Schokoladnaya kartoshka: The Humble Russian Dessert

     The subject line of the email from the editor of Penn Appetit read simply “Dessert Competition Saturday!” Relishing any opportunity to bake, I didn’t need any further convincing to enter the contest. Reading on, I discovered the judging criteria to be taste, appearance, and creativity. Although I wasn’t hoping or even trying to win, I’m a naturally competitive person (insert Wharton joke here) and so thought that my creativity could help differentiate me from the others. Namely, I was certain that if I made a Russian dessert, there would be little chance that anyone else would think to make the same thing.

Schokoladnaya kartoshka. Photo courtesy of Penn Gastronomy Club 

      I tried to think of my favorite Russian sweet that my mom and grandmother had baked me. The scharlotka, an apple cake, came to mind, as did the Napoleon, the Russian version a creamier and moister variation of the French classic. But these two desserts, although beloved by me, seemed to be too ‘classic’ and not quite interesting enough for the competition. I thought back to the almost dozen summers I spent living with my grandparents in their home in Russia. When I accompanied my grandmother on her weekly grocery shopping excursions, we would walk all around the city visiting various different shops - the butcher, the open-air vegetable market, a vendor selling canned goods, the fish store, and finally the bakery. At the bakery she would buy us a couple loaves of the traditional dense black rye bread, and if I was lucky, she would also buy me a sweet treat or two. Whenever she succumbed to my begging and pleading, my first choice would always be the schokoladnaya kartoshka, or chocolate potato.

     This dense, rich, and intensely chocolaty pastry doesn’t have any potato in it but is shaped to look like one, with nuts poking out to look like its sprouts. The walk home always seemed excruciating long, as I couldn’t wait to dig into my dessert. Sitting in my grandmother’s tiny kitchen, in between sips of black tea, I would enjoy spoonfuls of the moist chocolate ‘potato.’ I haven’t eaten this uniquely Russian dish for years, since the last time I was in Russia was more than 4 years ago. I decided the dessert competition would be the perfect opportunity, or excuse, to attempt to recreate my favorite childhood dessert.

     Following a few internet searches, I found that the ‘potato’ was made rather simply: chocolate icing mixed with cake crumbs. Excited that I stood a fairly good chance of accurately recreating this childhood memory, I bought the necessary ingredients and set about baking. Although I ALWAYS bake my cakes from scratch, since the recipe called merely for cake crumbs, I decided to use a store-bought package of yellow sponge cake mix. I wanted the ‘potato’ to have an intense chocolate flavor, so I added a quarter cup of cacao powder to the cake mix before baking. Next, I made the chocolate icing, mixing first equal parts creamed butter and condensed milk. Finally, I added a few ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate and a couple of teaspoons of vanilla extract and mixed it all together to form the icing. Once the cake had baked and cooled, I crumbled it to form crumbs and combined it with the icing. To sculpt the finished ‘potatoes,’ I rolled several tablespoons of the cake crumb-icing mixture into balls, dusted them with cacao powder, and rolled them in chopped pecans. Finally, I was ready to taste my creations to see if they lived up to my expectations.

     Although not as dense and rich as I had remembered, my recreation of the schokoladnaya kartoshka was still satisfying, every mouthful moist and flavorful. The taste and feel of the dessert made me think back to all of those summers I spent with my grandmother, helping her on her weekly grocery expeditions. Now, I can’t wait until she comes and stays with my family again later this year, so I can share my version of this dessert with her.
                                           

My grandmother in her kitchen in Russia.

Tweet

Chocolate Coconut Cake

Most times I've eaten cake in my life, I've been disappointed. There are so many desserts I can appreciate even when they aren't great. Take cookies. Although I would certainly prefer a phenomenal, straight from the oven Jacques Torres style cookie, I still enjoy the occasional Oreo. Cake is a different story. Bad (even mediocre) cake sucks... it just sucks. The texture is just so important yet difficult to perfect that any old slice of cake from a local grocery store is guaranteed to disappoint.

Mediocre cakes are just about the frosting. The cake itself is nothing more than an excuse to eat the frosting. I do not tolerate cakes made from box mixes, from terrible grocery store bakeries, and from anywhere else that produces cakes that may as well be frosted bread. You shouldn't either! Take a stand. Make a real cake.

I made this cake for my father's birthday over break and it rekindled my love for the classic birthday treat. The cake is so very chocolatey and the coconut filling, although it barely tasted like coconut, was excellent. The entire cake does not make for the prettiest of pictures, but trust me, as everyone who tasted it would also said: it's unbelievable.

Rich Chocolate Cake with Coconut Filling and Ganache
From Food52

Serves 10 to 12

18 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, divided, chopped
2/3 cups shortening
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
1 1/2 cup strong black coffee
3 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup heavy cream

1. Set out the cream cheese to soften. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder.
3. In a small saucepan, melt 8 ounces of the chocolate with the shortening. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese with 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/3 cup sugar and the coconut. Set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled chocolate mixture, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and coffee.
6. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cake flour, soda and salt.
7. Combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just incorporated.
8. Pour half of the chocolate cake mixture in to the bundt pan. Top that with the coconut/cream cheese mixture and then top that with the remaining cake mixture.
9. Bake on the center rack of a 350 degree oven for 45-65 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
10. Cool the cake in the bundt pan on a wire rack for 10 mintues. Invert the cake on a serving plate to cool further.
11. While cake is cooling, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool.
12. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle or pour (depending on how much icing you want) the ganache on to the cake.

Tweet

Chocolate Tart

Over winter break, I was lazy. At home, I can basically cook whatever comes to my mind, no matter how over the top it is or how obscure its ingredients are. This is because my parents are more willing to give me extra money for groceries when I make the food!

So, of course I was looking forward to cooking and experimenting quite a bit at home, but when I got there I realized something: I also enjoy doing nothing. Every day I was busy hanging out with my friends, and when I got a new camera for Christmas, I decided that I was going to try and make stuff that is not only delicious, but that also looks good in photographs-- and that isn't extremely difficult to make. Naturally, I began my break with a chocolate dish.

This recipe comes straight from David Lebovitz and as far as I can tell, it is perfect. It is not too difficult to make, though make sure you read the steps before you begin so you don't panic and accidentally add the eggs too early, basically making caramel scrambled eggs. Yuck. If you pay attention and make it correctly, this tart is incredibly delicious. It is also so very pretty. Take a look.

