Il Gelato in Rome

Back in 1999, Rome was the first European city that stole my heart.  Paris may have since replaced it, by I'll always have a special place for the Eternal City. Rome has its fair share of the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to gelaterias.  One of my favorite gelato places is the humbly-named Il Gelato, located just off Via di Monte D'Oro.  I first tried their gelato on a humid, late summer afternoon in 2012.  Just after we arrived in the pristine shop, a huge downpour deluged the cobbled streets of Rome. It couldn't have been better timing for my family and me. We took cover while sampling and purchasing many of the store's flavors. Because no one came into the shop during the storm, the friendly girl working there helpfully suggested her favorite flavors including celery. I sampled it and enjoyed the refreshing and crisp taste it left on my tongue.  Other unique flavors that day included habanero, ginger, and many cheese-infused flavors.  We also had a chance to have some of Il Gelato's delicious fresh-squeezed juice.  It may be a silly tourist attraction, but every time I'm in Rome, I throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain.  I've been pretty fortunate to have returned to Rome each time and I hope my next visit will include a return to Il Gelato as well.

Il Gelato is located at Largo Monte D'Oro 28 in Rome.

Cafe Verdi in Bruges

As soon as we arrived at our hotel in Bruges, we set out for waffles at our favorite place.  Sadly, they don't serve waffles anymore so we opted for tea at Cafe Verdi.  The interior decor has an old world feel, evoking an 19th century cafe.  We both enjoyed our mixed fruit and strawberry waffles generously topped with whipped cream.  The tea proved to be a nice dose of caffeine after our 10-hour flight to Paris and subsequent 2.5 hour train to Bruges.

Cafe Verdi is located at Vlamingstraat 5 in Bruges

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Happy New Year!  Every year, I always get a case of the January blues starting right around January 2nd.  I love the holiday season in December, the mad rush of parties, cookie-making, present shopping, and tree-decorating.  After New Year's Eve festivities, everything seems to come to a halt and we're forced to look a new year in the eye.  The weather is still dreary but this time we don't have the twinkle of Christmas lights to keep our spirits up.  That's when it's time for a pick-me-up citrus dessert that will whisk you away.  There are so many recipes out there for olive oil cakes and many of them are very good.  My favorite version is from Gourmet, however, because it doesn't stray too far in the ingredients and the simplicity of this dessert is what makes it special.  Good olive oil and the hint of citrus from the lemon make this cake undeniably moist and the perfect treat to accompany your tea.  It's just what the doctor ordered for the New Year blues.

Roasted Pineapple with Honey, Pistachios, and Crème Fraîche

After a whirlwind through Italy and New England, I'm back home.  While I get settled and prepare some new posts, I thought today we'd talk pineapple.  There's nothing quite like fresh pineapple.  I can still remember bringing back a whole one after a high school band trip in Hawaii.  So the last time I was at Trader Joe's, I decided to bypass the more convenient (and expensive) pre-cut pineapple for an entire fruit.  Cutting it wasn't as difficult as I anticipated- my sharp knife came in handy.  This dessert is indulgent, fresh, and simple.  It would make a great finale to a dinner party, because not only do the flavors impress, but the presentation isn't too shabby either.  I'm looking forward to making this for friends and family.  Recipe here.

Frozen Nectarine Yogurt Pie

You know what's better than pie in the summer?  A no-bake pie.  I found the recipe for a frozen nectarine yogurt pie on one of my favorite websites, The Kitchn.  Unfortunately, this was last winter and not only were nectarines not in season, but I was craving warm baked goods, not frozen desserts.  I mentally bookmarked the recipe and as soon as June swung into action, I bought a bag of fresh nectarines at my nearest grocery store.  This pie is even better than you could imagine (and boy did I daydream about it during those long winter months).  I envision making it throughout the summer--for dinner parties, birthdays, and backyard BBQs.  Apart from baking the graham cracker crust very briefly, this no-bake pie is the perfect dessert for a hot summer day.  You can find the recipe here at The Kitchn.  

Momofuku Cornflake-Chocolate-Chip-Marshmallow Cookies

 After what seemed like an eternity on the wait-list, the library finally notified me that Christina Tosi's milk cookbook was ready!  Although the grapefruit pie is the whole reason I got this book in the first place, I decided to start with something a little less daunting: these cookies.  The Cornflake Crunch is so addicting I had to remove myself from the situation.  Recipe below. 

Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

3 cups Cornflake Crunch (see below)

2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups mini marshmallows

Directions

1. Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of bowl, add the egg and vanilla, and beat for 7 to 8 minutes.  

