Dragon's Kitchen

Cannoli

2009-11-27T00:01:00.013-05:00

Cannoli

It's Daring Bakers time again and this month we made Cannoli!

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.

These were so much fun to make and the recipe is pretty straight forward. I will be tweaking the recipe just a little the next time I make these. I think I'll eliminate the cocoa powder from the dough and will also use a sweet white wine instead of the Marsala wine. I think this will result in a lighter coloured cannoli tube.

I dipped the ends of the cannoli tubes in some melted dark chocolate and rolled them in chopped almonds. So pretty!

For the filling I chose to make it simple and just added some strong coffee to the ricotta and confectioner's sugar. The final touch was a dusting of confectioner's sugar on top. I called these Cappuccino Cannoli. Enjoy!

Lidisano’s Cannoli

Makes 22-24 4-inch cannoli
Prep time:
Dough – 2 hours and 10-20 minutes, including resting time, and depending on whether you do it by hand or machine.
Filling – 5-10 minutes plus chilling time (about 2 hours or more)
Frying – 1-2 minutes per cannoli
Assemble – 20–30 minutes

CANNOLI SHELLS
2 cups (250 grams/8.82 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons(28 grams/1 ounce) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 3 grams/0.11 ounces) salt
3 tablespoons (42 grams/1.5 ounces) vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar
Approximately 1/2 cup (approx. 59 grams/approx. 4 fluid ounces/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala or any white or red wine you have on hand
1 large egg, separated (you will need the egg white but not the yolk)
Vegetable or any neutral oil for frying – about 2 quarts (8 cups/approx. 2 litres)
1/2 cup (approx. 62 grams/2 ounces) toasted, chopped pistachio nuts, mini chocolate chips/grated chocolate and/or candied or plain zests, fruits etc.. for garnish
Confectioners' sugar

CANNOLI FILLING
2 lbs (approx. 3.5 cups/approx. 1 kg/32 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1 2/3 cups cup (160 grams/6 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, (more or less, depending on how sweet you want it), sifted
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons leftover strong coffee, cold

DIRECTIONS FOR SHELLS:
1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil, vinegar, and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight.

2 Cut the dough into two pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Lightly flour a large cutting or pastry board and roll the dough until super thin, about 1/16 to 1/8” thick (An area of about 13 inches by 18 inches should give you that). Cut out 3 to 5-inch circles (3-inch – small/medium; 4-inch – medium/large; 5-inch;- large. Your choice). Roll the cut out circle into an oval, rolling it larger and thinner if it’s shrunk a little.

3 Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube/form and dab a little egg white on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg white seal dry a little.

4. In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer's directions. Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags.

5. Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.

6. Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill.

7. Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough.

Cannoli shell preparation, cutting out the dough circles, sealing the dough around the form, frying the shells, finished shells ready to fill

Pasta Machine method:
1. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Starting at the middle setting, run one of the pieces of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine. Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Pass the dough through the machine repeatedly, until you reach the highest or second highest setting. The dough should be about 4 inches wide and thin enough to see your hand through

2. Continue rolling out the remaining dough. If you do not have enough cannoli tubes for all of the dough, lay the pieces of dough on sheets of plastic wrap and keep them covered until you are ready to use them.

3, Roll, cut out and fry the cannoli shells as according to the directions above.

For stacked cannoli:
1. Heat 2-inches of oil in a saucepan or deep sauté pan, to 350-375°F (176 - 190 °C).

2. Cut out desired shapes with cutters or a sharp knife. Deep fry until golden brown and blistered on each side, about 1 – 2 minutes. Remove from oil with wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, then place on paper towels or bags until dry and grease free. If they balloon up in the hot oil, dock them lightly prior to frying. Place on cooling rack until ready to stack with filling.

DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING:

1. Line a strainer with cheesecloth. Place the ricotta in the strainer over a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Weight it down with a heavy can, and let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for several hours to overnight.

2. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, coffee and blend until smooth. Chill until firm.(The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).

ASSEMBLE THE CANNOLI:
1. When ready to serve, fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain or star tip, or a ziplock bag, with the ricotta cream. If using a ziplock bag, cut about 1/2 inch off one corner. Insert the tip in the cannoli shell and squeeze gently until the shell is half filled. Turn the shell and fill the other side. You can also use a teaspoon to do this, although it’s messier and will take longer.

2. Press or dip cannoli in chopped pistachios, grated chocolate/mini chocolate chips, candied fruit or zest into the cream at each end. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and/or drizzles of melted chocolate if desired.

