Here's what happens when you have to quickly throw together a dessert on New Years Eve and the grocery store entrance has a 3 mile traffic jam leading up to it. You improvise.
We got a giant tub of animal crackers for Christmas, as well as a jar of fancy salted cashews. So I crushed both in the food processor, added a touch of flour and a touch of sugar and melted 1.5 sticks of butter. Those mixed all together form a nice, pressed together tart crust.
Next, I was out of heavy cream and vanilla beans, so I substituted for half and half and vanilla extract. I made my liquid custard quickly and poured it carefully into my makeshift crust.
This tart is easy, fast and requires a little bit of inventiveness, but you can do it too!
Creme Brulee Tart with Animal Cracker and Cashew Crust
Crust:
3 cups Animal crackers
1.5 cups Cashews
1/4 cup Flour
1/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
Filling:
2 cups Half n Half
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
4 Egg yolks
1 Whole egg
1/2 cup Sugar, divided
1/8 tsp Salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, combine animal crackers, cashews, flour and sugar. Pulse until completely crushed and combined. Melt butter in microwave for 30 to 45 seconds; slowly pour melted butter into food processor while running on low until mixture is wet and crumbly.
2. Grease and flour a fluted 9-in tart pan (or just a 9-in pie pan). Press crust mixture evenly onto bottom and sides of pan. Place on cookie sheet, bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, reduce temperature to 300 degrees F.
3. Meanwhile, combine half and half and vanilla in a medium saucepan and heat on medium until it just begins to boil. Turn heat off and let steep.
4. Whisk together eggs, 6 tbsp of sugar and salt. Slowly pour hot half n half into egg mixture, whisking constantly so as not to scramble the eggs. Carefully pour mixture into tart shell and place back in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. The sides will be set up, but the center will still be wobbly when you remove it from the oven. Allow it to cool.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar over the top of the tart and light a kitchen blowtorch. Caramelize the top of the tart. Carefully press the bottom of the fluted tart pan up to remove the tart from the pan and serve.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
My Happy, Healthy, Body & Soul Challenge
I've been thinking a lot about New Years Resolutions. I prefer to do challenges. I'm a competitor at heart and I know I'll succeed if I challenge myself. Last year, I challenged myself to run a marathon, start my own business and become a pastry chef.
I checked all those boxes. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it and rid my life of bad job juju.
So this year, my job is great, my love life is wonderful, but I have to work on my body and soul. I have too much guilt, too many bad toxins, and a lot of deprivation.
This year, I'm challenging myself to a Happy, Healthy body & soul. So I'm thinking about 20 things that make my body and soul happy:
1. A delicious meal
2. Farmers markets
3. Wine
4. Martinis
5. Cheese
6. Baking & pastries
7. Crossfit
8. Hiking
9. Biking
10. Yoga
11. Napping
12. Hugging
13. Kissing
14. Dancing
15. Reading
16. Laughing
17. Dogs
18. Homemade gifts
19. Cuddling
20. Sleeping in
And I'm thinking about how I can make this all fit into my life with ease and an emphasis on balance. There are so many places to turn for inspiration: the French, the Italians, the Spaniards, the Greeks, the Indonesians, us Americans, and then some. And I think I've figured out how it's all going to work.
Here is my pledge for the New Year:
I pledge to myself that this year I will take care of my body and my soul by doing those things that make it happy. I will enjoy 1 deliciously indulgent meal each week and delight in its flavor and sumptuousness. It will be a guilt-free journey to food heaven. I will promise to eat WHOLE foods, not processed foods. If I don't recognize something on the label, I won't eat it. I will sign up for a CSA with a local farm and shop at the farmers market. I will try new vegetables and stretch my cooking repertoire. I will enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. I will order a dirty martini with extra olives because it makes me smile. I will have good cheese as a snack. I will bake my pastries using WHOLE foods. I will promise to only eat 2 of my own creations and give the rest away. I will go to my Crossfit classes 3x's a week. I will do a pullup without assistance. I will hike to the top of a mountain and marvel. I will ride my bike once a week. I will practice yoga with consistency because it feels good. I will take naps. I will give lots of good hugs. I will give lots of kisses. I will dance with my friends, my dogs, my family and my man. I will read a book on a lazy Saturday. I will laugh at myself and with my friends and family. I will play with my dogs. I will give homemade gifts. I will cuddle up. I will sleep in.
I pledge that I won't feel guilty if my to-do list doesn't get finished. I promise that I will find the balance in all of my goals. Most of all, I pledge to love myself, just as I am, and love others, just as they are. This is my key to my happy, healthy, body & soul.
What is your new year challenge? Here's to a happy, healthy, 2011. With all my Sugar Lovin Love, enjoy a pastry a day and don't feel the guilt crunch when you do.
I checked all those boxes. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it and rid my life of bad job juju.
So this year, my job is great, my love life is wonderful, but I have to work on my body and soul. I have too much guilt, too many bad toxins, and a lot of deprivation.
This year, I'm challenging myself to a Happy, Healthy body & soul. So I'm thinking about 20 things that make my body and soul happy:
1. A delicious meal
2. Farmers markets
3. Wine
4. Martinis
5. Cheese
6. Baking & pastries
7. Crossfit
8. Hiking
9. Biking
10. Yoga
11. Napping
12. Hugging
13. Kissing
14. Dancing
15. Reading
16. Laughing
17. Dogs
18. Homemade gifts
19. Cuddling
20. Sleeping in
And I'm thinking about how I can make this all fit into my life with ease and an emphasis on balance. There are so many places to turn for inspiration: the French, the Italians, the Spaniards, the Greeks, the Indonesians, us Americans, and then some. And I think I've figured out how it's all going to work.
Here is my pledge for the New Year:
I pledge to myself that this year I will take care of my body and my soul by doing those things that make it happy. I will enjoy 1 deliciously indulgent meal each week and delight in its flavor and sumptuousness. It will be a guilt-free journey to food heaven. I will promise to eat WHOLE foods, not processed foods. If I don't recognize something on the label, I won't eat it. I will sign up for a CSA with a local farm and shop at the farmers market. I will try new vegetables and stretch my cooking repertoire. I will enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. I will order a dirty martini with extra olives because it makes me smile. I will have good cheese as a snack. I will bake my pastries using WHOLE foods. I will promise to only eat 2 of my own creations and give the rest away. I will go to my Crossfit classes 3x's a week. I will do a pullup without assistance. I will hike to the top of a mountain and marvel. I will ride my bike once a week. I will practice yoga with consistency because it feels good. I will take naps. I will give lots of good hugs. I will give lots of kisses. I will dance with my friends, my dogs, my family and my man. I will read a book on a lazy Saturday. I will laugh at myself and with my friends and family. I will play with my dogs. I will give homemade gifts. I will cuddle up. I will sleep in.
I pledge that I won't feel guilty if my to-do list doesn't get finished. I promise that I will find the balance in all of my goals. Most of all, I pledge to love myself, just as I am, and love others, just as they are. This is my key to my happy, healthy, body & soul.
What is your new year challenge? Here's to a happy, healthy, 2011. With all my Sugar Lovin Love, enjoy a pastry a day and don't feel the guilt crunch when you do.
Christmas baking
No, I haven't quit baking. I know I've been MIA on the blog, but Christmas baking and gifting took over my life.
To make a long story short, here's what I baked for Christmas:
1. Espresso Macarons (2 iterations and the second was the best)
2. Blueberry Cherry White Chocolate Spicy Oatmeal Cookies (say that 3 times fast)
3. Bailey's Truffles
4. Oreo Truffles
5. Peppermint Bark Black Bottom Blondies (failed- should have put the peppermint on at the end, not while baking)
6. Double Chocolate Chip Cookies in Peppermint Bark
7. Ornament Shortbread (only gave two as gifts, the rest broke in travel)
8. Chocolate Dipped pretzels with heath bars, nuts, or non-pareils
The macarons were my favorite the 2nd time I made them. They were easy, quick and unique. The first round I was still messing with proportions, so apologies to the Riley family who got the 1st version.
The oatmeal cookies were easy and painless.
Both truffles were easy, they were just never ever ending. I thought I'd be rolling truffles until I keeled over.
The blondies were an epic failure. I stupidly baked the crushed peppermint in the white chocolate blondie batter and it cause the blondies to implode and get stuck in the pan. I had to throw them all away, which made me quite sad.
The double chocolate chip cookies taught me how to do an all butter cookie that doesn't get too thin and crispy when it bakes. But more on that later.
The shortbread was too fragile for transit. I should have known when the cat killed half of the cooling cookies by knocking them off the table to move to a different kids gift, but I persevered until we got to Cincinnati. The were replaced with the chocolate dipped pretzels which were much easier to make and decorate.
I made 100 of each cookie, so as you can imagine, writing a blog post about each would have cut my sleeping time each night to 0 hours. That said, I learned a lot this Christmas.
1. Ghirardelli chocolate is far and above the BEST chocolate for baking. The flavor and consistency is just wonderful.
2. I've advertised a half butter half shortening cookie in the past to help prevent a thin, crunchy cookie and give you a nice chunky, chewy cookie with slight crisping on the edges. It's been a personal struggle to continue using shortening in my baking as I try to change my diet to include only unprocessed, whole foods, but it was hard to try and find a solution that gave me the texture I wanted and the natural food state as well.
This Christmas, I tried baking with lard. It sounds disgusting, but it is all natural. Lard gave me the consistency I sought, but it just lacked a depth of flavor that butter and butter flavor shortening give you. When I was making the double chocolate chip cookies, I was in a hurry. My blondies had just failed. I needed another cookie, and fast.
I found a recipe I liked that was all butter- and I didn't have the time or the energy to try figuring the right substitutions. So I made it as prescribed, but when the dough was completed, it was quite simply too warm to bake. It was gooey. So I rolled the dough into 4 logs, wrapped them in wax paper and refrigerated them overnight. I sliced them into cookies the next morning and when I baked them, I was shocked to see my cookies not overly thin and spread.
I've yet to try this on all my drop cookies, but I think I'm onto a secret many others have already found- the all butter cookie needs to be cold before baked.
Truly, it's not a secret, it's just food science. Butter has a lower melting temperature than margarine, shortening, lard, and other fats you might use in baking. When a cookie is all butter, it melts faster, spreads thinner and produces a thin, flat, crispy cookie. Cookies with the chewy texture, lumps, and rise often are not all butter. Can't wait to try my new theory on my other cookies!
To make a long story short, here's what I baked for Christmas:
1. Espresso Macarons (2 iterations and the second was the best)
2. Blueberry Cherry White Chocolate Spicy Oatmeal Cookies (say that 3 times fast)
3. Bailey's Truffles
4. Oreo Truffles
6. Double Chocolate Chip Cookies in Peppermint Bark
8. Chocolate Dipped pretzels with heath bars, nuts, or non-pareils
The macarons were my favorite the 2nd time I made them. They were easy, quick and unique. The first round I was still messing with proportions, so apologies to the Riley family who got the 1st version.
The oatmeal cookies were easy and painless.
Both truffles were easy, they were just never ever ending. I thought I'd be rolling truffles until I keeled over.
The blondies were an epic failure. I stupidly baked the crushed peppermint in the white chocolate blondie batter and it cause the blondies to implode and get stuck in the pan. I had to throw them all away, which made me quite sad.
The double chocolate chip cookies taught me how to do an all butter cookie that doesn't get too thin and crispy when it bakes. But more on that later.
The shortbread was too fragile for transit. I should have known when the cat killed half of the cooling cookies by knocking them off the table to move to a different kids gift, but I persevered until we got to Cincinnati. The were replaced with the chocolate dipped pretzels which were much easier to make and decorate.
