High Tea

 

Billot Log

We got into a COVID conversation in the family chat about Vachon cakes. The US family had to make do with their million Little Debbie cakes, but I wanted to try my hand at a Billot Log. I used a basic vanilla sponge and a really sweet buttercream. But it’s the toasted coconut that makes it. It’s a big cake so make sure you share (safely) with friends, or wait for quarantine to lift... if you can.

 1 cup flour

For the cake:

1 cup AP flour

1 tsp baking powder

6 eggs separated at room temperature

1/4 tsp cream of tarter

1/2 cup white sugar plus 1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Buttercream

5 1/2 cups icing sugar

1 1/2 cups butter

3 to 4 tbsp milk

3 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry Filling

1 1/2 cups ( or one jar) of seedless raspberry jam

If you can’t find or don’t have seedless jam, just run through a sieve.

1/2 cup coconut

3/4 cup toasted coconut

Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of your sponge pan (or cookie sheet) exactly. Do not grease the pan or flour.

Preheat the oven to 309 degrees.

Beat egg whites and cream of tarter until foamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar slowly until egg whites form stiff peaks.

Beat the egg yolks and the other 1/2 cup of sugar until lightened in colour, foamy and slightly thickened.

Fold egg yolk mixture into the stiff egg whites along with the vanilla for only a few turns before gradually adding in the flour mixture.

Divide the flour into approximately thirds and by hand fold in the flour slowly. Do not over mix the batter and do not go quickly. Just turn the batter over and just incorporate the flour. If you over mix the batter the egg whites will fall and it won’t be a sponge at all.

Once mixed together pour gently into the parchment lined pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until middle of the cake springs back when touched.

When out of the oven run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen the cake and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes until you’re able to handle it.

Cover the top of the cake with another piece of parchment and flip the cake upside down onto it and out of the pan.

Starting on the short side of the cake roll it up, squishing the very centre a little tightly to start it off.

Rest the cake on top of the end to form a roll. Allow it to cool while you make the fillings.

Buttercream

Whip butter until fluffy add in powdered sugar, the vanilla and 1/2 of the milk and whip until fluffy, about 10-15 minutes. If still a little stiff add in a little more milk and whip well. If too soupy, add in more powdered sugar.

Once the cake is cooled, arrange on parchment. Gently unroll the cake and spread a layer of buttercream on the cake.

Add the jam on top in a uniform layer over the buttercream, making sure you go to the edges.

Roll the cake back up and transfer to the serving dish of your choice.  Tint the rest of the icing a slight shade of pink  and spread on top of the log making sure to cover both ends as well as the sides.

Cover the sides and ends with both toasted coconut and untoasted coconuts.

cracking when the filling is added.

Chicken Balti Pie

The girl fell in love with Balti Pie in England.
Won’t be able to pop back anytime soon, so we figured out a recipe to make for lunches and quick suppers. Freezes really well too

1 package premade tart shells (I’m not a pastry person)
6 boneless chicken thighs

2 tbsp butter

1 shallot, diced

1 leek, shredded

2 cloves garlic smashed 

2 tbsp AP flour

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp fresh ginger grated or puréed 

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp garam masala

2 cups chicken stock

1 egg for pastry wash

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven too 350 degrees.

Cook the chicken thighs in a heavy pan (or skip this step of using leftover chicken)  Once cooked through, remove to a separate bowl and allow to cool. Once cooled shred and cut chicken into bite sized pieces.

Using the same heavy pan melt the butter and add in the shallots and leeks to soften.

Add in the garlic and allow to cook a minute or two but don’t burn.

Stir in the flour and all the spices allowing to coat everything well.

Add in the stock, mixing together stirring over a low heat until the flour is cooked out and the mixture has thickened some.

Add in the chicken and mix well.

Pull out half the pastry shells and allow to warm up, keep remaining shells in the freezer until ready to use.

Dock the shells and fill to overflowing with chicken mixture.

Paint the edge of the pastry with egg wash and pop out frozen tart shell and place on top upside down over the filled tart to make a top.

Once thaw a little use a fork and seal the sides of the tart.

Brush with more egg wash and cut a small X on top of pies to prevent oozing.

Arrange on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes or until the pit crust is golden brown and delicious. 

Knighted

Kilts

Raspberry crumb squares and chocolate zucchini bread

Raspberry Crumb Squares

Raspberry Filling

2 bags of frozen raspberries

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

The juice from one lemon

Crumble Layer

3 cups rolled oats (NOT quick oats!)

3 cups flour

2 cups loosely packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups salted butter (melted)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Place raspberries in a large colander and allow to thaw and drain for about an hour. Make sure they’re filled softened. (I collect the juice in a container for Jam or coulis in other recipes) Mix the raspberries with the white sugar, flour, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Set aside to assemble crust.

For the crust  Mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, butter, and salt together into a loose crumb mixture. Press 2/3 of the crumble into the bottom of a 9×13 pan lined with parchment paper (I use 2 pieces, one across from side to side and a second perpendicular, it lets you lift it out after baking) 

Bake for 10 minutes to allow to set.

Spread the raspberry mixture over the prebaked crust layer and then sprinkle the remaining crumbs on top.

Bake for another 25-30 minutes.

Finish: Remove from oven. Give the bars 5 minutes to cool slightly and then cut while the crust is still soft. Allow the bars to cool for a few hours and you should be able to just pop them apart after pulling out of they tray. Great for potlucks.

1 cup AP flour

1/4 cup dark red cocoa

1/4 cup Dutch cocoa

1/8 cup black cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs at room tem

1/4 cup butter melted and slightly cooled

1/4 cup grape seed oil, or melted coconut oil

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tps vanilla

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (packed and slightly drained)

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 up semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup sea salt caramel chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together flour, salt, baking soda and set aside

In a large mixing bowl cream together oil,and butter.

Add sugar and allow to mix together then incorporate the eggs 

Add all three cocoas and mix well.

Add in the flour and then the shredded zucchini.

By hand mix in the various chocolate chips.

Cut a piece of parchment to size and allow to hang out on either side of your pan.

Spray the bottom of the pan and sides as well as a spray on top of the parchment.

Dump the mixture into the pan and set the oven for 45 minutes or until a bread knife comes out clean.

Germans Chocolate Cake

2 round chocolate cakes cut into 4 slabs to be layered

Stabilized Chocolate whipped cream to decorate

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

In a pan mix together brown sugar, white sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. 

On medium high heat, bring the the mixture to a simmer. Stir constantly for several minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.

Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla, coconut and pecans. Allow the mixture to cool completely before layering it on the cake.

Put the whipped cream into a popping bags and decorate.