Fresh Mint Coconut Gelato

May 27, 2015

Fresh Mint Coconut Gelato – Candy Coated Culinista

Receiving a high-five for making this recipe from one of your favourite chefs is a really cool experience and meeting Curtis Stone was a pure delight. I get the same feeling every time I make ice cream by hand. It’s so simple and easy and rewarding and I love that feeling.

Yield/Serving: about 1 quart
Prep Time: 10 min., plus 7 ½ hours cooling and freezing time
Cook Time: 10 min.
Difficulty level is: Medium

Slightly altered from Good Food Goof Life

Ingredients
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 6 fresh mint sprigs
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped

Assembly
1. Using a large heavy saucepan, whisk sugar and cornstarch together.
2. Whisk in cream and coconut milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
3. Fill a large bowl with ice and very cold water.
4. Pour mixture into a medium heatproof bowl and add the mint.
5. Set the bowl over the ice water and stir occasionally to cool down and remove the mint leaves after 5 minutes.
6. Cover the cream mixture and refrigerate for 4 hours, or until completely cold.
7. Place the container you will be storing the gelato in, into the freezer.
8. Freeze the mint cream in according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
9. Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof container and melt in 30 second intervals in the microwave until just melted and let cool down.
10. Transfer gelato to a large bowl set over ice and drizzle the chocolate into the gelato while stirring vigorously.
11. Enjoy right away or, for a firmer gelato, transfer to the chilled container and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Tips
• Don’t steep mint for too long or it will start tasting like grass.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
My first eggless ice cream/gelato recipe and it turned out just as great as the egg based recipes. The original recipe called for regular milk but I used coconut milk instead and I halved the recipe just incase I didn’t like it. Now I wish I had made the full amount as I am a big fan of this recipe. It takes less time without the eggs and Mr. C. liked how smooth the ice cream was; but was not a fan of the mint. I noted this is what fresh mint taste like vs. the whole artificially flavoured ice cream out there. I will be adapting and changing the flavour more and more as I am a fan of this recipe and this is a great eggless recipe base for my gelato.

Doughnut Diaries: Jelly Modern Doughnuts

May 22, 2015

Doughnut Diaries: Jelly Modern Doughnuts – Candy Coated Culinista

Location: 376 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1S6, 416-962-2053
Hours: Tuesday – Thursday: 7am-6pm; Friday: 7am-6pm; Saturday: 10am-6pm; Sunday: 11am-6pm

Gourmet doughnuts with sophisticated flavours, high quality ingredients that are preservative free and made using local and organic ingredients whenever possible. Jelly Modern also strives to be eco-friendly and their contemporary café’s use bamboo materials and recyclable packaging, eco-friendly cutlery trying to reduce their carbon footprint.

When I entered the store it was minimal, inviting and decorated in a monochromatic white. The doughnuts I purchased were: Cake: carrot cake, red velvet; Hand Dipped: Madagascar vanilla; Hand filled: lemon curd, s’mores and the Doughnut of the month: chocolate chocolate chocolate and more chocolate. 6 doughnuts went for $17.

I found the doughnuts to be just okay. They tasted good but nothing to write home about. I know lots of people love this store and if I had visited here before glory hole doughnuts they would have been number one on my list in the city; as they have great toppings and flavour selections etc. Quite frankly though I think I have been spoiled with glory hole and nothing I have found yet in the gourmet doughnut world will change that. The cake doughnuts I found the most peculiar as I love carrot cake I of course grabbed a carrot doughnut; but when I bit into it firstly the batter was still white but had all of those carrot cake spices in it along with some carrot pieces. This threw me off as I was expecting a dark batter like a real carrot cake and the cream cheese frosting had thinly sliced carrot strips. This added a great decoration but again I no real flavour. Mr. C. agreed the red velvet doughnut was off in same way also. I did enjoy the vanilla and lemon curd much more as well as Mr. C. enjoyed the s’mores and chocolate, but we just found ourselves comparing to glory hole which means they are still our fav’s.

