It's time for Tea.... Pt. 3

The Ending of a Perfect

Tea Party.... Dessert

The last words in the story of Alice in Wonderland are "it's time for tea..." Which is perfectly appropriate because it is definitely time to have this party!!! If you missed them check out the other two posts regarding throwing a Mad Hatter Tea Party: Part One and Part Two. 

The perfect way to end a perfect party of any kind is with dessert. And as I mentioned in my previous blog, I am a lover of dessert buffets!! Here are some suggestions for you.....

Martha Stewart Tea Party Cake

Obviously I found this recipe via Martha Stewart:. Follow the links to the recipes for each ingredient. I am using my own chocolate cake recipe! Oh, and unless its someone's birthday I wouldn't put candles on top!

Ingredients

• 2 recipes Chocolate Cake, thicker cake cut in half horizontally (3 layers total)
• Strawberry-Cream Cheese Filling
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream for Cupcakes, mixed with 1 cup strawberry puree (from Strawberry-Cream Cheese Filling)
• Rolled fondant, for decorating

Directions

1. Spread 2 cake layers with 1 1/2 cups filling each. Stack; top with unfrosted layer. Frost with buttercream. Tint fondant; cut into flower shapes, and roll into balls. Garnish cake with assembled fondant flowers.

Frozen Blueberry Yogurt Sandwiches

I found this wonderful recipe on Gallery Gourmet: 

For the Blueberry Compote
2 cups (10 ounces) fresh blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch


For the Sandwich Layers
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 extra large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 pints premium vanilla frozen yogurt ( I use Häagen-Dazs)

For the Blueberry Compote
In a 12-inch skillet, cook the blueberries, sugar, and lemon zest over medium-high heat, thoroughly crushing the berries with a potato masher or the back of a large fork until the juices have released and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.  In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice and cornstarch.  Stir the lemon juice mixture into the blueberry mixture.  Bring the entire mixture to a boil, stirring until the mixture is thickened, about 1 minute.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.  (Can be made up to one day in advance).

For the Sandwich Layer
Preheat the oven to 375º F with the rack in the middle.   Butter and flour two 8-inch baking pans, then line with parchment paper with sides over hanging for easy release. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Reduce the speed and add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing just until combined.  Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans, spreading with an offset spatula.  Bake until golden brown, but still tender, 10-12 minutes.  Cool completely in the pans for least 1 hour.

To Assemble
Keeping one sandwich layer in the pan, dollop half the blueberry compote over the base.  Spoon all of the softened frozen yogurt over the blueberry and spread evenly using an offset spatula.  Dollop the remaining blueberry compote over the yogurt.  Using the parchment overhang, carefully remove the second sandwich layer from the pan.  Invert the layer over the blueberry and yogurt, pressing gently to form and even sandwich.  Fold parchment overhang over the sandwich and wrap baking pan in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. 

When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap and unfold parchment.  Using parchment, transfer the sandwich to a cutting board.  Trim edges if desired, then cut into bars.   Ice cream sandwich (before cutting) can be made 1 week in advance wrapped in plastic wrap and then in foil.  Enjoy!

Cookie-Crusted Mini Cheesecake Trio

An easy tasty treat with three variations! "Borrowed" from Very Best Baking. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie, Gingerbread or Peanut Butter Cookie Tub Dough
• BASE BATTER FOR EACH VARIETY
• 2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR:
• DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP MINI CHEESECAKES
• 3/4 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels, divided
• GINGERBREAD PUMPKIN MINI CHEESECAKES
• 1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 4 baked NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Gingerbread Cookie Tub Dough for garnish, cooled and finely crushed
• PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE MINI CHEESECAKES
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) heavy whipping cream, divided
• 2/3 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 325° F. Paper-line 24 muffin cups. Place 1 level tablespoon of cookie dough (1 square if using bar dough) into each muffin cup.

BAKE for 10 minutes or until cookie has spread to edge of cup.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and flour in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well.

FOR DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP MINI CHEESECAKES :

STIR 1/2 cup mini morsels into base batter. Spoon 2 heaping measuring tablespoons of batter over each cookie in cup.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until just set but not browned. Cool completely in pans on wire rack. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

MELT remaining 1/4 cup mini morsels in small,heavy-duty plastic bag on HIGH (100%) power for 30 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle lightly over each cheesecake just before serving.

FOR GINGERBREAD PUMPKIN MINI CHEESECAKES:
BEATpumpkin and pumpkin pie spice into base batter until smooth. Spoon 2 heaping measuring tablespoons of batter over cookie in cup.

BAKE for 16 to 18 minutes or until just set but not browned. Cool completely in pans on wire rack. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Top each cheesecake with cookie crumbs before serving.

FOR PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE MINI CHEESECAKES:
BEAT peanut butter and 5 tablespoons cream into base batter. Spoon heaping 2 measuring tablespoons of batter over each cookie in cup.

BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until just set but not browned. Cool completely in pans on wire rack.

MICROWAVE remaining 3 tablespoons cream in 1-cup glass measure on HIGH (100%) power for 25 seconds or until boiling. Add morsels; let sit for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Spoon 1 measuring teaspoon of ganache in center of each cheesecake. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

NOTES:
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes can be topped with NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels instead of the ganache. When cheesecakes come out of the oven, top each cheesecake with 8 to 10 morsels. Morsels will soften but will retain shape.
• 1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough can be substituted for tub dough.

