Strawberry Sour Cream Pie

Because the strawberries are so good this year . . .

This is another one of those recipes I've been making for years. It doesn't get much easier than this.

4 cups strawberries (cut them in half)
1 half-baked pie shell

Mix together:

1 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour

Pour mixture over strawberries in pie. Sprinkle 2 T. sugar over top of sour cream mixture. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for additional 30 minutes.

Coconut Corn Nut Cookies

This is a cookie I've been making for at least 20 years from a cookbook entitled Applehood and Motherpie (thank you, Min). The name is deceiving because there are no corn nuts in this cookie. The coconut flavor is barely detectable. I mention this because I think even a coconut-hater would like this cookie. The coconut mostly provides texture, which is really really chewy. YUM. The recipe calls for corn flakes but I've been known to substitute Special K if it's all I have. I love this cookie.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 cups corn flakes
2 cups coconut
1 t. vanilla

Cream butter and sugars and add eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients and spoon onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.

Coconut Blondie Bar

The back page of this month's Gourmet Magazine features four brownie recipes. Here's the first in the series . . .

2 sticks (1/2 lb) unsalted butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups pecans (6 oz), toasted and cooled
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 13- by 9-inch baking pan. Melt butter in a 3-qt heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Whisk in brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time until mixture is glossy and smooth. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, then whisk into butter mixture. Stir in pecans and 1 1/2 cups coconut. Spread in pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Bake until a pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.

Ina's Strawberry Scones

Ever since Maui I've been obsessed with scones. Late afternoon meant light, fluffy goodness. Try Ina's recipe. The dried strawberries are really great at Trader Joe's and fairly inexpensive. Fresh blueberries also work well.

4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
3/4 cup small-diced dried strawberries (Trader Joe's)
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 4 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the cold butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour and butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss the strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, add them to the dough, and mix quickly. The dough may be a bit sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into squares with a 4-inch plain or fluted cutter, and then cut them in half diagonally to make triangles. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outsides are crisp and the insides are fully baked.

P.S. If you're interested in pumpkin scones I recommend this recipe highly.

June Challenge - Daring Bakers“Danish Braid”

Wow . . . I can't believe I made danish. Can I tell you how much fun this was? FUN.

About 20 years ago I went to a class to learn how to make croissants. After observing I left with the resolve never to attempt making them at home. When I saw the technique was the same with danish (that of cold butter being worked into the dough with multiple turns) I was not very excited. For ONCE my finished product looked like the sample pictures.

DANISH DOUGH

Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients
For the dough (Detrempe)
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DOUGH

Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

BUTTER BLOCK

1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.
2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

APPLE FILLING

Makes enough for two braids

Ingredients
4 Fuji or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Toss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes. Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. If you’ve chosen Fujis, the apples will be caramelized, but have still retained their shape. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before forming the braid. (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate.) They will cool faster when spread in a thin layer over the surface of the sheet. After they have cooled, the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Left over filling can be used as an ice cream topping, for muffins, cheesecake, or other pastries.

DANISH BRAID

Makes enough for 2 large braids

Ingredients
1 recipe Danish Dough (see below)
2 cups apple filling, jam, or preserves (see below)

For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.
2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash

Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking

1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.
2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

I added a light confectioners glaze to the finished product with a few scattered sliced almonds. This Daring Bakers challenge . . . I will make it again.

Dorie's "Chipster-Topped Brownies"

From Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. If you can't decide between a chocolate chip cookie or a brownie, these were made for you.

For the brownie layer:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 4 oz. bittersweet/2 oz. milk chocolate)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 sticks butter, cut into chunks
1 2/3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

For the cookie layer:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature
3/4 cups light brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment and butter the foil/parchment.

To make the brownie batter melt both chocolates and the butter together in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Melt and stir just until the mixture is shiny and smooth, then remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, beat the sugar and eggs together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium high speed for about 2 minutes, until pale, thick and creamy. Beat in the salt and vanilla, then reduce the speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate and butter, mixing just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the flour, mixing on low speed just until it disappears into the batter. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chopped walnuts by hand with a spatula, then scrape the batter out into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Set aside.

