Baking Tidbits
Helpful Hints to simply the baking process
SUNDAY BAKING PROJECT #8 – GOUGERES
This Week’s Baking Project was Gougeres – a cheesy version of Pate Choux. In this version the Pate Choux is made with Fat Free Milk instead of water and there is also the addition of Cheese. I used Gruyere but Parmesan or other types of semi-hard or hard cheeses can be used. This Project was fun and seemed to have been participated in by more members than any of the others. At least there certainly was a lot of feedback and posting of photos. Not only was this one fun but it was relatively simple and took very little time as compared to the first few projects that we did, especially the Lemon Chiffon Cake (which I loved). The recipe for the Gougeres is posted in the recipe section of this blog but it came from the book “Tartine” which was named after the Restaurant of the same name.
For anyone who has not made Pate Choux before or even for those of us who have, it is always fun to see the marvel of the Choux Dough Puff Up and form these marvelous pockets which can be filled with anything from an Appetizer, to a Main Course or Dessert. I used mine for Sunday Morning Breakfast with Herb and Tomato Scrambled Eggs along with a Fruit Salad dressed with Fresh Basil and Sweet Mint.
Below are the preparation photos:
The Recipe calls for 1 cup Skim (Fat Free) Milk – I had only 2% so used half milk and 1/2 water. I may have gotten better height in the Puffs if I had only used water.
1/2 cup 2% Milk
The Milk or Water (whichever you use) is brought to a boil along with the Butter over medium heat. Then the Flour is added all at one time and vigorously beaten until the mixture all comes together. At this time, the mixture is then placed in a Standing Mixer Bowl and the Eggs are added one at a time. If you don’t have a mixer, this can be done by hand with a wooden spoon, but it will take some energy to do so because the Eggs need to be thoroughly beaten into the Dough.
Adding the Eggs one at a time
You can also use a Food Processor, but I have found when making Pate Choux n the Food Processor that you usually end up using 1 less Egg than called for. This is because the speed of the Processor is so fast that the ingredients get incorporated more thoroughly and at a faster speed.
Once all the Eggs have been incorporated then you add the Cheese, Chopped Herbs and Pepper. Beat these items in by hand with a wooden spoon.
Beating in Herbs, Seasoning & Cheese
Next you can form the Gougeres on a lightly greased (I don’t usually grease the pan because there is plenty of butter in the dough but the recipe in mention does say to do so. You can also line the pan with baking parchment or use a Silicon Baking Sheet, which is my preference.
Formed Gougeres
The Puffs are baked at 350 degrees for at least 25 minutes but if you want a darker and crisper puff 45 minutes is recommended. (The older recipes call for a 400 degree oven but they do seem to rise alright at 350 degrees.
If you make the small size they can be eaten warm as Appetizers or accompaniment to Soup or Salad. If you make the larger ones, the tops can be cut off and they can be filled with a creamed mixture or scrambled Eggs as I did. I made Soft Scrambled Eggs using the double boiler and added diced Tomatoes, Baby Spinach and Cilantro just before the Eggs were done. Serve with Bacon or Sausage and a fresh Fruit Salad.
Baked Gougeres
Egg Filled Gougeres
Below are the Members Photos.
CM Wolkon
Jeanne Ackerman
Jeanne’s Experiment – The one on the left baked at 425 and the one at right at 350. (There does seem to be a considerable difference in the photo although Jeanne said in reality there really wasn’t much difference)
Terrie Cooper
Eileen Delcore Bennet
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Bread, Breakfast Ideas, Cheese, Dairy, Eggs, Main, Sunday Baking Project Tags: baking, Cheese, Eggs, Gourmet Foods, melted butter
SUNDAY BAKING PROJECT #7 – CHERRY/CORNMEAL UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Since Cherry Season is in full swing in Southern California it was decided that a second week of baking products with Cherries was in order. So this weeks project was Cherry/Cornmeal Upside Down Cake. The title implies that there is a lot of Cornmeal in the batter, but there was not. However, the Cornmeal was prominent in feel and in taste. Many of the participants like or loved the Cornmeal but I did not. Maybe I was the only one who didn’t like – no one else said anything negative about it. Of course, I am not a Cornbread Lover, so it figures that I would not be too found of the Cornmeal in this recipe. All that being said, it does give a little different feel and taste to the texture of the cake.
One thing that I did like about this recipe was the addition of Balsamic Vinegar. i do love the taste of Balsamic and I for one think that even a little more than the recipe called for could have been used. I do use Balsamic a lot with fruit, especially summer fruits such as berries and melon.
