TWD - Sugar Topped Molasses Spice Cookies

This week's TWD is a bit different. Because this month's recipes are so damn good and American Thanksgiving is soon, TWD decided to let people bake out of order. And since I always like messing around with order, that's exactly what I did!

The recipes really ARE good this month, but I wasn't in the mood for something really heavy or time consuming, so I chose these gorgeous molasses cookies. Pamela of Cookies with Boys choose these cookies, and very timely - perfect for these cold, November days. Tia of Buttercream Barbie (love that name!) was kind enough to post the recipe, since it's not technically their week. Good on her! I'm glad to see not everyone is as lazy as I am.

Another reason I went with these cookies is to see how they compare with my mom's. All in all, Dorie's are a standard molasses cookie, which is not an invective, believe me! One thing I do like is her inclusion of black pepper, and if anything I'd use more next time. Taste for taste, they are very close to Mom's, but if I had to choose I'd go with Mom's cookies. Because, you know, she's my MOM. That's the rules.

These cookies are very straightforward. As some people have noted, they do spread out pretty good - definitely don't crowd the pan. And go heavy with the black pepper, it's awesome!

Unfortunately, I had an accident while making them. This one fell into some french vanilla icing, and then it accidentally fell into my mouth, thereby forcing me to eat it (them, let's be honest). Mmmmmmmmmm, happy lies! Can't wait to see what everyone chose. :)

TWD - Potato Biscuits (theoretically)

This week's TWD recipe was Sweet Potato Biscuits, chosen by Erin of Prudence Pennywise. And don't mine look perfect? The total epitome of what a biscuit is - nay, the template of the perfect biscuit? Oh try to make that good, people - I dare you. You won't come close, but hey, imitating perfection can only be beneficial.

In other words, these were a total flop. I don't know what I did wrong, but BOY something went wrong. First, I decided to use regular potatoes, so I boiled some up and mashed them. I did this A) I hate sweet potatoes, and B) the recipe called for canned potatoes, which is anathema to this Prince Edward Islander. We are the land of potatoes! I didn't even know you could buy them canned, and that's the truth.

Anyway, I decided to use some pumpkin as well, as one of the bakers did. I combined 1 cup of pumpkin with 2 cups of mashed taters, and I think that's where things went pear shaped. I tried to convince myself that they were puffy, but yeah, not so much. They were basically more like flatbread, and they were chewy, not flaky. I did use some the next day for an egg mcmuffin type thing, though, so they weren't a total loss.

See? There they are in all their glory! Or infamy, whichever. Slightly puffy, orangey little disks, wheeee go me! I might try these again sometime, this time with just pumpkin.Perhaps I will have to come to terms with not being able to make biscuits, but I'm not ready to accept defeat quite yet.

I think I'm in the minority of people who failed at this, so by all means check out the TWD website to see the blogroll of talented bakers. :)

TWD - Split Level Pudding

Look, let's get this out of the way - this picture is terrible, I know. It's October and it rained for a week. This picture was actually taken on one of the brightest days, if you can believe it! Many bloggers can compensate for poor natural lighting conditions, but tragically I am not one of those people. Such is life, eh?

Anyway, this week's TWD recipe was Split Level Pudding, chosen by Garrett of Flavor of Vanilla (his pictures look really pretty!). It's really quite simple - add some chocolate ganache to a dish, top it with a simple, tasty vanilla pudding. Voila, that's it! I added cinnamon to mine, but I think next time I'd leave it out. Chilled cinnamon is not so tasty, sadly. The ganache was killer, though.

Things I learned:

1. Dorie uses the food processor for all the mixing in this recipe. I made 1/3rd of her recipe, and the blades didn't even touch the ingredients so I just used my whisk. The whisk was so easy to use and the pudding turned out perfectly; I don't think I'd bother dirtying the processor even if I made a full batch.

2. I LOVED the cinnamon when the pudding was still hot, but not so much when it was thoroughly chilled. I agree with Garrett, this pudding is fantastic while hot.

3. If you want to serve it cold, make sure it is chilled for at LEAST 4 hours, as Dorie suggests. I couldn't wait that long, and I have to admit the first pudding I ate wasn't as good as the one that was good and cold.

