Category Archives: Baking

KitchenAid® Illuminates How Inspiration Can Strike At Any Moment With Design-Forward, Limited Edition Stand Mixer

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“Light & Shadow” Features Sun-Soaked Sand Tones, Refined Black Metals and Unique Textural Elements

 Shining a spotlight on highly textural, premium design, KitchenAid reveals its most artful appliance to date, the Limited Edition Stand Mixer, Light & Shadow. The design-forward appliance is an ode to the maker, acknowledging that their passion and creativity in the kitchen is not tied to traditional boundaries, but instead driven by inspiring moments throughout each and every day.

Light & Shadow reflects how inspiration can strike at any time, whether day or night, in big or small ways. Through the contrast of light and dark, compelling textures and exceptional styling, the sun-soaked sand tones of the Stand Mixer complement the studded shadowcasting pattern of the ceramic, tactile bowl.

“The design of Light & Shadow reflects the desire to explore and bring your vision to life,” said Jessica McConnell, director, Whirlpool Color, Finish & Material Design. “The dimensional studs on the bowl cast mesmerizing shadows that change with the sun’s rays, reflecting the possibility to make each moment feel special.”

KitchenAid® Illuminates How Inspiration Can Strike At Any Moment With Design-Forward, Limited Edition Stand Mixer

As an appliance leader and color authority, KitchenAid releases Limited Edition appliances to display its advanced color, material and finish. The brand pushes the boundaries of what a stand mixer can do through its ability to evoke emotion and elevate lifestyles. Crafted using genuine materials with rich surface textures, the Light & Shadow Stand Mixer encourages creativity at any moment, earning a spot as a permanent fixture on countertops.

The sand-colored tonal matte mixer mirrors sand in an hourglass, while the structural, three-dimensional studded bowl reflects and subdues light. Together, the pair mark the passage of time through the marriage of light and shadow, celebrating the many different occasions that bring makers to the kitchen.

Every detail of the limited edition appliance elicits a sense of wonder and curiosity, coming to life even in the most subtle intricacies. The polish from the trimband’s deep metallic finish contrasts the sleek yet subtle hubcover, which has a two-toned finish for a shiny, satin look that mesmerizes like a mirage. Details like these set this ultra-luxe model apart from others.

“Inspiration isn’t bound by time, but rather cultivated by a series of moments,” said Jon Bellante, KitchenAid global marketing director. “Light & Shadow is a reflection of how creativity can arise in the kitchen without warning and manifest itself in the form of a brunch spread for friends, an afternoon snack or a nighttime dinner party — the possibilities are endless.”

The stand mixer is made to stand out as a centerpiece of the kitchen, blurring the line between appliance and art and allowing for a distinctive expression of individuality. Light & Shadow is available with a studded black ceramic bowl, sold exclusively with the Limited Edition Stand Mixer.

The Limited Edition Light & Shadow Stand Mixer is available for purchase on KitchenAid.com and at select retailers, complete with unique packaging, for MSRP $449.99 (Stainless Steel Bowl option) and $549.99 (Studded Bowl option).

To learn more, visit KitchenAid.com or follow us on Instagram, @KitchenAidUSA.

gingerbread whoopie pies and hot buttered rum sauce

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hot-buttered-rum-sauce-on-pancakesEggnog, gingerbread and peppermint flavors are on the menu this holiday season.

Christmas may come once a year, but there are 25 days in December to get your holiday flavor fix. Incorporate festive tastes like eggnog, gingerbread and peppermint into everything from breakfast dishes to DIY gifts, scrumptious syrups and sips with recipes created and inspired by McCormick Kitchens

“We do a lot of celebrating – and eating – in December, so there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the seasonal flavors we look forward to all year,” said Chef Kevan Vetter of the McCormick Kitchens. “Make green ‘Christmas Tree’ waffles studded with chocolate candies as ‘ornaments’ and dusted with powdered sugar for the ‘snow.’ Or, mix popcorn with white chocolate, peppermint extract and red and green sprinkles for a party snack or edible gift.”  These these recipes will be featured this week. Stay tuned!

