Sweet Talking with Fritz Knipschildt of Chocopologie

01 Oct 2012 8 Comments

by georgiecakes in Around Town, Chef, Chocolate, Dessert, Gourmet, Interviews, Sweet Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

One of my favorite guilty pleasures in Fairfield County is Chocopologie, run by master chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt. You would think he was born with an affinity for exotic chocolates. The famous chocolatier has created some of the most surprising flavors and sought after sweets in the nation. The Denmark born native has trained with some of the most prestigious restaurants in Europe and New York City, establishing his roots in Norwalk, CT.

Fritz Knipschildt

Fritz Knipschildt * photo credits Chocopologie

Fritz’s culinary groundwork in mixed food cultures shines through in this Chocolatier’s hand made fine artisan chocolates. While there are plenty of cocoa makers who claim chocolate is an art form, Fritz turns his chocolates into fine art. Like his line of truffles, inspired by an intoxicating palette of sweet and savory chocolates that are filled with a surprising combination of herbs and spices. Each creation shares a captivating name to compliment each truffle flavor, like the coconut truffle -Helena, a real blond who loves the Caribbean. Burnt caramel with sea salt truffle – Hannah, take a dip with this Hawaiian beauty. Mocha nougatine truffle – Carrie, rough features, but a great experience.

Knipschildt Chocopologie Rosewater, Tangerine, Egg Truffle

Knipschildt Chocopologie Rosewater, Tangerine, Egg Truffle
* photo credits Chocopologie

Equally yoked are Fritz’s delicious array of sauces and syrups to inspire your next dish. Stirring up flavors like passion fruit with ginger, grapefruit paired with rosemary and spicy chili chocolate sauce. Housing traditional favorites like cream brûlée and walnuts in red wine (Noix au Bordeaux). I can see myself drizzling these onto everything!  I’m guilty of eating these straight from the jar.

Knipschildt Assorted Chocolates

Knipschildt Assorted Chocolates
* photo credits Chocopologie

I had a chance to sit down and sweet talk with Fritz and ask him a few questions about growing up cultured in food, chocolate and his life today.

GC: Tell us what inspired you to become a Chocolatier?

FK: I would have to say that my love of food started at a young age. I was very fortunate to have parents that took my sisters and I on many trips throughout Europe where we were exposed to all different types of food at a very early age. My parents loved food and to travel. My father’s side of the family are all artists and my mother’s side of the family are all entrepreneurs. I guess a little bit of both rubbed off on me as I’m creative with food, but also interested in business. I began flourishing in the restaurant industry, and at the same time, the chocolate industry was going through a radical transformation. We had access to the best raw chocolate and incredibly fresh ingredients. This was heaven for a young creative chef and I absorbed it all and pursued my dream.

 GC: Many of the chocolates you create are named after women, why?

FK: Each chocolate truffle features a women’s name and narrative of her personality. I thought personalizing them was unique, fun and enticing as the chocolates themselves.

GC: Your chocolates have unique flavor pairings, are these inspired by other cuisines?

FK: I loved to experiment with sweet & savory flavors and I continued to do so with chocolate. At that time, I moved to the USA as a private chef cooking for a famous clientele.  After which I was sponsored by a French restaurant in New York. People were truly stunned when they tasted the infusions of chocolate and spices. They thought I was crazy, but as they tasted the chocolates, they soon realized that these combinations were true matches in heaven. It felt good to be a pioneer in the modern chocolate making and bring new spicy sweet experiences to people.

GC: What is the one ingredient you can’t live without?

FK: Elderflower! I Love elderflower, I use it to make savory dishes, sweets, chocolates, and frosting.

GC: What’s your idea of the perfect meal?

FK: In a perfect world, it would be what’s around us, preferably everything local and whats in season and super fresh, where the flavors are embraced and sustainable. I’m a foodie, I love good food.  I have a large farm table in my dinning room where I invite family and friends. It’s where I feel the most comfortable cooking and entertaining.

GC: If you could invite anyone over for dinner, who would it be?

FK: My Grandmother and Grandfather, I would love to have them live in this day and age where they could experience everything as I do.  It would great to share my life with them today, I learned so much from both of them, through travel, food and a great set of morals and values they instilled in me.

GC: What’s your favorite thing about the Norwalk and the New Haven Café’s?

FK: Norwalk & New Haven are both fun and exciting towns, they both have an urban feel, much like New York City and Europe, it’s what drew me here in the first place. It’s the right fit for Chocopologie.

GC: Any words of advice for someone aspiring to become a Chocolatier?

FK: Keep it simple, don’t follow the masses, create your own style and follow your dream.

Chocopologie Scenery

Chocopologie Scenery * photo credit Georgiecakes

Upon entering this chocolatiers cafe, you’re greeted with a bohemian chic decor of burlap covered chairs, a large farm table, additional ottoman seating, vintage tables and rustic antiques cabinets. Take a few more steps further into the cafe you’ll find yourself walking down a long corridor lined with farm style viewing windows into the kitchen. Here you watch pastry chefs and candy makers whip, mix, fold, pour and mold the decadent chocolates.

You quickly find yourself inhaling that sweet seducing scent of chocolate, making you forget everything else around you.  Fritz believes that to make great chocolates you must first start with the best and freshest ingredients you can find locally or from around the world.  It’s no wonder Chocopologie is considered one of the best chocolatiers in the country. Don’t take my word for it; try one and you’ll become a believer, too.

Chocolate Truffle Heaven

Chocolate Truffle Heaven * photo credit Georgiecakes

The quality doesn’t end with the chocolate. You can see the special care and beauty reflective in the packaging as well.  Chocopologie is also know for perhaps the most expensive piece of chocolate in the world, La Madeline Au Truffle,  for a price of $250 a truffle. The truffle is made with a dark 70% Valrhona cacao, creamy ganache filling, drizzled with a French black truffle oil and dusted with cocoa.  If you find yourself inclined to try this luscious truffle it’s available on a pre-order basis.

Chocopologie Signature Box

Chocopologie Signature Box
* photo credit Chocopologie

Chocopologie provides pastries, chocolates and sauces to some of the best known restaurants and retailers in CT and NYC, so you may have experienced some of their delicious desserts beyond their local Cafés. Fritz gifted me with his signature box of chocolates (the box shown above). Luscious truffles filled with rosewater, balsamic, pomegranate, raspberry, lavender, tangerine, chili, mocha and caramel flavors. Please don’t ask me how long they lasted. I can tell you they were all delicious!

