Wheat flour = maida

Pie Crust RecipesHow To Make A Perfect Flaky Pie Crust for the Holidays

Nov 20, 2007 Donna Diegel

Mixing & Weighing the Pie Crust - Donna DiegelStill struggling with the old pie crust recipe? Follow these simple, easy tips for making pie crust just like Grandma used to make. Make this holiday a delicious one

This recipe looks complicated but once you master this easy technique for making perfect pie crust, you'll never go

back to your old recipe again.

Pie Crust Recipes Tips 101:

All purpose flour works best. Whole wheat makes a heartier crust, but it can also come out gummy and

tough. Any solid shortening will do

Pie pans can be disposable aluminum, glass Pyrex, embossed tin. Do not spray or grease the pie pan.

Rolling pins can be a wood rolling pin, or the newest stainless steel. It doesn't matter as long as you keep it

coated with flour as you work the pie crust. The pastry blender is a handy gadget usually made of stainless steel. It has a handle attached to 5 or 6

sharp thin blades that cut through the shortening and dough. Much like using two knives, it is quicker and

less messy with the same results.

Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup solid vegetable shortening/4 ounce(125 gm ) butter

3/4 cup cool water (more or less) not cold

How To Make a Perfect Flaky Pie Crust1st Step:

Measure flour and salt into a large bowl making a well in the middle. Put shortening into the well.

Coat both hands with flour well. Being careful not to touch the shortening, break up the shortening into

chunks. This is an important step. Do not let the heat of your hands melt the shortening. The least amount of

contact with the shortening the better.

With both hands, work the shortening into the flour using a circular, rubbing motion, always keeping contact

with the flour, not the shortening, pick up more flour and shortening as you go. Always keep the shortening

in the middle of the flour. It should look like a small peas, with the shortening being totally incorporated into the flour.

2nd Step:

Pour half the water in, gathering it into a ball. Continue adding the water until it comes together in a soft ball

of dough. You may need more or less water depending on the humidity. Do NOT knead the dough as in

bread making. Work the dough as little as you have to, just enough to keep it formed in a ball.

Divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal portions.

Cover the dough and refrigerate it for later, or use now.

3rd Step:

Take a handful of flour and throw/sprinkle it down on a counter top. Put the ball of dough in the middle of the

flour. Coat your rolling pin with flour. Start rolling the dough with the pin, turning the dough to get a round shape.

This may take several passes over the dough, turning this way and that. Flip the dough over carefully,

adding flour to your surface as needed. Finish rolling on this side to make a circle that is 4" bigger than your

pan. Fold the dough in half, place it in the pan unfolding to fit. Trim if necessary, but not too much. You want to

have enough to fold the edges under. Fold the edges under, turning the pan and pressing the edge as you go.

You now have a choice as to how you want to finish the crust. If you are making an open pie as in pumpkin

or pecan, press the edges down with a fork to seal the edge and give it a nice pattern. Or, you can crimp the edges using your thumb and forefinger of your left hand and the forefinger of your

right hand, and go around the edge of the pie making a v-shaped pattern, all the while keeping the edge

slightly higher than the pie pan.

Makes 3-4, 8 or 9 inch crusts

Read more at Suite101: Pie Crust Recipes: How To Make A Perfect Flaky Pie Crust for the Holidays http://www.suite101.com/content/best-pie-crust-recipe-a36015#ixzz17DpjN1NH

Homemade Apple Pie Recipe With Fresh ApplesRecipe for Apple Pie Baked with Granny Smiths in a Flaky Pie Crust

Aug 21, 2008 Donna Diegel

Double Crust Apple Pie -Donna DiegelThe best homemade apple pie recipe made with Granny Smith apples, brown sugar & spices in a flaky pie crust. Dress it up with a fluted double crust and serve à la mode!

Who doesn't have fond memories of Grandma's old-fashioned, homemade apple pie cooling on an open windowsill?

The perfect harmony of apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar wafting through the house was enough to make

company salivate. Look no further. Here's how to make the perfect homemade apple pie!

