Earl Grey Milk Tea Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

Earl Grey Milk Tea Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

I went over to JustJenn's house for New Year's Oshogatsu yumminess...along with tons of traditional Japanese foods she created Royal T Milk Tea Cupcakes. They were delicious and I couldn't wait to try them myself!

Milk used in the cupcake is heated and the tea steeps in the milk. The frosting is so light and delicious. An easy combo of mascarpone cream, sugar and whipped cream...it is just so good!

Remember my 40th Birthday? I went to Bouchon's pop up bakery in Beverly Hills with justJenn and stopped by Crate & Barrel. I gifted myself this new cake stand...and had them gift wrap it!! I brought it home and put it aside...then came Christmas and mochi making and I forgot about it. Imagine my delight when I opened this Perfect Gift this year! :)

This absolutely cute and beautiful cupcake stand is handcrafted by Oakland, CA-based ceramic artist Whitney Smith. Thank you so much my dear friend Sumi for this delightful birthday gift!

These are just lovely cupcakes! Be sure to give them a try.

Recipes:

JustJenn's Milk Tea Cupcakes (I used 4 bags of Trader Joe's Earl Grey tea instead) (I got 22 cupcakes and they baked for 23 minutes. Jenn and I have very different ovens :)
Just Jenn's Mascarpone Frosting (This frosting is my favorite!!)

Homemade Mochi Filled with An Sweet Red Beans

Sweet Mochi with An or Sweetened Red (Azuki) Beans

Fresh Mochi.
Soft.
Chewy.
Filled with An or Sweet Red Beans.
Delicious.
And now...made at home!

I went over to JustJenn's house on New Year's Eve and Jenn taught me how to make homemade anko filled mochi. Yay, that's how us party animals celebrate!

As you know, my family makes a boatload of "unsweetened" mochi for New Year's celebrations. However, I haven't made sweet mochi. This is the one you find in Japanese confectionery stores like Sakuraya (in Gardena...THE BEST), Fugetsu-do, and Mikawaya. It is filled with anko or an - sweetened red or azuki beans. You can get the beans "rough" or "smooth" - we used smooth or koshi an today.

The ingredients:
1. Mochiko sweet rice flour from Koda Farms. They are the best makers of mochigome. I would never use anything else. The Japanese grocery store sells it for $1.10 - $1.60, and I've seen it for almost $4 at Vons. Crazy. It is gluten free.
2. Food coloring. Jenn used a couple drops of the gel food coloring. We made a batch of pink and purple mochi.
3. Potato starch. Before you ask, I don't know if there is a substitute. It is super duper soft stuff and doesn't really have a flavor...making it a perfect coating to the sticky mochi.
4. Sweetened Red Bean Paste (Smooth or Koshi) An. Jenn prefers the one in bag over the cans (she believes it is smoother).
5. Sugar. You'll need some sugar to make this sweetened mochi.

I think mochi making is definitely a team sport! For the "stir, stir, stir" part, it is helpful if you have someone hold the pot steady with a good grip and oven mitts. The other person takes a wooden spoon and stirs, stirs, stirs until the whole batch is smooth. Mochi is RICE and RICE is sticky...thus it is hard to stir. I had to stand on a step stool (curse of being short) to get good leverage and hold the wooden spoon with two hands to stir. Everything goes quick...so make sure everything is ready to go.

The hot mochi blob goes on a heavily covered potato starch board. Cover the mochi with more potato starch and you have a mochi baby. So soft, warm and cushy.

How to make mochi: Cut off a piece, flatten it out, place a piece of an in the center and pinch close. Put the closure seam on the bottom, shape into a round and perfecto! Mochi! Make sure the entire mochi (and your hands) are covered in potato starch...or it'll stick.

Jenn made a few filled with peanut butter, peanut butter and jelly and Nutella. I stuck with traditional an or sweetened red beans. I found it helpful to make little balls of an prior to making the mochi.

You can also make the mochi "dough" in the microwave, but I like the stove top method. I don't have to go to the gym. Check out this book Hawaii's Best Mochi Recipes by Jean Watanabe Hee for more ideas.

Then we got silly with our mochi and made some old man faces. Jenn has these candy eyes...totally edible!

Perfectly soft and chewy mochi. Sweet.
Mochi is Rice. Mochi is Nice.

