Joy the Baker » whipped cream

Chocolate Peppermint Roll with chocolate ganache

joythebaker — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:30:13 +0000

Own your life. Own every last bit of it.

Don’t send your Christmas cards out until you’re good and ready. Wear neon purple tights with a grey dress… why not ? Go heavy on the gold eyeshadow…tis the season. Green nail polish? Go on. Run through the rain… or sleep in and skip exercise class.

Fashion your cakes into a roll and slice generous portions for yourself, and skinnier portions for other people. Pretend not to notice what you’re doing.

Whatever it is: own it!

Maybe you’re one of those people who thinks that rolling a cake is bonkers crazy and waaaaay too hard for you to do.

I’m hear to change your heart and mind. Ok? Let’s do this!

The secret to this roll cake is its spongy texture.

The spongy texture comes from eggs. Egg yolks and egg whites are separated, beaten in a mixer until thick and stiff, then folded back together.

Want to know the other good news about this cake?

It’s GLUTEN FREE! I know… there’s no flour. Plain and simple.

There are some specific things you need to make this cake happen.

There’s 4 ounces of chocolate. Treat yourself to some fancy chocolate. It’s worth it for this recipe.

You’ll also need parchment paper. Essential. Don’t skip this step.

Egg yolks and sugar are beaten until pale and thick then folded with melted chocolate.

Thick and pale yellow egg yolks mixed with glossy brown melted chocolate. The batter will be thick and fluffy. Amen.

Egg whites are beaten to stiff, slightly glossy peaks. Stiff like this! Egg whites that stand their ground.

The egg whites are folded into the chocolate egg yolk-y mixture. Folded and folded. Bit by bit into a fluffy chocolate batter.

Cake batter. So sweet and innocent. Just waiting to be baked.

The baked cake come out spongy and light. It’s just begging to be spread with whipped cream and rolled into a festive shape.

Are you scared of cake cracks? Sure… this will happen to the best of us. Just remember… this cake was born to be rolled.

Spread with a thin layer of peppermint, vanilla bean whipped cream.

Or just crazily spoon the whipped cream into you mouth. Whatever works.

This is the part that might make you want to hold your breath.

Ok… it makes me want to hold my breath. Maybe it’s just me.

Let’s roll.

Start rolling the short side of the cake. A loose roll. No biggie.

Use the parchment paper to help you roll. Use the parchment paper and peel it away.

See that giant crack through the center of the cake.

No biggie. That’s going to be in the center of the cake. Stay on your roll!

Finish with the cake seam side down.

Nevermind that little crack.

Give yourself, and the cake a little pat on the back.

Then pour chocolate all over it… all the heck over it.

Crushed candy canes are a lovely last minute garnish.

Look how pretty you can make life!

Do you see all those cracks in the cake? Nope… you don’t see em at all. They’re all folded and rolled up… and covered in whipped cream and chocolate. Even when things go cracked… whipped cream heals most wounds.

This cake is such a lovely holiday treat. It’s festive and way way impressive. It’s so light. It’s effortless to eat. It reminds me of fluffy cake ice cream. So so dang yummy!

Don’t like peppermint? Feel free to flavor your whipped cream filling with only pure vanilla, with almond extract, or orange zest and extract.

Make it yours. Own it (then share it)!

Chocolate Peppermint Roll

Makes 1 roll cake, serves about 8

adapted from Joy of Baking

Print this Recipe!

For the Cake:

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped fine

6 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

For the Whipped Filling:

1 1/4 cup heavy cream, cold

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or scrapings from 1 vanilla bean

1-2 teaspoons peppermint extract (start with one teaspoon and add more according to your taste).

For the Ganache:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces

2/3 cups heavy cream

To make the Cake:

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 17×12-inch baking sheet with butter or vegetable spray. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper (not foil… definitely parchment), and grease and flour the paper too. The parchment should overhand the sides of the pan just an inch or so. Let the baking sheet aside.

It’s easiest to separate egg yolks from egg whites when they are cold. After separating, allow them about 20 minutes to come to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together egg yolks and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Beat the eggs until they are thick and pale in color. This usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes at medium-high speed. The egg yolk mixture will pour in a thick ribbon from the beater, that’s how your know they’ve been beaten enough.

