Tuesdays with Dorie BWD: Mocacchino Muffins
May 31, 2022 at 1:47 pm | Posted in breakfast things, DC, groups, muffins/quick breads, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 4 CommentsTags: baking, muffins
My Tuesdays with Dorie seems to have turned into Whenever with Dorie. I guess any day is really a good day with Dorie, so even though I made these Mochaccino Muffins a month ago, I’m happy to be thinking about them again right now. Fortified with ground coffee and coffee extract, if your cup of joe alone isn’t cutting it, give yourself an extra boost with one of these. I actually used instant coffee granules instead of ground coffee, even though Dorie says not to…I just dissolved it into the milk. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m not sure that unsteeped ground coffee really packs much of a punch. The chocolate bits were a nice touch, and I added a little bit extra on top.
I had a friend who made these a couple of months ago warn me that her muffins were really dry. I don’t know if that was just a fluke, but I kept that in mind when I mixed my batter. It seemed so light and cake-like (some muffin batters are quite thick), that I decided backing the heat down to 375F might not be a bad idea. They came out nice and soft, and I really liked them a bit warm, despite Dorie’s recommendation that they be eaten at room temp.
For the recipe, see Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple by Dorie Greenspan. Don’t forget to check the TWD Blogroll!
Tuesdays with Dorie DC: Macarons
May 31, 2022 at 11:46 am | Posted in cookies & bars, DC, groups, savory things, snacks, tuesdays with dorie | 4 CommentsTags: baking, cookies, macaron
I did make Dorie’s Parisian-style Macarons a couple of years ago when we went through Baking Chez Moi, and here they are again…the same, but different. The recipe in both books is the same, but there was something I wanted to tweak after making them that other time. I rarely bake macarons anymore, but after piping out tray after tray in restaurants for many years, I was annoyed that my last batch didn’t have nicer feet. Mardi, who has also made macs by the zillions, and I noticed the baking temperature of 350F is hotter than we are used to. This time I used about 300F, and while they took an extra couple of minutes, they came out pretty spot-on. They baked up in nice, even rounds, and I think I may have a foot fetish because I can’t stop admiring them. I filled these babys with a chocolate-peanut butter ganache that I already had in the fridge (I actually made it to use as ice cream sauce).
For the recipe, see Dorie’s Cookies by Dorie Greenspan. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll!
Everyday Dorie: Soy-Sauce Eggs and Sticky Rice
May 27, 2022 at 6:20 pm | Posted in cook the book fridays, everyday dorie, groups, other savory, savory things, snacks | 3 CommentsTags: dip, everyday dorie, savory
I think the Soy-Sauce Eggs and Sticky Rice recipe has been nominated for CTBF a few times, but it didn’t survive the final group vote until now. I can understand that a cured egg yolk may not be everyone’s bag, but I thought it sounded like a pretty intriguing technique. I made a special egg-gathering trip to the big greenmarket in Union Square, just to get the freshest I could. The yolks then pickle (I went overnight) in a bath of soy and mirin. Each yolk turns out perfectly seasoned and jammy inside (that color!!), and when stirred through hot sushi rice, coats the grains in a most luxurious way.
Before even reading Dorie’s headnote description of the dish, I looked at the photo and thought, “That’s drinking food,” and cooked up some maitake mushrooms and greens to go with. Turns out, while it’s great with a cold beer for lunch or late-night, I can see it being a good breakfast, too, and apparently even kids love it!
For the recipe, see Everyday Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, and head over to Cook the Book Fridays to see what we all thought.
Everyday Dorie: Black Bean-Chipotle Dip
May 12, 2022 at 7:36 pm | Posted in cook the book fridays, everyday dorie, groups, other savory, savory things, snacks | 2 CommentsTags: dip, everyday dorie, savory
Guac is my usual tortilla chip dip, but I’m game to switch up taco night botanas with something as tasty as this Black Bean-Chipotle Dip. This couldn’t be easier…just whiz up a can of black beans with some seasonings and there you have it. I wouldn’t skip the lime and cilantro, but I used taco seasoning in place of cumin, scallion instead of red onion and red Fresno pepper in lieu of green jalapeño. I did use the ground chipotle, but why not sub in a canned chipotle in adobo or another type of ground chile powder instead? You can play around with what you have and what you like. You can also use leftovers as a spread for burritos or breakfast tacos, or even leave this chunkier and more salsa-like than I did…lots of possibilities, so you bet I’ll make this more often.
