DIA DE LOS MUERTOS SUGAR SKULLS

Halloween is here, but will be gone in a matter of hours. And since I haven't already had enough sugar this weekend I give you....



Sugar Skulls.


One of my best friends, Yayo (and the DP of all of my videos on this blog, as well as countless other fun projects), is a native of Hermosillo, a large-ish town in Sonora, the northern Mexican state right below us here in LA. I always bring him back snacky souvenirs, like chocolate sables from Millette Pastry in the Sf Ferry Building (which never got eaten by the way, for shame), cajeta when I visit the east side, and oysters from the Santa Monica farmers' market, so when he brought me a book all about El Día de los Muertos from his recent trip to Tuscon, it was my turn to dig in.


The Day of The Dead has always captured my imagination.  On the periphery of my halloween experience, I'd see marigolds, hear guitars playing, and smell pan dulce from just around the corner. It was a blend of the sweet and macabre, a celebration of memory but with goulish images of the dead.


The sugar skulls are the perfect expression of the holiday.  Left on the gravestone of the deceased to honor their memory or passed out to children to celebrate, sugar skulls have become culturally iconic and an immediate touchstone for the Day of the Dead.


So Yayo and I had a mini Day of the Dead party to kick off All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day this week.  I made a sugar skull in honor of my sister and her affinity for hot pink and punk studs (her new shoes from UNIF were a major inspiration) and a more traditional one for my friend and chocolatier Jonathan, the owner of Compartes.  The skulls were VERY simple to make and a great chance to cut my arts and craft teeth since I haven't made a dollycake in a while. 


Here's a basic recipe if you want to make them yourself:


For 5 large skulls or 10 small ones
5lbs sugar
1/4 cup high quality meringue powder
About 3 tablespoons water
Plastic skull molds
cardboard, cut into squares the size of the mold
Royal Icing for decoration


In a big bowl, combine the sugar, meringue powder, and then the water.  If you want to color your skulls, add the food coloring to the water.  The sugar mixture should clump together in you hand like damp sand, not crumble away or feel wet. 


Push the sugar mix into the mold and scrape off the excess with the cardboard.  Place the cardboard onto the back of the skull mold and flip.  Lift the mold and if the skull cracks or crumble a bit, just put it back in the mold, press, and flip again.  Let the skulls dry until hard, about 8 hours for large ones.


Tip: It's really hard for the sugar to dry in humid or wet weather, so if it needs a little help.  Warm your oven up on the lowest setting, turn your oven off, and let the skulls dry out in the oven.  


To fashion both sides of the skull together, use royal icing as the glue.  Decorate with sprinkles and different colors of icing.  To make the white chocolate studs, take chocolate chips and shave for hard edges with an exacto knife.  Put the studs in a baggie with edible silver dusting powder and shake to coat.

EASY CHOCOLATE GIFTS FROM FOOD FOR THOUGHT WITH CLAIRE THOMAS

There a some gifts I look forward to all year: Tina's Toffee, Carol's Pear Honey and Fruit and Nut Bread, Connie's cookie tin. All are delicious and as much a part of my Christmas as the ubiquitous lack of snow and the caged in Nativity scene along Ocean Ave. Homemade gifts are far more intimate than a gift card are often cheaper and definitely less guilt inducing. "Oh, a gift card...thanks." Like a specter of Holidays past, those words echo in my head.

Shudder.

A bad gift is quite possibly worse than no gift at all, emphasizing a lack of concern, understanding, or knowledge of the person receiving it. I obviously have a little gift giving anxiety. Hot Cocoa Mix and Hot Fudge Sauce are the balm to my Holiday wounds. They're simple, delicious, and do not taste like it came from a jar AT ALL. These are a chocolatey treat that's delicious all year round.

Hot Fudge sauce:

Yields 2 1/2 cups

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons butter, unsalted

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate and butter very slowly in a double boiler. Meanwhile, heat the cream to a simmer in the small, heavy saucepan. When the butter and chocolate have melted, stir the mixture into the cream. Add the sugar, corn syrup, cocoa powder and salt and mix until smooth. Mix the corn starch with equal parts water, and stir into the chocolate. Turn the heat up and stir until mixture starts to simmer (barely boil); adjust heat so that sauce is just maintained at the simmer point, stirring occasionally. Allow sauce to simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and serve warm over ice cream.

