progress

well, we have been away for a bit, keeping busy with our careers and loving every minute.  but we have missed this great outlet and really want to make pictures and pancakes something for everyone to enjoy again.  in the very near future, we will be posting as much as we can...from recipes to work, interviews to inspiration and everything in between.  we hope you can join us on this ride as a newly inspired couple sharing what we love most.

above are a few images from recent work...we'll see you with more very soon!

chocolate & pretzels

as you're busy planning your thanksgiving menu, here's a little treat to make you drool! after thursday, when you need a break from all things pumpkin and turkey, try making this rich, salty, sweet dessert. this recipe is adapted from an old issue of Food & Wine magazine and we decided peanut butter was a perfect addition to the pretzel and chocolate combination.

check out the latest post in our mad props series here - a warm german scene with gold crackle plates, weisswurst and sauerkraut.

finally got to the new amsterdam market for the smorrebrod table 2010 and the rye bread project which was great! also got to meet fellow big leo food stylist Heidi Johannsen and taste some of her delicious and beautiful tea from Bellocq.

Chocolate Pretzel Tart

serves 8

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed pretzels

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 egg

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 tbs maldon sea salt for garnish

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with 3/4 cup pretzels and confectioner's sugar on low speed until creamy. beat in flour and eggs. add remaining 1/2 cup pretzels and mix, leaving some pieces intact. flatten the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. roll out the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap to a 12-inch round. peel off the top sheet and invert dough over a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. press the dough into the corners and patch any tears. trim the overhanging dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes. line the shell with parchment and pie weights or dried beans and bake 30 minutes. remove the parchment and bake 8-12 minutes more or until firm and set. let the shell cool completely. using a small offset spatula, spread the peanut butter into a thin even layer and refrigerate while making the chocolate filling.

in a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. turn off heat and add chocolate, let stand 5 minutes. whisk until completely smooth. let filling cool slightly before pouring into the shell and smoothing with spatula. sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

layers

as you can tell from the last several posts, we've been digging into the recipe tear outs. doesn't everyone have a huge three ring binder filled with recipes for great sounding desserts, salads, thanksgiving sides, cocktails, etc. from articles published six years ago?! well, we do, but it often gets overlooked on a day to day basis when thinking about what to quickly throw together for dinner. we are trying to make an effort to pick out just a few recipes each week to finally try, see if they're keepers and even better, to see if they're worth sharing with our readers. these amazing little treats are definitely worth sharing! each layer adds another texture and level of richness that you'll find irresistible.

Chocolate Caramel Slice

(from Bon Appetit)

makes 16-20

crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tbs ice water

1 egg yolk

toppings:

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

6 tbs unsalted butter, diced

2 tbs dark corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 tbs Maldon sea salt

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. grease a 8 1/2-inch square metal baking pan. blend flour, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt in a food processor. add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. add ice water and egg yolk and blend just until moist clumps form. press dough onto bottom of prepared pan evenly. pierce all over with a fork. bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. cool completely.

whisk together condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, butter melts and mixture comes to a boil. insert a candy thermometer and boil gently until caramel is thick and temperature reaches 225 degrees F. whisk constantly to prevent from burning. pour caramel evenly over cooled crust and let set 15 minutes. melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring occasionally. spread melted chocolate evenly over caramel layer. sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate until set, at least one hour. can be made three days ahead if covered and refrigerated. cut into bars and enjoy!

chocolate ginger cookies

these cookies are adapted from an old martha stewart living recipe i ripped out a few years ago. something about a simple sugar cookie combined with the flavors of chocolate and ginger seemed very appropriate for fall. perfect for a midnight snack with a glass of milk or cup of tea on a cool rainy october evening! or as you start to think about holiday cookies, this is a tasty one to keep close.

we celebrated our third wedding anniversary yesterday with a perfect new york afternoon. we had a great lunch at gramercy tavern (one of our favorites), a walk through central park, and a stop here for some cheeses and charcuterie for dinner - have you tried barely buzzed from beehive cheese co? the rind is rubbed in ground coffee & it's delicious!

hoping to finally get to the new amsterdam market this sunday - has anyone been? any vendors we shouldn't miss? also excited to get a copy of this new cookbook featuring recipes from many of our brooklyn faves. happy weekend!

