How you doin’? What? Mayonnaise in chocolate cake? You’ve got to be kidding! No kidding, mayonnaise is exactly what your cake has been missing all along. Made from eggs and oil (which are standard cake ingredients) mayonnaise will boost the moisture level in a cake recipe when added to the batter. It can even gussy up a boxed cake mix enough to taste homemade. 
 
While adding mayonnaise to dessert may sound odd, apparently this is an old-timey baking trick. The Kitchn traces mayonnaise in cakes back to World War II or the Great Depression when food scarcity forced cooks craving sweets to get creative. 
 
To try it, simply stir in a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise to boxed cake batter for rich flavor. Mix in a whole cup of mayonnaise to really up the decadence. By adding mayonnaise, the texture of the cake is transformed, becoming luscious and extra-moist. Mayonnaise will become your secret cake ingredient.
 
According to Serious Eats, the mayonnaise addition works especially well with chocolate cakes, which can easily become dense. The extra oil adds tenderness to the cake crumb and the vinegar (or lemon juice) found in mayonnaise actually works to enhance the flavor. The acidity offsets the sweetness and makes the chocolate flavor stand out.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  45 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Yield:  9 x 13-inch cake (18 reasonable servings)
 
Ingredients 
2 tablespoons soft unsalted butter (to prep the pan)
2 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder (to coat the pan)
1-2/3 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 cup mayonnaise
4 ounces melted semisweet chocolate
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/3 cups water
1 tablespoon cold coffee
1 tablespoon orange zest
Your favorite frosting or glaze
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan and dust with cocoa powder.
3. In a large mixing bowl add the sugar, eggs and orange extract beat at high speed for 3 minutes, until nice and light.
4. Add the mayonnaise and melted chocolate; beat on low until well blended.
5. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
6. In another separate bowl, mix together the water with the coffee and orange zest.
7. Add the flour alternately with the water mixture to the chocolate mixture in four additions, beating well after each addition.
8. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
9. Bake the cake batter for 45 minutes until the cake tester comes out clean.
10. Cool the baked cake on a wire rack.
11. Glaze or frost the cooled cake as desired.

ChefSecrets:  The frosting versus icing battle has been going on for years. Though it may seem the choice to say that you want cake with frosting or cake with icing is similar, the truth is frosting and icing just aren't the same thing, no matter how you look at it.
 
Briefly, frosting is most identifiable by its thick and fluffy consistency. Because frosting holds its shape and is opaque in color, you'll see it often used and called for when you are decorating cakes and cupcakes. Unlike frosting, icing is thinner, glossier and flows more due to its consistency. It's great for drizzling. Icing doesn't hold its shape like frosting and is regularly used in decorating as an accent to its frosting counterpart (a drizzle on top of a layer of frosting, for example). It is also used as the sole decoration or coating for pastries or donuts. Got it?

Quip of the Day: “In case you never thought about it, “bakers make the world smell better.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

#Baking #Dessert #OrangeChocolateMayonnaiseCake #Mayonnaise  #MoistCake #Chocolate #OrangeZest #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
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                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? One of my favorite Italian appetizers are double-breaded deep-fried mozzarella sticks but sometimes even perfection needs a little refresher.
 
So, here’s my modern makeover on mozzarella sticks. Fried Mozzarella Puffs are a cross between Café du Monde Beignets and Rao’s Mozzarella Sticks. No breading is required. They are easier, crispier and cuter than ordinary cheesy sticks.
 
How do make these, you ask? It begins with choux pastry (cream puff pastry dough). Make a kind of roux by combining butter, flour, and water together in a pan until it clumps into a smooth dough, then incorporate egg and seasonings once it’s cooled down a bit.
 
While the fridge works its magic on the dough, season up the jarred marinara sauce of your choice. All that’s left is to incorporate the mozzarella cheese into the cooled dough. Now just scoop it out and drop the cheese balls into the fryer. You’re never going to dip another cheese stick again.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Chill time: 60 minutes
Fry time:  15 minutes
Yield:  12 puffs
 
Ingredients 
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup marinara sauce, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese
4 cups canola oil for frying
1 anchovy fillet
 
