CHOCOLATE MOLE BROWNIES

That is a misleading title for this post actually cos, these are not very mole like. They are however, so so so delicious. Warming and spicey and gooey but not overly so. I used a recipe out Meatless Mexican Home Cooking. As you can see from the flecks of peeper in the pic, I ground my own pepper and I need a better grinder to get a finer result but I enjoyed the texture the flecks created. I used Mexican chocolate and Canele (mex cinnamon), I think next time I will use a high quality chocolate as some Mexican is overly grainy. For a first time try they were almost what I had been imagining. Look at the deep purpley crimson pepper! My hood is full of places pushin' peppers of all manner. Looking forward to experimenting with more spices in my baking.









Chocolate Chile Mole Brownies:
From Meatless Mexican Home Cooking by Nancy Zaslavsky
4 oz unsweetened choc
1/4 pound butter
2 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp canela ( Mexican cinnamon)
3 Tablespoons Ancho chile powder ( Or pulverize stemmed, seeded and toasted Ancho chiles)
I cup flour
Optional
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 cup chopped walnuts

*I used Mexican chocolate and I decreased the sugar, and I always try to use vanilla beans
*I ALWAYS under bake my brownies, just a little as they continue to bake when you take them from the oven and I like them really fudgey.

Preheat oven to 350.
Butter an 8x12 inch baking dish
Melt chocolate with butter over double bolier. Remove from heat and cool.
Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, canela and chile powder. Stir the chocolate into this mixture. then stir in the flour and the sesame seeds and walnuts. Dough will be sticky.
Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 22 to 23 minutes. Do not over bake the brownies or they will lose their texture and be crispy on the edges. Cool for 30 minutes.

I used Guajillo peppers instead of ancho. A great supplier of chile peppers/powder is Sweetfreedom farm

Design*Sponge DIY Cake Stands!

Came across this link and couldn't help thinking of DOTMC.
What a great idea to use all those old plates I have from thrift store days of yester-years! I think they would make great gifts too! A way to present your delicious creations and not have to ask for the platter back! yay!

BAKING AT MOLLY'S

Last weekend I went over to Mollys and we made (well, truth be told I did a lot of watching) some cookies.

VEGAN ICE CREAM BLOG

Carrot cake soy ice cream, among others...check it out!
Also- for fellow Bushwick dwellers: CakeWalk, a "vegan pastry bar and cafe," is about to open up on Bogart and Moore Streets!

KitchenAid Sale!

Amazon has a couple KitchenAid Mixers on sale for Mother's Day. The sale ends May 5th and includes:
KitchenAid KSM50HDPBK Heavy-Duty 5-Quart 10-Speed Stand Mixer, Imperial Black ($159.99)

KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers, Empire Red ($189.99)

Kitchenaid Professional 5 Plus KV25GOXGR 5-Quart Bowl Lift Stand Mixer ($229.99)

JODI'S TRIBUTE DOTM

How gorgeous! I opened it up and thought it was flour falling out but no, it's egg replacer!!! Thank you Jodi, so much for a thoughtful and beautifully executed DOTM, our first vegan one too!! YAY!!!

GUESS WHAT I WILL BE?

Why, the crust on a pistachio crusted Key Lime pie!!!!

31 LAYERS

This cake, though you cannot see inside of it has thirty-one layers of crepes. I made it for my 31st bday
The only thing that made it difficult was timing. Agatha and I made the crepes and then immediately started to assemble the cake. However they were not fully cooled, so there was some slippin' and sliding. It was actually really fun to make. Let's do it Kat!!!

Maryland, my Maryland

My home state of Maryland has an official cake! Who knew? It's the Smith Island Ten Layer Cake...and the recipe/layering looks ambitious....any takers? Nicole, Nicole?

HUMBLE VANILLA

This is a vanilla bean cake, with vanilla bean buttercream and two layers of dulce de leche filling.....made for a co-worker's birthday. YUM

PIE CRUST SECRETS!! REVEALED!!

If you search this blog, I am sure you will find laments from me regarding my horrible previous luck with pie crust. I never tried Susan's vodka technique because I never keep vodka in the house. However I am here to tell you about a pie crust miracle. Of course it involves butter, as most of the best miracles do, but with a twist. An icy twist. I do not remember who told me this secret, but if I do, I will surely credit them. Are you ready, TA-DA! FREEZE THE BUTTER. I have tried again and again and it HAS NEVER FAILED. That is a secret weapon friends, never fail pie crust. Think about what you can do with that! I freeze it, then add it to my lil Cuisinart careful not to overmix like the mantra goes and it yields the most flaky puff pastry reminiscent crust and it tastes like a buttery kiss, OBSERVE.

salad for dessert!

