The Cook In The Family: pastries

Showing posts with label pastries. Show all posts

Showing posts with label pastries. Show all posts

Friday, March 16, 2012

Aebleskiver [Danish Pancakes], Yet Another Way

Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
vegetable shortening and butter, for greasing the pan
confectioners' sugar

Preparing the aebleskiver:
1. Combine eggs, milk, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until batter is similar in consistency to pancake batter. (Add flour, if needed.)

2. Place aebleskiver pan over medium heat; add equal amounts Crisco and butter to molds until each is about ⅓ full. When shortening sizzles, add enough batter to almost reach mold tops. Cook for 3 minutes or until a brown shell has formed around bottom of each mold. Flip aebleskivers.

3. Cook for 3 minutes more or until well browned on other side. Remove from pan. Serve warm, sprinkled with sugar.

Makes 4 dozen

Aebleskiver [Danish Pancakes], Another Way

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 T sugar
2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup milk
About 2 T melted butter or margarine

Preparing aebleskiver:
Mix flour with sugar, baking powder, cardamom, and salt. In a small bowl, beat egg to blend with milk and 2 tablespoons butter. Add liquids to dry ingredients and stir until evenly moistened.

Place an aebleskiver pan over medium-low heat. When pan is hot enough to make a drop of water dance, brush pancake cups lightly with melted butter and fill each to slightly below the rim with batter.

After about 1 1/2 minutes, thin crusts will form on bottoms of balls (centers will still be wet). Add about 1/2 teaspoon jam to the batter in each cup just before you make the first turn. Pierce the crust with a slender wood skewer and gently pull shell to rotate the pancake ball until about half the cooked portion is above the cup rim and uncooked batter flows down into cup. Cook until crust on bottom of ball is again firm enough to pierce, about another minute, then rotate ball with skewer until the ridge formed as the pancake first cooked is on top. Cook, turning occasionally with skewer, until balls are evenly browned and no longer moist in the center, another 10 to 12 minutes. Check by piercing center of last pancake ball added to pan with skewer (it should come out clean) or by breaking the ball open slightly; if balls start to get too brown, turn heat to low until they are cooked in the center. Lift cooked balls from pan and serve hot. Serve with butter and jam or dusted with powdered sugar.

Variation: The batter can also be cooked on a lightly buttered griddle over medium heat to make pancakes.

Makes 1 dozen aebleskiver

Friday, December 23, 2011

Rugelach

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup apricot preserves or raspberry jam
1 cup loosely packed currants
1 1/4 cups walnuts (1/4 pound), finely chopped
milk for brushing cookies

Variations for filling: ground pistachios/dates and honey; seedless raspberry jam, cinnamon sugar and mini semisweet chocolate chips (or chopped up chocolate chunks); dulce de leche, sea salt; brown sugar, caramels chopped up into small bits and chopped pecans; or make it savory with herbs and goat cheese

Preparing the rugelach:
Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined well. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, then flatten (in wrap) into a roughly 7-inch by 5-inch rectangle. Chill until firm, 8 to 24 hours.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of a 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch-deep large shallow baking pan with parchment paper.

Cut dough into 4 pieces. Chill 3 pieces, wrapped in plastic wrap, and roll out remaining piece into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer dough to a sheet of parchment, then transfer to a tray and chill while rolling out remaining dough in same manner, transferring each to another sheet of parchment and stacking on tray.

Whisk 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon.

Arrange 1 dough rectangle on work surface with a long side nearest you. Spread 1/4 cup preserves evenly over dough with offset spatula. Sprinkle 1/4 cup raisins and a rounded 1/4 cup walnuts over jam, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar.

Using parchment as an aid, roll up dough tightly into a log. Place, seam-side down, in lined baking pan, then pinch ends closed and tuck underneath. Make 3 more logs in same manner and arrange 1 inch apart in pan. Brush logs with milk and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of remaining granulated sugar. With a sharp large knife, make 3/4-inch-deep cuts crosswise in dough (not all the way through) at 1-inch intervals. (If dough is too soft to cut, chill until firmer, 20 to 30 minutes.)

Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool to warm in pan on a rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer logs to a cutting board and slice cookies all the way through.

