Best of 2009 – Part 2

Posted on December 30, 2009 by Annie

Let’s get right to today’s installment of The Best of 2009.  (Proof that I don’t make only desserts :) )


Pappa al Pomodoro – this thick and chunky, spicy tomato soup has become a favorite of mine.  When I first made it, I didn’t think it would be able to surpass my old tomato soup recipe.  However, I have found that every time I crave tomato soup, it is this version that I gravitate towards.  I just love the kick from the spices, the chunky texture, and the awesome garnish on top.


Fresh Fruit Tart with Vanilla Pastry Cream – I can’t say enough good things about this dessert.  It is light and pretty, it is easily adapted to whatever fruits are in season, and most importantly, it includes vanilla pastry cream which just happens to be one of the most heavenly foods in the world.  The combination of the sweet tart dough, fresh fruits and pastry cream is simply divine.


Chicken Gyros – This dinner changed my life.  An extreme statement, but true.  For someone who loves food as much as me, it’s no small matter when a new recipe becomes my favorite dinner ever.  The flavorful tzatziki sauce, the delicious chicken and homemade pita bread make for a dinner that comes close to perfection for me.  It’s great for entertaining or just enjoying on your own.  Oh, how I love them.


Potato Rolls – Homemade bread just can’t be beat, and I love to make a big batch of homemade rolls to have in the freezer and take out at a moment’s notice.  These rolls have an amazing light texture with a perfect crust, and go very well with most meals.  Even better, they still taste fantastic even after being frozen for months.


Coffee Ice Cream – Though I’m not a huge coffee drinker, I’ve always enjoyed coffee ice cream.  This version is phenomenal and I think the best ice cream I made this year.  I love it too much to do anything other than eat it straight before it is all gone, but I think it would be a perfect pairing for a brownie or a piece of uber chocolatey cake, or sandwiched between two chocolate cookies.


Seven Layer Bars – These bars may not be revolutionary, but they are definitely addicting and delicious.  They are also one of the easiest treats I can think of and you can have them in the oven in minutes.  Also, they contain that ingredient I seem to find completely irresistible – butterscotch chips.  Yum!


Peach Cobbler – A quintessential summer dessert, this peach cobbler was the perfect way to end a meal during our family vacation.  I’m already looking forward to our next trip to South Carolina (or at least the next time peaches are in season) so we can enjoy this again.  The fresh fruit base with the amazing biscuit topping is to die for!


Baked Ziti – Who can resist a cheesy, saucy pasta dish with chunks of sausage?   Not I!  This meal has been a huge crowd pleaser every time I have served it, and it certainly does feed a large crowd.  It may take some time to prepare, but I think it’s well worth it.


Stuffed Mushrooms – Without a doubt, the most popular appetizer I have ever served.  These have been a staple at nearly every party or get-together I have hosted, and they are instantly devoured.  I know many stuffed mushrooms have a lot more ingredients in the filling, like sausage, spinach, etc. but I think these are wonderful because of their simplicity, and the added surprise kick that the cayenne pepper provides.


Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups – These breakfast bites quickly became a favorite in our house.  It’s easy to see why – they are delicious, use ingredients we usually have on hand, and require very little time or effort.  You can also easily increase the quantity and make enough to feed a large number of people at once.  I know we’ll be making them again and again.

Stay tuned for the final installment of The Best of 2009 tomorrow!

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Best of 2009 – Part 1

Posted on December 29, 2009 by Annie

When I look back through my blog, I’m always amazed at how much I have grown.  In my photography (whoa, please never look at my old photos – eek!), in my cooking and baking skills, and in finding my blogging voice.  This blog is such a huge passion of mine, and it constantly inspires me to try new things and do better.  I feel like 2009 was a wonderful year for the blog.  I looked back through the posts from the year and came up with 30 recipes minimum that I felt I just had to highlight once more.  These are the things I think you really must try – you know, sometime before 2011!  I’ll be breaking this up into a three day series with 10 favorites listed each day.  I’m going in chronological order so if you haven’t been reading long, you may have missed these!


My Favorite Salsa Ever – it still holds this title, and I still love it just as much as when I first posted the recipe.  I often find myself putting Mexican food on the menu so I can have more of it!


