2015 February | Caramelize Life

Feb 10

Baking Chez Moi and Caramelizelife make Chocolate Mousse Cake

Marquise au Chocolat | TWD |Baking Chez Moi

Last week I left the grocery store with a stack of thin chocolate bars, for the Marquise recipe, and they felt like what I image little gold bars to be. While prepping for the desert each time I peel open the shiny foil wrapper of the chocolate bar, I fell back into the excitement I felt as kid, reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“But there was one other thing that the grown-ups also knew, and it was this: that however small the chance might be of striking lucky, the chance is there. The chance had to be there.”
― Ronald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factor

This time the excitement for me was trying a new recipe and hoping for the chance that it turns out because I’ve gone and decided to make a new recipe for a special birthday dinner, and I don’t have a back up in the freezer! So, I do believe in luck when executed correctly ;0) And thank goodness Dorie Greenspan writes beautiful recipes that will make me look like a rock star on the first try.

“Cakes are special. Every birthday, every celebration ends with something sweet, a cake, and people remember. It’s all about the memories”. ~Buddy Valastro

Making this cake was a snap. It has six ingredients; butter, bittersweet chocolate, fresh room temp eggs, sugar, fleur de sel and cold heavy cream. For a chocolate lover one can’t go wrong with this combination and for those of us who enjoy baking or in this case freezing, because you don’t bake this cake, folding the whipped egg and cream mixture into the chocolate creates a decadent marbled effect that makes me smile.

Happy Chicken

There was some chatter of concern on the Tuesdays with Dorie site by fellow Dorista’s about the use of room temperature eggs and making a cake that has raw eggs in it. Dorie makes a highlighted note in her recipe to use” very fresh eggs, preferably organic and/or from a trusted local source.” We were lucky here, since our local source lives in the hen house out back and is named Clucky. Along with her friends they provided the four eggs I needed for my Marquise au Chocolat, bright and early the morning of my cake making. That’s as fresh as you get. Coop to Cake!

From clucky with love

However, if you are pregnant, a young child, have a compromised immune system or if you are concerned about eating anything with raw eggs, you can still make this recipe by using pasteurized eggs or bringing the eggs to 160º. Do this while mixing the eggs to keep from scrambling, in a heat proof bowl over simmering water. Another idea I saw that Peggy from Pantry Revisited substituted greek yogurt for the eggs and was happy with the results.

not all hens have a clean coop like clucky

Once you’ve made your decision on which way to proceed with the egg choice it’s as simple as mixing and pouring everything into a loaf pan to freeze. While the cake was freezing I searched for a fun topping option. Dorie made me laugh with her side column “Bonne Idée” where one line reads “Crack Chocolate Sauce” as a good idea to drizzle over the marquise. It’s the way the type was set and those three words stand out as one line but of course the real name of the sauce is Hard-Crack Chocolate Sauce. Think ice cream sundae chocolate sauce that goes from liquid to solid once poured atop a bowl of ice cream. This is exactly the sauce I had to make, mainly because the name, it must be that good!

coconut oil in a glass dish for Hard Crack Chocolate Sauce

coconut oil + chocolate = happiness

Again her recipe for the sauce was straight forward and easy. With two ingredients; bittersweet chocolate and coconut oil mixed and melted together in a heat proof bowl then poured over the marquise. The cake, just went from two stars of decadence to four. Add a bit of Whipped Cream to top it off and I confirm it was that good!

It’s all about the cake…

This rich no bake chocolate cake can be made ahead of time, kept in the freezer and pulled out ready for serving. Or it can be made in individual ramekins and dressed up with fresh berries. There are so many creative ideas to tweak this chocolate cake that I’ll need to make it again and again to test them out. I’m sure my family won’t complain.

From our kitchen to yours!

Rachelle @ Caramelize Life
“Making Life a Little Sweeter through Food, Travel and Community“

Feb 4

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How To Grow Year-Round Indoor|Outdoor Potted Citrus Trees

Oh, the fragrance of a citrus tree in bloom is about as dreamy as a sandy beach in the middle of a long winter.

Last month I walked by one of our lemon trees that was in full bloom. It stopped me mid-stride; the colorful aroma of citrus cemented my feet and my thoughts traveled to warmer climates as I breathed in deeply, keeping my tropical daydream going just a little longer. Ahhhh… a bit of paradise.

I wish this was a scratch ‘n sniff image…

Then I got a little idea and moved it from the hallway to my office so I could take in as much of the aroma as possible while I worked. It is so lovely during the middle of winter when the ground is covered in a blanket of snow and everything outside is an Ansel Adams image.

I can still smell the intoxicating fragrance of the lemon buds.

