Neapolitan Cheesecake

April came and April went and I managed to completely forget to make the Daring Bakers challenge. It was post day when I finally remembered that I needed to make it but was busy working on projects and studying for finals. I was able to escape to my kitchen for a few hours today and decided I would make the cheesecake. The recipe this month was for a basic vanilla cheesecake. The daring bakers were challenges to be creative and come up with a very unique and delicious treat. After mulling over many choices I landed on making a Neapolitan cheesecake with a coconut, macadamia nut crust. The additions I made were very easy and only took a few extra minutes to put together.


After tasting this cheesecake I am really glad I decided to use all the flavors that I did. The layers of flavors along with the nuts and coconut in the crust really gave this cheesecake an outstanding flavor. This would definitely be an impressive dessert to serve to guests.


The 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge. Don't forget to head over to the new Daring Baker webiste to see what the rest of the ladies made.


Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake
(The grey lettering is what was changed from the original recipe.)

Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup toasted coconut
1/4 cup diced macadamia nuts, toasted
1 stick butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Basic Cheesecake
3 (8 oz) blocks of cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or the innards of a vanilla bean)

Add-ins
4 ounces chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1 vanilla bean
1 cup strawberry puree, strained of seeds

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.
2. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice. Set crust aside.
3. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and blend until smooth and creamy.
4. Divide the batter into thirds. Mix melted chocolate with one-third of the batter and pour onto crust. Add the innerds of the vanilla bean to a third of the batter and pour over chocolate batter. Add the strawberry puree to the final third of the batter and pour strawberry flavored batter over the vanilla layer.
5. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.
5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.

Daring Bakers go Italian

Wow, is March really almost over? That is just crazy to believe. So many things to do and so little time to do them in. This month the Daring Bakers officially launched their new site, The Daring Kitchen, and even introduced a Daring Cooks group. This months challenge was like no Daring Bakers challenge that I have ever participated in before, but I was definitely up for the challenge.


Although this recipe took a while to complete it was not anything that was very hard. The pasta gave me a lot of trouble. The pieces of spinach in the dough made it hard to roll out and also very weak but I managed to get past those obstacles. I used the Bechamel sauce exactly as the recipe was written. It was a great addition to the pasta and I definitely plan on using one more often. The sauce recipe that I made up was inspired by the one that was provided but very different.



I really enjoyed the end result of this dish. It was a simple lasagna that was delicious and filling. My husband had texture issues with it but I believe that was because the pasta was slightly overcooked. I will definitely use the sauce recipes again but use my own pasta recipe. Thanks for another great challenge!

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)
Source: The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish
Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows)
4 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

Working Ahead - The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients - Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil or butter a 3 quart shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta - Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne - Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne - Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)

Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound dried boxed pasta.

Preparation: 45 minutes

2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces)
10 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 6 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 1/2 cups (14 ounces) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)

Equipment needed:
A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches. Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.
A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.
A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick. The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta.
Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.
A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.
Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.

Mixing the dough - Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading - With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning - If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches. Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

Bechamel Sauce

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
2 2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Directions
Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.


Meaty Ragu Sauce
Source: Amber's Delectable Delights

Ingredients
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 stalk celery, minced
1 carrot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces ground beef
3 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto, finely chopped
1/2 cup beef or chicken broth/stock
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon pasta sprinkle (or Italian seasoning)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
In a large dutch oven warm the oil over medium heat and saute the minced celery and carrots. Remove the vegetables from the pan and process in the food processor. Return the veggies to the pan and add in the garlic. Add the prosciutto and ground beef to the pan and brown, stirring often to promote even browning. Transfer contents of pan to a strainer, drain excess fat.

Add broth/stock to the pan and use your spatula to scrap up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the contents of the strainer back into the pan. Let the mixture simmer until the broth/stock has reduced.

Add tomato paste into the pan and stir for 2 minutes to brown. Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and seasonings to pan and once again use the spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Partially cover the pot, reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer for two hours. Stir the sauce every 30 minutes adding water 1/3 cup at a time if sauce is reducing to much.

Daring Bakers Go Flourless

Sorry for the delay in posting this months recipe. Once again life's hectic plans kept me from accomplishing most of the things that I wanted to get done this month. The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.


