Recipes

Makes about 2 cups (enough for about 4 dozen macarons)

Ingredients

2 large egg whites
²⁄₃
Pinch salt
6½ ounces (13 tablespoons) unsalted butter, slightly cooler than room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup canned pumpkin puree (at room temperature)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Large pinch ground cloves
Orange food coloring, preferably paste or gel

Directions

Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer until they form soft peaks.
Meanwhile combine the sugar and about 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over moderately high heat. Bring to a boil and cook to the soft ball stage (235-240°F) on a candy thermometer.
Gradually pour the syrup into the egg whites with the mixer on a low speed. Scrape down the sides and beat on high speed until the meringue is at room temperature. Gradually add the butter and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl regularly. Beat until completely smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in the remaining ingredients adding enough orange food coloring to give the buttercream an attractive color. If the buttercream seems to be separating beat on high until it comes back together.

Recipe copyright by Michael Kronkl

Makes about 1 cup buttercream

Ingredients

125 grams (4½ ounces or 1 stick + 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
70 grams (2½ ounces or 5 tablespoons) granulted sugar
3 egg yolks at room temperature
2 ounces gianduja

Directions

Melt the gianduja along with 2 tablespoons water in a double boiler. Set aside to cook to room temperature.
Beat the butter until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until thick and foamy.
Combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and boil to the soft ball stage (238°F). Very gradually add the syrup to the egg mixture in a thin stream, beating rapidly between each addition. Beat with an electric mixer until thick and fluffy and room temperature. Beat in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. If the mixture looks curdled keep beating at high speed. If it gets soupy, refrigerate for about 15 minutes and beat again. Finally beat in the gianduja buttercream.

Recipe Copyright by Michael Krondl

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

125 grams (4½ ounces or 1 stick + 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
70 grams (2½ ounces or 5 tablespoons) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
3 egg yolk at room temperature
2 teaspoons key lime juice
1 teaspoon key lime rind
Green food coloring (preferably paste)

Directions

Beat the butter until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until thick and foamy.
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and boil to the soft ball stage (238°F). Very gradually add the syrup to the egg mixture in a thin stream, beating rapidly between each addition. Beat with an electric mixer until thick and fluffy and room temperature. Beat in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. If the mixture looks curdled keep beating at high speed. If it gets soupy, refrigerate for about 15 minutes and beat again. Finally beat in the food coloring, then the lime juice a drop at a time and finally stir in the lime rind. Refrigerate until firm enough to pipe.

Recipe Copyright by Michael Krondl

INGREDIENTS

4½ cups sugar
2½ cups egg whites
3 pounds butter

DIRECTIONS

Place a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, add 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. In large heatproof bowl add sugar and whites, blend. Place bowl over water and continually stir with whisk until temperature is 145°F to 155°F. Take off heat. If using, kitchen aid mixer use whisk attachment and whisk on medium to high until consistency resembles meringue. While meringue is whisking, cut butter into medium cubes. Change to paddle attachment, beat meringue on low adding butter gradually until all is incorporated. Beat buttercream to emulsify. Add flavoring to taste.

Choose a butter cream flavor:
Peanut butter
Nutella
1 pound semisweet chocolate
1 bottle Vanilla extract

© Recipe Property of Shawona Jones

Makes one cake

INGREDIENTS

3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1¼ cups buttermilk
Lemon curd, for filling
Basic Buttercream, for frosting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare 2 sheet pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift all dry ingredients together. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, and mix until incorporated.

Alternate dry ingredients with buttermilk, starting and finishing with flour mixture.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in center comes out clean.

Lemon Curd

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1¹⁄₃ cups sugar
4 large eggs
1¾ sticks (¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together zest, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and a pinch of salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add butter all at once and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubbles appear on surface, about 10 minutes. Immediately pour curd through a fine sieve into a bowl, then chill, covered.

© Recipe Property of Shawona Jones

Makes one cake

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1½ cups buttermilk
Basic Buttercream, for frosting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare 2 sheet pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift all dry ingredients together. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, and mix until incorporated.

Alternate dry ingredients with buttermilk, starting and finishing with flour mixture.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in center comes out clean.

© Recipe Property of Shawona Jones

Makes one cake

INGREDIENTS

12 eggs, separated
8 ounces light brown sugar
14 ounces hazelnut flour
4 ounces all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
4 ounces granulated sugar
Basic Buttercream, for frosting
Chocolate block, for decorating
Chopped hazelnuts, for decorating

DIRECTIONS

Preheat to 350°F.

Butter 2 half-sheet pans and line them with parchment.

In a metal bowl, with electric beater, whisk or in the bowl of a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with whisk attachment, add the egg yolks and beat until they come together. Add the brown sugar and continue whisking until the yolks are light, about 5 minutes (longer if by hand).

In a separate medium sized bowl, combine the hazelnut flour and all-purpose flour.

In a separate metal bowl with electric beater, whisk or in the bowl of a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and salt until they are white and opaque. Gradually whisk in the granulated sugar. Whip until whites hold a firm peak. Next, fold the egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites. And then fold in the hazelnut-flour mixture in 3 additions. Do not over-mix the batter or the cake with deflate. Spread the batter on the separated pan.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until well risen and firm to the touch.
Loosen layer from pan, slide it onto rack and cool completely.

© Recipe Property of Shawona Jones