PS... I hope you guys like the new camera.

From David Lebovitz:

1 1/4 cup (250 g) sugar
6 tablespoons (90 ml) warm coffee
4 ounces (115 g) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
pinch of sea salt
4 ounces (115 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces (55 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (35 g) flour
1 tablespoon dark rum or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

One 9- or 10-inch (23 cm – 25 cm) prebaked tart shell (such as French tart dough)
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC.)

2. Spread the sugar in an even layer in the bottom of a large, heavy-duty saucepan or Dutch oven. Cook the sugar over moderate heat until the edges liquefy and being to caramelize. Use a heatproof utensil to gently drag the liquefied sugar toward the center of the pan, encouraging the sugar to melt evenly.

3. Once the sugar is melted, it was caramelize rather quickly. When it starts to smoke, but before it burns, turn off the heat and stir in the coffee. (The mixture will bubble and seize a bit. Be sure to avert your face and you may wish to wear oven mitts.)

4. If the caramel has seized up in places, stir it gently over low heat until smooth. Then add the butter and salt, and stir until melted, then stir in both chocolates until smooth*.

5. Mix in the eggs, then the flour. Stir in the rum or vanilla extract.

6. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked tart shell, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the filling starts to rise and crack at the edges but the center is still jiggly. Do not overbake.

Remove from oven and let cool completely before slicing.

Storage: Tart will keep for up to three days at room temperature, well-wrapped.

Troubleshooting: If any bits of caramel remain after adding the butter, simply stir the mixture over very low heat until they’re all completely dissolved. If any stubborn little bits remain, you can strain the buttery caramel through a mesh sieve, before adding the chocolate.

Tweet

A Bakery Black Friday

New York is the greatest city in the world. As a boy growing up in the suburbs of Seattle, visiting NYC terrified me. Back then, I was very concerned with cleanliness, and that subway forced me to experience my definition of dirty. Tons of sweaty people crammed together, the force of the train constantly pushing them far closer than any strangers should be…it wasn’t for me.

Now that I am older and I laugh in the face of hypothetical subway germs, I see New York for what it truly is: a paradise for anyone interested in anything, as long as they are willing to travel for it. For me, New York is a food paradise. And what food do I crave while on vacation?....and at all other times in my life? Baked goods! Well, also cheesecake, chocolate, and tons of non-dessert things, but still. I traveled around Brooklyn and Manhattan for five hours with 40 pounds of luggage on my back and in my hands searching for cookies, cakes, and whatever else I could get my hungry hands on. When I finally made it to my cousins’ home in Pelham Manor, my shoulders and arms were about to give out on me and all I had eaten for hours was a giant chocolate chip cookie. I saved the other stuff so I could document everything I bought. At least, the stuff that wasn’t crushed during my journey.

The first place I went was Jacques Torres in DUMBO. I got myself a nice bag of his chocolate disks and one of his famous giant chocolate chip cookies. Warm and gooey, the cookie was pretty great. But the homemade version of the same cookie that I wrote about a few weeks ago is much better.

Next I walked down the street to another bakery called One Girl Cookies. I got my first whoopie pie ever and an assortment of little cookies. Pure deliciousness. I am now a fan of whoopie pies for their delicious frosting and their soft, cakey consistency. The little cookies were each pretty great as well, but none really stood out.

I next stopped in lower Manhattan at Financier Patisserie. Regrettably, I failed to take a picture of the cookie/chocolate/pecan thing that I bought and have no idea what it was. Still, it was excellent and I have a strong desire to return to this bakery for more.

The last stop on my trip was La Maison Du Chocolat, which was by far the most expensive of the places I visited. I bought three dark chocolates, each considered a praline for the nuts inside, a piece of their chocolate almond cake “Pleyel,” and a piece of their “Bresilien Pastry.” The Anastasia and Figaro chocolates were good, but may not have been worth the $2.25 they each cost. They do give out a free chocolate when you buy enough stuff, so that very slightly softens the blow. The Jolika, however, was awesome. If you like pistachio, you will absolutely adore this.

The pleyel had an excellent, extremely light and cakey texture, but was less chocolatey than the last time I had it. The Bresilien Pastry was only okay, possibly due in part to it being a little smooshed when I finally got to it, but I wouldn’t buy it again. It was more cream and less pastry than I expected and the mocha flavor overpowered all the others. All in all though, this awesomely decadent Black Friday perfectly complimented the best Thanksgiving ever.

Tweet

Our Favorite Blondies

Dear Kevin,

I think we should be friends. It’s quite obvious that we both have excellent taste in food, and when it comes right down to it, what better way is there is make a friend than to share a meal? In our case, however, I would recommend sharing dessert. After all, we both have an appreciation for anything chocolate. We both like our desserts warm from the oven – a soft crumb, a moist inside, and a melting scoop of ice cream spreading across the plate. Most importantly, however, we both have the same favorite blondie. It’s true that they were your favorite long before they were mine, but you’ll have to excuse me for spending a few years in the dark. When I saw the post on your wife, Kristen’s blog, and when I saw the photos of the perfect squares flecked with peanuts and oozing chocolate, I didn’t wait long before making them. I assembled the peanut butter and peanuts, the flaked coconut and semisweet chocolate, and I haven’t turned back since. I tasted a tiny square right out of the oven. Yum! I came back for seconds a bit later, and I came back for thirds and fourths and maybe even fifths. (We can keep the exact number to ourselves.) Somewhere in the middle of tasting and savoring and licking the last drop of chocolate off my fork (Yes, I eat blondies with a fork. I hope that’s okay), I realized they were my favorite blondies: that and my favorite bar cookie and maybe even my favorite dessert.

I’m writing this note to say thank you – thank you for having such good taste and thank you for inspiring the post that gave me my favorite blondie. I don’t think I can repay the favor, but if you’d like to be friends, I’ll gladly bake a batch of these blondies. Maybe, if I’m feeling generous, I’ll even let you have more than one.

Happy eating,

Laura

The recipe for Kevin and my favorite blondies is from The Kitchen Sink Recipes blog and can be found here. It is also below with a few of my notes added in.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chunk Blondies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (using half whole wheat pastry flour and half all-purpose flour also works)

1 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, finely chopped (using other nuts works as well)

1/2 cup flaked coconut

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9-inch square pan. If you don’t have a 9-in square pan, you can use something that’s approximately the same size. Just be warned that the cooking time will vary accordingly. The blondies are best thick, so I would recommend an 8-in square pan above a 9x13in if you are going to substitute.