For the cake, I used some Scharffen Berger dark chocolate that had been sitting in my cabinet waiting for the perfect recipe to come along. Although I do not really care for dark chocolate my husband loves it so this cake was completely for him. I also cut the recipe in half and baked it in a 6" round pan. This recipe was very simple and quick to make and the end results were two thumbs up. I am already planning on making this recipe for Easter so that my gluten-free relatives can enjoy it.


The ice cream recipe that I chose was one that I have heard a lot of raves about lately. I decided to go ahead and try it out, using strawberry cake mix. This was my first time making a "Philadelphia-style" ice cream recipe. For some reason I had an irrational fear that ice cream without the custard base was not real ice cream. Apparently I was over working myself and a glutton for punishment, this style of ice cream is just as delicious as the custard based French-style. Actually this ice cream was so delicious that I think I will start making more recipes just like it. Feel free to check out the other ice cream recipes on my blog.


As always, feel free to visit the Daring Bakers Blogroll and see the beautiful cake and ice cream combinations that the other members made this month.


Chocolate Valentino
Source: Chef Wan

Ingredients
16 ounces (1 pound) semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 large eggs, separated

Directions
1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Cake Batter Ice Cream
Adapted from Carries Sweet Life, originally from Delicious Meliscious

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk, well chilled
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup cake mix (any flavor you prefer)

Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Stir in cake mix, making sure there are no lumps.
- Pour mixture into the freezer bowl of your ice cream maker and let mix until it has thickened (about 25-30 minutes).
- Remove ice cream from freezer bowl and place into a separate container. Place freezer bowl and the ice cream into the freezer to further harden.

Daring Bakers Do Tuiles

I just have to start off by saying that I am very glad that a nice simple recipe was featured for this month. I started a new job and a new (my last!) semester of school this month and it was so busy that I was extremely exhausted every evening. I found time earlier this week to make these tuiles and I am glad that I did because they were wonderful. Light and crisp, they actually reminded me of fortune cookies.


I did not realize that the batter would spread so much once in the oven. It was certainly a good thing that I did not make my circles any larger or they would have over baked right off the pan. I decided to make my tuiles into a cone shape and fill them with white chocolate pudding. Chocolate drizzled on top and some diced strawberries and blueberries added the perfect amount of color and really finished off the dish. It really made a beautiful presentation that I would be proud to serve to guests.


This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.


Do not forget to check out the daring bakers blogroll to see what creations everyone else came up with.

Tuiles
Source: “The Chocolate Book”, written by female Dutch Master chef Angélique Schmeinck

Yields: 20 small butterflies/6 large (butterflies are just an example)
Preparation time batter 10 minutes, waiting time 30 minutes, baking time: 5-10 minutes per batch

Ingredients
1/4 cup (2.3 oz) softened butter (not melted but soft)
1/2 cup (2.1 oz) sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar (7 grams or substitute with a dash of vanilla extract)
2 large egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
1/2 cup (2.3 oz) sifted all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice
Butter/spray to grease baking sheet

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F

Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as the butterfly. Press the stencil on the baking sheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. Mix a small part of the batter with the cocoa and a few drops of warm water until evenly colored. Use this colored batter in a paper piping bag and proceed to pipe decorations on the wings and body of the butterfly.

Bake butterflies in a preheated oven (350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from baking sheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time or maybe put them in the oven to warm them up again. (Haven’t tried that). Or: place a baking sheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.- If you don’t want to do stencil shapes, you might want to transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe the desired shapes and bake. Shape immediately after baking using for instance a rolling pin, a broom handle, cups, cones.

Caramel Cake, Daring Bakers Style

Happy Daring Bakers post day to all my fellow food loving friends. This month our challenge was to make a very sweet and indulgent sounding caramel cake with caramelized butter frosting. This cake came together very smoothly for me and baked up beautifully. The smell and taste of the caramel syrup made me crave caramel corn very much, I'll have to make some soon. :) The icing came together very smoothly also. I did not use the entire pound of powdered sugar. I would say I used between 9 and 10 ounces though. I also added much more heavy cream to the frosting than called for to try and counteract all the grittyness of the powdered sugar. I also forgot to add in the salt, oopsie.