Greek Winter Orange Salad
•a couple oranges, peeled and pith/seeds removed, cut into chunks
•a spoonful of olives (in olive oil preferred)
•drizzle of olive oil
•pinch of dried oregano
•sea salt
•freshly ground pepper
•crumbled feta (optional)
•thinly sliced fennel (optional)


This is considered a winter salad because oranges are harvested in the winter in Greece and greens are not available at that time. The salt and oil brings out the sweetness of the oranges, it's delicious. I lived off this salad this past winter, every night! (that and a chunk of crusty bread!)
In the summer, a favorite Greek salad includes: boiled potato, red onion, tomato, cucumber, olives, feta, oregano and salt and pepper....mmmmmmm.

Fennel fun!

I am always eating this fennel salad. It's so good and refreshing and healthy and satisfying...so much so that I yap about it all the time, hence why Nicole asked me to post about it already.
Here's a pic of it, pre-dressing. I don't really follow a strict recipe, but here goes:

• 2-3 heads of fennel, sliced thin or chunky, however you like
• one large or 2 small oranges, cut into pieces.
  
• handful of raw or dry roasted unsalted pistachio nuts

Dressing: 1 or 2 cloves of minced garlic, depending on your taste, the juice of 2 freshly squeezed lemons, olive oil, sea salt, pepper. For extra oomph, top with shaved pieces of parmesan cheese.

Sometimes I'll put in apples or pears in place of the orange...other ingredients that go well in this salad are mini-cucumbers, endive, and radishes. It's one of those salads that still tastes great (better, even) and maintains it's texture a day or two later.
I made this yesterday and mixed in some white cannelini beans and chunks of a good quality jarred tuna fish, like this, and BOY was it good. Buon appetito!

The BeaterBlade!!!

AHHH! It's like I just went to my elementary school science fair and discovered the coolest invention ever! THEY READ MY MIND!!!

TOO MANY LECHES!!!

Hello everybody. I made a TRES LECHES Cake. And boy was it LECHE. Muy Muy Muy leche. I feel like it was way too "milk logged" but some of the folks I served it to felt it was delicious. It was far superior at room temperature than fresh out of the fridge. Most likely a pitfall of the 12 hours this cake spends soaking up all of the milks overnight. I was looking to capture the perfectly ethereal version of this classic cake that I had at Kuba Kuba. But I guess you have to actually be some body's Cuban Mother to pull that off. Damn. Oh well. Back to the condensed milk aisle.

MARCH DOTMC

HOW CUTE IS AMELIA'S COCONUT PIE???

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

This Simply Recipes post is too good not to share. Butterscotch is one of my very favorite flavors and can turn simple pleasures like vanilla ice cream or a plain unfrosted cake into spectacular ones. I am including the ingredients below, but you must check out the post for the step by step tutorial. EASY!

Butterscotch Sauce


* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar
* ¾ cup heavy whipping cream (not ultra-pasteurized)
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Kat's Easter EXTRA...

My amazingly sweet foreigner husband surprised me with this today...he sure does know how to make a gal happy. Behold: the chicken the pops/poops egg gumballs! (Click above to watch the video)

Peep tweets! (Beep, beep, who's got the keys to the peep?)

I don't know about the rest of you lovelies, but Easter Sunday (agnostic, thank you) has come to represent a Springtime version of Thanksgiving for me. It's a day that revolves around cooking and eating and friends. No wonder they are my two favorite holidays.
This is also going to be another Easter that I will spend with the lovely Miss Lang- the official hostess with the mostest, who has hosted all the Easter foodfests that I've had the privilege of gorging myself at here in Brooklyn.
So what better way to honor the lady AND the holiday than homemade Peeps?


The above link ultimately links to Martha's Homemade Easter Treats. It's a great idea- because just this past week Nicole and I looked upon bushel and bushel of Peeps at Fairway and lamented over the fact that while precious, they are incredibly artificial and make you feel kinda ill (if you eat more than one...which I always do).

The New York Times had an interesting article a little while back about the Peeps phenomenon...take a gander, and behold the power of the Peeps.

More Irish Soda Bread

Nicole sent me the Joy of Cooking recipe, but then I forgot to bring it home from work, one thing led to another, and I ended up using Martha's (from the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook)!

Irish soda bread is one of my favorite things to eat, but I've never actually made it before. I don't know why! It was so easy, almost like making buttermilk biscuits. I wish everything had caraway seeds in it. I might get this shirt.

Anyway, here are my pics!







Even Martha's recipe takes zero time to put together, and I have a hunk of it wrapped in wax paper sitting here at work waiting for me to slather butter on it and eat it. My Irish grandmother would be very proud, then again, I don't ever remember eating this at her house. Actually, I lived in Ireland for six months in college, and I realized (and maybe I'm alone here) that most Irish food is kind of gross. If this is inauthentic, then, I'm not going to complain about it. It is too delicious.

IRISH SODA BREAD ( bad pics, good bread)

Do Not Wait Until Next St. Patrick's day. This bread is FANTASTIC and is the perfect respite from dinner rolls any ole night for dinner.

