Challah

Posted on January 18, 2012 by sparecake

Happy (??) internet blackout day type thing! If you need any info on SOPA and why it’s bad, Nedroid has my favorite post about it.

Aaaanyways, on to food! If you’re a fan of french toast, knowing how to make good challah to turn into french toast is a really useful skill. This challah recipe is great, and makes a mighty fine french toast!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 packages active dry yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)
  • 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon table salt
  • 8 to 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and the tablespoon of sugar in the water and let it sit five or ten minutes until starting to get foamy.

Whisk in the oil, then beat the eggs in one at a time. Whisk in the sugar and salt.

Add the 8 cups of flour a cup or so at a time while stirring. Keep stirring until the dough holds together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Clean out the bowl, grease it, and place the dough in it, rotating to grease the top too. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft free place for one hour until almost doubled in size. Punch the dough down, cover it back up, and let rise again for another half hour.

Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into three. Roll each piece into a rope. I made mine pretty long and thin, about 20″.  I think I might do a slightly stumpier one in the future. Braid your six ropes into two braids. If you want to make a 6 strand braid, you can check out directions at smittenkitchen.

Carefully move your braids to parchment lined baking sheets. Beat the remaining egg and brush it over the loaves, saving any leftover egg.

If you want to freeze one of the loaves, you can do it now, then give it 5 hours to thaw later on a counter. Otherwise, let it rise for one last hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Before putting in the oven, brush  second time with egg.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until it’s reached a nice deep golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Thinly sliced, this makes good sandwiches and happy coworkers.

More thickly sliced and you’ll get some fantabulous french toast!

Challah

Adapted from smittenkitchen.

  • 1 1/2 packages active dry yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)
  • 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon table salt
  • 8 to 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and the tablespoon of sugar in the water and let it sit five or ten minutes until starting to get foamy.

Whisk in the oil, then beat the eggs in one at a time. Whisk in the sugar and salt. Gradually add the 8 cups of flour, stirring until the dough holds together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Clean out the bowl, grease it, and place the dough in it, rotating to grease the top too. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft free place for one hour until almost doubled in size. Punch the dough down, re-cover it, and let rise again for another half hour.

Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into three. Roll each piece into a rope 15-20″ long. Braid into two braids.

Carefully move your braids to parchment lined baking sheets. Beat the remaining egg and brush it over the loaves, saving any leftover egg.

Let rise for one hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush loaves with egg a second time.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until it’s reached a nice deep golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Posted in Bread | Tagged | Leave a comment

Chicken in Milk

Posted on January 16, 2012 by sparecake

First off, I just want to let you know that I finally spent a few bucks, and you can now get to this blog by going to sparecake.com. You no longer have to type in the wordpress bit, although it’s not going to break anything if you do. So now it’ll be that much easier to tell your friends, right? Right?

And on to the recipe, which continues the occasional ‘Jamie Oliver bird recipes that are amazing’ theme I’ve got going. This chicken recipe made the most moist, flavorful chicken I’ve ever had. I ate the leftovers for two days cut up on salad, and didn’t even bother with dressing because the chicken has such a good flavor. The combo of milk and lemon zest may seem questionable, but it works perfectly!

Ingredients

• a 4 lb chicken (ok, I didn’t even look at the weight of the one we bought. oops!)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stick of butter
• olive oil
• 1/2 a cinnamon stick
• 1 good handful of fresh sage, leaves picked
• zest of 2 lemons
• 10 cloves of garlic, papery-stuff removed but skin left on
• 2 cups milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Melt the butter and a few tablespoons of oil in a cast iron (or other oven safe) pot on the stove. Brown the chicken, rotating so it cooks on all sides.

While it browns, prepare the zest, sage, and garlic.

When the chicken is browned all over, remove it from the pot for long enough to pour out the excess oil and butter, then put the chicken back. Sprinkle the zest, sage, and garlic over the chicken, then pour in the milk.

