tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28901417269952011542024-03-14T02:01:58.970-04:00The dessert world of sweetalmondsweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-18179815960652167852013-01-11T22:35:00.000-05:002013-01-12T10:32:49.741-05:00Mocha Hazelnut Cupcakes<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chocolate, coffee and hazelnut are some of my favorite ingredients in baking. Combine all of them in one recipe, and you end up with the most amazing chocolate decadence. I decided to try this combination into cupcakes. Although I am not a cupcake person, I do make them whenever I'm short on time and patience.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/8367960731/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Mocha Hazelnut Cupcakes by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="Mocha Hazelnut Cupcakes" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8463/8367960731_c070387930_z.jpg" width="477" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These little cakes were deliciously decadent. The addition of ground hazelnuts and the hazelnut spread (Nutella in this recipe) made them super rich and chocolaty. Biting into these little cakes felt like biting into a chocolate bar full of hazlenut flavor. I made the cupcakes using my favorite chocolate cake recipe with the addition of other flavors and ingredients. </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rich and soft mocha buttercream was really the icing on the cake. Although it is the hardest part of the recipe, it was all worth the effort and the steps. I tried a Pierre Herme's buttercream recipe for the first time ( I just added the flavors I wanted) and it is a delicious one: light and fluffy which is not the case with most buttercreams. I kept having spoonfuls of it...... yes it is that good, especially with the addition of coffee.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/2732956763/" title="Nutella Muffins by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="Nutella Muffins" height="800" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3205/2732956763_0d3fd31cec_z.jpg" width="550" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can use your favorite buttercream recipe if this one is too much work for you. I made mine the night before, kept in the fridge and took it out for couple hours. If your buttercream is still stiff, put it in s bowl over a double boiler for 10 seconds then whisk. Repeat this process until the cream is fluffy again. If you are not a buttercream lover, you can ice the cupcakes with ganache to which you add some of the hazelnut spread or use the spread itself as the icing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #e06666;">Mocha Hazelnut cupcakes</span></i> (makes 24 )</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">200g bittersweet chocolate, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">140 g unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 teaspoons instant coffee granules</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 tablespoons Nutella</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 large eggs, room temperature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">150g granualted sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">100g self rising flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">100g ground hazelnuts (peeled, toasted and ground)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners and set aside</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2- Melt the chocolate, butter and instant coffee over a double boiler. Add the nutella and set aside to cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3- In a bowl of a mixer, combine the eggs and sugar and whisk until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla. Sift the flour over the egg mixture and fold it in gently.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Gradually, add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture. Use a spatula to fold the chocolate mixture. Do not over mix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5- Divide the batter between the liners which should not be filled more than 2/3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool completely before icing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #e06666;">Coffee Hazelnut Buttercream</span></i> (Courtesy Pierre Herme)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>This recipes yields a lot of buttercream. A third of the recipe will be enough to frost 24 cupcakes. The buttercream could be made a day before. Any extra can be frozen for few weeks. </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Creme anglaise</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">90g whole milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">70g egg yolks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">90g granulated sugar</span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Italian Meringue</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 egg whites</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">250g granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">75g water</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">450g soft unsalted butter ( I used only 400g)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 Tablespoons strong coffee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 Tablespoons Nutella</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Make the creme anglaise</i></b>: In a sauce pan, combine the egg yolks and sugar. whisk to combine. Bring the milk to a boil and gradually add it to the egg mixture. Heat the mixture over low heat until slightly thick. The cream should have the consistency of heavy cream and should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Set a side to cool slighlty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Make the italian meringue: </i>In a sauce pan, combine the sugar and water and cook to soft ball stage (239 degrees F). If you do not have a thermometer, bring the sugar to a boil and cook for 6 minutes. while the sugar is cooking, place the egg whites in a bowl of a mixer and whisk until soft peak. Gradually add the hot sugar to the whipped whites while whisking. Continue to whisk until the meringue is cool and shiny.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Assemble the cream: </i>Place the creme anglaise in a bowl of a mixer and mix until it becomes light and fluffy. Whisk the soft butter and add it to the whipped creme anglaise. whisk until light and fluffy. Add the meringue and whisk until combined. Add the coffee and the nutella.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ice the cupcakes with the buttercream and sprinkle with crushed hazlenuts for more hazelnut goodness!</span>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/8373498502/" title="013 by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="013" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8373498502_333648ee6d_c.jpg" width="551" /></a>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-17627852437722875452012-12-27T22:21:00.001-05:002012-12-28T12:31:30.033-05:00My humble project for 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/8167825097/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Algerian cookies by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="Algerian cookies" height="900" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8484/8167825097_292b8dbd4a_b.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Finally, I decided to gather all my strengths to fulfill a long time dream that has been hunting me for so many years. When it comes to my passion for pastry, I've got so many dreams and ambitions, but I have to take it one step at a time because I figured out that wanting everything all at once just makes you impatient and hopeless. You will end up giving up on everything! </span></div>
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My dream/project is...here is a hint</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/7788983826/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Algerian Almond Tartlets (Dziriettes) by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="Algerian Almond Tartlets (Dziriettes)" height="450" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7246/7788983826_29f4570c34_z.jpg" width="550" /></a><br />
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and another one...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/7807624296/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Assorted Algerian Cookies by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="Assorted Algerian Cookies" height="620" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7807624296_5e83427a8d_z.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
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And one more....<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3666925747/" title="Cookies for an afternoon tea by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="Cookies for an afternoon tea" height="700" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2343/3666925747_f8d2e58a96_z.jpg" width="550" /></a><br />
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All the cookies you have just seen are Algerian and this is a small selection among a big list. Algeria is a very beautiful Mediterranean country. Its cuisine, especially the pastry, is even more beautiful. Unfortunately, I've never come across an Algerian cookbook here in the US. So, I decided to <b>write one</b>! I have been secretly hiding this wish and impatiently awaiting the day I would decide to realize it.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3zuWsAssVac/UN0POzn3l_I/AAAAAAAAAi0/Hs6GQ_LTY3I/s1600/8081135606_a316282a93_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="700" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3zuWsAssVac/UN0POzn3l_I/AAAAAAAAAi0/Hs6GQ_LTY3I/s320/8081135606_a316282a93_o.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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I hope I'll succeed in showing Algeria's hidden treasure to the American people. I think that is the least I can do for my beautiful heritage, and let me tell you, I have seen, baked and tasted so many cookies from all over the world, I still think the Algerian ones are unique in both taste and look. Once you taste them, you'll think the same, I'm pretty sure about that :)
I would love to hear your opinions, suggestions, requests and what you would love to see in this cookbook. If you have tasted an Algerian sweet before and liked it, ask me about it in case I did not include it in my recipe list.
Thank you for passing by and please wish me luck!<br />
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I have couple links worth reading about Algerian sweets while the cookbook is cooking :)<br />
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/29/dining/29past.html?8hpib&_r=1&
http://www.wbez.org/amplified/story-algerian-pastries-and-epiphany-100560sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-23063678419534067632012-03-06T18:35:00.002-05:002012-11-01T18:37:18.873-04:00Macarons aux Framboises et Chocolat<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/6936312309/" title="Mixed Berry Tart by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="Mixed Berry Tart" height="700" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7062/6936312309_3486c5343b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I've always heard people and friends say that having one baby is not like having two, and having three is definitely not like having two! It is true that having happy and healthy children is a blessing. Once we have them they become our reason to exist, our reason to smile or cry. But what a <b>full</b> time, endless job ....aaghhhh!!! <br />
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You must have guessed that I had a baby, which explains why my last post was more than a year old! and you also might have guessed that this is my baby number 3, and yes it is hard to keep up with our pre-baby routine/life once we have a new baby, in my case it meant less baking and less blogging unfortunately :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/6807755620/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Chocolate Raspberry Macarons by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="Chocolate Raspberry Macarons" height="700" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7197/6807755620_7d31349488.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chocolate Raspberry Macarons<b> </b></i></td></tr>
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I didn't stop baking, oh no. I just don't do it that often, once or twice a month or every other month :) But that is not the main issue. It's the photographing part that became more difficult, especially when you are an amateur photographer. It takes me about an hour to get a decent picture, and sometimes I have to do editing. Then, I have to sit for a couple hours or so to write a post about it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/6790179320/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mixed Berry Tart by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><i><img alt="Mixed Berry Tart" height="700" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6790179320_57e4f9633e.jpg" width="500" /></i></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mixed Berry Tart</i></td></tr>
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For the last 2 weeks or so, I started to feel the urge to bake again, style and photograph. The baby is almost 11 month old now and giving mama a little more time to do other things than feeding, changing diapers and chasing him while he is exploring the world around him. I kicked up my debut with a<b> mixed berry tart</b> that my older son has been asking for. I have the recipe for fruit tarts on my previous posts, but I twisted a little bit my dough recipe. I'll post it in a near future (hopefully). I also made <b>macarons</b>. I enjoy making these French cookies even though I am not a big fan when it comes to eating them. I find them a bit on the sweet side, so the only flavors I can bare are chocolate and coffee. But when it comes to photographing these babies, I find them very cute, colorful and extremely photogenic.<br />
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I used to follow the french meringue method, but lately I tried the Italian meringue one and I find it better. For these raspberry chocolate macarons, I used one of the basic recipes of Pierre Herme that I found online. I added cocoa to make the chocolate ones and raspberry powder to make the raspberry flavored ones. I think the success or failure of macarons is mainly related to the oven temperature: too high and your macarons will crack, too low and you end up with flat macarons, extremely chewy with an almost raw like texture. After many failures, endless experiences and many trials, I found that heating the oven to a certain temperature then reducing it as soon as you put the cookies in the oven works well. I hope it will work for you too whenever you give it a try.......or tries, do not give up :)<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/6959876687/" title="Chocolate Raspberry Macarons by SweetAlmond, on Flickr"><img alt="Chocolate Raspberry Macarons" height="700" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7179/6959876687_4fa1f4a3ec_b.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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<b><i>Chocolate Raspberry Macarons</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.699219); color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">150g ground blanched almonds</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.699219); color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">150g icing sugar</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">50g fresh egg whites</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.699219); text-align: left;"> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.699219); color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">2 Tablespoons cocoa powder</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"> 2 Tablespoons raspberry powder (I use freeze dried raspberries that I ground very finely)</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.699219); color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">150g granulated sugar</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.699219); color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"> 38g water</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.699219); color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"> 55g aged egg whites</span><br />
