Celebratory Cake

This post is a bit different from the ones we usually do, but this cake was lots of fun to make so we thought we'd share it with you. This "C" cake represents a triple whammy of achievements made by our amazing friends. Our friend Will was accepted to Columbia, our friend Ethan was accepted to Cornell, and our friend Caroline ran at nationals. We cleverly used the colors red (Cornell's color), blue (Columbia's color), and white, together making the nations colors. Impressive, huh? Making this cake was a team effort between your favorite bloggers, Katie and Yvette, and our two friends Dan and Nora. After many trips to the grocery store (note to readers: heed Santa's advice and check your list twice before checking out), we finally got all we needed to make the cake. Here's how we made it.

What you'll need: basic vanilla cake, vanilla frosting, fondant, piping bag with tips, food coloring



1. Make a basic vanilla sheet cake. (Note: Dan's enthusiasm is due to the fact that he knows he gets to eat the cake scraps now)


2. Next cut a C (or letter of your choice) out of each half of the cake. We recommend using a template for the letter so both halves match up.


3. Now, after carefully removing letters out of the cake pan, ice the bottom layer with frosting.


4. Then, stack the second letter on top of the first and ice the entire cake.


5. Now that you've dirty iced the cake (I've been watching a bit too much "Cake Boss"), it's time for the fun part: fondant! Fondant is like icing, but thicker and more malleable. It doesn't taste great, but it gives cakes that finished look that professionally made cakes have. You can buy fondant at specialty bakers' stores or you can pick it up at Michael's like we did. Roll out the fondant with powdered sugar until its big enough to fit over the entire cake.


6. Then gently lay the sheet of fondant over the cake. To make it fit in the shape of the letter, cut slits where the letter parts. For example, we cut one slit in the C cake, you would need to cut three slits for a K cake, etc. Then use a fondant smoother (sometimes comes with the fondant or sold separately) to smooth the fondant over the cake. Pinch the fondant at the base of the cake to seal.


7. Now mix remaining frosting with colors of your choice.


8. Fill the piping bag with colored icing and decorate away! Icing the cake is the best part. This time we just did some simple piping because we wanted the cake to have a clean look. We used a circular tip to write the letters in alternating colors.


9. Then we used a ridged tip to pipe the blue border around the base and used the circular tip again to pipe a funky, kind of loopy red border over top. You can experiment with different piping. You can make bubble letters, or use different tips to make flowers or balloons, the possibilities are endless!


Congratulations! Using a simple process and the magic of fondant, you have made a cake that will impress all your friends!

Congrats again Will, Ethan, and Caroline -- we love you guys!

Apple Pie

We're back! Finally, we have a long weekend to provide some relief from the stress that is senior year. After being bombarded with college apps, physics homework, and AP Art Studio projects, we felt that we needed some good ol' comfort food. So we're heading on back to America for some apple pie. Just in time for Thanksgiving!




Apple Pie
(adapted from Irma Rombauer's Joy of Cooking)


1. Okay, first make the crust. We chose to make a flaky pastry dough. Here's what you need:


-2 and 1/2 cups of flour

-1 teaspoon of sugar

-1 teaspoon salt

-1 cup solid vegetable shortening (or you can use a 1/2 cup shortening and a 1/2 cup butter, like us)

2. Mix the dry ingredients, then add the shortening/butter.


3. Cut the fat into the dry ingredients using the knife crossing method. Now is a good time to practice your Japanese Samurai skills.


4. When the consistency is dry and crumblike, drizzle a little over 1/3 cup of ice water and cut with a rubber spatula until it begins to stick together. Then knead with your hands until it forms a ball. Divide into two equal sections (one for the base and one for the lattice) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.


5. While that's refrigerating, make the filling. You will need about 6 apples, we used Fuji and Rome, but any will do...try to avoid Granny Smith though. You will also need 3 tablepoons of butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

6. Peel, core, and slice the apples then toss in a skillet over medium heat with the butter and cover for about 5 minutes. Now, stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and salt.


7. Raise the heat to high and cook the apples until the juices become thick and syrupy. Transfer to a baking sheet to cool.


8. While the apples are cooling, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface.


9. Lay the dough for the base in the pie pan and brush the overhanging edge with cold water.


10. Now, add the apple filling.




11. Here's the fun part. Time to make your pie look fancy. Cut the remaining rolled out dough into strips (about 1 inch thick. Lay half the strips across the pie and then weave the remaining strips in the opposite direction.


