"Enjoy with reckless abandon …"

These are the words that are written on the first page of my copy of Donna Dooher and Claire Stubb’s Out to Brunch, the Cream Puffs in Venice Flavour of the Month for May 2006. How did I come by this autographed copy of such a wonderful book? Let me explain.

As you may have already guessed my entire family shares the philosophy of good food. So it’s not surprising that we are all, in our own way, deeply involved in the pursuit of good food. One of my uncles, Uncle C, has been a waiter for years and as luck would have it, his path brought him to the doors of Mildred Pierce, the restaurant from which the recipes for Out to Brunch come.

Uncle C spent many years at Mildred Pierce before eventually moving on. But during his time there, he developed a strong friendship with the restaurant’s owners. When Out to Brunch was published, knowing how much I loved the restaurant and how much I coveted the cookbook, he had Donna Dooher autograph a copy for me and her words to me were … enjoy with reckless abandon.

How refreshing!

How refreshing to read the words of an accomplished woman who is not afraid of eggs and butter and cream.

How refreshing to know that there is someone else out there who embraces the joy of food and eating without any guilt.

How refreshing, indeed!

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating that you spend your days gorging on eggs, sugar, cream and butter. As lovely as blueberry pancakes are and as much as I love my goopy squares, the food universe is too enormous to imagine and it would be a shame not try everything … not to enjoy everything whether it be a vegetable, a piece of cheese or the best piece of chocolate cake you’ve ever laid eyes on.

But I am advocating enjoying your food. I am advocating turning off that stupid little voice that says "This is bad for you," or "You shouldn’t be eating that," because ultimately, food is not bad. What we do with our food, or don’t do with it, is what harms us.

Donna’s book is a constant reminder that a meal, in this case brunch, is what you make of it. You can deny yourself and feel a sense of pleasure over having denied yourself or you can choose to make all foods a part of your life and give up the silly guilt over that cookie you’ve had your eye on.

If you’re in the market for a trusty brunch book, look into Out to Brunch. You know that this Cream Puff does not recommend books lightly. I test as many recipes as I can and I have to feel a connection. Out to Brunch passes the test on all counts. And if you’re ever in Toronto, take the time to visit Mildred Pierce for a meal. You won’t regret it.

And so he we are, my friends. The month of May prepares to make its exit and June readies itself for the stage. Soon there will be a new Flavour of the Month and we will all be enjoying the fruits of June. But before we get there, there is time for Mildred to take her final bow.

For the grand finale, I chose a dessert that I am in the habit of describing as the King of Desserts … the crème brûlée. The Mildred Pierce version is a lovely concoction of cream and caramel. It’s light with just the right note of caramelly sweetness. It’s a beautiful thing.

And I leave you with the words that I have come to love … enjoy with reckless abandon!

Ciao!

Caramel Crème Brûlée

Adapted from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs.

• 3 cups heavy cream (35% cream)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 6 large egg yolks
• extra white sugar for the brulee tops

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Heat the cream in a saucepan just until it begins to boil. Remove from the heat and set aside while you prepare the custard base.
3. Combine the sugar and water in another saucepan. Cook over high heat until the mixture turns a light amber, 5 to 7 minutes (have a bowl of ice water nearby just in case of splatters or in case you need to quickly cool down the caramel by plunging the bottom of the pot into the ice water).
4. As soon as the mixture has turned a light amber, remove from the heat and carefully add the cream. The mixture will bubble furiously so take extra care.
5. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with a small amount of the caramel cream to temper the eggs. While whisking continuously, slowly add the remainder of the caramel cream.
6. Strain your mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and then pour the custard into 6 ramekins (ramekins should have a 1/2 cup capacity).
7. Place the ramekins in a large baking pan and fill the pan with hot water so that it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
8. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven. Bake the custards for 45 to 50 minutes or until just set. The centre of the custards will jiggle slightly. Remove from the oven and let stand for half an hour.
9. Remove the ramekins and refrigerate until cold (at least 4 hours).
10. Before serving, spread 1 teaspoon of sugar across the top of each custard. Using a kitchen torch, brûlée the sugar until it has turned golden.
11. Enjoy!

Note:  Keep leftover custards in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days … if they even last that long.

Technorati tags:  caramel, creme brulee, mildred pierce

Ladies and gentleman, I am here today to announce an exciting discovery in the dessert department.

Up until this point in my life, I’ve defined desserts and sweets as cakes, cookies, bars, squares, custards, puddings and so on. It’s been a blissful existence investigating the possibilities of each and every one of these definitions. How many chocolate cake recipes can I actually accumulate? As it turns out … quite a lot. And I’ve often said that one can never have too many recipes for lemon bars. That’s just not possible.

When it comes to squares, I’ve always believed that squares are just as their name would suggest … square pieces of sweets with some sort of base, topped by some sort of sweet filling and often finished with icing sugar or whipped cream. You can’t imagine my surprise when I discovered a new category of sweet … "the goopy square".

What’s a goopy square? Well, it’s sort of like a square except that when you slice and serve it, it doesn’t remain a square. It becomes goopy. Hence, the name.

The goopy square has a base that is very similar to a shortbread crust. The filling, which is where the goopiness eventually comes from, is a caramel sauce that is firm when chilled, but goopy when allowed to come to room temperature. Goopy squares are best served slightly warm, preferably with ice cream. But you can enjoy them just as they are.

Unlike regular squares, goopy squares are messy. This of course means they are far more fun to eat than regular squares. I came upon my goopy square discovery when I decided to make the New York Pecan Squares from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs, which of course is the Cream Puffs in Venice Flavour of the Month for May 2006.

I thought I was making a typical square that was rich with butter and pecans. But as often happens with amazing discoveries, you think you’re going one place and you end up somewhere else.

I hope you will discover the joy of goopy squares. And I dare you not to eat the whole pan.

I dare you!

Ciao!

New York Pecan Squares

Adapted from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs.

For the shortbread crust:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups cake and pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar for 2 minutes. Add the pastry flour and salt and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Add the egg and egg yolk and mix until just combined and the dough gathers in a ball.
3. Using your hands (wet them if the dough is a bit sticky), spread the dough evenly in the bottom of 9 x 11-inch pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Cover the dough with a sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights or with dried beans in order to blind bake the pastry. Bake for 20 minutes and then remove to a wire rack.
5. After 10 minutes remove the parchment paper and let the crust cool completely.

For the goopy squares:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (35% cream)
• 4-1/2 cups pecan halves (you can also use walnuts)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the butter, sugars, honey and salt in a large saucepan. Cook over high heat until it comes to a boil. Once it’s boiling, let it boil for 6 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and very carefully add the heavy cream. Have a bowl of ice water nearby in case the sauce overcooks or in case you get burned. Safety is very important when making a caramel or a caramel sauce! Stir the cream and then immediately add the pecans and mix well to coat the pecans.
3. Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. Allow to cool completely before cutting into goopy squares.
5. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will make anywhere from 12 to 18 goopy squares depending on how large you cut them. The pan size called for in Out to Brunch is 9 x 11 x 2 inches. I found it very difficult to find a pan this size, however, I did find aluminum pans that size in the grocery store. I was told that you can find glass baking dishes in that size as well.