Chocopologie Mint, Mocha and Caramel Bars

Chocopologie Mint, Mocha and Caramel Bars
* photo credit Chocopologie

Chocopologie SONO Café serves a full lunch, dinner and weekend brunch menu and of course their amazing selection of desserts, as well as a bar menu.  While Chef Fritz Knipschildt is enjoying great success with his Cafés in SONO and New Haven, he will be adding another location to his culinary empire in downtown Stamford.  Keep a look out for the opening this fall.  If your interested in learning how to make chocolate, Chocopologie offers classes (call for itinerary.)

Chocopologie South Norwalk, 12 South Main Street
, Norwalk, CT Phone: 203-854-4754 (map)  or  Chocopologie New Haven, 47 High Street, New Haven, CT  Phone: 203-786-5000 (map)

Blueberry Thyme and Strawberry Brandy Phyllo Pies

20 Jun 2012 16 Comments

by georgiecakes in Dessert, Gourmet, Pie, Sweet Tags: , , , , , , ,

It’s the first day of summer, hooray! It’s also Pie Party today where the food blogging community shares delicious pies with each other. I feel fortunate to have met so many wonderful people through the blogging community.  Pull up a chair, grab a spoon or fork and dig in!

Blueberry Thyme & Strawberry Phyllo Pie Bites

Here’s what you’ll need…

Blueberry Thyme Pie Filling

1 pint blueberries

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon

1 tablespoon honey

3 springs of thyme

Make a simple syrup by combining the water, sugar, honey and lemon in a saucepan. Heat on stove top on medium heat until you reach a boil, then add the fresh thyme, remove from heat, set aside and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.  Return syrup to stove top, add blueberries and simmer on low heat for one hour, until blueberries have reached a jam consistency.

Blueberry & Strawberry Phyllo Pie

Strawberry Brandy Pie Filling

1 pint of strawberries (sliced thin)

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons of brandy

3 tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat oven for roasting the strawberries to 350 degrees.

In a bowl combine strawberries, balsamic vinegar, brandy and sugar mixing well until strawberries are completely coated.  Spread the strawberries onto a cookie sheet evenly. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes, remove and let cool to room temperature.

Mini Phyllo Shells

2 packages of Athens mini fillo shells (15 per package)

I have never made phyllo dough from scratch, though I would love too someday. For this recipe I used pre-baked phyllo shells, prepare per package instructions. Once the phyllo shells have thawed, line a cookie sheet with 30 phyllo shells, filling 15 shells each with strawberry and blueberry pie filling, then bake for 12 minutes.

Here Comes the Pie

Very Vanilla Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoon raw sugar

2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, with an electric blender or by hand whip the the heavy cream until soft peaks are reached.  Scoop a tablespoon onto each strawberry and blueberry phyllo pie.  Serve immediately!

Blueberry Thyme Phyllo Pie

Happy Summer!  Pie Party 2012 is on Facebook swing by and check out all the other fantastic pies at this event!

Greek Walnut Sponge Cake: Karithopita

13 Jun 2012 14 Comments

by georgiecakes in Bake, Cake, Dessert, Gourmet, Greek Dishes, Sweet Tags: , , , , , ,

This walnut sponge cake takes me back to some of the fondest memories of my youth. My mother would make this cake on special occasions, birthdays, holidays and when we had visitors… though not as often as I would have liked her too.

It’s got many of the same ingredients you’ll find in Greek rich pastries, like baklava and melomakarona, made with cinnamon, cloves and walnuts but in a delicious sponge cake. Once I moved to New England I began making the cake myself, because my mother didn’t live near by for me to coax her into making.

I crave this cake, it’s so good. So good I have a “sweet crawl” ritual where I cruise to Astoria’s best Greek bakeries just to get my fix. Each of these Greek bakeries makes there own version of the walnut sponge cake, but I’m currently hooked on Martha’s Country Bakery adaptation, with very close runners up at Artopolis and Omonia Cafe.  It’s worth a visit and I’m so sure you’ll find something to satisfy your sweet cravings too.

Recently I attended a family picnic in Brooklyn and I was introduced to a new version of this old classic.   This particular recipe of the walnut sponge cake had the classic spicy, spongy and nutty texture, but there was something else, another layer of crunchiness that pushed your taste buds over the edge.   To my surprise it was the bread crumbs, really. You’ve got to try this… at least once.

Karithopita: Greek Walnut Sponge Cake

Here’s what you’ll need: I used a 12″ x 2″ round pan, yields 24 pieces

Walnut Cake:

8 medium eggs (both the yolks and egg whites are used in separate steps in directions)

2 cups chopped walnuts

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cups sugar

1 cup plain bread crumbs (I used Melba toast and ground it up in the food processor)

1/4 cup brandy

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon clove powder

3 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Syrup:

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

Juice of one lemon

1 cinnamon stick

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place rack in center position.

In a bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the sugar, the egg yolks and both canola and olive oils on medium speed for five minutes. Add the bread crumbs brandy, cinnamon, clove and vanilla and mix on low speed for one minute.

In a separate bowl gently beat the egg whites with a hand whisk, add the flour, baking powder and walnuts and mix gently.  Add the flour and egg white mixture to the sugar and egg yolk mixture and blend in the electric mixer blend for one minute.

Pour into a cake pan and bake for 50 minutes. The cake is done when golden brown in color, or insert a toothpick into the center of the cake,  when the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 1 hour.

For the Syrup:

In a large saucepan combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the cinnamon stick and lemon juice, let simmer for 10 – 12  minutes, until syrup is heavy and thick. Remove from heat, set aside until ready to use.

Score the cake into diamond shapes, cutting with a sharp knife vertically, then horizontally, making sure the knife cuts all the way down through the very bottom of the cake.

Pour syrup with a ladle onto cake making sure to pour in between slices so cake absorbs the syrup.  Allow to soak for several hours or overnight. This cake taste best the next day after the flavors have had a chance to soak in and compliment one another.

I never thought I could fall deeper into love with something I already adored, but it happened. This is my new favorite Greek dessert at the moment. I hope you decide try it too.

* Another inspiration for making this dessert was that the really kind folks at California Walnuts sent me a free bag of Walnuts in the mail. All the opinions here are my own. I think California Walnuts are super tasty and really fresh!

I Scream for Ice Cream Love

03 Jun 2012 19 Comments

by georgiecakes in Bloghop Love, Dessert, Ice Cream, Sweet Tags: , , , , , , ,

Today’s my Birthday!

I want to celebrate!

I’m keeping this real simple.

I made 3 types of homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker.

