Nectarine, Cheesecake and Gingersnap Tart

If you think that a long walk in the park isn't the solution to most problems, you are greatly mistaken. Well, I suppose it doesn't have to be in the park, but I truly believe that a nice, long walk is the key to gaining perspective. Recently, while I was on one of these contemplative walks I realized that I spent all winter dreaming of summer cooking and baking, but I have spent all summer (thus far) realizing that I have far less time to take advantage of it than I expected. Frustrated with myself, I realized that something had to change. Figuring out how to change things was a bit more of a challenge, because as it turns out, time isn't unlimited.

The 'aha' moment came later when I realized that although time may be limited, when it comes to cooking it can also be maximized. In my case I realized that not all cooking has to be laborious and complicated, in fact, sometimes it's better when its not. I would compare it to working out, just because you can't have a full work out, doesn't mean you shouldn't go to the gym at all. Perspective, you see? In the midst of all this I called to mind a recipe that I had seen in the winter for Nectarine and Mascarpone tart that called for all of 8 minutes of oven time, and some mixing and slicing. So, the dedicated food blogger within me reevaluated my time and made this at 11 pm; I was in bed at 12. Now that's one way to get a good night's sleep.

Being me, I had to make a few changes to the recipe, but overall I stuck with the original. The crust is made of crushed gingersnaps, which add a slightly spicy bite and pair perfectly with the juicy and ripe summer nectarines.

Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches

I have been wanting an ice cream maker for, like, ever. Every summer as the heat starts to weigh down on me I walk into Williams Sonoma and stare at the ice cream machines, my mind bubbling with ideas of all the ice cream flavors, both unique and classic, that I would be able to make if I had one. This summer, I finally bought one and in my three proud weeks as an ice cream maker-owner, I have had no regrets. Although all the experiments have turned out pretty delicious (how could they not?), my favorite so far* is the mint.

* I have a feeling I am going to have a lot of favorites this summer, so bear with me.

Made with market fresh mint, this ice cream tastes like the actual herb and nothing like toothpaste or mouthwash or anything else that is artificially mint flavored. Seriously, this is the good stuff. On its own the ice cream is pretty close to perfect, but after reading an ice cream sandwich round up in Time Out New York, I decided to follow the trend and take things to the next level. Do you remember those world peace cookies I made at Christmas time? Well if you don't, let me remind you. They are buttery, chocolatey rounds of goodness, souped up with some extra chocolate chunks. Good on their own? Absolutely. Combined with mint ice cream? Heaven.

Yes, these are pretty heavenly but that doesn't mean there are no strings attached. If I am going to be honest these are essentially antithesis to bathing suit season. On the bright side, however, these are pretty time consuming to make so they really are a special treat.

Mock Apple Pie

When you've been out of the kitchen and away for such a long time, it seems that cooking again can be daunting. During my travels I so much enjoyed having every delicious bite laid out for me, that the prospect of making anything myself seemed like a thing of the past. Now that I have returned home and settled in, I suddenly got the urge again, the desire to make something new and different. So I made something new and different, something I have never heard of before, Mock Apple Pie.

If anyone knows about this I would be curious to find out where and how they learned about it. When I saw this recipe I was immediately inspired to make it because it seemed so foreign for a riff on an All-American classic. You might wonder what it is if the apples in this really are 'mock.' Well, believe it or not, this crust is chock-full of a ritz cracker filling that has absorbed a mixture of cream of tartar, lemon juice and cinnamon. The original pictures fooled me and I imagine based on these pictures, you may have a hard time believing me too.

So, about the taste. When my mom tasted it she looked at me, slightly confused, and said, "wait, so what kind of apples did you use?" There is no doubt that this pie tastes like apples with a delicious hint of cinnamon.

Cherry Almond Bars

There are days when it feels like falling off the face of the earth would be fantastic, like when exams are bogging you down, or when you're cold and rain battered, or when you just don't feel like getting out of bed. Then there are times when it may seem like you've fallen off the face of the earth, but in reality you're in the better half of the earth and that blog that you so consistently keep up with becomes as distant a memory as the continent across the ocean. I am currently of the latter category and although I have missed posting here, overall my travels through France have distracted me enough to eliminate any guilt I may feel about my short-term lack of dedication. Although I plan to indulge you all with stories and photos of my culinary excursions here in France, in the meantime allow me to whet your appetite with something less exciting than a trip to France, but certainly more exciting than your average dessert.

