Savonna)
Granulated sugar
8 amaretti cookies, crumbled
Mascarpone or vanilla ice cream to serve, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat and brush with olive oil to make sure the peaches don't stick. Place the peaches, cut side down, on the grill and cook for a few minutes, until they're slightly charred.

Place the peaches in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle each half with a little sugar. Drizzle a dash of amaretto liqeuer over each peach. (If preparing these in advance, this is the time to just let them sit on the counter until you’re ready to bake.)

Bake the peaches for about 10 minutes, until they're very tender. Serve hot, at room temperature, with with crumbled amaretti cookies on top or with the cookies on the side. I like to serve them with a dollop of mascarpone or vanilla ice cream.

Potato and Zucchini Latkes

I discovered latkes last year and I’m hooked. So when Ralph’s had a heavy bag of potatoes on sale for $1.99 last week, I grabbed it and didn’t look back. It was a starch-filled week: soup, gnocchi, French fries, and these cute, crunchy latkes.

I used the same yogurt-brown-butter-pine nut mixture as last time (minus the sage) and it made for a perfectly light meal. Latkes might be more traditional in December, months and months from now, when the weather is a bit colder, but don’t wait until the end of the year to make these. They’re really perfect any time.


And I have to apologize. I don’t know what I did with this recipe. It happens, sometimes, with all the recipes I pull out of magazines and e-mail to myself that I can’t remember where I found it. So I’ve included a few places you can find your new favorite latke recipe:

Gourmet’s Potato Latkes
Food Network’s Zucchini Latkes
Saveur’s Perfect Every Time Latkes
Giada’s Crispy Zucchini and Potato Pancakes

Ina's Chicken Pot Pie

Leave it to Ina to master the best comfort food recipes. One tip: Don’t get excited (like we did) and burn your tongues on the filling. Just be a little bit patient, let some steam release, and wait. Pulled from the oven, these will be very, very hot. And you can use any chicken you like. Also, don't be confined to her bone-in, skin-on method. It works, of course, but if you have boneless, skinless chicken in the freezer (like I did), you're set.

Chicken Pot Pie

Recipe courtesy Ina Garten

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 chicken bouillon cubes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

For the pastry:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Macaroni with Goat Cheese and Marinara

Years ago there was a marinara sauce called Prego Pasta Bake. It was, essentially, dinner in a jar, requiring only two additional ingredients: pasta and shredded Mozzarella cheese. Before I unleashed the gourmet in me, my husband and I would make this quite often. It was one of the first things we cooked together (if you can call it cooking) and may well have started us on the culinary journey we’re on today.

When I first noticed this recipe for Rigatoni with Goat Cheese and Marinara, I didn’t make the correlation, but after pulling it from the oven I realized how much it reminded me of the pasta bake’s we made in college. Pasta, sauce, and cheese—a simple list of ingredients with plenty of satisfaction. But this version appeals to the more sophisticated palate we’ve developed over the years. Goat cheese gives tang and creaminess to the red béchamel-like sauce and the breadcrumbs, well, they usually make everything a little bit better, especially when they’re toasted.

MACARONI WITH GOAT CHEESE AND MARINARA

Recipe courtesy NY Times

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Your refrigerator is part of your pantry, and if you have Parmesan and goat cheese on hand you can make any number of dishes. This is a grown-up macaroni and cheese, with a creamy tomato sauce standing in for béchamel.

1 pound of small pasta, penne or macaroni
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 plump garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can plus 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes in juice
1/8 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
A couple of fresh basil sprigs (optional)
1 teaspoon dried oregano, if not using basil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 ounces soft, mild goat cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Begin heating a large pot of water for the pasta. Meanwhile make the tomato sauce. Pulse the chopped tomatoes in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, or pass through the medium blade of a food mill before you begin. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide nonstick skillet or saucepan and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to a minute, until it begins to smell fragrant, and add the tomatoes and their juice, the sugar, salt, oregano if using or basil sprigs. Stir and turn up the heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until thick and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes, or longer if necessary. Remove the basil sprigs and wipe any sauce adhering to them back into the pan. Add freshly ground pepper, stir in the goat cheese and Parmesan and combine well. Taste and adjust seasonings.

