Enough sugar for a lifetime

Another challenge finished. Wasn't easy, but I got it done. November challege was hosted by Dolores of Culinary Curiosity, Alex of Blondie and Brownie, Jenny of Foray into Food and gluten free assistant was Natalie of Gluten-a-Go-Go and their chosen recipe was Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting by Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater.

I must admit that caramel isn't my number one choice and probably without Daring Bakers I would have never tried something like this. Therefore I am happy for the proposal, now I know that this is not my cup of tea.

CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature splash vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F
Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 9-inch cake pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth.
Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy. Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.
Sift flour and baking powder.
Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}
Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan. Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes.
Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it.
Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.

CARAMEL SYRUP
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelization process)

In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber. When colour is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back. Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.} Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste

Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool. Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.
Note: Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month. To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light

Cake, frosting, cake with frosting.

Winter gatherings and Portuval vs. Catalunya

Life in our new house has indeed brought brightness and parties to our life in this dark time of the year. We have only lived here for a month now, but hosted 3 dinner parties. I have picture records only two of them though.

On one dinner we had the chef Rui Martins from Portugal, who gracefully prepared a two course meal. As a stater we had auted mushrooms with tomatoes and herbs on a toast for starter and for main meal more traditional deep fried chicken wings and thighs with tomato rice, salad and Nando's Sauce Toppings (a non-typical-portuguese franchising).

Portugal

Another major event was the reception of chef Jordi from Catalunya (not Spain) to make paella. For starter we had some cured ham and salami type of thing from Catalunya or Spain (I am trying to be politically correct here, not to insult anyone, but forgive me if I do). For main meal chef Jordi made poor peoples paella with chicken and some vegs. This is what roughly seemed for me to be in the dish, true recepie is only known by the chef himself and not to be given out to anyone.

Catalunya

As I mentioned there was three dinners and so the third one of them I was cooking and made a simple Lasagne, which tasted yummy, but unfortunately I don't have any photographic record of it. I leave the images for the responsibility of your imagination.

Chef Rui Vs. Chef Jordi

Just not to pass in vain, I will mention the fact that booth of these gran latinos are marvellous cookers, truly passionate about their food and able to do horrendous things to protect their master pieces.
With these Iberic Peninsula cuisine icons I realised that a good meal comes from the dedication of the chef and the environment created around the ritual of dinning and not the use of gourmet ingredients and the fashion look of the dish.