Category: Recipes

Marshmallows

I’ve had a lot of fun making marshmallows.  It’s surprisingly easy and the results are so tasty.  I’ve modified a recipe I found at King Arthur Flour and there are many similar recipes online.

Ingredients
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup cool water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
confectioners’ sugar

Instructions
1. Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup cool water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix briefly to combine; set aside.
2. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup cool water in a small, deep saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
3. Raise the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
4. With the mixer set on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the softened gelatin.
5. Increase the speed to high, and whip until the mixture is very thick and fluffy, has turned white, and has cooled to lukewarm, 3 to 10 minutes (depending on the mixer and attachment you use; a stand mixer using the whisk attachment will work more quickly than a hand mixer equipped with beaters).
6. Add vanilla towards the end of the mixing time.  The mixture should be cool enough that you can spread it into the pan without burning your fingers, about 95°F.
7. Spread the marshmallow mixture into a greased 9″ x 13″ pan (glass or ceramic is best). Use your wet hands to smooth and flatten the marshmallows.
8. Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the top, and let sit for several hours (or overnight) before cutting. Use a greased knife or cookie cutters to make squares or other shapes. Dipping the knife or cutters in cold water before
cutting helps reduce any stickiness.
9. Roll marshmallows in confectioners’ sugar to coat edges.
10. Store in a ziploc bag or closed container. Freezing works, too.

For chocolate marshmallows, add 1/2 cup cocoa powder when adding vanilla. Roll cut marshmallows in a cocoa and confectioners’ sugar mix.

Chef Brian’s Fried Chicken

Café Avalaun Fried Chicken Recipe-2017

Marinade:

Whole chicken 2 whole cut into parts, however you like your parts cut

Buttermilk 2 cups

Dijon mustard 1 Tablespoon

Sea Salt 1 Tablespoon

Smoked paprika 1 teaspoon

Cayenne 1 teaspoon

Flour blend:

White rice flour 2 cups

Non GMO Corn starch . cup

Non GMO Corn meal . cup

Smoked paprika 1 Tablespoon

Sea salt 2 teaspoons

Fresh cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon

Granulated garlic 1 Tablespoon

Granulated onion 1 Tablespoon

For Frying:

Choose from the following-

Palm shortening, Sunflower oil, Lard, Non GMO Corn oil.

Procedure:

Combine all the ingredients in the marinade except for the chicken. After you’ve combined the marinade immerse the chicken into the marinade refrigerated for 12-24 hours.

Set the oil at 325º in a large cooking pot with several inches of gap from the top so the oil doesn’t boil over.

Dust the buttermilk chicken in the flour and immerse into the oil. Cook for approximately 7-8 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165º. Remove chicken from fryer and let cool on rack for 1 minute. Serve.

Notes:

The Buttermilk marinade time is important because it is like a brine. It tenderizes the chicken and infuses it with the flavors from the marinade. The dairy free brine recipe is a perfect example of this flavor infusion, a technique we’re fond of at Café Avalaun. The flour is a perfect blend to achieve the cravable crispy texture and flavor.

For the frying. In the old days a cast iron skillet was the best and still is the best. The method would be a bit different because you’d have to turn the chicken to complete the cooking process. If you are keen on this, then go for it. I recommend considering a table top electric fryer. A gadget you’ll find many uses for. The pot on the stove method also requires a thermometer to monitor the temperature. A common mistake is to have the temperature be right whereyou want it at the time you immerse the chicken and then it drops down really fast to like 250º. Then you end up with greasy soggy chicken. Also do not crowd the chicken into the oil.

Two things might happen. The oil could boil over and you’d have a nasty grease fire on your hands or the temperature drop thing will happen.

I say do it in batches and then flash your chicken in a 400º oven for about 8-10 minutes once all of it is done.

This is how we do it at the café since we only have one fryer and we couldn’t conceivably cook 40 birds inside a 2-hour window in order to serve everyone.

