When Life Gives You Lemons - Make Lemon Bars!

Mother's day is just around the corner. My mother has naturally given me the old "when life gives you lemons" speech multiple times. The thing is that despite everything which has happened in her life she consistently looks at things in a positive light and expects the best possible result. Recently, she amazed us all by deciding to make a cross country drive on her own. She did it. Now all she can talk about is getting back on the road to go to LA. She has gone from not being able to get on the highway to travel between Ann Arbor and Troy, Michigan - to planning her next road trip. She is a unique person and the more I get to know her the more I realize just how much she embodies the idea of the "lemons" speech.

So, in honor of all those moms with their unflagging positive attitudes and their "turn things around" pep talks, here is a recipe for Lemon Bars. Like moms, these lemon bars are special. They have coconut crust and are naturally made from real, fresh squeezed lemon juice. I also just happen to think moms like lemony things - my mother-in-law had dibs on these every time I brought out the Holiday Cookie Assortment. Make a batch and share them with mom!

Lemon Bars with Coconut Crust

Raspberry Rhapsody Bars, Brownies, Coconut Macaroons,
Lemon Bars with Coconut Crust and Honey Almond
Shortbreads all from Baking Pure and Simple

Crust

¾ cup unsalted butter

⅜ cup sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

1½ cups flour

2 cups unsweetened coconut*

¾ tablespoon lemon rind, grated

½ cup powdered sugar for dusting

*Be sure to use unsweetened coconut which is usually finely shredded for the perfect crust.

Topping

5 eggs

1⅔ cups sugar

½ cup lemon juice 

1 tablespoon lemon rind, grated

¾ tablespoon flour

A pinch of salt

Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add salt and flour and mix.  Add coconut and lemon rind and mix just until blended.  Press evenly into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch non-stick baking pan.  If you have one small enough, use a rolling pin to evenly flatten the surface, otherwise use your fingers flattened out to press the dough as evenly as possible.  Bake for 10 minutes.  If the topping is not ready when the crust has baked 10 minutes, remove the tray from the oven until you are ready to pour the topping over the crust.

Topping: While the crust is baking, blend the eggs and sugar until just mixed.  Add the lemon juice, rind, flour and salt and mix until just combined.  Place the crust in the oven with the shelf pulled out slightly but make sure it is secure and level.  Carefully and evenly pour the lemon juice mixture over the top of the partially baked crust.  Slowly push the oven shelf and pan back into place before closing the oven door.  Bake for 20 minutes or until firm.

Allow to cool completely before cutting. Trim away edges if desired.  Dust with powdered sugar before serving.  Makes 3 dozen.

Note:  The edges are great chopped up and sprinkled over vanilla ice cream.

Haven't figured out what to get mom for Mother's Day? 

Baking Pure and Simple is a great present for moms who love to bake.

Sunday Morning - Wake and Bake...

I asked the maid in dulcet tone

To order me a buttered scone;

The silly girl has been and gone
And ordered me a buttered scone.

This poem illustrates the different ways people pronounce the word scone.  These days wake and bake might sound the same as some other activity, but to me it signifies getting up, getting out the flour, butter and cream and making something to go with your Sunday morning coffee.  Use your imagination to come up with all kinds of scones.  Here are just a few ideas to get you started, traditional scones with currants (center), orange scones (right) and cinnamon walnut scones (left.) Enjoy these scones with a little jam or Lemon Curd (recipe below scones) or just plain.  Sharing the platter with the scones are two kinds of bran muffins, orange flaxseed (top) and traditional (bottom right) all from Baking Pure & Simple.

Scones

3¼ cups flour

⅜ cup sugar

1½ tablespoons baking powder

1¼ teaspoons nutmeg

¾ teaspoon salt

¾ cup unsalted butter, chilled

¾ cup heavy cream

3 eggs

1¼ cups currants

1 tablespoon cream mixed with 1 egg

2 tablespoons Turbidano sugar

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Sift flour, sugar and baking powder into a large bowl.  Using your hands, cut the butter into the mixture until crumbly.  Add currants.  Mix cream with eggs and add to the mixture, stirring just until combined.  Turn onto a lightly floured board.  Knead by folding and flattening gently 4 or 5 times.  Roll out to ¾-inch thickness.  Cut into triangles about 3 inches per side.  Brush with the egg and cream mixture.  Sprinkle with the Turbidano sugar crystals.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Makes 12 scones.

Orange or Lemon Scones: Add ¼ cup sugar to the dry ingredients, omit the nutmeg and currants and add 1½ tablespoons grated orange or lemon zest.  Offer Lemon Scones with Lemon Curd. Glaze Orange Scones with a mixture of powdered sugar, milk or cream and orange zest all measured to taste and consistency.

Cinnamon Walnut Scones: Substitute 1 tablespoon cinnamon for the nutmeg and walnuts for the currents. 

Ginger Scones: Substitute ¼ cup finely diced crystallized ginger for the currants and omit the nutmeg.

Chocolate Chunk Oat Bran Scones:  Substitute chocolate chunks for currants and substitute cinnamon for nutmeg.  Increase butter by 2 tablespoons, substitute buttermilk for heavy cream and increase by ¼ cup and add 1 cup oat bran.

