search results

< all recipes Banana Cake w/ Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting I usually have mixed emotions about Valentine’s Day. Yes, it is a lovely idea to celebrate love and all that but why do I have to do it on a particular day, in a particular way and with every other couple in nyc trying to have the most romantical evening over drawn out and outrageously over priced love-themed tasting menu. There are almost always flowers which, if we are being honest here, stress me out. First, a really beautiful bouquet is not cheap and was mostly likely flown in from halfway across the world (we will save that whole discussion for a rainy day). But what I really stress about is having so few precious moments with my flowers and not being able to appreciate them fully. So, because I am slightly neurotic, I end up carrying the vase around the apartment, from bedside table, to desk, to kitchen – to be able to soak up all that flowery beauty at every possible moment. In spite of such devotion, I inevitably forget to refresh the poor plant’s water, completely oblivious to its desperate cries until that smell sets in – it is slightly musty, like a damp trail through the woods, but mostly it is just rot and decay. Sooo. Yeah. I thought you should all know just in case you were hoping I would plant sit your ficus over the long weekend. BUUUUUUT the other, non-debbie downer, pastry chef side of me gets pretty darn excited about the over-the-topness of it all. Mostly because it means I get to bring out my extensive sprinkle collection and have some serious fun. The little hearts are made of marzipan and are stupid easy to make I don’t know why I ever made a cake without them. All the necessary deets are outlined at the end of the post. What makes this banana cake unique is how sturdy it is – most recipes I have made are way to delicate to layer and dry out so fast. This recipe is more like a banana bread all gussied up for Valentine’s Day. And the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting is unbelievably good – the nuttiness of brown butter gives great depth of flavor without overpowering that cream cheesy goodness. How To Scale a Recipe – Knowing how to scale a recipe is an extremely handy thing when it comes to baking. It is something I am asked about constantly so I have put together a visual guide on scaling a recipe based on pan size – I mean how often do you have your heart set on making a cake only to realize you need the one pan size you don’t own!? Given my teeny-tiny nyc apt, that happens to me all the time. Below is just a teaser because the real deal is quite large and so I have given it a permanent home page that you can find in the “ kitchen guide ” tab up top (or just click the image!). Happy scaling!! If you want to make the hearts: Marzipan Hearts Ingredients marzipan gel food color ziploc parchment paper rolling pin heart-shaped cookie cutters (or whatever shape you want!) Instructions Divide marzipan into the number of colors you are going to make. Put one piece into a large ziploc with a few drops of gel color and knead the color into the marzipan. Add more color as needed. Between two sheets of parchment, roll marzipan to about ¼ - ⅛ of an inch thick. Cut out as many shapes as you can and reroll the marzipan. Repeat with other pieces and colors. Allow marzipan shapes to dry out overnight or a few days for best results. Banana Cake w/ Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Serves: 2 6" cakes Ingredients For the Cake: 5 oz (136g) unsalted butter, at room temp 1¼ cups (240g) granulated sugar 3 (192g) eggs 3 (270g) very ripe bananas, mashed 2 cups (270g) cake flour, sifted ½ tsp kosher salt 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ¾ cup (180g) buttermilk 1 tsp vanilla extract For the Frosting: 8 oz (227g) unsalted butter, at room temp 16 oz (454g) cream cheese, at room temp 1 lb (454g) confectioner's sugar, sifted ¼ cup (56g) heavy cream pinch of salt 1 tsp vanilla extract (leave out if you want whiter icing) Print Preparation To Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 325˚F, grease and line two 6" cake pans. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the bananas and mix just to combine - the batter will look like it has separated but don't worry. In a separate bowl, sift together cake flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix just until incorporated. Divide batter between the two cake pans and bake 30-40 minutes, rotating halfway through and testing the cakes towards the end. Allow cakes to cool completely before doing any trimming or icing. To Make the Frosting: Place butter in a small pot set over medium heat. It will pretty quickly start to make a lot of noise (this is ok). Let it boil rapidly until you start to see brown bits around the sides and the butter starts to smell slightly nutty (about 5 minutes). Strain the butter and let cool to a room temp solid form (about 30min-1hr but you can do this several days in advance and keep the butter in the fridge until ready to bring to room temp). Cream brown butter and cream cheese in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Turn the speed down and slowly add the sifted confectioners sugar, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Once all the sugar is in, turn the speed back up to medium and beat until fluffy and a little glossy (3-4 minutes). Finally add the cream, vanilla and salt. Beat to combine. Notes The frosting recipe is generous for 6" cakes, you will likely have some left over - it should definitely cover and 8" cake but bigger than that I would start to increase the recipe (or have ingredient to make more if needed!). The frosting will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or 6 months in the freezer. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes PB & J Ice Cream Sandwiches I ended up at this delectable ice cream sandwich recipe because despite my best efforts to hide it, in my heart i am still a pudgy butterball tween…rockin JNCOs and Steve Maddens. Good times. The idea started with a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies (aka the “healthy person’s cookie”) but since it has been hot as you-know-what this week, ice cream just seemed like a necessary addition. I feel like the rest is pretty self explanatory and I don’t have much else to say except that these are just outta this world – full disclosure, as soon as I took the above pic, that sucker was in my belly (and on my face). Ice cream sandwiches are always a bit messy so I might recommend eating these al fresco, perhaps in a bathing suit – i mean its essentially a pb&j so its toooootally acceptable as an afternoon snack by the pool. Right? I have to give a shoutout here my photography and sandwich assembly assistant because taking pictures of very melty things in 90+ heat with a nice camera is just a bad idea by yourself. Thanks Mom!! You’re the best summer intern I’ve ever had ;) PB & J Ice Cream Sandwiches Serves: 16 cookies / 8 sandwiches Ingredients Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies 4oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp 1½ cups creamy peanut butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg ⅓ cup maple syrup 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp baking soda 3 cups rolled oats for the sandwiches 2 pints raspberry sorbet (Talenti is my personal favorite) or 2 pints vanilla and some jam Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350˚F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cream the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, maple syrup and vanilla, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until fully incorporated. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda and add to the batter, mixing just until combined. Add the oats and again mix just until combined. Scoop cookies onto prepared baking sheet - the size here is really up to you, they wont spread much but i recommend pressing them pretty flat. Bake 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Meanwhile prepare the sorbet/ice cream. Scoop ice cream onto a parchment lined sheet (one that will fit in the freezer so be creative if you don't have a mini sheet pan). Using another piece of parchment or plastic wrap, press the scoops to flatten - you want them about the size of your cookies. Freeze until ready to assemble. To assemble: Once cookies have cooled completely, place an ice cream disc onto half of the cookies and press another on top - if you are going with vanilla ice cream spoon a little jam on top before putting on the top cookie. Serve immediately or freeze until ready (i dont recommend longer than a few hours, you dont want people breaking their teeth on the cookies!). Notes Make Ahead Tips:Make the cookies days or weeks in advance (even months!!), scoop the dough onto parchment as if you were about to bake them and put in the freezer - once frozen toss em into a ziploc! No thawing necessary but they might take a minute or two longer to cook.Scoop and flatten ice cream days in advance as well, you can put the discs in a ziploc too but separate each with some parchment.Cookie dough will keep 6 months in the freezer and baked cookies will keep several days in an airtight container at room temp. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Bagna Cauda This past Christmas Chris and I gave my sister and her hubs a wine tasting class at Eataly. We strategically gave them 4 tickets, insisting they take whomever they wanted…luckily they chose us! This class ended up being quite a momentous occasion for me for two reasons. First, I had thought I was allergic to wine (after a few bad experiences in college) but decided it was about time to give it another try and I loved it! Perhaps I was never allergic or maybe it was just wine from a box that didn’t sit so well. Second, I thought I did not like anchovies but after devouring the salad paired with the first wine (actually a champagne-style wine called Contessa Rosa Alta Langa… which i highly recommend) I looked at the recipe in our handouts and sure enough the dressing had anchovy! I will admit I still find them kind of gross when whole but the beauty of Bagna Cauda is that the anchovy cooks down to nothing, leaving its intense depth of flavor (aka umami). Bagna Cauda Serves: 1-1 1/2 cups Ingredients 4 tbl unsalted butter 1 cup olive oil 6 cloves garlic, minced 6 anchovy fillets, minced 1 cup parmesan, grated 2 tsp black pepper Print Preparation Heat the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the minced garlic and anchovies. Cook until garlic becomes golden brown - garlic goes from perfectly golden to burned quite quickly so keep an eye on it. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in parmesan and pepper - It should not need salt because of the anchovies and parmesan so only add some if you have tasted it first. Serve warm drizzled over grilled vegetables or as a dip - which I like to serve over greek yogurt (like the picture) for better dip-ability. Notes If you are not into anchovies you can absolutely still make this - it might need a touch of sea salt added at the end to balance the flavors out. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Pumpkin Spice Cake w/ Mascarpone Frosting Thanksgiving Menu Item #1. I am starting with dessert because it is the most important part of the meal. When you are so full and falling asleep from a tryptophan overdose, you need something so irresistible that people have no choice but to sacrifice their comfort for just one slice. Or if you are like me and just don't like pumpkin pie, this will become the new standard because it satisfies pumpkin pie lovers and haters alike - bringing everyone together in the true spirit of Thanksgiving. This recipe is a bit of a hybrid - I love pumpkin spice bread but it seems odd that something so seasonal is made with a canned product (forgive my farmers market pretentiousness here). So I took some inspiration from a cake we made at Locanda that Chef DeMasco made like a carrot cake, with fresh shredded squash - ok it might seem weird to use squash in a pumpkin cake but it has much less water content than pumpkin which allows it to moisten the cake without making it super soggy. I thought this was brilliant. Pumpkin Spice Cake w/ Mascarpone Frosting Serves: 2 9" cakes or 24 cupcakes Ingredients For the Cake 1 cup brown sugar for the cake: 1 cup sugar in the raw (or demerara sugar) 1 cup grapeseed oil (or other flavorless oil like safflower oil) 4 eggs 1½ tsp vanilla 1 cup sour cream ½ cup pumpkin puree 3 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp allspice 7 cups grated butternut squash (about 1 small butternut) - you will need a food processor with the grate attachment for the frosting: 1lb (2 cups) mascarpone, at room temperature 1 cup confectioners sugar 1 tsp vanilla for the candied pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds): ½ cup pepitas 2-3 tbl maple syrup ¼ cup sugar in the raw (or demerara sugar) a pinch of salt Print Preparation Make the Cakes: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease 2 9" cake pans and line each with parchment or line cupcake pan. In the largest bowl you have, whisk the sugars and oil together making sure all of the sugar is wet. Add the eggs and vanilla, whisking to fully incorporate (you don't need to beat this, you just want a uniform looking paste, no yolks or clumps of sugar). Mix in the sour cream and pumpkin puree. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Switching to a spatula, fold the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined, there can be a few streaks of flour still visible here as you will be giving it another mix in the next step. Fold in the grated butternut squash, getting it as evenly distributed as possible and pour batter into prepared pans. Bake cakes for 60-70 minutes (until knife or toothpick comes out clean), or bake cupcakes for 40 minutes. (keep oven on for pepitas if making). Make the Frosting: In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat mascarpone until light and fluffy – about 5 minutes on medium/high speed. With the mixer on its lowest speed, gradually add the confectioners sugar. Add the vanilla and scrape the sides of the bowl before increasing the speed and beating the frosting on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Make the Candied Pepitas: Combine pepitas with maple syrup, tossing to coat evenly. Mix in the sugar in the raw and pinch of salt. Spread this mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, making sure to get all the syrup and sugar stuck to the bowl. Bake for 10 minutes, stir and bake for another 5-7 minutes until bubbling sugar looks a bit dry. Frost the cakes and decorate with the candied pepitas. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Easy Weeknight Veggies If I am having dinner by myself during the week there is nothing I love more than a plate piled high with roasted veggies. I know, it’s not normal. So I usually pair these with sautéed chicken and a tasty bread when others are joining me. With the leftovers, warm them up in the microwave, toss spinach with the dressing and add the warmed Brussels sprouts and sweet potato. I love adding warm things to spinach salad to wilt the spinach slightly. Feel free to add whatever else you have to the salad, such as toasted walnuts and dried cherries. Easy Weeknight Veggies Serves: 4 Servings Ingredients 16oz Brussels sprouts 2 sweet potatoes 2 tbl olive oil 1 tbl salt 2 tsp black pepper 2 tbl fresh thyme (or 2 tsp dried) 2-3 tsp red pepper flakes Print Preparation Preheat oven to 450˚F. Cut ends off Brussels sprouts, slice in half, and set aside in a large bowl. Cube sweet potato and add to bowl, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Spread veggies out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, give a quick toss and roast another 10 minutes. Dressing (optional) 2 tbl balsamic glaze 2 tsp dijon mustard 3 tbl white wine vinegar Whisk ingredients together and toss with finished veggies or let people drizzle on their plate. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Grilled Lemon Ricotta & Garden Greens Pizza The recipe really came together standing in my Dad’s garden with a colander full of freshly cut greens and while a big salad is always an excellent addition to any meal, I wanted to spice things up a bit (yes, this seems to be a recent problem i’ve been having). Since steak was on the menu and I usually make bread, i thought well heck why not make pizza dough and hang with the boys by the grill. While I of course recommend making pizza dough, I understand that it is summer and we all want to be playing outside so you can either get dough in the grocery freezer section or if the store has some tasty naan or flatbread by all means, go for it. It will still be scrumptious! Grilled Lemon Ricotta & Garden Greens Pizza Serves: 1 pizza Ingredients 1 recipe pizza dough* 2 cups whole milk ricotta 2 lemons, zest and juice ½ cup olive oil lots of fresh lettuce salt and pepper *You can also find pretty decent pizza dough in your grocery freezer section or to go the simplest route get some store-bought naan (whole foods sells a tasty one) and all you have to do is heat it up on the grill - i mean no judgements here, this recipe is really about easy fresh grilling. Pizza Dough 1 packet active dry yeast 1¼ cups lukewarm water 3 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup semolina flour (optional) 2 tsp kosher salt ¼ cup olive oil Print Preparation Heat your grill to its hottest setting. Divide pizza dough into 4-6 equal pieces depending on if you want individual pies or more of a crowd-pleasing appetizer size. Roll them out and cover with a towel to rest for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the toppings. Add the zest of both lemons to the ricotta as well as the juice from one of the lemons and season with salt and pepper. Whisk the juice of the other lemon with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and use this to dress your garden greens (you might not need all of it). Add a touch more olive oil into the used dressing bowl - this will be for brushing the pizza dough. Brush one side of dough with olive oil and place that side onto the grill. Brush the top side quickly and close the grill. Let cook 2 minutes and flip once the dough has some nice grill marks. Cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Let cool slightly. Top pizzas with ricotta and dressed greens. Enjoy promptly! Pizza Dough Instructions Whisk the water and yeast together in the bowl of a mixer and let sit a minute. Add the flour, salt and olive oil and mix on low speed until it starts to look shaggy. Stop the mixer and pinch some of the dough - if it feels soft and moist it is on the right track, if it feels wet add a few tablespoons of flour at a time to get right consistency, if it feels dry and/or tight add a tablespoon of water at a time. Continue mixing on low-medium speed until the dough looks smooth and forms a ball around the dough hook (3-5 minutes). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 1-2 hours - the warmer your kitchen the faster the dough will rise - I try and put it in the warmest spot, like away from the ac, but don't worry too much about it. If you do not have flexibility make the dough a day or two before and let rise in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Divide dough into desired number of pizzas. Roll each piece into a ball, let sit 20 minutes (if you can, it will be easier to roll out). Generously flour your work surface before rolling out using a rolling pin and gently stretching over the backs of your hands. Place rolled out pizzas on parchment, cover with plastic or a clean dish towel and let rest another 20 minutes. Follow cooking instructions of your particular recipe. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Parmesan Broth The perfect antidote to the relentless winter weather. Not only is this stock incredibly flavorful but it will also make your apartment smell ridiculously good - which I particularly like because usually when I have been cooking all day, by the time Chris gets home any good smells have melded and morphed into someone else's elevator-landing dinner and before Chris can control himself his face contorts and an "ugh whats that smell" slips out. But not this time!! Victory is mine! The Parmesan rind is every chef's best kept secret - it imparts a depth of flavor that is savory and decadent and salty and sharp and so many other things we love. If you do not go through blocks of Parmesan on a regular basis you can either save the rinds as you go - placing them in a ziploc bag and keeping in the freezer until you have amassed a small collection - or Whole Foods sells packs of just rinds (or just ask at your store's cheese counter). Use this in place of chicken or vegetable broth. I will be putting it in the Ribollita I make tonight but I also think it would make this Mushroom Farro even more delicious (pardon the terrible photos in these old school recipes!! yikes!). Parmesan Broth Serves: approx 2-4 quarts Ingredients 5-6 Parmesan rinds 4-6 quarts of water lots of herbs shallots garlic cloves black pepper corns Print Preparation Place everything into a large pot, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for a few hours. Strain and cool. Store in the fridge or freezer. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Lemon Cheesecake It has been quite a while since my last post and I have no excuse other than it is summer and sitting inside on a computer when not absolutely necessary just seems unnatural. But I could not let the entire summer pass without letting others in on my decadent cheesecake secret. This is the lightest and yet somehow creamiest cheesecake I have ever had (much less made). It is exactly what I want to end a perfect summer meal, the brightness of the lemon makes you feel a little less sinful having a second piece. It also goes perfectly with fresh summer fruit - any reason to eat another juicy peach before their painfully short season is over. This recipe does require some advanced planning because if you don't allow the cheesecake to fully set, you may find yourself serving it out of a bowl instead of from a cake platter (as I did earlier this summer...see below photo evidence). I was making the recipe for the second night in a row, a somewhat last minute impulse of a lazy saturday afternoon. As I cut into my beautiful masterpiece, half of the cake began a slow-motion landslide of creamy sludge, heading for the edge of the cake platter. I managed to get a bowl under it just as the rest of the cake gave way, oozing in every direction and causing a chaotic scramble to get every morsel off the counter and into a bowl. Let me just say, looks are not everything. Once I let my OCD horror go and took a few deep, cleansing breaths, I fully embraced the delicious disaster. I don't know if I would recommend this method of preparation but if you are pressed for time, it is still worth making... just have some bowls at the ready. Lemon Cheesecake Serves: 1 10" cheesecake Ingredients 8 tbl unsalted butter 10 oz graham crackers (about 18 whole crackers) 8 oz cream cheese (1 cup) 16 oz mascarpone cheese (2 cups) ½ cup sugar 4 eggs 2 lemons (zest and juice) 1 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla extract Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350˚F and prepare the pan: wrap a 10inch spring-form cake pan with foil, using two pieces to make sure the sides and bottom are sealed. Melt the butter and crush graham crackers into a fine powder – you can do this in a food processor or by putting them into a Ziploc bag and smashing them with a rolling pin. Press butter and graham mixture into the bottom of the pan and place in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the rest of the cake. Beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, and zest of the two lemons in a mixer with the paddle attachment, until light a fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the lemon juice, cream, and vanilla very slowly, scraping down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated. Pour mixture over the graham crackers and set inside a larger roasting pan. Pour enough very hot water into the larger pan to come halfway up the side of the cheesecake and carefully place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour (until the center is just set – meaning it jiggles like jello when nudged and does not ripple like water). Turn the oven off and let the cake rest for another 30 minutes. Cool the cake in the fridge for several hours (at least 2), allowing it to set. Serve cool or at room temperature. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Gazpacho Gazpacho is one of those things I have always loved in theory but every time I order it or try to make it, the result is inevitably one of two things: an unhealthy oily mess or glorified salsa. And yet I have maintained this dream of one day finding a gazpacho recipe that is delicious aaaaaand healthy – because lets be serious, there is nothing worse than thinking you are being sensible when you really should have just gone for the burger…ok there are probably worse things in the world but I am guessing you are not reading a post about gazpacho to hear about all the sh*t hitting the fan around the world (for that I recommend my favorite daily email that tells me what I need to know in current events so I am not a complete idiot living in my gazpacho-filled food bubble). Long story short, this gazpacho recipe is based on one from last weeks nytimes food section that ended up being too good to be true. It used only fresh tomatoes which is noble in principle but when they are pureed with lots of other things they do not pack enough punch – so I added some canned fire roasted whole tomatoes which perfectly boost that fresh tomato flavor. This also helps with the color – which in my nytimes version was somewhere between beige and peach in color. Not ideal. What makes this gazpacho recipe so much better than any other I have made is that, using very little oil, you are essentially emulsifying the whole thing, bringing all of the flavors together (unlike the previously mentioned salsa variety). Just make sure you have really ripe delicious red tomatoes – they are coming in fast and furious right now so get on it people!! Shout out to Farmer Bob (aka my Dad) for those ridiculously beautiful tomatoes pictured above! I promise to leave some for you to eat. Gazpacho Serves: 8-12 cups Ingredients 2 lbs red ripe tomatoes 1 large cucumber, peeled 2-3 New Mexico chiles (anaheim or other light green pepper) 1 small yellow onion 1 clove garlic 1 28oz can whole plum tomatoes (I like Muir Glen fire roasted) juice of 2 limes 1-2 tbl kosher salt (if using fine salt, start with half this amount) black pepper ½ cup extra virgin olive oil Print Preparation Puree everything except olive oil in a food processor or blender - let run a minute or two to really get it smooth. You will probably need to do this in two batches so just roughly divide everything in half. Once smooth, slowly drizzle olive oil into the mixer while it is running (again if doing in batches, divide olive oil as well). Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Chill for a few hours before serving. This keeps very nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Serve with some avocado and crusty bread for dipping. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Wedding Cake Workshop Deciding to make my own wedding cake was quite simple really. I had the necessary knowledge and skills to make a delicious cake and I knew that the week leading up to the wedding would be stress free with my Mom at the helm. As cheesy as it sounds, the kitchen is really my sanctuary and there was nothing I would rather do during that week than make cake. What I did not fully account for, however, was that I would be making cake for 200 people. By myself. Thankfully for me (and my wedding guests), my best friend from culinary school, Emma (who happens to be in med school) offered to come help while she had time off to study for the boards. What could have been a complete disaster turned into an incredibly fun and rewarding week in the kitchen. The week before starting, I made sure to have all the necessary tools, pans, and specialty ingredients. Monday: I made the lemon curd filling and the white chocolate for the decorative flowers. Once the chocolate set, I started on the roses - the cones are the base and each ball will be flattened into a petal. Tuesday & Wednesday: Emma and I spent two days just baking off the cakes - 17 10" cakes total. Thursday: We split the cakes, filled them with lemon curd and did a preliminary coat of frosting. The photo above is the rental fridge filled with cakes on the back porch - thanks to my cousin Lindsay for that suggestion!! Friday: Final coat of buttercream and decorating. The tiered cake was mostly for presentation but also provided a wonderful late-night snack. I have given the cake recipe below. I have never been a plain vanilla cake fan but this one might have converted me. It is perfectly moist and tender, especially fresh out of the oven, it really doesn't need anything else. But what makes it unique is that it holds up remarkably well, staying moist and fluffy, for several days. I used a simple decorator's buttercream for the frosting but this cake would pair nicely with anything. Wedding Cake Workshop Serves: 2 8in cakes Ingredients 8 oz unsalted butter, at room temp 2 cups sugar 5 eggs 1¼ cups buttermilk 2 tsp vanilla extract 2½ cups cake flour 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tbl baking powder DECORATOR’S BUTTERCREAM Yield: 2½ quarts 1 lb unsalted butter, at room temp 8oz vegetable shortening 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract 3 lb confectioners sugar 4½ fl oz whole milk 3 tbl meringue powder 2 tsp kosher salt Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 8in cake pans and line with parchment paper. Cream the butter with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, on medium speed for 3 minutes. In those 3 minutes, whisk together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder and mix the vanilla into the buttermilk. Set both of these aside. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and return speed to medium. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next (about 1 minute in between each egg). Scrape down the sides. With the mixer on low, alternate the flour and buttermilk in 3-4 additions and mixing until just incorporated in between each. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. To release air pockets, lift each cake a few inches off the counter then allow it to drop (making sure it hits evenly and with a loud bang), repeat 3-4 times. Bake for 45-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, the cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Make the Buttercream: Cream shortening and butter with the paddle of an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add the sugar. Add meringue powder (The mixture will appear dry). Add milk and beat until light and slightly shiny (approximately 5 to 8 minutes). Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 3-5 months. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup What I really love about this soup is that it is two soups in one. Eat it cold as gazpacho, garnished with some grilled corn, or heat it up on a stormy summer night for some creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese. Both are equally delicious (and nutritious!). Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup Serves: ​ Ingredients 6 red bell peppers 2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes 1 yellow onion, med dice 1 head garlic 1 tsp pimentón (smoky spanish paprika) 8-10 cups water or stock 12 oz (1 ½ cups) non-fat greek yogurt salt and pepper *if you like spice add some hot paprika to the mix! Print Preparation Heat the oven to 400˚F. Cut off the top part of the head of garlic, place in foil, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic and roast about 40 minutes, until soft. Char the red peppers over a burner (or under the broiler), place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the peppers sit for 15-20 minutes, allowing the steam to loosen the charred skin, then scrape with a knife or rub with a paper towel. This is extremely messy so just embrace it! Once you have removed most of the skin, cut in half and remove the stem and seeds. In a large pot, sauté the onion until translucent, then add the paprika. If using an emersion blender: add the peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and water/stock, to the pot and blend until smooth. Bring to a boil and let simmer 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and mix in the yogurt. Taste for seasoning. If using a food processor: put the onions into the food processor and, working in batches, puree with the tomatoes, peppers, garlic and water. Bring to a boil and let simmer 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and mix in the yogurt. Taste for seasoning. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Fresh Mint Meringues At the risk of jinxing the decent weather we have been having this week, I am officially putting away the winter coat and snow boots. More importantly though, I am making Fresh Mint Meringues for a crowd! (or for a few as these little morsels are dangerously pop-into-your-mouth-able). I must admit I was getting a little caught up in my culinary spring delight, having way too much fun dolloping and swirling, not to mention covering myself in lime green sugar. Oh and treating the neighbors to my very own rendition of the entire Pitch Perfect sound track. I blame the sugar. Its always good at times like this to have those people who will bring you back to reality, telling you you probably won’t be the next Whitney Houston, and who will ask the tough questions like “cauliflower again? really?”. But lets just say I was less than thrilled when Chris’ reaction to my adorable little meringues was “that’s it? where’s the rest of the dessert?”. Ugh. Ok so I may or may not have forgotten the rest. While I think these would be perfect with some chocolate ice cream, or whipped cream and fresh fruit, I had actually envisioned them as cake decoration! I just hadn’t gotten around to making the cake. Minor oversight. My point in all this rambling is that these meringues are delicious and versatile and totally deserving of their own post. And that I am making the accompanying Mint Chocolate Chip Cake as we speak so stay tuned!!! Fresh Mint Meringues Serves: 50-60 hershey-kiss sized meringues Ingredients 4 eggs whites 1½ cups sugar 1 bunch fresh mint green food coloring (optional - gel color is best) Print Preparation Preheat oven to 225˚F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and set over a pot of simmering water (make sure the bowl it not touching the water). Add the fresh mint - keep mint as a bunch so it is easier to fish out later. Heat whites and sugar, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch - 2-3mins - or until it reaches 150˚F on a candy thermometer. Remove mint. Beat in mixer with the whisk attachment on high speed until you have stiff glossy peaks (about 3min). Stir in color if using. Fill piping bag and dollop away! Bake for 1-1½ hours, until dry to the touch. Meringues will keep in an airtight container at room temp for a week. Previous Next hungry for more?