Daring Bakers Go French, Bread That Is....

Technically it's 11:25pm, so I am 35 minutes early for posting this, but tomorrow is crazy for me, so sorry for cheating by a few minutes!

This month’s Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Mary from The Bread Chick. She chose a lovely French Bread Recipe where you can find HERE. We could choose to make our bread into a number of different ways, like one big loaf, little loaves, round, oval, you name it, we had all sorts of options.

I chose the giant big oval loaf, literally! It turned out much larger than I expected it to. It was almost comical pulling out of the oven because it was so big, but overall, it looked pretty decent considering I’m certainly no bread baker!!

It was nice to slice into this monster loaf, it started to look like “normal” bread. Who doesn’t like a few giant pads of butter to go along with their giant French Bread??!!

A little bread with your butter?

We could also top our bread with whatever we wanted, so after I photographed the "big loaf" I decided to go back to my childhood days in the lunchroom cafeteria. I soooo remember ordering the French Bread Pizza Boat. So, at 10:00pm I was making my pizza boat.

Long live the Pizza Boat!

This was a great challenge. I think I had most fun with the pizza boat, check out other Daring Bakers to see what they did with their French Bread! And who knows, you might be ready for next month’s challenge!! Bonsoir!

Pucker Up! Daring Baker's Challenge January...

January’s Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Jen, Canadian Baker, and she chose the lovely lemon meringue pie. I have to start by saying I’m kicking myself for procrastinating until the last weekend, because I forgot I had my pilates training all weekend. So, I was up at 10:00pm Friday night making parts of lemon meringue pie and was rushing to finish and take pictures Saturday morning. Next month I’m not going to procrastinate!!

My favorite part of the challenge was making the meringue. I piled it on so high, my boys were like, “Whoa mommy, what is that crazy thing?” It was tall, golden brown and beautiful. It was my first experience making it and it turned out very nice.

The crust turned out pretty good and the lemon filling was good too. It was my first time making a homemade lemon filling, it turned out nice and thick and seemed just as it should be! The only thing I noticed, was after about an hour after the pie baked, there was a clear liquid forming under the meringue. It didn’t seem to mess things up though.

All in all, a great challenge. I wish I wouldn’t have procrastinated until the last few days, I would have liked to spend more time on the pics, and tried the free form crusts, but there’s always next month!! Check out the Daring Baker's Blogroll for other great lemon meringue pies!

Lemon Meringue Pie

(recipe from "Wanda's Pie in the Sky" by Wanda Beaver)
For the Crust:
3/4 cup cold butter; cut into ½-inch (1.2 cm) pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup ice water

For the Filling:
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
5 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Meringue:
5 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar

To Make the Crust:
Make sure all ingredients are as cold as possible. Using a food processor or pastry cutter and a large bowl, combine the butter, flour, sugar and salt.Process or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse meal and begins to clump together. Sprinkle with water, let rest 30 seconds and then either process very briefly or cut in with about 15 strokes of the pastry cutter, just until the dough begins to stick together and come away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and press together to form a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.

Allow the dough to warm slightly to room temperature if it is too hard to roll. On a lightly floured board (or countertop) roll the disk to a thickness of 1/8 inch (.3 cm). Cut a circle about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than the pie plate and transfer the pastry into the plate by folding it in half or by rolling it onto the rolling pin. Turn the pastry under, leaving an edge that hangs over the plate about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm). Flute decoratively. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the crust with foil and fill with metal pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Cool completely before filling.

To Make the Filling:
Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat and let rest 5 minutes. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together. Add the mixture gradually to the hot water, whisking until completely incorporated. Return to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will be very thick. Add about 1 cup (240 mL) of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Whisking vigorously, add the warmed yolks to the pot and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until incorporated. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla, stirring until combined. Pour into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, and cool to room temperature.

To Make the Meringue:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, salt and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, beating until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Pile onto the cooled pie, bringing the meringue all the way over to the edge of the crust to seal it completely. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack. Serve within 6 hours to avoid a soggy crust.

My First Daring Baker's Challenge! The Yule Log...

So, I'm probably nuts for starting in December, but I've decided to challenge myself and join this fun group of bakers called the "Daring Bakers." It all started when I saw the "Daring Bakers" Logo on another blog and thought, what on earth is that all about? I checked it out, and it sounded like something I would enjoy doing. It's basically a group of committed bakers that take on a new baking challenge every month, then on an assigned day, post and write about their experience while preparing the dish.

December's challenge was quite the challenge. It was this lovely yule log, hosted by Lis from La Mia Cucina and Ivonne from Cream Puffs In Venice. I had never tasted a yule log let alone tackle making one from scratch.

