If the Shoe fits: Dark Chocolate Madeleines

When I attempt a new baking recipe, I always follow the golden rules: ① read the recipe all the way through before proceeding, ② have all the ingredients measured and ready, and ③ always stay true to the recipe. But despite all the preparation, I always find ways to mess things up!

I baked Dark Chocolate Madeleines using Carole Bloom’s The Essential Baker cookbook. I followed the recipe (which were very well written and easy to understand) precisely, but the end products came out resembling petit chewy brownies, instead of the sophisticated French cookies that I was expecting. Other than the fact that they were slightly overcooked, the cookies tasted fine … but I felt a bit disappointed, not being able to recreate the delicate, buttery, cake-like delight that is Madeleine

I read and reread the recipe several times afterward to try to identify what went wrong, and it dawned on me that this recipe was almost identical to the Brownie recipe I often use. Curious, I cracked open the cookbooks side by side to compare the two and there it was, the madeleine recipe showing up under brownies. So, perhaps I didn’t mess up the recipe afterall, and the cookies came out exactly how they should.

I just wished the recipe would call these little morsales what they really are, brownies, instead of giving them the fancier name so that I won’t be confused. But this baking cookbook, I must say, is pretty incredible. I love how ingredients are listed alongisde the instructions, making it very easily to follow, and Bloom’s writing is warm and welcoming. I can’t wait to try her other recipes in the book.

Dark Chocolate Madeleines From The Essential Baker by Carole Bloom

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Direction (it’s been abbreviated from the original recipe from the book)

① Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.
② Place the chocolate and butter together in the top of a double boiler over low heat. Stir often with rubber spatula to help melt evenly. Add vanilla and blend well.
③ Place eggs in the bowl of an electric stand mixture using the wire whip attachment and whip the eggs on medium speed until they are frothy, about one minute.
④ Add the sugar and whip together until the mixture is very thick and pale colored, about five minutes.
⑤ Shift flour and add salt.
⑥ With the mixture speed on low, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in three stages, blending well after each addition.

⑦ Pour the chocolate mixture into the batter and blend in thoroughly.
⑧ Pour the batter slowly into each cavity of the Madeleine molds, filling them 3/4 full.
⑨ Bake until the tops spring back lightly when touched.
⑩ Cool the Madeleines completely on the racks.
⑪　Sprinkle powdered sugar and enjoy the brownies … I mean the dark chocolate madeleines

A Promise in a Little Blue Box: Boule

I suppose Tiffany and Co. is not the only place that puts girl’s best friend in a cute little blue box and puts a ribbon on top. Pastries you’d find inside the baby blue box from Boule are as magnificent, mesmerizing, promising … and very delicious (oh yeah, and much more affordable).

And delicious they are, especially its beautiful selection of macaroons which have the perfect combination of subtle sweetness and melt-in-your-mouth airiness. For some reason, fining a great maracoon was always a real challenge for me, despite the fact that there is a plethora of wonderful patisseries in the city. So finding Boule and experiencing its French almond cookies was definitely a pleasant surprise. My favorite was the lavender one (pictured above, in light purple).

I stopped by the boutique on La Cienega the other day on my way back to work and my friends and I ate the desserts at the office (which would explain the awful Dixie plates you see here). After sampling all the pastries and critiquing each one alas Iron Chef style (where we would use bizarre adjectives that make no sense to describe the flavor and the texture), we found the apple caramel tarte thing (left, bottom) to be our favorite. It had the interesting combination of tang and sweet which we found refreshing. I really enjoyed the texture of the buttery shortbread crust of the fruit tart also which provided the sophisticated richness to the pastry.

You can’t really go wrong with anything you try here. I also recommend its timeless Fleur de Sel Caramels (top left) as a gift, or for yourself … and you can probably guess who I bought it for

Boule
408 La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048
★★★★☆

Best of Both Worlds: M Cafe de Chaya

I used to dread lunchtime as a child. While my classmates ripped open a brown bag and pulled out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I opened my bento box quietly in the corner, making sure that inari and onigiri my mother packed didn’t invite any gag reflex from kids around me. Japanese food was virtually unknown to average households in the mid 80s, and sushi — perhaps one of the only recognizable Japanese foods at the time – was nothing more than a prop to invite some laughs in a cheesy John Hughes movie.

