Book of Yum » Christmas

A Magical Snowman Christmas Story from the Book of Yum

yum — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 21:46:32 +0000

The Princess and the Snowman

Once upon a time, in a yard not so very far away, there was a Princess. Every day, the Princess liked to go on a walk and survey her kingdom.

One day as the Princess was walking through her kingdom, she came across a Snowman stuck in a hedge.

“Oh no! Poor Snowman,” said the Princess, and she disentangled the Snowman from the vines that surrounded his arms and snowman body.

Once the Snowman was free, since he didn’t seem to know quite what to do with himself, she asked him if he would accompany her on her stroll. He seemed to agree, and so the Princess and the Snowman set off together.

The Princess was sometimes lonely while she surveyed her kingdom, and so she was very happy to have company.

While they walked, the Princess told the Snowman all her best stories and jokes. He listened very attentively.

When the Princess was tired, she and the Snowman rested together. It was nice to sit quietly with a friend.

The Princess grew to love her Snowman friend very much.

She loved him so much that she decreed that no Princess should ever be without her Snowman.

The Snowman, for his part, was very happy to have found a home with the Princess. And so, the Princess and the Snowman lived Happily Ever After.

Wishing you a very Magical and Fanciful Holiday Season!
This Holiday Story Brought to you with Love from Sea, the DH, and Baby Yum.

Gluten-free Christmas Persimmon Pudding Recipe

yum — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:55:42 +0000

I seem to recall some days ago promising you all a Christmas pudding. I ended up writing an entirely different post about the loss of my cat Neko and I was amazed at the response I got from all of my wonderful, compassionate readers. I had been self-conscious about posting something so very painfully personal, but I realized after writing it that my experience was not exactly personal- it is one shared by anyone who has shared their lives with a pet and lost them. Thank you to all of you who responded with kind words and shared your own experiences with your beloved pets. Each and every comment was very precious and brought me a great deal of comfort. And now, my dear readers, I would like to give you something for this holiday season. Here is that pudding recipe that I was supposed to post. I think it is worth the wait, and also the perfect entry for the most recent Family Traditions themed edition of Go Ahead Honey it is Gluten-free, hosted by Carol of Simply Gluten-free.

This monthly themed food-blogger event was started by Naomi of Straight Into Bed Cakefree & Dried, and celebrates glorious gluten-free food.
Looking for info on future editions? Here is the list of past and present hosts of Go Ahead, Honey.

I mentioned in this post on Amaranth Sorghum Persimmon Muffins that we had a persimmon tree in our back yard. They are delightful for snacking on, but one can only eat so many, and the idea of using them in baking appealed to me. I scoured the internet looking for creative ideas and came across a very interesting recipe for a (gluten) persimmon pudding. I adapted it to be gluten-free and suit our tastes for a Thanksgiving dessert and found it delightful. I’m very in favor of any dessert you can light on fire. It is so festive, and satisfies any latent tendencies for pyromania in a socially acceptable way. This would be lovely for a Christmas dinner, in my opinion. I stored it in the refrigerator so it would keep as long as possible. To refresh it after a day or so in the refrigerator, just microwave a single serving briefly. It is very, very tasty with vanilla ice cream. No dairy? No problem. Soy, rice, or coconut milk offers some beautifully decadent and dairy-free ice cream options.

Do you know how hard it is to get a good photo of a flaming pudding at night? My father-in-law took the above of mother-in-law/grandma holding Baby Yum. I thought it was rather sweet. Here are a few other of my attempts, albeit with a rather unfortunate lack of white balancing. *Sigh*

Here is the DH with creme brulee torch in hand, watching the pudding burn. You should see him tending fire pits… I think we all have an inner pyromaniac, but his is a little closer to the surface than most. If you look closely, you can see a little grey kitty snuggled up on the arm of the couch in the background. It was one of his favorite places to be.

