Lemon Tart

Daring Bakers: Chocolate Pavlovas with Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard.

This month's chocolate pavlova is not a new dish for me. The national dessert of Australia, named after a famous ballerina, and one of the worlds most under appreciated desserts, has always been a favourite of mine. Never heard of it? Well, its a meringue - a simple whipping of egg whites and sugar, spread into a puffy disc and baked long and low in the oven until it cracks and dries. Deep inside it retains a puffy, chewy, marshmallow like centre. Hmm... this sounds like a friend of mine... This disk of non fat goodness gets smothered with whipped cream and then piled high with fresh fruit. Even if its sometimes a hard sell on paper, its always a hit once served. I've made many a version, some chocolate, some vanilla, covered in canned fruit or frozen raspberries, but usually with local fruit at the height of summer, after all this really is the perfect summertime dessert. I've filled them with the classic whipped cream, pastry cream, chocolate sauce and all manner of ice cream and sorbet, my favourite way indeed. Coincidentally last month I enjoyed a perfect example crafted by my friend, Bryan, done to such complete perfection it would have made any Aussie proud. It was a showstopping plateful of crispy, craggy, golden tinged meringue - marshmallow-y in the middle, just as it should be - covered with barely sweetened whipped cream and then generously strewn with jewel coloured papaya, kiwi, strawberries and passion fruit. The fact that 6 of us easily polished all 10 inches of it is  testament to its tastiness factor, but also to its lightness.

This version definitely has a little more "oomph" to it and would satisfy any manner of chocophile. Its chocolate based meringue deepens as it cooks providing the perfect crunchy base for the bittersweet chocolate mousse its served with. The mascarpone cheese in the mousse adds body while keeping the sweetness down. The entire thing is doused in custard, a break if you will from all that chocolate, but also a pleasing contrast in colour. I tend to love a little fruit with my chocolate desserts, so the creme anglaise also goes beautifully with the fresh strawberries I chose to serve alongside. With berries this beautiful there was simply no way they weren't going to weasel their way onto this plate! 

This challenge wasn't one of my favourites, although that's no fault of the dish itself or the recipe. I just tend to be in the minority as someone who really doesn't consider a chocolate based dessert my desert island sweet of choice. But as with every one of these Daring Bakers challenges, I come away either learning something completely new or re discovering something in my repertoire. And this one was no different. I was excited to practice my cheese making abilities, and had the opportunity to make mascarpone cheese for the second time. And let me tell you a little secret: it's really not so difficult. In fact, its a shame the dairy industry has convinced us to buy it rather than make our own. The flavour is pure cream, as it should be without the oh so attractive xantham gum and stabilizers, and the effort is basically heating up cream, stirring and draining. That's it! Shh... don't tell!

I also was reminded of how much I really I do love a crispy base of meringue and that I don't make them enough. As an avid maker of ice cream, custards and sweet tart doughs, all of which require yolks only, I always have a problem of having too many egg whites cluttering up my freezer. Indeed I believe I have not been without a supply for 6 years! These are so easy to make, practically cooking themselves, and keep beautifully. The bonus is the use of large amounts of egg whites. So thank you Daring Bakers, for reminding me to keep making those meringues and pavlovas. Wouldn't you agree that nothing dresses up a simple scoop of ice cream or sorbet than this lovely edible dish? The chocolate sauce doesn't hurt either!

 

Daring Bakers: Tiramisu

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

Well these Daring Bakers do indeed keep me in line. 4 months ago I arrived home from our vacation in Italy. I wanted to share my travel experiences with you. Told you I would in fact. Time crept along, there was a wedding and a cake, visitors, and before you knew it, it was Christmas and then it was 2010. I hadn't kept my promise and for that I felt guilty and also a little sad that time had gotten away from me.  After 3 months, could I still share it with you? Would you still care? It felt like old news.

