MASCARPONE MOUSSE FROM BAKING CHEZ MOI

Posted in Cookbook Reviews, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

FACT: a truth known by actual experience or observation;
something known to be true.

For instance: I have too many cookbooks. That is a fact. I don’t need another cookbook. Also a fact. Oddly enough, both were ignored when a third event recently took place: I ordered Dorie Greenspan’s Baking Chez Moi. Instead of being ashamed of my lack of will power, I jumped up and down with joy when the package arrived. Later that same evening I took it to my bedside table, where I intended to browse through a few pages, but instead found myself unable to put it down. Not enough sleep that night. If you face the fact of owning too many cookbooks, and think you don’t need another one, I will be brutally honest: you are wrong. You must invite this one into your home. Released just last month, I know it will become a classic. And you don’t want to be out of that loop, do you?

MASCARPONE MOUSSE
(reprinted with permission from Dorie Greenspan)

1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 tablespoon cold water
8 ounces (227 g) mascarpone
1/3 cup (80 mL) heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
pinch of fine sea salt
3 tablespoons sugar

Put the gelatin in a microwave-safe bowl, pour over the cold water and let the gelatin sit for about 3 minutes, or until it is completely moistened and has begun to expand. Then heat the gelatin in a microwave oven for 15 to 20 seconds to liquefy it.

Scrape the mascarpone into a large bowl, preferably one that has a pouring spout, and gently stir to loosen it.

Pour the cream and honey into a small saucepan, put over medium heat and bring just to a boil. Allow the liquid to cool for 5 minutes, then pour some into the gelatin and stir until smooth. Stir the contents of the gelatin bowl into the remaining cream and then pour everything into the bowl with the mascarpone. Use a whisk to blend gently.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt together on medium-high speed until the whites just begin to turn opaque. Little by little, add the sugar and keep beating until the whites are marshmallowy – blowy and white, and when you lift the whisk, they’ll form tipsy peaks.

Turn the whites out onto the mascarpone mixture and, using a flexible spatula, lightly fold them in. Thoroughness is less important than gentleness here.

Pour or spoon the mousse into four 1-cup-capacity bowls. Cover the mousse with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving, making sure to keep it away from foods with strong odors.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

You can gild the lily with some berries, either crushed with a little sugar in the bottom of the bowl, or as whole fruit on top.

Comments: I always joke with Phil that Giada de Laurentiis in her cooking shows tends to use a few ingredients a bit too often. Mascarpone is one of them. Hazelnut is another. You blink once, and there she is, grabbing the mascarpone from the fridge, and the bag of hazelnuts from the pantry. So, I almost did not pay attention to this dessert in Dorie’s book. But, her description of the way the sweetness of honey plays with the tartness of the mascarpone and how the dessert kind of grows on you with each spoonful, convinced me to try it. We recently had a couple of friends over for a Brazilian style dinner (steak, rice, black beans), and I wanted a dessert that would be tasty but not overly heavy. This mascarpone mousse was perfect for the occasion, even if I say so myself… Plus, I made smaller servings than called for. Dorie’s recipe is supposed to make 4 servings, I divided the mousse into six small bowls. The description of Dorie is spot on: the mousse has a perfectly creamy texture, smooth, not too sweet, and the mascarpone and the honey together form a match hard to beat. I would not change anything in this mousse, and would recommend you try it if you need a dessert that is not on the heavy side.

And now, time for an overview of Dorie’s new book, the one that you must invite into your home right after you finish reading my post.

“These are the recipes the French bake at home for their families and their closest friends. They are generous, satisfying recipes tied to places, traditions, customs and culture.”
(Dorie Greenspan, Baking Chez Moi)

The way I see it, her book is the opposite of another she wrote together with Mr. Hermé, Desserts by Pierre Hermé. In that book, nothing is simple, and every single one of the concoctions are the stuff that French people would buy at a pastry shop to take to a dinner party, or serve to lucky guests on a special occasion. It is an amazing cookbook, but even though I’ve had it for more than 10 years, I made only two recipes from it, and each one left me feeling as if I had run a marathon. Barefoot. However, I must say that the French lemon tart is the best I’ve ever tasted, and worth buying the book to enjoy it.

