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!

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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!

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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Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

A Little bit of everything ~ Roxana GreenGirl ~ @RoxanaGreenGirl
Baker Street ~ Anuradha ~ @bakerstreet29
Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves ~ Becky Higgins
BigFatBaker ~ Erin ~ @BigFatBaker
Bon à croquer ~ Valerie ~ @Valouth
Cake Duchess ~ Lora ~ @Cakeduchess
Easily Good Eats ~ Three Cookies
Elephant Eats ~ Amy
GeorgieCakes ~ Georgie ~ @georgiecakes
Hobby and More ~ Richa ~ @betit19
Java Cupcake ~ Betsy Eves ~ @JavaCupcake
Mis Pensamientos ~ Junia ~ @juniakk
No One Likes Crumbley Cookies ~ TR ~ @TRCrumbley
Oh Cake ~ Jessica ~ @jesshose
Queen’s Notebook ~ Elizabeth ~ @Mango_Queen
Rico sin Azúcar ~ Helena ~ @ricosinazucar
Simply Reem ~ Reem ~ @simplyreem
Soni’s Food for Thought ~ Soni ~ @sonisfood
Teaspoon of Spice ~ Deanna ~ @tspbasil
That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!! ~ Liz ~ @Thatskinnychick
The Art of Cooking Real Food ~ Laura ~@TAofCRF
The Wimpy Vegetarian ~ Susan ~ @wimpyvegetarian
Vegan Yack Attack! ~ Jackie ~ @veganyackattack
Vegetarian Mamma ~ Cindy ~ @VegetarianMamma

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

Pear & Ginger Infused Cheesecake

27 Feb 2012 8 Comments

by georgiecakes in #baketogether, Dessert, Gourmet, Italian Dishes, Sweet Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

This months #Baketogether, hosted by the talented and lovely Abby Dodge is cheesecake. A challenge for me… for two reason… I’ve never made a cheesecake and I’ve never been a huge fan of traditional cheesecake.

Pear & Ginger Cheesecake

It’s exactly why #baketogether is so great… you get to put your own spin on the recipe. It took some experimenting until I got the recipe down, but I think you’re going to really enjoy my twist on this cheesecake.

Pear & Ginger Infused Cheesecake

I decided to make a no bake cheesecake – all the way down to the crust. Infused with light flavors of pears, crystalized ginger, pistachios and marscapone cheese… the stars in this fresh and delightful sweet.

Pears, Ginger & Pistachios

This recipe is for a small cheesecake, serves 4

Here’s what you ‘ll need:

3 forelle pears

1/4 cup crystalized ginger

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup water

9 graham crackers

1/4 cup pistachios

3 teaspoons maple syrup

3 tablespoon salted butter, melted

1/2 cup ricotta, (I used sheep milk ricotta it’s thicker like a paste)

3/4 cup marscapone cheese

2 tablespoons of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon orange extract

Sheep Ricotta & Marscapone

For the pears:

Slice off the bottom of each pear just enough so it will stand upright. Peel the entire pear leaving the stem and skin at the top. Place in baking dish, drizzle honey atop of pears, grate 1/2 of the crystallized ginger, (reserve two pieces for filling), drizzle two tablespoons of butter and add water. Simmer for 20 to 30 minute or until cooked through. Set aside and allow to cool until ready to use. Once your pears have cooled slice very thin reserving some slices for decorating the top of the cake.

For the crust:

In a food processor place gram crackers, pistachios and the remaining crystallized ginger,(reserve two pieces for filling) and pulse into fine crumbs. Place the crumbs in a mixing bowl adding 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and the maple syrup, mix until all ingredients are combined.

In a serving bowl, place the crust crumbs inside, pressing with plastic wrap all along the bottom and sides forming your crust. Place the serving bowl with crust in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour. You may prepare the crust a day ahead.

For the filling:

I used a sheep ricotta that did not require draining and was more of a paste consistency – similar to a impastata.  If you can find a ricotta impastata that would be best. If not, drain your ricotta in a sieve or with a cheese cloth to remove excess moisture, allow to drain overnight

In a food processor, place marscapone cheese, ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, two pieces of ginger, orange extract and pulse until all the ingredients are combine. Transfer to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for two minutes. Place filling in a pipping bag and set aside until ready to use.

To assemble cake:

Remove crust from the refrigerator. Taking the filling and pipping into the bottom center, begin working your way up and around the sides and filling the center. Decorate the top with reserved pear slices.

You can serves this right away or refrigerate and serve the next day. My take on a cheesecake, I think I can get used to this and look forward to trying more recipes. Enjoy!

