The Kitchen of Oz - A Food Blog » raspberry

Mascarpone Cream with Berries

Ozhan — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:24:13 +0000

I don’t know about the place you live in but nowadays we are experiencing an interesting summer time in İstanbul. You have to make sure that your sunglasses and umbrella are with you before you get out of the house and I assure you that both will be used alternately during the day.

Experiencing such a wet and relatively cool summer is something new for us who live in here and makes me question the existence of a lot spoken and over used global warming issue. I really doubt whether this part of the globe is warming or getting cooler contrarily.

Thanks lord the capricious weather did not affect the abundance of summer fruits in the market. Everywhere is full of fresh strawberries with breathtaking fragrances and many other members of berry family. By the moment I came across these beauties at the neighborhood market, I decided to prepare one of my favorite summer desserts without any hesitation. I was planning to share some details of the food scenery in Paris but this could wait for a week unlike these fresh strawberries which should immediately turn into a delectable memory on my palate.

Strawberries can stay fresh only for a few days in the refrigerator with the condition that they kept in the paper bag they were put at first. They should not be washed and their caps should not be removed till you serve them. Otherwise your beautiful red strawberries would absorb excess water leaving them with a fading flavor and a degrading texture.

Berry Family

Strange but true, strawberries are a member of rose family. Could that be the reason of romance attached to them? I do not know why but one of my friends in the office once told me that she would be deeply affected from a guy who sent her fresh and zestful strawberries rather than a box of expensive chocolate. Probably she would also love to see a note attached to strawberries “will you berry me?”

It will be unfair to look at this delicious fruit only from a romantic point of view. Though this is not widely known, a serving of 7-8 strawberries contains more vitamin C compared with a mid-sized orange. Besides strawberry is a rich source of potassium, fibre, antioxidants, and heart disease-fighting flavonoids. So here another myth, “Anything too delicious is detrimental for your health” is buried under solid facts.

As for my recipe, I can assure you that it will bring you to ecstasy with the first spoon you take. Slivered crunchy almonds on top create perfect contrast with smooth and soft texture of mascarpone cream. Raspberry purée is just so right to balance the overall sweetness of dessert and to elevate the taste of strawberries.

In short, this is a perfect summer dessert for a perfect summer night. Even if your summer is a bit rainy like mine, you can still be sure that a glass of this beauty will dissipate the clouds in your head.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

400 g (14,1 oz) mascarpone cheese
200ml (6,75 fl.oz) heavy cream, chilled at least 12 hours
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups strawberry, hulled and halved
1 cup raspberry purée (nothing added, plain raspberries just puréed in a food processor)
½ cup cranberry
⅔ cup slivered almond

Instructions

1.	Whip chilled cream in a large metal bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until it is firm and hard peaks are formed when you pull the mixer out of the bowl.
2.	Add vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar and combine (you can still use mixer but at medium speed, one minute will be enough)
3.	Add mascarpone cheese to the bowl and combine them all with electric mixer at low speed for a few minutes more. Stop mixing when everything is blended and mixture gains a uniform, smooth texture. Do not over mix or the whole combination will get a yellowish, grainy texture (cream starts to turn into butter like thing if it is mixed too much)
4.	Take a white wine glass and scatter one tablespoon of cranberries at the bottom add some cream and spread.
5.	Pour some raspberry purée and again cover with cream and spread well. Place strawberries on the inner side of the glass as well as the middle part (be generous)
6.	Cover with some cream till you reach the top and spread. Sprinkle slivered almonds on top.
7.	Chill well before serving.

Chocolate Monster Cake

Ozhan — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:25:37 +0000

Chocolate Monster Cake

Last time I told you that I was going to tell about my vacation so here comes the first part. This will also help you figure out why the far-famed performer (calling her as just a singer will be unfair) Lady Gaga is placed at the right side of this incredibly delicious piece of Chocolate Monster Cake I call.

Going to Antwerp for Lady Gaga Concert

A couple of months ago, I miraculously managed to get two tickets to Lady Gaga’s “The Monster Ball Tour” which is said to be a phenomenal performance to be seen. Initially I aimed to buy tickets for the Paris stop but there was not even one ticket left both for two nights. The situation in Rome was the same but I was determined to buy the tickets even I need to check each and every country on the list. Finally I found two of the last tickets left (what’s more, each seat in a different row!) for the show in Antwerp.

Antwerp Shops

We flew to Paris first and from there headed for Antwerp with the car we rent just to make a change (what a brilliant idea!). Let me tell you one crucial thing at that point; do not make a change, never ever consider renting a car in Paris. I am serious. Even though I live in Istanbul which is also well known for its traffic jams, it rarely takes two hours to get in the nearest highway exit on a week day. I really do not want to remember this part of the trip, be hundred percent sure that train is the best choice.

Antwerp seems like an empty city!

To me, Antwerp seems like a deserted city; there are few people on the streets, in the restaurants, or anywhere you may think. I was asking myself “How come on earth, they will find enough people to fill the concert area for two consecutive nights?”. Then I made such a strange assumption that all of the city dwellers were resting at their homes to save their energy to dance with Lady Gaga that night.

