Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee
Makes 4 - 4oz ramekins

1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs. plus additional 1/3 cup sugar
2 extra large or jumbo egg yolks
½ tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF. Prepare some boiling water.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cream and 2 Tbs sugar; cook, stirring occasionally until small bubbles appear around edges of pan, 5-6 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla until smooth and light. Pour hot cream mixture into egg yolks, a little at a time, beating continuously until well blended. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Divide mixture among four 4 oz. ramekins.
4. Arrange ramekins in a baking pan and place on middle shelf of preheated oven. Fill pan with boiling water to halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil. Bake until custard is just set, about 25 minutes (use caution when removing ramekins from oven as they will be very hot!). Chill 2-3 hours.
5. Sprinkle remaining sugar evenly over top of cooled custards. With the kitchen torch, move the flame continuously over the surface of the ramekins, in a circular motion until sugar melts and becomes golden brown and bubbly. (You may need to use more sugar for the top if you are getting burnt spots). Serve immediately topped with fresh fruit or refrigerate for later use (if saving for later use, wait to torch the sugar until ready to serve).

-amanda

Crème Carmel

Crème Carmel (aka Flan) is a nice custard dessert, presented here with a tuile cookie dome. First prepare the caramelized sugar and then the baked custard.

Caramelized Sugar
Makes enough for 5 - 4" ramekins

• 8 oz sugar
• 2 oz water
• 3 drops of lemon juice

Combine all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and begin heating. Do not stir the mixture. Brush down the insides of the pan with clean water if crystals start forming on the walls, careful not to touch the mixture with your brush. Once the sugar begins to turn brown gently swirl the solution around to distribute the color, by holding the handle of the pan and swirling. Once the entire mixture is brown, place the pot directly into an ice bath so stop it from cooking further. Immediately pour the sugar into 5 - 4" ramekins. Just enough to coat the bottoms. If the mixture hardens in the bottom and you don't have enough to coat the whole bottom, don't worry about it because it will melt again evenly in the oven when you bake the custard.

Baked Custard
Makes 5 - 4" ramekins

• 1 pt milk
• 1 pt half and half
• 4 oz sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean (split)
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 14 oz eggs

1. In a sauce pan scald the milk, half and half, sugar, vanilla bean, and salt. Remove from heat.
2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs to break them up. Carefully pour about 1 1/2 cups of the hot mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly.
   
3. Whisk the tempered eggs back into the hot mixture. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve. Gently scrape out the vanilla bean and stir in.
4. Place mixture into the ramekins (after the caramelized sugar has already been placed in the dishes). Put dishes in a water bath, ensuring water comes up no higher than 1/3 way up the ramekins.
   
5. Bake at 350 degrees F, until set and there is a light skin on top of the custard, approximately 35 minutes.
   

Once they are finished baking, cool and then cover in saran wrap and place in the fridge. The next day (or once they are completely cooled), take a small offset spatula and run it around the edge only going about halfway down so you don't touch the sugar. Flip it over onto a plate, shake it a little and it should come out of the ramekin. If it does not, you may need to run the spatula around again. Decorate as desired and serve chilled.

-amanda

Super Bowl Petit Fours

I have always loved the Super Bowl. I enjoy watching the game and rooting on my favorite team, and of course watching the commercials. However, one of my favorite reasons why I love the Super Bowl so much is because of the food! It is a great opportunity to make appetizers and other yummy food that I wouldn't otherwise have a reason to make.

About a week ago I was trying to figure out what I should make and petit fours came to mind. I had originally wanted to do them for Valentine's Day but then decided that I already had too much on my plate for V-day. Plus, mini footballs sounded so cute! Once I had the idea in my head, I knew I had to make it happen. I am very happy with the way they turned out!

Almond Pound Cake

• 7 oz sugar
• 7 oz almond paste
• 1 oz egg
• 7 oz diced butter
• 4 eggs
• 3 oz cake flour

Before you begin, all ingredients must be room temperature including the eggs.

1. Cream sugar and almond paste together. When the mixture is well broken up, add the 1oz egg.
   
2. Continue to mix until the mixture is smooth and forms a paste. There should be no lumps of almond paste in the mixture.
   
3. Add the butter and cream on high speed until the mixture is light and airy.
   
4. Add the eggs in 3 stages and scrape down after each addition. Do not over mix.
5. Finally add the sifted flour and mix just until incorporated.
6. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and evenly spread the mixture in the pan.
   
7. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and firm to the touch. Approximately 30-35 minutes.

Once cooled, flip it over onto another sheet pan and remove the parchment. Cut in half horizontally and spread 1/2 cup of warm jam on one half and then place the other layer on top. Now you are ready to cut out your shapes. It may be easier to cut if you place the cake in the freezer for 10-20 minutes.

To glaze, place a rack on a sheet pan to catch the extra glaze. Pour melted chocolate fondant over the petit fours. You can use the extra glaze in the pan if you need more fondant. Once they are set, draw the laces on with a piping bag and royal icing.

