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Archive for December, 2013

A Pastry Delayed – Cossetta’s

Published December 19, 2013 Food , Photography , Random Tuesdays 2 Comments

Welcome to another episode of ‘Lauren Eats Pastries.’ So glad you could join.

In this episode, I will be eating several full-size pastries from St. Paul landmark, Cossetta’s. It’s a combination Italian eatery and grocery, recently remodeled to include a fine-dining restaurant and a pasticceria. Needless to say, ever since I found out about the promise of REAL LIVE ITALIAN PASTRIES so close to me, I have been pining to check it out. So I took the best lunch break ever with my best cousin and ate pizza and pastries.

Ain’t she saweet? Cakes to break your heart.

May I also present to you…the lobster tail.

I saw an episode of Cake Boss once that detailed the making of these monstrous flaky pastries, and I’ve craved one ever since. The dough is rolled out ultra-thin and then somehow wrapped together so the dough has these tiny little layers. I assume this is the same technique as used for sfogliatelle (which Cossetta’s also had). The difference is that sfogliatelle are filled with a sort of hardened citrus filling, while lobster tails are stuffed full of a vanilla pastry cream. So much cream. Cream dreams come true.

I also decided on this trip that I will never need to eat a cannoli again. So there. I said it. The shells are always chewy and the filling is never sweet or flavorful enough. Maybe that is the point? But I just find them boring.

While the presentation of the mango mousse was interesting (if a little sloppy with the fruit), I felt it was a little dry. The mod joconde was the coolest part., and the center jelly was intensely mango.

The pastries I sampled at Cossetta’s were the closest thing to authentic Italian pastries I’ve had in the States, easily. Despite the fact that I tried lobster tail, the name of which decries its inauthentic origins, the tiramisu was as good as I’ve had. And you guys. The lobster tail.

Goodnight,

Merry Christmas! Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake + Recipe Ideas

Published December 18, 2013 Breads , Breakfast , Desserts , Random Tuesdays , Recipes , Uncategorized 5 Comments

Guys, MERRY CHRISTMAS VERY SOON!

I waited heavens ever so long to try this pound cake. Everyone knows that putting the words “cinnamon roll” in a recipe makes it breakfast. And everyone also knows that putting protein-rich greek yogurt in a recipe makes it healthy NO MATTER WHAT.

This loaf is effectively breakfast cake. Imagine it with cream cheese icing on Christmas morning. HI HI HI. Just make it a day ahead or freeze it and thaw overnight.

Please don’t overbake. I would line my pan with parchment were I to do the whole rigamarole over again.

Are you looking for last-minute Christmas recipes for your holiday gatherings and cookie exchanges? Look no further. Here are a few holiday appropriate favs:

I’ll likely be taking some time off from the blog as per usual around Christmas and New Year’s. Enjoy the break. :]

Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake

Adapted from creme de la crumb

For the cake:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 whole eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoons baking soda

For the swirl, mix together:

¼ cups sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

For the glaze, mix together

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray (or line with parchment) and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the Greek yogurt, then the heavy cream and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and baking soda. Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Split one third of the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the batter. Repeat and layer half of the remaining batter over that, then sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar over that. Then end with the remaining batter and smooth the top.

Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until edges begin to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack, then remove.

The original recipe suggests icing the loaves with a cream cheese mixture. I didn’t have any cream cheese on hand, so I made a thick powdered sugar/milk/vanilla glaze. Start with a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and stir in milk, one teaspoon at a time, until you get a thick glaze. I can’t remember if I used more glaze than that. I think it very likely.