Bobotie

“What’s that buzzing sound?”,  we asked each other within the first few minutes of the first football (soccer) match in World Cup action last month.  Not to be outdone by any other nation in WC history, the spirit of native South Africa rang through vuvuzelas – the long plastic instrument evocative of kudu horns used by tribal leaders to announce meetings.  The unmistakable droning sound led me to believe that a plague was imminent and the stadium was about to be attacked by a swarm of bees!   

Congratulations to the country of my childhood for setting the standard for other African nations.   The South African team of Bafana Bafana (“the boys” in Zulu) captivated the world by showing that they can compete on the world stage.  Troubling issues in the shadows of the state-of-the-art stadiums temporarily took a back seat as the world watched the biggest event in sporting history unfold for an entire month.   Who can forget Landon Donovan’s winning goal against Algeria, the drama behind Ghana’s painful loss to Uruguay in penalty kicks, and Puyol’s header that took Spain to the finals?

Sadly off-the-scale ticket prices made it impossible for many locals to attend.  Horrendous refereeing – particularly during USA vs. Slovenia - and the unpredictable Jabulani ball revealed the pros and cons of technology.  An extraordinary octopus named Paul predicted the outcome of all of Germany’s games and in the end favored team Spain walked off with the gold-plated trophy.

It was an interesting month for me because I had a connection to several participating countries:  Serbia because it is my birthplace;  USA because I am now a proud citizen; and South Africa because it provided my immigrant parents the freedom to succeed and therefore offered us kids a wonderful childhood.  I spent 16 of my formative years in South Africa, oblivious of the racial tension that would erupt after our emigration.  

My beautiful mother, Emilija with me (in the back) and my brother and sister, Božidar and Vesna on Durban beach

Because we rarely ‘ate out’ back then, we experienced new foods during family trips.  During our holidays in Durban, we stayed at the Killarney Hotel where there was a curry dish on the menu every day.  We fell in love with Indian food and were mesmerized by the brilliant spices at the Victoria Street Market.  We also enjoyed Bobotie, a definitive South African dish which is believed to have originated with the Cape Malay slaves.  Settlers, beginning with the Portuguese and followed by the Dutch, French, English and Indians, brought spices from their homelands and incorporated them into the local fare.  The Dutch East India Company managed trade between Europe and the Far East and brought many slaves to the Cape Province from Malaysia and Indonesia.  The addition of sweet components to meat dishes is common with the Malay.  In Bobotie (hear bobotie pronounciation) the egg custard sets the spicy, sweet meat, crunchy almonds and plump golden raisins.  It is typically finished with fresh sliced banana, grated coconut and eaten with chutney and yellow rice (plain basmati below). 

Bobotie adapted from African Cooking by Laurens van der Post

Serves 6

1 slice wheat bread, broken into small pieces

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds coarsely ground lamb, beef or a combination of both

1½ cups finely chopped onions

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/2 - 1 teaspoon spicy masala (I used a home made masala brought to me from India by a friend)

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 eggs

1 medium-sized tart apple, peeled, cored and finely grated

½ cup golden raisins

¼ cup almonds, coarsely chopped

4 small fresh lemon, orange, or bay leaves

To finish:  grated coconut, freshly sliced banana, chutney and basmati rice

Preheat the oven to 300º F.  Combine the bread and milk in a small bowl and let the bread soak for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a heavy 10- to 12-inch saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. When hot, add the ground meat and cook it, stirring constantly while breaking the meat up until the meat is completely cooked.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat into a deep bowl.

Discard all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from the saucepan and add the onions.  Stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent but not brown.   Add the curry powder, masala, sugar, salt and pepper, and stir for 1 or 2 minutes. Then stir in the lemon juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Pour the entire mixture on the meat.

Using your hands, squeeze the bread until the milk runs dry.  Reserve the drained milk.  Add the bread, 1 of the eggs, the apple, raisins, and almonds to the meat mixture.  Mix with both hands until the ingredients are well combined.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt, curry or masala if desired.   Transfer the meat mixture loosely into a 3-quart oven-proof dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Tuck the lemon, orange or bay leaves beneath the surface of the meat.

