Does your sourdough starter have a name? I’ve noticed that many of my blog friends name their sourdough starters. Now, I know that the starter is technically alive, but somehow I’ve never felt the need to call mine by name. Since it’s non-sentient, it doesn’t seem to mind. It bubbles along [...]]]>

Does your sourdough starter have a name? I’ve noticed that many of my blog friends name their sourdough starters. Now, I know that the starter is technically alive, but somehow I’ve never felt the need to call mine by name. Since it’s non-sentient, it doesn’t seem to mind. It bubbles along from day to day, always ready to help me when I’m craving some sourdough goodness. It was all too happy to jump into this sourdough zucchini bread along with some fresh squash from my CSA.

I reduced the amount of sugar from the original recipe so that the sourdough flavor would stand out. The bread came out with just the right balance of spice, sourdough, and sweetness. If you prefer a sweeter bread, I recommend slightly increasing the amount of sugar. Chopped nuts or raisins would also be an excellent addition to this bread.

I’m submitting this bread to YeastSpotting, where a new feast of bread is posted every Friday!

Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Adapted from Baking With Sourdough
Yield: one 9″ loaf

1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sucanat (or your preferred type of sugar)
1 egg
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1/2 cup milk (I used rice milk)
1 cup grated zucchini (1 medium zucchini)
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 325°. Grease a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the oil, sucanat, egg, sourdough starter, and milk. Make sure that the sucanat has mostly dissolved in the liquid. Add the grated zucchini, stirring to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the bread tests done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan to cool on a cooling rack.

The flavor does intensify as the loaf ages. I think it’s more delicious on the second and third day after baking!

We are lucky to have an abundance of delicious carrots at our local farmers market. It’s one of my favorite purchases every week. They even come with the greens attached. I’m sure there’s a cooking method for the greens, but I haven’t yet experimented with them. Anybody have any recommendations for [...]]]>

We are lucky to have an abundance of delicious carrots at our local farmers market. It’s one of my favorite purchases every week. They even come with the greens attached. I’m sure there’s a cooking method for the greens, but I haven’t yet experimented with them. Anybody have any recommendations for carrot greens? For now, the carrot greens go to enrich my compost pile. And the carrots this week went into these muffins!

Did you know that carrots will stay fresh for longer if you cut off the greens? The carrots lose a lot of moisture through the greens, so cutting them off will allow the carrots to stay hydrated and delicious! I don’t remember where I read that tip, but I have tested it and it works.

I can only assume that the opposite will be true when applied to muffins. If you cut off the muffin top, wouldn’t the muffin lose more moisture? Seems to me that the muffin top serves as a sort of crust and the inside “cakey” part of the muffin would dry out if it weren’t for the muffin top. Any thoughts?

If you need to do some experimentation on this theory, might I suggest a batch of carrot spice muffins? I’ve included my preferred spice blend, but feel free to change it up and experiment!

Carrot Spice Muffins
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: 12 muffins

2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sucanat
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk (I used rice milk)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large carrots, grated

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease muffin tins or line with paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sucanat, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, and oil.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Gently fold in the grated carrots. Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the muffins test done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.

I won’t ever forget the day that I made these pavlovas. I [...]]]> The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard

I won’t ever forget the day that I made these pavlovas. I got laid off from my job, and they were there to greet me when I got home. Chocolate certainly has a soothing quality, and this double chocolate dessert (with cream on top) definitely eased my pain. The meringue cookies are soft and chocolatey inside, the chocolate mousse is bittersweet, and the crème anglaise adds the perfect touch of sweetness.

I’ll be taking a hiatus from blogging for a few weeks. When I return, I will most likely have a lot more time to spend baking and visiting everyone’s lovely blogs! So I leave you with this doozy of a dessert for chocolate lovers.

The pavlova dessert was named after ballerina Anna Pavlova. She is most recognized for her role as The Dying Swan. And rightly so, as her performance is enthralling. I attempted to honor Miss Pavlova by fashioning a tutu out of the dessert ingredients.

