- Part 58

KitchenAid Giveaway: 13 cup KitchenAid ExactSlice Food Processor

It’s that time again when gift giving is in high gear, so KitchenAid and I have teamed up to give you a chance to win their new 13 Cup Food Processor. While only one reader will be chosen to win this giveaway, all of you will have every reason to place this on your wish list.

As many of you I love my food processor. In fact it gets more action time than my mixer. Yes, it’s true, for a baker this is highly unusual. Then again I may be the only baker I know that does not sift leavening agents, like baking soda. into dry ingredient; rather, I mix it in with the wet ingredients.

See a pattern here?

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Chocolate Peppermint Roll

Did I tell you I was on a recipe kick with these Andes Peppermint candy? I’m pretty sure I did. If you haven’t heard, I’m sort of crazy for the candy and even more crazy about how it can take almost any recipe from good to great. It’s latest dress-up can be found in this chocolate Genoise recipe. The soft, but denser crumb makes it roll-friendly, so you don’t have to worry about cracks as you coax it into shape. Standing up to the denser crumb is a classic buttercream that spirals its way through for a balanced bite.

As many of you know I seldom deviate from my favorite Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMB). But this recipe needed a filling that would not disappear mid-chew while the crumb was left hanging with no counterpart. And since the classic buttercream is slightly heavier in texture than SMB, that’s what I used. With the right textural balance in place and the flavor nailed down it was time to get on my fancy pants on and finish a humble cake roll with an elegant touch that would not require flipping it to a Buche de Noel. I thought about getting all fussy with maybe piping some swirls on top and finishing with chocolate curls, but I decided against it.

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Caramel Apple Trifles

A Fall trifle that’s perfect for any Thanksgiving feast. Each layer comes together with minimal effort and fully assembled this trifle makes an impressive presentation. Caught in between the layers you will find a light and ethereal caramel mousse that’s been layered with a burnt caramel sauce to accompany the crisp apple crumble. Adding another dimension to the apple crumble are chopped raw apples for a tart and fruity bite. Together all these components create a symphonic collaboration of textures and flavors.

If you follow me on Facebook then you know I put out a query for a preference on easy elegance or fancy desserts that require a little more time. No surprise that easy elegance won. That being the case, I figured what could be easier than a trifle. Easy to make, full of flavor and always an attention grabber, I decided to dress up my latest trifle with a Fall profile.

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