I made 100 of each cookie, so as you can imagine, writing a blog post about each would have cut my sleeping time each night to 0 hours. That said, I learned a lot this Christmas.
1. Ghirardelli chocolate is far and above the BEST chocolate for baking. The flavor and consistency is just wonderful.
2. I've advertised a half butter half shortening cookie in the past to help prevent a thin, crunchy cookie and give you a nice chunky, chewy cookie with slight crisping on the edges. It's been a personal struggle to continue using shortening in my baking as I try to change my diet to include only unprocessed, whole foods, but it was hard to try and find a solution that gave me the texture I wanted and the natural food state as well.
This Christmas, I tried baking with lard. It sounds disgusting, but it is all natural. Lard gave me the consistency I sought, but it just lacked a depth of flavor that butter and butter flavor shortening give you. When I was making the double chocolate chip cookies, I was in a hurry. My blondies had just failed. I needed another cookie, and fast.
I found a recipe I liked that was all butter- and I didn't have the time or the energy to try figuring the right substitutions. So I made it as prescribed, but when the dough was completed, it was quite simply too warm to bake. It was gooey. So I rolled the dough into 4 logs, wrapped them in wax paper and refrigerated them overnight. I sliced them into cookies the next morning and when I baked them, I was shocked to see my cookies not overly thin and spread.
I've yet to try this on all my drop cookies, but I think I'm onto a secret many others have already found- the all butter cookie needs to be cold before baked.
Truly, it's not a secret, it's just food science. Butter has a lower melting temperature than margarine, shortening, lard, and other fats you might use in baking. When a cookie is all butter, it melts faster, spreads thinner and produces a thin, flat, crispy cookie. Cookies with the chewy texture, lumps, and rise often are not all butter. Can't wait to try my new theory on my other cookies!
 |
| Not all butter cookie |
 | ||||
| All butter cookie |
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
John's pumpkin pie
Nothing is more iconic at Thanksgiving than pumpkin pie. Not even the turkey. Turkeys are available all year round, but you have to wait until the fall for pumpkins to become available.
I love pumpkin pie. Ever since I was old enough to care about baking, my Mom would let me make the crust from the iconic Betty Crocker cookbook for the pie and my sister would make the filling.
But alas...my fiance is not much for pumpkin pie. He doesn't like the spices. Pumpkin, mixed with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger- it all means good and delicious things to me- but John, John does not care for them. He loves the texture, just not the spice.
So what am I to do on Thanksgiving for John? Pumpkin pie is so iconic- dare I mess with it?
As a Sugar Lovin girl, I must. So here it is. John's pumpkin pie without the crazy spices.
John's Pumpkin Pie
Soak the gelatin 1/4 cup cold water. Beat the egg yolks slightly and combine in the top of a double boiler, the brown sugar, pumpkin, milk and the salt and spices. Cook and stir these ingredients over boiling water until thick. Stir in the soaked gelatin until dissolved. Remove from the cook top and chill until mixture begins to set.
Whip until stiff, but not dry the 3 egg whites. Gradually stir in the: 1/2 cup white sugar, then fold into the pumpkin mixture. Fill the pie shell. Chill several hours to set.
Serve garnished with: Whipped cream
I love pumpkin pie. Ever since I was old enough to care about baking, my Mom would let me make the crust from the iconic Betty Crocker cookbook for the pie and my sister would make the filling.
But alas...my fiance is not much for pumpkin pie. He doesn't like the spices. Pumpkin, mixed with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger- it all means good and delicious things to me- but John, John does not care for them. He loves the texture, just not the spice.
So what am I to do on Thanksgiving for John? Pumpkin pie is so iconic- dare I mess with it?
As a Sugar Lovin girl, I must. So here it is. John's pumpkin pie without the crazy spices.
John's Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
1 9" baked pie shell (any recipe, but I like this one)
1 tablespoon gelatin powder (such as Knox)
3 whole eggs, separated
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup cooked, or canned pumpkin (or prepare fresh, see below)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
∏ tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 9" baked pie shell (any recipe, but I like this one)
1 tablespoon gelatin powder (such as Knox)
3 whole eggs, separated
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup cooked, or canned pumpkin (or prepare fresh, see below)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
∏ tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipping cream for garnish (optional)
Method:
Method:
Soak the gelatin 1/4 cup cold water. Beat the egg yolks slightly and combine in the top of a double boiler, the brown sugar, pumpkin, milk and the salt and spices. Cook and stir these ingredients over boiling water until thick. Stir in the soaked gelatin until dissolved. Remove from the cook top and chill until mixture begins to set.
Whip until stiff, but not dry the 3 egg whites. Gradually stir in the: 1/2 cup white sugar, then fold into the pumpkin mixture. Fill the pie shell. Chill several hours to set.
Serve garnished with: Whipped cream
Monday, November 8, 2010
French bread- the baguette
I truly believe that in life, there is nothing, nothing better than a freshly made french baguette. A baguette, lightly buttered or served with cheese, can solve all my problems, especially when paired with a good glass of red wine.
(A close second for life-problem-solving foods: peanut m&m's).
Here's my top 3 reasons for making your own homemade baguette:
1. While no baguette ever baked here will ever taste the same as those I ate in Paris, all basic baguette recipes consist of the same ingredients. Parisian baguettes benefit from unenriched, unbleached, plain old milled flour from a slightly different wheat (usually soft wheat) then we typically can buy. Plus, the Parisian water table will always be different from ours, lending a different taste profile. But regardless, the familiarity of French bread remains the same and its always amazing.
2. For some reason, they don't get as hard and crusty as store bought baguettes the day after- you know the "hard and crusty" I'm talking about. The kind that scrapes your gums when you eat it. When I make baguettes at home, they usually go moldy or get eaten before they get stale, as long as I keep them in gallon Ziploc bag.
3. Finally, to make bread is easier than making most pastries. Bread is far more forgiving than pastry knows how to be. Your dough isn't scraping the bowl clean? Probably needs a little more flour. Your dough is crumbly? Needs a little more water.
So, if you have a little time, you can make a little baguette.
Basic French bread
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Butter
1 packet Active dry yeast, or 2 tsp. (Make sure to buy Active dry, not instant active!)
1 tsp Sugar
1 cup Warm water
3 1/2 cups AP flour or Bread flour
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Cornmeal
Method:
1. Using butter, grease a bowl and set aside. Combine yeast and sugar with water and allow to ferment for 4 to 5 minutes, or until frothy.
2. Combine yeast mixture with flour and salt in bowl of mixer with a dough hook and mix on medium speed until dough forms and wipes the side of the bowl clean. Balance mixture with extra flour if too sticky and extra water if too crumbly.
3. Place dough in greased bowl, cover with saran wrap and a damp towel. Place in warm place and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
4. Split dough in half. Punch down dough and form into baguette loaves by rolling from the center outward. Place on baking sheet dusted with cornmeal and cover with dry towel. Place in warm area and allow loaves to double in volume.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake loaves for 25 to 30 minutes on upper rack. For crustier bread, bake bread with a casserole dish of water on lower rack.
(A close second for life-problem-solving foods: peanut m&m's).
Here's my top 3 reasons for making your own homemade baguette:
1. While no baguette ever baked here will ever taste the same as those I ate in Paris, all basic baguette recipes consist of the same ingredients. Parisian baguettes benefit from unenriched, unbleached, plain old milled flour from a slightly different wheat (usually soft wheat) then we typically can buy. Plus, the Parisian water table will always be different from ours, lending a different taste profile. But regardless, the familiarity of French bread remains the same and its always amazing.
2. For some reason, they don't get as hard and crusty as store bought baguettes the day after- you know the "hard and crusty" I'm talking about. The kind that scrapes your gums when you eat it. When I make baguettes at home, they usually go moldy or get eaten before they get stale, as long as I keep them in gallon Ziploc bag.
3. Finally, to make bread is easier than making most pastries. Bread is far more forgiving than pastry knows how to be. Your dough isn't scraping the bowl clean? Probably needs a little more flour. Your dough is crumbly? Needs a little more water.
So, if you have a little time, you can make a little baguette.
Basic French bread
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Butter
1 packet Active dry yeast, or 2 tsp. (Make sure to buy Active dry, not instant active!)
1 tsp Sugar
1 cup Warm water
3 1/2 cups AP flour or Bread flour
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Cornmeal
Method:
1. Using butter, grease a bowl and set aside. Combine yeast and sugar with water and allow to ferment for 4 to 5 minutes, or until frothy.
2. Combine yeast mixture with flour and salt in bowl of mixer with a dough hook and mix on medium speed until dough forms and wipes the side of the bowl clean. Balance mixture with extra flour if too sticky and extra water if too crumbly.
3. Place dough in greased bowl, cover with saran wrap and a damp towel. Place in warm place and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
4. Split dough in half. Punch down dough and form into baguette loaves by rolling from the center outward. Place on baking sheet dusted with cornmeal and cover with dry towel. Place in warm area and allow loaves to double in volume.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake loaves for 25 to 30 minutes on upper rack. For crustier bread, bake bread with a casserole dish of water on lower rack.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Long overdue: pecan brittle and then some
When I logged in today I was shocked at how long it had actually been since I had sat down to write about my Sugar Lovin pastry dealings.
Too long. October 14th. 3 weeks! But in my defense, the past three weeks have been spent moving and working like a mad woman, and there really wasn't enough time to sit down and write about my pastry life.
While I wait on pictures to share with you from the baby shower we catered on 10/24, I'll share a little bit about the last few weeks and my improved brittle recipe.
The weeks following my last post were characterized with packing. And then more packing. I also had family in town. And then my last weekend in Pittsburgh was 100% about work. I worked Friday and Saturday at the bakery finishing my last shifts and then Sunday was our catering gig (can't wait to share our recipes for lavender cupcakes with honey buttercream and chocolate cupcakes earl gray buttercream). The next thing you know, the moving truck was sitting outside and we were completely packed up and ready to go.
We arrived down here just to unpack, hang out a little and then I had to send the fiancee back to Pittsburgh for a time undetermined while he looks for work. In those three weeks, aside from the cupcakes we made and a batch of not-so-good caramel shortbread, I haven't baked a thing.
Last night I finally broke down. I am living with my fiancee's mom while we are in separate states and I've been a little wary of using her kitchen, but we had been planning on making pecan brittle all week and it was just time to do it.
The last time I made brittle, I followed the recipe exactly. I made it using all light corn syrup. The result? It was just sugary tasting candy with peanuts. I wasn't impressed. This time, I decided to split it up a little. I used half honey and half dark corn syrup and it yielded a much nicer result. It's got a complex flavor in the candy part that makes it much more enjoyable to eat.
See below for a Sugar Lovin worthy pecan brittle. You will need a half sheet pan AND a candy thermometer to do this right!
Salted Pecan Brittle
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp plus 1 cup Butter
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Dark corn syrup
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
2 1/2 cups Toasted pecans, halved
1/4 tsp Baking soda
2 Tbsp Sea salt
Method:
1. Using 2 Tbsp of butter, grease a half sheet pan completely and then set aside. In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pot, combine honey, corn syrup, sugar and water over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat to medium. Add your candy thermometer and stir occasionally, until mixtures reaches 280 degrees F, or the soft crack stage.
2. Quickly and carefully, mix in the pecans. Allow mixture to reach 295 degrees F on the candy thermometer and then remove from heat. Mix in the baking soda and then carefully spread mixture evenly on the half sheet pan. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle generously with sea salt. Allow mixture to cool completely (i.e.- the pan should be at room temperature) before removing from the pan.
