Oven Baked Mochi

INGREDIENTS

1 pound mochiko (glutinous rice flour)

2 1/2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon red food color

1 1/2 cups potato starch

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Whisk together the rice flour, sugar and baking powder; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the water, vanilla, coconut milk and red food coloring. Blend in the rice flour mixture. Pour into the prepared pan.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool completely.

Turn the pan of mochi out onto a clean surface that has been dusted with potato starch. Cut into bite size pieces using a plastic knife. The mochi does not stick as much to plastic knives.

Microwave Mochi
Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Dango-ko rice flour
1 1/2 cup tepid water
2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar (feel free to adjust according to personal preference)
1 package or can of sweetened Anko (red bean paste), refrigerated to keep firm.
food coloring (optional)
almond extract (optional)
tapioca, potato, or corn starch for dusting and controlling the sticky dough
You will also need a microwave and a flat microwavable dish such as a deep-dish pie plate.
1. In a large bowl, mix the rice flour, sugar, and water until smooth. You may need to use a hand blender or mixer to make sure there aren’t any lumps.
2. If desired, add drops of food coloring and/or extract and mix in thoroughly. Note that the batter will be quite thin–very similar to pancake batter in consistency.
3. Pour batter into a shallow microwavable dish and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 4 minutes. Remove dish and pull off plastic to release steam. Stir the mix until smooth again (it will be cooked in some parts and not in others so don’t worry if it looks uneven). Microwave again for another 3 to 5 minutes until the top is dry.
4. While mix cooks, take out the refrigerated bean paste and roll into small balls about the size of a chocolate truffle. Dust your hands with starch or confectioner’s sugar to keep from sticking.
5. Remove mochi dough from microwave and let cool for several minutes. You can speed this up by pounding it with a flour-covered pestle until shiny and smooth.
6. To Mold: taking one heaping tablespoon of dough out of the dish and place in your starch-covered hands. Work into a circle and then flatten on the floured board. Drop a ball of red bean paste inside and the pull mochi around the edges like a little purse. Pinch the top shut and then use your hand to smooth into a soft round shape. Dust with additional starch and set aside. Repeat this process until you use up all the mochi.
Cover finished Daifuku tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate to store (or freeze). Serve and enjoy much the way you would any other cookie or small cake.

Custard filling

• 2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk

Choux Pastry

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together vanilla instant pudding mix, cream and milk in saucepan. Boil and stir continuously until mixture thickens. Cover and refrigerate to set.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
3. Boil water and butter together on high.
   
4. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball.
   
5. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and let cool (3-4 minutes).
   
6. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
   
7. Pipe onto an ungreased baking sheet.
8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven or until golden brown. Centers should be dry. (Baking duration may vary depending on size of choux pastry)
9. When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.

Optional) melt chocolate and drizzle on top of choux pastries for decoration and taste

Click Here for Bananas Foster Tutorial

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons rum (substitute: 3 1/2 teaspoon Rum Extract + 7 teaspoon water)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise and crosswise
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream

**For those of you who have electric stoves, you will need a heavy duty lighter or some sort of elongated medium that will provide combustion of the rum.  Be careful to tilt the pan away from yourself when doing so to avoid contact with flame. (Great suggestion by Stephen Yang!)
1. Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

2. Place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum.

3. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.

4. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
• 1 pound chopped nuts
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9×13 inch pan.
2. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 – 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 – 8 sheets deep.
3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

20 thin slices pound cake, frozen

Ice Cream

Canola oil for deep-frying

1 cup tempura batter

TEMPURA BATTER INGREDIENTS:
1 egg
1 cup ice water
1 cup all purpose flour

Beat an egg in a bowl. Add ice water in the bowl. Be sure to use very cold water. Add sifted flour in the bowl and mix lightly. Be careful not to over-mix the batter.

Directions

Put a one-foot-square piece of plastic wrap on clean surface. Lay three slices of cake overlapping each other lengthwise.

Put two slices horizontally on the top and bottom of the other slices.

Put one of the ice cream balls in the center of the cake. With five more slices of cake, cover the ice cream the same way you laid out the bottom slices.

Gather the corners of the plastic and twist tightly so that the cake and ice cream stay in place. Freeze for at least two hours or longer is better. In a deep wok or heavy saucepan, heat about four inches of oil to 350 degrees. Unwrap the cake and ice cream balls and coat completely in tempura batter.