All in all, it was a fun challenge. It's always exciting to make something that you've never made before. I think I had the most fun molding the mushrooms out of marzipan. It was kind of like playing with play dough! I also thought it would be much more difficult to roll the genoise, but it was quite simple.

I am excited for more adventures with the Daring Bakers! Stay tuned for next month's challenge! Check out the Daring Baker's Blogroll for other Daring Bakers, maybe you're ready for next months challenge!

Ready, Set, Go!

Found the right consistency

Love these marzipan mushrooms!

Yule Log

Plain Genoise: (I added cocoa to mine)

3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
¾ cup of sugar
½ cup cake flour - spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off (also known as cake & pastry flour)
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder if desired
¼ cup cornstarch

one (1) 10 x 15 inch jelly-roll pan that has been buttered and lined with parchment paper and then buttered again

1.Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

2.Half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat so the water is simmering.

3.Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, salt and sugar together in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Place over the pan of simmering water and whisk gently until the mixture is just lukewarm, about 100 degrees if you have a thermometer (or test with your finger - it should be warm to the touch).

4.Attach the bowl to the mixer and, with the whisk attachment, whip on medium-high speed until the egg mixture is cooled (touch the outside of the bowl to tell) and tripled in volume. The egg foam will be thick and will form a slowly dissolving ribbon falling back onto the bowl of whipped eggs when the whisk is lifted.

5.While the eggs are whipping, stir together the flour, cocoa and cornstarch.

6.Sift one-third of the flour mixture over the beaten eggs. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour mixture, making sure to scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl on every pass through the batter to prevent the flour mixture from accumulating there and making lumps. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and finally with the remainder.

7.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

8.Bake the genoise for about 10 to 12 minutes. Make sure the cake doesn’t overbake and become too dry or it will not roll properly.

9.While the cake is baking, begin making the buttercream.

10.Once the cake is done (a tester will come out clean and if you press the cake lightly it will spring back), remove it from the oven and let it cool on a rack.

Coffee Buttercream: ( I used chocolate buttercream instead, see recipe below)

4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
24 tablespoons (3 sticks or 1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons rum or brandy

OR:

Chocolate Buttercream
4 Lg egg whites
1 Cup sugar
3 sticks softened butter
1/2 Cup melted chocolate chips

1.Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over simmering water and whisk gently until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are hot.

2.Attach the bowl to the mixer and whip with the whisk on medium speed until cooled. Switch to the paddle and beat in the softened butter and continue beating until the buttercream is smooth. Dissolve the instant coffee in the liquor and beat into the buttercream.

Chocolate Buttercream directions:
1. same as above number 1
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer and whip with the whisk on medium speed until cooled. Switch to the paddle and beat in the softened butter and continue beating until the buttercream is smooth. Slowly stir in melted chocolate.

Marzipan Mushrooms:

8 ounces almond paste
2 cups icing sugar
3 to 5 tablespoons light corn syrup
Cocoa powder

1.To make the marzipan combine the almond paste and 1 cup of the icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on low speed until sugar is almost absorbed.

2.Add the remaining 1 cup of sugar and mix until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

3.Add half the corn syrup, then continue mixing until a bit of the marzipan holds together when squeezed, adding additional corn syrup a little at a time, as necessary: the marzipan in the bowl will still appear crumbly.

4.Transfer the marzipan to a work surface and knead until smooth.

5.Roll one-third of the marzipan into a 6 inches long cylinder and cut into 1-inch lengths.

6.Roll half the lengths into balls. Press the remaining cylindrical lengths (stems) into the balls (caps) to make mushrooms.

7.Smudge with cocoa powder.

Assembling the Yule Log:

1.Run a sharp knife around the edges of the genoise to loosen it from the pan.
2.Turn the genoise layer over (unmolding it from the sheet pan onto a flat surface) and peel away the paper.
3.Carefully invert your genoise onto a fresh piece of parchment paper.
4.Spread with half the coffee buttercream (or whatever filling you’re using).
5.Use the parchment paper to help you roll the cake into a tight cylinder.
6.Transfer back to the baking sheet and refrigerate for several hours.
7.Unwrap the cake. Trim the ends on the diagonal, starting the cuts about 2 inches away from each end.
8.Position the larger cut piece on each log about 2/3 across the top.
9.Cover the log with the reserved buttercream, making sure to curve around the protruding stump.
10.Streak the buttercream with a fork or decorating comb to resemble bark.
11.Transfer the log to a platter and decorate with your mushrooms and whatever other decorations you’ve chosen.