There are always loads of recipes I'd like to try but lose them before I do. This is where I can record recipes I find interesting and keep notes on my experiments with them.

I have a system that I've adopted for working through recipes:

1 - New recipes are saved to the Experimental Mouffette and is labeled : Untested
2 - As I'm working out the changes I'd like to make (if any) it is labeled : Testing
3 - Once I think I've got the correct formula it is labeled : Test 1
4 - IF I am able to reproduce the effect a second time it is labeled : Test 2 - if I am not able to reproduce the effect, it remains Test 1
5 - The same process as step 4 is used to graduate it to Test 3
6 - Once I have been able to reproduce the effect successfully 3 times, it graduates to my main blog, La Mouffette Gourmande

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Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Cambozola, mushroom and sage pasta - Untested


3 servings

2 cups dry rotini
6-7 fresh whole sage leaves
6-7 large button mushrooms, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, spliced thin
2/3 cup heavy cream
100 g cambozola cheese, cut into small cubes
Drop the pasta into a pot of boiling salted water.
Add a couple of tablespoons butter to a large pan on medium-high heat. Once melted, lay in the sage and let fry a couple of minutes until the sage leaves turn deep green and become crispy. Remove them to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
Add the mushrooms to the pan. Fry for about 5 minutes until they begin to brown, then toss in the garlic. Continue frying for 1 minute until fragrant.
Lower the pan temperature to low and add the cream. Drop in the cheese, a few cubes at a time, stirring them into the sauce until they melt. Once all the cheese has been added, let simmer for 2 or 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and add seasoning as required.
Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan and toss until well-coated with sauce. If you want a looser sauce (because it will thicken as it cools), add a splash of the pasta cooking water. Serve garnished with the sage leaves.

Saturday, January 4, 2025

Cambozola Pasta - Testing


I'm Frankensteining two recipes, one of my own with a very similar one for a stovetop mac and cheese using Cambozola cheese. Would it make sense to have an option of popping it in the oven with a topping of breadcrumbs? The instructions have been combined but the ingredients list has not, my ingredients first, the Frankensteined recipe second.
1 - Ok, this was pretty good! I didn't have any greens to add so I'm keeping this in the testing phase. It is very, very rich, so I'm changing the portion size from 2 servings to 4 servings. I didn't add the greens (because it was raining and got dark before I made it and I didn't wanna). 
2 - I added the greens and increased the pasta by 4 oz. The former was a nice but not necessary addition, and the latter reduced the goo by too much.

Servings: 4
2 Tbsps (1oz/28gr) butter 
2 cloves garlic (8gr), minced 
1 cup mild broth such as chicken 
2 1/2 cups milk, or more, as needed 
2 cups (8 oz/200g) uncooked chunky pasta such as penne 
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 oz (28g) Parmesan cheese, grated, + 1 oz (28g) for garnishing 
170 g (6 oz) blue brie (cambozola), or a mix of brie and blue cheese, roughly chopped
2 handfuls fresh baby spinach or chard with the ribs removed
2 Tbsps. fresh parsley leaves, chopped 
  1. Have your broth (or milk, not sure which I'll choose) at the ready to stop the browning of the garlic.
  2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Just as the butter melts, put in the garlic. This next part is really quick, just a minute or so. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just starting to lightly brown.
  3. Immediately stir in the broth, milk and pasta (OR just milk and pasta, depending on what I choose). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  4. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the pasta is cooked through, about 18 to 20 minutes. You may need to add more milk depending on how thick your macaroni is.
  5. Stir in the Cambozola. 
  6. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed until the desired consistency is obtained.
  7. Finally, add the spinach or chard and stir in until just wilted. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.
  8. OPTION: To make a gratin, melt 2 Tbsps. of butter in a hot pan and mix in ¾ cups (75g) panko breadcrumbs, stirring until evenly combined, and sprinkle on top of the pasta. Set the oven to Broil and broil until breadcrumbs start to brown.

Scarpaccia - Untested


80g flour
30g + 30g parmesan
1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
Pinch of salt
180g water
280g red cabbage, finely sliced
1 red onion, sliced
15g fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Serving Suggestion:
Crumbled feta, fresh herbs and lemon zest on top
  1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and the first measure of parmesan, the salt and the parsley. Crack in the eggs and whisk the egg and water until perfectly combined.  
  2. In a separate bowl toss together the cabbage, onion and fresh basil with the olive oil. 
  3. Mix the flour and veg mix together and toss thoroughly.
  4. Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle the second measure of parmesan evenly over the surface.
  5. Bake in a 400F oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
  6. Serving suggestion of crumbled feta, grated lemon rind and more herbs recommended.

Sunday, December 8, 2024

Hevva Cake - Untested


"Hevva cake, often called heavy cake, isn't heavy at all. It isn't a scone or a shortbread but it is both scone & shortbread adjacent. One constant about the cake is the diagonal scoring on top that symbolizes the fisherman's net."