Then a few weeks ago I found out the February Daring Bakers challenge was to be Tiramisu- that molto Italian dolce. And with that I was reminded that sharing that Italian experience was something I could do months later. This challenge brought me back to Italy and to one of the most memorable days of our time there. On a warm, sunny day in Venice we  had a 3 hour lunch on a canal side patio at the Ristorante Riviera. The setting certainly helped make this afternoon special, but the good food, specifically the dessert, stood out. Tiramisu is a Venetian specialty, said to have been invented close by. Being a traveler who seeks out regional specialties, I knew that Tiramisu would have to be one many things I would have to sample here and it did not disappoint.

Tiramisu is not a dessert that impresses me. I can't remember the last time I ordered it at a restaurant and its not something I bother to make myself. Usually versions of this dessert are too sweet and over done. This Tiramisu at Ristorante Riviera changed my mind about this famed bit of Italian cuisine. It was restrained, simple and perfectly balanced- a proper Italian dish. Since that perfect Venetian day I've been thinking about Tiramisu- that Tiramisu I should say.

World Nutella Day 2010: Nutella Marshmallow Cookies

Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso (and Shelley from At Home in Rome,in spirit) solemnly declare Friday, February 5th “World Nutella Day 2010″ – a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to EAT Nutella.

This is my second year of decreeing my love for the flavour marriage of chocolate and hazelnut - in spreadable form no less! First off I must confess that for this Nutella celebration, I did not use Nutella... I cheated a bit and used a scrumptious high brow version made by Italian chocolate gods, Amedei, a lovely souvenir from our trip to Italy last year. 

I came to Nutella late in life, so my taste buds might not be as honed to the real deal as some people. This Amedei stuff is the one to my heart however. No surprise it costs a small fortune. Champagne tastes... my mother always says. Amedei chocolate is one of my favourite bars in the world, one that makes my heart beat a little faster whenever I spot some, a rarity. This spread contains nothing but Amedei cocoa making it worth the cost of a jar alone. But the even better is the hazelnuts from the Piedmont region in Northwest Italy, considered to be the finest in the world. This is a jar with a bit of pedigree, and I'll admit I'm fairly smitten with it, but none of this is meant to be taken away from the reason a jar of this exists. And that's the original chocolate hazelnut spread - Nutella. So Happy World Nutella Day all! If there ever was a day to buy yourself a jar and spread it on thick, this is it!

Daring Bakers: From Graham Crackers to Nanaimo Bars

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca. 

I gotta admit that when I found out what January's DB challenge was, I was a little unenthusiastic. Nanaimo Bars?  Really?  I mean they've been on nearly every holiday and party sweet tray my entire life. They sell huge trays of them at Costco and there is nary a bakery in Canada that doesn't sell oodles of over sized, over sweet ones every day. And, as Un-Canadian as it may seem, I've never really understood what all the fuss was about. In my house you were more likely to find a mint variation, appropriately called "Creme de Menthe Squares", which was and still is my Christmas treat pick.

In just 2 short weeks the 2010 Winter Olympics will take place in Vancouver, Canada, home of this Lemon Tart. Our host of this challenge, Canadian Daring Baker, Lauren, wanted to choose a challenge that highlighted something uniquely Canadian. The fact that Nanaimo, this treat's namesake, is just a quick ferry ride away from Vancouver makes it an appropriate choice. With a country created by people from other places, sometimes its hard to think of a treat that we can completely claim as our own, but there's no doubt to those of us here that this one is ours! Lastly, Canada really is the land of the square. Cookie that is. From church socials to barbeques and baby showers to weddings, you will find plentiful amounts of homemade squares of an amazing variety across this country.  This is just one example.

The key part of this challenge was that we were to make our own graham crackers, an ingredient in Nanaimo Bars. Truth be told I was more excited about that than the recipe they were to be crushed up for. I have a love affair with graham crackers going way back. There's something about that not too sweet, deep honey flavour and just the right amount of crunch that satisfied many a craving. And I could polish off an entire sleeve in one sitting fairly easily. Except for the day when my Mom thought cheese whiz and graham cracker sandwiches would be tasty. They are not! Even when you are 15. Graham Crackers have been on my list for a few years now. Ever since I started making my own marshmallows I've had grand plans of quite the gourmet Smore. These things are so simple to make. Everything gets blitzed, Nigella style, in the food processor, left to rest, then rolled and cut. The ingredients are pantry staples, and taste of plenty of dark brown sugar and flavourful wild flower honey. They are golden and oh so crispy, and, well can you see I really love these graham crackers. It was fairly hard to hold back enough for the challenge recipe as my hand dipped into the container with every entry into the kitchen. I'll be making these again, and again, and again. Hold the cheese whiz.

