Month: November 2012

Categories
Chocolate Cheer Classic Favorites Fancy Pantsy Holiday desserts Pies

Sweet And Sappy And Pies And FOOD! A Sad Shibow Thanksgiving

FRIENDS!
How was your Thanksgiving? Seriously, tell me. As you all [hopefully] know by now, Thanksgiving is, according to yours truly, the best holiday there could possibly be. There is food and booze (uh, where I come from at least…) and desserts and, most importantly of all, the people you love and lurrrrve for whom to be especially grateful. I love it.

So, this year, we went to my parents’ house and insisted on doing almost all of the work. My dad handled the turkey, mostly because a 15-pound bird would be screwed in my care. More importantly, the people who would be consuming that 15-pound bird would be screwed in my care. It’s just not my thing.

Know what is my thing? Fresh baked bread, three-cheese macaroni and cheese, fresh cranberry sauce, roasted brussels sprouts, and three pies. (I only kept it to three desserts since there were six of us and I had to make some savory dishes as well 😉 ) Boyfriend made the most amazing mashed potatoes, and Sylvapotamus killed it with homemade stuffing and some chocolate mousse that I did very bad things to (more on that later).

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Take a look at that bird! Gorgeous, right? Ahhhhh….

So, anyway, it has been quite an interesting year. It’s been both trying and wonderful, stressful and blissful. I’m honestly kind of shocked by how different things are from the way they were last year. And by different, I mean better. I’ve got a lovely, handsome gentleman to share a couch (and a kitchen, and a hamper, and, well, a home) with, and I have parents and sisters who’ve welcomed him with open arms and three fingers of Johnnie Walker Black (nice job, Dad). Certainly, life is far from perfect and there is a LOT of work to be done in many aspects of my life. But I’m grateful to have the time to do it, and I’m really fortunate to have the company I have while I do it.

Well, that’s enough of that sap. Geez. Who invited the mushball to this sad-fest? Let’s move on to my favorite part of all of this: DESSERT!

Now, I need to confess something that is incredibly embarrassing for me: I cannot freaking make a freaking pie crust. I have freaking tried so many freaking times and every time my freaking pie crust sucks. Many recipes call for a food processor, which I am too boogie-down-broke to have right now, but I can’t even seem to follow the ones that don’t call for one. I mean, I’ve watched Youtube tutorials and consulted cookbooks and food blog forums, and I just have not gotten down the freaking process. I am so angry about this that I spent time debating whether or not to bust out ANOTHER f-word, but then I decided to keep this post a family show. How lucky are YOU?

So, yeah, there’s that. If you’re making a pie crust from scratch, please consult some other, better resources. I’d provide you with some but I’m not going to help you fail. :(. Anyway, I used frozen ready-made pie crusts. Now, these do not suck, but as many of you know, I hate the idea of not making all dessert components from scratch. But, after many tries and many sticks of butter wasted (R.I.P. hopes and dreams), I decided I had to go with the store-bought stuff, since pies are pretty much mandatory at Thanksgiving dinner.

Now, which pies, you wonder? I went with pumpkin, pecan and chocolate meringue. All three were deemed “must-haves” by various sweet-toothed guests. Since I used a pretty standard recipe for the pumpkin pie (the one found on the Libby’s Canned Pumpkin label), I’m only going to get into the latter two pies. Let’s start with the pecan!

Pecan Pie (makes one 9″ pie)

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust of your choice 😦

2 cups of coarsely chopped pecans + a few whole pecans for the top if you’d like to get fancy up in this pie

2 eggs

1/2 cup of light corn syrup

3/4 cup of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of molasses (if you’d like something milder, I would suggest pure maple syrup)

2 tablespoons of melted butter

2 tablespoons of flour

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Distribute your chopped pecans evenly along the bottom of your crust. Mix the remaining ingredients and then pour them over the nuts (pecans will rise to the top of the crust at this point).

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Top with whole pecans if you please.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the filling is set. If you’re worried about the crust burning, you can create a pie shield (basically a foil ring cut to cover the pie crust) and place it on top of the crust about halfway through baking. Once the pie’s done, remove from the oven and allow to cool on the counter completely.

Now, on to the next pie (don’t worry…the pictures are coming 😉 ). Now, the chocolate meringue is something I’m very fond of, mostly because it was one of the first successful desserts I ever made. Heart you.

