The tricks and treats are done. Plenty of mini pumpkins, princesses, ghosts and goblins came to my door this evening, one cuter than the next! And now that the candy is all gone, it’s hard to believe that October comes to an end this evening.

My favourite month of the year, it arrives with so much expectation and I find that as I get older, it passes by faster and faster. Was it a good month? I would say yes. Certainly it was busy and even a tad stressful at times. But overall, it has been a month to fully welcome the Fall with apple pies, chestnuts, falling leaves and warm, cozy sweaters.

I will admit, however, that October was helped along by Tish Boyle’s The Cake Book. I chose to feature it as the Flavour of the Month for October 2006 because as soon as I received my copy, I couldn’t put it down.

I tried my hand at recipes in each major section of the cookbook including pound cakes and cheesecakes. I tried recipes that were very straightforward and even a few that were quite involved. Through it all, I was not disappointed even once. This is a cookbook to cherish for years. If you have the chance, I certainly hope that you’ll pick up a copy and at least look through it. Like me, I think you’ll fall for it pretty quickly.

Because of the chilly nights we’ve been experiencing, I decided to end October with a recipe from The Cake Book that would take a bit of the chill off:  a chocolate torte with walnuts and Cognac. While I’m not the biggest Cognac fan around, this torte was almost impossible to resist. Dense, chocolaty, nutty and smooth, the warmth of the Cognac was the perfect touch.

So as I sit here, enjoying a slice of this moist and sumptuous torte, I wish you a Happy Halloween! See you in November …

Ciao!

Chocolate Torte with Walnuts and Cognac

Adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle.

For the torte:

• 8 ounces dark chocolate (I used a 70% dark chocolate)
• 1/4 cup Cognac
• 2 tbsp. hot water
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. natural cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the parchment paper and the sides of the pan.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine the walnuts and icing sugar. Process until the walnuts are finely chopped and the the mixture is powdery. Set aside.
4. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the Cognac and hot water. Once melted, stir until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Sift and set aside.
6. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar until light and creamy (2 to 3 minutes).
7. With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg yolks, one at a time. Scrape down the side of the bowl to ensure that the batter is well-mixed.
8. Add the vanilla extract and the chocolate mixture and combine for a minute or two until smooth.
9. In another bowl, with a whisk or with an electric mixer and the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until slightly foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
10. Slowly add the remaining sugar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
11. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate batter.
12. Fold 1/3 of the walnut/icing sugar mixture into the chocolate batter.
13. Fold the remaining egg whites and walnut/icing sugar mixture into the batter. Work carefully so as not to deflate the batter too much.
14. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
15. Bake for 40 minutes. Test the cake with a cake tester. When you insert it in the middle of the cake, it should come out fairly clean, with a few crumbs clinging to the tester.
16. Once the cake is done, let it cool on a wire rack. After an hour or so, carefully loosen the ring from the pan.
17. Once the cake is completely cook, you can brush it with the cognac syrup if you choose.

For the syrup:

• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 3 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. Cognac

1. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small pan. Stir to ensure that the sugar is dissolved and then remove from the heat.
2. Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the Cognac. You can add more Cognac if you like.
3. If you choose, brush the cooled syrup over the cooled cake.

For the final assembly:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• cocoa powder for dusting

1. Whip the cream in an electric mixer until stiff.
2. Dollop the cream on the cake and then dust lightly with cocoa powder.
3. Enjoy!

Note:  This is a fairly involved cake, but it’s worth the effort. Once the torte is done, you can brush it with a cognac syrup or a simple syrup, but you don’t have to.

Technorati tags:  torte, chocolate, walnuts, Cognac, tish boyle, the cake book

For every season, I’m sure we all have certain dishes that we like to make. I can’t imagine not making roast asparagus in the Spring or panzanella in the Summer, for example. The Fall has a long list of recipes that I enjoy trying, but the one that I make over and over is a recipe for a sweet snack that is impossible to resist:  Vanilla-Orange Nuts.

Made with a variety of nuts including walnuts, almonds and macadamia nuts, Vanilla-Orange Nuts are a type of sugared nut based on a recipe from the fantastic Party Nuts! by Sally Sampson. They are fragrant with vanilla and orange and are spiced by a touch of cinnamon. They’re perfect with a glass of wine or even a mug of hot chocolate. And it’s impossible to eat only one.

Impossible I tell you!

So when Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Sensual Gourmet agreed to host CBBP #2, I knew immediately that I would be blogging about this favourite Fall recipe. Because these nuts travel well, there’s a blogger out there, somewhere in Canada, that will soon be receiving a little package with these nuts in them, among other things.

If you’re a blogger in Canada, and you’d like to take part, please contact Jasmine as there’s still time to participate.

As for me, I’m just sitting here waiting for sweet Jasmine to tell me who my blogging partner is for CBBP #2. Hurry, Jasmine! Before I eat all the nuts!

Ciao!

Vanilla-Orange Nuts

Adapted from Party Nuts! by Sally Sampson.

• 4-1/2 cups, assorted unsalted nuts (I use walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts)
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 5 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. vanilla sugar (if you don’t have vanilla sugar, then just use 6 tbsp. regular sugar)
• 1-1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• a few drops of orange oil (optional)
• 3/4 tbsp. vanilla powder (if you can’t find vanilla powder, then use 2 tbsp. vanilla extract)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. finely grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the nuts and the butter and mix until the nuts are all coated with butter.
3. Add the sugar, vanilla extract and orange oil (if using). Toss well to ensure that all the nuts are coated with sugar.
4. Spread the nuts on the parchment paper-lined tray and make sure they’re in an even layer.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, tossing the nuts every 7 or 8 minutes.
6. While the nuts are baking, in a small bowl, combine the vanilla powder, the cinnamon and salt. Mix well and set aside.
7. As soon as the nuts are done, remove them from the oven and sprinkle on the vanilla powder/cinnamon/salt mixture, as well as the orange zest. Mix well.
8. Let the nuts cool completely. Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to a week. But trust me … they won’t last that long.
9. Enjoy!

