Happy New Year

(Photo By Lars Sundstrum)

As we all walk into this new year with new challenges let us remember that the relationships built along the way are most important - our relationships with our God and with each other.  Thank you for being an important part of my 2008, and I look forwards to getting to know you all even more in 2009.

Amy

Daring Bakers December Challenge: Chocolate Cinnamon Yule Log, better known as my Christmas ChocolateComa

I could hardly wait to find out what our December Challenge would be for the Daring Bakers. Christmas is my favourite time of year, and I am all for putting in the effort for a  great holiday dessert, so I was geared up for a complicated, long recipe that would turn out some fabulous feast.  However I was shocked when it was announced:  The Challenge this Month is - a French Yule Log!

Huh?

There is more than one kind of yule log?  Something other than the rolled-up, larger than life Ho-Ho we generally call a yule log here in the States?  Oh yes, there is!  This is more like an ice cream cake, with layers of goodness surrounded by a mousse covered in chocolate.  Our challenge, hosted by Hilda of Saffron and Blueberry and Marion of Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Hereux, needed to have six elements: a dacquoise layer, a mousse layer, a creme brulee layer, a praline crisp layer, a ganache layer, and an icing layer.   That was a little intimidating to say the least!  But when you broke it down into the individual elements, it wasn't so bad.  All the elements are assembled with the icing topping it all off, so when you cut into it there is a really nice effect.  This being my first attempt at a yule log I decided to keep it simple - a chocolate hazelnut dacquoise, chocolate mousse, dark chocolate ganache, a cinnamon creme brulee, and used Special K in the praline crisp.  It was topped off with a Cinnamon chocolate icing.  

I have mentioned before that I do not own a food processor, a stand mixer, or even a hand mixer.  Even now that I am living at my parents I often do not use their hand mixer or food processor - if it was fine for my grams without one, it would be fine for me was my thinking.  Well... lets say that I have altered my opinion on this one!   Mom's handmixer was the same one she received as a wedding present in 1969.  For 39 years it did the job (that gives you a sense of how often mom bakes).  Earlier in the month I burned out the motor making Christmas cookies for my sister's cookie swap so I knew I needed to go at this one on my own.  After making the dacquoise layer and attempting the mousse my arm gave out and I gave up... and ran to Target for a new mixer.  The eggs just wouldn't beat enough with my limited arm strength and I had to start over.   I also had some trouble with the creme brulee setting even though it baked for a LONG time.  Finally that was frozen knowing it was less than scrumptious but ready to move on.   I have a feeling it might be better the next time I try making this, now that I am familiar with all the steps.  The basic recipe for a French-style yule log by Flore of Florilege Gourmand is translated splendidly here.

During Assembly:  Putting it all together in the metal pipe of some sort that Dad spent two days sourcing.  (Completely DIY - note the duct tape to protect my fingers from the jagged edges!  He didn't want to spend the $14.95 to buy the PVC pipe, I knew I could never tell him the mold from Sur La Table was $41.00!  After everything was in the pipe I trimmed the edges so there would be every element in every slice.

The layers looking pretty!  Boy was this rich, next time I think a little lightening up is in order, or a little more creativity on my part.

New Year's Resolution - to put more time and thought into these challenges, including the presentation.  I am so inspired by the work of my fellow DBers I look forwards to stepping things up a bit!

Happy New Year all,

Amy

Daring Bakers November Challenge: Caramel Cake-simple Just darn good.

Nothing like waiting to the last minute to complete a challenge, no?  This is beginning to be a bad habit...

I mean, when our recipe is Shuna Fish Lydon (from Eggbeater) 's signature Caramel Cake, one would think I would have made this right away.  I LOVE caramel, love love love it.  Caramel candies, caramel cupcakes, caramel ice cream... I could have kissed Dolores from Culinary Curiosity, Alex (Brownie from Blondie and Brownie), and Jenny of Foray into Food for choosing such a great challenge.  Pumpkin Caramel cupcakes anyone? or maybe Caramel Apple Cinnamon Cake?  I would bake and serve as our dessert for Thanksgiving!