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<b style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;"><i>Chocolate Raspberry Ganache</i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">150g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped or grated.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">1/3 cup heavy cream</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">1/3 cup raspberry puree (using a food processor, combine 1 cup or fresh or forzen raspberries, 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Mix and strain)</span></span><br />
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.699219); color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><i>Preparation</i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">1-Line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">2-In a food processor, combine the almonds and the icing sugar and mix until very finely ground. Sift the mixture and divide it into 2 parts. Add cocoa powder to one half and the raspberry powder to the other half.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">3-Using a scale, divide the fresh egg whites into 2 parts and add each half to the almond mixtures. Set aside.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium high heat. when it reaches 180f start whipping the aged egg whites until stiff. .When the sugar mixture reaches 220f, slowly start adding the hot syrup to the whipped whites and beat until glossy. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">4-divide the meringue into two equal parts (again I used the scale). Fold each part of the meringue into the almond mixture. </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">The batter should be shiny and not too runny.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">5-Using a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, pipe the cookie batter leaving 1 inch space between the macarons. Set aside to dry for 30 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">Preheat the oven to 350. right after you put the pan in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 300 and bake the cookies for 13 minutes. let the macarons cool completely before filling.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;"><i>Ganache filling</i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">Put the chocolate in a bowl and set aside.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a light boil. Pour over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds. Using a whisk, gently mix until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Add the raspberry puree. Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes stirring from time to time.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">Fill a pastry bag with the firm ganache. Sandwich the cookies using one raspberry and one chocolate macaron.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">Les macarons are best when left for 24 hours in the fridge.They keep well in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.699219); color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></span>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-36683901726863110132011-02-26T15:42:00.004-05:002011-03-04T12:58:45.966-05:00Tartelettes<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/5469549946/" title="edited by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="edited" height="800" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5298/5469549946_c0bbfd879a.jpg" width="" /></a><br />
<br />
The month of February was a very tough one because the whole family got sick, <b><i>one after another.</i></b> The thing is, as long as the mother is ok, things are under control. BUT, once she is not feeling well, that's where the trouble starts: who will take care of the still sick husband and the kids? Who cleans, cooks, drive kids (once up and running!) to school and their various activities? who does the groceries?? Sure friends help and I do thank each one of them, but it is always hard to go through a phase like this, especially when you, the "head of the house" need a helping hand, a <i><b>cup of water</b> </i>or <i><b>warm tea</b></i> brought to you while you are stuck in bed not able to move!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/5487752934/" title="edited by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5487752934_ce4e41e5bc.jpg" width="" height="800" alt="edited" /></a><br />
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Not a lot of baking happened lately neither. Once I started to feel better, I made these tarts to share with some friends. I was happy they enjoyed them. My friend K's 6 year old son liked them, which surprised me. I say so, because he is a very picky eater, and that he liked the <i><b>Lemon Meringue</b></i> tart, or the <i><b>Almond strawberry </b></i>tart was a bit surprising to me. He sure knows to eat!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/5469075093/" title="Tartlets by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Tartlets" height="800" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5060/5469075093_9411b2d0e7.jpg" width="" /></a> <br />
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These tarts share the same dough and the same cream as a base (except for the Almond ones). Make the dough a couple of hours in advance. The pastry cream could be made up to 2 days in advance, and the lemon cream should be made ahead and left to rest in the fridge for a couple hours. The almond cream could be made in advance too. It keeps well in the fridge for 2 days.<br />
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<i><b>Almond Strawberry, Lemon Meringue and Almond Tartelettes</b></i><br />
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<i><b>Dough (Pate Brisee)</b></i><br />
<br />
250g All purpose flour<br />
125g unsalted butter, cold and cubed<br />
40g ground blanched almonds <br />
1 egg<br />
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
<br />
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, sugar and salt. Add the cubed butter and rub between your hands until crumbly. Add the egg and work the dough quickly and as little as possible until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or put it in a zyploc bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.<br />
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<i><b>Pastry Cream (makes about 2 cups)</b></i><br />
<br />
1 whole egg<br />
2 egg yolks<br />
40g granulated sugar<br />
2 Tablespoons corn starch<br />
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour<br />
1 heaping cup milk<br />
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
<br />
1- In a saucepan, combine the egg, egg yolks, sugar, corn starch and flour. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined and the mixture is lump free.<br />
2- Heat the milk and slowly add it to the egg mixture while whisking continuously.<br />
3- Slowly, cook the custard over medium low heat, while whisking non stop.<br />
4- Once the custard starts bubbling remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.<br />
5- Transfer the custard to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool completely.<br />
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<i><b>Lemon Cream</b></i><br />
<br />
1 cup pastry cream<br />
zest of half a lemon<br />
Juice of 1 lemon (or more depending on how sour you want the cream to be)<br />
4 tablespoons soft unsalted butter<br />
<br />
<br />
In a blender, combine the pastry cream, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pulse for 10 seconds. With the machine running add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Blend until creamy.<br />
The cream will look runny, but after resting a few hours in the fridge it will have the perfect consistency.<br />
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<i><b>Almond Cream </b></i><br />
<br />
125g ground blanched almonds<br />
100g granulated sugar<br />
125g unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
2 medium eggs<br />
3 Tablespoons flour<br />
<br />
In a food processor, combine the almonds, sugar and butter. Pulse until well combined. Add the eggs and pulse for 10 more seconds. Add the flour and pulse again 10 more seconds. The cream is ready to be used right away or can keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.<br />
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<i><b>The Tarts</b></i><br />
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<b></b><i><b>Strawberry Almond</b></i><br />
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1 recipe Pate brisee<br />
1 1/2 cups pastry cream<br />
1 cup almond cream <br />
1 Tablespoon soft butter <br />
Strawberries<br />
<br />
1- Preheat the oven to 375F.<br />
2- On a floured surface or between 2 sheets of wax paper, roll out the dough to 1/4 in thickness. Cut out circles and transfer them to your tart molds.<br />
3- Fill each tart shell with 1 to 2 tablespoons of almond cream.<br />
4- bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let the tarts cool.<br />
5- Combine the soft butter and the pastry cream and mix until well combined. Fill each tart with some of the pasty cream and decorate with strawberries.<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i><b>Lemon Meringue </b></i><br />
<br />
1 recipe Pate brisee<br />
2 cups lemon cream<br />
2 egg whites<br />
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar<br />
<br />
1- Bake the tart shells in a 375F preheated oven. Let cool.<br />
2- Fill each baked tart shell with lemon cream<br />
3- Make the meringue: beat the egg white with a pinch of salt and few drops of lemon juice to stiff peaks.<br />
Add the sugar a tablespoons at time while mixing. When ready, the mixture should be thick and glossy. Decorate each tart shell with the meringue (either use a pastry bag or just a spoon). Preheat the oven to 350F.<br />
4- Bake the tarts for 5 to 8 minutes or until the meringue has a light golden color.<br />
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<i><b>Almond Tarts</b></i><br />
<br />
1 recipe Pate brisee<br />
1 1/2 cups almond cream<br />
sliced almonds<br />
<br />
1- Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare the tart shells<br />
2- Fill each tart with almond cream (do not exceed 3/4 of the tart's height)<br />
3- sprinkle the top of each tart with sliced almonds and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.<br />
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<i><b>Enjoy and have a nice weekend!</b></i><br />
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</h1>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-78413579672861650892010-12-20T12:03:00.007-05:002012-08-05T09:54:15.607-04:00Sweet Destination: Algeria<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/5268993633/" title="Pecan Cookies by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5008/5268993633_f3c12e7f6a.jpg" width="" height="800" alt="Pecan Cookies" /></a><br />
<br />
Have you ever wondered why I named this blog, my flickr nickname and even my small, "never taken seriously" home business, SweetAlmond? It all started a few years ago, when I decided to start a small business from home: selling cookies and baked goods. My husband helped me build a website, then it was time to choose a name for that website/business. Since I was concentrating on selling Algerian specialties, Almonds were the first thing that hit my mind. Almonds are the base for most of our sweets. Sweets, Almonds......SWEETALMOND! There it is!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3206992114/" title="Almond Cookies by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Almond Cookies" height="800" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3206992114_67b0e2ea81.jpg" width="" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3944204919/" title="Eid Cookies by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Eid Cookies" height="800" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3536/3944204919_ab6464af71.jpg" width="" /></a><br />
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Algerian sweets are very elegant and tasty. They are sweet and nutty. A blend of wonderful flavorings: nuts, vanilla, lemon zest, orange blossom water or rose water. Some are dipped in honey syrup, others beautifully iced and decorated with almond paste flowers. There are so many varieties. New amazing designs, stunning colors and delicate decorations keep popping out. Every time I visit Algeria, I feel so "yesterday" when it comes to these delicacies.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/2899665872/" title="Dziriettes / Almond Tartlets by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Dziriettes / Almond Tartlets" height="800" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2899665872_49f316b957.jpg" width="" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/5278006266/" title="Pecan Cookies (Mkhabez) by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5002/5278006266_330d838e9c.jpg" width="" height="800" alt="Pecan Cookies (Mkhabez)" /></a><br />
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Today's recipe is called "Mkhabez", which translates to "breaded". I know it sounds funny and has nothing to do with sweets. I have no idea where this cookie got its name from, and why such a weird name! Actually, most of our cookies have bizarre names, and even some savory dishes do: "drunk and falling in the stairs", "the judge and his team", and many more interesting ones, let's just leave this discussion for another post!<br />
Back to the recipe. This cookie is very simple: just mix nuts, sugar and the flavor of your choice. Shape, bake for 10 minutes, and voila! All that is left is making the egg white icing and ice the cookies.<br />
You can use any kind of nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans or even pistachios. You can also add lemon zest (especially with the almonds) or any flavoring of your choice.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000;"><b>Mkhabez (Pecan Cookies)</b></div><br />
300 g pecans (or any other type of nuts)<br />
80 g granulated sugar<br />
1 large egg, beaten<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
pinch of salt<br />
<br />
1- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Let the nuts cool for 5 minutes.<br />
2- Reduce the oven temperature to 300F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.<br />
3-In a food processor, combine the pecans and sugar and pulse until finely ground.<br />
4- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and add the vanilla and salt.<br />
5- Start adding the beaten egg little by little until you form a dough. It shouldn't be sticky. If you feel that that dough is a bit dry, add more beaten egg, 1 tsp a time. Do this step slowly because this dough will quickly turn wet and sticky and this would make shaping the cookies hard, and even affect the final result.<br />
6- Roll out the dough on a very lightly floured surface to about 1 inch thickness. Cut out shapes using a cookie cutter (any shape would be fine). Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Leave the cookies to cool before icing.<br />
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<div style="color: #660000;"><b>Icing</b></div><br />
1 egg white<br />
1 to 2 cups sifted powdered sugar<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 tsp lemon juice<br />
1 tsp vegetable oil<br />
<br />
Lightly whisk the egg white. Start adding the sugar little by little until you reach a white shiny icing. The icing should not be too runny nor too stiff. Add the vanilla, lemons juice and oil. You can add food coloring at this point if you would like.<br />
Dip each cookie, one by one, in the icing and arrange them on a cookie rack (with a pan underneath it) to let the excess icing drip. Decorate with pecan halves.sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-90816739807479484882010-12-07T19:25:00.005-05:002011-01-11T15:32:51.439-05:00Happy to be here!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/5241709421/" title="Tiramisu Cupcakes by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5248/5241709421_3491fdb898.jpg" width="" height="800" alt="Tiramisu Cupcakes" /></a><br />
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How are you dear readers and followers? I am very happy to come back! what happened you may wonder? let's just say some health related issues kept me away. Nothing to worry about, just going through some changes :)<br />
