Zoe Cuisine

Rice Pudding

 

If you are looking for an easy, delicious, and comforting dessert inspiration then look no further than this rice pudding. I am a fan of all puddings, but had never tried to make rice pudding until this weekend. I kept seeing recipes for different versions on blogs and in magazines, and all looked amazing and simple. I decided to merge two recipes for my first foray into rice pudding, one from Gourmet and the other from Food and Wine magazine. I liked that one used arborio rice (which I happened to have a box of already on hand) while the other used an interesting combo of lemon, vanilla and cinnamon as flavoring. You can really let your imagination run wild with rice pudding by adding everything from raisins to rum. It is a very basic dessert classic that is as satisfying plain as it is dressed up. Another selling point is that it is very inexpensive to make for a crowd. You can serve this family style out of a big ceramic dish or spoon into delicate glasses or ramekins for a more elegant presentation. 

Rice Pudding Ingredients: 1 cup arborio (risotto) rice 2 1/2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 cinnamon stick 3 strips of lemon zest (approx 3-4" in length each) 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Instructions: Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the rice and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the rice and return it to the saucepan. Add the milk, cream, cinnamon stick and zest. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low and cook for about 25 minutes, until the rice is very tender (it will still look a little soupy, that's ok as the rice will absorb more liquid as it sits). Stir in the sugar and vanilla and remove the pan from heat. Discard the cinnamon stick and zest. Pour the pudding into a 9x13 inch baking dish (or any large dish that will allow the pudding to be spread out to cool). Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until chilled, preferably 2-3 hours.  When ready to serve, distribute the pudding evenly between 6 ramekins or small glasses. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or fresh fruit of your choice.  Serves 6.

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Truffle Brownie Bites

 

This past weekend I catered another cocktail party for 50 people which was a great success! The hostess and I worked very closely on the menu together and she actually handed me a few recipes of dishes she wanted me to create that I had never tried before. She is a big fan of the Pampered Chef cookware line and the recipes she gave me came from the cookbooks that they published. I was a little hesitant to try new recipes from a new source for a big party but I obliged and luckily averted any culinary disasters. Although I was not very impressed with their coconut shrimp appetizer recipe, I was thrilled with the incredibly simple yet very decadent tasting truffle brownie bites. I love making bite size food for parties, first off because it looks cute, secondly because it means less plates and silverware needed and finally because the the food can be popped in your mouth easily while you are holding a cocktail. These brownie bites were the perfect sweet ending to the various savory treats we served. They are made with very few ingredients in not much time at all which is the best part. Your guests will never guess that their rich taste could be so simply prepared. Although these brownies are delicious served as is with just the ganache, I think it is much more festive to top them with various candies or fruits of your choice. I decided to top mine with a single white chocolate dipped pretzel nugget for a triple chocolate effect. I also placed the finished bites in foil mini cupcake wrappers so guests wouldn't get chocolate on their fingers, plus they look prettier that way! Bring these adorable little treats to your next holiday gathering or even just to your office to surprise your coworkers. They'll be gone in a flash!

Note: I highly recommend using a silicone mini muffin pan to make these. These pans can be bought at any kitchen store or Target and ensure that the desserts will release beautifully every time with no mess.

 

Truffle Brownie Bites Ingredients: For the brownies: 2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 2/3 cup all-purpose flour For the ganache: 1/2 cup whipping cream 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels Instructions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 2/3 cup of the chocolate morsels and the butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 20 seconds at a time for up to 60 seconds, stirring at each interval. The mixture should be smooth and all of the chocolate melted. Add the sugar and the egg and mix until blended with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Add the four and mix until just incorporated - this will be a stiff batter. Spray the wells of a silicone mini muffin pan with non-stick canola cooking spray (or use a regular mini muffin pan with cupcake liners) and fill each well until it is 2/3 of the way full. I usually use a 1/2 teaspoon as a scoop when I am filling and then I press the batter in the well with my finger to evenly distribute it to the edges. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set. If the centers still seem a little underdone, that's ok. When you remove the brownies from the oven, use the rounded back of a 1/4 teaspoon to make an indent in the center of each brownie while they are still warm, this will form a well or a little cup for the filling. Let brownies cool in the pan for about 3-5 minutes and then remove and place on a plate or cooling rack. To make the ganache, pour the cream into a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes or until it is hot. Add the chocolate morsels and whisk until smooth. Place bowl in the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes or until the mixture is cooled and starting to thicken.  To decorate the brownies, use a 1/4 teaspoon to scoop the ganache into the indentation of each brownie. You may also spoon the ganache into a resealable plastic or pastry bag, use a small knife to trim off one of the bag corners and pipe the ganache into the center of the brownies. Top the brownies with the garnish of your choice. I recommend: toasted coconut shavings, toasted hazelnuts or sliced almonds, fresh raspberries, whipped cream, sprinkles, maraschino cherries, candied orange peel or any small candies of your choice. This recipe is supposed to yield 24 brownies, I found that it made closer to 20.  Recipe adapted from the Pampered Chef View Printable Version