I took this cake to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving and it was a hit with everyone that tried it. The cake was so moist and light with the perfect hint of caramel sweetness. I will admit, I was a little scared about the frosting. It tasted amazing but I wasn't so sure I would like it on the cake. I thought it would still have the powdered sugar grit taste to it but all in all you could barely tell. The cake tasted so light, obviosuly it was far from being healthy but it was the perfect ending to a very filling Thanksgiving meal. I am glad that I got a chancet o make this cake. It was amazing and I might even make it again. My friend was already hinting that it would be great for her son's birthday party. :) Please excuse my sloppy swirly frosting job. I decorated it on Thanksgiving morning when I was also cooking up 3 batches of garlic knots and some green bean casserole from scratch.


A big thank you goes out to this months hosts, Dolores of Chronicals in Culinary Curiosity Alex of Brownie of the Blondie and Jenny of Foray into Food. As always check out the Daring Bakers Blogroll to see the other beautiful cakes made by the very talented DB'ers.
- One year ago the Daring Bakers tackled Tender Potato Bread. -


Caramel Cake With Caramelized Butter Frosting
Source: Shuna Fish Lydon, as published on Bay Area Bites

Ingredients
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 9-inch cake pan.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.
4. Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.

5. Sift flour and baking powder.
6. Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}

7. Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan.
8. Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it.

9. Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.


Caramel Syrup
Source: Shuna Fish Lydon, as published on Bay Area Bites

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelization process)

Directions
1. In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.
2. When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back.
3. Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.}
Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

Caramelized Butter Frosting
Source: Shuna Fish Lydon, as published on Bay Area Bites

Ingredients
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste

Directions
1. Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.
2. Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.
Note: Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month. To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light.

Caution: Beware of Flying Objects

I am definitely no stranger to making homemade pizza but this months daring baker challenge had me a little nervous. Not only did we have to make homemade pizza but we had to toss the dough in the air like a pizza making pro and have someone capture the moment on film. Yikes! My husband laughed for a moment when I told him I had to toss the dough. He was certain I was going to drop it on the floor. Geeee, thanks for the confidence honey. I am pleased to announce that I tossed three balls of dough into the air and they all landed perfectly on my hands. Must have been beginners luck. :) This was such a fun experience and it yielded such a perfectly round crust that I will definitely try this method more often. The only downside was the flour flying in the air and in my eyes. I think that's why my eyes were closed in the first picture.



Instead of making six, 6 ounce dough balls I made two, 12 ounce and two, 6 ounce dough balls. The two larger balls got turned into a sausage pizza for my husband and a spinach, mushroom and sausage pizza for myself. I stored one of the 6 ounce balls in the freezer and used the other one to make garlic cheese sticks.

This dough was excellent, it had a great crumb and a nice crispy bottom. The nice thing about this dough is that requires only about 20 minutes of prep time one night (up to 3 in advance) and then it just needs to be taken out of the refrigerator two hours before baking. I would say that it is pretty working woman friendly.


This months Daring Bakers challenge was brought to us by Rosa's Yummy Yums and is in memory of Sher who shared this idea for a challenge with Rosa a few short days before she passed. Be sure to check out the Daring Bakers blogroll to see the rest of the Daring Bakers pizza creations.


This month marks my one year anniversary of joining the Daring Bakers. One year ago we made Tender Potato Bread. What an awesome ride it has been.


Pizza Napoletana
Source: The Bread Baker’s Apprentice” by Peter Reinhart

Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups (20.25 ounces) unbleached high-gluten bread or all purpose flour, chilled
1 3/4 teaspoon (.44 ounce) salt
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil or vegetable oil (optional)
1 3/4 Cups (14 ounces) water, ice cold (40° F)
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

Directions
1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a 4 quart bowl (Or in the bowl of an electric mixer). With a large metal spoon stir in the oil and the cold water until all the flour is all absorbed (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment). If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotting the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand. Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are using an electric mixer,switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off hate sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a teaspoon or two of cold water. The finished dough with be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50 to 55 degree F.

