Aloha

Today will not be helping my Hawaii addiction.  Started the day with a text from a friend about seeing Aloha - the new B Cooper movie.  Have no idea what the plot is but it's B Cooper in Hawaii so sign me up.

So after I reserved my tickets online, I brewed some Lion Coffee (the best on the planet) and after reading the reviews online this blog post has done a 90 degree turn from a movie review to a banana bread recipe.

You see, every time I head over to the Islands I grab a big o slice of banana bread.  It just tastes better there - altitude, water, local produce .... I have no idea why but it just does.  On my last trip my bestie grabbed a cookbook by Sam Choy and I used the Mango Bread recipe and tweaked it a bit.   I'm sure the mango bread is great but due to a bit of a mango allergy I'll take their word.  

Here's the original recipe ... And at the end I'll add my adaptation. 

Mango Bread from Sam Choy's Little Hawaiian Cookbook for Big Appetites 

2 C Flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

3 eggs, well beaten

3/4 C canola oil

1 1/2 C sugar

2 C pealed and diced mango* 

1/2 C Raisins **

1/2 C chopped macadamia nuts or walnuts ***

1/2 C grated coconuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 2 9 by 5 inch loaf pans.  Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a lg mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, mango, raisins, nuts, and coconut; combine with dry ingredients and blend well.  Pour into loaf pans and bake until tests done, 45 to 60 minutes.

My adaptation

* 2 very ripe bananas mashed

** Omitted Raisins

*** Used Pecans

BBQ's ... AKA ... Another excuse to make something fancy.

Kind of excited.  Have my first Summer BBQ tonight and I've decided to bake a Lemon Chiffon Cake with fresh Blueberries.  Ohhh, fancy.  A few weeks ago I took a Vintage Cake Class at the San Diego Sur la Table - best idea ever!  We made 2 cakes - Caramel Cake with Brown Butter Icing ( also makes a good "self pity cake" and a Lemon Chiffon cake.  I've attempted the chiffon cake in the past but the results were very, well not good.  After making the caramel cake a few times I'm ready to try this on my own.

How it turned out? Amazing!  

Recipe from Sur La Table Vintage Cakes Class

Lucious Lemon Chiffon Cake

For Cake: 

7 eggs - separated

1 teaspoon lemon juice ( I used 1/2 teaspoon cream of Tartar)

1 c sugar, 1/2 c sugar (1 1/2 c total)

2 c flour - all purpose

2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 c vegetable oil

3/4 c whole milk (I used half and half)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon oil (I used lemon extract)

For Frosting:

1 pint heavy whipping cream (1 needed 24 oz)

1 tablespoon lemon zest (used 1 1/2 tablespoon)

1/2 c sugar (I used 3/4 c)

2 pints fresh berries

To prepare cakes:

Preheat to 325

Separate eggs carefully, even a small amount of yolk in whites will prevent them from beating properly

In lg mixing bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar or lemon juice until foamy.  Add 1/2 c sugar and continue to beat to stiff and glossy.  Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk 1 c sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.  

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks, oil, milk, and flavorings.   Add dry ingredients and beat til well blended - about 2 minutes using a stand mixer or longer with a hand mixer.

Gently fold whites into mixture using a wire whip.  Be sure to scrape the bottom of bowl so the batter is well blended.   Pour batter into ungreased pans.  

Bake as follows:

2 10 inch pans - bake at 325 for 50 minutes, then 10 more at 350

2 9 inch pans - bake at 325 for 40 minutes, then 10 more at 350

Angel Food Pan - bake at 325 for 50 minutes, then 10 more at 350

Don't open the oven during the first 45 minutes of baking, the cake will rise above the pan, and then settle back almost even.  It's done when a finger pressed in the middle doesn't leave a print, and you can hear a crackling sound if you listen carefully.  Cool the cake upside down for 30 minutes before removing from the pan.  If you've used a tube pan, set it stop a thin-necked bottle, threading the bottle neck through the hole in the tube.  

To prepare frosting

While cake cools, in a medium bowl, or stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whip cream, zest and sugar until medium peaks.

To assemble cake 

Once cool, remove cakes from pans and torte the cakes into 2 layers.  Place 1 cake layer on bottom of plate spread 1/4 frosting and add 1/4 berries.  Add next layer of cake ... Repeat until all 4 layers are done.  The sides of cake are left bare.

Daydreaming... Of Haupia Pie.

A few months ago I escaped the Mainland and headed to Hawaii for a few days.  Ever since I have had a silly dream to pack up head over to a deserted island and open my own bakery.   Fully knowing the pipedream this is I still can't stop thinking of the sweet treasures I found on the islands.  

Malasadas.  Mac Nut Pie.  Haupia Pie.  Taro Pie.

