"Baking: From My Home to Yours" (Part 2)

[Jean Blanchard]

One more congratulations to you Dorie. Well deserved. Can't buy your book anywhere in my neighborhood so I've ordered two from Amazon for my daughters.

Jean

[ALTAF]

Congratulations Dorie!......You so deserve it!

And a blog too? wow i'm exited

[Chufi]

I made the marbled cheesecake a couple of days ago. This was unbelievably good! I'd never made a baked cheesecake before because I was afraid of them But this recipe was so easy to follow and the result just perfect! And I even messed around with the recipe.. I was only cooking for 2 so I halved the filling ingredients and baked the cake in a 7 " springform tin.

[SugarGirl]

I made the Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler yesterday, and it was fantastic! The ground ginger, brown sugar, and whole wheat rounded out the flavors well... and sure packed it full of flavor!

I just made a couple changes -- cinnamon and ground mahleb in the biscuits instead of more ginger and baked it in a pie dish instead of a square pan. I also topped it with Philadelphia-Style Vanilla Ice Cream.

The biscuit dough was a little wet (probably b/c it wasn't meant to be made in a small mini-prep food processor ), but it baked up light and delicious.

I would probably decrease the ginger a little bit in the filling next time, but I used an organic ginger from a new bottle that seemed abnormally strong, so maybe that had something to do with it.

[Chufi]

SugarGirl, that cobbler looks great! Must make that before the pink rhubarb season ends!

I made the split level puddings yesterday and the salt & pepper cocoa shortbread:

I put some whipped cream on top.

the puddings were delicious. I made the full recipe but used the chocolate mix to fill just 4 ramekins (and still thought there could have been more chocolate). My vanilla pudding layer was a bit lumpy, but I think this was from boiling it a bit too hard (I had a pregnant dinner guest and wanted to make sure the eggyolk was fully cooked).

The shortbread was very good, very dark and chocolaty and the salt and pepper made them interesting.

[Lindacakes]

Congratulations on your award, Dorrie! I hope it brings a bounty of good things for you.

I made the cranberry shortbread cake last night. Chantilly cream on top. Wow, was it good. I say "was" because it's nearly gone. Two people each ate two pieces last night, then pieces for breakfast, I think there's two left . . . Yes, they were big pieces . . .

The shortbread is delicious and I want to make it again with strawberries for a strawberry shortcake. My mind is reeling with delicious possibilities to stick in between the layers. It's like an American Victoria sandwich . . .

Every thing I've made from this book is something I look forward to making again.

Which is just the sort of book that deserves to win the Beard award.

[emmalish]

Every thing I've made from this book is something I look forward to making again.

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I'm finding the same thing. Which is a bit of a problem because I'm ending up making the same things over and over again instead of trying new recipes now. But I'm determined to try one of the brownie recipes this weekend. And I gotta say that cherry rhubarb cobbler looks really good! I've been experimenting with ice cream recipes lately – I'll have to make some vanilla to go with this.

[Dorie Greenspan]

Wow! I haven't checked the thread in a while, but you've all been baking like crazy -- makes me feel like a slug.

Thank you all for the kind congratulations. One week and one day later and it still seems unreal.

Chufi - about those cookies going soft. Part of the reason is, as you guessed, inevitability and part might be the crystallized ginger softening in its cozy cookie home.

[Chufi]

I need HELP - I can't stop baking!!

I made the chocolate chipcookies today. Slightly less chocolate, because I did not have the right amount. And I added some peanutbuttercups. Very, very good.

[Pat W]

I need HELP - I can't stop baking!!   

I made the chocolate chipcookies today. Slightly less chocolate, because I did not have the right amount. And I added some peanutbuttercups. Very, very good.

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I'm gazing at these with tears of longing. They look & sound incredible.

pat w.

[RuthWells]

Wow! I haven't checked the thread in a while, but you've all been baking like crazy -- makes me feel like a slug.

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......... But, how many different countries have you been in in the last 2 weeks?! (You can't bake on an airplane, after all!)

[seisei]

I've been dying to make the Lemon Cream Tart, but I have a question:

Lacking a stand mixer or a large food processor, would it be alright to mix in the butter using a hand mixer, or will I risk separation? The recipe mentions emulsification to achieve a light creamy texture. Or should I just mix everything in stages in my teeny little cuisinart?

Thanks for the advice, and I love this thread, and the book.

[Patrick S]

I need HELP - I can't stop baking!!   

I made the chocolate chipcookies today. Slightly less chocolate, because I did not have the right amount. And I added some peanutbuttercups. Very, very good.

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I agree with you -- I've made the chocolate chip cookies from this book several times, and absolutely love them.

