Χρονογράφημα Μάθημα (αναδρομικό)

ΧΡΟΝΟΓΡΑΦΗΜΑ (ΑΝΑΔΡΟΜΙΚΟ)

8o Δημοτικό σχολείο Κερατσινίου, σχολικό έτος 1942-43 τάξη Τετάρτη.

Βομβαρδισμοί, πεινά, κοινωνική διάλυση κ. λ. π.
Το σχολείο λειτουργούσε υποτυπωδώς, ανάμεσα στα διαλύματα των βομβαρδισμών, λίγο γραφή, ανάγνωση και αριθμητική.
Οι δάσκαλοι πεινασμένοι ήρωες και οι μαθητές είχαν ένα ισχυρό κίνητρο για να παρακολουθούν αυτό το λίγο σχολείο. Το συσσίτιο ένα πιάτο φαί από τον ‘’Ερυθρό Σταυρό’’ .
Δάσκαλος: τη πρώτη ώρα θα κάνουμε αριθμητική, σήκω Στυλιανέ και έλα στο πινάκα με το τετράδιο των ασκήσεων σου.
Μαθητής: με φοβισμένη φωνή και ντροπιασμένα, κύριε δάσκαλε δεν έχω τετράδιο.
Δάσκαλος: προσποιητά οργισμένος, και πως θα σου κάνω μάθημα χωρίς τετράδιο, δεν είναι κατάσταση αυτή.
Μαθητής: Κύριε δάσκαλε δεν έχω τετράδιο όμως το μάθημα το ξέρω.
Δάσκαλος: Γράψε μου στο πινάκα ένα πρόβλημα, με πρόσθεση αφαίρεση και πολλαπλασιασμό.
Μαθητής: (που ήταν part - time μικροπωλητής) χτες αγόρασα μια κουτά τσιγάρα 100τμχ προς 1000 δραχμές, τα πούλησα προς 13 δρχ το ένα τσιγάρο και μάζεψα 100Χ13=1300 και είχα προσωρινό κέρδος 300δρχ. και λέω προσωρινό επειδή όταν πήγα να αγοράσω μια άλλη κουτά, τα τσιγάρα είχαν ακριβύνει και τα αγόρασα 1150 δρχ τη κουτά, έτσι το καθαρό μου κέρδος είναι 1300-1150=150δρχ.
Ο δάσκαλος έμεινε έκπληκτος μπροστά σε αυτό το ψυχρό εμπορικό ισολογισμό της χθεσινής ημερήσιας δραστηριότητας του μαθητή του. Με δάκρυα στα μάτια μίλησε με θαυμασμό για το κουράγιο αυτών των παιδιών που προσπαθούσαν με πείσμα να επιβιώσουν , μέσα σε αυτές τη άγριες συνθήκες.
Επίλογος: ο συγκεκριμένος δάσκαλος παρά ήταν καλός για να κάνει το κορόιδο, μετά από λίγο εξαφανίστηκε, μάθαμε ότι βγήκε στην αντίσταση με το ΕΑΜ.

Υ.Γ. Όσο για τον τίτλο ‘χρονογράφημα αναδρομικό’, κάπου και σήμερα δεν είναι καθόλου αναδρομικό.
Στέλιος Βάρναλης
24/12/09

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TIRAMISU

AS YOU LIKE IT… a Daring Baker’s Challenge


I’ve made it pink and girlie, all dressed up in berries and frivolity, drenched in exotic red fruit Nantillais and ready for summer fun. I’ve made it rich and movie-star chic, adorned in sweet, tangy cherries, tender, perfumed chocolate ladyfingers nestled deeply in a luxurious cloak of cool, creamy sophistication. And son goes the oh-so traditional route. But, then again, it’s traditional for a very good reason, isn’t it? He blends and stirs with care and love, eggs cracking, beater whizzing, coffee steeping and the kitchen starts to smell like an old-world café where gentlemen dressed in elegantly tailored suits sip their caffè coretto, deep, dark espresso splashed with the tiniest hint of Amaretto, adding just a touch of mystery and warmth. And then she walks in, long, delicate, cloudlike biscuits bathed in the dark, bitter potion and wrapped in lush, smooth mascarpone, whipped up into ethereal lightness, soft and pale like alabaster skin, lightly kissed by more earthy Amaretto and aromatic vanilla and draped in a velvety blanket of bitter cocoa and then chilled until as cool and deep as the cold, dark gaze of some old film femme fatale. And together it is heaven.