Technorati tags: squares, pecans, mildred pierce

Sigh.

What’s a Cream Puff to do when she’s feeling under the weather on a dreary, rainy day in Cream Puff Land?

Well … said Cream Puff could spend the day snoozing and waking periodically to watch The Food Network. Or … she can get herself all dolled up.

But what to wear?

I began by donning a fluffy, light ensemble of butter, eggs and sugar. A sprinkling of vanilla added just the right scent. Concerned that it might be a bit chilly, I put on a simple yet elegant white cupcake liner.

But what do with my hair?

After much deliberation I settled on an updo of vanilla buttercream. Very elegant if I may say so myself. And finally, and most coquettishly, I added a bright pink flower to my crown. After all, a Cream Puff wants to stand out in a crowd.

I feel better already.

Ciao!

Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes

Adapted from More From Magnolia by Allysa Torey.

For the cupcakes:

• 1-1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 12-cup muffin tins with liners. If you don’t want to use liners, grease and flour the muffin tins.
2. Combine the two flours and set aside.
3. Cream the butter until smooth. Slowly add the sugar, mixing well all the while until you have a fluffy mixture (about 3 minutes).
4. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure that everything is well incorporated.
5. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
6. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
8. Ice the cupcakes and serve.

For the Vanilla Buttercream:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and 4 cups of the sugar. Add the milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy (3 to 5 minutes).
2. Gradually add the remainder of the sugar, 1 cup at a time. Be sure to beat well after each addition. Continue adding sugar just until the buttercream is thick enough to spread.
3. To colour the icing (if you wish), add a few drops of food colouring and mix well.
4. With a spatula, spoon or piping bag, ice your cupcakes as you desire.
5. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe yields two dozen cupcakes. The icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Be careful not to put on too much icing as it is quite sweet.

News:  Check out my article on white tea at A Nice Cuppa.

Technorati tags:  cupcakes, vanilla

I will keep this post short and "sweet".

If I ever started my own religion, it would be based on the belief that in every life there should be some fried dough covered in sugar. This idea was brought into focus awhile ago when I visited Orangette and read Molly’s post about fritters. So true!

Deciding to act on my sweet awakening, I made Cinnamon Sugar Beignets from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs. This recipe is a dream. You mix the dough at night. Go to bed. Wake up and fry yourself some beignets. Roll them in cinnamon sugar and experience bliss.

I say let there be fried dough!

Ciao!

Cinnamon Sugar Beignets

Adapted from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs.

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons fresh yeast (1 tablespoon dry yeast)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• vegetable oil

1. In a large bowl combine the water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Mix and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to get going.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, the remaining sugar and the cinnamon. Add the eggs and yolk and beat well with a wooden spoon. Mix in the yeast mixture, the salt and the flour.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or with a dish cloth and keep in a warm place for about two hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch down the dough and then put in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
4. When you’re ready to make the doughnuts, heat vegetable oil in a pot. The vegetable oil should come at least 3 or 4 inches up the side of the pot but should be filled no more than 4 inches from the top. Use a thermometer to determine when the oil is ready. Heat to 325 degrees F.
5. As the oil heats, take the risen dough out of the refrigerator and pat it into a rectangle that’s roughly 1-inch thick. You may need to flour your board and hands well as the dough can be sticky.
6. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, dipped in flour, cut out circles. Reroll the scraps and cut out more circles. In total you should get between 12 and 16 beignets.
7. Drop the beignets into the oil 4 at a time. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until they are golden. Drain on paper towels. As soon as you can handle them roll them in cinnamon sugar.
8. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will yield 12 to 16 beignets depending on the size of your cookie cutter. When working with the dough it may be sticky so have flour at your side. If you can’t find fresh yeast, substitute dry yeast. The ration for substitution is 2:1. So 2 tablespoons of fresh yeast is substituted with 1 tablespoon dry yeast.

Technorati tags:  beignets, cinnamon sugar, mildred pierce

In an earlier post I made reference to a certain muffin recipe in my possession that, in my humble Cream Puff opinion, is the best muffin recipe around. As promised I am now sharing it with all of you!

I was raised to be a modest and polite Cream Puff. Timid and quiet, I’m sometimes still amazed that I have this blog! But my shyness vanishes when it comes to my muffin recipe. In that vein, I am about to make a statement that may seem slightly arrogant, but it’s quite simply the truth. And here it is:

The muffin recipe I am sharing with you kicks the ass of any other muffin recipe out there!

Yes … that’s right … I said ass. Please don’t tell my mother.

Allow me to introduce to you the best muffins ever! To begin with, while I like to think of this as my muffin recipe, I owe the recipe in its entirety to someone else. The recipe belongs to Marcy Goldman, the author of The Best of BetterBaking.com, which is a spin off of Marcy’s website, www.betterbaking.com.

One of my most treasured baking books, The Best of BetterBaking.com is written in an easygoing manner with lots of humour. The book is both for the baker-in-waiting and for the more experienced creator of all things sweet. The recipes are hard to resist:  "Fried Flaps of Dough That Resemble the Tail of the Castor Canadensis", "S’mores Brownies", "Le Weekend Cake", "Grandma’s Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies", "Oatmeal Cookies the Size of Plates", "Madison Avenue Orange and Lemon Frosted Scones", "Dulce de Leche Pecan Pie", "Triple Twisted Honey Cake" … I could go on.

But the recipe that I am most tied to, and the one that I want everyone to know about, is the recipe for Lawsuit Buttermilk Muffins. These muffins come by their name because they have been the subject of legal wrangling. A talented baker, Marcy Goldman painstakingly adapted a muffin recipe that she had clipped from a  magazine and the results were a very popular line of buttermilk muffins. When she was forced out of the bakery for which she worked, she was also forced to leave her carefully developed recipes behind. When a similar experience happened at another bakery, she decided to take legal action to defend her rights as the person who had worked to create such a great muffin recipe. It all worked out in the end and she very generously shares her recipe with everyone, but as she requests, I’m giving credit where credit is due. Marcy … thanks for the muffins!

Why are they so good? Well for starters they’re moist and flavourful and the recipe base will compliment any fruit combination. My personal favourite is blueberry with either lemon zest or orange zest. In fact I am singlehandedly responsible for the consumption of tonnes of fresh summer blueberries all of which go into these muffins. In the fall I will gorge on cranberry apple or apple and cinnamon. Banana, Banana-Orange, Strawberry, Strawberry-Lemon, Rhubarb, Peach, Raspberry … I’ve tried them all. And so will you!

The other key to this recipe’s success is the buttermilk. As Marcy explains in her book the buttermilk reacts with the recipe’s other ingredients, like the baking soda, and results in a very high muffin. These muffins are big boys! And they will give any store-bought muffin a run for its money.