Chocolate Ginger Cookies

makes 24 2 1/2-inch cookies

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

6 tbs unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

vanilla sugar for sprinkling

preheat oven to 325 degrees F. whisk together flours, cocoa, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda. cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy. add egg, molasses and grated ginger and mix until combined. add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.

wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour. roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thick. use 2 1/2 cookie cutters to make shapes and place 1-inch apart on parchment lined baking sheets. refrigerate 20 minutes or until firm.

sprinkle with vanilla sugar. bake until cookies are firm, 11-13 minutes. let cool on wire rack and enjoy!

chocolate & ginger

as you've probably figured out by now, we love ginger - in our cocktails, in our scones, in our parfaits, and on and on. candied ginger is a wonderful sweet & spicy addition to almost any baked good. recently, we were looking for a healthier option for late night chocolate cravings (or mid afternoon or first thing in the morning!) and stumbled upon this simple recipe from whole living magazine, formerly body & soul. it's a perfect combination of chocolate, spicy ginger and crunchy biscotti to satisfy any craving and great to keep in the cupboard in case of emergency!

on a new york side note, we're excited to check out the New Amsterdam Market this weekend and can't seem to resist the coconut cookies from here every time we walk by!

Double Chocolate & Ginger Biscotti

(adapted from Whole Living)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, plus 1 yolk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

3 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper. in a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg, yolk and sugar until fluffy. beat in vanilla and oil until combined. with the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until combined. fold in walnuts, chocolate and ginger with a spatula. with moistened hands, shape the dough into 2 logs, each about 9x2 1/2-inches. bake until set on top, about 20 minutes. cool 10 minutes and reduce oven to 325 degrees F. transfer logs to a cutting board and slice into 1/2-inch thick slices. bake 10 minutes per side until, crisp and cool completely on a wire rack. store in an airtight container for up to a week. enjoy!

chocolate Guinness cake

this wednesday is one of our favorite food holidays - after thanksgiving, easter, christmas . . . ok, i guess most holidays are a great excuse to make something special and we really don't have a favorite! last year we celebrated st. patrick's day with colcannon and it will definitely be on our plates again this year with some corned beef, cabbage and a few pints of Guinness. this lovely chocolate cake combines stout and prunes for an extra moist and rich result. it's perfect with a little vanilla ice cream while sipping some irish whiskey after dinner! check back this week for a few more st. paddy's day recipes, including something to do with all that leftover corned beef.

Chocolate Stout Cake

serves 6

(adapted from gourmet.com)

1/2 cup stout such as Guinness

1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, chopped

3 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bring beer to a boil in a small saucepan and add prunes. remove from heat and let stand. melt chocolate and butter a little at a time in the microwave, stirring often, or in a heavy saucepan over low heat. sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick. add chocolate and beat until combined. reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. stir in prune mixture until well combined. divide batter between 6 greased 10-cm spring form pans, an 8x3-inch ringmold or a 6 cup capacity bundt pan. bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. cool cake 15 minutes on a wire rack, remove from pan and cool completely. enjoy!

zeppole

we were just watching a repeat of everyday italian on the food network and it happened to be an episode from the season i worked on. giada was making zeppole, which is essentially an italian doughnut hole, and it reminded me of how delicious little fried balls of dough tossed in cinnamon sugar and dipped in chocolate taste. so while it was snowing outside all day today, we stayed inside and made these! the recipe is adapted from this cookbook which has lots of great recipes. yes it's a little indulgent and no we don't fry things every day but today it was a special treat!

Zeppole

serves 4-6

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup for coating

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup all purpose flour

4 eggs

1 tbs orange zest

vegetable oil for frying

1 tsp cinnamon

in a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup water. bring to a boil over medium heat. take the pan off the heat and stir in the flour. return to low heat and cook, stirring vigorously until the mixture forms a ball. transfer the dough to a medium bowl and using an electric mixer, beat in eggs one at a time. add orange zest and set aside. in a small bowl, combine cinnamon with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and set aside.

pour enough oil into a frying pan to reach a depth of 2-inches. heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

using a small ice cream scoop, carefully drop small tablespoons of dough into the hot oil. fry several at a time but be careful not to crowd the pan. turn zeppole with a wooden skewer to evenly brown both sides and cook until golden and puffed, about 5 minutes. roll cooked zeppole in cinnamon sugar and serve immediately plain or with melted chocolate for dipping. enjoy!

chocolate bark

it's homemade holiday treat time! this is such an easy candy to make - no boiling sugar, no candy thermometers, no complicated ingredients - just good quality chocolate and mixed nuts. for this recipe we used what we like and what we happened to have in the pantry - but use a combination of whatever you please. break it into pieces and wrap it up in a pretty little tin or glass jar to give to friends and family this year for a simple handmade treat. enjoy!

