The Cook In The Family: April 2010

Friday, April 30, 2010

Fruit Jam Crostata

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 T sugar
1 lemon, zested, plus 1 T lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into half-inch pieces
3 T ice water
3/4 cup apricot or other fruit jam
a handful of toasted slivered/sliced almonds (toast in 350 F oven)
powdered sugar

whipping cream

Preparing the crostata:
Combine the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend.

Add the butter and pulse until the mixture has coarse crumbs. Add the lemon juice and ice water, pulsing until a ball starts to form. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 40-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to make an 11-inch round. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Mix the jam to loosen it and make it more spreadable (thin it with water or more lemon juice if needed), and spread over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the dough border over the filling to form an 8-inch round, pleating the crust loosely and sealing any cracks in the dough.

Bake the crostata until the crust is golden, about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with almonds and powdered sugar.

Fruit Crostata

Ingredients for the dough (for 2 crostatas):
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, diced
6 tablespoons ice water

Ingredients for the filling (for 1 crostata):
2 peaches/nectarines
2 plums
1/4 pint blueberries/raspberries
1 T lemon juice
1 T all purpose flour
1 T sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated organic orange zest

whipping cream
powdered sugar
turbinado sugar

Preparing the pastry:
Put flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor with a steel blade. Pulse a few times. Add butter and pulse a few times until the butter is the size of peas. With motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep pulsing just until the dough starts to form into a ball. Divide dough in half and turn out onto 2 pieces of plastic sheets and form 2 flat disks. Wrap disks in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If making only 1 crostata, freeze the other disk of dough.

Preheat the oven to 450 F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Roll around the rolling pin and transfer it to the baking sheet.

Preparing the filling:
Cut the peaches and plums in wedges and put in a bowl with the blueberries. Squeeze lemon juice.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, orange zest, and lemon juice. Toss the fruits gently with the flour mixture. Place the fruits on the dough circle, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the border of the pastry over the fruit, pleating it to make an edge.

Brush the top of the dough with heavy cream and sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top.

Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden at the edges.

Slide the crostata off the baking sheet onto a plate, or leave it on the parchment paper and slide on the countertop to cool for 5 minutes.

Butternut Squash and Leek Galette

Ingredients for the crush:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 T chopped sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 to 6 T ice-cold water
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Ingredients for the filling:
1 (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2- by 1/4-inch slices (4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 T olive oil, divided
2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced crosswise
6 ounces soft mild goat cheese, crumbled

Optional: thyme leaves, pine nuts

Preparing the pastry:
Pulse flour, butter, sage, and sea salt in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle ice water evenly over mixture and pulse until it just forms a ball. (Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.) Gently press dough into a 5-inch disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Note: Pastry dough can be chilled up to 1 day. Filling can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

* * * * * * * *

Preparing the filling:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F with rack in middle.

Toss squash with sea salt and 1 tablespoon oil and arrange in 1 layer in a 17-by 12-inch shallow baking pan. Roast, stirring once halfway through roasting, until golden brown on edges and undersides, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove squash from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Meanwhile, wash leeks, then cook in remaining 2 tablespoons oil with a pinch of sea salt in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly. Add squash, goat cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss gently.

Preparing the galette:
Roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Transfer to a baking sheet. Arrange filling in an even layer in center of dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border. Fold dough in on itself to cover outer rim of filling, pleating dough as necessary. Brush pastry with beaten egg and bake galette until crust is cooked through and golden on edges, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 (as an entree) to 8 (as a side dish)

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

Ingredients for the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

Ingredients for the filling:
1 small butternut squash (about one pound)
2 T olive oil
1 to 2 T butter (if you have only non-stick, the smaller amount will do)
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
3/4 cup fontina cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces), grated or cut into small bits
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

Preparing the pastry:
In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preparing the squash:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a 1/2-inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on foil lined (for neatness sake) sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.

Preparing the caramelized onions:
While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.

Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

Assembling the galette:
On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round.
Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Lemon Curd

Ingredients:
4 large organic lemons
4 eggs
1 cup caster (superfine) sugar
7-8 T butter

Preparing the lemon curd:
Have ready some clean, warm jars (wash and dry them, in the oven at 212 degrees F while making the curd).

Finely grate the lemon rind into a heatproof bowl. Squeeze the lemons. Beat the eggs, add the lemon juice to them, and strain them into the bowl with the zest. Add the sugar and the butter cut into small pieces.

Place over a pan of simmering water and stir more or less constantly until it thickens and looks glossy. This will only take a few minutes. Do not overheat or the eggs will curdle.

Remove from the heat and pour into jars.

If using immediately, cover with plastic wrap adhering to surface to prevent skin from forming and refrigerate.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

This recipe can be easily doubled for a larger cake.

The cake can also be split and have lemon curd spread between the two layers.

Ingredients for the cake:
5 ounces self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 ounces butter, softened
4 ounces golden caster sugar
2 T good quality lemon curd
1 large lemon, rind of, grated
2 eggs, whisked
1 T water or lemon juice

Ingredients for lemon syrup:
1 juice of large lemon
4 ounces granulated sugar

Preparing the cake:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and line a 2 lb loaf pan or round cake pan.

Put all the cake ingredients together into a large bowl and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon and then a hand-held mixer for a maximum of 3 minutes.

Pour into the prepared loaf or cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the syrup, by mixing the lemon juice and sugar together.

On removing the cake from the oven, pierce all over the top with a fine skewer or fork - keeping the cake in the pan.

While the cake is still hot, pour the syrup over the top of the cake. Leave it in the tin to cool.

The syrup will leave a crunchy residue of sugar and be sticky to touch.

TH's Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 ounces 55% chocolate, cut into chip-sized pieces (about 1 1/4 cups)
5 ounces 70 to 72% chocolate, cut into chip-sized pieces (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup packed dark brown sugar, preferably molasses sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs

Preparing the dough:
Position the oven racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.

Sift the ﬂour and baking soda into a medium bowl. Stir in the salt. Put the chips in a ﬁne-mesh basket strainer and shake to remove any chocolate "dust" (small fragments).

In the bowl of a stand mixer ﬁtted with the paddle, beat half the butter on medium speed until fairly smooth. Add both sugars and the remaining butter, and beat until well combined, then beat for a few minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until the first one is incorporated before adding the next, and scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed to combine. Mix in the chocolate.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold the dough with a spatula to be sure that the chocolate is evenly incorporated. The dough or shaped cookies can be refrigerated, well wrapped, for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks. Freeze shaped cookies on the baking sheets until firm, then transfer to freezer containers. (Defrost frozen cookies overnight in the refrigerator before baking.)

Using about 2 level tablespoons per cookie, shape the dough into balls. Arrange 8 cookies on each pan, leaving about 2 inches between them, because the dough will spread. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the tops are no longer shiny, switching the position and rotating the pans halfway through baking.

Cool the cookies on the pans on cooling racks for about 2 minutes to firm up a bit, then transfer to the racks to cool completely. Repeat to bake the remaining cookies.

Makes 30 3-inch cookies

Cook's Illustrated Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month—shaped or not.

Ingredients:
2 1/8 cups all purpose flour (2 cups plus 2 T)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 1/2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-2 cup chocolate chips (semi or bittersweet)

Preparing the dough:
Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.

