Tag: Thermomix

Dark Chocolate Cherry Mousse Cake #lovestonefruit

“Chemically speaking, chocolate really is the world’s perfect food.”
Michael Levine

Dark Chocolate Cherry Mousse CakeDays come and go, and amazingly years gallop by. The charming little poppet turned 13, entering into a much awaited phase of his life, scary for the parents in us us we lie in exhausted heaps having battled the other teen and her trying years. For his special birthday, celebrated at the height of the dreaded Indian summer, a Dark Chocolate Cherry Mousse Cake.I used to listen on in disbelief when ‘been there‘ experienced Mums would tell me that angelic little boys begin to become ‘something else‘ once they cross the 10-11 years milestone. Not mine I’d think, no question. Never seen a more charming lad, so thoughtful, so loving … one that planted little kisses on my knee when he was little!All that changed a year ago. Good heavens … where did the ‘angelic’ son go? At times I found him hidden in a monster, behaving in the most unbelievable manner; at other times as good as gold. June baby? Gemini = twins? While I battle the Jekyll & Hyde situation, heeding now to shared experiences and  words of wisdom, it was time to bake … again!We’re in the throws of an awful Indian summer, relentless heat, getting worse by the day, power-cuts galore, water shortages … and then we decide to get the house painted. The work carries on, woefully long, taking its toll on our energy levels. Just the kids seem fine … and the dog of course, brimming with boundless energy, racing in and out of rooms. In a house full of ladders, boxes piled high, buckets of paints and masking tape, some pretty summer flowers, I set off on the 10th to bake cake! The lad had said it was OK. “No need for cake, I understand Mama“. But cake there had to be the “dieting once again“ diva declared. ‘She’ who is over 16 doesn’t seem to hold the magical spell over the younger sibling any longer, yet still calls the food shots! Cherries and chocolate was the royal call, and I was happy I had a theme, a dream to play with. Always a good idea to dream up some yumminess!The base was intended to be a sponge until I added melted chocolate to it. I panicked since it wasn’t light as air and soft … so it got a good sugar syrup soaking. Was the right medicine for the cake. It giddily drank up the juices on offer and was just right a base for the balsamic cherries and mousse filling!The mousse filling was adapted from a simple chocolate mousse recipe in my Thermomix cookbook. By the time I had the machine on, I was in panic mode again. Something told me that it was too hot for it to set as a cake topping. Goblets are different; chocolate mousse will always be delicious in any form, barely set in goblets too.I had to do better and couldn’t take a cake chance and eventually added a spoon of gelatin.  It worked a charm and I was thrilled to see it had set beautifully when I demolded it the next morning. The birthday boy was packed off with Mr PAB for a film and lunch, so I got adventurous and decided to pretty up the cake a bit!Noel Cowards began playing in head “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun“. Boy was it HOT at 43C! A lace collar in the heat might well have been the silliest of ideas but there you are. That’s what I decided to do … and that worked too. Some more balsamic and fresh cherries on top, a sprinkling of pistachios, chocolate flakes and we were set for the lads 13th!!

We had a sinfully delicious cake by the evening, one that looked as good as it tasted. 5 star quality declared the hub! The kids absolutely LOVED it down to the last chocolaty crumb, the birthday boy quite happy. I was glad I set  2 goblets of mousse too to make sure that the mousse would hold; a runny mousse cake would have been a mid summer disaster! So glad I got it right!

#lovestonefruit

[print_this]Recipe: Dark Chocolate Cherry Mousse Cake

Summary: A dark, rich chocolate cake layered with deep balsamic fresh cherries and  satiny smooth dark chocolate mousse. A chocolate celebration dressed up in a lace chocolate collar, more cherries,  dark chocolate flakes and slivered pistachios. Makes one 9″ cake. Serves 15.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

  • Chocolate cake
  • 4 eggs
  • 50g clarified butter {or unsalted butter, melted}
  • 100g dark chocolate
  • 100g vanilla sugar
  • 90g plain flour
  • 30g cocoa powder
  • Pinch salt
  • Sugar Syrup
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Squeeze of lime
  • Balsamic cherries
  • 500g cherries, pitted
  • 2-3 tbsp vanilla sugar
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Dark chocolate mousse
  • {adapted from the Thermomix cookbook}
  • 5 eggs, separated {or 4 large}
  • Pinch of cream of tartar
  • 80gm powdered sugar, divided
  • 1/2 vanilla bean scraped
  • 1/2 t vanilla bean powder {or paste}
  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 40g low fat cream, room temperature
  • 220g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 400g low fat cream, chilled, beaten to medium peaks
  • 5g {1t} gelatin powder dissolved in 1 1/2 tbsp of water
  • Chocolate border
  • 100g dark chocolate, melted
  • Fresh cherries, chocolate flakes, slivered pistachios for garnish

Method:

  1. Chocolate Cake
  2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line the sides and bottom of a 9″ baking tin.
  3. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt. Reserve.
  4. Melt the chocolate with clarified butter in the microwave. Reserve.
  5. Place the egg and vanilla sugar in a big bowl and beat over simmering water until light and moussey, and doubled in volume. About 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to beat until cool, 3-5 minutes more.
  6. Gently fold the flour mix into the beaten yolks in 3-4 batches.
  7. Quickly yet gently fold in the melted chocolate with butter and pour the batter into the prepared tin.
  8. Bake for about 25 minutes until a tester comes out clean/ or the top is springy to touch.
  9. Cool on rack and then slice into 2 layers.
  10. Sugar Syrup
  11. Place sugar and water in a pan and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add lime and cool.
  12. Balsamic Cherries
  13. Place ingredients in a non reactive pan and simmer until the cherries release their juices and begin to get soft and hold their shape, about 4-5 minutes. {Don’t overcook or the cherries will break down and lose shape}
  14. Remove the cherries to a bowl. Place pan with the liquid on medium high heat and reduce to about a third, nice and thick. Add back to the cherries. Cool.
  15. Dark chocolate mousse
  16. Recipe is for the Thermomix. I reckon it can be adapted with the  same proportions for regular top of the stove cooking, like a creme patisserie.
  17. Heat empty TM bowl for 2 minutes at 50C, speed 2.
  18. Insert Butterfly. Place egg whites in TM bowl with cream of tartar and beat for 4 minutes on speed 4 with MC off.
  19. Through hole in the lid, add half the sugar, 1 tsp at a time during the last minute. Set aside in a large bowl. remove butterfly.
  20. Without cleaning, place yolks, remaining sugar, vanilla bean powder and scraped seeds, butter, 40g cream and chocolate into TM bowl. Cook for 4 minutes at 70C on speed 3.
  21. Add a third of the beaten egg whites back into the bowl and stir for 10 seconds on reverse +speed 3. Add to the remaining whites.
  22. Fold everything gently together, including gelatin. Use immediately or chill for about 30 minutes until required.
  23. Assemble:
  24. Place a large piece of foil on a flat platter. {The cake can be transferred to a serving platter later}. Place one layer of the cake on the base and moisten it with sugar syrup. Place a dessert ring around it and bring the foil up around firmly as the mousse is yet to set and will be rather runny.
  25. Reserve 3-4tbsp of the balsamic cherries for the topping. Spoon half of the remainder over the cake base. Pour half the mousse over the cherries.
  26. Moisten the next layer of cake with the sugar syrup and place gently over mousse followed by remaining balsamic cherries, and then the remaining mousse.
  27. Cover and leave to set overnight. Gently demold and transfer cake to serving platter with a cake spatula or large flat spoon. Dress it up with a chocolate border {instructions follow}, remaining balsamic cherries, fresh cherries, chocolate flakes and slivered pistachios.
  28. Chill until ready to serve. Let it stand outside for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow for easy slicing of the border.
  29. Chocolate border
  30. Cut out parchment paper borders to fir around the cake. Place the melted chocolate in a ziploc bag and snip of a corner. Doodle designs all over the borders and when just about to set, place snugly around the cake, pressing into place ever so gently.
  31. Leave the cake in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes for the chocolate to harden, then gently peel off the parchment. {It was very hot here, so I placed the strips of melted chocolate in the fridge to firm up a bit first}

[/print_this]

Don’t miss a post
Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India

Sweet Orange, Roasted Strawberry & Chocolate Buttermilk Rolls … the best of The Pioneer Woman

“I wanted to make a cookbook full of food that you’d absolutely love, because I love all of you.”
Ree Drummond

Of course I got tempted again! What’s not to love about Sweet Orange Rolls? The day I saw these delicious rolls from Rees new cookbook, I was in a trance. 24 hours later, my kitchen was enticingly orangey, deeply strawberryish … and like the best bakery in town. These Sweet Orange, Roasted Strawberry and Chocolate Buttermilk Rolls were winners.I knew they would be! I am a huge fan of The Pioneer Womans cinnamon roll dough, a dough I have endlessly experimented with outstanding results each time. If the Apple Cranberry Almond Olive Oil Pull-Apart Loaf & Popovers weren’t a screaming success enough, these Savoury Chili Cheese & Garlic Olive Oil Pull-Apart Bread reconfirmed it!So when I saw the dashing and talented {in Rees words of course, but seriously, it’s true} Brians post on  A Thought For Food, I knew my homemade bitter tangerine marmalade had found a new destination. This has turned out to be the yummiest one yet. It was a bread dessert waiting to be baked, and while I worked on the dough I made changes, just a few changes.Nothing radical as the basic recipe is a winner. I had some buttermilk on hand, so in it went instead of milk. Then, when I opened the fridge to take out the jar of marmalade, I couldn’t resist thinking the oranges might enjoy some colourful company …So the marmalade got slathered over with some roasted balsamic strawberries I had made the day before. These are delightful to have in the fridge. For times when you buy too many strawberries in temptation and then panic that they will spoil, this is a good recipe. It keeps them safe for at least a few days longer. I make small portions at a time and put them into fruit bakes, sandwich and top a cake with cream, or drizzle a few spoonfuls over a parfait or ice cream. You can see them in these – Quark Mousse Cake, Quarkauflauf, Eggless Caramel Cream Cakes. Just yesterday I topped a cheesecake with the left overs. So many ways and so much fun; taste, colour and variety all packed into one jar! Because they are oven roasted, they are nice and thick, they don’t ‘leak‘ extra liquid into the dough to make it soggy. To keep the ‘not so terrible any more’ teen happy I threw in some dark chocolate too. Orange, strawberry and chocolate together worked some magic in there to serve up some darned delicious dessert rolls! We loved them … LOTS! {I made 2 individual pop over rolls too with left over dough}.How do I describe something bursting with the freshness of orange, seduced by the heady combination of deep roasted strawberries and dark chocolate … ooeeey, gooeey, wonderful. They were fabulous warm, and very very good at room temperature. And with obligatory lashings of unsweetened low fat cream, even more DELICIOUS!This is my new favourite dessert – light, eggless, fruity, chocolaty. I love it! Dark chocolate only makes good things even gooder better. It’s adapted minimally from the Rees new cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks – Food From My Frontier. If the recipe is anything to go by, the book has to be a winner.I made a half quantity and am glad I did. Half was hard to keep away from, how could we have  justified digging into 48 rolls? Next 24 to be made soon, and more bitter marmalade making coming up just for these! Yes, they were that good! Thank you Brian for the inspiration to bake this ‘miracle‘! Loved your ‘thought for food‘!