Main Square in Antwerp

The common side of Belgian cities is that one day is well enough to discover the city and to see the basics. Unfortunately food is not varied compared to other sides of Belgium, waffle and mussels are again the most well known examples of local cuisine in Antwerp. I will give you an outstanding mussel recipe by the time I find fresh and quality mussels in the fish market to retest it. As for the waffle, you may check this post to find all about its history and a delectable recipe as a bonus.

No one's around but fashion is all around!

The city has more to offer when it comes to design and fashion industry. There are many local brands, hip stores and well known fashion labels like Dries Van Noten originated in here. It is a better idea to cruise around the central area and discover these nice stores. Diamond exchange market might be another attraction if you are inherited some diamonds from your beloved aunt.

Dille & Kamille Shop in Antwerp

As for me, my favourite was the Dille&Kamille store with all its culinary supplies, simple but chic tableware, cutlery, home and garden accessories etc. It is one of the stores that provide you a peaceful atmosphere to spend hours in it and makes you want to buy each and every item you see for your house.

In front of Dille & Kamille Store

As the sun sets down, we put our tickets in our pockets and headed for our appointment with Lady Gaga that night. I was planning to take beautiful photos from the concert but unfortunately security people took my camera, on the grounds that it was too professional. So sad but not enough, second shock was on the way; our hardly found separate seats had the worst possible viewing angle (this explains why I was able to find them in the first place). We moved to a better place accepting the fact that we would be standing all night on top of our exhausted feet.

Chocolate Monster versus Fame Monster

No matter how hard were the conditions, Lady Gaga’s show was amazing. Let alone her fantastic performance as a singer, scene settings, choreography, costumes and theatrical details were awesome. It looks like the music world found its next revolutionary. Lady Gaga was already named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of the year. If you have a chance to visit any of the countries included in her tour schedule, rush to buy your tickets (if not sold out already!).

Antwerp Street Painting

It was one of the best live performances I have ever seen up to now. Her recent song “Monster” inspired me to call this cake as Chocolate Monster due to its 250 gram dark chocolate content. It is a bit fancy, not fancier than a Gaga dress though, with its waved style chocolate coating on top and raspberry-chocolate cream filling inside. Once you prepare it, call your friends to share before you taste. Otherwise it is highly possible that you will turn into a selfish monster after the first piece and will keep it all for yourself. Eat responsibly!

Note:I never use photographs taken by other parties on this blog. However due to restrictions my camera was taken before the concert. That’s why I used Lady Gaga photos from her official website.

Chocolate Monster Cake

Ingredients (makes 8-10 servings)

For the cake

6 eggs
125 g (4,5 oz) plain flour
175 g (6 oz) sugar
85 g (3 oz) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50 g (1,75 oz) cocoa powder (a high quality one like Varlhona is preferred)

For the filling

450 g (15,8 oz) raspberries (washed and drained)
120 ml (4 fl.oz) heavy cream
150 g (5,3 oz) quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
2 tablespoon Kirsch (optional)

For the coating

100 g (3,5 oz) quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
40 g (1,4 oz) butter

Making of Chocolate Monster Cake

Instructions

1.	Preheat the oven to 180C (350F), place the rack in the middle.
2.	Line the bottom of a 23cm (9 in) springform cake tin with baking paper, and lightly grease the sides of the tin.
3.	Put the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan filled with simmering water (make sure that the bowl does not touch the saucepan at the bottom or on the sides (I recommend to immerse a thin metal cookie cutter in the simmering water and place the bowl on top of it)
4.	Whisk the mixture until it is pale and thick (as shown in the picture) then remove from the heat and keep on whisking until cooled down slightly.
5.	Sift the cocoa powder and flour together into the egg mixture and fold.
6.	Add vanilla extract and melted butter and combine all of them using a metal spoon or a spatula.
7.	Transfer to the prepared cake tin and level the surface. Bake in the oven for around 40 minutes or until you stick in a toothpick and it comes out clean.
8.	Turn the cake out on a wire rack and remove the baking paper, allow the cake to cool down completely. After it is cooled down, carefully cut it down to two layers.
9.	Whisk the heavy cream with an electric mixer on high speed till it holds its shape.
10.	Melt 150 gram chocolate in a bowl placed over hot water and combine with the whipped cream by using your electric mixer.
11.	Place the lower layer of the cake on a serving plate and drizzle one tablespoon of Kirsch. Spread half of the chocolate cream and place all of the raspberries. Spread the second half of chocolate cream and cover the top of the raspberries very well.
12.	Place the second layer and drizzle a tablespoon of Kirsch.
13.	Melt the butter and chocolate for the coating in a bowl set over hot water and blend well.
14.	Spread the coating on top and side of the cake and draw some patterns on top if you like to make it fancier.
15.	Freeze at least 6 hours for the cake to be set, and then serve.

