February's Daring Baker's Challenge: For the Love of Chocolate: Valentino with Cardamom Honey Ice Cream

The name Valentino brings to mind romance and drama. So, of course this is the perfect challenge for the month of February, the month of St. Valentine's Day. However, I thought immediately of Rudolph Valentino when I saw the name of this month's challenge. The sophisticated and dashing star of days gone by who was once known as "The Great Lover". The star of films such as "Camille" and "The Son of the Sheik", Rudolph Valentino is shear romance. Silent films did not hinder his ability to reach an audience, making the women sigh and the men wish they could mimic his rich and lusty lifestyle.

The Valentino is a cake that is rich in texture and in order to create a passion, a heat to go with it I took the liberty of adding chili peppers to flavor the cake. Mama Mia! Did it come out good! Spicy, rich and luxurious, everything you might expect if you were transported back in time and were draped in the arms of Rudolph Valentino himself. I served it with a scoop of homemade cardamom/honey ice cream and a thin chocolate ganache drizzled over the cake.

Not to leave the drama out of this dessert, I made it while my boys and I had the flu! (Cue me, flinging my head back with the back of my hand on my forehead, eye lashes fluttering, sighing, "Oh, Rudolph...I just had to do it! For the love of chocolate....", as I pass out on my kitchen floor.)



Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

• 16 ounces (1 pound) ( grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• ½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
• 5 large eggs separated
• 1 red chili pepper, halved and seeds removed

1. Put chocolate and butter and both halves of chili peppers in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often. Remove chili peppers after removing chocolate from heat. Discard peppers.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Murphys Cardamom Honey Ice Cream (Recipe from Ice Cream Ireland)

• 1 Cup (237ml) Sugar
• 5 Egg Yolks
• 1 1/8 Cups (266ml) Cream
• 1 1/8 Cups(266ml) Milk
• 2 tbs. (10g) Ground Cardamom
• 3 tbs. (65g) Honey
  

1. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow
2. Bring the milk to a simmer.
3. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
4. Pour the mixture back into pan and place over low heat. Stir until the custard thickens slightly (around 70C). Use a thermometer, as at 75C the eggs will scramble!
5. Stir in the honey and cardamom.
6. Refrigerate over night.
7. Pass the mix through a fine sieve to remove the cardamom bits.
8. Whip the cream.
9. Gently fold in the custard.
10. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer.

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Deep Dish Pasta Pie with Mushrooms and Peas

I have a cookbook called Ebraica, Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen by Joyce Goldstein. It is a favorite of mine. Goldstein is a Jewish woman who loves Italian food. I am an Sicilian American who converted to Judaism. So, I feel I relate to this author and her recipes.

I've been wanting to make the deep dish pasta pie for quite some time. I always thought my family would not like it, but alas, they did enjoy the Pasticcio di Maccheroni con Funghi e Pieselli. It sounds a bit more intriguing when said in Italian, but it isn't a glamorous recipe. It is a hardy, delicious meal for a cold night. My only complaint was that it came out a bit dry, which I will remedy the next time it is made. However, the dough was amazing! I loved the way it felt...so silky. I'm a tactile person and I can't resist a silky smooth dough. And, this dough was luxurious.

As for the photos, well, I didn't think this would be photo worthy so I made it and snapped the pictures at night. I took the pie out of the oven and said, "Wow!" So, the pictures of the whole pie didn't come out so well. Steam has a way of doing that to the photo. It's hard to get good pics when you are getting dinner on the table, getting kids ready to go to their practices and cleaning up the kitchen. Next time, I'll make sure to get a good shot of the whole pie, which is beautiful.

My blogging has all but come to a halt and here is why:

• I will be away for three days this weekend, at a swim meet. My soccer player starts spring season (yes, spring...um, it's 35 degrees right now) this week which means 4 practices a week if not more.



