Real Women of Philadelphia

WAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

So. some of you may know that I had entered the Real Women of Philadelphia contest. Well, I wasn't a finalist but they did feature me in a thank you commercial that will be airing tomorrow on a number of TV stations. I don't know which ones but here's the sneak peak. 

I'm flattered and flabbergasted that they put me in. But also deliriously happy. Me? in a nationwide commercial? hahahahahahah... granted im in there all of like 2 seconds and I really need to do something about my bangs but still, its exciting. WAHAHAHAHA...
Spread a lil love!

O...M...G...!

So my sister sent me this. And I kindaHAFTA try it!!!
For now I'll let you all drool like a fool (exactly what I'm doing.. it's okay, no shame... who doesn't love a snickers!) I'll get around to giving the recipe a try soon, I promise.

Recipe from Cannelle et Vanille:

Milk Chocolate Feuilletine Crust

135 grams feuilletine or corn flakes or rice krispies
300 grams creamy peanut butter
155 grams milk chocolate, melted

Cream together the feuilletine and the peanut butter for about 3 minutes until it starts to turn into a paste. Add the melted milk chocolate and mix until combined. Spread this on the bottom of a half sheetpan lined with parchment and topped with a square frame.

Salted Peanut Nougat

50 grams egg whites
5 grams powdered sugar, sifted
110 grams honey
400 grams sugar
85 grams glucose
150 grams water
200 grams salted and roasted peanuts, chopped

Start by combining the sugar, glucose and water in a medium saucepan. Cook to 144C.

In the meantime, start whipping the egg whites. When they are foaming, add the sifted powdered sugar and continue whipping. Quickly heat the honey to boiling point and pout the boiling honey into the bowl where the egg whites are whipping. Continue to whip on high speed.

When the sugar reaches the desired temperature, turn the mixer speed to low and add the sugar to the egg whites pouring slowly on the side of the bowl. When all the sugar has been added, turn the mixer speed to high and continue to whip until it slightly cools. We don't want it to completely cool because we want to be able to spread it easily.

Turn the mixer off and fold in the chopped peanuts. Spread the nougat evenly into the metal frame over the milk chocolate crust.

Milk Chocolate Bavarian

120 grams half and half
10 grams sugar
2 egg yolk
4 grams gelatin
250 grams milk chocolate, finely chopped
200 grams heavy cream, soft peaks

In a small saucepan, bring the half and half to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar. Temper the hot half and half into the egg yolks and whisk. Pour this mixture back in the pan and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the softened gelatin.

Strain the custard over the milk chocolate that we have finely chopped into a clean bowl. Let the custard melt the chocolate for a minute and then gently whisk until a cream is formed and all the chocolate has melted.

When the chocolate mixture has cooled to the touch, fold in the whipped cream. Immediatly pour the bavarian over the nougat and freeze.

Salted Caramel Cream

360 grams heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split
90 grams sugar
120 grams egg yolks
3 grams gelatin
1 grams fleur de sel

Bring the cream and the vanilla bean to a boil. Reserve.

In the meantime, make a dry caramel with the sugar. Deglaze the cooked sugar with the heated cream. Be careful because it will bubble overif all the cream is added at once. Whisk so all crystalized sugar has dissolved. Pour this caramel over the egg yolks and whisk. Return this to the pan and cook for 1 minute.

Add the softened gelatin and strain through a fine sieve. When it is cool to the touch, pour over the milk chocolate bavarian layer and freeze.

Rainbow Cake (cont.)

Of course, I have to put up the recipe for the amazingly beautiful rainbow cake. Alas, it is not my own. Actually, the blog I nipped it from, Whisk Kid, was recently on The Martha Stewart Show! A big "woot woot" to fellow blogger, Kaitlin Flannery. Congratulations on a wonderful show!

I absolutely LOVE how the cake is so unassuming on the outside. Just a plain ol' white cake. But then you cut into it and bam! :D Instant smile.

So here's the nitty-gritty of it:

Rainbow Cake

2 sticks (226 g) butter, room temp

2 1/3 c (466 g) sugar

5 egg whites, room temp

2 tsp vanilla

3 c (375 g) flour

4 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 1/2 c (355 g) milk, warmed for 30 sec in microwave to bring to room temp

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple GEL food coloring. Liquid will not be vibrant enough!

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Oil and line how ever many 9” cake pans you have. Weigh your empty mixing bowl. Write it down somewhere, you'll need the number later.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream the sugar and butter, then add the egg whites (cracked earlier in a bowl) a little at a time. Add the vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.

4. Add about half of the dry ingredients, then half the milk. Repeat. Don't overmix!

5. Divide the batter between 6 bowls by weight. Weigh your mixing bowl with batter in it. Subtract the weight of the empty mixing bowl. Divide this number by six and this is what will be portioned into each bowl (for the colors).

6. Add enough food coloring to each of the bowls to make vibrant, rainbow colors. Whisk to mix. Pour into the pans and bake for 15 minutes each, or until top springs back, or toothpick inserted comes out clean.

7. Cool on rack, in pans for ten minutes. Then unmold, wrap in plastic, and chill in fridge.

Lemony Swiss Meringue Buttercream

This recipe is split into two portions so that it'll fit in your mixer bowl. Make the first to fill and give the cake a crumb coat, then make the second to frost, following the same method of mixing for both.

To fill and crumb coat:

9 egg whites

1 ¾ c (350 g) sugar

4 sticks (532 g) of butter, room temp

2 tsp lemon extract

To frost:

5 egg whites

1 c (200 g) sugar

2 sticks (226 g) butter, room temp

1 tsp lemon extract

1. Cook the egg whites and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved (test by rubbing some between your fingers. If it's completely smooth, it's done).

2. Pour into another bowl (a stand mixer is preferable) and whip on high speed until room temp. Then, on a medium-slow speed, add the butter, waiting until each piece is completely incorporated before adding the next.

3. After all the butter has been added, turn the mixer back to high speed and whip until it has come together, about five minutes. Add the extract, beat briefly and then use.

guaranteed sunshine, anyday.

too pretty not to share!

found by Aileen.