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Raspberry Financiers

raspberry financiers MOIST, GOLDEN FRENCH ALMOND CAKES WITH RASPBERRY COULIS AND POWDERED SUGAR.

These little guys are like cupcakes, but even better! They are traditionally made as rectangular bars to resemble bars of gold, hence the name financier. And although Boo and I have managed to collect molds of all sorts of shapes, we don’t expect everyone else to have a rectangular 6 x 3 cm mold at arm’s reach, so we decided to use a regular cupcake tin. Plus, I think they’re cuter round. Geometric differences aside, these moist, spongy almond cakes are absolutely satisfying, incredibly easy to make, and great with a cup of tea or coffee.

When you’re making these, you may want to mix gently to keep from incorporating too much air into the batter, otherwise they will deflate as they cool after baking. After breaking up the egg whites with a fork, I used a rubber spatula to mix the batter together, which worked out just fine. But other than for aesthetic reasons, this step can be optional.

For our financiers, we used raspberry, but almost any fruit with a hint of tartness – like blueberries, peach, or even passionfruit – would pair beautifully with the richness of the cake. Be warned: they’re addictive. Thank goodness this recipe only makes 10! – Pea

raspberry financiers 2

Yield: 10 financiers
Difficulty:

Oven: 400 F, 6 minutes; 350 F, 14 minutes

Preparation:

Grease 10 small cupcake molds, or line with cupcake wrappers.

Almond cake:

1 stick butter
4 egg whites
Dry ingredients
0.5 c sugar
1 c almond meal
0.33 c flour
2 tb honey
10 raspberries

In a small saucepan, heat and stir butter over medium heat until browned. Pour into a bowl, and set aside to cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, lightly stir together dry ingredients, egg whites, and honey until homogenized.
Gently stir butter into egg mixture.
Divide batter into prepared molds or cupcake wrappers. Place a raspberry in the center of each with the cavity facing up.
Bake at 400 F, 6 minutes. Lower to 350 F, and bake ~14 minutes until cooked through. Meanwhile, make raspberry coulis.

Raspberry coulis:

3 oz raspberries
1.5 tb sugar
2 tb water

In a small saucepan, stir and mash ingredients over medium heat until thickened, 10-12 minutes.
Press through a strainer, and discard seeds.
Using a small round tip, pipe coulis into the centers of financiers.
Serve warm.

*recipe inspired by Bruno Albouze

Crispy Roasted Cilantro-Lime Chicken Thighs

cilanto-lime chicken thighs EASY, TANGY, FLAVORFUL MARINATED CHICKEN THIGH OVEN-CRISPED AND SERVED OVER ROASTED DICED VEGETABLES.

We’ve all had those long days at work. You want (or need) something delicious and comforting, but the last thing you want to do when you get home is be on your feet another hour prepping and cooking dinner. Even passionate home cooks need a break sometimes, and so this recipe was born with those days in mind.

All you have to do is toss the marinade together the previous night or the morning of, and let the refrigerator do the rest of the work for you! You can come back home, move the chicken from the fridge to the oven, and relax for 45-55 minutes until you have a juicy, succulent, tangy chicken with a crispy skin waiting for you. If you want to round out the meal with some vegetables and starch, Pea and I found that roasting up a couple diced bell peppers and potatoes (2-3 extra minutes!) worked amazingly with this. So with simple, comforting dinner that you can look forward to through a tough day, hopefully you can turn your frown upside down 😀 – Boo

Yield: 4 chicken thighs
Difficulty:

Oven: 400 F, 45-55 minutes

Marinade:

0.25 c cilantro, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
0.25 tb cumin
0.25 tb coriander
1 ts salt
3 limes, zested and juiced
3 tb olive oil

Directions:

Thoroughly coat chicken thighs with marinade. Seal/cover and refrigerate, at least 8 hours.
Shake off excess marinade, and place chicken thighs skin-side up on baking tray. Bake on upper-middle rack until cooked through, 45-55 minutes. Serve.
Optionally, boil excess marinade in a saucepan for 2 minutes, and spoon over chicken or side dishes.