Not quite as fabulous as I had hoped, but if you squint really hard you might see the resemblance! The meringue pictured below decided to grow a swan neck of its own.

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard.

There were four components to make for this challenge: chocolate meringue cookies, mascarpone cheese, chocolate mascarpone mousse, and crème anglaise. It sounds daunting, but all the pieces came together easily and relatively quickly. They’re all delicious on their own and the crème anglaise makes an excellent ice cream base!

The changes I made are as follows: omitting alcohol and citrus. I don’t like the combination of citrus and chocolate. So for the sake of edibility, I omitted the lemon zest and orange juice from the original recipe.

Chocolate Meringue Cookies (Pavlovas)
Yield: 12 cookies (more or less, depending on size and shape)

3 egg whites
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 200° F. Make sure that the rack(s) you will be baking the cookies on are as close to the center of the oven as possible. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Add the egg whites to the bowl of your mixer and mix on medium speed with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. This will take a few minutes, so be patient!

Increase the mixer speed to high and begin to add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, while the mixer is going. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Again, this may take a while. This whole process took about 15 minutes for me. The egg whites should be firm but still moist. If you rub some of the meringue between your fingers, it should be smooth. If you can still feel the grainy sugar, continue to beat until all the sugar dissolves.

Sift the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder over the egg whites. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients. It will seem too dry at first, but as you continue to fold everything will come together.

Fill a pastry bag with the meringue and pipe it onto the cookie sheets, or free form it in any shape you desire.

Bake the meringues for about 2 hours, or until they are dry and crisp. The outside of the cookies will form a hard shell. When the meringues are done, turn off the oven and crack the door. Let them sit inside until cool. This should prevent the meringues from cracking.

Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse
This recipe makes far more mousse than you will need for the pavlovas, but it’s delicious by the spoonful!

1 1/2 cups heavy cream (I used organic whipping cream)
9 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 72%), chopped
1 2/3 cups mascarpone
pinch of nutmeg

In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of the cream over medium high heat. When it comes to a boil, add the chocolate and stir constantly until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the mascarpone, nutmeg, and the remaining cup of cream. Beat with the whisk attachment on low speed until well combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Do not overbeat, as the cream may break (and you’ll have butter, but that’s not what we’re after here)!

Add about 1/4 of the mascarpone whipped cream into the melted chocolate and stir until combined. Fold in the remaining cream mixture until well incorporated. You can use a pastry bag to apply the mousse to the pavlovas, or just dollop it on top with a spoon.

Mascarpone Cream
Yield: Lots! This is half of the recipe provided, and still makes enough to drizzle over all the pavlovas plus make some delicious ice cream.

1 recipe crème anglaise (see below)
1/4 cup mascarpone
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used organic whipping cream)

Prepare the crème anglaise as directed below. After passing the cream through the sieve, allow it to cool on the counter for about 15 minutes. Gently whisk in the mascarpone, and allow the mixture to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Whip the heavy cream with a mixer until it forms soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled crème anglaise.

Crème Anglaise

1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns a pale yellow.

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and vanilla extract until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat. Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Pour the yolk mixture back into the pan, and place the pan back over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon as the mixture heats.

When it is thick enough to lightly coat the back of your spoon, remove it from the heat and pour it through a fine mesh sieve. If you are continuing with the recipe, follow the mascarpone cream instructions above. If not, cover and refrigerate the crème anglaise until chilled.

To assemble the dessert: use your creativity to pipe or spoon the mousse on top of the pavlovas. Drizzle mascarpone cream over the top and enjoy!