Tips: You can really use any toasted nut in this brittle, so try hazelnuts or cashews instead!
Too long. October 14th. 3 weeks! But in my defense, the past three weeks have been spent moving and working like a mad woman, and there really wasn't enough time to sit down and write about my pastry life.
While I wait on pictures to share with you from the baby shower we catered on 10/24, I'll share a little bit about the last few weeks and my improved brittle recipe.
The weeks following my last post were characterized with packing. And then more packing. I also had family in town. And then my last weekend in Pittsburgh was 100% about work. I worked Friday and Saturday at the bakery finishing my last shifts and then Sunday was our catering gig (can't wait to share our recipes for lavender cupcakes with honey buttercream and chocolate cupcakes earl gray buttercream). The next thing you know, the moving truck was sitting outside and we were completely packed up and ready to go.
We arrived down here just to unpack, hang out a little and then I had to send the fiancee back to Pittsburgh for a time undetermined while he looks for work. In those three weeks, aside from the cupcakes we made and a batch of not-so-good caramel shortbread, I haven't baked a thing.
Last night I finally broke down. I am living with my fiancee's mom while we are in separate states and I've been a little wary of using her kitchen, but we had been planning on making pecan brittle all week and it was just time to do it.
The last time I made brittle, I followed the recipe exactly. I made it using all light corn syrup. The result? It was just sugary tasting candy with peanuts. I wasn't impressed. This time, I decided to split it up a little. I used half honey and half dark corn syrup and it yielded a much nicer result. It's got a complex flavor in the candy part that makes it much more enjoyable to eat.
See below for a Sugar Lovin worthy pecan brittle. You will need a half sheet pan AND a candy thermometer to do this right!
Salted Pecan Brittle
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp plus 1 cup Butter
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Dark corn syrup
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
2 1/2 cups Toasted pecans, halved
1/4 tsp Baking soda
2 Tbsp Sea salt
Method:
1. Using 2 Tbsp of butter, grease a half sheet pan completely and then set aside. In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pot, combine honey, corn syrup, sugar and water over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat to medium. Add your candy thermometer and stir occasionally, until mixtures reaches 280 degrees F, or the soft crack stage.
2. Quickly and carefully, mix in the pecans. Allow mixture to reach 295 degrees F on the candy thermometer and then remove from heat. Mix in the baking soda and then carefully spread mixture evenly on the half sheet pan. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle generously with sea salt. Allow mixture to cool completely (i.e.- the pan should be at room temperature) before removing from the pan.
Tips: You can really use any toasted nut in this brittle, so try hazelnuts or cashews instead!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Apple muffins, and then some
This week, I've begun packing up my first apartment with my fiancee. A month ago, our building sold and since then we've been catapulted into the process of purging, packing, and using up all of our food.
In the spirit of using up all of our food, I've decided to try and use up all of my baking ingredients. This is no small feat- believe me when I say I have a lot of crap. That's what inspired my coconut macaroons. It's what inspired these apple muffins I'm sharing with you.
The ability to make up a recipe using what you have left in your house is something that must be developed over time. You have to find the fine line between creating an oyster cream of celery casserole with a cereal crust (see, FRIENDS, season 10, Rachel's going away party) and dishing up a legitimate dish that someone wants to eat.
So as I was saying, I'm trying to use up ingredients so I don't have to move them. I decided to create these apple muffins based merely on the fact that I had apple preserves and apples in the house and every Tuesday night, my fiancee John bowls in a league and I send Sugar Lovin treats along.
Strangely enough, John told me later that they pair well with beer.
P.S. Note the amount of ingredients I incorporate with the goal of exhausting some lingering items, like flaxseed meal.
Cinnamon Apple Whole Wheat Muffins with Apple Streusel Topping
Ingredients:
1 cup AP flour
1 cup Whole wheat flour
1/3 cup Flax seed meal
2 tsp Cinnamon, divided
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 cup Butter + 2 Tbsp, divided
3/4 cup Brown sugar + 2 Tbsp, divided
2 Large eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Smuckers (R) Cinnamon Apple preserves or good quality apple butter
1/2 Small apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup Rolled oats
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 tin muffin pan with cupcake/muffin liners, set aside. In a large bowl, sift flours, meal, 1 tsp cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In bowl of mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla and remaining tsp of cinnamon. Mix well.
3. Add half of flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture and mix well. Add half of milk and half of preserves, mix well and scrape down bowl with spatula. Now add half of the remaining flour mixture and mix well. Add remaining milk and preserves, mix well. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until fully combined.
4. In a small bowl, combine remaining butter & sugar with the apple and rolled oats. Using your fingers, rub the butter into mixture until it is crumbly and moist. Using an ice cream scoop, fill lined muffin tins with 1 level scoop of batter and sprinkle with streusel topping. Place in preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until muffins spring back when touched. Allow muffins to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 12 muffins.
In the spirit of using up all of our food, I've decided to try and use up all of my baking ingredients. This is no small feat- believe me when I say I have a lot of crap. That's what inspired my coconut macaroons. It's what inspired these apple muffins I'm sharing with you.
The ability to make up a recipe using what you have left in your house is something that must be developed over time. You have to find the fine line between creating an oyster cream of celery casserole with a cereal crust (see, FRIENDS, season 10, Rachel's going away party) and dishing up a legitimate dish that someone wants to eat.
So as I was saying, I'm trying to use up ingredients so I don't have to move them. I decided to create these apple muffins based merely on the fact that I had apple preserves and apples in the house and every Tuesday night, my fiancee John bowls in a league and I send Sugar Lovin treats along.
Strangely enough, John told me later that they pair well with beer.
P.S. Note the amount of ingredients I incorporate with the goal of exhausting some lingering items, like flaxseed meal.
Cinnamon Apple Whole Wheat Muffins with Apple Streusel Topping
Ingredients:
1 cup AP flour
1 cup Whole wheat flour
1/3 cup Flax seed meal
2 tsp Cinnamon, divided
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 cup Butter + 2 Tbsp, divided
3/4 cup Brown sugar + 2 Tbsp, divided
2 Large eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Smuckers (R) Cinnamon Apple preserves or good quality apple butter
1/2 Small apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup Rolled oats
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 tin muffin pan with cupcake/muffin liners, set aside. In a large bowl, sift flours, meal, 1 tsp cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In bowl of mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla and remaining tsp of cinnamon. Mix well.
3. Add half of flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture and mix well. Add half of milk and half of preserves, mix well and scrape down bowl with spatula. Now add half of the remaining flour mixture and mix well. Add remaining milk and preserves, mix well. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until fully combined.
4. In a small bowl, combine remaining butter & sugar with the apple and rolled oats. Using your fingers, rub the butter into mixture until it is crumbly and moist. Using an ice cream scoop, fill lined muffin tins with 1 level scoop of batter and sprinkle with streusel topping. Place in preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until muffins spring back when touched. Allow muffins to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 12 muffins.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Coconut macaroons
I have previously made mention of the coconut macaroon method of making cookies. Essentially, it was a reference to making a cookie simply by using the main ingredient, egg and sugar (remember these peanut butter cookies?).
You can certainly do that to make a simple, quick coconut macaroon. Use a 1/2 cup sugar, 3 egg whites and 4 cups of sweetened, flaked coconut, form into balls and bake at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. Those macaroons are gluten-free and awesomely hassle-free.
But when I dream of coconut macaroons (I'm a pastry chef, so yeah, I dream about tarts and cookies a lot), I remember the complex, buttery texture and flavor of an Enrico's coconut macaroon and I yearn for so much more.
A quick history: coconut macaroons are closely related to macarons or almond macaroons, which are made from egg whites and almond paste. This particular cousin of the original macaron was adopted by the Italian Jews because it had no chemical leavening or flour, making it an ideal treat for Passover. From there, it made it's way around Europe, but ultimately, this treat is most popular in the US and UK as they are much easier to make than macarons and far more sturdy. For more information on the history of macaroons, macarons and meringue-style cookies, visit thenibble.com.
But now, on to heavenly buttery, coconut-ty, super-delicious, Sugar Lovin Macaroons. This recipe is incredibly easy and yields a subtly complex flavor that is sure to satisfy any coconut lover.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Salted butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
3 Egg whites
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Coconut extract
1/4 cup Flour
4 cups Flaked, sweetened coconut
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour cookie sheets, set aside. In bowl of mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy. Add in egg whites, beat until pale and well mixed, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
2. Add in extracts, mix well. Add in flour and coconut, mix until well blended and all the coconut is coated with egg and sugar mixture. Using ice cream scoop, scoop out level portions and drop onto cookie sheet.
3. Turn oven down to 300 degrees F and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cookies have turned golden brown. Remove from pans, cool on wire rack.
TIP: Serve with a dollop of Nutella and a whole almond for a take on an Almond Joy candy bar.
You can certainly do that to make a simple, quick coconut macaroon. Use a 1/2 cup sugar, 3 egg whites and 4 cups of sweetened, flaked coconut, form into balls and bake at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. Those macaroons are gluten-free and awesomely hassle-free.
But when I dream of coconut macaroons (I'm a pastry chef, so yeah, I dream about tarts and cookies a lot), I remember the complex, buttery texture and flavor of an Enrico's coconut macaroon and I yearn for so much more.
A quick history: coconut macaroons are closely related to macarons or almond macaroons, which are made from egg whites and almond paste. This particular cousin of the original macaron was adopted by the Italian Jews because it had no chemical leavening or flour, making it an ideal treat for Passover. From there, it made it's way around Europe, but ultimately, this treat is most popular in the US and UK as they are much easier to make than macarons and far more sturdy. For more information on the history of macaroons, macarons and meringue-style cookies, visit thenibble.com.
But now, on to heavenly buttery, coconut-ty, super-delicious, Sugar Lovin Macaroons. This recipe is incredibly easy and yields a subtly complex flavor that is sure to satisfy any coconut lover.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Salted butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
3 Egg whites
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Coconut extract
1/4 cup Flour
4 cups Flaked, sweetened coconut
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour cookie sheets, set aside. In bowl of mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy. Add in egg whites, beat until pale and well mixed, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
 |
| Sugar & butter |
 |
| Sugar, butter, egg whites and extracts |
TIP: Serve with a dollop of Nutella and a whole almond for a take on an Almond Joy candy bar.
Rummy chocolate banana bread pudding
Hi, my name is Sarah. I'm a Sugar Lovin pastry chef and I dislike bread pudding. Here's my story.
Until last week, I'd never made bread pudding. The concept of it sounds a little odd to me. Bread, soaked in a sugary milk mixture and then baked? Just weird. I'd had bread pudding-style French toast, but that was...different, in the fact that it was a savory meal, not a sweet treat.
In any case, I decided I'd try it. I was in desperate need a of a good party dessert and I didn't have a lot of time to make something. Why I landed on bread pudding, I'll never know. Maybe I was inspired by an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay on bread pudding, or maybe it's been the litany of bread pudding recipes I'd seen lately. Either way, I was one loaf of crusty Italian bread and half-and-half away from having this recipe all but finished.
A few things you should know about bread pudding:
1. It's a very old dessert.
2. It can be made quickly or slowly, depending on what you need
3. It's just as good cold as it is hot
4. The flavor combinations are endless
5. There is no "right" kind of bread, however their are breads that really don't work well
Bread pudding is actually a very, very old sweet treat that evolved from people needing to find a use for their stale bread. Ancient Romans, Egyptians, and Indians all refer to a dish that was, in essence, a bread pudding. A traditional bread pudding today begins with stale bread soaked in an egg custard which is then baked with whatever flavors and fixins you'd like. The bread pudding of ancient Roman times was not soaked with custard, as custard was not invented until the Middle Ages, but it held the same basic theory- milk, stale bread, fat, and a sweetener of some kind. It's remained popular throughout the ages and is often thought of as comfort food. For more on the history of bread pudding, check out this article from ehow.com.
