It has been a while between posts, and I have mainly been posting Daring Bakers Challenges for quite some time too. I haven’t stopped cooking, I have been making and eating some very lovely foods, just a little busy to tend to my blog.

I’m not suggesting that this will be the start of me posting heaps of recipes, quite possibly the opposite, although I did want to share my happy news that I have recently had a ‘bun in the oven’ and my little cupcake has recently been born, and we are super super happy!

Best wishes to you all!

Photo courtesy of Lauren Erickson Photography

You may remember a few years ago I made this gingerbread house for a Daring Bakers Challenge – based on an image I found on the internet. I had to design the house from scratch, and there were quite a few difficulties.

Over the years I have had many requests for the pattern, although it had been pushed away in a drawer, all cut up. I finally got a chance to trace it out nicely and have attached it to this post for you to use. Apologies to all those who have waited and missed out on making it in previous years.

Please note:
1. when printing – Do not scale to fit. (make sure there is no scaling)
2. Check the measurements with a ruler before cutting (the roof and walls seem to get cut off a bit – although as these are straight lines you can draw this in).
3. Make a demo house and check all the sizes match up and that the house and roof all work together – adjust if necessary.
4. Please see my original post for extra info and any troubles I had with the construction.

Click below link for a copy of the template in pdf.
LRfDGingerbreadHouse
(please note: the above link does not show some of the right hand measurement on the front of the house (which can be seen in the images below) – as it had to be cut off to allow printing margins)

Blog-checking lines: Holiday season is the time for sharing and Peta of Peta Eats is sharing a dozen cookies, some classics and some of her own, from all over the world with us.

We were given the choice between 12 different cookie/biscuits recipes for this months challenge. I chose the brown butter short bread, as it has been quite a while since I have browned butter for anything. The flavour in these biscuits is beautiful, with the brown butter combined with the brown sugar making these biscuits quite different to any I have made before.

Everyone loved the short bread, it had a lovely flavour and texture (It lasted about 3 days in a container). Making the short bread was quite easy too, although it was a little time consuming waiting for the butter to brown, and then let it cool to a softened butter stage.

I noticed I also needed to set it in the fridge, but didn’t have the time, so I tried to pipe it into biscuits – although only got through 4 biscuits before I called in Nick to pipe it for me. After piping one tray, I rolled the next into balls, both looked great and cooked well, although the later was much easier. (I was using a piping bag – perhaps a special cookie piper would be easier.

I would definitely make these again, I think they would be great in with some other mixed biscuits for a present.

Thanks to our host Peta and all the Daring Bakers.

11 Pipers Brown Butter Short Bread

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time:10 minutes

Makes about 48 cookies or one 20cm – 22cm (8 – 9 inch) shortbread round. Or when piped about 100 depending on how you pipe them. (My piped or rolled biscuits made about 24 biscuits)

Ingredients
1 cup (240 ml) (225 gm) (8 oz) unsalted butter
2/3 cup (130 gm) (4½ oz) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla bean paste
1-2/3 cups (230 gm) (8 oz) all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (12 gm) table salt

Directions:

Step 1
Cut the butter into smallish pieces and place in a saucepan over a low heat. Melt the butter and cook until it starts to brown and gives off a warm, nutty aroma. Stir from time to time to make sure the butter browns evenly. As it gets close to being browned enough it will foam up and you will see little brown bits in the foam. Remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof jug or bowl. Set aside to cool slightly and then refrigerate until it starts to set again but is not too firm. It should be the consistency of softened butter. Don’t strain out the little brown bits they taste great.

Step 2

1. Preheat the oven to moderate 300°F/ 150°C/gas mark 2.
2. Line 2 large baking sheets with silicon baking paper if making the cookies or line a loose-bottomed tart tin if making one large shortbread round.
3. Add the sugar and vanilla to the browned butter and beat until very light and fluffy and the sugar is dissolved.
4. Finally, add the flour and salt and mix for at least 2 – 4 minutes to form a soft dough.
5. If making one large shortbread round, press the dough into the tin and flatten the surface with a fork for a bit of texture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking. Bake the large shortbread round in a preheated moderate oven for about 20 – 30 minutes. If baking the large round, let cool completely in the tart tin and remove when cooled. Store in an airtight container.
6. If making cookies, flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up. Roll out the pastry to about 1/6-inch (4-mm) thickness and cut into cookies. Place the cookies on the baking sheets and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will make sure the cookies keep their shape as they bake. Bake the cookies in a preheated moderate oven for about 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. You may need to rotate the sheets half way through baking to ensure even browning. They will be a golden colour when cooked.
7. You may pipe this recipe – To do so beat the mixture for ten minutes then pipe as in the Piped Shortbread Rings recipe. If you would like to do little stars you will need a star icing tip. I used a Wilton 6b or 8b.

When asked to make this cake for an important birthday of my Sis, I said, of course I will make you that cake. Anything you like. 🙂

What better than a request for something that looked and sounded amazing. This Summer layer cake is on the front of the Delicious magazine February 2012. Hopefully the recipe will come up on Taste later, so keep your eyes out for it, if you don’t have a copy of the magazine.

