Peanut Butter and Julie

Daring Danish Braid with Fresh Strawberry Filling

Daring Danish Braid with Fresh Strawberry Filling

The end of June really crept up on me.  I was casually reading over this month's Daring Bakers challenge a mere two days ago, only to find out that (gasp!) the posting date for the challenge is today.  Suddenly, I was taken back to that high school nightmare, realizing on Sunday night that a report for a book that I haven't read yet is due in first period Monday morning  English class.  Don't get me wrong--I've been looking forward to this task, hand selected by the daring duo Kelly of Sass and Veracity and Ben of What's Cooking?, since it was announced at the beginning of the month.  June 29th seemed so far away on June 1st, and I think that I just felt like I had all the time in the world.  So, not wanting my grade to go down due to tardy work (no, we're not actually graded on this....are we?), I rolled up my sleeves and got started, pronto!

I have attempted homemade croissants before, but never Danish pastry, and I found the latter to be more forgiving and much easier to prepare.  This Danish Braid challenge hails from The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard, the former pastry chef at the original Spago in Beverly Hills, and you can find the recipe in its entirety on one of the aforementioned web sites.  In a nutshell, Danish pastry consists of laminated dough, or many layers of dough that have been created by sandwiching butter between them.  This sandwiching process involves "turning" the dough, or folding it like a business letter (see picture to the right) to create 3 layers.  Throughout the recipe, the dough is turned several times, chilling between each turn, thus creating the many flaky layers that Danish pastries are known for.

One of my favorite things about being a member of the Daring Bakers is that the challenges are usually ones that I have always wanted to attempt, but  they have somehow been forgotten under my constantly growing queue of "to-do" recipes.  This particular challenge allowed our creative juices to flow because the only strict rule was to make at least one braid (the recipe makes enough dough for two.)  The filling, topping, size, and style of the braiding was up to us.  Because large displays of ripe, large strawberries are still positioned front and center at our grocery stores, I decided on a summery strawberry filling topped with some slivered almonds.  In hindsight, I probably should have mixed the strawberries with a dusting of cornstarch, in addition to the few tablespoons of sugar that I added, because these berries were JUICY!  As you  can tell from the picture below, a good deal of the filling oozed out during the baking process, which could have been prevented if I had added a thickener.

Here are a few extra tips and observations from my attempt at this buttery,  fruit-filled pastry:

• It was mentioned by Kelly and Ben that cardamom can either be expensive or hard to find, and they gave a couple of good suggestions for resources, including ethnic grocers.  If you live in the U.S., another fantastic resource that I have found for inexpensive spices is World Market, a chain with dozens of stores in many states.  They offer a diverse spice section with small bags of expensive spices, such as cardamom and saffron, at a discounted price.  This way, you don't need to make a large investment if you only require a small quantity for your recipe.
• Instead of using a pricey vanilla bean for the dough, I used vanilla bean paste, a thick syrup  comprised of thousands of vanilla beans.  I used to be able to buy this by the inexpensive jar at Trader Joe's, but I think they realized that they were giving away the farm, so they discontinued the product (curses!)  Another option for buying the paste is the King Arthur Catalogue.
• During the initial mixing process, for which I used a standing electric mixer, I found that I needed to add about 1/3 cup more flour than indicated in the recipe, because my dough was quite sticky.  If you live in a humid climate (I don't,) you may need to add even more.
• When I rolled the pastry out in preparation for filling, I could only stretch it out to about  16X10 inches, as opposed to the indicated 15X20.  The braid was still plenty large after proofing.
• I cut 10 diagonal strips on each side of the pastry for braiding.  The braid was proofed in a warm oven, which had been turned on for 1 minute and then turned off, for about 2 hours.
• During the baking process, the braid browned VERY quickly.  After the initial 10 minutes, I covered it with foil for the remainder of the time, so be sure to keep an eye on your braid while it bakes.

  Great choice for a challenge, Kelly and Ben.  I'm looking forward to seeing all of the other creations and our challenge for July.  I promise not to procrastinate on that one!

