A Valentine Labor Of love

Sweet Potato Cardamom Cupcakes 

Anyone who knows me, or reads this blog, knows I love experimenting with recipes, trying different flavor combinations, and looking for things that are pushing the edge of where my husband will go with his food. I love trying new and different flavors, new spices or herbs, combining things in different ways. As I watch TV and hear about some of the more "out there" flavor combinations, I long to try them. So, in the back of my mind, I am always running through different flavors and how to combine them and in what. 

For some weeks now I have wanted to make cupcakes, core them, fill them with something and then frost them. In general I am not over fond of making cupcakes at all. I like eating them; they are cake, after all, and I love cake. However, I prefer to make one large something as opposed to lots of small somethings, at least in the cake or pie department. But, I had never "cored" or filled a cupcake, and wanted to try this out. The flavors and combinations were what was keeping me from starting, because I couldn't settle on a combination I liked. Yesterday morning, since I had not gotten my husband a Valentine gift, I sat down and focused. The process of creating the recipes and making all the components were almost a 6 hour job. Another time, with recipes already created, I know that much of it can be made over the course of days and finished easily in a short period of time when needed.

I settled on a sort of Middle Eastern set of flavors to work with. I had been thinking of a pistachio cream for the filling for a long while, but the rest of the equation had escaped me. So, pistachio filling was a start. Then I focused on the cupcake component. I prefer white cake. My husband also loves white cake. We will both eat chocolate, but it is not generally our first choice. I did not want to make a carrot cake, despite how much he loves that. With the Middle Eastern flavors I was going for, it was the wrong canvas. I wanted a moist cake, and had once made a cake with squash in it. I had a 10-ounce sweet potato in the fridge. I set it in a pan of water and boiled it for an hour, then cooled slightly and peeled it. I put it through a ricer and ended up with a perfect 1-cup. I decided on a yellow cake, as no  matter what, it would be yellow with the sweet potato. For the flavors, I went with cardamom, black pepper, orange zest and juice, all Middle Eastern flavors.

A couple of months back, when grocery shopping, I found freeze dried strawberries, in among the regular dried fruits. I do not care for strawberries. I abhor anything fake strawberry "flavored." I like the real flavored cream that results from strawberries soaking in cream - but not the berries themselves. So, since I had freeze dried strawberries, and my husband is a real strawberry fiend, I figured the flavor was real enough and I was not actually eating the fresh berries I do not care for. To give the frosting vaguely Middle Eastern flavor, I added rosewater. So, my stage was set. Then I started working on recipes.

I wanted to make the pistachio filling with an idea I saw on TV. They added pastry cream to a mixture with ground pistachios. I have a recipe for a pastry cream I have used for years. As a matter of fact, long ago I used to make it as a cooked pudding for my kids, as the flavor is so delightful. I made a batch of that first, while the sweet potato was cooking. Then, I worked on how to proceed with the pistachio part. I took some raw, shelled, unsalted pistachios I have had for a while and placed them in the food processor with some confectioners' sugar and processed that for about 5 minutes. It resulted in a pretty green powder. While it was already finely ground, I still worked the powder through a colander to take out any larger pistachio bits that might remain, though there was not much. I creamed some butter for about 5 minutes, then added in the pistachio powder. Once that was well creamed, I added in some of the cooled pastry cream and mixed. That went in the fridge to set.

I am going to post here the Pastry Cream, Pistachio Cream Filling and the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting recipes. Tomorrow I will post the recipe for the cupcakes and the finalizing.

Pastry Cream

Pastry Cream

Makes about 1 5/8 cups (you will need ½ cup for the Pistachio Cream Filling)

1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl, whisk together the egg with the yolk and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the first 4 ingredients. Using a whisk, mix in the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and whisking constantly, allow the mixture to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to cook out the raw starch taste. With a small ladle, scoop some of the hot mixture into the eggs and whisk quickly to temper the eggs. Add in another ladle of the hot mixture and whisk. Off the heat, add the whole egg mixture back into the hot pan. Place the pan back over very low heat, whisking constantly for 30 seconds to one minute, or until the mixture just begins to bubble. Remove from heat immediately, or the eggs will scramble If desired, strain the mixture. Place plastic wrap directly onto the hot surface of the pastry cream and chill completely before using. This can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated.