2009-10-31T00:01:00.002-04:00

Caramel Apples
Recipe by Dragon

Happy Halloween Everyone! I've had fun with the #GreatHallowTweet Halloween BlogHop this week. Thank you Renee, from Flamingo Musings, for coming up with such a fun theme. Don't forget to visit my fellow ghouls and goblins to see what evil treats they've come up with.

To celebrate this most unholy day, I have made Caramel Apples for you. Enjoy!

Makes: 4

Ingredients:
20 Werther’s Original Chewy Caramels, unwrapped
20 Werther's Original Hard Candy, unwrapped
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 granny smith apples, washed, dried
4 popsicle sticks

Assorted garnishes (candies, nuts, crushed cookies) (optional)

Directions:

1.Insert the popsicle sticks into the stem end of each apple.

2.Combine candies, milk and vanilla in glass bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals until the caramel is melted. Stir with a wooden spoon after each 30 second interval.

3.Dip apples into melted caramel until evenly coated. Allow excess caramel to drip off. Scrape bottoms of apples, dip the apples in the garnishes for decoration. (optional). You may have microwave the caramel again after a couple of apples.

4. Refrigerate at 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Let it sit a room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Store leftover apples in refrigerator.

Spiced Pumpkin Stew with Couscous

2009-10-29T20:20:00.004-04:00

Spiced Pumpkin Stew with Couscous
Recipe by Dragon

And the #GreatHallowTweet continues with, you guessed it, more pumpkin! This is a wonderful vegetarian fall dinner and it's even better the next day. Enjoy.

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Salt and pepper to taste

Couscous:
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup couscous

Directions:
1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, paprika,coriander, cumin and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 5 minutes.

2. Add the pumpkin and chickpeas. Bring to a simmer and cook partially covered until the pumpkin is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick.

3. Stir in the baby spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. For the couscous: In a glass bowl, combine the boiling water and couscous. Cover the bowl tightly with some plastic wrap. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the water is absorbed by the couscous. Fluff the couscous with a fork before serving.

5. Serve the stew over the couscous and top with the sliced almonds.

Macarons

2009-10-27T00:01:00.006-04:00

Macarons

It's Daring Bakers time again and this month we have Macarons! I've always admired these little darlings and now I've made some myself. I'm so hooked that I can't wait to experiment with different flavour combinations.

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.

According to Ami.....

"In the United States, the term macaroon generally refers to a cookie made primarily of coconut. But European macaroons are based on either ground almonds or almond paste, combined with sugar and egg whites. The texture can run from chewy, crunchy or a combination of the two. Frequently, two macaroons are sandwiched together with ganache, buttercream or jam, which can cause the cookies to become more chewy. The flavor possibilities and combinations are nigh endless, allowing infinitely customizable permutations."

I chose to make chocolate macarons with a creamy bittersweet chocolate ganache center. I also added a bit more almond to the batter to make them stiffer. This way I was able to use a star tip to create the spiderweb-like pattern on the cookie. I did this to celebrate this week's #GreatHallowTweet event leading up to Halloween. (see the post below for more details)

To birds with one stone.....yeah, I'm clever like that. :)

Macarons
Recipe by Claudia Fleming

Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients:
Confectioners’ (Icing) sugar: 2 ¼ cups (225 g, 8 oz.)
Almond flour: 2 cups (190 g, 6.7 oz.)
Granulated sugar: 2 tablespoons (25 g , .88 oz.)
Egg whites: 5 (Have at room temperature)
2 Tablespoons of dutch cocoa powder (my addition)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Combine the confectioners’ sugar, almond flour and cocoa powder 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.

#GreatHallowTweet Halloween BlogHop

2009-10-25T23:13:00.007-04:00

#GreatHallowTweet Halloween BlogHop

Welcome to the #GreatHallowTweet Halloween BlogHop. This was the brain child of the fabulous Renee at Flamingo Musings. During this week leading up to Halloween a devilish group of bloggers are causing mayheim and carnage all over the interwebs. My kind of people. ;)

Be sure to visit my fellow ghouls and goblins and see what Halloween treats they have cooking.
(The list is the under Great Hallow column on the left panel.)

Pumpkin Pie
Recipe by Stephanie Jaworski of Joyofbaking.com

When I think of Halloween, I think of pumpkins. But would you believe that I have never made a pumpkin pie. Really, I hardly believed it myself. :) So when I had my family's thanksgiving dinner this year, I set out to make my first one.

