KITCHY EATS

NOODLES: WESTSIDE AND EASTSIDE EDITION

I have a huge soft spot for cash only Asian institutions, and an even bigger one for delicious broth.   Broth is transformative and magical, taking a totally crap day (because of an awful cold, awful weather, or awful anything) and making it melt away with every aromatic spoonful. These two restaurants are little holes-in-the-walls and serve up delicious fair, but they also couldn't be more different. 

Asahi Ramen on Sawtelle Blvd. serves ramen noodles in several kinds of broth (clear, miso, soy sauce, etc.) with an assortment of ingredients.  You can build your own or order one of their variations. I order the Mabo Ramen: tofu, ground pork, scallions and ramen in a spicy sauce in a soy sauce based soup.  The spice is subtle and if I'm in the need for some throat tickling heat I'll add a tiny dab of Sriracha to the bowl.  I've tried a few other hot ramen choices, but the Mabo is by far my favorite. It is the perfect soup to end a long day with its deep savory flavors and bright punches of scallions punctuating the broth. Not to mention that one order of soup will easily feed 2 or 3.  Ah! I want some now!  Also fabulous are the gyoza, which my boyfriend ordered for nostalgic purposes (his diet before he met me consisted solely of Trader Joe's frozen ones).  They're crisped up and golden brown on the bottom, but silky everywhere else, just how I like them.  The fried rice is also great, in a very no fuss way.  It's a simple mix of pork, egg, carrots, peas, and scallion and not too greasy.  While I wait for my broth I shovel the rice into my mouth greedily while my boyfriend inhales the gyoza.  Yikes, what a pair.  

Lightly pickled cucumbers served before the meal.

Gyoza!

Hits-The-Spot Fried Rice.

Mabo Ramen, my soul-soothing elixir.





Meanwhile, on the Eastside, Pho Cafe serves up a rich broth with rice noodles, as well as other popular Vietnamese fair. Typical of almost every place in Silverlake, the restaurant is stylishly well designed, with stark white walls, wooden panels, orange chairs and simple pendant lamps dropping from the ceiling.   The food is just as clean and simple, with clear flavors permeating the Pho, Bun, and Spring Rolls.  

This was my first experience with Pho, though I've heard it raved about before, and it met my high expectations.  This broth is spicy in the sweet sense, with star anise and cinnamon adding depth and fresh basil and chili adding brightness.  I had the simplest offering on the menu, Pho Tai, the rice noodle soup with rare steak and fresh herbs.  It was lovely in a way completely different from the Mabo Ramen.  With the savory bun (a cold noodle dish served with egg rolls, shrimp, lemongrass marinated steak, and fresh herbs) and succulent spring rolls, the intoxicating broth offsets the others' fresh flavors.   

My boyfriend, Peter, giving his order.

The Pho Tai, after we added the herbs and chili.

The herbs served with the Pho.

Delicious spring rolls.

Savory Bun.

MIXED BERRY CHEESECAKE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE CRUST

I love color.  Bright bright bright natural hues just make me happy.  And in desserts, berries can add that extra punch of both color and flavor for an over-the-top indulgence.  Take the simple cheesecake, for instance.  Perfect in its own right, with just a little lemon zest for brightness.  But with piles of berries dripping down the sides and syrup added to the cake itself, the whole thing says "PINK" in a blinking neon sign.  With the chocolate crust the cheesecake takes on a deeper, richer, more decadent flavor. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

2 cups of chocolate cookie crumbs, such as the cookie part of Oreos (process whole cookies in a food processor until they are crumbs)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cake:

32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (use full fat, not reduced or fat free cream cheese)
1 cup white sugar, plus 1/4 cup for the berry syrup
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
5 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon rose water (optional, though I think it adds a lovely floral note)

1 tablespoon Chambord

1/2 pint blueberries

1/2 pint blackberries

1 pint raspberries

1 pint strawberries

Directions:

Grease a 9 inch springform pan. Place the springform pan on a larger baking pan to catch any leakage while the cheesecake is baking. Preheat oven to 350 F with rack in the center of the oven.

For Crust:

In a medium sized bowl combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For the Cake:

Combine all of the berries, Chambord, 1/4 cup of sugar, and lemon juice in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Stir for 10 minutes, until the mixture has become extremely liquid and reduced a little.  Strain the mixture, reserving both the syrup and the cooked berries.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, place the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, and incorporate after each addition. Add the whipping cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract, rose water, and 3/4 cup of the berry syrup. Beat until incorporated. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour in the filling. Place the cheesecake pan on a larger baking pan and place in the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees F and continue to bake for about another 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours or until firm and only the center of the cheesecake looks a little wobbly.   Remover the cake from the oven and drag a knife around the edge (circumference) of the cake to loosen it from the spring form (this also prevents cracking).  The cake will be a little brown on top with a mauve-y purple-pink hue underneath.

