Ahhh Summmmmer (March Dessert Wars Challenge)

I personally think that March in the Pac Northwest is hell.  It's cold.  It's rainy.  Sometimes it snows.  It is particularly difficult for me when I see pictures of all my friends in Texas. It seems like as soon as February rolls around everyone is posting pictures of beach time, gardens and talking about how they are getting sunburns. Things I can only dream about. 
This cake is the result of my frustrations and while it didn't make it any warmer or even make the sun come out it was wonderful and tasted like my favorite Summer drink a mojito!

This is my submission for the March edition of Dessert Wars, which had a great twist to it.  We were given two columns of ingredients to choose from, one traditional and one not so much.  I choose to include avocado from the "not so much" column and lime and mint from the traditional.

Mojito Pound Cake
recipe modified from joythebaker
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup rum
flesh of 1 1/2 ripe avocados, just over a cup of avocado, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pant.
In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. Set the four eggs out on the counter to come to room temperature while you beat the butter and sugar.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until softened and pliable. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the avocado and beat another minute to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is thoroughly mixed.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after the addition of each egg. Beat in vanilla extract.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture, all of the buttermilk, and then the rest of the flour mixture. Beat just until combined.
Divide the dough between the two loaf pans and place in the oven. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. I checked my cakes every ten minutes or so after the 30 minute mark. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Lime Glaze
3 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
8 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus 2 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest (about 6 limes total)
Sift confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl. Add lime juice; stir until smooth. Stir in lime zest. Use glaze immediately.

Candied Mint Leaves
Mint leaves
egg white
granulated sugar
1 tsp. water
Gently wash flowers and leaves in cool water and blot dry on paper towels.
mix the water with egg white and beat slightly.Carefully dip mint into egg white. Gently dredge with sugar and dry on waxed paper 12 hours or more before using.

March's prize package includes:
Whisk and cupcake necklace from Moon & Star Designs
The Smartshopper Electronic Grocery List Organizer
http://www.beanilla.com/variety-sampler-bean-p-137.html
Lenox Personalized Musical Cupcake
1,000 ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes
Endless Vanilla and Cinnamon Extract
Unlimited Layers: A Recipe for Turning Your Passion into Profits
50 $ Gift certificate to organic valley
Organic Prairie $50 Gift Certificate
Theme Kitchen $50 Gift Certificate
Crepe Pan

Well, isn't that fancy?

This months daring bakers challenge was to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime/Entremet

I honestly I have to say that it is the most challenging dessert I have ever made and yet the most rewarding!  I decided to do a fairly complex pattern and had a bit of trouble with the math for how much I needed of the joconde for my spring form pan (hence the tall skinny entremet), however everything else went quite smoothly and I am thrilled to add skill to my list!

Joconde Sponge

YIELD: Two ½ size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan
Ingredients:
¾ cup/ 180 ml/ 3oz/ 85g almond flour/meal - *You can also use hazelnut flour, just omit the butter
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/ 150 ml/ 2⅔ oz/ 75g confectioners' (icing) sugar
¼ cup/ 60 ml/ 1 oz/ 25g cake flour *See note below
3 large eggs - about 5⅓ oz/ 150g
3 large egg whites - about 3 oz/ 90g
2½ teaspoons/ 12½ ml/ ⅓ oz/ 10g white granulated sugar or superfine (caster) sugar2 tablespoons/ 30 ml/ 1oz /
30g unsalted butter, melted
*Note: How to make cake flour: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/09/how-to-make-cake-flour/
Directions:

1. In a clean mixing bowl whip the egg whites and white granulated sugar to firm, glossy peeks. Reserve in a separate clean bowl to use later.
2. Sift almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, cake flour. (This can be done into your dirty egg white bowl)
3. On medium speed, add the eggs a little at a time. Mix well after each addition. Mix until smooth and light. (If using a stand mixer use blade attachment. If hand held a whisk attachment is fine, or by hand. )
4. Fold in one third reserved whipped egg whites to almond mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in remaining whipped egg whites. Do not over mix.
5. Fold in melted butter.
6. Reserve batter to be used later.
Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste


YIELD: Two ½ size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan

Ingredients
14 tablespoons/ 210ml/ 7oz/ 200g unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups plus1½ tablespoons/ 385ml/ 7oz/ 200g Confectioners' (icing) sugar
7 large egg whites - about 7 oz / 200g
1¾ cup/ 420ml/ 7¾ oz/ 220g cake flour
Food coloring gel, paste or liquid
COCOA Décor Paste Variation: Reduce cake flour to 6 oz / 170g. Add 2 oz/ 60 g cocoa powder. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together before adding to creamed mixture.

Directions:
1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (use stand mixer with blade, hand held mixer, or by hand)
2. Gradually add egg whites. Beat continuously.
3. Fold in sifted flour.
4. Tint batter with coloring to desired color, if not making cocoa variation.
Preparing the Joconde- How to make the pattern:
1. Spread a thin even layer of décor paste approximately 1/4 inch (5 millimeter) thick onto silicone baking mat with a spatula, or flat knife. Place mat on an upside down baking sheet. The upside down sheet makes spreading easier with no lip from the pan.
2. Pattern the décor paste – Here is where you can be creative. Make horizontal /vertical lines (you can use a knife, spatula, cake/pastry comb). Squiggles with your fingers, zig zags, wood grains. Be creative whatever you have at home to make a design can be used. OR use a piping bag. Pipe letters, or polka dots, or a piped design. If you do not have a piping bag. Fill a ziplock bag and snip off corner for a homemade version of one.
3. Slide the baking sheet with paste into the freezer. Freeze hard. Approx 15 minutes.

4. Remove from freezer. Quickly pour the Joconde batter over the design. Spread evenly to completely cover the pattern of the Décor paste.
5. Bake at 475ºF /250ºC until the joconde bounces back when slightly pressed, approx. 15 minutes. You can bake it as is on the upside down pan. Yes, it is a very quick bake, so watch carefully.
6. Cool. Do not leave too long, or you will have difficulty removing it from mat.
7. Flip cooled cake on to a powdered sugared parchment paper. Remove silpat. Cake should be right side up, and pattern showing! (The powdered sugar helps the cake from sticking when cutting

I filled it with Nutella mousse, ladyfingers soaked in hazelnut kahalua, marscapone fresh whipped cream and topped with dark chocolate covered coffee beans. It was INCREDIBLE!

Blog-checking lines: The January 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of the blog accro. She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around an Entremets dessert.

***

Butter Pecan Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream and Marshmallow fondant leaves

Butter Pecan Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

1 1/4 cups butter
2 cups chopped pecans
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

    Pre- heat oven to 350. Grease and flour bottoms of three 9 inch layer pans(or two cupcake pans).
Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and brown 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
           Sift flour with baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cream remaining butter in large mixing bowl. Gradually add 2 cups sugar; cream at high speed of mixer until light and fluffy. At medium speed blend in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. At low speed add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla extract, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Blend well after each addition. Stir in pecans and pour batter into pans.
     Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched in center. center.       
When cool frost with creamy vanilla butter cream:
To make creamy vanilla butter cream Frosting: Cream 1/4 cup butter or margarine in mixing bowl. Add 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract, salt, 4 cups confectioners' sugar and 1/3 to 1/2 cup cream. Beat until smooth.



Marshmallow Fondant
16 ounces white mini-marshmallows
2 to 5 tablespoons water
2 pounds icing sugar
1/2 cup shortening
Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler. To microwave, place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total.

Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix and if you have a kitchen aid dump in your greased kitchen aid. Or grease your hands generously then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. Start kneading like you would bread dough and add the rest of the powdered sugar.  If the fondant gets too dry add a little water. If you aren't using it right away spread a little shortening over it and seal it well.  I like to wrap it in plastic wrap and then a plastic bag as well.

For the leaves I just rolled the fondant out till it was thin, used a cookie cutter and painted the leaves with food color.  I also let them sit out a few hours so that they were a little stiffer.