Red Velvet Cheesecake – a genius idea from the people of Southern Living, this dessert combines two of my favorites by creating a red velvet flavored cheesecake with a cream cheese topping.  It’s a decadent treat that is also visually stunning and I can’t wait to make it again soon.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte – holy cow, this will probably stay on the list of top desserts I’ve ever tried!  It’s obvious why I’m so smitten with this dessert  - a chocolate cookie crumb crust, filled with a light textured but incredibly rich peanut butter filling, topped with ganache and honey roasted peanuts.  Be right back, I need to go make one right now….


Mexican Rice – this is without a doubt the best version of Mexican rice I have ever tried.  It has a wonderful texture and thanks to the cooking method, tons of flavor is absorbed into the rice itself.  I serve this frequently when I make Mexican food, and it is always a hit.  I have also found it to be a great base for burrito filling.


Spaghetti and Meatballs – everyone needs to have a great recipe for classic spaghetti and meatballs, and I love this one.  It is a wonderful comfort food but definitely tasty enough (and fun!) to serve to company.  I also love this meal because I end up with enough leftover meatballs to have meatball subs later in the week.  It’s a classic!


Chocolate Overdose Cake – okay, really, I don’t think much needs to be said about this cake.  It seems to speak for itself.  With a brownie base, chocolate mousse filling, and chocolate cake layer all covered in a decadent chocolate ganache, and containing almost 2 pounds of chocolate.  Yeah, you need this in your life.


Butterfly Cupcakes – I don’t think I’ve ever made such a whimsical treat as these cupcakes.  This has certainly been one of the most popular posts on my blog, and one I receive the most questions about.  They are fun to make and are an impressive dessert that would be perfect for so many occasions – birthdays, bridal or baby showers, a spring party.  I just love them!


Strawberry Ice Cream Brownie Cupcakes –  the idea of combining cake or brownies with ice cream into a cupcake is sheer genius.  These are so much more fun than the full sized ice cream cakes I remember as a child.  I just love individual desserts!  The strawberry brownie combo is fantastic, but the beauty of this dessert is that you can mix and match cake and ice cream flavors.  I plan on trying many more variations in the future!


New York Cheesecake – If I had to pick a favorite dessert of the year (or possibly of all time), it would be this cheesecake.  I haven’t made it since the first time I tried it, simply because last time it rendered me powerless and I am pretty sure I ate the majority of it myself.  It’s so amazingly creamy and delicious that I didn’t even feel all that bad about it.  Though I haven’t made it again, I definitely spend an abnormal amount of time thinking about it.  And I do have a birthday coming up – maybe it’s time to break it out again (hehehe ;) )


Cinnamon Raisin Bagels – since discovering the wonder of homemade bagels, they are a frequent favorite in our house.  I have had fun playing with different flavor variations and cinnamon raisin is a classic that just can’t be beat.  What a wonderful way to start the day out right.  Yum!

Stay tuned for tomorrow installment of The Best of 2009…

Filed under: Uncategorized | 13 Comments »

Chocolate Candy Cane Cake

Posted on December 28, 2009 by Annie

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday!  As the year draws to a close, I’m getting ready to recap my favorite posts from 2009, but first I just had to share this fun and festive cake.  I know it may seem like a Christmas cake, but it’s still winter and I’m sure it would be a welcome addition to any winter gathering or New Year’s party.  This fabulous concoction consists of three thick layers of rich, moist chocolate cake filled with peppermint frosting.  The whole thing is decorated with a white chocolate buttercream and then garnished with finely crushed peppermints for a sparkly pink finish.  It is certainly a treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds!

And are you ready for this?  Me – Annie, the mint-hater – I actually liked this cake.  A lot.  Truthfully, I made it because I knew it would be so pretty and a hit at Christmas brunch, but I did not anticipate enjoying it so much myself.  The peppermint flavor in this cake is perfectly balanced by the other components so that it is definitely a key player, but not so overpowering that it is too strong for non-mint lovers.  Truly, the chocolate peppermint combo was wonderful and everyone was raving about it.

