HALLOWEEN TREATS NO TRICKS

I just love Halloween; and why not?  What other time can you knock on a door and be treated with a sweet goody? Of course it really is not as safe as it was when I was little, in fact Sydney only ever "trick or treated" with friends in our neighborhood or at school parties, which is why every year I go NUTS baking homemade candy, cookies, cupcakes and cakes, you get the idea. This year I thought it would be different, Sydney being away at school in Illinois, but she transferred back, so the baking began a while ago. She actually helped me with Pinktober and walked "The Race for The Cure," with me.

Last weekend we catered a major event, my husband went to Boston on a business trip, and Sydney registered for Colorado University, and baked a birthday cake for a friend; hectic would definitely be an understatement. In the mist of all this chaos, I STARTED Halloween baking.

I must confess I'm elated to have Sydney back in Colorado, even if it is just for weekend laundry runs. This weekend coincidentally  accompanies Halloween candy making.

 Sugar, Sugar, & and more Sugar!

It is a tradition for us to create homemade treats for Halloween. Candy is always the first on the long list (I divulge, candy is a favorite of mine), I am blessed with nine nieces and nephews, plus a few good friends with children. Homemade anything is a memorable labor of love for those closest to us (in fact my family  looks forward to Halloween bags filled with homemade goodies). This year, for the candy part of the bag I am baking Caramel Cups and Nougat with tart dried Cherries and sweet dried Apricots. Sugar is the quiet star of both of these chewy delights. 

The nougat is the messiest of the two candies, which is why we created it first, be for warned the clean up is brutal. If my husband is home I always ask him to clean the bowls, however the actual nougat is very simple to compose and fun. 

The most important equipment needed is a candy thermometer and mixer. I use a custom designed copper bowl that fits my kitchenaid mixer. A copper bowl is by no mean essential, I love the copper bowl, due to it whisking the egg whites higher without using the aid of cream of tartar, or acids (like lemon juice or vinegar). If you choose a cooper bowl, it is necessary to omit cream of tartar due to the reaction to the copper.

By adding the dried cherries, which look black and the apricots (dried peaches work too) which look orange, the nougat has a Halloween glow.

                                                       Halloween Nougat


400 grams/ 2 cups sugar, plus 15 grams for egg whites
60 grams/ ¼ cup water
160 grams/ ½ cup light corn syrup or agave nectar
2 egg whites, at room temperature
1 teaspoon rose syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried apricots, quartered
½ cup dried cherries, cut bite size
1 ½ cups bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine and melted
  Candy thermometer
**

Spray an 8 by 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with waxed or parchment paper, to make it easier to lift, let the wax paper hang over the sides giving yourself a lip of few inches. Lightly spray the waxed paper inside the pan.

In a heavy bottom saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup, over low heat. Do not stir, swirl the syrup and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the syrup turns a nice amber color and the candy thermometer reaches 150º to 155ºC or 300º to 310ºF about 18 to 20 minutes. This when your syrup is at the hard crack stage.

When the syrup registers about 116ºC or 240ºF. Start in a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisking on medium speed the egg whites and a pinch of salt until a soft peak develops. Slowly add 7 grams of sugar, the vanilla extract, and rose syrup. Continue to whisk the egg whites, on medium speed adding the remaining 8 grams of sugar until they are hard peaks and shiny, be careful not to over mix otherwise the meringue becomes dried and breaks.

With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in a steady stream of the syrup into the egg whites. Be careful not to let the syrup touch the whisk, pouring down the side of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium- high and continue mixing for 8 minutes until the mixture holds it’s shape and is thick. Using a spatula, sprayed with cooking spray, fold the dried fruit. It will be sticky. Pour the nougat onto the parchment paper, spray your hands with cooking spray and flatten with sprayed hands. Leave to rest overnight at room temperature.

Next Day

In a Bain Marie, or a double boiler melt the bittersweet chocolate over a little simmering water. Temper the chocolate, so it stays shiny and beautiful.

Invert the baking pan, peel off the waxed paper, and discard. Cut to desired size pieces, with a pizza cutter (spray the pizza cutter with cooking spray), and dip half in chocolate or drizzle chocolate over the top and add sprinkles (optional).

Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

**Try ½ teaspoon  of vanilla extract; or 1 vanilla bean scraped for seeds only
** Be sure to temper the chocolate

While the nougat was napping overnight Sydney and I began designing the Caramel Chocolate Cups.We used to make turtles, but the are so many allergies to nuts we changed the candy to caramel cups to look like peanut butter cups.

 I fell in love with this glass!

It took about two and half hours from start to finish to compose these yummy cups, but they were not ready for eating till the next day. 

   I had to have the matching 

shot glass!

In very general terms we painted the chocolate on mini cupcake paper liners, put them in the freezer for 20 minutes, and repeated this process four times. While the first layer rested in the freezer we made the homemade caramel, which needed to cool down for about one hour anyway. The assembly was pretty easy: we poured the cooled caramel into the cups after carefully removing the cupcake liners, and spooned more melted chocolate over the top. 

It is with a warm and loving heart I give a GIANT THANK YOU TO SYDNEY AND MY HUSBAND for all their help and understanding!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Pinktober

October is the month that everything, buildings, ribbons, lights, armbands, the decor at the malls, and all along the interstate turn the optimistic lively color pink.  October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Celebrating 25 Years of Awareness, Education, and Empowerment.  Sydney and I have seen friends win the fight of breast cancer and sadly have lost amazing friends to this illness, even one human being losing their fight is too many.

Sydney began calling October,"Pinktober" in honor of all of those fighting a diagnoses, survivors, caregivers, family members, friends, sadly those who lost their fight and those who have lost loved ones.  The color pink is optimistic, bright, full of love and hope. The pink color not only is the symbol of awareness, but to remind the nation and us as individuals that we have come far, but not far enough; nowhere near far enough.

I am dedicating this blog not only to the awareness, but to implore each of you to make a difference, if you know a woman who has yet to have a mammogram, use all your powers of persuasion (even if that means being a pest) to urge her to utilize mammography!  Host a dinner, dessert party, bake sale, carwash, or what ever grand idea you have dedicated to breast cancer awareness.

Pinktober Macarons

Incase I have not clarified this entire blog will be PINK.  The food will be if not all PINK mostly PINK.  I optimistically believe the more pink we see the more aware we will become, hopefully that awareness will transpose everyone to make a difference.

I realize  I am not the only person who has loved somebody diagnosed with breast cancer, but I can only write about my personal stories.  I have known five women who have battled breast cancer, however I was only close to two of these women. Each are/were/ amazing and fought the disease with dignity, grace, and determination.

Sydney was five when a close friend (like a sister) and neighbor was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer, she had two young girls, the eldest was Sydney's age (they were inseparable) and the youngest was about three.  Needless to say she was petrified, and all of her family lived out of the country, but she jumped in and fought the evil disease with the strength of 10 large robust men!  In order to respect my friend's privacy, I will refer to her as "A".

Gulmauves Vanille Cerse

Guimauves Fraises

Since both daughters were at the same school, and the youngest just minutes from my house, I would drive all the girls to school in the morning and bring everyone back to my home in the afternoons. Marshmallows were a fun activity before starting dinner. Each child had an element they were responsible for; the two older girls watched the temperature of sugar syrup and the youngest helped whip the egg whites. For 30 minutes the girls could be stress free, and have fun.  Food, especially sweets have a unique way of helping people deal with the roll coaster of life.

I remember one night we brought the girls home, "A" showed me she was beginning to lose her hair, instead of feeling pity for herself she asked me to help shave her head.  I can honestly tell you she was even more beautiful bald. I still asked myself if I could have been that brave.  She decided the most radically aggressive medical treatment was how she was going to fight back, a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and reconstruction surgery. As "A" put it she wanted to be able to see her girls grow into adulthood.  That was twelve years ago and "A" is considered cancer free!

Five cookies represent five 
women bonding together
to fight for life! 

        Rose Ribbon Pinktober Cookies

    

"A" loved the aroma and flavor of rose, I developed the ribbon cookies for her, though eating was challenge due to nausea, "A" would always eat these cookies. 

