More Posts to Come.....

Hi everyone!  I am busily packing to move into our new home.  As soon as I pack, move, unpack, and settle in, I will get back to writing posts.  I hope you have been enjoying all of the baking information I have shared thus far. 

Take care, and Happy Baking!

Pam

What is a "Jalousie Tart"

According to the “Food Lover’s Companion” the definition of Jalousie is “a small cake made with flaky pastry, filled with almond paste topped with jam.  A lattice pastry topping allows the colorful jam filling to peek through.

There are dozens of versions of this tart using many different kinds of fruit for the filling.  Basically you take a sheet of puff pastry, roll it into a rectangle, and fill it with almond paste and sweetened fruit.  Make slits on a second sheet of puff pastry and cover the fruit.  Crimp the edges, brush on an egg wash and bake.  Use whatever fruit is in season.

Here is a picture of a Nectarine Jalousie Tart from Jamie’s blog “Life’s A Feast.”  Jamie actually makes her own puff pastry from scratch! 

Photo by "Life's A Feast"

Check out Jamie’s recipe over at:  

 www.lifesafeast.blogspot.com

Happy baking,

Pam



Super Spud Brownies

Photo from Taste of Home Magazine

I came across this interesting recipe for brownies from the Taste of Home website.   It includes mashed potatoes as an ingredient!   Next time you have leftover potatoes you can try this brownie recipe to use them up:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
• Confectioners' sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, sugars, oil, eggs and vanilla.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to potato mixture. Fold in pecans if desired. Transfer to a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350°for 23-27 minutes or until toothpick inserted nearthe center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars. Yield: 16 servings.

Next time you want to bring brownies to a potluck, bring these and see if anyone can guess the secret ingredient! 

Happy baking,

Pam

Gale Gand, Executive Pastry Chef

Photo by chicagomag.com

Gale Gand is a nationally acclaimed pastry chef, cookbook author, restaurateur, and television personality.

In 1994, she was one of Food & Wine’s “Top Ten Best New Chefs.”  She was then recognized in 2001 as “Outstanding Pastry Chef” by the James Beard Foundation, and “Pastry Chef of the Year” by Bon Appetite magazine.

Gale has been the Executive Pastry Chef and partner of “TRU” restaurant in Chicago for over 12 years.  TRU offers French cuisine at its finest.  Some of Gale’s mouth-watering desserts include “honey crisp apple beignet with vanilla ice cream, and a mango, champagne, huckleberry trio of sorbet and orange confit.”

The Food Network asked Gale to host its first all dessert show called “Sweet Dreams.”  This was one of my favorite shows to watch.  I can still remember her making her famous sugar “boing boings.”  She caramelized sugar and wound it around a stick.  When it cooled, it looked like a long curly stick of sugar used to garnish desserts.

In 2008, two of Gale’s desserts were featured at the USA House at the Beijing Olympics.  She has also taught pastry and baking at her children’s schools.  What lucky kids they are!  

If that is not enough, Gale has her own root beer company!  She is a huge fan of root beer and produces “Gale’s Root Beer,” a cinnamon, ginger and vanilla infused root beer.  I don’t know about you, but that sounds awesome!  She also makes a good vanilla cream soda.  Her products can be ordered on-line.

Here is one of Gale’s recipes that she used to make at a restaurant she owned called “Osteria di Tramonto.”  It’s called Almond Ciabatta French Toast:

Ingredients

3 eggs
2 pinches salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ almond extract
1¼ cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream
Eight 1-inch slices ciabatta
1 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Heat a griddle to medium low heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs well. Whisk in the salt, sugar, vanilla, almond extract. Gradually whisk in the milk and the cream. Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish. Working in batches if necessary, place the bread in the dish and let soak for 3 minutes, then turn and soak on the other side.

Place the almonds in a shallow bowl big enough to fit the bread slices. Butter your griddle and let the butter bubble. Just before placing the soaked bread slices on the griddle, press one side of the bread into the almonds then quickly slap it on the griddle, almond side down. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook until speckled golden brown. Serve hot.

Gale was once asked if she hadn’t been a pastry chef, what would she have done for a living?  Her response was “a classical guitar player or a garden landscaper.”  I’m so glad she decided to be a pastry chef!

For more recipes and fun facts about Gale, you can visit www.galegand.com 

Pam

Source: galegand.com

Tips on Making Good Pie Crusts

Here are some great tips from Good Housekeeping on how to make the perfect pie crust:

One of the keys to successful pie dough making is using only cold ingredients.  Cold butter or shortening helps to achieve a flakier pastry.  Using ice water when making pie dough helps to keep all of the ingredients at a cool temperature.  Only use enough water to bring the dough together.  Too much water will toughen the dough, and too little water will yield a crumbly texture.

Always roll your pie dough out on a smooth, flat surface, working from the center toward the edges.  If you are rolling out your pie dough between two pieces of wax paper, place a few drops of water on the counter to prevent the paper from sliding around.