Year of the Dragon Wonton

22 Feb 2012 3 Comments

by georgiecakes in Bake, Dessert, Food Bloggers Events, Gourmet, Healthy, Love My Local, Serendipitous Adventures, Sweet Tags: , , , , ,

The year of the dragon, may it bring you good fortune!

Dragon Wonton

A few weeks ago I attended Chinese New Year Potluck in NYC.   The event was hosted by the talented duo Jackie and Ken , who spared no expense creating fantastic food and decorating the studio with adorable party favors and a Dragon hologram gracing the wall. Very cool. I’m extending a huge thanks of gratitude to our sponsor Tigerbeer who graciously donated the studio space and drinks for this intimate affair.

Pear & Ginger Honey Wonton Napolitano

To attend we all committed to making a dish, this is a potluck after-all. I have to travel a bit when attending gatherings in NYC, so I needed to create something that would travel well; easy to serve and taste mighty good.

Bowl of Fruit

After several attempts at a variety of fruit wontons, I consulted with my eight wise men of  Confucius (below) and arrived with these tasty Dragon Wonton desserts.

Confucius Wise Men

Pear Ginger Honey Wonton Napolitano

Here’s what you’ll need:

3 asian pears

3 forreill pears

2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger root

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 cup water

1/4 cup honey and extra for brushing wonton

1 stick salted butter

14 wonton wraps

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Banana Chocolate Walnut Wonton Stacks

6 bananas

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cloves

3/4 stick butter

Chocolate syrup to drizzle

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped finely

14 wontons wrappers

For the pears:

Slice off the bottom of each pear just enough so it will stand upright. Peel the entire pear leaving the stem and skin at the top. Rub with butter, place in sauces pan, add water, ginger, honey and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, set aside to cool once done.

 For the bananas:

Slice bananas 1/8 inch thick, place in a medium saucepan  along with vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and butter sautee for 10 minutes on low heat, untill banana are tender and cooked.

For the honey baked wontons: 

Cut the wontons diagonally from one corner to the other. Brush with honey and place on a lightly greased baking sheet, bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden in color. (They bake quickly – so keep an eye on them). Remove from oven, allow to cool a few minutes on baking sheet, transfer to wire rack  to cool completely.

Stacking your Pear & Ginger Wontons:

Once the pears have cooked, slice them very thin about 1/8 of inch or thinner.  Begin stacking your fruit wontons placing a honey baked wonton on the first layer, add a slice of asian pear, followed by a slice of forreill pear, add the second layer of honey baked wonton, followed by a slice of asian pear and finally top with forreill pear.  Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Stacking the Banana Chocolate Walnut Wontons:

Begin layering a honey baked wonton, add a layer of bananas – two, sprinkle with chopped walnuts.  Add another layer of honey baked wonton, bananas, chopped walnuts and drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Ginger Pear and Banana Chocolate Walnut Wontons

I had a wonderful time as always catching up with friends, making new ones, and eating some of the most delicious food this side of the east coast. The menu at this affair was amazing! Check out the fabulous blogger’s posts of dishes served and get these tasty recipes for yourself.

  • Jackie - Toasted Black & White Sesame Chocolate Bark and Chocolate Dipped Kumquats
  • Ken - Sesame Gold Nugget and Auspicious Walnut Cookies
  • Kathy - Duck Pancakes
  • Kirsty - homemade Fortune Cookies
  • Kristen - Kung Pao Chicken
  • Dan - Five-Spice Almond Cake
  • Sarah - Chicken Curry
  • Maggy’s - Honey Walnut Shrimp
  • Justin - Philippine Adobo

I regret that I did not take photo’s at Chinese New Year Potluck, I mingled and ate the entire time.  I encourage you to head over to Ken and Jackie’s sites and look through the amazing photo journal of the entire event.  Hope to see you next time!

A Valentine’s Day Love Story

14 Feb 2012 5 Comments

by georgiecakes in Bake, Cookie, Dessert, Gourmet, Sweet, Valentine

I met my husband in the parking lot of a grocery store. I know… how apropos.

Shortbread Buttery Cookie Bars

It was at a Publix grocery store, one of my favorite food stores. I have this slight obsession – I cannot pass by an abandoned grocery cart, I return them to their proper place. Let’s call it love & service and save the term obsession for sweeter things.

You can kind of see where this is going…

I offered my grocery cart to Jeff as he was walking by and well, we’ve been together ever since.

Over the years, Jeff and I have acquired a special kind of love for many many sweets.  Currently at the top of our list is Tate’s Bake Shop cookies. Most of you are familiar with the obvious scrumptious flavors, like their chocolate chip and oatmeal raisins cookies that are full of crunchy goodness. Though, a recent trip to the grocery store unveiled a new flavor.  We fell in love again. The obsession kind of love.  The flavor: shortbread.

