You are my biggest what if - Chocolate Ricotta Turnovers

I should probably keep this blog free of personal stuff, keep it professional and talk only about food but two weeks ago I turned 26... and it got me thinking. This always happens to me on my birthday when the weight of years past start adding up. I think and think and most of the time I end up summing all my what if.

Lately I've been feeling like something is not going the way it's supposed to be, or it should be, in my life. I'm 26 already, the big 30 is just around the corner, I'm not even close to getting married or putting up a family and comments such as "you know, you're not getting any younger" are starting to become a little too frequent for my own liking and honestly it's starting to affect me in ways it shouldn't. I know things happen when they're supposed to but what if it's too late? Maybe I'm the problem... maybe I should stop believing in fairy tales, in Prince Charming and just grow up already! But then again, I don't wanna feel like I'm settling... I may not be the best catch in the world but I think I still deserve better than settling.

And in all this thinking I've realized that I've always given to guys I fell for more than what they probably deserved... And got nothing but heartache in return. Heck I almost bought a real panda bear for one of them (well, sponsored one... kinda like you do with stars) and I flew across the world for another one... and this last one will always be my biggest what if. What if I had been more like this? What if I had done this instead of that? What if I had told him those three little words when I felt them? What if I had never met him at all? Four years have past and he's still keeping me tied to him in a way of another.

So, you are my biggest what if but I've grown tired of not knowing where I stand with you. Our time has come and gone and now I've decided that I'll stop wondering what could have been if I'd done things differently with you because, in the end, I know that I've done the best I could.

But this doesn't change the fact that I'm 26, turning 30, and I'm just lost...

Yes, that is melted chocolate oozing out of it!!

You're probably thinking "enough with the rambling and lets get to the recipe already!!"

I am terribly sorry, I will *try* to never ever let this happen ever again, my apologies. Sooo lets move on to the good stuff, shall we.

My cousin E is the only one I really feel understands me because I think we're at the same point in our lives, and so I know I can tell her everything. And although it was my birthday, these turnovers were a gift to her, to thank her for being the sister I've never had (although my brother is AWESOME). The recipe is from The Golden Book of Chocolate and I got it as a gift this Christmas. As we were looking through it together that day, she stopped on these turnovers' recipe and demanded that I made them for her. So here they are!! And E, thank you for being the best confident I could have ever asked for. (Needless to say, she loved them... but what's not to love about them, there just Heaven in a turnover!!).



Chocolate Ricotta Turnovers
Yields 12 turnovers

12 oz (350 gr) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 (50 gr) demerara sugar

For the filling
1 cup (250 gr) ricotta cheese, drained
1/3 cup (85 gr) granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup (75 gr) raisins (I omitted - not fond of raisins)
2 oz (60 gr) semisweet chocolate, chopped (I felt lazy and didn't feel like chopping so I dumped a whole bunch of chocolate chips in the bowl)

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Prepare the filling: Process the ricotta in a food processor for a few seconds until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the flour and the cocoa and fold into the mixture. Stir in the raisins and chocolate. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Place the pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top with flour and roll out into a 20x15 inch (38x50 cm) rectangle about 1/4 inch (5mm) thick. Trim the edges to straighten and spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling onto the center of each pastry square.

Brush the beaten egg around the edges of the each square and fold one corner diagonally over to meet the opposite corner, forming a triangle. Press down on the seams, joining the 2 layers. Place the turnovers on the prepared baking sheets 1 inch (2.5cm) apart. Refrigerate 15 minutes, brush each turnover top with the remaining egg and sprinkle with demerare sugar. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

October DB Challenge: French Macarons

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

Who ever said that third time is a charm? Well they were fools! Or at least this concept doesn't apply to macarons because, in my case, it took me 4 tries before getting good looking macarons, with the little ruffled feet and a nice height and dry bottoms... no bellies left behind on the baking tray!! Yaaaa!!

First batch are chocolate macarons with a whipped chocolate ganache and a few with chatilly cream and a fresh raspberry half hidden inside. The feet are a little tiny and tops cracked on half of the batch but I "fixed" the problem with my second batch.