Directions

1. Combine the water, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Be careful not to brown the butter.
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer and pour in the flour all at once. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a dough starts coming together. Cook, scraping up and stirring the dough, for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and transfer dough to a mixing bowl.
4. Let the dough cool until no longer hot but still very warm… about 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Add egg and season with cayenne and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously until mixture combines into a very soft, sticky dough. Switch to a spatula and scrape dough into a ball.
6. Seal dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate in the bowl until cool; about 1 hour.
7. In the meantime, using a small sauce pan over medium heat season marinara sauce with oregano, red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar.
8. Add anchovy fillet.
9. Stir the sauce and bring it to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes; turn off heat and let sit until ready to use.
10. Grate mozzarella cheese over the dough and stir to combine.
11. Heat frying oil to 350⁰ F in a deep fryer or heavy-duty Dutch oven over medium heat.
12.  Preheat an oven to 200⁰ F to keep the fried puffs warm while continuing to cook the remaining puffs.
13. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough per puff and form into a football shape using two spoons.
14. Fry the puffs, 5 or 6 at a time, in the hot oil until browned for 2 to 3 minutes.
15. Drain on paper towels.
16. Keep puffs warm in a low-temperature oven while frying the remaining puffs.
17. Serve with hot marinara sauce.

Chefs Secret:  This recipe works well with shredded Smoked Gouda, Cheddar, Pepper-Jack or Swiss cheeses.
Quip of the Day: “What do you call a row of people lifting mozzarella—a cheesy pick-up line.” Let’s hear the rim shot... bud-dum!
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.
 
#Appetizers #FriedMozzarellaPuffs #Mozzarella #ChouxDough #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                                 ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? Joan’s sister, Annie, was visiting from London recently. She always brings interesting books as well as something wonderful to eat. This time she gifted us with Hazelnut Croccanti, a nut and egg white meringue biscuit and chocolate hazelnut truffles.
 
I prefer almonds to hazelnuts so here is a change-up in the recipe. If you try my Amaretti, or bitter almond cookies, one time, you’ll never want any other versions or, maybe even any other cookies!
 
Belli Croccanti are easy to make. These delightful treats are common and loved all over Italy and in many local areas in the US. These cookies come in several versions—crispy, soft, chewy or sugar-coated, but one thing they have in common is that they all melt quickly in your mouth. Their intense taste comes from the almonds since there are just three ingredients: almonds, sugar and egg whites.
 
Although the traditional recipe calls for the same quantity of sweet and bitter almonds, in my recipe, I will only use what we call “sweet” almonds because bitter almonds are hard to come by outside of Italy. I had to substitute almond extract for the bitter almonds because it is made from bitter almonds. The taste of this cookie is unique because it’s a blend of bitter and sweet at the same time.
 
My recipe as in the classic recipe, they do not contain any gluten, so they are suitable for people following a gluten-free diet. These homemade delights are perfectly paired with a good cup of coffee or a wonderful cup of tea.
 
Store the uneaten cookies in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days so that they don’t get moist. You can also crumble and add them to sweet puddings, cooked fruit, ice cream, yogurt or fresh fruit salad.
 
Prep:  Time 10 minutes
Cook:  Time 30 minutes
Total:  Time 40 minutes
Yield:  30 cookies
 
Ingredients 
3/4 cup ground almonds (skins removed)
1 cup of fine granulated sugar
4 large eggs whites
1 teaspoon almond extract
 
Directions

1. If the almonds are not peeled, drop them into boiling water for a minute, run them under cold water, strain them and blot them with paper towels. You will then be able to squeeze the nuts so the skins come off easily.
2. Lay them out to dry or dry them on a parchment-lined baking sheet for a few minutes in the oven at 300°F. Allow them to cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
3. If you bought peeled almonds, put them in a food processor and pulse into ground almonds. Do not overprocess or you will end up with almond butter. Transfer the ground almonds to a bowl.
4. Beat the egg whites until firm (to test for firmness turn the bowl upside down, and if they don’t pour out, they are beaten enough).
5. Gently fold in the sugar and egg meringue, the almond mixture, and the almond extract to make a smooth airy paste. Do not overmix.
6. Prepare a sheet pan with baking parchment paper.
7. Use a pastry bag with a sized-10 tip (0.4 inches) place walnut-size dollops of the mixture approximately 1 inch apart. Set it aside and let sit for 1 hour.
8. Preheat an oven to 300°F and bake the cookies for 30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
9. Open the door, switch the fan on, and let the amaretti cool down in the oven so that any trace of leftover moisture is eliminated. Your cookies will get really crunchy.

ChefSecret:  If the cookie paste (batter) turns out to be too solid and dry, add another firmly beaten egg white to the paste. Almond flour may make amaretti too dry, so use whole, skin-off almonds instead.

Quip of the Day:  What do you call a crude drawing of a laughing cookie? A snicker-doodle, of course.
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.
 
#Baking #Dessert BelliCroccanti #Amaretti # Almonds #EggWhites #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                              ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? There is something about the magic of food in Italy that somehow makes everything tastes better. This is a recipe for Cherry Pound Cake that puts the fruit as the feature of this old family tradition.
 
With a combination of cherries, vanilla and almonds it makes this simple cake perfect for any occasion. What could go wrong?
 
