Salty Sweet Perfection

I'm sure you have heard it before, but adding a little salt to chocolate takes the flavor to a whole new level. Not only are these fudgey morsels adorned with perfect little flecks of sea salt, the pretzel crust on these brownies was a real "ah-ha!" moment for me. As soon as I tasted the salty, crunchy crust against the sweet and chewy texture of the brownie my mind started racing while thinking "why haven't I been using pretzel crust all these years!?!"

Even if you never make these brownies, which would be a HUGE mistake, I would definitely hang onto this pretzel crust recipe. It can be used to compliment so many different desserts like as a pie crust or do what I did and use it for a cupcake crust...delish!

Happy Baking!!

Dani xoxo

Pretzel Crust (Adapted from Bakers Royale and Better Homes & Gardens)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup crushed pretzels

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup melted butter

Directions: Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl stir together crushed pretzels, flour, brown sugar, and baking soda. Once combined stir in the melted butter. Pour the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan and pat it down.  Bake for about 10 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Brownie (Adapted from Bakers Royale and Better Homes & Gardens)

7 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions: Place a bowl over a saucepan with simmering water (bain-marie).  In the bowl combine chocolate, butter, and water; stir constantly until chocolate is melted.  Or, to save having to do a bunch of dishes later, place the chocolate, butter, and water in a medium bowl and microwave in 20 sec increments stirring after each time until the chocolate is fully melted.  Be careful you don't overheat the chocolate!  Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to chocolate mixture; beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, and cinnamon. Now beat on low speed until combined. Spread batter over the pretzel crust.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Topping: Drizzle with melted chocolate and caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt or fleur de sel. Cut into bars.  They are rich so I would suggest small bars.

Where Do I Begin????

Wow...I know...it's been forrrrrevvvverrrrrr!! Why the long absence you may ask, well, I have been busy....baking a baby!!

My husband and I welcomed a beautiful baby boy in June and we are over the moon in love.

You can't tell from the picture, but it is seriously crazy what changes happen to the body while pregnant. About 6 weeks in I broke out in full body hives that looked like huge red welts. It was nuts, but I couldn't complain too much since it only lasted a few days, thank goodness, and I had zero morning sickness.

Then, towards the end of my pregnancy I was retaining so much water the tops of my feet were like memory foam pillows. If you touched them with your finger it would leave an indent that would take a few seconds to disappear, but after all was said and done I would do it all over again to experience the miracle of life. Sorry...totally cheesy, but I swear...it's a magical experience.

So fast forward to 3months later and I am just getting back into the groove of things. I am almost finished with pastry school; my school was nice enough to give me an extension, and I am learning to deal with extreme sleep deprivation.

As a new mommy I am trying to find balance in my life. I am back to work so I am trying to figure out how to find time to bake while also spending time with the loves of my life.

This recipe is actually perfect for busy moms who want to bake something special, but 1.) don't have time to go to the store to get specialty ingredients; and, 2.) just don't have time in general.

It's an adaptation of the strawberries and cream bars I previously made from the awesome blog Cookies and Cups. I love it because it only takes a handful of ingredients that are really staple ingredients in a lot of homes, you can change things to suit your tastes or use what you have on hand and it doesn't take that long to make. 

Plus, it looks impressive and like it took all day, but I managed to whip it up while my baby was taking a little cat nap. 

Spiced Toasted Walnut Tart

Bake Time: 25-30min

Bake Temp: 350 degrees

1 box of Spice Cake Mix (use what you have!)

1/3 cup butter softened

2 eggs, divided

8oz package of cream cheese softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla (or another flavor you like)

1/2 to 3/4 cup walnuts roughly chopped (any kind of nut will do) OPTIONAL (or some berries, or candy...use your imagination)

Essentials: 10 inch tart pan or 13 x 9 baking dish

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease your tart pan or baking dish (I used Pam spray) and set it aside. Blend the cake mix, butter, and one egg together in a bowl until combined. Take the mixture, which will look like cookie dough, reserve 1 cup for the topping and pour the rest into your prepared pan or dish. Press it into the bottom and up the sides a bit. Bake it off in your pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. 

While the crust is baking make the filling by blending the cream cheese, sugar, remaining egg and vanilla in a blender until combined and smooth and set aside.

