Dulce de Leche Cake

Photo:  Let the Baking Begin

I decided to conquer the Dulce de Leche cake - a moist cake like Tiramisu but with a latin flavor rather than Italian. Unfortunately, the guests we were having for the weekend had to cancel - so I am making two smaller cakes instead of one. There were a bunch of recipes and I am using the one from letthebakingbegin.com  

There are a few too many steps, but it will be worth it. There is the cake, the syrup, the nuts, and the cream. Each of these, except the nuts, takes a 14 oz can of dulce de leche!

For the cake:

• Four large eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can dulce de leche
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the syrup:

• 8 oz evaporated milk
• 1 can dulce de leche

AND 2 cups whole hazelnuts. (If you don't get them without skins, you will need to remove them.)

For the cream:

• 8 oz. butter, unsalted and at room temperature, cubed
• 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature, cubed
• 1 can dulce de leche
• 16 oz whipped topping or heavy whipping cream

Make the cake layers:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I am using three 6 inch cake pans twice (for 6 cakes.) In addition, the cake layers are split into two layers each for a total of 12 layers (six each cake.) Flour and butter the pans - or line the bottom with parchment.

In a bowl of a stand mixer, whip together the four eggs, sugar, and salt for ten minutes. When the eggs are almost done whipping* mix separately in a medium size bowl the sour cream, dulce de leche and 1 tsp. baking soda leaving to lumps. This mixture will expand in size.

Fold the two mixtures together. *The eggs above should be whipped until the mixture flows off the beater in a ribbon that takes 2-3 seconds to disappear. Do not deflate the batter.

Add the dry ingredients of flour and baking powder. Do not over mix.

Pour in even layers and bake until the top is golden and springs back when touched or a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Invert on a cooling rack and cool completely. 

Roast the hazelnuts:

Peeling first and placing on parchment on a baking sheet - in a 325 degree over for about 15 minutes, tossing the nuts every 4 minutes and checking them. Cool. Leave 20 nuts whole and chop the rest.

Make the syrup:

Combine the evaporated milk and 1 can dulce de leche with a whisk or immersion blender until smooth. Set aside.

Creme: 

Whip heavy whipping cream with a mixer until medium peaks form and refrigerate.

letthebakingbegin.com butter and cream cheese until very fluffy - 4-5 minutes. Add 1 can dulce de leche in two additions and whip after each until just incorporated.

Fold into whipped cream.

Assemble the cake!!

Slice each cake into two layers.

Reserve two cups cream and set aside. Place a dab of frosting onto a serving plate. Top the first cake layer and press onto frosting on the plate. Soak each layer with syrup, spread caramel creme on the layer and sprinkle some hazelnuts. Repeat for the next four layers, 

Add a final layer, soak, frost and use the reserved caramel cream to cover the tops and sides of the cake.

Cover the sides with chocolate flakes and press it against sides. Or use glaze or ganache. Decorate with any cream, chocolate flakes and whole roasted hazelnuts.

Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Hot Italian Pork Sausage and Brussels Sprouts

We've adapted yet another delicious Blue Apron recipe. This one was definitely from a few years ago and I've kept it handy.

This time I made my own Italian sausage using a combination of recipes I found online. I've been grinding my own pork for Asian recipes and freezing it in 8 - 16 ounce portions. You can sometimes find a great buy on a family package of boneless pork chops and grinding it yourself is sometimes easier than trying to find it on the supermarket meat counter.

This time I added the seasonings in with the last few strips of pork and then mixed it well before freezing. I used 3 T of this mixture for 1-1/5 pounds of pork and it was perfect. Add more red pepper flakes if you like it really hot. 

You can keep the Italian sausage seasoning in a jar on the spice shelf as long as you haven't used fresh herbs, or freshly chopped onion or garlic). I mixed all these dried seasoning together and chopped them in a small grinder or food processor to make them incorporate (and not have the heavier spices fall to the bottom.)

