Cinna-Bana-cranberry Pull-apart Loaf

I've never been one for cutting corners when it comes to baking, but hey ... we've all gotta do it sometime. I have occasionally indulged with the box of Betty Crocker Brownies (OMG I love them, they're so easy, fudgy and delicious!) but I have never really branched out into the use of Pillsbury products. So, the other day while I was wandering through Safeway I noticed that Pillsbury biscuits were on sale... what could I do but fall for their cheap marketing ploy. I bought 2 cans :P

Bringing the cans home, I gave them a good inspection. Each can/tube comes with 10 country biscuit inside and the can said don't freeze!! My bad, I had already stuck one of the cans in the freezer while I decided to use the other can straight away... hm, I should probably take it out now. Anyhow, I looked around my kitchen and saw a wonderous world of potential in terms of ingredients... I was ready to make tasty dessert...

Here's the can, hanging out inside of a 2lbs loaf-tin (8x4x2-inch).

Here are the chopped up ingredients. Note how similar chopped up biscuits and hacked up bananas look... and they both do not resemble cranberries at all :P

After being baked for 20mins! Nice and fluffy

Jo's Sweet Cinna-Bana-cranberry Pull-apart Loaf

Ingredients:
- 1 can of Pillsbury Country Biscuits (10 biscuits)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 medium banana
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Method:
1. Cut each Pillsbury Biscuit into quarters, set aside
2. Cut up the banana into chunks and toss together with the cranberries, set this mixture aside
3. In an 8 x 4 x 2-inch loaf pan, combine the melted butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Spread mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan.
4. Place the banana mixture ontop of the brown sugar + butter mixture, spreading it evenly.
5. Take the Pillsbury Biscuit quarters and place them on top of the banana mixture in the pan. Place the biscuits in a single layer (you'll end up squishing the pieces together, this is good... keep squishing so that you make a single layer of biscuit)
6. Place the loaf in a 350 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes. Note: if after 10 minutes the top biscuits begin to brown but the inside remains uncooked, cover the loaf with a sheet of aluminum-foil and continue baking until the 20 minutes is reached or the loaf is cooked all the way through.
7. When the loaf is completely cooked, and no raw biscuits remain, take the hot loaf-pan out of the oven. Using oven mitts of a towel, invert the loaf onto a serving plate while the loaf is still hot.
8. Let the butter-brown sugar mixture drip down the sides of the loaf, allowing the syrup to moisten the entire loaf for at least 3 minutes. Serve warm (preferably with ice cream!)

Oh my goodness, I definitely know what I'm going to be doing with that other tube of Pillsbury Biscuits... make another pull apart loaf. The banana aroma was intoxicating and the buttery-sugary goodness dripping down the chunks of biscuit dough were to die for. My sister loved the "pull-apartness" of the loaf; I too enjoyed the simplicity of not having to use utensils and just using your fingers to grab at the timbit sized chunks of sugary goodness. Perhaps next time I make a pull-apart loaf I'll try apple-cinnamon-raisin, or some other tasty combination ... If you have any suggestions, I welcome them! Anywho, I should probably get back to working on my Nursing term-paper... I haven't even started yet!!

Energy Bars

Just yesterday I was walking through Superstore and decided that I'd mosey on down to the "health-food" section. When I got there, I noticed that they were having a sale on energy bars! Being on a real "running-high" and trying to maximize my nutritional intake and athletic performance, I was excited to try a whole bunch of different energy bars. I simply love Clif bars (my favorite is the Oatmeal Raisin Walnut) and Luna Bars, and usually stick to my favorites for fear of spending money on something that tastes nasty, so when I saw that they were 5 for $5 I was ecstatic. Usually they're $1.49 each, so $1 per bar was a steal. I left the supermarket proud of my purchase, and headed home.

The next day, I thought to myself "hey, it can't be that difficult to make my own energy bars?!" What a brilliant idea! So, I grabbed all of the "healthy" ingredients in my pantry and began sorting out what flavor combinations I wanted to create. I couldn't really decide on the "right" combination so I basically made a hodge-podge energy bar full of ingredients that I deemed energy-bar-worthy.

I can't quite remember the exact proportions of ingredients that I added to my energy bars, but here is the list of the various ingredients and their rough measurements:

Jo's Energy Bars
Yields 6 bars

Ingredients
- 1 medium banana, mashed
- 1/4 cup steamed zucchini, mashed
- 1/3 cup oats
- 1/4 cup 7-grain cereal (hot breakfast cereal, Roger's brand)
- 1/8 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp espresso powder
- 3 tbsp dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp chocolate chips
- 1 1/4 cup Multi-grain cheerios
- 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
- 2 tbsp no sugar added maple syrup

Method:
1. Mash together the zucchini and the bananas, set aside
2. Combine the remaining ingredients together (except for the maple syrup), tossing well
3. Add the mashed zucchini mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until the entire mixture is moistened. Add in the maple syrup, to taste
4. Press into half of an 8x8 square pan, and bake at 350F for 15-20minutes or until the mixture is firmed up (honestly, it's difficult to tell if the mixture is fully cooked... but there's no egg in it, so there's no risk of salmonella :P)
5. Remove from oven, allow to cool and cut into 6 bars. 6. Cool bars completely and wrap individually in saran or aluminum foil.

These bars were great! There fairly dense, so I wasn't tempted to eat more than one and they tasted very much like dark chocolate. I think the next time I make this recipe I will add a bit more sugar (or at least some more sugary ingredients) to counter-balance the unsweetened cocoa powder taste. The espresso powder was a nice flavor boost to the bar, and I'm sure the caffeine did something to give me energy :P I usually will eat half of an energy bar before a run (if the run is longer than 75mins) and then have the other half-bar post-run. It's always important to replenish your energy store after a great run, and don't forget to hydrate!

