Today we are celebrating my husband Brion’s birthday. Family birthdays forever bring me back to my childhood days. My mother always made the birthday person’s favorite meal on their day along with a cake. Although she excelled at cooking in general, her creative talent was put to good use when she decorated our birthday cakes. As I follow her tradition, I wanted to bake something that was unique for Brion’s birthday.
One of the easiest ways to dress up a basic roll cake is with a design. This technique is one that originated in Japan. The cake rolls are also known as ‘deco rolls’, as the cake rolls are decorated with patterns and baked. Rather than decorating the cake after it’s been baked, this technique pipes it directly onto the cake with batter.
In Japan, the roll cake tradition has continued, with unique flavors like matcha (green tea) and various cream fillings. The use of ‘inlay’ design creates an artistic presentation. The incorporation of unique flavors and decorative techniques continues to evolve and expands the appeal of this iconic dessert.
With summer in full swing, our backyard is bursting with all its glorious flowers and foliage and even though he would rather I didn’t add his picture to my blog today, I wanted to share this garden view with you. I think it’s a great backdrop for a birthday picture, right!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LOVE … YOU’RE THE BEST
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Chocolate Blueberry/Lemon Inlay Roll Cake
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Ingredients
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
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Instructions
Lemon Curd
Combine sugar & lemon zest in a saucepan. Either with the back of a spoon or your finger tips rub the zest into the sugar. This will coat the sugar crystals with fragrant oils from the lemon peel, adding a whole new dimension of intense lemon flavor to the curd.
Add the whole egg & extra egg yolks to the saucepan with the lemony sugar & whisk until smooth. Mix in lemon juice.
Add butter then place the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk gently & continuously for 6-9 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not walk away because it will transform very quickly. Once you see a bubble emerge from the surface, this indicates that it is thick enough. Do not let it boil.
Immediately pour the hot curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any pieces of lemon zest or cooked egg white into a dish. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly in contact with the surface & refrigerate until thoroughly chilled & ready to use.
Blueberry Filling
Place all blueberry filling ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat on medium high until blueberries soften & mixture thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool for 5 minutes or so then place in a blender & puree until smooth. This makes it easier when slicing the cake roll. Place in a small dish & cool until ready to use.
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
For best results, place bowl of the electric mixer & whisks in the freezer for a few minutes to make them real cold. When chilled, place cream cheese & powdered sugar in the bowl & beat together until smooth. Scrape down the bowl as needed. With mixer running on low, add the vanilla & stream in the whipping cream. Turn the speed up & whip until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Roll Cake Pattern
Cream together butter, flour, sugar & egg white with a whisk until smooth. Place batter into a piping bag. Trace or free hand your pattern onto a piece of parchment paper. If you want a specific part of the image to appear on the top of the roll cake, place that part of your pattern about 3/4 of the way down the paper.
Before putting the template onto a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan , using a pastry brush (or your fingers), grease the bottom (but not the sides) with vegetable oil. Line the bottom of the greased pan with the template, pressing down to remove any air bubbles. Set aside. By NOT greasing or covering the sides of the pan, the cake sticks to the sides of the pan, helping the cake to rise while baking.
Pipe out your design, keeping in mind that the cake will be viewed in reverse. Place the pan in the freezer until the batter is frozen solid, for about 20 minutes.
Chocolate Cake
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In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder & salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, whip egg whites until foamy, gradually adding HALF of the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. In a third large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick. Add remaining sugar, vanilla & water; beat until very thick. Gradually fold in flour mixture then egg whites gently folding JUST until fully incorporated so as not to deflate the eggs.
Remove the jelly roll pan from the freezer & pour the cake batter over the frozen design. Gently tap the sheet against the counter to make sure that the batter gets down into all the little nooks & crannies of your design.
Bake in the center of the oven until cake for about 15 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick. Loosen edges & immediately turn cake onto a piece of parchment paper. REMOVE the parchment that was on the bottom of the cake (while it was baking). Starting at the narrow end, roll up cake in the parchment (you just turned the cake out on to) & cool completely.
Assembling the Cake Roll
Once fully cooled, gently unroll the cake & separate it from the parchment paper.
Spread an even layer of lemon curd onto the cake, leaving about an inch of space around the edges so the filling doesn't ooze out. Next, drizzle a wavy line of blueberry filling over the lemon curd. Then lastly, pipe some of the cream cheese filling in between your blueberry lines. Try to not OVERFILL the cake roll BUT giving it as generous amount of filling as possible.
Very gently roll the cake back into its spiral shape. Set the cake on a platter with your design on top. Cover with plastic wrap & chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or longer.
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HAPPY EASTER!
Easter is here and Salmon Wellington is the perfect holiday meal! The richness of the mushroom duxelles, pairs perfectly with the hearty salmon fish fillet and scallops and the buttery puff pastry just takes this dish to the next level.
