Tuesday, March 12, 2024

TWD/BWD: Parisian Custard Tart

 


 

I love any kind of custard, so this Parisian Custard Tart from Baking by Dorie caught my eye when I first got the cookbook.  It's also known as Flan Patissier, and it reminds me of the pasteis de nata that I ate in Portugal.

 

I used puff pastry to line the pan; then I filled it with the delicious vanilla custard.  After baking it until the top is brown, I chilled it overnight before serving.

 


This is a great make-ahead dessert for all those custard-lovers out there!

 

Stop by the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see which dessert the bakers made for today.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

TWD/BWD: Copenhagen Rye Cookies with Chocolate, Spices, and Seeds

 


 For the second February recipe, I made the Copenhagen Rye Cookies, filled with chocolate and a variety of seeds. The seeds added both crunch and flavor.  I kept getting a hint of banana, which I think was from the flax seeds.  I also love the sprinkling of Maldon salt on the top.

Apparently, I forgot to set the timer for the last batch.  I got distracted and didn't think much about it until I realized I hadn't heard the timer ring.  Hmmm.  Had I already taken them out of the oven?  So I checked.  And, there they were, merrily cooking away and getting over baked!  Even though they were extra brown, I decided they were salvageable.  They were especially tasty when dunked in a hot beverage, so no harm done.   (I wouldn't recommend this, however.)



So, this is another delicious cookie from Baking with Dorie, by Dorie Greenspan.  Check out the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see which recipes the other bakers made this week.

Friday, February 16, 2024

Babes Bake a Gneiss Bread

 


Kelly, of A Messy Kitchen, was our Kitchen of the Month for February.  Kelly challenged us to make Black Sesame Shokupan, using a different technique for making milk bread:  yudane (yoo-dah-nay).  You combine flour and boiling water and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight. The resulting bread is soft and tender and has a longer shelf life, although, to be honest, this type of bread doesn't last very long.

We had the choice of making a marbled bread using black sesame paste, or, a more traditional looking bread.  I couldn't resist the marbled bread!  I bought a jar of black sesame paste (before the recipe had been added to Kelly's post), which is a good thing because I need it for other bakes (orange-black sesame cookies, for one).


 

I had fun creating the marbled effect.  The end result was glorious!  Each slice shows a different pattern, and each slice is truly a work of art.  I should have photographed each slice to show the progression (overkill maybe?).  I was truly sad when the bread was gone.  Definitely a bread I will make again.  (Thinking of County Fair time this summer.)



This was a terrific choice for our first 2024 challenge.  Forgive the geological humor in the title, but I couldn't resist.

For the recipe, go to Kelly's website.

And, to see how the other Babe's did, check out their websites as well. 


 

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

TWD/BWD: Potato Flake Biscuits

 


It's Tuesday!  Time to post the first February recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie, from the cookbook, Baking with Dorie by Dorie Greenspan.

 

I made the Potato Flake Biscuits.  The special ingredient is instant mashed potatoes, which I've never bought before, so it require some research at the grocery store.  I bought the smallest package I could find, since I probably won't use it for anything else.  The biscuits also have some sauteed onions for additional flavor.  I decided to cut them into eight pieces so I wouldn't have to re-roll the dough.

 


While the biscuits were good, I prefer the simple, plain Jane biscuits without all the extras.  Having jam on an onion biscuit is an interesting experience, to be sure.

 Looking forward to the second February bake.

 Check out the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see which choice the other bakers made.

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

TWD/BWD: Rewind! One-Bite Cinnamon Puffs

 


 

Way back in February 2020, the group decided to bake One-Bite Cinnamon Puffs. I was so overwhelmed at the thought of making 100 of these, that I passed.

Recently, after studying the recipe, I decided to give them a try, halving the recipe, and making two-bite puffs.  I ended up with a little over 20 puffs, which was much more manageable.  They turned out beautifully, and every one was hollow on the inside.  (Future possibility of a pastry cream filling.)  The only down side was that they disappeared almost immediately!  Mea culpa.

 Another successful recipe from Baking with Dorie.

 

Stop by the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see if there were any other rewinds.

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

TWD/BWD: Chunky Lemon Cornmeal Cake

 


For my second January bake from Baking with Dorie, I made the Chunky Lemon Cornmeal Cake, using fresh lemons from my backyard tree.  This is a delicious lemon cake with a subtle crunch from the cornmeal and extra citrus flavor from the zest and sumac.  My favorite bites -- the bits of cut-up lemon scattered throughout the cake itself.  Next time, I will definitely add more of those!

 


Stop by the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see which treat the other bakers made. 




Tuesday, January 9, 2024

TWD/BWD: Spinach-Mozzarella Pie with Parm Crumble

 


For the first Tuesdays with Dorie challenge of 2024, I'm posting about the Spinach-Mozzarella Pie with Parm Crumble, a delicious quiche-like main dish.  I used Swiss chard in place of the spinach, and it worked out beautifully.   


 

This is a great savory pie that can be served on its own, or as an accompaniment to meat or poultry.

 

Stop by the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see which treat the bakers made this time around.