Apple Turnovers

I have wondered why my baked delights always turn out so ugly. Does a baker need to have artisan hands? My breads are pretty. My ice creams are smooth with a perfect texture. Why do my pie crusts shrink and my cake frosting pick up all the loose crumbs?

I wonder if I just need more practice or if I just don't put the effort into it. What do you think?

Anyway- if you could hear the high-pitched squeal that came from my little girl when she ate some of the Apple Turnover I made this week (well, in fact, some of you may have heard it)...you'd know that ugly is a good thing in my house.

TWD: Chocolate Souffle

Welcome back! School started, we have a refreshing breeze filling the house since the weather cooled off a bit (for this week at least). You know what that means, don't you? Or, maybe you don't since this is the end of my first hot weather baking respite. I just couldn't get anything baked; In fact, I just couldn't do anything this summer.

What's the deal? I've been working, going to school, being a mom and wife, and keeping a blog semi-regularly for a couple years now. Yet, as soon as my schedule empties a bit, I can do nothing more than the bare minimum here around the house. Didn't get any of my summer to-do list done.

But, alas, since I now have 2 or 3 jobs going, school has started up along with piano, scouts, and church activities, I was able to make the souffle for this week. Here it is.
I was able to get a piece, but my daughter really loved this, so we reserved it for her. Yummy. I really liked it chilled. Wish it had some fresh raspberry sauce with it. Ooooohhhhh!

TWD:Honey of a Peach Ice Cream

So, I am sure my one avid reader is asking himself, where has Janet been? A lame-o post 2 weeks ago about my inability to get charged up over baking. Nothing at all last week. I must admit, I have been active in the kitchen and I did make the French Apple Tart last week. In fact I made French Apple, Blueberry, and Cherry tarts. They were okay...just nothing to write home (or blog) about.

I think all the time about writing, but when it comes down to it, I enjoy reading. I love to look at the colorful pictures and to laugh at or scorn the writing of others, but I have found it very difficult to frame my words since grad school ended. I think I need a respite from writing. Instead, the craftsman, who has been smothered and silent inside me, has broken free and is roaming around my house just itching to sew, cook, bake, paint, and create in ways that have gone wayside over the past few years. I just don't really feel the urge to write about it. Maybe if I felt like I could truly contribute to the TWD crowd and fellow bakers out there. But, in reality, I am a novice just enjoying what others have to teach.

Maybe in a few months my fingers will yearn for the keyboard. Until then, I love my TWD time and hope that I can keep up.

As for the ice cream, I liked it. How could I make it better? Leave out the honey and peaches and drop some brownie or cookie dough into it. See what I mean? I just didn't get excited about this recipe. Maybe next week...

Time on my hands...

Welp. I've been off for over a week now. So far, I've spent a weekend in NYC, made a dessert, and enjoyed an evening with a friend. That's about it. Oh, duh, I've mastered Amazing Grace and the Star Spangled Banner on the guitar. Yehaw.

I have big plans, though. I have curtain plans drawn and measured, I have placemats cut out just begging to be sewn. And I'll get to them. But not today.

Speaking of today; it's Tuesday. TWD baking day. The thrill of cinnamon, coffee, and chocolate just hasn't inspired me today. I'll post on my sopapilla experience tomorrow to make up for it. I promise.

TWD Chipster-topped brownies

What is it about chocolate? Is the silky texture when it melts on the tongue? The milkiness or bitterness? The dark color? The way it melts into a gooey puddle? What gives chocolate its power over strong women and men who will yield to it when they know they can't afford the calories? I've read that chocolate releases hormones or endorphins or something in women. So, it's chemistry, maybe?

I am so delighted with how my TWD brownie/chocolate chip goodness came out. I've not yet cut the bar, but I think it's going to be a beautiful thing (if my oven did not deceive me, that is). They look gorgeous and I had no trouble with sinking topping. The topping gently floated on top while I spread it out. Good stuff.

Have cut and eaten a mighty chunk. My kids asked to have this every night for the rest of their lives. Thumbs up all around.

TWD Fresh Mango Bread

Is it still Tuesday? Today has been the loooooooongest Tuesday ever. So long that I thought sure I missed posting on time because certainly it must be at least Thursday by now. Nope. Still Tuesday. Perfect for talking about Dorie's fabuloso mango bread.

