Friday, August 13, 2010
Let's Catch Up!
I'm going to post all of the baking I've done since January in multiple posts..... bear with me. :)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Cinnamon Caramel Corn
Holy crap, this is good stuff. And easy to make, too! Thanks, Our Best Bites for this awesome recipe.
I don't think you can do anything bad to popcorn. If I could have only one snack for the rest of my life, it would certainly be popcorn. It can be savory, or sweet, spicy or salty. I'm one of those people who buys the vat of popcorn at the theater and eat the entire tub. Then I go and get my free refill, so I can eat it at home over the next week. Does it get stale? Sure. But it's still popcorn, so I still eat it.
You could do so much with this basic recipe. You could chop up peanut butter cups in place of the walnuts or pecans, and add peanuts, or add nutmeg and ginger and crumbled gingersnaps for a gingerbread kind of flavor...if you want ideas, just check out Moose Munch at Harry and David for flavor ideas. Our Best Bites also has a peppermint bark version which is sure to please. Use the base sugar/butter/syrup recipe, add desired spices, and the possibilites are endless.
We stuck with the basics of the recipe: cinnamon, white chocolate, and some semi-sweet chocolate drizzle. We used walnuts in place of pecans, because that's what we had on hand.
5 noms. ;0
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
December 2009 Daring Bakers’ Challenge: Gingerbread House
The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.
Gingerbread Dough for House
Scandinavian Gingerbread (Pepparkakstuga)
from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas
1 cup butter, room temperature [226g]
1 cup brown sugar, well packed [220g]
2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ cup boiling water
5 cups all-purpose flour [875g]
1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the dough along with the flour. Mix to make a stiff dough. If necessary add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Chill 2 hours or overnight.
2. Cut patterns for the house, making patterns for the roof, front walls, gabled walls, chimney and door out of cardboard.
3. Roll the dough out on a large, ungreased baking sheet and place the patterns on the dough. Mark off the various pieces with a knife, but leave the pieces in place.
4. [I rolled out the dough on a floured bench, roughly 1/8 inch thick (which allows for fact that the dough puffs a little when baked), cut required shapes and transferred these to the baking sheet. Any scraps I saved and rerolled at the end.]
5. Preheat the oven to 375'F (190'C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. After baking, again place the pattern on top of the gingerbread and trim the shapes, cutting the edges with a straight-edged knife. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.
Gingerbread person footprints!
I found this dough incredibly hard to work with. It was too try to roll out after it chilled in the fridge (covered, of course) so I had to add some water to it to even get it to come together as dough. It was pretty much a disaster, and I was very disappointed.
Fortunately for me, I salvaged it with the water and some elbow grease.
I took this opportunity to use up all the old candy and assorted other items in my baking closet that I felt I would be wasting by just throwing away, saying to myself "I'll find a way to use it, I will." I did! And after it was decorated, and the pictures were taken, I threw the whole thing into the trash, happily.
After making the dough, and chilling it, and then salvaging it from disaster, then rolling it out, and making patterns, and cutting the dough out, and cooking it, and recutting it, then realizing the back of the house shrunk like a cotton sweater accidently thrown into the dryer, then making the icing, and assembling it, and waiting for icing to dry, and.................................you get my point. It was a hellaton of work, and by the time I got to the FUN part (decorating) I was exhausted and couldn't wait to go all Office Space: Kitchen Edition on it (you know..... the printer scene. Only I would have had a meat tenderizing mallet, and the printer was my house....yeah, you get it).
Oh, the royal icing. I used the standard recipe from Annie's Eats with Just White meringue powder, and it was delicious and easy. I had made some sugar cookies and used the green icing, and I didn't want to waste the icing, so green it was!!!!
I will never do this again. But it was KIND of fun. :)
Gingerbread Dough for HouseScandinavian Gingerbread (Pepparkakstuga)
from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas
1 cup butter, room temperature [226g]
1 cup brown sugar, well packed [220g]
2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ cup boiling water
5 cups all-purpose flour [875g]
1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the dough along with the flour. Mix to make a stiff dough. If necessary add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Chill 2 hours or overnight.