Another Month, Another Run!

It's another month and I have enjoyed spending today running a 10k around Fort Langley with my Dad and a friend that I talked into running with me :) She's been taking a training course for the Sun Run (which is coming up in April) and I figured that this race would be a good form of "homework" for her... maybe she'll get extra credit :P

The weather was perfect for the race. Although it was chilly in the morning, by the time the race started at 9:00am the sun was beaming down it's lovely warmth on all of the participants. The course started in the heart of Historic Fort Langley (I guess that's why they call it the Historic Half Marathon, 10k and 5k) wove through the township of Langley, down Glover Road, Telegraph Trail and back via 88ave to the actual Pioneer Fort in Langley.

It took a while to warm-up but once I got into the swing of things I kept my pace rather well. The course for the Historic had a lot more hills than last months Chilly Chase, but thankfully since the Chilly Chase I began training running up and down hills. Reaching the pioneer fort at the race's end was exhilarating. The crowd was much larger than at the Chilly Chase, so there were a lot more people cheering the racers on. At the end of the race all participants were awarded with a neat medal and there were plenty of healthy refreshments of fruits, dessert tofu, juice, water and buns... and of course Tim Horton's was there handing out their amazing coffee and Timbits.

My next race is the Sun Run, which is a 10k and I'm not too worried about it; but what's really making me nervous is the BMO Vancouver 1/2 Marathon that I'm going to do in May. Hopefully by then I'll have worked on my stamina and will be able to complete the race in under 2.5 hours... but only time will tell.

For more information visit the race webpage.

I do recommend you sign up for this race if you're in the area; it's a lot of fun, especially if you're running with someone you know. But even if you run alone, I find that runners tend to be very friendly people (I've met many runners and shared stories with them as we waited in the pre-race washroom line-up!).

My Race Results:
25th overall (out of 243 10k runners)
7th female finisher (out of 164)
2nd female finisher between 20-29years of age (out of 37)
Chip-Time: 51 minutes 13 seconds

A New Oven!

It seems like oh so long ago, my poor old cream-colored oven konked out on me and I was left with nothing to do but bake in my teeny-weeny toaster oven. Finally, after 3 months of being ovenless (woah... that's 1/4 of a year!) I have my brand new shiny oven. It's a Kenmore, and so far I'm very pleased with it power. The stove-range has a middle burner that you can attach a griddle to. You can probably guess that means I'll be doing a lot more frying :P

But onto the oven, and it's amazingness. It preheats to 350 degrees within 2minutes! That's light-speed compared to the 7-8 minutes it would take my old oven to reach the right temperature. Although I do miss my old oven, this new one is slowly growing on me. I can't wait to test out all of the functions; like the broiling, grilling, self-cleaning!! Yeah! And just in time for me to bake that lovely concoction for the DB challenge.

Yet Another Toaster Oven Creation

Well, my mid-terms are over... but February (the month I have been dreading, in terms of projects and assignments) has only just begun. You know what that means!??! Time to enjoy the carbs :P

The other day I was shopping around Langley and found a cute little place called McFrugal's... I thought to myself, "Man, with a name like that how can an Asian resist :P" So, I stepped in and to my surprise they have some really good-quality stuff there. I was expecting a whole pile of dollar-store-esque products to surround me, but was quite pleased to see that there was very little of that here. What I loved about McFrugal's was that it had a grocery section with a good selection of organic foods, pasta, baked chips, canned vegetables... and tubs of Pecan Cookie Dough! The entire tub of cookie dough was only $2.50 so I had to buy it. I brought it home and immediately began thinking of ways to fancy up this beautiful creation. If I was truly lazy, I would have simply scooped out the dough, placed it on a cookie sheet and made a batch of cookies. But, making cookies from scratch is easy enough (and tastes way better) so I decided that using this cookie dough, I would create the cookie-bar to rule all cookie-bars.

The Ultimate Cookie-bar

Ingredients:
- 1/2 tub of cookie dough
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup marshmallows
- 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
- 1 cup Teddy Grahams, crushed

Method
1. Prepare an 8x8 inch square baking pan. Lining it with tin-foil (for easy lifting), greasing it and flouring it.
2. Press the cookie dough into the pan, even it out and make sure that is covers the bottom of the entire pan.
3. Mix together the chocolate chips, marshmallows, coconut, teddy grahams and set aside.
4. Place the pan in a 350F oven (toaster oven) for 10 minutes.
5. Remove the cookie dough from the oven and sprinkle on your chocolate chip mixture, covering the cookie dough evenly.
6. Place tin foil over-top of the pan to prevent the marshmallows from browning, and return the pan to the oven for another 5 minutes.
7. After 5 minutes check the cookie dough for done-ness by pocking the center with a skewer/toothpick. If not fully cooked, continue to cook covered for 5 more minutes.
8. Once the cookie dough is done, remove the tin foil and continue baking until the marshmallows begin to turn golden (but do not burn).
9. Once marshmallows are golden, remove pan from the oven and allow cookie-bar to cool in the pan for 3 minutes.
10. Remove cookie-bar from pan and place on cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing. Slice into 16 bars.

