Pâte Brisée Dough

Written Monday, August 9th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

One of the first things you learn how to make in Culinary school for pastry arts, is dough. Here is a lovely recipe you can put together and use right away or freeze for up to a month, or keep in your refrigerator to be used within two to three days.

Pie and Tart Doughs

Pâte Brisée / Flaky Dough

Can be used for sweet or savory fillings. It's quick, easy, versatile and is usually used for pie crusts and sometimes latticed for decoration. It may be cooled and later filled with a filling just before serving.

Ingredients:

8 oz A P flour

3 1/2 oz butter in 1/2" cubes

1/ 2 t salt

1/3 c cold water with some lemon drops added

Instuctions:

1) Chill all of the ingredients.

2) Combine flour, salt and butter in mixer and attach paddle.  Stir together until butter is shimmed down to the size of peas (flaky) mealy (like cornmeal).

3) Add water a few drops at a time until the dough just holds together.

4) Turn onto a lightly floured cold surface.  Rub in small areas (fraisage) do not knead; by pressing dough into different directions to ensure butter is evenly dispersed.  Do not overwork.

6) Quickly roll dough to 1/8" thickness, turning and lifting to avoid sticking.  Place the dough over the rolling pin and place onto a lightly greased tart pan.  You should reinforce (add more dough to strengthen),  or double wall sides of the tart.  Roll off top and flute edges if desired.  Any dough scraps should be piled atop one another and used again.  This is a directional dough, which means that you keep scraps in a pile, laying them in the same direction as the dough had been rolled out. Unlike pie dough, that does not matter which way the scraps were rolled.

7) Refrigerate before baking in order to relax the dough and chill the butter.  This allows the dough to absorb the water. About 30 minutes.

8) Bake in preheated oven 375º 10 to 12 minutes blind, remove weights and parchment paper and continue to bake 6 minutes or until amber in color.  Bake docked (using fork tines to mark the dough to keep from shrinking), 15 to 18 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack, add filling or wrap and store.  Can be baked with filling.

Yields 2 8" to 10" tart shells or 12 small tartlets.

Store wrapped in plastic wrap in refrigerator about 3 days or in the freezer for a month.

Hot Mocha Souffle

Written Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

This is a delicious chocolate dessert and I found it in the cookbook "Desserts & After Dinner Treats". They provide you step-by-step instructions and I did mention the book before. You cannot go wrong with a souffle, and you'll gain the admiration of your dinner guests. You'll want to do this on a day you have the extra time * to devote to making it.

Hot Mocha Souffle

* Preparation time: 25 minutes. Total cooking time: 45 minutes. Serves: 4-6

1 Tbsp caster sugar

40 grams butter

2 Tbsp plain flour

3/4 cup milk

1 Tbsp instant expresso-style coffee powder

! Tbso hot water

2 Tbsp caster sugar, extra

100 grams dark chocolate, melted

4 eggs, separated

Dusting at end with 10X sugar

Preheat Oven to 180º C

1) Brush a 5-cup capacity souffle dish with oil or melted butter. Sprinkle sugar in dish, turn dish to coat base and sides evenly; shake out excess. Wrap a double thickness of baking paper around dish to sit 3 centimeters above rim; tie securely with string.

2) Melt the butter in a medium pan, add flour. Stir over low heat for 2 minutes or until the mixture is lightly golden. Add milk, gradually to pan, stirring between each addition until mixture is smooth.

3) Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens. Boil for another minute, then remove from heat. Dissolve the coffee powder in hot water, add to the milk mixture with sugar, melted chocolate and egg yolks; beat until smooth.

4) Using electric beaters, beat the egg whites in a clean, dry mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Using a metal spoon, fold one third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to soften it slightly. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon the mixture into the prepared souffle dish. Bake for 40 minutes, until souffle is well risen and just firm to the touch. Remove from oven, remove the collar from dish. Dust souffle with 10X sugar and serve immediately.

Storage time: Souffle is best made just before serving time.

ISBN: 978-0681020580 These instructional cookbook series is available at your local Borders Bookstores and are about $5.00.

