Chez Panisse Almond Torte

 This recipe is just too good not to share and it's a beautiful cake.  I baked it for an hour and 20 minutes and it was so perfectly done on the inside, just moist enough.  Make sure to let it cool completely as it develops this intense crunch on the outside, a perfect companion to any almond cake.

1¼ cups sugar
⅞ cup (7 oz./200g) soft almond paste***
1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. almond extract (optional)
6 eggs
1 cup (4.5 oz/130g) flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
powdered sugar for dusting

*The recipe in Chez Panisse Desserts calls for 8oz of almond paste, but we have always just used one of those tubes that usually weighs 7oz. If you don’t have a scale and can’t find a 7-oz tube of almond paste, measure out the 7/8 cup, but don’t pack it too tightly.

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Beat the sugar with the almond paste until the almond paste is in fine pieces. Or, better, pulverize it in a food processor. Beat in the butter and the vanilla, then cream the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the whole eggs, one at a time — the eggs should be at room temperature — beating well after each addition so the eggs are thoroughly mixed in.

2. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat in just until thoroughly blended.

3. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and turn the batter into it, smoothing the top evenly. Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours (mine baked for 1¼ hours) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the center feels springy when you push it gently.

4. Let cool for about 20 minutes before releasing the sides of the springform pan.

For a little backstory, see here.

Egg Nog Cookies, Christmas baking, Charlie Brown trees...

I love the week before Christmas, even more than the day, I think.  When my kids were little I liked the feeling in the room after everything was opened and it was quiet.  That's an awesome memory.  Now I enjoy the festivities of the time leading up to that day.  I've been baking in the early hours of the morning before I leave for the office.  Cookies, candy, cinnamon almonds, cheesecakes.  Fun things to go in fun bakery boxes with Tiny Prints labels and bakers' twine. 

The Las Vegas Review Journal has a cookie contest every year around Christmas.  I credit them with that fabulous recipe for Snickers Cookies, so when the results were announced this year I decided to give one cookie a try.  One in particular.  I'm glad I did.  I am officially adding this to my Christmas cookie repertoire.

Eggnog Thumbprints

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/4 t. salt

Filling (I doubled this recipe):

1/4 cup butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 T. rum
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make cookies, cream together butter and white and brown sugars until smooth.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Combine flour and salt and stir into creamed mixture by hand to form a soft dough.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Make an indentation in the center of each cookie using your finger or your thumb.  Bake 12 minutes and cool completely.

For filling, mix butter, sugar and rum.  Spoon rounded teaspoonfuls of filling into cookies and sprinkle with nutmeg.

I put the filling in a ziploc bag and snipped off the corner, then piped the filling into the indentation.  These cookies are good. 

A few other random things: 

• My Christmas tree is a little sad this year.  I think it has cured me of my break from extra large Christmas trees in my living room.  I think.
• There is no reason for dieting this week.
• I loved all the Christmas ideas on Pinterest - collecting all my Christmas cards and punching a  hole in the corner, threading them onto a silver ring and tying a Christmas ribbon on the ring.  I have a fun 2012 stack.  Or the Christmas lights in an extra large vase . . . tying Christmas stockings to the back of the kitchen chairs.  Fun.
• We took some grandchildren to our Ward Christmas party.  I feel the need to share the hilarity.  Ready?

"My mom wants another baby."
"We had donuts this morning and my Dad hid them from my Mom."
"A lot of people in our family are dying."
"Did you KNOW some people think it's almost the end of the world?"
"I've heard of a dog who died of depressment."
And overheard (one sibling to another whispering):  "Remember not to talk about that around them."

We are still laughing and my car smells like maple syrup.

Hope you have a Merry Christmas.  Slainte', Marian. 

Till We Meet Again

We love you.

Strawberry Jam

I finally did it.  I bit the bullet and made jam.  I followed a recipe Bridget sent me, a treasured one from a family who converted her to the goodness that is homemade jam.  It isn't fancy.  There's no pectin, no skimming of foam . . . just a simple recipe that makes just enough for two people, so no canning is necessary.

In a large saucepan, toss 1 pound halved and hulled strawberries with 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Let sit, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved, 1 hour.  Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until berries are soft, 8-10 minutes. Add 1/2 pound each raspberries and blueberries and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar and secure lid, cool to room temperature. 

Makes approximately 1 pint.

P.S.  I substituted raspberries and blueberries with more strawberries.