Homemade Apple Pie Recipe Made With Fresh Apples

Recipe for 9" Double Crust Pie Crust (The Best Ever Pie Crust Recipe makes enough for 4 single crusts or

2 double crust pies. Divide the recipe in half or freeze the extra crusts.) 6 cups Granny Smith apple slices, peeled and cored

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg to taste

2 Tablespoons cold butter, cut in small pieces

1 Tablespoon milk or cream for brushing the top crust

1 Tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon for dusting the crust

Directions - How To Make an Apple Pie:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Roll out the pie crust bottom and tops according to The Best Pie Crust directions, leaving enough overhang

to fold underneath. Place the bottom pie crust evenly in a 9" pie pan or ceramic pie dish and set aside. Fold

the top crust in half and place a towel over it so it doesn't dry out.

3. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice. Add sugars, flour and spices if desired, mixing

gently.

4. Fold into prepared pie crust and dot with cold butter.

5. Follow the double crust directions below.

6. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbly. Place a piece of aluminum foil

around the rim if the edges start to brown too fast.

7. Remove to cooling rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

8. Serve Apple Pie à la mode with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

9. Refrigerate any leftovers.

10. Makes 1 double crust apple pie. Serves 8.

How To Make a Double Pie Crust:

Unfold the top crust and place over the top of the apples. Fold the edges of the top crust over and under the

bottom edges and flute with your fingertips. Likewise, the crust can also be sealed with the tines of a dinner

fork. Brush the pastry crust with milk or cream and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar.

Cut small slits or vent holes into the top crust using a knife or a very small cookie cutter.

Read more at Suite101: Homemade Apple Pie Recipe With Fresh Apples: Recipe for Apple Pie Baked with Granny Smiths in a Flaky Pie Crust http://www.suite101.com/content/homemade-apple-pie-recipe-with-fresh-apples-a65461#ixzz17DpwWv8q

Chocolate French Silk Pie RecipeDelicious Rich and Creamy Death-By-Chocolate Dessert

Nov 21, 2007 Donna Diegel

KitchenAid Mixer - Kerri MartinReady for a Chocolate Orgasm? Melt-in-your-mouth chocolate filling in a flaky crust, piled high with sweetened whipped cream. This pie will knock your socks off!

French Silk Pie Tips, Tricks and Ingredients:

This is not the time to scrimp on ingredients. Only the best will do.

Chocolate: Use the very best unsweetened gourmet chocolate you can buy. Baker's is the most popular. It

comes in one ounce squares. Important! It MUST be unsweetened chocolate. Butter: Pure butter is the only way to go. If you must substitute, use a butter blend or high grade margarine.

Make sure it is softened, not cold or warm. Whipping Cream: Also called heavy cream, has the most butter-fat. Make sure it is fresh.

Pie Pans: Any pan will do, but your pie will look especially nice in a deep dish pan. It also gives you more

height to pile the whipped cream as high as you dare. Mixer: A high speed Kitchen Aid mixer will whip this pie together in no time. Doing it by hand will take forever

and will not give you the same results.

French Silk Pie Recipe

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

3 one ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

2 tsp pure vanilla

3 large eggs

Directions:Part 1:

1. Melt chocolate in a small bowl over hot water. Do not let the chocolate harden up.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter at medium to high speed about 1 minute.

3. Add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and continue to beat until light and fluffy. This will take 3-5 minutes. Scrape

bowl often. It must be mixed long enough so it is no longer gritty.

4. Slowly add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture, beating on low to medium speed until the chocolate is

well blended and mixture is smooth and creamy. Scrape again.

5. On medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beating after each one before adding the next egg.Scrape bowl.

6. Add vanilla and give it one more mix.

7. Spread into The Best Ever Pie Crust. Set aside.

Part 2:

1 cup Whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)

1/2 tsp pure vanilla

Chocolate curls, optional for garnish

Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl, beat cream until it sets up. There is no way to explain how long this will take. Every

mixer is different. It should be light and fluffy and look like soft whipped cream. Do NOT let it get to the butter

stage which can happen very quickly. If in doubt, under mix. You can always whip it a little more after the

sugar is added.

2. Add powdered sugar and and vanilla and beat until fluffy and stiff. Do not over beat.

3. Put whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and decorate the pie. Or pile the cream on

high with a spatula.