Dried Cherry or Cranberry Scones: Substitute dried cherries or cranberries for the currents.  Substitute cinnamon for the nutmeg.  Add 1½ teaspoons grated orange zest (optional).  Add 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional).

Lemon Curd

8 egg yolks

½ cup lemon juice (juice of 3 to 4 small lemons)

1½ teaspoons lemon zest (zest of approximately 1 small lemon)

⅔ cup sugar

¼ cup unsalted butter

Whisk together egg yolks, juice, zest and sugar in the top of a double boiler or in a metal bowl over gently simmering water.  Cook until thick, whisking frequently for about 10 to 15 minutes. Add butter and stir until completely melted.  Remove from the top of the simmering water to cool.  Place in a glass container for storage.  Cool uncovered in the refrigerator until chilled, then cover.  Keep refrigerated until served.  Makes 2 cups.

Happy Sunday!

My Favorite Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroons

This is an adaptation of the Coconut Macaroon recipe from Baking Pure and Simple.  I love these even more than the traditional recipe.  Using maple syrup instead of sugar makes them soft with just a little extra flavor. Using either my Gluten-Free Baking Mix (beneath the cookie recipe) or just rice or coconut flour works just as well as traditional all purpose flour.  These are great to have around for snacking or sharing.  They freeze very well either after or before dipping in chocolate.  If you freeze them first just be sure they have thawed before you dip them.  It is always fun to drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cookies too.  When freezing cookies use high quality plastic bags.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies and
Coconut Macaroons with Gateau Anna in the background. 

Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroons

2⁄3 cup egg whites (approximately 4 whites)

1¾ cups maple syrup
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1⁄3 cup gluten-free baking mix or rice flour
1¼ pound unsweetened macaroon coconut*
parchment paper
size 50 kitchen scoop (can be purchased online or at any store that sells kitchen stuff)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large stainless steel bowl, whisk together egg whites, maple syrup, salt and vanilla and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Stir often with a whisk just until mixture is warm to the touch, do not let the edges cook.

Using a wooden spoon stir in gluten-free baking mix or rice flour and coconut until thoroughly combined and remove the bowl from the pan of simmering water.  Use a size 50 kitchen scoop to form the cookies and place onto pans lined with parchment paper (the cookies will stick to regular non-stick pans).  The cookies should be about 1½ inch in diameter.  Macaroons do not spread out while baking, so you can place them on the pan with just an inch or so between cookies.  If necessary, reshape the cookies after scooping, wet your fingers in cool water first to keep the coconut mixture from sticking to your hands.

Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, just until lightly brown on top, the bottom edges will be a little browner than the tops.  Cool slightly on the pan before removing to cooling racks.

If desired, dip the bottoms of fully cooled macaroons in melted semisweet chocolate and place on trays lined with parchment paper.  Allow the chocolate to harden before serving or storing.  Makes 5 dozen.

*If substituting sweetened coconut, reduce the sugar to 1¼ cups.

Gluten-Free Baking Mix

If you can find a good gluten-free baking mix that you like then by all means use the commercial product.  I have found these gluten-free mixes to be very good.  You can also make your own gluten-free mixture using the following ingredients.  Make a batch and keep it on hand.  In general you can substitute this one-to-one for white or whole wheat flour. Sometimes you may need to add a little more of the baking mix.

1 cup coconut flour

1 cup potato starch

1 cup tapioca flour

1 cup sweet white sorghum flour

1 cup amaranth flour

Combine all ingredients and store in an air-tight container.  Makes 5 cups.

How to Make a Wedding Cake

Photo by Sunflower Productions

Once upon a time wedding cake was made of fruitcake and royal icing.  It was the equivalent of bricks and mortar to put together.  Fruitcake being very dense would stack up - no problem, each cake on top of the next with only the cake beneath to hold it up.  Royal icing becomes very hard once it has set so it too could withstand the weight of the cake on top.  These days wedding cakes come in all shapes, sizes and flavors and are rarely fruitcake.  This means they require some special treatment in order to stand up tall for hours before they are cut.

Base: For the base of the cake I use a round piece of wood which is approximately 2" bigger than the largest layer of the cake and about 3/8" thick.  I cover this with white contact paper and then use double-sided tape to adhere satin ribbon all round the edge for a finished look once the cake is delivered.  I have several of these rounds in various sizes and if there is a separation between the layers I use the smaller round which is slightly thinner with thinner ribbon for that tier.

Support: Modern wedding cakes are made of any type of cake and usually either buttercream or cream cheese icing so they require support in the form of either commercially purchased plastic pillars or, my personal favorite, the 1/4" thick dowel rod.  I learned to use dowel rods for support in Culinary School, so while it may seem odd to put something you buy at the hardware store in a wedding cake, it's okay.  The great thing about wooden dowel rods is that they are soft enough to score and cut with a French knife on a cutting board.  You only need the dowel rods for cakes which are supporting another cake.  So you will not need them in the smallest top layer.

