tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306549162024-03-12T21:37:44.921-07:00The Casual BakerA life in slices.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.comBlogger258125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-63235113555498278612014-02-25T11:11:00.001-08:002014-02-25T13:08:06.530-08:00Corn cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have I mentioned how much my parents love corn? One of the major downsides of being a delinquent blogger over a very looong period of time is that I can never remember what I've already talked about it and I can't be bothered to check. Well, whatever the case, my parents' love for corn is so prodigious, it bears repeating.<br />
<br />
Every summer, when the Chilliwack <a href="http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/corn/sweet-corn/sugar-enhanced-se/corn-peaches-cream-hybrid-prod000672.html?catId=2013&trail=">peaches and cream</a> is at its finest, they team up with the people next door and host a corn roast on the street. People young and old timidly emerge from their homes and gather in an odd little walkway/driveway to make small talk with their neighbours and gorge on butter-soaked corn. My parents have been organizing it for years and people are surprisingly into it. I say surprisingly because the corn roast is not my favourite. I'm far less gregarious than my parents and one cob of corn is more than enough for me.<br />
<br />
But.<br />
<br />
If they started serving corn cookies for dessert... <br />
<b></b><span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Recipe"></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredients"><b>Corn Cookies</b></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredients">225 grams butter, at room temperature</span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredients">300 grams sugar</span><br />
1 egg<br />
<span itemprop="ingredients">225 grams flour</span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredients">45 grams corn flour</span>*<br />
<span itemprop="ingredients">65 grams freeze-dried corn powder*</span>*<br />
<span itemprop="ingredients">3/4 teaspoon baking powder</span><span itemprop="ingredients"> </span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredients">1/4 teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredients">1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span itemprop="ingredients">* Note that corn flour is <i>not</i> the same thing as cornstarch. I used <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/corn-flour.html">Bob's Red Mill Corn Flour</a>, which is pretty easy to find in most urban grocery stores these days.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span itemprop="ingredients">** My friend P. discovered little 85-gram packets of freeze-dried corn at a local Asian grocer. I ground it up good in my food processor and used the resulting powder in place of the freeze-dried corn powder mentioned above. </span></span><br />
<br />
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, and continue beating for 7 to 8 minutes longer.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, corn flour, corn powder, baking powder, baking soda. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until the dough comes together (about 1 minute). <br />
<br />
Divvy the dough into 1/3-cup portions on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten the domes. Wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.<br />
When you're ready to go, preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and line another baking sheet with parchment paper.<br />
<br />
Arrange the chilled dough on the baking sheet, leaving 10 cm (4 in) between balls. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies puff, crackle and spread. You want them to be bright yellow in the centre and golden brown around the edge.<br />
Cool the cookies completely on the pans before storing them in an airtight container. Store them at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.<br />
<br />
<b>Source: </b><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/christina-tosis-162171">Christina Tosi's Corn Cookies</a> from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Momofuku-Milk-Bar-Christina-Tosi/dp/0307720497/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392702662&sr=8-1&keywords=momofuku+milk+bar"><i>Momofuku Milk Bar</i></a>, as posted on The Kitchn.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-31915058728849702462014-01-28T22:09:00.001-08:002014-01-29T14:27:01.875-08:00Lime sherbet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
While most of North America is slowly emerging from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_North_American_cold_wave">polar vortex</a>-induced hibernation, I'm the West Coast jerk jogging outside in shorts and writing about frozen desserts. If this is what climate change means for Vancouver, we're making off like bandits.<br />
<br />
As it happens, this lime sherbet was inspired by another West Coaster: Tracy of Shutterbean.com and <a href="http://homefries.com/shows/the-joy-the-baker-podcast/">JtB podcast</a> fame. Her <a href="http://www.shutterbean.com/2014/tangerine-sherbet/">tangerine sherbet</a> had me craving an orange creamsicle something fierce, which got me thinking about this dreamy orange smoothie I used to drink in university, which got me thinking about the ham/apple/cheddar sandwich I used to order with it, which got me out the door and on the way to the grocery store for sandwich fixings.<br />
<br />
Back in the kitchen, when the sandwich crumbs had settled, I realized I'd forgotten to pick up some tangerines. Lucky for me, a bit of fridge sleuthing uncovered a crisper full of neglected limes well past their prime and headed for a mid-life crisis. We all won in the end.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0IAuhu44-C1Qh38Y9FszRCM8u5Ny3WxrpN29HvTiM4uQn98VfE-EYTWZ0GnhFhw5_qF3ibZVigI9qOg6Viax2KQZI2qqCPQVnnU6fQC8nHneInNbDyl7eUscG-eOtRY6k-hAAw/s1600/P1130385ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0IAuhu44-C1Qh38Y9FszRCM8u5Ny3WxrpN29HvTiM4uQn98VfE-EYTWZ0GnhFhw5_qF3ibZVigI9qOg6Viax2KQZI2qqCPQVnnU6fQC8nHneInNbDyl7eUscG-eOtRY6k-hAAw/s1600/P1130385ps.jpg" height="266" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a><i> </i><b>Lime sherbet</b><br />
<i>Having never made sherbet before, I stuck to the original </i>Gourmet <i>recipe quite closely. I did, however, play around with the butterfat of the milk and yogurt. What you see is what I used.</i><b> </b><br />
<b> </b> <br />
2 teaspoons cornstarch<br />
1 1/4 cups white sugar, split<br />
1 1/2 cups 6% cream<br />
1 large egg yolk<br />
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest<br />
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)<br />
2 cups plain 2% yogurt<br />
<br />
In a large saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 cup of sugar. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking often, over medium heat. Then simmer, whisking occasionally, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Add the hot milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly.<br />
<br />
Transfer the mixture back to the large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and a thermometer reads degrees 77 degrees Celsius (170 degrees Fahrenheit). Don't let it boil!<br />
<br />
Pour the custard—congratulations, you made custard!—into a clean, medium-sized bowl. Whisk in the lime zest, lime juice and yogurt. Chill the mixture until cold.<br />
<br />
Process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the
manufacturer's directions. Scoop the sherbet into an airtight storage
container and freeze until firm (at
least 4 hours).<br />
<br />
<b>Source:</b> <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lime-Yogurt-Sherbet-105000">Lime-Yogurt Sherbet</a> from Epicurious.com, originally published in <i>Gourmet</i> in May 2001.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-79863177460985980632014-01-13T23:15:00.003-08:002014-01-14T12:02:32.553-08:00S'moar<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXmqNgQp7cCuxF-RAAZ9jLpASENmSNdapoQAhiW3wTcxNIfvNE9AiAdKb3ztwBGhk6BSPC_YfZTe8vFML-hjeq8xMZU1toeJiW5NhlSOrMYKtAQGtam2KKgB1B_7BQbRP5Hl1fA/s1600/P1130336ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXmqNgQp7cCuxF-RAAZ9jLpASENmSNdapoQAhiW3wTcxNIfvNE9AiAdKb3ztwBGhk6BSPC_YfZTe8vFML-hjeq8xMZU1toeJiW5NhlSOrMYKtAQGtam2KKgB1B_7BQbRP5Hl1fA/s1600/P1130336ps.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
The last time I made s'mores was in a toaster oven in Paris.* The s'mores were in there, I mean. Not me. They were the best approximation of traditional s'mores we could manage after carefully combing the aisles of a Franprix, a Monoprix and a Casino (all local grocery chains) for graham crackers and still coming up short.<br />
<br />
The biscuit we ended up with was crunchy and kind of crumbly, with a mild coconut flavour. The marshmallows were Haribo—a mixed pack of strawberry and vanilla. The chocolate was Lindt. Once we'd perfected our technique, we invited our Scottish friend L. over for a batch. She'd never had a s'more, so expectations were low. We couldn't lose really. That's my kind of odds.<br />
<br />
Speaking of odds (albeit poor ones), since we're in the middle of January (Official Navel-Gazing Month), it feels like the right time to
throw a few resolutions/intentions/whatever you want to call them out
there. In honour of s'mores, let's frame them like this.<br />
<br />
In 2014, I want:<br />
S'more fresh air, less time at a desk<br />
S'more trails, fewer sidewalks <br />
S'more words on paper, fewer clicks on a screen<br />
S'more news, less gossip <br />
S'more dinner parties in, fewer drinks out<br />
S'more making, less buying <br />
S'more adventure, less routine<br />
<br />
What do you want s'more of this year?<br />
<br />
* I make <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.ca/2010/05/nip-and-tuck.html">a lot of</a> <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.ca/2013/10/long-time-coming.html">noteworthy</a> <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.ca/2007/08/its-getting-hot-in-here-said-one.html">stuff</a> in Parisian toaster ovens, evidently. <br />
<br />
<b>S'more Bars</b><br />
<i>This bar converts the gooey campfire favourite into a sliceable kitchen concoction, so you get all of the good stuff (plus peanut butter!), minus the smoky fleece, cold feet and drippy tent.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Graham cracker base:</b><br />
2 cups graham cracker crumbs<br />
1/4 cup white sugar <br />
1/2 cup salted butter, melted<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Chocolate peanut butter layer:</b><br />
1 can of sweetened condensed milk<br />
1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips (dark or milk) <br />
1/3 cup peanut butter<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Marshmallow top:</b><br />
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin<br />
1/4 cup cold water<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
1/4 cup light corn syrup<br />
1/4 cup hot water<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Grease and line a 9" square pan with parchment paper and set it aside.<br />
<br />
<b>Begin by preparing the graham cracker base.</b> In a medium bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs and white sugar. Stir in the melted butter until evenly distributed. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the next layer.<br />
<br />
<b>Move on to the chocolate peanut butter filling.</b> In a medium saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips and peanut butter. Heat the pan over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate chips are melted. Pour the mixture over the cooked graham cracker crust and smooth, as needed.<br />
<br />
<b>Finish with a marshmallow top.</b> In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile,
cook the sugar, corn syrup, hot water and salt in a heavy saucepan over
low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the
heat to medium and boil the mixture, without stirring, until a candy or
digital thermometer registers 115 degrees Celsius (240 degrees Fahrenheit). Immediately pour the hot sugar mixture over the softened gelatin, stirring briefly until gelatin is dissolved. With
a stand or hand-held electric mixer, beat the mixture on high until it
is white, thick and nearly tripled in volume (about 6 minutes with a
stand mixer or 10 minutes with a hand-held mixer).<br />
<br />
Spread the marshmallow mixture evenly on top of the chocolate peanut butter filling.<b> </b>Broil for several minutes (watching the pan closely!) just until the marshmallow top begins to brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let the bar cool before cutting.<b> </b><br />
<br />
Store at room temperature. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Source:</b> Inspired by Handle the Heat's <a href="http://www.handletheheat.com/2013/08/smores-fudge-bars.html">S'mores Fudge Bars</a>.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Notes: </b>This recipe differs from the S'mores Fudge Bars mentioned above in two ways: (1) peanut butter in the fudge layer; and (2) a true marshmallow—rather than marshmallow cream—top.<b><br /></b>The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-60551471016999802892014-01-01T18:45:00.004-08:002014-01-05T22:37:11.753-08:00Twenty fourteen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's hoping that 2014 is just like this jam:</div>
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bright, sweet and full of surprises.</div>
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<b>Cinnamon plum jam</b><br />
500 grams red plums<br />
250 grams sugar<br />
1 teaspoon lemon juice <br />
