Cream Cheese Frosting

- Elspeth Leave a comment

Here is a cake I made for my friend’s mother:

White cake with lemon curd filling and cream cheese frosting.  I had intended to make a lavender frosting, but that idea went south when the meringue-buttercream curdled.  I very nearly cried!  It’s hard to invest a pound of butter into a failed experiment.  But my next experiment is going to be even greater: Lemon-lavender bars!!! Are you ready for that jelly?

Until then, I will tide you over with the cream cheese frosting recipe, courtesy of Baker’s Illustrated (the best baking book EVER) and tweaked a tad by yours truly.  This frosting was the perfect tart/sweet ratio and stood up well after piping.
8oz cream cheese, softened
5T butter, softened
1 T light sour cream
1/2 t vanilla (or orange, almond, whatever goes best with what you’re making)
1 3/4 c powdered sugar

Whip the first four ingredients in a standing mixer (the cream cheese and butter MUST be soft– if not you will get lumpy frosting indicative of complete failure), scraping down the bowl.  Add the sugar and beat til smooth.  Lick fingers and dance around kitchen in ecstasy.

Meat Lasagna

- Elspeth Leave a comment

Oh sure.  You could slap some beef ragu on some penne, maybe mix in a little cream if you’re feeling frisky, and then call it a day.  But where’s the love?  The comfort? The blood, sweat, tears??  If you want people to think you’re merely average then I implore you to follow through with the above method of entertaining.  It’ll get you a solid 3 out of 5.

But not this lady.  I want people (and by people, sometimes I mean just me…sometimes it’s all just for me!) to know that I positively slaved over a complicated process that would make even Leonardo cross his eyes in wonderment.  And why?

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The Shame

- Elspeth Leave a comment

>We have weak moments. With therapy, those weak moments become fewer and less painful. But I don’t think I shall ever overcome the guilty, disgusting bloated feeling that smacks me in the face like I’m a red-headed step child when I eat….A Domino’s Pizza.

I know, I know! It’s not like I think of myself as a particularly classy gal, but whatever iota of pride I have left in me vacates once that final bite is on its way to my stomach. Greasy, over-cheesed, and so damn good. Ugh. What a traitor to my Italian heritage.

I suppose these moments are necessary to remind us of how tasty homemade pizza really is. And if you think “Oh golly, I’m an amateur! How in the name of Abraham’s sandals will I ever be able to make my own pizza dough?” then you need to take a self-confidence booster pill and jump on the fun train.

Right now, however, the fun train is on the way to Shuteyeville. So keep your nose in the air and your whisks at the ready for my Italian pizza dough recipe, coming to a mixing bowl near you.