Note:  The original recipe from Sampson’s book is called "Lauren’s Vanilla Walnuts." I like to use an assortment of nuts but you can only use walnuts if you like. The original recipe also calls for nutmeg (about 1 tsp.) and freshly ground black pepper (about 1/2 tsp.).

Technorati tags:  nuts, vanilla, cbbp, canadian blogging by post

October’s trip through Tish Boyle’s The Cake Book has been most enjoyable. I’ve rarely come across a cookbook where virtually every recipe begs to be tried as soon as possible. The fun intensified when I discovered that my dear friends Kate of Pie in the Sky, Mary of Alpineberry and Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody all owned a copy of this fabulous book.

I immediately recalled the informal, cross-post event that Alanna of A Veggie Venture and I hatched with the cookbook Once Upon a Tart. Why not try the same thing with The Cake Book?

I was thrilled when Kate, Mary and Peabody all (enthusiastically) agreed to take part. After some negotiating, it was decided that the recipe we would all try was one for a Pumpkin Cheesecake. It being the season for pumpkins and cheesecakes being delicious, we figured this was a good choice.

Now as I’ve mentioned before, I have an unusual relationship with pumpkins, and all squash in general. I love them, but they’re not very popular in my family as they’re simply not a food that we’re used to or that we grew up eating. Certainly, we’ll try any dish with squash in it (try everything at least once!). But I can’t say we have any particular inclination towards them.

This cheesecake may change that. While not very sweet, it has to be one of the creamiest cheesecakes I have ever tasted. While the cheesecake is very clearly a pale orange colour thanks thanks to the pureed pumpkin, the actual pumpkin flavour is subtle and tinged with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. I didn’t make the crust that the recipe calls for as I realized that I didn’t have any candied ginger. Instead I made a very basic graham cracker crust with a bit of cinnamon added in.

As I’m not out of the woods yet in terms of my busy days, I won’t be posting the recipe at the moment. I’ll update this post as soon as I can with my adaptation of the cheesecake. But if you want to see how it’s properly done in the meantime, please visit Kate, Mary and Peabody. They have put my efforts to shame and they have most certainly done Tish Boyle proud.

Ladies … you rock!

Ciao!

Creamy Pumpkiny Cheesecake

Adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle.

For the crust:

• 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar (depending on how sweet you like your crust)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine all the crust ingredients. Mix well.
3. Pat the graham mixture evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
4. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

For the cheesecake:

• 1-1/4 cups pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/4 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup vanilla sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 4 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Wrap the outside of the springform pan (with the cooled crust) in aluminum foil. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix together the pumpkin, heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Set aside.
4. With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Slowly add the granulated sugar and vanilla sugar, with the mixer on low speed, until combined.
5. Next add the brown sugar, on low speed, until combined.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium speed for a minute or two.
7. With the mixer on low speed, add the pumpkin mixture. Increase speed to medium and mix for two minutes. Add the cornstarch and mix until combined.
8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and begin adding the eggs, one at a time, scraping down after each addition. When adding the eggs, keep the mixer on low speed, but increase to medium speed in between each addition.
9. Once the eggs have all been incorporated, pour the cheesecake batter onto the prepared crust.
10. Place the springform pan in a larger pan and add hot water to come one-inch up the side of the springform pan. Carefully transfer to the oven.
11. Bake the cheesecake for one hour and then check to see if it’s done. If the cheesecake is set around the edges but a bit wobbly in the centre, then it’s done. If it’s not set at all, bake for another 10 minutes and then check again.
12. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and immediately remove it from the water bath. Discard the aluminum foil and then place the cheesecake on a wire rack to cool completely.
13. Once cool, refrigerate for at least six to eight hours before serving.
14. Serve with whipped cream.
15. Enjoy!

Note:  I increased the amount of pumpkin puree in the cheesecake by a 1/4 cup. The original recipe also called for nutmeg but I omitted that. The original recipe did not require vanilla sugar but I thought it would be an interesting twist. It was very good and recommend it it if you have any vanilla sugar hanging around in your cupboard.

Technorati tags:  pumpkin, pumpkin cheesecake, the cake book, tish boyle, pie in the sky, alpineberry, culinary concoctions by peabody

I’d like to thank all of you for your birthday wishes. I had a wonderful day and was thrilled that you enjoyed the White Chocolate-Raspberry Tart. I was hesitant to post about my birthday as I felt it might be a bit over-the-top. But I couldn’t resist sharing my special tart for my special day. So once again, I thank you.

Before I get into the business of this post, I wanted to send a reminder, on behalf of my dear friend Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Sensual Gourmet, regarding the second Canadian Blogging by Post. If you blog and you live in Canada, I urge you to participate as it’s a wonderful way to meet fellow bloggers in this beautiful land of ours. The details are all here, but the deadline is fast-approaching so be sure to sign up.

And now for the business at hand.

I spend quite a bit of time reading all the incredible food blogs out there. I do this partly for entertainment, partly for inspiration and partly for the sheer love of food. I am consistently amazed at how creative and brilliant you all are. I  have a pile of recipes clipped from your blogs to prove it.

But every once and awhile, I will happen upon a post that for one reason or another touches me deeply. I had this very experience when I came across Orchidea’s post about Minestra di Riso e Latte (Rice Soup with Milk). If you don’t know who Orchidea is, she is the creative force behind the beautiful Viaggi e Sapori. Orchidea is Italian, but she lives in Stockholm, Sweden. I haven’t "known" her for very long, but in the time that I have known her I’ve been impressed by her charm, her writing, her photography and most of all her cooking.

Her recipe for Minestra di Riso e Latte, in particular, captured my fancy. It’s very similar to a dish that I had often as a child. While I have no clear recollections of my mother making this for me, I do remember my dear Nonna preparing it for me often. She would add a bit of butter and parmigiano to boiled rice, with some of the cooking water added in. It produced a creamy, buttery and cheesy dish that was a bit more soupy than risotto, but comforting to the very core.

My maternal grandmother, my Nonna, was a huge force in my life. When my mother went back to work after my birth, the commute that both my parents faced was long. By the time they picked me up after work and drove home, they realized they were spending very little time with me. They made the decision to have my Nonna take care of me during the week. On Friday evenings they would pick me up and they would then drop me off again on Sunday nights.

