Tuesdays with Dorie: Tarte Noire
July 6, 2010 at 1:01 am | Posted in groups, pies & tarts, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 30 Comments
A Tarte Norie is pure and simple, and all about the chocolate, so break out the good stuff! I had a déjà vu moment while making this, and then I realized that it’s the very same thing as the Chocolate-Crunched Caramel Tart we made awhile back, minus the caramel and nuts. Dark ganache inside a crisp, sweet pastry shell…I was perfectly happy to experience that again!
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read bliss: towards a delicious life. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
Simple Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce
July 3, 2010 at 3:58 pm | Posted in condiments, savory things | 6 Comments
It’s Fourth of July weekend! Long, warm days out in the yard, kids running around with sparklers, grown-ups grilling with a beer in one hand…ahhhh. Oh, wait, I don’t have a house in the country, or even a balcony, and alas, no sparklers. But I do have an oven, a six-pack and a jar of homemade barbecue sauce, so I can still do my thing…BTW, “my thing” this year is pulled chicken sandwiches.
I have been making this sauce recipe for years, and I just love it. It’s perfect for slathering on all types of meat and veg…and come Monday it will make for an amazing leftover barbecue chicken pizza! I’m fully aware that some people gag at the thought of liquid smoke…if that includes you (or if you are lucky enough to have a charcoal grill), leave it out. Another way to get good smokiness and a little heat is by replacing the liquid smoke, hot sauce and cayenne with a couple tablespoons of the sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo.
Happy Fourth, and happy grilling!
Simple Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce– makes 1 1/2 cups
adapted from Cooks Illustrated (July 2000)
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 c ketchup
2 T cider vinegar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T Dijon mustard
5 T molasses
1 t hot pepper sauce , such as Tabasco
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 1/2 t liquid smoke (optional)
2 T vegetable oil
1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 t chili powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper
-Process onion and 1/4 cup water in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until pureed and mixture resembles slush, about 30 seconds. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup, pressing on solids with rubber spatula to obtain 1/2 cup juice. Discard solids in strainer.
-Whisk onion juice, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, molasses, hot pepper sauce, black pepper, and liquid smoke (if using) in medium bowl.
-Heat oil in large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add garlic, chili powder, and cayenne pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in ketchup mixture and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, until flavors meld and sauce is thickened, about 25 minutes. Cool sauce to room temperature before using. (Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 7 days.)
Tuesdays with Dorie: Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cake
June 29, 2010 at 1:30 am | Posted in cakes & tortes, groups, simple cakes, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 28 Comments
I only have a few words to say about this cake. It has a perfect crust, a perfect crumb and it’s saturated with vanilla and rum. It is simply the best poundy-type cake I’ve baked up. I would be totally happy to devour it plain, but as luck would have it, there were poached cherries in my fridge. Big, no, huge thanks to Wendy for choosing this for TWD!
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read Pink Stripes. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
Strawberry Swirl Semifreddo
June 24, 2010 at 2:36 pm | Posted in ice creams & frozen, sweet things | 14 Comments
It’s hot, so hot, in New York…hot like The Lovin’ Spoonful’s song. I’m not much for cranking the A/C (although I’m glad it’s an option in our building)…I’d rather chill out with a big glass of ice water or something cool and creamy.
I bought a quart of strawberries from the Greenmarket the other day, only to find the ones in the bottom half of the container were kind of smooshed. I probably would’ve been annoyed, but I’ve had this Strawberry Swirl Semifreddo recipe mentally tagged ever since I saw it in Donna Hay a couple of months ago. It calls for heaps of fresh strawberry purée…a good use for smooshy berries if you ask me.
I’ve never made a semifreddo at home before. Turns out it’s the perfect way to get something like ice cream, but without an ice cream maker. It’s less dense than regular ice cream…sort of like frozen mousse…and it has a really silky mouthfeel. I made this yesterday morning, and it’s still perfectly scoopable this afternoon. That scores big points in my book, as some homemade frozen desserts turn hard as a rock overnight.
