TWD: Not-Really-Mini Madeleines

Oh my word!  I nearly forgot to post today!

These TWD selections get better and better.  Out of our two selections this week, I chose to go with the Mini Madeleines selection by Di.  I was originally going to go with the squash pie, but upon realizing that it was a pie with squash chunks in it--a fruit pie with squash chunks--I simply couldn't bring myself to waste the ingredients.  I just wouldn't be likely to eat that.  I don't even know what butternut squash tastes like!

So I went with the madeleines.  I bought a pan--a regular-sized one--to make some with a TWD recipe some months ago and never got around to it.  So I put it into use, making 12 regular cookies instead of 36 minis.

And now? I would like to make them every day.  They were very easy to make--just whisking (by hand) a few things that are easily found in anyone's larder.  Then you don't even have to hustle the batter into the oven--it goes into the fridge.  I left mine there one day.

The hardest part was flouring the molds.  The batter itself just spooned in and went right into the oven.

They baked up beautifully...

and tasted divine, even two days later.

Just perfect.  I love them!

I'm so pleased, I'm gonna do as promised and give extra quilt-in-progress photos:

(I sneaked in to the office to sandwich on Sunday.  The life of the single and impoverished and living in tiny apartments!  Shhhhh.)

Another pic of the top, a bit closer up:

and the back, though this isn't a good photo color-wise.  Think shades of pink and coral, ok?

It's all sandwiched and trimmed now, ready to be quilted. At some point.

TWD: Far Breton (aka, guess who's back)

Hi!

I have not, in fact, fallen off the face of the earth.  Sometimes I have felt like I was, but it has not actually happened yet.  Work has been OMFG INSANE, and I've been spending my spare moments staring into space and sewing.  I've occasionally made a TWD recipe here and there, but haven't been blown away by any of my choices.

I've been sadly off the baking wagon, but since we are nearing the end of the book, let's see if I can get my act together and finish this off--and maybe even join in on the next challenge. 

To finish out the book, the group is now choosing two recipes a week.  One of this week's recipes, Honey Nut Scones, is one I've made a gazillion times (I LOVE them and highly recommend them;  go to Jeannette's for the recipe)  so I decided to try the other recipe, which was one I would never otherwise try:  Far Breton, chosen by Nicole of Cookies on Friday.  I had no idea what a Far Breton was.  There's no photo, either, to guide you--and what I do know is that it contains PRUNES and RAISINS--two things I can really, really, live without.  I was concerned.  Very concerned.  But I womaned up and made it.

First of all, it's really easy.  The ingredients are all things you probably have sitting around right now. 

Everything whips up in the food processor!  And then you don't even have to do anything--you just bang it into the fridge for a day or so till you want to bake it.  (Which for me was two days).  Lazy lazy lazy.  CHEAH!

The fruit is soaked till you want to use it.  My fruit was already pretty moist, but I steeped in in Earl Grey Tea as directed.  At least, I think I did it as directed.  The directions weren't really clear here--was "meanwhile" supposed to be while I made the batter, while it rested in the fridge, or while I buttered the pan?  I didn't know, so I actually fixed them up first and they soaked about three days (in the fridge of course).

Putting it together was very easy--butter pan, pour in batter, drop in fruit, bang in oven and forget.  It even baked right on time--55 minutes for me.  It puffed in the oven but sank a little on cooling.  Once it was cool, I unmolded and tried it.

Though it's in the "cake" section of the book, it's not really cake at all!  It's more like a baked custard. 

A REALLY SMOOTH AND DELICIOUS custard.  And the prunes are not prune-y--they are just these little juicy bits of...whatever.  It's really good!  I'm really glad I tried this recipe. Thanks for choosing it, Nicole!  A fine way to come back to the TWD fold.  :-)

TWD: Basic Marbled Loaf Cake

After an unexpected hiatus (including an expected extended trip to Paris)  and a flurry of sewing, I am back to baking this week with our pick by Carol.  The recipe for this cake (which I believe you'll find on her blog) is for a plain loaf cake, which you then flavor however you want.  I've registered here before that marble cake is one of my favorites, so I was all over it. I've also registered here that I love chocolate and mint together, so when I saw one of the suggestions was a chocolate-peppermint mix I was all over that, too.

