The Daring Bakers

Graham Crackers and Nanaimo Bars

Before this Daring Bakers challenge, I had never heard of a Nanaimo Bar before. They were originally made in the city of Nanaimo, which is in British Columbia, Canada. I had a really fun time making these.... especially the graham cracker part. Even though the graham crackers were good, I probably won't make them from scratch next time I make these bars (and there definitely will be a next time). I'll probably just grind up the ones straight from the box because it's quicker that way. I'm just being honest.

Once I made the bottom layer, I was in love. If you like those Girl Scout cookies called Samoas, you will also be in love with these. That's what the bottom layer tastes like.
You could easily make these gluten free, but to save money, I just used the wheat flour that I already had on hand. I'll post the gluten free recipe if you'd rather make them that way.

.... Now on with the recipe:


Graham Crackers

*To make these gluten free, replace the wheat flour with the following:
1 cup Sweet rice flour (AKA glutinous rice flour)
3/4 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour
1/2 cup Sorghum Flour

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons wheat flour
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
7 Tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen)
1/3 cup honey
5 Tablespoons whole milk
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pulse on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off, until the mixture is in the consistency of a coarse meal. No chunks of butter should be visible.

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky.

Turn the dough onto a surface well-floured and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.

Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. The dough will be quite sticky, so flour as necessary. Cut into 4 x 4 inch squares (I did some rectangles, too). Gather the scraps together and set aside. Place wafers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 30-45 minutes. Repeat with the second batch of dough.

Adjust the rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat oven to 350-degrees.
Gather the scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll. Dust the surface with more flour and roll out the dough to get a couple more wafers.
Prick the wafers with toothpick or fork, not all the way through, tin two or more rows.

Bake for 12-25 minutes (wheat flour will cook quicker than the gluten free flours), until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.
When cooled completely, place enough wafers in food processor to make 1 1/4 cups of crumbs. Another way to do this is to place in a large ziplock bag, force all air out and smash with a rolling pin until wafers are crumbs.
Once you've make the graham cracker crumbs, you are ready to make the Nanaimo Bars....


Nanaimo Bars

Ingredients:

Bottom layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
1 cup coconut (I used unsweetened because it's what I had on hand)

Middle layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons heavy cream
2 Tablespoons vanilla custard powder (I used vanilla pudding mix)
2 cups confectioner's sugar

Top layer
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter


Directions:

Bottom layer
Melt butter, sugar, and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 x 8-inch pan.

Middle layer
Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and confectioner's sugar together well. Beat until light in color. Spread over bottom layer.

Top layer
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.

These bars freeze very well.
Also, the graham crackers may be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

The January 2010 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipes on are 101 Cookbooks and http://www.nanaimo.ca/.

Merry Christmas 2009

Christmas Gingerbread House

The December 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers' everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.


I chose to make the dough recipe from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book for my gingerbread house. I made the one from Good Housekeeping first, and I was not pleased with the taste of the dough. My mom is going to squirm when she reads that I threw away that dough. I started fresh with the Scandinavian recipe, and I am so glad I did. It smelled like gingerbread (duh!) and the dough tasted good, too! Bingo! So I made the dough, and sketched out random shapes to cut for the house (above).

I had to add several more tablespoons of water to my dough until it got to the right consistency. And make sure not to overmix the dough because you'll overdevelop the gluten and make the dough tough and shrinky. While it sat in the fridge, I sketched out different ideas for decorations. Aubrey and I went to the store to buy some candy.
This dough can easily be frozen and then thawed when you are ready to roll it. The baked pieces can also be tightly wrapped in plastic and frozen for assembly later.

I used some chocolate covered sunflower seeds for the candles in the window, the wreath above the front door, and the lights lining the roof. These are my favorite parts of the house.

I glued other candies on the house with royal icing. Everything on the house is edible. I also used some Wilton icing for snow and embellished with white sugar crystals to give it a shimmer.

