Daring Bakers Go Flourless

Sorry for the delay in posting this months recipe. Once again life's hectic plans kept me from accomplishing most of the things that I wanted to get done this month. The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.


For the cake, I used some Scharffen Berger dark chocolate that had been sitting in my cabinet waiting for the perfect recipe to come along. Although I do not really care for dark chocolate my husband loves it so this cake was completely for him. I also cut the recipe in half and baked it in a 6" round pan. This recipe was very simple and quick to make and the end results were two thumbs up. I am already planning on making this recipe for Easter so that my gluten-free relatives can enjoy it.


The ice cream recipe that I chose was one that I have heard a lot of raves about lately. I decided to go ahead and try it out, using strawberry cake mix. This was my first time making a "Philadelphia-style" ice cream recipe. For some reason I had an irrational fear that ice cream without the custard base was not real ice cream. Apparently I was over working myself and a glutton for punishment, this style of ice cream is just as delicious as the custard based French-style. Actually this ice cream was so delicious that I think I will start making more recipes just like it. Feel free to check out the other ice cream recipes on my blog.


As always, feel free to visit the Daring Bakers Blogroll and see the beautiful cake and ice cream combinations that the other members made this month.


Chocolate Valentino
Source: Chef Wan

Ingredients
16 ounces (1 pound) semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 large eggs, separated

Directions
1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Cake Batter Ice Cream
Adapted from Carries Sweet Life, originally from Delicious Meliscious

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk, well chilled
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup cake mix (any flavor you prefer)

Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Stir in cake mix, making sure there are no lumps.
- Pour mixture into the freezer bowl of your ice cream maker and let mix until it has thickened (about 25-30 minutes).
- Remove ice cream from freezer bowl and place into a separate container. Place freezer bowl and the ice cream into the freezer to further harden.

Chocolate Breakfast Muffins

After a few weeks with no blog updates I made it a point to bake up something yummy last night when I got home from class, just so I could remind my readers that I am still here. For Christmas my sister gave me an awesome gift card to King Arthur Flour and I purchased this cookbook with it. The book is packed with hundreds of awesome sounding recipes and I can't wait to start baking my way through the book.


These muffins called for very common ingredients that every pantry should have stock of and were quick and painless to mix together. My husband and I both agree that these muffins are rich, chocolaty and delicious. I will definitely be making these again.


Chocolate Breakfast Muffins
Source: The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion, The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook, page 66

Ingredients
2/3 cup (2 ounces) cocoa, Dutch-process or natural
1 3/4 cups (7 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons vinegar
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) butter or margarine, melted

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup or medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and vinegar. Add the wet ingredients, along with the melted butter, to the dry ingredients, stirring to blend. There's no need to beat these muffins; just make sure everything is well combined.

Scoop the batter into 12 lightly greased muffin cups. Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean (watch them closely, as they'll burn around the edges if they bake too long). Remove the muffins from the oven, and after 5 minutes remove them from the pan, allowing them to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.

Moist Potato Bread

Last week a few of my coworkers and I were talking about bread and how much we loved it. I mentioned to them that I made homemade bread quite often and told them I would have to make some to bring in for them. I asked for suggestions as to what kind I should make and one person spoke up and said potato bread. I searched around for a recipe and this one looked best to me.


This recipe called for basic ingredients and was pretty easy to make. The only tiny mistake that I made was that I did not cook my potato long enough so it was hard to mash. I should have ran it through my food processor or stand mixer to mash it thoroughly but apparently I had a blonde moment. I was worried that the little chunks of potato would end up ruining my bread but after baking for almost an hour I can not even tell they are there. This bread is moist and delicious and I will definitely make it again. It would be the perfect sandwich bread for turkey sandwiches.


Potato Bread
As seen on The Barefoot Kitchen Witch originally adapted from George Greenstein's Secrets of a Jewish Baker, on pages 51-53

Ingredients
1 medium potato
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup warm milk
2 packages active dry yeast
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or shortening, at room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar
5 to 6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
Flour, for dusting work top
Vegetable oil, for coating bowl
Shortening, for greasing pans

Directions
Wash and thoroughly scrub the potato, then cook in the boiling water until soft (approximately 30 minutes). Drain, reserving 2 cups potato water. Peel the potato, mash, and set aside to cool. Extra potato water can be refrigerated and used in any yeast recipe for added nutritive value and tenderizing power.

The dough - In a large bowl sprinkle the yeast over the 1/4 cup warm milk; stir to dissolve. Stir together the cooled mashed potato and butter. Add the potato mixture along with the 2 cups reserved potato water to the large bowl. Add in the sugar, 5 cups flour, and salt. Stir until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, adding more flour 1/4 cup at a time if necessary. Potato dough will remain a little sticky. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface (or switch to the dough hook on a stand mixer) and knead, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough feels smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes).

Rising - Transfer the dough to a clean, oiled mixing bowl and turn to coat. Cover and set aside until the dough doubles in volume. Punch down, cut in half, shape into two balls, and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Shaping - Press down each ball and shape into a pan loaf. Place into 2 greased 8- or 9-inch loaf pans, cover, and set aside to proof until the breads come up above the tops of the pans. Dust with flour and cut a deep slash down the length of each loaf.

Baking- Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven until the bread has a hollow sound when the bottom is tapped with your fingertips (about 50 minutes). The sides should feel firm. If necessary return the bread to the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. If using tiles or an oven stone, finish the bread on them for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and let cool on a wire rack. When cooled to room temperature, slice - and enjoy!

Vanilla Ice Cream

This past Thursday was my husband's birthday and he told me that all he wanted from me was a German chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. Of course I wanted to do that for him but I was worried that with my new job and weird hours that it might not be possible. When the schedule was posted for that week I was pleased to see that I was scheduled to have the day of my husbands birthday off. I was so excited and instantly started scheming up a plan on how to surprise him with the cake and ice cream.


I found out that I was off on that particular day because it was the ribbon cutting ceremony for work. This, once again, worked out perfectly. I attended the ceremony during the lunch hour when my husband would be home from work and then returned home after I knew he would be back at work. I churned the ice cream and made the cake and got them done just in time for him to walk in the door. We then went out to dinner with his parents then went back to my house to hang out. I brought my husband out a plate with the cake and ice cream and he was so surprised. It totally made my day that I was able to keep my trap shut and actually surprise him. I did not get any pictures of the cake but I used the Baking Illustrated recipe and the cake was fantastic.


This ice cream was fantastic. Steeping the vanilla bean into the cream really lets the smell and taste of the vanilla shine through. This was the perfect vanilla ice cream recipe and paired wonderfully with the German Chocolate Cake.

By the way, if you are looking for some wonderful vanilla beans at an amazing price check out The Organic Vanilla Bean Company, their products and prices are outstanding.

Vanilla Ice Cream
Source: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, page 24

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and add the bean as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl. whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving for another use, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufactures instructions.