Once the crust comes out of the oven pour your cream cheese mixture over the crust, sprinkle with the reserved crust crumble and walnuts.  Throw it back in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until it's golden brown and the center is set (my oven took about 27 minutes). 

Once cooled you can pop it in the fridge to chill until it's time to eat. It is a great make-ahead treat and a perfect dessert to take for a dinner party, holiday get together or potluck.  This recipe in particular would be greatly complimented by a cinnamon flavored whipped cream and some fresh berries to give a real depth of flavor and to keep it from being one note. 

Any uneaten portion should be tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge for a midnight snack!

It feels good to be back...I hope you try this recipe and let me know what you think or what changes you have made. 

Happy Baking,

Dani xoxo

Go Coo Coo for Choux!

You are probably wondering why the heck I waited so long to do a post on choux pastry considering it is my blog's namesake, but the truth is I wanted the post to coincide with my choux pastry assignment under Classic Pastry Elements, which I am very proud to say that I received 100% on!! Whoo Hoo!!

Choux Mise en Place

Like I have said before, choux paste is sooo simple to make. Just look at these ingredients: butter, water, flour, eggs and salt...THAT'S IT!! You can always add a little sugar too when you add the flour for a little more sweetness. 

Preparation of Choux Dough

All you have to do is slowly bring the butter and water to a boil. I like to melt the butter a bit first so that the water doesn't evaporate too much and mess up the liquid to flour ratio.

Once it comes to a boil you need to take it off the heat and add the sifted flour all at once. This is essential to keeping the paste from becoming lumpy.  After it has combined put it back on the heat and stir constantly until a white film develops on the bottom of the pot.  Then remove the dough from the heat and allow it to cool in a bowl on the counter.

Silky Pate a Choux

When the butter, water and flour mixture are cool to the touch add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.  If you add the eggs too soon you might end up with scrambled eggs in your batter so be careful! At first you will think you are doing something wrong because the dough separates and curdles a bit, but keep at it!!  Soon it all comes together into this silky and shiny paste. 

Piped & Ready for the Oven

After you have taken a moment to congratulate yourself on how amazing the paste looks (it's pretty great right?!?) fill a pastry bag with your paste (or large ziplock type bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe it onto a parchment lined cookie sheet (circles for cream puffs, rectangles for éclairs or even rings).

Golden Brown & Hallow Inside

Now time for the baking.  I know it will be hard, but restrain yourself from peaking in the oven for at least the first 15 minutes or so.  Opening the oven before the puffs set up can cause them to collapse. The goal is to create a crispy exterior with a tender yet hallow interior.  I like to bake for about 15 minutes then remove them from the oven, cut a small slit in the side (this will help the steam to escape) then return them to the oven for another 3-5 minutes or until they are golden brown, crispy and sound hallow when you lightly tap on them.

When you are ready to fill the puffs you can use the small slit you cut into them earlier to fill them without needing to cut them open any further, which will also help to keep that creamy center from dripping all over your lap! Choux Pastry tastes amazing filled with pastry cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce or used to sandwich your favorite ice cream flavor.

Chef Bruno Albouze cracks me up, but also gives a great tutorial on how to make choux pastry and fancy swans (sorry, youtube videos only show up on computers - follow this link if viewing from your phone http://youtu.be/w4fQc1wJZ3w):

I hope you try to make your own choux pastry and you too go coo coo for choux!!!  If you are not sure that you want to make a huge batch on your first try follow this great recipe by Christina of Desserts for Two, which only makes about 6 or 7 puffs.

Flashback Pic of My Very First Attempt at Cream Puffs
Recipe From Another Great Cookbook: The Illustrated Kitchen Bible

Happy Baking,
Dani xoxo

Smitten With A Tiny Chocolate Cake

Wow, where do I begin, this cake is A-MAZ-ING.  It's the perfect mash up of a chewy brownie and a chocolate torte and the addition of fresh berries and whipped cream really amp up the yum factor. This delicious and super easy recipe was created by obsessive home-cook Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. If you have never read her food blog you are truly missing out. Her blog has become so popular, in fact, that she has written her own cookbook: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. I dare you to try and skim through the Amazon preview of this book and not buy it...impossible!  Also, if you remember from my post Successful Pinspirations (Part 1) I made her Hostess Cake, which was shockingly good.