I could go on waxing poetic about the best muffin recipe in the world but then I would be wasting your time and more importantly, preventing you from getting to the kitchen and giving this recipe a try.

So go and bake some muffins!

Ciao!

Lawsuit Buttermilk Muffins

Adapted from The Best of BetterBaking.com by Marcy Goldman.

For the streusel topping:

• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1. In a bowl, combine all of the streusel topping ingredients.
2. With your fingers, combine until you have a crumbly mixture.
3. Set aside if using immediately or store in the refrigerator.

For the muffins:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1-1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons grated citrus zest (I use lemon or orange.)
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you may need a bit more if the batter is too wet)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-3/4 cups fruit (coarsely chopped if using fruits like apples, banana or pears)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. If you don’t have paper liners butter and flour the muffin tin.
2. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda); set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, citrus zest and egg. Once combined, stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Gently mix in the fruit. If the batter seems to liquidy, add a tiny bit more flour. The batter should be fairly stiff.
5. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups filling them right to the top. Divide the streusel topping equally among the muffins.
6. Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 12 minutes. When the muffins are done they will spring back when lightly pressed. Otherwise, test the muffins by inserting a toothpick.
7. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove the muffins and let them cool on a wire rack.
8. Enjoy!

Note:  These muffins freeze well so feel free to bake up a huge batch! When mixing the batter, be careful not to overmix.

Marcy’s website is a great one. However, in order to access the recipe database, you do have to subscribe. Because I own her book I’ve never felt the need to subscribe, but I will visit once and awhile to view the gorgeous artwork she sometimes features. If you’re interested, pay her a visit at www.betterbaking.com.

Technorati tags:  muffins, buttermilk, baking

The more observant among you may have noticed that I like sweets and that I like to bake. Hope I wasn’t too obvious about it! As I lazed about in true Cream Puff fashion wondering what sweet to make next, I realized that I haven’t spent any time on savory dishes from the Cream Puffs in Venice Flavour of the Month: Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs.

My chronic sweet tooth means that I almost always choose something sweet for brunch. But I’m an equal opportunity Cream Puff so I decided to try something savory for a change. But what to make?

I decided to try some culinary golf and see if I could score (???) a hole in one, so to speak. If I’ve mangled any golf terminology you’ll have to forgive me. I’m a Canadian Cream Puff and my knowledge of sports terminology is mainly confined to hockey.   

Anyway … the golf equivalent of a hat trick is what I ended up with! A simple yet completely satisfying dish, you’ve probably had a version of this at some point in your life. It’s basically a slice of the best bread you can find, with a little hole cut out in the middle. A fresh egg is lovingly nestled in the hole and then cooked (either baked or fried) until ready. Serve with bacon and you have the perfect brunch dish. And no matter how old you are cutting a circle out of the bread and planting your little egg inside is just plain old fun!

I shall be returning to my beloved sweets soon, but for today, I’m going to make like Tiger Woods and enjoy my hole in one.

Fore!

Hole in One

Adapted from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 slices sturdy bread, sliced 1-inch thick (I used sourdough bread.)
• 4 large eggs
• salt and pepper

1. Butter both sides of the bread. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out a hole in the centre of each slice of bread. Reserve the cutout pieces of bread.
2. Melt the remaining butter in a skillet and saute the cutout pieces of bread until golden; set aside.
3. Add a bit more butter to the pan if necessary, and lay the bread in the pan. You may have to cook these two at a time so as not to overcrowd your pan. Cook the bread for one minute and then turn. Gently crack an egg into the centre of each slice of bread. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bread begins to toast and turn golden on the bottom. Carefully, flip the slices of bread over and fry for another 1 or 2 minutes.
5. Serve with bacon and the fried cutout pieces of bread to dip into the egg yolk.
6. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe serves 4.

As part of the May Eat Local Challenge, I used eggs purchased from one of Ontario’s egg farmers. The delicious eggs I used were from the Clark Poultry Farm in Port Perry, Ontario!

Technorati tags:  eggs, brunch, mildred pierce, eat local challenge

For several years now, shorty after spring arrives, I’ve been hearing about ramps. I’ve heard that ramps are delicious. I’ve heard that they’re one of the gems of the spring season. And most of all I’ve heard that they let off a very pungent and strong aroma. But I’d never seen ramps or tasted them. Naturally, I assumed that this mysterious member of the onion family was something that grew elsewhere and that I’d be doomed to reading about it in magazines and cookbooks, without ever having the chance to actually taste a ramp.

This rather cynical outlook changed dramatically three weeks ago when I stopped by the St. Lawrence Market on my way to baking class. I noticed one stall in particular that had throngs of people in front of it. Initially I thought that these were excited Torontonians trying to get at all that fresh Ontario asparagus. But as I got closer, I realized they were interested in something else. It appeared that all these people were trying to snag what appeared to be, from a distance, green onions. Except they weren’t green. They were leafy with a bulbous end that was white and pink in colour.

Could it be?!

I moved in for a closer look and read a sign that said, "Wild Ontario leeks for sale". Wild Ontario leeks? But they looked an awful lot like ramps.

I looked at my watch and saw that I was running late for class. I should have taken more time to investigate but that was time I didn’t have. Instead I put all those skills learned at the mercato in Italy to good use. I made a mad dash through a line of people, slipped in through a tiny opening in the crowd (I’m surprisingly nimble for a Cream Puff!), grabbed two bunches of wild Ontario leeks, paid for them and dashed off to class. My family in Italy would have been so proud!

Once home, I compared my purchase with several photographs of ramps that I’d seen in some magazines. Sure enough, what I’d purchased as wild Ontario leeks were also known as ramps!

Excited, I immediately began to figure out a way to prepare my new discovery. Should I grill the ramps? Should I chop them up and use them in a quiche? Should I steam them and enjoy them with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt?

Hmmm … too many choices.

In a quandary, I left the ramps alone and decided to sleep on it. The following day, as so often happens, I was looking for one thing and ended up with another. While searching the LCBO’s site for a cocktail to serve on Mother’s Day, I instead found a recipe for Linguine with Wild Leek Pesto and Roasted Tomatoes.

Perfect on all counts. I had a purpose for my ramps and I got to include roasted tomatoes. I know, I know … it’s not tomato season in Ontario yet. Never fear. I have not forgotten my commitment to eating locally grown foods. As luck would have it these tomatoes were the last ones that remained in our freezer from last summer’s harvest. We always plant a few extra tomato plants so that we can harvest those tomatoes and then freeze them. Then, throughout the winter and early spring, we enjoy them roasted or added to our stocks for colour.

To be quite honest, I didn’t find the ramps let off that pungent of an aroma. You can definitely smell them, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. The pasta was quick to make with the most difficult part being the roasting of the tomatoes … if you can call that difficult.

The pasta sauce was spicy and strong-tasting but the roasted tomatoes added a lovely touch of caramelized sweetness. Quite simply, it was delicious! Add some sunshine and you have the perfect pasta dish for a lovely spring day.

Ciao!

