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Orange Ricotta Poundcake = Perfect Holiday Gift

partysugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:11:39 -0800

The other day my dad watched Giada De Laurentiis make a scrumptious pound cake. Moments after she took the cake from the oven he was on the phone begging me to make it. Never one to disappoint daddio, I made it over the weekend. The recipe is super easy and the cake is absolutely divine.

Ricotta cheese adds a smooth, creamy texture and orange zest gives the cake a delicious, holiday flavor. It would also make a marvelous hostess gift when wrapped up in decorative paper and ribbon. I served it with orange wedges for garnish and a simple Amaretto whipped cream. For the recipe, read more

Ricotta Orange Poundcake
From Giada De Laurentiis

1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
2 tablespoons Amaretto
Powdered sugar, for dusting
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Amaretto
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-x-5-x-3-inch loaf pan with butter.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time.
Add the vanilla, orange zest, and Amaretto until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a mesh sieve, dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.
Meanwhile, beat the heavy cream in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, Amaretto, and vanilla if using. Beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a decorative serving bowl.
To serve, slice the cake and serve with the whipped cream.

Serves 8–10.

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YumSugar Gift Guide: Homemade Goodies

partysugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:18:30 -0800

Over the past couple of weeks, we've bombarded you with tons of outstanding gift ideas. From cupcakes to wine, we've got you covered. But what about gifts that highlight your prowess in the kitchen? Beautifully-packaged homemade goods - cookies, candies, jams, spice mixes, crackers, etc. - make excellent gifts.

Give baked goods to teachers, babysitters, hair stylists, or anyone who helps make your life easier. Package in clear baggies, festive boxes, or decorative tins tied with gorgeous ribbon. To help you get started, I've searched the Internet and complied a list of fabulous recipes that will make delectable gifts. To check it out all you have to do is read more.

Cookies:

Candy:

Savory:

Alcohol:

Did I forget your favorite homemade gift? Please share your ideas with us below!
Source

12 Days of Edible Gifts: Homemade Kahlua

partysugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:20:43 -0800

While it might be too late for you to make Kahlua and gift it next week on Christmas - it takes three weeks for the coffee beans to infuse the vodka and rum mixture - I highly recommend you make this and give it to someone as a hostess gift in early January.

People are always surprised that liquors can be homemade, so it makes for an unexpected gift. What most don't realize is that the best bartenders are busy mixing up everything from homemade Baileys to fresh grenadine. The techniques they use to make these superior mixers are easily adaptable for the home.

A few weeks ago when I decided to make this, I spoke with friend and master mixologist Scott Baird of 15 Romolo in San Francisco. Although most recipes call for simply a clear spirit like vodka or light rum, Baird insists on a mixture of vodka and dark rum for a rich flavor and thick syrup-like liquid. To look at his recipe, read more.

Homemade Kahlua
From Scott Baird of 15 Romolo

Ingredients

1 750 ml bottle vodka or white rum (I used Stoli)
1 1/4 cups dark rum (Scott recommended Pampero, but I couldn't find it)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 pound whole coffee beans
1 tablespoon cocoa nib (optional)
1 vanilla bean
cinnamon stick, slice of orange peel (optional)

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a sealable container. Shake hard to combine.
Label with the date and let sit in a cool, dark place for three weeks. Shake or stir the mixture several times of week.
Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into a clean vessel. Use like you would Kahlua or any other coffee liquor.

Makes 1 bottle of Kahlua.

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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Homemade Grenadine

partysugar — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:00:10 -0800

With its bright red color, there is a common misconception that grenadine, the syrup used to flavor many cocktails, is made with cherries. The thick, sweet liquid is actually made with pomegranate juice (the word grenadine is derived from the French word for pomegranate, grenade).

When I realized that the sweetener was very simple to make, I decided to whip up a batch and present it to my sister, who enjoys the occasional "cherry" coke. Homemade grenadine is a great hostess gift, especially for someone who is into mixology. To look at the incredibly easy recipe, read more.

Homemade Grenadine
From Food and Wine Cocktails 2008

Ingredients

1 quart pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon orange flower water

Directions

In a medium saucepan, simmer the pomegranate juice over moderate heat until reduced by half.
Add the sugar and the orange flower water and stir until dissolved. Let cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

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Ming's Tips For Hosting - and Enjoying! - Your Own Party

YumSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:58 -0700

Last week, I caught up with East-West cooking authority Ming Tsai. He hosted an event at Macy's to encourage home cooks to get involved in their Come Together campaign, a fundraising effort that aims to feed 10 million people suffering from hunger. The concept: host a dinner party, but in lieu of accepting gifts, ask guests to make a donation.

Chef Ming is a huge supporter of the idea. "Not every corporation's doing this, especially during these economic times," he says. In addition to dishing on his pantry essentials, he also shared tips on throwing a worry-free dinner party at your place. Want to stress less at your own soirées? Then keep reading.

Must-Read: Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:00:20 -0700

Given that some say we're in the middle of a food revolution, and local, sustainable, home-grown produce is popping up everywhere, it's only logical that an uptick in home preserving will happen, too. Enter Karen Solomon's Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It, a new book that's focused on making your own artisanal food products, either to keep or to give as gifts. The tome isn't simply limited to fruit jellies and quick pickles - it also includes instructions on making everything from flatbread to watermelon Popsicles to chai tea. But did it live up to its high expectations? Find out when you read more.