Bravo! Daring Divas (Bakers) Take On L'Opera

It all started with an unopened bottle of Limoncello.  I don't know how it became part of our liqueur collection--perhaps it was a hostess gift or an impulse buy during Eric's trip to Italy.  What I do know is that the beautiful, slender bottle with the bright yellow accents has been sitting in our bar area, collecting dust, for over 5 years.  Since we don't really drink hard liquor, our supply is often  used to flavor my kitchen creations.  As I scanned the labels for inspiration, passing over my go-to bottles of Chambord, Kahlua, and Grand Marnier, my eyes fell upon the Limoncello, and I had my "aha" moment.

But I am getting ahead of myself.  This month's Daring Baker's challenge, my third, was the famous French dessert, Opera Cake.  I was thrilled with this selection, as this recipe has been patiently sitting in my Epicurious Recipe Box for years now, and I have simply needed a reason to make it.   While the challenge version hails from a different source, based on Dorie Greenspan's Paris Sweets rendition, I would still be able to check it off my baking bucket list after completion. 

Very little is known about the genesis of L'Opera, as it is called in France.  Its creation is credited to Louis Clichy in the early 1900's, which is why it is also often referred to as Clichy Cake.  The famous French patisserie, Dalloyau, is attributed with popularizing the dessert as we know it today.  There are five elements to an Opera Cake: joconde or sponge cake, sugar syrup for moisture, buttercream, optional mousse, and a finishing glaze.

The recipe, as the Daring Bakers prepared it, can be found in full on fellow DB Ivonne's Cream Puffs in Venice site.  We were tasked with creating a version that only used lighter colors, no dark chocolates, coffees, or cocoas in the buttercream, mousse, and glaze.  This is where the Limoncello  came in.  I used it to flavor my simple syrup only, but it set the precedent for each of the other components: lemon zest in the buttercream, a dash of lemon juice in the glaze, and yellow-hued decorations.  I also love the flavor combination of coconut and lemon, so I decided to up the ante on the filling by sandwiching the buttercream between a thin layer of lemon curd and a sprinkling of shredded coconut.  The whimsical decorations just seemed perfect for the cheery yellow color.

For as complex as this recipe looks, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it wasn't all that difficult, just long.  I broke it up into sections, making the syrup and buttercream one day, the joconde the next, and assembling with the glaze last night.  I actually cut the recipe in half to make a rectangular cake, and it worked very well.  The joconde baked very quickly, about 7 minutes, and the buttercream, which I couldn't stop sampling, came together beautifully, with none of the curdling that I usually experience with true buttercream recipes.  I look forward to preparing this again, perhaps with a different flavor profile, for a special occasion or dinner party.  It's that kind of dessert.  And the Limoncello?  Well, it's back in its original spot, waiting to inspire another recipe.  Here are some of my tips for making a standing ovation-worthy Opera cake:

• Because there are so many components to this recipe (joconde, buttercream, simple syrup, optional mousse, and glaze), it is very important to pace yourself and allow plenty of time to create your masterpiece.  Everything but the glaze can be prepared at least one day in advance, so dividing the recipe into portions will make the process much easier. 
• For the buttercream, one set of directions said to heat the sugar syrup to 225F degrees, while the other (in the cookbook) said 255F degrees.  I picked a temperature in the middle, 235F, and the buttercream turned out beautifully.  I imagine that either end of the spectrum would have worked just as well, as long as the sugar granules are thoroughly dissolved and the syrup is hot to the touch.
• If you have not made real buttercream prior to this recipe, do not be alarmed if the mixture appears to look curdled after you have added all of the butter.  Continue to mix at medium-high speed, and the buttercream will eventually come together and achieve a satiny smooth texture.
• This recipe can be easily halved, but I recommend making the buttercream as directed, in the event that you need more.  Buttercream can be frozen for up to a month, so if you have extra, you can just save it for another recipe. 
• The joconde recipe calls for eggs and egg whites at room temperature.  To quickly bring eggs up to temperature, simply submerge them in warm water for a few minutes.  Room temperature eggs are easier to aerate and result in a fluffier product/

Daring Bakers Make the Perfect Party Cake

Boy did the end of March sneak up on me!  It's definitely going out like a lion here in Las Vegas, with overcast skies and strong winds, but I can't recall if it came in like a lamb.  This was the perfect morning for me to stay indoors and work on my second Daring Bakers challenge, Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake.  This challenge was hand picked by my fellow Daring Baker Morven from New Zealand.  Morven, thanks for selecting such a fun, springtime-appropriate recipe.  My husband's office will be thrilled when he brings in this lightly lemon-scented treat tomorrow (minus the one piece for the photo and sampling of course!).