Other gluten-free steamed pudding recipes:
Gluten-free steamed Veg pudding with maple-rhubarb sauce
Gluten-free Sugar-free Steamed Carrot Cake Pudding (YUM!)
Gluten-free Dairy-free Steamed Pudding Recipe
Gluten-free Meyer Lemon Spotted Dick Recipe (Not veg as written. And the name, well, it is a British thing. lol)

Other Gluten-free pudding recipes:
Gluten-free Crockpot Bread Pudding Recipe
Gluten-free Crockpot Chocolate Fudge Pudding Cake Recipe
Gluten-free Orange Almond Bread Pudding Recipe
Gluten-free Old-fashioned Bread Pudding Recipe

This post was shared with Gluten-free Wednesdays and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

*I know I am late posting the roundup for Adopt-a-gluten-free Blogger. My apologies, all. I will get it up as soon as I can. Adopt-a-gluten-free-Blogger will take a brief holiday hiatus and be open again for new sign-ups in January.

Gluten-free Dairy-free Persimmon Pudding

Dessert Alternative Grains European

Ingredients

1 cup sugar (3/4 cup should work too if you prefer)
1/2 cup margarine (I used Earth Balance)at room temperature
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup potato or corn starch (or more sorghum flour)
1/4 cup tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup pureed persimmon pulp
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. warm water
7 tablespoons brandy (should be naturally gluten-free, but check with manufacturer)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup raisins

Directions

Grease a 5 or 6 cup oven-safe pudding mold that will fit in a large pot with a rack or steaming insert. (You can use Earth balance margarine, palm shortening, or butter if not dairy-free.)

Thoroughly combine sugar and margarine in a large bowl, using a spoon or mixer if you prefer. Sift dry ingredients (flours, and spices-NOT including the baking soda) together and add to the butter. Fold in your persimmon pulp. Drop your baking soda into the warm water and lightly whisk. Add baking soda solution, 3 tablespoons brandy and vanilla to your batter. Add eggs and gently combine. Sprinkle in your raisins, stir, and pour into your buttered mold.

Here is the cool part. Cover the mold (I used aluminum foil) and put on your rack or steamer insert in your large pot. Fill with boiling water halfway up the side of the mold. Put lid on your large pot and simmer 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Let stand a few minutes before you unmold it.

When you serve it, pour 4 tablespoons warmed brandy on the pudding and light it on fire. Should have a gorgeous little blue flame for a bit. If you warm the brandy and let it sit too long before pouring, the alcohol might evaporate and not want to light. In this case, just add a little more brandy and try to relight until *poof* you have a flaming pudding on your table! (Yes, this happened to me)

Rating:  9

Original Source:  adapted from an online gluten-based recipe

Recipe ID:  1529

Added: December 18, 2010

Last Modified: December 18, 2010

Daring Baker Challenge: Gluten-Free Vegetarian French Yule Log Recipe with Apple Cardamom Creme Brulee Recipe

yum — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:30:49 +0000

This December when I first saw the latest Daring Baker Challenge, I was a little taken aback. Our mission, if we chose to accept it, was to make an incredibly elaborate and authentic French Yule Log recipe with Six, yes SIX elements. Each element would make a lovely dessert on its own, in my opinion. But, in this recipe we made these six separate desserts and combined them into one masterpiece of a yule log. The finished product was layers and layers of sweet cream and chocolate, and included some of my favorite things including almond praline and creme brulee. It also had lots of room for creativity, especially in the mousse and brulee layers. Although I usually only have a passing flirtation with chocolate, favoring sweets with fruit or spice flavorings, thinking of some of my chocoholic friends this holiday season (especially Archana) I decided to go all out and create a true death-by-chocolate yule log with only an exception for the almond cake (like a cross between flourless almond cake and meringues) and the creme brulee. For the creme brulee I was inspired by my DH’s Norwegian heritage and my favorite recipe for a Daring Baker gluten-free Apple Danish to bake apple slices in a brown sugar-cardamom glaze and then immerse them in a rich, vanilla cardamom creme brulee base. This creme brulee ended up being one of my favorite elements of the recipe, and in the future I plan to try a lightened version in a classic individual-serving brulee with a caramelized sugar crust. I also fell in love with the classic almond praline I made for the Chocolate Praline Crisp candy layer. I wouldn’t hesitate to make it, as well as the chocolate praline crisp, as candy gifts or snack for guests. This dish took us two very stressful days to make. I must admit I recruited the DH to help with some of the more challenging elements of preparing the dish, and even with two of us, it was quite a task. There were times when I was not sure the dish would ever get done. Besides the incredible richness of the ingredients that I am not accustomed to, another problem was that several elements called for gelatin. As a vegetarian, I do not use gelatin in recipes and so I needed to use a seaweed called agar agar (aka kanten) as a substitute. I’ve never had much luck with agar agar in the past, perhaps because I tried to use it for making vegetarian marshmallows rather than a simple jello-type dish. I tried to research it online and found some rather problematic elements. Instructions varied greatly and most directions were for agar agar powder rather than flakes. I also read that agar agar had an undesirable taste, created a rubbery texture, and didn’t completely dissolve in liquid. Hmmm. I was officially scared. There wasn’t much I could do about taste besides hope that the cocoa would mask any flavor. Bryanna Clark’s informative page on agar agar suggested that adding starch to agar agar would soften the texture, so I added a little cornstarch slurry. I also ground up my flakes a bit in a food processor in the hopes that making it more like a powder would make it dissolve better. Then I set the poor DH over the stove and had him work with it until it started to gel. This basically entailed heating it over a stove for a while and then giving it a cool water bath. In the end it did make a glossy, smooth icing, but unfortunately this icing softens rapidly at room temperature. We also had trouble with the creme brulee being a little too frozen in contrast with the other ingredients.