At this point, I followed a tip from The Kitchn, and put the lid on for the first hour of cooking. Put in the oven and cook for one hour, then remove the lid and cook a further half hour. If you can, feel free to baste when you’re removing the lid, but if it’s too much of a pain, don’t worry about it – I didn’t, but the chicken was still tremendously moist and flavored all over.

Take out the chicken and carve.

The lemon zest will have separated the milk in the pot. Spoon the resulting liquid over the chicken when you serve.

If it wasn’t so annoying to bike back from the store with a chicken on your back, I’d make this for dinner every week!

Chicken in Milk

From Jamie Oliver, with tips from The Kitchn.

• one 4 lb chicken
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stick of butter
• olive oil
• 1/2 a cinnamon stick
• 1 good handful of fresh sage, leaves picked
• zest of 2 lemons
• 10 cloves of garlic, skin left on
• 2 cups milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Melt the butter and a few tablespoons of oil in a cast iron pot on the stove. Brown the chicken, rotating so it cooks on all sides.

Remove the chicken from the pot and pour out the excess oil and butter, then put the chicken back in. Sprinkle the zest, sage, and garlic over the chicken, then pour in the milk.

Cover, then put in the oven and cook for one hour. Remove the lid and cook a further half hour.

Take out the chicken and carve. Spoon the liquid from the pot over the chicken when serving.

Oh, PS, happy MLK Day! I got to work before 8 as usual, so, not much of a holiday!

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Pomegranate Cream Cheese Bread

Posted on January 13, 2012 by sparecake

While I was home around New Year, my mom gave me Alton Brown’s Good Eats 3. It had a recipe for pomegranate syrup that got me thinking, which quickly lead to baking. As it turns out, I’m pretty sure I’m a genius, because this bread (cake?) is fabulous! Baking mellows the tartness of the pomegranate significantly, leaving a sort of berry-esque flavor that goes great in a cream cheese bread.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • one 8 ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar, divided
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Before making the cake, you have to make the pomegranate syrup. Combine the juice, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the lemon juice in a heavy pot.

Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves completely. At that point, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until it reaches a syrupy consistency, about 45 minutes. You don’t have to be around to stir for that part. Cool to room temp in a glass jar or bowl.

When the syrup is mostly cooled, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9″ springform, or other pan with at least 2″ high sides. Believe me, you’ll want the high sides! Also, line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.

Add the remaining sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add to the egg mixture and beat to combine. Spread half the batter in the prepared springform.

Drizzle half the syrup over the batter.

Repeat with the second halves of batter and syrup, then drag a knife through the batter to swirl in the syrup.

Place the springform on the foil lined pan and bake one hour. Remove the bread from the oven and loosely cover with foil to prevent the top from burning. Bake another 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

You should probably wait for this to cool, but…eh, I dug in straight away.

It’s thick, in a pound-cake way, and a really lovely way to start a day.

Pomegranate Cream Cheese Bread

Inspired by Alton Brown’s Good Eats 3.

  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • one 8 ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar, divided
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine the pomegranate juice, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the lemon juice in a heavy pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves completely. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until it reaches a syrupy consistency, about 45 minutes. Cool to room temp in a glass jar or bowl.

When the syrup is mostly cooled, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9″ springform, or other pan with at least 2″ high sides and line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cup sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add to the egg mixture and beat to combine.

Spread half the batter in the prepared springform. Drizzle half the syrup over the batter. Repeat with the second halves of batter and syrup, then drag a knife through the batter to swirl in the syrup.

Place the springform on the foil lined pan and bake one hour. Remove the bread from the oven and loosely cover with foil. Bake another 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Korean Meatballs with Quick Pickled Cucumbers

Posted on January 11, 2012 by sparecake

The theme this month for Aspiring Bakers is Reunion Dinner/Chinese New Year. While I technically made these closer to the January 1st New Year while I was at my mom’s, Google leads me to believe that they’d be an acceptable CNY dish… I’ll be making something more traditional for a mini-Chinese New Years party at work on the actual day! (January 23, by the way.)

