Really Glad to Pop.

Williams-Sonoma Toaster Pastry Press

Click the above link to learn more.

After my last visit to Nickel Diner in Los Angeles,  I was obsessed about my incredible poptart that I had for dessert.  I vowed to make them at home and soon.  When I saw that Williams-Sonoma had a press, and that Dave and I were venturing that way for dinner and movie, I took the opportunity to pick one up and have some fun with it.

I used the recipe that came with the packaging.

Basically a pie crust dough with 2 tablespoons of sugar added.  The fillings you can use are endless, but I used a simple mixed berry jam.

I rolled the crust 1/8 of an inch thick, and then cut them with the wider cutter. Then I added one tablespoon of jam to the middle

I spread the jam to within 1/2 inch of the edges.

And used an egg wash on the edges.  I placed the tops onto the poptart and used the smaller part of the kit to "Press" the edges together.  I could have used a fork, but then I wouldn't have the crimped edges, and it would have taken longer to fork all the edges.

I used the egg wash on the tops and then baked them for 30 minutes, rotating 1/2 way though the time.

I iced them, fast cause Dave was snooping around all hungry-like, so they are not the neatest looking things.  The ones at Nickel Diner had the royal icing and sprinkles on them, and it blew them out of the water!  I will do that next time.  I am also going to experiment with fillings. These turned out really good, and everyone loved them.  Everyone being Jordan and Dave.

Best Biscuits Ever

I love really good biscuits.  They are so easy to make, and it only takes about 6 ingredients.  There are as many recipes as there are bakers, and I like to pretend I am a Southerner sometimes, so I don't use a recipe unless I am shooting for a special biscuit.  This is one that I put in the oven with about 10 minutes prep. time, I doubled it in my head.  I must admit that it is loaded with fat, as most good biscuits are, hence the good color of the tops.

• Cut in the shortening well.  I found a pastry blender at a second hand store for about $1.00.
• I like Kosher salt.
• Use a sharp round cutter. Not a glass (they won't raise as high because of the dullness of the glass.)  Williams Sonoma has a wonderful set of cutters for about $12.00.
• When you cut the biscuit, go straight down with the cutter, or they might raise lopsided.
• The biscuits should not touch each other.
• The oven should be nice and hot.  425F.

My Basic recipe
 2 cups all purpose,unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting the counter, and your rolling pin.
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, fresh,  under 6 months old
1/2 cup heavy cream
ice water

Working in a medium bowl, cut the shortening into the flour, salt and baking powder until small pea size. Stir in the heavy cream and enough water for the dough to pull together when stirring, about 1/2-2/3 cup more.  Knead the dough in the bowl with one hand while holding onto the bowl with the other about 10 times.  Let the dough rest on a floured counter for as long as it takes for you to clean up the dishes.
Roll out the dough 3/4 inch thick.  Cut the biscuits with sharp cutter to your desired circumference, pressing straight down, DO NOT TWIST.  Place the biscuits on parchment paper and bake 425F. for approximately 20-22 minutes, until nice golden brown on top.

As you perfect your biscuit prowess, you will want to add herbs like sage or chives.  You can also make the Red Lobster biscuits with sharp cheddar and garlic butter on top.  I have also substituted 1 cup buttermilk, which will cut back on the fat, but they won't look as good.

Quick but NEVER Tired

I never ever get tired of a good quick bread. Here are a few tips for quick bread success.

1. Follow the recipe exactly. Baking is a science, that being said I don't understand the following rule, but just trust me it works...
   
2. If you live in high altitude 4,000 feet or higher, like I do add 3 Tablespoons of flour and 1/2 teaspoon less baking soda or powder to your dry ingredients.
3. Dust your berries/chips in flour or they will sink to the bottom of the loaf.
4. Quick breads almost always taste better the next day.
5. Quick breads slice better when room temperature.
6. Hand mix, unless the recipe directs, or your bread will be tough.
   

To get your recipe for the best pumpkin bread in town, follow the links below. Comment and tell Nancy, Cynthia's Blog sent you!

KitchenLane
Autumn Pumpkin Cranberry Quick Bread
by
Nancy Baggett

Pink Pigs r Cute!

I bought a recent magazine that had these darling pig cupcakes on the cover. I knew an opportunity would come soon where I could offer them up. We made these for a cake walk at a church Halloween party.