It seems we do a lot of falling in love at groccery stores. It also seems impossible to get your fingers, er’… lips on them. A plain crunchy, salty, buttery, shortbread that has you gobbling it up by the package. Did I really admit to that? Well, yes but I shared it with Jeff – so it was totally acceptable!

Buttery Shortbread Cookie Bars (recipe adapted from Tate’s Bake Shop)

Here’s what you’ll need… You can make cookies and cut them out with any cookie cutter, or use a baking pan like I did to make bars. I used a 1/4 sheet pan, 9″X 13″ X 2″.

3 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 cups salted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and cornstarch. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use a paddle attachment to cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until combined . Add salt and vanilla mixing well until combined. Pour in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Your dough should be thick and stiff.

Form the dough into a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured baking dish making it about to 1/4″ thick..

Bake cookies for 25 to 30 minutes. They will start to get golden brown on the side of pan and the top. Allow to rest in baking pan until completely cooled.

I am constantly craving these buttery shortbread crunchy sweets, so much so that I never thought getting these on a regular basis would be difficult, otherwise I would have stashed some away for later.

This new shortbread obsession sent me on a whirlwind search for this perfect cookie. I explored new grocery stores, searched online blogs, reviews of cookie recipes, to finally buying Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook and testing several recipes only find they were very different.

I had fallen deep into “unrequited love”. Shortbread cookie love.

Until recently, in a weekly Tate’s newsletter was the traditional recipe of the month, offering a version of their shortbread cookie. I immediately noticed this recipe was different then any of the others I tried, so I did what any good sugar shortbread cookie obsessed baker would do and made them.

WOW, these are pretty close, tasty and buttery and crunchy and salty and all things good.  They had the consistency and texture that had me falling for them in the first place.

I am happy!

So for today and because it’s Valentines day, I’m sharing this incredibly simply, crunchy, salty, buttery shortbread cookie with you.

I hope they make you happy too!

Chocolate Love: A Wicked Good Brownie

04 Feb 2012 35 Comments

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

Jeff: you put peanut butter in my chocolate?  Georgie: you put chocolate in my peanut butter?

I can honestly say, in an embarrassing kind of way… that I have been known to eat reese’s peanut butter cups at least once a week (sometimes more). I try to stay away from the stuff, well, because it makes a girls hips jiggle.

Chocolate Brownie Cookie & Peanut Butter Frosting

That being said…

I recently picked up a copy of the 10th birthday collector’s edition of Donna Hay magazine. Inside I found an entire section devoted to brownies, and one recipe in particular inspired me to get baking right away… brownie cookies with peanut butter frosting.

Brownie Cookie Mix

These are perfect for #chocolatelove bloghop and as a Valentines day treat. I decided to add another layer of flavor by making maple frosting brownie cookies as well… for those who don’t share in my love in peanut butter or have allergies. This way everyone gets some chocolate love.

Something Wicked Good Comes This Way… Brownie Cookies

All I can say is… hold on tight you’re about to crash into the most luscious, scrumptious wicked chocolate decadence.

Wicked Good Brownie

Here’s what you’ll need: parchment paper, baking sheet, makes 12 saucer cookies.

For the Brownie Cookies

12.5 ounces dark chocolate (chopped) I used milk chocolate :)

2 – 3/4 tablespoons butter (40 grams)

2 eggs

2/3 cup of caster sugar (superfine)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup all purpose flour (sifted)

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

For the Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup confectioners sugar (powder sugar)

5 – 3/4 tablespoons butter (80 grams)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup of heavy cream

For the Maple Frosting

1 cup confectioner’s sugar (powder sugar)

5 – 3/4 tablespoons butter (80 grams)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

2 tablespoons of heavy cream

Preparing the Brownie Cookie

Baking Brownies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

(Please use parchment paper these cookies spread out wide and burn quickly).

Place 8 ounces of chopped chocolate and butter in a saucepan on low heat, stir until smooth and melted. Set aside for later use.

Place eggs, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer and whisk for 15 minutes until pale and creamy. Stir in the flour, baking powder, chocolate mixture and the remaining chocolate and let rest for 10 minutes.

Use a teaspoon – these cookies spread out like saucers. Scoop a teaspoonful of the brownie mixture onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until brownies are puffed and cracked on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool on trays.

Preparing the Peanut Butter Frosting

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

Preparing the Maple Frosting

Place sugar, butter, maple syrup and vanilla bean paste in an electric mixer and beat for 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the cream and beat for another 2 minutes.