I definitely missed blogging, baking and photography. <b>I Missed all of you</b>, fellow friends. To everyone who follows my blog and always waits for new recipes and pictures, I say <b>sorry<i></i></b> for being absent for so long. I am sure all of us go through stages where we find ourselves unable to surmount life's demands, and I am sure you would forgive my brief disappearance. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/5242243008/" title="366 by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="366" height="" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5002/5242243008_b165b3ddc0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Although I have been inactive lately, I was following amazing works from different flickrer/ bloggers. I got the ispiration for these cupcakes from the amazing Aran of <a href="http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2010/12/double-chocolate-chip-cupcakes-and-some.html" style="color: #990000;">Cannelle Et Vanille</a>. I had mascarpone, wanted to have Tiramisu but since it takes some time to make I thought about making something quicker, <b>cupcakes!</b> I made few changes to the recipe in order make it more "tiramisu-ish", I added some coffee to the batter. I also made a mascarpone cream icing flavored with vanilla and coffee instead of the whipped ganache. The icing turned amazingly light and tasty....<br />
I hope you try this recipe and I also hope everyone is enjoying this time of the year and the coming holidays!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/5242756482/" title="Tiramisu Cupcakes by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5242756482_6b4b830832.jpg" width="500" height="" alt="Tiramisu Cupcakes" /></a><br />
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<b>Tiramisu Cupcakes</b> (adapted from <a href="http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2010/12/double-chocolate-chip-cupcakes-and-some.html" style="color: #990000;">Cannelle Et Vanille</a>)<br />
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<b>Cupcakes (makes 11 to 12 cupcakes)</b><br />
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1 stick of butter, room temperature<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar<br />
2 large eggs, room temperature<br />
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped<br />
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature<br />
1 tsp espresso powder<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 cup all purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
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1- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with baking cups and set aside.<br />
2- Combine the chocolate and the coffee. Melt over a double boiler. Set aside to cool.<br />
3- In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and the sugars. Whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Mix in the melted chocolate.<br />
4-Add the vanilla and half the buttermilk. Add the flour and baking soda then the remaining buttermilk.<br />
5- Divide the batter between the liners and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.<br />
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<b>Mascarpone Cream</b><br />
<br />
300 g mascarpone cheese, room temperature<br />
150 ml heavy cream, chilled<br />
80 g sugar<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla paste<br />
1/2 tsp coffee extract<br />
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Whip the heavy cream and sugar until soft pick. Add the mascarpone and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and coffee extract.<br />
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Pipe icing on the cooled cupcakes and decorate with shaved chocolate. enjoy!sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-52689057875101143142010-08-03T16:17:00.011-04:002012-11-01T21:07:18.417-04:00A Marbled Cake and my exciting Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/4813405685/" title="Dreamy... by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Dreamy..." height="700" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4813405685_143c50c4ea_b.jpg" width="540" /></a><br />
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Finally, settled in our new house. It was one long moving, the 8th in 10 years and not the last one for sure. This summer was very hectic, <b>restless</b> and <b>hot</b>! I think I already mentioned that I am not crazy about Atlanta's weather and Summer is no exception, very warm and humid,which is not my favorite combination. Trips to the swimming pool were our main destination and baking was set aside for some time. Because of the heat? yes, but not only that. The moving and the temporary instability that comes along with played a big part in my hibernation.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/4814015434/" title="Mousse Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Mousse Cake" height="700" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4814015434_bfc30706c4_o.jpg" width="540" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/4861881910/" title="marbchoc by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="marbchoc" height="700" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4861881910_71e9a3413f_o.jpg" width="540" /></a><br />
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Back to my new kitchen and my "cher companion": the oven, I started with my ultimate weakness, the chocolate cake. I just realized I didn't post the recipe on my blog, how can that be??!! I've made this cake a thousand times, posted different pictures on flickr to the point where I felt kind of embarrassed to post anymore chocolate cake photos. I will have to post that recipe.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/4552175256/" title="I love Spring by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="I love Spring" height="700" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1003/4552175256_13b14e431e_o.jpg" width="540" /></a><br />
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I also made <b>cherry pistachio clafoutis</b>, <b>fruit tartelettes</b>, a decadent <b>chocolate mousse cake</b>. I also made <b>strawberry sorbet</b>, <b>ice creams</b> and last but not least, one of my favorite: <b>marbled cake</b>. I have been looking for the best recipe for that one for some time. tried many: the dry, the dense, the tasteless...until I found the perfect one. I found it in a cookbook I bought while waiting for checkout at a department store. I initially bought this book for 3 reasons: first, it was very cheap and I liked the the cover (it was pink, my favorite color). Second, I don't like waiting in lines and needed something to keep myself busy, and third because I liked the pictures of the book. It is a tiny book with no author name, called "Baking". Ridiculously simple, but let me tell you, the recipes are very good, even impressive. Isn't it amazing when sometimes things exceed your expectations? I love that feeling. <br />
I'll try to post some of the other recipes, meanwhile try to make this cake and have it with a cup of coffee or tea, a dollop of whipped cream and fresh strawberries, or with vanilla crème anglaise, you'll love it! Enjoy your summer everyone!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/4845252564/" title="Marbled Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Marbled Cake" height="700" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/4845252564_a5e70ffbb6_o.jpg" width="540" /></a><br />
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<div style="color: #660000;">
<b>Marbled Cake</b> </div>
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10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
6 tbsp sour cream<br />
2 cups self rising flour*, sifted<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped<br />
4 tbsp milk<br />
2 tbsp heavy cream<br />
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<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="color: #660000;">Preparation</span></b></div>
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Preheat the over to <b>350</b> degrees F. Spray a 9 by 5 loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper as well.<br />
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Place the chocolate, milk, and heavy cream in a heat proof bowl. Set over a pan of simmering water and heat gently until melted. <br />
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Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream. Gently fold in the sifted flour.<br />
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Take out a third of the batter and add the melted chocolate to it. Add the vanilla to the white batter.<br />
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Spoon the batter into the prepared pan alternating between chocolate and vanilla. <br />
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Bake for <b>40-45</b> minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes then unmold. You can glaze the cake with a ganache if you like. <br />
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*If you do not have self-rising flour, use the following for one cup of self rising flour:<br />
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1 cup all purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt<br />
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sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-88270034405627231322010-03-19T19:26:00.119-04:002012-11-01T21:09:19.965-04:00Brownies to welcome Spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As Spring approaches, I feel happiness and excitement. I love the sunshine during this time of the year, not very hot, just the right amount of heat you need to feel good and enjoy the joyful weather. <b>Spring puts a smile on my face</b>. For me, it is the most wonderful time of the year!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/2966389091/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Cream Cheese Swirl & Raspberry Brownies by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Cream Cheese Swirl & Raspberry Brownies" height="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2966389091_5e72af1a64.jpg" width="540" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Although for me brownies rhyme with <b>winter,</b> <b>comfort food</b>...etc and despite the weather these days that says "winter is over", I wanted brownies! I haven't made them for some time, and I guess I missed their chocolaty goodness.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
I made and ate my first brownie when I came to the US, ten years ago. Of course I heard about them before, but due to French cooking influence, brownies have never been on my to do list. In some of my French cookbooks, brownies are found under the title: "The American Specialty" and somehow, I always felt it was too adventurous to try them, plus it always calls for <b>a lot</b> of chocolate! Now, I am glad I made this sweet discovery. It is for sure a part of my repertoire.</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/2966389091/" title="Cream Cheese Swirl & Raspberry Brownies by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><br />
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Brownies</b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I just want to mention that I made half the recipe in my 8 by 8 cake pan, that's why my brownies are kind of flat. But it worked fine for me because they were lighter (not calorie wise though!)</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3 large eggs</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1/2 cup granulated sugar<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">300 g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 stick unsalted butter</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1/2 cup all purpose flour</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1/2 tsp baking powder</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 tsp vanilla extract</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1 tsp instant coffee</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">pinch of salt</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1- Preheat the oven to 375. Grease an 8 by 8 square cake pan. line with foil and set aside.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2- Combine the chocolate, butter and instant coffee and melt over a double boiler. Set aside to cool.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3- Whisk the eggs and the sugars until well combined. Add the vanilla extract. Whisk in the melted chocolate.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">5- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the nuts if using.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6- Put the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.</div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
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<div id="refHTML"></div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-52860680517604892572010-03-03T20:36:00.050-05:002010-03-15T20:45:42.492-04:00Make a wish...<div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Red Velvet Cakes" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4382845582_31a1f6fa2a.jpg" width="346" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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This post is a bit different because it has no recipe. I am indeed using this post as a detox, a confession, something that I want to talk about and found nobody to listen but that screen and typing board and of course you! It started when I was looking at some food blogs that I always liked and admired and still do. The kind of sites full of amazing pictures, stories and wonderful recipes. They catch your eyes with their beautifully captured and meticulously arranged images. The blogger tells Beautiful stories that are simple yet they keep you stuck to the screen until the end. Some of the amazing ones get even the privilege to be nominated for different awards, like the one organized by Saveur Magazine lately. I so envy everyone who is nominated and wish them the best of luck because some of these blogs are just gorgeous, and deserve the best awards!<br />
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when I started this blog, I wanted to create something sophisticated, original and most importantly, I wanted to establish a <b>reference</b>. what I ended up with?? just "a blog". My heart aches every time I think about it. I am around here once every one or two months. I am a perfectionist, and due to lack of time and never ending family demands, I find my self very limited and having only two choices : either do nothing, or just do whatever! snap a pic before one of the kids wants his afternoon snack, or needs help with homework, then the husband asks about lunch or dinner while your head is thinking about that mousse cake topped with a glossy fruit jelly,a chocolate decoration using the transfer sheet I was so excited to buy from Sur La Table (my heaven!) and never got the chance to use yet, and wait the cake should stay in the fridge overnight......ahh!! will I have time tomorrow to...even remember the existence of that cake?!!</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">At the end I have to say that because of you, followers, that this blog is surviving. It is through your sweet comments and encouragement that I get the strength to come back and post again, even once in a trimester. I want to tell everyone who appreciates my very little work, <b>Thank you!!!</b>.I, on my side, still have hope to make this blog a perfect one......one day :)<br />
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<div id="refHTML"></div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-23054798853958534712010-01-01T21:39:00.014-05:002012-11-01T18:33:03.571-04:00A New Year<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/4231250355/" title="Tiramisu in chocolate cups by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Tiramisu in chocolate cups" height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2727/4231250355_e348a26142.jpg" width="333" /></a>
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Well well, I just checked that my last post was on June!! sorry blog followers, I hope you didn't lose complete hope in me. Life has been crazy around here and I have been super lazy too, I must confess. So, new year, new hopes, new resolutions (I don't believe in that resolution thing, though), more blog posting, less baking because my husband wants to lose some weight, less stress (hopefully), more time to take care of my self.........just a tiny bit more, and most importantly: good health and happiness. I believe that happiness comes when we feel satisfied with whatever God blesses us with, and always be thankful. 2009 was a "OK" year for me, ups and downs but I am thankful for everything that had happened that past year. I am thankful that my family is healthy. Thankful for being around my kids, seeing them growing and happy. Thankful for everything, good and not so good.