As suggested by the recipe title, this is now going to be my "go-to" white layer cake.  I have been searching for quite some time for a version that is light, moist, and doesn't fall to pieces when you ice and assemble the layers, and eureka!, this is that cake.  The directions I found to be very straightforward, and, although it requires several different bowls, the entire thing came together in just over 2 hours, start to finish (and besides, you can have the lucky people who get to eat the cake wash the dishes, right?).  I have been making real meringue buttercreams for many years now, and this one was by far the easiest that I have worked with--no curdling, no separating, and a smooth, velvety result that didn't taste like I had just whipped a stick of butter.  As far as variations on the written recipe, I didn't go too crazy, only substituting the large flake coconut for the shredded type--maybe next time, for this recipe is a keeper!  I'm looking forward to seeing what the other DB's have baked up and of course to next month's challenge.

Thanks again Morven--this challenge really took the cake!!

Here are a few tips for making this special occasion cake along with a few things that I did that differed from the directions below:

• Although this cake is best eaten the day that it is prepared, it can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days.  Bring the cake to room temperature prior to serving.  The cake layers, after cooling, can be wrapped and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months.
• Instead of using shredded sweetened coconut on the exterior of the cake, I opted to toast a few cups of the large flake coconut for a bit of a color contrast.  I coated the sides of the cake with the coconut and left the top clean.  This might be a better decorating option if you intend to write a message on the cake.
• If you intend to serve the cake the day that it is made, cover each layer of buttercream with fresh berries, matching the preserves to the fruit.  You can also replace the coconut on top of the cake with a crown of fresh berries or use both coconut and berries.
• Although the buttercream can be replaced by firmly whipped sweetened cream in this  recipe, if you have never made a true meringue buttercream before, this is a great first-timer recipe.  It comes together beautifully with little to no separation or curdling.
• A few substitutions that I made: Instead of buttering the cake pans, I always use Pam for Baking.  This stuff works like magic! Nothing ever sticks to the pans and I am a huge believer in the product (and no, they do not pay me to say that!).  I also replaced the lemon extract with Fioro di Sicilia (see picture), which I buy from the King Arthur's Baking COmpany Catalogue.  It is a citrus-flavored extract that I like to add to vanilla or white layer cakes, pound cakes, and sugar cookies. 

Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

4 large egg whites

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

For Buttercream

1 cup sugar

4 large egg whites

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Assembly

2/3 cup raspberry preserves, stirred until spreadable

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Prepare the cake layers:  Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and place a rack in the center.  Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.  Butter the parchment and set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and 4 egg whites until combined.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the sugar and the lemon zest until well-combined and fragrant. 

Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter, beating at medium speed for 3 minutes, until very light and fluffy.  Beat in the extract and then beat in one-third of the flour mixture.  Beat in half of the buttermilk mixture and then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until well incorporated.  Add the rest of the buttermilk mixture, beating until the batter is homogeneous, and then add the last of the dry ingredients.  Give the batter a good 2 minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed.   Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center emerges clean.

Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes.  Run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them onto the rack, and peel off the parchment.  Cool completely.

Prepare the buttercream:  Place the sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer or another large heatproof bowl.  Fit the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.  Remove the bowl from the heat.

Using the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on medium speed until it has cooled, about 5  minutes.  Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter, one stick at a time, beating until smooth.  Once all of the butter has been added, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.  During this time, the buttercream may curdle or separate--just keep beating and it will come together again.

On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice and then add the vanilla.  The buttercream should be smooth, velvety, and pristine white.

Assemble the cake:  Using a sharp serrated knife, slice each layer horizontally in half.  Put one layer, cut side up, on a cardboard cake round or cake plate.  Spread it with 1/3 of the raspberry preserves.  Cover the jam evenly with 1/4 of the buttercream.  Top with another layer, spread with the preserves and the buttercream, and do the same with a third layer.  Place the last layer, cut side down, on top of the cake.  Use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and the top.  Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently on the sides and the top.  Serve at room temperature.

