TWD: Sweet Potato Biscuits & a Bunch 'O Catch-Up

(Not to be confused with ketchup, LOL.)

I have a handful of Tuesday's with Dorie recipes to catch up on (baked over the last few months), so I figured I'd try a slightly different format today so as not to bore everyone to tears. In the spirit of third-grade homework assignments (which I get a lot of practice supervising these days (groan)), I thought I'd give a two-sentence summary of each recipe.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Chosen by Erin of Prudence Pennywise
Recipe is HERE

(Since this is today's recipe, I'll splurge and give a five-sentence review...) I sat down to watch "The Secret Life of Bees" Saturday night and thought it ironic that some of the first words out of the saint-like character August Boatwright's mouth, upon meeting run-away Lily Owens, were something along the lines of "feel free to help yourself to the sweet potato biscuits". Ironic, considering I'd never heard of sweet potato biscuits before this week. I'm guessing the folks Down South have not only heard of them but have probably perfected them. Mine weren't exactly perfect... a bit dense and none too fluffy. But they tasted pretty darn good slathered with butter and I was even able to convince one of the kids to have one (after fibbing and tell him they were pumpkin biscuits... D'oh!)


Split Level Pudding

Chosen by: Garrett of Flavor of Vanilla
Recipe is HERE

I like the idea but didn't actually try this as I gave the one serving I made to my husband (he is really picky and thought this was just OK). I simplified the recipe and used my immersion blender rather than the food processor.




Hidden Berry Cream Cheese Torte

Chosen by: April of Abby Sweets
Recipe is HERE

Every time I took a bite my first thought was "this would taste great as a savory tart". The ingredients were surprisingly similar to the ill-fated Cottage Cheese Pufflets.


(Does this processed cottage cheese remind you of anything, TWD-ers?)







Bill's Big Carrot Cake

Chosen by: Amanda at Slow Like Honey
Recipe is HERE.

Seems like most of the TWD crowd loved this cake, but I still prefer my long-time carrot cake recipe. I'm guessing it would have been better as a full-size cake... I reduced it to one 4-inch cake layer and it almost seemed like there were too many mix-ins and not enough cake holding them together.



Okey, dokey! All caught up for now. As always, if you'd like to find these recipes at their source, please check out Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking, From my Home to Yours".

TWD: Allspice Crumb Muffins

It's time for another edition of Tuesday's with Dorie, folks. This week Kayte of Grandma’s Kitchen Table chose Allspice Crumb Muffins.


They were a light and fluffy muffin with allspice in both the muffin base and the struesel topping.


I'll cut to the chase... they weren't too pretty, but they tasted *really* good. And I'll take tasty over looks any day.



I have no idea what happened to the struesel topping. My guess is that the butter in the struesel topping wasn't cold enough or maybe there was just too much of it. After baking, the muffin cups were quite greasy... no doubt from all of that butter.

They were enjoyed by all, though, and that's what counts. Thanks Kayte, for a great pick!

If you'd like to see the recipe, check out Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking, From my Home to Yours", or visit Kayte's site.

TWD: How about Peppermint Bark Instead?

Hey folks, I haven't gotten to this week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe yet, but hopefully that will happen by the end of the week. In the meantime, please stop by Flavor of Vanilla and check out Garrett's pick for this week's TWD recipe.

Rather than offer up nothing, though, I'll post a quick little recipe for Peppermint Bark.

It may be quick, but that doesn't mean it's not fantastic. The addition of Rice Krispies kicks this standard Christmas treat up a notch.


It goes from standard to completely addictive.



The recipe comes from the December 2005 edition of Everyday Food magazine, which you can find HERE (if that link doesn't work, please let me know. I've been having trouble getting to Martha Stewart recipes lately.)

OK, folks, here's to another week of TWD and happy baking!

Cinnamon Rolls with Marzipan Filling

It's a random day of the week, we've got time on our hands and some homemade marzipan from a cake recipe we never finished making.


Maybe we could whizz the marzipan in the food processor with some cinnamon and sugar?

Why not?


Yeah, that looks good. Tastes darn good too. Maybe we should just stop here, call it a day, turn on the TV...

Nah.

Hmmm... what to do, what to do?

Hmmm... some simple flour and water, transformed by yeast and butter, gentle kneading, and time.


Maybe cinnamon rolls?

Yes, cinnamon rolls.

Finally. Someone who understands how much cinnamon one needs to make perfect cinnamon rolls. Thank you, Peter Reinhardt, and your magnificent book, "The Break Baker's Apprentice".


But wait! Don't forget the marzipan.

Wonder what that would taste like swirled up with cinnamon sugar and bread.


Yea, we'll only cover half (just in case it isn't as awesome as it sounds).


And we'll cut them about twice as thick as we think we should. There we go.

I'm convinced that we make bread just to marvel at the wonder of rising dough. It's a miracle, I tell 'ya!