Now, I don't like mangoes. Or, at least that's what I thought until yesterday when I ate a few spare spoonfuls of mango. I went to Cuba on a mission trip when I was in college and we ate sliced mango all day long washed down with a pulpy, stringy, thick mango juice (more like smushed mangoes in a cup, I would say). Thinking back, I think the mangoes in Cuba must have been overly ripe because they had a different texture and taste than these delightful guys in my kitchen.

I read the TWD Q&A and followed some others by replacing the raisins with coconut because 1) we don't like raisins and 2) we love coconut. I am so happy with the results. I love this bread and think this should be one of those gifts that you send to a family with a new baby. What better way to celebrate? And, I love that it's better the next day, though Jim says he liked the crisp crust of the loaf fresh out of the oven. He's right. It had a nice sugar crust. Good call, Jim.

TWD: The Tartest Lemon Tart

Hi All-
It has been f-o-r-e-v-e-r since I've made a TWD treat. I've been consumed with finishing up graduate school (4.0, baby!), so baking and blogging have fallen far by the wayside. But, I am so glad to be back relieving my stress with baked yumness.
My beautiful tart is in the oven now. It should be a work of art, if my oven doesn't ruin it, that is. My oven is temperamental. Keeps a baker like me on my toes since I have to keep a close eye on it.
I read the TWD blog about the bakers who tasted the bitter pith. I am not interested in baking a bitter tart, so I scraped off the zest with a potato peeler, peeled off the pith and then diced up the juicy interior. It still has a very faint undertone of bitter, which is not at all unpleasant.

TWD: Coconut Butter Thins

Mmmm, hmmmmm... Chewy, moist, buttery, zesty.... good eats right thar.

I was surprised at the sight of my little butter thins, I must admit. I've browsed around looking at what others have baked. They all look a bit thick and dry. Mine are so thin and buttery! I think I did something right because they have a touch of laciness around the edges. Yet, mine do not have the macadamia nuts (too pricey), so maybe that's where I went wrong/right.

I really liked the whole rolling-in-the-bag experience. I used a pizza cutter to slice the cookies into squares. Although I used a ruler, they are not exactly 1 1/2 inch as specified in the recipe.

Although the boy and his father have not tried them yet, I am sure they will smile after a bite. If I can get my card plugged into the computer, I'll be sure to post some photos.

TWD: Blueberry Crumble Cake

So you may have noticed, I don't really know the title names of these recipes whenever I sit down to post my thoughts. I usually use my DG book on a separate counter than wherever I have spread out the 'gredients for the recipe so I don't yuck it up. I then put it away as soon as I am done with the project...until next week, that is. So, whenever I sit down, I don't take the time and effort to pull the book from its devoted shelf. I think I probably guesstimate the title well enough that you know what I mean. Am I right or am I taking you for granted?

I have been into making "baby cakes" lately. Cuter word and better description for muffins. So, instead of a cake, I made some baby cakes. I used orange zest instead of lemon in this recipe. Orange is so sunny and sweetly fresh. These were really good and the orange zest added such a nice zing to it...makes me really understand why "zest" is "zest" and not just "grated peel." I also hate to think that a bar of soap has the same name. How undeserving...

I read some of the TWD comments about sinking blueberries and am happy to report that mine suspended throughout the batter. I did use frozen and I wish I hadn't used so darn many (2 cups called for). They overwhelmed the batter and made a few of my sweet little cakes hard to un-tin.

In any case, I love muffins with streusel topping and this was a winner. I can't say that these are any better than my standard recipe would be if I tossed in some zest. I may try this recipe again with some whole wheat flour added to the mix. I think I'd get some lovely texture from the substitution.

TWD: French Yogurt Cake with Marmalade Glaze

Yeowza- Even though it's only Tuesday, I've had such a week! Two of my dearest friends came last night for a visit and a chat. We talked until almost 1 in the morning! And then I got to wake up and go work with my delightful, challenging 4-year-old class...who were surprisingly delightful and not such a challenge today. I think we are all figuring each other out! I love this kind of progress! Well, I fed the ladies last night. I fed them lots of salty from Trader Joe's and I fed them a variation of the TWD cake.

I had read about a Key Lime Yogurt Cake with Raspberry Coulis on Peabody's blog and I decided to try her rendition of the french yogurt cake. Let me start by saying, I know this is not typical TWD behavior, but I couldn't find lemon marmalade and I was really excited about a raspberry stripe. Let me also say that I wish I had taken Dorie's fundamental recipe and just given it Peabody's twist. Next time, I will do exactly that.

The cake is fabulous. More than fabulous...it's down-right incredible. I kid you not! It is such a dense, moist cake. It hosts marscapone cheese and yogurt...holy cow! And the tart of the lime zest with the sweet of the raspberry. Awesome!

