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Pears.
I guess you either love them or hate them. Reading the P&Q comments, it would appear that many of the TWD bakers hate them.
I, on the other hand, LOVE them. Always have. There is nothing better than a fresh pear at its peak of perfection.
However, my offspring doesn't share my affection for pears. It's a texture thing, she says. I give her credit, though. She did take one bit of this torte, unasked. But, that was it.
Now, I'm a patient person most of the time.
However, on a Frustration Scale of 1 to 10, this torte was a 15. Maybe a 20. All because of the crust.
Sure. Just try to fit a flat disc of pie dough into an 8-inch wide, 3-inch deep springform pan.
The sides kept flopping onto the bottom. The instructions said, turn the pan on its side to make it easier to insert crust.
Easier? No. The top side would flop down over the bottom side, even as I rotated the pan.
Resisting the urge to crumple the dough into a solid ball and fling it across the room, I hooked the longer side pieces over the edge of the pan, then quickly shoved it into the refrigerator to harden.
While the crust was chilling, I prepared the filling and the custard, followed by Frustrating Experience No. 2.
The instructions said to gently push the edges of the crust away from the sides of the pan, but Don't let it fall into the custard. Say again? Did the pie crust read and understand those instructions?
Nope.
Enough of this silliness. Into the oven with you!
Call it rustic charm. It may not have looked beautiful, but it sure did taste delicious. Especially with powdered sugar on top to cleverly cover up the knife hole. Sort of.
To be truthful, it tasted great. The creamy custard layer played against the texture of the fruit and nut layer. And the pie crust. . . . I'm a sucker for my pie crust. It's probably my favorite part.
So that I wouldn't be tempted, I gave half of the torte to my dear neighbor, who told me that it disappeared very quickly. My half did, too.
Thanks to Gaye (Cakelaw) of Laws of the Kitchen for choosing a delicious, if not challenging, dessert. You'll find the recipe on her blog.
And, you'll find more variations and comments from the other bakers on the Tuesdays with Dorie website.
The second selection for French Fridays with Dorie was Gerard's Mustard Tart. Basically, it's a crusted tart, filled with a mustard custard, and topped with steamed carrot and leek sticks. Sounds delicious, right?
Well, sadly, it wasn't a hit in our house, even though we love all the components.
My daughter doesn't like cooked carrots. Strike one.
After baking in the oven, the leeks became dried out and stringy and virtually inedible. Strike two.
It's really a shame, because, except for the vegetables (of which there were enough to make three tarts), it was quite delicious.
There is a tomato version, so, if I make it again, I will sprinkle the mustard custard liberally with tomatoes and there will be no strike three.
You will find more opinions over at the FFwD site. (I believe most participants really loved it -- we are the exception, it appears.)
What a difference one week makes!
This time last week, the temperature outside was 105 degrees and the temperature inside was 100 degrees. Too hot to cook or eat.
Today, it was cloudy and misty and cool. The inside temperature didn't even reach 70. Woo hoo! Perfect weather!
Just the kind of weather for fall desserts.
Apple desserts.
Like a double apple bundt cake.
Like this week's Tuesdays with Dories selection, courtesy of Lynne of Honey Muffin.
This cake was easy to make. I did substitute currants for raisins, and I used some of my homemade apple butter. I was also liberal with the spices, but would be even more liberal the next time. I want to feel a tang.
To finish the cake, I made an orange-flavored glaze, using freshly squeezed orange juice and a few drops of orange oil.
I also let the cake rest overnight to develop the flavors, which truly improve with age. We liked it much better the older it got.
Of course, there is also less of it the older it gets. My guess is, that by the time it is really in top flavor form, it will be gone.
Check out Lynne's blog for the recipe, and the TWD blog for all the variations and comments.
Two and a half years ago I shared a story about my friend, David, who lost his battle with brain cancer.
I still think about him frequently, especially when I'm in the mountains or when there's a news story about some astronomical event, such as a new planet discovery or a meteor shower or the space continuum. We had great discussions about all things astronomical and scientific.
We also used to go for hikes in the Sandia mountains in Albuquerque. It was one of David's favorite places.
David's final resting place is in a lovely meadow near the top of those mountains.
It's beautiful in the spring and summer.
It's beautiful in the winter.
When I was there this past June, my friends (David's, too) and I went for a hike on the crest so I could see the meadow. All kinds of wildflowers were in bloom and the sky was gorgeous with an approaching thunderstorm. Just the perfect place.
Today, October 2nd, is LiveSTRONG Day 2010. Barbara, of winosandfoodies, has once again hosted this special food event, this time featuring heart-shaped yellow foods.
For breakfast this morning, I made heart-shaped toast and eggs in honor of the day, the event, and my friend, David.
Barbara will be posting all of the heart-shaped contributions in the coming week, so be sure and stop by to check them out.
Now you see them. Now you don't.
Gougères.
The very first recipe for the new baking group French Fridays with Dorie.
Dorie Greenspan's latest book, Around My French Table, was published only a few weeks ago. It's filled with wonderfully delicious recipes for everyday French cuisine.
The kick-off recipe features gougères, yummy cheesy bites of choux pastry. The batch you see below disappeared about as quickly as you can say "gougères." They are that good.
They are also very easy to make. The dough itself can be prepared in advance and frozen, making the gougères a perfect starter for any party or get-together.
These came out just right, delicious either warm or cool. With the hollow interior, I kept thinking about potential stuffings to dress them up. But, honestly, with the gruyère cheese, they can stand by themselves without any additions.
I'm not sure how many years it will take us to bake through this book, but we're sure to have fun along the way and to enjoy many tasty recipes. Stop by the FFWD site to see what it's all about.
With these guys, you can't stop eating with only one.
Here's an antidote to the hot weather that has been plaguing southern California.
Cool, crunchy, espresso ice cream, courtesy of Ina Garten.
I had nearly all the ingredients on hand. The ice cream base uses half & half, so I did have to put that on my grocery list.
Also, I was sure that I had chocolate-covered espresso beans in the pantry, but it appeared they had all been devoured by someone looking for a chocolate fix. Had to add those to my Trader Joe's list, so now the pantry is replenished.
The major change I made to the recipe instructions was to combine the half & half, eggs, and sugar in one pan, then heat it slowly to 175-180 degrees, just a simple creme anglaise. I also substituted coffee-flavored tequila for the Kahlua, since it was already open.
Between the caffeine and the iciness, this ice cream was a perfect treat on a hot afternoon.
You can find the recipe in either of two places: Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook or on the Food Network website.
Since it was only 85 degrees in the house this morning instead of yesterday's 100 degrees, I thought, well, heck, why not go ahead and bake the Tarte Fine. I didn't want to disappoint Leslie, who chose this week's recipe.
It didn't take very long to thaw out the frozen puff pastry, and while I prepared the apples and the various brush-on/sprinkle-on bits, I kept it in the refrigerator to keep it cool.
Here it is, ready for the oven.
Fresh out of the oven.
Glazed with melted apricot preserves.
Quick and easy and ready to eat.
You can find the recipe on Leslie's blog, Lethally Delicious, and all the versions and comments from the other bakers on the Tuesdays with Dorie blog.
Pears.