I made these bars when I was in the midst of my final finals and munching on them was an ideal distraction from what felt like endless days of studying. When I first saw this recipe I was inspired by the focus on fruit and nuts with what seemed like just a touch of sweet butteriness from a shortbread crust. Also, I liked that it used jam rather than fresh fruit because as much as I wish it were prime time for market goods, summer fruits still need a bit more time and the jam ensured that these bars didn't lack any of the fruity flavor I love in dessert. That being said, if fruits were at their peak I would certainly make my own compote for these bars rather than using store-bought jam. Regardless of which way you make them the final result should shine with fresh, fruity flavor and satisfy your sweet craving without being coyingly sweet.

Although I loved the recipe, the final result was far different than I expected (in the best of ways). The shortbread base, made with confectioners sugar, had a much finer and sandier texture than I am used to. A good change from the ordinary, this allowed the flavors of the fruit and nuts to shine.

Daring Bakers/Orange Tian

I often find myself frustrated when new Daring Baker's challenges are posted, because so often I find the recipes do not appeal to me. Almost every single time, I have been proven wrong. This month I was proven wrong yet again. For a dessert that sounded too much like orange creamsicle pudding, this tian far exceeded my expectations. That being said, the orange whipped cream combination is not totally my thing, but I liked it much more than I thought I would. So when I remake this (yes, I will be remaking it), I will probably try a berry version; this citrus version was good, but a berry version sounds great.

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.

For those of you who don't know what a tian is (I didn't), its essentially an upside-down cake with a pate sablee base smeared with marmalade, then topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream, with circles of fruit segments on the top.

Heaven on Earth/Crack Pie

This recipe was published in the LA Times on February 11th and I made it on February 12th. I am surprised I even managed to hold out that long, but somehow I waited patiently until I had enough time to devote to what was nothing short of a ritual experience. The Momofuku restaurants in New York have been my favorites for the past few years; in other words, since I discovered them. Every meal I have had there has been superlative and although I would give you a rundown of every delicious bite, that's not what this post is about. You see, first there were the restaurants, but then came the Milk Bar. At first I was intrigued by their signature cereal milk, but when I finally managed to get down there I learned that this bakery was so much more than a Milk Bar. As a living person, it seemed more or less like heaven on earth.

Corn cookies (now retired, but I still miss them deeply), Banana Cake with hazelnut crunch, cinnamon bun pie; all of these have graced the Milk Bar's menu. I assure you that anything that leaves the ovens of this bakery is sure to be outstanding. Excessive? Yes. Startling sweet? Yes. Buttery and rich? Yes and Yes. For this reason, going there is not a day-to-day occurrence but an occasion and a treat. And a treat it is, every single time I go. Every visitor I have had in New York gets to taste their delicacies and I am pretty sure everyone I know has heard me rave about it at least once. And finally, on February 12th I had the chance to recreate some of the exquisite deliciousness that exemplifies the Momofuku Milk Bar. Crack pie is one of their signature dishes, yet one of the few things I have never tasted en place. Well, from 300 miles north it tasted pretty unbelievable and I have a whole group of friends who still have the sugar high to prove it.

So why 'crack pie'? Because it's addictive and so good, like crack. The "cracki-ness" comes from the slightly salty toasted oatmeal cookie crust. It also comes from the luscious, buttery and sugary center and from the way part of the crust absorbs the filling creating a chewy marriage of flavors and textures that is more or less indescribable.

Homemade Sunshine/Blood Orange Tart

The fact that citrus is considered a winter fruit always makes me want to laugh, or at least smile a little. I love that in the months of gloomy darkness the shining flavors of oranges, grapefruits and clementines are at their best. This weekend as I was making this tart, methodically cutting off the rinds and segmenting each blood orange with patience and precision, I was lucky enough to have rays of sunshine pouring into my living room. It was a spectacular break, between the beautiful colors of the oranges, their powerfully enticing aroma and the bright sun, I could not have been happier. By the time I made it to the last orange my hands were stained a pinky-red hue and a gorgeous mound of blood orange segments stood beside me. But the beauty of the segments was nothing compared the rinds, piths and membranes from the oranges, which without a doubt composed the most beautiful and aromatic pile of 'garbage' I have ever come across.

The funny thing about this tart is that a year ago I would probably not have made it. The thought of whole cooked citrus definitely did not appeal to me even though I love most citrus desserts.

Adventures/World Peace Cookies

It took me awhile to discover my adventurous spirit, but since I did I have been restlessly restless. All I want to do is move, explore, see new things, try new things and so on, I just can't get enough. I don't know at what point I transitioned from being a scared younger girl, all I know is that it has happened and I can't help but embrace it. On that note, today I am leaving for a two week trip to Hong Kong, it's as exciting as it is hard to believe. All the 'knowns' and unknowns only mean one thing, it is bound to be an adventure. Since I won't be home for Christmas this year, I wanted to leave a part of myself at home and in light of the season I thought cookies were the way to go.