[print_this]Recipe: Sweet Orange, Roasted Strawberry & Chocolate Buttermilk Rolls

Summary: Sweet dessert rolls bursting with the freshness of orange flavour, seduced by deep roasted strawberries and then given the kick of dark chocolate … all ooeeey, gooeey, wonderful. Adapted minimally from The Pioneer Woman Cooks – Food From My Frontier

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes {plus resting time}
Ingredients:

  • Buttermilk Dough
  • 240ml {1 cup} buttermilk
  • 70gm {1/4 cup} granulated sugar
  • 60ml {1/4 cup} vegetable oil
  • 1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
  • 270gm {2 1/4 cups} all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Filling
  • 50gm {1/4 cup} unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 tbsp orange marmalade
  • 1 serving roasted balsamic strawberries {recipe follows}
  • 100gm dark chocolate chips {good quality}
  • 1/2 cup {1 stick} butter, melted
  • Icing
  • Zest and juice of 1 orange
  • 60gm {1/2 cup} powdered sugar
  • 50gm {1/4 cup} unsalted butter, melted
  • 2-3 tbsp milk, room temperature
  • Dash of salt
  • Roasted Balsamic Strawberries
  • 225gm strawberries
  • 30gm  {2tbsp} brown sugar
  • 15ml {1tbsp} balsamic vinegar

Method:

  1. In a large saucepan over low heat, heat the milk, granulated sugar, and oil until warm but not hot. Add the yeast and 2 cups of flour, then mix and transfer to a bowl. Cover and let it rise for at least an hour.
  2. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. {Thermomix: warm milk, sugar,oil, yeast and flour in TM bowl. Mix at Speed 6 for 5 seconds. Knead at intermittent speed for 2 minutes. Leave dough in TH for an hour until it doubles. Cover TM if weather is cold. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on reverse speed 2 for 10 seconds.}
  4. Roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 15 inches wide by 10 inches deep. You’ll want it to be as thin as you can get so that you can add plenty of goo.
    Drizzle the melted butter all over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to smear it all around so that it coats evenly.
  5. Spread the orange marmalade all over the buttered dough, distributing it as evenly as you can, followed by the roasted balsamic strawberries.  Sprinkle as much good quality dark chocolate all over the two …
  6. Using both hands in a back-and-forth motion, gradually roll the dough toward you into one long log. {I took a little long getting here, so the dough began to rise. It’s a slightly shaggy dough, so might be a good idea to roll it on parchment, especially if you fill it ‘up’ like I did!}
  7. Pinch the seam to seal it. Slice the log-o’-dough into 1/2 inch pieces.
  8. Preheat the oven to 190C. Place the rolls in a buttered baking dish and allow them to rise for 20 minutes while the oven preheats. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until nice and golden.
  9. While the rolls are baking, make the icing.  Add the zest and juice of 1 orange to a bowl. Add the powdered sugar and salt, some milk.
  10. Then some melted butter and whisk it together until it’s nice and smooth and lovely.
  11. Pull the rolls out of the oven when they’re golden brown and drizzle on the icing right off the bat. The piping hot rolls will suck that gorgeous icing right down into their crevices and the whole thing pretty much becomes a miracle.
  12. Serve them warm.
  13. Roasted Balsamic Strawberries
  14. Toss the quartered strawberries well with the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Bake at 180C for about 45 minutes until nice and bubbly, stirring once or twice. Cool completely, transfer to a clean glass jar and refrigerate.

[/print_this]

Don’t miss a post
Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India

Baking| Lions,Tigers … oh my! Going Dutch Crunch Bread or Tijgerbrood with Daring Bakers

“Bread is the king of the table and all else is merely the court that surrounds the king. The countries are the soup, the meat, the vegetables, the salad… but bread is king.”
Louis Bromfield

I have never seen a bread prettier than this one and I have never been so elated baking bread, something I do quite often. This month Daring Bakers led us straight into the wild, ,or rather the wild side of bread baking. The challenge was to bake Dutch Crunch Bread or Tijgerbrood. I was exhilarated when mine began to crackle, roar and ‘tiger up’ in the oven.

Sara and Erica of Baking JDs were our March 2012 Daring Baker hostesses! Sara & Erica challenged us to make Dutch Crunch bread, a delicious sandwich bread with a unique, crunchy topping. Sara and Erica also challenged us to create a one of a kind sandwich with our bread!

Technically, Dutch Crunch doesn’t refer to the type of bread, but rather the topping that is spread over the bread before baking. In Dutch it’s called Tijgerbrood or “tiger bread” after the tiger-like shell on the bread when it comes out of the oven. The final product has a delightful sweet crunch to it that makes it perfect for a sandwich roll. This recipe for the Dutch Crunch topping came from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Bread Bible; an adaptation of a recipe found on Baking Bites. The bread is a common option at sandwich shops all over the Bay Area and is often one of the first breads to run out. This has to be the prettiest bread I have ever made; one of the most satisfying too. Quite a show stopper. If ‘we first eat with our eyes‘ holds meaning for you, make this bread. You can taste it before you even bite into it! Something that looks this pretty and exciting MUST taste good!