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/4209515418/" title="Photobook by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Photobook" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4209515418_0f8c45d626.jpg" width="352" /></a>
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I am also very happy to get my first photobook. I was so excited when I saw it. An entire book made out of.....my pastry creations!!! Not be confused : THIS IS NOT A COOKBOOK, it is a photo album put in a form of a book. I just love it! It has my personal favorites, and people's favorites too. Who knows, may be next year at this time I would be writing about my cookbook! what do you think, would you be interested in a SweetAlmond cookbook? would you buy it? (honest question I know). No seriously, If I write a cookbook it would be done with love, a passion put into words and pictures that go straight to people's hearts, eyes and tummies of course. Whenever they open my book, I want people to feel the urge to bake, and be super happy with the result: look and taste wise, nothing else would matter....truly!
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/4209057714/" title="Photobook by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Photobook" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4209057714_44e9951d31.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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I started this year with one of my absolute favorite desserts: Tiramisu. I did not make it as a special dessert for the New Year, we actually don't do anything special on that day. I just had mascarpone cheese for couple days in the fridge and some "free time". I also had this idea of making Tiramisu in chocolate cups for some time in my mind. Plus, I have those printed "SweetAlmond" ribbons which have been waiting for so long to be wrapped around something!! The problem is that I can't stick them everywhere otherwise my photo stream will all look the same!!
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This is my favorite recipe, made it over and over and never been disappointed. It is not too sweet, which I like. You can assemble this dessert in one big dish or what I personally prefer, make it as individual servings. In this particular one I built cups out of chocolate and followed the same assembling process. As you know, Tiramisu is best eaten the next day, but a few hours in the fridge would be enough if you can't wait.
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16 oz Mascarpone cheese, room temperature.
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1/2 cup sugar
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1/4 cup water
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6 egg yolks
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1/2 cup heavy cream
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1 to 1 1/2 cups freshly brewed coffee, cooled.
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Lady fingers
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cocoa powder and shaved chocolate for garnish
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Preparation</span>
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1- Combine the egg yolks, sugar and water and cook over a double boiler whisking continuously (you can either use a whisk or a hand held mixer) until thick and light in color. This may take from 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
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2- In another bowl whisk the cheese to soften its consistency. Add the cooled egg mixture and whisk until well combined.
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3- Whip the heavy cream to soft peak and gently fold it into the cheese mixture.
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4- Start buliding the Tiramisu: dip the lady fingers in the coffee on both sides. Be careful not to dip them for too long otherwise they'll be too soggy. Start arranging a layer of ladyfingers then cheese mixture and so on. The last layer should be cheese. Sprinkle the top with cocoa powder and /or chocolate shavings and refregirate for a minimum of 3 hours.
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Do not forget these important points:
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1- bring your mascarpone cheese to room temperature before using.
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2- After cooking the egg yolks let them cool down slightly before you add them to the cheese.
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3- Do not use HOT coffee to dip the lady fingers in and do not dip them for too long.
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4- You have to wait atleast 3 hours before consuming the Tiramisu.
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5- Eat with moderation.
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Note: for a fluffier tiramisu, you can add two egg whites beaten to soft peak with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add them to the cheese before adding the egg yolks mixture. Follow the rest of the steps.<br />
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sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-55814270975165437252009-06-29T06:22:00.008-04:002009-07-02T06:07:49.181-04:00Bringing back memories"Mom, how come you don't have a whisk?? where is that cake pan I used to bake all my chocolate cakes in?? your oven is weird!!!" this is what you would hear me say when I am in my mom's kitchen. Even though I've spent most of my time ( when I was single of course!) in this kitchen, I feel like a complete stranger who just came into a new place and keep asking for things here and there. Unfortunately, I don't have the privilege to visit my parents that often........<br /><br />I used to spend hours in the kitchen, baking obviously. I used to love it, love every little corner in it. For me, it was the best equipped kitchen: I had my Philips mixer which I used to adore, my pans, my so few tools, my cookbooks, the good and the not so good! Oh and the marble counter top which I think is the only "luxury" I am missing. Now, I can see that a LOT is missing in this kitchen, especially when it comes to baking, but still when I think about all the cakes, cookies, and many other desserts I created there, I truly believe that it doesn't really matter how fancy your kitchen is. It is true that having the right equipment helps, but if the passion is there, you can create amazing things with pretty much......nothing.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3666925747/" title="Cookies for an afternoon tea..... by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2343/3666925747_f8d2e58a96.jpg" alt="Cookies for an afternoon tea....." width="333" height="500" /></a><br /></div><br />The first time I made these cookies I was so excited, yet scared to mess them up. Everytime I do mess up my mom would not be happy.....not at all sometimes! The part I was mostly scared of was the meringue. What if it doesn't come out right? what if the cookie burns and the meringue comes out soggy?? Fortunately, they came out perfect: a melt in your mouth <span class="titreR">biscuit sablé</span>, a crunchy meringue and that addition of sweet apricot jam, a lovely and tasty combination. These cookies are simple, light and elegant, just perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Meringue & Jam Cookies</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="titreR">Biscuits sablés</span><br /><br />600g all purpose flour (about 5 1/2 cups)<br />330 g ( approximately 3 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed.<br />80 g powderd sugar (3/4 cup)<br />3 to 4 egg yolks<br />2 tsp vanilla extract<br />pinch of salt<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vanilla Meringue</span><br /><br />2 egg whites, preferably room temperature. First, separate the eggs while they are cold because it's easier, then keep the whites aside.<br />1/4 cup granulated sugar<br />1/4 cup powdered sugar<br />1/4 tsp cream of tartar or a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice<br />1/4 tsp vanilla extract<br /><br />Apricot jam or any other jam you prefer.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Preparation</span><br /><br />Make the <span class="titreR">biscuits sablés</span>: sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and rub the mixture until crumbly. Add the vanilla and the yolks one by one until you form a dough. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.<br />Preheat the oven to 320 f. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 in thickness (the cookies will be snadwiched so don't cut them too thick) . Cut out the cookies, preferably using a flower shape cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie pan and refrigerate. Since the cookies are rich in butter content, the refrigeration process helps keep their shape while they bake.<br /><br />Make the meringue: Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peak. Add the sugars gradually until the meringue is shiny. it shouldn't feel runny. Add the vanilla. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small tip with the meringue and set aside.<br /><br />Remove the pan from the fridge and using the pastry bag, put dollops of the meringue all around each cookie. Bake the cookies until the meringue is set: shiny and crunchy. If you notice that the meringue is starting to brown, reduce the temperature to 300 f. The cookies should have a very tender, melt in your mouth lower layer and a crunchy meringue on top. Once cooled, fill each cookie with the jam of your choice. I personally prefer the apricot one because of its mild flavor.sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-39552216009290218542009-04-29T23:55:00.013-04:002009-05-05T16:58:16.702-04:00A daring challenge!<div style="text-align: left;">I can't believe I made it through this challenge...........again. Why? it's because my computer caught a very bad virus, didn't use it for many days, after it was fixed I lost my bookmarks in which I have the link to the daring bakers' secret kitchen. I frankly didn't bother and send an e-mail to request another password, that's because I did that before and was too <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">embarrassed</span> to ask for the code......again! I could not figure out what was the challenge until the daring bakers started posting their pictures.<br /></div><span class="fullpost"><br /><em>The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from <a href="http://jennybakes.blogspot.com/">Jenny Bakes</a>. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.</em></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3491312854/" title="Cheesecake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/3491312854_764d334880.jpg" alt="Cheesecake" width="333" height="500" /></a></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Fortunately, it was an easy challenge. I find <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">cheesecakes</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"></span> pretty easy to make, like most American desserts, I think. The cheesecake came out smooth and fluffy. I made half of the recipe into chocolate by adding some melted chocolate to the batter. I also used less sugar (3/4 of a cup instead of 1 cup) and used <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Oreo</span> cookies for the crust.<br />I wish I had more time to play with this challenge instead of making a "regular" looking cheesecake.I like to always improvise in this challenge, both in the look of the final dessert and the picture. Lately, I am just taking my camera and "point & shoot" I don't have enough time to take a nice picture. I am not happy with these pictures but had to post for that daring bakers. Short visit and short post I know, let's just hope for more free time to bake and blog and as usual I hope you'll try the recipe....it's a good one.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3483643865/" title="Cheesecake for the Daring Bakers by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3483643865_60bb5b27b1.jpg" alt="Cheesecake for the Daring Bakers" width="500" height="333" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vanilla Bean Cheesecake</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">crust</span><br /><br />2 cups / 180 g <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Oreo</span> cookies (filling removed)<br />1 stick / 4 oz butter, melted<br />1 tsp. vanilla extract<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheesecake</span><br /><br />3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature<br />3/4 cup / 150 g sugar<br />3 large eggs<br />1 cup / 8 oz heavy cream<br />1 vanilla bean<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DIRECTIONS<br /><br /></span>1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (Gas Mark 4 = 180C = Moderate heat). Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.<br /><br />2. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice. Set crust aside.<br /><br />3. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream and vanilla.<br />4. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.<br /><br />5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3483643865/" title="Cheesecake for the Daring Bakers by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3483643865/" title="Cheesecake for the Daring Bakers by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3483643865/" title="Cheesecake for the Daring Bakers by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><br /></a></div></div></div></div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-7809107120106563632009-04-10T21:36:00.004-04:002009-04-11T12:48:30.077-04:00Busy TimesDuring times of extreme busy-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ness</span>, I do miss baking........a lot. It is my comfort, it allows me to forget and play with my creativity. I feel such a joy when I am mixing, kneading, cracking eggs and smelling the aromas of vanilla bean, citrus, even the smell of fresh yeast!