Homemade Chai Liqueur - How to Make a White Elephant

I have been making some homemade flavored vodkas lately and decided to do a little experiment with some chai I had lying around. The flavored vodka I made was way too strong, so with a little tweaking and some simple syrup, I turned it in to an amazing chai liqueur. I then whipped up an easy little drink that had my hubby and his friend coming back for more. Here's the recipe:

Homemade Chai Liqueur

1/2 of a 1.75 L bottle of cheap vodka (I use Trader Joe's)
5 T sweet chai spice (I got mine from World Spice)
4 vanilla beans (see my post here for cheap beans)
1 cup water
1 T ground cinnamon (optional)
2 cups brown or white sugar

The ratios of chai to vodka are rough since I was just experimenting. Add chai spice directly to the bottle of vodka. I didn't add any tea along with the chai (like you would when making chai tea) just the chai spice. Since chai contains peppercorn and cardamom, you will need to be very careful to not overextract the spices and end up with something bitter. I taste tested a teaspoon daily and found that at 4 days, mine was a little overdone.

Strain the vodka in to another container. Remove the spices and return the vodka to the original bottle.

Using kitchen shears, cut the ends off your vanilla beans, then cut in half (both length and width). This will open up your bean and expose all the flavorful beany goodness. Add the vanilla to your vodka. Cap it up and store under your sink for 2 - 3 weeks. Give it a shake every couple of days and test aprox once a week until it has the desired flavor. Keep in mind it will still be strong until you tame it with some sugar.

Once your vodka mix has just the right flavor, strain off the vanilla beans and set aside.You can end the process here and have Chai Vodka - really freakin tasty but strong vodka. I think it is better as a liqueur, but it is good both ways.

In a saucepan mix water, sugar and ground cinnamon. I have made it with both kinds of sugar and with and without cinnamon. No matter what it's always good. Boil and stir to make a simple syrup. When all the sugar is combined put the pan aside and wait for it to cool. When cool, add your vodka mix, stir and you are ready to bottle. Enjoy!

White Elephant

Our friend came up with the name since it's like a White Russian, but with our Chai Liqueur

Rocks glass with ice
1 1/2 oz vodka
3/4 oz chai liqueur
3/4 oz cream or milk

You can shake and strain or just serve it on the rocks. So good!

Chilled Fruit Soup Recipes

I am not usually a huge fan of chilled soups, but for some reason I have had some serious cravings lately and no idea where to begin. I have been craving some of the chilled fruit soups we had on a Caribbean cruise a few years back. I must still be in Hawaii mode. It's not quite the weather for it here, but I can't help it.

 Here are just some of the recipes I have found on my cold soup quest. I have yet to try them



From the Royal Caribbean International Cookbook:


CHILLED ROASTED PEACH SOUP

4 ripe large peaches, peeled, halved and pitted

1 1/2 cups (345 g) granulated sugar

2 cups (500 ml) peach nectar, plus extra if needed

1 star anise, cracked

1 vanilla bean, split

juice of 3 oranges

juice of 2 lemons

1/2 pint (150 g) strawberries, gently washed

2 sprigs fresh mint


1. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C. Lightly coat a baking sheet with butter. Place the peach halves cut side down on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the peaches with 1/2 cup (70g) sugar and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until well roasted.

2. Transfer the peaches to a food processor along with any drippings from the baking sheet. Puree until smooth, stopping 2 or 3 times to scrape down the sides. Transfer to a large nonreactive bowl and set aside.

3. In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine the peach nectar, remaining sugar and star anise over medium heat. Use the tip of a blunt knife to scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the mixture. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. Let the syrup infuse for about 1 hour in a warm place. Strain through a fine sieve into a nonreactive bowl and add the citrus juices.

4. Tasting as you go, slowly add the peach syrup to the peach puree until the desired flavor is achieved. If the soup is nicely flavored but too thick, thin it with a little plain peach nectar. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold.