2. Cut patterns for the house, making patterns for the roof, front walls, gabled walls, chimney and door out of cardboard.
3. Roll the dough out on a large, ungreased baking sheet and place the patterns on the dough. Mark off the various pieces with a knife, but leave the pieces in place.
4. [I rolled out the dough on a floured bench, roughly 1/8 inch thick (which allows for fact that the dough puffs a little when baked), cut required shapes and transferred these to the baking sheet. Any scraps I saved and rerolled at the end.]
5. Preheat the oven to 375'F (190'C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. After baking, again place the pattern on top of the gingerbread and trim the shapes, cutting the edges with a straight-edged knife. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.
Gingerbread person footprints!
I found this dough incredibly hard to work with. It was too try to roll out after it chilled in the fridge (covered, of course) so I had to add some water to it to even get it to come together as dough. It was pretty much a disaster, and I was very disappointed.
Fortunately for me, I salvaged it with the water and some elbow grease.
I took this opportunity to use up all the old candy and assorted other items in my baking closet that I felt I would be wasting by just throwing away, saying to myself "I'll find a way to use it, I will." I did! And after it was decorated, and the pictures were taken, I threw the whole thing into the trash, happily.After making the dough, and chilling it, and then salvaging it from disaster, then rolling it out, and making patterns, and cutting the dough out, and cooking it, and recutting it, then realizing the back of the house shrunk like a cotton sweater accidently thrown into the dryer, then making the icing, and assembling it, and waiting for icing to dry, and.................................you get my point. It was a hellaton of work, and by the time I got to the FUN part (decorating) I was exhausted and couldn't wait to go all Office Space: Kitchen Edition on it (you know..... the printer scene. Only I would have had a meat tenderizing mallet, and the printer was my house....yeah, you get it).
Oh, the royal icing. I used the standard recipe from Annie's Eats with Just White meringue powder, and it was delicious and easy. I had made some sugar cookies and used the green icing, and I didn't want to waste the icing, so green it was!!!!
I will never do this again. But it was KIND of fun. :)
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The 2009 Daring Cooks Challenge: Salmon en Croute
The 2009 Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Simone of Junglefrog Cooking. Simone chose Salmon en Croute (or alternative recipes for Beef Wellington or Vegetable en Croute) from Good Food Online.
I made the salmon version, with a filet of wild Alaskan salmon. Farm raised salmon tastes like what it was fed--pellets of fish food dyed pink. This was the real freakin deal! However, I felt like I wasted the salmon on this recipe--the sauce was underseasoned, and overall it wasn't very satisfying.
I made the salmon version, with a filet of wild Alaskan salmon. Farm raised salmon tastes like what it was fed--pellets of fish food dyed pink. This was the real freakin deal! However, I felt like I wasted the salmon on this recipe--the sauce was underseasoned, and overall it wasn't very satisfying.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thanksgiving Feast for 2 (with tons of leftovers!)
The Thanksgiving Menu (Featuring recipes from Cooks Illustrated)
Brined Turkey Breast (5 pounds, free-range, organic from Bowman and Landes--semi-local!)
Scalloped potatoes (Cook's Illustrated)
Cornbread Stuffing with Xtra Hot Chorizo (from Loveland Meats, local!) and red peppers (Cooks Illustrated)
Roasted Vegetables with Oregano (we made a much simpler version with sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and Brussels sprouts, tossed with olive oil, dried oregano, S+P)
White and Wheat Dinner Rolls (from a local bread shop)
Mystery Gravy from Bloomingfoods (a local co-op--I've never tried to make gravy, so I picked up some pre-made homemade stuff and some (disgusting) powdered gravy from a pouch (that would have been suitable to pour over the cat's food. I think they were even offended by its chemically smell. Local homemade it was)
Dutch Apple Pie
Whipped Cream
The turkey breast, all cooked and moist and delicious! Surrounded by the roasted root veggies and sprouts.
Scalloped potatoes and cornbread stuffing (wait, dressing, right? Cause it's not in the bird? Eh.)