Dairy Free Brine Recipe –

Brine for chicken

Water 1 gallon

Sea salt 1 cup

Organic Sugar ½ cup

Bay leaves 4 each

Whole Fennel seeds 1 Tablespoon

Whole Coriander seeds 1 Tablespoon

Whole black peppercorns 1 Tablespoon

Whole mustard seeds 1 Tablespoon

Whole cinnamon sticks 3 each

Procedure:

Bring all ingredients to a boil and remove from heat and let cool completely to 40 degrees. This brine is good for 10 lbs. of chicken and can be used in smaller batches for 5 lbs. Immerse the birds fully into the brine (refrigerate) for 24 hours. Remove from brine and discard brine.

Supernatural Brownies

This brownie recipe yields the best brownies I’ve ever had!  I hope you like them too!  The recipe is adapted from Chocolate by Nick Malgieri 

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate – I like Guittard
4 large eggs
1/2 t salt
1 c granulated sugar
1 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 t vanilla extract
1 c g-f flour blend – I like King Arthur or Pamela’s

Method

Set the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350.
Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with parchment paper (bring parchment up sides of pan so there is a slight overhang) and grease with butter.
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and turn heat to low.
Combine the butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set over pan of water.
Stir occasionally until melted. (Alternatively, melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl in the microwave, stopping at 20 second intervals to stir and prevent scorching.)
Whisk eggs together in a large bowl, then whisk in the salt, sugars, and vanilla.
Stir in the chocolate and butter mixture, then fold in the flour.
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 45 minutes, until top has formed a shiny crust and batter is moderately firm.
Cool completely in pan on a rack.
If not serving right away, wrap pan in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature or refrigerated until the next day.
To cut brownies, first lift them out of pan using the parchment overhang and transfer them to a cutting board.
Separate parchment from edges.
Using a sharp knife, trim away edges and cut brownies into 2-inch squares.
Dust with confectioner’s sugar!

Brazilian Cheese Breads

I’ve been baking these for years, in many variations!  Here’s the savory version……

Ingredients

3 c tapioca flour
3/4 c half and half
3/4 c butter
1 t salt or garlic salt
1 1/2 c Farmers or Cotija cheese, grated
3 eggs

* other options include grated parmesan, romano, soft farmers cheese, gruyere or cheddar……..

Method

Preheat oven to 400F.
In a medium sized sauce pan, heat half and half and butter until butter is fully melted.
In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Remove from heat, slowly add flour and salt mixture to the hot butter mixture while stirring continuously.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment (if using a hand mixer, transfer the mixture to a heat safe bowl) and process on low for 1 minute until fully incorporated.
Allow the dough to rest a few minutes so that the mixture cools enough to add the egg mixture.
In a small bowl, combine the cheese, garlic, and eggs.
With mixer on low, slowly add the egg/cheese mixture to the dough.
Continue to process fully until dough is smooth and elastic, about 1 – 2 minutes longer.
Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons scoop dough into mini muffin cups or roll into 1 1/2 inch balls to bake, 2 inches apart, on parchment lined baking sheets.
OR transfer dough to a pastry bag and press out breadsticks.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
Yield – approx. 36

One Egg Gluten Free Pancakes

When I buy pancake mix I always wonder what I’m buying other than flour and a few ingredients.

I have had this recipe for years and it works well with gluten free flour mixtures that you make or purchase. I like Bob’s Redmill 1 for 1, Pillsbury Flour mixture, any flour mixture that is for baking. You can make thin pancakes or one big thick one.   The choice is yours.

For one person

1 egg
3 heaping T flour mixture
2 t sugar
1/2 cup milk

Mix these ingredients with a whisk or electric mixer or even food processor.
Cook like you would any other pancake.

I like to add a little bit of cinnamon, lemon juice and lots of blueberries.
To make this for more than one person just multiply as needed….

For two people

2 eggs, 6 heaping T of flour, 4 t sugar, one cup of milk.