To make the cookie dough, first whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl, and set aside. Wash the bowl of your stand mixer (that you used to make the brownie batter), and then beat the butter and both sugars together using the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. One at a time, add the egg and the egg yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, then reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low, mix in the chopped chocolate.

Drop the cookie dough by spoonfuls onto the brownie batter, then use a spatula to gently smooth out the cookie dough layer evenly over the batter.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the cookie top is deep golden brown and a sharp knife inserted into the pan comes out with only faint streaks of moist chocolate. Cut when cool. Makes 24 bars. (And they were FUN to look at . . . )

Daring Bakers May Challenge - Opera Cake!

The Daring Bakers' challenge this month was an Opera Cake from Dorie Greenspan's Paris Sweets and Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty's Chocolate Passion. Initially I wasn't sure I knew what an Opera Cake was . . . once I saw pictures I recognized the treat from many of my favorite bakeries. Here is a typical Opera Cake (not mine). Needless to say I was not happy with my finished product.
This cake is typically about five different components: a joconde (a cake layer), a syrup (to wet the joconde), a buttercream (to fill some of the layers), a ganache or mousse (to top the final cake layer) and a glaze (to cover the final layer of cake or of ganache/mousse).

The base of an Opera Cake is a thin sponge cake made with nut meal, in this case, almond meal. Cakes are my thing. This one wasn't. A sponge cake is always such a gamble. Mine wasn't exactly a disaster, but it wasn't light and bouncy, that's for sure. It reminded me of a Daffodil Cake . The cake was cut into four tiny layers and brushed with a sugar syrup made with the flavoring of our choice. I chose almond. This challenge was specifically NOT about chocolate or "dark" flavors, the flavors had to be light in color and flavor.

The first two layers of the cake are covered in a very rich buttercream (after they're brushed with the syrup), but not a frosting buttercream. This particular butter cream is made with a syrup, eggs and butter. And was it ever flavorful. I've never made anything like it . . . it was worth the work. I'm not exactly sure how I could use it since it is not the consistency of a frosting or glaze, nor a pastry cream. It was luscious.
The ganache/mousse was the final layer of the jaconde. Mine was a white chocolate mousse. Yummy. Final step is a glaze.

I am not posting the recipe . . . it was FOURTEEN pages long. I am dead serious. I will never make it again, although there were some elements of it I really loved. The buttercream was crazy delicious. A cooked simple syrup mixed into eggs and beaten until you finally add butter. Delicious. The white chocolate mousse was worthy of another place on a different cake.

All in all, here's what I learned: I really need to go to pastry school. I am "technique challenged". Or in over my head...

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars [Barefoot Contessa]

Oh Ina . . . there is nobody like her. I am not partial to a peanut butter and jam or jelly sandwich, but I know I'm in the minority. That sandwich is a staple in my house, so I will post this recipe and maybe make them for a "Goodbye" lunch I'm having for a friend.

Any menu suggestions for that, by the way?

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter (recommended: Skippy)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (18 ounces) raspberry jam or other jam
2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.

Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Daring Bakers April Challenge - CHEESECAKE POPS

Cute, huh? Technique was a big part of this challenge and it appears I'm definitely technique-challenged. First, baking the cheesecake was no big deal, despite the fact that I usually shy away from anything with a water bath. I don't care for a bread pudding made that way at all . . . but this was the assignment so I followed it to the letter. Cheesecake wasn't an issue. Forming it into 2" pops, another story. I ended up using my small cookie/ice cream scoop, but it was messy. While they solidified in the freezer I melted the chocolate and prepared the sprinkles in cupcake liners. It wasn't exactly fun and it wasn't exactly a disaster. More like something in between. I'm not going to lie . . . I didn't dip all 40. Let's call it a day and just say I'm looking forward to May's challenge.

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
Boiling water as needed
Thirty to forty 8-inch lollipop sticks

1 pound chocolate, finely chopped – you can use all one kind or half and half of dark, milk, or white (Alternately, you can use 1 pound of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionary coating or wafer chocolate – candy supply stores carry colors, as well as the three kinds of chocolate.)