By the way, just because I am not fond of the Cornmeal in the recipe does not mean that I didn’t like it – I did like it – in fact I loved it, probably because of the Cherries which I can’t stop eating when they are in season. They are my ‘All-Time Favorite Fruit’ and there are many fruits which I absolutely love, especially Summer Fruit. My Husband loved the Cake – in fact we ate it for Breakfast at least two times. This cake is a 10″ cake and offers up quite a few pieces. One of my Sons had it for Dessert one night and one of my Stepdaughters also had it for Dessert one night – both on a different night. The Cake keeps well and needles to say everyone who ate it loved it!
With all that Hyperbole out of the way let’s get to the recipe and finished product itself.
The recipe can be found at the web site of Epicurious
The Ingredients that you may not have on hand are 3 cups of Cherries (most of us used Bing), Balsamic Vinegar and Cornmeal. Everything else in the recipe is pretty common in most kitchens. The recipe does say to use an ‘oven-proof skillet’ but if you don’t have one that can be used as a baking pan, just use a 10″ layer pan or other similar container which is what I did.
You will need to wash and pit your Cherries before starting the recipe but everything else in the recipe is pretty straight forward. Below are some photos of the different steps in the process:
3 Cups Cherries
Measure and Wash your Cherries, then remove the pits with either a Hand Cherry Pitter or a Multiple Pitter. (See last Weeks’ Post – Cherry Clafoutis)
Pitters can be found at your local Culinary Store or at Amazon.com.
Or you can do as one of our members did and use chopsticks. You can also do it the very ‘old-fashioned’ way and use a darning needle to push out the pits.
The next thing to do is to melt the Butter with the Brown Sugar and then add the Cherries and bring them to a boil. Shut off the heat after about a minute or so – just to give the Brown Sugar a chance to melt.
Melting the Butter and Brown Sugar
Bringing Cherry Mixture to a boil
Now make your Batter – it is easiest to do this in a Food Processor but if you don’t have one then use whatever would be easiest for you. Then whip the Whites in a Standing Mixer or with a portable mixer. DO NOT TRY TO WHIP THE WHITES IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR – They will just get overheated and not whip properly.
Making the Batter
Whipping the Whites
Next gently fold the Whites into the Batter. You can do this in the Food Processor but only use the Pulse Button so that you do not over-mix.
Adding Whites to Batter
After the Whites are folded into the Batter it is time to pour the Batter over the Cherries and finally to bake the cake.
Adding Batter to Pan
The Cake is baked when a toothpick or cake tester is inserted into the cake and comes out clean.
Baked and Cooling
Baked and Plattered
With Ice Cream
Allow the Baked Cake to cool for at least 5 minutes before inverting onto a large plate. In the Photo above right, you can see that the Cherries gravitated towards the edges, but it still tasted good and when sliced and served with Ice Crema or Whipped Cream one cannot see that the Cherries are not completely covering the cake.
Serve warm with Ice Cream or Whipped Cream. The Cake also tastes good cold or at room temperature.
MEMBERS PHOTOS – Featured Photo this week belongs to Kristy Gobright
Christine Rola Biskaduros.
Cherries are a relatively expensive fruit but when you consider that their season is so short you may be a little more inclined to spend the money on them if you can. I can remember when the price was way lower than they are now but things have changed and Farm Workers are now making more of a ‘living wage’ when they were decades ago. And if you think you are paying a lot of money for Cherries just look at what Christine Rola Biskaduros had to pay for them. (Photo above right) Christine lives in Shanghai and I guess the Cherries were imported although I did think that Cherries do grow in China but I may be wrong.
Kristy Gobright
Elizabeth Bernhardt Mockapetris
Terrie Cooper
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Cakes, Cales, Eggs, Farm Markets, Fruit, Main, Sunday Baking Project Tags: baking, Cherries, Dessert Ideas, Eggs, Fruit
SUNDAY BAKING PROJECT #6 – CHERRY CLAFOUTIS
June is Cherry Season in California and they are plentiful indeed! All the Markets are featuring them and they are readily available at your local Farmer’s Market where you know they have recently been picked – no shipping, no mishandling – just great fresh Cherries. Both Bing and Ranier are available but for today’s recipe we are using Bing. Bing provide much more color and flavor and are perfect for baking.
If you are lucky enough to be close to Cherry Orchards (we used to go to Cherry Valley in Beaumont) to pick Cherries when I was growing up and I won’t tell you what the price was then – you would flip as you compare it to what we are paying today. When my sons were young we went to Leona Valley which is North of the Conjeo – prices were still good then as compared to today. One of the great things about taking your children to pick Cherries is that (at least when we did it) the owners said you could eat what you want as you were picking them. Don’t worry – it didn’t hurt the farmers as you can only eat so many as you are picking.
