Locally grown organic tomatoes Locally grown organic purple basil Fresh mozzarella Drizzle of balsamic vinegar and unfiltered olive oil Dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Savor each bite as summer fades

Please send help. The Swiss chard has established a stronghold in our garden and won’t surrender. It’s been going strong since springtime and shows no sign of slowing down. It may have wilted during the hottest, driest days but has never failed to rejuvenate itself overnight. I wish I could say the same [...]]]>

Please send help. The Swiss chard has established a stronghold in our garden and won’t surrender. It’s been going strong since springtime and shows no sign of slowing down. It may have wilted during the hottest, driest days but has never failed to rejuvenate itself overnight. I wish I could say the same for the tomatoes, radishes, and carrots that we planted. Swiss chard has definitely been the superhero of our garden this year and at this rate, these same plants may just be the superhero of next year’s garden too.

One of the best ways to eat chard (or anything, really) is with cheese. But encase the chard and cheese in a sourdough herb crust and then you’ve got something really special on your hands. A chard, tomato, and ricotta calzone, to be precise.

Before I give you the details about these tasty little pockets, I’m going to give you some more details about myself. Cristina from TeenieCakes tagged me to answer a few questions and I’m happy to play along.

1. What are five things that are absolutely a staple in your pantry/refrigerator?

-Fresh, local apple cider
-Three types of flour: organic whole wheat, organic all-purpose, and unbleached bread flour
-Local Gouda cheese
-Organic, free range eggs straight from the farm
-Compost bucket, usually full of scraps because I’m too lazy to empty it every day

2. What are some of your favorite food scenes in movies?

I always have a difficult time answering movie trivia questions. I’m not much of a movie buff, but the first two that come to mind are:
-The tour of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory (from the original movie, I haven’t see the newer version)
-The lobster scene in Annie Hall

3. What would you consider are three of your cooking and/or baking specialties?

-Sourdough bread
-Pizza with sourdough crust and seasonal veggies
-Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are my current seasonal baking obsession

4. Name a couple of your personal cringe-inducing ingredients or dishes?

-I can’t stand any type of melon. Not even watermelon on a hot summer day. Hard to believe, I know.
-Caraway seeds. I’m always wary of ordering “everything” bagels at an unfamiliar bakery, lest they hide caraway seeds among the sesame and poppy seeds.

5. Favorite movie (doesn’t have to be about food)?

Food, Inc. If everybody watched this movie and took just one small step toward a more sustainable diet, we would be on the right track.

6. With the holidays around the corner, what dish/dessert are you sure to contribute?

Bread, of course!

7. Share a kitchen disaster or funny moment when your cooking or baking just didn’t measure up.

I attempted to make sourdough bread for over a year before I finally got a presentable loaf. I had all kinds of disasters, from dough that didn’t rise to bread that was as hard as a brick. I thought I would never get it right! But persistence paid off and now I enjoy beautiful sourdough loaves every week. With only the occasional disaster, of course.

8. How did you come up with the name of your blog?

I am somewhat of a math geek, and wanted to incorporate it into my blog. Simple Math Bakery just came to me while I was brainstorming. Math and baking certainly go hand in hand so I felt that it was a natural fit. The math skills needed for baking are mostly just fractions and basic multiplication or division, so it made sense to call it simple math.

Swiss Chard, Tomato, and Ricotta Calzones with Sourdough Herb Crust
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: 4 large calzones

For the crust:
1 batch of sourdough pizza crust
Dried herbs to taste (I used oregano, basil, and thyme)

Prepare the pizza dough as directed through the first rise, adding the dried herbs during kneading. Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 450° and prepare the calzone filling. If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven while the oven preheats.

For the filling:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3 Cipollini onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 leaves Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Gouda cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tomatoes, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped chard leaves and continue to cook until the leaves have wilted and the stems are tender, stirring frequently to prevent the leaves from burning. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Turn out the pizza dough onto a well floured surface. Divide the dough into four equal portions. Coat your hands with flour and gently pat each portion of dough into a 6″-8″ circle.