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) - Optional

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.

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 into 2-ounce balls 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 – 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 paper-lined 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.

Blondie Bars

2 sticks (8 oz) butter, melted
1 lb. light brown sugar (about 2 1/4 cups)
3 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups chocolate chips (use milk, dark, white, whatever...)
chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix sugar, eggs, vanilla with a spoon. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and stir until combined. Add chocolate chips, and pecans if you like.

Bake in a 15x10x2 inch pan for 20-30 minutes or in two 9x9x2 inch pans for 25 minutes. You can also use a 13x9 inch pan and cook for 25-35 minutes. Killer.

Almond Cake

2 C all purpose flour
1/2 C finely ground almonds/almond meal
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 C sugar
2 egg
1 1/4 C buttermilk
1/4 C oil
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp almond extract
1/3 C almond slices

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour or spray with nonstick spray a baking pan (tube and round pans will both work, bundt pan can also be used but since the cake will be flipped upside down, skip the almond slices decoration).

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almond, baking powder, salt.

In separate bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until the eggs are beaten, whisk in the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, almond extract. Pour this into the dry ingredients and fold until the batter is mixed and there are no streaks of flour.

Spread the batter into the prepared cake pan. Spread almond slices on top of the butter (skip this step if you are using a bundt pan). Bake in a 350 degree F oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

From nookandpantry

Falling Chocolate Cake

Our weekend travels took us to my favorite restaurant in Las Vegas, Olives. Todd English is a favorite chef of mine (once in a while he makes an appearance on Top Chef). His Mediterranean food is what I love. Debbie Merriam (Olives’ first baker) and Todd (see how I called him by his first name) came up with this one together. They say it’s never, ever been off the menu, and it never will be.

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for preparing ramekins
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for preparing ramekins
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 large eggs

Ingredients for Raspberry Sauce :

4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions for Chocolate Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter and flour six 8-ounce ramekins.

• Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir until completely melted. Set aside to cool.

• Place the sugar, flour and eggs in a large bowl and beat until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gently beat in the cooled chocolate mixture.

• Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins, filling them two-thirds to three quarters of the way up the sides. Bake until they begin to puff up, about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each ramekin and turn the ramekin upside down on a plate to unmold.

Instructions for Raspberry Sauce:

• Place the raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring over high heat. Boil until the sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice to taste. Let cool.

• Place half the sauce in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and puree. Combine with the remaining sauce, cover, and refrigerate until cold.

To finish and assemble: :

• Serve each warm cake surrounded by sauce, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar and sprigs of fresh mint.

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Must be Conference Sunday...

The March issue of Bon Appetit has another installment of Cooking Life by the author of one of my favorite blogs, Orangette. I LOVE this article. There is no pretentious, pseudo-expert air about her . . . she tells it like it is. She writes about yeast and her years of fear and intimidation about that one little word. How she'd skip over a recipe if it had the 'yeast' word in it . . . and then, this past Fall . . . she took the plunge, never to be the same again. I share her recipe not because the world doesn't have enough versions of recipes for cinnamon rolls. I share it because she conquered a culinary fear. THAT is fun to me.

DOUGH

1 cup whole milk
3 T. unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 t. rapid rise yeast
1 t. salt
Nonstick spray

FILLING

3/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
2 T. cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

GLAZE

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 t. vanilla

Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed, 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup of flour, sugar, egg, yeast and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form into ball.

Lightly oil bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and towel. Let dough rise in warm spot until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

FILLING

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Punch down dough and transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to rectangle and spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. Roll dough into log and cut crosswise into 18 equal slices, each about 1/2 inch wide.

Spray two 9 inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up. Cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Bake at 375 until golden, about 20 minutes. Invert onto rack and cool for 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up and glaze.

GLAZE

Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla in medium bowl and beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls and serve.

P.S. These are rising right now...