Before this trip I started making my own Haupia Pies but wanted the real thing!   We visited Ted's Bakery on the North Shore.   Creamy Whip Cream then Coconut then Chocolate!  Amazeballs.  I feel that the mainland should have the opportunity to experience the experience as well ... So world, so after doing some research I found the closest thing ... From Hawaii Magazine:

Chocolate Haupia Pie

Ingredients:

1 9-in. unbaked pie crust
1 cup milk
1 can coconut milk (14 oz.)
1 tbsp. coconut extract
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup cornstarch
7/8 cup chocolate (Dutch chocolate, or any chocolate with high cocoa butter content)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Bake crust for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

3. In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, coconut milk, coconut extract and 1 cup sugar.

4. In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water.

5. After bringing coconut milk mixture to a boil, reduce to simmer and slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Continue stirring over low heat until thickened—about three minutes. Divide evenly into two bowls.

6. In another bowl, microwave chocolate until melted.

7. Mix chocolate into one of the bowls of coconut pudding, then pour mixture into the pie crust, spread and let sit.

8. Pour the remaining bowl of coconut pudding on top of the chocolate-coconut pudding mixture and spread smooth being careful nut to mix the two layers. Refrigerate the pie for an hour or more.

9. Whip the heavy cream with 1/4 cup of sugar until stiff. Layer the whipped cream on the pie surface. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/blogs/hawaii_today/2009/8/5/chocolate_haupia_pie_recipe

Embroidered Wood Baby Sign

A few months ago I made a little sign for my cousin and his girlfriend who were expecting a little girl.  I was so excited to be able to contribute to their little girl's room.  This was the easiest project and no one else at the shower had anything like it.

1. I went to Lowe's and select a piece of wood - any size that works for your pattern.   For me - I got a single piece and asked them to cut the piece to 3.   If preferred, craft and hobby stores also have pre-cut and sanded pieces.
2. I printed out the name "Ella Rose" in the font and size I liked.  In this case, it was League Script in 250pt.  Once printed, center and tape to board.   
3. Use an awl to score the board - I placed dots evenly throughout the name.
4. I used a Dremel to drill wholes through the board.
5. Stain the board to the color desired.  Let dry.
6. Embroider the board using 6 strains of embroidery floss.
7. Drill holes to hang sign... Add ribbon.  

And, it's done!  And it was right in time for the little lady's arrival!

Double Mint Cake Balls

Earlier this week I got a text from a friend who was having a pretty crummy week.  We went to Disneyland last weekend and she kept talking about Cake Pops.  Being an English Major in college I'm not great at math but I think the following formula is correct:

Friend having Crummy week + Friend talking about Cake Pops - Not having any Pop Sticks =

Cake Balls

So I had a few items around the house and I thought I'd take a try at making a new treat.  I got the basic idea from my friend and "winged it".

What did I do?  Gathered some ingredients I had around the house.

Cake:  Made a Devil's Food cake (per instructions on the box), then crumbled it into a bowl.   Mix 1/2 container of frosting with 1 tsp pure peppermint oil.  Combine with cake crumbles ... mold into balls.  Set in fridge.

Coating:  I made 2 sets of coatings.  I had a bag of Mint Chips - only problem 1/2 is green ... 1/2 is chocolate brown.  Yes, I separated an entire bag of chips - in the green coating batch - green mint chips & white chocolate chips.  The chocolate brown chips were the brown chips and some 1/2 & 1/2 to make it more melty.

Here's the final product:  Double Mint Cake Balls.  And they are quite tasty.

Happy National Pie Day!

Thought I'd take a cupcake break to celebrate National Pie Day!  I had recently bought a Nordic Ware 5-Inch Pot Pie Toaster Oven Pan.  I don't have a toaster oven or do I make Pot Pies on a regular basis, but, as a single lady with a roommate I am always looking for a way to make smaller portions.  The last thing we need is a large pie sitting around the house - plus, 5 day old pie is not so tasty.  I guess the point of the ranting ... This is a wonderful size for a small pie ... 4 servings.

I had visited Sprouts and bought some apples and had some blueberries so naturally I had to make a pie ... for goodness sakes - it's a national holiday.  So, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday - Don't feel bad ... I didn't get it off either.

Lemon Cupcake with Coconut Cream Cheese Icing

Week 3:  Today was a rainy 55 degrees today ... And, naturally I thought of doing a spring-y type cupcake.  I know ... Winter in SoCal really can't be called Winter.  I decided my biggest challenge to day has been a cream cheese icing.  I made a Hummingbird Cake for Christmas and the icing had bigger chunks of cream cheese ... that was not going to happen today.   

Last week I made a few adjustments to the KitchenAid and the results have improved.  The blades of the mixer were not reaching the bottom of the bowl.  Who knew such a small adjustment can make such a difference.

This week's cupcake again is more about the icing than the cake.  I got a lemon cake mix from the store and went to town on the Internet to find a good icing recipe.  I found one and I really liked it!   I halfed the recipe and it made enough for the 20 cupcakes plus I could probably ice another 6-8.

Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting:  Food & Wine Magazine

This is the half version I used:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 8-oz package Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup powered sugar

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese at high speed until light, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then the confectioners' sugar; beat at low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.   Add icing to each cupcake ... put coconut on top.  Eat!