A watermelon pomegranate popsicle, a thyme flavored snow cone “snocone”and a sweet basil infused roasted strawberry ice cream.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Watermelon & Pomegranate Popsicle: makes twelve – 1/4 cup popsicles

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons honey

3 cups watermelon ( cut into 1 inch cubes)

1 pomegranate (cut in half and separate seeds) yields approximately 1/4 cup

Make a simple syrup with the water, sugar and honey by combining into a saucepan, heat on stove top until you reach a boil, remove from heat, set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.   Once the simple syrup has cooled, place in a blender along with the watermelon and pomegranate, pureeing until smooth. Strain into a large measuring cup to remove any seeds and pits. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze overnight.

Thyme Dream Snocone (recipe adapted from Handsome Dan’s Snocone and Candy Stand)  makes five – 2 cup snow cones

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1 bunch of thyme ( approximately 10 sprigs)

1/4 cup condensed milk

5 Cups of shaved ice (I used a blender and blended ice cubes into crushed ice)

Make a simple syrup with the water, sugar and honey by combining into a saucepan, heat on stove top until you reach a boil, remove from heat, add the fresh thyme, set aside and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, pour the syrup through a mesh strainer into a glass measuring cup, add the condensed milk and mix with a whisk.

Fill the snocone cups with shaved or crushed ice, pour 1/3 cup of simple syrup and condensed milk mixture over ice.  Serve immediately!  Thanks for sharing, Handsome Dan!

Sweet Basil Infused Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream (recipe inspired by the talented Brian Samuels over at A Thought For Food)

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1 bunch of sweet basil ( approximately 1/2 cup)

1 cup of strawberries ( sliced thin)

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of brandy

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cups condensed milk

Preheat oven for roasting the strawberries to 350 degrees.

Make a simple syrup with the water, sugar and honey by combining into a saucepan, heat on stove top until you reach a boil, remove from heat, add the fresh sweet basil, set aside and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, pour the syrup through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

Place sliced strawberries on a cookie sheet, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and brandy, mix well.  Spread evenly on the cookie sheet. Place in oven and roast for 30 minutes, remove and let cool to room temperature. Strain strawberries through a mesh sieve, using the back of a wooden spoon , press the berries through the sieve, leaving the pulp and seeds behind. Scrape any purée clinging to the bottom of the sieve, and then add to electric mixer bowl.

Add the cooled simple syrup to strawberries in the electric mixer bowl, add the heavy cream and condensed milk, whip on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a freezer safe covered container, cover the top of ice cream with plastic wrap removing any air bubbles as best as you can, cover with lid and freeze overnight.

I’m part of bloghop, where the food blog community connects with other blogs to share recipes and spread the love. This month, June is #icecreamlove month!

You’re more than welcome to join us in #icecreamlove fun by simply adding your recipe at the end of this bloghop! Be sure to link back to this post, so that your readers know to stop by the #berrylove event! The twitter hashtag is #icecreamlove  – Have Fun!

Powered by Linky Tools Click here to enter Ice Cream Bloghop

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The Art of Tableware at Juliska (plus a Giveaway)

30 May 2012 22 Comments

by georgiecakes in Around Town, Holiday, Interviews, What I think... Tags: , , ,

The Winner of the Juliska Country Estate Hostess Tray is….

Theresa: Madeleine cookies…yum!!

Please email Georgiecakes (at) gmail (dot) com – to claim your prize.

I have been blessed to have traveled to many beautiful places in my life, along the way visiting exquisite stores and exclusive antique shops.

Here is where my infatuation began with vintage fabrics, plates and glassware.

Over the years, I have cultivated my obsession for delicate and beautiful glassware, especially Depression glass, creating an eclectic collection of my own.

These pieces have helped spark my curiosity for the arts.  It’s the inspiration for this interview and the art of making gorgeous tableware.

Juliska’s journey started with Cupucine’s love for design, and husband David Gooding’s family legacy of importing fine European goods.  The coupling of these two talents has produced some of the most sought after pieces in glassware, ceramics, linens, lighting and flatware.

The couple, staying true to the traditional art form and historically accurate process in creating their exclusive pieces, uses tools and trades dating back several centuries.  The unique glassware that Juliska is so well known for is mouth blown by master glass blowers in the Czech Republic who have perfected this art form, passing the legacy down through many generations.

The stunning ceramics and stoneware designed by Juliska’s team are created using multicast molds, followed by an extensive finishing process using transparent glass and special patina brushing, giving each piece a rich texture and rustic look.

All the signature collections, like the Barry & Thread, Jardins Du Monde, Country Estate, Pewter Stoneware and Petite Singe are created using a vitrified process making each piece restaurant grade and are able to go straight from freezer to oven up to 500 degrees. They are also dishwasher and microwave safe.

I am fortunate to live near the beautiful Juliska flagship store in Stamford, CT , which has given me the opportunity to interview Design Director, Capucine De Wulf.

GC: Please give us a brief bio, where you are from and how you started Juliska?

CDW: I was born in Paris France, raised in the US with dual French and US cultural influences. I studied modern dance, political science and public relations at SMU in Texas before moving to NY to marry my fabulous husband. Shortly after, I launched my own fashion label, Capucine De Wulf, a limited collection of luxury dresses which I closed a few years later in order to take the helm as Juliska Design Director. 3 darling daughters and 11 years later, Juliska is thriving!

GC: When did you first discover you wanted to open Juliska?

CDW: David and I were traveling in Paris and discovered the beautiful Bohemian Glassware which became the foundation of the Juliska brand we have today. We felt instantly that the glassware was the beginning of something special and conspired to launch a full brand. We spent many long nights by the fire conjuring up extensive collections of bohemian inspired glassware and ceramics and home accents. Our idea was to create an aesthetic fusion of European and American artisanal inspired influences and marry it with the needed functionality of today’s lifestyle. It is with joie-de-vivre that we endeavor to create useful and beautiful things that beckon to you without words and reflect who you are. These are the things worth having and giving. We endeavor to create a new generation of uncommonly beautiful classics.

GC: Could you tell us about some of your design work?

CDW: We have the wonderful privilege to work with highly skilled artisans such as our Glass Masters in The Czech republic who blow our glassware and our Ceramic Technicians and model makers who craft our ceramics. This is an amazing experience because you are surrounded by talented people, who make beautiful things, and are constantly learning and creating. When we are at work, my design team and I are constantly looking for ways to be innovative and push boundaries.

GC: How do you describe your style?

CDW: I believe Style is the art of curating a collection of meaningful objects that speak to the fibers of your soul and reflect your own unique spirit. I am just as happy in black tie as I am barefoot. I love a good Scottish kilt as much as I love a Balinese ikat sarong – which both look great with a white t-shirt! The mix of the different influences is evident in our Juliska collections – spanning exotic Classic Bamboo to Masculine Pewter Ceramics to our romantic ‘toilesque’ Country Estate pattern.