This week at work we celebrated my boss' birthday and since I work in a small office of four people I thought it would be nice to surprise them with a homemade treat. I started flipping through my Smitten Kitchen Cookbook and came upon this Tiny, but Intense Chocolate Cake.  Deb writes a great little intro before each recipe, either commenting on why she loves the recipe or how it came to be. This recipe in particular is her "go-to" cake for those last minute celebrations or the perfect "cheer up" cake for a friend who has had a bad day. The ingredients are minimal and you can even change up the chocolate to reduce the intensity.

A Simple Mise En Place

Since I wasn't sure how intense my co-workers like their chocolate I decided to use half semi-sweet chocolate and half milk chocolate and since I didn't have a 6 inch cake pan I used my smallest CorningWare dish and adjusted the cooking time.  I also found myself with a big ol' bag of dark brown sugar, but no light brown sugar as specified in the ingredients.  The difference between light and dark is the amount of molasses mixed with the sugar.  So here's a great tip...use half dark brown sugar and half granulated (regular) sugar and there you go...light brown sugar!

Browned Butter to Melt Rich Chocolate

Browned butter...something I am loving lately.  It really gives recipes a depth of flavor that you won't get just melting the butter and it's so simple.  You just need to cook your butter over medium heat until it has turned a golden color and gives off a nutty flavor with brown specks at the bottom of the pan.  Be careful not to burn it, because you will have to start all over again!

Creamed Sugar and Eggs with Chocolate

Gentle Folding of Egg Whites with Chocolate Batter

Be gentle when you are folding in your egg whites and make sure you don't incorporate them all at once.  It's very important to fold in about 1/3rd of the whites first then fold in the rest.  This will help to keep the cake from becoming a baked chocolate block.

Chocolate Perfection with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

VERDICT: A perfect little cake that I am sure would be welcomed by any friend or hostess.  Not to mention that since there is no flour it's a great cake for those trying to eliminate or reduce their gluten intake.

Enjoy and Happy Baking,

Dani xoxo

Tiny, but Intense 
Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Deb Perelman's
Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients

• • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate
  • three large eggs separated
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • pinch cinnamon
• 
  Instructions
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350.line a 6 inch round springform pan with a circle of parchment paper. Generously butter sides of pan and parchment round.
  2. in a small saucepan melt your butter over medium heat, stirring for even cooking. After the butter melts, it will then hiss and spatter a bit, fragrant brown bits will form at the bottom of the sauce pan. The whole process will take three minutes. Quickly remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Cool chocolate mixture to lukewarm, a process that maybe sped up by transferring the mixture from the hot sauce pan to a small bowl set in a puddle of cold water. keep stirring if you are using this method
  3. With electric mixer beat eggs yolks, brown sugar and vanilla together until mixture thickens and takes on a pale yellow brown color. Slowly beat in lukewarm chocolate mixture, and a pretty good color will return the mixture will become very thick.
  4. In a separate bowl beat egg whites with clean beaters until firm peaks form. Add a pinch of cinnamon, if desired. Stir one third of eight mixture into chocolate mixture. Fold remaining two thirds in gently, trying to keep better as light as possible. Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is puffed with a lovely dome on top. test with skewer.
  5. To serve let cool 10 minutes. Run tonight around cake to make sure it's not stuck. Release the spring form sides. Let cool. once cooled flip onto plate remove parchment.
  6. additional: beat 1/2 cup whipping cream with 2 teaspoons granulated sugar until soft peaks form dust cake with confectioners' sugar dollop with whip cream and berries.

Who Doesn't Love Buns!?!

I'm not talking booty buns here...don't get me wrong...I like a nice set of buns too, but I'm talking Chelsea buns, cinnamon rolls and any other variation of the bun.  They are not only delicious, but they are also the perfect excuse to have sweets for breakfast and nobody is going to look at you funny.