Chocolate Meringue Pie(makes one 9-inch pie)

1 9-inch baked pie crust of your choice 😦

For the filling

3 egg yolks

1 cup of granulated sugar

3 tablespoons of flour

4 tablespoons of cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon of salt

2 cups of milk (I used skim)

1 tablespoon of butter

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

For the meringue

3 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup of granulated sugar

Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together egg yolks, sugar, flour, cocoa and salt. Whisk in milk, and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a full boil.

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Remove from heat, stir in your butter and vanilla, and then pour into pie shell.

Now, let’s make our meringue. So, it’s really important, when beating egg whites, to work with an absolutely spotless bowl, and clean whisks. There shouldn’t be any moisture or bits of batter kicking around, or else you won’t have the stiff peaks a meringue needs. To start, using a stand or hand mixer on high, beat egg whites and salt together until foamy.

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Gradually add in your sugar while mixer is on, and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. This may take a little while, so just be patient.

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Once done, spread meringue evenly on top of custard, making sure to spread so that the chocolate isn’t visible. Obviously I took the above picture before I finished spreading. Anyway, bake for 10-12 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned.

So, how did it all turn out?

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Pretty well, if I do say so myself. Boyfriend was partial to the pecan, which I was not as crazy about (I guess pecan’s just too sweet for my blood), and I was all about the chocolate meringue. I was also really into Sylvapotamus’s chocolate mousse, to the point where when I accidentally knocked the entire bowl of it over (and broke the bowl) I was still trying to figure out ways to eat it off of the floor. I am sorry Sylvapotamus. 😦

So, that was my Turkey day. And I miss it already.

Categories
Chocolate Cheer Classic Favorites Fancy Pantsy Holiday desserts Pies

Sweet And Sappy And Pies And FOOD! A Sad Shibow Thanksgiving

FRIENDS!

How was your Thanksgiving? Seriously, tell me. As you all [hopefully] know by now, Thanksgiving is, according to yours truly, the best holiday there could possibly be. There is food and booze (uh, where I come from at least…) and desserts and, most importantly of all, the people you love and lurrrrve for whom to be especially grateful. I love it.

So, this year, we went to my parents’ house and insisted on doing almost all of the work. My dad handled the turkey, mostly because a 15-pound bird would be screwed in my care. More importantly, the people who would be consuming that 15-pound bird would be screwed in my care. It’s just not my thing.

Know what is my thing? Fresh baked bread, three-cheese macaroni and cheese, fresh cranberry sauce, roasted brussels sprouts, and three pies. (I only kept it to three desserts since there were six of us and I had to make some savory dishes as well 😉 ) Boyfriend made the most amazing mashed potatoes, and Sylvapotamus killed it with homemade stuffing and some chocolate mousse that I did very bad things to (more on that later).

A small portion of the spread. Oh yeah. We bad.

Take a look at that bird! Gorgeous, right? Ahhhhh….

So, anyway, it has been quite an interesting year. It’s been both trying and wonderful, stressful and blissful. I’m honestly kind of shocked by how different things are from the way they were last year. And by different, I mean better. I’ve got a lovely, handsome gentleman to share a couch (and a kitchen, and a hamper, and, well, a home) with, and I have parents and sisters who’ve welcomed him with open arms and three fingers of Johnnie Walker Black (nice job, Dad). Certainly, life is far from perfect and there is a LOT of work to be done in many aspects of my life. But I’m grateful to have the time to do it, and I’m really fortunate to have the company I have while I do it.

Well, that’s enough of that sap. Geez. Who invited the mushball to this sad-fest? Let’s move on to my favorite part of all of this: DESSERT!

Now, I need to confess something that is incredibly embarrassing for me: I cannot freaking make a freaking pie crust. I have freaking tried so many freaking times and every time my freaking pie crust sucks. Many recipes call for a food processor, which I am too boogie-down-broke to have right now, but I can’t even seem to follow the ones that don’t call for one. I mean, I’ve watched Youtube tutorials and consulted cookbooks and food blog forums, and I just have not gotten down the freaking process. I am so angry about this that I spent time debating whether or not to bust out ANOTHER f-word, but then I decided to keep this post a family show. How lucky are YOU?

So, yeah, there’s that. If you’re making a pie crust from scratch, please consult some other, better resources. I’d provide you with some but I’m not going to help you fail. :(. Anyway, I used frozen ready-made pie crusts. Now, these do not suck, but as many of you know, I hate the idea of not making all dessert components from scratch. But, after many tries and many sticks of butter wasted (R.I.P. hopes and dreams), I decided I had to go with the store-bought stuff, since pies are pretty much mandatory at Thanksgiving dinner.