This may sound like a strange arrangement to some, but in our Italian background grandparents are very often the primary caregivers for young children. So until the age of two, I spent my weeks happily in the care of my Nonna. While I undoubtedly missed my parents, I could not have had a better guiding hand for those formative years.

Seeing the picture of Orchidea’s Minestra di Riso e Latte opened the memory floodgates and I recalled the happy times that I spent with my Nonna, and of course, the incredible food she made for me. Her food was simple, brave, uncomplicated, pure, flavourful and honest. Today it would probably be described as "rustic." But to her, it was simply the best food to put on the table to feed her children and grandchildren.

The memory of her rice with butter and parmigiano transported me instantly to the beauty of her kitchen. I remember the warmth, the comforting aroma of her cooking and the sound of her voice. And those memories are so deeply comforting … just like soupy rice with butter and parmigiano.

I was reminiscing about my Nonna’s cooking in the days after reading Orchidea’s post, when I had an idea. I approached her with a suggestion for a one-off event, about the dishes of our childhood that comforted us then, and continue to comfort us now.

I realize that there are a number of events constantly being planned in this Blog Universe, but Orchidea and I thought it might be special to stop for a moment, reflect and post about that special dish, from our youth, that meant so much. We ask that you share your special memory with everyone by November 15th. Be sure to e-mail Orchidea at viaggiesapori@yahoo.it or me at ivonne@creampuffsinvenice.ca. We will post a round-up on the 16th or 17th of November. Be sure to use the Technorati tag "Dishes of Comfort" and feel free to post your photos to the Flickr Group, "Picturing Dishes of Comfort."

As for the dish that you see at the top of this page, like my grandmother’s rice dish, le patatine fritte (small fried potatoes) are one of those childhood joys. My mother had no trouble whatsoever getting us to the table whenever a plateful of these golden, crispy delights appeared.

While the type of potato used depended entirely on whatever we had in the pantry, they were always made the same way. Cut into small cubes, they were fried in a mixture of vegetable oil and olive oil until they were deeply golden. As soon as they were removed from the pan, they were showered in salt. What pleasure they would bring!

When I visited Italy in 2003, I had the pleasure of spending time with some friends of my father. As I sat in their kitchen and chatted with them, I noted that they were preparing patattine fritte for lunch. And to my delight, they added a sprig of rosemary to the frying potatoes. The aroma was heavenly. Ever since then, I have done the same. No matter what is going on in our lives, this dish is always a very special treat.

So I leave you with these patatine fritte and with the following question:  what is your childhood comfort dish?

Ciao!

Le Patatine Fritte

Treasured family recipe.

• 4 potatoes, medium to large-sized, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• (1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 large sprig rosemary
• salt (to taste)

1. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil and olive oil. The oil is ready when you drop in a potato cube and it immediately begins to sizzle.
2. Carefully add your potatoes in an even layer. Resist the urge to move them around. Leave the potatoes to fry for 5 minutes.
3. After 5 minutes, carefully flip the potatoes and fry for another 5 minutes.
4. Once again, flip the potatoes and let them fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. At this point, begin to flip them every 3 to 4 minutes until they are golden.
5. At this point, add the rosemary sprig and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
6. As soon as the potatoes are deeply golden and the rosemary begins to turn golden, remove the potatoes and place then on a platter lined with paper towel.
7. Immediately salt the potatoes and rosemary. Let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Transfer the potato and rosemary to a serving plate and commence fighting with everyone at the table over who gets the most potatoes.
9. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will serve 4. The guideline we use in terms of serving size is that we use one potato per person at the table. We like to use sea salt on these potatoes.

*A special thanks to Miria who corrected my spelling on patatine (not patattine). I can’t believe I made that mistake!!! Gee I hope my Italian professors weren’t reading …

Technorati tags:  potatoes, fried potatoes, rosemary, comfort food, dishes of comfort, canadian blogging by post

For my birthday, I would like the best gift that a foodblogger could possibly ever receive.

I would like for all of you to come to my home this evening, and share this White Chocolate-Raspberry Tart with me.

What better way could a Cream Puff possibly celebrate her birthday?!

Ciao!

White Chocolate-Raspberry Tart with Almonds and Pistachios

Adapted from The Chef’s Table by Lucy Waverman, James Chatto and Tony Aspler.

The original recipe for this tart comes from Robert and Lucia Martella, owners of my favourite Italian restaurant:  Grano. It’s like being in Italy, except you’re in the middle of Toronto.

If you’re ever in Toronto, be sure to visit Grano and end your meal with a slice of this tart. The book describes the filling for this tart as truffle-like and it certainly is. The raspberries and nuts compliment the white chocolate very well.

I was introduced to Grano by a wonderful Italian professor of mine from the University of Toronto, who would arrange for her students to enjoy a meal at Grano at the end of each school year.

Professoressa Pasquarelli-Clivio, la ringrazio!

For the tart crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1-1/2 tbsp. cold water
• an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom

1. While you can mix this in a food processor, try doing it by hand as it’s very easy. In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar and add the butter pieces.
2. With your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until it resembles fine crumbs.
3. In a cup, mix together the beaten egg and the water.
4. Add to the flour/butter mixture and begin gathering the dough together with your hands. After a minute or two, the dough should form a ball.
5. Transfer the ball of dough to a floured surface and knead for about a minute until you have a smooth dough.
6. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. While the dough is in the refrigerator, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
8. After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator and on a well-floured surface, roll it out to a 13-inch circle.
9. Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan and fit it into the pan. Trim any overhang. Keep in mind that this dough will crack rather easily, but you can simply piece it back together.
10. Chill the crust for 20 minutes.
11. After 20 minutes, line the crust with foil and then fill the foil with pie weights or dried beans.
12. Bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the pie weights or beans and foil. Continue to bake the crust for 5 minutes. It should be golden. If any air pockets form on the bottom, gently pierce them with the tines of a fork.
13. Remove the tart from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the tart filling:

• 1 pound white chocolate, broken into 1-inch pieces
• 6 tbsp. butter
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1-1/2 cups raspberries (fresh, not frozen)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
• icing sugar for dusting

1. Once your tart crust has cooled, begin making the filling.
2. Spread the raspberries over the tart crust. Sprinkle half the almonds and pistachios over the raspberries.
3. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and the butter. Stir to ensure that the mixture is smooth.
4. Add the almond extract and the cream and combine.
5. Immediately take the white chocolate/butter/cream mixture off the heat.
6. Let it cool for 30 seconds.
7. Quickly pour the white chocolate/butter/cream mixture over the raspberries and nuts. Work quickly as this will set. With an offset spatula or a spoon, smooth the mixture if it’s not even.
8. Immediately sprinkle the remaining almonds and pistachios over the top of the filling.
9. Refrigerate the tart for at least 4 or 5 hours.
10. Remove the tart from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you plan to serve it to give the tart filling a chance to come to room temperature. Just before serving, dust with icing sugar
11. Enjoy!