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Blueberry-Lemon Reduction

pork tenderloin medallions with blueberry lemon reduction ROSEMARY-RUBBED PORK TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS FINISHED WITH A REDUCTION OF BLUEBERRIES, LEMON JUICE, AND RED WINE. OVER GARLIC SAUTEED GREENS.

When we hear “filet mignon”, most of us think of the fork-tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef steak without a match. But interestingly, in France, “filet mignon” generally refers to the steak cut off the pork tenderloin. And though I love a good beef steak, using pork gave this a different steak-eating experience. A little more neutral in taste than beef, a pork steak pairs well with sweet and tart ingredients such as apples, grapes, berries, and honey. It might sound odd, but I think this recipe has an almost-dessert-like quality to it – in the best possible way! I even added a dash of cinnamon to the sauce to help bring out the sweetness even more. With a lean serving of protein, almost a whole serving of fruit, and a red wine-based sauce, this recipe was our fun experiment and turned out to be a healthy and exciting way to use pork tenderloin. – Boo

pork tenderloin medallions blueberry reduction

Servings: 3 (main portions)
Difficulty:

Pork medallions:

1 pork tenderloin
Seasoning
salt and black pepper, coarse
2 ts dried rosemary

Cut tenderloin into 6 medallions. Flatten medallions to a thickness of 1-1.5 inches.
Rub seasoning over pork.
In a large pan, sear pork medallions in olive oil on both sides until browned. Remove from pan, and prepare sauce.

Blueberry sauce:

Liquids
0.25 c red wine
0.25 c chicken stock
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 c blueberries
2 shallots, minced
Seasoning
0.25 ts salt
0.25 ts cinnamon

In the same pan, add all sauce ingredients. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Mash several blueberries, and add tenderloin medallions back into sauce to finish cooking, ~5-7 minutes for medium.
Remove pork, and reduce sauce to desired consistency.
Serve pork medallions with sauce, and optionally garnish with blueberries and lemon zest.

Asian Honey-Glazed Salmon

honey glazed salmon CRISPY FILLET OF SALMON GLAZED WITH HONEY AND SEASONED WITH FRESH MINCED AROMATICS. BOK CHOY STIR-FRIED WITH GARLIC AND SESAME OIL. CINNAMON-ANISE STEAMED RICE.

As much as we love our comforting, spicy stews and hearty broths through the winter, we felt it was time to bring in the light, fresh, and crisp flavors to hit off the start of spring. And so we bring you our very quick and easy honey-glazed salmon, where the natural tanginess of the fresh green onion and the just-barely-cooked ginger and garlic mince were the life of the dish, maybe even more so than the salmon itself! Since this worked so well with the lightly salted bok choy dashed with sesame oil and the fragrant rice, we’re including the sides in the recipe, too. If you’re just feeling the salmon, though, feel free to go straight down to that part of the recipe. Hope you give this a try! – Boo

P.S. If you want some curly green onions for garnish, slice them into thin strips about 4 inches long, then put them in ice water for several minutes.

honey glazed salmon top-down Servings: 2 (full courses)
Difficulty:

Anise rice:

1.2 c water
Spices
3 star anise
4 cloves
0.25 ts salt
0.25 ts cinnamon
1 c white rice, washed

In a small saucepan, bring water with spices to a boil.
Add rice to boiling water. Cover and steam over low heat until cooked through, 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare bok choy and salmon.

Garlic bok choy:

4-6 heads bok choy, halved lengthwise
2 cloves garlic, sliced
0.5 tb sesame oil
0.5 tb cooking wine
1 ts vinegar
salt and black pepper

In a pan/wok, saute bok choy with garlic in vegetable oil over medium-high heat until slightly softened, ~3 minutes.
Add sesame oil, and toss to coat vegetables.
Add remaining ingredients, and cook to desired doneness, 3-5 minutes.
Cover to keep warm, and set aside. Meanwhile, prepare salmon.

