This first one was for a surprise 50th birthday party. The customer requested a zebra-style cake with a pink bow on top. The cake was chocolate with a peanut butter filling and chocolate buttercream icing. They were thrilled with both the look of the cake and how it tasted!

(Again, bad lighting and excuse the wax paper in the bow - that’s to hold them open and in place while the fondant dries and until I deliver.)

This next cake was for my cousin’s 40th birthday party. His party invitations were blue and silver with what looked like transparent bubbles, so I tried to stay with that theme and this is where it led me. The bottom cake was a yellow cake with raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream; the top cake was chocolate with peanut butter filling and chocolate buttercream. I’m happy to report that everyone at the party raved about the cake!

- Snowball cookies (7 dozen)
- Black & White cookies (7 dozen)
- Empire cookies - Christmas theme (7 dozen)
- Mini chocolate cupcakes - Christmas theme (4 dozen)

This order was due the day after the open house I held, so needless to say I was up to my ears in flour, sugar, and eggs for about four days, but it was a definite success! Below are a couple of pictures from the setup I put together at the store. Apologies for the poor quality, I forgot my camera so these were taken with a cell phone:

Back at the beginning of November I officially launched my baking business:

Buona Dolce is Italian for the phrase “Good Sweets”. As many of you my who read my blog frequently know, I have strong ties to my Italian heritage and so in thinking of a name for my business, I really wanted my background to come through.

Keep reading for more information on the business and a lot of pictures of the orders I’ve filled this month!

I launched the business by holding an open house for family and friends to sample some of the things that I’m offering and to check out a Christmas-themed cake I made to display for the day. Below are some pictures of the treats that were offered for sampling:

Immediately following will be some posts on my first cookie order, and two cakes that I have done in the last few weeks. I’m also getting back into the swing of the baking and cooking so look forward to much more frequent posts!

Okay so it wasn’t necessarily a debacle, I mean the pizza WAS edible, but things certainly didn’t go as smoothly as I had planned. I made the pizza on a Tuesday night with the plan to let it rest overnight in the fridge (per the recipe) and make it on Wednesday. Well, along came the migraine from hell that kept coming back off and on for a couple of days and needless to say I wasn’t interested in doing much of anything in the way of making food. So I ended up letting the dough sit in the fridge until Friday and although the recipe states that the dough can stay in there for up to 3 days, I have to think that perhaps it caused the dough to get too soft. The result was a less than stellar attempt at tossing.

Part of this month’s challenge was to get a picture of ourselves tossing the pizza dough, as that is the traditional method of shaping pizza dough. Unbeknownst to me, I was being recorded! You can see me live in action (pardon the cuss!):

So there it is, my video debut!

This month’s challenge was hosted by Rosa’s Yummy Yums. She was slated to co-host with Sher of What Did You Eat? but as many in the food blogging community are aware, Sher passed away suddenly over the summer. As a tribute to Sher, Rosa kept the recipe that Sher had wanted to use for the challenge - Neopolitan Pizza by Peter Reinhart.

Aside from the literal flop of my pizza dough tossing experience, I would give this recipe an “okay”. I’d really like to try it again and shape the dough after only one night in the refrigerator. It definitely had a very light and airy texture - more of what I would expect from a traditional Italian pizza that you might find on the sidewalks of Venice. If you’re looking for more of an “American” pizza recipe, definitely check out this one - it’s the best I’ve made to date - it has a crispy exterior and soft and chewy interior. For the Peter Reinhart recipe for this challenge, please visit Rosa’s blog.

One year ago: Bostini Cream Pie

I have had this crumb cake bookmarked for quite some time; as soon as I saw it sitting in my Google Reader it drew me in. I have developed a great preference for cakes, quick breads, and muffins/scones that use buttermilk - it definitely seems to bring out all of the other flavors and provides a richness that most other ingredients can’t accomplish.

I was trying to pinpoint the smell and flavor for the longest time and couldn’t figure out, and then I realized that it tastes like a donut! I’m not sure what contributes to that flavoring, but it definitely takes on the smell and taste of a donut. It goes without saying then that this is a fabulous cake and the crumb topping makes it absolutely delectable.

Buttermilk-Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake
(Adapted from Piggy’s Cooking Journal)

Butter Crumb topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup cold butter, cut into chunks
1 tsp vanilla extract

Batter:
1¼ cup plain flour
¼ cup cake flour
1 stick butter
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ cup mini bittersweet chocolate chips
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup buttermilk
1½ eggs
1½ tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup mini bitter-sweet chocolate chips, for sprinkling on top of the cake
Powdered sugar, for sifting on top of the cake
Preparation:
1) Preheat oven to 375°F.
2) Lightly grease a 9×4 inch loaf pan, and line the inside of the pan with parchment paper or foil, and then great it as well.

To make the topping:
3) Thoroughly mix the flour and sugar in a large bowl. Drop in chunks of butter, using a table knife, cut the butter into the flour until it reduces to the size of large pearls. Sprinkle vanilla extract over, working with fingertips, knead the mixture together until moist, clumpy lumps are formed. DO NOT overmix.