Sausage seasoning

• 2 tsp. dried parsley
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1-1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 2 tsp. minced garlic (dried)
• 1 tsp. minced onion (dried)

Pasta and vegetables

• 10 oz. hot Italian pork sausage
• 1/2 pound of pasta such as bucatini (when cooked, before draining, save 1-1/2 cups pasta water)
• 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4-8 oz. Brussels sprouts, ends removed, halved and sliced
• 1 T. cider vinegar (or flavored as you choose)
• 2-4 T. mascarpone cheese
• Grated parmesan to garnish as you desire

First, cook 1/2 pound of bucatini or like pasta, in boiling, salted water to al dente or desired minutes. (When done, save 1-1/2 cups of pasta water.)  At the same time, heat a few T of olive oil in a skillet. Brown 10 oz. of the hot sausage in the oil for a few minutes and then add 6-8 oz of sliced Brussels sprouts, the onion and garlic. Add 1 T apple cider vinegar (I used Honey-Ginger vinegar).

When pasta is cooked, drain and add it to the skillet with 1-1.2 cup of the reserved pasta water and 4 T mascarpone cheese.  Mix well and place in pasta bowls. Top with grated parmesan cheese.

Chocolate Ganache and Glaze

I promised myself that I would look through my scores of cookbooks to find a ganache recipe. I almost gave it up to the Internet (my lazy habit) until I found one in the Silver Palette Good Times cookbook:

Ganache:

Melt 4 ounces of best-quality bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over boiling water. (Or use a microwave method.) Stir in 1/2 cup of scalded* whipping cream. Mix in 1-1/2 preferred alcohol. Refrigerate until cold, but not hardened. 

Beat the chocolate cream until light and fluffy. 

Beat 1/2 cup cold whipping cream and until soft peaks form.  Fold into the ganache and refrigerate until ready to use. 

*Use a large heavy-bottomed pan and heat milk until JUST BEFORE it boils and stir so that it does not burn.

Glaze:

Personally, I like a ganache frosting the shines like melted chocolate. Here's one from a recipe I've made many times. It's from a Pecan-Chocolate-Strawberry Torte recipe given to me by Rose Tasca in Lunenburg way back in the 1980s. The last time I made this cake was over a decade ago - perhaps 2010.

3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 c. water, 3/4 stick butter, 3 T safflower oil, 3/4 c. cocoa and 1/2 c plus 2 T sugar.  Add all these off heat and then heat to melting in a double boiler. Stir until smooth and shiny. Cool but not too cool. Pour over a cooled cake.

Chili Crisp Butternut Squash Dumplings in Ginger Soy Broth adapted from Half-Baked Harvest

 This dish made our house smell yummy overnight! I do love Half-Baked Harvest recipes, although some of them are surely a bit high in fat. She has partnered with one of the meal plans, so I am sure she is creating some healthy choices. This one seemed to be and was right up my alley - with lots of Asian flavor and some of my favorite vegetables.

There are three parts to this recipe and any of them can be made earlier in the day to make the meal a bit quicker to assemble and cook: the dumplings, the broth, and the chili crisp. I was able to freeze half of the dumplings (on a cookie sheet in the freezer and then tossing the frozen dumplings in a Ziploc and back in the freezer.) There was broth left, as well, and plenty of the chili crisp sauce. Just make sure that the broth is ready and the chili crisp and sliced scallions are ready when the dumplings are steamed and ready to serve!

I will annotate with my own additions/changes in italics.

The Dumplings

4 cups cubed butternut squash
2 T. EVOO (although I used one of the olive oils I love - Butter)
1 T. curry powder
2 tsp. honey (I used more from our honeybee stash)
2 green onions, chopped
Pepper

24-25 round dumpling or wonton wrappers (I used the small squares and filled 50 dumplings)
1/4 cup sesame seeds

I also added 1 T. Honey-Ginger balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss together the cubed squash, oil and vinegar and curry powder. Place the squash on parchment on a baking sheet and bake 25-30 minutes until tender. When cooled, place in a bowls with the green onions, honey and a pinch of pepper. Mash all together. I found that it should be mashed well in order to spoon onto the wrappers in a nice rounded mound.

