Salted Pepita Chocolate Bark (Great Gift Idea!)

Here's another post with an easy idea for a great gift: salted pepita chocolate bark.  I brought little baggies of this to work last week, and everybody loved them.  My coworkers were convinced that I bought the bark somewhere fancy.  No one needs to know that this gourmet treat takes only minutes to make!  I wrapped mine up in little cellophane treat bags, but you could also pack a bunch up in a nice holiday tin for a more sizeable gift.

If you missed my first post in the great gift ideas series, check it out.  When you're done making vanilla salt, come back here to read about the bark.  See you in five minutes!

Done?  If not, you can substitute any coarse or flaky sea salt here, but the vanilla salt really takes this over the top.  The pepitas provide a nice crunch and a pop of color, and the combination of vanilla bean, salt, and dark chocolate is absolutely amazing.

I like to make this right before bed, then leave it out to harden while I sleep.  When I wake up in the morning, it's ready to break into pieces.  Because of this routine, Ben calls this "breakfast chocolate".  I can assure you, however, that it's delicious any time of day.  I'm planning on making some more so I can put out a big bowl of it on Thanksgiving, for those of us who like to nibble on something sweet while waiting for the turkey.  Enjoy!

Homemade Vanilla Sugar & Vanilla Salt (Great Gift Idea!)

Do you agree with me and the Barenaked Ladies that vanilla is the finest of the flavors?  If you do, and/or if you remember that song, you should definitely make some vanilla-infused gifts this holiday season.

Vanilla sugar can be used anywhere you would use granulated sugar, but it's especially wonderful as a finishing sugar, sprinkled on top of cakes, cupcakes, creme brulee, homemade caramels, or ice cream.  You can also put it in your coffee or tea for a delicious touch of creamy sweetness.  Are you sold on vanilla sugar yet?  If not, I'm not sure what to do with you!  You can even make it with coconut sugar for a paleo-friendly vanilla treat.  You know you want to!

If you love sweet and salty flavors together, you will love this vanilla sea salt.  I made mine with Celtic gray coarse sea salt, and it's strikingly beautiful, fragrant, and complex.  You can sprinkle it on top of any dessert that needs a salty finish (like these cupcakes or these bars), or even try adding it to savory dishes.  I used a bunch in a batch of chocolate bark I made last night, and it was amazing (recipe coming soon)!  Once you make this, you'll realize that salt and vanilla are meant to be together.  You'll start wishing all your vanilla were salted, and all your salt vanilla-ed.

I made a bunch of little jars of vanilla sugar to give out as favors to all my friends and family who are coming for Thanksgiving.  I love the idea of giving guests something delicious that they can take home and use for a long time.  Both of these would also make great stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and wedding favors.  The best part is that they only take about five minutes to make!

Make Your Own Butter (plus Maple Spice Compound Butter)

When I was in kindergarten, my teacher brought in cream and we all made butter together.  I loved it, and butter-making became a Thanksgiving tradition for me--every year I make my own butter and use a cookie cutter to make it into a turkey shape.  I've also made butter with my own students and their families several times, and I'm always surprised at how many parents don't know that you can easily make your own butter at home with just a jar and some heavy cream.

There is a bit of work involved, since you need to shake the jar like crazy for a while.  It's easy with a group because you can pass the jar to the next person if you get tired, but I can still get from cream to butter in 15 minutes or less when I'm the only one shaking.

Of course, there is an easier method: pour the cream into a big bowl and beat it with an electric mixer.  However, there's something really nice about doing it the old-fashioned way.

Make Your Own Almond Milk

Do you drink coffee?  How do you take yours?  Have you ever had to switch the way you make your morning coffee?

Fresh Bread with Homemade Ricotta & Herbs

Ever since my successful experience using yeast to make garlic naan, I've been wanting to try my hand at a loaf of bread.  When I saw this recipe for a three-hour, one-bowl loaf of bread on Blueberry Kitchen, I decided to give it a go.

I've also been eager to try making homemade ricotta.  It turns out that it's really easy.  The bread isn't hard, either, but this ricotta is truly simple.  Heat the cream and milk, stir in the vinegar, wait a minute, then strain.  The hardest part was getting my hands on some cheesecloth.

You should make both these things because the homemade versions are much tastier than store bought, and because they both provide great opportunities to witness some everyday kitchen magic.  I don't know about you, but I'm going to be impressed that my bread dough has doubled in size, even though the recipe said it would.  Yeast is a great magician.  Vinegar performs a similarly impressive feat when it makes cheese curds suddenly appear in a saucepan of hot milk and cream.  These recipes are just so much fun!  Your own magic show, with delicious results.

