Chocolate raspberry waffles

1 3/4 cups cake flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
3 tablespoons shortening

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine egg yolks and milk; stir into dry ingredients. In a double boiler or microwave, melt the chocolate and shortening. Add to batter; mix well. In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into the batter. Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions until browned.

Coconut lamb curry with potatoes and cauliflower

4 medium new red potatoes, cut into 1/2 -inch dice
1/4 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets (2 cups)
1 1/2 pounds lamb rib chops
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 medium jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Madras curry powder

1/2 tablespoon garam masala
3/4 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup dried currants
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 

 

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cauliflower and cook until just tender, about 7 minutes. Drain.
Using a boning knife, trim off excess fat and scrape the lamb off the bones. Cut the meat into 3-by-1-by-1/4-inch strips. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large, straight-sided, nonreactive skillet. Add half of the lamb in a single layer and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and crusty, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining lamb and 1 more teaspoon oil.
Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in the skillet. Add the onions, jalapeños and garlic and sauté over moderately high heat until just softened, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and cauliflower and sauté until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetables to the lamb.
Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the skillet. Add the curry powder and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits, and cook until reduced by two-thirds, about 3 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, heavy cream, currants and honey and simmer until slightly reduced and thickened, about 3 minutes.
Return the lamb, potatoes, cauliflower and any accumulated juices to the sauce and simmer until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Make Ahead The curry can be made up to 1 day ahead. Rewarm over low heat. Stir in the cilantro and serve. Serve With Basmati rice or naan.

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine

 

Spelt chocolate chip cookies

1/2 C. butter, softened
3/4C.  turbinado sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 C. spelt flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 C. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. In another large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture, stir well. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop on ungreased baking sheet by heaping teaspoonful and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until done. Cool on racks.

Gougères: French Cheese Puffs

1/2 cup (125ml) water
3 tablespoons (40g) butter, salted or unsalted, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
big pinch of chile powder, or a few turns of freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 cup (70g) flour
2 large eggs
12 chives, finely-minced (or 1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme)
3/4 cup (about 3 ounces, 90g) grated cheese, preferably Gruyere

Preheat the oven to 425F (220C.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Heat the water, butter, salt, and chile or pepper in a saucepan until the butter is melted.
Dump in the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture pulls away from the sides into a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let rest two minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring quickly to make sure the eggs don’t ‘cook.’ The batter will first appear lumpy, but after a minute or so, it will smooth out. (You can transfer the mixture to a bowl before adding to eggs to cool the dough, or do this step in a food processor or electric mixer, if you wish.)
Add about 3/4s of the grated cheese and the chives, and stir until well-mixed. Scrape the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a wide plain tip and pipe the dough into mounds, evenly-spaced apart, about a tablespoon size.. Top each puff with a bit of the remaining cheese, the pop the baking sheet in the oven.Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375F (190C) and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re completely golden brown.



Adapted from David Lebovitz

 

Vanilla bean coconut cake

Reduced coconut milk:
2 13-to 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk* (preferably organic)
Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature
Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature
Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted (for garnish)

For reduced coconut milk:
Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to medium-low; boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

For cake:
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8 or 9 in cake pans. Cut out parchment paper circles the size of each pan, butter and flour and place in the bottom of the pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in seeds from vanilla bean and remaining egg. Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Divide batter among cake pans. Bake until tops spring back when gently touched and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cakes from pans, peel off the parchment and cool completely on rack.

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, seeds from vanilla bean, and salt. Beat on medium-low speed until blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Using small offset spatula or a knife, frost first cake layer. Top with second layer, frost top and side of cake. Sprinkle with coconut.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious

Watermelon granita

1/2of a medium size seedless watermelon

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. vodka

Cut the flesh of the watermelon into 1/2 in size cubes.
Make sugar syrup:
Melt the sugar in a small pot with the water, then let cool. Puree watermelon with cooled syrup and vodka in a blender in batches, or with a stick blender. Pour into 9 x 13 glass pan, and freeze. Stir every 45 minutes until completely frozen.

Scrape with fork into serving dish.


Adapted from Initiales JB

Asparagus, feta and tomato pasta salad

1 bunch asparagus, cut into inch long pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
7 oz block feta cheese, cubed
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
8 oz bow-tie pasta
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper, according to taste

Steam asparagus, cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, mix cooked and cooled pasta, asparagus, tomatoes, feta, olive oil. Season to taste, add chopped basil. Chill in refrigerator for an hour.

Chocolate mini bundt cakes

For the cake
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 c sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 c whole milk
7 oz premium quality milk chocolate, melted and cooled

For the glaze
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tsp light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 6-mold mini Bundt pan.
Toss together the walnuts, cocoa powder and sugar for the swirl.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Beat butter and sugar on medium in a large bowl until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the egg and beat 1 minute more, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half the flour mixture, mixing only until its incorporated. Add the milk, and when it's blended into the batter add the remaining flour mixture, again mixing just until it's incorporated. Finally, add the melted chocolate and mix to blend.

Fill each of the mini Bundt molds with a little batter, then divide the swirl ingredients evenly among the molds and top off the Bundts with the remaining batter.
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the cakes to rest for 5 minutes, then invert them onto the rack and let them cool to room temperature.

To make the glaze:
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of water or in a microwave oven. stir in the corn syrup. Using a small offset metal spatula or a table knife, spread the shiny glaze over the tops of the Bundts.