2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute.  (Do not walk away from the machine during this step, or you will risk over-mixing the dough.)  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

3.  Still on low speed, paddle in the cornflake crunch and mini chocolate chips until they're incorporated, no more than 30 to 45 seconds.  Paddle in the mini marshmallows just until incorporated.

4.  Using a 2 3/4 ounce ounce cream scoop (or a 1/3 cup measure), portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan.  Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat.  Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least  1hour, or up to 1 week.  Do not bake your cookies from room temperature- they will not hold their shape.

5.  Heat the oven to 375 F.

6.  Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on parchment or Silpant-lined sheet pans.  Bake for 18 minutes.  The cookies will puff, crackle, and spread.  At the 19-minute mark, the cookies should be browned on the edges and just beginning to brown toward the center.  Leave them in the oven for an additional minute or so if they aren't and they still seem pale and doughy on the surface.

7.  Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or to an airtight container for storage.  At room temperature, the cookies will keep fresh for 5 days; in the freezer, they will keep for 1 month.

Cornflake Crunch Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 (12-ounce) box of cornflakes (5 cups)

1/2 cup milk powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

9 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1.  Heat the oven to 275 F.

2.  Pour the cornflakes in a medium bowl and crush them with your hands to one-quarter of their original size.  Add the milk powder, sugar, and salt and toss to mix.  Add the butter and toss to coat.  As you toss, the butter will act as glue, binding the dry ingredients to the cereal and creating small clusters.

3.  Spread the clusters on a parchment or Silpat-lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, at which point they should look toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently when cooled slightly and chewed.

4.  Cool the cornflake crunch completely before storing or using in a recipe.  Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the crunch will keep fresh for 1 week; in the fridge or freezer, it will keep for 1 month.  

My cookies turned out massive- I will be making them smaller next time

Cornmeal Lime Cookies

Lately I've been a big fan of the blog A Sweet Spoonful, by another Seattleite, Megan Gordon.  So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when a recipe for cornmeal lime cookies caught my eye on The Kitchn.  It turns out Megan was the brains behind the recipe and I knew I had to make them.  I've been on a Thai cooking kick lately so I had a bag of limes lying around.  I figured it was meant to be.  Megan's recipe is so easy to follow and I appreciated the reassurance in her instructions like "don't worry" if your mixture starts to separate, it will come together again.  Anyone who knows me knows that as much as I love baking, I tend to fret if something starts to go awry.  With this recipe I stayed calm and collected, and in return I was rewarded with a delicious treat for my afternoon tea.  Recipe below.

Recipe for Megan's Cornmeal Lime Cookies (makes about 16 cookies)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lime zest (from 2 large limes)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 large limes)
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon lime zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using hand beaters), cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the lime zest and vanilla and mix until just combined. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs and lime juice and mix to incorporate, about 30 seconds. If your mixture seems to separate at this point, don't worry. It will come together again when you begin to add the flour.

Slowly add the flour mixture in three stages, mixing to incorporate in between each addition.

Using an ice cream scooper or large tablespoon, scoop out the dough in heaping 1-inch balls and place 2-inches apart on a parchment-lined (or greased) baking sheet. Lightly press down on each ball with the palm of your hand, slightly flattening each into a disk shape.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until no longer soft in the middle and ever-so-slightly golden on the edges.

Meanwhile, make the icing: whisk together the powdered sugar, lime zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Once out of the oven, allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before icing. Spread glaze over the tops of each cookie. Let sit 1 hour to allow glaze to firm up.  Enjoy!

{If stored in an airtight container, cookies will remain good for up to 3 days.}

Scoops Ice Cream in LA

T. finally took us to Scoops on our last visit in LA.  I think I can safely declare it to be my favorite place for ice cream ever.  (It's not gelato but it's the best frozen treat I've come across.)  I challenge a place to top Scoops for not only the innovative flavors, but the insanely perfect texture and quality of the ice cream.  Theirs is creamy and soft, without being rich and heavy.  And they encourage sampling- by that I mean they have no problem with you trying every flavor on offer.  This is because they change out most of their flavors daily- yes daily.  Some customer favorites like brown bread remain constantly on the menu, but I found myself enjoying other flavors even more.  Even the pizza flavor was satisfying; the only reason I didn't order it was because I couldn't see another flavor pairing with it.

