Fondant 101

First, a few details about fondant: it’s an edible clay made of sugar that you can roll out, cut, and sculpt to decorate your cakes. You can buy commercial fondant at craft stores like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s, or you can make your own fondant at home out of marshmallows. The commercial fondant is very smooth, predictable, and stiff enough to work extremely well for sculpting, making ribbons and bows, and other 3-D decorations. However, it’s quite expensive and doesn’t taste particularly good. The marshmallow fondant tastes YUMMY and is cheap, but it takes time to make, doesn’t always come out exactly the same, and is very soft and stretchy, which makes it challenging to use in sculpting or 3-D decoration. Some ways to work around this problem are to chill the fondant very well before attempting to cut ribbons, bows, or to make figures. You can also mix half marshmallow fondant with half commercial fondant for a stiffer product. Any 3-D figures or decorative pieces that need to stand up or hold a certain shape ought to be made several days ahead of time and given time to dry for maximum success.

At the fondant 101 class the sisters learned how to make marshmallow fondant, then used pre-made batches to cover and decorate their own cakes. Here is the recipe:

1 16-oz bag mini marshmallows

2 Tbs water

1 32-oz (2 lb) bag powdered sugar (you will only use about 3/4 of the bag)

shortening

Place the marshmallows and water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until marshmallows are completely melted. If the mixture seems very hot, continue to stir, or let sit on the counter for a few minutes, to let it cool down. (Overly hot marshmallow mixture can lead to lumps of powdered sugar in the fondant.) Stir in about two cups of powdered sugar until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Use shortening to grease a large circle on your countertop, and then grease your hands very well. Pour the mixture onto the circle, pour more powdered sugar over, and start kneading the dough to work in the sugar. Since Colorado is so dry you will not use the entire 32-oz bag. Continue adding sugar and kneading until the dough (very much like bread dough) becomes smooth, elastic, and loses most of its stickiness. Form into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

When you’re ready to use the fondant, remove it from the plastic wrap and microwave it for 8-12 seconds—just enough to take the chill off and to soften it a little, without heating or melting it.

Use a sock or nylon filled with cornstarch to dust your work surface and keep the fondant from sticking. As you roll out your circle, continually run your hands underneath it to ensure that it is not sticking to the countertop, dusting underneath the fondant each time with your sock.

Take your chilled cake out of the fridge (a cold, firm cake is much easier to cover; havING the frosting dry and firm will keep it from smearing on your fondant). I like to spritz my cake with a little water (in a spray bottle) to help the fondant stick. Using your hands or your rolling pin, transfer the fondant circle onto the top of your cake, then begin smoothing with your hands on the top of the cake and down the sides. You want to press, smooth, and stretch the fondant around the sides of the cake to avoid wrinkles and pleats. Once the cake is covered and the fondant is smooth, press the fondant firmly into the base of the cake with the sides of your hands, then, using a pizza cutter or a small knife, cut around the base of the cake to remove the excess fondant. Wrap the excess tightly in plastic wrap until you’re ready to use it to decorate.

A word about your frosted cake: it doesn’t matter if the frosting isn’t perfect, if it has crumbs in it, for example, because no one will see it. The most important thing is that it be smooth. Lumps and bumps in your frosting will be lumps and bumps under your fondant, so use a large metal spatula or a dough scraper (with your cake on a lazy susan) to get the frosting as smooth as possible and to get the cake as uniformly shaped as possible. If your cake is lopsided, you can usually even it out by building up the frosting on one side.

You can tint fondant with food coloring—just put some shortening on your hands (because it will get STICKY), and wear gloves if you don’t want to stain your hands.

Once you’re ready to decorate, simply think of the fondant as fabric that you can cut into a variety of shapes (using cookie cutters or an small knife) or drape in swags, or as clay that you can mold into balls, flowers, or figures. When you attach things to the fondant you do not want to use water, because if any drips onto your cake it will be sticky and shiny and will not dry, and you will have SPOTS! I use vodka because the alcohol evaporates immediately and does not stain the fondant. As most of you probably don’t have access to a jug of vodka, you can also use lemon juice or clear extract (vanilla, almond, etc). Be sure to use a CLEAN paintbrush to apply the liquid.

