TWD: Calling in Late

After a particularly bad weekend, I didn’t feel like writing anything up last night.  Hopefully I will have something to post tomorrow.  I did make Snickery Bars and Madelines.

Kitchen Chemistry: Florida Pie

Baking something is like doing a chemistry project, which is why baking needs to be more of an exercise in precision than cooking usually has to be. This week’s recipe for Florida Pie, chosen by Dianne of Dianne’s Dishes, included very little baking but it was still a great example of kitchen chemistry in action. And really, what could be better than a chemistry project that you can eat?

I was excited for this weeks recipe. I have been a key lime pie eater since my first trips to Florida in the 60’s, and the only time I could have it would be on family vacation’s to Florida. Key lime juice was a precious commodity to be carried back from vacation and hoarded. Oh, the joy when key lime pie became Baker’s Square’s July pie-of-the-month (they make a pretty decent one too) and when the local grocery stores started carrying the juice here up North. Baker’s Square also used to make a pie called key lime rickey which had a layer of raspberry puree in it. I thought it was even better than plain key lime pie. So I decided to add raspberries to this pie. Dorie’s recipe added coconut to the mix, which I welcome wholeheartedly to the party. I will admit to being a key lime snob and NEVER substitute lime juice for key lime juice. Sorry, but it’s not the same.

There were a lot of, ahem, “elements” to this pie.

First came the crust. I was a little shocked that Dorie said she always uses a store-bought graham cracker crust. After reading the ingredient list of the premade crust, I decided to make one using Newman’s cinnamon graham alphabet cookies. Once again this week my Escali Pana Volume and Weight Digital Scale with the pre-programmed ingredients codes came in handy (I sound like Ralphie in “A Christmas Story” . . . “A Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time”). How many little Newman’s cinnamon graham cookies would make 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. I entered the code for graham cracker crumbs and added cookies until the scale said 1 1/2 cups. On to the food processor.

This is my easy way to make a graham cracker piecrust. First pulverize the cookies. Add the melted butter, sugar and salt, pulse and few more times and pour them straight into the pie plate. Evenly distribute the crumbs, cover with plastic wrap, and press another pie plate on top of the crumbs. No muss, no fuss.

Now, if there’s one word in a recipe that strikes fear into my heart, it’s “reduce.” While I suppose a reduction couldn’t be called a chemical reaction, it’s still pretty cool, it you’re patient . . . which I’m not. But I was determined, and I was rewarded. If you’re patient, and keep the heat high enough that it bubbles and evaporates, but not so high that it scorches, you will be rewarded with creamy, thick, butter-colored goodness. Take a small bite, and then before you eat it all, set it aside.

Before

After. See what I mean?

On to the good part, and what makes this a Florida Pie. Key lime filling. As I beat the egg yolks I didn’t think the they would ever get light and thick. But they finally did and then I could get to the fun part. I added the condensed milk and then started mixing in the key lime juice. During mixing, a chemical reaction, called souring, occurs between the condensed milk and the acidic juice which causes the filling to thicken on its own. The filling didn’t come anywhere near the stove and yet it still thickened.

Back in the “old days” you were done now except for the chilling. The new-fangled recipes give the filling a few minutes in the oven, in case the eggs have some salmonella lurking in them. But first, you have to assemble the pie. This is where I added my raspberries, and they were a very good addition indeed. See how pretty they look? Next time I will add even more raspberries. And do I have future plans for this coconut cream! Spread over brownies and topped with some almonds and milk chocolate ganache!

As for my meringue, I think my egg whites were on the edge of going over to the dark side of destabilization. If I do meringue again, I will add some cream of tartar for some insurance. See the transcript of the Good Eats episode “Let Them Eat Foam.” to learn more about egg whites. Alton Brown can say it better than I ever could. But for me, I much prefer whipping cream on my key lime pie and I’m not a fan of meringues.  I used my kitchen torch to brown the meringue.  I think running it under the broiler would have given the meringue a softer browning.