Next week's TWD recipe is Spice Crumb Muffins, and I can't WAIT. Perfect fall dessert, eh?

TWD - Flaky Peach Turnovers

First, let me apologize for the picture quality this week; it rained all day, except for 10 minutes after these were in my belly. Then, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, naturally. Welcome to the Maritimes, folks! I don't have the knowledge of light boxes and so forth, so this is what you get.

The pictures might not be the prettiest, but this week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe tasted much better than it (well, mine) looked! Chosen by Julie of Someone's in the Kitchen, it originally called for apples, but I subbed peaches instead (I hate baked apples). They were really easy to make, for the most part; I think the hardest part most people had was making the dough, which can be pretty crumbly. The hardest part I had was forming the little turnovers, mainly because I am inept at making pies. Oh Mother, how ashamed you must be!

Anyway, here's some things I learned:

1) All the butter makes the dough hard to roll out, especially when it's fresh out of the fridge! Work those biceps, baby, but make sure you roll it out thin enough. I didn't, and mine ended up being a little doughy as a result.

2) The dough is very soft when it warms up, so form those turnovers quickly! Some of mine look pretty rustic. You see, "rustic" is the word food bloggers use for "raggedy-ass". Regardless, they still taste good.

3) I'd put more filling in next time; mine were a little thin.

All in all, it's an easy recipe to make, especially if you're proficient at pie making. Not sure if I'll make them again, but I'm definitely glad I tried it.

TWD - Chocolate Souffle

This week's Tuesdays With Dorie project was a chocolate souffle. Man, I was looking forward to this - doesn't it just sound so elegant and rich and chic?

Those words are, generally, never uttered about my cooking, let me tell you. And perhaps that's why I didn't overly like it. I didn't find it hard to make - I think souffles are a lot easier than they're made out to be - but the taste didn't wow me. It was light and fluffy, but I wanted a super chocolate punch and I didn't get that. From now on, I think I'll stick to savoury souffles, because I don't think the recipe was a problem - just not what I was looking for, that's all.

Ah souffle, it was good to know you! Next post: food that is not a dessert. Really.

TWD - Katharine Hepburn Brownies

I have a never-ending search for the perfect brownie, and oh lordy....my quest has come to an end. This week's TWD recipe was picked by Lisa of Surviving Oz, and she is my new hero. These brownies are exactly what I've been searching for: rich without being overwhelming; chewy, fudgey texture without feeling underbaked; and the perfect, absolute perfect, combination of complimentary flavours. Every single ingredient in this brownie works together in perfect symbiosis.

They are ridiculously easy to make, too. You just melt some butter in a pan, dump in the cocoa and coffee, stir in the eggs and vanilla, add the flour and chocolate chips, and bake. DONE. It took longer to measure the scant ingredients than it did to put them together. I've always heard people disparage brownie mixes, saying they are so easy to make, why would you buy a box mix? Well, these are the first I can honestly say make me vocifierously agree. For the love of God, make these brownies!!

I don't have a lot of tips, other than don't add nuts. Nuts are an abomination in brownies. But that being said, here are some things I learned:

1) Make sure when you're melting the butter that you use a decent sized pot, because all the ingredients are eventually going in there. Look at the pan below: yeah, it was a little wee, but I managed.


2) Just because you've been baking since Christ was a cowboy, it doesn't mean you're allowed to be uppity and skip directions. There's a part that calls for you to line the pan with parchment paper and butter it, yadda yadda yadda; I scoffed at that, since I had a non-stick pan.



See how they turned out? Yeah, they came out of that pan like a dream! Except not. Even when they cooled longer than, say, the 2 minutes I let them rest, they still came out in pieces. It makes for crappy pictures, but doesn't affect the taste at all. I'm betting no one is going to complain about how they look.

3) Finally, see how good this looks?


Keep this in mind: no matter how glossy and chocolately and rich it looks, until you add the sugar it tastes as bitter as a desperate housewife. GAHHHHH! Don't eat the batter until everything is mixed together.



Anyway, this brownie just made my damn day. Ahhhhh, thanks TWD!

