YAY

YAY..I got a new job at a restaurant that will be opening up in June. :-) So I may not be able to post much in the next few weeks. I have tons of planning to do. Very excited about it.

Hope I actually still have a few readers :-)

Cornbread

10 oz flour

11 oz cornmeal

2 tbsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients.

4 eggs

8 oz melted butter

2 cups milk (or buttermilk)

1 cup cooked corn (opt)

1 cup cooked bacon (opt)

Mix liquid ingredients. Stir liquid ingredients into dry. Bake at 375 F for 20 - 25 mins.

Best baked in very hot greased cast iron skillet. This causes the crust to be very crisp. But can be baked in any kind of pan.

Corn Madeleines

1 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup cornmeal
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup fresh corn, cooked

Whisk togerher dry ingredients. Whisk egg, buttermilk, and buttter together. Mix wet into dry ingredients. Stir in corn. Bake at 400 F for about 8 mins in a madeleine pan.

Cream Puffs and Eclairs

I did well...I only ate 5 of them :-)

Eclair dough (pate a choux):

9 1/2 oz flour

1 pint water

6 oz butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 pint eggs

Heat water, butter, and salt to a rolling boil. Stir flour into water. Stirring constantly until mixture forms a mass and pulls away from sides of pan. Transfer to stand mixer. Let cool sligtly. Mix in eggs 2 at a time using paddle attachment on low speed.

Pipe into desired shape. Bake at 425 F until they are puffed and starting to turn brown.

Reduce heat to 375 F and bake about 10 -12 mins longer. Let pastries cool to room temp.

Pastry Cream:

1 qt milk

1 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

4 oz egg yolks

2 large eggs

2 1/2 oz corn starch

2 oz butter

Bring milk and vanilla bean seeds to a simmer. Mix sugar, yolks, eggs, and corn starch together. Temper into milk mixture (add a small amount of the hot milk to yolk mixture and stir..then add yolks to the remaining milk). Reduce heat to med low and cook until the mixture had thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Let cool. Place in pastry bag fitted with a pointy tip.

Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dark chocolate

1/8 cup light corn syrup

Heat cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted. Mix in corn syrup (the syrup not only sweetens the glaze but also makes it shiny).

Take pastry bag and poke the tip into each eclair and fill with pasty cream. I make the hole in the tops so it can't be seen after its dipped into the glaze.

Me At Work

These pics are from December. See I have proof that I work hard. hehe

Dawns Last Day

So today was Dawns last day. She was one of our prep cooks. I'll miss her about as much as a bad headache. Ok ok so maybe I will miss her just alittle.

Playing in tiramisu

I promise I didn't rub any on her face....honest. :-)

Chocolate Biscotti

6 oz butter

6 oz dark chocolate

2 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

tempered chocolate

Melt butter and chocolate together.

Combine flour, cocoa, powder, salt and soda.

Beat eggs and sugar for 2 mins.

Add in chocolate butter mixture.

Add dry ingredients and mix to combine. Let dough stand for 15 - 20 mins to thicken.

Form dough into logs. Bake at 350 for about 30 mins. Remove from over and let stand 20 mins.

Cut each log into strips with a serrated knife. Bake slices for 12 more mins. Let cool.

Once cookies are cool they can be dipped into tempered chocolate. I used dark chocolate but you can use milk or even white chocolate if you wish.

Blackberry Financier

I really really really love these cakes. I'm always shocked that they aren't more popular. I made them at work today and ate 3 but shhhhhhhh don't tell.

1lb Beurre noisette*, cooled

1 lb 2 oz Powdered sugar

5.5 oz flour

5 oz almond flour*

14.7 oz egg whites

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Spoon into cake pan or muffin pan. Press berries or fruit into the top of the batter.

Bake at 350 for about 40 mins. The tops will be a nice golden brown.

You can use any kind of berries or fruit.

*Beurre noisette is browned butter...to make cook butter over medium heat until it starts to turn brown in color.

*Almond flour is just finely ground almonds.

Gigi from gigi cakes made a different version of financiers that im gonna have to try. Check them out at http://gigicakes.blogspot.com/2008/04/fruit-financiers.html.

Carrot Cakes

Carrot Cake:

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

4 large eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups grated carrot

1 cup walnuts

Beat sugar, oil, and eggs until blended.

Sift together flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

Mix flour mixture into egg mixture. Stir in carrot and walnuts. Bake at 350 for around 30 mins.

I baked mine in small ring molds but it can be made in 9" round pans and layered.

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 1/2 lbs cream cheese, room temp

1 cup powdered sugar (you can add more if you want a sweeter frosting)

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp cinnamon

1 vanilla bean, seeded

Beat together cheese, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla bean seeds. Beat in cream and beat until fluffy.

Pineapple Raisin Compote:

1 pineapple diced

1 cup raisins

1 cups brown sugar

Mix all ingredients together.

Cheesecake Parfait

Graham Crunch:
3 lbs graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 oz butter

Mix crumbs and brown sugar. Cut in butter. Bake at 350 for 10 mins. Mix around then bake about 10 more mins. Let cool.

Cheesecake Mousse:
1 1/2 lb cream cheese, room temp
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeded
2 pints heavy cream

Beat together cheese, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds until smooth. Add heavy cream and beat until fluffy. Spoon into pastry bag.

Blackberry Glaze:
3 lbs blackberries
4 cups water
1 lb sugar
slurry (cornstarch mixed with water)

Set aside 1 lb of the berries. Add 2 lbs of the blackberries, water, and sugar to a saucepot. Cook at a simmer for about 20 mins. Add enough of the slurry (the amount depends on how much juice the berries have) to slightly thicken the juices. Strain. Let liquid cool. Then add in the 1 lb of berries and toss.

Layer crunch, mousse, and glaze in a parfait glass.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Parfaits

So I haven't posted in awhile...yea sorry about that. Wish I had some great reason but I don't. Mainly been lazy and haven't had my passion for food. Was just having one of my "I'm bored with it" moments.

Chocolate Cake:

1 3/4 cups Flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup brewed coffee (cooled)

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

Prepare 3 - 9in round pans. Preheat over to 350.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Combine eggs, coffe, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.

Pour about 3/4 of the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add remaining liquid and mix well. *If you add all the liquid at once the batter tends to get lumpy. Bake around 30 mins or until tester comes out clean. Cool cakes. Break cake into small crumbs.

Peanut Butter Mousse:

1 jar peanut butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

Mix peanut butter and powdered sugar together in a stand mixer. Add cream and vanilla beat on low speed until just mixed. Turn speed to high and beat until fluffy. Spoon into pastry bag.

Chocolate Ganache:

1 1/2 lbs dark chocolate

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup light corn syrup

Heat cream until almost a simmer. Add chocolate and mix until chocolate has melted. Mix in syrup.

Layer mousse, cake crumbs, and ganache in a parfait glass.

Apple Cake

Shown in photo with apple cranberry compote, granola, and cinnamon ice cream. These are also great with caramel sauce.

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1 cup oil

2 eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups peeled and chopped apples

1 cup walnuts

Mix together sugar, eggs, cinnamon, salt, oil, buttermilk, nutmeg, and vanilla. Add apples and let sit 20 mins. Sift together flour and baking soda. Mix flour into apple mixture. Addwalnuts. Bake at 350 F for about 25 mins or until cake tester comes out clean.