But what pumpkin pie recipe to choose? There are so many out there. For the solution, I went to my Twitter friends and asked them for their favourite recipe. They didn't fail me. One friend sent me to Joyofbaking.com for Stephanie Jaworski's pie recipe. It looked amazing and it called for maple syrup whipped cream! I was sold.

It was an easy recipe to make and the end result was absolute perfection. My brother declared it the best pumpkin pie he ever had. High praise indeed. :)

Ingredients:
Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry)

1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces
1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 - 60 ml) ice water

Pumpkin Filling

3 large eggs
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or 1 - 15 ounce can (425 grams) pure pumpkin
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (110 grams) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Maple Whipped Cream

1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Pate Brisee: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.

Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place on a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 13 inch (33 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and tuck the overhanging pastry under itself. Use a fork to make a decorative border. Alternatively, you can trim the pastry to the edge of the pie pan. With the remaining pastry make decorative cut-outs (leaves, pumpkins, etc.) and with a little water, attach them around the lip of the pie pan. Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, for about 30 minutes before pouring in the filling.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place rack in bottom third of the oven.

Make the Pumpkin Filling: In a large bowl lightly whisk the eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell and place on a large baking pan to catch any spills. Bake the pie for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust has browned (the center will still look wet). (A knife inserted about 1 inch (2.54 cm) from side of pan will come out almost clean.)

Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temperature with maple whipped cream. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Make the Maple Whipped Cream:

Place the heavy whipping cream and maple syrup in bowl of your electric mixer. With the whisk attachment, whip the cream until soft peaks form.

Under the Weather

2009-10-09T13:30:00.001-04:00

Under the weather....

As some of you already know, my health has been an issue for the past few months. My immune system seems incapable of fending off the least little bug going around. My doctor, my colleagues, my friends (and most adamantly, my mother) have prescribed rest. I am taking their advice and will be scaling back activities for a little while.

I have a few posting commitments that I will continue to honour, but over the coming weeks I will be posting less frequently. I appreciate your understanding, support and patience. You're always welcome in my Kitchen.

Dragon drawing courtesy of the fabulous and talented Bodacious Girl

xo,
Dragon

Puff Pastry And Vols-au-vent Filled With Cinnamon Pastry Cream

2009-09-27T00:01:00.000-04:00

Puff Pastry And Vols-au-vent Filled With Cinnamon Pastry Cream

Get out your rolling pins, it's Daring Bakers time again. This month we've made puff pastry!

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.

I love puff pastry and I use it quite a bit for both sweet and savoury dishes. It always make an impressive looking dish. I, however, have never even thought of making my own puff pastry. I've heard chef after chef saying don't bother making your own puff pastry, just buy it at the store. It left me thinking puff pastry was impossible to make. So thank you Steph for "forcing" me to try it. :)

Puff pastry does take a lot of time to make but the steps are fairly easy. I won't lie to you, there is an awful lot of butter in this recipe. OMG - the butter, but what you end up with is layers and layers of flaky melt in your mouth goodness. As Julia Child used to say, "Everything in moderation, including moderation."

The puff pastry is used to create vols-au-vent, which are little puff pastry cases designed to hold a filling. I decided to create a sweet filling for my vols-au-vent as I was taking them to share at a birthday party. I filled them with a cinnamon pastry cream. I topped the luscious cream with sliced peaches, mint and a dusting of cinnamon. Sweet, sophisticated and oh so good.

The recipes for the puff pastry and vols-au-vent are a little long, here’s a printable link to the recipe for both. Steph was also able to find an online video from the PBS show “Baking with Julia”. In it, Michel Richard and Julia Child demonstrate making puff pastry dough. It's quite entertaining.

Thank you Steph for a great challenge and I encourage all of you to give it a try. Be daring!

Cinnamon Pastry Cream
Adapted from the Titanic Kitchen

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:
1. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the sugar for 2 minutes or until pale yellow. Adding flour in 3 additions, stir until well mixed.

2. In a saucepan, heat the milk, remaining sugar and cinnamon sticks over medium heat, stiring often until the sugar is dissolved and small bubbles begin to form around the edges of the pot. Stiring constantly, pour about 1/3 of the milk mixture into egg mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour egg mixture into remaining milk and cook, stiring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stiring, until mixture begins to mound and hold its shape; remove from heat.

3. Stir in butter and remove the cinnamon sticks. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the custard and cool to room temperature.

4. Beat whipping cream until stiff; add a large dollop of cream to the cooled pastry cream and fold in; add remaning whipped cream and fold in until almost combined. Place in the refrigerator until completely chilled.