Stay tuned throughout the month as we hi-light and share the recipes McCormick Kitchens has sent over to share with our readers as well as though we are inspired to create.

The first of  two delectable recipes on our list is Chef Kevan Vetter’s Hot Buttered Rum Sauce, which is perfect for ice cream, pancakes, waffles, pie, cake or anything else that crosses your path. Next, we decided to showcase chef Vetter’s Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Crème. These delectable beauties make the perfect gift for friends and neighbors and can be prepared by the entire fam.

Hot Buttered Rum Sauce

hot-buttered-rum-sauce-on-ice-creamServes: Makes 1 1/3 cups or about 10 (2-tablespoon) servings.
5 mins Prep time  10 mins  Cook time
Ingredients

Method:

  1. Mix brown sugar and cream in small saucepan. Cook and stir on medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in butter, a few pieces at a time, until melted. Once butter is melted, remove from heat.
  2. Stir in extracts. Serve warm. Store any leftover sauce in tightly covered, clean container in refrigerator.

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Crème

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Print
Serves: Makes 2 1/2 dozen or 30 (1 whoopie pie) servings.    30 mins Prep time  ♦  10 mins  Cook time
gingerbread-whoopie-pies-with-lemon-cremeIngredients
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies:

Lemon Crème:

  • 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
  • 4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Lemon Extract

Garnish:

  • 1 cup crushed peppermint candies

Method

  1. For the Gingerbread Whoopie Pies, mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low-speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

  4. Meanwhile, for the Lemon Creme, mix marshmallow creme, butter, cream cheese and lemon extract in medium bowl until well blended. To assemble whoopie pies, place about 1 tablespoon filling on the flat side of 1 cookie. Top with a second cookie, pressing gently to spread the filling. Repeat with remaining cookies. Roll edge of cookies in crushed candy. Store whoopie pies between layers of wax paper in airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days.

Cooking tip

How to Crush Peppermint Candies: To make 1 cup crushed candies, you will need about 50 peppermint candies. Place peppermint candies in large resealable plastic bag. Close bag. Pound with rolling-pin or heavy skillet until coarsely crushed. Or, process in food processor using on/off pulsing action.

 

cinnamon apple cider doughnuts

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Using the best ingredients is the secret to cooking and when it comes to doughnuts, we use real butter, not margarine and real buttermilk, not powder. The recipe below also asks for apple butter. If you aren’t familiar with this delicious concoction, you can generally find a jar at the farmers market, road side stand or your local grocer. We also happen to have an apple butter recipe here in our archives.

These doughnuts are delicious plain, dusted in confectioners sugar, rolled in cinnamon and sugar, and glazed or drizzled with caramel.

Note: Dough can be prepared one day ahead, covered and chilled.

cinnamon apple cider doughnuts

About 18 doughnuts

Cinnamon Cider DoughnutsIngredients

  • 3 cups apple cider
  • ½ cup apple butter
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for flour board
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

Method

Bring apple cider to a boil in a medium pan over med-high heat and cook until thick, syrupy and has reduced to about 1/3 cup. About 20 to 30 minutes. Scrape into a medium bowl and whisk in apple butter, buttermilk and vanilla until well combined. Set aside.

Using a hand sifter, sift baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, 3-1/2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon into medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer on med-high, beat butter brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. About 4 mins. Add eggs one at a time beating until well blended after each addition.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add dry ingredients, alternating with cider. Dough will be soft and sticky.

Scrape dough onto flour board or parchment that has been dusted with flour. Dust hands and top of dough with a bit more flour. Pat dough to 3/4″, dust with a bit more flour and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 3 hours minimum.