2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin with olive oil.

3. When the water for the pasta comes to a boil add a tablespoon of salt and cook the pasta for a minute or two less than the instructions on the package indicate. It should still be a little underdone as it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomato-goat cheese sauce and stir together until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Transfer to the baking dish.

4. Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle over the top of the macaroni. Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Advance preparation: You can make the tomato sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the refrigerator. Reheat and stir in the cheese just before tossing with the pasta. The assembled macaroni will keep for several hours outside of the refrigerator, and can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking.

Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

Blood oranges are at the farmer’s market nowadays, and I always walk by the sample table, pick up a blood orange chunk with a toothpick, then walk away with a smile on my face. They just taste so…good. Plus their deep red, almost purple color is just beautiful.

Today, I bought a few and pulled out a recipe I had been saving. The first night we ate these as dessert, but I wrapped up individual slices for grab-and-go breakfasts the rest of the week.

Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake
Recipe by Melissa Clark, New York Times

Butter for greasing pan
3 blood oranges
1 cup sugar
Buttermilk or plain yogurt
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Honey-blood orange compote, for serving, optional (see note)
Whipped cream, for serving, optional.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Grate zest from 2 oranges and place in a bowl with sugar. Using your fingers, rub ingredients together until orange zest is evenly distributed in sugar.

2. Supreme an orange: Cut off bottom and top so fruit is exposed and orange can stand upright on a cutting board. Cut away peel and pith, following curve of fruit with your knife. Cut orange segments out of their connective membranes and let them fall into a bowl. Repeat with another orange. Break up segments with your fingers to about 1/4-inch pieces.

3. Halve remaining orange and squeeze juice into a measuring cup. You will have about 1/4 cup or so. Add buttermilk or yogurt to juice until you have 2/3 cup liquid altogether. Pour mixture into bowl with sugar and whisk well. Whisk in eggs.

4. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently whisk dry ingredients into wet ones. Switch to a spatula and fold in oil a little at a time. Fold in pieces of orange segments. Scrape batter into pan and smooth top.

5. Bake cake for about 55 minutes, or until it is golden and a knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then unmold and cool to room temperature right-side up. Serve with whipped cream and honey-blood orange compote, if desired.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.
Note: To make a honey-blood orange compote, supreme 3 more blood oranges according to directions in Step 2. Drizzle in 1 to 2 teaspoons honey. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir gently.

Wine Resolutions #13 and #14

During the three days we spent in Santa Barbara last week, I managed to cross off two more wine resolutions. On Friday morning we stopped by C’est Cheese for a few picnic provisions, including a slice of an unbelievable goat cheese laced with truffles called “Truffle Tremor.” Mmm.

Thirty minutes later we had made our way up the coast to Melville, our first stop of four. Next came Alma Rosa, Rusack, and Sunstone. Wine country was beautiful, as always and we walked away with a box full of wine. One smelled like white nectarine, another like pumpkin, and some peppery reds perfect for the outdoor grilling that should be happening this summer.

#13: Try a Varietal You’ve Never Had From a U.S. Winery. At Rusack we tasted a 2006 Sangiovese, the grape of the Chianti region of Italy. I’ve tasted Chianti before, but I’m not sure it counts when you’re fourteen at a family Christmas party taking a small sip from your parent’s glass.

#14: Either: Have 12 Different Bottles in the House at Once or Drink Up. We came home with ten new bottles. Our wine rack only holds nine, so I’m considering this resolution successful. For the past few months, our wine rack had looked, well, sad (note the before and after shots below). Between the move, the recession, and getting settled with new jobs, buying wine just wasn’t high on the priority list. But now that life is back on track, it was definitely time to restock our very modest cellar.

Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

I could go on and on about how much I love pasta. And since I’m half Italian, its technically in my blood.  (I mean, it would really be like slapping my ancestors in the face if I didn’t love it, right?)

Pasta appeals to the other half of me for its versatility. Not only do the noodles vary in size, shape and texture, but pasta can be paired with endless combinations of vegetables, herbs, and sauces. And since this balsamic syrup thing is going strong, this recipe peaked my interest as soon as I read the title.