Baking Chez Moi is a totally different entity. You will want to go to the kitchen right away to start baking, with no need to sit down and meditate in preparation, or light a bunch of candles to the Pastry Gods. The book is divided in 6 chapters: Simple Cakes, Fancy Cakes, Tarts & Galettes, Baby Cakes & Petite Pastries, Cookies & Bars, and Fruit, Creams, Frozen Desserts & Candies. A final closing chapter on Basics. I will not list every recipe in the book, just give you a quick overview highlighting the ones that appealed to me the most.

Simple Cakes. All the recipes in this chapter are indeed simple, often with just a few ingredients, perhaps the best example being Plain and Simple Almond Cake. To make it, you will need eggs, sugar, and almond flour. A hint of vanilla. That is it. I can imagine the wonderful texture and delicate almond flavor. Quite a few tasty apple cakes, including Custardy Apple Squares that seem perfect for that afternoon snack, or a special brunch. Another great concoction in this chapter is a Cheesecake, Alsatian Style. I had the opportunity of tasting one while living in France, it is lighter than the American version, so if you love cheesecake, don’t skip this one. With her Cornmeal and Berry Cake, she brings the fashionable olive oil cakes that everyone raves about these days. The same theme is present in her Hazelnut, Ginger and Olive Oil Cake (amazing flavors put together). Spiced Honey Cake made my heart skip a beat. I just know it will be one of my favorites, as I am crazy for pain d’épices.

Fancy Cakes. In this chapter, she dials it up a notch, but the recipes are still quite user-friendly, and her notes so clear that even those who suffer from cake-phobia will be tempted to dive in. The first cake in the chapter is a thing of beauty, the Moka Dupont. A sort of icebox cake assembled with cookies, coffee and chocolate buttercream. Shaved chocolate decorations on top. Such a stylish little cake! Sunday in Paris Chocolate Cake: with a name like this, who would not want to make it? Love this particular instruction, “some of the chocolate may drip down the sides – let it.” Tarte Tropézienne, is a cake made in fact with a buttery brioche dough, split in half horizontally and filled with a combination of creams. It was a favorite of the famous Brigitte Bardot in her early years of acting in Saint-Tropez. It is still very popular in that region, where each patisserie carries its own version. A beautiful Gingerbread Bûche de Noël is also part of this chapter. Not sure I have what it takes to face it, but it is such a classic! Galette de Rois, a dessert that brings me nice memories of my days living in Paris, and a gorgeous Rose Fraisier, made with genoise and strawberries close this elegant chapter.

Tartes and Galettes. By far the number one for me is the Apple Tarte Flambée. Why? She describes it as a sweet version of flammkuchen, a very thin pizza-like concoction from Alsatia that when I tried for the first time I thought I had died and gone straight to heaven. Will never forget the restaurant either, a very small place near Institut Pasteur at the 15eme. I went back there quite often, usually all alone, heart-broken and feeling sorry for myself, but flammkuchen comforted me quite well. Other goodies that called my attention in this chapter are Pear Tart with Crunchy Almond Topping, Apricot-Raspberry Tart, Simplest Plum Tart, Caramelized Cinnamon-Milk Chocolate Tart (oh, my…), and – are you ready for this one? – Crème Brûlée Tart. Ok, that pretty much does it, although Tiramisu Tart sounds almost as decadent.

Baby Cakes and Petite Pastries. This chapter stole my heart and ran away with it… The first recipe already made me melt a little: Nutella Buttons. Enough said. Think tiny cupcakes with a Nutella filling and a glaze of chocolate ganache. Happiness disguised in pastry. Pistachio and Raspberries Financiers, followed by Matcha Financiers are elegant, simple, and made in a two-bite serving. Lemon Madeleines of course had to be included, and a version of Black-and-White Marbled Madeleines is also there. Cannelés? Yes, of course! I must make them, as I even have the silicone pan for that, sitting in my cabinet. No excuses. What do you think of Chocolate Cream Puffs with Mascarpone Filling? Sounds fantastic to me. Beignets, Pailles, Merveilles, and Palmiers. A French Nirvana in small pastries form.

