Triple-Chip Pancakes

so sorry for the inferior quality of these photos...my battery was dying and i have tons of work to do today!

Today is the first morning this semester where I have legitimately had the chance to sleep-in. And even at that...I only slept until 10. Which I guess is late enough, but this week has been so stressful I needed to de-stress my early wakeup today, so I decided to whip up some pancakes and some migas (they're no Cisco's style, but they were still delicious). 

And what's the number one thing on my list for Sunday brunch: chocolate chip pancakes...of course. But I had some white chocolate and peanut butter chips also that I wanted to get rid of, so I decided to drop them in there and see how it tasted. Definitely an A+ idea. Also, I don't like it when my pancakes are dense and heavy, so I decided to beat the egg whites first and then fold them in so I would have lighter, fluffier pancakes. Superb idea. And the addition of the cocoa powder gave them a less pancakey taste and more of a rich taste which was nice. So, the next time you have an hour on a Sunday morning, whip these pancakes up! They'll be a perfect start to your Sunday. 

Triple-Chip Pancakes

now playing: David Bowie - Low

now drinking: french-press coffee

inspired by: the love of Sunday brunch

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

a pinch of cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup milk

2 large eggs, separated

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

extra butter for pan

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and spices. In a small bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, and 3 tablespoons melted butter; add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth.

2. In a small bowl, beat egg whites at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until stiff. Gently fold into batter. Gently fold in all chip morsels.

3. Melt a little bit of butter onto a hot pan. Ladle about 1/4-cup batter for each pancake onto hot pan. Cook pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Turn and cook the other side. Repeat. Top with powdered sugar or agave maple syrup and enjoy!

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Experiments in Low-Calorie Breadmaking: Brioche Rolls

So, I haven't put anything up in a while, but with school starting again and getting back to St. Louis and Moot Court, it's really difficult. BUT, I did recently get this recipe for a revamped brioche! I was really excited to try it, especially because this is the first time I've ever made bread. So, for those of you who don't know...brioche is this delicious buttery flaky bread...and the keyword here being buttery. I mean, really, really buttery. Like, heartache-esque buttery. 

However, this version is, true to form, delicious. I don't usually use a lot of recipes from Cooking Light because to be honest I'm a little skeptical of it, but I was genuinely surprised. But beware:  it will do a legit number on your standmixer. My poor little Sunbeam was mixing with all its might and eventually I had to take the dough out and knead it by hand. But it was all worth it. The result? Beautiful, delicious, flaky brioche, that tasted amazing with some strawberry mint jam and butter. I have definitely been turned onto Cooking Light!

Low-Calorie Brioche

now playing: Food Network - Iron Chef America

now drinking: chai

inspired by: original recipe here

Ingredients:

1  package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/3  cup  warm 1% low-fat milk (100° to 110°)

15.75  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups)

1/3  cup  sugar

1/2  teaspoon  salt

4  large eggs, lightly beaten

8 1/2  tablespoons  unsalted butter, softened and divided

Cooking spray

1  tablespoon  water

1  large egg white

• 
  

1. Dissolve yeast in warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; let stand 5 minutes. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flour, sugar, salt, and eggs to milk mixture; beat with a stand mixer at low speed until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl with spatula as needed. Remove paddle attachment; insert dough hook. Mix dough at low speed 5 minutes or until soft and elastic and dough just begins to pull away from sides of bowl. Cut 6 1/2 tablespoons butter into large cubes; add half of butter to dough, mixing at medium speed to blend. Add remaining half of butter to dough; mix at medium speed until incorporated. Mix dough on medium speed 4 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; form into a ball. Return dough to bowl; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

2. Uncover dough; let stand 90 minutes or until dough is at room temperature. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), cut dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 1 1/2-inch ball. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 dough portions to make 24 rolls total. Place rolls in muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

3. Preheat oven to 350°.

4. Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white; stir with a whisk. Gently brush rolls with egg mixture. Bake at 350° for 14 minutes or until golden. Place pans on wire racks. Place remaining butter in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 20 seconds or until butter melts. Brush butter onto rolls.

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Chocolate Nutella Ganache Tartlets

So for my first dessert recipe of 2011, I really wanted to use these little tart shells I bought at World Market (which by the way, is the most amazing little shop for baking needs, surprisingly stocked). At Sidney Street Cafe in St. Louis, I once had a similar dessert but instead it had a dry caramel filling (like the candies) and had roasted hazelnuts on top. I like chocolate, I like hazelnuts, and I like dessert! Seemed like a recipe worth trying. I decided instead of the hazelnuts on top I would incorporate nutella because I had some extra lying around and it elevated the normal chocolate flavor to a higher level.