Assemble the dumplings - I found that separating the wrappers and tossing them in a pile makes the work go faster. Place the wrapper on a flat surface and put a rounded tsp. (I used a coffee scoop) in the middle. Wet the edges of the wrapper, generously. Pinch opposite sides together and then the other opposite sides, closing the wrappers tightly. Dunk the bottoms in water and then dredge the bottoms into sesame seeds. Place on a dry cookie sheet or parchment or cutting board until all dumplings are filled.

Heat some oil (peanut) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the dumplings and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Carefully pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup water or chicken stock into the skillet, immediately cover and turn the heat to medium low. Let the dumplings steam for 4-5 minutes. Remove them to a platter.

The Broth

2 T. salted butter or olive oil (I used 1 T. butter-flavored oil and 1 T. peanut oil)
3-4 shallots, sliced
1T. fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 c. white wine (I used a Chardonnay)
4 c. chicken or vegetable broth (4 packets vegetable broth concentrate in hot water)
1/3 cup tamari/soy sauce (I used tamari)
1 cinnamon stick

Melt the butter and shallots over medium-high heat and cook until softened - about 5 minutes. Add the wine, and cook another 5-10 minutes until the shallots have caramelized. Add ginger and garlic and cook one minute. Then add the broth, soy sauce, and cinnamon. Simmer over low heat until you serve.

The Chili Crisp

In a skillet, melt together 6 T. butter with 6 chopped garlic cloves. Cook until butter browns and garlic crisps. Remove from the heat and add 2 T. avocado oil, 2-4 T chili flakes (I used 2), 1 T. sesame seeds, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/4 tsp. cayenne, and some salt.  Store in a glass jar. The mixture is not crumbly as I expected but is pourable. 

Place the dumplings in a shallow soup dish and spoon over the broth. Serve with sliced green onions and the chili crisp butter sprinkled over the dumplings.

Gerry's Amish Chicken

Gerry found this recipe online and brought the ingredients up for an easy meal when we traveled to Montreal September 14-19 for our anniversary 2023. He served it with chunky mashed potatoes and butternut squash. We pigged out after a busy day sightseeing. And with plenty of wine!

8 pieces of chicken (called for skin on - but we used boneless breasts and thighs)

1 c of flour mixed with 2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. paprika and salt and pepper to taste. 

Dredge the chicken well in the flour mixture (next time we will use more chicken in the recipe with the same amount of seasonings and cream). Place in a baking dish and whisk together 1-1/2 c. chicken stock* and 1-1/2 cup heavy cream. Pour it around the chicken in the dish and bake for one or one-and-a-half hours at 350 degrees.

*The recipe called for water. We will change to stock or chicken base broth concentrate.

We will serve it with mashed potatoes and broccoli with the granddaughters tonight for Gerry's birthday!

2023 Nana Papa Camp's Blondies

 We made Blondies several times during Nana Papa Camp this summer. They were yummy. I have a collection of recipe books that tempt you when you are checking out of the grocery store and I had the girls choose recipes that wanted to make that week. This one was Phoebe's choice from Nestle's Toll House Best-Loved Cookies, 1995 edition. I knew the book would come in handy one day!

Maeve chose two recipes for fruit-based popsicles we made with small paper cups and popsicle sticks (a staple in any Nana's home although these came from Papa's stash.)

Blonde Brownies

• 2-1/4 c flour
• 2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-3/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups baking chips of any kind

Combine the first three dry ingredients. Beat the sugar and butter until creamy and then add the eggs one at a time. Gradually add the flour and then stir in the morsels. Spread the batter in a jelly-roll pan (I use the 9-13 gold baking sheets lined with parchment.)

Bake 350 for 20 minutes. Cool and cut.

Ricotta Braid with Sesame Seeds and Egg Crust

The Ricotta Braid is one adapted from page 58, Ricotta Walnut Herb Bread in Marjie Lambert's The Bread Machine Book. It's a simple seven-ingredient recipe that you can learn by heart.

