Queso

I highly recommend making this for a group of people, or you are liable to (as I did) eat bowls of queso all to yourself for days on end (not that there's anything wrong with that). 

Now, I understand that some traditional ATX queso is likely made with American cheese and flour, but as I proved to myself and my super special taste-testers, you can make creamy smooth, delicious queso using a mix of cheddar & pepper jack, and corn starch (which not only makes it gluten-free, but keeps it so creamy smooth).

Making it is so easy, and takes just about 10-15 minutes from start to chow down. 

Ingredients
11oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (grate it yourself bc purchased grated cheese won't yield as smooth a result)
11 oz pepper jack cheese, grated (again, grate it yourself)
2T corn starch
2oz cream cheese
1.5C milk
1T butter
1/2 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
1-2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 
1t ground cumin
1-2 chipotle peppers, seeded and finely chopped OR about 1-2T of El Pato Chipotle Sauce 
Garnishes can be anything you want: salsa, avocado, cilantro...have fun! 
tortilla chips for serving

Preparation
I like to serve this right from the pan to keep the queso warm, so you can use a 2Qt sauté pan or a small sauce pan. Toss the grated cheeses together in a large bowl with the cornstarch and set aside. Sauté the onion and jalapeño with the cumin in the butter on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Whisk in the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Pour in the milk and bring to a gentle simmer, then turn down to the lowest possible setting. If it gets too hot your cheese can break. You don’t want that. 

Whisk in the cheese a handful at a time, whisking til smooth each time. This takes a couple minutes, but it will result in the perfect consistency. Once all the cheese is incorporated, remove from the heat and serve immediately. If for some bizarre reason you have leftovers, store the cooled queso in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be reheated by whisking in a small pot over low heat until melted. 

¡A Salud! 

The ONLY Gluten-Free Devil's Food Cake

When is a gluten-free cake acceptable by my standards? When I can't tell it's gluten-free. 

This is the first GF cake I've made that has the texture of a traditional devil's food cake. It is moist, very chocolatey, and has the right leavening to lift up the GF flours that can usually weigh cakes down. 

This recipe calls for hot brewed coffee to be mixed into the batter just before baking. Coffee helps bring out the flavor of the chocolate, but it can be substituted with decaf, cocoa, Pero, or simply hot water. 

This recipe makes two 8" rounds, which can serve anywhere from 8-12, and can easily be doubled to make two 10" rounds. 

I initially made a chocolate frosting, but the cake is sweet, and next time I will try a raspberry whipped cream.

Prep Your Pans
For chocolate cakes, I grease the pans very well with coconut oil, and dust the pans with sifted cocoa powder instead of flour. Then also line the pans with parchment rounds. 

Preheat the oven to 350'

For the Cake
1 3/4C all-purpose GF flour (I like Bob's 1:1)
2C granulated sugar
3/4C sifted cocoa powder
2t baking soda
1t baking powder
1t kosher salt

1C buttermilk
1/2C neutral oil (I like grapeseed oil)
2 eggs (I always use XL)
2t vanilla extract

1C hot coffee (or decaf, or cocoa made with water, or Pero made with water)

For the Frosting
1C softened unsalted butter
3C sifted powder sugar
1/2C sifted cocoa powder
1t vanilla extract 
1/4C heavy whipping cream

Make the Cake
Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE COFFEE. Fold the dry into the wet. THEN stir in the coffee. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean, and the cake starts to come away from the sides of the pan. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto cake boards to cool completely. The cakes can be made a day or two ahead and wrapped well in plastic wrap until ready to frost. 

Make the Frosting
Cream the butter in a bowl with a mixer until soft and fluffy. SLOWLY stir in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar until combined. Stir in the vanilla and whipped cream. Mix for a couple of minutes until fluffy, but don't overmix, as the cream will eventually look grainy. Frost the cake and serve!

Alternate Frosting: Raspberry Cloud Cream
1C raspberry puree
2/3C sugar
2.5t gelatin powder (or agar-agar)
2C heavy whipping cream (keep it cold, and chill the bowl for whipping)

Stir together the gelatin and 1/4C of the puree and gently heat over a bain marie until dissolved. Stir in the rest of the puree and sugar and cool to room temp. Whip the cream in the chilled bowl til firm. Fold in the puree. Frost your cake and serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. 