To measure the height to cut the dowel rod simply push the dowel rod down into the fully iced and decorated cake and when it reaches the bottom twist it just a bit so that the icing marks the top of the cake on the rod.  Remove the rod from the cake and score the dowel rod all the way around with your French knife on a cutting board.  Then continue to roll the dowel beneath the knife until it either cuts through or you are able to break the dowel off.  Tap the dowel rod on the cutting board and use the side of the knife to flatten the end until it is smooth.  Use that dowel to measure all the rest for that cake tier.  Cut about 7 dowels for a 14" tier of cake supporting a 10 or 11" tier and about 5 dowels to support an  8" or 9" tier and 3 dowels to support the top tier of 5" or 6" cake.  Measure the dowels individually for each cake, though your layers are probably all about the same height they may vary by 1/4" or so.  You will want the dowels to sink into the cake and be perfectly flush with the top of the top layer of icing once you put them in.  Put the dowels into the cake so that they will be underneath the next tier of cake, evenly spaced and about half way from the center of the cake to the outside of the cake being supported.

Timing: I recommend making the cake two days prior to the wedding, filling it and covering it with a thin layer of icing (and wrapping it completely) the day before the wedding and then early the morning of the wedding putting on the final icing and decorations.  The final icing and decorating can take 3 to 4 hours and you will want to have the cake back under refrigeration for another 3 to 4 hours before you set it up so work backwards in your mind about when to begin the final phase.  The last piece is that you will want to deliver the cake about 2 hours prior to the wedding reception in order to give yourself time to stack and decorate and clean up before the guests start to arrive.  The times given here are for a large cake for about 150 to 200 people, if it is a smaller cake then you can adjust your timing. Example: For a 5 pm wedding reception, begin final decoration at 8 am so you are finished by 11 am, allowing 3 hours for the cake to chill, then plan to arrive at the reception location by 3 pm for set up.

Delivery: Whenever possible transport the cake in separate tiers each sitting on the flattest area of your car. I have an SUV so the back area folds down to be completely flat which is great.  Bring icing, icing spatulas, decorating tips and bags to make any borders or in case you need to fix anything once you get there. Also bring the double-sided tape and ribbon to finish off the base.  While driving try to accelerate and decelerate as smoothly as possible and take corners slowly.  In general, the cakes are heavy enough that they don't move around much so you should be fine.  Once you arrive find out where the cake will go before taking in any of the tiers.  Sometimes there is a closer entrance and you will want to carry the cake tiers as few steps as possible to avoid any issues - besides they are usually pretty heavy.

Finishing on Site: Place the bottom tier on the cake table and then using the icing spatula put just a little icing over each dowel rod before placing the next cake layer down on top.  Use a clean icing spatula to support the cake as you release it down slowly onto the tier below and gently pull the icing spatula out from between the layers holding it horizontally. Use either fresh flowers which the bride has provided or you have brought along to decorate the area between tiers or pipe a border around the seam between one tier and the next.  Even if you pipe a boarder it is still fun to add a few fresh flowers on the other tiers.  Fresh flowers are great on top of the cake too if their is not a bride and groom statue.  Most of the time fresh flowers are the way to go.  Although sometimes a creative bride and groom will have something else like a bicycle built for two, etc.  Once you finish the cake be sure to clean up all the flowers and get a few photos.  I was a guest at this wedding and so had to go change and never actually took a photo myself so I would like to thank Sunflower Productions for sharing these photo which they took with me.  The last thing to remember is to talk with the bride and groom or directly to the catering staff about how to get all your bases back.

Photo by Sunflower Productions

The cake I made in June was 4 tiers high with each tier stacked upon the other.  Sometimes cakes have separators in the center for space and flowers, etc.  In those cases the crystal pillars and plates which are available commercially are great and very sturdy.  I loved the style this bride and groom choose for their cake.  The wedding was in a barn - a real barn on a real farm - with chickens out back where you parked and a John Deere tractor for the kids to play on out front.  They had made a base for the cake which was from the stump of a tree.  They wanted the icing to mimic the base's bark.  This was a fun and simple way to decorate a cake.  I loved how they brought nature into the theme of the cake and how it fit into the surrounding atmosphere of the raw wood sides of the barn.  It was a beautiful day and so being inside the barn with the sun streaming through the spaces in the wood added to the charming country atmosphere.

The most important thing to remember when making a wedding cake is to breathe.  Weddings are always so happy and icing is pretty forgiving so as long as you have everything you need with you to make any last minute adjustments and plenty of flowers to decorate or cover any areas you cannot adjust, things will turn out great.  Good luck and happy baking!

Experimenting is Good! Simple Tips for Making an Existing Cake Recipe More Moist

Every now and then I need to try something new.  Usually, it's because someone asks me to make something I don't have a recipe for in my collection.  This time it was Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. Now, I have recipes for Lemon Pound Cake, Lemon Chiffon Cake, Almond Cake with lemon zest, and I have recipes for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins and Breads, but I did not have a recipe for Lemon Poppy Seed Cake.  So, I had to look around for one.  I wanted one made with butter and buttermilk and as luck would have it the first one I found had both. Perfect!

I made this perfect Lemon Poppy Seed Cake and the flavor was good, but it was just a little dry.  So I did some more research on what to do when you want to make a cake more moist.  After much experimenting here are my favorite tips for making a cake more moist.

Tips for Making a Cake More Moist

These first two are both changes to make to the actual recipe before baking and are intended for a recipe which yields an 8" to 10" cake.

1)  Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in with the liquids. 

2)  Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of sour cream or plain yogurt.  Fold it in at the end or with the wet ingredients. 

