Whoever thought of adding a vegetable to dessert to somehow ease the guilty pleasure is a genius! After all, a cake is only a cake, but the addition of carrots provides that distinct flavor that gives the otherwise ordinary cake a delicious twist.

Carrot cake is also known as “Passion cake” and using carrots is an age old secret to create sweet cakes since the medieval period. Sweeteners were as valuable as gold and usually very expensive but carrots, with their natural sweetness, were a lot cheaper. The origins of carrot cake can be traced back to Norway, and during WWII it became a rationing staple in Britain when a businessman named George C. Page asked bakers to make use of an overabundance of canned carrots. The idea of a carrot cake worked wonders for creating a demand for the excess canned carrots! The Americans caught the carrot cake bug in the 1960’s when it became commonly available in restaurants. In the U.S., carrot cake was initially thought of as a novelty, but its velvety texture, mild sweetness, and overall scrumptious taste made it an instant hit.

A simply delish carrot cake is straightforward, no frills, just plain and simple delectable. It instantly satisfies that sweet tooth craving minus the sugar overload.

Carrot Cake

Adapted from The Joy of Baking

• 1 cup (100 grams) pecans or walnuts
• 3/4 pound (340 grams) raw carrots (about 2 1/2 cups finely grated)
• 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) safflower, vegetable or canola oil (or other flavorless oil)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray two – 9 x 2 inch (23 x 5 cm) cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with a circle of parchment paper. Please follow baking directions for pound cake. When Tested, we lowed the baking to 310 for 45 min to an hour.If you are using round pans please follow the directions above and cook at 350.
2. Toast the pecans or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
3. Peel and finely grate the carrots.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon.
5. In bowl of electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3 – 4 minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and then cool completely before frosting.
7. To assemble: place one cake layer onto your serving plate. Spread with about half the frosting. Gently place the other cake onto the frosting and spread the rest of the frosting over the top of the cake. If desired, garnish with toasted nuts on the top of the cake. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
8. Serves 10 – 12.

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Confidential
haveseen

Cream puffs, profiterole, or as it is known in Japan, “choux cream puffs”, are a gift from the gods! There are so many types of pastries but no other can be as delectable as choux cream puffs.

We oftentimes fail to think about just how such a delicious creation has come to pass because we are always enthralled with the burst of scrumptiousness whenever we bite into any pastry, most especially a choux puff. Pastries have been made to intoxicate the senses and it especially affects one’s senses of smell, sight, and taste. The choux cream is no exception. Its origin and the name “profiterole” is ambiguous, but many sources have traced it to North Eastern Italy, and this term has graced man’s lips in English and was borrowed from the French as early as the 16th century. At the time, it was a kind of roll that was baked under the ashes.

The cream puff as it is known in America has been a staple in restaurants since 1851, maybe even earlier. Choux (pronounced as “shoe”) literally means “cabbage” in French. The choux cream resembles a head of baby cabbage and most likely is named after the vegetable.

The art of creating delicious pastries is a gift in itself but it also takes a far greater talent to tweak masterful recipes into something much more. Over the years there have been several variations to the choux cream and some of them really stand out! One in particular is the cookie topped choux puff. For anyone who loves custards and cream, this is a match made in heaven. The choux cream’s light and fluffy texture, rich creamy custard filling, combined with the cookie topping is a delicious combustion just waiting to happen in your mouth!

For the regular version without the crunchy cookie top, check it out here.

When testing this recipe, we used a combination of both recipes and directions below.

Crunchy Cookie Top Cream Puffs

Recipe adapted from Cookpad.