12. Trim the edges


13. Optional - brush an egg yolk glaze on top of the lattice.


14. Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes and wa-laa, you have yourself some apple pie!

Sorry for the hiatus

We will be back before you know it. Senior year is upon us!

Sushi

Kon'nichiwa! We are flying over to Japan to make a dish that has become the latest food craze: sushi. This sophisticated, yet simple dish will impress all your friends, or if you're anything like Yvette, you will gobble it all up before they get a chance to try it!



Sushi



You will need:
-sushi rice/short grain white rice (you can buy the special kind like in this picture but the generic kind in bulk works the same!)
-sushi vinegar (you can use rice vinegar and add sugar/salt but this is easiest)
-toasted seaweed
-avocado
-cucumber
-*bamboo mat (not necessary but makes it easier, and more professional!)


1. Cook the rice! Sushi rice is generally a little stickier than normal rice. After it's done, let it cool down, and mix in some sushi vinegar to taste.


2. Slice the cucumber into thin strips and cut the avocado.


3. Spread a layer of rice onto the seaweed and add your toppings, in this case avocado and cucumber.


4. Roll it up!


5. Here's where the bamboo mat comes in handy. Make your sushi more firm by rolling it up and squeezing the roll. Cut it into pieces and you are done!

An Indian Meal

Sorry we haven't posted any new recipes in a while. Life is pretty hectic with college visiting and such. But, to make up for it, we are bringing you three traditional Indian dishes! They make a perfect meal with a main dish, a side, and a sweet dessert.








(This last treat was SO good that we were too busy drinking it to remember to take a pic!)

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Subz Miloni (Mixed Vegetable Curry)
(adapted from Mark Bittman's "The Best Recipes in the World")


For this recipe, you will need:
-salt to taste
-1 lb of fresh spinach
-3 tablespoons of peanut oil
-2 medium carrots (cut in cubes)
-1/4 of a small cauliflower (broken in florets)
-1/4 lb of shiitake mushrooms (chopped)
-2 jalapenos (minced)
-1/4 lb green beans (roughly chopped)
-1 large onion (roughly chopped)
-3 green cardamom pods
-3 black cardamom pods
-6 cloves
-4 peppercorns
-1 cinnamon stick
-1 tablespoon of fresh minced ginger
-1 teaspoon of minced garlic
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/2 package of firm tofu (cubed)
-1 tablespoon of curry powder
-1/2 cup of heavy cream


1. Chop up all of your vegetables and measure out your spices. Then, in a large pot of water, wilt the spinach and puree in a blender.


2. Put two tablespoons of the oil in a skillet, and cook the carrots and the cauliflower over medium high heat until tender (10-15 minutes). Remove from the pan.


3. Now, add the mushrooms, chiles, green beans, and onions, and cook until softened. Remove from the pan.


4. Add the rest of the oil, the whole spices, ginger, and garlic, and stir for a minute. Then stir in the powdered spices, and add in all the cooked vegetables, the pureed spinach, and the tofu. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the curry powder, cream, and salt.


Dig in!

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Naan
(adapted from Mark Bittman's "The Best Recipes in the World")


Make sure you pick up:
-1 tablespoon of active dry yeast
-2 tablespoons of milk
-2 tablespoons of yogurt
-1 tablespoon of sugar
-3 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour (plus a little extra for rolling)
-1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
-1 egg
-2 teaspoons of salt
-oil (for the bowl)
-butter


1. In a separate bowl, stir together the yeast, milk, sugar, and yogurt. Then, in a KitchenAid (using the bread hook attachment if you have one), mix the flour, egg, and salt. Then add in the yeast mixture and mix for about 30 seconds, slowly adding 1 1/2 cups of water, until the mixture forms a sticky ball.


2. Knead the dough into a ball, and then place into an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap for about 1-2 hours. Make sure the bowl is big, because it will expand a lot!


3. Preheat the oven to 500. Then, roll the dough into a long snake and tear into 12 equal parts. Cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. Roll the dough into a long, thin oval, and then bake on a pizza stone for 6-8 minutes (flipping after 3 minutes).


Once it is browned around the edges, it is ready to be buttered up and served!

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Watermelon Cooler


We used:
-1/8 of a watermelon (cut in chunks)
-the juice of one lime
-1/4 cup milk
-ice
-mint leaves (for garnish)
-2 tablespoons of sugar

1. Blend together the watermelon, milk, and ice cubes.
2. Add the lime juice and the sugar. Stir and enjoy!