2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Using a metal dough scraper cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you are comfortable shaping large pizzas). You can dip the scraper into the water between cuts to keep the dough from sticking to it. Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan. Mist the dough generously with spray oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag (or cover with plastic wrap).

3. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days. (Note: if you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make the pizza).

4. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number if dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Dust the counter with flour, and then mist the counter with spray oil. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks and 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Let rest for 2 hours.

5. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone either on the floor of the oven (for gas ovens), or on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800 degrees F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550 degrees F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.

6. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, including the backs of your hands and knuckles, in flour and lift 1 piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss. If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so that the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn't as effective as the toss method.

7. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other toppings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy. The American "kitchen sink" approach is counterproductive, as it makes the crust more difficult to bake. A few, usually no more than 3 or 4 toppings, including sauce and cheese is sufficient.

8. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake. If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower shelf before the next round. If the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone for subsequent bakes.

9. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.

Daring Bakers Go Crispy

Today is once again my favorite day of the month. The day that I can finally tell the world what the top secret Daring Baker recipe was this month. This months hosts were Natalie from Gluten a Go Go and Shel from Musings from the Fishbowl. They made Daring Bakers's history this month by presenting us with a recipe that would be made vegan and if we were daring enough even gluten free. Thank you ladies for hosting a great challenge. As always don't forget to checkout the Daring Bakers's blogroll to see all the other member's crackers.

We were supposed to make these Lavash crackers along with a gluten free, vegan dip/spread to accompany them. I was a little short on time and was never creative enough to come up with the dip so I simply paired them with some salsa my mother-in-law made and shared with me. I was hoping to make another batch with cinnamon and sugar on top and pair them with a fruit salsa but apparently time got the best of me and I did not quite get that far.


These crackers were very simple to prepare, probably the easiest thing I have ever made with yeast. I did not have much of a problem rolling the dough out thin enough, a couple of my crackers had air bubbles in them but for the most part they were thin and deliciously crispy. I added kosher salt to the top of half of my dough and sesame seeds and paprika to the other half. I preferred the salted ones. Really, who knew that making crackers was so darn easy. I think I may have fallen in love with these, I will definitely be making them time and time again.



Lavash Crackers
Source: The Bread Baker's Apprentice, by Peter Reinhart

Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz) unbleached bread flour or gluten free flour blend (If you use a blend without xanthan gum, add 1 tsp xanthan or guar gum to the recipe)
1/2 teaspoon (.13 oz) salt
1/2 teaspoon (.055 oz) instant yeast
1 tablespoon (.75 oz) agave syrup or sugar (the book calls for honey, but it is not vegan)
1 tablespoon (.5 oz) vegetable oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 Tb (3 to 4 oz) water, at room temperature
Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for toppings

Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, agave, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tb of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.

2. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test (click here for a discription of this) and register 77 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), and slightly tacky. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).

4. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.
For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Lay out two sheets of parchment paper. Divide the cracker dough in half and then sandwich the dough between the two sheets of parchment. Roll out the dough until it is a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. Slowly peel away the top layer of parchment paper. Then set the bottom layer of parchment paper with the cracker dough on it onto a baking sheet.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternating rows of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.) Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).

6. When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.

A Day Late ...

... and a dollar short is how I fell at the moment about this recipe. First of all I am actually a day late posting it, oopise. Secondly I am a little disappointed with the recipe. Ok I won't get ahead of myself here. I was very excited to make this months recipe, I had made profiterole puffs before and loved the results so I was excited to see just how wonderful this recipe would be. I mixed up the dough, baked it and tested one to see how they tasted. My first reaction was that they tasted like eggs, some kind of eggy bread perhaps. My second reaction came when I looked over at all my sunk little eclairs, they were almost completely flat. I put them in a plastic baggie and left them to deal with for the next morning. I think I'll go finish them now. In all fairness I did not give them a real chance, I did not even stuff or glaze them. Maybe my premature tasting lead me in the wrong direction. As a Daring Baker I feel that I need to at least try to complete the entire recipe before giving up. I think I'll go make a half batch of pastry cream and glaze and see what happens. I'll be back later with pictures and a true judgement of how these little eclairs were.....