Cookies and Bars. Dorie starts the chapter explaining that the traditional French cookie is the sablé, a shortbread type of delicacy that accounts for “half a hundred of the hundreds of cookies” in the French repertoire. Recently I made a chocolate chip cookie based on a shortbread dough and fell in love with its delicate, slightly crumbly texture. So, let’s say I am more than ready to embrace sablés. Some of the cookies that spoke dearly to me in this group are: Vanilla Bean, Toasted Buckwheat and Chopped Chocolate, Viennese, Green Tea Sablés. But, of course macarons are incredibly enticing, and she’s got several types like Basque Macarons, Parisian Macarons (the photo will blow your mind), Macaron Biscotti. I also noticed her Cocoa Crunch Meringue Sandwiches, and Lavender Galettes (like a galette in cookie presentation). My favorite cookie of all times, Speculoos is part of her collection, and for that I am grateful. In the bar type of cookies, my favorites would be Lemon Bars, and Granola Bars.

Fruit, Creams, Frozen Desserts and Candies. A lot appealed to me in this chapter. How could I not go crazy for the Apple Speculoos Crumble? But there is a Dark Chocolate Mousse, a Mascarpone Mousse (recipe included in this post), a Honey-Yogurt Mousse, Lavender-White Chocolate Pots de Creme, Caramelized-Coffee Bean Pots de Creme, Speculoos Panna Cotta (excuse me while I close my eyes and dream a little), Chocolate Truffles, and Soft Salted-Butter Caramels.

Final Chapter, Basics. Here you will learn many techniques and basic sauces and components of recipes such as how to make a Hot Fudge Sauce, a Raspberry Coulis, a Spiced Hibiscus Syrup, Candied Petals, Flowers, Leaves and Herbs, among many other things. Wonderful way to wrap up a great book!

A few final remarks: every recipe has a small introduction with a little story behind the recipe or the person who first introduced it to Dorie. Just enough chit-chat to spice it up without being overwhelming. Most recipes also include a short paragraph entitled “Bonne Idée“, with suggestions on how to slightly change it, with an added component, or a different type of presentation. Baking Chez Moi is one of those cookbooks that you can read over and over like a novel. I am glad I lack will power to resist certain temptations…

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So, there you have it, my little virtual tour of Dorie’s new cookbook, that must be part of your collection. Dorie, thanks for giving me permission to publish your recipe! I look forward to baking more and more from it…

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ONE YEAR AGO: Pumpkin Brigadeiros

TWO YEARS AGO: Pumpkin Espresso Loaf

THREE YEARS AGO: Caramelized Carrot Soup

FOUR YEARS AGO: Miso-Grilled Shrimp

FIVE YEARS AGO: A Special Holiday Fruitcake

27Nov2014

SPICE CAKE WITH BLACKERRY PUREE & THE GLOBAL PASTRY TABLE REVIEW

Posted in Cookbook Reviews, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY AMERICAN READERS!

After five and a half years blogging, a few things about me should be quite obvious for those who have been around this site for a while. For instance, my obsession with exercise and fitness is almost as intense as my fear of baking cakes. However, even though I am terrified of baking them, cakes fascinate me so much that I often visit blogs of talented bakers, to live vicariously through them. You know, those amazing people who are not afraid of Italian meringue, of piping gorgeous flowers with buttercream icing, or slicing a cake horizontally in perfect flat layers. One such blog is Pastry Studio. If you don’t know this site yet, you are in for a very sweet treat… Gayle Gonzales has been blogging since 2007, so there is a lot to drool over in her virtual spot. One of the reasons Pastry Studio captivated me is the way she adds “Bench Notes” to her recipes. Just to give you a couple of examples, check out her Roasted Pineapple with Pink Peppercorns., or her Brownie Brittle. The recipes would be great by themselves, but the bench notes add that extra stuff that makes a person like me consider the recipe doable. Little tips that an experienced baker can offer, but not always does. Many cookbooks and food blogs assume those to be superfluous, since it should all go well. Clearly, they have not been in my kitchen. 😉

When I learned that she published her first e-cookbook, I ordered it right away. The Global Pastry Table has 95 recipes, of which 70 are not in her site, so even if you followed her blog from the get-go, the book will give you a lot of new recipes to choose from. I had a bit of trouble to decide which delicious concoction to bake first. I wanted it to be a cake, and my love for spices pointed me to her Spice Cake with Blackberries. I am thrilled to inform that it was a smooth baking session: the dogs slept through the whole thing, undisturbed by eggs dropping on the floor, exploding bags of flour, or flying spatulas. So there! I might be getting better at this cake baking thing… Ok, I know what you’re thinking: it’s all thanks to her bench notes. I’m afraid you might be right.

