Almond Joy

I'm a sucker for weird ingredients. Ok, let's call them "unique" ingredients. Whenever I come across a new, uncommon ingredient that I know will likely use a single time or, more likely, never actually use, it's hard for me to resist buying it anyways in the hopes of giving it a whirl.

Like that pot of Adriatic fig spread I once ate with pears.

Or the jar of tahini I used the single time I made falafel.

Even when I show self restraint, my mind always wanders back to that ingredient on the store shelf and I invariably give in with an "Oh, what the heck." Such was the case with the cans of Almond Cake and Pastry Filling. For some inexplicable reason making a prominent appearance that I don't remember from holiday seasons past, I had successfully avoided making the purchase of this odd ingredient back home--though I admit to picking up a can several times and actually wondering out loud--"What do you use this for??" While home visiting family, however, it was a different story. I mean, what better way to experiment with a strange new ingredient than in someone else's big, well-appointed kitchen? :)

The back of the Solo-brand can quickly gave me a couple of ideas on what, exactly, you do use this product for. One of which was an almond bundt cake. BORING. Doing a quick search on the interwebs I came across a delightful almond cake recipe from one of my fave chefs, David Lebovitz, and couldn't wait to try the simple yet moist cake. If you haven't read David's book, The Sweet Life in Paris, put it on your holiday reading list now because the man is hysterical.

Also to all of you out there that say baking is too difficult: While there is some truth to the saying that "Cooking is an art, but baking is a science," let me tell you that you can mess up a lot more than you think before it will actually affect your recipe. Case in point: almond filling is NOT almond paste. This was mistake #1 in my attempt to recreate David's divine recipe in the blind desire to try out my can of almond filling. #2) after searching the house top to bottom, Mom and I came to the conclusion that she must not, in fact, own the 2 round cake pans that she and I distinctly remembered her owning. No matter, I made this cake in a round springform pan instead and, you know what, this cake was still amazing! It has incredible almond flavor and was still extra moist, as promised.

David Lebovitz's Almond Cake
1 1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup almond paste (not marzipan, maybe almond filling)
10 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9" round cake pan (or springform pan) and dust it lightly with flour, tapping out any excess.

2. With an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and almond paste (or reduce sugar to 1 cup if using almond filling).

3. Now add the butter and beat for a few minutes until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, or a measuring cup with a spout, stir together the eggs then dribble it into the batter as you beat. Add the vanilla.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the batter until just incorporated.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Some variation in baking time may be needed depending on the brand of almond paste. This cake is extremely moist and, if wrapped well, will keep up to a week.

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Top Secret Sweets

Moonlighting as a restaurant hostess extraordinaire in the nation's capital, I often have conversations with guests that I walk away from thinking, "Did that really just happen?" Case in point, a recent exchange with one unassuming gentleman:
"I'm waiting for my friend. She used to be a chef for the CIA."
"Oh, haha!" I retorted to this common culinary conundrum in Washington, DC. Whenever throwing around an acronym like that in a town like this you can never be quite sure whether the speaker is referring to the Culinary Institute of America or, well, that place where Jason Bourne likes to hang out. In this case, it happened to be the latter, instantly summoning up images of another famous spy chef enjoying a recent bout of popularity.

Anyways, if you want to tell your friends you whipped up a creation with help from the CIA and leave them wondering, just in time to use up those holiday gift cards that other CIA is releasing a new tome to help you create candied confections in your home kitchen (or secret spy lair) just like the professionals. Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America is an unpretentious, step by step guide to help you tackle all types of sweets by taking the intimidation factor out of words like "candy thermometer" and "soft-ball stage." With chapters on truffles, brittles, fondants, marshmallows (!), molding and more, these recipes will be perfect to round out your holiday treat-making schedule once you just can't bring yourself to decorate another single gingerbread man.

So, when you arrive to your next holiday bash with a plate full of delicious buttercreams and meltaways and the host asks for your recipe, just be sure to say, "I'd tell you, but then..."