Stickier Sticky Buns

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks; 170 grams, 6 ounces) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (345 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup (110 grams) honey
1/3 cup (80 grams) heavy cream
1/3 cup (80 grams) water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the brioche dough:
2 1/2 cups (350 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
2 1/4 cups (340 grams) bread flour
1 1/2 packages (3 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast or 1-ounce (28 grams) fresh cake yeast
1/3 cup plus 1 T (82 grams) sugar
1 T kosher salt
1/2 cup cold water
6 eggs
1 3/8 cups (2 3/4 sticks; 310 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 10 to 12 pieces

Ingredients for filling:
1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (100 grams) pecan halves, toasted and chopped

Preparing the brioche dough:
Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the all purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and 5 of the eggs. Beat on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until all the ingredients are combined. Stop the mixer, as needed, to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients. Once the dough has come together, beat on low speed for another 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be very stiff and seem quite dry.

With the mixer on low speed, add the butter, 1 piece at a time, mixing after each addition until it disappears into the dough. Continue mixing on low speed for about 10 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. It is important for all the butter to be thoroughly mixed into the dough. If necessary, stop the mixer occasionally and break up the dough with your hands to help mix in the butter.

Once the butter is completely incorporated, turn up the speed to medium and beat until the dough becomes sticky, soft, and somewhat shiny, another 15 minutes. It will take some time to come together. It will look shaggy and questionable at the start and then eventually it will turn smooth and silky. Turn the speed to medium-high and beat for about 1 minute. You should hear the dough make a slap-slap-slap sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. Test the dough by pulling at it; it should stretch a bit and have a little give. If it seems wet and loose and more like a batter than a dough, add a few tablespoons of flour and mix until it comes together. If it breaks off into pieces when you pull at it, continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until it develops more strength and stretches when you grab it. It is ready when you can gather it all together and pick it up in 1 piece.

Put the dough in a large bowl or plastic container and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the dough. Let the dough proof (that is, grow and develop flavor) in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. At this point you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the filling:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, to combine (it may look separated, that's ok). Remove from the heat and whisk in the honey, cream, water, and salt. Strain to remove any undissolved lumps of brown sugar. Let cool for about 30 minutes, or until cooled to room temperature. Should be approximately 3 cups. [The mixture can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.]

* * * * * * *

Preparing the sticky buns:
Divide the dough in half. Use half for this recipe and reserve the other half for another use.

On a floured work surface, roll out the brioche into rectangle about 12 by 16 inches and 1/4-inch thick. It will have the consistency of cold, damp Play-Doh and should be fairly easy to roll. Position the rectangle so a short side is facing you.

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and half of the pecans. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Starting from the short side farthest from you and working your way down, roll up the rectangle like a jelly roll. Try to roll tightly, so you have a nice round spiral. Trim off about 1/4- inch from each end of the roll to make them even.

Use a bench scraper or a chef's knife to cut the roll into 8 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2-inches wide. [At this point, the unbaked buns can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 week. When ready to bake, thaw them, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, then proceed as directed.]

Pour the filling into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, covering the bottom evenly. Sprinkle the remaining pecans evenly over the surface. Arrange the buns, evenly spaced, in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm spot to proof until the dough is puffy, pillowy, and soft and the buns are touching (almost tripled in size), about 2 hours.

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 350 degrees F.

Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the dish on a wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes. One at a time, invert the buns onto a serving platter, and spoon any extra filling and pecans from the bottom of the dish over the top.

The buns are best served warm or within 4 hours of baking. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, and then warmed in a 325 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes before serving.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Almond Pastry Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 T flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 package puff pastry dough (contains two dough sheets)
1 egg, beaten
confectioner's sugar

Preparing the almond filling:
Cream butter and sugar lightly, add egg in portions and finally add flour and ground almonds.

* * * * * *

Preparing the crust:
Using a generous dusting of flour on the counter and on a rolling pin, roll out one sheet of puff pastry dough into an 11-inch square.

Using a 10-inch pie pan turned upside down as your guide, cut a circle out of the dough with the tip of a knife. Refrigerate the sheet. Repeat with second sheet.

Place the first round sheet on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and pour frangipane filling in the center, leaving a 1 1/2-inch margin for the edge and lightly brush edge with beaten egg. Place a bean, or a toy, in the filling.

Place the second sheet of dough on top of the first and press the edges firmly to seal in the filling.

Lightly brush the top of the gallette with more of the beaten egg. Use a knife, make decorative crisscross patterns on the top sheet and a few small slits so that steam can vent while baking.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F in a preheated oven. Avoid opening the oven while baking as the pastry may not fully puff.