<br />They say diamonds are a girl's best friend?!! I have never been attracted to diamonds, fancy jewelry or even wished to own them. My kind of jewelry you would ask?? mixers, food processors, pans and different pastry tools, COOKBOOKS!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3428900711/" title="Raspberry Mousse Chocolate Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3656/3428900711_94e993edbe.jpg" alt="Raspberry Mousse Chocolate Cake" width="333" height="500" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I always wonder why I have never pursued a pastry career. I always knew deep inside of me that this is what I want, this is my passion and I would never be bored working in that field. Instead, I didn't want to disappoint my parents and of course had to follow the "standards". So instead, I ended up studying Economics (something that I've never been excited about): statistics, macro economics, micro economics, political economics, probabilities...........the only thing about economy that would attract me was the availability of eggs, sugar, flour, not to forget the vanilla, extremely important for the economy!!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3428965881/" title="Raspberry Mousse Chocolate Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3428965881_cca90d72f9.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Raspberry Mousse Chocolate Cake" /></a></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Past is past, right? everything was/is there for a reason and there is nothing wrong with dreaming. As long as our economy can provide us with the eggs, butter, sugar and the vanilla................bean, then I am more than fine.<br />This post has no recipe. I did everything in such a hurry: cake and pictures. I just made a simple chocolate cake for the base and a raspberry mousse. Let the mousse firm up in the fridge for couple hours. Then covered it with tempered dark chocolate and a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ganache</span> on top. I love mousse cakes, so don't worry whenever I am done with this busy phase and have free time, I'll remake the recipe, write it down precisely and post it. Meanwhile, try to be happy with what you have, and take care of your dream (s).<br /></div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-54612034146475547732009-03-04T19:14:00.013-05:002012-02-20T14:32:12.338-05:00Have a sweet safe trip..<span style="font-family: georgia;">These muffins were made during moments of emptiness and feeling of loneliness and although I am not a muffin type of person, these were delicious and irresistible and they did make me feel a bit better.......why sad? well, nothing bad happened, it's just that my husband is away for 2 to 3 weeks and I'm feeling a little down. So, I made him these muffins in case the flight meal comes out "horrible". Not that muffins will replace a real meal but I wish he'll find comfort (like I did) when he eats them. A little taste of home while he is away!</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3329260130/" title="Almond Crunch Muffins by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Almond Crunch Muffins" height="500" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3659/3329260130_6973944e13.jpg" width="333" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />We used to get almond muffins from a Farmer's Market and I always liked them. I was hoping one day I could discover their secret recipe and I think I did!</span> The result has the perfect balance of everything: sweetness, softness and flavors. <span style="font-family: georgia;">Although the almond part is only on the topping, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">these muffins taste almondy enough with the tiny bit of extract that I added</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">. Next time I'll try to put ground almonds in the batter and if it works fine I'll add the appropriate changes to the recipe. Meanwhile, I hope you'll try these deliciously easy muffins.....you never know they may bring some comfort in those moments!<br /></span> <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3328017323/" title="Almond Crunch Muffins by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Almond Crunch Muffins" height="500" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3581/3328017323_cacbb3cbb8.jpg" width="333" /></a><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;">Almond Crunch Muffins</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> (for 11 muffins)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;">150 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />2 large eggs.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />100 g brown sugar (I used dark one).</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />30 g granulated sugar.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />80 ml whole milk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;">80 ml buttermilk.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />50 g cake flour.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />200 g all purpose flour.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />75g ground almonds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;">1/4 tsp baking soda.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;">1/2 tsp vanilla extract.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />1/4 tsp almond extract.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />1/8 tsp salt.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Almond Topping</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;">35g cup sliced almonds ( I use sliced for their fine texture)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;">2 Tbsp brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;">1 Tbsp flour</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />1 1/2 Tbsp butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;">1/8 tsp cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">pinch of salt</span> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Preparation</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br />1- Preheat your oven to 375 f. Line a muffin tin with muffin cups. Set aside.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br />2- Make the topping: in a food processor, mix all the ingredients and pulse until crumbly. You should still see small pieces of almonds, do not grind the mixture too finely.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br />3- Sift the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the ground almonds and set aside.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br />4- Beat the eggs and the sugars until fluffy. Add the milk, buttermilk and melted butter. Beat until well combined. Add the vanilla and the almond extract.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia;">5- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Do not over mix.</span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br />6- Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter between the muffin cups. Spread about a tablespoon of topping on each muffin and bake for 20 to 25 minute or until golden brown.</span><br />
<br />
As mentioned before, I said I'll try to add almonds to the recipe. It worked wonderfully and added more almond flavor. So I made the appropriate changes to the recipe</div>
</div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-38843914126121825902009-03-01T16:48:00.007-05:002009-03-02T11:06:42.345-05:00Sweet........<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Here I am, after a whole month of absence! I didn't realize that I did not post anything since the last daring bakers challenge. These days, I don't even realize how time goes by. I never thought once the kids start school I'll have more work, that my life will get more stressed out and that the dream of having more rest and free time........ was indeed a true dream!<br />I don't know why I always do the same mistake by leaving the challenge to the last minute "sure I have more time, why hurry!" then life just makes it harder on that "particular" day. I also don't even think about how am I going to improvise and play with the recipe. I do it all on the same day and that's a lot of thinking and working!<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3319158851/" title="Flourless Chocolate Cake w/ Vanilla Ice Cream by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/3319158851_811ae0ec87.jpg" alt="Flourless Chocolate Cake w/ Vanilla Ice Cream" width="333" height="500" /></a></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3319158851/" title="Flourless Chocolate Cake w/ Vanilla Ice Cream by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"></a><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;">This month's challenge was obvious. It is February, and what is February without that sweet thing called "chocolate". <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">WMPE's</span> blog and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Dharm</span> of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. They have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Dharm</span> and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3320114644/" title="Flourless Chocolate Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3599/3320114644_a6c2136768.jpg" alt="Flourless Chocolate Cake" width="333" height="500" /></a></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The cake is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">flourless</span>, very rich, dense and chocolaty, really chocolaty! If you like that type of cakes then you definitely will love this one. The addition of berries balances the richness of the cake. I personally love to serve berries with this kind of cakes (chocolate and raspberries/strawberries is one of my favorite combo), or may be it's just an excuse to add these tiny little red fruits everywhere!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3319289281/" title="Flourless Chocolate Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3563/3319289281_5b338719b4.jpg" alt="Flourless Chocolate Cake" width="333" height="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Chocolate Valentino<br /><br /></strong>454 g (16oz) semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped.<br />1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.<br />5 large eggs separated.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Preparation</span><br /><br />1.Preheat your oven to 375f. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.<br /><br />2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter a 9 in pan and line it with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.<br /><br />3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.<br /><br />4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).<br /><br />5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.<br /><br />6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.<br /><br />7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">rds</span>. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.<br /><br />8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full.Bake for 25 to 30 min or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out slightly wet.<br /><br />9. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">unmold</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vanilla Bean Ice Cream</span><br /><br />300 ml heavy cream.<br />300 ml low fat milk (I used 2%).<br />1 vanilla pod.<br />4 large egg yolks.<br />75 g granulated sugar.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Preparation</span><br /><br /><br />1. Using a small knife slit the vanilla pod lengthwise. Scrape the seeds out of the pod. Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla seeds and the pod and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse<br /><br />2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle hear, stirring all the time<br /><br />4. When the custard thickens and is smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Cool it then chill.<br /><br />5. By Hand: Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a plastic tub or similar freeze-proof container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating it twice (during the freezing process – to get smoother ice cream or else the ice cream will be icy and coarse)<br />By Using and Ice Cream Maker: Stir the cream into the custard and churn the mixture until thick (follow instructions on your ice cream maker)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For this particular presentation</span><br /><br />After the cake cooled, I used a square cookie cutter and cut out pieces. I then tempered some chocolate and used a plastic template to make the impressions. I surrounded the cake with the chocolate squares, added some berries and topped everything with a scoop of ice cream.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-36423045829293754342009-01-30T16:08:00.016-05:002009-02-02T09:11:09.966-05:00Tuiles and Tartelettes<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3239768790/" title="Tuiles en Tartelettes by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/3239768790_f6402c8f56.jpg" alt="Tuiles en Tartelettes" width="333" height="500" /></a></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This week has been a very busy one: hectic school mornings that makes you want to scream: "I don't want to go through this again!!" school meetings, classes, guests..... By the end of the day, the minute I put my head on my pillow I'm gone right away. Life has become so busy lately that I'm almost</span><span class="entry-content" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">stealing time to be able to bake and barely finding enough time to take nice pictures. Honestly, I don't know how I could find time to make those tuiles for this month's daring bakers challenge. But, did I have a choice anyway??!!