kitchen exploits lead to delicious success

This post’s alternate title is ‘How to make a lot of people happy and Cecelia a little crazy, volume 43: Soufflés.’ However, I liked the first one better. And with the final result it was much more accurate, so we’ll stick with it. What an adventure, folks, what an adventure.*

A couple of people asked me how/why I attempted this recipe. It was like this: ricotta was on sale. I bought some, even though I’d never used it before (that’s right. EVER.). Blackberries were also on sale. I googled “blackberry ricotta recipe.” This epicurious gem came up on the first page of results, and the accompanying picture looked delicious. Also: my friend Katie gave me ramekins for my birthday in December, and I hadn’t used them yet. Yes, that highly scientific process is how I usually make baking decisions, thanks for asking. Brace yourselves for awesome.

[the pastry cream before the addition of milk. it started so innocently...]

Ricotta Soufflés with Blackberry Compote

INGREDIENTS

1 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour

4 large egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

1 cup whole milk

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

2 cups frozen blackberries (or 12 oz. fresh)

1/4 cup sweet vermouth (I substituted apple juice, as I didn’t have any vermouth)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 large egg whites

[egg whites on their way to stiff peaks. just ten...ten more minutes?]

DIRECTIONS

Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and flour in large bowl. Add egg yolks and lemon peel; whisk to blend.

Bring milk just to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly (pastry cream will be thick). Spread pastry cream out to 1/3-inch thickness on small rimmed baking sheet. Cover completely with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature. Transfer pastry cream to medium bowl. Whisk in ricotta. Cover and chill until cold, about 1 hour.

Bring blackberries, vermouth (apple juice!), lemon juice, and 1/4 cup sugar to boil in small saucepan, crushing some berries and stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until mixture thickens, about 8 (10-12 with apple juice) minutes. Transfer blackberry compote to small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill.

[it's a tough job, but somebody had to do it. and actually, i volunteered - silly me!]

Butter six 1/2-cup ramekins; coat with sugar, tapping out any excess. Using electric mixer**, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 6 tablespoons sugar; continue beating until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into ricotta mixture. Spoon batter into ramekins; smooth tops. Run thumb 1/4 inch deep around inside edge of each soufflé dish to wipe clean. Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake soufflés until puffed and golden at edges, about 28 minutes (about 32 minutes if chilled). Serve immediately with blackberry compote.

NOTE #1: I used four 1/2-cup ramekins and three 1-cup ramekins, all filled generously – so if you follow the directions you may end up with superfluous soufflé mixture.

NOTE #2: Don’t jostle or set the soufflé dishes down hard – it will make them fall. Gentle touches for your lovely desserts. I learned that the hard way.

[the blackberry compote reducing. that wooden spoon had to be thrown out - ruined in the best way possible!]

I had never attempted soufflés before. I also did not own a hand mixer OR a stand mixer. I had my own two hands and a rather feeble whisk. It was…rather torturous. First mistake: I did not understand what the recipe meant when it referred to ‘stiff peaks,’ so I image searched the term. When I saw photos, then looked back to my little bowl of egg whites, I almost had a heart attack.

After THIRTY MINUTES of whisking, my hands had nearly given out. Luckily my roommate stepped in for a couple of minutes for key relief whisking. My advice for all time: DO NOT ATTEMPT without an electric mixer. Just…don’t. Later that evening I had trouble holding a fork. I am completely serious.

[all the ramekins arranged on a cookie sheet and ready to go in the oven]

With all that said, this recipe is easily the most delicious thing I have ever baked. I was very, very proud of all that work, and it paid off. Those soufflés were delicious and gorgeous, and afforded me the chance to throw a party to celebrate the process. They were light and fluffy, and the sweet fruit compote contrasted beautifully with the texture. I will definitely make them again. Especially now that I own a nifty immersion blender. I see my baking future becoming much more enjoyable.

[this fabulous photo courtesy of thelastgoodnite, a lucky dinner and dessert invitee]

Recommended for: an afternoon when you are feeling adventurous and have time to kill, an impressive dessert that will awe your guests, and a delicious and complex sweet to add to your baking repertoire.