Mix the batter:
4) Sift the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and baking soda. Then toss the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of the sifted mixture in a small bowl.
5) Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer for about 3 minutes.
6) Add in the sugar in 3 additions, beating for 1 minute after each portion is added.
7) Add in egg and beat for 45 seconds.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
9) Alternately add in the sifted mixture in 3 additions with the buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the sifted mixture. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure even mixing.
10) Stir in chocolate chips.
11) Spoon the batter into the baking pan, and spread evenly, smooth the top with rubber spatula.
12) Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly on the cake batter, make sure that the whole surface is covered.
13) Bake the cake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake turns out clean. The baked cake should pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.
14) Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly on top of the baked cake immediately.
15) Let the cake cool completely. Use the parchment or foil to lift the cake out of the pan, then sift some powered sugar on top of the cake. Serve.

Fall seems to have taken a permanent hold over the last few weeks and as a result, I’ve been craving a warm and hearty comfort meal full of flavor. What cures that craving better than a big bowl of chili that has slowly simmered for hours? Not much, right? I have only ever made one other version of chili, which is the one my mom made growing up. While it’s certainly a great meal, it’s not quite authentic - it doesn’t contain much in the way of seasonings and includes rice. So I went off in search of a more traditional chili recipe.

The web was full of recipes, so I finally settled on one and then went ahead and tweaked it to suit my tastes. Since I don’t like very spicy foods, the amount of chili powder and cumin in this recipe probably seem low to the chili aficionados, but it’s just as easy to ramp them up, so adjust them to suit your own personal tastes. The amount that I include in the recipe is enough to taste the seasonings, but not enough to set your mouth tingling.

This is one of the best homemade bowls of chili I have ever had. The combination of flavors is fantastic, the beans make it a truly hearty meal, and the absolute key is the long slow simmer that allows all of the flavors to meld together and thicken into a fabulous chili with a smell so enticing that it would wake up the soundest of sleepers. I would suggest the 2-3 hours of uncovered simmer as a minimum - I actually simmered uncovered for 2 hours and then covered the pot and simmered for another 2 hours. It improved substantially in that time. I served chili with the traditional accompaniment - cornbread. I fell in love with this recipe last year and it’s probably the most authentic (save for a cast iron skillet) that I’ve tried yet. Enjoy!!

Chili
(Adapted from Recipezaar)

2 lbs ground beef
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans (with liquid)
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans (with liquid)
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

1. Brown ground beef in a large pot (I used my 7.25 qt Dutch oven) over medium heat.

2. Drain off the fat.

3. Combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer over low heat.

4. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours.

Honest to goodness, custard-drenched, authentic French toast. I told you I was going to make good use of that Challah I made!

I eat French toast pretty often, but it’s usually nothing close to the sweet sensation that I cooked up this morning. I typically keep it pretty light and healthy - wheat bread, a couple of eggs whisked together with a splash of milk, quick dip, and then browned on the skillet. This, however, is so incredibly decadent, has such a rich flavor, and so sweet that I would argue that the syrup could be optional. Crazy, right??

There are a few key pieces to this recipe that really let the flavor come through:

• Take the time to stale the bread overnight - this helps it hold up to soaking in the custard mixture without falling apart. Without it being stale it wouldn’t be able to soak up as much custard, thus losing a lot of the flavor. If you forget to set the bread out the night before, dry it out in the oven on a low temperature.
• Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat on these. I admit I was skeptical about making French toast over medium-low heat, and although it takes a little longer, it allows the custard to cook the whole way through the bread while evenly browning the outside. At a higher temperature the bread would brown much too quickly and not allow the interior to set up. (Although my crusts look dark it’s not from making the French toast - it’s due to the naturally dark crust of the challah, achieved through the egg wash.)
• Finally, don’t try to make this healthy or low fat. It’s just not meant to be. Either go all out or do the wimpy egg dip that I normally do. This is an outstanding treat that you just need to savor and enjoy!

One year ago: Soft Pretzels

French Toast

8 slices firm bread (preferably white or challah), sliced about ½” thick
1½ cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted plus 2 tablespoons for cooking
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Stale the bread by setting it out on a cooling rack uncovered overnight.

2. Whisk milk, yolks, sugar, melted butter, salt, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Transfer milk mixture to 13×9-inch baking pan.

3. Working with 3 slices of bread at a time, dip into custard for 20 seconds. Using a spatula turn bread over and soak for anotherr 20 seconds. (Bread should be saturated but not falling apart.) Transfer soaked bread to baking sheet or tray and continue until all bread is soaked.

4. Heat ½ tablespoon of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. When foaming subsides, use slotted spatula to transfer 2 slices soaked bread to skillet until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 3 to 4 mintues longer. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat cooking remaining bread, 2 pieces at a time, adding ½ tablespoon of butter for each batch.

Once again the wonderful Zorra has coordinated a celebration of the World Bread Day, asking bloggers from all over the globe to bake, buy, or photograph bread and blog about it today. World Bread Day is an event created by the UIB (International Union of Bakers and Bakers-Confectioners) in an effort to provide an opportunity to talk about bread and bakers, to find out about their history, their importance, as well as their future.