As the title of this post implies, I did end up making this creation with my trusty toaster oven. But... I am very excited to say that my new oven will be arriving sometime tonight! The delivery guys are bringing in the new oven sometime between 5-9pm tonight and I am beyond thrilled. I really hope that they come at 5pm, because I have a lecture tonight from 6-9pm and I don't want to miss watching them install it! Oh, but it doesn't really matter, as long as it all hooks up alright and the oven doesn't explode I'll be happy. And it's just in time for February's Daring Baker's Challenge. I am one happy baker :)

January DB Challenge: Tuiles

Thank you Daring Bakers! Thank you so much for choosing a recipe that I could actually make with my toaster oven!! Yes, I'm still mourning the loss of my old oven, and awaiting my new oven's triumphant entrance sometime in mid-February. I didn't make my tuiles with chocolate swirls; partly because I was lazy and partly because it would have just added to the hectic-ness of only being able to make 2 tuiles at a time in my tiny oven. But anyways, here goes...

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day! and Zorra of 1x umruhren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

Following is a recipe taken from a book called “The Chocolate Book”, written by female Dutch Master chef Angélique Schmeinck.

Tuiles

Yields: 20 small butterflies/6 large (I didn't make butterflies, just a couple random shapes)Preparation time: batter 10 minutes, waiting time: 30 minutes, baking time: 5-10 minutes per batch

Ingredients:

- 65 grams / ¼ cup / 2.3 ounces softened butter (not melted but soft)

- 60 grams / ½ cup / 2.1 ounces sifted confectioner’s sugar

- 1 sachet vanilla sugar (7 grams or substitute with a dash of vanilla extract)

- 2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)

- 65 grams / 1/2 cup / 2.1/4 ounces sifted all purpose flour

- 1 tbsp cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice (I didn't use this, instead I added 1/2 tbsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tbsp powdered ginger)

Prepare: Butter/spray to grease baking sheet. Preheat Oven: 180C / 350F

Method:

1. Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste (I added my cinnamon and ginger here!). Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.

2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as the butterfly. Press the stencil on the bakingsheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. (If doing cocoa swirls) Mix a small part of the batter with the cocoa and a few drops of warm water until evenly colored. Use this colored batter in a paper piping bag and proceed to pipe decorations on the wings and body of the butterfly. (I didn't use the cocoa swirls, but I did top my tuiles with a sprinkling of sesame seeds before baking)

4. Bake butterflies in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from bakingsheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time or maybe put them in the oven to warm them up again. (Haven’t tried that). Or: place a bakingsheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.

If you don’t want to do stencil shapes, you might want to transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe the desired shapes and bake. Shape immediately after baking using for instance a rolling pin, a broom handle, cups, cones

This challenge was pretty simple, and a lot of fun! I was a bit skeptical of how the tuiles would turn out. I vaguely remember a past failed attempt to make a tuile-like fortune-cookie, and it ended up a disaster. But my silly fears were proven wrong, as this recipe was a hit! Although the batter looks like it contains an abnormally large proportion of butter, it's this butter that is necessary for the spreading and molding of this thin and crisp cookie.

Since the challenge seemed easy, the hosts said that we should pair our tuiles with a "light" sort of dessert/food. I decided to make a Coconut-milk Panna Cotta with Gingered-Pineapple Puree... see recipe below.

Coconut-milk Panna Cotta with Gingered-Pineapple Puree

Ingredients:

- 1 cup coconut milk, from can

- 1 packet gelatin

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla

Method:

1. Prepare molds (I used shot cups and a couple cocktail glasses) by greasing them with oil so that the panna cotta can more easily slide out. Note: If you are eating it right out of the glass, then don't bother greasing it.

2. In a small pot, combine the coconut milk and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, then bring back down to medium heat.

3. Add in the gelatin and vanilla, stirring to combine well.

4. Remove pot from heat and pour into prepared glasses.

5. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Unmold panna cotta and top with pineapple puree (recipe follows). Decorate with tuile (recipe above).

Pineapple Puree

1. Drain 1 can of crushed pineapple of juices (reserve for something else!! drink it?!).

2. Add in 2 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tsp ground ginger.

3. Place mixture in blender and pulse until pureed.

The panna cotta was a tasty light snack. I had never tried making it before, it looked like it was a daunting challenge. Everytime I saw a panna cotta picture it always looked so elegant and flawless... and I thought to myself, "Hmmm... I will probably mess that up". But if you grease the molds well, then you should have no trouble taking out these beauties... so go and give it a try!

Awards!

I actually received this award on January 10th, '09 (from a great blogger herself: Palidor) To be given this award by her is truly humbling... so, thank you sooooo much!!!

I don't know if I'm suppose to pass this one on or not (there weren't any instructions to) but I will anyways!

1) Camille of Rtemis-Epicurus
2) Lily of Hearth and Home
3) Cher of The Baker Who Cooks
4) Happy Home Baking
5) Baking Fiend

I'm always checking out what's new with these bloggers, so you should to! Get inspired to create amazing fun in the kitchen :)

Cheese!

Apologies for being a lazy, lazy bum. But between running and training to do the 1/2 marathon in March, studying for mid-terms and trying to maintain my sanity by planning a couple dine-out nights with some gal pals it appears I have abandoned many things... namely, my blog :(

But fear not! I will definitely be posting for this month's DB challenge, and I am still live and kicking in the kitchen! I just haven't have any time to post my adventures. And yes, the oven is still a miss... we have to wait until February because the gas guys have to come at the same time as the oven-delivery guys to hook up the gas to the oven (it would kinda be scary to have an un-attached open gas line hanging around the house :x) Anyways, on with this post... I must warn you... I'm very, very rusty...


My sister is a great fan of cheese! I too have a fondness for the curdled, solidified form of milk so my sister and I decided to have a cheese-plate party. Basically it was just her and me sitting around and snacking on various cheeses, we did offer our parents some but my mom was not so keen on the smell of some of the varieties.