Tiger bread (also sold as Dutch crunch in the USA, tijgerbrood or tijgerbol in Netherlands) is the commercial name for a loaf of bread which has a unique mottled crust. The bread is generally made with sesame oil and with a pattern baked into the top made by painting rice paste onto the surface prior to baking. The paste dries and cracks during the baking process. The rice paste crust also gives the bread a distinctive flavour. It has a crusty exterior, but is soft inside.On 31 January 2012, the UK grocery chain Sainsbury’s renamed the product “giraffe bread” after a letter written by a three-year-old named Lily Robinson, suggesting the alternative name, went viral. Sainsbury’s stated that “In response to overwhelming customer feedback that our tiger bread has more resemblance to a giraffe, from today we will be changing our tiger bread to giraffe bread”.

 It was certainly a charming end result. I waited with baited breath to see if I managed to get animal prints on my bread; lady luck was with me. The characteristic cracks showed up soon, and then the crust got coloured to perfection. Things like this define the joy of being a Daring Baker. Each month throws up a promising challenge, one that I await with eagerness, almost an impatience. The challenge really had me intrigued, unsure and a bit rattled too after reading much discussion on the forum. I made a meal of it pretty early in the month, around Holi, the Indian festival of colour. That might explain why the ‘now threatening to be quite terrible teen‘ looks so colourful, and the pooch happy as always! {The colours’ off now … }The second part of the challenge was to use it in a sandwich. For the filling I did chicken paillards marinated in a chimichurri sauce, a sauce which is believed to have originated in Argentina. My sis from Houston recently got me a bag of dried chimichurri which I used. Its a great tasting marinade. In the sandwich also went some quick pickled cucumbers that I made the night before, and some fresh iceberg from my little garden. On the side was a colourful fresh salad – cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, ground cherries, white grapes, lettuce and spring onions {whatever I found in the fridge basically}, tossed in a light fruity vinaigrette.

Thank you Sara and Erica of Baking JDs for a breathtaking challenge. Thank you and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice for hosting this fab kitchen!! Do stop by here to see the other bakers prowl the jungle!

 

[print_this]

Recipe: Dutch Crunch Bread / Tiger Bread / Tijgerbrood

Summary: Dutch Crunch bread, a delicious sandwich bread with a unique, crunchy topping. A visually delightful bread which is a common option at sandwich shops all over the Bay Area and is often one of the first breads to run out.

Servings: 10-20 sandwich rolls / buns
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes {plus resting time}
Ingredients:

  • Dutch Crunch Topping
  • 2 tbsp  active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 tbsp  sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1½ cups rice flour
  • Soft White Roll
  • This recipe approximates the quintessential white sandwich roll found throughout the Bay Area. The recipe is simple, quick, and addictive. Should make 10-12 rolls.
  • 1½ tablespoon active dry yeast
  • ¼ + 1/8 cup warm water {it should feel between lukewarm and hot to the touch}
  • 1 ½ cup warm milk {low fat}
  • 2 ¼ tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil {plus additional for greasing bowl during rising}
  • 2¼ tsp salt
  • 5 ½ cups {750gm} all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp vital gluten

Method:

  1. Dutch Crunch Topping
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a whisk; beat hard to combine. The consistency should be like stiff royal icing – spreadable, but not too runny. If you pull some up with your whisk, as shown below, it should drip off slowly. Add more water or rice flour as necessary. Let stand 15 minutes.
  3. Coat the top of each loaf or roll with a thick layer of topping. We tried coating it with a brush but it worked better just to use fingers or a spoon and kind of spread it around. You should err on the side of applying too much topping – a thin layer will not crack properly.
  4. You can place the rolls directly into the oven after applying the topping, or let them stand for 20 minutes. 
  5. When baking, place pans on a rack in the center of the oven and bake your bread as you ordinarily would. The Dutch Cruch topping should crack and turn a nice golden-brown color.
  6. Soft White Rolls
  7. In the bowl of an electric mixer or large mixing bowl, combine yeast, water, milk and sugar. Stir to dissolve and let sit for about 5 minutes. {The mixture should start to bubble or foam a bit and smell yeasty}.
  8.  Add in vegetable oil, salt and 2 cups of flour. Using the dough hook attachment or a wooden spoon, mix at medium speed until the dough comes together. 
  9. Add remaining flour a quarter cup at time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 4 minutes, until smooth and elastic. {Thermomix:Place all ingredients in TM bowl. Mix at speed 6 for 7-8 seconds, and then knead for 2-3 minutes}
  10. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled.
  11. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 10-12 equal portions {or 2 equal portions if you’d like to make a loaf}.
  12. Shape each into a ball or loaf and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet {try not to handle the dough too much at this point}.
  13. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 15 minutes while you prepare the topping.
  14. Coat the top of each roll or loaf with the topping as described above. {While the original recipe recommends letting them stand for 20 minutes after applying the topping, I got equally good results by putting them directly into the oven, and by letting them stand for 20 minutes while the first batch baked}.
  15. Once you’ve applied the topping, bake in a preheated moderately hot 190°C for 25-30 minutes, until well browned. Let cool completely on a wire rack before eating.

