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Katie Davis

@PopCultureCuisine

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Archive for the ‘Dessert’ Category

Wednesday, September 7, 2011 @ 09:09 PM

060Well I was trying to be more consistent about writing, but such is life and unfortunately my posts are still a bit sporadic, I apologize.  I would like to say that once baby Davis arrives I will have more time to devote to the blog, but that likely won’t be the case, but I’m going to try!  Speaking of baby Davis, we are more than ready to meet our little bean and I must admit I am driving myself a little nutty counting down the days until we maybe get to meet her.  I am not going to lie, I have had a relatively easy pregnancy and I don’t think I have not complained much, Adam might disagree, but in comparison I feel as if I have sort of floated through the whole experience, yes women you can hate me now.  While I am not saying it has been a cake walk, there have certainly been many a moment I wish I hadn’t been pregnant for a certain situation or right about now am growing tired of feeling like a hippo, but that being said there has been a part of me that has really relished just listening to my body and honoring it with the food that it wants.  I have tried to be consistent with my 80/20 healthy eating habits, however I will admit that desserts are one area where I have let myself live pretty freely.  Weekly and sometimes a couple times a week ice cream trips have not been out of the question and cake when at all possible has also been enjoyed.

Now one dessert that I have never really gone out of my way for or had a hard time turning down was pie, I know how un-American.  Now that isn’t to say that I HATE all pie, rather it just isn’t my dessert of choice, nor is it rarely something I have a craving for.  I don’t know what it is, it just really isn’t the sweet treat that does it for me.  However, a few weeks back I just couldn’t get the idea of some sort of chocolaty pie out of my mind, now this could be the fact that Adam had been talking about chocolate silk pie for weeks on end, but I just really wanted a smooth and velvety piece of chocolate pie myself.

I poured over tons of recipes, trying to find one I deemed worthy enough to make and was pleasantly surprised to find that the Pioneer Woman’s jumped to the top of the list…there must be something about her recipes and me being pregnant.  On a side note, have you been able to catch her show yet, it’s on Food Network, I just love how real and down to earth she seems, like you have known her forever, but I digress.  Her pie really stood out to me and I knew I was going to have to make it the contender, there was just one little problem…little did I know at the time I was researching these chocolate pie recipes, most of them require raw eggs in them, since these pies are uncooked.  While I would typically not care about such things, it really isn’t the smartest choice to be making when I am growing a little bambino.  But not to be easily deterred, I did a little research and found that if I used egg substitute instead I could garner the same results without any possible harm, crisis averted!

So I set out one Sunday afternoon to make said pie and while it was easy enough to follow her directions, her recipes are always laid out so nicely step by step, I was totally unprepared to have to whip each egg in individually for 4-5 whole minutes.  While not a huge deal, I will admit having a stand mixer would have been super helpful, rather than having to stand there myself for 20 minutes.  However, she is completely right when she says this is what it takes to create the texture you are looking for, it is pretty remarkable how just whipping those eggs individually allows it to take such shape.

Recipe: Delicious Chocolate Pie

Prep Time: 30 Minutes  |  Cook Time:Difficulty: Easy  |  Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces, weight Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
  • 1 cup Salted Butter, Softened
  • 1-1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 4 whole Eggs
  • 1 package Baked Pie Shell
Preparation Instructions

In small microwave safe bowl melt 4 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate until stirrable (about 45 seconds on high). Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat 1 cup (2 sticks) of regular (salted) butter and 1 ½ cups of white sugar until fluffy (about 1 to 2 minutes). When melted chocolate is cooled, drizzle it over the butter/sugar mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat the mixture thoroughly until combined (on a Kitchen Aid mixer, you will be using the whisk attachment).

Turn your mixer to a medium speed and over a period of 15 to 20 minutes add in the four eggs, one at a time, leaving about 5 minutes between each egg addition. Once the pie filling is well mixed, pour it into the baked pie shell, scraping every last speck of it out of the bowl. Smooth out the pie filling and place pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours (preferably longer).

Plop a heap of whipped cream and garnish with a few chocolate curls if you’re feeling sassy.

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I easily went about compiling the ingredients and before long I was quite pleasantly surprised when it started to take shape and really look quite smooth, creamy, and delectable.  Now one thing I will say is I chose to buy frozen pie crust instead of making my own, I know I could have easily taken the time to do so, but let’s be real it has been hard enough to find the time to make such things, much less add onto the time, so I cheated.  Also you can disregard the pregnant lady in her pajamas putting the finishing touches on this pie, I never said it was always pretty Smile.

