My third Thanksgiving in St Louis

Time flies and last Thursday marked my third Thanksgiving in St Louis. It seems only like yesterday when I confronted my first turkey breast. Although it was only 7 pounds, it was nonetheless the biggest piece of meat I have ever handled.

I remembered back then I was hesitant to invite anybody over as I wasn't sure my first turkey would be edible at all. When we finally decided to extend the invitations to friends, we didn't have a particular menu in mind. Needless to say, our first Thanksgiving meal wasn't a conventional one. Turkey breast with ready-made gravy and stuffing, uneven chunks of "mashed" potato, steamed vegetables and two quiches. I cannot recall what was dessert although I suspect it must be something made of chocolate.

That was how it began. That Thanksgiving dinner marked the beginning of many parties at our little one bedroom apartment, and the revelation of my pleasure from caring and serving others with home-cooked meals.

Thanksgiving is also a time I reflect on the kindness others have showered me, and their acceptance of me into their lives. I count my blessings and thank God for friends and family in my life. With that, I cooked and baked for the people I care. It has always been my way to say "Thank you" and "I love you".

These feelings were epitomized with the Normandy Apple Tart. The apple sauce was made painstalking by sieving over my only strainer, which was unfortunately too fine for such a task. The resulting apple sauce used for the filling of the tart was very smooth, making me feel that all the time and effort spent were worthwhile. I first saw the Normandy Apple Tart in Dorie Greenspan'sBaking: From My Home to Yours, and subsequently saw it made by Anita and Christine. Their beautiful tarts and the abundance of apples at the farmer's market inspired me to overcome my inertia to finally making it.

Although mine didn't turn out as stunning as theirs, I gave myself a pat on the shoulder when our friends commented that the tart was delicious. The credit was all Greenspan's, who came up with the recipe; and of course the farmer who grew the apples.

This Normandy Tart is not a difficult recipe, I believe anybody can make it with some prior planning and lots of patience. Although one can use the store-bought apple sauce, I agree with Greenspan that homemade apple sauce, (especially in this time of year) made a difference in the Normandy Tart. I don't have a mandoline, so I used a very sharp knife to finely slice the apples for topping.

I baked the tart on the Thanksgiving morning, and believe that it would taste even better if I have the time to bake and serve it straight from the oven. The filling was a bit loose, but can easily be disguised with some fine ice cream (which I did!)

Seeing that the topless tart has been selected as the theme for this month's "Waiter there's something in my ..." by Cooksister, I am submitting the Normandy Tart as my entry.

In case you want to know, these are what we had on Thanksgiving. The mostly Gourmet inspired recipes:
Stuffed Turkey with Lemon, Oregano and Red Onion (I used rosemary in place of oregano, and added in some white wine in the basting liquid)
Make Ahead Mashed Potato
Quick Stovetop Gravy
Roasted Japanese Sweet Potato with Scallion Butter
Italian Sausage and Bread Stuffing
Roasted Asparagus
Normandy Apple Tart
Alice Medrich Fastest Fudge Cake (as a backup in case the Normandy Apple tart was inedible ;p)

No photos on the meal, as I was a little behind the schedule, and I couldn't bring myself to let the guests wait on hungry stomachs!

Normandy Apple Tart
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan'sBaking: From My Home to Yours and as seen in Dessert First and Hot.Sour.Salty.Sweet and Umami

Pâte Sablée

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoon butter, very cold, cut into small pieces
1 egg yolk

Applesauce
2 pounds baking apples,(about 6 medium) such as Empire, Cortland, McIntosh, or Pippin
1/4 cup water, or more
1 tablespoon (packed) light brown sugar
1-4 tablespoons sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon pure Vanilla extract (optional)

Topping
2 medium-sized, firm apples,(preferably firm Golden Delicious or Granny Smith, not the mealy type you used for applesauce)
1 egg, beaten with 1/2 teaspoon water, for egg wash
1/3 cup apple jelly for glaze (I used apricot jelly)

To make the applesauce:
Peel and core the apples, and cut into chunks. Toss them into a 2-3 quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan. (or leave the skin on for a rosier color) . Add in the water and brown sugar, and stir to combine.

Cover the saucepan and cook the apples over the medium-low heat.Don't go far from the stove and stir the apples from time to time to keep them from scorching.

If the water is boiling away too quickly, add more by driblets. When the apples are soft enough to be mashed with a spoon, about 20-25 minutes, remove the pan from heat and pass the apples through a food mill or press them through a sturdy strainer into a bowl.

If the applesauce seems thin (if liquid accumulates around the edges), return the sauce to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, until the sauce is just thick enough to sit up on a spoon. Taste the sauce , adding granulated sugar if you think it needs it (bearing in mind that the applesauce for this tart was not very sweet)and vanilla, if you want it.

Pour the applesauce into a container, press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface, and refrigerate until it is no longer warm before using. (The applesauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.)

For the tart shell:
Combine the flour, confectioner's sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the pieces of cold butter and pulse until the butter is cut into pea-sized pieces. Add the egg yolk and combine in several pulses until the dough starts to become clumpy. Taking care not to overwork the dough. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, knead dough lightly to incorporate any dry ingredients that escaped mixing.

If you are using a pastry cutter, combine all dry ingredients and cut butter into the sizes of peas. Add in eggyolk and mix until all ingredients come together into a ball. Add in one or two tablespoons of cold water if the ingredients is too dry.

Butter a 9-in fluted tart pan with removable bottom.Lightly press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan, using all but one little piece of dough, which you should save in the fridge to patch any cracks after the crust is baked.

Freeze the tart shell for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer. Bake it in a 375 degrees.

To partially bake the tart shell:
Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminium foil and fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, until the shell is dry and lightly colored. If any places have cracked, repair with the extra dough. Let cool on a rack until room temperature.

For the tart:
When ready to finish baking the tart, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Fill the tart shell almost to the top of the rim with the applesauce and smooth the top. Place the tart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat.

For the topping:
Peel,core and quarter two apples. Cut each apple quarter into about 7 slices.

Arrange the apple slices over the top of the applesauce in any pattern that strike your fancy, overlapping slices slightly as they will shrink a little after baking.
Make a egg wash by beating the egg with a teaspoon of water. Using a pastry brush,paint the egg wash over the sliced apples.