4. Sprinkle with chocolate curls.

5. Refrigerate pie and any leftovers.

Makes one 9 inch pie

Read more at Suite101: Chocolate French Silk Pie Recipe: Delicious Rich and Creamy Death-By-Chocolate Dessert http://www.suite101.com/content/chocolate-french-silk-pie-recipe-a36084#ixzz17DqRYQds

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1. Butter – 125 gm, chopped (softened)

2. Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

3. Brown sugar – 1/3 cup (75 gm), firmly packed

Caster sugar – 1/3 cup (75 gm)

4. Egg – 1, room temperature

5. Plain flour – 1 1/4 cups (185 gm)

6. Bicarbonate of soda – 1/2 tsp

7. Walnuts – 1/4 cup (30 gm), toasted and finely chopped (optional)

8. Dark choc chips – 1 cup (190 gm)

Preheat oven to 180 degree 10 minutes before baking. Beat butter, essence, sugars and egg in small

bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in sifted dry ingredients, nuts and choc chips. Drop level

tablespoons of mixture about 5 cm apart on greased oven trays, press down lightly. Bake for 12 minutes

or until browned lightly. Stand cookies 2 minutes before lifting onto wire racks to cool.

The above measurement yields around 25 cookies.

Read more: http://www.mariasmenu.com/snacks-starters/chocolate-chip-cookies#ixzz17DtdKHR6

Secrets of really good chocolate chip cookies

updated February 28, 2010

The recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House Morsels [tm] bag   makes fine cookies, and if you were to follow it precisely, you couldn't go too far wrong. However, based upon my own experience and that of others, I advise a few minor modifications and refinements.

First, always use real butter. Don't let anyone convince you that butter vs. margarine doesn't make any difference. It does.

Another reason to use real butter instead of margarine or Crisco: HYDROGENATED FATS. As in, margarine and Crisco are teeming with them, while butter is a natural product and contains no hydrogenated fats.

Second, TRIPLE the amount of vanilla extract recommended. This means to use a tablespoon where a teaspoon is specified. Also, always use real vanilla extract and not "vanillin," which is bogus, although cheaper, and sold next to the genuine article in many grocery stores. Feh.

(Incidentally, vanilla is a wondrous and versatile substance. Click here to find out everything you ever wanted to know about vanilla, and some things you never suspected.)

Third, and this can make a big difference, don't just let the butter sit out at room temperature to become soft. Instead, melt it, very carefully, so that it doesn't burn (you can use a double boiler -- if anyone out there still has one! -- or else a microwave oven that is set very low and which you are watching like a hawk). A microwave can burn the butter in a second if you turn your back at an inopportune moment. (Use a Pyrex or other microwave-safe transparent container if you do this, so you can watch the butter closely.) Melted butter, because it is both warm and liquid, does a much better job of dissolving and melting the sugar than a room-temperature creamed butter can do, improving the consistency of the dough as you are working with it, and also improving the texture of the cookies after they are baked. My friend Lizabeth says that she gets much better results using melted butter and superfine granulated sugar, and I believe her; however, I have never had a problem with the texture of cookies made with ordinary granulated sugar.

Also, if you're like me, you have often had a problem with your brown sugar clumping together into giant bricks, which you are then banging on the edge of the kitchen counter in order to break them up enough to use the stuff; still, big lumps of brown sugar survive even into the baked cookies. Well, if you take the big solid mass of brown sugar, roughly the volume you desire, put it into the microwave with the melting butter in the Pyrex cup, and let it melt on a very low setting for a few minutes, you will find that the brown sugar will liquefy very nicely. It will help it along if you stir the contents for a few seconds after removing the cup from the microwave. It will then pour smoothly into the mixing bowl. Let it cool briefly before adding the eggs, so they don't poach before you can mix them into the other wet ingredients.

Many correspondents have written to tell me that a slice of white bread, placed into the sealed plastic bag with the bricklike mass of brown sugar, will soften it within a day. My mother likes to use a slice of apple. In either case, put it into the plastic bag with the brown sugar and seal it up and check it again in 24 hours.

Fourth, add a little milk, maybe just a tablespoon or two, when you are mixing the dough. This will make it less stiff and the cookies will be less hard and crunchy when they are done. If you do this, though, make sure the dough is nice and cold as you

drop it onto the cookie sheet, and also make sure the cookie sheet is room temperature or cooler when you put the dough on it and put it into the oven. If the dough melts around the edges before it starts to bake, sometimes the edges will burn or get too brown. Frankly, the cookies always taste better if you let the dough chill overnight before baking anyway. It's just that most of us don't have the patience!