My only frustration with this cake was with the fact that it sliced horribly.  I think every piece I served looked as though Andrew had gotten a hold of it before I could pass it to each guest.  The reason was clear though – the peppermint dust on the outside of the cake hardened to form a sort of shell that was impossible to cut without partially destroying the delicate cake underneath.  Thankfully, there is a simple solution to this problem.  Garnish with the peppermint dust just before serving (as opposed to the night before as I did) so that it doesn’t have time to harden before you slice it.  And by the way, getting the peppermint evenly distributed around the outside was FUN!  I tried several techniques to get this to work but I found the best one to be simply taking a handful of the crushed candy and flinging it at the cake.  I felt a bit like Jackson Pollock :)  My counter was a mess, but I had fun and the cake looked great.   It’s a lovely winter treat!

Chocolate Candy Cane Cake
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Ingredients:
For the cake:*
½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting pans
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1¼ cups boiling water
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp. espresso powder
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup sour cream, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the filling, frosting and garnish:
8 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1 lb. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1¾ finely ground peppermint candies, plus extra whole candies for garnish

*I made three 9-inch cake layers, and increased the amount of cake batter by 50%.  I made the regular amount of filling and frosting called for in the recipe, and it was just enough.

Directions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Grease the edges of three 8-inch round cake pans.  Dust with cocoa powder and tap out the excess.  Line the bottom of each pan with parchment or wax paper.  Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, whisk the boiling water, chocolate, cocoa powder and espresso powder together until smooth.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes.  Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions.  Beat in the sour cream and vanilla and mix until incorporated.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans, and smooth the tops with a spatula.  Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 15-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Cool the cakes in the pans for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and peel off the parchment paper.  Turn the cakes right side up and allow to cool completely.

To prepare the filling and frosting, melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.  Set aside and let cool until no longer warm to the touch.  In the meantime, beat the butter on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer about 30 seconds.  Add confectioners’ sugar and salt, and beat at medium-low speed, scraping down the bowl once, about 1 minute.  Add the cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed just until incorporated, about 10 seconds.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Transfer half of the mixture to a separate bowl and stir in the cooled white chocolate until smooth.  Add ¾ cup of the ground peppermint candies to the remaining frosting.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cardboard cake round or cake platter.  Spread half of the peppermint frosting over the cake.  Top with another cake layer and spread evenly with the remaining peppermint frosting.  Top with the final cake layer.  Reserve ½ to ¾ cup of the white chocolate frosting in a pastry bag.  Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining white chocolate frosting.  Coat the top and sides of the cake with the remaining crushed peppermints.  Use the reserved white chocolate frosting to pipe a decorative border around the bottom edge of the cake, as well as decorative swirls on top.  Garnish with reserved whole peppermints as desired.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, Holiday 2009

Filed under: Cakes, Dessert | 26 Comments »

Holiday Sugar Cookies

Posted on December 24, 2009 by Annie


Every year I love to plan what goodies I will include in my holiday packages.  In fact, I think about it basically all year long (sad, but true.)  Though I’m always thinking of many new ideas, and have ridiculous anxiety about narrowing it down to five or six treats, the one thing that will always be a constant in these gift bags are my favorite sugar cookies.  Now of course they’ll always be decorated with royal icing, which can make such a stunning presentation.  I can’t believe it’s been just one year since I first attempted using royal icing, and I feel like I have come so far with my decorating skills.  Here’s hoping I improve just as much next year!


This year I made and decorated the three shapes seen above.  The snowmen seemed to be the popular favorite of everyone who received the gift bags, but I loved the Christmas trees the best.  The “Joy” cookies really looked way too much like the Italian flag until I added the dots to the letters – haha!  In case you feel inspired to try your hand at royal icing, check out the recent royal icing tutorial I did.  Have a happy holiday, all my wonderful readers!

Filed under: Cookies, Dessert, Gifts From the Kitchen | 31 Comments »

Holiday Gift Packages (and a Winner!)

Posted on December 23, 2009 by Annie

First things first – WOW!  I was truly amazed at the response to the giveaway I posted last week.  I absolutely loved reading about everyone’s holiday food traditions.  The only problem is that now I want to adopt so many of them for my own, but I would certainly go into a food coma.  It seemed like the most common tradition was baking cookies, which is no surprise.  A lot of people also seem to have fondue which sounds like a fantastic idea.  Special holiday breakfasts were also a common response.  And now, onto the winner!  I used a random number generator to choose a comment, and the winner was #377.  Congratulations, Emily!  Here is her response:

“We make Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning breakfast! Delicious!”

