World Bread Day 2006

Well, the macarons are just going to have to wait because today is one of my new favorite days: World Bread Day! I don't really need an excuse to celebrate bread but it is sure good to stop and smell the grains once in a while. Thank you Zorra for launching this event!

When I first moved to the US, one of my first quests was to find a decent bakery in downtwon Charleston, preferably specialized in European breads. I was not being a snob, just too far away from home for comfort and trying to find familiar foods and ingredients. That lasted for about a month...every visit to the grocery store or farmer's market was teaching me more and more about local specialties. It is also thousands of miles away from home that I became more acquainted with other cultures' foods, isn't that ironic? I ate more lasagna, empenadas, kebabs, bagels, pastillitos, curries in one year than I had in 20 years in France. My senses were awakened and my horizons expanded everytime I would open my mouth and eat.

Isabel lived in the downstairs apartment and she was a beautiful, graceful woman in her fifties. She loved and lived to cook and the smells coming from her kitchen were enough to make everyone miss the sidewalk passing under her window. My room was right above her kitchen and the wonderful aromas of freshly baked breads and pastries were an awful distraction. I remember taking my books to her apartment and lying in the hamoc while she was mixing, kneading, swirling...If I were a man I think I would have had the biggest crush on her. She spoke Portuguese all the time so that nobody would disturb her, but one day I begged for hours on hand for her to speak English long enough so I could copy down her Portuguese Sweet Bread recipe.

It is similar to a brioche but less buttery and the consistency is a little bit denser. I love making it and freezing half for French toasts on sundays.
I saw Isabel the other day at the market and realized it had been months since I had made a batch so it was a great way to celebrate friendships, cultural differences and World Bread Day

Isabel's Portuguese Sweet Bread:
1 package yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
3/4 warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve yeast in warm milk and add the sugar, butter and salt; stir until butter is melted. Add the eggs, previously beaten slightly.Add 1/2 the flour to the milk/sugar/butter/salt, and mix until smooth. Continue to add remaining flour to make soft dough. Remove it from the bowl and place on floured board. Knead until smooth and satiny (about 15 mins.). Shape into a ball and place in buttered bowl. Cover and let rise until double in size (2 hours). Punch risen dough down and divide it in 10 pieces Place in a greased pan (8-9 inches round). Let rise in warm place until double in size (1-1/2 to 2 hours). Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

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Just Having Fun

I was playing around with different picture sites...




Too tired to post tonight after the Hub's family shinding, but tune in tomorrow for World Bread Day.

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Post in Progress

I meant to finish these little babies earlier but the weather has been too gorgeous not to spend the day outside. My fillings are made and ready to go but we are out of town tomorrow. Gonna have to wait until monday to know what I have done with these macarons...

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A Bientot - See You Soon

This is what my parents were supposed to have for breakfast this morning....but I forgot and pulled a brioche out instead...so next time they come I will do these pastries again.

I drove my parents to the airport earlier this afternoon. Every time they come we have a different experience depending on where we are in our life, but it seems like they had a nice visit. There was quite a good amount of wine poured and food enjoyed. There was laughter and sight seeing, a good deal of shopping for the rest of the family. Some clashes did take place, some strong opinions were exchanged, some things were left unsaid.
Each time I wait with them under the Arrival/Departure screen I cannot help but feel a pinch in my heart. I wish I had not said some of the things I reacted to or hugged my mother more instead. Such is life and human nature, I guess. I feel like each time they come I am 16 again, but has grown 10 years by the time they leave. They help me remember who I am and help me get better at the same time. I have wonderful parents: je vous aime Papa et Maman.

One habit they have started for my brother and myself is to load up the fridge and freezer before they leave..."just to help, you know". Their reason is that we provide lodging and transportation and deal with them for 3 weeks. They are the easiest guests to have around! I appreciate them funding my foodie and blogging tastes and take this opportunity to get some lamb, cheeses, blocks of European butter, free range chicken and eggs and other delicacies that I usually try to budget for.
Before we headed out on our (big) food outing I noticed I was out of a few staples, especially puff pastry. Mom suggested we buy some at the store ...oh boy! you should have seen the look on my face! It costs nothing to make, only time and a few dough turns on a rainy afternoon while watching your favorite old movies. She gave me "the" look : proud, shocked, worried.... Had I turned into Martha Stewart?

See, it really makes me mad to buy puff pastry when I know how easy and unexpensive it is to make at home. I usually make a big batch and divide it in 4 so I know I'll have plenty for a while, vaccuum seal it and freeze it. I decided to try a new recipe for a change and did, indeed, for the time of recipe turned into Martha by using hers. It is very straightforward and easy but I somehow prefer the one I usually use from Bo Friberg. I decided to use some right away and got inspired by Cheryl wonderful pastillitos, and folded square of puff pastry and put some cherry preserves in the middle.

Puff Pastry, adapted from Martha Stewart:

Makes about 2 1/2 pounds
For the dough package:
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
3/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, well chilled
1 1/4 cups cold water

For the butter package:
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, well chilled

Make the dough package: In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours with the salt. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture; using your fingers or a pastry cutter, incorporate butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Form a well in center of mixture, and pour the water into well. Using your hands, gradually draw flour mixture over the water, covering and gathering until mixture is well blended and begins to come together. Gently knead mixture in the bowl just until it comes together to form a dough, about 15 seconds. Pat dough into a rough ball, and turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly, and place in refrigerator to chill 1 hour.