To make the Cherry Clafoutis, you have to pit the Cherries. When I was growing my Mother and I used to use a darning needle to push the pits out of the Cherries. You can imagine how long that took. Today you can buy Cherry Pitters to help you do the job. I have one that pits the Cherries one at a time and one that does it in multiples. The one that does it in multiples is from Germany and does a great job, but you do have to sort through the pitted Cherries to make sure that all the pits were removed. it is easy for one or two to get through the chute without having their pits removed. There are multiple Cherry Pitters available at Amazon – enough to confuse you about which one to buy.
Hand Cherry Pitter
Multiple Cherry Pitter
The recipe for the Cherry Clafoutis is available at ‘Bake from Scratch’. Just click on the previous ‘Cherry Clafoutis’ and you will get there.
I used to teach this recipe to my International Food Classes – there are a few differences between the one I used and this one. I think that I prefer this one more because I love Cream and this is what this one uses. My old recipe used Milk and this one uses Cream. In addition, my old recipe just had you putting the Cherries on the bottom of the pan and this one has you baking a thin layer of the Custard before adding the Cherries. This makes it much easier to serve and get those luscious cherries on each serving.
One you get the Cherries pitted, it is quick and easy to make – the Clafoutis is best served warm but it can also be served cold. We like it with Whipped Cream but Ice Cream is good too or you can just serve it as is.
When you read the recipe you will be amazed that originally the pits were left in the Cherries – you can imagine what eating it must have been like! The reason that the pits were left was for the flavor but today the flavor of the pits is replaced with Almond Flavoring. The reason for this is that Almonds, Peaches and Cherries all have similar flavor characteristics. Just compare a Peach Pit with an Almond and you will see the similarity. I know a Cherry Pit does not look like an Almond or a Peach but the flavor profile is very similar.
BELOW ARE PHOTOS OF THE PREPARATION PROCESS:
Pitted Cherries
Making the Batter
First layer of Batter
Sugared Cherries
Cherries in Baking Dish
Baked Clafoutis
Inside View of Clafoutis
Powdered Sugar on Top MEMBERS PHOTOS
Cynthia Allen
Eileen Delcore Bennet
Jeanne Ackerman
Terrie Cooper
CM Wolkon
Elizabeth Barnhart Mockapetris
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Dessert Ideas, Farm Markets, Main, Sunday Baking Project Tags: baking, Dessert Ideas, Eggs, Fruit
SUNDAY BAKING PROJECT #4 – HAM AND CHEESE BRIOCHE PUDDING
Ham and Cheese Brioche Pudding was the selection for Week 4. It was decided upon as a nice contrast to the sweet selections from the previous weeks. Unlike the previous 3 selections which we loved, this one will not go on my favorites list. My Husband and I both love Bread Pudding, but as a sweet dish; it turns out that the savory version is not so palatable for us. I am not a fan of Ham but my Husband likes it, and eats Ham and Cheese Sandwiches at least once a week, if not more often, so I decided to stick with the Ham and Cheese Version. The Bread portion of the Pudding is Brioche. I used Challah which is very similar to Brioche. The Pudding itself was beautiful – it raised up and was a beautiful golden brown and had a great texture but would have been more to our liking if it had apples, raisins and some brown sugar in it.
I served the Brioche Pudding for Breakfast along with Maple Syrup and Watermelon on the side.
With Maple Syrup and Watermelon
To make the Pudding you cut up 12 ounces of Brioche or other similar bread (I used Challah which is very similar to Brioche) and place in a buttered baking dish (12” x 12” or even 10” x 10” will do). I made half a recipe and used an 8” x 8” dish which was perfect.
Cubed Bread
Bread in Baking Dish
Gouda Cheese
Shredded Gouda
Prepared Ham
Combine the Eggs, Milk or Cream or Half and Half along with the seasonings which are Salt, Pepper, Cayenne and Nutmeg.
Custard Ingredients Mixed Together
Pour the Custard mixture over the bread cubes and top with Julienned Ham and Shredded Cheese.
Custard Added
Ham and Cheese Incorporated
In the photos above you may see that the Bread and Custard Cubes are in a different dish than the product with the Ham and Cheese. I mistakenly thought that the half recipe would fit in my ceramic loaf dish but not to be – had to transfer the mixture to my 8 x 8 glass baking dish.
Press everything down so that the bread absorbs the custard and the Ham and Cheese are incorporated into the whole. Slivered Green Onions (which I omitted) are sprinkled on top.
The complete recipe can be found at Cooking – New York Times
Normally Bread Pudding is assembled and then refrigerated overnight so that all the custard is absorbed into the bread. This recipe did not call for that but since we were going to eat it for breakfast, I did do that. I made it in a glass baking dish, so I had to let it warm up for about an hour before baking it. The baking took 45 minutes, exactly what was called for in the recipe. The Pudding should be served immediately or it can be baked and cooled and then cut up into squares as suggested in the recipe or you can just reheat any leftovers that you may have.
