Whole Eggs | Recipes From A Monastery Kitchen

Recently, I had the privilege and gift of studying for a week in the Essentials of Pastry Arts at the International Culinary Center in New York City. Once known as the French Culinary Center, ICC has some of the most renowned pastry chefs in the United States – such as Jacques Pepin and Jacques Torres. Their alumni are some of the most noteworthy in the food and hospitality industry. It was a week of intense learning as well as exploring an area of personal inadequacy. Give me a savory dish over a fancy rolled fondant cake anytime! But, little did I know what a week of good, concentrated study could do to boost my confidence. Leaning into our insufficiency can sometimes prove “sweet” results.

Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes

Tip - use a digital scale to weigh these ingredients and always be sure to "tare" your scale after putting your mixing bowl on it; that is, reset the scale to "0" before you start measuring ingredients

SERVINGS

16cupcakes (approx.)

CHANGE SERVING SIZE

cupcakes (approx.)

COOK TIME

15-20mins

PREP TIME

20mins

READY IN

45-60mins

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
225 g sugar
200 g pastry flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
80 g butter at room temperature
80 g vegetable oil
65 g cocoa powder (good quality)
175 ml water
50 g whole eggs (about 2 large)
20 g egg yolk(s) (about 1)
1 tsp vanilla extract
175 g buttermilk
Fudge Icing:
110 g butter
40 g heavy or whipping cream
10 g cocoa powder
100 g powdered sugar

Instructions

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease 16 cupcake tin or line with muffin papers.
In a bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, salt and baking soda.
Combine butter, oil, cocoa powder, and water in a bowl and whisk until warm over a bain marie.
Whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk until combined; add to butter mixture.
Stir liquid ingredients into the sifted flour mixture until just combined.
Portion the batter into the prepared cupcake molds until 3/4 full and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 min. (Bake as soon as you fill them; otherwise, they won't rise as much in the oven.)
Test the cupcakes for doneness - your finger should bounce back to the touch.
Immediately unmold the cupcakes onto a cooling rack Let them cool completely before icing.

Fudge Icing:

Place all ingredients for the icing in a saucepan and warm, stirring to combine.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool until desired consistency is reached.
Dip the cupcake tops by inverting into the cooled icing and then twist and place right side up on a cooling rack. Iced cupcakes are best served the day they're made. Add sprinkles on top if desired.

This week we continue with vegetarian recommendations, and this one is gluten free as well. Recently we had the pleasure of hosting a good friend of ours from “Across the Pond.” While our guest was not strictly vegetarian, we planned meals that were loaded with fresh produce and light on meat–and this vegetarian Frittata fit the bill!

Loaded with sauteed vegetables including a fistful of baby spinach, this dish is as versatile as you need it to be, easily adaptable for the breakfast, lunch or brunch table. A mini cast iron pan worked well as an individual serving and looked light-as-air still hot from the oven. Topped with cheese and garden chive, this just might make another appearance on our guest table this spring and summer!

Vegetarian Frittata

SERVINGS

2servings

CHANGE SERVING SIZE

servings

COOK TIME

15mins

PREP TIME

10mins

READY IN

25mins

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil for sauteing
1 small onion diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 medium zucchini finely chopped
3 whole eggs
6 egg whites
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup baby spinach packed
cheddar cheese grated, for topping
1 chive diced, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat broiler and heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet*
Sauté the onion until translucent. Add the bell pepper and zucchini cooking until tender.
Add spinach and stir until just wilted.
Whisk together the eggs and egg whites, adding the salt and pepper and pour into the pan with the vegetables.
Reduce heat and stir until vegetables and eggs are combined. Keep over heat until the egg has set on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese and remove the pan from the heat and finish under the broiler. Cook under the broiler until the cheese melts and begins to bubble.
Garnish with fresh chive and serve immediately.

Get creative! Not only can this dish feature at breakfast, lunch and brunch, you can add or substitute other vegetables such as mushrooms and tomatoes and fresh herbs.

*We used a mini 6" cast iron pan in our preparation. If serving more people, a 10" skillet works well.