Tuesdays With Dorie: Kugelhopf

This week's TWD selection, Kugelhopf, was chosen by Yolanda, of The All-Purpose Girl. . Dorie Greenspan's recipe can be found on pages 61-63 of Baking: From My Home to Yours and when I caught a glimpse of that beautiful photo, I couldn't wait to try this cake out. Her Kugelhopf nearly graces the sky with how tall its peaks are! The yeasted batter for my Kugelhopf rose as Ms. Greenspan said it would, until I chucked it in the fridge for an overnight rest, as recommended. I baked it the following morning and unfortunately for me, my poor kugelhopf remained shamefully flat, never achieving the glorious height that Kugelhopfs are renowned for. Although my Kugelhopf will never win over anyone other than those who enjoy yeasted raisin pancakes, I thought my Kugelhopf tasted pretty good, thanks to my addition of toasted almonds to the batter. For some successful Kugelhopf eye-candy, please visit the other TWD bakers. Thanks!

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Tuesdays With Dorie: Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes + Happy Birthday, Dear Gabby

This week's TWD is Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes, chosen by Clara of IHeartFoodForThought. I hope I am within the bounds of TWD rules by letting you know that I made this recipe in September, for my daughter's first birthday. Overall, these cupcakes were a success, mostly thanks to the awesome ganache frosting. The cake part was not the best ever, but not too bad, either. It would work just fine in a pinch, I guess you could say. Since I have a phobia about the potential for dry cakes, I always add a smidge more liquid (especially if it's buttermilk) and a bit less flour than called for. I guess you can say that I don't buy that whole baking as a precise science school of thought. It seems like this additional buttermilk and a touch less flour make for a more moist interior. As you can see, these cupcakes turned out to be a hit, as evidenced by Gabby's face-plant into her cupcake.





I intended to post about these chocolate chocolate cupcakes on Gabby's birthday, which is in September, but I'm so behind the eight-ball, what with this move and all. But we're getting settled in and with a little luck, I won't be 6 weeks behind in my posting in the future! Happy first birthday, my darling Gabriella. You've taught David and I so much in the short time you've been with us. We joyously look forward to seeing the person you grow into.

For the full recipe, please visit Clara's site or find it in "Baking: From My Home To Yours", by Dorie Greenspan. Please visit the TWD blogroll to check out all the beautiful cupcakes.

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Tuesdays with Dorie: Pumpkin Muffins

This week's TWD was chosen by Kelly, of Sounding My Barbaric Gulp; the recipe can be found either on her blog, or in Baking: From My Home To Yours, by Dorie Greenspan. These pumpkin muffins sound promising, but I do not really care much for pumpkin. Every Thanksgiving, I bypass the often soggy pumpkin pies in favor of the other pies, those lovingly dotted with pecans, chocolate, or apples. So, why did I make this recipe, then, you might be wondering? Truth be told, I stumbled over a can of pumpkin in the kitchen, which is still a disaster, now going on two weeks status post move to New Jersey. Our place is a wreck, littered with half opened moving boxes and takeout food containers. But I unpacked a long forgotten can of pumpkin and instantly realized this week's TWD was kismet. Unfortunately, these muffins confirmed all my suspicions about pumpkin. But perhaps it's not the recipe, which seemed to garner many upturned thumbs on the TWD message board. I doctored it, trying to make it more healthy. See, I'm on a health kick, because I started eating oatmeal every morning for breakfast. So, I swapped a half cup of the all purpose flour the recipe calls for with a half cup of whole wheat flour. I also added flax seeds to the mix and used a bit less sugar than called for, and all brown sugar, at that, too. Lastly, since I haven't unpacked any sunflower seeds, yet, I decided to crush up some pistachios instead for the topping, thinking it might be a nice touch of green to the tops. Given all my changes, I thought the muffins turned out mediocre. They are what they are is how my husband would put it. The pumpkin flavor is subtle, they aren't overly sweet, so it's a good choice for breakfast, and boy do those flax seeds pack an Omega 3 punch! My husband, on the other hand, loathed the muffins. In fact, here is our conversation:

Me: "Try one."
David: (with mouth full) "These are dense and flavorless."
Me: "HEY! I worked hard on those! Just because I didn't follow the recipe and they're not loaded with white sugar, you don't like them!"
David: "No, I don't like them because it looks like you crushed an avocado on top."
Me: "hmph! I'm happy that the Red Sox lost!"

Please visit the TWD blogroll to see the other members' creations. Next week: Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes. Thanks!

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Tuesdays With Dorie: Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and since I haven't had it in so long, I was practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation for this week's TWD. I'd like to share with you my creme de la creme of creme brulee recipes: Ginger and Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee. It's from Bon Appetit and it has 200 reviews with a 97% "would make again" score (which is quite high!). The ginger adds a dimension to this dessert which is very special and also a bit unusual. I've stuck to this recipe for the last few years and have found that it's easy to leave out the ginger and equally as easy to sub in other flavors, just like Dorie mentions in her book, as well. I couldn't wait to see how Ms. Greenspan's Creme Brulee stacks up against my favorite. Unfortunately, the custard part of Dorie's Creme Brulee sat in the oven for ages, barely baking at a wee 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The recipe calls for a baking time of 50-60 minutes "or until set." At 80 minutes, I got nervous and took it out, even though it was still a bit jiggly. I figured it would set a bit more in the refrigerator, as it should chill for at least 3 hours, preferably longer. I really love Baking: From My Home To Yours, and, of course, I adore Dorie Greenspan but this recipe just fell short for me. It's cloyingly sweet, and the vanilla extract seems to cheapen the taste. I know that makes me sound like a snot-nosed home baker, but the vanilla bean in the Bon Appetit recipe gives it much greater depth, it seems. It might follow the whole argument regarding recipes with very few ingredients: use the best components you can. Furthermore, I had the issues of baking it for so long at such a low temperature and not feeling like it quite set like it should. I refrigerated the custards for 5 hours and then made the crackly topping and found that the custard was not quite set. Although it was delicious, the custard was too loose to do it's job, which is to support that awesome sugary topping. I refrigerated another custard to see if it fared better after a 24 hour rest in the refrigerator. The next day, the custard was really perfect and I was much happier with the texture. But the sugar! It's as though the sugar became concentrated overnight and became tooth-achingly sweet, which did not sit well with me. I compared Dorie's sugar specifications to my Ginger and Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee recipe and there's a bit more sugar in the Bon Appetit recipe, but also 2 extra egg yolks, which seems to dilute the sugar. Anyhow, the Bon Appetit recipe is still number one in my book. I'm glad I tried this week's TWD, though, and if you'd like to try too, check out Dorie Greenspan's book, Baking: From My Home To Yours. Also, please visit the other TWD bakers to see how their Creme Brulees turned out! And, Thanks for a great choice, to our hostess this week, Mari, of Mevrouw Cupcake.