I had so much fun making this house. Aubrey and I have some friends that have 2 children. We took it to them on Christmas Eve, and the kids absolutely loved it. The candy sidewalk disappeared first. Then the gumdrops on the roof. Then the candy canes. Then it was time to put it away so Santa would have some to eat when he came to visit.

Ingredients:
Scandinavian Gingerbread (Pepparkakstuga)
from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, well packed
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup boiling water (plus more, if needed.... which you probably will)
5 cups all-purpose flour

I just love the wreath!

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the dough along with the flour. Mix to make a stiff dough. If necessary add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or overnight.

Cut patterns for the house, making patterns for the roof, front walls, side walls, door, chimney, gables (whatever you'd like to make) out of cardboard. I just used paper, and it worked fine. It just got a little greasy, but they are thrown away anyway after I cut out the dough.

Roll the dough out on a large, ungreased baking sheet and place the patterns on the dough. Mark off the various pieces with a knife or pizza cutter, but leave the pieces in place. (I rolled out the dough on a floured bench, roughly 1/8-inch thick... the dough puffs a little when baked.... Then I cut out the shapes and transferred these to the baking sheet. Any scraps I saved and rerolled at the end.

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. After baking, again place the pattern on top of the gingerbread and trim the shapes, cutting the edges with a straight-edged knife or pizza cutter. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.

Decorate the cookies and let decorations dry before assembling the house.

To assemble the house, I just used the Royal Icing recipe that I'm most comfortable with:

Royal Icing
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tablespoons meringue powder
5 Tablespoons water

Mix together for the base icing... store in an airtight container until ready to use. This icing is too thick to pipe at this point.
When ready, scoop out the amount of icing you need to glue the house together. Add water to the icing, 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it's the right consistency. You don't want it too thin; just thin enough to pipe.
I also used Royal Icing to draw windows, doors, and roof.

If you'd rather stick the house together with simple syrup, you can place 2 cups sugar in a small saucepan and heat until just boiling and the sugar dissolves. Dredge or brush the edges of the pieces to glue them together. If the syrup crystallizes, remake it.

Daring Baker's September 2009 Challenge

Saute of Louisiana Crawfish Vols-au-Vent

The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon. She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan.

When Aubrey and I stayed at the Madewood Plantation, we had the most amazing creamy crawfish mixture served in a puff pastry bowl. I wanted to make it, but I'd given up on finding a recipe... much less knowing how to make a puff pastry bowl. Well, (low and behold) a few days later, I got our daring baker's challenge..... Vol-au-Vent, which is a puff pastry bowl. We could fill it with anything we wanted, and my search continued for this creamy crawfish mixture. Emeril, you're the best!!! The Vols-au-Vent is a layered dough. It was very similar to the dough I made for the Braided Danish, so I was a little familiar with how it worked (as well as how much time it takes to make).

It started off as a small dinner with just Aubrey and me. It's not so intimidating cooking for just Aubrey because I've had my share of embarrassments messing up recipes and having to order pizza or Chinese take-out... I don't get embarrassed anymore. But when he suggested having a dinner party I have to admit I was a little nervous. Well, a lot nervous is more like it. I don't think I've ever had people over and cooked something I've never made before... much less a Daring Bakers Challenge. I'm blessed to have a husband that believes in me (and my cooking) so much that he knew it would be just fine. It ended up being one of the best things I've put in my mouth, and I couldn't have done it without Aubrey's help with prepping the food and being the taster when adding the ingredients in the Crawfish Saute.

It was so much fun making the puff pastry from scratch, and I can now check this off my list. However, when I make this Crawfish recipe in the future, it will be much quicker to use the frozen puff pastry dough straight from the grocery store freezer section (unless my daring side comes out again).

First, I'll give the recipe and directions for the Vols-au-Vent. At the bottom will be the recipe for the Saute of Louisiana Crawfish.