Date & Apricot Chelsea Buns

This week I finished up the enriched yeast dough section with the preparation of Chelsea buns.  You are probably wondering, what the heck are Chelsea buns, well according to wikipedia "The Chelsea bun is a type of currant bun that was first created in the 18th century at the Bun House in Chelsea (a region in the UK) an establishment favored by Hanoverian royalty...".  I know, I am such a nerd.  I love to learn about the origins of classic baked goods, but basically, instead of a cinnamon and sugar filling it's filled with currants, brown sugar and citrus zest.

I'm not sure exactly where the grocery stores are hiding all the currants, but for the life of me I could not find a single currant anywhere (if anyone knows where they are sold please leave a comment!!).  So instead, I decided to change it up and use some chopped dates and apricots, which were a very tasty combination.

Bun Dough Preparation

But before you can move on to the easy part of filling and rolling you have to work those arm muscles and prepare the dough...or you can cheat and use your Kitchen Aid with the hook attachment!!  Much like the brioche dough from my last post, the ingredients were pretty basic and are staples found in any well stocked baking pantry: flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, eggs and butter.

I started by making a well in the sifted flour and combining the yeast with some warm milk.  Once the yeast became active (bubbly and puffed up) the rest of the ingredients were combined and turned out onto my counter for kneading.  Once the dough became elastic, shiny and smooth it was set in a lightly greased bowl covered with plastic wrap until it doubled in size.

Chelsea Bun Mise En Place

While the dough was proofing I assembled ingredients for my mise en place.  This recipe consisted of chopped dates and apricots, brown sugar and orange zest.  **Side note, this rolling pin is one of my favorite tools in my kitchen because it was personalized with the words "Made with Love ~ Danielle" and given to me by my really great friend, Lina Alicia of Punch-Drunk Style who is not only very stylish, but also very thoughtful...check out her site!**

Punch it, Roll it, Fill it, Roll it & Cut it

This dough is so delicious and versatile.  The combination of the dates, apricots and orange zest gave it a flavor very similar to Italian panettone bread.  Today my mom and I were brainstorming filling flavors and we both began to drool when we talked about filling the dough with chopped almonds and almond paste! YUM!!  Baking is a science after all so experiment!!

Breakfast is Served

I would love to hear your ideas for some filling flavor combos...I definitely see the almond/almond paste variation in my future!!  Have a great weekend.

Happy Baking,
Dani xoxo

Homemade Brioche - Feeling Accomplished

Bread has always intimidated me and it's not because I am scared of a little arm workout, even though a Bar Method workout class with my girlfriends recently kicked my butt!  I think it's the yeast and it stresses me out that those little dry beads can make or break your bread!

Currently I am learning about enriched doughs, which are doughs incorporated with yeast.  I am discovering that as long as you are good to the yeast and give them a nice warm home with plenty to eat they will be good to you.  Yeast are basically little beads of fungus that like to eat sugar.  Once you add them to your dough they have a little sugar eating party and overindulged to the point that they begin to burp.  Typically burping is rude, but when it comes to yeast, it's essential because their little burps release gases into the dough that create the rise and the little nooks and crannies.

Plated Brioche w/ Huckleberry Jam

This week I baked some brioche for class and I can't tell you how accomplished I felt pulling the golden brown loaf and rolls from my oven...and the smell...pure heaven.

Brioche Mise En Place

As you can see, the ingredients aren't too crazy, but are actually pretty basic: Flour, yeast, milk, sugar, eggs and salt.  You can put the dough in traditional brioche molds or do something a bit fancier like braiding, twisting or knotting the dough. 

Getting the Dough Ready for the First Proofing

Kneading of the Dough, Proofing and Shaping

The process required time more than anything.  Multiple proofing periods (periods that you let the dough rest to double in size) let the yeast do their thing, but once the bread is baked you'll forget all about that waiting time.

Warm and Golden Brown Brioche

Brioche has a flavor close to that of Hawaiian bread because of its sweet and eggy taste, but it's a bit denser. It would be perfect toasted and spread with butter or even used for french toast on a sunday morning.

Homemade Deliciousness

If you haven't tried your hand at making bread you may want to dip your toes in slowly by trying the No-Knead Bread recipe recommended in my last post.  Then, try to make homemade brioche or any other bread for that matter and I promise you will not be disappointed.  Nothing tastes better than homemade.

So what types of breads have you tried to make?  Do you have any winning bread recipes? If so, please share!

