Holiday Season: 4th of July Sweets

Happy 240th birthday to the USA!!  While it is a great time to enjoy backyard grilling and microbrews, it is also a fantastic excuse for me to make some sweet creations.  My brother triggered my creative imagination for the 4th of July quite early when he decided to text me a photo of the display he saw on a trip to Trader Joe’s.  They were selling a vanilla cookie White House to commemorate the holiday.  This meant I only had to wait six months between holiday house constructions!  (The other construction being gingerbread houses for the Christmas season obviously.)

I was quite impressed with the detail on the box, and the fact that the kit only cost $7.99.  Apparently in my family the question was not IF I bought the kit, but when I decided to do so.  The conclusion is so far gone at Christmastime that my mom purchases the gingerbread house for me before I even get to their house!  I also recruited a friend to help me out and make.

My friend and I had a lot of fun making the house, and finding a use for the Hot Tamales my friend had on hand.  The idea was a pretty neat one of using the White House as an inspiration for 4th of July creativity.  However, Trader Joe’s, is not immune to the anxieties and mistakes of even experienced bakers the first time they make a new item or try an experiment.  So a few notes before you try this at home…

1. The columns at the front and back of the White House was tough to get to stay in place because you had to attach them to both the ground and the portico.  Fortunately the Hot Tamales were able to serve a double purpose of propping the loose columns up.
2. The structure did not lie flat – there was about a centimeter gap at one end – fortunately we could plug that with just a little more icing!
3. Along with icing/frosting as glue, we got a little impatient and decided to use commercially bought glue as well.  In this case, that was wood glue because that was what my friend had on hand.  I had to laugh at the end when she licked her finger – I asked immediately if that contained glue as well.  Fortunately, so is doing okay!

The funny thing was that Trader Joe’s also inspired my other creation for a 4th of July party.  I had a plan to originally make brownies (see the black bean raspberry brownie recipe), but I had to run out to get some of the ingredients before I could proceed.  More specifically I had to look at the recipe to remember to get coffee to use.  While I was at the Trader Joe’s I tried out the sample from their kitchen (read:  the sample station in the store), and I really enjoyed the 4th of July version of Eton mess.

Curious what the Eton mess is?  Research no further than this instructional video from Nigella Lawson.

Trader Joe’s marketed four products with their own version of this dish:  meringues, whipped cream, strawberries, and blueberries.  I caved in to buying three of the ingredients (everything is organic, by the way, with the exception of the meringues).  I decided to make my own whipped cream (took about 10 minutes the night before) rather than buy their version in the spray can.  Besides, I already had a square red Le Creuset dish I could use to serve it in.  Ironically I was serving an American version of an English dish in a piece of French cookware.

Ingredients:

• Container of Trader Joe’s vanilla meringues
• 1 pint of strawberries
• 1 pint of blueberries
• 1 pint of heavy whipping cream

Instructions:

1. Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and using an electric mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form, and then put in the fridge until ready to mix all the ingredients together
2. Wash all the fruit, slice the strawberries, and crush the meringue into smaller pieces (not too small though)
3. Fold the strawberries, blueberries, and meringues into the whipped cream (you can make it like I did or buy it) gently and then spread the mixture into the bottom of the dish – leave enough strawberries, blueberries, and meringues so that you can make the topping of the dish!
4. Top it off with blueberries in the top left hand corner as the stars, and meringues and strawberries that constituted the stripes
5. Cover the dish with cling wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to serve

The best thing about the recipe (especially buying the meringues) was that I avoided putting on the oven in the Texas heat!

Culinary Tour: Hummingbird Bakery

London is the home to amazing museums, fantastic architecture, parks that I dream about in my sleep, and the absolute best red velvet cake I have ever had in my entire life.  Hummingbird Bakery is worth the trek with tiny London streets and masses of people in the Tube to try out these amazing confections.  I was first introduced to Hummingbird Bakery by a friend who grew up there, and swore by all the items they baked.  We were both grad students at Durham University at the time, and one day we found ourselves in London at the same time (absolutely no planning on this account either).  We called up a few other friends who were also in the city and put together an evening trying out some of foodie spots in London.  We went to a frozen yogurt parlor, Hummingbird Bakery, and dinner at a Moroccan/Turkish (yes, that is a combination) restaurant.  And that was also the exact order in which we ate our food.  We had to get those cupcakes before they ran out!

This past fall, I was in London for work and I met a friend at the British Library, which evolved into an afternoon spent wandering through the British Museum until they closed and then through the beautiful streets of London.  After a while, I mentioned I was hungry, so I decided to find Hummingbird Bakery to get something to eat (essentially substituting cupcakes for a proper dinner).  I did not have one, but TWO cupcakes as a meal.  And I regret nothing!  I took the cover photo at their location near the Soho Gardens, but they have several locations in London.  They also have several locations in Dubai.  Check out their website!  They also have a YouTube channel with some fantastic recipe demo videos!

Who else has tried out Hummingbird Bakery?  Leave comments about your experiences and favorite items in the comments below!

HW

 

Nigella Lawson: Caramel Croissant Pudding

The first time I ever heard of Nigella Lawson was from my mother who owns a few of her cookbooks.  Nigella is quite a legend in many ways – she is the daughter of Nigel Lawson (a prominent British politician), and she has succeeded in the culinary world, despite not have any of the culinary credentials (like going to cooking school).