Cookie Dough

• Butter 30g
• Sugar 30g
• Cake Flour 30g
• Diced or Sliced Almonds 30g

Cream Puff Pastry

Also Adapted from The Joy of Baking

• 1/2 cup (65 grams) all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) (57 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly butter or spray the pan with a non stick vegetable spray.
2. In a bowl sift or whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.
3. Place the butter and water in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. (Make sure that the butter melts before the water boils to reduce the amount of evaporation.)
4. Remove from heat and, with a wooden spoon, add the flour mixture, all at once, and stir until combined.
5. Return saucepan to the heat and stir constantly until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a thick smooth ball (about 1-2 minutes).
6. Transfer the dough to your electric mixer, or use a hand mixer, and beat on low speed to release the steam from the dough (about a minute).
7. Once the dough is lukewarm start adding the lightly beaten eggs (dough will separate and then come together) and continue to mix until you have a smooth thick paste (dough will fall from a spoon in a thick ribbon).
8. Spoon or pipe 12 small mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. With a pastry brush, gently brush the tops of the dough with a lightly beaten egg.
9. (for cookie crunch top place the cookie dough, crumbled as cut with a cookie tin, square or circle is fine, place evenly on top of choux pastry dough). Here is the link to the pictures of how you can apply the cookie dough before baking.
10. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
11. Continue to bake for a further 30 to 35 minutes or until the shells are a nice amber color and when split, are almost dry inside.
12. Turn the oven off, poke a couple of holes in each puff and, with the oven door slightly ajar, let the shells completely cool (and dry out).

Japanese Cookpad Recipe

(follow same directions for the Choux Pastry above from Joy of Baking)

• Water 100g
• Cake Flour 60g
• Butter 50g
• 2 Eggs whipped

Cheese Custard Filling

• Milk 200g
• 1 Vanilla Beans (remove vanilla bean paste from beans)
• 2 Egg Yolks
• Cake Flour 10g
• Cornstarch 5g
• Granulated Sugar 100g
• Cream Cheese 100g
• Cointreau 10g

Directions

1. Place Cookie Dough Divided Evenly onto of the uncooked Choux Pastry.
2. Preheat Oven to 200c For cook for 20 Minutes
3. Turn down the oven to 180c and bake for 40 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

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MAGONE

The beauty industry makes millions of dollars on our obsession for youthful skin. Before the beauty industry women turned to mother nature for their “lotions”. Do you want the curative powers of alpha-hydroxy? Strawberries have the alpha-hydroxy that we desire. Cut a strawberry in half and rub on your skin. It may feel a little sticky, but when you rinse the strawberry juice off your skin will feel wonderful. Make this a habit and watch your skin take on its youthful natural glow once again.

Pastry Cream

Recipe by CHRISTINIBEANIE at all recipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a heavy saucepan, stir together the milk and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Stir together the remaining sugar and cornstarch; then stir them into the egg until smooth. When the milk comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream while mixing so that you do not cook the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the eggs don’ t curdle or scorch on the bottom.
3. When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla, mixing until the butter is completely blended in. Pour into a heat-proof container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled before using.

Tartlet Crust

Adapted from Joy of Baking

Sweet Pastry Crust

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the salt. Place the butter in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball. Flatten the pastry into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes or just until firm (can place in freezer for about 10-15 minutes.)
2. Lightly butter and flour, or spray with a non-stick vegetable/flour cooking spray, an 8 – 9 inch (20 – 23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom. Once the pastry has chilled sufficiently, evenly pat onto the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Lightly prick bottom of pastry crust with the tines of a fork (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Place tart pan on a larger baking pan and bake crust for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and continue to bake the crust for about 15 minutes or until crust is dry and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. If desired, seal the crust with an egg white glaze or apricot glaze. Can be covered and stored for a few days.

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YanZappa

I grew up in New Jersery, a mere 8 miles from my Nonna (grandmother), but as anyone from the metropolitan area understands, 8 miles is a world away. And, a summer evening spent at Nonna’s was indeed a different world. I lived in the suburbs. Nonna lived in a city, in a neighborhood that was primarily populated by Italian immigrants and their families. I loved the brownstone homes, some of them attached, some divided ever so slightly by a narrow alley, but all with their windows open, hoping the evening breeze would blow through the lace curtains.

In the summer most of the Italian families in the neighborhood transformed their small postage stamp backyards into vegetable garden jungles. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, basil, parsley were planted and tended to with care. I can still recall the scent of the garden on a hot, humid evening, crickets chirping, lightening bugs glowing. During those magical twilight hours the adults sat in the yard, on old kitchen chairs, sipping a cool drink of water, discussing, in Italian, the best way to grow tomatoes. The laundry hung from the second floor window on a line tied to the cherry tree that stood like a giant in the middle of the yard. The neighborhood would be abuzz with the sounds of conversations, kids playing and faint music coming from a few houses over. The kids, well we sat on the front stoop, after playing hop scotch on the sidewalk or jumping rope, too hot to do anything more than talk as we savored a lemon ice purchased at Grillo’s.

