Tuesday, August 26, 2025

TWD/BWD: Ricotta Tomato Tart

 

 


This week's post for Tuesdays with Dorie features some of summer's bounty:  a Ricotta Tomato Tart.

I added some sliced zucchini to the heirloom tomatoes to add some texture and color.  I did have to bake it about 30 minutes longer for the filling to set up.  And, I made a note on the recipe to try using a 9" pie pan instead of a tart pan next time.

 Baking with Dorie has some delicious savory tarts and pies to celebrate yearlong baking.

Visit the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see what the other bakers made this time around. 

 

Saturday, August 16, 2025

Sourdough Croissant Bread (BBB)

 

 


Cathy from Bread Experience, our August kitchen of the month, challenged us to make sourdough croissant bread.  I was very excited since this bread has been on my radar for several months. I chose to use the recipe from Amy Bakes Bread because her techniques and time tables guarantee a successful bake.

 On the first night, I made my starter.

On the second night, I made the levain.

On the third day, I made the dough, adding very cold grated butter to several of the stretch-and-folds.  It took me an extra stretch-and-fold to mix in all the butter.  After a several-hour bulk proof in a cool spot, I shaped the dough and put it in the refrigerator for an overnight stay.

On the fourth day, I heated up the oven, scored the loaf, and popped it into the hot Dutch oven.  I'm always surprised when the bake is finished, hoping for the best outcome, but never fully trusting the process.  I guess everything was kept cold enough because I never had any butter leaks, even during baking.

I was pleased with the final loaf.  I made notes on the recipe for future bakes:  cold proof a bit longer (more than 13 hours) and bake it a few minutes longer.


 

I froze most of the slices to keep from eating it all at once, and I can truthfully say it makes great toast.


Stop by Cathy's website to follow her recipe and instructions. 

 

Visit the other Babe's websites to see how they fared with this challenging bake. 

 

 

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

TWD/BWD: Vegetable Ribbon Tart

 

 


We are featuring two vegetable tarts this month for the Tuesdays with Dorie group. I played around with my vegetable ribbon tart, based on the produce I had, making my version of a guacamole tart. 

I ordered small tomatoes for my biweekly produce delivery, and, since it always includes lettuce, that was my ribboned vegetable.  The tomatoes were extremely sweet and juicy, too. I used a leftover sheet of puff pastry, and three out of four avocados that were ripe.

After I baked the puff pastry shell, I covered it with a generous amount of guacamole, topped it with a salad of lettuce, parsley, tomatoes, and scallions, then added the hard boiled eggs. The tomatoes had a propensity to jump off the tart during each bite, so I flipped them over as I munched away.


 

This was a satisfying accompaniment to a meal, and is very versatile, so you can use a wide variety of vegetables and toppings.

 

Visit the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see which summer vegetable tart everyone made. 

  

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

TWD/BWD: Blueberry Biscuits

 


For the second July bake from Baking with Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, I made the Blueberry Biscuits.  These are delightful treats that feature a yogurt-based biscuit that is chock full of blueberries.  Anything containing blueberries is fine by me!  

These biscuits can also be frozen before baking, so you can bake on demand whenever you feel the need. They're great fresh from the oven and slathered with butter, or turn them into a blueberry shortcake for a special dessert.


 

Visit the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see what the other bakers thought of these yummy biscuits.

 

 

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

TWD/BWD: Park Avenue Brownies

Today's post for Tuesdays with Dorie features Park Avenue Brownies.  If you like a more fudgy, rich brownie, then these are a great choice.

 


While the walnuts are optional, they only show up as a sprinkle on the top instead of being incorporated in the brownies itself.  


 

It's nice to have a choice of brownies depending on what kind of flavor or texture you are craving.

Head over to the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see what the other bakers thought. 

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

TWD/BWD: Double-Chocolate Strawberry Tart

 


 June is the end of our local strawberry season, so I decided to use strawberries in this double-chocolate tart.  I also substituted berries because I'm not a fan of rhubarb and I rarely eat bananas.

The tart is made from a delicious chocolate crust spread with a layer of freshly made strawberry jam, followed by a chocolate frangipane, then topped with fresh strawberries.




 I thought that the flavor improved quite a bit on the second day, and the tart lasted nearly a week for me with no deterioration in flavor or quality.  One of the things I enjoy about Dorie's recipes is the ability to play around with ingredients and still end up with a great dessert.


 

Visit the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see what the other bakers made this week. 

Monday, June 16, 2025

Oatmeal Burger Buns

 

 


This month, the Babes are baking Oatmeal Burger Buns, thanks to Elizabeth from blog from OUR kitchen.  The recipe is rather a blend of several recipes, and the end result is a delicious roll that is good plain, toasted, or used as part of a sandwich. I chose to leave the tops plain, but did brush them with an egg wash.

 


In my case, I made a chicken BLT.  With all the layers (chicken, cheese, sauce, golden shallots, bacon, tomato slice, and lettuce), it made for challenging, slippery, juicy bite, but definitely a delicious one.

 

For the story behind the recipe and the recipe itself, head over to Elizabeth's ever entertaining website

 

Do be sure to stop by the websites of the other Babes as well.