Vols-au-Vent

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups cake flour

1 Tablespoon salt (you can cut this by half for a less salty dough or for sweet preparations)

1 1/4 cups ice water

1 pound very cold unsalted butter

extra flour for dusting work surface

Directions:

Mixing the dough
Put the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse a couple of times to mix. Add the water all at once, pulsing until the dough forms a ball on the blade. The dough will be very moist and pliable and will hold together when squeezed between your fingers... kinda like Play-Doh.

Remove the dough from the machine, and form it into a ball. With a small sharp knife, slash the top in a tic-tac-toe pattern. Wrap the dough in a damp towel and refrigerate for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the butter between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and beat it with a rolling pin until it flattens into a square that's about 1-inch thick. Take care that the butter remains cool and firm; if it has softened or become oily, chill it before continuing.

Incorporating the Butter

Unwrap the dough and place it on a work surface dusted with all-purpose flour. With your rolling pin, press on the dough to flatten it and then roll it into a 10-inch square. Keep the top and bottom of the dough well floured to prevent sticking and lift the dough and move it around frequently. Starting from the center of the square, roll out over each corner to create a thick center pad with "ears" or flaps.

Place the cold butter in the middle of the dough and fold the ears over the butter, stretching them as needed so that they overlap slightly and encase the butter completely. You should now have a package that is about 8-inches square.

To make great puff pastry, it is important to make sure the dough is cold at all times. There are specified times for chilling the dough, but if your room is warm, or you work slowly, or you find that for no particular reason the butter starts to ooze out of the pastry, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. You can stop at any point in the process and continue at your convenience or when the dough is properly chilled.

Making the Turns

Gently but firmly press the rolling pin against the top and bottom edges of the square (this will help keep it square). Then, keeping the work surface and the top of the dough well floured to prevent sticking, roll the dough into a rectangle that is three times as long as the square you started with, about 24-inches (don't worry about the width of the rectangle: if you get the 24-inches, everything else will work itself out). With this first roll, it is particularly important that the butter be rolled evenly along the length and width of the rectangle: check when you start rolling that the butter is moving along well, and roll a bit harder or more evenly, if necessary, to get a smooth, even dough-butter sandwich (use your arm-strength).

With a pastry brush, brush off the excess flour from the top of the dough, and fold the rectangle up from the bottom and down from the top in thirds, like a business letter, brushing off the excess flour. You have completed the first turn.

Rotate the dough so that the closed fold is to your left, like the spine of a book. Repeat the rolling and folding process, rolling the dough to a length of 24-inches and then folding it in thirds. This is the second turn.

Chilling the Dough

If the dough is still cool and no butter is oozing out, you can give the dough another two turns now. If the condition of the dough is iffy, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. Each time you refrigerate the dough, mark the number of turns you've completed by indenting the dough with your fingertips. It is best to refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes between each set of two turns.

The total number of turns needed is six. If you prefer, you can give the dough just four turns now, chill it overnight, and do the last two turns the next day. Puff pastry is extremely flexible in this regard. However, no matter how you arrange your schedule, you should plan to chill the dough for at least an hour before cutting or shaping it.

Forming and Baking the Vols-au-Vent

Yield: 1/3 of the puff pastry recipe below will yield about 8-10 1.5-inch vols-au-vent or 4 4-inch vols-au-vent

You will need the following:
Well chilled puff pastry dough (see recipe above)

Egg wash (1 egg or yolk beaten with a small amount of water)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Using a knife or metal bench scraper, divide your chilled puff pastry dough into three equal pieces. Work with one piece of the dough, and leave the rest wrapped and chilled. (If you are looking to make more vols-au-vent than the yield stated above, you can roll and cut the remaining two pieces of dough as well... if not, then leave refrigerated for the time being or prepare it for longer-term freezer storage. See "Tips" section below for more storage info).

On a lightly floured surface, roll the piece of dough into a rectangle about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Transfer it to the baking sheet and refrigerate for about 10 minutes before proceeding with the cutting.

