Pastry Challenge

Every once in a while I like to challenge myself by cooking something new. And, if you want a culinary challenge baking is your thing. There is a delicate science to baking. If the dough is too thin or too thick the result will be undesirable. And, that is what I got with my first attempt with my éclair challenge.

My first try ended in a greasy heavy dough. This is not an éclair. Thoughts of tasting it still make me nausea. I have made popovers and Yorkshire pudding before, both egg based dough, which are similar to an éclair or puff pastry, but with slightly different taste. The results were good. My éclair, on the other hand, proved to be more temperamental.

My second go at it made the grade. However, before I hit the oven I scoured several cookbooks to see exactly what I was missing.

The pastry dough for éclairs is a basic choux dough. Choux is a cross between a batter and a dough. First the paste is made by cooking water, butter and flour. Eggs are added one at a time and the paste quickly turns to a batter. The batter is ready when it is at the ribbon stage. To check, raise a spoonful of the batter and an uninterrupted flow will occur, cording a ribbon.

The pastry cream was simple enough. It has the taste of vanilla pudding, but a little thicker. This consistency holds up better in the puff pastry. A little bit of chocolate glaze and you have an éclair any French pastry chef would enjoy.

June 22nd is National Chocolate Éclair Day

Pastry Cream
1 ¼ cup milk
3 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a small saucepan, warm milk over low heat. Do not boil, just hot enough to steam. In another saucepan whisk egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornstarch until smooth. Remove milk from heat. Add half of the milk to egg mixture. Stir until well incorporated. Add the remaining milk and heat for 1 -2 minutes. Continue stirring. Remove from heat and chill for at least 1 hour.

Choux Pastry Dough
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup watermelon
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and water. Add sugar, salt and flour and stir until a sticky batter forms. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Remove from heat. Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe out 4 each logs onto a coated cooking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 425. Bake an additional 10 minutes at 375. Cool on a wire rack. Fill with pastry cream with a pastry bag or slice open and fill. Top with chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Glaze
2 ounces of semisweet chocolate
¼ cup half and half
Place chocolate and half and half in a heat proof bowl and heat in a microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir until smooth.

What makes you smile?

If you could eat anything right now what would it be? Would it be savory, spicy, sweet, cold, hot, crispy or creamy?

We all have our favorites or should I say comfort foods. It may be Grandma Kate's seven layers of lasagna noodles with mounds of cheese and a tomato sauce brimming with basil, garlic and parsley. Then again, it may be the red velvet cupcakes your mom made for you every birthday. The one with cream cheese frosting with just the right amount of colored sugar that went crunch at first bite.

My personal favorite is a very simple plate with cheese, olives and bread. It is so basic, yet so complex. Growing up I waited with anticipation for Italian foods from a small Italian deli my mother would shop every Wednesday. The bread, cheeses and meats were wrapped in white paper and the price marked with a grease pencil. That deli is still open today and brings back many memories. I rarely get the chance to shop there but when I do cheese, olives and bread are always in my tote. My favorite bread has to be the cheese bread. It always fills the house and your head when toasted. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. And other times, the cheese is the centerpiece. Hands down, my favorite is the sharp provolone. It has a strong bite and a smell even stronger. If I told you how strong you would not eat it. In the end, taste is the finial factor, not the smell, in regards to cheeses.

Every now again it is good for the soul to veer off our health diets and indulge in that one special food that feeds more than our stomaches but feeds our senses and makes us smile. So, what will it be? What makes you smile?

May 6 No Diet Day
May 11 Eat What You Want Day

Day of the Mushroom

Love them or hate them. Raw or cooked. It seems everyone has something to say about mushrooms. Recently I was sautéing some crimini mushrooms in butter and the smell was just too much for some. “Ugh, what is that smell?” I have to admit the smell is something from the murky underground. But, my mushroom yearnings could not wait to taste the lightly brown caramelized fungi, regardless of the funky smell. So, I continued to stir my mushrooms. No steak, no eggs, just mushrooms. Pure and simple. That's the way I like it.

Little did I know that mushrooms are packed with nutrients. Mushrooms are a good source of B vitamin, which helps break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates into energy. They are one of the few natural sources of vitamin D. And they have as much potassium as a banana, which helps control blood pressure.

With all of the above, I do believe mushrooms belong on the super foods list. For sure, they will not make it to the best aroma list, that belongs to chocolate chip cookies.

April 16 is Day of the Mushroom.

Mushroom Quiche

Crust
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter, cold
1/2 teaspoon salt ½
3 tablespoons cold water
Place flour in a food processor. Cut butter into small pieces. Add butter, salt water to flour and pulse until the comes together. Gather dough and shape into a round. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Filling
2 tablespoons oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 lb assorted mushrooms, chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup half and half
3 eggs
2 cups grated swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll flat. Press dough out into a 12 inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes.

In a large skillet sauté oil, shallots and mushrooms until golden. Add salt and pepper. Mix half and half and eggs together. Add cheese and mushrooms to egg mixture. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 30 minutes.

Homemade Pasta

On a recent shopping trip with some friends I casually mentioned that I was looking for a pasta machine and pasta drying rack. “Why would you make homemade pasta when it is so cheap and easy to buy,” a friend replied. “Because I have never made homemade pasta and I got a coupon,” was my response.