Note:  Serves 10 to 12. A small slice of this tart goes a long way as it is quite sweet. It’s a favourite at Christmas time. Be sure to use fresh raspberries, not frozen. You can also try it with blueberries.

Technorati tags:  white chocolate, raspberries, tarts

On the menu for Week 5:  Whole Wheat Bread, Six Grain Bread and Bagels.

The Art of Bread

I was intrigued by this class because we were preparing Whole Wheat Bread and Six Grain Bread, loaves which both require the use of whole wheat flour. To be honest, I’ve hardly ever used whole wheat flour at home. While we eat bread with whole grains on an almost daily basis, we buy them from our favourite bakery. Our instructor explained that whole wheat flour is made of the entire grain (the endosperm, the germ and the bran). While I never imagined that I would be baking and trying to figure out what an endosperm is at the same time, it was interesting to learn about a type of flour that I know very little about.

The other ingredient that was new to me was part of the recipe for the whole wheat bread:  vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten is an all-natural gluten booster. It comes in handy when baking with flours such as rye and whole wheat. Breads made with these flours tend to be denser, without as much gluten as breads made with bread flour. The vital wheat gluten helps these dense breads develop more of that all-important gluten power.

The dough for the Whole Wheat Bread consisted of yeast, water, whole wheat flour, bread flour, sugar, salt, milk powder, molasses, vital wheat gluten and shortening. After mixing and kneading the dough, we let it rest for 20 minutes. We then divided our dough, shaped it and let it rest for another 10 minutes. After putting the bread in tins, it went off to the proofer and then to the oven.

The end result was a nicely browned loaf that was light with a nice nutty flavour. While Whole Wheat Bread isn’t my favourite, I was really pleased with this loaf, in particular with how I shaped it before it went into the tin. I think I’m getting the hang of some of the shaping techniques and it was a pleasure to see how well these loaves turned out.

For me, though, the star of the class was the Six Grain Bread. The dough for these loaves consisted of yeast, water, bread flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, shortening, milk powder, molasses and six grain cereal. Our instructor explained that we could buy any six grain mix from a supermarket or health food store.

After mixing the dough, we let it rest for 20 minutes. We then divided it, shaped it and let it rest for another 10 minutes. Unlike the Whole Wheat Bread, we baked the Six Grain Bread free-form. Once proofed, the bread was baked for about half an hour. Beautiful, round, crusty loaves emerged from the ovens and I was thrilled! I loved the flavour of this bread. I loved the crust and I loved the texture, which was firm enough to use for sandwiches. This is one to definitely try again!

Breakfast Breads

Two weeks ago there was no class due to the Thanksgiving Day weekend. Class resumed last week with a lesson in bagels. Almost everyone I know has an opinion on bagels: who makes the best bagels in Toronto, should you boil them, how much salt should you add … the list goes on and on.

We began by mixing a basic bagel dough, which we let rest for half an hour. As soon as the dough had rested, we divided it into 100 gram portions and began shaping our bagels by first rolling the dough into little balls, flattening them slightly, poking a hole in the middle and then using our fingers to widen the hole. Our instructor demonstrated another method of forming bagels that involved rolling the dough into a rope, joining the rope and then sealing the bagel where the two ends were joined. I found this method challenging so opted for the first method.

We had to work quickly to avoid letting the dough dry out. Once our bagels were formed we dipped them in slightly salted water that was simmering. As soon as the bagels floated to the top, we removed them and then topped them. I dipped some of my bagels in poppy seeds, some in sesame seeds and I topped the rest with cheddar cheese.

The bagels were okay, but I found them to be a bit on the salty side. While it was fun making them, the flavour and texture didn’t come close to the bagels I can buy in some of Toronto’s best bagel shops. I enjoyed the experience, but don’t really see myself making bagels at home.

That’s it for this week!

Ciao!

Technorati tags:  baking class, whole wheat bread, six grain bread, bagels

These are busy days, my friends. Work is overwhelming at times. And on the personal front, family commitments and baking class seem to take up any extra time I have. Sometimes it’s all a bit much.

I suspect this is why I have been enjoying baking again so much. I survived without an oven during the month of September, but I just wasn’t the same Cream Puff. I feel better now, if spread a bit thin with all that’s going on.

The other night, to relieve some stress, I produced these beautiful little cakes from The Cake Book. It was one of those desserts that just happened. I just happened to have cream cheese in the fridge. I just happened to have dried cherries. I just happened to have kirsch. I just had to bake.

As a special treat, I poured the batter into mini-bundt molds. Once cooled, I dusted these little babies with icing sugar and treated myself to one.

Busy days are hard. Sweet nights help.

Ciao!

Cherry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Adapted from The Cake by Tish Boyle.

• a handful of dried cherries, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp. kirsch
• 1 tbsp. hot water
• 1 cup butter
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 5 large eggs
• 3 cups cake and pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• icing sugar

1. Soak cherries in kirsch and hot water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain cherries and reserve liquid.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a bundt cake pan or a mini-bundt pan.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In a mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and light (2 or 3 minutes).
5. With the mixer on medium speed, add the sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
8. Add the cherries and the reserved liquid, and mix until combined.
9. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. If using a bundt pan, bake for 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. If using mini-bundt molds, bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
10. Cool the cake on a wire rack.
11. Once cook, dust with icing sugar and serve.
12. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:  dried cherries, cream cheese, pound cake, the cake book

At this time of year, I’m sure I could bake an apple-based dessert every day of the week and not come close to trying even a fraction of the recipes for apple desserts out there. Everywhere I turn I see recipes for apple pie, apple cake, apple muffins, apple cookies … and the list goes on and on. I’m not complaining mind you. I love apples and it’s wonderful to have so much inspiration available when it comes to envisioning the perfect way to prepare those apples. It’s no wonder then that I decided to bake an apple dessert for Canadian Thanksgiving.