Fifth, if you like, try leaving out part of the sugar. I find sometimes that these cookies are easier to take if even 1/8 cup (two tablespoons) of the sugar (white or brown) is omitted. Don't leave out more than that though.

If you like, try adding a 10 ounce bag of Reese's peanut butter chips, along with the chocolate chips. This makes a great cookie, but if you do this it is probably best to omit the nuts. Or, try adding a bag of butterscotch chips and substituting oatmeal for the nuts.

A lot of people have written to tell me that they love to add a package of instant vanilla pudding mix. This does sound good and it makes sense for a lot of reasons. I will try it sometime soon.

You can also experiment with untraditional mixes of white and brown sugar until you achieve the version you like best. In addition, although I have not yet tried this myself, I am told that it is possible to substitute honey on a one-to-one basis for the brown sugar, resulting in nice chewy cookies with a longer shelf life. I recently received mail from someone who likes to use almond extract in equal parts with vanilla, and who also tells me that the honey trick didn't work for her. But she does recommend substituting bran for a small part of the flour (I would make it not more than a tablespoon or two) to make the cookies chewier. She sometimes adds cinnamon "to taste," (I'd say, not more than a teaspoon total, and perhaps less) and observes that stirring chopped-up Heath bars into the dough can create a great cookie. (She didn't say this specifically, but I'd advise against using the cinnamon and Heath bars in the same batch.)

Note that Toll House dough, without chips but with a fair amount of cinnamon, might be a nice variation on the traditional American cookie called the "snickerdoodle."

So many people write to me to ask about problems they run into making Toll House cookies, and the #1 problem I hear about is: "My cookies come out flat! What can I do?" This is such a common problem. Here are the first few things you should check:

-make sure your cookie dough is cold when you put it on the cookie sheet. If you have to chill it in between batches, that's what you should do;

-make sure your cookie sheet is cooled to room temperature between batches. I usually rinse mine under the tap to clean off the crumbs and cool it down;

-mix the dough thoroughly but don't over-mix it;

-try adding a tablespoon up to an additional 1/4 cup of flour to the recipe;

-don't overbake.

Some people experiment with adding baking powder instead of, or in addition to, the baking soda which is part of the recipe. I haven't tried this yet. Other people swear that if you use butter flavored Crisco instead of real butter, this problem goes away. Again, I am a butter loyalist and so I haven't tried that (although in the interests of science, someday I should).

However, because of all those hydrogenated fats I mentioned above, you or I might not want to use Crisco or any other form of shortening in our cookies. How, then, to achieve the desired appearance, texture, and consistency? Here's one trick: instead of using all butter in your cookies, you can use half butter and half liquid vegetable oil (like corn, canola, or safflower oil, or even peanut oil!). This results in a nice chewy cookie with a pleasing appearance and flavor, and a longer shelf life than one baked with butter alone.

A correspondent in Canada urges that real maple syrup (emphasis on the real; no Mrs. Butterworth's, please!) also makes a fine substitute for the brown sugar. (I think I'd also advise against using Heath bars and maple syrup together; maple syrup and cinnamon might be OK.)

Another correspondent says that adding a "dollop" of sour cream improves the texture of the cookies, making them chewier and increasing their shelf life. She swears that the sour cream can't be tasted, and I'm sure that's true; sour cream assimilates well into other foods, and these cookies have enough other strong flavors in them that some sour cream shouldn't be noticeable. The $64K question, of course, is: how much is a dollop? I'd say, take a soupspoon and spoon out a heaping scoop of sour cream, maybe an inch or so above the top of the bowl of the spoon at its highest point: that's a dollop. YDMV (Your Dollop May Vary). Experiment and see what you like.

Whether or not you use Heath bars, cinnamon, maple syrup, or other non-standard ingredients, the nuts are optional. Many people prefer chocolate chip cookies without

nuts. Alternatively, you can try adding oatmeal (even if you don't add butterscotch chips) in the same volume as the nuts called for by the recipe (but if you do this, be sure to add more liquid). My friend Susan says that she doesn't bother adding more liquid and her cookies turn out fine, but I prefer always to add that extra tablespoon or two of milk. Also, if you add the Reese's peanut butter morsels as discussed above, they melt and create some additional moistness in the cookies.

