I Dream of Snow Cream!!!

Even the slightest hint that we might be getting snow will remind me to check the pantry to make sure I have condensed milk....and that goes as far back as I can remember.  My mom always made snow cream when there was enough snow.  Sure, I remember the old saying that you should only use the second snow of the season, but I just can't figure that out.  Then again, it's rare for us to get a "first snow" that will offer enough to make the rich, delicious stuff, so I'm not going to put myself through the torture of having to wait for a second fall.

Of course, you want to get your snow from the deepest area possible....snow had drifted on our deck, so that was perfect!  Scrape off the top layer...then gather your snow. 

Generally, you'll need twice as much snow as the amount of snow cream you want to make, but that really depends if you have a light snow, or a wet snow.

The only ingredients are condensed milk (no, not evaporated milk...), sugar and vanilla...and, of course, the snow. 

There are some recipes on the internet that call for eggs, but I figure I'm taking enough risks eating the first fallen snow....better not take additional risks by eating raw eggs!

I start by mixing my ingredients, other than the snow.  For this batch I used a half can of the condensed milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and about a 1/4 cup of sugar...

Mix the ingredients, then start adding your snow, a little at time, tasting as you go along.  I think I used about 4 or 5 cups of snow...

.....and it yielded about 3 to 3 1/2 cups of snow cream....

.....and I ate it while I did this post.....yummmmmmmmm!!

There are alot of reasons why I love snow, but this one ranks right up at the top of the list.......

Yule Loggin'......

We were blessed to be able to share in Melinda's Christmas eve tradition and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with 30 of her friends and family!  She always makes Lobster di Frivolo, which is a time honored tradition in her family.  It is, by far, fabulousity at its best!

I had been doing alot of "surfing" about the delicious treats we'd find in Paris and came across lots of information about the Bouche de Noel (Yule Log), which is served on every French table at Christmastime....I'm told not having one is equivalent to not having a turkey at Thanksgiving!

I was concerned that we wouldn't get the opportunity to enjoy this tradition since we are arriving in Paris after Christmas, so I decided to make one to take to Melinda's house for Christmas eve.  At first, I was overwhelmed with the recipes, but after doing considerable research, I realized this was something I could do IF I put all else aside....it was worth the effort.

The Bouche de Noel is a genoise cake (sponge cake) with chocolate mousse or buttercream inside and covered with chocolate ganache.  It is light, fluffy and a little rich, but not too much!

My end result looked "okay".....but there are changes I would make.  I thought my genoise cake was too dry, so I've updated the recipe to add more moisture.  I also didn't think I had enough chocolate ganache to completely cover the log, so I'm doubling the recipe the next time.

So, without further ado, here is the process that I followed (with updated recipe):

The first thing you need to do is prepare your sheet pan by spraying with Pam, the cover with parchment paper, which I buttered and coated in sugar (it's something I learned from Mom and it really does keep the cake from sticking).

The next thing you need to do is beat the eggs.....the recipe I had called for 4 eggs, but I think you'd do better with 4 eggs and 2 egg yolks.  You'll need to beat them for 5 to 7 minutes until they are thick and pale and have doubled (or tripled!) in bulk.  Then I added my sugar (3/4 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, then add 1 tablespoon of good quality vanilla.  Take the bowl off the mixer and fold in 3/4 cup of sifted cake flour, 1/4 cup at a time. 

Then drizzle 5 tablespoons of melted butter (cooled a little) and carefully fold that in.  Pour the mixture into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes....make sure it doesn't overcook....that's when it really gets dry!

While that was cooking, I started making my chocolate mousse filling.  I used Martha's recipe, which can be found here.  You start by melting the chocolate (semi-sweet) in a glass bowl set in the top of a pot with water at a slow simmer. 
Then you wisk in the egg yolks and set aside.  Put the egg whites in the mixer with the cream of tarter and whisk until they have stiff peaks.....fold in about a third of them to the chocolate mixture, then fold the rest.  Clean the mixer bowl and beat the heavy cream until it holds soft peaks and fold that in....then set in the fridge to chill for about an hour. 
Don't forget that cake in the oven!!!

Once the cake came out of the oven, I spread a clean dish towel over the counter, sprinkled with confectioner's sugar and turned out my cake onto it....make sure you loosen then edges of the cake from the pan first!  Then, using the towel to help, roll up the cake and let it cool.  Now for the ganache!