Ok I am finally back. I know I know another whole day later, ::slapping myself on the hand:: bad Daring Baker. Anyway, I made my pastry cream, which was wonderful and I will post the recipe below, and I made my chocolate sauce and glaze. Why I had to make two different things to obtain one final glaze is beyond me but oh well,it is probably the same cooky reason why I had to put a spoon in my oven door halfway throughout baking, weiiiirrdd. All in all, my eclairs are all assembled and photographed and I am feeling a little better about this challenge and the fact that I completed it. I still do not particularly care for the pâte à choux recipe but the pastry cream and glaze did dull the egginess a tad and I was able to eat a few of these.


Thank you to this months hosts; Meeta of What’s for Lunch Honey? and Tony of Tony Tahhan. Please check out one of their blogs for the entire eclair recipe. I am only going to post the pastry cream recipe that I used in this post. As always don't forget to check out the Daring Baker Blogroll to see how all the other Daring Bakers fared with this recipe.


Creme Patissiere (Pastry Cream)
Source: Joy Of Baking

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1/8 cup (20 grams) all-purpose flour
Scant 3 tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch
3/4 tablespoon (10 ml) liqueur (Grand Marnier, Brandy, Kirsch)

Directions
1. In a medium-sized stainless steel bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together with a wooden spoon. (Never let the mixture sit too long or you will get pieces of egg forming.) Sift the flour and cornstarch together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile in a saucepan combine the milk and split vanilla bean on medium heat until boiling. (The milk will foam up to the top of pan when done, so watch carefully.) Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. (If you get a few pieces of egg (curdling) in the mixture, pour through a strainer.) Remove vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, and add the seeds to the egg mixture. (The vanilla bean can be dried and placed in your sugar bowl to give the sugar a vanilla flavor. This sugar can then be used in baking where you would like a vanilla-flavored sugar, e.g. pies, cakes, cookies.)
3. Place the egg mixture back into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 - 60 seconds until it becomes very thick and it is hard to stir.
4. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the liqueur (if using). Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Cool. If not using right away refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days. Beat before using to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.
5. For a light pastry cream, just before using, fold in the softly whipped cream with a wooden spoon.

Disappointing Results

I am sad to report that I am waving the white flag on this month's challenge. I tried, I really did. This cake just did not like me.

Let me preface this by saying that I never complain about recipes that I am making and I am usually very good about figuring them out if they seem confusing. This one is a completely different story. I found the structure of this recipe to be a mess. After reading the recipe several times my friend Chelle and I attempted to tackle this recipe together early on a Saturday morning. We both had disappointing results. Better grab a beverage, here is my side of the story...

My first challenge was trying to figure out what got folded into what and in what order it happened. I figured that out and went on and started my cakes (I used 2, 9" pans since I didn't hae a 10"). I used almonds instead of hazlenuts since hazlenuts seem to be a seasonal item. The process of making the cake went well, it baked wonderfully and inverted onto the rack like a champ. I let the cakes cool, as per the directions, wrapped them up and put them into the fridge.

Sunday came along and I was anxious to tackle the rest of the cake. I read over all of the remaining parts of the recipe and instantly got confused. The apricot glaze directions states, "with a pastry brush, apply the glaze onto the cake while the cake is still warm." Well wait a minute, the cake directions said nothing about applying the apricot glaze to the warm cake. I figured that was just a small hurdle and went ahead and applied the glaze to the cooled cakes. They became pretty sticky, which seemed like a problem if I would have had to cut the cakes in half.

Ok, on to the next item, the praline paste. Maybe I was impatient or using the wrong kind of pan but there is no way that plain ole sugar was going to melt in a saucepan on my stove over low heat on that day, it just wasn't happening. I tried this twice, the first time I turned up the heat a little and ended up with burnt clumps of sugar stuck to my pan. The second time I switched to another pan with no luck once again.

I then decided that I would just make regular buttercream, no such luck. I was having a horrible day in the kitchen on this particular day and nothing wanted to work right. I wrapped the cakes in plastic wrap and tucked them away in the freezer. Maybe someday I'll take them out and try to finish out the challenge.

Thank you to Mele Cotte for hosting the challenge. I gave it my best and had high hopes for a wonderful cake but the stars were not aligned for me on this day. I am glad I had the opportunity to attempt this cake.