*If you are dipping doughnuts in cinnamon and sugar, whisk 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon into a small bowl. Set aside

Working on your flour board or baking sheet, punch doughnut rounds with a 3-1/4″ cutter and a 1-1/4″ cutter for each center. Using your scraps and reserved “holes”, reincorporate into the dough. Be careful not to overwork dough. Repeat until all dough has been used. ( Reincorporate into to dough or reserve your holes for deep-frying separately)

Deep Fry

Using a large pot, fit with a deep-fry thermometer and add 3″ of oil. Heat until thermometer reaches 350, on medium-high heat.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set a wire rack inside the baking sheet.

Working in batches, fry doughnuts until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes, gently turn over and fry an additional 3 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool slightly. If you are frying doughnut holes, fry about 2 mins per side, until deep golden brown. Transfer to cooling rack and cool slightly. Toss while still warm in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

 

Thank you for visiting basil & salt! We look forward to bringing you great content for gardening, parenting, health and beauty and of course, delicious recipes.

Look for our newest addition, Martinis & Mocktails, debuting on Blog Talk Radio Live!, in June, 2020. Stay tuned! Literally.

As always, I am raising a glass to you. Karie

You can find us on facebook and instagram @basilandsalt email: karie@basilandsalt.com

profile picKarie Engels is an author, founder and publisher of Basil & Salt Magazine. She enjoys a quiet life in a small farmhouse in Washington state with her quarrelsome cat.

 

Chef Erwin Mallet’s Raspberry Macarons

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May 31 is National Macaroon or Macaron Day, not to be mistaken for a celebration of the new French president, and we are preparing to celebrate in the sweetest way possible.

Macaron The name is derived from the Italian word macarone, maccarone or maccherone, the meringue.  ~Wikipedia

To keep in theme with their part French Mediterranean theme, Villa Azur’s Executive Chef Erwin Mallet reveals his recipe to creating the perfect raspberry batch of the sweet meringue-based confection.

Chef Erwin Mallet's Raspberry Macarons

  • Difficulty: Involved
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Macarons

Raspberry Macaroons1Ingredients

  • 212 grams Almond flour/meal
  • 212 grams Powdered Sugar
  • .82 grams and .90 grams Egg whites
  • Red Food Coloring, Qs   amount at your discretion.
  • 236 grams Granulated sugar, plus a pinch for the egg whites
  • 158 grams Water

Raspberry Jam

Ingredients

  • 1 kg raspberry purée
  • 50 grams granulated sugar
  • 10 grams pectin

Macaron Preparation

  1. Prepare your pastry bag, parchment paper and pan sheet.
  2. Pre-heat oven to 350ºF
  3. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and whisk together, pour in the 82 grams of egg whites and combine with spatula, add the red colorant.
  4. Place the remaining 90 grams of egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk  attachment.
  5. Combine the 236 grams of granulated sugar and the water in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until the syrup reaches 203ºF / 110ºC
  6. Letting the syrup continue to cook, add a pinch of sugar to the egg whites, turn the mixer to medium speed, and whip to soft peaks.
  7. When the syrup reaches 248ºF / 120ºC remove the pan from the heat. Turn the mixer to medium-low speed and slowly add the syrup.
  8. Increase the speed and whip for 5 minutes, until it is cool.
  9. Fold one-third of the meringue into the almond mixture, then continue adding the egg whites a little at a time.
  10. Transfer the mixture to the pastry bad with the tip and pipe the macaron, lift up the pan sheet and tap the bottom of the pan to spread the batter evenly and smooth any peaks eft by the pastry bag.
  11. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes.

Jam Preparation

  1. Warm up the 1 kg raspberry purée with 50 grams of granulated sugar and 10 grams of pectin until the jam boils.
  2. Put the jam in the freezer for 2 hours
  3. When the jam is cold, put it in a blender and mix until the perfect texture.
  4. The fill the macaron
  5. Transfer the jam into a pastry bag.
  6. Remove the macaron from the pan.
  7. Beginning in the center, pipe the jam and top with the second macaron
  8. Put in the refrigerator for 3 hours before serving.