My Last Supper

2009-09-25T11:25:00.003-04:00

Update: Last night I had the most amazing dinner with some friends. We all love food and we ended up talking about what we wanted as our last meal. My answers are still the same as they were a year ago when I wrote this post. How about you? What would your last supper be like?

My Last Supper
50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals
Portraits, Interviews and Recipes
Author: Melanie Dunea

What would you want to eat for your final meal? That is one of the questions Melanie Dunea asked each of the 50 famous chefs in her book. Some of the chefs included Anthony Bourdain, Thomas Keller, Mario Batalli and Lidia Bastianich, just to name four. The answers Dunea received might surprise you. The meals ranged from a simple BLT sandwich to a decadent Roman style feast.

This book is a wonderful read and it sparked a great conversation with my friends about what our final meals would entail. I asked each person the 6 questions in the book and I ended up learning a lot about my friends.

Here are my answers.

1) What would be your last meal on earth?

I would want a long, relaxed and eclectic meal that consisted of all my favourite foods. Foods I grew up with. Foods I've discovered along the way. Nothing overly complicated and fussy, just great tasting food.

I'd start with simple sushi rolls followed by some Har Gow which are Chinese shrimp and ginger dumplings. Next I would want some Calde Verde, a Portuguese soup I grew up with and still love. Following the soup would be a home made gnocchi served with a sage and brown butter sauce. Next I'd want lobster, broiled and stuffed with shallots, mushrooms and herbs. Of course the lobster would be topped with melted butter. I'd follow the lobster with a roast pork loin served with green beans and a warm, creamy potato puree. Next, a cheese & fruit plate consisting of sharp and creamy cheeses, my favourite fruit (berries, peaches, pineapple, figs and mango) and an old Port. For dessert I'd want something creamy and chocolaty; my chocolate mousse. I would end the meal with some rich coffee and chocolate truffles.

2) What would the setting be for the meal?

I would want my final meal to take place by the ocean. I envision a long wooden table and comfortable chairs on a deck overlooking the ocean. A cloth canopy would protect us from the sun and the fabric would flow in the wind. The table would be set simply and adorned with fragrant white and pink peony flowers.

3) What woud you drink with your meal?

I would want Portuguese wine. Everything from a fresh Vinho Verde wine to aged tawny Port.

4) Would there be music?

Of course there would be music. There would be a piano and somebody would bring a guitar. The song list would include all my favourite songs and my guests would join in the singing.

5) Who would be your dining companions?

I would want all the people I love to be there with me. Good thing it's a long dining table.

6) Who would prepare the meal?

I'd want all the wonderful cooks in my life to help me prepare the meal. My Mom & Dad, my Aunts and my friends.

There you have it, Dragon's last supper.

How about you? What would your last supper be like?

Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

2009-09-15T00:01:00.006-04:00

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge: No 9. Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

Each week (or so) I will be making a bread recipe from Peter Reinhart’s wonderful book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. The nineth recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge is Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread.

Growing up it was always a real treat when my mom brought cinnamon raisn bread home. I loved it toasted and smeared with butter. There were times, when I'd go through half a loaf in one day. When my mom asked about it, I blamed it on my brothers. :)

This was my first time making this bread on my own. I made one loaf with the walnuts and one without. I liked the flavour of the walnuts in this bread but I didn't like the texture. I prefer the soft bread that I remembered from my childhood.

This is a wonderful recipe and I know I'll be making this bread over and over again.

Show some love to the other challenge participants of this challenge.

Up next: Corn Bread!

Sweet Potato and Beet Lollipops

2009-09-11T00:01:00.006-04:00

Sweet Potato and Beet Lollipops
Adapted from Matt Dunigan

Serves: 6-8

If your kids won't eat their veggies, give these a try. No kid, big or small, can resist a lollipop. I made these for a Hawaiian themed BBQ this past weekend. This is not exactly a Hawaiian recipe but I wanted a side dish that was colourful and sunny. Well, just look at them; sunshine on a skewer. Everyone, big and small, loved them. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 large sweet potatoes
3 large red beets
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
zest of one lemon
2 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1/2 tablespoon lemon verbena, chopped
1 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
12 long bamboo sticks soaked in cool water for 30 minutes

Directions:

1. Place the sweet potatoes in salted water to boil for 10 -15 minutes. The potatoes should still be slightly firm. Place the beets in unsalted water and boil for 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool. Once cool peel the skin from beets and potatoes.

