Author Archives: Dave Oney

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About Dave Oney

Dave Oney was born mid last century in Middlebury, Vermont. He received his BS in Chemistry and worked as a polymer chemist in Massachusetts and New Jersey. He became a microscopist (someone who studies little bitty things using a microscope) and photomicrographer (someone who photographs little bitty things) before settling into a 35-year career in technical sales of scientific imaging equipment (the science of digitally recording itty bitty things, sending the image to a computer for analysis.) He designed and created a number of products contributing to this field. He is (was) proficient in several computer languages and is currently working on mastering English. After making a few more paradigm shift career changes Dave and his wife, Fran, retired and moved closer to their children and granddaughters and now live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

No Knead Crusty White Bread

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KAB to the rescue! I made their No Knead Crusty White Bread this morning. Mix ingredients, let sit 2 hours, refrigerate 2 (and more) hours shape, let rise, bake, enjoy.

This is a very easy 75% hydration bread that takes very little hands on time and is exceptional. I made half (630g) on a stone today and will make the other half in a day or two, but use a Dutch Oven.

No Knead Crusty White Bread – KAB

INGREDIENTS
• 7 1/2 cups (900g) AP Flour
• 3 cups (680g) water, lukewarm
• 1 tablespoon (18g) table salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (14g) instant yeast

METHOD

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, or a large (6-quart), food-safe plastic bucket. “Lukewarm” means about 105°F.
  2. Mix and stir everything together for a minute in a stand mixer with blade to make a very sticky, rough dough. It will weigh roughly 1225g.
  3. Transfer to a greased plastic proofing bucket and let the dough rise for 2 hours at room temperature.
  4. Then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or for up to about 7 days. (If you’re pressed for time, skip the room-temperature rise, and stick it right into the fridge). The longer you keep it in the fridge, the tangier it’ll get; if you chill it for 7 days, it will taste like sourdough. Over the course of the first day or so, it’ll rise, then fall. That’s OK; that’s what it’s supposed to do.
  5. When you’re ready to make bread, sprinkle the top of the dough with flour; this will make it easier to grab a hunk. Grease your hands and pull off about 1/4 to 1/3 of the dough — a 400g to 540g piece, if you have a scale. It’ll be about the size of a softball, or a large grapefruit.
  6. Plop the sticky dough onto a floured work surface, and round it into a ball, or a longer log. Roll around the table to tension the surface.
  7. Place the loaf on a piece of parchment (if you’re going to use a baking stone); or onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sift a light coating of flour over the top; this will help keep the bread moist as it rests before baking. Drape the bread with greased plastic wrap or cover it with a reusable cover.
  8. Let the loaf warm to room temperature and rise; this should take about 60 minutes (or longer, up to a couple of hours, if your house is cool). It won’t appear to rise upwards that much; rather, it’ll seem to settle and expand. Preheat your oven to 450°F while the loaf rests. If you’re using a baking stone, position it on a middle rack while the oven preheats. Place a shallow metal or cast iron pan (not glass, Pyrex, or ceramic) on the lowest oven rack, and have 1 cup of hot water ready to go.
  9. When you’re ready to bake, take a sharp knife and slash the bread 2 or 3 times, making a cut about 1/2″ deep. The bread may deflate a bit; that’s OK, it’ll pick right up in the hot oven.
  10. Place the bread in the oven — onto the baking stone, if you’re using one, or simply onto a middle rack, if it’s on a pan — and carefully pour the 1 cup hot water into the shallow pan on the rack beneath. It’ll bubble and steam; close the oven door quickly.
  11. Bake the bread for 25 to 35 minutes, until it’s a deep, golden brown.
  12. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack.
  13. Store leftover bread in a plastic bag at room temperature

Notes:
• To freeze the dough, divide into 2 parts, deflate, roll into balls, wrap in plastic wrap and label. Store in freezer for up to 2 weeks

Blackberry/Yuzu Meringue Tarts

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I am trying to remember how these tarts made it into Dede’s baking schedule. I didn’t have any leftover ingredients from another bake, or some ingredient that was about to expire. Most likely a picture caught my attention, and as I have no will power…

I used my go to short crust pastry for the tart shell and a standard Italian meringue to top the tart. The blackberry/yuzu curd was a new recipe but again, pretty standard. The final result was an outstanding synergy between all the parts. A real keeper.