TWD - Perfect Party Cake

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. I'm sure many of you are experiencing "summer", which is something I have heard about but have yet to actually experience yet this year. Rain, rain, rain, ain't it great? I tell you what it's not good for - taking pictures. Inspiration. Wanting to cook! Moving enough to take a deep breath is enough to make you sweaty as a warthog's backside, so actually cooking is not something I've been doing a lot of. Scrambled eggs, sandwiches, and ice cream are my main fair these days. (And frogurt - that will definitely be posted soon!)

So with that in mind, I wasn't looking too forward to baking a damn cake this week for TWD, but I am so glad I did! Carol of mix, mix, stir, stir chose Dorie's Perfect Party Cake, and oh god, what a cake. I had made this one already for Obama's Inauguration and took it to work, and I thought then it was one of the best cakes I've ever made. This cake is light and springy, with a refreshing lemony, tangy taste.


You bake two 8 inch cakes, and then when cooled, cut them in two to give four layers total. I just used a long serrated breadknife. My layers weren't perfect, but they were kinda even. The crumb is amazing; it's like pulling apart cotton balls. See all the little holes in there? That's exactly what you're going for. The cake is moist and springy without being too delicate - holds up great to syrups, fruit, whipped cream, etc. Or hey, all three if you're really going for it, and really, why not?

Since I made this cake before, I wanted to play around with it a bit. Our strawberries are just coming into season, so instead of raspberry jam I spread sliced strawberries on the layers. Also, I found Dorie's icing to be WAY buttery (and a little fussy to make). I wanted to keep the icing white and pretty, so I used her cream cheese icing instead.


And there she is. It looks like a hot mess, I know, but I swear it tastes great. A cake decorator I'm not. I was taking it to my auntie's house, so I had to get on the road and go. Halfway there, when the top part slide RIGHT FRICKIN' OFF, I realized I should have chilled it first. Ah well. Anybody who turns down free cake, even if it half fell apart, is no friend of mine.

This cake is really straight forward, so I don't have a lot to say about it. I used more lemon zest than called for, as I didn't have lemon extract. I skipped the coconut, too, cuz I just don't like it. Also, I saw some people had problems with not having enough buttercream; I think the main problem with that is you really need to let the egg whites heat up so they'll increase in volume.


See that? I saved that piece for me. Mmmmmm. It really set up well in the fridge, and since it was so damn sticky out, it was super. Mmmmm. Cake for supper. The pleasures of being an adult, eh? Mmmmmmmm.

TWD - Honey Peach Ice Cream

Okay, so this post is more like Wednesday With Dorie. Although I made the ice cream a few days ago, I got caught up in life and couldn't post until today. Apologies! Anyway, on with the show.

This week's recipe was chosen by Tommi of Brown Interior. Oh Tommi, you picked a perfect week for ice cream...we're starting to actually get a summer this week, so this was a most welcome dessert!

I just started making ice cream last year, and I love it. You can make it without a machine, but if you have one it's much easier than you'd think - and far tastier than anything store bought. Better than Hagen Daas, even. Homemade ice cream has so little ingredients - just milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and maybe some fruit (or chocolate, YAY). That's it. Is it any wonder it tastes so good? And the flavours so pure? And my ass is so big?

This ice cream is custard based, which is some people find tricky to make. Custard ice cream has egg yolks in its base, which is what thickens the ice cream. Other ice cream recipes use cornstarch to thicken, so if you are scared of the egg yolk thing, start off with a simpler recipe.

First, I beat the eggs with sugar until they were pale yellow and thick.


Aren't they pretty? They look good enough to eat right here, but I'm betting they wouldn't taste that great. Next time I have a kid around, I'll get them to experiment for me. Kids are great for that - just tell them it has sugar in it, and they'll eat just about anything. Save your tastebuds, fatten a child!

Next, you simmer your peaches in 1/4 cup of honey until they are soft, and then blend them together. Set it aside until your custard is done.

Now, for the custard base! Seriously, this is simple. Heat some cream and milk to boiling, and then slowly drizzle about a third into the sugar/egg mix, whisking all the while. Give it a good whisk, then add the rest of the hot liquid while stirring. Return the mixture to the stove, and stir continuously until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. It took me under 5 minutes to reach this stage, although I have cooked custards longer to get to that point.


Once your custard is done, remove from the heat and strain it into a clean heat proof bowl. Add the peach puree, and chill for a few hours at least. The peach puree swirl made patterns in the custard...quite mesmerizing, really. Maybe I will start a business reading fortunes in ice cream swirls.