Note: The gelatin or agar-agar aren't absolutely necessary if you're going to frost and eat your cake immediately, but they do help keep the cream firm, and prevent the liquids from leaching out. 

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Who can resist freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies? There are probably thousands of recipes out there, and I have a few myself, but this latest version shared by a friend (thanks, Jeffrey!) is my current favorite. I believe the difference is dissolving the baking soda in hot water and adding it directly to the dough before stirring in the dry ingredients. The result is a soft, chewy texture, and depending on how long you bake them, a crispy edge.

Recipe
3C unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2t kosher salt

2t baking soda
2t hot water

1C (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp (softened but not melty)
1C sugar
1C light brown sugar
2t vanilla extract
2 eggs

2C chocolate chip or chunks 

Cream the butter until light & fluffy. Beat in the white sugar. Then the brown sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often to make sure everything is incorporated. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla. Disolve the baking soda in hot water and stir into the dough.Stir in the flour until just incorporated. Stir in the chips.

Preheat oven to 350'. Line baking sheets with parchment. Use a 1.5" wide retractable scooper (or a spoon) to drop evenly-sized balls of dough on the sheet pan. I get 12 cookies on a standard 1/2-sheet pan. 

Bake until desired doneness (about 10-12 minutes). Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Makes about 40. 


                                             на здоровья!

Coconut Cake

It's so simple. And unless you hate coconut, a guaranteed crowdpleaser (even the vegans won't be able to resist). No expert skills needed for this one. A cake that's about as easy as a mix, whipped cream, and coconut. That's it. 

The photo is of an enormous 10" cake I made for my dear friend's baby shower. (I also made a tiny little 6" cake for the baby. IKR?) The recipe below is flexible and can fill 2 10x3 or 3 9x2 pans. You can split the 10" cakes in half to make 4 layers like I did, or stack the 3 9" layers (or split them to make an eye-popping 6-layer cake.) The batter will be a bit runny, and baking times can vary. I recommend wrapping the pans with soaked bake-even cake strips to help keep the sides from getting too dry. You can also trim away the sides after baking for a moister cake and nicer presentation. 

Don't be alarmed. I've included a lot of tips, but if you read through this a couple times, and have all your ingredients & tools laid out ahead, you'll do fine. Ready to make it? 

Tips: This cake can be baked up to two days ahead. Wrap the cakes well and store in the fridge. This cake can be assembled up to two hours before serving. Store uncovered in fridge. The chilled cake can be extra refreshing on a hot day. This cake can be filled with lemon curd or layered with berries. It's very versatile.

Preheat oven to 350'

Prep Your Pans (crucial)
Set each pan over a sheet of parchment and trace around the bottom of the pan with a pencil. Cut out the circle just inside your tracing line. Butter & flour the pans. I take a stick of butter and run it along the sides and bottom to coat well, then get in there with my fingers to evenly rub the butter into every nook & cranny. Then dump in about 1/4C of flour & tilt the pan around while tapping the bottom & sides so the flour coats evenly. Then knock the remainder of the flour out so you don't have clumps. Lay in the parchment round. 

Bake-Even Strips
If you bake a lot of cakes, these are a nice inexpensive investment that raises your game. Soak the strips for about 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water, and wrap around the outside of the pan, securing with the pin provided. The strips will help prevent overbrowning & dry sides. This cake has a lot of eggs, which can brown very quickly. When baking, you'll see that the top of the cake will get very golden brown long before the center is set. Don't panic. This is normal, and the top will end up kind of sticky anyway. If you don't have the strips, you can trim away the sides if they get too dark or dry, or leave them be. If you frost the cake with the whipped cream an hour or two ahead of serving and keep it in the fridge, the sides will soften up nicely. In fact, this whole cake gets moister the longer it sits in the fridge. Next-day slices are absolute heaven. 

Recipe
4C unbleached all-purpose flour
2t baking powder (always make sure it's fresh)
1/4t kosher salt
2C milk (you can use whole or lowfat)
12T unsalted butter (1.5 sticks)
8 eggs (I always use XL) 
4C sugar
2t vanilla extract (for the love of god, use the real stuff)
1/4t almond extract (optional)

4C (2 pints or a quart) of heavy whipping cream
1/2C confectioners sugar
1t vanilla extract

About 2-3C shredded coconut (the weird sugared kind works best). I say 2-3C because you can use a little or as much as you want. You can layer it inside and cover the whole cake, or just cover the top and a little down the sides...it's not a science. 

baking powder costs about $2. don't risk it. buy a fresh can & date it. dump it after 6 months.