I have seen Dorie Greenspan's world peace cookies on practically every blog I read, and even though I am not such a chocolate fan their name alone inspired me to make them. World peace, what more could we ask for for the holidays? If decadent food really were the solution to the world's problems, well I think these cookies would definitely merit their names.

Happy Thanksgiving/Pear Cranberry Cake

Giving thanks is a funny thing, because it so often feels cliché and insincere, it’s so easy to know what I am grateful for, but it is so much harder to express it. Right at this very moment, as I sit at the airport waiting to board the plane that will bring me to my family, I am grateful that US Immigration and Border Control didn’t notice the stash of goodies I have stowed in my carry-on. Seriously, that’s all I can think about, how lucky I am that after several hours of work, the pumpkin cake, the spiced nuts and the cranberry-pear brown butter cake that I made last night are still safe and sound.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I feel like I should be waxing poetic about how lucky I feel that I have a loving family, wonderful friends, that I am healthy and so on. Don’t get me wrong, I am immensely thankful for that, but I don't need a national holiday to remind me.

Second Chances/Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

So it's that time of year again, the time of year when the weeks suddenly start flying by, the thoughts of papers and exams are constantly whirling around my head and before I know it, I haven't cooked anything in almost a week because I have actually forgotten what day it is. I usually like forgetting what day it is, because it is so often a sign of being on vacation, of relaxation and fun. Then there is the other type of forgetting what day it is which means that I start counting days based on how far away I am from a due date, and find myself having tunnel vision up until that day. It is at times like these that I accidentally make 6 pumpkin cranberry loaves and believe it to be the funniest and most exciting thing that has happened in weeks (sadly, it probably is).

Let's back track. Yesterday, I finally had the time to procrastinate, which, from the looks of my agenda, won't really be happening in the next few weeks and so, I decided to bake.

Sanity/Cinnamon Chocolate-Chip Sour Cream Cake

Sometimes I am compelled to question my sanity. I mean, I woke up at an ungodly hour yesterday morning and moseyed to the supermarket just so I could buy the ingredients to make this cake. You see the thing is, its not that I was craving sweets or chocolate or anything, but I had decided that I was going to bake a cake for my blog. So, despite papers and midterms, at 8 am I was lurking outside the supermarket waiting for the doors to open. By 10:30 piping hot deliciousness was sneaking out of my oven. I wish I could have been in my roommate’s head when she walked out of her room and there was already a cake baking. I wouldn't blame her for worrying, normal people don’t make cakes the second they roll out of bed. Except for me that is, I swear I am totally normal.

It all started on Monday, when I decided that things have been looking a little salty around here recently, so I knew it was time to bake something up. I have more or less a million recipes bookmarked on my computer, but I didn’t feel like making anything fancy or difficult. To quote my oh-so-eloquent self, “I just want to make a cake where I just throw everything into a bowl and ta-dah!”

Daring Bakers/Puff Pastry Vols-au-Vent

I would like to welcome everyone to the new TBD. Since our last challenge I have revamped the look and feel of my blog and I really hope you all like it; I would like to send a shout out to Ellie from Rainy Day Templates for all her help. Ellie's templates are beautiful and affordable and she could not be nicer and more efficient, for all of you looking for a blog facelift, I highly recommend you check out her site. What better time to reveal my blog's new look than during a Daring Baker's challenge?

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.

I was so excited when I found out that we would be making our own puff pastry this month, it is one of my favorite ingredients and I am so happy that I finally learned how to make it myself. I feel like I have always heard horror stories about puff pastry, all the turns, the rolling, the arm pain and so on. The truth is, it was pretty manageable and I found it was all about enjoying the process. Steph require that we make Vols-au-Vent, which is not the first thing that I would think to do with homemade puff pastry. This requirement definitely left me a bit stumped, I spent hours thinking and brainstorming about what to do with it, and in the end I was unsatisfied with all my ideas.

Welcoming the Fall/Apple Buttermilk Bread Pudding

For better or for worse, it seems that fall is officially here. Fall, that bittersweet time of year when courageous souls are still wearing shorts and flip flops, holding on to the fading thoughts of summer and pushing out the thoughts of impending midterms and another winter to come. Luckily, it is during this uncertain time of year that apples come back in season, timed perfectly with the need for ultimate comfort foods.

I am not sure I will ever understand why apples make the most comforting of foods, instead I just embrace the rich smell of cinnamon that swirls around my apartment when I cook them, their crisp sweet-tartness and the buttery sweet goodness that usually encases them. My love for this fruit is endless and I always have some on hand either as a snack or as an ingredient for both sweet and savory dishes.