As some of you may know, Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday of October. While I’d never given much thought as to why Canadians celebrate this holiday a full month and more before Americans do, I recently queried a friend about it. She explained that part of the reason why Canadian Thanksgiving happens in October is that the origin of our holiday lies in the celebration of the harvest, which, in most parts of Canada, happens earlier in the year than in our southern counterpart. I did some casual research on the Internet and as is usually the case, I found a lot of contradictory information. The Government of Canada’s Canadian Heritage site finally provided some concrete facts on how we arrived at the second day of October as Canadian Thanksgiving.

For many Canadians, Thanksgiving Day remains a relatively new celebration, especially for those Canadians that haven’t been in Canada for very long. My own family has barely been in Canada for 50 years. Growing up, we never really observed Thanksgiving Day until my mom took it upon herself to learn how to roast a turkey and make proper stuffing. And so began the celebration of Thanksgiving Day in our household.

And just as Thanksgiving Day was relatively foreign to the life of an Italian Canadian, eating squash was equally as foreign. While squash is part of the regional cuisine of some parts of Italy, it never factored into the cuisine my father and mother ate in Le Marche or Calabria respectively. In fact, my father once told me that while they did grow some forms of squash in the town where he grew up, they never actually ate squash. Instead, the squash would usually be given to the pigs they kept.

Long story short, pumpkin and other types of squash are relatively new flavours for us. As a result, we’ve never been huge fans of pumpkin pie, for example. This means Thanksgiving Day dessert is usually based on another star of the fall harvest:  the apple.

For this year’s Thanksgiving Day dessert, I turned to Tish Boyle’s The Cake Book in the hopes of finding a recipe for an elegant apple cake. Instead I found a recipe for a most elegant cheesecake with cooked apples as a base. Even if this cheesecake recipe didn’t have apples in it, I think I would have tried it anyway for the sheer pleasure of creating a brûlée crust on a cheesecake!

This particular cheesecake starts with a straightforward graham cracker crust. The crust is then topped with a layer of apples cooked in butter, sugar and cream. The apples are topped with the cheesecake flavoured with cinnamon. Once baked and cooled, a sugar crust is added to the top of the cheesecake by sprinkling on sugar and then using a kitchen torch to brûlée the sugar.

From the pleasing crackle of the hardened sugar to the creamy layer of cheesecake to the satisfying flavour of apple and graham crust, this is a cheesecake that is perfect for Autumn. And who can resist a sugar crust just waiting to be cracked?!

I say bring on the apples!

Ciao!

Cheesecake with Apples and a Brûlée Top

Adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle.

For the graham crust:

• 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2-1/2 tbsp. sugar
• 4 to 5 tbsp. melted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
3. In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and the sugar. Add 4 tbsp. of the butter and mix. If the crumbs seem dry, add the last tablespoon of butter.
4. Press onto the bottom of the springform pan. Press in an even layer.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The crust should be firm and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Cool the crust completely.
6. Once cooled, wrap the outside of the pan in a heavy duty piece of aluminum foil.

For the apple layer (you don’t have to make this cheesecake with the apple layer, but if you do, it’s worth the extra effort):

• 3 medium-sized tart apples, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. butter, unsalted
• 1-1/2 tbsp. sugar
• 2-1/2 tbsp. heavy cream
• a pinch of nutmeg

1. Toss the apples with the lemon juice.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet.
3. Add the apples and cook for 2 minutes, over medium heat, until the apples begin to soften.
4. Sprinkle with sugar and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the apples soften further and begin to turn golden.
5. Add the cream and the nutmeg and lower the heat slightly. Cook until the cream has been absorbed by the apples, about 10 minutes.
6. Transfer the apples to a plate and let cool completely.

For the cheesecake:

• 3 packages cream cheese (8 oz. each)
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch or flour
• 4 large eggs

1. In the bowl of your mixer, beat the cream cheese for a minute or two until it’s smooth.
2. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until smooth, about 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla extract, the salt, the cinnamon and the ginger and beat for another minute.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add the sour cream and cornstarch and beat until blended, another minute or two.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Assembling the cheesecake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Layer the apples over the cooled graham cracker crust.
3. Pour the prepared cheesecake filling over the apples.
4. Place the pan in a large, shallow roasting pan and add hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
5. Carefully place the pan in the oven. The original recipe requires the cheesecake be baked for between 70 and 80 minutes. I found that I had to bake the cheesecake for 80 minutes. You’ll know the cheesecake is done when the filling appears set, but still a tiny bit wobbly in the middle.
6. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the pan. Peel off the aluminum foil layer and place on a rack to cool completely.
7. Once cool, place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

For the brûlée crust:

• 2 tbsp. sugar

1. Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the cold cheesecake in an even layer.
2. Using a kitchen torch, pass the flame over the sugar in an even motion until it has caramelized.
3. Place the cheesecake back in the refrigerator for up to an hour. If you leave it for longer than an hour the brûlée crust may soften.
4. Enjoy!

Note:  This cheesecake will serve 10 to 12. The apples add a nice touch but you don’t have to make this with the apple layer. It’s a good idea to begin making this cheesecake the day before you plan on serving it so that it can rest in the refrigerator overnight.

Technorati tags:  cheesecake, apples, thanksgiving day

As much as I love Christmas, Thanksgiving is the holiday I look forward to most.

For me, Thanksgiving Day is like a perfect photograph … crisp colours, happy faces and clarity.

I love that the sun always shines and that the air is cool on Thanksgiving Day. I love the colours of the leaves and the harvest. I love the smell of the turkey and my mother’s chestnut stuffing. I love the feeling of sitting at the table, with my family, completely stress-free. No worries about presents, greeting cards, what to wear, eating too many cookies, packed shopping malls, traffic … no worries at all.