In the spirit of what World Bread Day is all about, I decided to bake a bread that symbolizes a history and heritage that I am unfamiliar with, in an effort to learn more about it. Challah is a special braided bread eaten by some groups of Jews on the Sabbath and holidays. According to Jewish tradition, Sabbath and holiday meals begin with a blessing over two loaves of bread. This “double loaf” commemorates the manna that fell from the heavens when the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years after the Exodus from Egypt. The manna did not fall on the Sabbath or on holidays; instead a double portion fell before the Sabbath and holidays. See, I learned something new!

This was my first experience working with fresh yeast and I held my breath throughout the entire process. Of course I knew that fresh yeast could work - that’s all I have ever seen my grandma use - but I have also heard that it tends to be a bit more temperamental than dry yeast so I was a little nervous. And as the saying goes, there is nothing to fear but fear itself. I think it’s pretty evident that my dough rose! Absolutely no problems whatsoever to report with using the fresh yeast; as you’ll see from the recipe below, all of the ingredients were combined together at one time (no proofing of the yeast).

Not only was I thrilled about such a fabulous loaf of bread, but I was also excited about the opportunity to cross another conquest off of My 100 list. I’m enjoying the adventure of taking on all of these unique challenges. This challah was so flavorful - the crumb has such a rich, sweet and moist texture and when you pair that with a hearty crust enriched with an egg wash, you get something really incredible. I can’t wait to use this for some rockin’ French toast on Saturday morning!

I know I’m raving about a recipe that calls for a whopping 8 egg yolks. And I also know many people will be turned off by the seemingly large amount of waste that this produces. But you don’t have to waste anything - separate the eggs and put the whites in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make an angel food cake! Or just scramble some egg whites for breakfast. See? No waste!

A big thank you to my friend Kayte who got me the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook for my birthday this past year. It’s an awesome book and I can’t wait to dig even further into it!

One year ago: Brown Sugar Raisin Bread

Challah
(Source: Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook, pages 306-307)

Makes one 18-inch loaf

1½ pounds bread flour (about 4½ cups), plus more for dusting
¾ ounce fresh yeast
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon coarse salt
¼ cup vegetable oil, plus more for bowl, plastic wrap, and baking sheet
1 cup water
8 large egg yolks, plus 1 large whole egg

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, honey, salt, vegetable oil, egg yolks, and 1 cup water. Mix on low speed until the dough is smooth and stiff with a slight sheen, 8 to 10 minutes.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead to make sure any loose bits are incorporated. Fold in the following manner: Fold the bottom third of the dough up, the top third down, and the right and left sides over, tapping the dough and flip it over, seam side down. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Brush an unrimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Return the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and divide into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 18-inch log, and place the logs parallel to one another; pinch the ends together at the top. Weave the three strands into a tight braid, tugging gently as you go. Press the ends together to seal. Place loaf on the prepared sheet. Loosely cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly beat the remaining whole egg and brush gently but thoroughly over loaf, making sure to cover any seams and crevices. Bake until the crust is dark brown, 50 to 60 minutes. The bread should reach an internal temperature of 190°F on an instant-read thermometer, and should have a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Bread can be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Apple Pie: rustic, flaky, tart, and spicy. The most iconic of American traditions.

These marvelous little pies package up the best parts of apple pie, eliminate a lot of the work, and deliver scrumptious, addictive fruit-wrapped-in-crust that can be stowed away in your pocket for safe keeping. Hand pies have been making their way around the blog universe since the beginning of summer, it seems, and I’ve been meaning to make them but never quite got around to it. So when Annie asked if I was interested in making the Bourbon Peach Hand Pies that were featured on smitten kitchen,  I was intrigued. While I’m not much of a peach fan, I figured I could use Deb’s dough recipe and sub in my own apple filling, which is what I did.

These hand pies are a fantastic option for changing up the traditional slice of pie and ice cream and would be especially welcome as a dessert at an outdoor gathering or one that included small children. And really, for the kid in all of us - what’s much better than a slice of apple pie that you can pick up and carry around with you?

The dough for this recipe is really just incredible. I admit that I was somewhat skeptical at first, as it contained sour cream. I had never heard or seen sour cream used in a pie or pastry dough before, so it certainly caused me to raise an eyebrow. But like the good trooper that I am, I forged ahead. The dough takes some time to prepare, so make sure you have 2-3 hours of available time (most of it is inactive chill time) prior to baking the pies. While it may be a slight inconvenience, it really is what makes this dough so spectacular. The repeated chills give this dough such an incredibly buttery, flaky texture, much like that of a laminated dough you would create for croissants. It is absolutely worth the time to prepare these - you won’t be sorry!

If you just happen to be asking yourself if these little hand pies would make a perfect breakfast pastry, well then, the answer is a resounding YES! Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything… I’m just saying…

Apple Hand Pies
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

For the pastry:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
½ cup sour cream
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup ice water

For the Filling:
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced small
1/3 cup sugar

One egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons water (for egg wash)
Coarse sanding sugar, for decoration

1. To make the pastry, in a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. If preparing ahead of time, the dough can be stored at this point for up to one month in the freezer.