Second batch are pink macarons with raspberry curd, smooth shiny tops and beautifully ruffled feet. Since October is Breast Cancer Awarness month, I wanted to go with the pink theme. I didn't have powder food coloring for the shells. I had only gel coloring, which explains the pink freckles... totally unintentional but sooo cute!!



Those who know me well also know that I've been "studying" the art of macaron making for about a year now but never really had the courage to try my luck. I've read everything that I could find on macaron but yet always left them on my "to bake list".

It is hard to believe that something created out of 4 normal ingredients could be so hard to get and to be honest with you I'm scared of trying again... what if I got them right out of pure coincedence? I'd like to think that I actually was able to muster enough self-confidence to not let the macaron overpower me, so to all of you out there who are still trying to bake macarons DO NOT give up! Keep on going until you get it right because it is oh so worth it!


Now I know what all the rave was about... Now I am a new macaron lover!

ICE January: Chocolate Champagne cupcakes with a white chocolate strawberry truffle center and strawberry whipped cream

The January Iron Cupcake Earth challenge was wine, any kind of wine and since I had some Champagne left from New Years... Why not?!

These rich and dense chocolate brownie-like cupcakes have a white chocolate truffle heart which hides a little piece of fresh strawberry. The strawberries were also used in the whipped cream frosting. What's more tempting than champagne with chocolate and fresh strawberries?!

Plus, aren't chocolate, champagne and strawberries aphrodisiacs or something? Well, here you have all three in one... kinda like a love making cupcake! Perfect for Valentine's Day or a special dinner! AND there's whipped cream... now really, what can we ask more?? Make sure you don't eat the truffles before putting them in the cupcakes... half of mine were left "truffle-less": they are AMAZING even on their own, maybe even more so!

If you liked my cupcakes, please vote for me!! To cast your vote go to No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner!! Voting starts on January 29th at 8pm and ends on February 4th at noon.


Chocolate Champagne cupcakes (original recipe from Krishna Brown)
yields 12

8 ounces 70% dark chocolate
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
6 tbsp flour
1/2 cup champagne

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler.
Beat the salt, baking powder, vanilla and sugar into the melted chocolate.
Add the eggs into the chocolate mixture, beating them in one at the time. Add the flour to the mixture and mix until blended.
At this point, add the champagne and beat on high speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is shiny.
Pour the mixture into the prepared muffin tin and bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with crumbs stuck to it if you want a moister cupcake, or else bake a bit longer.

Let the cupcakes cool completely and then make a whole in their center, going half way down the cupcake. Insert the white chocolate truffle in the hole and cover with the cupcake piece that was removed. It is very important that the cupcakes aren't warm anymore or else the truffles will melt. Set them in the fridge while preparing the frosting.

White Chocolate Strawberry Truffles
yields about 15

4 ounces white chocolate
2 tbsp + 2 tsp heavy cream
1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
fresh strawberries (I used the tips cut off)

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Add the butter and stir until melted. Pour the cream over the white chocolate, let sit for a few seconds and then stir until completely melted and smooth. Cool, cover, and refrigerate the mixture until firm, at least 2 hours.
Using a melon baller or small spoon, roll the mixture into little balls. Press down the middle with your thumb and nestle a piece of strawberry inside, roll the truffle back into a ball and put back into the fridge for about 1 hour or until ready to use.

Strawberry Whipped Cream
yields about 2 cups

1 cup heavy whipped cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly sweetened strawberry puree

In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. When chilled, beat the mixture until soft peaks form.
Then add the strawberry puree a little at a time, and beat just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. Taste and fold in more sugar or puree, if required.


Our January ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists: DOGBONE ART, LOTS OF SPRINKLES, CAKESPY, and SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY.

Our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, JESSIE STEELE APRONS , the CUPCAKE COURIER, TASTE OF HOME books and UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM will be providing our winner with one of their cute cupcake attitue t's!

December's Daring Baker's Challenge: French Yule Log

My very first DB challenge!!! Yeaaaah!!

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux. They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand and oh boy was it a challenge!

When I first saw what they were asking us to bake, I thougt I had picked the wrong month to join the DB group... this thing looked so complicated that I almost skipped this month. But hey, a challenge isn't a challenge if it's not a challenge right? Makes sense no?

