Sunday, January 24, 2010

possessed by the devil's water


Fernet Branca
Originally uploaded by Morten Iveland
just for kicks i made fernet branca ice cream a few days ago. it is awesome!!

ever had fernet branca?

now im wondering what to pair with it. some ideas are gingerbread cake, carrot cake, orange zeppole ... seems like a spiced cake is the way to go. suggestions?

so for your enjoyment: fernet branca ice cream

2 oz fernet branca
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 oz butter
2 oz fernet branca
1/2 tsp ultra-tex 3

cook off alcohol from first 2 oz fernet branca.
reduce fernet by 3/4.
add sugar, milk and cream. bring to a light simmer.
add butter. whisk.
remove from heat.
add last 2 oz fernet branca and ultra-tex 3.
blend on high for 2 minutes.
chill.
run in ice cream machine.

enjoy!!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

down in the south ...

last weekend i went to nyc for much needed vacation (last one was 4 years ago!!) and inspiration. we ate a lot. tastings every night at the countries best restaurants, nougatine by jean-georges, wd~50, morimoto and corton.

i was blown away by the service at these restaurants. i was more blown away by the food. i needed this, inspiration. i cannot compete with those guys, they are light years ahead of me. but i can create desserts a southerner like me will enjoy.

after all the food, i came back to texas filled with ideas. a new dessert menu ensues.

southern desserts:
soft ganache brulee, popcorn ice cream, cumin pudding, pecan praline

"egg in a basket" caramelized TX toast, sweet yolk, bacon brittle, jalapeno butter

textured lemon: curd, sorbet, crisp, honey-tea granola

TX ruby red grapefruit granita, whipped honey, pickled pear

banana bread bread pudding, whipped brie, piloncillo, grapefruit

goat cheese and grit zeppole, green tomato sorbet, sweet basil sun tea

what yall think?

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Sweet on Texas

So i decided to make a Texas themed tasting for Ms Lisa Fain because of her twitter handle @homesicktexan. What better way to welcome a Texan home than with a pea-can pie? sent out a cry for help on twitter, and within 5 minutes, my menu was written. i love my twitter family, so very helpful.


Texan Dessert Tasting

pecan tart, milk jam, coffee ice cream

apple and cheddar hot pockets, vanilla ice cream

"corndog" corncakes, hot dog ketchup, mustard ice cream

tres leches - my way

fried pumpkin cupcake, buttercream ice cream

texas toast pain perdu, bacon ice cream

sweet potato beignets, brown butter ice cream

oaxacan hot chocolate, alfajores

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

sweet sweet foie


foie cookies
Originally uploaded by fuzzzycatt
order seared foie at a restaurant. chances are you will more than likely get something super sweet that pairs with its. gastriques, pineapples, brittle, etc. so why hasn't anyone used foie as a full on dessert?

i mean, why not?

so far i have to applications with foie (more to come in the future): buttercream and ice cream.

pictured are oatmeal cookies with foie gras buttercream and dulce de leche. the other dessert i have with foie is butterscotch bread pudding, nutella, foie gras ice cream.

coming up with the recipes was quite simple. and in sharing fashion (and if you just happen to have foie laying around), here are the recipes:

foie gras buttercream
4 oz foie gras
14 oz butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup heavy cream
pinch salt

cook foie in pan over medium heat. be sure to contantly whisk to avoid burning.
cook foie until all fat has been rendered out and foie protein has caramelized.
strain through fine chinois, press down on chinois to get as much of the caramelized foie fat (remember, foie is expensive, no waste!)
chill over night.
next day place foie fat, butter, sugar, cream and salt in bowl of electric mixer.
with paddle attachment, mix until buttercream is smooth and light. done and enjoy!

foie gras ice cream
6 oz foie gras
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
pinch salt
1/8 tsp xantham gum

cook foie in pot over medium heat. cook until all fat from foie has rendered out and is caramelized.
add remaining ingrediemts, whisk until hot.
once hot, place in blender and blen on high.
strain foie ice cream base with fine chinois.
chill.
run in and according to ice cream machine.
done and enjoy.

if you attempt these recipes, lemme know if you need any help.hope all goes well and enjoy foie as a dessert

Thursday, November 12, 2009

let them eat cake

lately i've been noticing (after a few cocktails) alot of crazy ideas are born at anvil. for example, riding the MS150 next year. and now this: a 10 course all cake dessert tasting!! very excited about this one.

heres the preliminary menu:

carrot cake souffle (charlie palmer) w/ spiced ginger ice cream
red velvet cake w/ cream cheese ice cream
german chocolate cake w/ coconut ice cream
warm pumpkin cake w/ brown butter ice cream
devils and angels food cake w/ apricot sorbet
cheesecake
"breakfast" donuts, bacon, jelly, egg
sweet potato beignet w/ bacon ice cream
funnel cake w/ spam ice cream
brown butter pound cake w/ goat cheese ice cream

also, after a few cocktails i too said that i would pair each course with an ice cream.

oh! and if you would like to do this tasting, email me. lets set a date psandalio@yahoo.com

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

before/after dessert tasting

a few days back i posted on twitter about doing a before and after dessert tasting. this was in response to my own fear that people think i can't make classic desserts. in order to prove to them (and myself), i will be doing very classic desserts as part of this tasting. the tasting will consist of a very classic preparation on a dessert followed by a modern preparation.

this is the tentative menu

1. classic: creme brulee / modern: vanilla custard in textures

2. classic: lava cake / modern: toasted chocolate sponge, warm chocolate spheres

3. classic: cheesecake / modern: graham cracker cheesecake, crispy cream cheese crust

4. classic: souffle / modern: 10 second microwave souffle

5. classic: lemon meringue pie / modern: lemon frozen custard, hot meringue, liquid sable

still have no date for this tasting, but if you interested email me. also, if you have any dessert requests you'd like to see on the before/after tasting, email me.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

houston press interview


plinio by fabio
Originally uploaded by fuzzzycatt
a few days back i was interviewed by david buehrer for the houston press' eating our words blog.

read the interview herehere