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3239779690/" title="Tuiles en Tartelettes by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3329/3239779690_ffe5de33c7.jpg" alt="Tuiles en Tartelettes" width="333" height="500" /></a></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><div style="text-align: left;">This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of <a href="http://www.bakemyday.blogspot.com/">Bake My Day </a>and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka <a href="http://kochtopf.twoday.net/">Kochtopf. </a>They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux. At first, when I saw the month's challenge, I thought it was an easy one. Easy yet I had to find a way to make these tuiles look pretty, original and tasty.<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><strong></strong></span> Tarts are among my favorite types of desserts to make. I love the fruity ones, with a light cream. SO, I thought about combining the two: tuiles and tarts. The result was unbelievably delicious : crunchy, creamy and sweet . The addition of all extra components made the tuiles taste richer. I put a layer of dark chocolate on the tuiles to avoid sogginess, followed by a <span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Crème</span> mousseline for the plain ones and a chocolate mousse for the chocolate ones.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3238842863/" title="Tuiles en Tartelettes by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/3238842863_e20c336297.jpg" alt="Tuiles en Tartelettes" width="333" height="500" /></a></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This recipe is easy especially when you make things ahead. Many of the components could be made earlier. The tuile batter can be made and kept in the fridge for up to a week and the creme mousseline can also be made up to 3 days before, just add the heavy cream before using.<br />Although this challenge was made under very stressful circumstances, it turned out a pretty tasty one (which I didn't expect by the way). Tuiles are very versatile after all!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuiles en Tartelettes</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuiles</span><strong></strong><br /><br />65 grams softened butter (not melted but soft)<br />60 grams sifted confectioner’s sugar<br />1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)<br />65 grams sifted all purpose flour<br />1 table spoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice<br />Dark and white chocoalte melted<br /><br />Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F<br /><br />Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.<br />Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).<br /><br />Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil. In this case I used a stencil that I cut out using a plastic cap (big yogurt box).<br />Divide the batter into 2 big parts and one small. keep one part plain, add coco to the other one and color the small part into any desired color.<br />Press the stencil on the bakingsheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. Use the colored batter to make decorations.<br /><br />Bake the tuiles for for 5 to 10 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Immediately after removing them from the oven, place the round "tuiles" into the muffin pan and shape until you form a sort of cup. This step should be done one tuile at a time. If the tuiles get hard (they will very fast) put them back in the oven for few seconds and repeat. Let the cups cool.<br /><br />Once cooled, brush the interior of the cups with the melted chocolate. Use white chocolate for the plain ones and dark chocoalte for the chocolate ones. Put the cups in the fridge help the chocolate set.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chocoate Mousse</span><br /><br />100 g dark chocolate<br />1/2 sheet gelatin<br />1/2 cup heavy cream<br /><br />Melt the chocoalte over double boiler. Meanwhile, soften the gelatin in cold water. Add the soften gelatin to the melted chocolate. Mix until smooth. Se aside to cool a little bit.<br />whip the cream and fold it into the chocolate ( be careful not to fold the whipped cream when the chocolate is still warm otherwise the cream will melt)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Crème</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" > </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mousseline</span><strong>:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Creme mousseline is a basic pastry cream enriched with whipped cream.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></strong>1 cup whole milk (don't use low fat versions please)<br />2 egg yolks<br />40 g granulated sugar<br />30 g corn starch<br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />1/4 cup heavy whipping cream<br /><br />Heat the milk in a pan over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, sugar and corn starch and mix until well combined. Gradually, add the hot milk. Put the mixture back in the pan and cook, stirring continuously (not the time to answer the phone!) until it thickens. Off heat, stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let cool at room temperature then into the fridge for up to 2 days.<br />When ready to use, whip the cream and fold it into the COLD pastry cream.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Preparation of the tarts</span><br /><br />Fill the cups with either the creme or the mousse decorate with berries, chocolate curls and enjoy!<br /><br /></div></div></div><br /></div></div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-50081216270985068062009-01-19T09:10:00.009-05:002012-12-27T20:49:16.691-05:00Almond Surprises<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3206992114/" title="Almond Cookies by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3206992114_67b0e2ea81.jpg" alt="Almond Cookies" width="" height="800" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">What can I say about Algerian cookies: beautiful, extremely tasty, rich, distinctive and definitely different from any other cookie you've ever seen or tasted. There are many different types of cookies depending on the region. Algeria is a big country (the 2nd largest in Africa) with so many different cultural and culinary traditions. But most of these delicacies originate from the capital Algiers. I don't know exactly where all these cookies are originally from (may be some Turkish influence), but they sure are delicious looking and tasting. Most of these cookies are made with almonds and some other nuts (walnuts, pistachios...). Sometimes made entirely with nuts and others include an outer layer of different types of doughs. The main flavorings are orange blossom water or rose water and citrus (lemon). Sometimes we add vanilla for extra flavor.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3188826458/" title="Almond Surprises by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/3188826458_b654903788.jpg" alt="Almond Surprises" width="333" height="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">These particular cute little ones are called "The bride's Package" I'm not sure though if "package" is the right word. I couldn't find the direct translation. In Algeria, the bride would get a big basket full of different things brought by the groom or the groom's family. They would bring this basket (pink or white usually) and show it on the wedding day to all the guests ( I know it sounds weird!). I always found it very funny when they start to grab the stuff (shoes, handbags, perfumes...etc), say the name of the object and show it to everybody. I am not sure if they're still doing it to this day but I bet some regions are.<br /><br />The cookies are made with a very simple dough, rolled out very thinly. You can color the dough whichever way you want, make different colors, strips...etc. They are then rolled out all together. After the dough is rolled out (using a pasta machine), it is cut into circles. A ball of filling is put in the middle of the circle then closed to form a surprise like package. They are then cooked and plunged in an orange blossom simple syrup or honey.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3207027322/" title="Almond Cookies by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3350/3207027322_f3a3017699.jpg" alt="Almond Cookies" width="333" height="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'll try to explain this recipe as clearly as I can which is kind of hard without any illustration. while I'm working, especially with recipes that require a bit of attention, I cannot handle the camera. I have an issue concentrating on two different things I guess! But if you read the recipe and still have questions don't hesitate to ask, I would be more than happy to help.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Almond Surprises </span>Courtesy "Algerian Heritage" :)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Dough (Outer layer)<br /><br /></span>note I'm using a "measure" which means use the same cup to measure the different ingredients. Could be a cup, 1/2 cup....etc. For instance if you use the "1/2 cup" you would need a 1/4 cup of the clarified butter. Also, I usually use the food processor to make the dough.<br /><br />3 measures all purpose flour<br />1/2 measure clarified butter<br />pinch of salt<br />1 measure orange blossom water<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br /></span>In a bowl, mix the flour, clarified butter and salt. Work the ingredients between your hands until crumbly. Start adding the orange blossom water slowly until you get a dough. It shouldn't be very soft. Add enough water to make a dough that is not sticky. If using the food processor, follow the same instructions. Divide the dough into balls and color each one with the desired food coloring. It takes some time for the color to get incorporated in the dough, just keep working the dough with your hands and be patient! Keep the dough balls in a ziploc bag and let them rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Almond Filling</span><br /><br />300g ground blanched almonds<br />180g powdered (confectioner) sugar<br />1 large egg<br />Zest of 1 large lemon<br />1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br /><br />Mix all the ingredients until you form a dough. It shouldn't be sticky to the touch. Form into a walnut size balls and keep in the fridge until ready to use.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Orange blossom & Lemon Syrup</span><br /><br />2 cups granulated sugar<br />5 cups water<br />1/4 cup orange blossom water<br />2 TBsp lemon juice<br />Lemon peels from 1 large lemon<br /><br />In a sauce pan, mix the sugar, water and the lemon peels. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Off heat add the orange blosoom water and the lemon juice. Cover and let completely cool. The syrup should be cold when used.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Preparation of the cookies </span><br /><br />Prepare your pasta machine. If you don't have one, you could use a rolling pin, but I don't think the result will be the same since we want the dough to be very thin. Plus, the machine makes the work much easier and faster.<br />If you want the cookies to be just one color (like the pink ones I made) there won't be too much work to do, you would put the dough through the machine and roll it out on the thinner setting.<br />If you want the multi colored stripped dough, here is what you would do: make strips out of the different colored doughs. Stuck the strips by alternating the colors. Make sure they are well glued to each other, you could use some water to make them stick (go easy on the water please!). Start rolling the strips on the medium thickness of the machine, then roll it again on the thinnest setting. while you're rolling and working, use some corn starch to make the dough dry out a little bit. Spread some corn starch on your work surface and lay the rolled out dough. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes, then cut out circles about 5 inches in diameter. Let the circles dry out another 5 minutes.<br />Put in the middle of each circle of dough a ball of filling and close the whole thing gently to form a<br />surprise package or some kind of a basket. Press gently so the dough in the middle stick well and won't open up during baking. Be careful not to press hardly otherwise the dough will get cut and the filling will come out during baking.<br />finish making all the cookies and arrange them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Let the cookies sit for at least an hour before baking. The more they sit the better they will keep their shape while baking.<br />Bake the cookies in a 320 f preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. They shouldn't get brown at all to keep their nice color. As soon as they come out of the oven, plunge them in the cold syrup. Let them soak the syrup for 1 to 2 minutes. Arrange the cookies on a cookie rack with a baking sheet underneath it to drain the excess syrup.<br /><br />Note: You can use Honey thinned with orange blossom water instead of the simple syrup. Just heat the honey and orange blossom water and let the mixture cool. The consistency of the honey should be like a simple syrup.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-42396845350818893342009-01-02T16:28:00.013-05:002009-01-02T23:44:10.937-05:00A New Year!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A whole year had passed by and a new fresh one is already here! so many things happened, some good, and some not that good. Any resolutions? I'm not the kind of person who thinks about it that way. All I want is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">happiness</span> and good health for my family. On the personal side, I just wish to be a better person, and avoid mistakes from the past. It is true that we learn a lot from our mistakes, and I did learn quite a lot from last year's ( I hope).</span> Any wishes for this new year? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">hmmm</span>.......for now may be a house with plenty of sunlight so I can take nicer pictures and a new camera lens........too much to ask for may be??!!<br /><br />2008 was a year full of<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> cakes, cookies, tasty pastries (and a lot of non tasty ones!). Since I've been addicted to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">flickr</span></span>, I baked and baked ......and baked a lot! I found a good excuse to go, grab the mixer and bake something. And if baking alone wasn't enough for me, taking pictures has become an essential part of the whole process.