But then mom came home and told us she bought a pumpkin cheesecake from a pieshop to remain nameless (Cough! MarieCallendars! Cough!) so we would not need any other dessert.  What to do?  I had waited until the end of the month to get this done and now we wouldn't NEED cake?  Who needs cake?  You have cake just because YOU CAN.  So guess what mom is having for her birthday cake on Sunday... Shuna Fish Lydon's Caramel cake.

Don't tell me you don't need cake...

The scrumptious recipe for Shuna's Caramel Cake is located here.

So how did it turn out?  I have to wait for the "official" tasting, can't have a big bite out ofa birthday cake a few days early, but each individual part was tasty.  I first made the caramel syrup.  It took a lot longer than I though it would to turn an amber color.  

I wish I had let it cook up a bit more but I was afraid I would burn the batch.  It ended up looking a lot more like honey than caramel.  But the taste was great!  

Then I made the cake itself.  Easy Peasy.  Well, I accidentally added double the amount of butter I was supposed to, so I made a double batch of batter instead.  It was just the right amount for the gigantic Bundt pan I found in mom's cupboard.  It did almost overflow when it rose but in the end it was a great looking cake.

But here is where I hit the wall - Caramel buttercream.  So I used the recipe more like a guideline than a recipe...big deal, right?...everything was in there!  But somewhere along the way I added way too much powdered sugar, and then way too much cream, and when it was all done I couldn't get the frosting to stay on the cake.  So I did what any self respecting amysing baker would do - I heaped it on in a big glob.  If I can't make it pretty then at least I can cover up all the imperfections long enough to take the picture, which is what I did.  Look close and you can see the buttercream is beginning to separate right on the cake.  And the caramel drizzle is on there, I swear, it is just so light it blends in with the rest of the goopy buttercream.

It was a good challenge.  I might actually make this one again soon.  I still have an hankering for pumpkin caramel cupcakes!

Daring Bakers October Challenge: Pizza! Pizza!

I didn't know Sherry Cermak from What Did You Eat?, I joined the Daring Bakers for the July challenge just before she died.  However it is evident that she has touched so many in our little community.   Sherry was supposed to host this month's challenge, along with Glenna of A Fridge Full of Food and Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums, and just nine days before her death had shared her idea for her challenge choice.  Rosa decided to honor that choice and submit Peter Reinhart's Napoletana Pizza Dough recipe for the DBers as a tribute to Sher.  So in October, we were all baking our pizzas like "real pizzaiolos!"

The only restrictions were - we had to use both a sauce and toppings on our final pizza... and... well... we were supposed to take a picture of us tossing the pizza dough.  Right.  That didn't happen.  But I did borrow a camera so I could show you these lovely picks.  Click here for Peter Reinhart's Napoletana Pizza Dough recipe.  Don't be scared that it requires two days to complete - really it is only 15 minutes on day one and a few minutes on day two.

My dough on day 2.  This is when I realised that the yeast I used was old and the dough ball was EXACTLY the same size as it was when I put it in the fridge.  But it still tasted great!

A bit blurry, but that is because I was so excited to get all the toppings onto this baby!  Yes, I know it said that 3 or 4 toppings including the cheese were plenty, but if I am making pizza, it HAS to have extra cheese.  Two kinds.  And I had to have the turkey bacon.  And the onions.  And the broccoli to make me think that this was going to be healthy.  If I had mushrooms in my pitiful fridge they'd have gone on too, so there Peter Reinhart!

The finished product!  Not so bad for a first time, ja?

I found this to be a really fun challenge, and it was so easy I don't think I will ever buy pre-made pizza or pizza dough again.  I'm already contemplating my next pie... white sauce, blue cheese, carmelized onions, and maybe apples or pears... hmmm.

Fall goodness from the freezer

As I mentioned earlier, I am moving, and trying to eat everything out of the fridge so it doesn't have to be transported or thrown out.  Yeah, that was the plan.  Did I succeed?  Not so much.

I ran out of food.  A week early.