Glazed salmon:

2 (6-8 oz) salmon fillets
Seasonings
salt
white pepper
1.5 tb corn starch
Toppings
2 green onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tb grated ginger
2-3 tb honey
Garnish
green onions
roasted salted peanuts

Salt and pepper salmon on both sides, and sift a thin layer of corn starch onto both sides.
Sear salmon in olive oil over medium-high heat until cooked pink halfway up, ~4 minutes, and flip over. Spread toppings on seared side, and drizzle honey over fillets.
Continue searing second side until crisped and cooked to desired doneness, 3-5 minutes.
Remove salmon from heat to rest, 3 minutes.
Serve, optionally with green onions and roasted salted peanuts.

The French Macaron

french macarons FOUR CLASSIC MACARONS. ALMOND MACARON WITH FRENCH ALMOND BUTTERCREAM. MINT MACARON WITH MINTY WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE. CHOCOLATE MACARON WITH NUTELLA DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE. ROSE MACARON WITH RASPBERRY ROSE MASCARPONE CREAM.

If there’s a dessert with a reputation for its difficulty, it’s the macaron. Bakers will tell you how finicky they are from the temperature and age of your egg whites to the moisture content of your flour and the air. They’ll tell you the recipe for the perfect batch one day might crack, collapse, and end in utter disappointment the next evening. That every measurement needs to be absolutely precise. Yes, there’s some truth to these worries. But no, making consistent batches of macarons isn’t just playing a lottery. Just like perfecting any dish or dessert, macaron making comes down to a few key principles – the meringue, the macaronage, and the drying (notice that the weather, age of your egg whites, and miniscule changes in your flour moisture content are not included!). Whether it’s a hot, sunny day or a cold, rainy day, these principles stay the same. It might take a few batches to know exactly what you’re looking for, but once you get it, you won’t forget it!

The Meringue. It’s whipped just enough so that you can fold the almond flour and sugar into it completely without knocking out too much air. You’re looking for peaks that gently curl over when the whisk is lifted straight out of it. This gives you the perfect amount of air so that during the macaronage, you don’t deflate the meringue before all the dry ingredients are properly mixed in (underwhipped), and you don’t have a lumpy, broken mixture (overwhipped)! And there’s no need to age your egg whites. It might make whipping them take a minute or two less but makes no difference in the final product. It’s less effort, too.
The Macaronage (or the folding of the solids into the meringue). The macaron batter is a suspension of almond meal in a meringue that has been deflated just enough to pipe out smooth round buttons that spread ever so slightly. This is the part where practice makes perfect. Just keep in mind that it’s better to under-mix than to over-mix, or you’ll have your macarons running into each other on the baking sheet! Some describe this stage as the “molten lava” stage, and others call it the “thick ribbon” stage. Call it what you want, but it should look something like this:
The Drying. After piping out your cute buttons, you need to set them aside until the tops are dry to the touch and don’t stick to your finger when you “pet” them. Just like with royal icing (the shiny, smooth icing you might find on decorated cookies), a crust forms on the macaron surface as the air pulls moisture from the meringue. This forces the air in the meringue to find another way out during baking – through the bottom, where it bubbles out and forms the frilly feet of the macaron. No need to postpone your macaron-making plans on a rainy or humid day! The drying will still happen – it might just take a little longer.

Once you get the hang of it, there are all sorts of small changes you can make to the shell recipe, such as using hazelnut or pistachio flour, or adding extracts for flavor and food coloring for fun. And there is a whole world of fillings to try. Below you’ll find the recipe for the basic almond macaron to get you started, with a French almond buttercream. Enjoy! – Boo and Pea

Yield: 44-56 macaron shells
Difficulty:

Oven: 310 F, 18 minutes

Preparation:

Line 2-3 baking trays with parchment paper or silicone mats.
If using parchment paper, optionally draw guide circles (diameter 2.5-3 cm) about 3 cm apart on parchment paper, and flip written-side down.