Tiramisu! The most glorious, most perfect of all desserts, divinely rich, lush and voluptuous, a delicacy to savor, spoonful by sensuous spoonful. Let it sleep overnight, do not disturb, then pull it out of its icy resting place and scoop up a morsel and taste, roll it around on the tongue, tickle your taste buds and you’ll discover a luxurious sensation, silk sliding over bare, gently perfumed skin, flavors mingling, bitter coffee and cocoa losing their edge as they meld into one with the delicately sweetened mascarpone cream, followed mischievously by that nutty bite of Amaretto, Tiramisu’s most perfect mate. Tiramisu, cool and comforting all at once, like being pulled out of the cold wind into a warm embrace.


Indulge! I certainly can’t resist! If it’s in the refrigerator I am constantly, surreptitiously sneaking spoonfuls. Too dreamy! It’s my weakness, my guilty pleasure, my one silly foible. My knees go all wobbly and my heart beats just a little quicker when one is near. Tiramisu is always on my sideboard when company rings the bell and an elegant, impressive finale to a meal is called for. So light and airy I can convince myself that just a small dish can’t hurt, that a bare dusting of cocoa powder will satisfy my chocolate craving without pulling me into a whirlpool of chocolate frenzy, that a treat meant to be savored slowly, a delicacy to linger over will appease, will soothe me all evening long like one slow dance or a final glass of champagne.


We discovered Tiramisu, that most Italian of all desserts, while living in Italy. And it was love at first bite. Tiramisu was to be had everywhere, from the family pizzeria to the most refined ristorante. And it was always delightful, rich and creamy and good. Yet now that we are back in France, it is rarer to come across except at our local Italian bistrot or the Italian stand at the marketplace. And, of course, Clem decided several years ago to create his own, to master the Tiramisu, and master he did. He now makes the most outrageously fabulous, delicious Tiramisu on the planet, so captivating, utterly delightful, and thanks to him the barrier for Tiramisu is now set quite high. And I am, I must admit, often disappointed when I taste a Tiramisu elsewhere. One must find the perfect balance of ladyfingers and cream, the perfect quantity of espresso soaked into the fingers leaving them moist rather than soggy, whole yet not dry. The cream must be thick and rich yet creamy and velvety smooth and whipped up to airy lightness. There must be just enough Amaretto and coffee flavor to accentuate, to compliment the delicacy of the mascarpone cream without either being lost or being too bossy. It must simply be, well, perfect.

And this month’s Daring Baker challenge was, of course, Tiramisu. Tiramisu chosen by this month’s fantastic hosts, both dear friends and incredible bakers, Deeba of Passionate About Baking and Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen. Their challenge recipe is a combination of recipes from Carminantonio from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession. Some of the individual recipes I kept as is, others I changed. These are the recipes I followed.


FOR THE TIRAMISU :

PREPARE THE MASCARPONE, THE ZABAGLIONE AND THE VANILLA PASTRY CREAM THE DAY BEFORE ASSEMBLING THE TIRAMISU!

MASCARPONE CHEESE *
Recipe from Vera of Baking Obsession
This recipe makes 12 oz (345 g) mascarpone

2 cups (500 ml) whipping/heavy cream, pasteurized but not ultr-pasteurized, 25% to 36% fat
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

* I must admit that my first try at mascarpone was a complete disaster so it ended up being washed down the sink. If I had had more time I would have reworked the recipe using what I learned this first time. Ah well. Luckily, I can easily purchase Italian mascarpone at my grocery store.

LADYFINGERS/SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
Adapted from the original recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home combined with my own recipe
This recipe makes anywhere from 24 to 45 ladyfingers.