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Attack of the Gingerzombies

I have a slight obsession with World Market. This has been ongoing ever since my days as a poor college student when I first walked there (yes, walked) to buy the requisite dorm room place setting of a single plate and bowl. Thanks to World Market, instead of the typical bag of 500 paper plates gathering grime on top of the mini-fridges of my fellow students, I got a sleek, Asian-inspired, MATCHING black ceramic plate/bowl set for about $10. Now that I'm getting more into cooking and exotic foods, World Market is still my first stop as they import tons of ethnic goodies from around the world and stock them at affordable prices (All spices are $1.99-$2.99. Yes, all of them. Even vanilla beans and whole nutmeg. Believe it). So, I was very excited last week when I found my favorite store also branching out into cupcakes. Nestled somewhere between the English clotted cream and the Italian fruit syrups I happened to spy this friendly looking canister cupcake kit.

Complete with gingerbread cupcake mix, cinnamon frosting mix, white sprinkles, cupcake liners and gingerbread people cupcake toppers, the Jo Cupcake brand kit contains everything you'll need to whip up 8 holiday-themed cakes in no time.

It's been awhile since I've made a dessert from a box (and definitely a first for one from a canister) but there are a few things I admire about pre-packaged mixes. The first is consistency; the ingredients are well-mixed and perfectly proportioned and you can pretty much count on what you're going to get every time. Portion control is also a plus; generally you're not going to end up with enough dessert to feed an army (here's looking at you, Martha, and your recipes for 36 cupcakes). Finally, time and money; when you don't have a lot of time or resources, packaged mixes are great for getting that home cooked feel in a jiffy and on a dime. As for this particular mix, it cost $4.99 and I'd give it a B+.

What I liked

• Seasonal decorations included. These are the kind of details that really make a dessert stand out on a holiday table but that can also send the cost of your recipe sky high. The fact that they are included in the kit really gives you a lot of bang for your buck.
  
• Amazing frosting. The flavor and color of the cinnamon icing really pack a punch and it's a great complement to the gingerbread cake.
  
• Great texture. These cakes came out soft and spongy and were still delicious the next day as well.

What I didn't

• Where's the batter? There wasn't really enough mix to fill all 8 liners, and I only got about 6 1/2 cupcakes out of the batter.
  
• "They taste like gingerbread-flavored Necco wafers." I don't recommend actually eating the gingerbread people cupcake toppers. Unless you're looking for some dental work on the cheap.
  
• Gingerzombies. Most of the cupcake toppers had also gotten damaged in transit. Try not to notice the empty, eyeless stares of the ones in the pic below.

Overall, I do recommend this kit if you're looking for a quick, homemade treat to bring to a holiday party this season. The flavor is delicious and the kit is relatively easy as long as you have some standards on hand (oil, egg, butter, powdered sugar). If there's not a World Market in your area, the Jo Cupcake line is also carried at some Bed, Bath and Beyond stores in a range of flavors.

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The Magical Midwest Bakery Tour, Pt. II

Possibly spurred by my inexplicable lack of cupcake baking of late, my cupcake eating has somehow not suffered in the least. After cupcakeing my way through New York, Paris, Chicago and Boston during the past four months, I saw no reason to stop on my Thanksgiving trip home last week to Columbus, Ohio. With hometown faves Pink Moon and Bakery Gingham under my belt, I was excited to checkout two more cupcakeries in the Historic Dublin area of northwest Columbus. Located just a few storefronts apart, Our CupCakery and Sugar Inc. Cupcakes are both perfect stops after a late fall stroll amongst the quaint shops of Historic Dublin.