Baked Pudding
Plated Pudding
With Maple Syrup
Even though I only made a half recipe we still had leftovers which I sent home with my Grandson who loves Ham. I have yet to hear if he has eaten it and if he likes it. Will notate that here when I find out.
I am sure that many people will like this version of Bread Pudding, especially if you are a fan of Quiche. I do like Quiche but never make it with Ham. I usually use Spinach or Mushrooms. I am a Vegie Fan, but not a Vegetarian or Vegan. I am thinking though of becoming a Pescatarian. I do not get stuffed when I eat fish and/or vegetables like I do when I eat meat.
There are variations among the members of our group – some did use Spinach, another used Bacon, etc. And a couple of the members made the Brioche Loaf from the recipe that was given. I did make my bread but it was Challah and since I had it on hand decided to use that instead since it is very similar, both in ingredients used and the end result.
MEMBERS PHOTOS IN THE ORDER THEY WERE POSTED
Cara Croxton
CM Wolkon
Cynthia Allen
Elizabeth Barnhart Mockapetris
Jeanne Ackerman
Terrie Cooper Loaf
Terrie Cooper Pudding
Terrie Cooper Slice
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Bread, Breakfast Ideas, Cheese, Dairy, Ethnic Cuisine, Lunch Ideas, Main, Sunday Baking Project Tags: baking, Bread, Cheese, Eggs, family dinner
SUNDAY BAKING PROJECT #3 – VERY BERRY TORTE
A Very Berry Torte was the selection for Week Three of our Sunday Baking Project. The recipe was selected from the book – Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.
The Torte consisted of a Cookie Crust which differs from the traditional Graham Cracker Crust in that you actually make it from a Sugar Cookie Dough. Jam goes on the bottom and the Cheese Cake Filling goes over the top. It is made in a Spring Form pan which allows you to remove the cake without destroying it – this is especially good when the crust is quite fragile due to the ingredients it is made with. A Spring Form Pan has sides that lock on to the bottom and by use of a spring lock can be removed once the baked product is finished. If you don’t have a Springform Pan you can purchase one at your local Culinary Store or on line at Amazon.com.
The Filling was also a little different than the traditional Cheesecake in that in addition to Cream Cheese it also had Cottage Cheese in the Filling. The Cottage Cheese helped to give the filling a little more texture than normal which turned out quite well.
The preparation of the Torte begins with the Crust which is pretty similar to a traditional Sugar Cookie Dough and it certainly behaves like one in that it is not super easy to work with. To roll the Dough out with as little trouble as possible it is best to refrigerate it first. I did this by flattening the dough into a circle between two pieces of waxed paper. When you do roll it out it is best to roll it between the sheets of waxed paper so it doesn’t break up. You can also press the dough into the Springform pan although I don’t think you can get as even a crust as you would like with this method.
After the Dough is rolled out it is then refrigerated for 30 minutes before baking. To bake the Crust it is best to use a ‘Blind Filling’- a sheet of buttered Aluminum Foil placed on the Dough with Pie Weights. The Weights can be purchased or you can use dried beans. The beans can be stored in an airtight container and used again many times as of course the weights can. The Weights come in various forms – some are metal, others are ceramic. They all work in pretty much the same way and whatever you buy would be up to you.
Pie Weights on Foil in Crust
The recipe said to bake the crust for 30 minutes before removing the weights, but I found that to be a little too long. Try it yourself with different times – every oven is a little different so what I tell you may not work in your oven. I would start out with the suggested time and then adjust it from there if you plan to make the torte again.
After the foil and Weights are removed the crust is returned to the oven for about 5 more minutes to brown the surface. I personally thought the crust was over-done and would definitely try it with less time or maybe not pre-bake at all. If I do bake the Torte without prebaking the Crust I will come back here and post the results.
The Jam is spread over the baked crust – to my taste, 1/3 cup of Jam was not enough to cover the bottom of the crust – next time I would use at least half cup or maybe even more. It is supposed a Berry Tart and you do want to be able to taste it.
1/3 cup thick Berry Jam
Jam Spread on Crust
Cherry Preserves
To make the Filling the the Cottage Cheese and Cream Cheese are first blended together. Then the Sugar, Salt and Spices are blended and then the Eggs are beaten in. This can all be done in the Food Processor or by hand in a large bowl with a whisk. I think the Food Processor (if you have one) is the preferred method. Much faster and the ingredients will be beaten more thoroughly than if you do it by hand.