GC: What’s your favorite piece?

CDW: I have a new favorite with each season. At the moment, my favorite is our new stemless Amalia wine glasses. They are divine to drink from and I have juice in them every morning.

GC: If you could apprentice with any artist, who would that be?

CDW: Great Question – I suppose it depends on what you consider Art – but if I could choose one person to learn from – I think it would be Alexander McQueen. He had such a unique and wildly creative perspective.

GC: Describe Juliska in 5 words.

CDW: Uncommon Classics & Joive de vivre!

GC: Lastly, any words of advice for aspiring artists?

CDW: Whatever you aspire to do – do it with happiness, humility and originality.

When you visit Juliska be sure to swing by the cafe for lunch or have one of their delicious desserts and an espresso.  There’s also a candy bar station where you can purchase candy by the pound and serve on your new tableware. Speaking of sweet deals, their wholesale shop, Barry & Fred is right across the parking lot for those on a budget.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE beautiful tableware, especially this Juliska “Country Estate” collection, so I’m hosting a giveaway!

One Lucky winner will receive this beautiful Country Estate Hostess Tray

The Rules:

One entry per person, please.

U.S. Residents only.

Here’s how you enter to for a chance to win:

Answer the following question in the comments section of this post.

“What would you serve on this Country Estate Hostess Tray?”

The winner will be selected at random and announced on the evening of June 4th.

Have fun & Good luck!

* Disclaimer: The wonderful team at Juliska provided me with a free sample of Country Estate Hostess Tray for the giveaway. All the opinions here are my own. I think Juliska tableware is gorgeous!

Juliska – “possibly the most beautiful tableware in the world”

A Director and a Cake

10 May 2012 9 Comments

by georgiecakes in Cake, Gourmet, Interviews, Sweet, What I think... Tags: , , , , , ,

My first year in Film school I dreamt of working with big directors on big films. My second year in film school I got my first gig as a nightclub videographer. Once I graduated, I worked for a magazine style food show producing infomercials for national products.  My career didn’t quite take the path my wild imagination had planned… dreams of a Hollywood star and a scribbled Emmy speech. Those were good dreams, very good dreams that led me to work with some very talented people.

Steve Procko is one of those people. I had the pleasure of working with Steve who is a very talented Director, Cameraman and Photographer over at Altman Procko some years back. It was one of those rare opportunities where I was mentored by a great team of talented people, and those experiences have impacted my life forever.

I had the good fortune to interview Steve recently… I wanted to share with everyone what a gifted man he is.

Photo Credits: Steve Procko with a ‘Red’ Digital camera and mounted with ‘Kisslight’ ring.

GC: When did you first discover your interest in photography?

SP: I started taking pictures when I was around 10 and one of my buddies Dad set up a darkroom for him in his garage. It expanded from there because I was in journalism starting in eighth grade – It became an extension of my writing as I began working for the local newspaper and then went on to major in Journalism and Broadcasting in college. The photography was always a part of it.

GC: Could you tell us about some of your favorite photography work?

SP: Usually the latest stuff I have done. Once I started shooting commercials, I stopped making stills. So for about 10 years I shot nothing. Then I picked up the camera again around 1990 and started to shoot large format black and white landscapes. When I would travel on commercial jobs, I would haul around a 50 lb backpack with a 4×5 camera, lenses, holders, etc. Now I shoot with a Nikon D7000 and my cel phone! Can’t get the 4×5 film anymore! I like to try and shoot something new on every trip I make.

Photo Credit: Steve Procko – Tree, Jekyll Island, Georgia 2009

GC: You segued from photography to cinematography and then into Directing. What lessons have you learned along the way?

SP: Always stay ahead of the technology curve or you become a dinosaur. And when the latest and greatest economic downturn comes along- reinvent your style.

GC: What art medium do you most identify with, photography or film?

SP: Photography. I like the classic photographers. Edward and Brett Weston, Ruth Bernhardt, Arnold Newman, Ansel Adams, William Garnett. But a couple of contemporary artists I like are Michael Kenna and Annie Liebowitz.

Photo Credits: Steve Procko – Evening Lightning, Melbourne Beach, FL 2011

GK: What’s your favorite movie and why?

SP: No one favorite in particular. I like a wide range of styles – some for technique reasons and others for the entertainment value.

GK: If you could apprentice with any Director, who would that be?

SP: Stanley Kubrick – He had such a varied body of work and really controlled all aspects of his production. Think about it. This is the guy who did Clockwork Orange, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon and Full Metal Jacket! Amazing!

GK: Many of my readers are food bloggers, any words of advice for photographing food?

SP: Yeah, you usually can’t eat the food in the best looking food photography because it’s got all sorts of stuff on it, or is only cooked 20% of what its supposed to be. It’s nuts what you have to do to it to look good. I remember shooting a commercial for McDonald’s and having the stylist cutting each french fry with scissors before frying them – then hand selecting and setting each one in the container with tweezers. It’s usually best to work with a soft source as a main light and edge the item you are photographing with a harder light. I like plain window light sometimes – keep it simple. BTW, I’m a ‘foody’ too – do lots of cooking, love trying new techniques – I have cut sugar completely from my diet so I am always working on ways to create things with healthy replacements. I think the web is a great outlet. Love some of the short videos people are doing on this.

Photo Credits: Steve Procko – Seldon Church Ruins; South Carolina 2008

Like many creative minds, it turns out Steve is a man of many talents. He’s even a great baker, too. Steve’s showing us how he’s reinvented cake with a healthier twist, taking out the guilt and adding great-for-you fruits, agave, spelt and whole wheat flours. I simply couldn’t let him slip away without sharing one of his delicious recipes with us, like this “Whole Wheat Carrot Pineapple Cake”. If he keeps this up we may have to have him back as regular contributor.

Whole Wheat Carrot Pineapple Cake

Description:

Super Moist and delicious carrot cake. You can use spelt, barley and brown rice flour blend as an alternative.

The Cream Cheese Frosting, which is incredible, can be made in minutes and only uses 2/3 cup agave vs. 6 cups of powdered sugar, saving you over 3,000 calories!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups canola oil

1 1/2 cups Agave Nectar

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup unsweetened coconut

2 cups grated carrots

2 cups crushed pineapple (with juice)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 Cup Golden Raisins

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 325°F for 50 – 60 minutes. Let cool and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Easy to make and saves you 3,000 calories over the sugar equivalent and tastes better.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2/3 cup Agave Nectar

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a large bowl and blend until smooth with an electric mixer. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes:

Use as a frosting on carrot cake, chocolate cake, brownies, zucchini bread, banana bread, etc.