These last three are done during or after the cake is already prepared per the existing recipe.

3)  Check the cake 5 minutes before its baking time is up.  Do not under bake the cake, instead test it with a long wooden skewer to see if it might be done.  It the skewer comes out wet it is not done.  If it is dry but has crumbs then it is probably done.  Totally dry and it is done for sure, perhaps too far.  You can also test by touching it lightly with the flat part of your finger, to see if it springs back into its shape, if so then it's done. One more way to tell if it is done or very close is to check the sides of the cake.  If they are pulling away from the cake pan then the cake is probably done. Over baking will dry out the cake, so if you can become an expert at knowing when cakes are done that will help you bake a moister cake.

4)  Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool only 5 minutes on a rack, then put it right into the freezer - still in the pan.  Hopefully, you have a relatively empty area in your freezer for this and can put it on a shelf so that the cold air is all around it.  Leave it there for 30 minutes, then remove it and allow it to cool the rest of the way as needed on a cooling rack before refrigerating it or removing it from the pan. This tip is one is my favorites and took me completely by surprise.  I had seen it on-line but did not believe it could really work.  I was just taking a cake out of the oven when my friend Nico came over and told me that she had tried it.  So I gave it a try and it worked great. Thanks Nico!

5)  Once the cake is fully cooled and while preparing to fill the layers with icing, brush the layers with simple syrup.  This is typically done whenever you are making a genoise style cake and I often recommend it for a chiffon cake as well.  A genoise cake is meant to be dry when finished baking and should always be soaked or brushed with a simple syrup.  It works the best if the layers are being split horizontally as when preparing them for a torte since that opens up the cake and allows the syrup to soak in.  Often the simple syrup can have a small amount of liqueur added to it, such as orange or coffee flavored liqueurs. This is traditionally done when making a trifle. 

The recipe for Simple Syrup from Baking Pure and Simple is in last weeks blog.  It is unbelievably simple as are all of these tips.   

6)  Here is one last tip - try combining one of the tips for changing the recipe along with one or both of the tips for after the cake is baked.   

I hope this is helpful.  Soon I will reveal the revised and perfected Lemon Poppy Seed Cake recipe.  Until then have fun experimenting on your own recipes!

Inspiriation from Disaster! Irish Stout Cake and Irish Cream Cheese Mousse Trifle

Sometimes inspiration springs from disaster.  I was making the Irish Stout Cake from Baking Pure and Simple and as I was taking it out of the oven with my new, stiff hot pads I dropped it right on the edge of the oven rack, splitting it in half.  I quickly flipped it over and saw that about half of it was fine, and half of it was smashed.  So, I made it into this trifle and I think it is my favorite trifle of all time!  It never would have happened unless I had dropped the cake.  Since this was an impromptu inspiration I don't have a photo of this particular trifle.  The closest I could find was for a trifle made with 3 kinds of mousse and strawberries instead of raspberries. Either way I think you get the idea...  

Irish Cream Cheese
Mousse Trifle

1 recipe Irish Stout Cake (below), sliced in half vertically 

1 recipe Irish Cream Cheese Mousse (below), 

4 pints fresh raspberries, 3 pints rinsed once and dried with paper towel 3 times

½ cup raspberry jam (optional)

½ cup Simple Syrup (below)

¾ cup chocolate shavings

In the bottom of a 5-quart trifle bowl begin with a layer of Irish Stout Cake, cut side up.  Top with half of the washed and dried fresh raspberries, lining raspberries up around the outside first then filling in the center with the rest and half the raspberry jam (if desired).  Top with one third of the Cream Cheese Mousse.  Repeat the process with the remaining cake, another third of the mousse and washed and dried raspberries.  Place the remaining mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe into rosettes around the edges of the trifle bowl then make a circle of rosettes in the center of the top layer of raspberries.  Sprinkle the open area between the whipped cream rosettes with the unwashed raspberries and the chocolate shavings.  Serves 16 to 20.

Irish Stout Cake 

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

½ cup unsalted butter

1½ cups brown sugar

½ cup molasses

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup stout beer

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a metal bowl over simmering water in a saucepan, set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar.  Add one egg at a time, mixing until thoroughly incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  Add molasses and vanilla and mix until combined, scraping down the bowl.  Add a little of the batter to the melted chocolate and stir to combine completely.  Add the chocolate mixture back to the batter and mix until combined.

Slowly add the beer to the batter in intervals, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions.  Sift the flour, salt and baking soda.  When the beer has been fully incorporated, add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix until thoroughly combined.  Add the buttermilk, again scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing until fully incorporated.  Add the remaining flour mixture and mix thoroughly.  Pour the batter into a greased 10-inch round spring form pan.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Allow the cake to cool completely.  Run a knife around the edge of the cake before removing the outer ring of the spring form pan.

Simple Syrup

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup water

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan.  Cook on high heat until boiling and sugar has dissolved.   Cool.  Store in the refrigerator.  Makes ½ cup.

Irish Cream Cheese Mousse

12 ounces cream cheese

1 cup sugar

½ cup Irish cream liqueur such as Bailey's

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 quart heavy cream

Whip heavy cream and set aside in the refrigerator.  Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, cream the cream cheese and the sugar.  Stop mixing and scrape down the bowl at least once then resume mixing.  Add vanilla and continue to mix, stopping to scrape down the sides often.  Add the Irish cream liqueur and scrape down the sides at least once during mixing.  When the cream cheese mixture is soft and well combined, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in thirds.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

More trifle recipes are available in Baking Pure and Simple.

