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

For the first time in the two-and-a-half year history of the Daring Bakers, I’m late.

Between being a bit under the weather and overwhelmed with some other things that are going on, I missed the 27th deadline for my Daring Bakers’ post.

Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

I’m feeling particularly shoddy about the whole thing given that the June 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by my sweetest of sweeties Jasmine and the lovely Annemarie.

Not to mention the fact that they’ve chosen a challenge that’s been on my list of top 10 things to bake for quite some time: the Bakewell Tart.

I don’t know where it was that I first read about the Bakewell Tart, but I know that somewhere around the time that I first discovered it, I knew I wanted to bake it. I’ve read all sorts of “facts” about the Bakewell Tart and its origins but as is often the case with these sorts of desserts, a lot of it is probably more fiction than fact.

Suffice to say that the Bakewell Tart is probably one of the desserts that can be recognized as singularly British. And for this alone, I love it. I’m in a bit of a British mood these days for various reasons (one of which has to do with Mr. Nazca … more on that another day but if you want to take a moment to send Mr. Nazca an e-mail yelling at him for not blogging more feel free to do so …) so the opportunity to bake something so … British … did have me excited. Honest.

It just took me awhile to get to it.

Not much else to say, really. Jasmine and Annemarie have provided a most straightforward recipe that yielded a most delicious Bakewell Tart. Ladies, you are the epitome of Daring Bakers’ hostesses. My thanks!

Here’s a little photo journal of my adventures in Bakewell Tart baking:

Is there anything more beautiful than pastry dough?

The frozen crust, ready to be filled.

A lovely cherry jam layer.

Frangipane!

Behold … the Bakewell!

Ciao!

Check out The Daring Kitchen for links to lots of other Daring Bakers’ who made the Bakewell Tart!

The recipe is here.

Lis and I have realized recently that there’s some confusion about reveal dates for The Daring Bakers and The Daring Cooks so we’re taking to the Internet (you can read about this at The Daring Kitchen as well - in the forums) to clear things up.

It’s really very simple. If you’re a Daring Baker, the new host/hostess reveals the challenge on the 1st of every month in the private forum. Then, on the 27th of every month, you can publically reveal the challenge on your blog or, if you’re a non-blogger, on the DK site.

The 1st and the 27th … those are the key dates for Daring Bakers.

If you’re a Daring Cook, it’s slightly more complicated only because we go mid-month. But the host/hostess reveals the new challenge on the 17th of every month in the private forum. Then, on the 14th of the following month, you can publically reveal the challenge on your blog or, if you’re a non-blogger on the DK site.

The 14th and the 17th … those are the key dates for Daring Cooks.

For those of you who do not belong to The Daring Bakers or The Daring Cooks, I have one question … WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU!!!

Hurry up and join already!

And while you’re at it, take a look at our lovely store. Summer’s here and it’s time to stock up on some new kitchen apparel and accessories!

Ciao!

Magazine Mondays returns with a perfect recipe for this time of year. If you’re lucky enough to have fresh asparagus and peas available, I urge you to consider this pasta from the April 2009 issue ofFood & Wine: Penne with Asparagus, Sage and Peas.

Not much to say about the recipe beyond that it was delicious, easy and seasonal in every sense. I urge you to give it a try!

I have some MM submissions this week. Remember, if you post a magazine recipe, send me the link and I’ll add it to my next MM round-up. You don’t have to post your recipe on a Monday, you can post it any day of the week.

Andreas of Delta Kitchen made Asparagus Pasta from essen&trinken Für jeden Tag 06/09.

Biz from Biggest Diabetic Loser made Tofu Kebabs with Cilantro Sauce from Everday Food.

Alisa from One Frugal Foodie made a Scrumptious Sesame-Orange Salad Dressing from Cooking Light.

Di from Di’s Kitchen Notebook made Ginger-Spice Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream from Fine Cooking.

Wandering Coyote of ReTorte made Hamburger Buns from Gourmet.

Megan of Delicious Dishings made Pork Chops with Leeks in Mustard Sauce from Bon Appétit.

Tany of 3 Sides of Crazy made a Pineapple Casserole.

Have a great week, everyone!

Ciao!

Because it’s the weekend.

Because it ended up being sunny instead of rainy.

Because I can stay up late tonight reading cookbooks.

Because I can sleep in tomorrow.

Because the beautiful Ontario asparagus have arrived.

Just because.

Ciao!