1 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon<br />
<br />
Wash, dry and halve the plums, discarding the stones as you go. Leave the skins on!<br />
<br />
Weigh the prepared fruit in a medium saucepan, and add an equal weight of
sugar. To that, add the lemon juice and just enough water to moisten the sugar (I used
approximately 1/2 cup of liquid for 500 grams of plums/sugar). Sprinkle the cinnamon on top.<br />
<br />
Heat the saucepan over low-medium heat until the sugar melts, then
increase the heat to medium/medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil,
spooning foam off the surface as it accumulates. Turn the heat down, but
maintain a simmer. Stir periodically while the mixture bubbles for
35-45 minutes (I went for the full 45 minutes).<br />
<br />
How you'll know you're done: the plum halves will have started to disintegrate and the mixture will be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the saucepan from the heat and fish out the plum skins if you're so inclined (I wasn't).<br />
<br />
At this point, you can either go ahead with your usual canning process,
or simply let the mixture cool to room temperature, ladle it into jars
and enjoy it over the next few weeks. If you like a chunky jam, leave
the mixture as is; if you prefer a smoother texture, whiz it briefly in a
food processor. You'll lose a bit of clarity, but gain consistency.<br />
<br />
<b>Source:</b> The Casual Baker.<b> </b><br />
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The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-80493915891391151122013-10-27T21:47:00.001-07:002013-10-27T21:47:36.760-07:00Long time coming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is what every fall weekend should look like. If I hadn't been treated to <a href="http://neverlandtea.com/">high tea</a> this morning, it's what I would've wished for.<br />
<br />
I first made these in a toaster oven in Paris last September. I photographed them, ate them and immediately got to work on a blog post—which promptly gathered dust in my draft folder until this September. That's when I made them again (this time in a real oven in Vancouver), photographed them, ate them and immediately got to work on a new blog post—which promptly gathered dust in my draft folder. Are you seeing a trend here?<br />
<br />
So we're at a critical turning point right now where I can either try for a three-peat or share the dang recipe already. I think it's high time. Let's do this.<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><b>Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls</b> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><b>Yeast Dough:</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">1 cup milk<br />
1/4 cup canola oil<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1/2 package active dry yeast<br />
2 1/4 cups flour<br />
1/4 heaping teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/4 scant teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt </span><b><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><b>Apple Filling:</b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
0.9 kg (2 lbs) Granny Smith apples, peeled & diced (about 5 or 6)<br />
3 tablespoons salted butter<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar<br />
1/4 cup white sugar<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1 tablespoon cornstarch<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1/4 cup water</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><b>Caramel Frosting:</b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">6 tablespoons salted butter</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><span lang="EN-CA">6 tablespoons </span>brown sugar </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">3 tablespoons milk</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">1 1/2 cups icing sugar</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">To prepare the dough, combine the milk, oil and sugar in a large sauce
pan. Scald the mixture by bringing it almost to the boiling point over
medium heat (small bubbles will begin to appear around the edges). Turn
off the burner, leave the pot where it is, and wait patiently for 30-45
minutes.<br />
<br />
Once the mixture has cooled from finger-burning to very warm,
sprinkle the yeast on the surface. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes
or until the yeast activates and begins to foam. Now stir in 2 cups of
flour with a wooden spoon. Cover the mixture with a lid and let rise for
1 hour. Your pot is still on that burner from way back when.<br />
<br />
One hour later, remove the lid and take a sniff and a peek at your new
dough. Gently stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour along with the
baking powder, baking soda and salt.<br />
<br />
At this point, you can either continue on and make the cinnamon rolls or
punch down the dough and store it in the fridge, covered, for up to 2
days. Keep your eye on the dough and make sure it doesn't spill out of
its container! </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-CA">When you're ready to go, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-CA">On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle measuring 50 cm x 30 cm (20 in x 12 in). Spread the cooled apple mixture evenly on top, leaving a thin border around the perimeter. Beginning at the short end, roll the dough into a 30 cm log, pinching the seam closed to seal in the apple goodness. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-CA">Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 slices of equal width. Place each slice swirl-side up on a parchment-lined sheet, aiming for 6 per sheet. Cover each sheet loosely with a tea towel and leave them in a warm spot until the cinnamon rolls have roughly doubled in size (about 40 minutes). </span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA">As the 40-minute mark nears,</span><span lang="EN-CA"> preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Bake each sheet of rolls for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown, rotating the pans halfway through.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA">While the cinnamon rolls are baking, get started on the caramel frosting. </span>Melt the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat
until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture begins to bubble. Remove
from heat. Add the vanilla and milk in a steady stream, stirring
constantly. Add the icing sugar and beat until smooth.<br />
<br />
Let the cinnamon rolls cool on the pans for 10 minutes before drizzling the caramel frosting on top. Best served the day they're made.<br />
<br />
Yields 12 cinnamon rolls.<br />
<br />
<b>Sources: </b>The dough is borrowed from The Pioneer Woman's <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/">Cinnamon Rolls 101</a>, the apple filling comes from these <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.ca/2011/11/rustic-bourbon-apple-tarts.html">bourbon apple tarts</a> and the caramel frosting is a thinned-out version of the one that tops this <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.ca/2012/06/banana-cake-with-caramel-frosting.html">banana cake</a>.</div>
The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-68792749199006444712013-09-15T13:13:00.001-07:002013-09-15T13:13:31.320-07:00It begins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRZo51ik1vtP7Kf3RbHnda-fACR6VlCcQ9apyYqnMIsdnjqYsHc_ghWBhB4dyNqnYAmwiIzaPi76PmfIXhfmyTcIOrrEZNHl0JG69feiA4z6L9Qc1BmlpePF8UfGVmyFEITKZYg/s1600/P1130115ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRZo51ik1vtP7Kf3RbHnda-fACR6VlCcQ9apyYqnMIsdnjqYsHc_ghWBhB4dyNqnYAmwiIzaPi76PmfIXhfmyTcIOrrEZNHl0JG69feiA4z6L9Qc1BmlpePF8UfGVmyFEITKZYg/s400/P1130115ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Scrolling through my Instagram feed the other day, I was totally blindsided. Lurking between the latté art and a yawning kitten, was a thick branch of rosy leaves set against a deep blue sky. Since then, I've woken up to grey, foggy skies two days in a row. Two days!<br />
<br />
Not to be melodramatic, but I sense the beginning of the end. Usually I'm one of those annoying people who proclaims to be "done with summer" and begins pining for chunky soups and wool socks in late August. This year, though, I've been pretty into it. Seawall bike rides, beach sunsets, <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.ca/2013/07/strawberry-cheesecake-ice-cream.html">homemade ice cream</a>, shorts and sandal tans: I'm going to miss you.<br />
<br />
So before the zucchini disappears and the tomatoes revert to pale, mealy shadows of their former selves, let's send them off in style with a summer tart.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIM7h76bdjrOnMpb8j7h0Ag5ZPph3YNWh09a1mNI-ce1T-U3bg8NuCfkj_T1dw_ISoy8BmQP_n1ETXI-rBV2Ycy1krXe1XnyyiPob-3iprN94v4vYBAlap-P36RApr96xMMyCCdA/s1600/P1130099ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIM7h76bdjrOnMpb8j7h0Ag5ZPph3YNWh09a1mNI-ce1T-U3bg8NuCfkj_T1dw_ISoy8BmQP_n1ETXI-rBV2Ycy1krXe1XnyyiPob-3iprN94v4vYBAlap-P36RApr96xMMyCCdA/s400/P1130099ps.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>Tomato Zucchini Tart</b><br />
<i>Those big juicy heirloom tomatoes might be tempting, but you'll want to stick with a slimmer variety or risk a soggy tart.</i><i> Otherwise, feel free to experiment with different herbs and soft cheeses. </i><br />
<i> </i><b> </b><br />
1/2 batch of <a href="http://chezpim.com/bake/how-to-make-the-perfect-pie-dough">your favourite pastry</a>* <br />
140 grams unripened chèvre<br />
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed <br />
1 egg <br />
1 small zucchini, sliced thinly<br />
4 small roma tomatoes, slice thinly<br />
Fresh (or dried) herbs to taste <br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
* The equivalent of the top <i>or</i> bottom of a double-crust pie—not both.<br />
<b></b><br />
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a 3
millimetres (1/10") thick rectangle or square. Carefully transfer the
dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet, before using a pizza cutter or
knife to square the corners and remove any jagged edges. Refrigerate it while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.<br />
<br />
In a small bowl, combine the chèvre, garlic and egg. (You can add your herbs here or sprinkle them on top later on—your choice.) Beat with a whisk or electric beaters until creamy and smooth. Set aside.<br />
<br />
Use a mandoline (or your incredible knife skills) to cut the zucchini and tomatoes into thin slices. Set them aside in two piles.<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit).<br />
<br />
Remove the pastry from the fridge. Spread the chèvre mixture on top, leaving a very small border around the edge. Beginning at one end, lay down a row of overlapping tomato slices, then a row of overlapping zucchini slices, back and forth until you reach the other end. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and herbs (if you didn't mix them into the chèvre).<br />
<br />
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until visibly golden around the edges. Cool before slicing and serving.<br />
<br />
<b>Sources: </b>The pastry is Pim's <a href="http://chezpim.com/bake/how-to-make-the-perfect-pie-dough" target="_blank">one pie dough to rule them all</a>. The toppings are my own creation.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-68126781254506936132013-09-05T22:50:00.000-07:002013-09-05T22:50:11.512-07:00Resistance<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Qq46JySOoIMoBzfG0egmdwPgrMIPW_j3LMkdtzGCAtmvIDNwTTx0Fv5vd1NqqtRXsQVvXmxmpr9d31S2JGBww9smgxI_rqTqmFO9FroL15MooUmAuhnuvb_wKlnDqkNqMpJ8dg/s1600/P1130046ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Qq46JySOoIMoBzfG0egmdwPgrMIPW_j3LMkdtzGCAtmvIDNwTTx0Fv5vd1NqqtRXsQVvXmxmpr9d31S2JGBww9smgxI_rqTqmFO9FroL15MooUmAuhnuvb_wKlnDqkNqMpJ8dg/s400/P1130046ps.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lately I've been avoiding writing by reading books about <i>not</i> avoiding writing. Most recently, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/The-War-Art-Through-Creative/dp/1936891026"><i>The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles</i></a> by Steven Pressfield. Oh stop it, I can hear you laughing through the screen. The irony's not lost on me.<br />
<br />
Working my way through the book (it's a quick read if you're looking for a procrastination tool of your own), I kept flipping back to one part:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Resistance is directly proportional to love. If you're feeling massive Resistance, the good news is, it means there's tremendous love there too. If you didn't love the project that is terrifying you, you wouldn't feel anything. The opposite of love isn't hate; it's indifference.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The more Resistance you experience, the more important your unmanifested
art/project/enterprise is to you—and the more gratification you will
feel when you finally do it."</i></blockquote>
I'm still mulling that one over. Don't we avoid doing some things that terrify us because we don't actually want to do them? Food for thought, in any case. And, while we're at it, here's some food for eating too.<br />
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<b>Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Candied Walnuts</b><br />
<i>These cookies are thin with crispy edges and chewy centres—perfect for dipping. If you don't want to bake all of the cookies right away, chill the unbaked balls of dough briefly in the freezer before storing them in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bake as normal, adding a few minutes to the baking time to compensate for the chilly start.</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Candied Walnuts:</b><br />