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I was at a champagne and dessert baby shower a week ago where the hostess served the most delicious and decadent candies, cakes and pastries. My favorite by far was a pumpkin chocolate chip cake that she had made herself. Since my favorite food item of the holidays is pumpkin pie, I was immediately drawn to this dessert. I love the sweet and spicy elements of pumpkin pie from the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Her cake used all the same spices as you would use in a pie, but with the ingenious addition of chocolate chips for richness and added sweetness. I could not get over how moist the cake was. She told me that she only uses half the amount of oil that the recipe called for and substituted the other half with applesauce. I have heard of this being done to lighten desserts and think it is a great trick. I favor using non-fat vanilla yogurt to accomplish the same goal. I think it also keeps sweets moist while lessening the fat, plus I tend to have yogurt on hand in the fridge more often than applesauce. Either one works great. This recipe is very versatile as you can dress this up by baking it as a cake using a fancy bundt pan, as the hostess did, or else it can easily be made into a more casual loaf or muffins. When I recreated this at home after the shower I chose to make muffins, both regular and mini size, for better portion control. Since I am only cooking for two, baking a cake is not very efficient as it will go to waste. Muffins, however, can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and frozen in a ziploc bag. That way you can enjoy the fruits of your single baking effort multiple times. Try these served warm and topped with frozen yogurt or ice cream for dessert.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon each of ground spices: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger 1 teaspoon salt 1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin (unseasoned) 4 eggs 1/2 cup oil 1/2 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons vanilla non-fat yogurt 1 12 oz. bag chocolate chips Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fold in the chocolate chips. Add batter to a greased 12 muffin tin. This recipe will make approximately 16-18 large muffins, 12 large and 12 mini muffins, or 1 bundt cake. Bake for approximately 25 minutes for large muffins, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Mini muffins will only take about 15 minutes. A cake will take 45 minutes to 1 hour. View Printable Version

Banana Whip

Looking for a sweet treat to beat the heat in this weather? When the temperature rises I turn straight to soft serve. Since it doesn't always make sense to pull the car out (yes I have to worry about being able to find a parking spot) at night to go to the local ice cream parlor, and I have yet to find a store bought soft serve to keep in the fridge that is any good, it means it is time to get creative. My nutrition instructor gave me a great idea for a healthy homemade soft serve substitute. Peel a few bananas, seal them in a plastic bag and pop them into the freezer until they are completely frozen. When they are ready, break them into a few smaller and more manageable pieces, and put them in a blender with about 1/4 cup non fat plain or vanilla yogurt (per 2 bananas). Blend until just mixed and you have a delicious and nutritious frozen fruit delight. Now this probably won't tame your cravings for cherry garcia or double chocolate brownie ice cream, but if you are a banana lover like I am then it will do just fine. The bananas make this super creamy and thick so it is the exact consistency of soft serve. I like to top mine with some raspberries or blueberries. Why not get a dose of antioxidants with your serving of potassium? If you need something a little sweeter try adding a little honey or mixing in some dark chocolate chips after blending. This is a great kid friendly dessert too. Let them help you use the blender and see how this favorite fruit can be transformed into a frosty whipped treat before their eyes.

A Baby Shower

This past weekend my friend Chelsea and I hosted a baby shower for our friend Liz. Liz is due in just five weeks with her first baby - a girl to be named Amelia. Thirteen lovely ladies gathered at my place to feast on tea sandwiches, salads, bellinis, sparkling lemonade and cupcakes. Lucky mommy to be Liz got tons of great loot to stock the nursery with. Chelsea and I were a stellar event planning team (for a couple of amateurs!); I tackled the food and she did everything from invitations to flowers, drinks and favors. I was excited to be able to test out some of my culinary skills on the menu. I got really amazing feedback from all of the guests on the food, especially the curry chicken salad spread and the cupcakes. I promise to post the recipes this week so keep checking back! Here is the recipe for the icing used on the pink vanilla cupcakes in the picture. It is a great all purpose icing that is easy to make and can be dyed any color with food coloring. I piped the icing using a pastry bag (check out Wilton for cake decorating supplies), but you can spread it on very easily and it will still look and taste great.