Kettle Corn

It's one of those things, kettle corn . . . you either love it or you hate it. I fall into the "love it" category. During the house renovation I was sometimes guilty of suggesting a run to Lowe's in Green Valley only because that vendor outside made the most fabulous kettle corn ever. Sadly (or luckily, depending on how you look at it) he's moved on. I was left to my own devices and I gave it a shot last night. It was delicious.

1/2 cup popcorn
2 T. corn syrup
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. oil

I pop my popcorn in the whirly pop, so the oil and popcorn and corn syrup go in the bottom of the pan. In last night's experiment I omitted the oil. Just as you start to hear the popcorn sizzle add the sugar. Once it's all popped add the salt. I understand if you add brown sugar instead of white sugar it will taste a little more like caramel corn. We'll see.

Dorie's Perfect Party Cake - FIRST DARING BAKERS CHALLENGE

I must admit I was relieved when my first Daring Bakers challenge turned out to be a cake. It's the one area in baking I am the most confident. I love to bake a cake, especially a layer cake.

March 8th was the day. We were given quite a bit of leeway in this challenge . . . that isn't typical for Daring Baker challenges. I decided to follow the recipe to the letter, so I ended up with a beautiful white cake. Easy, pretty, with a nice texture. The entire time I was baking I thought if I didn't like the finished assembled product at least I will get a recipe for a good white cake out of it. A plus.

The buttercream was interesting. I've never made a meringue and added butter, and surely not three sticks of butter. I beat it and beat it, and it looked like no buttercream I've ever made. Came time to assemble the cake ... it seemed as if there was barely enough buttercream. Once the coconut was added to the sides and top the buttercream didn't look nearly as sparse. Turns out it was exactly the right amount. I'm certain I wouldn't have appreciated more buttercream.

This cake was all about the combination of flavors. The sweetness of the coconut laying on that buttercream, in addition to the raspberry and lemon flavors, well, delicious. I will make it again. Daring Bakers . . . fun.

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk (I prefer buttermilk with the lemon)
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream:

1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Finishing:

2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
About 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Getting Ready:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To Make the Cake:

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.
Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

To Make the Buttercream:

Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate (mine didn't) – just keep beating and it will come together again. On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

To Assemble the Cake:

Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Spread it with one third of the preserves. Cover the jam evenly with about one quarter of the buttercream.
Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover). Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top. Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.

Snicker Cookies

1 cup soft butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2.5 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
20 Snickers bars

Wrap cookie dough around each snicker bar. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Pad Thai

Danny Boone (new to the Food Network) hosts a new show, Rescue Chef. It's fun. The premise: Danny travels America (running to the rescue) to assist regular people in perfecting that one dish they're having trouble with. I loved this one particular episode where he demonstrated the perfect (and easy) Pad Thai. Use the skinny rice noodles rather than the flat ones, and if you don't like shrimp you can substitute . . . I love Pad Thai. This recipe doesn't say so, but usually chopped peanuts are on the top. Those chopped peanuts add something. Totally optional.

1 1/2 T. vegetable oil, divided
1 T. garlic, minced
1 T. ginger, minced
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. fish sauce
1 T. rice wine vinegar
1/2 t. red crushed pepper flakes
1 t. brown sugar
7 ounces rice noodles, soaked in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes then drained
1/2 cup bean sprouts
3 scallions, sliced
1 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 lime, zested and juiced

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or a large frying pan. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute until golden brown. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until pink, tossing from time to time. Remove and set aside in a bowl.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in the same pan and add the eggs. Stir to scramble the egg into small pieces, remove and set aside with the shrimp.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the soy sauce, fish sauce, rice wine, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Stir briefly, add the drained noodles, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the bean sprouts, chopped scallions, and cilantro. Mix well and continue to cook until noodles are heated through. Season, if necessary, with a little more soy sauce or fish sauce, sprinkle in lime zest and juice, and serve while hot!

Peeps

This recipe for homemade marshmallow is different than this one, used for chocolate covered marshmallow eggs. It really isn't that difficult at all. And right about now that very cool colored sugar is probably on sale at Williams Sonoma . . .

