5 Minute Bread

Posted on March 5, 2012 by sparecake

This is the most basic recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day. Five minutes may be optimistic, but with some very small amount of time a day you can have some really fabulous bread that’s great for snacking with some cheddar cheese or peanut butter for several days. This recipe is easily cut in half or in thirds to make a smaller amount of dough, and less loaves.

Best snack ever!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast (1 1/2 packets)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 6 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • cornmeal for dusting

When measuring flour, the most accurate way to get the right amount is to fluff the flour a bit with a spoon, then spoon it into the measuring cup and sweep off excess to get a level cup.

In a large bowl or container, stir together the water, salt, and yeast. Mix in the flour with a wooden spoon, stirring just until all the flour is incorporated.

This was a 1/3 batch.

Cover and let rise somewhere warm for two hours, up to five hours if that works better with your schedule. You can use the dough now, or loosely cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Same 1/3 batch.

When ready to use, coat a pizza peel with cornmeal. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with a bit of flour, then pull out a grapefruit sized piece. Gently stretch the surface of the dough down to the bottom four times, rotating a quarter turn between each, to form a ball.

Let the ball rise on your cornmeal coated pizza peel for forty minutes. I don’t have a pizza peel, but a well cornmeal-ed plate works well enough.

Halfway through the rising time, place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven, and an empty broiler tray on the bottom shelf. Again, I don’t have a pizza stone either (although I plan on getting one at some point), but the lid to my roommate’s cast iron dutch oven worked just as well. Preheat the oven, with the pizza stone and broiler pan, to 450 degrees.

Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour to keep it from sticking to a knife, then slash an X or a tic-tac-toe pattern in the top of loaf with a bread knife.

When you’re ready to cook, fill a measuring cup with 1 cup of hot water. Open the oven door and flick the loaf off your pizza peel(/plate) onto the pizza stone with a quick jerk of your wrist. Quickly pour the water into the broiler pan on the lower shelf in your oven, then shut the door and bake 30 minutes. If you have a long oven glove, it’s a good idea to wear it to protect your arm from steam when you add the water.

After half an hour, remove the bread from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Ok, so, you don't need to cut slashes quite so deep...

The flavor and texture will improve if you let it cool completely before cutting, but who has the self control for that??

If you want a sandwich loaf, then once you’ve formed the dough into a ball, stretch it a bit into an oval and place in a well greased non-stick bread pan. Let rise 1 hour 40 minutes if refrigerated, or just 40 if the dough is fresh.

Place a broiler tray on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Slash the top of the loaf.

Place the loaf in the preheated oven, and pour 1 cup of water in the broiler tray. Bake 35 minutes, then remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a rack.

It’s delicious! I’m a big fan.

Boule

From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day.

  • 3 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast (1 1/2 packets)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 6 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • cornmeal for dusting

In a large bowl or container, stir together the water, salt, and yeast. Mix in the flour with a wooden spoon, stirring just until all the flour is incorporated. Cover and let rise somewhere warm for two hours, or up to five hours. Use dough immediately or refrigerate up to two weeks.

When ready to use, coat a pizza peel with cornmeal. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with a bit of flour, then cut off a grapefruit sized piece. Gently stretch the surface of the dough down to the bottom four times, rotating a quarter turn between each, to form a ball. Let the ball rise on your cornmeal coated pizza peel for forty minutes.

Halfway through the rising time, place a pizza stone on the middle rack of the oven, and an empty broiler tray on the bottom shelf. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour to keep it from sticking to a knife, then slash an X or a tic-tac-toe pattern in the top of loaf with a bread knife.

Fill a measuring cup with 1 cup of hot water. Open the oven door and flick the loaf off your pizza peel onto the pizza stone with a quick jerk of your wrist. Quickly pour the water into the broiler pan then shut the door and bake 30 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

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Homemade SpaghettiOs with Meatballs

Posted on March 2, 2012 by sparecake

I haven’t had SpaghettiOs in years, but I’d be willing to stack these up against those any day. Besides being quite tasty, I imagine they’re also healthier as they don’t have corn syrup. They’re also more exciting, as I found out that there’s even tinier star pasta than I’d seen before!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz ground chicken
  • 3 tablespoons pesto (I skipped this)
  • 3 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • pinch pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped medium
  • 1 small celery rib, coarsely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 4 oz (about 1 cup) ditalini pasta (or other small shape like stars!)
  • Parmesan cheese (for garnish, optional)

Combine the chicken, pesto, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix by hand until well combined. Roll into 3/4″ meatballs, about 1 teaspoon each. Place on a plate, cover, and set aside in the refrigerator.

