Dessert and Cocktail Party with VuQo Vodka

Continuing on the theme of desserts and cocktails from my previous post featuring mix master Todd Maul and pastry chef extraordinaire Chris Cordeiro from Clio, I recently hosted a desserts and cocktail party in my apartment. This will be the first of many to come. I am always looking ot try new dessert recipes and I very much enjoy sharing my creations. I also received a bottle of VuQo vodka to sample. Desserts and cocktails are a great way to bring people together.

Menu

Strawberry Burst Cake with Mascarpone Cream Topping

Candied Orange and Lemon Peel

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

VuQo Vodka mixed drinks 

Prosecco with Hibiscus Flower

I had a concert with the Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library earlier in the day and had three hours to prep for the party. It was a whirlwind of baking which took about three hours. I was a little behind and was just finishing up the peanut butter frosting when the first guest arrived. I was using a small bowl to whip up the frosting because my larger bowls were not clean from all of the baking. As a result, chunks were splattering all over the kitchen! Sometimes it helps guests to feel more relaxed if you are still busy in the kitchen allowing them to help (at least it helps me when I am a guest!).  Once the frosting was under control, everything was miraculously done by the time the remaining guests arrived around 8:00. The desserts were enjoyed by all along with the delicious, strong drinks. The VuQo vodka was a hit! I will definitely be hosting more of these parties in the future.

Cocktails

VuQo Vodka Drinks
I was sent a sample of VuQo vodka back in January. It is distilled from coconut water. "VuQo Premium Vodka is the only vodka distilled from coconut nectar by using a modernized version of the old world Filipino technique of distilling coconut nectar to make tequilas.  Only the best ingredients are used to make VuQo Premium Vodka. The sweet coconut liquid is extracted, fermented and then introduced to a thorough process of continuous distillation and multiple filtrations. The end product is vodka of exceptional smoothness and clarity at the affordable price of $24.99." - VuQo 

Mixing

Add about 5oz. of VuQo vodka to 3oz. of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, some lemon simple syrup (from making the lemon citrus candy), and some sparkling water. I really guesstimated the measuring while going a little heavy on the vodka! 

Here is what everyone thought of the vodka:

-"A sweet, pleasant aftertaste"-"Left me with a heady buzz, without the foggy disorienting feeling"-"Paired well with the citrus"-"Even coconut haters will love this vodka"

Find more information on VuQo Vodka and where you can currently purchase a bottle or two: http://www.vuqo.com/locations.html

Prosecco with Hibiscus Flower

Simple, sweet and a beautiful drink for display! I purchased a small jar of hibiscus flowers in sugar syrup a few months ago and was happy to create this drink with some Prosecco that one of my friends had brought to the party! You can purchase hibiscus flowers online or in many specialty food stores. I found mine at Christina's spice and Specialty Store in Inman Square. 

Mixing

Add one flower to a glass followed by prosecco and a little syrup from the hibiscus jar.

Desserts

Strawberry Burst Cake

Kristen said "this looked like something you would see when walking by a fancy pastry shop"!
That makes me smile. :)

Nikki is having a moment with her slice of strawberry burst cake

I first saw this recipe posted on one of my favorite blogs, Pixelated Kitchen where she had adapted it from Smitten Kitchen. Maybe I am biased, but it seems to be getting prettier! This may be my favorite cake of all time. The batter is foolproof.  It tastes great every time. I replaced the orange zest with lemon to give it an extra zing. It worked out perfect with the citrus vodka drinks! I also added a mascarpone whipped topping with a little vanilla extract which was so good that a friend was eating it by the spoonful without the cake by the end of the night!

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch pie pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat the butter and 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the egg, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest until just combined. Add the dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pie plate. Arrange the strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the berries.
4. Bake the cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. Cut into wedges and serve with lightly mascarpone whipped topping, ice cream or any topping of your choice.