Happy Birthday Baking Pure & Simple!!!

Happy Birthday Baking Pure & Simple.  One year ago today after 4 and a half years of baking, testing, writing and rewriting, editing and proof reading, *sigh*... Baking Pure & Simple became a real book.

It has been an amazing year, learning about self-publishing, hearing from people who love the book, getting cookies, scones and linzertorte from my own recipes given back to me as gifts and finally overcoming my fear of marketing.  Yes, fear of marketing.  I am pretty sure it is a real thing.  But I am over it now and yesterday I had my first opportunity to talk about the book in public followed by a book signing where I sold out!  Many thanks to everyone who made it happen and participated.  Many thanks also to everyone who has put a review out on Amazon.  BP&S currently has 5 stars and 7 reviews.  A few of them almost made me cry!  Amazon seems to also be celebrating Baking Pure & Simple's Birthday by offering it on sale. Thanks Amazon!!!

So, to celebrate here is a recipe from the Holiday Cookie Assortment/Marathon section of the book.  A creative favorite which is even naturally gluten-free.  A woman named Vino gave me this recipe back when I was working at Weber's Inn in 1987.  It is an alternative to regular Coconut Macaroons, which are just about my all time favorite thing.  You can see the Orange Almond Macaroons tucked under the Corn Flake Wreaths and the brown Basler Brunsli cookies, and across from the Almond Cookies, another one of my favorites.

Orange Almond Macaroons

5 egg whites
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2¾ cups ground almonds
3 cups unsweetened coconut
¼ cup orange zest (zest of 2 oranges)
2 tablespoons orange liqueur

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whip whites, adding powdered sugar slowly. Once whites are stiff, gently fold in nuts, coconut, orange zest and orange liqueur.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto non-stick trays. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes.

When cool, dip the bottom half of each cookie in melted chocolate and place on a tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle the tops with melted chocolate to finish. Allow the chocolate to harden before serving or storing. Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

Thanks again to everyone who has purchased, given or shared info about the book.  I am so happy and grateful that these recipes are out there, getting crazy in your kitchens!  Happy Birthday Baby!

Not Your Mom's Apple Pie...

I love to make these apples at Thanksgiving.  One year my sisters were over and I was in a particularly silly mood while finishing them up.  I started imitating Julia Child, explaining each step along the way in a loud, high-pitched voice.  I always remember that moment when I bake them.  They are best if served with French vanilla ice cream.

These actually taste as good as they look.  Get in your kitchen and get crazy making these on "Baking Wednesday". They hold up perfectly in the refrigerator.  Make the caramel sauce the same day you serve them.

I hope you have a happy, safe Thanksgiving and that fabulous things are happening all around you!

Baked Apples with Caramel Sauce

1 recipe Pâte Brisée (below)
6 small Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
18 pecan halves
1 teaspoon cinnamon and ½ cup each sugar and brown sugar, mixed
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup pecans, chopped
12 ½-inch chunks of unsalted butter, about ¼ cup
juice of 1 lemon
1 egg, beaten
1 recipe Caramel Sauce (below)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Dip the apples in lemon juice as they are peeled and cored. Combine sugar mixture with raisins and chopped pecans. Roll each apple in the sugar mixture. Then place one chunk of butter inside the bottom of the cored apple. Place some of the sugar mixture with the raisins and chopped pecans inside the apple and top with another butter chunk.

Roll out one of the six Pâte Brisée disks and place the prepared apple in the center of the pastry. Pull up all the sides to enclose the apple at the other end of the core. Wet the edges to seal and pinch to close. Invert the apple so that the sealed edge is down on the baking pan and curve the excess pastry around the sides of the apple, smoothing it gently and tucking any excess underneath. Continue with the remaining apples and Pâte Brisée until all have been wrapped. Cut a small X in the pastry at the top of each apple with a sharp knife. Brush the pastry with beaten egg on the top and sides and bake at 425°F for 10 minutes or until pastry begins to brown. Turn the oven down to 350°F and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes until the apples seem to soften. Check them with a sharp knife. While still warm remove the apples to serving platters or plates. Top each with 3 pecan halves and Caramel Sauce just before serving. Serves 6.

Half Size Baked Apples:  If you can only find large Granny Smith apples it is a good idea to cut them in half. Follow the instructions, filling where the core would have been with the sugar nut mixture and placing a smaller chunk of butter on each end. Place the apple cut side down on the rolled out pastry dough and wet the edge of the dough all around the perimeter before bringing the edges up to form three sides which meet in the center. Pinch the edges together all the way to make a point at the center top. Fold over the edges and then as you place the apple on the baking sheet fold the edges of the three points of pastry underneath the apple. Brush with the egg as noted. Prick the pastry with a fork on all three sides before baking as directed.

Note: These apples hold up very well in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat them before serving for about 20 minutes at 350°F.