Does my cake look as good? no… but it sure tasted lovely.

When I started this recipe, I saw it required two 20cm round tins. I thought, two 22cm tins should be fine right? Whenever I use a slightly smaller or bigger tin for other recipes they turn out fine, why would this be any different? Wrong… I put the mixture into the two tins, and thought it was a little thin, and then thought it would rise during baking, wrong again. Once they came out of the oven the cakes were way too thin to split, and it would have looked quite funny being a short cake with just two layers.

So I decided to make another two cakes, the night was getting quite late, although I needed to get all the layers made and the mousse made, and assembled so it could set in the fridge overnight. Once the two extra cakes were made, I was quite tired, and didn’t bother slicing the tops to make them even (as they hadn’t risen much and looked reasonably even) – another mistake. Oh well – I assembled it all and placed it in the fridge overnight.

Soon before serving I made the Italian meringue to go on top, and it turned out beautifully. All in all the cake was quite tall and I was quite proud of it. There were some downsides to my unexpected changes, like the larger cake to mousse ratio (the mousse was a lovely flavour and texture, and this was a little lost with the amount of cake there was). Although I think my sister appreciated the effort and taste.

I think I should go and buy myself some 20cm tins, don’t you?

I don’t think the recipe has made it’s way on to Taste’s website, but it has been posted on the Add Four Sisters website.

You might remember quite a while back, in late 2009, I attempted the chocolate Delice made by Eamon Sullivan, as seen on Australian Celebrity Masterchef. Unfortunately the recipe on the MasterChef website was not correct, and I had to try and fix quite a few parts of this recipe – which I went through in the hope of helping anyone else who decided to make it.

I have good news though. The developer of this recipe, Eamon Sullivan, has set up his own food blog “Eamon eats” quite recently – and has posted the actual, true, tried and tested recipe + some great photos and videos. So check it out if you were interested in making the chocolate delice – I enjoyed it so much, I think I might have to make it again at some point – I’ll add it to my long long list of desserts to make 🙂

The January 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of the blog accro. She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around an Entremets dessert.

What a way to start the new year – with an amazing challenge.

I have seen joconde imprimes, the decorated sponge around beautiful cakes – or entrements and always thought they looked wonderful. I always love that being a part of the Daring Bakers help to motivate me to make some of the sweets I’ve wanted to make for some time.

As our host for this month said, this was actually quite an easy recipe. For me, the challenge was figuring out what to fill my entrement with.

I chose to make 4 smaller sized entrements, and decided to try a vanilla marshmallow mousse and chocolate marshmallow mousse filling. Both mousses set quite well.

To make my pattern I used some plastic notch trowels (normally used for tiling) from the local hardware store. They are quite cheap compared to the combs you can find in specialty stores.

Thanks to our host this month – I’m glad I made it just in time 🙂

My notes: I found the joconde paste made more than required for the sponge, so cooked it in a square tin and used it for the base of some of my entrements. I ended up with more sponge than needed for the mousse I made, although it got eaten quite quickly – and was good to have more to choose from.

We shared two of these entrements between 8 people and it was enough for a dessert. It is very sweet and should be enjoyed with some fruit.

Joconde Sponge

Recipe Source: I (Astheroshe) received this recipe from Chef John O. while attending The International Culinary School in Atlanta, Georgia USA.

YIELD: Two ½ size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan

¾ cup/ 180 ml/ 3oz/ 85g almond flour/meal – *You can also use hazelnut flour, just omit the butter
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/ 150 ml/ 2⅔ oz/ 75g confectioners’ (icing) sugar
¼ cup/ 60 ml/ 1 oz/ 25g cake flour *See note below
3 large eggs – about 5⅓ oz/ 150g
3 large egg whites – about 3 oz/ 90g
2½ teaspoons/ 12½ ml/ ⅓ oz/ 10g white granulated sugar or superfine (caster) sugar
2 tablespoons/ 30 ml/ 1oz / 30g unsalted butter, melted

*Note: How to make cake flour: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/09/how-to-make-cake-flour/

1. In a clean mixing bowl whip the egg whites and white granulated sugar to firm, glossy peeks. Reserve in a separate clean bowl to use later.

2. Sift almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, cake flour. (This can be done into your dirty egg white bowl)
3. On medium speed, add the eggs a little at a time. Mix well after each addition. Mix until smooth and light. (If using a stand mixer use blade attachment. If hand held a whisk attachment is fine, or by hand. )

4. Fold in one third reserved whipped egg whites to almond mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in remaining whipped egg whites. Do not over mix.
5. Fold in melted butter.
6. Reserve batter to be used later.

Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste

YIELD: Two ½ size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan

14 tablespoons/ 210ml/ 7oz/ 200g unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups plus1½ tablespoons/ 385ml/ 7oz/ 200g Confectioners’ (icing) sugar
7 large egg whites – about 7 oz / 200g
1¾ cup/ 420ml/ 7¾ oz/ 220g cake flour
Food coloring gel, paste or liquid

COCOA Décor Paste Variation: Reduce cake flour to 6 oz / 170g. Add 2 oz/ 60 g cocoa powder. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together before adding to creamed mixture.

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (use stand mixer with blade, hand held mixer, or by hand)

2. Gradually add egg whites. Beat continuously.
3. Fold in sifted flour.

4. Tint batter with coloring to desired color, if not making cocoa variation.

Preparing the Joconde- How to make the pattern:

1. Spread a thin even layer of décor paste approximately 1/4 inch (5 millimeter) thick onto silicone baking mat with a spatula, or flat knife. Place mat on an upside down baking sheet. The upside down sheet makes spreading easier with no lip from the pan.
2. Pattern the décor paste – Here is where you can be creative. Make horizontal /vertical lines (you can use a knife, spatula, cake/pastry comb). Squiggles with your fingers, zig zags, wood grains. Be creative whatever you have at home to make a design can be used. OR use a piping bag. Pipe letters, or polka dots, or a piped design. If you do not have a piping bag. Fill a ziplock bag and snip off corner for a homemade version of one.

3. Slide the baking sheet with paste into the freezer. Freeze hard. Approx 15 minutes.
4. Remove from freezer. Quickly pour the Joconde batter over the design. Spread evenly to completely cover the pattern of the Décor paste.

5. Bake at 475ºF /250ºC until the joconde bounces back when slightly pressed, approx. 15 minutes. You can bake it as is on the upside down pan. Yes, it is a very quick bake, so watch carefully. (I cooked mine at 220ºC and it took 5-10 minutes).
6. Cool. Do not leave too long, or you will have difficulty removing it from mat.
7. Flip cooled cake on to a powdered sugared parchment paper. Remove silpat. Cake should be right side up, and pattern showing! (The powdered sugar helps the cake from sticking when cutting.)

Preparing the MOLD for entremets:

You can use any type of mold. I would suggest:

1. Start with a large piece of parchment paper laid on a very flat baking sheet. Then a large piece of cling wrap over the parchment paper. Place a spring form pan ring, with the base removed, over the cling wrap and pull the cling wrap tightly up on the outside of the mold. Line the inside of the ring with a curled piece of parchment paper overlapping top edge by ½ inch. CUT the parchment paper to the TOP OF THE MOLD. It will be easier to smooth the top of the cake.
2. A biscuit cutter/ cookie cutter- using cling wrap pulled tightly as the base and the cling covering the outside of the mold, placed on a parchment lined very flat baking sheet. Line the inside with a curled piece of parchment paper overlapping.
3. Cut PVC pipe from your local hardware store. Very cheap! These can be cut into any height you wish to make a mold. 2 to 3 inches is good. My store will cut them for me, ask an employee at your store. You can get several for matching individual desserts. Cling wrap and parchment line, as outlined above.
4. Glass Trifle bowl. You will not have a free standing dessert, but you will have a nice pattern to see your joconde for this layered dessert.

My Mould: Cut an A4 piece of projector plastic/acetate in half lengthways. Curve it into a 9cm diameter circle cutter and sticky tape the sides shut.

Preparing the Jaconde for Molding:
Video: MUST WATCH THIS. This is a very good demo of the joconde and filling the entremets:

1. Trim the cake of any dark crispy edges. You should have a nice rectangle shape.
2. Decide how thick you want your “Joconde wrapper”. Traditionally, it is ½ the height of your mold. This is done so more layers of the plated dessert can be shown. However, you can make it the full height.
3. Once your height is measured, then you can cut the cake into equal strips, of height and length. (Use a very sharp paring knife and ruler.)
4. Make sure your strips are cut cleanly and ends are cut perfectly straight. Press the cake strips inside of the mold, decorative side facing out. Once wrapped inside the mold, overlap your ends slightly. You want your Joconde to fit very tightly pressed up to the sides of the mold. Then gently push and press the ends to meet together to make a seamless cake. The cake is very flexible so you can push it into place. You can use more than one piece to “wrap “your mold, if one cut piece is not long enough.
5. The mold is done, and ready to fill.

*Note: If not ready to use. Lay cake kept whole or already cut into strips, on a flat surface, wrap in parchment and several layers of cling wrap and freeze.

Vanilla Marshmallow Mousse

Recipe by Anita @ Leave Room for Dessert

100g white chocolate
150g vanilla marshmallows
300ml thickened cream

Melt the chocolate and marshmallows in a small saucepan over medium/low heat, stirring regularly. Once melted, remove from heat and allow to cool. Whip the cream until thickened and peaks are formed. Fold through the cooled chocolate marshmallow mix. Pour into lined moulds and place in the freezer for a few hours to set around the edges. It can then be stored in the fridge. If desired, the dessert can be eaten frozen.

For Chocolate Mousse – use 200g dark chocolate instead of the 100g white chocolate.