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Overall, I was quite pleased with how my pie turned out and while I am not sure I was as wowed by the flavor as I thought I might be, it truly did come out looking beautiful with very minimal effort.

TASTE: This is an area I feel the worst about, because while I did enjoy my slice of pie, Adam wasn’t as huge of a fan.  Part of me wonders if because it was “French Silk” instead of straight chocolate, or because it was heavy of the dark chocolate making it really really rich and sweet.  Either way, he didn’t like it as much which made me feel bad since he was the one who had been craving it so badly.  As I said I did enjoy my slice, but boy was it rich and I definitely did not need that full on sugar rock that was then sitting in my belly, perhaps next time I would opt for a smaller slice.

EASE OF PREPARATION: Like I mentioned, this recipe is super easy to follow.  There really isn’t any difficult task, outside of having to attend to those eggs individually, which is by no means hard, rather more time consuming.  So if you happen to have one of those lovely kitchen mixers, by all means drag that puppy out for this!

COST: I was super impressed that this recipe, while looking uber fancy, really isn’t all that expensive to make either.  The only ingredient I didn’t have on hand was the baker’s chocolate and egg substitute, which I had to go pick up so as not to use the raw egg part.  So we are talking simple ingredients, none of which cost a lot, to whip up a dessert that looks quite distinguished when you are finished.

COMPLEXITY: I touched on this above, but this recipe is far from complex, in fact it is almost as easy as whipping up brownies from a box, just add the ingredients as you go in the order she says and beat those eggs individually and voila, you have yourself one decadent, chocolate, creamy pie.

PORTION SIZE: I would say that while this recipe says it will feed 8, I think it could easily feed more.  My eyes, per usual, were bigger than my belly and I cut some pretty generous slices, but this pie is so rich you really do not need a lot to feel satisfied.  So rather than cut the big ol’ boys like I did, I would try and definitely cut 8 if not 10 or even 12 slices from this one pie, believe me a little goes a long way.

So while the pie was not Adam’s favorite, nor hit the chocolate pie spot he had been craving, I still found it to be very good and maybe with a few tweaks the great pie he was looking for.  That being said I do think I need to possibly keep doing my research and find that chocolate silk pie that will melt my man’s heart, because unfortunately this just wasn’t it and while it is hard to say it was just too sweet.  That is why I am giving it two little piggies.

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Monday, August 22, 2011 @ 06:08 PM

018Who doesn’t love a hot soft pretzel?  Well, I’m sure there are plenty of people who don’t, but I have always been a huge fan of the carbo- goodness that is these giant treats.  I am also one of those people that have never really discriminated against a carb of any kind…or soft pretzels for that matter, so I am always excited when I see new places experimenting with them in a variety of ways; and I’m sure I’m not the only one out there who has fallen trap to that intoxicating scent that wafts through most malls in the U.S….you know those kiosks I’m referring to.

Ya…, I get easily excited about something as simple as pretzels, so it was not surprising that I went ecstatic when I heard about a little company in Chicago called Kim & Scotts Gourmet Pretzels.  Started by a husband and wife team with a passion, they decided to create the ultimate in soft pretzels by introducing unique flavors, stuffed options, and targeting the market by selling them in stores and shipping them around the nation.  We actually first heard about what they were doing through the now extinct show from The Food Network, “Road Tasted,” and it was seeing them only once that got our mouths watering and put us on the search to try these delectable looking creations.  Take a look:

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgaPW0XTCBc

But the story does not end with us just venturing out to our local grocer, rather it begins with a wonderful birthday surprise from my hubby the first year we were dating.  Being the super sweet guy that he is, he planned an entire day of things for us to do in and around the Chicago area; and being that we had been talking about the pretzels for a while, the first item on our list that day was heading to the Kohl’s Children’s Museum in Glenview, where it just so happened that Kim & Scott’s had a café (at the time) where you can…wait for it…you ready?….MAKE YOUR OWN PRETZELS!

We had a blast making our own pretzels and enjoying sandwiches made with their pretzel bread. Unfortunately, being so long ago, we didn’t document any of it. To make matters worse, after we moved back to the Midwest, we found out the location at the museum was actually not there anymore, so we were a bit bummed that we may never be able to properly introduce our readers to the fun and exciting world of Kim & Scott’s.  I knew we could buy and make the pretzels ourselves, but where is the fun in that?