Pickle Ingredients:

  • 1 English cucumber
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup rice vinegar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (you can get it from the same company that makes Sriracha, it looks like this)

Meatball Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • cooking spray

The pickles have to sit for several hours, so start with them first. Slice the cucumber into very thin rounds. We used my mom’s food processor so this only took a few seconds.

Combine the cucumber and garlic in a medium bowl.

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes or until boiling. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers, then stir in the sambal oelek.

Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. This should give you plenty of time to go see the Muppet movie, or whatever it is you had planned… When you’re ready to serve, do so with a slotted spoon.

To make the meatballs, first preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Get your food processor back out and blend together the brown sugar, oil, and garlic, processing until finely ground.

Add the soy sauce, salt, and chicken, and continue processing until again finely ground.

Appealing!

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Divide the mixture into heaping tablespoon sized balls and shape into meatballs with wet hands. We ignored this and tried scooping with a cookie scoop which meant some of our meatballs weren’t as tightly packed as they should have been, but boy was it less gross! Cook the meatballs in batches in the pan you were preheating, cooking each for 4 minutes and rotating so they brown all over.

Spray a jell-roll pan with cooking spray, then place the browned meatballs on it. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes, or until cooked through.

This was a double batch, so it's not actually a particularly large recipe.

We served it with the pickles, kimchi, white rice, and some japchae (sweet potato noodles) that my mom got at the store. It was delicious!

It wouldn't even be this blog without my thumb sticking out somewhere...

The pickles were very strong (I may not have measured the sambal oelek very carefully) and the meatballs were a really nice flavor, and still kind of moist in a good way. I think the sides my mom got made it a pretty ideal meal!

As I half-alluded to above, I’ll be submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen of Wen’s Delight.

Korean Meatballs and Quick Pickled Cucumbers

From Cooking Light. (meatballs//cucumbers)

Pickles:

  • 1 English cucumber
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup rice vinegar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sambal oelek

Meatballs:

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • cooking spray

To make the pickles, slice the cucumber into very thin rounds. Combine with garlic in a medium bowl.

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes or until boiling. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers, then stir in the sambal oelek.

Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon.

For the meatballs, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the brown sugar, oil, and garlic in food processor and processing until finely ground. Add the soy sauce, salt, and chicken, and continue processing until again finely ground.Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Divide the mixture into heaping tablespoon sized balls and shape into meatballs with wet hands.  Cook the meatballs in batches in the preheated skillet, cooking each for 4 minutes and rotating so they brown all over.

Spray a jell-roll pan with cooking spray, then place the browned meatballs on it. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes, or until cooked through.

Serve with pickles and sides as desired.

Posted in Dinner | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Crockpot Oatmeal

Posted on January 9, 2012 by sparecake

This will be one of the worst photographed posts I ever put up, and for that I apologize, but…it’s really hard to hold a loaded crockpot in the middle of the kitchen where there’s light and still have a hand left for the camera. Also, oatmeal’s pretty unphotogenic.

This basic recipe is super flexible, and allows for a whole lot of warm, comforting, tasty breakfasts that come together fast.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quick cooking oats
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter – melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup finely chopped apple
  • 1/2 cup raisins and/or dates
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds

Grease the inside of Crockpot. Throw all ingredients inside Crockpot and mix well.

Cover, and cook on low overnight, 8-9 hours. If you have a new (last few years) crockpot, then just putting it on ‘warm’ should be enough – new crockpots are apparently much hotter than old ones. Stir before serving.

You can change this pretty much any way you want. I did one with 1/4 cup peanut butter, 1/4 chocolate chips, and banana instead of apple. The texture of the banana was slightly weird after cooking overnight, but the flavor was really good.