Bread pudding can be made in just an hour or it could take an overnight soak and a water bath to bake. It depends on what you need to do. For an incredibly traditional way to make bread pudding, check out this recipe from Paula Deen. You could even go so far as to soak the bread cubes overnight. This particular recipe includes baking the bread pudding in a bain marie, or water bath. Water baths are a very gentle way to cook something, allowing the entire dish to cook very evenly. However, with other recipes, you might only have to soak the bread cubes for 10 minutes and bake it, sans the bain marie.
Also, bread pudding tastes really good cold; especially with a cup of coffee in the morning. I personally think it tastes better hot, but that's just me.
Bread pudding is likely not going to get "old" either, as long as you keep switching up your flavor combinations. Try coconut cream from Paula Deen; traditional apples, cinnamon and raisin made with a brioche bread; chocolate and coffee with stale pain de mie; pear and walnut with cinnamon swirl bread; you get the idea.
Finally some people swear that only certain breads make a good bread pudding. They'll claim it's brioche or bust. French loaf or it's gross. Blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada. Any fresh bread that's gone stale will do. An oxymoron, I know, but let me elaborate.
You don't want to use Wonder bread or high preservative sandwich bread. This bread is less likely to go stale quickly, for one, and for two, it's so thin it wouldn't hold up to the custard soak. Any fresh, bakery bread, i.e. the stuff you find in the bakery section of your grocery store or a loaf you would actually buy at a bread bakery will work just fine. This bread is often free of artificial preservatives and will only need a day of sitting out to go stale. I experimented with the types of bread I used mainly for flavor reasons, but they all worked fine in the recipes.
So now, on to the main event, my rummy chocolate banana bread pudding. It's easy, it's quick and it's super delicious.
Ingredients:
15 cups Bread cubes (I used an Italian loaf for this recipe)
20 oz Mini chocolate chips, divided
3 3/4 cups Half-and-half
1/4 cup Good rum
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Brown sugar
1 Tbsp Vanilla
6 Large eggs
3 VERY ripe bananas
2/3 cup Heavy cream
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a 9x13 baking dish combine bread cubes and 10 oz of chocolate chips. Spread evenly to the edges.
2. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, bring half and half and rum to a boil. Meanwhile, combine sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs and peeled bananas in large bowl. Whisk to combine, mashing the bananas as necessary. SLOWLY, pour the hot half-and-half mixture into the egg mixtures, whisking constantly to ensure the eggs don't curdle.
3. Pour this liquid custard over the bread cubes and chocolate chips. Cover with aluminum foil and set in refrigerator to soak for 20 minutes.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Meanwhile, set remaining 10 oz of chocolate in stainless steel bowl. Bring heavy cream to soft boil and pour over chocolate. Whisk until smooth.
5. Allow bread pudding to cool and serve still warm with chocolate sauce.
That's my journey of bread pudding. Did I mention I'm a total convert now?
Until last week, I'd never made bread pudding. The concept of it sounds a little odd to me. Bread, soaked in a sugary milk mixture and then baked? Just weird. I'd had bread pudding-style French toast, but that was...different, in the fact that it was a savory meal, not a sweet treat.
In any case, I decided I'd try it. I was in desperate need a of a good party dessert and I didn't have a lot of time to make something. Why I landed on bread pudding, I'll never know. Maybe I was inspired by an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay on bread pudding, or maybe it's been the litany of bread pudding recipes I'd seen lately. Either way, I was one loaf of crusty Italian bread and half-and-half away from having this recipe all but finished.
A few things you should know about bread pudding:
1. It's a very old dessert.
2. It can be made quickly or slowly, depending on what you need
3. It's just as good cold as it is hot
4. The flavor combinations are endless
5. There is no "right" kind of bread, however their are breads that really don't work well
Bread pudding is actually a very, very old sweet treat that evolved from people needing to find a use for their stale bread. Ancient Romans, Egyptians, and Indians all refer to a dish that was, in essence, a bread pudding. A traditional bread pudding today begins with stale bread soaked in an egg custard which is then baked with whatever flavors and fixins you'd like. The bread pudding of ancient Roman times was not soaked with custard, as custard was not invented until the Middle Ages, but it held the same basic theory- milk, stale bread, fat, and a sweetener of some kind. It's remained popular throughout the ages and is often thought of as comfort food. For more on the history of bread pudding, check out this article from ehow.com.
Bread pudding can be made in just an hour or it could take an overnight soak and a water bath to bake. It depends on what you need to do. For an incredibly traditional way to make bread pudding, check out this recipe from Paula Deen. You could even go so far as to soak the bread cubes overnight. This particular recipe includes baking the bread pudding in a bain marie, or water bath. Water baths are a very gentle way to cook something, allowing the entire dish to cook very evenly. However, with other recipes, you might only have to soak the bread cubes for 10 minutes and bake it, sans the bain marie.
Also, bread pudding tastes really good cold; especially with a cup of coffee in the morning. I personally think it tastes better hot, but that's just me.
Bread pudding is likely not going to get "old" either, as long as you keep switching up your flavor combinations. Try coconut cream from Paula Deen; traditional apples, cinnamon and raisin made with a brioche bread; chocolate and coffee with stale pain de mie; pear and walnut with cinnamon swirl bread; you get the idea.
Finally some people swear that only certain breads make a good bread pudding. They'll claim it's brioche or bust. French loaf or it's gross. Blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada. Any fresh bread that's gone stale will do. An oxymoron, I know, but let me elaborate.
You don't want to use Wonder bread or high preservative sandwich bread. This bread is less likely to go stale quickly, for one, and for two, it's so thin it wouldn't hold up to the custard soak. Any fresh, bakery bread, i.e. the stuff you find in the bakery section of your grocery store or a loaf you would actually buy at a bread bakery will work just fine. This bread is often free of artificial preservatives and will only need a day of sitting out to go stale. I experimented with the types of bread I used mainly for flavor reasons, but they all worked fine in the recipes.
So now, on to the main event, my rummy chocolate banana bread pudding. It's easy, it's quick and it's super delicious.
Ingredients:
15 cups Bread cubes (I used an Italian loaf for this recipe)
20 oz Mini chocolate chips, divided
3 3/4 cups Half-and-half
1/4 cup Good rum
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Brown sugar
1 Tbsp Vanilla
6 Large eggs
3 VERY ripe bananas
2/3 cup Heavy cream
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a 9x13 baking dish combine bread cubes and 10 oz of chocolate chips. Spread evenly to the edges.
2. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, bring half and half and rum to a boil. Meanwhile, combine sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs and peeled bananas in large bowl. Whisk to combine, mashing the bananas as necessary. SLOWLY, pour the hot half-and-half mixture into the egg mixtures, whisking constantly to ensure the eggs don't curdle.
3. Pour this liquid custard over the bread cubes and chocolate chips. Cover with aluminum foil and set in refrigerator to soak for 20 minutes.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Meanwhile, set remaining 10 oz of chocolate in stainless steel bowl. Bring heavy cream to soft boil and pour over chocolate. Whisk until smooth.
5. Allow bread pudding to cool and serve still warm with chocolate sauce.
That's my journey of bread pudding. Did I mention I'm a total convert now?
Monday, October 4, 2010
Death by Sugar Lovin pie
It's probably never a good idea to try and put two sweet things together that you've never made before. But I really, really thought that these might taste good, which they did, they just happened to send the eater into a sugar lovin high. To give you a description of the Death by Sugar Lovin pie: it began with an oat cookie crust that was lined with chocolate ganache, filled with a no bake cheesecake and topped with peanut brittle.
I know. My teeth hurt just thinking about all that sugar in one place. It was highly decadent and it was an experiment that was successful the fact that it taught me a few things and it gave me a couple of new techniques to share.
We'll start with the oat cookie crust:
In Bon Appetit's September Restaurant issue, they revealed the recipes of Christina Tosi, the pastry chef at Momofuku Milk Bar and the Momofuku restaurant empire (for more on the Momofuku family of restaurants, visit www.momofuku.com or read Anthony Bourdain's Medium Raw). Tosi is known for being incredibly inventive and her desserts are known for being very addictive. What caught my eye in all of her desserts was the recipe for Crack Pie. You can find the whole recipe here, but today, I am focusing on the crust.
The oat cookie crust is very unique to me. While it resembles a graham crust or any crushed cookie crust, what's unique about this crust is that rather than starting with already crushed cookies, or buying a package or oreos, you make an oatmeal cookie bar, crumble it and create the crust completely from scratch. The oat cookie crust technique inspired me to start thinking about other types of cookie crusts you could make from scratch and the number of delicious fillings you could pair with them to make a truly unique pie. See your basic recipe here and get ideas on how to make it your own.
But for my first try, I followed Tosi's recipe. The oat cookie crust came out perfectly. The only thing I did differently was blind bake the crust without the filling for 17-18 minutes after pressing into the pie pan because I wanted to fill the crust with a cheesecake and ganache filling that couldn't be baked.
Now for thoughts on a cheesecake & ganache filling. Some key items to remember.
1. You won't need as much ganache as you think.
2. You won't need as much cheesecake filling as you think.
3. When in doubt, let it chill longer.
Ganache is a very basic pastry item that everyone can make. You just need chocolate and heavy cream. See the recipe here. The beautiful thing about ganache is that you can adjust your ratio of cream to chocolate to create a thicker or thinner ganache. The consistency you are looking for here is equal parts cream to chocolate for a thin glaze effect.
This particular cheesecake filling was a no-bake filling, which means there aren't any eggs. The bonus is that it comes together quickly. The downside is that it never reaches a true cheesecake density. It depends what you like in your cheesecake. I decided to go a slightly tangy and sweet route. My filling recipe can be found here, but for quick reference it had cream cheese, greek yogurt, goat cheese, honey, sugar and a touch of heavy cream.
And finally, the topper- peanut brittle.
I had never made candy or brittle before this little experiment. A few things I learned:
1. When in doubt, opt for a bigger pan.
2. Understand that you need to spend the whole time at the stove with the peanut brittle mixture.
3. Corn syrup is kind of flavorless.
My peanut brittle ended up being very thick. It still tastes good, but for brittle of any kind, thinness is key for breaking it up and eating it. When it's too thick, it doesn't break well and it gets stuck in your teeth, giving you the flavor of peanut brittle constantly.
I thought since my candy thermometer was going to gauge the temperature for me, I could watch TV and check on it every once in a while. Nope, nope, and nope. Peanut brittle needs to be stirred, and often. In addition, you have to watch the pan to make sure the brittle mixture doesn't overflow while boiling.
Also, corn syrup has absolutely no depth of flavor. So the original recipe I made tastes like peanut brittle, but in the future, I'll be making it this way, courtesy of Sir Emeril, minus the chili powder.
So when you assemble this Death by Sugar Lovin pie, it goes:
Crust
Ganache
Cheesecake filling
Broken peanut brittle pieces
Then it has to chill overnight. It does taste really good. It's just so decadent that you need to take a very small slice. Or, do this....try making all of these fun pastry items, just not in the same dessert!
I know. My teeth hurt just thinking about all that sugar in one place. It was highly decadent and it was an experiment that was successful the fact that it taught me a few things and it gave me a couple of new techniques to share.
