Daring Bakers June Danish Braid

Once upon a time I noticed quite a few bloggers posting the same scrumptious recipe photos on the same exact date. These Daring Bakers are a somewhat secretive society whose mission is to try the same recipe and then inundate the web with photos of the most fabulous looking baked goods. I started anticipating their monthly postings--wondering what would appear at the reveal. And then I just really wanted to be in the know and bake whatever secret thing they were all baking that month. So I joined the Daring Bakers and completed my first challenge this month...danish braid chosen by Kelly of Sass and Veracity and Ben of What's Cooking The rules for the danish braid? Follow the chosen recipe and fill it with any homemade filling of choice.

This recipe called for cardamom which is a somewhat gingery, cinnammony spice--it's unique enough that it's hard to describe, but once you use it, you'll identify it in other foods immediately. I purchased whole green pods and extracted the little black seeds myself. The scent of those little seeds carried through the entire place. The dough also called for orange zest and a vanilla bean I luckily had on hand. Using whole vanilla beans is truly decadent and is miles above extract.

This was not my first danish dough recipe, but it was a new technique for incorporating all of the butter. This was a mixture of butter and flour that was spread over a yeasted dough. The butter was a bit soft at first since it was at room temperature for spreading. After a book fold, you roll it out and fold again and refrigerate. Repeating this a few times creates a very flaky and buttery dough.

Once I had completed my final turn, I pulled it from the refrigerator and rolled it out. I had originally planned on a marzipan and peach filling, but had volunteered at the Passionate Palette the night before. The owners, Ben and Jen, had a recipe for a fritter that was filled with almond, raspberries and chocolate and it was sinfully delicious. I executed a scope change on this project immediately. That's nerddom at it's finest.

This smell was excruciatingly delicious during baking. A couple of my braids came a bit loose, but between Minxaroo and me...well, we didn't care. Actually she could not have cared less.

It was a great first challenge...and was absolutely delicious. I think that next time around I'll either leave the cardamom out, or do a more complimentary filling. I'd also love to try it without and see how much the vanilla bean shines without the cardamom. Cardamom is probably fabulous with an apple filling, which is what the recipe originally suggested.

Cookbook # 10 Simply Delicioso

I recently felt like I was really making progress in my mad plan to cook through all of my cookbooks in one year...this is number 10. Then I realized that I still have close to 70 left. That's like 8-9 recipes a month? Who can cook that much?

I absolutely love this cookbook--apparently I am the exception here. Perhaps it's because the flavors are so foreign to me--there are such exotic sounding treats such as watermelon and feta salad. I do love sweet and salty combos. I have about 10 more sticky notes marking pages, but with 8-9 recipes a month to stay on track for the year, well, it looks like I won't be making them soon.
Eggs Benedict is my standard order when having brekkie out, probably because I thought I'd never make it at home. Hollandaise seems scary but it actually ended up being so very easy. These were with a latin twist of course, Eggs Benedict with Chipotle Hollandaise. When I was looking up a link for this recipe it on Food Network (because I'm too lazy to type), I saw that it only received 3 stars from reviewers over there. Jokers. I did forgo the canadian bacon and replaced it with cooked spinach and a tomato slice for more of a Florentine Benedict. Even if I am alone in my opinion, I loved the chipotle flavor in the hollandaise and would definitely make it again and again and again.

Breaking the yolk is fun.

Cookbook #52 Eating Cuban

I haven't forgotten this project--I do plan to get through each and every cookbook eventually. Really.

This time around I grabbed Eating Cuban off my bookshelf. It's been there over a year and never seen a bit of action. I am so sorry little cookbook.

I have a soft spot for ethnic cookbooks--knowing that each one is an opportunity to take a peek into another food culture keeps me gravitating towards anything that even hints at the exotic. With the US/Cuba relationship issues, glimpses into Cuba seems almost like a guilty pleasure. I once actually wondered for a (very, very brief) second when the ship captain announced we could the Cuba coastline off in the distance, if we were allowed to look at it. The glimpses into the Havana street food alone is well worth the price of this book.

I chose to make a coconut, pineapple slaw that I'd marked when I first brought the book home. It was definitely better in concept than execution. All I can say is that it's not all that much like eating coleslaw. The pineapple and coconut kept making me think it needed marshmallows--like those ambrosia salad thingies have, but it was still crunchy like coleslaw. My mind just couldn't get over this combo. I won't even post recipe as I'm not encouraging anyone to try this at home. While this recipe wasn't a hit, I have quite a few more marked in this book for trial.