Three weeks after "A's" diagnoses another very close friend of mine learned her mother,"R" was in stage four breast cancer. "R" had a mammography the year prior, but was incorrectly told she was clear. With in twelve short months her cancer had grown into her bones, liver, just about everywhere. She was given 3 to 5 years to live. "R" also decided on the most radical treatment, she had two rounds of chemotherapy. Without ever knowing she taught me to grab onto life, even with it's ups and downs, and live each day to fullest. Towards the last year of her life, in excruciating pain and knowing she was not going to win her fight with breast cancer, she would zealously utilize the time she had left by joining friends, and family; not wasting a moment. She gave all of herself to her three daughters, their children, and her devoted caring husband. Though we morn her loss, she was an incredible women with integrity, we honor her memory by never giving up and excepting nothing less than a cure for breast cancer!

A fews years after "R" past away I encountered another mom (T), at my daughter's school, she was on the lawn of school during "carpool line," I noticed her wonderful bright cheerful smile was missing, replaced by an anxious unpleasant energy. At the time I only knew her as a mom to talk about the hassles of carpool and the school's Gala, I was in charge of hospitality so I casually new most moms/dads/ families. My caring inquisitive nature caused me to pressure her, maybe a little to far, I genuinely was concerned. It only took ten minutes before tears began to fall from her face as she quietly shockingly revealed  the devastating news she had. Unbelievably"T" had just come from her OBG only to receive a breast cancer diagnoses, according to 'T" the OBG had unemotional peremptorily given "T" this distressing diagnosis. "T" admittedly claimed she had gone into a fog, not retaining the rest of the information the insensitive OBG disclosed to her. I could only listen, at the time my words would not have soothed her. During her long ordeal we became friends, "T" found another doctor and an oncologist with the humanity needed to help her through the fight. I am happy to say "T" won her battle!

The other two women I recently met, both were diagnosed this past summer, within weeks of each other. I am not close to either of these women, to respect there privacy I will give limited information. They both decided to have chemotherapy. One of these woman will have reconstruction surgery, the other will most likely not live to see 2011. I hope against the doctors view that she beats the odds, but the last time I spoke with her, she was tired of fighting.

I have the upmost honor, respect, and admiration for all five women, every women who has/had battled breast cancer and the love ones who could only offer moral support. I am overwhelmed with statics one in eight women will be given the devastating news of breast cancer. Ask yourself do know someone with breast cancer or someone who had breast cancer, I venture the answer is yes. That needs to change. I hope and will continue to do what ever is needed so in the next generation there will be a cure!

** All of the pastries for this blog have been donated
** Pinktober" is a word my daughter, Sydney thought up 13 years ago ( when she was 5). The phrase put a smile on "A's" face, and everyone since!

How Baking composed My Journey through Photography and learning HTML code

 I love creating new recipes, trying them out (on family members first). When my husband came to Sydney and I with the idea of a food blog and website I thought it was a grand concept. I still do, but I must admit I went into this internet "thing" blind. I am not the most computer savvy user (that is an understatement), in fact when my husband and I ventured on The Culinary Calculator, our Iphone application, we both were ready to throw pie at each other. He is culinary challenged (expect for eating) and as I explained am computer challenged.

 

It is a pretty neat application

Sorry I think I have gone off center, back to the blog at hand. As I was saying I just jumped out of the plane without a parachute. It didn't occur to me I would have to learn digital photography in order to have pictures of my goodies displayed on the blog. I arrogantly believed because I knew how to take portraits of my daughter and landscaping with a medium format camera (in which I let Colorado Camera develop my FLIM)  I would be fine. WRONG, I learned fast, I definitely have heightened respect for the digital photographer. Besides learning the digital camera I needed a clear understanding of photoshop and aperture. 

Using a point and shoot

This was the first picture with my new camera!

I very quickly learned the photos I shot outside in the daylight were better than the ones I tried in my home at night or during the day.