Saturday, 7:10 am. The farmers market had just opened and we found ourselves in front of a bright display of strawberries and marionberries. As we selected one of each type of berry, the farmer appeared in front of us and half-whispered, “I’ve got one container of tayberries back here if you’re interested.” [...]]]>

Saturday, 7:10 am. The farmers market had just opened and we found ourselves in front of a bright display of strawberries and marionberries. As we selected one of each type of berry, the farmer appeared in front of us and half-whispered, “I’ve got one container of tayberries back here if you’re interested.” The Boyfriend and I exchanged looks. “What’s a tayberry?” I asked. He produced the half pint container and replied, “They’re like gold. They won’t last long.”

I’m not sure if it was his clever marketing or the gorgeous purplish-black hue of the tayberries, but we were sold. We brought home the most delicious collection of strawberries, marionberries, and tayberries. Our CSA share added boysenberries and rhubarb to our bounty. Now, each and every one of those berries could have made their way into our stomachs within a few hours. But I had grander plans for them: pie.

Here they are. The tayberries are on the left side, at the top. They look like blackberries but are longer in shape. They’re a cross between blackberries and raspberries, which means that they taste phenomenal. The perfect addition to my summer berry pie. This pie is definitely a winner, so I’m submitting it to “You Want Pies With That?” for this month’s summer fruit pies roundup.

I decorated my pie with a lattice crust on top, garnished with little pie crust strawberries. The filling came out a beautiful deep purplish-blue color, with a rich sweet-tart berry flavor. The perfect beginning to summer. Now, if only I had some vanilla ice cream…

Rhubarb Berry Pie
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion
Yield: 1 yummy 9″ pie

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cold
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice cold water

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Slice 1/2 cup of the butter into small cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, blend the butter into the flour until it resembles large crumbs.

Slice the remaining butter into 1/4″ pats. To do this, slice a stick of butter lengthwise into four pieces. Rotate the stick and cut four lengthwise slices again. Then slice the strips.

Add the butter pats into the flour mixture and blend just until all the butter is coated in flour. Leave large chunks of butter in the dough for a flakier crust.

Add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork after each addition. Add enough water that the dough just comes together when you grab a small handful. Resist the urge to add too much water, it may get sticky when you try to roll it out.

Separate the dough into two halves, form each half into a disc shape, and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This “relaxation period” will serve to keep the dough chilled (thereby preserving the chunks of butter) and allow the gluten to relax (making the dough easier to roll out).

For the filling:
4 cups fresh berries, rinsed (I used 1 cup each of strawberries, marionberries, boysenberries, and tayberries)
1 cup rhubarb, chopped (about 4 small stalks)
1 cup sucanat (or your preferred sugar)
1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water

Preheat the oven to 450°.

Combine the berries and rhubarb in a large bowl. Add sucanat and stir gently until well combined. Sprinkle the tapioca flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the berry mixture, gently folding until combined.

Beat the egg white and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

On a generously floured work surface, roll out one of the pie crusts to about 12″ or 13″ in diameter. Gently wrap it around the rolling pin and transfer it to a 9″ pie plate. Brush the inside of the crust with the egg white mixture. This helps to avoid a soggy crust.

Pour the fruit filling into the crust. Roll out the top crust and use it whole or create a design that inspires you. I chose to make a lattice pattern with the top crust. Brush the egg wash over the top of the crust as well.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 450°, then turn the oven down to 350° and bake for an additional 35-50 minutes. If it looks like the filling may bubble over in the oven, place a baking sheet covered with foil underneath the pie. The pie is done when the crust turns brown and the filling is bubbling.

Allow the pie to cool on a cooling rack for 45 minutes before slicing. Then eat it all up!

I’m looking for a few good book recommendations. It’s time to start making my summer reading list. I’ll be taking a trip in a few weeks so I need to discover some good books for the journey. I’ll tell you about my latest read and share a recipe, and then you can [...]]]>

I’m looking for a few good book recommendations. It’s time to start making my summer reading list. I’ll be taking a trip in a few weeks so I need to discover some good books for the journey. I’ll tell you about my latest read and share a recipe, and then you can give me some book recommendations. Deal?

