Spring Thaw

Drinking in the sunshine with a bottomless thirst, tiny shoots burst forth with renewed vigor after a long winter’s slumber. Awakened by the warmth, heads still full of dreams, they blossom with intoxicating brilliance. Splashing color like splattered pant across cracked sidewalks, breaking through the earth’s crust in empty alleyways, everything is fresh and new again. Anything is possible.

Spring is the season of renewal, a shift toward forward motion that I can feel acutely in my bones. At last, I can throw off heavy knit blankets and rise with the sun again. At last, I can take deep, restorative breaths, not sharp and shallow gasps, to fill my lungs with the scents of freesia, jasmine, and lilac.

Inspiration abounds; from farmers markets to urban foraging, there’s no shortage of new, novel, inspiring ingredients. One unconventional source has haunted me for years, though, like a promise unfulfilled. Back when I aspired to a career in fine pastry, crafting fancy plated desserts in Michelin-starred kitchens, El Bulli positively captivated me. Creating dishes based upon nature but crafted with startlingly sophisticated, scientific methods, it was like nothing I had seen before. I spent all my allowance money on obscure, out of print cookbooks, trying to decode their magic. That’s where I first came across the concept of “Deshielo,” also known as “Thaw”

Deshielo was inspired by the ice melting in spring with the first shoots sprouting out of the frozen blanket. The description of the dessert itself is as daunting as it is confounding. “Coffee and licorice sponge and yogurt gelatin with concentrated lemon sorbet, rose sugar, and frozen water powder. Different herbs and flowers blooming in matcha tea sugar.”

Many years later, modified, simplified, my rendition has finally blossomed into a reality. Cake is now the feature, infused with robust coffee flavor and the licorice-y perfume of fennel. Crisp cacao nibs contrast sharply to the soft, moist crumb beneath, but that’s only the beginning. Lemon granita lends a unique chilling effect which draws out the citrus elements of the brew. Matcha sugar, a study in balance between the bitter tea leaves and pure crystalline sweetness, peeks out from this frigid topper, crowned with a glorious shoot of fresh mint, a few fallen candied rose petals at its side. Yes, it’s quite a lot of flavors all in one bite, many that would seem to conflict on paper, but they coalesce into a stunning springtime celebration on the plate.

It’s not quite molecular gastronomy, far more humble than fine patisserie, but a genuine, passionate ode to the spirit of the season.

Continue reading “Spring Thaw” →

March 20, 2020March 20, 2020

Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

Around the World in 80 Plates: Buenos Aires, Argentina

These past few weeks of constant culinary travel really did wear me out, so I can only imagine how the chefs actually making the trek must feel! After a much needed one week intermission, we’re back on the road again, pounding the pavement in search of new edible inspiration. Today, our path brings us to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Buenos Aires, alive with bright colors and lively music through all hours of the day, immediately brings to mind tango dances and beautiful beaches, but desserts? Not so much. Luckily, there does seem to be a universal craving just beneath the surface, and everyone from school children to their grandparents can agree that dulce de leche is pretty much the unofficial sweet spread of this capital city, and beyond.

Whereas peanut butter or nutella might be commonplace on breakfast toast in the US, you’re much more likely to find a sticky jar of caramelized milk jam on the table here. It truly shines, of course, when it comes time for dessert, and that often means wedged between two delicate shortbread cookies in the form of alfajores. Though found in many parts of South America, there’s a good amount of variation between cultures, with some containing no gooey dulce de leche filling at all. Argentinians win the honor of calling Alfajores their own, by my own estimation, since they firmly hold the title as the world’s largest consumer of those addictive sugary sandwiches.

Still in the grip of a killer heat wave back at home, all I can think about are chilled, frozen, or otherwise cooling treats, so ice cream is still front and center on my mind. Whipping up a dulce de leche-flavored creamy concoction with the help of my coconut milk-based Dulce de Coco from Vegan Desserts, the rest of the plated dessert came together effortlessly. The plated version pictured above includes a fluffy crown of whipped coconut creme and long ribbons of toasted coconut flakes, calling to mind the optional dip in coconut flakes that some alfajores take, and harmonizing beautifully with the subtle coconut essence of the ice cream. No need to get so fancy if the heat becomes too much to bear; Just slap a scoop of the ice cream between two cookies, roll in coconut flakes like the original, and you’re good to go.

Yield: Makes 6 Plated Desserts, with Extras for Nibbling

Ice Cream Alfajores

Name: Ice Cream Alfajores
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Argentinian
Ingredients: 1 Cup Dulce de Coco (Vegan Desserts, page 213) or Store-Bought Vegan Dulce De Leche; 2 1/3 Cups Plain Non-Dairy Milk; 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch; 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract; 1/4 Teaspoon Salt; 5 Tablespoons Vegan Butter; 1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar; 1/4 Teaspoon Lemon Zest; 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract; 1/8 Teaspoon Almond Extract; 3/4 Cup Cornstarch; 1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour; 1 Tablespoon Arrowroot; 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder; 2 – 3 Tablespoons Full-Fat Coconut Milk; Additional Dulce de Coco; Whipped Coconut Cream; Lightly Toasted Coconut Chips; Mint Leaves and Nasturtium Blossoms or Other Edible Flowers (Optional)

Alfajores typically take rich dulce de leche and sandwich it between two delicate shortbread cookies, but in this elegant plated dessert, those flavors are re-imagined as a decadent caramel ice cream with a fluffy crown of whipped coconut creme and toasted coconut flakes, calling to mind the optional dip in coconut flakes that some alfajores take.