9 oz. Brick Cream Cheese
Filling Poured In
9 oz. Small Curd Cottage Cheese
3/4 C. Sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
Pinch Ground Cinnamon
Pinch freshly Ground Nutmeg
2 Eggs
The Torte should bake for about 60 minutes or until the filling no longer jiggles when the pan is moved. Additional cooking will take place after the heat is shut off and the pan is taken out of the oven. In the older methods of making Cheesecake the instructions say to leave it in the oven (after it has been turned off). I haven’t checked my old recipes but I think the actual baking time would be less. i have the bad habit of over-baking my cheesecakes so if I looked up the old method it would probably be better for me to do it that way.
Baked Torte
In the Baked Torte photo you can see the clasp that holds the circular sides onto the bottom of the pan. When the Torte is baked and cooled the clasp is opened and should slide right off. Oftentimes you may have to use a straight-edge spatula to completely separate the cake from the pan.
All in all, this Berry Torte Cheesecake was very good – it tasted delicious even if my version didn’t come out looking beautiful. We had it for Breakfast – after all it does contain Eggs, Cheese and Fruit – items that we often incorporate into our Breakfasts. Of course we didn’t eat the whole thing at once, so it was also eaten for Dessert at another meal.
In the photos below are the plated cake and a slice topped with Whipped Cream.
MEMBERS PROJECT RESULTS
Elizabeth Barnhart Mockapetris
Jean Ackerman
Terrie Cooper
Elizabeth Delcore Bennet
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Cakes, Cales, Cheese, Dairy, Dessert Ideas, Main, Pastry, Sunday Baking Project Tags: baking, Cheese, Dessert Ideas, Eggs, Fruit
SUNDAY BAKING PROJECT #2 – LEMON CHIFFON CAKE
This Past Sunday,May 7th was the second week of our Sunday Baking Project. The selection this week was Lemon Chiffon Cake. It was supposed to be a nice contrast to the ‘Decadent Chocolate Cream Pie’ of last week. Indeed, it was a nice flavor contrast to the Pie but it was decadent in its own right. The Cake was light and flavorful and the curd between the layers was very nice and Lemony, but it wasn’t mouth puckering as lemon can sometimes be. I think maybe, it could have been just a tad more tart – in other words- a little less sugar. Will try it that way sometime. The Italian Buttercream Frosting was indeed the decadent portion of this cake as it was quite Buttery and I loved it!
The Recipe chosen was ‘Lemon-Love Chiffon Layer Cake from the Fearless Baker Cookbook by Erin Jeanne McDowell’. If I didn’t mention this last week, the purpose of the club is to try new recipes which none of us has ever made – not specific to the item but specific to the published recipe. In other words, I am sure that most of us have made Lemon Cake before, but not this specific recipe. There were some things that were done differently than the traditional methods – therefore it makes it a new recipe for all of us.
Before going through the procedure for making the cake please take a look at the photos which will show how the final project is interpreted through different eyes.
Jeanne-Ackerman
Terrie Cooper
Cara Croxton
Anna Redd
Sylvia Rieman
Thank You Terrie for allowing me to use your photo for the feature image and I have to apologize to Eileen Delcore Bennet and CM Wolkon but I was unable to upload your photos.
MAKING THE CAKE: This recipe actually took several steps to make and gave us the opportunity to hone different skills.
Before even beginning to prepare the Cake, Curd and Frosting, it is best to Juice and Zest all the Lemons and Lemon Product that you will need. The best Lemons to use for Lemon Desserts are Meyer Lemons if they are available. Right now in Spring, they are readily available, at least in the So. Calif. Farmer’s Markets. The difference between Meyer and Eureka is that Meyer are less tart and better for baked products. Eureka are great for cooking and for drinks like lemonade.
You can Zest the Lemons with a fine grater but it is best to have an actual zesting implement.
Eureka and Meyer Lemons
In this photo the Meyer Lemons are the ones with the orange hue and the Eureka are the ones front and more yellow.
Lemon Zest
Juicing the Lemons
The first Preparation was for the Lemon Curd which I chose to make the day before. It needed to cool for at least 2 hours so making it a day ahead gives you plenty of time to let it chill. The instructions for this Curd are a little off the norm in that all the ingredients are mixed together and then cooked to the desired thickness. Normally, the Egg Yolks are beaten first, then tempered and then cooked to the proper thickness. Using the traditional method gives you a shorter cooking time but definitely more utensils to clean. Even though the clean-up takes a little longer I do prefer the traditional method. In the photo below, the Curd is covered with plastic wrap which you want to cover the curd with to prevent a crust from forming. The plastic wrap should actually be touching the curd.
Whisking the Curd
Straining the Lemon Curd
Preparing the Curd for Refrigeration
The second Step was to make the Cake. Making the Cake, in itself was multi-faceted. It involved:
- Separating the Yolks from the Whites.