Daring Bakers: Gingerbread House

The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.

I can't remember how many years I make the mistake of saying aloud, always in the company of either cynical DG or others, "I'm making a gingerbread house this year". I mean it when I say it . To me it seems something just for me, since I won't be giving it away as gifts or likely sharing it for its edible nature. Its a chance to play, have fun, put on some holiday movies or music, have the Christmas tree lit and perhaps even a glass of eggnog nearby. Whenever I think about it it sounds just perfect. After all I'm one of those people who loves Christmas. I love the ritualistic visit to the  Christmas lot looking for just the right tree and the smell of it inside. I take out a lifetime of ornaments, recalling old friends, people no longer with us, or a special ornament I made when I was a child. I love the smell of mulled apple cider and fresh grated nutmeg in a glass of magically aged eggnog and I'm a sucker for Bing and Burl and Christmas choir music. Throw in White Christmas or Holiday Inn on the DVD player and I am in HEA VEN. 

I'm also someone who easily goes overboard with the food part of things at this time of year. As usual the days leading up to Christmas Day were a whirlwind of sugar, butter and spices as I madly baked the many old and new things I like to have around and give at this time of year.  A wedding and a visit from family a few days before Christmas, however, threw my baking schedule off track this year.

Daring Bakers: Cannoli

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.

Well isn't this fitting. 7 weeks since I was parlo-ing Italiano on Italian soil, and I'm making Cannoli for a Daring Bakers challenge. Who could resist these pistachio speckled  tubes? Cannoli (cannolo for one) are common Italian treats originating from Sicily. While there can be variations in filling and forms, some seeming more like a butterhorn from other parts of Europe,  traditionally they consist of a dough flavoured with cinnamon and a splash of Marsala wine which gives a lovely complex flavour.  The dough is rolled thin, cut into circles and wrapped around tubular forms of metal or more old school, wood, and  deep fried. The creamy filling is made of sweetened fresh ricotta cheese, sometimes mascarpone and flavoured commonly with cinnamon and candied orange zest.

  

Daring Bakers: French Macaroons

Lemon Raspberry Macarons

It's good to be back. Back at home. Back in my kitchen. Back with The Daring Bakers. I've been absent for awhile now, so when I was ready to get back to baking and blogging I was delighted to find out this months challenge was something that pulls at my heart simply due to what it makes me think of - Paris.

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

French Macarons you see are a far cry from the Canadian version - those ubiquitous, sugary, coconut laden mountains that show up in coffee shops, church bazaars and cookie trays everywhere. Yet I have yet to meet anyone you actually enjoys them, although I think that is because so many of them out there are so bad. A future post perhaps - Macaroons rediscovered?

French Macaroons, or Macarons, are a different macaroon altogether. A meringue based cookie (sans coconut), light as air, is sandwiched between a filling of chocolate ganache, or buttercream, with endless variations from nutella to preserves. This creates a cookie that at first shatters on your teeth on contact, seemingly delicate and crackly, only to yield to a chewy interior layer followed by a creamy, flavour packed filling. 3 different textures, a single flavour or a mixture of contrasting flavours, makes these cookies a winner in my books. Not too sweet, delicate, but not too much, and oh so pretty make these a favourite tea cookie of mine. Of course they allow for so much creativity that it invites crazy combinations like green olive and olive oil, ketchup, matcha tea and everything in between.