2. Slice the potatoes and beets into ½ inch rounds. Try to keep them all the same thickness so that they cook in the same amount of time.

3. Skewer two sweet potatoes and 1 beet per soaked stick and make sure that the top of the stick is covered by the vegetables to prevent burning. Drizzle both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. To the melted butter add honey, lemon juice, zest, ginger and lemon verbena. Stir to combine.

5. Preheat the barbeque to medium low heat about 275-300F. Oil the grates to help prevent sticking. Place a long sheet of foil (slightly smaller than the length of the bamboo skewer) from back to front on the grill.

6. Place the pops on the grill with the bamboo handles of the skewers resting over the foil to prevent them from burning. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side or until nice golden crispy char marks are achieved.

7. Baste both sides with the lemon butter dressing while the pops are cooking. Remove from grill and serve with extra lemon butter dressing if desired.

Cinnamon Buns

2009-09-08T00:01:00.005-04:00

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge: No 8. Cinnamon Buns

Each week (or so) I will be making a bread recipe from Peter Reinhart’s wonderful book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. The eighth recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge is Cinnamon Buns.

I made these Cinnamon Buns for my co-workers on my birthday back in August. I got to tell you, I loved working with this dough. It was soft, pliable and easy to work with. As much as I love the dough, these were not my favourite cinnamon buns. They weren't gooey enough. I followed the recipe but I think next time I'll add more butter, sugar and cinnamon in the filling.

The icing consistency was great but the taste missed the mark. The recipe said to use lemon extract. After using it for the first time, I've decided that I don't like lemon extract. It smelled like Lemon Pledge and it gave the icing an artificial taste. I think lemon juice would have tasted better. This cinnamon bun recipe could be a winner for me with just a few changes. I'll definitely try it again.

Be sure to check out what the other challenge participants have done.

Next bread: Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread!

Peach and Strawberry Pastry Bundles

2009-09-04T00:01:00.002-04:00

Peach and Strawberry Pastry Bundles
Recipe by Dragon

Peaches are my favourite stone fruit. There is nothing better than biting into a messy, juicy, sweet peach. I love wiping peach juices from my chin and licking my fingers. I'm not saying it's a pretty sight but it sure is fun. :) For these bundles I've combined peaches and strawberries but feel free to use raspberries or blueberries. You can't go wrong. Enjoy!

Makes: 4

Ingredients:
4 large peaches, peeled, chopped into large pieces
2 cups strawberries, hulled, washed, quartered
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 egg
course sugar
1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Combine the peaches, strawberries and sugar in a bowl.

3. Mix the flour and the lemon juice together, add it to the fruit and mix gently.

4. Cut the puff pastry sheet into 4 equal squares. Spoon a 1/4 of the fruit into the center of each square. Don't add too much or they will not close properly. Bring the corners of each square to the middle and create little bundles by pinching the dough together at the top.

5. Place the bundles on a baking sheet. Whisk the egg with a little water to create an egg wash. Brush the tops of the bundles with the egg wash.

6. Sprinkle to tops of the bundles with some course sugar. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the bundles are golden brown.

Herb Crusted Saddle Of Lamb With Minted Peas

2009-09-01T00:01:00.007-04:00

Herb Crusted Saddle Of Lamb With Minted Peas
Recipe by Dragon

It's September and my lazy summer is over. Sigh. Oh well, I don't really mind. I love the cooler weather and I'm looking forward to all the gorgeous fall colours. Fall is my favourite season. What's your favourite?

I thought I'd welcome the new month and season with this savoury lamb and pea dinner. My butcher, Rob Brady of Brady's Meat & Deli (best butcher in the world), introduced me to this new cut of meat called, saddle of lamb. The saddle is sometimes called the double loin or double rack. Click this link if you want to see how saddle of lamb it's created. I loved this tender lamb and I can't wait to try it again. Maybe I'll try it with a dried fruit stuffing...yum. I paired this lamb with some simple minted peas. Enjoy!

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 boneless saddle of Lamb (about 2 lbs)
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesean cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Minted Peas
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablepoon mint, finely chopped
2 cups fresh shelled peas (or frozen, thaw first)
A squeeze of lemon

Directions:
1. In a food processor, mince the garlic. Add the herbs and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add the bread crumbs, mustard and oil. Pulse to combine.

2. Stir in the parmesean cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest. This can be made up to 2 hours ahead of time. Just keep it covered and chilled until you need it.

3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. Press breadcrumb mixture onto lamb, coating completely.