Separated Egg Whites
2. Sifting together the Dry Ingredients
Sifted Flour, Baking Powder & Salt
3. Whisking together the Wet Ingredients (other than Eggs)
Whisking the Milk and Oil Mixture
4. Beating the Yolks for the Cake Batter – once the Yolks were beaten to almost the desired thickness, the Liquid ingredients were added and beating resumed for one more minutes. Next the Dry Ingredients were added in four separate increments.
Whisking the Yolks
5. Beating the Whites to add to the almost finished Batter.
Whipping the Egg Whites
6. Next the Whites were folded into the Batter and then the Batter was divided between two greased and floured Pans. I recommend lining the greased pans with parchment paper to allow for easier cake removal.
Combining the Whites with the Batter
7. The Cakes were baked and cooled and then brushed with the Lemon Syrup.
Baked Layer
Sliced and Plated Layer
Ring of Frosting
8. Making the Lemon Syrup involved only combining the Lemon Juice with the Sugar and bringing to a boil so that the Sugar is completely dissolved. This takes only minutes.
9. Once split in half there are 4 separate layers. Each one should be brushed with the Lemon Syrup before assembly.
The Fourth Step was to make the Frosting – this involved Beating Egg Whites Again and making a Sugar Syrup and bringing it to the Soft Ball Stage (240 degrees F.)
Making the Sugar Syrup for the Frosting
Making Italian Buttercream
Curd Spread Spread on Cake
Frosted Cake
So All in All, there were a lot of skills involved. Of course it is easier for an accomplished baker to do these things but it is also a good recipe for a novice to learn these skills. All in all, the Cake was delicious in every part of it. I do love Lemon and especially Lemon Curd but do also love the Italian Meringue that covered the cake.
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Cakes, Cales, Dessert Ideas, Main Tags: baking, Dessert Ideas, Eggs, Sunday Baking Project
CULINARY MAKEOVERS – # 19 – Chocolate Pizzelle Brownies
I love crispy wafer-like cookies and I get them when I make Pizzelles. Pizzelles are a wafer-like cookie or pastry if you will, made in a flat decorative iron. They are Italian in origin but are very similar to the Norwegian Krumkake which is also made in a flat decorative iron, though as thin as the Pizzelle is, the Krumkake is even thinner.
The recipe that I have for the Pizzelle is quite large and makes a large quantity. The reason for the large quantity is that the cookie is so thin that it only take a tablespoon or less for each one – and they are at least 6″ in diameter. This time that I made them, I made them Chocolate so that both myself and my husband would be able to enjoy the treat. Ev loves Chocolate and I love anything thin so the Chocolate Pizzelle were perfect. Because the recipe makes such a huge quantity, I only made a half recipe. (Next time I will make a third recipe) Since the recipe calls for 6 eggs, dividing it half was pretty simple. Dividing into thirds will also be simple, but if I make it any smaller, it wouldn’t be worth the trouble to do it.
In addition to loving thin crispy cookies, I also love Marshmallows and if you have ever had homemade Marshmallows, you would never ever eat a commercially manufactured one again. To most people it would seem that Marshmallows are difficult make, but the opposite is true. The main ingredients in Marshmallows are Egg Whites (only 2), Sugar and Gelatin. You can get at least 16 2″square Marshmallows out of one recipe.
Since I like Pizzelle and love Marshmallows, I also made some Chocolate Pizzelle/Marshmallow Treats which were like little sandwiches with Marshmallow in the middle and Chocolate Pizzelle on the outside. But since we are only a household of two and we don’t have company every week you eventually either get tired of eating the treats that were made or they get stale. The Pizzelle were still edible after one week but they were getting a little soft and we were ready for something else.
As I said previous;y, Ev, my husband loves Chocolate and I make him a Chocolate Treat every week. Sometimes it is Chocolate Chip Cookies, sometimes it is Brownies and this time it was Pizzelle but as I said, after a week we were getting somewhat tired of the Pizzelle and even the Marshmallows so I decided to reinvent them or create a new treat, thereby coming up with Culinary Makeover #19 which was Chocolate Pizzelle/Marshmallow Brownies.
To make the Brownies, I first pulverized the remaining Pizzelle in the Food Processor and then transferred them to a Dry Measuring Cup (1 cup size)
Broken-up Pizzelle in Food Processor Workbowl
Pizzelle Crumbs
Next, I broke up the Pizzelle/Marshmallow Sandwiches and chopped them up.
Pulverizng Marshmallows
To make the Brownies I used my ‘Go-To’ Brownie recipe for Fudge Brownies. The only difference was that I had 1 cup of pulverized Brownies. The 1 cup of Pulverized Brownies replaced one cup of the Flour in the recipe. So we had 1 cup of Pulverized Brownies and 1/4 cup of All-Purpose Flour. I also reduced the Sugar to less than 1 cup.
Pizzelle Crumbs and Flour
After making the Brownie Batter, I folded in the chopped up Marshmallows and baked them as usual.