I normally don’t eat oatmeal that didn’t come heavily pre-flavored, as I find it tremendously boring, even with sugar, but with this method there are plenty of flavors, and they really get into the oats so it’s not boring at all. This makes enough breakfast for 3 or 4 people or mornings.

Crockpot Oatmeal

From Mr. Breakfast.

  • 1 cup quick cooking oats
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter – melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup finely chopped apple
  • 1/2 cup raisins and/or dates
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds

Grease the inside of Crockpot. Throw all ingredients inside Crockpot and mix well. Cover, and cook on low (or ‘warm’) overnight, 8-9 hours. Stir before serving.

Improvise improvise improvise!

Posted in Breakfast | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Brown Sugar Cookies

Posted on January 6, 2012 by sparecake

This was one of the very first recipes I ever bookmarked on a food blog, and I keep coming back to it because it’s SO. DANG. GOOD. These are basically the only chocolate-less cookie I’ll ever make. They use brown butter and brown sugar, a delightful combination.

  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoons table salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat until it melts.  Continue to cook, swirling pan frequently until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes.

Pour the browned butter to large heatproof bowl.  Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

While you wait, make sure there’s a rack in the middle position of your oven and heat to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a pie plate, mix the sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, mixing with your fingers until well combined. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in a small bowl.

When the butter has has time to cool, add the remaining 1 3/4 cups of brown sugar and the salt, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Mix well, then add the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Mix well, then scrape down again.

Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined. Stir quickly with a rubber spatula to ensure no flour pockets remain.

Divide the dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons-worth. Roll into a ball, then roll each ball in the pie dish of sugar you prepared earlier.

Place the coated balls on the prepared pans, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time, 12-14 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through the baking.

A totally reasonable oven...

The cookies should be browned but still puffy and soft in the center – if they still look slightly underdone, that’s perfect! If you overcook these cookies, with all that sugar, they get quite hard.

My cookies were a bit too big, but…whaaatever! They’re just fabulous! I think my stepmother ate more than one, which is saying something!

Brown Sugar Cookies

From Busy Nothings.

  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoons table salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat until it melts.  Continue to cook, swirling pan frequently until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Pour the browned butter to large heatproof bowl.  Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

While you wait, place a rack in the middle position of your oven and heat to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a pie plate, mix the sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, mixing with your fingers until well combined. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in a small bowl.

When the butter has has time to cool, add the remaining 1 3/4 cups of brown sugar and the salt, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix well, then add the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Mix well, then scrape down again. Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined. Stir quickly with a rubber spatula to ensure no flour pockets remain.

Divide the dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons-worth. Roll into a ball, then roll each ball in the pie dish of sugar you prepared earlier. Place the coated balls on the prepared pans, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time, 12-14 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through the baking. The cookies should be browned but still puffy and soft in the center. Let cool several minutes on the tray, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Chocolate Meringue Pie

Posted on January 4, 2012 by sparecake

I hear meringue pies can be hard, and have many common problems. I didn’t hear this until after I made this pie, though, and it was news to me! With this recipe, everything went smoothly, and I had no issues. Huzzah for recipes that work, and are delicious!

Ingredients:

  • One 9-inch pie crust, store-bought or homemade, unbaked and fitted in a pie plate
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated whole milk
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pie plate, with the crust in it, on a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Put a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl and set aside. Cut the butter into small pieces and set aside as well.

In a medium saucepan off the heat whisk together 2/3 cup of sugar, the cocoa powder, flour, and one tablespoon cornstarch.

Gradually whisk in the evaporated milk, followed by the egg yolks.

Place the pan over medium and cook until the first large bubble forms, whisking constantly. Once you get that big bubble, about five minutes in, reduce the heat to low and cook another minute while continuing to whisk.

After that minute, pour the chocolate mixture through the prepared sieve into the bowl and stir the butter and vanilla in.
Once the butter is evenly mixed in, pour the filling into the prepared crust.

Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic wrap right on the surface of the filling. Chill at least 2 hours, up to a day.