140 grams walnuts<br />
100 grams white sugar<br />
40 grams water<br />
A sprinkle of <i>fleur de sel</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Cookies:</b><br />
125 grams all-purpose flour<br />
125 grams quick oats<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />
140 grams salted butter, at room temperature<br />
140 grams brown sugar<br />
115 grams white sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract <br />
140 grams of dark chocolate chips <br />
Candied walnuts (from above) <br />
<br />
Begin by toasting and candying the walnuts. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degree Fahrenheit). Spread the walnuts out on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Check them often near the end because burnt walnuts are seriously the worst. Set them aside to cool while you combine the white sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed skillet. (At this point, you'll want to chop your nuts as finely as you'd like them to be in your cookies.) Now stir in the nuts and cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.<br />
<br />
After a few minutes, the sugar will start to crystallize. Lower the heat slightly and keep stirring, doing your best to coat the nuts with any syrup that's pooling at the bottom. When the syrup begins to take on an amber shade, sprinkle the nuts with a generous pinch of <i>fleur de sel</i> and then dump them onto a baking sheet to cool.<br />
<br />
OK, cookie time. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda and baking powder. In a second medium-sized bowl, beat the butter and two sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Add the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Last but not least, stir in the chocolate chips and candied walnuts.<br />
<br />
Reheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degree Fahrenheit) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a small scoop (no. 30 size) to measure out equal portions, leaving lots of room for the cookies to spread. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the cookies are dark golden brown. Let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. <br />
<br />
Yields about 2 dozen cookies.<br />
<br />
<b>Sources + Inspiration: </b>I used David Lebovitz's recipe for <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/04/candied-peanut/">Candied Peanuts</a>, halving and amounts and substituting toasted walnuts for the peanuts. The cookie recipe is my oatmeal riff on <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/091crex.html?ref=dining&_r=0">this Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe</a> published in <i>The New York Times</i>, although admittedly it bears little resemblance to the original in either taste or texture.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-36638079445345749402013-08-20T21:36:00.002-07:002013-08-22T08:05:40.736-07:00Chocolate cake for R.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfIAK-zSMVkbaDuywYdbplxO3xFqz55W4MmMNQHFNIFdpV-k2M0lUQyFv-D92YGFihofHEFls71KjWYhMMQW5ljaiFNTJiPzz86oAuyJh45Zw-qi0on8wI-0I8Ps8MYoaNUt-ew/s1600/P1120864ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfIAK-zSMVkbaDuywYdbplxO3xFqz55W4MmMNQHFNIFdpV-k2M0lUQyFv-D92YGFihofHEFls71KjWYhMMQW5ljaiFNTJiPzz86oAuyJh45Zw-qi0on8wI-0I8Ps8MYoaNUt-ew/s400/P1120864ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
"I don't want people to take two bites and be done. I want them to enjoy the whole piece," explained R. "But I still want it to be chocolate."<br />
<br />
That was the major takeaway from our cake consultation in late July. Valid request. I don't want people to abandon my cake either. The thing is the second you start stacking chocolate on chocolate in multiple layers, the RQ—that's richness quotient—compounds quickly. See: <a href="http://instagram.com/p/apYeLkuQ_R/" target="_blank">my mom's</a> <a href="http://instagram.com/p/aphl6uOQ3i/" target="_blank">chocolate salted caramel birthday cake</a>.<br />
<br />
But then I remembered a tasty little whipped frosting that was in regular rotation back in the days of the cupcake craze. It's just as rich as a ganache, but it's light on the tongue—and that's enough to fool most people (including the birthday boy in question).<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY-nouZbABZMFjEjnqIL1BQPTrSB5uuiBYk7aqXryO7Yp5k08J5XmgztS1KtOpz1YY3rDNYOe2Q8IlfqbmZrDwSH8J3KmEZGIYLJmXwnFrKQxMFZMaV5-fFZxmMazS7Qs92nsPw/s1600/P1120856ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY-nouZbABZMFjEjnqIL1BQPTrSB5uuiBYk7aqXryO7Yp5k08J5XmgztS1KtOpz1YY3rDNYOe2Q8IlfqbmZrDwSH8J3KmEZGIYLJmXwnFrKQxMFZMaV5-fFZxmMazS7Qs92nsPw/s400/P1120856ps.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>Chocolate on Chocolate Birthday Cake</b><br />
<i>The frosting recipe below makes more than enough for a generous coating between cake layers and the decorative piping you see in the photo above. Cut it in half and you'll probably still have enough for a thin coat. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>Cake:</b><br />
85 grams (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate, chopped finely<br />
1 1/2 cups hot coffee<br />
3 cups sugar<br />
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder <br />
2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1 1/4 teaspoons salt<br />
3 large eggs<br />
3/4 cup vegetable oil<br />
1 1/2 cups buttermilk<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
<br />
<b>Frosting:</b><br />
170 grams (6 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, chopped finely<b> </b> <br />
5 cups icing sugar<br />
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
3 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
1 cup whipping cream, at room temperature<br />
<br />
Begin by preparing the cake. Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit). Grease three 20.5-cm (8-inch) pans and line the bottoms with parchment circles.<br />
<br />
Place the finely chopped chocolate in a small bowl and pour the hot coffee on top. Let the mixture stand for several minutes, then whisk until smooth.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking
soda, baking powder and salt.<br />
<br />
In a second large bowl, beat the eggs until thick and pale yellow (about 3 minutes). Add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla and melted chocolate, beating well between each addition. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.<br />
<br />
Divide the mixture evenly between the three prepared pans. Bake in the middle of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean (about 60-70 minutes).<br />
<br />
Move the pans to a rack and let them cool completely before attempting to flip the cakes out. For easy decorating (and fewer tears), wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until firm.<br />
<br />
Next, turn your attention to the frosting. Begin by melting the finely chopped chocolate slowly over a double boiler. Stir until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, whisk together the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Add the butter and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Mix in the melted chocolate. Add the vanilla and cream, then beat on medium speed until light and creamy (about 3 minutes).<br />
<br />
Several hours before serving, construct the cake using the chilled layers and freshly whipped frosting. Store the frosted cake covered at room temperature.<br />
<br />
<b>Sources: </b><a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Double-Chocolate-Layer-Cake-101275">Double chocolate layer cake</a> from Epicurious.com, originally published in <i>Gourmet</i> in March 1999. Chocolate buttercream frosting from <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Cupcakes-ebook/dp/B0057M25LS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377057261&sr=8-1&keywords=cupcakes+elinor">Cupcakes!</a> by Elinor Klivans, published by Chronicle Books.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-57376957056352936372013-08-06T11:48:00.001-07:002013-08-06T11:49:09.992-07:00Nectarine frangipane tart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzR1cfITxmh__OIJnIcg-GOpyMnafD83Bxva6-sU0D2DEVpIcKxeLKp-0B0g4YoeL64m0e3TSYyoy6xejDcVz1AnyThCAa4Bc_RE5F40VofuYZxnQyiyqAhzjQ0rQN5wR6jDD8qQ/s1600/P1120785ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzR1cfITxmh__OIJnIcg-GOpyMnafD83Bxva6-sU0D2DEVpIcKxeLKp-0B0g4YoeL64m0e3TSYyoy6xejDcVz1AnyThCAa4Bc_RE5F40VofuYZxnQyiyqAhzjQ0rQN5wR6jDD8qQ/s400/P1120785ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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If the thought of making pie makes your blood pressure rise or if you'd rather be sitting in front of a flickering campfire than a flickering screen this time of year, this post goes out to you. These nectarine frangipane tarts are quick and easy—especially if you already have some pastry (homemade or otherwise) hanging out in your freezer.<br />
<br />
I've been <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.ca/2010_12_01_archive.html" target="_blank">evangelizing about Pim's pastry recipe</a> for years and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, so you best get on board. What could possibly be better than haphazardly smashing butter into flour on a table-top and ending up with flaky pastry that is equally at home in a sweet tart or savoury quiche? Absolutely nothing, that's what. <br />
<br />
This little tart builds on that magic with a slick of rich, nutty frangipane and a few slices of seasonal fruit—all the elements of a great pie, without the stress of rolling and shaping a crust. It's like pie for beginners (or vacationers).<br />
<br />
<b>Nectarine Frangipane Tart </b><br />
<i>I'm partial to nectarines, but all stone fruits—including peaches, plums and apricots—pair nicely with an almond-based frangipane. If your plums or apricots are particularly tiny, you may want to simply halve or quarter the fruit and <a href="http://instagram.com/p/M1MtStuQ94/" target="_blank">arrange it like so</a>, skin-side down.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Pastry:</b><br />
250 grams all-purpose flour<br />
225 grams cold salted butter<br />
60 grams cold water<br />
<br />
<b>Frangipane:</b><br />
145 grams almonds, toasted<br />
28 grams all-purpose flour<br />
128 grams salted butter, at room temperature<br />
128 grams white sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or the seeds of 1 vanilla pod)<br />
<br />
<b>Fruit Topping:</b><br />
4 nectarines (to be safe), sliced into thin wedges<br />
coarse sugar (optional)<br />
<br />
Start with the pastry. Instead of re-creating step-by-step instructions here, I'm going to <a href="http://chezpim.com/bake/how-to-make-the-perfect-pie-dough" target="_blank">send you over to Chez Pim</a>. It's Pim's recipe and she's done a bang-up job of describing what to do and what to expect along the way<span id="goog_1023992435"></span><span id="goog_1023992436"></span>. Once you're done with the pastry, come back here for the frangipane.<br />
<br />
To make the frangipane, scatter the almonds onto a rimmed baking sheet and toast at 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit) for
7-10 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Transfer the toasted almonds
to a plate to cool completely before grinding them to a fine meal in a
food processor. Combine the almond meal and flour in a small bowl and set aside.<br />
<br />
Now use the food processor to whip the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla (extract or seeds) and process until smooth. Finally, add the almond meal and flour and process just until combined. Chill the frangipane for 30 minutes before using or store it covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.<br />
<br />
Now comes the fun part. Divide each round of pastry into four (roughly) equal parts, for a total of eight pieces. Roll each piece of pastry into whatever shape you like—I aim for a rustic rectangle—so long as it's only about 3 millimetres (1/10") thick.<br />
<br />
Lightly spread a thin layer of frangipane on top of each shape, leaving a small border around the perimeter. Now, arrange the sliced nectarine in overlapping layers on top of the frangipane. Sprinkle liberally with coarse sugar.<br />
<br />
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until visibly golden brown on the edges. Cool slightly or completely before eating. Best consumed the day they're made.<br />
<br />
<b>Sources: </b>The pastry is Pim's <a href="http://chezpim.com/bake/how-to-make-the-perfect-pie-dough" target="_blank">one pie dough to rule them all</a> and the frangipane is from a <a href="http://www.foodbeam.com/2006/10/28/quand-jetais-petite-tarte-a-la-figue-et-aux-amandes/" target="_blank">f</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">ig and almond tart</a> that Fanny posted over at Foodbeam. The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-91896965926762949352013-07-23T13:44:00.002-07:002013-07-31T09:53:23.419-07:00 Strawberry cheesecake ice cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKo3lYVejP-ZrTYZc1VgFh1X33ysV1_K7IIsxXjyoNl0bS-w3Rrxe10_cCKW-yAxlyaVzryC37goHOL-Ywf3kCBK202a0TDplPSJcBU059mVtLNSLqqUlBORwf6vnZcaRN-1jPgg/s1600/P1120367ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKo3lYVejP-ZrTYZc1VgFh1X33ysV1_K7IIsxXjyoNl0bS-w3Rrxe10_cCKW-yAxlyaVzryC37goHOL-Ywf3kCBK202a0TDplPSJcBU059mVtLNSLqqUlBORwf6vnZcaRN-1jPgg/s400/P1120367ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Up until last summer, the only marathons I was interested in were of the <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.ca/2007/08/i-cant-believe-theyre-not-doughnuts.html" target="_blank">TV variety</a>.