Ingredients

Dulce de Coco Ice Cream:

1 Cup Dulce de Coco (Vegan Desserts, page 213) or Store-Bought Vegan Dulce De Leche
2 1/3 Cups Plain Non-Dairy Milk
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Shortbread Cookies:

5 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/8 Teaspoon Almond Extract
3/4 Cup Cornstarch
1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Arrowroot
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 – 3 Tablespoons Full-Fat Coconut Milk

Garnish:

Additional Dulce de Coco
Whipped Coconut Cream
Lightly Toasted Coconut Chips
Mint Leaves and Nasturtium Blossoms or Other Edible Flowers (Optional)

Instructions

Beginning with the ice cream, be sure to have the dulce de coco prepared and fully cooled in advance. Whisk it into the non-dairy milk in a medium saucepan, and vigorously beat in the cornstarch as well, ensuring that all lumps of starch are broken up and incorporated. Set the pan over medium heat on the stove, and whisk occasionally, until it comes to a full, rolling boil.
Turn off the heat before stirring in the vanilla and salt. Let cool to room temperature before thoroughly chilling the mixture in the fridge, for at least 3 hours. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
When finished churning, smooth the still soft, freshly churned into silicon hemisphere molds for a plated presentation, or simply transfer to an air-tight container. Store in the freeze to set up solidly; at least 5 hours, to be certain that it won’t immediately melt on the plate.
Meanwhile, to make the cookies, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. Set aside.
In your stand mixer, beat the vegan butter briefly to soften, and then cream it together with the sugar. Beat thoroughly until homogeneous, and then add in the zest and both extracts. Mix to incorporate.
Separately, whisk together all of the remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl. Incorporate them into the stand mixer with the speed on low in two additions. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl as needed, to ensure that everything is being mixed in smoothly.
Finally, drizzle in the coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together when pressed. It should be a fairly firm, almost crumbly dough, so don’t go crazy with the added liquid. If it’s too sticky, it won’t roll out properly.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and use a rolling pin to flatten it out to about 1/8th of an inch in thickness. Cut out rounds with a 2 3/4- or 3-inch fluted cookie cutter, and transfer the shapes to your prepared baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for about 15 minutes, until the tops of the cookies no longer look moist, but not so long that they look browned. The finished cookies should remain very pale.
Cool completely on wire racks, and chill further before applying the ice cream.
To make a simple ice cream sandwich, just take one shortbread cookie, plop a scoop of the ice cream on top, and finish it off with one more cookie. You can wrap them individually and store them in the freezer, to be doled out as desired.
For the plated presentation, start by piping out a few decorative dollops of coconut whipped cream on top of one cookie, and artfully sticking a handful of the toasted coconut chips into it. Place a second cookie on the plate, and pop out one hemisphere of solidly frozen ice cream.
Stack the ice cream puck on the plain cookie, and carefully balance the decorated cookie on top. If it threatens to slide off, lightly melt the top of the ice cream dome with a hot knife or metal spatula, just enough to flatten out the peak slightly. Finally, garnish the plate with additional dulce de coco, mint leaves, and nasturtiums if desired.

Notes

There's no need to make your treats so fancy; Just slap a scoop of the ice cream between two cookies, roll in coconut flakes, and you’re good to go.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 477Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 272mgCarbohydrates: 68gFiber: 1gSugar: 45gProtein: 8g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

July 9, 2012June 26, 2023

Hannah (BitterSweet)21 Comments

The Case for Delicata

While pumpkin continues to be the reigning king of all things autumn, presiding over an illustrious array of both sweet and savory seasonal dishes, countless other squashes and gourds are forced to watch from the sidelines, all but forgotten on those dusty supermarket shelves. The pumpkin’s immense popularity has in fact gotten it into a bit of trouble this year, scaring bakers and cooks all across the country with the threat of shortages. Though shaken, I was not compelled to buy out every last can of puree still lingering at the store (but I will admit it crossed my mind once or twice,) because I have a secret weapon; an oblong, yellow and green trick up my sleeve.

Long overlooked for that iconic symbol of fall, the delicata squash may actually be my all time favorite, even a step above the pumpkin. Gasp, heresy, you say? Not at all! Because the delicata has such thin skin, you don’t actually have to peel it before baking and eating it, making it so many million times easier to prepare. And that flavor, oh, it’s just as good if not better than its orange-fleshed cousin. Yet for all its ease and versatility, you would be hard pressed to find a decent dessert recipe that called for one, despite the thousands upon thousands- Perhaps millions- of pumpkin options.