The morsels don't have to be Nestle. However, in my experience Nestle morsels do melt in a most satisfactory way during the baking process. Ghirardelli and Guittard morsels are very good. I also like the Hershey mini-morsels for this. The standard-size Hershey Morsels, however, do not melt properly -- at least not in the eight-to-ten-minute baking time of cookies -- and I do not recommend them for use in cookies (although they are terrific in brownies, which bake for a much longer period).

The morsels MUST, however, be semisweet (i.e. dark) chocolate. Milk chocolate morsels, which are sold in similar bags to the undiscerning, are massively too sweet to put into these cookies.

I do feel obligated to point out, for that matter,that both the morsels and the baking itself can be optional. Those of us who make chocolate chip cookies know how important it is to sample the dough before baking! And I'd have to confess that sometimes the raw dough (I prefer my raw dough chipless) is even better than the cookies.

If you do like to eat raw dough, though, be careful. Any foodstuff containing raw eggs can harbor salmonella and/or other nasty little bacteria. Don't use eggs that were cracked before you opened them. Wash the eggshells in warm soapy water (and rinse them well) before cracking the eggs and using them. Alternatively, use one of the pasteurized egg substitutes. And remember that raw dough can be risky. It is especially risky for anyone with a susceptibility to infections or a compromised immune system. So be cautious.

But also have fun!

Roasted Pineapple Coconut and Goat Cheese Strudel

This month’s Daring Bakers’ challenge was like a dream come true. I’d been

thinking about and planning to learn how to stretch real strudel dough for years.

But it always seemed quite time consuming and a bit intimidating. With phyllo

dough readily available as a substitute, I’d never attempted the real thing. If I

had only known how easy it was! The dough recipe by Rick Rodgers from his

wonderful “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna,

Budapest and Prague” was a little miracle, an absolute pleasure to work with. I

managed to stretch the dough effortlessly to the required size, without making a

single hole. The whole process of rolling and pulling of the dough took me

about five minutes the most. Thank you, Courtney of Coco Cooks and Linda

of make life sweeter! – this month’s hosts, for choosing the wonderful recipe for

the challenge. It is such a useful skill to acquire. And yes, it was worthy of

clipping freshly manicured nails.

As for the strudel filling, I roasted a large pineapple in a mixture of rum, pureed

caramelized bananas, ginger and chile flakes (Sherry Yard’s fabulous idea) first.

Then I thinly sliced the pineapple and piled it over some toasted coconut spread

over the pulled dough. I topped the pineapple with goat cheese pastry cream.

The goat cheese I used was fresh, unripened and very delicately flavored, not

strong or offensive at all. And for serving, I quickly whipped a fresh mango

sauce. The dessert tasted pretty spectacular.

I made a savory strudel as well. There’s, unfortunately, no picture to show since

it was baked for a late dinner and there was no daylight for a decent photo to

take. The filling was nothing extraordinary, I just utilized every bit of leftovers

sitting in my fridge (mostly spinach and baby potatoes, some feta and olives,

sautéed onion and garlic, fresh herbs). I didn’t brush the stretched dough with

melted butter this time. Instead, I sprayed it with extra-virgin olive oil. I also

didn’t sauté fresh bread crumbs in butter as I did for the sweet strudel earlier. I

substituted them for Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs. It cut calories down and

substantially reduced cholesterol intake. The strudel was as flaky and crispy as

the first one.

Makes 1 large strudel, about 12 servings

For the filling:

1 stick (1/2 cup;114g) unsalted butter, divided

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

¾ cup toasted unsweetened coconut, divided

For the pineapple filling (adapted from Sherry Yard):

1 tbsp unsalted butter

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

2 large bananas, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces

2 tbsp dark rum

½ tbsp fresh lemon juice

Tiny pinch of salt

2 cups water

1 cup dark rum

1 cup sugar

6 ¼-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger

Pinch of Thai chile flakes or hot red pepper flakes

1 large pineapple, peeled, quartered, and cored

4 dry vanilla bean halves (saved from previous use) or 1 vanilla bean, split and

quartered

For the goat cheese pastry cream:

1 cup whole milk

1 large egg

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ tbsp cornstarch, sifted

1/8 tsp salt

1 oz creamy fresh unripened goat cheese

2 tbsp whole milk yogurt

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into about ½-tbsp pieces

For the mango sauce:

1 large ripe mango, peeled, flesh cut into large chunks

2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the dough (adapted from Rick Rodgers):

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

About 2 tbsp Demerara sugar for sprinkling over the rolled strudel

Make the filling:

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the

breadcrumbs and cook while stirring until golden and toasted. This will take

about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely. Set aside until needed.

