Austrian Desserts and Pastries: A Review!

As I’ve mentioned before, it is always wonderful as a food blogger to receive a new cookbook in the mail. This one was no exception… Austrian Desserts and Pastries. From the moment I received it, I loved the beautiful photographs of the intricate and delicate pastries and cakes. The cookbook details not only the process of making Austrian desserts but also explains some of the tradition behind them.

After some perusing, I decided to make a Grillage Torte (although the Apple Strudel was a close second). What caught my eye, were the layers. First you made a hazelnut brittle. Then you grounded the brittle and some walnuts to make the cake layers. The filling is a rich vanilla butter cream and then it was glazed with chocolate. As you can see below, it did not look that great but it tasted good. My family loved it.

So, what did I think of this cookbook? It is great for an experienced baker. Sometimes, perhaps due to the translation from Germany, the quantities or directions in the recipes were incorrect. My cake was supposed to have more layers but it was too thin. It is necessary to understand baking, in order to anticipate these issues. The cookbook is also really useful for someone who wants to learn more about Austrian desserts and pastries. It seemed very comprehensive. Plus the photos are beautiful and drool worthy!

P.S. This cookbook was provided to me by the publisher.

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Capricious Chocolate Marx Food Contest

The Polls are open… Please vote for my Fennel Pollen Salted Caramel Chocolate Truffles…

Marx foods always has some fun new contest for adventurous foodies. This was no exception. I was sent an assortment of products and had to make something with chocolate incorporating at least one of them. Opening the package was like Christmas: two types of peppers, a vanilla bean, coconut sugar, fennel pollen and candy cap mushrooms.

I disregarded the peppers and vanilla bean for this challenge because they are always paired with chocolate. I wanted something different! I had never tried coconut sugar and loves the subtle caramel flavor. I felt that chocolate would overpower it so I’m going to save that for its own special dessert. That left me with fennel pollen and candy cap mushrooms… what to do… how about… Fennel Pollen Salted Caramel Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles…

They were good… the fennel pollen and salt work together to give you a great surprising hit of flavor with the chocolate… turns out fennel pollen and chocolate do go well together… Please vote for me over at Marx Food.

Fennel Pollen Salted Caramel
(for good instructions on how to make caramel)

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fennel pollen

1. In a sauce pan, heat the sugar over medium until it begins to caramelize stirring occasionally.
2. When the sugar becomes caramel colored and is all dissolved, slowly pour in the cream. Be careful because it will boil and sometimes splatter. Continue stirring until it has been fully incorporated. If the caramel seizes up a little, continue to stir over the heat until it is liquid again.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, salt and fennel pollen.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Truffles
(adapted from Tartine)
1/2 pound dark chocolate chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
2.5 tablespoons olive oil
Fennel Pollen Salted Caramel, cooled by pourable
Cocoa powder (for rolling)

1. Heat the heavy cream in a sauce pan until it begins to bubble.
2. Pour over the chocolate and stir until melted.
3. Mix in the olive oil.
4. Stir in the salted caramel.
5. Set in the fridge for at least an hour to become solid.
6. With a spoon or melonballer, spoon out about a tablespoon of the ganche and roll it into a ball. Roll in the chocolate cocoa powder.

P.S. Marx Foods supplied the fennel pollen and other contest ingredients mentioned in this post.

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Grown-up Birthday Cake…

Starting a new job is always awkward… you are introduced to everyone in a blur, shown around the office and then left alone to start working… But overtime, you start to get to know your co-workers and the awkwardness fades… especially, when you discover a shared love for Food 52.

My current co-worker, Megan (or meganvt01) is the creator of Roasted Sunchokes of Hazelnut Gremolata.  I was excited for this random connection.  I had already bookmarked the recipe to make later.  Now, besides talking about law, we can discuss food!

Another Food 52 recipe that I love is Grown-up Birthday Cake.  I wanted to make something for my mom’s birthday that was different and new.  She makes so many cakes that this one needed to be special.  The cake was delicious.  I made the cake as written except I used vegetable oil and not olive oil.  I iced it with a vanilla buttercream and filled with a homemade peach-vanilla jam.  The wine gave the cake layers a really subtle fruity flavor without overpowering.  It was really special!

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