RECIPE: Home Cooking from the Philippines – Turon

Delicious fried delight – Turon with vanilla ice cream

I was going to share my lumpia recipe, but it is sort of a family secret so I am going to keep that one to myself. Instead, I am writing about another sort of “lumpia”, called turon. Turon is a dessert lumpia, made primarily with banana. Often you will see a banana-jackfruit combination, but I keep it simple.

Turon

1 package frozen lumpia wrappers (30 count)
7-8 bananas, not quite ripe
granulated sugar

1. Peel lumpia wrappers apart, very carefully so you don’t rip them. It’s an art, and I am not very good at it, so I ask for the help of my friend who is really good and quick at it.

2. Peel bananas and cut them in half lengthwise, then crosswise, so you get four long, thin pieces from each banana.

3. Dip each banana in sugar on the wet (cut) side.

4. Wrap each banana in lumpia wrapper. I use square lumpia wrappers, and lay the wrapper down so it looks like a diamond. Put the banana in the center, fold the top half of the lumpia wrapper over it, fold the sides in, then roll from the top down. Seal with cornstarch mixture.

Cornstarch Mixture
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup of cold water

Dissolve cornstarch in water, then microwave for 45 seconds or until the mixture thickens into a paste. Do not over-microwave.

5. Fry in hot oil until golden brown, and serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.

BOOK: The French Chef by Julia Child (1968)

(Book cover from http://www.amazon.com)

I inherited a well-worn copy of this book many years ago from an ex-boyfriend (the same ex who got a copy of The French Laundry Cookbook for Christmas, and never attempted to cook from it during the entire time we were together). Published in 1968, this book was the result of the TV program “The French Chef”, intended to teach as much French cooking technique as could be learned in several seasons of weekly half-hour programs.

Julia Child covers so many French classics: Coq au vin, Quiches, Crepes, Boeuf Bourguignon, Pates, Aspics, Cassoulet, Duck a L’orange, Brioches, Souffle….and goes on to describe techniques such as how to debone a leg of lamb, how to roast a suckling pig, basic sauces (Hollandaise, Bearnaise), blanching bacon, wine storing, chocolate melting, and so much more. I always go back through this book when I need a reference on how to do something. I am hardly a master at French cooking, but with Julia’s helpful hints, I feel much less like une imbecile in the kitchen. This is definitely a “must-have” for any aspiring cook.

RECIPE: Vanilla Cupcakes

I’ve been on a cupcake quest lately, as you can tell by the previous blog posts, and sometimes I have to surrender and make my own when I don’t feel like shelling out $3 a pop for these little delicious bites. This recipe is supposedly from the Magnolia Bakery in NYC.

Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
2 c. sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake papers.
2. In a small bowl, add the flours; stir to combine; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
4. Add the sugar gradually and beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add the dry ingredient in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla.
7. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overmix.
8. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 3/4 full.
9. Bake in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20-25 minutes.
10. Cool the cupcakes in the tin for 15 minutes.
11. Remove the cakes from the tins and cool on a wire rack before icing with Vanilla Buttercream.

Vanilla Buttercream

1 c. unsalted butter, softened
6-8 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl
2. Add in 4 cups of sugar, milk, then vanilla.
3. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat about 3-5 minutes until smooth and creamy.
4. Add the remaining sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition, until the icing is thick enough for good spreading consistency. You may not use all the sugar.
5. Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled – the icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

SF BAY AREA SPOTLIGHT: Kara’s Cupcakes (San Francisco, CA)

Kara’s Cupcakes
3249 Scott Street (between Lombard and Chestnut)
San Francisco, CA 94133

P 415 563-CAKE
F 415 563 2252 for ordering

hours Daily 10-6

Speaking of Giant Cupcakes, if you didn’t already know about Kara’s, you need to get on a bus, get in your car, get on your bike (useful to burn off the calories you will eventually be consuming once you get to Kara’s) and GO to the best cupcakery in the Bay. Or at least, the only cupcakery in the Bay that I know of.

I fell in love with cupcakes as an adult on my first solo trip to NYC in 2003, when a friend of mine and her roommate took me to the ever-so-famous Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker Street. I had a vanilla cupcake. I was hooked. Since that fateful day, free-standing cupcake shops have gained enormous popularity, like Sprinkles in Los Angeles, and now, Kara’s. What’s special about Kara’s is that they care to use only the best local ingredients, like fruits from the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, Clover Dairy milk (Petaluma, CA) and Scharffenberger Chocolate (Berkeley, CA).

What to order? My favorites are the Fleur de Sel (a moist chocolate cake with a caramel center and chocolate frosting, topped with a tiny bit of Fleur de Sel), the Coconut Vanilla (vanilla cupcake with coconut cream cheese frosting), and my personal favorite, the Buttermilk Vanilla (vanilla cupcake with a Madagascar bourbon vanilla buttercream). They also do a fantastic Meyer Lemon filled cupcake. Prices range from $2.00 (mini cupcakes) to $3.25 (filled cupcakes). A little pricey, but you can’t really put a price on a little piece of heaven, now can you?

SHOP: Wilton Giant Cupcake Cake Pan

I have dreamed of making something like this, but my attempt was going to be a freehand cake sculpture. However, I need not worry about how to do it, because Wilton has come out with a two-piece cake mold in the shape of my favorite dessert, the cupcake!

Made of cast aluminum, it features a reflective, non-stick surface for quick release, and can stand heat up to 450 degrees. Available at Sur La Table for $27.95 MSRP