With a wire whisk or rotary beater, beat the remaining 2 eggs with the reserved milk for about 1 minute or until they are frothy.  Slowly pour the mixture over the meat.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is light golden brown.

Lemon leaves are tucked into the meat and the custard is poured over the mixture and baked  

   Serve hot with yellow rice, fresh banana slices, grated coconut and chutney of your choice

Prijatno!

Apple galettes with Vanilla bean goat’s milk ice cream and Blue Heron Farm cajeta

I have never met a goat cheese I didn’t like!  Who can resist the rich layered cake-like wonder that is Humboldt Fog, a perfect French crottin or the red wine-soaked Drunken Goat?   I’ll never forget my first taste of chèvre.  It was a young crottin, covered in chopped walnuts and then toasted so that the cheese was warmed through. It garnished a green salad at lunch years ago at the Château de Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley.  The setting: perfect, the chèvre: a revelation!

But I had never tasted fresh raw goat’s milk until recently.  It is marvelous!   While preparing for a dinner for our wine group, I visited Blue Heron Farm in Field Store Community near Waller, Texas.  Owners and artisans Lisa and Christian Seger were our special guests and provided their highly regarded chèvres for several items on the menu.  Expecting a gaminess beyond what my cow’s milk-trained palate could savor, I poured some over my granola for breakfast and was blown away by the mild sweetness and ever so subtle tang (which becomes more prominent when the milk is transformed into chèvre).  It was a delicious treat I enjoyed all week.  .

SPOILED GOATS, FRESH CHEESE exclaims the banner at the entrance to the Seger’s ten-acre property.  Forgoing quantity for quality, they have chosen the sweet-natured, long-eared Nubian goats that produce milk that is high in butterfat and mild in flavor.  It’s kidding season, and after meeting the adorable babies and their curious mamas, I left with a variety of creamy chèvres, cajeta (caramel) for dessert, and two quarts of freshly harvested goat’s milk.   The milk that I didn’t consume with breakfast I used to make a lovely Vanilla bean ice cream (recipe below). 

If you live in the Houston area you can find the Seger’s chèvre at several outdoor markets.  I suggest you reserve your portion…they are always the first to sell out!  You can also arrange for a tour and tasting at the farm. 

Our dessert was warm individual Apple galettes made by our friend Helen.  Vanilla bean goat’s milk ice cream and Blue Heron Farm cajeta were the perfect accompaniments.  If you have never tasted cajeta from Blue Heron Farm, I urge to do so!  It’s always fresh, all natural and contains no fillers.  It’s the perfect pouring consistency and I admit that I’m addicted to it!

Vanilla bean goat’s milk ice cream

Makes 1 1/2 quarts

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 pinches of salt

4 cups fresh raw goat’s milk (No guarantee that it will be good with commercially produced goat’s milk)

½ vanilla bean pod

2 eggs

Bring a little water (about ½”) to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler.  Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in the top bowl of a double boiler. Place on top of simmering water.  Slowly add goat’s milk, whisking continuously until the mixture is hot and thickens a little, about 20 minutes.

On a cutting board, split the vanilla bean pod in half lengthwise with a pointed knife.  With the sharp tip of the knife, scrape the vanilla seeds (caviar) out and add the bean pod and seeds to the milk mixture.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl until the yolks and whites are combined.  Ladle about ½ cup of the hot milk into the eggs and whisk together quickly to prevent them from curdling.   Add the eggs to the rest of the milk mixture and cook over the simmering water for an additional 5 minutes, but make sure that it doesn’t boil.

Cool milk custard in an ice water bath, stirring every few minutes.  Chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Strain the chilled custard through a sieve and discard the vanilla bean.  Freeze the custard by following the directions to your ice cream maker.

 

Apple galettes

Adapted from Susan Spungen’s Almond Berry Tart  from More magazine.  Makes 8 galettes.