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TWD: Dimply Plum Cake

It's been a while since I've participated in Tuesdays with Dorie. It's been so hectic for both Erin and me in the last month or so, which is why we had to take an unwanted hiatus. Way back in 2007, when we decided to start Smell The Basil jointly, we figured that if life got too busy for one of us, then, certainly the other would be available and capable of picking up the slack. Crazily enough, we both ended up moving at the exact same time and now, Erin's stuff is in storage, my stuff is in storage, and neither of us are able to cook or bake in the comforts of our own kitchens. It's frustrating to try to cook in other people's kitchen's, isn't it? I'm temporarily living at my parent's house, and I'm loathe to re-purchase any necessities since I know all my favorite pans, whisks, and fancy vanilla extract are patiently waiting for me in a cold, dark storage unit in Central Jersey.


Well, this week's recipe is so easy that I could participate in TWD even with my mom's bare-bones baking supplies. My mom hasn't touched a cookie sheet in years, but she does have a glass pyrex 8x8 dish and we lucked into loads of fresh prune-plums last week, everything needed to make this Dimply Plum Cake, chosen by Michelle of Bake-En. The batter was a cinch to put together and tasted pretty good, as well. It's the perfect breakfast treat, punctuated with a hint of cardomom and orange zest. The crumb is moist, but also firm and it sets up quite nicely.





The only downside is that the cake rose up and over the plums, mostly covering them, but they're in there, I promise! I'd make this again, for sure. For the full recipe, please check it out, either in Dorie Greenspan's book, "Baking, From My Home To Yours," or visit Michelle's site! Thanks!

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Tuesdays with Dorie: Erin and Shirlie's versions of Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

First up: Erin's version of Dorie's Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

Instead of blueberries I used frozen blackberries. I used about 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups of blackberry instead of the 1 cup it called for. I also put in the optional lime juice. Oh, and I used 2 % milk, not heavy cream. I didn't have heavy cream in the fridge and I am currently in an anti- "run to the grocery for just one ingredient" mode, so I used the milk I had in the fridge. This is also why I used blackberries because I had an open bag from Trader Joes in the freezer that have been there longer than I would like to admit.

This stuff is great. Not too much sugar, so it allowed some of the tartness to shine through. And, it was even healthier b/c I used milk not cream. So, this one was probably more like a sorbet, but I thought it was delicious. Even Eddie, my "dessert isn't dessert unless it involves chocolate" husband liked this one.

Shirlie's Version of Dorie's Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream



This week's TWD dessert was selected by Dolores, of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity, blueberry sour cream ice cream. Minimal fuss, fast set up and delicious pay-off. I hemmed and hawed about the recipe for a number of reason. I figured since it involved fruit, my husband would only tolerate it, and not actually enjoy it. I, on the other hand, can get behind another fruit based dessert, especially since I'm a new fruit dessert convert, thanks to this run of summertime desserts at TWD. Secondly, I really need to lay low with the cooking and baking because of our move, which is now right around the corner. I mean, we're finally able to see some space in the freezer so I wasn't sure it would be a good idea to make a vat of ice cream. Well, fast forward to Monday afternoon, and after another self-satisfied gaze at the progress I've made using up stuff in the freezer, I realized there was an old bag of frozen blueberries which had been hidden for a very long time! Total fate, I tell you. The other ingredients are easily found on-hand as well: sour cream, lemon zest, heavy cream. Since I didn't have heavy cream, I subbed whole milk which didn't take away from the richness or creaminess. This ice cream was really good, despite not having an egg-based custard, which usually means a creamy, delicious ice cream, in my book. I also added a splash of vodka, which is a tip from "Perfect Scoop," by David Lebovitz, to keep the ice cream from freezing solid. I was really happy with this ice cream, especially given how easy it was to prepare. And much to my surprise, my husband approved of it, even though there was no chocolate involved. He deemed it "refreshing." My daughter, on the other hand, wasn't a fan, but perhaps her palate is not quite sophisticated enough!






Please visit the other TWD bloggers to see their lovely creations. Full recipe after the jump.

Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream
Dorie Greenspan, Baking, From My Home to Yours


1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, if frozen, thaw and drain)
1/2 cup sugar, or more to taste (I used 1/4 cup and it was sweet enough)
grated zest and juice of 1/4 lemon(or lime, as you prefer), or more juice to taste
3/4 cup heavy cream (I used 1 cup whole milk)
3/4 cup sour cream (I cut back to 1/2 cup and compensated with an extra quarter cup of milk, totaling 1 cup whole milk)

1/2 teaspoon neutral flavored vodka*
*(this was my own addition, to ensure a creamier finish)

1) Put blueberries, sugar, salt and lemon zest and juice in a medium non-reactive saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture boils and the berries pop and soften, about 3 minutes.

2) Turn the blueberries into a blender and whir until you have a fairly homogenous puree, about 1 minute. (it will not be completely smooth, and that's OK). Add the heavy cream and sour cream, and pulse just to blend. Taste and, if you'd like, add a squirt more lemon juice or a tiny bit more sugar.

3) Pour the custard into a bowl and refrigerate until it is chilled before churning it into ice cream.

4) Scrape the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Pack the ice cream into a container and freeze for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.

Storage: Packed tightly in a covered container, the ice cream will keep in the freezer for about 2 weeks.
And here is the rest of it.

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Tuesdays with Dorie: Summer Fruit Galette

This week's TWD challenge, Summer Fruit Galette, was selected by Michelle, of Michelle in Colorado Springs. I almost didn't make this, even though all the stars were in alignment for me to make this dish. My 10 month old daughter was sitting peacefully in her swing, watching me in the kitchen, and my peaches, nectarines, and plums had been ripening in a brown paper bag for the last few days. My college roommate, Whitney, taught me to ripen fruit in a brown paper bag. Her mother would bring her crates of peaches and plums and we would ripen them until they nearly burst; we would devour this fruit, often in lieu of actual meals, while standing over the kitchen sink, juice dripping off of our elbows, neither of us saying a word, as we would revel in our contentedness. This is one of my fondest memories of my old roommate and whenever I eat stone fruits, I think back to those summers.