Pasta with Wild Leek Pesto and Roasted Tomatoes

Adapted from www.lcbo.com. You can find the original recipe here.

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper
• pasta for 4 people
• 1 cup chopped wild leeks
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup parmigiano, freshly grated
• 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash and dry the cherry tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and spread on a baking sheet, cut side up, and combine with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the tomaotes have softened and browned. Once done, place the tomatoes and any juice in a bowl; set aside.
3. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve two tablepoons of the water the pasta water.
4. While the pasta is cooking, place leeks and olive oil in a food processor and process until chunky. Mix in 1/4 cup of the parmigiano.
5. Once pasta is cooked, toss the leek pesto with the pasta. Add the cherry tomatoes and the reserved pasta water. Mix well, adding more parmigiano as necessary.
6. Serve with an extra sprinkling of parmigiano.
7. Enjoy!

For more information on ramps, read this article, "A Unique and Delicious Spring Jewel" by Diana Rattray.

Technorati tags:  pasta, wild Ontario leeks, eat local challenge

This Cream Puff happens to believe that baking and love make the world go round. So on this Friday, to help get you ready for the weekend, I’ve baked a lovely cookie from the best cookie book in the world.

I wish you a wonderful day and a beautiful weekend.

A Macadamia Kiss from me to you.

Ciao!

Macadamia Kisses

Adapted from The Good Cookie by Tish Boyle.

• 3/4 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• pinch of salt
• confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F; place two racks near the centre of the oven.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, place the macadamia nuts and the confectioners’ sugar. Process until the nuts are finely ground, about 20 seconds. Do not over process or the nuts and sugar will turn into paste.
4. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of the sugar and the water. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Be sure to stir constantly. As soon as the sugar is dissolved reduce the heat to low.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites at medium speed until they’re foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
6. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan with the sugar syrup. Increase the heat to high and cook the syrup until it comes to a boil. You want the thermometer to register 248 degrees F.
7. With the mixer off, add 1/4 cup of the hot syrup to the egg whites and then beat at medium speed until well blended.
8. Continue to add the syrup, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
9. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in 1/2 cup of the macadamia nut mixture.
10. You can either spoon the meringue onto the cookie sheets or you can use a pastry bag. If you use a pastry pag, use a large plain tip. Pipe or spoon the meringue onto the sheet so that they’re 1-1/2 inches at the base.
11. Sprinkle with the remaining macadamia nuts and bake, two sheets at a time, for 40 to 50 minutes. The meringues will be dry on the outside but still soft on the inside. Any remaining meringue batter will be fine for a second batch of baking.
12. Transfer the meringue kisses to a wire rack to cool completely.
13. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
14. Enjoy!

Note:  Makes about 60 Meringue Kisses. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Technorati tags:  meringue, macadamia nuts, baking

I’ve been having such tremendous fun baking this month that I’ve neglected to post about my efforts with the May Eat Local Challenge. Lest you think I’ve been failing the challenge, I thought it was time to write a bit about my adventures in local eating.

One of the first foods that I focused on this month was asparagus. Volumes have been written about this elegant vegetable so I won’t bore you with yet another synopsis of the history and origin of asparagus. Suffice it to say that asparagus officinalis are the shoots of a perennial plant. Most asparagus that we see in markets here in North America are green in colour. I used to think that white asparagus was a different type of asparagus but this is incorrect. White asparagus has simply been grown in banks of earth so as not to be exposed to sunlight. This prevents the spears from turning green.

While spring is asparagus season, I will admit that the vegetable appears on our dinner table throughout the year. And to be even more honest, I’ve never paid particular attention to where this asparagus is coming from or how it was grown. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to partake of fresh Ontario asparagus, I will think twice before buying those bland, tasteless bunches of asparagus that appear in the grocery store in December.

Because we eat asparagus often, I wanted to try some recipes that were new to my family. We’re used to asparagus risotto and roasted asparagus. Instead, I decided to finally give white asparagus a sampling. I chose a recipe that was quick to prepare, had few ingredients and that would allow the flavour of the asparagus to be shine through. I settled on a recipe for Fusilli with White Asparagus, Brown Butter, Parmesan and Red Pepper Flakes.

Several people warned me that white asparagus would be tough and bitter. Nothing could be further from the truth. After peeling and blanching the white asparagus for a few minutes, I found it to be tender and slightly sweeter than green asparagus. The browned butter and a sprinkling of parmesan were the perfect foils to the white asparagus which married well with those ingredients. I added some red pepper flakes for colour and spiciness. This was a wonderful pasta that I will definitely make again.

For the next asparagus dish I returned to the more familiar green asparagus. While I contemplated making asparagus soup, I instead opted for a dish I’d tried once before, several years ago … Fettuccine with Asparagus Ribbons. This recipe calls for the asparagus spears to be peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler. The pasta sauce is made with cream, lemon juice and lemon zest. It’s another quick pasta dish that’s also very elegant … perfect for a dinner party.

What a difference fresh, local asparagus makes! Both pasta dishes were fantastic and I will be making them again to take full advantage of Ontario’s asparagus season. I’m still going to try asparagus soup and a few other asparagus dishes I’ve come across. For now, however, I’m happy with my pasta dishes. I hope that you will give them a try and discover the joy of fresh, locally grown asparagus.

Ciao!

Fusilli with White Asparagus, Brown Butter, Parmesan and Red Pepper Flakes

Adapted from Chez Panisse Pasta, Pizza & Calzone by Alice Waters.

• Fusilli for 4 people
• 1-1/2 pounds white asparagus
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
• salt and pepper

1. Peel the asparagus and blanch in boiling, salted water until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Let the asparagus cool and then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the butter until it begins to turn golden brown. As soon as it begins to change colour, remove from the heat.
3. Add the asparagus and red pepper flakes to the browned butter and set aside.
4. Cook the fusilli according to package directions.
5. Add the cooked fusilli to the butter and asparagus and heat gently for a minute or two. Add the parmesan and mix well.
6. Serve immediately.
7. Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Asparagus Ribbons

Recipe from www.marthastewart.com. Click here for the recipe.

Note:  The Fusilli with White Asparagus, Brown Butter, Parmesan and Red Pepper Flakes will serve 4. The Fettucine with Asparagus Ribbons will serve 4-6.

Visit the Ontario Asparagus Growers’ Marketing Board for more information about asparagus, as well as some very enticing recipes.

If you have a moment, read the article "Why Things End Badly With Asparagus" published in The Toronto Star on May 14, 2006. The article was written by Kenneth Kidd. You may discover that you’re related to Babe Ruth …

Technorati tags:  pasta, asparagus, eat local challenge, asparagus aspirations

Better late than never!

I’ve been out of Blog World for the last day or two and as a result missed some pretty big news about potential changes to U.S. laws regarding Internet usage. While this is currently a matter of U.S. law, ultimately it is an issue that will impact all of us.

If you’re interested you can read all about it at Chez Pim.

Ciao!