Now, which pies, you wonder? I went with pumpkin, pecan and chocolate meringue. All three were deemed “must-haves” by various sweet-toothed guests. Since I used a pretty standard recipe for the pumpkin pie (the one found on the Libby’s Canned Pumpkin label), I’m only going to get into the latter two pies. Let’s start with the pecan!

Pecan Pie (makes one 9″ pie)

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust of your choice 😦

2 cups of coarsely chopped pecans + a few whole pecans for the top if you’d like to get fancy up in this pie

2 eggs

1/2 cup of light corn syrup

3/4 cup of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of molasses (if you’d like something milder, I would suggest pure maple syrup)

2 tablespoons of melted butter

2 tablespoons of flour

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Distribute your chopped pecans evenly along the bottom of your crust. Mix the remaining ingredients and then pour them over the nuts (pecans will rise to the top of the crust at this point).

Top with whole pecans if you please.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the filling is set. If you’re worried about the crust burning, you can create a pie shield (basically a foil ring cut to cover the pie crust) and place it on top of the crust about halfway through baking. Once the pie’s done, remove from the oven and allow to cool on the counter completely.

Now, on to the next pie (don’t worry…the pictures are coming 😉 ). Now, the chocolate meringue is something I’m very fond of, mostly because it was one of the first successful desserts I ever made. Heart you.

Chocolate Meringue Pie (makes one 9-inch pie)

1 9-inch baked pie crust of your choice 😦

For the filling

3 egg yolks

1 cup of granulated sugar

3 tablespoons of flour

4 tablespoons of cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon of salt

2 cups of milk (I used skim)

1 tablespoon of butter

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

For the meringue

3 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup of granulated sugar

Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together egg yolks, sugar, flour, cocoa and salt. Whisk in milk, and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a full boil.

Remove from heat, stir in your butter and vanilla, and then pour into pie shell.

Now, let’s make our meringue. So, it’s really important, when beating egg whites, to work with an absolutely spotless bowl, and clean whisks. There shouldn’t be any moisture or bits of batter kicking around, or else you won’t have the stiff peaks a meringue needs. To start, using a stand or hand mixer on high, beat egg whites and salt together until foamy.

Gradually add in your sugar while mixer is on, and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. This may take a little while, so just be patient.

Once done, spread meringue evenly on top of custard, making sure to spread so that the chocolate isn’t visible. Obviously I took the above picture before I finished spreading. Anyway, bake for 10-12 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned.

So, how did it all turn out?

Pretty well, if I do say so myself. Boyfriend was partial to the pecan, which I was not as crazy about (I guess pecan’s just too sweet for my blood), and I was all about the chocolate meringue. I was also really into Sylvapotamus’s chocolate mousse, to the point where when I accidentally knocked the entire bowl of it over (and broke the bowl) I was still trying to figure out ways to eat it off of the floor. I am sorry Sylvapotamus. 😦

So, that was my Turkey day. And I miss it already.

Categories
Cakes Cheesecakes Chocolate Cheer Fancy Pantsy

Saying Goodbye To An Old Evil Friend….And Saying Hello To Cheesecake

Before I continue, there’s still time to donate any items you can to Sandy victims. From what I’ve been hearing, clothing donations and food donations, while appreciated, are no longer as necessary as money is. Also, many people are in need of cleaning supplies to get their houses back in some semblance of order, so anything you can do would be wonderful. This is probably the best place to do your donating. Thanks!

So it’s about to get real in here, readers.

Today my boyfriend posted some really awful news on my Facebook page. Did you hear? You must have. Do I even need to say it? Ok, fine, since you insist. Hostess is closing.

I need to say that again: HOSTESS IS CLOSING. Oh it hurts me so.

I guess I should tell you all, since I’ve kept it secret long enough. I don’t really care about Hostess treats. I can make my own damn Twinkies, and they sure as hell won’t be preserved and stabilized so as to survive the apocalypse. But Hostess owns Drake’s. When I was in high school, I basically kept Drake’s afloat all by myself. How, you ask? Um… ok… this is sort of humiliating, but as this is my blog and I do have to share stuff sometimes, here goes…

Does anyone else find it odd that the words “artificially flavored” and “freshness guaranteed” are on the same box? How did that escape me back then?