Now that I've painted a picture of my idyllic youth, surrounded by fresh fruits and good friends, imagine my horror last summer when I was pregnant and suddenly developed some kind of strange allergy to stone fruit. And only stone fruit. My ears and throat would itch, and my throat felt like it was swollen upon consumption of even a single cherry. It became painful to eat cherries, plums, peaches, apricots, and nectarines. I tried to soldier on and just deal with the symptoms, but my reaction seemed to be getting progressively worse, the more pregnant I got. My doctor just told me it was an unlucky coincidence; it wasn't the baby's fault, and I would have just developed this allergy pregnant or not. I didn't believe my obstetrician one bit. I knew this had to do with being pregnant, and as much as the low energy, swollen feet, and shortness of breath bothered me, nothing made me more upset than my new inability to enjoy summer stone fruits. Anyhow, flash forward to this summer. I'm not pregnant any longer, and I can eat stone fruits again, without consequence! Apparently, my allergy to stone fruits was brought on by being pregnant! My doctor still thinks I'm a bit crazy, but those symptoms were real, I tell you. So, I gleefully made this galette, and was so happy with the results. Ms. Greenspan's galette recipe has a custard which you pour over the fruit for the last 15 minutes of baking. I cut the sugar from 1/3 of a cup to 1/5 of a cup, as I felt my fruit was sweet enough. I think this was perfect and her crust perfectly showcases lusciously ripe stone fruits. Please visit Michelle's blog for the full recipe and don't forget to check out what the other TWD'ers baked up this week! Thanks!

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TWD: Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler

I wasn't sure what to make of this week's TWD challenge. Rhubarb is something I've never tried before, let alone purchased, prepped, and baked with. I was eager for the challenge, as my blogging partner, Erin, loves rhubarb. Every summer, I see this mysterious pale pink stalk-like vegetable, in bins next to the celery and eggplant and wonder if I can load up a dessert with enough sugar to tame the sour that rhubarb brings to the party. I say this because one of my favorite patients (I'm a physical therapist, I don't think I've mentioned that, yet) told me her husband only had eyes for her rhubarb pie, and her secret was a full 2 cups of sugar! Luckily, Ms. Greenspan's recipe cleverly uses the sweetness of cherries to its full advantage. I was ready to try this. I bought the rhubarb, brought it home, scrubbed it clean, trimmed it, and peeled a layer of it off, like celery, as instructed by Dorie. I pitted my cherries, using a paper clip contraption because I have yet to purchase a cherry pitter. One of these cherries was determined to cling to its pit and even after digging around in the bowl, I couldn't seem to locate this rogue cherry pit. So, I chalked it up to my imagination playing tricks on me and figured the pit never actually made it into my bowl of pitted cherries. I really should have been more careful, because I was serving this dish to 5 other people, 4 of whom are lawyers. Luckily my husband ended up with the cherry pit and luckily, he didn't break a tooth. Unfortunately, I have a birthday coming up and needless to say, he's told me that all I'm getting this year is a stupid cherry pitter.
I'm so glad I tried this recipe. I enjoyed the dichotomy of sour and sweet which melded together beautifully after 45 minutes in the oven. The topping is really unique, as it uses whole wheat flour and ginger as well. I tweaked it a little by adding 1/2 cup of cornmeal ala David Lebovitz who made a jam tart last week with cornmeal and whole wheat flour. I loved the texture and pleasant grit the cornmeal gave to the topping. And thank you, Steph, from A Whisk and a Spoon, and Jacque of Daisy Lane Cakes for your advice on rhubarb. I was ready to give up, so thank you for responding on the TWD help board! For the full recipe, please visit Amanda, our hostess for this week's challenge, at Like Sprinkles on a Cupcake. And do check out what all the other TWD bloggers have created by visiting TWD and clicking on each blogger. Thanks!

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TWD: Double Crusted Blueberry Pie

Double Crusted Blueberry Pie was this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, chosen by Amy of South in Your Mouth. I know I've recently told you that I'm not partial to fruit desserts, so when I heard this week's recipe was a fruit pie, I was fully determined to sit this one out. Didn't we just make a fruit cobbler, I thought? So, I let most of the week go by without much thought about pie. Towards the end of the week, I received the current edition of Cooking Light Magazine, which was lovingly gifted to me by my dear friend, S., and lo and behold, you'll never guess what was on the cover! It was the most beautiful lattice topped cherry pie I've ever seen, with step by step instructions for mastering this intricate maze of pastry dough. Lattice topped pies have forever intimidated me; I mean, pie crust alone is scary, let alone trying to piece together fragile strips of dough on top of your pie. I decided to own up to my insecurities and overcome my fear of lattice topped fruit pies.
And how did my endeavors go, you might be wondering? Well, let's just say that I have a new respect for those who can lattice top a pie. It took me forever; so long that I had to re-refrigerate my dough at least 4 times. I would cut a few strips and lay it out, then, try to get another strip of dough up from the wax paper, only to find it tearing into remnants because the dough had softened too much. I had to reshape it and re-cut strips and re-refrigerate it and attempt all over again. It was demoralizing, but I finally did it. And as you are my witness, I fully recant my earlier declarations that fruit desserts were not for me. I misspoke. I had yet to try Dorie's double crusted blueberry pie. I suppose trying this pie at the height of blueberry season also helped. I used 3 cups of sweet cherries and 2 cups of blueberries in this pie. It was unbelievable. And now that I've made a lattice topped pie, I don't think I'll ever go back to merely topping a pie with just a plain slab of dough.
If you have put off trying to top your pies with a lattice design, I urge you to give it a shot. I swear it might make the pie taste even better! So, to re-cap, not only was the lattice top conquered, but I also came to the realization that some fruit desserts can be freaking amazing. I'll definitely make this pie again; perhaps with a different berry combination, although cherries and blueberries were sublime. Please visit the other TWD bloggers to see everyone's lovely creations. For the recipe, check out Amy's blog, South in Your Mouth, or get your hands on Baking: From My Home To Yours. You won't regret this purchase!

