Lychee and Vanilla Ice Cream...

Sorry no photos... my digital camera is on the fritz!

Kudos to Kate for this discovery...

1/3 c brandy
3 Tbsp honey
1 15 oz can lychee fruit, or, (for obvious reasons) 10 fresh lychees
Vanilla Bean ice cream

yields about 4 servings.


1. Peel lychee, cut in halves and get rid of the pits. (if using canned lychee, drain syrup, saving all but 1-2Tbsp, can add it to the sauce).
2. Place fruit, syrup, honey and brandy in saucepan over medium heat.
3. Cook until brandy is reduced and slightly thickened.
4. Serve warm over vanilla ice cream.

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Port Reduction

Tawny Port pairs well with chocolate...and strawberries...this is the cake recipe from the Moosewood cookbook that I mentioned previously.

For the Cake:
1 1/2 c unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c brewed coffee or water (I used brewed instant decaf coffee, cooled to room temp and it worked very well)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp white vinegar


For the Strawberry Port reduction:

8 oz strawberries plus a few extra for decorating
1/2 c Tawny Port
4 Tbsp sugar



For the Chocolate Ganache:
8 oz bittersweet chocolate or 4 oz semisweet plus 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c vanilla soymilk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, sugar, and baking soda.
Grease an 8x8 inch pan. In an electric mixer, combine oil, water or coffee, and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients. When blended smoothly together, add vinegar, mix quickly.
The mixture should have pale swirls, indicating the baking soda is reacting with the vinegar.
Immediately pour into baking pan and bake for 25-30 mins, or until set (toothpick should come out clean to very slightly moist on the bottom). Allow to cool 10 - 15 mins. Turn out onto a wire cooling rack, allow to cool 10 more mins, cut into 2 pieces horizontally to make 2 layers. If it falls apart don't stress, it's going to be covered in chocolate ganache in the end.

To make the strawberry port reduction, mix together the strawberries, sugar and port in a medium saucepan. Cook at medium high heat until the alcohol is cooked off and the consistency is syrupy.

To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Stir in the warm soy milk and vanilla, stir until smooth.

Spoon the strawberry mixture on top of one of the layers, then place the other layer on top. Finish by frosting it with the chocolate ganache and top with strawberries.

Orange Scented Cinnamon Raisin Scones

Baking Illustrated 's scone recipe. They suggest using a food processor, but it's totally unnecessary if you have a pastry blender.
I find that making them by hand is really the best way to go, you just need to pay close attention to the texture of the dough as it forms.
Scone recipes that lack eggs can turn out pretty hard and dry. The heavy cream is reduced in this recipe and replaced by an egg.


Ingredients:

2 c. flour (I used 1 c. King Arthur Organic White Whole Wheat flour and 1 c. of their all purpose flour)
1 Tbsp baking powder
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter
grated zest from 1 orange
3/4 c. heavy cream
1 egg
1/2 c. raisins

For Cinnamon Sugar Glaze:
1-2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp cinnamon + more depending on how strong you want the cinnamon flavor to be

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to center. Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet w/ parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, orange baking powder and salt. Stir in the orange zest.
Cut the butter into small pieces. Add to flour mixture and chop it into the flour with the pastry blender. This is very important! Cut the butter in until the mixture represents coarse sand with a few small lumps in it. Measure out the heavy cream in a liquid measuring cup and beat in the egg with a fork.
Stir the liquid in with a spatula until it forms a shaggy dough. Stir in the raisins.
Knead the dough together with your hands until it all sticks together. On a floured surface, form the dough into a circle about 1" thick.
With a large knife, cut like a pie into 8ths. Transfer to baking sheet.
Brush the tops of each scone with heavy cream. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 425 for 12 mins. Scones should be cracked, dry, and very lightly browned on top when done.

Green Tea Ginger Cookies

This is the ATK Baking Illustrated sugar cookie recipe w/ added ginger and matcha green tea powder.

