TWD Fresh mango (bread) muffins

I was intrigued when I first found out that Fresh Mango Bread was the TWD (Tuesdays with Dorie) recipe for this week. I’ve made many banana, apple, cranberry, blueberry, carrot and even a zucchini bread, but mangos in a loaf never crossed my mind.

When I read the recipe, I suspected that the subtle flavor of one diced mango would not be very prominent in the bread, so I looked for ways to make it more mango-ey. And as my family already knows, in true Dragana fashion, I just had to put my twist to it: the raisins had to go – they’re way too pedestrian! What I found were delicious, sweet and intensely flavored dried mango pieces. To 1/2 cup of chopped dried mango, I added just enough rum to cover them. Later, I added 3 tablespoons of the soaking rum to the batter (I’m never in favor of discarding good liquor!). I reduced both the sugar to 3/4 cup and the ginger to 1 teaspoon – after all, it’s all about the mangoes, right? I came away with 12 moist and tasty individual muffins.

Thanks to Kelly at Baking with the Boys for selecting this recipe. You can find the original recipe on her blog. After the TWD chocolate onslaught in April, this was a refreshing change. Topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream, diced crystallized ginger, freshly grated lime zest and a chunk of dried mango, these muffins are a winner! Just ask Carolina!

Prijatno!

Coconut Butter Thins

Late again with my TWD post.  Over a week late, I must confess!  Sometimes work, social events and training for a two-day 170- mile bicycle ride (MS150 Houston to Austin) just gets in the way of a blogger! 

I made Dorie Greenspan’s Coconut Butter Thins over two weeks ago and they were quickly consumed by me and my training buddies.   Fortunately for me, cycling demands an increase in calorie intake so I forget about the guilt and indulge in sweets to my palate’s content!  Bring on those hills!  My sugar-laden body owns them!

The basis of these rich buttery cookies is shortbread dough.  The addition of toasted macadamia nuts and coconut put a distinctive, crunchy spin on an otherwise plain cookie.  My favorite part of the baking process was rubbing the lime zest into the sugar.  My entire kitchen smelled fresh and citrusy.  These cookies are definitely worth a try and wonderful with a cup of coffee.

Thanks to Jayne at The Barefoot Kitchen Witch for choosing this recipe.  It’s probably not one that I would have been moved to make, but having done so, I’m really glad that I did.    These are the pleasant surprises that come with belonging to a group like TWD.  You can find the complete recipe and a funny account of Jayne’s cute daughter helping mommy make the cookies by clicking on the name of her blog above.  She even included detailed how-to pictures. 

And…I just couldn’t resist sharing this beautiful orchid with you.  It’s one of the many blooming orchids in my kitchen window.

Prijatno!

TWD Lemon Cup Custard

This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie’s recipe is a Lemon Cup Custard found on page 387 of Dorie Greenspan’s book Baking From My Home to Yours.  The recipe is so simple it has only four ingredients – whole milk, eggs, sugar and lemon zest.  That leaves lots of room for a creative combination of flavorings – lemon and clove, orange and star anise, espresso and cinnamon and many more. 

Custards have gone by the wayside since rich and creamy crème brûlées made their appearance a few years ago.  Having indulged in many a crème brûlée, their cream-laden fat components lingering in my mouth and later on my hips, this custard was in stark contrast.  Made with whole milk instead of cream, it tripped off my tongue without leaving much of an impression.  For my spoiled tongue, this custard needed lots of added flavor, much more than called for in the recipe.

Ms. Greenspan describes the custard as ‘silky’ and ‘lithe’.  True.  It is very light and fragile in structure without the binding force of fat.  But the benefit to this custard is that it has far fewer calories than a crème brûlée.  And that’s HUGE!  Cream has ten times more fat than whole milk.  If you’re counting calories, this is a good alternative.

I chose to stick to the original recipe for the most part.  The hot milk and lemon zest smelled lovely together.  Instead of lemon oil, I added 1/2 teaspoon of my own home-made ‘Limecello’ (Limoncello made with limes – I’ll share the recipe soon).  Next time I’ll add more – maybe a tablespoon or so.

For fun, I caramelized slices of star fruit for the top.  Star fruit is also known as Carambola and is native to India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.  It now grows in the tropics all over the world and throughout south east Asia.  I like it because it is very juicy and not too sweet.  It has a light citrus flavor and is loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C. 

To caramelize the star fruit, prepare it following the directions in the link above, then slice into 1/4 inch pieces.  Pat dry with a paper towel.  Sprinkle with sugar.  With a kitchen torch, heat the sugar until it starts to burn. 

To find the recipe and see what other TWD bloggers made of it, please visit Bridget’s blog, The Way The Cookie Crumbles.  

 

Prijatno!