I really wasn’t sure what the trips to the freezer were all about. Maybe to cool it faster? Next time I would just chill in the fridge overnight.  If I had chilled it overnight I might have been able to cut a neater slice than shown at the top of this article.  I just couldn’t wait to dig in.  And sometimes the best piece of pie is the homiest looking. This is one of my favorite desserts, which I will choose over chocolate almost any day.  And except for the meringue, it lived up to my expectations. What can I say.  I’m a whipped cream girl. After it had chilled, the coconut cream took on a toothsome texture that was very satisfying.  I love the cool, tart, creaminess of the key lime filling.  Oh, my mouth is watering again, but at our house, this pie is already gone.

So that, my friends, are the keys to this sublime pie. Get it? Keys . . . sublime? Never mind.

Next week’s recipe is Traditional Madelines, chosen by Tara of “Smells Like Home.” I’ve been asked to bring some cookies to the memorial service for my friend this Saturday. I think Kari would have liked madelines. They’re simple and sophisticated, but still a fun cookie, like she was.  I miss her very much.

Florida Pie

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

1 9-inch graham cracker crust (page 235), fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, seperated
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/4 cup of sugar

Getting Ready:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment of a silicone mat.

Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended. Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.

Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.

To Finish the Pie with Meringue:

Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch. Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.

Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown. (Or, if you’ve got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.) (I think broiling might have given a softer browned affect, but I used my torch and it worked pretty slick.) Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.

Dorie, All is Forgiven: Peanut Butter Torte

Tuesdays with Dorie

There’s nothing like a little baking adversity to pull people together. Last week my fluted polenta and ricotta cake was a flop. What had I done wrong? Results from other bakers were all over the map. It was great to hear from all the cheerleaders that rallied to give support. After tasting this week’s recipe for Peanut Butter Torte, chosen by Elizabeth of Ugg Smell Food, I have to tell Dorie that all is forgiven.

As for this week, I have to admit my heart hasn’t really been in it. I have a dear friend who is very sick with cancer, and though she lives in another state, she is constantly on my mind and my heart is so heavy (Tuesday evening update: I am so sorry to say that my friend passed away this morning).

I had been really looking forward to making this, and my son was looking forward to eating it. I’ve been feeling helpless and angry but also wanted to keep busy. Fortunately, this wasn’t a recipe that required a lot of patience or concentration, both of which are in short supply right now. It went together very easily, if somewhat messily. I thought of just a few things I would change for next time:

• I would add 5 more cookies to the crust so that I don’t feel like I’m skimping when I’m building up the sides plus a reminder to myself to add more butter to compensate for the extra cookies.
• The ganache had a very thin consistency;I did chill it for a little while and, of course, it thickened up eventually. Next time I will only add 1/4 cup of whipping cream. I will chop peanuts for the top separately and into bigger pieces.
• For a change of pace, my son had the great suggestion of using golden Oreos with chocolate filling for the crust. How about chopped peanut butter cups in the filling and on top?

Oh, this cake is so delicious. It’s rich and creamy with a little bit of that salty/sweet combination that I love! It’s really more like an unbaked cheesecake. My husband, who doesn’t have a big sweet tooth, called it decadent. He ate 2 pieces on Sunday night.

My four-year-old nephew tasted it and put his head on my shoulder and wistfully said, “I wish I could have helped you make it.” I asked him if he wanted to come over soon and make a cake. “A chocolate cake? A little chocolate cake?” he asked. Yes, I promised him we would make chocolate cupcakes together. His twin sister took a bite and pronounced it yucky. There’s no accounting for taste.

On a side note, I have a friend with an egg allergy who was thrilled to see that this recipe contained no eggs.

Next week, Florida Pie, chosen by Dianne of Dianne’s Dishes.

Looking at the photo below I’m glad I’m heading downstairs right now to have a slice before I go to bed.