And the pictures!

Kathy has covered her cake and is starting to build her tulip design:

 

She mixed food coloring and vodka to make paint for her tulip so that she could have gradations of color rather than tinting the fondant itself.

 

 

After painting she used an edible marker to add other details.

 

 

All done!

 

 

Becky used pink and yellow fondant to make a gumball border around the base of her cake.

 

Then she used cookie cutters to create flowers for the top of her cake.

 

 

Raechel made a batch of pink fondant to put stripes on her cake.

 

Our lovely assistant Kendra works on fondant roses for Raechel’s cake.

 

 

Here is Raechel’s finished cake.

 

The ladies in the second class dug right in and starting rolling and covering.

 

 

Ami makes sure her fondant is smooth and dry.

 

 

Allison checks for stickiness.

 

 

Amy’s friend Cindy works her biceps rolling out the sugar paste.

 

Ami is beginning to trim off the excess fondant.

 

 

Camille is covered and is starting to trim.

 

 

Joanna uses her hands to perfectly smooth her fondant covered cake.

 

 

Allison looks like a pro as she removes the excess.

 

 

Allison made a great start on her Angry Ducks cake—we can’t wait to see the finished product.

 

 

Amber’s tic-tac-toe cake.

 

Joanna’s beautifully simple ode to spring.

 

 

Camille’s adorable Mardi Gras Valentine cake.

 

 

Amy and Cindy’s team effort: a completely adorable celebration cake.

 

 

They’d better wear the same clothes when they eat it, because it all just matches too well.

 

 

Ami decided to decorate her cake for a friend who just had a baby named Charlotte, so she cut out blocks to spell out the name while Kendra worked on a teddy bear for the top. You can see by his slouched position that marshmallow fondant is tough to use for sculpting!

 

 

THANKS EVERYONE, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!

February: Jell-O Cook-off!

This month the Coal Creek sisters decided to take a walk down cultural memory lane, exploring an ingredient that was dear to many of our mothers and grandmothers, and that lives on at ward potlucks nationwide. Strangely, this particular ingredient prompted a lot of nostalgic musing; as we each considered why Jell-O has been so formative to Mormon culinary heritage, we instead found ourselves lost in the reverie of yesteryear’s lost dreams. Why Jell-O made us think of the things we’ve given up and the struggles we’ve overcome, I don’t know. But since we didn’t come to a satisfying answer as to why Mormons allegedly consume so much Jell-O, I did a little research that night, and found this very interesting article:

http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2010/03/jell-o-love-a-guide-to-mormon-cuisine/37929/

Beyond that, I think Bill Cosby hit the nail on the head when, appearing before a joint session of the Utah Legislature in support of the bill to declare Jell-o the official state food, he said “the reason people in Utah love Jell-O is that the snack is perfect for families -- and the people of Utah are all about family."

Now let’s get to the results of the cook-off:

It’s a tie! Raechel Peterson and Sarah Peart proudly share the title of supreme Jell=O chef and trophy of excellence for their winning dishes. Sarah brought a holiday salad that her mother makes every Christmas, and Raechel braved a complex and stunning banana pudding cake. See the recipes below.

 

Holiday Cranberry Salad

 

1 16 oz can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cranberries
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup hot water
1 large package cherry JELLO
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 small un-peeled orange
1/2 cub chopped walnuts
Dissolve cherry JELLO and sugar in 1 cup boiling water. Add lemon juice. Put in refrigerator and partially set (about 10 min). Drain pineapple and keep the liquid. Add water to make 1/2 cup of liquid if there isn't enough juice and put in blender with the cranberries and the orange. Blend. add to the Jello then add the chopped celery, nuts and pineapple. refrigerate.