In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter and peanut butter until fluffy. Make sure that you allow the butter to sit at room temperature for at least 45 minutes ahead of time so that it softens. Add the sugar and mix until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate, peanuts and coconut. Be sure to chop the peanuts very finely. The texture is much better that way. Bake the blondies in the center of the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the blondies have just begun to brown around the edges.

Allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan before cutting. If like me, you’re too impatient to wait, you can cut a piece earlier. Just expect the edges to be rather messy.

Tweet

Uses for Leftover Chocolate (Or: How to make your chocolate chips awesome!)

Last week, when I was writing about my favorite cookies, I shared my disdain for chocolate chips. To reiterate: chocolate chips are too small and result in chocolate being spread too far throughout baked goods. I mentioned that I had a way of transforming these unsubstantial bits of chocolate into something useful. Today I will share that technique.

I call them chocolate layers. They are best used in large baked goods like banana bread or pound cakes, and can turn any dry and unremarkable baked good into a chocolate lover’s delight. One can make them using any chocolate they have, be it in chocolate bar form or chocolate chip form. This does not occur because more chocolate is used; it occurs because with these layers, pockets of chocolate are created which pack a lot more of an impact than teensy chocolate chips. To use them, you break them into strands of chocolate and insert them vertically into your dough or batter, adding batter then chocolate and repeating until there is no batter or chocolate left.

But you didn’t come here to read my justification for making giant chocolate layers. You came here for the chocolate. Let’s do this:

Chocolate Layers

Required Equipment:
-Baking Sheet
-Parchment Paper
-Large glass bowl + A pot to boil water in

Ingredients:
-At least 5 ounces of chocolate (darker chocolate works better in baked goods)
-Water to be boiled
-Sugar to taste (Optional, only use if using unsweetened chocolate)

Directions:
1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill pot halfway with water. Make sure glass bowl can sit atop pot on its own. Put the pot on the stove and turn the stove to high. Let the water get hot enough to begin steaming (almost a boil) and then turn down the heat just enough to maintain that steam.

2. Add chocolate to glass bowl. If using chocolate bars, chop chocolate into equal sized pieces before adding it. Put glass bowl on top of pot. Note: It is very important that no water touches any of the chocolate. If this happens, it will not melt and the chocolate will be useless.









3. Stir chocolate with a spatula. Do not stop stirring until the chocolate is smooth and completely melted.












4. Pour chocolate from bowl onto parchment paper. Smooth chocolate with spatula to desired thickness.












5. Put baking sheet with chocolate on it into the fridge. After 20 minutes check the chocolate. If it has solidified, it is ready to be used, if not, put it back in the fridge and wait another 10 minutes. Do not leave it in there for too long, it is not good for the chocolate.
6. Chocolate can be used immediately or can be stored for later use. To store it, just put it in a ziplock bag and store it at room temperature. It should not be stored in the refrigerator.

Tweet

I Scream, You Scream...

It’s never too cold for ice cream. Even as winter rapidly approaches us, sometimes all you really need is the comfort of a big scoop of your favorite ice cream flavor. Well, look no further than The Franklin Fountain located at 116 Market Street.

New to the Philly scene, I had never heard of this extraordinary place and just happened to stumble upon it by chance. Well, I’m glad I did because never have my taste buds been so happy. From the moment you step foot into this cozy old school ice cream parlor, you are transported back in time—a time when the only kind of ice cream was the homemade kind. So taken aback by the nostalgic atmosphere, I almost forgot to look at the menu. Almost.

Newcomers beware: if you thought choosing what type of ice cream to get was hard before, the Franklin Fountain takes difficulty to a whole new level. First, you have your basic flavors consisting of some classic favorites such as vanilla bean, rocky road, pistachio and rum raisin. If you’re just looking to grab a cup or a cone they are bound to have a flavor for you. Although I must warn you, their portion sizes are quite generous. However, this place gets even more impressive with their selection of sundaes. From the Franklin Mint, which consists of mint chocolate chip ice cream underneath a layer of homemade marshmallow topping, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and a mint infused cherry to top it off, to The Stock Market Crunch, which is a concoction of rocky road ice cream smothered with peanut butter sauce and then showered with pretzel bites, these sundaes are quite the creations. The most impressive has to be their famous Mt. Vesuvius. Living up to its name, the Mt. Vesuvius starts with an enormous bowl of vanilla (or chocolate) ice cream, is then topped with homemade fudgy brownie pieces, bathed in hot fudge, sprinkled with malt powder and then finished off with whipped cream. And if you haven’t satisfied your sweet tooth after conquering one of these enormous sundaes, have no fear because The Franklin Fountain has an array of homemade pies, fudge, an assortment of candies and, of course, fresh from the fountain sodas. I am almost positive that it is impossible to leave this place disappointed.

While there, I opted to get the seasonal flavor of pumpkin ice cream paired with my personal favorite, coffee. It was like a pumpkin spice latte, but so much better. So, fight the dropping temperatures and head over to The Franklin Fountain. If you hurry you may be able to get their latest featured item, The Caramel Apple Pie Milkshake, which is fresh out of the oven warm apple pie and vanilla ice cream all fused into one mouthwatering dessert. I shouldn’t even have to say more.

-- Xandria James

--

Tweet

The Best Cookie Ever?

Big chocolate-chip cookies, small chocolate-chip cookies, giant chocolate-chip cookies stuffed with brownie. I certainly have a type. But, after a trip to Jacques Torres Chocolate in New York over Fall break, I am done with chocolate chips. Have I fallen out of love with chocolate? Of course not. Do I now think that chocolate and baked goods do not belong together? Preposterous. What then?

I have discovered something better. Some call them chocolate féves. Some call them chocolate discs. I call them “perfection.” I cannot fathom going back to regular chocolate chips. Nothing will ever be the same for me again. Chocolate feves even inspired me to melt down and shape my own chocolate for use in baking things like banana bread. However, I will delve into that subject another week. For now, let me share with you the recipe for a cookie I bought at Jacques Torres Chocolate that uses chocolate discs to amazing effect.

If you love chocolate this will absolutely be the best version of the classic chocolate-chip cookie that you ever make. It is perfectly crispy on the outside, chocolatey-chewy on the inside and has a slight hint of toffee. It truly is incredible. I do not usually write about recipes like this (these cookies are not especially crazy decadent except for their size), but I had four midterms this week and this cookie dough was already in my freezer, all ready to go. So without further ado, here is the recipe with a few of my notes in italics: (Note: All pictures here are from the internet; my camera is having problems).