We frosted the yule log the first time on Christmas Day and served some to our friends M and A as a Christmas dinner dessert after a brief chill in the freezer. They enjoyed it, but the soft texture of the frostring was a little bit disappointing. The next day we brought some over to some friends and after an overnight session in the freezer, the frosting was greatly improved. Thirty minutes in the refrigerator and it was perfect for serving. It was declared yummy by all parties, and the DH had a second helping, that bad boy.

This is an incredibly rich dish, so even half a slice seems like a full serving. As a result, we still have half of the yule left in our freezer. I’m looking forward to pulling it out and snacking on it, or sharing some with guests as the opportunity arises. I was happy to get the opportunity to make an authentic yule log dessert after our time in Japan. Oddly enough, yule logs are popular in Japan during Christmas time as part of their flirtation with French pastries and French pastry shops. However, I’d never had one before. From looking at other recipes, this recipe seems a little unusually ornate to me- some are simply sponge cake rolls with lovely frosting fillings, which sounds like a lot easier and more fun to make. However, they don’t call it daring bakers for nothing, and this recipe was certainly daring. It may have been a little more daring than I wanted during the busy holiday season, but I did learn quite a bit from making this recipe, and even came out of it with some lovely elements that I would love to make again. This variation is chocoholic approved, but you could also make a less chocolate intense version. For my own taste buds, if I were to try it again I might try something like an almond biscuit with vanilla-lemon mousse, white chocolate praline crunch and a cream cheese frosting, topped with fresh strawberries. Sounds good, right? I also read about some alternative daring bakers making vegan or even raw-food versions that sound absolutely lovely. I’ll try to link to some of the more unique takes on this recipe as I come across them. One of the best things about this recipe is that while it wasn’t very vegan (or vegetarian, for that matter) friendly, it was VERY easy to make gluten-free, with only two very minor changes necessary that had almost no impact on the final product. Let’s hear it for gluten-free-friendly Daring Baking Recipes!

This month’s challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux.
They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand.

The challenge rules stipulated that we MUST MAKE ALL 6 of these elements for the log:
1) Dacquoise Biscuit
2) Mousse (or whipped cream filling)
3) Ganache Insert
4) Praline (Crisp) Insert
5) Creme Brulee Insert
6) Icing

Other Alternative Bakers’ Logs Close to my Heart:
Lilac Kitchen’s Gluten-Free French Yule Log
My Diverse Kitchen’s Vegetarian, Reduced Egg French Yule Cake
Pacific Outpost’s Vegan Yule Log

*if you made a vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free version WITH RECIPE POSTED please post the link in the comments and I’ll visit you and add you to my list!*

Check out my other completed Daring Baker Challenges:
GF Yule Log
GF Vegan Pizza
GF Eclairs
GF Danish
GF DF Cheesecake Pops
GF Vegan Party Cake

Intrigued? Recipes below. And keep in mind, even if you don’t want to make a whole yule log, you can make parts of it for an absolutely divine and considerably lower-stress recipe.

