Strawberry Frangelico Tart

One of my favorite places in the world is Italy. When I was nine and my parents were making the staggering move from Russia to the United States, with two children and elderly parents in tow, we had to stay in Italy for six months to wait for our visa. At first, with the help of an American Jewish organization, we were housed in an old gray villa, where the paths crunched with gravel and the tall windows let in the cold spring wind. Eventually, though, we found a little house all of our own, in a town called Nettuno - a little seaside retreat an hour south of Rome. Nettuno was heaven for us kids. While our parents worked, we ran around the neighborhood, peering (discreetly, of course) into windows of strange shops, smelling the wonderful ciabatta bread which had a hard, crackly crust and soft insides. We watched the procession of colorful characters on the boardwalk and there always seemed to be something going on, music playing just around the corner and red, green, blue confetti flying through the air. That's how I remember Italy during that time, a whirl of confetti and the feel of warm bread breaking beneath my fingers.

Our neighbors - an Italian family - had a house which seemed to us (coming from a tiny apartment) the height of luxury. There were two little girls, too - Valentina and Federica. Valentina was the oldest - nine, just like me, and despite me not speaking any Italian and her not speaking any Russian, and neither of us really speaking more than four words of English, we got on swimmingly, and not a few months passed before we were tyrannizing our younger sisters and deciding matters of national importance, like who would play with which doll. Their parents made us our first ever pizza - a rectangular one, of course, with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil layered on the thin crust, and my grandmother made them a cake that said 'grazie.' Their house was always full of people - friends, cousins, neighbors - and I think they didn't mind the addition of two timid girls who probably did unspeakable horrors to the beautiful Italian language. Whenever I get sad or lonely, I think about them and those beautiful months playing in the sunshine in Nettuno and drawing pictures that said 'ciao' when we only meant to say 'until we meet again.'

This strawberry tart with Frangelico somehow makes me feel closer to that time and I wanted to share it with you. It's also full of color and fragrance and uses two of my favorite Italian ingredients, mascarpone cheese and Frangelico (and, well, Nutella isn't so bad either). At a time when rain beats against my window, I want to wrap myself in my memories like in a warm blanket and bring back the smells of Italy.


Strawberry Frangelico Tart

One fully baked sweet tart shell

Filling:
3/4 cups heavy whipping cream, very cold
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened and at room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar (for lightly sweetened, or more to taste)
1-2 tablespoons Frangelico (Italian hazelnut liquor)
2-3 tablespoons Nutella (OR 2-3 oz chocolate, finely chopped)
1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved (I think sliced in half would be best, though as you can see I tried it with whole strawberries first and then I sliced them thinly)

Bake the crust fully. When you remove the crust from the oven and it is still warm, spread the Nutella or chopped chocolate (whichever one you are using) on the bottom. If you are using chocolate, the chocolate will melt - this is a good thing. Set the crust aside to cool to room temperature.

Next, whip the cream with sugar to soft peaks (there are varying philosophies on how to do this, but I usually start on medium-high speed and once there are some air bubbles, I add the sugar and continue whipping on medium-high). Fold in the Frangelico, one tablespoon at a time, depending on how boozy you want it to be. Add the mascarpone cheese and continue whipping on medium until the mascarpone is incorporated and the cream is thick but not completely stiff.

Spread the cream inside the crust and top with strawberries. I also sprinkled some grated chocolate on top.

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Poppyseed Bagels

I've always had dual feelings about Valentine's Day. On one hand, it's a totally made-up holiday that's been Hallmark-ed out of all reason and proportion, with bad chocolates and roses at $10/stem (last night, we saw a man buying a ginormous red heart balloon with TINKERBELL on it... oh, honey, no, just no). Also, I hate people telling me what to do, so the idea of a "mandated romance" day revolts all of my higher sensibilities.

On the other hand, I LOVE VALENTINE'S DAY! I've always loved it and always will. What can I say, I'm a sucker for hugs, kisses and "I love you"s. If you stop and think about it, it's actually pretty awesome to have a day dedicated to telling your family, friends and significant other that you love them -- just because. Sure, you should tell them this the other 364 days of the year too, but I really enjoy the extra reminder. I always have a smile on my face on this day.