This part is EASY!  Again, I used Martha's recipe, but I suggest doubling it.....you won't need it all, but it will give a better coating than what I had. 

Chop up the bittersweet chocolate into pretty small pieces, then heat the heavy cream until it just comes to a simmer.  Pour the cream over the chocolate, let it sit for about 5 minutes, then whisk to blend.....set it aside to chill and get back to that cake! 

Time to fill it!  Carefully unroll the cake and spread the chilled mousse over the top to about an inch from the sides and bottom.....roll.....back to the fridge!  Once it's chilled, cut off about a 6 inch piece and trim the ends at an angle.......coat the larger piece in ganache, add the smaller piece, then coat that with the ganache and VOILA.....Bouche de Noel! 

You can decorate it any way you like.....from what I've seen on the internet, France has gotten quite creative with the ones they make now....most don't even resemble a log!  At the last minute I decided to brave making the meringue mushrooms.  They were also easier than I thought....but make LOTS....some just won't turn out quite right!

Again, I admit that I was a little intimidated at first....ok, alot intimidated.  But I'm glad I did it....it was delicious!  I still hope that there are still some in the windows of the boulangeries in Paris.  If so, I'll let you know how they taste! 

Ooey....Gooey!!!!

For Melinda's birthday, I made her a carrot cake....but not just ANY carrot cake! I made her an Ooey Gooey Carrot Cake!
I had made an Ooey Gooey Butter cake one time before, and there are so many variations that I knew there had to be one for Carrot Cake. I found a couple, but as always, I have to put my own spin on it. They called for adding carrots and pecans to the topping, which just didn't sit right with me. The topping is like the cream cheese icing on a regular carrot cake....and we don't put carrots and pecans in that!
Anyway, my neighbor and friend, Carol, had a taste of it and as Thanksgiving got closer, she asked me to make one for her family Thanksgiving dinner.....a chance to cook? I'm in!!!
You need a springform pan, which I buttered then coated with sugar (Cola Tip there...cakes come out clean EVERY time...and the sugar and butter a nice candied coating on the cake, making it very easy to ice without a crumb coat). Then you mix together a cake mix....but not just ANY cake mix! The recipes on the internet called for a spice cake....what? I used the Duncan Hines DECADENT Carrot Cake mix. It comes with a packet with dried carrots and raisins in it. Anyway, put the cake mix and the packet contents into the mixer....I added about a cup of chopped pecans. Then add one stick of melted butter and one egg.Mix....it will be about the consistency of cookie dough. Put the dough into the pan and, using your fingers, spread it to coat the bottom of the pan.>Next you need to make the "icing" or "topping". You mix 1 pound of confectioners sugar, 1 stick of butter, 1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 2 eggs in the blender (didn't take a pic of this! Dang!) and pour it over the top of the cake mix mixture.

Bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 to 50 minutes. The center will be a little jiggly, but it will be nicely browned on the top.This is one recipe you have to promise me you'll try....take it to your company picnic...but make sure to take plenty of copies of the recipe!!!

Life is Uncertain.....

....Eat dessert first. ...Ernestine Ulmer

So, as I told you before, there are absolutely (Jess!) no French cooking classes available in Paris during the week we are all there. I so wanted to take a class, then make the meal for our group on New Year's Eve! Uhhh....before we grab our champagne bottles and head for the Champs Elysses!!! So, since I couldn't find an open class, I decided to follow the lines of "Julie & Julia" and teach myself! Since I have NO idea what foods will be in season, I decided to have some options for each course and wait to see what we're going to cook once we get there and hit the markets!

So, I have been cooking, I just haven't been posting them! (Not going to say here how busy I've been...) Anyway, I'm posting a dessert first! It really is by chance. You see, Dennis has this foreclosure property he's handling for Bank of America and there's a huge pear tree in the back.....he's been watching these pears grow for weeks and weeks, all the while hoping they would ripen before the buyer closes. So, the other day he walks into the kitchen and sets down a huge painter's buck filled with pears! A bucketful of pears?? What am I to do with that? Yea, you can eat one or two, and although I don't mind canning, uhhhh....when do I have time to do that?

Then I remembered the Pear Tarte Tatin recipe! I'd been concentrating on the main course recipes, thinking the dessert, appetizer and salad recipes would be a piece of cake (no pun), but I do have to give them each a trial run or two to make sure I've got them right! I looked at several recipes all over the internet and combined several into one of my own.