Cranberry & Pinenut Honeyed Brie

Ingredients:

- 1 wedge of brie

- 3 tbsp honey

- 2 tbsp clear fruit juice (I used pinapple. You could probably use cranberry or apple, but I'd avoid using something too strong because you want the honey to dominate)

- 1/4 cup pinenuts

- 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Method:

1. Place brie wedge in the center of a square piece of aluminum foil.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the cranberries, pinenuts, honey and juice.

3. Spoon the cranberries and pinenuts onto the top of the brie, trying to ensure that the toppings all fit on the top of the cheese.

4. Gather up the sides of the foil around the brie, making a cup-like pocket for the cheese. Carefully Pour the honey-juice mix overtop of the cheese (make sure it doesn't leak!)

5. Fully wrap the cheese with the foil, bake the cheese at 350 degrees for 8mins.

6. Remove brie from foil, plate and serve with toasted pita wedges, crackers, chips or fruits.

My sister loved the goat cheese. At first, she wasn't very skeptical and actually the smell of the cheese lured her in. She didn't really enjoy the brie, because strangely enough, she said that it didn't taste cheesey enough. Truth-be-told, she was right. The brie had a way more mellow flavor, but a flavor that my mom (who hates pungent foods) actually enjoyed. So, I guess that in buying goat cheese and brie, I balanced the flavors and pleased all! I wonder what cheeses I should try next time?

First Race of the Year: Chilly Chase 10k

Having participated in the Vancouver Sun Run in '08, I decided that I would take up a couple more races in '09 as a sort of resolution. Yes, I'm one of those avid runners who simply loves the feeling of the road/treadmill beneath my feet, but just haven't gotten around to signing-up (and paying) to participate in many races. Last year's 10k Sun Run was fun, and I got a fancy t-shirt as part of the registration package, and so for the first race of the year I decided to do another 10k and participated in the Chilly Chase.

My dad ran the race last year, and he kind of sold it to me by stating that once you finish the race they serve up Tim Horton's Chilli! Ah... the truly Canadian way, finishing a race and enjoying Timmy's. My dad decided to run the 5k (as the race offered the option of 5, 10, 15k) and so after the wonderfully scenic run through Langley on a brisk Sunday morning, I met up with my dad around the chilli cookhouse. This race was so much fun, and the weather was wonderful. I was worried at first that there would be a lot of icy patches on the roads (since there was still a lot of snow lingering about) but surprisingly the race course was ice-free! Another concern of mine was the crazy fog that had been making driving around Langley very difficult; but, for some strange reason, the fog decided to dissappear on race day. We were a very lucky bunch of runners!

I managed to convince a friend of mine to join the race with me, which was lots of fun. Running is always more enjoyable when you're doing it with others, and to see the look of accomplishment on your friends' faces after a race well run is very satisfying indeed. So, anyways... I think I should probably get back to baking something... or at least cooking something. (Oh, and of course prepping myself to run the 10k Historic Marathon in Langley!)

For more information about the Chilly Chase: Click HERE

My Race Results:
45th overall (out of 169 10k runners)
17th female finisher (out of 103)
6th female finisher between 20-29 years of age
Chip-Time: 50 minutes 44 seconds

Tasty Cake on a Friday Morning

I know, it's been far far too long since my last post. I seriously have to stop using my non-functional oven as an excuse to stop baking... but hey, it's tough. Luckily, my family has pre-purchased an oven from Sears and all we need to do now is wait for the delivery and installation! Yeah! But until then, I will be forced to bake with my toaster oven... and so far it's been a really great pal-of-mine.

For some reason I was really craving a simple gingerbread recipe... and after searching through my house I realized that I had about a pound of apples hanging about that needed to be used. So, after some arduous online searching I found this Upside-Down Apple Gingerbread recipe from kingarthurflour.com and was well on my way to enjoying a lovely gingerbread breakfast.

The cake was wonderfully moist and I truly enjoyed the addition of the cinnamon-sugared apples. It reminded me of a delicious apple pie mixed with a ginger-molasses pudding... it really is a must try recipe!

Using What I've Got... Espresso Brownies with Cream-cheese Swirls

Just because my equipment is non-functional doesn't mean that I have to follow suit. I am in awe of my amazing little toaster oven... it's really picking up the slack for it's big-sister and is helping me get through my baking-addiction.

It's the start of a new year and I couldn't feel any less energized to ring it in. I decided to surprise the family this New Year's morning (which, by the time everyone woke up was actually 11am) by baking them a fresh batch of Espresso Brownies! But being that coffee tastes so much better when cream is added I decided to add in an amazing cream-cheese swirl topping.

Espresso Brownies with Cream-cheese Swirls

Ingredients for Brownies:
1⁄2 cup butter (1 stick)
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate (6 squares)
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
2 1⁄2 tbsp. instant espresso coffee powder

1 tbsp finely ground coffee grinds (optional, but adds a nice texture)
1 tsp. vanilla

3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Ingredients for Cream-cheese Swirls:

3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 tbsps unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tbsp all purpose flour

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 8x8-inch square baking pan.

2. In medium saucepan, over low heat, melt butter and chocolate, stir until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in sugar, espresso powder, vanilla and coffee grinds if using.

3. Add eggs and salt, blend well.

4. Gradually stir in flour, mix until smooth. Spread batter evenly into pan.

5. Make cream-cheese mixture by creaming together the cream-cheese, butter and sugar. Add in beaten egg and mix in flour until well incorporated.

6. Make swirls: drop dollops of cream-cheese mixture by the tablespoon onto the brownie batter in a random design of "dots". Use the tip of a sharp knife to run through the various cream-cheese dots and swirl the batters together.