Spread 1/4 cup of the ricotta over the bottom half of each dough circle, stopping 1/2″ from the edges. Sprinkle with Parmesan and Gouda. Top the cheese with tomato slices. Spoon 1/4 of the chard filling over the tomatoes. Using your finger, moisten the edge of the dough circle with water. Fold the top half of the dough over the fillings and match the edges up, pressing to seal. Gently slice 2 or 3 vent holes through the top of the dough.

Using a well-floured peel, slide the calzones into the oven, directly onto the baking stone. Alternatively, you may bake them on a baking sheet. Depending on the size of your baking stone, it may be best to bake just 2 calzones per batch. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Look for these calzones on YeastSpotting, a weekly showcase of yeasted baked goods!

The aroma of nutty whole wheat pastry crust, browning butter, and melting cheese hung in the air as this galette baked. I resisted the urge to pull it from the oven before it was finished baking. Quickly and carefully, I transferred the piping hot galette to a fresh piece of parchment paper for [...]]]>

The aroma of nutty whole wheat pastry crust, browning butter, and melting cheese hung in the air as this galette baked. I resisted the urge to pull it from the oven before it was finished baking. Quickly and carefully, I transferred the piping hot galette to a fresh piece of parchment paper for its photo shoot. I snapped a few quick (blurry) photos, then got to work slicing and eating this galette. When you make this for yourself, you’ll understand.

Swiss chard was prolific in our garden this year. It was the easiest crop to take care of and produces more chard than we can eat ourselves. It doesn’t show any signs of stopping, even with the cooler temperatures we have (finally) been experiencing this week!

Fall is just around the corner, which means that it must be football season. I don’t know much about football, and you probably won’t catch me on the couch every Sunday morning. But add a football theme to a baking challenge and I’ll definitely be cheering.

September’s “You Want Pies With That?” theme is football, so I decided to honor my alma mater with this Swiss chard galette. Portland State’s colors are forest green and white, so chard is the perfect vegetable to represent PSU!

I sliced this galette into four generous slices, though you could get six servings out of it if you prefer. My inner math geek loves that these slices look like right triangles.

Swiss Chard Galette
Crust adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Filling created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: 4-6 servings, depending on how you slice it

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, coarsely diced
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water

For the filling:
1 bunch chard (about 16 leaves)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

To make the crust:
In a large bowl, stir the flour and salt together. Add the cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream and ice water. Add the liquid to the flour mixture and stir gently with a wooden spoon until lumps form. Gather the lumps together into a disc shape and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

To make the filling:
Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Separate the chard leaves from the stems. Chop the stems into 1/2 inch pieces, and slice the leaves into strips. Boil the stems for 3 minutes, then add the leaves and continue to boil for another 3 minutes. Pour the chard into a colander, rinse with cold water, and allow to drain. Press out as much water as possible with a kitchen towel or paper towel.

In a large bowl, combine the chard, feta cheese, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

To assemble the galette:
Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to facilitate easier removal of the galette, or just leave the baking sheet ungreased.

On a floured surface, roll out the galette to a 12 inch circle. Spread ricotta cheese to within 1 or 2 inches of the edges. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the ricotta. Spoon chard filling in an even layer over the cheese. Fold the edges of the galette over the top of the filling, leaving the center open. Football laces are optional. Using a pastry brush, coat the exposed (folded over) part of the crust with melted butter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Place the entire baking sheet on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

This pizza was inspired by our favorite local pizza place. They put all kinds of crazy toppings on pizza – mashed potatoes, peanut butter, pasta, cream cheese, scrambled eggs, and many more! My favorite pizza is topped with mashed potatoes, BBQ sauce, chicken, and mozzarella. Since I stopped eating industrially processed meat, I [...]]]>

This pizza was inspired by our favorite local pizza place. They put all kinds of crazy toppings on pizza – mashed potatoes, peanut butter, pasta, cream cheese, scrambled eggs, and many more! My favorite pizza is topped with mashed potatoes, BBQ sauce, chicken, and mozzarella. Since I stopped eating industrially processed meat, I have missed eating this pizza.