Blackberry/Yuzu Meringue Tarts

INGREDIENTS
Plain flour, for rolling

Shortcrust pastry
• 100 g cold butter cut into small cubes
• 60 g icing sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 egg – 1 for the dough and the other 1 reserved for an egg wash
• 200 g all-purpose flour
Meringue
• 150g (or ¾ cup) granulated sugar
• 60ml (or ¼ cup) water
• 60g (or ¼ cup) egg whites (about 2 large egg whites)
Curd
• 450g blackberries
• 2 Tbl yuzu juice
• 4 Tbl corn starch
• 325g caster sugar
• 100g unsalted butter, cubed
• 4 egg yolk
• 1 large egg

METHOD

  1. For the Shortbread Pastry – Cut the butter into the sugar
    a. Add salt then vanilla
    b. Add egg and mix until incorporated
    c. Stir in flour. Mix by hand like you are kneading bread until incorporated
  2. For the pastry case – Roll out the pastry to ¼” thick. Gently push the pastry into the tart case leaving a little overhanging the edges.
    a. Trim the excess pastry but leave a little overhang. Chill for 30 minutes.
    b. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line the pastry with baking parchment, fill with baking beads and blind bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans; bake for a further 5-6 minutes, until golden. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF.
  3. For the curd – put the berries and yuzu juice in a food processor, blend until smooth. Pass through a sieve into a large bowl (you should have 1 ½ c). Discard the seeds.
    a. In a large, heavy-based pan, mix the corn starch and sugar, then stir in the blackberry mixture. Cook over a medium heat, stirring with a balloon whisk, until thick and smooth.
    b. When it starts to bubble, take it off the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Leave to cool slightly, then whisk in the egg yolks and the whole egg. Return the mixture to the heat, whisking for 5-8 minutes until it becomes a very thick dropping consistency. Set aside.
  4. For the meringue –
    a. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat to medium-high and allow the syrup to come to a boil.
    b. In the meantime, add the egg whites to a medium-sized, heatproof bowl and mix (with a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) until foamy and the whites are almost able to hold soft peaks.
    c. Once the syrup is boiling, clip on a candy (or sugar) thermometer.
    d. Cook until the syrup reaches 116°C/240°F, then take the pan off the heat and slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the bowl with the foamy egg whites, mixing continuously to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Don’t pour the syrup onto the whisk, or the syrup may splatter against the sides of the bowl (or into your face!). Instead, aim for a spot close to the whisk.
    e. Once all the syrup has been added, keep mixing until the bottom of the bowl feels cool to the touch and the meringue has cooled down to body temperature.
    f. Use immediately or keep in the fridge (covered) until ready to use. It’s a very stable meringue, so it won’t start weeping, leaking or collapsing.
  5. Assembly –
    a. Fill the tart case with the warm curd and let cool.
    b. Pipe the meringue as stars covering about half of the top and add a raspberry or other decoration.

Pan de Cristal – Revisited

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I first made this bread about two years ago. I was hesitant to make it again as it isn’t the easiest loaf to make. It’s 100% hydration which means equal parts flour and water. This makes a very soft, slack, tricky dough to handle, However, this weekend I saw a great tutorial on YouTube by Martin Philip at King Arthur Baking. He demonstration how to make it much easier, I decided to give it another try. (My no golf weekend is not over.)

Watch his tutorial and give it a try. It still isn’t the easiest, even with his help, but it is well worth the effort. It has a crisp crust and the texture of air inside. A little butter, or some oil and vinegar REALLY sets this bread off.

Pan de Cristal

INGREDIENTS
• 500g water (80 F in warm weather, 100F if cold)
• 500g Bread Flour
• 2.5g (3/4 teaspoon) instant yeast
• 10g salt
• 15g olive oil

