Ciabatta (cold fermentation method)

I wonder sometimes if I will ever get over the feeling that bread is magic. I mean, you go from a lumpy, heavy-looking mass of dough:

to a golden, crusty, airy, delicious loaf of bread that begs to be shoved in your mouth:

MAGIC. And it happens in a half hour. Some of this magic, from what I've read, is called "oven spring". I love that.

This was the second recipe I've tried out of this book:

and I was thrilled once again with the results. It's such an interesting process for bread, using cold fermentation.  Look what happened. I started with a dough ball this size:

 and after two days IN THE FRIDGE I ended up with this:

 Look at all of those amazing bubbles! And at a cold temperature, not room temperature! I'm gobsmacked.

The idea that I CAN spread bread making over a period of days is liberating in a way: I don't have to dedicate a full day to it. But, as I said before, it makes me obsess a little and think about bread nonstop over the period of those days. I suppose there are worse things I could obsess about. And there is a definite payoff from that extra time that the dough gets to develop: the flavors are rich and complex, it's not just a crusty white bread. It's tasty on its own, or with butter, or used for panini.  And I could probably think of a few hundred other ways to use it. The trick I discovered with ciabatta is GENTLENESS. There are so many bubbles in the dough, it has to be handled carefully and slowly in order to not destroy them. Bread making could teach a person (me) patience if a person (I) was ready and willing to learn.

One other small piece of advice for me (and maybe for you?): clean your oven before you use it at a setting as high as 550.  

TGIP Rating--Ciabatta--KEEPER. Not difficult and so so tasty. I also tried this recipe but forgot to take pictures. Also very easy and tasty, but is a one-day affair. Just in case you don't want to spend more than that amount of time thinking about fermenting dough.

Next up: I really am making Chocolate Macarons this weekend. Just try and stop me.

Bacon-Bourbon Brownies with Pecans

I KNOW. I know that you just had a small heart attack when you saw the name of this blog post. And rightfully so. Because it has all the good things in the world: booze, pork, chocolate, nuts. Honestly. If I could put my husband and kids in these brownies they would have everything that I love and can't live without. This was my first venture into the world of bacon/chocolate. It's a trendy thing and...to be honest...I've been kind of afraid of it, conceptually. It makes me think of the meat trifle. I know you know what I'm talking about. But I was PLAIN WRONG. The bacon just offers up enough smokiness and saltiness to enhance the chocolate. And the bourbon. And the pecans.

Clicky for the recipe. Be warned: the recipe disappeared from this link a few days ago, so if you want to have it for later, PRINT.

Over-stylized photos taken with Hipstamatic (which may be too hip for its own good):



Look how cleanly they can be cut into squares! I used an 8" square pan, rather than 9", so I guess mine actually turned out a little thicker than intended, but they were just the way I like them: a little crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, but not too gooey to cut. You will want to eat these warm; let them cool for 20 minutes or so, and then enjoy. The warmth brings out all the flavors so perfectly.


And by all means, have a glass of bourbon with them. I recommend High West. And Knob Creek.


TGIP Rating--Bacon-Bourbon Brownies with Pecans--KEEPER. NOW, I just have to figure out how to get those flavors into a pie. I'm thinking finely chopped bacon in the crust, bourbon chocolate pecan pie filling, candied bacon on top. Will require some more pondering...

Next up: Chocolate Macarons (the French kind). And that Ciabatta I promised (I actually made it, but forgot to take pix. Or maybe I just need an excuse to make it a second time.)

Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie

Happy PI Day! In honor of it I give you this:

You're welcome. If I didn't think I'd upset someone at Hershey's (or Peter Paul?), I'd call this a "Mounds" pie. That's the general idea of it. And when I own a pie shop it will be my signature pie. And you will come in for a piece one day, and become addicted and have a standing order for one pie every week. You think I'm exaggerating.

I took bits from 4 or 5 different recipes, smashed them together and out came this incredible thing. Probably one of my top 3 favorite pies. Here ya go:


Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie *click here for printable version*
Makes 1 9-inch pie

Toasted Coconut

1 c. sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 325.

