Category Archives: Dessert

What is the Difference Between White Cake and Yellow Cake?

Posted on May 16, 2013 | 2 Comments

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Not that I’ve run the statistics or anything, but I would hazard a guess that this question is one of the more frequently asked by home cooks and bakers, especially those who use boxed cake mixes. And while I love baking from scratch and don’t use them, I have often wondered this myself. What is the difference between white cake and yellow cake? I decided to find out.

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{White Cake}

Well, not to sound too obvious, but first there’s the color of the cake. White cake really is white, and yellow cake really does have a yellowish hue. But I’m pretty sure they were created then named for their appearance. So the question really becomes, what makes the white cake white and what makes the yellow cake yellow.

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{Yellow Cake}

And the answer is eggs. White cake has only egg whites while yellow cake contains whole eggs, and it’s the yolks that give the cake its yellow tint.

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Beyond that, other differences include:
* White cake is made with cake flour, whereas yellow cake uses all-purpose flour.
* White cake has a very light, almost sponge cake-like texture, whereas yellow cake has a moister and denser texture.
* White cake has a very thin, liquidy batter while yellow cake has a thicker batter.
* Yellow cake is more prevalent and tasted more familiar – most standard cakes are yellow cakes. Wedding cakes are frequently white cakes though.
And that’s pretty much it! The flavor between the two was quite similar, the differences were mainly color and texture.

You’re probably noticing that my white cupcakes browned on the top and don’t look too white. I don’t know why. They certainly weren’t overcooked, the texture was wonderful. It really bugged me, but then I frosted them and it didn’t matter anyway. At least that’s how I will choose to see it. :)

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Sources:
White Cupcakes — Can You Stay for Dinner?
Yellow Cupcakes — adapted from Simply Scratch
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting — The Homemade Pantry by Alana Chernila

Ingredients:
WHITE CUPCAKES:
1 cup cake flour
½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
5 tbs unsalted butter, softened but still cool

YELLOW CUPCAKES:
1-1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 whole eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup half and half
1 tsp real vanilla extract

FROSTING:
1 lb. cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup (1 1/2) sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbs vanilla extract

Directions:
WHITE CUPCAKES:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard size cupcake tin with paper liners. Spritz each with nonstick cooking spray.
Lightly whisk milk, egg whites, and vanilla extract in large glass measuring cup.
Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand electric mixer and add butter; beating at low speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no large clumps of flour.
Add 3/4 of the milk mixture to the crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 20 seconds longer at low speed.
Evenly distribute the batter in the cupcake tin. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the pan carefully and let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Makes 12 standard cupcakes.

YELLOW CUPCAKES:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a standard 12 muffin pan with liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
In a medium bowl use an electric mixer to blend together the stick of butter and the 3/4 cup of sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add one egg in at a time and blend well after each one.
Next add in half of the dry ingredients, blend. Then half of the half and half, blend. Then repeat with the rest of the dry ingredients and half and half, mix until incorporated.
Add in the vanilla extract and blend to combine.
Divide the batter among the twelve cupcake liners and bake in a preheated oven for 18-20 minutes. Once baked, remove and let cool completely before frosting.
Makes 12 standard cupcakes.

FROSTING:
Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and blend until combined. Add the powdered sugar in 1/4 cup increments until combined.
Add the salt and vanilla and continue beating until frosting is thick and smooth.
Spread or pipe onto the cupcakes.
This will make enough frosting for all 24 cupcakes.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding

Posted on May 9, 2013 | 2 Comments

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Matt and I are neither milk drinkers nor cereal eaters. We don’t even put milk in our coffee. (He prefers half-and-half while I find that chocolate soymilk disguises the coffee-ness of coffee just enough to make it barely tolerable). Thus, as you can imagine, we don’t ever purchase a carton of milk unless some is needed for something I’m cooking or baking.

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So a few weeks ago, when I somehow managed to misread my own grocery list, and bought an entire gallon of organic milk from grass-fed cows because I needed, oh, half a cup of milk for something, well, that leaves quite a bit of extra milk that nobody’s drinking, now doesn’t it.