IRISH SODA BREAD (from The Joy Of Cooking)

One 8-inch round loaf

When this batter is made with the greater amount of sugar and baked in a loaf pan, it becomes a fine crusty tea bread that stays moist for 3 to 4 days. To make a tea loaf, use 1/3 sugar and 1 cup buttermilk.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 F, 350 F if you are baking in the loaf pan. Grease a large baking sheet or an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch (6-cup) loaf pan.

Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir in:

1 cup raisins
2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Whisk together in another bowl:

1 large egg
2/3 cup buttermilk, or 1 cup for the tea loaf
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) warm melted unsalted butter

Add to the flour mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The batter will be stiff but sticky. Scrape the batter onto the baking sheet in a mound 6 to 7 inches in diameter or scrape it into the loaf pan and spread evenly. Use a sharp knife to slash a large X about 1/2 inch deep on top of the batter. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes on the baking sheet, 45 to 50 minutes in the loaf pan. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool completely before serving. Or, if using a loaf pan, let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

ANOTHER REASON

to love Martha.

MOLLY'S FEBRUARY DOTMC

Delish Chocolate cake that turns out even when you think it isn't going to! Molly made this for one of our supper clubs and it was fantastic, she had been worried that something went wrong but when she unveiled it- the proof was in the few minutes in which it was DEVOURED.

Ch-ch-ch CHIA! Observe- the magical drink seed...

Last night I had the pleasure of having many local DOTMC ladies over for a Persian supper (Molly Neuman- you were seriously missed).
I made a traditional (and nutritional) Persian drink using seeds known as "Tokhme Sharbati," or Chia Seeds. In dry form, they resemble black poppy seeds...but when thrown into any liquid, they plump up like little froggy eyes. Imagine a much smaller version of the tapioca balls you see in bubble teas...maybe that is less gross of a description...?
The drink I made is a refreshing tonic made with water, rosewater, superfine sugar, and a healthy amount of chia seeds. This is what is looked like:

The seeds have been written about extensively throughout history- from Ancient Persia to the early Aztecs and now- even Oprah's main doctor dudes (Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Andrew Weil) have expounded on the many health benefits of the Chia seed. Here's a mini-manifesto from Dr. Weil- including the Mexican/Central American drink recipe for "Chia Fresca."
Also- the Living Foods website (a site devoted to the benefits of a raw foods) has an excellent and in-depth look at all the health benefits of the seed as well.
My family has always sworn by the healing benefits of drinking iced tea or water with the Chia seeds- how it aids with digestion, eases upset stomachs and nausea, and just generally serves as an all around happy tonic.
Bottoms up!

Cake-POPS! rock!

Hey! I haven't been in much of a baking/dessert mood after the holiday push. But I did mean to make these for V-Day and since I was too sick then, I made them for Kelly and Richard's visit this weekend.
I found this recipe a while back drooling over pics on TasteSpotting and have wanted to make them ever since. Here is the link to the recipe on Bakerella's blog.
It's pretty easy if you use a box mix for the red velvet cake. Bake the cake, let it cool, crumble and mix with a can of cream cheese icing. Roll into balls, lay onto cookie sheet and poke lollipop sticks into them and freeze for a lil bit. Melt your colored candies or chocolate and dip! yum!

I think I'm quickly turning into the gimmicky dessert maker in this club...

I COULD NOT WAIT!!!

Ok, For some reason I became obsessed with this devil dog cake....I'm not sure why, perhaps it is because Devil's Food Cake is like the older sultrier sister to Red Velvet Cake and once I saw that image in Gourmet, I had to recreate this burner of a dessert at home. If i had noticed this earlier in the month, this would have been a doozy for V Day! This cake is impossibly moist and rich (much unlike it's namesake, which if you have ever tried one, is very dry and light, sometimes too dry,cough cough). It's gorgeous seven minute halo dusted in bitter cocoa makes it a perfect occasion cake, for say an intimate gathering...it's lovely. AND EASY. Observe...

DEVIL DOG CAKE!

Bless the person who made my absolute favorite guilty pleasure into a cake!! Here is the recipe for my beloved devil dog in cake form, that was featured in Gourmet this month!!!!
Who wants to race me in making it????

LEMON OLIVE OIL CAKE

So, as I am still unemployed, mostly, I try to compensate by using my free time to try out recipes. Here is the latest. And greatest. The recipe is from
epicurious but I tweaked it. The recipe says bake for 45 min at 350, this cake you see here was done after about 20 minutes. Also the instructions seem over complicated, I basically just followed the wet/dry method for most cakes and it came out just fine. Better than fine. It's one of those "this cake is so good it needs no accompaniment" cakes. Maybe if I wanted it for a fancy occasion, I'd try a pistachio glaze or maybe some whipped cream with pistachio garnish. The olive oil is barely recognizable except for the incredibly
velvety texture it leaves. I would definitely try a fruity one next time just to see how it differs.