4. Roast the lamb on a baking sheet until the meat thermometer inserted into center of lamb registers 150°F for medium, about 30 minutes. Let lamb rest 10 minutes before carving.

4. For the peas, melt the butter in a medium pan. Add the peas and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the mint during the last minute of cooking. Remove the peas from the heat and add a squirt of lemon. Serve immediately.

Ciabatta

2009-08-17T00:01:00.010-04:00

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge: No 7. Ciabatta

After taking some time off, I'm happy to be back to baking bread. Each week (or so) I will be making a bread recipe from Peter Reinhart’s wonderful book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. The seventh recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge is Ciabatta.

Ciabatta is a wonderful bread from northern Italy. The flat shape of this bread gives us its name which means "slipper" in English. Ciabatta bread is characterised by a crunchy, floured crust and a soft crumb.

I found preparing and shaping this dough a bit difficult. I didn't achieve the 'holey' crumb that I was expecting. I think I must have overworked the dough. It tasted great though and I'll definitely be making this again.

I took the ciabatta loaves with me to the cottage. We sliced the bread, grilled it on the BBQ, rubbed a garlic clove over the surface and then brushed it with fruity olive oil. Yum!

Be sure to check out what the other challenge participants have done.

Next bread: Cinnamon Buns!

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-08-12T00:01:00.013-04:00

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe by Dragon

I'm back, I'm rested and I missed you all very much! But, I didn't come back empy handed. I brought you some delicious treats. You are going to love these cookies. They are crispy on the outside, soft & gooey on the inside and full of good stuff.

I wanted to make them really decadent so I doubled the size of the cookies. They needed to be extra decadent because I made these for a very special occasion, my birthday! :) Enjoy!

Makes: 1 or 2 dozen depending on your preference

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup golden raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a mixer bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar and maple syrup until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and vanilla, beating well.

3. In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

4. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.

5. Stir in the oatmeal, chocolate chips and raisins.

6. Drop 2 tablespoons of dough into mounds onto a parchment lined cookie sheets. I made my mounds bigger by using an ice cream scoop. Space mounds about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly golden around the edges about 10-12 minutes.

7. Cool the cookies on sheets for 5 minutes before transfering them to a wire rack to cool completely.

A Little Holiday

2009-07-12T11:58:00.024-04:00

A Little Holiday

I will be taking a little time off from blogging for the month July. I'll still be visiting all my favourite blogs and you can see what I'm up to on Twitter.

Have a safe and happy July! See you all in August. I'll leave you with some photos I took at my friend's cottage this week. Good times.

Enjoy your summer!

Watermelon, Cucumber, Kumato and Feta Salad

2009-07-02T00:01:00.003-04:00

Watermelon, Cucumber, Kumato and Feta Salad
Adapted from lcbo.com

I love the colours in this salad. It just seems to scream summer, doesn't it? This was also my first time trying a kumato. A kumato is a variety of tomato that is grown in Europe. I think they taste a little sweeter than regular tomatoes and I adore the dark red/brown colour. If you can't find kumatoes, just use cherry tomatoes. Enjoy!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 english cucumber
2 kumatoes
1 seedless watermelon wedge, 5 inches wide
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons mint leaves, shredded
2 tablespoons basil leaves, shredded
1/2 cup crumbled feta

Directions:

1. There is no need to seed or peel the cumbers. Slice cucumber lengthwise then again lengthwise. Finally cut crosswise into chunks, about 1 inch in size.

2. Cut the kumatoes into 6ths then cut them in half.

3. Cut watermelon into the same size chunks as the cucumbers. Place the cucumbers, kumatoes and watermelon into a large bowl and toss gently.

4. Whisk together vinegar, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Add the mint, basil and feta. Toss gently to combine.

5. Serve at room temperature.

Challah

2009-06-30T00:01:00.005-04:00

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge: No 6. Challah

Each week I will be making a bread recipe from Peter Reinhart’s wonderful book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. The sixth recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge was Challah.

Challah is a loaf of yeast-leavened egg bread that is traditionally eaten by Jews on the Sabbath, holidays, and other ceremonial occasions.

This bread is beautiful, impressive and easy to make. Compared to the other breads this one came together quickly. I also found this dough to be the most fun to play with. The kneading was effortless and I loved the feel of the dough in my hands as I worked it.

For me, the hardest part of making this bread was the braiding. I tried several times to do the six strand method but I wasn't able to follow the directions in the book. It just didn't work for me. So, I settled with making a couple of three strand loafs instead.