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3160418170/" title="Happy New Year! by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/3160418170_888653c63f.jpg" alt="Happy New Year!" width="333" height="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">To start the year, I made a mousse cake. It has a layer of almond <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">dacquoise</span></span>, a light orange mousse, strawberries and a glaze made with raspberries and strawberries. It is a delicious cake, very light and refreshing. I think it is best for summer days, but in my family, we sure wouldn't mind enjoying it any time of the year.<br />The recipe is from <a href="http://plaisirgourmand.perso.cegetel.net/photo_134.html">"Here"</a>. I know.. it is a French site (sorry non French speaker!) I'll post the recipe some other time. I made some changes in the recipe though, I used oranges in the mousse instead of the grapefruit (I wish I had grapefruit on hand because I love the flavor of this fruit). The oranges worked well with the berries and the cake had a nice citrus flavor.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3160623625/" title="Berry Orange Mousse Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/3160623625_d4b4c210ff.jpg" alt="Berry Orange Mousse Cake" width="333" height="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Voila, first post of the year, first cake of the year . I wish everyone a very happy new year, full of joy and good health.<br /></span>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-51392801652294496852008-12-28T13:34:00.015-05:002008-12-30T10:26:01.537-05:00My 1st Daring Bakers Challenge<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3145301020/" title="Daring Bakers Challenge: French Yule Log by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/3145301020_4b5f7b790e.jpg" alt="Daring Bakers Challenge: French Yule Log" width="333" height="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">First Daring Bakers Challenge, and a challenging one! This month's challenge was brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from <a href="http://saffronandblueberry.blogspot.com/">"Saffron and Blueberry"</a> and Marion from <a href="http://ilenfautpeupour.canalblog.com/">"Il en faut pour etre heureux"</a>. They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from <a href="http://plaisirgourmand.perso.cegetel.net/">"Florilege Gourmand"</a>. I hadn't figure out until I was about to post this entry and by looking for the links, that the recipe comes from one of my absolute favorite pastry sites!! I have always admired Flore's work and her ability to explain the recipes in a simple and clear way. I tried many of her recipes and they are all perfect. She is good at what she does, and doing this challenge is more than an appreciation to all her efforts.<br /><br />This Yule Log is an entremets like dessert. I must say that entremets are my favorite kind of desserts. I love them because of their different layers and textures. This particular one has 6 different tasty layers: a chocolate mousse, a creme brulee insert, a praline crisp, a chocolate caramel ganache, a dacquoise and a chocolate glaze. I thought the final result would be very chocolatey, but it came out balanced and not too sweet. The creme brulee insert took this dessert to a whole new level (may be because I'm a creme brulee addict!). I never thought I could use a creme brulee inside a cake!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3144923840/" title="Daring Bakers Challenge: French Yule Log by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/3144923840_487baf446d.jpg" alt="Daring Bakers Challenge: French Yule Log" width="349" height="500" /></a></span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I pretty much followed the recipe and made very little changes (used a hazelnut dacquoise instead of an almond one). Everything in the recipe worked fine. The only thing that I wasn't happy about was the final glaze. It was OK until I added the gelatin or agar agar actually. As soon as the gelatin was added the mixture became grainy and lost its shine. I had to add boiling water to fix it but still the glaze didn't come out smooth and shiny, and since I added water the color became lighter, more like a milk chocolate glaze.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As you may have noticed also, I didn't exactly make a "yule log" but rather individual domes. I did this for 2 reasons:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1- I bought online a round yule log mold, was extremely excited about it and couldn't wait to get it. I've always wanted to own one and this challenge was a reason enough for me to order this pan.I waited patiently for days and days. Then after about 2 weeks, I thought something might be wrong with this order. I called the dealers and guess what: they said the product is out of stock and will be available on.............January 4th!! Wait wait wait, you cannot do this to me, I haven't even been notified about that!! I need this for my daring bakers challenge, why is this happening??!! I wished the whole thing was a nightmare but unfortunately it wasn't, I had to deal with the reality : I had to come up with another idea. I thought about using the loaf pan but wasn't excited about the shape. So, I ended up using small trifle pans. The shape didn't come out perfect, but I had no better choice.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />2- The other reason was dealing with the size of the log. Using these small individual pans was better actually because they are perfect for two (I consider my self a "half human" actually because I eat so little!!). I was wondering before making the recipe who will eat this huge dessert?? I was pretty sure I would take 2 or 3 bites and stop right there, so my husband will end up eating the whole thing!! no, not good! After all, the unfortunate "pan" story wasn't that depressing.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Overall, this first experience was fun and a tasty one and although the recipe seems complicated, it truly isn't. Now,</span> I can't wait for the next challenge!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div></div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-58416104916639161542008-12-17T16:39:00.008-05:002010-09-03T08:23:00.085-04:00Lemon Shortbread<div align="left">Another great recipe from "Tartine", my new favorite cookbook. My prior post was about a recipe from this book also : Gingerbread cookies, and they were delicious. I feel very happy when I find a good cookbook, and excited about trying all of its recipes! People who worked on this book did a wonderful job and deserve a big: Thank you!</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"><a title="Lemon Shortbread by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3116743886/"><img height="500" alt="Lemon Shortbread" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3099/3116743886_b7a2e85ffd.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div align="left"></div><br />
I don't know what are the origins of shortbread but I guess every country has its own version. In Algeria we have something similar called "Ghribia". Very tender, melt in your mouth cookies made into different shapes (pyramid shape happens to be the most popular) and decorated with an almond. Some versions have ground almonds or peanuts in the dough. The way these cookies are made is a little different from the "American" shortbread but both have almost the same taste and texture.<br />
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The original recipe didn't call for lemon zest nor vanilla, but I added some for extra flavor. Shortbread is so rich and the lemon zest adds a hint of freshness and lightens up these cookies.<br />
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<strong>Lemon Shortbread Cookies (Adapted from "Tartine")</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft.<br />
1/3 cup granulated sugar<br />
1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp all purpose flour.<br />
1/2 cup +2 tbsp cornstarch.<br />
1/4 tsp salt (reduced from the original 1/2 tsp).<br />
Zest of 1 lemon.<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.<br />
1/4 cup superfine sugar for topping.<br />
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<strong>Preparation</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
1- preheat the oven to 325. Butter a 6-by-10 inch baking pan.<br />
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2- Place the butter, the 1/3 cup of sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix until well incorporated.<br />
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3- Sift the flour and cornstarch. Add to the butter mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms.<br />
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4- Pat the dough evenly into the baking dish and bake until the top in lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool the shortbread until warm to the touch.<br />
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5- Sprinkle the shortbread with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and cut into rectangles. If the cookies have become cold they will not slice well, so try to cut them while still warm. chill thoroughly before removing from the baking dish.sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-72932072681293729062008-12-14T21:04:00.014-05:002012-11-09T14:12:36.396-05:00Honey CakeI still remember very well the first time I tasted this cake, more than fifteen years ago. My aunt H. brought the recipe and it was a big hit since then. The whole family, aunts, cousins......everybody loved it. They even served it in some family weddings. Although I made this cake endless times, and tasted others as well, aunt H. is still the one who makes it best. Her honey cake has a unique flavor and texture.<br />
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What is special about this cake -besides being incredibly good- is the way it's made. Unusual and Very easy method, no need for a mixer or any fancy schmancy material. All you need is a pan and a wooden spoon! Its baking time is relatively fast too. The only thing that is a bit "time consuming" is the making of the pastry cream. I usually make it the night before. I sometimes make this cake just because I have leftover pastry cream.<br />
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I personally like cakes that have different textures, and this one has it all: sweet tender biscuit layers with a smooth fluffy vanilla pastry cream in between. Topped with a layer of dark chocolate to balance the sweetness, plus some crunch from the crushed almonds. It is a cake worth a try and once you make it I am sure it will be one of your favorites.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3100716708/" title="Honey Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr"><img alt="Honey Cake" height="500" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/3100716708_738f0c033d.jpg" width="333" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Honey Cake</span><br />
<br />
150 g unsalted butter.<br />
100 g granulated sugar.<br />
1/4 cup honey.<br />
1 large egg.<br />
3 Tbsp whole milk.<br />
1 tsp baking soda.<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract.<br />
400 g all purpose flour.<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder.<br />
1/4 tsp salt.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Vanilla Pastry Cream</span><br />
<br />
2 cups whole milk.<br />
1 large egg.<br />
4 egg yolks.<br />
70 g granulated sugar.<br />
60 g corn starch.<br />
1 tsp vanilla paste or extract.<br />
70 g soft unsalted butter.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Final Touches</span><br />
<br />
100 g dark chocolate, melted.<br />
Crushed toasted almonds.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Preparation</span><br />
<br />
1- Preheat the oven to 375 f. Butter a 16 1/2 by 11 1/2 baking sheet. Set aside.<br />
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2 -In a sauce pan combine the butter, sugar, honey, milk, egg and baking soda. Cook over medium low heat stirring constantly until all the butter is melted. Add the vanilla. Strain the mixture in a bowl and set aside.<br />
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3- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three batches. At first you can use the wooden spoon to mix, then you'll have to use your hands because the dough will become harder. The final dough should be smooth and not sticky. If the dough feels sticky after all the flour is added, add more flour a tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency. But remember not to over work the dough or you will end up with a tough cake instead of a light flaky one.<br />
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3- Press the dough on the baking sheet. Using your hands, flatten it as evenly as you can all the way to the sides of the pan. Prick the dough and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cookie rack.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pastry Cream</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Preparation</span><br />
<br />
1- Heat the milk over medium heat.<br />
2- In a sauce pan, combine the egg, egg yolks, sugar and corn starch. Whisk until smooth.<br />
3- Gradually add the hot milk to the egg mixture. Cook the cream over medium low heat until it thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. As soon as it starts to bubble remove from the heat and add the vanilla.<br />
4- Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. To avoid a thick layer from forming on top of the cream, the plastic wrap should touch the top of the cream. Let the cream cool completely. If not using the same day, the cream should be well kept in a container and refrigerated . It can keep for 4 to 5 days.<br />
5- When the cream is completely cool, add the soft butter and mix until light and fluffy (I use my hand held mixer for that).<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Cake Assembly</span><br />
