The Funky Kitchen

The hours are winding down, the year is almost over, a new one is about to start.

2011 has been quite a year; we’ve experienced some losses and met some new and fabulous people. We’ve traveled a little bit, as well as settled into our sweet little house. I graduated from University. There have been so many fabulous meals shared with friends and family. I’m a little bit sad to see 2011 go, but it’s exciting to look forward. It is impossible to know what 2012 will hold but I am so very excited to find out.

To all of you, thank you so much for being here. This project is such a source of joy for me, and you’re all a part of it. Happy New Year!

xoxoxo

Chocolate Truffles Trio Version 2.0

(basic recipe is the same as last year’s, flavor options have changed)

1/2 Cup whipping cream

1 Tbsp honey

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp chai masala, or 1 1/2 tsp pomegranate molasses, or 2 sprigs of mint

10 oz chocolate

1 Cup cocoa, for rolling

• Combine cream, honey, and salt in a bain marie, stirring until dissolved.
• Add flavoring ingredient of choice and let steep for 5 minutes. For the mint truffles, strain the mint out before continuing.
• Stir in chocolate until melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Transfer mixture into a clean resealable container and refrigerate until firm (~2 hours).
• Using a melon baller or your hands, roll out the hardened truffles into small balls. Roll the balls in cocoa powder so that they will not stick together.

This year’s flavors were a big hit! Pomegranate came out as a strong favorite, which surprised me because I was worried that it would have been the weirdly received flavor if there would be one. The flavor of the chai truffles was really great, but the chai masala (chai spice mixture) made them a little bit grainy. I’m going to have to find a way to get the flavor in but somehow remove the powder. But how does one strain out a fine powder? Any advice out there? The mint is a classic pairing with chocolate. Yum! Next year we’re going to have to make more so that we can have some for ourselves left after gifting.

Mr says: making truffles as a team makes it a much easier and faster process. Pomegranate was my favorite! Happy New Year!

This time last year: Christmas Truffle Trio (Version 1.0)

Last year on the May long weekend, I had never used a barbecue before. I made Bacon, Peach and Chicken Skewers, a recipe that has made recurring appearances at our dinner table. This year, though, the baker in me got to stand alongside all of the men at the barbecue. Everyone can grill meat on the barbecue, it felt pretty advanced to be up there on the deck baking where one would normally grill. I think it is fair to say that I have made some progress.

These brownies were pretty over the top, a layer of caramelized bananas covered by brownie that is studded with chocolate chips and marshmallow cannot fail. And surprisingly, it wasn’t even that difficult to do! It’s like making double baked potatoes, you take something already delicious, a brownie, and then cram it chock full of other gooey  tasty things. Even though it was cold and rainy all weekend, it was good to have a brownie to console us.

You do need a cast iron pan, though. I know that some people have quite a bit of lingering fear over cast iron: you need to season them? What’s seasoning? Don’t they rust? I got some cast iron pans for Christmas (Thanks Mister!) and am loving them. Do not be afraid of cast iron cookware. It’s a great natural nonstick surface that can withstand very high heat and it retains and distributes heat well. I really advocate having a cast iron pan in your kitchen, if not for this brownie, then for the sake of beautiful searing and frying capability.

Overloaded Barbecued Cast Iron Brownie

125 g butter

250 g chopped chocolate

3/4 Cup sugar

3 eggs

1 Cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 bananas

1/4 Cup butter

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1 Cup mini marshmallows (or cut up marshmallows)

1 Cup chocolate chips

• In a saucepan set over a medium heated grill, melt the first measure of butter, chocolate and sugar together.
• Remove from heat, and briskly mix in the eggs, flour and salt. This is the brownie batter.
• Set the cast iron pan over the barbecue, and melt the second measure of butter. When the butter is bubbling, slice in the rounds of the two bananas.
• Allow the bananas to begin to brown, and then add the brown sugar. Stir avidly until everything is caramelized and luscious.
• Spoon the brownie batter over the caramelized bananas, giving the pan a wiggle to distribute everything into an even layer. (USE AN OVEN MITT!)
• Sprinkle over the chocolate chips and marshmallow.
• Close the lid of the barbecue, reduce the heat to low, and allow the brownie to bake until it firms up (~30 minutes).