Thanks, Steve!  There’s one more thing I want to leave you with…  A short film by Steve: Vote Early, Vote Often. Enjoy!

Chicken Marsala with Morels and Wild Rice

26 Apr 2012 2 Comments

by georgiecakes in Contest, Gourmet, Italian Dishes, Main Dish Tags: , , , , , ,

I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and doing something very different than my usual sweet posts.

I’ve entered a contest at Marx Foods. It’s The 4th Annual Blogger Morel Recipe Challenge. You can vote for my recipe there.

It all started when the talented Marnley at Cooking with Books posted the challenge on Facebook.  I remember voting for fellow bloggers in their past events.

The wild edibles didn’t take long to persuade me to join in on the fun. As nervous as I was, I had faith that I could create something wonderful.

They are morels after all, they’re delicious any way you cook them.

In thinking of the many ways I could prepare these luscious morels, I kept returning to one of my favorite mushrooms dishes, Chicken Marsala.  I wanted to make the dish lighter and fresher, the flavors of the morel and Marsala would do all the talking themselves. Unlike some traditional recipes that call for a heavy breading then deep frying, I went with a creamy light sauce, fresh chicken and the fragrant morels.  Here’s what I came up with and I hope you enjoy them too.

Here’s what you’ll need…

2 chicken breast filets (pounded thin)

2 ounces dried morel mushrooms

2 garlic gloves (pressed)

1 medium shallot (chopped fine)

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup dry Marsala wine

1 cup water

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup wild rice

1/4 cup brown rice

Reconstituting the morel mushrooms:

Using a heat safe bowl, place the dried morel mushrooms inside. Add 1 cup of warm chicken stock and 1 cup of Marsala wine, covering the morel mushrooms completely. Allow to sit for 1 1/2 hour. Strain the mushrooms and place in a bowl, setting aside for later use.  Reserve the stock and wine mixture for making rice and sauce.

For the Rice:

On medium high heat, in a saucepan, add 1 cup of the reserve stock and wine mixture, 1 cup of water and a tablespoon of butter, bring to a boil.  Add the rice, both the 3/4 cup brown and 1/4 cup wild, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

Saute the morel mushrooms:

Cut the mushrooms into small julienne strips. In a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of butter, shallot and garlic, sauteing for 2 minutes.  Add the morel mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Remove the morel mushrooms from the pan and place on a plate, set aside.

For the Chicken:

Using the same pan on medium heat, add the chicken breast and cook for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, remove from pan and set aside. Return pan with drippings to heat, add remaining cup of morel and wine stock and deglaze the pan .  Add the heavy cream and simmer on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Add chicken and the morels mushrooms, simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and plate by adding a 1/4 cup of wild rice in the center, layering chicken with morel mushrooms and sauce. Serve immediately.

* Disclaimer: The kind folks at Marx Foods provided me with a free sample of this product to enter their recipe challenge.  All the opinions here are my own. I think Marx Foods is super delicious!

WINNER Update! Whip it Good Body Butter and an Earth Day Giveaway

20 Apr 2012 22 Comments

by georgiecakes in Giveaway, Handmade, Healthy, What I think... Tags: , , , ,

The winner of the Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil is…. drum roll please.

Nomnivorous – Congratulations!

As much as I love living in New England there are some things I miss about living in Florida. Great moisturized skin being one of them. The humidity does the body good. Wondrous good. I don’t remember ever having dry flaky skin, until I moved here. The winter months are incredibly harsh on my skin, not to mention the environmental toxins. I spend every winter re-hydrating with a plethora of lotions to cure my ailment, while clinging to that old “Hope in a Jar” theory.

Well, I think I’ve found it. My very own “Hope in Jar”. In this jar!

Growing up in South Florida you would find coconuts in your backyard, on the beach or in your local grocery store. We would chop, drill, shred and sometimes smash the coconut shell on the ground, just to get inside to it’s precious liquid and meat. A staple in many local restaurant menus, served within the main course, with a decadent dessert or as the main ingredient in a shake-your-booty tropical drink. I grew up loving and consuming this nourishing fruit.

I had never thought of putting coconut oil on my skin. Even knowing the healing properties in this magical fruit have been around for centuries, it’s only recently that I have begun to apply the raw unrefined coconut oil to my skin as a super moisturizer.

Although, I did find the coconut oil was a little to greasy for my liking, so I began testing ways to make my very own body butter and I am grateful I did.

I made the initial base of whipped body butter, then adding in the essential oils for fragrance. Making 3 separate body butters, by mixing into each separate batch, a tablespoon of rosewater, a tablespoon of orange and tablespoon of lavender into the base formula.

Whip it Good Body Butter (the base)

Here’s what you ‘ll need:

2 cups raw unrefined coconut oil (I used Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil)

1/3 cup raw unrefined shea butter (chopped into small 1/2 inch pieces)

1 tablespoon vitamin E oil

1 tablespoon sweet almond

*Add 1 tablespoon of your favorite oil to the whipped body butter for fragrance (examples: rosewater, orange, lavender)

In a small saucepan, melt the shea butter, set aside and allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. In an electric mixer, add the coconut oil, shea butter, vitamin e, sweet almond oil and whip for 8 minutes. Add essential oils and whip for another 2 minutes. Place in clean jar. Keep in a cool place.

I plan on making some these coconut recipes next time!

In honor of Earth Day and to celebrate how grateful I am for our beautiful planet and the awesome fruits she provides us with, I’m hosting a giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a jar of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil.

The Rules:

U.S. & Canadian Residents only.

To enter, please subscribe to Tropical Traditions newsletter and leave a comment letting me know that you did. You can enter for an additional chance to win by leaving a comment on something wonderful that you’ve discovered recently.

One winner will be selected at random and announced on the evening of Wednesday, April 25th.

* Disclaimer: The kind folks at Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review and giveaway. All the opinions here are my own. I think this product rocks!

A Taste of Wave Hill Breads

15 Apr 2012 4 Comments

by georgiecakes in Around Town, Bake, Gourmet, Interviews, Photography, Serendipitous Adventures Tags: , , ,

Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography

The first time my lips locked onto the crispy crust, teeth sinking into the pillowy like pain de campagne bread loaf, I melted like butter on warm bread. How’s that for an up close and personal introduction to Wave Hill Breads.

Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography

Many Connecticut locals are familiar with these iconic bread makers, whether they’ve stumbled upon them through the local farmers market, or sampled then quickly purchased a loaf at Whole Foods Market, or were regulars from their previous location in Wilton. There’s no denying the constant craving you’ll develop for this delicious carbohydrate. All the breads are handmade by the traditional techniques in small-batches that are long-fermented and blended with wheat, spelt and organic rye flours. It’s the inspiration that has driven the talented duo Margaret Sapir and Mitch Rapoport to begin making bread.

Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography

With the opening of their new location at 30 High Street in Norwalk, Connecticut and the growing appetite for their artisanal fare, they’ve added two new and impressive culinary talents. Seasoning the café menu with his culinary talents is Mike Devlin, (formerly Executive Pastry Chef at Universal Studios and the Dressing Room) who also manages the catering. While pastry chef Matt Kirshner, (formerly at The Essex House Hotel and Russian Tea Room in NYC), creates visions of the most exquisite sweets.

Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography

I spent the afternoon at the new café with my in-laws, eating and sampling much of the menu. We lunched on Leek, Potato and Ham Soup, coupled with several sandwiches that were piled high, like the Tuna with Capers and Lemony Fennel layered atop of Multigrain Bread, a Grilled Poblano with Cheese on Three Grain French Bread, and a Smoked Turkey, Avocado and Bacon on a Bun with Balsamic Caramelized Onions. Our lunch was pure heaven. We sampled Bread Pudding, Almond and Chocolate Croissants and stocked up on bread, desserts and the French Energy Muffins to fill our pantries at home. I personally devoured the Triple–Nut Glazed Brownie, though I recommend buying two, you may, like me be eating one for dinner as well. Though, the Coconut Meringue Clouds are quite dreamy, too.

Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography

While we were lunching I had the pleasure of getting to know Margaret, which is what inspired this interview today…

GC: Give us a brief bio, where you are from and how you started Wave Hill Breads?

WHB: My husband and I were in Stowe, Vermont having dinner at the Blue Moon Cafe about 10 years ago and loved their bread. We found out where we could buy it in the area and did so for a year or so. Then, we tracked down the baker, Gerard Rubaud, and visited him in the middle of the night, when he came down from his apartment above the bakery to begin baking. We talked a long time about bread, baking, philosophy of baking bread… Soon after, we trained with him. We went to Vermont, sometimes with our middle school-aged son, to learn from scratch the steps to making traditional French bread. We would then go home and practice until the next session, often calling with questions in between. When we were making consistently good loaves, we brought them to nearby stores to see if they would carry our bread. The Village Market in Wilton and other stores wanted it immediately. (That was the extent of our market research, perhaps a thin sampling for two MBAs.) We set about to find a location. It wasn’t easy. Ridgefield Health Department wouldn’t let us use wooden implements, which we had been trained to use – wooden proofing boards and wooden cooling racks. Our home is in Wilton and we were lucky to find a place there. By the way, the name “Wave Hill Breads” comes from Wave Hill, a botanical garden in The Bronx, on the Hudson River, (in Riverdale) where my husband and I were married over 30 years ago.

GC: What inspired you to open a Bakery?

WHB: My husband wanted his own business and we thought that Fairfield County needed good, French bread. After five years of making only one type of dough, we are now making several excellent varieties. We deliver to around 17 restaurants and 30 stores and participate in 20 farmers’ markets in New York and Connecticut. We recently opened our Bakery Cafe and Local Food Market.

GC: What’s your idea of the perfect meal?

WHB: I like variety and foods from many cultures like, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, Indian… as well as a Wave Hill Breads baguette with some great cheese. I’ll never turn down good pasta dish, of course.

GC: If you could apprentice with any baker, who would that be?

WHB: I am very glad we apprenticed with Gerard Rubaud. I never really had a mentor in all my years in business and now I feel I do. In addition to being a meticulous baker, he has a lot of business experience. (He ran Roussignol Skis in the U.S. for many years and has the tenacity of the athlete he was.)

GC: Describe Wave Hill Breads in 5 words?

WHB: Excellence, great team, enthusiastic fans.

GC: Lastly, any words of advice for aspiring bakers?

WHB: In order to be successful, you have to make the best product you can. With bread, it’s not just the recipe, but also the time, the temperature, and the touch. It’s a challenge to make a business out of the art and science of making bread. You have to think about the costs of production, and the timing, and distribution. We are now running several businesses at once: wholesale bread and pastries, retail bread and pastries, cafe (with soups, salads, sandwiches, pizzas). Our challenge is to market each business successfully.

Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography

The secret is out… I think Wave Hill Breads is the next best thing since sliced bread.

To find out hours of operation, rotating menu selection and catering needs visit the website at Wave Hill Breads 30 High Street, Norwalk, CT (203) 762 9595

A great big Thank you to Pamela Einarsen who is a fine art portrait photographer that seeks to capture the essence of a person and their places. You can see the more of her collection on Wave Hill Bread: A Slice of Life at Pamela’s site.

Pavlova with Orange Curd & Chocolate Pistachio Crumble Topping

06 Apr 2012 11 Comments

by georgiecakes in Dessert, Gourmet, Holiday, Sweet Tags: , , , ,

When I think of spring I think of days getting longer, sunshine, crisp cool air, flowers blooming, trees budding and babies.

Happy Easter & Passover

A poem to welcome spring…

“O, how this spring of love resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day;
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away.” ~ William Shakespeare

Pavlova with Orange Curd & Chocolate Pistachio Crumble Topping

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Meringue:

5 large egg whites, room temperature – (save the yolks for the orange curd)
Pinch of cream of tartar
3/4 cup granulated sugar

For the Orange Curd:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
8 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons of orange zest
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
dash of table salt

For the Chocolate Pistachio Crumble Topping

1/4 cup pistachios, finely chopped
6 ounces dark chocolate

Preparing the Meringue:

It’s traditional to bake meringues at a low temperature to maintain its white color. It’s also recommended to leave overnight in the oven to cool and dry completely.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Taking a piece of parchment paper large enough to line a baking sheet. Trace a 10 inch circle on one side, turnover and place the parchment paper on baking sheet, set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and pinch of tartar on high until soft peak form, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, add granulated sugar in a slow, steady stream and continue to beat on high until peaks are stiff and glossy and the sugar has dissolved. About 5 minutes.

With a spatula, gently shape meringue into a round on the parchment lined sheet, using the circle as the guid; smooth top and slightly concave the center. Bake meringue until outside is dry. About 2 hours. Turn off the oven and let meringue cool completely in the oven, about 5 hours or overnight.

Preparing the Orange Curd:

In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together granulated sugar and egg yolks, and orange zest; whisk in orange and lemon juices and the pinch of salt. Place on medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and small bubbles form around the edge of the pan, about 5 minutes (do not let boil). Immediately remove pan from heat while whisking.

Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing on curd with a rubber spatula. Press plastic wrap against the surface; refrigerate until cool, 30 minutes. May prepare in advanced. Orange curd may be kept up to 2 weeks.