Technorati tags:  Net Neutrality, Day Without Food Blogs

When Ali of Something So Clever and Sara of I Like to Cook announce a Weekend Cookbook Challenge, I’m usually all over it.

This time around, however, I hesitated when it came to participating. The theme for WCC #5 was the celebration of Cinco de Mayo, which is widely celebrated in Mexico and the United States. Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French in the Battle of Puebla that occurred on May 5, 1862.

Once the theme for WCC #5 was announced, I strolled over to the Overburdened Bookshelf only to realize that I do not have any cookbooks relating to Mexican or Spanish cuisine. Could it be?! With all those cookbooks not one dedicated to the rich and vibrant cuisine of Mexico? Yes … even I was shocked. But it’s true. So, not knowing what to make, I considered sitting this one out.

And then a most serendipitous thing happened. I was leafing through my copy of The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion and I came across a recipe for something called Tres Leches Cake. I’d heard of Tres Leches Cake before, but had never attempted it nor I had I ever even tasted it.

Tres Leches Cake is very popular in Latin American countries. The name refers to three milks (tres leches), which are used to soak the cake after it’s baked. The three milks are condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream. I was particularly happy to read that Tres Leches Cake is very popular in Mexico, which of course meant that I had to make this cake!

The cake is quite simple to pull together. The batter is almost chiffon-like and bakes up into a spongy cake that is perfect for soaking up the tres leches mixture. Once the cake is baked, you poke a series of holes in the sponge and then drench it in a mixture of condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, brandy and vanilla extract. The cake is refrigerated for several hours (at least) to allow the liquid to fully absorb.

Everything worked very well for me until I got to the icing for the Tres Leches Cake. The icing for this recipe requires a cooked meringue. This means that egg whites are beaten with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Then a syrup of water and sugar is made and cooked until it reaches soft-ball stage, or 240 degrees F. Once the syrup is ready, it’s slowly added to the egg whites (with the mixer running) and beaten until the resulting meringue is glossy and stiff. My mistake is that I overcooked the syrup. By the time I added it to the beaten egg whites it was almost caramel. The resulting mess was most disheartening. I couldn’t bear to start all over again and considered just serving the Tres Leches Cake solo.

But then I remembered that I had some heavy cream in the refrigerator. I whipped that up quickly, added a tiny bit of sugar, as well as brandy to echo the brandy that it’s in the tres leches mixture. When topping the cake, I put my piping skills to good use and decided to try a bit of a fancier design rather than just blobbing on the whipped cream.

I’d read that Tres Leches Cake is often served with tropical fruit. I had some pineapple in the refrigerator so I cut it into small chunks, heated it in a pan and added a bit of brown sugar and brandy. I served the brandied pineapple alongside the cake and was most happy with the results.

The cake was delicious. I was a bit worried that it might be too sweet but that was not the case. The sweet milkiness of the tres leches was perfect with the golden, spongy cake. And I have to be honest I’m glad the original icing didn’t work out as the sweetened whipped cream with brandy was the perfect compliment, both in taste and texture, to the cake. The brandied pineapple was a nice finish!

All in all, it was a very successful fifth edition of the WCC for me. I ended up trying a new recipe from a book that is sadly underused in my house. Best of all, I ended up with a lovely cake.

Happy (belated) Cinco de Mayo!

Ciao!

Tres Leches Cake

Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion.

For the cake:

• 1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup cold water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form; set aside.
4. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the sugar and continue to beat the egg yolks until the mixture is very thick and falls from the beaters in ribbons.
6. Add the cold water, vanilla and almond extracts to the egg yolk mixture. Mix well. Stir in the flour mixture.
7. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
8. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and level it with a spatula or spoon. Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
10. With a knife, loosen the cake from the edges of the pan. Unmold the cake onto a large serving platter or onto the back of another sheet pan. Using a fork or a skewer, poke holes all over the cake’s surface. Let it cool for another 30 minutes.

For the tres leches:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Combine all of the tres leches ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside until the cake has cooled.
2. Once the cake has cooled, slowly pour the tres leches mixture, pausing every now and then to allow the cake to soak up the mixture.
3. Once the entire mixture has been absorbed, cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.
4. If desired, serve with sweetened whipped cream (recipe follows) and brandied pineapple (recipe follows).
5. Enjoy!

For the whipped cream:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons brandy

1. Whip the cream until soft peaks form.
2. Add the sugar and brandy and whip for another few seconds until incorporated.
3. Serve cream with Tres Leches Cake.

For the brandied pineapple:

• 1 pineapple, cored, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons brandy

1. In a large pan, heat the pineapple until it begins to turn golden.
2. Add the brown sugar and allow it to melt, mixing all the while.
3. Add the brandy and immediately ignite the brandy. Allow the flame to burn out (be careful!).
4. Allow the pineapple to cool to room temperature and serve with the Tres Leches Cake.

Note:  This is a big cake and will make about 20 servings. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator.

Technorati tags:  weekend cookbook challenge, tres leches cake, cinco de mayo, cake

When I was a very little girl, my mother would get up extra early on weekend mornings and make pancakes. Her pancakes, as with all the food she cooks, were perfect. They were golden rounds of puffed up goodness that I would happily drench in maple syrup. No matter what was happening in our household, I always knew that my mother would make those pancakes for me. And I loved her for it.

Several years ago, when I first made Mrs. Biederhof’s Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, I was surprised as I watched my mother eat them. Her eyes lit up and her face took on the look that I must have had on my face when she would make her pancakes for me. So every Mother’s Day I must make these pancakes for my mother. They are gorgeous and fluffy and fat … and they taste the very best when you smother them in butter and the very best maple syrup you can find.

Because I’ve made these for my mother I hope you’ll forgive my use of blueberries at this time of year which is decidedly not eating locally. We’re still a ways off from blueberry season in Ontario. But hey … it’s for my mom!

Happily, this pancake recipe comes from my favourite brunch book, the same one that I’ve chosen as the Flavour of the Month:  Out to Brunch from the restaurant Mildred Pierce. If you ever have the chance to visit the restaurant and order these pancakes, please do. You will not be sorry.

In the meantime, I’m off to give my mother a big hug and wish her a Happy Mother’s Day.

And I send those same wishes to all of you and to all the wonderful mothers out there!

Ciao!

Mrs. Biederhof’s Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Adapted from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• unsalted butter to cook the pancakes

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
2. In another bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk and melted unsalted butter and mix well.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix gently, preferably with a spatula, just until the ingredients are all wet. The batter should be lumpy. Do not over mix!
4. In a pan, melt 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Ladle the batter into the pan 1/3 of a cup at a time. Depending on the size of your pan you can make 2 or 3 pancakes at a time. If you want smaller pancakes use less batter.
5. Sprinkle the blueberries over the pancakes and cook until bubbles appear along the edges and surface of the pancakes. The edges will begin to brown slightly (should take 2 or 3 minutes).
6. Carefully flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 2 or 3 minutes.
7. Serve the pancakes with butter and maple syrup.
8. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will make 12 pancakes. Remember not to over mix the batter and do not cook over very high heat or the butter will burn.