It’s so simple to make, you really don’t have an excuse to open that can of marinara sauce in the fridge. You could certainly forgo the balsamic butter altogether and just toss the pasta with vegetables and olive oil, but this little bit of decadence will really wake up Wednesday night dinner.

*Today is my 3-year wedding anniversary! And we're getting out of town...look for more posts next week.

Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 pound penne
3 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

1.  Heat the oven to 400°. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until 3 tablespoons remain. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter until melted and mixture is smooth.

3. Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the balsamic sauce, vinegar, asparagus, Parmesan, and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Gnocchi with Thyme Butter

Gnocchi has been one of those things on my list I’ve always wanted to make. The only thing standing in my way was the fact that I didn’t have a potato ricer, nor did I want to buy one just to make gnocchi. But wait, you don't actually need a potato ricer to make gnocchi? That was all I needed to know. And does anyone have a problem with some brown butter? I didn't think so.

Now, let's be honest. If I had served this to someone’s Italian grandmother, they might not be impressed.  I can see where the ricer might be useful, especially to ensure a smooth consistency, but slather them in brown butter (just be sure to add some salt – it was the only thing that seemed to be lacking.) or fresh basil pesto, and you're set. Besides, for my first attempt at gnocchi, it was pretty successful and can only get better from here.

Gnocchi with a grater

Recipe courtesy Smitten Kitchen

Adapted from About.com

2 pounds Russet potatoes

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400°. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, and bake them on a baking sheet for 45 minutes to one hour, or until they are fork-tender. For best results, turn the potatoes over halfway through the baking time. Let the potatoes cool slightly.

Peel the potatoes, and then pass them through a potato ricer, food mill or grate them over the large holes of a box grater into a large bowl. Add the lightly beaten egg and the salt to the potatoes and mix well with a wooden spoon.

Add the flour to the potatoes a little at a time, using only as much as you need so that the dough will not stick to your hands. When the flour has been incorporated, bring the dough together with your fingertips.

Dump the dough and any remaining floury bits onto a slightly floured surface. Knead the dough as you would bread dough. Press down and away with the heel of your hand, fold the dough over, make a quarter turn, and repeat the process. Knead for about three or four minutes.

Form the dough into a ball and then divide it into 6 smaller balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the six pieces using your fingertips into a long rope about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into 1 inch pieces.

You can cook the gnocchi as it is now, but traditional gnocchi has ridges. To create the ridges, press each piece of dough against the tines of a fork. With your finger, gently roll the pressed dough back off the fork. This takes a little practice. If you find the dough sticking to the fork, dip the fork in flour before you press the dough against it.

Place the gnocchi in a single layer on a lightly floured or parchment-lined dish. If you’d like to freeze them for later use, do so on this tray and once they are frozen, drop them into a freezer bag. This ensures that you won’t have one enormous gnocchi mass when you are ready to cook them.

To cook the gnocchi, place them into a pot of boiling and well-salted water. After a few minutes the gnocchi will float to the top. Continue to cook for one minute then remove and set aside.

Smoky Beef Tacos

You don’t really need a recipe for tacos. Although I planned my dinner around the recipe in the March edition of Everyday Food, when it came time to braise the beef, I winged it. I didn’t measure the oregano or ketchup, and now that I’m actually looking at the recipe, I completely forgot to add garlic. Oh well. The meat was tender and flavorful, which is really all that matters.

My process went a little like this: Heat up some oil, brown the beef on both sides, add listed ingredients plus a few glugs of chicken stock (to come up about ½ way to the top of the beef), let it come to a boil, cover, stick in the oven for two hours until meat is tender, break apart with a fork, put meat back in cooking liquid to keep moist and warm, enjoy! I also served the tacos with a simple salad of corn and tomatoes, avocado, and lime-flavored sour cream.