Here is Tiny decorating the frosted cupcakes.

As you can see, even big kids are delighted by these cuties.

This tray came home empty.

I used a strawberry cake mix. I substituted milk for the water to make a more firm cupcake. Frosted them pink, snipped the marshmallow in two. Poked lead holes for the nostrils with a small carving fork, and filled the holes with upside down butterscotch chips. Used mini chips for the eyes, and strawberry wafer cookies cut into triangles for the ears. EASY!

As cute as these cupcakes are the exact polar opposite was this ugly Green Hulk that adorned my front porch. The Glad man LOVES to dress up for Halloween!

Listen to this.. Cheesecake!!

Raspberry Cheesecake from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, page 134

I don't care what anyone says. THIS is the best cheesecake I have ever eaten. You can shout and whine and disagree, but so what? I have eaten cheesecake from dozens of places, yes, even in New York City. THIS IS THE BEST CHEESECAKE I HAVE EVER EATEN!!! Did you hear me that time!?!?

Creamy, cheesy, moist, dense, rich... Pure unadulterated food-porn on a fork.

You can click on Ina's recipe above, I did use a 10 inch spring-form pan, and doubled her recipe for the crust. I like thick cookie like crust. Otherwise, the cake above is verbatim.

Million Dollar Bars

My daughters and I love to go to Zupas.

My favorite thing to order is the Million Dollar Bar. It is this oooey gooey square of deliciousness made
of chocolate, nuts, coconut and graham cracker. Here is my version of this wonderful bar cookie.

Million Dollar Bars
1 stick butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shaved coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt the butter and mix with the graham cracker crumbs. Pat half of the mixture into a 8x8 square baking dish that has been lined with foil and buttered. Mix the coconut, chocolate chips and the nuts and place on the crumb mixture. Top with the remaining crumbs and pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top. Bake 350 for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, lift out with foil and cut into squares.

This is one of those recipes that most American's have ingredients on hand , and it bakes fast so you can do it real quick in the summer. As always, you can click on the picture for closeups. Be aware that you will gain 5 pounds for just looking at them.

Alphajores and Lecture #2

So it is no secret that the Glad children have been all over the world. Daughter number 2 is back from South America and has been asked to give her second Brown Bag Lunch Lecture to the BLM her employer here in lovely Provo.
She is an excellent speaker and an excellent baker, but she is a rotten cleaner upper of the kitchen. Mother was doing the dishes at 2:00 a.m.

Alphajores are a delectable cookie that screams EAT ME!!!. Filled with Dulce de Leche, you will find these treats hard to resist. They can be found in every Panaderia in Argentina.>Click here for your own Alphajores Recipe

Advanced Baking 310

Happy Birthday to Malaina and Dave.

This is the last big thing I have made for my family before the big operation on Thursday.
if you have not made a "real butter-cream" you are missing out

This recipe is from the May 2009 issue of Bon Appetite' Magazine. My photos are above. The magazine's are below. I think my cake looks better than theirs.

Mile-High Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

The attraction of mile-high desserts is undeniable. Here, the base is a chocolate cake that is then filled with not-too-sweet buttercream. Covering the cake with white frosting would make it too sweet; instead a chocolate glaze drips down the sides. For tips on putting together this beauty of a cake, see How to Make Buttercream and How to Assemble a Layer Cake.

16 servings

Recipe by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Photograph by Brian Finke

May 2009

Ingredients

cake

• 1 1/4 cups hot water
• 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Scharffen Berger)
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (preferably nonhydrogenated), room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

vanilla buttercream

• 5 large egg whites
• 1 2/3 cups sugar, divided
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, diced, room temperature

chocolate glaze

• 5 oz high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped
• 5 oz bittersweet chocolate (54% to 60% cacao), chopped
• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, room temperature

Special equipment

• Candy thermometer
• Instant-read thermometer
• Offset spatula

Preparation

cake

• Butter three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of each pan with parchment paper round; butter parchment. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess. Whisk 1 1/4 cups hot water, cocoa powder, and sour cream in medium bowl until smooth; set aside until mixture is cool, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Sift next 4 ingredients into another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and shortening in large bowl until well blended and smooth. Add both sugars; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with cocoa mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just until incorporated. Divide batter among prepared pans (about 2 3/4 cups batter for each) and smooth tops.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes. Run knife around sides of cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.

