Tuesdays with Dorie BWD: French Riviera Lemon Tart
April 12, 2022 at 7:31 am | Posted in BWD, groups, pies & tarts, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 9 CommentsTags: baking, tart
Ah the French Riviera…can’t say that I’ve been, but I imagine it to be a place of casual elegance, oversized sunglasses, floppy hats and endless sunshine. It’s no wonder Dorie calls this fabulously sunny beauty her French Riviera Lemon Tart, and it does come to us by way of her friend in Nice. It’s a dessert that’s put together so quickly that she calls it a “magic trick.” You can make it and not even break a sweat…save that for the beach, and then cool off with a glass of rosé (with ice, if you like).
I don’t know if Meyer lemons are a thing in the French Riviera, but they were a thing in my fridge. I bought a couple of them over a month ago…they seemed “too good to use” for my normal lemon needs, and just sat there neglected. (Why do I do that?) I decided that this was their time to shine– their invitation to Cannes! Many lemon tarts are popped in the oven to set the filling, but not this one. Here, with the help of a tiny bit of cornstarch, a quick curd enriched with butter and olive oil goes into a fully baked press-in shell (I chose to strain mine first to make it completely smooth), and is then simply refrigerated until set. It’s cool, creamy, delicate and light, but still slices nicely. This tart is effortlessly chic, and if you’re not trying to play it low-key, leave it as-is, but if George Clooney is stopping by and you are looking for something more high-glamour, add freshly whipped cream and raspberries.
If you don’t have the book Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple by Dorie Greenspan yet, get it and join us as we bake through it every second and fourth Tuesdays! Don’t forget to check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll and all the other participation deets over on Tuesdays with Dorie!
Everyday Dorie: Double-Stuffed Deviled Eggs with Crab
April 8, 2022 at 5:04 pm | Posted in cook the book fridays, everyday dorie, groups, other savory, savory things, snacks | 4 CommentsTags: eggs, everyday dorie, savory
Double-Stuffed Deviled Eggs with Crab…oh, how fancy! I’m a fan of deviled eggs and sometimes get them as bar-type snacks out, but rarely do I make them myself. This is a luxe version, with a crab salad filling hiding under a more traditional seasoned mayo-whipped yolk mix.
The dude here and I could probably take down a whole dozen of these, but that doesn’t sound so health-conscious, so I just made one whole egg for each of us. To tell the truth, I measured nothing in either filling mixture. I mean, for two eggs’ worth, it seemed easy enough to eyeball it. Dorie says to adjust for taste anyway, so I just did it to taste to begin with. (I added a squirt of lemon juice to the yolk mix, btw.)
The crab salad has a surprise addition of apple bits. I was going to skip that, but I did have a green goldrush apple in the fridge, so I went all-in and even added some slices to garnish my egg-shaped plate. Tail feathers, if you will. These are delightful. Crab, to me, is the superior crustacean– tastier than lobster– and I did pay dearly for a small pot of picked lump meat. It’s fine, and I used just a bit of it here, so I can probably make two other crabby recipes out of what’s left, but if I were having people over for champagne, oysters, potato chips and deviled eggs (my dream party), I’d probably try to show off the crab salad as the top layer.
For the recipe, see Everyday Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, and head over to Cook the Book Fridays to see what we all thought.
Tuesdays with Dorie DC: Espresso Chocolate Sablés
April 5, 2022 at 4:05 pm | Posted in cookies & bars, DC, groups, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 6 CommentsTags: baking, cookies
I feel like I may be over-using this metal cookie tin is as a prop, but it’s a real-like look into what I’m keeping around for sweet snacks…lift off the lid right now, and you’ll see Espresso Chocolate Sablés. Dorie’s sablés are always winners, and when they’re flavored with my two favorite things (espresso and chopped chocolate), I wonder why we’ve waited so long to make them! Well, they are pretty similar to the Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies from BFMHTY, but heck, that post was in 2010.
These make me think of the McDonald’s chocolaty chip cookies that came in a little box and were such a treat when I was a kid. Today, those probably wouldn’t actually taste anything like they do in my memory, but I can’t check that because it seems they don’t even sell them anymore. I am totally dating myself with rosy memories of fast food cookies from the ’80s, but the point is that I really liked these sablés, and they should pop up in the tin on the regular.