Bake the tart in the oven for about 50 minutes- it will look as though the applesauce and apples have risne a bit. The apple should be golden, a little burnt around the edges and soft enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. If you'd like to enhance the color around the edges of the apples, run the tart under the broiler just unitl you get the color you're after. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack.

To make the optional glaze:
Bring the jelly and water to a boil. When the jelly is liquefied, brush a thin layer over the topof the tart with a pastry brush. Return the pan to the rack and cool the tart until it is just warm or at room temperature.

The tart can be served when it is only just warm or when it reaches room temperature. Try to eat it as soon as it is baked,to prevent it from getting soggy.

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How to decorate Chocolate Cake for dinner party

Actually there are a few recipes that I wanted to share. But I am willing to let this entry jumps the queue, seeing that it's Thanksgiving this Thursday, and you may want some dessert ideas, other than pumpkin pie.

This is the chocolate cake I made for a dinner party last Friday. The cake and frosting is a combination I have made in the past. I feel more comfortable bringing a tried and true dessert to any party, as oppose to something new and potentially exciting. Call me inadventurous, I certainly don't want to use it as an opportunity to experiment with new recipes. Hey, it is my reputation at stake. Although I am not sure if I have one at the moment. Having said that, I am pretty sure the nice people in OCT's lab wouldn't mind being my guinea pigs. Which in a way,they already are, eating whatever I conjure most of the Fridays.

As much as I enjoy baking, cake decorating is something I dread. I can't pipe anything without being mistaken as a child's work. Cake decorating is undoubtedly one aspect that I need to work on. For the time being, my idea of decorating consists of microwave melted chocolate in a ziploc bag, and snipped off a tiny hole at one corner to trace a simple pattern.

As you can see, my drawing is pretty untidy. There's even a puddle of white chocolate in the center of the cake, where the circles intersect. I had no choice but to cover it with some hazelnuts. Luckily, I always keep a selection of nuts on hand.

As for the lady fingers on the sides, they were there for a reason. Their mission was to cover the somewhat bare sides I left behind, after realizing I didn't make enough frosting to cover the whole cake. The pack of lady fingers is the hero that saved my day. :)

A ribbon tied around the cake make the recipient feel special, and hold all lady fingers in place.

This is just my 2 cents on how to decorate a cake without resorting to the piping bag and tips. So, what are you making for Thanksgiving?

Chocolate Lovers' Chocolate Cake
cake base and filling adapted from this recipe

cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Filling:(enough to fill one layer)
Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache
(adapted from Alice Medrich's Bittersweet)
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces 72% chocolate
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

For the ganache: (used as topping)
1/3 cup (3 oz) heavy cream
4 ounces best-quality bittersweet/dark chocolate

Decoration:
lady fingers, soaked briefly in syrup (heat some raspberry preserve and water in a saucepan, sugar to taste)
melted white chocolate

Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper; butter the paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly beat the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until fully incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.

Make the whipped gananche:
Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a small saucepan until it bubbles on the edges and immediately pour it over the chocolate. Allows the heat from the cream to melt the chocolate.Let stand for 10-15 minutes. Slowly stir to make sure that the chocolate has completely melted. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight, and whip the ganache only when ready to use.

Make the gananche :
Bring 1/3 cup of heavy cream to a near boil in a small saucepan.When it is steaming well, remove it from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Stir or whisk until the chocolate is melted. The mixture should be smooth. Let stand until the ganache is warm enough to be poured over the cake.

Assemble the cake:
Set a cake layer on a plate with the flat side facing up. Evenly spread the whipped ganache over the cake. Top with the second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread a thin layer of the whipped gananche over the top and side of the cake. Arrange lady fingers immediately around the cake.

Pour the gananche to cover the top of the cake.Unleash your imagination and use the melted chocolate to sketch whatever pattern that strike your fancy. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.

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Enjoying Fall

What have you done last weekend?

I grabbed my camera and the reluctant OCT out for a stroll in the neighborhood.

Walking down the streets we have had so many memories in the past two and a half year. And very soon, we will have to bid this place good bye.

As if knowing this will be our last Fall here, the nature treated us with what must be the most spectacular fall hue in this part of the midwest.

Like two little kids, we derived life simple joy from walking into the stash of crisp, fallen leaves, and competed to find the prettiest leaves on the ground.

And admire the neighbor's garden, which is always meticulously kept.

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Food recipe and photos coming up soon.

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Lemon Lavender Cake

Do you know that November 15 is National Bundt Day? Perfect time to blog about the messy bundt cake I made two weeks ago.

If you know me well, you know my affinity to anything with coffee+ chocolate in it. "Lemon + lavender" on the other hand, is another flavor combination that I can't resist. I have had sables with this combination but haven't had a success with cake yet. After trying the lemon lavender cake from the Macrina Bakery in Seattle, I can't stop thinking about it ever since we came back. The generous serving of their light but flavorful cake is the best lemon lavender cake I have ever had. The balance between two of my favorite flavors is simply spot on.

I have tried making a lemon lavender cake in the past using my favorite lemon cake recipe as a base. Although it was moist and flavorful, upon comparison, I found mine to be too dense. And it shouldn't be so. I need to make one as poetic (and light) as the Macrina's.

In order to achieve the desired cake, I need a lemon cake with light texture as base. The next step maybe a little tricky.It is to determine the amount of lavender required. It has to be just enough to complement the citrus flavor, without making the eaters feel poisoned eating a lavender soap bar. I decided to go with 1 tablespoon of dried lavender. In order to extract the maximum flavor, I steep it in the buttermilk. Easily done when the buttermilk was lefted on the bench to come to room temperature.

Having had good result with this recipe in the past, I decided to use it as the base here. Once the cake was out of the oven, I impatiently waited for 30 minutes before cutting out a thin slice to taste. It was nice, but not as lemony as I would have loved. I knew I had to add a thin layer of glaze to boast up the flavor. And I did just that. But maybe the glaze is a little too thin. It is quite unsightly as you can see from the various shots here. The flavor had improved with the added glaze but I know something is amiss. I really should have bought their recipe book which was prominently displayed on the shelf. Or at least took a peek and tried to remember the recipe! By the way, I also couldn't resist to buy a piece of their chocolate grand marnier cake. Heavenly! Now I need to find that recipe. If ANY of you know the recipe, please drop me an email. My stomach and tastebuds will thank you.

