H1N1 Halloween

Let me just be clear, I am not positive and nor was the Doctor, but apparently this flu is to be reckoned with. Let me just say I can definitely agree with that.

8 hours of 101 degree fever and WAY TOO MANY Advil later I am finally beginning to feel like my old self again 2 days later.

I was supposed to attend a Halloween party last night and couldn't bring myself to muster the energy.

I did however on Friday before the dreaded fever hit have a brief 2 hours of Advil/Antibiotic induced bliss where I thought I was potentially invincible. Where these cupcakes got decorated.

I had made cupcakes and cookies the day before in anticipation of the party and then on Friday when I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a truck, I knew at some point that day I would be heading down hill.

I didn't bother with recipes since this is a box mix and a container of white icing.
Here are a few of my spooky creations:

I'M BBBAACKKK!!! : DB October Challenge

Ok after a ridiculously long hiatus I am back. We have had computer malfunctions beyond repair...so much so that we have a whole new computer...LOL.
I am the worst Daring Baker, not trying to find another computer to post on. Well hopefully they will let me lump 2 challenges into one and post. Pics are both from this month and last month.

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

The fact that we are doing Macarons this month is AMAZING. My whole obsession with food blogs began because of these little delectable kisses.The first food blog I was ever introduced to was Helene of "Tartelette" fame. Who in my opinion is the Queen of Macs, (Pierre Herme being the King, which I'm sure even Tartelette won't dispute).

On top of my own creations I have a picture of a masterpiece that my girlfriend made for a wedding tradeshow she recently attended. One word for this structure, AMAZING!
Nicole Arroyas, is the Executive Chef and Owner of Auberge du Petit Prince in London, ON. Amazing French food and desserts.
Nicole's passion however is wedding cakes. As you can tell her passion has paid off. This is a small sample of what she is capable of.



I had seen that a lot of people were having trouble getting the feet on the macs and some were looking a bit overcooked, so I decided to improvise. I used a combo recipe of Pierre Herme and this month's provided recipe.



Ingredients: (adapted from Pierre Herme)

Confectioners' sugar: 2 cups + 2 tbsp
Almond flour: 1 1/3 cups
Cocoa Powder: 1/4 c
Egg whites: 3 and a bit or 1/2 c (Have at room temperature)

Directions: (Adapted from Pierre Herme)

DON'T preheat the oven. Follow ALL the directions below, excluding the granulated sugar part to # 5.
Once everything is combined and you have piped your kisses out, then preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
This allows for the macs to have about 15 minutes of dry out time.
Place them in the oven once it's preheated and immediately turn the oven down to 350 degrees and place a wooden spoon in the oven door so it's slightly ajar.
Time the macs for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove and place on a cooling rack.
Yields: about 2 dozen filled macs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Combine the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a medium bowl. If grinding your own nuts, combine nuts and a cup of confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor and grind until nuts are very fine and powdery.

2. Beat the egg whites in the clean dry bowl of a stand mixer until they hold soft peaks. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks.

3. Sift a third of the almond flour mixture into the meringue and fold gently to combine. If you are planning on adding zest or other flavorings to the batter, now is the time. Sift in the remaining almond flour in two batches. Be gentle! Don’t overfold, but fully incorporate your ingredients.

4. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip (Ateco #806). You can also use a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off. It’s easiest to fill your bag if you stand it up in a tall glass and fold the top down before spooning in the batter.

5. Pipe one-inch-sized (2.5 cm) mounds of batter onto baking sheets lined with nonstick liners (or parchment paper).

6. Bake the macaroon for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and raise the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Once the oven is up to temperature, put the pans back in the oven and bake for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, or lightly colored.

7. Cool on a rack before filling.

Yield: 10 dozen.

August DB Challenge: Dobos Torte

Ahhhh can we all smell it?????
It's the sweet smell of procrastination. Breathe it in people, it's what I do best with these DB Challenges.
This month you would think I would get a jump on it early but no.

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.


This recipe I LOVED, it was amazing. Though we didn't actually get to eat the whole thing.
I made 2 6-inch tortes.
One I gave to my neighbour because I owed him some eggs, I thought "this has eggs in it and tastes better", so that's 2 birds with 1 stone.
The other I gave to my other neigbours because I ran out of sugar and they gave me some of theirs.
I went for 8 layers instead of 5 on the first, and 11 layers on the second I made all the batter and had a total of 19 layers altogether. Also 5 didn't look tall enough for me.
I will definitely be making this again, maybe with a different filling, although this buttercream was divine!