The cake was very quick, straightforward and easy to mix together.

Not much to say about that. Just a standard butter cake in composition.  I had some Callebaut white blocks that have been sitting around forever, and some slightly bittersweet chips, so I used those for my chocolates.

I mixed half the batter with the bittersweet chocolate and half with the white.  I reached into the cabinet and discovered that my peppermint extract is actually peppermint oil.  Oh well.  I added it anyhow.

Then in a fit of perversity, I decided peppermint cake should be pink.

Then in another fit of perversity, I decided the flavors should not be very mixed.

So I layered the batters and banged the cake, unswirled, into the oven.

I let it bake for the minimum suggested--an hour and 20 minutes.  It was crusty and very done by then.

I tried a piece before bed and brought some in my lunch to work today.

Verdict:  I dunno what the deal is, but my cake is dry as all get out.  I typically love "dry" "plain" cakes, but this one is throwing me.  I'm not sure if it baked too long, or if using 2% milk really made a huge difference (I doubt that, though;  I usually have that about the house so it's what I typically use)  The peppermint is nice and strong (though admittedly mint-flavored cake is a little weird) but though I am not a chocolate freak I think the chocolate needs upping, either from using a stronger chocolate and/or increasing the amount of chocolate batter.  I am gonna try it with some chocolate sauce and see if I am happier with it.

TWD: Honey Nut Brownies

Hi there!

I'm here to report on this week's TWD selection, the Honey Nut Brownies chosen by Suzy!  I didn't really know what to expect from this recipe.

First there was the melting of chocolate.  I used a Lindt bar (my standby), but then added some bittersweet chips to get the full four ounces.  This melted up quickly.

Then there was making the batter.  I used a mixed-flower honey in my batter.

After folding in dry stuff and chocolate, I added walnuts, which are my fave nuts for brownies.  Then batter to pan.  I thought the batter was kinda thin for brownies.  There was a lot of it too. 

Into the oven, and this is where complications arose:  it took a full HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES for my brownies to bake in a 9" metal pan.  They came out perfect without tenting--no hard edges or squidgy center--but really, 75 minutes is just unacceptable for a small pan of brownies.

The brownies' thin batter resulted in a very cakey texture.  The chocolate...well, there's a reason Dorie suggests adding chocolate frosting.  There's not much chocolate flavor in there.  What there is is a lot of sugar flavor.  A LOT OF SUGAR FLAVOR.  I nearly went into shock at my desk. 

Verdict:  I tried eating these for days before finally decided 1/2 way through the pan that I just didn't really like them.  I need my brownies less wishy washy about their identity, I guess. And I ABOMINATES icing on brownies, so I don't like covering them with it to give them an identity. Oh well, can't love 'em all, and I am glad I tried them. 

TWD: Toasted Almond Scones

I really was quite surprised not to have photos of the almond scones (chosen by Mike at Living Out West) already.  I make these, along with the Honey Nut Scones, all the time.  For the past couple of years, you could usually find a bag of them in my freezer, all ready for an impromptu teatime. 

They are relatively quick to throw together, but what I really love about them is how freezable they are.  I usually take a morning and make a few batches, cut and freeze on cookie sheets, wrap them up and stuff them in freezer bags to be baked and eaten one or two at a time.  They really do freeze beautifully, and I personally think they bake much better from frozen. 

The bits about toasting, grinding, and chopping the almonds are kind of fussy, but not difficult.  One must plan ahead a little.  I just pile them on a sheet and slide them in the oven at 400 for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally til they look about right.

The rest, however, goes quickly, even the cutting of butter.

The dough is a little wet, but nothing a very light dusting of flour and some quick handiwork can't handle.

Once I form the triangles, I always bang them in the freezer for a while to firm up.  Then I take them out and wrap them well, and put them back.  They bake at about the same time specified directly from frozen, and I think they hold their shape and lovely melty texture better, too.

Yum!

TWD: Chocolate Oatmeal Drops

Boy, talk about a sleeper.

These cookies did not look or sound very interesting.  Actually, they looked like something had gone horribly wrong--a great heap of cookie with a thin, lacy band around it.  hmm.

