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drusillas_rain at 12:24pm on 18/01/2011 under crazy busy, experiments in productivity, food, pics: dogs, pics: food, pics: random, recipes, rl
drusillas_rain at 12:24pm on 18/01/2011 under crazy busy, experiments in productivity, food, pics: dogs, pics: food, pics: random, recipes, rlI decided to make a fairly ambitious meal for Christmas day this year. I made a gigantic spreadsheet, totalling over 100 lines. In total the meal took me 3 days of prep work + everything that needed to be done on the actual day.
My spreadsheet:
My fridge. Poor J had to ask me to find food for him because he couldn't find anything. A few times I wasn't sure it would all fit. The goose I bought didn't actually fit in here and had to be kept in a large cooler in the basement as it was thawing.
I've never really done a full dinner quite like this before, but I had the company of good friends on twitter (who got to hear all about it live). That was actually one of the best parts. But I also had fun planning everything, double checking I had the timing done properly, etc. I was also kept in line by one of my dogs, Basil.
Picture of Basil in the kitchen:
(I wish I could figure out a better way of taking that shot so that his face is bright but the background isn't as washed out.)
And here's Chloe wondering if she gets to eat any of the food:
Here's the menu. Each lj-cut leads to the recipe and pics:
1. Julia Child's Steam Roasted Goose with Port Sauce
No picture and no recipe for this one. It was really tasty, but since it was last minute, I didn't manage to take even 1.
I'm not a big fan of turkey. It's ok, but since we were hosting, I didn't want to be stuck with turkey leftovers for weeks (J's vegetarian so it would just be me eating it). That, and I just wanted to see what it would be like (kind of a can I do this?). I was really nervous about making a goose though. Like duck, it's known to be incredibly fatty, and although I don't consider myself a novice cook, I've only ever made a whole bird 4-5 other times before. I searched through a lot of recipes and discovered that the forums on chowhound were the most helpful. It led me to a Julia Child recipe that steams the goose first to render part of the fat (this is done right on top of the stove) and only then is placed in the oven. It was a bit dry for my taste in the end (the goose I had was smaller than Julia Child's recipe, so I didn't get the timing quite right), but it was super tasty and everyone went for seconds. I'm sure the fact that it was a Mennonite farmed organic free-range goose (my butcher only received 2 from them this year) helped a lot with flavour. And it made me feel better about what I was serving, since this is a partly vegetarian home.
2. Boeuf Bourguignon, sans boeuf (Julia Child inspired)
This was a rich and wonderful vegetarian stew and the highlight of the meal. I'll definitely be making this again!
Every year, J gets to suffer through a dressed up veggie burger for his dinner. There's always lots of other stuff he gets to eat, but I felt bad that he would get shafted by his main.
Boeuf Bourguignon, sans boeuf
Derived from Julia Child
Vegetarianized by CinnamonQuill
In place of bacon lardons:
4 oz whole, pitted dates (about 3/4 cup)
1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon minced onion (dried or fresh)
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Hot water
In place of the beef:
1 cup walnuts, soaked in hot water for 2+ hours, then drained
2 cups cooked brown or French lentils (cook with bay leaves for extra flavor)
1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or make them from scratch, if you are awesome)
Remaining ingredients:
Olive oil
Butter (I used clarified butter)
1 1/4 cups sliced carrots
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2-3 cups red wine
2-3 cups vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 whole cloves garlic
2 minced cloves garlic
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme (fresh would be great)
2 Tablespoons flour (any kind of flour can be used, including corn, potato, chickpea, spelt, etc.)
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
Fresh parsley and/or thyme for garnish
For the onions + mushrooms:
30ish small white onions (enough to fill up your skillet)
1 lb small white mushrooms, washed and thoroughly dried
Butter (can be omitted to create a vegan dish)
Olive Oil
Brown Sugar
Red Wine
Tamari or Bragg’s amino acids (or soy sauce)
Dark brown sugar
Preparation (2 hours in advance):
Slice each date lengthwise into four pieces, then crosswise into four pieces. Combine spices + vinegar in bowl, add dates, and fill bowl with hot water. Let soak 1-2 hours.
Soak walnuts in hot water for 2+ hours.
Main - part 1:
Preheat oven to 325F.
Drain date pieces, reserving the liquid. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil + 1 tablespoon of butter in skillet; add drained date pieces and sauté about 5 minutes, careful not to allow them to burn. Transfer to a dutch oven.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 tablespoon butter in skillet, add kidney beans + lentils until they get slightly browned. Add corn + potato flour, and stir, until beans are well coated. Transfer bean mixture to dutch oven with date pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in skillet, add vegetables (carrots, onions) + walnuts. Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar + 1/2 tablespoon tamari/Bragg’s/soy-sauce and cook over medium, until onions have begun to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer mixture to dutch oven.
Stir 2 cups of red wine + 2 cups of vegetable broth + reserved date marinade into dutch oven. Make sure mixture is thoroughly covered with liquid; if not, add more wine/broth. Add tomato paste, minced garlic, whole garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary.
Place dutch oven, uncovered, in lower half of oven, and bake for one hour. After one hour, stir stew; if liquid is not covering mixture, add more wine/broth. Taste kidney beans; make sure they are not getting dried out from lack of liquid. Cover and return dutch oven to bake for another hour.
MY NOTE: If you don't have room in the oven (for example if it's filled with a goose or turkey) you can simply use your stovetop.
Main part 2 (to be done as soon as Main Part 1 goes in oven:
Meanwhile, prepare onions + mushrooms according to the original instructions (Link to original cookbooks scans).
For the onions, add brown sugar/tamari (or soy sauce) as needed to obtain a bit of caramelization and proper ‘browning’. For the mushrooms, use red wine in place of the broth.
