Blueberry Streusel Cake

I made this cake last Monday for a potluck brunch that my friend Laura hosted in honor of the Boston Marathon.  Her apartment is ideally located at the top of the challenging (and daunting) heartbreak hill, so we gathered there to lend our vocal support/enthusiasm to the runners.  Everyone contributed a ridiculous amount of delicious food (see crowded table pic below) and Laura made amazing bellinis with freshly squeezed peaches.  We feasted and chatted and then we spent hours cheering on runners, including our friend Kim- a first time marathoner!  It was the perfect morning with wonderful friends.

Given the fear and pain generated by the bombings, I feel very lucky to have those positive memories from the day.  I’ve really loved watching the marathon these past three years that I have been in Boston for law school.  For me it has always been about celebrating with friends and cheering for runners until my throat hurts and I lose my voice.  Since I’m moving to Seattle soon, I probably won’t be able to make it to next year’s marathon.  But when Patriot’s day rolls around again I can guarantee that I will be cheering extra loudly from across the country.

If you would like to make a contribution to victims of the bombing, please consider donating to the medical expenses for the two Boston College students who were seriously injured in the blasts.  Here are the links to the pages supporting Brittany and Liza.

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL CAKE
serves 6-8
Click here to print
from Gourmet Magazine

For streusel topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 lb blueberries (3 1/4 cups)

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with heavy-duty foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides. Butter bottom and sides of pan, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Make streusel topping:
Stir together flour, sugars, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture forms large clumps.

Make cake:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Stir together sour cream and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and beat until well blended.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with sour-cream mixture and mixing until just combined.  Gently fold in blueberries.  Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top (preferably with an offset spatula). Crumble half of topping evenly over batter.

Bake 25 minutes, then remove from oven and crumble remaining topping evenly over cake. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes more. Cool in pan 40 minutes. Lift out cake using foil and cool completely on rack.

Note:
Cake can be made 1 day ahead and kept, well wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Before I reveal the secret to gooey nutella deliciousness, I want to thank Sarah for her guest post!  In addition to being one of my most loyal readers, Sarah also bore witness to (and supported) my first forays into the culinary world when we lived together in college.  I’m so happy that she agreed to share shakshuka with you all!

Now for the cookies: a post that has completed an epic journey to get here today.  You see, I first made these cookies last September 27th with every intention of posting them in honor of my 3-year blogiversary.  I brought them to school to share with friends and we celebrated...but I never told you about it because tragedy struck and I couldn’t get my camera to work.  I was poised for quite a successful photo shoot: the cookies tasted amazing; they had fallen beautifully onto the plate in an effortlessly perfect display; and I had even timed the pictures to take advantage of ideal natural light.  But when I clicked the button, NOTHING CLICKED. 

I had just returned from Europe where I lugged my camera everywhere so I immediately concluded/panicked that it was destroyed.  I tried taking pictures on my iphone, which I suppose was fitting for my blogiversary since that was my original method of documentation back when I started blogging...but my photography standards have risen somewhat since then and I was just not happy with any of the photos.  So instead I retreated into my six-month hiatus from blogging and this recipe gathered dust.

Luckily dad saved my camera and I made my triumphant return to blogging.  I immediately arranged a new photo shoot for these cookies (it was such a hardship to have to make them again) and I was very happy with the pictures.  Then we encountered my second big delay: I went to Maui for two weeks and got lazy about blogging.  Oops.  This is why I am very thankful to Sarah for writing a post and jump-starting me back to Navy Blue Kitchen!  I have a backlog of other meals and pictures to share (including a post about Maui!) but I decided to prioritize this recipe.  Because you shouldn’t have to spend one more day of your life without nutella oozing from the middle of chocolate chip cookies.

NUTELLA STUFFED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
inspired by Jacques Torres
Click here to print 
makes about 25 cookies

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)
Nutella
Sea salt.

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

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. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.  Put the nutella in the refrigerator at least two hours before assembling cookies so that it will be easier to work with.

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

Scoop about 1/3 cup of dough and flatten in your hand.  Put about a teaspoon of nutella in the middle of the dough and then roll it in your hand to form the cookie into a ball.  Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. 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.

Strawberry Passion Fruit Tart

I think it’s time I share with you my life plan.  It is a plan that I formulated in high school with my best friend, Alice.  Alice is my food soul mate (she is the only person that enjoys talking about food as much as I do) and we decided around the age of sixteen that we would someday open a restaurant together. 

In the ten years since we made that decision, our dedication to realizing this goal has been unwavering.  We have both moved back and forth across the country, and we are both pursuing careers that have nothing to do with food (me= law school, Alice= master’s in public health).  But despite all of the complications and distractions, I know that at some point in our lives, we will open that restaurant together and it will be a success! 