Pâte Brisée

2 cups flour
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
7 ounces unsalted butter, chilled (1 cup less 2 tablespoons)
1 egg
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon milk

Mix flour, sugar and salt together. Using your hands, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly; small chunks of butter may still be visible. Whisk eggs and milk together in a separate bowl. Add into the flour mixture all at once and mix just until combined. Use your hands to press the mixture together until it is mostly holding its shape with just a few loose areas. Place on a floured board and fold and flatten 4 times. The dough should now be mostly uniform with a few flecks of butter here and there. Press the dough into 6 round disks. Wrap each disk individually in plastic wrap. Chill for at least an hour. Remove from the refrigerator about an hour before using. Makes enough for 6 baked apples.

Caramel Sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
11/3 cups brown sugar
11/3 cups heavy cream, divided

Combine butter, brown sugar and 1 cup of the cream in a sauce pan, reserving remaining cream. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly with a whisk and keeping the whisk in contact with the bottom of the saucepan. Continue cooking for about 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture thickens and browns to a caramel color. Use caution since the mixture will bubble and steam. Continue stirring until the mixture is the desired consistency, adding the remaining cream if necessary. Makes 2 cups.

Note: The sauce may be refrigerated for about a week. To reheat, return to boiling, adding small amounts of cream, until desired thickness is reached.

Did you know Baking Pure & Simple is available on Amazon...  

and you can peek inside.

Back to Baking

The other day I brought some Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies into work.  A friend happened by and remarked - "Hey, who made the cookies?"  I chimed in that I had and she said, "Oh, so you're baking again....?" and I answered  "Well, yes... I guess I am."

Sometimes we get away from ourselves.  We get caught up in all the things we need to do and think about.  We get caught up in the day to day traffic of our lives.  We become removed from our basic passion for the things that make us feel the most alive and the most connected to who we are.  It's okay.  It happens.  There is probably a very good reason or maybe several reasons, why I did not bake for a while - learning to ski..., changes at my day job..., Mercury in retrograde - take your pick!  Any number of things can cause us to turn away temporarily from our source of inner satisfaction and peace.  That said, it is good to be back to baking.

For me baking is both an indicator that I am in my sweet spot (could not resist the pun) and also a remedy when I am out of sorts.  Waking up this 4th of July morning without a big plan, I found myself drawn to make a Linzertorte which I had picked up the ingredients for several days ago.  Now, if you have a copy of the book then you know that Linzertorte is a recipe from my Grandma Lisl.  It is a traditional German nut pastry layered with raspberry jam.  I learned to make it when I was about 13 years old.  It is my father's favorite thing, though it is my grandmother on my mother's side who used to make it.  So, I usually bake one for my dad as a birthday present.  I am a little late on that, but catching up now.

Since the recipe makes two full Linzertortes I decided to make half the regular way and half with gluten-free baking mix and maple syrup.  Not only was I in the mood to bake, I was in the mood to experiment.  Ooh la la!!! 

The jury is still out on the experimental version...  I will be working in my laboratory (uh, I mean kitchen) to perfect that item for all you beloved gluten-free friends and I promise to have it for you soon.  Something to look forward to!

Meantime, here it is.  Grandma Lisl's Linzertorte recipe.  Thanks grandma, for helping me find my bliss and reminding me to be myself.

Linzertorte

3 cups flour
1 cup unsalted butter
1½ cups sugar
2 1/3 cups ground pecans
2 tablespoons cocoa
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons whiskey
1 egg, slightly beaten

12 ounces raspberry jam

1 egg slightly beaten for egg wash


Using your hands, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Add the sugar, nuts, cocoa and spices. Continue to mix with your hands. Add the whiskey and the egg. Mix together and work into ball. Divide the dough into 6 balls and shape each one into flat disks. Chill overnight.

Remove the disks of dough from the refrigerator about a hour before beginning to prepare the torte. Preheat oven to 300°F. Roll out one disk to about ¼-inch thickness and place it in a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing together any cracks and pressing up the sides of the pan. Watch that the corners do not become too thick. Spread ¼ cup of the raspberry jam thinly to within a ¼-inch of the edge of the pan. Roll out the second layer of dough and cover the layer of jam. Spread with another ¼ cup of the jam. Roll out the last layer. Cut into strips and make a lattice design with them over the top or cut into heart (or maybe star) shapes and arrange in a pattern over the jam. This dough is very fragile, but if you push it together, it heals while baking. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly then add more jam in the open spaces between the strips or hearts while the torte is still warm.

When the torte is completely cool remove the outer ring of the tart pan. My grandmother always said it was best if stored in the freezer for a few months before serving, but I find that it is okay to serve after a day or two of refrigeration. Be sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap and freezer bags during storage.

Makes 2 10-inch Linzertortes, serving 8 each.

Happy Remember to be Independent Day

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Decisions, Decisions...

Too many recipes, not enough time.  Or in my case, too many post holiday sales on boots and not enough hours in the day to find the right pair.  Alas, that is another story....don't worry, it has more than one happy ending.

By now some of you have the book.  So, the question is: What are you going to do with it?  Maybe you are going to read all the little quips about why this or that recipe is special.  Maybe you are going to sit with your kids and look at the pictures, playing the game "That Looks Good."  Maybe you are going to go through the index looking for the "gluten free goodies" section.  Maybe (and I really hope this is what you are doing) you are going to look through the book and find that one recipe that says, "Bake me... bake me right now!"