I have tried out a few of her recipes, but the one I am fondest of is the Caramel Croissant Pudding.  If you look at the list of ingredients in the recipe is probably immediately clear why the recipe is so delicious – it contains sugar, fat, and alcohol, and all in large quantities (so certainly not a health dish).  I think it would be a great dish to do for hosting a brunch with some girlfriends and with some wine or cocktails.

Ingredients

• 2 croissants (preferably old ones as this is essentially a bread pudding)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 1/2 cup of whole milk
• 2 tablespoons bourbon or rum
• 2 large eggs, beaten

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Tear croissants apart and put in the bottom of a small bakeware dish – I like my 10 by 10 shallow Le Creuset dish
3. Put the sugar and water together in the saucepan and heat on low until it is dissolved; after that turn in up to higher heat so it starts bubbling – look for it to turn a deep amber color (should take about 3 to 5 minutes)
4. Once it is an amber color, turn down the heat to low and add the cream, then whisk in the milk and bourbon until it has a light custard-like texture
5. Take the mixture off the heat and add the eggs, whisking them into the custard mixture
6. Pour the mixture over the croissants in the dish, then leave to steep for 10 minutes
7. Bake in the over for 20 minutes; it should be puffy on the top when you take it out

This recipe is definitely a special treat – but it is always a hit when made!  Try it out the next time you host a brunch.

HW

Holiday Season: Pancake Tuesday

Also known as MARDI GRAS!!

Mention Mardi Gras to anyone in Louisiana (or in Texas) and they imagine the packed streets of New Orleans in the week leading up to the event with green, purple, and gold beads everywhere.  And of course they imagine king cake in every possible flavor, decorating with these bright colors and icing.

However, growing up I knew never little about Mardi Gras.  My only knowledge of the Cajun culture was from this little restaurant called the Double Musky Inn in Girdwood, Alaska (very close to my hometown of Anchorage) that served Cajun food.  It was quite dark inside and I think it got crowded and wild later, which explained why my parents always had us leave by about 8…

Since that was all I knew about Cajun culture, I knew Mardi Gras growing up as Shrove Tuesday, but I really knew it as Pancake Tuesday more than anything else.  Pancake Tuesday, as the name implies, involves eating pancakes, and more specifically eating them for dinner.  Fat Tuesday is the last day to feast on richer foods like butter, sugar, and eggs before Lent begins.  Check out the fascinating rundown by BBC News on the history and significance behind these celebrations.  In a celebration analogous to Mardi Gras, the British celebrate Fat Tuesday with pancakes, not just making them, but also pancake races, including this race by UK Members of Parliament (see the feature photo at the top of this page as well).

While restaurants do a much better job making crepes than I do (much thinner certainly), it is the fun of the occasion that makes it worth doing.  Beside it is fun to have people over as part of the celebrations!  I always make basic crepes and then have orange slices and maple syrup on hand as toppings, and guests bring their favorite toppings.  The recipe I use is from Williams-Sonoma, and you can easily double or triple the recipe (I certainly do).

Ingredients (makes about 4 crepes – mine are a bit thicker)

• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 1/2 tablespoon melted unsalted butter plus more butter for cooking the pancakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Combine the milk, egg, flour, melted butter, and salt in a bowl until smooth
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight (if this is possible, otherwise refrigerate for a few hours)
3. Put a pat of butter in the bottom of a medium sized frying pan, letting it melt and cover the pan evenly
4. Tilt the pan at a slight angle and pour enough batter on the pan to completely cover the bottom of it (it may take a few attempts to get the right amount on the pan)
5. Cook until the top of the crepe looks bubbly (should take just a minute or two)
6. Flip the crepe and cook the other side for another minute or two – when do put on a plate to serve or store covered with foil to keep warm
7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 for each crepe, making sure to put a pat of butter on the bottom of the pan for every crepe before you starting making it

My favorite toppings are maple syrup and a squeeze of freshly sliced orange.  Nutella and fruit is always good, especially for kids.  If you like a more savory crepe you can put cheese or protein in the crepe.  Be creative!  If you are still slightly intimidated by the process of making crepes, check out YouTube as there are loads of good videos to help you learn the techniques!

HW

Why I love Betty’s Tea Room and York

I am so lucky because I spent a number of sunny summer days as a child exploring the city of York in the north of England.  I can remember going to the incredible train museum (located right next to the railway station fittingly) and wondering around the medieval narrow streets of the city called The Shambles.  You cannot miss the York Minster as you approach the city from any direction or forget the absolutely magnificent stained glass windows on every wall of the church.  For those who love architecture like I do, the York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe.  There is a stained glass window inside (see the photo below) that is the size of a tennis court.  Of course, the stained rose glass window  on the southern transept is one of the most beautiful of its kind in the world, and was thankfully saved from a fire that destroyed the transept roof in the summer of 1984.  Read about the incident here and how the community of York rallied to rebuilt the minster.

However, this blog is about sweets and an visit about one of my favorite places in the world is not complete without going to Betty’s Tea Room in the center of the town.  The restaurant is famed for its amazing dessert cart and for serving Fat Rascal’s (scones), which are pictured below (these are my version).

It is not surprising that people will wait hours to get a spot at the restaurant, which is always crowded, even with an upstairs and downstairs seating section.  Go early so you also get the best items!  I went back to Betty’s before walking back to get my train and managed to buy one of the last Fat Rascals they were selling.

Needless to say, none of the baked items made it back to London!

HW