Once the brownie cookies have cooled, spread a heaping scoop of frosting onto one cookie and sandwich with another. If you’re like me and love chocolate and peanut butter and maple then you’re gonna want to make a double batch… or hide some for later – they go really – really fast.

Maple & Peanut Butter Frosting Brownie Cookies

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

You’re more than welcome to join us in #chocolatelove 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 #chocolatelove event! The twitter hashtag is #chocolatelove – have Fun!

A Little Bit of Everything ~ Roxana ~ @RoxanaGreenGirl
ASTIG Vegan ~ Richgail ~  @astigvegan
Badger Girl Learns to Cook ~ Kimberly ~ @BdgrGrl
Baker Street ~ Anuradha ~ @bakerstreet29
Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves ~ Becky Higgins
Baking Extravaganza ~ Samantha
BigFatBaker ~ Erin ~ @BigFatBaker
Bon a croquer ~ Valerie ~ @Valouth
CafeTerraBlog ~ Terra ~ @CafeTerraBlog
Cake Duchess ~ Lora ~ @cakeduchess
Cakeballs, Cookies and More ~ Sue
Cooking with Books ~ Marnely ~ @nella22
Creative Cooking Corner ~ Karriann ~ @KarriannGraf
Easily Good Eats ~ Three Cookies
Elephant Eats ~ Amy
Georgiecakes ~ Georgie ~ @georgiecakes
Hobby And More ~ Richa ~ @betit19
Java Cupcake ~ Betsey ~ @JavaCupcake
Kitchen Belleicious ~ Jessica
Mike’s Baking ~ Mike ~ @mikesbaking
Mis Pensamientos ~ Junia ~ @juniakk
No One Likes Crumbley Cookies ~ TR ~ @TRCrumbley
Oh Cake ~ Jessica ~ @jesshose
Preheat the Oven ~ Jason ~ @officialchefjae
Rico sin Azucar ~ Helena ~ @ricosinazucar
Savoring Every Bite ~ Linda ~ @Spicegirlfla
Simply Reem ~ Reem ~ @simplyreem
Smart Food and Fit ~ Lisa ~ @LisaNutrition
Soni’s Food for Thought ~ Soni ~ @sonisfood 
Sprint 2 the Table ~ Laura ~ @Sprint2theTable
Teaspoon of Spice ~ Deanna ~ @tspbasil 
That Skinny Chick Can Bake ~ Liz ~ @Thatskinnychick
The Dusty Baker ~ Jacqueline ~ @dustybakergal
The More Than Occasional Baker ~ Ros ~ @bakingaddict
The Spicy RD ~ EA ~ @thespicyrd 
The Wimpy Vegetarian ~ Susan ~ @wimpyvegetarian
Vegan Yack Attack! ~ Jackie ~ @veganyackattack
Vegetarian Mamma  ~ Cindy ~ @VegetarianMamma
You Made That? ~  Suzanne ~ @YouMadeThatblog

Here is the linky tool to join in on the fun!

Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookies

19 Jan 2012 5 Comments

by georgiecakes in Bake, Bloghop Love, Cookie, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: , , , , , ,

Here is the scrumptious Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookie recipe I promised to post.  I served these with my Orange Peel Sweet of the Spoon dessert and a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream.  These tasty little cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, similar to a granola cookie.  I hope you enjoy them!

Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookies

Here’s what you’ll need…

Makes 20 to 30 cookies

4 tbsp salted butter, melted

1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

1/2 cup oats, chopped

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 tablespoons corn syrup ( I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup)

dash of salt

Preheat oven to 425

Melt the butter in a saucepan, set aside. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios and raw oats into tiny pieces. Combine all ingredients – the butter, sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, orange juice, orange zest, corn syrup and salt into a bowl, mixing until all ingredients are incorporated.

Orange Pistachio Oatmeal Cookie

Using a measuring teaspoon, scoop a spoonful onto a baking sheet, be sure to space several inches apart.  Bake for 6-8 minutes (each oven varies, so keep an eye on them – they bake fast), or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges. Let them cool on a baking sheet.

Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookies & Greek Coffee

Serve with a glass of milk, ice cream or a nice cup of Greek coffee – the way I ate them.

Citrus Love with Orange Peel ‘Sweet of the Spoon’

07 Jan 2012 36 Comments

by georgiecakes in Bloghop Love, Canning, Dessert, Gourmet, Greek Dishes, Sweet Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

As a child I would watch my mother baking in the kitchen, all the while waiting for her to call me over – her “little helper”. How I loved to watch my mother bake, I was amazed as she created works of art. One of my favorite desserts she would make was a sweet of the spoon, in Greece called “γλυκο του κουταλιου”, where she simmered assorted fruit peels into a delectable dessert.