That all changed when we booked a Mount Kilimanjaro climb for last fall and started reading firsthand accounts of the experience online. Would our camembert-encased hearts make it to the top?<br />
<br />
Fearing no, we registered for a <i>semi-marathon </i>in Bordeaux (with a cheque in the mail <i>naturellement) </i>and began pounding the Paris pavement in earnest. The Friday night before our Sunday race, as we were packing our bags for an early-morning bus ride to the sleepy town of Le Porge, our iPhones
buzzed with the news that the local <i>prefecture</i> had closed the race course due to a heightened risk of forest fire. We made the trip anyway—but instead of sweating
it out on the local trails in 35+ degree heat, we spent the weekend sunning it up and eating <i><a href="http://instagram.com/p/OhBNDbOQx7/" target="_blank">mascottes</a> </i>on the beach.<br />
<br />
A few months later, in October 2012, we did indeed reach <a href="http://instagram.com/p/QUj6P4uQ86/" target="_blank">the summit of Kilimanjaro</a>, but it still kind of irked me that all that half-marathon training hadn't ended in a half-marathon. So, back when Canada was still an ocean away and August 2013 a lifetime in the future, a friend and I agreed to sign up for the <a href="http://www.seawheeze.com/" target="_blank">SeaWheeze Half-Marathon</a> in Vancouver. There's a very good chance I had a <i>pain au chocolat</i> in one hand (and a glass of wine in the queue) as I tapped out an enthusiastic "Let's do it!"<br />
<br />
My <a href="http://anemeraldcitylife.com/2013/06/26/ugh-running-and-a-tooth-fairy-visit/" target="_blank">running partner</a>,
who lives in Seattle sadly, recently referred to our half-marathon
training as a part-time job. It definitely feels that way sometimes. If
I'm not running, then I've just come from running, I'm about to go
running or I'm procrastinating about running. A former
accountant-in-training and admitted number nerd, I diligently track my
distances and times in a tidy spreadsheet—colour coded of course. That's
how I can say, with great confidence, that I deserve every last scoop
of strawberry ice cream I've consumed.<br />
<br />
<b>Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream</b><br />
<b></b><i>I say "cheesecake" ice cream because the addition of cream cheese and buttermilk gives each lick a tangy kick. Next time, I plan on baking up a pan of graham cracker crust and either swirling it into the ice cream in the final stages of churning or crumbling it on top sundae-style. Since the flavour of roasted strawberries pairs so well with balsamic vinegar, I used that in place of lemon juice. </i><br />
<br />
350 grams of strawberries, hulled and cut into 1.25-cm (10.5") slices<br />
1/3 cup sugar<br />
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar<br />
<br />
4 tablespoons cream cheese, softened<br />
1/8 teaspoon sea salt<br />
2 tablespoons cornstarch<br />
1 1/2 cups whole milk <br />
1 1/4 cups whipping cream<br />
2/3 cup sugar<br />
2 tablespoons corn syrup<br />
1/4 cup buttermilk<br />
<br />
<div class="ERSIngredients">
</div>
<div class="ERSInstructionsHeader ERSHeading">
</div>
Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). In a square baking dish, lightly toss the sliced strawberries with 1/3 cup of sugar. Roast for 8 minutes or until the berries are soft. Puree the roasted berries
and lemon juice in a blender or food processor, then set the mixture aside.<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese and salt until smooth. Set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of milk. Set aside. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Set aside.<br />
<br />
In a large saucepan, combine the
remaining milk, cream, sugar and corn syrup. Boil over medium-high heat for 4 minutes.<br />
<br />
Remove the saucepan from heat
and slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return the pan to medium-high heat and
cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly (about 1 minute). Remove from
heat.<br />
<br />
Gradually whisk
the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Add the
strawberry puree (I used 1 cup and saved the rest for drizzling on top) and buttermilk, and blend well.<br />
<br />
Pour the mixture into a 4-litre (1 gallon) freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let
stand, adding more ice as needed, until the mixture is completely chilled (about 30
minutes).<br />
<br />
Process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Scoop the ice cream into an airtight storage container and freeze until firm (at
least 4 hours).<br />
<br />
Remove the ice cream from the freezer 10 minutes before serving to soften it
slightly.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Source: </b>Slightly adapted from <a href="http://foodess.com/2012/07/roasted-strawberry-buttermilk-ice-cream/" target="_blank">Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream</a> over at Foodess.com, which Jennifer adapted from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Jenis-Splendid-Ice-Creams-Home/dp/1579654363" target="_blank">Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home</a></i>.</span> The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-71475948909383312192013-06-14T18:18:00.000-07:002013-08-06T10:46:39.054-07:00Key lime, by special request<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqe0N0d2N1stQjQhCnbIi11mZc5-wdhin1vW2fITOtBVf5_r1OLjWQjRHmbNT38n95wwk1jKENCTL0j8FTUCNh2fDP6TgrO5MyHfYiDmBt9ro_JcBcA1cfBB1DHwedOqebMKm_Q/s1600/P1120023ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqe0N0d2N1stQjQhCnbIi11mZc5-wdhin1vW2fITOtBVf5_r1OLjWQjRHmbNT38n95wwk1jKENCTL0j8FTUCNh2fDP6TgrO5MyHfYiDmBt9ro_JcBcA1cfBB1DHwedOqebMKm_Q/s400/P1120023ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div>
As I gear up to bake the next <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.ca/2009/09/within-cake-distance.html" target="_blank">family birthday cake</a>, I guess it's about time I shared the last one. It was actually a tart if we're being careful with our words—never a bad idea.<br />
<br />
"Key
lime pie's my favourite," she casually mentioned. "And my birthday's next month," she continued, just in case I wasn't taking the hint.
(That was my niece S. back in March, during our brief stint as roomies
after we arrived back in Canada.)<br />
<br />
I feigned disinterest, but secretly filed this handy piece of information away. Little did she suspect that the <a href="http://instagram.com/p/Xif0boOQ3r/" target="_blank">lemon meringue tart</a> I brought to Easter dinner was a prelude to the main event. When I tweeted a photo of <a href="http://instagram.com/p/YENZvgOQ96/" target="_blank">key lime cream</a> several weeks later, her response was near instant: "You totally just made my day!" Which in turn made mine.<br />
<br />
<b>Key Lime Tart</b><br />
Yields one 20-cm (8-inch) tart + four 8-cm (3-inch) tartlets <br />
<br />
<b>Sweet pastry:</b><br />
300 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
190 grams icing sugar<br />
60 grams toasted ground almonds<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
2 eggs<br />
500 grams all-purpose flour<br />
1 teaspoon <i>fleur de sel</i><b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Key lime cream:</b><br />
200 grams sugar<br />
4 large eggs<br />
130 millilitres key lime juice<br />
Zest from half the key limes<br />
300 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
<br />
<b>Italian meringue:</b><br />
50 grams water<br />
150 grams sugar<br />
<br />
2 egg whites<br />
35 grams sugar<br />
<br />
<b>DAY 1</b><br />
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Scatter 60 grams worth of whole almonds onto a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 7-10 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Transfer the toasted almonds to a plate to cool completely before grinding them to a fine meal in a food processor.<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, cream the butter until soft and smooth. Mix in the icing sugar, ground almonds and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Stir in the flour and <i>fleur de sel</i>, mixing just until incorporated. Be careful not to overwork the dough at this point in the game!<br />
<br />
Divide the dough into three equal balls. Lightly pat each ball into a disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight (or for up to two days) or freeze for up to a month.<br />
<br />
<b>DAY 2</b> <br />
Lightly grease your tart pan. Roll out your sweet pastry into a circle that measures the diameter of your tart pan, plus 5 centimetres. Working quickly, press the dough into the pan. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and chill for an hour.<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the lined tart out of the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap and replace it with baking paper. Fill the paper with dried rice, dried beans or baking weights. Bake for 17-25 minutes, remove the weights, and then continue baking for another 3-5 minutes (or until light golden brown). Cool completely before filling.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, prepare the key lime cream. Start by filling your sink with 3-4 centimetres of cold water and bringing a saucepan with several inches of water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the butter into large chunks and set it aside in a small bowl. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the sugar and lime zest. Use your fingers to rub the two together until the mixture is moist and aromatic. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the lime juice. <br />
<br />
Place the heatproof bowl over the saucepan filled with boiling water to create a double boiler, turning down the heat as needed to maintain a slow but steady simmer. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture reaches 185 degrees Fahrenheit. This could take awhile. As soon as you hit 185 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the bowl from the heat and set it in the sink filled with cold water.<br />
<br />
Once the temperature has dropped to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the bowl from the sink and whisk in the butter one piece at a time. Once all of the butter has been added, blend the cream for 8 minutes using a stand or handheld mixer or immersion blender. At this point, the mixture can be cooled for immediate use or refrigerated for up to four days. To store the lime cream, scoop it into a bowl and press a piece of (heatproof) plastic wrap onto the surface to create an airtight seal.<br />
<br />
Once your baked tart shell and lime cream are sufficiently cool, spread or pipe the lime cream into the tart shell. At this point, refrigerate the tart for at least an hour before getting started on the meringue.<br />
<br />
Now let's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merengue_%28dance%29" target="_blank">merengue</a>—er, make meringue. In a small saucepan, heat the water and 150 grams of sugar until it reaches 239 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt on low until foamy. Add the 35 grams of sugar gradually, then increase the mixer speed. Beat the mixture until soft peaks form. Here's the key: you need the simple syrup to reach the right temperature right around the same time that soft peaks are forming in your egg whites. If you're waiting for your simple syrup to catch up, simply lower your mixer speed until the syrup is ready. Ready?<br />
<br />
Turn your mixer speed to medium, then pour the boiling syrup into the egg white mixture in a steady stream. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat the mixture until the outside of the mixing bowl is no longer hot (just slightly warm).<br />
<br />
Remove the tart from the refrigerator and pipe or spoon the meringue on top. Use a blow torch or your oven's lowest broiler setting to lightly brown the top. Careful here—a few seconds can be the difference between perfectly toasted and definitely burned!<br />
<br />
<b>Source:</b> A key lime variation on Fanny's <a href="http://www.foodbeam.com/2007/09/25/fanny-ta-tarte-au-citron-meringuee-est-sublime-sexclama-aida-meilleure-tarte-au-citron-meringuee-du-monde-entier/" target="_blank">tarte au citron meringuée</a> over at Foodbeam.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-52862415148392702672013-04-30T13:45:00.003-07:002013-07-23T13:46:04.494-07:00Slinking in the back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tppSb1yvmwhD_UVWk7iVVoXI6P7wp9Ikxfnt1MnrKk-hzpFZJ9bnf-xqNHQU0OJUxjkTdMqTVx1Hw8wjfYfJwyWRJzkot130wyrVzXvv6noKYm6cK8a1KhIjTw2n-SoRW3-0IQ/s1600/P1110907ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tppSb1yvmwhD_UVWk7iVVoXI6P7wp9Ikxfnt1MnrKk-hzpFZJ9bnf-xqNHQU0OJUxjkTdMqTVx1Hw8wjfYfJwyWRJzkot130wyrVzXvv6noKYm6cK8a1KhIjTw2n-SoRW3-0IQ/s400/P1110907ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