5. To serve, ladle the soup into chilled soup plates or cups and garnish with sliced strawberries and mint sprigs.


CHILLED RED BERRY SOUP

1 pt (150g) fresh raspberries, gently washed

1 pt (150g) fresh strawberries, gently washed & trimmed

2 cups (500 ml) sour cream

1 cup (250 ml) whole milk

1 cup (250 ml) ginger ale

1/4 cup (60g) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons Triple Sec

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

fresh mint leaves for garnish


1. Reserve 6 of the strawberries and 12 of the raspberries for garnish. In a blender or food processor combine the remaining berries and puree until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve over a nonreactive bowl, pushing through as much of the pulp as you can, leaving the seeds behind.

2. Whisk the remaining ingredients, except the reserved berries and mint, into the puree. Cover and refrigerate until cold. To serve, divide the soup among chilled soup bowls and garnish with reserved berries and mint leaves.

Serves 4 to 6.


CHILLED APRICOT SOUP

20 fresh medium apricots (around 5 cups, diced) (700g)

1 cup (250 ml) club soda

1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine

1/2 cup (70 g) granulated sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup (75 ml) cognac

whipped cream and chopped fresh mint for garnish


1. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts (2l) water to a boil. Working in batches, plunge the apricots in the boiling water and leave them in just until the skins are loosened, 10 to 20 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer the apricots to a large bowl of cold water to cool. Slip off the skins and cut the apricots in half. Remove the pits and dice the apricots.

2. In a large nonreactive bowl, combine the apricots, club soda, wine, sugar, lemon juice and cognac. Ladle the mixture in batches into a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer the soup to another bowl. Cover and refrigerate. To serve, divide the soup among chilled soup bowls and garnish with whipped cream and mint.

Serves 6


CHILLED WASHINGTON APPLE SOUP

6 cups (1.5 l) water

juice of 2 lemons

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for garnish

18 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and roughly diced

4 cups (560 g) vanilla ice cream


1. In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the ice cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the apples are soft.

2. Transfer the soup in batches to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the soup through a fine sieve into a nonreactive bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. To serve, stir in the ice cream and divide the soup among chilled soup bowls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve immediately.

Serves 8


CHILLED PINEAPPLE SOUP

2 pounds (905 g) chopped fresh ripe pineapple

2 cups (280 g) sour cream

1 cup (250 ml) whole milk

1 cup (250 ml) ginger ale

1 cup (140 g) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut


1. In a nonreactive bowl, combine all the ingredients except the coconut. Transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the soup into a clean nonreactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

2. Meanwhile, toast the coconut. In a dry skilled over high heat, toss or stir the coconut, taking care not to scorch it, until lightly browned. To serve, divide the soup among chilled soup bowls and garnish with the coconut.

Serves 4 to 6


MANGOSPACHO

8 cups (1 kg) peeled and finely diced mango (about 12 mangos)

1 cup (250 ml) water

1 cup (250 ml) ginger ale

1/2 cup (125 ml) rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup (125 ml) light olive oil

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely diced

1/2 cup (70 g) finely diced red onion

3/4 cup (100g) chopped fresh cilantro


1. In a blender or food processor, combine half the mango with the water, gingeral, vinegar, oil and sugar. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the soup to a nonreactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours.

2. In another nonreactive bowl, combine the remaining 4 cups of mango, cucumber, red onion and 1/2 cup cilantro. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

3. To serve, divide the mango/cucumber mixure among chilled soup bowls that are each sitting in a bowl of crushed ice. Ladle the soup over the mango/cucumber mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Source for Good Cheap Vanilla Beans

I do a lot of baking and have been making a lot of extracts and flavored vodkas lately. Vanilla beans in the store can be as much as $10 a bean, so I knew I had to find a good source for cheap vanilla. I wanted to recommend Vanilla Products USA to anyone looking to do vanilla related projects. I found them on eBay and have ordered both Tahitian and Madagascar vanilla beans through them. They sell beans for around $26/pound. That's a lot of beans!!! They are high quality, super aromatic and crazy cheap. In the coming weeks I will be showcasing some of the great things I have been making with all these beans...