Ingredients for the bread (recipe from Blueberry Kitchen, adapted from BBC Food; makes one small loaf):

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups flour (I used all purpose, but you can use bread flour if you have it), plus extra
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
Oil for greasing

In a large bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water.  Let sit for about ten minutes until foamy.
Add the flour, salt, and butter and stir just until combined.  The dough will look a little shaggy.
Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface.  Knead for five minutes, adding a little more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.  Rinse out your bowl and grease it lightly.  Form the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl.  Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for an hour.  The dough should double in size.

Prepare a lightly greased baking sheet.  After an hour, knead the dough gently to remove excess air, and form into a rounded loaf shape.  Place the loaf on the baking sheet, cover with a towel, and let rise for another hour.

Preheat the oven to 425.  Place an empty roasting tin on the bottom rack of the oven.  Lightly flour the outside of the dough, pressing in a little with your finger.  Use a sharp knife to score the dough in a few places, cutting about half an inch deep.

Place the baking sheet with the bread in the oven, and pour a little cold water into the roasting tin.  This will create steam that helps the bread develop a crispy crust.

Bake the bread for about 25 minutes, until it's golden and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom.  Cool on a wire rack.  Store wrapped at room temperature for up to a week.

Ingredients for the ricotta (adapted from Ina Garten; makes about 3/4 cup):

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Scant 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 scant teaspoon white wine vinegar

To make the ricotta, combine the milk, cream, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, line a sieve with two layers of dampened cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl.

Once the milk mixture has come to a rolling boil, remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar.  Let the mixture sit for a minute or so to curdle.  Slowly pour the mixture through the cheesecloth lined sieve, and let it drain for 20-25 minutes.  Draining for longer will give you a firmer, less moist ricotta.  Discard the whey and cheesecloth, and store the ricotta in the fridge, covered, for up to five days.

Ingredients for the herbed ricotta: 3/4 cup ricotta 1 scallion, thinly sliced Small handful of fresh basil, julienned Small sprig of parsley, finely chopped Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste Mix together and season to taste.  Serve with fresh bread.

Homemade Pasta, Midnight Style

Did you know that if you have flour, eggs, salt, olive oil, and garlic (and a sense of adventure and a little time on your hands) you can make your own gourmet pasta dinner?

It's true, and while it's not quick or exceptionally easy, it is really fun and amazingly delicious.  Plus, I feel like making your own pasta earns you some bragging rights.  My boyfriend is tired of hearing me brag, so I'm here to share my homemade pasta conquest with you.

Ready to try it?  You know you want to!  Here are my step-by-step photos and notes on the process.  Scroll down for a recipe for midnight fettucine--a simple sauce to let your pasta shine.

This is a special recipe from America's Test Kitchen for people who DON'T have special pasta machines.  So if you're fancy and do have a machine, this might not be the right recipe for you.  But, leave me a comment about what machine you have and how you like it!

Here's the dough recipe (from America's Test Kitchen).

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, plus extra
2 large eggs
6 large egg yolks (save the whites for this or this or a healthy breakfast scramble)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Put 2 cups of flour and all the remaining ingredients in your food processor.  Whir until the mixture comes together into a ball.

Touch the dough.  If it sticks to your fingers, add more flour a tablespoon at a time until it's just a little bit tacky.

I found this hard to do in the food processor, so I dumped the dough out onto a cutting board and worked in extra flour until it felt right.  I added 3-4 tablespoons.





Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with the palms of your hands for a couple of minutes, until it feels really smooth.

Form a cylinder of dough that's about six inches long.  Flour it lightly on all sides (otherwise it will stick) and wrap it in plastic wrap.

Let the dough rest at room temperature for at least one hour and up to four.  The longer you let it rest, the easier it will be to roll out.  I let mine sit for an hour and a half and rolling it out took a little elbow grease, but went just fine.





When you are ready to roll out your dough, unwrap it.  Using a sharp knife (I subsequently discovered that my pizza cutter is NOT super sharp), cut the dough into six equal pieces.

You will work with one piece at a time, so wrap the remaining pieces back up with plastic wrap (flour them a little first and wrap them individually).

Using your hands, form a 3 x 3 inch square with the dough and flour it lightly on both sides.

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a six inch square.  As you can see, mine wasn't really square.  I did my best.  Lightly flour it again on both sides.

Place the rolling pin in the middle of the dough, and using one motion, pull the rolling pin toward you as you roll out the bottom half of the dough.

Then, place the rolling pin in the middle again.  This time, push the rolling pin away from you to roll out the top half of the dough.

Repeat this process until the dough is about 20 inches long and 6 inches wide, and you can see the outline of your fingers through it.

Set rolled out strips aside on a kitchen towel to dry a little while you roll out the rest of the dough.

When you finish rolling out the strips, go back and get the first one.  The edges should feel a little firm and dry.  If it isn't floury, flour it lightly on both sides so it won't stick to itself.

Starting with one of the short ends of the dough, roll up the strip by folding over two inch segments.  Don't push the layers together, just roll them up very gently.