2. Divide the refrigerated dough in half. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one half of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 4 1/2-inch-round biscuit cutter, cut seven circles out of the rolled dough. Transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and chilling process with the remaining half of dough. (I used a 4-inch cutter-if you can call a “cutter” the tin edge of the container that holds my smaller round cutters-and managed to get 12 from each dough half, after rerolling the scraps.)

3. Mix the diced apple with the sugar, and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes, until the apples are tender. Set aside. Prior to preparing the pies, drain any accumulated liquid from the apples.

4. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature until just pliable, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon about 1 to 2 tablespoons filling (use the smaller amount for a 4-inch circle) onto one half of each circle of dough. Quickly brush a little cold water around the circumference of the dough, and fold it in half so the other side comes down over the filling, creating a semicircle. Seal the hand pie, and make a decorative edge by pressing the edges of the dough together with the back of a fork. Repeat process with remaining dough. Place the hand pies back on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and return to the refrigerator to chill for another 30 minutes.

5. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove the chilled hand pies from the refrigerator, cut a small slit in each and lightly brush with the egg yolk wash. Sprinkle sanding sugar generously over the pies, and place pies in the oven to bake. Bake until the hand pies are golden brown and just slightly cracked, anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on how thick you rolled the dough. Remove the pies from the oven, and let stand to cool slightly before serving.

Note: I cut out 4.5-inch rounds with the largest biscuit cutter that I have, and it yielded 20 pies.

If you check out my category listings to the right you’ll see some changes, which are most notably around all of the bread here on the blog. I now have separate categories for Quick Breads, which includes muffins and scones, and Yeast Breads, which also includes other baked goods that use yeast such as bagels, cinnamon rolls, and the like. While yeast rolls will still be cross referenced in Yeast Breads, I also have a separate category broken out for rolls and biscuits. I hope that this new break out of categories makes browsing easier and you all have an easier time finding what you’re looking for!

At the end of each post is now a button that will enable you to share and bookmark the content found in the blog. The button looks like this:

When you click it a menu will come up that will give you a whole host of choices -  you can bookmark that post, email it to a friend, or share it on a variety of social networking sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon, Facebook, MySpace, and others.

If you are a member of Facebook, you can now join the Brown Eyed Baker page and receive updates, view photos, and take part in discussions about what you like and don’t like about the blog, how I can make improvements, and connect with other readers. Click Here to go to the Brown Eyed Baker page and click “Become a Fan”.

Finally, I have created a photostream on Flickr, which you can view here. If you just looooove my pictures (hey, they’re improving!) you can subscribe to the photostream so you are alterted whenever a new photo is uploaded.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you all find the changes useful and exciting.

Happy Monday!

Behold, a gorgeous four-part cheesecake in all of its glory:

Oreo crumb crust.
Creamy cheesecake.
Fudgy brownies.
Chocolate ganache glaze.

WOW. Now, many of you know I am a self-professed Queen of Cheesecake. No,  I’m not tooting my own horn about how fabulous my own cheesecakes always turn out, but cheesecake is by far my very favorite dessert. I’ll eat it before anything else laid in front of me. And so when I saw this cheesecake featured on Smitten Kitchen, there was no turning back. I had to make it. Immediately. And with no good reason whatsoever other than I wanted it. No company, no dinner party, no celebration. Just because it looked THAT good.

Although the cheesecake is comprised of four components, it wasn’t complicated at all to put together, so please don’t be intimidated! The recipe for one bowl brownies is ridiculously quick and can be thrown together in less than 15 minutes. You can make the brownies a day ahead and pop them into the fridge - they are easier to slice through when cold anyway!

We need to talk about the crust. Deb is a genius. DOUBLE THE CRUST! Doh! ::smacks self on forehead:: For someone who is ALL about the crust (be it cheesecakes, pies, pizza, anything that has crust), it never occurred to me to just go ahead and double the crust recipe. Simply brilliant, for sure. The original recipe calls for either chocolate wafer cookies or Teddy Grahams to use for the crust,  but I used Oreos because, well, I just adore them. Oreo cheesecake is by far my favorite variety, so if I’m not going to have Oreos IN my cheesecake, I’ll definitely settle for them being my crust!

The cheesecake itself has the perfect texture - wonderfully creamy and melts in your mouth. Pair that with the double crust, a bite of fudgy brownie in every other forkful and a layer of rich, bittersweet chocolate ganache and really - cheesecake (or life, for that matter) does not get much better than that.

One year ago: Hearty Beef Stew with Sweet Dinner Rolls

Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Equipment used:
9×13 glass baking dish
Food processor
Stand mixer
10″ Springform Pan
Sheet Pan

Part One: Brownies

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
1¾ cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil.

Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix well. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minute or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove brownies from pan, using foil handles.

Cool brownies, then cut them into 3/4- to 1-inch squares for use in the cheesecake (I used a pizza cutter, per Deb’s recommendation). You will have more than the two cups of cubes, loosely measured, than you will need, and I’m sorry, you’re just going to have to decide for yourself what to do with the extra. Add cubes to cake batter as directed below.