Happy Baking,
Dani xoxo

Pastry School Online...Whaaaat!?!

Wow...where do I begin...it has been quite an adventure so far.  Last year I was knee deep in books and stressed out beyond belief studying the law and now I am knee deep in flour studying the science of baking and loving every minute of it.

My first choice was to attend the very prestigious and well known Le Cordon Bleu, but being a thirty-something, wife and full time paralegal the very strict schedule was not something that was realistic for me.  I admit that for a moment there the wind had been taken out of my sails.  I had finally decided to do something that I knew I would love, but I found myself at a road block.  Not easily defeated, I knew there had to be another route so I searched and searched the web looking for any sign of hope and one beautiful day the heavens opened up and shined brightly on my computer screen, well that's how I remember it anyway.

That day I found Escoffier Online International Culinary Academy , which offers an online version of their culinary arts program and pastry arts program found at their schools in Austin, TX and Boulder, CO.  More specifically, "Escoffier Baking and Pastry Academy provides an outstanding online baking and pastry experience that offers classical skills while incorporating contemporary baking and pastry trends from around the globe. The combination of classical and contemporary techniques provides an in-depth exploration of the source of ingredients and sustainable practices that are increasingly relevant for today’s baker or pastry chef." (Couldn't have said it better myself!)  As a side note, click here if you would like to learn more about Auguste Escoffier.

Many people may give a wrinkled brow at the thought of an online culinary/pastry school, but to tell you the truth, the Escoffier program has been amazing thus far.  I am learning so much and for a fraction of the price it would have cost me to go to Le Cordon Bleu. The chef mentors have umpteen years of experience in the field and I am able to study and bake as my schedule allows.   The best part though is that I haven't lost any more precious moments with my husband, friends and family as I had in my law school days.

I will make sure to update you with my pastry school journey, but for now I leave you with a few pics of my "homework"...

Buttercream Frosting

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

Viennese Cookies Five Ways

Whole Wheat Apple Pecan Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar Compound Butter

Rosemary Focaccia

It's my goal to continue to learn from my mistakes, perfect my craft and to never look back.  I am excited to be a part of something new and innovative and would love to hear what you think of online culinary and pastry programs or just online schools in general?  Until next time...

Happy Baking,

Dani xoxo

Cookbooks Anonymous

I'm addicted to cookbooks!! There, I've said it and I don't care who knows it!!

Over the years I have developed quite a collection, but not nearly enough to satisfy or even curb the craving. As I type this, my Amazon wish list is overflowing with titles I am dying to get my little mitts on, but all things in moderation...right?

I love everything about them and it's not just the mouth watering recipes...it's the pictures, the tips, the feel of the book's dust jacket. I know...weirdo right?!? Well, like I've said before...I love to learn and who better to learn from than the pioneers in the field who came before me.

Recently I gave into my desire and purchased The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco. Her name may or may not sound familiar to you. She is a James Beard Award-winner and former pastry chef for Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio's Craft and Craftbar (to name a few).

The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco & Mindy Fox

The cookbook addict in me loved it without question upon it's arrival, but then the rational side of me thought that maybe I should open it and I don't know, try a few recipes!

I decided to try out her Grandma Rankin's Cashew Brittle recipe since it was blistering hot today and it didn't require me turning the oven on. 

There was one catch though, I didn't have any cashews and i wasn't about to make a run to the store on Labor Day. No problem...the great thing about her book is that it's all about developing your craft.  She gives many tips on how to manipulate the recipe and even encourages you use your imagination.  I had pumpkin seeds on hand and after I toasted them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes to bring out the flavor I was ready to go. 

Pumpkin Seed Brittle Mise En Place

Butter, Sugar and Light Corn Syrup Boiling to a Dark Amber

Brittle Cooling on a Greased Cookie Sheet

Plated and Ready for Devouring

The Verdict: Delicious. They are buttery and have a salty/sweet thing going on.  Next time I may cut back the salt just a bit, but that's to my taste.  They would also make a great holiday or anytime gift for someone special.

Do you have a cookbook addiction? I would love to hear about your favorite cookbooks...for now I will be working may way though The Craft of Baking and many other titles while simultaneously developing my own craft.

Happy Baking,

Dani xoxo