Doughnut Diaries: Jelly Modern Doughnuts – Candy Coated Culinista

Fruity & Nutty Milk Chocolate Bark

May 19, 2015

Paleo Fruity Nutty Chocolate Bark – Candy Coated Culinista

Prep Time: 15 min.
Set Time: 30 min
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
• 1 ½ cups milk chocolate
• ¼ cup shredded coconut
• ¼ cup mini white chocolate chips
• ¼ cup almonds
• ¼ cup dark chocolate bits
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup cranberries
• ¼ cup goji berries

Assembly
1. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or non-stick silicone sheet.
2. Rough chop all the chocolate and put into a microwave safe bowl.
3. Heat in thirty second intervals until all the chocolate has melted.
4. Pour chocolate onto the silpat and spread evenly with a spatula.
5. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
6. Sprinkle the nuts, dried fruits onto the chocolate and tap the pan once again on the counter.
7. Let the chocolate set in the fridge for thirty minutes.
8. Break the chocolate bark into pieces.
9. Serve

Tips
• Set the chocolate in the fridge or freezer. I left the chocolate out to set in the kitchen and it just wouldn’t set for me until I chilled it.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
Even though I am not a fan of chocolate and then incorporating fruits and nuts into said chocolate seems like a horrible idea to me. This was quite tasty and no two bites were the same which added a nice dimension to the bark. It also feels healthier than having a regular chocolate bar.

Pottery Workshop

May 13, 2015

Pottery Workshop – Candy Coated Culinista

Place: The Pottery
Location: 498 Runnymede Road, Toronto, Ontario, M6S 2Z5; 416-690-9475
Website: http://www.thepottery.ca/
Cost: $64.00

I haven’t worked with clay since high school and I was itching to try to see if I any of my skills were still intact. There are two clay pieces I made that will forever stay in my mind from high school: a Mayan/Incan Temple and a life size Chihuahua, both of which I still have today. One even sits on the living room coffee table.

With pottery making on my mind I took a two hour introductory workshop where I learned to make a platter and a bowl. When I arrived I saw four clay wheels set up and a few stations around the sides of the space. Paul our instructor got right down to business and was teaching a few girls already sitting at the wheel the techniques and skills to making a bowl on a wheel. I have never used a clay wheel before and getting that peddle to stay at that consistent perfect speed was hard at first; but then slowly I got it. When I came to the point of tapering and getting the slab of clay to start resembling a bowl I was not doing the technique quite right so my bowl started to get this interesting lip and Paul said, “I really like how this looks and think you should keep it”, so I did of course as I’m all for the unique.

The class then moved on to the second piece and we made a platter. From a slab of clay we used a tray as our form and had the option of stamping in a print or making a raised design and cross-hatching it to adhere it to the platter. The reverse stamping technique required some finesse which I found hard as I couldn’t get the picture to release cleanly, but after a few times it looked half decent.

Our clay projects needed 6-8weeks to dry before they got fired in the kiln and he would paint them for us in the colour we wanted. Paul wouldn’t fix anything, like mistakes and such, but he would paint it for us. I choose raspberry for the bowl and yellow for the platter and hey turned out amazing and I think I my pottery skills are still intact.

For these workshops I would suggest coming with an apron. I didn’t come with an apron but I did wear clothes I didn’t mind getting dirty. It will all wash out no problem as it is mud, but just the same don’t wear your Sunday best. I love my small bowl, even though I was hoping for a bigger bowl this could be a cat bowl or a prep bowl. I enjoyed the workshop and bought a few clay items that are for sale like cups, mugs, small bowls, milk jugs and plates. Some of the techniques used on them were so lovely I couldn’t resist.

