Homemade Cavatelli Pasta

Pasta Ingredients:

- semolina flour

- all-purpose flour

- salt

- water

Pasta Dough Directions:

Use a ratio of about 2:1 semolina:all-purpose

Mix about 1.5 cups semolina flour and .5 cups all-purpose flour in large bowl

Add sprinkle of salt, mix together well

Create well in center and add water (.5 cup? keep adding until dough just holds together)

Knead dough very well for 5 minutes

Wrap in plastic and let dough rest for an hour or more ideally

Roll Pasta:

Divide dough into smaller balls

Roll one ball at a time into a snake into about the width of a pinky finger

Cut rope into pieces like .5" long

Roll each piece onto a gnocchi board to curl

Put pieces of rolled pasta onto a baking pan sprinkled with semolina flour

Allow to dry for a bit

Cook Pasta:

Boil water with salt

Cook for about 4-5 minutes (or more) until cavatelli float

Homemade Fettuccine Pasta

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014586-basic-dough-for-fresh-egg-pasta

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks, beaten
(optional: semolina or rice flour, for dusting if needed)

PREP DOUGH

Put flour and salt in a mixing bowl. 

Add eggs and yolks, and mix paddle attachment in stand mixer for a minute or so (or with hands or wooden spoon) 

If dough seems dry or crumbly, add 1 or 2 tablespoons cold water, but only enough to keep the dough together.
Turn dough out onto a board and knead to form a ball. 

Flatten dough ball to a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap in plastic, and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour (several hours is fine).

ROLL PASTA
Divide dough into 4 pieces

Knead each piece until smooth

Run through pasta machine a few times but then let dough rest a bit before continuing (5 minutes)

Then continue running dough through machine until thin

Run through pasta slicer (fettucine, etc)

Hang to dry

COOK PASTA

SALT water

Boil pasta for 1.5 minutes

Quickly toss with some pasta water, butter, and parmesan

Basic Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients:

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pinch of fine sea salt (optional)
1 tablespoons cream or whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

• Place frosting ingredients in a food processor and run machine to to mix. 
• Scrape down bowl then process for another 1 to 2 minutes (updated based on feedback) just until smooth and somewhat fluffed. 
• Scoop the frosting onto the cooled chocolate cake and swirl it around. 
• Finish with rainbow sprinkles

I Want Chocolate chocolate cake

 

I Want Chocolate chocolate cake by Smitten Kitchen

Yield: 1 generously frosted 8×8-inch cake, which we cut into 16 small squares.
Could also yield: 1 generously frosted 8-inch or 9-inch round cake, 12 very generously frosted cupcakes, or it could be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch pan. Could also be scaled and stacked as a birthday cake.

Cake
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table or fine sea salt

Frosting
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pinch of fine sea salt (optional)
1 tablespoons cream or whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the cake: 

• Heat oven to 350°F (175°c).
• Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper, and either butter the parchment and exposed sides of the pan, or spray the interior with a nonstick spray. 
• In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat the butter and sugars until fluffy; scrape down bowl. 
• Add the egg, yolk and vanilla and beat until combined, then the buttermilk and mix again. 
• Scrape the bowl down well and don’t worry if the batter looks uneven. 
• Place your flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a sifter and shake it over the batter bowl. 
• Stir on low until just combined; scrape down bowl a final time. 
• Scoop batter into prepared pan and smooth flat. 
• Bake for 30-40 minutes (for me usually closer to 40), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
• Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes in cake pan on cooling rack, then flip out onto rack or serving plate to completely finish cooling before frosting. 

Make the frosting: 

• Place frosting ingredients in a food processor and run machine to to mix. 
• Scrape down bowl then process for another 1 to 2 minutes just until smooth and somewhat fluffed - don't overbeat, it will soupify!
• Scoop the frosting onto the cooled chocolate cake and swirl it around. 
• Finish with rainbow sprinkles

Cake keeps at room temperature for a day or two, or in the fridge up to a week, or so I’ve heard but never tested out.

Rice Krispie (Krispy Krispies) Treats

 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
Minimum 12 oz mini marshmallows, plus some reserved to mix in at end
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups crispy rice cereal

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) a 9x13 cake pan with 2-inch sides.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Keep an eye on it - burns fast.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. 

The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. 

Add reserved marshmallows to mix in

Quickly spread into prepared pan using a silicon spatula.

smittenkitchen

Butterscotch Pudding

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/butterscotch-pudding/

This butterscotch pudding comes together in about 10 minutes on the stove. In this recipe, you’re combining the outstanding flavors of caramelized brown sugar and butter with vanilla and, if desired, a splash of bourbon. This butterscotch pudding recipe is luxuriously creamy, velvet-rich, and totally unforgettable with salted caramel and fresh whipped cream on top.

________________________________

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) whole milk
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
3 large egg yolks
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup (150g) packed dark brown sugar
3 Tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt - maybe do a little less!
3 Tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
optional but recommended: 1 Tablespoon scotch, rum, or bourbon
optional for topping: salted caramel, Heath Bar toffee bits, homemade whipped cream

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Instructions

Whisk the whole milk and heavy cream together. Set aside. Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together. Set that aside too. Have both ready to go in step 3.
Whisk the brown sugar, water, and salt together in a medium heavy duty saucepan over medium heat. Without stirring, allow to cook and bubble until darker brown, about 5-6 minutes. It should begin to smell caramelized at that point. If desired, you can take the temperature with a candy thermometer to be certain it is ready. Look for around 240°F (116°C).
Slowly and carefully whisk in the heavy cream/milk. It will sizzle and may splatter, so pour in slowly. Cook on medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Once boiling, remove about 1/2 cup of the mixture and, in a slow and steady stream, whisk into the egg yolks. Keep those egg yolks moving so they don’t scramble. In a slow and steady stream, pour and whisk the egg yolk mixture into the pot.
Turn the heat down to low. The pudding will immediately begin to bubble and thicken. Whisk and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until completely smooth, then add the vanilla and bourbon.
Cool for 5 minutes, then pour into serving glasses or bowls. Cover tightly with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight until chilled and thickened.
Serve with optional toppings. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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Notes

Whole Milk + Heavy Cream: I strongly recommend these two. You can try subbing both for the same amount of half-and-half, but I recommend sticking to the recipe for best results. Lower fat alternatives will yield a thinner pudding. I haven’t tested dairy-free alternatives, but let me know if you do! Milk and cream can be cold or room temperature, but the colder they are, the more they will splatter when added in step 3. To avoid a mess, room temperature is the better choice.
Egg Yolks: Note that the photo above shows only 2 egg yolks, but additional recipe testing proved 3 egg yolks is the magic number. Here are recipes using egg whites.
Dark Brown Sugar: For stronger flavor and darker color, I strongly recommend dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar.
Adapted from Mozza’s Butterscotch Budino

Antipasto Tree

 

Antipasto Tree

Supplies:

Foam cone

Toothpicks

Food:

Cheese blocks to cube: havarti, cheddar, monterey jack

Cherry tomatoes

Mozzarella

Basil

Prosciutto

Melon

Grapes

Smoked salmon

Cream cheese

Dill

Salami

One piece of cheddar cut into a star