A Life in Baking, Pastry, and Libations.
Ice cream stabilizers are an issue that I’ve grappled with for a long time. I want to believe that stabilizers are never necessary and that ice cream should only contain milk, cream, sugar, eggs and flavoring. There exists the perception that stabilized ice cream mixes are “pumped full of chemicals and air”, not “all-natural”, and... Continue Reading →
A well-crafted dessert menu displays artistry in flavor and execution to present desserts that marry with the restaurant’s philosophy while reflecting the season. As old desserts fall flat on our jaded palates, pastry chefs must adapt and add new techniques to their arsenal. An apple pie can be deconstructed and re-imagined every which way to... Continue Reading →
Rachal is an Armenian pumpkin candy, although the pumpkin is not candied in the traditional sense. The pumpkin is first soaked in slaked lime for 24 hours. The pickling lime does just what the name suggests: it keeps the pumpkin firm and crisp so that it retains its shape and texture after candying. The pumpkin... Continue Reading →
Newly anointed Executive Pastry Chef Ghaya Oliveira of Restaurant Daniel (formerly of Boulud Sud ) is the brains behind this underrated feat of dessert lusciousness: the grapefruit givré. In case you're wondering, "givré" is French for "covered in frost." Buried in a frozen grapefruit shell, below a crown of halva and a caramelized orange tuile, lies a... Continue Reading →
It's been a good summer for cherries and I was thinking about a way to prolong the gustatory pleasure into the fall and winter months. Brandied cherries...well, I can order them from my purveyor so no challenge there. I thought about a cherry confit but I wanted to preserve their sweet tartness and fresh flavor...so... Continue Reading →
No, you did not misread the title of this post. It's a quickbread made with three things: ice cream, sugar, self-rising flour. The recipe comes from Taste of Home Network and I dare say that I was impressed by the results. The bread was so tender and moist that it rivaled my best muffin recipe.... Continue Reading →
Buttery. Salted. Caramel. 