Dark Chocolate Coffee Pavlova

January 27, 2017

Who doesn't LOVE the combination of chocolate and coffee.. and then you add in a kick of Bailey's Irish Cream... these flavors are like a party in your mouth! When we were told to make Pavlovas for Custard & Meringue week, I was SO EXCITED because pavlovas are actually one of my desserts of choice! It's such a wonderful dessert that is not so hard to make AND very impressive for guests to eat. I also feel like pavlovas have some magical way of making you feel lighter after a heavy meal. That means you lose calories by eating more, right? ;)

I few years back, I was lucky enough to be apart of a group of friends that wanted to attempt a pop-up restaurant concept. For that opportunity, I came up with a recipe for mini-pavlovas using a chocolate base with coffee. Because it was an Irish theme'd menu, I naturally incorporated Bailey's Whipped Cream and then topped with raspberries.

You can have free range for decorating these little guys however you wish. The simplest is a dusting of chocolate shavings. If you want to be ambitious and have the time, temper dark chocolate and create some beautiful toppers. On the show, I made chocolate rolls and placed them between cut raspberries.

Dark Chocolate Coffee Pavlova, Bailey’s Whipped Cream, Fresh Raspberries
Makes about 20 x 2 ½" mini pavlovas

Pavlova Ingredients:

6 large egg whites, room temp
300 grams granulated sugar
2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon, Valrhona cocoa powder
1 tablespoon good aged balsamic vinegar
50 grams good quality chocolate (70%) chopped into small pieces
2 teaspoons good quality coffee grinds (not instant)

Topping:

2 punnet of fresh organic raspberries
500 ml whipping cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Bailey's Original Irish Cream Liquor
pinch of kosher salt

Dark Chocolate Decorations:

4 ounces of dark chocolate 70%·

1. Preheat oven to 355 F / 180 C. On a piece of parchment paper, trace 2.5 inch circles spaced at least 2 inches apart with a pencil. Should be able to fit 9 of them comfortably on each baking sheet.

2. Chop dark chocolate into small pieces and set aside. Note: If you are using a piping tip for the meringue, do not use a narrow tip and make sure to chop the chocolate up in small enough pieces to push through it!

3. Place egg whites in a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment. Whisk until soft peaks form. Slowly add caster sugar one tablespoon at a time and continue to beat until the egg whites become stiff and glossy. Don’t over beat the egg whites or they will separate. When you can hold the mixture upside down without it falling out it’s done.

4. Sift in cocoa powder, add balsamic vinegar, chopped chocolate and coffee. Using a large spoon spatula, mix very slowly and carefully by folding the mixture and egg whites. The mixture will be a light brown shade. Don’t over mix or you will deflate the egg whites.

5. Using a little pavlova mixture, apply on the corners of the parchment paper (same side you drew on) then flip over parchment paper so it’s pencil side down on a baking sheet.

6. Add meringue mixture to a piping bag and pipe into the circles and clean it up with an offset spatula. Make sure you are FILLING them completely when swirling.

7. Place into oven then immediate drop the temperature to 284 F. Cook for 1hr to 1hr 15 minutes. Do not check on the pavlovas until the very end of the bake time.

8. The way to tell when pavlovas are done cooking is when it looks crisp at the edges. They also may slightly brown. The tops will be dry but if you press on the underside it’ll give a little since the centers are still soft and squishy. If you tap them lightly they should also sound a little hollow. If they still feel a bit soft then put them back into the oven for another minute or two.

9. If the pavlovas are crisp, place them back in the oven and leave the door slightly ajar so the pavlovas can cool completely in the oven. Should take another 35 minutes or so. Do NOT remove the pavlovas from the oven before they have finished cooling or they will crack.

10. In the meantime, place whipping cream in a CHILLED stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Start to whisk and when some peaks appear, add sugar slowly. Then add in Bailey’s after sugar. Keep whisking till firm but don’t over whip.

11. Take whipped cream and place into a bowl fitted with plastic wrap and into the fridge until using. Eventually will be piped on each pavlova.

12. Place whipped cream into piping bag and pipe onto pavlova. Then top with two to three raspberries cut side up to ensure juice doesn’t bleed into cream. Garnish with dark chocolate decorations or shavings.

Pavlovas from The Great American Baking Show

Vanilla Hot Milk Sponge Cake

January 24, 2017

This is my favorite vanilla cake recipe since it makes full use of whole eggs vs just the whites. I often find because I love making Swiss meringue buttercream that I don't need any other recipes with extra yolks. This is a great vanilla cake that is light but with a denser crumb. It pairs wonderfully with fresh fruit and whipped cream. I love to use it in my layer cakes cause it's also super stable and provides great height after baked.