METHOD

  1. To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the water, flour, yeast, and salt until thoroughly combined and homogenous. Note: The dough starts off very slack and wet. That’s OK; it will transform itself through time and folds.
  3. Oil a two-quart rectangular baking dish (10” x 7”) with the olive oil. If you don’t have a 2-quart dish, an 8” or 9” square pan will work. Don’t worry about any pan you use being oven-safe; you won’t be baking the bread in it.
  4. Pour the dough into the pan. Check the dough’s temperature by inserting a digital thermometer into the center. If it’s less than 72°F, move the pan to a warmer spot, e.g., your oven with the light turned on.
  5. Cover the pan and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
  6. Start with a bowl fold: Use your wet hands to grab a section of dough from one side, lift it up, then press it down into the middle. Repeat this around the pan eight to 12 times.
  7. Cover the dish and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
  8. Then do a coil fold: With wet hands, reach under the dough and stretch the middle upward until the dough releases from the dish. Roll it forward off your hands, allowing it to fold over (or “coil”) on itself. This is called a coil fold. Rotate the dish 90 degrees (a quarter turn) and repeat. Continue performing this folding action until the dough feels like it won’t stretch and elongate easily, usually four to five times initially. Note: You’ll be doing this three more times, each time building strength and developing the dough.
  9. Cover the pan and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
  10. Repeat the coil fold. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
  11. At this point, the dough should be easier to handle and feel tighter. Repeat the coil fold using only two or three folds this time. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
  12. Repeat the coil fold one last time, using only one or two folds if the dough is relatively strong. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for about 80 minutes.
  13. To divide the dough: As gently as possible, turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface, maintaining the rectangle or square shape – be careful not to deflate the delicate dough. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on top of the dough, leaving no exposed sticky spots. Then, working as gently as possible, use a bench knife or other sharp knife to divide it into four pieces. Gently place two pieces on a piece of parchment, leaving space between them. Repeat with the remaining two pieces of dough, placing them on another piece of parchment.
  14. Allow the loaves to rest at room temperature for 2 hours, uncovered. While the loaves are resting, preheat the oven to 475°F with a baking stone or steel on a lower rack. Allow the oven to preheat for 1 hour to ensure it’s thoroughly heated. The loaves are ready for the oven when there are a few large bubbles on the surface of each loaf and they feel light and airy.
  15. To bake the bread: Carefully slide the two loaves (still resting on the parchment) into the oven onto the preheated stone or steel. If space is tight and the full sheet of parchment won’t fit on the stone or steel, cut the parchment between the two loaves and arrange them as best you can. Allow the other two loaves to continue to rest.
  16. Bake the loaves for 15 minutes, then transfer them, from the stone or steel, directly onto a rack in the upper third of the oven for an additional 13 to 15 minutes. Moving them allows the baking stone or steel to become hot again in preparation for the next two loaves. After a total of 30 minutes of baking, remove the loaves from the oven and allow them to cool on a rack.
  17. Repeat the process with the two remaining loaves. Cool the bread fully before slicing.
  18. Storage information: Wrap the bread loosely and store it at room temperature for up to several days; freeze for longer storage.

ET Call Home

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Another winning recipe from King Arthur Baking – Everything No-Knead Bread.

What’s nice about this bread is how easy it is to prepare and bake. It has a fantastic flavor and texture. It took about 30minutes to mix the ingredients (by hand), before it fermented, covered for 8 hours. It’s shaped, popped into a Dutch oven to proof for 1.5 – 2 hours, then baked for about an hour. That it! (Check the proofing by using the poke test. The first loaf was over proofed after 2 hours.)

No Knead Everything Bread – KAB

INGREDIENTS

Dough
• 2 1/4 c (510g) water, cool
• 5 1/2 c (660g) Unbleached Bread Flour
• 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 2 tsp (12g) table salt
• 2 Tbl (18g) Everything Bagel Topping
• 2 Tbl (25g) olive oil
Topping
• 1 Tbl Everything Bagel Topping

METHOD

  1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix the dough ingredients in a large bowl to make a sticky dough. Or beat in a stand mixer for 3 minutes.
  2. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature overnight, or for at least 8 hours; the dough will become bubbly and rise quite a bit, so make sure it’s in a large bowl.
  3. Lightly grease a 14″ to 15″ long lidded stoneware baker, or 9″ to 10″ round lidded baking crock. Our bread baking crock and bread pot are both great choices.
  4. Turn the dough onto a generously floured surface; the dough will be slack. To shape the loaf, fold the dough over onto itself using a bench knife or well-floured hands. Because the dough is slightly sticky, it’s best to work quickly.
  5. Place the dough in the prepared pan, smooth side up.
  6. Cover and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, until a slight indentation remains when you poke it with your finger.
  7. Just before baking, spritz or brush the dough with water and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon Everything topping over the dough. Using kitchen scissors, make several 1/2″ deep cuts in a decorative pattern on the top of the dough to allow the bread to expand.
  8. Replace the lid on the pot and put it in a cold oven; set the temperature to 450°F.
  9. Bake the bread for 50 minutes (start the timer once the bread goes into the oven), then remove the lid and continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until it’s deep brown in color, and a digital thermometer inserted into the center registers about 205°F.
  10. Remove the bread from the oven, turn it onto a rack, and cool before slicing.