The picture above is of a delicious asparagus and rice soup that I made. I’ll post the recipe once the first blush of love has passed (i.e., in a few days)!

I’m feeling a bit ragged these days.

It’s not one thing in particular, it’s just a combination of things. Nothing bad, mind you, just a lot of things going on at the same time and as usual, it’s always what you love most that tends to suffer most.

So while I deal with work and home and the myriad other factors that seem to make our days so chaotic, my little blog falls by the wayside.

Why do we always abandon that which we love most? Isn’t it strange? I know. I know. You can’t give up work (or can you???) and while the temptation to run off to an abandoned island to sit beneath the proverbial palm tree is great, that’s not quite feasible.

Between The Daring Kitchen and cookbook reviews, I sometimes feel like this blog is becoming a repository for “things I must do” rather than the quiet corner for “what I love”.

And don’t take this as complaining, because I’m not … really. I’m very lucky and I realize that. But for just one day, I wanted to do something for myself. Just for me. I didn’t want to have to worry about meeting a deadline or fulfilling a promise made to someone or just throwing up a post because it’s been a week.

For years, and I mean yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaars, I have wanted to make Chouquettes, the sweet and simpler cousin to the cream puff. I don’t even remember where I first read about these beauties. Maybe it was here or here. Who knows. But about a month ago, as I was spending another night at the PC figuring out DK stuff, they just appeared before me like a vision.

Les Chouquettes.

I wanted them. All for myself.

In the corner of my mind that I keep reserved just for recipes that I want to try for the pleasure of it, I remembered seeing a recipe for Chouquettes in Chocolate and Vanilla by Gale Gand. I pulled the book, dusty and lonely from the bookshelf, and went straight to the kitchen.

I mixed and I stirred and I piped and I sprinkled and I baked.

And I ate.

And I was happy.

Just for me.

Ciao!

I used the recipe in Chocolate and Vanilla. But here are some links to recipes that you can try:
http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2003/10/sugar_puffs.php
http://lacerise.blogspot.com/2007/02/chouquettes.html
http://www.shesimmers.com/2009/06/chocolate-chip-chouquettes.html

I am fascinated by the nomenclature of food. I mean who doesn’t want to walk around saying things like, “Hey. Guess what I just made. A Fraisier.”

Over the course of the past month, I’ve heard these little yummy fellows called all sorts of things but I shall call them Potstickers because a) they did and b) it’s just such a cute name.

To begin, I owe Jen of just use butter endless, and I mean endless, thanks for hosting the June 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge (the 2nd one in our history!) and for daring us to make dumplings/potstickers/gyoza from scratch (and that includes the dough, thank you very much).

Jen requires no introduction. Her blog speaks for itself. And she is of course one of the greatest things about food blogging.

Effortlessly (at least to me), she demystified a dish that I have only ever had in Japanese restaurants and that I would NEVER EVER EVER consider making at home.

But just as quick as you can snap your fingers and say Potstickers, Ms. Jen was all here’s-how-ya’-do-it-A-B-C-1-2-3-thanks-for-coming-out.

No fuss. No muss. No five days of pre-preparation. No 57 different elements to the recipe. Just clear instructions with same great step-by-stop photos on her blog.

I call it brilliant.

Anyway, these were easy and delicious. I used a shrimp and ground beef filling. While there were some ingredients I was unable to find (i.e., bamboo shoots, chili garlic paste), I substituted by adding red pepper flakes and lots and lots of green onion.

The dough was easy to make (although I found I had to add almost a cup of water as opposed to the half cup that the recipe calls for.

I was overly indulgent while frying these and as you can see they bottoms turned a tad more mahogany then they probably should have. As well, I don’t think I rolled the dough quite as thinly but you know what, they were still so good.

Here’s a photo journal of my efforts followed by the recipe. Jen, what can I say. I call you Amazing!

I started with the dipping sauce.

I continued with the filling.

I brought up the rear with the dough, made easily in the food processor.

I rolled out my dough into small rounds, being careful to keep a slight raise in the centre.

I stuffed and folded and pinched (not so well).

I ate.

Ciao!

You can find the recipe for the dumplings/potstickers, along with some great photos, here.

A very quick post today, my friends.

I missed Magazine Mondays last week due to a furious schedule and things haven’t let up very much. Busy bee, as they say.

For my MM submission I give you Glittering Lemon Sandwich Cookies from the December 2008 issue of Gourmet.