I just finished reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and it inspired me to make some changes in my diet. The dilemma that Michael Pollan writes about is this: as omnivores, we can eat just about anything in nature, which is bound to create anxiety. Pollan offers insight into this dilemma by tracing four vastly different meals back to their sources. Armed with the information presented, you will be better equipped to navigate our confusing array of food choices, especially in America. It just may inspire you to change your diet, even in some small way, to become more sustainable. Everyone who eats food should read this book.

As everyone who likes bananas should make this cake. It’s so simple and easy to put together, and tastes incredible. I’m sure it would be equally stellar as a loaf or muffins. And I can assure you that the batter tastes great, too. See, I put my recipes through all sorts of rigorous testing just for your benefit. I have confidence that you’ll enjoy this one.

Don’t forget to leave me a book recommendation in the comments!

Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Adapted from Vegan Visitor
Yield: One 8″ cake

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
3 tablespoons water
4 very ripe bananas
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sucanat (or your preferred type of sugar)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease one 8″ cake pan or spray with vegetable spray and set aside.

Stir the flax and water together and let sit for about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl or the bowl of your mixer, mash the bananas, then add the canola oil, sucanat, and vanilla extract. Beat well with an electric mixer.

Add the salt, cinnamon, and flax mixture. Mix on low speed until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to the banana mixture in two batches, beating just until combined. With a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the entire pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.

I’ve got a problem. I’m obsessed with fresh berries from the farmers’ market. I simply can’t leave without a pint or two or three of strawberries. This past weekend, as I approached my favorite berry farmer’s table, I spied the blackberries! Perfectly ripe and sweet, I knew they wouldn’t last long. [...]]]>

I’ve got a problem. I’m obsessed with fresh berries from the farmers’ market. I simply can’t leave without a pint or two or three of strawberries. This past weekend, as I approached my favorite berry farmer’s table, I spied the blackberries! Perfectly ripe and sweet, I knew they wouldn’t last long. If I didn’t use them right away they’d be eaten.

So, what to make? My first thought was muffins, but I make those way too often. I’m a little burned out on muffins. A quick perusal of my cookbook collection yielded a spark of inspiration: scones!

This recipe is different from any other I’ve tried in that you don’t roll out the dough and slice it. Handling the dough less makes for a better texture in the finished pastry. Also, less work and less mess to clean up later!

The recipe recommends freezing the berries for two hours before folding them into the batter. Genius! Since the batter is so stiff, this should prevent the berries from breaking apart when they are folded in. I am impatient so I only froze the berries for one hour. It certainly made a difference! The berries were much firmer, and only a few of them broke apart.

The goal is to mix the dough until it just barely comes together. It will really come together when you shape it, so be gentle while mixing! I just made free-form balls on the cookie sheet, but you could also press the dough into a large round cookie cutter. Be sure to leave plenty of room, these babies spread while baking! I placed just 6 scones on my baking sheet for each batch.

Maple Blackberry Scones
Adapted from The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook
Yield: 12 scones

1 cup fresh blackberries
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
3 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt*
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup rice milk plus 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or 3/4 cup buttermilk)
3/4 cup pure maple syrup

Rinse the berries, pat them dry, and spread them on a plate. Place the plate in the freezer for 2 hours.

In a large bowl, stir together the butter, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Place the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the vanilla extract, milk, vinegar, and maple syrup. Place in the fridge until needed.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the flour mixture from the freezer and work the ingredients together with a pastry cutter until the butter cubes are the size of peas. Make a well in the center and pour the liquid ingredients in. Using a wooden spoon, gently combine the ingredients just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Carefully fold in the frozen berries.

Pack the dough into 3 inch round cookie cutters, then carefully remove the cutter, leaving the scone on the baking sheet. Alternatively, shape the dough with your hands, making sure the top of each scone is flat. Leave enough room between the scones for them to double in size.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Let the scones cool on the sheet for a minute or so, then remove them and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.