This cake recipe was used in my "I LOVE LA" cake commission and paired it with a strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream. Hope you enjoy! The process is a bit tricky when it comes to mixing so make sure to read through the instructions first, then bake. :)

Vanilla Milk Sponge Cake
Adapted from Gretchen's Bakery, Makes 2 x 8" round cakes

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups of all purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 ¾ cup caster sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
½ cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 ¼ cup of whole milk
1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Grease and line 2 x 8 inch round pans with parchment paper and then set them aside.

3. In a stand mixer bowl, add eggs, sugar and vanilla then set over a double boiler with simmering water.

4. Stir lightly but consistenty with a hand whisk over the pot of simmering water, heat the egg mixture until the sugar has dissolved slightly and the mixture is approx 115F. This whole process takes about 3-5 minutes long.

5. Place the bowl on the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and beat mixture on high until it triples in volume and reaches a ribbon stage. Will take about 5-7 minutes. Remove whisk from mixer and pull batter up and see if it can be “ribboned” back into the bowl. If it drips and looks too soupy, keep whisking. Make sure to watch the bowl and check many times since you do not want to overbeat your eggs. Eggs will never be fully firm but you want to get as much volume as possible.

6. In a separate bowl, add flour and baking soda and whisk to combine together. Sift mixture into the whipped eggs and hand fold with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Do not over fold or you will deflate your nicely whipped eggs.

7. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter until it’s slightly hot but not scalding.

8. In a separate bowl, remove about 1/3 of the whipped eggs and incorporate all the milk and butter. Whisk together to incorporate. Then take this mixture and add it into the remaining whipped eggs in 3 incorporations. Mix gently.

9. Pour batter into prepared pans till they’re about ¾ full; keep in mind that this cake batter doesn’t raise a ton in the oven. Do not bang these cakes against a rack like you would other cake batters. We want to keep it light and airy.

10. Bake in the center of the heated oven for 35-40 minutes and rotate the cakes when they are 2/3 of the time done baking, keep in the oven until a toothpick comes out clean.

11. Cool cakes in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes then turn out of the pan and remove parchment paper. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

TRAVEL: CHICAGO GIRL'S WEEKEND Guide

January 22, 2017

I braved my way through the blistering cold January weather of Chicago because my girlfriend wanted to have a girl's weekend out there. While I made my share of complaints prior to flying into the frozen tundra of the Midwest, she definitely rewarded us by picking some of the best restaurants! I was so very impressed by the food scene in Chicago during this trip!

I fully trust my tastebuds with this friend because she is one of the best cooks and foodies I know. We had an incredible weekend of eating so I'm very excited to provide these recommendations!

STAY:

We stayed in an AirBNB in Wicker Park. Great location! Super central and a short uber ride from great restaurants.

EAT:

Scone City: Our AirBNB was 1 block away here and holy cow their scones are sooooo delicious! From savory to simple, they had the fluffiest and most flavorful scones. They bake fresh everyday and sell out by 10 or 11am. Get there early to get the good stuff! Also, they have clotted cream and jam! Reminded me of being back in the UK which was fab.

El Che Bar: Open for dinner only. Beautiful space, really delicious food. Argentine-American focused food. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I highly recommend the green beans, smoked chorizo and grilled rib-eye.

The Allis: Love, love love the styling of this place. Located at the SoHo House we went for brunch but they also offer Afternoon Tea. Get the TOWER of bagels for a fun and delicious eating experience. Nothing but yum here.

Elske: This is possibly one of the best new restaurants I've had the pleasure to have in a long time. The space is beautifully minimalistic, quiet and modest. The food is described as modern American but with Scandinavian influences. While portions are small, every plate is a feast for your tastebuds and eyes. End your evening next to the roaring fireplace with a nightcap or steamed almond milk. Simply delicious.

DO:

The Spa at the Peninsula Hotel: No girl's weekend is complete without a SPA DAY! It was one of those treat-yo-self weekends and nothing says preems like the Peninsula! Definitely a treat and great for large parties.

Soul Cycle The Loop: Of course no girl's weekend is complete without your tap backs! We took the Soul Survivor class with Aya and it was one of the best classes! GREAT music and really good pacing throughout the class.

Two cakes are better than one!

January 21, 2017

I recently was commissioned by my ex-colleague for her wonderful birthday celebration. It was the largest party I've had to bake for to-date and was tasked to make TWO two-tiered cakes for the same evening. Whenever I approach a new commission, I always like to ask what my client has in mind for decorations. In this case, she shared the invitation with me which was very chic and sophisticated. She also told me that her and her husband are Detroit transplants to LA and her party will be the coming together of their close friends and family from both cities.