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And since that milk was so high-quality, I really couldn’t stand the thought of throwing it out. Yet, there was so much of it. What to do… I began searching my arsenal for recipes that called for a lot of milk and stumbled upon this pudding that I’d pinned several weeks ago. 4 cups. That’s quite a bit. Pretty helpful in my quest to use up good milk before it spoils.

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This pudding was so yum! Chocolate and peanut butter is such a wonderful combination, we go crazy over it in my house. And this pudding is made completely from scratch, so you know there are no nasty chemicals in there. Homemade pudding is delightfully easy to prepare and deliciously fun to eat.

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So if you and/or yours go bonkers over anything chocolate-peanut butter, then you’ve got to make this one. So good!!

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Source: Joy the Baker

Ingredients:
PEANUT BUTTER PUDDING:
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup creamy all-natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
CHOCOLATE PUDDING:
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
WHIPPED CREAM:
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
PEANUT BUTTER PUDDING:
In a medium saucepan whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk just to combine.  It’s ok if the mixture is just a bit lumpy. Add the milk and heavy cream and whisk.  Turn the flame on to medium heat.  Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking occasionally along the way.  Be sure to whisk in the rounded corners of the pan so that pudding doesn’t burn.
Once the peanut butter pudding comes to a simmer, whisk constantly at a simmer for 1 minute.  Mixture should thicken but still remain a bit loose.  Remove from the heat and add peanut butter and vanilla extract.  Quickly whisk and pudding will thicken substantially. Divide warm pudding between six glasses.  Store uncovered in the refrigerator while you make the chocolate pudding.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING: in a (clean and dry) medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt.  It’s okay if there are a few brown sugar lumps remaining.  Add milk and cream and whisk to incorporate.  Turn the flame on to medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally along the way.  Be sure to whisk in the rounded corners of the pan so the pudding doesn’t burn.
Once the chocolate pudding comes to a simmer, whisk constantly at a simmer for 1 minute.  Mixture should thicken but still remain a bit loose.  Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate and vanilla extract.  Stir until the chocolate is melted and pudding is thickened.
Spoon the pudding atop the peanut butter pudding.  Cover each pudding cup with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap touches the top of the chocolate pudding.  Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.  This recipe can be made a day in advance.
WHIPPED CREAM:
When ready to serve, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract into soft peaks.  Top each pudding with whipped cream and serve.

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Salted Honey Pie

Posted on May 8, 2013 | 6 Comments

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Until reading up on this recipe and deciding it had to be made just to sate my curiosity, I didn’t know much of anything about what honey pie was. The only real association I had with it is The Beatles’ song “Wild Honey Pie” on their White Album. You say the words “honey pie” to me and I’ll just think “Hun-ney Piiiiieeeeee!” followed by some discordant guitar chords, then somehow seamlessly transitioning to “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill.”

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Well. Now I will think differently. Because now I have made a real, actual honey pie, and I have tasted it too. And it is so freakin’ amazing.

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I’ll be the first to admit, this pie looks a bit unassuming. The color is a tad nondescript and the crust looks burnt. Although I should hasten to note that it didn’t smell or taste that way; still, this pie prompted me to purchase a pie protector for the future.

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And yet… this pie is so unbelievably delicious that you might want to make sure the kids are out of earshot when you take your first bite, because it’s entirely possible that an expletive will involuntarily fly out of your mouth – it’s that good.

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Honey pie is basically a regular pie crust, blind baked, that is then filled with a custard, but the twist is that the custard uses honey instead of sugar. The honey gives is a more interesting and slightly floral flavor, and then big flecks of sea salt are lightly sprinkled on the finished product. The custard was perfectly cooked; its velvety softness contrasted beautifully with the flaky crunch of the pie crust. So amazing. Try it if you’ve never before had a piece of this deliciousness. And if you are already familiar, hopefully you’re now craving it again!