Now, I kind of really hated high school. I went to a pretty competitive, stressful one and was constantly anxious about something. I’m not much different now, but that’s for another sobby post. Anyway, so I was quiet and sad pretty much all the time for the first, oh, three years. And all the time I did not spend with other people was spent with the above handheld pies. They look disgusting, right? I know. But they treated me so well. And they were delicious! They were reliable, they were sweet, and they just kept showing up to comfort me. That might be the saddest thing I’ve ever typed, and I used to write some depressing stuff, man (yep, I’m letting it all hang out for you guys). I actually remember my little sister reaching inside of the box more than once, hoping to taste this glorious treat herself, only to be disappointed and perplexed that there was no pie to grasp. I’m honestly not sure if, to this day, she’s ever had the [dis?]pleasure of tasting one of these. Now as you can see, there are eight pies in each box. No one else in my family was really into these. And there are eight pies in each box. And there were many boxes purchased. I think you understand what I’m trying to tell you.

So, eventually, my dad got hip to my habit. I think it took my pediatrician not-so-gently explaining that my cholesterol was alarmingly bad and that I was starting to get kind of huge. And then the pies were gone from my life. And I haven’t had one since. Nor can I, for I fear relapse.

So now I’m in good standing health-wise, thanks to my abstinence from these fruit-filled Satan squares. I’m happy to have kicked the habit, but, well, I’m also kind of sad that I’ll never see them again. I mean, maybe I would have wanted one, one day. Just a taste, you know? And now I’ll just never even have the option. Farewell, old friends. Ugh, you treated me so poorly. See you in Hell.

Are you as sad as I am? No? Do you really just want to hear about a Peanut Butter Cheesecake I made? You’re right, I understand. Let’s talk about that.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake With Chocolate Ganache Topping (makes one 9″ round cake)

For the crust

1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs

6 tablespoons of softened butter

For the cheesecake portion

12 oz of cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 cup +2 tablespoons of peanut butter (I actually used all-natural, which I found to be amazing, but you can use whatever you’d prefer, just make sure it’s stirred well!)

1 1/2 oz of semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I used chocolate chips)

1 egg

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

First, preheat your oven to 350ºF, grease a 9″ springform pan, and bring a large pot of water to a boil. We’ll be using the water as a “bath” for the cheesecake, since this will help keep the air in the oven moist and keep the top of the cheesecake from cracking. Also, cover the of your springform in foil if you’re worried about leaks.

In the bowl of a stand-mixer or hand mixer, cream together cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and chocolate until the mixture is smooth. Mix in your egg, then blend in heavy cream and vanilla until everything is fully combined.

Pour the batter into your springform pan, and place this pan in a larger pan, then pour your boiling water into the larger pan so it reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform. Very carefully place this whole thing into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes– so that it appears almost done but still jiggles around in the center quite a bit.

Now, this is a great tip from the author of this recipe: once you’ve determined the cake is done, don’t remove from the oven. Turn the oven off and let the cake sit in the oven as it cools down, which will allow the cake to cook completely without burning or curdling. This should take about an hour. After the hour’s up, remove the cake from the water bath and allow it to cool on your counter for another hour before placing in the fridge until you’re ready to add your ganache.

Chocolate Ganache (Hell yes)

2 oz of semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup of heavy cream

1 tablespoon of softened butter

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Now, in a small saucepan, bring your heavy cream to a boil and then pour half of it over your chocolate. Let this mixture sit for about 30 seconds, and then gently whisk the mixture in small circles, starting in the middle of the bowl and working your way out in larger circles. Then pour in the remainder of the cream and repeat the circular motions until you’ve got something shiny and smooth. Stir in your butter and mix just until it’s incorporated. Pour the ganache over your cake and refrigerate until it’s been set.

Now, I added some pecan bits to the top to be fancy…do as you please, readers 🙂

Yes, I realize that thing is WAY too close to the edge of the counter, but don’t worry, miraculously nothing awful happened. I’d be pissed after all of the work I put into this cake. So, was it worth the effort? Well, I’m not going to say yes. I’M GOING TO SAY HELL YES. It’s coming close to being an all-time favorite cake. We actually had some guests over after this was made, who agreed that it was super delicious. Fortunately we had a whole half to ourselves once our guests left.

And you know it didn’t go to waste. 😉

Categories
Classic Favorites Holiday desserts

You Have To Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll With The Punches. Ugh. Sorry.

If you’re on the East Coast, it has been a trying week for you. If you’re not on the East Coast, maybe it’s been a trying week for you, too, and I’m sorry about that. But, as many of you know, I’m located in NYC, and all of us here have been dealt quite a huge, disastrous blow by the beast that was Hurricane Sandy. I, luckily, did not suffer any damage to my home or person, and neither did any of my loved ones. Hundreds of thousands of people in the tri-state area were not nearly as fortunate, and for those people, I’ve been tearing up a little bit every day. It hurts to see your city hurting. It stings to watch businesses, restaurants, bakeries (!) and bars that you’ve known and loved destroyed. But most of all, it breaks my heart to watch people suffer. As I type this, there is a snowy, rainy, windy, disgusting mess outside that the people affected by Sandy do not need. I think I’m going to cry right now.