These were okay. Not bad, but not great either. The filling is a bit on the too sweet side. While it was fun to use the sanding sugar (not so much fun to source the sanding sugar, though), in the end, I wouldn’t say this was a recipe worth making again. But I am glad I stood up to my magazine pile.

Somewhat.

Here’s a list of lots of wonderful foodbloggers who stared down their magazine piles:

Bobbi of Bobbi’s Art made Hamburger Buns and Buttermilk Raspberry Cake from Gourmet.

Elizabeth of The Waspy Redhead made Chocolate Stout Cake from Bon Appétit.

Wandering Coyote of ReTorte made a Sour Cherry Buttermilk Loaf from Gourmet (different take on the recipe above).

Andreas of Delta Kitchen made Pasta with Coconut and Spinach (yum!) from essen&trinken Für jeden Tag 04/09.

The Tea Lady of Tea and Scones made Mexican Casserole from Cookin’ with Paula Deen.

Joy of The Cooking of Joy made Fresh Orange Sherbet from Cooking Light.

Biz from Biggest Diabet Loser made Wake-Up Wontons from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking.

Have a great week, everyone!

Ciao!

I had the opportunity to speak to someone recently about the pleasure of blogging and as I explained, one of the greatest pleasures are the friendships.

Early on in my blogging career, I met Jasmine and consider myself blessed to know her.

In May, she contacted me asking if I’d do her a favour by baking some cupcakes for one of her coworkers. Naturally I said yes and the photo above is the result.

I love baking for people like Jasmine because she is adventurous, whimsical and trusting. When I asked her what sort of cupcake she was looking for her answer was, surprise me.

I love that. I love it because there are so many baking choices out there beyond chocolate and vanilla (not that there’s anything wrong with chocolate and vanilla, mind you). But I also love it because as a baker, it’s your time to shine and try new things.

So I went to the groaning, creaking bookshelf that holds all my cookbooks and flipped through a variety of books before I settled on a recipe for Rose Water and Raspberry Cupcakes. I’ve mentioned this a few times but rose water is THE ingredient of 2009 for me. I’m using it in everything and loving it.

These particular cupcakes were a pleasure for me. They’re what I would call a very “adult” cupcake. Not overtly sweet, the crumb of the cupcake is tender and subtle and the ganache adds just enough sweetness. The rose water and raspberry give the cupcake a very elegant edge.

The nice thing about this sort of baking work is that the pleasure is always all mine.

Ciao!

The recipe for these cupcakes is from the book Cupcakes: Luscious Bakeshop Favorites From Your Home Kitchen by Shelly Kaldunski.

I just love saying the word strudel. It brings out my inner Austrian and brings back many happy memories of four precious days spent in Vienna, in December 2006.

I was so happy when Linda of make like sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks announced that they would choose Apple Strudel as the May 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge. When I first read the recipe, for some reason I thought that it would be a first for me. But then I remembered that last year, I made an apple strudel from Carole Walter’s Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More: 200 Anytime Treats and Special Sweets for Morning to Midnight. I remember loving the dough and the filling so I could only hope that this challenge would be up to par.

My love of Rick Rodgers’ Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague is known far and wide. Or at least I think it is. I love the book so much I actually took it with me when I went to Vienna.

Who else brings cookbooks along as travel guides?

I’m not going to give you the painfuly long version of my adventures in Apple Strudel Land. Suffice to say that most parts of the recipe worked out successfully, except for the stretching of the dough. I developed some holes very early on and no matter how much I tried, I could not get it to the two feet by three feet specified in the recipe. I think I made it two feet by two feet before this happened:

Not a pretty sight.

Perhaps the greatest quality of strudel, though, is that it rolls. In baking, rolling means hiding, whether the hiding be a cracked sponge or an incredibly holey piece of strudel dough.

While my holes were significant and not all that well hidden, in the end, it still looked like a half decent strudel. Right out of the oven, it was quite good. The crust was crispy and the filling was juicy thanks to the apples and raisins. A day later, though, the dough had softened and the filling was a bit on the dry side. This is definitely a dessert to be served the day it’s baked.

It was fun to try strudel for a second time, although thus far, I have to say that the recipe in Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More: 200 Anytime Treats and Special Sweets for Morning to Midnight is superior.

Ay yay yay … another Daring Bakers’ challenge come and gone. Where does the time go???

Ciao!

Click here for the Apple Strudel recipe.