You'd never know it to read it now, but this post has undergone innumerable rewrites behind the scenes. Draft mode can be an exhausting place if things are left to linger too long.<br />
<br />
Originally titled "<b>A triumphant return</b>," this date cake recipe was meant to celebrate our first pre-spring weeks back in Vancouver. But my return to blogging grew less triumphant and more sheepish as the days tick-tocked on, so I switched gears—and titles—to focus more on the cake and less on my delinquency.<br />
<br />
In the post's second major iteration, "<b>Dates—not just for old people</b>," I aimed to debunk outdated notions about the humble date and play up the fruit's star qualities. In hindsight, it was a bit too <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Popeil" target="_blank">Ron Popeil</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Are dates a thing now? I'm beginning to think they're a thing. In my
mind, dates were always something grandmas ate—right up there on the
list with prunes and Grape Nuts. Maybe that's just my Granny. Regardless,
the thing about dates is that they have a rich flavour, a velvety
smooth texture when blended...</i></span> </div>
</blockquote>
That version languished in draft mode for weeks. I'd check in every once in awhile just to see how the text was doing, hoping for a minor miracle that would transform my rambling into a thoughtful post while I was off gallivanting. A heads up: that doesn't work.<br />
<br />
Today, in the spirit of tidying up loose ends, I resolved to press "publish" no matter what. Sometimes—most times—there's no triumphant return. When you're late, you just have to slip through the back door, slide into your seat and hope no one notices.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMulAsa1gFXQqvtWQ7COohVBrx5boaaA3ZojyJri-RjhwRhWXplMshUahsLusf_mZqmn5cHjNFXKmJ66NkZ0KT98XtozyUyzwuYRAwj5CBkVLWEovmraTy6m6hoE8CiybPeT6mg/s1600/P1110923ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMulAsa1gFXQqvtWQ7COohVBrx5boaaA3ZojyJri-RjhwRhWXplMshUahsLusf_mZqmn5cHjNFXKmJ66NkZ0KT98XtozyUyzwuYRAwj5CBkVLWEovmraTy6m6hoE8CiybPeT6mg/s400/P1110923ps.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>Source: </b><a href="http://notwithoutsalt.com/2013/01/20/salted-caramel-date-loaf/" target="_blank">Salted Caramel Date Loaf</a>, recreated exactly as recommended by Ashley, the voice and photographer behind <i>Not Without Salt</i>.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMulAsa1gFXQqvtWQ7COohVBrx5boaaA3ZojyJri-RjhwRhWXplMshUahsLusf_mZqmn5cHjNFXKmJ66NkZ0KT98XtozyUyzwuYRAwj5CBkVLWEovmraTy6m6hoE8CiybPeT6mg/s1600/P1110923ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com7Vancouver, BC, Canada49.261226 -123.113926849.0954085 -123.4366503 49.4270435 -122.7912033tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-34792860346169496832013-01-30T15:37:00.000-08:002013-01-30T15:37:02.227-08:00Hi ho, hi hoIt's off to Spain—then Canada—we go. See you back here in March!<br />
<br />
A+<br />
<i>The Casual Baker</i>The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-2278243347269078882013-01-14T14:33:00.004-08:002013-01-20T14:28:40.676-08:00Maple walnut shortbread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3bVUD7NaOPGdM3Xk_61qtinOKEOiUjhrY7AbEnUviro68nDy8JpefQKen0eox5mmge9WHfSJ7H-6CPn8SFzw1wcDp8jyzUXEax5tBUnffY1WbI-ci6ZRImKoaLMqNwZiLSGbAw/s1600/P1110823ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3bVUD7NaOPGdM3Xk_61qtinOKEOiUjhrY7AbEnUviro68nDy8JpefQKen0eox5mmge9WHfSJ7H-6CPn8SFzw1wcDp8jyzUXEax5tBUnffY1WbI-ci6ZRImKoaLMqNwZiLSGbAw/s400/P1110823ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
How does one consume an entire litre of Canada no. 1 medium maple syrup<b> </b>in 2.5 weeks? It's a major preoccupation of mine at the moment. Why? Because we're moving again of course.<br />
<br />
Now's when we should be trying to sell our yoga mats on Craigslist (do people do that?), finding a map so we don't get lost walking from Salamanca to Santiago in February and—at the top of the list—revisiting all things favourite<i> </i>one last time.* Instead, I'm trying to find an ingenious way to use up a full bag of bulgur, half a sack of quinoa and an aging box of couscous that I've passed over three times for a better-tasting whole-wheat version from the <i>bio </i>store down the street. There's also an unopened jar of molasses and an uncracked container of <i>cassonade</i>, the results of two separate episodes of grocery store amnesia amid the aisles.<br />
<br />
My mom (bless her soul) schlepped the jug of maple syrup halfway across the world in her suitcase in November, but I refuse to do the same in February. In any other situation, pancakes for breakfast every day would be a welcome solution, but there are countless <i>pains au chocolat</i> to be consumed before we leave. I've done the math (breakfast squared <i>x</i> seventeen days <i>/</i> waist size of my pants) and it's not workable, particularly when you start factoring in bread and cheese.<br />
<br />
You could make the argument that maple walnut shortbread is no better, but this syrup is not going to drink itself. Best hop to it.<br />
<br />
* My mantra in the days and weeks before leaving anywhere. Just ask R. We've only begun and I think he's already sick of it!<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3sT3IQ6EU3M2pSRi4hZrz0pmuiUoDgeLddFgkSkO968H5laO7g_iLywYsCVOcql3OwzjgrTBU_KNQmYNFYL3WCAKOv4wsq4XArMy9mQ4MjBiGARbBPB74Np9MHT1thplwvgc1Q/s1600/P1110837ps.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3sT3IQ6EU3M2pSRi4hZrz0pmuiUoDgeLddFgkSkO968H5laO7g_iLywYsCVOcql3OwzjgrTBU_KNQmYNFYL3WCAKOv4wsq4XArMy9mQ4MjBiGARbBPB74Np9MHT1thplwvgc1Q/s400/P1110837ps.jpg" width="400" /></a> </b><br />
<b>Maple Walnut Shortbread</b><br />
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup maple syrup<br />
1 large egg yolk<br />
3 cups flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg<br />
1 teaspoon <i>fleur de sel + </i>extra for sprinkling on top (optional)<br />
1 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted and skins removed<br />
75 grams <i>cassonade </i>or other coarse sugar (optional)<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the yolk and mix until blended. Slowly drizzle in the maple syrup, beating continuously as you go.<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg and salt. Stir in the nuts. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined.<br />
<br />
Shape the dough into a tube, rolling it back and forth until you have an even cylinder. Each end should be slightly smaller in diameter than you'd ultimately like your cookies to be. Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill until firm.<br />
When the dough is chilled through, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with
parchment paper. Pour the <i>cassonade</i> sugar onto a plate.<br />
<br />
Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Roll the log in the sugar until the exterior is evenly coated. Slice the dough into 1/2-centimetre coins. Arrange the slices on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving room for the cookies to expand as they bake. At this point, you can sprinkle a few flakes of <i>fleur de sel</i> on top (or not).<br />
<br />
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden on top. <br />
<br />
<b>Source: </b>My nut variation on a <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2011/12/nutmeg-maple-butter-cookies/" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen adaptation</a> of a <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Maple-Leaf-Butter-Cookies-10106" target="_blank">Gourmet Magazine recipe</a>.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-26720921274525140392013-01-07T14:35:00.001-08:002013-01-07T14:36:26.700-08:00Coffee in Paris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YzhyphenhyphenB35r0kJIfoTMQeDeXtCjgFIE-fmGjXS6Bf-wT5a0X6h-LpwpiNPe_EdyCEIJ3zxK6qOHoFa420F9uBI1vJISIN3UzoyJ9nXVjalsnQBvoHefljf8ylTMR9F1uIB88sFeSQ/s1600/Coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YzhyphenhyphenB35r0kJIfoTMQeDeXtCjgFIE-fmGjXS6Bf-wT5a0X6h-LpwpiNPe_EdyCEIJ3zxK6qOHoFa420F9uBI1vJISIN3UzoyJ9nXVjalsnQBvoHefljf8ylTMR9F1uIB88sFeSQ/s400/Coffee.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
After making it through high school and six years of university without succumbing to the allure of caffeine, I thought I was home free. Then I moved to Paris.<br />
<br />
It was 2007 and I was 27. After <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.fr/2007/04/baking-911-on-set-emergency-and-my.html" target="_blank">catering a student film</a> and surviving a misguided foray into PR for an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabaztag" target="_blank">electronic rabbit</a>, I landed an editorial project manager position with a boutique communications agency. Like all good French firms, the company provided its employees with <i><a href="http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2005/06/le_ticket_resto.php" target="_blank">tickets restaurant</a></i>—a kind of subsidized voucher that can be used in place of cash at restaurants, <i>boulangeries</i> and other places where prepared food is available. Like all good French employees, we went out for lunch all the time. Following every meal, everyone but me would finish with <i>un café.</i> It's so <i>de rigueur</i> that every once in awhile, despite my best efforts, I'd end up with an unordered espresso in front of me. Rather than strain my limited French with an explanation to the server, I took the easy way out and (quite literally) sucked it up (availing myself of all the sugar provided naturally). Before long, I was deliberately ordering and eagerly anticipating the post-lunch espresso (<i>sans</i> <i>sucre</i>).<br />
<br />
Fast forward to 2013 and I am a full-blown addict with an admitted tendency toward snobbery. The Pacific Northwest will do that to a person. Fortunately, Paris has upped its coffee game considerably over the past five years. Although there will always be a place in my heart for an over-roasted, poorly extracted <i>café en terrasse</i>, today you can find high-quality beans and top-notch baristas at a small (but growing!) number of coffee-focused spots in the city. Here are five of my favourites:<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.telescopecafe.com/" target="_blank">Télescope</a></b><br />
5, rue Villedo<br />
75001 Paris<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.coutumecafe.com/" target="_blank">Café Coutume</a></b><br />
47, rue de Babylone<br />
75007 Paris<br />
<br />
<b>Kooka Boora</b><br />
53, avenue Trudaine<br />
75009 Paris<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.tenbelles.com/" target="_blank">Ten Belles</a></b><br />
10, rue de la Grange aux Belles<br />
75010 Paris <br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Market-Caf%C3%A9/281277508639725" target="_blank">Black Market Coffee</a></b><br />
<span itemprop="streetAddress">27, rue Ramey</span><br />
<span itemprop="postalCode">75018</span> <span itemprop="addressLocality">Paris</span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality"><b></b> </span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality"><b>Order like a pro</b> </span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality">If you want<span itemprop="addressLocality"> an espresso, order </span><i>un café.</i></span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality"><span itemprop="addressLocality"><span itemprop="addressLocality">If you want </span>an americano, order </span><i>un café allongé.</i></span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality"><span itemprop="addressLocality">If you want </span>a filtered coffee, order <i>un café filtre.</i></span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality"><span itemprop="addressLocality"><span itemprop="addressLocality"><span itemprop="addressLocality">If you want </span></span>an espresso macchiato</span>, order <i>une noisette.</i></span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality"><span itemprop="addressLocality"><span itemprop="addressLocality">If you want </span></span>a latté, order <i>un café crème.</i></span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality"><br /></span>
<span itemprop="addressLocality"><b>Find your fix</b><i> </i></span><br />
