My Baking Adventures

Well friends, this is the final entry for Tyler Florence Fridays.  Natashya and Deb (who founded the group and graciously allowed me to ride on their blog-tails) had planned on cooking through Tyler’s recipes for one year, and believe it or not, that year is up.

Parting is such sweet sorrow :: sniff ::

It seems fitting that comforting, soothing food is in order – and with that in mind, I made Tyler’s Ultimate Chicken and Dumplings. A perfect wintry dish – and to boot, this recipe was a record of firsts for me:

1. The first time I ever made homemade stock.
2. The first time I ever made homemade dumplings.

Ok, I realize that’s only two, but work with me here.

I was proud of myself, because sometimes, I’ll put a lot of work into trying something new, and it flops. Which really gets to me – but this was outstanding, and therefore became another recipe that will go into my repertoire for the winter.

And what’s even better, I had enough leftover stock to use for my pasta e fagioli soup – which made it taste so much better. Even the kids noticed it, which is really saying something.

Not very photogenic, is it?

One note – this recipe does take quite a bit of time to prepare – which is why I spent all day Sunday making it. It truly is worth the time and effort, though, so don’t be put off by the length of ingredients or directions.

Chicken and Dumplings - adapted from Tyler Florence

Chicken and Stock
1 (3 to 3 ½ pound) whole organic chicken
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
4 to 5 black peppercorns
1 tbs. salt

Directions
Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 cup buttermilk

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen pearl onions
Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish
Chopped chives, for garnish

For the stock:
Place the chicken and all stock ingredients in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the chicken is tender. Skim the surface of fat and scum as it cooks.
When done remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the stock and shred the meat into big pieces – the stock will be used for the sauce and the chicken will be folded into it.

For the dumplings:
Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, chives and buttermilk together; pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together; the batter should be thick and cake-like.
To prepare sauce: In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add frozen peas and pearl onions.
Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer. Using 2 spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be touching or crowded. Let the dumplings poach for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm and puffy. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and garnish with chopped chives before serving.

Before I get started here this morning, I have an announcement to make:

(and no, I’m not pregnant)

WINTER HAS ARRIVED!

You can all rest easier now that I will stop complaining about the heat. Winter has come and baby, it’s cold outside. Right now, the temperature is a brisk 49 degrees.

Yep – it’s cold. Perfect. I welcomed the weather last night with open arms and a batch of pasta e fagioli and homemade bread. Tonight’s dinner is…… hmmm, I don’t know yet.

But that’s irrelevant at the moment, because I have to share this:

Have you ever seen something so unusual and enticing? Ok, a Ferrari falls under that category too, but you can’t drink it!

I made this several weeks ago for Alexander, to celebrate his first touchdown for football. In fact, here he is:

Although I’m not crazy about marshmallows, I tried it and WOW! It has such a greaty toasty flavor – and I’ll bet it would be even better with chocolate ice cream.

Alexander loved it so much, he asked for it again the next day.

For breakfast.

Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake - adapted from Bobby Flay

9 large marshmallows, plus additional for decorating
¼ cup milk
2 cups vanilla ice cream

Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Don’t skip this step, or your marshmallows will be impossible to remove.

Place the marshmallows on the prepared sheet and set under the broiler until they are toasty and golden, about 45 seconds. Turn them over carefully and toast the other side as well. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the shake.

Place the milk and ice cream in a blender and blend for a few seconds – add the marshmallows and blend again until smooth, about 10 seconds.

Garnish with whipped cream and a toasted marshmallow and serve immediately.

Makes 2 shakes.

In eager anticipation of fall, I made corn chowder a few weeks ago. We were experiencing a cold front that caused the weather to change from 90+ heat to the mid 60 degree range.

In one day.

I was so excited – I ran through the house shutting off the a/c units, then suddenly realized I needed warmer clothes – stat! I quickly re-organized my closet – pulling down boots, sweaters, scarves – the works.

Unfortunately, it was short lived. In fact, I’ve had to run the air conditioning over the past few days because it’s been so hot. Yeah, I know, poor me.  I keep checking weather.com for the 10 day forecast, to see that magical day when the temperatures (during the day) are below 80 degrees.