But look, crying won’t do anything. Here are some things that will:

This lovely advice blogger is accepting donations to purchase supplies that will be hand-delivered to a Brooklyn church this Saturday, November 10th.

The geniuses behind Brooklyn bakery Robicelli’s have information on their Twitter on where/how you can help.

There is a BRILLIANT “wedding registry” over on Amazon, with an amazing number of items you can “gift” to victims.

Habitat for Humanity is collecting donations to aid in recovery/rebuilding efforts.

The Awl has a frequently-updated list of places where you can volunteer if you’re locally-based.

Monsieur Igloo is offering free consulting/work to businesses in the tri-state area that were affected by the storm. Contact James for details.

Those are just a few of the many ways you can help. I’m a little hesitant to post anything from the Red Cross, since their overhead is kind of bonkers, and I’m slightly suspicious. Also, the above options are all donator-to-donatee (I know that’s not a real word, forgive): every penny you give, every blanket or diaper you buy will go directly to someone in need.

Lastly, I know a lot of weddings were affected by the storm as well. If you know any couples in need of an officiant in the NYC area, please have them contact me, and I’ll be happy to perform their ceremonies free of charge.

Okay. So. I guess it’s still a baking blog, right? Which means I should share a baked good with you? Cool?

Now, this is something I’d been wanting to make, well, forever. Yes, there is pumpkin in it. Of course there is pumpkin in it. You know me by now. You must! Let’s get started, since this is going to take you a little while.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (makes 16 to 18 buns)

For the dough

6 tablespoons of butter

1/2 cup of milk , warmed (I used skim, turned out awesomesaucers)

2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast

3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough.

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger

2/3 cups of pumpkin puree

1 large egg

Oil for coating bowl

For the filling

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

For the glaze

4 ounces of cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened

2 tablespoons of milk or buttermilk

2 cups of powdered sugar

Couple of drops of vanilla, optional

Okay, let’s start with the dough. Melt your butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Smitten Kitchen suggested browning the butter, which I love doing and totally recommend. Once the butter’s melted, keep cooking over medium heat until the butter starts sizzling, smelling nutty and forming tiny golden bits. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now, in a small bowl, combine warmed milk and yeast. After a few minutes, the combo should be a bit foamy. If it’s not, sucks for you. Go out and buy yourself some new yeast (FYI, always refrigerate yeast).

Now, in a hand mixer or your gorgeous and perfect stand mixer, combine your flour, sugars, spices and salt. Add about 1/4 cup of your butter to the mixture, and stir until combined. Add the yeast-milk, pumpkin and egg and– if you have one, use a dough hook at this point– run mixer on low for 5 minutes, until dough has formed.

I love this thing so much. Sigh.

Scrape this dough into a large oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside to rise for at least an hour. In the meantime, butter two 9-inch round cake pans (or square, no shape-hating here).

Now, when the hour’s up, place your dough (which should have doubled in size by now) onto a well-floured surface and roll out  a 16×11 inch rectangle. I just used a cookie sheet because I need guidance.  Brush the rest of your butter onto the dough, then sprinkle filling ingredients evenly over the top.

This is where it all gets real. So, basically, you have to roll this thing up, starting on the long side, until you have as tight a roll as you can possibly get. It’s going to be REALLY freaking messy. Whatever filling you lose along the way can be sprinkled on top of your rolls later, though.

Now, the best way to cut these is also the best way to cut a loaf of bread. With a serrated knife, begin sawing the spiral, using almost no force, back and forth until you’ve got a slice. Keep going until you have the desired number of rolls. Once you do, you can pack them in tightly between your cake pans. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for the second rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Remove the plastic wrap and send into oven for 25 minutes, until the rolls are fluffy and beautiful and you kind of want to eat your entire oven.

So while these are baking, you can make your glaze by combining cream cheese, sugar and vanilla (if desired), and then adding as much milk as you desire for your glaze. Place pans on cooling racks and drizzle with glaze.

Ok, so, as you can see I do not fully understand what “drizzle” means, since these were basically doused in glaze.  They were still awesome, though. Like…amazing. Like, worth the nine or whatever hours of waiting it took to actually finish and be able to consume these. Do yourself some good. Make these.

Make these.

Make these.

Make these.

And…well…hug someone.