Daring Bakers February 2009

Only a tad late once again - here is February's challenge! I have to say this was one of my favorite challenges. I had never actually gotten around to making a flourless chocolate cake before and I loved it! It was so simple and easy but SO tender (no gluten will do that to a cake) and deeply chocolatey (1 pound of chocolate will do that to a cake, too). The ice cream was a bit frustrating as I didn't have an ice cream maker. If you stir it too often it never really solidifies, but if you let it solidify a bit more it becomes very hard as you didn't incorporate enough air into it. It's hard to get the perfect texture without the ice cream maker, but I suspect that with an ice cream maker, the recipe would be top-notch. =) Photographing my creations once again makes me realize how much I need to learn about food photography, as I invariably enjoy baking and eating much more than one would guess by looking at photos of the finished creation!


The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.
We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Dharm's Ice Cream Recipe
Classic Vanilla Ice Cream
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Recipe comes from the Ice Cream Book by Joanna Farrow and Sara Lewis (tested modifications and notes in parentheses by Dharm)

Ingredients
1 Vanilla Pod (or substitute with vanilla extract)
300ml / ½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Semi Skimmed Milk – in the U.S. this is 2% fat (or use fresh full fat milk that is pasteurised and homogenised {as opposed to canned or powdered}). Dharm used whole milk.
4 large egg yolks
75g / 3oz / 6 tbsp caster sugar {superfine sugar can be achieved in a food processor or use regular granulated sugar}
5ml / 1 tsp corn flour {cornstarch}
300ml / ½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Double Cream (48% butter fat) {in the U.S. heavy cream is 37% fat)
{you can easily increase your cream's fat content by heating 1/4 cup of heavy cream with 3 Tbs of butter until melted - cool to room temperature and add to the heavy cream as soon as whisk marks appear in the cream, in a slow steady stream, with the mixer on low speed. Raise speed and continue whipping the cream) or use heavy cream the difference will be in the creaminess of the ice cream.

1. Using a small knife slit the vanilla pod lengthways. Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla pod and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse
Lift the vanilla pod up. Holding it over the pan, scrape the black seeds out of the pod with a small knife so that they fall back into the milk. SET the vanilla pod aside and bring the milk back to the boil.
2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corn-flour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy. 3. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle hear, stirring all the time
4. When the custard thickens and is smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Cool it then chill.
5. By Hand: Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a plastic tub or similar freeze-proof container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating it twice (during the freezing process – to get smoother ice cream or else the ice cream will be icy and coarse)
By Using and Ice Cream Maker: Stir the cream into the custard and churn the mixture until thick (follow instructions on your ice cream maker)

Lime Curd Tart

Ann Amernick has a beautiful book called The Art of the Dessert and I HIGHLY recommend it! I made her lime curd tartlet as a big tart and decorated it with fruit. Next time around I will make it as tartlets as she suggests, since the curd doesn't contain any cornstarch (for a more natural taste) so it's a little gushy for an 11-incher. The dough is incredibly tender, which makes it a bit prone to tearing when you try to transfer it onto a big tart, but is perfectly manageable for a tartlet. In fact, I will listen to her exactly from now on - do as she says and start off with just 3 1/2 cups of sugar and be careful adding more - savor that beautiful tart lime flavor!

Tuile Disaster

I totally forgot to post my results for January, so here they are:

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

The tuiles unfortunately for me turned out - there is truly no other word to describe it - rubbery. I think part of it might have been the crappy oven in my new apartment, but I know other DBs were having trouble with them too. I only made a few and then threw away the rest of the batter. Another problem might have been that I added the eggs cold by accident, which made the softened butter clump up unpleasantly.

As you can see, they were reluctant to curve around the rolling pin for the beautiful tuile shape and were rather...pasty and spongy.

Well, onward and upward for February. I'm excited.=)

Caramel Cake!

The unveiling of the Daring Baker's November 2008 Challenge!

This month was a caramel cake with caramel-browned butter frosting. The recipe was from Shuna Fish Lydon (http://eggbeater.typepad.com). I followed the cake directions precisely but I've sworn off powdered-sugar frosting since discovering italian meringue frostings so I took the spirit of her frosting and made my own. Because I feel that if you're going to make one layer, you might as well make two (or three!), if you'd like to make a layer cake, multiply the cake recipe quantities by 1.5. It makes enough batter for two 9-inch rounds and about 2 cupcakes (or you can make thicker rounds). This cake, probably due to the addition of the caramel syrup, is wonderfully dense and moist, so it doesn't rise in the pans as much as you think it will about halfway through the cook time. I understand that the single layer is tall enough to split into rounds with a knife, but I usually find it easier to bake layers separately.

Do be careful with the caramel syrup! It sputters a LOT when you add the water. Add it quickly but carefully and then STEP BACK! Watch the color carefully - it takes awhile to get hot, but then once it does, the syrup goes from golden to dark amber in a matter of seconds, so be ready to pour. If it sounds a little finicky, it's very easy - just pay attention. And as a cooking instructor once told me, respect the sugar! Don't get burned.

If you've only ever made powdered sugar frostings before now - try this frosting! You can use the same basic recipe and beat in whatever flavorings you want. It hardens upon cooling (due to all that delicious butter) so if it's too soft at first to support a second layer without squishing out, chill the cake briefly in the fridge to firm it up. I personally thought the browned butter didn't add too much flavor to the frosting - if I made it again, I would just add the caramel syrup.