Opportunities to purchase meat that satisfies my current standards (local, small scale, pasture raised, respectfully slaughtered) are few and far between. When I went on a farm tour at Quail Springs permaculture farm, I got the chance to order a couple of chickens from livestock manager Brenton Kelly.

The chickens were raised as an important part of the permaculture garden. They eat kitchen scraps and help keep weeds and bugs under control in the garden, while providing a valuable output to enrich the soil. When it comes time for the chickens to serve their next purpose (meat), Brenton uses a low-stress method to process the birds. If you are interested in this process, take a look at Brenton’s turkey processing photos (warning: photos are graphic).

To cook the chicken, I used Julia Child’s Casserole-Roasted Chicken with Tarragon recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1 (which also happens to be Meryl Streep’s favorite Julia Child recipe). As usual, Julia does not disappoint. This chicken is simple and flavorful!

To make the pizza, you’ll need:
Sourdough Pizza Crust
Olive Oil
Mashed Potatoes
Chicken slices, roasted or grilled
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Mozzarella and Gouda cheese (or your favorite cheese combo)
BBQ Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 450° for at least 45 minutes, with a baking stone in the oven. Pre-bake the crust, directly on the baking stone, until it is slightly puffy and starts to brown on the bottom. Using a pastry brush, spread a thin layer of olive oil all over the crust.

Spoon the mashed potatoes onto the crust and spread thin (you don’t want the toppings to be too heavy!). Add a thin layer of barbecue sauce over the potatoes. Arrange the chicken slices over the sauce and top with onions. Slice the mozzarella thinly and add to the pizza. Sprinkle with shredded Gouda cheese and drizzle with barbecue sauce.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melty and the crust is brown.

Barbecue Sauce
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: approximately 3 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 chili pepper, minced
1 cup ketchup
1 cup beer
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons sucanat
3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chili pepper. Saute just until tender, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 20-30 minutes.

I won’t ever forget the day that I made these pavlovas. [...]]]> The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard

I won’t ever forget the day that I made these pavlovas. I got laid off from my job, and they were there to greet me when I got home. Chocolate certainly has a soothing quality, and this double chocolate dessert (with cream on top) definitely eased my pain. The meringue cookies are soft and chocolatey inside, the chocolate mousse is bittersweet, and the crème anglaise adds the perfect touch of sweetness.

I’ll be taking a hiatus from blogging for a few weeks. When I return, I will most likely have a lot more time to spend baking and visiting everyone’s lovely blogs! So I leave you with this doozy of a dessert for chocolate lovers.

The pavlova dessert was named after ballerina Anna Pavlova. She is most recognized for her role as The Dying Swan. And rightly so, as her performance is enthralling. I attempted to honor Miss Pavlova by fashioning a tutu out of the dessert ingredients.

Not quite as fabulous as I had hoped, but if you squint really hard you might see the resemblance! The meringue pictured below decided to grow a swan neck of its own.

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard.

There were four components to make for this challenge: chocolate meringue cookies, mascarpone cheese, chocolate mascarpone mousse, and crème anglaise. It sounds daunting, but all the pieces came together easily and relatively quickly. They’re all delicious on their own and the crème anglaise makes an excellent ice cream base!

The changes I made are as follows: omitting alcohol and citrus. I don’t like the combination of citrus and chocolate. So for the sake of edibility, I omitted the lemon zest and orange juice from the original recipe.

Chocolate Meringue Cookies (Pavlovas)
Yield: 12 cookies (more or less, depending on size and shape)

3 egg whites
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 200° F. Make sure that the rack(s) you will be baking the cookies on are as close to the center of the oven as possible. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Add the egg whites to the bowl of your mixer and mix on medium speed with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. This will take a few minutes, so be patient!