 

 Nola Banana Layered Pudding Cake

  

From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

2 cups milk

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5 egg yolks

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 tablespoons gelatin

4 tablespoons water

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 stick melted butter

9 bananas, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 cups sweetened whipped cream

12 Ladyfingers

Sprigs of fresh mint

Directions

In a nonstick saucepan, over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk to dissolve the sugar. When the mixture comes to a gentle boil, take 1 cup of the milk-sugar mixture and add it to the yolks. Whisk to blend well. Temper the egg mixture to the milk mixture. Cook over medium heat until it thickens slightly, 4 to 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Over medium heat, slowly add this mixture to the saucepan, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Using a wooden spoon, continue stirring for about 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut. Add the butter and stir until it is completely melted and mixture has thickened to a custard, about 2 minutes. Soften the gelatin in the water and stir into the hot custard. Pour the mixture into a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap down the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely, stirring occasionally and chill for at least 4 hours. In a mixing bowl, combine the crumbs and butter. Mix well. Press into the bottom of a 10 inch spring-form pan. Bake until firm, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and cool completely. Fold in 2 cups of the whipped cream to the pastry cream. To assemble, spread about 1 cup of the custard on the bottom of the crust. Arrange about a third of the banana slices, crowding them close together, over the custard. Next, spread 1 cup of the custard over the bananas. Arrange another third of the banana slices close together over the custard. Top with 1 cup of the custard and the banana slices. Top with the remaining custard, covering the bananas completely to prevent them from turning brown. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and top with the remaining whipped cream. Remove the spring-form and press the ladyfingers firmly into the sides on the pastry cream.

Slice the dessert into individual servings and garnish with fresh mint

Lady Fingers  Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted flour

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

4 egg whites, beaten until stiff

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 baking sheets with 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons of flour. Mark parallel lines in the flour across the width of the tray about 4 inches apart. Put the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and with an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and has tripled in volume, about 8 minutes, using the mixer. Add the egg whites, remaining 3/4 cup flour, salt and vanilla, fold to mix thoroughly so the mixture is smooth. Fill a large pastry bag with a 3/4-inch plain tube with the mixture. Pipe fingers about 4 1/2-inches in length on to the baking sheet, using the lines as a guide. Dust the ladyfingers with powdered sugar. Bake until for 15 to 18 minutes, or until just firm on the outside and soft in the center

Rainbow Jello Salad

 

 

The sisters unanimously voted this hallucinogenic jello masterpiece ‘most visually appealing.’ Buy small boxes of jello in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. You need to chill each layer for three hours before adding the next one. And since the jello mix will be quite warm, April recommends using a ladle to add it slowly rather than pouring it all at once, which could result in a whole at the center of your construction.

She made this great video in homage of the jiggly star of the evening:

http://www.4-the-luv.com/2011/02/having-fun-with-jell-o.html

 

Homemade marshmallows

From Alton Brown

3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided

12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Nonstick spray

Directions

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

 

Valentine Pie

1 cup water
Dark chocolate kisses or shavings
3 oz strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups vanilla ice cream
Pie Shell:
1 1/2 cups Oreo crumbs
1 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup butter

Instructions

Pie Shell:
Mix ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly blended. Press evenly into a nine-inch pie pan. Bake at 375F for 8 minutes or until cooked completely. Leave to cool.

Pie:
In a 4-cup glass measuring cup stir together water and gelatin. Cook in a microwave oven, uncovered, on full power for 2 minutes. Add vanilla ice cream to the hot gelatin mixture, stir until ice cream is completely melted. Chill the mixture for 35 to 30 minutes, stir twice during chilling (the mixture should set so it falls as mounds from a spoon)
Pour chilled ice cream mixture into pie shell. Chill about 4 hours or until ice cream is completely set. Arrange milk chocolate kisses or buttons in a heart shape on top of the pie.

