TWD/BWD: Tenderest Shortbread Four Ways

 

 

Dorie has the best shortbread recipes! I've made multiple batches from several of her cookbooks and they are definitely blue-ribbon worthy.

This particular recipe gives you a choice of four different flavor combinations:  original plain, whole wheat, rye-chocolate chip, and spelt-flaxseed.  I opted for the original plain as I was experimenting (like a mad scientist).  They did turn out tender and perfect.

My first experiment was in how I combined the ingredients.  I combined all the dry ingredients, then I mixed in the cold butter using the paddle attachment on my stand mixer until it looked like coarse sand.  Then, I added the wet ingredients (egg and vanilla).  So far, so good.

Before shaping the dough into a log, I put it in the refrigerator for about an hour so it would be easier to handle.  Then I shaped the dough into a 6-ish inch log, and put that back into the refrigerator for another hour.

Based on a technique that Dorie wrote about in one of her newsletters, I then cut the log into half-inch discs while the dough was firm, but still pliable, then put the discs into the freezer until I was ready to bake them.  This technique is good because the dough isn't so rock solid that you can't cut it into discs and the discs, themselves, don't crumble into pieces.

On baking day, I set the discs on a cookie sheet while the oven heated.  As per instructions, I rotated the pan halfway through the baking process.   

The end result was a tender, delicious shortbread cookie.  Next time, I'll try the rye-chocolate chip version using the same techniques.

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

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. 

 

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. 

 

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

 

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. 

  

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.

 

 

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. 

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.