We'll start with the oat cookie crust:
In Bon Appetit's September Restaurant issue, they revealed the recipes of Christina Tosi, the pastry chef at Momofuku Milk Bar and the Momofuku restaurant empire (for more on the Momofuku family of restaurants, visit www.momofuku.com or read Anthony Bourdain's Medium Raw). Tosi is known for being incredibly inventive and her desserts are known for being very addictive. What caught my eye in all of her desserts was the recipe for Crack Pie. You can find the whole recipe here, but today, I am focusing on the crust.
The oat cookie crust is very unique to me. While it resembles a graham crust or any crushed cookie crust, what's unique about this crust is that rather than starting with already crushed cookies, or buying a package or oreos, you make an oatmeal cookie bar, crumble it and create the crust completely from scratch. The oat cookie crust technique inspired me to start thinking about other types of cookie crusts you could make from scratch and the number of delicious fillings you could pair with them to make a truly unique pie. See your basic recipe here and get ideas on how to make it your own.
But for my first try, I followed Tosi's recipe. The oat cookie crust came out perfectly. The only thing I did differently was blind bake the crust without the filling for 17-18 minutes after pressing into the pie pan because I wanted to fill the crust with a cheesecake and ganache filling that couldn't be baked.
Now for thoughts on a cheesecake & ganache filling. Some key items to remember.
1. You won't need as much ganache as you think.
2. You won't need as much cheesecake filling as you think.
3. When in doubt, let it chill longer.
Ganache is a very basic pastry item that everyone can make. You just need chocolate and heavy cream. See the recipe here. The beautiful thing about ganache is that you can adjust your ratio of cream to chocolate to create a thicker or thinner ganache. The consistency you are looking for here is equal parts cream to chocolate for a thin glaze effect.
This particular cheesecake filling was a no-bake filling, which means there aren't any eggs. The bonus is that it comes together quickly. The downside is that it never reaches a true cheesecake density. It depends what you like in your cheesecake. I decided to go a slightly tangy and sweet route. My filling recipe can be found here, but for quick reference it had cream cheese, greek yogurt, goat cheese, honey, sugar and a touch of heavy cream.
And finally, the topper- peanut brittle.
I had never made candy or brittle before this little experiment. A few things I learned:
1. When in doubt, opt for a bigger pan.
2. Understand that you need to spend the whole time at the stove with the peanut brittle mixture.
3. Corn syrup is kind of flavorless.
My peanut brittle ended up being very thick. It still tastes good, but for brittle of any kind, thinness is key for breaking it up and eating it. When it's too thick, it doesn't break well and it gets stuck in your teeth, giving you the flavor of peanut brittle constantly.
I thought since my candy thermometer was going to gauge the temperature for me, I could watch TV and check on it every once in a while. Nope, nope, and nope. Peanut brittle needs to be stirred, and often. In addition, you have to watch the pan to make sure the brittle mixture doesn't overflow while boiling.
Also, corn syrup has absolutely no depth of flavor. So the original recipe I made tastes like peanut brittle, but in the future, I'll be making it this way, courtesy of Sir Emeril, minus the chili powder.
So when you assemble this Death by Sugar Lovin pie, it goes:
Crust
Ganache
Cheesecake filling
Broken peanut brittle pieces
Then it has to chill overnight. It does taste really good. It's just so decadent that you need to take a very small slice. Or, do this....try making all of these fun pastry items, just not in the same dessert!
Cookie-style pie crust: the basics
This new way of thinking about pie crust is inspiring and fun. Let the cookie and pie filling combinations take you all kinds of places.
Cookie pie crust, basic recipe:
Ingredients:
9 Tbsp Unsalted butter, divided
5 1/2 Tbsp Brown sugar, divided
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Large egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 cup Flour
1/8 tsp Baking powder
1/8 tsp Baking soda
1/4 Heaping tsp Salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line 13/9/2 in pan with parchment paper, coat with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter. In bowl of mixer, combine 6 Tbsp of butter, 4 Tbsp of brown sugar and 2 Tbsp of sugar and beat well until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
2. Add egg, beat until pale and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges. Bake for 17 to 18 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool completely.
3. Crumble cookie into large bowl. Add remaining butter and brown sugar and using your hands, mix together until it is moistened and crumbly. Press into a 9-in pie pan.
Now, depending on the filling you choose, you may need to blind bake this crust of about 10-15 minutes. Any filling that does not get baked will need to have the crust blind baked first.
From here, can you imagine the possibilities?
How about a snickerdoodle crust with a pumpkin pie filling? You'll need to add 1 tsp of cinnamon to your cookie batter and then add another 2 tsp to the second stage of crumbling with brown sugar and butter.
Or a chocolate chip cookie crust with a cookie dough ice cream filler?
Or a shortbread cookie crust with a lemon meringue filling? For that, the shortbread cookie recipe will be rather different, but you get the idea.
My Sugar Lovin pie plate runneth over.
Cookie pie crust, basic recipe:
Ingredients:
9 Tbsp Unsalted butter, divided
5 1/2 Tbsp Brown sugar, divided
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Large egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 cup Flour
1/8 tsp Baking powder
1/8 tsp Baking soda
1/4 Heaping tsp Salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Line 13/9/2 in pan with parchment paper, coat with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter. In bowl of mixer, combine 6 Tbsp of butter, 4 Tbsp of brown sugar and 2 Tbsp of sugar and beat well until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
2. Add egg, beat until pale and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges. Bake for 17 to 18 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool completely.
3. Crumble cookie into large bowl. Add remaining butter and brown sugar and using your hands, mix together until it is moistened and crumbly. Press into a 9-in pie pan.
Now, depending on the filling you choose, you may need to blind bake this crust of about 10-15 minutes. Any filling that does not get baked will need to have the crust blind baked first.
From here, can you imagine the possibilities?
How about a snickerdoodle crust with a pumpkin pie filling? You'll need to add 1 tsp of cinnamon to your cookie batter and then add another 2 tsp to the second stage of crumbling with brown sugar and butter.
Or a chocolate chip cookie crust with a cookie dough ice cream filler?
Or a shortbread cookie crust with a lemon meringue filling? For that, the shortbread cookie recipe will be rather different, but you get the idea.
My Sugar Lovin pie plate runneth over.
No-bake cheesecake filling
This tangy cheesecake filling does triple time as a fruit dip and a unique peanut butter cookie sandwich filling.
Ingredients:
6 oz Cream cheese
4 oz Goat cheese
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat together until sugar dissolves, or about 5 minutes. Place in refrigerator to chill overnight.
It's unique, it's tangy and it's easy!
Ingredients:
6 oz Cream cheese
4 oz Goat cheese
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat together until sugar dissolves, or about 5 minutes. Place in refrigerator to chill overnight.
Basic chocolate ganache recipe and methods
Chocolate ganache, depending on the consistency, can be used as a cake filler, a cake glaze, chocolate syrup to drizzle and more. Here's your basic recipe, which can be used to glaze a cake or drizzle syrup across a yummy dessert.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup Heavy Cream
10 oz Chopped chocolate (any kind will do...though chocolate baking discs are my favorite)
Methods:
There are many ways to make chocolate ganache. Some swear that you can place both items in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring it until it's smooth.
I personally prefer one of the two following methods. I choose the way I do it based on the time in which I need the ganache to be finished.
Quick Ganache:
1. Place chocolate in stainless steel bowl, set aside. Heat cream in small saucepan over high heat until it just boils.
2. Pour hot cream over chocolate, stirring until smooth.
Slow Ganache:
1. Place chocolate and cream in large stainless steel bowl. Set bowl over pot of simmering water and allow to heat slowly, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Either way, when you are done, your ganache should look like this:
Notice the ribbon-like stream of chocolate- that's what you're aiming for.
A few nifty tidbits on chocolate ganache:
1. By adjusting the ratio or chocolate to cream, you can create a thinner or thicker ganache. More chocolate than cream will give you a thicker ganache that could be used to fill a cake. More cream then chocolate gives you a thinner glaze.
2. Chocolate ganache can be reused. If you have leftover ganache, transfer it to a stainless steel bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. To bring it back, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup Heavy Cream
10 oz Chopped chocolate (any kind will do...though chocolate baking discs are my favorite)
There are many ways to make chocolate ganache. Some swear that you can place both items in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring it until it's smooth.
I personally prefer one of the two following methods. I choose the way I do it based on the time in which I need the ganache to be finished.
Quick Ganache:
1. Place chocolate in stainless steel bowl, set aside. Heat cream in small saucepan over high heat until it just boils.
2. Pour hot cream over chocolate, stirring until smooth.
Slow Ganache:
1. Place chocolate and cream in large stainless steel bowl. Set bowl over pot of simmering water and allow to heat slowly, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Either way, when you are done, your ganache should look like this:
Notice the ribbon-like stream of chocolate- that's what you're aiming for.
A few nifty tidbits on chocolate ganache:
1. By adjusting the ratio or chocolate to cream, you can create a thinner or thicker ganache. More chocolate than cream will give you a thicker ganache that could be used to fill a cake. More cream then chocolate gives you a thinner glaze.
2. Chocolate ganache can be reused. If you have leftover ganache, transfer it to a stainless steel bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. To bring it back, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Missing in my life: bakery exploration
It's been weeks since I've visited a new bakery to try their Sugar Lovin goodies. Although I'm not having sugar withdrawals given the massive amount of recipe testing that's been taking place at home and at work in the past month, I miss trying new things at new places.
On my list for Pittsburgh this coming month?
1. La Gourmandine
2. Oakmont Bakery
3. Nancy B's
4. Simmons Farm and/or Trax Farms
But for now, I'll just have to dream of the incredible pastries as my busy month gears up. My next two posts explore the richest, most disgustingly indulgent cream pie I've ever made and a rum banana chocolate bread pudding.
Then, as we head into a sweet October, we'll have to start talking about apples and perhaps take a turn or two on spiced apple cider- perhaps my favorite drink of all time.
On my list for Pittsburgh this coming month?
1. La Gourmandine
2. Oakmont Bakery
3. Nancy B's
4. Simmons Farm and/or Trax Farms
But for now, I'll just have to dream of the incredible pastries as my busy month gears up. My next two posts explore the richest, most disgustingly indulgent cream pie I've ever made and a rum banana chocolate bread pudding.
Then, as we head into a sweet October, we'll have to start talking about apples and perhaps take a turn or two on spiced apple cider- perhaps my favorite drink of all time.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Sweets for my sweets- thoughts on food as love
For some reason this week, I have felt extra sentimental. I find myself in a state of wonderment and awe at my great fortune of friends, family, and love. I dig this feeling; it's humbling and comforting and empowering all at the same time.
I once read that to receive love, you must give love. I don't know who said it or wrote it, but it's the kind of quote that sticks with you. And as a young girl wrote in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, "when it comes down to it, we all just want to be loved."
So, the question is, how can you give love? Let me count the ways: hugs, kisses, hand squeezes, smiles, gifts, happy energy, healing energy, laughter, cuddles, massages, love letters, food, time, friendship, and more. One of my favorite ways to give love is to give Sugar Lovin food or share food with someone. So today, I'm going to imagine all the sweet treats I would give to my sweets.
For my babe, my future hubs: a peaches 'n' cream pie with a heart of raspberries
Not just because I know he loves peaches, pie, and raspberries but because in China, where peaches originated, peaches are thought to bring luck, abundance and protection and raspberries are known for being rich in antioxidants. I would begin with a whole wheat & oats pie crust that I flavor with peach schnapps and raspberry vodka instead of water. I would bake the crust and then fill it with a rich, vanilla pastry cream. Then, I would mix freshly peeled, sliced, and pitted peaches with honey, lemon zest and flour and saute it in a small saucepan until the peaches cooked down a little. I would top my pastry cream with the peaches and then form a heart out of fresh raspberries for the center. Find the recipe here.