3 large eggs, separated
6 Tbs (75 g) sugar
¾ cup (95 g) cake flour, sifted
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
6 Tbs (50 g) confectioner’s/powdered sugar


Separate the eggs. Place the yolks in a large mixing bowl. Place the whites in a medium-sized metal or plastic bowl and add a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 large baking or cookie sheets with parchment paper. I “glued” down the corners of the parchment with a dab of softened butter just so the parchment lay flat.

Beat the egg whites on low for 30 seconds then increase the beater speed to high and beat until the whites hold soft peaks. Continue beating while sprinkling on about a tablespoon or 2 of the sugar until the whites are stiff.

Beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and the vanilla until thick, pale and the batter forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted up. Using a spatula, fold the whites into the yolk mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the flour also added in 3 times, until smooth and well blended. Do not overfold.


Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips (or larger or smaller as needed) leaving about 1" space in between the strips.


Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten.


Now sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the ladyfingers. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.

Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes then turn the baking sheets around back to front and continue baking until the fingers are lightly golden, about 5 minutes more depending on your oven.


Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing them with a metal spatula onto cooling racks to cool completely.


ZABAGLIONE

2 large egg yolks
3 Tbs (50 g) sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) Amaretto (you can replace the Amaretto with Marsala or coffee)
¼ tsp vanilla
½ tsp finely grated lemon zest


Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Amaretto (or Marsala/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.


Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.


Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM

1/4 cup (55g) sugar
1 tablespoon (8g) all purpose flour
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup/175ml whole milk


Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk.


Whisk until smooth. Place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)


Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup (250 ml) heavy whipping cream at least 25% fat
¼ cup (50 g) sugar **
½ tsp vanilla

** Next time I will use half this amount of sugar or adjust the sugar quantities in the zabaglione and/or pastry cream.

Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla in a chilled mixing bowl and, using chilled beaters, beat for several minutes until thickened and stiff peaks hold.

ASSEMBLE THE TIRAMISU

You will need :

1/3 cup (75 g) mascarpone
The Zabaglione
The Vanilla Pastry Cream
The Whipped Cream
36 more or less Ladyfingers
2 cups (500 ml) strong coffee or espresso at room temperature
2 – 4 Tbs Amaretto to taste, optional
Several tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder

Have a your recipient ready, either individual molds, glasses, cups or rings or an 8-inch round dish or ring (as I used) or an 8-inch square baking dish or a rectangular dish of the same volume. (see Clem filling both a glass serving dish as well as individual rings here)

In a mixing bowl, beat the mascarpone, the Zabaglione and the Pastry Cream together just until smooth and creamy. Carefully fold in the Whipped Cream using a spatula. Fold in Amaretto to taste. Place the coffee in a large bowl or soup bowl.


For one ring or dish, place about a ladleful of the mascarpone cream on the bottom and spread evenly. Working quickly, dunk ladyfingers, one at a time, into the espresso or coffee until moist but not soggy. Line the bottom of the ring or the dish with the soaked ladyfingers, pushing them together or using pieces of fingers to fill in any gaps. Spoon a third of the remaining mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers and spread evenly. Repeat with the imbibed fingers, a third more of the cream, more ladyfingers then finish with cream (I did only 2 layers of ladyfingers rather than 3).


Cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.


Before serving, unmold the Tiramisu if in a ring. Sprinkle generously and completely with unsweetened cocoa powder just before serving. Keep uneaten Tiramisu in the refrigerator.


RESULTS :

I found the final mascarpone-zabaglione-pastry cream-whipped cream mixture much too sweet, although the sweetness was less pronounced the second and third days, but I suggest cutting back on the sugar by reducing the quantities a bit in the whipped cream, the zabaglione and the pastry cream each. The ladyfingers are fantastic and in fact I whipped up a second batch right away when I decided to line the edge of the Tiramisu all around in the style of a charlotte. So easy and so delicious! Personally, I still prefer Clem’s Tiramisu; I find it tastier as well as being much simpler to put together. Deeba’s and Aparna’s version is preferred if you do not want to eat raw eggs. And I enjoyed the challenge of the different parts and most definitely will try the mascarpone again.