 

Pistachio Salad

 

 

Vegetable Terrine with Vinaigrette

  

From The Paris Cafe Cookbook

Vegetables of your choice (asparagus, green beans, peas, carrots, zucchini, peppers, etc), cut into matchsticks and blanched 10 minutes in salted boiling water

1 Tbs butter

1 shallot, minced

3/4 C fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, sage, etc.)

1 Tbs sherry or white wine

2 cups heavy cream

3 packets unflavored gelatin

1 Tbs chopped chives

salt and pepper

vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Directions:

When vegetables are done blanching, rinse with cold water to stop cooking process and preserve color. Set aside. Sauté shallot and herbs in butter in large sauce pan 3-5 minutes. Add sherry or white wine to deglaze the pan. Pour in the cream and simmer 5 minutes. Strain out the shallot and herbs, and return cream to pan. Slowly stir in the powdered gelatin and simmer, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 minutes.

Line a 1-1/2 qt loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving at least one inch hanging over each side. Scatter the chives on the bottom, then begin layering your blanched vegetables in any pattern that pleases you. Pour the cream over the vegetables, place an additional piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the terrine, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

When ready to serve, remove top plastic wrap, turn terrine onto a serving dish, unmold, and remove remaining plastic wrap. Serve with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 cups olive oil

1 Tbs soy sauce

salt and pepper.

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth; store in refrigerator

 

 

 

January—Asian Food

 

 

 

 

Pad Thai

Pad Thai
(from Lemon Grass restaurant in SLC; makes 1-2 servings)
4 ounces long, thin rice noodles
2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. fresh garlic, diced
1 tsp. sweet radish, diced (optional)
1/4 lb. shrimp or chicken
1 egg, beaten
3 T wine vinegar (you can use rice vinegar)
3 T. fish sauce
3 T. water
Hot pepper to taste
1 tsp. smoked or plain tofu, crumbled
1/2 tsp. shrimp paste with soya bean oil, optional (this can be found at any Asian market; it is a Thai product)
1 c. bean sprouts
2-3 green onions, sliced into 2 in. pieces
2 T. freshly roasted and ground peanuts
Garnish with lime wedges
Soak the rice noodles in water until flexible and soft, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Combine vinegar, fish sauce, water, pepper tofu, and shrimp paste in a bowl and set aside.
Heat wok or large frying pan and coat with vegetable oil. Add garlic and sweet radish to pan. Cook until garlic becomes fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add chicken or shrimp to pan and cook through. Stir in egg and cook until dry. Add noodles and liquid mixture. Stir fry until noodles have absorbed the liquid. Add bean sprouts, green onions, and peanuts. Toss briefly and remove from heat. Enjoy!

 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

 

 

Spring rolls with Shrimp

 

Rice paper wrappers

Cooked shrimp

Raw vegetables of your choice (in these: green onions, cucumber, red pepper, chopped spinach)

Directions: soften rice paper wrappers in a bowl of water for 15-20 seconds (will still be somewhat firm). Line up shrimp and sliced veggies. Fold ends of paper and roll up spring roll like a burrito. Serve with peanut sauce.

For peanut sauce, heat the following ingredients on the stovetop:

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup coconut milk

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

 

Sushi (with cooked fish)

  

Nori rice papers

Cooked brown or white rice (mixed with a little sugar and a little rice vinegar)

Lightly smoked salmon

Crab meat mixed with mayo and sriracha sauce

Sliced vegetables such as cucumber, carrots, avocado

Directions: spread rice over one half of nori, top with salmon or crab, then with veggies. Roll nori into a log, seal with water. Slice with a sharp knife, dipped in warm water between cuts if things get sticky.

 

Hmong chicken

 

Arrange chicken thighs in a 9x13 pan. Dot with butter and bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Drain and brush both sides with oyster sauce.

 

Mochi stawberry ice cream balls

  

 

Mochi Ice cream balls