Grillo’s was a family run lemon ice stand that resided in a small, gray shack of a building on the corner of a street that was a dead end. The building was closed up during the winter, but when it opened it nothing less than a declaration of summer arrival. The Grillo family made lemon ice, pure and simple. It was fresh, homemade and when it was sold out it was out until the next batch was ready. It was heavenly on a hot summer’s night. When we visited Nonna my father first stopped at Grillo’s just 2 blocks away from Nonna’s home and picked up the largest container (or two) of lemon ice. Sitting on Nonna’s front stoop, eating homemade lemon ice from Grillo’s, hearing the sounds of a city summer night…ahhh those were the days.
Here are two recipes: One is for lemon ice and the other is for lemon sorbet. I love them both!

Lemon Sorbet

Ingredients

• 12 lemons (I like to use Meyer lemons)
• Lemon zest from 6 lemons, reserve the other 6 lemons for the cups
• 1 cup lemon juice, strained
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups water

Directions

1. Cut off the top 1/3 of the lemons that you are using for the cups. Save the tops for the caps of the cups. Slightly cut the botton to create a flat surface so that the lemons will stand (do not cut deeply)
2. Hollow out each lemon, reserve the juice, discard the flesh. Place the cups in the freezer.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water until sugar dissolves. Stir in the lemon zest and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes.
4. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine well.
5. Remove from heat and let cool before pouring into a bowl in which you can freeze. Let the mixture become semi-frozen. Do not freeze through.
6. Place frozen mixture into food processor and and blend until smooth. Spoon mixture into lemon cups and refreeze.

Lemon Ice

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest

Directions

• Combine 2 cups of the water with the sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer.
• Cook until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Stir in the remaining water and let cool to room temperature.
• Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place a shallow metal container in the freezer to chill.
• Add the lemon juice, lemon peel, and extract to the chilled sugar mixture; stir until well blended.
• Pour into the chilled metal pan.
• Place the pan in the freezer for 30-60 minutes, or until ice crystals form around the edges.
• Stir the ice crystals into the center of the pan and return to the freezer.
• Repeat every 30 minutes, or until all the liquid is crystallized but not frozen solid.

What happens when you receive a package from your dear friend who resides in Tokyo? In my home the entire family gathers to see what has been sent. Marie sends me many fun packages. My husband and boys enjoy the chocolates and candy. And, I receive many wonderful girly things like lip balm, hand gel, soaps, etc. I feel like a kid at Christmas for all the packaging is brightly colored and brilliantly decorated. None of the labeling is in English. All the print is Japanese. Sometimes I have no clue what is in the packaging until I open it to peek at the contents.

On one occasion I had left the contents of one of Marie’s care packages on my kitchen table. I was at work one day and my husband called me at work and this is the conversation we had:

My Hubby: “Babe, I think some of the candy Marie sent is bad.”
Me: “Huh? I just ate some last night. Everything seemed fine.”
My Hubby: “The lemon candy tastes like it went bad.”
Me: “What lemon candy?”
My Hubby: “The lemon candy that looks like a giant Sweettart.”
Me: “Hmmm.. I don’t think she sent…oh my god!”
My Hubby: “What?”
Me: “You just ate a bath fizzy.”

My son and my husband had mistaken a bath fizzy for an oversized Sweettart. I have to admit, the bath fizzy did look like a large Sweettart candy, however it did not smell like one. It was a mistake I don’t think either will forget. When asked if they spit it out, they both said, “No.” It tasted bad, but not bad enough to spit out. A little extra fizzy in the belly isn’t a bad thing, I guess!

Here is a much more enjoyable lemon treat if you are as much a fan of lemon flavored treats as my family.

Lemon Meringue Pie (or Tarts)
Pâte Brisée (Martha Stewart)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds.

2. With machine running, add ice water through feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still too crumbly; add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

3. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll to fit size of baking tin(s).