Dutch Apple Pie. Made with local Winesap apples. It's the best apple pie I've ever had.
Food, Mammeh. Food plz. I ask nice. I sit in my chair. No paws on table. Wherez mah turkeh? Reggie got his turkey day treats later--his much desired Wellness brand, canned, Turkey flavored.
Local/Regional turkey breast, brined, and stuffed under the skin with a zippy parsley pesto with local roasted chestnuts (it was frakkin' delicious and something we made up on the fly!)
Skin replaced. Sorry to stuff your delicious skin with delicious treats and basically desecrate your (delicious) corpse. When your turkey friends are able to catch me and eat me, I give you permission to do the same to me.It was a success! Our thermometer broke, and we were terrified we overcooked the bird, but it came out perfect without any rawness or signs of being overcooked. Okay, now time for more pie. :)
The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge: Cannolis
The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.
CANNOLI SHELLS
2 cups (250 grams/16 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons(28 grams/1 ounce) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 3 grams/0.11 ounces) salt
3 tablespoons (42 grams/1.5 ounces) vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar
Approximately 1/2 cup (approx. 59 grams/approx. 4 fluid ounces/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala or any white or red wine you have on hand
1 large egg, separated (you will need the egg white but not the yolk)
Vegetable or any neutral oil for frying – about 2 quarts (8 cups/approx. 2 litres)
1/2 cup (approx. 62 grams/2 ounces) toasted, chopped pistachio nuts, mini chocolate chips/grated chocolate and/or candied or plain zests, fruits etc.. for garnish
Confectioners' sugar
1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil, vinegar, and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight.
2 Cut the dough into two pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Lightly flour a large cutting or pastry board and roll the dough until super thin, about 1/16 to 1/8” thick (An area of about 13 inches by 18 inches should give you that). Cut out 3 to 5-inch circles (3-inch – small/medium; 4-inch – medium/large; 5-inch;- large. Your choice). Roll the cut out circle into an oval, rolling it larger and thinner if it’s shrunk a little.
3 Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube/form and dab a little egg white on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg white seal dry a little.
4. In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer's directions. Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags.
5. Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.
6. Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill.
7. Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough. Or else you'll have burned fingers, which is just not fun on cannoli day.
PUMPKIN FILLING
1/2 cup (123 grams/4.34 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1/2 cup (113 grams/4.04 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (122.5 grams/4.32 ounces) canned pumpkin, drained like ricotta
3/4 cup (75 grams/2.65 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/2 to 1 teaspoon (approx. 1.7 grams/approx. 0.06 ounces) pumpkin pie spice (taste)
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 2 grams/approx. 0.08 ounces) pure vanilla extract
6-8 cannoli shells
1. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta and mascarpone until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl, cover and chill until it firms up a bit. (The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).
2. Dip the ends of the cannolo in whatever you'd like--shaved chocolate, mini chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc. I dipped mine in turbinado sugar and sprinkled on a little bit of cinnamon, and dusted with the traditional powdered sugar!
And there you have it. Cannolis. Nom.
What's this, you ask? That would be my invention. It's a cannolo (singular for cannoli) doughnut. The cannolo popped off of the tube while frying and made a cool hollow in the middle doughnut shape, which I filled with extra pumpkin filling. I'm not wasting my time with the tubes anymore---cannolo doughnuts FOR THE WIN! Much easier, and you get more of the filling. :)
Unfortunately, I also followed the instructions for this month's challenge and also prepared the TWO POUNDS of traditional ricotta filling for the cannoli. The few cannoli I made I filled with the pumpkin filling.