Frozen Puff Pastry

Written Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

Here is a fast and simple recipe that is not made from scratch, but it will delight your family everytime.

Raspberry Napolean

1 package (17 1/4 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 cup cold milk
1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup 10X confectioners' sugar
1-1/4 cups raspberries (or sliced strawberries, or blueberries)
Additional 10X confectioners' sugar

1) On a lightly floured surface, roll out each pastry sheet to 1/8 inch thickness.

2) Using about a 3-1/2 inch heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 hearts (or any shape you desire).

3) Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4) Bake at 400 for 8-11 minutes or until golden brown.

5) Remove to wire racks to cool. Careful when handling them as they are fragile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1) Prepare filling by mixing the ilk and pudding mix for two minutes.

2) In a mixing bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken.

3) Add in 10X sugar until soft peaks form. Do Not Over Whip!

4) Gently fold a small amount into the pudding and continue until it is combined.

5) Split puff pastry shapes in half and place the bottom halves on serving plates.

6) Spoon 1/4 cup filling onto the bottom portions.

7) Top with (any type of fresh) berries and place the top portion on top of the berries.

8) Sprinkle a good dusting of 10X (confectioners) sugar.

9) Serve immediately and enjoy.

Cranberry Tea Bread

Written Sunday, May 30th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

This is one of the recipes we prepared in culinary school. Quick and easy it is, to combine the ingredients and put it into to bake. By the time your dinner is on the table, the bread will be ready to eat, hot out of the oven, as dessert. Add some ice cream on the side or top it with freshly whipped cream. Either way, it will be a huge and delicious hit.

Quick Breads/ Cranberry Tea Bread

Batter:

6 1/2 oz butter

5 oz sugar

2 large eggs

2 T orange zest

1 t almond extract

1 T orange juice

7 oz A. P. flour

1/2 t baking soda

3 oz buttermilk

1/2 c dried cranberries

1/2 c raw almonds chopped

10 X glaze with flavoring if desired

Instructions:

1) Cream butter and sugar.

2) Add eggs one at a time.

3) Add the juice and then the zest and almond extract.  Blend together.

4) in a separate bowl sift the flour and baking soda.  Add 1/3 to the batter.

5) Add 1/3 buttermilk, mix. More flour, more milk, until blended.

6) Fold in fruit and nuts.

Pour into greased loaf pans; 1 large or 3 small pans.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes for large and 25 minutes for smaller loaves. Make sure cake tester comes out clean. You may glaze if you wish.  Cool on rack.

Freeze a couple of weeks wrapped in plastic wrap.  Shelf life is only a few days.

Recipe: Almond Tuiles

Written Saturday, May 8th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

Here is a quick and easy recipe to make almost paper thin adornment cookies to garnish your desserts. Tuiles (pronounced Twee 'heels) is very popular in the culinary world and the batter lasts for days in the refrigerator. Take it out and bake them off as you need them. They can be sweet or savory and there are so many recipes to try that it is an exciting and adventuresome cookie.

Petit Fours Cookies

Almond Tuiles

These cookies are baked and then shaped, while warm over anything with a curve. The real test is to drop the cookie from 3" onto a countertop.  It should shatter. They are curved, thin and have a crunch. Keep them in a dry box.

4 oz sugar

4 oz sliced almonds

2 large eggs

1 t vanilla

1 1/4 oz AP flour

1/2 oz melted butter

1) Toss nuts and sugar by hand.

2) Add to (slightly mixed) eggs and blend together with a spatula.

3) Sift in a little bit of flour, mix gently and more until all incorporated.

4) Add vanilla and sometimes almond extract.

5) Add melted butter and jiggle into mixture.

6) Using 2 teaspoons, spoon the batter or drop by hand.  Dip the spoons into a cup of water or milk.

2 1/2 " diameter cookie = 1 t batter.  Use a sil pat on sheet pan.  9 cookies per sheet. or parchment.  They will spread…take back of spoon and pat it around into a circle.  They don't have to be a perfect circle.  They may even look a little lacy.

Bake 350º to 375º for 8 minutes.  Shape over a curve.

What To Do If You Run Out Of...