Coming back to the lemon lavender cake, I think this version is not too bad, but I would tweak it again the next time I try. Maybe a little more lemon zest in the batter, and a thicker, prettier glaze.

If however, lemon lavender is not your cup of tea, head over to Nordic Ware's website. There are a series of drool-worthy winning recipes from the "Bundts Across America" recipe contest. One of the judges, is none other than Anita, the talented blogger behind the sweet blog -Dessert First! Her account on the contest judging is here. I am jealous of all the yummy bundts she had tasted......

Lemon Lavender Cake
Modified from this recipe


Cooking spray
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (about 13 2/3 ounces)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated fresh lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon of dried lavender, steep in 1 cup of low fat buttermilk

For the glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar (I used 1.5 cups, it turned out too thin)
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried lavender


Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare the cake, coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 tablespoons flour.

Lightly spoon remaining 3 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine 2 cups granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating at low speed, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add rind and juice; beat just until blended.

Spoon batter into prepared pan; sharply tap the pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar,lemon juice and dried lavender in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

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By the power of Nutella

I was pleasantly surprised when Jennifer dropped me a congratulatory email last Sunday.And told me that I was one of the winners for the October 2007 DMBLGIT!

I can't tell you how excited I am, not exactly holding any hope for this simple homey picture to win me any award. I simply submitted the picture for fun. When I went to bed on Sunday night, I tried to figure what the judges see "enticing" in this picture.

Then I came up with a hypothesis. It must be the power of Nutella that lured them to cast a vote for me. Seriously, who can resist Nutella, right? The deliciously satisfying chocolate hazelnut paste that conjure up many happy memories must be the reason! I also deduce that a mouth watering name is important in food photography competition. For instance, one that starts with "Nutella".

Anyway, I am thankful to the judges who selected my photo to be the overall third place winner among so many beautiful photos. On Monday night, I thought I would bake another batch of Nutella tart to commemorate the happy occasion. Instead of a 9-inch tart, I baked it into some 4-inch tart rings. It is the convenient size to give away. Not to mention it surely make the recipient feels special to have a delicious tart all by himself.

I wish I could give everyone who like this photo a piece of the tart. Since that is not possible, may I encourage you to give this Pierre Herme recipe a try.

For the complete roundup of October DMBLGIT, please visit Jennifer's blog-Bake or Break. Thanks Jennifer for being a great host. I can't wait to put up my badge on the sidebar! Oh yes, I am so vain. :D

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Bananas, two ways.

I love it when bananas are on sale. The slightly spotted bananas which the grocery store knows will ripen exponentially overnight. They have to get rid of them and I am one happy customer who don't mind buying them.

In the grocery store here, this kind of bananas comes in the 5lb bag. OCT being a banana lover, would try to eat as many as he could.While the rest would be left to ripe at room temperature. After which I would either use some to make a cake or freeze them for later use. I find freezing banana extremely convenient and satisfying. I feel empowered knowing that I can make banana cake whenever the craving hits, without making a trip to the grocery store.

Inspired by the bag of ripen bananas we bought not long ago, I am going to share two banana recipes with you.

The first one is a simple coconut banana bread with lime glaze. After trying a few banana bread recipes and found one that I really love, there isn't much incentive or urgency for me to try a new one. As the old adage says "if it isn't broken, don't fix it". However, I was tempted the positive reviews it received from other reviewers. This recipe, which comes from my favorite magazine- Cooking light, also garnered the test kitchen's highest rating. I just have to make it myself and see what the hype's about.

Instead of making it in a loaf pan, as instructed in the recipe, I make it in the muffin pan. It's more convenient for sharing with friends and took half the time to cook.

The coconut banana bread which incorporated low fat yogurt and a few tablespoons of dark rum was full of flavor. I especially love the lime glaze that provided a hint of tang that cut through the sweetness of the banana bread. If you are going to make this recipe, remember not to omit the lime glaze. Since I am not a fan of shredded coconut, I would probably omit it the next time.

The second recipe, is a banana chiffon cake. Recently,I am addicted to the pillowy texture of chiffon cake, and have to make it whenever a good recipe presents itself!Oh how happy we were, biting into the first slice of this cottony soft chiffon cake. The lightness of the cake almost deceived us into finishing half of it in one sitting! Although I like to eat it as it is, I would not consider a thin glaze of chocolate ganache on top to be gilding the lily. Especially when one is considering of bringing this to a party.I am content however, with an unadorned slice of banana chiffon cake to go with my cup of coffee in the morning, or afternoon or even after dinner!

I was initially sceptical of the usage of only one banana in the batter. I mean, it's such a huge cake! But I was pleasantly surprised with the banana flavor in each slice of the chiffon cake. It was the right sweetness and spot on flavor. The secret, as some of you may already know, is to use a very ripe banana.



Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze
adapted from Cookinglight.com

2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.

Banana Chiffon Cake
Modified from Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2007 and Carol Bloom's Essential Baker

1 large, ripe banana
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup unflavored vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, separated ( I used 1 1/4 cup of sugar)
7 large eggs, at room temperature, separated (I used 6 extra large eggs)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
confectioner sugar, for dusting

For Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache (optional):
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used 72% chocolate), finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 to 2 tablespoons rum
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 325F.

Cut a round of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and cut out a hole in the middle to fit the center tube of the pan. This cake is baked in an ungreased pan because greasing the pan would keep the batter from rising and gripping the sides of the pan as the cake bakes.

In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, mash the banana. Add water,oil,vanilla and eggyolks. Whisk until well combined.

Over a large piece of parchment paper or bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. Add 3/4 cup of sugar and salt and stir together.

Make a well in the center of the mixture by pushing the dry ingredients towards the side of the bowl. Add the banana mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir together until thoroughly combined.

Place the egg whites in the grease free bowl of an electric mixer or in a large grease free bowl. Using the wire whip attachment or a hand held mixer, whip the egg whites on medium speed until they are frothy. Add the cream of tartar. Slowly sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and continue whipping until the egg whites hold glossy and firm but not stiff, peaks, about 5 minutes.