For la mia famiglia: dulce de oh my god brownie sundaes
Because chocolate is a staple in our household and because we are too spicy and fun to be just plain chocolate, I would give heart shaped chocolate and cinnamon brownies topped with dulce de leche ice cream, fresh caramel, and toasted chopped cashews (we also love cashews). It's a complex dessert, who's flavors are balanced and creative, just like my family. I would start with a recipe for the best brownies ever and add some spicy cinnamon. I would use a heart shaped cookie cutter to portion the brownies and then I would top it with either homemade dulce de leche ice cream (if there were time) or Haagen Daaz (R) brand (a great option when you are short on time). Next, I would make a deep, amber caramel sauce and drizzle it lightly over the top. Finally, I would toast salted cashews in the oven and then roughly chop them and sprinkle them to finish this fun and decadent dessert.
For my friends: maple macademia nut cookies
Because I like the name macademia, which to me has a little bit of crazy and a little bit of fun and they have a whole lot of taste. Because I love the natural, smoky, sweetness of maple syrup. And because together, we are a sweet little cake of many flavor that all complement each other. I would start with a basic drop cookie recipe, but decrease the amount of brown sugar to add maple syrup and increase the flour to make sure the dough is not too wet. For fun, I might add in white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips. Find this recipe here.
My friends, my family and my babe: if there were ever any doubt that giving food was the same as giving love, I hope it's gone. My Sugar Lovin brain has gone into overload coming up with these foodie love gifts for you!
Now, we'll just have to see if I make them for you or not.
I once read that to receive love, you must give love. I don't know who said it or wrote it, but it's the kind of quote that sticks with you. And as a young girl wrote in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, "when it comes down to it, we all just want to be loved."
So, the question is, how can you give love? Let me count the ways: hugs, kisses, hand squeezes, smiles, gifts, happy energy, healing energy, laughter, cuddles, massages, love letters, food, time, friendship, and more. One of my favorite ways to give love is to give Sugar Lovin food or share food with someone. So today, I'm going to imagine all the sweet treats I would give to my sweets.
For my babe, my future hubs: a peaches 'n' cream pie with a heart of raspberries
Not just because I know he loves peaches, pie, and raspberries but because in China, where peaches originated, peaches are thought to bring luck, abundance and protection and raspberries are known for being rich in antioxidants. I would begin with a whole wheat & oats pie crust that I flavor with peach schnapps and raspberry vodka instead of water. I would bake the crust and then fill it with a rich, vanilla pastry cream. Then, I would mix freshly peeled, sliced, and pitted peaches with honey, lemon zest and flour and saute it in a small saucepan until the peaches cooked down a little. I would top my pastry cream with the peaches and then form a heart out of fresh raspberries for the center. Find the recipe here.
For la mia famiglia: dulce de oh my god brownie sundaes
Because chocolate is a staple in our household and because we are too spicy and fun to be just plain chocolate, I would give heart shaped chocolate and cinnamon brownies topped with dulce de leche ice cream, fresh caramel, and toasted chopped cashews (we also love cashews). It's a complex dessert, who's flavors are balanced and creative, just like my family. I would start with a recipe for the best brownies ever and add some spicy cinnamon. I would use a heart shaped cookie cutter to portion the brownies and then I would top it with either homemade dulce de leche ice cream (if there were time) or Haagen Daaz (R) brand (a great option when you are short on time). Next, I would make a deep, amber caramel sauce and drizzle it lightly over the top. Finally, I would toast salted cashews in the oven and then roughly chop them and sprinkle them to finish this fun and decadent dessert.
For my friends: maple macademia nut cookies
Because I like the name macademia, which to me has a little bit of crazy and a little bit of fun and they have a whole lot of taste. Because I love the natural, smoky, sweetness of maple syrup. And because together, we are a sweet little cake of many flavor that all complement each other. I would start with a basic drop cookie recipe, but decrease the amount of brown sugar to add maple syrup and increase the flour to make sure the dough is not too wet. For fun, I might add in white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips. Find this recipe here.
My friends, my family and my babe: if there were ever any doubt that giving food was the same as giving love, I hope it's gone. My Sugar Lovin brain has gone into overload coming up with these foodie love gifts for you!
Now, we'll just have to see if I make them for you or not.
Maple Macademia Nut Cookies
This cookie is not too sweet, but very complex in flavor, thanks to the maple syrup. Make it your own by adding white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips to the recipe.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Butter flavor shortening
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Maple syrup
1 Large egg
1 Large egg yok
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 2/3 cup AP flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Chopped, toasted macademia nuts
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, shortening, sugar and syrup until light and fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk and extract.
2. Carefully mix in flour, baking soda and salt until just combined. Add in nuts, mix until thoroughly dispersed.
3. Using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop, form 1 in balls on cookie sheet and lightly press down with palms of hands. Bake for 10 minutes or just until the edges are set. Allow to rest on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Butter flavor shortening
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Maple syrup
1 Large egg
1 Large egg yok
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 2/3 cup AP flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Chopped, toasted macademia nuts
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, shortening, sugar and syrup until light and fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk and extract.
2. Carefully mix in flour, baking soda and salt until just combined. Add in nuts, mix until thoroughly dispersed.
3. Using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop, form 1 in balls on cookie sheet and lightly press down with palms of hands. Bake for 10 minutes or just until the edges are set. Allow to rest on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool.
Homemade caramel sauce
It might be easy to buy at the store, but take one look at the ingredients on a store bought jar and you'll be glad you made it at home. Caramel is easy to make, though it does require you to watch it boil to get it just right.
Ingredients:
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
2 1/4 cup Heavy cream
1 Tbsp Butter
1/8 tsp Salt
Method:
1. In a medium saucepan, stir the sugar and water together over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Turn heat to high and bring to boil. Watch for the mixture to reach the caramel stage- when the color turns to a lovely deep amber. Gently swirl the pan for even coloring.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the cream, butter, and salt. Stir until smooth.
That's it! That's all it takes to make delicious, homemade caramel sauce.
Ingredients:
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
2 1/4 cup Heavy cream
1 Tbsp Butter
1/8 tsp Salt
Method:
1. In a medium saucepan, stir the sugar and water together over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Turn heat to high and bring to boil. Watch for the mixture to reach the caramel stage- when the color turns to a lovely deep amber. Gently swirl the pan for even coloring.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the cream, butter, and salt. Stir until smooth.
That's it! That's all it takes to make delicious, homemade caramel sauce.
Best brownies ever
This brownie recipe is delightful mix of cakey texture and fudgy texture, and it packs a serious chocolate punch.
Ingredients:
11 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups Butter
6 Eggs
3 cups Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups Cake flour
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
Method:
1. Preheat oven 400 degrees F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, set aside.
2. Place chocolate and butter in stainless steel bowl and place bowl over simmering bowl of water. Slowly melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Whisk in eggs, sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Add in flour and cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until edges are set, but center is still moist. Allow to cool before serving.
TIP: Experiment with the flavor of the brownies by adding a teaspoon of different spices here and there. Try a tsp of cinnamon or cayenne pepper or freshly chopped mint.
Ingredients:
11 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups Butter
6 Eggs
3 cups Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups Cake flour
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
Method:
1. Preheat oven 400 degrees F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, set aside.
2. Place chocolate and butter in stainless steel bowl and place bowl over simmering bowl of water. Slowly melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Whisk in eggs, sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Add in flour and cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until edges are set, but center is still moist. Allow to cool before serving.
TIP: Experiment with the flavor of the brownies by adding a teaspoon of different spices here and there. Try a tsp of cinnamon or cayenne pepper or freshly chopped mint.
Peaches n Cream Raspberry Heart Pie
This pie is chock full of lots of good nutritional things like peaches, raspberries, whole wheat, oats...and then of course, it has lots of sugar and butter too to make it Sugar Lovin worthy.
Ingredients:
Pie Crust
1/2 cup AP flour
1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Rolled oats
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 cup COLD butter, cubed
3/4 cup COLD butter flavor shortening
2-4 Tbsp Peach Schnapps
2-4 Tbsp Raspberry vodka
Pastry Cream Filling
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1/8 tsp Salt
6 Large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups Milk
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Butter
Peach & Raspberry topping
6 Medium peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced
1/2 cup Honey
2 tsp Lemon zest
3 Tbsp AP flour
1 pint Fresh raspberries
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In bowl of stand mixer or food processor, combine flours, oats, and salt. Add in cubed cold butter and shortening, mix until you have a crumbly, mealy texture.
2. Add a tablespoon of peach schnapps and then a tablespoon of raspberry vodka and mix. If pie dough comes together and scrapes the bowl clean, you don't need to add anymore to the dough. If not, continue to add them alternating flavor 1 Tbsp at a time.
3. On a well floured, clean surface, roll out pie dough to fit 8 in pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven, or until pie crust is warmed and golden. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks. Whisk until sugars dissolve. Heat milk and vanilla extract in large saucepan over high heat until it just boils. Remove from heat.
5. Add 1 cup of hot milk to egg yolk mixture and whisk in slowly to temper the eggs. Then, add entire egg yolk mixture in with milk and over medium low heat, stir constantly until mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Add in butter. Cover and refrigerate.
6. Place peaches, honey, lemon zest and flour in small saucepan over medium heat. Allow mixture to cook until a glaze forms over the peaches and the peaches have softened. Set aside.
7. Assemble the pie: take pastry cream and fill pie crust 2/3 full. Then, take raspberries and form a heart shape in the center of your pie. Carefully arrange the peaches around the heart shape to cover the remaining pastry cream. Keep refrigerated until you serve!
Ingredients:
Pie Crust
1/2 cup AP flour
1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Rolled oats
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 cup COLD butter, cubed
3/4 cup COLD butter flavor shortening
2-4 Tbsp Peach Schnapps
2-4 Tbsp Raspberry vodka
Pastry Cream Filling
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1/8 tsp Salt
6 Large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups Milk
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Butter
Peach & Raspberry topping
6 Medium peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced
1/2 cup Honey
2 tsp Lemon zest
3 Tbsp AP flour
1 pint Fresh raspberries
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In bowl of stand mixer or food processor, combine flours, oats, and salt. Add in cubed cold butter and shortening, mix until you have a crumbly, mealy texture.
2. Add a tablespoon of peach schnapps and then a tablespoon of raspberry vodka and mix. If pie dough comes together and scrapes the bowl clean, you don't need to add anymore to the dough. If not, continue to add them alternating flavor 1 Tbsp at a time.
3. On a well floured, clean surface, roll out pie dough to fit 8 in pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven, or until pie crust is warmed and golden. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks. Whisk until sugars dissolve. Heat milk and vanilla extract in large saucepan over high heat until it just boils. Remove from heat.
5. Add 1 cup of hot milk to egg yolk mixture and whisk in slowly to temper the eggs. Then, add entire egg yolk mixture in with milk and over medium low heat, stir constantly until mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Add in butter. Cover and refrigerate.
6. Place peaches, honey, lemon zest and flour in small saucepan over medium heat. Allow mixture to cook until a glaze forms over the peaches and the peaches have softened. Set aside.
7. Assemble the pie: take pastry cream and fill pie crust 2/3 full. Then, take raspberries and form a heart shape in the center of your pie. Carefully arrange the peaches around the heart shape to cover the remaining pastry cream. Keep refrigerated until you serve!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Peeeeeanut, peanut butter, and cookies, done two ways.
Can you hear the song just ringing in your head? Good. Now you are ready to explore the Sugar Lovin favorite, peanut butter cookies.