Pistachio Cream Filling

Makes enough to fill 24 cupcakes

1/2 cup preferably raw, shelled, unsalted pistachios (or rinse salt off of regular pistachios and dry completely before proceeding)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

Pistachio Cream Filling

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pastry cream

Set the pistachios with the confectioners' sugar into the bowl of a food processor and process for at least 5 minutes, or until the mixture is a fine powder. With a mixer, cream the butter until very light. Add in the pistachio mixture with the salt and beat until well combined. Add the pastry cream and mix well. Chill. This recipe can be made 2 - 3 days in advance and kept refrigerated.

Strawberry Rosewater Frosting

Strawberry Rosewater Frosting

Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes
 
1 (1-ounce) package freeze dried strawberries
6 ounces softened cream cheese
1 stick (4-ounces) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rosewater
 
Place 1 cup of the freeze dried strawberries in a food processor and process to a very fine powder. (Save the remaining few bits to crush and sprinkle over the finished cupcakes). Sift this powder with the confectioners' sugar and salt into a bowl and set aside. In a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter for about 8 to 10 minutes, until light and creamy. Stop the mixer and add all the sifted ingredients. Start on very slow to incorporate the dry ingredients, then add the rosewater and increase speed and beat well. Can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature and beat to bring back the texture before using. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Craving for Pasta

Today, as I sat working at my computer, I started craving pasta. I haven't had pasta for a while. I had nothing in mind, except something quick and easy. Well, I did have something in mind, but since I knew I did not have the key ingredient - fresh basil - that wasn't going to happen; not today. 

Creamy Penne with Sundried Tomatoes & Olives

So I popped downstairs and started rooting through what I had on hand. I had penne pasta; check. I went to the fridge and deliberated. What sounds good, hmmm? Cheese, of course. I had a chunk of Pepperjack so I got that out. I wanted olives and maybe capers; check. Cream would be needed to melt the cheese into. Ah, and sundried tomatoes. I had a batch of tomatoes I had dried in my dehydrator in the summer when the tomatoes were coming in left and right. I had stored them in a zip top baggie in the vegetable drawer, so I got those out. One lonely lemon left, so I got that out. I switched from capers last minute to using green peppercorns in brine. These are much more available than they once were. They are whole green peppercorns, in a salty brine liquid, usually found in a little jar, similar to the tall, thin caper jars. Sometimes they are found in little tins. The peppercorns are firm, but not crunchy and add a nice piquant note and a little burst of heat. I love these things, but my husband does not tolerate them, so I have to be judicious in their use. Since I knew he would not be eating this dish, as he also hates olives, I felt free to add the little peppercorns.

Okay, so what to do, specifically? I set water to boil, while I thought. I heated a skillet and put in olive oil. I sliced a smallish onion into wedges and put that in the skillet to saute. When I saute large chunks of onion like this, as also for a stir-fry, I like to add in an acidic ingredient, to help both with steaming the onion a bit, but the acid (lemon juice or vinegar) also contributes to the flavor. On medium high heat, the liquid from one lemon doesn't take long to completely evaporate. This leaves behind a great concentrated flavor to combine with the flavors that follow. I knew I was adding cream, so it was important for the lemon juice to boil out. I just added things as I thought of them, and what came out was really delicious.  I didn't need any salt; with the lemon juice and zest, and all the cheese and the olives, there was more than enough saltiness already. Here is what I did:

Creamy Penne with Sundried Tomatoes & Olives

Creamy Penne

Serves 4 

8 ounces penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, in wedges
1 lemon, zest set aside
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned (not oil-packed)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
6 ounces Pepperjack cheese, grated
12 green olives, rough chopped, 2 reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons green peppercorns in brine, optional, OR fresh-cracked black pepper
2 scallions, chopped

Cook the pasta in a large pot of water with a tablespoon of salt. When it is al dente, drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the onion wedges. I like narrow wedges; cut them as you prefer. Allow the onions to saute, tossing occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add in the lemon juice and continue to stir. Add the garlic and sundried tomato chiffonade to soften while the lemon juice is still in the pan. Once the lemon juice has cooked out, add in the lemon zest and the grated cheese. Once the cheese is nearly melted, add in the olives and green peppercorns with one of the scallions. When heated through it is ready to serve. Garnish with the reserved olives and scallion.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Gluten Free Green Tea Lime Sables: Comparison Baking

Gluten Free Green Tea Lime Sables, forefront

Two days ago I posted a blog about Sables, the French cookies. A bit of a rant there, but I am a bit anal about some things; so sorry. I absolutely loved the cookies, which I called Green Tea Lime Sables. Love the flavor, the texture, the tender yet crisp bite. I have been eating them over these two days. Last night I wondered if it would be possible to make these French cookies Gluten-Free? As I pondered the question, having never made gluten-free cookies, one of the main precepts for making the Sables is not to overwork the dough once the flour is added. Any time all purpose (wheat) flour is worked too much, gluten begins to form. For making yeast bread, it is essential. For things such as pie crusts or cookies, this is a disastrous result.