Fold the egg whites into the cake batter in 3 to 4 stages, blending thoroughly after each addition. Transfer the batter to the tube pan. Use the rubber spatula to smooth and even the top.

Bake for 1 hour, or until the cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.(Mine took 45-50 minutes).

Remove the pan from the oven and invert it over a cooling rack onto its feet or over a funnel or a thin necked bottle. Let the cake hanf to cook completely. Don't set the pan on a cooling rack on its base. This will cause the cake to collapse onto itself.

Don't shake the cake out of the pan before it is cool. Once the cake is cool. use a thin blade knife or flexible blade spatula to run across the outer edge and the inside tube to help release the cake from the pan. Invert the cake onto a rack, then reinvert onto a serving plate.

Place the cake on a rack over a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar if using.

*optional*
Making Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
Heat cream, sugar, rum in a saucepan over medium heat until it simmers and bubbles forming on the sides of saucepan. Remove from heat and pour cream over chopped chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, stir to melt chocolate with hot cream until the mixture turns glossy and smooth. Let the chocolate ganache cool to pouring consistency. Pour over the chiffon cake.

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Favorite Chocolate Biscotti Recipe

Despite the many baking failures I had over the past, I am extremely blessed in the biscotti department. In fact I find my favorite biscotti recipe the first time I attempted it. Although I blogged about these biscottis a couple of times in the past, I failed to include the recipe. Firstly because I am lazy. Secondly, the recipe is lengthy.I have the book and even copied it by hand in my notebook, so that I could bake it during my last trip home. So I find no rush to put it up here.
Until not long ago, my friend A asked me for the recipe. Her friend who tried the biscottis and has since moved to New York is thinking of attempting the recipe herself. So I thought I might type it here for her, and others who may be interested too.

After my first sweet success, I have since tried many biscotti recipes but none (ok, except those mosaic biscottis) measured up to this one. This recipe, which comes from the Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook is my reliable source for chocolate biscottis. I have also tweaked it a few times with different flour components, amount of sugar, varieties of nuts and even used different brands of chocolate, just to see if that makes a different. Come to think of it, I must have made it more than ten times.

For research purpose, I bought biscotti from Starbucks one day and did a blind test. In my humble opinion, they tasted equally great. So I would safely say that I wouldn't be getting my biscottis from Starbucks again. I figure that the money saved could be used to buy other quality ingredients!

I strongly encourage bakers who have not tried baking biscottis before to give this incredibly easy recipe a go. And for the novice bakers out there, making this will guarantee an instant confidence boost. I certainly felt invinsible the day I made my first batch. There is no way you can mess up this easy cookie.

To make the process even easier,I have one tips for you. Just one. Instead of shaping the dough by hand, simply drop spoonfuls directly onto the parchment paper to form logs.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
adapted and modified from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I like to replace 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for the all purpose)
1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tsp granulated sugar for glaze (I used 1 cup and it's the right sweetness for me)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups(about 8 ounces) blanched hazelnuts (sometime I use almond, but I prefer hazelnuts)
12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunk(I like to use one pack of 3.5oz 72% Lindt and make up the rest with 60% Ghiradelli Chocolate chips)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 eggwhite for glaze (optional), at room temperature
Sanding sugar (or granulated)for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.Line two large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, cocoa,baking soda,salt, 1 cup of chocolate chunks and hazelnut, until chocolate chunks and hazelnuts are the size of peas. *if you don't have a food processor (like me), coarsely chop the nuts and chocolate and sieve the flour.

In a bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the whole eggs, and granulated sugar until the mixture holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface for a few seconds when you raise the whisk.

Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture. When it's well combined, add in the nuts and chocolate and stir by hand, using a large spatula.

Martha Stewart's proper way:
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide into 3 equal pieces. Shape each pieces into an 18 inch log. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. With the palm of your hand, gently press the logs to flatten slighlt. Brush egg wash over logs. Sprinkle with sanding sugar if using.

OR

Mandy's lazy not messy way:
Using the spatula as a guide, drop the dough by spoonful into a 2.5-inches wide and 18-inches long log directly onto the parchment paper. Slightly flatten it to 1/2-inch thick. Leave 2 inches space between logs.*** Brush eggwash over logs. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until logs are just firm to the touch, 20-24 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

When the logs are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to cut biscotti log on the diagonal, into 1/4-inch thick, or if you like, 3/4-inch thick (which is more durable to be send off as care package.

Place a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange slices, cut sides down on the rack.Bake until biscottis are firm to the touch and completely dry. 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove pans from the oven;Let biscottis cool completely on the rack. They can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. I keep them in the freezer when I don't feel like sharing with others. They can be kept there for months.

note: chocolate drizzle is not necessary, but I used it for aesthetic purpose.

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Crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad

I have never had Vietnamese food before I came to St Louis. It sounded a bit funny considering how close Vietnam is to Singapore and Malaysia. We are neighbors who have never met one another before.

I blame it on the scarcity of Vietnamese restaurants in Singapore. And the polite Vietnamese colleague whom I worked with for not trumpeting the delicious-ness of her country cuisine. Only after I travelled a zillion miles to United State have I been exposured to the amazing cuisine. Still, better late than never right?

Being an absolutely unadventurous eater, I usually steer myself to the safe side when comes to ordering. "A beef pho for me please" is what I order. Oh and a cup of Vietnamese coffee of course. How could I not get a cup of this addictive stuff. It's almost therapeutic to see the coffee slowly dripping down onto the condense milk. Until the incessant nag and complaint comes from OCT. "Yike, this is too sweet!You shouldn't order this next time,it's not good for your health....." All I could think of, is where can I buy the coffee press. So that I can have it everyday. If you know, please drop me a line.

Oh, I really shouldn't be telling this boring and unrelated story. Because this entry is about a Vietnamese recipe I made a couple of nights ago. It's a crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad. I like recipe with name like this. It preps you for what you are expecting.

Except, it's better than I envisaged. The dressing was flavorful and distinctly Asian. What with the fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice and thai basil, I almost felt like sitting in a shaded table somewhere along a burstling street; Eating and sweating at the same time at a roadside hawker stall.

Because I don't normally keep chile, cilatro and mint at home, I omitted them and replaced with some thai basil. It worked for me and I am delighted to find a new recipe to bring to the next dinner party.