P.S. If anyone needs help planning their next shower or small party, or just wants to order some cupcakes, I am open for business! 

Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Frosting      Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Instructions: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Yield: enough for 2 dozen cupcakes or 1 (9-inch) layer cake

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Hostesses with the Mostesses. 

Mini cupcakes with chocolate ganache. Click for recipe.

Chalkboard artwork courtesy of the chef whose drawing skills are a bit rusty these days, but it's the thought that counts right? Quote reads:

"A mothers joy begins when a new life is stirring inside... when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the first time, when a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone." - Anonymous

Man, that quote gives me chills every time I read it! And to think I pulled it off a random website. God I love the internet.

The Menu

Assorted Tea Sandwiches

Mini Pastries

These are just a few of the adorable little desserts we have been preparing for the buffet graduation dinner today. We tested these out last week on a day that was devoted entirely to mini pastries. I think it was my favorite class of the semester! We made chocolate and lemon cheesecakes, a variety of chocolate dipped bite size brownies flavored with everything from hazelnuts to chipotle powder, and tarts filled with coconut pastry cream, lemon curd and chocolate ganache. I was amazed at how easy many of the recipes were. Everything came out looking and tasting so professional that I am sure they will be a hit at the party tonight. For some reason, people go crazy for mini versions of just about everything - I know I do! Recipes to follow shortly! 

A chocoholic's dream! Chocolate coconut tarts, chocolate lemon curd filled tarts, chocolate cheesecakes and chocolate dipped brownies.

Chocolate cheesecakes topped with chocolate ganache and chocolate dipped brownies. Decorating the desserts with melted milk chocolate was my favorite part.

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

In a few weeks I am co-hosting a baby shower for a friend and plan on making some fun cupcakes for dessert. Since the presentation will be just as important as the taste, I decided that I needed to do a test run. Cake decorating is something I have very limited experience with, so some practice is absolutely necessary. I decided to keep things simple and sweet for this first round of cupcakes by making a traditional vanilla cake and a ganache for the icing. Ganache sounds fancy but it is really the easiest way to ice or glaze a cupcake, flourless chocolate cake, profiterole or other pastry. You literally just melt cream and chocolate, stir and dip. What I like so much about ganache is the way it dries into a hard and shiny shell on the cupcake. It looks very similar to fondant, which is complicated to make. With this icing, you just flip the cupcake upside down, dip in the ganache and voila - a perfectly iced cupcake. I added a sugar confetti dot to the top of each cake for the finishing touch. You can buy them at Michael's craft store in the cake decorating aisle. I think these cupcakes look and taste great for minimal effort. I made these cupcakes extra small in my mini muffin tin. They can be eaten in one bite. I think baby cupcakes are perfect for a baby shower. Thankfully Easter is today and I can unload some of these on my family because having 30 bite size cupcakes in the house is not a good idea! They are truly addictive!

Vanilla Cake Ingredients: 1 1/2 sticks of butter at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon pure almond extract 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes or until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl down once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled, don't be concerned! In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder and soda together. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Make sure to scrape all the flour off the sides of the bowl into the batter. Line mini cupcake tins with paper cupcake cups. Spoon a heaping teaspoon full of batter into each cup. The cups should be filled about 3/4 of the way to the top with batter. Bake for about 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Let cool completely before frosting. Makes approx 30 mini cupcakes or 1 - 9" round cake.

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Chocolate Ganache Ingredients: 1/2 cup heavy cream 4 oz (1 large bar) good quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped Instructions: Place chopped chocolate in a medium size mixing bowl. In a small saucepan heat the cream until boiling. Remove from heat and pour the hot cream directly over the chocolate. Stir with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated and smooth.  Dip the cupcakes into the ganache while it is still warm. It will harden when it cools.

 

Dipping the cupcake in the bowl of ganache

Banana Coconut Tapioca

 

This past week the owner of the Elephant Walk restaurants, in Brookline and Cambridge, taught me this simple and delicious Cambodian dessert. The flavor combination of bananas and coconut milk is subtle yet sublime. The finished product has the soupy consistency of porridge (or what I expect porridge to be like, I can't say I have ever had it!) and not a pudding, so it almost reminds you of something that you could eat for breakfast. When eaten warm this dish is the ultimate comfort food. Make this dessert next time you aren't feeling well, or it is cold and rainy outside. It is guaranteed to lift your spirits.