Now, a few words on my holiday treat packages.  I have had many emails and comments from readers with various questions regarding my holiday treat packages.  Everything from how I package the treats, where I buy my materials, etc.  I thought I would do a quick little post to explain how I plan, what I make, and how I package and distribute everything.

First off, you need a plan.  This is key because you want to be sure that you are not getting in over your head by attempting too many complicated treats and you have enough time to get everything done.  I try to do some easier items (hot chocolate, biscotti) with some more complicated cookies, etc.  You also want to be sure that the gift pack as a whole is well-rounded and not too heavy on one type of treat (too many cookies, all chocolate, etc.)  Lastly, be sure that if you are planning to ship any of the packages, all of the treats will keep well during the transit process.

With all those things in mind, here is what was included in my packages this year:
Holiday Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Gingerbread Cookies (for shipping)
Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies (for local deliveries)
Candy Cane Biscotti
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Orange Cranberry and Chocolate Spice mini quick bread loaves, not pictured (only in some packages, because several stuck to the pans and broke :( )

Once all the treats are baked and ready to be packaged, it is ideal to package each item individually if possible.  It helps keep flavors separate and helps with the presentation of the gifts.  More packages to open is always a fun thing!  I ended up needing to package two types of cookies together in some of the boxes, but I think it worked out okay.  Once all the items have been packaged separately, I throw them all into a holiday gift bag with some tissue paper and they are ready to deliver!  For the packages being shipped, I just pack the various packages into a box individually, with plenty of padding to keep everything intact.

I buy my packaging in a few different places, but my favorite way to purchase the materials is in bulk.  This way I have enough to last me for a few years, and the overall price is far, far cheaper than buying similar packages from places like Target, Joann’s, etc.   My favorite supplier is Nashville Wraps – great prices and a huge selection!

Hopefully this is helpful for those of you who were interested.  Baking for others is so fun and rewarding!

Filed under: Gifts From the Kitchen | 4 Comments »

Candy Cane Biscotti

Posted on December 22, 2009 by Annie

Biscotti are an ideal treat to include in holiday gift packages because they are easy to make, keep very well, and are the perfect thing for recipients to enjoy with their bags of homemade hot chocolate mix.  Last year I did chocolate and gingerbread biscotti which were great, but I’m always excited to try a new flavor.  Now as regular readers know from my post on peppermint mocha cupcakes, I am not a peppermint (or mint) lover…so I’m breaking my own rule here and blogging about something I didn’t taste.  I think it’s alright though, because I’ve heard so many rave reviews about these that I’m sure normal people will love them.  It’s a basic biscotti dough with chopped up candy canes mixed in, then topped with white chocolate and more crushed candy canes.  They look so fun and festive.

Normally I make my biscotti quite a bit larger, but I made the first couple of batches in the normal size and they just seemed way too big.  Probably because of the numerous other treats going in the packages (or maybe the peppermint smell was getting to me).  Whatever the case, I followed the size indicated in the recipe the second time around and made them on the smaller side.  I actually think the small size is better for gift-giving, so I’ll continue to make these as mini biscotti in the future.  Enjoy!

Looking for more flavors of biscotti?  Try these:
Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti
Banana Biscotti
Almond Biscotti
Coconut Biscotti

Candy Cane Biscotti
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 cup finely chopped peppermint candies, plus extra for garnish
14 oz. white chocolate

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir briefly with a fork to combine.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until incorporated.  Fold in the 2/3 cup crushed peppermints with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.

Evenly divide the dough into 4 portions.  Form each into a 9″ by 1½” log on the prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly.  Bake until the cookies are light golden brown on top, about 18-20 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325° F.