Make the Batter

1. You don't have to, but sifting the flour helps with your overall success. Whisk in the baking powder & salt. 
2. Melt the butter into the milk (I do this in the microwave for about a minute+. 
3. Beat the eggs & sugar for about 5 minutes until thick and pale. 
4. Stir in the extracts. 
5. Fold in the flour, making sure you get it all incorporated. 
6. Stir in the butter & milk. 

Divide the batter evenly among the pans. Tap each pan a few times on the counter to pop any large air bubbles. 

Baking times will vary depending on the size of the pans and your oven. 10" rounds can take 45 minutes. If you're using 9x2" pans, start checking after about 20 minutes. If your oven has a hot spot (like mine), rotate the pans carefully for the last 10 minutes of baking. 

Signs of doneness: 

• touch the top and the dough springs back
• toothpick or skewer comes out with no raw batter
• sides of cake start pulling away from the pan

Cool the cakes on wire racks for about 5 minutes, then invert the pans an release the cakes. If you prepped your pans well, they should slide right out. If the sides are stuck, run a thin knife along the sides, then release the cakes. 

Whip it Good
Keeping the cream in the fridge until right before you whip it will help speed up the process. You can also chill the metal bowl and beaters. Start on med-low so the cream doesn't splatter all over. 

Assembly
If you want a 4-tier cake, use a long, thin, sharp knife to carefully cut the cakes in half. Start by scoring the sides of the cake evenly, then join the cuts, then cut all the way through. Lay each layer out on your work surface. Place the bottom on your platter or base or lazy-suzan. Cover with whipped cream all the way to the sides. Sprinkle on some coconut. Stack on the next layer. Repeat. Once the layers are all stacked, coat the whole cake generously with whipped cream, and cover with coconut. It. Will. Get. Messy. 

Either serve immediately, or chill in the fridge uncovered for up to two hours. 

на здоровья!

I Can't Believe They're Gluten-Free Carrot Pineapple Coconut Muffins

It all started with a juicer. I bought a masticating juicer a couple years ago, and though it is quite efficient and I love the juice, I felt bad about all the pulp waste. Raised with a "waste not, want not" attitude, I set about finding ways to use the pulp. It can be frozen and added to veggie burgers, meatloaf, baked mac & cheese, and yes, baked goods. 

Issue #2. Half my friends don't eat wheat. I like to feed my friends. So I buy and try several types of GF flours, and in general, settle on Bob's mix that doesn't contain chick pea flour (I don't like the aftertaste). In this recipe, it replaces wheat flour 1:1, so if you prefer wheat flour, go ahead and use it. In general, this type of bread is very forgiving. For example, I was out of granulated sugar, so I used 1C of confectioners sugar and 1C of light brown sugar, and they turned out great! 

You can bake this as a 10" bundt cake or as about 17 muffins. 

Line muffin tins with liners, or grease & flour a 10" bundt pan. Since the batter needs to rest about 30 minutes, you can preheat the oven to 350' once the batter is mixed to save energy.

Recipe
4C fruit/veggie (in this case it's grated carrots & small-dice pineapple, but you can use grated apple, or zucchini, or whatever)
2 eggs (I always use XL)

1/2C coconut oil (or you can use grapeseed or canola)
1C packed light brown sugar
1t vanilla extract

2C Bob's GF flour mix
1C confectioners sugar
1/2C shredded coconut
2t sifted baking soda
1/2t kosher salt
2t ground cinnamon
1/2t ground cardamom
1/2t ground cloves 

Lightly beat the eggs & combine well with the 4C fruit. Melt the coconut oil & stir in the brown sugar & vanilla extract. Stir the sugar/oil into the carrot mixture.  Combine all dry ingredients. Fold the wet into the dry & let it rest at room temp for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven and prep your pans. 

Muffin on left had a better rise & texture because it was baked after the batter rested for 30 minutes. 

For muffins, I use a 2" wide retractable scoop for even measuring & fast scooping, but you can use a large spoon to fill the tins. 

Bake muffins for about 20-25 minutes. If your oven has a hot corner like mine does, turn the pan carefully after about 15 minutes. The muffins are done when you can gently push on the top with a finger and the dough springs back. Darker tins will bake faster, so keep an eye out. 