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool thoroughly in pan on wire rack, cut into squares.

These brownies were amazing! Much better than the boxed kind (although I do love Betty Crockers brownies :O) The cream-cheese swirls were not overpowering in flavor, but did add that wonderful subtle creaminess to contrast the rich dark-chocolate flavor of the brownie batter. The addition of finely ground coffee beans was also very intriguing; they added a slightly gritty texture to the bars that lingered on after you swallowed the rich brownie. I've always been a fan of the chocolate covered coffee beans... I just love the grit, I don't know why?! I will definitely be making these brownies again, I might even have to make a double batch because my sisters loved them so much.

Daring Bakers Challenge: December 2008

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux. They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand.


As some of my readers may already know, my oven decided that it had enough of me and broke-down during the holiday season. Luckily, I made and completed my Daring Baker's Challenge recipe during the earlier half of December. Hopefully my family can shop around and pick out a new oven before the end of January... otherwise I may just have to rely on my toaster oven to get me through next month's challenge. I hope it won't be something too big :P

But anyways, enough about me... on with the challenge

French Yule Log (Entremet)


Element #1 Dacquoise Biscuit (Almond Cake)

Preparation time: 10 mn + 15 mn for baking
Equipment: 2 mixing bowls, hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, baking pan such as a 10”x15” jelly-roll pan, parchment paper

Note: You can use the Dacquoise for the bottom of your Yule Log only, or as bottom and top layers, or if using a Yule log mold (half-pipe) to line your entire mold with the biscuit. Take care to spread the Dacquoise accordingly. Try to bake the Dacquoise the same day you assemble the log to keep it as moist as possible.

Ingredients:
2.8 oz (3/4cup + 1Tbsp / 80g) almond meal
1.75 oz (1/2 cup / 50g) confectioner’s sugar
2Tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour
3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium egg whites
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

Method:

1. Finely mix the almond meal and the confectioner's sugar. (If you have a mixer, you can use it by pulsing the ingredients together for no longer than 30 seconds).

2. Sift the flour into the mix.

3. Beat the eggs whites, gradually adding the granulated sugar until stiff.

4. Pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and blend delicately with a spatula.

5. Grease a piece of parchment paper and line your baking pan with it.

6. Spread the batter on a piece of parchment paper to an area slightly larger than your desired shape (circle, long strip etc...) and to a height of 1/3 inches (8mm).

7. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden.

8. Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Variations on the Almond Dacquoise listed above:
Hazelnut Dacquoise = Substitute the same amount of hazelnut meal for the almond meal.
Chocolate Dacquoise = Add 3 tablespoons of sifted unsweetened cocoa powder into the almond meal/caster sugar mix in Step #1 of the Almond Dacquoise.
Lemon Dacquoise = Add the zest of 1 Lemon after the flour in Step #2 of the Almond Dacquoise.
Coconut Dacquoise = Substitute ¼ cup of almond meal and add 2/3 cup shredded coconut in Step #1 of the Almond Dacquoise.

For my version, I used the Coconut Dacquoise Variation

Element #2 Dark Chocolate Mousse

Preparation time: 20min

Equipment: stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment, thermometer, double boiler or equivalent, spatula

Note: You will see that a Pate a Bombe is mentioned in this recipe. A Pate a Bombe is a term used for egg yolks beaten with a sugar syrup, then aerated. It is the base used for many mousse and buttercream recipes. It makes mousses and buttercreams more stable, particularly if they are to be frozen, so that they do not melt as quickly or collapse under the weight of heavier items such as the crème brulee insert.

In the Vanilla Mousse variation, pastry cream is made to the same effect.
In the Mango Mousse variation, Italian meringue is made to the same effect. Italian meringue is a simple syrup added to egg whites as they are beaten until stiff. It has the same consistency as Swiss meringue (thick and glossy) which we have used before in challenge recipes as a base for buttercream.
The Whipped Cream option contains no gelatin, so beware of how fast it may melt.Gelatin is the gelifying agent in all of the following recipes, but if you would like to use agar-agar, here are the equivalencies: 8g powdered gelatin = 1 (0.25 oz) envelope powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp Agar-Agar. 1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

Ingredients:

2.5 sheets gelatin or 5g / 1 + 1/4 tsp powdered gelatin

1.5 oz (3 Tbsp / 40g) granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp (10g) glucose or thick corn syrup 0.5 oz (15g) water

50g egg yolks (about 3 medium)

6.2 oz (175g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1.5 cups (350g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

Method:

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water. (If using powdered gelatin, follow the directions on the package.)

2. Make a Pate a Bombe: Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white).

2a. Cook the sugar, glucose syrup and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F (118°C). If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature.

2b. Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer.

2c. Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.

3. In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.

4. Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.

5. Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in ½ cup (100g) of WHIPPED cream to temper. Add the Pate a Bombe.

6. Add in the rest of the WHIPPED cream (220g) mixing gently with a spatula.

Variations on the Dark Chocolate Mousse listed above:

White Chocolate Mousse = Substitute the same quantity of white chocolate for the dark chocolate in the mousse recipe listed above.

Milk Chocolate Whipped Cream (Chantilly): (Can be made the day before and kept in fridge overnight)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (160g) heavy cream 35% fat

7.8 oz (220g) milk chocolate

2 1/3 tsp (15g) glucose or thick corn syrup

1 1/3 cup (320g) heavy cream 35% fat

Method:

1. Chop the chocolate coarsely.

2. Heat the 160g of cream to boiling and pour over the chocolate and glucose syrup.

3. Wait 30 seconds then stir the mix until smooth. Add the remaining cream.

4. Refrigerate to cool, then whip up.

Vanilla Mousse

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (160g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

2/3 cup (160g) whole milk

1 vanilla bean

4 medium-sized egg yolks

3 oz (6 Tbsp / 80g) granulated sugar

3 Tbsp (25g) cornstarch, sifted

4g / 2 tsp powdered gelatin or 2 sheets gelatin

1 cup (240g) whipping cream (35% fat content)

Make a pastry cream:

1. Pour the milk and 2/3 cup cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean halves into milk and put the vanilla bean in as well.

