August 2010 Daring Bakers' Challenge: Ice Cream Petit Fours/ Baked Alaska With Brown Butter Pound Cake

The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa was the gracious hostess of both. Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make a pound cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The sources for Elissa’s challenge were Gourmet magazine and David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop”.

August's challenge was a fun, and tiring one to me. As always, making homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker is time consuming. Moreover, with limited storage space in my more-than-15-year-old freezer makes ice cream making a more daunting task. Elissa was kind enough to allow the use of store bought ice cream for those with complications in making homemade ice cream.

Earlier this month, I was having my progress test so I was afraid I wouldn't have enough time to make my own ice cream and to complete this challenge. However, towards the end of the month, I've decided that I should participate this challenge by making homemade ice cream, rather than store bought ones. Else, would this be a challenge anymore? Challenges are meant to be hard, don't they?

Initially, I chose to make baked alaska. However, during the process, I decided to make some petit fours as well. I suppose I was excited to decorate my cakes with those decorating sprinkles and stars sitting in my fridge waiting for my Raya baking. I invited a friend over to bake with me as I have all the equipments over at my place. In exchange, I got to have awesome pictures of my cakes taken.

Here's my baked alaska - caramel ice cream with brown buter pound cake topped with meringue.

Next up, is my petit fours - caramel ice cream sandwiched with brown butter pound cake decorated with chocolate glaze, icing sugar, almonds, colourful sprinkles and stars.

I've enjoyed this month challenge a lot. It allowed me to let my creativity flow, something I could never have done else where but my baking. The brown butter pound cake was exceptionally delicious. The aroma itself could lured me into the kitchen past midnight just to have another bite of the cake. Letting the cake wait in the freezer sure was a torture. My family and friends enjoyed the cake a lot and hopefully, my Physics tutor did too. I gave him each of the Petit Fours as a I'm-sorry-I-did-not-score-very-well-for-Physics-progress-test gift.

This recipe is really something worth keeping. Perhaps it's time I re-compile all my recipes into my recipe book. If you wanna know more about the recipe, please visit http://thedaringkitchen.com/.

This month, I'll let the pictures do all the talking for the baking process. :)

July 2010 Daring Bakers' Challenge: Swiss Swirl Ice Cream Cake

The July 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Sunita of Sunita’s world – life and food. Sunita challenged everyone to make an ice-cream filled Swiss roll that’s then used to make a bombe with hot fudge. Her recipe is based on an ice cream cake recipe from Taste of Home.

I've been feeling excited for the past few weeks regarding my first Daring Bakers' Challenge. On the 1st of July, the challenge, Swiss Swirl Ice Cream Cake, was revealed and I was pretty excited about the cake I would be baking. I've baked something similar before so I figured it won't be too hard for me. However, I was wrong.

Things got busy with schoolwork and my chaotic life begins. Again. I was struggling to find time for this challenge as I started panicking when 20th July arrived. I knew I have not much time left. My grandparents and relatives from Canada were staying over at my place and it was quite hard to have my kitchen, and especially the fridge, free to myself!

I did my research on the 22nd to 24th. I even drew up a plan for my cake! xD I'd say its my very first time drawing up a plan. I guess I've never been this excited to pen down my thoughts for my cake.

My plan pretty much says it all. My cake has a pink and white theme, very different from Sunita's cake. I decided to have some variations so I chose my favourite colours and my favourite flavour vanilla. Strawberry flavour was chosen as it was pink in colour! Haha.

I divided the task into two days as advised by Sunita, and everyone else. On the first day, Sunday, I prepared my swiss rolls and ice creams. It was kind of a disaster.

======= I'll update more on the preparation process when I have more time to blog. =======

In the mean time, here's more pictures. ^^ 

You might not notice the white chocolate sauce in between the two layers of ice creams. But it's there. You can slightly make it out from the pictures above. The chopped strawberries for the vanilla ice cream is not very obvious either. Oh well. I'm quite proud of myself for completing my first challenge on time. :) I love the colours as well! :)

Personally, this is a cake I wouldn't mind preparing more often in the future! Perhaps I'll buy ready made ice cream next time instead. Not unless I get myself an ice cream maker. Haha.

Pink and White Swiss Swirl Ice Cream Cake

Difficulty: 7/10

Nurainicious: 8.5/10

anxious.

I know. I know. I haven't been baking in weeks now. :( 3rd term started last Monday. Was busy with schoolwork and studies and other stuffs till my body was to the point of exhaustion on Saturday. Feeling sickish and I could really fall anytime. However, with a good good rest today on Sunday, my body is back to normal. :)

And since the last week, I'm feeling anxious! I'm going to be a Daring Baker soon! 1st of July! I can't wait! This anticipation is killing me! xDDD Also, another good news, I spent $50 on some new baking equipments. :) An 8 inch removable bottom pie tray, 24 tart moulds, glycerine (something I could never find in any stores in Brunei except for this one place at Bandar, Le Apple) and Wilton's Decorating Course Practice Board. Some of you might think a practice board is unnecessary and a waste of money. But it feels great to own something like it, though it's not exactly a good learning tool for you can find more detailed decorating tips online. This is my first time investing money in my baking. Feels AWESOME! Oh just wait till I work and earn more money, I'll have my fantastic kitchen full of fantastic baking tools. :)

No worries. I will be back with baking soon for my first Daring Baker Challenge! xDD

nurainicious!