Remove gallette from the oven and dust with confectioner's sugar. Return to the oven for 12 to 15 more minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool before serving.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Churros, Yet Another Way [Abbie's Recipe]

Ingredients for the churros:
1 cup milk
1/2 stick unsalted butter
pinch of kosher salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs
3 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the chocolate sauce:
9 ounces Mexican chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 T butter
2 T light corn syrup

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the cinnamon sugar:
1 cup sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

Preparing the churros' dough:
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, butter and salt and bring to a medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk to combine. Switch over to a wooden spoon and cook the dough until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and it has a slightly sweaty sheen on it, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Using an electric mixer beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Do not add the next egg until the last one is completely combined.

Place the batter in a pastry bag outfitted with a large star tip. Set aside while making the chocolate sauce.

* * * * * *

Preparing the chocolate sauce:
Place 1-inch of water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

In a heatproof mixing bowl, combine the chocolate, heavy cream, butter and corn syrup. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and all the ingredients are well combined.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and remove the saucepan from the heat. Set aside while preparing the cinnamon sugar.

* * * * * *

Preparing the cinnamon sugar:
In a bag or large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon

* * * * * *

Preparing the churros:
In a large saucepan heat the oil to 325 degrees F.

Pipe the dough into the hot oil in sticks. Fry the dough until it is brown and crispy on all sides, 60 to 90 seconds total, turning frequently. Fry in batches.

Remove the churros from the oil, blot on paper towels for a second and then toss while still hot in the cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately, while churros and melted chocolate are warm.

Serves 4 to 6

Friday, October 28, 2011

Profiteroles

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/2 stick butter
pinch of salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
pinch of ground cinnamon

ice cream
chocolate sauce

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the chocolate sauce:
4 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 T butter
1 T corn syrup
1 good pinch ground cinnamon

Preparing the profiteroles:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small saucepan combine the water, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the flour all at once and stir it vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture has formed a ball and has a slightly sweaty sheen to it and it has pulled away from the pan. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture does not have to be cold, just cool enough not to cook the eggs when added. Using an electric mixer or lots of good old-fashioned elbow grease, beat in the eggs one at a time. Do not add the second egg until the first is fully incorporated. Add in the cinnamon and beat for another second to combine.

Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag equipped with a large straight tip and pipe 1-inch balls onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. When done dip your finger in water and smooth the top of each ball where the pastry bag released the dough. Leave at least 1-inch between each of the balls to allow their expansion. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through the cooking time to insure even cooking. When done, the puffs should be light, airy and dry inside. Cool on a rack.

When ready to serve, cut in half horizontally and fill with ice cream of your choosing. Top with warm chocolate sauce.

Serves 8 to 12

* * * * * *

Preparing the chocolate sauce:
Bring a saucepan with 1-inch of water to a boil. Put the chocolate in a metal or heatproof glass mixing bowl and place on top of the saucepan with boiling water. Pay careful attention that the mixing bowl does not touch the surface of the boiling water. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until the chocolate has melted and everything is combined. Once the chocolate has melted remove it from the double boiler set up. Spoon over the filled profiteroles.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry

Ingredients:
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 T Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 T water, for egg wash

Preparing the ham and cheese in puff pastry:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

Serves 6

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Chocolate Croissants

Ingredients:
1 package butter puff pastry
1 dark chocolate bar
1 egg, beaten
turbinado sugar
ground cinnamon

Preparing the croissants:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Unfurl the sheet of pastry and then cut it into 6 squares.

Cut each square diagonally to give 2 triangles (they will appear quite small). Put the triangle with the wider part facing you and the point away from you.

Break off small pieces of chocolate (approximately 1/2-inch) to place about 3/4-inch up from the wide end nearest you. Sprinkle a little turbinado sugar and cinnamon over the top of the dough.

Carefully roll from that chocolate-loaded end towards the point of the triangle. Seal it slightly and curl it around into a crescent.

Place the chocolate croissants on a lined baking tray and paint with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 15 minutes until golden and puffy.

Makes 12 croissants

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Raspberry Vanilla Pastry Cream Tart

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
2 T flour
1 T framboise (raspberry liqueur)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pound fresh raspberries

one 9-inch baked cookie crust (your favorite recipe)

Preparing the tart:
Put the milk in a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean, scraping the seeds into the milk, then drop in the pot. Heat to a simmer, remove from heat, cover, and set to infuse 10 minutes.

In bowl using an electric mixer, beat the yolks with the sugar until pale. Beat in the flour. Pull the vanilla bean from the milk and whisk the milk gradually into the egg mixture. Pour back into the saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the framboise. Strain into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to cool. When chilled, whip the cream and gently fold it in.