Form scant 1/4 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball using fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves. Rotate halves ninety degrees and, with jagged surfaces exposed, join halves together at their base, again forming a single cookie, being careful not to smooth dough’s uneven surface. Place formed dough onto one of two parchment paper-lined 20-by-14-inch lipless cookie sheets, about nine dough balls per sheet. Smaller cookie sheets can be used, but fewer cookies can be baked at one time and baking time may need to be adjusted.

Bake, reversing cookie sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). (Frozen dough requires an extra 1 to 2 minutes baking time.) Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.

DL's Chocolate Chip Cookies

The dough logs can be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month. The baked cookies will keep well in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, or macadamia nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
14 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/2- to 1-inch chunks or 3 cups chocolate drops

Preparing the dough:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl by hand), beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium speed just until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, then stir in the flour mixture followed by the nuts and chocolate chunks.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a log about 9 inches long. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, preferably for 24 hours.

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Slice the logs into disks 3/4 inch thick and place the disks 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If the nuts or chips crumble out, simply push them back in.

Bake, rotating the baking sheets midway through baking, until the cookies are very lightly browned in the centers, about 10 minutes. If you like soft chocolate chip cookies, err on the side of underbaking.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to handle, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.

Makes about 48 cookies

Pecan & Chocolate Meringue-Cradled White Cake

This recipe originated in the 1953 Pillsbury Bake-Off Collection.

Ingredients for the meringue:
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans
1/2 ounce unsweetened grated chocolate [Chill the chocolate and put it in a food processor with the pecans and a tablespoon of the sugar that goes into the meringue.]

Ingredients for the cake:
1 cup cake flour (4 ounces) or 1 cup “measured-after-sifting” bleached flour (4 ounces)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk, room temperature

whole toasted pecans dipped in semisweet chocolate

Preparing the meringue:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.

Spray a 9- by 5-inch metal loaf pan with flour-added cooking spray, then line the bottom with a rectangle of parchment paper.

Measure out all ingredients, line them up and have them ready to go so the meringue doesn’t have to sit for too long.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in vanilla, then fold in nut-chocolate mixture. Spread mixture over bottom and a little over halfway up the sides of the loaf pan, doing your best to make a nice cradle. Set aside.

Preparing the cake:
Sift the flour, then stir it together with the baking powder and salt; set aside.

Wipe out the mixing bowl, then cream the butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla and beat on high for a couple of minutes, scraping bowl often. Stir in flour mixture alternatively with milk until well blended (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour). Pour cake mixture into pan so it goes right down the center of the meringue cradle.

Bake in lower third of the oven for 45-50 minutes. Meringue will look golden. Do not invert pan yet. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then loosen with a spatula and set pan on a rack for 25 minutes. Invert on a serving plate. Peel off parchment paper; cool completely.

* * * * * *

Another version:

Ingredients for the meringue:
1/2 cup superfine sugar, divided
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/2 ounce fine-quality unsweetened or 99% cacao chocolate, chopped and chilled
2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

Ingredients for the cake:
2 egg yolks from above
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cake flour (or bleached all-purpose
flour), sifted into the cup and leveled off
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (65-75 degrees F)

One 9 by 4- or 5-inch loaf pan greased and lined with parchment.

Preparing the cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven.

Place 1 tablespoon of the sugar in one bowl and the remaining sugar in another bowl. Toast the pecans and cool completely. Place the chocolate in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. In a food processor, process, with long pulses, the pecans, chilled chocolate, and the 1 tablespoon of sugar until finely ground.

Have the ingredients for the cake batter ready so that the meringue does not have to sit too long before baking.

In a medium bowl, place the yolks and coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray to prevent a crust from forming. Set aside for the cake batter. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, pour in the egg whites. Beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until soft peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Raise the speed to medium-high and gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until very glossy and stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Fold in the pecan mixture until evenly incorporated. With a spatula, scrape the egg white mixture into the prepared pan. Spread it evenly in the bottom and three-quarters of the way up the sides, creating a long rectangular hollow in the center to contain the batter. Set aside briefly while mixing the batter.

In the bowl with the reserved yolks, whisk in 1 tablespoon of the buttermilk and the vanilla just until lightly combined. Cover and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and the remaining buttermilk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for one and a half minutes. The mixture will lighten in color and texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Starting on medium-low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Spoon the batter into the meringue-lined pan and smooth the surface evenly with a small metal spatula. The batter will come just to the top of the dacquoise.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. The meringue and cake batter will both rise, but toward the end of baking, the cake will dome a little above the dacquoise and split in the center.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack until the bottom is no longer warm to the touch. In the metal pan, the cake can be unmolded after 20 minutes of cooling. Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pan and the sides of the cake, pressing firmly against the pan, and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Cool completely. Uncovered, the unfrosted cake will keep for 2 days at room temperature.

* * * * * * * *

Here’s a slightly adapted version from the Pillsbury Bake-Off book:

Beat 4 large egg whites until soft mounds form. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating constantly until stiff glossy peaks form.

Fold in 1 cup pecans, finely chopped, and 1 ounce grated unsweetened chocolate.

Spread meringue evenly over bottom and about three-fourths up sides of a 10-inch tube pan which has been greased and lined with parchment paper on the bottom.

Sift together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt (may be too much; 1/2 teaspoon may be fine) and 2 1/2 teaspoons double acting baking powder.

Cream 4 ounces unsalted butter, gradually add 1 cup sugar, creaming well. Add 4 unbeaten egg yolks; beat well.

Combine 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add alternately with the dry ingredients. Blend well after each addition.

Turn onto the meringue-lined pan.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Do not underbake. Cool 20 minutes. Loosen cake with spatula. Cool 30 minutes longer before removing from pan. Decorate top of cakes with pecan halves dipped in chocolate.

Garlic Herb Bread

Ingredients:
5 cloves minced garlic
1 T olive oil
1 ounce instant yeast
1 pint lukewarm water
1 egg white
1 ounce butter, room temperature
1 ounce granulated sugar
2 T salt
4 teaspoons dried oregano
4 teaspoons dried basil
2 pounds plus 2 ounces bread flour [or half wheat flour and half white flour)

Preparing the dough:
Saute the garlic until soft but not brown.

Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water in a mixing bowl. Once it's bubbly and no longer grainy, stir in egg white, butter, sugar, salt, oregano, basil, softened garlic and the flour.

Using a dough hook on medium speed, knead the dough until it's fairly stiff and smooth. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turn to coat both sides and cover. Let rise for one hour.

Punch down the dough. Divide into 3 equal pieces, about 1 pound each. Shape into a round.

Place loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment, seam side down. Brush with some olive oil. Let rise at room temperature until double in volume.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes.

Almond Horn Cookies

Ingredients:
1 pound almond paste
4 ounces granulated sugar
3 egg whites
all purpose flour
8 ounces sliced almonds
simple syrup [microwave 1 cup of water with 1 cup of sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved]

Preparing the cookies:
Combine almond paste and sugar in a mixing bowl using paddle attachment. Slowly add eggs whites, making sure there aren't any lumps. An alternative is to mix the paste and sugar in a food processor with a blade attachment and add egg whites while it's running.