Please don't forget Blogger Aid H2OPE for Haiti raffle. You have until midnight Sunday 28 February to buy your raffle tickets. For the list of all of the fabulous prizes being raffled and how to purchase your tickets please visit Jeanne's blog Cook Sister!

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Daring Bakers do Tiramisu

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

It turned out perfect.  The only thing I will do differently next time is to dip the cookies in the espresso mixture for longer.  I was afraid of them becoming mushy!

And what an incredible challenge this was!  And not because I screwed anything up this time!  They made us make this from complete 100% scratch.  Right down to  making our own mascarpone cheese.  I had to read through the directions several times just to be sure they didn’t want us making our own vanilla and rum extracts!!!

I truly loved this challenge and for me it was probably one of the most rewarding.  If I had never done this challenge I would NEVER have made my own mascarpone cheese and it is something that is so delicious, simple and satisfying to do!  Thank you my dear, sweet friend Deeba and Aparna for this wonderful challenge!!!

Mascarpone cheese, zabaglione, pastry cream, and Ladyfinger/Saviardi Biscuits

Due to time restrictions for me (we are leaving town today for a BMX Race) I only made a small one in a bread pan, but it was truly delicious…

The recipes for this challenge are presented in the following order:

A. Tiramisu (includes zabaglione & vanilla pastry cream)
B. Mascarpone Cheese
C. Ladyfinger/ Savoiardi Biscuits

MANDATORY:

You MUST make your own savoiardi / ladyfinger biscuits and mascarpone cheese with the given recipes. You must also make the zabaglione and pastry cream using the given recipes.
If diet or health restrictions do not allow you to use these recipes, please go ahead and use one of the alternatives provided or other suitable recipes to make them, but please include links to the original recipe in your DB post.
Sponge cake may be not be used as a substitute. After all, a large part of this challenge is making those biscuits.

VARIATIONS:

Tiramisu is usually made in square dishes and cut into squares to serve. If you want to be different, please feel free to give full rein to your creativity as to how you want to present, decorate and serve your tiramisu. Make it square, round, as individual servings, or whatever! However, your version of Tiramisu must contain the mascarpone cheese and the savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits you made.

PREPARATION TIME:

Tiramisu is made up of several components which can be made separately and ahead of time and put together the day before serving.
Making tiramisu from scratch requires about 2 to 3 days (including refrigeration) from when you start making the mascarpone to the time the tiramisu is served. So this challenge requires some prior planning.

Please read the instructions as you need to begin making the mascarpone at least a day in advance.
The zabaglione & pastry cream also need 4 hours to an overnight for chilling, as does the main dessert. The flavours mature after an overnight rest, and the dessert can be kept refrigerated for 2-3 days.
Once assembled, the tiramisu can be frozen till you need to serve it, in case you are not serving it immediately.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:

• A double boiler (a stainless steel bowl that fits inside a large saucepan/ pot without touching the bottom will do)
• Two or three large mixing bowls
• Whisk
• A medium sized heavy bottomed pan
• Fine meshed strainer (to remove lumps from pastry cream, if any)
• Electric mixer, hand held
• Serving dish (or dishes) of choice (8" by 8" should be fine)
• Spatula for folding and spoons as required
• Plastic wrap/ clingfilm
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or nonstick liners
• Pastry bag (can be disposable)
• Plain 3/4" pastry bag tip or cut the end of pastry bag to this size (If you don’t have a pastry bag and/or tips, you can use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off)
• Oven
• Cooling rack
• Thin-bladed spatula for removing ladyfinger biscuits from the baking sheets
• Instant-read thermometer (optional)
• Strainer
• Cheesecloth or cotton napkin for draining mascarpone
• Fine-mesh strainer for shaking cocoa powder on tiramisu

TIRAMISU

(Recipe source: Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar/50gms
1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup/175ml whole milk

For the whipped cream:
1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract

To assemble the tiramisu:
2 cups/470ml brewed espresso, warmed
1 teaspoon/5ml rum extract (optional)
1/2 cup/110gms sugar
1/3 cup/75gms mascarpone cheese
36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
For the zabaglione:
Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the pastry cream:
Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

To assemble the tiramisu:
Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8" by 8" should do) or one of your choice.
Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered. (I should have soaked mine longer!!!)
Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.

