TWD: Linzer Sables

Ey, yi, yi! How did Tuesday get here so fast?

I just barely got this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe made (I have a sneaking suspicion many of my posts this month will start out with that same, exact sentence.)

This week's recipe was Linzer Sables, chosen by noskos of Living the Life. Thanks noskos! I was so glad to see a cookie recipe on the menu this week, as I just happen to have a holiday cookie exchange tonight. We'll see how my cake club friends like these.


How were they, you're wondering? Well, there are two kinds of cookies in the world. Those that can be eaten straight out of the cookie jar and enjoyed on their own, and those that need an accompaniment, like a cup of hot tea or coffee. I would put these cookies in the "good with tea" category. They're nutty and spicy and not terribly sweet. I was surprised that they were lighter than I expected.

I tend to like "straight out of the cookie jar" type cookies, and a softer cookie, so I'm not sure I would make these again. But they're a nice holiday cookie, and I'm guessing folks who like nuts would enjoy them.

Baking Notes:
I used a 2" oval cutter and a small star cutter for my cookies. I got 18 cookies, but might have been able to get 20 if I had taken the time to roll out the remaining dough another time. The recipe called for 1-1/2 cups ground nuts. I used 1 cup of ground hazelnuts and 1/2 cup ground almonds. It was a nice combination. I used apricot preserves. Oh, and I had to brush the preserves that were showing through the star with a damp artists brush after I dusted with powdered sugar. The powdered sugar completely covered up the preserves.

Please visit noskos' site if you'd like to peek at the recipe, or check out Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking: From my Home to Yours".

Food for Thought: Waiter Rant

I joined a new food book discussion blog called Food for Thought, hosted by Kate at the Clean Plate Club. Each month we will review a "foodie book" and we also have the option of trying a recipe from the book, if there are any.

For our first month we reviewed the book "Waiter Rant", by Steve Dublanica a.k.a. "The Waiter". You might be wondering what's up the "a.k.a." business.

Here's the deal... this guy is a waiter in a high-end New York City restaurant and he started a blog called Waiter Rant. He posted anonymously because he's got lots of dirt, er, insight on co-workers, bosses, and customers. He posted anonymously for several years and developed a following that eventually led to a book deal. Still keeping his identity unknown, he published his book, but then eventually "came out". (It's hard to be an anonymous guest on Oprah.)

There weren't any recipes in the book. I considered making a Valentines Day inspired chocolate raspberry cake (mentioned in the book) along with my review, but I ran out of time.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. Just like so much of life, you can't really appreciate someone else's position until you've "walked a mile in their shoes".

Waiters see the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of humanity. The author recounts many cases of selfish, unkind behavior, some of which are truly shocking. Like the couple who were so worried and uptight about getting a particular table... never mind that the restaurant had been turned upside down as an emergency crew was attending to a woman who had a stroke during dinner.

I know this sounds cliched, but, waiters are people too. They have lives and histories and bills to pay and they deserve kindness and respect just like everyone else. Sometimes it's easy to fall into the habit of thinking they are in a position of servitude. If there's one thing I learned from reading this book, it's that simple kindness, saying please and thank you, and tipping appropriately are the least we customers can do when eating out.

I thought this was a great read and I would recommend it. However, those with a sensitivity toward swearing might want to chose another title from the book shelf.

Daring Bakers: Caramel Cake

Oh no. Not caramel again. Please!

The baking gods must know that I haven't successfully made caramel, and that's why this month's Daring Bakers challenge is Caramel Cake, I just know it. The baking gods know I have to transform those sugary white crystals into thick amber syrup before I can call myself a true baker.

Sigh...

With fear and loathing in my heart, I once again pulled out the pan and the bag of sugar, and dragged myself over to the stove. One rule of caramel making is that you DO NOT STIR or muck with it in any way, or you risk turning the whole mass back into sandy sugar crystals. Well, for some reason, on my first attempt, I figured the experts didn't know what they were talking about and I stirred, and stirred, and then stirred a little more. Turns out the experts do know what they're talking about. My sugar and water mixture first turned into a boiling syrupy mass, and then magically turned back into sugar and water. Just like the experts said it would.

