TWICE-BAKED GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLE

Posted in Appetizers, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

If you’re intimidated by the prospect of making a souffle, then this recipe is a special gift for you. This double-baking method (oven time separated by hours, if convenient) is great for entertaining: no more guessing about when’s the correct time to put the souffle in the oven; no more anticipating when the guests will be ready to eat the puffed-up, gorgeous masterpiece. Plus, I’ve always felt that individual servings (in this case individual souffles) makes each guest feel special. 😉 The recipe comes from Secrets of Success, one of my favorite cookbooks.

TWICE-BAKED GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLE
(from Michael Bauer’s Secrets of Success, original recipe from Barbara Mulas & Mark Drazek)

butter for greasing ramekins, plus 3 Tbs
1 cup bread crumbs
3 Tbs cake flour
1 cup milk, warmed slightly in a microwave
10 ounces goat cheese, divided
3 large egg yolks
salt and pepper
1 cup egg whites (about 7 large eggs)

Heat the oven to 425F.

Butter 8 ramekins (5 ounce size), and coat them with bread crumbs. Reserve remaining bread crumbs.

Melt the butter in a saute pan, add the flour and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Whisk in the milk, cook stirring until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Crumble 8 ounces of the goat cheese in a large bowl (you will have 2 ounces left), add the hot milk/flour mixture, stir to combine. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mix well, and season with salt and pepper.

Beat the egg whites by hand or with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Delicately mix half the egg whites into the cheese mixture to lighten it a little. Then, fold the rest of the egg whites. Fill the ramekins halfway with the mixture, crumble a little goat cheese on top, and fill the ramekins to the top with the remainder of the souffle mixture. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs.

Place the ramekins in a large baking dish, and fill it halfway up the sides of the ramekins with very hot (or boiling) water. Bake on the center of the oven until golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let it sit in the water for about 15 minutes, then carefully unmold them, by running a knife around the edges and inverting the ramekins over a plate. Transfer them to a baking dish. They can be held at room temperature for up to 6 hours.

When you are ready to serve them, bake at 425F until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I’ve used this recipe many times in the past few years, sometimes with feta cheese instead of goat cheese, but always with the same delicious outcome. It is important to coat the ramekins well with butter, so that they easily un-mold. One or two of pieces of bruschetta on the side completes the perfect opening for a special dinner.

The recipe comes from Zax, a now (unfortunately) defunct restaurant in Berkeley. You can find old reviews online praising this dish, and once you try it, you’ll praise it too!

Note to self: try this method with other flavors. According to Bauer, the key to making a twice-baked souffle is the use of cake flour: it gives the final product a more refined texture.

ONE YEAR AGO: Hearts of Palm Pie

receita em portugues na proxima pagina…..

Continue reading →

31Jul2010

CINNAMON TURBAN BREAD

Posted in Breads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

King Arthur all purpose flour and instant yeast: $11

Penzey’s Ceylon cinnamon: $4

Sugar, oil, salt: $2.50

Baking Noon Rogani just in time to join this party: PRICELESS!

NOON ROGANI
(from King Arthur website)

19 ounces all purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast
10 ounces warm water
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

filling
2 ounces melted butter, divided
2 to 4 ounces sugar to taste
2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl mix the flour, water and yeast to a thick shaggy mass. Let rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes add the salt, sugar and vegetable oil to create a dough that is not sticky to the touch but still slightly tacky. Knead by hand, mixer or bread machine until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise until puffy, about 30-40 minutes.

Turn out the dough onto a well floured surface. Gently deflate and shape into a square pillow. Roll the square to approximately 23″ square and 1/8th” thick.

Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Brush the dough with half of the melted butter and generously sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture. Use more or less sugar to taste.
Roll up the dough tightly, pinching the seam well, and continue rolling and stretching the rope until it reaches a length of 5 feet. Twist the entire length of the rope similar to wringing out a towel, but much more loosely.

On a greased baking sheet or parchment paper, coil the rope into a round spiral, turban style. Don’t wrap too tightly, keep the coil slightly loose to aid in the final rise. Brush with the remaining melted butter and set aside, covered, to rise until puffy 40-45 minutes.

Bake the loaf in a preheated 400°F oven for 30-45 minutes or until deeply golden brown. Cool slightly on a rack before serving. Makes one 10-12″ spiral.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was a fun bread to make, the dough was easy to handle, it would be a great baking project for kids. I decided to halve the recipe, but should have taken that in account during baking: 35 minutes was too long, and my bread did not turn as soft and tender inside, as others described. Live and learn, right? It still tasted great, like a giant cinnamon roll, minus the icing.

Note to self: If halving the recipe reduce baking time to 25 minutes!

I am submitting this post to Susan’s Yeastspotting.

ONE YEAR AGO: Summertime Gratin

28Jul2010

SWEET EMERGENCY

Posted in Desserts, Sweets, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

You need to bring something sweet and tasty for an event that will take place in less than 24 hours.

You are cake challenged.

What could you possibly do? Get into panic mode? Call 911? Worse yet, grab something from the grocery store? No need. Emergency cupcakes to the rescue!

EMERGENCY BLENDER CUPCAKES
(from Abigail Dodge, The Weekend Baker)

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed, sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 + 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For frosting:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1 cup condensed milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Optional: sprinkles for decoration

Heat the oven to 375F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt in a blender. Cover with the lid and process until combined. Add hot water, oil, egg, and vanilla. Process until smooth, making sure to stop a few times and run a spatula around the edges to ensure it is fully homogenized. Pour into the prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 of the way.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean – about 17 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Prepare the frosting by melting chocolate and butter in the microwave. Add condensed milk, corn syrup, vanilla and salt.
Whisk until well blended. Set aside at room temperature, whisking frequently. The frosting will thicken as it cools. When completely cool, cover with plastic wrap until ready to frost the cupcakes. It can be prepared in advance.

