LEMON MACARONS

Posted in macarons by sallybr

Nothing new in the recipe for the macaron shells but I am super thrilled to share the filling. Curds in general are a great match for the sweetness of these babies, but they have a major drawback: their moisture tends to destroy the shells, so usually they are best if not stored for more than a couple of days. But this curd recipe is different: it has lower moisture and won’t ruin the shells. I have tried and it delivers what it promised. It was designed by one of the greatest macaron bakers out there, Mimi. Check her very detailed post about her recipe here. I modified it slightly by using the microwave to cook the curd. I’ve been making curd in the microwave for years, to me it is easier and never fails. But you need to try with your own microwave and tweak the power and timing. Once that is done, you will love the method…

LEMON MACARONS
(filling slightly modified from Indulge with Mimi)

for macaron shells, use this recipe

Divide the batter in two, dye one portion yellow, one portion green. Pipe shells starting with one color and piping the other in the center.

for the curd:
zest of two lemons
76 grams lemon juice
2 eggs
50 grams butter, unsalted
180 grams granulated sugar

for the buttercream:
60 grams butter
160 grams powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon curd
heavy cream to adjust consistency, if needed

Optional decoration: fondant lemon slices, painted with airbrush and pearl dust.

Make the curd: cream butter and sugar together until incorporated and lighter in color. Add the eggs and beat until incorporated, then add the lemon juice and whisk well. Transfer the mixture to a microwave-safe bowl and cook at 80% power for about 4 and a half minutes, stopping to stir gently every 45 seconds or so. The temperature should reach 180F to 185F. Remove from heat, immediately add the lemon zest and pass through a sieve to have a very smooth curd. Let it cool to room temperature with a plastic wrap touching the surface. Transfer to the fridge until needed for the macarons. It is perfect making one day in advance.

For the Lemon Buttercream: Use a hand-held electric mixer and whisk the butter until creamy. Add the other ingredients except the heavy cream, and whisk until creamy and smooth. If needed, add a bit of heavy cream to loosen the mixture.

Pair shells of the same size and add a center of lemon curd, with a circle of buttercream all around it. Glue a lemon slice on top of the macaron using Royal icing. Keep the macarons in the fridge for 24 hours before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I cannot tell you how much I loved these! In part because curd has been such a disappointment when coupled with macs. Yes, I know one can paint some chocolate on the shell as a barrier but I absolutely hate doing that. A very cumbersome step that I rather avoid. These turned out very lemony, super fresh, and NO effect on the shells. Happy Dance ON! I hope you give it a try, if you are not sure about the microwave step, just follow Mimi’s directions on her blog. And while you are there, browse through her amazing productions!

ONE YEAR AGO: Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

TWO YEARS AGO: Baharat Flower Sourdough

THREE YEARS AGO: Biscoitinhos de Canela

FOUR YEARS AGO: Salmon Tacos

FIVE YEARS AGO: The Chignon

SIX YEARS AGO: Rack of Lamb Sous-Vide with Couscous Salad

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Focaccia with Grapes, Roquefort and Truffled Honey

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Moroccan Carrot Dip over Cucumber Slices

NINE YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

TEN YEARS AGO: Cilantro-Jalapeno “Hummus”

ELEVEN YEARS AGO:A Moving Odyssey

TWELVE YEARS AGO:Hoegaarden Beer Bread

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Ancho-Chile Marinade: Pleased to Meat you!

9Jul2023

EGYPTIAN GOULASH

Posted in Beef by sallybr

I am as puzzled as you might be, because the recipe does not seem like Goulash to me, and I cannot even be sure it is truly from Egypt. But if you rather call it Phyllo Meat Pie, go right ahead. It is not going to sound nearly as sexy, though…

EGYPTIAN GOULASH
(adapted from several sources)

16 ounce package of frozen phyllo dough
1/2 egg, whisked in 1/2 cup of milk
salt and pepper
olive oil spray

For the filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
3/4 pound ground turkey
3/4 pound ground bison
1 + ½ teaspoons baharat
1 cup red bell pepper, roasted (I used store-bought, 12 oz jar)
1/3 cup tomato passata
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan. Saute the shallots. Add the two kinds of ground meat. Cook until fully browned, tossing regularly. Add the red bell pepper cut in small pieces. Saute a couple of minutes, add the tomato passata and the baharat. Season with salt and pepper. Heat everything together and remove to a bow to cool slightly before using. You can also do this step a day in advance.

Now, to assemble the phyllo pie, lay five sheets of phyllo dough on the bottom of a lightly greased 9 ½ x 13 x 2 ¼ inch baking pan. Spray a little olive oil between each sheet of phyllo as you lay them on the baking dish. Spray the top phyllo sheet generously with olive oil (or oil and butter mixture). Add the cooled meat mixture. Top with five or six more sheets of phyllo, always spraying with olive oil in between sheets. Tuck the edges in, spray a good amount of olive oil on top, and use a super sharp knife (ceramic is great) to cut the pie in squares, all the way to the bottom.

Whisk the egg and milk mixture well, season lightly with salt and pepper and pour it all over the pie, shaking the baking dish a bit to make sure the liquid is well dispersed.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until the phyllo is crispy and golden brown. Remove from the oven, let it rest for about 10 minutes and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love the mixture of ground turkey and bison because the turkey helps with moisture and texture for the ground bison, which can be a bit dry. If bison is hard for you to find, use ground beef instead, and you can even skip the ground turkey and go for 1.5 pounds of ground beef. I would then drain the excess fat after sautéing the meat just to make the whole dish lighter. Baharat is such a great spice mix, the delicate cinnamon flavor goes super well with this savory preparation.

This will definitely be in our rotation, and it is a nice option for a dinner party too. All you need is a little salad to go with it.

ONE YEAR AGO: Steamed Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

TWO YEARS AGO: Ginger-Dill Salmon

THREE YEARS AGO: Eleven Years, Time for Goodbye

FOUR YEARS AGO: Salmon Tacos

FIVE YEARS AGO: A Dream that did not come true

SIX YEARS AGO: Kaleidoscopic Macarons

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Zucchini Noodles with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2015

NINE YEARS AGO: Sous-vide Pork Chops with Roasted Poblano Butter

TEN YEARS AGO: Roasted Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Amazing Ribs for the 4th of July!

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Baby Back Ribs on the 4th of July

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Blueberry Muffins

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: A Pie for your 4th of July

5Jul2023

SONIC BLADE SOURDOUGH SCORING

Posted in Breads by sallybr

I am so excited to share this new method with you! Perhaps you’ve noticed that I talked about a little mysterious gadget in my previous post, and today I explain what it does. It is an adaptor for a razor blade to be used with a Sonic type toothbrush, You need to have the right model, in which the head is pushed into the toothbrush, not screwed in. I’ve had a Phillips Sonic toothbrush for many many years and was quite intrigued about using it to slash sourdough. Works like a dream. As one user described, “it is like having one of those lightsabers from Star Wars”. It does feel very smooth and efficiently goes through the surface without ripping the dough. You can read all about it here. Nicola, the person behind the invention is super nice and responsive, plus she is amazing at making all sorts of designs on her bread, available on youtube or IG. The website I linked has all the info to her social media.

Here is a little video of one of my recent adventures with Sonic scoring… It is 8X faster than real time. I followed one of the designs by Nicola to make this particular one.

TO ORDER YOUR SONIC BLADE ADAPTER, CLICK HERE

As to the breads, I will share just one recipe because I used olive oil infused with fresh oregano to flavor it, and a little bit of dry oregano in the dough. It turned out absolutely delicious.

FRESH OREGANO SOURDOUGH
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1/3 cup olive oil
fresh oregano leaves, a big bunch
475 g bread flour
25 g spelt flour
60-70 g sourdough starter at 100% hydration
340 g water
10 g salt
1 tsp dried oregano

Make the infused olive oil by heating the oil in a small saucepan, adding the fresh oregano and simmering for a minute or so. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let the oil sit for half an hour. Pass through a sieve to remove the leaves, pressing them well. Reserve the oil, allowing it to cool to room temperature or barely warm.

Mix all the ingredients and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the infused oil in a KitchenAid type mixer fitted with the dough hook.

Turn the mixer on with the hook attachment and knead the dough for 4 and a half minutes at low-speed all the time. If the dough is too sticky, add a little flour, you want the dough to start clearing the sides of the bowl, but still be sticky at the bottom.

Remove from the machine, and transfer to a container lightly coated with oil. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow it to ferment for 4 hours, folding every 45 minutes or so. After four hours bulk fermentation, shape the dough as a ball, and place, seam side up, in a lightly floured banetton. Leave at room temperature one hour, and then place in the fridge overnight, from 8 to 12 hours.

Next morning, heat the oven to 450F. Invert the dough over parchment paper, rub gently tapioca flour on the surface. Score with the pattern of your choice and bake at 450F for 45 minutes, preferably covered for the first 30 minutes to retain steam. Cool completely over a rack before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

It is quite amazing to use that blade, you just need to be careful when placing it in the adaptor, for obvious reasons, it is sharp, very sharp. I like to add the adaptor to the toothbrush first, and then screw the bade in, because I find it safer to do it this way.

I love the clean cuts the blade does, and will be using it often in future breads, so stay tuned!

ONE YEAR AGO: Happy 4th of July!

TWO YEARS AGO: Happy 4th of July!

THREE YEARS AGO: 4th of July Inspired Baking

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2019

FIVE YEARS AGO: Brigadeiros for the 4th of July

SIX YEARS AGO: Kaleidoscopic Macarons

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Zucchini Noodles with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2015

NINE YEARS AGO: Sous-vide Pork Chops with Roasted Poblano Butter

TEN YEARS AGO: Roasted Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Amazing Ribs for the 4th of July!

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Baby Back Ribs on the 4th of July

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Blueberry Muffins

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: A Pie for your 4th of July

1Jul2023

IN MY KITCHEN, SUMMER 2023

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see whateverybody else is sharing this month. I join four times each year, on the first day of January, April, July and October. If you are a food blogger, considering taking part of this fun event. It is chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.

Starting with gifts….

From our dear friends Heather and Tad, all the way from their garden in California, the most spectacular Meyer lemons, that we put to use in macarons, cookies, marinades, and buttercreams! The smell before we even open the box was amazing! THANK YOU!

From our friends Keith and Sarah, a very special mug that I’ve been using every evening for my tea… I did NOT to get to be a Star Baker in the tent, but I can be one in our kitchen!

From my virtual friend Toni, the CUTEST Dalmatian golfer plush toy! Can you believe all the details? He carries a bag with golf “bones”, and I have absolutely NO WORDS! Approved by both resident Dalmatians, one yet to set paw on a golf course, the other a very seasoned caddy for his Dad. This little golfer has fun jumping around our kitchen, showing up in the most unexpected spots, never failing to give us a smile! A little like Elf on the Shelf…

Cannot thank you enough, Toni!

In our kitchen…

A new mat to replace one that lasted for many years, but could not resist the teeth of a certain Dalmatian puppy that attends by the name of Prince… oh, well……

In our kitchen…

I have a weakness for small tiny colorful dishes, and these jumped into my shopping cart the other day. What can I say? I needed them in my life…

In our kitchen…

A cupcake carrier that is a must-have if you need to transport cupcakes around. Almost every week I’ve been including mini-cakes in my donation box, so I use it often. It is sturdy, very convenient. Available here.

In our kitchen…

I found those at Marshalls and of course, was forced to bring them home. How could I possibly resist them?

In our kitchen…

I got this set of flavoring oils from LorAnn straight from amazon. You cannot choose the flavors, they just assemble a dozen. I thought it was a good deal so I can try them and the ones that please me I can order later in a bigger size, although they are so potent that each little bottle will last well into their expiration date, I suppose. I was hoping Key Lime would be in the mix, but unfortunately it did not make it. ‘

In our kitchen…

Someone turned 1 year old on June 12th, and we had a special bake… Dog cookies, made according to this recipe.

In our kitchen….

A silicone mat normally used for fondant, but I rolled it over chocolate cookie dough (without any leavening agent) and used to form a pattern over the cookie, as shown below. There are countless versions available in sites such as aliexpress.

In our kitchen…

I normally hate single-function gadgets but we are loving this one! Hubby often makes açaí bowls for his lunch and the banana slicer works like a charm. Also great for strawberries, but a no-no for dried apricots, in case you are wondering. Available here.

In our kitchen…

A little ceramic container for olive oil. We had a different, fancier one, but it kept cracking because it was a bit too big to handle. This one is perfect for our needs. It does not hold as much oil as the previous one, but it is easier to use. Several colors available here.

In our kitchen…

From Sweetsticks, a paint activator to use with all sorts of luster powders and also to dilute gel dyes. If you like to have the watercolor effect on the surface of an iced cookie, this is really helpful because it does not dry nearly as fast as alcohol-containing solutions. I won mine in a little cookie contest, but it is available here.

In our kitchen… a teaser little thing….

I am not going to explain what those are, but these are super cool! Wait for a blog post putting one of them into use… Of course you are more than welcome to try and guess what these are…..

And now, it is time to let our pups do the barking…. and the most vocal by far is our
Little Star, getting less little each and every week!

Prince and Star are pretty much inseparable now… She follows him, imitates him, adores him, and the feeling is definitely mutual…

Many thanks to our friend Jen, for quoting the phrase “Get your own Star!” Indeed, it says it all about their bond… Too cute for words. Oscar, however, has a slightly different take on the situation.

But, Star knows how to play the cute-card…

And she is incredibly cute even when slightly confused about the proper way to negotiate her bed…

Although we did not find it that cute when she decided to get up close and personal with mud, just an hour after we gave her a bath (and THAT was not easy, trust me).

But of course, things got much worse a few days later…

Still, not a chance to stay mad at her…

Prince has been the best Big Brother a pup can ask for… he is patient, loving, caring, and so so happy to have a playmate. They play non-stop from the moment they wake up until they crash side by side at night…

Osky is Osky. He is in many ways happier now that Prince leaves him alone, and Star is quickly learning that inviting him to play is a no-no. He is also very happy with his Summer look…

This is me, around The Black Spotted Deviants

This is me spared of their Annoying Presence…

Star is shaping up as a True Defender of her Brother’s Kingdom!

And, if you still need a little hit of The Cute… I am here for you….

Before I close this post, a little shout from the past. Today BUCK would be 16 years old.
I miss you, Bucky Boy.

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, Summer 2022

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2021

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2020

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2019

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen – July 2018

SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2017

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club: Falafel and a Bonus Recipe

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Chocolate Toffee Banana Bread

NINE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2014

TEN YEARS AGO: Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Baked Coconut and “The Brazilian Kitchen”

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Honey-Glazed Chicken Legs

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: French-Style Rolls

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Breasts, Coffee, and Serendipity

24Jun2023

HELLO THERE, CUPCAKE!

Posted in Cake by sallybr

For several months now I’ve been including cupcakes in my weekly box of donations. I try to vary the buttercream component and come up with different styles and colors each Friday. Because variety is the spice of life, right?

You can find my buttercream recipe with a click here. I used it for all cupcakes, except the Chocolate Cardamon with Espresso Icing.

RUSSIAN ICING TIPS

A long, long time ago I tried my hands at these funky looking icing tips, and promised that I would never touch them again. But trust Marlyn from @montrealconfections to make me change my mind. She had a nice video from years ago showing exactly how to use them, and I could not resist giving it a second chance (check it out here). She demonstrated two ways to using them, and I tried them both. First, the usual piping of flowers by dropping little blobs of two-color icing. If the consistency is just right, it works like a charm…

For these I used two color buttercream icing, half dyed pink, half left with no added color. The Russian tip was used to drop 6 tiny roses to the cupcake. A little buttercream dyed green added the final touch, which is of course optional.

This fun ruffled look is also given by a Russian ball-tip, piping and twisting the cake from one side to the other. Check Marlyn’s video to see exactly how it is done. The central portion is then filled with a drop flower as in the previous cake.

SIMPLE ROSES

Probably one of the simplest designs to pipe but with a nice visual effect, the 1M tip never disappoints. It looks nice when used with two tones of icing, but as you cam see below, it will work as a single color also.

The cupcakes above used a wonderful recipe from my friend Caroline, which you can find in her blog with a click here. Chocolate Cardamon Cupcake with Espresso Icing (OMG!). I added a little chocolate flower, made by painting tempered chocolate over a real leaf and then dusting with golden powder.

OPEN STAR TIP

For this look I used the Ateco 865 tip, but any open star should work. Just make a swirl starting from the center. It will give a more flat top that is nice coupled with any decorations you’d like. Above I used tempered chocolate painted on transfer sheets to add a design, and cut into small circles.

The same type of frosting will also go well with meringue sticks, in this case leftover from a cake of my recent past.

These cupcakes are Pink Lemonade flavor, and I used this recipe from Food Network (I made only half which was more than enough for 12 cupcakes).

SPRINGTIME FLOWERS

For the cupcakes above, I used either a petal tip or a Wilton tip #81, as shown in this video (around 19 minutes).

Petal tips such as 102, 103 or 104 can also make beautiful flowers by laying them more flat on the surface. I like the simple elegance of a fully white flower.