Increase the mixer speed to high and begin to add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, while the mixer is going. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Again, this may take a while. This whole process took about 15 minutes for me. The egg whites should be firm but still moist. If you rub some of the meringue between your fingers, it should be smooth. If you can still feel the grainy sugar, continue to beat until all the sugar dissolves.

Sift the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder over the egg whites. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients. It will seem too dry at first, but as you continue to fold everything will come together.

Fill a pastry bag with the meringue and pipe it onto the cookie sheets, or free form it in any shape you desire.

Bake the meringues for about 2 hours, or until they are dry and crisp. The outside of the cookies will form a hard shell. When the meringues are done, turn off the oven and crack the door. Let them sit inside until cool. This should prevent the meringues from cracking.

Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse
This recipe makes far more mousse than you will need for the pavlovas, but it’s delicious by the spoonful!

1 1/2 cups heavy cream (I used organic whipping cream)
9 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 72%), chopped
1 2/3 cups mascarpone
pinch of nutmeg

In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of the cream over medium high heat. When it comes to a boil, add the chocolate and stir constantly until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the mascarpone, nutmeg, and the remaining cup of cream. Beat with the whisk attachment on low speed until well combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Do not overbeat, as the cream may break (and you’ll have butter, but that’s not what we’re after here)!

Add about 1/4 of the mascarpone whipped cream into the melted chocolate and stir until combined. Fold in the remaining cream mixture until well incorporated. You can use a pastry bag to apply the mousse to the pavlovas, or just dollop it on top with a spoon.

Mascarpone Cream
Yield: Lots! This is half of the recipe provided, and still makes enough to drizzle over all the pavlovas plus make some delicious ice cream.

1 recipe crème anglaise (see below)
1/4 cup mascarpone
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used organic whipping cream)

Prepare the crème anglaise as directed below. After passing the cream through the sieve, allow it to cool on the counter for about 15 minutes. Gently whisk in the mascarpone, and allow the mixture to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Whip the heavy cream with a mixer until it forms soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled crème anglaise.

Crème Anglaise

1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns a pale yellow.

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and vanilla extract until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat. Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Pour the yolk mixture back into the pan, and place the pan back over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon as the mixture heats.

When it is thick enough to lightly coat the back of your spoon, remove it from the heat and pour it through a fine mesh sieve. If you are continuing with the recipe, follow the mascarpone cream instructions above. If not, cover and refrigerate the crème anglaise until chilled.

To assemble the dessert: use your creativity to pipe or spoon the mousse on top of the pavlovas. Drizzle mascarpone cream over the top and enjoy!

I’ve only had polenta once before, when my boyfriend cooked it for me. He loves a good cooking experiment just as much as I do. We had been intrigued by it in the store, not quite knowing what to make of the large yellow tube that appeared ready to burst at any moment. [...]]]>

I’ve only had polenta once before, when my boyfriend cooked it for me. He loves a good cooking experiment just as much as I do. We had been intrigued by it in the store, not quite knowing what to make of the large yellow tube that appeared ready to burst at any moment. We decided that it was pretty tasty, and I vowed to use it again.

When I came across a recipe for polenta made from scratch, I knew I had to try it. Plus, the addition of mushrooms in this recipe forced me to push my comfort zone. I don’t like mushrooms very much. It’s definitely a texture thing, so I figured that if I chopped them finely enough (and tried not to think about it) I could enjoy this dish.

Polenta is basically boiled cornmeal. It’s a simple base that is infinitely adaptable. Polenta is used in a wide variety of dishes from all over the world, and is prepared according to many different methods. Here, I created basic polenta by whisking cornmeal into boiling water.

Then, I dipped the polenta in a mixture of breadcrumbs, Parmesan, cilantro, and garlic. And baked it to perfection!

I chose to top it with a tomato wine sauce, which also makes an excellent pizza or pasta sauce. The whole meal took me a good half day to put together, but the time spent was well worth it.

Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta Cutlets
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites
Yield: 12 cutlets

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil
1 cup red wine
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 cup chopped mushrooms
3 cups water
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
3 egg whites

Heat the red wine just until it boils. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a non-reactive heatproof bowl and pour the wine over the tomatoes. Set aside to soak.