I naturally wanted to make something clean but also with a little personality. I loved the idea of a dual cake situation where they complement each other so I designed each cake with their own unique skyline and then matched flavors according to the city. Detroit with the dark Valrhona chocolate cake and espresso buttercream. LA with a cheerier vanilla sponge cake with fresh strawberry buttercream. My back was killing me by the end since I hand cut all the buildings but it's always worth it when I see how happy people are with my creations. :)

Dim Sum Beef Curry Puffs

January 19, 2017

When we were asked to make 2 different hand pies for The Great American Baking show, I knew instantly that I wanted to showcase the two sides of my culture growing up Chinese-American. The first hand pie was an American Breakfast Pie with eggs, sausage, peppers, onions all in a cheddar cheese pastry crust. You can find that recipe here. The other hand pie was something I ate at Dim Sum throughout my childhood. It's one of my favorites and a serious crowd pleaser!

The key to this is to make sure the crust stays extra extra cold so you may make a few trips to the freezer during the process of making these. Also, make sure you dock little holes on the top of the puffs after you've shaped, chilled and before you add the egg wash. The same way you take a fork to your pie crust before blind baking it. This will ensure the puffs not getting soggy in the middle since they have little steam escape holes.

This is a great recipe to make for day-of treats or make them in advance and keep them in the freezer until ready to bake. If you're baking from frozen, make sure to give them a little extra time in the oven.

Dim Sum Beef Curry Puffs
Signature Savory Hand Pies Challenge on The Great American Baking Show
Makes about 13-14 hand pies

Pastry Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter very cold, cut into cubes
3/4 cup ice water (watch as you add it)

Filling Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1/4 yellow onion, finely cut
1/2 lb of lean ground beef (90% lean, 10% fat)
3 tablespoons curry powder
4 tablespoons of reduced sodium soy sauce (to taste)
3 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste)
½ teaspoon garlic granules

Other Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of milk (to seal the dough)
1 tablespoon of roasted white sesame seeds
Egg Wash (1 egg, 1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon of milk)
Extra flour for dusting/rolling

Make the dough:

1. Fill a measuring cup with water and drop ice cubs into it and set aside. Cut butter sticks into cubes and place into the freezer for 5 minutes.

2. Place flour, sugar and salt into food processor. Pulse to incorporate. Remove butter from freezer and add into processor. Pulse to cut the butter until most of them are the size of peas. Adding 1/2 cup of ice-cold water into the mixture a little at a time while pulsing the processor to incorporate. Watch as you add the last 1/4 cup of water to ensure you aren't adding too much of it. Only need enough for the dough to come together. May need more water for the dough to stick together but only add it 1 tablespoon at a time.

4. Once you have large clumps and the dough can be pushed together with your hands, turn dough out on a lightly floured surface. Gather and knead the dough together into one large disc. Divide dough in half, shape them both into a flat disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Place into the fridge to chill for at least 1 hr to overnight.

Make the filling:

5. In a large frying pan, heat vegetable oil and sauté the onions with 1 tablespoon of curry powder until the onions become translucent.

6. Add the beef, soy sauce and remaining curry powder. Cook until the beef is brown and then add salt to taste. Add MORE salt or soy sauce to ensure mixture is salty enough since some of the flavor will get absorbed into the crust after baked.

Assemble & then bake the puffs:

7. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. Place chilled dough on a lightly floured workspace and roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Just like you would any normal pie crust. Using a 3-inch circle cutter, cut out as many circles as possible. Regather scraps then repeat rolling and cutting. Place cut circles on baking sheet and into the freezer to re-chill for 4-5 minutes.

8. Take cut pastry out of the freezer and make sure you're ready to work quickly! Lightly flour your surface, and using a smaller rolling pin roll out each circle to 1/8 inch thick. Brush the edges lightly with milk then place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the pastry circle. Fold over onto itself so it creates a half circle. Do your best to push the filling into the center so it doesn't get caught as you seal the edges. Use are fork to seal the edge of the puff.

9. Place filled puff on baking sheet and repeat until you're all out of filling or pastry circles. Before you stick them into the freezer to chill, take a fork and lightly dock the tops of them. Let the filled puffs chill in the freezer for about 5 minutes.

10. When ready to bake, brush the tops with egg wash then sprinkle with roasted white sesame seeds.

11. Bake for 15-20 minutes until pastry turns golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let it cool a few minutes then chow down!!