Once in the oven, they didn't take long to fill my kitchen with the heady scent of fresh bread. The egg wash gave them a lovely golden colour. They turned out perfect. I served this bread with some of the red currant jam that I had leftover from the weekend's Daring Baker's challenge.

This morning, my friend sent me this link on how to do a six braid bread. Um, great timing. :) I'll be making this bread again and as God is my witness, I'll master the six braid loaf! Enjoy!

How To Braid a Six-Strand Challah Bread Loaf:

Braid a Six-Strand Challah Bread Loaf -- powered by eHow.com

Be sure to check out what the other challenge participants have done.

Next bread: Ciabatta!

Bakewell Tart

2009-06-27T00:01:00.015-04:00

Bakewell Tart

Daring Bakers time again! Has it been a month already? Wow, the summer is flying by too quickly.

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.

I loved Jasmine and Annemarie's challenge choice. I had never heard of a Bakewell Tart let alone tasted one so I was excited to do this something new.

Once again I left it to the last possible day to do the challenge. I worried that I wouldn't have enough time to make the tart before the deadline. After work, I went to the grocery store to pick up the ground almonds and I actually ran into Jasmine. She took a look at my cart and I was so busted! Jasmine reassured me that I'd be able to make the whole tart in a couple of hours. [insert sigh of relief here]

I told Jasmine that I was making my tart with my friend Lynn's homemade red currant jam. I stopped by Lynn's house to pick up the delicious jam and to also pick some fresh red currants from her bush in the backyard. I wanted to sugar the fresh currants and use them as a garnish for the tart. Jasmine liked the ideas and wished me luck.

Jasmine was right, it only took me a couple of hours to complete the whole tart. This is one of the quickest challenges yet. Enjoy!

Thank you Jasmine and Annemarie for a great challenge!

Bakewell Tart…er…pudding

Makes one 23cm (9” tart)
Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Equipment needed: 23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges), rolling pin

Components:
One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds

Assembling the tart:
1. 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.

2. Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

Ingredients:
225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 (2) egg yolks
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water

Directions:
1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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

Ingredients:
125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) icing sugar
3 (3) eggs
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract
125g (4.5oz) ground almonds
30g (1oz) all purpose flour

Directions:
1. 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.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-06-25T00:01:00.006-04:00

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

If you want to make grown adults smile and squeal with glee, make a batch of these cookies for them. They are the perfect cookie; a little crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And, um, hello, chocolate and peanut butter! My changes to this cookie recipe were the addition a little salt and cinnamon. A little touch of cinnamon took these cookies from fabulous to outstanding. Enjoy!
Makes: 32 cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons course sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and the 1/4 cup peanut butter with an electric mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in as much of the dry ingredients as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining dry ingredients by hand with a wooden spoon. Form chocolate dough into 32 balls about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Set aside.

3. For peanut butter filling, in a medium mixing bowl combine powdered sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter until smooth. Shape mixture into 32 (3/4-inch) balls.

4. On a work surface, slightly flatten a chocolate dough ball and top with a peanut butter ball. Shape the chocolate dough over the peanut butter filling, completely covering the filling. Roll dough into a ball. Repeat with the remaining chocolate dough and peanut butter filling balls.

5. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

6. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until they're just set and surface is slightly cracked. Let cookies stand for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.

To Store: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Casatiello

2009-06-22T00:01:00.013-04:00

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge: No 5. Casatiello

Each week I will be making a bread recipe from Peter Reinhart’s wonderful book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. The fifth recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge was Casatiello.

This bread is Italy's answer to a brioche. It doesn't quite contain as much butter as a brioche though. So it is easier on the old waist line. :) Casatiello is a savoury bread that is traditionally made with meat and cheeses. The bread is perfect on it's own served with a nice salad and a cold glass of beer.

For my Casatiello, I added crispy pancetta cubes, shredded provolone cheese and finely chopped rosemary. The dough came together easily and it rose beautifully. I baked it in a 9 inch springform pan and it baked into a tall, lovely boule.

You know, I think I might just be getting the hang of this bread baking business.....(famous last words). I really loved the Casatiello bread and I think it is my favourite one so far.

Be sure to check out what the other challenge participants have done.

Next bread: Challah!

Lemon & Herb Potato Salad

2009-06-19T00:01:00.011-04:00

Lemon & Herb Potato Salad
Recipe by Dragon

I've never been a big fan of potato salads but I happen to really like this one. The key this potato salad is the lemon. Lemon adds just the right amount of freshness to the creamy dressing. I like to use red potatoes because the pink colour is lovely in this salad and there is no peeling involved. Perfect for when I'm feeling a little lazy. :) Enjoy!