Make the pineapple filling:

Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 375F.

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat until the solids separate,

sink to the bottom, and begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. When the butter is a dark

golden color, add the sugar and brown sugar and stir until dissolved, 5 to 8

minutes.

Add the bananas and sauté, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, or until the

bananas are softened and caramelized. Remove from the heat and carefully add

the rum, lemon juice, and salt. Place the pan back over low heat and cook for 1

minute more.

Remove from the heat and puree in a food processor.

In a medium bowl or a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the banana

puree, water, rum, sugar, ginger, and chile flakes. Set aside for a moment.

Place the pineapple quarters into a large baking pan (a glass 9×13-inch Pyrex

pan works). Poke or push the vanilla bean pieces into the flesh of the pineapple.

The dry ones will be stiff enough to go in on their own, but for a fresh bean, you

may need to poke the holes with a paring knife. Pour the banana-rum mixture

over the pineapple.

Bake for 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes, until the juices are bubbly and

the outside of the pineapple is lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and

cool to room temperature. Now you can proceed with the recipe or store the

pineapple in the liquid, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

About an hour before filling the strudel, remove the pineapple from the

marinade. Pat-dry the pineapple with paper towels, cut each quarter in half

lengthwise, and then slice thinly. Place into a colander set over a bowl and let

drain.

Make the goat cheese pastry cream:

Prepare an ice bath.

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk to a boiling point, stirring often. In a

medium bowl, combine the egg, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together; whisk until

combined. Temper the egg mixture by whisking a little bit of the hot milk into

the egg mixture. Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk into the

tempered egg mixture. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan and

place the pan over the medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the

mixture returns to the boil. Keep whisking energetically for 1 to 2 more minutes

(still over medium heat) until the custard is thick as lightly whipped cream.

Remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the goat cheese,

followed by the yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Transfer to a clean

bowl. Check the temperature of the pastry cream (now it should be about 140F –

a perfect time for incorporating the butter). Whisk the butter into the pastry

cream, one piece at a time, always whisking until smooth before adding the next

portion. Place the bowl with the pastry cream into the ice-water bath to continue

cooling. Stir the cream occasionally to prevent a skin forming, until it has

completely cooled. Pres plastic wrap directly over the pastry cream surface and

refrigerate until needed (up to 2-3 days).

Make the mango sauce:

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove tough fiber.

Refrigerate until serving time (up to a couple of days).

Make the dough, fill and bake the strudel:

Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to

the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is

not too dry; add a little more water if necessary.

Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball

back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough

ball with a somewhat rough surface.

Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured

work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down

hard onto your working surface occasionally.

Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to an oiled plate. Oil the top of the

dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for

30-90 minutes (longer is better).

It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides

like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100

cm). Cover your working area with a table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it

into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you

can.

Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough

and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to

gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the

thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands

underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of

your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it’s about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3

feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough

around the edges with pizza wheel or scissors. The dough is now ready to be

filled.

Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F

(200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, or in a glass bowl in a microwave, melt

the remaining butter. Skim the foam.

Very gently brush about 4 tablespoons of the melted butter over the dough using

your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough; you could also use a special

feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough evenly

with the bread crumbs. Spread ½ cup of toasted coconut about 3 inches (8 cm)

from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip, leaving a 2-inch

uncovered border on each long side. Spread the sliced and drained pineapple

over the coconut. Top the pineapple with the goat cheese pastry cream. Sprinkle

the remaining ¼ cup of coconut over the pastry cream.

Fold the two 2-inch edges of the dough in toward the center over the filling, and

then fold the bottom edge of the dough up over the filling. Now lift the

tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself.

Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a

horseshoe to fit. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter leaving any

milk solids in the bottom of the saucepan. Sprinkle the Demerara sugar over the

top.

Bake the strudel for about 35-40 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool

on the baking sheet on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use

a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the

day it is baked. But the leftovers can be recrisped and rewarmed in 350F oven

for about 10-12 minutes before serving.