MASCARPONE CHEESE

(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese

Ingredients:
474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method:

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2" to 3" long) ladyfingers.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner's sugar,

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.
Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

Thanks again Deeba and Aparna!

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Turtle Brownie Pudding

I had a craving for something chocolatey, gooey and sinful... don't we all at some point? When I saw Ina Garten make the following recipe on her show, Barefoot Contessa, I knew I had to make it. With only a few basic ingredients from a well stocked pantry, I would be an hour away from chocolate decadence. To make it even more enticing, I drizzled some caramel sauce and sprinkled some toasted pecans over this bowl of deliciousness.

Now this dish is not your 'pick up and devour' type of brownie. It's definitely more of a pudding where you'll want to dish this up with a spoon. When it bakes up, the top will have a nice crust to it, similar to a standard brownie recipe, however when serving it up, you'll notice that the texture is like a thick chocolate soup consistency. Don't let it mess with your mind and think it's not done... because that's the way it should be! If you're skeeved out by the runny texture, you can always bake it a little longer to firm up a bit (which I did myself).

Turtle Brownie Pudding
recipe adapted from Ina Garten

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Caramel sauce, for garnish
1/4 cup toasted pecans, for garnish


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with toasted pecans.

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Autism Rising: National Post & Michael Fumento Say Autism Is Increasing in Canada, the US, Sweden and Denmark

 " Published evaluations of children in Sweden, Denmark and Canada have also shown that autism diagnoses continued to increase after the discontinuation of vaccinations with thimerosal. U.S. cases keep rising as well."

- National Post, February 17, 2010: Michael Fumento: The damage done on vaccinations

The above comment by Michael Fumento,  a featured commentator on the National Post,  is part of an opinion piece condemning critics of vaccine safety and particularly those who assert a connection between some vaccines and autism disorders.  

Fumento and the National Post dismiss fears that autism disorders in some children are caused by the mercury based vaccine preservative thimerosal by pointing to increased autism rates after the alleged removal of thimerosal from vaccines in Denmark, Sweden, the US and Canada. 

For that argument to have any weight at all it must assume that the autism increases are real and not attributable to shifting diagnostic definitions or increased social awareness.

The National Post and Michael Fumento have stated clearly their position that increases in autism diagnoses reflect actual increases in cases of autism disorders.

autism

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Moroccan Spiced Chicken over Israeli Couscous

One thing I enjoy after a long day at work is a dinner that takes no time at all. Even better is an easy make ahead meal that requires very little prep time and babysitting on the stove. Our dinner tonight was exactly that - effortless and delicious.

A favorite make ahead meal is where I season meats such as chicken, pork, or even beef with a combination of spices and dry herbs, rub the seasonings in and let the meat absorb all the flavor overnight, a couple days or even under a deep freeze. The meat is left with so much flavor once it's cooked and I find that the flavor intensifies the longer it marinates with the seasonings. This is what I tend to do when there's a great sale of cuts of meat like chicken quarters.

Tonight, we enjoyed the following recipe. Using the spice mixture from a dish I found on Epicurious, I seasoned some chicken quarters last week and placed it in the freezer. This morning, I removed the chicken quarters from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge so it would be ready to bake up when we got home from work. In no time, the chicken was done, just as quickly as it took for me prepare. I served this chicken with Israeli couscous with parsley and sun dried tomatoes (recipe follows).

Moroccan Spiced Chicken
recipe adapted from Epicurious

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika (not hot)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1-2 lbs chicken quarters


Combine the cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper and olive oil in a small bowl. Brush this mixture over the chicken quarters and place in a shallow baking dish; cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Alternately, you can place the chicken in a plastic storage bag and freeze until ready to prepare. When you're ready to prepare, thaw the chicken and continue with the cooking directions.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chicken in a baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Israeli Couscous with Parsley & Sundried Tomatoes
recipe adapted from Trader Joe's

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups Israeli Couscous
1/2 large cinnamon stick
1 dried bay leaf
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
zest of 1 lemon
3 sun-dried tomatoes, diced


Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until golden.