Mascarpone Whipped Topping

Ingredients

8 oz. Whipping Cream

8 oz (1 container) mascarpone cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

confectioner's sugar

Whip cream with hand mixer until soft peaks form. add mascarpone and vanilla. Next, add sugar until desired consistency. place a spoonful of topping on each cake slice. Can be used for almost any dessert. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Julia describes these as "gaaaaaa...! drooool!"

What's a dessert party without chocolate?! I found a recipe for "The Absolute Best Chocolate Cake" and just had to try it! Paired with a peanut butter frosting, I created a cupcake that tasted like a giant peanut butter cup. In fact, I am eating one right now as I write this post and the frosting is just right. Creamy, and not too sweet with just enough peanut butter. Exactly what I was aiming for! This was my first time making peanut butter frosting and I now want to put it on everything. Well, maybe not eggs! ;)

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups boiling water
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F, and line cupcake pan with cupcake tins.
2. In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the cocoa powder. Mix it until it's smooth. Set it aside and allow it to cool to room temperature.
   
   • You'll have an easier time avoiding lumps if you start by pouring just a bit of water over the cocoa, and stirring that to a thick paste. Once it's smooth, add the rest of the water and whisk.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter until it's soft enough to beat easily. Gradually add the sugar, beating the mixture between each addition until it's light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating the mixture thoroughly each time. Incorporate the vanilla.
5. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
6. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three steps, alternating with the cocoa mixture. Mix until the batter is just smooth.
7. Spread the batter evenly between the two greased pans.
8. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 25-30 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Let the cakes cool 5 minutes in their pans, then transfer them to a wire rack. Frost.
   
   
   
   Peanut Butter Frosting
   
   

   Ingredients

   • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
   • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
   • confectioner's sugar
   • 1/3 cup cream
   
   
   Instructions
   
   
   Mix butter and peanut butter with electric mixer until smooth. Add two cups confectioner's sugar followed by  the cream. Add more sugar for desired consistency; smooth for spreading on a cake, a little more dense for piping the frosting onto cupcakes.

I made some citrus candies to compliment the vodka drinks. They were great for snacking, garnish for the strawberry burst cake, and I also used the lemon simple syrup from the candying process to make the VuQo vodka drinks. It really added a nice flavor without compromising the natural flavor of the vodka. You can find the recipe for my citrus candies in my chai cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream post.

A good time was had by all. My dog Pluto added to the fun by entertaining everyone with his silly, attention grabbing dances and squeeky serenades! Everyone left in a bubbly sugar coma which is a great way to end an evening. I was reminded of how much I enjoy hosting parties. Stay tuned for the next!

I am now in a bit of a sugar coma after eating that cupcake while writing this post...

Check out the latest release from The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library where I play some mean kalimba! We covered two songs by Golden Bloom and they cover two of our songs! Swap Meet! We also just came back from a week long East Coast tour with Golden Bloom and Neutral Uke Hotel! 
Enjoy!

In the Lab with Todd Maul & Chris Cordeiro

A Vapo Conversation

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes with Todd Maul, bartender over at Clio restaurant in Back Bay.  Todd is one of the exceptional bartenders in Boston. His creative concoctions compliment the complexity of the dishes created by Clio’s executive chef and co-owner, Ken Oringer. 

How does Todd create these harmonious concoctions? In addition to having a keen sense and natural talent for creative mixing, Todd utilizes lab equipment that you might normally find in most chemistry labs across the Charles in Cambridge. Self taught, he uses a rotary evaporator, a large centrifuge, test tubes and liquid nitrogen to filter out the molecular components of a particular flavor he would like to add to a drink. I certainly learned a lot during the couple of hours I spent in the "lab"!

rotational evaporator

 The day I visited, Todd was using the rotary evaporator to extract some Gran Classico essence and to make a paint from the extracted flavors. I enjoyed observing the preparation, which involved pouring liquid nitrogen into a large column. The alcohol boils at a controlled temperature and the vapor collects, cools and drips into another flask. Different “notes” are collected at various boiling points. Todd keeps a close eye on the drip rate, which gives an indication. This is all done by eye and experience. Quite impressive. 