Chocolate Nut Bark

makes 2-3 gifts

12 oz dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 1/2 cups mixed nuts such as pistachios, almonds & hazelnuts

melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirring often, until smooth. once melted, remove from heat and stir in 1/3 of the mixed nuts. spread evenly on a parchment lined 9x13-inch baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining nuts. refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. break into pieces and keep at room temperature for about a week.

coffee & chocolate

chocolate & coffee is one of those perfect combinations. so when i came home from a recent job with some really nice chocolate and saw this recipe while going through old magazines, i knew exactly what to do - run out and buy some haagen-dazs coffee ice cream immediately! this mocha caramel sauce is from a 2006 issue of gourmet and is definitely worth the few extra minutes it takes to make caramel and melt chocolate for an amazing homemade dessert. i'm sure it would be great poured over any flavor ice cream but coffee was just the thing for us. enjoy!

Mocha Caramel Sauce

1 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

1/2 cup sugar

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/8 tsp salt

in a small bowl, stir together cream and espresso powder. cook sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. continue to cook, swirling the pan gently, until a deep golden caramel color. remove from heat and let sit 1 minute. very carefully pour in espresso cream - mixture will steam and bubble. then cook over low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. add chocolate and salt and cook until sauce it smooth. serve warm or at room temperature.

french macaroons

macaroons are one of those delicate french pastries that make a beautiful display at a fancy patisserie but something i never thought of tackling at home. remember when i mentioned that we are going through years of old magazines and ripping out recipes and inspiration? well, leave it to martha stewart to have a great french macaroon recipe. you can read her recipe here which is basically what i used but with a few variations for flavors and fillings. they turned out beautifully and it was such a fun adventure! piping perfect circles took a little practice and unless you are a naturally patient person, make sure you attempt this recipe on a day when you feel especially patient. even if they don't turn out perfectly round and pretty, they'll still taste wonderful! i used the basic recipe to make three different flavors - pistachio with chocolate ganache, chocolate with lingonberry jam & espresso with caramel - check out martha's recipe for even more variations.

Pistachio Macaroons

makes about 35

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup finely ground unsalted pistachios

1/4 cup finely ground slivered almonds

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 cup superfine sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

pulse confectioner's sugar, pistachio flour and almond flour in a food processor until combined. sift mixture and if not fine enough to go through, grind again in food processor or spice grinder. whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. increase speed to high and whisk until soft peaks form. reduce speed and add sugar. whisk until stiff peaks form and then fold in flour mixture. preheat oven to 300 degrees F. spoon batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. pipe 3/4-inch rounds about 1-inch apart on parchment lined baking sheets. let macaroons stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until a light crust forms. bake on upper and lower third racks until crisp, rotating halfway through, about 22-26 minutes. cool completely on baking sheets to harden bottoms and remove carefully with a spatula.

meanwhile, bring cream to a boil over medium high heat. pour over chocolate in a heatproof bowl and let sit 2 minutes, covered with a small sheet pan. remove cover and whisk until smooth. let cool and slightly harden before assembling cookies.

sandwich two same size macaroons with 1 tsp chocolate ganache and serve immediately. can be stacked between layers of parchment, wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to three months.

salty & sweet

have you ever noticed that the best and most loved cookbooks in a collection usually include oil stains, chocolaty fingerprints, and stuck together pages? we've mentioned this amazing cookbook before and if you haven't already added Baked to your library, you really must! it's well on its way to being covered in gooey sweet deliciousness and is one of our favorites for creative baking. their signature salty & sweet cake was the grand finale of urban family easter and was a huge hit. we devoured it so quickly that we didn't even think to take a photo of the whole cake! guess, we'll just have to make it again sometime. the combination of chocolate, caramel and fleur de sel is absolutely amazing. you can watch matt lewis bake the sweet & salty with martha way back in 2006 here. does anyone else have a favorite recipe they've baked from this great cookbook yet?

restaurant week- wednesday

thomas keller is a genius and bouchon bakery is one of those places we can't get enough of. if you're a regular reader, you know we have eaten at bouchon and bouchon bakery in las vegas and napa valley many many times - sometimes more than once in a singele day! rumor has it a bakery is coming to los angeles and we are anxiously awaiting it's arrival. it's hard to pick just one favorite item from a place like this so we decided on the bakery's signature chocolate bite. these small brownie cakes are baked in a mold to resemble the shape of a cork, "bouchon" in french. you can purchase the mold at williams-sonoma and they even sell a mix but why not make the recipe from scratch which is written in the bouchon cookbook. it's a beautiful book filled with inspiring photos and wonderful recipes for traditional french bistro fare. enjoy!