Flavors like pizza, rosemary-olive oil, green tea-jasmine, and brown bread

I couldn't help but spoon some rainbow jimmies on top 

Scoops has two locations in LA:
one at 3400 Overland Ave in the Palms area
and the other at 712 N Heliotrope Dr in the Wilshire Center neighborhood 

 

Dorie Greenspan's EVOO and Yogurt Cake

Four months ago during our Seattle snowstorm, I went on a crazy midnight baking spree while snowed in.  Almost every evening, I whipped out Dorie Greenspan's EVO cake.  By the end of the week, I was no longer needing the recipe.  I'm not sure if I should be proud or ashamed of that...In any case, this is a classic dessert- perfect after dinner, perfect for breakfast, perfect at teatime, perfect in a snowstorm, perfect in the sunshine...you get the idea- it's a keeper.  Recipe below.

Recipe

Dorie Greenspan's EVOO and Yogurt Loaf Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

Finely grated zest of 1 lime (I used lemons as that's what I had on hand)

1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt (I've used both regular and Greek, depending what I had in the fridge and both turned out delicious)

3 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

Directions

-Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter a loaf pan, place on lined baking sheet and set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  

-Put sugar and zest in larger bowl and rub ingredients together until the sugar is infused with the zest and fragrant.  Whisk in the yogurt, eggs, and vanilla.  When mixture is well-blended, gently whisk in dry ingredients.  Switch to a spatula and fold in the oil.  (The batter will be thick and shiny).  Scrape into pan and smooth over top with spatula.

-Bake for 50-55 minutes depending on your oven and how browned you like your cakes (I prefer mine a little lighter than most).  Stick a toothpick or knife in the center and it will come out clean when the cake is ready.  Cool on a rack for 5 minutes.  Then run a knife between the sides of the pan and the cake.  Turn upside-down, releasing the cake, and cool to room temperature right-side up.  

-I glazed mine by whisking about a cup confectioner's sugar with ~ 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of zest.  Spoon it over while the cake is still warm and let it set before serving.  Enjoy!  

Orange Blossom Honey Cookies

I've always been a big baseball fan.  It's a tradition in our family to bring a picnic to the ballpark, and two weekends ago when we were on hand to see the perfect game (!), we brought homemade cheese and roasted pepper sandwiches, jalapeno chips, and these homemade cookies.  My mom used to make them when we were younger but it had been ages since I last tasted the sweet honey and hint of orange blossom on my tongue.

You can make them small or big- I tend to like the smaller ones better- plus you have an excuse to eat more!  Recipe below.

Recipe for Orange Honey Cookies

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 table spoons orange juice

1 teaspoon orange blossom

2 tablespoons honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Place butter, flour, and baking powder in food processor.  Add in the liquid ingredients and mix/pulse.  The dough will be quite sticky (you don't need to add more flour) and wet from the juice but this is why they are so moist.  Place small spoonfuls on buttered baking sheet.  Make sure they are spaced apart at least 2 inches because they will expand!  Put tray in oven on top rack for 5-7 minutes or until golden.  (Again, be sure not to overcook them.  It is easy to think they are too soft or need more time in the oven but these cookies are best crumbly and moist.  Also, they will get crunchier the next day.)  Cool on wire rack.  Enjoy! 

Fannie Farmer Strawberry Shortcake

For Easter, I decided to make an old family favorite from the recipe box- Fannie Farmer's Shortcake.  This used to be our annual fourth of July dessert and now I see why.  It's easy, delicious, and you can add blueberries to complete the colors of the American flag.  Since it was Easter, I kept it simple with just the pop of red from the strawberries.  It was the perfect follow-up to a wonderful dinner of eggplant parmesan and a mixed green salad.  

Recipe for Fannie Farmer Rich Shortcake 
Ingredients
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons tartrate baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
few grains nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 F.  In a food processor, put flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and nutmeg.  Work in 1/3 cup butter, then add 1 well-beaten egg.  Gradually stir in about 1/3 cup milk.
Add enough milk until dough holds together but is still soft. 
Turn out dough on floured board and divide into 2 equal parts.  Pat or roll into 9-inch rounds.  Put one round in the buttered 9" round cake pan.  Spread lightly with 2 tablespoons melted butter.  (This will allow you to cook the two halves in the same pan, without sticking- great trick!)  Place other half on top of melted better.  
Bake for 12 minutes or until done.  Split carefully.  Shh don't tell anyone but the top half broke apart.  Best part about this cake though?  Just cover it all up with whipped cream.  Place on half of cake on plate then cover with layer of whipped cream.  Place other half on top and spread again with whipped cream.  Top with strawberries or any fruit of your pleasing.  Enjoy!
Note: You can also make individual round cakes with a biscuit cutter.

