Daring Bakers' Challenge- Fraisier

Jana of Cherry Tea Cakes was our July Daring Bakers’ host and she challenges us to make Fresh Frasiers inspired by recipes written by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson in the beautiful cookbook Tartine.

This challenge recipe was perfect for a hot, summer day- it’s so light!  I made a lemon chiffon cake and filled it with fresh strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream.  This dessert was simple, but delicious.  I love the fresh berries in the filling, and I'll definitely plan on making this recipe again!

I made a lemon chiffon cake

Place the bottom half of the cake in the bottom of the springform pan, and line the sides of the pan with strawberry halves

Pipe whipped cream around the strawberries

Add a layer of whipped cream and berries

Place the other cake half on top and add a layer of whipped cream

Lemon Chiffon Cake

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup vegetable oil

3 large egg yolks

¼ cup water

1/8 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest

5 large egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 325°F

2. Line the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan with parchment paper.  Do not grease pan

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.  Add all but 3 tablespoons of the sugar and all of the salt, and stir to combine.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, egg yolks, water, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest.  Combine mixture with dry ingredients and mix for about one minute, until mixture is very smooth.

5. Beat egg whites in a mixing bowl on medium speed, until frothy.  Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until whites hold soft peaks.  Slowly beat in the remaining sugar and continue beating until whites hold stiff, shiny peaks.

6. Scoop about 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture, and fold in gently with a clean spatula.  Carefully fold in the remaining whites until just combined.

7. Pour batter into prepared spring form pan and bake for 40-50 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean.

8. Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Unmold cake by running a knife around the side of the pan and removing the spring form sides.

Simple Syrup

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Allow sugar to completely dissolve and remove from heat.  Simple syrup can be kept in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Whipped cream

2 cups heavy cream

2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream until it holds soft peaks.  Add the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and beat until combined.

Assembling the Fraisier

Cake

Simple Syrup

Whipped Cream

Strawberries

Blueberries

1. Cut cake in half horizontally to form two layers.  Place one layer of cake in bottom of spring form pan and brush with simple syrup.

2. Hull strawberries and cut them in half.  Line the sides of the spring form pan with the strawberry halves, forming a ring.  Place the strawberry halves with the cut sides against the side of the pan

3.  Pipe whipped cream between the strawberries and along the top of the cake

4.  Add a layer of blueberries and sliced strawberries, and cover with more of the whipped cream.

5. Place the second layer of cake on top.  Brush cake with more simple syrup, and spread remaining whipped cream on top.

6. Cover cake and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until set.

7. Remove sides of spring form pan and enjoy!

Cake recipe adapted from the lemon chiffon recipe found at www.thedaringkitchen.com

-Posted by Jennifer

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I tend to be kind of particular about everything I eat or drink, but I'm especially bad about milk.  It has to be chocolate (as in it came that way from the store, not mixed with syrup at home) and it must be from Jersey cows.  So when my dad decided he wanted mint chocolate chip ice cream made with Jersey cow milk/cream for Father's Day I knew it would be some of the creamiest ice cream ever!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2 ½ cups milk

2 ¾ cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 ½ cups half and half

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

6 cups whipping cream

2 teaspoons peppermint extract

½ teaspoon green food coloring

12 oz. (2 cups) grated semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips

Scald milk until bubbles form around the edge of the pan.  Remove from the heat, add the sugar and salt, stirring until dissolved.  Stir in the remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the chocolate chips.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes, covered, then freeze according to instructions.  Once done, remove the mixing paddle and stir in the chocolate chips.

Makes 4 quarts  

*I used very little food coloring.  Also, we used the mini chips.

- This recipe was included in the instruction manual for my Rival Electric Ice Cream Maker.

~Posted by Karen

Sour Cream Chocolate Tart

If you're ever in Athens, Georgia, I highly recommend that you eat at the Grit. Aside from being one of the best vegetarian restaurants I've ever been to, they also have a wide array of delicious desserts.  I don't get to visit Athens often, but luckily the restaurant also has a cookbook full of their most famous recipes.  This tart reminds me of a sugar cookie topped with chocolate cheesecake!

Prepare and chill crust.