*Note: I found these to be just a touch on the salty side. I actually enjoyed them this way since the slight saltiness offset the sweetness of the berries. You may wish to reduce the salt slightly.

I just can’t stay away from these Meyer lemons. They were destined to become another pitcher of lemonade when I had a breakthrough moment. I’d been waiting and waiting to buy poppy seeds so I could use them in bread. When we received another batch of Meyer lemons from the farm I [...]]]>

I just can’t stay away from these Meyer lemons. They were destined to become another pitcher of lemonade when I had a breakthrough moment. I’d been waiting and waiting to buy poppy seeds so I could use them in bread. When we received another batch of Meyer lemons from the farm I mentioned to The Boyfriend that I could make Meyer lemon poppyseed muffins if only we could find poppy seeds at the store. My very astute boyfriend said, “You’ve got a jar of poppy seeds on your spice rack”. Well, surely he must be confusing poppy seeds with something else, right?

I rushed to the kitchen, spun the spice rack around, and there it was. The jar of poppy seeds. So, Meyer lemon poppy seed muffins it was. Right away.

I’ve been experimenting with a new sweetener. Brown sugar has been my favorite sweetener to use in muffins and other baked goods, since it seems to be more wholesome than white sugar. But I found a sweetener that goes one step further: sucanat.

Sucanat gets its name from the three words that describe it: sugar cane natural. It’s simply granulated sugar cane. Sucanat has a flavor similar to brown sugar, but it’s a more wholesome sweetener. It claims to contain more of the trace elements that aren’t found in processed sugars, although I still wouldn’t call it healthy.

As I transition to more whole, unprocessed foods I have begun to research and question my customary pantry items. In researching brown sugar I found that oftentimes it is just white sugar sprayed with molasses. So it’s been processed just like white sugar, and then the molasses that was removed during processing has been sprayed back on. It’s more convenient and cost-efficient for manufacturers to produce brown sugar in this manner. In light of this discovery, I decided to give sucanat a try.

I do like the subtle molasses flavor that it adds to baked goods. I’ve used it in a few batches of muffins so far and I can definitely recommend it as an alternative to processed sugar. Sucanat is used as a 1:1 replacement for white or brown sugar, so if you’re not ready to give it a try you can use your preferred variety of sugar in this recipe.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: 12 muffins

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup sucanat (or granulated sugar)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used rice milk)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease muffin tins, or line with paper cups.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter, applesauce, and sucanat. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.

Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups. Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until the muffins test done. Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pan to cool directly on the cooling rack.

Assembling this pièce montée made me feel just a bit like a French pastry chef. Part of the [...]]]> The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.

Assembling this pièce montée made me feel just a bit like a French pastry chef. Part of the fun of the Daring Bakers group is that we get to make many different recipes that some of us have only dreamed of making (or never dreamed of being able to complete)! A pièce montée is a dessert that I’ve admired on other blogs and in cookbooks, but never would have attempted under my own pretenses. Yet here it is, my latest masterpiece!

A pièce montée, also referred to as a croquembouche, is an architectural feat of pastry. Cream puffs are built into a cone shape, cemented together with chocolate or hard caramel. They can reach great heights and serve as a backdrop for some astoundingly beautiful sugar art. Mine, however, is more humble.

I was excited to try spun sugar. Admiring many a croquembouche wrapped in delicate strands like spiderwebs inspired me to try it myself. To my surprise (and relief), it was remarkably simple! The trick is letting the caramel cool to just the right temperature. Then you have a small window of time before the caramel gets too hard.

Use a skewer, a fork, chopsticks, or any other utensil to scoop the caramel out of the pan. As it drizzles off the utensil it will start to form delicate tendrils of sugar. Move the utensil in the desired pattern around the croquembouche to wrap it in sugar. This simple method produces a stunning result.