• I'm training for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer (39 miles in May!) and I'm busy fundraising for it. If you want to make a donation, click here. I'd be most appreciative. I have to raise $1800. I'm working on a recipe book (almost done!) for fundraising: Cook for the Cure. And, my team, the Hot Pink Amigas, is having a spaghetti dinner...lots of prep for that. Not to mention, the upcoming bake sales. Plus, I've had some other work come my way, which is time consuming in and of itself, not to mention really frustrating.

Why do I even have time to write at this moment, well, my boys have caught whatever wonderful germ has been going around. They are sick and sleeping. Normally they do lessons despite being sick. I mean they are at home anyway, right? But, they are so incredibly tired. I'm letting them sleep. Going on 14 hours now. The Rip Van Winkle Brothers.

So, I apologize if I've fallen behind in my reading of all my favorite blogs. I'm maxed to the limit and I think my head is going to explode. I will catch up with everyone soon, I hope:) The big question: Will I get the Daring Baker's Challenge done in time for the reveal date! Eeeek!

Herb It Up Monday: Beebalm

Since my husband is in the USMC we move a lot. I have this peculiar little habit of digging up my garden and bringing it with me. My husband used to protest, but alas, after nearly 15 years of marriage he has given up. Yes, a Marine, beaten by the only person who can be more stubborn, his wife. Over the years I have had to leave some plants behind just because of the time of year we moved or space limitations. One such plant was bee balm.

How I loved my bee balm. It had pretty flowers and smelled wonderful in potpourri, but I never cooked with it. I think I will have to buy myself another plant because bee balm has a wonderful, mellow citrus flavor. Fresh leaves can be added to tea or salads. Even the flower can be included in salads. It seasons pork, meat sausages and curries very nicely. It also works well with fruits such as strawberries, apples and melons, not to mention oranges.

Bee Balm is a perennial herb native to Eastern North America. It grows in dry thickets, clearings and woodland edges. Bee Balm has showy, red, pink, or lilac flowers in large heads or whorls of about 20-50 flowers at the top of the branching stem. It grows to 3-4 feet.

It was discovered in Oswego, New York, which is named after the Otsego Native American tribe that lived in the area. They brewed bee balm tea. The American colonists learned of this tea and would drink it in place of black tea during the period of the Boston Tea Party.

Bee balm was recognized by the Native Americans for it's medicinal properties. And, soon, of course, the colonists valued it as a curative. Today, bee balm leaves, flowers and stems are used in alternative medicine as an antiseptic, diuretic and stimulant. An infusion is used internally in the treatment of colds, catarrh, headaches, and gastric disorders, to reduce low fevers and soothe sore throat, to relieve flatulence, nausea, menstrual pain, and insomnia. Steam inhalation of the plant can be used for sore throat. It can be used externally in the treatment of skin infections. (I'm not a doctor so if you are interested in herbal remedies please find yourself a practitioner of Naturothopy.)

Bee balm is an herb worth growing, which by the way is quite easy. It isn't' fussy. Bee balm will grow in many different soils and light conditions. But, it does best in a sunny location or part day shade, in soil that holds moisture well.

Go out and buy yourself a bee balm plant. You'll love it for it's versatility. It is aromatic, medicinal, ornamental and a delightful addition to your culinary herb "cabinet".

Mousse Sightings

I love mousse. My family loves mousse. And, once in a while we have a mousse sighting. I don't make it often, which makes it even more of a treat. I have three men and they all have different tastes. How do you please all three? Well, you make three different kinds of mousse, of course. Good thing I'm not picky. I'll eat anyone of the three!

One of the cookbooks that I continually return to is The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard. I find her recipes true and reliable. All three mousse variations come from her book. I simply added pureed raspberries and a little Chambord to the dark chocolate. The milk chocolate was left pure and the white chocolate had orange zest plus Gran Marnier added to it.

If you'd like these recipes I'd be more than happy to post. Please let me know in the comment section.