Macaron shells:

Dry ingredients, sifted
120 g almond meal
150 g powdered sugar
Meringue
110 g (~3) egg whites, room temperature
0.25 ts cream of tartar (or lemon juice)
100 g granulated sugar
(optional) 4-10 drops food coloring

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add granulated sugar to egg whites while beating to a firm meringue (tips of peaks should gently curl when whisk is lifted), ~4-6 minutes.
Sift dry ingredients into the meringue. Fold until smooth and falling in thick ribbons.
Using a large round tip, pipe buttons (diameter 2.5-3 cm) onto the prepared baking trays spaced ~3 cm between the edges of adjacent shells.
Small pea tip: Keep the tip ~0.5 cm above and perpendicular to the baking tray. Keep the tip centered and still while piping each shell to desired size.
Rest at room temperature until surface dries to the touch, 45-60 minutes.
Bake on middle rack, 18 minutes. Remove from oven, and set side until cooled to room temperature. Meanwhile, make filling.
Small pea tip: Lower the oven temperature by 5-10 F, and bake for 1 minute shorter if using a dark pan.
Carefully remove/peel shells from parchment or silicone mat.
Small pea tip: If macarons stick to parchment or silicone mat, run a thin knife across the bottom to help release shells.

French almond buttercream:

3 egg yolks
Simple syrup
75 g sugar
2.5 tb water
Flavorings
1 ts almond extract
0.25 ts vanilla extract
0.25 ts salt
6 tb butter, room temperature

In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until light yellow and thickened.
In a small saucepan, heat sugar with water to 240 F (or just beginning to turn golden).
Continue beating egg yolks while pouring syrup into yolks a thin stream along the side of the bowl. Beat until cooled to room temperature, 6-8 minutes.
Beat in flavorings.
Add butter in 1 tb increments, and beat until smooth and holds peaks.
Refrigerate for 5 minutes until use.

Assembly:

Pair shells by size.
Using a round tip, pipe ~0.5 tb filling onto one shell of each pair. Gently sandwich with second shell.
In an airtight or covered container, refrigerate macarons in a single layer, at least 8 hours.
Serve, and optionally refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

Saffron Crab Cakes

saffron crab cakes TENDER, CRISPY, CREAMY CRAB CAKES BODIED WITH SAFFRON AIOLI AND ALMOND MEAL. WITH BAKED PARMESAN CRISPS, FRESH PARSLEY, AND OLIVE OIL.

The blue crab is Maryland’s official state crustacean, a tidbit I took for granted during the 10 years I grew up there. Not until I moved away did I realize what I was missing. Finally, I decided my craving was due, and I picked up a can of quality lump crab meat for a nostalgic taste of a Maryland classic.

Usually, crab cakes use mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, and other seasonings that are quickly mixed together before being pan-fried until golden-brown and crispy on the outside. And while these simple ingredients already make crab cakes absolutely delicious, I wanted to add just a touch of luxury by whisking up a saffron aioli in place of mayonnaise and using almond meal instead of breadcrumbs. A touch of smoked paprika and cayenne also gives the cakes a spiciness that isn’t “hot”, but brings an extra layer of excitement. To keep the shape a little better, I folded some aluminum foil into a ring mold and tied it in some twine before frying them. You can serve it with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce like many restaurants do, a quick drizzle of nice olive oil and some cheese, or just eat it plain. Whatever you do, these are a guaranteed hit as an appetizer, lunch, dinner, or snack! – Boo

Yield: 6 (3-inch diameter) crab cakes
Difficulty:

Ingredients:

Saffron aioli (or 1 c mayonnaise)
0.25 ts saffron, ground
1 tb hot water
1 egg yolk
1 lemon, zested and juiced
0.5 c olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated
Slurry
0.75 c almond meal (or breadcrumbs)
1 tb Dijon mustard
1 tb Worcestershire sauce
1 tb lemon juice
1 egg
1 lb crab meat
Seasoning
4 green onions, minced
3 tb cilantro, minced
0.5 tb thyme
1 ts salt
0.5 ts black pepper
0.5 ts smoked paprika
0.5 ts cayenne pepper
Garnish
olive oil
parsley
parmesan cheese
lemon wedge

For aioli, soak saffron in hot water, 5 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolk with saffron water and lemon zest/juice until slightly thickened.
Gradually add olive oil to egg mixture in a thin stream while whisking until thickened. Stir garlic into mixture.
Stir slurry ingredients, crab, and seasoning into aioli. Refrigerate mixture, ~30 minutes.
Fold 6 3-inch diameter rings from aluminum foil, and set on a baking sheet.
Fill each aluminum ring to the top, and optionally tie twine around the middle of the ring.
In a pan, fry cakes in olive oil over medium heat until browned, ~4 minutes per side.
Remove onto serving plate, and remove string and foil.
Garnish as desired, and serve.