Make the butter package: Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon flour on a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Place uncut sticks of butter on top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon flour. Top with another sheet of paper; using a rolling pin, pound butter to soften and flatten to about 1/2 inch. Remove top sheet of paper, and fold butter package in half onto itself. Replace top sheet of paper, and pound again until butter is about an inch thick. Repeat process two or three times, or until butter becomes quite pliable. Using your hands, shape butter package into a 6-inch square. Wrap well in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator until it is chilled but not hardened, no more than 10 minutes.

Assemble and roll the dough: Remove dough package from refrigerator, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough into a 9 inch square. Place butter package on the center square. Fold corner of dough over the butter package so that it is completely enclosed. Press with your hands to seal.
Using the rolling pin, press down on the dough at regular intervals, repeating and covering the entire surface area, until it is about 1 inch thick. Gently roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 9 by 20 inches, with one of the short sides closest to you. Be careful not to press too hard around the edges, and keep the corners even as you roll out the dough by squaring them with the side of the rolling pin or your hands. Brush off any excess flour. Starting at the near end, fold the rectangle in thirds as you would a business letter; this completes the first single turn.Wrap in plastic wrap; place in refrigerator 45 to 60 minutes.
Remove dough from refrigerator, and repeat process in step 5, giving it five more single turns.Always start with the flap opening on the right as if it were a book. Mark the dough with your knuckle each time you complete a turn to help you keep track. Chill 1 hour between each turn. After the sixth and final turn, wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before using.

For the pastry: cut the dough into 4 inch squares, fold the corners to the centher, create an indentation, brush with egg wash and fill with your favorites: jam, cream cheese, curds, etc...Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

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Coffee Cheeseacake, Per Dad's Request

My father loves cheesecakes as much as he loves crabcakes. He is getting used to (not to say tired) to the latter but will probably never lose his sweet tooth for a creamy slice of cheesecake. Usually he would come into the restaurant and order a slice of the one I had prepared that day. He was always curious of my combinations or fillings, whether it be fruits, liqueurs or curds. My parents have been visiting for almost three weeks and I realised Friday that I had not made one for him yet. It is really no big deal for me to make one, I have used the same recipe gazillion times and even tired after a long outing I really don't mind baking one.

When I asked him about what flavor he wanted, he simply answered "coffee". What? no extravagant or decadent concoction? No. Just coffee. Allright, as a good daughter I would oblige but only if I can use real espresso and some Kahlua.

I can't tell you where the original recipe comes from, it is a sort of "I got it from a chef who got from a chef who got it from a chef" kind of story. I love it because you can use the fillings and toppings of you choice and you can be as creative as you wish and it never cracks or fail.

Coffee Cheesecake, original source unknown.

For the Crust:

16 Oreo cookies, crushed up

3 Tb. melted butter

Mix the butter and cookies and pat them into a springform pan, previously lined with parchment paper.

For the cheesecake:

2 pounds cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/4 cup espresso

1/4 Kahlua

Mix together the cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time an mix well after each addition. Add the espresso and liqueur.

Pour into prepared pan. Wrap the pan with foil and set it into a large roasting pan, fill halfway with water and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, the middle needs to be wiggling a little. Remove from water and cool completely. Better made the day before you plan to serve it.

To remove the cake from the springform bottom, invert on plastic wrap, using a hair dryer or a blowtorch, heat the inverted pan bottom. The cake should losen up from the base. Remove the bottom and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Discard the plastic wrap.

Note: I had a wonderful visit with Cheryl and Griff in Savannah, and plan to post about it soon, I just want to make sure the are allright with the pictures I took.

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Banana Muffins and Honey Bananas Topping

These little things are really not supposed to be muffins but rather banana bread. Anybody who knows me also knows that I love things that should not be what they are intented to be. I like to twist and divert, although never to the point of creating a diplomatic incident!

I have made this recipe so many times to use up over ripe bananas that I don't need to open the cookbook anymore. I thought that for the sole purpose of practicing my photography, the batter could be turned into little cakes and decorated for a nice photo shoot.

I also have to confess that with my family still visiting, my recipes have to remain simple and easy to assemble because we do a lot of sightseeing and shopping. However, I would not want to make you miss your weekly episode of the "Banana Post"!This original recipe comes from Cooking Light and is quite easy and light, but full of flavor. I adapted it by adding some rum and replacing the milk with buttermilk. I sometimes add nuts or coconut, sometimes mini chocolate chips.

Banana Bread and Honey Banana Topping, adapted from Cooking Light:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light butter, softened
1 2/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners and spray with cooking spray.
Combine sugar and butter in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add banana, milk, sour cream, and egg whites; beat well, and set aside.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beating until blended.
Divide evenly among the muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

For the Honey Banana Topping:
Slice 3 bananas. Melt 1 TB butter in a large saute pan and saute the bananas until they start to get some color. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of good honey. Remove the bananas and let the honey reduce some. Divide the banana slices on top of the muffins and drizzle with the honey.

I probably won't be around much this weekend as we are going down to Savannah to play tourists and stroll around town. No visit planned to see Paula Deen, but I am definetely going by the Back In The Day Bakery to see Cheryl. Yeah!!

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