Composed of a short ingredient list of egg whites, almond flour and sugar, they are a lot trickier than you would imagine. But then again a baguette is made up of the same number of ingredients and finding a good one is a lot more difficult than you would think should be. A challenge for those of us who like to bake, but also a gamble. Even if you've made dozens of these without thinking, most of them turning out near perfect, this is a cookie that eludes and sometimes just decides not to work out. So if you decide to tackle them, don't despair, it happens. Aging egg whites, grinding your own almond flour, sifting the almonds, letting the cookies air dry before baking. They come with a number of tricks and requirements. The good news is that once you get the hang of them, they are quick to make and even quicker to eat!

I began making these at home 4 years ago upon returning home from my first trip to Paris where they are as as common as the chocolate chip cookie or Nanaimo bar here. Back then a recipe for macarons was difficult to find, but I managed to find a couple and began baking (and selling) these little bits of Paris. These were cookies that inspired such smiles from people, especially fellow travelers and Francophiles. Reminders of beautiful times in the city of light. I was happy to bring that back for people and share something new for people who'd never heard of such a thing.

Now macarons have hit North American shores and I'm not sure if its for the better. I've seen them overpriced and stale at upscale gourmet grocers and just shake my head. Who would be so stupid to spend money on these? But apparently people do and I think I understand why. Food can often be as much about memory of time and place than the actual food itself. To me they have to taste good too, but to some people the purchase itself brings them back to happier times.  Recreating my little bit of a city I love is exciting and challenging.

They are also a huge trend internationally and you've likely come across them somewhere near or far from home. What started as a darling little cookie seen only in Paris or France, some people say, are the next trend threatening to derail the cupcake. I don't know about that, but when McDo's  (McDonalds) starts selling them, that's gotta mean its outgrown its humble roots. Although to be fare I can bet the Macarons at Mcdonalds in Paris are for certain going to be better than the sad ones at my local grocer.

Daring Bakers: Bakewell Tart

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.

After a month break I'm committed to my Daring Bakers again. This month is a British dessert that I'll admit I'm not too familiar with and something that I've never made before, so I'm glad to have checked it off the list.

What is a Bakewell Tart? Well in a "pie shell" its an almond cake baked in a pie shell spread with jam.  I would say these could be compared to the butter tarts or nanaimo bars of my area of the world. They are common and beloved and everywhere from bakesales, family dessert trays and mass produced for every major supermarket and bakery chain in the country. And like those same ubiquitous squares and tarts in my city, they are also often bad interpretations of the original. So we Daring Bakers attempt to bring attention and honour to a relevant member of the British tea tray and a pastry with a longstanding history and do it right.

(If you really want to know the history of this beloved British dessert, visit Jasmine's site.)

With my jam supply still a little on the heavy side and berry season firmly upon us this was a perfect dessert to use a jar of beautiful, tart, raspberry jam. It was spread on a sweet tart shell crust and then covered with frangipane, an almond cream of sorts that turns into cake. I'm not unfamiliar with this and have used it in many a tart usually with whole fruits of the season, an application I prefer, but with a highly flavoured bright jam its an easy way to showcase your homemade or gifted preserves. In reference to the mini versions that are commonly seen sporting a white iced topping and a sliced cherry, I drizzled mine with a raspberry icing and scattered a few raspberries on top, a reminder of what's hidden below.

On our first trip to the UK a year ago this month we ventured north to Windermere and had a proper English afternoon tea in a cozy tearoom on a windy, grey and rainy day. On that huge 3 tiered silver tray hovering over our small 2 person table, was certainly a bakewell tart. And its this memory that I recalled when I had my first bite of my bakewell tart. As a dessert alone, after a big meal, it didn't appeal to me. It seemed heavy and one dimensional. But alongside an uplifting cup of Earl Grey or a bracing English Breakfast tea, I imagined it the perfect afternoon pick me up, something light enough for mid day, but heavy enough to get you through to dinner. And this afternoon that's exactly what I craved with my mid afternoon beverage. So pay homage to a dessert that's been through a couple world wars, a few kings and queens and at least one low carb diet phase, and is still going strong. I can't say this one will be in my repertoire very often, but I'm certainly glad I've given it a chance.

