Monday I had a catering job making dinner for a business meeting. Orange Teriyaki Beef Tenderloin, Morrocan Couscous, Asparagus with Zesty Orange Sauce and for dessert, Strawberry Icebox Cake. And what part of this meal do you think they remembered most? The DESSERT, lol! And it was so easy. Jordan couldn't quite figure out why I would want to make a no bake dessert, since I like to bake, but there is something magical about icebox cakes. You start out with crispy graham crackers or chocolate wafer cookies, add whipped cream or pudding, and end up with a dessert that tastes like cake. And it looks so pretty!
The recipe is from www.kitchn.com. I made a smaller version with leftovers from the dinner I made for myself and Jordan. Here's the recipe:
No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake
serves 8 to 12
2 pounds fresh strawberries, washed
3 1/4 cups whipping cream, divided
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon rosewater (optional)
4 sleeves (about 19 ounces, or 24 to 28 whole crackers) graham crackers
2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
Take out a few of the best-looking strawberries and set them aside for the garnish. Hull the remainder of the strawberries and slice each berry into thin slices.
With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whip 3 cups of cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla, and rosewater (if using) and whip to combine.
Spread a small spoonful of whipped cream on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan, or a similarly-sized platter. Lay down six graham crackers. Lightly cover the top of the graham crackers with more whipped cream, and then a single layer of strawberries. Repeat three times, until you have four layers of graham crackers. Spread the last of the whipped cream over the top and swirl it lightly with a spoon. Add a few more strawberries.
To make the ganache, heat the cream until bubbles form around the edges, then pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it stand for a few minutes, then whisk until the mixture is thick and glossy. Drizzle this over the layered dessert with a spoon, or transfer to a squeeze bottle and use that to drizzle.
Refrigerate for at least four hours, or until the crackers have softened completely. Garnish with additional berries.
Tuesday was my usual personal chef day. This week's offerings were Cherry Papaya Orzo Salad served with Citrus Chili Glazed Cod,
Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes, Double Potato Mash (a savory mix of sweet potatoes and baking potatoes), Herbed Vegetable Ribbons, Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp, Milk Pork (a Laura Caulder recipe),
Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Sauteed Spinach, Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Sauce, Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic and White Beans,
Loaded Spinach Salad and Rice and Lentil Salad. This weeks dessert? A Paris-Brest Cake. A Paris-Brest is a ring of Pate aux Choux dough that is filled with whipped cream (usually) but in this case, I followed Jacques Pepin's recipe and filled it with Chocolate Pastry Cream topped with whipped cream. YUM!
The rest of the week was filled with errands and work for Jordan. Oh, and also my latest culinary job-making healthy meals for one of the local orthopedic offices. They had a wellness fair today and I provided lunch. They asked for three (!) hotel pan-sized main dishes: Mexican Lasagna served with a Mixed Green Salad with Lime Vinaigrette, Shrimp with Toasted Couscous and Ginger-Orange Sauce and Island Pork Tenderloin Salad. I started prep yesterday after going shopping. I did a lot of the work yesterday but was still up at 5am today to make sure I could deliver everything by 8:30am this morning. Starting July 9, I will be delivering meals (not less than ten on any given day) for interested staff members (of which they have 175!). It's a nice program they are offering.
And did I mention I am also trying to start a cookie business? I took the first steps toward getting the recipes analyzed and ready to be sold. This preliminary step will take at least a month, maybe two. Wish me luck!
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