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.

Astheroshe explained the fancy words Jaconde Imprime and Entremets as follows:

“A joconde imprime (French Baking term) – a decorative design baked into a light sponge cake providing an elegant finish to desserts/torts/entremets/ formed in ring molds.

Entremets (French baking term) – an ornate dessert with many different layers of cake and pastry creams in a mold, usually served cold. Think Trifle in a mold vs. a glass bowl. “

For the Joconde Sponge

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

Ingredients:
¾ cup almond flour/meal
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ (icing) sugar
¼ cup cake flour
3 large eggs
3 large egg whites
2½ teaspoons white granulated sugar or superfine (caster) sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

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.

Sift almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, cake flour. (This can be done into your dirty egg white bowl) 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. ) 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. Fold in melted butter.Reserve batter to be used later.

For the 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 unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups plus1½ tablespoons Confectioners’ (icing) sugar
7 large egg whites
1¾ cup cake flour
Food coloring gel, paste or liquid

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Gradually add egg whites. Beat continuously. Fold in sifted flour. Tint batter with coloring to desired color.

Preparing the Joconde- How to make the pattern:

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.

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.

Slide the baking sheet with paste into the freezer. Freeze hard. Approx 15 minutes.

Remove from freezer. Quickly pour the Joconde batter over the design.

Spread evenly to completely cover the pattern of the Décor paste.

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.

Cool. Do not leave too long, or you will have difficulty removing it from mat.

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.)

Preparing the MOLD for entremets:

Start with a large piece of parchment paper laid on a very flat baking sheet. Then a large piece of cling wrap over the parchment paper. Place a spring form pan ring, with the base removed, over the cling wrap and pull the cling wrap tightly up on the outside of the mold. Line the inside of the ring with a curled piece of parchment paper overlapping top edge by ½ inch. CUT the parchment paper to the TOP OF THE MOLD. It will be easier to smooth the top of the cake.

A biscuit cutter/ cookie cutter- using cling wrap pulled tightly as the base and the cling covering the outside of the mold, placed on a parchment lined very flat baking sheet. Line the inside with a curled piece of parchment paper overlapping.

Entremet- Filling Options:

It is nice to have a completed dessert so you can unmold and see the Joconde working. Fill with anything you desire. Layers of different flavors and textures! However, it needs to be something cold that will not fall apart when unmolded.

Suggestions:
Mousses, pastry creams, Bavarian creams, cheesecakes, puddings, curds, jams, cookie bases, more cake (bake off the remaining sponge and cut to layer inside), nuts, fresh fruit, chocolates.  I used dark chocolate truffle, raspberry, cake and passion fruit mousse.

Arroz Carreteiro is a rice from southern brasil made with left over churrasco (BBQ) meat;  usually beef and sausage.  The tradition is to make with charque, a dried meat that doesn’t need refrigeration.  This way wagoners could make this meal on the go in a heavy duty iron pan.  The word “carreteiro” translates to “wagoner” or “cart rider”.  For this recipe I only used sausage. I also used can tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes.  I choose the Rotel Diced with Green Chilies tomatoes and it gave a nice spicy taste to the rice!  This recipe will feed at least 10 people. You can halve the recipe if you don’t need to feed a multitude 😀

1 medium onion (chopped)

4 clothes garlic (minced)

2 T oil

5 slices bacon (sliced thin)

16 oz linguica (kielbasa sausage- sliced thin)

2 cans diced tomatoes (usually I use fresh diced tomatoes, but the can works just as well)

1 T salt

1 T black pepper

1 t beef bouillon

2 c rice

5-8 cups water

1/4 c green onion

1/2 c Parmesan cheese (shredded)

Add oil, onion and garlic together in a large pan on medium high heat until onions are translucent.  Add bacon, and sausage.

Cook until bacon is done.

Add the tomatoes (if using fresh make sure you take skin and seeds out. Use about 1 to 1/2 c of diced fresh tomatoes.) , salt and pepper, bouillon, rice.  Simmer until rice gets a nice color.

Add 5 cups water.  Taste water for seasoning. If needed add more salt.  Turn heat down to low. It will cook for about 1 hour.

You many need to add more water as it is cooking. Usually I say DO NOT STIR THE RICE, however for this recipe you will need to.  I usually check the rice every 15-20 minutes, see if needs more water and stir it a little.   You want the rice to be soupy like, but not too wet. Keep checking and adding the water (if needed) until the rice is soft.

When rice is cooked add  green onions and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.  I like to serve some cheese on the side, so you can sprinkle on your own plate.

5  boneless, skinless chicken breast

For the dry mix:

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Clean chicken breasts (take out the fat, or loose pieces) .  Mix the above ingredients together.  Season each breast (both sides) with this dry mix.  Set aside.

For sauce:

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

6 Tablespoons lime juice

In a large frying pan, heat the butter and olive oil.  Fry the chicken, about 4-6 minutes each side.  Add the 1 Tablespoon of garlic powder and lime juice. Simmer for about 5 minutes.  Stir so it coats each breast of chicken.

There will be a bit of sauce and it would be great to serve with rice and veggies.

I just got word that the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News are going to raise their Sunday only subscription prices from $39 a year to $53!   

So, if you still need a Sunday only subscription to the paper and are living in an area where the Salt Lake Tribune or Deseret News can deliver, hurry and get your order in before Friday, Jan 14th at 10:00am!

 1 Copy- $39 for One Year Subscription

 2 Copies- $78 for One Year Subscription

 3 Copies- $117 for One Year Subscription

 4 Copies- $156 for One Year Subscription

 To order, you will need to call up this number 801-344-2959.  Make sure you tell them that Alessandra or Ale sent you.

This price of $39 for the whole year ends up being only $.75 per paper! 

To get this deal, you will have to pay the amount up-front. They will not do automatic billing. But, you can pay for the entire year up front and not worry about it!

I stumbled upon this amazing video from the WEBstaurant Store blog this morning.  Steve Ziegler took me to a laughing out loud, almost crying, state.  Enjoy!  

As some of you may know, I found out that I am pregnant. With this pregnancy came a delightful craving for lime pie.  I used to go to the bakeries in Brasil and have this delicious pie.  I figured I would make some. But instead of a simple lime pie, it ended up as lime, chocolate truffle and mousse pie. Even better, right?

For the crust:

1 1/2 c graham cracker

1/3 c butter (melted)

Using a blender or food processor, break the crackers until fine dust.  Mix with the butter. Press into a 8 inch springform pan.  Cook at 350 for about 8-10 minutes.

Layer 1- Lime Custard:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 egg yolks

1/3-1/2 c lime juice (depending how tart you may like it)

Mix it together, put on top of prepared crust and bake at 350 for about 8 minutes. Refrigerate until firm.

Layer 2: Chocolate Truffle

300 grms dark chocolate (or milk chocolate)

1 can table cream (creme de leite)

1 T butter

2 T nutella

1/2 pkg of unflavored gelatin (dissolved in 1/4 c water)

Melt the chocolate, mix table cream, butter nutella, and gelatin. Pour on top of first layer.  Refrigerate until firm.

Layer 3- Lime Mousse:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can table cream (creme de leite)

1/2 c lime juice

1/2 pkg unflavored gelatin (dissolved in 1/4 cup water)

Mix it all together. Pour on top of second layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

You can decorate this pie with chocolate shavings, lime zest or meringue frosting.  YUM