There are different ways to make semifreddo, but this one starts out with what’s almost a zabaglione that’s then folded into whipped cream and swirled with strawberry purée. The amount of purée called for in the recipe was quite a bit more than I thought could incorporate and still get nice curlicues of pink and white. I just served the rest as sauce on the side.
Strawberry Swirl Semifreddo- makes 6-8 servings
from a recipe in Donna Hay Magazine (Issue 49)
Steph’s Note: If you find that you have more puree than you can incorporate into the base and still get a nice swirl, serve the extra along side scoops of the semifreddo. Half a recipe freezes nicely in a metal loaf pan.
For the base
3 eggs
2 yolks, extra
1 t vanilla extract or seeds of 1/2 a vanilla bean
1 c caster sugar
2 c whipping creamFor the strawberry purée
750g strawberries, hulled
2 T powdered sugar
-Pre-chill a 2-quart (or 2-litre) capacity metal tin in the freezer.
-To make the puree, process the strawberries and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
-Place eggs, extra yolks, vanilla (extract or seeds) and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and, either by hand or using a hand-held electric mixer, beat for 6-8 mins or until thick and pale. Remove from heat and beat for a further 6-8 mins or until cool (you can transfer to a standing mixer instead and whip for about 4 minutes).
-Whisk the cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Gently fold cream through the egg mixture until well combined. Pour into a 2-litre capacity metal tin.
-Spoon over the strawberry purée and use a spatula to gently fold it through the cream mixture for a swirled effect. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight before serving.
Tuesdays with Dorie: Dressy Chocolate Loaf Cake
June 22, 2010 at 1:01 am | Posted in cakes & tortes, groups, layer cakes, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 27 Comments
Amy of Amy Ruth Bakes showed us that a loaf cake can be fancy, too, with her choice of Dressy Chocolate Loaf Cake for TWD. I baked this the week before I went to London…glad I did, because I packed on a couple extra (now totally unwanted) pounds on that trip, and I may have had a hard time justifying making this afterward!
Both the cake and the frosting contain a good amount of sour cream. Chocolate-sour cream frosting is on my list of “world’s tastiest stuff.” The heaviness of the cake is cut by two layers of jam sandwiched in-between. I don’t usually go nuts for fruit and chocolate combos, but I must say that this was tasty!
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read Amy Ruth Bakes. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
The Cake Slice: Shenandoah Valley Blueberry Cake
June 20, 2010 at 1:23 am | Posted in breakfast things, cakes & tortes, groups, simple cakes, sweet things, the cake slice | 13 Comments
Hey– Happy Father’s Day! Why not do something nice for pops and make him a Shenandoah Valley Blueberry Cake today?? It’s super easy, I promise. You can even make it by hand without breaking a sweat. I’d make it for my dad, but he lives clear across the county.
This cake is nothing fancy…plain, but soft and good. It reminds me of a blueberry muffin, which made it perfect for breakfast with a cup of coffee.
Here’s a printable link to the recipe. Or get your hands on a copy of Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott. I made a couple of tiny tweaks…a little spelt flour in place of some of the AP, and a bit of lemon zest for extra flavor. Cruise through the list of The Cake Slice Bakers to check out all of our blueberry cakes this month!
Chocolate Peanut Crinkles
June 14, 2010 at 11:02 am | Posted in cookies & bars, sweet things | 9 Comments
I was lucky enough to receive a gorgeous new book, The Perfect Finish: Special Desserts for Every Occasion by Bill Yosses and Melissa Clark. Bill Yosses is the Executive Pastry Chef at the White House. If the President’s Pastry Chef has something to say, I’m all ears (or eyes, as the case may be). I couldn’t wait to dive into this book. I had to start wih something chocolate, though…gosh, it’s been so long and I’ve been jonesing for it lately…Chocolate Peanut Crinkles sounded like a good place to start.