Banana Coconut Tapioca Ingredients: 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk 1/4 cup water 3 tablespoons small Asian tapioca pearls (you can substitute with regular tapioca, just not the large size) 12 small Asian bananas or 4 regular ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 lbs) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2-3 tablespoons sesame seeds Instructions: Put the 2 cups of coconut milk and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the tapioca pearls and bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring for about 10-15 minutes. The tapioca pearls should become translucent and soft. Meanwhile, slice the bananas lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise in half (for Asian bananas). For regular bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into quarters. Add the bananas, sugar and salt to the coconut milk, stirring gently. Cook for 10 minutes more and remove from the heat. I like to let it sit for about 5 minutes so it cools slightly and more of the coconut milk is absorbed by the tapioca. The finished product will be on the soupy side, it will not be as firm and thick as a typical pudding. Put the sesame seeds in a small dry skillet and toast over medium high heat, shaking the pan constantly until golden brown. Divide the tapioca between 4 small bowls and top with the toasted sesame seeds. This dish is best served warm or at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy of Longteine de Monteiro of the Elephant Walk

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Lemon Almond Cake

This week at school we had a whole day devoted to cake. We each made a 3 layer vanilla cake that was filled with lemon curd and slathered with buttercream frosting. I knew in the back of my mind that frosting had a lot of butter in it, but I never really realized how much. It is literally ALL butter (bound with sugar and a few egg whites). There is close to a pound of butter in the icing for one cake! Yikes. But it is delicious and gratefully is only served on special occasions. After making the icing from scratch, we had to decorate our cakes. This was one of the most frustrating experiences. It is so hard to get the frosting in an even layer on the cake and once it starts to get warm - forget about it. I now have the utmost respect for professional cake decorators. It is hard work! In addition to our fancy layer cake, we made another cake that I would actually make again. It was a Lemon Almond Cake and boy was it good. This cake is pretty straightforward, just mix the ingredients, pour into a pan and bake. No icing required. The only suggested garnish is a little limoncello liqueur and powdered sugar on top. Try this next time you have to bring a dessert to a friend's house. It is rich and dense and lemony and moist. I absolutely love it so much that I just had to throw half away because I couldn't stop eating it. According to my instructor, it can last for weeks if refrigerated. That was what I was afraid of!

Lemon Almond Cake Ingredients: 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1/3 cup olive oil 3/4 cup granulated sugar 12 oz almond paste, cut into pieces (you should be able to find this in a tube at Whole Foods) grated zest of 3 lemons 5 large eggs 1/2 cup cake flour (do not use all purpose!) 1 teaspoon baking powder 3-4 tablespoons Limoncello (optional) Powdered sugar for dusting (optional) Instructions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9" cake pan liberally on the bottom and sides. Trace the pan on parchment paper and cut out a round circle that will fit in the bottom of the pan. This helps the cake come out more easily. Dust the edges of the pan with flour. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil and sugar until fluffy - this should take 3-5 minutes on medium speed. Add the almond paste and lemon zest and beat until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time to the batter while the mixer is on. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so all the eggs get incorporated. Turn off the mixer and remove the paddle. Scrape off any batter. Fold in the flour and baking powder with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Unmold onto a plate and let cool completely. Gradually brush the lemon liqueur over the top of the cake slowly so it sinks in completely. The cake can be made a day in advance; wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Balsamic Macerated Strawberry and Ricotta Martini

This recipe is for one of the desserts we made for the BU staff luncheon. This is a fairly simple dish to prepare, but yet it presents very elegantly. I would save this one for the summer months when you can get fresh strawberries and mint from your local farm stand. The recipe makes enough for 16 small servings, so I would halve it in order to get around 6 more generous portions. We used ricotta cheese, but you could easily substitute fresh whipped cream, frozen yogurt or marscarpone cheese if you prefer.

Balsamic Macerated Strawberry and Ricotta Martini Ingredients: 2 pounds of ricotta cheese, we used Calabro brand 2 pounds of fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed and quartered 1 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier 1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar 16 fresh sprigs of mint Instructions: In a small heavy sauce pan combine the sugar and balsamic vinegar and reduce over medium high heat until half the amount of liquid is left and it is a syrupy consistency. Once reduced to the desired amount remove from the heat and let cool. Place the strawberries in a mixing bowl and add the Grand Marnier and 3/4 of the balsamic syrup reduction (reserve the remaining 1/4 for garnish). Toss the berries in the mixture until coated and refrigerate for about a half hour, stirring occasionally. Arrange the martini glasses; evenly distribute the strawberry mixture among them. Top each with about a 1/4 cup dollop of ricotta cheese. Drizzle each glass with a little of the reserved balsamic syrup and a sprig of fresh mint.

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