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
10 medium red potatoes, washed, cut into cubes
1 1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup dill, finely chopped
1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
Juice of one lemon
Zest of one lemon, grated
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender. This should take about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool down to room temperature.

2. For the dressing, combine the celery, herbs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, zest and balsamic vinegar. Season it with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Gently fold the dressing into the potatoes taking care not to break them.

4. Keep the potatoes refrigerated. Let them stand at room temperature for 1/2 hour before serving.

Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate Tart

2009-06-17T00:01:00.013-04:00

Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate Tart
Recipe by Paul Grimes

My friends celebrated their wedding anniversary over the weekend. We had a small get together for them and I was asked to bring a sexy dessert. I knew it had to be a chocolate. Chocolate screams sexy. I remembered a dessert I had seen at Gourmet.com, a Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate Tart. "A triple layer of crumbly crust, a truffle-like interior, and an almost patent-leather-shiny glaze." A sexy, sexy tart that looked impressive and was easy to make.

I decided to garnish the tart with strawberries and serve it with a strawberry coulis. The sweetness of the strawberry coulis paired nicely with the richness of the chocolate. There wasn't much talking during dessert, just a few mmmm's, ahhhh's and sighs. I think it was a winner. Enjoy!

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:
9 (5- by 21/4-inch) chocolate graham crackers (not chocolate-covered), finely ground (1 cup)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
9 oz bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao if marked), chopped
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 3/4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon warm water
Strawberries, hulled and sliced in half
Strawberry Coulis (recipe below)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

2. Stir together all ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of a 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep) with removable bottom. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.

4. Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.

5. Bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water. Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.

Cooks’ note: Tart is best the day it is made but can be made, without glaze, 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before glazing.

Strawberry Coulis
Recipe by Dragon

Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
3 mint leaves
1 12oz bag frozen strawberries, thawed
1 tablespoon Framboise (Raspberry liquor)

Directions:
1. Heat the sugar, water and mint leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Remove the mint leaves.

2. Combine the strawberries and sugar syrup in a blender and puree.

3. Strain the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Stir the Framboise into the coulis.

4. The coulis will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Keep it tightly covered.

Brioche

2009-06-15T00:01:00.008-04:00

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge: No 4. Brioche

Each week I will be making a bread recipe from Peter Reinhart’s wonderful book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. The fourth recipe in the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge was Brioche.

Brioche is a rich & sweet French bread with a flaky texture, almost like a croissant. The richness comes from the butter used in the recipe. I chose to do the Rich Man's Brioche and it called for 2 cups of butter. That's right, 2 cups of butter! I knew it was going to good.

This bread is a little tricky to make. My first attempt making brioche fell flat. Literally, flat. The brioche only rose a little in the loaf pans and it didn't rise at all in the oven. It tasted OK but I was so disappointed with how it looked. I couldn't face trying to make it again for a few days. I asked for advice from the other BBA participants and one recommended that I let my butter stand at room temperature overnight. I tried that and it seemed to do the trick. My Brioche loaves came out perfect. It looked great, tasted amazing and just melted in my mouth. I can't wait to make it again.

Be sure to check out what the other challenge participants have done.

Next bread: Casatiello!

Hearty Beef Bolognese

2009-06-10T00:01:00.002-04:00

Hearty Beef Bolognese
Recipe by Dragon

Homemade pasta deserves an amazing sauce and this Beef Bolognese is a perfect choice. For this version, I used all beef but you can make it with any combination of beef, pork or veal. It's a great make ahead sauce and one that actually tastes better the next day. Everyone loved the sauce. The kids kept sneaking little tastes when they thought we weren't looking. Enjoy!

Serves: 4-8

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup onions, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 28oz can diced tomatoes, crush the tomatoes, keep liquid
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Worcester sauce
1 1/2 cups beef stock
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for a garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Sauté beef in olive oil over medium until evenly browned. Season with some salt and pepper. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside, keep warm. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan.

2. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook until the onions are softened. Deglaze with the red wine. Cook until almost all liquid is absorbed.

3. Add tomatoes, paste, sugar, dried herbs, cinnamon, pepper flakes, Worcester sauce and beef stock. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add the reserved beef and stir. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours. Check the seasoning and stir occasionally so the sauce won't burn. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. If using, stir in the parsley at the last minute as a garnish.