Pros:

The cookbook covers a wide range of basic preserving techniques that run the gamut from dairy products to cured meats.
Each recipe provides a general overview of the dish, estimated time required, and suggestions for storing.
Book size and binding make it easy for the tome to stay on the desired page.

Cons:

This do-it-yourself book could benefit from having more instructional pictures.
Recipe directions are written in paragraph form, which can be hard to navigate.

Recipes: I'm excited to create homemade versions of many different comestibles using the book's artisanal techniques and tips. Intriguing projects include:

Baked potato chips
Kimchee
Gravlax
Smoked trout
Ricotta salata
Lemon curd
Jamaican ginger beer

Imagery: While only a quarter of the book contains images, all of them are vivid, visually appealing color photographs.

Overall Rating: If you're looking to be a resourceful kitchen do-it-yourselfer, then this book would seal the deal.

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Get Inspired With These Holiday Gift Ideas

partysugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:15:44 -0800

Christmas is a couple of days away, but there is still time to shop. If you don't know what to get that special someone, browse the gift guides below for inspiration. You're sure to find the perfect present - happy shopping!

Last-Minute Gourmet Gifts	Homemade Edible Gifts	Gifts Under $25
Stocking Stuffers	Gifts For the New Cook	Gifts For the Busy Cook

For gift guides galore head over to HolidaySugar.

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:15:57 -0700

The menu for my girls-only St. Patrick's Day pre-going-out party is mostly finger foods. The girls should be able to mingle and snack at their leisure; therefore, serve a dessert that's individual and portable. These chocolate-mint cookies are perfect!

Everyone is bound to love them because they're like a homemade version of the classic Girl Scout thin mint. The cookies can be made two days in advance, so get started early.

These scrumptious sandwiches would also be a great gift wrapped in green ribbon. To check out the recipe, read more.

Chocolate Mint Sandwiches
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

For the cookies:
1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
Confectioners' sugar, for work surface
For the ganache:
1/4 cup heavy cream
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
For the glaze:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped

Directions

Make cookies: Whisk together cocoa powder and flour in a bowl.
Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg until well blended.
Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer dough to a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners' sugar. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out cookies using a 2-inch round cookie cutter; space 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining scraps of dough.
Bake cookies until firm, rotating sheets halfway through, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
Meanwhile, make ganache: Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chocolate. Cook, stirring constantly until chocolate is smooth. Stir in peppermint extract. Let cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
Spoon 1 teaspoon ganache onto the bottom of 1 cookie; sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and ganache. Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.
Make glaze: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring constantly. Let cool slightly.
Dip one flat side of each sandwich into melted chocolate to coat; gently shake off excess. Place sandwiches, chocolate sides up, on wire racks set over baking sheets. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. Cookies can be refrigerated in a single layer in airtight containers up to 2 days.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

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Must Read: It's About Time

partysugar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:15:09 -0800

If you live in the Boston area you may be familiar with Chef Michael Schlow.
A James Beard Award-winning chef, Schlow owns three wildly successful restaurants: Radius, Via Matta, and Great Bay. Although I've never dined at one of Schlow's establishments, I recently got my hands on his cookbook, It's About Time ($24.71).

Different from most cookbooks, this tome is not separated into courses. Instead each section represents a specific time - be it a cooking time (Time to Eat and Now) or a time in one's life (Time to Celebrate). To find out more about this excellent cookbook, read more.

Pros:

Unlike some cookbooks by restaurant chefs, this publication is totally accessible to the home cook.
There's something for everyone, from the busy mom desperate to feed her kids healthy food fast to the culinary bachelor looking to impress his latest fling with cooking expertise.
You really get to know Michael Schlow as a chef and as a person. In some aspects, this book is autobiographical.
The recipes use common ingredients and feature classic techniques that the home cook will be familiar and comfortable with.

Cons:

The organization of the recipes is hard to follow. The ingredients are listed on the far side of the page and instead of numbering the steps, the instructions are in an easy-to-get lost bulleted list.
Some of the recipes require cooking gadgets - like a mandoline - that most people might not own.

Recipes: There are over 150 recipes that cover every course from appetizers to cocktails to dessert. While the majority are simple, a few are complex with seemingly endless steps. Still, there are plenty that I am interested in making:

Steamed Prince Edward Island mussels with spicy tomato and herb broth
Yukon gold potato soup with shrimp, bacon, and potatoes
Secret agent raspberry bars
Clams in broth
Veal Milanese with arugula, tomato, and red onion salad
The Schlow burger
Jimmy's dancing punch
Homemade ravioli
Individual lemon sabayon tarts

Imagery: The book is filled with pictures, big and small, of the dishes, of the process of cooking an item, and of the ingredients. However, some are in color and others are in black and white; some are centered on the page and others are coarsely chopped out of the book. These inconsistencies aside, the photos are beautiful and mouth-watering.

Overall Rating: This book was a very exciting find, and I look forward to experimenting with Schlow's recipes. While it would not be my first choice for a novice home cook, it would make a great gift for a cookbook collector or foodie who loves recipes.

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 09:30:30 -0800

If this homemade vanilla hot chocolate mix looks like your thing, wait till you see the rest of our 12 Days of Edible Gifts.
Late with holiday shopping? Check out our last-minute gourmet gifts.
Our favorite foodie moments on Top Chef this year.
PartySugar plans out a Christmas Eve inspired by the traditions of Italy.
Whether you're new to cooking or an expert in the kitchen, latkes make festive holiday fare.
Starbucks has announced it will be selling Seattle's Best in Subway stores.
We had so many to choose from, but these were our favorite cocktails of the year.