Fast forward 20-plus yeas and the Japanese culinary landscape has gone through a complete makeover, becoming one of the most popular cuisines among health conscious and open minded foodies around the world. In addition to the Japanese food powerhouse likes teriyaki and tempura, a little-known up-and-coming dishes like kinpiras (burdock) and hijikis (seaweed) are quickly becoming the forefront of many health movements, including the macrobiotics diet.

The term, “macrobiotics,” can be misconstrued as something really complicated but the foundation of the diet is very simple. The base of the diet is grains (especially brown rice) followed by vegetables and other plant-based food. Many of macrobiotics ingredients, such as root vegetables and seaweeds, are a staple in Japanese kitchen, and thus the diet is synonymous with Japanese cooking.

If you’re unsure about the Japanese cuisine or intimidated by macrobiotics lifestyle, simply visit M Café de Chaya in Culver City and you will discover how delicious and friendly this whole thing truly is. When you walk in the café, you’d think you just walked into a fancy patisserie in Paris with heavenly goodness filling the glass showcase. But instead of éclairs and napoleon, what you’ll find are a colorful array of salads including Kale with Spicy Peanut Sauce (me and my sister’s favorite), Sesame Seaweed, and Sesame Soba Noodle, and sushi like Shiitake Avocado Roll and assortments of Inari. The flavor of each dish is world class – not surprising knowing that the mastermind behind this contemporary macrobiotics cuisine is none other than the chef behind the famous Chaya empire. Oh, and yes, it has some of the best tasting desserts too.

At M Cafe de Chaya, you’ll never have to comprimise flavor for health, and vice versa.  It’s the best of both worlds!

… and if I can only shove these in the brats face now …

Kale with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Scarlette Quinoa (vibrant red color from beet juice)

Kale, White Beans Salad and Sesame Soba Noodles

Inari Sushi with Mushroom, Kinpira, and Hijiki, Spicy Tuna Rolls, and Smoked Salmon Rolls

Spring Rolls

Chocolate Cake

Thanks to my sister for introducing me to this wonderful place and treating me to this delicioius dinner!  It was a great weekend!

M Café de Chaya
9343 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
★★★★★

In Search of the Best Caprese: Bottle Rock

Up until a few years ago, I could not eat tomatoes. I was fine with tomato sauce or any cooked version of the red fruit (or is it vegetable?) but I couldn’t eat anything with the slimy seeds still in tacked. It just grossed me out.

All changed, however, during my trip to Florence when I tasted the sweetest and the freshest tomato in the world in the mozzarella / tomato / basil grilled panini form. For the rest of the stay, I consumed as much of the fruit as humanly possible, in pastas, salads, sandwiches … you name it I ate it. But my favorite was always in Insalata Caprese.

For me, Insalata Caprese, a simple salad of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, is not just my favorite tomato dish, but one of my favorite dishes, period. I’m always on the lookout for the freshest and the best tasting one that reminds me of my stay in Italy. But what I often forget is that cheese has as much importance as the tomato in this salad, and the Caprese I had at Bottle Rock in Culver City reminded me of that.

Caprese offered at Bottle Rock, a busy wine bar in the heart of Culver City, is an ordinary tomato / mozzarella salad with a kick, using a creamy, luscious burrata cheese in place of the thick, chewy cousin. Burrata, a hybrid of mozzarella and cream, where the outer mozzarella serves as the shell for the heavenly cream that resides in the middle, tastes a little like a fluffy tofu, and gives a distinct, sophisticated feel to this Italian staple.  The cheese, accompanied by sweet heirloom tomato wedges, drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil, was simply divine, especially paired with your favorite red. There are over 800 wine labels from around the world at Bottle Rock, and you’re sure to find the one you love from its extensive seller.

Bottle Rock
3847 Main Street, Culver City, CA 90232
★★★★★

Bringing Back the Pizza Night!

My boyfriend and I are fearless eaters. And I don’t mean fearless in an Anthony Bourdain sort of way. We’re fearless in that we’re not afraid of what other patrons may think of us when we clean out the buffet table. We both love food, and needless to say, we eat a lot.

I was doing some math in my head the other day, figuring out how much we actually spend on food every month (I must have been running because there’s really nothing else to do than some random, mental calculation) and the amount came out astronomical. I couldn’t believe how much money we were eating away! This reckless spending had to stop!

As a cost saving measure, we’ve decided to make Thursday our “Dinner at Home” night, where we would cook at home. The dinner doesn’t have to be anything fancy as long as it’s economical, quick and fun, like the homemade pizza we made the other night.