So, if you'd like TWO FRAKKIN POUNDS of cannoli filling, give me a ring. I've got it ready for you :)
CANNOLI SHELLS
2 cups (250 grams/16 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons(28 grams/1 ounce) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 3 grams/0.11 ounces) salt
3 tablespoons (42 grams/1.5 ounces) vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar
Approximately 1/2 cup (approx. 59 grams/approx. 4 fluid ounces/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala or any white or red wine you have on hand
1 large egg, separated (you will need the egg white but not the yolk)
Vegetable or any neutral oil for frying – about 2 quarts (8 cups/approx. 2 litres)
1/2 cup (approx. 62 grams/2 ounces) toasted, chopped pistachio nuts, mini chocolate chips/grated chocolate and/or candied or plain zests, fruits etc.. for garnish
Confectioners' sugar
1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil, vinegar, and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight.2 Cut the dough into two pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Lightly flour a large cutting or pastry board and roll the dough until super thin, about 1/16 to 1/8” thick (An area of about 13 inches by 18 inches should give you that). Cut out 3 to 5-inch circles (3-inch – small/medium; 4-inch – medium/large; 5-inch;- large. Your choice). Roll the cut out circle into an oval, rolling it larger and thinner if it’s shrunk a little.
3 Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube/form and dab a little egg white on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg white seal dry a little.
4. In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer's directions. Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags.
5. Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.
6. Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill.
7. Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough. Or else you'll have burned fingers, which is just not fun on cannoli day.
PUMPKIN FILLING
1/2 cup (123 grams/4.34 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1/2 cup (113 grams/4.04 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (122.5 grams/4.32 ounces) canned pumpkin, drained like ricotta
3/4 cup (75 grams/2.65 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/2 to 1 teaspoon (approx. 1.7 grams/approx. 0.06 ounces) pumpkin pie spice (taste)
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 2 grams/approx. 0.08 ounces) pure vanilla extract
6-8 cannoli shells
1. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta and mascarpone until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl, cover and chill until it firms up a bit. (The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).
2. Dip the ends of the cannolo in whatever you'd like--shaved chocolate, mini chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc. I dipped mine in turbinado sugar and sprinkled on a little bit of cinnamon, and dusted with the traditional powdered sugar!
And there you have it. Cannolis. Nom.
What's this, you ask? That would be my invention. It's a cannolo (singular for cannoli) doughnut. The cannolo popped off of the tube while frying and made a cool hollow in the middle doughnut shape, which I filled with extra pumpkin filling. I'm not wasting my time with the tubes anymore---cannolo doughnuts FOR THE WIN! Much easier, and you get more of the filling. :)Unfortunately, I also followed the instructions for this month's challenge and also prepared the TWO POUNDS of traditional ricotta filling for the cannoli. The few cannoli I made I filled with the pumpkin filling.
So, if you'd like TWO FRAKKIN POUNDS of cannoli filling, give me a ring. I've got it ready for you :)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
THE DARING BAKERS OCTOBER 2009 CHALLENGE: MACAROONS
The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.
Oh, macarons. I hate you. I hate you so much. Almond meal expensive ($10.49 for a 16oz bag) and the likelihood that I will screw you up is high. I've never made macarons before, nor have I even tasted one, so the entire process was new to me. I had actually forgotten about the challenge, knowing that I would be disappointed with the results. Macarons are notoriously difficult to master, so I wasn't expecting them to turn out on my first try. However, I was kind of hoping I would. Just because I hate wasting food.
After beating the egg whites I felt like I was on the right track. Until I had to add the confectioner's sugar and the almond flour/meal. The folding was making the egg whites quite gooey and gloopy, and I was afraid that I had already over-folded the egg mixture to the point of failure. I then realized that these were not going to taste like anything as I had not chosen a flavor. After quickly reading the information about flavoring and coloring, I panicked, and put two tablespoons of instant hazelnut espresso powder into the mix.
The almond flour was labeled "almond/meal." I believe this is the "meal" part as it would not fit thorugh the strainer holes! Damn you Bob and your shiny Red Mill!
Oh.... the kitchen is a mess. A hot, sticky, eggy mess.
Did my macarons have the much coveted feet? Nope.
I've decided to call them "Natalie's Crazy Cakes" because they are of my own invention and they are making me crazy. I had some leftover dark chocolate ganache from a cake I made in September (hey... it refridgerates well) so I picked up my crazy cake crumbs and sandwiched that shit in between and enjoyed my sticky gooey chocolate egg pancake cookies. And they tasted darn good.
Oh well, right? :)
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