Spread the pastry cream evenly in the base of the prepared cookie crust. Arrange the berries neatly over top.

Serves 8

Friday, August 26, 2011

Cherry Corn Scones

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 T baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup plus 2 T sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups medium-grind yellow cornmeal
1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup dried sweet cherries
1 cup buttermilk

Preparing the scones:
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder together into a large bowl. Add the salt, two-thirds cup sugar, and the cornmeal to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

Add the butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or 2 dinner knives, until it is the size of small peas. Using the spoon, mix in the cherries. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Mix briefly, just until the ingredients come together; some loose flour should remain at the bottom of the bowl. The dough will be stiff and slightly sticky. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.

Gently shape the dough into balls about 2 1/4 inches in diameter and place them on the prepared pans about 2 inches apart.

Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top of the scones. Place the scones on the middle rack and immediately turn the oven temperature down to 375 degrees F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the scones are golden. Transfer the scones to a wire rack and cool.

Makes 14 scones
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Saturday, August 13, 2011

New Orleans Beignets

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups bread flour
1/4 cup shortening
non-stick spray
canola, peanut or other high-temperature oil, for deep-frying
3 cups confectioners' sugar

Preparing the beignets:
Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour. Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.

Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.

Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color. After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.

Approximately 3 dozen

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Nutella Toasts

Ingredient:
1/4 cup Nutella
4 slices brioche bread or challah, or good cinnamon raisin bread
1 1/2 T unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup bitter orange marmalade
fleur de sel, or any coarse salt
coarsely chopped toasted blanched hazelnuts, for topping

Preparing the toasts:
Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet or the broiler pan with aluminum foil.

Put the Nutella in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and heat, stirring frequently, just until it is softened and warm.

Brush one side of each slice of bread with melted butter, and put the bread, buttered side up, on the baking sheet. Run the bread under the broiler; pull it out when the slices are golden. Spread the marmalade over the hot bread and then, using the tines of a fork, generously drizzle each tartine with some warm Nutella. Top with a few grains of fleur de sel and some chopped hazelnuts.

Serves 4

Nutella Buns

Ingredients:
3 sheets store-bought puff pastry (each strip/sheet approximately 2 1/2- by 12- inches)
3/4 cup Nutella
1/4 teaspoon orange extract or 1/2 T orange blossom water
3/4 cup lightly toasted nuts, chopped into small pieces (hazelnut, walnut, almond, or your choice)
melted butter, as needed
sugar, for lightly rolling the swirls

Preparing the buns:
Thaw the frozen puff pastry sheets for 30 to 40 minutes at room temperature. The sheets should be slightly stiff, but soft and pliable enough to fold/bend without tearing.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the Nutella in a heat-proof bowl and heat in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Add the orange extract/orange blossom water and whisk it until smooth and silky.

Take 1 pastry sheet, and spread one third of the Nutella on it, leaving a little bit of space on the edges, so the Nutella does not ooze out when rolled and baked.

Sprinkle one third of the toasted nuts evenly over the Nutella. Hold the 2 ends of the shorter side of the strip and tightly roll the strip into a cylinder. Seal the end/edges with a wet finger; press it down well so it does not come apart while baking.

Brush the pastry roll with melted butter. With a very sharp knife, slice each roll horizontally into 3 to 4 swirls.

Repeat with the other 2 pastry sheets.

Roll all of the swirls in sugar and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Remember that dark baking trays will bake the pastry faster, so keep an eye on them while they are baking.

Remove from the oven, cool for about 10 minutes and serve.

Makes 12 buns

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Cheese And Cherry Strudel

Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces farmer's cheese, at room temperature
1 egg
1 cup sugar, plus more for the top
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) can cherry pie filling
3 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, kept moist
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and finely chopped

Preparing the strudel:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), blend the cream cheese until soft and smooth. Add the farmer's cheese and continue to blend. Add the egg and mix. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and the vanilla. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (or just set aside in a bowl).

Transfer 1 sheet of phyllo to the prepared pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo with butter. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/3 of the ground walnuts. Repeat with the 2 remaining sheets of phyllo (reserve some melted butter and nuts for the top, once rolled).

Turn the sheet pan so that the phyllo is horizontal to your body. Two inches in from the left-hand edge of the phyllo, working from top to bottom and leaving 2 inches bare at the top and bottom, pipe or spoon a 3/4 inch thick line of cream cheese mixture.

