February in the kitchen

I am taking full advantage of our new wireless system by listening to Glee radio (or classical music on WCPE, when I got tired of the autotune) in the kitchen. I baked a Red Velvet Cake for the second Valentine's Day in a row, using this recipe. I love the buttercream frosting, but don't like food coloring. So, I use natural (not Dutch processed) cocoa and replace the food coloring with water, making the cake reddish-brown. Baking the cake is getting to be a tradition, as reading this article should be.

The following weekend, I made sticky buns for the first time to celebrate National Sticky Bun Day on Feb. 21. The Cook's Illustrated recipe was fabulous. Even Igor loved the buns (Au Bon Pain had made him wary of trying them), and Ivan (right) wished it was "Sicky Bun Day" everyday.

Finally, despite the weather outside, I had fun playing with our new ice-cream maker: coconut ice-cream is good, but jasmine tea ice-cream is divine.

Tea Ice Cream (1878)
Adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook

Using a double boiler, scald 2 cups of cream with 1/4 tea leaves of your choice (heat until cream is steaming and bubbles form around edges). Turn off heat and let steep 10 minutes. Strain the cream, add 2 cups more cream, and scald again in the double boiler. Then, in a large bowl, whisk 4 large eggs and 1 cup sugar until "pale yellow and fluffy". Slowly whisk in the hot cream, and add a pinch of salt (optional). Chill overnight, whisk again (because the base separates), then freeze with your ice cream maker.

Makes 1.5 quarts.