OK, well, it's nice to know the laws of chemistry are still intact.



On my second attempt I resisted with all my might and didn't touch the stuff at all. And it worked!! I got to the right shade of amber without burning it. Hallelujah! I wanted to shout from the rooftops (fourth time's a charm, I guess).

Armed with my perfect caramel syrup, I made the browned butter caramel buttercream and let me tell you, this is the best icing I've ever made in my life. I kid you not. If it weren't that I need to squeeze into a swim suit in exactly 21 days, I would have eaten the whole bowl with a spoon.


Many Daring Bakers mentioned that the icing was too sweet and I'll admit that without the addition of salt, it was too sweet. But once I added the 1/8 teaspoon or so of salt, it was perfect.

The cake portion had a lovely taste as well. It was a tad dense for my taste, though. I would have liked a slightly lighter cake. But it had a gorgeous caramel color. (By the way, I halved the recipe and made it in two 4-inch pans.) Bottom line... I would make the icing again, but I would probably try a different caramel cake.


This month's recipe was chosen by Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity and comes to us courtesy of Shuna Fish Lydon. The recipe can be found at http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2006/12/24/caramel-cake-the-recipe/. We also had the option of making Alice Medrich's Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels. I ran out of time and didn't make them, but I hope to get to them later in the month.

Dolores' co-hosts this month were Alex of Blondie and Brownie, Jenny of Foray into Food. and Natalie of Gluten-a-Go-Go. Thanks everybody for a most excellent challenge!

OK, this Daring Baker is signing off until next month. As always, I eagerly await next month's recipe.

TWD: Thanksgiving Twofer Pie

Vibi of La casserole carrée has chosen this week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe, Thanksgiving Twofer Pie. Which is totally awesome, I think, considering that Vibi is French Canadian (I think, right, Vibi?). She has a fantastic writeup about the history of Thanksgiving with her pie writeup. Do yourself a favor and stop by her site to checkout this pie recipe and brush up on your history. Don't understand French? No prob! There is a Google Translator button toward the top right of her site that will save you from having to dig up those three years of high school French from the cobweb-covered recesses of your brain.


Anyway, onto the pie. This recipe is a twist on two holiday classics, pumpkin pie and pecan pie. Because, guess what? The pie has both pumpkin and pecan filling. We started with our prebaked pie crust. I used a deep dish pie dish and I was bummed when my pie crust shrank, because I didn't exactly get the benefit of a deep dish pie. (More on that later.)


First, we added a layer of pumpkin pie filling.


Next came a layer of pecans. I didn't measure the pecans. I just added until I got a nice even layer. I probably had less than the 1-1/2 cups called for, but that's OK, because I'm not a huge lover of pecans.

Finally, a thin layer of pecan pie filling is poured gently on top.


The pecans slowly but surely rose to the top of the filling.

I baked the pie for the required time, 10 minutes at 450 degrees and 50 minutes at 300 degrees. However, when I stuck my thin knife in the center to test for doneness... oy! The center definitely wasn't done, in fact it was just barely warm. It took another 20 minutes, the last 10 at 350 degrees. If I were to make this again, I would bake at a higher temperature than 300.

I used my pie ring the entire time which saved my pie from the burnt crust that many TWD'ers reported having.


However, the pie ring didn't save the filling from seeping over the edge of the pie crust and underneath... mmmm, a nice layer of burned filling on the bottom * rolling eyes*.


And how was the taste? Um... I wish I knew! I sent this with my sister-in-law to her family Thanksgiving and am waiting to hear back. I told her to save me a piece, though, so hopefully I'll have an update soon.


OK, folks, see you next week...

Operation Baking Gals, Round 4

I know, it's Tuesday and I'm supposed to be posting my Tuesday's with Dorie recipe today. However, Laurie, our fearless TWD leader, has given us the option of posting late this week, since this week's recipe is a Thanksgiving pie. So, I'm posting my Operation Baking Gals November contribution today instead.