Raspberry Macaroons1
Raspberry Macaroons

 

 

 

Feta and Olive Oil Cakes

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Each Easter Sunday the dinner table is filled with delicious foods and sweet treats. While the younger crew might want cake and fluffy coconut frosting, a few others will love nibbling on something of a different flavor. These delicious little Feta and Olive Oil Cakes are sure to please.

 

Feta and Olive Oil Cakes

  • Difficulty: Medium & Delicious
  • Print

Feta and EVOO CakeIngredients

  • 5.30 ounces (or a little less than ¾ cup) feta cheese
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 1/4 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3.50 ounces (or a little less than ½ cup) ground almonds
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • Brown sugar for garnishing

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Process the cheese with the sugar and honey in a mixer until smooth. Add olive oil. Combine flour with the ground almonds and baking powder and add to bowl while mixing. Divide batter among 6 greased one-use individual cake molds and top each with half an olive. Sprinkle top of batter with brown sugar and bake for about 25 minutes.

 

The best Banana Bread you will ever eat by Christie Kiley

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flour-powder-wheat-jar-largeQuick breads are one of the quickest delicious snack or breakfast foods. You can create any flavor you want by choosing your favorite grains, fruit or  vegetables.

This is my all-time favorite for banana bread that I adapted from a carrot cake recipe. It is by far the most moist and tastiest banana bread ever and wins over any heart and stomach.

Whip up a loaf or three  for a delicious addition to your morning breakfast or as a convenient snack through the day. This quick bread  recipe will quickly become a family favorite.

Dry Ingredients: Bowl 1

toasted-pumpkin-seeds-texture

  • 1 cup of pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted
    ½ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
    ¼ cup whole oats
    2 cups flour
    2 teaspoons cinnamon
    ½ teaspoon nutmeg
    2 teaspoons baking soda
    ½ teaspoon salt

bananaWet Ingredients: 2nd bowl

  • 2 cups of mashed/pureed banana, best if they’re ripened to blackness
    4 eggs
    1 cup brown sugar
    ½ cup sugar
    ¾ cup walnut oil
    ¾ cup vegetable oil

Tools you will need:

2 Mixing bowls
A larger whisk or electric mixer
2 bread pans

Method

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

Once the oven is heated, place the sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds on separate baking sheets. Place them in the oven and bake them for about 5 minutes total and turn them about halfway through to get an even toast.

Place them aside to cool and turn your oven down to 350 F.

In one bowl, add all the ‘dry ingredients’ and mix thoroughly until well incorporated. Set aside.

In a second bowl, add all the ‘wet ingredients’ together. Mix well with a whisk or electric mixer on medium-high speed and aerate the eggs a little bit. If you are using an electric mixer, place the speed on low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three parts. Once all has been added and just mixed in, you can stop. Over-mixing will cause the bread to be tough.

Now you can grease your bread pans with butter and lightly sprinkle flour over the butter. Shake out any excess flour. Pour the bread batter about ¾ of the way up the pans. Place them on top of a baking sheet in case of spill over and on the center rack in your oven. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Be sure to check the center with a fork or toothpick and see that it comes out clean before you remove it from the oven.

Once the bread has almost completely cooled, you can turn the bread pans upside down to remove the loaves. Serve toasted with butter or just all on their own. This recipe makes for great muffins too.

Written by Christie Kiley / Edited by Karie Engels

About Christie

International Sommelier and Chef Christie Kiley has over a decade of combined experience in both restaurants and wineries. While working in kitchens under talented chefs, she spent nights off serving guests in the dining room.

Her passion for food began overflowing into the wine industry and while laboring during wine harvests in Napa, she learned the nature of the product from soil to bottling. Experience working the back- and front-of-the-house in restaurants, wineries in sales, and as a food and wine educator, Christie has vast knowledge of the two industries.

Christie is currently living in Buenos Aires, where she received her Fourth level International Sommelier Certificate from the Escuela de Argentina Sommeliers (EAS) after two years of study.   She is now travelling to fine-tune her knowledge and delve into the gastronomy and cultures around the globe. She works as a freelance writer to share her cultural experiences. Find Christie on Facebook