Ingredients:

2 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp matcha green tea powder (http://www.stashtea.com/w-111855.htm)
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 c granulated sugar, plus 1/2 c for rolling dough later
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c candied ginger pieces, chopped fine
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Directions:

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and matcha powder.
In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Add egg and vanilla. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients. Add candied ginger.
In a small dish, stir together fresh ginger and 1/2 c sugar.
Scoop out dough balls with an ice cream scooper and roll each one in the ginger sugar. Place on cookie sheets and press each ball with the bottom of a measuring cup to make slightly flat.
Bake for 15 mins.

Herbed Sourdough "Everything" Bread

For this recipe, you'll need a sourdough starter. My favorite is from Beth Hensperger's Bread Bible. The following recipe is also based on her recipe for Farmstead Sourdough Bread.
I made a crust inspired by everything bagels. This bread is excellent with cream cheese or boursin cheese and is great for sandwiches too. For example, smoked salmon with boursin, capers, greens, etc.

Ingredients:

¾ c warm water

1 ½ tsp active dry yeast

1 ½ tsp sugar

½ c sourdough starter*

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 ½ tsp salt

2 ½ - 3 c all purpose flour

2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 tbsp dried onion flakes

¼ c boiling water

1-2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp poppy seeds

2 tsp sesame seeds

Dorure (a.k.a. egg wash)

Directions:

Pour ¼ c warm water in a bowl, add yeast and 1 pinch sugar. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 5 mins.

In a medium bowl, stir together thyme, 1 ½ c flour and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together sourdough starter, remaining ½ c warm water, sugar and olive oil. Beat until well blended. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture. Add Remaining flour, ½ c at a time until dough becomes workable. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is soft and springy, adding small amounts of flour to prevent from sticking. Dough will end up slightly sticky at the end. Grease a rising container or large bowl, deposit dough and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1 – 1 ½ hours.

Gently deflate dough. Grease a loaf pan, shape dough into a rectangle and tuck edges underneath. Put dough in loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to proof for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, pour ¼ c boiling water over 2 Tbsp onion flakes and cover w/ plastic wrap, after 10 mins or until onion is soft. Pour off water.

Preheat oven to 350.

Make Dorure: beat 1 egg w/ 1 Tbsp milk.

Slash loaf 3 times. Brush on Dorure, then sprinkle loaf with onion, poppy seeds, kosher salt and sesame seeds.

Bake for 35- 40 mins or until instant read thermometer registers 180 degrees.

*Hint: to keep bread fresh for several days, wrap in tin foil and store at room temperature.

Coconut Lime Cupcakes

To make citrus cream cheese frosting, pick your favorite citrus fruit, mix with some cream cheese, butter and confectioners sugar and you are good to go. This is the yellow cupcake recipe from Baking Illustrated with added coconut.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c sour cream
1 large egg plus 2 large yolks
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3.5 oz (half a bag) of sweetened coconut, toasted lightly

Whisk dry ingredients together. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, sour cream. Slowly add dry ingredients, mix until smooth. Add coconut.
Scoop into paper lined muffin pan.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 mins.

Frosting:

(This one I just played around with).
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
juice and grated zest from 1 lime
3-5 c confectioners sugar

Beat butter and cream cheese together. Slowly add confectioners sugar, about 3 cups. Add zest. Taste. Adjust desired sweetness and lime flavor by adding lime juice and confectioners sugar to taste.

Chewy Chai Tea Cookies

Again I used my favorite sugar cookie recipe... from America's Test Kitchen... a very versatile sugar cookie recipe guaranteed to yield good results. I checked on the contents of "chai tea," came up with a spice blend...

Ingredients:

2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cardammom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinammon
2 tea bags of black tea (English Breakfast or Irish) cut open tea bags and grind leaves into a fine powder in a coffee grinder

1 c granulated sugar + 1/4 c more to coat outside of cookies
1 egg
2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, spices, and ground tea leaves.
In an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until well incorporated.
Gradually add dry ingredients.
Set aside a small dish with about 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Scoop dough balls out with a small ice cream scoop and roll each one in sugar to coat and place on baking sheet.
Press each ball flat with the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup coated with cooking spray.
Bake for 10 mins.

Comments:
Everyone agreed that these cookies really do taste like chai tea! A plus: they are soft and chewy, my favorite kind of cookie!!!