Peanut Cookies and a Special Fortune Cookie

My boys and I made these traditional Chinese New Year Peanut Cookies on the Chinese New Year, but I've been so busy that I am just now posting about them. We have made them a couple times since the New Year because of their melt-in-your-mouth quality. I found this recipe at A Table For Two. The only thing that I did differently was the addition of demerara sugar sprinkled on the cookie after I coated it with egg white. Warning...these go down too smoothly and having one too many is a distinct possibility.

I received this adorable fortune cookie in the mail. It was a gift sent to me by Michelle, at Cicada Studio. As you might already know, she has been my friend for 35 years (wow!). She has always been so supportive of me and lately, she knows I need it more than ever. I am so grateful to have her in my life. This cookie is porcelain and does not open to show an actual fortune, but I don't need one. I already know what it would say: "You have been blessed with a dear friend."

Angelica

Angelica picture found on Wikipedia

Wow. Can't believe another Monday has rolled around. I have three baked items ready to go for post, but since it is Herb It Up Monday again I will write about a very little known about, herb: Angelica.

Angelica is native to temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, reaching as far North as Iceland and Lapland. It resembles celery and has a similar, but stronger, smell. It is rather tall for an herb and can grow between 6 and 8 inches in height. Angelica is sometimes called Wild Celery. It grows near the sea and streams, in marshes, swamps and other very moist areas.

Angelica has found its ways into folk lore with stories of magical healing powers. It was supposed to act as a deterrent to evil spirits and it was made into "Carmelite Water", which was taken to ward off the poisons and spells of witches.

One legend tells of a monk,who during the great plague in Europe, was visited by an angel. The angel told him that angelica could cure the plague. The "cure" was a mixture of nutmeg, treacle, and angelica water. This was to be taken twice a day. Over the centuries angelica found its way into many "medicines". Today it is used to treat digestive and bronchial problems. My Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor so if you are interested in herbal remedies please find yourself a practitioner of Naturothopy.

The common variety used for culinary purposes is called garden angelica or simply angelica. It has a sweet and hardy flavor, like strong celery, that is favored by those who like licorice.

Fresh angelica leaves can be added to salads, soups (both sweet and savory), fish and meat dishes. Add to sour fruit to neutralize acidity. Dried and ground leaves can be added to desserts and pastries. You can also use the dried, ground root, which has a stronger flavor than the leaves. Use it to season breads, cakes, muffins and cookies. I've even read that the roots are used to make bread in Norway. I need to do more research about that because it sounds very interesting.

The stems, however, are the most prized part of angelica. The stems are sugared and colored and used extensively in decorating cakes and desserts. In Iceland the stems and roots are eaten raw with butter. The root and seeds are used to flavor Benedictine and Chartreuse. Angelica is also used to flavor certain brands of gin and vermouth.

This herb is not a normal, household herb in North America. Not once have I been offered an angelica cookie. It is easy to see why it has fallen through the cracks as anise has out shined it in this country. Ask any foodie if they have heard of anise and they will say, of course. Ask them about angelica and you may get a quizzical look. Give angelica a try: Add it to your garden as it is a beautiful herb or look for it at specialty shops or online.

UPDATE: Here is more information about appearance and cultivation.

• Angelica has purplish stems and tiny white/greenish flowers that form small globes, forming a larger "globe" on one stem.
• Angelica likes moist areas. The best way to grow is by seed. DO NOT cover the seeds when sowing. They need light to germinate. Plant in a seed bed (One of those little plastic greenhouses is ideal. They are covered, so retain moisture, important because the seed is exposed, not covered in dirt.)
• When the seedling has 4-6 leaves it can be transplanted to the permanent garden, which must be moist, yet have well drained soil and is partially shaded. It also prefers fertile, slightly acidic soil.
• Angelica dies after flowering and producing one crop of seeds. Flowering and seed production occur in the 2nd or 3rd year. It is self-sowing.
• Harvest roots in the fall of the first year. Harvest stems and leaves in the spring of the second year and seeds when they are ripe.

Avon Walk

Dear Friends,

Recently I was asked to join a friend for the Avon Walk. I immediately said, "Sure!!" My son's violin teacher was diagnosed this fall and is now undergoing chemotherapy. She continues to teach and is remarkably strong. I am walking as a way to show my support and to honor her strength and courage.

I am reaching out to you for help. Please support this cause by donating. Simply go to My Personal Page and click the Donate Now button. It is that easy.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Camille

Cardamon

Picture found on Wikipedia.

I thought that Mondays would be the day for my Spice and Herb posts since Mondays can use all the flavor they can get. Before I get into the first item, let me clarify the meaning of spice and herb.

I looked for the definitions on Websters Online, figuring they would provide good definitions and because I didn't feel like getting off my rear and lugging out the big ol' red Websters dictionary.


Spice (noun)
1. Aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative.
2. Any of a variety of pungent aromatic vegetable substances used for flavoring food.
3. The property of being seasoned with spice and so highly flavored.

Spice (verb)
1. Make more interesting or flavorful, either in the literal or in a metaphorical sense
2. Add herbs or spices to.

Herb (noun)
1. A plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests.
2. Aromatic potherb used in cookery for its savory qualities.

Herb (verb)
Sorry, no "herbing" will be allowed. Not an action word. However the word "herb" is a capitonym, meaning it has a different meaning when it is capitalized. Kind of like Polish (as in making good paczki) and polish (as in the reason why I don't ever want real silverware). So, when you write a recipe and use the word "herb", unless it is at the beginning of a sentence, no capitalization. Of course, if you want to add an"illustrious warrior" to your meal, because Herb is short for Herbert which is old Germanic for "illustrious warrior" then write it with a capital "H".

This whole spice/herb thing can become a dangerous venture for me. Once I start researching I just keep going and going. I'm like a little kid, hopping from rock to rock, just following my whims. Some days I may have to real myself in...like now.


OK, so I was going to start with the letter "a" and do this whole spice and herb education logically, but that just wouldn't be very Pisces of me. So, I'm starting with one that Michelle, at Cicada Studio, suggested:

Cardamon:

Basic Information: Cardamom is an herb and comes from the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial and is difficult to grow, which is why it is expensive. It is native to East India and is a key ingredient in curry powder. It is used around the world from Scandinavia to the Middle East to Africa to America.

Medicinal Information: At one time it was used for medicinal purpose and because it is in the ginger family, like cinnamon and ginger itself, it shares the elements that make all these herbs stimulants. Chewing on the leaves was said freshen breath, help with indigestion and, get this, relieve gas. (You can now throw out your Beano and buy some cardamon instead.) But, I'm not a doctor so if you are interested in herbal remedies please find yourself a practitioner of Naturothopy. This disclaimer will be found in all future posts.

Culinary Information: Cardamon is said to have a lighter ginger flavor. For a more detailed description I'll refer to all recipes: cardamon has a grapefruit-like, floral, soapy flavor containing some green/woody notes. It has a menthol undertone and is similar to ginger.

It, like ginger, can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. It goes well with sweet potatoes, pastries, duck, pork, coffee, just to name a few items. It also blends well with coriander seed and cumin. There are three different types of Cardamon: green, white and black


Green cardamom is preferred in India. This kind of cardamom has been picked while still immature and sun dried to preserve its bright green color. Green cardamom pods are harder to find and more expensive. They retain aroma and flavor longer. This premium form of cardamom is the best form to use.


White Cardamom can be found in the United States and Europe that has been bleached. What is it with us...bleached sugar, flour, blonde's...when will the bleaching end?! It is often used in baking and some desserts because its color helps keeps light colored desserts, well, light. I for one don't mind a little color. I'll have cardamon, hold the bleach please.

Black cardamom comes from the seeds of closely related herb, but is not a good substitute for the real thing. It is an ingredient used in some African cooking.


For a wide variety of recipes using cardamon click here for a list at epicurean.com.