http://stores.ebay.com/vanillaproductsusa

Vegetarian Gelatin Substitutes

It's not that I love gelatin, but I am fond of some of my Grandma's stand-by family jello dishes and good ol' jello shots at parties. I do just go for it sometimes and try to ignore the fact that there are grody boiled bones in gelatin, but I think it's about time I got a better plan. The following is from PETA's website (yes I know they can be a little radical), but I plan to give them a try. I will let you know my results...

Agar-Agar

This flavorless gelling agent, derived from cooked and pressed seaweed, is available flaked, powdered, or in bars. For best results, grind the agar-agar in a coffee grinder or food processor and then cook it, stirring it regularly until it dissolves. When used in a recipe, agar-agar sets in about an hour and doesn't require refrigeration to gel. For a firmer gel, add more agar-agar, and for a softer gel, add more liquid. And don't worry if you don't get it right the first time—you can fix a faux pas simply by reheating the gel. Here's a general guide on how to use agar in recipes:

• Substitute powdered agar-agar for gelatin using equal amounts.

• 1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

• Set 2 cups of liquid using 2 tsp. of agar-agar powder, 2 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes, or one bar.

• Keep in mind that highly acidic ingredients, such as lemons, strawberries, oranges, and other citrus fruits, may require more agar-agar than the recipe calls for. Also, enzymes in fresh mangoes, papaya, and pineapple break down the gelling ability of the agar-agar so that it will not set. Cooking these fruits before adding them to a recipe, however, neutralizes the enzymes so that the agar-agar can set.

Carrageen

Also known as Irish moss, this seaweed, found in coastal waters near Ireland, France, and North America, is best when used for making softer gels and puddings. To prepare carrageen, rinse it thoroughly, and then soak it in water until it swells. Add the carrageen to the liquid you want to set, boil for 10 minutes, and remove the carrageen. One ounce of carrageen will gel 1 cup of liquid.

Super Yummy White Cake

Hubby and I were headed to see his ancient (95 year old) but very rockin' Grandpa this past weekend and since we hadn't been over in awhile, I wanted to take something special. My recent Pinterest obsession gave me some pretty good dessert ideas.

I saw this cake and was so wowed that I had to give it a try. My frosting job isn't quite as pro as the example, but it was my first go at the technique and God knows I am no Martha Stewart. I didn't have all of the ingredients to make the vanilla cake recipe, so I had to go on a hunt to find something that would work with what I had. This is the cake recipe I used:

Simple White Cake

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

The cake turned out amazing! It was super dense and moist. The only drawback is it made just one round layer. I didn't have any more eggs, but next time I think I am going to make a quadruple recipe and make it a super tall layer cake. I am also thinking I would like a little more flavor, so I am thinking I may try to add some homemade lemon extract to give it a little extra zip.

As for the frosting, I used the following recipe (the same recipe she suggested for the original inspiration cake).

American Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) butter (salted, or unsalted)
1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (best quality available)
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream, half and half or milk.

*Optional- As mentioned above, I like a cream cheese version of this frosting best. The cream cheese adds to the creamy texture, and cuts down on the sweetness just a bit. If desired, for a very light cream cheese flavor add 1/2 block (4 oz). cream cheese, leaving the other ingredients (as listed above) the same. For a more traditional cream cheese flavor, reduce the butter to 1/2 cup, and add 1 block (8 oz.) of cream cheese. If using a full block of cream cheese, you can reduce the cream or milk to 1 tablespoon total.

Flavoring options- An almost unlimited number of flavoring options can be added in addition to, or instead of the vanilla. Orange and/or lemon zest, citrus extracts, mint extract, coconut extract or the seeds of a vanilla bean are all wonderful options. In most cases I'll still add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, then 1/2 teaspoon of the other flavoring. For zest, add about 1 teaspoon fresh zest. For chocolate buttercream, add 1/2 cup (good quality) unsweetened cocoa powder.