For smaller hors d'oeuvre sized vols-au-vent, use a 1.5-inch round cutter to cut out 8-10 circles. For larger sized vols-au-vent, use a 1.5-inch round cutter to cut out 8-10 circles. For larger sized vols-au-vent, fit for a main course or dessert, use a 4-inch cutter to cut out about 4 circles. Make clean sharp cuts and try not to twist your cutters back and forth or drag your knife through the dough. Half of these rounds will be for the bases, and the other half will be for the sides. (Save any scrap by stacking-not wadding up- the pieces.... they can be re-rolled and used if you need extra dough. If you do need to re-roll scrap to get enough disks, be sure to use any rounds cut from it for the bases, not the ring-shaped sides).

Using a 3/4-inch cutter for small vols-au-vent, or a 2 to 2.5-inch round cutter for large, cut the centers from half of the rounds to make rings. These rings will become the sides of the vols-au-vent, while the solid disks will be the bottoms. You can either save the center cut-outs to bake off as little "caps" for your vols-au-vent, or put them in the scrap pile.

Dock the solid bottom rounds with a fork (prick them lightly, making sure not to go all the way through the pastry and lightly brush them with egg wash. Place the rings directly on top of the bottom rounds and very lightly press them to adhere. Brush the top rings lightly with egg wash, trying not to drip any down the sides (which may inhibit rise). If you are using the little "caps," dock and egg wash them as well.

Refrigerate the assembled vols-au-vent on the lined baking sheet while you pre-heat the oven to 400-degrees. You could also cover and refrigerate them for a few hours at this point.

Once the oven is heated, remove the sheet from the refrigerator and place a silicon baking mat (preferred because of its weight) or another sheet of parchment over top of the shells. This will help them rise evenly. Bake the shells until they have risen and begin to brown, about 10-15 minutes depending on their size. Reduce the oven temp to 350-degrees, and remove the silicon mat or parchment sheet from the top of the vols-au-vent. If the centers have risen up inside the vols-au-vent, you can gently press them down. Continue baking (with no sheet on top) until the layers are golden, about 15-20 minutes more. (If you are baking the center "caps" they will likely be finished well ahead of the shells, so keep an eye on them and remove them from the oven when browned).

Remove to a rack to cool. Cool to room temperature for cold fillings or to warm for hot fillings.

Fill and serve.

***TIPS***

*Although they are at their best filled and eaten soon after baking, baked vols-au-vent shells can be stored airtight for a day.

*Shaped, unbaked vols-u-vent can be wrapped and frozen for up to a month (bake from frozen, egg-washing them first).

* Unshaped, unbaked puff pastry dough: Roll into a sheet about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick and freeze firm on a lined baking sheet. Then you can easily wrap the sheet in plastic, then foil (and if you have a sealable plastic bag big enough, place the wrapped dough inside) and return to the freezer for up to a few months. Defrost in the refrigerator when ready to use.

*Homemade puff pastry is precious stuff, so save any clean scraps. Stack or overlap them, rather than balling them up, to help keep the integrity of the layers. Then give them a single "turn" and gently re-roll. Scrap puff can be used for applications where a super-high rise is not necessary (such as palmiers, cheese straws, napoleons, or even the bottom bases for your vols-au-vent).

Saute of Louisiana Crawfish

(for the filling)

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup minced onions

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

1 pound Louisiana Crawfish tails (I bought these in the freezer section in my grocery store)

Essence (recipe below)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Worcestershire sauce

Hot sauce

3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

6 medium Vols-au-Vent puff pastries
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue to saute for 1 minute. Season the crawfish with Essence. Add the crawfish to the onions. Continue to saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream. Season with Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Reseason if necessary. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Remove from the heat. Spoon the crawfish sauce in the center of each puff pastry. Garnish with the remaining parsley and cheese.

Essence:
2 1/2 Tablespoons paprika

2 Tablespoons salt

2 Tablespoons garlic powder

1 Tablespoon black pepper

1 Tablespoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 Tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield about 2/3 cup

Source: Emeril

The Daring Kitchen June Challenge

Bakewell Tart...er...pudding

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.