KAB Recipe of 2024!

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I received a personalized email from King Arthur Baking (along with probably a million other customers) proclaiming their selection of the recipe of the year for 2024. How could I resist.?

There were two interesting techniques that I never used in cookies. The first was making brown butter. This adds a rich caramel taste. The other was tangzhong, which is used in many Japanese breads to provide a soft, fluffy texture.

I never made brown butter before (but will again) and was an unsure when it was “done.” The recipe states it will foam near the end, but it also foams near the beginning. The second foam is very fine and if you stir the butter and you can see the browned butter with some bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

I also formed the dough into balls before refrigerating overnight. It seemed like s sensible step.

All the ingredients are ready
Second “fine” foam
It looks lumpy bit thats ok
An ice cream scoop was about right to make 90g balls of dough. They can be close together until ready to bake.
Balls need to be well spaced or they will meld together.
Well, they were not spaced out enough!
Soft and chewy as claimed, great flavor with hints of caramel.

Chocolate Chip Cookies – Supersized, Super Soft from KAB

PREP-45 mins: BAKE-15 to 22 mins: TOTAL-1 day 1 hr: YIELD-16 to 17 large (4″) cookies or 28 medium (3″) cookies

INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups (426g) light brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 16 tablespoons (226g) unsalted butter, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1/2 cup (113g) milk, whole preferred
• 2 3/4 cups (330g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour, divided
• 2 large eggs, cold from the refrigerator
• 1 tablespoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate, preferably 60% to 65% cocoa content*
*Use chopped wafers or bars for best results; if using chocolate chips, chop them roughly before incorporating. (My chocolate chips were small so I didn’t chop them.)

METHOD

  1. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar and salt. Set aside.
  2. To brown the butter: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. After several minutes, the butter will sizzle and may spatter. Continue to cook the butter, swirling the pan regularly, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until it’s a dark golden brown color and brown bits start collecting at the bottom of the pan; the butter will have stopped sizzling and may also have a layer of foam on the surface.
  3. Once the butter is browned, immediately pour it over the sugar mixture (be sure to scrape out the brown bits at the bottom) and whisk vigorously to combine; this helps dissolve the sugar slightly and creates the shiny surface of the baked cookies. (The mixture will stay lumpy and won’t become smooth at this point.) Set the empty saucepan aside to cool slightly.
  4. To make the tangzhong: In the same saucepan used to brown the butter, combine the milk with 3 tablespoons (23g) of the bread flour and whisk until no lumps remain.
  5. Place the saucepan over low heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly with a whisk and then a flexible spatula, until it’s thickened, paste-like, and starts to come together into one mass, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Remove from the heat and transfer directly to the bowl with the butter and sugar. Whisk until mostly smooth; some lumps of the tangzhong mixture are OK.
  7. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue whisking until smooth.
  8. Weigh or measure the remaining 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (307g) bread flour by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Add the bread flour to the bowl with the butter and sugar, then add the baking powder and baking soda. Using a whisk or flexible spatula, stir until well combined and no dry spots remain.
  9. Place the bowl, uncovered, in the refrigerator and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
  10. While the batter is cooling, use a serrated knife to roughly chop the chocolate into coarse pieces. Avoid chopping the chocolate too fine, as small pieces will melt when mixed into the dough.
  11. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and fold in the chopped chocolate. (Dough weighs 1440g. This will make sixteen 90g cookies before baking.)
  12. Return the dough to the refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours.
  13. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and form the dough into 85g to 90g balls, (50g for small cookies,) flatten slightly with the palm of your hand to about 3” diameter circles, cover and return to the refrigerator for 24 to 72 hours to allow the flavors to intensify.
  14. To bake the cookies: When you’re ready to bake, remove the chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to warm up slightly. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
  15. Arrange the cookie dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, them 3″ to 4″ apart. (Five dough balls fit perfectly on a half-sheet pan. The 90g cookies can be arranged in a 2-1-2 pattern; the 50g cookies can be arranged in a slightly staggered 4 x 2 pattern.) For consistently shaped cookies, roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball before baking.
  16. Bake the large (90g) chocolate chip cookies for 18 to 22 minutes or the smaller (50g) cookies for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are set and the cookies are browned, rotating the pan halfway through baking to ensure even browning. (For best results, bake one pan of cookies at a time.) Remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheets until cool enough to handle, at least 15 minutes.