Crust

½ cup sliced or slivered almonds

1½ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

¼ cup ice water

Filling

4 cups thinly sliced peeled, cored and quartered apples

½ lemon, juiced or 2 tablespoons

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the top

Sliced almonds

Coarse ‘crystal’ sugar or Turbinado sugar

To make the crust, combine the almonds, flour, salt and sugar in food processor.  Pulse to combine.  Add butter and pulse until the pieces are the size of peas.  With the machine running, quickly add the water.  Stop the machine just when the dough begins to come together.  Remove the dough and knead once or twice.  Shape into a disc and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a silpat.

In a medium bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Set aside.

On a well-floured surface, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.  Roll each piece with a rolling pin until it measures about 6 – 7 inches.   Pile sliced apples evenly on each piece of dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the border over the filling, leaving some of the apples exposed.  Brush the dough gently with cold water and then sprinkle with crystal sugar and sliced almonds.

Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 30 - 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving with goat’s milk ice cream and cajeta.

Prijatno!

The St. Patrick’s Day post, a week late!

Update: Please click on the 'comments' section at the end of this post for the recipe for Irish Whiskey Pound Cake.

Due to technical difficulties (ok, it’s blogger incompetence!), I was unable to post during our ski trip in Crested Butte. So here it is, a week late! The Irish Whiskey Pound Cake I made to celebrate the occasion is at the very end.

Top of the morning to you on St. Patrick’s Day! We are enjoying the beautiful slopes of Mount Crested Butte, Colorado. Because our blood is sub-tropic thin, we are fair weather skiers and March is the perfect time of year for us Texans to invade the quaint mountain villages of this awesome state!

Since this trip was very last minute in planning, and by then the price of plane tickets was way out of our reach, we did the second best thing: we chose to drive the 1,100 miles from Houston to Crested Butte, with an overnight stop in Trinidad, CO. Ten people, 2 SUV’s – believe it or not, it was a breeze!

Taking a break along the Arkansas River in Colorado

Delicate aspens grace the snow

We are very thankful and fortunate to be staying in the private home of Lois and Gerry Pate. The house is a short walk from the ski lifts and includes two large balconies with mountain views.

Teague and Mark enjoying a Linne Calodo 2006 Leona’s

The spacious dining area

And cozy fireplace

The kitchen is very well equipped – it even has a pastry cutter! We are cooking most of our meals with pleasure and ease: spaghetti Bolognese, migas, chili, fresh apple crumble, buttermilk pancakes, fettuccine Alfredo with grilled chicken, banana pudding, and pork chops with applesauce and succotash.

Check out the breathtaking view towards the small historic town of Crested Butte from the window

The house if very tastefully decorated. I love the detail in the backsplash.

It takes a lot of guts for a woman in her forties to take up snowboarding! It’s been a challenge, and a lot of fun for my sister, Vesna, to keep up with her family of snowboarders. There is more ksh, ksh, ksh and fewer bruises every year!

You have always been athletic and determined – stick with it sistuh!

When Emilia was about 10 years old, she came home from her first snowboarding lesson, sat down and drew a pie graph to describe her day. It went something like this: 60% on bum, 20% trying to get up, 10% on lift, 6% waiting for lift, and 4% snowboarding!

You’re quite accomplished now, my little Longhorn!

Alex’s ‘Mental’ cap makes it’s appearance every year!

Even though I had just finished breakfast, I couldn’t refuse the offer of hot chocolate and home-made biscotti at the top of the Silver Queen Express. “You could have said ‘No Thank You’, “ piped Vesna, at the sight of me dunking!

Who am I to refuse these two charming CB hosts?

Teague and Emilia watching the activity on the slopes

Jovan ‘owns’ the snowboard – he’s swift and graceful and the sight of his goggles and helmet prompted me to call him

Astroboarder!

These four daring young men ventured where the rest of us dare not!

Clear blue skies all week

Happy at the end of an excellent day on the mountain

Oh yeah…the recipe! Before we left home, I made an Irish Whiskey Pound Cake. Dried cherries, blueberries, pineapple pieces, cranberries and apricots are soaked in Irish whiskey. The Irish meaning of whiskey is ‘water of life’. I guess it explains how the Irish earned their ‘spirited’ reputation!

The zest of a lemon and toasted chopped almonds round off the flavors. The icing includes a generous helping of Bailey’s Irish Cream!