Nonetheless, leave it to my husband to continually do research and keep ideas on the back burner to surprise me; and without fail, this past year on my birthday weekend in the city, we end up stopping by none other than the newly opened Lincoln Park location of the Kim and Scott’s Café Twist.  I was truly surprised, yet again, but so excited that I would get to experience these fresh pretzels again.  The café was amazing too. Not only can you get any number of their pretzel flavors, but the menu is quite extensive from sandwiches, to salads, paninis, and of course the “Make Your Own Sweet” option!…just like we did that first year. I was so happy!

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We had just come from lunch, so we weren’t exactly starving, but you better believe I was all about creating and enjoying my own sweet version again.  We may have gotten a few funny stares from all the trendy and hip Lincoln Park folks, but leave it to Adam and I not to care and just enjoy acting like kids.  When and where else are you going to twist and decorate your own s’mores or rainbow pretzel? Hardly ever I’d imagine, so we dove in and chose to do one of each so we could try the variety of sweetness.

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It is exactly how it looks. They give you dough and toppings and you literally go to town until you are ready for them to bake it.  We had such a great time getting to the final product, and it wasn’t long before our yummy goodies were hot out of the oven and ready for us to devour!

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They were just as good, if not better than we had remembered. However, we filled up pretty fast and weren’t able to finish them off. Still, the whole experience of just creating the pretzels again was memory enough.  I’m so glad to know that they are now located in the heart of the city, because after perusing the menu, I know I’m going to want to go back for another visit and try some of the other treats.

SIGNATURE DISH: PRETZELS!  And what them so unique is the variety and what they are doing with them.  From using a pretzel as the bread on a sandwich to stuffing them with cheese or whatever else…, genius!

TASTE: While I have not tasted every variety of pretzel that they offer, I have tried quite a few and have to say that they are all pretty amazing.  Whether you are looking for a plain, sweet, or savory option, they have all of your bases covered and are offering a unique taste to a dish you already know and love.

AMBIANCE: Having been to both of their café’s now, with the one at the Children’s Museum having closed, I would have to say I enjoyed the one in Lincoln Park that much better.  It truly felt like a café with its intimate dining space and simple decor.  True…I may be partial because I love that part of Chicago, but it just felt like the type of place that fit the neighborhood.

PRICE: At $5.95 to twist your own pretzel, I’d say that is pretty reasonable when you want an interactive experience; and all of their sandwiches run about $7.95, which for a lunch spot in Chicago is very reasonable.  Also, given the uniqueness of the whole experience, I could see where they could charge more, but it is nice to know that they are catering to their customers and offering a wonderful product at a great price.

SERVICE: Everyone we have ever encountered at either café has been super friendly towards us and very willing to help.  They have never once discouraged us, being the age we are, from creating our own treats, rather they all seem to adopt the same childlike sense of happiness about it all too.

Overall, I love, love, love Kim & Scotts Pretzels, and although I rarely ever buy them when I am at the store, after writing this post I am sure tempted to pick up a box or two next time I’m there.  So if you are ever in the Chicago area and looking for a unique spot to grab lunch and have a little fun at the same time, definitely check out Kim & Scott’s Café Twist. It deservedly worth a rare given PCC 5 ‘Little Piggies.’

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Thursday, September 16, 2010 @ 12:09 PM

dark chocolate cupcakeI am pretty sure you are all aware of the cupcake phenomenon that is sweeping the nation.  Well if you are not, you have been living under a rock.  No offense, or maybe I am just speaking to women here, but cupcakes became all the rage a few years back and it is now not often that you don’t see them in every bakery, magazine, wedding, or party alike.  I get it, I love them and all of their possibilities, I especially love that they are the perfect portion and just enough of a dessert, indulgent without making you feel sick because you ate half of the cake!  And again I may be speaking to the ladies out there, but let’s be real, they are just so cute and again the possibilities are endless.  I was so about the cupcake bandwagon, that before we got married I registered for a 3-tiered cupcake stand.  And I have actually even used it once, which is more than I can say about some of the other things we registered for 🙂  With their extreme popularity many shops have popped up around the nation devoted to that one thing and one thing only, CUPCAKES!  And the very first to do so was the now notoriously famous shop known as Sprinkle’s, opening its doors in Beverly Hills in 2004.  The founder and creator of Sprinkles was Candace Nelson who was deeply inspired by her grandmother who owned a very popular bakery in San Francisco in the 1930’s.  Channeling her grandmother’s legacy, Candace’s goal was to create cupcakes that were not only beautiful but made from the best ingredients, fresh without any preservatives.  These cupcakes are certainly a fresh take on a classic we all know and love and very inventive to boot.  With a wide range of flavors that change daily, it is no wonder that people flock to these shops, that are now 10 major cities with many more to follow.  I mean who doesn’t love a good cupcake?  And she must know what she is doing, because this year Candace was asked to be a judge on the Food Network’s new competition show Cupcake Wars.