Shared with Gluten-free Holiday Carnival

Almost Flourless Dacquoise Biscuit Almond Cake Recipe

Dessert Alternative Grains French

Ingredients

Element #1 Dacquoise Biscuit (Almond Cake)

Ingredients:
2.8 oz (3/4cup + 1Tbsp / 80g) almond meal
1.75 oz (1/2 cup / 50g) confectioner�s sugar
2Tbsp (15g) white-type GF Flour blend like Bette Hagman’s Gourmet blend
3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium egg whites
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar

Equipment: food processor (optional), 2 mixing bowls, hand or stand mixer with whisk attachment, spatula, baking pan such as a 10�x15� jelly-roll pan, parchment paper

Directions

Line your baking pan with a piece of parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray or grease with margarine or butter.

You can start with whole blanched almonds in a food processor or spice mill and grind them. Alternatively, you can buy almond meal pre-ground. Once finely ground…

Combine the almond meal and the confectioner’s sugar in a food processor or bowl and blend. Put meal and sugar in a bowl and sift in your GF flour.

In a separate mixer or bowl, beat your eggs whites. Slowly add granulated sugar until the mixture is stiff.

Gently pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and fold in with a spatula.

Pour your batter onto your prepared, greased parchment paper and spread with icing knife or spatula into your desired shape. Make 1/3 inch tall and slightly wider than you actually need.

Bake at 350�F (180�C) for around 15 minutes or until a light golden brown.

Cool and cut as needed.

Notes

Preparation time: 10 mn + 15 mn for baking

Note: You can use the Dacquoise for the bottom of your Yule Log only, or as bottom and top layers, or if using a Yule log mold (half-pipe) to line your entire mold with the biscuit. Take care to spread the Dacquoise accordingly. Try to bake the Dacquoise the same day you assemble the log to keep it as moist as possible. If that isn’t possible you can store it in the refrigerator in a gallon ziploc bag overnight.

Rating:  6

Original Source:  Daring Baker Challenge, adapted to be Gluten-Free.

Recipe ID:  1338

Added: December 29, 2008

Last Modified: December 29, 2008

Milk Chocolate Whipped Cream Chantilly Recipe

Dessert Sauces & Condiments Dairy French

Ingredients

Milk Chocolate Whipped Cream (Chantilly):

2/3 cup (160g) heavy whipping cream
7.8 oz (220g) milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
2 1/3 tsp (15g) (thick?) corn syrup
1 1/3 cup (320g) heavy whipping cream

Directions

Put chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate in a bowl with corn syrup.
Heat cream to boiling and pour over the chocolate and corn syrup. Wait 30 seconds then stir together until smooth and chocolate melts. Add the rest of the whipping cream and combine thoroughly. Cool in refrigerate and then whip.

Notes

Supposedly can be made the day before and kept in the fridge overnight, but we found it solidified and then wouldn’t whip to be as nice and fluffy as we had hoped.

Rating:  6

Original Source:  Daring Baker Challenge

Recipe ID:  1339

Added: December 29, 2008

Last Modified: December 29, 2008

Dark Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Dessert Sauces & Condiments Dairy French

Ingredients

Element #3 Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert:
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
4.5oz (2/3 cup � 1 Tbsp/ 135g) heavy cream
5 oz (135g) dark chocolate, finely chopped (or use dark chocolate chips)
3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

Equipment: pan, whisk. If you have plunging mixer (a vertical hand mixer used to make soups and other liquids), it comes in handy.

Preparation time: 10 min

Directions

Make caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color

While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.

Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.

Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Notes

Note: Because the ganache hardens as it cools, you should make it right before you intend to use it to facilitate piping it onto the log during assembly. Please be careful when caramelizing the sugar and then adding the cream. It may splatter and boil.

Rating:  6

Original Source:  Daring Baker Challenge

Recipe ID:  1340

Added: December 29, 2008

Last Modified: December 29, 2008

Praline Crisp Chocolate Crunch Insert or Candy

Dessert Dairy French

Ingredients

Element #4 Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Ingredients for the Praline Feuillete:
3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter
2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) almond praline (Homemade is easy and delicious)
1 (or 2 oz.) Gluten-Free corn flakes such as Envirokids frosted cornflakes

Equipment: Small saucepan, Double boiler (or one small saucepan in another), wax paper.