A slice of this dense and hearty cake is the perfect accompaniment to a strong cup of coffee. And it’s tasting better every day!

Until next time, here’s an Irish blessing for you:

May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.

Prijatno!

TWD Caramel Crunch Bars

Yes, they are tall!  Unlike the suggestion in the book, I chose to bake the dough in an 8 x 11 fluted tart pan – more dough in a smaller pan  =  a thicker base.  I wanted a taller bar to serve at a special event this coming Saturday. 

My mother is always particular about her bar and cookie presentations.  Her sitne kolače (small cakes) are individual, bite-size pieces served on rectangular crystal trays.  There is always a colorful variety on each tray, with cookies placed neatly in rows.  These will fit right in! 

Thanks to Whitney of What's left on the table? for choosing Caramel Crunch Bars from Dorie Greenspan’s book Baking from my home to yours.  Please check her site for the recipe and to see how other bakers fared during the process.

For the base I used Ghirardelli chocolate baking bars, 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate, which happen to be my favorite bars for snacking!  I added 1/3 cup toasted and chopped almonds to the dough for a nutty flavor.  The espresso powder and cinnamon intensifies the flavor of the chocolate.  I wouldn’t leave it out.  If you like seriously sweet desserts, this one is for you.  Serve these cut in small pieces!

Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips melted on top of a thick base:

Heath toffee bits sink into the warm pillow of chocolate:

This is a great basic recipe that I am going to experiment with.  Next time I plan to sprinkle toasted, slivered almonds on top instead of the toffee bits.  Hazelnuts would be divine with the chocolate…or how about Nutella… berries… jam… whipped cream…

Prijatno!

Shuna’s Shortbread and a Marathon

 

I seriously irritated my vocal chords yesterday whilst cheering for my friends during the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Half Marathon.  My neighbor, Alma brought cowbells (her husband, John and sixteen-year-old son, Joey ran), and together we rattled and yelled at the top of our voices as the brave runners went by.  You see, I’m the world’s best cheerleader when it comes to marathons and I have a lot of admiration for people who jog for fitness, but personally, I think there’s an element of craziness involved in running a marathon.  Seriously, how sane can you be if  you’re willing to torture your mind and body by pounding the pavement for 26.2 miles!  Alma lost count of the times I mentioned the word ‘crazy’ at around 30!

Now the half marathon I can handle with a combination of fast walking and light running.  My dear friend, Dorota finished the half marathon yesterday doing just that, and she seemed much less the worse for wear afterwards.  One of her favorite cookies is shortbread, and I baked a batch especially for her and the crazy (there I go again!) runners to enjoy on marathon day.  I’m sharing the recipe below.

Sincerely now, many cheers to my friends who ran and beat the heat (the temperature reached 70F).   It is quite an accomplishment.  I was very touched at the finish line watching Joey and John run side  by side, a blind young man with his leader, fathers lifting their kids and running to the end (I’m choking up as I write) and many participants limping and grimacing all the way.  I hope you have an easy recovery and I’ll definitely be there next year to cheer you on!

Now for the shortbread:  I have been eyeing Shuna Fish Lydon’s recipe for a while.  Ms. Lydon is an accomplished chef and baker and is presently working in London.  I was introduced to her work during a Daring Bakers Challenge and my results of her delicious Caramel Cake recipe are on another website.  I plan to re-publish the post here on my very own blog in the near future, so stay tuned if you have not seen it yet!

Back to the shortbread:  Ms. Lydon recommends the dough be frozen or refrigerated before being baked and to look for a cookie that is uniformly baked (the color will be the same throughout).

Shortbread Cookies (My minor changes are in parentheses)

- Makes a baker’s dozen (I was able to bake 24 cookies)

Ingredients

8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

4 1/2 ounces sugar (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon)

3/4 teaspoons kosher salt

Dash of vanilla extract

9 ounces all-purpose flour (I used 2 cups, a little more than 9 ounces)

2 teaspoons minced herbs (I didn’t add the herbs but I’ll try it next time)

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice; or 1/2 a vanilla bean, scraped; or 1 tablespoon finely ground toasted hazelnuts; or 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds (I added about 2 tablespoons toasted, ground almonds)

1. Cream butter until smooth, add sugar and salt and cream a bit further, but do not beat ferociously as you do not want to incorporate air. Mix in all additions, one at a time, and fold in the flour gently but well.