I know, for most people this would not be an issue, but for little old me all by myself it is hard to guesstimate these things.  I usually end up with way too MUCH food.  Recipes are generally made for four or more, and who wants to eat the same thing for lunch and dinner for three days so none of it goes to waste?  Freezing is usually an option, but despite my last posting about brownies I try to make sure I am eating fresh, organic, locally sourced food.  Freezing negates the fresh part.

Though I am sure I could stand to miss a few meals, I also need to keep my energy up for the marathon last minute packing job I am going to be doing on Wednesday night.  I broke my rule about fresh organic local and walked myself into the closest Vons to buy some frozen dinners.  They come on their own plate (no dishes to wash or unpack) and I know ahead of time how many I need, just count the days and there you have it.  I braced myself for the horrific choices I would have to make and decided I would just buy whatever was on sale.  I know!  So wrong of me but if I am buying frozen dinners what difference does it make, right?

Wrong.

Just by accident I found the Eating Right" store brand.  Sure, its not great, but it is far better than many frozen dinners out there.  I just purposely did not look at the ingredients label to see all the preservatives.  And they have great options, like this one, "Butternut Squash Ravioli".  When it is microwaved it looks exactly like it does on the box with the great colors from the veggies, which I found to be crisp unlike the soggy mess you usually find in a frozen dinner.

Who knew?

When only Cocoa will do...

I am in the middle of packing and moving (long story) so I have been trying to use up everything in my fridge before I head out next weekend.  So what happens when you have a hunkering for some chocolate, all you have is cocoa powder, and can't run to the store?  After you curse yourself for insisting no cheap chocolate enters your house - if you are going to have chocolate make it the good stuff! - you do the next best thing, you make Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies.

Alton has never done me wrong, and this was no exception.  They were somewhat cakey yet still gooey in the middle.  And easy?  Oh yes.  This one found a home in my recipe box.  Seriously, grab yourself an ice-cold glass of milk and be ready for the rich chocolately goodness.  I warn you though, this recipe was meant to be followed to the "T".   Use kosher salt, not table salt.  Make sure the sugar is sifted not packed.  It really makes the difference in the way it all comes together.

Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies

soft butter, for greasing the pan

flour, for dusting the buttered pan

4 large eggs

1 c sugar, sifted

1 c brown sugar, sifted

8 oz melted butter

1 1/4 c cocoa, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 c flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 300*F.  Buter and flour an 8-inch square pan (This is the only substitution I made - I used a 9-inch round pan.  It was fine.)  In a mixer willed with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow.  Add both sugars.  Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into the greased and floured pan and bake for 45 minutes.  Check for doneness with the tried and true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean.  When its done, remove to a rack to cool.  Resist the temptation to cut it until its mostly cool.  (Mostly cool is a subjective term, isn't it?  But the longer you wait the more it stays together.  Its good as crumbs but even better as a real brownie.)

Forgive me - I bring you food

Has it been so long?  I suppose it has.  Been busy looking for a job, moving out of the house my landlord is selling, you know, life, but that is no excuse.

To make it up to you, and in honor of the wonderfully cool weather, here is my new favourite warm autumn salad.

Warm Salad of Roasted Squash, Prosciutto and Pecorino  - Jamie Oliver, from Jamie's Kitchen: A Cooking Course for Everyone (p 41)

1 butternut squash

olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

dried chili flakes

heaping tsp coriander seeds

20 slices prosciutto or parma ham

4 handfuls of arugula

6 T extra virgin olive oil

4 T balsamic vinegar

1 small block Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375*.  Carefully cut your butternut squash in half, keeping the seeds intact.  Remove the two ends and discard them.  Cut each half into quarters and lay in a roasting pan.  Rub with a little olive oil.  With a mortar and pestle pound up a flat teaspoon each of salt, pepper and your chili and coriander seeds.  Scatter this over the squash.  Roast the squash for half hour or until soft and golden.  Allow to cool a little.

Lay the prosciutto on 4 plates - let it hang over the sides and encourage it to twist and turn so it doesn't look neat and flat.  Tear up your squash and put it in and around the ham.  Sprinkle over the seeds and the arugula/  Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, add a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, and use a vegetable peeler to shave over the Pecorino.  Easily done!