How do I know it will be a success?  Well, for one thing, Alice and I have done quite a bit of research over the years (research= eating out at delicious restaurants).  You see, the money we spend on pricey dinners is really an investment in our future restaurant.  We tirelessly try different eateries in order to perform our due diligence. 

The other reason I know that the restaurant will be a success is Liz, Alice’s mom.  Liz is the first person I encountered who is a truly talented chef.  I feel so lucky to have spent so much time in her kitchen during my formative teenage years.  Her mentorship fueled my emerging enthusiasm for food and I also trust her opinion more than any other food critic (if you need a suggestion for an excellent restaurant in almost any city in the world, ask Liz).

I would never have collected the requisite courage to attempt Thomas Keller’s daunting herb gnocchi had I not watched Liz prepare it each summer for Alice’s birthday dinner.  Liz also graciously allowed Alice and I to make elaborate (and usually extremely messy) food concoctions in her gourmet kitchen when we were in high school.  She was always conveniently available to save us with subtle redirection when we neared the brink of disaster.  Somehow I have a feeling that this guidance will continue when Alice and I make messes in our restaurant kitchen as well.  Liz also happens to be an artist with an impeccable eye for interior design, so don’t worry- our restaurant will have excellent style. 

The tart that I am sharing today is from one of the Laduree cookbooks that Liz generously gave me for Christmas this year.  Not only are the cookbooks beautiful works of art, they also contain the keys to all of Laduree’s masterpieces (including the chocolate chaud that I was just raving about!).  This is Alice’s favorite tart, and it just so happens that I am in Maui right now so I had to take advantage of the local fruit (known as liliko’i on the island).  The tart is supposed to be topped with raspberries but since they are not currently in season on Maui, I elected to use local Kula strawberries instead.  I am not a talented baker (too much precise measuring), but this tart was actually relatively easy to make!  Especially because I had my mom in the kitchen with me so she did most of the measuring...and cleaning. 

I know that most of my readers probably don’t have access to passion fruit right now, but Alice has informed me that you can order it from Amazon.  The flavors are incredible, and if you have a special occasion I highly recommend you go through the effort to get your hands on some.  Also, try not to pay too much attention to the amount of butter that goes into this.  What was I just saying about the cinnamon rolls?  If I am going to spend the calories on something, I want it to be good- and this is GOOD.

TARTE PASSION FRAISE (Strawberry Passion Fruit Tart)
serves 8 peopleFrom Ladurée Sucré Recipes
Click here to print

PASSION FRUIT CREAM 1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter*, room temperature
2 gelatin sheets or ½ tablespoon powdered gelatin (I used the latter)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2/3 cup passion fruit puree
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Prepare the cream one day ahead.  Bring the butter to room temperature to soften.  If using, place the gelatin sheets in a small bowl of very cold water and allow to soften for 10 minutes then drain the sheets, squeezing hard to remove all excess liquids.
In a medium saucepan, mix the eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and cornstarch.  Incorporate the passion fruit puree and lemon juice.  Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring with a spatula until it simmers, allowing the cream to thicken (about 10-15 minutes).  Remove from heat and incorporate the drained gelatin or gelatin powder. 
Allow to cool slightly for approximately 10 minutes.  Put the mixture in a blender or food processor along with the butter and blend until combined.  Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours until firm. 

SWEET ALMOND PASTRY½ cup unsalted butter, very cold
½ cup + 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
¼ cup ground almonds (almond flour- look for it in the bulk food section of your grocery store)
1 pinch of fleur de sel or coarse sea salt
A few drops of vanilla extract
1 egg
1 2/3 cups cake flour
Extra butter for the tart pan
Extra flour for rolling out the dough

Sift the confectioner’s sugar (I skipped this step).  Cut the butter into small pieces and place in a bowl.  Stir the butter with a large wooden spoon until it becomes homogenized and then add the following ingredients, one by one, making sure to fully incorporate each into the mixture before the next addition: confectioner’s sugar, ground almonds, fleur de sel, vanilla, egg, and flour.  Combine ingredients until the dough comes together; do not overwork the dough.  This will give the pastry its desired crumbly texture.
Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before using.  If possible, it is better to prepare it one day ahead; the dough will be easier to roll out. 
Butter the tart pan.  On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to 1/10 inch thickness and press into the buttered pan.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Preheat the oven to 340 degrees.  Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator.  Using a fork, prick the surface of the dough to keep it from puffing up during baking.  Fit a round piece of parchment paper over the dough, carefully pressing into the corners and working up the sides so it will stay in place in the oven.  Place dried beans or pie weights on top, spreading them out in an even layer. 
Bake for approximately 20 minutes until lightly colored.  Take tart shell out of the oven and remove dried beans and parchment paper.  If the pastry is still pale, return to oven uncovered, just long enough to finish baking and to color slightly.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

ASSEMBLYPassion Fruit cream
Sweet almost pastry shell
3 ½ cups strawberries, cut in half

Fill the cooled baked tart shell with passion fruit cream and arrange the strawberries in a decorative pattern on top.  Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Wait until right before serving before adding the fruit as they will be more flavorful.  (Note- I added a glaze to my tart using a mixture of strawberry jam and water- completely optional). 