Recipe:
justJENN recipes has the full recipe for Sweet Mochi

Agar Agar or Kanten Fruit Jellies (aka Vegan Jello)

Fruit Jellies made with Agar Agar or Kanten

Whew. Tomorrow a new oven gets installed. My cousin bought a double oven. Sweet. I'll be a baking machine in the mornings. But, until then, I'm continuing on my no-bake desserts! Today, more freaking Jello...but this time it is made with agar agar or kanten!

Today, I'm going to my roots for Agar Agar or as it is called in Japanese, Kanten. Oh, Google the term and you'll get lots of info. It's made from seaweed (The Tokyo Foundation has a photo essay). The last time you saw it was probably at the bottom of a petri dish in 8th grade science. You may have seen it in a Japanese restaurant as Anmitsu, a fruit cocktail, red bean and kanten cube dessert.

Agar agar has lots of advantages over gelatin or Jello. First, it doesn't smell like gelatin. When you bloom unflavored Knox gelatin, you know there's gelatin in the room. Second, Agar Agar can withstand warm conditions. Most Asian countries use agar agar and it gets damn hot in the summer. It sets up super fast, even without refrigeration (although I recommend refrigerating your dessert). Since it is made from seaweed, it is vegan and kosher. It's also a "diet" food in Japan. They were on a big kanten craze because it has no calories and lots of fiber...making you feel full. Of course, I add sugar to mine, so don't hop on my diet train.

However, the texture is different! Agar Agar is definitely firmer than Jello - it doesn't giggle or melt on your tongue. Not everyone will like it, but that is their loss. :)

There are a bunch of different products out there. Kanten sticks (found in a Japanese grocery store), agar agar powder and flakes. You need to soak the sticks before use, and I read online that different brands/types might set up different...so I'm making no guarantees on this recipe.

Since I bought my Kanten powder at the Japanese store, the instructions were in Japanese. I photographed the instructions and sent them to my friend, Yuko in Japan to translate! Thanks so much Yuko!! Each envelope has 4 g of powder. I've seen large bags of Agar Agar in the Chinese market too. Everyone says it is crazy expensive in the health food store or vegan section...so you may want to wander into an Asian market if you have one nearby.

By the way, you need to check out Vivienne from Green Cilantro's absolutely beautiful fresh fruit mold - stunning! She's a creative genius! I'm definitely going to try this!

For these treats, here is what I did:
1. Place 2 cups (about 500 cc) of water in a pot.
2. Sprinkle one 4 g envelope of powdered agar agar into the pot.
3. Add 1 cup of sugar (I wasn't adding any fruit juice (a popular option) because I wanted the jelly to be clear...but it was a little too sweet. Sorta like eating firmed up simple syrup. Next time, I'd cut the sugar)
4. Bring to a boil and stir to make sure the agar agar dissolves. Boil for 1-2 minutes.
5. Pour into molds. Remember, agar agar makes things firm up super quick so you need to have everything ready! I used my mini tartlet molds and one ramekin, with fresh raspberries and canned mandarin oranges (my favorite comfort food). I don't use the tartlet shells very often, so it was fun to pull them out!

Chocolate Rice Krispies or Crispy Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats - Everyday Food

Chocolate Rice Krispies with Bittersweet Chocolate Drizzle

Happy Tuesday! I'm in complete denial that Christmas is coming soon. Complete denial. I turned on the TV and saw "It's a Wonderful Life" playing...and wondered why they were showing that! I think Los Angeles' recent heat wave (it was 80+ degrees) didn't help any. But today it will be freezing ;) with temperatures below 70 degrees! Bundle up Los Angeles! So, the little Santa hat on these treats is the start of my holiday spirit.

The official name is Crispy Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats thereby avoiding all mention of name brands. But everyone knows it's Chocolate Rice Krispies made with Valrhona Dutch Cocoa and Trader Joe's Bittersweet Chocolate.

My oven is still out of commission. Ugh. Sorry for the lack of Tuesdays with Dorie today, but here is another no-bake treat. (Dude, remember yesterday's Christmas Jello? It was mentioned on the LA Times Food section blog, The Daily Dish! So cool!!)

Add cocoa powder to your usual Rice Krispies treat and top with a bit bittersweet chocolate. What can be easier? In the holiday season, you can even toss a few Christmas sprinkles on top!

I put them in individual cupcake holders (I buy them in 500 count packages at the restaurant supply store) to make them easier to grab at the library.