Peanut butter cookies are a tradition and a longstanding favorite for many. They are an American original, pioneered by George Washington Carver who is best known for promoting peanuts as the replacement crop for cotton in the south. In his 1916 research bulletin on ways to use peanuts for human consumptions, Carver listed 3 recipes for cookies using peanuts. It wasn't until 1923, however, that peanut butter was listed as ingredient for cookies.
Pillsbury's Balanced Recipes contained a recipe for Peanut Butter Balls. Though it's hard to find now, we do know that this is the first time you were instructed to use a fork to press the cookie down, giving peanut butter cookies their famous cross-hatch markings.
There are many ways to make a peanut butter cookie. Paula Deen and The Galway Girl blog prescribe a recipe that requires no flour- just peanut butter, eggs and sugar. I call it the macaroon method- as it's very similar to making a coconut macaroon, which is just coconut, sugar and egg whites.
The macaroon method is a far cry easier than the recipe I normally make, which is similar to a chocolate chip cookie recipe, but there are a couple of do's and don'ts to keep in mind when making your peanut butter cookies this way:
DO:
- Have flour (or rice flour if you are going gluten free) on hand to help you roll out the cookies. The dough is really sticky, so coat your hands with flour to roll the cookies into balls. Neither Paula nor Galway Girl mention this and its a huge PAIN if you don't know to do it.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Again, stickiness issue
- Use a high quality peanut butter. I recommend Honey Roasted Peanut Butter from Whole Foods (the kind you roast and grind right in the store). It will shine through in this recipe
DON'T
- Use natural peanut butters where the oil is separated on top. It just doesn't turn out right.
- Use granulated sugar. Use brown sugar instead. Molasses is the perfect complement to peanut butter.
Sugar Love's verdict on the macaroon method? Easy & fast.
So fast, in fact, that while I was doing my research, I decided to make them and try them and still finished this post in under an hour from start to finish.
It's also incredibly moist, which is a bonus given so many version of peanut butter cookies are dry. It also packs a ridiculous peanut butter flavor punch, which again, is often lacking from a peanut butter cookie. Here's my version of the recipe.
My favorite peanut butter cookies are made by my Aunt Theresa who uses a cookie press, and only at Christmas. They are unlike any peanut butter cookie I've seen- they are long and thin and wavy and bear no resemblance to the traditional looking cross-hatch-or-Hershey-kiss peanut butter cookie we always see:
I wish I could say I make them too or that the other peanut butter cookie recipe I'm sharing is hers, but alas, it's a family secret that I've not been let in on yet. I'm hoping that for Christmas this year, Aunt T. gives me the recipe and a cookie press...hint, hint!
In the meantime, we can talk about the other method for making peanut butter cookies, which is the drop cookie method. If you've ever made chocolate chip cookies, you can make peanut butter cookies with no issues.
Again, there are some basic do's and don'ts.
DO:
- Use high quality peanut butter
- Use butter AND butter flavor shortening. It will keep your cookies from spreading too thin and becoming rock hard.
DON'T:
- Use the natural peanut butter with the oil on top. Same story as above
- Over-bake these cookies. Peanut butter cookies get exceptionally hard and crumbly when over-baked.
This method is by far the most common version of peanut butter cookies you'll find. It's the one that most bakeries use and most grocery stores sell. It's a great way to make them, and the dough will keep when frozen for six months if you don't feel like making what you prepared all at once.
Find my recipe here.
So what's your favorite way?
Peanut butter cookies are a tradition and a longstanding favorite for many. They are an American original, pioneered by George Washington Carver who is best known for promoting peanuts as the replacement crop for cotton in the south. In his 1916 research bulletin on ways to use peanuts for human consumptions, Carver listed 3 recipes for cookies using peanuts. It wasn't until 1923, however, that peanut butter was listed as ingredient for cookies.
Pillsbury's Balanced Recipes contained a recipe for Peanut Butter Balls. Though it's hard to find now, we do know that this is the first time you were instructed to use a fork to press the cookie down, giving peanut butter cookies their famous cross-hatch markings.
There are many ways to make a peanut butter cookie. Paula Deen and The Galway Girl blog prescribe a recipe that requires no flour- just peanut butter, eggs and sugar. I call it the macaroon method- as it's very similar to making a coconut macaroon, which is just coconut, sugar and egg whites.
The macaroon method is a far cry easier than the recipe I normally make, which is similar to a chocolate chip cookie recipe, but there are a couple of do's and don'ts to keep in mind when making your peanut butter cookies this way:
DO:
- Have flour (or rice flour if you are going gluten free) on hand to help you roll out the cookies. The dough is really sticky, so coat your hands with flour to roll the cookies into balls. Neither Paula nor Galway Girl mention this and its a huge PAIN if you don't know to do it.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Again, stickiness issue
- Use a high quality peanut butter. I recommend Honey Roasted Peanut Butter from Whole Foods (the kind you roast and grind right in the store). It will shine through in this recipe
DON'T
- Use natural peanut butters where the oil is separated on top. It just doesn't turn out right.
- Use granulated sugar. Use brown sugar instead. Molasses is the perfect complement to peanut butter.
Sugar Love's verdict on the macaroon method? Easy & fast.
So fast, in fact, that while I was doing my research, I decided to make them and try them and still finished this post in under an hour from start to finish.
It's also incredibly moist, which is a bonus given so many version of peanut butter cookies are dry. It also packs a ridiculous peanut butter flavor punch, which again, is often lacking from a peanut butter cookie. Here's my version of the recipe.
My favorite peanut butter cookies are made by my Aunt Theresa who uses a cookie press, and only at Christmas. They are unlike any peanut butter cookie I've seen- they are long and thin and wavy and bear no resemblance to the traditional looking cross-hatch-or-Hershey-kiss peanut butter cookie we always see:
I wish I could say I make them too or that the other peanut butter cookie recipe I'm sharing is hers, but alas, it's a family secret that I've not been let in on yet. I'm hoping that for Christmas this year, Aunt T. gives me the recipe and a cookie press...hint, hint!
In the meantime, we can talk about the other method for making peanut butter cookies, which is the drop cookie method. If you've ever made chocolate chip cookies, you can make peanut butter cookies with no issues.
Again, there are some basic do's and don'ts.
DO:
- Use high quality peanut butter
- Use butter AND butter flavor shortening. It will keep your cookies from spreading too thin and becoming rock hard.
DON'T:
- Use the natural peanut butter with the oil on top. Same story as above
- Over-bake these cookies. Peanut butter cookies get exceptionally hard and crumbly when over-baked.
This method is by far the most common version of peanut butter cookies you'll find. It's the one that most bakeries use and most grocery stores sell. It's a great way to make them, and the dough will keep when frozen for six months if you don't feel like making what you prepared all at once.
Find my recipe here.
So what's your favorite way?
Peanut butter cookies- the drop cookie method
Ingredients:
1 cup Peanut butter
1/2 cup Butter
1/4 cup Butter flavor shortening (to prevent that cookie spread!)
1 cup Brown sugar
1 tsp Molasses
2 Large eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 bag Chocolate chips or butterscotch chips
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment, set aside. In bowl of mixer, beat peanut butter, butter, and shortening using paddle attachment. Add in sugar and molasses, beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add in eggs, one at a time and beat until full combined. Add in vanilla, mix well. All at once, add in your flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined. Add in chocolate chips, mix until well distributed.
3. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, form 1 inch balls and place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Press down with spoon or hands, lightly. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to rest on baking sheet for 2 or 3 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool. Repeat until all cookie dough has been used.
Peanut butter cookies- the macaroon method
This recipe is so easy, so fast, and so delicious it might just become your new go to.
Ingredients:
1 cup Peanut butter
1 cup Brown sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)
Flour, for coating hands when rolling cookies
1 cup Granulated sugar (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bowl of mixer, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla (if desired). Beat until well mixed.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. *** Pour granulated sugar into low bowl. Coat your hands generously with flour and roll dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar, place on cookie sheet. Press down cookie with back of spoon.
3. Bake for 8-10 minutes, remove and cool on wire rack. Eat and enjoy!
TIP: While the cookies are still warm from the oven, use your thumb to press down in the center of the cookie. You can either put a little bit of your favorite jam for a PB & J cookie or pour in a little chocolate ganache.
*** Note! I didn't have any parchment paper left, so I greased my cookie sheet with shortening and sprinkled it with flour.
Ingredients:
1 cup Peanut butter
1 cup Brown sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)
Flour, for coating hands when rolling cookies
1 cup Granulated sugar (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bowl of mixer, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla (if desired). Beat until well mixed.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. *** Pour granulated sugar into low bowl. Coat your hands generously with flour and roll dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar, place on cookie sheet. Press down cookie with back of spoon.
TIP: While the cookies are still warm from the oven, use your thumb to press down in the center of the cookie. You can either put a little bit of your favorite jam for a PB & J cookie or pour in a little chocolate ganache.
*** Note! I didn't have any parchment paper left, so I greased my cookie sheet with shortening and sprinkled it with flour.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Breadmaking 101
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| Demi Baguette |
Months ago (back in March I think), I signed up for a Pittsburgh Groupon with the Gaynor's School of Cooking. By the way, if you aren't on Groupon's mailing list or Living Social's mailing list, sign up stat. Great deals for all kinds of stuff.
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| Pain au mie |
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| Pita rounds |
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| Onion Oregano bread |
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| Rosemary foccacia |
My class began at 10 am today (and I was late, ugh!) and in 4 short hours, 4 women made 4 demi-baguettes, 8 bagels, rosemary foccacia bread, onion and oregano loaf, pain au mie, sunflower seed bread, pita bread and challah. From scratch I might add.
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| Garlic Salt Bagel |
It was a wonderful class- and it's not something you need experience or lots of baking know-how to do. Gaynor, the owner, is a wonderful teacher and the class has a very laid-back feel to it. Plus, you get to take home the freshly baked breads which makes the money spent completely worth it.
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| Sunflower seed bread, one of my favorites! |
Of course, I can't share the recipes I learned here. This is something better learned by patronizing a great local cooking school. I will say that I believe bread is more intensive than some types of baking, but it's also more forgiving. If you measure a cake out wrong, it really won't work. But with bread, you can self correct along the way by adding more flour or more water. For instance, today, our flour was a little moist, so we had to add much more than our recipes called for.
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| Challah |
Bread, it might not be super sweet, but it's Sugar Lovin worthy!
Crisp, ever the afterthought dessert
Yesterday I decided at the last minute I was going to make a quick dessert for a friend's Steelers party. Whenever I do anything last minute, I almost inevitably end up doing a drop cookie or a shortbread cookie because the ingredients are easy to grab and after a while, you can make them in your sleep.
However, yesterday I had a lot of fruit that needed to be used and a crisp seemed like the perfect fall dessert (incidentally, I also made a peanut butter cookie, but that's for another post).
Cooks Illustrated last month did an article on apple crisp and how it's always just ok, but not great, because crisp is an easy, afterthought dessert. Food Network magazine also did a spread on fruit crisps a few months ago. You essentially need fruit, sugar, flour, butter, brown sugar, a nut and a grain. The different varieties of crisp possible from this formula are endless.
For instance, yesterday I made a crisp of cherries, blueberries and Italian plums with a hit of allspice and topped it with an almond oatmeal crumble and brought fresh cinnamon whipped cream. I thought it turned out great, except that it was overly juicy. If I had to do it again, I would bake it like this recipe calls for, which has you cook the fruit on the stove top first and then bake it, but when you are in a hurry, these extra steps aren't really necessary.
You could also do a decadent pear crisp with a walnut, flax and oat streusel topping. Or a raspberry and blackberry crisp with a pecan, honey, and cornmeal streusel. See what I mean?