<span itemprop="addressLocality"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=201779182663668017485.0004d2b1348614d2b8142&hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=48.870108,2.341625&spn=0.036773,0.046556&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=201779182663668017485.0004d2b1348614d2b8142&hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=48.870108,2.341625&spn=0.036773,0.046556&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">Coffee in Paris</a> in a larger map</small> </span>The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-4346513874095523202012-11-18T10:31:00.000-08:002012-11-18T10:31:15.166-08:00Cheesy bites II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5i9eu5pp-I61hwfrMHSRA44MaW26XBSIQSxkGLrMlX8Qtw9ESCvbeamffHi4sX02kF8det8SL_k61jah7rBe9RXqu_E8ncROnbMMf97W2JIM4BMJGMx4MCW8VZ2xM3MxFq6o_xw/s1600/P1110319ps.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5i9eu5pp-I61hwfrMHSRA44MaW26XBSIQSxkGLrMlX8Qtw9ESCvbeamffHi4sX02kF8det8SL_k61jah7rBe9RXqu_E8ncROnbMMf97W2JIM4BMJGMx4MCW8VZ2xM3MxFq6o_xw/s400/P1110319ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Fueling my insatiable desire for all things cheese, <a href="http://www.casualbaker.blogspot.fr/2012/11/cheesy-bites.html" target="_blank">cheesy bites</a> has spontaneously become a mini-series. Part II is where I encourage you to get fancy and make French cheese puffs, known as <i>gougères</i>. Don't worry: they're not as difficult or pretentious as they sound. (I tried that out with a "neither...nor" first, but that <i>did</i> sound a bit pretentious.)<br />
<br />
You'll notice that my cheese puffs are a bit knobby and uneven. That's mostly because I didn't have a pastry bag handy—or even a Ziploc bag that I could fashion into a makeshift pastry bag. Oh well, I say—and so should you. Chances are everyone will be too busy stuffing their faces to notice anyway.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4m5f5sy9cvmlWiXXU_2tKpW2myWfNC4-WWtZH7FipJmXvJo8jnj9DVl4aUabmuEaAAVlxDEx-l6Kew3ChqOjgyYMt3gLnVmB7Trg4R9-oQ9XLwho-eNbywE7wjh0z-nrGXdL32A/s1600/P1110325ps.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4m5f5sy9cvmlWiXXU_2tKpW2myWfNC4-WWtZH7FipJmXvJo8jnj9DVl4aUabmuEaAAVlxDEx-l6Kew3ChqOjgyYMt3gLnVmB7Trg4R9-oQ9XLwho-eNbywE7wjh0z-nrGXdL32A/s400/P1110325ps.jpg" width="400" /></a> <b>Gougères (or Cheese Puffs)</b><br />
125 millilitres water<br />
40 grams salted butter, cubed<br />
Healthy pinch of chili powder or modest pinch of cayenne<br />
70 grams flour<br />
2 large eggs<br />
90 grams cheese (I used grated <i>grana padano</i> + crumbled blue)<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.<br />
<br />
In a medium saucepan, heat the water, butter and chili powder until the butter is melted.<br />
<br />
Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the
mixture pulls away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a smooth ball. Remove the mixture from heat
and let it rest two minutes.<br />
<br />
Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring quickly to keep them from cooking. Keep mixing until smooth. Stir in the grated cheese.<br />
<br />
At this point, you can either scrape the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a wide, plain tip—or simply use a spoon to mound the mixture into cherry tomato-sized balls on the prepared baking sheet.<br />
<br />
Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the gougères are golden brown. Serve warm.<br />
<br />
<b>Source:</b> Based on a <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/01/gougeres-french-cheese-puffs/" target="_blank">David Lebovitz recipe</a>.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-41686464809125516902012-11-09T11:38:00.000-08:002012-11-13T02:58:05.170-08:00Cheesy bites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Disconnecting from the interwebz earlier this autumn left me with a hefty backlog of blog posts to catch up on. It's been pretty fantastic to have a seemingly endless supply of unread content from my favourite bloggers just as the weather nosedived toward winter. If you spend any time in the food blogosphere—which obviously you do, since you're here—you'll know that food bloggers have a tendency to herd: posting similar things using similar ingredients at similar times. It makes sense. We're often responding to the same seasonal produce, preparing for the same holidays, and seeking inspiration in the same places.<br />
<br />
As I cruised my bookmarked sites, one snack in particular seemed to pop up <a href="http://www.sassyradish.com/2012/10/homemade-cheese-crackers/">again</a> and <a href="http://joythebaker.com/2012/10/sharp-cheddar-cheese-crackers/">again</a> in recent months: cheese crackers. When the universe is so adamant, what else is a girl to do but head to the kitchen and get crackin'. Womp womp.<br />
<br />
Aside from whole wheat <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premium_Plus">Premium Plus</a> for my tomato soup, which is totally non-negotiable, I rarely buy crackers. Mostly because I love them too much. Sit me down with a box of Cheese Nips or Triscuits or Ritz (oh Lord, especially the Ritz) and I'll plow through the whole thing in one go—no buttery, salt-covered carb left undemolished. I'm a real champ like that.<br />
<br />
Seriously though, the deliciousness-to-effort ratio on these nippers is sky high. They're more like little bites of pastry than true crackers, but that can hardly be considered a character flaw. We ate them as a <b>crackéritif</b> (that's cracker + <i>apéritif</i>) before my all-time favourite butternut squash and black bean soup, but they'd be a worthy party snack or cheese plate addition. The next time I get my hands on a jar of hot pepper jelly, I'm breaking out this recipe.<br />
<br />
<b>Cheese Crackers</b><br />
140 grams flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon chili powder<br />
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced<br />
55 grams cold salted butter, cubed<br />
60 grams strong cheese, grated (I used gruyere and pecorino)<br />
Up to 2 tablespoons cold water<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.<br />
<br />
Measure the flour, chili powder and garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to blend. Add the butter and cheese and pulse just until the mixture begins to clump. Add the water 1/2 tablespoon at a time, pulsing between each addition, until the dough begins to form a ball.<br />
<br />
Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Carefully roll it out as thinly as you can (1/2 centimetre or even less is ideal). Cut into shapes using a knife or flour-dusted cookie cutters. Transfer the cutouts to the prepared baking sheet.<br />
<br />
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Cool before noshing.<br />
<br />
<b>Source:</b> Adapted from Joy the Baker's <a href="http://joythebaker.com/2012/10/sharp-cheddar-cheese-crackers/">Cheddar Cheese Crackers</a> and converted to weight measurements for my Paris kitchen.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-85740157727498556122012-11-03T08:09:00.001-07:002012-11-03T08:09:33.639-07:00Coffee in TanzaniaHello November. This autumn has been all kinds of awesome—in a flying-all-over-the-place, sleeping-in-strange-places, seeing-unbelievable-things kind of way. For the next little while though, I'm quite content to unpack my bags, tie on an apron and get back to stirring pots on stovetops.<br />
<br />
But before that, I wanted to post a few photos from one of the food-related highlights of our East African trip: a visit to a small coffee plantation outside Arusha. There, we watched a rudimentary approach to coffee processing unfold before our eyes, from berry to bean to brew. True to the region, this choose-your-own-adventure tour got off to a rough start, veered off course multiple times and miraculously ended up exactly where we had hoped. It turns out that<i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakuna_matata" target="_blank">hakuna matata</a> </i>is more than just a Disney catchphrase.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlOlRG39s7UFVAPviWltLExSv07vCb0Hyc2vH-SVd0Q8S6W_BYOzgApvCsCSvnNy0ufQ8-poO7xJ0EMOg24UWYfbqO-hZ9DbXFAQPwcr_sRD-Ol2hQphyK-JKHA5wtmS23bAYSA/s400/P1100952ps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>In the beginning: coffee berries/cherries.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-P5mF3mYdsJQp_lPb9bnZ3_icjXilg_pVpHnDFpYyPquaDCkpNRzaqLHKRMOfRuI93SWd1NvuTHynWMeC5uINaBUbi0wlyYnA0lceXc9iuMMKolpS0WdgWbICqCfvh_fcKX3B1Q/s1600/P1100961ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-P5mF3mYdsJQp_lPb9bnZ3_icjXilg_pVpHnDFpYyPquaDCkpNRzaqLHKRMOfRuI93SWd1NvuTHynWMeC5uINaBUbi0wlyYnA0lceXc9iuMMKolpS0WdgWbICqCfvh_fcKX3B1Q/s400/P1100961ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Inside the berries are seeds or "beans." These ones were dried in advance.<br />
</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23qoL1roZvMc6lLV20TvutRUVvQT9h9Fqv8T7JeAAHeD-S4bqdwa78D4iGlYduDEe63a7ozO4Wj9nPhAjrNfsKbF0O7Y0oaNNc8m0CxWSwlYtxhIl4Xf_EOggtxL2l5vdcIkE-A/s1600/P1100971ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOETxE7ei0J-ojhzh1KOrK9ktcjbAcAbGvQFB7a0f2hAyutCRpTbY8SKmK4BK4Fypqfhkea6F9iNY5iOHflxdt-2O4le8CGxeIVEKGtILTO4EzESyyTvEqn7zruZjzDk1k0xYUGw/s400/P1100983ps.jpg" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Into this contraption they go for hulling.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSqEp8ghGH4FrBQOiF9JKsQz9yMnaR1PN9YsB3spoyNERJJdVS_DPqgTiVdFTEvrfNCu_9IELUEW-ZGuDE9BY3v0oubfDgwWW4Z6Ms1YE6I4joC_rEP1D_kCxDgvYnsEGE1fHEA/s400/P1100988ps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Separating the hulls from the beans.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlyr8BC1bbOyq4LTm7yum-gO-Xo19pat3YRrmzIJS90Cm2ZNzhSol9U77-OvdsGizADv5q1F2YmCBSYg830PGqmPrbFSCafyfaKc0TEqZfCDYO2q4Lu8VMvmZeZg8YSQyo90ihA/s400/P1110005ps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>R. gets in on the action.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYH5pvmx477E1qyCOp-z_K3VRGCcdpFw-JDKpXEReMbfEyt8uRlXv5g48eTjS1T9ngmuD3QZ3jz2HK_XoA1yMxspoOlfiGHhZTWmJkFktCtxAPB8F4Rf2gHBNuXSBpyCRz-atDA/s400/P1100999ps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Hulling the last few beans by hand.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcb8lH1UKvljYnsAcMHN1gSzP0B1ilr1amCb_hefeIkJGUQsD1xRYlUOk4jtblL2cZrhmakQVtUFYG0nLW3VipH5E9xwDcee4f6Y_rTpXkIriioPtQewlM9vzN2nofGrQvcCxKw/s400/P1100970ps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>After and before hulling.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4FpA9mT1lXALex_w1OTY7G4lVC2bKYQGs3-cNMluVfD49RfAqoxGbB7vG85FizAHXzXpOHbqrtzpdPJN8VnixxAWYfp0qDfr8KhOYSLD2SkCYZNhEMiCTNCGIqjWN8G5yRhSUA/s400/P1110043ps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Hulled coffee beans or "green coffee."</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23qoL1roZvMc6lLV20TvutRUVvQT9h9Fqv8T7JeAAHeD-S4bqdwa78D4iGlYduDEe63a7ozO4Wj9nPhAjrNfsKbF0O7Y0oaNNc8m0CxWSwlYtxhIl4Xf_EOggtxL2l5vdcIkE-A/s1600/P1100971ps.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23qoL1roZvMc6lLV20TvutRUVvQT9h9Fqv8T7JeAAHeD-S4bqdwa78D4iGlYduDEe63a7ozO4Wj9nPhAjrNfsKbF0O7Y0oaNNc8m0CxWSwlYtxhIl4Xf_EOggtxL2l5vdcIkE-A/s400/P1100971ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Let's roast!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREzloJK6OP7tw1PqZN2avql1xUUiuJWIXs17OPwBo4pXk_eJ23W7EjEjBK07Y43e6pc8VQZ_ul4FxH9JWR6t6rrxKw6ReC9vsHgaRcDoXFQZng0BZBNsnmyWh2YBs0h7U180BGA/s1600/P1110018ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREzloJK6OP7tw1PqZN2avql1xUUiuJWIXs17OPwBo4pXk_eJ23W7EjEjBK07Y43e6pc8VQZ_ul4FxH9JWR6t6rrxKw6ReC9vsHgaRcDoXFQZng0BZBNsnmyWh2YBs0h7U180BGA/s400/P1110018ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Keep those beans moving.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBlN7TUT0eDnvIpuehQyBE_atzR9rcB0zk0BjZm2JfkSfpUO8MkLNp9BU3Sc2gFP3zvR_4uXPqod2Gn5AMeWePHI21kdCmZw0Az6FMOkwE_3ES4MO-6LsObCW-zjZks2Cn1H9yQ/s1600/P1110031ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBlN7TUT0eDnvIpuehQyBE_atzR9rcB0zk0BjZm2JfkSfpUO8MkLNp9BU3Sc2gFP3zvR_4uXPqod2Gn5AMeWePHI21kdCmZw0Az6FMOkwE_3ES4MO-6LsObCW-zjZks2Cn1H9yQ/s400/P1110031ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>This lady stepped in to show the guys how it's done.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-6wr7hTfH30IkG5Dkvx2XctihMnlVYjKHdFLOpa0-AYRe1GtSMvgUhtkt1FxYn0qrrcY8KnGIL87yhyb7dItDEzMfKg89fEGrgmHbjFjywWs9dfyBUGO-z7Uigl40TxK0UWWdA/s1600/P1110033ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-6wr7hTfH30IkG5Dkvx2XctihMnlVYjKHdFLOpa0-AYRe1GtSMvgUhtkt1FxYn0qrrcY8KnGIL87yhyb7dItDEzMfKg89fEGrgmHbjFjywWs9dfyBUGO-z7Uigl40TxK0UWWdA/s400/P1110033ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Nearly there.