Easy Mocha Ice Cream

From King Arthur Baking

• 1 cup (227g) milk, cold, whole preferred
• 3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons (11g) instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons (11g) unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural (we like Trader Joe’s)
• 2 cups (454g) heavy cream or whipping cream, cold
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 (113g) chocolate sandwich cookies, broken into small pieces (optional – I didn’t use them)

Whisk together the milk, sugar, espresso powder, and cocoa until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.

Chill the mix in the fridge overnight. Then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.*

If using the cookies, stir the cookie bits into the soft ice cream and serve immediately. Or freeze for longer storage; see Tips, below. I liked the flavor better after it had been in the freezer for several days.

*If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the chilled mocha cream into a bowl, place the bowl in the freezer, uncovered, and stir the cream every hour. After about 4 hours or so, it’ll be soft-serve consistency. Continue to stir and freeze until it’s the consistency you like. While it won’t be as creamy as churned ice cream, it’ll be absolutely delicious. 

Tips

• For firm ice cream rather than soft-serve, transfer the churned ice cream to a covered container and place in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours, until ice cream is as hard as you like it. Note: Freezing longer than this will make the ice cream rock hard; plan on softening at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes or so before serving, if it’s been in the freezer longer than a few hours.
• To keep ice cream from freezing rock-hard in the freezer, stir a couple of tablespoons of vodka, coffee-flavored liqueur, or your favorite spirit into the churned ice cream before placing it in the freezer. The alcohol will keep it nicely scoopable indefinitely.

Tiropita

For Natasha, and Karen & Mark, with love
Served at Karen & Mark’s garden party wedding shower at the Glushkoff residence

From 365 Snacks Drinks & Appetizers, 1992.

Prep:  50 minutes | Cook:  10-15 minutes | Makes:  about 80

½ pound feta cheese, crumbled (about 2 cups)
½ pound ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup chopped parsley
Dash of cayenne
Dash of salt
Dash of grated nutmeg
1 (1-pound) package filo pastry, thawed
1 ½ sticks (6 oz) unsalted butter, melted

1. In a large bowl or food processor, combine feta cheese, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, egg, parsley, cayenne, salt, and nutmeg.  Mix until well blended.
2. On a flat work surface, unfold filo and cut lengthwise into 6 or 7 strips 2 to 3 inches wide.  Cover filo strips with plastic wrap and top with a damp towel to prevent drying.
3. Brush 1 filo strip with melted butter.  Top with a second strip of filo and brush again with butter.  Place about 1 ½ teaspoons cheese mixture on short end of strip, off to 1 corner.  Fold 1 corner over to opposite edge, covering filling and making a triangle.  Continue folding strip as you would a flag, keeping the triangular shape with each fold.  Place filo triangle on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet.  Brush with butter and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying.  Repeat with remaining filo and filling.  (If made in advance, refrigerate up to 8 hours.  Freeze for longer storage.)
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Arrange filo triangles about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet and bake until puffed and barely golden, 10 to 15 minutes.  Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Sally’s Blueberry Scones

From Sally’s Baking Addiction (slightly adapted)

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands and work surface
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, frozen
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (plus 2 Tbsp for brushing) (I used half and half and they were great)
• 1 large egg
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 heaping cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw) (I used frozen)
• for topping: coarse sugar

1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the blueberries. Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.
2. Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a 2 cup measure. Pour over the flour mixture and mix together until everything appears moistened.
3. Lightly dust your work surface, dump the dough onto it, flour your hands, and work dough into a ball as best you can. Dough will be sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons heavy cream. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a long sharp knife cut into 8 wedges.
4. Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. (You can do this before or after refrigerating in the next step.)
5. Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet (if your fridge has space!) and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
7. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. After refrigerating, arrange scones in a circle, about 1/4″ inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown around the outer edges and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes.
9. Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Freeze for longer storage. Delicious toasted in a toaster oven.