Daring Bakers/Dobos Torte

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

Am I forgiven if I am an hour late? And my camera cord is in my luggage? I am going back up to Montreal tomorrow and everything is packed up and unfindable. It's amazing, it has been 15 months and I feel like nothing has changed, yet everything is different. Well, I don't know how everything is going to be up there, but I am excited, it has been so long and I kind of (surprisingly) feel like I am going home. I have only been back in NYC for a week, and as much as I miss Italy, I am ready to go back up north. My good byes have been said and in 10 hrs I will be taking off...

I am leaving a short post today because it's 1:30 AM and I know that I should get a few hours of sleep in, but I want you to know that I cannot wait to get back to blogging for WHOEVER it is that read this blogs. I love sharing my thoughts and traveling experiences, but I miss writing and I am ready to come back in full swing. While I packed today I prepared mini Dobos Tortes, I liked but didn't love them. The frosting was delicious but I found the cake to be dry and flavorless and the caramel crunch was not what I expected. Without pictures, I really don't know if you'll even believe I made them, but I promise I did! I am leaving you with one awful computer camera picture, just to prove that the work has been done. I promise that once I dig through my stuff I will post the very cute pictures I took.
PEACE, LOVE and RECIPES

Dobos Torte
from Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague by Rick Rodgers

Prep times

• Sponge layers 20 mins prep, 40 mins cooking total if baking each layer individually.
• Buttercream: 20 mins cooking. Cooling time for buttercream: about 1 hour plus 10 minutes after this to beat and divide.
• Caramel layer: 10-15 minutes.
• Assembly of whole cake: 20 minutes

Sponge cake layers

• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups (162g) confectioner's (icing) sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (112g) sifted cake flour (SUBSTITUTE 95g plain flour + 17g cornflour (cornstarch) sifted together)
• pinch of salt

Chocolate Buttercream

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) caster (ultrafine or superfine white) sugar
• 4oz (110g) bakers chocolate or your favourite dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (250g) unsalted butter, at room temperature.

Caramel topping

• 1 cup (200g) caster (superfine or ultrafine white) sugar
• 12 tablespoons (180 ml) water
• 8 teaspoons (40 ml) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (e.g. grapeseed, rice bran, sunflower)

Finishing touches

• a 7” cardboard round
• 12 whole hazelnuts, peeled and toasted
• ½ cup (50g) peeled and finely chopped hazelnuts

Directions for the sponge layers:

NB. The sponge layers can be prepared in advance and stored interleaved with parchment and well-wrapped in the fridge overnight.

1.Position the racks in the top and centre thirds of the oven and heat to 400F (200C).
2.Cut six pieces of parchment paper to fit the baking sheets. Using the bottom of a 9" (23cm) springform tin as a template and a dark pencil or a pen, trace a circle on each of the papers, and turn them over (the circle should be visible from the other side, so that the graphite or ink doesn't touch the cake batter.)
3.Beat the egg yolks, 2/3 cup (81g) of the confectioner's (icing) sugar, and the vanilla in a medium bowl with a mixer on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted a few inches above the batter, about 3 minutes. (You can do this step with a balloon whisk if you don't have a mixer.

4.In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 2/3 cup (81g) of confectioner's (icing)sugar until the whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, stir about 1/4 of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remainder, leaving a few wisps of white visible. Combine the flour and salt. Sift half the flour over the eggs, and fold in; repeat with the remaining flour.
5.Line one of the baking sheets with a circle-marked paper. Using a small offset spatula, spread about 3/4cup of the batter in an even layer, filling in the traced circle on one baking sheet. Bake on the top rack for 5 minutes, until the cake springs back when pressed gently in the centre and the edges are lightly browned. While this cake bakes, repeat the process on the other baking sheet, placing it on the centre rack. When the first cake is done, move the second cake to the top rack. Invert the first cake onto a flat surface and carefully peel off the paper. Slide the cake layer back onto the paper and let stand until cool. Rinse the baking sheet under cold running water to cool, and dry it before lining with another parchment. Continue with the remaining papers and batter to make a total of six layers. Completely cool the layers. Using an 8" springform pan bottom or plate as a template, trim each cake layer into a neat round. (A small serrated knife is best for this task.)

Directions for the chocolate buttercream:

NB. This can be prepared in advance and kept chilled until required.