Written Friday, March 12th, 2010 by Penny Hawkins

I have posted about this cook's dilemma before. No matter how carefully you check your ingredients before starting to cook (or bake), the day will inevitably arrive when you find yourself  halfway the recipe and you realize you're missing something! Sound familiar? I know it sounds familiar to me, because it happened to me just this past weekend!

It's because this happens often enough to be aggravating that I started looking for and keeping a list of "emergency" substitutions, and they come in handy more often than I care to admit! So, if you've never seen my previous post, check it out...print it....keep it handy...and don't forget to add my updates from today's post! The next time you run out of an ingredient in the middle of a cooking session, you'll be glad you did!

Brown Sugar- 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp. molasses. Combine in a bowl using a fork or an electric mixer. Store in an airtight container and use as you would regular brown sugar.

Baking Mix- 6 cups all purpose flour, 3 tbsp. baking powder, 1 tbsp. baking soda, 3 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. salt, 1 cup vegetable shortening. Combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using two forks or a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles fine cornmeal (no lumps!). Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use as you would your favorite "Quick" baking mix.

"Cream of  xxxxxxx" Soup- 2 tbsp. butter or margarine, 2 tbsp. flour, 1 cup milk or chicken broth, 1 tsp. salt, 2 tbsp. onion, celery, or mushrooms (optional). Melt the butter over medium heat and saute the vegetables if you are using any (this is entirely optional). Whisk in the flour until smooth. Add milk or broth, whisking as you pour. Continue to stir slowly until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Use in place of 1 can of "cream of xxxxxxx" soup in your recipe. The real beauty of this recipe is that it has less sodium than the "cream of" soup in a can!

Onion Soup Mix- 3/4 cup dried onion, 1/3 cup powdered beef bouillon, 4 tbsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. sugar. In a small bowl, mix everything together using a whisk or two forks. Store in an airtight container. 5 tbsp. soup substitute = 1 envelope onion soup mix. Note: To reduce the sodium, use a low-sodium beef bouillon.

Seasoned Salt- 2 tbsp. sea salt, 2 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/4 tsp. turmeric, 1/4 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder. Combine ingredients together in a small bowl, using a fork to make sure there are no lumps. Store in an airtight container or shaker jar.

Sweet Or Savory Soufflés

Written Saturday, February 27th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

A soufflé has to be one of the easiest yet most elegant of dishes. They have been admired and loved since the late 1780’s and were created in France by a chef who really used his head. It is lightened by whipped egg whites and the frothiness expands with the heat from baking and pushes the dessert to rise, rise and rise, to the top and a bit over the rim of the soufflé dish.

First you’ll want to chose a recipe and decide whether you want it as a main course, a side dish or as your dessert. Once you have made up your mind, pre heat your oven for 20 minutes and be certain it is at the right temperature. Next, prepare your baking dish by buttering every inch of the inside of your dish. For a sweet soufflé you’ll want to generously butter every crevice, and dust it with fine sugar before adding the batter. For a savory soufflé`, butter and then dust with fine breadcrumbs or a grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan.

A soufflé is no more than a simple sauce or a fruit puree that is lightened by folding in whipped egg whites. If you are using a large dish fill it, but leave at least an inch of space from the rim so it will not spill out while baking. If you are using individual ramekins then you may fill the dish almost to the very top. The little size will keep the soufflé from falling and this is what no cook wants, a deflated soufflé.

If you bake in a big dish make sure it is a deep, straight-sided mold. The straight sides will allow the soufflé to rise and appear tall with a poufy crown. It is served immediately and you spoon it from the top and the soufflé sauces itself. Smaller dishes should be baked on a sheet pan and since the dishes are hot use tongs to pick them up and set them gently onto serving dishes.

Once you have your recipe it is time to create a base, or use fruit puree and then whip your egg whites. The rule here is to be sure the beater(s) and bowl are squeaky-clean. Whip on medium-low speed until frothy and then turn up speed to medium. Continue whipping until they are at soft peaks, when the beater is lifted from the bowl and hold very soft peaks. Do Not Over Whip. If you do then your eggs will not have any place to go. They will not rise very much and you have wasted them. You must start over. Trying to add another egg white will screw up your proportions. This is baking chemistry remember? So now fold in the eggs and pour the batter into the dish or dishes and bake-away.