2. Heat to boiling, then turn the heat off, cover and let infuse for at least 30 minutes. Then remove the vanilla bean.

3. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until white, thick and fluffy.

4. Add the cornstarch, beating carefully to ensure that there are no lumps. While whisking vigorously, pour some of the milk into the yolk mixture to temper it.

5. Put infused milk back on the stove on medium heat. Pour yolk mixture back into the milk while whisking vigorously. Keep whisking vigorously until mixture thickens considerably.

6. As soon as the mixture starts to boil, leave on for only 2 more minutes. (The recipe says you should remove the vanilla bean at this time but in the interest of no one getting burned, that can be done after you take the pastry cream off the stove.)

7. Once removed from the heat, cover the pastry cream by putting plastic film directly on the surface of the cream (this prevents it from forming a thick and unappetizing skin as it cools). Let cool at room temperature.

8. Soften the gelatin in cold water and melt in a small saucepan with 1 tsp of water OR melt in the microwave for 1 second (do not boil). Whisking vigorously, pour the cooled pastry cream over it.

9. Whip the 1 cup whipping cream until stiff and add gradually to the pastry cream (DO NOT WHISK). Blend delicately with a spatula (DO NOT WHISK).

Mango Mousse

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized egg yolks

2 Tbsp (17g) cornstarch

1/3 cup (80g) whipping cream

7 oz (200g) mango puree

3.5 oz (1/2 cup / 100g) granulated sugar

1.3 oz (36g) water

2.5 gelatin leaves or 5g / 2+1/4 tsp powdered gelatin

3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium-sized egg whites

Method:

1. Beat the egg yolks with the cornstarch until thick, white and fluffy.

2. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan and once hot, pour a small amount over the egg yolks while whisking vigorously.

3. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the rest of the cream in the saucepan, add the mango puree and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens considerably, at least 3-5 mn. Let cool to lukewarm temperature.

4. Make an Italian Meringue: Cook the sugar and water on medium heat until temperature reaches 244°F (118°C) when measured with a candy thermometer. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, test the temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water. If it forms a soft ball, you’ve reached the proper temperature.

4a. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Pour the sugar syrup into the whites in a thin stream while continuing to whisk vigorously (preferably with a mixer for sufficient speed). Whisk/beat until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The meringue should be thick and glossy.

5. Soften the gelatin in cold water and melt in a small saucepan with 1 tsp of water OR melt in the microwave for 1 second (do not boil).

6. Put the melted gelatin in a mixing bowl and, while whisking vigorously, pour the lukewarm mango cream over the gelatin.

7. Carefully blend the Italian meringue into the mango mixture.

For my version, I used the White Chocolate Mousse Variation

Element #3 Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert

Preparation time: 10min

Equipment: pan, whisk. If you have plunging mixer (a vertical hand mixer used to make soups and other liquids), it comes in handy.

Note: Because the ganache hardens as it cools, you should make it right before you intend to use it to facilitate piping it onto the log during assembly. Please be careful when caramelizing the sugar and then adding the cream. It may splatter and boil.

Ingredients:
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp/ 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
5 oz (135g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

Method:
1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).
2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.

3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.
4. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Variations on the Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert listed above:

White Chocolate Ganache Insert
Ingredients:
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
5 oz (135g) white chocolate, finely chopped
4.5 oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp / 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

Method:
1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small sauce pan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).
2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.
3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.

Dark-Milk Ganache Insert
Ingredients:
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp / 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
2.7 oz (75g) milk chocolate
3.2 oz (90g) dark chocolate
3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

Method:
1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).
2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.
3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.
4. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Cinammon-Milk Ganache Insert
Ingredients:
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp / 135g) heavy cream A pinch of cinnamon
2.7 oz (75g) milk chocolate, finely chopped
3.2 oz (90g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

Method:
1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).
2. Heat the cream with the cinnamon (use the quantity of cinnamon you want to infuse the cream, a pinch is the smallest amount suggested) until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.
3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the milk and dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.
4. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Element #4 Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Preparation time: 10 mn (+ optional 15mn if you make lace crepes)
Equipment: Small saucepan, baking sheet (if you make lace crepes). Double boiler (or one small saucepan in another), wax paper, rolling pin (or I use an empty bottle of olive oil).

Note: Feuillete means layered (as in with leaves) so a Praline Feuillete is a Praline version of a delicate crisp. There are non-praline variations below. The crunch in this crisp comes from an ingredient which is called gavottes in French. Gavottes are lace-thin crepes. To our knowledge they are not available outside of France, so you have the option of making your own using the recipe below or you can simply substitute rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K for them. Special note: If you use one of the substitutes for the gavottes, you should halve the quantity stated, as in use 1oz of any of these cereals instead of 2.1oz. If you want to make your own praline, please refer back to the Daring Baker Challenge Recipe from July 2008.

To make 2.1oz / 60g of gavottes (lace crepes - recipe by Ferich Mounia):
1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
2/3 Tbsp (8g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup – 2tsp (35g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp / 0.5 oz (15g) beaten egg
1 tsp (3.5g) granulated sugar
½ tsp vegetable oil

Method:
1. Heat the milk and butter together until butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat.
2. Sift flour into milk-butter mixture while beating, add egg and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps.
3. Grease a baking sheet and spread batter thinly over it.
4. Bake at 430°F (220°C) for a few minutes until the crepe is golden and crispy. Let cool.

Ingredients for the Praline Feuillete:
3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter
2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline
2.1oz (60g) lace crepes (gavottes) or rice krispies/corn flakes/Special K

Method:
1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
2. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.
3. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Variations on the Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert listed above:

Chocolate Crisp Insert
3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) unsalted butter
2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline
1 oz. (25g) lace crepes or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

Method:
1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
2. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.
3. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Coconut Crisp Insert
3.5 oz (100g) white chocolate
1 oz (1/3 cup/25g) shredded coconut
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) unsalted butter
2.1 oz (60g) lace crepes or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

Method:
1. Spread the coconut on a baking tray and bake for 5-10 minutes at 375°F (190°C) to toast (a different temperature might work better for you with your own oven).
2. Melt the white chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Stir until smooth and add the toasted coconut.
3. Add the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

For my version, I used the original "milk-chocolate praline" recipe.

Element #5 Vanilla Crème Brulée Insert

Preparation time: 15mn + 1h infusing + 1h baking
Equipment: Small saucepan, mixing bowl, baking mold, wax paper

Note: The vanilla crème brulée can be flavored differently by simply replacing the vanilla with something else e.g. cardamom, lavender, etc... (I used cardamom for my flavouring... it was delicious and wonderfully aromatic)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (115g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
½ cup (115g) whole milk
4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks
0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar 1 vanilla bean

Method:
1. Heat the milk, cream, and scraped vanilla bean to just boiling. Remove from the stove and let the vanilla infuse for about 1 hour.
2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).
3. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.
4. Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.

Tartelette says: You can bake it without a water bath since it is going to go inside the log (the aesthetics of it won't matter as much since it will be covered with other things)....BUT I would recommend a water bath for the following reasons:- you will get a much nicer mouth feel when it is done- you will be able to control its baking point and desired consistency much better- it bakes for such a long time that I fear it will get overdone without a water bathNow...since it is baked in a pan and it is sometimes difficult to find another large pan to set it in for a water bath, even a small amount of water in your water bath will help the heat be distributed evenly in the baking process. Even as little as 1 inch will help. (I used a waterbath for my crème brulée)

5. Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.

Variations on the Vanilla Crème Brulée insert listed above:

Chocolate Creme Brulée Insert
½ cup + 1 2/3 Tbsp (140g) whole milk
2/3 cup + 1tsp (140g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
1/3 cup (25g) unsweetened cocoa powder
4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks
1.4 oz (3 Tbsp / 40g) granulated sugar

Method:
1. Heat the milk and cream to just boiling. Add the cocoa powder.
2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).
3. Pour the cocoa milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.
4. Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.
5. Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.


Element #6 Dark Chocolate Icing

Preparation time: 25 minutes (10min if you don’t count softening the gelatin)
Equipment: Small bowl, small saucepan

Note: Because the icing gelifies quickly, you should make it at the last minute.For other gelatin equivalencies or gelatin to agar-agar equivalencies, look at the notes for the mousse component.

Ingredients:
4g / ½ Tbsp powdered gelatin or 2 sheets gelatin
¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)
2.1 oz (5 Tbsp / 60g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) water
1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.
2. Boil the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 3 minutes after boiling.
3. Add gelatin to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.4. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

Variations on the Dark Chocolate Icing listed above:

Milk Chocolate Icing
1.5 gelatin sheets or 3g / 1/2Tbsp powdered gelatin
4.2 oz (120g) milk chocolate
2 Tbsp (30g) butter
¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)
1 2/3 Tbsp (30g) glucose or thick corn syrup

Method:
1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.
2. Coarsely chop the chocolate and butter together.
3. Bring the cream and glucose syrup to a boil.
4. Add the gelatin.
5. Pour the mixture over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until smooth.
6. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

White Chocolate Icing
1.5 gelatin sheets or 3g / 1/2Tbsp powdered gelatin
3.5 oz (100g) white chocolate
2 Tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (90 g) whole milk
1 2/3 Tbsp (30g) glucose or thick corn syrup

Method:
1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.
2. Coarsely chop the chocolate and butter together.
3. Bring the milk and glucose syrup to a boil.
4. Add the gelatin.
5. Pour the mixture over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until smooth.
6. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

I used the original Dark Chocolate Icing recipe

How To Assemble your French Yule Log
Depending on whether your mold is going to hold the assembly upside down until you unmold it or right side up, this order will be different. Since I made mine in a springform pan, here is the order in which I assembled my cake...

If you are doing the assembly RIGHT SIDE UP in a springform pan the order is:
1) Dacquoise
2) Ganache Insert
3) Mousse
4) Praline/Crisp Insert
5) Mousse
6) Creme Brulee Insert
7) Mousse
8 OPTIONAL) Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY...Unmold the cake/log/whatever and set on a wire rack over a shallow pan.Cover the cake with the icing.Let set. Return to the freezer. You may decorate your cake however you wish. The decorations can be set in the icing after it sets but before you return the cake to the freezer or you may attach them on top using extra ganache or leftover mousse, etc...Transfer to the refrigerator no longer than ½ hour before serving as it may start to melt quickly depending on the elements you chose.


Since I didn't have the Yule-log mold, I decided to go with the simple spring-form pan version. I had a lot of fun making this one, and it definitely took me more than one day to complete. I decided to make the creme brulee and the praline-crisp components on Day1; I then made the rest of the components on Day2 and assembled the whole thing on that day.

This cake was very sweet, and I'm glad that I decided to use a white-chocolate mousse instead of dark chocolate, as I think that it my have been far too rich in terms of cocoa-flavor. I brought this cake to a Christmas party, and everyone loved it. Aside from the sloppy assembly (I mean, look at that horrible icing job... I think I just got lazy) the cake was a complete success. A couple of my parent's friends asked if I was going into a culinary profession (awww so sweet). Because I forgot to bring my camera to the party, I wasn't able to get a picture of the beautiful layers of the cake... silly me. But I'm sure you can all imagine what a layered cake looks like, so there's really no need.

All-in-all, I don't think that I would go to the trouble of making this recipe again... unless someone begged me to make it for them (and bought all the ingredients :P). After this recipe, my pantry is chocolate-less and let's just say that after eating one slice of this cake makes me want to do nothing but lie down and let the saturated fat do its business!

Sadness in the Kitchen...

I know, strange title for a post eh? But seriously I'm not in a great mood. My oven just decided that it'd die on me three days ago and with all my free time (having finished exams) I've been forced to do all of my baking via a toaster oven... it is simply not the same.

All-in-all, I suppose I should be proud of my oven for having survived this long; it's pretty old. The oven came with the house when we bought it 15years ago, so I'd say it's outlived it's shelf-life... but still, so many fond memories.

I first noticed something was terribly wrong when I used the knobs to adjust the oven's temperature for baking and the numbers would get all screwy. Usually, twisting the knob to the right would result in the degrees increasing by increments of 5; but for some strange reason it would increase a bit and then as you continue turning the knob, the numbers would jump back down to zero. Annoying I know, but this I could live with; I just had to give my precious oven some coaxing and the baker's loving touch and eventually the temperature would be just right. This craziness continued for 2-months, and then just three days ago I awoke to my oven's cries for help.

The timer alarm started beeping incessently, and to stop it I would have to press the "stop-timer" button every 2 minutes (otherwise it would start beeping again). I guess the buttons couldn't handle the multiple pokes, and then eventually they broke :(

So, now I am ovenless; and although I've had many people offer to lend me their's (people are so sweet) I will forever miss my almond-colored gas oven...

P.S. On a happier note, I'm leaving for Arizona (only for a week's vacation) and won't be back until after Christmas. So, I just wanted to say "MERRY CHRISTMAS" and "HAPPY BAKING... I mean HAPPY NEW YEARS!"

It's Fudge Time!

I've actually never attempted fudge-making, which is strange because I love all things sweet and I'm always splurging on buying fudge from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. So, when my sisters wanted to give gifts to their teachers I thought that the best sweet-treat to give for the holiday season would be FUDGE!!

I made 2 batches of fudge, one with white chocolate and one more traditional one with dark chocolate. I call the first one Christmas Fudge, because I used mixed-peel for the mix in... and because I couldn't come up with a better name for it (Mixed-peel fudge just doesn't sound that tasty). And I call the second batch of fudge Cookies and Cream Fudge. If you were never really a fan of chocolate fudge, this Cookies and Cream recipe may be more your style. It's not as rich, but still packs a whole lot of oreo-cookie flavor. And now for the recipes...

Christmas Fudge

Yields 18 pieces

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup heavy cream

- 2/3 cup granulated sugar

- 1/3 tsp salt

- 1 1/8 cup miniature marshmallows

- 2 tbsp unsalted butter

- 1 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

- 1/2 cup of mixed-peel (or if you don't like mixed peel, you could add nuts or glace cherries etc.)

Method:

1. In a saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, salt, marshmallows and butter.

2. Cook over medium heat and stir until all ingredients are melted and the mixture starts to boil. Once it boils, continue cooking for 3minutes.

3. Turn heat to low, and add in the dark chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is well incorporated and fully melted.

4. Turn off the heat; add in the mixed peel and continue stirring the mixture.

5. Pour the mixture into a foil-lined and well greased 9x3inch loaf pan; or if you are planning on making individual servings of fudge (like in my photo), place paper-truffle cups in a miniature cupcake pan and fill them 2/3rd full.

6. Allow the fudge to cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours before packaging.

Cookies and Cream Fudge

Yields 18 pieces

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1 1/8 cup miniature marshmallows
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (or white chocolate candy melts)
- 3/4 cup of crushed oreo cookies, divided

Method:

1. In a saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, salt, marshmallows and butter.
2. Cook over medium heat and stir until all ingredients are melted and the mixture starts to boil. Once it boils, continue cooking for 3minutes.
3. Turn heat to low, and add in the white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is well incorporated and fully melted.
4. Turn off the heat; add in a 1/2 cup of the crushed oreo cookies and continue stirring the mixture.
5. Pour the mixture into a foil-lined and well greased 9x3inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of crushed oreo cookies ontop of the fudge.
6. Allow the fudge to cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours. Remove fudge from the pan, slice into 18 bite-sized cubes.

I was amazed at how simple fudge-making could be. I found a lot of recipes online that used condensed milk and marshmallow cream, of which I had neither... so, I modified a handful of recipes I found that utilized heavy cream (because I had a ton of it!) and decided to create my own versions of this sweet treat. The Cookies and Cream Fudge tastes almost exactly like the one I buy from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory; so, if you're not wanting to spend $4.99 on 1/4th of a slice of fudge make your own... you'll be glad you did.

My sisters had a lot of fun packaging the fudge treats into cellophane bags and making Christmas cards for their teachers; and, if my sisters' opinion of the candy is any indication of their deliciousness then I'm sure their teachers will love them too.