Sprinkle flour on a clean surface and rub some on your hands to make sure the almond paste doesn't stick to you. Divide the paste into 2 pieces and roll each into a log about 15 inches long on your floured surface. Use only enough flour to keep the paste from sticking to the table. Cut the log into 13 pieces.

Place the almonds on a sheet of baking paper. Roll each of the dough pieces in the almonds, making sure they stay shaped as little logs. And make sure the almonds stick all around. Keep rolling the logs until they are about 5 inches long.

Bend the pieces into horseshoe shapes and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Allow them to dry at room temperature for 3 hours.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes or golden brown. Brush with the simple syrup the second they come out of the oven. Dip the end in melted chocolate after they've cooled.

Liege Waffles

Type your summary here.

The waffle iron’s temperature is crucial in making this waffle. It helps to have an infrared thermometer handy, as there’s a fairly narrow range in which the sugar will caramelize perfectly and not burn. You can make do without one though; it may take some trial and error.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspooons active dry yeast
1/4 cup scalded whole milk at 110-115 degrees
2 T and 2 teaspoons of water at 110-115 degrees
2 cups bread flour (King Arthur preferred)
1 large egg at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 T plus 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 1/2 T unsalted butter, softened, at room temperature
1 T honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup Belgian pearl sugar (“Lars Own” brand preferred)

Preparing the waffles:
Place yeast, milk, and water into the work bowl of a stand mixer. Stir for a few seconds to moisten the yeast.

Add the egg and 1/3 of the total flour. Mix to blend. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Sprinkle remaining flour over the mixture, but do not stir it in. Cover and let stand 75-90 minutes. [At the end of that time, you’ll notice the batter bubbling up through the cover of flour.]

Add brown sugar and salt to the work bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed, just to blend.

With machine on low, add honey and vanilla. Then add 2 tablespoons of butter at a time. Mix 4 minutes at medium-low speed; scrape down sides once or twice in that period. Let the dough rest for 1 minute and then continue to mix for 2 minutes. If you measured your ingredients perfectly, the dough will be sticking to the sides of the bowl in the last minute of mixing and then, in the last 30 seconds of so, will start to ball-up on the paddle. If this does not happen, let the dough rest for 1 more minute and mix for another 2 minutes. Whatever the outcome of the extra mixing, proceed anyway.

Scrape the dough into a large bowl, sprinkle lightly with flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 4 hours. This step is crucial for developing the flavor.

It is essential to refrigerate for 30 minutes before continuing. The yeast respiration must be slowed before continuing.

Gently deflate the gases from the dough, by pressing on it with a rubber spatula; scrape it onto a piece of plastic wrap, and then use the spatula to press the dough into a long rectangle. Fold that rectangle over on itself (by thirds – like a letter) so that you have a square of dough. Wrap it in plastic, weigh it down a bit (I put two heavy dinner plates on top of it) and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, place the cold dough which will be quite firm in a large bowl. Add all of the pearl sugar to a bowl. Mix it into the dough by hand until the chunks are well-distributed. Once mixed, divide the dough into 5 pieces of equal size.

Shape each chunk into an oval ball (like a football without the pointy ends) and let it rise, covered loosely in plastic wrap, for exactly 90 minutes.

On a professional waffle iron (cast iron and weighs over 20 pounds) cook at exactly 365-370 degrees F (the max temp before sugar begins to burn/decompose) for approximately 2 minutes. [With a regular waffle iron, heat the iron to 420 degrees F (many regular waffle irons go up to and over 550 degrees at their highest setting), place the dough on the iron, and immediately unplug it or turn the temp dial all the way down or the sugar will burn.]

Give each waffle a few minutes to cool slightly before eating. These waffles need no syrup or toppings, but can be served with fruit or a dusting of powdered sugar, nut butters like almond or Nutella.

Makes 5 waffles

Spice Cookies

Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 stick butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon all-spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup chopped crystalized ginger
2 1/4 cups flour

Preparing the cookies:
Cream sugar, molasses and butter in a large mixing bowl until light. Molasses makes this a little runnier than most creamed batters. Add the egg and beat until fluffy. Put the dry ingredients, except the crystalized ginger, in a bowl and whisk so they're all combined. Add slowly to the wet mixture and mix until a stiff batter is formed. Just before everything is well incorporated, add crystalized ginger.

Flatten the dough onto parchment. Place on a sheet pan and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a few hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough on slightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter and transfer cookies to a sheet pan covered with parchment. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake cookies until crisp, about 10 minutes.

Lemon Curd

Ingredients:
1 cup lemon juice, plus 2 T, divided
2 cups granulated sugar
14 egg yolks
1 teaspoon gelatin
2 T unsalted butter

Preparing the lemon curd:
In a heatproof metal bowl add 1 cup lemon juice, sugar and egg yolks. In a separate bowl, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of gelatin on top of 2 tablespoons of lemon juice until it’s bloomed and looks soggy. Set aside.

Place the bowl with lemon juice, sugar and yolks on top of a simmering pot of water and whisk until the lemon mixture has thickened enough that it ribbons when you pull out the whisk. Once you’ve got a thick lemon mixture, take off the heat and immediately add the gelatin and whisk until it’s completely melted. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk until fully incorporated.

Transfer the curd to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, touching the entire surface of the exposed curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Rock Candy

Ingredients:
4 cups of granulated sugar
2 cups filtered water

Dissolve sugar in water. Put the syrup in a tall glass. Dip a length of cotton cooking string into the mixture that’s just a bit shorter than the length of the glass. Make sure the string is saturated. Remove and let the string dry completely. Resubmerge into the sugar water, weighing the end down with a fishing weight, a washer or something equally heavy to keep the string straight. Tie the top end to a pencil that rests on the lip of the glass so that it hangs in gentle suspension in the sweet drink.

Alternatively, pour the liquid in a bowl and secure a piece of parchment over the rim with a rubber band, making sure the parchment is taut. Poke pre-sugar-saturated- and dried-toothpicks through the parchment so that they are partially submerged in the sugar water. Let sit for at least 7 days.

Variation: Replace the 2 cups of water with coffee and produce java-infused rocks.

Anise Cookies [Angelonie]

Ingredients for the cookie:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon anise extract, or more to taste
3 cups all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 T milk

Ingredients for the icing:
2 cups confectioner's sugar
3 T milk
a drop of anise extract

candy sprinkles or pearl sugar

Preparing the cookies:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs on at a time until incorporated. Add anise extract.

Combine flour, salt and baking powder and add to the butter and egg mixture slowly, alternating with the milk. Mix until you have a wet dough.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop batter and then roll it gently in your hands to create a ball. Flatten slightly on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Or roll into an oval shape. It's easiest to have your hands a little moist for this process.

Bake cookies for about 15 minutes. Do not brown them; they should be light in color and have a cake-like texture.

* * * * * *

Preparing the icing:
Mix all ingredients into a smooth paste.

Either dip the cookie in the glaze once they are cool or gently brush the glaze on a lukewarm cookie. Dip cookies into a bowl of the sprinkles or pearl sugar.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Valrhona or Callebaut preferred), finely chopped and set aside in a metal bowl.

Preparing the ganache:
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk constantly in a circular motion, in one direction only. Make sure to keep the whisk in contact with the bottom to incorporate all the chocolate. Keep whisking until the cream and chocolate have perfectly combined into shiny fluid chocolate.