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Notes

1. Freeze Before Baking: Freeze scone dough wedges on a plate or baking sheet for 1 hour. Once relatively frozen, you can layer them in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time. Or thaw overnight, then bake as directed.
2. Freeze After Baking: Freeze the baked and cooled scones before topping with icing. I usually freeze in a freezer-friendly bag or container. To thaw, leave out on the counter for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Warm in the microwave for 30 seconds or on a baking sheet in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes.
3. Overnight Instructions: Prepare scones through step 4. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Continue with the recipe the following day.
4. Over-spreading: Start with very cold scone dough. Expect some spread, but if the scones are over-spreading as they bake, remove from the oven and press back into its triangle shape (or whatever shape) using a rubber spatula.

Cinnamon Caramel Ice Cream

Based on a recipe at SimplyRecipes.com

Makes about 1 quart

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 cups heavy cream
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat and warm gently until fragrant.  Add the milk, sugar, salt and 1 cup of cream, whisking to mix well.

Fill a large bowl with ice and set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl.  1/4 cup at at time, at 3/4 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling.  Return the egg/milk mixture to the original milk saucepan and return to the stove, whisking well to combine.  Stir frequently over medium heat with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir.

While the egg/milk mixture warms, wash the bowl used for beating the egg yolks, then set it over the ice bowl.  Place the remaining cup of cream into the chilling bowl and set a mesh trainer on top.

When the custard in the saucepan has thickened enough to coat a spoon and hold a line, pour it through the strainer into the cup of cream in the chilling bowl.  Stir until cool. Pour into a container, cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, stir in the vanilla and freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions.

Tin Roof Sundae Deluxe
cinnamon caramel ice cream
chocolate sauce
chopped salted peanuts
crushed pretzels

 

Mashed Potatoes

Anna & Sean’s favorite.

For one.  Multiply to serve more people.

1 russet potato
1-2 Tablespoons cream, half & half, whole milk, 2%, 1% or non-fat milk (in decending order of richness and deliciousness)
1-2 teaspoons of butter
salt

Peel the potato and cut it into 1″ slices.  Cut the slices into 1″ chunks and put them in a sauce pan big enough for your potato masher to fit into.  Cover with filtered water by 1″, add a big pinch of salt, cover the pan, and set on the stove over medium heat.

Meanwhile, pour the cream into a glass measuring cup and add the butter.  Set it on the back of the stove to warm.

Put your colander in the sink.

When the potatoes are boiling, turn the heat down a bit and let them simmer until just tender – 15 minutes or so?  Poke the tip of a knife, or a fork, into a couple of the chunks:  they should give very little resistance.  You do not want them overly mushy or waterlogged, but you don’t want them hard in the middle either.

When they are done, pour the potatoes and cooking water into the colander, then turn the potatoes back in the pot, on the hot burner, with the lid off, to let them dry out for a minute or so.

Turn the heat to low.  Mash with the masher until pretty smooth.  Add the warm cream and butter and mash again.  Cover and hold ’til dinner time.  Stir again before serving – you may need to add a little more butter or cream to get the consistency you prefer.

Fudge Frosting

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, run through a sieve to remove lumps
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/3 cup milk or cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place the butter and cocoa powder in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Blend on low speed until soft and well combined, 30 seconds.  Stop the machine, scrape down the bowl.  Place the confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla & salt in the bowl and beat on low speed until the frosting lightens and is fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  If too thick, add more milk or cream, 1 teaspoon at a time.  If too thin, add more sieved powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time.

Moist & Tender Yellow Cake

slightly modified from King Arthur Flour Classic Birthday Cake

2 cups (241 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour OR Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk (whole milk preferred)
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter, cut into pats
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center. Lightly grease two 8” x 2” or 9” x 2” round cake pans; for extra protection against sticking, line the bottom of the pans with parchment rounds (you can cut these yourself or use precut 8” or 9” rounds), and grease the parchment. If your 8” pans aren’t at least 2” deep, use 9” pans.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, either using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until thickened and light gold in color, about 2 minutes at medium-high speed. If your stand mixer doesn’t have a whisk attachment, beat for 5 minutes using the paddle attachment. The batter should fall in thick ribbons from the beaters, whisk, or paddle.