MY NOTE: I highly recommend peeling/cleaning the pearl onions 1 day in advance. It's an incredibly fiddly job, and if I could go back and change 1 thing out of this experience, this would be it. I just didn't have time to clean more than a dozen pearl onions the day of.
3. Mashed potatoes
No pics or recipe - although I did use potato water instead of huge amounts of butter and milk - it makes it nice and creamy. Next time I think I'll try adding kale or spinach.
4. Brussels Sprouts
This is such a simple but tasty recipe. A bit plain for a basic dinner, but really nicely balanced with everything else served.
Baked Brussels Sprouts
Recipe from Chowhound board
(Inspired by Food Networks Barefoot Contessa)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts (for 4 - 6 people)
3 tablespoons olive oil (drizzle)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (good sprinkle)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprout stem and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Make an “X” in the stem end to aid in even doneness.
MY NOTE: I sliced them in half to help speed baking and to prevent difficulty in cutting them on your plate.
Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and serve immediately.
MY NOTE: If you sliced them in half, they'll be done in about 15 minutes
These will come out almost blackened. That's ok! They're NOT burned. Eat and enjoy!
5. Baked Butternut Squash with Apples and Maple Syrup
These were so incredibly tasty and pretty, although cutting through raw squash was not my favourite thing. Next time I might roast it with the peel on part way through first just so it's easier to cut.
Baked Butternut Squash with Apples and Maple Syrup
From Bon Appétit | November 1995
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound medium-size tart green apples (such as Granny Smith), (about 3-5 whole) peeled, quartered, cored, but crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup dried currants or dried cranberries (can also use fresh cranberries)
Freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
(1/4 stick) butter, cut into pieces
fresh juice from 1/2 lemon
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook squash in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Combine squash, apples and currants in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Season generously with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Combine maple syrup, butter and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan. Whisk over low heat until butter melts. Pour syrup over squash mixture and toss to coat evenly.
Bake until squash and apples are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes.
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil; chill. Rewarm covered in 350°F. oven about 30 minutes.)
This was easy and tasty and very pretty. But it did stain everything red during prep. I also made a plain boston lettuce salad to balance out the strong flavours of this dish. (I forgot to take pics of the two salads)
Cabbage Beet Coleslaw
From here.
4 beets, each about the size of a softball
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
1 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard OR horseradish
Grated orange peel from one orange
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons caraway seeds (optional)
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place the beets in foil and drizzle with olive oil and dust with salt and pepper. Bake until tender when pierced with knife - about 1 1/2 hours. You can cut down the roasting time by cutting the beets in half. Depending on their size it could take as little as an hour.
MY NOTE: For the beets, you just need to scrub them, chop off the top and bottom and place in foil. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil, otherwise the overall dish will be too greasy. You'll know the beets are done when you can easily pierce with a fork.
Cool. Peel beets by rubbing lightly with a paper towel. Cut into 2-inch strips and place in a large bowl. Shred the cabbage thinly with a sharp knife or mandoline and add in with the beets.
Vigorously whisk cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated orange peel and honey in small bowl. Gradually beat in oil. Pour dressing over cabbage and the beets and mix well. Add caraway seeds and toss. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.
And here are the desserts!
(Most of the pics taken are here ^_^)
7. Gingerbread Trifle with Candied Kumquats and Wine-Poached Cranberries
I loooooove trifle. I try to make a different kind each time, and these are absolutely fantastic! Best trifle recipe I've done.
Trifle is all about assembly. It looks complicated, but it's one of the easiest things in the world to make. And you can substitute a ton of items in each layer without affecting it too badly. For this recipe, I decided to make it as "hard" as possible (meaning there's booze in every layer). I also couldn't find kumquats, so used clementines and Cape gooseberries.
Gingerbread Trifle with Candied Kumquats and Wine-Poached Cranberries
From Bon Appétit | December 2008 by by Claudia Fleming
Recipe notes:
You’ll need a 7 3/4-inch-diameter trifle dish that is at least 4 3/4 inches deep. The recipe makes an extra gingerbread cake; have it for breakfast the next morning. If you prefer to make 12 individual trifles, use all three gingerbread cakes and cut each in half horizontally. Using a pretty glass as a guide, cut out 4 cake rounds from each cut cake layer. Alternate 2 cake rounds with 2 to 3 layers of the mascarpone cream, a few candied kumquats, and some poached cranberries in each glass.
Yield: Makes 12-16 servings
Ingredients:
For candied Kumquats:
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups sliced seeded kumquats (or clementines that have been separated and cut in half)
Wine-poached cranberries:
2 cups fruity red wine (such as Syrah)
2 cups sugar
12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
Gingerbread cake:
1 cup extra stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses (or fancy molasses)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
Mascarpone cream:
3 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese (3 cups)
3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
4 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
Preparation:
For candied kumquats:
Stir sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Add kumquats; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Cool. Cover and chill until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Before using, pour kumquat mixture through strainer; set kumquats aside for trifle. (Reserve syrup for another use.)
For wine-poached cranberries :
Stir wine and sugar in large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil wine mixture 5 minutes. Add cranberries and simmer until soft but still intact, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Cool. Cover and chill until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Before using, pour cranberry mixture through strainer; set cranberries aside for trifle.
(Reserve syrup for another use.)
For gingerbread cake:
Combine stout and molasses in large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda (mixture will foam up). Let stand until completely cool, about 1 hour.
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess.
Whisk 2 cups flour and next 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend.
Whisk eggs and both sugars in medium bowl to blend. Whisk oil, then stout mixture into egg mixture. Gradually whisk stout-egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir in fresh ginger. Divide batter among prepared pans (about 12/3 cups for each).