Your options are limitless once you learn the basic formula for crisp. For your basic crisp formula, go here, to the Food Network guide. They teach you the basics really well in this handy little article.
If you aren't in the mood to make crisp at home, but do so love a fruit crisp as all Sugar Lovin people must, crisp is fairly easy to get anywhere you go. Here in Pittsburgh, the Pie Place has a cherry crisp and an apple crisp daily, and occasionally does a peach crisp or a mixed berry crisp.
This is also a common restaurant dessert. My favorite is from Eleven in the strip. They do an apple crumble pie which is delectable. In reality, it's a new take on a dutch apple pie, but then that's kind of what apple crisp is to begin with.
In Chicago, at Hot Chocolate in the Wicker Park neighborhood, pastry chef Mindy Segal has dreamed up everything from a raspberry crisp (summer seasonal dessert) to her glorious apple for the fall (notice the apple theme is going to start ringing loud and clear now that we've entered the fall).
In a pinch, make a fruit crisp. They are quick, easy and super-tasty as long as you can get the basics down. Plus, in a worst-case scenario, you can always top the crisp with a big dollop of vanilla ice cream to disguise the flaws!
However, yesterday I had a lot of fruit that needed to be used and a crisp seemed like the perfect fall dessert (incidentally, I also made a peanut butter cookie, but that's for another post).
Cooks Illustrated last month did an article on apple crisp and how it's always just ok, but not great, because crisp is an easy, afterthought dessert. Food Network magazine also did a spread on fruit crisps a few months ago. You essentially need fruit, sugar, flour, butter, brown sugar, a nut and a grain. The different varieties of crisp possible from this formula are endless.
For instance, yesterday I made a crisp of cherries, blueberries and Italian plums with a hit of allspice and topped it with an almond oatmeal crumble and brought fresh cinnamon whipped cream. I thought it turned out great, except that it was overly juicy. If I had to do it again, I would bake it like this recipe calls for, which has you cook the fruit on the stove top first and then bake it, but when you are in a hurry, these extra steps aren't really necessary.
You could also do a decadent pear crisp with a walnut, flax and oat streusel topping. Or a raspberry and blackberry crisp with a pecan, honey, and cornmeal streusel. See what I mean?
Your options are limitless once you learn the basic formula for crisp. For your basic crisp formula, go here, to the Food Network guide. They teach you the basics really well in this handy little article.
If you aren't in the mood to make crisp at home, but do so love a fruit crisp as all Sugar Lovin people must, crisp is fairly easy to get anywhere you go. Here in Pittsburgh, the Pie Place has a cherry crisp and an apple crisp daily, and occasionally does a peach crisp or a mixed berry crisp.
This is also a common restaurant dessert. My favorite is from Eleven in the strip. They do an apple crumble pie which is delectable. In reality, it's a new take on a dutch apple pie, but then that's kind of what apple crisp is to begin with.
In Chicago, at Hot Chocolate in the Wicker Park neighborhood, pastry chef Mindy Segal has dreamed up everything from a raspberry crisp (summer seasonal dessert) to her glorious apple for the fall (notice the apple theme is going to start ringing loud and clear now that we've entered the fall).
In a pinch, make a fruit crisp. They are quick, easy and super-tasty as long as you can get the basics down. Plus, in a worst-case scenario, you can always top the crisp with a big dollop of vanilla ice cream to disguise the flaws!
Blueberry, cherry and plum crisp
This crisp is easy to make and has a sweet flavor with a hint of savory spiciness from the all spice. It might look like a lot of ingredients, but it comes together quickly, especially if you use frozen fruit!
Ingredients:
2 cups Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup Cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
6 Italian plums, pitted and quartered
1/2 cup Brown sugar
3 Tbsp Flour
1/2 tsp Ground allspice
3/4 cup Shelled, sliced almonds
1/2 cup Rolled oats
1/2 cup AP flour
1/4 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Brown sugar
8 Tbsp Butter, cubed, softened
Method
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2 qt baking dish (8x8) or eight 6-oz ramekins. Combine blueberries, cherries, plums, brown sugar flour and allspice. Mix well and place in large saucepan. Cook over medium low heat until sugars dissolve. Strain fruit through fine sieve, reserving the juices. Divide fruit among ramekins or place in baking dish, set aside.
2. In bowl of stand mixer combine almonds, oats, flours and sugar. Mix with paddle attachment on low. Add in cubed butter and allow mixture to become fully moistened and crumbly. Top fruit with crumble.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Meanwhile, take reserved fruit juices and cook in small saucepan over medium heat until reduced by half. Juice should become more like a syrup.
4. To serve, leave in ramekins or divide among six bowls and top with easy whipped cream made with a tsp of cinnamon and then drizzle with fruit juice reduction.
Ingredients:
2 cups Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup Cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
6 Italian plums, pitted and quartered
1/2 cup Brown sugar
3 Tbsp Flour
1/2 tsp Ground allspice
3/4 cup Shelled, sliced almonds
1/2 cup Rolled oats
1/2 cup AP flour
1/4 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Brown sugar
8 Tbsp Butter, cubed, softened
Method
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2 qt baking dish (8x8) or eight 6-oz ramekins. Combine blueberries, cherries, plums, brown sugar flour and allspice. Mix well and place in large saucepan. Cook over medium low heat until sugars dissolve. Strain fruit through fine sieve, reserving the juices. Divide fruit among ramekins or place in baking dish, set aside.
2. In bowl of stand mixer combine almonds, oats, flours and sugar. Mix with paddle attachment on low. Add in cubed butter and allow mixture to become fully moistened and crumbly. Top fruit with crumble.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Meanwhile, take reserved fruit juices and cook in small saucepan over medium heat until reduced by half. Juice should become more like a syrup.
4. To serve, leave in ramekins or divide among six bowls and top with easy whipped cream made with a tsp of cinnamon and then drizzle with fruit juice reduction.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Banana pudding
Dreamland does their banana pudding the traditional way- served with vanilla wafer cookies, sliced bananas, vanilla pudding and fresh whipped cream. And you can really tell that the pudding is made the traditional way. It's creamy, it's bursting with flavor and it melts in your mouth. It's heaven in banana pudding world.
Pudding is basically a form of custard. It's easy to make and it doesn't require many strange ingredients, but it does require patience and at least 10 minutes of your time where you can stand at the stove and stir, stir, stir.
You won't find many bakeries that serve pudding as it's a custard that will only hold for about three days, and banana pudding is even more rare. Pie bakeries across the states are beginning to pay homage to the banana creme pie, which is essentially banana pudding in a pie shell, but this special dessert is primarily a southern treat.
Still, if you find yourself craving banana pudding and remembering how your Mom used to make it for you, Sugar Love can help you out. First, a recipe for banana pudding:
Ingredients:
1 Ripe banana
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/8 tsp Salt
6 Egg yolks
2 1/2 cups Half and half
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Butter
Method:
1. Peel banana and place in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Mash banana, strain juices through fine sieve, reserving banana itself and set aside.
2. In large bowl, stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in egg yolks.
3. Bring the milk, vanilla and banana juice to a boil over medium heat. SLOWLY pour the hot milk into the eggs in thirds, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture just reaches a boil. Strain into bowl, stir in butter.
4. Allow to cool a little, then stir in the mashed banana. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
I must stress that you have to stir the whole time, otherwise you are likely going to burn your pudding, and burnt pudding is just no good.
Now, the easy thing to do to serve your banana pudding would be to line a small goblet glass or wine glass with vanilla wafers and sliced, fresh banana, top with chilled pudding and serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream (easy recipe here).
I recommend making a homemade vanilla wafer type cookie that takes the form of a homemade fortune cookie (recipe here), then adding the fresh, sliced banana and whipped cream.
Don't want to make your own? Then just head south to Tuscaloosa for the weekend.
Fortune cookies
The batter for these cookies is very simple, however the baking process is time intensive and requires a quick, steady hand. I wouldn't call this easy, but if you are feeling adventurous and want to try your hand at fortune cookies (they make a GREAT gift), here's my recipe.
Ingredients:
5 Tbsp Unsalted butter
4 Egg whites
1 cup Sugar
1 cup AP flour
1 pinch Salt
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare your stove and counter top by having a clean surface to do the folding and mini muffin pan to allow the cookies to set nearby. Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan. Set aside.
2. Beat egg whites and sugar in bowl until well combined. Add in flour and salt. Mix in heavy cream and vanilla and then add melted butter.
3. Take a cookie sheet and flip over so that the lip is facing down. Liberally spray the cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray. Using a tablespoon, carefully measure out batter and spread in a thin circle, with approximately a 2 inch diameter. I recommend only doing 1 or 2 cookies at a time to start until you get the hang of it.
4. Set your timer to 5 minutes and put the oven light on. Bake for 5 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Working quickly, pull out the cookies and using a spatula and thin, food safe gloves, fold the cookie in half and then in half again to form fortune cookie. Place the ends down into muffin tin and move quickly to your next cookie. Repeat until all the batter is used.
If you are going to place a fortune in your cookie, you can either do so while you are folding the cookie, or just fold the cookie lightly enough so that there is an area for you to slip it in once it's cooled.
Ingredients:
5 Tbsp Unsalted butter
4 Egg whites
1 cup Sugar
1 cup AP flour
1 pinch Salt
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare your stove and counter top by having a clean surface to do the folding and mini muffin pan to allow the cookies to set nearby. Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan. Set aside.
2. Beat egg whites and sugar in bowl until well combined. Add in flour and salt. Mix in heavy cream and vanilla and then add melted butter.
3. Take a cookie sheet and flip over so that the lip is facing down. Liberally spray the cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray. Using a tablespoon, carefully measure out batter and spread in a thin circle, with approximately a 2 inch diameter. I recommend only doing 1 or 2 cookies at a time to start until you get the hang of it.
4. Set your timer to 5 minutes and put the oven light on. Bake for 5 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Working quickly, pull out the cookies and using a spatula and thin, food safe gloves, fold the cookie in half and then in half again to form fortune cookie. Place the ends down into muffin tin and move quickly to your next cookie. Repeat until all the batter is used.
If you are going to place a fortune in your cookie, you can either do so while you are folding the cookie, or just fold the cookie lightly enough so that there is an area for you to slip it in once it's cooled.
Fresh whipped cream recipe
This is seriously the easiest "pastry" oriented thing you can make and once you do, you'll never go back to Cool Whip or Redi Whip. You need 2 ingredients, a stainless steel bowl and at the least, a hand mixer.
Ingredients:
1 cup Heavy cream
1/3 cup Confectioners sugar
Method:
1. Place stainless steel bowl and whisk attachment(s) of mixer in freezer for 2 minutes.
2. In stainless steel bowl, combine cream and sugar. Mix on high until stiff peaks form.
That's it. That's whipped cream.
If you wanted to make it more interesting, you could certainly add a touch of something here and there.
Lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla extract, almond extract, raspberry extract, coconut extract, lime zest, cinnamon, chocolate syrup, etc. These all pair well with whipped cream and can be added to the stainless steel bowl while whipping.
Ingredients:
1 cup Heavy cream
1/3 cup Confectioners sugar
Method:
1. Place stainless steel bowl and whisk attachment(s) of mixer in freezer for 2 minutes.
2. In stainless steel bowl, combine cream and sugar. Mix on high until stiff peaks form.
That's it. That's whipped cream.
If you wanted to make it more interesting, you could certainly add a touch of something here and there.
Lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla extract, almond extract, raspberry extract, coconut extract, lime zest, cinnamon, chocolate syrup, etc. These all pair well with whipped cream and can be added to the stainless steel bowl while whipping.
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