Friday, December 26, 2008

CHRISTMAS DESSERT


Cranberry Upside Down Cake from Everyday Food


* 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
* 2 3/4 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
* 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/3 cup coarse cornmeal
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup almond paste
* 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 3 large eggs, separated
* 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup whole milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Butter an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line with a parchment circle cut to fit the 8-inch bottom, and butter the parchment. Coat with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. In a large skillet, heat 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat until sizzling. Add cranberries and toss to coat, about 1 minute.
2. Add maple syrup and cinnamon to skillet. Cook, stirring gently, just until cranberries begin to burst, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to the prepared pan. Return skillet with syrup to medium heat, and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour syrup over cranberries; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Place remaining 6 tablespoons butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Crumble in almond paste, and beat on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 30 seconds.
4. With mixer running, gradually add 3/4 cup sugar to butter mixture; beat until creamy. Add yolks, beat until combined. Beat in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with milk. Set batter aside.
5. In a clean mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. Whisk 1/3 of the egg whites into batter, and then fold in the remaining whites.
6. Spread batter over cranberries in pan, smoothing with an offset spatula, and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 20 minutes. Invert cake onto a serving plate and serve at room temperature.

DEC DOTMC



It looks beautiful Lori!!!!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

PINK PERFECTION





I made the Lemon Glitter cookies from the Dec issue of Gourmet, here is how they turned out!




1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

White or colored sanding sugars

filling


1 cup confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened



Equipment:
a heavy-duty sealable bag





Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
Beat together butter and confectioners sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in zest and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture just until a soft dough forms.
Put sanding sugars in different bowls. Roll a scant tsp of dough into a ball and drop into sugar, turning to coat. Reshape if necessary and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat, spacing balls 3/4 inch apart, until baking sheet is filled.


Bake until tops are slightly cracked but still pale (bottoms will be pale golden), 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to a rack to cool completely.



Make filling and sandwich cookies:
Beat together all filling ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined well. Transfer to sealable bag and snip off a corner.
Turn over half of cookies and pipe about 1/2 tsp filling on flat side of each. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

DEC DOTMC






Ruby’s Fresh Apple Cake
This is a recipe that my grandmother (Ruby) has been using for a long time and I associate it with the holidays. She happens to be one of those ladies where you find out what pattern her serving dishes have on them and stick strictly to that pattern at family gatherings. I am not entirely sure where it came from, but I knew I needed to make it for my first DOTMC. I hope you enjoy it!

Cake
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil, 3 eggs, 1 tsp. baking soda, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. vanilla flavoring, 3 Cups Diced Raw Apples (I typically use Golden Delicious, I think any kind would work, but would avoid Granny Smith), 1 Cup Raisins, 2 Cups Sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 3 Cups plain flour, 1 cup black walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease 10" tube pan.
Blend oil and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beat after each egg.
Add salt, soda, vanilla and cinnamon and blend.
Add flour, reserving enough coat nuts, apples, and raisins. I blend in the majority of the flour and then fold in the flour coated nuts, apples, and raisins.

Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes at 325 degrees.

Sauce (to pour over cake, optional & delicious)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk, 1 stick of margarine (or butter), 1 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. baking soda

Directions:
Bring to rapid boil for about 2 minutes. Pour over cake in pan. Cool cake before removing.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

BUTTER BEHAVIOR


The New York Times has some tips for us.
(photo from New York Times)

Monday, December 15, 2008

BUSY BUSY BUSY

Check it out (if anyone is still paying attention...hello?)
this was this weekend:






Friday, December 12, 2008

WHAT ARE YOU MAKING FOR THE HOLIDAYS???

Here is my list so far:

Glittering Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies

Jam Stripes

Green Tea Cookies

Snowflake Cookies
Plus a bunch of other little portable bites and treats reflecting merriment!
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS MAKING????????

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

MEYER LEMON MARMALADE




meyer lemons
vanilla bean
sugar
....I think that was it.