I also recently became the proud owner of a new stand mixer!! So it was definitely a highlight for me to be able to bake like a real pro now. The second batch of my tarts were good and bad - the crust on some was a little more browned and crispy which I liked, but the banana tart burned a little because I torched it too much. Whoops. But these are great, easy desserts which can be made ahead of time and are so simple yet so eye-catching, anyone would be impressed at how you made it!

a friend helped me make my own caramel...from scratch! cool huh? the top one is a bruleed banana tart and the bottom ones have liquid caramel filling

Chocolate Nutella Ganache Tartlets
now playing: Postal Service - Give up
now drinking: 10 year old tawny port
inspired by: my desire to make the first awesome dessert of 2011
adapted from here


Ingredients for the dough:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter cut into chunks
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water


Ingredients for the ganache:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used semi-sweet chips instead)
3 tablespoons nutella
1 1/2 teaspoons coffee flavored liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
strawberries for garnish


1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter, and powdered sugar together until a coarse meal forms. 
2. Mix the egg yolks, lemon juice, and water in a small bowl. Add to the food processor, and combine until moist clumps form. Gather dough into a ball, flatten, and then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375℉. Butter small tart pans. Break dough into pieces and form small balls, then flatten those balls on a floured work surface to be bigger than the tart pans. Fit the dough into the tart pans and trim the excess. Cool these shells for about 20 minutes. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring cream to just a boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, stir until smooth and melted. Add the liqueur and vanilla, as well as the spices. Cool ganache for about 10-15 minutes. One the tart shells are cool, remove them from the pans, and fill with ganache and any other topping you would like. Enjoy!

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Peach Explosion

So this past Wednesday when Top Chef was on, there was a few of us who watched the episode and played Cranium afterwards (which was awesome). I really wanted to make a good cocktail with the peach syrup that I had gotten that same day because it looked so delicious. So I rummaged through the fridge and found the following ingredients and decided, why not, I'll mix them all together, and it should be slightly less calories than any other cocktail! It's really delicious, and after the vodka ran out I used this rum from Trinidad that my friend Kevin brought over which was so delicious.

And if you're wondering why it's called an explosion...it's because when I put everything in the shaker...I actually shook it up...and it exploded...all over me. Whoops. :)


Peach Explosion
now playing: Top Chef All-Stars
now eating: fig canapés and chocolate nutella ganache tartlets
inspired by: the new sugar-free peach syrup i got from World Market


Ingredients:
3 oz. vodka (or rum, your preference)
1 oz. pineapple juice
1/2 oz. Torani sugar-free peach syrup (doesn't have to be sugar free)
4 oz. diet cherry antioxidant 7-up (doesn't have to be diet and if you want less fruity flavor use regular 7-up)
1 maraschino cherry

1. Add all ingredients together in a shaker and stir.
2. Place the cherry in the bottom of the glass and then strain the drink over the cherry. Enjoy!

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Chicken Biryani

Being at home this winter break was really amazing - I got to sleep a lot, catch up with friends, and be pampered by my mother, which we all know is the greatest thing in life. One of the things that I wanted to do this break which I've never done before was to cook with my mom. She's always in and out of the kitchen making dinner or taking care of random things. The sad part is, as we were discussing making this dish together, she said, "I don't enjoy cooking - it's not fun anymore." I think it's because after years and years of having to come home and make dinner it really does get tiring. It becomes a chore rather than a hobby, and cooking with her slightly made me realize sometimes how tough the job can be. 

   cooking with mom rocks, but it's also kind of annoying.

dad got jealous of my picture with mom...so, I took another one with him. 

My dad has some particular dietary restrictions, so it's difficult for my mom to cater to this, while still making something everyone can enjoy. But nevertheless, I really enjoyed cooking with her and even though the dish didn't come out exactly as I would have wanted it to, I still taught her a thing or two, like salting the water after it boils and not rinsing hot starchy things (i.e. rice and pasta) with cold water, unless you're at risk of overcooking. So anyways, here's a recipe from home, made with a lot of love! 

Chicken Biryani
now playing: Zee TV
now drinking: um, soda, at my parent's house. 
inspired by: my desire to cook with mommy

Ingredients:
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken cut into chunks
2 cups basmati rice
3 tablespoon oil
2 medium-sized potatoes
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons Shan biryani masala mix
1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons ground coriander and ground cumin mixture
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon fresh ground cumin
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium tomato diced
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1/2 tablespoon fresh cumin
yellow food coloring
1 cup fried onions
1 pinch each: powdered saffron, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and cardamom


1. In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, minced garlic, Shan biryani masala mix, ground coriander and ground cumin mixture, garam masala, fresh ground cumin, tumeric, salt, and black pepper. Marinate chicken in mixture for about an hour.


2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until hot, and add fresh cumin and roast for about 1 minute. Add the yogurt mixture to the skillet, cook for about 5 minutes, and then add the diced tomato and mint. After about 5 minutes, add the potatoes chopped into chunks. Cook until the chicken is a little more than halfway cooked and the sauce has reduced, and then remove from heat.


3. Meanwhile, boil and salt water, and add the remaining vegetable oil. Cook rice until halfway cooked, but not until it starts becoming soft. Drain, and then add a pinch of each of the powdered spices, and the mint, and stir until combined.


4. Preheat oven to 375℉. In a large dish, cover the bottom of the dish with enough rice. Add the chicken mixture, making sure to cover the area of the rice. Then add the remainder of the rice. Place the fried onions on top, and use yellow food coloring, only enough to lightly color the top of the rice. Bake for 25 minutes, then lower heat to 300 and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Enjoy!

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