While all of this was going on, Chris Cordeiro, pastry chef extraordinaire, was hammering some butter in preparation for Kouign-amann. Chris and Todd collaborate and exchange ideas quite often, which adds to the creation of exceptional drinks and desserts at Clio! 

Much to my delight, I was able to sample a Kouign-amann while waiting for the Gran Classico to reach the right boiling point! It was delightfully buttery, crispy, and filled with layers of sweetness. With a little hazelnut gelato! A must try! 

Kouign-amann

It was also bread day and Chris had whipped up a couple of banana breads and a delicious fruit and nut bread that is served with Clio's cheese plate.  

The vibe is relaxed and enjoyable in the pastry kitchen. I could have easily hung out there all day talking shop and sampling!

Next, the Gran Classico paint was made and everything was brought up to the bar where further experimenting took place with the Gran Classico creations. 

Gran Classico Paint

Gran Classico paint lining the Vapo Conversation glass

Todd became very focused and started pulling various liquors from the liquor cabinet and the result was a new drink called A Vapo Conversation which consists of: 

½ oz. Bols

½ oz. lime

¾ orange clement

½ oz. Grand Classico

painted glass with clasico reduction

Drop of the Gran Classico essence... 

The amount of work that goes into the creation of one drink was truly eye opening. There are many other drinks on the menu that went through a similar process. 

This drink is made with smoky essence of a cinnamon stick! 

eggnog

Dessert Menu 

Drop by Clio and enjoy a Vapo Conversation and a Kouign-amann! Todd is always enthusiastic about talking about his craft and has recently begun featuring a special drink every Monday. The week I was there he made a batch of his famous eggnog. I have to say that it was best I have ever had and quite a treat to enjoy out of season! Todd will be a guest speaker at a chemistry conference in June. You can find out more interesting tidbits about Todd and updates from Clio on Twitter and Facebook: @ItsToddMaul & @ClioBoston, https://www.facebook.com/ClioRestaurant

Todd Maul

Chris Cordeiro

Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream & Candied Orange Peel

Cupcakes have exploded in popularity in the past few years, and for good reason. They do make the world a better place! I have tried my fair share. A few of my favorite cupcake artisans include Mission Minis  in San Francisco, Cakeology in Boston, MA. (they deliver!), and Kickass Cupcakes in Somerville, MA.  I have been thinking about experimenting with tea flavored desserts and was inspired to make a chai cupcake. I became addicted to Chai after traveling to India. Almost everywhere we went we were offered some piping hot homemade chai served in small metal cups. It is fairly easy to make your own chai which typically consists of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, milk and sugar. For this recipe I decided to use some chai purchased from Trader Joes. Next time I may try a stronger chai to emphasize the spices more in the cupcake. In the end, this was a fun dessert to make and those who tried the cupcakes liked the flavors. The really fun part for me was making the candied orange peel. I don't think I will ever buy candied fruit again. Though time consuming to make, they came out very delicious and paired well with the chai and cinnamon buttercream. Next time I may try storing some of the orange peel in the sugar syrup with tea. I learned this tip from a pastry chef over at Clio restaurant in Back Bay. More on my visit to Clio in my next blog post! 

Cupcake
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine (I use earth balance)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup of your favorite chai, concentrated and cooled

Cinnamon Buttercream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup earth balance
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
soy milk

Candied Orange Peel
1 Orange
1 cup water
4 cups sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Whisk soy milk and vinegar together and let sit for a while until it curdles. Remove 1/4 cup of the vinegar and soy milk mixture (you will replace with the chai). Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whip together margarine and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in vanilla followed by the 1/4 cup of cooled chai, followed by alternating the soy milk mixture with dry ingredients to form a fluffy batter. Add mixture to cupcake liners about two-thirds full. Bake for 20-22 minutes until slightly golden. Let cool completely before frosting.

Mix together powdered sugar and margarine. Add soy milk and vanilla until desired creaminess. Add cinnamon to taste. Frost cupcakes using a pastry bag and star tip. Or use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off.