Let it cool before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night to let the cake set and flavors deepen.

The next day, take the remaining berries and syrup and pile it on top of the cake.  Using a small spatula, cover the sides in the syrup and cooked berries as well.  Serve and Enjoy!

KITCHY EATS

The fact that I haven't diverted your attention to this place yet is just plain wrong, as I'm here at least three times a week.  And sorry to anyone from the east-side reading this, but Caffe Luxxe beats out Intelligentsia for my coffee fueled needs.  There.  I said it.  Let the sharks vs jets style turf war for espresso supremacy begin!

Actually it would be ristretto vs ristretto supremacy, as Caffe Luxxe serves ristretto shots in their drinks (as does Intelligentsia), making it a rare find in the coffee shop world.  After reading about the ristretto method for pulling espresso shots (where a shorter brewing cycle enables the sweetest flavors to be extracted before the bitter ones can develop) in one of my favorite publications, Gastronomica, I was on a mission to find one in LA.  I stopped by a few places I expected to see ristretto offered: LA Mill, Intellgentsia, etc., but got nowhere fast.  I walked into Caffe Luxxe, which I had already been frequenting on a regular basis and asked: "You don't have a ristretto shot, do you?"

"All of our drinks are made with ristretto shots."

So I had been sipping ristretto all along!  It made perfect sense when I compared what I had heard about ristretto to what I was served at Caffe Luxxe: abundantly thick crema, the deep auburn layer of emulsified oils that cover the surface, and sweet mellow flavors sometimes with a kiss of floral aromas underneath.   I may be bordering on hagiography, but the sips I've enjoyed by my favorite baristas there were outstanding.  Each shot is about 3/4 of an ounce (the average espresso shot can be 2 ounces) and pulled in 25 seconds. All of these elements combine to make what Caffe Luxxe promises: una bella tazza di espresso – a beautiful cup of espresso. 

My Favorite Non-Fat Cappuccino

God, just look at that foam!

Erik doing his thing behind the counter.

The pastries are provided by Bread Bar, a local boulangerie.

The simple espresso menu (Drip coffees are available at the Santa Monica location).

A description of their two beans: A Capella (for pure ristretto shots) and Testarossa (to go with steamed milk).

Ian's Signature Drink

The main reason I haunt Caffe Luxxe so often is not necessarily for their superlative coffee.  As my mom keeps reminding me, caffeine and I don't mix too well, so I have to keep it to a minimum.  But jumpy nerves be damned! I keep returning because the baristas are just really really cool. Erik, Nathan, and Ian are the three I run into at the Brentwood location, and other than knowing their espresso inside and out, they each bring a special something to their drinks.  Erik is a trained chef and major foodie, Nathan is a classically trained singer, and Ian just competed in a national Barista competition, representing Caffe Luxxe for the first time.

The competition is judged by a panel of 7, based on the physical drink and technique (i.e. the cleanliness of your station).  Each barista must present 4 espresso shots, 4 cappuccinos, and 4 signature drinks--a concoction from the individual's imagination.  Ian was generous enough to make his signature drink for me, and just, wow.  Wow.  It's beyond amazing.  I'd  like to start the petition to add his drink to Caffe Luxxe's menu.  

The drink starts with half an ounce of fresh bay leaf and juniper berry simple syrup.  In my mind this blend of aromatics is beautiful with venison or as Erik suggested, with salmon, not necessarily with something sweet.  But then again, olive oil is delicious on vanilla ice cream and balsamic is great with strawberries, so it's no surprise that this mix would be beautiful with the depth of a Caffe Luxxe ristretto.  Next, a ristretto shot is added with a small dollop of steamed whole milk.  Add one strip of orange zest and voila! A sophisticated non alcoholic aperitif is created.

I didn't get Ian's exact recipe, but from what I gathered, it goes as such: combine equal parts sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add a bunch of fresh bay leaves and about 4 or 5 fresh juniper berries to the mix. Anymore than that, and the syrup may start tasting like gin, "Which might not be such a bad thing," said Ian.  But for our purposes, we'll stick to 4 or 5.  Turn off the heat and allow the syrup to cool. Bottle the syrup with the berries and bay leaves to keep infusing it with flavor. Ian's mix had been infusing for a little over a week.