I’m still waiting…….

However, hot weather does not quell our love of soup, so with a few ears of corn I found in the back of the fridge, I prepared a batch of corn chowder, adapting a recipe from the King of Bam himself, Emeril Lagasse.

It was sublime – nothing to detract from the pure corn flavor, and with a real kick from the cayenne. Those of you with more sensitive palates might want to consider reducing the amount of cayenne, but for this hot-and-spicy loving family, it was perfect.

Pennsylvania Dutch Corn Chowder - adapted from Emeril Lagasse

2 tbs. olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 bay leaf
3 cups peeled, diced baking potatoes, like russets
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or more as necessary
1 ½ cups milk
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh chives

In a large pot, cook the onions in the olive oil over medium low heat until the onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper, garlic and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the potatoes and drained corn, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the milk and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to a coarse consistency. Adjust the seasonings with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish each serving with the chives.

Every year, right around this time, I face a serious dilemma. A pie situation, if you want to be specific.

I love pumpkin pie. I mean I really, really love pumpkin pie. I would eat it all year long if I could.

My clothes appreciate the fact that I don’t.

But ~ and there is always a but ~

No one else in the house will eat it. Maybe they can’t see past its plain exterior – after all, it’s not fancy like a sky-high lemon meringue pie – and it doesn’t have towers of whipped cream topping like a chocolate cream pie.

Mmmm – chocolate cream pie……..

Oh sorry, I got distracted there for a moment.

Several years ago, I even tried to entice the family with a Pumpkin Mousse Cheesecake -  which didn’t go over so well. Alexander was very suspicious of any cheesecake I made for about a year after that.

Sigh.

So rather than miss out on all the pumpkiny-pie goodness that rolls around each year, I’ve decided to take a streamlined approach.

I made pumpkin pie pudding!

It was so delicious – and I didn’t even miss the crust.  It was perfectly smooth and creamy – I think it was even better than the traditional version, because it wasn’t as dense as pumpkin pie tends to be.

Next time, though, I’m going to increase the amount of spices – a quarter teaspoon just seemed a bit too neutral.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding - adapted from a recipe on myrecipes.com

2 cups 2% milk
3/4 cup dark brown sugar (I actually used less, and therefore the pudding wasn’t too sweet, which I liked)
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large egg yolks
1 cup canned pumpkin
¼ tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk milk, sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until nicely thickened.

Remove from heat; stir in pumpkin, pie spice and vanilla. Spoon evenly into 6 (6-ounce) custard cups. Allow to cool, then chill for at least 30 minutes, or until pudding is set.
Top with whipped cream.

In my continuing theme of “pre-birthday celebration”, I made a special little dessert last night courtesy of Nigella Lawson.

I like Nigella – she’s funny, witty, and listening to her speak is a bit like listening to my mother speak – it’s that dry English sense of humor that I find so endearing and delightful.

Well, except when I’m in trouble for something…… then it’s not quite so endearing.

Like the last time I swiped a bag of Lavazza coffee from her house – that required a chocolate cake, a batch of Hob Nob cookies, and two dozen cherry oatmeal coconut cookies (for my dad) to get back on her good side.

I’m safe – for now.

I’ve had this recipe for Choco-hoto-pots bookmarked for several months – I believe the first place I saw it was on Bake With Us’ blog – and I imagined the dessert to be similar to a molten centered cake.

However, my imagination must have taken a leave of absence that day, because for a brief moment, I thought I had made one of  Paula Deen’s recipes – this tasted just like chocolate-flavored butter.

Yeah – I went there.

I was so disappointed – but the frustration really kicked in while attempting to photograph it. It’s been getting dark here earlier and earlier, so my window of good light is getting shorter and shorter. I went outside this morning and these pictures are the best I could do.

And what really ticks me off is this dessert was my first contribution to my good buddy Natashya’s new blog “I Heart Cooking Clubs”. This weeks’ theme is party food – and the nerve of some people, bringing a bad dessert to a party!