Alongside the cream cheese, pour the cherry pie filling. Turn the sheet pan a quarter turn and, starting at the edge the fillings are near, roll up the pastry to encase the filling. Keep rolling to form a log. Move the log to the center of the sheet pan and tuck the ends under to keep the filling from oozing out. Brush the surface with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar and nuts.

Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes on the pan. Using a serrated knife, cut carefully into sections and serve warm.

Serves 6 to 8

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Profiteroles With Hazelnut Mascarpone Filling & Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
4 T unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
pinch of ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
2 cups heavy cream, very cold
2 cups mascarpone, room temperature
1/2 cup praline paste

chocolate sauce, to serve
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped, for garnish

* * * * * *

Ingredients for chocolate sauce:
4 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 T unsalted butter
1 T corn syrup
a generous pinch of ground cinnamon

Preparing the profiteroles:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put a large bowl in the freezer to whip the cream.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, butter, and salt and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the flour and cinnamon all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture forms a ball, has a slightly sweaty sheen to it, and has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool for 3 to 4 minutes. It does not have to be cold, just cool enough so the eggs don't cook when you add them. Using an electric mixer or lots of good old fashioned elbow grease, beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Do not add the second egg until the first is fully incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag equipped with a large straight tip and pipe 1-inch balls onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Be sure to leave at least 1-inch between each of the balls as they expand. When done, dip your finger in water and smooth the top of each ball where the pastry tip was removed. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through the cooking time to insure even browning. The puffs should be light, airy, and dry inside. Cool on a rack.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the hazelnut mascarpone filling:
Put the heavy cream into the cold bowl and whip it to stiff peaks with a head mixer. Put the mascarpone in a large bowl and gently mix in the praline paste. When the praline paste is combined, begin to fold in the whipped cream. When the whipped cream is fully incorporated, spoon the mixture into a clean pastry bag.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the chocolate sauce:
Fill a medium saucepan with 2-inches of water and put it over medium heat. In a bowl large enough to sit on the saucepan without the bottom touching the water, add the chocolate, cream, butter, corn syrup, and cinnamon. Stir until the chocolate has melted and everything is combined. When the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat, and spoon it over the filled profiteroles. Best served warm.

Makes 3/4 cup

* * * * * * *

Assembling the profiteroles:
Cut the tops off each profiterole and fill with the mascarpone mixture. Replace the tops and drizzle with the warm chocolate sauce. Transfer to a large serving platter and garnish with chopped hazelnuts.

Makes 20 profiteroles

Sopapillas

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 T sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 T vegetable shortening
3/4 cup warm water, plus more as needed
peanut oil, for frying
honey or cinnamon sugar, for serving

Preparing the sopapillas:
Sift the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and water, work them in with your hands to make a soft, pliable dough. Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if the dough feels too dry. Gather the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Put the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour so it will firm up a bit and be easier to roll and cut. (Dough can be prepared 1 day ahead, refrigerated.)

Unwrap the ball of dough and put on a lightly floured surface, cut in half. With a floured rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a circle, about 1/4-inch thickness. Using a paring knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into triangles as you would a pizza. You should end up with 6 or 8 triangles per circle.

Heat 2-inches of oil to 375 degrees F in a heavy skillet or deep pot over medium-high heat.

Fry a few of the sopapillas at a time, keeping an eye on maintaining the oil temperature. As the sopapillas puff up and rise to the surface, flip them over with a slotted spoon, skimmer, or chopsticks; about 2 minutes on each side. Carefully remove the sopapillas from the oil and drain on several layers of paper towels or a brown paper bag. Cool slightly. Serve hot with honey or cinnamon sugar.

Makes about 12 to 18 sopapillas

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Profiteroles With Vanilla Ice Cream & Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients for the profiteroles:
1 cup milk
6 T unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 cup all purpose flour
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon water
confectioners' sugar, for garnish

* * * * * *
Ingredients for the vanilla ice cream:
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split in 1/2 lengthwise
6 large egg yolks

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the chocolate sauce:
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 T unsalted butter
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips (1 1/3 cups)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparing the profiteroles:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine the milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a slow boil over medium heat and cook until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and add the flour all at once, stirring with a heavy spoon. Return the pan to medium-low heat and stir briskly until the mixture becomes a smooth paste and pulls away from the sides of the pan in a ball, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Stirring constantly with a heavy wooden spoon, add 4 of the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after the addition of each, and mix until smooth. Let the dough cool.