Place 2 cake pans on top rack and 1 cake pan on bottom rack of oven. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, reversing position of pans halfway through baking, about 28 minutes total. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic; store at room temperature.
For mascarpone cheese:
Using electric mixer, beat mascarpone in large bowl until smooth. Add all remaining ingredients and beat until peaks form and mixture is smooth (do not overbeat or mixture may curdle). Cover and chill up to 2 hours.
Final construction:
Using serrated knife, cut each of 2 cakes in half horizontally for a total of 4 cake layers. (Reserve remaining cake for another use.) Trim 1 cake layer to 7-inch round. Place trimmed cake round in bottom of 7 3/4-inch-diameter, 43/4-inch-deep trifle dish. Scatter scant 1/2 cup drained kumquats in single layer over cake. Top with 11/3 cups mascarpone cream, spreading evenly to sides of dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup drained cranberries over. Repeat 2 more times with cake layer, kumquats, mascarpone cream, and cranberries. Top with fourth cake layer. Spread 1 1/3 cups mascarpone cream over. Spoon remaining cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe rosettes of mascarpone cream around top edge of dish. Tent loosely with foil; chill at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Cover and chill remaining kumquats and cranberries separately.
Scatter remaining kumquats and cranberries over center of trifle and serve.
Test-kitchen tip:
The kumquat and cranberry syrups will keep in the refrigerator for at least two weeks. They can be added to holiday drinks or sparkling water, or spooned over ice cream.
8. Bûche de Noël (chocolate roll)
This recipe was the most work, but was incredibly tasty and successful. Next time though, I'm probably going to try to find a slightly different recipe, one that isn't based on a mousse filling. There was too much whipping cream with both this and the trifle.
Also, you get a different bonus recipe for the chocolate mousse (which acts as the filling for the roll - it's a recipe I make at least half a dozen times a year, because it's so good and so easy
Bûche de Noël
From Martha Stewart here
Components
• Chocolate Genoise (cake layer)
• Chocolate Mousse (filling)
• Chocolate Ganache Icing (frosting)
• Decorations (Marzipan)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
MY NOTE: Ooops - I just noticed the confectioners' sugar for dusting and the bittersweet chocolate - lol I totally forgot to make fake snow and fake wood/chocolate splinters!
Assembly Directions
1. Make chocolate genoise and mousse, ganache icing, and decorations
2. To assemble cake, carefully unroll genoise on the back side of a baking sheet (discard the plastic wrap and waxed paper, but keep the towel). Spread chocolate mousse evenly on cake to within 1 to 2 inches of one long end. Reroll cake, starting from other long end, using towel to help roll it. Cover with plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Place cake, seam side down, on a serving platter; tuck parchment around it to keep platter clean while decorating.
4. Whip ganache at medium speed until it has the consistency of soft butter. Cut two wedges off ends of cake at a 45 degrees.angle; set aside. Ice log with a thin layer of ganache. Attach wedges on diagonally opposite sides of log. Spread ganache all over log, using a small spatula to form barklike ridges. Chill until ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.
5. In the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt chocolate until smooth. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Spread melted chocolate 1/8 inch thick over parchment. Refrigerate until cold, 10 to 15 minutes. Roll paper back and forth until chocolate splinters; sprinkle over cake. Chill cake until ready to serve.
6. When ready to serve, arrange Marzipan decorations around and on cake, and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.
Chocolate Genoise Ingredients
Makes one 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-inch cake.
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for parchment and pan
• 2/3 cup sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
• Pinch of baking soda
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Genoise Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-by-1-inch jelly-roll pan. Line with parchment; butter and flour paper, tapping out the excess flour.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda together twice into a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Skim off white foam, and pour clear yellow butter into a bowl, discarding white liquid at the bottom. Set aside in a warm place.
4. In a medium-size heat-proof bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water; stir until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, and beat on high speed until mixture is thick and pale and has tripled in bulk. Reduce speed to medium, add vanilla, and beat 2 to 3 minutes more.
5. In three additions, sift flour mixture over egg mixture, folding in gently with a spatula. While folding in last addition, dribble melted butter over batter and fold in.
6. Spread batter evenly in pan, leaving behind any unincorporated butter in the bottom of the bowl. Tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake until cake springs back when touched in center, 15 to 20 minutes. Don't overbake or cake will crack. Let sit in pan on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.
7. Dust surface with cocoa powder. To make rolling easier, trim edges of cake, and cover with a sheet of waxed paper and a damp dish towel. Invert onto a work surface, and peel off parchment; dust with cocoa. Starting from one long end, carefully roll up cake in towel. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until ready to use.
MY NOTE: I used a different recipe for the chocolate mousse, because the original uses raw whole eggs and I could only find pasteurized egg whites. The original martha recipe is here.
Chocolate Mousse Ingredients:
From Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker
1/2 cup sugar
2-4 tablespoons rum or creme de cacao (or any other clear spirit)
1/4 lb good quality semi-sweet chocolate
MY NOTE: I've make this mousse several times a year and I've used everything from sweet chocolate to bittersweet dark chocolate - it's all very good and just depends on what you like
2-3 tablespoons whipping cream (before it's whipped)
2 stiffly beaten egg whites
MY NOTE: You should be able to find containers of pasteurized egg whites. If you can't you can probably make this recipe without it, just to be safe
2 cups whipping cream, whipped
Chocolate Mousse Preparation:
MY NOTE: This is my adaptation of the recipe (aka I got tired of writing "My note" after every sentence)
Place sugar and alcohol in a small saucepan over low heat; stir once then leave until sugar is dissolved so that you can't see anymore crystals, but not brown.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. When melted, stir in first quantity of whipping cream until well combined, then add the syrup and stir until smooth. Set mixture aside to cool (If I'm pressed for time, I usually place it in the fridge or even freezer).