Chocolate Chip Cookies
(From the New York Times)
Adapted from Jacques Torres

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

Ingredients:
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons
(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note, linked is the bag that I have)
Sea salt

Directions:
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. 36 hour fridge cookies are noticeably better than 24 hour fridge cookies (and, of course, much, much better than cookies where the dough has not been refrigerated).
Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. The cookies spread out quite a bit, be extremely careful when spacing them or the sought-after crispy outside/gooey inside will be ruined! When in doubt, just put in fewer cookies at a time, baking time remains the same regardless of how many cookies are on a baking sheet.
Cookies can be taken out when their edges are golden yet their centers are still pale. If you are unsure, remember that it is better to underbake than to overbake (it just makes the cookies all gooey and no crunch!).
Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Do not skip this step. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.

One more note:

-1.2 oz cookies can be made as well. I only made one of these when there wasn't enough cookie dough for the larger cookies, but I really prefer them. In my opinion, the best part of these cookies is how they manage to be chewy and crispy at the same time, and the issue with the large cookies is that people often split them or just have a little bit. Only by eating the whole cookie can one fully appreciate the crispy/chewy texture. These smaller cookies allow people to do just that without the guilt that eating nearly quarter pound cookies brings (I must admit, I ate about 5 of the giant cookies over the course of the two days that I baked them a few weeks ago. Oh yes. When I am unhealthy, I go as far as possible.) These smaller cookies should be baked 12-14 minutes (a little longer than 13 was perfect for me). With these smaller cookies, the time cookies should sit outside of the oven before they are placed on the wire rack can be reduced to more like ~5 minutes.

Tweet

A Brief Introduction To Me

I don’t think I properly introduced myself last week when I wrote my first blog post here about healthy cauliflower pizza. You probably guessed that I love making “healthy” versions of usually unhealthy dishes. That is my second cooking love. Let me reintroduce myself by writing about my primary culinary passion.

I am AJ. I have never met a (dark) chocolate I didn’t like. Sure, I don’t like Nestle like I love Valrhona, but I don’t think I could ever say any dark chocolate isn’t “good”. Almost all (dark) chocolate is good enough for me, and I don’t think I’ve ever once thought that anything “had too much chocolate.”

My relationship with sugar is not as stable. A moderate amount of refined sugar every once in a while is enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. But there’s a moderate amount of sugar, and then there’s this: a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Red Velvet Cake Pie

Some people can handle massive amounts of sugar. I on the other hand get dizzy, start moving very slowly, fall into a sugar stupor, and begin to hallucinate. Maybe not that last one. So, if I knew a single piece of this thing would nearly send me into a coma, why did I make this monstrosity today?

I don’t half-ass my desserts.

When I make desserts, I always go too far. I am extremely disciplined when it comes to health and food, but make dessert once a week on Sunday. Before that great day, every week I spend HOURS all week planning and researching what ridiculous thing I am going to make next. Chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake topped with homemade whipped cream and strawberries? Been there. Homemade quarter pound “pillow” cookies with homemade chocolate covered brownie centers? Done that. Pie crust filled with chocolate chip cookie dough and red velvet cake? Whoah. Decadent enough. I guess.

I made this chocolate chip cookie dough red velvet cake pie because I happened to have a pound of homemade cookie dough from last Sunday’s dessert day in my freezer, because pie crust is so very easy to make, and because I’ve never made a red velvet cake. I don’t particularly like cake, but I wanted an excuse to make a cream cheese based frosting (I have no springform pan here and I miss cheesecake; this was close enough…or something).

So, that’s enough about me. I love making delicious healthy food, but I also love unbelievably, ridiculously, ludicrously unhealthy food. I also forgot to mention that I LOVE learning about the science behind cooking and baking (I am about to start making my way through this, the new bible of the science behind cooking), but you’ll learn more about that in the weeks to come. From now on -- it’s all about the food, baby.

Check out the photos chronicling the making of this magical and deadly pie:

Pie Crust with Cookie Dough Layered on Top

Red Velvet Cake Batter Atop Cookie Dough

Shameful Frosting Job. AWESOME cream cheese frosting.

See you next week.

Tweet

Cake Mania

Who doesn't love cakes? I am a bit cake-obsessed and by a bit I mean constantly stalk new creations of my favorite cake decorators. One of my all-time favorite cake decorators is Bronwen Weber of Frosted Art Bakery in Dallas, Texas. I first discovered her during her many stints in Food Network Challenge. I found myself always rooting for her as she created some of the most incredible cakes I have ever seen, on the spot and within a time limit. What draws me to her cakes so much is the attention to incredible detail, how life-like her cake sculptures are, and how intricate and beautiful the overall designs of her cakes are. You can check out some of her amazing creations here.

Another favorite cake designer: Colette Peters of Colette's Cakes in New York, New York. While I first fell in love with her artistry during her witty banter with Duff Goldman during Food Network Challenges, I continued my taste for her cakes because of their magnificence. I cannot forget when she squared off with Duff during the "Mystery Cakes" challenge. While Duff's cake was incredible in design, the execution unfortunately did not turn out copasetic. On the spot, Colette was able to perfectly execute a "Fishing" themed cake and beat out her fierce competitors. It was then that my love for her skill was solidified.

And I cannot possibly do an introduction to my favorite cake designers post without the aforementioned cake genius that is Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, Maryland. Duff's ability to create the most interesting, jaw-dropping cakes is unmatched in the industry. His willingness to take chances and make cakes that possibly no one else would ever attempt is inspiring. I will never forget the awe I experienced when I saw the episode of "Ace of Cakes" in the first season entitled "Wedding Cakes and Headaches." In this episode, Duff created a birthday cake for his father in which he had fireworks come shooting out of it. Not many would attempt such a cake but Duff was excited for the challenge. If you want to admire extreme yet beautiful cakes, Duff would be your guy! Check out some of his cool cake sculptures and more here!
Courtesy of: colettescakes.com

Tweet

Taste the Celebration

When I was in first grade, I became obsessed with fairies. I had a fairy house – think dollhouse – outside, and I spent hours making furniture out of twigs and delectable fairy delicacies out of flowers. So of course, when the leaves began to turn and my birthday planning began, I asked for a fairy themed party. My mom and I planned fairy games, crafts, and costumes, and after I submitted my request for lemon cake and vanilla icing, my mom planned the cake. On the day of my party, as all my classmates sang “Happy Birthday,” my mom carried a beautiful fairy to the table – my favorite lemon cake forming the giant domed skirt of a repurposed Barbie doll with a blue icing bodice and wings.