We live in the north and it gets cold up here and as I mentioned there is a white layer of snow covering all horizontal surfaces right out my door. It’s not the citrus trees of Sunnyvale, CA where I plucked lemons, from my grandparents trees, at whim as a child. I now take pride in growing my lemons carefully here in the mountains. I’ve had good luck but also some great advice from seasoned gardeners and I’ve learned a bit by trial and error.

Citrus varieties that don’t mind pots and moving in and out-of-doors: Meyer Lemons, Kaffir Limes and Calamondin Oranges
Think about all the Marmalade, Limoncello and desserts your oranges and lemons will produce. Maybe you love Thai curry… imagine adding your homegrown lime to this dish. Perfection!

Choose a dwarf tree that is 2-3 years old, for instant gratification of bloom- don’t worry you will still have to wait 6-9 months for the fruit to ripen. I found my trees at my Local 98856 garden center.

Pick a deep pot that is either terra-cotta or plastic and has more than one hole at the bottom for drainage. Keep the pot on the smaller side- just a bit larger than the root ball, this will keep your tree smaller and more manageable to move with the seasons. The deeper pot will keep it grounded and less top-heavy as your citrus tree grows. Here are some simple steps to take:

1. Line the bottom of the pot with pebbles to help with good drainage, citrus trees do not like“wet feet”. If the pebbles make the pot too heavy, exchange it for environmentally friendly packing peanuts.

2. Add soil that is specifically made for citrus and/or cactus plants. If you can’t locate this type of soil, choose one that has good organic matter so that the soil is less apt to compact over time from watering. This will help the roots grow and prevent fungal infections and root rot.

3. Place rocks in the drainage tray to create a space for moisture to collect and help with humidity. Citrus plants like moist air so feel free to give them some love and mist their leaves, especially if your home is on the drier side.

4. Location, Location, Location; place your citrus tree preferably in a south facing window or a spot that will receive up to 12 hours of sunlight per day. If you don’t have a sunny spot you can improvise and add a grow light to help give more “sunlight” hours.
65ºF is the ideal temperature, but the citrus trees can handle a range of 55º-85ºF.

During the winter/indoor months I find my lemon trees like to be watered once a week, drying out in between watering. Then, once back outside, the trees are watered everyday. In the hot summer months I use a watering system on a timer which is great for potted plants and a huge time saver. I found mine on a gardening website.

Harvesting the fruits of your labor, the first time I noticed a lemon on my potted lemon tree it was green, not yellow as one would expect. Everyone who saw it asked if I was sure I had purchased a lemon and not a lime tree, even I had my doubts about it. However, I learned that it will take 6-9 months for the fruit to mature and over that time it changes color. At this moment I have one that is half and half, and no, it is not a lemon/lime tree ;0). Once the fruit has reached its full color and has a slight “give” when gently squeezed it is ready to be picked and enjoyed.

Caramelize Life grows indoor lemon trees

Lemons are considered a superfood full of vitamin C and antioxidants

Happy winter gardening to you!

Rachelle @ Caramelize Life

“Making Life a Little Sweeter through Food, Travel and Community“

Feb 2

Caramelizelife makes Merida Anderson's Sesame Flax Crackers

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Sesame Flax Crackers|Vegan Secret Supper

These are as quick to make as they are to snap, break and eat. Wafer thin, these crackers are packed full of health benefits that come from the fact that the flaxseed is high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, that’s a double win in my book.

Flax is a healthy source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids

This recipe is just six ingredients(sesame seeds & oil, ground flax, water, tamari and salt) mixed together, left for three hours (or overnight) and then dehydrated for about 15 hours. It is so simple and easy I can’t, not make these. If you looking for healthy snacking options these tasty crackers are a must.

Ground flax seeds, sesame seeds, water, tamari, salt and sesame oil

Sesame flax crackers in the making…

I wanted to know a little bit more about why flaxseeds are considered healthy so I did my favorite thing and dug deeper and researched some of their qualities.

1. Flaxseeds improve digestive health (that’s the fiber talking).
2. Flax aids to relieve constipation.
3. They “may help to lower total blood cholesterol which may help reduce the risk of heart disease” [mayoclinic.org]
4. Flaxseeds are high in most of the B vitamins, magnesium and manganese
5. Flaxseeds are considered low in carbohydrates which makes it ideal for people who want to limit their intake of starches and sugars.

In further research, I learned that flaxseeds are so minuscule they will just pass on through,so they need to be ground or crushed in order for our bodies to absorb their nutrients.

healthy sesame flax seed crackers rolled out on non-stick dehydrator mat

Rolled out and ready for the dehydrator…

In Merida Anderson’s Vegan Secret Supper cookbook she gets it right. She calls for ground brown flaxseeds in her sesame flax cracker recipe, it’s no wonder she is internationally celebrated for her thoughtful, healthy and well balanced recipes. I am looking forward to trying out more of her creative and “out of the box” ideas written up and shared in her latest recipe book.