Strawberry Shortcake Cake

My friend Mary was turning 21, and wanted a Strawberry Shortcake Cake. I had never heard of such a cake, but loving strawberry shortcake, figured it would be hard to go wrong with that theme. As a busy college student, I cut a corner by using boxed yellow cake mix, but the key was the fresh whipped cream and strawberries.

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

1 box yellow cake mix, with eggs, oil, and water per instructions

1 quart strawberries

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1. Make cake according to box, pouring into two 9 inch round pans to make two layers.

2. After cakes are done cooking, cool for 2 hours or until completely cool.

3. Whip heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar until stiff. Feel free to use less or more sugar depending on how sweet your berries are and personal taste.

4. Wash, hull, and slice strawberries.

5. Place one layer of cake on tray. Cover with whipped cream. Place a layer of strawberries over the cream. Place the next layer of cake upside down over the strawberries. Spread remaining cream over top and sides of cake. Use remaining strawberries as garnish on top and sides of cake, and over bottom of tray to serve.

White and Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake with Caramelized White Chocolate

Adapted from 2 awesome recipes, and made for a school chocolate bakeoff (no I did not win, but it was still delicious, despite some mishaps with the caramelized white chocolate and a melting white mouse). I used a Payard recipe for a milk and dark chocolate mousse cake, including chocolate cake layers between the mousse, but substituted in white chocolate for the milk. I intended to caramelize the white chocolate following David Lebovitiz recipe, but the chocolate never left the crumbly, chalky phase, and thus I left it in the oven too long in the hopes that it might, leading it to take on more of a burnt caramel flavor rather than the sweet caramel I hoped for. Fearing that the burned flavor would be overwhelming in a mousse, I opted to substitute in regular white chocolate for the mousse, and use the caramelized white chocolate as a thin layer over the chocolate cake between mousse layers. It turned out well, though the caramelized white chocolate was mostly lost. I also didn't have a pastry ring in which to assembly the cake, and the springform pan worked fine for the bottom mousse layer, but the top one ended up melting over the edges, even after half an hour in the freezer, so next time I'd definitely do it in the suggested ring.

White and Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake with Caramelized White Chocolate

Chocolate Génoise:
3/4 plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
6 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

White and Dark Chocolate Mousses:
3 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Sugar Syrup:

1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar

Caramelized White Chocolate Layer:

12 oz. white chocolate, chopped into small pieces (higher cocoa butter percentage works better)

1/2 cup heavy cream

Make the chocolate génoise:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Dust the pan with cocoa powder and tap out the excess.

2. Whisk together the flour and cocoa powder in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Fill a pot one-third full with water and bring to a simmer. Combine the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer stand and, using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until the mixture triples in volume and forms a thick ribbon when the whisk is lifted, about 8 minutes. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture. Fold in the melted butter. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

4. Bake the cake for 20 to 25 minutes, until it has pulled away from the side of the pan and the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Unmold the cake on a rack and cool completely, right side up.

Make the caramelized white chocolate:

5. Preheat the oven to 250F.

6. Distribute the white chocolate on a rimmed baking sheet and heat for ten minutes.

7. Remove it from the oven and spread it with a clean, dry spatula.

8. Continue to cook for an additional 40-60 minutes, stirring at 10 minute intervals. At some points it may look lumpy and chalky, but keep stirring and it will smooth out and caramelize (or not, as in my case).

9. Cook until the white chocolate is deep-golden brown, and caramelized (or until it tastes caramelized, even if still lumpy).

10. If it's lumpy, scrape it into a bowl and smooth it out with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, and add up to 1/2 cup heavy cream to smooth it out and make it pourable.

Make the white and dark chocolate mousses:
11. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat 2 1/2 cups of the heavy cream to soft peaks. Scrape half of the whipped cream into a medium bowl. Cover both bowls and refrigerate.

12. Put the white and dark chocolate in two separate medium bowls. Bring the remaining 1 cup cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour 1/2 cup of the hot cream over the white chocolate and the remaining 1/2 cup over the bittersweet chocolate. Gently whisk the white chocolate until it is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk the dark chocolate until smooth.

13. Let the chocolate mixtures cool for 10 minutes. Fold the white chocolate mixture into one bowl of whipped cream. Fold the dark chocolate into the remaining whipped cream.

Make the sugar syrup:
14. Combine 1/4 cup (59 grams) water and the sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.

Assemble the cake:

15. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake horizontally in half. Cup a strip of parchment paper to line the inside of a 9x4-inch cake ring. Line the mold with the strip and place it on a serving plate. Place a 9-inch cardboard cake round in the bottom of the cake ring. Place the bottom cake round, cut side up, in the ring. Brush the cake generously with the sugar syrup. Spread 1/2 of the caramelized white chocolate over the cake. Scrape the dark chocolate mousse onto the cake and smooth it into an even layer. Top with the second cake round, cut side down. Brush the cake generously with syrup. Spread the rest of the caramelized white chocolate. Scrape the white chocolate mousse onto it, smoothing it into an even layer. Chill the cake for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

16. To unmold the cake, lift it off the plate, holding it with your palm against the cardboard round. Using a hairdryer or warm damp towel, briefly warm the cake ring mold. Lift off the ring mold and peel off the parchment strip. Allow the cake to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Honey Frozen Yogurt

I love my ice cream maker, so as soon as I got home from college and slept, the first thing I wanted to make was a new frozen yogurt. I had read a recipe a while back on 101 cookbooks for tangy frozen yogurt, and as a big fan of Berryline (Cambridge's version of Pinkberry) and Greek yogurt, I decided to try my hand at it. I love honey in my Greek yogurt, so I tweaked the recipe a little, replacing some of the sugar with honey (and the rest with Splenda - a small attempt to make it healthier). The result was delicious, though froze too hard in my freezer after churning...I guess I should have eaten it all when it was fresh :) It was also a little sweet, so I might cut the sweetener down a little next time.