[/print_this]

Don’t miss a post

Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India

Strawberry & Kiwi Bavarian Cake with Razzle Dazzle Macarons … Vanilla Bavarian Mousse with Strawberries & Basil

“If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.”
Benjamin Franklin

Some days I just dazzle myself with my efficiency, days that are few and far between, but it gives me confidence that I can still achieve quite a bit on better days!! It was a cake for my SILs birthday, AND macarons, all done on fast track. Inspiration came from our MacTweets theme for January and the Bavarian mousse on this Chocolate Bavarian Mousse Cake; that is how this Strawberry & Kiwi Bavarian Cake with Razzle Dazzle Macarons came about to be.On a day like this I raced and baked a sponge, made a Bavarian cream, then a mousse, layered a cake and even had it chilling in a couple of hours!! Even more dazzling … got the macs piped even as the kids grumbled getting out of bed and into the shower; ffound ‘feet’ before 8am, just after I had banished the kids to school!! Cake demoulded, ganached and snazzed up with my macs and I was a happy baker! The ganache wasn’t in my plan, limited as it seemed because of the time crunch, but the daughter begged for chocolate to be included in the master plan. I think the cake would have looked beautiful without the dark chocolate hues, but teens need to be kept happy, so…The macarons ran with the basic colours of fruit in the cake, pink for strawberries and green for kiwi. I was lucky to find feet so early in the morning. For the boost of mac-confidence I have to applaud the uber talented Stella @ BraveTart…and she is brave. She bakes mean {read GORGOEUS!!}  macarons, and did away with many mac myths in a second.Reading her post made me feel ultra confident, and a day old egg white out of the fridge did yield the frills or feet! I also dumped the granulated sugar in with the whites and whipped them altogether, but this time wasn’t nervous. Bravery is a strong emotion, and I was rewarded in under 10 minutes …pretty little mini macs.The sponge is a basic one, a 3 egg recipe that lives in my head… 3 eggs + 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup flour. Minimal ingredients {with the seed of 1/2 a vanilla bean} and minimal fuss that results in a light airy sponge. This is my to-go recipe for a Swiss roll too!I did try to rustle up some shimmer and glimmer to jazz the macarons to meet the razzle dazzle theme, but the shimmer is rather muted! Well the thoughts {and my morning} dazzled in any case. The macarons were sandwiched with some dark chocolate ganache reserved from the frosting.Bavarian is fast becoming my choice of filling in cakes, one that finds its roots in a crème anglaise of sorts, as we still moan the lack of local whipping cream in India. The mousse compliments fresh fruit beautifully, and is delicately flavoured with vanilla bean. It was a little less firm in the filling as I used kiwi too {I think the high citric content in kiwi interferes with the setting of gelatin}. It did set though, but just. Next time I might stick to just strawberries to get a firmer mousse … like the one below!The weather that whole day {week actually} was cold and rainy, hence the cake pictures aren’t bright and happy. I had some mousse left over as the cake was taller than my desert ring, so I set some in glasses. I absolutely love the idea of doing individual portions like these that can be made ahead, and dressed up with seasonal fruit, as in this case strawberries perked up with some fresh basil!These were GOOD, oh so good! The Bavarian set perfectly, the little vanilla bean specks flavouring it beautifully. I topped the goblets with a strawberry puree, like the one layered in these White & Dark Chocolate Desserts with Strawberries. To add colour and flavour, I snipped in some fresh basil which I am fortunate to have these days. I left these in the fridge for a couple of hours again, and the strawberry, lime and basil flavours matured nicely!The play of textures and the visual appeal was great! Dolled up with a macaron and I have never heard the fridge door opening SO MANY times! The kids were constantly in and out of the kitchen to look at it longingly. The minute dinner was done, it was a race to the fridge again. Door opened again! “Now?”

Do you want to join us making MACARONS?


If you do, you are most welcome to join us  for this challenge, or the next. You can find all the information at our dedicated macaron blog MacTweets. We generally do the round-up by the end of every month, following which a new challenge is posted!

[print_this]Recipe: Strawberry & Kiwi Bavarian Cake with Razzle Dazzle Macarons

Summary:A marriage of flavours and textures, 2 desserts, one basic mousse. Add in some fresh seasonal fruit, top with macarons and you have … Strawberry & Kiwi Bavarian Cake with Razzle Dazzle Macarons, & Vanilla Bavarian Mousse with Strawberries & Basil

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes {plus setting/chilling time}
Ingredients:

  • Vanilla Sponge
  • 6 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar {I used granulated}
  • 1 cup plain flour, sifted
  • 1/2 vanilla bean scraped {or pure vanilla extract}
  • Basic Sugar Syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • Vanilla Bavarian Mousse
  • 4 egg yolks {large; 5 if small}
  • 300ml whole milk
  • 200ml low fat cream, room temperature
  • 1/2 vanilla bean scraped
  • 75gm sugar
  • 1 1/4 tbsp gelatin {increase in warm weather}
  • 200ml cream, chilled
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • Chocolate Ganache
  • 200gm dark chocolate bits {or chopped}
  • 200ml low fat cream
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Fruit for filling
  • 300gm strawberries, chopped {reserve 3-4 for garnishing
  • 2-3 kiwi, peeled, chopped {reserve 1/2 for garnishing}
  • Vanilla Macarons
  • 1 egg white, aged a day
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
  • 1/4 tsp egg white powder
  • 2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • Strawberry Puree for the Bavarian Mousse Goblets
  • 300gm strawberries, chopped fine
  • 2-3 tbsp powdered sugar {increase/decrease as per tartness of strawberries}
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 6-8 leaves fresh basil, chiffonaded
  • 1tbsp water

Method:

  1. Vanilla Sponge
  2. Preheat oven to 190C. Line the base and sides of a 9″ round tin with baking parchment.
  3. Beat eggs, vanilla bean and sugar over simmering water until the eggs are thick and mousse like, about 7-10 minutes. Once they triple in volume, remove from water, and continue to beat until the mixture cools dwon {about 5 minutes}
  4. Fold the flour in carefully, in figure 8 moves, to ensure you don’t release the air.
  5. Turn into prepared tin, and bake for about 30 minutes, until the cake is light golden and springs back when touched.
  6. Remove from tin, take off parchment, and coole completely on rack.
  7. Vanilla Bavarian Mousse
  8. Bloom gelatin in 2-3 tbsp of water. Place in a bowl of hot water to dissolve fully.
  9. Whisk the yolks with the sugar in a bowl.
  10. Heat cream, milk and half the sugar {15gm} until simmering. Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar with a balloon whisk, and add 1/3rd of the hot milk mixture over it, whisking continuously until well combined. Pour this back into the pan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the cream is thickened and coats the back of the spoon. {Don’t allow it to boil}. It is important to constantly stir to prevent the bottom from curdling or burning. If that happens, take a balloon whisk and whisk vigorously. If you fear your custard curdled too much, remove from the heat and pass it through a fine sieve before proceeding with the recipe.
  11. Thermomix: Place all ingredients in TM bowl, and cook at 90C, Speed 3 for 7 minutes.
  12. Remove from heat immediately and stir the gelatin well into this hot mixture well, then quickly strain this into a bowl. Cool over a bowl of crushed ice, stirring frequently.  
  13. Once cool, beat the remaining 200ml chilled cream to soft peaks, and gently stir into the mousse.
  14. Chocolate Ganache
  15. Chocolate Glaze
  16. Place chocolate in a bowl.
  17. Heat the cream and honey in a pan until simmering. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup ganache in a piping bag for macarons.
  18. Assembling Torte
  19. Cut the sponge horizontally into 3 layers. Place in dessert ring on serving platter. {Dessert ring should fit nice and snugly. I use this adjustable dessert ring I bought in Sydney.} Place one layer of cake, top with the strawberries and kiwi, then half the Bavarian mousse. Repeat with the next layer. Cover and chill overnight for the Bavarian to set.
  20. Unmold from the dessert ring, frost with the ganache and garnish as desired. Chill until ready to serve.
  21. Vanilla Macarons
  22. Preheat oven to 140C.
  23. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  24. Blend the powdered sugar, almond meal, vanilla powder and egg white powder briefly in the bowl of your food processor to mix. {you can sift it too}
  25. In a large clean bowl, beat the egg white and the granulated vanilla sugar till it becomes firm and holds peaks, about 2 minutes.
  26. Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the beaten egg white with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and falls in ribbons like molten lave, stop folding. {Do not overmix}
  27. Using a teaspoon, or piping bag, drop / pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1″ circles evenly spaced one-inch apart.
  28. Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons, then rest for about about 15 minutes {to an hour}.
  29. Bake them for about 15 minutes until the shells feel firm to touch.
  30. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.
  31. To assemble macarons
  32. Match equal halves of macarons, and keep together.
  33. Pipe a tiny bit of the reserved ganache from above on the flat side of the macaron and sandwich with another half of the same size, squeezing gently. Leave to set.
  34. Strawberry Puree for the Bavarian Mousse Goblets
  35. Lightly crush the chopped strawberries with the powdered sugar with a fork until the strawberries release their juices. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and reserve in a bowl in the fridge. Distribute over the glasses once Bavarian is set, and chill until served.

Notes: I bake my macarons on the upper shelf in my oven, using just the lower element for heat. I also use double baking trays.

[/print_this]

Don’t miss a post
Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India

No Bake Dessert| Creme au chocolat shots … fudgy, indulgent, deep chocolate creme

“Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate or tortuous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive.”
Joanne Harris

If the whites find feet, can the yolks be far behind? Each time I make macarons, a bunch of egg yolks call my name. This time was no different with the yolks looking for a home again, and me looking for inspiration. It’s been a long 3 years since I began food blogging. The beginning saw me absolutely egg-phobic, where I couldn’t handle the smell of an egg yolk under any circumstances. Egg yolks and yeast were my two enemies.Gradually they became frenemies, and one day I won the battle of yeast {with my friend Ben from What’s Cooking Mexico}. Recently, on my Yeasted Meringue Coffee cake he commented, “Remember when we were scared of yeast? That looks like another life now, doesn’t it?” How true!! Winning over the yolks was far tougher but the discovery of Madagascar vanilla beans was set to change that forever. Who would have thought that the humble vanilla bean, with its deep flavour could make yolks so delightful?My culinary journey got better with food bloggers becoming friends, a chance meeting in London, and The Cooking Ninja introduced me to her MILs Crème Pâtissière. I do love the French for their beautiful desserts, and Pamela for introducing me to pastry creme. I first used it to make these Orange Patisserie Tartlets with Candied Tangerines. Theres been no looking back. What I’ve conjured up here is in no way traditional baked pots de creme. This is my fast track version of Crème au chocolat which translates simply into my idea of an indulgent chocolate cream! The Thermomix makes pastry creme feel like a cakewalk. Where else can you pop everything into a bowl, turn the timer to 7 minutes and open the bowl to a fudgy, deep, chocolaty, smooth as satin chocolate pastry creme at the other end? Well, you can go the tradional way to pastry creme too, over the stove top and end up with the same delight. A pastry creme, or custard is, IMHO, a most wonderful and indulgent way to use up egg yolks. This chocolate pastry cream is ready to serve in a couple of hours, including chill time. It’s finger licking good too. I reached this consistency after playing around with the quantities of chocolate, milk and cornflour. The basic recipe is quite versatile, and can be easily doubled too. I like it because  it can be made in advance, and of course, desserts in glasses are always eye candy! They make a bold, crisp statement, and allow for contrasting pairing that you can show off.  Serve it with either fresh seasonal fruit and herbs, with amaretti cookies, or paired with macarons. Else spike it with your favourite cherry liqueur and serve with juicy bing cherries, or give it an espresso kick …  the possibilities are endless!A good point to remember is to use a nice quality chocolate. I have been fortunate enough to discover a local source of couverture chocolate from an online gourmet store here, called Delicious Now. I was introduced to it when I attended the Le Cordon Blue Pastry Workshop in Delhi a few months ago, and the single origin cocoa bean 65% dark chocolate has me addicted. With prices of the cocoa bean heading north, I’m now experimenting with a 55% dark chocolate. {Disclaimer: I have not been paid to write this. It’s always nice to share a local source in India as it’s difficult to find a variety of ingredients easily}.These little ‘hot chocolate shots‘ are off to the April Cook-Off hosted by the equally hot and gorgeous Da @ Kitchen Corners. She called this April to make ‘Something delicious with chocolate. Something new and creative. Something a little crazy.’