1.Prepare a double-boiler: quarter-fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.
2.Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale and thickened, about five minutes. You can use a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer for this.
3.Fit bowl over the boiling water in the saucepan (water should not touch bowl) and lower the heat to a brisk simmer. Cook the egg mixture, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes until you see it starting to thicken a bit. Whisk in the finely chopped chocolate and cook, stirring, for a further 2-3 minutes.
4.Scrape the chocolate mixture into a medium bowl and leave to cool to room temperature. It should be quite thick and sticky in consistency.
5.When cool, beat in the soft butter, a small piece (about 2 tablespoons/30g) at a time. An electric hand mixer is great here, but it is possible to beat the butter in with a spatula if it is soft enough. You should end up with a thick, velvety chocolate buttercream. Chill while you make the caramel topping.

Lorraine's note: If you're in Winter just now your butter might not soften enough at room temperature, which leads to lumps forming in the buttercream. Male sure the butter is of a very soft texture I.e. running a knife through it will provide little resistance, before you try to beat it into the chocolate mixture. Also, if you beat the butter in while the chocolate mixture is hot you'll end up with more of a ganache than a buttercream!

Directions for the caramel topping:

1.Choose the best-looking cake layer for the caramel top. To make the caramel topping: Line a jellyroll pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. Place the reserved cake layer on the paper. Score the cake into 12 equal wedges. Lightly oil a thin, sharp knife and an offset metal spatula.
2.Stir the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved into a smooth syrup, turn the heat up to high and boil without stirring, swirling the pan by the handle occasionally and washing down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan with a wet brush until the syrup has turned into an amber-coloured caramel.
3.The top layer is perhaps the hardest part of the whole cake so make sure you have a oiled, hot offset spatula ready. I also find it helps if the cake layer hasn't just been taken out of the refrigerator. I made mine ahead of time and the cake layer was cold and the toffee set very, very quickly—too quickly for me to spread it. Immediately pour all of the hot caramel over the cake layer. You will have some leftover most probably but more is better than less and you can always make nice toffee pattern using the extra to decorate. Using the offset spatula, quickly spread the caramel evenly to the edge of the cake layer. Let cool until beginning to set, about 30 seconds. Using the tip of the hot oiled knife (keep re-oiling this with a pastry brush between cutting), cut through the scored marks to divide the caramel layer into 12 equal wedges. Cool another minute or so, then use the edge of the knife to completely cut and separate the wedges using one firm slice movement (rather than rocking back and forth which may produce toffee strands). Cool completely.

Angela's note: I recommend cutting, rather than scoring, the cake layer into wedges before covering in caramel (reform them into a round). If you have an 8” silicon round form, then I highly recommend placing the wedges in that for easy removal later and it also ensures that the caramel stays on the cake layer. Once set, use a very sharp knife to separate the wedges.

Assembling the Dobos

1.Divide the buttercream into six equal parts.
2.Place a dab of chocolate buttercream on the middle of a 7 1/2” cardboard round and top with one cake layer. Spread the layer with one part of the chocolate icing. Repeat with 4 more cake layers. Spread the remaining icing on the sides of the cake.
3.Optional: press the finely chopped hazelnuts onto the sides of the cake.
4.Propping a hazelnut under each wedge so that it sits at an angle, arrange the wedges on top of the cake in a spoke pattern. If you have any leftover buttercream, you can pipe rosettes under each hazelnut or a large rosette in the centre of the cake. Refrigerate the cake under a cake dome until the icing is set, about 2 hours. Let slices come to room temperature for the best possible flavour.

Celebrations/Mini Banana-Nutella Strudels

This weekend, one of my dearest friend's older sister is getting married in Rome. I haven't been to a wedding in over 10 years and this one will definitely be incredible. To be honest though, I don't get the same weak in the knees feeling as other people over weddings. I know its wonderful to see two people vow to love each other eternally, but somehow, at this point in my life it just doesn't really move me. Most people tell me that with time that will change, they are probably right, but what I like best about weddings is that they give us another opportunity to celebrate.

I find that celebrations are often forgotten or undervalued, which is unfortunate because my most of my best nights have been celebrating one thing or another. I totally respect my mom for having thrown several celebrate life parties, and it's amazing to see how much fun everyone has. I am sure the open bar didn't hurt, but aside from that people were just excited to have a reason to have fun. Marriage is without a doubt a great reason to celebrate and the wedding party usual exudes that fantastic energy, if only for that, I love weddings and I cannot wait for my weekend.

This week has actually be chock full of celebrations, 2 birthdays and now this wedding. So despite my traumatic exam the other day, I managed to have a great week. My friend's birthday was on Monday, the day before the exam, so I obviously didn't have the time to bake anything for her. I had promised her, however, that within the week, I would have made something for her. I decided to make strudel again, because I like to perfect recipes and since I didn't love the filling last time, I thought it was worth another shot. Also, I wanted to make minis, and since I live in a temporary apartment my kitchen is totally under-accessorized, strudel is great for this because it hardly requires any fancy apparatus.