Wait patiently for the brownie to cool enough that it won’t burn your mouth. We attacked the pan of deliciousness with spoons, though more elegant brownie eaters may prefer their pieces scooped out of the pan.

Because I was planning on baking this brownie at the cabin, a locale where not too much baking goes on, I got all of my ingredients ready in bags. This is a great way to prepare for a recipe when you are cooking in a kitchen you are unfamiliar with, so that you don’t need to rely on fate for your ingredients or measuring tools. I measured out all of the ingredients and put them into resealable bags in the groups that they would appear together. The butter, sugar and chocolate all went together in a bag so that when the recipe started, all I needed to do was tumble out the contents into a saucepan, and so on through the rest of the recipe.

Mister’s rating of the barbecued brownie: Mister was not really feeling the banana in this recipe, he suggests caramelizing pears for the bottom layer (I concur that pears would be a good idea, but I’m a pear addict so how could I say no). Otherwise, though, he says that it is chock full of chocolaty goodness, and that it is pretty cool that it’s made on a barbecue.

I missed Christmas, I missed New Year’s too, but we’re finally living in our house! Hurray! What a four month haul! As of 2300 Christmas Eve, the Mister and I are living in our very own home. It was our little Christmas miracle. I hope all of you had a lovely Christmas, Hanukkah, winter solstice or other holiday of choice and had time to spend with your nearest and dearest.

My silence as of late is due to the move (of course), and to our current lack of Internet. I write, currently, perched on the corner of a seat in the only room we can ‘borrow’ our neighbor’s unsecured wireless connection. Thank goodness for neighbors. Soon The Funky Kitchen will return to it’s regular schedule.

I felt bad that I didn’t get this post up at Christmas as I had planned to, as I truly believe that this Christmas gift was an inspired idea. It’s too late for any of you readers to use this idea, but Valentines day soon approaches and this idea should work well for any of you who have a chocolate lover in your life.

For Christmas, a number of our closest family and friends received a trio of chocolate truffles. They are the ultimate home made gift.  The recipe for all three types will be posted up here, but remember that a single recipe will make ~30 truffles. The three types of truffles we made (the Mister helped) were: orange, honey thyme and chipotle. I think I’ve converted to the use of honey in truffles, because it makes them so unctuously smooth and I ran into some minor crystallization issues with the sugar. The chipotle truffles were epically good, chocolate and chili are such a great combination. Chipotle was my chili of choice because it brings a great smokiness along with the heat; if you aren’t keen on spicy, diminish the amount of chili you use because these truffles are quite warm on the tongue.

If you go with the truffles as a home made gift idea, use this basic recipe as a jumping pad: steeping different teas in the cream gives great results, and there are limitless additional flavors you can introduce to your truffles. Let me know how yours turn out!

Christmas Chocolate Truffle Trio

(basic recipe from Inspired magazine. )

1/2 Cup whipping cream

1 Tbsp sugar or 1 Tbsp honey

1/4 tsp salt

zest of one orange, or 1 1/2 tsp thyme, or 1 tsp chipotle powder

10 oz chocolate

1 Cup cocoa, for rolling

• Combine cream, sugar/honey, and salt in a bain marie, stirring until dissolved.
• Add orange zest/thyme/ chipotle powder and let steep for 5 minutes.
• Stir in chocolate until melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Transfer mixture into a clean resealable container and refrigerate until firm (~2 hours).
• Using a melon baller or your hands, roll out the hardened truffles into small balls. Roll the balls in cocoa powder so that they will not stick together.

All you need to make these truffles into a pretty little gift is some tins, tissue paper, and labels so that the intended present receiver can differentiate between the types of truffle. Happy gift giving!