Curried Lamb Shanks

curried lamb shanks LAMB SHANK BRAISED WITH CURRY SPICES AND HERBS. SERVED OVER WILTED SPINACH AND SAFFRON BASMATI RICE.

Braising has to be one of the greatest cooking methods ever invented, letting you turn the cheapest cut of meat into something juicy and fall-off-the-bone succulent. And not only does the broth flavor the meat as it simmers, the meat gives the broth a velvety, intensely savory texture as the gelatin melts into it. For this dish, I decided to take caramelized onions past the standard golden-brown stage and into deeply sweet and smoky dark brown territory. Together with the natural sweetness of the onions and the caramelization of the lamb shanks in the oven, this gave the dish a complex sweetness (maybe even sophisticated!) without a grain of added sugar. And it was also the perfect complement to the earthy spices we threw in with the lamb. You could just as easily use beef chuck or pork shoulder and belly. Hope you give this braised dish a try! – Boo

Oven: 475 F, 30-40 minutes
Difficulty:

Ingredients:

4 lamb shanks
2 onions, thinly sliced
Spices
1.5 ts smoked paprika
0.75 ts curry powder
0.5 ts turmeric
0.5 ts cumin seeds
0.5 ts fennel seeds
0.25 ts ginger powder
0.25 ts cardamom
0.25 ts dried mint
pinch cinnamon
2 tb butter
2 tb flour
Herbs
1 bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
Braising liquid
1.5 c chicken broth
0.33 c red wine
2 tb balsamic vinegar
1.25 ts salt
0.5 ts black pepper
(optional) Garnish
cilantro, chopped
sumac

Directions:

In a roasting pan, drizzle olive oil over shanks. Roast on top rack until browned, 15-20 minutes per side. Meanwhile, prepare onions. Set aside lamb shanks after browning on both sides.
In a large pot, stir onions in vegetable oil over medium-low heat until dark golden-brown, 40-45 minutes.
Add spices into pot. Toast, 2 minutes.
Stir butter into pot until melted. Stir in flour to coat evenly.
Stir herbs and braising liquid into pot.
Add lamb shanks, and simmer over medium-low heat until tender, 2.5-3 hours, basting occasionally.
Serve, and garnish as desired.

Turkey Apple Meatballs and Pico de Gallo Salad

turkey apple meatballs pico de gallo salad HOT, TENDER TURKEY AND FUJI APPLE MEATBALLS TOSSED WITH A ZESTY APPLE PICO DE GALLO AND SHREDDED PURPLE CABBAGE.

More than a month ago, I found Pea a couple huge Fuji apples (her favorite!) from the farmer’s market. But after bringing them home and putting them in the back of the crisper, we forgot about them. Fortunately, fresh apples can last up to months if properly kept, and we decided to finally dig into the juicy, sugary-sweet goodness – by incorporating them into some turkey meatballs. Not only did the turkey and apple work deliciously well together, but the apple and breadcrumbs helped keep the meatballs super tender while developing a crispy exterior in the oven! For some temperature and texture contrast, we tossed the hot meatballs with a chilled apple pico de gallo and some shredded cabbage so we could call it a salad. And while we ate this happily as a meal, it would make a perfectly good appetizer, too! – Boo

Servings: 4-5 (main portions) or 8-10 (appetizer portions)
Difficulty:

Oven: 400 F, 20-25 minutes

Meatballs:

1 lb turkey
1 c grated apple
1 c breadcrumbs
1 egg
0.5 tb grated ginger
1.5 ts salt
2 sprigs thyme, de-stemmed

Mix all ingredients until homogenized.
Form into small meatballs (diameter 2 cm), and place onto greased baking sheet.
Bake on upper-middle rack until browned, 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare salad.