After the logs have cooled for 10 minutes, use a sharp serrated knife to cut the logs into ½-inch slices on the diagonal.  Arrange the cut pieces on the baking sheet, laying on one of their cut sides so one cut side is facing up.  Bake for 15 minutes more, until the cookies are light golden brown and crisp.  (They may seem a bit soft, but will firm as they cool.)  Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Once the biscotti have cooled, melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler.  Dip one half of each cookie in the chocolate, shake gently to remove the excess, and transfer to a baking sheet or work surface lined with wax paper.  Sprinkle with extra crushed candy canes while the chocolate is still wet.  Let stand at room temperature until the chocolate has set completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: adapted from Pennies on a Platter, originally from Land O Lakes

Filed under: Cookies, Dessert | 13 Comments »

Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies

Posted on December 21, 2009 by Annie

I have been wanting to try these cookies for months.  I could have made them at any time of course, but from the first moment I saw them, I imagined baking them for my holiday treat packages.  Decorated with festive non-pareils, they just seemed to exude a playful holiday appearance.  I knew the chocolate glaze wouldn’t hold up for shipping far away, but I did add them to the 12 bags we delivered locally.  They seemed like the perfect cookie to round out the treats included because of course, chocolate must always be somehow included!

I was pretty amazed at how easy these were to make and assemble.  The only real issue I had was simply that the number of cookies did not match the amount of marshmallow, or the amount of chocolate glaze.  I ended up with something like six dozen cookies after reusing the dough scraps.  I had enough marshmallow to top about six dozen of the cookies.  The glaze wasn’t enough, so I had to make an extra half batch to finish covering them.


I wasn’t disappointed about having a few leftover cookies though – these little cookie bases were fantastic on their own!  I’m normally not one for plain cookies like this, but the tender wafer with just a hint of cinnamon was absolutely wonderful.  Perfect for snacking on while you finish baking :)

They were every bit as cute and yummy as I had hoped, and definitely lived up to my expectations!  Not only would they be popular with kids, I think they would be a really fun project to make with kids as well.  I can’t wait to make them with Andrew someday!

Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
For the cookie base:
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking powder
3/8 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, slightly chilled
3 large eggs

For the marshmallows:
¼ cup water
¼ cup corn syrup
¾ cup sugar
1 tbsp. powdered gelatin
2 tbsp. cold water
2 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ tsp. vanilla extract

For the chocolate glaze:
12 oz. semisweet or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 oz. of cocoa butter or vegetable oil

Directions:
To make the cookie base, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed to blend.  Add the butter and mix on low speed until sandy.  Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl, then add to the dough and mix on low speed to incorporate.  Form the dough into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375° F.  Grease a cookie sheet, or line sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.  Roll the dough out to 1/8″ thickness on a lightly floured surface.  Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out rounds of the dough and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown.  Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the marshmallow, combine the water, corn syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl.  Set aside and let dissolve.  Continue heating the sugar mixture in the pan until it reaches the soft-ball stage (235° F on a candy or instant-read thermometer).  Remove the syrup from the heat, add in the softened gelatin, and mix to combine.

In the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Pour the syrup and vanilla extract into the egg whites and continue whipping until the stiff peaks form.  Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag and pipe dollops of marshmallow onto the cooled cookie bases.  Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.

To make the chocolate glaze, combine the chocolate and the oil in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.  Heat until the chocolate is completely melted and a smooth glaze has formed.  Place a cookie a a time onto a fork, spoon the chocolate glaze over the top until the cookie is covered, and gently shake off the excess.  Transfer the glazed cookies to baking sheets lined with wax paper, garnish as desired, and let the glaze set.  (I popped mine into the refrigerator for a few minutes to speed up this process.)

Source: adapted from Use Real Butter, originally from Gale Gand of Food Network

Filed under: Chocolate, Cookies, Dessert | 17 Comments »

Eggnog Ice Cream

Posted on December 18, 2009 by Annie

For me, eggnog ice cream sounded just right for the holidays.  I make ice cream all year round regardless of how incredibly cold it might be outside, but it’s always fun to make a flavor that so perfectly suits the season.  This seemed to be perfect timing since I had eggnog left over from making eggnog cranberry muffins.  So I gathered everything up, and got ready to make the ice cream.  And then I read through the ingredient list again…and again…and again.  Because I didn’t see eggnog listed.  And then I realized, it didn’t call for any.

At that point I got a little worried because I didn’t see how this could really end up tasting very much like eggnog.  I forged ahead anyway, but even after freezing the ice cream and tasting it right off the dasher, I wasn’t optimistic.  It seemed off somehow.  I stuck it in the freezer and decided to give it one more try later.  Something magical must have happened during the time that it sat in the freezer – the flavors must have mingled just right.  When I served myself a spoonful later, I couldn’t believe it.  It tasted just.like.eggnog.  The alcohol and the nutmeg make all the difference in converting a plain vanilla ice cream base into something amazing.  I’m telling you, David Lebovitz knows his ice cream.  (On a related note, if you don’t already own The Perfect Scoop, I highly recommend you add it to your collection ASAP.)  I used pre-ground nutmeg instead of freshly grated, but I would love to try fresh eventually!

