Garlicky Shrimp & Tequila Lime

Oct 24, 2018

Garlicky Shrimp & Tequila Lime – Candy Coated Culinista

What beats a 5 minute shrimp dinner … nothing.

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 5 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

From Now & Again

Ingredients
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound large shrimp, uncooked, peeled and deveined
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp silver (blanco) tequila
• Finely grated zest from 1 lime
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• Small handful of fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Assembly
1. Heat olive oil and butter in a cast iron pan for about 1 ½ minutes over medium-high heat.
2. Once butter has melted add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add shrimp and sprinkle with salt, stirring occasionally until opaque about 1 ½ minutes.
4. Pour tequila in and cook until it evaporates, another 1 minute.
5. Turn off heat, add lime zest and juice, and toss.
6. Add cilantro and serve.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
This was a unique recipe and in theory I thought I would love this. I loved my vodka shrimp; but the tequila shrimp I found slightly bitter; but maybe that was just me. Otherwise I enjoyed the simplicity of the recipe. I served mine with some rapini and my salsa potatoes.

Halloween Jack-O-Lantern Pail Cake

Oct 19, 2018

Halloween Jack-O-Lantern Pail Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

Last year there was a Halloween potluck at work and I was told I was bringing something. I did not intend to participate in the potluck; but when my Tombstone Chocolate Brownies turned out so well I felt encouraged to make my most complex cake yet.

Yield/Serving: 24
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 30-45 min.
Difficulty level: Medium; but time consuming

Ingredients
Vanilla Bean Cake
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 vanilla bean, insides scrapped out
• ¼ cup 2% milk
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
Cocoa Chocolate Cake
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup Dutch pressed cocoa powder
• ½ tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 vanilla bean, insides scrapped out
• ¼ cup 2% milk
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
Buttercream
• 2 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 2 – 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 6 tbsp heavy cream
• Orange food colouring gel
Marshmallow Fondant
• 1 bag or marshmallows
• 4 tbsp water
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• Food colouring, preferably gel or powdered, not water based colouring
• Flavourless oil, like canola – to use while kneading

Assembly
Vanilla Bean Cake
1. Oven to 350°F.
2. Spray bundt pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Add in egg and egg yolks, vanilla paste, vanilla beans and canola oil and continue to beat until incorporated.
5. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
6. Pour into butter mixture alternating between milk and flour mixture three times.
7. Pour into bundt pans, smooth top and slam pan on the counter top to release air bubble and ensure an even bake.
8. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
9. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and turn out onto cooling rack.
10. Let cool completely.
Cocoa Chocolate Cake
1. Spray bundt pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
2. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add in egg and egg yolks, vanilla paste, vanilla beans and canola oil and continue to beat until incorporated.
4. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
5. Pour into butter mixture alternating between milk and flour mixture three times.
6. Pour into bundt pans, smooth top and slam pan on the counter top to release air bubble and ensure an even bake.
7. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
8. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and turn out onto cooling rack.
9. Let cool completely.
Buttercream
1. Using the stand mixer with the fitted paddle attachment beat butter until creamy for about 1 minute.
2. Continue and add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed and add in vanilla and cream.
3. Taste the buttercream and if it still tastes too much like butter add the third cut of confectioners’ sugar.
Marshmallow Fondant
1. Using a microwave melt the marshmallows and water in 30 second intervals at a time.
2. Set aside once melted.
3. Using an electric mixer add ¾ of confectioners’ sugar to the mixer followed by the marshmallows.
4. Mix together on low speed using the paddle attachment.
5. The mixture will start to come together.
6. Pour our fondant onto a clean surface and work in the remaining ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar for about 5 minutes, until the fondant is soft and shiny. (If the fondant get dry add a little water until it feels soft and malleable again)
7. Add food colouring and continue to knead for another 5 minutes. (If the fondant get dry add a little water until it feels soft and malleable again)
8. Dust surface with confectioners’ sugar and roll out fondant. Move fondant around as you roll so it won’t stick to one spot. At this point you can cut out the shapes you require with decorating tools, cookie cutters or roll out into a long sheet to cover cake.

Tips
• If fondant keeps sticking to your hands add a little oil to your hands.
• If making fondant ahead: roll into a ball, cover with a little oil, and double wrap in cling wrap. Fondant will last for a couple of weeks in this state.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
After this attempt, I am more confident in my cake decorating skills. I still need to take a proper decorating class as my fondant was a semi fail; but I’m quite proud of myself. Not to mention my co-workers were wowed, and complimented me on my skills. The cake itself was light and fluffy and the buttercream frosting turned out so well I was actually surprised. I attempted to apply a fondant; now my issue wasn’t the actual fondant but my application and it kept getting to warm for me to apply it. So I had to give up and revert back to my tried and true buttercream.

Halloween Jack-O-Lantern Pail Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

Halloween Jack-O-Lantern Pail Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

Applesauce Cake with Cream Cheese & Honey Frosting

Oct 14, 2018

Applesauce Cake with Cream Cheese – Candy Coated Culinista

A one-bowl recipe so simple it will fast become a Thanksgiving staple.

Yield/Serving: 8-10
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 55 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

From Now & Again

Ingredients
Cake
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup buttermilk or plain yoghurt
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup canola oil or neutral oil
Frosting
• 170 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• ¼ cup honey
• Pinch of kosher salt

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray 9” pan with non-stick spray, line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, and set pan aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt and baking soda.
4. Add eggs, sugar, buttermilk or yoghurt, applesauce and oil and whisk gently until combined.
5. Using a rubber spatula scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface so it is even.
6. Bake until it is barely firm and a cake tester inserted comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
7. Set cake aside on a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.
8. Remove from pan and parchment paper.
9. Place on cake plate and set aside.
10. To make frosting: in a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, honey and salt and whisk aggressively until cream cheese is slightly aerated. Use a handheld mixer or stand mixer if desired.
11. Spread frosting over top of cake and serve.

Tips
• Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I was pleasantly surprised with this simple recipe. It smells and tastes like autumn and is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving. The mix of the seasonal flavours and the addition of the applesauce kept ths cake moist. The icing didn’t turn out as I expected even though I followed the recipe, or this is a looser icing. I added some buttercream frosting to the mix to firm it up. This cake will not travel will with the icing as is. I recommend if you are bring the cake somewhere, make the frosting, put it in a container, and dress when you arrive at your location. Otherwise, I will be making this again and just altering the frosting for myself personally.

Mango Cheeks in Lime & Ginger Syrup

Oct 4, 2018

Mango Cheeks in Lime & Ginger Syrup – Candy Coated Culinista

A light dessert for those who prefer fruit for dessert instead of the usual chocolate.

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

From How to eat a peach

Ingredients
• 6 limes
• 1 ½ cup water
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ pieces of fresh ginger root, peeled and finely sliced
• 3 medium, perfectly ripe mangoes, peeled

Assembly
1. Zest 2 limes and put in a small prep bowl.
2. Finely grate another 2 limes and put into a small saucepan along with juice from the 6 limes and 1 ½ cups of water, sugar and ginger.
3. Heat on low at first stirring to let the sugar dissolve; then increase heat and let mixture boil.
4. Reduce mixture back to a simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until its syrupy and let cool and chill.
5. Cut cheeks off the mangoes and eat the remainder of save for something else.
6. Slice cheeks and place in a shallow bowl or a high lipped plate and pour syrup over top.

Tips
• Make lime & ginger syrup a day ahead and save one lime skin to zest when ready.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
Such a simple and yet refreshing recipe. It’s like the fruit cocktails we all had as kids; but with a grown up flavour. I want to try this with other fruits now.