In a scrupulously clean bowl, stiffly beat the egg whites until they no longer droop (don't overbeat them). In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream until you have stiff peaks. You can tell you're done if you can turn the bowl sideways or upside down and they don't move.
Gently combine the egg whites with the whipping cream using a rubber spatula.
Take a spoonful of the whipped mixture and stir it into the cooled chocolate. Add a second spoonful to lighten. Then pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl of whipped egg/cream and very gently combine using the rubber spatula until mixture is more or less a light chocolate colour (some variation in colour is ok).
Chocolate Ganache Icing Ingredients:
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
Chocolate Ganache Icing Preparation:
Chop chocolate into small pieces, and place in a medium bowl. Heat cream until bubbles begin to appear around the edges (scalding); pour over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Refrigerate until cold but not solid, stirring occasionally.
Marzipan Decorations:
Originally from Foodnetwork
Marzipan:
• 8 ounces almond paste
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 to 5 tablespoons light corn syrup
For Finishing:
• Cocoa powder
• Red and green liquid food coloring
• Confectioners' sugar
Here are my hands after adding the foodcolouring! (You can't see it in the photo but they were also streaked green)
And here are the leaves a few days before final assembly. I stored them between wax paper and in an airtight container in the fridge:
To make the marzipan: Combine the almond paste and 1 cup of the sugar in the bowl of the electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on low speed until the sugar is almost absorbed. Add the remaining 1 cup sugar and mix until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add half the corn syrup, then continue mixing until a bit of the marzipan holds together when squeezed, adding additional corn syrup a little at a time, as necessary; the marzipan in the bowl will still appear crumbly. Transfer the marzipan to a work surface and knead until smooth.
To make marzipan mushrooms: Roll 1/3 of the marzipan into a 6-inch long cylinder and cut into 1-inch lengths. Roll half the lengths into balls. Press the remaining cylindrical lengths (stems) into the balls (caps) to make mushrooms. Smudge with cocoa powder. To make holly leaves: Knead green color into 1/2 the remaining marzipan and roll it into a long cylinder. Flatten with the back of a spoon, then loosen it from the surface with a spatula. Cut into diamonds to make leaves, or use a cutter.
To make holly berries: Knead red color into a tiny piece of marzipan. Roll into tiny balls.
To make pine cones, knead cocoa powder into the remaining marzipan. Divide in half and form into 2 cone shapes. Slash the sides of cones with the points of a pair of scissors.
To decorate cake:
Unwrap the cake. Trim the ends on the diagonal, starting the cuts about 2 inches away from each end. Position the larger cut piece on the buche about 2/3 across the top. Cover the buche with the reserved buttercream, making sure to curve around the protruding stump. Streak the buttercream with a fork or decorating comb to resemble bark. Transfer the buche to a platter and decorate with the marzipan. Sprinkle the platter and buche sparingly with confectioners' sugar "snow."
9. Mincemeat tarts (individual)
I love making pie crust. There's something about how the dough comes together based on how you feel its coming together, rather than precisely measuring it all out. This particular one came out perfectly! I'll def be using this recipe again.
Here are the tarts before baking.
Homemade Mincemeat Tarts
From The Joy of Baking
Homemade Mincemeat:
2 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled and grated
1 -12 ounce (1 1/2 cups) (340 grams) can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
4 cups dried fruit - e.g. dried apples, dark raisins, golden raisins, dried currants, dried cranberries
MY NOTE: I used 1 cup apple, 1 cup cranberries and 2 cups of mixed dried tropical fruit (that had raisins, mangoes, pineapple, etc.)
1/3 cup (60 grams) candied lemon peel
MY NOTE: I couldn't find this, so just used grated lemon and the juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup (105 grams) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) dark rum
1/2 cup (120 ml) brandy or cognac
MY NOTE: I made a non-alcoholic version, so used 1 cup of apple cider.
4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
MY NOTE: I like it spicy and fragrant, so I always up the spices used
Mincemeat:
Place all the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the mincemeat, stirring often, for about 25-30 minutes, or until the liquid is almost evaporated. Transfer the mincemeat to a large bowl and let it cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator, at least overnight, or up to a month. Note: If storing longer than a week, stir in a little rum or brandy (about 1/4 cup (60 ml)) every week.
Makes about 6 cups of Mincemeat.
Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry):
1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces
1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 - 60 ml) ice water
Mincemeat Filling:
1 - 11 ounce (312 gram) jar of mincemeat (about 1 cup (240 ml))
Pate Brisee:
In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
MY NOTE: I DID THIS WITH A FORK AND THEN BY HAND. YOU GET A BETTER FEEL FOR HOW THE DOUGH IS DOING THIS WAY. START WITH THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF WATER FIRST.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the pastry in half, flatten each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.
Mince Pies:
Have ready 24 mini muffin tins. After the dough has chilled sufficiently, take one of the disks of pastry and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the pastry dough until about 1/8 inch thick and cut into 24 rounds that are slightly bigger than the muffin tins. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Gently place the rounds into the muffin tins. Place about a teaspoon of mincemeat into each tin and set aside while you make the pastry stars.
Roll out the second disk of pastry and cut out 24 stars and gently place the stars on top of the mincemeat. If desired, brush the tops of the stars with a little egg wash (one large egg whisked together with 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in a 400 degrees F (205 degree C) oven for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the pastry has lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar (icing/powdered) before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. These tarts freeze very well.
Makes 24 - 2 inch tarts.