Tips:

The ingredients are cheap so it’s recommend to make a double batch of the

dough for the first time, that way you can practice the pulling and stretching of

the dough with the first batch and if it doesn’t come out like it should, you can

use the second batch to give it another try;

The tablecloth can be cotton or polyester;

Before pulling and stretching the dough, remove your jewelry from hands and

wrists, get rid of long nails, and wear short-sleeves;

To make it easier to pull the dough, you can use your hip to secure the dough

against the edge of the table;

Few small holes in the dough is not a problem as the dough will be rolled,

making the holes (most of them) invisible.

Baklava Fingers

Maybe not as fabulous as the real thing, not as overloaded with nuts and

oversaturated with aromatic syrup, still, these are pretty good for what they are

– little sweet treats made of some phyllo leftovers (there’s always something left

unless the baklava itself was made). The fingers also keep better, stay crisp

longer.

Makes 32

Ingredients:

1 cup pistachios

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ tsp ground cardamom

½ tsp cinnamon

8 phyllo sheets

8 tbsp (4 oz) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup water

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ honey

2 cinnamon sticks

6 cardamom pods, crushed

lemon peel of 1 small lemon, removed in wide strips with a vegetable peeler

2 tbsp brandy

Preparation:

Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 350F. Cover a large baking sheet

with parchment paper or silicone mat. Set aside.

In a bowl of the food processor, combine the pistachios and sugar. Process until

finely ground. Stir in the ground cardamom and cinnamon.

Cover a working surface with a large sheet of parchment paper. Place 1 sheet of

phyllo on the parchment paper, with one long side parallel to the edge of the

work surface. Cover the rest of the phyllo with plastic wrap first and then with a

damp dish towel (avoid direct contact of the phyllo with the wet towel to

prevent the phyllo from getting soggy).

Using a pizza wheel, cut the phyllo sheet into 4 equal rectangles making two

perpendicular cuts through the middle. Work with one small rectangle at a time;

place it with one long side parallel to the edge of the working surface. Cover the

remaining 3 rectangles with plastic wrap. Visually, divide the rectangle into

thirds lengthwise. Brush the middle third with a little bit of melted butter and

sprinkle with about 1 tbsp of nut mixture. Fold the upper third over the filling,

then brush this folded part with a bit of butter and sprinkle again with another

tablespoon of nut mixture. Fold the lower third over the filling again and lightly

brush with butter. Gently roll the strip, buttered side up, over a handle of a

wooden spoon. Delicately slide the cylinder off the spoon and place it onto the

prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining phyllo. You will get 4 baklava

fingers from each phyllo sheet, 32 in total.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet on a

cooling rack.

Meanwhile, make syrup. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the water, sugar,

honey, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and lemon peel. Bring to a boil over

medium heat and simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar is

dissolved. Take off the heat and stir in the brandy. Transfer the baked and

cooled fingers into a rimmed baking pan (like glass Pyrex) just large enough to

fit them all. I like to stand the fingers upright first to allow the syrup to penetrate

better, and then drop them on their side. Pour the hot syrup over the fingers

leaving the peel and spices behind. Give the fingers a turn in the syrup to

saturate, wait for several hours before serving. If you have any nut mixture left,

sprinkle it over the fingers before serving. They can be kept in air-tight

container for about a week.

Cornmeal Walnut Focaccia with Concord Grapes and Gorgonzola

I have a weakness (one of many…) – Concord grapes. With their season so

short, I tend to overeat them while they last until my tongue is numb and the

throat is itchy. And when these symptoms of the overindulgence aggravate, I

stop eating them raw and start to bake.

Makes one large 10×15 focaccia

For the starter (it makes almost exactly the amount needed for the dough):

Plan to make it a day before baking and keep in the refrigerator.

½ cup warm water

¼ tsp+ 1/8 tsp active dry yeast

3 oz (85g; ½ cup + 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour

For the dough:

1 ½ cups warm water

½ tsp active dry yeast

6 oz starter (weight if you have a scale or just use it all except a tablespoon)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup fine ground cornmeal

2 tsp sea salt

Scant 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

For the topping:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil + 1 tbsp, divided

2 cups Concord grapes (don’t bother to seed)

4 oz Gorgonzola cheese

Make the starter:

In a small bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Waite for 5 minutes, and

then whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Whisk in the flour until the mixture is

lump-free and smooth. Let it rise and bubble in a warm place for about 2 hours.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days. Bring to room

temperature before using.

Make the dough, bake the focaccia:

In the mixer bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Wait for 5 minutes, and

then whisk in until the yeast is dissolved. Whisk in the starter, then the olive oil.