*To say the very LEAST. My hands hurt just thinking about it. Also, I failed to secure the egg whites in between steps, so I had an egg white disaster area in my refrigerator in the middle of the whole experience. Cusses may have been said. Unavoidable, really.

**When they say electric mixer, they mean it. See story above for clarification. Do not be foolhardy!

happy weekend

May you all have lovely weekends (and adventures). [print art found at TheExtentofSilence on Etsy]

waiting on wednesday (8)

I’m participating today in "Waiting On" Wednesday. It is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and its purpose is to spotlight eagerly anticipated upcoming releases.

If you like fantasy, you’ll have heard of Mercedes Lackey. The woman is scarily prolific, and it seems that EVERYONE has read something by her. I held off on trying her books until a couple of years ago, when I fell head first into a series of fairy tale-based novels set in Edwardian England called the Elemental Masters books. And that, as they say, was that.

I count Phoneix and Ashes among my favorite novels ever, and The Serpent’s Shadow is another great read. When I heard that Lackey’s latest novel would be a continuation of the series, my heart just about beat out of my chest. Now I just have to wait until it comes out! Unnatural Issue will be released by DAW Hardcover on June 7, 2011.

A brand-new Elemental Masters novel from the national bestselling author Mercedes Lackey.

Richard Whitestone is an Elemental Earth Master. Blaming himself for the death of his beloved wife in childbirth, he has sworn never to set eyes on his daughter, Suzanne. But when he finally sees her, a dark plan takes shape in his twisted mind-to use his daughter's body to bring back the spirit of his long-dead wife.

What books are you waiting on?

paranormalcy

The power of a voice is uncanny. A good voice, maybe I should say. I bought and read Kiersten White’s debut novel Paranormalcy on the strength of her blog. If you haven’t been yet, go visit NOW. Kiersten has one of the funniest, kindest, and most endearing “voices” that I have ever read (fiction, non-fiction, you name it). The only writer I have loved more upon first acquaintance in the past few years? Sherman Alexie, author of National Book Award-winning The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

So: she’s laugh-out-loud hilarious, and I pre-ordered her debut novel last summer. What then?

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Best word to describe Paranormalcy? CUTE. Undeniably cute. Also: entertaining, funny-as-heck, and promising. Look, I’m not going to say it’s life-changing (unless you are in dire need of laughter). It probably won’t bend the way you look at reality or affect the way you think. But given that, it’s a good time and guilt-free in every way that a chocolate sundae can’t be (look Ma, no calories!). And Kiersten’s voice, which I fell in love with months ago, is there in bits and pieces through her lovable and fallible character Evie.

Evie is the star…err…main character of Paranormalcy, and she’s wonderful in part because she is SO NORMAL. And I mean that in a ‘acts her age and makes mistakes’ kind of way. Although her situation sits squarely in fantasy territory, she’s got a good head on her shoulders and seems completely authentic, all the way down to boys, pink and answering back to authority. She’s a genuine character, and a fun one to be around, even (or especially) when she’s getting into scrapes of her own making.

Also: though I thought I could never again contemplate anything NEAR to a young adult love triangle, I somehow find myself interested in the whole Lend/Reth thing. In Lend, Kiersten has crafted a rare creature – a “real”-seeming boy. Not only is he teenage awkward, he’s sweet, and his family is as normal as you can expect from a YA paranormal romance. Oh, and did I mention that he’s hot? At least, Evie thinks so.

Paranormalcy is full of adventure, mayhem, pink, and fun. If I had to equate it to a specific experience, I'd say that it's like a summer fair with rides and cotton candy. It’s not perfect or profound, but it’s happy-making. It may not be for you. But if it sounds at all like it might be, I urge you to pick it up.

Recommended for: fans of young adult paranormal and fantasy, anyone in the mood for some good, clean fun and adventure, and light entertainment that will have you laughing (and sighing) along with Evie, Lend, and a whole cast of engaging and strange characters.