[print_this]

Crème au chocolat

Source: Own

A fudgy, satiny, deeply chocolaty pastry creme served as individual desserts in shot glasses offers a nice elegant end to a meal. Serve with seasonal fruit or delicate biscuits.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 vanilla bean, scraped
  • Pinch of salt
  • 100gm dark couverture chocolate 65%, room temperature
  • 200ml low fat milk, hot
  • 100ml low fat milk, cold
  • 1/8 cup cornflour
  • Fresh strawberries, mint to garnish
  • Vanilla sugar for glass rims

Equipment:

  • Thermomix or heavy bottom pan

Method:

  1. Bring the milk, vanilla sugar and a pinch of salt to a gentle boil in a pot.
  2. In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks and sugar with a wooden spoon in a big bowl until the mixture becomes pale and light. Stir in the flour slowly until it is thoroughly mixed with the egg mixture.
  3. Pour the boiling milk into the mixture a little by little while whisking continuously to avoid curdling. And then stir in the rest of the milk until the mixture is well combined.
  4. Transfer the whole mixture into a pot, with the chocolate and seeds scraped from the vanilla bean, and heat it under low setting. Stir it constantly with the wooden spoon or spatula scraping the sides and bottom until it has thickened.
  5. Once the custard has thickened, take it off the heat, and strain / pour it into a clean bowl. Allow to cool down a bit, then pour or pipe into serving glasses to set.
  6. While the custard is cooling, you can dip the rims of serving glasses into a ‘sliver’ of water and then into vanilla sugar. Allow to stand for 10 minutes until set.
  7. Chill the shots in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Serve with freshly halved strawberries and a sprig of mint.

For the Thermomix:

  1. Whiz the sugar in the TM bowl on Speed 9 for 10 seconds, then add the yolks and run on Speed 5 for 5 seconds
  2. Mix the 1/8 cup cornflour into the cold milk.
  3. Add the chocolate, and warm milk to the TM bowl, and begin cook at 100C / 7 minutes, Speed 4. As soon as the TM begins to run, pour in the cold cornflour mix into the bowl through the shute, and shut.
  4. Check after 7 minutes if the pastry creme is as thick as you like, else run for another few minutes. Immediately transfer to a serving bowl … proceed as above

YIELD: Six servings
Course: Dessert
TIME: 30 minutes, stove top / 7 minutes Thermomix
NOTE: Other flavour possibilities could be a cherry or orange liquor or expresso. Can be made a day in advance.
Copyright Deeba@Passionate About Baking

[/print_this]

Don’t miss a post

Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India


A French Pastry Festival with Le Cordon Bleu. Also, Thermomix comes to India

“I hope that every time Indian consumers taste one our delicacies, they will feel an attachment to French culture and culinary arts, and more importantly our love for food”
Chef Christian Faure M.O.F.

It’s been a busy week of sorts and the words seem like an understatement. There seems to be a buzz in culinary activity here recently and suddenly so much more to do as the year wraps up. The French Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries through Sopexa, in partnership with the Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Le Cordon Bleu launched a 3-week promotion dedicated to French pastry. I had the pleasure of attending a media event  for the French Pastry Festival as a part of the ongoing festival of bringing French delicacies to India.  It coincides with the four-day visit of the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and first lady Carla Bruni, and celebrates France’s rich cultural and gastronomic tradition, bringing it to the Indian subcontinent.

Renowned Chef Christian Faure, M.O.F, Pastry Instructor & Director of Operations, Le Cordon Bleu, is conducting master classes on the art of French pastry techniques to perfect the skills of the chefs from the Oberoi Hotels in Mumbai, Bengaluru & Delhi.  The festival also offers the Indian audience a chance to taste authentic French pastries.

Le Cordon Bleu is considered to be the guardian of French culinary technique through its culinary programs that continue to preserve and pass on the mastery and appreciation of the culinary arts that have been the cornerstone of French gastronomy for over 500 years.