Add the couscous, cinnamon and bay leaf, and stir often until couscous browns slightly.

Add the broth, salt, and sun-dried tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender.

Remove from heat and stir in parsley and lemon zest. Serve warm.

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Chicken Fontinella

I've been craving Italian food lately and it's been awhile since I had Chicken Parmesan (or Parmigiana). In order to satisfy my craving, I made this recipe which was adapted from Ina Garten. Without an Parmesan cheese on hand (which is rare), I used Fontinella cheese instead.

Don't confuse Fontinella cheese with Italian fontina cheese! Fontinella is actually a domestic cheese made by one company, Stella/Suputo Cheese Company. This cheese is a semi-hard cheese that has a tangy flavor, creamy texture and melts well. If you can't find Fontinella cheese, you're welcome to substitute it with Parmesan, Romano or Asiago cheese. Fontinella really lends itself well in this dish because it melts right along with the panko to provide a delicious and beautifully golden crust on the chicken. I served this along with angel hair pasta and a homemade chunky pasta sauce.

Chicken Fontinella
recipe adapted from Ina Garten

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cups seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Fontinella, plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine the flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the panko bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Fontinella cheese. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts.

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CDC Advisor Says Autism Increasing in Denmark, Sweden and the United States

Autism epidemic deniers will never acknowledge that autism is really increasing.  Another expert however  has stated that autism is increasing in Denmark, Sweden and the United States.  Adopting the logic of experts like Dr. Eric Fombonne and Dr. Judy Minshew  Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist  Patsy Stinchfield,  a member of the CDC Advisory Committee that recommended that children in the US get annual flu shots,  dismissed  concerns that thimerosal in vaccines contributes to autism:

"Autism is a devastating condition but efforts to prevent autism by removing mercury from vaccines have been ineffective, even when mercury banned in the 1990s in a couple of European countries. 

"Denmark and Sweden, right. So no change. So they said 'Well if we think its Thimerosal or mercury, we'll take it out.' And they took it out and same in the United States," said Stinchfield. "And autism has done nothing but continue to increase.""

- Expert: H1N1 Vaccines Do Not Contain Mercury

Fombonne, Minshew and CDC advisor Stinchfield all argue that thimerosal has been disproven as a causal factor for autism disorders.  For their arguments to have merit the autism increases they are referencing as disproving any thimerosal autism connection would have to be real and not reflections of diagnostic definition expansion or ascertainment factors.

So what is causing the increasing rates of autism in Europe and the US? Most of the experts who weight in on the issue do so for the purpose of supporting vaccine safety.  The learned scholars  have demonstrated no real interest in studying and finding out  what is causing the startling autism increases that parents,  ill informed, hysterical, incompetent parents have been pointing out for years. 

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BREAD & CHOCOLATE MONTHLY MINGLE ROUND UP

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN


Bread & Chocolate is truly a match made in heaven. Bread & Chocolate warms and comforts, soothes and de-stresses. Bread & Chocolate is the perfect energizing breakfast, a most delightful snack for any age, a sumptuous, elegant dessert.

Walk down any Parisian street and see tiny hands grasped around chunks of baguette with a bar of chocolate, dark or milk, sticking out each end or chic young things nibbling on pains au chocolat fresh from the bakery. Wander through any high school bake sale and see loaves of banana or pumpkin or zucchini or orange studded or swirled with chocolate chips, that best of friend to any flavor, the perfect match for lemon or cranberry or any dried fruit or nut in a sweet bread. Ask your kids what they want you to bake for breakfast or choose the perfect snack to pair with a tall, cool glass of milk or a hot mug of coffee or tea and you’ll find yourself stirring up batter for chocolate chip muffins or scones.


Bread & Chocolate: A little shot of carbs followed straight with a bang of chocolate. Whether baguette or flaky puff pastry, warm-from-the-oven scones or dense, moist pudding or just-sweet muffins is your poison, whether you like your chocolate dark or light, crunchy, crispy or gooey, whether you like your bread dotted with chocolate or drenched in the stuff, bread & chocolate turns everyone on (and in more ways than one!). Homey and filling or seductive and elegant, eaten quietly slice by slice or slathered with whipped cream and scooped up greedily, who can turn down that most delightful, that most sensual of combinations, Bread & Chocolate?