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TWD: Mixed Berry Cobbler

This week's TWD recipe is Mixed Berry Cobbler, selected by Beth, of Our Sweet Life. This recipe is lightening fast to pull together and doesn't taste half bad, either. It's just not that special, unfortunately, which is a shame because Dorie's recipes are always spot on. But maybe it's me and not the recipe, because I've never been enamored with fruit desserts, though, which is a result of my upbringing. My parents are both big fruit eaters and every night after dinner, we'd share a big plate of whatever fruit was in season. It's so easy to put away fruit when it's been lovingly peeled, sliced, and diced by a mom, isn't it? I just learned to associate fruit with healthy, after-dinner snack. In my mind, if you're going to splurge calorically on dessert, might as well make it rich and sinful. Chocolate and cheesecake come to mind. Fruit desserts seem a bit too healthy to me. But don't get me wrong. I don't think I'm capable of turning up my nose at a single dessert out there. I like fruit desserts. It's just not a piece of chocolate cake, you know? I sense that I'm digging myself into a hole, so I'll just get on with my TWD outcome. Many TWD'ers posted that the topping is bland. I took their advice and tried to jazz it up, with the addition of 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and swapped brown sugar for the suggested white sugar. I ended up with a topping which tasted pretty good, sort of like a buttery, flaky sugar cookie which complemented the berries beautifully. Since this recipe took 15 minutes to prep and only 25 minutes to bake, (I used 2 small ramekins & also quartered the recipe), I can't be too upset about the lack of wow!-factor with this dessert. It was a perfectly acceptable dessert and it's probably a good one to keep on hand if you're ever in a pinch and need to throw a dessert together quickly. Please visit Beth's blog, Our Sweet Life, for the full recipe. And, please visit TWD and click on the bloggers to see everyone's results! Thanks! Next week's TWD: Apple-Cheddar Scones

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TWD: La Palette Strawberry Tart

Marie of A Year From Oak Cottage has selected La Palette Strawberry Tart, page 374, From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan for this week's TWD recipe. After making this recipe, I realized something about Ms. Greenspan's sweet tart dough. It can do no wrong. I could fill it with brussel sprouts and lingonberry jam from IKEA and I could still put a few slices away, no problem. I know I shouldn't knock IKEA, after all, IKEA's "as-is" room has furnished many an apartment in my past. I guess it's just the fact that a furniture & household goods store would sell perishables such as preserves and meatballs which cause me a certain amount of cognitive dissonance. But I'm working through that, because the last time I visited IKEA, I couldn't stop drooling over the beautiful granite countertops. Anyhow, this recipe involves fully baking her sweet tart dough and then filling the cooled crust with strawberry preserves and fresh strawberries. A twist of ground black pepper and creme fraiche, and voila! A simple and rustic dessert is yours. I halved the recipe and made 2 small tartlets, and used balsamic vinegar-doused strawberries in one and kiwi and blueberry with blueberry preserves for the second tart. Verdict: The strawberry tart was good, nothing to write home about, though, unfortunately, but it did have one saving grace. The real star was the buttery, just sweet enough crust. The blueberry-kiwi tart, on the other hand, was outstanding. The sweetness of the berries and the tartness of the kiwi was evenly matched by Dorie's delicious crust. I would definitely make this recipe again, using blueberries and kiwi.



The full recipe can be found in Dorie Greenspan's book, "From My Home To Yours." Please visit the other TWD bakers to see their lovely creations. Thanks, Marie, for choosing a terrific recipe!

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My Mother's Day Cake: Jaime's Coconut Cake

I know we nearly have Father's Day upon us and I'm just now getting around to telling you about my mother's day surprise cake, painstakingly made by my husband. David toiled away, carefully following Jaime's Coconut Cake recipe and ended up with this beautiful, coconut covered cake. I kept pestering my husband about his recipe choice. Paula Deen's son? Was he a closet fan of the Deen Family, right under my unsuspecting nose? Even though David covets her kitchen (who doesn't?), he frequently makes fun of Paula Deen, mostly utilizing predictable jokes about her penchant for butter and sour cream. I just couldn't comprehend why he selected a Deen family favorite to bake me for mother's day this year. He says he typed in "cake" on the foodtv search function and randomly selected a cake on the second page of entries. Whatever. This cake was really good, actually. It was a lot of effort, (he tells me) but it was beautiful and delicious, as well. It was a bit dense, but the vanilla based crumb pairs nicely with the sugary frosting. It tasted even better the next day, after a night's rest in the refrigerator. The frosting got nice and crunchy, which is my favorite. Thanks, David, for making my first mother's day one to remember. Full recipe after the jump.





Coconut Cake
Courtesy of Paula Deen

For Cake:
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

7-Minute Frosting:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups flaked sweetened coconut
Artificial holly, optional garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and coconut milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed.

Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4-inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks.

Filling:

Stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and coconut in a bowl until well blended. Place the first cake layer onto pedestal. Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes approximately 1-inch apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread a third of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again.

Cook's Note: As each layer is stacked, stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.

Frosting:

Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with coconut. Garnish with artificial holly, if desired.And here is the rest of it.

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TWD- French Chocolate Brownies - Shirlie's Take

This week’s TWD recipe is French Chocolate Brownies. Holy cow, the ease of which these came together belies the decadence! I had it in my mind that there are two basic types of brownies. Those that come from a box, and Ina Garten’s. All other recipes I’ve tried fall squarely into the former camp, i.e. they taste similar to box brownies, maybe a notch or two above. I know I might be speaking sacrilege here, but hear me out. One afternoon, my husband and I caught the Barefoot Contessa’s Outrgeous Brownie episode. We quickly got to work duplicating her recipe and these became our very favorite and most treasured brownie recipe. But the work involved! We like to joke that only Ina can pull it off because she gets to hang out in her gourmet kitchen all day, entertaining her florist and/or her architect. Anyhow, I’ve tried other brownie recipes over the years, but thus far, I’ve always acknowledged that Ina sets the bar with her Outrageous Brownie Recipe. Fast forward to this week’s TWD. Di of Di’s Kitchen Notebook selected Dorie’s French Chocolate Brownies. This recipe is really easy, the only odd thing about it is the flambéed raisins, which soak up some nice, dark rum. I like raisins OK, but not as much as I love prunes! So, I plumped up the prunes in water, and soaked them in dark rum, ignited it all, and used those prune pieces in the brownie recipe. These French Chocolate Brownies were awesome. Dark chocolate (70% bittersweet), fudgy and with a crackly top, these were the perfect foil to vanilla ice cream. Sometimes I wonder if I just use baked goods as my vehicle so I can shovel ice cream into my mouth, but those thoughts should probably be saved for another post. At any rate, my family tried them and really enjoyed these brownies, remarking that the prunes gave the brownie an unusual tartness in occasional bites. I proclaimed these brownies perfect and would like to state for the record that Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies should look out because there’s a new brownie in town.