Part Two: Crumb Crust

1½ cups or 5 ounces (3 cups or 10 ounces to double) finely ground Oreos, or other chocolate cookie
5 tablespoons (10 tablespoons to double) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup (2/3 cup to double) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspooon (¼ teaspoon to double) salt

Stir together ingredients and press into bottom and 1 inch up side of a buttered 10″ springform pan. Fill right away or chill for up to 2 hours.

Part Three: Cheesecake

3 (8-oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Make crumb crust as directed above for 10-inch cheesecake. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat together cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions.

Fold brownie cubes in very gently and pour mixture into prepared pan. Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan. Pour filling into crust and bake in baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until cake is set 3 inches from edge but center is still slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken.

When completely cool, top with following glaze.

Part Four: Ganache Glaze

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Place finely chopped chocolate in a medium size mixing bowl. Scald the butter and cream together in a saucepan (or in the microwave on HIGH for 1 minute). Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in vanilla and then whisk in powdered sugar until smooth.  Spread over cheesecake while ganache is still warm. Chill until ready to serve.

I had cut this recipe out of a Cooking Light issue more than a year ago and stowed it away in my stash of “to make” recipes, never to be seen again. I have an entire folder of recipes ripped out of magazines that I want to try (not to mention the hundreds that are starred in my Google Reader), and until last week I had all but neglected them. Last Wednesday morning after getting out of the shower our power went out. I work from home, so no power = no work. I decided that my “recipe shelves” (i.e. all of my cookbooks, magazines, and tear outs) were in desperate need of a purge and reorganization, so with the freedom of not being tethered to any electronics, off I went and I unearthed this recipe. I honestly wish the power would go out more often - it’s such a liberating feeling to know you can’t turn on the TV, surf the Internet, or do anything else than just “be”. Maybe I should make that more of a priority even when the power IS on! I digress…

Back to the food. This is such a simple, quick, and flavorful recipe that you would be so sorry not to give it a whirl. A true one pot (or in this case, pan) meal that is quickly seared on each side and then roasted for 10 minutes. Such a quick dinner for a weeknight meal that doesn’t have to be boring. The herbs and garlic impart a great flavor and served alongside Parmesan risotto and green beans, it was a great dinner!

One year ago: Outrageous Brownies

Roasted Flank Steak with Olive Oil-Herb Rub
(Adapted from Cooking Light, April 2007)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1½-pound) flank steak, trimmed
¼ cup dry red wine
¼ cup beef broth

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

3. Sprinkle salt and pepper over steak. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until browned. Add wine and broth; cook 1 minute. Spread herb mixture over steak; place pan in oven. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with the pan sauce.

First, an apology for being so tardy on this challenge. I have no good reason other than September simply ran away from me. Busy weekends, busy work, and this just got pushed to the back burner. But I am so happy that I stayed the course and still gave this a try because this is a phenomenal recipe that can be adapted to suit any taste. This was also an historical month for the Daring Bakers - this month we went vegan (insert shrill shrieking from this bacon cheeseburger fiend)! Thanks to Natalie of Gluten a Go Go and Shel of Musings from the Fishbowl for co-hosting this monumental event. And if that weren’t exciting enough, September was also my 1-year anniversary as a Daring Baker. What fun I’ve had expanding my baking repertoire and pushing my boundaries. Thank you to Lis and Ivonne for creating and maintaining such a wonderful group! And now onto these crackers!

This was a really easy recipe to pull together, involving probably less than 30 minutes of active preparation time. The key to get a nice crisp cracker out of this recipe is to roll the dough out as thin as possible. I actually considered using my pasta roller to get a really thin piece of dough, but just ended up working it with the rolling pin, which was just fine. Some of the edges were slightly thicker, but overall this turned out just great. I seasoned half of the sheet with just some kosher salt, and the other half with salt, parsley, and basil. I also did a hybrid of pre-cut crackers and just breaking the sheet into shards. Both are equally charming :)  I have to say, the crackers I made with Italian seasoning tasted just like Wheat Thins, and I can’t wait to try different variations, maybe even a Parmesan cracker! The possibilities are endless!

Part of this challenge included the creation of a vegan and/or gluten-free dip or spread to pair with the lavash crackers. This is where my time certainly got the better of me, as I didn’t complete this section of the challenge, but did want to share with everyone the dip that I had planned on making, and still intend to do so at some point. This Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Dip would be a great accompaniment to these crackers, or any other pita-style bread, crackers, or vegetables. I can’t wait to try it!

One year ago: Cinnamon Buns

Lavash Crackers
(Source: Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, pages 178-180)

Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers.

1½ cups (6.75 ounces) unbleached bread flour
½ teaspoon (.13 ounce) salt
½ teaspoon (.055 ounce) instant yeast
1 tablespoon (.75 ounce) honey
1 tablespoon (.5 ounce) vegetable oil
1/3 to ½ cup (3 to 4 ounces) water, at room temperature
Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for topping

1. In mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, yeast, honey, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full ½ cup water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.