Add one tablespoon of the syrup to a small glass.  Pull a good shot of espresso.  I feel like that's saying bake a perfect souffle or rub your belly and pat your head at the same time, as it's harder than it sounds.  I'm by no means an expert, but a good starting place is grinding your own beans right before you pack the shot.  Also, overfill your filter with the ground beans and even the surface with your finger.  Push the tamp into the filter with about 30 to 50 pounds of pressure.  If you have no idea what this feels like (because lord knows I didn't) try pressing your tamp onto a bathroom scale until you reach the right level of pressure.  Also, the espresso should drip out in a thick steady stream or reddish-brown liquid.  If the stream is coming out too quickly, the grind may be too coarse.  Pull your shot for 25 seconds.  It should be around 1 to 2 ounces.  The crema should be thick and a rich caramel color.  If it is thin and quickly recedes to the edges, it's not a good sign. 

Pour the shot over the syrup and top with some foamed whole milk and a strip of freshly zested orange.  Mix with a spoon and enjoy!

HOMEMADE SAUSAGES

I'm a fool for good packaging.  When I'm choosing between two items, say two bottles of wine or two types of hand soap, I go with whatever looks cooler.  It's mostly to blame on the fact that half of my family is in advertising.  Everything is about the package.  You should see the birthday cards these  people make! My dad's are typical of his draftsman style, all done with a few lines of thin pen ink and a wash of color here or there.  My sister's are either typographically driven, with a gorgeous hand drawn font, or silk screened on a t-shirt and handed out to the family as party favors.  So when it comes to packaging in food, I have to say that the sausage is king in my mind: the perfect ratio of meat, fat, and seasoning stuffed into a casing and tied off into a chubby little link.  The package ensures superb flavor, bursting juiciness, and perfect browning all around.  It's efficient, simple, and as I've discovered, my dad's all time favorite meal.  Specifically, the mole sausage with the roasted poblano creamed corn.  So satiated was he by the meal, that he told me how he really felt: "You know, I like your food and all, but this," he holds up half a sausage on his fork emphatically, "is really really good."  

It's a shame then, that sausages can get such a bad rap, with their dubious fillings and general "peasant dish-ness."   They're a wonderful way to conserve leftovers, transform lesser cuts of meat, and create the main component of an entree without much fuss at all.   The only slightly fenegal-ly thing is that they require some special equipment and ingredients, but once you get going it's a snap and you can freeze whatever you don't eat that night.  So please give it a shot. I guarantee that people will be astounded and impressed by the quality of your homemade sausages.

 

Uncooked Fresh Sausages

Sundried Tomato and Garlic Chicken Sausage with Tomato, Leek and Basil Pasta

For the Sausage:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed

2/3 pound pork back fat, cubed

1 1/2 tablespoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic

1/3 cup diced sun dried tomatoes

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

1/4 cup red wine vinegar and dry red wine (like a chianti or cabernet sauvignon) mixed and chilled

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 feet of hog casings, soaked in tepid water for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 days) and rinsed through.

Directions:

A quick note: it is very important that the meat remains extremely cold throughout the sausage making process, bordering on frozen even.  This is to prevent "smearing," where the fat gets broken down and is smeared into the meat.  This not only gunks up the grinder, so you have to clean it out halfway through, it also causes havoc within the actual sausage : resulting in stringy, pasty meat and pools of fat when cooked.  Gross.  So pop the meat mixture in the freezer between every step.

Combine the meat, fat, salt, pepper, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, oregano and toss together to mix. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for several hours.

Grind the mixture through the small die on your meat grinder (I use the Kitchen Aid attachment, which is super convenient) and into the mixing bowl.  Attach the mixing bowl to the mixer, and using the paddle attachment mix on low speed for about 1 minute.  Add the vinegar, wine, and oil and up the speed to medium for 1 more minute or until the mixture appears slightly sticky.

Take a bit of the mixture and fry it up in a pan and taste.  Adjust the seasonings if you need to.  Stick the mixture back in the freezer.  

Take the casings and tie a knot at one end.  Take the open end and push the entire casing onto the stuffer.  Stuff the casing, being careful not to over-stuff the sausage.  Fill the casing, pinching every 5 or 6 inches as you go.  When you're done, twist the links where you pinched them.  Tie a knot on the other end to finish them off.  The sausages are good in the fridge for a few days or the freezer for a few months.