Using a very sharp knife, slice the roll crosswise into 1/2 inch wide slices.

Unroll them with your fingers.  Ta-da!  Fresh fettucine.  

Set the finished pasta strips aside on a baking sheet while you finish rolling and slicing the rest of the dough.

Cook the pasta within an hour, or freeze it.  To freeze, place the whole baking sheet in the freezer until the pasta is firm.  Transfer to an airtight zip top bag and store for up to two weeks.  You can boil the pasta straight from the freezer.

To cook the pasta, boil in a large pot of salted water until just al dente, 1-3 minutes (it might take longer with frozen pasta).  Fresh pasta cooks really fast, so check it early!

I used my fresh pasta to make midnight fettucine.  This easy pasta is called midnight fettucine (or spaghetti) because chefs like to make it as quick and easy meal when they get home from work at midnight.  I loved it with this fresh pasta, but you can make it with any pasta and it will still be delicious.  You can dress it up with parmesan, parsley, or red pepper flakes if you want, but I like it best just the way it is.

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta
1/3 cup olive oil
10-15 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
Salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about ten minutes.  You want the garlic to soften and sizzle but not brown, so reduce the heat if it starts to turn golden.

Cook the pasta until al dente and drain, reserving one cup of the cooking water.

Toss the pasta with the garlic and oil, season to taste with salt, and add cooking water as necessary to thin out the sauce.  Serve hot.

Strawberry Curd

Have you made lemon curd yet?  Either way, you're going to love this sweeter, pinker version.  I'm thinking you could put this on a dutch baby, pipe it inside some cupcakes, spread it on your toast, or drizzle it on some vanilla ice cream.

It's easy to make, and tastes like spring in a jar!  What are you waiting for?

In case you're not convinced, here are just a few delicious recipes you'll be able to make with your strawberry curd:

No-Bake Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Double Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry Creamsicle Sherbet 

Rest assured that it's also fabulous just eaten by the spoonful.

Ingredients (adapted from this recipe on Lavender & Lovage; makes about 1 1/2 cups):

1/2 pound organic strawberries, hulled
Zest and juice of one organic orange
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), cubed
4 large eggs

In a food processor, puree the strawberries and orange zest until very smooth.



Heat water to a simmer in a double boiler or a saucepan.  In the top of the double boiler or a heatproof bowl, combine the puree, juices, salt, sugar, and butter.  Place the bowl on top of the pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl isn't actually touching the water.  Beat the eggs and add them to the bowl.  Cook, whisking constantly, until the curd comes together and thickens, about ten minutes.  When the curd is done, it will coat the back of a spoon.

(Full disclosure: my strawberry curd was that grayish-pink color that used to be trendy but was never appetizing.  I added a few drops of red food coloring and one drop of yellow to perk it up.)

Store in sterilized jars in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Make Your Own Vanilla Extract

Vanilla is such an important ingredient.  It goes into pretty much every dessert I make, and lately I've started putting a capful in my morning coffee, too.  Sometimes when I'm baking, the worst thing happens.  I suddenly realize there are only three drops of vanilla left in my little bottle.  This has been happening all too frequently since I developed my vanilla cafe au lait habit, so I decided to put an end to my vanilla extract shortages for good.  I got the idea to make my own vanilla extract from this post on Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes.

All you need are some cute little bottles (I used these), vanilla beans (I got these Madagascar beans), and some vodka.  It doesn't have to be high quality vodka--the quality of the beans is much more important.  Vanilla beans are expensive, but more reasonable if you buy a bunch of them.  Also, vanilla extract is expensive, so I think if you use enough of it you'll definitely save money by making your own.  If you don't want to make all the beans you buy into extract, you can store some in an airtight container to use in baking or custards.  A lot of desserts call for vanilla bean seeds instead of extract, so it's great to have some around.  As soon as I get my ice cream maker, I am going to use my leftover beans to make vanilla bean ice cream with those great little specks of vanilla seeds in it.

Guess what?  This vanilla extract would make a great gift, and is a gift that keeps on giving.  If you start running low, just top off the vodka and let it sit for a few weeks before using it again.  After doing this a couple of times, you will probably want to add some new beans.  Ina Garten says she's been doing this to refresh the same bottle of vanilla that's been in her pantry for twenty years!

Ingredients:

Vanilla beans (6 beans per cup of vodka)
Vodka

Make sure your bottles are really clean.  I sterilized mine by boiling them in water for ten minutes.  Let them dry completely (I put mine in the dishwasher top rack to dry).

Cut each vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and then crosswise to fit in your bottles if you're using small ones like me.  I used three beans for each of my four-ounce bottles.  Pour in vodka, leaving a little bit of space at the top (if you can find a funnel, you won't make as much of a mess as I did).  Store in a cool, dark place, and shake every day or so.  The extract will be ready after two months, but continues to develop a more pronounced flavor if aged longer.