I really enjoyed making this month's challenge. I bought some cherry jam from a local Farmer's Market, and it paired perfectly with the almond flavor. Since I don't have a tart pan (it's on my wish list), I just used a muffin pan and made mini tarts. I also halved the recipe because the good Lord knows I don't need all of these tarts sitting on my thighs and rear.


Bakewell Tart…er…pudding

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

Tart Assembly Ingredients
One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour for dusting
1cup jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful of whole almonds

Assembling the tart
Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimated for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart.


Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.

The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.
When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.

Sweet shortcrust pastry
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, frozen
2 egg yolks
½ tsp almond extract
1-2 Tablespoons cold water

Directions
Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

Frangipane
Ingredients
4.5oz unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs
½ tsp almond extract
1 cup ground almonds (I used almond meal)
¼ cup all purpose flour

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in color and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle, but don’t panic. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow color.

Daring Bakers

Strudel

This month's Daring Bakers challenge was a strudel. We had room to get creative and pick what we wanted to make for the filling. Since we don't really "need" sweets, I chose to do a savory filling so we could have it for dinner. I think this is probably one of my favorite meals that I've made since our time being married. The dough is amazing. It's really buttery and flaky.
I'll definitely make this again. I may try to experiment with other fillings, as well.


Don't let the dough scare you when it says to roll out into a certain size and shape. My dough was not perfect by any means. I had a couple of holes in it, and the shape was crazy weird. Just make sure it's paper thin. I split the recipe in half, which would probably feed about 4 people. I used a non-stick mat to form the dough instead of a tablecloth.


Preparing the Strudel
Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.
Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of melted butter over the dough using your hands (I used a silicone brush). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the meat filling about 3 inches from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip


Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit.

Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the 1 and 1/2 tablespoons melted butter.

Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.


Strudel dough

from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers
1 1/3 cups unbleached flour (I used bread flour)
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.
2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can. Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.
4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.


Beef Filling
recipe adapted from wikia

2 lb ground round, best quality lean
1 large yellow onions, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced fine
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced fine
2 tablespoons butter
1 sprig fresh thyme, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1 leaf of fresh sage, chopped
1-2 tablespoon plain breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
8 ounces sour cream
1 egg, beaten
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

Saute chopped onion and peppers in butter until translucent. Add ground meat and bread crumbs and brown well. Transfer meat mixture to large bowl and allow to cool slightly. Season with fresh herbs, salt, pepper and paprika; add sour cream and beaten egg, mixing thoroughly. Allow mixture to cool completely in refrigerator, about 15-30 minutes.

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

Daring Bakers March Challenge

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.



I was so excited to see that the March Daring Bakers challenge was one I could make for dinner. I was a little hesitant about the pasta because Aubrey doesn't really like spinach very much. He said the dough looked like alien food. The end result was amazing with both of us going for seconds. Aubrey even said that I could sell this in a fine Italian restaurant.
I'm lucky to have a pasta maker (thanks to Santa), so I didn't have to do all of the rolling by hand. Whew! However, I did do all of the kneading by hand.
I love the white sauce in it, and the meat sauce was probably the best I've ever had. I've never ground my own meat before, but it was simple as pie.
I halved the pasta recipe, but I made the full recipe of both sauces. I actually used the whole white sauce recipe, and I had a little of the meat sauce left over that I froze.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna

(Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)#1
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)#2
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows)#3
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method Working Ahead:
The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagna can wait at room temperature about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:
Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta:
Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagna from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagna:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagna:
Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagna. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagna, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

#1 Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)
Preparation: 45 minutes
Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

Ingredients:
2 jumbo eggs
10 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 and 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached (plain) flour

Directions:
Mixing the dough:
Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:
With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:
If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.
Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.
Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagna, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm).

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

#2 Bechamel

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose unbleached (plain) flour
2 and 2/3 cups milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Directions:
Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.