Mushroom duxelles is an intensely flavored combination of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots, and fresh herbs such as thyme or parsley that are slowly cooked to a paste-like consistency. French in origin and named after the marquis d’Uxelles, this mushroom condiment is traditionally used in the preparation of beef Wellington, but it can also be used to flavor soups and sauces as well as to fill omelets and ravioli.
Wellington fillet as we know it today was first made famous by the American chef and star Julia Child, who introduced the filet de bśuf en croûte, the French crust beef fillet, as ‘Filet of Wellington Beef’ during her TV show ‘The French Chef’, on the 1965 New Year’s Eve episode. From that day on, the recipe began to appear in various recreational circles in North America, as well as being taken up in the most important cookbooks.
A Salmon Wellington is a copycat version of the popular English ‘Beef Wellington’. Because puff pastry takes about 20 minutes to bake (salmon takes 12-15 minutes), keep the salmon refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble. Starting with cold salmon ensures it doesn’t overcook. To prevent the bottom from getting soggy, pat dry the salmon thoroughly before assembling. Also, make sure to cut slits on the puff pastry once assembled to allow the steam to escape. Don’t open the oven until ready since puff pastry needs full consistent heat to bake into flaky layers.
You’ll be so impressed when it’s time to take it out of the oven because it just looks amazing. However, you’ll be more impressed with how it tastes. Just like an elegant and flavorful fish pie!
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Salmon Wellington
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Instructions
Mushroom Duxelles
In a food processor, pulse the mushrooms to a roughly diced consistency,15-20 seconds. In a saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, a heavy pinch of salt & pepper, shallots, garlic, rosemary & thyme. Sauté until moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl & set aside.
Scallop Filling
In a small bowl, combine the scallops (or shrimp), cream, onions, parsley, dill, garlic, pesto, salt & pepper. In another small bowl, beat egg white on medium speed until soft peaks form; fold into scallop mixture.
Assembly
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry sheet into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle. Cut each sheet into FOUR- 6 x 5-inch rectangles. Divide mushroom mixture evenly & spread over 4 pieces of pastry leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Center the salmon pieces on top. Next, top each salmon piece with a quarter of the scallop filling.
Top each with a pastry rectangle & crimp to seal. With a sharp knife, cut several slits in the top to let steam escape. Place on the baking sheet & brush with egg wash. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 F.
Dill Cream Sauce
While salmon is baking, mix all sauce ingredients & refrigerate until serving time.
Ideal for fall, fig & flax swirl cookies have beautiful warm flavors from the fig preserves and spices and a little crunch from the flax seeds. Figs flavor has been described as kind of a honey-taste with hints of berry. And of course, they give a crunchy-crisp texture from the seeds.
Figs are a distinctive and vibrant fruit that work with sweet and savory dishes. There are so many ways to use them in autumnal bakes, salads, meat dishes and more. Then there’s an added dimension to take it a bit further by using figs in preserve form such as:
- Homemade Fig Newtons.
- Swirl into a cheesecake batter for a fig cheesecake.
- Spread on melted baked brie fresh from the oven.
- Spread it on toast, English muffins, or biscuits instead of jelly.
- Spread on crostini with goat cheese, prosciutto & balsamic vinegar for an appetizer.
- Combine with rosemary and balsamic vinegar & use as a glaze for chicken, pork, or kebabs.
- Mix with softened cream cheese as a crepe filling.
- Mix with oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper to make a vinaigrette.
- Use it in grilled ham & cheese sandwiches.
- Swirl it into ice cream.
- Use in lieu of syrup for a topping for pancakes.
If you like fig preserves, you will love these cookies.
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Fig & Flax Swirl Cookies
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Instructions
Combine flour, baking soda & salt in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream the butter with the brown & white sugar. Mix on medium speed for a minute or two. Add the egg & vanilla and continue mixing until well incorporated.
Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture & stir with a spoon until combined & forms a ball. Wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap & refrigerate for an hour.
Roll chilled dough out on a lightly floured piece of waxed paper to a 16 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread smooth fig preserves on the dough to within about 1/2-inch of the edges. Starting at one of the long ends, begin to carefully roll the dough into a log.
Place egg white in a small bowl. Combine 2 Tbsp each brown sugar & ground flax seeds in a shallow dish. Brush log with egg white then roll in the flax/sugar mixture. Wrap the rolled dough in the wax paper & refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 F.
Slice roll, (using a piece of floss for easier slicing), into 1/4-inch slices. Place on a parchment lined baking sheets & bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven & allow to cool on baking sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.
Food history is full of surprises. The history of meatloaf, a North American staple, offers more than a trip down culinary lane. It provides a glimpse into how advances in technology have shaped the way we eat and prepare food today.