2. Wrap dough as a flat disc and refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. You may do any number of things with this shortbread. I like to roll it out (sheet) between two pieces of parchment so as to get an even cookie without adding any more flour, which will make this cookie tough. If you sheet the dough, you may use any shape cutter. Shortbread can also be re-sheeted this way until you have no more dough.

4. You may also roll it in a log and chill or freeze log, baking only what you need when inspiration strikes you. If you go the log route, you may want to roll log in raw or turbinado sugar and then slice. Slice rounds no thicker than 1/2 inch.

5. Preheat oven to 300°F or 150°C.

6. Place cookies on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.  If the bottom of your oven runs hot, double pan to ensure safety of your cookies. Set first timer for 15 minutes, at which time turn pan around to get an even bake. Set second timer for 8 to 12 minutes, but depending on your oven they may need a little more time.

7. With shortbread it is very important that a low and slow bake takes place and that the cookie is evenly dark golden. Color is flavor here. 

8. Shortbread will keep two days at room temperature, although they are best eaten the day they are baked.

The cookies passed the test of approval by all who savored them.  Buttery and rich, this recipe is a keeper!

Prijatno!

Tuesdays With Dorie!

French Pear Tart

As a regular listener of NPR, I was introduced to Dorie Greenspan and her love of baking a few years ago. She was very generous to share her prized recipes on the air, and I must have been the first to hit the website, print and bake. Her recipe for rugelach is still a favorite. Ms. Greenspan has since published her 9th cookbook, Baking: From my kitchen to yours, now my favorite source for sweet things! The book includes interesting anecdotes of Ms. Greenspan baking in a modest New York home when she was a young girl, to working with the likes of the highly esteemed Julia Child, Pierre Herme and Daniel Boulud!

My dearest, sweetest neighbor, Carolina, recommended I join Tuesdays with Dorie. It didn't take much coaxing and fortunately the group opened to new members recently. So here I am, a baker at heart, doing what I enjoy most - sharing my experiences from the book with you. And I'm sure the neighbors on our short cul-de-sac won't mind either!

Ms. Greenspan herself chose the recipe for this week: French Pear Tart, on page 368. Being somewhat of a Francophile, I was very pleased and pulled out my collection of tart pans (which recently doubled, thanks to my generous friend, Deb). I chose a rectangular one, as you can see!

The pastry was easy to make, baked beautifully and retained its shape. The filling was fluffy and delicious with the addition of finely ground almonds. The only problem I encountered was finding fresh pears. You see, I Iive in the burbs, and quality is sometimes suspect. My fresh pears turned to mush and were brown on the inside when I poached them. They were duly tossed! Fortunately, Ms. Greenspan also recommended canned pears (which the French most commonly use). I am not a fan of canned foods, but Del Monte came through in a pinch! The pears were firm enough to slice and baked up beautifully.

Ms. Greenspan recommends eating this tart the same day it is baked, but I'm saving it for a special occasion tomorrow where I will share it with my family and friends. And to you, I recommend you go out and buy the book now, and join in the fun! Bon Appetit and

Prijatno!

Not your traditional French Mother's Yule Log!

It goes without saying that the ultimate Christmas cake is the Buche de Noel, or French Yule Log. Traditionally it is a chocolate rolled cake (jellyroll style), filled with a rich buttercream and decorated with rich chocolate icing. This icing is ridged to resemble the bark of a tree. Leaves, berries and mushrooms (made of meringue) decorate the log. All in all, it is a beautiful and delicious presentation for the end of a holiday meal.

This month's Daring Baker's Challenge is a modern take on the Yule Log. It is a layered construction consisting of six (6) different 'elements'. They are, from top to bottom: Icing, Creme Brulee layer, Mousse, Praline Feuillete (Crisp), Ganache layer and Dacquiose. Our challenge was to include all six elements and have fun,fun,fun with the flavorings, shape and decoration.