Add the dry ingredients to the mixture in the bowl and mix — by hand or on low speed of a mixer — just enough to combine. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then mix again briefly, to fully incorporate any residual flour or sticky bits.

In a saucepan set over medium heat or in the microwave, bring the milk just to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and oil, stirring by hand until the butter has melted.

Slowly mix the hot milk-butter-oil mixture into the batter, stirring on low speed of a mixer until everything is well combined. Scrape the bowl and mix briefly, just until smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. You’ll use about 2 3/4 cups (about 580g) in each (I seemed to have more than this).

Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top feels set, 26 to 30 minutes for two 9” pans (it took about 35 minutes for me), or 38 to 42 minutes for two 8” pans; a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the cakes should read 205°F. Remove the cakes from the oven, carefully loosen the edges with a plastic knife, and allow them to cool for 15 minutes in the pans. Then turn them out of the pans and transfer them to a rack, right-side up, to cool to room temperature.

 

Sweetened Whipped Cream

(Schlagobers)

Editor’s note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Rick Rodgers’s book Kaffeehaus: The Best Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. To read more about Austrian cooking, click here.

This recipe originally accompanied Sachertorte.

Throughout the rest of the German-speaking world, whipped cream is called Schlagsahne, but the Viennese call it Schlagobers, which translates into something like “very well whipped.” Whipped cream is a very important ingredient in the daily life of a Viennese; a dab goes on top of coffee or tea, or alongside the afternoon snack, or, unsweetened, as a garnish for soup.

First, use high-quality cream (pasteurized, rather than ultra-pasteurized) with a high butterfat content (36 to 40 percent), which whips up thick and fluffy and has better flavor. Your natural food stores might carry such a cream, or look for old-fashioned dairies.

Room-temperature cream won’t incorporate air, so use well-chilled cream straight from the refrigerator. Use a chilled metal bowl or place the bowl in a larger bowl of iced water.

For sweetening, confectioners’ sugar is preferred to granulated sugar because the small amount of cornstarch in the former discourages the weeping that occurs when whipped cream stands for longer than a few hours. A hint of vanilla is imperative.

Learn to distinguish between the stages of whipped cream; it doesn’t always have to be stiff. As a garnish for a dessert, the goal is softly beaten Schlagobers that barely mounds. When used for piping, cream should be whipped to the stiff stage. Of course there is an in-between stage, too, used for when the cream is the base for a torte filling. Take care not to overwhip the cream, at which point it has a coarse, grainy texture and is well on its way to becoming butter.

A balloon whisk will give you the most control over the whipping process, but most people prefer an electric mixer. A hand mixer is best, because the strong motor of a standing mixer makes it difficult to gauge the whipping progress and can quickly overwhip the cream.

 

1 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour the cream into a well-chilled bowl and add the sugar and vanilla. Using an electric hand mixer or balloon whisk, beat the cream to the desired consistency. For soft peaks, the cream will be just thick enough to hold its shape in soft billows. For stiffly beaten cream, the beaters or whisk wires will leave distinct traces on the cream and stand in firm peaks when the beaters are lifted.

TO MAKE AHEAD:  The cream can be whipped up to 1 day ahead, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerated. If liquid separates from the cream, whip it again to incorporate the liquid.

From Epicurious.com.  From the book Kaffeehaus: The Best Desserts from the Classic Cafe of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague by Rick Rodgers ©2002 Published in 2002 by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a member of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

Lime Cake with Blueberry Filling

filling:
2  1/2-pint baskets blueberries
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

cake:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (spoon lightly and level off)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
2 sticks salted butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs at room temperature
1 1/3 cups lowfat buttermilk
zest of two limes

frosting:
1 stick salted butter, softened
scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of one lime
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
3  1/2 cups powdered sugar, run through a sieve, 1 cup at a time
blueberry filling to reach desired color/flavor
up to 1 Tablespoon milk, cream or buttermilk to reach desired consistency

For the filling:
Combine berries, sugar, and lime juice in a small heavy saucepan.  Bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Reduce to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally and mashing berries coarsely with a fork, about 15 minutes.  Chill filling uncovered until cold, about 30 minutes, or overnight.