Peanut

I post these photos of Peanut from last Father's Day because I can. I swear I would steal her if I thought I could get away with it. She is really starting to look like her mommy and her little personality is becoming quite apparent in photographs.

Thai Tea Cupcakes

Thai iced tea is often a love or hate relationship. It's a strong orange colored concoction that can send one into sugar shock with only one sip. I happen to love it. I wondered if the flavors would translate into a dessert-green tea cupcakes are divine so Thai tea cupcakes have an amazing precedent. Magnolia Bakery in the Village (NYC) has cupcakes worth lining up for, so I used a variation of their basic vanilla cupcake recipe as a springboard.


Thai Tea Cupcakes

3/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup thai tea syrup(instructions below)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Add 1/4 cup thai tea leaves to 1 cup boiling water--let steep 4 minutes and strain. Add strained tea to saucepan and reduce to 1/4 cup-about 15 minutes. When cool, add milk and vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk mixture. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Vanilla Icing

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar on an as-needed basis, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency.

The flavors were somewhat subtle, but the color really came through. I am wondering how to infuse a bit more of the Thai tea flavor...I don't think there is a powdered matcha style equivalent of Thai tea. Perhaps I'll try incorporating a Thai tea filling next time. These were still pretty yummy little cupcakes.

Daring Cooks Potstickers

This month's Daring Cook's is hosted by Jen at Use Real Butter and she chose... potstickers! While excited at the prospect of making potstickers, this particular challenge did incorporate two of my kitchen arch-nemeses: individually portioned food and rolling out dough. I barely made it through this challenge alive. Making the individually portioned potstickers I could probably get through, but being required to make the dough and roll it out? That was definitely putting the challenge into these Daring Cook Challenges. After about 3 or 4 wonky potstickers, due to my aversion to rolling properly, I changed my tactic. I added the filling, gathered it all up into a bundle at the top and just squeezed. I tied a carrot string around the bundle to imply it was somewhat intentional. If you ever need a shortcut--I'm sure I can think one up for you if it involves dough.

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup warm waterflour for work surface

Veggie Filling:

1 cup chopped bok choy

1 carrot shredded

2 shittake mushrooms diced

1 garlic clove

minced ginger

oil

Sauce:

2 parts soy sauce

1 part vinegar (red wine or black)

a few drops of sesame oil

1 part Sriracha hot sauce

splash of mirin

minced ginger

minced garlic

squeeze of honey

Make the filling: Sprinkle chopped bok choy with 1 tbsp salt and mix well. Let sit to extract water from the cabbage. After 10 mins rinse in running cold water for 2-3 minutes to remove salt. Place cabbage, carrots and mushroom on cutting board and rock knife back and forth over filling until finely minced. Heat pan with 1 tsp oil over medium-low heat and add garlic and ginger. Cook for 2 minutes and add filling and cook for 2 minutes. Remove to bowl and let cool completely

Make the dough:Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).

Make the Potstickers: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc. Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking - about 1/16th inch. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.

To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes. Serve with sauce

Sleeping In?

I overheard someone at church last night explain to another that the Saturday evening service was for those who liked to sleep in on Sunday. This is not necessarily true. The first Sunday morning service starts in half an hour and this morning I've already been to the gym and made a bit of jam (same as the cherry, and with the no sugar needed pectin. It's happiness in a jar really).

So the Saturday evening service? Entirely more noble than just sleeping in--one day each week where I have absolutely no requirement or need to blow dry my hair or do my makeup. Yep. Okay so I'll admit it's the same thing as wanting to sleep in. But a girl really just needs a day in sweats...

Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes

I recently posted an update on this recipe with a few lessons learned...here


We have this fabulous breakfast place in downtown Denver called Snooze. I pretty much love any and every breakfast place but Snooze reigns supreme when it comes to pancakes. They have pancake flights so you don't have to choose just one flavor of pancake, but if one is forced into a one pancake limitation, the pineapple upside-down pancakes are fabulous. The first time I went to Snooze, I ordered a savory brekkie since I don't really crave sweets in the morning then ended up eating Nitro's pancakes right out from under him. I went on a personal quest to find/figure out the recipe for the pineapple pancakes. I actually found the instructions that Snooze shared (but not the actual pancake recipe) and made that a couple of months ago. Today, I tried again with a few alterations of my own. And as today was my last *free* day prior to starting my new job, I went all out and made an entire pancake flight. On the menu as well were blueberry pancakes, and banana pancakes ala Jack Johnson.