A bundt cake may take 45-55 minutes. You can also use the "finger" test, as this cake is quite oily, so using a skewer may not give you an accurate reading. The cake should be pulling away from the sides of the pan, and spring back when you gently push on the doughiest part with your finger. 

Allow the cake or muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. If you cut a warm cake the structure will turn to glue. Better to wait. It will also be much easier to cut. 

GF baked goods especially tend to get moister as time goes by, so better to eat them within a day or two. Store cooled cakes in airtight containers or bags. 

на здоровья! 

Nikuman (Steamed Pork Buns) 肉まん

I love food. Sure, I can go out and buy dumplings. But my joy is exponentially magnified when I make my favorite foods, and share them with loved ones. So here we are. 

How is it possible then, that this was my first experience making a steamed dumpling dough? The fact remains, and I owe my thanks to my pregnant and insatiably hungry Japanese friend for inviting me over to make these on a rainy spring afternoon. 

We followed the recipe and technique illustrated clearly by Nami of Just One Cookbook (a blog I've come to revere and resource often for Japanese cookery), and were pleasantly surprised at how simple both the dough and filling were to prepare. I say "simple" because I believed none of the 1,000 steps needed to prepare these were particularly difficult. It just requires vigilant organization, and some basic cooking skills. Also helps to have the right tools. Read through Nami's blog to make sure you have what you need. 

I vow to keep making (and eating) these until my crimping improves. Work, work, work. 

Note: Before you embark on this adventure, make sure you have a large bamboo steamer that fits atop a large pot. If the steamer hangs over the edge of the pot, it can burn. Wetting the steamer can help prevent catching. 

The Dough
10.6 oz all-purpose flour (10.6 oz = 300 g) (and more for dusting) 
2 scant T granulated sugar (scant 2 Tbsp = 20 g) 
½t Kosher salt
1t baking powder
1t instant dry yeast
1T neutral flavor oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
160-170 ml water (160-170 ml = 160-170 g)

The Filling

2 dried shiitake mushrooms
½C water
1 green onion, minced
4 leaves cabbage (4 leaves = 180 g), finely chopped
1t Kosher salt
¾ lb ground pork (¾ lb = 340 g)
1 inch ginger (1" =2.5 cm or 15 g)
1t granulated sugar
1T sake

The dough is super easy. Just combine everything but the water in a bowl, then stir in the water to form a craggy ball. Turn the ball out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface, and knead it for 10 minutes. This dough is a joy to knead. It requires very little dusting flour, and results in a glossy smooth beautiful ball. 

Place the ball of dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise til double in bulk (about an hour). 

Meanwhile, make the filling. First, soak the mushrooms for about 15 minutes. Weigh them down with something to make sure they're submerged in the water. Remove the tough stems, and very finely chop the caps. 

Sprinkle the chopped cabbage with 1t salt to draw out excess water, then squeeze out the water, and combine the cabbage with the green onion, mushrooms, ground pork, and other filling ingredients. 

Assembling the Dumplings

Here's where I refer you to Nami's blog for detailed instructions. Read through it a couple of times, especially her tips on shaping the dumplings. Til then, organization is your friend. 

Cut 3" squares of parchment and lay them out on baking sheets. You will place each dumpling on one square as you shape them, then steam the dumplings on the parchment. 

Once the dough has doubled in size, dust the working surface with flour and divide the dough in half and then roll each piece of dough into a log. Cut each log into 5 even pieces and then cut each piece in half. Form each piece of dough into a ball and dust the dough balls with flour to avoid sticking to each other. Space each ball apart and cover loosely with damp kitchen cloth to avoid drying out. Let them rest for 10 minutes. 

Take a ball of dough and flatten it with your palm. Then roll it with a rolling pin into a round sheet. Here’s how I roll the dough. Hold the top of dough with left hand and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough with right hand. You only need to roll up and down on bottom half of the dough. After rolling 1-2 times, rotate the dough about 30 degree with left hand. Repeat this process until the dough becomes thin. The center of dough should be thicker than the edge.

photos from Just One Cookbook

Scoop 1½T of filling (with a 1½T cookie scoop or spoon) and place in the center of the dough.

Hold the dough with the left hand and seal the bun using the right index finger and thumb. First, pick up a corner of the dough with your right index finger and thumb and pinch together. Without moving your thumb, use your right index finger to pick up the dough and pinch it with your thumb while rotating the dough clockwise with your left hand.