Right now, my house smells like a mix of warm cinnamon, butter and nutella. It is such a comforting smell, a simple reminder that the small things in life are often the greatest and that even with its ups and downs, life is worth celebrating.

Banana Nutella Mini Strudels
(adapted from from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers)
Makes 10

For dough:
1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

Filling:
1 stick of butter (melted)
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
10 tsp. nutella
1 lrg. banana, cut into batons
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

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. Divide the dough into 10 even pieces. Roll each piece out on a well floured tablecloth until it is tissue thin, using a pastry brush, brush butter and sprinkle well with breadcrumbs. Spread one teaspoon of nutella an inch away from the bottom and place 2 banana batons on the nutella. Roll up folding in the sides, like a burrito. Do this one by one with all 10 pieces of dough. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Preheat the oven to 400º F (200ºC). Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Brush the strudels with the remaining butter. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar. Bake until a deep golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. Turn the baking sheet halfway through.

Exams/Coconut Ginger Rice Pudding

I would be lying if I said I liked exams. I would also be lying if I told you my exam today went well, to be honest it didn't go at all. Exams in Italy are oral, which if you ask me is a cruel form of torture that should be outlawed if only for the fact that its sole aim to humiliate students. Well that being said, I studied non-stop for a week, went to take it and froze on the spot. It was as if I pushed the off switch on my brain and nothing...oh wait, then I started to cry, bawl, blubber etc. While the three professors (because yes, they have THREE, professors questioning you) sitting in front of me were at a loss. So, that being said, my day did not start off well.

For me, exams usually mean several things, messy apartments, several tears, and comfort food to cure the latter. As far back as I can remember, I have loved rice pudding. But like, really loved. My favorite always has been, and always will be, from Zabar's on the Upper West Side. Maybe it was the first one I ever tasted, alongside chewy bagels and smoky lox at Sunday brunch or maybe it's the first bite from the pint, the one where I scrape the cinnamon off the top, the slight spice accenting the luscious creaminess of the pudding. Whatever it is, I have never been able to recreate it and I have never had another rice pudding that offers me quite the same satisfaction. To be honest, I have never really tried to make a classic rice pudding for fear that it would just dissapoint. I have however, attempted some riffs on the classic, with outstanding results.

If I may say so myself, this Coconut Ginger Rice Pudding, is absolutely perfect. Not too sweet, just creamy enough, with the spicy ginger complementing the hint of gentle coconut flavor. This isn't the first time I have made this, but it is the first time it came out just right. Last summer, I spent a weekend in Toronto at one of my best friend's houses. For breakast, I was stunned when her mom prepared a bowl of warm rice drizzled with coconut milk and sprinkled with turbinado sugar. After tasting it, I was hooked. The combination was perfect, and I knew that I would have to turn it into rice pudding. I have been planning on making this rice pudding all week for a super top secret reason, which I promise I will share when I can. But get excited, it's going to be good. After sifting through recipes, I settled on the most simple one I found and adapted it to fit my needs. This is the perfect example of how simple can be better, I beg you try this at home. Top it with fruit or eat it as is, you will not be dissaspointed. Trust me, I may not be able to do an oral exam, but I am a rice pudding aficionado.

Coconut Ginger Rice Pudding
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from Gale Gand)
Serves 4-6 (depends how much you like it...)
Time 30-40 mins.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. arborio rice
1/4 c. turbinado sugar
1.5 cans Coconut Milk (use the whole one, not light)
2 c. whole milk
2 tbsp. fresh grated ginger

Directions:

Put everything in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Cool before serving.

Daring Bakers/Strudel

So I have been waxing on and on about spring and before I know it, it's already summer in Milan. Not good summer, city summer, I have to study for exams but I don't have A/C and I am in Italy so there isn't A/C anywhere kind of summer; I actually went to the supermarket just to cool off today, because I was so hot kind of summer. Luckily I also had to buy some ingredients for May's Daring Bakers Challenge, so I managed to kill two birds with one stone.

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.

I am pretty amazed that I managed to do this Daring Baker's challenge because it is 95º outside, also there's The lack of A/C issue and the fact that my oven/stove is all part of my living room/entire apartment, so I cannot even escape the heat. Usually, I would go downstairs for a bit, but its hotter out there than it is in here with the stove and oven on. I know, I know, I am a wimp, for some of you when it's 95º out you're probably wearing a hat and gloves. Seriously though, this is city hot, the very worst kind, it's like the tarmac sucks up all the heat and then spits it back at you. I guess us bakers would call it a convection oven, the heat circulates perfectly (unfortunately). Anyhow, I persevered, and reminded myself that I am 20 and that if anyone should be able to do this, I should.

