Milk And Cookies

SSS-TinyFoodParty11The perfect ending to a perfect tea party. But if we’re being completely honest here, with ten courses to fill, we served two desserts! The other was a tiny cheesecake bite made by Amy’s mother-in-law, Elena. And, since no tea party would be complete without tea, we paired the cheesecakes with herbal goodness served in vintage tea cups that guests took home as part of their gift.

Coming up with the “sweet” part of this party was by far the easiest. Tiny desserts have been popular for quite some time. You name it, it’s been miniaturized: cupcakes, tarts, brownies and ice cream sandwiches. There are even special kitchen appliances, tins, pans and tools designed to make and decorate these little bites.

As I considered all the options, I kept coming back to an image I found of milk and cookies … in mini form. The tiny milk bottles served with bite sized chocolate chip cookies were totally adorable. Plus, cookies are super easy to make bite-sized. Simply pick your poison -– shortbread, gingerbread, chocolate chip, Macadamia nut, oatmeal –- and put smaller chunks of dough on the baking sheets. Of course, the cooking time will decrease significantly, so check them often while baking.

The hardest part was finding the tiny milk bottles! Now the question is what to do with them post-shower, which was anyone’s guess. I have them boxed up in my basement with visions of future birthday parties and events … perhaps with tiny hands holding them. Someday!

Chocolate Chippers

There are a couple of secrets to these cookies that, which I picked up from the NY Times article, “Perfection? Hint: It’s Warm and Has a Secret.” First, chill your cookie dough for at least 24 hours. This ensures the egg is absorbed into the rest of the ingredients. Second, sprinkle with salt! Nothing beats that sweet and salty combo on the tongue.

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flourSSS-TinyFoodParty20
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate chips, at least 60% cacao content
sea salt (I use pink Himalayan)

Combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with a whisk, fork, or, for a fine consistency, a sifter.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together (regular beaters or manual labor work, too!), about five minutes. Add eggs one at a time and mix until well combined. Add in the vanilla.

Drop the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined. Careful! The dry ingredients tend to fly out of the mixer. I put a kitchen towel around the opening for a few seconds as it mixes. Cover and chill the dough for 24-72 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out little balls of dough, sprinkle with the sea salt and bake for about 10 minutes. Watch the cookies — depending on the size, you may need less or more time. Bake to your liking: If you want them on the raw, gooey side: less time. Crispy and darker? More time.

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Posted in Sweet

Ice, Ice Kiwi Cream Baby

SSS-08292014-KiwiIceCream5What’s more cooling and refreshing than ice cream during these last hot summer days? Kiwi ice cream, that’s what!

My ice cream cravings tend to nudge me toward vanilla, peanut butter, chocolate and pretty much anything with bits of cookie, brownies and candy bars. Fruit? Not so much. But I love kiwi, and when looking for something sweet that had innate cooling properties … well, the combo seemed a no-brainer.

Even though kiwis are pretty common, they still have an exotic feeling for me. I tend not to indulge in them very often. I have no real reason for this. After all, I love fuzzy things – like peaches!

Anyway, it turns out we should all be eating more kiwi! Among other things, these little guys are packed full of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E and a bunch of other DNA-protecting, skin-regenerating and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Sounds like the perfect treat after days spent in the sun and sand.

Ice cream-making may seem intimidating, but with the right equipment, this recipe is quite easy. If you recall, I have a bit of an obsession with my stand mixer and barely-used attachments, so I hadn’t used myKitchenAid ice cream maker bowl in quite a long time — but it all came back to me.

Basics for ice cream making? Eggs, cream, sugar and whatever fun flavoring you choose. I dug out a basic Ben & Jerry’s ice cream recipe, and found additional inspiration from a recipe for kiwi fruit ice cream that I found online.

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Fluffy and puffy ice cream, done and ready to eat.

One thing to note: After I made my batch and sat down to write this, I ran across a food blogger who did the very same thing. However, she adjusted her recipe to account for the bitterness of the kiwi. Apparently, when combined with dairy, kiwi can create a bitter flavor and a viscous texture. An article the blogger referenced had a more scientific explanation: Essentially, there’s an enzyme in kiwi fruit that breaks down milk proteins. The blogger counteracted that bitterness by blanching the kiwis in boiling water for 60 to 90 seconds, stirring occasionally.

Needless to say, without that intel before I started working, my ice cream was a tad bitter, and definitely not as sweet as I’d like it — but it was still good!

This was a real treat to make. It had a beautiful pale green color, with specs of kiwi seeds strewn throughout. While the full-fat cream made it ridiculously decadent, I would get an occasional bite of frozen kiwi where a thicker bit of the fruit mash hadn’t quite incorporated. And it’s been pretty awesome to cap off our evenings by reaching into the freezer and pulling out homemade ice cream.

Kiwis are just the cherry on top.

Kiwi Ice Cream

There are several secrets to making great ice cream at home. When possible, ensure your ingredients are all as chilled as possible. If you mix everything up and need a moment before adding it into the ice cream maker, just place it in the fridge. Also, if you’re using the KitchenAid ice cream bowl attachment, be sure it has been in the freezer for at least 15 hours. And when in doubt, for a creamier texture, choose a cream higher in fat.

I used the basic ice cream recipe found in the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Recipe book, adapted with the addition of kiwi fruit.

6 ripe kiwis
2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups heavy or whipping cream

In a bowl, peel, slice and mash kiwi fruit. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, mixing till well combined. Refrigerate for at least one hour. I let it sit overnight covered in my fridge.

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Peeled and cut kiwi ready to be mashed.

Whisk the eggs till very light and fluffy, about two minutes or so. Wisk in 1 cup sugar, adding a little at a time, until well combined. Add cream, again whisking until fully incorporated. Stir in the mash/mixture of kiwi.

After assembling the ice cream maker, pour the mixture in and commence with ice cream making, according to the instructions for your appliance. In the case of the KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment, turn the mixer onto the “stir” setting and let mix for 20 to 30 minutes. After about 15 minutes you should notice that the ice cream will begin to puff up, almost overflowing the bowl. It’ll be done when fluffy and reaches a texture to your liking.

Transfer to bowls for enjoying right away, or to freezer-safe containers. I froze mine overnight to allow it to harden further.

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Posted in Sweet

One Potato, Two

Photo credit: Devika_smile via Flickr

Sweet and vegetables? Oh, YES!! And the first thing that came to mind was sweet potatoes. Again, the biggest problem with this challenge was picking just one thing. So I did the only natural thing I could think of: I picked two.

The first sweet potato recipe was interesting because I don’t really have much experience with mung beans, let alone mung bean sprouts. But I do love sprouts, and then there was the maple syrup. And molasses. Those flavors just scream holidays to me, so paired with the delicate, earthy, natural sweetness of sweet potatoes … ’twas a complete no-brainer for me to pick these Sweet Potato Canapes with Home-made Barbecue Mung Bean Sprouts.

The other sweet selection pairs that lovely orange root veggie with another love of mine: miso. I adore the subtle nuttiness of this traditional Japanese seasoning, and these Miso Sweet Potato Bites conjure another Japanese word: Umami.

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photo credit to Aaron Otis Photography 2014


July
Watermelon is the perfect summer food. It hydrates, it cools, it's sweet and juicy. We have some great ideas for your table, including a salad, ceviche cups, popsicles and cocktails. Get ready to beat the heat with us!