I like crinkle cookies. Not only are they chocolaty and tasty, but they are strikingly pretty and interesting-looking. Ground peanuts give this recipe a little somethin’ extra-special. And the raw dough tastes like a Mr. Goodbar…you should go discover that for yourself.
For maximum white-on-brown contrast, go heavy on the powdered sugar rolling, and do it just before you pop the cookies into the oven. Go lighter if you prefer more of a crisp sugar glaze. Bake them until they are nicely crinkled but still look moist inside the cracks, and they will be soft-centered and chewy.
P.S.: I’m in London for most of the week, and won’t be able to post TWD. I’ll catch up when I get back!
Chocolate Peanut Crinkles– makes about 3 dozen cookies
adapted from The Perfect Finish: Special Desserts for Every Occasion by Bill Yosses and Melissa Clark (reprinted with permission of WW Norton & Company)
Note: If you aren’t a peanut-eater, use another nut, like hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans or almonds.
2/3 c toasted, skinned unsalted peanuts
2 T granulated sugar
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 T Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
1 1/2 c light brown sugar
8 T unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 c whole milk
1 t pure vanilla extract
3/4 c confectioners’ sugar
-In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, finely chop the nuts with the granulated sugar. In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate.
-Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in the melted chocolate, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides before beating again. Mix in the milk and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three additions, and mix until just combined. Fold in the nuts.
-Form the dough into a ball and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 3 hours or overnight.
-When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly butter them, and set aside.
-Place the confectioners’ sugar in a wide, shallow bowl. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Coat generously with sugar and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and sugar.
-Bake the cookies, turning the sheets from back to front and swapping racks halfway through, until cracked but not completely firm, 12-15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the sheets for about 2 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer to wire racks to cool further. They may be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Tuesdays with Dorie: Tender Shortcakes
June 8, 2010 at 1:10 am | Posted in cobbler/crisp/shorties, sweet things | 33 Comments
My first job out of college was in finance. It kinda boggles my mind that I was able to get that job, and boggles it even more that I was able to stick with it for six years. Anyway, the guys who worked on the trading desk would size up and dole out nicknames to every new person who came through. Some were just goofy riffs on a person’s real name, some were looks or personality-based, some were funny and some were evil. Whether or not you liked the name you were rechristened with, you had to be prepared to answer to it because you were stuck with it for the rest of your time there. Thankfully, they liked me…my reddish hair and willingness to bring them baked goods earned me the nickname “Shortcake.” From time to time I still see some of these guys, and they still call me Shortcake.
I had been planing to my namesake dessert this summer, even before Cathy of The Tortefeasor chose these Tender Shortcakes for TWD. I had originally wanted to use a recipe that incorporated buckwheat flour, because it sounded a little interesting and I’ve had a bag of buckwheat flour in the fridge for some time now. That’s easy enough to do with any recipe though, so I simply swapped out 25% of the AP flour in Dorie’s recipe for buckwheat flour.
I was a little nervous to make these shortcakes, because they are really biscuits afterall, and my last foray into biscuitdom was a bit of a personal letdown. These turned out much better, thankfully! And true to their name, they were so tender, I had to really be careful when splitting them in half. FYI, the recipe yielded more than I expected. I halved it, thinking it would make five shortcakes based on the serving amount listed, but I really got eight. That’s fine…R and I have no problem eating extra shortcakes with strawberries and cream.
For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read The Tortefeasor. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
Almond-Rhubarb Snack Cake
June 4, 2010 at 2:03 pm | Posted in cakes & tortes, simple cakes, sweet things | 12 Comments
‘Tis the season for me to be churning out rhubarb compote by the buckful. It really turns my morning granola into something extra-special, but I’m always looking for new things to make with rhubarb, too, and this Almond-Rhubarb Snack Cake is a prime example of how nice it is in baked goods. Frankly, anything that calls itself a “snack cake” has my immediate attention. Usually snack cakes are really easy to make and stay nice and moist for a solid few days. And I love the thought of snacking on cake, even if I am really desserting on it instead.