Smoky Beef Tacos

Recipe courtesy Everyday Food

Ingredients

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 cup ketchup
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted
Avocado-Red Onion Relish
Corn-and-Tomato Salsa
Cilantro-Lime Crema

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

2. Cut beef into 4 equal pieces. Add to pot, and turn to coat. Cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. Bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

3. Transfer beef to a bowl. With a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.

Anniversary Cake Part 3: The Big Reveal + Recipes

Oh, have you been looking for the recipes I promised back in Part 1? Well, here they are! This cake, for a surprise party with fifteen guests, was absolutely delicious and a complete thrill to pull off. I actually surprised myself so much I considered becoming a professional baker during a two-minute moment of weakness when all the guests were fawning over how professional it looked. But now that all the gushing is out of the way, it’s back to reality. Leaving my job to open a cute little bakery certainly won't be happening, but there will always be room among all of life's responsibilities to create special treats for birthdays, anniversaries, or just because.

The main difference I noticed with this cake versus the test cake was that most of the lemon curd had soaked into the layers by the time we cut it. This didn't impact the flavor, you just couldn't see it, so it looked like raspberries completely dominated the filling. (Something I noticed, but no one else cared about.) Fondant also takes a little finesse to cut through. The first slice (above), was a bit mangled when it hit the plate, but again, a minor detail. Tip: Dip your knife into hot water before each slice to ensure a more even cut.

So, here are the recipes:

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Lemon Curd and Fresh Raspberries, Iced with Swiss Buttercream

{printable recipe}

Ingredients

Cake

Recipe via Smitten Kitchen, via Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes
Makes one three-layer 9-inch round cake

*I made a three-layer 8-inch cake

3 3/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups plus 1/3 cup buttermilk
5 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Buttercream

Recipe via Smitten Kitchen

For a 9-inch cake (plus filling, or some to spare)
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
26 tablespoons butter, softened (3 sticks plus 2 tablespoons or 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons, if you buy butter in the large Costco quantities)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lemon Curd

From: Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes

3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
½ cup + 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
Grated zest of 3 lemons
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

Raspberries

1 to 2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed and drained

Directions

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
2. Combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixer bowl. With the mixer on low speed, blend for 30 seconds. Add the butter and 1 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Mix on low speed briefly to blend; then raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and the remaining 1/3 cup buttermilk until well blended. Pour one-third of the egg mixture into the cake batter at a time, folding it in completely after each addition. There will be 9 cups of batter; our 3 cups batter into each pan.
4. Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Note: In my oven, the cakes took 30-33 minutes, so be sure to check them)
5. Turn the layers out onto wire racks by placing a rack on top of a pan, inverting it, and lifting off the pan. Peel off the paper liners and let cool completely. When the layers have cooled, place a cardboard cake board on top of a layer, invert again, and lift off the rack. To make the layers easier to handle, wrap them on their boards completely in plastic, so they don’t dry out, and refrigerate them.

Buttercream

1. Whisk egg whites and sugar together in a big metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk occasionally until you can’t feel the sugar granules when you rub the mixture between your fingers.
2. Transfer mixture into the mixer and whip until it turns white and about doubles in size. (Here’s a tip: when you transfer to the mixer, make sure you wipe the condensation off the bottom of the bowl so that no water gets into the egg whites. This can keep them from whipping up properly.)
3.  Add the vanilla.
4.  Finally, add the butter a stick at a time and whip, whip, whip. (This can take 10-15 minutes.)

Lemon Curd

1. Whisk together whole eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
2. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan. Gently heat the mixture, whisking until it thickens enough to coat a spoon; do not boil.
3. Pour the mixture through a wire mesh strainer into a heatproof dish. Stir in the butter and cover the curd with plastic wrap, pressing it to the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until needed.

Assembly

Since I made the cake a day ahead, I flash-froze the layers (see notes on Part 2), then brushed on a simple syrup before adding the filling to ensure the cake would still be moist the next day. To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake board or stand. (Don't forget the parchment paper!) For my test cake, I didn’t use a buttercream buffer. In fact, I hadn’t even read about this tip yet. But when it came to the big event, I piped a small layer of buttercream along the edge of the cake layer to keep curd from spilling out of the sides. Pour 1/2 of the lemon curd onto the first layer and gently spread it out. Squeeze extra juice from berries and dot them on the lemon curd. Place second layer on top, gently pressing down, and repeat until the third layer is placed. Next, apply a crumb layer and let the cake chill for another 30 minutes in the fridge.  Finally, frost, decorate, and enjoy!