The moment I read the challenge, I could tell that this wasn't a walk in the park. In itself the strudel dough is not a challenging one, but rolling it out, well that was going to take a good bit of patience and effort. Luckily, I waited a bit to start this challenge so I kind of knew what was coming my way, holes are inevitable, it may wrinkle a bit, an exact 2' x 3' rectangle may not be possible. So I decided to just have fun with the dough and not worry. That totally worked for me, I was playing around with it, lifting it, shaking it, doing the hokey pokey etc...and what I ended up with was practically hole-less and tissue thin. Success.














Because the freedom in this recipe was in the filling, I decided to make a savory strudel with Roasted Beets, Candied Walnuts and Goat Cheese. This is a pretty standard combination these days, but I thought that it would be a unique and interesting change for a strudel. I basically roasted about 4 cups of julienned beets with some salt and olive oil, "Candied" some walnuts (I am going to be honest here, I have no idea how to work with sugar/caramel, so this is kind of a boot-leg version but good nonetheless), and then topped the whole thing with hunks of creamy goat cheese.
In the end, I didn't love my filling, I mean the idea was good, but the execution not so much, there was not enough cheese and it was slightly too sweet. I think I would have been better off with salty walnuts. I loved the crust though, i just ate all around the OK filling, and the whole point of this challenge was the tricky dough right? That being said, I am going to give you guys the orignal recipe for Apple Strudel, because it is sure to be good. If you like my idea and try it yourself let me know how it works out! Unfortunately, this week between exams and the heat I don't have the courage to try out any new combinations, but I really can't wait to give this another whirl, when I do, of course I will blog about it.















Apple strudel

from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
strudel dough (recipe below)
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

1. Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.

3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.

4. 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 remaining melted butter.

5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Strudel dough
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider 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 (90 cm) 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.

Taking the Leap/Daring Baker's Challenge

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

"Frenchie, you are a bad bad blogger" I have repeated this over and over in my head for the past few weeks, starting about one week after my last blog post. Sorry guys, I am working on it, I promise. I even finally signed up for the upcoming Daring Bakers and Daring cooks challenges to make sure (gosh, I love deadlines) that I find even more reasons to post.

So, my heart/stomach are in jumbly knots these days. I mean, really, I don't even like rollercoasters but I feel like I am always on one. Where to begin? Well first of all, I spent a delicious and wonderful week at home, spending time with my dearest friends and my sister. Obviously, after a week of pure joy, I can't help but bawl my little heart out on the plane back to Italy. Call me fickle, but also the fact that my year in Italy is slowly starting to wind down is really irking me; aren't things just starting to get great? Shouldn't this just be the beginning?
So like I said, jumbly knots all around and luckily the Daring Bakers Challenge this week was cheesecake, which I am pretty certain is just what the doctor prescribed. Rx : Consume 1 large slice surrounded by friend's and family, to temporarily calm the effects of unruly emotions.
For this challenge the mission was to add our own creativity boost to a classic cheesecake. This was such a fun challenge for me because cheesecake was my "signature dessert" when I was little, I tried one recipe and then stuck with it, forever. Boooooorrriiinnggg. But I actually didn't realize that until I really got my mind rolling for this challenge. I ended up making a lemon-scented cheesecake with a hazelnut crust topped with orange and grapefruit segments. What I also ended up with was exquisite. Before I give you all the recipe for this gem, I want to share one last thing. Yesterday, almost out of nowhere (well as I was snapping shots of my cake for here) my mom tells me that I should find a way to post pictures and write about food on the internet. Ha. Then she tells my sister that she should encourage me to do that same. Ha. So I am having this huge internal struggle, to tell or not to tell? Right now I am kind of loving having my own space and forum to write without the incessant "suggestions" and ideas of those who have inherently given themselves the right to say whatever they want to me. We'll see, I will of course keep you all posted, as I become a decent, respectable blogger.
Citrus Hazelnut Cheesecake
makes 1, 9-inch cake

This cake really benefits from the combination of cheeses, the ricotta helps to lighten it a bit. The citrus flavors really pop thanks to the hefty amount of salt in the crust. I tried to keep the hazelnut as just a hint of flavor which leaves people wondering what that extra flavor is, I find hazelnuts to be very rich and if its presence is too strong, it really takes away from the rest of the cake.

