Monthly Flavors for August – Light it Up!
August is here, and it is HOT! Here in the Bay Area we are dealing with heat waves, and I am about ready to melt.
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August is here, and it is HOT! Here in the Bay Area we are dealing with heat waves, and I am about ready to melt. So of course, this is also the season when everyone wants to be outside! A backyard barbeque is quintessential summer. Enjoy family and friends, eat great food, drink some refreshing beverages – hard to argue with, really!
So, I think it makes perfect sense to use that as this month’s theme, right? Barbeque! Doesn’t it translate so easily into chocolate? No? Well, you are right, this is a bit of a weird month. I wanted to experiment and play a little more, so I hope you enjoy my renditions of barbeque food into ganaches and caramels as much as I had fun coming up with the recipes!
Barbeque Sauce Caramel
I always think one of the best parts of barbeque is the sauce. My dad is from Alabama, where barbeque sauce is vinegar-based. While I do think it is delicious cutting through fatty pork, I was looking for a different style to turn into a caramel. So, of course, I decided on Kansas City style! Sweeter than other bbq sauces, this made so much sense to me. The molasses combines so well with the dark caramel, and the aromatics are definitely present without being too overwhelming. This is sure to be a surprising bite, but I certainly think it is worth having another.
Buttered Corn White Chocolate Ganache
Corn is one of the best vegetables of the summer. Sweet, fun and messy to eat, and incredibly versatile. I personally love grilled corn on the cob – the char works so well with the sweet, and then slathered in salted butter it is irresistible. As you enjoy this chocolate, the corn flavor will really develop, so take it slowly. The saltiness of the butter is upfront, then the sweetness of the corn and chocolate, and you are left with the herbal grassiness of corn.
Paprika, Dill, and Fennel White Chocolate Ganache
Potato salad is definitely an odd inspiration for chocolate, but I really wanted to showcase the popular side dish. Potatoes are basically a flavor sponge, so the difference between a great potato salad and a not so great one is the spicing. By infusing the cream with dill, paprika, and fennel seed, I think the homage to potato salad is sound. I did also add instant potato flakes for some added creaminess and authenticity.
Lemon White Chocolate and Black Tea Dark Chocolate Ganache
Arnold Palmers have long been a favorite drink of mine. The balance of sweet, tart, and bitter is so refreshing. I made sure the lemon ganache was very citrusy and acidic, and the black tea ganache is heavily infused. I think it all comes through quite nicely!
Cream Cheese White Chocolate Ganache, Pecan Gianduja, and Carrot Milk Chocolate Ganache
I will be honest, this one is mostly a selfish move on my part. I absolutely adore carrot cake. I think it is a classic for a reason, and overlooked far too often. Getting the cream cheese ganache just right was tricky, but I think you get the creaminess and the tang quite well. The pecan gianduja adds a layer of crunch and caramel notes. I dehydrated carrots for the milk chocolate ganache to really intensify the flavor. This also has the added benefit of adding a little chewiness ad the powder rehydrates in the ganache!
Cherry Caramel with Spelt Crumble
Cherry cobbler is one of the most summery desserts I can think of. Stone fruit in general is one of my all time favorite parts of the summer, and I think cherries in particular lend themselves so well to baking. The cherry caramel keeps a light tanginess from the red cherries I pureed, and the caramel adds that cooked depth I wanted. The crumble is a little nutty from almond flour and spelt flour, and adds a great texture that really reminds me of cobbler!
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Chocolate chips cookies are just so intrinsically American. I feel like they belong on the table for pretty much any event – barbeques, fundraisers, Friday night, you name it! So this is very simply my favorite way of making the classic cookie. The brown butter adds depth of flavor and light nuttiness, the dark chocolate chunks offset the sweetness in the dough. Simple, and simply delicious.
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Rice Crispy treats are probably one of the first “baked goods” a lot of American kids learn. Growing up with a French mom this certainly does not apply to me, and I think the first time I made them was probably for the first hotel I worked for. I am not a big fan, since I think marshmallows don’t actually give much flavor and the cereal base is bland too. So, here I browned the butter for a light nuttiness and added pretzels, chocolate, and salt. Now these easy treats are turned into something damn addictive!
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August is here, and it is HOT! Here in the Bay Area we are dealing with heat waves, and I am about ready to melt.