Preparation time: 10 mn

Directions

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
2. Add the praline and the corn flakes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.
3. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Notes

I believe I used 2 oz. cornflakes and it was delicious.

I made this homemade Praline Recipe:
http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/gluten-free-candy-almond-praline-recipe-2483.html

To use in Yule log, it is best to break up this layer into chunks. For snacking, it is wonderful left in large sheets. My favorite part of the yule log, and one I’m most likely to make again, besides the creme brulee.

Rating:  9

Original Source:  Daring Baker Challenge

Recipe ID:  1341

Added: December 29, 2008

Last Modified: December 29, 2008

Apple Cardamom Creme Brulee Recipe

Dessert Dairy French

Ingredients

Element #5 Vanilla Creme Brulee Insert

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (115g) heavy cream
1/2 cup (115g) 2% milk
4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks
0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar (if you store a whole vanilla bean in with your sugar, you can infuse it with vanilla, mmm)
1/2 vanilla bean
sprinkling of whole cadamom seeds (not in pod, but not ground)
2 small apples, peeled and sliced (or enough to cover bottom of creme brulee pan)
freshly ground cardamom
brown sugar, to taste

Preparation time: 15mn + 1h infusing + 1h baking

Equipment: Small saucepan, mixing bowl, baking mold, wax paper

Directions

1. Heat the milk, cream, cardamom seeds, and scraped vanilla bean to just boiling. Remove from the stove and let the vanilla and cardamom infuse for about 1 hour.
1b. While milk is infusing, line a baking pan with a piece of parchment paper and bake your sliced apples, sprinkled with a mixture of cardamom and brown sugar, at 375 or so until apples are softened.
2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).
3. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.
4. Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. You will need a larger pan that your baking mold fits in to create a water bath for the brulee. Lay your baked apple slices into the mold in an even layer. Pour the cream into the mold over the apples. Place mold in larger pan and fill larger pan with at least 1 inch of water, taking care not to spill any water into the brulee. (you may wish to add water carefully into the larger pan AFTER placing it in the oven with the mold.) Bake at 300�F for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.

5. Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.

Notes

For a traditional creme brulee presentation, simply use small creme brulee molds. Don’t forget to use a water bath! They will probably take less time, so remove from pan as soon as they have started to solidify and are just a little wobbly in the center. Cool and then sprinkle with sugar and torch to caramelize sugar for an even, crackly crust. Delish!

*I REALLY want to lighten this brulee more. This is a lighter version than the original and it was lovely, but this is just more cream than I really like. I’m certain lower fat milk could be substituted for a lighter, delightful brulee.

Rating:  8

Original Source:  Inspired by Daring baker, my own flavor variations. Please do not replicate without my permission.

Recipe ID:  1342

Added: December 29, 2008

Last Modified: December 29, 2008

Vegetarian Dark Chocolate Icing with Agar Agar Recipe

Dessert Sauces & Condiments Dairy French

Ingredients

Element #6 Dark Chocolate Icing

Ingredients:
1 tsp- 1 1/2 tsp agar flakes, ground in a spice grinder or food processor
1/4 cup (60g) heavy cream
2.1 oz (5 Tbsp / 60g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50g) water
1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 1/2 tsp water to make a slurry

Preparation time: 25 minutes (10mn if you don�t count softening the agar-agar)

Equipment: Small bowl, small saucepan

Directions

Soften the agar-agar in 1 tbsp. or so of cold water for 15 minutes.

Bring all of the ingredients to a boil in a pan and simmer for up to fifteen minutes.
Let cool and check the texture as it cools. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

Once yule log (or cake etc) is frosted, place it in the freezer and allow to harden overnight.

Notes

Note: Because the icing gelifies quickly, you should make it at the last minute.

This recipe originally had gelatin, but I substituted agar-agar. It was one of the first times I’d used agar-agar (although I did once unsuccessfully try to use it to make vegetarian marshmallows).
If you need to substitute agar-agar for gelatin in a recipe, here are the equivalences:

8g powdered gelatin = 1 (0.25 oz) envelope powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp Agar-Agar.
1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

This was a first attempt, so the recipe has some kinks to be worked out. It really does need to be frozen overnight, and even then the frosting will be soft and softens quickly.