Yes, it was fun because I enjoy a challenge every now and again, but this challenge called for major organization. When I first printed all 15 pages or so, I was overwhelmed. Of course, it being the holiday season added to my apprehension. I triple punched the sheets and awarded them their own three-ring binder. I put them away for 3 weeks, with only a casual glance now and then. When I was finally able to sit down and make some decisions about flavors, I felt like a college student studying for finals! Fortunately, a container of crystallized ginger, gingersnaps and a bag of almonds jumped out at me from the pantry and the decision was made: Ginger, Chocolate and Almond Yule Log. Having eliminated many of the flavor options included in the recipe, I felt my task would be a lot simpler to execute!

I baked over a four day span. On the first day I made the Almond Dacquoise and the Ginger Creme Brulee layer. On day two I made the Praline for the Feuillete, the actual Praline Feuillete Crisp, and the Dark Chocolate Ganache. On the third day, I made the Dark Chocolate Mousse and assembled the log with little trouble and froze it. On New Year's Eve, I poured the Dark Chocolate Icing on the log and decorated it with fresh cranberries and holly leaves.

The dessert was very well received by my wine group buddies. The ginger flavoring took front seat and blended very well with the dark chocolate. The texture was smooth and creamy, with a surprise crunch from the Feuillete Crisp. The host couple called on New Year's Day, asking where I had stashed the leftovers! Well, there were none, since it generously served 13 people.

This month's challenge is hosted by Hilda of Saffron & Blueberry (http://saffronandblueberry.blogspot.com/) and Marion of (Il en faut peu pour etre heureux (http://ilenfautpeupour.canalblog.com/). Thanks ladies for organizing this major challenge!

The author of the recipe is Flore of Florilège Gourmand . The recipe can be found on her website: http://plaisirgourmand.perso.cegetel.net/index.html. Bakers: check out her website! It is amazing and full of photographs, technique tips and recipes! It is one of my 'favorites' and will be a valuable source for me.

About the recipe:

The recipe (I should say recipes), as printed, is not for the faint at heart. Bless the French, but they don't write recipes the way we do here in the States. Ingredients are not listed in order of use and some important steps in the method are completely left out. For those of us who have experience baking, it was merely an inconvenience. I have corrected these problems below, so the steps should be a lot easier for anyone to follow.

First, I dug deep into the netherlands of my kitchen cabinets to find my Rehrucken Mold. Yes, it's Rehrucken, with an umlaut over the 'u'. I even had to 'Google it' to find its name! From whence it came to my kitchen I have no recollection, but I've had it for many years and have never used it. It is an Austrian creation typically used to bake a 'Saddle of Venison' Cake' (strange, but true). The mold is also called a Moravian Loaf Pan or simply a Ribbed Cake Pan. I thought it would be perfect to shape this confection. Of course, you can use any large loaf or 9 - 10 inch cake pan. This is what the Rehrucken pan looks like:

Ginger, Chocolate and Almond Yule Log

The recipes below include my comments and changes made to the original recipes.

Almond Dacquoise (Almond Cake)

Equipment: 2 mixing bowls, hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, baking pan such as a 10”x15” jelly-roll pan, parchment paper. This can be baked two days ahead and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap to keep fresh.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond meal (2.8 oz, 80g) I first toasted about 1/2 cup of raw almonds, then ground them and measured 1 cup of almond meal.

1/2 cup (50g, 1.75oz) caster (extra fine granulated) sugar

2Tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour

3 large egg whites

4 Tbsp (50g, 1.75oz) granulated sugar

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

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

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

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

5. 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). Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden. Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Ginger Crème Brulée Insert

Equipment: Small saucepan, mixing bowl, baking mold, wax paper
Note: The ginger crème brulée can be flavored differently by simply replacing the ginger with vanilla, cardamom, lavender, etc.

Ingredients:

1/2-cup (115g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

½ cup (115g) whole milk

2 teaspoons ginger juice

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks

0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

1. Heat the milk, cream, and gingers to just boiling. Remove from the stove and let the gingers infuse for about 1 hour.

2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).