Storage information: Store leftover chocolate chip cookies, covered, for up to 5 days; their slightly crispy edges will soften and the cookies will maintain a soft texture. Freeze baked cookies for longer storage.

Blueberry/Lemon Drizzle Cake

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Always a fan of Chef Jacques Pepin who scores a home run again with this cake. It’s easy to make, the directions are spot on and it’s delicious to boot!

My only change was to substitute 1/2 cup of yogurt for 1/2 cup of sour cream. Who knew a container of yogurt was only 1/2 cup?

Blueberry Cake —Cake Chef Jacques Pepin

Active time: 15min Total Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ½ c plus 1 Tbl AP flour divided.
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 c granulated sugar
  • ½ c plain yogurt (or 1 c yogurt and no sour cream)
  • ½ c sour cream (or 1 c sour cream and no yogurt)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ½ c vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 ½ c fresh or frozen blueberries
    Lemon Glaze/Syrup
  • 3 Tbl lemon juice
  • 1 c sifted confectioner’s sugar

    METHOD
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F
  2. Grease the sides and bottom of a loaf pan
  3. Sift together all dry ingredients for the bread
  4. In a large bowl, mix together all the moist ingredients
  5. Slowly add in the dry ingredients
  6. In a separate bowl, add the Tbl of flour to the blueberries and toss to coat the fruit.
  7. Fold gently into the batter
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan
  9. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. If a toothpick comes out clean the bread is done
  10. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes
  11. Remove loaf from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack
  12. In a small saucepan on low heat, add the powdered sugar to the lemon juice and let it dissolve.
    Simmer for 3 minutes
  13. Using a toothpick, poke holes all over the loaf, top and sides
  14. Use a pastry brush to brush the lemon syrup on the top and the sides.

Fudge – Not Like What Mom Made

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I made a recipe for chocolate fudge that was totally different from my Mom’s. (To be fair it did use chocolate.)

It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t Mom’s either. This new recipe was smooth, silky, and not too sweet, like what you buy in a good chocolate shop.

Mom’s, or to be more accurate, Better Housekeeping’s, is sweet, a bit grainy and significantly more work. (Beating at the end to achieve the correct viscosity for it to still pour, but harden properly is always a challenge.)

It was a good exercise and it’s always a fun to try new recipes, but Mom always liked her’s best, (an homage to Tommy Smothers) and so do QC and me.

Chocolate Fudge –
with Sweetened Condensed Milk

INGREDIENTS
• 350 g (12 oz) 54% dark chocolate chips
• 397 g (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 20 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of sea salt

METHOD

  1. Line an 8” square cake pan with parchment paper.
  2. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan chopped chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, softened butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
  3. On low heat, let the preparation melt completely while stirring from time to time with a spatula.
  4. Immediately pour the preparation into the prepared pan.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.
  6. When the chocolate fudge has completely cooled, remove it from the cake pan and cut into 1” squares.

Chocolate Fudge –
Good Housekeeping’s and Mom’s

INGREDIENTS

• 4 c sugar
• 1 1/3 c milk
• ¼ c corn syrup
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
• ¼ c butter
• 2 tsp vanilla

METHOD

  1. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with butter.
  2. In 3-quart saucepan, cook sugar, milk, corn syrup, salt and chocolate over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and sugar is dissolved. Cook, stirring occasionally, to 234°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water; remove from heat. Stir in butter.
  3. Cool mixture without stirring to 120°F, about 1 hour. (Bottom of saucepan will be lukewarm.) Add vanilla. Beat vigorously and continuously 5 to 10 minutes, using wooden spoon, until mixture is thick and no longer glossy. (Mixture will hold its shape when dropped from a spoon.)
  4. Spread in pan. Let stand about 1 hour or until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares.