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Place the dough into the pie or tart shell. Using a fork liberally poke holes into the base. (This releases the hot air during baking and prevents bubbles. If you need to do it mid baking cycle very carefully take a fork and poke holes in any raised areas. Be careful not to burn yourself from the steam.)

7. Prebake the pie or tart shell until golden brown; cool completely.

Lemon Filling

4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
1/3 cup corn starch (plus two tablespoons)
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup lemon juice (Meyer lemons)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Meringue
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 tablespoons sugar

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Directions

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Whisk the egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar and salt. Whisk until combined without lumps. Turn heat on medium and stirring frequently bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute more. (I left on the heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture almost looked like a gelatin)

4. Remove from heat and add one whiskful at a time, beating constantly, the hot mixture to the egg yolks.

5. When completely blended, return mixture to the stove, cook on low, stirring constantly. After about 2 minutes gently stir in the lemon juice and butter until well combined. Keep on heat, stirring continuously, until thick.

6. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while the filling is hot. Make sure meringue covers filling and that it goes to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

What happens when you receive a package from your dear friend who resides in Tokyo? In my home the entire family gathers to see what has been sent. Marie sends me many fun packages. My husband and boys enjoy the chocolates and candy. And, I receive many wonderful girly things like lip balm, hand gel, soaps, etc. I feel like a kid at Christmas for all the packaging is brightly colored and brilliantly decorated. None of the labeling is in English. All the print is Japanese. Sometimes I have no clue what is in the packaging until I open it to peek at the contents.

On one occasion I had left the contents of one of Marie’s care packages on my kitchen table. I was at work one day and my husband called me at work and this is the conversation we had:

My Hubby: “Babe, I think some of the candy Marie sent is bad.”
Me: “Huh? I just ate some last night. Everything seemed fine.”
My Hubby: “The lemon candy tastes like it went bad.”
Me: “What lemon candy?”
My Hubby: “The lemon candy that looks like a giant Sweettart.”
Me: “Hmmm.. I don’t think she sent…oh my god!”
My Hubby: “What?”
Me: “You just ate a bath fizzy.”

My son and my husband had mistaken a bath fizzy for an oversized Sweettart. I have to admit, the bath fizzy did look like a large Sweettart candy, however it did not smell like one. It was a mistake I don’t think either will forget. When asked if they spit it out, they both said, “No.” It tasted bad, but not bad enough to spit out. A little extra fizzy in the belly isn’t a bad thing, I guess!

Here is a much more enjoyable lemon treat if you are as much a fan of lemon flavored treats as my family.

Lemon Meringue Pie (or Tarts)
Pâte Brisée (Martha Stewart)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds.

2. With machine running, add ice water through feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still too crumbly; add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

3. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll to fit size of baking tin(s).

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Place the dough into the pie or tart shell. Using a fork liberally poke holes into the base. (This releases the hot air during baking and prevents bubbles. If you need to do it mid baking cycle very carefully take a fork and poke holes in any raised areas. Be careful not to burn yourself from the steam.)

7. Prebake the pie or tart shell until golden brown; cool completely.

Lemon Filling

4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
1/3 cup corn starch (plus two tablespoons)
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup lemon juice (Meyer lemons)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Meringue
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 tablespoons sugar

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Directions

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Whisk the egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar and salt. Whisk until combined without lumps. Turn heat on medium and stirring frequently bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute more. (I left on the heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture almost looked like a gelatin)

4. Remove from heat and add one whiskful at a time, beating constantly, the hot mixture to the egg yolks.

5. When completely blended, return mixture to the stove, cook on low, stirring constantly. After about 2 minutes gently stir in the lemon juice and butter until well combined. Keep on heat, stirring continuously, until thick.

6. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while the filling is hot. Make sure meringue covers filling and that it goes to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Bouvet Island is our next destination in our tastily touring series. Bouvet Island is an uninhabited, Antarctic islet. It is one of the world’s most isolated islands and lies almost 1500 miles south west of the Cape of Good Hope (Southern Africa) and about 1000 miles north or Antarctica. The center of Bouvet Island is an ice-filled crater of an inactive volcano. Because of its volcanic origin the island is rocky with cliffs surrounding the coast. Ice covered and rocky make landing on Bouvet Island challenging.