When chilled, pour the whole mixture into your ice cream maker, and let it churn its little heart out. And then try not to eat the whole thing immediately. I actually made it last a few days this time. VICTORY IS MINE!

Things I learned:

1) This ice cream calls for chopped peaches added during the freezing process. Some people didn't like frozen bits of peaches, but I loved it. Then again, I cut up peaches and freeze it just to eat on a hot day.

2) If you are new to making custards, make sure you strain the mixture through a seive at the end. The worst thing that can happen when making a custard is that the eggs cook a bit; if that happens, the seive will catch any solid bits, and you'll have a lovely smooth ice cream.

3) The peach and honey flavour was subtle, but I quite liked it. I REALLY like peaches, however, so next time I might up the cooked peaches or possibly add some peach juice.

4) Real ice cream freezes like a brick; the stuff you buy in the store has additives to make it scoopable. If you want a softer ice cream, put 1-2 tsp of vodka in your custard. I did that, and it had a perfect consistancy. Drawback? I could grab my container out of the freezer and eat it at will. And my will is weak.


See? Yeah....this was supper. Good thing I'm not setting an example for anyone.

TWD - Parisian Apple Tartlets

This week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe is Parisian Apple Tartlets, chosen by Jessica of My Baking Heart. I think it's the simplest dessert I've ever baked; all you do is cut a round of puff pastry, top it with sliced fruit, brown sugar, and butter, then bake for about 25 minutes. Even someone who's never baked in their life can make this with ease (and look like you've been baking for years!).

The hardest part in making this wee little pie is finding the puff pastry. You can make your own, but Jesus, even I have a limit. Dorie recommends using all-butter puff pastry, rather than the kinds that use all shortening, for obvious reasons: taste! I know some of my fellow bloggers paid as much as $10 for their all-butter pastry; I bought President's Choice pastry at the Superstore for $3.29. God love ya, Superstore....you really are worth switching stores.

SO. Anyway. Cut 4 inch rounds out of the pastry, and fill it with your toppings. I got 2 rounds and 2 rectangles; I've never worked with puff pastry before, and wasn't sure if you're supposed to roll it out and such, so I just cut rectangles out of the remainder.

Also, I'm lazy. I should make a hotkey for that sentence.


See how easy that is? I made one peach for myself, because I hate mushy apples. Sacrilidge, perhaps. But it's my damn blog. The round apple tartlet is done to Dorie's specifications; the others have cinnamon and nutmeg added.


And here is my tartlet. God I love baked peaches. Even so, I'm not sure if I would make this again, but that's mainly because I don't care much for pies. My parents loved the apple ones, though - hence no pictures. They gobbled them up before I could snap a shot. They're like that. I tried to explain that I needed pics for my blog, but after "what's a blog??" I just gave up.

Things I learned:

1) Be careful when you add the butter; make sure it's in the centre of the fruit, or it might run under the tart as it melts and cause the bottom to burn. Burnt cheese is great; burnt butter? Not so much.

2) I quartered the apple half the way I thought it looked in Dorie's book, but I found that one took the longest to bake by far. I'd recommend you cut your fruit in 1 inch chunks so they cook quicker (and that way, the pastry won't overbake, either). Not as pretty, but it's effective.

3) Adding a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg really amps up the flavour; Mom liked this combo best. She said tasted more strongly of apples, so if you want a pure apple flavour leave out the spices.

And the last thing I learned? Well, any pie/tartlet/cake/spoon/bare fingers/etc. is ALWAYS better with real whipped cream.


Next week's TWD: Coconut Pineapple Daquoise. No, I have no idea what that is either...tune in and see! And I'll have real food again soon, I promise.

TWD - Cinnamon Squares

I had been thinking of starting a food blog for awhile now, but Tuesdays With Dorie (TWD) was the catalyst. This post will be my first time baking with the group, and WOW was it ever worth it. Tracey from Tracey's Culinary Adventures choose this week's recipe, Cinnamon Squares. You can find the recipe on her blog. I had my eye on these squares for weeks, and never got around to making them; I can see that TWD will quickly become my most favourite reason for baking decadence.