Ooh La La! Daring Bakers Take On Julia's French Bread

Last month, I discovered an on-line group of food bloggers from all over the world called The Daring Bakers.  Each month, one member of the group selects a baking recipe and  challenges the other members to attempt the recipe exactly as written and then write about the recipe on their individual sites.  The chosen recipe is to remain top secret among members until the last day of the month, at which time the bakers can share their experiences, along with any photos that they took, with their readers.

February, 2008 will go down in Peanut Butter and Julie history as my first month as a proud member of The Daring Bakers--and what a month to begin with!  This month's challenge, Julia Child's French Bread from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume II", was selected by Mary from The Sour Dough blog and Sara from I Like to Cook.  Because the recipe is an intimidating 17 pages long in Julia's classic cookbook, you'll understand why I am choosing not to post it in its entirety on my site, and instead provide you with a link to it on Mary's site here.  Below, I'll share with you some of my photos of the cooking process along with my usual comments and tips for making this bread.

Ooh La La!  Daring Bakers Take On Julia's French Bread

I thought that it was so appropriate that my first recipe as part of The Daring Bakers was written by  such as pioneer of the culinary world and involved making something very basic that requires a very specific technique.  I also don't think that this is something that I would have attempted on my own, as the 17 pages of directions might have been a bit of a deterrent!  I was surprised to discover that the actual labor required in making this recipe only amounts to about 1 hour, because the majority of the time is dedicated to rising, and that the only ingredients needed to make authentic French bread are yeast, flour, salt, and water (the good butter and olive oil come later....).

The directions I found to be very clear and easy to follow, and a big "thank you" should go to Mary and Sara for the additional updated comments that they inserted, which didn't apply when Julia wrote the recipe, as they were very helpful.  I chose to make the recipe with my trusty KitchenAid 6-quart standing electric mixer as opposed to making it by hand.  I have made homemade bread with my mixer many times, and it has never failed me, so I figured, if it ain't broke.....  The dough came together very easily and rose beautifully, just as it was described in the recipe, and I think it helps to live in a desert climate, where there is little  humidity to tamper with the process.  This was the scariest part for me, lifting the towel off of the bowl to see what had transpired over the past few hours, filled with fear that the dough hadn't risen at all and I would need to start all over again!

I chose to form the dough into the three 24" baguettes, because I really wanted to practice shaping the longer loaves, as I thought that this would be one of the more complicated shapes.  They all turned out a little bit different in width, and the rolling and lengthening process was easier with some than with others.  I also think that I didn't split the dough exactly  in thirds, and maybe next time I should weigh the pieces to be sure.  As suspected, the slashing of the dough, just before placing the baguettes in the oven proved to be a bit of a challenge.  I used my Exacto knife, which I usually use for things like my fondant cake decorations, and it worked fairly well, but I think that next time I will use a razor blade.  Notice that I am saying "next time" quite a bit?  Clearly the results of this process make it worth doing again!

After placing the loaves in the oven (I need to get a longer baking sheet--they were practically hanging off of the edge!), I used a pastry brush to wet them as opposed to a spray bottle, which I didn't have, but will definitely invest in for the next go-round as I think it would be the easier method.  The smell that came from the oven during the baking process was heavenly, but it was agony knowing that I would need to let the loaves rest for 2 hours after they finished baking.  Trying to explain that to my husband was probably the hardest part of this entire process--he is a notorious bread lover.  The loaves came out a nice golden brown color, and the "slash" marks actually looked pretty professional--good enough for a first timer at least.  They  had a hollow sound when tapped, so everything seemed to be in place.

For dinner, I had made a simple corn and cheddar chowder, knowing that we would have some great fresh bread for mopping up the last few bits.  It is amazing to me what can be made out of so few ingredients.  The bread tasted just like "the real thing": crisp and crunchy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.  We ate it with some good European butter, although it would have been delicious on its own.  The only complaint that I have is that I didn't make a double (or triple) batch, as the bread was gone very quickly.  But, as I have said, next time..........

Thank you Mary and Sara for a great first challenge--I'm looking forward to challenge #2!!