After a team search through the mega home store I finally found a pasta machine but the pasta rack had to be purchased on line later that day. A few days later I rolled up my shelves and got to work.

The basic recipe for homemade pasta is flour, eggs and salt. These simple ingredients come together effortlessly. Well, almost. My first attempt yielded a very dry dough, too dry for pasta. It landed in the can. My second try was spot on. The trick is to start slow and add a little flour at a time and stop when the dough comes together nicely. Let it rest for 20 minutes and roll it through the pasta machine. If you do not have a pasta machine a rolling pin works fine. It takes a little finesse but that is half the fun. Dry the pasta for about 10 minutes or so. Boil it in salted water for 3 to 5 minutes. Remember this is fresh pasta, cooking time is less.

Yes, boxed pasta is cheap and easy but the process of make and eating my own homemade pasta was very satisfying. It was worth it and I recommend it. Who knew something so simple could be so rewarding and tasty.

March is National Noodle Month

Celebrating Chocolate

Do we really need a reason to celebrate chocolate? I say, no. But, if you do, February is National Celebration of Chocolate Month. To me, everyday is cause to celebrate chocolate.

The taste alone is enough to jump for joy and devour dark chunks of heaven everyday. Now, I am not advising you to eat a candy bar a day, but enjoy small pieces of good quality dark (50% or more cocoa) chocolate on occasion. There is mounting evidence suggesting chocolate in moderation has numerous heath benefits.

I recently read in The Healing Powers of Chocolate by Cal Corey that chocolate is loaded with health benefits. First, the antioxidants – polyphenols and flavonoids, both provide heart healthy benefits. A study at Johns Hopkins found that eating 2 Tablespoons of cocoa or dark chocolate per day showed anticlotting benefits. It is believed that cocoa stimulates the body's production of nitric oxide, which works like aspirin to stave off heart attacks.

Second, mood enhancers like serotonin and phenylethylamine (PEA) both uplift spirits. No wonder chocolate is associated with so many love holidays and gestures – it works! And it taste great.

As with all things in life moderation is key. So, take it easy and enjoy the sweet life with dark chocolate a morsel at a time.


Flourless Chocolate Cake
A super dense dark chocolate cake with a thin outer crust and soft center.

4 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 and butter an 8 inch springform cake pan.
Chop chocolate into small pieces. Place chocolate and butter in double broiler and stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar. Add eggs and whisk until blended. Add cocoa and stir until well blended. Pour into pan and bake for 25 minutes.
Decorate with powder sugar.

Reflections

As the new year unfolds I find myself reflecting on a question so many people ask me, “why do like cooking and food so much?” The answer is twofold, an endless discovery of food to explore and the deep connection shared with others over meals.

I enjoy food first for the endless possibilities. The cultures and taste are mind boggling. I love exploring and learning about the vast array of food from around the world. I may not always like what I tasted but I can say that I have tried it and now know what to avoid or what to try again.

At the heart of all food is of course the celebration and connection shared with others. Food is the center of all celebrations. Sure the balloons look great but the cake was awesome.

So, as the wind howls outside my window this January morning I plan to curl up with a few cookbooks and a bowl of soup. I will make plans for my next culinary discovery and celebration with friends and family.

Wassail

For foodies, the holidays can be summed up in one word, Wassail. It is a greeting, a drink and a celebration all in one.

In Saxon times the word was hail was used to greet someone, it meant “be in good health”. In the twelfth century the salutation was drinc hail, drink good health. Later, the word became used for the drink the toast was offered, especially spiced ale or wine during Christmas.Wassailing continued into nineteenth century and other drinks, like eggnog, became popular.

Whether you toast with cider, muled wine or eggnog, the warmth of the holidays begins when family and friends gather around the hearth with glass in hand. Everyone not only dreams of sugar and spice, but drinks it. Joy comes to all.

Happy Holidays!

Most liquor stores carry some kind of bottled wassail around the holidays, which is great as a gift or a quick drink for a party. If you have the time, and want a sweet smelling home, try one of the following wassail recipes.

Wassail (quick and non-alcohol)

4 black tea bags
5 quarts water plus 2 cups
4 (46oz) cans of orange juice
2 (46oz) cans of apple juice
4 (46oz) cans of pineapple juice

Steep tea in 2 cups of water for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Pour tea into a large soup pot. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Serve warm.

Yuletide Wassail

6 apples, cored
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 bottles of ale
1 cup of red wine

Fill apple centers with equal amounts of brown sugar. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients and simmer. Pour wassail in a large punch bowl or cock pot along with the baked apples.

Traditional English Wassail

6 apples, cored
½ cup brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
10 all spice berries
1 bottle of Madeira wine
3 bottles of ale
6 eggs, separated

Fill apples with brown sugar and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Combine cinnamon sticks through ale in a large soup pot and let simmer. Separate eggs. Beat yolks until they are light yellow and creamy. Beat whites until soft peaks form. Gently combine beaten yolk and whites together. Add 1 to 2 cups of the wassail slowly to the eggs, this is tempering. Now, add the eggs to the wassail. Serve with the baked apples in a punch bowl or crock pot.