Classical French technique is to bake @ 425º to 450º, quicker rise and a little undercooked resulting in more sauce.  However, I have heard Americans want theirs baked longer and prefer a sauce on the side, so the temperature is reduced to 375º to 400º.

There you have it. You understand a good beginning of what to do and how to do it. Pick out a recipe and try it out. Before you know it you’ll be popping soufflé out of your oven in no time and experimenting with both savory and sweet ones. Bon Appetit.

Sweet Soufflé

Prepare 1 1/2 to 2 quart mold beforehand by heavily buttering the bottom and sides and dusting with granulated sugar.

Chill before using.

1 1/2 oz butter

1 1/2 oz flour

3/4 c milk heated

------------

3 yolks

2 oz sugar

1/8 to 1/4 c Grand Marnier

------------

6 oz egg whites

1 oz sugar

1) Melt butter with flour making a very light rue; the consistency of applesauce.

2) Make bechamel by adding heated milk to the rue and blending together.

3) Dissolve the sugar into the mixture. Pour into a clean bowl and cool over ice bath.

4) Stir in yolks. Add Grand Marnier.

5) Whip egg whites and sugar to softest peaks.

6) Fold whites into mixture, light to heavy and heavy into light.

7) Pan molds. Which means to pour batter into the pans.

Bake 375º to 400º 18 to 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR.

The souffle will appear brown and caky on the top.  If you tap the side there should be just the slightest jiggle.

Serve immediately. Two spoons in the middle at the top…and the souffle sauces itself.

Note: the photograph is of a Cheese Soufflé we made in French culinary school. 

Fast and Easy Madeleines

Written Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

One of the most delightful things I learned to prepare while attending culinary school was this recipe. Madeleines are traditional petit sponge cakes from the northeastern regions of France. If you do a little research you can find the cool history surrounding this confection. They are also referred to as cookies.

They even have their very own adorable baking container. The Madeleine Pan is found in speciality stores that cater to the serious and professional cook. It is one piece of metal, and sometimes comes with a non-stick coating. The one I own is stainless steel and is a good weight. The lighter a baking instrument, the more the possibility exists of burning or uneven baking. The Madeleine Pan is similar to a muffin pan and has a dozen half-shell shaped depressions. As you can readily see in the picture of these petit cakes, the sides showing are actually the bottoms, the tops being rather dome shaped and smooth.

There are many variations for this recipe and you can even bake Savory Madeleines. In one restaurant where I once worked for a short time, they served Thai and Asian fusion foods. The pastry chef there taught me to prepare them with sesame oil and other spicy flavorings, and I have to admit they were very good to eat.

These little sponge cakes present well, and you must always remember to grease and flour your pans between every batch. If you have a deep container for flour, such as a floor container, like they use in big kitchens, you can dip your pan into the flour and pull it out to find it is evenly covered. When you pipe your batter inside the prepared shell pan, squeeze evenly from base to tip and back down again. Because the batter will expand while baking, you only fill the shell 3/4 full. As soon as the cakes are a golden brown color, they are done. Wearing a heavy oven mitt, remove the pan from the oven and tap the side of the pan to release all of the little Madeleines. They will jump out of their baking container. Shake confectioners sugar over top right away and take a bite.

These cakes are well received because they are light, airy, are full of flavor, whichever you decide to use, and you or your guest need only eat one. They are smaller than a cupcake and may be iced or not. You can store them in your freezer for up to a month, and take them out as you need them. You can pipe fillings into them and dip the ends of the bottoms in chocolate. Sprinkle decor on them and ship them to your friends and relatives as gifts. People love Madeleines. Look at everyone's smiling faces!

This recipe can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for several days. Pipe the batter and bake as you need them. Baking time is perhaps 8 to 10 minutes. Watch them closely because if you over bake them they will be dry and no good.

Madeleines

This cookie has its very own cookie pan.  The characteristics are a shell on the front and a hump on the back.  You can make the batter, and take it out to use as needed, for up to a week.  Take out, warm up the batter to room temperature and pipe. Grease and flour the pans.