Curiously the dressing reminds me of the green mango/papaya salad I had in Thailand. I guess as far as Southeast Asia cuisine is concerned, we are influenced a lot by our neighboring countries. I would try this dressing with green mango if lady luck handed some green mango on my lap.(which is fat chance) But I am equally happy to use green cabbages, which are abundant and cheap here.

Crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad
adapted and modified from Eric and Sophie Banhs via Foodandwine.com

Chef Way- The Banhs like to poach the chicken for this vibrant dish, then toss the salad with a homemade scallion oil.

Easy Way- To save time, use store-bought rotisserie chicken and skip the scallion oil; the salad already gets plenty of flavor from the spicy, vinegary dressing and abundance of fresh herbs.

ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1 1/2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar (I used 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon water
1 serrano chile with seeds, minced (omitted)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 cup vegetable oil, for frying (I used just enough oil to shalow fry the shallot, maybe three/four tablespoons)
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
Salt
4 cups finely shredded green cabbage (from 1/2 small head)
2 carrots, finely shredded
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (omitted, and replaced with a palmful of shredded Thai Basil)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint (omitted)
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (from 1/2 chicken)(I roasted 6 drumsticks in a 400F oven until cooked to make the shredded chicken)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, water, chile and garlic and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let the dressing stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the shallots on paper towels; reserve the oil for another use. Sprinkle the shallots with salt and let cool.

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots, red onion, cilantro, mint (if using) and shredded chicken. Add the olive oil and the dressing and toss. Sprinkle with the peanuts and fried shallots and serve the chicken salad with lime wedges.

Serves 4 -6 people.

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Can you keep a secret?

What is your favorite kind of cookies? For me, I can't resist biscotti. Chocolate biscotti, to be specific. The first thing I see on the biscotti recipe is not the description one provides, but the ingredient list. I want to know whether butter is used in the process.

Called me stubborn, or even ignorant, but I steer myself clear from biscotti made with butter. I don't care what others say about the crispier texture when butter is used. It just doesn't feel right for me. I think it has to do with one article I read couple years ago before I started baking biscottis. It mentioned that the "real deal" is made without butter. Ironically, I can't even remember where I saw that article, let alone its authenticity. But the message somehow stuck in my illogical brain.

Having established my weird logic on biscotti recipe, it should not catch you by surprise that this batch of biscotti is made without butter. And the means of how this recipe travel from the book onto this blog is quite embarrassing, if not scandalous.

It was on a sunny morning after I walked OCT to school and decided to spend some leisure time browsing the new cookbooks in the nearby Barnes & Nobles. The sparkling new Dolce Italiano that was displayed on the feature rack caught my eyes. I picked up the book and found a quiet spot. Sitting on the comfortable couch, I started to peruse the book. Little did I know when I picked up the book that the authour- Gina DePalma, is the pastry chef of Mario Batali's Babbo Restaurant! (Ok, I am ignorant) Unlike many dessert books in the market, DePalma has a clear vision and sharp focus on what she wanted to convey. And it was Italian desserts. Not only did she manage to cram so many delicious sounding recipes in the book, it is also packed with stories and information. I think it will serve as a great reference for anyone who is interested in making or simply wanting to know more about Italian desserts.

Usually, I could easily finish reading a cookbook in one sitting. But not this book! I had a hard time digesting all the information the book offers. It feels almost like lovers who haven't met and talked for a decade! So I decided not to rush through it, and skipped to the section where the biscotti recipes are. And I did something that may not gain your approval. I copied the recipe of this biscotti. A very rough guide though, which consists of the ingredient list and simple instructions. Such is the distance I would go, to give you, my friends, the recipe of this fantas-bulous biscottis. I hope you will keep it to yourself. But certainly make it and share it with your loved ones.

Just save the part where your friend here risked being scorned by the store manager and other medical students to bring this recipe to you. Oh, and please, by all means, get a copy of Dolce Italiano. After trying the Mosaic Biscotti, I would strongly recommend this book to anybody who have a passion for Italian desserts.

Here's goes the gist of the recipe and my modified instructions:

Mosaic Biscottis
adapted from Dolce Italiano

3.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tsp granulated sugar for glaze (I used 1.5cups and it's the right sweetness for me)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups of pistachio, coarsely chopped
2 cups of hazelnuts, corsely chopped (I used 1.5 cups, because that's what I have left)
12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (I used 1 pack (11.5oz)of Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chocolate chips because I got it on offer :))
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 eggyolks, plus 1 eggwhite for glaze (optional), at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F.Line two large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the whole eggs, eggyolks and granulated sugar until the mixture holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface for a few seconds when you raise the whisk.

Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add the vanilla extract and the flour mixture. When it's well combined, add in the nuts and chocolate and stir by hand, using a large spatula.

Using the spatula as a guide, drop the dough by spoonful into a 2.5-inches wide and 18-inches long log directly onto the parchment paper. Slightly flatten it to 1/2-inch thick. Leave 2 inches space between logs.*** Brush eggwash over logs. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until logs are just firm to the toch, 20-24 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely, about 40 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 200F. (I wasn't very patient, so I stick with 300F. This way the biscottis will dry fasterin the second bake)

When the logs are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to cut biscotti log on the diagonal, into 1/4-inch thick, or if you like, 3/4-inch thick (which is more durable to be send off as care package.

Arrange slices on the baking sheet and bake until biscottis are firm to the touch and completely dry. 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully turn the biscottis to the other side and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until dry.

Remove pans from the oven;Let biscottis cool completely on the rack. They can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. I keep them in the freezer when I don't feel like sharing with others. They can be kept there for months.

*** Note: you can also shape the dough into individual log before baking. But I find it easier to just drop the dough onto the parchment paper to form a log. It's less messy this way. Especially when the dough is sticky.

Tip: If you have baking racks, you can also place the biscottis on them for the second bake. This way, you don't need to turn them when one side has dried.

Suppose to make 4 dozen biscottis, (I have more than that!)

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Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Goat Cheese

As an effort to maintain a healthy diet, I try to make vegetarian meal once a week. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to adhere to this regime the past weeks for some reasons. Ok, they are mostly excuses, so I shall not bore you with the detail.