And when I say "historic", I mean OLD :) Settled in 1810, nearly every building on High Street proudly displays a plaque denoting its status on the National Register of Historic Places. Nestled in one such stone building was our first stop, Our CupCakery. Primarly a custom-order bakery, this shop also offers a small selection of cupcakes to-go and a unique, build-your-own cupcake bar that is beyond fun. Sorry, no cocktails at this cupcake bar. Set up assembly line style and sold by weight, Our CupCakery provides a selection of several cake choices, fun frostings, toppings and sprinkles for you to create your very own masterpiece. I went with the delicious combo of almond cake, coffee frosting and Heath bar crumbles. As you can see, my brother was a little more adventurous with his choice of red velvet cake, raspberry frosting, Ohio State Buckeye sprinkles and a side of gummy worms and Coke bottles. But, I have to admit, the combo of red velvet and raspberry was delicious--he's clearly the artiste of the family.

If one cupcake stop just isn't enough (and when is it ever?) just continue a few steps down N. High St. to Sugar Inc. Cupcakes & Tea Salon. Outfitted in pale blue and light wood accents and featuring 100% organic cupcakes, this outpost of cupcake zen is possibly the most inviting cupcakery I've ever been to. With ample seating room, abundant natural light, a small food menu and 50 fresh-brewed teas to choose from, it was a delight to sip our tea and nibble our cupcakes in such a relaxed environment. The day we came in there were a few cupcake flavors left on offer including Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, dark chocolate, strawberry and, of course, Buckeye. We sampled a selection of minis, with dark chocolate the runaway hit. The cake was so moist it practically fell apart, and I was also a fan of the decadent peanut butter "silk" frosting. I've never had 100% organic cupcakes before and was afraid that some of the sweetness would suffer, but not so. The only downside with this sweet shop is that you also get what you pay for--at $3.75 for a cupcake and $1.50 for a mini, these are also the most expensive cupcakes I've sampled. Though, I do have to say, the experience is definitely worth it and you can bet I'll be back on my next trip home for Christmas.

P.S. Just in case you're not in the mood for cupcakes (gasp!), stop by Jeni's ice cream at the corner of High and Bridge streets if you happen to find yourself in Dublin (next year's Memorial Tournament, perhaps?). With flavors like White Chocolate Evergreen with Red Currant Garland and Goat Cheese with Cognac Fig Almond Compote, I can promise you it's like no ice cream you've ever had. Not planning on making it to Ohio anytime soon? Oh yes, they deliver... :)

If you go

Our CupCakery

16 N. High St.

Dublin, OH 43017

Tues-Sat 11am-5pm

Sugar Inc. Cupcakes & Tea Salon

36 N. High St.

Dublin, OH 43017

Mon-Sat 11am-9pm

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

1 Bridge St.

Dublin, OH 43017

Apr-Sept 11am-11pm

Oct-Mar 12pm-10am

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Beantown Cupcakes and Johnny Notcakes

I think my cupcake obsession is complete. I am now entirely incapable of traveling anywhere without seeking out local bakeries for my cupcake fix. Such was the case on last weekend's trip to Boston when I got a double whammy of cupcake glory with stops at Cambridge's Sweet Cupcakes and world famous "T-shirt bakery" Johnny Cupcakes.

Just across the Charles River and down the street from that fancy school where you can't actually park your car in the yard (I checked), Harvard Square's Sweet is an adorable neighborhood shop conveniently located adjacent to the T's red line Harvard Square stop. Even before sampling a single bite, two aspects of Sweet immediately shot them to the top of the list among other cupcake bakeries that I've tried: a significant selection of flavors still left in the case even in the late afternoon and--BEVERAGES! Though it might seem obvious that cupcake customers could want a chaser for their cakes, you'd be surprised how many cupcakeries don't sell drinks at all, or offer a single incongruous choice like soda. In addition to coffee, Sweet offers a variety of cold beverages including milk, water and juice. One Sweet downside common to cupcakeries though is the small seating area. Sweet only has three tables that seemed to be occupied by people more concerned with staring out of the plate glass window rather than eating cupcakes. Ah, well.