Here's a closeup of the mincemeat:
So there you have it. I'm not the most domestic person in the world, but I love my kitchen. I hope you enjoyed reading this and find some recipes to copy to your own files.
Me:
Trifle filling (mascarpone + whipping cream):
One of our trees:
Set table (I got the runner in El Salvador):
My spreadsheet:
My fridge. Poor J had to ask me to find food for him because he couldn't find anything. A few times I wasn't sure it would all fit. The goose I bought didn't actually fit in here and had to be kept in a large cooler in the basement as it was thawing.
I've never really done a full dinner quite like this before, but I had the company of good friends on twitter (who got to hear all about it live). That was actually one of the best parts. But I also had fun planning everything, double checking I had the timing done properly, etc. I was also kept in line by one of my dogs, Basil.
Picture of Basil in the kitchen:
(I wish I could figure out a better way of taking that shot so that his face is bright but the background isn't as washed out.)
And here's Chloe wondering if she gets to eat any of the food:
Here's the menu. Each lj-cut leads to the recipe and pics:
1. Julia Child's Steam Roasted Goose with Port Sauce
No picture and no recipe for this one. It was really tasty, but since it was last minute, I didn't manage to take even 1.
I'm not a big fan of turkey. It's ok, but since we were hosting, I didn't want to be stuck with turkey leftovers for weeks (J's vegetarian so it would just be me eating it). That, and I just wanted to see what it would be like (kind of a can I do this?). I was really nervous about making a goose though. Like duck, it's known to be incredibly fatty, and although I don't consider myself a novice cook, I've only ever made a whole bird 4-5 other times before. I searched through a lot of recipes and discovered that the forums on chowhound were the most helpful. It led me to a Julia Child recipe that steams the goose first to render part of the fat (this is done right on top of the stove) and only then is placed in the oven. It was a bit dry for my taste in the end (the goose I had was smaller than Julia Child's recipe, so I didn't get the timing quite right), but it was super tasty and everyone went for seconds. I'm sure the fact that it was a Mennonite farmed organic free-range goose (my butcher only received 2 from them this year) helped a lot with flavour. And it made me feel better about what I was serving, since this is a partly vegetarian home.
2. Boeuf Bourguignon, sans boeuf (Julia Child inspired)
This was a rich and wonderful vegetarian stew and the highlight of the meal. I'll definitely be making this again!
Every year, J gets to suffer through a dressed up veggie burger for his dinner. There's always lots of other stuff he gets to eat, but I felt bad that he would get shafted by his main.
Boeuf Bourguignon, sans boeuf
Derived from Julia Child
Vegetarianized by CinnamonQuill
In place of bacon lardons:
4 oz whole, pitted dates (about 3/4 cup)
1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon minced onion (dried or fresh)
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Hot water
In place of the beef:
1 cup walnuts, soaked in hot water for 2+ hours, then drained
2 cups cooked brown or French lentils (cook with bay leaves for extra flavor)
1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or make them from scratch, if you are awesome)
Remaining ingredients:
Olive oil
Butter (I used clarified butter)
1 1/4 cups sliced carrots
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2-3 cups red wine
2-3 cups vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 whole cloves garlic
2 minced cloves garlic
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme (fresh would be great)
2 Tablespoons flour (any kind of flour can be used, including corn, potato, chickpea, spelt, etc.)
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
Fresh parsley and/or thyme for garnish
For the onions + mushrooms:
30ish small white onions (enough to fill up your skillet)
1 lb small white mushrooms, washed and thoroughly dried
Butter (can be omitted to create a vegan dish)
Olive Oil
Brown Sugar
Red Wine
Tamari or Bragg’s amino acids (or soy sauce)
Dark brown sugar
Preparation (2 hours in advance):
Slice each date lengthwise into four pieces, then crosswise into four pieces. Combine spices + vinegar in bowl, add dates, and fill bowl with hot water. Let soak 1-2 hours.
Soak walnuts in hot water for 2+ hours.
Main - part 1:
Preheat oven to 325F.
Drain date pieces, reserving the liquid. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil + 1 tablespoon of butter in skillet; add drained date pieces and sauté about 5 minutes, careful not to allow them to burn. Transfer to a dutch oven.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 tablespoon butter in skillet, add kidney beans + lentils until they get slightly browned. Add corn + potato flour, and stir, until beans are well coated. Transfer bean mixture to dutch oven with date pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in skillet, add vegetables (carrots, onions) + walnuts. Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar + 1/2 tablespoon tamari/Bragg’s/soy-sauce and cook over medium, until onions have begun to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer mixture to dutch oven.
Stir 2 cups of red wine + 2 cups of vegetable broth + reserved date marinade into dutch oven. Make sure mixture is thoroughly covered with liquid; if not, add more wine/broth. Add tomato paste, minced garlic, whole garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary.
Place dutch oven, uncovered, in lower half of oven, and bake for one hour. After one hour, stir stew; if liquid is not covering mixture, add more wine/broth. Taste kidney beans; make sure they are not getting dried out from lack of liquid. Cover and return dutch oven to bake for another hour.
MY NOTE: If you don't have room in the oven (for example if it's filled with a goose or turkey) you can simply use your stovetop.
Main part 2 (to be done as soon as Main Part 1 goes in oven:
Meanwhile, prepare onions + mushrooms according to the original instructions (Link to original cookbooks scans).
For the onions, add brown sugar/tamari (or soy sauce) as needed to obtain a bit of caramelization and proper ‘browning’. For the mushrooms, use red wine in place of the broth.
MY NOTE: I highly recommend peeling/cleaning the pearl onions 1 day in advance. It's an incredibly fiddly job, and if I could go back and change 1 thing out of this experience, this would be it. I just didn't have time to clean more than a dozen pearl onions the day of.