Maybe you are overwhelmed by the choices, like me with the boots, (by the way, please don't mention my name to the people in the shoe department of Von Maur, I am pretty sure that I am banished for life for trying on every pair in the store... and of course none of them are now residing in my closet.)  My point is that if you are having trouble choosing - I understand!  But here is the really great part.  You don't have to choose only one recipe to make.  That's right!  You just have to get started with one.  See how easy it is?  Yes, so maybe still you are perplexed and thinking, but the trifle has so many parts to it and Santa did not bring me the French bread pans I asked for.  Don't worry.  Start small.  Focus on just one section, like Cookies, Bars and Truffles (or just shop for black boots that narrows it down, opps, there I go again.)

Once you are in the section that draws you in, take a deep breath and find the one recipe that you keep coming back to.  You know there is one that caught your eye.  Pencil, paper, shopping list.  GO!

Now comes the fun part.  Get in the kitchen and get baking.  And when all is said and done and the cookies have gone from the cooling rack to the cookie jar to the crumbs on the counter; I want to hear about it.  Tell me what you made.  Or, if you have not had time to bake yet, tell me what you want to make.  Nothing in the world (not even the moment when I actually did find the perfect pair of black boots) makes me happier than when I hear someone say "I made your recipe."  It happened just yesterday; it caught me completely off guard and inspired me to get back to the blog.   I promised that I would blog before the end of the weekend with a new recipe and so, now that I have finished boot shopping for the moment, here is my recipe choice from the book for you.  Hopefully, it will not only satisfy your desire to bake, but also help you use up any leftover ingredients from your holiday.

January Cookies

Soft Molasses Cookies with Crystallized Ginger,
Peanut Butter Cookies and January Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup corn flakes

1 to 1½ cups raisins or dates

1 to 1½ cups chopped walnuts

1 to 1½ cups shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Add melted butter to sugar, add eggs and mix.  Sift flour, soda, salt and nutmeg together and add to the mixture.  Add oatmeal, corn flakes (crush slightly before adding), raisins or chopped dates, nuts and coconut.  Mix together.  Roll into 1½-inch balls and flatten before placing on non-stick cookie sheets.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.  Makes 3 dozen.

This recipe originally comes from my grandma Gert.  I added the walnuts and coconut to it just to use stuff up one year after the holiday cookie marathon.  That is why I renamed them January Cookies.  I will make them this weekend.  If you make them too it will almost be like we are in the kitchen together.  

Happy New Year, Happy Baking and Happy Boot Shopping to All!

You can purchase Baking Pure & Simple on createspace. 

At Last!

At last... the book is out and I am speechless...

You can purchase Baking Pure & Simple on createspace.

 Enjoy and Thank You!

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book helps support

southeastern Michigan's largest food bank, Food Gatherers.  

I Left My Heart... in San Francisco

Go ahead - fall in love.  I know, its scary.  Dangerous.  Full of dark places you are not ready to explore....  That is why I am advocating for the long distance relationship here.  The kind of thing that can only get you into so much trouble.  I am going to confess.  I'm in!

It was kind of blind date, I guess.  A friend fixed me up.  Told me how great...blah, blah, blah...  So I thought how bad could it be?  Maybe I should just see what happens.  Off I went.  Here in San Francisco for just a few days.  The possibility of romance was too alluring to pass up.

I had to ask directions to the place, but I found it alright.  It was so classic on the outside that I had to take a photo.  Once inside I was instantly charmed by the sight of a glass covered bakery counter filled with piles of croissants... almond, hazelnut chocolate, plain and turnovers, apple and lemon... I don't know what all was in there.  I zeroed in on the lemon turnover, wondering if there was lemon curd inside... um... lemon curd, yum....

Just then a small dark haired woman appeared behind the counter.  She was barely able to see over the top.  I asked about the lemon turnover, but I really did not get a straight answer about the the contents.  She directed my attention to the right of the lemon turnover, to the apple turnover.  It was lovely!  Shaped like a half moon with curved striations on top and the most beautiful toasty brown color.  The whole package.  So, I went for it.  Just add coffee (decaf please.)  I choose one of the small black lacquer tables near the window with the signature sign painted on the glass just above.  I could watch people going by on their way everywhere.  I removed the turnover from its traditional bakery bag and immediately tore it in half.  No waiting...  I could see the apples in the filling, tiny golden morsels.  I took a bite from the center.  The pastry was perfect.  Not too sweet and just the right combination of tender and crispy.  The apples were wonderfully seasoned and diced so small that it was easy to savor the combination of the pastry and the filling.  Um...  I took a minute...  I had a sip of coffee.  Fade to black.

After having my way with the apple turnover, I finished my coffee.  Content for the moment, but only for the moment.  Before leaving I went back to the coveted glass counter and ordered an almond croissant and, yes, the lemon turnover I was first so attracted to when I came in - to go, of course.  I noticed that they had adorable boxes of those cute little filled French almond macaroons in about a dozen flavors.  My sister and I had just been talking about those cookies.  I decided that I would come back before leaving the city to pick up a box for her.  Maybe it was just an excuse to visit my new love once more.  After all, it is possible that we may only have these 3 days together and then never see each other again; I wanted to make the most of it.