SPICE CAKE WITH BLACKBERRIES
(reprinted with permission from Gayle Gonzales)

for the cake:
1 + 1/4 cups cake flour (5 oz)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 cup (4 oz) buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 oz (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (3 + 1/2 oz) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (1+3/4 oz) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature

for the filling:
6 oz fresh blackberries
2-3 teaspoons granulated sugar (to taste)
powdered sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8” x 2 1/2” cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Measure out the buttermilk and add the vanilla.

Beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as you go. Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with half the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour. When the batter looks fairly well combined, use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pa and spread evenly. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Run a thin bladed knife around the edges and invert the cake. Gently peel off the parchment and invert again. Cool completely.

Place the blackberries in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar, to taste. Set aside to macerate for about 10 minutes and then mash them with a fork.

Using a long serrated knife, cut the cake in half horizontally and set the top aside. Place the bottom on a platter and spread a thin layer of blackberries. Replace the top half of he cake and dust with powdered sugar.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This was a great cake, from start to finish, no problems. Of course there is room for improvement, because I did not have the exact size cake pan she recommends. I used a 9-inch pan instead of 8-inch. So my slices were a little thinner, and I should have used less filling. But, I don’t really care, those are details that don’t bother me. I had NO trouble slicing the cake in half, and that in itself is a monumental feat. The cake was a huge success with the members of our department, I received emails and visits to the lab. Felt like a Royal Baker.

And now, let me take you through Gayle’s book, The Global Pastry Table…

First of all, did you know that even if you don’t have a reader like Kindle or iPad you can get ebooks and read them in your computer or other devices? All you need is to download a free software and you are all set. Stop by amazon and click away.

Gayle introduces her book with this paragraph: “The Global Pastry Table is a collection of pastries and desserts with a reverence for international style. It’s your invitation to the flavors and aromas of a world connected.” Indeed, all her recipes start with a little paragraph explaining its origin, and you will see she assembled a collection of goodies rooted in many geographic regions of the world. The book is divided in 6 sections: Cakes, Custards & Creams, Tarts & Galettes, Cookies, Ice Cream, and a final section on More Pastries and Desserts. The first adjective that came to my mind as I browsed the recipes was “refined”. Even recipes that seem pretty simple have an aura of refinement and rustic elegance. Apart from being a great baker, Gayle is a fantastic photographer, and took all the photos of the book.

For a visual tour of all recipes included in The Global Pastry Table, visit Gayle’s flickr collection.

Chapter One: Cakes
You would be surprised to learn how many cake and dessert cookbooks I own, but for most of them I’d say less than 30% of the cakes included appeal to me. In Gayle’s e-book, every single one of the 21 cakes sounded great. Shocking, I admit. I will not list them all, you can check the full index at amazon, but I’ll give you my top five (excluding the cake from this post). Cake with Chocolate Cardamon Glaze; Olive Oil Wine Cake, Rum Cake with Spiced Butter Rum Sauce, Hazelnut Cake, Yogurt Cake with Roasted Five-Spice Plums. Well, I must give you a sixth, because it is an amazing cake, very unique and enticing: it is called Coil Cake, an yeasted cake original from Morocco. Show-stopper.

Chapter Two: Custards & Creams
Ten delicious options, once again I would make any of them without exception. Five top choices would be: Brown Sugar Panna Cotta with Five-Spice Figs; Coconut Cream (reminds me of a Brazilian classic called : Flan de Coco); Oranges with Rosemary Sabayon (a simple, very refreshing dessert); Yogurt Mousse with Grapefruit Gelee; Maple Custard (must make this one).

Chapter Three: Tarts & Galettes
I admit that I don’t make tarts and galettes very often. For my taste, they are too heavy as dessert after a meal, and I am not too fond of sweets mid-afternoon or at breakfast. But, I know I am part of a minority, and of the ten options Gayle has in her book, it was easy to pick my top five. Apricot Galette; Butterscotch Cream Tart; Pear Galette with Honey Cream & Blue Cheese (great combination of flavors); Balsamic Strawberry Tart.

Chapter Four: Cookies
Twenty two amazing cookies for you. Don’t expect a regular choc chip cookie here, she really shines in this collection, going from very simple Plain Jane Cookies to Chocolate Hazelnut Nutella Sandwich Cookies (excuse me as I try to regain my composure). Five top choices for me (excluding that Nutella example already mentioned): Sesame Tiles; Oatmeal Shortbread; Chocolate Olive Oil Madeleines; Chocolate Garam Masala Cookies; Spice Route Cookies… but it’s really hard to stop here.

Chapter Five: Ice Cream
Fourteen ice frozen concoctions, that are all incredibly creative and unique. Five top choices: Pistachio Gelato; Brown Sugar Creme Fraiche Ice Cream with Balsamic Syrup; Earl Grey Ice Cream; Guinness Ice Cream with Oat Crumble; Lime Ice Cream with Ginger Crumble. I must say, though, that I would gladly try them all.

Chapter Six: More Pastries and Desserts
Eighteen additional goodies, very hard to pick only five to showcase here. By far my number one choice would be the Vanilla Custard in Phyllo. Her description and the photo made me want to go to the kitchen and make it right away. My other favorites would probably be Three Spice Russian Braid (gorgeous shaping of a loaf); Roasted Grapes with Yogurt Honey Cream; Pear and Ginger Scones; Pumpkin Empanadas.

I want to remind my readers that I do not do reviews by request, be it cookbooks or products. I only review things I love. I hope that you will stop by Pastry Studio to get to know Gayle and her wonderful site, and that you invite her cookbook into your virtual library. It is truly a special publication, made with a lot of passion and attention to detail.

If you love being in your kitchen… if you love having people at your table… if you love that moment of opening the oven door and seeing what has transpired… if you love the preparing, the serving, the sharing, the savoring, I know you will enjoy this collection. (Gayle Gonzales, The Global Pastry Table)

ONE YEAR AGO: Own Your Kitchen with Cappuccino Panna Cotta

TWO YEARS AGO: Chicken Parmigiana, the Thriller

THREE YEARS AGO: Wild Mushroom Risotto

FOUR YEARS AGO: Tartine Bread: Basic Country Loaf

FIVE YEARS AGO: Pugliese Bread

28Nov2013

OWN YOUR KITCHEN with CAPPUCCINO PANNA COTTA

Posted in Cookbook Reviews, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY AMERICAN READERS!

You will definitely find plenty of T-day recipes (plus leftover ideas) in the food blogosphere, so I will dance to a slightly different tune, and offer you a cookbook review instead…

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Anne Burrell strikes again with a new cookbook, “Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower.” Knowing that on January 1st my annual New Year’s Resolution of “No more cookbooks!” will be in place, I ordered it on the first week of November. I am obviously quite astute. 😉 However, after browsing “Own Your Kitchen,” I concluded that it would be worth breaking any New Year’s Resolution, no matter what the resulting karma may be. I couldn’t wait to cook something from it, and with a dinner party approaching this dessert selection was winking at me: a batch of her Cappuccino Panna Cotta, that Anne describes in her delightful way:

“My version tastes like a coffee milkshake…YUM! It’s super cinchy to make but very impressive and a perfect do-ahead… Dress it up with a little chocolate sauce and voilà, it’s fancy!”

CAPPUCCINO PANNA COTTA WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE
(from Own Your Kitchen, re-printed with permission from Anne Burrell & Random House LLC)

for the panna cotta:
4 sheets of gelatin (*)
3 cups heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
½ vanilla bean
½ cup chocolate-covered coffee beans, for garnish (I opted for chocolate-covered cranberries)
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for the chocolate sauce:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Make the panna cotta: In a small bowl of cool water, submerge the gelatin sheets to soften. They will go from stiff to soft.
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In a small saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, and espresso powder. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise down one side, open it up, and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife. Add the seeds and the hull to the pan. Whisk to combine everything. Bring the cream mixture to a boil and then immediately turn off the heat.
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Remove the softened gelatin sheets from the water and squeeze out the excess water. Add the gelatin sheets to the pan and whisk to combine. Immediately ladle the cream mixture into four 6-ounce ramekins and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
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Make the chocolate sauce: Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a boil. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate chips, heavy cream, butter and corn syrup. place the bowl on top of the pan of water. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir until the chocolate has melted and all the ingredients are combined. Remove and use immediately or store in a warm place until ready to use.
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Unmold the panna cotta: Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Run a paring knife around the outside edge of the panna cotta to loosen it. Set each ramekin in the saucepan for 10 seconds. Place a small serving plate on top of each ramekin and flip it over to unmold the panna cotta. If it doesn’t release, put the ramekin in the water for a few seconds more and try again.
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To serve, ladle a couple of tablespoons of the chocolate sauce around the panna cotta and sprinkle with a few chocolate-covered espresso beans.
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(*) If you can’t find gelatin sheets, you can substitute powdered gelatin. To use powdered gelatin in this recipe, first bloom one ¼ ounce envelope in 2 tablespoons water, then add it to the mix. ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

My comments on the panna cotta… Our desserts tend toward simple rather than extravagant, and Panna Cotta is the essence of simplicity. It’s a recipe that you can take in countless directions by changing the flavors in the steeping cream. The espresso powder in this version performs pure magic with the vanilla, and when the chocolate sauce joins it, the party reaches perfection. And, because chocolate-covered cranberries never hurt anyone, I invited them too. 😉 The fact that you can prepare the panna cotta the day beforehand makes it great for entertaining. I measured and placed all the chocolate sauce ingredients in a double-boiler, except the butter and cream that I kept in a small bowl in the fridge. When the dinner wound down I cooked up the chocolate sauce, unmolded the cold panna cotta, and assembled each individual serving. The softness of the cool panna cotta against the warm sauce, and the little crunch of the cranberries was out of this world! A perfect end for any special meal, and as Anne pointed out, simple to prepare.

OWN YOUR KITCHEN, my review…

If you were hooked on Anne’s FoodTV show (and can’t quite understand why they don’t bring her back for new episodes….) you’ll love her new book. If you’ve never watched her show, the outcome will be exactly the same!. 😉 “Own Your Kitchen” is an extension of her personality, highlighting the fun aspects of cooking, but also loaded with culinary knowledge from her many years as a successful chef. My favorite cookbooks not only feature nice recipes, but also share a little background about each one. Is it a family recipe? Is it something that the author recreated from a vacation, or maybe from a restaurant meal? What makes it so special that I’d want to hurry to the kitchen and prepare it? On the other hand, I don’t need a philosophical treatise tagged to a Bolognese sauce. Anne Burrell achieves just the right the balance between food and entertainment.

Like many cookbooks, the overall organization of “Own Your Kitchen” is divided into courses, but in a flexible, amusing way: Firsts, Seconds, Brunch, Sandwiches, Sides, and Desserts. She precedes each recipe with what I’d call a “teaser paragraph,” that reveals interesting info about it. In the recipe itself she highlights (with a “HINT!”) steps to prepare ahead of time, or even the day before, that will help those who are not seasoned cooks. Lastly, after the recipe you’ll often find remarks called Anne-notations, in which she suggests possible changes, how to make that recipe your own. It’s the “inspire and empower” aspect of the book.

Now, for a brief virtual tour of “Own Your Kitchen,” I’ll describe my two favorite recipes from each chapter.

FIRSTS
Tomato Salad with Shrimp and Black Volcanic Salt. Simple has never looked so decadent and luscious. With just a few ingredients, she re-created a recipe enjoyed on a trip to Hawaii, a place so dear to my heart! Of course, I had to place an order for Black salt, and this salad will be on our table whenever great tomatoes are back in season…

Ricotta Flan with Bacon, Corn, Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula Pesto. In Anne’s words: “…this lovely little flan says, “Hi, ricotta, you shy girl, come out and be the superstar!” 😉 You can make your own ricotta (she shows you how), or use store-bought, but this recipe would be amazing to start a dinner party, or to enjoy as a light meal.

SECONDS
Cornish Game Hens with Pancetta-Rosemary Crust. She developed this recipe years ago, while working in a restaurant in New York where “her paycheck kept bouncing and she was frustrated and broke.” She left that place, but took this gem of a recipe with her. Wise girl! I wonder if the place still exists (I bet it doesn’t) and how they feel about losing Anne as a chef. Ha! Their loss! Come to think of it, that’s the type of recipe that has her trademark all over, using an ingredient (pancetta) in a completely unexpected way. I love it!