When Meeta of What’s For Lunch Honey? asked me to host Monthly Mingle, Bread & Chocolate popped straight into my head. Bread & Chocolate in any form is true comfort food, the stuff of quiet afternoons curled up in your favorite armchair with a good book or doling out treats to rambunctious kids or the first thing we look for to ease both our jet lag and our childlike excitement while on vacation off in some exotic, far-off land. And everyone seems to agree as you can see by this amazing selection of goodies baked especially for Monthly Mingle by all these incredible food bloggers.


So just pull up a chair, grab and knife and a fork and dig in!


Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms

Amazing Overnight Waffles with Chocolate Chips & Dried Cherries

Astrid of Paulchen’s Foodblog

Chocolate Brioches

Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen

Brioche with Chocolate Ganache

Quinn of Quinn's Baking Diary

Bread Cake

Deeba of Passionate About Baking

Nutella, Walnut & Orange Rolls

Heather of Eggs, Cream and Honey

Chocolate Insanity Bread Pudding and Chocolate Beer Sauce

Ino of Kitchen 22

Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding

Parita of Parita’s World

Eggless Chocolate Raisin Coffee Bread

Finla aka Happy Cook of My Kitchen Treasures

Chocolate Buns

Adele of Will Work for Biltong

Chocolate Pizza Pockets

Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Raspberry Coconut White Chocolate Bread

Simona of A Tutta Cucina

Panini al Cioccolato e Noci (Chocolate and Walnut Panini)

Sunita of Sunita’s World

Chocolate and Orange Quick Bread

Joanne of Eats Well With Others

HBin5 Cranberry Tangerine Chocolate Bread

Sarah of Ratatouille

Chocolate Chip Chudleighs

Priya of Priya’s Easy N Tasty Recipes

Nutella Swirl Bread

Barbara of Barbara Bakes

Triple Chocolate Cherry Quick Bread

Nina of Confessions of a Bake-a-holic!

Austrian Bread Pudding with Chocolate

DK of Chef in You

Chocolate Chip and Hazelnut Bread

Jayasri of Samayalarai – Cooking is Divine

Chocolate Babka

Rachel of Tangerine’s Kitchen

Orange Chocolate Chip Loaf

Soma of eCurry

Eggless Chocolate Zucchini Nut Bread

Lakshmi of Palate Desires

Chocolate Drizzled Pretzel

Sweatha of Taste Curry Leaf

Gluten-Free & Fat-Free Chocolate Banana Bread

Nic of Cherrapeno

Mini Panettone with Butterscotch, Chocolate, Macadamia Nuts and Cranberries

Deborah of Italian Food Forever

Chocolate Coffee Bread Pudding

Meeta of What’s For Lunch Honey?

Rich Chocolate Breads with Pistachios, Pink Praline and Au Naturel

Ozoz of Kitchen Butterfly

Columbian Banana Bread – Pan de Banano

Cool Lassi(e) of Pan Gravy Kadai Curry
Heart-y Sweet Bread N Chocolate Pudding

Asha of Fork-Spoon-Knife

Chocolate, Cranberry and Candied Citrus Spiced Bread

Hilda of Saffron & Blueberry

Gluten-Free Pear and Chocolate Muffins

Cinzia of Cindystar

Bread Chocolate Cake

Jamie of Life’s a Feast

Chocolate Orange Buttermilk Muffins

Chocolate Custard Bread Pudding

And a huge apology to Apu of Annarasa - Essence of Food who baked these fabulous Spicy Carrot, Spring Onion, and Black Sesame Rolls for my Bread Baking Day #26 but they were left floating around the blogosphere.....


Thank you so much, each and every one of you, for participating in my Monthly Mingle. It was scrumptious!


And please do not forget about the H2Ope for Haiti Raffle! You have until Midnight Sunday 28 February to buy your tickets here for any or all of these fabulous prizes you can find here on Jeanne of Cook Sister!’s blog. I have donated this box of Fabulous French Baking Treasures.

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