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXOUgtEa6KZZVCb5RdzdfPbOVLoSwDP3fZmBc-WjKOF4JWmh9gTAMpDRl0YXMkirAkQ9AZMS8rq6grf2JkPwsRLY-hUfCQ5qRuyzYiO4Wd1fqlt3JQpEMtEg-v1iHsgMxUPpm1g/s1600/P1110047ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXOUgtEa6KZZVCb5RdzdfPbOVLoSwDP3fZmBc-WjKOF4JWmh9gTAMpDRl0YXMkirAkQ9AZMS8rq6grf2JkPwsRLY-hUfCQ5qRuyzYiO4Wd1fqlt3JQpEMtEg-v1iHsgMxUPpm1g/s640/P1110047ps.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Shaking out the bits and bobs that don't belong.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2jVlLPqtUCw6vrm8Osh0kVyWyCQoLFiRtojBTREl9XyFbIa_WtEMefg66wKch151cEWoGCvhQ2Kc1hHc-MvLI3PKQxEBHrDTZsnoSjPXROVnrx_AW-vRwhnyoopkSMIqMgiKyg/s1600/P1110056ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2jVlLPqtUCw6vrm8Osh0kVyWyCQoLFiRtojBTREl9XyFbIa_WtEMefg66wKch151cEWoGCvhQ2Kc1hHc-MvLI3PKQxEBHrDTZsnoSjPXROVnrx_AW-vRwhnyoopkSMIqMgiKyg/s400/P1110056ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Let's grind!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-Jw0uZ5mT-p89K-jppJHImNZX9Hx0DjY_j_hAuoA7uzqMpRGIFfYAYd-HdgGeXmTHdzLrAKeIa8WXFfkSrfi-aFB9Dp2gfLpx86u2pBQDJuRDUmYHjlxiEPm-IbjrA61a6hQPw/s1600/P1110059ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-Jw0uZ5mT-p89K-jppJHImNZX9Hx0DjY_j_hAuoA7uzqMpRGIFfYAYd-HdgGeXmTHdzLrAKeIa8WXFfkSrfi-aFB9Dp2gfLpx86u2pBQDJuRDUmYHjlxiEPm-IbjrA61a6hQPw/s640/P1110059ps.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>All hands on deck.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5C2i4RBtM-YuRAjEP48oja_KzfTp6aosf81NM0mNOvKxAnMV6TMMEBhZSwRhOI_RLV3psCjfj0XnM_tXbJlfOAzw18usmR_CN-6BAwfNy1sxyj_nd7awM9fFYae9pHxm_O-PF_Q/s1600/P1110063ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5C2i4RBtM-YuRAjEP48oja_KzfTp6aosf81NM0mNOvKxAnMV6TMMEBhZSwRhOI_RLV3psCjfj0XnM_tXbJlfOAzw18usmR_CN-6BAwfNy1sxyj_nd7awM9fFYae9pHxm_O-PF_Q/s400/P1110063ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Getting the right grind.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiza-ls9i4G6Fl7kRR4ymmvr5NxKEIurjwhQ8ertTi8egmKgc_56jB4TTrvhIhg1-MYUEq0lACyJHP8O3ZlZpK-Ae_mYK8udV2Q7dH0o5S9oXkMDn6pfqDbcku4ZBckFY6GgkS21Q/s1600/P1110074ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiza-ls9i4G6Fl7kRR4ymmvr5NxKEIurjwhQ8ertTi8egmKgc_56jB4TTrvhIhg1-MYUEq0lACyJHP8O3ZlZpK-Ae_mYK8udV2Q7dH0o5S9oXkMDn6pfqDbcku4ZBckFY6GgkS21Q/s400/P1110074ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>In the end: a bold brew.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-32400206211807784842012-09-14T04:54:00.001-07:002012-09-14T04:54:33.221-07:00En vacancesHey peeps,<br />
<br />
Things have been quiet on the blog front these days—and they're going to stay that way for a bit longer, I'm afraid. We're packing our bags and heading to Africa for a month! While I'm gone, why don't you cruise some of my favourite reads. See that list under "Edible Links" over there on the right? No? Scroll down a bit further. You got it.<br />
<br />
Catch you on the flip side,<br />
<i>The Casual Baker</i>The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-50622488451234728922012-08-24T14:15:00.000-07:002012-08-25T03:51:41.844-07:00Ginger strawberry jam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSoq2LLmm_rZEdVfgT-xAr9xFR52g-td9RBADODxEXaX564C1OdUfiNXQptiUOz-b8LqZLkituioFCqjkwQ6dOLtJht-dfZ2H6YtTx5k1NVLAn-uuBmyjVka-gry-v_Ka4WhwHw/s1600/P1090608ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSoq2LLmm_rZEdVfgT-xAr9xFR52g-td9RBADODxEXaX564C1OdUfiNXQptiUOz-b8LqZLkituioFCqjkwQ6dOLtJht-dfZ2H6YtTx5k1NVLAn-uuBmyjVka-gry-v_Ka4WhwHw/s400/P1090608ps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
You know how they say we're destined to turn into our parents? I think it's starting to happen.<br />
<br />
In the summer, my parents—W. in particular—are in the habit of acquiring obscene quantities of fruit, more than two people can reasonably consume and much of it overripe or well on its way. Fruit vendors have latched onto them as willing recipients of this sort of thing, even going so far as to set aside cartons of whatever is in season. They're crowd pleasers, my folks.<br />
<br />
What I've taken away from growing up in this environment is that bargain-basement fruit prices in the afternoon often means a long night of slicing, dicing, pitting and jamming ahead. Yet, when I came across a few baskets of homely strawberries languishing in the bottom of the grocer's discount box, I couldn't help myself. Just 2 euros for nearly a pound of strawberries!<br />
<br />
And, well, you know the rest.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4pPqfrxZmrN-8viT_LA7v_VddHJQBqoxCbK2AM8AcNnNBydnmh7GH5hc5VlFIYlb13e5Ma3MxCe4IRaN6JgknKN1kxrAW43zYCxF0RjR8EKshk-0BPlqPEO4eeDfzhXdJLGhyQ/s1600/P1090597ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4pPqfrxZmrN-8viT_LA7v_VddHJQBqoxCbK2AM8AcNnNBydnmh7GH5hc5VlFIYlb13e5Ma3MxCe4IRaN6JgknKN1kxrAW43zYCxF0RjR8EKshk-0BPlqPEO4eeDfzhXdJLGhyQ/s400/P1090597ps.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>Ginger Strawberry Jam</b><br />
400 grams hulled strawberries<br />
1/2 apple, peeled and grated (~100 grams)<br />
1/4 lemon, juiced <br />
2 teaspoons peeled and grated ginger<br />
200 grams white sugar<br />
<br />
Begin by washing and hulling the strawberries, and peeling and grating the apple and ginger.<br />
<br />
Slice the strawberries in half into a medium saucepan. Add the grated apple, grated ginger, lemon juice and sugar. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients.<br />
<br />
Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and the mixture begins to bubble. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain steady bubbling, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.<br />
<br />
Keep at it until the apple is cooked through and the mixture has reduced considerably. The exact time will depend on how juicy your berries are, how rapid your simmer is, etc. Keep in mind that the jam will continue to thicken as it cools. Once you're happy with the consistency, remove the saucepan from the heat.<br />
<br />
At this point, you can either go ahead with your usual canning process,
or simply let the mixture cool to room temperature, ladle it into jars
and enjoy it over the next few weeks. <br />
<br />
<b>Source:</b> The Casual Baker.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-64125777687852982892012-08-12T14:30:00.000-07:002012-08-12T15:08:42.927-07:00Divine chocolate mousse<div class=" module padded" id="ingredients">
<dl id="stages">
<dt class="stage-title"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI75ksWCHYG2hSPsiXLFGE9bfZF5c5VB0mkFplcqx0X6BfzmXJYNp-3oeOTGLsIuaD04lz9-j5FL1bV0ULJYzujL94h7EOMgn4LqETwpcI4QvPzwt2LBSCCJY_i0jWzI13awx_A/s1600/P1090564ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI75ksWCHYG2hSPsiXLFGE9bfZF5c5VB0mkFplcqx0X6BfzmXJYNp-3oeOTGLsIuaD04lz9-j5FL1bV0ULJYzujL94h7EOMgn4LqETwpcI4QvPzwt2LBSCCJY_i0jWzI13awx_A/s400/P1090564ps.jpg" width="400" /></a>If you had stopped by this time last weekend, you would have found me sitting on our living room floor, surrounded by three dirty bowls, and a fourth bowl filled with a pathetic amount of (unwhippable) whipping cream. Things weren't going so well.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><br /></dt>
<dt class="stage-title">Let's get the obvious questions out of the way:</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><br /></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Why the living room? </b> </dt>
<dt class="stage-title">Or rather, why <i>not</i> the kitchen? Excellent question. The only electrical outlet in our entire kitchen is located behind the sink cabinet. We ran a power bar out the bottom of the cabinet, but the fridge, toaster oven and vitroceramic hob (it sounds so much more impressive than it really is) make quick work of the available outlets. Fortunately, our "living room" is mere steps from our "kitchen." It's all very open concept.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b> </b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Why sitting on the living room floor?</b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title">OK, so we've relocated to the living room. Why not stand up in the living room, you ask? Again, an excellent question. For the answer, we need to consider cord length. Specifically, how the tiny one on this <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000LYSSWW/ref=s9_al_bw_g79_ir05?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-6&pf_rd_r=06ZJBHTP5D0KTW13WYYK&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=233405747&pf_rd_i=13679971" target="_blank">genius little multipurpose device</a> doesn't reach from the electrical outlet near the floor to the tabletop. Hooray for low-lying coffee tables.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b> </b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Why so many bowls?</b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title">Let me assure you that it's not because I like to do dishes.<b> </b>The first three just didn't work out for whipping cream. It was a bit of a "Goldilocks" situation: one bowl was too warm, one bowl was too small...and one bowl was too plastic-y.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b> </b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Why bother?</b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title">Because it was step 4 of 5 of what turned out to be the most divine chocolate mousse I've ever tasted. The <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.fr/2008/10/ikea-on-chocolate-mousse.html" target="_blank">IKEA chocolate mousse</a> I've posted before is all fine and well when time and patience aren't on your side, but this—this is what you make when you want to kick dessert up a notch. If that last mousse was IKEA, this one's <a href="http://www.muji.us/store/" target="_blank">Muji</a>.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b> </b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Chocolate Mousse </b></dt>
</dl>
</div>
<div class=" module padded" id="ingredients">
<dl id="stages">
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Pastry cream:</b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title">3 egg yolks (save the whites for the chocolate meringue below) </dt>
<dt class="stage-title">50 grams white sugar</dt>
<dt class="stage-title">20 grams cornstarch</dt>
<dt class="stage-title">250 millilitres whole milk</dt>
<dt class="stage-title">1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><br /></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Meringue:</b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title">3 egg whites (the ones you set aside earlier)</dt>
<dt class="stage-title">50 grams icing sugar</dt>
<dt class="stage-title">Few drops of lemon juice</dt>
<dt class="stage-title">Pinch of fine salt</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"> </dt>
<dt class="stage-title">150 grams semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely</dt>
<dt class="stage-title">200 millilitres whipping cream</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"> </dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Step 1: Prepare the pastry cream. </b>In a medium-sized heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale and thick. Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><br /></dt>
<dt class="stage-title">In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then switch off the heat.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><br /></dt>
<dt class="stage-title">Pour the hot cocoa mixture into the egg mixture in a slow stream, whisking vigorously the entire time to stop the eggs from scrambling. Don't worry—you've got this! If you start to freak out, take a pause from the pouring and keep whisking until you're ready to give it another go.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><br /></dt>
<dt class="stage-title">Wash and dry the saucepan you just used to heat up the milk and cocoa. Now put the mixture you've just created into the saucepan over medium heat. Keep whisking all the time—and don't forget to scrape the sides and bottom of the saucepan from time to time to prevent burning.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"> </dt>
<dt class="stage-title">The mixture will slowly start to thicken and eventually begin to bubble. Once the pastry cream releases a bubble or two, immediately remove the saucepan from the stovetop and scrape the mixture into a shallow bowl. </dt>
<dt class="stage-title"> </dt>