French Chocolate Brownies
- makes 16 brownies -
Adapted from Baking From My Home to Yours.

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/3 cup raisins, dark or golden
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons; 6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 12 pieces
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil, place the pan on a baking sheet, and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon, if you're using it.

Put the raisins in a small saucepan with the water, bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the water almost evaporates. Add the rum, let it warm for about 30 seconds, turn off the heat, stand back and ignite the rum. Allow the flames to die down, and set the raisins aside until needed.

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Slowly and gently melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and add the butter, stirring so that it melts. It's important that the chocolate and butter not get very hot. However, if the butter is not melting, you can put the bowl back over the still-hot water for a minute. If you've got a couple of little bits of unmelted butter, leave them—it's better to have a few bits than to overheat the whole. Set the chocolate aside for the moment.

Working with a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until they are thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Lower the mixer speed and pour in the chocolate-butter, mixing only until it is incorporated—you'll have a thick, creamy batter. Add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for about 30 seconds—the dry ingredients won't be completely incorporated and that's fine. Finish folding in the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula, then fold in the raisins along with any liquid remaining in the pan.

Scrape the batter into the pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is dry and crackled and a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the brownies to cool to warm or room temperature.

Carefully lift the brownies out of the pan, using the foil edges as handles, and transfer to a cutting board. With a long-bladed knife, cut the brownies into 16 squares, each roughly 2 inches on a side, taking care not to cut through the foil.

Serving: The brownies are good just warm or at room temperature; they're even fine cold. I like these with a little something on top or alongside—good go-alongs are whipped crème fraiche or whipped cream, ice cream or chocolate sauce or even all three!

Storing: Wrapped well, these can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

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Tuesdays with Dorie: Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake

This week's TWD challenge was selected by Caitlin, of Engineer Baker. I love ricotta cheese, especially on pizza and in lasagna. I wasn't sure about using ricotta cheese in a sweet dish, but I know using ricotta is common in Italian desserts, such as cheesecake and in cannolis. This recipe is ridiculously easy. Well, except the part about finding figs. I couldn't track any figs down, so I subbed prunes in. I have a new appreciation for dried plums or prunes after hearing David Lebovitz present Parisian Desserts at Central Market here in San Antonio a few weeks back. David Lebowitz quickly turned my aversion to prunes into adoration with his chocolate prune aramagnac cake, which he effortlessly whipped together in minutes during the class. I plan to post about in the future, and will compare his version to Dorie's. Well, I decided I would bake more with prunes after his class so I thought this cake would be the perfect opportunity to test drive this new infatuation of mine. And it was. Like I mentioned earlier, this cake was easy to put together, with minimal dishes to clean up (ease of dessert is always directly proportional to the number of dishes dirtied, in my book). The crumb was nice, too, sort of crumbly like cornbread, but at the same time moist from the ricotta and prunes. I decided to quarter the recipe and it was perfect for one 4 inch tartlette, just because I feel like I've been on a sugar high these past few weeks. Thanks, Caitlin, for choosing this cake; it's one I think I would have bypassed but I'm so glad I tried it. Don't forget to check out the other TWD'ers for their creations.




Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake
(From Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from My Home to Yours)

About 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed
1 c. medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 c. ricotta
1/3 c. tepid water
¾ c. sugar
¾ c. honey (if you’re a real honey lover, use a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, pine, or buckwheat)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10 ½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Check that the figs are, indeed, moist and plump. If they are the least bit hard, toss them into a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry. If the figs are large (bigger than a bite), snip them in half.

Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth. With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey, and lemon zest and beat until light. Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.

Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs. Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the pan, and the butter will have left light-colored circles in the top. Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes. Cool to warm, or cool completely.

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Daring Bakers, Cheesecake Pops

April's Daring Bakers Challenge was Cheesecake Pops. I'm running a little late in posting about my pops. Sometimes when I'm running late for something, my husband will take on an exasperated tone of voice with me. To this, I tell him that it's better to be running a little late than to be 24 hours early! 24 hours early refers to an evening 4 years ago. His co-worker invited us over for dinner on a Saturday night. Somehow, David mixed up the dates and was absolutely certain her invite was for Friday night. So, Friday evening rolls around and we frantically fight Friday afternoon rush hour in the DC area, as David is anxious to not be late, since he doesn't know this co-worker all that well. We ring the doorbell, his co-worker answers the door, a very puzzled look on her face. I believe her exact words were, "David, I thought you and your wife were coming over tomorrow night!" It was at this moment where I truly grasped what true mortification felt like. We both apologized profusely and told her we'd leave, go home, tail between our legs and that she'd never have to worry about feeding us again, as we were completely and totally unworthy. She wouldn't hear of it. Our hostess, bless her heart, welcomed us into her home a full 24 hours early and graciouly divided her and her husband's dinner onto our plates. It truly was a lesson in adaptability and making near strangers feel at home. So, now, four years later, my embarrassment has dimmed slightly and I am able to tease my husband about how he showed up 24 hours early to a dinner party, hosted by someone he did not know all that well, and he brought along his unsuspecting wife to boot. So you can see how I much prefer to be a little late than being early! Anyhow, back to April's Daring Bakers Challenge.