Preheat the oven again, this time to 450 degrees. Beat the egg whites, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch until stiff peaks form. If you’re not sure what that means, the eggs should keep a point when you pull your beaters out.

Point!

Spread the meringue on top of the chocolate filling, right to the edge of the crust.

Bake until meringue is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

Serve right away.

The amount of chocolate and meringue were well balanced, and the top stayed on the filling with no problems. I think in general I like crunchy meringue cookies better than this kind of meringue, but this pie was well worth eating!

Chocolate Meringue Pie

From Martha Stewart.

  • One 9-inch pie crust, store-bought or homemade, unbaked and fitted in a pie plate
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated whole milk
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pie plate, with the crust in it, on a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Put a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl and set aside. Cut the butter into small pieces and set aside as well.

In a medium saucepan off the heat whisk together 2/3 cup of sugar, the cocoa powder, flour, and one tablespoon cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the evaporated milk, followed by the egg yolks.

Place the pan over medium heat and whisk constantly until the first large bubble forms, about five minutes. Reduce to low heat and cook another minute while continuing to whisk.

Quickly pour the chocolate mixture through the prepared sieve into the bowl and stir the butter and vanilla in. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic wrap right on the surface of the filling. Chill at least 2 hours, up to a day.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Beat the egg whites, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch until stiff peaks form. Spread the meringue on top of the chocolate filling, right to the edge of the crust.

Bake until meringue is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

S’mores Cookies

Posted on January 2, 2012 by sparecake

Howdy from the Manchester airport. Here’re some cookies I made with Ted a twoish weeks ago. The second I saw the recipe, I knew we had to make it, and we very quickly did!

You must carefully examine each ingredient...

Ingredients:

  • 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
  • 1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, followed by the flour, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Chill the dough for one hour in the fridge. We were impatient/tired, so gave it half an hour in the freezer, and nothing exploded later…

While you wait, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lay your graham crackers out on the pans. We spaced ours pretty widely, but it’d be ok if you have yours touching.

Also clearly no parchment. Shhh!

Once the dough has chilled, scoop rounded tablespoons onto the graham crackers and press down slightly onto the grahams.

Throw them in the oven for five minutes, then take them out and press your chocolate bar pieces onto each cookie, pressing firmly enough that it sticks in.

Bake another 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough is beginning to turn golden at the edges.If yours are stuck together, you’ll want them to cool completely before you pull them apart, or else they’ll be a stringy gooey mess, but if yours aren’t attached, go ahead and enjoy!Bit lumpy, but delicious. Great with an episode of Game of Thrones!

S’mores CookiesFrom Lovin’ in the Oven.

  • 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
  • 1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, followed by the flour, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon.

Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows, then chill dough in refrigerator one hour.

While dough chills, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lay your graham crackers out on the pans.

Once the dough has chilled, scoop rounded tablespoons onto the graham crackers and press down slightly onto the grahams.

Bake five minutes, then take them out and press the Hershey’s pieces onto each cookie, pressing firmly enough that to stick.

Bake another 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough is beginning to turn golden at the edges. Cool and enjoy.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Crispy Duck with Plum Chutney

Posted on December 30, 2011 by sparecake

Last post of the year, and it’s Jamie Oliver once again coming through with a pretty excellent bird. Kyle and I made this Christmas eve, and it was super good! The skin gets just as crispy as you’d hope, and I developed a minor obsession with the chutney.

For some reason, the supermarkets around here have duck (and a bunch of other birds) only for the holidays. Because plums are a summer fruit, it’s pretty difficult to get both a duck and a plum at the same time of year, but I found some canned plums and they worked fine, although I used a few more because they seemed tiny.

