Holiday Traditions by Chef Jean True December 22, 2013 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Holiday traditions, many based on our ancestry, are what makes this season so special. Perhaps you bring out ornaments from Great Aunt Lizzie, an embroidered tablecloth brought from England by your grandma, or family recipes to be enjoyed by all. Of course, I have my Swedish grandma’s butter cookie recipe, German Sauerbraten, and my Hungarian grandma’s coffee cake. It is made of yeast dough; little balls rolled in sugar and ground walnuts, then baked in an Angel food cake pan – so delicious on Christmas morning. And, now enters Facebook…a source to connect with friends and family as we all know. Recently, I received a request to be friends with Gabriella Szepessy. What?? Szepessy is my Hungarian maiden name and not that common, especially here in the Midwest. It turns out that she is my fourth cousin (I think), living in Budapest with her family. I couldn’t be happier getting to know her. Turns out she is quite a serious ballerina, a very good student, and happy to know of her cousin in Winfield. Several weeks ago I asked her if she might send me her family’s traditional Christmas dessert recipe. And, she sent one of Hungary’s most famous desserts; Zserbo Szelet or Gerbeaud Cake, originally from the famous Gerbeaud Cafe in Budapest. Of course, I had to make it immediately. It is quite easy and turns out perfectly, really! Here’s a picture of it before baking. Gerbeaud Cake has now become a new tradition in my home. GERBEAUD CAKE: ½ pound walnuts 1 cup sugar 4 cups flour ¼ tsp salt 1 tbsp sugar ½ tsp baking soda 1 1/3 cups unsalted, cold butter 2 egg yolks 1 egg 1 2 oz fresh cake yeast ½ cup sour cream 24 oz. apricot preserves Process the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor. Add the 1 cup sugar. Pulse until finely ground and combined; set aside. Combine the flour, baking soda, 1 tbsp sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times. Add the butter and process till crumbly. Add the egg, yolks, crumbled yeast, and sour cream. Process till completely combined. Put mixture on a bread board, and knead several minutes. Divide the dough into 4 pieces Roll 1 piece to fit a jelly-type baking pan. Place in the bottom of the pan. Spread a thin layer of preserves on top of the dough, and then sprinkle with 1/3 of the nut mixture. Repeat layers, ending with the 4th piece of dough on top. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. After the cake has risen, bake for 45 minutes…when completely cooled, trim the edges to a rectangle. Frost with a thin layer of 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate melted with 2 tbsp butter. Spread the chocolate mixture over the entire cake. Set for 30 minutes or so. With a sharp knife, cut into individual pieces, about 2 x 4 inch rectangles. Bon Appetit and “Kellemes Unnepeket” (happy holiday season)!
Petite Chocolate Cakes with Espresso Caramel Glaze December 13, 2013 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Petite Chocolate Cakes with Espresso Caramel Glaze 2013-12-13 15:46:48 Print Ingredients Cake 31 oz. sugar 20 oz. flour 5.5 oz. cocoa powder .50 oz. baking powder .50 oz. baking soda .40 oz. salt 6.68 oz. eggs 16 oz. milk 7 oz. vegetable oil .40 oz. vanilla 16 oz. boiling water Glaze ½ c. butter 2/3 c. brown sugar 2 T. brewed coffee 2 T. corn syrup Pinch of salt Espresso sugar Instructions To Make Cake Combine all the dry. Combine all the wet but the water. Add wet into the dry with paddle attachment on medium speed. After combined add water. Fill pans 2/3 full and bake at 350. To Make Glaze In a small saucepan, melt butter and sugar, add in coffee, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, cool slightly and drizzle over cake. Dust cake with espresso sugar or crushed espresso coffee beans. By Kelly Sears Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Tabletop Treasures: Old and New by Anne Lautz December 13, 2013 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Have you ever wished you could start over with all new dishes in order to set the “perfect “ table for a special dinner? Our family will be together for the first time in a year, the day after Christmas. As the mom, I would like that first dinner together to be perfect with much laughter and love being shared around the dining room table as we eat and reminisce. Since a complete tableware re-do is not an option, perhaps some additions to what I already have is a possibility. With that thought in mind, I recently gathered items from my hutch and closet into a laundry basket and went to Marcel’s where I enlisted help from my co-workers Janie and Rita. Our creative juices started flowing! A beautiful gray Garnier* tablecloth purchased several months ago was the foundation for two possible table settings. The fabric has both gold and silver threads, which compliments the metal tone edges found in my different dish patterns. In each of the tablescapes, I also used beautiful linen napkins* as well as antique silverware inherited from my husband’s great aunt. For our first table, salad plates from my mother’s wedding china were paired with my mother-in-law’s china dinner plates. Since both of these women were wonderful role models for our family, it will be a tribute to and memory of them. Under the dinner plates and centerpiece we placed gold tone Chilewich Dahlia pattern placemats* that complimented the gold threads in the tablecloth and the edges of the two china patterns. A white mercury Christmas tree* provided a great centerpiece. Here’s what that table looked like: For the second table, this time we layered white salad plates edged in grey and silver, with Arte Italica glass and pewter rimmed dinner plates*. The centerpiece was a silver mercury Christmas tree* sitting on a gorgeous Arte Italica cake stand*. I appreciated the ability to accessorize and update old family keepsakes with new treasures from Marcel’s. Have fun if you incorporate some new pieces into your tablescapes; I know I did! *Indicates Marcel’s treasures
Prosecco Pear Cocktail December 7, 2013 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Prosecco Pear Cocktail 2013-12-07 22:07:35 Print Ingredients 6-8 cardamom pods, crushed 1 cinnamon stick 1 – 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and crushed ½ cup water ½ cup sugar 1 cup pear nectar 1 bottle Prosecco Instructions In a small saucepan, bring the cardamom pods, water, sugar, ginger, and cinnamon stick to a boil. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 8-10 minutes. Syrup should thicken slightly. Return heat to medium high and add pear nectar. Bring back to a boil and remove syrup from heat. Cover and let stand 30 minutes to infuse cardamom. Strain syrup and chill until ready to use. Fill glasses with 2 oz. syrup and top with Prosecco Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Vanilla Cakes with Citrus Marmalade December 5, 2013 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Vanilla Cakes with Citrus Marmalade 2013-12-05 13:58:07 Print Ingredients 1½ c. butter, softened 2 c. brown sugar 1 c. sugar 5 large eggs ¾ c. milk ¼ c. Dark Rum 2 t. vanilla 3 c. flour 1 t. baking powder 1 t. salt s.a.l.t. sisters Vanilla Sugar Citrus Marmalade 600 g. Cleaned Fresh Lemons, Oranges, Meyer Lemons, or combination of all three 420 g. Sugar Additional additions: thyme, basil, rosemary, star anise, vanilla bean, lemongrass, cinnamon, ginger, mint, Instructions Cake Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugars, beating 4-5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Combine milk, rum, and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared tart pans. Bake 15 minutes then cool in pan for 10 minutes. Once cooled, core out a small hole in the top of each tart. Fill with citrus marmalade, dust with vanilla sugar, and serve. Marmalade Clean citrus by first washing them well in warm water. Cut citrus into big slices avoiding the core but leaving the skin on. Weight slices to get total recipe weight of 600 grams. Plus the citrus to desired chunkiness in the food processor being careful not to puree. Add sugar, cover and refrigerate overnight (easiest to refrigerate in the pot you will be cooking the jam in and when covering, press the saran down in contact with the surface of the citrus/sugar combination. Return to low heat and stir continuously until skin/rind appear translucent. Pour into sterilized jam jars or suitable container. By Kelly Sears Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/