TWD Caramel Crunch Bars

Yes, they are tall!  Unlike the suggestion in the book, I chose to bake the dough in an 8 x 11 fluted tart pan – more dough in a smaller pan  =  a thicker base.  I wanted a taller bar to serve at a special event this coming Saturday. 

My mother is always particular about her bar and cookie presentations.  Her sitne kolače (small cakes) are individual, bite-size pieces served on rectangular crystal trays.  There is always a colorful variety on each tray, with cookies placed neatly in rows.  These will fit right in! 

Thanks to Whitney of What's left on the table? for choosing Caramel Crunch Bars from Dorie Greenspan’s book Baking from my home to yours.  Please check her site for the recipe and to see how other bakers fared during the process.

For the base I used Ghirardelli chocolate baking bars, 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate, which happen to be my favorite bars for snacking!  I added 1/3 cup toasted and chopped almonds to the dough for a nutty flavor.  The espresso powder and cinnamon intensifies the flavor of the chocolate.  I wouldn’t leave it out.  If you like seriously sweet desserts, this one is for you.  Serve these cut in small pieces!

Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips melted on top of a thick base:

Heath toffee bits sink into the warm pillow of chocolate:

This is a great basic recipe that I am going to experiment with.  Next time I plan to sprinkle toasted, slivered almonds on top instead of the toffee bits.  Hazelnuts would be divine with the chocolate…or how about Nutella… berries… jam… whipped cream…

Prijatno!

Fleur de Sel and a cookie worth its salt!

 

If you are a chocoholic, like my daughter Emilia, I predict you’ll flip over these double chocolate wonders called World Peace Cookies from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking, From My Home To Yours.   Originally created by well-known Parisian pastry chef Pierre Hermé, they consist of a shortbread batter enriched with cocoa powder, chocolate pieces and  a generous helping of fleur de sel.   

Fleur de Sel, ‘flower of salt’, gets its name from the flower shapes that comprise the delicate top layer of salt crystals that enter the marshes of Brittany, the Camargue, and Noirmoutier regions in France, and the Algarve region in Portugal.   These delicate crystals are harvested by hand and contain a higher mineral content than other salts.  They also retain a moistness which imparts a subtle scent of the ocean when the container is first opened.  Because it is so delicate and melts faster, fleur de sel is often used as a ‘finishing’ salt in desserts and savory dishes. 

The presence of the fleur de sel takes centre stage in this cookie.  Its addition intensifies the chocolate and draws out its warm, rich flavor.  You could eat an avocado, steak or rice pudding without a pinch of salt, but you’d be missing the brightness and essence  that salt is able to draw from them.   It is the essential ingredient in pickling and preserving and was once a spice high in value.  In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid in salt (it was their ‘salarium’, hence the word salary).

Thanks to Jessica of cookbookhabit for choosing these cookies.  Check out her blog for the recipe.  I made the cookie as printed, with fleur de sel and mini chocolate chips.  The batter came together nicely and the cookies retained their shape when baked and cooled.  If you can’t find fleur de sel you can use regular table salt, but use half the amount, as the recipe indicates.  If you are concerned about sodium intake, try them, but limit yourself to a couple a day if you can!  And fleur de sel will delicately replace the necessary electrolytes your body craves!

So, add some fleur de sel to your life…it is the ultimate flavor enhancer for any dish, sweet or savory!  And Emilia, my dear hard-working freshman in college, your cookie care package is in the mail!

Prijatno!

TWD Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread ‘volcanoes’ and the John Legend concert.

It’s time for another TWD dessert, but first… John Legend charmed the pants off of me at the Verizon Theatre on Saturday night!  He is a young R&B/Soul artist with an angelic face and a distinctive voice, warm one minute, and raw the next.  Romantic, sexy and very elegant (no excessive Bling!), he is a refreshing contrast to the other new young artists (Kanye West could use a lesson on humility and grace from him).  

Well-spoken and highly communicative, Legend knocked all sense out of a giddy Aggie sophomore sitting next to me and the rest of the well-dressed audience (swagga sistuh!).  Legend’s official site allowed me to link directly to his videos (the coolest for computer challenged moi!)  Listen here:  http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1885429856/bclid8711344001/bctid458993325

And here: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1885429856/bclid8711344001/bctid1364233662

This week’s recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s book, Baking, From My Home To Yours, was chosen by Heather of Sherry Trifle.  The recipe was pretty straight forward and gained respect from me from the outset because one of the ingredients is my favorite - buttermilk (think moist, moist, moist).  I omitted the stem ginger and coffee and decided to make individual portions (for easier distribution to the neighbors!).  I finished each with a drizzle of chocolate sauce, a dollop of whipped cream and a chunk of crystallized ginger.  All lined up, they reminded me of erupting volcanoes!  I had the cutest, sweetest and most elegant model of the Pacific Rim of Fire on my kitchen counter!   Thanks Heather!

Prijatno!

TWD Berry Surprise Cake and an Inauguration!