The very best part of this challenge was, hands down, the decorating of the pops. I had so much fun swirling the pops in chocolate, caramel, nuts, coconut and sprinkles. The cheesecake itself is fairly straightforward and it's baked sans crust, so it can all be scooped out to make the pops. Personally, I didn't care much for the cheesecake flavor solo, but once the pops were coated in chocolate and all the other flavors, look out! Once decorated, I really enjoyed this little treat. Some problems I had: the cheesecake's consistency was very soft, so it was difficult to scoop out the pops. I ended up freezing the cheesecake overnight to firm it up for scooping. Also, the baking time mentioned, 35-45 minutes, is not long enough. I had to bake the cheesecake roughly 60 minutes and even then, I felt like the interior was a bit too soft. So the very center of the cheesecake went un-scooped. Other than those few issues, this was a lot of fun to make and decorate and I bet young kids would like this sort of dessert. Don't forget to check out the other Daring Bakers' creations here. Also, a big thank you to April's hosts, Deborah from Taste and Tell and Elle from Feeding My Enthusiasms for their terrific choice of Cheesecake Pops from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O’Connor.
Cheesecake Pops
adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O’Connor

Makes 30 – 40 Pops

5 8-oz. packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy cream

Thirty to forty 8-inch lollipop sticks
1 pound chocolate, chopped or in chips
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
(Note: White chocolate is harder to use this way, but not impossible)

Assorted decorations such as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees

Position oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Set some water to boil.
In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. If using a mixer, mix on low speed. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well (but still at low speed) after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cream.
Grease a 10-inch cake pan (not a springform pan), and pour the batter into the cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and slightly golden on top, 35 to 45 minutes. (My baking time was more like 60 minutes).
Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
When the cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball. Freeze the cheesecake pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 to 2 hours.

When the cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate. In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, heat half the chocolate and half the shortening, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and chocolate and shortening are combined. Stir until completely smooth. Do not heat the chocolate too much or your chocolate will lose it’s shine after it has dried. Save the rest of the chocolate and shortening for later dipping, or use another type of chocolate for variety.
Alternately, you can microwave the same amount of chocolate coating pieces on high at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.

Quickly dip a frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate, swirling quickly to coat it completely. Shake off any excess into the melted chocolate. If you like, you can now roll the pops quickly in optional decorations. You can also drizzle them with a contrasting color of melted chocolate (dark chocolate drizzled over milk chocolate or white chocolate over dark chocolate, etc.) Place the pop on a clean parchment paperlined baking sheet to set. Repeat with remaining pops, melting more chocolate and shortening (or confectionary chocolate pieces) as needed.
Refrigerate the pops for up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.

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Erin's Take on Bill's Carrot Cake

Sorry, I am a little late in posting on this week's TWD Carrot Cake. What can I say... life gets hectic. In general, I am not a cake fan. I would take pie over cake any day. Except for carrot cake. I just have a weakness for carrot cake, or perhaps the cream cheese icing that is always used.

I took the cake over to a party at a friends house on Tuesday and invited constructive critisim to be included in this post. Here's what we came up with:
1. The taste of the cake was great - really hearty and spiced well.
2. The cranberries were a perfect replacement for the much detested raisins.
3. My cake was little bit dry. I kept in the oven for 47 minutes, so next time I take 5 minutes off the cooking time.
4. We all loved not having icing on the sides. This eliminated the common problem of way too much icing on a slice of cake. (I know to some people this is never a problem.)

This cake is definitly worth keeping on the make again list. Thought next time I am going to substitute half of the oil for the same amount of applesauce and see how it turns out.

Here's how the cake looked after we finished with it last night.

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TWD: Bill's Big Carrot Cake

This week's TWD challenge is from Amanda, of Slow Like Honey, who selected Bill's Big Carrot Cake, pages 254-255. Of course, I wondered who Bill is, and it turns out that he's Dorie Greenspan's late jeweler friend, Bill Bartholomew, who enjoyed her carrot cake which she makes using her 30 year old recipe. Talk about tried and true! He must have enjoyed his carrot cake hearty! And now that I've tried Dorie's recipe, I think I prefer my carrot cake hearty, as well. This cake has it all. Texture, crumb, flavor, and that irresistable, cream-cheese frosting.





I prepared her carrot cake batter with crushed walnuts made super-fine by way of a mortar and pestle, and added shredded coconut. Instead of a big party cake, I made cupcakes. I omitted raisins because David has strong feelings about raisins; he can't stand them and will stomp his feet and throw a tantrum if he finds one sneaked into a baked item. Well, he doesn't really have a tantrum. I'm just having some good old fashioned fun at my husband's expense. It's OK, he stopped reading Smell The Basil, anyhow, so he'll never find out about me exposing his secret disdain of the harmless raisin. Anyhow, my point is that this cake takes well to subsitutions and additions. Dorie Greenspan mentions that dried cranberries are a current favorite addition to this cake. I'll try that next time.
Please check Smell The Basil tomorrow, because my blogging partner, Erin, will post about her take on Bill's Big Carrot Cake. Thanks!
My cupcakes sank a little during the baking process, which could be due to the heavy batter, but this cosmetic flaw was easily repaired with an extra dab of frosting. Please check out the other TWD bakers to see their creations! Also, thank you to Amanda, for selecting a great recipe!

Bill's Big Carrot Cake

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan




Yields 10 servings



Ingredients:



For the cake:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon salt

3 cups grated carrots (about 9 carrots, you can grate them in food processor fitted w/ a shredding a blade or use a box grater)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs



For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick ( 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 pound or 3 and ¾ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

½ cup shredded coconut (optional)

Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut (optional)



Getting ready:

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter three 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, flour the insides, and tap out the excess. Put the two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.



To make the cake:

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean. The cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.



To make the frosting:

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.

If you'd like coconut in the filling, scoop about half of the frosting and stir the coconut into this position.



To assemble the cake:

Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. If you added the coconut to the frosting, use half of the coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer (or generously cover with plain frosting). Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake stop side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting or plain frosting. Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top- and the sides- of the cake. Finish the top with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle them on now while the frosting is soft.

Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, just to set the frosting before serving.



Serving:

This cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and while it's good plain, it's even better with vanilla ice cream or some lemon curd.



Storing:

The cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen. Freeze it uncovered, then when it's firm, wrap airtight and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.