Preparing the Chocolate Pistachio Crumble Topping:

Melt chocolate in a saucepan, add the finely chopped pistachios, once melted remove from heat and pour and spread onto parchment paper, allow to dry and harden. Once dry, take a knife and chop chocolate into rough little pieces.

 

Assembling the Pavlova:

Gently peel the meringue from parchment paper and transfer to dessert platter. Spoon the orange curd in and layer on top, sprinkle chocolate pistachio crumble on top. Serve immediately.

* recipe adapted from Martha Stewart, Everyday, Issue 88

Berrymisu – Berrylove

31 Mar 2012 31 Comments

by georgiecakes in Bloghop Love, Cake, Dessert, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: , , , , , ,

April showers bring May flowers… It’s springtime and the cherry blossoms and magnolia trees have burst into a luscious Monet painting.  All of these brilliants colors of spring are so breathtaking that they have me craving fresh berries… so much so that I couldn’t resist making this berrymisu for spring and for this months berrylove.

Berrymisu

Berrymisu

Berrymisu

Here’s what you’ll need… pastry brush, parchment paper and 9 inch spring form pan

4 cups fresh strawberries, (reserve 6 strawberries for top of cake)

1 cup raspberries

1 cup blueberries

8 ounce package mascarpone cheese

2 cups heavy whipping cream, (reserve 1 tablespoon for raspberries)

1/2 cup honey, (reserve 2 tablespoons for blueberries)

3/4 cups confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon orange zest

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla

3 7 ounce packages of lady fingers biscuits

Strawberry, Blueberry & Raspberry

Strawberry, Blueberry & Raspberry

Preparing Berries:

Slice the strawberries into 1/2 inch pieces. In a large bowl, add the strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate, allow strawberries to marinate for one hour.

In a bowl, add raspberries, one teaspoon of vanilla and 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream, mix gently until completely covered.  Cover and refrigerate, allow raspberries to marinate for one hour.

In a bowl, add blueberries, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, mix well. Cover and refrigerate, allow blueberries to marinate for one hour.

Preparing Berrymisu

Preparing Berrymisu

Preparing Mascarpone & Whipped Cream:

With an electric mixer add the mascarpone cheese, 1 tablespoon vanilla and 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar, beat for 3 minutes.  Place in a separate bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Using the electric mixer again, in a bowl add 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar and beat until soft peaks are reached, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Fold the mascarpone whipped cheese into the whipped cream, mixing gently until fully incorporated. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preparing the Lady Fingers:

In a saucepan on low-medium heat, add 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Allow to simmer until you reach a boil, turn off heat and let stand for five minutes.

Lay the lady fingers on a baking sheet.  With a  pastry brush apply honey orange syrup covering completely. Turn over and brush the other side with syrup.

Berry Cake "Berrymisu"

Berry Cake "Berrymisu"

Assembling the Berrymisu:

* Use a cake serving plate as the base for your Berrymisu and the spring form pan as the mold.

Line the spring form pan with parchment paper. Begin layering lady fingers on the bottom, followed by the sides of the spring form pan. Next, layer a heaping spoonful, about 3/4 cup of mascarpone whipped filling and spread evenly atop of lady fingers. Place a 1/2 cup of strawberries and spread evenly, repeating with one more layer of each.  Add the final layer of mascarpone whipped filling on top, spreading evenly.  Place  the raspberries in the center, followed by blueberries and then finally adding sliced strawberries.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

At first I wasn’t sure about the combination of flavors, with the berries, honey, spices, cream and citrus. But after the first bite, then the second, and the third… I knew instantly it was a perfect layering of flavors.  I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate and welcome spring.

Happy Spring!

* Recipe adapted: Eat Show & Tell

I’m part of bloghop, where the food blog community connects with other blogs to share recipes and spread the love. This month, April is #berrylove month!

You’re more than welcome to join us in #berrylove fun by simply adding your recipe at the end of this bloghop! Be sure to link back to this post, so that your readers know to stop by the #berrylove event! The twitter hashtag is #berrylove – have Fun!

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Baker Street ~ Anuradha ~ @bakerstreet29
Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves ~ Becky Higgins
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Cake Duchess ~ Lora ~ @Cakeduchess
Easily Good Eats ~ Three Cookies
Elephant Eats ~ Amy
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Hobby and More ~ Richa ~ @betit19
Java Cupcake ~ Betsy Eves ~ @JavaCupcake
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Vegan Yack Attack! ~ Jackie ~ @veganyackattack
Vegetarian Mamma ~ Cindy ~ @VegetarianMamma

Wilted Kale with Hummus Dressing

23 Mar 2012 5 Comments

by georgiecakes in Gourmet, Healthy, Main Dish, Salad Tags: , , , ,

One thing I love about spring is that our menu at home gets lighter, brighter and healthier.  It’s not too hot outside and it’s not too cold – it’s just right.  A lot like this wilted Kale and hummus salad, it hits the spot just right!

Here’s what you’ll need: makes 2 servings

3 cups of Kale, chopped (I used Red Kale: Chou Frise Rouge)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of toasted onion herb blend (I used Victoria Gourmet) you can use any flavors you like

6 tablespoons of Hummus salad dressing (I used Trader Joe’s Hummus Salad Dressing)

1/4 cup of kalamata olives

1/4 cup of cheery tomatoes

Clean kale and remove the stems and center ribs and discard.  Cut into 2 inch strips. Place in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and toasted onion herb blend.  Transfer to a large skillet and saute on medium heat for 10 minutes or until kale has wilted.  Remove from heat and allow to reach room temperature.

Once cooled, place a a heaping cupful onto each plate, drizzle with hummus salad dressing, add olives and tomatoes.  Serve as the main dish or as a side with chicken, fish or steak.

Here’s to spring, beautiful weather and getting healthy. Cheers!

Acorn Squash and Leek Galette

18 Mar 2012 5 Comments

by georgiecakes in Appetizers, Bake, Food, Gourmet, Healthy, Main Dish, Pie, Tart Tags: , , , ,

Today I’m guest posting for my friends over at Hello Boutique.  Seeing the new fashion styles at their online store inspired me to put a new spin on my menu.  Like maybe making more of these low calorie galettes for starters.  They will have you ready for spring in no time.


Acorn Squash & Leek Galette

2 butternut squash

1 large leek, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 oz cream cheese

1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt & pepper to taste

9-inch piecrust, store bought is perfect (I used pillsbury pie dough)


Preparing the Acorn Squash:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Cut the acorn squash in half, scoop out seeds. Using 1 tablespoon of butter, dollop into the center of squash, place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil to one side, leaving room for the leeks. Taking the chopped leeks and toss with olive oil, set to the other side of foil lined baking sheet, place in oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes prior to mixing with other ingredients.