DOBOS TORTE:

Equipment

• 2 baking sheets
• 9” (23cm) springform tin and 8” cake tin, for templates
• mixing bowls (1 medium, 1 large)
• a sieve
• a double boiler (a large saucepan plus a large heat-proof mixing bowl which fits snugly over the top of the pan)
• a small saucepan
• a whisk (you could use a balloon whisk for the entire cake, but an electric hand whisk or stand mixer will make life much easier)
• metal offset spatula
• sharp knife
• a 7 1/2” cardboard cake round, or just build cake on the base of a sprinfrom tin.
• piping bag and tip, optional

Prep times

• Sponge layers 20 mins prep, 40 mins cooking total if baking each layer individually.
• Buttercream: 20 mins cooking. Cooling time for buttercream: about 1 hour plus 10 minutes after this to beat and divide.
• Caramel layer: 10-15 minutes.
• Assembly of whole cake: 20 minutes

Sponge cake layers

• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups (162g) confectioner's (icing) sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (112g) sifted cake flour (SUBSTITUTE 95g plain flour + 17g cornflour (cornstarch) sifted together)
• pinch of salt

Chocolate Buttercream

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) caster (ultrafine or superfine white) sugar
• 4oz (110g) bakers chocolate or your favourite dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (250g) unsalted butter, at room temperature.

Caramel topping

• 1 cup (200g) caster (superfine or ultrafine white) sugar
• 12 tablespoons (180 ml) water
• 8 teaspoons (40 ml) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (e.g. grapeseed, rice bran, sunflower)

Finishing touches

• a 7” cardboard round
• 12 whole hazelnuts, peeled and toasted
• ½ cup (50g) peeled and finely chopped hazelnuts

Directions for the sponge layers:NB. The sponge layers can be prepared in advance and stored interleaved with parchment and well-wrapped in the fridge overnight.

1.Position the racks in the top and centre thirds of the oven and heat to 400F (200C).

2.Cut six pieces of parchment paper to fit the baking sheets. Using the bottom of a 9" (23cm) springform tin as a template and a dark pencil or a pen, trace a circle on each of the papers, and turn them over (the circle should be visible from the other side, so that the graphite or ink doesn't touch the cake batter.)

3.Beat the egg yolks, 2/3 cup (81g) of the confectioner's (icing) sugar, and the vanilla in a medium bowl with a mixer on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted a few inches above the batter, about 3 minutes. (You can do this step with a balloon whisk if you don't have a mixer.)

4.In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 2/3 cup (81g) of confectioner's (icing)sugar until the whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, stir about 1/4 of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remainder, leaving a few wisps of white visible. Combine the flour and salt. Sift half the flour over the eggs, and fold in; repeat with the remaining flour.

5.Line one of the baking sheets with a circle-marked paper. Using a small offset spatula, spread about 3/4cup of the batter in an even layer, filling in the traced circle on one baking sheet. Bake on the top rack for 5 minutes, until the cake springs back when pressed gently in the centre and the edges are lightly browned. While this cake bakes, repeat the process on the other baking sheet, placing it on the centre rack. When the first cake is done, move the second cake to the top rack. Invert the first cake onto a flat surface and carefully peel off the paper. Slide the cake layer back onto the paper and let stand until cool. Rinse the baking sheet under cold running water to cool, and dry it before lining with another parchment. Continue with the remaining papers and batter to make a total of six layers. Completely cool the layers. Using an 8" springform pan bottom or plate as a template, trim each cake layer into a neat round. (A small serrated knife is best for this task.)

Directions for the chocolate buttercream: NB. This can be prepared in advance and kept chilled until required.

1.Prepare a double-boiler: quarter-fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.

2.Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale and thickened, about five minutes. You can use a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer for this.

3.Fit bowl over the boiling water in the saucepan (water should not touch bowl) and lower the heat to a brisk simmer. Cook the egg mixture, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes until you see it starting to thicken a bit. Whisk in the finely chopped chocolate and cook, stirring, for a further 2-3 minutes.

4.Scrape the chocolate mixture into a medium bowl and leave to cool to room temperature. It should be quite thick and sticky in consistency.

5.When cool, beat in the soft butter, a small piece (about 2 tablespoons/30g) at a time. An electric hand mixer is great here, but it is possible to beat the butter in with a spatula if it is soft enough. You should end up with a thick, velvety chocolate buttercream. Chill while you make the caramel topping.

Directions for the caramel topping:

1.Choose the best-looking cake layer for the caramel top. To make the caramel topping: Line a jellyroll pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. Place the reserved cake layer on the paper. Score the cake into 12 equal wedges. Lightly oil a thin, sharp knife and an offset metal spatula.

2.Stir the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved into a smooth syrup, turn the heat up to high and boil without stirring, swirling the pan by the handle occasionally and washing down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan with a wet brush until the syrup has turned into an amber-coloured caramel.

3.The top layer is perhaps the hardest part of the whole cake so make sure you have a oiled, hot offset spatula ready. I also find it helps if the cake layer hasn't just been taken out of the refrigerator.
I made mine ahead of time and the cake layer was cold and the toffee set very, very quickly—too quickly for me to spread it.
Immediately pour all of the hot caramel over the cake layer. You will have some leftover most probably but more is better than less and you can always make nice toffee pattern using the extra to decorate.
Using the offset spatula, quickly spread the caramel evenly to the edge of the cake layer.
Let cool until beginning to set, about 30 seconds.
Using the tip of the hot oiled knife (keep re-oiling this with a pastry brush between cutting), cut through the scored marks to divide the caramel layer into 12 equal wedges.
Cool another minute or so, then use the edge of the knife to completely cut and separate the wedges using one firm slice movement (rather than rocking back and forth which may produce toffee strands).
Cool completely.