When I was little, I always wanted plain lemon cake, but the shapes my mom created each year stole the show. Koala bear faces and teacups for me, footballs and train tracks for my brother: food coloring, carving, and lots of love. Ever since I can remember, birthday cakes have been a big deal in my house. At some point along the line, the cakes became simple round layers, and I shifted my allegiance from lemon cake to chocolate with a year or two of carrot cake limbo in between. Nevertheless, I still see birthday cakes as the center of the celebration – a birthday necessity made to order.

This year, I was lucky enough to be home for my mom’s birthday which meant that I had the all-important honor of baking her cake. Not surprisingly, she asked for chocolate cake and in particular for what has become our favorite chocolate cake from Bon Appétit. Considering the multitude of chocolate cakes we’ve tried over the years, that’s quite a compliment. With a moist and fluffy crumb, the cake melts deliciously in your mouth.

Cake decided, it was time to choose the icing to top it off. To the great satisfaction of my taste buds, my mom selected chocolate ganache. With its fancy French name, I used to think ganache was a difficult and sophisticated preparation reserved for restaurant desserts. Luckily, I discovered before too long that it is remarkably easy – requiring just a quick whisk of warm cream and chopped chocolate. Even more importantly, it is lick-the-bowl, never-eat-store-bought-icing-again kind of good.

When I carried the cake to the table on my mom’s birthday, it wasn’t quite as showy as the fairy of years ago. It didn’t feature food coloring or carving. It wasn’t colorful or creative. But it was just as delicious as any birthday cake before and it was baked with just as much love.

My favorite chocolate cake recipe can be found here on the Bon Appétit website. Oddly enough, I’ve never made the cream filling or ganache recipes that are paired with the cake, but I think you’ll love the cake regardless of the fillings and icings you choose.

Tweet

Contest Recipe: Mini Pumpkin Pie Tartlettes (And Strawberry Tartlettes)

Saturday was Stouffer's Fall Festival and baking contest. Despite having never entered a baking contest before, I won! There was intensely fierce competition (okay, actually only two entries total in the whole contest) but my opponent's marbled brownies looked super delicious. In the end, I walked away with my prize: an old Stouffer Move-in Day t-shirt.

Because the Stouffer contest was a fall festival baking contest, I thought it was natural that the treat should be fall themed. Pumpkin pie immediately came to mind. Pumpkin pie is traditionally spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, sweetened with brown sugar and enriched with evaporated milk. A classic pastry crust usually envelops the creamy pumpkin custard filling. I wanted to create a twist on the original using honey and almonds as the theme. To make the treats more portable, I decided to make individual pumpkin tarts in muffin tins. Crushed up honey grahams and ground almonds were the base for my crumb crust. For the filling, I decided to use honey instead of brown sugar and heavy cream instead of evaporated milk for extra richness. Finally, to top it all off, I baked candied cinnamon spiced almonds to add a contrast to the creamy filling and provide crunch.

Without further adieu, here is the recipe:

Mini Pumpkin Pie Tartlettes and Honey Almond Fruit Tarts

Ingredients
1 package Honey Graham crackers (about 1 1/2 cups crumbs)
½ c. ground almonds or almond meal
6 tbsp. melted butter
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
3 large eggs
¾ c. heavy cream
½ c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or substitute:
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. salt

Fresh whipped cream
1 c. heavy cream
4 tbsp powdered sugar

Candied Almonds
2 tbsp melted butter
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp flour
7 oz. sliced almonds

Whipped cream cheese filling
2 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
¼ tsp. almond extract pinch of cinnamon
2 tbsp honey ½ c. whipped cream

Fresh Fruit (blueberries, strawberries, diced peaches, whatever you like)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line 21 muffin cups with paper or foil liner.
Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs. Mix crumbs together in a bowl with almond meal, butter, and sugar. Press mixture evenly into prepared muffin tins.
Bake 5 minutes and let cool completely. Set aside 6 tart shells. Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Blend together pumpkin, eggs, honey, vanilla, spice, and salt. Pour and divide evenly among 15 tart shells. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until filling is set. Let cool completely on a wire rack and chill in the refrigerator.

To make whipped cream:
Chill bowl and beaters for at least ten minutes in the refrigerator and make sure the heavy cream is thoroughly chilled as well before beginning. Beat heavy cream at med low speed with a hand held mixer for about one minute. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in powdered sugar.

To make Candied Almonds:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together butter, sugar, honey, cinnamon, salt, and flour. Add sliced almonds and toss until evenly coated. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray nonstick with cooking spray. Spread almonds in a single layer on prepared sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely on wire rack and break apart.

To make whipped cream cheese filling:
Beat together, softened cream cheese, honey, almond extract, and cinnamon. Fold in 1/2 c. whipped cream by hand until well incorporated.

To assemble:
Make sure the pumpkin tarts are cooled completely. Fill a pipet or ziploc bag (just cut off a small section of corner) with the remaining whipped cream. Pipet small rosettes on top of the pie and sprinkle a generous dose of candied almonds on top. Divide the cream cheese mixture among the remaining six tart shells. Top with fresh fruit and candied almonds. Enjoy!

Makes 15 + 6 extra tart crusts

Notes: Feel free to scale down the recipe so you don't have to make two kinds of tarts. Just decrease the crumb crust recipe by 1/3 and only make the pumpkin filling. You can also make extra tart shells and double, triple, or quadruple the cream cheese filling recipe to accomadate. I don't know...improvise! That's what I did. Good luck!

Tweet

Recipe review: Food Network's "Truffle Brownies"

I know how stressful the past two weeks have been for me and I'm sure that a lot of you have experienced that mind-numbing panic and work as midterms encroached upon us. For me, nothing cures stress as well as chocolate. Well, in my opinion, nothing cures anything as well as chocolate does. I will admit it--I am a chocolate addict. I especially love baking so I find working with and consuming chocolate to be quite satisfying. Every month or so my grandmother even sends me a "Pound Plus" Dark Chocolate Bar from Trader Joe's (which I highly recommend as well). The recipe I want to share to help you all get through studying until morning or to celebrate the end of midterms (at least for the time being) is one of my personal favorites. I discovered it this summer when I reunited with my best friends from home for a girls' night. I wanted to make brownies but I didn't want your ordinary brownies. So I went to my favorite website, www.foodnetwork.com, and started a search. I stumbled upon Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh's recipe for "Truffle Brownies." I love truffles; I love brownies. So what could be bad about that? Absolutely nothing.