Pico de gallo salad:

1 apple, diced 0.25 inch
Diced vegetables, 0.25 inch
4 c tomatoes
1.5 c onions
1.5 c cucumbers
0.75 c serrano (or poblano) peppers
Seasoning
0.33 c cilantro, minced
1 lime, zested and juiced
0.5 ts garlic powder
0.5 ts salt
0.5 ts black pepper
1.5-2 c shredded purple cabbage

Place diced apple into ice water to prevent browning while preparing other ingredients.
Toss all ingredients together.
Toss with baked meatballs, and serve.

Black Forest Cake

black forest cake RICH COCOA ESPRESSO SPONGE CAKE BRUSHED WITH CHERRY SYRUP. KIRSCHWASSER WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING AND SWEET DARK CHERRIES. GARNISHED WITH DARK CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS AND MARASCHINO CHERRIES.

When Pea and Boo first moved in together, Pea not-so-subtly hinted at making a Black Forest Cake. As cherry season came that year, Pea and Boo found piles upon piles of fresh, dark red cherries on display at the local farmer’s market, and they decided the time had come. It was one of the first cake projects they took on together, and it was time to revisit the old recipe to give it a few delectable tweaks in time for our friends’ birthday surprises!

One of the greatest things about sponge cakes is their ability to soak up delicious syrups and juices, intensifying the flavor of the cake. The Black Forest Cake, layered with a rich cocoa sponge soaked in cherry and liqueur syrup, is a brilliant example. Kirschwasser (cherry liqueur) is signature, and (fun fact) required by law in Germany, but you can put as much or as little as you want. This recipe uses about one shot for the entire cake, but no one’s stopping you! – Boo

Servings: 8-12 (dessert portions)

Difficulty:

Oven: 350 F, 25-35 minutes

NOTES:

May use fresh and/or canned cherries. If using canned cherries, reserve syrup as a soak for the sponge cake.

Preparation:

Line a 8.5-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the interior.

Cocoa genoise:

4 eggs, separated
0.66 c sugar
1 ts vanilla
Dry ingredients, sifted
0.5 c flour
0.33 c cocoa powder
2 tb instant espresso powder
0.5 ts salt
3 tb butter, melted

Over a bain-marie, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar while beating to a firm, glossy meringue, ~4-6 minutes.
Beat egg yolks and vanilla into meringue until just combined.
Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture by thirds.
Stir a large spoonful of batter into melted butter to lighten. Fold butter gently into remaining batter.
Bake in prepared springform pan until cooked through, 25-35 minutes.
Remove from oven, and invert springform pan over a cooling rack until cooled to room temperature.
Remove cake from pan. Set aside until assembly.

Macerated cherries:

1.5 lb cherries, pitted (including 1 can of cherries with syrup)
2 tb kirschwasser

In a bowl, toss cherries with kirschwasser. Cover and refrigerate until assembly.
Stir remaining ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate to cool.

Whipped cream frosting:

3 c heavy cream
1.5 ts vanilla
1.5 ts kirschwasser
0.25 c sugar

Beat cream to soft peaks. Add remaining ingredients, and beat to stiff peaks.

Assembly:

Garnish
dark chocolate curls, shavings, or bark
cherries
whipped cream

Reserve several cherries for garnish.
Divide the cake into three disks.
Small pea tip: Use the disk with the flattest surface as the top layer.
Place the bottom cake layer on assembly surface. Soak with one-third of the cherry syrup, and top with one-quarter of the whipped cream and half of the cherries.
Place the middle cake layer on the cherries, and repeat with cherry syrup soak, whipped cream frosting, and cherries.
Place the top cake layer. Spread frosting evenly over entire cake, and reserve ~0.5 c frosting for garnish.
Decorate cake with chocolate, whipped cream, and cherries.
Refrigerate until chilled, and serve.

black forest cake 2

Berries Mousseline Cake

berries mousseline cake 2 FOUR-BERRY MIXTURE TOSSED WITH FLUFFED VANILLA BEAN PASTRY CREAM. LAYERED WITH A RICH, SWEET BUTTER CAKE BRUSHED WITH RASPBERRY COULIS. DECORATED WITH SUGAR-COATED BERRIES.