Carefully transfer each ice cream ball to the heated oil (a slotted spoon works best for this). Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the ice cream balls are golden brown and crisp. Use the slotted spoon to transfer the balls to paper towels to drain.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sifted cake flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, separated (room temp)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sugar, divided

MOUSSE

• 2 (1/4 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup water
• 4-5 large ripe mangoes
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/4 cup nonfat sour cream

Assembly

• 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Directions

1. Make sponge cake: Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly butter bottom and side of a 10-inch springform cake pan.
3. Line bottom of the pan with a circle of baking parchment or waxed paper.
4. Dust side of the pan with flour and tap out excess.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Sift flour mixture onto a piece of waxed paper.
7. In a large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer set at high speed, beat egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar for 4 to 6 minutes, until batter is pale yellow and forms a thick ribbon.
8. Beat in vanilla.
9. Beat egg whites at low speed until frothy.
10. Gradually increase speed to high and continue beating soft peaks start to form.
11. One teaspoon at a time, gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating whites until they form stiff, shiny peaks.
12. Scrape 1/3 of whites on top of beaten egg yolks.
13. Resift 1/3 of flour mixture over whites and fold flour mixture and egg whites into egg yolk mixture, making sure to free any flour that may be clinging to side of the bowl.
14. One-third at a time, gently fold in remaining whites with 1/3 of resifted flour mixture.
15. Do not overfold.
16. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
17. Bake cake for 8 to 12 minutes, until center springs back when gently touched.
18. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
19. Remove from pan and cool completely.
20. Make the mango mousse: Put water in a small heatproof cup.
21. Sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand for 5 minutes to soften.
22. Place cup with softened gelatin in a saucepan with enough water to come halfway up side of cup.
23. Heat gelatin mixture in hot, not simmering water.
24. Stir gelatin mixture frequently for 2 to 3 minutes, until gelatin granules dissolve completely and mixture is clear.
25. Remove pan from heat.
26. Leave cup containing gelatin mixture in hot water to keep gelatin warm until ready to use.
27. Peel mangoes and cut fruit away from pit.
28. Cut fruit into large chunks.
29. Combine half of mango chunks with 1/2 cup of sugar in bowl of a food processor.
30. Process mangoes for 40 to 60 seconds, until pureed.
31. Transfer pureed mangoes to a large saucepan.
32. Repeat with remaining mangoes and 1/2 cup of sugar.
33. Cook the mango mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until warm.
34. Remove saucepan from the heat.
35. Add the gelatin mixture and vanilla and whisk until blended.
36. Transfer mango mixture to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.
37. In a chilled large bowl, beat the heavy cream and sour cream until mixture forms soft peaks.
38. Fold 1/3 of whipped cream into mango mixture to lighten it.
39. Fold in remaining whipped cream.
40. Assemble cake: Remove side from a 10-by-3-inch springform pan.
41. Trim a 12-inch cardboard circle so that it fits snugly within curved lip of bottom of springform pan.
42. Reattach side of springform pan.
43. Remove paper circle from bottom of cake.
44. Spread raspberry jam in an even layer over top of cake.
45. Place cake layer in bottom of prepared pan.
46. Scrape mango mousse over cake layer and smooth it into an even layer.
47. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
48. Unmold cake: Using a portable blow dryer or damp very hot towel, carefully heat outside of springform pan until edge of mousse melts slightly.
49. Release clamp on side of springform pan and gently lift it up and remove it from around side of the cake.
50. Defrost cake in refrigerator for at least 3 hours, until ready to decorate.
51. Decorate cake: Spread toasted almonds on a piece of waxed paper.
52. Set aside 28 of best almond halves to garnish cake.
53. Lift cake up on cardboard cake circle, supporting bottom of cake in one hand.
54. Scoop up almonds and gently press them against side of cake, working around cake until side is completely covered.
55. Put cake on a serving plate.
56. In a chilled small bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer set at medium speed, beat cream with the sugar until stiff peaks begin to form.
57. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large closed star tip (such as Ateco#4) with whipped cream.
58. Pipe 14 rosettes around top edge of cake.
59. Garnish each rosette with 2 toasted almond slices.
60. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve

Tiramisu

INGREDIENTS

• 6 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese
• 1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 (12 ounce) packages ladyfingers
• 1/3 cup coffee flavored liqueur

• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
• 1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whip yolks until thick and lemon colored.
2. Add mascarpone to whipped yolks. Beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into yolk mixture and set aside.
3. Split the lady fingers in half, and line the bottom and sides of a large glass bowl. Brush with coffee liqueur. Spoon half of the cream filling over the lady fingers. Repeat ladyfingers, coffee liqueur and filling layers. Garnish with cocoa and chocolate curls. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
4. To make the chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler and run it down the edge of the chocolate bar

Classic Tiramisu

yields 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 4 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup and 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 oz. mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup and 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1-1/3 (12 ounce) packages ladyfingers (Approximately 16-20 ladyfingers)
• 6 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur (Kahlua)
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature

Garnish

• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whip yolks until thick and lemon colored.
2. Add mascarpone to whipped yolks. Beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into yolk mixture and add 2 tablespoons of Kahlua. Set aside.
3. Add 4 tablespoons of Kahlua to the coffee.
4. Dip the ladyfingers in the coffee for 3-5 seconds (if you dip it for too long, the ladyfingers will get too soggy and will fall apart). Line half of the soaked ladyfingers on the bottom of the pan.
5. Spoon half of the cream filling over the ladyfingers. Repeat ladyfingers and filling layers.
6. Chop up the semi-sweet chocolate chips into very small pieces and garnish the top. Refrigerate overnight.

SUGGESTIONS

- For this serving size, it’s best to use the pound cake-size pan.

- This recipe yields a lot of the cream filling… it might be better to divide the filling into thirds and go for three layers.