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Source: slightly adapted from A Year of Pies by Ashley English

Ingredients:
Pie dough to fit a regular 9-inch pie plate, unbaked (I used a half recipe of this delicious pie crust)
1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup good quality honey
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3-4 pinches of Fleur de Sel, or other large-flake sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9” pie plate (not deep dish). Trim the crust overhang and crimp the edges decoratively, if desired. Prick the bottom of the crust 6 to 7 times with a fork, then place the shell in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, then remove from the oven, leaving the oven on at 400 F.
Remove the dried beans or pie weights and parchment paper from the crust. Cool it completely before filling.
Prepare the filling: warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Watch carefully and remove from the heat just before bubbles begin forming on the surface of the milk. Set aside.
Whisk the eggs, honey, vanilla, kosher salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add the warmed milk to the egg mixture slowly, whisking in a bit at a time before adding more. This will temper the eggs and not scramble them.
Once all the milk is added to the egg mixture, whisk thoroughly to make sure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Pour the filling mixture into the prepared pie crust. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes. The center should be jiggly but not liquidy. If desired, place a pie protector around the outside crust halfway through baking.
Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the fleur de sel all around the top. Cool at least 1 hour before serving.

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Rhubarb Crisp

Posted on May 7, 2013 | 4 Comments

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I post this delicious dessert in honor of my mom’s birthday today. Happy birthday Mom!!

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I have been eagerly anticipating the return of rhubarb season. It really doesn’t begin until May up here. Before then, the rhubarb in the grocery store, if it’s even there, is so flabby and pitiful-looking. But Saturday, my patience waiting was rewarded with gorgeous, sturdy, brilliantly reddish-pink, in-season rhubarb. I snapped it up, pausing only slightly to gulp at its $7-a-pound price tag.

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No matter, this crisp alone made it more than worth it. And it was fantastic. Not too sweet, full of wonderful rhubarb flavor, and the top was nicely browned and crispy. A scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it was perfect! I think I quite literally said “Mmmm…” after every bite.

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My mom loves fruit desserts, whether it be pie, crumble, cobbler, crisp, or whatnot. She’s a great lover of most of the usual dessert fruits out there, too – peaches, apples, berries, cherries, bananas, pears, cranberries… And while we didn’t do much with rhubarb while I was growing up, I still do think she would love this one. So it’s quite appropriate for her birthday.

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I wish I could have shared it with you, Mom; but somehow I don’t think homemade crisps were meant to travel 2,000 miles intact. Nonetheless, I hope you have a fabulous birthday, and that you get a sweet treat of some kind. You deserve it! Happy birthday Mom!!!

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Source: The Boozy Baker by Lucy Baker

Ingredients:
FILLING:
2 to 2 ½ lbs. rhubarb, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 6 cups)
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup plus 2 tbs blush or wine zinfandel wine
1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
Half a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 tbs cornstarch
TOPPING:
2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
6 tbs unsalted butter, softened

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Make the filling: combine the rhubarb and lemon zest in a 9×9-inch square baker and set aside.
Combine the sugar, 1 cup of wine, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 tbs of wine with the cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk until well blended.
When the sugar has dissolved, add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and simmer until the filling thickens and turns clear, 1 to 3 minutes. It should be the consistency of runny pudding. Shut off the heat and let cool while you prepare the topping.
To make the topping: combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter, and use a fork or your fingers to work it into the oat mixture until evenly distributed and the mixture is crumbly and a bit clumpy.
Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean from the wine mixture, and then pour the mixture over the rhubarb. Shake the pan around slightly to make sure the rhubarb is evenly coated. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Let cool for just a few minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream.

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S’Mores Ice Cream

Posted on April 29, 2013 | 3 Comments

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As promised, today I’m showing you how to use up the leftover goodness from the two fillings (chocolate and marshmallow) from the S’Mores Whoopie Pies. You make ice cream!!

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This ice cream was pretty darn easy to pull off, though it didn’t turn out exactly as I’d envisioned. But still addictively delicious and it did taste like its advertising: s’mores in the form of ice cream! So I’d say that’s winning.