Remove peel from the orange. Cut into 1 inch thin strips or however big you would like your candy to be. Place in saucepan with enough water to cover the peel. When the water comes to a boil, remove from heat, drain and add fresh water. Repeat twice. Blanching three times allows the peel to reach the perfect consistency. Next, after the final drain, add 1 cup water and 4 cups of sugar to the pan with the peel. Cook for about 9 minutes. Simmer for 45 minutes. Drain and reserve sugar syrup for sweetening tea or for other desserts.

Roll the peel in sugar a course sugar works well for this step) on parchment paper, shake off excess sugar and let sit for a few hrs. Add one or two to each frosted cupcake. Voila! You have your finished product! 

before blanching

after blanching

sweet peel

orange syrup for tea!

sugary orange candy!

Enjoy!

Cozy Green Lentils

One of my favorite comfort foods is a good lentil dish. A member of the legume family, one cup of lentils contains only 230 calories and is packed with iron, fiber, and protein. Lentils can help in lowering the risk for heart disease, are full of maganese, folate, and copper (for more on copper, see Interesting tidbits at the end of this post). Really, the lentil is a superfood!

In addition to being healthy, lentils are easy to cook and they absorb flavor very well.  Lentils make a great substitute for meat. Post Punk Kitchen  creates many delicious recipes using lentils. My great grandmother from Naples made lentils often. I never tried her recipe, and it was lost through the generations. I did find a Lentil and Sausage Soup recipe by Maria Esposito. I was fortunate enough to meet her at an event for the release of her most recent cookbook, Ciao Italia with Maria Ann Esposito. I recommend checking it out. It was not until I started eating dal (also dhal, daal, or dahl) that I could really have a true appreciation for the lentil. I became hooked after traveling to India for a wedding back in 2009 (I will expand upon my trip in a future post).  It was in Chandigarh that I had my first thali, a combination plate served in little metal dishes which usually includes dal.

Vegetable Thali - Chandigarh, India

For this recipe, I purchased some green lentils from one of my favorite Armenian markets in Watertown, MA.  called Arax. I have tried a few Armenian Lentil dishes containing a delicious mix of bulgur with lentils. I typically use green lentils when cooking, but you can use any color. I found a great online reference listing some different types of Lentils. I am told that there is not really a difference in flavor, but people do have preferences as to which type to use for certain recipes. I enjoy experimenting with spices and may have gone a little spice crazy with this one. Perhaps I will consult with some dal experts next time and make some masoor dal or dal makhani. This dish will pair well with with chicken, tofu or anything else bland since it has so much flavor. I find the taste of cumin to be a little overpowering, so I would use less next time. I would also maybe use a little less sage, and add in some garlic. Your home will definitely smell wonderful while this dish is cooking! Add vegetables, potatoes, or any of your favorite ingredients. This versatile dish will keep you warm in the winter months!

Ingredients

2 cups lentils

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

(measurements for the spices are in the photo below)

turmeric

curry powder

1 cinnamon stick

chili powder

sage

ginger

cumin

cardamom

Be sure to wash the lentils very well. Wash and drain until water is clear. Next, place lentils in a pot on medium high heat with water at a level so the lentils are just covered. Add the oil to a pan and saute the onions with a dash of salt and pepper for a few minutes. Next, add all of the spices except for the cinnamon stick. Saute until well mixed for another few minutes. Add onion mixture and cinnamon stick to the lentils. Mix well. Lower heat and simmer. The longer this simmers, the better. I left it for a few hrs adding water when it became too thick. It will definitely thicken up.

pretty colors!

almost forgot the cardamom!

Enjoy your lentils!

Interesting tidbits:


Copper is an essential component in the formation of cells that protect against free radicals, aids in the transport of oxygen into red blood cells, strengthening of connective tissue, and also is great for healthy functioning of brain cells. The body can regulate and store excess copper in the GI system via the liver. Deficiency is rare, but could happen in cases of malnutrition.

Check out Boston's own Streight Angular: Everyone is Syncopated! 


Interesting tidbits, indeed!