Cinnamon Almonds

We try not to have red light foods in our house.  Donuts - not in control.  So we don't buy them.  We happen to be true candy faces, which means we raised candy faces.  Not proud. 

There is this little aisle in Fresh & Easy . . . I try hard to avoid that aisle because that's where the cinnamon almonds reside.  We lie to ourselves - let's just buy these and put them away for another time.  Uh huh...

Red light food.

I saw a homemade version made in a skillet.  The first batch I made in the cast iron skillet.  The second batch I made in the wok.  You won't believe how good these are.  There's enough room on the lid of that mason jar for a label from Tiny Prints, too.

1 cup sugar
3 cups raw almonds (or any other nut)
1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup water

Directions: In a large skillet combine the sugar, cinnamon and water. Add the almonds and stir constantly with a spoon over medium heat, coating the almonds with the syrupy mixture. Keep stirring until the sugar crystallizes. Remove the pan from heat and scoop the almonds onto wax or parchment paper. Let the cinnamon almonds cool before serving. These can be made a few days ahead.

Pinterest find, original recipe found here.

Coconut Cream Cake

Just do us all a favor and make this. It's seriously yummy, reminiscent of the Tres Leches Cake, but 100 times easier.

1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup water
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
15 oz. can of cream of coconut (found in the alcohol aisle - think Coco Lopez)
Container Cool Whip, thawed
8 oz. sweetened coconut

Bake the cake in a 9 x 13 pan according to the timed directions on the box. Remove cake from oven and, while still hot, poke holes all over it with the end of a spoon. Open can of cream of coconut and stir well. Pour evenly over entire cake. Chill cake for 1 hour, then spread with Cool Whip and sprinkle flaked coconut over the top. Refrigerate until serving time for a minimum of 3 hours. It gets even better if you can wait overnight!

Donut Cake

This recipe is everywhere right now. Add a little nutmeg and some buttermilk to a plain little cake and you end up with that donut flavor. Think Donut Muffin. This is supposed to be a version of that recipe that's been around for 100 years - the Busy Day Cake. The popular version has 2 T. of cornmeal added to the cake batter - my spouse didn't like the taste, although he liked the texture. My second attempt omitted the cornmeal and I increased the amound of nutmeg. I like. What I don't like? The new blogger...

1 stick butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan, and set it aside.

2. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition, then add in the vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Set aside.

3. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Make sure each addition is incorporated before adding the next, but don't over-beat it at the end. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top.

4. Bake until the top is puffed and golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a rack before serving warm or room temperature.

This is for you, Kelley.

Pumpkin muffins for the first day of Autumn...

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 can pumpkin puree (15 ounces)
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 400º. Combine all dry ingredients. Beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until smooth. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top for a delicious muffin crunch. Bake in muffin tins for 16-20 minutes.

when autumn leaves blow through my window...

The entire blogosphere is talking about the arrival of Fall and pumpkin things and apple desserts . . . and it happens to be 102 degrees in Las Vegas today. Whatever. This is the only bone I have to pick with this city I call home. If not for the Autumn season and everything that comes along with it I would have no beef with living in the desert. I love the dry heat and I've made peace with what holidays feel like living here . . . my holiday cues are no longer triggered by cooler temperatures. I have adapted. That is until I anticipate that first day of autumn (tomorrow). Then I want foliage. And cooler temperatures. Apple cider and EVERYTHING pumpkin. I crave all things that scream toasty warmth like those herbs (you know the ones), roasted things and baked goodies made with nutmeg and cinnamon. Right this very second I am sighing.

These things help:

Caramel Apples. Do it. You won't regret it.

Apple Crisp. Bridie and I are on the same page when it comes to this. Nana's recipe.

Apple Cake. Thank you, Anna Mason. Are you still alive?

Pumpkin Cheesecake dangerously close to the one at Cheesecake Factory.

Butternut Squash Soup. 'Nuff said.

My grandmother's Chili Sauce. It has no resemblance to anything 'chili' . . . it's like a relish. The way this makes my house smell is a Fall memory.

Weight Watchers Crustless Pumpkin Pie. 1 point for 1/4 of the pie. Small scoop of Fat Free Cool Whip? Yes, please.

Just Chicken Pie. Perhaps we could re-name this little gem of a recipe and just call it "Dave's Nemesis". It is his source of ruin.

