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.

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.

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. 

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.

TWD/BWD: Iced Spiced Hermits

 For the final 2023 recipe challenge, I made the Iced Spiced Hermits from Baking with Dorie.  I've been baking for decades and I've always passed on Hermits, probably because they contain raisins, and I'm not a fan of raisins in my cookies.  I decided to substitute currants instead, and that was the right choice!  

 

These spicy bites are like gingerbread in cookie form, and I love gingerbread and all those winter spices.  They were easy to make, and disappeared quickly.  The next time I make them, I plan to play around with chopped dark chocolate instead of the dried fruit.  I think that version would be a winning combination.

 

Stop by the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see what the other participants made.

 

Fougasse

 

Time for another delicious bread post -- the last one for 2023.  December's hostess was Elle, of Feeding My Enthusiasms.  Elle asked us to made fougasse, and put our own spin on it.  The Babes are a very creative group!

I kept it simple, just changing up the toppings.  For the first one, I sprinkled on finely chopped, fresh rosemary and some Maldon salt.  It was my favorite.

 

For the second one, I topped it with chopped Kalamata olives and the leftover chopped rosemary.  

 

At least the olives didn't incinerate while baking, but they did have a habit of falling off, so next time I would incorporate them directly into the dough.

 

This was a great choice for an end-of-year bake, so, thank you, Elle!

To get the recipe, go to Elle's website.

Check out the creativity of the other Babes:

 

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

 

TWD/BWD: Free-Style Mushroom, Herb and Ricotta Tart

 

While I've made both December challenge recipes from Baking with Dorie, this post will just focus on the mushroom and ricotta tart.

There are three parts to this savory treat:  the almond-herb crust, the ricotta spread, and the mushroom topping.  All the parts can be prepared ahead of time, then assembled just before serving.

My favorite part was the crust.  The spread and topping were okay, but, even though I like onions, these were too onion-forward for me.  I would decrease the amount in future bakes. I served it as a side dish for several meals.

Stop by the Tuesdays with Dorie website to see what the other bakers chose to make.