It turns out, the idea of mixing meat with a tenderizing filler traces back to the 4th & 5th century AD, when a Roman cookbook presented a recipe for patties made of chopped meat, bread & wine. But it wasn’t until the late 1800’s that American meatloaf was born, inspired by recipes offered by manufactures of the newly invented meat grinder.
In the 1940’s, WWII rationing spawned meat-free loaves, whereas postwar creativity in the 1950’s & ’60’s produced the likes of Bacon-Dill Meatloaf. In the 1970’s & ’80’s, veal, pork & beef ‘meatloaf mix’ came into vogue. In the 1990’s, restaurateurs marketed upscale versions and today, innovations continue as loaves are stuffed, wrapped or laced with international flavors.
When we cook meatloaf, we’re connected to something bigger: a tradition, a time line. Meatloaf is elemental. It’s enduring, served without undue fuss or expensive implements …. comfort food without a doubt.
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Layered Zucchini Cheddar Meatloaf
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Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, oregano, basil & garlic powder.
In a bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, egg white, salt, pepper & HALF of the tomato sauce mixture; mix well.
Divide meat in half. On a sheet of wax paper, form 2 rectangles each about 8 X 10-inches. Spread zucchini over half of each rectangle. Divide cheese & sprinkle over zucchini, still covering only half the meat. Fold the meat over so that zucchini & cheese are inside. Pinch edges of meat to seal.
Place layered meat loaves on top of each other then place on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Top with remaining tomato sauce & sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered for about 1 1/2 hrs. or until meat is cooked. Allow to stand 5-10 minutes before slicing.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
Chocolate & strawberries not only add a touch of decadence but are the quintessential Valentine treat. These little chocolate lava cakes not only look and taste great, but they’re pretty quick and easy to make. You don’t need any special equipment, just a couple of bowls and a whisk and the recipe only makes two.
As always, I wondered about where the idea had originated. It seems the first known cake with a deliberately runny center is the ‘Tunnel of Fudge Cake’… the second place winner of a Pillsbury bake-off contest in 1966. Invented by Texan homemaker, Ella Helfrich, the cake is a walnut-flecked Bundt cake with a wet fudge center, which Ella achieved by the pretty ingenious inclusion of powdered frosting. The original recipe called for Pillsbury’s Double Dutch Dry Frosting Mix, which would, in the oven, cook into a runny, pudding like tunnel. The cake recipe became a cultural icon and put Bundt pans, (which had been created in the ’50s but were never particularly popular) in mass demand.
In 1987, a chef in New York city, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, was credited with ‘inventing’ the lava cake but this has been disputed as Jacques Torres, a French chef & chocolatier, says that the lava cake already existed in France before that time. As time has passed there have been many versions adapted to the original idea which mostly include the variations on the fillings. Instead of the chocolate fillings, other flavors like lemon, caramel, strawberry and orange can be found.
I think these White Chocolate Strawberry Lava Cakes will make the perfect ending for our Valentines supper.
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White Chocolate Strawberry Lava Cakes
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Instructions
Strawberry Puree
In a blender, process strawberries then press mixture through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl; discard seeds. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Pour in strained strawberry puree. Allow mixture to come to a boil & bubble until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes.
Cake
Melt white chocolate with butter. You can do it in the microwave with 30 second breaks or over a double boiler. Blend well.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter & flour 2 - 6 oz ramekins; set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, egg white, sugar, salt, vanilla, lemon juice & zest.
Add chocolate/butter mixture then flour; combine. Add strawberry puree & coloring (if using); blend.
Divide batter between the 2 ramekins & bake for about 15-20 minutes. Make sure not to OVERBAKE or you won't have the lava effect.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar & serve with any extra puree if you wish. For an extra treat, top with some dipped strawberries.
Cream puffs start with choux pastry, a heady mixture of butter, milk, water, eggs & flour. When you combine these ingredients, they become so dense and sticky that it seems impossible they’ll come together as soft, puffy, light, tender. Heat is what initiates the expansion of the dense paste. Steam from the milk and water expands the pastry’s edges, puffing up its capacity until the oven heat provides just enough crispness and structure to hold the puffs’ boundaries. A cream puff expands so dramatically in the oven that it creates a cavern inside to hold any number of things—whipped cream, pastry cream, ice cream or savory fillings.
Cream puff pastry (or choux pastry) is the base for profiteroles (smaller puffs filled with ice cream), éclairs (elongated puffs filled with pastry cream and glazed), croquembouche (a tower of cream puffs held together and drizzled with caramel) and savory appetizer puffs called gougeres with cheese and herbs.
Craquelin (pronounced kra-ke-lan) is a thin biscuit layer that can be added over choux pastries before baking them. It is used to create a crackly appearance, crunchy texture and a buttery sweet taste as well as helping the choux pastry bake evenly to form hollow rounds. This topping reminded me of a similar cookie-like topping used on Mexican sweet bread called ‘conchas’. It certainly dresses up ordinary cream puffs.