Thus I proceeded in baking this log, only thing is that I don't have a loaf pan or a log mold and I totally forgot to get one while buying the ingredients I was missing and then I was just too lazy to go back and get it. So I turned it into a French Yule Bomb. And oh was it good! Rich and chocolatey and creamy!

Only thing is it is quite time consuming (took me a whole day) and I don't know if I would ever do it again because of that reason. But I'm glad I participated at the end because, not only was it a hit on Christmas Eve, but it also made me discover something new and I think that's the main purpose of the DB challenges!

PS: for the icing, make sure you sift the cocoa powder or you'll end up with lumps in it... like mine :(

French Yule Log

Chocolate Dacquoise Biscuit
2.8 oz (3/4cup + 1Tbsp / 80g) almond meal
1.75 oz (1/2 cup / 50g) confectioner’s sugar
2Tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour
3.5oz (100g / ~100ml) about 3 medium egg whites
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons of sifted unsweetened cocoa powder

Finely mix the almond meal and the confectioner's sugar. (If you have a mixer, you can use it by pulsing the ingredients together for no longer than 30 seconds).
Sift the flour and cocoa into the mix.
Beat the eggs whites, gradually adding the granulated sugar until stiff.
Pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and blend delicately with a spatula.
Grease a piece of parchment paper and line your baking pan with it.
Spread the batter on a piece of parchment paper to an area slightly larger than your desired shape (circle, long strip etc...) and to a height of 1/3 inches (8mm).
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden.
Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Dark Chocolate Mousse
2.5 sheets gelatin or 5g / 1 + 1/4 tsp powdered gelatin
1.5 oz (3 Tbsp / 40g) granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp (10g) glucose or thick corn syrup
0.5 oz (15g) water
50g egg yolks (about 3 medium)
6.2 oz (175g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1.5 cups (350g) heavy cream (35% fat content)

Soften the gelatin in cold water. (If using powdered gelatin, follow the directions on the package.) Make a Pate a Bombe: Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white).
Cook the sugar, glucose syrup and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F (118°C). If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature.
Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer.
Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.
In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.
Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in ½ cup (100g) of WHIPPED cream to temper. Add the Pate a Bombe.
Add in the rest of the WHIPPED cream (220g) mixing gently with a spatula.

Dark Chocolate Ganache
1.75 oz (4 Tbsp / 50g) granulated sugar
4.5oz (2/3 cup – 1 Tbsp/ 135g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
5 oz (135g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
3Tbsp + 1/2tsp (45g) unsalted butter softened

*** Prepare the ganache only when you are ready to assemble the log ***

Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).
While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.
Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.
Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Praline Crisp
3.5 oz (100g) milk chocolate
1 2/3 Tbsp (25g) butter
2 Tbsp (1 oz / 30g) praline
2.1oz (60g) lace crepes(gavottes) or rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.
Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

Vanilla Creme Brulee
1/2 cup (115g) heavy cream (35% fat content)
½ cup (115g) whole milk
4 medium-sized (72g) egg yolks
0.75 oz (2 Tbsp / 25g) granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean

Heat the milk, cream, and scraped vanilla bean to just boiling. Remove from the stove and let the vanilla infuse for about 1 hour.
Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).
Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.
Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) in a water bath for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.
Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.

Dark Chocolate Icing
4g / ½ Tbsp powdered gelatin or 2 sheets gelatin
¼ cup (60g) heavy cream (35 % fat content)
2.1 oz (5 Tbsp / 60g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) water
1/3 cup (30g) sifted unsweetened cocoa powder

*** Prepare only when you are ready to ice th log ***

Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.
Boil the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 3 minutes after boiling.
Add gelatin to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.
Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

How to assemble
1) Line your mold or pan with plastic film.
2) Cut the Dacquoise into a shape fitting your mold and set it in there. If you are using an actual Yule mold which is in the shape of a half-pipe, you want the Dacquoise to cover the entire half-pipe portion of the mold.
3) Pipe one third of the Mousse component on the Dacquoise.
4) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.
5) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.
6) Cut the Praline Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.
7) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.
8) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.
9) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight eidge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.
10) Close with the last strip of Dacquoise and freeze until the next day.
11) The day after, unmold the log and set on a wire rack over a shallow pan and cover it with the icing. Let set, decorate and return to the freezer.

Transfer to the refrigerator no longer than 1/2 hour before serving it as it may start to melt.