Update: I made this a different way recently and it makes a flavorful substitute. Caramelize about 2 large chopped onions in oil and butter. Add some salt and dried garlic flakes and cook until fragrant. Add dried rosemary and simmer a few more minutes.  Cool. When the dough is ready, smooth it out on the baking sheet into a rectangle. Smooth on the onion mixture and roll up. Roll that dough in the rest of the onion mixture. Cut the long roll in two. Let them rise about 15 minutes. Brush with whisked raw egg and bake longer than the usual 17-18 minutes. The onion mixture makes the dough more wet.

Place 3 Tbsp. olive oil and 4-1/2 Tbsp. milk in the bread pan of the bread maker. 

Add 1 cup ricotta cheese* and 1 egg plus 1 yolk.

Top with 3 cups of bread flour, 1 Tbsp. of sugar, 1-1/2 tsp. of salt and 2-1/4 tsp. of yeast. (I have a special spoon for the yeast that measures 2-1/4 tsp. exactly.)

Set your bread machine to dough (OR if you do this hours in advance, time it to within 1 hour of baking.**) After it has risen in the machine, take it out, knead it down and shape into the braid or rolls. Let it rise, brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 25 minutes in a 350 degree conventional oven or 17-18 minutes on convection bake. You can tell if it is done when the areas between the braids are a bit puffed out and baked (not doughy).

Serve with butter mixed with honey or maple syrup. Or just plain.

*Sometimes the ricotta is too thick - I often use 7/8 cup ricotta and 1/8 cup milk for a lighter bread.

**Sometimes it can be a bit confusing if you have a bread machine that does not allow you to delay the start.  If you do, when you are timing your dough and using a bake cycle that includes the baking time Set on a bake cycle. For example, if a bake cycle mixes, rises and cooks in 3-1/2 hours you'll need to get your dough our 1-1/2 hours BEFORE the completion. If you are setting your dough up at 8 am in the morning to be finished rising (ready for the second rise and bake) at 6 pm, you'll want to delay your bread machine two hours more. Not a ten hour delay, but twelve (or two hours more.)

Note: The Breville Bread Machine does let you delay the start of every cycle!  Yay for Breville.

Just for Fun!

Just for fun! A feast in the microwave! From Gastro Obscura. 

Photo: Gastro Obscura

Dark Coffee Ice Cream

Use the regular ice cream base (see Sweet Basil).

Optional Instructions: This is a 2023 update to this recipe - today I used 3 oz. softened Mascarpone cheese as a substitute to the cream cheese in the base recipe. I forgot the salt but I'm not sure it made a difference. I also used a combination of 2% milk, heavy cream and half&half that I had leftover from our birthday celebration and NanaPapaCamp in August. 1 cup heavy cream, 2 cups milk and the rest half&half (a bit over 1 cup.) 

In addition, I steeped the custard mixture for 5 minutes with 1/3 cup of roughly ground coffee. I placed a sieve lined with fine cheesecloth on top of the pan I use to cool the custard over ice water and let it drip. When cooled, I wrung the cheesecloth out to get all the dark custard. 

I added 1T vanilla bean paste, and 1 tsp coffee extract. When packing the ice cream I sprinkled layers with espresso sugar.

Regular instructions: After the custard is taken off the stove, stir in 1T coffee extract and 1T vanilla bean paste.  Churn and at the very last couple minutes, sprinkle in about 1/8 c. of espresso sugar.

I also added very roughly-ground Red Barn Coffee Roasters American Espresso beans to the latest batch. YUM. ( I Love this coffee which is local in MA.)

I pick up flavorings, sugars, extracts, salts, oils, vinegars etc. when in HomeGoods, any TJX store, or Williams-Sonoma in the clearance section. It's usually an incredible savings. This is how I ended up with these ingredients for the coffee ice cream. I keep the extracts in a thin cupboard that someone made out of an antique washboard (purchased in Texas in the 1990s.)

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