vanilla buttercream

• Combine egg whites and 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean.
• Combine remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar and 1/3 cup water in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan, making sure that bulb of thermometer is immersed in syrup. Increase heat; boil until temperature registers 238°F to 240°F (soft-ball stage), about 5 minutes. Immediately remove syrup from heat (use within 2 minutes).
• Meanwhile, beat egg white mixture on medium speed until very soft peaks form (mixture will be slightly opaque).
• Increase mixer speed to high and slowly pour hot syrup down side of bowl into egg white mixture in slow steady stream; beat until meringue forms stiff peaks. Cool meringue in bowl until lukewarm (instant-read thermometer will register 100°F), about 30 minutes. Do not beat.
• Start beating meringue again on medium speed of stand mixer. Gradually add butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly until absorbed before adding next addition. Continue beating until buttercream is smooth. (If buttercream looks broken or curdled, place mixer bowl with buttercream over medium heat on stove burner and whisk with large whisk for 5 to 10 seconds to warm mixture slightly, then remove from heat and whisk vigorously or attach bowl to stand mixer and beat mixture again on medium speed. Repeat warming and beating buttercream mixture as many times as needed until buttercream is smooth and no longer curdled.)
• Using serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally, forming 6 cake layers. If necessary, trim any domed tops of cakes to form even layers. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Drop 3/4 cup buttercream by tablespoonfuls over top of cake layer, then spread evenly to edges with offset spatula. Top with second cake layer, then spread 3/4 cup buttercream over. Repeat with 3 more cake layers, spreading 3/4 cup buttercream over each and pressing slightly to adhere. Top with 6th cake layer (do not spread buttercream over top cake layer). Chill cake at least 1 hour.

chocolate glaze

• Combine both chocolates in medium bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in heavy saucepan. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate; let stand 2 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture until melted and smooth. Add butter; whisk until melted. Chill glaze until slightly thickened and glaze drips thickly when poured slowly from spoon, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Spoon glaze around top edge of cake by teaspoonfuls, spacing drips up to 2 inches apart and allowing glaze to drip slowly down sides of cake. Spoon remaining glaze over top center of cake and smooth with offset spatula, covering top completely. Chill cake until glaze sets, at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Tent with foil and keep chilled. Let cake stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Hungry for More? If you have a question about this recipe, contact our Test Kitchen at askba@bonappetit.com. To see more recipes like this one, check out our Diner Desserts Slideshow.

Birthday and Bread

So this is my adorable great-niece London.
Yikes I need a hair cut. *Why did no one tell me I looked like this?*

My nephews wife Toni (not London's mother)
My father and Me at London's first birthday party.

My beautiful daughter Jordan holding her second cousin.

My nephew Jacob his wife Mandy and their darling children London and Isaiah.

It would be remiss of me not to show what is going on in my kitchen. This is a lovely loaf of bread I baked not too long ago. I have been using the book by Zoe Franciois and Jeff Hertzberg MD. Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day I swear by this main Boulé Bread Recipe. I have learned to use less yeast and then add sour dough starter to this and it makes incredible pitas, pizza dough, bread and even bignets. It really does only take 5 minutes to do. Look at the gluten cloak on this bread! I love how the interior is so moist that the crust crackles (sings) even after you pull it out of the oven.

This is one of my top 20 movies. I loved the chemistry Natasha and Denis had. I thought Natasha was so beautiful and I loved her this season as a judge on Top Chef. I am sad about her death. Wow, a family vacation and a bump on the head. So tragic.

Whole Wheat Seed Boule'

I have not stopped baking. Even with all the madness at my house. (I think Jordan is falling in love) So not all the madness is bad. One of my favorite cookbook authors is Nancy Baggett. Here is a really pretty loaf I made yesterday from her book Kneadlessly Simple Breads. It is a book about an old concept; let the yeast and a cold rise, do all the work. It is really simple to make and I am getting some artisan quality breads. I am now so spoiled that I can no longer tolerate chain pizzas anymore and, my pita breads are a huge hit in the softball dugout too, along with my hummus.

Dark Fudge Bundt Cake

So I soaked in a few compliments for this chocolate cake last week. Remember I posted about taking a cake to a funeral? We had so many nice ladies bring so much food in for the family dinner after the funeral that we had lots of extra food.

