Chip and Dale Rainbow Cake

Our son requested a rainbow Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers cake for his 5th birthday. I was excited because I love making creative cakes for our boys. When I was little, I always imagined I would do this some day. Chip and Dale were a challenge. Since Rescue Rangers in an old cartoon, there are no figurines available. I did a lot of research and decided against creating my own 3-D sculptures. For this project I printed out a picture of Chip and Dale then cut out pieces of colored sugar paste like a puzzle (freehand- art school is good for some things). Then I dried the pieces overnight and glued them together with a mixture of meringue powder and water. The pieces didn't fit exactly but the main thing is my son loved it. He helped make the acorns made out of sugar paste. For the fondant, most fondant tastes just plain nasty but the marshmallow one, although sweet, is pretty tasty. It didn't have the smoothest texture but it turned out ok.

Rainbow Cake Makes 2 8" cakes or 2 tall 6" cakes

Inspired by Yellow Butter Cake by Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America

3 1/2 cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 lb. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup milk, divided use

4 eggs

2 egg whites

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Food coloring- red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple

1. Grease cake pans with shortening. Cut parchment paper to line the sides and the bottom of cake pans. Press gently to adhere. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together. Beat in flour mixture and half of the milk on low speed then increase to medium. Scrape down bowl with rubber scraper.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining half of milk, eggs, egg whites and vanilla. Add in three additions to the batter, scraping down after each addition.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

6. Divide batter into six separate bowls and color each with food coloring. In one cake pan layer red, orange and yellow. In the other pan, layer purple, green, blue. You want the bottom of the pan to be the color you want on top of the cake and on the bottom of the cake. Drop cake pans on flat surface to get out air bubbles.

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool in pans on wire rack. Trim top layers with a serrated knife to stack evenly.


Sugar Paste

Inspired by Gingerbread House Heaven

4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted (reserve 1 cup for later)

1 Tbsp. gum tragacanth

1 Tbsp. liquid glucose

1 packet Knox gelatin

4 Tbsp. warm water

1. In a stand mixer, stir together warm water and gelatin until dissolved.

2. Heat glucose for 20 seconds in microwave and add to gelatin. Add in confectioner's sugar and gum tragacanth. Mix with a dough hook attachment until sticky dough forms.

3. Place dough in plastic bag and store at room temperature overnight.

4. Knead in remaining cup of powdered sugar with paddle attachment. Store in ziplock bag or plastic wrap inside an airtight container.

5. Knead in food coloring and work quickly with small amounts if sugar paste as it tends to dry out and get crusty. If it does, knead in more powdered sugar. Work on a smooth surface greased with vegetable shortening to prevent sticking. Let pieces dry before gluing together. For glue I use 2 Tbsp. of meringue powder mixed with 2 tsp. of water. This glue can be stored in an airtight container as well.

Marshmallow Fondant

1/8 cup vegetable shortening

16 oz. package of mini marshmallows

3 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. glycerin

1 tsp. clear vanilla extract

3 lbs. powdered sugar, sifted


1. Place shortening in small bowl and set aside.

2. Place marshmallows in a large heat proof bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds to a minute until smooth. Stir in water and glycerin. Transfer to stand mixer bowl with dough hook attachment both greased with vegetable shortening. Beat in powdered sugar one cup at a time until a sticky dough forms. Will not use all of the powdered sugar.

3. Turn the dough out onto a flat surface greased with vegetable shortening. Knead in powdered sugar until a stiff dough forms. Knead 10 minutes longer till not sticky. Form into a ball. Roll between two layers of parchment paper or with rolling pin greased with vegetable shortening. Fondant can be stored in a ziplock bag in fridge overnight but needs to warm to room temperature (3 hrs) before using.

Brioche A Tete

I've been meaning to make these little buttery buns for a while. I was intrigued by the little heads that rest on the top of the bread. My first attempt wasn't perfect as I made the heads way too big. This caused them to rise and fall over much like Dr. Seuss hats. My second attempt I made the buns half the size and rolled tiny heads for the top. Though they kind of look like boobs, I thought these were much more successful. I couldn't get the hang of the technique of rolling the dough even though I saw quite a few videos on how to do it. The proper way you use your hand like a saw and roll the head till it's just hanging by a thread. The long skinny side goes into the mold and you press down into the center making a space for the ball to go in the middle. For mine, I just made two separate balls.

Brioche A Tete

Inspired by Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

4 large eggs plus one extra for egg wash

1/2 cup whole milk, warm

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

12 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature



1. In a small bowl combine warm milk and yeast. Let rest 10 minutes or until foamy.

2. In stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, salt and yeast mixture. Mix well.

3. Switch stand mixer to dough hook. Mix in flours on low speed. Continue kneading at medium speed until dough is elastic, about 15 minutes.

4. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 8 hours.

5. Spray brioche tins or mini muffin pans with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

6. Cut dough into 48 pieces. For each piece roll a big ball and a small ball. Press a deep hole in the big ball with your finger. Make the small ball into a bowling pin shape. Place the thin end in the hole with the ball resting on the top of the dough ring.

7. Cover with plastic and let rise for 90 minutes.

8. Egg wash. Bake for about 10- 15 minutes until golden brown on top.  Cool slightly on wire rack. Best served warm.

Blueberry Buttermilk Bundt

A carton of summer blueberries plus leftover buttermilk from pancakes and a brand new bundt pan just begging to be used, I decided to make blueberry buttermilk bundt cake. This cake turned out moist and flavorful. I debated whether to dust it with powdered sugar or drizzle it with icing but decided to keep it plain and simple perfect for breakfast or snack.

Blueberry Buttermilk Bundt

Makes a 6 inch bundt cake

Inspired by Food Network 

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for greasing the pan

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus a little extra for dusting and rolling blueberries in

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/8 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup blueberries plus more for decoration


1. Grease 6 inch bundt pan well with butter and dust with flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

3. In a stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar and vegetable oil on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape sides down. Beat in eggs and vanilla on low speed. Beat in 1/3 of buttermilk then 1/3 of  flour alternating and scraping down after each addition. Beat in the last of the flour by hand.

4. Toss blueberries in a Tbsp. of flour. Scoop 1/3 of batter into prepared bundt pan.  Spoon half of the blueberries onto batter. Scoop another 1/3 of batter and place over blueberries. Add the other half of the blueberries. Spread the remaining 1/3 of the batter on the top.

5. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Loosen cake with sharp knife or by gently nudging it away from edges of pan with fingers. Invert onto a plate and serve with fresh blueberries.

Cherry Pie

The boys decided this week that they wanted to make cherry pie. We used a combination of fresh bing cherries which are sweet and sour cherries from a jar. The flavor was excellent with the two combined. I was also very happy with the crust that was both flaky and easy to work with. In the past I used all butter crusts which were hard to roll out and dense. The only problem I ran into is that the tapioca didn't dissolve all the way and left a few chewy blobs in the filling. Perhaps next time I will boil it longer or use a different thickener.


Pie Dough for a 9 inch Double Crust Pie

Inspired by  Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America

2 2/3 cup flour plus extra for rolling out dough

1 tsp. salt

1/2  cup cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening

1/2 cup ice water as needed

1. In a large bowl stir flour and salt together. Cut in butter and vegetable shortening with a pastry blender until the texture is a coarse meal. Add ice water 1 Tbsp. at a time until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough in half. Press each half  into a disc shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in  fridge for 20 minutes.

2. Take half of the dough out of fridge and roll with rolling pin on flour dusted pastry board until it is approximately 13 inches in diameter. Fold into quarters and transfer to pie plate. Unfold and press into pan. Trim the excess dough.

3. To make the lattice, roll out the second half of the dough on flour dusted pastry board. Using a ravioli wheel, cut dough into long 1/2 inch strips.

4. Place chilled cherry pie filling into dough lined pie plate. Place half of the lattice strips vertically on top of the filling. Weave the other lattice strips horizontally between vertical lattice strips.

5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Egg wash by whisking 1 egg and 1 Tbsp. water and brushing it over lattice. If not ready to bake it yet, freeze it.

6. Bake for 30- 40 minutes until crust is lightly brown. Cool to almost room temperature before serving. Keeps at room temperature covered with foil for 2-3 days. Keeps in fridge for 2 days after that.


Cherry Pie Filling

Inspired by Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America

2 Tbsp. tapioca pearls

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, stems removed and pitted

1 1/2 cups jarred sour cherries, 1 cup of juice reserved

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1. In a small bowl, stir together tapioca pearls and cornstarch.

2. In a saucepan stir together sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cherry juice and lemon juice. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk in tapioca mixture cooking until dissolved. Add cherries and simmer for one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted. Chill in fridge in a shallow pan for 30 minutes.

Lemon Ice Cream

Tart and sweet, this lemon ice cream is delicious. I prefer lemon custard ice cream as a dessert but if you're looking for something lighter, more refreshing, and  easy to make, I'd recommend this recipe.

Lemon Ice Cream

Inspired by David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop

zest of 2 organic lemons

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

pinch of salt

1. In a food processor,  process zest and sugar until very fine.  Stir in lemon juice until sugar is dissolved. Stir in milk and heavy cream.

2. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 hour. Churn in ice cream maker for 30 minutes. Scoop back into airtight container and freeze overnight.

Dark Chocolate Pudding with Fresh Raspberries and Sprinkles

The boys chose dark chocolate pudding with raspberries and sprinkles for this week's baking project. A dark rich pudding nicely contrasted bright fresh raspberries and a cold smooth whipped cream. The recipe can be found on another post for milk chocolate pudding. Just substitute the milk chocolate with bittersweet chocolate and omit the Bailey's from the whipped cream.

Lemonade, Lemon Blueberry Ice Pops and Lemon Granita

Summer weather is finally here and it's time to break out the ice pop molds and lemon juicer. Cool off with some cold lemon treats. Dagan chose lemon blueberry ice pops to make for the kids project of the week. Here is my favorite lemonade recipe.

Lemonade

 Allrecipes

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

8 cups water

1 1/2 cups lemon juice (about 8 lemons)

1. To make a simple syrup, stir sugar and water together in a small saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Keep stirring till all the sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature then pour into large pitcher and chill in the fridge.

2. Juice the lemons. Add lemon juice to chilled simple syrup. Stir in 7 cups of water.


To make lemon blueberry ice pops, pour lemonade into molds 3/4 full, add blueberries. Freeze.

To make the lemon granita, pour into large shallow dish. Place in freezer for 1 hour. Break up the ice crystals with a fork. Place in freezer for 30 minutes. Remove and break up ice crystals. Repeat granita texture is to your liking.

Japanese Cheesecake with Apricot Jam Glazed Strawberries

Japanese cheesecake is lighter, fluffier and less sweet than regular cheesecake. It pairs well with fresh fruit and doesn't leave you with a feeling of guilt after indulging. It was really easy to make and does not require a springform pan. The slight tartness of lemon and the sweetness of juicy summer berries make this the perfect treat for a hot summer day.

Japanese Cheesecake

Inspired by Japanese Cheesecake

Makes 8x8 cheesecake

8 ounces  (1 block)  cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup caster sugar

zest of 1 lemon

3 eggs, separated

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

boiling water

2 Tbsp. apricot jam

1/2 Tbsp. water

1. Grease an 8x8 glass baking dish lightly with butter. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and milk on low speed until softened. 

3. Beat in  1/4 cup of the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth.

4. In a clean bowl using a hand mixer, beat egg whites until fluffy. Add in remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and cream of tartar. Beat for 10 minutes until soft peaks form.

5. Fold egg whites into cream cheese. Pour into baking dish and smooth. Place in oven.

6.  Place a large roasting pan half filled with boiling water on the rack beneath cheesecake.

7.  Bake for 40 minutes. Crack oven door slightly after baking and allow to cool in oven for 1- 1 1/2 hours. Cool to room temperature on wire rack. Refrigerate until cold. 

8. Melt apricot jam in a small microwaveable bowl. Stir in the water. Quarter strawberries. Cut cheesecake into 2 inch squares. Place strawberries on top. Brush with apricot glaze. If not eating right away, store in refrigerator up to three days.

Orange Blossom Madeleines with Grand Marnier Icing

After a fun shopping trip to Gourmet Warehouse, I was eager to use my new madeleine molds, mini brioche molds and orange blossom water. The grand marnier I've had in the cupboard since last December when we went to Hawaii and I stocked up on mini bar sized liquor for baking projects.
Madeleines are shell shaped cookies, vanilla flavored little cakes that the French like to eat. I combined a few recipes together and made some alterations. The cookies taste more floral and the icing tastes more boozy but combine the two and they are deliciously light and moist yet slightly bitter and intriguing.

Orange Blossom Madeleines with Grand Marnier Icing

Makes 36

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 lb. (113 g) unsalted butter

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. orange blossom water

zest from 1 orange


 Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp. Grand Marnier

1 tsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp. vanilla extract


Directions:

1.  Melt in a small saucepan on medium heat until the solids sink to the bottom and the butter is clear. Pour through a sieve and discard solids. Set aside to cool. Measure out 1/4 lb. or 56 g. of brown butter to use in recipe.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour two madeleine pans. I used one madeleine pan and one mini brioche pan.

3. Stir together flour and salt in a small bowl.

4. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar.

5. Add flour mixture in gradually then stir in brown butter, orange blossom water and orange zest.

6. Place mixture in piping bag with a plain tip and pipe into molds 3/4 full.

7. Bake for 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

8. Turn out of pan and cool on wire rack.

9. To make the icing, whisk powdered sugar, grand marnier, melted butter and vanilla together in a small bowl. Dip cookies into icing and place on wire rack till glaze hardens.