It was a very patriotic and emotional month. It started with Election Day and all of the drama and anxiety that brings. Then, Veteran's Day, where I got to see my oldest son "post the colors" (i.e. bring in the flags) with the other Cub Scouts during the elementary school Veteran's Day program. (The Veteran's Day program was very touching and well done and once again proved how easily I cry now that I've had children.) Then, I received a letter of thanks from last month's Operation Baking Gals soldier, David. Coincidentally, I received his letter within days of mailing off November's care package to another soldier, Joshua.

Captain David Spirz, stationed in Iraq, wrote such a nice letter. He said my package was the first he recieved, and that he got 11 more boxes of cookies in about 10 days! He sent several pictures of himself and the goodies as well. I really enjoyed reading his letter and sharing the pictures with my two boys. I hope it helped them understand that there are many, many faces behind the word "soldier". David also mentioned that the temperature had finally cooled down to 85-90 degrees... from a consistent 115-120 degrees! Yikes!

I made three different recipes to send to this month's soldier, Joshua.

First, were White Chip Caramel Bars, a brown sugar-based bar cookie studded with white chocolate chips and nuts. The recipe can be found ---> HERE. These bars are delish and will appeal to those with a major sweet tooth. They are supposed to be drizzled with melted white chocolate, but I knew that wouldn't work with the high temperatures in the Middle East, so I left it off.


Second, was half of the Lenox Almond Biscotti I had frozen as an unbaked log several Tuesday's with Dorie ago. I mixed mini chocolate chips into this half, but I didn't like them as well as the original version.


Finally, the Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies I made for Cookie Carnival.


I hope these treats brightened the lives of the soldiers, even if just for a little while. They'll never know how much I appreciate the sacrifice they've made for this country and countries around the world. Thank you!!

Thanks to Susan at She's Becoming DoughMessTic for starting Operation Baking Gals, and also thank you to Bridget at The Way the Cookie Crumbles for hosting our soldier this month.

Cake Slice: Halloween Sweet Potato Cake

Welcome to the second installment of the Cake Slice, a monthly group baking cakes from the book "Sky High, Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes" by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne.

Up this month... Halloween Sweet Potato Cake, a moist spice cake filled with orange cream filling and covered with chocolate cream cheese frosting. I know, mine doesn't look like chocolate anything... don't worry, I'll explain.

This cake was moist and flavorful, with no real hint of sweet potato. It was lightly spiced, I thought. I tend to like "spicier" spice cake, but my neighbor across the street raved about it. She said it was in her "Top-10" favorites of the recipes I've baked.


I cheated again this month and didn't follow the directions exactly. (I'm two-for-two for not following the Cake Slice recipes, but I promise I will next month!) You see, I'm burned out on pairing chocolate and spice. It seems like I've baked so many recipes lately with that combo and I'm just not a fan of it. To me, those flavors stand on their own, and combining them diminishes them both. Guess you can't teach this old dog any new tricks, at least with respect to chocolate (stop messing with chocolate, people, please!)

Soooo, I went with cream cheese flavored icing and filling (why mess with a classic?). I also quartered the recipe and baked it in 4-inch pans.


I decided to play around a little and dress up this little tower of cake. A few drop strings and a fondant daisy that's been languishing on my "unused decorations" shelf and there you go!



OK, that's it for now... over and out until next month!

Sweet Potato Cake

Cake:
2 medium or 1 large sweet potato (12 ounces)
3 cups of cake flour**
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of cloves
5 eggs, separated
2 and 1/4 cups of sugar
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons of butter, at room temperature
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 and 1/4 cups of milk


(**The recipe calls for cake flour and if you only have all-purpose flour on hand, you can substitute 3/4 cup (105 grams) all purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch.)