Chocolate Bouchons

(from Bouchon by Thomas Keller)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups plus 3 tbs sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

24 tbs unsalted butter, melted and slightly warm

6 oz semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona 55%, chopped

confectioners' sugar for dusting

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. sift flour, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl. in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until thick and pale. mix in the vanilla. on low speed, add 1/3 dry ingredients, then 1/3 butter and continue alternating with the remaining flour and butter. add the chocolate and mix to combine.

put the mold on a baking sheet. fill each mold about 2/3 full. bake 25 minutes or until the tops look set like a brownie and a cake tester comes out clean. transfer to a cooling rack. after a few minutes, invert and let the bouchons cool upside down in the molds, then lift the mold off. dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with ice cream is desired.

valentine's day

hope everyone had a wonderful valentine's day on saturday. we celebrated with orchids, a lazy morning and seeing cat power in concert. just in case you didn't fulfill your chocolate fix this year, thought we'd share our favorite brownie recipe. it's from my cooking bible and go-to-reference - the joy of cooking. i got it for christmas in 1997 from my parents and the pages are very well worn and smudged by now. don't let the reduced fat part of this recipe worry you - these brownies are amazingly rich and chewy! there also great with a tablespoon of instant espresso added to the dry ingredients.

Chewy Brownies

(from The Joy of Cooking)

3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tbs unsweetened cocoa

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 tsp canola oil

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbs light corn syrup

1 tbs water

2 tsp vanilla

2 egg whites

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil and grease well. in a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. in a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate with oil. once smooth, remove from heat and stir in brown sugar, sugar, corn syrup, water and vanilla. then add egg whites and stir until combined. stir in the flour mixture and blend until smooth. bake 20-25 minutes or until center is almost firm when lightly pressed. let cool completely before cutting.

cracked

these little chocolate cookies are beautiful and cute but oh-so dangerous. the light chewy texture and single bite size make them very easy to eat way too many of way too quickly. they crack as they bake, making for a pretty surface and are best when eaten still warm but not hot - it's a good test in patience to wait ten minutes after they come out of the oven before devouring a pile of them.

Cracked Cookies

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup hazelnuts

80z dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tbs unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup confectioner's sugar

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. combine almonds and hazelnuts on a sheet pan and in the oven for 10 minutes. cool completely and grind in food processor until they become a fine meal. while nuts are cooling, combine chocolate, vanilla and butter in a small saucepan and carefully melt over low heat, stirring constantly. combine eggs and 1/3 cup sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for 12 minutes, until foamy and pale yellow. pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whip until just combined. switch to the paddle attachment and add flour, baking powder and crushed nuts. mix for about 30 seconds until everything is combined. cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

preheat oven to 325 degrees F. remove the dough from the fridge and scoop into tablespoon size balls, rolling each one in your hands to make round. place on an ungreased parchment lined sheet pan and put in the fridge for 5 minutes. pour 1 cup granulated and confectioner's sugar into 2 separate bowls. roll each ball first in granulated sugar and then in confectioner's sugar. bake 15 minutes or until they have expanded and cracked.

that time of year

i have loved the combination of chocolate and salt since my first bite of Recchiuti's fleur de sel caramels and finally found a recipe that comes close to that heavenly taste. i found it in the december 2006 issue of gourmet and it is now a gift i like to give for Christmas every year. don't be intimidated by candy making! just be careful and have fun. i'll be making holiday gifts all week so check back in to see what other things you might find under the tree.

Salty Chocolate Caramels

2 cups heavy cream

10.5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp kosher salt

flaky sea salt, such as Maldon for garnish

line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. bring cream to a boil over medium high heat. add chocolate and let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. bring sugar, corn syrup, water and salt to a boil in a heavy pan over medium high heat. boil for 10 minutes without stirring until deep golden brown. carefully add chocolate mixture - it will bubble and steam. continue to boil, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes until mixture reaches 245 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour immediately into prepared pan and let cool 10 minutes. sprinkle generously with sea salt and cool completely on a rack for about 2 hours.

carefully invert onto a clean cutting board and peel parchment off the bottom. lightly oil the blade of a knife and cut into 1-inch squares. wrap in squares of wax paper and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

dessert for breakfast

this morning we had dessert for breakfast. some people can't eat sweet syrupy things in the morning but i am blessed with that ability. i've always loved french toast and just recently started experimenting with stuffing it. the possibilities are endless but here's an indulgent chocolate filling to be eaten at any time of day. enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Stuffed French Toast

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch salt

4 1-inch thick slices crusty bread

1 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

3 tbs raspberry jam

2 tbs unsalted butter

3 tbs confectioner's sugar

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. in a shallow baking dish, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. with a pairing knife, carefully cut a small slit in bottom of each slice of bread to create a pocket. in a small bowl, combine chocolate and jam. spoon a small amount of filling into each slice of bread. soak slices in egg mixture for 3 minutes per side. heat butter in a large skillet and cook slices for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned. transfer to a baking sheet and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. to serve, cut each slice in half and dust with confectioner's sugar. top with fresh raspberries and maple syrup.