Place a large dutch oven over medium heat (or high, if it’s a really heavy cast iron oven), and add the olive oil, heating until the oil shimmers. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened.

Add the garlic and cook a further 30 seconds, then add the broth and tomatoes. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom and mix in the liquids.

Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook another 15 or 20 minutes, or until the carrot is softened. Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can pour the mixture into a regular blender, in batches.

Return the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Add the meatballs and the pasta.

Cook 12-15 minutes, until the pasta and meatballs are cooked through.

Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Delicious and nutritious! I’m pretty sure kids would be happy to eat this.

Homemade SpaghettiOs

From Tracey’s Culinary Adventures.

  • 6 oz ground chicken
  • 3 tablespoons pesto
  • 3 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • pinch pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped medium
  • 1 small celery rib, coarsely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 4 oz (about 1 cup) ditalini pasta or other small shape
  • Parmesan cheese (for garnish, optional)

Combine the chicken, pesto, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix by hand until well combined. Roll into 3/4″ meatballs, about 1 teaspoon each. Place on a plate, cover, and set aside in the refrigerator.

Place a large dutch oven over medium heat, and add the olive oil, heating until the oil shimmers. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and cook a further 30 seconds, then add the broth and tomatoes. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom while mixing in the liquids.

Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook another 15 or 20 minutes, or until the carrot is softened. Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.

Return the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Add the meatballs and the pasta.  Cook 12-15 minutes, until the pasta and meatballs are cooked through.

Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Posted in Dinner | Tagged | 2 Comments

Guest Post: Alton Brown’s Chocapocalypse Cookies

Posted on February 29, 2012 by sparecake

Today is the first day of the bar exam. Gross! On the plus side of bar-taking, last week my coworkers had a pizza party for me before I left, and my coworker Jeremy made these cookies. They are fabulous, so I’m glad to be able to share them with you, and also relieved to have a guest post while I’m taking this exam! I highly recommend pairing these cookies with some melty vanilla ice cream. They work super well together.

Here goes Jeremy!:

This recipe was made to celebrate the Good Eats final season and to appease the Mayan Feathered Serpent God, Kukulkan (may he allow our humble cosmos continue into 2013). You can find the original recipe here.

Ingredients:

  •  6 ounces 54-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  •  2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  •  1 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour
  •  1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  •  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  •  4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  •  6 ounces light brown sugar
  •  2 large eggs, at room temperature
  •  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  •  3 ounces 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  •  3 ounces 40-percent milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
  •  2 ounces cocoa nibs

I found cocoa nibs at Whole Foods, braving the parking lot and all. I only managed to find my chocolate in 10% increments. I’m sure the final result won’t kill me.

Directions:

1. After chopping up all the chocolate, put the 54% Bittersweet and the Unsweetened Chocolate into a microwave safe bowl.

2. Microwave on high for two 30-second increments. Stir between each increment to evenly heat the chocolate. Continue to heat in 10-second increments, stirring between until smooth. Set aside.

3. Combine all the other chocolates into another bowl, including cocoa nibs and set aside.

If you haven’t seen cocoa nibs before, they are just the roasted seed of the chocolate plant (theobroma cacao). This is the building block for all the later chocolate things. It’s chocolate’s version of a coffee bean. Delicious!

4. The next step is to assemble the wet and dry ingredients separately. Flour, Salt and Baking Powder in one bowl, Eggs and Vanilla in the other. Whisk eggs/vanilla until combined and relatively smooth.

Pay no attention to that egg whisk’s mustache; he is a murderer.

5. Mix soft butter with brown sugar. Make sure they are completely integrated. You can use a hand mixer or the lazy man’s spoon pictured below.

6. Combine butter/sugar with the egg mixture, mix until integrated.

7. Add the flour, mix until integrated.

8. Add the melted chocolate, mix until integrated.

At some point in all this mixing, those standing mixers require you to stop and scrape down the sides and mix a bit by hand.

9. Slowly mix in the remaining unmelted chocolates.

Obligatory Bowl Shot.

10. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes. While waiting prep your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

11. Pre-heat Oven to 350 Deg.

12. Using a large spoon (or melon baller, tablespoon, ice cream scoop, whatevs), dose out 1”-2” balls on your cookie sheets making sure to leave 1”-2” between them.

At this stage, you can throw these in your freezer and bag them for later baking.

13. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes. Don’t you dare cook them longer; I will find you.

14. Let cool in the pan for 2 minutes then move the parchment to a cooling rack for complete cooling.

The gooey chocolatey goodness is perfectly balanced with a hint of salt and the crunch of the nibs. If you put any more chocolate in a cookie I swear it wouldn’t stick together at all.

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Honey Cornbread Mufffins

Posted on February 27, 2012 by sparecake

It’s the 27th, so once again it’s time for a Daring Bakers‘ post! The Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lisa stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles. Because the bar is this week, I’ve been short on time and creativity, but luckily I saw this corn muffin recipe a while ago and gave it a try!

A part of this complete(ly delicious) breakfast!

The first time I made these, I forgot the melted butter in the microwave and cooked them without it. They were surprisingly good, considering! I made them again with the butter, and they were, as expected better. They are not as exciting as I’d imagined at first, but after a day to rest the flavor becomes stronger and the top gets the slightly moist, sticky top that supermarket cornbread has, and I love.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp unsalted melted butter, as well as some to grease the tin
  • 160 grams plain flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
  • 125 grams course cornmeal (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  •  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 large eggs
  • 280 milliliters buttermilk
  • 80 milliliters honey

Preheat the oven to 355 degrees. Grease a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Whisk in the eggs, buttermilk, honey, and melted butter. It’s ok if the mixture stays a bit lumpy.

Pour into the muffin tins, filling nearly fully as they don’t rise a huge amount, and bake 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Cool 5 or 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and let cool on a wire rack, or eat.

I recommend letting them cool, and eating them over the next few days when the flavor has intensified. They’re a good way to start the day.

Honey Cornbread Muffins

From Recipe Rifle.

  • 4 tbsp unsalted melted butter, as well as some to grease the tin
  • 160 grams plain flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
  • 125 grams course cornmeal (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  •  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 large eggs
  • 280 milliliters buttermilk
  • 80 milliliters honey

Preheat the oven to 355 degrees. Grease a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in the eggs, buttermilk, honey, and melted butter. Pour into the muffin tins, filling nearly to the top.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool 5 or 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and let cool on a wire rack, or eat.

Posted in Breakfast, Snack | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Sticky Asian Pork Ribs

Posted on February 24, 2012 by sparecake

I had some friends visit a few weeks ago and wanted an easy but tasty dinner I could make while I studied. I had seen this recipe earlier that week, changed it into a crock pot thing, and it was a success!

Giant slab o' ribs!

Ingredients:

  • 4 pounds pork spare ribs
  • 4 sticks cinnamon
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup oyster sauce
  • 3/4 cup black Chinese vinegar (I couldn’t be bothered to find this and just combined white vinegar with cider vinegar to kill off some bottles.)
  • 1 cup water

Stir together all the ingredients except the ribs in a large bowl and set aside.

Cut the slab of ribs into smaller portions, about 3 ribs per piece. Put them in the spice mixture and turn to coat.

Pour into a crock pot.

Cook for 8 hours on low heat, cracking the cover for the last hour to let some of the extra moisture cook off. Remove from the pot, and serve with some veggies.

These are tender enough to fall off the bone, and there’s enough for 4 or 5 people. I wouldn’t have guessed it, but I’m actually making my way through my bottle of star anise and not hating it at all!

Sticky Asian Pork Ribs

Adapted from Bake for Happy Kids.

  • 4 pounds pork spare ribs
  • 4 sticks cinnamon
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup oyster sauce
  • 3/4 cup black Chinese vinegar
  • 1 cup water

Stir together all the ingredients except the ribs in a large bowl and set aside.

Cut the slab of ribs into smaller portions, about 3 ribs per piece. Put them in the spice mixture and turn to coat. Pour into a crock pot.

Cook for 8 hours on low heat, cracking the cover for the last hour to let some of the extra moisture cook off. Remove from the pot, and serve with some veggies.

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Cookie Cutter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on February 22, 2012 by sparecake

Every once in a while, you need a chocolate chip cookie you can cut with a cookie cutter. Y’know, to decorate, or for ice cream sandwiches with Ovaltine ice cream. Mainly sandwiches. This here is your recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips (regular sized chips would be problematic when cutting out shapes)

Cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl. Beat in the vanilla and egg yolk.