For the pizza dough, we used the pre-made ones I picked up from Trader Joe’s. I purchased two – one herb and garlic, and the other wheat. We made the traditional one (pictured above) using the wheat dough. We spread marinara sauce on the dough, and piled it with mozzarella cheese, parsley, sliced red onions, tomatoes (fresh from my mother’s garden), and prosciutto ham.

We made the Fancy Pizza, pictured above, (there’s really no particular reason for this naming other than that it was slightly fancier than the other, more traditional kind) using the herb dough, and here’s the recipe for it:

Fancy Pizza

package of already-made pizza dough (Trader Joe’s has them in the cheese/ham section)
3 large yellow onions, finely sliced
cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup white wine (I used the leftover Pinot Grigio)
3 Stuffing Portabello Mushroom, sliced (they’re slightly smaller than Portobello but larger than Porcini)
1/2 cup spinach, sautéed
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (not the fresh kind, it wets the dough too much)
1/2 cup goat cheese
3 tablespoons Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta (optional)

Instruction

① Roll the pizza dough on a well-floured working surface to a desired shape and size. We made ours rectangular to fit the baking pan. Rolling the dough is not as easy as it looks since the dough is very elasticy and bounces back easily. If you can, pick up the dough and stretch it in air. You don’t need to toss it in the air like Italians do but the weight of the dough will stretch itself out when you pick it up.

② Sautee sliced onion and chopped garlic with olive oil in low heat. Add white white and cook until the onion is clear and caramelized and the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. I recommend using Le Cruset if you have one for even heating. I know this is a long time to baby the onion but it’s worth it!

③ Remove the sautéed onion onto a seperate plate

④ Sautee the spinach in the same pan, for about 30 seconds until it wilts slightly

⑤ Layer the pizza dough in this order: ①marinara sauce, ②mozzarella cheese, ③sautéed onion, ④portabello mushroom, ⑤sautéed spinach, ⑥goat cheese, and ⑦　tomato bruschetta.

⑥ Bake in 450 degree F for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melt golden brown and the dough is cooked through.

We washed down the pizza goodness with Napa River Merlot I picked up from Trader Joe’s for like $4.99. We can’t beat that price, for sure! I thought the pizzas were delicious. I liked the Fancy Pizza better but surprisingly, the traditional one was more popular. It’s amazing how great the caramelized onion and goat cheese go so well together!

Icing on the Cake: Cream Cheese Frosting (oh, and the cake)

Cream cheese frosting, hands down, is the best frosting that exist in the confectionery world today. It’s the granddaddy of all cake sidekicks. Move over, whipped cream, your airy texture has nothing on the luscious, tangy goodness of this cream cheese delight. Although I’m not a big fan of its artery-clotting cousins (buttercream in particular), I’m convinced that I eat cupcakes just for the heavenly Philly spread that sits pretty on top

I was particularly craving the lovely, fro-yo like tanginess of cream cheese frosting one weekend. I almost ran out the door to drive 20-plus miles to my favorite cupcake place (aka my dealer) but I headed over to a local grocery store instead to pick up couple blocks of cream cheese (reduced fat kind, I mind you) so I can make some at home. It was my mother’s birthday celebration weekend so I decided to bake strawberry shortcake with the refreshing frosting for the special occasion.

I knew that the regular chiffon cake used in the Japanese version of strawberry shortcakes wouldn’t stand up to the thick, powerful flavor of cream cheese icing, so I decided to bake a more dense cake for the base. I knew that the finished product will taste more like a giant cupcake than strawberry shortcake but I was excited to give it a try.

Cake Recipe (Makes 2 x 9-inch cakes)
(The recipe is a variation of the Green Tea Cupcakes recipe from the Cupcake Bakeshop. I have baked the green tea cake several times with great results so I decided to stick with this recipe (sans matcha green tea powder) because of the dense consistency. I added a tablespoon of vanilla extract which was not included in the recipe).

2 sticks of unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk

Cream Cheese Icing (this is my own recipe but loosely inspired by More from Magnolia cookbook, enough for 2 layer 9-inch cake)

1 pound (2 x 8 oz package) of reduced fat cream cheese
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoon butter

More strawberries the better!

Do you think we got enough frosting on the cake?

The cake was certainly not the traditional “strawberry shortcake” but it was still delicious. I put the cake in the fridge for about 6 hours after decorating to set the cream cheese icing and although the corner of the cake had dried out a bit when we were ready to eat it, the interior was still surprisingly moist and sponge-y. Even after a day or two, the cake remained delicious.