Once upon a time, long before I met A., I was scared of falling in love. It seemed like such a strange, alien experience to put so much of yourself into someone else's not so gentle hands. It sounded kind of wacky and I didn't think I was ever going to take the plunge. Then... well, I met A., and like a second later, I was jumping off the cliff without the safety harness. Geez. What was that saying about "the harder they fall"?

That's kind of how I felt about yeast (smooth transition, eh?). Like love, the whole process sounded kind of wacky, and in my almost 30 years, I've avoided yeast and yeast breads like the plague. I decided that for Valentine's Day, it was time to change all that, to break through my inhibitions, to boldly go, etc etc, you get the idea. Guess what? IT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME.

I made bagels because I've had a lot of bad bread, but I've almost never had a bad bagel, so with warped logic, I figured it was something even I couldn't mess up. Plus, I'm Jewish, bagels are (sort of) Jewish... Ok, there was a lot of prayer involved. After I made them, I was mystified about my (now previous) fear of yeast - it was so easy! And so delicious! Why haven't I done this before? And more importantly, when can I do this again? The bagels were exactly how I wanted them to be - plump with soft, pillowy insides and a bit of a crunch on the crust. I sprinkled them with poppy seeds, but next time... oh, next time... I see sun-dried tomatoes and onions, and maybe even my personal dream - cinnamon raisin. The recipe comes from Ari's blog Baking and Books, so head over there and read all her wonderful tips for complete bagel mastery.

Poppy Seed Bagels
Reprinted with permission from Secrets of a Jewish Baker: Recipes for 125 Breads from Around the World, by George Greenstein.
(makes 12 bagels)

2 cups warm water
1 heaping teaspoon active dry yeast
3 tablespoons malt syrup or sugar (I used sugar)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 to 8 cups bread flour (all-purpose worked for me)
1 tablespoon salt
Poppy seeds for topping

In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and allow a few minutes to soften. Add 2 tablespoons of the malt syrup or sugar, the oil, 6 cups of the flour, and the salt. Mix thoroughly until the dough forms up and comes away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead, adding small amounts of flour 1/4 cup at a time as necessary. Bagel dough should be stiff. Work in as much extra flour as you can comfortably knead. The dough will soften slightly as the gluten develops. Knead until smooth and elastic (12 to 15 minutes).

Rising: Roll the dough into a ball, place in a large oiled bowl (grease the bowl with 1 tsp of oil), and turn to coat. Cover loosely with saran wrap and let rise fully in a warm, dark place (I put mine in a 100F oven to proof because it was freezing in my house), until an impression made with your finger remains and does not sink into the dough. About 1 hour. (Mine rose for 1 1/2 hours).

Shaping: Punch down, cut into thirds, and roll each piece into a rope between your palms. Cut each rope into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope 2 inches longer than the width of your hand. Flip the rope around your fingers to form a ring, with the ends overlapping about 1/2 inch. Seal the ends by rolling your palms on the work surface. If the dough slides and resists rolling, dab on a drop of water with your fingers. Evenly space the bagels on 2 nonstick baking pans or very lightly oiled baking sheets (Greenstein applies a thin film of oil with his fingers, I used parchment paper instead). Cover and let stand until puffy, 10 to 20 minutes.

Boiling: Bagels are boiled before they are baked. While they are proofing, fill a 4-quart pan two-thirds full with water, add the 1 remaining tablespoon of malt syrup or sugar, and bring to a boil. Ready your toppings.

Carefully lower 2 or 3 bagels at a time into the boiling water and wait until they rise to the top. If they float, cook for about 1 minute on each side, turning once. If they have proofed too long, they will float instead of sinking, but this won’t affect the final product.

Carefully lift out each bagel with a slotted spoon or skimmer. Drain momentarily, then evenly space 6 bagels on each baking sheet and sprinkle with toppings. You may prefer to leave some plain. Save about 3 cups of the boiling water, see below.

Baking: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Bake with steam by placing an oven safe dish half-filled with the reserved water on the bottom rack of the oven. Place the baking sheets on the middle or top rack, then bake, turning once when the tops begin to brown, until well browned on both sides. About 15 to 20 minutes.

To make these bagels with a stand mixer: In the mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and allow a few minutes to soften. add 2 tablespoons of the malt syrup or sugar, the oil, 6 cups of the flour, and the salt. Using the flat attachment pulse with the on/off switch until the flour is incorporated enough that it won’t be thrown out of the bowl, then mix at first speed until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. More flour can be added 1/4 cup at a time.