Left soft and warm, ganache can be used as a filling and coating for cakes. If it's too thick, add a bit more cream to get the consistency you prefer. Add a tablespoon or more of corn syrup to give it more of a sheen. It will set with time and is very transportable.

Let the ganache set, take a melon scoop and make balls of chocolate, roll the balls in cocoa powder for truffles.

Espresso Shortbread

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
2 T finely ground espresso
pinch salt
2 T coarse sanding sugar

Preparing the shortbread:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour, espresso and salt. Mix until well combined.

Pat the dough into a round and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Gently roll the dough on a minimally floured surface (just enough to make sure it doesn’t stick and make sure your rolling pin has a nice dusting of flour as well) and roll until about 1/4 inch thick. Dough should be very cool.

Using a cookie cutter of your choice, place your shapely shortbread on a parchment-lined baking pan. Space evenly even though shortbread doesn't really spread but leave enough room, just in case.

Chill the dough once more before baking to ensure the cookies keep their shape. Bake until they are slightly brown.

Gesine's Swiss Buttercream

Ingredients:
10 egg whites
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 to 2 pounds butter (6 to 8 sticks) butter, slightly colder than room temperature and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Preparing the buttercream:
Simmer water in a sauce pan. Place egg whites and sugar in a metal mixing bowl (i.e. your KitchenAid mixing bowl). Get a candy thermometer handy. Whisk the egg whites and sugar CONSTANTLY until the sugar is melted and the concoction reaches 160 degrees F, but do not let the eggs cook and curdle -- Whisk constantly.

Transfer immediately to your mixer and whip on high until the meringue has doubled or tripled in volume, is white and shiny, holds a peak, and is cool to the touch.

With your mixer on medium slow, add your small cubes of butter a little at a time. Not too slowly, just slowly enough that the addition of the butter doesn’t cause the egg/sugar/butter sludge to fly out of the bowl.

You may not need all the butter. You’ll notice that the meringue will start to deflate almost immediately. That’s okay. The fat content of the butter has that effect. The buttercream is starting to come together when you notice that tiny little bits start to appear around the perimeter of the bowl and the entire mixture is starting to look likes it’s curdling. You’re getting there. Put the mixer on medium high and put in just a few more chunks of butter, then whisk on high until the butter cream looks light and fluffy. If you’re working in a warm environment and you think you’ve already added more than enough butter and you have a liquidy soup that you think will never come together, stick the whole mess in the freezer for a few minutes and then resume whisking.

Once the buttercream is light and fluffy, you can add a bit of ganache for a chocolate buttercream or 1/2 cup of fruit puree for refreshing cake filling.

Vanilla Cake

Fill one of the layers with lemon curd or chocolate ganache, frost with buttercream.

Ingredients:
8 ounces room temperature unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
5 eggs at room temperature
3 cups all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 T vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 1/4 cup non-fat buttermilk

3 8-inch cake pans

nonstick cooking spray

Preparing the cake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Spray the cake pans with non-stick spray. Cut parchment into rounds to cover the bottom of each pan. Spray the top of the parchment round once it's in place.

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside in a bowl or onto a sheet of parchment paper.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy at least 5 minutes on high speed. Scrape sides of bowl every few minutes using the whisk attachment or a rubber spatula.

Add eggs one at a time. Making sure each egg is perfectly incorporated before you add another. Scraping down sides of bowl after every few eggs. Add vanilla extract and/ or vanilla seeds.

Add flour and buttermilk in alternative pours, about 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of buttermilk each go. Mix on slow speed and scrape the bowl during the process.

Once everything is well incorporated, use a plastic spatula to fold the batter a few more times until well-mixed.

Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake for twenty to forty minutes. Check for doneness by pressing gently on the cake. If it leaves an indent, not done. If it bounces back gently without leaving a mark, it's done. If the cake doesn't budge when you poke it, overdone.

Let cake cool completely before filling.

Jelly Doughnuts

Ingredients for the sponge:
2 teaspoons instant yeast
3/4 cup warm milk
pinch of sugar
6 ounces bread flour

Ingredients for the dough:
sponge
1 packet of yeast
1/4 cup warm milk
2 ounces sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of half of a lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 egg yolks
3 ounces butter, very soft
1/2 pound bread flour

vegetable oil (enough to fill a pot 4-inch deep for frying)
confectioners sugar for dusting the finished doughnuts
jam of choice for filling.

Preparing the sponge:
Sprinkle the yeast with a pinch of sugar in a bowl and bloom the yeast (blooming is the term for letting the yeast become active and bubbly in a liquid) in the milk. Let sit for about 3–5 minutes.

In a mixer fit with the dough hook, add yeast and flour and mix until smooth. Cover and allow the sponge to rise and proceed to the dough stage just as the sponge starts to fall.

* * * * * *

Preparing the dough:
Bloom 1 packet of yeast with 1/4 cup of warm milk and add to mixing bowl with sponge. In a small bowl stir together egg yolks, vanilla, zest and sugar. Add to the sponge mixture. Add butter small pieces at a time and then start to add the flour and mix until you have a smooth dough.

Spray the dough with a light coating of nonstick spray and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for one hour.

Divide rested dough in half. Roll each piece into a rope and cut both into ten pieces, rolling each of those ten pieces into a tight round bun, using no flour on your surface to avoid the flour from burning in the hot oil, and allow to rise on a parchment lined sheetpan in a warm place until a little less than doubled in size.

Place a moist dish towel over the buns while they’re resting to avoid them getting a dry skin.

In a large stockpot, bring at least 4 inches of vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. When the buns have doubled, add them to the oil one at a time, gently placing them in the oil, seam side up (the seam is the “ugly”, puckered underside from your having rolling it ). Allow to brown for about 4 to 5 minutes and then flip and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer to a cooling rack or paper towel-lined sheet pan to allow oil to drain and dry.

Fill a pastry bag filled with jam and fitted with a #3 open tip, large enough to allow jam to freely flow but small enough to shove into the side of doughnut without creating a huge hole. Shove the pastry tip into the doughnut and gently fill with your filling.

Sift powdered sugar on top of the doughnuts.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Cinnamon-Chocolate Brioche

Ingredients:
brioche dough

2 cups chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups pastry cream*

1 cup confectioners' sugar
melted semisweet chocolate
whole milk

*Ingredients for pastry cream:
1 pint whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean seeds scraped out, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ounce cornstarch
3 ounces granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces unsalted butter

Preparing the pastry cream:
In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, cornstarch, vanilla seeds, vanilla extract, sugar and whip on high with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy.

Bring milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the boiling milk. Whisk on high until fully incorporated and then transfer it back to the saucepan and place over medium heat. Whisk briskly and constantly until the mixture boils and thickens. Take from heat, add butter and whisk until it's completely incorporated.

Pour the custard into a bowl and immediately place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool before using.

* * * * * *

Preparing the cinnamon-chocolate brioche:
Roll out your brioche dough into a rectangle that's a little over 1/8 inch thick.

Blend cinnamon into the pastry cream. Slather the entire surface of the dough, but for a small one inch band at the very top, with pastry cream. Sprinkle the dough with chocolate and roll into a log. Don't stretch the dough too tightly as you roll - Be gentle and firm, not too tight, not too loose.