Anniversary Cake Part 2: Frosting, Freezers and Fondant

Now that you know the story, here is a collection of tips I learned from attempting this project, as well as a big THANK YOU to all the resources I used to pull this off.

Use the freezer. Most blogs and cake sites I read recommended freezing the layers (for up to a week, wrapped in plastic), but a minimum of 30 minutes to an hour. The latter is the “flash freezing” technique, which I found to be the best trick for making frosting a breeze.  Allow your cakes to cool, then place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and slide it in the freezer. When you pull them out to begin frosting, you’ll notice a big difference.

Swiss Buttercream. It’s true about the Swiss Buttercream—it will come together (yes, even if it separates). Just turn on your mixer and leave it alone. Leave the kitchen all together and when you return, it will have survived the curdled soup phase and look beautifully creamy. I panicked the first time (and even the second time) when I saw it lumpy in the bowl of my mixer, but magically, it will reach the consistency you need.

The all-important crumb coat. This is a thin coat of frosting that will cover any crumbs and ensure a smooth surface for adding the top layer of frosting. Put your cake back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to let crumb coat chill and harden before spreading on the final layer of frosting. It's truly the key to making your cake look like it came from a professional bakery.

Fondant. Fondant can be made at home, but I wasn’t about to add another thing to my to-do list this late in the game. With no shame, I bought boxes of the stuff at Gloria’s Cake Supply (fondant can also be found online). To roll fondant, first measure the amount you will need. Add the width of the cake plus the height of the two sides (in my case, 8+4+4 = 16. Wilton’s recommends adding another 2 inches, so my total was 18 inches).

Since my counter tops are tiled and not perfectly smooth, I cleared off my kitchen table, dusted it with powdered sugar, and spent the next ten minutes getting an upper body workout. Continue to roll and measure until the fondant is about ¼ inches thick and the width you need. Use your rolling pin to pick it up and gently drape it over the cake. Start by smoothing the top of the cake, then work your way down the sides, gently removing air bubbles as you go.

Ideally, fondant should be placed on a chilled frosting layer (I accidentally bypassed this step, considering later that it might have been useful. Thankfully, nothing was ruined). After the crumb coat, frost your cake, and if you’re planning to use fondant, stick it in the fridge again for 30 minutes before applying the fondant.

RESOURCES

A brief plug for You Tube. Watching videos of cake decorating/frosting was especially useful for a first time wedding cake baker. Learn how to swivel your icing spatula or flatten fondant, and you’ll have an edge when you attempt these techniques yourself.

Smitten Kitchen. Deb made a wedding cake last year and her detailed posts gave me confidence to attempt one of my own. The Swiss buttercream and vanilla buttermilk cake recipes are adapted from her site.

Baking Supplies. If you live in a major city, there is likely a restaurant or baking supply store in your area (so Google!). LA folks: Head to Gloria’s Cake & Candy Supply in Culver City for all your baking essentials. For online shopping, Wilton’s, Gloria’s, and Amazon all have a large selection of products.

Here are a few more tools that will make this whole process easier:

Cake boards. Cake boards come in a range of materials from basic cardboard to gold and silver-coated boards that will give your cake a professional look and feel. Boards are generally inexpensive (under $1 for the cardboard variety, and depending on the decorative version you choose, anywhere from $2 to $10).

Cake boxes. Essential if you’re transporting your cake anywhere. If you aren’t making a tiered cake to be assembled on site, you can make the cake, frost and decorate, and slide it (on your trusty cake board) into the cake box.

Icing spatulas. A regular butter knife just won’t cut it for frosting cakes. Again, relatively inexpensive ($8-$30 depending on brand), it’s worthwhile to invest in icing spatulas if cakes or cupcakes will be in your foreseeable future.

Parchment paper. Lining your baking pans with parchment paper (you can cut them out yourself or buy pre-cut liners), will ensure your cake will turn out with ease. Also, an invaluable tip: Before frosting your cake, slide pieces of parchment or wax paper under the cake to protect it from falling icing. When you’re finished, gently pull them out to reveal a clean line between the cake and your board.

*

Looking for recipes? Find them here.

{Printable Recipe}