This week however, I am determine to stick with this resolution. As I was looking for a tried and tested recipe for our vegetarian meal, I came across one listed by Robyn1007 on the Cookinglight bulletin board. Although it called for yellow squash and zucchini which I didn't have on hand, I thought I could swap it with other vegetables. In my case, I used red bell pepper and eggplant. The result is one hearty satisfying meal. The transformation of the few humble vegetables after roasting is simply amazing. I like the fact that they are easy on the waist but huge in flavor.

I can't stop raving about my love of roasting vegetable! Whenever I find a vegetable that I don't like, I would just roast it. And then, they will be welcome as VIP on my favorite list. Like cauliflower. I only eat it when it's roasted with garlic, salt and lemon juice.(yum!) Using the roasting method, I have recently became acquainted with sweet potato too. My mum would be so proud of me. She couldn't persuade me to try her favorite purple sweet potato the last time I was home.

Note: I am excited to learn from the lovely Anh that Morgot of Coffee and Vanilla is hosting the Vegetarian Awareness Month in October. I am sure there will be more vegetarian ideas for me come early November.(When the roundup is up!)Oh, and I shall not forget to submit this pasta dish as my contribution for the Vegetarian Awareness Month.

Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Goat Cheese
Adapted from Cookinglight.com

1/2 pound uncooked penne (tubular-shaped pasta)
1 medium eggplant,cubed
1 large red bell pepper, remove seed and roughly chopped into cubes
1 cup thinly sliced red onion, separated into rings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
A handful of cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup (4 ounces) goat cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme


Preheat oven to 475°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, and set aside.

Combine eggplant and next 6 ingredients (squash through garlic) in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475° for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.Add the cherry tomatoes to the jelly roll pan. Roast until all vegetables browned. Drizzle vinegar over vegetables; toss well.

Combine pasta, vegetable mixture, goat cheese, basil, and thyme in a large bowl; toss well.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

note: the original recipe uses 2 cups of sliced zucchini and sliced yellow squash respectively.

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Birthday Mango Cream Cake

I have just gone through some of the recipes I made but have not published on this blog yet. And I am now torn between blogging about something new or something old. I guess it won't really matter to you, so here's what I made last week for OCT's birthday. A Mango Cream Cake. Mango cake holds a special place in our household. We don't normally bake it because of the lack of good sweet mango here. And I also can't seem to find a reliable recipe on mango cake. The only time it graces our dining table is either OCT or my birthday.

These are time when I am more adventurous and not stress about the outcome. Unlike baking cakes for friends' birthdays when I have to pray hard for the cakes to turn out well. Luckily most of them request for chocolate cakes, which I am quite competent now. Our birthdays, as it turns out is the best time to experiment. To be fair, I did ask OCT what cake he wanted for his birthday. The answer was consistent all the time, and he said he only wanted mango cake. Even if there's a possibility of having an "inedible birthday cake". You can probably tell that OCT is quite a mango aficionado now.

With that in mind, I started to creat one cake based exclusively on trial and error. With the exception on the cake base. I used a base I had tried with good result before. Strictly speaking, I only need to get the mango cream filling and topping right to fulfill my husband's birthday wish. Even if it turned out miserable, I guess we can still scrap out the yummy cake base to eat.

Because I wasn't sure how much filling I would need, I ended up making a lot more than required. As a result, the birthday cake turned out having a bulging top.Maybe if I didn't try to be creative and used lady fingers to line up the pan and dropped in a can of lychee, there would be more room for the mango cream. But both the lady fingers and lychee proved to be worthy for the space they occupied. They just added so much interesting flavors to the cake.

For the decoration, I initially wanted to pipe "happy birthday" only. But then I melted too much chocolate and I didn't want to waste it. So it ended up on the cake, as you can see in the picture below. I simply pipe whatever I could think of. And the result was a casual and messy cake. I probably would have made the cake more formal and piped "OCT" instead of "Baby" if we invited other friends. But since it's just the two of us, I guess I can call him whatever I want. :)

Before OCT was home, I tied the cake with a satin ribbon, so it would look like a present. I feel rather guilty for not getting him anything because he always shower me with gifts on birthdays and anniversaries. Anyway, he said he wanted no present and a low key birthday. So I guess I have to grant the birthday boy his wish!

I am also submitting this mango cream cake as my entry for the latest edition of "Waiter, there's something in my....Layered Cake", which is hosted by Andrew of Spittoon Extra. Be sure to check out the round up later on Andrew's blog.

Mango Cream Cake

For the cake
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks(10 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

For the filling and topping ***(see note below for suggestions of the amount of ingredients used)
About 2 pounds of mango flesh
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
sugar to taste
2 packets of gelatin powder
1 can of lychee in syrup, with lychee drained and roughly chopped; reserve syrup

lady fingers
melted dark chocolate

To make the cake base,
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter two 9x2 inch round cake pans, dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms of the pan with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on baking sheet.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in
a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one by one, and then the yolk, beating for one minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alernately with the buttermilk. adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes,rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cook for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

To make mango filling and topping,
Puree mango flesh with some sugar syrup from canned lychee. Taste and adjust sweetness accordingly.Pour out the pureed mango into a large bowl.

Sprinkle 2 packets of gelatin powder with 1/4 cup of sugar syrup from the canned lychee. Heat the mixture in microwave for 30 seconds until the gelatin solution dissolves and turns clear. Leave to cool slightly.

Using a stand mixer with whip attachment, beat whipping cream until stiff.

Slowly dribble gelatin solution into pureed mango.Stir to mix well. Set aside 1/2 cup of mango mixture in another medium bowl for topping. Fold some whipped cream into the remaining mango mixture to lighten. Continue to fold the remaining whipped cream thoroughly but lightly into the mango mixture.

To assemble
Carefully place one cake layer on the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan or a cake ring. Brush the top of the cake with some sugar syrup from canned lychee. Scatter the chopped lychee on top of the cake.Brush one side of the lady fingers with the same syrup before lining them on the sides of the ring. Brushed side facing inward.

Carefully pour in the mango cream and top with the second cake layer. Brush the top with syrup. Pour the rest of the mango cream on top.Followed by the reserved topping.

Chill overnight before decorating.