Cinnamon butter is essential to the pineapple pancakes, but is pretty fabulous on the others.

5 tbsp softened butter

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp cinnamon.

Mix ingredients, roll into log in wax paper and place in refrigerator to harden.

Vanilla Crème:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Basic Buttermilk Pancakes:

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp melted butter

Whisk together dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix gently to combine taking care not to overmix. Set aside to allow batter to hydrate for 15 mins. (For banana pancakes, I pulled out about a cup of batter and added it to half a mashed banana)

For the pineapple pancakes, dice 1 cup fresh pineapple. Melt 2 tbsp butter on high and add 1/3 cup packed brown sugar to create a caramel. Add pineapple and cook on high, stirring constantly. The pineapple will release a lot of juice and the goal is to evaporate as much of this juice without overcooking the pineapple.



Heat nonstick griddle on medium heat. Pour pancake batter onto griddle and top with pineapple mixture (or blueberries). Flip when bubble rise and pop and edges appear firm. Store pancakes on plate in warm oven while cooking the rest. The batter will yield approximately 16 six inch pancakes.


Top with slices of cinnamon butter and vanilla crème .
Pineapple upside-down, blueberry and banana pancakes--that's a lot of food. Better for a weekend with friends. I'm not sure what I was thinking.

Too Much Work

While I've made cucumber and avocado rolls on occasion, I've never gone all out on sushi. I'm a firm believer that you kind of have to try everything in the kitchen once. And the verdict? While not difficult, it is a whole lot of effort. When you go out for sushi, you get all the variety and the satisfaction of not having to have made it. I won't say that about many foods.

Cookbook #2 Gourmet Cookbook

This logic is going to be painful to some. And to those of us who love dinnerware and entertaining, this will make perfect sense.

I was having some friends over for dinner and cosmos. We had prepurchased tickets to a particular "you are still going to stand in a long line for an hour to be seated" type of movie. It was my friend Mel's B-day and this was her b-day choice--wise woman. And we wanted to take her to the Landmark Theatres at Belleview for a little VIP theater experience. It's a pretty fun little theater where the popcorn and drinks are included with the slightly elevated ticket price and a couple of dollars extra buys you VIP seating and waiters at your seats. What genius is that? I sense it will be movie wave of the future. But I digress.

I knew exactly where my starting point for the dinner menu would be. These dishes. I needed to have this dinner with these dishes, and the food choice itself was second to that. I love these pink and brown pasta dishes even though they do not match any other dishes that I have. And this movie called for pink dishes. So I scoured my Italian cookbooks--but could not find anything appropriate. It could not be red sauce, it would clash with the pink. This dish had to be something the bday girl would like, while complementing these dishes. And then I found it...the recipe that was befitting both Mel's bday and the pink dishes-- Butternut Squash, Sage and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown Butter . Mel orders that when we go out so I knew it was the recipe immediately. And as complicated as it sounds, it was super duper easy, just a bit time consuming.

My cookbook for this adventure was Gourmet Magazine's Gourmet Cookbook, which is really just a hefty compilation of their recipes. About 950 pages worth of compilation. So while I did make something from this cookbook, it's hard to say I've actually *experienced* it. One recipe out of over a thousand? Ouch. The recipe was easy to follow and the hardest part was ensuring the tight seal around each ravioli so that they wouldn't burst open in the water. The only substitution I made was skipping the hazelnuts and throwing fresh sage into the brown butter. They sizzle up crispy and add such an aromatic flavor to the butter. I keep sage in a pitcher pretty much all summer long, just for sage brown butter.


And then for the topper, a little parmesan, and these...

Yes, they are cookies. Delicious, fabulous, european cookies. And while I thought Giada was a bit nuts when I saw her grating a cookie over her sage brown butter pasta , I also thought it sounded intriguing. And it was delicious. My skeptical friends also became converts themselves. There is just a mild almond sweetness that pairs with the saltiness of the butter and the parmesan perfectly. Mangia, mangia.