In a fit of TWD Remorse, I made these the same night I made the scones.  The scones were old hat for me;  I've been making that recipe for years.  These were new.  We got no pictures, so I couldn't tell much about them other than I had everything necessary on hand, and they sounded brownie-like in preparation.

First, there was melting of butter and sugar and chocolate.

That went fast.

Whisk, whisk in dry stuff and stir in oatmeal.  I added some walnuts, too, just because.

Then I scooped onto pans by tablespoons as directed, and here is where things got weird:

For some unknown reason, my dough got all slimy. Eww.  I baked them anyway, to see what would happen.

They didn't seem to spread much.

I was afraid they would be raw in the middle, but they were not!  They were actually chewy brownielicious goodness that I will most definitely make again.  I wasn't expecting much but they very much exceeded expectations.  Go 'head, then, Caroline and Claire!  (They have the recipe up, if you are interested.)

TWD: Bourbon Bread Pudding

So I gave it one more go.  I think I have mentioned before that I LOVE bread pudding.  I understand it is a dish one either loves or hates;  but really, how can you hate spiced cream-soaked vanilla-laden baked BREAD?  I really think people who hate bread pudding just haven't had decent bread pudding before.  There are a lot of bad recipes, and a lot of ways it can go wrong. 

The last time I made a bread pudding for TWD, it went wrong.  I was really peeved;  I spent I don't know how much time and money on it and it failed, miserably.  I was hesitant to try this time, but I had all I needed on hand, including some loaves of bread tucked in the freezer so I decided to give it a whirl.

First, I cut up the bread.  The usual suggestion is to go for something eggy and maybe sweet;  but, um, I think this is a sourdough, or at least a plain white loaf.  I weighed the chunks to be sure I had 8 ounces before putting them in my new ceramic loaf pan, purchased just for this recipe. 

Then I made the custard.  I warmed the eggs in a warm water bath before making the custard as I was petrified of them curdling on me.  I mixed them with the sugar and spices

and then alla the other wet stuff

And now the fussy bits.  I'm pretty sure when I was growing up, one just dumped the wet stuff in with the bread and slapped the whole thing in the oven.  Dorie prefers that you soak the bread in the custard for at least an hour and bake it in a water bath.  I'm skeptical, but she has a book, not me, so, a-soakin we will go.

I didn't have a pan big enough or enough water to come halfway up the pan, so I did what I could.

It took a good long while after removing the foil for my pudding to start to brown.  I still felt it was awfully pale, but was afraid of overbaking it, so I took it out after about 30 minutes sans foil.  I let it cool for a bit and then cut and scooped.  Result?

Sigh.  Once again, I get scrambled eggs and toast.

Fortunately, it is edible this time, so I am toughing it out.  It was inoffensive the night of but actually better the next day;  I could taste the bourbon more.  I am still very disappointed in the texture.  I don't think bread pudding should have visible custard.  There was less of it than last time.  But I really don't know what I am doing wrong.  Not enough bread?  Not enough soaking time?  Not enough of a water bath?  Too much of one?  Sigh.

Thanks for this recipe go to Sharon at Simply Southern.

TWD: Great Grains Muffins

Not much to report here;  the snowpocalypse continues apace here in the Mid-Atlantic region.  At least once a week we are counseled to take things home in case of snow.  The confusion has not yet dampened my enthusiasm for the white stuff, but it does make it a little difficult to get into much of a rhythm at work.  I'm not sure I've done a full five day week since like November.

Last Wednesday was the first day I actually worked at home.  It was pleasant, but I don't think I'd want to do it every day.  I essentially worked at home full time for the past two years.  It has its pluses:  primary among them is the ability to do things according to your own internal clock.  I found last year that I do best when I get up around 8 and putter around leisurely till about 10.  Then maybe a long break after lunch, and back to it in late afternoon and after dinner.  I do my very best work between 11 and 2 at night. 

In addition to making very good use of the wellies I bought last year, I've been ice skating, sewing some

 quilt blocks

took a day trip to fabric shop in NYC:

and I have done some baking.  In January I made both the lemon poppyseed muffins

and the bundt cake.

 (of which I don't seem to have taken a finished photo)

They were both ok.  But nooooothing compares---nooothing compares 2 this week's muffins, chosen by Christine at Happy Tummy.