For the Pasta:

Ingredients:

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

3 tablespoons basil, julienned

1/2 cup leeks, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 chicken sausages

12 ounces fresh angel hair pasta

Cook the sausages in a pan until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F (about 10-15 minutes) and set aside.  Pour out the cooking juices, saving two tablespoons in the pan.   On medium heat, add the leeks with a little salt and pepper and saute under tender, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic, and cook for another minute or two.   Add the tomatoes and add a little more salt.  Cook until the tomatoes get a little soft, but not burst.  Cook the pasta in well salted boiling water until al dente.  Add the cooked pasta to the pan, and toss.  Cut up the sausage and add it to the pan, along with the basil.  Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy!

Crispy Sage and Rosemary Lamb Sausage with Whit Truffle infused Leek Risotto

For the Sausage:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cubed

1/2 pound pork back fat

2 tablespoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sage, finely chopped

2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup red wine vinegar plus water, chilled

6 feet hog casings, soaked in tepid water for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 days) and rinsed through.

Directions:

A quick note: it is very important that the meat remains extremely cold throughout the sausage making process, bordering on frozen even. This is to prevent "smearing," where the fat gets broken down and is smeared into the meat. This not only gunks up the grinder, so you have to clean it out halfway through, it also causes havoc within the actual sausage : resulting in stringy, pasty meat and pools of fat when cooked. Gross.  So pop the meat mixture in the freezer between every step.

Melt the butter in a small pan until it starts to brown, at the sage and cook for about 1 minute, until crispy.  Set aside.

Combine the meat, fat, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, crispy sage with brown butter and toss together to mix. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for several hours.

Grind the mixture through the small die on your meat grinder (I use the Kitchen Aid attachment, which is super convenient) and into the mixing bowl. Attach the mixing bowl to the mixer, and using the paddle attachment mix on low speed for about 1 minute. Add the vinegar-water mix and up the speed to medium for 1 more minute or until the mixture appears slightly sticky.

Take a bit of the mixture and fry it up in a pan and taste. Adjust the seasonings if you need to. Stick the mixture back in the freezer.

Take the casings and tie a knot at one end. Take the open end and push the entire casing onto the stuffer. Stuff the casing, being careful not to over-stuff the sausage. Fill the casing, pinching every 5 or 6 inches as you go. When you're done, twist the links where you pinched them. Tie a knot on the other end to finish them off. The sausages are good in the fridge for a few days or the freezer for a few months.

For the Risotto:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup leeks, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

white truffle oil
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (like a chardonnay)
3 1/2 cups chicken stock, hot
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

In a 12 to 14-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until toasted and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add the wine to the toasting rice, and then add a 4 to 6-ounce ladle of stock and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed. Continue adding the stock a ladle at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more, about 2-3 minutes.  Cook until the rice is tender and creamy but still a little al dente, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and stir in several drops of  white truffle oil, the butter, cheese, and two big pinches of freshly ground pepper until well mixed.  Meanwhile, cook the lamb sausages until they have an internal temperature of 150 F (about 10-12 minutes), turning constantly to brown.  Place the sausage on top of the risotto and serve immediately.

Mole Sausage with Roasted Poblano Creamed Corn and Cilantro Rice

This is my favorite sausage out of the lot, mostly because of the depth and breadth of flavor.   Exotic, smoky, sweet and with a hint of rich dark chocolate it pairs beautifully with the spicy-sweetness of the creamed corn (which i can eat entire bowls of, easily).  Enjoy!

For the Sausage:

Ingredients:

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder butt (about 25-30% fat), cubed
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon, ground cloves, dried oregano, powdered cumin, ground coriander, ground anise seeds

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon chipotle powder
1 tablespoon ancho powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, chilled
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, mixed with 2 tablespoons of ice water
10 feet hog casings, soaked in tepid water for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 days) and rinsed through.

Directions:

A quick note: it is very important that the meat remains extremely cold throughout the sausage making process, bordering on frozen even. This is to prevent "smearing," where the fat gets broken down and is smeared into the meat. This not only gunks up the grinder, so you have to clean it out halfway through, it also causes havoc within the actual sausage : resulting in stringy, pasty meat and pools of fat when cooked. Gross. So pop the meat mixture in the freezer between every step.

Combine the meat, salt, pepper, sesame seeds, garlic, and spices and toss together to mix. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for several hours.

