Monday, June 29, 2009
Homemade Bagels!
Way back in April, Tucker and I were inspired by this article in Slate about homemade food staples (bagels, cream cheese, yogurt, jam, crackers, and granola). I've made yogurt from scratch before (not too exciting), and we have made jam before (that is definately better than store bought), and my mom has been making Moosewood Granola since forever, so homemade bagels looked the most exciting!First, we made the dough in the bread machine, then we boiled the bagels, then we baked them! We made shallot, Parmesan, and sesame bagels. The one issue we ran into is that we never quite got them to be cooked all the way through, they were always a little gooey in the middle, although still delicious. I suspect this had something to do with how we made the dough in the bread machine, so next time, I want to try Joan Nathan's recipe.
Labels: The Chef de Plunge
Sunday, June 21, 2009
American Craft Beer Fest roundup
I went to the American Craft Beer Fest yesterday (which was AWESOME), and I promised myself I would only try new beers... and I did, with one exception. I can't turn down a good 1 Eared Monkey (Peach Lager) by Paper City when I see one, especially when I can never find it in stores! Anyhow, here are my favorites from the festival:
- 21st Amendment Brewery (CA), Hell or High Watermelon, wheat beer
- Blue Hill Brewery (MA), Wamputuk Wheat, German Hefeweizen
- Cape Ann Brewing Co. (MA), Fisherman's Bavarian Wheat
- DogFish Head Craft Brewery (DE), Festina Peche, Neo-Berliner Weisse
brewed w/ fresh peaches (their description, not mine) - Ithaca Beer Co (NY), Apricot Wheat, American Fruit Wheat
- New Holland Brewing Company (MI), Golden Cap, Saison
- Opa Opa Brewing Co. (MA), Watermelon Ale
- Paper City Brewery (MA), Radler Brau, Pale ale with natural lemon flavoring
- Pennichuck Brewing Co. (NH), Rustwagen, Hefeweizen
- Woodstock Inn Brewery (NH), Raspberry Weasel Wheat, Filtered Wheat
Labels: The Chef de Plunge
Monday, June 15, 2009
Chocolate Kahlua Mocha Cake!
We made this cake for my parent's 30th anniversary party, and it came out so good! I decorated it with roses from our garden, and chocolate rose leaves (pick leaves, wash, dip in chocolate, refrigerate, peel chocolate off leaves, voila!)
Cake base (Perfect All-American Chocolate Butter Cake from The Cake Bible)
1/2 cup + 3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa
1 cup boiling water
3 large eggs
2 1/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups + 2Tbs sifted cake flour (note, measure AFTER sifting)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 cups unsalted, softened butter
6 oz melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate
2 Tbs instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 Tbs boiling water
1/2 cup + 3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa
1 cup boiling water
3 large eggs
2 1/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups + 2Tbs sifted cake flour (note, measure AFTER sifting)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- Preheat oven to 350
- Whisk cocoa and boiling water until smooth, cool
- In another bowl lightly combine eggs, 1/4 cocoa mixture, vanilla
- In another bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients, mix on low for 30 sec
- Add butter and remaining cocoa mixture, mix on low until moistened
- Increase to medium, beat 1 1/2 min, scrape down sides
- Gradually add egg mixture in 3 batches, beat for 20 sec after each addition, scrape down sides
- Scrape batter into two 9 inch by 1 1/2 inch cake pans, greased, bottoms lined with parchment or wax paper, then greased and floured
- Bake 25-35 min or until tester comes out clean
- Let cool in pan 10 min, then invert onto wire racks and cool completely
- Pour about 1/4 cup of Kahlua into cakes and let them absorb the liquid
6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 cups unsalted, softened butter
6 oz melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate
2 Tbs instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 Tbs boiling water
- Beat yolks until light in color
- Combine sugar and corn syrup in saucepan, heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves and syrup comes to roiling boil
- Transfer syrup to 1 cup heatproof glass measure to stop the cooking
- Gradually beat syrup into eggs, continue beating until completely cool
- Gradually beat in butter, chocolate, and espresso mixture
Labels: The Chef de Plunge
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Never send a human to do a robot's job
I've always believed that robots can do anything, and now I'm seeing proof! They can clean, fly, model (although her walk is not too fierce, can somebody call Miss J?), and now they can cook! Just more reasons that I want a robot pet.Visit here to see more pictures of robots cooking.
Labels: geekdom