Rating:  6

Original Source:  Adapted from Daring Baker Challenge to be Vegetarian

Recipe ID:  1344

Added: December 29, 2008

Last Modified: December 29, 2008

How to Assemble a French Yule Log Recipe

Dessert Dairy French

Ingredients

1) Dacquoise
2) Mousse
3) Creme Brulee Insert
4) Mousse
5) Praline/Crisp Insert
6) Mousse
7) Ganache Insert
8) Dacquoise

Directions

How To Assemble your French Yule Log

Depending on whether your mold is going to hold the assembly upside down until you unmold it or right side up, this order will be different.
THIS IS FOR UNMOLDING FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO RIGHT SIDE UP.
You will want to tap your mold gently on the countertop after each time you pipe mousse in to get rid of any air bubbles.

1) Line your mold or pan, whatever its shape, with plastic film.

2A) Cut the Dacquoise into a shape fitting your mold and set it in there. If you are using an actual Yule mold which is in the shape of a half-pipe, you want the Dacquoise to cover the entire half-pipe portion of the mold.
3A) Pipe one third of the Mousse component on the Dacquoise.
4A) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.
5A) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.
6A) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.
7A) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.
8A) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.
9A) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight eidge so that ganache doesn�t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.
10A) Close with the last strip of Dacquoise.
Freeze until the next day.

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with TWO pieces of Dacquoise the order is:
1) Dacquoise
2) Mousse
3) Creme Brulee Insert
4) Mousse
5) Praline/Crisp Insert
6) Mousse
7) Ganache Insert
8) Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY…
Unmold the cake/log/whatever and set on a wire rack over a shallow pan.
Cover the cake with the icing.
Let set. Return to the freezer.
You may decorate your cake however you wish. The decorations can be set in the icing after it sets but before you return the cake to the freezer or you may attach them on top using extra ganache or leftover mousse, etc…
Transfer to the refrigerator no longer than one half-hour before serving as it may start to melt quickly depending on the elements you chose.

Notes

An impressive dessert, but a little rich and time-consuming. I’ve been out-dared! Next time I would make a much simpler yule log more like a sponge roll. The individual parts of the log are nice by themselves, though, and I might make them again separately. Just not together.

Rating:  6

Original Source:  Daring Baker Challenge

Recipe ID:  1343

Added: December 29, 2008

Last Modified: December 29, 2008

Gluten Free Menu Swap: Meal Plan Monday and Christmas Kitty Pictures

yum — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:06:57 +0000

Since the DH and I were away on an inpromptu road trip to Yosemite with friends all weekend, I thought that in leiu of a recipe, I would share some pictures of my babies on Christmas. They got a feathery bird toy and a heart shaped catnip toy that made them (especially Neko the smaller one) frolick like kittens. If only it were Christmas for kitties every day! Here’s Neko having just jumped into the box my new boots came in after a toy, looking innocent. Or not.

This week the Gluten-Free menu swap is hosted by Cooking and Uncooking with an intriguing “leftover” theme. I also always enjoy posting my menus with Org Junkie. Don’t forget that Cheryl is temporarily housing the Gluten Free Menu Swap at her blog GF Goodness.

Last week was crazy, and so the menu I had planned didn’t work out except for our Christmas menu, which we followed fastidiously. Let’s try this again!

Menu
Monday: Mexican
Chebe fajitas with refried beans and pepper saute

Tuesday: Salad
Meal-sized Salad with Mexican recipe leftovers and baked tofu strips

Wednesday: Holiday
Reg. Potato, Sweet Potato, and Zucchini Latkes with Applesauce
Chowder

Friday: Japanese
Avocado Sushi Rolls

Very Special Daring Baker Post with Recipe for Gorgeous French Yule Log

This was a very busy week but I did post an easy recipe for Almond Praline (Trust me! Easy! and So tasty!)