Bouvet Island is a dependent territory of Norway and is not subject to the Antarctic Treaty, which is basically an agreement first established in 1961. The treaty has been signed by 49 nations that agree to keep Antarctica as a scientific preserve, banning military activity on the continent.

The French navigator Jean-Baptist-Charles Bouvet de Lozier discovered the island in 1739.

Expeditions by the Germans and the Norwegians occurred between Bouvet Island’s discover and the 1920’s when Norway claimed the island, hoping to make it a whaling station. In 1971 Norway declared the island a nature preserve.

The harsh climate of Bouvet Island has limited the amount of vegetation to lichens and mosses. Seals, seabirds and penguins reside on the island. It has been labeled IBA (Important Bird Area) by Bird Life International, an organization promoting the preservation of the bird populations of the world.

So, what food could we possible share that would be appealing when on an expedition to an island that looks like an iceberg? How about a warm serving of bread pudding? Sweet and delicious, bread pudding is the kitchen sink of desserts. You can add anything you have on hand.

Take a peek at Bouvet Island, and then tell us what you would want to eat if you were on an expedition to Bouvet Island?

Bread Pudding (Adapted from Paula Dean)

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
5 large beaten eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups cubed brioche or Challah, allow to stale overnight in a bowl
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 cup slivered almonds (plus extra for garnish)
1 cup raisins
¼ cup brandy
Pistachios , chopped(optional, had them on hand), for garnish
For the sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup brandy

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.
2. Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla and brandy. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter, almonds and raisins
4. Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.

For the sauce:

Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is melted. Add the brandy, stirring well. Pour over bread pudding. Serve warm or cold.

Bouvet Island is our next destination in our tastily touring series. Bouvet Island is an uninhabited, Antarctic islet. It is one of the world’s most isolated islands and lies almost 1500 miles south west of the Cape of Good Hope (Southern Africa) and about 1000 miles north or Antarctica. The center of Bouvet Island is an ice-filled crater of an inactive volcano. Because of its volcanic origin the island is rocky with cliffs surrounding the coast. Ice covered and rocky make landing on Bouvet Island challenging.

Bouvet Island is a dependent territory of Norway and is not subject to the Antarctic Treaty, which is basically an agreement first established in 1961. The treaty has been signed by 49 nations that agree to keep Antarctica as a scientific preserve, banning military activity on the continent.

The French navigator Jean-Baptist-Charles Bouvet de Lozier discovered the island in 1739.

Expeditions by the Germans and the Norwegians occurred between Bouvet Island’s discover and the 1920’s when Norway claimed the island, hoping to make it a whaling station. In 1971 Norway declared the island a nature preserve.

The harsh climate of Bouvet Island has limited the amount of vegetation to lichens and mosses. Seals, seabirds and penguins reside on the island. It has been labeled IBA (Important Bird Area) by Bird Life International, an organization promoting the preservation of the bird populations of the world.

So, what food could we possible share that would be appealing when on an expedition to an island that looks like an iceberg? How about a warm serving of bread pudding? Sweet and delicious, bread pudding is the kitchen sink of desserts. You can add anything you have on hand.

Take a peek at Bouvet Island, and then tell us what you would want to eat if you were on an expedition to Bouvet Island?

Bread Pudding (Adapted from Paula Dean)

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
5 large beaten eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups cubed brioche or Challah, allow to stale overnight in a bowl
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 cup slivered almonds (plus extra for garnish)
1 cup raisins
¼ cup brandy
Pistachios , chopped(optional, had them on hand), for garnish
For the sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup brandy

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.
2. Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla and brandy. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter, almonds and raisins
4. Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.

For the sauce:

Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is melted. Add the brandy, stirring well. Pour over bread pudding. Serve warm or cold.

The Loch Ness Monster, commonly referred to as Nessie is well known throughout the world. The legend of Nessie’s existence dates back almost 1500 years ago. But, it is on May 2, 1933 that the legend takes on a life of its own. A sighting is reported by a local Scottish Highland couple. The story, reported in the Inverness Courier, is picked up by London papers and, as we say today, it went viral.