While the eggs are beating, melt the chocolate pieces. You can melt them in the microwave with low heat for a few seconds, stirring every once in a while as it melts. I melt chocolate over a double boiler. Place a few inches of water in a medium pan. Bring to a simmer. Place chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl, and place the bowl over the boiling water. Stir the chocolate until it is melted completely. Turn off the heat and carefully remove the bowl from the simmering water. Allow the chocolate to cool for just a few minutes.

Add the thickened egg yolk mixture to the chocolate mixture. Gently stir together until just incorporated. Stir in the vanilla. The addition of the chocolate to the egg yolk mixture will thicken the egg yolks further, and make the chocolate appear fluffy in texture. Perfect. Set aside.

Clean the bowl and whisk attachment of your electric mixer well. Dry them to insure that no remaining egg yolk is present. Add the egg whites to the bowl. Using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the pinch of salt, and gradually add the cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium-high until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar while beating. Allow the mixture to beat until stiff peaks form.

Place the chocolate egg yolk mixture in a large bowl. Place about 1/3 of the stiff egg whites in the bowl and gently fold. Use a light hand to sweep the egg whites through the center of the chocolate mixture, up and under. Fold until just incorporated, but large egg white and chocolate streaks remain. Add another 1/3 of the egg whites and continue to fold. The batter will be glossy and fluffy. This fluff will create the desired sponge texture of the cake, so we want to deflate the egg whites as little as possible. Fold in the remaining egg whites and gently fold together until just about entirely incorporated.

Immediately transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet. Carefully smooth into the pan creating an even thickness. Don’t fuss with the batter too much. The more fussing, the more the cake deflates. If the cake batter doesn’t easily each end to end, then just try to make a even rectangle. Don’t sweat it.

Bake cake for 15 to 17 minutes. When done the cake will have a dry top and a spongey, bounce back feel.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

While the cake cools, prepare the whipped cream and ganache.

To make the Whipped Filling:

Place heavy cream in the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the granulated sugar, vanilla and peppermint extract. Beat to soft, whipped cream peaks. The whipped cream should hold its shape but still be velvety and spreadable. Allow to rest in the refrigerator.

To make the Ganache:

Place chocolate pieces in a medium bowl. Heat cream in a small sauce pan to almost boiling. The milk will be steaming hot. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate pieces. Allow to stand for one minute before whisking into a smooth and glossy chocolate sauce. Allow to rest in the fridge until thickened slightly, about 30 minutes.

To Assemble the Cake:

Allow cake to cool completely. Remove the cake, using the overhang of parchment paper, from the baking sheet. Spread with a thin layer of whipped cream filling. This doesn’t need to be a thick later. When the cake is rolled, there will be ample filling.

Place the cake so that the 12-inch side is facing you. We’re going to roll from the short side.

Use the parchment paper to help you. Don’t worry about creating a tight roll. This isn’t like rolling cinnamon rolls. Gently roll the cake, removing the parchment paper as the cake is rolled. The first roll or two will most likely crack and it’s being folded. Don’t let this stop you. This cracking is totally normal. As the cake roll gets larger, the cake will crack less.

Gently lift cake and place on a clean serving board or plate. Allow the cake to rest for about 30 minutes in the fridge.

Remove cake from the fridge and drizzle with chocolate ganache. Allow to chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Just before serving, garnish the cake with crushed candy canes. Garnishing before will make the candy cane pieces ooze just a bit.

Cake will last, wrapped in the fridge, for up to 3 days.

Midnight Black Chocolate Pudding

joythebaker — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:58:09 +0000

So there’s this thing about me.

I really really don’t like making Halloween treats. Tombstone cupcakes. Spider web cookies. Witch finger snacks. Please… just please. I can’t get into it. I don’t want things to look dead, or bugged, or dismembered.

I want things to look sweet and chocolatey and dripping with caramel… and not blood-colored caramel. Please!

I feel like I should come clean now, before you expect some sort of zombie cake.

Oh. Also… I don’t really have time to make tombstone cupcakes. I’m dedicating most of my time to planning my super slutty panda bear costume.

I’m kidding.

…. I’m so so kidding.

Right?

I have a wonderfully exciting, secret ingredient in this Midnight Black Chocolate Pudding. It’s Black Onyx Cocoa Powder. See how black it is!? Especially compared to the regular cocoa powder hanging out in the back. See!? Intense.