Folding in Marshmallows
The result was a delicious, moist Brownie that had a cake-like texture but was very good and enjoyed by both my husband and myself.
Baked Brownies
You can use any kind of stale cookies to make the Brownies – doesn’t have to be Pizzelle and other leftover baked goods can be utilized in the same manner. Try it yourself and experiment to create totally new delights. This treat is also good with Ice Cream!
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Cookies, Cooking for Kids, Culinary Makeovers, Dessert Ideas, Leftovers, Main Tags: baking, Brownies, Children's Cooking, Chocolate, Cookies, Dessert Ideas, Makeovers
NATIONAL APPLE MONTH
October is ‘National Apple Month’ so I decided to look up and see how many different kinds of Apples there are. Wow, I did not expect to find the number I did – there are literally dozens and maybe hundreds – the only letter in the Alphabet that does not bear the name of an Apple is ”X”. There are numerous kinds of Apples for each and every letter, however most of us are familiar with only a small number of them.
The most common Apples are the Red and Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Pippins and Granny Smith. The best for eating are the Delicious, of course and the Gala and Fuji. The best for baking are Granny Smith and Pippins. The last two are not terribly sweet and have a firm flesh which lends them well to baked goods such as pies and pastries. For cooking and Applesauce the Winesap and Gravensteins are excellent.
My favorite use for Apples is to make Pie and of course, there is nothing as American as ‘Apple Pie’. I also love Apple Turnovers made with Puff Pastry. Puff Pastry is a pain to make but you can purchase frozen Puff Pastry Sheets which work very well. You can also use Pie Crust or even Yeast Dough for your Turnovers Shells.
There are also many other ways in which we can use Apples and so I am going to explore some of them here and reference several really great recipes. The first one is for Apple Bread – what a good way to use up those Apples from your tree or even the ones you bought. You can even use Applesauce. Try the referenced recipe. This recipe makes two to three loaves, depending on the size of the pans you use. You can also make Muffins from the same recipe. If there is too much for your family to consume at one time, these loaves freeze well or you can share them with your friends. www.sylveeeskitchen.com/recipes/baked-goods/breads/apple-bread/
Apple Pie can be made in various ways – there are French Apple Pies with a streusel topping and then there are the traditional ‘American’ type Apple Pies with both a bottom and a top crust. The referenced recipe is for a French Apple Pie which always easy to make because there is only a bottom crust and you don’t have to worry about getting the top crust to fit and look beautiful. www.sylveeeskitchen.com/recipes/baked-goods/pies-pastry/
Apple Turnovers are absolutely my favorite way to go! You can eat them out of hand without utensils; they are good for Breakfasts on the Go or for snacks or Desserts. You can use Puff Pastry or Pie Crust or any of your favorite pastry doughs.
www.sylveeeskitchen.com/recipes/baked-goods/pies-pastry/apple-turnovers/
Apple Brown Betty is an old fashioned dish which can also be used for dessert or for Breakfast. There is no Pie Crust to worry about, just a cumbly topping. It is fast and easy to make and is great with Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream on top. www.sylveeeskitchen.com/recipes/deserts/apple-brown-betty/
Caramel Apples are one of my favorite ways to eat Apples. I love Apples and I love Caramel and nothing goes better together than Apples and Caramel. And since Halloween is this Month what better treat than Caramel Apples to share with the kids. This recipe is simple to make and the Apples are fun to eat. The best Apples to use for Caramel Apples are Granny Smith or Golden Delicious. Pippins are also good, but make sure that they are somewhat ripe or they will be to tart to eat, even with the Caramel. www.sylveeeskitchen.com/recipes/halloween-recipes/caramel-apples/
Remember, October is ‘National Apple Month’ and there is no better time to buy and eat Apples than now. Even better is if you can pick your own, either from your own trees or nearby orchards. Play around and experiment – Apples are a wondrous fruit and don’t forget ‘An Apple A Day Keeps the Doctor Away’. Try a different Apple Recipe for the Month of October – ‘National Apple Month’. And another reason for eating and using them now is that later on, the Apples you buy will all have been in cold storage which makes them mealy and less tasty. So take advantage of ‘National Apple Month.
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Bread, Main, Pastry Tags: Apple Pie, Apples, baking, Caramel, Children's Cooking, cooking with children, Dessert Ideas, Fruit, holiday recipes, kids cooking, kids recipes
ZUCCHINI BREAD – BAKING DAY – CLEAN OUT THE REFRIGERATOR/FREEZER
Shredded Carrots and Zucchini
Today I wanted to get rid of some of the items in my refrigerator and freezer, so i decided to make a non-traditional Zucchini Bread, using Zucchini, Carrots, Chocolate Cookie Crumbs and chopped Macadamia Nuts and dried Pineapple.