And I am so thankful. I am thankful for my family because they are beautiful and make me laugh.

I am thankful for my friends who are always there for me, no matter what.

I am thankful for the food on my table.

I am thankful for the place that I live in and the memories that it holds.

I am thankful for this blog, and for you, and for the difference it has all made.

I am thankful for this life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Butter Tarts

This is perhaps the quintessential "Canadian" sweet. My version is based on recipes that I’ve gotten from friends and acquaintances and also a cookbook by Wanda Beaver called Wanda’s Pie in the Sky.

For the pastry:

Use your favourite recipe for butter crust. I always use the recipe from The Joy of Cooking which never fails. If you don’t have a favourite butter crust recipe, try this one from www.epicurious.com.

Once you prepare your pastry, roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick and then cut it into 4-inch circles to fit a standard-sized muffin pan. The dough may bunch up a bit as you fit into the muffin pan but this is part of the charm of the butter tarts.

Refrigerate the dough while you prepare the filling.

For the filling:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1-1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup dark corn syrup
• 2 tsp. vinegar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• walnut halves (24 to 36)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Place a walnut half in each prepared pastry-lined muffin cup.
3. In a bowl, whisk together all the other ingredients.
4. Carefully pour the mixture into each muffin cup, being careful not to fill them more than three-quarters of the way to the top (if you fill them more than that they may overflow).
5. Put the muffin tin on a baking tray just in case there are spills.
6. Bake the tarts in the centre of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep an eye on them to ensure that the crusts don’t burn. The crusts should be golden and the filling should be just set.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
8. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will  yield enough filling for 24 butter tarts. If you make a butter crust recipe that yields two 9-inch pie shells, then you should have enough dough to fill the 24 muffin tins. If not, make two batches of the butter crust.

I sometimes add raisins to my butter tarts. If you want to add raisins, soak about a 1/4 cup of raisins hot water and then divide among the muffin cups before you add the filling. You can also use cranberries or dried cherries for a special twist.

Technorati tags:  butter tarts, thanksgiving day

Over a month ago, I was in despair after Black Friday and the realization that I wouldn’t be able to bake for quite awhile.

How the times have changed!

Our new oven is a blessing and we are looking forward to putting it through its paces this coming Thanksgiving weekend. I have many wonderful things planned for this oven. Many sweet surprises, all of which I will share with you of course … but not right now.

You’re just going to have to be patient!

In the meantime, I’m sending all of you a piece of this incredible Sour Cream Chocolate Pound Cake with Dark Chocolate Glaze and White Chocolate Drizzle. My chocolate pound cake is based on a recipe from the Cream Puffs in Venice Flavour of the Month for October 2006:  The Cake Book by Tish Boyle.

Cream Puff sends everyone a big hug and wishes for a wonderful Autumn weekend!

Ciao!

Sour Cream Chocolate Pound Cake with Dark Chocolate Glaze and White Chocolate Drizzle

Adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle.

For the cake:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 cup cocoa powder plus 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 2-1/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place a rack in the centre of the oven. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube ban.
2. On medium speed, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (4 to 5 minutes). Add your eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Mix together the vanilla and sour cream.
4. Combine your dry ingredients. Add them to the butter and sugar in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture. Start and end with the flour mixture.
5. Pour your batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Test the cake with a cake tester or a toothpick to ensure that it’s cooked in the centre.
6. Cool the cake for 15 to 20 minute and then unmold.
7. Let it cool completely before glazing.

For the Dark Chocolate Glaze:

• 3 ounces dark chocolate (I used a Lindt chocolate with 65% cocoa solids — use your favourite chocolate)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

1. Finely chop your chocolate.
2. Boil the cream and immediately pour it over the chocolate.
3. Let sit for 2 or 3 minutes and then stir until the glaze is smooth.
4. Place the glaze in a bowl and let sit for a few minutes to set a bit. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
5. When you’re ready to glaze the cake, place your cake on a wire rack with a lined tray beneath or place your cake directly on some waxed paper to or aluminum foil to avoid making a mess.
6. Pour the glaze over the cake and allow it to drip down the sides.
7. Let the glaze set completely.

For the white chocolate drizzle:

• 1 small bar of white chocolate (I used Lindt)

1. Melt your white chocolate in a double boiler.
2. Once it’s melted, stir to ensure that it’s smooth.
3. With a squeeze bottle, pastry bag or with a fork, drizzle the chocolate over the glazed cake in a decorative pattern.
4. Let set completely before serving.
5. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:  chocolate, cocoa, pound cake, Lindt, white chocolate

I love my job.

I love the work I do. I love the location I work in (right by the beautiful campus of the University of Toronto, my alma mater). But most of all, I love the people I work with.

Kind, intelligent, dedicated and helpful, most days it’s a pleasure to sit at my desk. But I think what I love most of all about my coworkers, is that they are all, ever last one of them, gourmands.

Let’s just say the people in my office like their food! The proof is in the pudding and I have photographic evidence. This past Monday, we had our second annual Thanksgiving potluck (Canadian Thanksgiving is this coming Monday). Held in our largest boardroom, the tables were fairly groaning with the weight of the most incredible  homemade dishes. I could go on and on waxing poetic about it all, but that would be denying you a chance to absorb it all. Instead, I leave it to the pictures. Enjoy!

The Appetizers

Cheddar Crisps

These lovely treats were a pleasure to try.

Made with cheddar, they were crispy on the outside, but chewy and delicate on the inside. They had a strong cheddar flavour.

Judging by how quickly they went, everyone enjoyed them immensely.

Herbed Goat Cheese Balls

It was a happy coincidence that these lovely little herbed goat cheese balls were sitting right by the cheddar crisps. They went together wonderfully! Mix garlic, sundried tomatoes, herbs of your choice and goat cheese and then form them into little balls.

Finish by rolling the balls in chopped, roasted and salted almonds. Delicious!

Spiced Nuts

I can’t count how many times I’ve tried spiced nut or made them myself. And yet every time I see them I’m thrilled because they’re just so delicious. These nuts were no exception. Sweet and ever-so-slightly spicy, they were perfect to munch on before turning our attention to the main course!