This recipe proved to be super easy and can be replicated in any sort of kitchen. Hint: although the recipe calls for the use of a hand mixer, we are college students. Unless you are an avid baker who had his/her mother bring you your personal hand maker during family weekend (i.e. me), this recipe can definitely be done without one. Whether you are having a movie night with some friends or want to take a break from work and treat yourself to something sweet and topped with a thick layer of chocolate ganache, I highly recommend trying this recipe. What could be better?

Here's the recipe, enjoy!

Tweet

Think Healthy: Frozen Treats

I don’t know about you, but I’m never satisfied until I’ve had dessert. I always crave something sweet from right when I wake up until the moment before I fall asleep. Most of the options at Wawa aren’t the healthiest, though, and I’ve finally learned that there are definitely better things to reach for than one of those ice cream milkshakes or a bag of chocolate covered pretzels!

My newest discovery is homemade ice cream with only one ingredient: bananas. Simply freeze a sliced banana, take it out, and stick it in a blender (Magic Bullets work great for this) for a few seconds, and you’ll get an amazing, creamy concoction that looks and feels like ice cream. Obviously, it tastes a bit like banana, but the flavor isn’t too strong. If you’re not a fan, try adding in peanut butter (or anything else of the sort, for that matter – even Nutella works), chocolate chips, or even frozen berries for a delicious, froyo-like dessert. Sure, you can get a similar dessert at Frobana, Philly’s new banana ice cream shop, but making it at home is just as easy! If you want to take it a step further, check out this awesome recipe from Averie Cooks for avocado banana ice cream. You can’t taste the banana at all, and this version has a way creamier texture. It’s also a lot more filling!

Ingredients
1 ripe avocado
1 medium banana (previously frozen in chunks)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (nut milk, vanilla flavored nut milk, milk, cream, or water can be used as substitutes)
1/2 cup sugar (agave or stevia work too)
1 cup ice cubes (optional)

Directions
Throw it all in a blender and mix away! My second go-to dessert is frozen grapes. I know it sounds weird, but give it a try. Just take some grapes (red is preferable to green because the green ones freeze rock solid) and after washing and drying them, take them off the stems and stick a plate of the grapes in the freezer. In a few hours, you’ll get these amazing fruity creations that taste like little popsicles – they’re irresistible! It doesn’t sound like much, but trust me, once you try frozen grapes, you’ll never go back to regular grapes again. Another great way to spice these up is by covering them in some Jello powder before you freeze them; my personal favorite is strawberry, but any flavor works great. Just shake the grapes up with some powder in a little Ziploc bag and you’ll have a healthy treat in no time!

Tweet

Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

It's midterm season; a time of cramming; a time filled with stress; and most importantly, a time for cookies. There's a reason Insomnia Cookies makes such great profits this time of year. But wait; who need's Insomnia Cookies when you can bake them yourself? There's just something about the warm, buttery, sweet taste of a fresh baked cookie that lifts one's spirits. In fact just the enticing aroma of cookies in the oven is enough to clear my worries. Today's post was guiltily written in the midst of midterms. Just thinking about all of my exams, homework, and extracurricular commitments makes my head hurt. So, I've decided I'm just not going to think about it. Instead, I baked some cookies and took a bite of heaven that had no guilt attached. These cookies are the perfect compromise between crispy and chewey. If you want to share and have picky friends, this recipe is sure to please them all. The edge is buttery and crisp while the center stays moist and chewy. Irresistibly studded with dried cranberries, macadamia nuts, and white chocolate, they will be gone before you know it. Next time you're feeling the blues, I hope these cookies will help you too. (Wow, that almost rhymed.) Without further adieu, here is the recipe:

Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
2c flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¾ c melted unsalted butter
¾ c brown sugar
½ c granulated sugar
Zest from one small orange
1 tbsp vanilla
½ tsp instant expresso
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
¾ c chopped macadamia nuts
½ c white chocolate chips
½ c dried cranberries

Directions:
Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large separate bowl, blend butter with sugar until smooth. Dissolve instant expresso in vanilla in a small bowl. Add orange zest, vanilla mixture, the egg, and egg yolk to butter mixture and mix well. Stir together wet and dry ingredients with a spatula or wooden spoon. Fold in nuts, chocolate, and cranberries. Cover with plastic wrap and chill about 30 minutes. (This makes the dough easier to work with.) Preheat oven to 325. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart (you can use two spoons for this or just use your hands if you're like me.) Bake in batches for 12-18 minutes or until the edges are golden. Don't over bake them! Oven temperatures and cookie size will vary, so check them after the minimum time and adjust accordingly. The cookies will be slightly soft in the center when done. They'll continue to cook a little bit after you remove them from the oven.(Return the remaining dough to the fridge while you bake your first batch). Remove from oven and cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy! Notes: If you are fortunate enough to have a large oven and multiple cookie sheets, feel free to bake them all at once. Just make sure to rotate the pans and switch the rack they’re on halfway through the baking time. Also, these are most delicious warm out of the oven but you can recreate that gooey, melty state by nuking them for 8-15 seconds before eating.

Tweet

A Parisian Bite in Philly

The other day I found myself with half an hour to spare in Center City. I dashed off to Miel Patisserie, having heard good things about their French macarons. Not to be mistaken with their common cousin the coconut macaroon (for a good history of the two check out Slate's article), French macarons are dainty sandwich cookies made from an almond-flour meringue and filled with some form of ganache. The pinnacle of all macaron shops is Paris-based Ladurée which opened its first American outpost on Madison Avenue last year. I had the chance to try a pistachio Ladurée macaron way back in 2008, and the sweet, airy memory is still with me. My Ladurée macaron has consequently been my comparison point for all macarons since.