Spicy Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients:

2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)

1 cup semi sweet chocolate, either small chips or finely chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vanilla sugar (I bought the crystalized kind because it creates a lovely sparkle, but you and always do white sugar plus a scraped vanilla bean.)

1 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Whisk the ingredients together. To make an 8 oz cup (which is honestly enough for 2-3 people), mix 3 tablespoons of the mix with a dash of milk to form a paste. Gently heat the paste over medium-low heat until the chocolate bits start to melt. Add an additional cup of milk and stir until hot and steaming. Pour into cups and top off with a dash of heavy cream. Enjoy!

BROWN BUTTER WALNUT BROWNIES FROM FOOD FOR THOUGHT WITH CLAIRE THOMAS

Brown butter improves everything. This is a fact. I love that leaving something on the stove for just 2 minutes longer can transform it into a nutty, toasty, golden brown...gah! I want some now!

And chocolate is no exception to this brown butter rule.

To put an exclamation point on my brownies I added a pinch of cayenne and cinnamon, just for a hint lingering in the background, and lightly sprinkled halved walnuts on top for their textural, nutty goodness. I love how rustic the scattered walnuts look on top of the brownies, plus they add a lovely crunch. Enjoy!


3 ½ oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa and up)
8 tablespoons of unsalted butter
4 eggs, at room temp
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, loose, not packed
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup coffee, cold
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, halved and toasted lightly


Preheat oven to 350 and pop in the walnuts until just toasted, about 5 minutes. Sift together the flour, spices, and cocoa powder. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bowl over boiling water, add the coffee and stir to combine, then let cool. In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter until browned, and add to the melted chocolate. Beat together the eggs and sugar until thick and shiny. Continue beating on low while adding flour mixture and wet ingredients alternatively. Finish with the vanilla. Do not over mix. Fold in the chips. Pour into a buttered and floured 9 x 13 pan and sprinkle the walnuts on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

AFTERNOON TEA WITH ROSEMARY LEMON SQUARES AND PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

The cusp between fall and winter is all about comfort and traditions for me. Our family doesn't really have a lot of traditions, no rules about who cooks what on Thanksgiving, no Christmas sweaters or egg nog parties, but every so often, a recipe becomes so entrenched in our family's history, it's a tradition all by itself. My mum's lemon squares and Aunt Tina's Pineapple Upside Down cake are just those kinds of recipes.

My mum is an Aussie (hence the "mum" bit) so afternoon tea is no stranger to me. In fact, I'm kind of obsessed with it. It's an extra meal and everything is tiny, which I love. It's thoroughly indulgent and unnecessary, but too much fun to pass up. When thinking about classic desserts in my family, an afternoon tea seemed like the perfect setting to update them. Instead of plain lemon squares, I mellowed out the sweetness with some brown sugar and vanilla, and added a hit of rosemary for an herbaceous twist. For Tina's upside down cake, I went with the season and switched pineapple to pear, with lemon thyme syrup to cut through the sweetness. They're perfect with a cup of soothing chamomile. Enjoy!







Rosemary Lemon Squares

Sweet, tart, and with a twist, these lemon bars are perfect bites for afternoon tea, picnics, or just to have on a plate for guests. They look gorgeous and are super simple to whip up. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For crust:
2 cups flour
8 oz butter, room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar

For filling:
4 eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract or the scrapings of a vanilla bean
1/2 tsp rosemary, really finely chopped
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
powdered sugar for dusting

Pre Heat oven to 350F

For the crust, work together the flour, butter, and powdered sugar until it forms a dough. Spread it on the bottom of a greased 9x13" baking dish (I used a glass one) and pat down so it's evenly distributed. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden brown, and cool.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs and sugars until fully combined and a pale yellow hue. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, rosemary, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and whisk until just combined. Pour over the crust and bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with little sprigs of rosemary if you like. Enjoy!