Remove the flat attachment, scrape down the sides of the bowl and attach the dough hook. Run at first speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 12 to 15 minutes. Bagel dough should be stiff. Add flour cautiously, and do not exceed the capacity of the machine. Because the dough is so stiff, it is especially important not to leave the mixer running while unattended. The dough will soften slightly as the gluten develops. Proceed as instructed in the rising, shaping, boiling and baking sections above.

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Baby spinach, eggplant, asparagus and roasted peppers salad

I've started writing this entry three times and three times I have erased what I've written. I'm sorry, there's a soccer game on that I'm dying to go watch -- the English boys are playing the Spanish boys in a World Cup friendly, and if you've ever seen pictures of either team, you will know that the only thing that would elevate a match like this is seeing some Italians in the stands (this is the point where most of the male readers sigh and roll their eyes -- don't worry, guys, I like the sport for itself; I just like it better when Iker Casillas is on the field).

So, in short, this salad - make it now. It's perfect for the winter. There are textures here, and flavors and colors that are subtle and exciting at the same time, and most importantly, it tastes so much like comfort food that you will want to forget that it's chock full of healthy things and curl up on your couch with the salad bowl, whispering sweet nothings into it's... er... ear (?). First, you start with some chopped baby spinach, a tough leaf that can stand up next to the sauteed garlic and eggplant and asparagus that you're going to pair it up with. Then, you carefully slice tender roasted peppers, toast some pine nuts, throw in a handful of feta cheese and spice the whole thing up with a basic vinaigrette that's enlivened by a touch of creamy horseradish and a spritz of lemon juice. It's not a recipe so much as a base for your winter cravings. It's light but filling, and the flavors, though complex, support each other instead of shoving and pulling each other's shirts, like some unruly footballers I know (you know who you are, boys, I've got my eye on you).

Baby spinach, eggplant, asparagus and roasted peppers salad
(serves 2)
2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 medium sized eggplant, cubed
3/4 sticks of asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 red pepper, roasted (or if you are lazy like me, you buy yours at Trader Joe's)
A small handful of pine nuts, toasted
A small handful of feta cheese, crumbled
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon creamy horseradish
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Roughly chop the spinach and put into the salad bowl. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat and saute the cubed eggplant for about 5 minutes, until it just starts to soften. Toss in the asparagus, garlic and cilantro and saute for another 2/3 minutes until warm and fragrant. Sprinkle lemon zest on top and saute for an additional minute. The asparagus should still be slightly crispy, but the eggplant should be very soft.

Take off the heat and add to the salad bowl. Slice the roasted pepper thinly and also add to the salad. Toss in the toasted pine nuts and feta.

Make the vinaigrette by whisking all the ingredients together until incorporated. Toss and season the salad.

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Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

When I go to Europe, I often hear American food described derisively as "burgers and fries," and gourmands kind of wrinkle their noses at it as if omg! burgers! who eats that?! (I bet they secretly do). To me, however, American food is the stuff of summer BBQs, the sunshine and warmth of sunsets on a back patio, the comfort of family and friends - in a word, it's timeless. Certainly, American food is not so delicate as French food and not so exotic as Korean, for example, but there is so much flavor there that I return to it over and over again when I have the luxury to cook to please only myself.


Which brings me to this cold spell Los Angeles is having - rain pattering on the roof, rolling gray clouds and temperatures below 60 (that's COLD for around here!). At times like these, I want something that will be the taste-equivalent of a fleece blanket, and I want it fast. Wherein come these brownies. People: I am not a chocolate person, but these are divine. Meltingly soft when warm and dense and fudgy when cold, intensely chocolaty at every temperature, it was actually torture to package them away for early Valentine's Day gifts. I really hope giving away chocolate puts out some cosmic karmic good vibes, because whew, I suffered when they left my hands, I really did.


First, you start with a lot of chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, eggs and butter, and then, because clearly, that's just not enough, you add in some creamy mascarpone cheese and a bit of flour to hold it all together, and THEN (yes, you heard me right, there's more), you make a chocolate ganache that covers the brownies with a shiny blanket of awesomeness. Let me pause a moment to let that all sink in. Yeah. They were that good.

Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

Brownies:
1 cup unsalted butter
3 ounces best quality semisweet chocolate (I use 70%), finely chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Ganache:
6 ounces best quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 325F and butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

For the brownies: In a small saucepan (or in the microwave), melt the butter and bring it to just below a boil; put the chocolate in a mixing bowl and pour the hot butter over the chocolate. Let stand for 30 seconds and then whisk until smooth and chocolate has completely melted.

Sift in the sugar and cocoa powder and fold into the chocolate.

Beat in the mascarpone cheese, eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt and then gently fold them into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes while you make the ganache.

For the ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl; in a small saucepan, bring the cream and the butter to just below the boiling point, over medium heat. Pour this hot cream-butter mixture over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds, then stir until smooth; ganache is now ready to use and can be spread over the brownies.

Should you wish to wait a bit, make sure the ganache is warm when you spread over the brownies, as it does firm up which makes spreading hard to do.

Don't cut into the brownies until ganache has firmed up; I find it best to put the brownies into the fridge to speed this along; once the ganache is firm the brownies do not need to be kept in the fridge, though.

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Dear Peg

Thank you so much for being such a loyal reader of this blog. This month marks a year since I started Confessions of a Tart, and the best present I can think of is knowing that through blogging, I have made the acquaintance of so many wonderful people who enrich my life by sharing with me their recipes, their support and their friendship. This home-made vanilla extract is for you (I hope you enjoy the extra spike of rum).

Much love and gratitude to you all for reading,
Irene

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Vanilla bean creme brulee topped with blueberries and vanilla sugar

I can't believe that over a year has passed since I started this blog (!!) and I've still never told you about my favorite dessert. It also happens to be one of the easiest desserts to make for a 4-8 people dinner party (coincidence? I don't think so). Creme brulee is not fussy or complicated, but it's elegant and smooth like George Clooney in a tux, has depths of flavor, a crackly sugar crust and is infinitely adaptable (I've infused it with edible lavender or pieces of banana, just to name a few ways). And people, I'm all about things you can prepare 24 hrs in advance and finish off with a blowtorch.


So if this dessert is so amazing, you say, how come Irene has never peeped a word about it on this blog? Well... You see... I've been saving it for you, so to speak, until I could make it at the height of perfection -- and we all know that this means a real vanilla bean. Sure, I've made this with vanilla extract at least 10 times and it's always been phenomenal, but using a real vanilla bean just elevates it in ways that you can't really describe until you inhale the elusive scent of this pod of the vanilla orchid and just know that there is something different here, something special. Fresh blueberries and a sprinkle of vanilla sugar give this dessert an extra decadence, as if it needed any.


There are only two secrets to a successful creme brulee, and they are, well, not rocket science. (1) Don't curdle the egg yolks, and (2) bake the custard in a water bath. However much you are tempted to rush these steps, don't, because the smooth, silky creaminess at the end will all be worth it.


Creme Brulee
(recipe from a Williams & Sonoma cookbook - serves 4)

2 cups (16 oz) heavy cream
4 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1/4 cup plus 4 tbsp of sugar
1/2 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp of vanilla extract)
optional for topping: about 1/4 cup of blueberries, 1 tbsp vanilla sugar

Preheat an oven to 300°F. Have a pot of boiling water ready. Line a baking pan that is 2 to 3 inches deep with a small kitchen towel (I've skipped lining the pan with a towel lately and it didn't seem to affect the finished product).

Using a paring knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise down the middle and scrape the seeds from 1/2 of the bean into a 2-quart saucepan. Add the cream, stir to mix and set the pan over medium-low heat. Warm the cream until bubbles form around the edges of the pan and steam begins to rise from the surface. Remove from the heat and set aside to steep, about 15 minutes. (Note 1: If using vanilla extract, warm the cream as directed without the vanilla bean - you can use the cream right away without steeping) (Note 2: if using a vanilla bean: at this point, store the half of the bean that you didn't use and submerge the empty half in a cup of sugar for a few weeks to get vanilla sugar).

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt and the 1/4 cup sugar (and vanilla extract, if using) until smooth and blended. Drizzle about 1/4 cup of the warm cream into the egg yolks to temper them (so that the yolks don't curdle), whisking all the while, then gradually add the rest of the cream, whisking until blended. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Divide the custard among four 5- or 6-oz. ramekins and place the ramekins in the prepared baking pan. Add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custard is set around the edges and jiggles only a little bit in the middle, 35-40 min (note: this has taken me anywhere from 40 - 60 minutes, so check every 5 minutes after the 35 minute mark).

Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

Just before serving, sprinkle 1 Tbs. of the sugar evenly over each custard. Using a kitchen torch, melt the sugar according to the manufacturer's instructions. Serve immediately.

(Note 3: To top, toss 1/4 cup of blueberries in about a tablespoon of vanilla sugar and divide among the 4 ramekins. Even if you've just submerged your vanilla bean when you started making the custard, your sugar will already smell like vanilla and you can use it. However, leave the rest of the sugar to infuse for 2 weeks to get the amazingness that is real vanilla sugar).

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Cream Puffs

When I was growing up, my parents taught me to share. Sure, I didn't see the wisdom of it then - after all, my favorite dolls were, by definition, mine, but I grudgingly accepted their lordship over me, all the while muttering stubbornly that "when I grow up," I won't stand for any of this sharing nonsense. Well, I did eventually grow up, and as you can all guess, I realized that my parents were right about oh, so many things, but also about sharing (and now I mutter, "they always had to be right, didn't they...").

Living in the big city, however, I'm learning that sharing is just not the thing here amongst the "in" crowd. Apparently, people do not share, among other things: recipes, telephone numbers of their maids, hair salons, favorite restaurants, car dealerships, projects they are working on, the place they buy their All Clads on sale and, last but not least, their husbands (just kidding, I don't share mine either, but I just wanted to see if you were paying attention!). I guess I have to resign myself to not being part of the "in" crowd because, really, it all makes no sense to me (except the bit about husbands - I wasn't kidding, I don't share A., don't even think about it ;) ).

The recipe for these cream puffs comes from my friend Amy, who generously did not mind sharing it not only with me, but with all of you as well. It was my first time making cream puffs and I was worried about many things (will they puff? how will I know when the dough is ready? can I really beat the eggs in *by hand*?). Even if you've never made them before, just trust me - when each step is supposed to be complete, you will *know.* These little puffs are very easy to make, and very, very good! I filled them with Dorie's pastry cream and mmmmmmm...... they were gone before I even had a chance to serve the tea (good thing I'm sneaky and hid one for myself before the guests arrived).

And, since I talk about my grandmother so much here, and since she makes the best cream puffs in the world (but won't give anyone the recipe, lol), let me post a recent picture of us together. Enjoy the cream puffs!



Cream Puffs
(via my friend Amy, via Fine Cooking)

Pastry Recipe:
1/2 cup water
2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbs. sugar
Pinch salt
2-1/4 oz. (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, at room temperature

For the egg wash:
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp. milk

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a small saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth without any lumps and the batter pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and beat with a wooden spoon just until the steam stops rising, about 1 minute.

Add one egg and beat well with the wooden spoon. The batter will seem to break apart, but keep working until it becomes smooth. Add the second egg and beat again until the mixture is completely smooth.

Scoop the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain pastry tube (Ateco #5). Hold the bag about 1 inch above a parchment-lined baking sheets and pipe out mounds about 1 inch in diameter (Irene's note: I made two sizes - 1 inch and 2 inch). Beat the egg yolk with the milk to make an egg wash. Lightly brush the egg wash on top of each puff with a pastry brush, tapping down any points of dough. (Amy's note: I have used two spoons and dropped them on to a cookie sheet, but a pastry bag makes them turn out a little more uniform. Also, you can use a broad star to give them even more shape)

Bake until the pastries are puffed and deep golden, 22 to 24 min. (Irene's note: after mine were done, I turned off the oven, propped the door open with a wooden spoon and let them dry out for another 10-15 min). Let cool on a wire rack. If not using the same day, transfer to a plastic bag and freeze for up to four months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.

From Fine Cooking 49, pp. 72

(Irene's note: After the puffs cooled, I then used my smallest plain tip to fill them with Dorie's pastry cream - yum! I think I was a little over-enthusiastic and filled them all the way up, which resulted in the tops getting a little soft from the cream. Next time, I will fill them only half way.)