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: Chocolate-Olive Cookies
May 3, 2022 at 12:01 am | Posted in cookies & bars, DC, groups, savory things, snacks, tuesdays with dorie | 4 CommentsTags: baking, cookies, savory, snacks
Chocolate-Olive Cookies…I know what you’re thinking. Sounds strange, right? I think so, too, and having made them, I can confirm that is indeed the case. A barely sweet cocoa shortbread-style cookie with chopped cured black olive bits mixed through, this is the last “cocktail cookie” recipe we had left to tick off the list. You get the bitterness from the cocoa and a salty funkiness from the olives, and while they weren’t bad alongside the red wine Dorie recommends to go with, I don’t think I’ll make them again.
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: Cottage Cheese Biscuits
April 26, 2022 at 1:04 pm | Posted in biscuits/scones, breakfast things, BWD, groups, other savory, savory things, snacks, tuesdays with dorie | 6 CommentsTags: baking, savory
I’m not the most competent biscuit maker, but thankfully these Cottage Cheese Biscuits were easy to get together and baked off pretty nicely. Would I have really known the dough had cottage cheese in it if I hadn’t been the one to squish it in there? Probably not, but the biscuits had a nice tender crumb, so I think it did something behind the scenes. I made half a recipe and cut four square biscuits so I wouldn’t have any re-roll to deal with. I actually froze the unbaked biscuits for a few days before baking them off, since I picked up my cottage cheese container in the fridge one day and noticed it was getting to the use it or lose it point (i.e., a couple days past the date)!
When I did bake off the biscuits, I turned two of them into egg and bacon sandwiches, a suggestion Dorie threw out there and I grabbed (and tucked into little paper sleeves). The other two are still unbaked and in the freezer, but I have a feeling they’ll get the same treatment.
If you don’t have the book Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple by Dorie Greenspan, 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: Eton Mess
April 22, 2022 at 8:18 pm | Posted in everyday dorie, general pastry, groups, other sweet, pudding/mousse, sweet things | 3 CommentsTags: everyday dorie
Eton Mess is a traditional British dessert with whipped cream, strawberries and broken up meringue…it reminds me of a pavlova someone took a mallet to, but it’s beautiful it’s own messy way. Light and summery, Dorie’s version uses a strawberry-rhubarb compote and meringue with Biscoff spice cookie bits swirled through. And my version of Dorie’s version uses puréed mango, sweetened raspberries and meringue with crispy Lazzaroni amaretti cookie bits. The meringue is baked off in a sheet, which is then broken up into crumbles. I bake at home with golden sugar rather than white, so I am assuming that’s what gave my meringue it’s golden hue, as I didn’t neglect it in the oven. It was delicious with the almondy flavor from the cookies, and I was glad to have extra to nibble on. I assembled my Eton Mess parfait-style, which looked quite tidy for photos, but rest assured that as soon as the camera clicked off, I stirred it up and made a mess of it.
For the recipe, see Everyday Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, and head over to Cook the Book Fridays to see all of our messes this week.
Tuesdays with Dorie DC: Almond Crackle Cookies
April 19, 2022 at 3:01 pm | Posted in cookies & bars, DC, groups, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 2 CommentsTags: baking, cookies, nuts
Since nobody seems to mind the cookie tin, here it is again, this time filled (partially) with Almond Crackle Cookies. This recipe is an easy little three-ingredient number to stir together– just sliced almonds, sugar and some egg. Make it five ingredients and add a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla if you want to.
I used Dorie’s muffin tin baking method for these, because those who made them free-form last time reported much spreading. Baked in the tin, they kept a nice hockey puck shape. Most of them did anyway. I lost three that fused to the tin and then shot around the kitchen in an exploded mess while trying to pry them out with a baby offset. Lesson learned to grease the tins well. Slightly caramelized around the outside, these are crispy-crunchy and good! I tried sprinkles on a couple of them, but they didn’t look as cute as I thought they would.
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: 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.
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