Not only are their cupcakes modern and inventive, complete with their signature candy dot on top, but their architecture and design were also greatly considered in the development of these shops.  I always love when design and decor are considered a major partner in the operation and not just an afterthought.  Their shops are very visually appealing and the designer’s goal was to evoke a feeling of being in a small European bakery with all the wonderful sights, smells, and playfulness.  And although simple and not overly fussy, the details are just enough to keep your focus, you do not have to look in a million directions to take it all in, your purpose is right in front of you…the cupcakes!

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I mean let’s be honest, how gorgeous and mouth watering is that set up?  Now this particular picture is from the Beverly Hills Location, but Adam and I set out one day to visit the Dallas location, which is almost identical in style.  We were fresh off a wonderful couples massage and happened to be in the neighborhood of the newly opened Sprinkles Dallas.  I had been dying to try one of their creations for some time now and since we knew this may be our last opportunity before we moved, we stopped in.  Now I was perfectly content to just get one flavor and be done with it, but my lovely husband being the one who always wants to try every flavor and still couldn’t make up his mind thought we should get 6!  But they were 6 beautiful cupcakes!  We ended up deciding on the Dark Chocolate (for me), Milk Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Peanut Butter Chocolate, and the Cinnamon Sugar.  I will admit now that it was very hard for me to wait until we got home to break into these bad boys!  But I was patient and it paid off.

003006007 I dug into that dark chocolate cupcake no problem and enjoyed every morsel!  Adam chose the vanilla, but unfortunately was not as impressed, he is a bit picky when it comes to cake!  I on the other hand loved mine, I though the cake was perfectly moist, yet stayed together well and didn’t crumble everywhere.  The icing was divine, smooth and creamy with the perfect dark chocolate flavor.  You could really tell how fresh they were and the natural ingredients I felt made such a difference.  I really enjoyed it so much, it was hard not to grab another one, but I restrained myself.  Adam just was not really impressed, I guess this ritzy cupcake, with all the hype just didn’t cut it for him.  He also said it just didn’t taste like anything, I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.  He also tends to pay more attention to the “cake” part on any dessert like that, where as I am more of an icing girl, which also might be why our opinions differed.

One thing I will mention, they also mention it on their website, since these cupcakes are made with natural, fresh ingredients, they do not save super well and should not be refrigerated.  So come the 2nd day I really didn’t want one because honestly their texture was just not as appealing, so sadly the dark chocolate was the only one I tried.

SIGNATURE DISH: Well if you gathered from this post there was really only one topic of conversation today and that is cupcakes!  This bakery shop has been doing one thing and one thing only since 1994 and as successful as they are at it, I doubt they will try to change it up.  It will be interesting to see if this craze subsides, but it doesn’t appear to be anytime soon!

TASTE: This is where Adam and I differ on opinion, I thought my cupcake was pure decadence and divine, he thought his had no flavor.  He even tried another one later and said the same thing.  Whether he has a better cake palette than I do, I’m not sure, but what I do know is that I thought this cupcake was pretty dang good and I might have to give them a different rating than him this week! 😉

AMBIANCE: I loved the design of the shop and thought it was creative, modern, and eye catching.  They do a wonderful job of showcasing what they are selling and making those cupcakes simple in design, yet so visually appealing.  The shop itself, with its wood tones and bright colors to contrast, really draws you in and complements the cupcakes.  And as I mentioned, I think is wonderful when the design is a complement to what is going on inside, instead of being an afterthought.

PRICE: This is where sprinkles falls a bit short for me, I mean I understand these are “gourmet/designer” cupcakes, but let’s be real at the end of the day they are still cupcakes and at $3.25 each, they are a bit pricey.  The only thing I can think is that one, they have extreme notoriety and can therefore charge that much and two, fresh ingredients are expensive and therefore they need to charge a bit more.  Either way I still would not pay this often, but on a special occasion it is a fun treat!

Overall I was very pleased with my experience at Sprinkles even if Adam was not and I hope I can visit again.  But in the meantime this week I am going to give this lovely shop 4 Little Piggies while Adam will only be giving them 1 1/2 Little Piggies.

Katie:

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Adam:

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SERVICE: