Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Cobalt Parking Information

** CLICK on the photo above to enlarge**
Planning a visit to the Cobalt? Check out this handy parking rate map to help you find a good spot. This map was updated Jan 2007. Rates are subject to change.

*** Do not park in the Lund's parking lot. They will tow your vehicle.***

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Recipe: Banana Bread with Chocolate Frosting

from The Professional Pastry Chef: Fundamentals
by Bo Friberg

10 oz unsalted butter
1 lb 2 oz (510 g) granulated sugar
3 eggs at room temp
1 tsp canilla
1 lb 5 oz (595 g) pureed ripe bananas
1 lb 2 0z (510 g) bread flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp bkg soda
optional: 9 oz coarsely chopped walnuts

Prepare pans (3 - 1 qt pans) with butter and flour or baking non-stick spray.

Melt the butter and add the sugar. Mix for a few minutes until sugar starts to dissolve. Stir in the eggs, vanilla and banana.

Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and walnuts. Stir into the butter mixture.

Spoon the batter into the prepared forms. Fill pans no more than 3/4 full.

Bake at 350F (175 C) for about 45 minutes or until baked through.

Unmold the cakes as soon as possible and let cool on a cake rack. They will get wet if left to cool in the pans.

Chocolate Topping
Boil 1 cup heavy cream
Pour hot cream over 4 oz of dark chocolate. Let sit for about 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool until it thickens to desired consistency and frost the muffins or bread.

Recipe: Blueberry Ginger Muffins

from The Professional Pastry Chef
by Bo Friberg

makes 30 muffins, 4 oz each (or 1 bundt pan and about 18 muffins)

Preheat oven to 375F

14 oz (400 g) light brown sugar
14 oz (400 g) unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 cup (170 g or 6 oz) molasses
2/3 cup (225 g or 8 oz) honey
6 eggs at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pound (455 g) cake flour
14 oz (400 g) bread flour
1 TBSP bkg pwd
1 TBSP bkg soda
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk at room temp
1lb 8 oz (680 g) fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen -do not thaw)

Prepare pans
Cream together brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the molasses, honey, eggs, and vanilla.
Combine the cake flour, bread flour, bkg pwd, bkg soda, salt and ginger. Blend into the sugar mizture in 3 segments, alternating with the buttermilk.
Stir in the blueberries gently so that the berries do not break and turn the batter blue.
Fill muffin tins slightly above the rim.

Bake at 375F (190C) until brown and baked through (toothpick comes out clean of batter).
Muffins: about 35 minutes
Bundt pan: about 45 minutes