Pear Upside Down Cake with Lemon Thyme Syrup
(I revisit the same recipe from February, 2009)




Who doesn't love a syrupy, warm, gorgeous cake. My aunt recently brought over her lovely pineapple-upside cake.  It looks like a stained glass window, with maraschino cherries and pecans dotting the glistening surface.  And while I'll gobble up that cake faster than anything, I wanted to mix it up a little and revamp this fabulously retro cake.  So the pineapple was switched with pears, which have an earthiness that suits the cold weather outside perfectly.  And instead of melted apricot jam to paint the surface, I made a lemon-thyme syrup, which brings a liveliness to this scrumptious tea cake.  One cake is technically enough for 8, but I might make an extra to enjoy with a cold glass of milk after everyone has left.


Ingredients:

2, 8.5 ounce cans of sliced pears
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup golden brown sugar
1/2 cup pear juice, reserved from can
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon double acting baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

For the syrup:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 bunches of fresh thyme
1/2 cup white sugar

Pre heat oven to 350 F.

In a small pot, stir together the lemon juice, sugar, and whole bunches of thyme. Heat the mixture on medium for about 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolves and the liquid is clear. Take off the heat and set aside while you prepare the cake batter.

Spray a 9 inch pie pan with non-stick spray, then pour the melted butter into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter, and press down, to moisten all of the sugar. Separate the pears from the juice, and dry them out on a paper towel. Slice the pear slices in half, and arrange in the pan in whatever pattern you like (i did a sort of pin wheel design).

For the batter, sift the dry ingredients and set aside. Whip the eggs for one minute on high, until light and frothy. Add the sugar slowly, still beating on high until the eggs are very pail and light (4 more minutes). Add the vanilla and pear juice, beating slowly. Add the dry ingredients, also beating on low. Pour the batter evenly over pears in the pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and pulling away from the edges.

Once baked, immediately flip the cake out onto a platter. Do this by placing the platter over the pan, and flipping gently. Don't immediately remove the pan. Let it rest for a minute or two so it can completely unstick itself.

While the cake is warm, cover the entire cake with the lemon-thyme syrup with a brush. Let the cake sit for 30 minutes, just to let the syrup soak in. Serve alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

ENGLISH CHEDDAR GRILLED CHEESE WITH SPICY CHUTNEY AND CURRIED TOMATO SAUCE FROM FOOD FOR THOUGHT

English cheddar with Spicy Chutney Grilled Cheese and Curried Tomato Sauce 

This is a play off of India's influence on British cuisine, using a sharp english cheddar (white), chutney, and a curried tomato sauce based off a masala.  The tomato sauce works great with other appetizers and if you add a little broth - BOOM - soup!

White bread, crusts cut off

3 slices sharp white cheddar

1 tablespoon spiced chutney (I'm using Major Grey's)

2 tablespoon butter, for bread

For the grilled cheese, spread the chutney on each side of the bread and then stack the cheese.  Spread butter on the outside of each side of the sandwich.  Grill in a saucepan on a medium low flame, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.  

Curried tomato sauce

3 Teaspoons Cumin Seeds

2 medium Onions

3 Teaspoons Shredded Ginger

2 cloves Garlic

3-5 Large Tomatoes (depending on how saucy/juicy you want it)

2-3 Teaspoons of MTR Chana Masala Powder or Curry Powder

1 tablespoon of Cilantro

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

Olive Oil

Put olive oil in a pot at medium heat and add cumin seeds. When cumins seeds start to crack, add finely diced onions to the pot with olive oil. Add a teaspoon of salt and the garlic to the onion mixture. After onions become soft add tomatoes to the mix and cook until a uniform consistency. Stir occasionally so that it doesn't get burned. Cook for 6 mins at low-medium heat. Using a half cut lemon, squeeze juice into the mix. Add finely chopped cilantro and mix. Enjoy!

Dip grilled cheese in bread!

Smoked Mozzarella and Herbed Tomato grilled Cheese

Smokey mozzarella adds the perfect counterpoint to the bright zesty tomatoes, and the fresh herbs add an earthy punch.  Switch out the oregano and thyme for basil and you have a delicious caprese!

White bread, crusts cut off

3 slices scamorza (smoked mozzarella) or reg mozzarella

2 tomato slices

1/4 tsp Chopped oregano and thyme

2 tablespoon butter, for bread

For the grilled cheese, stack a slice of the cheese and add the tomato slices.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a pinch of the herbs, stack the rest of the cheese. Spread butter on the outside of each side of the sandwich.  Grill in a saucepan on a medium low flame, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.