A new day is dawning, thanks to that little pumpkin puree snafu, and while other cooks are scrambling to fill the void, I’d like to recommend my new friend, the delicata, to pick up the slack. Of course, you can very happily puree it after baking and use it for pies and breads, anything you might use pumpkin puree for. But I’d rather push further, really take advantage of its unique colors and shape, and feature it in a more unique fashion.

Roasted in a simple mixture of olive oil and maple syrup to enhance its natural sweetness, small pieces are scattered throughout a soft vanilla bean panna cotta, which is perched on top of a “crust” of crunchy gingerbread crumbs. For great drama in presentation, I chose to top each dessert with a grand flourish, inserting crispy dehydrated rings of delicata and finishing it off with a few candied seeds, utilizing all the goodness this squash has to offer. To simplify, these final two elements can easily be removed from the equation without harming the end results, and in fact, my mom did claim she liked her plate better without them anyways.

To each their own. This is the only sort of drama that I happen to like.

Yield: Makes 6 Servings

Delicata Panna Cotta

Roasted delicata squash, lightly glazed with olive oil and maple syrup, is folded into a silky vanilla bean panna cotta set atop a crunchy gingerbread crumb crust. For a dramatic finish, it’s topped with crisp dehydrated squash rings and candied seeds, though these can easily be skipped without sacrificing flavor.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Maple-Roasted Delicata:

1 Medium (Approximately 20-Ounce) Delicata Squash
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
Pinch Salt and Pepper

Gingersnap Crumb Crust:

1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Vegan Butter, Melted
1/4 Cup Molasses

Yogurt Panna Cotta:

1 Cup Plain, Unsweetened Vegan Yogurt
1/2 Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
3/4 Cup Vanilla Non-Dairy Milk
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Arrowroot
1 1/2 Teaspoons Agar Powder
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Beginning with the roasted delicata, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Cut your delicata squash in half, and remove the seeds from both halves, reserving them for later. Take once half and chop it into small, raisin-sized pieces. With the other half, slice it into rings, as thin as you can manage- If you have a mandoline, you may want to use it now. I would recommend slicing the rings no thicker than 1 – 1.5 mm, as they will not become crisp otherwise. You may wish to cut out about one inch of each ring so that they’re not perfect circles to make them easier to insert into the dessert.
In a large bowl, stir together the oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Add in the pieces first, tossing to coat. Carefully scoop them out of the bowl using a slotted spoon, and arrange them in one even layer on a baking sheet. Now move the rings into the mixture, tossing to coat as well, and arranging them in an even layer on a desperate baking sheet. Finally, take your reserved seeds, rinse and dry them of excess squash guts, and toss them in the remaining maple mixture. Spread them out on the same sheet as the delicata rings.
Once the oven hits temperature, take the baking sheet with the pieces first, and bake alone for 15 – 20 minutes, until lightly browned and tender. Remove them and let cool on the sheet.
Lower the oven to 300 degrees, and move in the rings and seeds once it gets to that temperature. Bake for 30 – 45 minutes, keeping a very close eye on them so that they don’t burn. Bake them for as long as possible before they start looking too dark. Let cool on the sheet.
Moving on to the gingersnap crust, turn the oven back up slightly to 325 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, spices, and salt to evenly distribute all of the dry goods throughout the mixture. Separately, whisk together the melted vegan butter and molasses, and then pour both into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir to combine, vigorously if need be, as it will be a fairly thick batter. Scoop out the resulting batter and use your hands to press it into one large sheet of cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Use all the space you have to make it as thin and even as possible.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until the edges darken. Don’t be alarmed if the center is actually still bubbling; I promise that it will solidify when it cools. Let the giant gingersnap cool on the sheet.
Once completely cooled, break it up into large chunks (it should be very crisp) and place them into your food processor. Pulse until it becomes a coarse meal. Set aside.
Finally, for the panna cottas, lightly grease 6 popover pan indents, baba molds, or worst comes to worst, regular 4-ounce ramekins, and set aside.
Place a medium saucepan over moderate heat, and whisk together the yogurt, coconut milk, and milk. In a separate dish, mix together the sugar, agar, and arrow root before slowly sprinkling it into the liquids, whisking vigorously the whole time. Cook the mixture, while continuously whisking gently, until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, and equally distribute the liquid between your prepared molds.
Measure out about 1 cup of your roasted delicata pieces, and drop in equal amounts into each mold. Some will sink and some will float, making for a more or less even distribution. (If you have extra pieces left over, they’re fantastic tossed into a salad, or on top of a pizza, or in a casserole… Or just plain as a side dish, of course!) Let the panna cottas sit at room temperature until they’ve cooled completely, at which time you can move them into the fridge to chill.
To serve, spoon a good amount of crumbs onto each plate (be generous, you should have plenty), and turn out one panna cotta on top. Insert the crispy delicata rings as desired, and sneak a few roasted seeds in beneath, just to cover the top of the panna cottas. Serve, and be prepared to impress!