Decorate with sprinkles if you so desire…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This recipe is all over the internet, getting praises from both experienced and naive bakers. Experienced bakers love the fact that they can have something simple but delicious ready at the drop of a hat. Naive bakers… well, we need this recipe. It is a dream come true for those with cake insecurities. One important note: the frosting recipe makes A TON. Unless you plan to have cake emergencies on a daily basis for a month, consider halving it. 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: The bread we love

17Jul2010

BRIGADEIROS: A Brazilian Party!

Posted in Brazilian cooking, Desserts, Sweets, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

It’s time for a virtual visit to Brazil. Brigadeiros are a mandatory sweet delicacy at children’s parties, especially birthday parties, but they’ll put a smile on folks of all ages, at any celebration. At a typical Brazilian birthday party hundreds of brigadeiros surround a beautiful cake in the center of a huge table. Tropical Miss Manners states that brigadeiros should be enjoyed AFTER the cake, and until then they’re part of the party decor, but by age 5 each Brazilian has already developed his or her unique style of discreetly stealing a few. My Dad – whom I’ve already praised for his expert kitchen thievery (in stealing pasteis ) – used to slowly circle the table while pulling his white handkerchief from his pants as if to anticipate a sneeze. With a quick but quite elegant move, two or three brigadeiros disappeared into the handkerchief, adeptly pocketed for his later enjoyment while he was away from the other guests.

Remembering these little gems, it’s not surprising that we all had a difficulty waiting for the candles to be blown.

BRIGADEIROS
(traditional Brazilian recipe)

1 can of condensed milk (for instance, Carnation brand)
1 + 1/2 T butter
1 + 1/2 T cocoa powder, sifted
pinch of cinnamon
chocolate sprinkles (enough for coating all brigadeiros)

Place all ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan (preferably enamel coated, but not absolutely necessary). Cook in medium heat until the butter melts, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until the mixture starts to pull out of the bottom of the pan. It should take between 10 and 17 minutes. If the mixture starts to boil too furiously, reduce the heat or remove the pan from the burner for a minute or so, always stirring.

Allow it to cool until you can handle it. It is OK to put it in the refrigerator to speed up the process.

Place the chocolate sprinkles in a shallow dish. Have a small dish with cold water to dip your fingers and moisten the palm of your hands. Using a teaspoon, grab portions of the cool chocolate mixture and roll into balls. Immediately roll them in chocolate sprinkles and place in a small paper cup.

Makes 24 brigadeiros. Scale up the recipe for large gatherings.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Rolling brigadeiros kicks off the party. Usually a bunch of women sit together at a table working in factory-like style. When I was a young child, I recall feeling jealous of my sisters, because being older than me, they were allowed to “enrolar brigadeiros,” whereas my job was to painfully open and prepare the little paper cups. It seemed so unfair! But, they were democratic as far as eating the misshapen ones: I always had my share when all was said and done… or should I say “when all were rolled and done?” ;-). As you may have already gleaned from the recipe, brigadeiros are not just about chocolate. The sweetness and smoothness of the condensed milk cooks down into a retro, fudgy texture that you won’t forget!

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ONE YEAR AGO: Lemony Asparagus

28May2010

ICE CREAM MELTS FOR MANGO

Posted in Brazilian cooking, Desserts, Sweets, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

I grew up watching my family members eating mangos and making a huge mess in the process. Some varieties of Brazilian mango are so fibrous that the “correct” way to eat them is to cut a small hole in the top and suck out the juices while compressing the fruit, which leaves your mouth, face, hands, and possibly even your clothes covered with juice and sticky mango bits. Some people view this process as part of the fun, but both me and my Dad had nothing to do with it, and only enjoyed a mango if it was laying on a pristine plate, dissected by a knife and fork, with a napkin alongside.

This simple dessert would certainly receive the seal of approval from my Dad.

MANGOS FLAMBE (MANGAS FLAMBADAS)
(inspired by my friend Vanda)

4 ripe mangos
1 Tbs butter
2 Tbs granulated sugar (or more)
pinch of salt
1/4 cup rum (or Cointreau or a mix of both)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Cut the mango in medium-sized pieces. Go take a quick shower (optional). Come back and melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced mango, sprinkle sugar all over it, add the salt, and cook gently until the mango starts to get soft. Taste a piece and decide if you need more sugar.

Carefully add the rum, heat it for a few seconds, and ignite with a match. Wait until the flames die down, sprinkle a little lemon juice, taste again. Serve over vanilla ice cream.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You can change this basic recipe in many ways. For example, you may first caramelize the sugar, and then add the fruit on top. But, I prefer this preparation I’m posting because it’s simpler and the taste of the fruit is more pronounced. You may also skip the alcohol with no major harm, but I like the extra flavor it imparts. If you have leftovers (highly unlikely), they are delicious in the morning with yogurt and a little granola sprinkled on top. You can prepare bananas in almost exactly the same way, or even along with the mango, but when making bananas flambe, I like to caramelize the sugar first. My friend Vanda, who makes risottos and souffles with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back, loves to prepare mangos this way. After dicing the fruit, she usually grabs the pit and takes great pleasure in sucking all the mango-goodness clinging to it, standing next to the sink. Unfortunately, I never seem to have my camera ready when that happens. 😉