Cut the log into 1-inch rounds and pinch the loose end of the dough or tuck it under the roll.

Space the rolls a few inches apart and set aside so they can proof. They should rise a fair amount, to almost double in size. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are golden and spring back when you poke them.

Drizzle with melted chocolate or a simple glaze made from 1 cup confectioner's sugar mixed with a few teaspoons of milk and stirred until smooth.

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
3 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparing the macaroons:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients into a metal/heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning. Make sure mixture is hot and has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

With a medium sized cookie scoop, drop batter onto a parchment lined sheet pan bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges are dark golden brown.

Clarified Butter

Ingredients:
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preparing the clarified butter:
Place the butter in a heavy saucepan and melt slowly over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Skim the foam from the top, and slowly pour into a container, discarding the milky solids in the bottom of pan.

What makes clarified butter so great is its higher smoke point. This means you can cook meats and fish at a higher temperature than you can with regular butter, making it ideal for pan-frying. By clarifying the butter during a slow cooking process, you're able to strain out the milk solids that burn quickly as well as the water and salt. You'll lose about 1/4 of your original butter amount during the process, and the clarified butter will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator for about 1 month.

Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
3/4 cup clarified butter or ghee
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
zest of half a lemon
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus a little extra for rolling

Preparing the cookies:
Cream butters and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk and cream again until fully incorporated. Add salt, vanilla and lemon zest and slowly add flour. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about half an hour.

Roll dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. They can be crumbly so adding a bit of thickness gives you stability. Using a flour dusted cookie cutter, stamp your cookies and space on the cookie sheet about an inch apart. These don’t really spread and if you refrigerate them for 20 minutes you’ll guarantee a lovely shape.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t allow them to brown, although it's all right if the edges acquire a hint of golden.

Sweet Potato Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup applesauce
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 cups sweet potatoes, pureed (approximately 5 potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled until soft, and puréed in food processor)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of half an orange
1 cup raisins
1 cup pecans

Preparing the bread:
Whisk together sugar, orange juice, applesauce, eggs and sweet potatoes. Fold in dry ingredients, vanilla and zest until well incorporated. Add raisins and pecans and divide batter among 2 bread pans coated liberally with non-stick spray. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees F. The bread should spring back when poked. If the middle looks a bit moist and darker than the rest of the bread, give it a few more minutes until the center has baked through.

Note: Use canned pumpkin as well with almost exactly the same results.

Mascarpone Cheese Spread

Great on teabreads and pancakes.

Ingredients:
1 8-ounce container of mascarpone cheese
2 to 3 T honey, or to taste
1 teaspoon cinnamon
juice of an orange
zest of an orange

Combine all ingredients.

Banana Pancakes with Mascarpone Spread

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup fat free or low fat plain yogurt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed (roast bananas in skins for more intensely banana flavor)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups vanilla soymilk or regular whole milk
canola oil

Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cream together the butter and white sugar in a separate bowl. Mix in the eggs, yogurt, bananas, soymilk and vanilla extract. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Heat cast iron skillet with 1 teaspoon of canola oil. Ladle batter into pan and when set (bubbles on top), turn to cook the other side.

Serve with mascarpone cheese spread.

Low Fat Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup fat free or low fat plain yogurt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed (roast bananas in skins for more intensely banana flavor)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 T turbinado sugar
oil spray
9- by 5-inch glass loaf baking pan

Variations: chopped walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cream together the butter and white sugar in a separate bowl. Mix in the eggs, yogurt, bananas, and vanilla extract. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Grease baking pan and spread batter in. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top of the batter. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serve alone or with mascarpone cheese spread.

MC's Short Ribs with 5 Onion Cavalo Nero

Ingredients for the short ribs brine:
2 quarts water 
2 cups brown sugar  
2 cups kosher salt  
2 T juniper berries 
3 bay leaves

Ingredients for short ribs:
4 cross-cut short ribs, about 1 pound each (ask your butcher to cold smoke them if he can)
olive oil 
2 cups onion, coarsely chopped 
1 cup carrot, coarsely chopped
1 cup celery, coarsely chopped
1 cup red wine 
1 quart chicken stock

Ingredients for 5 onion cavalo nero:
2 cups leek whites, small diced
2 cups scallion whites, sliced
2 cups shallot, small diced
2 cups red onion, small diced
2 cups yellow onion, small diced
2 cups carrot, grated
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 case black cabbage, chiffonade

Preparing the brine:
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a sauce pan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cool completely. Cover short ribs with brine and refrigerate 3 hours.

Preparing the short ribs:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Remove short ribs from brine and pat dry. Heat a large high-sided sauté pan over moderately high heat until hot. Add a film of olive oil. When oil begins to smoke, brown short ribs on all sides. (They brown quickly because of the sugar in the brine.) When richly browned, place in a dish that can go from stovetop to oven. Add onion, carrot and celery to sauté pan and cook over moderately high heat until vegetables are well caramelized. Transfer vegetables to dish with short ribs. Add red wine to sauté pan and simmer until reduced by half, scraping up any stuck-on bits with a wooden spoon. Add stock, bring to a boil and pour over short ribs. Bring short ribs to a boil on top of the stove, then cover and bake until fork-tender, about 4 hours.

Preparing the 5 onion cavalo nero:
Slowly sweat all onions and carrot in olive oil. Add raisins, sweat briefly. Add cabbage and cook slowly stirring frequently until cooked very soft. This will take a two hours.

Serves 4

Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, Gorgonzola and Sage Pizza

Ingredients:
2 cups butternut squash (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 onion (sliced)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 T butter
1 handful sage leaves
1 pizza dough
1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
1/4 cup gorgonzola (crumbled)

Preparing the pizza:
Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil. Roast the squash in a preheated 350 degree F oven until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes and set aside. Heat the oil and melt the butter in a pan. Add the onion and cook on low until caramelized, about 40 to 60 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes and set aside. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the sage leaves and saute until crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spread the onions over the pizza dough followed by the butternut squash and the cheeses.

Bake in a preheated 500 degree F oven until golden brown on top, about 5 to 10 minutes. Place the sage leaves on top.

Basic Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups water (ice cold)
1 T sugar
cornmeal (or semolina flour) for dusting

Preparing the dough:
Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add the oil, water and sugar and mix until it forms a sticky ball of dough. Knead on a clean surface for 5-7 minutes adding flour if it is too wet or water if it is too dry. Cut the dough into three pieces and form them into balls. Place the dough balls on a pan, spray them with oil and cover them with plastic.