Christmas ‘23 – Like No Other

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Covid sucks. No sense in beating around the bush, Covid just plain sucks. It totally disrupted our holiday today, and tomorrow and…

We were invited to a family dinner tonight and I was asked if I could bring my dinner rolls and one of my desserts, to which I said “Of course!” I decided to make rolls in the shape of a Christmas tree and eclairs suitable for a Christmas dinner.

When I contacted our relative and begged off due to possible Covid exposure she said I shouldn’t bring the rolls and dessert. I told her how I was looking forward to baking and making them and would be very disappointed to not be able to. (I dropped them off this afternoon.)

I know her husband loves the my eclairs so I modified my usual ones to be “Christmasy.” I glazed a few with my normal dark chocolate and made colored white chocolate for the rest, I reserved some of the white chocolate glaze and colored it using oil based food coloring. I “painted” the faces etc and realized in the future I need to make the eclairs larger to have a larger “canvas” to paint on. I call this “Tim Burton’s Eclairs for Christmas” eclairs.

Christmas Tree Dinner Rolls

INGREDIENTS
• 488 g (2 cups) warm milk
• 2 tablespoons instant dry yeast
• 50 g white granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 tablespoons salted butter softened
• 2 large eggs
• 750-850 g (6-7c) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 egg and 1 Tbl water for an egg wash
• ½ c fresh cranberries – choose the most uniform
• Several sprigs fresh rosemary.
• ½ c water
• 1 ½ c sugar, divided 1:½

METHOD

  1. In the Pro600 stand mixer bowl, combine and mix all ingredients except the flour. (This is to remind me to use my larger mixer.)
  2. Add in 5 ½ cups of flour. Using a dough hook, turn the mixer on and increase speed slowly to keep the flour from flying all over. Slowly add the remaining flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (I watch the bottom of the bowl and add flour until the dough just comes clean from the bottom.) Once the dough clears, knead for 8 minutes. The dough mixture should be sticky and soft.
  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. (I dump the dough on the counter, spray the stand mixer bowl with some olive oil and return the dough, cover and let rise 45 – 60 minutes, until doubled.)
  4. Form the the dough into into 45g balls.
  5. Arrange the balls into 8 rows, 3 for the base of the tree, then 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
  6. Reserved one ball to shape the star. (I used a star cookie cutter.)
  7. Cover and let rise 45 – 60 min.
  8. Preheat oven to 375⁰F 15 minutes before the end of the final proof.
  9. Mix egg and water to make an egg wash and lightly brush the rolls.
  10. Bake the rolls for 12 to 14 minutes, until lightly browned.
  11. Remove rolls from oven and brush with melted butter. Best when served warm. To cool, let rest in the pan for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Once cooled completely, store in a plastic bag.

Sparkling sugar cranberries and Rosemary

  1. Wash cranberries and put in a heat proof bowl
  2. Bring the water and 1 c sugar to a simmer
  3. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes then pour over the cranberries
  4. Cool for 1-2 hours in the fridge.
  5. Strain the berries and let dry
  6. Roll in granulated sugar, spread on parchment paper and let dry
  7. Repeat with the rosemary

Pinball Wizard

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This week was our son, Neil’s, birthday. He is a coffee Q Grader, cat owner and competitive pin ball player. This cake was in honor of one of his many accomplishments?

It’s based on my extreme chocolate cake, shortbread cookies and added a new meringue buttercream frosting. It was a relatively small cake so the decorations were somewhat oversized, but overall it was acceptable.