What is that?  You want to have a date with my new love the next time you are in San Francisco?   You think I will tell you how to find my treasure...  I have never heard of such a bold request.  It is very modern, I guess... maybe just this once, I could be persuaded to share.

I fell in love with La Boulange Bakery on Sutter Street a block and a half west of Stockton Street.  You have options they have several locations.

P.S.  I just broke down and had a bite, okay 3 bites, okay 5 bites, of the lemon turnover.  It is lemon curd inside!  With tiny sugar crystals on the top, and that same wonderful pastry...  Totally sublime.  Always go with your first instinct when it comes to love.  Then again, is it that much sweeter in comparison to the apple turnover?  Or perhaps because I have been thinking about it for a few hours?  Somethings we will never understand. 

Do Big Things

I will always remember something that I heard in the very first commencement ceremony I was responsible for some years ago.  Our speaker was a big internet guru and I don't know if I have his exact words here but it went something like this:  "Do big things and people will help you."

I think it stayed with me because I had just put on this ceremony, an event bigger than anything I had ever done before, and just about everyone I worked with had helped.  Something about hearing him say those words made me realize that no one could have done it alone.  It also inspired me and gave me courage to start projects, knowing that if I did not have all the pieces in place at the beginning, I could trust that other people, who had skills I did not possess, would be able to help.

This has been the case at every stage of writing Baking Pure and Simple - help has been there when needed.  In the beginning it was Audrey who did the beautiful photography, then Julie who helped with the proof reading, Stasia who offered to index it and most recently Mira who has been working with me for almost a year on the graphic layout.  Not to mention everyone who suffered through all those samples.... Words could never fully express how grateful I am to all of you!

Now in these final weeks it seems like the book has its own energy, and its own force toward becoming and getting out into the world; like it is pulling itself forward instead of me pushing it out there.  Yesterday, I proofread the first hard copy of the actual book while sitting on a plane for 4 hours.  Luck was there again as on an almost full flight I managed to have an open seat next to me so I could get the work done in comfort.

Okay, so what does all this have to do with baking and the Holiday Cookie Marathon?  

I knew you were going to ask me that!  Today's recipe is for the Corn Flake Wreaths.  Why?  Because you have to have a friend help you make them.  One person shapes the wreaths while the other person follows behind and puts on the red hot cinnamon dots before the cookies get too cool.  If the wreaths get too cool the red hots will not stick.  

There is no other way to do it.  So find a friend and get in the kitchen!

Corn Flake Wreaths

¾ cups unsalted butter

21 ounces miniature marshmallows

8 cups corn flakes

green food coloring

red hot cinnamon dots

vegetable shortening to grease your hands

In a large pot, melt the butter and marshmallows slowly over very low heat.  Stir until completely melted and uniform consistency.  Remove from heat.  Add green food coloring to desired shade.  Add corn flakes and stir with a wooden spoon until mixed.  Shape into wreaths with greased hands and place on greased trays or greased parchment paper.   Have a friend decorate with 3 to 5 red hot dots immediately.   

Makes approximately 4 dozen.

Who are you?

Several years ago I was at an event for students and the host had planned an ice breaker.  I was just standing around, making sure everything was going okay when someone handed me a small pencil and a sticky note.  I heard the host say "write down your Epitaph - write down how you would like to be remembered at the end of your life."  Wow, kinda morbid, was my first thought, especially since the event was for a bunch of college students who all had bright futures.  Then I looked at my sticky note and I knew exactly what to write. 

"The quintessential author of books on pastry and vegetarian cooking." 

There.  That was it.  I did not have to think about it, or edit it or second guess it.  I knew.  I suddenly had a great appreciation for this ice breaker.  In fact, I thought it was one of the best games I had ever played.  That sticky note is still pinned up just behind my computer at work (where I do not currently write cookbooks.)  I think at the time I had just started working on Baking Pure and Simple, my first cookbook which will be ready for publication sometime in the next two weeks.  I has taken 4 years, or 34 years, however you want to look at it, to write this book.  Yesterday I saw the final proof from the on-line publisher and by next week I will hold a proof in my hands. 

So, I guess this is not what you were expecting when you came to read my baking blog today, but it is what you get.  Baking inspires me, it is the gift I have to give to the rest of the world.  What inspires you?  Who are you?  At the end of your life how will you be remembered?  Whether or not I actually become the quintessential author of books on pastry and vegetarian cooking doesn't matter.  What matters is that I am going for it. 

So, now, just so you won't be disappointed I am also going to give you a recipe.  I love these simple Cinnamon Stars.   They are in the lower front corner of the photo, next to the Lemon Bars with Coconut Crust (patience... patience....)

Most of the members of the Holiday Cookie Marathon are in this photo.  From the Cinnamon Stars moving clockwise we have:  Honey Almond Shortbreads, Cornflake Wreaths, Ginger Molasses Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Viennese Cookies, Rum Balls, Basler Brunsi, Orange Almond Macaroons, Lemon Bars with Coconut Crust and Thumbprint Cookies in the center.  I will keep the holiday cookie recipes coming over the next few weeks. 

Cinnamon Stars

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

2 tablespoons milk

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, then milk and combine. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture and mix until just combined. Chill for 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Roll out approximately 3⁄8-inch thickness. Cut with star shaped cookie cutters. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.