Enjoy the party.. Don't be late...

National Bouillabaisse Day

In this crazy time of year I decided to step back and celebrate a random holiday that is tasty and fun. National Bouillabaisse Day is a perfect day to relax and take a break from the holidays. What is Bouillabaisse? The answer is a french inspired seafood soup!! I am cooking some as we type! Will you share the recipe you ask? Why of course! When it comes to french cooking there is only one person's recipe I would even consider using - Julia Child!  So to celebrate today, make up a big pot of Bouillabaisse and pop in the  Julia and Julia DVD, pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

 

As reprinted by the Smithsonian

How to make the authentic bouillabaisse is always a subject of lively discussion among French experts; each always insists that his own is the only correct version. If you do not happen to live on the Mediterranean, you cannot obtain the particular rockfish, gurnards, mullets, weavers, sea eels, wrasses, and breams which they consider the absolutely essential fish for bouillabaisse, but you can make an extremely good facsimile even if you have only frozen fish and canned clam juice to work with, because all the other essential flavors of tomatoes, onion or leeks, garlic, herbs, and olive oil are always available.
Bouillabaisse is really a fish chowder; whole small fish or large fish cut into serving pieces are boiled in a deliciously aromatic fish broth. The fish are served on a platter, and the broth in a tureen, and you eat both together in large soup plates.
For the best and most interesting flavor, pick six or more varieties of fish, which is why a bouillabaisse is ideally made for at least six people. Some of the fish should be firm fleshed and gelatinous, like halibut, eel, and cusk; some should be tender and flaky like hake, whiting, and sole. The firm fish hold their shape, and the tender fish partially disperse in the soup. Shellfish are optional, but always add glamour and color if you wish to include them.
Except for live lobsters and crabs, all the fish may be cleaned, sliced, and refrigerated several hours before the final cooking. The soup base may be boiled, strained, and refrigerated. The actual cooking of the fish in the soup will take only about 20 minutes, and then the dish should be served immediately.

The Fish

Fish for bouillabaisse should be lean, and of the best and freshest-smelling quality. Here are some suggestions: bass, cod, conger or sea eel, cusk, flounder, grouper, grunt, haddock, hake or whiting, halibut, perch, pollock, rockfish or sculpin, snapper, spot, sea trout or weakfish, wolffish. Shellfish—crab, lobster, mussels, clams, scallops.
Have the fish cleaned and scaled; discard gills. Save heads, bones, and trimmings for the soup base. Cut large fish into crosswise slices of 2 inches wide. Scrub clams; scrub and soak mussels; wash scallops. If using live crab or lobster, split just before cooking; remove sand sack and intestinal tube from lobsters, and tail flap from under crabs.
Bouillabaisse a la Marseillaise
(Mediterranean Fish Chowder)
For 6 to 8 people

The Soup Base

• 1 cup sliced yellow onions
• ¾ to 1 cup sliced leeks, white part only; or ½ cup more onions
• ½ cup of olive oil
• A heavy 8-quart kettle or casserole
• 2 to 3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, or 1¼ cups drained canned tomatoes, or ¼ cup tomato paste
• 4 cloves mashed garlic

Cook the onions and leeks slowly in the olive oil for 5 minutes without browning.
Stir in the tomatoes and garlic, and cook 5 minutes more.

• 2½ quarts water
• 6 parsley sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp thyme or basil
• 1/8 tsp fennel
• 2 big pinches of saffron
• A 2-inch piece or ½ tsp dried orange peel
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 Tb salt (none if using clam juice)
• 3 to 4 lbs. fish heads, bones, and trimmings including shellfish remains; or, 1 quart clam juice and 1½ quarts of water, and no salt

Add the water, herbs, seasoning, and fish or clam juice to the kettle. Bring to boil, skim, and cook, uncovered, at the slow boil for 30 to 40 minutes. Strain, correct seasoning. Set aside, uncovered, until cool if you are not finishing the bouillabaisse immediately, then refrigerate.

Cooking the Bouillabaisse

• The soup base
• 6 to 8 lbs. assorted lean fish, and shellfish if you wish, selected and according to directions at beginning of recipe

Bring the soup base to a rapid boil in the kettle about 20 minutes before serving. Add lobsters, crabs, and firm-fleshed fish. Bring quickly back to the boil and boil rapidly, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Then add the tender-fleshed fish, and the clams, mussels, and scallops. Bring back to the boil again for 5 minutes. Do not overcook.

Serving

• A hot platter
• A soup tureen or soup casserole
• Rounds of toasted French bread
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

Immediately lift out the fish and arrange on the platter. Carefully taste soup for seasoning, place 6 to 8 slices of bread in the tureen, and pour in the soup. Spoon a ladleful of soup over the fish, and sprinkle parsley over both fish and soup. Serve immediately.
At the table, each guest is served or helps himself to both fish and soup, placing them in a large soup plate. Eat the bouillabaisse with a large soup spoon and fork, helped along with additional pieces of French bread. If you wish to serve wine, you have a choice of rosé, a strong dry white wine such as Côtes du Rhône or Riesling, or a light, young red such as Beaujolais or domestic Mountain Red.
From The French Chef Cookbook, by Julia Child, Knopf, 1968, with permission from the Julia Child Foundation on Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts.

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/bouillabaisse.html#ixzz1fmbGgmpf