For the recipe, see Dorie’s Cookies by Dorie Greenspan. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll!
TWD BWD Rewind: Swirled, Spiced Sour Cream Bundt Cake
March 30, 2022 at 2:40 pm | Posted in bundt cakes, BWD, cakes & tortes, groups, simple cakes, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 4 CommentsTags: baking, bundt, cake
Few things delight me more than a Bundt cake, and few things excite me more than cutting into a swirled or marbled cake and seeing how things played out in the oven. This Swirled, Spiced Sour Cream Bundt had all my neurons sparking. It features a sturdy but moist sour cream cake with fudgy ripples of spices, nuts and chocolate. I added a little powdered espresso to the swirl sprinkle, and to the thick glaze I topped the cake with. As I lifted out the first couple of slices, I was pleased to see that the swirl had behaved itself. This was great as a dessert cake and as a coffee cake.
For the recipe, see Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple by Dorie Greenspan. Don’t forget to check the TWD Blogroll!
Everyday Dorie: Chicken and Beer Stew
March 25, 2022 at 5:27 pm | Posted in cook the book fridays, everyday dorie, groups, other savory, savory things, soups | 4 CommentsTags: everyday dorie, savory, stew
This Chicken and Beer Stew is really supposed to be Beef and Beer Stew, but as I don’t eat read meat, I made some mods so I could try it, too. I actually nominated it for this month, thinking it would be good for St. Paddy’s day, when really it’s based on a Flemish carbonnade. I’m all over the place.
I swapped boneless, skinless chicken thighs, turkey bacon and chicken stock for the other meaty stuff, but followed all the flavorings (spices, mustard, a bit of brown sugar, dark Belgian ale, etc) and flavor-building steps (browning the meat, caramelizing the onions forever, etc) Dorie had listed. I did not, however do the multi-hour oven braise for my dish, because I knew the chicken thighs didn’t need that. I just kept everything on the stove-top for cooking. Following Dorie’s “chockful of vegetables” suggestion, I added in some carrot and baby potato chunks, and let everything low-bubble braise on the stove for 30-45 mins. When the saucy stuff was reduced a bit and everything else was tender and stewed, I called it done. Well, almost. My stew was kind of pale in comparison to the dark color of a beef one. I stirred in a dash of super-dark mushroom soy sauce, my secret ingredient for boosting color and umami when I am doing red to white meat replacements.
The weather is always up and down here in March, but the past several days have been chilly, so it was a nice cozy dinner for last night. I didn’t bother to cook noodles as Dorie suggests, since I had those potatoes in my stew. I like the little bit of sweetness the dish has, but I did save adding the splash of cider vinegar to the pot until after it was off the heat, so it would cut that and brighten the flavors up a bit. I’m looking forward to round two tonight, as stuff like this usually gets better the next day.
For the recipe, see Everyday Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, and head over to Cook the Book Fridays to see how the group liked this one.
Everyday Dorie: Carrot-and-Mustard Rillettes
March 25, 2022 at 2:46 am | Posted in condiments, cook the book fridays, everyday dorie, groups, other savory, salads, savory things, veggies | 6 CommentsTags: everyday dorie, salad, savory
Carrot-and-Mustard Rillettes…hmmm…one of the stranger “things on toast” I’ve made. Rillettes are shredded meat confit, but there’s no meat to be found here. Instead we have toasted bread, spread with a Dijonnaise-type mix and topped with steamed carrots and Comté cheese cubes that have been tossed in more even mustard and some spices.
Strange, but good, and with just enough pungent mustardy heat to make you pay attention when you take a bite. I used some homemade sourdough and drizzled the assembled toasts with the good olive oil and then put on a floof of micro greens. A little, messy, but it was a nice change-up from the kale salads I make for lunch several times a week. Carrot toast may become a repeat thing around here.
For the recipe, see Everyday Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, and head over to Cook the Book Fridays to see what we all thought.