Place the dough in the fridge and let it rest overnight or up to three days.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and form it into discs. Lightly flour the discs, spray them with oil, cover them with parchment paper and let them rest for 2 hours. Flour (or oil) your hands and lay the dough across your knuckles. Lightly bounce the dough on your knuckles, turning it and stretching it until it reaches the size that you want. Place the dough on a baking pan dusted with cornmeal. Add your pizza toppings. Bake in a preheated 500 degree F oven until golden brown on top, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Rosemary Pizza

Ingredients:
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
salt and black pepper to taste
3 T olive oil, divided
1 (16 ounce) package refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 T cornmeal
2 T grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

Variations: Drizzle balsamic vinegar over squash and onions before roasting; add roasted asparagus to the pizza; add strips of prosciutto to the pizza topping

Preparing the pizza:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place sliced onion and squash in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; toss to coat.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until onions are lightly browned and squash is tender; set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough into an 8 inch round. Place the rounds on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal (you may need 2 baking sheets depending on their size). Distribute squash mixture over the two rounds and continue baking for 10 minutes, checking occasionally, or until the crust is firm. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Cut into quarters, and serve.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Chicken and Endive Salad Sandwiches

Serve with Sauvignon Blanc.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 T fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
1 large cooked chicken breast, cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 2 cups)
2 small heads of Belgian endive, ideally 1 red and 1 green, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 T coarsely chopped flatleaf parsley
6 white or sourdough dinner rolls, split in half

Preparing the chicken salad:
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, endive, celery and parsley. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the chicken mixture, tossing gently. Taste, ideally with your wine, and add more lemon juice, salt and/or pepper if necessary. Fill the dinner rolls with the chicken salad.

These can be made up to 4 hours in advance, storing covered in the refrigerator.

Lamb Meatballs and Mint, Pine Nuts and Tahini Sauce

Serve with Pinot Noir.

Ingredients:
6 T tahini
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
2 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press or minced
2 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, or more to taste
1 large egg
1/2 cup panko
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted [Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread nuts onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly browned and fragrant, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove to a cold plate to cool.]
3 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly slices
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
3 T plus 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, divided
1 pound ground lamb

Preparing the tahini sauce:
In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of water with the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt, whisking to dissolve the salt. This can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, storing covered in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature before serving.

Preparing the meatballs:
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, panko, pine nuts, scallions, pepper, 3 tablespoons of the mint and the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Add the lamb and gently mix until well combined. With dampened hands, shape the mixture into about 20 meatballs, 1 1/2 inches in diameter. This can be done up to a day in advance, storing covered in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature before proceeding.

Preheat the broiler and arrange a rack about 6 inches from the heat.

Transfer the meatballs to a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil the meatballs until cooked through and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through.

Pool the tahini sauce on a platter or on individual plates, dividing it evenly. Arrange the meatballs o top and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of mint. Taste for seasoning. Serve hot.

Makes 20 meatballs

Spring Vegetable and Prosciutto Tart

This goes well with Pinot Grigio.

Ingredients:
1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3 small white or red potatoes (about 4 ounces), cut into 1/8 slices
1 sheet (half of a 17.3 ounce package) puff pastry, thawed
1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (about 4 ounces), divided
4 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered lengthwise (almost 1 cup)
2 thin slices prosciutto (about 1 ounce), cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, tarragon, or in combination
1 lemon wedge

Bring a medium saucepan of well-salted water (1 tablespoon of coarse kosher salt per quart) to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove the leeks with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Set the potatoes and leeks aside. [You can prepare the leeks and potatoes up to 2 days in advance, storing them covered in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature before proceeding.]

Line a baking sheet with parchment. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 10-inch square. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Using a fork, pierce the pastry all over. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. [You can refrigerate the pastry, covered, for up to a day.]

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the cheese on the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the potatoes, leeks, artichokes and prosciutto on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheee. Bake the tart until golden, about 25 minutes.

Just before serving, sprinkle the herbs and squeeze the lemon over the tart. Cut into pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.

Cornmeal Pound Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
4 eggs
white cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup white cornmeal
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup vanilla liqueur or other liqueur

powdered sugar

Ingredients for orange cream:
1 cup whipping cream
2 T orange liqueur or orange juice
1 T powdered sugar
1 T finely shredded orange peel

To prepare cake:
Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheaven oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch fluted tube pan. Lightly coat pan with white cornmeal; set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, 1/4 cup white cornmeal, cornstarch, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating on medium speed about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low to medium speed for 1 minute after each addition and scraping side of bowl frequently. Stir in flour mixture just until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading batter evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack. Brush cake with liqueur. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with orange cream.

Serves 12

* * * * * * *

Preparing the orange cream:
In a medium bowl combine 1 cup whipping cream, 2 tablespoons orange liqueur or orange juice and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Fold in 2 teaspoons of finely shredded orange peel.

Sweet Vanilla Polenta Pudding

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1/2 of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup quick-cooking polenta
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup mascarpone, softened
1 T honey
1/4 cup apricot preserves or other preserves

In a medium saucepan combine milk, split vanilla bean, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 15 minutes to allow vanilla bean to infuse milk with its flavor. Remove vanilla bean; set aside.

Bring milk mixture just to boiling over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes, or until mixture is very thick. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine mascarpone and honey. Using the tip of a small shap knife, scrape out seeds from vanilla bean. Discard pod or reserve for another use. Stir vanilla seeds into mascarpone mixture.

Spoon polenta into six dishes. Top with mascarpone-preserves mixture. Serve warm.

Serves 6

Vanilla Creme Brulee

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup half and half or light cream
1/2 of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar

Preparing the creme brulee:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium heavy saucepan combine whipping cream, the 1/2 cup sugar and half and half. Using the tip of a small sharp knife, scrape out seeds from vanilla bean. Add vanilla seeds and pod to cream mixture. Cook and stir ove medium heat just until mixture comes to boiling. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes to infuse cream mixture with vanilla flavor. Remove vanilla pod, discard or reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl whisk egg yolks until combined. Gradually whisk warm cream mixture into egg yolks.

Place ten 2-ounce ramekins in a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan. Divide cream mixture evenly among ramekins. Place baking pan on an oven rack. Pour hot water into baking pan around ramekins to reach a depth of 3/4 inch.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until centers appear set when gently shaken. [Brulee is done when, shaken with tongs the custard jiggles slightly in the center.] Remove ramekins from water; cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.

To serve, sprinkle the 1/4 cup sugar evenly over tops of custards. Using a blow torch, heat sugar until a bubbly brown crust forms. [If ramekins are broiler-safe, melt the sugar under a broiler. Preheat broiler. Return chilled custards to a baking pan and surround with ice cubes and a little cold water. Broil about 5 inches from the heat about 2 minutes or until a bubbly brown crust forms.]

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Champagne Sangria

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice
1 lemon, zested and thinly sliced
1 lime, zested and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
5 fresh mint sprigs
Crushed ice

1 (750-ml) bottle Prosecco or French Champagne, chilled

Ingredients for the mint simple syrup:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup packed fresh mint leaves

Preparing the mint simple syrup:
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and mint over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool for 20 minutes. Strain before using.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

* * * * * * *

Preparing the sangria:
In a large pitcher, combine the Prosecco, orange juice, mint simple syrup, lemon zest, and lime zest. Add the sliced strawberries, lemon slices, lime slices, and mint sprigs.

Fill glasses with crushed ice and pour the sangria over the top. Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8

Espresso Chip Meringues

Ingredients for meringues:
3 egg whites, at room temperature
pinch fine sea salt
3/4 cup superfine baker's sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preparing the meringues:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt until frothy, about 1 minute. With the machine on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and espresso powder. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick and holds stiff peaks, about 3 to 5 minutes. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips. Drop 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely while still in the oven, about 2 hours.

Store airtight in a plastic container for up to 4 days.

Makes 12 meringues

Parmesan Cheese Biscuits

Type your summary here.

