UPDATE!

Hi everyone! 
This is another short post just to update you on what the Chef has been up to! ***I know!!! it is no excuse for not posting as often, but my heart is still here!!***


So.... Recently i started an internship at Flour Bakery in Cambridge, where after less than a month into it, i got offered a job  :D now i am happy to say that i am full time baker at Flour. The experience is invaluable, I have been learning so many amazing skills from very talented people. ( Sooo Happy :) )


Also, i had the opportunity to work with How2Heroes on two videos for their website. I made: Arroz con Leche and Flan de Coco. The videos will be up soon, i will make sure to post!! 



Of course i have been baking at home almost every day! Here are some pics!!

IceCream Sandwich 

Lime Cupcakes with a Coconut Buttercream

Dulce De Leche/Arequipe/Manjar Blanco

Alfajores

Vanilla Cupcakes

Mini Cupcakes 

A Few Pictures!!

This is a little taste of what I have been creating lately !!

Nini's Banana Muffins

Birthday Red Velvet Cupcakes

Caramel Filled Churros

Dad's Cinnamon Rolls

Mango Pastelitos

Very Pink Vanilla Buttercream mini Princess Cake

Parmesan Cheese Sticks

Dominican Rice Pudding

Strawberry Empanadas

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream and  Blue Rock Sugar Glass Decorations

Hope you enjoy!!


EAT AWAY!

Baby Shower Cupcakes

I recently received and order for fifty baby shower themed cupcakes. I love babies and cupcakes so it was a great challenge. 
For this particular order i made a bunch of different flavors but i wanted to share my Lemon Curd Cupcakes with all of you. 
Here we go...


Vanilla Cupcakes with a Lemon Curd filling and topped Vanilla Buttercream

Yield: 25 Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes:


1 3/4 cups cake flour

• 1 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 4  eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling:

5 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

4 lemons, zested and juiced

1 stick of butter, cut into small squares

For the Buttercream:

• • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 5 cups confectioners' sugar

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  

Procedure

1. Cupcakes
2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 
                           

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lime the cupcake molds with liners, set aside.

In a bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, add the eggs (one at a time), milk and vanilla. When everything is incorporated, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined well.

Fill the liners 2/3 full. Bake until a

 skewer

 comes out clean, 15 - 17 minutes. when done, set aside and let cool completely. 

Lemon Filling

Whisk together zest, lemon juice, sugar, eggs in a saucepan. Add butter and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken, about 6 minutes. Immediately pour curd through sieve into a bowl, then chill and reserve.

Buttercream

In a medium bowl, cream the butter until smooth for about 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If desired, you can add food coloring now.

To Assemble

When your cupcakes are completely cool, cover with a small layer of lemon curd and let sit for a couple of minutes.

Place the buttercream in a pastry bag with the tip of your choice. Decorate the top of your cupcakes with what ever design you desire. 

*** For my cupcakes I used a big round tip and decorated with sugar pearls and baby themed decorations***

HOPE YOU ENJOY!!

EAT AWAY!

Focaccia

This is my new favorite recipe!


Focaccia is a flat, oven baked Italian bread made with yeast and a lot of olive oil. It usually has herbs on top, or other ingredients that give it a little extra flavor.


I love this recipe not only because it is delicious but also because of it is incredibly versatile. I use it for a variety of sandwiches, a base crouton for salads and for snacking with some pesto and cheese, etc.  


Remember you can use any herb you like. I used Rosemary and Thyme because i love the combination but any other will work beautifully.


Try it out and let me know what you think  :)

Herb Focaccia


1 2/3 Cups Warm Water
1 Tablespoon Active Dry Yeast
1 Tablespoon Sugar
5 Cups Flour
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt - extra for sprinkling
3/4 Cups Olive Oil
Rosemary - to taste, for sprinkling 
Thyme - to taste, for sprinkling
1/8 Cups Parmesan Cheese for sprinkling


STEPS


Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Let stand for about 15 minutes or until it starts bubbling.
In your stand mixer with the dough hook, add the flour, salt, 1/2 cup of olive oil and the yeast mixture, combine well. 

Turn the mixer to medium speed and knead until the dough becomes a ball and separates from the sides of the bowl. 

Remove the dough from the mixer and knead by hand two or three times.

Prepare a large bowl with a bit of olive oil to coat the sides well. Put the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic, let rest and rise, in a warm place, for about an hour or until it doubles in size. 

When ready, take a jelly roll pan or a cookie sheet and cover with the rest of the olive oil. Place the dough in the pan and stretch it to cover the entire pan. Turn it over to coat well with the oil. 

Let it rise again for another hour in the pan. 


Preheat the oven to 425 F.
When it doubles in size, sprinkle liberally with the Rosemary, Thyme, Salt and Parmesan Cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden on top. 
Remove from the oven and let cool in a cooling rack. 

Serve warm with butter or however you desire :) 


EAT AWAY!!!

Nini's Teacup Tomato Cream Cheese Pizza

I came up with this recipe today. It's super simple and can be made in advance and frozen for later use. 

A great bite to have at hand for unexpected guests or a random snack!  

Recipe:

Preheat your oven to 400F

Have Muffin Tins at hand

Pate Brisee ( Pie Dough):

1 1/2 Cups of Flour

9 Tablespoons of cold Butter (cut into small pieces)

1 Teaspoon of salt

1/8 - 1/4 Cup of Cold Water

In a food processor add the flour, salt and butter, pulse a few times until the mixture looks like cornmeal. With the food processor running add the water slowly until the dough comes together. Take out of the food processor, form into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and chill. 

When ready to use, roll out the dough to 1/8 of an inch thick and cut into circles (the size of the top of the muffin tins). Place the little circles inside of the tins (let them sit freely for the fun flowery shapes). Prick the bottom of the little circles with a fork and blind bake in the oven until lightly golden for about 15 minutes.

When they are done, cool and reserve.

Filling:

Lower the oven to 350 F

1 Cup Tomato Sauce

1/2-3/4 Cup Cream Cheese (soften) 

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Teaspoon Fresh or Dried Oregano

2 Teaspoons Fresh or Dried Basil

Pinch of Paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 Cup of Bread Crumbs

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl until well incorporated. Spoon a few tablespoons of the mixture into the pre baked pie shells until almost full. (If freezing for later use, now would be the time to do so)

Bake for 10 to 15 until bubbly and the crust is completely golden (but not burned :) ) along the the edges. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Serve the mini pizzas with a drop of warm cream cheese on top or with sprinkled parmesan cheese (or both).

Hope you ENJOY!!

EAT AWAY!!!!!

PICTURES!!!

Hi everyone! Today i will not give out recipes but i have pictures of dishes i've made in the last few weeks and wanted to share with you!! I promise that i will get back on track with recipes very soon!

Super IMPORTANT NEWS! I just finished all my finals at school and I am graduating next week!! Now the tittle is official, Chef Nini is here :) but i won't stop learning and the road to Becoming Chef Nini keeps on going!! 

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Puff Pastry Cups with Lemon Curd and Blueberries 

Lemon Curd Pies with Strawberries 

Salt and Rosemary Focaccia

My Creative Exam

EAT AWAY!!!