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TWD: Part I. Homemade Marshmallows: A Lesson in Failures; Part II. Salvation found in the form of Rocky Road Ice Cream

Judy of Judy's Gross Eats selected Marshmallows, pg: 404-405, for this week’s TWD challenge. I must confess that I was tempted to sit this one out. In fact, I still have serious reservations not only about this recipe, but the entire point of making marshmallows from scratch. I just don’t see the allure. My reasons are simple: 1) I can buy a 1 lb bag of marshmallows at the grocery for less than 2 dollars 2) I think gelatin is really gross and should not be knowingly consumed 3) what on earth could I possibly do with a batch of marshmallows?! I mean, come on! Do you eat them with tea? I read Ms. Greenspan’s description of how she decided to include them in her spoon desserts section. Here’s where she and I part ways. If I were serving a spoon dessert to company, I would not feel comfortable serving marshmallows, even if they are lovingly made by hand. I would select homemade ice cream, crème brulee, mousse, or any of those sorts of spoon desserts. I don’t mean to quibble; I just think marshmallows are a component of s’mores and Rocky Road Ice Cream, and will never be the main attraction in my book. So, I decided to compose my email to the wonderful leader of TWD, Laurie, explaining my beliefs when I looked up and saw my hero, the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, in her immaculate kitchen, making, what else, but MARSHMALLOWS! Did any of you catch that episode last week? She made toasted coconut marshmallows and her lovably snooty description sold me and I decided to take it as an omen that I should attempt this week’s TWD. The outcome? I crashed and burned. I should have just hit “send” to that email to Laurie and called it a day. My marshmallows ended up .000000025 mm thick, that’s 2.5x10-8 mm for you mathmatics majors. (don’t laugh! I’ll troll all the unsuspecting math blogs out there trying to get them to link to our food blog!). In any case, have a look for yourself.




(If you are wondering why they are a shade of unappetizing tan, it's because I followed Ina Garten's advice and toasted some coconut for the marshmallows.



My marshmallows suck. I honestly don’t see much difference between these and store bought, other than the store bought taste really chalky. But it’s a difference so slight that I’m unwilling to bother with making marshmallows again. After I realized that these marshmallows were content to sink unabashedly to the depths of my pan, thumbing their collective noses at me, I wondered what I could do with these. I asked my husband if he wanted to go camping (so we could make s’mores) and he said no and that he had to do our income taxes. I could have made rice krispy treats but I don’t have rice cereal in the house. So, I decided to make Rocky Road Ice Cream, which I alluded to above. And there you have it. Toasted nuts, chocolate, eggs, cream, milk, and those miserably thin, unsatisfying marshmallows.



Oh, and these super thin ‘mallows totally disappeared in the ice cream. The only remaining sign of those cursed marshmallows is that delicate, pleasant chew they lend to classic rocky road ice cream. See, marshmallows are best when they assume the role of quiet workhorse, behind the scenes, so the chocolate and toasted nuts can take center stage.



Please visit the other TWD bakers to enjoy their successful marshmallow experiences!

Marshmallows
From Baking: My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Makes about 1 pound marshmallows

About 1 cup potato starch (found in the kosher foods section of supermarkets) or cornstarch
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 1/4-ounce packets unflavored gelatin
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup cold water, divided
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar

GETTING READY: Line a rimmed baking sheet -- choose one with a rim that is 1 inch high -- with parchment paper and dust the paper generously with potato starch or cornstarch. Have a candy thermometer at hand.
Syrup: Put 1/3 cup of the water, 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, continue to cook the syrup -- without stirring -- until it reaches 265 degrees F on the candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
While the syrup is cooking, work on the gelatin and egg whites. In a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining cold water (a scant 7 tablespoons) and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until it is spongy, then heat the gelatin in a microwave oven for 20 to 30 seconds to liquefy it. (Alternatively, you can dissolve the gelatin in a saucepan over low heat.)
Working in the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in another large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until firm but still glossy -- don't overbeat them and have them go dull.
As soon as the syrup reaches 265 degrees F, remove the pan from the heat and, with the mixer on medium speed, add the syrup, pouring it between the spinning beater(s) and the sides of the bowl. Add the gelatin and continue to beat for another 3 minutes, so that the syrup and the gelatin are fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla.
Using a large rubber spatula, scrape the meringue mixture onto the baking sheet, laying it down close to a short end of the sheet. Then spread it into the corners and continue to spread it out, taking care to keep the height of the batter at 1 inch; you won't fill the pan. Lift the excess parchment paper up to meet the edge of the batter, then rest something against the paper so that it stays in place (I use custard cups). Dust the top of the marshmallows with potato starch or cornstarch and let the marshmallows set in a cool, dry place. They'll need about 3 hours, but they can rest for 12 hours or more. Once they are cool and set, cut the marshmallows with a pair of scissors or a long thin knife. Whatever you use, you'll have to rinse and dry it frequently. Have a big bowl with the remaining potato starch or cornstarch at hand and cut the marshmallows as you'd like -- into squares, rectangles or even strips (as they're cut in France). As each piece is cut, drop it into the bowl. When you've got 4 or 5 marshmallows in the bowl, reach in with your fingers and turn the marshmallows to coat them with starch, then, one by one, toss the marshmallows from one hand to the other to shake off the excess starch; transfer them to a serving bowl. Cut and coat the rest of the batch.
Whatever you use, you'll have to rinse and dry it frequently. Have a big bowl with the remaining potato starch or cornstarch at hand and cut the marshmallows as you'd like -- into squares, rectangles or even strips (as they're cut in France). As each piece is cut, drop it into the bowl. When you've got 4 or 5 marshmallows in the bowl, reach in with your fingers and turn the marshmallows to coat them with starch, then, one by one, toss the marshmallows from one hand to the other to shake off the excess starch; transfer them to a serving bowl. Cut and coat the rest of the batch.


Rocky Road Ice Cream
Adapted from “The Perfect Scoop” by David Lebowitz
8 ounces milk chocolate, at least 30% cocoa solids, finely chopped
1 (1/2) cup heavy cream
1 (1/2) cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
Pinch kosher salt
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vodka, neutral flavor
¾ cup marshmallows, cut in ¼ inch pieces, or use miniature
¾ cup toasted almonds
1) Combine milk chocolate and cream in large, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate is melted, then remove bowl from saucepan. Set it aside with a mesh strainer over the top.
2) Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, WHISKING CONSTANTLY, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
3) Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. See Eggbeater for a good description of making the crème anglaise.
4) Pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the milk chocolate mixture. Add the vodka and mix together. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
5) Chill the mixture overnight in the refrigerator. Freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last five minutes of churning, add the toasted almonds and marshmallows.

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Apple Almond Yogurt Cake

Earlier this week, Deb of Smitten Kitchen posted about Ina Garten's famed lemon yogurt cake. This is a cake I've been meaning to try because I'm curious about the addition of yogurt to the batter, which promises a moist crumb. Wow, does this cake deliver. It's possibly the wettest cake I've ever tried, just shy of soggy and perfect with afternoon tea. As Deb mentions, the possibilities are endless, and she advises using Ina Garten's recipe as a guide. I decided to try apples and almonds because who doesn't love alliteration?