Let me tell you a little about this cocoa powder.

Black Onyx Cocoa Powder has been alkalized to the max. That means that it’s acids have been super neutralized. If you’re using this cocoa powder in a recipe, you’ll probably want to pair it with baking powder, as it doesn’t have the acid to react with the baking soda.

Still with me?

This cocoa powder has less fat than regular (lighter) cocoa powder, so it may produce a more dry end product. It’s been suggested that you use half black cocoa and half regular cocoa. Black cocoa powder is an intense chocolate flavor. It smells like crushed up Oreo cookies. It makes cookies, puddings and cakes as dark as midnight! I’m so into it. It’s perfect in this pudding because there’s no worry of over drying.

Black Onyx Cocoa Powder is an awesome way for be to act Halloween-y without making slutty witch fingers.

I love this pudding recipe because it’s thickened by both egg yolks and cornstarch. The yolks provide a nice richness while the cornstarch is a no fail thickener.

Look how luscious!

Wait… is luscious an awkward word?

A little.

It’s like art… but it’s just a dirty dish.

See that orange flower back there? That was my attempt at festivity.

Please say you’re proud of me or something.

Oh hey! One more thing. In case you’re thinking of dressing up as the slutty version of a random something this Halloween, can I please please please suggest that you NOT DO THAT!?

I might have to write a whole blog post about that.

Let’s just stick to pudding for now.

This pudding is rich, dark, unapologetic. It’s chocolate right in your face!

Of course you can make this recipe using regular cocoa and not the fancy Black Onyx… but, hey! Try a little darkness. It’s the season.

Midnight Black Chocolate Pudding

makes 4 servings

adapted from Tyler Florence

Print this Recipe!

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (just 1/2 cup sugar if using regular cocoa powder)

1/3 cup black onyx cocoa powder

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean

1 cup heavy cream

2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 vanilla bean

pinch of salt

Place 2 cups milk in a medium saucepan with sugar and cocoa powder. Heat over medium heat until steaming and warm. You don’t necessarily have to boil the mixture, just heat it up and whisk it together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1/2 cup milk, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Drizzle about half of the steaming hot chocolate milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. This will temper the eggs, making them a bit warm before they’re cooked over a flame. Return all of the chocolate, milk, egg mixture back to the saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking nearly constantly. Make sure the get into the corners of the pan where the pudding might stick and overcook.

When pudding starts to boil, continue to whisk and boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. Pudding will thicken. Remove from heat and spoon into 4 ramekins or jars. Cover with plastic wrap (on the surface of the pudding if you want to avoid pudding skin). Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

For the whipped cream, whip together heavy cream, sugar, vanilla bean, and a pinch of salt. Dollop over cold pudding and serve.

Milk Chocolate Pudding with Cream and Raspberry Sauce

joythebaker — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:48:36 +0000

I was notorious in my family for being the child that could only be comforted by my mother.

Most playful family weekends, the scene went something like this: I’d be in the backyard playing with my little sister, my dad and Scamper, the family dog on our creaky, rusted and awesomely fun swing set. My favorite move was to swing as high as I could, count to three with my sister and jump out of the swings onto the grass. Sounds innocent enough, but I was always getting my little girl fingers stuck in the chains of the swing as I dismounted.

I’d hit the ground and look at my dad with the silent cry face… the face kids give their parents before the completely lose it and burst into tears. My dad would invariable come over and try to talk me out of losing it, but I was already halfway into the ugly cry by then. It was then that no one but my mom could handle the cajoling and kissing of my finger. I’d run into the house, screaming like a maniac and clutching my (not even bleeding) finger, looking for my mother who had found just a few moments peace to take a shower or a short nap. I’d force myself into her lap, lift the offending, pained finger, and wait for the mom comfort to blanket me. So good.

Come to think of it, that swing set caused as many injuries as it did smiles.

Come to think of it, jumping off the swing set is always worth the hurt finger.

Come to think of it, this pudding has much the same healing qualities as my mom’s lap.

Milk Chocolate Pudding … holy wow! It’s super simple, brilliantly satisfying, and you can have it as is, or doll it up with lightly sweetened cream and easy homemade raspberry sauce. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Mother’s Day treats? Yea… I thought so.