Spread the coconut evenly onto a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden brown, stirring once, 8-10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the coconut sit in the oven until very dry and crunchy, up to 15 minutes longer (check frequently, it may take as little as 5 minutes). Set aside to cool.

Chocolate Cookie Crust (from BAKED Classic Diner-Style Chocolate Pie)

30 chocolate wafer cookies (about 6 ounces)
1 Tbls. granulated sugar
6 Tbls. unsalted butter, melted

Place cookies in a food processor and process to a fine powder. You should have about 1-1/2 cups. Transfer crumbs to a bowl and stir in sugar. Add melted butter and mix until well combined; mixture should feel wet.

Turn crust mixture out into a 9-inch pie plate. Using the back of a large spoon, press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Freeze while preparing ganache.

Dark Chocolate Ganache (from Bon Appetit Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie)

4 oz bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 c. whipping cream
2 Tbls. unsalted butter

Stir all ingredients in heavy small saucepan over low heat until chocolate and butter melt and mixture is smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then spoon into prepared crust. Spread ganache with back of spoon to cover crust bottom completely. Let stand at room temperature while preparing custard.

Coconut Custard

1 c. whole milk
1-1/2 c. unsweetened coconut milk
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
8 large egg yolks
2/3 c. granulated sugar
6 Tbls. (packed) cornstarch
4 tsp. coconut rum
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. coconut extract

Combine the milks and vanilla bean seeds in a medium, nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture, then return the mixture to the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove pan from heat and whisk in the rum and both extracts. Let cool to room temperature (make sure to cover with plastic wrap--pressed onto the custard so it doesn’t form a skin), then spread in crust over ganache. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours (cover with plastic wrap as before).

Chocolate Coconut Whipped Cream

1-1/2 c. very cold heavy cream
1-1/2 Tbls. granulated sugar
2 Tbls. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. coconut extract
3 tsp. nonfat dry milk (optional, to stabilize cream)

Combine all ingredients, whip to stiff peaks and spread over top of refrigerated coconut custard.

Sprinkle toasted coconut and approx. 2 oz shaved bittersweet chocolate over top.

TGIP Rating--Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie--KEEPER. Let me say that again, KEEPER. Try and love.

Next up: Bread. Ciabatta, I'm looking at you.

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. Also super-hearty-could-pass-for-a-breakfast-cookie.

Three things:

1. Chances are, if you make these for your kids for boxed lunches, they won't actually get to eat them, because you'll eat them first.
2. These stale quickly (or maybe it's just my altitude and arid climate). You might want to put a chunk of apple or something in an airtight container with them. Added bonus=a little apple essence added to the other flavors!
3. My recipe alterations were mainly to deal with altitude, so if you're not altitude impaired, you might want to take a look at the original recipe here (also, weird, they've changed the recipe a little since the last time I bought Quaker Oats).
   

Here's the recipe:

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies *click here for printable version*
adapted from Quaker “Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies”
yield: approx. 3 dozen large cookies

1 c. butter, softened
⅔ c. firmly packed brown sugar
⅓ c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
3 c. rolled oats
4-5 c. add-ins (chopped nuts, chocolate chips, toasted coconut, dried fruits, whatever you like)

Preheat oven to 375.

With mixer on medium-high, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture along with 2 tsp water. Mix well. Stir in add-ins.

Drop by large spoonfuls (or #20 ice cream scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Use spatula to flatten dome of dough. Bake for approx. 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

And here's what my "4-5 c. add-ins" was made up of:

1/2 c. toasted, chopped almonds

1/2 c. toasted, chopped walnuts

1/4 c. toasted, chopped hazelnuts

1 c. toasted coconut

1 c. chocolate chips

1/2 c. white chocolate chips

1 c. dried cherries

Now you believe me when I say "super hearty" right?

TGIP Rating--Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies--KEEPER...although...I might still tweak this one a little. I might try honey in place of some of the sugar. And I might try another egg or more butter. I think the mixture might have been just a little too dry to begin with, so staling (yes, a word) happened faster than I expected.

Next up: "Mounds" Pie. Coconut and dark chocolate, YES.