When handling the pie dough work as quickly and lightly as possible.  If you press too hard while rolling it out, you will smash the bits of cold fat.  If you take too long to roll the dough, the fat will begin to melt.  The fat needs to stay cold to obtain a flaky crust.  Also, do not add excess flour, as that will toughen the dough.

Roll out your dough approximately 3” larger in diameter than your pie pan.  Place the rolling pin at the top of the round and carefully pull the dough up over it.  Loosely roll up the dough onto the rolling pin.  Lift up the dough covered roller and place it over the pie pan. Slowly unroll the dough onto the pan, moving the rolling pin away from you.  Placing the dough in the pie pan this way will help you to not tear the dough.

To create a crimped pie edge, push one index finger against the outer edge of the rim between the index finger and thumb of the other hand on the inner edge of the rim.  Pinch to make a small crimp shape.  Repeat same step, going around the entire crust edge.  You can also use a fork to press around the edges of the dough for a crimped look.

When blind-baking the pie crust use a fork to poke small holes in the bottom of the crust to prevent it from puffing up.  Blind baking is necessary if the filling does not need to be cooked as long as the crust, or if you are making cream filled pies.

For more great tips on baking go to:

 www.goodhousekeeping.com/food/cooking/best-baking-tips

Happy baking,

Pam

Lemon Ricotta Blackberry Muffins - Review

Photo by Two Peas & Their Pod

When I came across this recipe from “Two Peas & Their Pod” I wasn’t sure if I wanted to try it.  I had made muffins containing ricotta cheese in the past, and they always turned out too moist.  But their combination of lemon and blackberry lured me in.  So this morning, I baked up a batch.  Here is the recipe for Lemon Ricotta Blackberry Muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup ricotta cheese (whole or low-fat is fine)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blackberries
Turbinado sugar-for sprinkling on muffin tops

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest and sugar together with your fingers. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar and lemon zest mixture together until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add the ricotta cheese and beat until smooth. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

3. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, fill each muffin cup half way with batter. Add three blackberries to each muffin cup. Top the muffins with remaining batter so blackberries are covered. Generously sprinkle turbinado sugar over each muffin top.

4. Bake muffins for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown. Let muffins cool for five minutes and serve.

Makes 12 muffins

I followed the recipe using part-skim ricotta.  After I used my microplane to zest the lemons, I finely chopped the lemon zest before adding it to the bowl (it’s just a habit of mine).  As I was mixing the dry ingredients with the ricotta mixture, I started to worry that the batter looked way too thick.  It was looking like a slightly moist cookie dough. 

I resisted the urge to add liquid, and scooped the batter into the prepared muffin cups.  Because my blackberries were so big, I could only press one on top of each muffin.  I pushed it down as far as I could, sprinkled the sugar on top and baked them. 

After a bit, my kitchen started to smell like luscious lemon sugar cookies!  I only hoped that they tasted as good as they smelled.  After they cooled a few minutes I tried one.  I have to say that the flavor was delicious, but I couldn’t help but think am I eating a muffin or a scone?  It had the texture of a good drop scone, drier than a muffin, but not as dry as a regular scone.  I loved it!

If you are a lover of lemon scones, you should try this recipe.  I think the next time I make these, I will omit the paper baking cups and just scoop them on a lined baking sheet.  Now, I need to go get my coffee and have another one!

Check out the Two Peas & Their Pod blog for more delicious recipes.

twopeasandtheirpod.com

Happy baking,
Pam

Fragrant Pumpkin Pie Spice

Believe it or not, it is time to start thinking about stocking up on fresh spices for the fall baking season.  I personally am looking forward to baking with pumpkin.  That means I will need to have plenty of pumpkin pie spice on hand.

Imagine what pumpkin pie would taste like without all of the warm spices included in pumpkin pie spice.  Pretty bland…right?  What about pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, and pumpkin ice cream?  Too many people think there is only one thing to use pumpkin pie spice for, and that’s pumpkin pie.  No so.

Like every other spice out there, it is very important to use it before it gets too old.  Spices start to lose their strength and do not provide enough flavor as time goes on.  What I like to do is put a date on the bottle when I get it home from the store.  That way I can keep track of how old the spice is.  There really isn’t a set life span for spices, so the best way to know if it is still good is to smell or taste it.  If the odor is too faint, then throw it out and buy new.

If you don’t have a jar of pumpkin pie spice on hand it is very easy to make your own.  You probably have all of the spices it takes to make some right in your pantry.  There are many different blends out there, but this recipe is pretty standard:

4 T. ground cinnamon

4 teaspoons ground nutmeg

4 teaspoons of ground ginger

3 teaspoons of ground allspice

Mix all of these spices together and store in an airtight jar.  Once again, be sure all of your spices are fresh to get the best aroma.

Interestingly enough, apple pie spice contains all of the same spices as pumpkin pie spice, except in different amounts.  You can even substitute pumpkin pie spice for garam masala in some Indian recipes.  Garam masala contains some of the same sweet spices in pumpkin pie spice. 

Fall is a great time for baking.  I hope you will keep pumpkin pie spice handy and use it often during the holidays.  It’s one of the spices I actually use up quickly and have to replace often. 

Happy baking,

Pam