*some of the measurements and oven temperatures are a bit odd because they have been converted from metric measurements (the cookbook includes both). 

Merry Christmas!

I can’t believe tomorrow is Christmas!  I have a few recipes that I wanted to share before the big day so I decided to do one big post. 

I will start with the appetizer.  Gougères are my favorite holiday app.  They are incredibly easy and you really can’t go wrong with this much butter and cheese.  If you have ever had popovers, these are like miniature, cheesy versions.  I made these for my friends after our last final on Wednesday and I promised to post them the next day when I was flying home to Seattle so that everybody could get the recipe quickly.  Unfortunately my hangover prevented me from doing anything productive on the flight yesterday.   I blame “L’Chaim!”- a newly invented drinking game involving a dreidel, beer, and cherry vodka… I think it also didn’t help that my dinner consisted solely of gougeres, pigs in a blanket, and mozzarella sticks.  Luckily I have made a full recovery today, so if you are searching for a last minute Christmas hors d’oeuvres, make these! 

CAYENNE GOUGERES
1 cup water
½ cup butter (1 stick), cut into tablespoon sized pieces
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 ½ cups gruyere, grated (feel free to get creative- cheddar would also be delicious)

Preheat the oven to 425.  Combine the water and butter in a medium sauce pan over high heat.  When it reaches a boil and the butter is completely melted, add the flour all at once and stir quickly until everything combines.  Reduce the heat to medium, and continue to stir for about 2 minutes- this dries out the dough so that it can absorb the eggs and cheese.  Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. 

Add one egg at a time, beating to completely incorporate each one.  It may seem like they don't want to mix in at first, but keep stirring.  If you have a stand mixer you can use the paddle attachment to spare your hand.  Once the eggs are in, add the cheese and cayenne.  Spoon small tablespoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  You can also put the batter in a large plastic bag, cut a corner, and pipe it onto the sheet.

Now for the dinner portion of the post, which also features gruyère!  As I have mentioned before, my family has an abundance of traditions, especially this time of year.  On Christmas eve eve (the night before Christmas eve), we always eat fondue and decorate cookies with my grandparents.  Upon reflection, I’ve realized that almost all of our traditions revolve around food- nothing makes me happier than prepping in the kitchen all day.  I really can’t take much credit for these recipes though- the fondue is my dad’s territory, salad is mom’s recipe, and my sister rolls out the cookies.  I am always in charge of frosting though! 
My dad doesn’t believe in recipes and never measures so it was kind of hard to nail down the proportions for the fondue.  My advice is to just taste as you go and add more cheese until it reaches a good consistency. 

CHEESE FONDUE
serves 6
¾ lb gruyère
¾ lb emmentaler cheese
1 ½ - 2 cups dry white wine
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kirshwasser (cherry brandy)
Pinch of nutmeg
Bread cubes

Grate the cheese into a big bowl.  Add flour and toss to lightly coat the cheese.  Heat ½ cup of wine in your fondue pot.  Add the minced garlic and stir for a minute or two.  Don’t let the garlic brown.  Add another cup of wine and heat until it is almost simmering.  Start sprinkling in the grated cheese, stirring as you go.  Don’t add too much at once- you want it to stay hot enough to melt while you are adding.  As it gets thick add a little more wine and then continue adding your cheese.  Once you finish adding the cheese, add the kirshwasser and the nutmeg.  Light the fondue burner and set the pot over it.  Serve with bread and enjoy!

SPINACH SALAD
serves 6
1 bag prewashed spinach
5 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 hardboiled eggs, crumbled
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Dressing (see below)

Toss the spinach with the dressing until it is well-coated.  Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.  Enjoy!

for the dressing:
2 garlic cloves
5 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Put the garlic cloves in a small food processor and pulse until finely chopped.  Add the next 4 ingredients and pulse until well combined.  Slowly add the olive oil so it can emulsify. 




I wanted to post these cookies not only because the recipe is delicious (usually choices are limited to gingerbread and sugar cookies- so this is nice variety), but also because I wanted to share this ingenious decorating technique from Gourmet.  It requires very little artistic skill and looks so professional!  Using egg whites in the frosting allows it to harden so that you can stack your finished cookies without destroying your designs. 