Oh wait, that’s me.

If you feel somewhat inspired to try this dessert on your own, you can find the recipe to it here.  I hope your outcome is better than mine!

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I have missed the last 3 weeks of Tyler Florence Fridays. The excuses are just that – excuses. And would you really want to hear them?

I didn’t think so.

BUT, (and there is always a but) I did make Tyler’s Macaroni and Cheese and his recipe for roasted broccoli. So technically, since I made two dishes, I can be counted as only missing one week – right?

Yeah, my high school teachers loved my excuses too ~

First up – the mac and cheese. Somehow, I don’t think this is exactly what Tyler had in mind when he created this recipe. But in all fairness (to me), I had to make do with the ingredients on hand – and it still came out amazing. Isn’t that what really counts?

And the broccoli – well, my kids are certified broccoli lovers, so this will be a definite repeat. The lemon juice added that certain “something” that really perked up the flavor. I am a huge proponent of roasting vegetables – it gives them so much more flavor.

I did leave out the cheese, however, since we already had enough to go around.

You can find the recipe for the Mac and Cheese here, and the recipe for the broccoli follows below.

Broccoli with Parmesan and Lemon - Tyler Florence

3 heads broccoli (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 lemon, juiced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Trim about 1 inch off the ends of the broccoli stalks and cut the broccoli lengthwise into spears. Arrange the broccoli on a nonstick cookie sheet, drizzle with some olive oil and season with a little bit of salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
Remove the broccoli from the oven and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and bake until the cheese melt and forms a crisp shell over the broccoli, about 10 minutes. Lift the broccoli out onto a platter with a spatula and drizzle with fresh lemon.

Finding a recipe like this makes me wish I still subscribed to Bon Appetit.

The guys from Baked – you know who they are – did a special “Diner Dessert” feature for the May 2009 issue, and although there isn’t a picture of this recipe, I had to make it.

I had to.

That day.

Easier than a pie, more complex than a pudding, and simply the most amazing hybrid of marshmallow-pudding-crust you will ever eat.

Trust me.

S’Mores Dark Chocolate Puddings - adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2009

Graham cracker crumb layer:
4 1/2 whole graham crackers (5 x 2 1/2-inch rectangles), coarsely broken
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Puddings:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Scharffen Berger)
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
Pinch of salt
3 large egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (54% to 60% cacao), chopped
1 tablespoon whiskey
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Marshmallow topping:
2 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Special equipment: Kitchen butane torch

For graham cracker crumb layer:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until coarse crumbs form. Spread crumbs out on prepared baking sheet (if necessary, break up any large pieces with fingertips). Bake until crumbs are crisp, stirring once, about 10 minutes. Cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

For puddings:
Whisk sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Add egg yolks and whisk to blend (mixture will resemble wet sand). Gradually whisk in milk, then cream. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture comes to boil, then boil 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Add chocolate, whiskey, butter, and vanilla; whisk until chocolate and butter melt and mixture is smooth. Let pudding cool slightly, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Spoon 1/3 cup pudding into each of six 1-cup glasses; spread evenly. Sprinkle each with graham cracker crumbs, dividing equally. Top each with 1/3 cup pudding, spreading evenly. Cover each with plastic wrap, pressing plastic directly onto pudding. Chill at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

For marshmallow topping:
Blend all ingredients in large bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Set mixer bowl with egg white mixture over saucepan of simmering water. Using hand whisk, whisk mixture constantly until instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 160°F, about 6 minutes. Attach mixer bowl with egg white mixture to stand mixer again and beat on high speed until marshmallow topping forms stiff peaks, 6 to 8 minutes.
Top each pudding with 2 large spoonfuls of marshmallow topping, covering top completely and creating peaks, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Chill.
Using kitchen butane torch, lightly toast marshmallow topping until golden in spots.

Now that I have your attention, listen up.

I made this dessert for Valentine’s Day.

For myself.

Oh, I made something else for David – but you’ll get to see that later. Right here, right now, this is all about the chocolate.

And boy, was it good.

The recipe comes via Serious Eats,  from The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger.