I admit.  I wasn't gonna make these at first.  They sounded a little too aggressively granola for me: whole wheat flour, oats, corn meal, little sugar, fruit, maple syrup.  Not interesting.  But once I ascertained that I had all I needed:

I went on ahead anyway.  What did I have to lose?

The batter mixed up fast and easy--faster even than the lemon poppyseed muffins.  It was a little wetter than I expected but not bad.  I cleared the cabinets and put in Craisins, walnuts, and almonds.

Then off to the oven.  I got 20 muffins out of the batter.

I'm still getting used to my oven here, but these baked up faster than the recipe stated.

And they are SO GOOD!  Perfect texture, not too oily, the different grains give just enough flavor to make them interesting without dominating and the maple syrup takes them over the top.  I inhaled 3 of them with butter immediately.YES.  I suggest you proceed immediately to Christine's blog for the recipe.

TWD December Rewind: 15 Minute Magic Chocolate Amaretti Torte

In case it was not obvious from my post yesterday, I didn't travel for the holidays this year.  A very small number of off days, plus a 15-hour-away family, plus emergency repairs on the Cloudmobile, plus somewhat distressing news about my graduate school situation meant that I stayed put at Thanksgiving and at Christmas.

It was mostly cold, and totally quiet, but I stayed busy this week:

I finished the two baby quilts.

I started laying out a crib duvet cover, and finished tying and attached binding to a little boy quilt.

I cranked out burp cloths and bibs.

And because I am at bottom a Selfish Seamstress, I also cut blocks to make myself a quilt for my bed:

But I did take a break from all of that to fix myself a proper dinner of sorts on Christmas.  The one nice thing about not doing Family Christmas is that you can really make yourself WHATEVER you actually want for dinner.  I'm pretty sure there has been at least one holiday when I happily had grilled pimiento cheese sandwiches for dinner.  In any case, this year there was fondue and my selection for our TWD rewind post: a lovely dessert, made by the group in April 2009 (before I joined) with an slightly unfortunate title that makes it sound like something made of Dream Whip and Ritz Crackers and Campbell's Soup. 

It does not contain any of those things.  Mind you, I'm no food snob, and I have eaten my share of processed stuff (I've already mentioned my love for Kraft Singles in certain items) and will continue to do so without complaint if you want to feed it to me.  But I usually figure if I am gonna cook I might as well cook.  This dessert actually only includes one pre-prepared item: amaretti cookies.  I had no idea what they were, but hey, I'm in central New Jersey, with an Italian bakery next door (!) and two Italian markets within 5 minutes' drive.  Finding them was not hard (it's hard to find non-Italian "ethnic" foods around here). Deciding which brand to get was hard, but finally I just went for the pretty box with the ribbon on it.  I've got simple tastes.

The "15-minute magic" portion comes from the fact that being a classic torte, this cake has very few ingredients, mostly relying on ground nuts (almonds in this case) with eggs, butter, and chocolate.  And everything is blitzed together in the food processor and then slapped in the oven.

The resulting batter was very thick and filled my 2" pan to about 1.5 inches deep.  Dorie said the cake would be "very thin," but mine wasn't.  (I wonder if I used too many cookies?  Having never seen them I just assumed the ones I used were "mini"--they were only about 2" in diameter--and used all 16 in the box.)

Once it cooled, I made the glaze.  I was a little surprised by how thin the glaze was;  I had to put it in the fridge to get it to thicken a little, and even then it wasn't the consistency I expected.  I might add less water next time, or use a different recipe.

I forgot to save a cookie to decorate with, so I added more almonds (Can never have too many!)  and gold dragees because, well, 'tis the season:

I don't usually get very excited about chocolate things, but OMG I LOVE THIS CAKE.  I don't think my processor chopped the almonds quite enough (will likely use almond flour next time) but I DO NOT CARE.  It is chewy almondy chocolatey goodness--not too sweet, not too bitter, not too fudgy, not overly iced.   A perfect easy and fast Christmas dessert that only required me to purchase one item!

I hope we will have more rewinds in the future.  I really enjoy them, especially as someone who was kind of a latecomer to the group and who now works 9-5...gives a nice chance to catch up.