Repeat this process about 10-12 times (=10-12 pleats) until you seal the last part of dough by pinching it tightly. Here are some tips: your left thumb should hold down the filling and use your left fingers to turn around the wrapper. Use your left index finger to help pleating. Also, lift up the pinched pleats slightly while you make the new pleat so the filling stays inside the dough.

Once you finish sealing the last part of dough, twist the pleats further with your right index finger and thumb to maintain a tight seal. If you’re left handed, reverse the directions.

photo from Just One Cookbook

Place the bun on a piece of parchment paper that fits the bun (for small size, 3” x 3”). Cover the finished buns with plastic wrap and repeat this process with the rest of dough. Let the buns rest for 20 minutes.

don't worry about imperfect crimping. it'll be delicious either way!

Bring water to boil and place the steamer on top of the pot. Once the water is boiling, place the buns (with the parchment) in the steamer tray leaving about 2” between each bun (buns will get larger while being steamed). Close the lid and steam over high heat for about 12 minutes. 

Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. We drizzled a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic sauce over them. Pure crack. 

いただきます！

Mushroom Piroshki Appetizers

Umami. Flavor that hits on all six cylinders. Mushrooms have it. And until a few years ago, I admit that my misunderstanding of mushrooms led me to dislike and avoid them. Thank goodness I've moved past that, because YUM. 

With a few simple steps, even common brown mushrooms can deliver powerhouse flavor, and in this case, kick the butt of the beef piroshki I made to accompany these mushroom ones for Easter. 

Mushroom 101

• Selecting Fresh Mushrooms: How can you tell? See the photo above? Fresh mushrooms will have a smooth, glossy cap, that (for the most part) will not have come away from the stem. Like all produce, use it ASAP for the best results. 
• Storing - A Cool Dark Place: Store in a paper bag in a low-humidity drawer in the fridge.
• Washing: YES. Wash off the dirt, for they grow in the ground. Just rinse them under some cool water, and gently rub off any dirt. Allow them to dry, then use them as desired. 

Makes about 50 bite-sized piroshki 

The Dough
4oz cream cheese (just half of a regular old brick), at room temp
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/4C AP flour
1/2t kosher salt

Cream the butter til smooth. Add the cream cheese, and cream til combined. Stir in the flour and salt to form a ball. Flatten it out into a rectangular slab about 1/2" thick, wrap in parchment or plastic wrap, and chill for about an hour. 

The Filling
3 8oz packages organic brown mushrooms 
1 small, or 1/2 large white or yellow onion
2T olive oil
1T butter
salt & pepper 
sherry (optional)

1 beaten egg to seal the piroshki, and for an eggwash

For this recipe, we'll use the whole mushroom. Trim off the ends of the stems. If you have a food processor, you're very happy right now. Chop the shrooms in batches of 3 on "pulse" til finely diced. Otherwise, grab a sharp knife and go to town. Finely dice the onion. Heat a large skillet on medium-high, heat 2T olive oil, then saute the onion til golden. Remove from the pan. Turn heat to high. 

Dump the chopped mushrooms into a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel (it will turn brown) and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, saving it in a jar for later use (I froze mine to use later in a soup or sauce). Dump the mushrooms into the hot pan, and saute, stirring constantly for even browning. Sprinkle with about 1/2t salt and freshly ground pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes. If you have some sherry, drizzle about 2T over the shrooms to deglaze the pan (about 1 minute). Add the shrooms to the sauteed onions, dot with butter, and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to let off steam. Taste the cooled filling. Add more salt & pepper if needed. 

Roll the Dough
Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour. This dough isn't very sticky, so you only need a little flour to help roll out your dough to about 1/16." Cut silver dollar-sized discs and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

My dough cutter is 2" in diameter 

Fill and Shape
Take a disc of dough and using your finger, brush some beaten egg around the inside edge. Scoop a full spoon of filling onto the center. Fold the disc in half like a taco. Press the edges together, then crimp the edge to further seal it. 

If making ahead, freeze the piroshki on the sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. 

unbaked frozen piroshki. space them out farther when baking.

Baking
Preheat oven to 400'. Space out piroshki on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush with eggwash, and bake until golden brown. Serve hot. 

my test bake popped open, so I added some eggwash to the seal. either way, they're delicious!

на здоровья!