Heat the olive oil in a small pan. Add the minced onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of the basil. Cover the pot and cook on low, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their juices, about 10 minutes. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes, saving the wine for the sauce, if desired. Add the tomatoes to the mushroom mixture and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then add the cornmeal in a slow stream, whisking rapidly to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to low, and cook uncovered, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the polenta is very thick. Stir in the mushroom mixture.

Grease an 8 by 12-inch glass or stoneware baking dish. Spread the polenta evenly in the bottom of the dish. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, cilantro, and 2 cloves of minced garlic in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

Cut the polenta into 12 triangles. Here’s how: cut the polenta in half lengthwise. Then cut in thirds crosswise to create 6 rectangles. Then cut each rectangle in half diagonally. You should have 12 triangular cutlets.

Use a spatula to remove each cutlet, dip it into the egg white, and then coat both sides with the bread crumb mixture. Place the cutlets onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flip them over, then bake for 10 more minutes, or until golden brown.

Tomato Wine Sauce
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites
Yield: about 3 1/2 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup red wine
3 cups undrained chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onions have begun to soften. Add the Herbs de Provence and oregano, and cook for another minute. Add the wine, bring the sauce to a boil, then add the tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Tiramisù translates from Italian to mean [...]]]> The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

Tiramisù translates from Italian to mean “pull me up” or “pick me up”. And it is certainly true to its name! Layers of spongy savoiardi (ladyfingers) dipped in sweetened espresso, separated by layers of rich custard. Definitely a heavenly dessert!

Just like the tiramisù itself, this challenge was multi-layered. Everything was made from scratch over a span of 2 days. Savoiardi, mascarpone, zabaglione, pastry cream, whipped cream, and finally tiramisù! It’s really not as much work as it sounds, and it all culminates in a wonderful and well-deserved treat!

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisù as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Le Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

I do love the classic coffee-chocolate tiramisù and I always like to try out the original recipe first, just to make sure I can replicate it. Then I let my imagination run wild! Since blood oranges are currently in season, I decided to make a blood orange variation.

The blood orange tiramisù shown above was chilled in the fridge overnight. It’s more custard-like in texture than the traditional flavored tiramisù below, which I chilled in the freezer overnight.

The first part of the challenge was to make our own mascarpone cheese, one of the ingredients in the final tiramisù. It took a long time for the cream to reach the desired temperature on the stove, so I was nervous about the results. When I placed the cream in the fridge to drain overnight, it became rock hard and only a few drops of liquid had drained. But after sitting at room temperature for a little while, it was soft enough to stir.

Mascarpone Cheese
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

1 pint organic whipping cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Bring 1 inch of water to boil in a small pot. Reduce the heat to medium so that the water is simmering. Place the cream in a metal bowl and place the bowl over the pot of simmering water. Heat the cream, gently stirring, until it reaches at least 180°. If you don’t have a thermometer, look for small bubbles pushing their way to the surface.

Add the lemon juice and continue to stir gently until the mixture curdles. The cream will become thick and you will see streaks of clear whey where the spoon moves through the cream. Remove the bowl from the water and let it cool for 20 minutes.

Line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth. Transfer the mixture into the sieve. Do not press or squeeze the mixture through the cheesecloth, just let it set there until completely cool. Then cover the entire thing with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. The next day it will be wonderfully creamy!

The next part of the challenge was to make the savoiardi/ladyfinger biscuits. These biscuits get soaked in sweetened coffee or fruit juice to create a cake-like layer in the tiramisù.

Savoiardi/Ladyfinger biscuits
Yield: about 25 biscuits (depending on size)

3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Add the granulated sugar, gradually, continuing to beat until the egg whites become stiff, glossy, and smooth.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork. Then gently fold them into the whipped egg whites, using a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the flour (and corn starch, if using) over this mixture, and fold it in gently, just until combined. If the batter is folded too much, it will deflate. Try to avoid this!