For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place oven rack in the center position.

Spray two 9″ cake pans with cooking spray, line with parchment circles.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Cream the butter, canola oil, sugar and vanilla until fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl.

Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Scrape down the bowl.

Add the lime zest.  Alternate flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 stages each, mixing just until combined.  Scrape down the bowl.  Divide batter evenly between pans, tap pans firmly on the counter to remove air bubbles.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no wet batter on it (crumbs are okay).

Place cake in pans on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.  Turn out of pans and cool right side up on wire racks.

For the frosting:
Cream the butter until smooth.  Add the lime juice, lime zest and salt and beat thoroughly on low.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time.  Add blueberry filling, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, as needed to achieve desired color.  Add more milk, cream or buttermilk, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed to achieve a soft and spreadable consistency.

Assemble the cake:
Place one cake layer right side up on your cake stand or cake plate.  Spread half the frosting over the layer, letting it stick out past the edges a bit.  Spread the filling over the frosting. Place the second layer on top, right side up, centering it over the first layer.  Frost with the remaining frosting.

Storing:
Store covered at cool room temperature for up to three days.  Refrigerate for longer storage.

Easter Lunch 2018

11:30 AM

For 12:  Anna, Sam, Sean, Kristin, Nana, Auntie Karen, Uncle Mark, Grandma Cindy, Grandpa, Aunt Kristin, Eric, Auntie Laurel

Before:
Prosecco (1 bottle)
Tangerine Juice
Homemade Lemonade
Shrimp & Cocktail Sauce over Cream Cheese (4 oz cream cheese, 1/4 lb cocktail shrimp) [smaller round glass serving dish]
Guacamole & Corn Dippers (1 avocado, 1/2 bag of corn dippers)
Cotswold Double Gloucester with onions & chives (Trader Joe’s)
Social Snackers and Golden Round crakers (Trader Joe’s)

Main Course:
Ham with Sweet Hot Mustard (Trader Joe’s spiral)
Karen’s Famous Deviled Eggs
Orzo, Pea & Feta salad  (Mom, half recipe)
Aunt Kristin’s Tabbouli with Yogurt Sauce (half recipe)
Scalloped Potatoes (7 med potatoes)
Carrot Orange Salad (4 carrots, 4 oranges) [oval veg]
Roasted Asparagus (2 bunches) [pottery pie pan]
King’s Hawaiian Rolls
Black Olives, Bread & Butter Pickle Chips
Ham Wine (Eric)
Chardonnay (Aunt Kristin)

Dessert:
Jelly Beans & Fruit Jellies (Trader Joe’s)
Burnt Toffee Dark Chocolate Almonds (Sprouts)
Swedish Neighbor Cream Cake
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Friday:

Make ice cream base

Saturday:

Churn ice cream
Make carrot orange salad
Bake cake
Prep fruit for cake

Sunday:

8:00
Whip cream and assemble cake

10:00
prep potatoes and press plastic wrap onto surface
mix shrimp with cocktail sauce, keep in fridge
Prep ham:  unwrap and cut around the bone.  remove slices and place in 13×9 Pyrex dish.  Cover tightly with foil and leave on counter to come to room temp.
put cream cheese on plate to come to room temp
peel asparagus and put on baking sheet, roll in oil

10:30
potatoes in oven at 350 degrees F ON A BAKING SHEET!

11:00
make guacamole, press plastic wrap over top and put in fridge

11:25
Spread out cream cheese on plate
put shrimp & cocktail sauce over cream cheese & serve

11:30
guests arrive
serve guacamole
ham in oven if potatoes almost done

12:00
ham & potatoes out if done
raise oven temp to 425 degrees F, roast asparagus

when potatoes are done:
asparagus in oven for 12 minutes
put out all the food

Dessert:
top cake with reserved berries before serving