Grind the mixture through the small die on your meat grinder (I use the Kitchen Aid attachment, which is super convenient) and into the mixing bowl. Attach the mixing bowl to the mixer, and using the paddle attachment mix on low speed for about 1 minute. Add the vinegar-cocoa mixture and tomato paste and up the speed to medium for 1 more minute or until the mixture appears slightly sticky.

Take a bit of the mixture and fry it up in a pan and taste. Adjust the seasonings if you need to. Stick the mixture back in the freezer.

Take the casings and tie a knot at one end. Take the open end and push the entire casing onto the stuffer. Stuff the casing, being careful not to over-stuff the sausage. Fill the casing, pinching every 5 or 6 inches as you go. When you're done, twist the links where you pinched them. Tie a knot on the other end to finish them off. The sausages are good in the fridge for a few days or the freezer for a few months.

For the Creamed Corn:

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Sprig of fresh rosemary
6 white corn ears
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 Poblano chiles, charred and skinned
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter

Directions:

In a small saucepan, simmer the heavy cream, rosemary, cumin seeds, and bay leaves. Remove from the heat and let sit 20 minutes to infuse. Heat the olive oil or butter in a large saucepan or stockpot over medium heat. With a large knife, remove the corn kernals from the ears, and then run the knife over the empty ears to gather the corn's "milk." In a large saucepans, heat the olive oil and cook the onions with the salt until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and ground cumin and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Then stir in the corn kernels, milk, and diced chiles and continue cooking over low heat 5 more minutes. Using your finest strainer, strain the infused herbal cream into the corn and chile mixture. Add the butter and stir. Gently simmer 15 minutes. Enjoy!

For the Cilantro Rice (which is extremely light and mildly zesty)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups long grained rice
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook the rice in 3 cups of water, covered and simmered for 16-18 minutes or in a rice cooker. Once cooked, place the rice in a bowl and mix with the cilantro, lime zest and juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Enjoy!

KITCHY EATS

Hide Sushi on Sawtelle

Sawtelle is one of my favorite streets in all of LA, as it is chock full of wonderful and usually inexpensive Japanese eateries.  My friend Christie, who is away in DC at the moment and I miss terribly, pointed out this restaurant one day.  We were actually planning on eating there but they were closed for what was basically a Christmas sabbatical (honestly, 2 weeks closed???).   Undeterred, we went across the street for some AMAZING ramen which will appear in a later post.  The following week, after Christie departed for her sojourn to the east, I went to her sushi spot with my boyfriend and I have to say that her good taste was once again validated.  

Hide (pronounced hee-day) is a smallish up and down sushi place.  The lights are on bright, it's cash only, very popular, and very fresh.  All of the nigiri (where a piece of fish rests on an oval mound of rice) ranges from $4 to $6 for 2 pieces and are absolutely delicious.  The highlight of the evening was the albacore, which comes seared and topped with thinly sliced scallion and ginger.  It melts in your mouth and is the perfect balance or smoke, aromatics, and the sea.  The toro roll with scallion was outstanding as well.  With my first bite I was hit with the nutty scent of the sea weed and the tangy-sweet flavor of the rice.  The fish itself tasted like an ocean breeze.  I'm not waxing poetic here, it really did taste like the ocean breeze: salty, light, and possessing that subtle can't-put-my-finger-on-it quality (see how hard I tried not to say je ne sais quoi?).  Anyway, it was a great experience.  Thanks for the tip Christie!

Albacore Nigiri with Scallion and Ginger and Halibut Nigiri with Scallion and Chili 

Toro with Scallion Roll

The fun Cherry Blossom ceiling.

KITCHY TV

RED VELVET CUPCAKE CONES WITH MASCARPONE FROSTING

On today's installment of Kitchy TV, I make red velvet cupcake cones with my cousin Lucy.  Red velvet is her favorite, as it is mine, and the ice cream cone vessels make these cupcakes the perfect slumber party treat.  We added mascarpone frosting for a decadent touch, not to mention sprinkles! Enjoy making them for you're next slumber party!



Red Velvet Cupcake Cones with Mascarpone Frosting from Claire Thomas on Vimeo.

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted softened butter
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F and place rack in center of oven.  

In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk and sour cream with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then mix it into the cake batter on low speed.

Pour or scoop the batter into flat bottomed cake ice cream cones.  Set each cone in a muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Mascarpone Frosting

Ingredients:

16 ounces mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup softened butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:

With an electric mixer, cream together the mascarpone and butter until smooth.  Add the vanilla extract and blend.  Then add the sugar and blend again.  It's ready to frost!