Oh, you gotta be kiddin' me. We made those?


The only logical thing to do at this point is to make some cream cheese icing (I'm quite certain that cream cheese icing could play a vital role in achieving world peace).


A little bitta this ...


and a little bitta that.


Yeaaah...


Nom, nom, nom.. mmmm, time well spent, I'd say.


Dude.

You totally gotta try some marzipan in your cinnamon rolls. Just trust me on this one.

I roughly followed step 2 of the instructions from the Odense site for the marzipan HERE. Except that I only mixed it with the sugar and the cinnamon.

I exactly followed the instructions from Peter Reinhardt's Cinnamon Rolls (or maybe it was Buns, can't remember) in "The Bread Baker's Apprentice. Google it. Better yet... go buy it, or borrow it. It's a keeper.

The cream cheese frosting recipe is HERE.

Cookie Carnival: Black Bottom Coconut Bars

This month, the Cookie Carnival bakers took their inspiration from Martha & Co. and made the Black Bottom Coconut Bars that were featured in the December 2005 edition of Everyday Food magazine.


They were a thin but very chocolatey brownie with a coconut topping.

The brownie layer is baked first and then the coconut layer is added. Here you can see the coconut layer before I smoothed it out and baked.



I thought these were pretty darned good, but that they would have been better if the coconut layer were a wee bit sweeter. If I were to make these again, I would add more sugar to the coconut layer... then they would probably be perfect.

They would make a great addition to a holiday cookie tray. You can find the recipe HERE.

OK, over and out until next month... I can't wait to see what Kate at The Clean Plate Club has up her sleeve for next month. If you'd like to join in the cookie fun, you can click on the "Cookie Carnival" link above :)

TWD: Chocolate-Crunched Caramel Tart

I guess it's appropriate that Carla of Chocolate Moosey chose Chocolate-Crunched Caramel Tart for this week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe. I would expect nothing less than a rich, chocolatey dessert from a blog named "Chocolate Moosey". Thanks Carla!

I have to admit that my interest in chocolate has waned since I've started this blog. Hard to believe, I know. I once considered myself a die-hard chocolate fan.

Don't get me wrong, I still love chocolate. I guess I've just fallen in love with so many non-chocolate desserts since I started blogging that I no longer have a one-track mind when it comes to sweets.


Although this tart could very well swing me back to the dark (chocolate) side. Oh, holy cow! Was it ever delish!

There was a caramely peannutty treasure hidden under the luscious chocolate ganache. Seriously, this was the best caramel I've ever made, and possibly the best I've ever tasted. I could eat it with a spoon!


Thanks so much to Carla for this fabulous pick. If you'd like to peak at the recipe, check out Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking, From my Home to Yours", or visit Carla's site.

Baking Notes:
- I made one 4" tart
- I used my home-made puff pastry for the tart shell. I baked for maybe 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees F with pie weights in the shell and then maybe 5-7 with them removed.
- I quartered the amount of peanuts
- I quartered the ganache recipe and still had probably double what I needed. I used semisweet chocolate
- I made the whole caramel recipe, since it really wasn't that much, and I figured since I typically struggle with caramel, having more would increase my chance of success.

Daring Bakers: Vols-au-Vent

The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon. She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan.

Mmmm, homemade puff pastry. It seems much harder to make than it really is.

Puff pastry is a laminated dough, where a slab of butter is first wrapped in a simple flour dough, almost like a present wrapped in wrapping paper , and then repeatedly rolled out and folded like a business letter.


With all of the rolling and folding, the butter layers get thinner and thinner, sandwiched between increasing layers of dough. When baked, the moisture in the butter turns to vapor and the layers poof and puff, hence the name.

We were to use our puff pastry to make Vols-au-Vent, or cute little puff pastry "bowls" holding our choice of filling. I filled mine with peanut butter mousse (recipe below) and just a touch of leftover chocolate icing from another recipe that I thinned down.

I cut various shapes, two of each size. One of each was used to form the bottom of the bowl and one was cut a second time using a smaller cutter to form the sides of the bowl.


The shapes are stacked in preparation for baking. The "leftover" cutouts can be baked and used for lids (or snacking).


Then it's time to fill and enjoy!




I have to say I really enjoyed making puff pastry. Something about the rolling and folding... very therapeutic! And it tastes fantastic! So light and flaky, it's a dream.

I don't think mine rose as much as some I've seen. I'm not sure why though. But it was still good and I'm so thankful I've had a chance to make it. Thanks Steph!

Michel Richard’s Puff Pastry Dough
From: Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan

You can find a copy of the printable recipe by clicking ----> HERE.

Peanut Butter Mousse
(from cooks.com.)

3 oz. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. milk
3/4 c. peanut butter
2 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. vanilla

Cream the cream cheese with powdered sugar. Add milk and peanut butter. Whip and fold in the cream and vanilla.