Mozza Pizzaria

My husband turned 30 last week and for a surprise dinner, we got take-out from Mario Batali's LA Mozza Pizzaria. My husband lived in Italy for a few years and travels there regularly for business. He's what you would call an Italian food snob. But this place is. LEGIT! SO good! Proscuitto, mozzarella di bufala, speck... amazing!!

CS Bakers- Key West Cake with Mango Mousse and Ginger Lime Cream

Ok, I haven't baked a Cake Slice Bakers cake for so long! This month's cake didn't appeal to me because I think mangoes taste like Scotch Tape. But my husband and my kids love them. I made them into cupcakes so they could be taken to my in-law's for dinner. They were a hit with everyone who tried them. Great way to try something different!!

 

Key West Cake with Mango Mousse and Ginger Lime Cream

Recipe from Sky High Irresistible Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne

Cake

6 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups cake flour

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly warm

Mango Mousse

2 cups finely diced mango (use tinned if fresh is not available)

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup plus 1½ tbsp sugar

1 cup heavy cream

Ginger Lime Cream

4 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

Zest of 1 lime

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1½ cups cold heavy cream

Cake Method

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the base of three 8" round pans with parchment or waxed paper.

Place the eggs in a large heatproof bowl. Gradually beat in the sugar and the vanilla. Set over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly until all the sugar dissolves and the eggs are warmer than body temperature. Remove from the heat and, with the mixer on medium high, whip the eggs until very fluffy and stiff enough so that a slowly dissolving ribbon forms from the dripping batter when the beaters are lifted.

Sift the flour and return to the sifter. Carefully sift about a third of the flour over the top of the eggs. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold it in. Repeat with the remaining flour, folding just until blended evenly. Finally, drizzle the butter over the batter and carefully fold it in. Divide the batter among the 3 cake pans.

Bake the layers for 12 to 14 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let the cakes cool completely in their pans. To unmold, run a blunt knife around the rims to carefully release the edges of the cakes and tap them out gently. Carefully remove the paper on the bottom of each layer.

Mango Mousse

Place the mango chunks in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Add the water, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Transfer the cooled mangoes, along with any liquid, to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Remove ½ cup of the mango puree, stir in 1½ tablespoons of sugar and set aside to use as garnish. Place the remaining mango puree (about 1 cup) in a large bowl.

In another large chilled bowl, whip the cram until stiff. Using a rubber spatula, fold the cream into the sweetened mango puree.

Ginger Lime Cream

Whisk the egg yolks in a small, heavy nonreactive saucepan. Gradually whisk in the sugar, then the lime zest, juice and ginger. Cook over a medium low heat, stirring and scraping the base of the pot with a spatula, until the yolks visibly thicken, about 3-5 minutes.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the zest and ginger chunks. Cover the ginger lime curd with plastic wrap, pressing it directly into the surface and refrigerate until very cold, about 1 hour.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the ream until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the ginger lime curd.

To Assemble

Place one cake layer on a cake stand, flat side up. Spread half the mango mousse over the layer evenly. Repeat with the second cake layer using another ¼ cup syrup and the remaining mousse. Add the last cake layer and chill the cake for about 1 hour.

Once firm, frost the cake with the 3 cups of ginger lime cream. Use a pastry bag fitted with a star nozzle to decorate the cake with the remaining cream. Serve the cake with a spoonful of the reserved mango puree from earlier.

TWD- Milky Way Brownies and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Cake

Ok, I don't love mint chocolate desserts. I kind of like mint chocolate chip ice cream, but not really. So these brownies, which have York Peppermint Patties mixed in, got Milky Way bars instead. Mine were really thin and fell apart. I'm more of a thick, chewy brownie fan, but these were chocolatey and moist. And chocolately. Did I say that? 
Head to Karen's blog for the recipe!

 

 And a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake:

Dark Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream

So, we were leaving town and we had a bunch of cream, eggs and milk in our fridge. What does that equal? Ice cream!

I made Dorie Greenspan's Dark Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream. This ice cream is chocolate ganache and a custard mixed together and frozen in an ice cream maker.

Rich and creamy. And REALLY chocolatey. I'm still in chocolate shock.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream

adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cup of heavy cream
1 1/4 cups of whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup of sugar

MethodPut the chocolate in a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or a large heatproof bowl. Bring 3/4 of the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit a minute, then, using a rubber spatula, and starting in the center of the mixture, slowly stir the cream into the chocolate in ever-widening concentric circles. When the ganache is smooth, set it aside.

Bring the milk and the remaining 1/2 cream to a boil in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until well blended and just slightly thickened. Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid-this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won't curdle, Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon: if you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track. The custard should reach at least 170 degrees F, but no more than 180 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and slowly and gently stir the custard into the ganache. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.