[Badiane]

I've been dying to make the Lemon Cream Tart, but I have a question:

Lacking a stand mixer or a large food processor, would it be alright to mix in the butter using a hand mixer, or will I risk separation? The recipe mentions emulsification to achieve a light creamy texture. Or should I just mix everything in stages in my teeny little cuisinart?

Thanks for the advice, and I love this thread, and the book.

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I use my blender, so if you have one, try that. I don't think that a hand mixer would work very well, but give it a try - if it splits, just throw it in the fridge, let the butter firm up and then whip it again and use it on biscuits or pound ake Sound like a winner either way.

[Dorie Greenspan]

Chufi, your chocolate-chip cookies look great and they're just the way they're supposed to be.

Ruth, thanks for the giggle. Yes, it's true I've been traveling a lot -- I'm writing this from Las Vegas!

Patrick, it's nice to see you back. I've missed you.

Badiane, I think your advice to Seisei is good -- certainly, your attitude is right on.

Seisei, I think you'll have problems making the lemon cream with a mixer. If you have a blender, that's the perfect tool for this recipe. I dont' know where you live, but you might be able to buy a really inexpensive blender. I just bought one that I really like for $15 in Connecticut -- I use it for the lemon cream, of course, but it really gets a workout making soup. If all you've got is your teeny Cuisinart, divide up the cream and butter and work on it in batches. It'll be slow, but I think you'll get the right consistency.

[emmalish]

I finally got out of my recipe rut and tried a new one. The Katherine Hepburn brownies. Yum! I used SB cocoa and a Valrhona bittersweet chocolate. When I first opened the oven to take the pan out, the aroma totally reminded me of something I used to bake years ago (can't remember what, but I was having serious flash-backs). Deliciously chocolatey, chewy, and with lots of pecan and chocolate pieces, with just a hint of the cinnamon and coffee flavours.

[Chufi]

I made the blueberry muffins this weekend, except I used some frozen cranberries I found in the freezer instead of blueberries.

I'm not a big muffinfan but I really liked these, they were fragrant and cakey and not at all dry or tough (which has often happened to my muffins )

edited to add: this recipe, like most others I've tried from the book, is easily halved which I really like.

Edited May 21, 2007 by Chufi (log)

[MonaPizza]

I'm going to a BBQ tomorrow where ribs are being served and I was asked to bring cornbread...has anyone tried either of the corn muffin recipes? Any opinions on which is better if you've tried both? Thanks!

[emmalish]

I made the blueberry muffins this weekend, except I used some frozen cranberries I found in the freezer instead of blueberries.

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I make them with cranberries too. I love the combination of orange and cranberry. I've also started to substitute 1/2c of flour for 1/2c of rolled oats (soaked in the milk). They still have a wonderful flavour and texture, but they're just a bit healthier for breakfast.

[prasantrin]

I'm going to a BBQ tomorrow where ribs are being served and I was asked to bring cornbread...has anyone tried either of the corn muffin recipes?  Any opinions on which is better if you've tried both?  Thanks!

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I've made the jalapeno ones. They were a big hit at a tea party I had last March (I made mini muffins into bacon and tomato sandwiches), and I froze the few I didn't make into sandwiches. My mother defrosted them while she was here, and she loved them, too (they were still good after 2 months!).

[arriba!]

re: corn muffins I made the muffins with fresh corn but no jalapenos. I don't have the book right here and can't remember the exact name. The flavor is wondeful but they were too sweet for us. I made a second and used half sugar from recipe and they were amazing. I think the texture was better too. As stated in the recipe, these muffins don't dome, so if you care about that, this is not the recipe for you.

[MonaPizza]

Thank you both for your input! I'll let you know what I end up making

[ALTAF]

yummy..yummy...

I made the marbled cheesecake a couple of days ago. This was unbelievably good! I'd never made a baked cheesecake before because I was afraid of them    But this recipe was so easy to follow and the result just perfect! And I even messed around with the recipe..    I was only cooking for 2 so I halved the filling ingredients and baked the cake in a 7 " springform tin.

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[MonaPizza]

Couldn't decide between the corn muffins so I ended up making both of course! I made the herb variation on the plain corn muffins adding some fresh thyme...very good but not a huge thyme flavor...as she says, if you want more, to rub in in with the sugar. The corn and pepper muffins were great too...forgot the chili powder but they were still very nice...kind of a southwestern flavor and great spread with butter - yum!

[oli]

This is my experience with the Tartest Lemon Tart.

I have mine in the oven, and so far its taking a lot longer than the recommended time. I think I am at 65 minutes so far. It has overflowed the edge and is dark brown on the top. Looks more like a chocolate souffle. It still jiggles when I am checking for doneness, I mean the whole tart still jiggles. I've double checked the recipe and everything is correct as far as I can see. I am making a note in the book for myself not to use all the batter. I faired much better with Herme's lemon tart.

Edited May 28, 2007 by oli (log)