2. 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 and register 77° to 81°F. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough, satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough tot he 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 instead retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading.)

4. 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.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°F 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; a little goes a long way. If you want precut crackers, 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 being 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.

So just about everyone that reads my blog is pretty aware of my much-talked-about Italian heritage. Well, I also have a *smidgen* of Polish in me, and this meal pays homage to that blood. Homemade pierogi made it onto my Top 100 list, so when Annie asked if I would be interested in making them together, I jumped at the opportunity. Truth be told, I’ve never eaten a homemade pierogi in my life. Mrs. T’s all the way for me! Traditionally, the only time we really ever ate pierogi growing up was during Lent - mostly because they were an easy no-meat alternative on Fridays. And if we’re being honest, the suckers are really good! Who can resist a half-moon of dough filled with potato and cheese, fried in butter and onions?

I was a rebel this time and chose a different recipe from Annie, because I’m still a little afraid of using recipes without quantities. I know, I’m a big ol’ baby, but what can I say? For as far as I’ve progressed, I’m still very much learning! Plus when I saw a recipe pop up in my Google Reader for Pittsburgh Pierogies, well what can I say? I just HAD to make those, it is my hometown, after all! In fact, the Food Network recently featured the pierogies served at a diner in Pittsburgh not 15 minutes from where I grew up. How fun!

These were a little time consuming, but you could easily make the dough one day and then the filling and assembly the following day. I was lucky - none of my filling leaked out during boiling, so I consider these a success! I would have maybe browned them a little more when frying with the onions, but we were getting so hungry that I just wanted to finish and eat! These were really, really good.

Homemade Pittsburgh Pierogies
(Adapted from Columbus Foodie)

Yield: About 2 dozen large pierogi

Ingredients:
2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup butter, softened and cut into small pieces
Butter and onions for sauteing
Ingredients for filling of your choice (Potato & Cheese filling recipe below)

Pierogi Dough
To prepare the pierogi dough, mix together the flour and salt. Beat the egg, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Add the ½ cup sour cream and the softened butter pieces and work until the dough loses most of its stickiness (about 5-7 minutes). You can use a food processor with a dough hook for this, but be careful not to overbeat. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight; the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Prepare the Pierogies
Roll the pierogi dough on a floured board or countertop until 1/16″ thick. Cut circles of dough (2″ for small pierogies and 3-3½″ for large pierogies) with a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Place a small ball of filling (about a tablespoon) on each dough round and fold the dough over, forming a semi-circle. Press the edges together with the tines of a fork.

Boil the pierogies a few at a time in a large pot of water. They are done when they float to the top (about 8-10 minutes). Rinse in cool water and let dry.

Saute sliced onions in butter in a large pan until onions are soft. Then add pierogies and pan fry until lightly crispy.

Potato, Cheese & Onion Filling

1 lb red potatoes
¼ of a large onion, finely chopped
2 oz. cheddar cheese, finely grated
Salt & pepper

Peel and boil potatoes until soft. While the potatoes are boiling, saute onion in butter until soft and translucent. Mash the potatoes with the sauted onions and grated cheddar cheese, adding salt and pepper to taste. You can also add some fresh parsley, bacon bits, or other enhancements if you desire. Let the potato mixture cool and then form into 1″ balls.

Homemade Pierogi Tips:

If you are having a hard time getting the edges to stick together, you may have too much flour in the dough. Add a little water to help get a good seal.

If you don’t want to cook all of the pierogies right away, you can refrigerate them (uncooked) for several days or freeze them for up to several months.

Again,  I’m sorry, I’m such a bad hostess. I chose this recipe and then couldn’t even get it in by the deadline of last Thursday. My deepest apologies to Ina and all of the Barefoot Bloggers. However, I am SO glad that I made the time to whip this up. This soup is absolutely fabulous! It did take a little bit of time from start to finish (probably about 2 hours), but it was well worth it. This soup is so full of flavor and so much better than any canned soup you might buy.

A big part of the robust flavor is making a mushroom stock  to use in the soup versus using a pre-made beef or chicken broth. I have never made a stock before, so this was a successful first for me! I took some liberties with this recipe to match our personal tastes and what I had available. I honestly can’t wait to make this again, it’s one of the best soups I have ever made. I hope you all give it a try!

Below is a list of the modifications I made to this recipe:

• I used equal parts white button and cremini mushrooms (so technically not a completely “wild” soup)
• I substituted shallots for leeks
• I only used a couple tablespoons of butter to saute the shallots instead of the stick called for
• In place of white wine I used chicken broth mixed with 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• I omitted the parsley

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup
(Source: Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa at Home p48 and on The Food Network)

5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
5 ounces fresh portobello mushrooms
5 ounces fresh cremini (or porcini) mushrooms
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don’t wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. Serve hot.

The extent of my experience with chicken pot pie had only been a recipe that my grandmother shared with me a few years ago. It was really good. Really, really good. It also included about half a box of Bisquick. I kid you not. Now that fall has arrived, I began craving your typical comfort foods, including chicken pot pie. Not really wanting to use so much Bisquick, I went out in search of a more authentic version of this classic recipe. I seemed to hit the jackpot with this version from Williams Sonoma and although an authentic recipe would include a traditional pie crust, puff pastry is seriously one of the best things ever.