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First I made ice cream base, and once that was chilled, I loosely mixed in the marshmallow filling, intentionally leaving it chunky and not thoroughly mixed at all. Then I poured that mixture into the ice cream maker and let it churn about 15 minutes. I warmed the chocolate up just a tad so it could be drizzled off a spoon (it had been in the fridge), then drizzled about half of it into the churning ice cream base. My intention was that it would streak itself throughout, sort of like straciatella, but it was either too warm or just not the right consistency for that, so it blended into the base and the end result looked like light chocolate ice cream.

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After pouting for a split second and then shrugging it off, I chopped up some graham crackers and added them in during the last 5 minutes of churning. When that part was done, I took a page from the Tin Roof Ice Cream playbook and alternated layers of ice cream and the remaining chocolate filling into my serving carton, so it would get a fudge ripple effect. Then freeze it to let it set up and you have a version of S’Mores Ice Cream!

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And may I just say, it’s really, really good. Matt and I loved it. After an initial two-hour freeze, the graham crackers are still very crunchy; after it sits in the freezer overnight, they get much softer, but still taste distinctly like graham crackers and still offer a contrast from the ice cream itself, so we still approved. It was rich and creamy, as all ice cream should be, and I would make it again in a heartbeat.

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So, please do your taste buds a huge favor and go make Megan’s S’Mores Whoopie Pies, and then take the leftover fillings and make this ice cream. Your family and friends will love you for a long, long time, I promise.

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
¼ cup plus 2 tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream
½ recipe Marshmallow Filling
1/2 recipe Chocolate Filling
5-6 graham crackers, chopped

Directions:
Heat the milk in a medium saucepan to scald it. Heat it until it is almost up to a boil; when you see the first hint of bubbles on the edges, it’s done. Shut off the heat.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt. When the milk has heated properly, slowly whisk in about half a cup to the egg mixture. Whisk constantly. This will temper the yolks so they do not scramble on you.
When the yolks have been tempered, slowly pour the egg mixture into the milk in the saucepan, whisking constantly. Turn the heat to medium low and stir with a rubber spatula for about 10 minutes, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spatula. This may take a few minutes less time.
When the custard is done, pour it through a strainer into a large mixing bowl. Add the heavy cream and combine. Let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t develop a skin. When it has cooled to room temperature, place it in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.
Once it is thoroughly chilled, remove from the fridge and loosely whisk in the marshmallow filling. You want it dispersed throughout but still quite a bit chunky. Pour this mixture into your ice cream maker and let it run about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm the chocolate filling up to room temperature. After the ice cream has churned 15 minutes, use a spoon to drizzle in about half the chocolate filling. Once that is done, throw in the chopped graham cracker pieces and let them get mixed into the ice cream.
Shut off the ice cream maker. Ladle a healthy drizzle of chocolate filling in your storage container, then top with a few dollops of ice cream. Alternate chocolate filling and ice cream until done. Freeze for about 2 hours to let it set up. If desired, serve with crushed graham cracker crumbs on top.

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“Old Fashioned” Snickerdoodles

Posted on April 1, 2013 | 4 Comments

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Happy April Fool’s Day, everyone! While my family may not have celebrated St. Patty’s Day, despite being kind of Irish, April Fool’s Day was quite the occasion every year. My parents really got into it, and they usually outdid themselves.

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I found my bed short-sheeted a few times of course, and one time there was Vaseline at the foot of my bed. Try sticking your bare feet in that stuff when you’re not expecting it. One time my mom put dried beans in my shoe; again, a freaky sensation when you’re not expecting it. I had quite a visceral reaction, kicked my shoe clear across the room and barely missed the mirror!

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When my sister and I got older, we got in on the action a bit too. I remember one year Megan put a rubber band over the sink faucet, thus rewarding our unsuspecting father with a soaked shirt when he went to wash his hands. I know we threatened to saran wrap the toilet seat, but I’m not sure we ever followed through.