Here is a photo of my outcome. As I mentioned, I would do it Dorie-style next time, simply because I think the cake would get a better rise and would be more spongy than dense. But, all in all, this cake has made me want to be French.

Key Lime Yogurt Cake with Raspberry Coulis Ribbon

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (I used lowfat)
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 tsp grated key lime zest
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup key lime juice
1/3 cup raspberry coulis

For the coulis:
1 cup fresh raspberries
¼ cup sugar
1 TBSP key lime juice

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
In a small saucepan bring raspberries and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until it thickens up a bit.
Run through a sieve or strainer. Using the raspberry juice only, add the lime juice to the mixture. Taste. If too sweet add more lime juice, if not sweet enough, add more sugar. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium sized bowl.
In another bowl (large), whisk together the yogurt, mascarpone cheese, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lime zest, and vanilla.
Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated.
Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Spread raspberry coulis evenly over the batter. Add the remaining batter on top of the raspberry coulis. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lime juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

The original cake comes with an addtional glaze on top. I chose not to make it but still posted it in case you want it.

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 TBSP key lime juice

Combine the confectioners’ sugar and lime juice and pour over the cake.

Adapted from Foodnetwork.com, Ina Garten

TWD: Chocolate Armagnac Cake & the 4's.

I mentioned before in my blogs how I can be brilliant. Now, I am not an arrogant person who can't stop talking about my accomplishments. Instead, I think my own brilliance is such an anomaly that I can't help but talk about it when it surfaces.

So, last week when I went to work, I was stopped at the door by my boss who told me I was reassigned to a class that was legendary for their loud noise and inability to be tamed by a teacher. My sweet little 2's and 3's that I so lovingly tamed and taught were handed over to new teachers and I was thrown to the four-year-old wolves. And, I admit, they chewed on me for a few days, despite my defensive tactics.

But then today...today came. I decided this morning that I was up for this. After all, I've been trained by my own son, who takes the blue ribbon for his stubborn, inability to comply. The boy and I have survived each other for 6 years and are both better people for it. So, these kids can't possibly knock me off my game.

I went to work with an icy heart, ready to deny all requests and restrict all freedoms.Just so you know, this class is full of great kids- truly. It's my job to harness the great and diminish the not-so-great. Well, the most outstanding not-so-great habit in this class is tattling. No student in that class can move without someone tattling on them. These kids love to tattle so much that they make tattles up, just to hear themselves talk. So today...they met "The Tattlebox." In one short day, the tattlebox has completely changed the dynamics of this class. I redirect these kids to the tattlebox and they stood in an orderly clump waiting their turn to draw a picture of whatever offense to put into the tattlebox. I counted 23 tattles in 2 hours. One kid just stuck in a drawn picture of a dog...whatever that means. Was he called a dog or someone stuck their tongue out like a dog, maybe? In any case, they were not able to distract me or anyone from the teaching that I was trying to do. Amazing thing, that tattlebox. I suggest one for every home. Now, if I can just get them to sit on the carpet...

So, the CACake. Love it!!! I was apprehensive (like most) about the prunes, the liquor, the whole flambe scenario. But, TWD is hard to keep up with since I go to class 2 nights a week right now. So, I knew I needed to push onward. And, I am so glad I did. I used a small bottle of cognac that I got at the ABC store for $3. Plumped and fired-up the prunes. I wasn't sure whether or not to mush the prunes, so I did. I wish now I had gone ahead and made the chunks a bit finer.

Something about the harshness of the bittersweet chocolate with the sweet fruity taste is really delicious. I wish the glaze were a bit sweeter (semisweet, maybe), but I love the whole she-bang. Glad I have some left for dessert tonight, in fact.

TWD Update post-tasting

How can I say this nicely, but with conviction. I did not enjoy the black-and-white-inside-out-too-much-work-for-not-much-reward cake. I thought the cake was dry, even though I only baked it for about 22 minutes. I liked the frosting okay. I wish the texture of the cake had been better. I'm not sure why it's texture is off. And after refrigeration overnight, I didn't think it was very fudgy, either. No fireworks over this one.

UPDATE: Dorie mentions in her book that many people prefer this cake at room temperature. I am one of them. The cake was not dry as when it was cold...strange.

TWD: black and white inside out crumble cake...eh?