Pottery Workshop – Candy Coated Culinista

Pottery Workshop – Candy Coated Culinista

Pottery Workshop – Candy Coated Culinista

Pottery Workshop – Candy Coated Culinista

Pottery Workshop – Candy Coated Culinista

Weeknight Leftover Speedy Beef Pot Pie

May 7, 2015

Beef Pot Pie – Candy Coated Culinista

I had some leftover potatoes and a puff pastry that was about to expire and I decided it’s about time I make a quick and easy beef pot pie.

Yield/Serving: 6-8
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 25 min.
Difficulty level is: Medium

Ingredients
• 1 sheet butter puff pastry (usually half of the package / box) – thaw at room temp for 2 hours and then keep in fridge in not using immediately after thawing
• About 2 pounds of stewing beef
• Herbs du Provence
• Basil
• Season salt
• Sea salt
• Paprika
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• 1 cup potatoes, leftovers cut into chunks
• ½ cup corn
• 8 white mushrooms, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• ½ cup carrots, diced
• ½ cup green peas
• Gravy, packet

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. At medium-high heat brown the stewing beef and stir in the spices in a cast-iron skillet until almost cooked through.
3. Place beef along with potatoes and corn into a large bowl.
4. Using the same skillet sauce the mushrooms and onions and pour into bowl.
5. In a medium sized saucepan steam the carrots and green peas and pour into bowl.
6. Prepare pre-made gravy in a small saucepan and mix into the bowl of pot pie filling.
7. Fill a casserole dish with the filling and then roll out the puff pastry. (cut to size if needed).
8. Make some slits to allow are to escape.
9. Bake for twenty-five minutes.
10. Serve.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
My first attempt at a beef pot pie turned out quite well. It was simple and fast and I got to use up my leftovers. I will be using a crock pot the next time I make this as I forget I own a crock pot sometimes and letting the stew slow cook can only make it more tender.

Beef Pot Pie – Candy Coated Culinista

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Brookie

May 5, 2015

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Brookie – Candy Coated Culinista

I found the most interesting baking pans the other day and I have now made my first ever brookie. What’s a brookie you ask its part brownie with a cookie in the centre.

Yield/Serving: 6
Prep Time: 5 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
• 1 box of brownie mix, Duncan Hines Salted Caramel Brownie Mix
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 6 cookies

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly spray the brookie pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Using an electric mixer empty the brownie mix and add the egg, water and oil.
4. Stir until just combined.
5. Pour in the salted caramel into the brownie mix and combine.
6. Pour brownie mix into the cavity just below the centre island edge.
7. Place cookie on island and then fill the remainder of the cavity with brownie mix.
8. Bake for 30 – 33 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
9. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then turn out and let continue to cool of a wire rack.
10. Serve upside down so you can see the cookie along with ice cream or coconut whipped cream.

Tips
• I only had to bake this for about 20 to 25 minutes and it was perfect. Keep watch on the brookie.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
Decadent and very tasty. This was so simple to make and took no time at all. I of course found it sweet as I had no control as this is a box mix. My taste testers enjoyed them just the same but some also agreed for the most part about the sweetness. I enjoyed my brookie with a scoop of ice cream and could only eat half as this was one big brookie.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Brookie – Candy Coated Culinista

Pineapple Cider Cocktail

May 1, 2015

Pineapple Cider Cocktail – Candy Coated Culinista

When you are missing the warmer weather like me, sometimes a tropical beverage is in order.

Yield/Serving: 1
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 5 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
• Lime wedge
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 ¼ cup pineapple juice
• 3 oz. Foundry Golden cider, or any alcoholic cider beverage
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 10 Ice cubes

Assembly
1. Run lime around the edge of the glass and dip the glass into the ginger mixture to rim.
2. Pour pineapple juice, Golden Cider, sugar and ice cubes into a blender and blend.
3. Pour into rimmed glass and serve.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
Surprisingly I enjoyed this. I was just trying to find a way to get rid of the Golden Cider as I’m really not a fan of it, but this turned out well.