Ingredients:

Duck:

  • a small bunch of fresh sage, leaves picked, divided
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 duck
  • 1 orange, halved
  • 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 bulb of garlic, cloves separated and bashed

Chutney:

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 a cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise (smells like Good & Plenty, but doesn’t make the chutney gross and licorice-y)
  • 6 large red ripe plums (or 8 canned), pitted and chopped
  • a strip of orange zest
  • a pinch of ground cumin
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Also!:

  • a small bunch of watercress, washed and dried  –  Man, this stuff is hard to find, goes off rapidly once you get it, and is just…not the most important thing. If you can find it, get it because it’s a nice leafy addition, but if not, your dish isn’t going to be ruined by any means.

Having a roommate around is ideal to do some of the boring the veggie chopping while you start preparing the duck. Oh, and speaking of duck preparation, just because a duck is smaller than a turkey doesn’t mean it defrosts fast. Ours had two days in the refrigerator and was still a block of ice when I took it out to cook, so be sure to plan ahead and defrost well!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a mortar and pestle, grind up 5 or 6 of the sage leaves with the 2 teaspoons of sea salt. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, get creative!

Rub your sage-y salt all over the skin of the duck, then shove the rest of the sage and both halves of the orange (make sure you got your strip of zest first!) in the cavity of the duck.

Put the chopped veggies in a roasting tray where they’ll fit snugly with the duck, then put the duck on top, breast side down.

Whoops, have to flip that duck!

Roast the duck for 2 hours, flipping every half hour or so and ending with it breast side up in the last half hour. An hour in, carefully pour most of the fat out of the dish.

While the duck cooks, you can make the chutney. Begin by pouring the sugar in a saucepan and adding just enough water to dissolve it. Place over high heat and add the cinnamon and star anise.

Bring to a boil, then simmer until it reduces significantly and the bubbles start to get large. (Just wait for it – if you’re not sure, it hasn’t happened yet.)  As soon as it begins to turn golden, add the chopped plums, orange zest, and cumin, and turn the heat down to low. The plums will add some moisture, then it will cook down to a thicker consistency. Remove from the heat, season with some salt and pepper, and set to the side until your duck’s ready. The chutney will be good warm or cool.

Soooo tasty!

At the end of the two hours of roasting, you’ll know the duck is done when you can pinch the leg meat and it feels like it will come easily off the bone.

Crispy!

Shred the meat onto plates, serve with a bit of watercress on top, and the plum chutney. I…may have taken the ‘shred’ instruction a bit too seriously, as I have horrible knife skills and everything got slippery in duck fat.

So arty.

The veggies in the bottom of the dish are also delicious, once you again pour out the duck fat, and fish out most of the garlic cloves. This would be a filling meal for 3 people, and was a good change to the traditional Christmas Chinese food.

Perfectly Cooked Crispy Duck with Spiced Plum Chutney

From Cook with Jamie (the greatest book I own??).

Duck:

  • a small bunch of fresh sage, leaves picked, divided
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 duck
  • 1 orange, halved
  • 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 bulb of garlic, cloves separated and bashed

Spiced Plum Chutney:

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 a cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise
  • 6 large red ripe plums (or 8 canned), pitted and chopped
  • a strip of orange zest
  • a pinch of ground cumin
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • a small bunch of watercress, washed and dried

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a mortar and pestle, grind up 5 or 6 of the sage leaves with the 2 teaspoons of sea salt. Rub the sage/salt mixture all over the skin of the duck, then shove the rest of the sage and both halves of the orange in the cavity of the duck.

Put the chopped veggies in a roasting tray where they’ll fit snugly with the duck, then put the duck on top, breast side down.

Roast the duck for 2 hours, flipping every half hour or so and ending with it breast side up in the last half hour. Halfway through the cooking time, carefully pour most of the fat out of the dish.

While the duck cooks, prepare the chutney. Pouring the sugar in a saucepan and add just enough water to dissolve it. Place over high heat and add the cinnamon and star anise. Bring to a boil, then simmer until it reduces significantly and the bubbles start to get large. As soon as it begins to turn golden, add the chopped plums the orange zest, and the cumin and turn the heat down to low. Cook until it thickens. Remove from the heat, season with some salt and pepper, and set to the side until the duck is ready.