And now, BooPeaKitchen will launch its newest guide on how not to organize surprise parties. Last year, when Boo tried to organize a surprise birthday party for me it wasn’t very successful — let’s just say that repeatedly and unpromptedly asking birthday-girl-to-be to not make plans on the weekend of her birthday is not the best approach. I have to admit though, I didn’t fare much better either. Leading up to Boo’s birthday, I arranged for him to go on a mid-summer hiking trip, giving myself the perfect excuse to stay home with the kitchen to myself and ample time to work on his cake. In my mind, my plans ended with storing the cake at a friend’s place and having her bring it the next day to Boo’s astonishment, but they were foiled by an unexpected afternoon nap. I woke up to Boo’s return, and realizing the finished cake was still in the fridge, I immediately fessed up to the whole plan…

Resting on this boast-worthy surprise party streak of zero, Boo and I decided to recruit our friends to set up a double surprise which upped our success rate to 1/4! Well, at least we have two cakes to show for it: this Berries Mousseline Cake and a Black Forest Cake coming up soon! – Pea

Servings: 8-12 (dessert portions)
Difficulty:

Oven: 350 F, 40-50 minutes

Preparation:

Line an 8.5-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter and flour the interior.

Butter cake:

1 stick butter
0.5 c sugar
2 egg yolks
1 ts vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
1.66 c flour
2 ts baking powder
0.5 ts salt
0.5 c milk
Meringue
2 egg whites
0.5 c sugar

Cream butter with sugar. Beat in yolks and vanilla.
Alternately beat dry ingredients and milk into butter mixture in 5 additions.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar while beating to a firm, glossy meringue.
Fold meringue into batter by thirds.
Bake in prepared springform pan until cooked through, ~40-50 minutes.
Cool to room temperature. Cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, ~2 hours.

Vanilla mousseline:

Cream mixture
1.25 c heavy cream
1.25 c milk
0.25 ts salt
Yolk mixture
6 egg yolks
0.75 sugar
0.25 c flour
0.25 c corn starch
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1.5 sticks butter, room temperature

In a large saucepan, bring cream mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat.
Whisk yolk mixture ingredients together. Whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture.
Return mixture to saucepan over medium heat, and whisk constantly until thickened and gently boiled for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and whisk in 4 tb butter until incorporated.
Transfer to a mixing bowl. Refrigerate, plastic wrap pressed to the surface, until cooled to room temperature, ~1.5 hours.
Beat cooled cream, 2 minutes. Add remaining butter, and beat until light and fluffy, 5-6 minutes.

Raspberry coulis:

3 oz raspberries
1.5 tb sugar
1 tb water

In a small saucepan, stir and mash ingredients over medium-high heat until thickened. Strain, and set aside until use.

Assembly:

(optional) acetate cake bands, cake ring, or springform form
Berries
1 lb strawberries, halved or quartered
6 oz blackberries
6 oz blueberries
6 oz raspberries

If using acetate, assemble a ring (height 4 inches) around circumference of the cake, and place on serving surface.
Slice cake into two disks. Trim one disk by 1 cm around the circumference.
Small pea tip: Trim the disk with the flattest surface, since this will be used for the top layer.
Place the larger disk in acetate ring, springform pan, or cake ring. Brush cake with raspberry coulis.
Set aside one-third of the mousseline and choice berries for garnish. Mix remaining berries with remaining two-thirds of the mousseline.
Assemble some fruit around the bottom border. Optionally, use mousseline to help keep berries in place. Spread mousseline-fruit mixture evenly into cake.
Place the trimmed cake layer on top. Spread remaining mousseline smoothly over and around the cake.
Cover and refrigerate until set, 3-4 hours.
Garnish as desired with remaining fruit and raspberry coulis, and serve.

berries mousseline cake 1