3. Mashed potatoes
No pics or recipe - although I did use potato water instead of huge amounts of butter and milk - it makes it nice and creamy. Next time I think I'll try adding kale or spinach.
4. Brussels Sprouts
This is such a simple but tasty recipe. A bit plain for a basic dinner, but really nicely balanced with everything else served.
Baked Brussels Sprouts
Recipe from Chowhound board
(Inspired by Food Networks Barefoot Contessa)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts (for 4 - 6 people)
3 tablespoons olive oil (drizzle)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (good sprinkle)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprout stem and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Make an “X” in the stem end to aid in even doneness.
MY NOTE: I sliced them in half to help speed baking and to prevent difficulty in cutting them on your plate.
Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and serve immediately.
MY NOTE: If you sliced them in half, they'll be done in about 15 minutes
These will come out almost blackened. That's ok! They're NOT burned. Eat and enjoy!
5. Baked Butternut Squash with Apples and Maple Syrup
These were so incredibly tasty and pretty, although cutting through raw squash was not my favourite thing. Next time I might roast it with the peel on part way through first just so it's easier to cut.
Baked Butternut Squash with Apples and Maple Syrup
From Bon Appétit | November 1995
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound medium-size tart green apples (such as Granny Smith), (about 3-5 whole) peeled, quartered, cored, but crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup dried currants or dried cranberries (can also use fresh cranberries)
Freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
(1/4 stick) butter, cut into pieces
fresh juice from 1/2 lemon
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook squash in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Combine squash, apples and currants in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Season generously with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Combine maple syrup, butter and lemon juice in heavy small saucepan. Whisk over low heat until butter melts. Pour syrup over squash mixture and toss to coat evenly.
Bake until squash and apples are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes.
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil; chill. Rewarm covered in 350°F. oven about 30 minutes.)
This was easy and tasty and very pretty. But it did stain everything red during prep. I also made a plain boston lettuce salad to balance out the strong flavours of this dish. (I forgot to take pics of the two salads)
Cabbage Beet Coleslaw
From here.
4 beets, each about the size of a softball
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
1 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard OR horseradish
Grated orange peel from one orange
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons caraway seeds (optional)
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place the beets in foil and drizzle with olive oil and dust with salt and pepper. Bake until tender when pierced with knife - about 1 1/2 hours. You can cut down the roasting time by cutting the beets in half. Depending on their size it could take as little as an hour.
MY NOTE: For the beets, you just need to scrub them, chop off the top and bottom and place in foil. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil, otherwise the overall dish will be too greasy. You'll know the beets are done when you can easily pierce with a fork.
Cool. Peel beets by rubbing lightly with a paper towel. Cut into 2-inch strips and place in a large bowl. Shred the cabbage thinly with a sharp knife or mandoline and add in with the beets.
Vigorously whisk cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated orange peel and honey in small bowl. Gradually beat in oil. Pour dressing over cabbage and the beets and mix well. Add caraway seeds and toss. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.
And here are the desserts!
(Most of the pics taken are here ^_^)
7. Gingerbread Trifle with Candied Kumquats and Wine-Poached Cranberries
I loooooove trifle. I try to make a different kind each time, and these are absolutely fantastic! Best trifle recipe I've done.
Trifle is all about assembly. It looks complicated, but it's one of the easiest things in the world to make. And you can substitute a ton of items in each layer without affecting it too badly. For this recipe, I decided to make it as "hard" as possible (meaning there's booze in every layer). I also couldn't find kumquats, so used clementines and Cape gooseberries.
Gingerbread Trifle with Candied Kumquats and Wine-Poached Cranberries
From Bon Appétit | December 2008 by by Claudia Fleming
Recipe notes:
You’ll need a 7 3/4-inch-diameter trifle dish that is at least 4 3/4 inches deep. The recipe makes an extra gingerbread cake; have it for breakfast the next morning. If you prefer to make 12 individual trifles, use all three gingerbread cakes and cut each in half horizontally. Using a pretty glass as a guide, cut out 4 cake rounds from each cut cake layer. Alternate 2 cake rounds with 2 to 3 layers of the mascarpone cream, a few candied kumquats, and some poached cranberries in each glass.
Yield: Makes 12-16 servings
Ingredients:
For candied Kumquats:
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups sliced seeded kumquats (or clementines that have been separated and cut in half)
Wine-poached cranberries:
2 cups fruity red wine (such as Syrah)
2 cups sugar
12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
Gingerbread cake:
1 cup extra stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses (or fancy molasses)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
Mascarpone cream:
3 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese (3 cups)
3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
4 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
Preparation:
For candied kumquats:
Stir sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Add kumquats; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Cool. Cover and chill until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Before using, pour kumquat mixture through strainer; set kumquats aside for trifle. (Reserve syrup for another use.)
For wine-poached cranberries :
Stir wine and sugar in large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil wine mixture 5 minutes. Add cranberries and simmer until soft but still intact, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Cool. Cover and chill until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Before using, pour cranberry mixture through strainer; set cranberries aside for trifle.
(Reserve syrup for another use.)
For gingerbread cake:
Combine stout and molasses in large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda (mixture will foam up). Let stand until completely cool, about 1 hour.
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess.
Whisk 2 cups flour and next 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend.
Whisk eggs and both sugars in medium bowl to blend. Whisk oil, then stout mixture into egg mixture. Gradually whisk stout-egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir in fresh ginger. Divide batter among prepared pans (about 12/3 cups for each).
Place 2 cake pans on top rack and 1 cake pan on bottom rack of oven. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, reversing position of pans halfway through baking, about 28 minutes total. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic; store at room temperature.