Sabrina and I licked the ramekins clean. Ok, not really, but this was seriously good. Like a hybrid between cake, pudding, and mousse.

Try it – you’ll like it.

Baked Hot Chocolate - The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger

- serves 4 -

Ingredients
9 ounces 62% semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 large eggs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Whipped cream

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange ovenproof coffee cups or mugs or 8-ounce ramekins in a baking or roasting pan.
2. Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler set over gently simmering water, and whisk occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Stir the eggs and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer then set over the simmering water and stir until warm to the touch. Place the bowl on the stand mixer and, using the whisk attachment, beat for 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Remove from the mixer, and fold the eggs into the chocolate mixture until it is light and smooth.
4. Spoon the batter into the cups. Add enough very hot water to the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The baked hot chocolates will be done when the tops lose their glossy finish. A wooden skewer inserted in the top will emerge clean, but batter toward the bottom of the cup will still be very moist.
5. Carefully remove the cups from the pan. The cakes can be served warm, at room temperature, or covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. To reheat, bring to room temperature and place in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 5 minutes, or until warm.
6. Serve topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

Now, doesn’t that sound like a contradiction in terms?

Like many of you, I have friends that have special dietary needs. I can/have done lactose free, gluten free, and now I am brushing up on sugar free.

I thought Creme Brulee would be a good starting point. Why? Well, mostly because it contains so few ingredients – it would be difficult to mess up. These are easy to put together – most of the time is spent waiting for them to chill after they’ve been baked.

Aside from my uneven browning (I was worried about torching it too much), these really came out great.  I wasn’t disappointed at all, because I didn’t find them to have that “artificial aftertaste” that some sweeteners have.

I did use the Brown Sugar Blend for the topping, it gives a depth of flavor that the regular Splenda just doesn’t have. I also like it because you don’t have to use as much as regular brown sugar.

One last note, don’t even think of skipping the water bath, it is essential to the success of the dessert.

Creme Brulee - adapted from Williams Sonoma Desserts

3 cups heavy cream
8 egg yolks
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup Splenda for Baking, plus ¼ cup Brown Sugar Blend Splenda for the brulee topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300ºF.

In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and the 1/3 cup Splenda for Baking sugar, whisk together until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add cream and vanilla, and continue to whisk until well blended, strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.

Divide mixture among 6 ramekins or custard cups. Place in a water bath, and bake until set around edges, but still loose in the center, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove cups from water bath and chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 tsp. Splenda Brown Sugar Blend over each custard. For best results, use a small hand torch to melt the sugar. If you do not have a torch, place ramekins under the broiler until sugar melts. Re-chill custards a few minutes before serving.

Serves 6

In consideration for many of my blogging friends who are experiencing extremely cold temperatures right now, I made something special to warm you up ~ a nice toasty hot bowl of Ribollita Soup, courtesy of Ina Garten.

I suppose you don’t want to hear that it’s 65 degrees here today, not a cloud in the sky, and I’m driving with the sunroof open.

Ahem.

My thoughts / changes on the recipe: I used canned beans instead of dried, escarole instead of kale and threw in a few zucchini I found hiding in the fridge. I also recommend leaving out the bread, it has an unappealing texture after it’s been cooking for awhile. I don’t like slimey, mushy bread, but if that’s your thing, go for it. The soup lends itself to endless variations, which makes it helpful when you can’t or don’t want to run out to the store.

Also, it freezes really well ~ handy to know since Ina’s recipes make enough for the neighborhood.

Ribollita - Ina Garten

1/2 pound dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini
Kosher salt
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for serving
1/4 pound large diced pancetta or smoked bacon
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped carrots (3 carrots)
1 cup chopped celery (3 stalks)
3 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
4 cups coarsely chopped or shredded savoy cabbage, optional
4 cups coarsely chopped kale
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
4 cups sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by 1-inch and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator.
Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 8 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their puree, the cabbage, if using, the kale, and basil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes.
Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree half of the beans with a little of their liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough chicken stock to make 8 cups. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Add the bread to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan and drizzled with olive oil.