For the crust:
• 1/2 c. toasted hazelnuts
• 10-12 large dry cookies (graham crackers work, I used an Italian kind, seeing that I am in Italy, also in terms of how many cookies, you want to end up with 2.5 c. of crust mix)
• 80 g. cold butter, in cubes.
• 1 heaping tsp. salt

~place everything in a food processor and pulse until the crumbs are fine and it all starts to come together.
~press into the bottom and slightly up the sides (which I didn't do but wish I had) of a 9-inch springform pan, and refrigerate while you make the filling.

Filling:
• 340 g fresh (if possible) ricotta
• 340g cream cheese
• 100 g mascarpone
• 170 g sugar
•4 large eggs
• 3 tbsp flour
•zest and juice of 1 lemon

Garnish:
Segments of 4 small grapefruits and 6 small oranges, if available use blood oranges.

Instructions:
~ Preheat oven to 350 with a dish of water at the bottom.
~ Cream the cheeses and the sugar together with a mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and making sure that each one is well incorporated. Add the flour until just combined. Add the zest and juice and mix until smooth and creamy.
~ Pour this into the prepared crust.
~ Bake for about 50 minutes, until set but the center still wobbles and jiggles. Turn the oven off and let the cake sit in the hot oven for an hour to finish cooking and to slowly cool down (avoid cracks, yay). Take it out, let it cool completely and then refrigerate overnight.
~When you are ready to serve, place the citrus segments on top artistically or freehandedly, I went for the latter. You can also serve the extra fruit along side, if people are into a greater fruit to cake ratio.

Spring is Here/Berry Butter Cake

Although I have been feeling spring for a few weeks now, today is the first official day of Spring. And with a dinner party to go to, I decided to jump ahead a season and make a summer cake. It is Spring after all, the time of new beginnings, and these possibilities seem endless. I hate (slash love) to be cliche when I talk about Spring, but there is just something poetic about it. Winter blues turn turquoise, the 65 degrees that felt cold in the fall now feel just right, and waking up in the morning with the sun shining feels like pleasure rather than penance.
So to celebrate, I decided to make a summer berry cake with lemon curd filling. The first time I made this cake was in the 7th grade, Memorial Day weekend in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. I was there with my then best friend who also loved to bake and we unanimously picked this recipe out of that month's Gourmet. I don't know why, but I never forgot about this slightly pink cake; a moist spongy gem studded with raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Today, I decided to give this recipe a face lift by slicing it in two and filling it with tart and creamy lemon curd.

It's always interesting to cook such "American" desserts for my Italian friends. Italian's are not always an easy bunch to please, they have their ways and they like to stick with them. In some ways, I would almost say that making such a sinful dessert for them may leave me with a disadvantage, I have finally made it onto the facebook message roster, it seems that people might actually (gasp) want to hang out with me. So what am I doing? Well I guess I am just doing what I love, following my heart when I feel comfortable doing so. And also, I have an advantage, as an Italian I know that even the finest most high brow Italian could never say no to this cake. Just look at it, isn't it pretty?

Notes:
• I used an 11" round pan instead or the rectangular one suggested, it does lead to thinner layers but I like round cakes.
• I also could have easily doubled the curd recipe, it would have definitely given the cake an extra something.
• Make the curd first and let it cool in the fridge while you assemble the cake.
• Make sure the cake is completely cooled before you cut it in half, if not it will fall apart.

Lemon Curd (from Martha Stewart Living, January 2002)

• 3 large egg yolks
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, (2 lemons)
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Set over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to avoid a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Let cool; refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour.

Store, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Three Berry Butter Cake (from Gourmet, July 2000)

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 6 cups mixed berries (1 3/4 ponds) such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries
• 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan, then line bottom with wax paper and grease paper.

Heat butter with cream in a small saucepan over low heat until melted, then cool.

Beat eggs, granulated sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on high speed until mixture is thick, pale, and forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes with a standing mixer or about 12 minutes with a handheld. Add zest, baking powder, and vanilla and mix on low speed until blended.

Add 1 1/4 cups flour and half of butter mixture and mix on low speed until blended. Mix in remaining butter and 1 1/4 cups flour in same manner. Increase speed to medium and beat 1 minute with a standing mixer or 2 minutes with a handheld, or until batter is thick and sticky. Add berries and carefully fold in with a rubber spatula until barely combined. (Raspberries will begin to fall apart, and batter will look slightly pink.) Spoon batter into baking pan, gently smoothing top. Bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack.

Run a knife around edge of cake, then invert rack over cake and flip cake onto it. Remove wax paper and reinvert onto a platter.

Just before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.