Dorie Greenspan's Pastry Cream
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks (I'm going to use a few less next time to cut some calories)
1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits at room temperature

Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar and cornstarch until thick and well blended. Still whisking, drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the hot milk– this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won’t curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remainder of the milk. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking vigorously, constantly and thoroughly (making sure to get the edges of the pot), bring the mixture to a boil. Keep at a boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk in the vanilla extract. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the bits of butter, stirring until they are full incorporated and the pastry cream is smooth and silky. Scrape the cream into a bowl. You can press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the cream to create an airtight seal and refrigerate the pastry cream until cold or, if you want to cool it quickly–as I always do–put the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water, and stir the pastry cream occasionally until it is thoroughly chilled, about 20 minutes.

Chocolate Sauce
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the bittersweet and milk chocolate, stirring with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is completely melted. In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium to just below the boiling point. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the pan of water and wipe the bottom and sides dry. Pour the hot cream into the melted chocolate and stir with the spatula until the sauce is cool, about 4 min. The sauce can be made up to two weeks ahead and stored in the refrigerator; before serving, warm the sauce in a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

From Fine Cooking 49, pp. 73

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Cabbage Rolls

Last time I posted about cabbage rolls, it seems to have messed up the blog when viewed in IE, so let's try it again, hoping that technology will cooperate with me. Cabbage rolls is the quintessential Easter European/Russian/Jewish type of dish that, if you've never had it before, sounds kind of strange (cabbage? wrapped around meat and rice? weird...), but once you've tasted it, there's no going back. The silky tenderness of the cabbage wrapped around a succulent mixture of meat, rice, onions and spices and sauteed in tomatoes and more onions until the flavors dance and then topped with cool, tangy sour cream... It's a winner from all angles, especially on a cold, rainy night. To convince you further, I can add that the Greeks have something very similar called Dolmathes (grape leaves stuffed with meat and rice), and if the Greeks do anything right (and oh, they sure do), it's definitely food.



Cabbage Rolls (or Golubtsi, if you want to sparkle with your knowledge of Russian dishes)
recipe via my aunt

For the filling
1 head of cabbage
1.5 lb of ground meat (the best, as my aunt tells it is 1 lb beef and .5 lb of pork, but I used 1.5 lb of lean turkey and it was still pretty great)
1 cup cooked rice
1 onion
1 large carrot
2 T chopped parsley
1 egg
2 slices of stale bread
salt and pepper

For the broth
1 can chopped tomatoes, drained (or a few small tomatoes, chopped and seeds removed)
1 T tomato paste
2/3 cups water or chicken broth
1 onion
1 large carrot
2 T chopped parsley
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano

sour cream for garnish and bread for soaking up the broth (this is the really important part, people, don't skip it)

Bring water to a boil in a medium-large, heavy bottomed pot (ideally, it should be a cast iron pot, but I don't have one and it all worked out well anyway). Separate as many large and medium leaves from the cabbage as you can by cutting around the stem and removing the leaves. It's ok if they rip a little. Submerge the leaves in boiling water and cook for 7-10 minutes or until soft. Drain water and take out the leaves.

Grate 1 onion and 1 carrot on a fine grater and chop the parsley. Cut the crust off of the bread slices and soak in a little bit of water until very soft. Squeeze out the water. Combine the ground meat, grated vegetables, parsley, egg, rice and bread and mix very well so that all the ingredients are distributed properly. My aunt does this with her hands, but I find that a large fork works for me. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.

Chop the other onion and grate the carrot on a large grater and saute in a skillet for a few minutes with a little olive oil until the carrot is soft and the onion is translucent. Add the 2/3 cup of water or chicken broth and tomato paste and stir. Then add the chopped tomatoes, parsley, thyme or oregano and season to your liking.

Pour half the mixture into the heavy bottomed pot and reserve the other half.

Now, wrap your cabbage rolls. Take one leaf of cabbage -- it should be soft enough to bend, but if the stem is a little tough still, use a meat tenderizer to help even it out. Grab a handful of the meat mixture and set it at the base of the leaf. Fold forward once, then fold both of the sides into the middle (like an envelope) and fold again. You can cut off the remainder of the leaf or just continue folding. Arrange the cabbage rolls in the pot so they fit snugly next to each other. You should have about 12-14 pieces.
Pour the rest of the broth on top. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 45 min to an hour or until the meat is fully cooked and the cabbage rolls take on a darker, golden hue from the tomatoes and the carrots. Garnish with sour cream and serve with dark bread. Excuse me while I go eat the last two before A. gets to them.