Daring Cooks: Ricotta Gnocchi

This is a the first challenge of a new group I've joined, The Daring Cooks- a Daring Bakers spin off. Check out my Daring Bakers category for a round up of the previous posts. The Daring Cooks focus on cooking, vs desserts  that the Daring Bakers do.

This first challenge is hosted by our lovely founding members Lis of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Creme Puffs in Venice and is Zuni Cafe's Ricotta Gnocci.

This is a rather famous dish from the Zuni Cafe in San Francisco. I remember seeing Chef/Owner, Judy Rodgers make her fabulous Zuni Ricotta Gnocchi on Martha Stewart many years ago.  The idea of this gnocchi with no flour intrigued me and while I came across them again over the years in passing and then about a year ago when I finally acquired the fabulous cookery tome, The Zuni Cafe Cookbook (one of my prized cookbooks) I had not made it a priority to try them out. Which is why groups such as this are so important to a cook like me, always looking for something new and spectacular. 

After making these beauties I'm excited to add another recipe to my repertoire. This is a rare thing in fact. With a large cookbook collection, the magazines I subscribe to and the dozens of food blogs I frequent, as well as my own thoughts and ideas, I'm overrun with recipes. The truth is with the number of dishes I cook, only about 5% of them make it to my permanent repertoire - that valuable recipe file in my head of tried and true classics that will never let me down. This is one of them and what an exciting addition it is.

So what about this dish makes the grade? Well, for one, the ease of the dish. Now I say this with reserve, because to be honest this was a tricky dish to get right. The ingredients are few, the technique is sparse, but with a little practice these are indeed one of the easiest, fastest items I've ever made. The other reason this becomes a classic is the taste. They are ricotta cheese, pure and simple. They can be flavoured like I did with lemon zest, but mostly its about the ricotta. The last reason this recipe is so special is its adaptability. The number of ingredients, especially vegetables, it pairs well with are never ending and it is one of those dishes than indeed will elevate that special bunch of fresh picked asparagus or sweet cherry tomatoes and make those vegetables better than they are alone.

Daring Bakers: Sour Cherry Cheesecake

Ah...cheesecake. It seems so 80's doesn't it? It's a crowd pleaser that's for sure. If you want to make everyone in the room swoon, cheesecake is what's for dessert. I have heard of people who don't like cheesecake, but I think they are just a little "delicate". And I have no patience for delicate eaters. Okay, I know I'm being harsh but I tend to be that way about dessert.

When I found out that April's Daring Bakers challenge was going to be Cheesecake, I smiled. I have a past with cheesecake. In fact aside from a single cookie recipe I made over and over again as a child, I think cheesecake was my first "specialty". Perhaps the first whispers of a passion to come. It was actually a specialty I shared with my husband. I think Cheesecake is what solidified the beginnings of our now 19 year relationship. You see, DG and I are what popular culture refers to as High School Sweethearts. While I cringe at that term, it is the truth. I credit the cheesecake.  In our youth, we would often spend a Saturday afternoon together, shopping, preparing, baking and eating cheesecake. It might have seemed a little geeky or like code for "other things", but no one complained when they had cheesecake for dessert. Since those early years I haven't eaten a lot of cheesecake. I guess I fell in love with other, more refined, desserts or was constantly looking to new things. And perhaps because nothing presses my binge button more than that cheesecake in the fridge. But when I do make it I still love it in all its comfort-food glory. Tonight I've enlisted a handful of bellies to make sure I don't polish this one off late at night in front of the open fridge.

In my mind there is only 1 cheesecake worth its weight in "Philadelphia", and that's the New York Cheesecake. And don't tell, but its actually very simple to make, consisting of a basic cream cheese custard bound together, sometimes, by a crust and baked until just set, then chilled. Some people will say it doesn't need a crust, but its rich, creamy and substantial demeanor beg for something to hold it up. Just a quarter inch base of crushed graham crackers or a shortbread cookie base will do. The crust is where you can get creative too. Since most of the time a cookie crust is what's used, the sky's the limit in terms of the type of cookie used. Gingersnaps with pumpkin, oatmeal with apple, coconut with strawberry, chocolate wafer with chocolate...the options are endless.

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.