Sift together the flour and salt and beat it in in two batches.

Fold the chocolate chips in by hand.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment.

Roll the cookies out on a lightly floured surface to somewhere between 1/2 and 1/4 in thick.

Cut out cookies with a sharp cookie cutter and place the cutouts on the prepared sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and crispy. Remove to a wire rack to cool, then…use how you like!

They’re sturdy enough to make good sandwiches, and keep a shape well enough to be good for decorating.

The peak of cookie decorating techniques.

I recommend trying these out!

Chocolate Chip Roll-Out Cookies

From Sweet Sugar Belle.

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl. Beat in the vanilla and egg yolk. Sift together the flour and salt and beat it in in two batches. Fold the chocolate chips in by hand.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment.

Roll the cookies out on a lightly floured surface to somewhere between 1/2 and 1/4 in thick. Cut out cookies with a sharp cookie cutter and place the cutouts on the prepared sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and crispy. Remove to a wire rack to cool, then sandwich or decorate as you like.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Ovaltine Ice Cream

Posted on February 20, 2012 by sparecake

You can get the gist of this ice cream by picturing the flavor of Ovaltine, but it’s somehow better. Ice cream-ier, I suppose. It’s pretty vital, for your future happiness, that you make it immediately!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup half-and-half
  •  3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  •  1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup Ovaltine Chocolate Malt Mix powder
  • 6 egg yolks

Heat the half-and-half, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until warm. Meanwhile, whisk the cream, vanilla, and Ovaltine in a large bowl. Put a large mesh strainer on top and set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warmed half-and-half mixture into the yolks while stirring constantly. Pour back into the saucepan and return to the stove at medium. Stir continuously with a heatproof spatula until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Pour the thickened custard through the strainer into the Ovaltine mixture and stir in to combine.

Refrigerate or put over an ice bath and stir until cool.

While it cools, consider heading out downtown to a chocolate festival.

Freeze the chilled custard according to your ice cream maker’s directions.

This ice cream is delightful in ice cream sandwiches.

And it makes THE most fabulous milkshakes!

Yuuuuum!

Ovaltine Ice Cream

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.

  • 1 cup half-and-half
  •  3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  •  1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup Ovaltine Chocolate Malt Mix powder
  • 6 egg yolks

Heat the half-and-half, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until warm.

Meanwhile, whisk the cream, vanilla, and Ovaltine in a large bowl. Put a large mesh strainer on top and set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warmed half-and-half mixture into the yolks while stirring constantly. Pour back into the saucepan and return to the stove at medium. Stir continuously with a heatproof spatula until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the thickened custard through the strainer into the Ovaltine mixture and stir in to combine.

Refrigerate or put over an ice bath and stir until cool.

Freeze the chilled custard according to your ice cream maker’s directions.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Rabbit Stew with Dumplings

Posted on February 17, 2012 by sparecake

Heeeey once again, it’s a Jamie Oliver recipe using meats I’ve never dealt with before. I had thought that it might be hard to find rabbit, but the first butcher I called said they always have them, so… no problem! We even got the butcher to do most of the cutting up for us.

That doesn't really look like much identifiable...

My second hesitation was that the stew uses beer, and I really don’t do alcohol. I know people say that it burns off when you cook, but it actually doesn’t cook off nearly as much as people think. It does add flavor, though, so I didn’t want to ditch it entirely, and ended up swapping half of it out for more chicken stock. I thought it tasted great, so…If you want to use the beer, do, if not, I think it’ll be totally fine.

Once in a while, I delegate.

Ingredients:

Dumplings:

  • 3 cups self-rising flour
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • a bunch of fresh tarragon, finely chopped
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • milk
  • nutmeg

Stew:

  • 2 rabbits, each cut into 10 pieces
  • flour
  • olive oil
  • a knob (2-3 tablespoons) of butter
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 slices of bacon, finely sliced
  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 9 ounces field, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms, cleaned and torn into large pieces
  • a large handful of baby onions, peeled
  • 2 X 12 ounce cans dark beer
  • 1 1/2 pints chicken stock

Before starting the stew part, make the dumplings! Rub together the flour, butter, and tarragon with a dash of salt and pepper. Stir in enough milk to give you an unsticky, stiff dough.

Sarah was all over this!