Cooking with the Barefoot Contessa: Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I've always felt indifferent when it comes to banana bread.  You can count me out if it's chock-full-o nuts, and even when it isn't, I find it dry, flaky, and blandish.  But as usual, the Barefoot Contessa makes things right-- with banana cake.  It's super-duper moist, intensely decadent and filling, and the perfect way to win over banana 'bread' haters like my former self.  Can it still classify as a breakfast food if it's cake?  Well, I can make my own rules.  Recipe below.

Recipe for Banana Cake from Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?
Ingredients for Cake
3 very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 orange
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (I left these out)


Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 of a stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar


Directions for Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease and flour a 9" X 2" round cake pan.  (I used a spring form pan which worked great).
In your electric mixer bowl with paddle attachment (I couldn't find mine but the regular whisk worked fine), mix bananas, sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until combined.  Add oil, eggs, sour cream, zest, and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  


In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  With mixer on low, add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and mix until just combined.  Stir in walnuts at this time if you choose to add them.  Pour batter into floured pan and bake in oven for 45-50 minutes or until done.  Do the toothpick test (it should come out clean).  Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove.  Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting.


Directions for Frosting
Mix together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in clean bowl in electric mixer w/ paddle attachment on low speed until just combined.  (You don't want to whip it).  Add sugar and mix until smooth.


Enjoy!

Tangerine-Vanilla Tea Cakes

I got this delicious recipe from Laura's lovely blog Tutti-Dolci.  I made these tea cakes the other night and the smell of freshly squeezed tangerines brightened up the whole kitchen.  I don't know why I always get the sudden urge to bake at 9 at night but I do.  I'm warning you, these are addicting.  So much so that I gave most of them away to family and friends, because otherwise I could have eaten all. two. dozen.  Recipe below.    

Laura's Tangerine-Vanilla Tea Cakes (Adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients for Cakes
2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp tangerine zest
1/4 cup fresh tangerine juice
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Ingredients for Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp tangerine zest
2 Tbsp fresh tangerine juice
Tangerine slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray two 12-cup standard muffin pans with nonstick spray.  (I used cupcake wrappers  and just removed the paper after cooling since I had trouble with the Pam Spray).  Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, and beat until combined; beat in vanilla and tangerine zest. Combine tangerine juice and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat just until combined. Add buttermilk mixture, then finish with remaining flour mixture.
Using an electric hand mixer with clean and dry beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean bowl at high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a spatula, carefully fold egg whites into the cake batter in 2 additions. Spoon batter evenly into cups and bake 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the tea cakes for 2 minutes in the pans on a wire rack, then carefully remove from pans and place them on the wire rack to cool completely.
To prepare glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, tangerine zest, and juice in a small bowl. Set rack with tea cakes over a piece of wax paper and dip tops of each cake into glaze; let glaze set before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

Birthday Snapshots

'Birthday season' around here just wrapped up a few weeks ago.  Here are some of the highlights from the dessert table.

Homemade September peach ice cream

Cake rising in the oven

Farewell to Summer

I baked a pie recently.  It was my farewell to summer.  I remember the dread I used to feel (back in my school days) at the end of August knowing that September was creeping its way back.  Sure the trips to Office Max for binders, highlighters, and pens were semi-exciting for the organizational freak like myself, but like any kid, I wanted summer to last forever.  This pie evokes the same bittersweet feeling.  It's sweet and tangy at the same time and a scoop of vanilla ice cream complements the intense fruitiness.  I used the same recipe as I did for my peach and raspberry pies.  It was my first time doing a lattice crust and it didn't turn out picture perfect but I didn't care too much because I knew it would be eaten quickly.  

Out of the three pie flavors I made this summer, this was by far my favorite.  It just oozed summer.  The homemade vanilla ice cream didn't hurt either.  As I try to get inspired for fall seasonal cooking, I will bid adieu to blackberries and turn to more rustic fruits and vegetables.  Even for the summer lover like myself, butternut squash soup always seems to get me in the mood for autumn.  But for now, let me savor my pie and the final days of summer.

Pie Queen

After my peach pie success, I decided to use the other half of the dough that I had refrigerated to make a raspberry pie.  Maybe it's just me, but I feel like fresh peaches lose some of their flavor when baked and end up tasting like canned peaches, so I wanted to use a fruit that I felt would be enhanced from cooking in the oven.  I turned to my favorite summer fruit, raspberries, and I found that the result was delicious and a slight improvement from the (already yummy) peach pie.  What is your favorite pie or summer dessert?