8 oz  butter softened

8 oz   sugar

1 tsp   vanilla

1 tsp   lemon zest (or any kind or zest or flavorings)

4   large eggs

1   egg yolk

12 oz  all purpose flour

a pinch of salt

2 1/4 tsp  baking powder

---------------

Finish with 10 X sprinkled on top

1) Cream butter, sugar, zest and salt.

2) Sift baking powder and flour together.

3) Alternate adding the dry ingredients and then eggs, a little bit at a time to incorporate; ending with the dry.

4) Stir until well combined.

5) Pipe batter into Madeleine pan with #5 tip, and fill about 3/4 full. Start at the base, go up, and come back.

Bake 375º for 8 to 10 minutes.  They will puff up a bit and be brown on the backside.  Remove from pans immediately by tapping the mold onto a mat, and they will fall out.

Serve plain, with 10 X sugar, a lemon glaze or with tempered chocolate. Be sure to let the edges show.  Serve fresh out of the oven in a warm container.

Freezes nicely.

Just remember once you have made these a few times and see how easy they are to make, put your own spin on them with flavorings, sweet versus savory, for your next meal.

Food Volume and Weight Equivalents Part 2

Written Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 by Penny Hawkins

Today's post continues our series that started last week on food volume and weight equivalents. I know that some of you may be wondering why anyone would need or want to know information about volume and weight equivalents. Why should you care how many teaspoons of grated peel you can get from an orange? How could this possibly be useful? Trust me HHMers, I have been cooking for a very long time and I still find myself needing information just like this on a regular basis! I promise...knowing how many oranges you need to get 4 tsps. of grated peel will help you plan your grocery list, and save you time and money as well!

So check out today's information on volume and weight equivalents for grains, then print it out and put it somewhere handy...I guarantee that someday soon you will have a reason to use it!

P.S. You need 1 medium-sized orange to get 4 tsps. of grated peel.

Barley: 3/4 cup uncooked pearl or 1-1/4 cups uncooked quick cooking = 3 cups cooked

Flour (all-purpose): 1 pound = 3-1/2 cups

Flour (whole wheat): 1 pound = 3- 3/4 cups

Macaroni: 1 cup (3-1/2 oz.) uncooked = 2 cups cooked

Noodles (medium): 3 cups (4 oz.) uncooked = 4 cups cooked

Oats (quick cooking): 1-1/2 cups uncooked = 3 cups cooked

Oats (rolled): 1 cup uncooked = 1-3/4 cups cooked

Rice (brown, long-grain, or wild): 1 cup uncooked = 3 cups cooked

Spaghetti: 8 oz. uncooked = 5 cups cooked

The ultimate cupcake

Written Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 by TrishB

100 people for New Year's Eve dinner. 18 house guests. 29 items (or more) on the menu. 3 days later and I am still exhausted. That's correct, I did not accidentally add a zero to the number 10. On New Year's Eve I had 100 people for dinner in my home. I awoke this morning realizing that amidst the craziness of the last week I had forgotten to write my Sunday HHM blog post. So today's will be short and sweet. Of the 29 plus items on my menu one of the favorites of both adults and kids were the cupcakes I baked.

If you are a cupcake connoisseur, and know New York City, then you know the Magnolia Bakery. Their cupcakes are sinfully delicious and ridiculously expensive. Thankfully, they have a cookbook. So whenever I make cupcakes I use their easy to follow recipes. I cannot state with absolute certainty that this is exactly how they make them, but I do know that cupcakes made from their recipes get rave reviews. I think next year cupcakes will be the only thing on my menu, and a little bubbly, of course.

CUPCAKES

- 1 1/2  cups self-rising flour

- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

- 2 cups sugar

- 4 large eggs, at room temperature

- 1 cup milk

- 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In small bowl, combine the flours.  Set aside. In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. Ice with Vanilla Buttercream.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing (makes enough for about 2 dozen cupcakes):

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6-8 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla



Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.

Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of a good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.

If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly.  Use and store the icing at room temperature. Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.