Technorati tags:  blueberries, pancakes, brunch, mildred pierce, mother’s day

On the menu for Week 5:  crème caramel and bavarian cream.

Today’s class was great fun. It was a reminder of all the beautiful things that can happen when milk, cream, sugar and eggs are brought to the table.

Our class began with a demonstration of how to make caramel as the base for the crème caramel. Our instructor reminded us of a very important point when making caramel … always have a bowl of cold water with ice nearby. Its purpose is twofold:  it can help stop the caramel cooking process if you plunge the bottom of the pot into the water and, far more importantly, it’s instant relief in the event that caramel comes into contact with your skin.

After a detailed demonstration of the recipe by our instructor, we got to work. We made the caramel by melting sugar in stages, beginning with a few handfuls of sugar in a pot. We slowly added the remainder of the sugar and kept a careful eye on it to ensure that it didn’t burn. As soon as the caramel was ready we whisked it back to our stations and (carefully) poured it into the waiting foil ramekins in equal amounts. The rest of the crème caramel recipe was a matter of heating milk with a bit of sugar and then adding the  milk to the egg mixture. We tempered the eggs by adding just a few drops of the hot milk and then slowly adding the rest.

Once the crème caramel was ready for the oven, we placed the ramekins in a roasting pan and added hot water to cook the crème caramel in a water bath. Needless to say it was delicious!

The other half of the class was dedicated to making bavarian cream, which I’d never had before. I won’t go into too many details about the bavarian cream because I intend on posting about it at a later date. Suffice to say it was quite yummy.

All in all this was a most enjoyable class and I finally got the opportunity to make crème caramel. While the caramel part of the recipe does require some attention and care, overall it was a straightforward dessert to make. I’m sure it’s one that will be popping up for the dessert course at my house in the years to come.

Ciao!

Technorati tags: baking, caramel, crème caramel

It’s like Christmas in May here in the Cream Puff household. The happy feeling of being a child on Christmas morning is a result of having received my Canadian Blogging by Post package.

It all happened yesterday when I returned home from work and saw a mysterious brown package waiting for me on the front steps. As tired as I was, my mind registered almost immediately that this was what I had been waiting for. Squealing with delight I threw my jacket one way, my purse the other … and yes … I even threw my car keys down. While I regretted that action this morning when I couldn’t find my car keys, it was all worth it.

My CBBP package was from none other than the lovely Raspberry Sour of The Sour Patch, a blog I greatly admire for its wit, wisdom and focus. My package contained a supply of Tsar Nicholas tea and a container of the most wonderful Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies, which I assure you are all gone.

Raspberry Sour, I thank you from the bottom of my Cream Puff heart!

The first edition of CBBP has been a wonderful success. While I know there are some of you who haven’t yet received your packages, be patient. They’ll arrive. And if you’re lucky they’ll be delivered by my mailman! I’d like to thank Sam of Sweet Pleasure: Plaisir Sucré for hosting the first edition of CBBP. The second edition will be hosted by Tania of The Candied Quince. While a date has not been set for CBBP #2, I’m sure Tania will fill us all in when the time comes.

Until then, I’m off to enjoy a lovely cup of tea.

Ciao!

Update on CBBP #1:  My assigned blogger for CBBP #1 was the very talented Christine, a pastry chef in Vancouver, British Columbia. Christine’s blog is called Knife Skills. Visit her to see what goodies she received from me!

Technorati Tags:  canadian blogging by post

Mildred’s daughter Veda has a message for you.

She wants you to eat her mother’s scones. And she wants you to make sure that you smother the scones in copious amounts of double cream and jam (preferably strawberry).

Why should you do what Veda says? In a review of the movie Mildred Pierce on www.dvdtalk.com, Glenn Erickson writes the following of Veda, "Audiences had certainly never seen a female reptile like Veda on screen before … Veda greedily consumes luxuries, pretending to love their source while constantly angling for a better deal … Veda takes the cake for sheer nerve. Her callous exploitation … is the work of a junior-league Borgia."

Still not convinced that you should do what Veda says? Well, let me put it to you this way:  she’s an evil, conniving, manipulating murderess who would stop at nothing … NOTHING … to have her way.

So if Veda says you should eat a scone … eat the scone.

Ciao!

Mildred’s Scones

Adapted from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
• 1/2 cup shortening, cold
• 1/3 cup dried black currants
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup heavy cream (35%)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
3. Using a box grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture.
4. Break the shortening into little pieces and add to the mixture.
5. With your fingertips, work the flour, butter and shortening together until it resembles a coarse, oatmeal-like mixture.
6. Add the currants and lemon zest and stir.
7. Add the cream and mix gently until a ball forms.
8. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and either pat the dough or roll it out into a 1/2-inch circle.
9. Using a 2-inch cutter, cut the dough into rounds.
10. Transfer the rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the rounds with a bit of heavy cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
11. Reroll the scraps and cut out more scones. If scraps are too small to roll out then pat them into circles of 1-inch thickness.
12. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the scones have risen and are golden.
13. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will yield 12 to 16 scones, depending on the size.

Technorati tags:  food, scones, mildred pierce

So who exactly is Mildred Pierce?

Well, imagine this. Imagine Hollywood, in the late 1940s. Imagine a woman with dark hair and fiery red lips. She’s passionate. She’s flawed. She’s gorgeous. She’s the jilted wife. The long-suffering mother. Her life is a drama fit for the silver screen.

But you can’t get just anyone to play Mildred. No. You get Joan Crawford, a woman who knows controversy. She’s perfect. She is Mildred Pierce! And you know you made the right choice because Ms. Crawford goes on to win an Oscar for her portrayal of Mildred. The movie, released in 1945, is a classic.

So when you decide to name your restaurant Mildred Pierce, after the movie, you’ve got to do it right. The restaurant has to be sumptuous and luxurious. It has to have a classic Hollywood feel to it. We’re all strangers when we dine there. And yet while we’re sitting there, amidst the flowing curtains and rich colours, we all feel a bit like a starlet or a leading man.

By the very act of dining at Mildred Pierce, it’s like you’re in the movie. Look … there’s spoiled Veda. And over there … I think that’s deceitful Monte. And isn’t that … why yes it is … it’s Wally Fay. And sitting in the curtained alcove … smoking a cigarette … there’s Mildred herself. Well I’ll be! You just never know who you’re going to see when you go to dinner.

And when you do go to Mildred Pierce, especially for brunch, you can’t just have any old thing. You must have a drink like Mildred’s Passion or Veda’s Revenge. You must break your fast with dishes like Huevos Monty or Mrs. Biederhof’s Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes. Or you can have the most decadent granola you’ve ever had in your life!

You’ll taste it and be amazed that it’s actually healthy … that’s how rich it is. If you have a bit of conscience left you’ll remember that your trying to eat locally grown and produced foods so you’ll soak your granola in milk from Hewitt’s Dairy. You’ll do it because the milk tastes creamy and cool. Not just because it’s produced by a family that’s been in business in Ontario for over 100 years.