***Note: you will have way too much mango cream using the above recipe.1 cup of whipping cream and 1 packet of gelatin powder, with the same amount of mango flesh (2 pounds) should yield a more intense mango flavored cream. Having said that, I have not tried out this combination yet.

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Dinner from Scratch

The crisp Fall weather has certainly put me in a cooking and baking mood. Unlike summer when I prefer dinner to be ready in less than 30 minutes, I love lingering in the kitchen longer now.

That also means I am more receptive to the ideas of making elaborate, labor intensive recipes and meals. Not that I am connoting these descriptions with the recipes below. In contrary, I have a recipe which I would consider as comfort food for OCT and myself.

From the tropical countries we come from, comfort food means something that's light and preferably not piping hot. That's comfort food for a country with summer weather 365 days a year. A hearty sandwich in my opinion fits the bill.

Because of my weakness in resisting a good seafood(especially shrimps!) recipe, I have my eyes on the Shrimp Rémoulade Po'boy recipe from Cookinglight magazine and a hamburger bun recipe from a blog I like. I think I would call this concortion a Shrimp Rémoulade Sandwich since the authentic Po'boy uses french bread/Baguette. Making this meal certainly requires some planning. Especially when you want to pair the freshly baked bun with the Shrimp Remoulade filling.

I started my bun making in the early afternoon and had them ready before I prepped the shrimp. According to Joe, the hamburger buns freeze well. It eliminated my worry for having to finish a dozen of them in one meal.

If you have baked bread before, you would understand the moment of joy when the bread comes out of the oven. Because I substituted whole wheat flour for some of the all purpose flour required, mine turned out slightly fibrous. Not exactly the kind you would expect in a soft storebought hamburger bun. I prefer it this way though as it stands up to the Rémoulade sauce without making the whole thing soggy.

I also made a fresh corn salad, which unfortunately was not memorable. If you must try, the recipe is here.

Shrimp Rémoulade Sandwich
adapted from Cookinglight, July 2007 and hamburger bun from this blog

Rémoulade sauce:
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small garlic clove, minced

Remaining ingredients:
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooking spray
4 (3-ounce) French bread loaves, sliced horizontally (I used homemade hamburger buns)
1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
1 cup chopped tomato


To prepare sauce, combine first 11 ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill.
Prepare grill.

Thread shrimp onto 4 (10-inch) skewers. Place skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Hollow out bread halves, leaving a 1-inch-thick shell. Place bread on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Place 1/4 cup lettuce, 1/4 cup tomato, and 6 shrimp in bottom half of each loaf. Spoon 1/4 cup sauce over each sandwich. Cover with top bread halves.
*I used homemade hamburger buns in place of the french bread. See recipe below.
Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Hamburger Buns

1 cup milk
1 cup water
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided ( I substituted 1 cup of all purpose flour with whole wheat flour)
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

Egg wash

1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

In a small saucepan, add milk, 1 cup water, sugar, butter and salt. Heat over low just until the butter melts - cool to lukewarm.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour with the yeast.

Pour the milk mixture into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the flour/yeast mixture, 1 cup at a time, until all 3 cups are in, beating until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make stiff dough.

Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes), adding enough of the remaining flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Move dough into a large bowl lightly coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 60 minutes.

Uncover and punch down the dough. Evenly divide into 12-16 pieces, depending on how large you want the buns to be. Form each piece into a tight ball and place about 2" apart on a parchment lined baking sheet - you may need to use 2 sheets depending on the size. Slightly flatten each ball. Cover and let rise until doubled - another 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and water. Gently brush egg wash over each bun.

Bake about 20-25 minutes, until golden and they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

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Warming up the oven with M&M Cookie Bars

I am home! Although we are only away for 4 days, I feel like we have left for a long time. And the feeling of returning home is comforting. No more map navigating and eating out daily for awhile.

And here we are. Finally coming to the end of a series of interview processes. All the possibilities have been unfolded, and it's up to OCT to decide where we are going to call home next.Of course that has to be a place which best matches his career interest. Unfortunately, it has become apparent that we will not be going to Seattle, although both of us have left our hearts there. Too bad one can not make his career move based on where the best croissants (or coffee)are served.

Oh well, we won't be moving until next year, so I shouldn't be thinking too much about that now. When we touched down at St Louis last Saturday, we were greeted with a pleasantly cooler weather before we left. That made me miss my oven, and I couldn't wait to heat it up and bake a batch of something. But what should I bake? While we were in Atlanta, OCT teased me that I better bake/cook something or I would have nothing to update my blog. "You better do some experiments, or you won't have materials to publish!" He assimilated my blog to his research work.

I decided to bake a batch of M&M cookie bars as home welcoming treats for us. Besides, I am looking for an opportunity to use up some of the pink M&Ms I bought. They are available this time of the year in support of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Being a woman and having an aunt suffered from breast cancer, the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month holds a special place in my heart.

Seeing my aunt braved herself for the chemotherapy sessions and suffered the side effects from it, lossing her weights, hair and appetite; it saddened all our family members. How I wish she had armed herself with more information about breast cancer earlier and know to seek treatment sooner. She was diagnosed more than 2 years ago and started chemotherapy right away. Because of that, she couldn't attend my wedding. And I couldn't tell you how sad and disappointed I was, not having my favorite aunt there with me, on my big day.

So here's my contribution for the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and my wish that there will be better cure for the disease, and awareness of the disease among women around the world.

M&M Cookie Bars

As seen in Joe's blog- Culinary in the Country

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, melted (I let it go on the stove until it started to turn a little brown and nutty)
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups M&M's

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly spray a 10 X 15" jelly roll pan with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar, stirring until evenly distributed. Allow to cool slightly. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating very well after each one. Mix in vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture and when combined add in the M&M's. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 24-26 minutes, until they are shiny and golden brown on top. Try not to overbake these or they will be dry. A cake tester will most likely not come out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting.

*****Note: I cut the recipe in half and bake it in a 9x9 square baking pan. It takes 20 minutes to bake. Because I used 2 eggs, the texture of the cookie bars turned out on the cakey side.

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Where have I been?

hey friends, I am so sorry to leave you without a word for such a long time. I had shamelessly tagged OCT along on his interview trip to Seattle. And since we made a trip there, we decided to spend a couple more days in that wonderful city. You know, sipping lattes and eating as much as we could, especially croissant, which we are seriously deprived of, here in St Louis. Well I hope I would plucker up enough courage to tackle that recipe when the weather gets cooler. Anyone wants to do this together? It's one of my to do list, along with losing weights. What an irony. ha!

