4 Best Whimisical Hors d'oeuvres: Thai Pumpkin Wonton Cups

This is the last in the series of 4 hors d'oeuvres put together for the new decade.  This one may not have eyes, but I think it still qualifies as whimsical.  The colors are oh-so-pretty, and these are fairly simple to make ahead and reheat for guests just before spooning on the fresh onion salsa!

What you need...

For the filling
1 can pumpkin puree
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

For the salsa topping
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 bunch cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
5 red chilies
1 lime, juiced and zested
Salt and pepper to taste

For the cups
1 package round wonton or dumpling wrappers
Sesame oil for brushing

Special equipment: pastry brush, mini cupcake tin

What to do with it all...
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
 
Combine your salsa ingredients and set aside 

Brush one side of each wonton wrapper, and then place into a mini cupcake well, oiled side down

Combine all of your filling ingredients and spoon into each wonton (enough to reach the brim of the pan)

Bake for approx 15 mins or until wontons are golden

Remove from oven and spoon a little salsa into each cup

Done!

Thanks for following the whimsical hors d'oeuvres series.  Here's a look at the previous 3!

Olive penguins and mozzarella snowmen

Tomato bisque shots and mini grilled cheese

Olive oil blinis and fried quail eggs (mini pancakes and eggs)

The best whimsical hors d'oeuvres - Mini pancakes and eggs {Olive oil blinis with quail eggs}

Here's the 3rd in my January series of whimsical hors d'oeuvres: the mini pancakes and eggs!  The idea came from the cartons of quail eggs I continually pass in the Vietnamese markets near my house.  They're one of those things you just need the right excuse to buy... and here it is!

In Chicago, Chinatown and Little Vietnam are great places to find fresh quail eggs.  You can also sometimes find them at gourmet, specialty or various Asian grocery stores.  There's not a huge flavor difference, in my opinion, between quail and chicken eggs - perhaps a bit gamier, but nothing off-putting to be sure.  The yolks are plump and rich, the whites fry up nicely.  I'd say the biggest thing to be aware of is that the membranes on the eggs are usually pretty thick.  Couple that with their tiny size and cracking them are a little bit more of a challenge... though I have freakishly doll-sized hands so it's not really so much of an issue for me!

Gaaaah!  Mini hands!!!
 

Recipe: Mini pancakes and eggs {OR} Olive oil blinis with quail eggs

What you need to get...

For the blinis (makes approx 12):
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
Butter for frying

6 fresh quail eggs

Optional toppings: caramelized onions, bacon crumbles, fresh salsa, fresh dill, creme frache


What to do with it all...


Heat your griddle or non-stick pan on medium heat
Combine the blini ingredients (except the butter) and mix until blended
Melt enough butter to just coat your frying surface
Pour about 2 tablespoons of batter onto your cooking surface for each blini
Cook on each side for about 1 minute on each side, or until golden
Set aside in a stack and keep in a warm place, such as unheated oven
Add a little more butter to fry your eggs, cracking each individually
Fry for about 3 minutes, or until whites are set
To serve: Stack 2 blinis on individuals plates, top with one fried quail egg, accompany with one or more toppings on the side (optional)

Makes 6 pieces

Reinventing the Lamington cake: LAMBington cake "pops"... PART TWO!

Finally after much smoke and messy chocolate, the LAMBingtons photos & recipe is here!

Introducing...

Mortimer - the Traditionalist:

Clementine - The Sweet One:

Hubert - The... One That Got a Little Too Close to the Photo Lights and Got Melty:

As I mentioned yesterday, I had a little fire while taking pictures of these little guys, so I had to delay my REAL post until now.  So here they are, and if I must say so myself, they are rather adorable!  Thanks to Mr. P for creating a brilliant challenge over at Delicious Delicious Delicious.  He asked everyone to reinvent the lamington cake - the famous Australian dessert.  I thought, well, Australia has lots of lambs, right?  And "lamington" sure is close to LAMB...ington... soooooo....

I decided to model these little babies after the one and only Bakerella basic recipe for cake pops.  Those adorable, one-of-a-kind masterpieces that you don't even have to like cake to enjoy looking at for hours.  After making these, I searched her site and found that she even had some little sheep pops already!  They're very different from my guys, but I have a feeling if you put them all together in a room with some cocktails, they'd get along really well.  Obviously my sheep are not actually "pops" as they have legs... made out of plain Pocky sticks!  But the cake ball recipe is Bakerella's.  It was Jason's idea to add the chocolate eyes, by the way, and I'm so glad.  I really think they make these little guys.  He's brilliant!

Have you ever been the black sheep in the family?  This guy knows your pain!

So without further ado, here's my version of the lamington cake... I'm probably going to come back to this post to add more instructional photos and some better lit lamb photos once my new light arrives - yes, did I tell you?  I bought a new light to replace my burned light box.  It is, incidentally, the same one Bakerella uses *proud smile*.  Until then, I'll be feeling a little *ahem* SHEEPish about my sadly lit photos...

Recipe: The LAMBington Cake

What you need to get...

1 box of lemon or vanilla cake mix (plus ingredients on the back of the box per baking instructions)
1 can of vanilla frosting (16 oz)
1 package of white chocolate baking/melting chips (11 oz)
1 package of milk chocolate baking/melting chips (11 oz)
1 jar of good jam or preserves (I used quince)
1 bar of milk chocolate, shaved (you can use chocolate sprinkles instead)
1 cup shredded/dessicated coconut
1 box of plain Pocky - such as "Rost" variety OR small unsalted thin pretzel sticks
1 tablespoon Garam Masala (optional)
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup blanched/skinless almonds

Special equipment: 13 x 9 cake pan, large bowl, wax paper, a toothpick

What to do with it all...

• For the cake oval bodies, bake your box cake according to directions for a 13 x 9 cake, adding the tablespoon of Garam Masala if desired  (also see Bakerella basic recipe)
• Allow cake to cool and crumble into a large bowl, and add your vanilla frosting by large spoonfuls and combine by hand until you achieve a consistency sort of like meatloaf - easy to form ovals
• Using a walnut-sized amount of cake mixture, form an oval shape, then cut the oval in half lengthwise and spread a small amount of jam in between - reassemble like a sandwich and reshape to an oval
  
• Cut the ends off of Pocky sticks in one-inch pieces (you want the end pieces as they will form the feet), OR if you are using thin pretzel sticks, cut them in half
• Melt your white and milk chocolate chips in small bowls according to package directions
• Dip your cut ends of the Pocky or pretzle sticks into the chocolate (some in milk, some in white as you wish the final colors of the lambs to be), just a scant centimeter or so and then stick into your oval, repeat 3 x until you have "legs" (the chocolate acts as a glue of sorts) - make sure your legs are at even lengths so that when you set them down later, they'll stand properly
• Place your lambs on their "backs" on a plate or small tray under a piece of wax paper and place into the freezer for at least 10 minutes
• During this time you can arrange your "wooling" station by spreading shredded coconut on one plate, chocolate shavings or sprinkles on another, and rewarming your milk and white chocolate for dipping
• Remove lambs from freezer and carefully dip one by one into the chocolate color to match the legs - make sure to cover the sides and front & tail
• Quickly move your dipped lamb from the chocolate to the coconut or shavings and coat - chocolate dries quickly!
• Now re-dip just one end slightly in chocolate to act as glue to attach your almond face - attach the almond with the pointed end so you have a rounded face
• To make eyes you can either just dab on milk chocolate with the toothpick, or attach small bits of solid chocolate that you've rolled between your fingers just a little to soften and make round and attach that using the melted chocolate and the toothpick

That's it!  The LAMBington!