Hummous in Endive Spears

I’m quite certain that I could make a perfectly acceptable dinner out of a bowl of hummous and some pita bread. It’s just too delicious. This particularly hummous was thick, and flavoured with wonderful garlic. Eating it with the endive spears provided a nice contrast and the dish looked so pretty!

The Salads

Celery Root Salad

Who in the world could resist such a colourful salad? Not me! I had two servings! Crunchy, refreshing, juicy … it was wonderful especially with some of the more spicy dishes that were presented.

I almost stole the leftovers!

Broccoli and Tangerine Salad

I have a confession to make. I’m not used to eating fruit in my salads, especially when the salad is composed of broccoli. But this particular dish was eye-opening. I loved how the tangerine contrasted with the broccoli and the creamy dressing and sunflower seeds were the perfect additions.

Who knew eating your broccoli could be so much fun?!

Avocado and Apple Salad

Made at the last minute, this was an incredible dish! You’ll have to excuse the quality of the photograph. I was so excited to try the salad that I couldn’t take the picture fast enough. Thinly sliced avocados are combined with the apple of your choice. Drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sliced almonds, you have a most elegant dish!

The Main Dishes

Roasted Eggplant Soup with Goat Cheese and Herbed Bread

This soup was back by popular demand. It made its first appearance at last year’s Thanksgiving Potluck and it was most definitely the a hit. We begged and lucky us we got to try it again. A warm and soothing bowl of roasted eggplant soup is topped with crumbled goat cheese.

Add some fresh herbed bread and you have the perfect fall soup!

Slow-cooked Honey Spareribs

As I was setting up for the potluck, I was treated to tantalizing whiffs of these unbelievably moist ribs cooking away in a crockpot. I had to stay as far away as I could in order to avoid eating them all up before the potluck started. When I finally had one, the meat literally fell off the bone. I think I’m going to have to put a crockpot on my Christmas wish list!

Lasagna

There is a kindred spirit in my office. A woman who makes her own pasta, and then rolls it into the most incredible lasagnas. Believe me when I say that I had to snap this picture as fast as possible. This dish didn’t last very long. Homemade pasta, homemade sauce and the addition of ground chicken. It was mouth-watering!

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

You can’t have a Thanksgiving Potluck with out a sweet potato dish. These particular potatoes were mixed with butter, brown sugar and spices like cinnamon and ginger. They represented the best of fall and were a colourful and most welcome addition to the table!

Couscous with Chickpeas and Raisins

Every time I eat couscous I always think that I don’t eat enough of it. And that’s precisely how I felt when eating this dish. It was wonderful with chickpeas and raisins. I wanted to just take the whole bowl to my office but that would have been wrong …

Chinese-style Spareribs

I love ribs so I was happy to see that we had a second rib dish. This was a wonderful contrast to the honey spareribs.

These ribs were cooked slowly with soy sauce and were served with an incredible rice wine vinegar sauce.

Pureed Squash

As with sweet potatoes, it just isn’t Thanksgiving unless you can enjoy a squash dish.

This particular dish was creamy and sweet and so lovely to look it. It was a nice accompaniment to the ribs and turkey dish that were also on the table. Gotta love the squash!

Vegetarian Chili

This was my contribution to the potluck. I usually make a sirloin chili but wanted a vegetarian dish that I could bring to the table. It’s the first time I tried this one and I loved it! It was thick and full of incredible vegetables. I served it with sour cream and cheddar cheese.

The recipe is from www.epicurious.com.

Roast Turkey Breast with Maple Cranberry Glaze

I almost didn’t try this one! By the time I finished photographing everything it was almost all gone and I would have been very sad if I hadn’t been able to try it.

The breast was moist and perfectly cooked and the glaze was mouth-watering!

It’s a wonderful alternative to roasting a whole turkey.

The Desserts

Shortbread Cookies

If our office had an official cookie, this would be it. These little beauties make an appearance at every special event and we’re thrilled! Buttery, crisp and sweet, they’re the perfect shortbread. The only problem is that we have to share them with each other!

Chocolate Rice Krispie Cookies

Another office favourite, these are impossible to resist. It’s also impossible to eat just one. The recipe is a simple combination of semisweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanuts and rice krispies. Those four simple ingredients combine to make one heck of a cookie!

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

These were a new addition to the dessert family in our office. And we welcome this newest family member with open arms.

These were fantastic! The chef who prepared these got the recipe here. They were like a chocolate pecan pie in bar form. Delicious!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Last but not least, we concluded the potluck with these incredible pumpkin cupcakes. Spicy and moist, they were topped with an unbelievable cream cheese frosting.

What a wonderful way to cap a most enjoyable potluck!

Once the eating was over, we rolled ourselves back to our offices and spent the afternoon in food bliss!

Ciao!

On the menu for Week 4:  Vienna Rolls, Oatmeal Bread, Croissants and Danish Pastry

The Art of Breads

Now that we’re into our third week of this course, we’re all getting used to the rhythm of scaling ingredients, preparing dough, allowing the dough to rest and rise, preparing the dough for the proofer and finally baking. Bread class has taken on a very comfortable feel and everyone is enjoying the atmosphere. I’m especially enjoying the opportunity to knead dough. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it is one of the most relaxing and pleasurable things you can do!

In class we prepared dough for Vienna Rolls and Oatmeal Bread. The Vienna Roll dough consisted of water, yeast, bread flour, sugar, milk powder, salt, oil and eggs. The dough was easy to make and work with. We used the dough to work on our bread-shaping skills. We formed knots, twists, braids, boules and a few other interesting shapes. I can tell that it must take years of practice to become a skilled bread shaper and bread baker!   

The dough for the Oatmeal bread consisted of yeast, water, bread flour, rolled oats, bran, sugar, salt, shortening, milk powder, honey and molasses. While we didn’t try any fancy shapes with this particular dough, it was good experience in terms of working with stickier bread doughs as this one was definitely sticky. The end result was very good. The bread was sturdy, but not too dense and it was great toasted with a bit of butter and honey. I can see myself trying this one again.