Ingredients for biscuits:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups (5 1/2 ounces) grated parmesan
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup olive oil

Preparing the biscuits:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the butter. Using fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the parmesan and green onions. Add the buttermilk and olive oil. Stir until the mixture forms a dough. Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet in 12 equal-sized pieces. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden. Cool the biscuits for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 biscuits

Prosciutto and Arugula Sandwiches on Parmesan Cheese Biscuits

Ingredients for biscuits:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups (5 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup olive oil

Ingredients for lemon butter:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 lemon, zested

3 cups baby arugula
10 ounces prosciutto

Preparing the lemon butter:
In a small bowl, mash the butter and lemon zest together using a fork. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes 1/2 cup

* * * * * * * *

Preparing the biscuits:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the butter. Using fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the Parmesan and green onions. Add the buttermilk and olive oil. Stir until the mixture forms a dough. Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet in 12 equal-sized pieces. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden. Cool the biscuits for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 biscuits

* * * * * * *

Assembling the sandwiches:
Slice each biscuit in half and spread the bottom half with 1 teaspoon of lemon butter. Add some arugula leaves and place a small slice of smoked salmon on top. Add the top half of the biscuit and serve.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Parmesan Chicken with Prosciutto

Ingredients:
fresh thyme leaves from 2 sprigs
2 skinless chicken breast fillets
freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 ounces grated parmesan
6 slices of prosciutto
olive oil

Preparing the chicken:
Carefully score the underside of the chicken breasts in a criss-cross fashion with a small knife. Season with a little pepper.

Lay your breasts next to each other and sprinkle over most of the thyme leaves. Grate a little lemon zest over them and sprinkle with parmesan. Lay 3 prosciutto slices on each chicken breast overlapping them slightly.

Drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining thyme leaves. Put a square of plastic wrap over each breast and pound them with the bottom of a saucepan until they are about 1/2 inch thick.

Put a frying pan over a medium heat. Remove the plastic wrap and carefully transfer the chicken breasts, prosciutto side down, into the pan. Drizzle over some olive oil. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, turning halfway through giving the ham side an extra 30 seconds to crisp up.

Serves 2

Creamy Pralines

Ingredients:
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 T unsalted butter
2 T water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups toasted pecan pieces

Mix light brown sugar, granulated sugar, heavy cream, butter, water and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves. Stir in pecans and cook over medium heat until mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 238 to 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. If you spoon a drop of boiling syrup into a cup of ice water, it will form a soft ball that flattens easily between your fingers.

Remove pan from heat and stir rapidly until mixture thickens. Drop pralines by the spoonfuls, 1-inch apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Let cool completely until firm. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 1 dozen pralines

Killer Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze

Toast it in the morning for breakfast, or serve it with ice cream or macerated berries as a dessert.

Ingredients for cake:
2 sticks unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups, plus 1 T cake flour, divided
2 T lemon zest
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Ingredients for the lemon glaze:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 T lemon zest

Preparing the cake:
Adjust the oven rack to the center position, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with 1 tablespoon of butter, and dust with 1 tablespoon of the cake flour, tapping out excess.

Place the butter and lemon zest in a small saucepan set over a low heat. Gently melt the butter, whisking constantly. Set aside. Combine the sugar, eggs, and lemon juice in the bowl of a standing mixer. Use the whip attachment to beat the sugar, eggs, and lemon juice on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Reduce the speed to low, and in a slow and steady stream, pour the melted butter and lemon zest into the bowl. Sift remaining 1 1/2 cups cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Add the sifted flour mixture in three stages to the wet ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure an evenly blended batter. Mix the batter just until blended, add the sour cream, and mix to blend.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake the cake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F, and continue to bake the cake until a deep golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into its center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Be sure to rotate the pan once after 20 minutes of baking. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and continue to cool it on the rack until just warm. Pour the glaze over the cake while just warm.

* * * * * * * * *

Preparing the lemon glaze:
Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour the glaze over the pound cake while the cake is still warm.

Makes one 9-inch loaf, 8 to 10 servings

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Chocolate Chip and Peanut Blondies

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts, divided
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (about 3 ounces), divided

Preparing the batter:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8- by 8- by 2-inch metal baking pan. Whisk 1 cup flour, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend. Melt 1/2 cup butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add sugar and whisk until smooth. Cool mixture 2 minutes; whisk in eggs and vanilla. Using flexible spatula, stir in flour mixture, then half of peanuts and half of chocolate chips. Spread batter in prepared pan; sprinkle with remaining peanuts and chocolate chips.

Bake blondies until golden, tester inserted into center comes out clean, and edges just begin to pull away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes; cool completely in pan on rack.

This can be made 2 days ahead. Cover tightly and store at room temperature.
Cut blondes into 16 squares; serve.

Almond-Macaroon Torte with Chocolate Frosting and Orange Compote

Ingredients for orange syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
peel of 1 large orange, removed in strips with vegetable peeler

Ingredients for almond macaroons:
nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 1/2 cups slivered almonds
1 cup plus 3 T sugar
2 large pinches of coarse kosher salt
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
6 large egg whites

Ingredients for frosting and compote:
20 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 large oranges, all peel and white pith cut off

Preparing the orange syrup:
Combine sugar, 1 cup water, and orange peel strips in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and syrup comes to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 minute.

This can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill syrup with peel strips.

Preparing the almond macaroons:
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Draw two 12x4-inch rectangles, spacing 2 inches apart, on each of 2 sheets of parchment paper (4 rectangles total). Turn over each parchment sheet onto large rimmed baking sheet (rectangles will show through). Spray parchment with nonstick spray.

Place slivered almonds, 1 cup sugar, and coarse salt in processor. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean halves. Blend until nuts are finely ground. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold nut mixture into egg whites. Spread 1/4 of macaroon batter evenly within each rectangle, filling completely.

Bake macaroon layers until golden and almost firm to touch in center, reversing sheets after 20 minutes, 35 to 40 minutes total. Cool on sheets.

* * * * * *

Preparing the frosting and compote:
Place 10 tablespoons orange syrup in large saucepan and bring to simmer over medium-low heat (reserve remaining syrup). Add chocolate to saucepan and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool until frosting begins to thicken, stirring often, 20 to 30 minutes.

Place 1 macaroon layer on long platter. Spread 1/2 cup frosting evenly over. Top with another macaroon layer. Spread 1/2 cup frosting evenly over. Repeat 1 more time. Top with last macaroon layer, flat side up. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of torte. Press sliced almonds onto sides of torte.

This can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil tent; store at room temperature. Cover remaining syrup; chill.

Thinly slice whole oranges crosswise into rounds. Cut slices into quarters and place in remaining reserved syrup for compote. Slice torte; place on plates. Spoon orange compote alongside.

Note: Be careful not to add the chocolate if the orange syrup is boiling hot. Bring the orange syrup just to a simmer, remove the syrup from the heat before adding chocolate, then add the chocolate all at once and whisk until melted and smooth. If the chocolate seizes up or thickens too quickly, add more syrup by tablespoonfuls until smooth, then cool just until frosting is thick enough to spread.