 

Macaron Cerise Vanille	Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
In my kitchen at night	In my kitchen during daytime

I began to read all the materials I could find and get my "hot little hands on." Each time I figured one problem a new would rear up. I would change my depth of field, but then the light source became an issue.

Banana Split Macarons

Photographed at 10:00 pm in my kitchen

I actually really like this photo, but the colors are a little dark and I needed to use aperture to erase the shadows, believe me it was a long night. 

Framboises à la Vanille 

Photographed after the Macarons above

The color is true, but the shadows are a problem visually, it takes away from the presentation. I almost put all the wonderful camera equipment, my husband purchased for me, on E-bay. Reality, as always, poked it's ugly annoying head in.
In my most frustrated moment I remembered one of my favorite books A Road Less Traveled and began to re read it. I became energized and more determine to figure out my photography dilemma. If I wanted to have a blog that was visual stimulating and interesting I needed to be able to take better photos. 

Macarons au Chocolat Triple 

This photo was taken inside during the early afternoon

I actually began thinking I might be making progress, not enough to celebrate over, but enough to want to take more risks. I started having fun using different tabletop set-ups. I have always been a perfectionist; I suppose I could be viewed as a conundrum. I continually preach to Sydney mistakes are critical (it is how one learns), but I don't allow myself to have mistakes. Writing an entire blog about my mistakes and showing these mistakes is excruciating, nevertheless it is essential.

 

 Macarons à la Vanille Fig

Photo taken outside, but with higher ISO and depth of field

Still I was inconsistent, some of my photos were exactly as I pictured they would be, yet some were not. The LCD monitor is not an accurate view of the photo, it is not until I remove the SIM card from the camera, place it in the SIM card reader of the computer, and bring the photos into photoshop and aperture can I see the true picture. Now I realize I cannot expect that every photograph I shoot will be awesome, but since photography is a skill I should know how to achieve a finer end result! 

The more knowledge I obtain the more I find I enjoy learning and trying different techniques. I am grateful to Lou Manna'a blog and book Digital Food Photography, both have plethora of valuable information. 

 

Both of these photographs were take in my home during the later half of evening, the sun had set, I created a tabletop set with natural daytime lights surrounding the tabletop. I did need to set the macarons in the perfect position prior to turning on all the lights or my macarons would began sliding due to the heat.

I knew earlier that day I would not be able to work with my camera till the evening, so I put about 15  Macarons à la Vanille Fig in the freezer, which gave some extra time before the macarons became unmanageable.  I realize many food stylists alter the food for a photo (especially if the the photo shoot is going to be long), but I am not able to do that at this time, in which case I use food in its normal state.

As I write this blog I need to change the layout of some pictures and the words under each picture are playing on my nerves; I quickly change from compose to the dreaded HTML after spending all of my valuable time removing right lem; left lem; I find I need to put a "table" in the code...THIS IS WHEN I RAISE MY VOICE AND YELL FOR MY HUSBAND. I am lucky enough to be married to a computer guru! He is also a workaholic so I try to write the code myself. "Try" being the key word, I don't pester him until I am beyond sanity!

Fig Macarons à la Vanille avec une Crème au Beurre Crème Anglaise ares, a favorite of mine. Both flavors, vanilla and fig are compatible and compliment one another yet subtle, from your first bite your palate awakens and becomes happy.

Raspberry macarons

Macarons aux framboises

I have made great strides in my photography, but

still have much to learn!

This picture a preview to the next blog to come!

My Michelle's Tea Party

The Thursday prior to labor weekend snuck up upon Sydney and myself. Sydney looked like "a deer in head lights" the entire adventure. Yes this is a major life changing event that we discussed all summer long, but reality and actuality are 3000 miles apart (which is the miles between us).