#3 Country Style Ragu (Ragu alla Contadina)

Preparation Time: Ingredient Preparation Time 30 minutes and Cooking time 2 hours

Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound dried pasta)

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced
1 small carrot, minced
4 ounces boneless veal shoulder or round
4 ounces pork loin, trimmed of fat, or 4 ounces mild Italian sausage (made without fennel)
8 ounces beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut
1 ounce thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
2/3 cup dry red wine
1 and 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock
2 cups milk
3 canned plum tomatoes, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Working Ahead:
The ragu can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. It also freezes well for up to 1 month. Skim the fat from the ragu before using it.

Browning the Ragu Base:
Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.

Reducing and Simmering:
Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Chocolate Valentino (Flourless Chocolate Cake)

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. They have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan. This cake is a flourless chocolate cake and definitely the best chocolate cake I've ever had. It's really moist and fluffy. I paired my chocolate cake with White Chocolate Ice Cream and Lean Chocolate Sauce from my favorite ice cream cookbook "The Perfect Scoop" by David Lebovits.
The ice cream was really good, but if you don't like white chocolate, you obviously won't like it. I loved the Lean Chocolate Sauce. I think it will be my "go to" recipe for chocolate sauce. Lebovits calls it "lean" because it's not made with the heavy whipping cream that many are made of.


Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
16 ounces of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

Directions:
1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.


White Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients:
8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream

Directions:
Put the chocolate pieces in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer over the white chocolate. Stir until the white chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, then stir in the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.


Lean Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup light corn syrup
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:
Whisk the water, cocoa powder, and corn syrup together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate pieces, stirring until melted and smooth. Serve warm.

Storage:
This sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Rewarm it gently in a microwave or by stirring in a saucepan over very low heat.

Daring Bakers January '09 Challenge

Touile Cookies

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux. I've worked with this batter before when I made fortune cookies, so I was glad to have something familiar (for once). I used a recipe for the Nutella flavored whipped cream that I found on the Cherrapeno blog to fill the touile cookies. These are so crisp and light tasting, and the airy whipped cream was the perfect addition (not too sweet).

Ingredients:
¼ cup softened butter
½ cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons of sugar mixed with a drop of vanilla extract
2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
1/2 cup sifted all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice
Butter/spray to grease baking sheet

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F
Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not over mix. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as a butterfly, circle, leaf, etc (I used the circle). Press the stencil on the baking sheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. Mix a small part of the batter with the cocoa and a few drops of warm water until evenly colored. Use this colored batter in a paper piping bag and proceed to pipe decorations on the wings and body of the butterfly.
Bake stenciled batter in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from baking sheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time or maybe put them in the oven to warm them up again. Or: place a baking sheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.
If you don’t want to do stencil shapes, you might want to transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe the desired shapes and bake. Shape immediately after baking using for instance a rolling pin, a broom handle, cups, cones, etc.

Nutella Whipped Cream:
Whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream to soft peaks. Add 3 tablespoons of Nutella and whip until combined. Pipe onto the touile cookies.

The Daring Bakers Caramel Challange

Caramel, Caramel, Caramel

This month's challenge has 2 different recipes:
Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels and
Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting
The caramels were optional, but I felt a little daring, and I made them. I'm so glad I did because they were my favorite. The cake was okay, but a little dense for my liking. I like the light and fluffy cakes the best. However, the frosting was to die for. I'm sure I'll make it again.

About the Hosts of the November Challenge:

Helping Dolores host this month are Alex (Brownie of the Blondie and Brownie duo), Jenny of Foray into Food . And since none of us know jack about alternative baking, we’ve once again turned to Natalie of Gluten-a-Go-Go to assist us. Our leading lady this month is Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater and her signature caramel cake.

RECIPE SOURCE
Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting courtesy of Shuna Fish Lydon , as published on Bay Area Bites . Shuna Fish Lydon’s recipe Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich, Artisan Press, Copyright 2007, ISBN: 978-1579652111 If you’re looking for additional guidance on the cake, Shuna’s got some great information posted here as well as here.