Switch to a wooden spoon and gradually stir in the flour, cornmeal, and salt

until combined. Attach the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and

knead at medium speed for 10 minutes. The dough should clear the sides of the

bowl, be soft and slightly sticky. Add a bit more of the flour if the dough

appears too wet. Transfer the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with

oil-sprayed plastic wrap and place into a warm place to rise, for about 1 ½ hours

or until doubled in volume.

Meanwhile, oil a 10×15-inch jelly-roll pan. Set aside.

Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and fold in the walnuts. To do it

evenly, flatten the dough into a rectangle, then sprinkle the walnuts over the

dough leaving a 1-inch border on each side. Fold in the longer two sides and roll

the dough like a jelly-roll. Flatten the roll carefully with the hands, trying not to

poke the dough with the walnut pieces. Now roll or stretch the dough to fit into

the prepared pan; the dough should reach the corners and the edges of the pan. If

the dough resists, cover it and let rest for 10 minutes, then continue stretching.

Cover loosely with oil-sprayed plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled,

about 1 hour.

At least 30 minutes before baking, center an oven rack and preheat the oven

with a baking stone inside (if you have one) to 425F.

Dimple the dough gently with the fingertips, drizzle with ¼ cup of olive oil.

Scatter the grapes over the dough. Crumble the cheese over the top, making sure

the cheese is in rather large chunky pieces. Bake the focaccia until golden

brown, about 25 minutes. As soon as you remove the focaccia from the oven,

brush the edges with the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil. Let cool in the pan on a

rack for 10 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool completely or enjoy warm.

It is best the day it is baked.

Fresh Mozzarella and Prosciutto Filled Focaccia

There are always some plans for weekends, and cooking is seldom the first

priority unless we are having people over. So, having pizza or filled focaccia on

our weekend menu is a good choice since most of work – making the dough - is

done in

advance. All I

need to do the

following day

is to fix a

quick salad

while this

thing is

baking.

This focaccia

is doubled-

baked. First,

it’s baked in a

pan, then split

horizontally,

generously

brushed with

extra-virgin

olive oil,

filled, and

baked again

until the

cheese is

melted. If you

are a happy

owner of a

panini grill, I

definitely recommend to use it here. Unfortunately, I had to follow a more

conventional way of cooking.

Serves about 4

For the dough:

¾ cup warm water

1 tsp active dry yeast

½ tsp sugar

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

225g all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt + some coarse salt for sprinkling over top before baking

For the filling:

About ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

6 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

3 oz good quality prosciutto, thinly sliced

Make the dough:

The dough can be prepared in advance and kept refrigerated for a couple of

days.

In the mixer bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Cover the bowl;

place it into a warm place for 10 minutes, until the yeast mixture is foamy. Stir

in the olive oil. Whisk together the flour and salt and then gradually add to the

yeast mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until combined. Attach the bowl to

a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead at medium speed for 4

minutes. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl, be soft and slightly

sticky. Transfer the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic

wrap and place into a warm place to rise, for about 1 ½ hours or until doubled.

After this, you can punch the dough down and keep it covered in the refrigerator

for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before forming.

Bake the focaccia, fill it, and bake again:

Oil 9 or 10-inch round spring form pan. Transfer the dough into the pan and

stretch it with your hands until it covers the bottom of the pan completely. If the

dough resists, cover the pan with plastic wrap or dish towel and let the gluten to

relax. Then, continue stretching. Cover the pan with oiled plastic wrap and place

in a warm place to rise until the dough is almost doubled, for about 1hr.

Meanwhile, place a baking stone (if you have it) on the middle rack and preheat

the oven to 450F.

Dimple the top of the focaccia with your fingers, brush or drizzle with a bit of

olive oil and sprinkle with the coarse salt (don’t overdo the salt since the

prosciutto is very salty itself). Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Unmold the focaccia and cool on a rack before slicing and filling. Reduce the

oven temperature to 375F.

Slice the focaccia in half horizontally, brush both halves (insides) with the oil,

fill with the mozzarella and prosciutto. Bake again until the cheese is melting,

about 15 minutes. Serve at once.

It might be easier to cut the “lid” into wedges first, and then replace them again

over the filling, place the focaccia onto a serving platter and serve. This way the

filling won’t ooze out as you slice and it will look more presentable.