(*If fresh sweet potato is not available where you live you may use canned sweet potato, yams, and pumpkin puree)

Makes a 9-inch triple layer cake, serves 16-20 people

1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Prick the sweet potatoes in 2-3 places, place on a small baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are very soft. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F degrees. Butter the bottoms and the sides of the pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper also.

3. When the sweet potatoes are cool peel off the skin and remove any dark spots. Cut the potatoes into chunks and puree in a food processors. Puree until smooth. Measure out one cup of potato puree and set aside.

4. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Set aside.

5. In the bowl of electric mixer add the egg whites and attach whip attachment. Beat on medium speed until egg whites are frothy. raise the speed to high and gradually beat in 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue to beat until the egg whites are moderately stiff.

6. In another large bowl with the paddle attachment, combine the sweet potato, butter, vanilla, and remaining sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl after each egg yolk is added. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and milk in alternately in 2-3 additions. making sure to begin and end with the dry ingredients.

7. With a large spatula, fold in one fourth of the egg whites into the batter to lighten. Then fold in the remaining egg whites until no streaks remain. Making sure to not over mix or this will deflate the batter. Divide the batter among of the three pans.

8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then turn out the cake layers onto a wire rack and cool completely at least 1 hour.

9. To assemble the cake, place one layer flat side up on to a cake stand. With a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip and filled with chocolate cream cheese icing, pipe border around the edge of the cake. Fill the center with the orange cream filling smoothing it to the edge of the border. Place the second layer on top and repeat the process.Place the third layer on top and use all the chocolate cream cheese frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Cream Frosting:
makes 3 cups
10 ounces cream cheese*** at room temperature
1 stick of butter at room temperature
16 ounces of powdered sugar; sifted
1 and 1/2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate melted and slightly cooled

(***1 cup of cream cheese maybe substituted with 1 cup pureed cottage cheese OR 1 cup plain yogurt, strained overnight in a cheesecloth OR equal amounts of neufatel cheese)

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar to cream cheese butter mixture. Making sure to scrape down the sides the sides of the bowl. Then beat until light fluffy 2-3 minutes.

2. Measure out 1 cup of frosting and set aside.

3. Add the melted chocolate to the remaining icing in the bowl and beat until well combined.

Orange Cream Filling:
1 cup of reserved cream cheese icing from above.
2 tablespoons of frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 teaspoon of orange extract

1. Stir together all the ingredients until well mixed.

TWD: Arborio Rice Pudding

Yin and yang. Men and women. Summer and winter…

Chocolate and vanilla.

Aaaaah, the eternal question, whether to have chocolate or vanilla. Dorie saved us from having to choose with this week’s Tuesday’s with Dorie recipe, Arborio Rice Pudding, White, Black (Or Both). Thanks so much to Isabelle of Les gourmandises d’Isa for picking this unique recipe. (See Isabelle's web site if you'd like to peek at the recipe, or better yet, check out Dorie Greenspan's book Baking: From my Home to Yours.)


I’ve never actually eaten rice pudding. Is that strange? I don’t know. I’ll find out this week, probably.

I’m really glad I read the discussion thread about this recipe before trying it. Seems there was a typo in the book, leaving some of the early bakers with rice soup rather than rice pudding. I boiled the milk-rice mixture for a full 55 minutes and my pudding was indeed pudding-ish once it was all said and done.


The verdict? Interesting. I liked the vanilla rice pudding, it reminded me a lot of tapioca, which I enjoy. The chocolate rice pudding? Eh, not so much. Both types had a faint rice taste, which was fine with the vanilla. But the chocolate just didn’t seem to pair well with rice flavor, in my opinion.

All in all, it was a learning experience. I had no idea one could make pudding with only rice as the thickener.

Oh, by the way, did anyone else’s pan look like this at the end? LOL, I might have been a bit aggressive in the early stages of boiling the milk.


Looks like something straight out of the movie “Alien”.


OK, we'll see ya next week, but not on Tuesday. TWD-ers have the option of posting late next week due to Thanksgiving. So, see you next Saturday with Thanksgiving Two-fer Pie!