Beat the remaining egg with the water in a small bowl to make an egg wash.

Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a plain 3/4-inch tip and pipe out 16 ping-pong-ball-sized rounds onto the prepared sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Alternatively, spoon onto the baking sheet with a large spoon.

Lightly brush the egg wash on the tops and sides of the dough using a pastry brush and bake until doubled in size, 14 to 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake until the balls are golden brown, firm to the touch, and hollow inside, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the oven door ajar for 10 minutes for the puffs to dry.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut each profiterole in half and scoop out the doughy centers with a small spoon.

To serve, fill the bottom halves with a small scoop (about 1-ounce) of the ice cream and cover with the tops. Place 2 to 4 profiteroles on each dessert plate and sift the confectioners' sugar over the profiteroles and decoratively onto the plates. Drizzle each profiterole with warm chocolate sauce and serve immediately.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the vanilla ice cream:
Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla seeds and bean in a medium heavy saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl until frothy and lemon colored, about 2 minutes. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks in a slow, steady stream. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream, whisking constantly. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, occasionally, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly against the surface of the mixture to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.

Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.

Makes 1 quart

* * * * * * *

Prepare the chocolate sauce:
Scald the half-and-half and butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

Place the chocolate and vanilla in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the hot half-and-half and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Serve slightly warm. (The sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently before serving.)

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Pecan-Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients for dough:
3 (.25-ounce) packets active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups warm water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for brushing
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 large eggs, beaten
4 to 6 cups flour, plus more if needed

Ingredients for filling:
8 Tunsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
12 T dark brown sugar
2 T ground cinnamon

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for cream cheese glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese
8 T unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 T milk
melted butter, for brushing

Preparing the dough:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the instant yeast, and warm water. Let it activate for 5 minutes until bubbly. Stir in the honey.

On low speed, add 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 teaspoons salt, and eggs. Slowly add the flour cup-by-cup until fully incorporated and the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Add more flour if it is too sticky.

Portion the dough into 24 even servings. Form the rolls into desired shape and let rise approximately 20 minutes, or until doubled in size. Place the rolls in a cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet. Brush the rolls with melted butter.

Bake for 25 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with more melted butter, and sprinkle with a little salt.

Note: This recipe can be used as a traditional loaf bread, pizza dough, and for both savory and sweet rolls.

After the dough comes together, on a well-floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into 2 15- by 11-inch rectangles. In a mixing bowl add the pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Spread the softened unsalted butter over the dough leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the dough. Starting with the long side, roll up the dough tightly ending with the seam-side down. Cut 20 slices each about 1/2-inch thick.

Place in 4 (9- by 13-inch) greased baking dishes and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a warm environment for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Brush with melted butter before baking.

Bake at 400 degrees F until the tops are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush tops with melted butter and cool on cooling rack. Drizzle with prepared cream cheese glaze.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the cream cheese glaze:
In a mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla.

Makes 20 rolls

Friday, April 8, 2011

Almond Crescent Rolls

Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast (1 package)
1 cup warm water
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
5 cups flour
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 cup firm butter (right out of the refrigerator)
1 T water
1-2 cans almond filling

Preparing the almond crescent rolls:
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the evaporated milk, salt, sugar and 1 egg and mix until combined. Add 1 cup flour and beat to form a smooth batter. Blend in the cooled, melted butter and set the batter aside.

Pour 4 cups of flour into a separate bowl. Cut 1 cup of firm butter into small cubes and cut it into the flour, mixing them together with a pastry blender or a fork until the flour and butter combine to form pieces the size of beans. Pour the yeast batter over the top of the flour and butter and mix the two together just until the flour is moist.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for four hours or up to four days. Then, knead the dough on a lightly-floured surface for 6 turns. Divide the dough into four parts. While you shape one part, return the rest of the covered dough to the refrigerator.

Working with one-fourth of the dough at a time, roll the dough into a circle with a 17-inch diameter. Cut the circle into eight pie-shaped wedges. Spread almond filling on the wedges. Then, starting with the outside edge, loosely roll each wedge toward the inner point. Shape the rolls into a crescent and place them point-down on an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving 1 1/2 inches of space between each croissant.

Lightly cover the croissants with a towel and let them rise at room temperature for two hours or until the dough has doubled.

Mix 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. When the croissants have finished rising, brush the top of each croissant with the egg-water mixture. Bake them at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until they are light golden in color.

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