So, I have learned that I am at my most brilliant when I am baking and when I am in the shower. I come up with solutions that I've been seeking for days or weeks. My internal prose is musical and delightful in composition. I am able to express emotions elegantly and concisely. But, as soon as I put down the frosting wand or crank the shower knob to off, I lose it. All of it. And then my words revert back to bland and my thought-processes return to that old, tired box.

So, getting to the TWD cake. I don't know (yet) how good it tastes. I got it finished in the nick-of-time before I head out of the kitchen this Tuesday evening. It looks pretty good and I love when there are chocolate chips in the chocolate batter. I'm not sure about the marshmallow frosting (it's a little sickening-sweet to me), but I know Jim and kiddos will think it's swell (high praise during the Brady Bunch days of my childhood). I know I was sweating bullets wondering if the sugar syrup would get up to 142. I was happy that it did when the egg whites were ready. Whew!

I may get my photo up on here, but it's kind of lousy (as most of my shots are).

MMM...I'm all for World Peace Cookies

So. I admit it. I skipped last week. I've been out of town, I'm a busy mom, I have a cat...take your pick at whatever excuse you want. Truth is, I started this "structured baking project" so that I could expand my culinary limits and taste new flavors. But, I frowned a bit at the gingerbread. I don't like molasses and I'm not fond of gingerbread, in general. In fact, my gingerbread house recipe is sort of a sugar cookie recipe with some ginger, cinnamon, and cloves thrown into it instead of a pure breed.

But this week I was happy. Peace and chocolate?! I know nothing makes me more peaceful than a smidge of chocolate sometimes. I love this recipe. I am tempted to vary these with peanut butter chips next time. I think we should let the troops pass these out because who could eat one of these beauties and not smile?

Berry Surprise Cake

Ruby-red...sweet-tart...who doesn't love raspberries? These beautious berries are Jim's favorite. His mother grows them, in fact. I considered using strawberries when I saw they were a tad cheaper at Trader Joe's. But I knew that his approval would be diminished. So, I got the juicy little gems. I didn't reveal the surprise of this sponge cake until he came sniffing the berries from a mile away. I had to give away the secret. He was delighted when I shared the remaining berries with him. The few berries was a small cost compared to the dimpled pleasure that his smile gave me. This is the stuff that keeps my marriage happy, I believe.

In truth, I thought this cake was a lot of work to prepare. Heating up the egg/sugar mixture and all...whew! But, I really had no problem with the top falling or with slicing it in half to scoop out the innards. All worked out. My trouble started when it was time to frost the top and sides. I wish I had just frosted the top, because there just was not enough glorious cream for the sides. So, the cake is very ugly. But, delicious and so light that you feel like you could eat the whole thing without getting full. I'm starting to think that my best food outcomes are just gonna be ugly.

French Pear Tart

As pigeon would say, this is a taste sensation! If you know pigeon, you must live a life immersed in children, as I do. He speaks of hot dogs, I speak of this delicate tart.

I admit, when I got to the "ground almonds", I panicked a little. Does this mean the mortar & pestle kind of grinding? I don't have the tools or time for that sort of work. So, I improvised.

I took my blanched almond slivers and put them through the food processor. Almond dust, yes. Ground almonds, not really. I poured them into a baggy and whacked and rolled them with my marble rolling pin. I've never rolled dough or crust with this pin, but it's great for grinding things. So, here's a shot of my wrinkley-looking hand (I swear I am not old yet) with the fruit of my efforts. Good enough! While doing this, I had the image of an old mill with the horse working in a circle to grind the wheat...my results were not terribly fine, but now I see they worked.

I used pears canned by my mother-in-law, so I had home-poached pears without the work!

Here's a shot of the finished tart that Jim and I think is wonder. The beauty in this tart is the rich, almost satiny filling with the light pear texture. Surprising how this tart was not too sweet, but was very rich at the same time. Yum. I leave for England in a couple days, so I get to leave this beauty behind to be devoured by those whose hips can afford the calories.

FYI- this is a 10-inch tart pan, so it's not to Dorie code, but it worked fine.

My First TWD!! Only, too bad it's not Tuesday...or even the same week...

Okay- so I made it and wanted to post about it. I am not officially added to the TWD group, so I don't feel too bad about being late. I will add though, that I do have some worries over my waistline joining this sort of group. I decided to portion the recipes smaller.

So, here's my sweet petite cheesecake. LOVED the recipe and the results!! You can see the crack that settled. The crack worried me, but the texture....ooh, so silky smooth. And so light. I've never had such a light texture in my cheesecake! My lukewarm feelings for plain cheesecake has been changed by this recipe. I am now a fan.