At the end of the two hours of roasting, the duck is done when you can pinch the leg meat and it feels like it will come easily off the bone.

Shred the meat onto plates, serve with a bit of watercress on top, the plum chutney, and the vegetables, once again carefully drained of duck fat.

Posted in Dinner | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Char Siu Bao

Posted on December 28, 2011 by sparecake

This recipe is a quite delightful way you can use up your char siu. They’re baked, not steamed, pork buns, which I think I prefer, texture-wise. They’re like the best little Chinese Hot Pocket you could ever have! One recipe of char siu makes enough for two batches of these buns, or one batch and some pork leftover to eat while you cook.

Ingredients:

Filling:

  • 12 ounces (about 1/2 recipe) char siu
  • 2 green onions/spring onions (finely diced)
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Buns:

  • 1 packet of dried yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • egg wash: 1 egg beaten with a dash of water

To prepare the dough, first combine the sugar and water in a large bowl. Add the yeast, and let it sit 10 or so minutes until the yeast has activated. Add the flour, egg, oil, and salt, and stir together.

Turn the mixture out onto a floured surface and knead for ten minutes until smooth and elastic. Put in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise somewhere warm and draft free until doubled, about an hour.

While the dough rises, dice the the char siu.

Stir together the chicken stock and cornstarch and set aside.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a wok or pan on the stove. Add the diced meat and green onions and cook for one minute.

Add the hoisin and soy sauces and the sesame oil and cook a further minute. Add the chicken stock mixture and continue cooking until the mixture thickens, another several minutes. Remove from the heat and put in a bowl to cool until ready to use.

This smells FABULOUS.

When the dough has risen, knock it back down and divide it into twelve even balls. Preheat the oven to 390 degrees.

Roll each ball out to about 2 inches wide. I actually found it easiest to just squash it between my hands. Then use your fingers to press the outside edges of the dough thinner, until the circle reaches about 3 inches across. This way, the middle of the dough is thicker and won’t burst while they bake.

Put a big spoonful of the filling in the middle of each piece of dough.

Pinch the edges of the dough shut around the filling.

Put each bun on a baking sheet, seam-side down. Brush with the egg wash.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

YUM!

I’m really happy I tried these, it wasn’t hard and it’s sooo good! I’ll be submitting it to yeastspotting.

Alex recording his meal=P

Char Siu Bao

Adapted from The Daring Kitchen.

Filling:

  • 12 ounces (about 1/2 recipe) char siu
  • 2 green onions/spring onions (finely diced)
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Buns:

  • 1 packet of dried yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • egg wash: 1 egg beaten with a dash of water

To prepare the dough, first combine the sugar and water in a large bowl. Add the yeast, and let sit 10 to 15 minutes until the yeast has activated and is bubbling. Add the flour, egg, oil, and salt, and stir together.

Turn the mixture out onto a floured surface and knead for ten minutes until smooth and elastic. Put in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise somewhere warm and draft free until doubled, about an hour.

While the dough rises, prepare the filling.  Dice the the char siu. Stir together the chicken stock and cornstarch and set aside.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a wok or pan on the stove. Add the diced meat and green onions and cook for one minute.

Add the hoisin and soy sauces and the sesame oil and cook a further minute. Add the chicken stock and continue cooking until the mixture thickens, another several minutes. Remove from the heat and put in a bowl to cool until ready to use.

When the dough has risen, knock it back down and divide it into twelve even balls. Preheat the oven to 390 degrees.

Roll each ball out to about 2 inches wide. Use your fingers to press the outside edges of the dough thinner, until the circle reaches about 3 inches across.

Put a big spoonful of the filling in the middle of each piece of dough. Pinch the edges of the dough shut around the filling. Put the buns on a baking sheet, seam-side down. Brush with the egg wash.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Posted in Dinner | Tagged , , | 4 Comments