Eggnog Ice Cream
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
¾ tsp. ground nutmeg (or 1 tsp. freshly grated)
2 tbsp. dark rum
1 tbsp. brandy
2½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine the whole milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan.  Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and set a fine mesh sieve over the top.   In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.  Once the milk mixture is warm, slowly add it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.  Return the mixture to the saucepan.  Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan with a heat-proof spatula, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (between 170 and 175° F.)  Remove the custard from the heat and pour the mixture through the mesh sieve, into the cream.  Add in the nutmeg, rum, brandy and vanilla extract and stir to combine.  Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.

When completely chilled, freeze the batter in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Source: adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Filed under: Dessert, Ice creams & Sorbets | 16 Comments »

Hot Chocolate Mix

Posted on December 17, 2009 by Annie

Oh heavens.  If you like chocolate, and especially if you like hot chocolate, you are going to love this.  I posted a different hot cocoa mix recipe last year that I had included in my gift packages.  While it was pretty tasty, this just blows it away.  It’s not surprising that this version is so much better.  After all, it includes vanilla sugar, cocoa powder and a hefty quantity of finely ground chocolate.  It’s certainly the more gourmet of the two versions, and it shows.  The thick, smooth texture and the rich, chocolatey taste can’t be beat.  I have mere tablespoons left after packaging this up for holiday treats, but I’m sure I’ll make another batch very soon that won’t be for sharing ;)

Hot Chocolate Mix
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
2 vanilla beans
4 cups granulated sugar
1½ lbs. good quality semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
9 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups Dutch process cocoa powder*

Directions:
Split and scrape the vanilla beans and combine in a large bowl or jar with the sugar.  Work the vanilla seeds into the sugar with your fingers.  Bury the pods under the sugar, cover tightly and let stand overnight (or up to months) at room temperature.  Remove the pods when ready to use.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the sugar, semisweet and bittersweet chocolate, and Dutch process cocoa powder.  Process in 4-second pulses until the chocolate is very finely ground and the mixture is well combined.  Store the mix in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Serving Instructions:
Combine 2 tablespoons cocoa mix with 8 oz. of very warm milk and stir to combine until well blended.

*I am unable to find Dutch process cocoa powder in area stores, so I use a blend of natural and Dutch process cocoa.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally from  Gourmet, 2005

Filed under: Beverages, Gifts From the Kitchen | 22 Comments »

Gingerbread Cookies

Posted on December 16, 2009 by Annie

It turns out that my mom was definitely right when she told me as a child that my tastes would change over time.  I remember as a kid thinking gingerbread cookies looked absolutely delicious – and then I tasted one, and absolutely hated it.  Maybe it was just different than what I was expecting, or the flavors were a bit strong for me then, but I’ve steered clear of them ever since.  Then this past weekend, I had my yearly baking marathon for holiday goody packages and decided to give gingerbread a second chance, mainly because I thought they would help round out the packages and keep well for the ones being shipped off to friends and family.

I am so, so glad I tried these because they might just be my new favorite holiday cookie.  The wonderful spiced flavor and the perfectly chewy texture seem to embody the holiday season in a cookie.  Not to mention, they are very pretty!  I decorated them with a simple royal icing design and a few cake sparkles just like Katie did.  While this is certainly not necessary, it definitely made them much more attractive.  The only thing to keep in mind is that the cookies spread and puff quite a bit during baking, so you don’t want to use a cookie cutter with too much detail.  These snowflake shapes looked very different before I popped them in the oven.  Even though I didn’t like gingerbread as a kid, Andrew definitely approved of these, and I’m sure they’ll be part of my holiday baking traditions for years to come.

Gingerbread Cookies
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Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 large egg

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices to combine; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the molasses and egg until combined.  Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to about ¼-inch thickness.  Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.  Place the cookie shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.  Decorate as desired.

Source: adapted from Good Things Catered, originally from Allrecipes

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