So that’s what it’s like to have brunch at Mildred Pierce. And when you’re done, you touch up your red lipstick or slick back your hair one more time and then you make your grand exit. And you know that every eye in the joint is on you as you leave.

Now if only you could just get someone to peel you a grape …

Ciao!

Crunchy Coconut Macadamia Granola with Honey

Adapted from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs.

• 1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (original recipe calls for 1/2  teaspoon)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon orange oil (original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon)
• 1 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the sunflower seeds, the pumpkin seeds and the almonds and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes.
3. Add the shredded coconut and toast for an additional 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the coconut because it can burn quickly.
4. Remove the nuts and coconut and set aside to cool down completely.
5. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
6. Combine the oat bran, rolled oats, cinnamon and ginger.
7. In a pan, melt the butter. Add the honey and orange oil and mix well.
8. Pour the butter/honey mixture over the oat mixture and mix well.
9. Spread the oat mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
10. Bake for 20 minutes and then turn the oat mixture. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until golden.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cool, break the granola apart into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add the cooled nuts and coconut, the macadamia nuts, currants and apricots.
12. Store the granola in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
13. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will make about 5 cups of granola. Orange oil is a highly concentrated orange extract that should be used sparingly. While the original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon, I would only use 1/4 teaspoon to start. If you want more of an orange flavour use more the next time you make the granola. The orange oil should be stored in the refrigerator once opened.

The image of the Mildred Pierce poster is courtesy of www.filmsite.org.

Technorati tags:  granola, macadamia nuts, mildred pierce

On the menu for Week 4:  cake decorating.

Before I begin my summary of Saturday’s class, I wanted to answer the question that I’ve been asking for the last week (and many of you as well):  Why are we using clear artificial vanilla extract in class?

My instructor explained that we use this product in class because it’s less expensive. He was very careful to point out, however, that pure vanilla extract is by far the superior product and encouraged us to use the pure extract in our baking at home. This has prompted me to send a little note to the course administrators urging them to switch to pure vanilla extract even if it means paying more for the course to offset the higher cost of pure extract.

Saturday’s class was most enjoyable as we learned about and practiced cake decorating. We began by preparing a batch of royal icing, which was to be our "practice material" for the day. The recipe for the icing consists of cold water, high volume meringue powder, icing sugar and glycerine.

Meringue powder is a white powder that’s made of dried egg whites. Unlike powdered egg whites, meringue powder also includes sugar and gum. Glycerine is a thick, clear syrup that helps to keep the icing from drying out. While the resulting icing tasted exceedingly sweet, I must admit it was thick, shiny and definitely easy to work with.

For our piping exercises, we used both a plain tip and a star tip. We spent almost two hours practicing rosettes, shells, hearts, crescents, lady fingers, flat spirals and swans’ necks. As our instructor came around to inspect our work, the very first thing he said to me was, "Slow down!"

In true Cream Puff style, I rushed to begin piping the different shapes and didn’t pay attention to how poorly I was holding my piping bag. Instead of holding the bag with both hands and pressing gently, I was squeezing from the top and making a big mess. Once corrected, I immediately noticed how much easier it was to pipe shapes.

When the piping portion of the class was over, we practiced icing or "masking" cakes. Masking a cake means covering the cake with an even layer of icing that’s as smooth as possible. We used styrofoam cakes to practice on and we also used rotating cake stands. Our instructor recommended using a flat palette knife as opposed to an offset one. I’d always used an offset knife but found the flat palette knife much easier to handle. I felt that I had greater control when spreading the icing.

We started by piling icing on the top of the cake and then spreading it in an even layer across the top with the excess icing pushed to the sides. We then worked the icing down the sides of the cake, adding more icing as needed. While it was tempting to pack on the icing, our instructor warned against this explaining that icing is a compliment to a cake, it shouldn’t be the only thing that people taste.

Once I was happy with the sides of my cake, I used the palette knife to finish off the edges of the top of the cake. Sweeping the knife towards the centre using an upwards motion, I was able to create fairly clean, crisp edges all along the cake and remove any excess icing at the same time. The final touch was the use of a completely new (to me) baking utensil … a cake comb.

A cake comb is an odd-looking utensil that has teeth (not sharp) all along its edges. As the name suggests, you "comb" the utensil around the sides of the cake, in one smooth motion, to smooth out the icing. It took some practice, but overall I was pleased with how my cake looked.

We were able to take our icing home with us to continue practicing. I forgot the icing in my baking kit so it stayed in the car for all of Saturday and most of Sunday. I retrieved the icing from the car and lo and behold … it was still moist! I found it slightly disturbing that an "edible" product could live in the trunk of my car for more than 24 hours and still look the same as it did when it was freshly-made. I guess that’s the meringue powder and glycerine effect for you.

One last note before I go. I’d like to thank Gastrochick for alerting me to the fact that my little blog was mentioned on Epi-log, which is the blog of editor Tanya Wenman Steele on Epicurious. I assure you that I was a blushing Cream Puff for all of Friday … and for the entire weekend for that matter. Epicurious is, and has been for many years, the premiere food website for me. And I’m not just saying that. My thanks to Ms. Steele for the nod!

Ciao!

Dear Mr. Mailman:

I trust that you are well and that this lovely May weather has made your duties all the more pleasant to carry out.

The very first edition of Canadian Blogging by Post has inspired me to write you this missive to express some thoughts that I have always meant to express to you in person, but unfortunately have never had the opportunity to do so.

I would like to begin by telling you that I really like your uniform. The navy blue pants (or shorts when it is very hot outside) are most fetching. The colour compliments your skin tone. Not that I have spent a lot of time studying your skin tone … I do not want you to get the wrong idea. I simply could not help but notice.

Anyway, as I mentioned above I have been meaning to write you this letter for quite some time to express my all-encompassing gratitude for your reliability and dedication, especially in the face of so many challenges.

It cannot be easy delivering mail. There are the Canadian winters to deal with. That cannot be fun. And I would imagine that sometimes you must run into some unfriendly pets … or particularly vicious squirrels. And then of course there is also the sheer volume of mail you deal with. Your mailbag must be so heavy. It is a good thing you are so big and strong … not that I have paid any particular attention to your broad-shouldered good looks … I mean you are just my mailman.

Ah … where was I … oh yes … I wanted you to know how much I admire your mail delivery. You are very good at what you do. In fact, I hardly ever even know that you have been by. Which is strange because I spend so much time looking out the window for you. In the spring and summer I sometimes even wait for you. You probably think I am looking at the flowers in the front garden, which is what I like to let people think I am doing. I mean I do not want them thinking that I am waiting for the mailman … what would people say!

Where was I again? Oh yes … so I spend a lot of time waiting for you and yet I am never able to see you actually putting the mail in my mailbox. You are so fast. So quiet. If I did not know better I would think you were avoiding me, which of course is ridiculous. Why would you be avoiding me? Ha! It is to laugh!