This chicken pot pie was very easy and straight-forward to put together, and made the house smell absolutely fantastic. Any candle developers reading?? You should develop a chicken pot pie candle. I’d totally buy it. Mmmm. As you can see, I didn’t make individual pies, but rather made a full serving in a 2 quart casserole dish and used 1 full sheet of puff pastry.

Chicken Pot Pie
(Source: Williams Sonoma)

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock (I used broth)
½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme (I used 1/8 tsp dried thyme)
1 bay leaf
½ cup chopped yellow onions
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup peeled and chopped carrots
½ cup chopped white button mushrooms
½ cup chopped red-skinned potatoes
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
½ cup cooked fresh or frozen peas
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Four 6-inch squares frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water
Preheat an oven to 400ºF.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells fragrant and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the stock, whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil. Add the thyme, bay leaf, onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken, peas, salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Divide the filling among 4 ovenproof bowls and place on a baking sheet. Brush the puff pastry squares with the egg mixture. Brush the rims of the bowls with water. Place 1 pastry square on top of each bowl, pressing lightly on the edges. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

I made these biscotti as part of the package I put together for Operation Baking GALS (sorry it’s taken me a while to get this post up!), which also included plain vanilla biscotti and chocolate chip biscotti. These biscotti come courtesy of Dorie Greenspan and were actually the second-ever Daring Baker challenge, back in December of 2006. Since I’ve been wanting to tackle all of the old DB challenges as part of My 100 list, and given that I had already decided to do a biscotti theme for my package, I thought throwing in these biscotti only made sense. I wouldn’t be a good baker if I didn’t taste test what I was shipping off (*wink*), so I made sure to give these a try. I thought they were absolutely fabulous and plan on adding them to my list of things that will go in my Christmas packages this year.

Although these call for almonds, given my nut allergies I wouldn’t have been able to taste test them, so I went with chopped white chocolate. This was perfect, I loved the balance it gave to the dark chocolate in the recipe.

Chocolate Biscotti
(Source: Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours, p.144)

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped almonds, blanched or unblanched (I subbed 1 cup chopped white chocolate)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or ¾ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
Sugar, for dusting

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes; the mixture may be crumbly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes; don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until a dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the chopped nuts and chocolate, then turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead in any dry ingredients that  might have escaped mixing.

Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into 12-inch-long logs. Flatten both logs with the palm of your hand, so that they are ½ to 1 inch high, about 2 inches across and sort of rectangular, then carefully lift the logs onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle each log with a little sugar.

Bake the logs for about 25 minutes, or until they are just slightly firm. The logs will spread and crack - and that’s just fine. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, put it on a cooling rack and cool the logs for about 20 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)

Working with one log at a time, using a long serrated knife, cut each log into slices between ½ and ¾ inch thick. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet - you’ll have an army of biscotti - and baking the cookies again, this time for just 10 minutes.

Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool.

This installment of Barefoot Bloggers was chosen by Heather of Randomosity and the Girl, and I could just give her a big hug for picking macaroni and cheese. I mean, really, who DOESN’T love macaroni and cheese?! And what are the odds that Ina Garten would create a mac n’ cheese that wasn’t freaking fantabulous? I have been making the same baked macaroni and cheese recipe for the past year or so, and this version wasn’t too terribly different, but it introduced some “grown up” flavor in terms of the types of cheeses used and the addition of bacon. This really was a fabulous recipe, it certainly lived up to the hype!

The cheeses used in this recipe were Gruyere, white cheddar, and blue cheese - a very upscale divergence from Velveeta, wouldn’t you say? I am not a fan of blue cheese so I substituted fontina in its place, and the combination was phenomenal. At first I was a little fearful that the Gruyere might overpower the other flavors in this dish, but they all melded together wonderfully. I did do a little cheating in this recipe. Instead of baking the bacon in the oven, I just microwaved it until crispy (how I usually cook bacon). Also, in place of grinding my own breadcrumbs, I just sprinkled Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs over the top of the finished dish before popping it in the oven. It’s also apparent that I didn’t use elbows or shell pasta - I used gemelli because, for whatever reason, I have found that it’s my absolute favorite pasta to eat in macaroni and cheese!

An additional note - I don’t have individual size gratin dishes (and Ina, for the love of God, please, PLEASE start alluding to some sort of size when you mention baking dishes and pans in your recipes!! This is my only beef with you!), so I baked this in a 2 quart casserole dish, which worked out just perfectly.

And one more note (I swear this is the last - I keep thinking of things!) - at first I thought the fact that this served 2 was ridiculous, and maybe I’m just a pig, but yeah, I think two main course servings is about right.