Directions-
* In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter (on medium speed) until completely smooth (30 seconds to a minute). (If you are adding cream cheese, add it now, then beat until smooth)
* Add salt (if needed).
* One cup at time, add 2 cups of powdered sugar, beating after each addition.
* Add vanilla, or other flavorings and beat to combine.
* Add about 1 tablespoon of cream, and continue beating.
* Add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, one at a time.
* Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons cream until desired consistency is reached. If you want to pipe the frosting on cupcakes, the frosting should be nice and thick. Continue to beat another minute or so. The frosting should now be smooth and fluffy.

Troubleshooting-
* If your frosting is not smooth, it is likely because the butter was not fully smooth before adding the other ingredients.
* If your frosting will not hold up when piped on cupcakes, your frosting has too much liquid or is too warm. Put entire bowl of frosting in the fridge for 15-20 minutes and it will stiffen up. If it is still too thin, then add 1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar, beat well.

The frosting was perfect. I usually end up with something that tastes a little too powdered sugary. I made sure to sift my powdered sugar ahead of time and mix it for a really long time. I also added a splash of almond extract. It really complimented all of the vanilla goodness.

I highly recommend the combination of recipes. It was super yummy and a total crowd pleaser!

Glow in the Dark Jello a la Bompas and Parr

I recently picked up a copy of Jellymongers from those British jelly (Jello to us Americans) fanatics Bompas and Parr. They have been making all kinds of wild jello out of cool custom made molds and ingredients for the past couple of years. This awesome cookbook shows some of the jelly art installations they have done, has some techniques and a ton of awesome recipes.

I was having a party this past weekend and decided I needed to come up with something cool so I turned to my new cookbook. They have a recipe using tonic water to do a glow in the dark jello. The quinine in the tonic water naturally fluoresces under a black light for a showstopping effect.

The only problem with my jello was the texture. This is the first time I have made jello in a million years and I didn't get the gelatin dissolved all the way. The book recommends using leaf gelatin, but it wasn't something easily available to me. I think next time I will hunt it down ahead of time or just be a little more careful with my timing to make sure the powdered stuff is totally dissolved.

Anyway, I am just being a show off, so here it is....

Super Tasty Baked Tofu - Not the Watery Nasty Stuff

When people find out I am a vegetarian, the conversation inevitably turns to the disgustingness of tofu. Many people try cooking it at home for a healthy alternative and, not knowing how to cook it, make a total watery mess of a meal. Many restaurants aren't much better.

Here's my favorite way to make tofu that tastes good and has great texture...

Super Tasty Baked Tofu

1. Cut the block of tofu into large thin slabs. I like to make mine aprox 2 cm
2. Wrap the blocks of tofu in paper towels and place on a plate. Place something flat (like a cutting board) on top of the tofu and then add something heavy on top to weight down the tofu and squish out the water. I like to use a heavy wooden cutting board and my Kitchenaid mixer on top.
3. After 30 minutes, remove the tofu and change the paper towel. Squish it for another half hour. If you are short on time, one round of squishing works pretty well, but the more water you remove, the more the marinade can soak in and give the tofu a better flavor.
4. Marinate your tofu. I like to put mine in a large 9x12 baking dish, add plenty of marinade and let it soak half of the time on one side and half on the other so it has plenty of time to soak in. If I have time, I like to let mine marinate for 24 hours so it gets good and flavorful.

My Marinade

I never make the same thing twice, but I do have several constants.
1. I always use olive oil to help the tofu crisp up
2. I always use veggie stock to help make a lot of marinade with a lot of flavor
3. I always use coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper - great simple and pure flavors


This last batch I made (as pictured above) is Hawaiian BBQ sauce, ginger, tamari, olive oil, salt and pepper, veggie broth and a splash of Tabasco and apple cider vinegar. It was a particularly good!

Enjoy!