3. Pour the ginger-infused milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well. Add vanilla essence.

4. Line your mold with aluminum foil, using a piece that is large enough to cover all sides without any edges at the bottom of the mold. Pour the cream into the mold and bake with a water bath at 210°F (100°C) for about 35 minutes to 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.

The most respected Tartelette (http://www.tartelette.blogspot.com/) 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 bath. Now...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.

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

Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Feuillete means layered (as in with leaves) so a Praline Feuillete is a Praline version of a delicate crisp.

The original recipe for the Praline Crisp lists Gavottes. Gavottes are crisp lace-thin crepes. They are not available in the US. I chose not to make them, and substituted ground gingersnaps, in keeping with my flavor.
I also made my own Almond Praline, based on the recipe in the July 2008 challenge. Here it is:

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup raw almonds, lightly toasted

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Butter parchment.

2. Put the sugar in a small, heavy pan. Heat on low flame for about 10 minutes until the sugar starts to melt around the edges. Do not stir. Swirl the pan if necessary to melt the sugar. Stir quickly if the sugar in the middle doesn't melt. Remove from heat when caramel in color and sugar is melted.

3. Quickly add the almonds and stir to coat. Pour onto parchment and spread into a single layer of almonds. Cool completely.

4. When praline is cold, break it up and place it in a processor. Process until it's a fine powder.

Ingredients for the Praline Feuillete:

3.5 oz (100g) semi-sweet chocolate

1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter

2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline powder

2.1oz (60g) gingersnaps, ground in processor

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.

2. Add the praline and the ground gingersnaps. 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.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert

Equipment: pan, whisk. 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. You can also cover the hardened Creme Brulee Insert with plastic wrap and pour the ganache over it. Re-freeze. You will get the correct shape for the ganache.

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

3/4 ounces crystallized ginger, finely chopped

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.

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. The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

5. Add ginger and stir.

Foreground: Creme Brulee Insert, Middleground: Feuillette Crisp, Background: Ganache Insert

Dark Chocolate Mousse

Here I encountered a problem with the sugar syrup (see picture below). I also whipped the remaining cream at the end before I added it to the chocolate mixture to create a mousse consistency.

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 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.

Ingredients:

.5 sheets gelatin or 5g / 2+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) semi-sweet chocolate chips

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

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).

3. 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.

The temperature of the sugar syrup rose very quickly after 243F. In fact, it jumped to 268F but I decided to use it regardless. This is what I got: lovely icicles on my whisk and the sides of the bowl. Pretty, but not what the doctor ordered!

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

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

6. 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 cream to temper. Add the Pate a Bombe.

7. Whip the rest of the cream and fold gently with a spatula into chocolate mixture.

Dark Chocolate Icing

I doubled the following recipe for the log. This is an amazing icing for cakes because it pours beautifully and freezes well. It also remains shiny and is easy to cut. I'll definately use it for bombes and other frozen cakes.

Equipment: Small bowl, small saucepan. Note: Because the icing jellifies quickly, you should make it at the last minute.

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

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, stirring constantly.

3. Add 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 jell), use immediately.

How To Assemble your French Yule Log:

THIS IS FOR UNMOLDING FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO RIGHT SIDE UP, AS I DID. You will want to tap your mold gently on the countertop after each time you pipe mousse in to get rid of any air bubbles.

Line your mold or pan, whatever its shape, with rhodoid (clear hard plastic, I usually use transparencies cut to the desired shape, it’s easier to find than cellulose acetate which is what rhodoid translates to in English) OR plastic film. Rhodoid will give you a smoother shape but you may have a hard time using it depending on the kind of mold you’re using. I lined my Rehrucken pan with plastic wrap.

Pipe one third of the Mousse component into the mold.

Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.

Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.

Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.

Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.

Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.

Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight edge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.

Close with the Dacquoise. Freeze until the next day.

So the order is (from first down in the mold):

1) Dark Chocolate Mousse

2) Crème Brulee Insert

3) Mousse again

4) Praline/Crisp Insert

5) Mousse

6) Ganache Insert

7) Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY...Unmold the log 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... I decorated my log with fresh cranberries and holly leaves.

Transfer to the refrigerator two to three hours before serving, so the frozen parts have a change to soften a little. Slice log into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Serves about 14.

Prijatno!