Miel Patisserie's macaron selection changes daily; when I went they were offering vanilla, lemon, pistachio and pina colada. The prices are quite affordable- only $1.25 for a macaron. Compared to Sugar Philly's 3-for-$5 "deal", I consider Miel Patisserie a bargain. For old-times sake, I picked up a pistachio macaron before walking two blocks to Rittenhouse Square, where I found a nice park bench to sit and savor it on. Rittenhouse was illuminated with the golden rays of dusk, and I inhaled faint whiffs of cigar smoke from an old man sitting a few benches down from me. As I took my first bite of macaron, the six-o'clock Church of Holy Trinity bells began ringing. For a moment I felt transported to the City of Light.

While the macaron itself wasn't as good as Ladurée, it was still the best macaron I've had in Philly. It wasn't too sweet, which I've found is a common problem with macarons. And it was filled with the smoothest melt-in-your mouth buttercream filling I've had in a long time; I practically swooned. However I was disappointed that, despite the pieces of pistachio rolled around the outside of the macaron, the pistachio flavor was a bit weak. Nevertheless, that won't stop me from trying more of Miel Patisserie's macarons. So far they are the best Parisian bite I've found in Philly.

-Elliott Brooks

Miel Patisserie
204 S 17th St.

Tweet

Lovin' Levain

If Cookie Monster didn’t live on Sesame Street, he would be stationed right above Levain Bakery.

Founded in 1994 by friends Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes, Levain Bakery is a cozy neighborhood spot located in New York City’s Upper West Side. The bakery’s legendary baked goods draw locals and tourists alike. The overwhelming demand inspired Levain to open locations in the Hamptons and Harlem, as well as offer shipping of their world-famous cookies around the globe.

The bakery’s name comes from the French word levain, a natural leavening agent that traditionally consists of flour, water, and wild yeasts; it is also known as sourdough starter in the U.S. McDonald and Weekes thought that the French term for a natural starter was the perfect fit for their new bakery.

Levain prepares a variety of tantalizing baked goods that are baked on-site, including breads, sticky buns, and muffins, but what puts them on the map are their cookies. Four types of cookies are available: chocolate chip walnut, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate chocolate chip, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip. With their $4 price tag, you are most definitely getting your money’s worth; each massive six-ounce cookie is literally the size of your fist and can easily replace a meal. Levain’s staff bakes trays upon trays of these decadent mountains throughout the day, so they always come out fresh, warm, and delightfully gooey.

The Levain cookie experience stimulates all five senses. Smelling the mouthwatering aroma of fresh-baked cookies as you wait in a line that stretches out the door. Hearing the constant clatter of metal trays as they are pulled off towering racks, laden with hulking mounds of cookie dough, and shuttled to ovens nearby. Seeing staff members transfer the hulking masterpieces directly from an oven tray into a brown paper bag for customers. Feeling the cookie’s steady warmth and satisfying heft in your palm upon extracting it from the bag.

And the taste... oh, the taste. Levain’s cookies can only be described as heavenly. They are by far some of the best cookies I have ever sunk my teeth into. Each cookie has tremendous depth of flavor. The exterior is just crisp enough to hold the whole cookie package together, giving way to an incredibly soft, chewy interior slightly reminiscent of cookie dough. My personal favorite is the dark chocolate chocolate chip; it is a rich and decadent treat, with huge chunks of dark chocolate chips studded throughout the cookie that slightly melt all over your fingers as you dig in. A chilly glass of ice-cold milk is practically necessary to complete the experience.

If you can’t finish these enormous treats in one sitting (and I don’t blame you), not a problem—the chips and insides stay soft and melted for hours. The cookies taste just as incredible if you pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds later on.

Cookie Monster may croon “Share It Maybe”, but Levain’s scrumptious cookies will make you want to keep them all for yourself. After one bite, you’ll be going back for seconds, thirds, fourths…

Tweet

The Fractured Prune

Ocean City, Maryland is more than just a town of sand and sea. All along Coastal Highway, the main drag of the city, lie rows and rows of places to eat- fast food, sit-down, bars, cafés. Although some are certainly tacky, apropos of a beach town, there are some gems tucked amongst all the crab shacks. To my surprise, it wasn’t the Maryland crabs that struck me most, but instead, donuts from The Fractured Prune.

The shop was small and cramped, but nevertheless cute. The line went out the door during the morning rush, past the shop’s signature sign of a quirky cartoon prune wearing shades and a bandage. As more and more people ordered, they had to crowd to the sides to wait for their donuts. Behind the counter, employees worked swiftly and efficiently filling boxes with hand-dipped donuts. Each customer was given a playing card from a deck when they ordered and was called by the number and suit instead of by name. When the king of clubs was called, I went to get my donuts. To my surprise, the box was hot—not luke warm, but hot! At that point, I couldn’t wait any longer to sink my teeth into a donut. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. The donuts were warm and golden throughout. When I bit into the first one, I could taste the soft buttery cake on the inside, complemented by the crisp perfectly fried outside. When I looked at it, I could even see the butter glistening off the dough. Although the wait felt long, I decided that in the end it was well worth it.

Each donut at The Fractured Prune is made fresh to order. They are churned individually out of a machine. Then, still hot, they are dipped by hand in a glaze and a topping. Glazes include, but are not limited to, caramel, chocolate, peanut butter, mixed berry, banana, and maple, while toppings consist of chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate jimmies, coconut flakes, graham crackers, and Oreo cookie pieces. There is also a choice of sugars: powdered, granulated, or cinnamon sugar. You can choose your own combination of toppings or select from a list of specialties that have already been created. The pre-made combinations range from simple, like mocha glaze with Oreo pieces, to more complex, such as banana glaze with cinnamon sugar and peanuts. There is even one called Plain Jane, which is just a plain donut without any toppings. Frankly, the donuts have such a rich flavor on their own that they would taste great even without any toppings or glazes at all.

I tried a maple glaze with cinnamon sugar and graham cracker pieces, as well as a peanut butter glaze with rainbow sprinkles. The maple glaze was subtle. It gave the donut a hint of extra flavor, but the buttery taste of the donut itself was stronger than that of the glaze. The cinnamon sugar gave the donut more texture, as the sugar crystals added some crunch, while the graham crackers were crushed so small that they were closer to a powder than pieces, not providing much added texture. The peanut butter glaze was a little more palpable, but still not overpowering. I think that peanut butter flavor in general is just more robust than maple. And the sprinkles gave the donut a nice extra chewiness. Overall, the glazes were subtle. They were not thick frostings, so the flavor of the donut didn't rely on that of the frosting. The toppings gave the donuts a little character, some more striking than others, but the taste and texture of a plain one would still be delectable.