Prepare chocolate-sour cream filling.

Bake and enjoy!

Sour Cream Chocolate Tart

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

¼ tsp salt

½ cup (1 stick) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1 egg

1 tsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 ½ cups sour cream

1 egg, beaten

½ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375°F

2. Prepare crust: Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.  Cut butter into the mixture until particles are very small and well combined.  Beat together the egg, milk and vanilla, and toss with the flour mixture until mixture can be formed into a ball.  Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan.  Refrigerate dough while preparing the filling.

3. Place chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon sour cream in saucepan and warm over low heat until chocolate is melted.  Beat together all of the ingredients for the filling with an electric mixer on medium speed, until mixture is very smooth.  Pour filling into crust and place tart on a cookie sheet.

4. Bake tart for 35 to 40 minutes, until crust is browned and center of tart jiggles when shaken.  Cool completely.

Adapted from recipe for Sour Cream Chocolate Tart from The Grit Restaurant Cookbook by Jessica Greene and Ted Hafer, available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/Grit-Cookbook-World-Wise-Down-Home-Recipes/dp/1556526482/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1308273681&sr=8-3

-Posted by Jennifer

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

When Jennifer came to visit, I wanted us to make some kind of dessert together.  However, since she was only here for the weekend, it needed to be something that's easy to mix up and not too involved.  This cake is perfect because it goes together quickly and then bakes for awhile...so we had plenty of time to sit and catch up!

Mix it all up, throw it in the oven....

...and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

2/3 cup chopped pecans

¼ cup butter, softened

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate mini-morsels

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.  Combine the first 3 ingredients with a fork, and sprinkle in the prepared pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a heavy-duty, electric stand mixer, beat butter, sugars, and vanilla until fluffy, 3-5 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time.  Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour, beating on low.  You may need to stop and scrape the bowl.  Add the chocolate chips and spoon into the bundt pan.
4. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to cool completely.  If desired, garnish with whipped cream and cherries.

Serves 12

Recipe from the May 2010 issue of Southern Living Magazine.  Subscribe here and see the recipe here!

-Posted by Karen

Daring Bakers' Challenge- Baklava

Erica of Erica’s Edibles was our host for the Daring Baker’s June challenge. Erica challenged us to be truly DARING by making homemade phyllo dough and then to use that homemade dough to make Baklava.

I was very excited about this challenge, because I love baklava, but I've always used frozen phyllo dough. Unfortunately, making sheets of homemade phyllo dough proved to be more challenging than I expected.  The dough was nearly impossible to roll out, as it kept ripping.  The end result was not pretty, so I ended up making another pan of baklava, using frozen phyllo dough, and had much better results.  I recommend using frozen dough, but I included the recipe for homemade dough as well, in case you're up for a real challenge!

Make dough and allow to rest for 2 hours.

Roll out dough into paper-thin sheets

Layer sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with butter

Add layer of nuts and spices, and repeat 

Brush top of baklava with butter, and slice the pastry into squares before baking

Make syrup with water, sugar, honey and spices while baklava bakes

Pour syrup over hot baklava and allow it to cool

Baklava

Makes one 8" by 12" pan (24-30 pieces)

Phyllo Dough

2 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose (plain) flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup less 2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Mix flour and salt together.

2. Combine water, oil and vinegar in a small bowl.  Slowly add water and oil mixture to the flour mixture, stirring constantly until you have a soft dough.  Knead dough by hand for 20 minutes (if you have a stand mixer with dough hook, you can knead for 10 minutes).

3. Make the dough into a ball and lightly cover with oil.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 2 hours.

4. To roll out dough, break off a golf ball sized chunk.  Make sure your counter and rolling pin are well floured.  Roll out dough as thin as possible, until transparent.

Syrup

1 1/4 cups honey

1 1/4 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange zest
pinch of ground clove

1. While baklava bakes, combine ingredients in saucepan over medium heat.  Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and allow to cool

Baklava

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Few pinches allspice
3/4 cup pecans
3/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup pistachios
2/3 cup sugar
phyllo dough- see recipe above, or buy frozen dough and allow to thaw
½ cup (1 stick) melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F

2. Place nuts, sugar and spices in food processor and pulse until nuts are finely chopped.

3. Brush bottom of pan with melted butter and place first sheet of phyllo dough.  Brush phyllo sheet with butter and repeat about 8 times.