For mascarpone cheese:
Using electric mixer, beat mascarpone in large bowl until smooth. Add all remaining ingredients and beat until peaks form and mixture is smooth (do not overbeat or mixture may curdle). Cover and chill up to 2 hours.
Final construction:
Using serrated knife, cut each of 2 cakes in half horizontally for a total of 4 cake layers. (Reserve remaining cake for another use.) Trim 1 cake layer to 7-inch round. Place trimmed cake round in bottom of 7 3/4-inch-diameter, 43/4-inch-deep trifle dish. Scatter scant 1/2 cup drained kumquats in single layer over cake. Top with 11/3 cups mascarpone cream, spreading evenly to sides of dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup drained cranberries over. Repeat 2 more times with cake layer, kumquats, mascarpone cream, and cranberries. Top with fourth cake layer. Spread 1 1/3 cups mascarpone cream over. Spoon remaining cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe rosettes of mascarpone cream around top edge of dish. Tent loosely with foil; chill at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Cover and chill remaining kumquats and cranberries separately.
Scatter remaining kumquats and cranberries over center of trifle and serve.
Test-kitchen tip:
The kumquat and cranberry syrups will keep in the refrigerator for at least two weeks. They can be added to holiday drinks or sparkling water, or spooned over ice cream.
8. Bûche de Noël (chocolate roll)
This recipe was the most work, but was incredibly tasty and successful. Next time though, I'm probably going to try to find a slightly different recipe, one that isn't based on a mousse filling. There was too much whipping cream with both this and the trifle.
Also, you get a different bonus recipe for the chocolate mousse (which acts as the filling for the roll - it's a recipe I make at least half a dozen times a year, because it's so good and so easy
Bûche de Noël
From Martha Stewart here
Components
• Chocolate Genoise (cake layer)
• Chocolate Mousse (filling)
• Chocolate Ganache Icing (frosting)
• Decorations (Marzipan)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
MY NOTE: Ooops - I just noticed the confectioners' sugar for dusting and the bittersweet chocolate - lol I totally forgot to make fake snow and fake wood/chocolate splinters!
Assembly Directions
1. Make chocolate genoise and mousse, ganache icing, and decorations
2. To assemble cake, carefully unroll genoise on the back side of a baking sheet (discard the plastic wrap and waxed paper, but keep the towel). Spread chocolate mousse evenly on cake to within 1 to 2 inches of one long end. Reroll cake, starting from other long end, using towel to help roll it. Cover with plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Place cake, seam side down, on a serving platter; tuck parchment around it to keep platter clean while decorating.
4. Whip ganache at medium speed until it has the consistency of soft butter. Cut two wedges off ends of cake at a 45 degrees.angle; set aside. Ice log with a thin layer of ganache. Attach wedges on diagonally opposite sides of log. Spread ganache all over log, using a small spatula to form barklike ridges. Chill until ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.
5. In the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt chocolate until smooth. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Spread melted chocolate 1/8 inch thick over parchment. Refrigerate until cold, 10 to 15 minutes. Roll paper back and forth until chocolate splinters; sprinkle over cake. Chill cake until ready to serve.
6. When ready to serve, arrange Marzipan decorations around and on cake, and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.
Chocolate Genoise Ingredients
Makes one 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-inch cake.
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for parchment and pan
• 2/3 cup sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
• Pinch of baking soda
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Genoise Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-by-1-inch jelly-roll pan. Line with parchment; butter and flour paper, tapping out the excess flour.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda together twice into a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Skim off white foam, and pour clear yellow butter into a bowl, discarding white liquid at the bottom. Set aside in a warm place.
4. In a medium-size heat-proof bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water; stir until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, and beat on high speed until mixture is thick and pale and has tripled in bulk. Reduce speed to medium, add vanilla, and beat 2 to 3 minutes more.
5. In three additions, sift flour mixture over egg mixture, folding in gently with a spatula. While folding in last addition, dribble melted butter over batter and fold in.
6. Spread batter evenly in pan, leaving behind any unincorporated butter in the bottom of the bowl. Tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake until cake springs back when touched in center, 15 to 20 minutes. Don't overbake or cake will crack. Let sit in pan on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.
7. Dust surface with cocoa powder. To make rolling easier, trim edges of cake, and cover with a sheet of waxed paper and a damp dish towel. Invert onto a work surface, and peel off parchment; dust with cocoa. Starting from one long end, carefully roll up cake in towel. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until ready to use.
MY NOTE: I used a different recipe for the chocolate mousse, because the original uses raw whole eggs and I could only find pasteurized egg whites. The original martha recipe is here.
Chocolate Mousse Ingredients:
From Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker
1/2 cup sugar
2-4 tablespoons rum or creme de cacao (or any other clear spirit)
1/4 lb good quality semi-sweet chocolate
MY NOTE: I've make this mousse several times a year and I've used everything from sweet chocolate to bittersweet dark chocolate - it's all very good and just depends on what you like
2-3 tablespoons whipping cream (before it's whipped)
2 stiffly beaten egg whites
MY NOTE: You should be able to find containers of pasteurized egg whites. If you can't you can probably make this recipe without it, just to be safe
2 cups whipping cream, whipped
Chocolate Mousse Preparation:
MY NOTE: This is my adaptation of the recipe (aka I got tired of writing "My note" after every sentence)
Place sugar and alcohol in a small saucepan over low heat; stir once then leave until sugar is dissolved so that you can't see anymore crystals, but not brown.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. When melted, stir in first quantity of whipping cream until well combined, then add the syrup and stir until smooth. Set mixture aside to cool (If I'm pressed for time, I usually place it in the fridge or even freezer).