The donuts at The Fractured Prune were the best donuts I have ever had. They were served hot and fresh, fried perfectly crisp with a supple center. And the flavor combinations were endless. On the one hand, it is atrocious that there is no Fractured Prune in New York or Philadelphia, depriving such substantial cities of this delicious fried goodness. On the other hand, it is probably a good thing, as it would be difficult for me to resist buying a donut every day.

Tweet

Second Annual Cupcake Smash: A Smashing Success

What annual event lets you sample this captivating collection of creative cupcakes?

Only at the Cupcake Smash! The widely-attended cupcake contest and tasting event celebrated its second year on Saturday, April 28, drawing crowds to the Piazza at Schmidt’s in Northern Liberties. A collaboration between chief cupcake coordinator Melissa Mae Templeton, Philabundance, and Tommy Up of PYT, the competition pitted 15 amateur bakers and 15 professional bakers against each other for an elusive spot on PYT's menu.

The charity event raised an astounding $7,600, more than doubling donations from last year. All proceeds benefited Philabundance, Delaware Valley’s largest relief organization dedicated to fighting hunger by providing meals for those in need in Philadelphia. The funds raised will provide more than 15,000 meals for those in need. As Marlo DelSordo, Philabundance's Director of Marketing and Communications, observed, "It's not just a middle-aged businessman writing a check. There are people of all ages and interests donating not only money, but also their time and talents."

All cupcakes were based off of PYT's utterly unique menu, with unusual ingredients like fried pickles, tater tots, bacon, caramelized onions, and jalapeño peppers. The competition was fierce, but who eventually came out on top as cupcake king?

The People's Choice award was bestowed to That's Forking Good's "Fruit Loopy Cupcake." The colorful Fruit Loop-flavored cupcake with a Loopy Vodka buttercream frosting was inspired by PYT's "Adult Cereal" menu option (Froot Loops cereal with whole milk and Three Olives Loopy vodka). I'd certainly be content eating this for breakfast in the morning. (Read more about her experience as a contestant on her blog!)

The Judge's Choice in the Amateur division was Batter Up Baker. These talented cupcake creators designed the "Chocolate Covered Pretzel," inspired by PYT's "John Toffey Crunch Adult Shake" (a black-and-white shake with crushed Heath bar chocolate-toffee candy, kahlua, Three Olives chocolate vodka and crushed pretzels). Batter Up Baker's version similarly had a chocolate cupcake with cream cheese filling and a pretzel crust, topped with caramel icing and smashed toffee candy. This was one of my favorite cupcakes at the competition and I'm so happy that they won!

In the Professional division, the Judge's Choice was AMR Catering. Another cupcake inspired by PYT's "John Toffey Crunch Adult Shake," AMR's "Pretzel.Toffee.Crunch.Buzz" featured vanilla cake studded with Joe’s Coffee Porter & Kahlua Syrup, dark chocolate ganache spiked with Three Olives Chocolate Vodka, house-made pretzel butter toffee bits, Kahlua-infused bruleed meringue icing, and chocolate-toffee pretzel garnish. The different textures and intense flavors complemented each other quite well, resulting in a winning creation.

The “Pretzel.Toffee.Crunch.Buzz” cupcake will be featured on PYT's menu for the month of May, so be sure to stop by and indulge in dessert after feasting on one of PYT's funky burgers!

Read on for a further recap of the event, accompanied with plenty of tantalizing pictures.

Judges Tony Luke Jr. (Tony Luke’s), Leah Kauffman (Philly.com), Drew Lazor (City Paper), Wendy Rollins (Radio 104.5), and Tommy Up (PYT) have a tough decision to make.

These tropical “Everythin’ Come an’ Curry, Mon” Cupcakes were inspired by PYT's "Bananas John Foster" shake (vanilla ice cream, a whole banana, sailor jerry spiced rum, banana liqueur and maple syrup topped with whipped cream and banana slices). Love the diagram!

"The Charmer" by Sweet Affairs certainly brought out the kid in all of us; the vanilla cupcake had a Lucky Charms crust, was filled with "Milk" sweet cream, topped with whipped cream, and sprinkled with the classic marshmallow charms. This number was based off PYT's Cereal Killer shake (vanilla ice cream, Tito's handmade vodka, and Lucky Charms-infused cereal milk topped with whipped cream and Lucky Charms).

What do you call a nosy pepper? Jalapeño Business! Zynnie Bakes' creation took PYT's Jalapeno Popper Burger and combined the flavors of jalapeno and pineapple for a sweet-spicy flavor blast.

These excellently-crafted "Root Beer Float" cupcakes tasted exactly like their namesake; samples were even served topped with tiny scoops of rich vanilla ice cream.

There's nothing like a cupcake to finish off a meal... but cupcakes and donuts? Now you're just spoiling me! The "Cupcake Sundae" (inspired by PYT's "Krispy Kreme Sundae") took a vanilla cupcake and adorned it with vanilla "ice cream" buttercream, chocolate covered bacon, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, and shaved chocolate.

No competition is complete without bacon coming into the mix! These savory-sweet cupcakes delivered a punch with bacon toffee nestled in the frosting.

Inspired by local town carnivals where everything and anything is fried, the intense "CarniCake" created by Cammy Cakes riffed off PYT's "Cookie Monster Adult Shake" (vanilla ice cream, vanilla vodka, irish cream liqueur and crushed Oreos). The Oreo cupcake was dipped in luscious funnel cake batter, deep fried, drizzled with Irish cream and melted chocolate, and dusted with powdered sugar.

These Neapolitan-hued cupcakes by Team dee*Lish were based off the classic Banana Split and accordingly coined their name as "This Split is Bananas!" With a touch of banana liqueur blended into the trifecta of cake flavors, the cupcakes were topped with a whipped cream vodka flavored buttercream frosting, playful rainbow sprinkles, and a bright red cherry on top.

All in all, this year's Cupcake Smash was a smashing success. Kudos to all those who made this event happen! I'm already looking forward to this incredible event next year!

Tweet

Sweet Freedom: "In the Magazine" Exclusive

We feature Sweet Freedom--Philadelphia's first and only completely gluten-free, vegan, allergy-friendly bakery--in our upcoming Spring 2012 issue. Here's a glimpse of their fruit oat crumble:

Join us this Wednesday, April 18, at 7:30 pm at 3627 Locust Walk to celebrate the launch!

-

Tweet