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50/50 Week 7: Babka Cake

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This week, I used this recipe: http://www.feastofstarlight.com/orphan-black-helenas-ukrainian-babka-cake/

One thing to note is that it doesn’t say to add the milk in the instructions, but you should add it in with the “sponge”

Overall this was a pretty easy recipe and despite the goof with the milk, I think it turned out wonderfully. It was also weirdly fun making something in trash. Cans that were otherwise destined for the recycling got another shot at life. Its very important to note that you don’t want to use cans with a plastic lining..no bueno in the cooking process.

This has been a crazy week. My wife had a hysterectomy and I’ve been trying to take care of everything around the house and making sure she’s happy and comfortable while still trying to keep up with my little project, which admittedly has seemed pointless with everything going on. Add in the fact that I’m having a particularly bad bout of shitty self-image while I’m trying to edit a video and well..we’re just feeling fucking peachy.

Onwards and upwards though. I know not many people see any of my efforts in my projects, but at the end of the day, I do it because its something I’ve always wanted to do. So, in my shittiest moods when all I want to do is give up and say “what’s the point?” I try to remind myself that I’m doing it for me.

50/50 Week 3: Pastel de Nata

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What a week….

This recipe was challenging to say the least. This is the recipe I followed:

https://leitesculinaria.com/7759/recipes-pasteis-de-nata.html

A few pointers….don’t re-roll your dough. You’ll end up with something hard to roll out and ultimately will ruin your pastry. Learn from my dumbass mistakes, children. .

The custard went off without a hitch. Delicious. 10/10

Since these tarts are typically cooked in an 800F oven and home ovens usually don’t go much passed 500F its a little bit dicey. I tried a combo of the 500F oven and the broiler. *Spoilers* the fire alarm was set off 3 times and I have to clean my oven due to some butter spillage.

Definitely the most challenging thing I’ve made yet and I’m sad to say it defeated me a little. I will definitely try these again though because the custard was very good.

If you’d like to watch the shitshow, watch below 🙂

50/50 Week 2: Belgian Speculoos

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Ingredients:

(Since we’re using a non-american recipe here, a digital scale is highly recommended)

  • 200 g unsalted butter (softened)
  • 375 g dark brown sugar ( I only had light and it worked but dark is preferable)
  • 2 eggs (room temperature)
  • 500 g all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground clove

You can increase the spices to your taste. This was a pretty good balance of flavors for me, but I would probably increase them a little in the future.

This is a pretty simple recipe and comes together like most cookies.

Start by creaming together your butter and brown sugar. Add your eggs one by one, making sure to incorporate well between each one.

In a separate bowl, mix your flour, baking powder, and spices together. Add your dry ingredients to your wet in thirds, mixing well between.

Once everything has come together, flour your counter or whatever surface you’re using and knead the dough to make sure everything is well mixed. Add additional flour to avoid becoming a sticky fingered bandit.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for AT LEAST 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F

Separate your dough depending on how big your work surface is. I did mine in 3-4 separate chunks. While you’re rolling a batch, put the rest of the dough back in the fridge. Roll out your dough to about 1/4 of an inch.

Use whatever cookie cutters your heart desires. Place on a parchment paper lined tray (or silpat) (seriously..I love silicone baking mats)

Bake for 14-15 minutes until you see the cookies lightly browning. Place on a cooling rack and repeat above steps until you’re out of dough. This will take several hours..fair warning. I didn’t realize just how many cookies this makes. I believe I got about 60 out of this batch so it all depends on the size of your cutters.

I highly recommend making these. They’re delicious and perfect for tea time. Also super kid friendly, so get the munchkins to help!

50 Countries in 50 Weeks

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I’ve spent the last few weeks since my birthday trying to decide what my next cooking project would be. After consulting with my wife and trying to get her coworkers input (lets be honest, they’ll be eating most of it) we formed a plan. I’m using the royal “we” as it was really all my brilliant wife and I just took the idea and ran with it.

Pick 50 countries, and make a dessert from each of those countries. I did tweak it a bit, since I decided to diverge into non-dessert items for some countries. Nonetheless, the list has been made, the strips of paper cut out and now all I need to do is draw the first randomly selected assignment.

Since I have a clearcut path and a deadline, I think this will definitely force me to keep a schedule. Lord fucking knows I need one. These are crazy times we’re living and even crazier since I quit my job and started house-wifing it full time. I stay busy, but I also want to focus on my personal projects, no matter how down I find myself getting.

Is it just me or has literally everyone decided to start a cooking channel on youtube during this fucking pandemic? Fuck it. As it currently stands, I have a whopping 44 subscribers. I know, I know..going to start getting recognized in public soon. Alas, earwax.

Onwards and upwards, my friends. We started this for fun and we’re going to keep fucking going; learning and creating new and exciting things along the way ❤

See you next Tuesday

M