Have a great day! - mary the food librarian

Recipe:
Crispy Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats - Everyday Food 

• I used a restaurant 1/4 sheet pan
• Be sure to let the chocolate drizzle set before trying to wrap it in plastic...just sayin'
• I cut mine smaller and got 48 little squares

Christmas Broken Glass Jello

Christmas Broken Glass Jello

I have a thing for Jello. I've loved it since I was a kid. It was early "cooking" - hey, you learn how to measure water and stir! And patience as you waited for the Jello to set. So, I wanted to make a Christmas-themed Jello dish.

And...the oven died or is very sick. It's getting a check up now, so I'm making no-bake items. 

I received this beautiful dish for my birthday from my friend Jessica. And her boyfriend Andy did a great job wrapping the gift! (Andy, your bow was awesome! ;)

For the regular Broken Glass Jello, you use 4 different flavors (3 ounce boxes). For the Christmas one, I used a 6 ounce box of Raspberry and Lime. Here is the full recipe for Broken Glass Jello.

Carefully mix the blocks of Jello in a 9 x 13 pan. I have started to line my pans with a big piece of plastic wrap. This makes it so much easier! I'm able to lift out the fully set Jello onto a cutting board and cut it up. The edges have some "wrinkles" from the plastic wrap, but you can chop that off if you wish.

Let the sweetened condensed milk mixture cool a bit (or you might melt the cubed jello pieces), then pour over the cubes. I like to skim off the bubbles for a cleaner finish, but you don't have to do that.

My co-workers really like Jello too. One person walked into the break room, and shouted "Jello!!" This is a festive, no-bake, super easy recipe that spreads lots of Christmas joy! Recipe here.

Here are some of my other Jello creations. Yeah, I like Jello! :)

Row 1: Valentine's Broken Glass Jello, Candy Corn Jello Bundt, Coffee Jello
Row 2: 5-Layer Jello, Cantaloupe Jello Bundt, Ice Cream Jello
Row 3: Lakers Jello, Easter Jello, Broken Glass Jello

Cinnamon Chocolate Bundt - Day #30 of I Like Big Bundts

Cinnamon Chocolate Bundt

Pull the yellow tape across the kitchen.
I'm crossing the finish line!
Happy National Bundt Day to you! Whoo Hoo!

If this bundt looks familiar, that's because it's my favorite! It was also the Day #30 Bundt last year. You just can't improve on this champion Bundt. This bundt is super easy (no KitchenAid needed) and bakes up in about 30 minutes. It's moist and delicious. If I was coming over to your house, I'd bring this Bundt. It rocks!

It's Day #30 of I Like Big Bundts 2. Whew! I made it! I can't believe I've made over 70 Bundts on this blog!

Thanks everyone for your comments, encouragement, and fun tweets. And big thanks to Jessica and Susan who guest posted during my wedding dessert bar madness!

The best part? Seeing all your Bundts today! I can't wait!!! As I'm writing this last post, I've been getting emails from Australia, Canada and India about Bundt cakes! How totally awesome is that?!

I started this blog as a personal record of me learning to bake (with lots of failures), and it is surreal and wild to think that people are making Bundts around the world! Thanks for baking along with me...what a thrill is has been!

I'm looking forward to sending you this JustJennDesigns I Like Big Bundts button if you baked a Bundt for today's National Bundt Day! Whoo hoo! Here are the details:

Please email me: (1) Link to your blog post (I will use one photo from your post for the round-up) or (2) One JPG photo if you don't have a blog, (3) Your name (that you want published on the blog) and title of your Bundt (4) Mailing address for the button (including your name for mailing). You have until Monday, November 22nd to send me the information. You need to bake something fresh for National Bundt Day to qualify for the button (doesn't have to be a new recipe).

Happy Happy Happy Bundt Day to you! 

Come back tomorrow for...no, not another bundt. :) I haven't completely burnt myself out, but I'm looking forward to some cookies, pies and layered cakes! But never fear, the Bundt will be back and always have a home on the Food Librarian blog. Have a great Bundt day! - mary the food librarian

Recipe:
Click here for a printable recipe
Adapted from Vintage Victual who adapted it from a recipe printed in the Atlanta Journal Constitution in the 1980's
See last year's post for step-by-step instructions

The Food Librarian's Bundt Pan Collection

The Food Librarian's Bundt Pan Collection

This is a quick "bonus" I Like Big Bundts 2010 post. A few readers have asked how many Bundt pans I own, so I thought we'd do a little fashion show.

First of all, I don't have enough pans to get myself on Hoarders on A&E. They all fit in a Target plastic bin.

Classic Nordic Ware Bundt. This one is my favorite. Non-stick (but always use Pam with Flour) and classic curvy curves. 12-cup capacity, also called 10-inch Bundt. If you need one pan, this one is it!