While acorn squash and leeks are roasting, roll out the piecrust to fit a rectangular cookie baking sheet, set aside until ready to use.

Mix cream cheese and 3/4 of the shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl. Scoop the acorn squash out, along with the leeks. Combine into the cheese mixture, mix well. Spread evenly over piecrust, leaving a couple of inches along the edges to fold over.  Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown in color. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, slice and serve. Enjoy!

*recipe adapted from Three Many Cooks

Pesto Orange Sables #baketogether

10 Mar 2012 9 Comments

by georgiecakes in #baketogether, Appetizers, Bake, Cookie Tags: , , , , ,

What would the world be like without cookies? I don’t even want to think about it! I love all cookies… soft, chewy, crunchy, sweet and savory. Imagine adding your favorite herb to a cookie.  In this months #baketogether Abby Dodge inspired us to add our favorite flavors to the buttery, flakey biscuit “Sables”.  Like all the recipes in her book, these cookies are easy to make and super delicious.

For those of you who would like to know more about our monthly #baketogether, you can get all the details from our head baker herself, Abby Dodge.  Check out Abby’s site to learn more about the community, recipes and tips for each months baking assignment.

What I like the most about #baketogether is that it’s a creative, fun and made up of a talented group of food bloggers.  Here we gather, engage and share with one another our culinary adventures. I’ve learned so much and I’m grateful for the friendship and support.

The Cookies…

When I attended NYC Cookie Swap fundraiser last year, I made a sweet & savory pesto cookie, the recipe adapted form Grown Up Cookies.  I remembered how good they we’re – more of a sweet cookie then savory.  So for this months #baketogether assignment I was inspired to combine Abby’s sable recipe and the flavors I used in my pesto cookie making a “Pesto Orange Sable Cookie”.   The results… let’s just say… I have me a new cookie crush!

Here’s what you’ll need: Makes 30 Cookies

Pesto Orange Sables

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped fine

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 7 slices, well chilled

1 tablespoon orange juice

2 & 1/2 teaspoons very cold water

To make the dough: ( I followed Abby’s recipe word for word. It’s my first try at the “fraisage” technique and I didn’t want anything getting lost in the translation).

Put the flour, pesto, orange zest, salt and basil (reserve some basil to sprinkle on top of cookies), in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter pieces are slightly larger than pea size, about 10 to 12 pulses depending on your machine. Drizzle the orange juice and water evenly over the flour mixture. Pulse until the dough begins to form moist crumbs that are just beginning to clump together, about 8 or 9 more pulses depending on your machine.

Dump the moist crumbs onto the unfloured counter and gather into a pile. With the heel of your hand, push and gently smear the crumbs away from you until they start to come together in a cohesive dough. Two or three ‘smears’ should do the trick. Using a bench scraper, gather the dough together and turn it about 45 degrees and give it one or two more smears.  Gather the dough together and shape the dough into a 7 1/4-inch long and 2 1/4 -inch wide rectangle using the bench scraper to make the sides nice and straight. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, about 3 hours, or up to 2 days.

Position oven rack to the center and set oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the log into 1/4-inch slices and arrange about 1 inch apart (they don’t spread much at all) on the prepared sheets, sprinkle will reserved basil. Bake until nutty brown around the edges, 16 to 18 minutes. Serve slightly warm or room temperature.

Whatever kind of fete you have in mind, be sure to indulge your guests with these savory scrumptious cookies.  Guaranteed to have everyone singing your praises all night long.

Vanilla Layer Cake with Orange Cream Frosting + The Fairy Hobmother

06 Mar 2012 8 Comments

by georgiecakes in Bake, Cake, Dessert, Gourmet, Serendipitous Adventures, Sweet, Valentine Tags: , , , , ,

You may be wondering what a “Fairy Hobmother” is. If you’re an avid blog reader chances are you’ve stumbled upon her fairy dust someplace online. Recently the “Fairy Hobmother” from Appliances Online cast her wand on me with an Amazon Gift Card. I’m delighted!

The “Fairy Hobmother” found me through a recent post about falling in love: Valentines Day Love Story, inspired by my love and affection for my husband. I’m still as crazy about my husband today, as I was the first day I met him.

This is true… my heart still skips a beat every time I see him. So much so, that I made him this beautiful Vanilla Layer Cake with Orange Frosting to welcome him home from a recent business trip. I missed him!

Vanilla Layer Cake with Orange Cream Frosting  

Here’s what you’ll need: Two 8-inch round cake pans.

Vanilla Layer Cake:

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

6 large egg whites, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes

Orange Cream Frosting:

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure orange extract

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

2 tablespoons heavy cream


Preparing the Vanilla Layer Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cake pans and line with parchment, followed by a dusting of flour.

In a medium bowl combine and lightly beat the egg whites, add the 1/4 cup of milk, the vanilla and almond extract. Set aside until ready to use.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine dry ingredients, cake flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. On low speed mix for 30 seconds. Place the butter in bowl with dry ingredients and blend on low speed for about 30 seconds, then add remaining 3/4 cup of milk, and mix on low speed until all the ingredients are mixed together. Increase to medium speed and mix for 1 1/2 minutes.

Scrape the sides and add the wet ingredients, the egg mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition. Divide the batter in two, spreading evenly into each cake pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when testing the center. Keep an eye on this cake, as it can over-bake. It’s suggested to check cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and once you feel it’s almost ready, set the timer for 2 minute intervals.

Remove cakes from the oven. While still in the pans, place cakes on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from pan, using a spatula to loosen the sides and gently place on wire racks to cool completely.

Preparing the Orange Cream Frosting:

Place sugar, butter, orange extract and vanilla extract in an electric mixer and beat for 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the cream and beat for another 2 minutes.

Frosting and Preparing the Vanilla Cake Layers:

* I made four layers in this cake, cutting both cakes in half.

Put a small dollop of frosting in the center of a dessert plate, and place the bottom cake layer on top.

Place a cup of frosting on top of the cake layer, and spread evenly with a small offset palette knife.  Lay the next cake layer on top of cake, adding anothe heaping scoop of frosting on top, spreading evenly, repeat with each layer of cake.  Frost the top and begin working your way down the sides until you have a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. Chill the cake until the frosting is set, about 30 minutes.

Serve and eat! Jeff and I ate a slice of this cake everyday for a week. I wish I had a slice right now!

Warning: This cake is good. Real good. So good whoever eats it may fall in love with you!

* Recipe adapted from Sweetapolita, Funfetti Layer Cake

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