Peanut Butter Torte

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

1 ¼ c. finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
½ c. mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semi sweet chocolate)
24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt
2 ½ c. heavy cream
1 ¼ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ c salted peanut butter – crunchy or smooth (not natural; I use Skippy)
2 tablespoons whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped

Getting ready: center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Toss ½ cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chops together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan (they should go up about 2 inches on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.
Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in ¼ cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Scrape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Wipe out (do not wash) the bowl (I didn’t even bother wiping out the bowl. I was tempted to lick it clean, but then I would have had to wash it), fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, ¼ cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.

Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Scrape the mouse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.

To Finish The Torte: put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan.

Bring the remaining ½ cup cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and , working with a a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.

Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining ½ cup peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.

When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the Springform pan; it’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, and then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel damped with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake and Listening to My Inner Voice

Tip of the week: When you juice citrus fruit, put the juiced halves into a zipper bag in the freezer to keep for when you need zest.

Tuesdays with Dorie

Dear Dorie:

Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think we got along very well this week. I will admit to being crabby.  We’ve only had one day where the temperature has gotten into the 70s during the past six months.  There was snow on the ground last Saturday when I woke up.  Snow flurries are in the forecast for this weekend.  So I’m likely to be slightly cranky when I’m on the receiving end of a little sass from some ingredients.

As I read the recipe for Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake, I had misgivings, much like you did when you read the recipe that inspired this cake. A little voice inside said “the polenta will be too crunchy, there’s too much sugar and honey.” I had more misgivings when I read comments from people who were already working on it. It’s way too sweet they said. I thought, can a dessert really be too sweet? Should I leave out some of the sugar? But I have this compulsion when I’m baking to make a recipe as written, at least the first time through. So I argued with myself. “This recipe sounds sophisticated, unique. Don’t be a chicken.” So I would make the recipe as written and the reality would be better than the written word.

I took it as a good sign that I actually had the size of tart pan called for in the recipe. My son picked an Italian deli for lunch that day and I was able to buy some lovely fresh ricotta. The figs I had bought were soft as pillows. This was going to be great.

I started having a sinking feeling when I couldn’t get the ricotta and water smoothly beaten like the recipe said it should be (Belatedly I realize I didn’t use the whisk attachment). It looked curdled. When I added the sugar and honey, the mixture became almost watery. But I persevered and finally had my cake ready to go into the oven.

Oh, it looked so pretty when it came out of the oven. As Alton Brown would say, “Golden brown and delicious” or GBD for short.

I could hardly wait for it to cool to room temperature so I could be proven wrong. I cut a slice, almost giddy with anticipation.

I took that first bite. And I heard that voice loud and clear, “I told you so.” The polenta was too crunchy, it was way too sweet. So sweet that it made the figs taste almost bitter. I tried it again the next day. But no luck. My son didn’t like it either.  I didn’t bother offering any to my husband.  This dessert just wasn’t our thing.

As a consolation, I had enough fresh ricotta left to make a ricotta and sausage pasta for dinner from the cookbook “On Top of Spaghetti.” And it was great!

So Dorie, I hope we’re still friends. I’m not so fickle as to give up. I will admit to not paying enough attention to use the whisk attachment.  Maybe I should have used a finer cornmeal instead of the polenta.  In retrospect, I think the size of the polenta grind didn’t allow for much absorption of moisture.  Maybe commercial ricotta would have had a different texture.   I am anxious to see how everyone else at Tuesday with Dorie fared. Maybe they can see where I went wrong.

Sincerely,

Ann

P.S. See you next week for Peanut Butter Torte.  Now that is our thing!

Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

About 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed
1 c. medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 c. ricotta
1/3 c. tepid water
¾ c. sugar
¾ c. honey (if you’re a real honey lover, use a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, pine, or buckwheat)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10 ½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Check that the figs are, indeed, moist and plump. If they are the least bit hard, toss them into a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry. If the figs are large (bigger than a bite), snip them in half.

Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth. With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey, and lemon zest and beat until light. Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.

Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs. Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the pan, and the butter will have left light-colored circles in the top. Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes. Cool to warm, or cool completely.

Bill’s Big Carrot Cake Becomes Ann’s Cupcakes and Some Extra Credit

Tuesdays with Dorie

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”

Jim Davis, ‘Garfield’

Let’s add carrot cookies too, but hold that thought.

This week’s Tuesday with Dorie assignment is Bill’s Big Carrot Cake, chosen by Amanda of slow like honey. We love carrot cake so we were excited to try this recipe. Since there are only three of us I decided to make cupcakes because it’s easier to freeze the leftovers. Somehow cupcakes seem like less pressure than a big cake sitting there screaming at you to eat a piece. Plus, my son is never happier than when there is cake in the house, whether it’s freshly made or in the freezer.

On a side note, one of my most recent and beloved acquisitions for my kitchen is the Escali Pana Volume and Weight Digital Scale which comes pre-programmed with ingredients to measure by volume, including carrots! I mean, how do you measure three cups of shredded carrots. Do you fill the cups lightly or pack them in? How much would they weigh? With this scale, I enter the code for carrots, start adding them to the bowl, and the readout tells me when I have three cups. This is also really great to use when you grate parmesan with a Microplane and end up with a big pile of light fluffy parmesan. It may look like 1/4 cup but it might only be a tablespoon. But enough about that.

There was no drama this week like last week’s marshmallows. Everything came together without a hitch. I used pecans and dried cranberries. I decided to make cupcakes. I filled the muffin cups too full so they came out looking more like muffins. I trimmed the edges off before frosting the cupcakes which left me with a lovely bag of cupcake scraps for snacking on.

The cupcakes collapsed a bit when I rotated the pans in the oven. I hoped they might recover during the final baking, but the final product was slightly sunken in the middle. I thought maybe there wasn’t enough leavening in the batter, but after looking it up in one of Alton Brown’s books, learned it could be from too much leavening, too hot an oven, or a batter that is unable to support its own weight. This is a heavy batter with a lot of add-ins, so that’s the direction I’m leaning in. But, you know, the deeper the indentation, the more frosting you can use to fill it in. I believe in my heart that cake (no matter how good) is simply the vehicle for the frosting.

These cupcakes were really delicious and moist. They also inspired me to practice a little cake decorating.

Since I already had all the ingredients in the house, I also made the gingered carrot cookies with dried cranberries instead of raisins. They were also awesome, but that’s another episode.

BTW, I don’t think we’re going to have any cupcakes left to freeze.

Bill’s Big Carrot Cake

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Yields 10 servings

Ingredients:

For the cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (about 9 carrots, you can grate them in food processor fitted w/ a shredding a blade or use a box grater)
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs

For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick ( 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound or 3 and ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
½ cup shredded coconut (optional)
Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut (optional)

Getting ready:
Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter three 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, flour the insides, and tap out the excess. Put the two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.

To make the cake:
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean. The cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months. (But be honest . . . when you’ve made a cake from scratch and the kitchen smells really good, can you REALLY bear to put it in the freezer at this point? Because I can already taste the frosting at this point)

To make the frosting:
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.

If you’d like coconut in the filling, scoop about half of the frosting and stir the coconut into this position.

To assemble the cake:
Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. If you added the coconut to the frosting, use half of the coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer (or generously cover with plain frosting). Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake stop side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting or plain frosting. Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top- and the sides- of the cake. Finish the top with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle them on now while the frosting is soft.

Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, just to set the frosting before serving.

Serving:
This cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and while it’s good plain, it’s even better with vanilla ice cream or some lemon curd.

Storing:
The cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen. Freeze it uncovered, then when it’s firm, wrap airtight and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.