Assembling the Dobos:

1.Divide the buttercream into six equal parts.

2.Place a dab of chocolate buttercream on the middle of a 7 1/2” cardboard round and top with one cake layer. Spread the layer with one part of the chocolate icing. Repeat with 4 more cake layers. Spread the remaining icing on the sides of the cake.

3.Optional: press the finely chopped hazelnuts onto the sides of the cake.

4.Propping a hazelnut under each wedge so that it sits at an angle, arrange the wedges on top of the cake in a spoke pattern. If you have any leftover buttercream, you can pipe rosettes under each hazelnut or a large rosette in the centre of the cake. Refrigerate the cake under a cake dome until the icing is set, about 2 hours. Let slices come to room temperature for the best possible flavour.

Summer Eats

Living in Ontario you come to appreciate summer a whole bunch since it only takes up at most 3 months of the year. This is the time when people descend upon Farmer's Market's in mass, buying everything fresh and local possible.
This year I had been trying to find squash blossoms at the market and every time came up empty handed :(.
So when I went to my mum's one day she gave me a container and said "look inside".
Well my reaction was a bit like a child on Christmas who just received a pony...seriously. On top of that I also received some candy cane beets, which if anyone has seen them are the coolest veg out there.


These aren't really recipes but just an excuse to show off my bounty. I will give a recipe for the nectarine vinagrette. Also I stuffed the c=blossoms with mozzarella and basil.
So go out fellow Ontarian's and hit you local farmer's market to support our local growers and make some kickin' summer eats.


Nectarine Vinagrette:
- Juice of 2 nectarines ( I squeezed the leftover pulp off mine) yields about 2 tbsp
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or white wine
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- salt and pepper
* These are rough estimates, so really make it to your taste.

July DB Challenge: Milan/Milano Cookies

Ummm.... let's just talk about how last minute I am on this challenge. It's 2:48 pm on reveal day and I am just posting now.
Insert obligatory DB sentence here:

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.


I chose to do the Milano cookies because they made me think of my sister and the time we would spend on our summer holidays in Florida. These were a must for her. The mint kind were her favourite.

Milano Cookie Recipe:

• 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 7/8 c egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp lemon extract
• 1 1/2 c all purpose flour
• Cookie filling

Cookie filling:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 orange, zested

1. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar.
2. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
3. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.
4. With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.
6. While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.
7. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.
8. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).
9. Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top.
10. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

Pithivier: What happens to leftover Frangipane

At the end of this month's DB challenge I was left with some extra frangipane. What to do, what to do.
I have seen this gorgeous French pastry called Pithivier. Usually it is a gorgeous flower shape, tall and glistening puff pastry goodness.
I thought let's have a crack at this. It's not much of a recipe since it only consists of store bought or home made puff pastry and frangipane.
The recipe for the frangipane can be found here.



Recipe:
1/2 package of puff pastry
1 1/2 c frangipane, chilled
Egg wash
Corn syrup glaze
- 1 tbsp corn syrup and 1 tsp water

Assembly:

- Cut the puff pastry in half and roll each half till about 1/8 in. thick
- Place 1 piece on a parchment lined sheet pan
- Egg wash the whole piece
- Spoon frangipane down the middle in a long strip
- Place the top piece of pastry and seal
- Brush more egg wash on top
- cut a small vent hole in the top of the Pithivier

Bake at 375 for 30 mins.
Remove and brush with corn syrup then return to the oven for 15 more minutes.
Cool, slice and serve either when still warm or cool.

Bakewell Tart...er Pudding: DB June Challenge

This month's challenge was very personal for me. After a sentimental Daring Cooks Challenge, this DB challenge was also something dear to my heart. My memories of Bakewell Tarts starts from as early as I can remember. These are a MUST at our Christmas table.

Bakewell tarts are what Santa ate every year he came to visit our house. Memories of crumbs strewn about the kitchen table in the morning when I would come down to see the sleigh tracks and reindeer prints.

Last year was the first year I tried my hand at making these. My sister and I made them together being the pastry whiz that she is. They turned out rather successful if I do say so myself.

Unfortunately my Dad is in England at the moment visiting my sister, so the actual taste tester is not available for comment.

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.

Thanks ladies for letting us bring some of Christmas cheer a little early this year.

Bakewell Tart…er…Pudding:

Makes one 23cm (9” tart)Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)

Resting time: 15 minutesBaking time: 30 minutes

Equipment needed:

23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges)

rolling pin
1 quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)

Bench flour250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz))

Jam or curd, warmed for spreadability

1 quantity frangipane (recipe follows)

1 handful blanched, flaked almonds

Assembling the tart:

Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.

The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.
When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.

Sweet shortcrust pastry:

Prep time: 15-20 minutes

Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)

Equipment needed: bowls, box grater, cling film

225g (8oz) all purpose flour

30g (1oz) sugar

2.5ml (½ tsp) salt

110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)

2 egg yolks

2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional)

15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

Frangipane:
Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula

125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened

125g (4.5oz) icing sugar

3 eggs

2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract

125g (4.5oz) ground almonds

30g (1oz) all purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.