By Jeanne, on July 27th, 2011
Jana of Cherry Tea Cakes was our July Daring Bakers’ host and she challenges us to make Fresh Frasiers inspired by recipes written by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson in the beautiful cookbook Tartine.
Fluffy lemon chiffon cake, ice cold whipped cream, and just-picked organic strawberries. What more could you want from a summer dessert? Though it may appear daunting, all of the components can be broken down into manageable segments that can be spread over a few days. You won’t have to be in the kitchen all day to create such a masterpiece. And believe me, the taste is just as impressive as the presentation. The cake has a pleasant lemon flavor, while the pastry cream filling manages to bring out the fresh flavor of summer strawberries without overpowering them with artificial sweetness.
Continue reading “Daring Bakers Challenge: Strawberry Fraisier” »
By Jeanne, on July 2nd, 2011
Happy Summer! If ever there was a Happy Summer counterpart to the Happy Winter cake, this is it. Berries fresh from the CSA, fleetingly ripe and fragile, paired with a simple layer of vanilla cake makes for a perfect welcome to a sweltering hot holiday weekend.
Continue reading “Cherry Boysenberry Upside-Down Cake” »
By Jeanne, on June 27th, 2011
Erica of Erica’s Edibles was our host for the Daring Baker’s June challenge. Erica challenged us to be truly DARING by making homemade phyllo dough and then to use that homemade dough to make Baklava.
Are you still looking for that perfect arm workout? Or perhaps you’re searching for that zero-net-calorie dessert. Well, look no more, because made-from-scratch baklava is the answer! It will have you on your feet in the kitchen all day, running from stove to countertop to oven and back. You’ll be completing the near-impossible task of rolling dough into paper thin sheets. You’ll easily burn more calories making it than you gain by consuming it. And since every killer workout has an element of pure torture, you won’t even be able to enjoy the baklava until it sits overnight.
Continue reading “Daring Bakers Challenge: Maple Walnut Baklava” »
By Jeanne, on May 27th, 2011
The May 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Emma of CookCraftGrow and Jenny of Purple House Dirt. They chose to challenge everyone to make a Chocolate Marquise. The inspiration for this recipe comes from a dessert they prepared at a restaurant in Seattle.
I love a good baking challenge, but my favorites are the challenges that lend themselves to creative shapes. For these challenges, my mind is able to wander through mathematical equations, searching for an appropriate symbol or pattern to re-create in edible form. This month it’s one of my favorites: Pi.
As excited as I was to mold the marquise into a shape of mathematical significance, when the dishes had piled up and the dessert was finally plated, I discovered an irrationally fabulous combination of flavors.
Continue reading “Daring Bakers Challenge: Marquise On Meringue” »
By Jeanne, on May 17th, 2011
How to develop a recipe featuring New Belgium beer:
1. Buy two six-packs of beer to inspire recipe creation (I decided on Mighty Arrow and organic Mothership Wit).
2. Drink most of the beers, making sure to save a few for the recipe.
3. Spend all morning in the kitchen, creating a recipe that ultimately fails. Drink the remaining beers.
4. Buy another six-pack of organic Mothership Wit, because it will pair perfectly with the organic Meyer lemons from the CSA.
5. Bake cupcakes (make sure to add some beer!), and enjoy the remaining beers.
Continue reading “Meyer Lemon Mothership Cupcakes” »
By Jeanne, on May 8th, 2011
This weekend is all about mothers, so it’s only fitting that we just held a baby shower at work. The mom-to-be is due in just over a month, so all the ladies at the office are in baby mode! I offered to bring the treats since I’m much better at making cookies than coordinating baby shower decor.
Continue reading “Baby Shower Sugar Cookies” »
By Jeanne, on April 16th, 2011
With all the fancy, technological ways to communicate with people in our modern world, there’s still something special about receiving a handwritten letter on pretty stationary in the mailbox. When I received the latest letter from my pen pal of 13 years last week it brought a smile to my face. And strengthened my resolve to participate in Digital Detox Week this year. My pen pal lives 2,300 miles away and we’ve never met in person or communicated by any digital means. Sometimes we don’t write for months, but it never fails that one day I open the mailbox and find a small envelope with that familiar friendly handwriting in brightly colored ink.
Continue reading “Meyer Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies” »
By Jeanne, on March 27th, 2011
The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.
This is no ordinary coffee cake. Or rather, tea cake in my case. Soft, sweet dough with plenty of oven spring envelops a dreamy citrus and meringue filling. The meringue is so subtle that you can hardly detect its presence. Perhaps it’s meant to be the baker’s secret for a fluffy and just perfectly moist cake interior.
Continue reading “Daring Bakers Challenge: Yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake” »
By Jeanne, on March 14th, 2011
For us bakers, it’s never difficult to figure out how to celebrate Pi Day! The most important component of any halfway decent Pi Day celebration is pie. Pie is the obvious choice, not only because it shares a name with the popular number, but because of its traditional circular shape. There are infinite (like pi!) ways to create a pi-themed pie. I’ve decided to forgo any circular pie references in favor of creating a custom shaped pi filled with tangy sweet blood orange curd.
Continue reading “Blood Orange Curd Pi” »
By Jeanne, on February 27th, 2011
The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.
I have good news and bad news. Shall we start with the good news? These florentine cookies manage to achieve both chewy and crunchy cookie status in the same bite. And as an added bonus, the dough is basically a big sweet bowl of oatmeal with tons of butter in it. Definitely good news.
Continue reading “Daring Bakers Challenge: Panna Cotta and Florentine Cookies” »
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