Balsamic-braised Brisket with Bacon and Mushrooms. I almost picked this recipe as my first to cook from the book, because I remember it from her show on TV. She actually wrote that the filming crew attacked the meat once the show was over. I can imagine the scene… Her personal endorsement: “one of my favorites of all the recipes I’ve ever written.” You can bet I’ll be making it during the cold months ahead of us.

BRUNCH
Farro Granola. To deal with the harsh texture so common in granola, Anne uses a clever twist on the grains of farro before adding them to the other ingredients. Fascinating, Mr. Spock, fascinating…

Homemade Ricotta. Making ricotta from scratch has been on my list of things to do for years! Shame on me! Maybe this cookbook will finally push me in the right direction.

SANDWICHES
Killer Turkey Burger. I remember this burger from her TV show too. She was so tired of bad turkey burgers that she took matters into her own hands, and made a great version. In typical Anne Burrell fashion, you will find an ingredient you would not expect in the mix. 😉

Tallegio Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Honey Crisp Apples. Her upscale version of a classic, adding crisp apples to a strong cheese and smoky bacon. Comfort food, in sandwich form…

SIDES
Shaved Raw Cauliflower with Caper-Raisin Vinaigrette. I just know this will be a winner! She shaves the cauliflower, then takes it in the direction of ceviche. Yeah, baby… Much to my beloved husband’s consternation, I can’t have enough recipes for cauliflower…

Yukon Gold Potato Pancakes. These are NOT your regular potato pancakes. Trust me, Anne adds her usual twist to the recipe, and these pancakes will top any other version.

DESSERTS
Cappuccino Panna Cotta. Today’s post, a winner all the way…

Sticky Toffee Pudding. I’ve been meaning to make this dessert forever, as I’ve never had it but it sounds incredibly tasty. Anne’s description of her own experience in a London restaurant will convince you to bake a batch right on the spot.

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My job is to empower you to become the best cook you can be and learn to own your kitchen. Why? Because cooking is fun and delicious.
(Anne Burrell, Own Your Kitchen)

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She definitely succeeds in doing that. First, there is no doubt she brings the fun aspect of cooking to the forefront. Diluting a sheet of gelatin in water and feeling its textural change? Fun! Making and cooking dough? Fun (and satisfying)… Cracking the salt crust on a whole fish at the table? Fun! Mixing bread and sausage with your hands to make a stuffing? Fun, of course! But, she is also a natural teacher who is able to stress what really matters in a technique. With her trademark phrase “Brown food tastes good!“, she makes sure that cooks take their time to do that first step so common in stews, braises and even roasts: BROWN your food, do it nicely, do it well. That step alone will make a huge difference in the quality of your dishes. But that’s just one example, there’s a lot more to learn from her.

The holidays are coming up, so if you want to give someone a great cookbook, order a copy of “Own Your Kitchen“. Now, if you are like me and insist on making New Year Resolutions that involve a self-inflicted moratorium on cookbooks, hurry up and get a copy for yourself: 2014 is just about to say hello…

Disclaimer: I do not accept requests or any type of compensation to review cookbooks or products. I am not affiliated with amazon.com or any other company. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but I like to make this point clear.

ONE YEAR AGO: Chicken Parmigiana, the Thriller

TWO YEARS AGO: Wild Mushroom Risotto

THREE YEARS AGO: Tartine Bread: Basic Country Loaf

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pugliese Bread

15Nov2011

SHORT AND SWEET

Posted in Cookbook Reviews, General by sallybr

No, this is not an autobiographic post! 😉 Even though I like to think the name fits me to a T, “Short and Sweet” is actually Dan Lepard’s new cookbook. The moment I learned of its upcoming publication, I pre-ordered it at amazon.uk. Do I live in England? No, not even close. Would I wait for its US printing? No way! And I am thrilled to have it.

My first surprise was its size: 561 pages! On the cover, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall summarizes my own impression after a couple of very late nights reading it: “Dan demystifies the baker’s art… all kinds of seductive treats become instantly achievable.” This is the essence of Dan Lepard, particularly evident on the subject he is best known for: breads. He dedicates the first 100 pages of the book to them, starting with a must-read introduction that covers all the basics, from flour to yeast, proofing temperature, kneading, shaping and baking. One by one, he destroys all the misconceptions and the rigid (often snobbish) advice so widespread in many publications by other authors. Then he offers a long list of recipes for white loaves, whole wheat, rye, quick breads, rolls, flat breads, wrapping up the chapter with some sweet and fruit breads, and a quick tutorial on how to make a sourdough starter. In one of the recipes, called “Flash Loaf,” Dan puts all his expertise into designing a recipe that will give you a fantastic loaf of bread in two hours from start to finish. I have it on my list to try in the near future.