Honey Frozen Yogurt

3 cups Greek yogurt (I used skim, but you could use whole for more creaminess)

scant 1/2 cup Splenda (I would use 1/4 cup next time)

scant 1/2 cup honey (I would use 1/3 cup next time)

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Pour into ice cream maker and churn until frozen. Enjoy!

Monkey Bread

"What is monkey bread?" you might ask. Oh...you're in for a treat. Monkey bread is little balls of dough, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and then baked with a caramel sauce so they end up gooey, sticky, delicious little nuggets. It's also really easy to make, and a great crowd pleaser for parties (if quite a mess).

Monkey Bread

1 can refrigerated biscuits

1.5 sticks (3/4 cup) butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cinnamon sugar (add about 2 tsp cinnamon to 1/4 cup white sugar)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut biscuit rounds into 6 pieces each and roll into balls in your hands. Toss balls with the cinnamon sugar (I put them in a ziplock bag, and then save the extra cinnamon sugar in it when I'm done).

3. Place the balls across the bottom of a bundt pan or 9x9 pan with pretty deep sides.

4. Melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat in a small saucepan, stirring until combined. Boil for one minute, then remove from heat and pour sauce over biscuits.

5. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the top is browned and biscuit dough is cooked. Let cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a plate and serving (it will be tempting to pick at it before it's cooled, but don't do it because the burned mouth and fingers make it harder to enjoy).

Summertime = Blog Time

I have been a failure of a blogger this past year, but I have been a busy cook. In addition to many birthday cakes and ice creams (using the lovely CuisineArt ice cream maker I was given last summer, and which is now one of my favorite kitchen devices next to my blowtorch), I also cooked for 2 big brunches, a holiday party, a class dinner, and about 6 dozen cookies every week this spring for weekly Tea and Cookies open house event. So I have many recipes to post.

The Brunch Menu:

Funfetti Cupcakes

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding

Vegetarian Frittatas

Fruit Salad

The dinner:

Baked Brie

Brown Butter Baked Salmon with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Mixed Greens with Goat Cheese, Roasted Pecans, and Dried Cherries

Lemon Sorbet in Half Lemons

Berry Creme Brulee

The cakes:

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

German Chocolate Cake

Dark and White Chocolate Mousse Cake with Caramelized White Chocolate

The ice creams:

Monkey Bread Ice Cream

Basic Chocolate Ice Cream

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Honey Frozen Yogurt

Brown Sugar Coconut (vegan)

Dark Chocolate Vegan Sorbet

The Cookies:

Classic Chocolate Chip

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal

Snickerdoodle

Peanut Butter Kiss
Vegan Chocolate Chip

Kitchen Sink/Momufuko Milk Bar

Chocolate Toffee (Kosher for Passover)

Dulce de Leche Brownies

Pumpkin Cake with White Chocolate

Other Deliciousness:

Monkey Bread

Freeform Berry Tart
Peanut Butter Pillows (vegan, but you would never know)

Grilled Veggie Spread

When it's too hot to cook, our family loves to grill. This is one of our favorite summer recipes, which can be enjoyed warm or cold, with vegetable scoops (carrots, asparagus, celery, etc) or homemade pita chips. It would probably be pretty good in place of hummus on veggie wraps or other such things. This recipe is very versatile and can be adapted to your tastes and what vegetables you have on hand.

Grilled Veggie Spread
6 small eggplants
3 large red bell peppers
3 large red onions
~10 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling (or olive oil spray)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat grill to about 400 degrees (medium-high temperature).
2. Wash eggplants, and cut into half inch slices (round or long strips). Wash peppers, remove stem and seeds, and slice into six to eight strips (about 1.5 inch wide). Peel onions and slice horizontally into half inch rounds.
3. Lay out eggplant, peppers, onions, and garlic, and spray with olive oil (or brush with a pastry brush if you don't have a spray) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip to other side, spray and season with salt and pepper.
4. Grill vegetables about 3 minutes per side, until they have dark grill marks, and are soft and cooked through (the times will vary somewhat for each vegetable and depending on the thickness of the slices).
5. Place vegetables in a food processor (in 2 batches if necessary). Add the tomato paste and pulse until chopped. Pour in olive oil to taste (and any additional seasoning) and continue blending to desired consistency (I like my dip pretty chunky, some prefer it smoother).

Makes approximately 3 cups.

Return from a long haitus...with Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I've been terrible about keeping up with this blog during the school year, but I am now back for the summer, hopefully with lots of exciting recipes that I will be making with friends in DC. For the next week I'm still at home, enjoying seeing my family and relaxing. Tomorrow (when it isn't raining), I'll post pictures of the garden my mom and I planted yesterday. For today, I've got chocolate chip cookies, one of my favorite recipes of all time, and the perfect thing for hungry brothers and a lazy rainy afternoon. They're so easy to make, and so much better than pre-made dough. Especially with Ghirardelli chocolate chips.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything with minor changes)













2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (or if salted butter, reduce the salt)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips


1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Use an electric mixer or wooden spoon to cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs and the vanilla, and beat until well blended.

3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the batter (it's better if you mix them together in another bowl first, but I always just add them together, with the baking soda and salt sprinkled over the flour). Stir to blend. Add the chocolate chips and mix in, but don't over-mix (note: I always reserve about a dozen chocolate chips to add to the batter before scooping the final dozen so the last cookies still have lots of chips in them).

4. Drop spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets and bake until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. I like my cookies gooey, so I take them out before they're fully cooked. Cool for 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes about 4 dozen.