In each class, our instructor has spent significant time talking about ingredients, the most important being yeast. In class we used a type of yeast called "baker’s compressed yeast". It’s also known as fresh yeast. It usually comes in a block, very similar to a block of butter. It has a very strong yeasty smell to it and a crumbly texture. Fresh yeast should be refrigerated and will usually last in the refrigerator for anywhere from 10 to 14 days. Surprisingly, fresh yeast can be frozen. While it won’t have the same leavening power if frozen and thawed, it will still work just fine. I had no idea you could freeze fresh yeast as I thought freezing it would kill the organisms in the yeast.

As I wrote last week, it’s all fascinating stuff!

Breakfast Breads

As much as I’m enjoying this course, it leaves me exhausted! Unlike my other courses where we’re able to take breaks, this is four straight hours of scaling, baking and cleaning.

Two weeks ago, the croissant dough that we had prepared and frozen had to be thrown out after the school’s freezer broke down. As a result, last week we remade the dough and froze it to be rolled, shaped and baked in this week’s class. We followed the same procedure for our danish pastry dough.

Our croissant dough consisted of yeast (baker’s compressed yeast), water, bread flour, salt, sugar, milk powder, butter and … roll-in fat. More on that later.

We made our croissant dough by first making a dough of the yeast, water, flour and other dry ingredients. To this we added a small amount of butter. We rolled this dough out on our work surfaces being sure to roll it into an evenly shaped rectangle. On one half of this rectangle, we placed our roll-in fat, separated into dollops. We folded over the other half of the dough, and began to reshape the dough into a rectangle. We then performed what is called a single fold which means we folded one-third of the dough over and then folded the other third to form an even package. We turned the dough so that the seam faced us. We once again rolled our dough to a certain size and then performed the fold again. In between each fold, we let our dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes. We did this four times before finally freezing our dough.

The dough was thawed for us so when we arrived in class, we were ready to begin rolling our dough to form croissants. We rolled the dough out into an even rectangle and then divided it in half lengthwise. We then cut each dough half into 16 equal triangles using a ruler. We filled some of the triangles with chocolate, and some with almond paste. Starting from the wide end, we rolled our croissant up tightly and then curled the ends inward. We egg washed our croissants before they went into the proofer. Once baked, the croissant were very good. However, after a day, the flavour of the roll-in fat became quite noticeable.

Our danish pastry, which consisted of yeast (baker’s compressed yeast), water, bread flour, milk powder, eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, butter and roll-in fat, was made in the same way as the croissant dough. To form our danish pastry, we divided our dough in half. The first half of the dough was rolled into a rectangle and spread with a poppy seed filling. This was then rolled up into a log and cut into rounds. The second half of the dough was spread with a nut butter filling and cut into strips which were then twisted and formed into rounds. As with the croissants, the danish pastry was great out of the oven, but disappointing after a day or so.

In class, we did not make these doughs using all butter. At a certain point, we used an ingredient called roll-in fat in place of butter. The reasoning is that due to the heat in the class, the butter would be too soft to work with. And since we’re students, most of us making these doughs for the first time, roll-in fat is easier to work with. I briefly considered researching roll-in fat to find out exactly what it is, but then decided against it. I don’t care what roll-in fat is because I plan on NEVER using it. As one of my classmates very accurately noted, the roll-in fat smelled faintly of movie popcorn butter. If I make croissants at home, I will be using all butter! You can be sure of that.

Ciao!

Hello, Autumn!

Hello multi-coloured leaves and brisk fall days.

Hello warm sweaters and tea by the fire.

Hello rosy cheeks and scarves.

Hello hockey.

Hello apples and chestnuts.

Hello Flavour of the Month for October 2006:  The Cake Book by Tish Boyle.

Hello brand new stove that finally arrived.

Hello baking.

Hello Vanilla-Flecked Chiffon Cake with Cacao Nib Whipped Cream.

Hello, October!

Ciao!

Vanilla-Flecked Chiffon Cake with Cacao Nib Whipped Cream

Adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle.

For the cake:

• 2-1/2 cups cake flour (measure the cake flour, sift it and then measure it again)
• 1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (if you don’t have vanilla bean, you can use 1 tbsp. vanilla extract)
• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• icing sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and place a rack in the centre of the oven.
2. In a bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (cake flour, 1-1/4 cups of the sugar, baking powder and salt).
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, place the egg yolks, water, vegetable oil and lemon zest. With a paring knife or a small spoon, scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pods and add them to the bowl. (If using vanilla extract instead, add it now.)
4. Mix at medium speed until well-combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. On low speed, add the four mixture a bit at a time until the batter is just mixed. Don’t overmix the batter.
6. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites (with a whisk or with a whisk attachment) and the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. If using a mixer, increase the speed to high and beat the whites until they’re stiff.
7. Using a rubber spatula, quickly mix 1/4 of the whites into the batter. Then carefully fold the remaining whites into the batter.
8. Pour the batter into an ungreased tube pan (10 inches) with a removable bottom.
9. Bake the cake for 50 minutes to an hour. Test the cake’s doneness by inserting a cake tester in the centre. If it comes out clean, your cake is done!
10. If the tube pan you’re using has little feet, then turn the cake over and let cool upside down.
11. If your tube pan doesn’t have feet, try inverting and fitting the tube over the neck of a bottle. Let it stand this way until cooled.
12. Once cooled, carefully unmold your cake by slide a knife around the sides of the cake. Once the cake is out of the pan, slide a knife under the base and around the tube to remove the centre piece of the pan.
13. To serve, dust the cake with icing sugar and add a dollop of cacao nib whipped cream.

For the cacao nib whipped cream:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup cacao nibs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (optional)

1. Heat the cream and cacao nibs until the cream is just about to boil.
2. Add the vanilla sugar, stir well and let sit for 30 minutes.
3. Pour the mixture into a bowl through a sieve to remove the cacao nibs. Discard the nibs.
4. Refrigerate the mixture until you’re ready to use it (at least a few hours).
5. With an electric mixer, beat the cream until it’s thickened and soft peaks form.
6. Serve the whipped cream with your cake.

Note:  This cake easily serves 12. Don’t discard the vanilla bean halves. Place them in a jar covered with sugar and you can begin making vanilla sugar. You can buy cacao nibs from www.scharffenberger.com.

Technorati tags:  chiffon cake, vanilla, cacao nibs, the cake book