About his India visit, Chef Christian Faure said “I am delighted to be part of this training. Le Cordon Bleu, with 35 schools in 20 countries, is dedicated to the transmission of the culinary arts. It is a pleasure to see the enthusiasm and motivation of the Indian public to learn more about French cuisine and pastries.”The chef demonstrated his pull sugar artistry, blown sugar work and talked us through making his signature dish “Pomme Rouge soufflé / Sugar soufflé red apple”. He shared thoughts and emotions that should go into creating a dessert for special occasions, keeping us regaled with his engaging style and humorous banter. Mainly conversing in English with a deep throat-ed French accent, stepping in with quick bursts in French as easily and beautifully as he displayed his art, he had his audience captivated!

Some thoughts he left me with …  ‘THINK; think with your heart!’, ‘Create an emotion through the dish, create an element of surprise, an expectation…’, ‘Spirit dominates matter, and that is what makes a Master Chef’, ‘20% of the dish goes on visual appeal, 80% on taste’.

It was a treat to be able to attend his coveted workshop, and a dream come true to get the opportunity to meet such a celebrated chef from LCB who creates dishes for Heads of States and for events like G20 summits.He introduced a special sugar now available in India from French brand DGF {marketed in India by Inducia}, a sugar for use in the culinary industry, one that doesn’t caramelize on being exposed to heat. DGF specializes in the supply of pastry and bakery products for professionals.There was a dazzling array of desserts prepared by Chef Faure on display; his passion for fruit and light desserts outwardly visible. I expected to find ‘feet‘ here, and those were the first delights my eyes focused on. We had the pleasure of  sampling the spread as dessert after a really nice lunch of Tomato Soup, Sumac Chicken, Fish in  a Lemon & Dill Sauce, Spinach & Garlic Roasted Baby Potatoes, Saffron Risotto, Pasta in a Mushroom Sauce. I tried two of the desserts, in addition to the macaron of course; the crème bavaroise with  strawberry coulis, and the chocolate mousse cake. Both desserts spoke volumes of the chefs signature line. LIGHT, airy, mousse like and with a perfect balance of flavours! The toppings and garnishes caught my eye. Was indeed a celebration of French pastry complete with variety, colour, texture – something for everyone.

Came back with a certificate of attendance, which I am clearly very proud to own.

The view from The Oberoi rooftop...beautiful, lush, green Delhi!

Thank you Khyati from Sopexa for organising this, and thank you ‘The Oberoi‘ for hosting the event at your gorgeous property!

The other exciting event last week was a demo for T H E R M O M I X … a word that spells magic.  I‘ve been bitten, I’m smitten, and I’m in love again! Good heavens…what a dream machine.  The BMW of the culinary world is what it’s been referred to as. It has a heart of gold, almost a miniature aircraft engine in there, with even the proverbial black box! I crawled out from under a rock obviously because when I was contacted by Christina, the Thermomix lady in India, as I had no clue what Thermomix was. It was the Kitchen Aid that was on my wish-list, and this came as a bolt out of the blue; now it has me fascinated.

Take a look at what it can do…Mills, Grinds, Pulverises & Grates coffee beans, chocolate, all grains, pulses, sugar into icing sugar, all nuts, all spices, breadcrumbs; Kneads all breads, pizzas, pasta dough, pastries; Minces; Prepares drinks, salads, dressings, ice creams, cakes, pavlovas, jams,  cappuccino, caffè latte & ice coffee, yogurt; Cooks soups, sauces, curries,pasta,risotto,custard,baby food; Whips egg whites, cake batter, frostings, cream, butter;  Crushes ice {this sharpens the blades too}; Steams fish, vegetables, dumplings…

All that in one appliance that will even wash itself! You might find that hard to digest, and quite unbelievable, which I did too … until I went for the demo. It does amaze with it’s ability to tirelessly and quickly carry out the above. It certainly lives up to it’s earned title of the world’s smallest, smartest kitchen.

In under 2 hours, we made ‘from scratch’ papaya sorbet {in 3 minutes!}, tomato soup {we ground dried lentils to act as a thickener}, Salad, Hollandaise sauce {including first flavouring the vinegar with spices}, roasting garam masala, making curry powder, a basic curry paste {cooking included}, and a vanilla custard. Did I forget kneading bread dough in a few minutes too? Yes, we did that too, and I came home and baked delicious bread with the dough which rose in the hours drive back home!

Now comes the hard part… wanting this magical machine, and counting my pennies because it does cost a packet!! It costs Rs 79,000/= in the Indian market, but then is a replacement for all kitchen appliances {which seem to fall lamely redundant in front of this mean machine}.  I think it’s an investment, a lifestyle change just waiting to happen! I’m seriously thinking of getting one, and am glad Mr PAB got me my DSLR some time back, else given a choice, I might have possibly gone for the Thermomix!I’ve been cooking up some yummies in my kitchen of late and with some stroke of luck, they seem to share some French origins! The first are these absolutely delicious Chicken, Mushroom and Roasted Pepper Julienes {said to be of French & Russian descent}. The second one is this ‘light as cloud and not to be missed‘ Marie-Helene’s Apple Cake from Dorie Greenspans new book Around My French Table. Those posts should follow soon, to keep in tune with the French food festival!

I’m one of the 2 finalists here.

Vote here

Would you take a moment and  “Vote for your Blog of the Year Finalist here!!!” Thank you!!

Don’t miss a post
Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India

The French Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries through Sopexa, in partnership with the Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Le Cordon Bleu will be launching a 3-week promotion dedicated to French pastry.
Please wait...

Subscribe to my newsletter

Want to be notified when the article is published? Do enter your email address and name below to be the first to know.
SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTER NOW
Exit mobile version