 

Heritage Pan from Williams Sonoma. This is a 10-cup capacity Bundt pan sold online or in the Williams Sonoma store. You can also get it from Amazon. It is my second favorite pan.

 

12 mini-bundt Nordic Ware pan. This one is cute but they don't have holes in the middle. Sorta like an upside down muffin. You can top it with a dollop of frosting too. I've seen this for sale at TJ Maxx for $20.

 

Chrysanthemum Nordic Ware Bundt Pan. This is pretty and works best with light colored batters.

6 Mini-Bundt pan with holes in the center. Amazon sells this commercial grade one, but I have seen my non-stick one at many stores. It is perfect for giving out individual cute portions of Bundt cakes. I use this one a lot!

6-cup Nordic Ware Pan. This is perfect for 1/2 recipes.

Bavarian Nordic Ware Pan. This is a 10-cup capacity pan. Very pretty...but be sure to Pam with Flour spray the heck out of all these curves!

Multi Mini Nordic Ware Pan. This is the one my cousin picked up at the Williams Sonoma outlet. Cute little minis.

Nordic Ware Rose Bundt pan. This one works best with light color batters, like the other flower one.

Fiesta or Festival Party Nordic Ware Pan. I like this one a lot...during the holidays, these look like little trees. Well, I guess they look like regular trees all the time, but they take on special prettiness during the holidays!

Wow. When you look at it this way, perhaps A&E will drop in on me.

P.S. Nordic Ware is my favorite brand. I don't like the Wilton pans because the curves aren't very curvy. And, FYI, I don't work for Nordic Ware or anyone like that! I've been buying Bundt pans since my college days (started with the 6 mini-bundt pan from Crate & Barrel). Most others were picked up more recently though. Just wanted to let you know what I have in my collection. You only need one pan to be a Bundt baker though; I hope you pull that out for National Bundt Day tomorrow!

Snickerdoodle Bundt - Day #29 of I Like Big Bundts

Snickerdoodle Bundt

Whoo Hoo! What's tomorrow? It's National Bundt Day! The Food Librarian is almost done bringing you 30 Bundts in 30 Days!

Today, on Day #29 of I Like Big Bundts, I'm presenting a Bundt I planned to make last year, but it never quite happened. I love, love, love the Snickerdoodle cookie. So I had to make this Snickerdoodle Bundt I found on Jamie's My Baking Addiction blog.

 

 I can't wait to see what you come up with tomorrow for National Bundt Day!

This cake is really good. Rich, buttery goodness with just enough cinnamon sugar. It seriously is the Bundt form of a cookie. Because I'm crazy, I tend to look at foods and think, "Can you Bundt that?" You know...meatloaf, croquembouche, and jello. This Bundt is a successful cookie conversion!

It is important to grease the pan properly. I used Pam with Flour. Man, I could buy this stuff by the truckload. I liberally spray all my Bundt pans with Pam with Flour (not regular Pam, but Pam with Flour). So, you spray it with Pam with Flour and then sprinkle on a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

A layer of batter is added to the pan, then a sprinkling of the cinnamon/sugar mix, then the rest of the batter, and finally the rest of the cinnamon/sugar. Hint: When you invert the pan, remember that there is a layer of cinnamon/sugar on top and that it is a good idea to flip it over the sink...and not in the middle the kitchen (not that I'm speaking from experience or anything ;)

Yes, my Bundt cake shows off some pride. It likes Big Bundts too! Find out how you can get a button yourself!

If you make a Bundt for National Bundt Day, I'll send you a JustJennDesign's I Like Big Bundts button! Head over to JustJenn's site for her free shipping (ends today 11/14)! They are small and stylin'.

You will need to email me: (1) Link to your blog post (I will use one photo from your post for the round-up) or (2) One JPG photo if you don't have a blog, (3) Your name (that you want published on the blog) and title of your Bundt (4) Mailing address for the button (including your name for mailing). You have until Monday, November 22nd to send me the information, so feel free to post on actual National Bundt Day (Nov 15th). Please don't rummage through your archives for an old Bundt, you need to bake something fresh for National Bundt Day to qualify for the button (doesn't have to be a new recipe, just something made this month please :) Your family, friends and co-workers will thank you! :)

Need Bundt recipe ideas?
I Like Big Bundts 2009 (30 different recipes here!)
I Like Big Bundts 2010 (29 different recipes here!)

Recipe:
Snickerdoodle Cake from My Baking Addiction