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Food was definitely part of the action every April Fool’s Day, as well. Megan and I would usually find cat food in our cereal bowls, and every year we had AFD dinner. It consisted of oddities such as soup served on plates and food coloring in scrambled eggs, stuff like that. One time my mom sent me to school with homemade brownies in my lunch; I took a bite only to discover they’d been made with unsweetened baking chocolate and no sugar. And once, she sent me brownies when I was in college, brownies that strategically arrived on April 1st. I threw them straight into the garbage. I had a presentation in class that day and the last thing I needed was to risk a case of the runs. I asked her about it later and she swears there was no funny business, but I’m not so sure… :)

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What about you? Did your family get into April Fool’s Day when you were growing up? How about now? And what’s the best AFD prank you ever pulled, or had pulled on you?

There’s no funny business with these cookies, only some dead serious deliciousness. They are made with a wink and a nudge to the Old Fashioned cocktail, thus the presence of bourbon and bitters, ingredients not typically seen in snickerdoodles. The alcohol flavor is very up front in the cookie dough (oh please, you know you’re going to eat some), but rather subtle and almost an after taste in the baked cookies. It’s very pleasant though, and everyone raved over these. Try them, and see what you think! And do let me know about your April Fool’s Days, I love hearing others’ stories!

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Source: slightly adapted from The Boozy Baker by Lucy Baker

Ingredients:
2 ¾ cups plus 2 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups plus 3 tbs sugar, divided
2 large eggs
2 tbs bourbon
4 to 5 dashes Angostura bitters
1 tbs ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and 1 ½ cups sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the bourbon and bitters; beat to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until incorporated. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
Combine the remaining 3 tbs sugar with the cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the sugar-cinnamon mixture and place them on the baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a drinking glass, flatten each ball into a disk. Yes, the dough occasionally sticks to the drinking glass, but I found it peels off quite nicely without much man-handling and didn’t hurt the integrity of the cookie.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown at the edges but still slightly soft in the center. Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

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Mexican “Hot” Chocolate Ice Cream

Posted on March 30, 2013 | 7 Comments

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Happy Easter weekend, everyone! My apologies, I fully intended to post this yesterday but my internet wasn’t working properly. Better late than never…

After some debate within my own head, I decided I would share this ice cream; I was on the fence about posting it because my pictures leave quite a bit to be desired. I made this for our dinner party last weekend, and thus was too busy enjoying it with friends to get any real focused pictures of it. But it is so interesting and delicious that I do want to share.

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There is chile powder in there, thus fulfilling the “hot” and the Mexican parts of its name. However, you have much control over the heat level. I used two teaspoons of ancho chile powder, which is mild, and one teaspoon of chipotle chile powder, which is pretty hot. Overall, it made the ice cream a bit spicy! We served it with whipped cream, which was appreciated by all. But you can certainly omit the chipotle, or back off on the total amount of chile powder you use. Oh, and one other thing – be sure to use a pure chile powder, not the spice labeled “chili powder” at the grocery store. That is a mixture of ancho chile powder and many other spices. It certainly has its place, just not in ice cream. :)

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It’s sort of a strange sensation to eat this ice cream – it’s ice cream, so of course it’s very cold and creamy, but simultaneously spicy and leaves your tongue sizzling a little. And since I always think of eating ice cream to cool off after a hot and spicy meal, it felt very paradoxical to eat this one. But I would definitely eat it again. It’s delicious!

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Source: slightly adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups heavy cream
6 tbs unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
¾ cup sugar
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican
2 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
2 tbs brandy

Directions:
Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Once it boils, shut off the heat. Then add the chocolate, and whisk until it is completely melted. Stir in the milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, chile powder(s), and brandy. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend for 30 seconds, until very smooth. Be sure you place a kitchen towel over the lid when you blend, because the mixture is still a bit hot at this point. You don’t want the heat to blow the lid off your blender.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. Once chilled, churn in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Place in the freezer to firm up, if desired.