Pear Tarte Tatin

5-6 pears, peeled and cut into slices (I went for a more rustic cut, but you can get pretty fancy here)

1/2 lemon, squeezed (immediately toss pear slices with lemon juice)

1/2 cup sugar

1 pie crust (I used the Pillsbury crust...usually made with puff pasty....will try that on the next trial run)

After I cut up my pears, I tossed them with the lemon juice and sugar and let them sit while I prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Next mix together in a bowl:

3 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Splash vanilla (about 1/2 teaspoon)

1/2 cup flour

1 egg


Spread this mixture in the bottom of the pie crust, which you can put into a pie plate or place on a baking sheet, with the edges rolled up to form sides. Add the pears and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20-30 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden brown.

Oh wait! I forgot to tell you to take out about 1/2 cup of the pears, before you put them in the pie plate, which by now should have made quite a bit of their own juices, with about 1 cup of the juices (add water, if necessary). Put them in a pot and simmer on low until the pears are soft...then mash them and continue to simmer until you have a glaze. Once the tart is cooked, spread the glaze over the top and voila (French word)!!! This tarte didn't last long around our house....evertime I came into the kitchen, the remains had a different shape and there was always a knife close by....Dennis ate it one tiny sliver at a time. We shared with a few friends and all thought it was fabulous, but I found so many different ways to make this, that I have to try a few more versions before I decide which will grace our New Years Eve table. Some are made with the crust on top and then turned over after baking...crusty crust....m-m-m-m-m-! Others are made with a caramel type glaze....more m-m-m. Keep an eye out for the next versions!!! Then you can help vote on the final version! Bon Appetit (French word)!

PS Sorry for the horrible pictures....tried a new camera...guess I should have read the instructions first! But you'll get the gist (Anglo-French word)!

By Special Request.....

This recipe is for the special request from an old friend from high school. Enjoy, Tony!

OLD - FASHION BANANA PUDDING

3 c. milk (Update: I was actually short on milk and used evaporated milk...luscious!!!)
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs, separated
2 tsp. vanilla
5 bananas, round sliced
1 pkg. vanilla wafers

Mix all ingredients together, except for the egg whites,bring to a slow boil in a double boiler. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Once thickened, smash one of the bananas up and add to the pudding. Because I like what the warm pudding does to the wafer, spread a small amount of the pudding in the bottom of a large casserole dish, then add a layer of the wafers. Spoon more pudding on top of the wafers, then add a layer of the bananas, and so on and so on.

Beat egg whites. Add teaspoon sugar, teaspoon vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Spoon on pudding. Set in oven on broil until light brown.

I can't wait for you to try this.....please come back and let me know how you liked it. When I took my first bite, it was like a transport back into time. This dessert was at every family get together, picnic, and camping trip because it traveled well.....oh, and because everyone loved it!
These days, it's rare for me to make banana pudding.....because I rarely eat dessert, which makes it all the more crazy that the previous post was a dessert AND the next post is a dessert! I've hidden the bathroom scale in the closet!
Anyway....I hope you'll try this recipe...it is sooo much better than the ones made with the instant pudding....it's what the warm pudding does to those wafers that I love! I can't wait to hear back from you! Enjoy!

Tis the Season.......

......for blueberries!!!! And the BEST recipe for blueberry pie is right here! I've been making this pie for years. What I love most about it is that fresh blueberries are mixed in with the cooked blueberries....when you take a bite, the fresh ones pop in your mouth. Fabulous! So, here's the recipe!

Fresh Blueberry Pie

3 cups blueberries

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

dash of salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 pie crust (9 inch) -- baked

Fresh whipped cream for topping (recipe follows) or vanilla ice cream

Bring 1 cup of blueberries and water to a boil. Boil gently for 4 minutes; add butter. Stir in sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cook slowly, stirring, until thick and clear. Remove from heat; add lemon juice. Add the remaining 2 cups of blueberries; stir gently to combine. Pour into the baked pie shell. Serve chilled or at room temperature with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Fresh Whipped Cream

1/2 pt. whipping cream

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Whip cream with mixer. Be careful not to overbeat or else will get too thick like butter. When it begins to thicken, add sugar and vanilla; stir. Refrigerate.

This pie is meant to be shared.....and you will be loved for it!!!!