If cherries are out of season substitute with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or cranberries. I’ve been known to add in a 1/4 cup of chocolate chunks—you can’t go wrong with chocolate chips!
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Bake time:  65 to 80 minutes
Cool time:  30 to 45 minutes
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon (for almonds)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup Greek yogurt (full fat)
3 large eggs (room temperature)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 teaspoons almond extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2-1/2 heaping cups fresh cherries, pitted (see ChefSecret)
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Butter a 9 X 5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
3. Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4.  Add the yogurt and mix on medium speed, scraping the sides, when necessary, until thoroughly mixed.
5. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next egg.
6. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat to combine.
7. Add the 1-3/4 cup of flour, baking powder and salt. Mix the ingredients together until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
8. Set aside 1/3 cup of sliced cherries for topping the cake.
9. Add the remaining 1-2/3 cups cherries to a bowl or plastic bag and add the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Coat the cherries evenly with the flour and set aside. This will ensure that the cherries won’t bleed the color into the batter or sink to the bottom of the loaf pan when baking.
10. Add 1/3 of the cake batter to the prepared loaf pan. Next, evenly sprinkle 1/2 of the floured cherries on top of the layer.
11. Add another 1/3 of the cake batter and top with the rest of the floured cherries.
12. Add the last third of batter.
13. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and mix with the sliced almonds.
14. Decoratively top the loaf with the reserved sliced cherries and sliced almonds.
15. Bake for 65 to 80 minutes or until a cake-tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is evenly golden brown.
16. Move pan to a rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.
17. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
18. Slice and enjoy.

ChefSecret: Frozen cherries can be used in place of fresh. Thaw completely, squeeze in a kitchen towel to drain any excess liquid and toss in flour before adding to the batter. If using a metal loaf pan, double pan it.
Quip of the Day: “If you can’t think of a word say I forgot the English word for it. That way people will think you’re bilingual instead of an idiot.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. 

​#Baking #SicilianCiliegiaCake #ItalianCherryPoundCake #Cherries #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                             ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? There is a new French bakery and café that opened just down the street from where I live. The ladies who own the place are from Lyon. They barely speak English but have wonderful genuine French recipes. Their French almond cream is to die for. I can tell you conversing with them strains my high school French, but I was able to capture this recipe for saving stale bread—it’s called a Bostock.
 
It is a non-discriminating recipe, whether you bake bread from scratch or source from local bakeries or the grocery store. It’s short of amazing how quickly last night’s leftover stale bread which was destined for bread crumbs and croutons is turned into something that puts French Toast for breakfast to shame. Yes, even those sad, day-old croissants that lost their flaky texture can be converted into something magnificent even, better than the original.
 
Leave it to the French to figure out how to take a breadstuff past its prime and elevate it to cult status. Likely originating in bakeries trying to get rid of second-day stale bread, this process of adding a sugar syrup and re-baking with an almond cream topping is a genius way to make almost any stale baked bread rise to perfection again!  
 
While traditionally made with thick slabs of bread like sweet brioche, the technique can be used with great success with almost any plain or sweet bread.
 
Ingredients
4 thick slices of stale bread
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups water
7 ounces almond paste (not marzipan)
2 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
Sliced fruit (optional)
1/4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar (optional)
 
Directions

1. Heat an oven to 425° F.
2. Using thick-sliced bread ensures that at least one side has exposed crumb. If you are using a croissant, split it in half.
3. Arrange the bread cut side up on a sheet pan lined with parchment, foil or a silicone baking mat.
4. Make a sugar syrup with one part sugar to two parts water, heating just until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Brush the exposed side generously with the syrup until the bread is well-saturated, but not soggy.
6. Make an almond cream by blending a 7-ounce package of almond paste (be sure to buy paste and not marzipan!) with two large eggs, a generous pinch of kosher or fine sea salt, a few drops of almond extract and vanilla bean paste in a food processor.
7. Pulse until just smooth.
8. Spread some almond cream on top of each soaked piece of bread or pastry.
9. Top with sliced or slivered almonds. You can also add sliced fruit below the almonds if desired.
10. Bake for 6-12 minutes until the tops are nicely golden brown.
11. Serve warm with a bit of confectioners’ sugar if you like.

ChefSecret:  If you have a lot of bread left, prepped Bostock can be frozen uncovered in a single layer on a sheet pan and then stashed in freezer bags. Bake straight from frozen, increasing the baking time by a couple of minutes. Any leftover baked Bostock is a great addition to bread pudding.

Quip of the Day:  Baking is cheaper than therapy.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

 #Baking #SweetAlmondBostock #Almonds #Bostock #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup                                     

                                                                                         ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023