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Tin Roof Ice Cream

Posted on March 19, 2013 | 2 Comments

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Tin roof ice cream is a play on the old classic, the tin roof sundae. Vanilla ice cream is drizzled with chocolate fudge sauce and topped with red-skinned peanuts; it’s a delicious tried-and-true fave. This ice cream is one of David Lebovitz’s creations; he basically turns the old fashioned sundae into one yummy ice cream. Instead of red-skinned peanuts, chocolate covered peanuts are mixed into vanilla ice cream; then the ice cream is layered with fudge sauce and frozen together.

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Those chocolate covered peanuts were such a nice touch. Oh man. I’m such a fiend for chocolate covered nuts or pretzels. They sat in my fridge for two whole days before I was able to make the ice cream, and I actually did NOT sneak any before using them for the ice cream. Now, will my medal be delivered via mail, or in person?

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David states in the recipe’s intro that no one really knows how the tin roof sundae got its name. Instead of just taking his word for it, I did my own research and found that, yes, he is correct, and no one has much of a clue where the tin roof sundae comes from or how it got its name.

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But we do know it’s very tasty, and this sundae-turned-ice-cream is unbelievably delicious. The ice cream is sooooo creamy, and when you scoop out the frozen goodness, the ice cream blends harmoniously with the luscious fudge sauce you layered in, and then there’s the satisfying, salty crunch of the peanuts in every bite.

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The recipe as written makes a disproportionate amount of fudge sauce to ice cream. You will definitely have leftover sauce. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It’s amazing sauce, so smooth and chocolate-y. Quite lovely to dip bananas in it. And it’s really good drizzled on a spoonful of peanut butter.

So the way I see it, you have three choices:
1)      Make the recipe as written and find uses for that leftover sauce;
2)      Make the ice cream part as written and halve the chocolate sauce recipe; or
3)      Make the chocolate sauce as written and double the ice cream recipe.
But I can assure you, any which way you choose, you and your taste buds will be quite happy with the outcome!

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Source: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Ingredients:
ICE CREAM:
¾ cup whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 large egg yolks
½ tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup chocolate covered peanuts

CHOCOLATE FUDGE SAUCE:
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
½ cup water
6 tbs unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
ICE CREAM:
Warm the milk, sugar, salt and ½ cup cream in  medium saucepan. Do not let it boil. With a sharp paring knife, scrape the vanilla bean seeds and add them, along with the pod, to the milk mixture. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Rewarm the milk mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a large mixing bowl and set a mesh strainer over top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour about ½ cup of the warm milk mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. This will temper them so they do not scramble. Pour the tempered egg yolks into the saucepan with the rest of the milk mixture.
Turn the heat on medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the custard through the mesh strainer and mix with the heavy cream in the large bowl. Wipe the vanilla bean pod clean then add it to the custard. Stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool at room temperature. Once cooled, chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, about 2 hours. Make the chocolate fudge sauce while the custard is chilling.
When ready to churn the ice cream, remove the vanilla bean. Freeze the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. In the last 5 minutes of churning, add the peanuts.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE SAUCE:
Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges.
Continue to whisk until it just comes to a low boil. Cook for 1 minute, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool. Chill in the refrigerator before using. It pours best when cold.

To assemble: pour a generous spoonful of fudge sauce into the bottom of your container. Top with a layer of ice cream, then layer on more fudge sauce, then keep alternating until the container is filled. Set in the freezer to completely freeze up.

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Chocolate Pistachio Fudge

Posted on March 13, 2013 | 2 Comments

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Even after I became a more experienced and accomplished cook, I still feared making fudge, despite the fact that I love it. Every recipe I checked out required a candy thermometer, or had some complicated steps or some weird ingredient. So I blew off the notion of making it myself and just bought fudge on the occasions I had a jonesing for it.

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Then one lazy Saturday a few years ago, I had Food Network running in the background, and some chef/cook on there (for the life of me I can’t remember who), grandly and chirpily announced they were making fudge, so stay tuned after the break. I decided to do just that. I watched them make the fudge, took some careful notes, and realized that it’s ridiculously easy and totally doable in one’s own tiny, non-industrial kitchen! No special equipment or weird ingredients are needed at all.