Milk Chocolate Pudding

Gourmet, February 2007

Print this Recipe!

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream

4 ounces fine-quality milk chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking for two minutes. Mixture will be thick. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate pieces and vanilla extract. Stir until melted and smooth.

Transfer pudding to four or six small dishes. Cover the surface with wax paper, to prevent a skin from forming, and place in the fridge until cool and set, about two hours.

In the meantime, make the whipped cream and raspberry sauce.

To assemble, top the chocolate pudding with whipped cream and raspberry sauce and serve immediately. If you would like to assemble dessert and return it to the fridge, you may want to place the raspberry sauce beneath the whipped cream so it doesn’t bleed as much.

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons powdered sugar.

Whip heavy cream with an electric hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer until frothy. Add the sugar and continue to whip until soft peaks form. Whip the cream slightly longer if you like a stiffer hold to your whipped cream. Place in the fridge to save for assembly.

Easy Raspberry Sauce

1/2 of a 12-ounce bag frozen raspberries, thawed

1 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons water

Place the thawed raspberries in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Add sugar and water and mix until the raspberries form a smooth puree. Transfer raspberry puree to a fine mesh strainer fit over a bowl. Press the puree through the strainer, until only the raspberry seeds and a bit of pump remain the the strainer, and a beautiful raspberry sauce is all that’s in the bowl.

Brownie Bottom Ice Cream Cupcakes

joythebaker — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:19:57 +0000

My favorite part of my sixth grade history text books were not the pictures. Oooooh no… too easy. I loved the little timelines at the end of a lesson, the kind of timeline that so neatly wrapped up the life and struggles of so many people. Distill the entire American Civil Rights Movement into a timeline. The progression of people and actions becomes so tidy and clear. Aaah, thanks for the timeline.

I sometimes like to think of my life in timeline form. I pick a theme and timeline it out in my head. Yes, this happens.

Let’s timeline out my favorite ice cream flavors from the 1980′s to the present. Not nearly as socially crucial as civil rights, but still somehow important.

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{ 1983- Strawberry Ice Cream is the only flavor in my world} {1987- Whoa! Bubble Gum in ice cream!? Yes. Want!} {1990- Rocky Road is the only way to go} {1994- Is it still Mint Chocolate Chip if it’s not green? I say yes!} {1999- Cherry Garcia, will you marry me?} {2005- Going retro with Rainbow Sherbet, success! {2009- Enjoying the clever stylings of Brownie Bottom Coffee Ice Cream Cupcakes. Consider them little cups of perfect fun right from the freezer. For reals.}

Now that I can check “make an ice cream timeline” off my list of things to do today, let’s talk Ice Cream Cupcakes. Yes. Yes! Yes!!

I’ve made Ice Cream Cupcakes before. They were deliciously bite-sized and made of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. This time around, Ice Cream Cupcakes have grown in size and matured in flavor. Combine chewy chocolate brownies with coffee ice cream, chocolate ganache and whipped cream. What a fine world it is. Summer is sneaking up on us, and here’s what we’re gonna do about it.

Brownie Bottom Ice Cream Cupcakes

Print this Recipe!

You’ll need:

24 foil cupcake liners

Brownie Batter

1/2 gallon of your favorite ice cream flavor. I chose Coffee Ice Cream

An ice cream scooper, small spoon, and warm water

A freezer

Chocolate Ganache

Whipped Cream

Here’s the Step by Step Situation:

First make the brownie batter. Line two cupcake pans with the foil cupcake liners. Into each cupcake liner, scoop 1 Tablespoon of brownie batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 6-8 minutes until the brownie is cooked through.

Let the brownies cool in the cupcake pans to room temperature. Once cool, place in the freezer (still in the cupcake pans) for 30 minutes. When you place the cupcake pans in the freezer, remove the ice cream you’re using and place in the refrigerator to soften.

When ready to assemble the cupcakes, remove the cupcake pans with foil lined brownie cups from the freezer. Remove the ice cream from the fridge. Run the ice cream scooper under hot water and working quickly, portion a small scoop of ice cream into each foil lined cup, while still in the cupcake pan. The cupcake pan will help the Ice Cream Cupcake hold its shape. You may need to rinse the scooper under hot water in between scoops for easy portioning. Quickly smooth the scoops of ice cream with the back of a small spoon also rinsed in warm water and return the ice cream cupcakes quickly to the freezer.