When I'm 64

Tres Leches Cake

Have you ever experienced deja vu while tasting something? That happened to me today. I saw a Tres Leches Cake on The Best Thing I Ever Ate recently and remembered seeing a recipe on The Pioneer Woman. I had to bake that sponge cake. It was a must. I'd never heard of this cake before but when I took my first bite . . . it happened. Not sure where I had this cake. No matter. I will make this again and again.

If you like the tutorial see here on The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

1 cup flour
1 1/2 t. Baking Powder
1/4 t. Salt
5 whole Eggs
1 C. Sugar, Divided
1 t. Vanilla
1/3 C. Milk
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
1/4 C. Heavy Cream

FOR THE ICING:

1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
3 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can.

Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake, whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

Trader Joe's Cocoa - Chocolate Cake Recipe

Trader Joe's Cocoa Powder . . . run and buy it. It's inexpensive and very high quality - it made a superior chocolate cake. I do believe this is my new "go to" chocolate cake recipe.

3 1/3 cups flour
1 1/3 cups cocoa
3 cups sugar
1 T. baking soda
1 t. salt
12 oz. butter
3 cups buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
5 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9" round baking pans or line cupcakes cups with paper liners. Place all ingredients in electric mixer bowl and beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Pour into prepared pans and bake for about 55 minutes or 20-25 if you're baking cupcakes.

This recipe is far better than the one on the back of the Hershey Cocoa can. I frosted it with both a rich cocoa chocolate frosting and later with a buttercream. The buttercream had these jimmies on top, from Holland. I was hopeful they'd be similar to the crunchy European jimmies Sprinkles uses. Not so much, but they were better than supermarket sprinkles. The cover of the box amuses me - the sprinkles are on top of toast. Who does that? I've been to Amsterdam, so I know the answer.

Strawberry Summer Cake (from Smitten Kitchen)

It's a long weekend which means there must be baking. I spied a recipe calling my name out there in the blogosphere this week. Smitten Kitchen does that to me. I've lost track of how many recipes her website has contributed toward feeding my inner gourmand - there are that many. Remember the slab pie? It matters not if you don't remember . . . my spouse does (and he brings it up frequently). How about the raspberry buttermilk cake? I will bet I made two dozen of those last summer.

Feast your eyes upon this recipe. Yes, it is similar to that Raspberry Buttermilk Cake recipe, but without the buttermilk. Ingredients usually on hand.

You be the judge...

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch pie pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan (I used a 10-inch springform).

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries. I used turbinado as it produces a crunchier crunch.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Originally a Martha Stewart recipe, found here.

Butterscotch Nests/Haystacks

These are fun for Easter. Place three candy coated Easter eggs in the middle to make your nests...

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 package or 6 oz butterscotch morsels
1 large can chow mein noodles

Melt peanut butter and butterscotch together. Can be done on the stove top or in a microwave. Pour over noodles; mix well. Drop by tablespoon on wax paper. After they set, place Hershey pastel eggs in the middle of each nest.

Strata

This is Gale Gand's recipe for Strata. I love her cookbooks and have a favorite recipe for chocolate shortbread from her. She is all kinds of awesome.

Strata is perfect brunch food, a cheesy egg bread pudding that usually starts with bread (or English Muffins) either cubed or sliced and soaked overnight in custard. It's a great make ahead dish and actually tastes better if it soaks for 12 hours. The world is your oyster when it comes to making strata. Want mushrooms and bacon? Throw some in. Sausage? Ham? Go for it. I made four of these this morning . . . they are just out of the oven all puffy and golden and beautiful.

5 cups of cubed French bread (with crust)
2 cups grated cheese
10 large eggs
1 quart whole milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
Filling ingredients*

1. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Put the bread cubes in the dish and sprinkle them with the cheese. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Sprinkle the filling ingredients over the egg mixture and fold them in gently. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. Uncover the baking dish and bake for 60 minutes, until the mixture has puffed up slightly and is golden brown on top, and the strata doesn't shimmy with uncooked custard when you shake the pan. Tent the dish with foil if the top is browning too quickly. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve by the spoonful, using a large serving spoon.

*Bacon, cheddar, mushroom and tomato. Ham, Swiss, Asparagus. Fontina, Spinach, Salami and Roasted Garlic. Be creative!

Swedish Butter Cookies

I eat a lot of egg whites. And I hate to throw those yolks away . . . so I pulled out an ancient recipe I used three decades ago. The best thing about these cookies is the 'refrigerate and bake-when-you-want' option. They are delicious.