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I immediately ran to the store, got some ingredients and set about to try this new glorious thing we call homemade fudge. And whaddya know, it worked!!! Woohoo!! The end result was amazing, rich, luxurious chocolate fudge. It’s insanely simple – an intelligent monkey could do it.

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I used semi-sweet chocolate and pistachios for my fudge, but what I’m blogging here is really the method you need for making fool-proof fudge. You can use whatever kind of chocolate or nuts you want. Pistachios are one of my favorite nuts, so that’s what I went with, but this is easily tailored to your own personal preferences. You can omit the nuts if you want, even. I’m so thrilled I watched that Food Network show several years ago, whatever it was. I love being able to make fudge whenever I want!

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Ingredients:
1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk
3 cups chocolate chips, whatever kind you like
1 cup chopped, shelled, salted, roasted, pistachios
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, add the condensed milk and the chocolate chips. Turn the burner on medium to medium-low heat. Heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring frequently. It will be thick and shiny, and will pull away from the saucepan when done. Turn off the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and chopped nuts.
Pour the mixture into a square 9 inch baking pan that is lined with parchment paper. Put it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, until set.
When it is firm and chilled, remove the parchment paper along with the fudge to a cutting board or other smooth surface. Use a very sharp, large knife to cut the fudge into small squares. Serve immediately and keep the leftovers chilled.

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White Chocolate Mousse

Posted on March 1, 2013 | Leave a comment

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Happy Friday, y’all! I thought we should end the week and usher in the weekend with a delectable dessert. And what is more luscious than chocolate mousse? It’s one of the more decadent treats out there, I think. I’ve made it the traditional way, with semi-sweet chocolate, several times. But I’d never made it with white chocolate before. But I like white chocolate, so why not try it?

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Actually, I may have misspoke a little there. I like white chocolate desserts, but I really do not care for eating straight white chocolate. It’s a little too cloying for me. But for whatever reason, when it’s combined with other flavors, or encased in cookies, or in this case, whipped cream, then I love it! (And yes, I’m aware that white chocolate isn’t technically chocolate – let’s get that little disclaimer out of the way – but I’m not bothered. I still love it.)

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This mousse was made in the traditional manner – folding the white chocolate mixture and whipped cream together. But I will say, it’s a little more difficult to make than traditional chocolate mousse. Why? Because regular chocolate is a dark color that contrasts with the white cream, so it’s very easy to determine when you’ve folded the two together completely. With white chocolate, it’s very hard to tell when you’re done. And of course, since one of the biggest mousse-texture killers out there is overmixing, you always err on the side of caution, and as we sat down to eat, I found that my mousse wasn’t completely mixed. No matter, it was still delicious. But that is something to watch out for.

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It is with great excitement that I wrap up this post. I’ve got to get started packing – I leave tomorrow to go meet my newest niece, Claire!!! I’m going to Texas for a few days to visit, meet the new baby, and help out with her and her two-year-old big brother Jack. So right now I must continue my laundry, pack my suitcase, and wrap up my work week. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I know I will!!

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Source: Joy the Baker Cookbook by Joy Wilson

Ingredients:
2 tbs water
2 tbs unsalted butter
6 oz. white chocolate chunks
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tsp powdered sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1 large egg yolk, beaten

Directions:
In a double boiler (or a heat-proof bowl placed over a pot of simmering water), combine the water, butter and white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and place in a medium bowl to cool slightly.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cream, sugar, and salt. Begin with mixer on medium speed, gradually increasing to medium high, beat until stiff peaks form. Remove the bowl from the mixer and set aside.
By now, the chocolate mixture should be just warmer than body temperature. Whisk in the egg yolk until just combined.
Add half the chocolate mixture to the whipped cream. Fold together with a spatula until just incorporated. Add the remaining chocolate mixture and fold together until just incorporated. Try not to overmix the mixture because you’ll deflate the whipped cream.
Place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the mousse, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, scoop up the mousse with a large serving spoon into individual bowls. You should get 4 to 6 servings.

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