Royal Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp cream of tarter

Combine powdered sugar and cream of tarter in mixing bowl. Gradually add the egg whites and mix on medium speed for 4 minutes.

Enjoy the game!!

-amanda

English Trifle

English Trifle
It is made with an apricot jelly roll, layered with cake cubes soaked in grand marnier, strawberries, mandarin oranges, diplomat cream, and garnished with chantilly cream and strawberries. Although this is not a classic English trifle, it is still very delicious and pretty!



-amanda

Charlotte Russe

I am very excited that I finally get to make some pretty things in pastry school! Last week I made a Charlotte Russe torte which is a Bavarian cream torte with lady fingers around the outside. The one pictured below is made with a vanilla chiffon cake, layered with vanilla Bavarian cream and topped with apricot glazed fresh fruit.

The recipes that I have make way more cake than you would want to make at home. So I will just tell you how to construct this torte.

You will need:

• an entremet ring (cake ring) one inch larger than your cake pan
• a cake board larger than your cake ring
• acetate strip
  
• a recipe for 1 chiffon cake
• a recipe for vanilla Bavarian cream
• lady fingers
  

1. Bake and freeze chiffon cake: Make one pan of chiffon cake, and once cooled place in the freezer (the cake will be easier to remove from the pan and cut in half if frozen). Get all of your ingredients ready to make the cream, and before you make it, prepare your cake ring.
   
2. Prepare cake ring: Place the cake ring on a larger cake board. You will need to put a strip of acetate around the inside of the rings and then place your lady fingers inside the ring as well. You will need to layer your torte with chiffon cake and cream, so cut your cake in half equally. Next brush the cake layers with dessert syrup (recipe below). Place one cake layer inside the circle of lady fingers (it is okay if there is room in between the lady fingers and the cake, the cream will just fill in these spots and hold the torte together).
3. Make the cream and assemble the torte: Now you can start to make your cream. Once the cream is done, you must make sure that it is not too runny or it will run out the bottom of the ring. However, because it has gelatin in it, you cannot let it sit around or it will set up quickly. Once it is the right consistency, pour half of the gelatin over the first cake layer. Then take the second cake layer and set it on top, and press it down a little bit into the cream. Pour the remaining cream on top and use a flat edge to make the top even with the cake ring. Freeze overnight.
   
4. Decorate: Before you begin decorating, pull torte out of the freezer and let thaw for about an hour or so. When you are ready to decorate your torte, first put your toppings on before removing the cake ring. Once you are finished with your torte you are now ready to remove it from the cake ring.
5. Remove torte from cake ring: In order to do this we used a torch and a cake turn table to warm the top part of the ring. Do not hold the torch in once spot too long, and do not use the torch too long in general because it will melt your cream. Once you warm it up you should be able to slowly lift the cake ring up and off the torte. Peel off the acetate and place on a serving plate. Slice and serve cold.

Dessert Syrup
(yields enough syrup for about 2 - 10" torte)

• 1/8 cup water
• 1/8 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier (or desired flavor)

1. Combine sugar and water in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add Grand Marnier. Bring back to a boil and remove from heat.

In the future I will try to cut down my recipes so I can post them here for you.

-amanda

Oreo Truffles

These are sooooo yummy! If you like Oreos, you will probably love these. Even my boyfriend (who dislikes sweets), said they were "amazing". I love when I finally make something he likes. :o) You must try these!

Oreo Truffles
Makes approx. 24

-1pkg of Oreos (18oz)
-1pkg of softened cream cheese (8oz)
-Chocolate melts or semi-sweet chocolate (for dipping)

Crush the package of Oreos, either in a food processor or in place in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin. Once the Oreos are crushed (you want them to be very fine crumbs, otherwise you will have chunks of cookie in your truffles), combine them with the softened cream cheese in a bowl. Mix until it is well blended. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer or fridge to harden the truffles. Once firm enough (about 30 - 1 hour in fridge), remove them and dip them into the melted chocolate using a fork. Replace back on cookie sheets and put them in the fridge or freezer to harden. Best when served chilled.

Enjoy!!!

-amanda

Happy New Year!

My vacation is coming to an end. While I have been back to work for a couple days now, I don't go back to school until next week. I have been enjoying my time off and I am trying to relax as much as possible. Drinking hot chocolate and trying to stay nice and cozy inside as much as possible. I know once school begins again, the craziness will follow. There will be no time for anything, what with 20 hours at school, 20+ hours at work and 3 days of workout classes (what was I thinking?!). So I am using this time now to just lounge around. Therefore I haven't felt like baking much. My apologies. I also realize I didn't post much from school last semester, but since I was mainly baking bread, I didn't find anything to be pretty enough to post. This semester should have a lot more things to post, as I will be making lots of pastries. I believe I will also be making a wedding cake, so that should be interesting!

Anyways, if you are still around, I appreciate it. I will try to get some new stuff up soon.

-amanda