So, that explained part of the reason of my absense and lack of entry. Another part was because I was down with flu. I call it the full package covering each and every spectrum of flu symptoms. Certainly that includes fever, sore throat, runny nose, coughing and lethargy. I spent a week having a good time in Seattle and another week a dreadful time, mostly on bed. And with this, I hope you will forgive me for not being able to visit and leave comments on your blogs and response promptly on the comments you left here.

Although I have not fully recovered, I am happy to inform that I am 90% there. And by Wednesday, I expect a full recovery. I HAVE to. Because I am tagging along for ANOTHER interview trip. This time, we are going to Atlanta. Even though it's a short trip. Hopefully we get to see, or rather, EAT as many yummy local cuisine as possible.

But I digress. The purpose of this post is to share with you another variation of my favorite low fat marble cake. I marbled two of my favorite ingredients: matcha and cocoa to produce these green and brown cupcakes. The matcha powder that I used was potent, so a teaspoon for a cup of batter (see recipe below) produced my desired color and taste. It has a clean green tea flavor without overpowering, in perfect harmony with its chocolate marbled half.

I have bought another 2 tiny tins of matcha powder from Seattle, enough to experiment with more ideas I have in mind!

Chocolate Matcha Marble Cake/Cupcake


2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
1/3 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg white
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup low fat yogurt
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoons matcha powder

Have all ingredients at room temp. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the lower third of the oven. Spray 8-10 cup tube pan with cooking spray.

Use a whisk to combine four, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift together. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the espresso powder, cocoa and 1/3 cup of the sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Whisk until smooth. Set aside. In another small bowl, whisk whole egg with egg white. Set aside.

Cut the butter into pieces and place in an electric mixing bowl. Beat for 1 minute to soften. Gradually add remaining 1 cup of sugar and beat at high speed for about 3 minutes. Dribble eggs in slowly, about 1 T at a time, beating constantly for about 2 minutes. On low speed, beat in a third of the flour mixture. On medium-high speed, beat in half of the yogurt. On low speed, beat in half of the remaining flour. On high speed, beat in the rest of the yogurt and the vanilla. On low speed, beat in the remaining flour.

Measure out 1 1/2 cups of yogurt batter and mix into the cocoa mixture. Set aside. Add matcha powder to the rest of the yogurt batter in the mixing bowl.

Use a large spoon to fill the bottom of the pan with about three quarters of the green batter placed in dollops. Cover the green batter with dollops of chocolate batter. Top the chocolate batter with small dollops of green batter spaced so that the chocolate batter shows through. Use a table knife to marble the batters together with a circular or zigzag motion; be careful not to blend them too much.

For cupcakes, scoop a heaping tablespoon of either green or brown batter into each paper liner, and cover it with the alternate batter. Marbling the batter with a knife is optional. If you do not marble the batter, you will get a two tone cake instead of a marble cake. Which I think looks equally elegant and appealing.

Bake for 45-50 minutes for cake, (20-25 minutes for cupcakes) or until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in comes out clean.

Cool for 10-15 minutes on a rack. Unmold the cake. Cool completely before serving or storing.

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Thai Basil: A great herb to try

We don't go to the Asian grocery stores very often. But whenever we go, I make sure that a pack of fresh Thai Basil lands in our shopping cart. Ever since I got back from a Bangkok trip 5 years ago, I have been mesmerised by Thai cuisine. There's something intriguing in Thai cuisine. No doubt it's almost always spicy, rich-because of the coconut milk used. But on top of that there's something else. Something uniquely Thai. Maybe it's the spice and herb they use.

Ironically, the mystery is only solved after 5 years and a move to another continent later. I finally learn that part of the mystery flavor is imparted by Thai Basil. Ever since my first encounter with Thai Basil, I use it in every single Thai recipes. And it never fails to offer the flavor I love and miss from Thailand. Unlike the sweet basil which we use in Italian cooking, Thai Basil has a more assertive flavor. OCT think it's pungent. However, I find it hard to express in words its complexity. For some reason, it reminds me of fennel bulb. Other than that, Thai Basil is a highly compatible herb with Asian cuisine. I like to add it towards the end when cooking red/green curry. Sometime even in sweet and sour dish, which one could associate with Chinese/Thai cuisine.

Recently I find another use of this beloved herb in a recipe from July issue of Bon Appetit. A glance at the ingredient list, I know it would be perfect for our weekly vegetarian meal. The original recipe used egg noodle, but I swapped it with angel hair with no problem. Despite its simplicity, this dish is one which packs with lots of Oriental flavors. The use of three types of fragrant oil with ginger, garlic and vinegar is certainly a clever way to infuse lots of flavors without loading on fat. I further reduced the amount of oil by 1.5 tablespoons and increased 2 more cloves of garlic without missing much flavor. It was a perfect light Oriental meal for summer.

Thai basil may seems unassuming, but adding it to any stirfry, or in this case pasta; would instantly enhance the flavor. If you haven't already tried cooking with Thai basil, I strongly urge to do so. It would certainly surprises you how simple it is to add a "Thai touch" to the standard stirfry.

I am submitting this dish which features Thai Basil as my first entry to Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Myriam of Once upon a Tart this round, and be sure to check out more about Weekend Herb Blogging at Kalyn's Kitchen.

Spicy Sesame Noodle with Chopped Nuts and Thai Basil
adapted from July 2007 Bon Appetit

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced ( I used 4 gloves,because I love garlic!)
3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil (I used 1.5 Tbps)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
11/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon (or more) hot chili oil*
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles (about 1/16 inch in diameter) or fresh angel hair pasta ( I used dried angel hair)
12 green onions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh Thai basil leaves

*Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.

Heat peanut oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl. Add next 6 ingredients; whisk to blend.

Place noodles in sieve over sink. Separate noodles with fingers and shake to remove excess starch. Cook in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly and transfer to bowl with sauce. Add sliced green onions and toss to coat noodles. Let stand at room temperature until noodles have absorbed dressing, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour. Stir in peanuts and Thai basil; toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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