Apple Almond Yogurt Cake
Adapted from Ina Garten's Lemon Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (approximately 1 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup olive or canola oil (canola is more milder tasting)
1 1/2 cups peeled, diced apples (I used granny smith, but any sort which will retain is shape during the baking process should be equally delicious)
1/2 cup sliced almonds (I wish I'd thought to toast them first, next time!)
1/3 cup apple juice
squeeze of lemon juice, fresh, from 1/2 lemon (more if you prefer tarter flavor)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix the apples with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold apples and almonds very gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 (+) minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup apple juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the apple/lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Many reviewers suggested using a toothpick to prick tiny holes into the cake which would allow the syrup to seep inside.

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Tuesdays with Dorie: The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart

Mary of Starting From Scratch selected The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart for this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie Challenge. This is a dessert that was at the top of my “to make” list ever since I read about how Dorie Greenspan acquired the recipe for lemon cream, which is the filling in this recipe. As it goes, Ms. Greenspan and the famed pastry chef, Pierre Herme were working on their first book together, when he quietly let her in on his creative genius in the form of lemon, egg yolks and butter. Rather than creating a traditional lemon curd, which gently cooks together butter, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice, producing an intense lemon flavored spread; Chef Herme’s lemon cream heats egg yolks with lemon zest, juice, and sugar, which is cooled and then blended with butter, producing an emulsion, which, as we know, is what happens when two liquids which ordinarily do not mix well, are merged together. An emulsion can be defined as a suspension of tiny droplets of one liquid in a second liquid. At any rate, this process of making lemon cream somehow takes it to a wholly luscious new level. It tastes like velvet in your mouth and you won’t ever want to go back to eating plain old lemon curd after this. Paired with Dorie Greenspan’s perfect, never-fail sweet tart dough, I can’t think of a better combination of flavors.
Erin also created this dessert as part of the TWD challenge. Here is what she had to say about her experience: This has been a hectic week and I thought I would not have time to make the tart this week. However, with a few modifications I made it last night. The first problem was that my grocery store had no lemons on Sunday night! Can you believe that, I couldn't find a lemon in site, not even in the organic section. Haven't checked to see is some type of lemon shortage here in Maryland, but I found this rather disturbing. I really love citrus desserts and wanted to try this out, so thought I would create a lime tart. I used the zests of 4 limes, and needed the juice of 5 limes to get the 3/4 cup necessary. I was nervous when making the dough. It just seemed like a fine powder for such a long time. Eventually the dough did come together, but it took longer than I expected. I realized that I only have a 11 inch tart pan (the recipe called for a 9 inch pan), so I had to be careful pressing out the dough so it would cover the entire pan.

Well, I am happy to report that the lack of lemons in Maryland did not make this challenge a failure. The lime cream is heavenly. I would have eaten a lot more of it last night if I didn't know how much butter was in it. Since my crust didn't come out of the oven until 10:30 last night I didn't have time to put the dessert together. I'm looking forward to doing that tonight.
Please visit TWD to vicariously enjoy all the other Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tarts out there!






The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart
"From My Home to Yours", By Dorie Greenspan
1 cup sugar
grated zest of 3 lemons
4 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4-5 lemons)
2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons (10 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces, at room temperature

(1) 9-inch tart shell made with sweet tart dough, or sweet tart dough with nuts, or spiced tart dough; fully baked and cooled

Getting Ready: have an instant read thermometer, a strainer, and a blender (first choice) or food processor at hand. Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan.

Put the sugar and zest in a large heatproof bowl that can be set over the pan of simmering water. Off the heat, rub the sugar and zest together between your fingers until the sugar is moist, grainy, and very aromatic. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the lemon juice.

Set the bowl over the pan and start stirring with the whisk as soon as the mixture feels tepid to the touch. Cook the lemon cream until it reaches 180 degrees F. As you whisk - you must whisk constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling- you'll see that the cream will start out light and foamy, then the bubbles will get bigger, and then, as it gets closer to 180 degrees F, it will start to thicken and the whisk will leave tracks. Heads up at this point--the tracks mean the cream is almost ready. Don't stop whisking or checking the temperature, and have patience -depending on how much heat you're giving the cream, getting the temp can take as long as 10 minutes.

As soon as it reaches 180 degrees F, remove the cream from the heat and strain it into the container of the blender or food processor; discard the zest. Let the cream stand, stirring occasionally, until it cools to 140 degrees F, about 10 minutes.

Turn the blender or food processor on high and with the machine going, add the butter about 5 pieces at a time. Scrape down the sides of the container as needed to incorporate the butter. Once the butter is in, keep the machine going, to get the perfect light, airy texture of lemon cream dreams, you must continue to blend the cream for another 3 minutes. If your machine protests and gets a bit too hot, work in 1 minute intervals, giving the machine a little rest between beats.

Pour the cream into a container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to create an airtight seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. The cream will keep in the fridge for 4 days or, tightly sealed, in the freezer for up to 2 months; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to assemble the tart, just whisk the cream to loosen it and spoon it into the tart shell. Serve the tart, or refrigerate until needed.

Sweet Tart Dough
"From My Home To Yours", by Dorie Greenspan
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon (9 total tablespoons) very cold or frozen unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk

Preparation: In the bowl of your food processor, pulse flour, confectioner's sugar, and salt to combine. Scatter pieces of butter over dry ingredients and pulse until butter is coarsely cut in (some pieces will be the size of oatmeal and some will be the size of peas). Stir the yolk to break it up and add it little by little, pulsing after each addition. When the egg is in, process in long pulses, around 10 seconds each, until the dough forms clumps and curds. Alternatively, you can cut the mixture in a large bowl with a pastry blender until you have clumps and curds. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead dough very lightly to incorporate any dry ingredients that escaped mixing.
Prepare your tart pan by buttering all inside surfaces. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Press the crust in so that the edges of the pieces cling to one another, but not so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer prior to baking.

To Bake Crust: Center a rack in the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. The crust can be baked without pie weights since you froze it prior. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Inspect your crust and press down any puffed up parts with the back of a spoon. Bake an additional 10 minutes until it is firm and golden brown. Transfer tart pan to a cooling rack and cool crust to room temperature prior to filling.

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