Using a plain circular pastry tip, or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off, pipe the batter into strips 5″ long and 3/4″ wide. Leave about 1″ in between the strips on the baking sheet.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the confectioner’s sugar over the piped batter and let sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining sugar, then carefully tap the excess sugar off of the baking sheet. No need to get it all off, in my experience it doesn’t burn in the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and still soft. Place the baking sheets on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes, then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet and cool directly on the rack.

If making the biscuits ahead, store them in an airtight container until ready to use.

And now, the main event!

Tiramisù
Yield: 8 servings

Zabaglione:
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup whole milk

Whipped cream:
1 cup chilled organic whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To assemble the tiramisù:
2 cups brewed espresso, warmed (I used double strength instant coffee)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
36 savoiardi/ladyfinger biscuits (depending on size and shape of your dish)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

To make the zabaglione:
Heat water in a double boiler, or place a few inches of water in a pot to boil. Make sure you will be able to place a metal mixing bowl over the water without it touching the surface.

In a large metal bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, marsala, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Beat until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.

Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, or pour the mixture into a double boiler. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit while it cooks.

Cool the mixture to room temperature and transfer it to a small bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

To make the pastry cream:
Combine the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the egg yolk and half the milk, whisk until smooth.

Place the pan on the stove and cook on low heat, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling. Pour in the rest of the milk, a little bit at a time, still stirring constantly. Continue to cook the mixture until it becomes thick and begins to bubble, about 12 minutes. Ideally, it will have no lumps, but if it does you can just put it through a strainer.

Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

To make the whipped cream:
Place your empty mixer bowl and beater into the fridge for about 30 minutes before whipping the cream. Add the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with a mixer until it holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

Now you’ve got all the pieces, and you’re ready to put it together!

To assemble the tiramisù:
In a small bowl, whisk together the warm coffee and sugar. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon until smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, stirring just until combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream and set this mixture aside.

Get your serving dish ready. An 8″ square dish will work, but feel free to use any other size or shape you’d like.

Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture for about 1 second per side. They will be moist but not soggy. Immediately place the lady finger into the serving dish. Repeat this process, placing the ladyfingers as close to each other as possible, until the bottom of the dish is covered by a single layer of ladyfingers. If necessary, break the ladyfingers to ensure that the dish is completely covered.

Spoon half of the cream mixture (or 1/3 of the mixture if you want three layers) on top of the ladyfingers. Carefully spread the cream over the ladyfingers and all the way to the edges of the dish. Dip another layer of ladyfingers, line them up, then cover with a layer of cream. Repeat this process for as many layers as you desire (or until you run out of ingredients!).

Cover the tiramisù with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The tiramisu will be more flavorful if it sits in the fridge for two or three days. It can also be frozen, which will facilitate neater slices.

Just before serving, garnish your tiramisu with cocoa powder sifted through a fine mesh strainer, or any other garnish of your choice.

For the blood orange variation:

Whisk together 1 cup warmed blood orange juice and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Set this mixture aside to cool while you prepare the cream layer. Use this mixture to dip the ladyfingers, instead of the coffee mixture.

Make the zabaglione and pastry cream as above. Make the whipped cream, and then fold in 1/4 cup blood orange syrup (see recipe below) before mixing it with the zabaglione and pastry cream.

Blood Orange Syrup
Juice of 5 blood oranges
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Combine orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until syrup has reached desired consistency.

Assemble tiramisù according to the instructions above, garnishing with extra syrup and orange slices.

Everything tastes better with cheese, and bread is no exception. [...]]]>
I am continually amazed by how many variations and adaptations of bread exist. You can add pretty much anything to bread and it will taste amazing. Pick your favorite fruit, vegetable, or beverage. I guarantee there’s a bread recipe out there for it.

Everything tastes better with cheese, and bread is no exception. Cheddar combines with chives and beer to create a wonderfully flavorful bread. The chives add a subtle onion flavor, and the beer complements the cheese.