<dt class="stage-title">Press microwave-safe plastic wrap onto the surface of the pastry cream, up the insides of the bowl and down the outside. Refrigerate the mixture for at least one hour.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b><br /></b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Step 2: Melt the finely chopped chocolate in the top of a barely simmering double boiler.</b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"> </dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Step 3: While the pastry cream is chilling and the chocolate is melting, tackle the meringue.</b> Put half of the egg whites into a clean glass or metal bowl. Add the sugar, lemon juice and salt, then whisk until the mixture is white and frothy. You might want to switch to electric beaters at this point. Add the rest of the eggs whites and continue whisking until the meringue forms stiff peaks when the whisk is removed.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"> </dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Step 4: Whip the cream until soft peaks form.</b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><br /></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Step 5: Assemble the mousse.</b> Remove the chilled pastry cream (step 1) from the fridge. Beat it briefly to remove any lumps, then stir in the melted chocolate (step 2). Mix in one-third of the meringue (step 3), then gently fold in the rest. Last but not least, gently fold in the whipped cream (step 4). Divide the mousse between 4-6 glasses or ramekins, or go family-style with a single, large bowl. Either way, chill the mousse for at least an hour before serving.</dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b><br /></b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Source: </b>Barely adapted from Rachel Khoo's <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chocolate_mousse_with_19253" target="_blank">chocolate mousse with cocoa nibs</a>. </dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b><br /></b></dt>
<dt class="stage-title"><b>Notes: </b>Rachel's original recipe calls for lining the serving glasses or ramekins with softened butter and cocoa nibs, and sprinkling additional cocoa nibs on top before serving. I didn't have any kicking around, so I opted for a classic mint garnish instead. She recommends eating the mousse the same day it's made, and advises keeping it no longer than two days due to the raw egg whites.</dt>
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</div>The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-84868176391603945222012-07-29T15:14:00.001-07:002014-01-05T22:37:25.454-08:00Freckled apricot jam<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Vanilla apricot jam: I'm freckled. Can you tell?</i></td></tr>
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A good apricot is velvety and sun-kissed on the outside, fleshy on the inside and bursting with tangy syrup. There's a reason it's called apricot nectar, and not juice.<br />
<br />
It turns out that apricots were <b>made</b> for jam. Who knew? I wasn't convinced of this before (<a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.fr/2009/10/cranky-jelly.html" target="_blank">cranky jelly</a> has always been my no. 1, for the record), but this vanilla twist on the classic flavour has me singing a new tune.<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, I wasn't the only with the bright idea to put a
vanilla bean in her apricot jam. Jeannette of Everybody Likes Sandwiches
was <a href="http://everybodylikessandwiches.com/2011/08/simple-vanilla-bean-apricot-jam/" target="_blank">a summer ahead of me</a>. The recipe she uses calls for equal parts apricots and sugar by volume, instead of weight as below. Since I lack all but the kitchen basics at the moment, measuring cups included, I can't tell you how the two methods stack up (quick, someone do an infographic). What I do know is: it's jam, it's sweet, you'll probably like it.<br />
<br />
<b>Vanilla Apricot Jam</b><br />
Apricots, halved, stone removed<br />
White sugar<br />
Vanilla bean<br />
<br />
Wash, dry and halve the apricots, discarding the stones as you go. Leave the skins on!<br />
<br />
Weigh the prepared fruit in a large saucepan, and add an equal weight of sugar. To that, add just enough water to moisten the sugar (I used approximately 1 cup of water for 1 kilogram of apricots/sugar). <br />
<br />
Score your vanilla bean lengthwise. Scrape out as many of the seeds as possible directly into the saucepan, then toss the empty pod in too.<br />
<br />
Heat the saucepan over low-medium heat until the sugar melts, then increase the heat to medium/medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil, spooning foam off the surface as it accumulates. Turn the heat down, but maintain a simmer. Stir periodically while the mixture bubbles for 35-45 minutes (I went for the full 45 minutes).<br />
<br />
How you'll know you're done: the apricot halves will start disintegrating and the mixture will coat the back of a spoon.<br />
<br />
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Fish out and discard the vanilla bean pod, admiring the vanilla polka dots in your jam as you do.<br />
<br />
At this point, you can either go ahead with your usual canning process, or simply let the mixture cool to room temperature, ladle it into jars and enjoy it over the next few weeks. If you like a chunky jam, leave the mixture as is; if you prefer a smoother texture, whiz it briefly in a food processor. You'll lose a bit of clarity, but gain consistency.<br />
<br />
<b>Source: </b>The Casual Baker. The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-82450777138130685392012-07-15T14:30:00.001-07:002012-07-15T14:30:29.909-07:00On fire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some people shy away from the kitchen in the summer, but I've never lived anywhere hot enough for that to be necessary. Paris is typically a few notches steamier than Vancouver this time of year, but we live in an old stone(?) building with a good cross-breeze. It's more the prospect of toaster-oven cuisine—not to mention the superior pastry options on every corner—that has kept my cake baking to a minimum.<br />
<br />
Not one to avoid the kitchen, I've been dabbling in stovetop creations. Pickled things mostly, although yesterday I made some dead-easy vanilla apricot jam with killer flavour. Back to the savoury side for a moment though. Don't let fear of canning keep you from salt-induced bliss. Instead of squirreling your pickles away for colder days, just halve the batch or share them with friends. <br />
<br />
Now, let's get pickling: <br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pickled-Peppers-with-Shallots-and-Thyme-354855" target="_blank">Pickled Peppers with Shallots and Thyme</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pickled-Chile-Relish-243198" target="_blank">Pickled-Chile Relish</a></li>
<li><a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.fr/2010/06/break-from-our-regularly-scheduled.html" target="_blank">Ginger-Pickled Carrots</a> (not pictured)</li>
</ul>
p.s. In case you were wondering, that's not some kind of fancy distressed paintwork going on up there on that chair. It's the natural kind that happens when someone leaves their non-weatherproofed chair on the rooftop for a few days too many. It was like that when we got here, and I must confess that I kind of like it. A pristine white patio chair could be stressful—exactly the opposite of what summer's meant to be.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-21943368546959937652012-06-13T14:58:00.002-07:002012-06-13T15:00:06.575-07:00Banana cake with caramel frosting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What we really should be talking about today is <b>hot peppers</b>. It's been a week since I bought a huge bag of them—about a kilo's worth—for just
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</style>€1.50, and you wouldn't believe all the lip-puckering, tongue-burning concoctions I've tried in the intervening days. But, we'll save that for next time.<br />
<br />
Today, I have <b>cake</b>. We actually finished eating this cake (what feels like) a lifetime ago—way before the truckload of work that flattened me last week, way before the week-long road trip in Scotland—and it's still worth talking about. That's how good this cake is.<br />
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<br />
Look, I'm all for <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.fr/2011/09/cocoa-banana-bread.html" target="_blank">banana</a> <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.fr/2006/09/bananarama-coconut-banana-bread-with.html" target="_blank">bread</a>. There's a time and place for un-iced cakes, just like there are occasions that demand an unabashed hit of butter and sugar. That's where the caramel frosting comes in.<br />
<br />
It feels like this recipe should have come up before, but I just spent awhile poking through the archives and came up with nothing. This is the frosting of my youth, the one my mom often used to frost a 9x13-inch pan of Myrna's chocolate cake. It's not a light or subtle frosting, but that's why I like it.<br />
<br />
Oh go on already, take a bite. You won't regret it.<br />
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<b>Banana Cake with Caramel Frosting</b><br />
<b> </b> <br />
<b>Cake:</b><br />
1 3/4 cups cake flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup golden brown sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1 cup mashed or pureed bananas<br />
1/4 cup plain yogurt<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
<br />
<b>Frosting:</b><br />
1/4 cup salted butter<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar<br />
2 tablespoons milk<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
1 to 1 1/2 cups icing sugar<br />
To prepare the cake, preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Grease and line a 9-inch cake pan (square or round)
with parchment paper. Set aside.<br />
<br />
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside. In a second bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the banana puree, yogurt and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in the dry ingredients, just until combined.<br />
<br />
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes before flipping it out onto a rack to cool completely.<br />
<br />
While the cake is baking, start preparing the frosting. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Add the vanilla and milk in a steady stream, stirring constantly. Set aside the mixture until it reaches room temperature.<br />
<b> </b><br />
Once the mixture has cooled, add the icing sugar and beat until smooth. Add additional icing sugar or milk, as necessary, until you reach the desired consistency. Lick the beaters, then frost away!<br />
<br />
<b>Sources: </b>For the banana cake, I halved Deb's recipe for a <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/09/monkey-cake/" target="_blank">two-layer banana cake</a> over at Smitten Kitchen and made a few minor adjustments. The caramel frosting is from my mom's recipe file.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30654916.post-33142875712486297782012-05-23T15:08:00.002-07:002012-05-23T15:08:56.707-07:00Speculoo rhubarb verrinesHey there. How's the <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.fr/2012/05/rhubarb-compote-two-ways.html" target="_blank">rhubarb compote</a> coming along? Are you ready for dessert yet? Me too. Let's make that happen.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRji1xsyGboad4GQ0uU9zaccX0Uy0rbOQY3-7ZFtGLV4Mvo1j5HtqnCJmlkjOOPmc7XlijEFE0tbsk_JE7kTu9BCRSiIyrWt8lxSG_tulBuZdQN8G1MFRh_rg_veC18mHoh4SSw/s1600/P1080291ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRji1xsyGboad4GQ0uU9zaccX0Uy0rbOQY3-7ZFtGLV4Mvo1j5HtqnCJmlkjOOPmc7XlijEFE0tbsk_JE7kTu9BCRSiIyrWt8lxSG_tulBuZdQN8G1MFRh_rg_veC18mHoh4SSw/s400/P1080291ps.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>Speculoo Rhubarb Verrines</b><br />
~1/2 cup <a href="http://casualbaker.blogspot.fr/2012/05/rhubarb-compote-two-ways.html" target="_blank">rhubarb compote </a><br />
3-4 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculoos" target="_blank">Speculoos</a>, crushed <br />
125 grams fromage blanc (or Greek yogurt)<br />
<br />
First, locate a clear vessel. It could be an ordinary drinking glass (like I've used here), a champagne flute, a wine glass, a custard bowl—anything that is tall enough to show off your layers and small enough to hold a reasonable portion.<br />
<br />
Spoon half of the rhubarb compote into the bottom, followed by half of the fromage blanc. Make sure each layer goes right to the edges. Now sprinkle half of the Speculoo crumbs on top of the fromage blanc. Repeat all three layers in the same order. <i>Et voilà</i>, a Speculoo rhubarb verrine.<br />
<br />
Serves 1. Multiply as needed.<br />
<br />
<b>Source</b>: The Casual Baker.The Casual Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15038077100186842330noreply@blogger.com2