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Mandarin Orange Cream Puffs w/ Craquelin Topping
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Ingredients
Mandarin Orange Pastry Cream
Ingredients
Mandarin Orange Pastry Cream
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Instructions
Craquelin
In a food processor, process sugar & butter pieces until it forms large crumbs. Add flour, salt & vanilla; process until a dough forms. Bring the dough together to form a disk.
Roll the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/16-inch thickness. Place covered in the freezer for at least an hour then cut the dough into (18) 2-inch circles & keep circles in the freezer until ready to use.
Pastry Cream
In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar & cornstarch until it turns pale yellow. In a saucepan, combine milk & orange zest; bring to a boil. Remove from heat, slowly add the egg mixture a little at a time, whisking well until fully incorporated.
Return mixture to heat & keep whisking over medium heat until it thickens. Stir in orange juice. Transfer to a bowl & cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the surface of the pastry cream. When it comes to room temperature, refrigerate.
When cooled & you are ready to use the pastry cream, whisk with an electric mixer for 15-20 seconds to a smooth texture.
Choux Pastry
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a saucepan, combine milk, water, butter & salt; bring to boiling. Add flour, all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook & stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat & add eggs & egg white, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition.
Place dough in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe (18) 1 1/2-inch circles. Cover each with a frozen craquelin round circle.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden & firm. Transfer to a wire rack & allow to cool.
Assembly
Carefully slice puffs. Fill a pastry bag with mandarin orange pastry cream & gently fill each puff. Place on serving platter & sprinkle with powdered sugar if you wish.
Tarte Soleil or sun tart, is a stunning example of how the simplest recipe can be turned into an artistic creation. I’m forever looking for a new idea to incorporate seafood into our meals. I’ve never been a huge fan of puff pastry but it certainly does have its place. A flour, water and butter based preparation that has a neutral flavor makes puff pastry perfect for either sweet or savory dishes.
You have probably heard the phrase ‘laminated’ dough. This refers to the process of folding butter into dough multiple times to create very thin alternating layers of butter and dough. The gluten in the flour also gets developed during the folding and rolling process. This is unlike other baked goods where butter is creamed in with the sugar and flour. The laminated dough, when baked, results in a pastry with hundreds of flaky, airy layers.
The three original laminated dough’s are puff pastry, croissants and danish. Croissants and danish contain yeast, puff pastry does not. In addition, danish contains egg which the others don’t.
Whether you like this type of pastry or not, there is no denying, it has lent itself to many ‘creations’, giving them a unique taste, that most will enjoy.
With a nice combo of wild salmon and baby scallops inside my sun tart, it was not only a pretty presentation but had a great taste.
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Seafood Tarte Soleil
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Instructions
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In a bowl, combine salmon, scallops (or shrimp), cream, onions, parsley, dill, garlic, pesto, salt & pepper. In another bowl, beat egg white on medium speed until soft peaks form; fold into seafood mixture. Set aside in refrigerator.
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Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit a baking sheet at least 12 X 12-inch in size. Remove 1 sheet of thawed, puff pastry from refrigerator & roll out on 1 of the sheets of parchment to form an 11 1/2-inch square. Using a pot lid or bowl, cut the largest possible circle from the pastry. Transfer the pastry (on parchment) to baking sheet & place in refrigerator. Repeat procedure with the second piece of pastry.
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Remove the first pastry circle from the fridge. Spread the filling mixture on the circle, to within 1/4-1/2-inch of the outer edge. Use a pastry brush to lightly wet the edge of the pastry. Top with the second circle of pastry, using your fingers to lightly press the pastry together.
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Place a 2 1/2-inch diameter glass or jar lid in the center of the pastry. Use a ruler & the tip of a sharp paring knife to score the pastry from the edge of the glass to the outer edge of the pastry at 12, 3, 6 & 9 o'clock. Score each quarter in half, making 2 triangles. You will have 8 triangles when your'e done. Place tart in freezer for NO MORE than 5 minutes before continuing.
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Use a sharp scissors to cut each triangle cleanly along the score lines from the outer edge of the glass. Remove the glass. Place your index finger of your left hand at the top of a triangle (where the glass was). Use your right hand to twist that triangle 3 times. Go around the circle, repeating with each of the remaining triangles. Refrigerate tarte for at least another 5 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 400 F. Prepare egg wash & brush it over the tarte. Bake about 20 minutes. Rotate the tarte 180 degrees & lower the temperature to 375 F. Bake another 10 minutes or until a rich golden brown color. Remove from oven & transfer to serving dish. Nice to serve with a dill cream sauce & fresh steamed broccoli florets.