This is a short post today because I’ve been distracted by the Inauguration. Who was Michelle Obama wearing?  A sparkling Isabel Toledo creation in my favorite color – yellow!   We have a new President and first family and I wish them well. 

Today’s Tuesdays With Dorie recipe, Berry Surprise Cake from Dorie Greenspan’s book Baking, From My Home To Yours, was chosen by Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen.  My DSN (dearest sweetest neighbor) Carolina and I decided to combine our efforts for this one, and we baked two smaller cakes using only one recipe.  She did the math using the well-known kitchen formula: pie are squared! and the 5” and 6.5” round pans combined  were close enough in area to the specified 8” pan.

We had heard from other TWD bakers about the cake falling in the middle.  To prevent this we added 2 tablespoons of meringue powder with the flour.  It’s a new nifty tip for me and our cakes held their height quite well once they cooled.

A hole was cut out in the centre and we liberally doused it with simple syrup spiked with cherry liqueur.  The cream cheese filling was not very sweet, but was complemented by the sweet whipped cream topping.  Carolina was lucky to find decent raspberries and blueberries at this time of year and they added to the elegant presentation.  This cake would make any occasion special.  Try it!

 

Here’s a photo I entered in the CLICK! The Photo Event 

for January, 2009.  The theme is RED!

Berry Surprise!

Prijatno!

Dorie’s delectable Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins!

I do not have much time to write tonight, but I did manage to make Dorie’s moist and delectable corn muffins this morning. Move over Aunt Jemima – make way for these tasty delights! If you have not made corn muffins from scratch yet – this is an easy recipe to begin with.

The inclusion of buttermilk in the recipe immediately won me over! I hail from a culture where buttermilk and yogurt are consumed on a daily basis and are credited with longevity (I’m hoping for the same!). When used in baking, they add lots of moisture and sometimes a little tang. Pair buttermilk or yogurt with hot corn ‘mush’ or polenta and, in my humble opinion, you have a wholesome breakfast that beats any over processed cereal from a box.

I was lucky enough to pick several small red bell peppers from our garden less than a week ago (such are the perks of mild Houston winters). I chopped a couple up and they added beautiful color and flavor to the muffins. I used frozen corn and added 3 more tablespoons to the batter. I used only 1 tablespoon of sugar because I like my savory muffins less sweet. In the absence of a fresh jalapeno, I chopped up some pickled slices from the relish shelf in the refrigerator. They provided just the right amount of heat. Cilantro is my favorite herb, so I jacked up the amount by about 1/2 tablespoon.

When combined, I noticed that the batter was quite thick and foamy and I suspected that the baking soda was already reacting to the the acids in the buttermilk, getting the leavening process underway. I baked the batter in three different size muffin pans for variety and when they came out, the first thing I did was devour a couple with a chilled glass of buttermilk. They were very flavorful and moist – the perfect breakfast treat!

Moist and flavorful!

Thanks to Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake for suggesting Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins on page 6 of Baking, From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.

Prijatno!

Tuesdays With Dorie!

French Pear Tart

As a regular listener of NPR, I was introduced to Dorie Greenspan and her love of baking a few years ago. She was very generous to share her prized recipes on the air, and I must have been the first to hit the website, print and bake. Her recipe for rugelach is still a favorite. Ms. Greenspan has since published her 9th cookbook, Baking: From my kitchen to yours, now my favorite source for sweet things! The book includes interesting anecdotes of Ms. Greenspan baking in a modest New York home when she was a young girl, to working with the likes of the highly esteemed Julia Child, Pierre Herme and Daniel Boulud!

My dearest, sweetest neighbor, Carolina, recommended I join Tuesdays with Dorie. It didn't take much coaxing and fortunately the group opened to new members recently. So here I am, a baker at heart, doing what I enjoy most - sharing my experiences from the book with you. And I'm sure the neighbors on our short cul-de-sac won't mind either!

Ms. Greenspan herself chose the recipe for this week: French Pear Tart, on page 368. Being somewhat of a Francophile, I was very pleased and pulled out my collection of tart pans (which recently doubled, thanks to my generous friend, Deb). I chose a rectangular one, as you can see!

The pastry was easy to make, baked beautifully and retained its shape. The filling was fluffy and delicious with the addition of finely ground almonds. The only problem I encountered was finding fresh pears. You see, I Iive in the burbs, and quality is sometimes suspect. My fresh pears turned to mush and were brown on the inside when I poached them. They were duly tossed! Fortunately, Ms. Greenspan also recommended canned pears (which the French most commonly use). I am not a fan of canned foods, but Del Monte came through in a pinch! The pears were firm enough to slice and baked up beautifully.

Ms. Greenspan recommends eating this tart the same day it is baked, but I'm saving it for a special occasion tomorrow where I will share it with my family and friends. And to you, I recommend you go out and buy the book now, and join in the fun! Bon Appetit and

Prijatno!