Let the newly formed Ice Cream Cupcakes refreeze for 45 minutes to an hour. In this time you can make the chocolate ganache and whipped cream. Let the ganache come to just around room temperature, and let the whip cream rest in the fridge until serving time.

Once the cupcakes are refrozen and nice and firm, remove from the freezer and top with a teaspoon of chocolate ganache. Smooth over the cupcake. Return once again to the freezer.

To serve, remove the cupcakes from the freezer about 5 minutes before you’d life to serve them. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream and serve. Carefully peel the foil from the cupcake and enjoy… with napkins. Yum!

Fudgy Brownie Bottoms

Bon Appetit October 1991

Print this recipe!

3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs plus one egg yolk
1 1/8 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cupcake pans with foil cupcake liners. Combine first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Stir butter and chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water, creating a double boiler. Heat until melted and smooth. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Stir in warm chocolate mixture, then dry ingredients. Scoop 1 Tablespoon of batter into each foil liner. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then place in the freezer for 30 minutes before scooping the ice cream on top.

Chocolate Ganache

3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (I used chocolate chunks)

1/4 cup heavy cream

Put chocolate chips in a small bowl. Bring cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan. Pour cream evenly over chocolate. Let stand for one minute to soften, then stir until smooth. If frosting is too loose to spread, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, frosting will continue to thicken as it stands. Scoop by the teaspoon full onto the ice cream cupcakes. Spread and refreeze until ready to serve.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

dash of vanilla extract

Whip heavy cream for 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to whip until thick whipped cream forms. Dollop onto Ice Cream Cupcakes just before serving.

Butterscotch Pudding with Bourbon Whipped Cream and Toffee

joythebaker — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:39:13 +0000

I was trying to come up with some charming childhood anecdote to accompany these butterscotch puddings, when I came to the blunt realization that I didn’t like pudding as a child. In fact, I may have purely despised the stuff. My only exposure to pudding came in the occasional lunch time trade with a friend for her chocolate pudding cup. I seem to remember a goopy, brown, almost plastic flavored dessert. Even when I was eight I knew that there had to be a better way.

A mere twenty years later I’ve decided on the perfect pudding solution: mix together cream, brown sugar and bourbon whiskey (among a few other ingredients) and call it Butterscotch Pudding. Glorious! Top that pudding with Bourbon whipped cream and toffee and life just got that much sweeter.

If I could talk to eight year old Joy the Baker, I’d tell her not to trade her all natural fruit snacks for the chocolate pudding. There’s something much better lying ahead. I’d also tell her that she won’t have horribly frizzy hair forever, and it really is ok that precious, blonde, adorable Hayden likes Alison and not her. It really is ok.

I used a recipe from David Lebowitz for this Butterscotch Pudding. It came together beautifully! Sure, there’s a fair amount of cornstarch in the pudding, but the pudding doesn’t have that paste like, cornstarch taste. I made a double batch and filled 14 little glass jars with pudding and whipped cream. This recipe feels like the perfect Fall and Winter comfort dessert. Also… yay whiskey!

Butterscotch Pudding
4-6 servings

Adapted from Ripe For Dessert

Print this Recipe!

4 tablespoons (60g) butter, salted or unsalted
1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2½ (625ml) cups whole milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons whiskey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the dark brown sugar and salt, then stir until the sugar is well-moistened. The sugar should just begin to melt. Remove from heat.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup (60ml) of the milk until smooth (there should be no visible pills of cornstarch), then whisk in the eggs.

3. Gradually pour the remaining milk into the melted brown sugar, (yes, off the stove flame) whisking constantly, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture as well.

4. Return the pan to the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Once it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue to cook for one minute, whisking non-stop, until the pudding thickens to the consistency of hot fudge sauce.

5. Remove from heat and stir in the whiskey and vanilla.

6. Pour into 4-6 serving glasses or custard cups and chill thoroughly, at least four hours, before serving.

Down to my last Egg

joythebaker — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:17:26 +0000

What do you do when you’re down to your last egg? Either cry about it or make Chocolate Pudding with Almond Whipped Cream. In my case, I did both.