2 sticks of butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
turbinado sugar (optional)

Beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla together until smooth and creamy. Mix in the egg yolk until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once. Add the flour and mix just until incorporated. Scrape onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times, just until the dough smooths out. Turn onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, wrap up and refrigerate for several hours or freeze. Before baking preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment. Slice dough into slices about 1/8" thick and place them on the sheets about an inch apart. Bake until cookies just begin to turn golden around the edges, about 16-18 inches. Lightly sprinkle with turbinado.

Did I mention my daughter is getting married? In less than ten weeks? I have no menu. And no caterer. Call me.

Posie Gets Cozy and an oh-so-delicious cake...

I've read Posie Gets Cozy for years now, despite the fact that I do not do any needlework, I do not knit and I do not sew. That doesn't mean I can't appreciate her talents.

When I read her recent blog post entitled "New Birthday Cake?" I knew I had to treat myself to this special baking pan. I'm a sucker for a Scandanavian dessert. The pan arrived over the weekend and Sunday . . . well, I made the cake twice. The first time it was covered in powdered sugar, the second time in turbinado.



Alicia made the lemon version, I (of course) opted for the almond. The cake is light . . . my third attempt will definitely be with the vanilla sugar.

You can order the Rehrucken Baking Pan from Pipka's of Door County here. The recipe is as follows:

Pipka's Scandinavian Almond Cake

Beat well:

1 1/4 C sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
2/3 C milk

Then mix in:

1 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

And slowly add:

1 stick melted butter

Butter and flour cake pan. Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 for 38-45 minutes until golden brown. Cool in pan for 6 minutes. Invert cake onto cooling rack. Sprinkle with confectionary sugar before serving. Variation; Before pouring batter, sprinkle sliced almonds in the pan bottom. Recipe can easily be doubled. Cake freezes well.

VARIATIONS
* Substitute lemon extract and add zest of lemon
* Substitute lemon extract and add poppy seeds
* Substitute orange extract and add zest of orange
* Substitute vanilla extract and add blueberries
* Substitute rum extract and top with shredded coconut

...OR ADD TO ORIGINAL RECIPE

* Blueberries
* Chopped dried cherries plus some chocolate chips
* Top cake with sliced almonds
* Spread cake with Nutella and jam!

Pipka's Special Turtle Cake

Mix up original recipe, putting half the dough in the pan. Then drizzle caramel sauce across the dough, then sprinkle mini chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Spoon in the rest of the dough and bake as always. Scrumptious!

Special thanks to Alicia Paulson for allowing me to share her beautiful photos of this delicious cake. It is stunning.

Hot Fudge Sauce (Nana's...)

I love this recipe! The funny thing is, I think it's better the next day . . . somehow there's a sugary/chewy quality to it when it's a day old.

Need to feed a crowd? Scoop the ice cream into balls (make sure you wear rubber gloves - this is a cold proposition) and roll them in coconut, toasted coconut or chopped almonds. Freeze on a cookie sheet until ready to serve. Cover in hot fudge and heavy whipping cream flavored with a little vanilla.

No crowd? Pour it over peppermint stick ice cream. Vanilla bean? Delicious either way...

1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 square chocolate
1/4 cup cocoa
3/4 cup granulated sugar
dash salt
1/2 cup cream
1 t. vanilla

Melt together over low heat butter and chocolate. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt and add to chocolate mixture stirring until smooth. Add cream slowly and bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Whoopie Pies (redux...)

I'm re-posting this recipe after my daughter suggested a modification. She was so right. Increase the baking powder to 1 teaspoon vs. the original recipe calling for 1/2 teaspoon. The end result avoids that occasional flat whoopie pie . . . they are nice and consistently round after adding that additional baking powder.

There were two bakery boxes full of these yesterday. My definition of fun.

1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 t. baking powder
1.5 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 cup milk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa

Filling: 1 cup crisco, 1 cup sugar, 1.5 cups Marshamallow Fluff, 1 t. vanilla

Bake at 425 for 7-8 minutes.

P.S. There are some members of my family who beg for double cream filling...

Caramel Brownies

This recipe just won't go away . . . for good reason. I love it that the Kraft caramels come unwrapped now. That was always a "keep a boy busy" job in my house.

1 package swiss chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 14 oz. Kraft caramels
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine cake mix, melted butter and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Layer 1/2 mixture on bottom of 9 x 13 pan and bake for 6 minutes only. Melt caramels in heavy saucepan with 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked layer and drizzle caramel mixture over top. Top with remaining batter. Bake 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.