While melting the butter for the pâte à choux, I discovered a new galaxy. I’m sure that there are all kinds of delicious creatures living in this butter galaxy. In fact, I know they’re delicious, because I ate quite a few of the resulting cream puffs!

The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a pièce montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.

This challenge consisted of three components: pâte à choux (cream puff pastry dough), crème pâtissière (pastry cream), and caramel glaze used to hold the structure together. We were encouraged to be creative with the pastry cream flavors, so I chose to incorporate raspberries.

I made the full batch of pastry cream, and a half batch of pâte à choux. This yielded 8 puffs, generously filled with cream.

Raspberry Crème Pâtissière
Yield: enough to fill 8-10 cream puffs

1 cup whole milk (I used half & half)
2 tablespoons corn starch
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup raspberries (fresh or thawed frozen), mashed

Dissolve the corn starch in 1/4 cup of the milk. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of milk along with the sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

Beat the whole egg, then the egg yolks, into the corn starch mixture. Pour about 1/3 of the heated milk into the corn starch mixture, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs.

Return the remaining milk mixture to a boil. Whisking constantly, pour the hot egg mixture into the saucepan in a slow stream. Continue to whisk until the cream has thickened and come to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla extract, and raspberries.

Pour the cream into a metal/glass/ceramic bowl and press some plastic wrap directly onto the surface. This will avoid having a skin form over the cream. Place in the refrigerator immediately and chill until ready to use. I chilled mine overnight before continuing.

Pâte à Choux
Yield: approximately 28 puffs

3/4 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Egg wash: 1 egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 425°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, combine water, butter, salt, and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour until completely incorporated.

Return the pan to the heat and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the batter dries slightly and starts to pull apart. There will be a thin layer of dough coating the bottom of the pan. Don’t scrape the dough off the bottom of the pan.

Transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl and stir for about a minute to cool the mixture slightly. Add one egg. I added a cool egg straight from the fridge so that it wouldn’t cook when adding to the hot mixture. The batter will be loose and rather chunky. It may look like the egg won’t blend in, but keep stirring.

It will magically become a smooth batter soon enough.

Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, incorporating each one completely before adding the next. You may not need the last egg if the batter seems to be getting too liquidy.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag with a large opening or plain tip. Pipe mounds 1 inch high, 1 inch wide, and 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Use your fingertip dipped in water to gently flatten any “hats” that formed while piping the choux. The tops should be gently rounded.

Brush the choux with egg wash and place the baking sheets into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until puffy and just starting to brown.

Lower the oven temperature to 350° and continue to bake for 20-25 minutes. They should be deep brown in color and dried out. If they are underbaked, they may collapse after being removed from the oven. When the choux are finished baking, remove them from the baking sheet and cool them directly on a cooling rack.

For best results, use the choux right away. However, they may be stored overnight in an airtight container.

Just before you assemble the pièce montée, fill the choux with pastry cream. Transfer the cream to a pastry bag with a circle or star tip. Pierce the bottom of each choux with the pastry tip and squeeze in the cream.

Prepare all of your ingredients and tools to assemble the pièce montée: filled choux, serving plate, bowl of ice water (hot sugar burns!), and utensils to spin the sugar (I used a double-pronged skewer). It may help to practice stacking your choux (before filling them) to figure out which pieces fit together best.

Hard Caramel Glaze

1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan, stirring until the mixture resembles wet sand. Heat over medium heat without stirring until the sugar melts in the middle and starts to bubble and smoke. Stir the sugar and continue heating, stirring occasionally, until all the sugar has liquefied and is amber in color. Remove from heat and use immediately.

Keeping a bowl of ice water nearby, carefully dip each choux into the sugar mixture and begin to build the pièce montée. I found it easiest and safest to just dip the bottom of the choux in caramel and place it on the tower. Drizzle a tad more caramel on top of the choux, using a metal spoon. Continue building until the desired height and shape are achieved. If the sugar hardens or gets difficult to work with, return it to the stove over medium heat for a minute or two.