Tuesdays with Dorie DC: Leckerli
March 15, 2022 at 5:22 pm | Posted in cookies & bars, DC, groups, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 3 CommentsTags: baking, cookies
One of the many things I’ve liked about baking from Dorie’s Cookies is finding out about cookies from far off places. I haven’t gone anywhere in ages, but I can still explore the sweets of the world. Here, we have Leckerli, a spice cookie from Switzerland. With plenty of mixed spice, candied orange peel, honey, almonds and kirsch, the dough is made, rolled into a slab and rested for up to two days before baking to “age” the flavors. Then it’s baked, glazed (more kirsch!) and cut into tiles. They might look like firm, crisp cookies, but they are actually dense and chewy, and while they do have those holiday vibes, I’d be happy to have them in the cookie tin anytime of year.
For the recipe, see Dorie’s Cookies by Dorie Greenspan. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll!
Tuesdays with Dorie BWD: Glenorchy Flapjacks
March 8, 2022 at 6:14 pm | Posted in BWD, cookies & bars, groups, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 7 CommentsTags: baking, cookies
Turns out I like flapjacks of all kinds, whether we’re talking pancakes or these Glenorchy Flapjacks. This style of flapjack is a traditional British treat (although Dorie actually picked up this recipe while traveling in NZ). It’s a lot like a chewy granola bar, with oats, dried fruit, coconut, seeds and plenty of candied ginger, all bound together in a sticky mix. I really liked the zingy pops of ginger in here. These are yummy, sturdy squares that would be great to pack up for school or for an outdoor adventure. They were also great to snack on at home, so mine didn’t even make it out the door.
If you don’t have the book Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple by Dorie Greenspan yet, get it and join us as we bake through it every second and fourth Tuesdays! Don’t forget to check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll and all the other participation deets over on Tuesdays with Dorie!
Tuesdays with Dorie DC: Cocoa-Cayenne Cookies
March 1, 2022 at 12:01 am | Posted in cookies & bars, DC, groups, savory things, snacks, tuesdays with dorie | 7 CommentsTags: baking, cookies, savory, snacks
We find ourselves today in the Cocktail Cookies section of the book. We only have one savory cookie left after this! Dorie created these Cocoa-Cayenne Cookies to go with red wine. They are barely sweet, have a bit of a kick and a very tender crumb. I think I rolled mine a tad too thin, as a couple of them crumbled to bits when I moved them around. That’s our secret because I ate the bits. It’s almost a mind trick to bite into one of these cookies and get the spice of chili powder and the bitterness of cocoa, rather than the chocolatey sweetness you’d expect by looking at them. They do, in fact, go well with red wine, so maybe the real trick is to just pour another glass.
For the recipe, see Dorie’s Cookies by Dorie Greenspan (it’s also here). Don’t forget to check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll and please join us anytime!
Tuesdays with Dorie BWD: Two-Bite Cinnamon Puffs
February 22, 2022 at 9:47 am | Posted in BWD, general pastry, groups, other sweet, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 5 CommentsTags: baking, choux
I think choux pastries are some of the most fun, from the cooking of the dough itself to the excitement of seeing how it sprouts and poofs in the oven, they are a delight to make and eat. Dorie’s One-Bite Cinnamon Puffs are cinnamon-spiced chouquettes, French sweet snacks that are pearl-sugared cream puffs without the cream. The recipe makes 100 little popable babies– a bit too much for the two of us here, even though we are pretty hard-core snackers. I cut the recipe back to just 1/4 and made her Two-Bite Cinnamon Puffs variation. Since it was such a small amount of batter, I just mixed it by hand right in the pot I used to heat the liquid. I also started my oven at 400˚ and turned it down to 350˚ at the half-way point. I figured the larger sized puffs could take that extra-hot steam boost without getting torched (not sure about the tiny ones, though). This gave me eleven chouquettes that were a nice coffee nibble. And, if you want to experiment, the two-biters also had enough room inside to squirt a little canned whipped cream or to hold a small scoop of ice cream.
If you don’t have the book Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple by Dorie Greenspan yet, get it and join us as we bake through it every second and fourth Tuesdays! Don’t forget to check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll and all the other participation deets over on Tuesdays with Dorie!
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