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Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels
- makes eighty-one 1-inch caramels -
I was excited about this month's challenge because I was ready for something sweet after 2 months of savory. The last piece of caramel is now gone, and I'm so sad because they were so creamy and good..... a little more chewy than the Brach's caramels, but much better taste. The taste was almost identical to Worther's Original toffee candies. Below the recipe are different ways to flavor your caramels.



Ingredients:
1 cup golden syrup (I substituted 1/3 cup molasses + 2/3 cup light corn syrup)
2 cups sugar
3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons pure ground vanilla beans, purchased or ground in a coffee or spice grinders, or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks, softened

Directions:
Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil. Combine the golden syrup, sugar, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to simmer around the edges. Wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes. (Meanwhile, rinse the spatula or spoon before using it again later.) Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more. Attach the candy thermometer to the pan, without letting it touch the bottom of the pan, and cook, uncovered (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 305°F.


Meanwhile, combine the cream and ground vanilla beans (not the extract... if using extract, add at the end... directions below) in a small saucepan and heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot.

When the sugar mixture reaches 305°F, turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically, so be careful. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently. Stir until any thickened syrup at the bottom of the pan is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, to about 245°F. Then cook, stirring constantly, to 260°f for soft, chewy caramels or 265°F; for firmer chewy caramels.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, if using it.

Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight until firm.

Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper. Peel off the liner. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife. Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane.

Variations:

Fleur de Sel Caramels: Extra salt, in the form of fleur de sel or another coarse flaked salt, brings out the flavor of the caramel and offers a little ying to the yang. Add an extra scant 1/4 teaspoon of coarse sea salt to the recipe. Or, to keep the salt crunchy, let the caramel cool and firm. Then sprinkle with two pinches of flaky salt and press it in. Invert, remove the pan liner, sprinkle with more salt. Then cut and wrap the caramels in wax paper or cellophane.

Nutmeg and Vanilla Bean Caramels: Add 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg to the cream before you heat it.

Cardamom Caramels: Omit the vanilla. Add 1/2 teaspoon slightly crushed cardamom seeds (from about 15 cardamom pods) to the cream before heating it. Strain the cream when you add it to the caramel; discard the seeds.

Caramel Sauce: Stop cooking any caramel recipe or variation when it reaches 225°F or, for a sauce that thickens like hot fudge over ice cream, 228°F. Pour it into a sauce boat to serve or into a heatproof jar for storage. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for ages and reheated gently in the microwave or a saucepan just until hot and flowing before use. You can stir in rum or brandy to taste. If the sauce is too thick or stiff to serve over ice cream, it can always be thinned with a little water or cream. Or, if you like a sauce that thickens more over ice cream, simmer it for a few minutes longer. (recipe from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert)
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Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting

I decided to make cupcakes out of this recipe because I don't think I'd be able to make this cake look pretty. I drizzled some of the caramel syrup on top of the cupcake before eating it. This syrup is so good, I could just drink it straight. This cupcake will definitely give you a sugar rush. Like I said above, I don't think I'll make this cake recipe again because it's too dense for my liking, but the icing will be a good recipe to keep on hand.

Ingredients:

Cake
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature

Caramel Syrup
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelizing process)

Caramelized Butter Frosting
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste


Directions:

Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 9-inch cake pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.
Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.
Sift flour and baking powder.
Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}
Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan.
Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it.
Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.

**Note: I made about 18 cupcakes with this batter, and I cooked for about 12 minutes then rotated pans and cooked another 10 to 12 minutes until a toothpick came out of the batter clean.


Caramel Syrup
In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.
When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back. *** I put aluminum foil over the pot and poked a hole in the center. I poured the water in through a funnel so it wouldn't splatter on me.
Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.}

Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

Caramelized Butter Frosting
Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.
Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.
Note: Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month.To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light
(recipes above courtesy of Shuna Fish Lydon)

Enjoy!