To spin sugar around the outside, I used a double-pronged skewer. The sugar should be slightly cooler than the temperature used for dipping the choux. You’ll be able to tell when the sugar has cooled to the point of “spiderwebbing” – that’s my technical term for it. If you dip the skewer in the pan of sugar and pull it back out, a glob of sugar will fall off and thin strands of sugar will dangle from the skewer. Circle the pièce montée with the skewer, pulling the sugar strands around in circles to wrap the tower.

Serve immediately. It won’t last long, anyway.

My friends, this recipe has been months in the making. It’s been tested, revised, re-tested, and overhauled from scratch by yours truly. Because, let’s face it, pizza is a serious matter. Soon after I began to bake my own bread I started experimenting with pizza crust. I found a delicious and [...]]]>

My friends, this recipe has been months in the making. It’s been tested, revised, re-tested, and overhauled from scratch by yours truly. Because, let’s face it, pizza is a serious matter. Soon after I began to bake my own bread I started experimenting with pizza crust. I found a delicious and simple recipe for a thick crust using commerical yeast. I can appreciate a nice thick, bready pizza crust. But a true pizza master knows how to make pizza dough both thick and thin. I had a difficult time mastering the thin crust pizza dough.

I got frustrated by recipe after recipe. I needed a recipe that was easy to throw together and versatile enough to make on a busy weeknight. I finally created my own recipe from scratch that was able to produce consistent results.

This dough is very wet and difficult to handle. The wetter the dough is, the thinner the crust will be. It’s about finding the perfect balance between a wet dough and one that just falls apart. I recommend using lot of flour on your hands and work surface when shaping the dough. The easiest way to shape this dough is to place it on a sheet of parchment paper and pat it into the desired shape.

Bake the crust for 5-8 minutes before adding any toppings or sauce. This will ensure that the crust gets baked through without overbaking the toppings. Pizza perfection.

I like to use whatever I happen to have on hand for toppings. This week I made zucchini spinach pizza. Just look at that thin, crispy crust!

I’m submitting this post to Yeastspotting. Be sure to take a look at the beautiful bread roundup posted every Friday!

Sourdough Pizza Dough
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Makes two medium-sized pizzas (feeds 2-3 people each)

1 cup sourdough starter
2 cups unbleached bread flour (substitute whole wheat flour for all or part of the bread flour, if desired)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup lukewarm water

In the bowl of your mixer, stir all ingredients together with a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment on low speed. Switch to the dough hook and knead on second speed for 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes, then knead for another 5 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature until doubled. My sourdough takes about 4 hours to double.

Use the dough immediately, or place it in the fridge, covered, for up to one week. If you refrigerate the dough, remove it at least one hour before baking.

Preheat the oven to 500° for one hour, with your pizza stone inside. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baker’s peel, or the back side of a cookie sheet.

Shape the dough about 10 minutes before the oven is ready. Dust the parchment with flour. Divide the dough into two halves, and place one half on the parchment. Using plenty of flour on your hands and on the dough, pat the dough into the desired size and shape.

Slide the dough, still on the parchment, onto the baking stone. Bake for 5-8 minutes. If any large bubbles appear and start to grow, use a skewer to pop them. Remove the dough from the oven when it looks slightly puffy and has just started to brown around the bottom edges. The crust should slide off the parchment easily. You can remove the parchment at this point if the crust slides off.

Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of olive oil to the crust before adding sauce and toppings. This prevents the sauce from seeping into the crust and getting soggy.

Once you’ve topped your crust, slide it back onto the baking stone and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and begun to brown (or to your desired level of doneness).

To make pizza on the same day, skipping the 4 hour rising time:
Prepare the dough just after you turn on the oven. Add an extra 1/4 cup flour when mixing the dough to aid in handling. Allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes while the oven preheats. The crust will be denser, but still delicious!