Unfortunately I don't have any shots of a finished cake because my camera is acting up. The cake presents well if you plate it and drizzle remaining caramel syrup over it, or drizzle syrup in designs on the plate and then add the slice. Unfortunately when I tried to add it directly to the entire cake, it tended to bead up on the surface of the frosting or run off the sides. Definitely a very tasty cake, in a flavor that you don't always see. Oh and what really makes it special - sprinkle a little salt, preferably sea salt flakes, on top - it really sets off the caramel flavor!

CARAMEL CAKE

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

Preheat oven to 350F

Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 9-inch cake pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.

Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.

Sift flour and baking powder.

Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients.

Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan.

Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it.

Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.

CARAMEL SYRUP

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelization process)
In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.

When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back.

Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.}

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

CARAMEL FROSTING
source: A combination of Nick Malgieri, Shuna Fish Lydon, and Sarah Peitzmeier

4 large egg whites
1 scant cup sugar
Small pinch salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened and creamed to smooth out any lumps
6 T unsalted butter
1/4 cup caramel syrup

Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.

Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk gently by hand to mix. Bring a large pan of water to a simmer. Place egg mixture over the pan of simmering water and whisk gently but constantly until the egg whites are hot (about 130 degrees) and the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the bowl form the pan of water and place it on the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the meringue until it is completely cooled, first on high speed, then on medium speed after the meringue has become stiff. Touch the bowl with the palm of your hand to make sure that it has cooled completely before continuing.

Switch to the paddle attachment and beat in the softened butter, a couple of tablespoons at a time, on medium speed. After all the butter has been added, increase the speed to medium high and continue beating the buttercream until it has become thick and smooth, about 5 minutes. If the buttercream separates during the process and looks scrambled, just continue beating and eventually smooth out. If all else fails, add a little more softened butter.

Beat in the cooled browned butter and the caramel syrup, a few tablespoons at a time.

Tarte au chevre, poire, et poireaux - Goat Cheese, Leek, and Pear Tart

This tart is way better than quiche so try it next time you're in the mood for baking a savory. The recipe can be found here: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2008/10/08/goat-cheese-pear-leek-tart/ . A couple notes on the recipe.

- My leeks weren't very dirty so I just wiped them off and was careful to keep an eye out for any extra dirt.
- I used almost all the dough for an 11-inch tart, and the filling was plenty enough to fill the larger pan.
- Make sure you weight the dough when you prebake it - the official picture in the recipe has an exceptionally shrunk crust; possibly they forgot this step!
- When you cut off a slice, drizzle a little tiny spoonful honey over it if you're as crazy about the goat cheese/honey combination as I am!

Happy 13th birthday, Michael!

Tall Strawberry Shortcake

Three layers of vanilla-glazed vanilla pound cake alternate with layers of vanilla buttercream and fresh strawberries. At eight inches high, it's the Empire State Building of shortcakes! Made with fine cake flour, butter, Madagscar vanilla, and organic and cage-free eggs.

Inspired because he likes strawberries but didn't want pink icing.=)

And some positive feedback:
"Sarah it's BEAUTIFUL! I just went back to the kitchen to see it (THE ESB of shortcakes), and I think there are some envious co-workers here. I really can't wait and I'm sure Michael will be thrilled - he loves strawberries. I appreciate your creativity in providing non-pink icing and OMG, cage-free eggs!! Happy chickens make a better world so we buy cage-free too."

and later:

Yes, it was as wonderful as it looked. You've definitely outdone yourself! As I told your mom, Michael is not typically a cake person, usually has a few bites and eats the ice cream. He made a point that this is the first time (he can remember) that he finished the whole piece. It was perfect in every way, and I'd recommend you make one for yourself and your family to try it. Thanks again!

Happy birthday, Michael!!!

Daring Baker's Challenge - October

My very first challenge! I wasn't able to do the dough toss (despite trying VERY hard, so I had to kind of hold the edges of the dough and let the weight stretch itself out...!)

For toppings I didn't have a whole lot on hand. The first was a clam and artichoke - took a can of clams, a can of artichokes and boiled down the water from both of them to a small amount of thick sauce, mixed it with chopped artichokes and clams, and spread it on the pizza. I grated a little parmesan on top of that and voila! It was really tasty and I liked the flavor combo, but fresh clams would be tons better - not in the least because it was a bit salty with the boiled down clam water! But I still really enjoyed it nevertheless.





The topping worked well on this one because there wasn't very much liquid involved - the crust stayed nice and crunchy and baked up well.



For the second batch of pizzas, I put a spoonful of tomato sauce, grated mozarella and parmesan, sprinkled Italian seasoning, and chopped some sundried tomatoes on top. As I said, I didn't have a lot on hand, but I have to admit I still really enjoyed it!

A word of advice - put much less sauce than you think you need, or everything gets very soggy.

Until you make your own pizza crust, you really don't realize how lacking takeout pizza is. Homemade crust has this beautiful, rich yeasty flavor (even though I pretty much failed at shaping it and am a novice at yeasted doughs) and had both a nice crunch on the bottom and a nice airiness on the thicker crust. Most other pizzas will taste like nothing, or alternatively, cardboard. Definitely really easy (as long as you don't care about having misshapen pizzas like me if you can't toss them into perfect circles) and well worth it. A great first challenge!

I am very excited to join the Daring Bakers community.=)