Here is the recipe. I took it from one of the best all time baking books I have ever owned, seen or baked from: a Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman

Dark Fudge Bundt Cake
This moist, tall cake is perfect when you want a deep, dark chocolate cake that is free of fuss and doesn't require icing or glaze, just a dusting of confectioners' sugar. This is a pass-this-recipe-down-and -around -keeper.
page 235

Cake:

1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups warm coffee or flat cola

Finishing touches:
3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease a 12-cup Bundt pan or 9- or 10-inch fluted tube pan with shortening and dust it with flour. Place pan on a parchment lined baking sheet.

In a mixer bowl, by hand or in a food processor, combine white sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 1 minute until smooth. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir briefly and then drizzle in coffee, or cola, stirring at the same time to make a smooth batter.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake, 60 to 72 minutes or until top springs back when pressed with fingertips. (Bundt cakes often take longer to bake than tube-pan cakes do.)

To finish cake, sprinkle chocolate chips on top of cake as soon as it comes out of oven and allow to sit on cake to melt. Use a butter knife to swirl melted chocolate in a decorative fashion. As cake comes to room temperature, give it a gentle shake to loosen it from bottom of pan--but do not remove it from pan. Place cake in fridge to firm up chocolate. Once chocolate is well set, place a plate on top of pan and invert cake onto plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa

Frankly my photo below is better than the one in the book.

I always feel good about myself if I eat a whole grain. Never mind if it is coated in butter and sugar. Remember kids,it is a health food if it has wheat or oats in it. But dang, you add raisins and pecans and it is practically screaming out, "Better than Wheat Grass!" The new Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics has a killer recipe for oatmeal cookies. You can buy this cookie in a mix form, but it will cost you 11.00. Here is the recipe for free:

1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 pound (two sticks) unsalted butter, at cool room temp.
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temp.
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 cups raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to cool. Chop very coarsely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and the salt together into a medium bowl. (or you can do like I do and just dump them together). With mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, Add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined.

Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2 inch mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

• To avoid the "cookie spread"; chill the dough, use cold pans, avoid peaking in the oven.
• Chewier cookie lovers should; remove the cookies before lightly browned and let the cookie sit on the cookie sheet for exactly 1 minute. Then remove them to cool on a rack.
• Nut haters; sorry, try another recipe.
• This would be good with cranberries or dried cherries.
  

Daring Bakers Tuiles-y Fun

Look at Allrecipes.com I have a Photo of the Day there.
On the front page is my cake.

This month's Daring Baker's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux. Please look at Karen's blog to see what a stunner this challenge really was and for the recipe.


I feel sort of bad. I had huge plans for this challenge; for Inauguration Day I was going to make Obama head cookies. Then I got sick, and the plans fell by the wayside. So I ended up making stupid spirals. I really did try to do my best. It was tough! I had mostly failures.

We were supposed to incorporate fruit in some way. Luck would have it I had fresh strawberries in the fridge. My favorite way to eat strawberries is in cream.

Sugared

Then Crushed

Then Creamed.

Dutch Apple Cake

Okay, I have been haunted since October, when I first saw it in a catalog. I can't stop seeing the picture in my head of this pan (click on the pan for purchasing info). I have been practically obsessed by it ever since I saw it but I balked at the price. Help me dear friends....

I am a pot and pan addict!

Do I look like I NEED anymore cake on my person!Does my teenie weenie kitchen look like It needs another pan!

I believe this blog is turning slightly pornographic though. Food porn that is. Yes, I am also a food porn addict, not just a pot and pan addict. Will you just look at this sexy, delicious, blatantly opaque, and obscenely pretty cake I made today?
Here is the process in brief. I love this apple peeler thing I got from Pampered Chef about 20 years ago.
The apples need to be thin in order to cook in the time allotted.

• Grease and flour every single crevice of your pan. Preheat the oven to 350F.

• Toss together the following and set aside:

3 apples - peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges
5 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
pinch of salt
juice of one lemon

• Then sift together:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder

• In a large bowl mix:

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup applesauce
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup fresh orange juice

• Mix the flour and the wet ingredients together in a large bowl until just combined. A few lumps are okay.

• Layer the batter and apple mixture in the prepared pan, beginning and ending with the batter.
• Bake for 70 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Wait 5 minutes, then invert pan and cool.