Delicious Danish

I was so excited when I saw this months Daring Baker's challenge! I have always wanted to try my hand at making a danish and this was my chance to tackle it. I had so many different filling combinations running through my head that I just could not decide which to make. However, I did know that I was going to make at least one savory filling so I needed to cut the sweetness out of my dough. I decided to omit the orange zest and juice and just sub milk for the juice. My changes are noted in the recipe ingredients below.


The filling combinations that I decided to used were strawberry and cream cheese, raspberry and cream cheese (not pictured) and mushroom, spinach and swiss. The sweet combinations were wonderful but I wish I would have packed more filling into them. The savory combination was nothing shy of amazing!


A big thank you goes out to this months hosts: Kelly of Sass & Veracity, and Ben of What’s Cookin’? for picking such a rewarding and tasty challenge. Be sure to check out the Daring Baker Blogroll to see what wonderful sweet and savory danish creations the rest of the members came up with.

Just so you all know just how die hard I am... My internet at home is out and probably will be for the next few days. I went to McDonalds to use their WiFi, it cost me $2.95 for 2 hours of use but I didn't care. I am desperate! There is a lord (and a Comcast guy that knows what he is doing), out internet is finally fixed!! :)


Danish Dough
Source: Sherry Yard’s The Secrets of Baking

Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients
For the dough (Detrempe)

1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole 2% milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice 2% milk
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

To make the dough
With a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Without a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

To make the butter block
1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.
2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Danish Braid
Makes enough for 2 large braids

Ingredients
1 recipe Danish Dough
Fillings of your choice
For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.

2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash
Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking

1. Spray cooking oil onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.

2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.

3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature.

Storage
The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

Cream Cheese Filling, Source: Cooks Illustrated
Strawberry Jam Filling, Source Allrecipes
Raspberry Jam Filling, Source RecipeZaar
Mushroom, Spinach and Swiss Filling, Fresh sliced mushrooms, baby spinach and swiss cheese

Where Has Time Gone?

Time must have escaped me this month. There were so many other holidays and events (Mothers Day, Dad's Birthday, friend's Birthday, Memorial Day, my Birthday and last but not least summer classes that take any moment that I would like to have free and turn it into study time.)

This months challenge was Opera Cake and I am very sad I didn't get a chance to make it. Please check out all the fellow Daring Baker's Blogs by visiting the blogroll to see how their cakes turned out.

Don't forget there are only a few days left to get in on the Kitchen Aid Blender Giveaway! The winner will be announced on Monday June 2nd.

Cheesecake - Daring Baker Style

Yay it is nearing the end of the month and I am sure you all know what that means. It's Daring Baker time!! Elle at Feeding my Enthusiasms and Deborah at Taste and Tell chose this month's recipe of cheesecake pops. Although this is not a very challenging recipe it does incorporate some techniques that some bakers are not familiar with which is why this recipe was chosen.


The recipe was very self-explanatory and easy to put together but many people had problems with the bake time and cheesecakes not setting up. The recipe says to bake the cheesecake for 35-45 minutes but mine took well over an hour and I even divided the batter in half into two different pans (a 9" and a 10" springform).


After baking and chilling the cheesecake I took one of the pans and cut out flowers with my Pampered Chef creative cutters set and took the other pan and rolled them into balls. The taste of this cheesecake was wonderful, very rich and creamy. Forming the shapes was quite a sticky mess and dipping the pops in chocolate was fun but frustrating. My melted chocolate had a lot of tiny little pieces of cheesecake in it, from dipping the pops, and it was hard to keep the oreo's and crushed M&M's from falling right off the balls. All in all I will probably make these again but I would probably enlist someone to help with the rolling and dipping.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the daring bakers cheesecake pops by visiting the blogroll.