Sweet's variety of cupcakes actually made flavor selection that much more difficult, but I'm sure you all can guess that I managed to narrow it down somehow :) In addition to everyday flavors Sweet also offers an unusually large number of seasonal and holiday flavors. People, these flavors are so unique and incredible. Chocolate Orange, Molasses Ginger and Chocolate Cranberry are just a few they have on offer for the fall season and the holiday menu kicks off this Friday, November 27th. With flavors like Gingerbread, Butterscotch, Eggnog and Chocolate Pomegranate it will be hard not to come back for more. I sampled the S'mores, Caramel Apple and, of course, Boston Cream Pie. Though the S'mores cupcake pretty much fell apart while eating (user error, I'm sure) I loved that it had the generous dose of graham cracker often missing from similar cakes. The Caramel Apple came with a spicy apple filling, caramel glaze and it's very own adorable stick just like the real thing. As for the Boston Cream, this is the moistest cupcake I have ever eaten. Ever. The chocolate ganache was a perfect compliment for this must-try Boston standby.

If Cambridge is out of the way on your trip to Boston, you can also stop by Sweet's Back Bay location. And don't shy away from bringing Fido--Sweet even has "Pupcakes" on offer for $1. At either location I'm sure you'll be pleased with the chic flavors and friendly staff at Sweet and I definitely recommend a stop if you're in the neighborhood (or even if you're not, it's totally worth it).

If you secretly (or not so secretly) suspect that you may have a cupcake obsession like me, while you are in Boston also make sure to stop by T-shirt boutique Johnny Cupcakes. For serious shoppers, Johnny's is nestled amongst the converted brownstones of Boston's trendy Newberry Street shopping district- 8 blocks of eclectic stores and restaurants. After copious amounts of window shopping at their online store, I was psyched for my first chance to step foot in one of their actual stores. An apparel company started from scratch (yes, that's a baking joke) by Johnny Earle/aka Johnny Cupcake in 1989, though this shop may look like a bakery, you'll be disappointed if you come in expecting actual cupcakes. Each of the cases is filled with limited edition t-shirts featuring Johnny's signature Cupcake-And-Crossbones design. The perfect combo of cutesy cupcake and edgy design, I picked up this little number for myself.
If you go:
Sweet
Brattle St at Harvard Square
Boston, MA
Mon-Tues 11am-9pm
Wed-Sat 11am-10pm
Sun 12 noon-8pm

Johnny Cupcakes
279 Newberry St
Boston, MA
Mon-Thurs 11am-7pm
Fri-Sat 11am-8pm
Sun 11am-7pm

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Cheesecake On The Half-Shell

"What is that?"

"Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake."

"But what does that mean?"

"It's cheesecake you serve on the half-shell, duh."

"..."

"Juuuust kidding."

Though this recipe is actually called "Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake," I wasn't able to make the tasty pecan praline powder called for in the recipe that dusts the top of the cheesecake because I don't have a food processor (that's right people, I don't even own a blender). So, instead, I reached for my trusty go-to jar of caramel sauce, mixed a dollop in a bowl with pecan halves and used that to set off the layer of sweetened sour cream below and voila: Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake. Or, as I've been calling it, Teenage Mutant Ninja Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake.

Just as the term "Black Forest" is often applied to about any combination of chocolate and cherry, "turtle" has come to symbolize the delicious mixture of caramel and pecans. This is undoubtedly due to Nestle's Turtle candies, first produced by the Rowntree DeMet company in the 1920s, and made from simply caramel and pecan halves before being dipped in chocolate. The story goes that a DeMet's employee commented that the new candies looked surprisingly like turtles and the rest is history. Who knows.

All I know is that, if I've done my job, you'll now have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' theme song in your head :) But, believe me, this cheesecake is so good that your friends probably won't even mind that you're singing it to them as you serve up the slices.

Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
3 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbs flour
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1 8-oz container sour cream
1 Tbs granulated sugar
Pecan halves (optional)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. For Pecan-Praline Pieces and Powder, line a large baking sheet with foil and set aside. In a heavy skillet place the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cook over medium-high heat, shaking skillet occasionally until sugar begins to melt. Do not stir. Reduce heat to low and stir in the chopped pecans; cook about 3 minutes more or until sugar is golden brown and pecans are toasted, stirring occasionally. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading with a wooden spoon as thin as possible. Cool. Break or chop the cooled praline into 1/4-inch pieces and set half of it aside. For Pecan-Praline Powder, place remaining broken pieces in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until ground. Store in separate containers in refrigerator or freezer up to 1 week.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For crust, in a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Add the 1/4 cup brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the 1 cup flour. Beat on low to medium speed just until combined.

3. Pat dough onto bottom and 1-1/2 inches up the side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool crust on a wire rack while preparing filling.

4. For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, the 3/4 cup brown sugar, and the 2 tablespoons flour with an electric mixer on a medium to high speed until combined. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Beat until combined. Add eggs all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the coarsely broken pecan-praline pieces, reserving the powder for the topping.

5. Pour filling into the crust-lined springform pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until center appears nearly set when shaken.

6. In a small bowl combine sour cream and granulated sugar. Spread over top of cheesecake.

7. Cool cheesecake in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a small metal spatula to loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool 30 minutes more. Remove side of the springform pan. Cool for 1 hour. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

8. Just before serving, sprinkle the Pecan-Praline Powder over sour cream topping in center of cheesecake and garnish with pecan halves, if desired.

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Pumpkin Crème de la Crème

And now, let the pumpkin posts continue! As promised, the fall parade of pumpkin spice recipes marches on even though we're now in that odd pumpkin limbo time between Halloween pumpkin-themed recipes and Thanksgiving pumpkin-themed recipes. Oh well, clearly I'm not concerned. I recently managed to get my hands on two more coveted cans of pumpkin and couldn't wait to use one for this Pumpkin Crème Caramel.

If you haven't had the pleasure of enjoying crème caramel before, the texture is very similar to a flan or custard, but it also comes with a built in bonus layer of delicious caramel sauce. The seasonal addition of pumpkin pie spice really adds warmth and blends perfectly with the creamy caramel. I'd also even recommend this as an alternative for friends or family that usually don't like pumpkin pie because it is much less sweet than pumpkin pie and the texture is also more dense. I'm actually completely guessing that these might be reasons people don't like pumpkin pie because, frankly, I find it incredulous that these people even exist.

Also don't be intimidated by the pomegranate seeds used as garnish. If you've never used a pomegranate before, let this be your first opportunity. Since this was my first time trying pomegranates I was similarly terrified to tackle what some believe was the true "forbidden fruit" and now I'm addicted to the tangy-sweet seeds. Food blogger Gimme Some Oven has a great tutorial on how to open and seed your pomegranate completely mess-free and, I mean, Web MD tells us that pomegranates are a major superfruit so really, what are you waiting for? You may be consuming the equivalent of 6 eggs, but you might as well fight free radicals with the power of antioxidants at the same time, right? Right.

Note: You can also modify this recipe by preparing it in two pie plates as opposed to individual custard cups if you prefer.

Pumpkin Crème Caramel
serves 8
1 1/3 cup sugar
6 eggs, beaten
2 5-oz cans evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp finely shredded orange peel
2 tsp vanilla
pomegranate seeds (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. To caramelize the sugar, melt the 1 1/3 cups sugar in a heavy-bottomed skillet over med-high heat, shaking the skillet occasionally. When the sugar starts to melt, reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, until sugar is golden brown. Remove skillet from heat; immediately pour sugar into eight ungreased, 6-oz custard cups. Quickly tilt to evenly coat bottom of cups.

3. Place cups in two 2-quart baking dishes. Whisk together eggs, pumpkin, evaporated milk, the 1/2 cup sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Pour the pumpkin mix over the caramelized sugar. Place the baking dishes on the oven rack. Pour boiling water into the baking dishes to a depth of 1".

4. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the centers comes out clean. Remove cups from water. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.

5. To serve, loosen edges of custards with a knife. Invert a dessert plate over each custard, turn cup and plate over together. Scrape any remaining caramel that remains in the cup onto the custard. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, if desired.

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