This simple cake was just what I was hoping it would be– sweet and tart all at once. The flaked almond topping is a nice touch…it gives a good crunch, but you could certainly skip it if you’d rather forgo the extra sugar. Be sure to cut the rhubarb into the nice, thin slices recommended. It cooks quickly and evenly that way, and gives the cake almost puddingy soft insides.
Almond-Rhubarb Snack Cake– makes one 9-inch round cake
adapted from Baking for All Occasions by Flo Braker
Steph’s Note: A half recipe bakes up nicely in a loaf pan. Just be sure to start checking it 10-15 minutes early, as it will take less time to bake.
For the Cake
1 ¾ cup (7 oz/200g) cake flour
½ t baking soda
¼ t salt
1/8 t baking powder
4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (7 oz/200g) granulated sugar
½ t pure almond extract
½ t pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup (6 fl oz/180ml) well-shaken buttermilk
4 ½ oz narrow rhubarb stalks (about 3), trimmed and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices, to yield 1 cup packed
½ cup natural or blanched sliced almonds
For the Almond Topping
2 T unsalted butter, melted
1 T all-purpose flour
1 T heavy cream
½ cup (2 ¼ oz/65g) granulated sugar
½ cup (1 oz/30g) natural or blanched sliced almonds
-Before baking, centre a rack in the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round springform pan with 2 3/4- or 3-inch sides. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
-To make the cake: Have all ingredients at room temperature. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 30 to 45 seconds. Add sugar in steady stream, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat on medium speed until mixture is very light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Add the extracts during the final moments of mixing.
-With mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, about 3 T at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated. When mixture is fluffy, reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three additions alternately with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing after each addition only until incorporated. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of the bowl after each addition. Fold in the rhubarb slices and almonds with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the pan and spread evenly with the spatula.
-Bake the cake until a round wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out free of cake batter, 40-45 minutes.
-About 15 minutes before the cake is ready, begin making the Almond Topping: In a small saucepan, mix together the butter, flour, cream, and sugar and stir over low heat just until blended.
-About 10 minutes before the cake is ready, remove the cake from the oven, pour the topping mixture over it and sprinkle the almonds over the top. Return the cake to the oven and bake until the topping spreads over the cake and just begins to bubble, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes.
-Slowly release the springform clasp and carefully remove the pan sides. Let the cake cool on its base on the rack for 10 minutes longer. Then invert a wire rack on top of the cake, invert the cake onto it, and carefully lift off the base. Slowly peel off the parchment liner, turn it over so that the sticky side faces up, and reposition it on top of the cake. Invert another rack on top, invert the cake so it is right side up, and remove the original rack. Let cool completely.
-Serve at room temperature, cut into wedges with a sharp knife. Cover any leftover cake with aluminum foil and store at cool room temperature for up to 2 days.
Tuesdays with Dorie: White Chocolate Brownies
June 1, 2010 at 12:27 pm | Posted in cookies & bars, groups, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 24 Comments
Ooph…getting this one up late today! Here, I present to you the tenth brownie recipe for this blog. I would say that I’ve exhausted this topic, but you can tell by looking at them that these are definitely not your run-of-the-mill brownie. Marthe of Culinary Delights chose these White Chocolate Brownies with raspberries for TWD this week.
The full recipe makes a BIG batch, and one that a lot of folks had some difficulty getting to cook through. Fearing enough brownies for a lifetime, I scaled it down to a quarter recipe and baked it in a loaf pan. The original version also calls for a baked meringue topping, which I skipped in lieu of a sprinkling of sliced almonds. My meringue-less little batch cooked nicely in about 30 minutes.
These were good…sweet, though. I found the texture to be less like a fudgy brownie and more like a tea cake with a little chew. For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read Culinary Delights. Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
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