SPICED CUT OUT COOKIES
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup butter
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
3 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Cream the butter, shortening, and both sugars using either a stand mixer or hand held beater.  Add eggs and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Then slowly blend with sugar mixture.  Divide into three disks, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours (or longer).  Roll out each disc, cut into desired shapes, then bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. 

Eric's interpretation of my mom riding in the tractor to cut down our Christmas Tree (it was pretty hilarious at the time)

ROYAL ICING
makes about 3 cups
1 (1-lb) box of confectioners sugar
4 teaspoons powdered egg whites
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat together all ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until just combined, about 1 minute.  Increase speed to high and continue to beat until icing holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.  If not using icing immediately, cover the surface with a dampened paper towel and cover bowl with plastic wrap.  Add food coloring as desired.

Now for some other cookies that I also can’t take credit for- these are my friend Noelle’s famous snickerdoodles.  They are chewy and best served right out of the oven.  If I had to pick one kind of cookie to take with me to a desert island, I would probably choose these. 

NOELLE’S AMAZING SNICKERDOODLES
from Noelle, and food.com
makes about 16 cookies
1/2 cup butter , softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar 
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Topping:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars at high speed.  Add egg, vanilla, and beat until smooth.  In another bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix well.

Preheat oven to 300° while you let dough rest 30-60 minutes in fridge.  In a small bowl combine topping.  Take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball.  Roll this dough in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake cookies 10-12 minutes, NO MORE.  Cookies may seem undercooked but will continue to cook out of the oven.

Cauliflower with Brown Butter, Pears, Sage & Hazelnuts

Ok I know the combination of pears and cauliflower sounds a bit odd...but I promise this was delicious!!  Cauliflower is not a vegetable that I typically serve at Thanksgiving, but I was very intrigued by the ingredients in this recipe.  The pears added a perfect crisp texture and a slight sweetness that was delectable.  I heard a rumor that my aunt recently picked around all of the pears in a salad so I don’t think this dish will make my Thanksgiving menu, but it would pair perfectly with other Thanksgiving flavors!  

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I promised a few people that I would post a sample of my Thanksgiving itinerary so I’ve included it below.  Some may mock me for this display of compulsive organization, but it helps me visualize all of the steps to avoid complete chaos.  This is especially important for a dinner that includes so many dishes that need oven space.  The cauliflower would actually be a great addition since it can be done at the last minute on the stove and doesn’t require time in the oven.  In order to free up even more oven space this year I will be cooking my turkey on the grill!  I have very high hopes for the outcome.  

As you think about your turkey plans, I would like to make a case for the benefits of brining.  The salt in brine draws out the blood, cleansing the bird and seasoning the meat down to the bone.  Sugar adds depth of flavor and helps the turkey brown to perfection.  Most grocery stores carry brine mixtures and I usually use those.  Just dissolve the brine in boiling water, cool, and add a bottle of dry white wine.  Then submerge the bird in the liquid for 2-4 days.  Using a very large pot works well.  It also helps if you have two refrigerators since it takes up a bit of space.  Make sure you dry it thoroughly before roasting.

CAULIFLOWER WITH BROWN BUTTER, PEARS, SAGE & HAZELNUTS
Recipe from Fine Cooking
makes 8-10 servings
 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets about 3/4 inch wide
1/2 cup toasted, skinned, chopped hazelnuts
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced crosswise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (original recipe called for parsley but I think chives add more flavor)

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter until light brown and bubbly. Add the cauliflower, hazelnuts, and sage. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is browned and crisp-tender, 6 to 7 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pear slices and chives. Gently toss to combine and warm the pears. Season to taste with more salt. Serve hot or at room temperature.
   
 

 

Thanksgiving Agenda 2009

11:00	Assemble Stuffing Dress Turkey		Emily & Mom
12:30	Mash Potatoes Prepare Butternut Squash, and pine nut mix		Emily & Mom
2:00	Turkey in Oven	325 Bottom	Emily
3:45	Cranberry Sauce		Emily
4:20	Both Stuffings in Oven (1 hour covered, 10 mins uncovered) Make Biscuit Batter	350 Top	Emily Erin, Lizzy, Aunt Suzi
4:30	Caramelize shallots, add green beans		Emily
4:40	Heat Potatoes Drink a glass of wine at the bar and talk to chef		Emily  Aunt Suzi & Mom
4:50	Turkey out of oven Make Gravy Roast butternut squash (35-35 mins)	425 Bottom 450 Bottom	Emily Mom
5:10	Biscuits in Oven (14-16mins) Sauté pine nuts and garlic for squash	425 Bottom	Erin, Lizzy, Aunt Suzi Emily
5:20	Carve Turkeys  Assemble and Dress Salad		Dad Mom & Emily
5:30	Biscuits, Stuffing, Squash out of Oven Add squash to garlic and pine nuts		Everybody Emily