Cheesecake Pops
(Adapted from: Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O’Connor)

Makes 30 – 40 Pops

Ingredients
5 8-oz. packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy cream
Boiling water as needed
Thirty to forty 8-inch lollipop sticks
1 pound chocolate, finely chopped – you can use all one kind or half and half of dark, milk, or white (Alternately, you can use 1 pound of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionary coating or wafer chocolate – candy supply stores carry colors, as well as the three kinds of chocolate.)
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
(Note: White chocolate is harder to use this way, but not impossible)
Assorted decorations such as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees) - Optional

Directions
Position oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Set some water to boil.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. If using a mixer, mix on low speed. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well (but still at low speed) after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cream.

Grease a 10-inch cake pan (not a springform pan), and pour the batter into the cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and slightly golden on top, 35 to 45 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

When the cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 2-ounce balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball. Freeze the cheesecake pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 – 2 hours.

When the cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate. In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, heat half the chocolate and half the shortening, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and chocolate and shortening are combined. Stir until completely smooth. Do not heat the chocolate too much or your chocolate will lose it’s shine after it has dried. Save the rest of the chocolate and shortening for later dipping, or use another type of chocolate for variety.

Alternately, you can microwave the same amount of chocolate coating pieces on high at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.

Quickly dip a frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate, swirling quickly to coat it completely. Shake off any excess into the melted chocolate. If you like, you can now roll the pops quickly in optional decorations. You can also drizzle them with a contrasting color of melted chocolate (dark chocolate drizzled over milk chocolate or white chocolate over dark chocolate, etc.) Place the pop on a clean parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set. Repeat with remaining pops, melting more chocolate and shortening (or confectionary chocolate pieces) as needed.

Refrigerate the pops for up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.

Perfectly Daring Cake

Hip Hip Hooray, it is once again my favorite time of the month. I get to finally reveal the Daring Bakers monthly challenge. This month Morvin over at Food Art and Rambling Thoughts picked the perfect challenge because I have been craving cake for quite a while now. Morven was very lenient with the rules this time around. All that he really required is that you made the cake. You could make it a different shape, turn it into a different flavor or even decorate it with a different frosting. Even though the door was open for doing something bold and daring I decided to stick pretty close to the original recipe. I did use strawberry preserves instead of raspberry.


I will admit that at first I was a little intimidated by the recipe, the last time I made a layer cake it cracked while I was putting it together and it ended up being a big mess. I was pretty confident that Dorie's recipe for Perfect Party cake would not let me down.

In the end I thought that this cake was wonderful. It did have a bit more of a lemon flavor than what I prefer. I think next time I will reduce all the lemon ingredients by half and possibly even omit the lemon juice from the buttercream. Speaking of the buttercream, I was pleasantly surprised at how light and fluffy it was.


If you have some extra time please go and check out the Daring Bakers Blogroll to see every one else's Perfect Party Cakes. I am sure they won't disappoint.

Perfect Party Cake
Courtesy of Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from My Home to Yours (page 250)

For the Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Finishing
2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
About 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Getting Ready
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To Make the Cake
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.
Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

To Make the Buttercream
Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.
Remove the bowl from the heat.
Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.
Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.
Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.
During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla.
You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream.
Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

To Assemble the Cake
Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. (As per advice from my friend Jessica, I scored the cake, halfway up and all the way around, with a knife. Then I took a piece of clean fishing line and set it into the score marks and slowly pulled the line through the cake making a nice even slice.)
Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.
Spread it with one third of the preserves. (I found that it was much easier to spread the buttercream first and then the preserves on top of it)
Cover the jam evenly with about one quarter of the buttercream.
Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover).
Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top.
Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.

Serving
The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but I think it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room – not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.

Storing
The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well – it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.

Playing Around
Since lemon is such a friendly flavour, feel free to make changes in the preserves: other red preserves – cherry or strawberry – look especially nice, but you can even use plum or blueberry jam.

Fresh Berry Cake
If you will be serving the cake the day it is made, cover each layer of buttercream with fresh berries – use whole raspberries, sliced or halved strawberries or whole blackberries, and match the preserves to the fruit. You can replace the coconut on top of the cake with a crown of berries, or use both coconut and berries. You can also replace the buttercream between the layers with fairly firmly whipped sweetened cream and then either frost the cake with buttercream (the contrast between the lighter whipped cream and the firmer buttercream is nice) or finish it with more whipped cream. If you use whipped cream, you’ll have to store the cake the in the refrigerator – let it sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.