Vegetable oil (for the pan)
Powdered sugar
2/3 cup cold water, divided
2 envelopes (2 tablespoons ) unflavored gelatin
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Colored sugar for decorating
Tiny amount of melted chocolate for decorating
Chick-shaped cookie cutter

Line the bottom and sides of a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with plastic wrap; oil and then generously dust bottom and sides with some powdered sugar. In the bowl of an electric mixer, place 1/3 cup cold water; sprinkle the gelatin over the surface.

In a heavy saucepan with a tight fitting lid, add sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/3 cup water; stir to dissolve sugar. Cover the pan and place over moderately low heat. Remove the cover after 4 to 5 minutes. The steam will have caused any sugar crystals to dissolve and the syrup will be bubbling lightly. Increase the heat to high, insert a candy thermometer, and boil the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 240 degrees F. Immediately remove from the heat.

Fit your electric mixer with the whisk attachment. slowly and carefully pour the syrup into the gelatin while the mixer is beating constantly at medium speed. When all of the syrup has been added, increase the speed to high and whip for approximately 10 minutes until the mixture is lukewarm very white, and the consistency of marshmallow cream. Add the vanilla extract toward the end of mixing.

Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan; smooth the top and sprinkle liberally with colored sugar of your choice. Let the pan stand, uncovered, at room temperature to dry. out. NOTE: Depending on the humidity, this may happen in several hours or take up to 8 hours. Generally speaking the longer you let it set up, the easier the marshmallow sheet will be to cut.

When ready to cut, invert the pan of marshmallow onto a clean cutting surface; remove the plastic wrap and coat the top with colored sugar (it should adhere easily).

Use cookie cutters to stamp out your peeps (or bunnies) and toss them in a bowl of sugar to coat the edges. If you find your cookie cutter getting sticky, was it and lightly coat with vegetable oil. With a toothpick apply a dot of chocolate to form an eye. Store the marshmallow peeps in an airtight container. Makes about 80 marshmallows.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

This recipe is from the Proud Italian Cook . . . I like her version simply because it makes so many. This is one of my favorite cookies. This version is also terrific.

1 lb. unsalted butter at room temperature
4 cups of un-bleached flour
2 t. vanilla
8 t. granulated sugar (just 8)
3/4 cup of ground pecans (optional, and I prefer almonds)
Bowl of powdered sugar

Cream butter, add sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Next, add the flour and mix until all incorporated. Roll in balls and place on cookie sheet, making a thumbprint in each one. Bake at 350 for 20 min. Immediately roll in powdered sugar.

Crazy

Not that long ago I heard a ridiculous celebrity give a thought provoking interview. A silly celebrity. But he said something that's sort of stuck with me. Can you be called to repentance by a silly celebrity? Forget I said that . . .

"The worst thing to call someone is crazy. It's dismissive. I don't understand this person so they're crazy?"

Can't stop thinking about this. Silda Spitzer? Not my place to say.

Somebody I know has always said, "Everyone is crazy except you and me. And I'm not too sure about you."

Apple Dumplings

I made these last night despite the fact that I'd never seen this recipe and I didn't believe it. Can I tell you it took less than ten minutes to put together and there are no words? Really. These were fabulous. Like outrageous.

2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Check out The Pioneer Woman Cooks! blog here

Almond Bars

You can't believe how good these are. Think of this bar as a plain blondie bar, just one million times better. They are chewy, buttery and full of almond flavor.

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
confectioners' sugar (for dusting)
toffee bits (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lemon-colored. Add the butter, flour and extract and mix well, adding optional toffee. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

If you MUST you can add the toffee. My personal preference is plain.

Bareoot Contessa's Mac and Cheese

I've been wanting to try this recipe for quite some time. I made it today in less than 30 minutes. Tomorrow it only needs to be baked for 30 minutes . . .

Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Texas Sheet Cake

I made this cake this afternoon. When I poured the batter into the pan I realized why this recipe has been around for 100 years. It looks exactly the way I remembered, meaning GOOD.

Combine:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:

2 sticks butter
4 T. cocoa. and stir together. Add
1 cup boiling water, boil for 30 seconds, turn off heat.

Pour liquid mixture over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.

Add:

2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

For icing, in saucepan combine:

1 3/4 sticks melted butter
4 T. cocoa, and stir to combine, then turn off heat.

Add:

6 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 lb. box powdered sugar
Stir together and pour over warm cake

Gilchrist's Almond Macaroons

A childhood memory . . . Gilchrist’s was a Boston-based department store founded in the 1820s. Their flagship store was located near Washington Street and Filene’s, diagonally opposite Jordan Marsh. The Boston store was noted for its macaroons, baked on the premises, and they were a true Boston tradition. They were packaged in individual waxed paper sleeves . . . the right combination of chewy, crispy, crunchy softness. They are turning up everywhere now, packaged mostly as a French-Style Macaroon.

1/2 lb. (1 C.) almond paste
1 C. confectioner's sugar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1/2 t. vanilla
Granulated sugar, as needed

Preheat the oven to 300° F.

In a mixing bowl, chop the almond paste. Add the confectioner's sugar. Mix with your fingers until blended well. Add the egg whites, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add the salt and vanilla. The dough will be soft but will hold its shape when dropped from a spoon.

Put the dough in a pastry bag with a plain, round decorating tip. Line ungreased baking sheets with parchment paper. Pipe the dough into rounds about an inch apart on the cookie sheets. Sprinkle the cookies with granulated sugar. Bake for 20 minutes.

To remove the cookies, slide the parchment paper onto a damp cloth, then gently loosen the cookies with a spatula. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Goat Cheese Tart

Don't be turned off by the idea or sound of goat cheese. This was SO good. It sounds impossible for something to be rich and light at the same time, but it was. I will make this over and over again.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board
Kosher salt
13 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, divided
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
3/4 cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots)
10 1/2 ounces garlic-and-herb soft goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet}
1 cup heavy cream
3 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For the crust, put the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Cut 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) of the butter into large dice, add to the bowl, and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, add the ice water all at once and process until the dough becomes crumbly. Don't overprocess. Dump the dough out on a floured board, gather it loosely into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll the dough on a well-floured board and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable sides, rolling the pin over the top to cut off the excess dough. Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil and fit it, butter side down, into the tart pan. Fill the foil with rice or beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and foil from the tart shell, prick the bottom all over with a fork, and bake for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small pan and saute the shallots over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tender. Place the goat cheese in the bowl of the food processor and process until crumbly. Add the cream, eggs, basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper and process until blended. Scatter the cooked shallots over the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the goat cheese mixture over the shallots to fill the shell (if the shell has shrunk, there may be leftover filling). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tart is firm when shaken and the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature.

I made this in a long rectangular tart pan . . .

Happy Saturday

My awesome cousin arrived from Boston this morning and I'm taking a few days off this week to relax with her, read a little and bake. I made her favorite thing this morning and couldn't resist making this because The Pioneer Woman Cooks! can really sell a recipe. I read that post and re-read it . . . and then called others to read it with me again. I really didn't need convincing. The pie is chilling in the refrigerator as we speak and it looks like creamy, chocolate velvet.

More later...

Answer me this...

When is 'positive thinking' really nothing more than lying to yourself?

Daring Bakers...

Remember when I posted a picture of this cake along with a commitment to learn to make it by Christmas? Well, I didn't. I did not learn how to make this crepe cake. I have tried many times to make crepes, never coming close to success. They now intimidate me. I first saw that cake here and continued to check that blog for recipes (and inspiration.) That's where I discovered The Daring Bakers. Each month they receive a baking challenge. That month there's plenty of advice, hints, ideas and help. On the designated day each member posts pictures and their baking "story" on the same day. And there are stories. That's what I love about it.

If you look at Cream Puffs in Venice, Alpineberry and La Mia Cucina they look slick. Nothing about each of their sites screams amateur. But the beauty of The Daring Bakers . . . they blog about their failures. That appeals to me because, well, I've had many. It is, after all, a chemistry experiment.

My first challenge will be for the month of March. Soon I will have that assignment . . .

Gâteau au chocolat fondant de Nathalie

The most f