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1- Cut the cake vertically into 3 equal parts, about 5 inches each.<br />
2- Spread the cream between each layer. You'll have 3 layers of cake and 2 of cream.<br />
3- Cover the cake with the melted chocolate and decorate with the crushed almonds.<br />
4- Cut the cake into 2 by 1 inch rectangles or into squares.<br />
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It is preferable to let the cake sit for an hour or 2 before cutting. This cake actually tastes better the following day. It can keep for a day in a cool dry place and should be put after that in the fridge.sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-49811214656943007792008-11-03T19:54:00.006-05:002008-11-06T16:32:49.339-05:00Gingerbread experienceI bought a new cookbook that I adore, called "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tartine</span>". Wonderful is the least I can say about it. I tried four recipes already and they all turned out good. I rarely experience this with cookbooks. I had this same impression with Jacques Torres cookbook "Dessert Circus". I can't say more than the author name! just mentioning the name tells it all!!<br />So, the book had these wonderful looking soft gingerbread cookies. When I looked at the picture I couldn't resist but try them. I never tried gingerbread cookies before, I had absolutely no idea what they taste like, plus I have a small issue with the smell of ginger, a bit too strong for me. Yet, I needed to give this recipe a try, and boy did they taste incredible! soft, just the right amount of spices and that glaze on top, yum!<br />I did made small, tiny small changes in the recipe (so me). It called for ground cloves, which I didn't have on hand, so I used some ground allspice. The recipe also called for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ground</span> pepper and I didn't add that, I was somehow scared of the result. I never used black pepper in any of my desserts.<br />This cookie is definitely a keeper. I don't know why, but I always felt that anything involving ginger was somehow healthy! these cookies are definitely not, but very tasty and worth a try.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a title="Soft Gingerbread Cookies by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/3000232884/"><img height="500" alt="Soft Gingerbread Cookies" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3241/3000232884_d033746758.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><br /><strong>Soft Gingerbread Cookies (From cookbook "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Tartine</span>")</strong><br />3 3/4 cups all purpose flour<br />1 Tbsp cocoa powder<br />4 tsp ground ginger<br />1/2 tsp ground allspice<br />2 tsp cinnamon<br />1/2 tsp baking soda<br />1/4 tsp table salt<br />1 cup (2 sticks) soft unsalted butter<br />3/4 granulated sugar<br />1 large egg<br />1/2 cup dark molasses<br />2 Tbsp light corn syrup.<br /><br /><strong>Glaze</strong><br />1 cup Powdered sugar<br />2 Tbsp water<br /><br /><strong>Preparation</strong><br /><br />1- Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.<br /><br />2- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">attachment</span>, beat the soft butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Add the molasses and corn syrup and ,ix until well incorporated.<br /><br />3- Add the dry ingredient and beat on low speed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">until a</span> dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge overnight (surprise, surprise!!)<br /><br />4- Preheat the oven to 350 f. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.<br /><br />5- Unwrap the dough and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">place</span> on a floured surface. Roll it out to about 1/3 inch thickness. You can leave the dough as it is or use a patterned rolling pin (like I did) so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">you get</span> the nice patterns on the cookie. Place the dough as it is on the baking sheet and cook until golden brown on the edges. Let cool while you make the glaze.<br /><br />6- Mix the sugar and water until smooth.<br /><br />7- Cut the cookies into rectangles or squares. Using a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">brush,</span> apply a thin layer of glaze and let dry. These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-46145192918062906322008-10-15T16:04:00.026-04:002008-10-28T08:40:04.218-04:00Pistachio & Banana Mini Cakes<p align="center"><a title="Banana & Pistachio Mini cakes by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/2911980097/"><img height="500" alt="Banana & Pistachio Mini cakes" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3160/2911980097_8fc40ef662.jpg" width="333" /></a></p><br /><p>I know it takes me years to post a new recipe, and I apologize for all of you who are following my blog and may be wondering why am I such a lazy blogger??!! I am "lazy" when it comes to writing and posting. I essentially created this blog mainly because people were asking for recipes on my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">flickr</span> page, and my answer would be: soon .............on my blog! I ,hopefully, will be more serious and post more often. This post didn't help get me back on track, I almost gave up. I had so much trouble getting it all together. I wrote it may be 5 or 6 times and kept losing the whole work after adding a link. I gave up the link- obviously- and ended up frustrated! writing always drives me nuts!! Grrrrrr.....<br />Speaking about nuts, I need to mention couple things regarding this recipe. First, I am not a big fan of banana bread. I only make it when I have ripe bananas sitting on my kitchen counter for days. The cake itself is good and I think banana bread lovers will like it. BUT, the issue is in the "nuts". I discovered lately that I'm no fan of nuts in cakes anymore. I don't like when they become soggy when mixed and cooked with any kind of batter. So, I left their addition optional and let you decide! </p><p><strong>Pistachio & Banana Mini Cakes</strong> (or 1 large loaf/cake)</p><p>100g butter, melted and cooled</p><p>1/2 cup vegetable oil</p><p>1 cup granulated sugar</p><p>4 eggs</p><p>4 medium bananas (preferably ripe), pureed</p><p>2 1/2 cups all purpose flour</p><p>1 tsp baking soda</p><p>1 tsp baking powder</p><p>1/2 cup milk</p><p>2 Tbsp lemon juice</p><p>Pinch of salt</p><p>1/2 to 1 cup chopped pistachios mixed with a tablespoon of flour </p><p><strong>Preparation</strong></p><p>1- Preheat the oven to 350 f. Butter and flour a large loaf pan or ramekins (you need a lot of those if you're making the full recipe)</p><p>2- Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the melted butter, oil and the pureed bananas. Mix until well combined.</p><p>3- Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and the salt. Mix the milk and lemon juice. Set aside.</p><p>4- Add the dry ingredients mix to the wet one alternating with the milk. Fold in the chopped nuts</p><p>5-Bake until a toothpick inserted inside the cake(s) comes out clean. For the large loaf pan it will take between 50 and 55 minutes. The smaller ones, approximately 20 minutes. Cool before enjoying!<br /></p>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-1751422516618900482008-09-25T16:56:00.016-04:002012-08-13T06:33:38.792-04:00Date & Walnut CakeI have always been skeptical about a cake made with dates. Although I love to eat dates, I just couldn't imagine this fruit being one of the main ingredients in a cake. However, we do have many traditional cookies made with dates. I come from a country where dates are a very popular fruit. In fact, Algeria is known for a variety of dates that is so unique and delicious. It is called "Deglet Nour" or "Nour's dates" also known as "The queen of dates". It is very sweet and tender, but what makes it unique is the fact that it is so transparent that you can see the pit from outside. I, so far, didn't see any other type of dates that has this criteria. I've seen some "supposedly" deglet Nour sold in the US, but I am always disappointed. It doesn't taste like the real thing at all!<br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Date & Walnut Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/2885420388/"><img height="500" alt="Date & Walnut Cake" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3053/2885420388_8c38541ae9.jpg" width="333" /></a></p>After this short lesson about Algerian dates history, let's talk about this cake, shall we? Since I never made a date cake, I had to look for a recipe. At my surprise, there were tons of them. Sure, they had all some points in common, but as always, just by reading a recipe, I could figure out that something might be wrong: too much sugar, too little butter...etc so I ended up creating my own recipe! and It came out perfect just the way I expected: perfect sweetness, very moist and full of flavor. It's been a while I didn't make a cake and ate more than half of it! yes, it is that good!<br /><br /><p align="left"><a title="Date & Walnut Cake by Sweet_Almond, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/desserts_by_khadidja/2885361906/"><img height="500" alt="Date & Walnut Cake" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3222/2885361906_81323f3a50.jpg" width="339" /></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:georgia;">Date and Walnut Cake</span></strong> </p><p align="left">1 cup chopped dates<br />1 cup boiling water<br />1 cup all purpose flour<br />1/3 cup whole wheat flour<br />1 egg<br />5 Tablespoons granulated sugar<br />1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled<br />1 tsp baking powder<br />1 tsp baking soda<br />1/8 tsp salt<br />1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />1 tsp orange zest<br />1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts<br /><br />1- Preheat the oven to 350 f. butter an 8 in cake pan and cover the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper too. Set aside. </p><p align="left"><br />2- Sift together the flours, salt and baking powder. Remove 1/3 cup of this mixture and mix it with the walnuts. Set aside. </p><p align="left"><br />3- Put the chopped dates in the boiling water. Simmer for about 5 minutes over medium low heat. Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. Set aside to cool. </p><p align="left"><br />4- Beat the egg with sugar, vanilla and orange zest until light and fluffy. Add the date mixture and mix until well combined. </p><p align="left"><br />5- Add the flour, butter and walnuts to the egg mixture and fold gently until evenly combined. Bake until a tooth pick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Set aside to cool before enjoying!</p>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2890141726995201154.post-57308705657860716202008-09-05T11:57:00.031-04:002008-09-21T13:38:36.273-04:00Baking Dilemma<div align="left">I think I must seek help because I can't resist this recuring temptation of throwing my head into one baking experience after another!!!! I am afraid I would wake up one morning and find my hands turned into whisks! or my hair into strings of vanilla beans!! actually that one would save me a lot of money! Hmmm, since the "vanilla bean" subject surfaced and since I have some that's been in my pantry for a while, I wonder what is the best way to enjoy and get the most flavor out of a vanilla bean? I am thinking may be a custard, or....oh one of my favorite indulgences : <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Crème</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Brûlée</span>! don't be intimidated by the fancy name, it is one of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">easiest</span> yet chic desserts. It is basically a rich custard topped with a crunchy layer of caramelized sugar. An <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">intoxicatingly</span> delicious combination of smooth silky custard and a crunchy sweet topping. Well, I guess I just found another excuse to grab my whisk.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3159/2830870894_11a96ed602.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Vanilla Bean Crème brûlée (</strong>serves 6<strong>)</strong></div><br /><div align="left">2 cups heavy cream<a alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3159/2830870894_11a96ed602.jpg" border="0"></a></div><div align="left">50 g granulated sugar</div><div align="left">4 egg yolks</div><div align="left">1/2 vanilla bean split and scraped</div><div align="left">6 tablespoons granulated sugar</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Preparation</strong></div><br /><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left">1- Preheat your oven to 325 f. </div><br /><div align="left">2-Heat the cream and the vanilla over medium heat .</div><br /><div align="left">3- Beat the yolks and the sugar until pale in color. whisk in about 1/2 cup of the cream . Gradually add the remaining cream whisking vigorously. Strain the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">brûlée</span></span></span> base through a fine mesh sieve. Pour the custard in the ramekins.</div><br /><div align="left">4- Cook the custard in a water bath: pour some boiling water into the pan and place your ramekins inside (pour enough water to come up half way on the sides of the ramekins). Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes. To test for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">doneness</span></span></span>, jiggle the pan slightly to see if the custard is set. Remove and let cool at room temperature then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.</div><br /><div align="left">5- Once the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Crème</span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">brûlée</span></span></span> has cooled, evenly spread 1 tablespoon of sugar over each ramekin and using a blowtorch, caramelize the sugar to form a candy coating. </div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Enjoy! with moderation it's pretty rich</div>sweetalmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14055068747494452251noreply@blogger.com3