4. Spread 1/3 of the nut mixture on top

5. Continue layering phyllo dough and butter, repeating 5 times

6. Spread 1/3 of the nut mixture on top

7. Continue layering phyllo dough and butter, repeating 5 times

8. Spread 1/3 of the nut mixture on top

9. Layer 6 more sheets of phyllo dough and butter

10. Brush the top of the baklava with melted butter, then use a sharp knife to cut into pieces

11. Bake baklava for 45 minutes-1 hour.  Baklava will be golden brown when ready.

12. Remove from oven and pour syrup over hot baklava.

13. Allow baklava to cool and absorb the syrup.

Recipe adapted from the June challenge recipe posted at www.thedaringkitchen.com, which was adapted from an Alton Brown recipe.

-Posted by Jennifer

www.thedaringkitchen.com

Dutch Baby with Peaches

I recently bought a cast iron skillet and was looking for an opportunity to use it for the first time.  With peaches being in season right now, this was the perfect recipe.  This pancake is great for either breakfast or dessert, and would be equally tasty with any other type of fruit filling!

Mix the batter and pour into hot skillet to bake.

Heat sliced peaches with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Fill Dutch baby with peaches and dust with powdered sugar.

Dutch Baby

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

Spiced Peaches

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 peaches, peeled and sliced

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Confectioner’s sugar

1. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven and heat to 450°F.

2. Sift flour and salt together and set aside.

3. Beat eggs with mixer at low speed. Add the milk and flour mixture, alternating, in 3 additions.  Beat until smooth, then mix in the melted butter.

4. Brush the hot skillet with the extra melted butter.  Pour batter into hot skillet and bake for 10 minutes at 450°F.  Reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking until the Dutch baby is puffy and pulls away from the pan, about 15 minutes.  Remove Dutch baby from oven and drizzle with lemon juice.

5. While Dutch baby is baking, prepare the peaches.  Melt butter in sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the peaches, cinnamon and brown sugar and stir until peaches are heated.

6. Fill the Dutch baby with the spiced peaches and dust with powdered sugar.  Serve immediately.

Adapted from the recipe for Dutch Baby with Spiced Peaches in Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America, available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Home-Culinary-Institute-America/dp/0471450952/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308271775&sr=8-1

-Posted by Jennifer

Pecan Pie Cookies

Growing up in the South, I have always been a big fan of pecan pie.  When I saw this recipe for pecan pie cookies, I knew I had to try them.  The dough is similar to a butter cookie, and the pecan pie topping makes these treats amazing!

Mix the butter, sugar, corn syrup, eggs and flour for the cookie dough.

Make pecan pie topping on the stovetop.

Scoop cookie dough into balls and brush with egg white

After baking for 6 minutes, add the pecan pie topping, and continue baking cookies 

Yum!

Pecan Pie Cookies

Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup sugar

½ cup dark corn syrup

2 large eggs, separated

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup butter

½ cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons dark corn syrup

½ teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup chopped pecans

1. Beat 1 cup of butter and the sugar at medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy.  Add ½ cup dark corn syrup and the egg yolks and continue beating until well combined.  Stir in the flour gradually, until combined.  Cover dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Melt ¼ cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup, and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils.  Stir in the pecans and remove the mixture from heat.  Chill mixture for 30 minutes.  Shape pecan mixture into ½ teaspoonful-sized balls and set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Scoop the cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place on a greased baking sheet.  Space the cookies 2 inches apart.  Whisk the egg white until foamy, and brush on the cookie dough balls.

4. Bake at 375°F for 6 minutes.  Remove cookies from oven and set a pecan ball in the center of each cookie.  Continue baking for 8 more minutes.  Cookies should be lightly browned when done.  Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before moving to wire racks to finish cooling.

Adapted from the recipe for Pecan Pie Cookies found in Classic Southern Desserts by the editors of Southern Living Magazine, available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Southern-Desserts-All-Time-Favorite/dp/0848733304/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305315351&sr=8-1

-Posted by Jennifer