350g flour
2 tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
150g room temp butter
100g sugar
250g dried fruit
4sp mixed spice (optional)
100ml milk
  1. Heat oven to 325°F. 
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt. 
  3. Rub in butter. 
  4. Stir in sugar, dried fruit, and mixed spice (optional).
  5. Add milk. Bring together into a sticky dough. Add more milk if needed. 
  6. Press into a brownie pan. Score the top with diagonal lines. 
  7. Bake for 35 minutes. 
  8. Sprinkle with sugar. Enjoy.

Daffodil Cake - Untested

Daffodil Cake

The light, airy texture of this cake depends on a properly beaten meringue. A mile high meringue is easily achievable with one easy step. Simply wipe your mixing bowl and beaters with a paper towel moistened with white vinegar before beating the egg whites. This will ensure that your bowl and beaters are free of any traces of fat. Fat residue jeopardizes your ability to whip the egg whites into a meringue with stiff, glossy peaks. You can read all about it in The Secret to Making Meringue.

6 large eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup All-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons warm water
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup All-purpose flour
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
  2. Separate all six eggs, placing the egg whites in a large bowl that has been wiped clean with a paper towel moistened with white vinegar. Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Add the salt to the egg whites and beat at medium-high speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat at high speed, adding the ¾ cup sugar a few Tablespoons at a time until the mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks. Set the meringue aside as you prepare the egg yolk mixture.
  4. Add the warm water to the egg yolks and mix on medium speed using a whisk or mixer. Add ½ cup sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, and flour. Mix until the batter is completely smooth.
  5. Using a spatula, gently move a portion of the meringue away from the side of its mixing bowl.
  6. Add the vanilla and ½ cup flour to the space created by moving the meringue. This step prevents the weight of the flour from deflating the airy meringue. Using the spatula, gently fold the meringue until the flour and vanilla extract are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
  7. Transfer two thirds of the meringue mixture to an ungreased angel food cake pan, spreading lightly if necessary to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the egg yolk mixture to the pan. There is no need to spread the yolk mixture or completely cover the meringue. Add the remaining meringue to the pan. Using a skewer or toothpick, lightly swirl the two batters by moving in a random pattern around the pan.
  8. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. When fully baked, a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with crumbs attached. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cake to cool.
  9. Once cool, run a sharp knife or small metal offset spatula around the outside of the pan to loosen the cake. Invert the cool cake onto a plate. Slice the cake into slices and serve plain or dressed with fresh berries and whipped cream.
Notes
To prevent batter from falling into the center tube as you are transferring the batter to the pan, place an overturned cupcake wrapper over the tube. Fill the pan, remove the wrapper, and bake as directed without letting any of the batter go to waste.

Lemon & Nettle Cake - Untested

Lemon cake link
(makes one 2lb loaf)

100g nettle (pick the top four to six leaves of the plant, they’re the most tender)
175g butter
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
Pinch of salt
225g plain flour
85g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
Zest of x2 lemons
Juice of x1 lemon
50ml milk

For the icing & decoration:

A couple of small blanched & dried nettle sprigs
1 egg white
50g caster sugar
A few dried lemon slices
Juice of half a lemon
150 – 250g icing sugar
  1. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment
  2. Begin by blanching the nettle, bring a large saucepan filled with water to the boil & using gloves, add the nettles to pan & boil to 5 minutes
  3. After 5 minutes, remove from the heat & rain the nettle before setting aside to cool
  4. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze any excess water from the nettles
  5. Take half of the nettles & roughly chop them before setting aside for later
  6. With the remaining half of nettle, either place into the bowl of a food processor or use a hand blender to blits them into a vibrant green puree
  7. In a large bowl, beat together the butter & sugar until pale & fluffy
  8. Next, add the eggs to the bowl one at a time, beating with each addition
  9. Sieve the flour, ground almonds, baking powder & salt into the bowl & mix until just combined
  10. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, pureed nettle & milk to the bowl & mix everything together until the batter turns a vibrant green colour & everything is well combined
  11. Finally, add the reserved chopped nettle & fold this through the batter until evenly distributed
  12. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven at 180C for 50 minutes – 1 hour, until the centre springs back when pressed lightly or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out cleanly when removed
  13. Leave the cake to cool in its tin for 10 minutes before removing & allowing to cool fully on a cooling rack
  14. To make the crystallised nettle, begin by laying out the nettle onto a piece of baking parchment
  15. Next, using a small brush, brush both sides of the nettle with the egg white
  16. Sprinkle over enough caster sugar to cover the nettle before carefully flipping over & repeating
  17. Set the crystallised nettle aside to dry out for a couple of hours
  18. To make the icing, simply combine the lemon juice with enough of the icing sugar to make a pourable but not too thin icing & drizzle over the cake
  19. Place the decorations on top of the lemon & nettle cake whilst the icing is still wet