Fettuccine with Peas, Asparagus and Pancetta

Ingredients:
12 ounces fettuccine or penne
3 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped
1 1/4 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
2 cups shelled fresh green peas, blanched 1 minute in boiling water, drained, or frozen peas (do not thaw)
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts separated from dark green parts
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 T finely grated lemon peel
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided

Preparing the pasta:
Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, cook pancetta in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon drippings from skillet. Add asparagus to drippings in skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add peas, white and pale green parts of green onions, and garlic; sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add vegetable mixture, 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, dark green parts of green onions, 1/2 cup Parmesan, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, half of parsley, and half of basil to pasta. Toss, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle pancetta, remaining parsley, and basil over. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

Coffee-Chocolate Layer Cake with Mocha-Mascarpone Frosting

Ingredients for the cake:
2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water

Ingredients for the frosting:
1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 8-ounce containers chilled mascarpone cheese

bittersweet chocolate curls (optional)

Preparing the cake:
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Generously butter two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.

Sift 2 cups cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add hot espresso-water mixture, beating just until smooth.

Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run small knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto racks; lift pans off cakes and remove parchment. Place wire rack atop each cake; invert again so top side is up. Cool completely.

This can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap each cake in plastic and store at room temperature.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the frosting:
Sift cocoa powder into large bowl; add espresso powder. Bring 1 cup cream to boil in small saucepan. Slowly pour cream over cocoa mixture, whisking until cocoa is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup cream and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours.

This can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

Add mascarpone to chilled cocoa mixture. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is thick and medium-firm peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).

Using pastry brush, brush off crumbs from cakes. Place 1 cake layer, top side up, on platter. Spoon 1 3/4 cups frosting in dollops over top of cake. Using offset spatula, spread frosting to edges. Top with second cake layer, top side up, pressing to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill 10 minutes. Using offset spatula, spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake, swirling decoratively. Top with chocolate curls, if desired.

This can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 10 to 12

Chocolate-Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Mocha Icing

Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder, divided
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
1 cup vegetable oil
1 T vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Preparing the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously brush 12- to 15-cup nonstick Bundt pan with oil. Whisk 1 cup boiling water, cocoa powder, and 2 teaspoons espresso powder in 2-cup glass measure. Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla in large bowl to blend. Add eggs; beat to blend. Beat mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds longer. Beat in half of flour mixture, then cocoa mixture. Add remaining flour mixture; beat to blend. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared Bundt pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
Cool the cake 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack; cool 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, stir remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons espresso powder, and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts. Remove from heat. Add butter and remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips; stir until butter and chocolate melt. Cool slightly. Using spoon, drizzle icing over cake. Cool cake completely, slice, and serve.

Serves 12 to 16

Chocolate Stack Loaf

Ingredients for cake:
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot tap water

Ingredients for fudge frosting:
6 T unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 cup whipping cream.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

natural unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparing the cake:
Position rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease sides of 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; set aside.

In large mixing bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add butter, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk gently until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture resembles a thick paste. Whisk briskly about 30 strokes. Tap or shake any batter from whisk. Use rubber spatula to stir in hot water, scraping sides as necessary, just until batter is blended and smooth. With spatula scrape batter from bowl into prepared pan and spread to make a thin even layer.

Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Slide a thin metal spatula or knife around cake edges to loosen from pan. Invert cake onto rack. Remove paper liner; carefully turn cake right side up. Cool completely.

Cut cake crosswise in three equal rectangles. Thickly spread frosting on one piece, top with a second piece and spread with frosting. Leave top unfrosted. Thickly frost long sides. Before serving, dust top with cocoa powder.

Serves 12

* * * * * * *

Preparing the fudge frosting:
In medium saucepan melt unsalted butter. Stir in sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir in whipping cream. Heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and hot but not boiling. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. Set aside; cool until thickened and spreadable. To cool quickly, loosely cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Store up to 1 week in refrigerator.

Makes 2 cups

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Rosemary, Garlic and Mustard

Get a 7-pound leg of lamb trimmed of all fat, sinew and bones, and butterflied to an even 2-inch thickness.

Ingredients:
1 6-pound boneless leg of lamb, well-trimmed
8 garlic cloves, peeled, divided
1/2 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 T fresh lemon juice
nonstick vegetable oil spray
fresh rosemary sprigs
fresh Italian parsley sprigs

Open lamb like a book on work surface. Using tip of a small knife, make 1/2-inch deep slits all over the lamb. Thinly slide 4 garlic cloves. Insert garlic slices into slits in lamb. Combine remaining 4 garlic cloves, mustard, olive oil, white wine, rosemary and lemon juice in processor. Blend until coarse puree forms. Spread underside of lamb with half of puree. Place lamb, seasoned side down, in 15- by 10- by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread remaining puree over the top of lamb. Cover lamb with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Let lamb stand at room temperature 2 hours. Coat grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Sprinkle lamb generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill lamb to desired doneness, about 17 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to cutting board; let rest 10 to 20 minutes.

Thinly slice lamb against grain. Overlap slices on platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh herb sprigs.

Serves 10 to 12

Maple Cake with Maple Syrup Frosting

Maple syrup affects the baking time of this cake - It takes almost an hour to bake.

Ingredients for the cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1 teaspooon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 T non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, room temperature
2 cups pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

Ingredients for the frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 T pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B)

toasted walnut halves, for garnish

2 8-inch diameter cake pans with 2-inch high sides

Preparing the cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 degree F. Butter 2 8-inch diameter cake pans with 2-inch high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; butter parchment. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess. Sift 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and shortening in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Add egg yolks and egg, one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions. Fold in walnuts. Divide batter equally between prepared pans (about 3 1/2 cups for each); smooth tops.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 20 minutes. Run small knife around sides of cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks; remove parchment. Cool cakes completely.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the frosting:
Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and maple syrup and beat just until smooth (do not overbeat or frosting may become too soft).

Using serrated knife, trim off domed top of each cake layer, creating flat surface. Place one cake layer, trimmed side up, on platter. Spoon 1 cup frosting in dollops over top of cake layer; spread evenly to edges. Top with second cake layer, trimmed side down. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Arrange walnut hales around top edge of cake.

The cake can be made one day ahead. Cover with a cake dome and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves 10

Brussels Sprouts with Onions and Bacon

Ingredients:
1/4 pound bacon, small dice [freeze the bacon until frozen; then dice]
1 onion, finely sliced
salt
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, leaves only
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fresh chopped tarragon leaves
freshly ground black pepper

Preparing the brussels sprouts:
In a large deep skillet, over a medium heat, add the bacon. Render the fat and cook until crisp and golden brown. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.

Fill a small saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the sprout leaves and blanch for about 3 minutes. Transfer the leaves to a large bowl of iced water. Drain. Reheat the bacon and onion in the skillet until sizzling, then add the blanched sprout leaves and cook for another 2 minutes.

Toss together well and finish with the butter and fresh tarragon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Baked French Toast Casserole

Ingredients for the French toast:
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
butter, for pan
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 T sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
dash salt

Ingredients for praline topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 T light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Ingredients for raspberry syrup:
1 cup raspberry preserves
3 T water
2 T raspberry liqueur (Framboise preferred)

Preparing the French toast:
Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread praline topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with raspberry syrup.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the praline topping:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the raspberry syrup:
Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until warm and thinned out like syrup.

Serves 6 to 8

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