Grown Up Mac and Cheese
(Source: Barefoot Contessa)

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi (I used gemelli)
1½ cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled (I substituted Fontina)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed (I sprinkled Italian breadcrumbs over the top)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves (I omitted)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

I have seen posts about Operation Baking GALS for the last month or so, and finally emailed Susan at She’s  Becoming DoughMessTic and wanted to find out how to get involved. As a bit of background, Operation Baking GALS has hosts that have a personal connection to a military personnel overseas and coordinates groups of bakers to send these guys as many tastes of home as possible, in an effort to lift morale and let them know they are appreciated and thought about. I really commend Susan for this huge coordination, as I know it has meant so much to the troops who have already received packages in the last round.

I was assigned to Susan’s group this round and shipped off my package to Christopher, who is currently overseeing a group of young soldiers. After thinking long and hard about what I wanted to send over, I decided I wanted to send a little piece of who I am. And what most represents me when it comes to food (aside from chocolate)? My Italian-ness, of course! To that end, I decided to send an assortment of biscotti, as well as some drink mixes to enjoy the biscotti with. Not only are they very Italian, but they keep pretty much forever! Here is everything, getting ready to get packed up and shipped off:

- Plain vanilla biscotti
- Chocolate chip biscotti
- Chocolate biscotti (recipe will follow in a separate post - it’s up! CLICK HERE to go to that post)
- Tea and individual coffee, cappuccino, and hot cocoa mixes

I actually got a little choked up taking this package to the post office, thinking about these troops, and hoping to brighten their day. I can’t even fathom the sacrifices they make and the horrible things they see, all so the rest of us can rest safely in our beds at night. A big THANK YOU to all serving in the military, and to all of their families, as they make huge sacrifices as well. If you’re interested in taking part in the next round of Operation Baking GALS, check out the link above for all of the information!

Chocolate Éclairs by Pierre Hermé.

Classic éclairs.
Chocolate pastry cream.
Chocolate glaze.

Hosted by Meeta of What’s for Lunch Honey? and Tony of Tony Tahhan, I was pretty excited when this month’s challenge was announced, as it wasn’t a layer cake and didn’t include a substantial amount of ground nuts. Score. I had made éclairs once previously and they were fabulous,  so I was really looking forward to tackling these, especially since they included chocolate pastry cream instead of the traditional vanilla pastry cream that is usually found in the middle of éclairs. I bought a special piping tip to use to fill the middle of the eclairs (instead of slicing them open) and was ready to go.

Alas, don’t be fooled by the picture above; I would not consider this a successful challenge!

Unfortunately, the fun tip couldn’t be put to good use. You see, this is what I ended up with:

Flat little lady-finger-like-éclair-wannabes. They were so flat that my filling tip couldn’t get through the entire éclair, only able to fill about an inch on either end. So I cut the rest of them open to fill them. And then I tried to diagnose the problem. I went back and looked at the Pâte à Choux recipe I used previously and compared them. Although the prior recipe yields less eclairs, the proportion of ingredients looks to be about the same (nothing glaringly different). The biggest difference seems to lie in the baking method. My successful éclairs were baked at 425°, while these were baked at 375°, and for some reason Pierre Hermé has you do all kinds of crazy oven gymnastics while these are baking: bake for a little bit then stick a spoon in the door to prop it open, bake a little more then go in and rotate the baking sheets (after which it doesn’t say whether or not to remove or keep the spoon in the door), then bake a little more and take out of the oven. The Baking Illustrated version left the door closed (at the higher temperature) the entire time, and then once the baking is complete had you prop open the door to let the eclairs dry out fully. This seems to make much more sense to me, and obviously resulted in a superior product.

And now the chocolate pastry cream. It was really, really, REALLY good. In fact, after looking at my flat éclair wannabes, I thought that a big ol’ scoop of chocolate pastry cream with some whipped cream on top seemed like a more appetizing dessert ;-)  Totally worthy of being eaten straight from the bowl with a spoon. However, again, the recipe seemed to include all sorts of crazy things that I (in my oh-so-humble, non-expert opinion) didn’t think was necessary. It had you strain the cream immediately after whisking the hot milk into the egg mixture (I skipped this step), then it had you cool the cream in an ice bath before whisking in the butter. The recipe says you needed to cool the mixture to 140 degrees, but after putting it in the ice bath and sticking my instant read thermometer into the cream it only read 125 degrees. So again, an unnecessary step. Then once you whisk in the butter you are to return it to the ice bath to cool completely. About 1 minute after sticking it in the ice bath the cream was already extremely cool and had formed a slight skin (big no-no in the land of pastry cream!).

After all of the obstacles, I gave them a try.

The verdict? I didn’t care for them at all. While the chocolate was good, I was too hung up on the eclairs themselves. They didn’t dry out properly, they were limp and soft, and tasted suspiciously eggy. And while the chocolate pastry cream was really good, I do think that I prefer the traditional vanilla cream filling with a chocolate glaze on top.

While I wouldn’t consider this a great successful challenge, it did serve one purpose: it cemented my belief that the original éclairs I made are a GREAT recipe and one that I will use as my standard going forward!

If you are interested in seeing the recipes used for this challenge, you can find them on Meeta’s or Tony’s websites. In keeping with the ideals of my blog, I’ll only post recipes here that I think are great, and believe that my readers would enjoy and derive success from.