Still, you must have been a Navy SEAL in a past life because the mail just suddenly appears without any trace of you. Which is ok, I guess. I mean the important thing is that the mail gets delivered not that I get to see your strong hands actually dropping the letters in the mailbox. Not that I have been paying any particular attention to your strong hands. There was that one time I saw you dropping letters into a mailbox up the street and I happened to notice your hands and how strong they were. I could tell because the binoculars I was using were particularly powerful. Not that I spend a lot of time at the second floor window looking out for you with my binoculars. I do not want you to think the wrong thing here.

Well, anyway, I guess I should get to the heart of the matter. I have a very special request for you. In the next few days you or one of your colleagues may be handling a very special package that I am sending to someone. The package in question is a little box of goodness that I put together for a wonderful blogger, somewhere in Canada.

The box has some very special gifts in it. I would like to tell you what they are but I do not want to spoil the surprise. There is, however, one item in there that I will tell you about. It is a lovely little jar of Chocolate Pecan Spread that I made.

You see when Sam of Sweet Pleasure: Plaisir Sucré set the theme for Canadian Blogging by Post, he chose chocolate. I wanted to post something chocolatey that reflected the city that I am from, so I chose this spread. The recipe is from a book called Out to Brunch, which features the brunch recipes from one of Toronto’s best restaurants. (Hey … if you ever want to go to brunch … )

So anyway, as I was saying, I wanted to post something "local" and I immediately thought of this spread. It is easy to make. You just put some pecans, sugar and cocoa in a food processor, add a few other ingredients and there you go … a luscious chocolatey spread for you to enjoy on your toast in the morning. The best part is that the spread travels well so it means I can send some to my mystery blogger.

And just as I am sending a package, Mr. Mailman, someone will be sending one to me. I sure hope you deliver it. But would you mind delivering it to me personally? I want to be sure and thank you … nicely. If I do not answer the door when you knock then just ring twice … the mailman always rings twice!

Sincerely,

Cream Puff

P.S. You have great hair. Not that I have been staring at your hair or anything …

Chocolate Pecan Spread

Adapted from Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs.

• 3 cups pecan halves, lightly toasted
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon water

1. Place the pecans, icing sugar and cocoa in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process the pecans, sugar and cocoa until very fine, about one minute.
2. With the motor running, add the vegetable oil through the feed tube and process until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the milk powder, the vanilla extract and the water. Mix until smooth.
4. Add the milk powder mixture to the bowl of the food processor and process until the pecan chocolate mixture is smooth and no traces of milk powder remain visible, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Spread on fresh bread and add a dollop of mascarpone for a special treat.
6. Pecan Chocolate Spread can be kept in a tightly covered container, at room temperature, for several months.
7. Enjoy!

Note:  Makes 2 cups of spread. You can find milk powder in well stocked grocery stores as well as health food stores.

Technorati tags:  chocolate, pecans, canadian blogging by post

Hello my friends! Welcome to the month of May and all the good things that lie ahead. There’s much news to discuss so let’s get right to it … enjoy the meal.

Cream Puff Goes to School:  Week 3

Saturday’s class was all about muffins and tea cakes. We continued to focus on one of the aspects of the course that I am enjoying the most:  using our hands. As our instructor emphasized repeatedly, our hands are the best baking tools we have. He encouraged us to continue to feel the dough and the batter. We even mixed the muffin batter by hand which was messy and fun. I will admit that I have become a slave to my Kitchen Aid mixer so learning to rely on my hands has been challenging and rewarding.

While I wish I could talk to you at length about both the muffins and tea cakes, I cannot. Unfortunately I wasn’t feeling well on Saturday so I had to leave early. However, I was there long enough to witness the use of another questionable product. This week it was clear, artificial vanilla extract.  I have one question:  Why?

WHY???

When there are so many quality vanilla products so readily available to us these days, why would you want to use artificial clear extract? Because I left early I didn’t have the chance to question the instructor on this point. You can be sure I will do so next week! In the meantime, the use of this product brought on such malaise that I had no choice but to visit Jasmine at Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and read her series on vanilla. My faith has been restored. Merci, Jasmine!

Before I left class I did manage to collect my bran muffins. While they were good, they weren’t anything to write home about. (Maybe it’s the clear artificial vanilla extract …) I must admit I’m a bit spoiled when it comes to muffins as I am in possession of what I consider to be the greatest muffin recipe out there. No worries … I will be sharing it with you very soon!

So ends Cream Puff’s account of Week 3. My apologies for the lack of content for this week’s lesson. Stay tuned for Week 4!

The May Eat Local Challenge

I certainly don’t want to beat anyone over the head with this, but as mentioned previously on this blog and countless other, May 1st marked the beginning of the Eat Local Challenge sponsored by Locavores and coordinated by Jen of Life Begins at 30.

For my family and I, eating locally grown food isn’t that much of a challenge since gardening holds a place of great importance in our lives. When my parents and grandparents came to Canada, they brought with them their affinity for growing fruits and vegetables. Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of my grandfather sometimes tucking a sprig of basil in my pocket, or of my father fashioning me my very own "watering can" … which was literally a can wired to the end of a stick! I simply cannot imagine a life without a garden, or at the very least easy access to fruits and vegetables that are grown locally.

This is why I’m taking part in the May Eat Local Challenge. Jen prepared three questions for participants to answer so here are my responses:

1) What is your definition of local for this challenge:

Anything grown in Ontario  … remember … "Good Things Grow in Ontar-ee-oh!" (You have to be an Ontarian to get that one!)

2) What exemption will you claim:

Chocolate!

3) What is your personal goal for the month:

My personal goal goes beyond this month. From now on, I want to pay more attention to the people who are growing and producing great food right here in Ontario.

The Flavour of the Month for May 2006

Because of my participation in the eat local challenge, I had initially chosen Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Vegetables for the May 2006 Flavour of the Month. I had the opportunity to dine at Chez Panisse last June and it was a meal I won’t soon forget. But as I began looking at the recipes, as tempting as they are, I realized that there just aren’t enough locally grown vegetables available in May (here in Ontario) for me to do the cookbook justice. It just didn’t feel right.

Instead, I have returned to my first choice for flavour of the month:  Out to Brunch by Donna Dooher and Claire Stubbs. This lovely book documents the gorgeous brunch dishes served at one of Toronto’s most beloved restaurants … Mildred Pierce. And it celebrates the meal that I think epitomizes the month of May, the brunch. Whether it’s Mother’s Day, a wedding or just a beautiful Sunday morning, May is a great month for brunch. So please come and visit me through the month for an assortment of brunch dishes that are guaranteed to please.

Canadian Blogger by Post

We’ve arrived at the last bit of news for this post. If you’re a Canadian blogger, then you know that Friday May 5th is the day to post your entry for Canadian Blogger by Post. Your entry should be chocolate-related. Don’t forget to e-mail Sam at Sweet Pleasure: Plaisir Sucré who is coordinating this event. Put your blogger package together and Sam will let you know who the recipient is. You can then post your package on May 7.

C’est tout for today, my friends.

Ciao!