The second chapter of the book is dedicated to cakes (my nemesis). Once again, he introduces the subject by going over the ingredients and techniques, and even though I always get a rapid pulse while reading about cakes, by the end of the introduction I felt I could tackle any of the recipes that followed. That’s probably not a smart thing to say, considering some of the messy situations I’ve faced in the past. Some examples included in this section are: Apple, Walnut & Custard Cake (the photo is enough to make me swoon), Cinnamon Cake with Blackberries (oh, my!), Brown Sugar Chocolate Cake (sigh), Caramel Christmas Cake (double sigh).

Next in line is a full chapter on “Small Things.” These are small like Chocolate Custard Muffins…. Blueberry Creme Fraiche Cupcakes…. Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes…. Madeleines….Sweet Buttermilk Scones…. you get the picture.

Biscuits & Cookies follow the party. As in every chapter, an initial introduction helps set the mind frame for the recipes ahead. If titles such as Passion Fruit Melting Moments, Banana Fudge Cookies, Ginger Macadamia Biscuits, Blue Cheese and Oatmeal Biscuits appeal to you, you’ll have enough to bake for a long time thanks to those 38 pages of goodies.

A small chapter for doughnuts, batters, and babas, assembled together because, as Dan puts it “they are eaten the moment they’re golden and set after cooking….” Doughnuts, blinis, pancakes, the famous Crepe Suzette Tour d’Argent (that one brought me memories of an outstanding dinner with my beloved back in 2003), closing with babas (a treat I’ve never had, but after Dan’s description I wish I had a few right in front of me right now! ).

Next in line comes “Sugar Sugar.” Cute name for an impressive collection of techniques and recipes, the chapter opens with Making Caramel, and I must transcribe Dan’s remark about it: “be careful and organised and stay relaxed.” I might just print this phrase and frame it. 😉 Butter Caramels, Olive Oil and Black Pepper Caramels, Vanilla Fudge, Chocolate Truffle Cubes… A full section on icing, sweet sauces, and a few ice cream options close this sweet chapter.

Desserts comes next. Whoever is afraid of making tarts must get this book and indulge in this chapter. By the time you are done reading his “tips and techniques,” you’ll want to get into the kitchen and put in practice all his sensible advice. A few teasers for you: Malted Chocolate and Caramel Tart, Banana Caramel Cream Pie, Soft Crust Apple Pie, Black Forest Eclairs (I’ve always wanted to make eclairs, will definitely try this recipe), Prune and Armagnac Sponge Puddings, Blueberry Cocoa Meringue Pie…

If you think that’s all, then you would be wrong. The final chapter assembles a series of savory recipes such as Ham, Egg, and Potato Pie, Sweet Potato Crescents, Goat’s Cheese and Celeriac Tart, Black Olive Gougeres (triple sigh by Sally, the Kalamata Cheerleader), and many savory doughs, including Dan’s take on a few types of pizza dough.

One very nice touch is the index in outline form, with minor headings in bold. It’s a simple detail that makes finding recipes a lot easier!

Just as his previous book, “The Handmade Loaf,” I can’t recommend “Short and Sweet” highly enough. Together, these two books cover all the techniques and recipes to keep a baker busy and happy. Phil, who rarely opens a cookbook, saw it on the kitchen counter and started flipping through the pages. His words: “…this book is great! In just a quick glance I see at least 30 recipes you must make for us, I mean….. for the students in the lab, of course!” 😉

If you want to order the book, click here…

If you want to follow the progress of people baking all recipes in it, click here for the Sweet and Tweet Challenge…

If, like me, you can never get enough recipes from Dan, check his column at The Guardian by clicking here, or his discussion forum.

If you want to know which recipe I chose to inaugurate his book…
come back for my next post… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Ciabatta, a Classic Italian Bread

TWO YEARS AGO: Portuguese Sweet Bread