TWD/BWD: Twist Bread

 

Dorie's Twist Bread is a great way to make a simple daily white bread much more fancy and festive.

The dough is spread with a mixture of butter, sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder, then sprinkled with raisins or other dried fruit.  I made a note to try mini chocolate chips the next time I make this.

The rolled dough is split, braided, and coiled into a twist.  It is placed in a round pan, brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with coarse sugar.

It's definitely a lovely bread to look at and delicious to eat. especially toasted or transformed into French toast or bread pudding.

 

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

TWD/DAC: Gemma Cakes

 

What a great way to celebrate strawberry season! These beauties are Gemma Cakes, from Dorie's Anytime Cakes.

The cake is like a genoise, flavored lightly with rose water and white chocolate.  There's also a surprise inside:  a piece of fresh strawberry.

 

Once baked and cooled, the little cakes are dipped into white chocolate and decorated however you would like.  

 

They are delicious bite-sized cakes that disappear quickly!

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

TWD/BWD: Olive Oil Brownies

 I debated whether to post about the brownies. 

 

There is no photographic evidence that I actually made them.  But, I did.  And, apparently, totally forgot to take photos.  

So, picture a plate of brownies.

What made this recipe different was the use of olive oil in place of butter, and the addition of raisins and black pepper.

Using oil in place of butter or shortening makes the baked good more moist, and this was true for these brownies.  They were super moist.

I did make two changes:

     I don't like raisins in most of my baked goods (bread is the exception, and then it has to be golden raisins).  I substituted dried sour cherries instead.  However, I guess I just don't like any dried fruit in my cakes, cookies, etc.

     Instead of black pepper, I substituted Aleppo pepper.  Chile pepper and chocolate are a delicious combination, and it did add a touch of heat to the brownies.  They weren't overly spicy, but there was definitely a bit of a background kick.

 Would I make these brownies again?  Possibly, but not with any dried fruit.  Mini chocolate chips would be a good choice along with the Aleppo pepper. 

Visit the Tuesdays with Dorie website to read about the opinions on raisins and pepper in brownies. 

TWD/BWD: Meringue Snackers

 

This recipe, from Baking with Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, is a great way to use up any extra egg whites you may have.  I always save my egg whites in the freezer, in small containers, labeled by amount.  So, when I need one or two egg whites or more, I know which to choose.  

Once thawed and brought to room temperature, they are ready to use.

I made individual meringues and served them with whipped cream and blueberries for a simple treat.  These meringues can also be used in other recipes such as Eton Mess, so they're very versatile.

 

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

TWD/DAC: Maybe-This, Maybe-That Ham and Cheese Loaf

 

 

This month's cake from Dorie's Anytime Cakes by Dorie Greenspan is a bit different -- it's a savory cake.

 

It's almost like a 'kitchen sink' cake, since it contains three types of cheese (fontina, mozzarella Parmesan), pancetta, ham, or bacon, chives or scallions, roasted peppers, and honey. Aside from a lot of chopping, the batter is easy to put together, and it bakes in a loaf pan.

 

While it's an interesting cake, flavor-wise, it didn't thrill me.  I put most of the slices in the freezer to revisit at a later date.  Maybe toasting them will help; maybe the flavors will be better melded.

There were mixed reviews from the bakers as well, so be sure to check them out at the Tuesdays with Dorie website.

  

BBB: Yeasted Honey Corn Bread

 

Kelly is our Kitchen of the Month. She challenged us to make a yeasted honey corn bread with a possible substitution of millet for those sensitive to corn.

 This was a straight-forward yeast bread with corn meal and honey, and I enjoyed both making it and eating it.  Occasionally, though, I would have a mental disconnect:  it tasted like regular cornbread, but didn't look like it's namesake.  There was that bit of crunch from the cornmeal, but it had the texture of a yeast bread.  It was excellent toasted!

 

For the recipe, go to Kelly's website, and be sure to check out the different versions that the other Babes made.

 

 

• Blog from OUR Kitchen – Elizabeth
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories – Karen
• A Messy Kitchen – Kelly (Kitchen of the Month)
• My Diverse Kitchen – Aparna 
• Bread Experience  - Cathy  
• Thyme for Cooking - Katie
• My Kitchen in Half Cups – Tanna  

 

  

TWD/BWD: Apricot and Pistachio-Olive Oil Cake

 

For the first April post from Baking with Dorie by Dorie Greenspan, I'm featuring the Apricot and Pistachio--Olive Oil Cake.

Since I was the hostess this month for my small quilt group, I make this cake to share with everyone.

I baked the cake itself the day before the meeting, wrapped it and stored it upside down in the refrigerator over night.  This made it easier to cut the cake in half the next day in preparation for finishing.  Melted apricot preserves were spread on the cut layer, and then again on the top, followed by a lot of chopped pistachios.  I did add the chopped tea leaves to the batter, but I'm not sure it made any difference to the flavor of the cake, although it did create a speckled appearance. 

 

Everyone enjoyed the cake, and they even took several pieces home. 

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