The flavor of the month is boozy! When I saw this beer at the store, I knew I wanted to incorporate it into a recipe. I think perhaps the label drew me in. The “Simpler Times” logo is great branding. Don’t we all want to just slow down and relax every once in a while?

The six-packs of beer were part of a Trader Joe’s display including a beer bread mix. A mix? But I want to make my bread the old-fashioned way! So I picked up a six-pack (at the mighty fine price of $2.99) and went home to find a suitable recipe.

I found it in one of the cookbooks I received for Christmas. Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day takes artisan bread recipes and breaks them down into manageable chunks of time that can fit into most of our schedules.

Let’s get started! For this particular bread, the dough is mixed and kneaded before being placed in the fridge to rise for up to 4 days. This is what my dough looked like after kneading:

And after rising in the fridge overnight:

The loaves are so simple to shape. Once the dough has risen, you just roll it out into a rectangle. Then sprinkle some cheese over the top and roll it up!

Place it into the pan to rise once more.

Here’s where I got distracted and forgot to poke the loaves to prevent air from building up inside the loaf. Since the cheese is rolled up inside, air can get trapped in there and cause a cheese explosion in the oven! Some of the cheese from my loaves ended up dripping down the side a bit, and it left a large gaping hole in the bread.

The huge bubble made the loaf a little bit difficult to slice, but it’s very tasty!

The original recipe calls for bread flour, but since I only had 2 cups of bread flour left I made up the difference with white whole wheat flour. The bread came out delicious, and perhaps it’s even healthier this way!

Beer Cheese Bread
Adapted from Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day
Yield: 2 loaves

2 cups bread flour
4 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 cup lukewarm beer
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1 small bunch fresh chives, optional (I used approximately 0.6 ounces)
7 ounces shredded cheese (I used Kerrygold Reserve cheddar)

The day before you want to bake the bread:

In a large bowl, whisk the flours and salt together. In a separate bowl, dissolve the honey into the lukewarm beer. Add the buttermilk and yeast to the beer, whisking until combined.

Pour the liquid mixture and the melted butter into the flour mixture. Mix by hand with a large spoon for about 2 minutes, or mix with the paddle attachment of your mixer on low speed.

Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes. Continue to mix by hand, or with the dough hook attachment, for another 3 minutes. If the dough is too dry, add some more beer, one tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too wet, add some more flour, 1/4 cup at a time. My dough seemed a little dry, and I ended up using an additional 2 tablespoons of beer. The dough should be soft and tacky, but not sticky. Add the chives and mix gently for an additional minute or so until incorporated.

Knead the dough in the bowl for a minute or two, and then form the dough into a large ball. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl or rising bucket that is big enough to allow the dough to double in size. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight (you can leave it in the fridge for up to 4 days).

Alternatively, if you want to bake the bread the same day, you can just let it rise at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes (until it doubles in size).

If you’ve refrigerated the dough, remove it from the fridge about 2 hours before you’d like to bake it. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Lightly flour your work surface and roll one piece of the dough into a rectangle 8 inches by 12 inches. Sprinkle 1/2 of the shredded cheese over the dough. Starting with the short end of the dough, roll it up like a rug. Pinch the seam closed with your fingertips, sealing the cheese inside. Pinch the ends closed as well. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

Place the dough, seam side down, into two greased 4 1/2 inch by 8 inch loaf pans. Alternatively, you can slice the rolled up dough into 1 1/2 inch thick slices to make rolls (and place in greased round pans instead of loaf pans). Let the dough rise for about 90 minutes, or until it rises 1 inch above the rim of the pans. My dough took about 2 hours to rise.

During the last 30 minutes of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°. Before placing the pans in the oven, poke the loaves a few times with a toothpick or skewer. This will allow air to escape and prevent the cheese from exploding through the crust while baking. Bake the loaves for 20 minutes, rotate the pans, then bake for an additional 30 minutes. When done, the crust will be a deep golden brown. For rolls, bake for a total of 20-25 minutes.

Remove the bread from the pans immediately and cool on a cooling rack.