Cookbook Giveaway by Baking is my Zen

Do you read cookbooks like they were novels? I DO!

For those that love cookbooks…listen up….something for you!

Baking is my Zen will be having a GIVEAWAY

from August 8 through August 14, 2010.

 The giveaway will be the ‘not yet released’ cookbook,

Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented

By Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

New book video teaser ~

Their book is due for release in October 2010.
When it is available, the winner of the giveaway will receive a copy from…yours truly…Me.

In addition, you’ll also receive a Baking is my Zen T-Shirt.

You’re probably asking, what are the rules to win this book?

Here are THE RULES for all seven posts (8/8 - 8/14):


• Contest starts on Sunday, 8/8/10 at 12a.m. EST.
• Contest ends on Tuesday, 8/17/10 at 11.59p.m. , EST.
• Winner announced on Wednesday, 8/18/10 by 5pm, EST.
• Find the WORD OF THE DAY within each post. Type it in the comment box as follows: Example: word of the day: bake
• You can post your comment daily in each post or all at once.(due by 8/17)
• All seven posts must have a comment with the ‘word of the day’ indicated.
NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS OPEN FOR U.S. ONLY.


Oh, and if you’re interested, you can catch these two authors on a THROWDOWN show with Bobby Flay. I love Bobby Flay’s Throwdown shows.

Excerpt from Foodnetwork.com:
Tired of the rat race, friends and co-workers Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito left the grind of jobs in advertising to follow their tasty dream of opening a bakery. This led to the creation of their Elvis-inspired banana cream pie that has fans flocking from all over to their Brooklyn bakery to get a taste of this dessert that is fit for a king! Can Matt and Renato cream the competition with their heavenly dessert, or will Bobby's take on the classic pie reign supreme? The judges will likely scratch their heads until they declare a winner at this Banana Cream Pie Throwdown!


Banana Cream Pie
Episode BT0807H


Tune In:
• Aug 18, 2010 - 9:00 PM ET/PT
• Aug 19, 2010 -12:00 AM ET/PT
• Aug 28, 2010 - 7:00 PM ET/PT

So, here are the seven recipes I baked from the book,

Baked-New Frontiers in Baking
by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

Each post includes a PHOTO TUTORIAL.

I did not include stories to amuse you…ran out of time. And, it’s summertime. I want to be in the pool!

8/8/10 – Sunday

Lemon Lemon Loaf

8/9/10 – Monday

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

8/10/10 – Tuesday

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

8/11/10 – Wednesday

Black Forest Chocolate Cookies

8/12/10 – Thursday

Baked Tricolor Cookies

8/13/10 – Friday

Sweet and Salty Cake

8/14/10 – Saturday

The Baked Brownie

Remember… 8/18 – Wednesday – Winner to be announced by 5 p.m EST.

Enjoy your week. I look forward to your visits. Good luck with the Giveaway!

I visited Baked in Red Hook, Brooklyn NY and bought several items.

My favorite was their Sweet and Salty Brownie (caramel filled).

The Sweet and Salty Chocolate Cupcake was another winner!

Enjoy the photos of Baked in Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY…

Bought a signed copy of their cookbook...

NOTE: To be eligible for the Cookbook Giveaway,
all 7 posts must have comments as indicated in the rules.


1st post: Lemon Lemon Loaf
2nd post: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf
3rd post: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
4th post: Black Forest Chocolate Cookies
5th post: Baked Tricolor Cookies
6th post: Sweet and Salty Cake
7th post: The Baked Brownie

Peace in baking,

Carmen

Baking is my Zen…sweet nibbles for the soul

Fried Ice Cream with Pina Colada Cream Sauce

HOT ‘N’ COLD…

No, I’m not referring to Katy Perry’s song, HOT ‘N’ COLD, but to Fried Ice Cream.

Enjoyed Fried Ice Cream for dessert at a restaurant a few years ago and I never forgot it. The dessert seemed so strange, so unusual, so bizzare!? Yet, it was so delicious!

I came upon a blog called  LaDue and Crew and really liked the photography and her post on Deep Fried Ice Cream. Check it out!

I adapted a recipe from Emeril Lagasse. Also added one more element to ‘kick it up a notch’ as Emeril would say. Namely, I added a Pina Colada Cream Sauce.

This is not a dessert you can make in thirty minutes or less. You can try, but it r-e-a-l-l-y won’t work. The ice cream balls need time to set up and freeze properly. Remember my friends, you’re going to be FRYING the ice cream.

This recipe uses cornflakes for the outer coating. I must say, though it’s good, I really PREFER cake as an outer coating (which I had at the restaurant). But, the cornflakes are easier to work with.

So, the recipe follows below…

Fried Ice Cream with Pina Colada Cream Sauce
Recipe by Emeril Lagasse
Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

INGREDIENTS:
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 cup crushed frosted cornflakes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil, for frying
Pina Colada Cream Sauce – see below for Carmen’s recipe

DIRECTIONS:
1. With an ice cream scoop, form 4 large balls of ice cream.
2. Place on a waxed paper lined baking sheet.
3. Freeze for at least 2 hours.
4. Combine cornflakes and cinnamon. Mix.
5. Put cornflakes in a plastic zip lock bag. Close bag. Put on counter.
6. Using a rolling pin, crush the cornflakes.
7. Spread the crushed cornflakes in a shallow dish.
8. Dip the ice cream balls in the crumb mixture and freeze for 30 minutes.
9. In a bowl, add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat together.
10. Dip the coated ice cream balls into the eggs, then roll in the crumb mixture, coating completely.
11. Freeze for 1 hour. (If necessary, or for a thicker crust, roll again in eggs and crumbs until the balls are completely coated.)
12. Heat the oil in a large pot or fryer to 400 degrees F. (I use a Fry Daddy)
13. One at a time, lower the balls into the oil and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
14. Remove from the oil and place in a dessert bowl filled with Pina Colada Sauce. See Recipe below.
15. Repeat with the remaining ice cream.


PHOTO TUTORIAL – Fried Ice Cream

With an ice cream scoop, form 4 large balls of ice cream.

Place on a waxed paper lined baking sheet.

Freeze for at least two hours.

Combine cornflakes and cinnamon. Mix.

Put cornflakes in a plastic zip lock bag. Close bag. Put on counter.

Using a rolling pin, crush the cornflakes.

Spread the crushed cornflakes in a shallow dish.

Dip the ice cream balls in the crumb mixture and freeze for 30 minutes.

In a bowl, add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat together.

Dip the coated ice cream balls into the eggs, then roll in the crumb mixture, coating completely.

Freeze for 1 hour. (If necessary, or for a thicker crust, roll again in eggs and crumbs until the balls are completely coated.)

Heat the oil in a large pot or fryer to 400 degrees F. (I use a Fry Daddy)

One at a time, lower the balls into the oil and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Remove from the oil and place in a dessert bowl filled with Pina Colada Sauce. See Recipe below.

Repeat with the remaining ice cream.

The Pina Colada Cream Sauce is the addition I added to the Fried Ice Cream. Recipe follows.

Pina Colada Cream Sauce
Recipe by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

INGREDIENTS:
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream

SPLASH OF: (add more or less to your taste)
Pineapple juice
Bacardi white rum
Sweetened cream of coconut (Coco Lopez - * excellent brand)

DECORATE WITH:
Pineapple chunks (Soaked in rum for about 1 hour or less -optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Add one scoop of ice cream in a bowl.
Mix ice cream until melted to a cream consistency.
Add pineapple juice, Coco Lopez and rum. Stir.
Taste and adjust the ratio of ingredients to your liking.

ASSEMBLY:
Pour Pina Colada Cream Sauce on a plate.
Place pineapple chunks on outer edge of plate.

Fry the ice cream. (See Emeril Lagasse’s recipe) and my Photo Tutorial.

Place the fried ice cream in the center of the plate.

~          ~          ~          ~          ~

Enjoy your summer and your Fried Ice Cream creations!

mmm…so good!

Peace in baking,

Carmen

Baking is my Zen…sweet nibbles for the soul