Maybe Coconut Isn't So Bad?!?

For the longest time I have HATED coconut...I know, hate is a strong word, but the gritty texture and overly sweet flavor have always left me gagging, which has really bummed me out because there is nothing I love more than that beachy scent of coconut flavoring.  At the slightest smell of coconut I am instantly whisked away, in my mind of course, to an island paradise with a mai tai in hand basking in the sun and working on my non-existent tan.

But times, they are a changing!  Slowly, I have been introducing coconut into my life and it all started with these little gems...Girl Scout Samoas Cookies, and according to Little Brownie Bakers that makes me brainy, complex and mysterious! hehehe

Image courtesy of Little Brownie Bakers
and Girl Scouts of America

Seriously though, these cookies are A-MAZ-ING!  I began to wonder, maybe I do like coconut!  But I will NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER like Almond Joy or Mounds EVER, EVER, EVER!! YUCK!

Now, if you have already been a long lover of coconut or even a recent convert like me, you will love this recipe by David Lebovitz, which I have adapted to include a huge short cut because let's face it, time is of the essence these days so if you need to cut a few corners to continue to enjoy homemade creations, I say do it!  I have taken a box cake mix from good to great by adding sour cream to make it moist and delicious and chocolate chips to pack a little extra chocolate punch.  You could also cut out the simple syrup step...not really necessary.  I also divided the original recipe between two 6" inch cake pans and 6 cupcakes instead of the two 9" inch cake pans because the cake is for my boss' birthday and the cupcakes are for the hubby (he would never forgive me for leaving him without his favorite dessert).

German Chocolate Cake (4 layers - 6")

German Chocolate Cake & Cupcakes!

Adapted from David Lebovitz’s classic recipe

Makes 2 – 6” cakes and 6 cupcakes or 2 – 9” cakes

For the cake:
1 box of chocolate cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chocolate chips

For the filling:
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
3 ounces butter, cut into small pieces
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1 1/3 cups unsweetened coconut, toasted

For the syrup: (I did use this, but I may not next time - maybe too moist)
1 cup water
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum

For the chocolate icing: (Flavor is to die for!!)
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 ½ ounces unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream

1.    Butter two 6-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or dust with cocoa powder. Line 6 cupcake/muffin tins with cupcake liners.  (Or butter two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or dust with cocoa powder) Preheat the oven to 350°.

2.    Mix the cake baker according to the directions on the box and add in the sour cream.

3.    Divide the batter into the 2 prepared cake pans and cupcake tin, smooth the tops, and bake for:

• About 28 minutes for 6” cakes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• About 19 minutes for the cupcakes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
•  About 45 minutes for 9” cakes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool cake layers and cupcakes completely.

While the cakes are baking and cooling, make the filling, syrup, and icing.

To make the filling:

1.    Mix the cream, sugar, and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Put the 3 ounces butter, salt, toasted coconut, and pecan pieces in a large bowl.

2.    Heat the cream mixture and cook, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the spoon (an instant-read thermometer will read 170°.)

3.    Pour the hot custard immediately into the pecan-coconut mixture and stir until the butter is melted. Cool completely to room temperature. (It will thicken.)

To make the syrup:

1.    In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the dark rum.

To make the icing:

1.    Place the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate in a bowl with the corn syrup and 1 ½ ounces of butter.

2.    Heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand one minute, then stir until smooth. Let sit until room temperature.

To assemble the cake:

Remove the cake layers from the pans and cut both cake layers in half horizontally, using a serrated bread knife.
Set the first cake layer on a cake plate. Brush well with syrup. Spread some of the coconut filling over the cake layer, making sure to reach to the edges. Set another cake layer on top.

Repeat, using the syrup to brush each cake layer and spreading the coconut filling over each layer, including the top.

Ice the sides with the chocolate icing, then pipe a decorative border of chocolate icing around the top, encircling the coconut topping.

To assemble the cupcakes:

Using a paring knife remove a portion of the center of each cupcake and fill the holes with a generous amount of the coconut filling creating a mound in the center of the cupcake.  Then, pipe a decorative border of chocolate icing around the top, encircling the coconut topping.

Please enjoy and left me know if you try this out or how you feel about coconut!

Happy Baking,

Dani

Honey Graham Cracker Cake with Toasted Meringue Frosting

Honey Graham Cracker Cake
with Toasted Meringue Frosting

If you haven't heard about Food52.com by now, please, let me introduce you to an amazing site for all things sweet and savory.  A real foodie's happy place with articles, recipes and contests.  I often daydream about working there and developing and testing recipes all day, but since their offices are on the other side of the country I guess I will just have to continue to daydream...boo hoo!

Anyways, I digress, recently I found a terrific article by Posie Harwood that made me drool instantly. She discovered an old recipe from Nabisco that used graham crackers in place of AP flour to make a deliciously moist cake that actually tastes just like graham crackers!!  I was so excited and I knew right away I wanted to make a cake reminiscent of campfire s'mores and this is what I came up with and it was so easy! A Honey Graham Cracker cake with Jello Instant Chocolate Pudding filling and toasted Swiss Meringue frosting, which is Sweetapolita's Swiss Meringue Buttercream without the butter...yum!

Graham Cracker Cake

Adapted from Food52.com

·         1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)

·         2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

·         1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

·         3/4 cup sugar

·         2 eggs

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         3/4 cup milk

1.      Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.

2.      In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, and baking powder and set aside.

3.      In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

4.      Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition.

5.      Mix in the vanilla.

6.      Add the flour mixture and the milk a little bit at a time, alternating between each. Mix thoroughly but be careful not to overbeat.

7.      Divide the batter evenly between your two prepared pans. Bake for about 25 minutes (or until golden brown and starting to pull away from the sides of the pans).

8.      Cool in the pans for at least 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before frosting and assembling.

Honey Graham Cracker Cake Mise en Place

Chocolate Pudding Filling

Adapted from Jello Instant Chocolate Pudding

·         1 - 3.9 oz box Jello Instant Chocolate Pudding

·         2 cups cold milk

1.      Beat together pudding mix and cold milk for about 2 minutes (pudding will be soft set)

2.      Refrigerate until ready to use as filling

     **NOTE: One box makes way more filling than you need so you will have extra for dessert or a sweet snack!

Chocolate Pudding Filling

Swiss Meringue

Adapted from Sweetapolita's Swiss Meringue Buttercream

·        5 large, fresh egg whites (150 g)

·        1 ¼ cups (250 g) sugar

·        2 tsp vanilla

·        Pinch of salt

1.      Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with a paper towel and lemon juice to remove any trace of grease.  Add egg whites and sugar and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly, but gently until the temperature reaches 140°F, or if you don’t have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.  Remove from the heat.

2.      With the whisk attachment of the mixer, begin to whip until the meringue is thick, glossy and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (about 10 minutes of whipping).

3.      Add the vanilla and salt and whip until incorporated...that’s it!!

Whipping & Toasting
of the Swiss Meringue

TO ASSEMBLE: Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand and pipe a ring or dam of meringue around the edge of the cake to keep your pudding filling from spilling out.  Then, fill the inside of the the piping ring with your chocolate pudding.  Take the second cake layer and carefully place it on top of the first layer.  Then, using an offset spatula slather the remaining meringue all over the cake using short strokes to create waves and peaks.  Lastly, and this is the fun part, using a small kitchen torch start toasting the meringue, but be careful because the meringue can easily burn.

I was a little nervous that the cake would turn out dry from the graham cracker crumbs, but it was so moist and light.  Posie Harwood was so right!  Plus, the chocolate pudding added the perfect amount of moisture to the center of the cake while the meringue frosting was like a sweet cloud that tasted just like toasted marshmallows.  A perfect cake to take to a potluck or to keep for yourself!  Give this recipe a try and I promise you will not be disappointed!!

Moist, Tender & Toasty!

Happy Baking!!

xoxo,

Dani

Gluten Free Banana Bread

Oh, the banana...such an underrated fruit.  All too often they sit on our counters, lonely and green with envy as the apples and berries have all the fun being used for more than just a quick breakfast on our way to work, but then, in the blink of an eye, our beautiful canary yellow bananas turn a potting soil brown. I know, sounds appetizing, but I beg you to resist the urge to throw out those bananas with the old coffee grounds. Instead, throw them into the freezer until you are ready to use them because what was old and brown can become new again, and sweet!

Gluten Free Banana Bread

Bananas past their so called peak of freshness can be used for all sorts of tasty treats such as one ingredient banana "ice cream" (slice them up, freeze, then blend to a soft serve consistency and you've got an amazing way to beat the summer heat); or, two ingredient banana pancakes (one banana mashed with 1-2 eggs lightly beaten and cook as you would any other pancake and you have a delicious breakfast for your toddler or hungry spouse). 

Personally, my favorite use for my ripe bananas is a good old fashion loaf of banana bread because the flavor never disappoints and goes great with my morning coffee or latte. There is just something so nostalgic about banana bread. I guess it reminds me of holiday mornings surrounded by my family; hanging out in our pjs and laughing about one thing or another.

This fabulous recipe was adapted from Hoosier Homemade's "Best Ever Banana Bread" was converted to a gluten free version for my school assignment and I have to say, it is one of the best banana breads I have ever eaten. It is all that you want a banana bread to be: soft, moist, slightly sweet and full of banana flavor, which you can thank those potting soil brown bananas for!!

Ingredients (makes 1 standard loaf)

2c MINUS 2tbsp GF Flour Blend**

1c sugar

1tsp GF baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2c GF Wesson Vegetable Oil (Soybean oil)

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

1tsp GF vanilla

Add 1/2c walnuts, chopped if your nuts are free of gluten ingredients

**See my post on my go to GF Flour Blend

Method 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep 1 standard bread pan with GF non-stick spray.  In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients and set aside.  In medium bowl, mash bananas, add eggs, vanilla and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into well.  Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf only has a few crumbs.

Mise en place

Sift, Mash and Fold

Bake to Perfection

This bread was so delicious and once again my GF Flour Blend did not disappoint. I can't tell you how excited I was to see the height of the loaf through the oven window as it baked up because I had always been unable to achieve that kind of lift with other GF recipes.  You will love this loaf and if you don't want to make the leap to gluten free, I am sure that the original version is just as yummy so give it a try.

If you need to be strict on your gluten intake please be careful when choosing your ingredients.  I was very close to following the original recipe and adding walnuts, but when I looked at the ingredients on the walnut bag I noticed that they were produced with trace amounts of wheat, which is a no-no for gluten free eaters.  The same is true of baking powder and even vanilla so read the ingredients list closely!  If you need some extra help on deciphering whether the item is gluten free or need some options, head over to GF Overflow to check their database.

Please enjoy and let me know who you think. 

Happy baking!

~Dani

Oh Là Là! J'adore Madeleines!

It's funny, I love nothing more than making interesting and flavorful desserts, but what I crave most often are much simpler treats.  Nine times out of ten I reach for a madeleine or a shortbread cookie before I reach for a chocolate chip cookie or a slice of cheesecake.  I even prefer Trefoils Girl Scout cookies over the über popular Thin Mints.

The first time I ever tasted a madeleine was at Starbucks...you know...those perfect little packages of three right by the register...I was hooked at first bite.  I still remember thinking to myself OH MY!! THESE ARE FREAKING AMAZING!! They were flawless...buttery, spongey and delicate. The perfect compliment to my high calorie latte.  I was so obsessed that I quickly went online and purchased a perfectly scalloped pan (similar) and began searching...and searching...and searching for the perfect recipe, but I have always been unsuccessful.  My previous attempts were either too cakey or too dense. It was driving me crazy, I just couldn't get the right texture and flavor.

Madeleine Mise en Place and
Blending of Sugar, Eggs, Milk & Vanilla

I am happy to say that my search for the perfect madeleine recipe finally came to an end while browsing through my school's online recipe catalogue.  These perfect little sponge cakes require eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, flour and melted butter.

Addition and Blending of the Sifted Flour and Melted Butter

Take care to aerate the ingredients at each step because the batter needs to stay light and fluffy.  I chose to try the old school method of using a whisk to combine the eggs, sugar, milk and vanilla.  By the end my arms were dying, but I'll take a little workout where I can get it.  Next, I folded in the sifted flour until just combined then added the melted butter and folded some more.  

Piping and Baking

So here's the trick to madeleine batter...chill in the fridge for a bit before you fill the buttered and floured molds or muffin tins.  This trick was a happy accident because the recipe actually did not call for chill time.

While the first batch was baking I placed the remaining batter in the fridge while my husband and I had dinner.  When I pulled the first batch from the oven I was kind of disappointed because they were too dense.  Totally bummed that my search for the perfect recipe hadn't ended here, I pulled the remaining batter from the fridge and proceeded to bake my second batch....SUCCESS!! They were delicate, moist and spongey...just like those first madeleines I tasted so many years ago.  I can't tell you how happy I was.

Spongey, Moist and Dusted with Powdered Sugar

The flavor of madeleines can be elevated by dusting with powdered sugar like I've done above, dipped in chocolate or filled with your favorite curd as seen here by Rachel Khoo in an episode of my favorite cooking show The Little Paris Kitchen, which can also be found in her cookbook by the same name. (Mobile users click here to view the video for her Madeleines à la Crème au Citron)

So tell me, do your sweets need to be over the top or are you a secret plain Jane like me?  I would also love to hear what dessert stopped you in your tracks the first time you tasted it.  Coming up very soon I will be doing a post on my next assignment...puff pastry...eek!! Wish me luck!

Happy Baking,
Dani xoxo

Go Coo Coo for Choux!

You are probably wondering why the heck I waited so long to do a post on choux pastry considering it is my blog's namesake, but the truth is I wanted the post to coincide with my choux pastry assignment under Classic Pastry Elements, which I am very proud to say that I received 100% on!! Whoo Hoo!!

Choux Mise en Place

Like I have said before, choux paste is sooo simple to make. Just look at these ingredients: butter, water, flour, eggs and salt...THAT'S IT!! You can always add a little sugar too when you add the flour for a little more sweetness. 

Preparation of Choux Dough

All you have to do is slowly bring the butter and water to a boil. I like to melt the butter a bit first so that the water doesn't evaporate too much and mess up the liquid to flour ratio.

Once it comes to a boil you need to take it off the heat and add the sifted flour all at once. This is essential to keeping the paste from becoming lumpy.  After it has combined put it back on the heat and stir constantly until a white film develops on the bottom of the pot.  Then remove the dough from the heat and allow it to cool in a bowl on the counter.

Silky Pate a Choux

When the butter, water and flour mixture are cool to the touch add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.  If you add the eggs too soon you might end up with scrambled eggs in your batter so be careful! At first you will think you are doing something wrong because the dough separates and curdles a bit, but keep at it!!  Soon it all comes together into this silky and shiny paste. 

Piped & Ready for the Oven

After you have taken a moment to congratulate yourself on how amazing the paste looks (it's pretty great right?!?) fill a pastry bag with your paste (or large ziplock type bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe it onto a parchment lined cookie sheet (circles for cream puffs, rectangles for éclairs or even rings).

Golden Brown & Hallow Inside

Now time for the baking.  I know it will be hard, but restrain yourself from peaking in the oven for at least the first 15 minutes or so.  Opening the oven before the puffs set up can cause them to collapse. The goal is to create a crispy exterior with a tender yet hallow interior.  I like to bake for about 15 minutes then remove them from the oven, cut a small slit in the side (this will help the steam to escape) then return them to the oven for another 3-5 minutes or until they are golden brown, crispy and sound hallow when you lightly tap on them.

When you are ready to fill the puffs you can use the small slit you cut into them earlier to fill them without needing to cut them open any further, which will also help to keep that creamy center from dripping all over your lap! Choux Pastry tastes amazing filled with pastry cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce or used to sandwich your favorite ice cream flavor.

Chef Bruno Albouze cracks me up, but also gives a great tutorial on how to make choux pastry and fancy swans (sorry, youtube videos only show up on computers - follow this link if viewing from your phone http://youtu.be/w4fQc1wJZ3w):

I hope you try to make your own choux pastry and you too go coo coo for choux!!!  If you are not sure that you want to make a huge batch on your first try follow this great recipe by Christina of Desserts for Two, which only makes about 6 or 7 puffs.

Flashback Pic of My Very First Attempt at Cream Puffs
Recipe From Another Great Cookbook: The Illustrated Kitchen Bible

Happy Baking,
Dani xoxo

Cake for Breakfast...Yes Please!

Okay, okay...I know cake is probably not the best choice for the most important meal of the day and I'm also not advocating having cake for breakfast seven days a week, but this cinnamon streusel coffee cake goes great with a hot cup of coffee (it does have coffee in the name after all) and will sweeten up any Sunday bumday.  If you are still feeling guilty add some fresh fruit!!

Ready for the Oven

I forgot to take a picture of my mise en place for you, but I would say the most important thing to remember is to make sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature and don't rush the creaming process because this will allow everything to blend together and aerate the batter giving the cake a light and fluffy texture.

Baked Up and Smelling Fantastic

Streusel Catching the Morning Sun

The really great thing about this recipe though is that you can play a round with it a bit.  For instance, I added some vanilla because I like the flavor it gives, but you can easily add a number of different flavorings to suit your tastes or even play around with the type of flour...like half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour for a nuttier taste.  I think that next time I will add some chopped pecans or walnuts to the streusel for a little added crunch.

VERDICT: Maryann Hickey from Just a Pinch has really come up with the perfect breakfast cake recipe and it was just what I was hoping for this lazy Sunday morning.  The recipe says 35-40 minutes, but in my oven it was perfectly cooked at 35 minutes so make sure you keep an eye on it.  It also makes a lot so if you would like it to last a few days make sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature on the kitchen counter.  If you like it warm with butter, like my husband does, just pop it in the microwave at 10 second intervals with a little butter on top.

CINNAMON STREUSEL

COFFEE CAKE

Adapted from Just A Pinch

Serves 12 substantial pieces

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

~  1 c butter, softened

~  2 eggs

~  1 1/2 c sugar

~  1 c milk (maybe try coconut or almond milk)

~  1 tsp of vanilla (or almond?!?)

~  3 c flour (or a mix of whole wheat & all-purpose)

~  4 tsp baking powder

~  2 tsp salt

STREUSEL INGREDIENTS:

~  1 c brown sugar (light or dark...whatever you have)

~  4 tsp cinnamon (or try some pumpkin spice)

~  3 tbsp flour

~  3-4 tbsp melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.     Preheat the oven to 375°

2.    Cream the butter until light and fluffy then add the eggs one at a time.

3.    Add the sugar and continue creaming until smooth.

4.    Add the milk and vanilla and blend together (batter will be very wet).

5.    Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined, but don't over mix!

6.    Prepare the streusel topping in a separate bowl by combining all ingredients with a fork.

7.    Layer the cake batter and streusel topping in a 9 x 13 pan that has been greased and floured (or sprayed with Pam Baking spray) starting with half of the cake batter and ending with the streusel topping.

8.    Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Please let me know how you like it or if you have changed up the recipe in any way...I have included some variations in the parentheses above for some inspiration.  Enjoy and as always...

Happy Baking,

Dani xoxo