Knead together, then roll into a large snake. Cut into 18 equal sized pieces and roll into balls. Place on a sheet, and sprinkle nutmeg over the top. (We skipped that, as I’m pretty anti-nutmeg.) Move the tray to the fridge.

18, 19, whatever.

Heat a deep, ovenproof dish about a foot in diameter with a bit of olive oil and the knob of butter in the bottom, over medium-high heat. Coat the rabbit pieces in flour and shake off any excess. Put half the rabbit pieces in the pot and cook about 5 minutes until golden all over.

Take those pieces out and cook the other pieces. Once they’re all cooked, add the first pieces back, as well as a big pinch of salt and pepper and the bacon. Cook until the bacon has crisped. Add the rosemary, mushrooms and onions and fry another ten minutes.

Mix in a tablespoon of flour then pour in the chicken stock and beer.

Cover and simmer for half an hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the dumplings on top of the stew, about half an inch apart.

Drizzle them with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes. They stay soft and moist on the bottom, but get crisp on top. It’s pretty fabulous, honestly. We all want to do biscuits like this all the time now!

It’s not the most graceful thing to eat, as you have to work around the bones, but it’s well worth the hassle. Rabbit is apparently delicious, and the dumplings are perfect. Jamie Oliver’s basically a magician.

Rabbit Stew with Dumplings

From Cook With Jamie.

Dumplings:

  • 3 cups self-rising flour
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • a bunch of fresh tarragon, finely chopped
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • milk
  • nutmeg

Stew:

  • 2 rabbits, jointed and each cut into 10 pieces
  • flour
  • olive oil
  • a knob (2-3 tablespoons) of butter
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 slices of bacon, finely sliced
  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 9 ounces field, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms, cleaned and torn into large pieces
  • a large handful of baby onions, peeled
  • 2 X 12 ounce cans dark beer
  • 1 1/2 pints chicken stock

To make the dumplings, rub together the flour, butter, and tarragon with a dash of salt and pepper. Stir in enough milk to give you an unsticky, stiff dough. Knead together, then roll into a large snake. Cut into 18 equal sized pieces and roll into balls. Place on a sheet, and sprinkle nutmeg over the top. Move the tray to the fridge.

Heat a deep, ovenproof dish about a foot in diameter with a bit of olive oil and the knob of butter in the bottom, over medium-high heat. Coat the rabbit pieces in flour and shake off any excess. Put half the rabbit pieces in the pot and cook about 5 minutes until golden all over. Take those pieces out and cook the other pieces. Once they’re all cooked, add the first pieces back, as well as a big pinch of salt and pepper and the bacon. Cook until the bacon has crisped. Add the rosemary, mushrooms and onions and fry another ten minutes.

Mix in a tablespoon of flour then pour in the chicken stock and beer. Cover and simmer for half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the dumplings on top of the stew, about half an inch apart. Drizzle them with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes.

Posted in Dinner | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

King Cake

Posted on February 15, 2012 by sparecake

Google tells me that next Tuesday, the 21st, is Mardi Gras. King Cake is the perfect thing to make!

Ingredients:

Dough:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided into 4 tablespoons & 1 tablespoon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water (between 100 and 110 degrees)
  • 1 egg
  • 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • oil for hands and bowl

Filling:

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons of melted butter

Icing:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 tablespoons whole milk
  • pinch of salt

Colored Sugars:

  • 1 cup superfine sugar (not powdered sugar), separated into 1/3 cups
  • food coloring – yellow, green, blue & red

To start the dough, heat the butter, the first 4 tablespoons of sugar, and the salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted. While that heats, combine the water, yeast, and remaining tablespoon of the sugar in a large bowl. Stir together, then set aside.

When the butter has melted, add the sour cream and return to the heat until it’s lukewarm, about 105 degrees.

Whisk the butter mixture into the yeast mixture, then add the egg and one cup of flour.

Using an oiled wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour, adding in small amounts, until you form a soft, tacky dough. This should take about another two cups of flour.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and oil your hands. Knead until elastic, five to ten minutes, adding more flour as needed to keep it from sticking to you or the counter.

Oil a bowl, then form the dough into a ball and roll it in the bowl enough to grease the dough all over. Cover and let rise until doubled, about one hour.

Towards the end of the rise, make the filling by combining all the filling ingredients in a smallish bowl and stirring together. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

When the dough has risen, knock it down and turn it out on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a 18X14″ rectangle. The better you can get the corners now, the better the joint bit will be later.

Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1″ border free on all sides. Roll up from one of the wide sides, so it stays longer.

Pinch the seams shut and carefully move to the prepared sheet, placing seam-side down and curling into a ring. Lightly moisten the ends and press them together to seal.

Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 25 minutes or until browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

While the cake cools, prepare the colored sugar, then the glaze. For the sugar, put each 1/3 cup of sugar into a separate cup or bowl. Add several drops of green food coloring to one, yellow to another, and red and blue to a third. Mix in, grinding with the back of a spoon until evenly colored.

Make the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, melted butter, and milk until smooth.

Wait until the cake is well cooled, otherwise the icing will melt. If you want, at this time just jam a plastic baby up through the bottom. I couldn’t find one.

Drizzle the icing over the cake evenly.

Before the glaze gets a chance to harden, sprinkle the sugars over it, alternating colors.

So cheery!

This went over really well at the poker party I brought it to, and I totally won at poker, so… it’s also good luck?

I know the filling is the same as a bunch of other cinnamon-swirl things, but it tasted especially good in this!

Happy Mardi Gras! (Is that a thing people say? Sure!)

King Cake

Sliiightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.

Dough:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided into 4 tablespoons & 1 tablespoon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water (between 100 and 110 degrees)
  • 1 egg
  • 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • oil for hands and bowl

Filling:

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons of melted butter

Icing:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 tablespoons whole milk
  • pinch of salt

Colored Sugars:

  • 1 cup superfine sugar (not powdered sugar), separated into 1/3 cups
  • food coloring – yellow, green, blue & red

To start the dough, heat the butter, the first 4 tablespoons of sugar, and the salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted. While that heats, combine the water, yeast, and remaining tablespoon of the sugar in a large bowl. Stir together, then set aside.

When the butter has melted, add the sour cream and return to the heat until it’s lukewarm, about 105 degrees. Whisk the butter mixture into the yeast mixture, then add the egg and one cup of flour. Using an oiled wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour, adding in small amounts, until you form a soft, tacky dough. This should take about another two cups of flour. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and oil your hands. Knead until elastic, five to ten minutes, adding more flour as needed to keep it from sticking to you or the counter.

Oil a bowl, then form the dough into a ball and roll it in the bowl enough to grease the dough all over. Cover and let rise until doubled, about one hour.

Towards the end of the rise, make the filling by combining all the filling ingredients in a small bowl and stirring together. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

When the dough has risen, knock it down and turn it out on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a 18X14″ rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1″ border free on all sides. Roll up like a jellyroll.

Pinch the seams shut and carefully move to the prepared sheet, placing seam-side down and curling into a ring. Lightly moisten the ends and press them together to seal.

Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 25 minutes or until browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

While the cake cools, prepare the colored sugar, then the glaze. For the sugar, put each 1/3 cup of sugar into a separate cup or bowl. Add several drops of green food coloring to one, yellow to another, and red and blue to a third. Mix in, grinding with the back of a spoon until evenly colored.

Pop a plastic baby up through the bottom of the cake if desired.

Make the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, melted butter, and milk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cake evenly.

Before the glaze gets a chance to harden, sprinkle the sugars over it, alternating colors.

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Black Bottom Brownies

Posted on February 13, 2012 by sparecake

This is another thing I cooked with Ted, but this one takes so dang long to cool that he just brought it to me at work the next day, making him instantly my coworkers’ hero.

Brownie Half:

  • 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Half:

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Line a 9X13″ baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Make the brownie layer by first melting the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or the microwave. Set aside to cool a bit.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla. Whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spread into the prepared pan and smooth out.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

To make the cheesecake half, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs two at a time, followed by the vanilla.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the brownie layer.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top.

Bake for 75 minutes or until lightly golden.

Cool completely before cutting into bars. This takes several hours, so plan ahead! Or else someone will have to bring you your half at work!

Got no plates at work…

Yum! Super rich, super delicious.

Black Bottom Brownies

From Bake or Break.

Brownie Half:

  • 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Half:

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Line a 9X13″ baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Make the brownie layer by first melting the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or the microwave. Set aside to cool partially.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla. Whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spread into the prepared pan and smooth out.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

To make the cheesecake half, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs two at a time, followed by the vanilla.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the brownie layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top. Bake for 75 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

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