Those who study the history of the Loch Ness Monster find many references to Nessie that date back to 500 AD. Stones in the area of Loch Ness, the largest body of fresh water in Great Britain, reveal carvings, possibly made by the Picts, of a strange water beast. In the 7th century a note made regarding Nessie can be found in the biography of Saint Columba, who saved a man who was about to be attacked by Nessie.

After the 1933 sighting the legend of Nessie grew. Many believe that Nessie is real. No matter the camp in which you reside, the Loch Ness Monster still captures the imagination of believers and non-believers as alike.

As a nod to our Scottish friend, Nessie, we offer a brief history of and a recipe for shortbread cookies. These cookies (or biscuits) date back a medieval bread biscuit that was baked twice, dusted with sugar and spices. The original biscuits used yeast. Eventually butter replaced the yeast. We get the word “shortbread” from the word “shortening. Shortbread cookies were a treat, reserved for the wealthy or special occasion, only. Eventually it became a beloved cookie that is now enjoyed anytime by people all over the world.

Shortbread Pinwheel Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons hot milk

Directions

1. Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla; blend in egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. Gradually mix flour mixture into creamed mixture.

4. Divide dough in half; to one half, add chocolate and 1 tablespoon milk. Blend well.

5. Form the dough into discs, wrap in plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 1 ½ hours.

6. On waxed paper or parchment paper, roll each half of dough into 10×12 inch rectangle. Brush chocolate layer with hot milk; place plain layer on top of chocolate layer.

7. Roll, lengthwise, as you would for jelly roll.

8. Wrap roll in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least an hour.

9. When you are getting ready to take bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

10. When dough is finally chilled unwrap and slice into thin rounds.

11. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

12. Remove from cookie sheet and cool before serving

What could be cuter than these adorable cupcake pops? They are an easy treat to make and will bring a little whimsy to any event. Use the cupcake mold to create these treats without fuss.

Cupcake Pops
Ingredients
9-by-13-inch Midnight Chocolate Cake (See below)
2 cups Chocolate Frosting (see below)
1 package chocolate melts
1 package white chocolate melts
1 package pink candy melts
Sprinkles and/or colored sugars
Candy Red Hots or mini red M&M’s

Lollypop sticks

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Trim about 1/2 inch from edges of the cake. Working in batches, crumble cake into a large bowl. Make sure the cake is fine, with no substantial pieces.

2. Add frosting until well combined.

3. Place the mixture into the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

4. When mixture is chilled throughout begin to form the cupcakes by placing a small amount of the mixture into the cupcake mold. Release the cupcake from the mold and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process until you have used all the mixture.

5. When you are finished place the cakes into the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour or place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

6. Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

7. When the cupcakes are chilled dip the bottom of each cupcake into the chocolate; Place cupcakes, bottom-side up, to prepared baking sheet.

8. Place a lollipop stick into the bottom of each cupcake. Before dipping the tops, let the chocolate set completely.

9. Melt white chocolate and/or pink candy melts in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the white chocolate or pink candy melts and place right-side up by sticking the lollipop sticks into a Styrofoam square.

10. Decorate with the candy and sprinkles.

Midnight Chocolate Cake

For the cake:

2 cups cake flour
1 ¾ cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup milk
¾ cup shortening (Use the butter flavored Crisco.)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
12 ounces (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup shortening
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk

To make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan.
2. In a large bowl combine, with a fork, flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Add milk, shortening, eggs and vanilla (still combining with a fork)
4. Then mix at high speed and blend all ingredients until smooth.
5. Pour into 9×13 cake prepared cake pan.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. (While the cake is baking make the filling.)
7. Allow the cake to cool, and then slice each cake into 2 layers.

To make the frosting:

1. In a double boiler (or just stack saucepans, the one for the ingredients needs to be a good size), over hot, not boiling water, melt the chocolate with the shortening.

2. Stir in the sugar and milk.

3. Remove from the heat

4. Beat with a spoon until smooth.

5. Frost sides and top of cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings if you are feeling creative.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Ruth Black
ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
ExposureTime: 1/8
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 100/1