Citrus Love

As a Greek tradition, it is customary to offer this luscious spoon sweet to your guest upon arriving, served alongside water and Greek coffee.  My mother carried this tradition well into my adulthood.  Today for #citruslove I am inviting you into my kitchen and passing along this beautiful tradition, serving you “Gliko Koutaliou Portokali” also known as “Orange Peel Sweet of the Spoon”.

Greek Sweet of the Spoon

Here’s what you’ll need…

Makes 2 – 12 ounce mason jars of sweet preserves

8 navel oranges

2  cups of sugar

1 1/2 cups of water

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

Preparing the orange peel:

Clean by washing and brushing your oranges. Slice and remove the peel in strips, removing all of the oranges external rind using a knife or a peeler.  There’s no need to remove all the pith, keeping some of the pith adds to the flavor.  Continue to cut the orange peel rind into 1/2 inch thin strips – julienne style. (save the inside of the orange for eating, smoothie or juicing).

Preparing Orange Peels

Note: Traditionally in Greece when preserving large strips of fruit peels, like oranges, grapefruits and watermelons, it’s routine to sew and thread the fruit rinds into a circle, similar to the photo below.  I also used a skewer to speed up the process, though this leaves large holes in your fruit.

Threading Orange Peels

Place the peels in a large saucepan with enough cold water, be sure to cover about 2 inches.  The peels will naturally want to float to the top so I placed a dish atop to fully submerge them in the water. Let soak for 12 hours or overnight. You will need to pour the water out, rinse the orange peels and refill saucepan with cold water. Repeat this process approximately every 4 hours.

Drying the Orange Peels

After the peels have soaked, pour out the water, rinse the peels and refill saucepan with water.  Place saucepan on stove at medium high heat and bring to a boil, cooking for 5 minutes from when water begins to boil.  Drain and rinse the peels with cold water.  Repeat boiling and rinsing process two additional times for three minutes each time.  Rinse the orange peels and strain in colander removing excess water.

In order to remove excess moisture, place orange peels on a flat surface atop of a towel to dry anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours.

Preparing the sweet of the spoon:

Place sugar and water in a saucepan and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add orange peels and allow to simmer on a low boil for 20 minutes until a syrup begins to form and thickens slightly. My mother wanted me to tell you – it should be thick like honey, enough to coat your spoon, hence sweet of the spoon.  Once you’ve reached the desired consistency, add the 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, stir until combined.

The Orange Peel Sweet of the Spoon

Allow to cool completely before storing in sterilized jars.  Since I was serving this for a dinner party and gave some as party favors in small 4 ounce jars, I bypassed the canning process.

There are so many ways to serve this luscious sweet syrupy dessert – with a scone, on toast or simply by the spoonful.  Do as the Greeks do and serve it as  your first course at a dinner party.  But… this Greek got adventurous and served dessert last, graciously set atop a heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream with a pistachio orange oatmeal cookie – (recipe soon to follow).  I wanted my guests blabbering sweet nothings at their departure.

Ice Cream Orange Peel Topping

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

You’re more than welcome to join us in #citruslove 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 #citruslove event!  The twitter hashtag is #citruslove – have Fun & OPA!

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A Little Bit of Everything ~ Roxana ~ @RoxanaGreenGirl
Baker Street ~ Anuradha ~ @bakerstreet29
BigFatBaker ~ Erin ~ @BigFatBaker
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Oatmeal Lace Cookies

15 Dec 2011 9 Comments

by georgiecakes in Around Town, Bake, Cookie, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: , , , ,

Here is the lovely – delicate – chewy – sweet lace cookie recipe I promised to post from the NYC Cookie Swap, the spectacular fundraiser event to help Cookies for Kids Cancer.

Oatmeal Lace Cookie

Here’s what you’ll need…

Makes 30 to 40 cookies

6 tbsp salted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup oats, chopped

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons corn syrup ( I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup)

dash of salt

Preheat oven to 425

Melt the butter in a saucepan, set aside.  In a food processor, pulse the raw oats into tiny pieces.  Combine all ingredients  – the butter, sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, heavy cream, corn syrup and salt into a bowl, mixing until all ingredients are incorporated.

Using a measuring teaspoon, scoop a spoonful onto a baking sheet.  Be sure to space several inches apart, about 3 inches to prevent cookies from merging together.

Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and beginning to brown around the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheet.  Remove with a metal spatula and serve!

You can add a center filling, like raspberry jam or chocolate (white, dark or milk) and make a sandwich.  These little sweets are quick and easy to make and oh so good!

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