The red and white is royal icing. The black and yellow is fondant.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream – From Sally’s Baking Addiction

INGREDIENTS
• 6 large egg whites (approximately 230g)
• 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/2 cups (3 sticks; 350g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool (60°F and firm) and cut into Tbsp size pieces
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

METHOD

  1. Make sure all the tools you are using are completely cleaned, dried, and grease-free. A quick wipe with a little lemon juice or white vinegar is very helpful.
  2. Separate the eggs 1 at a time into a small bowl, then transfer to the metal stand mixer bowl. Repeat with the remaining egg whites. This way, if a yolk breaks in one of them, you don’t waste the whole batch.
  3. Whisk sugar into the egg whites, then set the bowl over a saucepan filled with two inches of simmering water over medium heat assuring the bottom of the egg whites bowl don’t touch the water.
  4. Whisk the whites and sugar constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out, about 4 minutes. The mixture will be thick and tacky at first, then thin out and be frothy white on top. To test that it’s ready, you can use your finger, or an instant read thermometer. Lightly and quickly dip your finger (it’s very hot, be careful) and rub the mixture between your thumb and finger. You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules. If using a thermometer, the temperature should read 160°F (71°C).
  5. Don’t let it cool down to start this next step– it’s important to begin mixing while it is still warm. On medium-high speed, beat the mixture until stiff glossy peaks form and the meringue is no longer warm to the touch, at least 10-15 minutes. On particularly humid days, this has taken me up to 17-18 minutes. If it’s still not reaching stiff peaks, stop the mixer, place the bowl–uncovered–in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, then return to the mixer and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
  6. If the bowl and meringue still feel warm, wait until both cool to room temperature (around 70°F (21°C)) before adding the butter in the next step. Feel free to place it in the refrigerator. A warm bowl and meringue will melt the butter.
  7. Switch the stand mixer to the paddle attachment. On medium-high speed, add the butter 1 Tablespoon at a time. Wait for the butter to fully mix in before adding the next Tablespoon. After all the butter has been added, turn the mixer down to medium speed and fully beat in the vanilla and salt, about 30 seconds.
  8. Add any color the beat until uniform. (Gel food coloring only.)
  9. Your Swiss meringue buttercream should be thick, creamy, and silky smooth.

Notes
Too Thick or Too Thin:

  1. If your meringue has separated, curdled, or is too thick at any point after you mix in all of the butter, place the mixture in your heat-proof bowl back over a pot of 2 inches of simmering water.
  2. Without stirring, let the edges of the meringue warm up and become liquid (the center of the meringue will still be solid), about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and return to the mixer. Beat meringue on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to medium-high speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Works every time.
  4. If your mixture has become too thin and soupy after you add the butter, place the entire bowl in the refrigerator (covered or uncovered, doesn’t matter) for 20 minutes to cool down, then return it to the mixer and beat on medium-high speed until thickened. Any longer than this will solidify the butter, so only refrigerate in 20 minute spurts. If it’s still soupy, place back in the refrigerator for longer before re-whipping again.

Mini Remnant Chocolate Cakes

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If you follow me you likely know I am a Vermonter and anyone from New England is known to be… um… frugal. I made some baseball cakes this week and when the cake rises in the hemispherical molds there is a portion that needs to be trimmed off. Well, I am not one to waste anything, especially chocolate cake.

I made what QC termed mini chocolate cakes from the remnants. Really all I did was to make some White Meringue Frosting and cover the tops of the cakes and add a few sprinkles. Easy, peasy.

Remnants
Firm Peak White Meringue Frosting
Voila!

White Meringue Frosting

INGREDIENTS

  • ¾ cup (170 g) confectioner’s sugar
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 2 Tbl cold water
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

  1. Place all ingredients in the stand mixer bowl and whisk until well combined.
  2. Chose a saucepan large enough so the mixer bowl will rest on the rim but not touch 1-2” of water in the saucepan.
  3. Once the water is almost boiling, place the mixer bowl on the saucepan and whisk the mixture. Turn the burner to low. The water should be not quite boiling. The mixture must not boil. Whisk until all the sugar is dissolved or you will end up with a grainy looking frosting. Check to see if it has reached 160-170⁰ F.
  4. Place the bowl in the kitchen mixer with the whisk attachment on. Whisk the meringue frosting until stiff peaks forms and has a glossy look. This can take up to 12 -15 minutes or more. But don’t over-beat. You will beat air into the frosting. It needs to be easily spreadable
  5. When the white meringue frosting is ready, if desired it can be colored with food gel colors. This frosting will crust over time, but the center of the frosting swirl will still be thick and fluffy.
  6. Cakes and cupcakes with white meringue frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for two days.

Tip: Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes. If using it on cupcakes, use a plastic piping bag and a large piping tip for great cupcake swirls