I know this is only a food blog, but I’m sure you all won’t mind if I get something off my chest. I’m sad. I’m puffy eyed, in my pajamas all day, looking out the window at the beautiful weekend passing me by- sad.

It’s relationship trouble. My Mom called it “matters of the heart” which kinda put a smile on my face because she made relationship drama sound so old fashioned. Moms are good for that.

So, while I understand that this is totally out of place for my humble food blog, I hope you won’t mind me over sharing and asking for advice. Maybe you can help.

How do you do it? How do you keep a relationship alive and well? Tell me your love story because I think I need to hear it. Is it hard? Is it perfect? Is it completely neurotic?

I’m here asking for dime store advice. How do you make it work? In return, I have pudding to offer. It’s a lovely recipe. Now tell me what you think about love.

And on top of all the love woes, I was down to my last egg. I could have gone to the grocery store, of course… but some things just seem impossible when you’ve got the blues.

So here’s what to do when you’re down to your last egg, and you need some chocolate comfort in a cup. It’s perfect.

Chocolate Pudding with Almond Whipped Cream

adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Print this Recipe!

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

pinch of salt

2 cups whole milk

1 large egg

4 ounces good semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil, whisking, until pudding is thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Immediately beat eggs lightly in a medium heat proof bowl, then very gradually add hot pudding to the egg, whisking constantly. Whisk in chopped chocolate until smooth.

Pour pudding into ramekins or custard cups and cover surface each with wax paper to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate, covered, until cool, at least 2 hours.

Almond Whipped Cream

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3 Tablespoons powdered sugar

2 drops almond extract

Put heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Slowly add the powdered sugar and almond extract. Beat cream until it stiffens and turns to whipped cream. Dollop on chocolate pudding.

Brown Butter and Cardamom Spiced Sugar Paper with Cream and Strawberries

joythebaker — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:31:14 +0000

This dessert was born out of the current circumstance of my life. Big things are changing for me in the next few months. While it all feels good and exciting, I have to admit that big change makes me anxious. You might think that when I get anxious, I bake. That makes sense, right? Well I actually clean (a lot!) when I get nervous. I called this afternoon’s kitchen scrubbing extravaganza “spring cleaning”. That’s how I justified my nerves. It is almost spring, after all.

My spring cleaning, in turn, reminded me of strawberries. I love strawberries, and impatiently await their arrival in April. Clearly, I couldn’t wait until April. Once my kitchen sparkled, I went out in search of strawberries, to make my spring themed day more complete.

With the strawberries I created Browned Butter Cardamom Spiced Sugar Paper. Sugar Paper is just a fancy name for Fillo dough layered with butter and sugar and spice. This dessert was a wonderful respite to my cleaning frenzy. With spring comes change. Somewhere in the cleaning and baking, I began to feel more comfortable with that.

The recipe for the Sugar Paper is super easy and open to chef interpretation. Here’s what I did.

Brown Butter Cardamom Spiced Sugar Paper

makes 4 sugar papers

Print this Recipe!

10-12 fillo dough sheets, cut in half so they measure approximately 6inches x 9 inches

1/2 stick melted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

scant 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

Place oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, keep an eye one it, swirling in the pan occasionally. The butter will begin to brown and little brown bits will form. When butter colors slightly and you see the brown bits, turn of flame and remove from heat. Place in a small dish and have a pastry brush on hand.

In another small dish, combine sugar and cardamom and mix until evenly incorporated.

Remove 10-12 fillo dough sheets, cut them in half, and cover them with a moist towel immediately. They dry out very quickly if left out in the air. You should have 20-24 sheets. Wrap up the remaining fillo dough with plastic wrap and place back in the fridge or freezer.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place first one or two sheets of fillo dough on the sprayed baking pan and brush with browned butter, from edge to edge. Sprinkle with sugar mixture from edge to edge. Place the next 2 sheets of fillo dough on top of the first layer and brush with butter, then sprinkle with sugar. Continue stacking, buttering and sugaring all of the fillo pieces, two at a time, creating a stack of layered fillo dough.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cook completely on the baking sheet. When cook, remove from baking sheet and cut into four even pieces.

Assemble fillo pieces as desired- I chose lightly sweetened whipped cream with sliced strawberries. Don’t be afraid to play around!