Anyone who has ever been blessed with the opportunity to help their child move into the next step of their child's staircase knows mirage of conflicting feelings that creep in and grab hold of you. I was proud, yet my heart was breaking, I was excited for her, but selfishly lonely for myself. As my mind and emotions were running the gamete of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, my attention was again on my daughter's gentle, sweet face (the same face for over 18 years that I have taken for granted of seeing daily). I realized she was petrified. I tucked my feelings away and asked her how she was doing. I needn't ask because knowing Sydney as well as I do I already knew how she was, but she needed to voice her feelings herself. She wanted to turn around and go home, back to the familiarity of home, our kitchen, and just the Colorado life. Normal Freshman jitters, but heighten due to how close we are. My mother's instinct wanted to pack up all of the boxes and take her back with me, but I stood strong, told her it would be wonderful in just a few short weeks, bear hugged goodbye, and left. Fast forward one week later; she is still melancholy and begging to come home, bake with me, and to take a shower in her own shower. I must admit it took all my fiber to say no, the guilt is staggering and I have an unanswered question of whether I am doing the right thing.

I haven't seen this smile in two weeks.

Sydney had the fore thought to leave an eloquent letter, worrying about my feelings, on top of my magimix, so I wouldn't miss seeing it.

I of course had that empty nest feeling, trying with every conversation to sound as if nothing was wrong, it was strange being in the kitchen with out her. To tell the truth I wasn't sure I wanted to bake without her, but my thoughts went back to the ardent letter and I knew I had to just grab some egg whites, sugar, almonds, and vanilla beans.

 Looking at all my ingredients I knew exactly what I needed to create; I want to have a cyber tea party with Sydney.  When Sydney was a little girl we would have tea partys at least twice a week. The second I figured out what I was engaging on the empty feeling lessen a bit.

This cute little set was purchased in 1997 at

the Molly Brown house.

Sydney had fallen in love with the movie "Titanic" and that particular time in history. When I saw the tiny tea pot set in the gift shop I knew she would cherish the set for her entire life.

Since her favorite flavors are strawberry and chocolate I baked two batches of macarons; Strawberry and Triple Macarons au Chocolat avec Ganache au Chocolat/ Macarons au Chocolat Triple avec Mousse à la Fraise. I must admit I cut time by using the same filling for all the macarons.

 The aged egg whites leave the refrigerator so

they may warm to room temperature.

I begin grabbing all my ingredients and measuring them to the precise gram. Taking all the equipment needed for the macaron, creating my work space.

 

It amazes me how cathartic baking is for me, I was dispirited with a sense of loss, but with each step of preparing these macarons my spirits are lifted. I almost feel as if Sydney was with me folding, whipping, and piping.

Time to grind almond, icing sugar, and flavor.

Sifting will come next.

As I sift my Tant Pour Tant, a job Sydney has always worked on. I begin to wonder what she is doing. I know she is not baking, she most likely is in class and networking a group of life long friends. Without realizing it I am smiling. I must reiterate baking is keeping me connected to Sydney.

I best start my sugar syrup and turn the mixer on to whip up the egg whites, the timing is important at this point. I wouldn't want the sugar syrup to reach a temperature above 140 degrees F./ 60 degrees C. It looks like both the syrup sugar and egg whites are ready.

Nice bird's beak peak.

I like to fold the meringue into the Tant Pour Tant in three batches, generally I am little more vigorous with my first 1/3 of meringue, the last 2/3 I gently and quickly fold into the Tant Pour Tant.

As I begin to scoop the macaron batter into a piping bag my thoughts again drift back to Sydney, what is she doing? Is she enjoying her first day of classes? I believe I am feeling a little lonesome, this would be the time Sydney would "clear the decks" for the baking sheets. I of course am capable of this myself, but for the past 18 years we have had routine and timing. 

      Batter Triple Macaron au chocolat                                        Batter Macaron aux fraises

Piped 

  

Just hanging around, waiting to start baking in a preheated oven at 138 degrees C.

While the macarons idle for a good amount of time I'll prepare the Strawberry Mousse Crème. As I mentioned in the beginning I am taking a short cut and using the same filling for both sets of macarons.

Finally after baking 8 trays of macarons, letting them cool, and piping the macarons, it is time for my tribute tea party with Sydney. I actually am skyping her so we may have our pseudo tea party. Sydney is surprised and touched with my cyber gift to her (she did mention it would be nicer if she could actually have some macarons).

 

Would you like cream with your tea?

I am grateful for the bond we share, a bond that has been strengthen through baking. Have a great week at school!