Waffle with Smooth Raspberry Sauce and Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Ozhan — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:08:39 +0000

If you have any relatives or friends with kids then you can easily realize that the new parenting style is much more different than the one you grown up with. Kids are the object of everyone’s attention anytime and their parents never let you focus on any other subject but their abilities, intelligence, self learned computer skills, accomplishments, artistry and so on. I am afraid the world is not enough to satisfy the urges of that many genius people in twenty years time. For some reason most of the parents are treating their child as a messiah sent to save the humanity which entitles the kid to do anything he/she likes. Hope that they know something I do not know.
Particularly in my society over-parenting is perceived as a valuable asset. In financial terms; you make an investment by spending time, money and effort to get the highest possible return out of it. However, most of the time result is over-protected and high maintenance grown-ups who do not know how to cope with the outside world.

I mentioned a lot about the kids since we hosted a family gathering during the weekend, featuring nephews and nieces and their parents around the dining table. We had a long, pleasant breakfast and had a conversation on difficulties of raising children. After listening about all the scheduled activities, after school classes every day, private lessons in the weekend and a fortune spent to present them the best possible childhood experiences, I thought my parents were so lucky to raise me almost for free.

When it comes to food, we decided to bake waffles to amuse our little guests. Kids really like waffle not surprisingly when it is accompanied with praline or ice cream on top. Like many other food stuff, waffle has also variations depending on the batter it’s made. While American style contains baking powder in its batter and is thinner compared to Belgian versions, Brussels waffle is made from a leavened batter with a thick and crispy texture. Another variation, Liège waffle, made in eastern Belgium is based on brioche dough and contains pieces of sugar caramelizing on the outside. Scandinavian version is also thinner and they use explicitly romantic heart-shaped waffle mold which personally I do not find appealing at all. In Sweden, they also celebrate 25th of March as the Waffle Day (Våffeldagen, means “day of our lady”) and it is the day the Archangel Gabriel heralded the Virgin Mary that she was pregnant. Besides religious references, it is believed to be the first day of spring and should be greeted by preparing tasty waffles. I totally agree on that.

As for the waffle recipe I shared below, the batter is American style while the looks and texture is more on the Belgian side since I like waffle thick and crispy rather than the soft, foldable versions. You may use different toppings as well but the ones I used here are very light, simple yet delightful recipes from the book “Perfect Scoop” written by the connoisseur of ice cream, David Lebovitz. Particularly, the strawberry frozen yogurt (another thanks to my mother-in-law who sent us the delightful strawberries even the season is so over) has an infatuating effect on me that I gobbled up the left-overs in the mixing bowl within a few minutes.

As a last word, the waffle with smooth raspberry sauce and strawberry frozen yogurt will also be your kids’ or nephews’ favorite while maintaining a healthy diet for them so that they can keep their perfect figure for the year-end performance at school. I know, he/she is already perfect in every way, no need to mention, right?

Ingredients

For waffle (around 12 pieces, depending on your waffle mold)

1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
20 g (0,7 oz.) baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 eggs
7 tablespoons melted butter
1 ½ cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

For smooth raspberry sauce (250 ml)

2 cups (225 g/7,9 oz.) raspberries, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons sugar (I prefer granulated sugar)
¼ cup (60 ml) water
A few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice

For strawberry frozen yogurt (makes about 1 quart/1 liter)

450 g (15,8 oz.) strawberries (though the original recipe requires fresh strawberries, my trials with frozen strawberries worked out well also)
2/3 cup (130 g) sugar
2 teaspoons vodka
1 cup (240 g) plain whole-milk yogurt (I prefer it well drained before use)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions
It is better to prepare the frozen yogurt a day before and the raspberry sauce on the same day so that you will have everything ready when the waffles are still hot and crispy. Pour some smooth raspberry sauce and add two scoops of strawberry frozen yogurt on top of the waffle. You may use fresh mint leaves to garnish.

For waffle (around 12 pieces, depending on your waffle mold)

1.	Separate whites and yolks of all 3 eggs
2.	Pour egg whites in a stand mixer bowl add the salt and mix at the high speed till it has a snow like texture (see it in the picture)
3.	Toss the remaining solid ingredients; flour, baking powder, and sugar in a bowl and mix well with a spoon.
4.	In a different bowl combine melted butter, egg yolks, vanilla extract, milk, and mix well by means of a whisk
5.	Pour the solid mixture into liquids slowly and keep on stirring
6.	Add the egg whites into the mixture and fold gently to make the final batter
7.	Pour some of the batter into hot waffle molds by the help of a ladle
8.	Remove the waffles on a cooling rack when both sides get a nice golden brown color

For smooth raspberry sauce

1.	Purée the raspberries in a food processor with sugar and water until smooth
2.	Press the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds
3.	Add the lemon juice and mix

For strawberry frozen yogurt

1.	Slice the strawberries, add sugar and vodka.
2.	Stir until the sugar begins to dissolve
3.	Cover and keep at room temperature for 1 hour (stir for a few times)
4.	Purée the strawberries and their liquid with the yogurt and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth
5.	Refrigerate for an hour, and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.