More pictures of Ra and Neko frolicking with their Christmas presents…

Gluten-Free Julekake Norwegian Christmas Bread Recipe

yum — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:25:37 +0000

Every family has its own combination of holiday traditions, usually including its fair share of special recipes for holiday sweets. When I was growing up, we often made potato salad, a carrot apple salad with raisins (haroset- a long story) and deviled eggs for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it never occurred to me that when I grew up and got married, I’d get the chance to share in an extra wealth of traditions. A few years back when we were visiting DH’s family around Christmas time, DFIL was about to make his famous Norwegian Christmas Bread for the family when all of a sudden he paused, and turned to me. “Is there a way we could make this gluten-free?” he asked. I wasn’t quite sure how to answer the challenge, especially since I didn’t have all my bread flours with me. Luckily the local King Soopers grocery store carried Bob’s Red Mill Wonderful GF Sandwich Bread mix- and it occurred to us to combine FIL’s family recipe with the instructions for the bread and see what happened. Well, what happened was DELICIOUS! The bread mix had always been reliable, but the flavors had never excited me that much. Combined with the candied peel and fruit mix, a generous dose of raisins and freshly ground cardamom, it was like a whole different bread mix. The cinnamon sugar topping was the perfect note, adding a satisfying cinnamon coat to the loaf. The experiment was pronounced a success, and I was thrilled to be able to have a slice of my very own GF Christmas bread while the family enjoyed their regular Christmas bread slices for breakfast the next morning. DH can personally eat his way through several loaves a season, so I think it was a matter of some urgency that I learn the secret of the family Christmas bread. Actually, the first year we lived in Japan DH was depressed to be missing out on Christmas bread on the holidays- so his parents actually mailed him some freshly made Christmas bread! That may be the most expensive bread ever made- but DH was thrilled. The next year I had friends living in Yokohama that invited me to shop at their commisary- I stocked up on fruitcake mix specifically to make this bread! DFIL still remembers his mother making the bread for them around the Christmas season on the Wisconsin farm he grew up. DH has so many memories of Christmas bread around the holiday season that whenever one is baking in the oven he exclaims joyously that “It smells like Christmas!” And now DH and I can enjoy our own Christmas holidays with a slice of gluten free Christmas bread, also known as Julekake. Someday hopefully we’ll even introduce our child, gluten-free or otherwise, to this recipe so the tradition can continue! DFIL says the secret is to use freshly ground cardamom. He usually buys the whole pods at Whole Foods and uses about 1/2 cup of pods grinding the cardamom fresh for each recipe. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? And the cardamom really does seem to be the magical ingredient in this recipe.

I know the holidays are over now… *sniff* but what is your favorite family tradition for the holidays, in the kitchen or otherwise? Any gluten Christmas treats you’ve converted to be gluten-free? Please share in the comments!

Shared with Gluten-free Holiday Carnival

Gluten-Free Julekake Norwegian Christmas Bread

Bread Alternative Grains European

Ingredients

1 pkg. Rob’s Red Mill GF Bread Mix
1 2/3 cup warm milk (cow, rice, or soy ok)
1 whole egg + enough egg white to make 3/4 cup altogether
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp cider vinegar (or white wine)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp or more fresh cardamom seed
2 cups raisins
1 cup fruitcake mix

Directions

Dissolve one pkg of yeast in 1/3 cup warm milk.

Heat the remaining 1 1/3 cup of milk (or soy milk) in the microwave in a medium bowl. Add 1/3 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and one tsp of salt to the hot milk. Add to your mixing bowl.

Crush about 2 tsp of fresh cardamom seed in a mortar and pestle.

When the milk mixture has cooled, gradually add flour and mix until
smooth.

Add yeast milk-mixture, eggs, and vinegar and mix with beaters for 2 1/2 minutes.

Add 2 cups raisins, 1 cup fruitcake mix and cardamom and mix for at
least 30 seconds.

Place dough in foil lined, buttered bread pan.

Brush top of dough with some warm milk. Sprinkle a mixture of 2
parts sugar and one part cinnamon on top of each loaf. Let raise in warmed
oven for 35-50 minutes or until dough has risen over the pan.

Bake at 375 oven for 35-45 minutes, covered with foil until crust is nicely browned. You can take off the foil for the last 10 minutes if you like.

Let cool and slice off a piece to enjoy some Norwegian heaven!

Notes

*if fruitcake mix is out of season, you can use 3 cups of raisins with good results.

Rating:  9

Original Source:  Adapted from my FIL’s family recipe. A priceless family treasure. Do not replicate anywhere without my permission. Thank you.

Recipe ID:  1168

Added: January 3, 2008

Last Modified: December 23, 2010