I made my labels in Microsoft Word, printed them on regular paper, and stuck them on with a permanent glue stick.  I can't figure out how to post the document up here for you to download, but if you want these labels, drop me a note with your email address and I'll send them to you.

Make Your Own Preserved Lemons

How gorgeous is all this?  I have never tried preserved lemons, but was inspired by this post to bottle some up right away.  I'm really into lemons right now, and in a month or so, I will have a unique ingredient to use in tagines and other dishes.  Here are some of the recipes I can't wait to make once my lemons are ready:

 Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives

Preserved Lemon and Chickpea Pasta with Parsley Pesto

Roast Cornish Game Hens with Preserved Lemon and Bay Leaf Butter

Preserved Lemon Semifreddo with Basil Syrup

Fish Tacos with Preserved Lemons

Okay, have I convinced you?  Bonus: preserved lemons are really easy and fun to make.  I made a jar for myself and a jar to give as a gift.  All you need is a jar or two, a bunch of lemons, and some sea salt.

Ingredients (from The Year in Food): 

8-10 organic lemons (depending on how big your jar is)
about 1/2 cup sea salt (I used Maldon)

Start by sterilizing your jars and lids by boiling them in a big pot of water for 10 minutes.  Drain, and make sure the lids are dry.  Wash and dry your lemons well.

Cut half of your lemons into six wedges each (the remaining lemons will be used for juice).  Layer some wedges on the bottom of the jar, then sprinkle generously with salt.  Repeat until you have filled your jar.  Don't skimp on the salt!  

Roll the other lemons under the palm of your hand so they will release more juice.  Squeeze them into the jar until it's full.

That's it!  Store your jar at room temperature, shake it every day or so, and open up the jar every few days to let the lemons breathe.  After a month, the lemons will be ready to use and can be stored in the fridge for a longer shelf life.

Make Your Own Chocolate Truffles (plus Vegan Coconut Almond Truffles)

Chocolate truffles are so easy to make, it’s amazing that places like Godiva get away with charging so much for them.  If you want yours to be even more like the ones at the chocolate shop, you can melt your favorite milk or dark chocolate and dip the chilled truffles in it instead of rolling them in cocoa powder and confectioner’s sugar.  Use a fork to remove the truffle once it’s covered in melted chocolate.  Let the extra drip off, and place the truffle on wax or parchment paper or in a candy cup.   This is a deliciously rich, fancy, no-bake dessert that will impress anyone.  Chocolate truffles also make a great gift wrapped up in a cellophane bag or placed in a decorative box or tin.  This recipe makes about 20 truffles.

Ingredients (adapted from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten): 

       ½ cup heavy cream

       3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate

       3.5 ounces semisweet chocolate

       1 tablespoon brewed coffee

       ½ teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring

       Pinch of salt

       1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other liqueur of your choosing

       5 ounces melted chocolate for dipping (optional)

       Cocoa and powdered sugar for rolling (optional)

Break the chocolates into small pieces and place in a bowl (don’t use chocolate chips instead of bars, because they have additives you don’t want in this recipe).  Bring the cream to a boil, then quickly pour it through a sieve into the bowl with the chocolate.  Use a whisk to stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.  If your chocolate isn’t quite melted, put the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until smooth.

Add the coffee, vanilla or other extract, salt, and liqueur and whisk until smooth.  Chill the mixture for at least 45 minutes, until firm enough to scoop.

When the mixture is firm, use a melon baller or small ice cream scoop to form balls, and place them on a sheet of parchment paper.  Don’t worry if the balls aren’t totally round and smooth; you will have a chance to perfect them later.

Chill the balls for about 15 minutes, then roll them in cocoa and mold them into spheres.  Chill overnight is possible, then roll in powdered sugar before serving.  Or, roll yours in a mix of cocoa and powdered sugar like I did.  Alternately, place in the freezer for about 15 minutes, then dip into a melted chocolate of your choice.

Vegan Coconut Almond Truffles

Ingredients:

       3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (check the label to make sure the brand you’re buying doesn’t have any milk products)

       3.5 ounces semisweet chocolate

       ½ cup coconut milk

       ½ teaspoon vanilla

       ½ teaspoon almond extract

       1 tablespoon brewed coffee

       Pinch of salt

       4 tablespoons shredded coconut

       4 tablespoons sliced almonds

Melt the chocolate as described in the recipe above, using coconut milk instead of cream.  Add the extracts, coffee, and salt and whisk to combine.

Grind the coconut and almonds in the food processor until fine.  Stir half of the nut mixture into the chocolate and save the rest for rolling.

Proceed as in the above recipe, chilling the chocolate mixture before forming it into balls.  Instead of cocoa, roll the chocolates in the coconut and almond mixture.