In a scrupulously clean bowl, stiffly beat the egg whites until they no longer droop (don't overbeat them). In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream until you have stiff peaks. You can tell you're done if you can turn the bowl sideways or upside down and they don't move.
Gently combine the egg whites with the whipping cream using a rubber spatula.
Take a spoonful of the whipped mixture and stir it into the cooled chocolate. Add a second spoonful to lighten. Then pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl of whipped egg/cream and very gently combine using the rubber spatula until mixture is more or less a light chocolate colour (some variation in colour is ok).
Chocolate Ganache Icing Ingredients:
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
Chocolate Ganache Icing Preparation:
Chop chocolate into small pieces, and place in a medium bowl. Heat cream until bubbles begin to appear around the edges (scalding); pour over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Refrigerate until cold but not solid, stirring occasionally.
Marzipan Decorations:
Originally from Foodnetwork
Marzipan:
• 8 ounces almond paste
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 to 5 tablespoons light corn syrup
For Finishing:
• Cocoa powder
• Red and green liquid food coloring
• Confectioners' sugar
Here are my hands after adding the foodcolouring! (You can't see it in the photo but they were also streaked green)
And here are the leaves a few days before final assembly. I stored them between wax paper and in an airtight container in the fridge:
To make the marzipan: Combine the almond paste and 1 cup of the sugar in the bowl of the electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on low speed until the sugar is almost absorbed. Add the remaining 1 cup sugar and mix until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add half the corn syrup, then continue mixing until a bit of the marzipan holds together when squeezed, adding additional corn syrup a little at a time, as necessary; the marzipan in the bowl will still appear crumbly. Transfer the marzipan to a work surface and knead until smooth.
To make marzipan mushrooms: Roll 1/3 of the marzipan into a 6-inch long cylinder and cut into 1-inch lengths. Roll half the lengths into balls. Press the remaining cylindrical lengths (stems) into the balls (caps) to make mushrooms. Smudge with cocoa powder. To make holly leaves: Knead green color into 1/2 the remaining marzipan and roll it into a long cylinder. Flatten with the back of a spoon, then loosen it from the surface with a spatula. Cut into diamonds to make leaves, or use a cutter.
To make holly berries: Knead red color into a tiny piece of marzipan. Roll into tiny balls.
To make pine cones, knead cocoa powder into the remaining marzipan. Divide in half and form into 2 cone shapes. Slash the sides of cones with the points of a pair of scissors.
To decorate cake:
Unwrap the cake. Trim the ends on the diagonal, starting the cuts about 2 inches away from each end. Position the larger cut piece on the buche about 2/3 across the top. Cover the buche with the reserved buttercream, making sure to curve around the protruding stump. Streak the buttercream with a fork or decorating comb to resemble bark. Transfer the buche to a platter and decorate with the marzipan. Sprinkle the platter and buche sparingly with confectioners' sugar "snow."
9. Mincemeat tarts (individual)
I love making pie crust. There's something about how the dough comes together based on how you feel its coming together, rather than precisely measuring it all out. This particular one came out perfectly! I'll def be using this recipe again.
Here are the tarts before baking.
Homemade Mincemeat Tarts
From The Joy of Baking
Homemade Mincemeat:
2 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled and grated
1 -12 ounce (1 1/2 cups) (340 grams) can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
4 cups dried fruit - e.g. dried apples, dark raisins, golden raisins, dried currants, dried cranberries
MY NOTE: I used 1 cup apple, 1 cup cranberries and 2 cups of mixed dried tropical fruit (that had raisins, mangoes, pineapple, etc.)
1/3 cup (60 grams) candied lemon peel
MY NOTE: I couldn't find this, so just used grated lemon and the juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup (105 grams) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) dark rum
1/2 cup (120 ml) brandy or cognac
MY NOTE: I made a non-alcoholic version, so used 1 cup of apple cider.
4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
MY NOTE: I like it spicy and fragrant, so I always up the spices used
Mincemeat:
Place all the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the mincemeat, stirring often, for about 25-30 minutes, or until the liquid is almost evaporated. Transfer the mincemeat to a large bowl and let it cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator, at least overnight, or up to a month. Note: If storing longer than a week, stir in a little rum or brandy (about 1/4 cup (60 ml)) every week.
Makes about 6 cups of Mincemeat.
Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry):
1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces
1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 - 60 ml) ice water
Mincemeat Filling:
1 - 11 ounce (312 gram) jar of mincemeat (about 1 cup (240 ml))
Pate Brisee:
In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
MY NOTE: I DID THIS WITH A FORK AND THEN BY HAND. YOU GET A BETTER FEEL FOR HOW THE DOUGH IS DOING THIS WAY. START WITH THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF WATER FIRST.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the pastry in half, flatten each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.
Mince Pies:
Have ready 24 mini muffin tins. After the dough has chilled sufficiently, take one of the disks of pastry and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the pastry dough until about 1/8 inch thick and cut into 24 rounds that are slightly bigger than the muffin tins. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Gently place the rounds into the muffin tins. Place about a teaspoon of mincemeat into each tin and set aside while you make the pastry stars.
Roll out the second disk of pastry and cut out 24 stars and gently place the stars on top of the mincemeat. If desired, brush the tops of the stars with a little egg wash (one large egg whisked together with 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in a 400 degrees F (205 degree C) oven for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the pastry has lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar (icing/powdered) before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. These tarts freeze very well.
Makes 24 - 2 inch tarts.
Here's a closeup of the mincemeat:
So there you have it. I'm not the most domestic person in the world, but I love my kitchen. I hope you enjoyed reading this and find some recipes to copy to your own files.
Me:
Trifle filling (mascarpone + whipping cream):
One of our trees:
Set table (I got the runner in El Salvador):
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