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Anita's Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

I've always had this idea that life takes you where it wants you to go. Not that you can be passive -- you get opportunities and you work like crazy to pick them up, and you get knocked down and you have to discover your own way out -- but you find yourself along a certain road and, whether you know it or not, it is a good one in the end. I found myself walking down that road, but as I walk (run, huff, crawl) along, I keep looking over at the green grass on both sides and wondering... should I have taken the other path? Should I have made that left at Albuquerque (as Bugs Bunny would say)? I love so many things that are not my job -- I love painting, baking, writing, traveling, taking photographs, and maybe all of them together. Why am I not doing those things for a living?

The other day, one of my neighbors brought me an article cut out of a newspaper, about a woman who used to be a lawyer and then quit and went to culinary school and opened her own baking business. It stayed in my mind for quite a long time, sitting, simmering. What an attractive idea, full of adventure and new challenges... It was still in my mind when I took a whole Sunday to bake 20 boxes of 3 different kinds of cookies and 10 boxes of biscotti. On Monday, I had a whole new appreciation for my job. Do I still love baking? Oh yes, absolutely (and it all turned out deliciously, and the office was full of people smiling at me and waving vigorously from afar). But now I understand its place in my life much better than I used to, and I understand why the path along which I am walking is the right one for me... for now!



Chocolate Crinkles
from Anita Chu's "Field Guide to Cookies"

6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbs cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
confectioners sugar for rolling

Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the meantime, whip the eggs with the sugar until thick and pale. Add the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate and mix.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder into a bowl and add this to the chocolate mixture. Mix until combined.

Place this bowl in the refrigerator for about 2 hours until the dough hardens enough to scoop out.

Preheat oven to 325F. Scoop one inch balls. Roll these in powdered sugar and place them on sheetpans lined with parchment paper. Flatten the tops of the cookies a bit with your fingers and bake until set for about 12 minutes.

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Lenox Almond Biscotti

Ever since I first made these, they have been my go-to biscotti recipe. I love the texture -- a light sweetness that has a pleasant crunch of cornmeal to make it unique. I love the fact that these can be adapted every which way (I made them with chocolate chips and cranberries once, and dipped them in dark chocolate another time), and I love that they are distinctly home-made, compared to the hard, brittle things that Starbucks likes to call biscotti. Also, and perhaps most importantly, these are eminently givable and eminently lovable.


These were a TWD challenge a while back and some people had issues with them spreading too much. All I can tell you is that I followed the instructions pretty closely and have never had problems (Dorie says to make the dough into two logs, about 2x12 inches, and it has worked wonderfully for me). The only thing I really add to the recipe is to put the rack in the upper third of the oven and add about 5 minutes to the first baking (until the logs start turning golden and the edges look crispy). Oh, and I tone down the almond extract to 1 tsp instead of 1.5 -- I don't like a very strong almond smell. Also, it's really important to let these rest the full half hour between bakings; otherwise, they will crumble, even with the sharpest knife. When you make the cut, make it decisively (versus cutting in a sawing motion). Easy recipe, lovely results.

Lenox Almond Biscotti
from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From my Home to Yours

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3/4 cup sliced almonds, blanched or unblanched

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the cornmeal and whisk again to blend.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for 3 minutes, until very smooth. Add the eggs and continue to beat, scraping down the bowl as needed, for another 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light, smooth and creamy. Beat in the almond extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. You'll have a soft, stick-to-your-fingers dough that will ball up around the paddle or beaters. Scrape down the paddle and bowl, toss in the almonds and mix just to blend.

Scrape half the dough onto one side of the baking sheet. Using your fingers and a rubber spatula or scraper, work the dough into a log about 12 inches long and 1 1¿2 inches wide. The log will be more rectangular than domed, and bumpy, rough and uneven. Form a second log with the remaining dough on the other side of the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the logs are lightly golden but still soft and springy to the touch. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool the logs on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.

If you turned off the oven, bring it back up to 350 degrees F.

Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board and, with a long serrated knife, trim the ends and cut the logs into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet — this time standing them up like a marching band — and slide the sheet back into the oven.

Bake the biscotti for another 15 minutes, or until they are golden and firm. Transfer them to racks and cool to room temperature.

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