Since I ended up with 4 cups of shredded fruit/Vegetable (yes, Zucchini is a fruit) I doubled my normal recipe./zuchinni-muffins/ The ingredients that I used are:
6 Eggs
2 cups Brown Sugar*
1 cup granulated Sugar
1 cup Butter
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
4 cups shredded Zucchini and Carrots
5 cups Flour
1 cup finely chopped Chocolate Cookie Crumbs
2 tsps. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsps. Salt
2 tsps. ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground Cloves
*I never use the total amount of Sugar and Oil that the original recipe calls for. Tastes just as good with less sugar and lasts just as long with less oil.
For a bread with more chocolate flavor you can substitute 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup baking Cocoa.
Be sure and grease/spray your baking pans before getting started. If you are making muffins, you can use paper liners instead of greasing the pan.
It is best to measure the flour and mix it together with the other dry ingredients before you get started. The oven should be preheating while you are making the batter.
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Beat the Eggs with a paddle beater in your electric mixer or whisk by hand.
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Add the Sugars and Vanilla; beat in.
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While still beating, slowly add the oil and then stir in the shredded fruit/vegetables.
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Stir in the Flour mixture; mix until well combined.
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Finally stir in the chopped Nut/dried Pineapple mixture.
Pour into the prepared pans (half full) and bake as directed above.
The fruit used can be varied – almost any fruit will do in this recipe.
When a toothpick inserted in the middle of the breads comes out clean, they are done. However, I usually bake them about 5 minutes longer so that the tops are more brown and crispy. If you are muffin top lover, then definitely bake them just a little bit longer than necessary.
Zucchini Bread and Muffins
As an added note, this recipe produces a relatively healthy product. You have your vegies in the Zucchini and Carrots (Vitamin A here). I used Red Carrots which seem to have much more pigment than the orange ones – this means more Vitamin A as the pigment is where the Vitamins are. In the photo at the top of the page, the carrots look orange (dark orange!) but if you look closely you will see the red. Most of the red is on the outside, but the orange is much darker than on regular orange carrots, thereby probably containing more Carotene (Vitamin A source)
The recipe also contains Eggs, Macadamia Nuts and dried Pineapple. The Butter and/ or Oil are also essential products for a healthy body. Whether you think it or not, oils are essential for survival!
Try my version or create your own. This is a very flexible recipe and you can do a lot with it. By the way, I usually use Raisins (good source of Iron) but since I had the Pineapple and am trying to clean out my fridge and freezer, I used that. You can use whatever you have on hand! Enjoy!
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Bread, National Food Days Tags: baking, Bread, butter, dried Pineapple, Eggs, Fruit, Mac Nuts, National Food Days, Oil, Zucchini
LET’S BAKE! – RAISIN SPICE BARS
It’s still National Bake Week so what are you going to bake today? I made some Raisin Spice Bars which served as our Breakfast today. /raisin-and-spice-bars/ They are yummy and full of energy. Do you like Baked Goods with Molasses and Raisins? I do and these are especially good.
Before we go any further, do you know where Molasses comes from? If not, think about the different types of Sugar we have. There is: Granulated, Brown, Dark Brown, Powdered and then Turbinado which some manufacturer’s call Raw. Bear in mind that you cannot use Raw Sugar. It is full of bugs and what not.
So how does the Brown Sugar get its color? Molasses, that is what! There are many steps in the manufacture of Sugar and Granulated is the final one in the processing of sugar cane. Molasses is a natural product in sugar. So on the way to being Granulated, Brown and Dark Brown are one of the products. So Molasses is a sweetener.
Making these breakfast gems is a simple task, especially if you use your food processor or electric mixer. Start with softened Butter and Cream it with the Sugar. Either Light Brown or Granulated Sugar can be used, depending on how much Molasses taste you want in the finished product. Next add the Egg, Molasses and Milk and blend well.
Batter made in Food Processor
Finally add the Raisins. For a moister and plumper raisin you can plump them by steeping in boiling water for 5 minutes. Be sure to drain well after plumping.
Turn the mixture into a greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, depending on the oven. When a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out dry, then your Spice Bars are done. Cool on a wire rack. When completely cool, cut into bars.
Raisin.Spice Bars Square
If desired a Confectioners Sugar Glaze or a Cream Cheese Frosting can be used. /cream-cheese-frosting/
Again, this bar makes a very tasty and somewhat nutritioius breakfast. For an even healthie snack, substitute part of the cake flour with whole wheat flour.
Categories: Baking, Baking Tidbits, Main, National Food Days Tags: baking, Breakfast, Cinnamon, Cookie Recipes, Dessert Ideas, Fruit, Ginger, Molasses, Raisins