Thinking about the fact that gluten free flours do not have gluten to develop, it would seem that this would make the process simpler. If you do not have to worry about overworking the cookie dough, then what else could cause a problem? I went online. The internet is a wondrous thing. All the information out there, available at a simple search. I searched gluten free cookies, curious to see what sorts of differences there would be, in a general way. Was it just the flour difference? Or, was there a lot of folderol necessary to get a gluten free cookie to set properly? Coming from no gluten intolerance of my own, this was just curiosity. I wanted to be able to post a really delightful recipe for my gluten-intolerant friends out there. These cookies were too good not to share.

What I found out is that for the most part, gluten-free cookies are easy to make. Some guidelines to help establish a better result were things such as using a higher protein flour mixture. I have still not completely established which gluten-free flours are higher in protein, but I used a recipe posted on "The Spruce" (see website here). I had all the flours except amaranth. I substituted quinoa flour for the amaranth. I mixed just enough to make a half batch of cookies. If they didn't turn out well, I didn't want too many. Another thing was an article about crisp versus chewy cookies. I had to think about that for a while. The Sables I had made 2 days ago were not crisp like a gingersnap, but certainly not chewy either. That left me in a quandary. Another item to consider is having the cookie set up instead of flattening. The suggestion was using shortening instead of butter, as butter tends to spread and evaporate more quickly. I thought about using just a little shortening and mostly butter, but last minute changed my mind. I saw a recipe for Gluten-Free chocolate chip cookies by Alton Brown, and he used all butter. If Alton can do it.... Then one site suggested using a lower oven temperature for better baking results.

Tasting side by side; GF in forefront

I sat with my recipe scribbles for the all-purpose wheat flour based Sables and just translated over. Equal amounts of butter, sugars, egg yolks. Two cups of wheat flour translated to 2 cups of gluten-free flour blend. I added in, as with the recipe online some powdered egg white. Mine is Wilton Meringue Powder, which is processed in a place where wheat is also processed, so my cookies would not pass for anyone severely gluten intolerant, but I didn't need them to pass for anyone but me. I wanted to know if the flavor and texture would compare. 

I can say these were a resounding success. At top of this page is a photo of the Gluten-Free version in the forefront, with the previous, wheat based Sables on the little plate, behind. Here at right the same. I took a bite of one, then a bite of the other. My Gluten Free Green Tea Lime Sables are in almost every respect, the same as the non gluten-free. Almost, because the gluten-free ones are just ever-so-slightly more tender. The texture and flavor are - to my palate - indistinguishable. So here is my recipe:

Gluten Free Green Tea Lime Sables

The finished dough; then formed into a brick shape

Makes about 28 - 30 Sables. 

½ cup white rice flour
½ cup tapioca flour/starch

¼ cup quinoa flour¼ cup sorghum flour

¼ cup brown rice flour
3 tablespoons GF powdered egg white
1 teaspoon guar gum¼ cup confectioners' sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
3 - 4 tablespoons lime zest (about 2 limes)
2 teaspoons Matcha Green Tea powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, in 1/2-inch cubes
2 egg yolks
-------------
1 egg yolk, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
¼ cup "sanding sugar" or Turbinado sugar

Sliced, egg washed and sugared, then baked

In the bowl of a food processor, place the first 12 ingredients. Pulse 2 - 3 times to blend. Add the butter cubes and process for a minute or so, until the mixture has noticeably changed in texture. Add in the egg yolks and process until the mixture forms a ball. Turn out onto a surface, divide the dough into two sections and form each into a log or a brick shape. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
 
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees (300 on Convection). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Remove the dough from its wrapper and slice about 1/4-inch thick. Lay the cookies onto the parchment at least an inch apart. Brush the tops with the remaining egg yolk/water. Sprinkle the cookies with a coarse granule sugar or Turbinado Sugar. (This time I used white sugar crystals. For the wheat based cookies I used Turbinado sugar). Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until just barely golden on the edges. Cool completely before removing from parchment.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Make Hamburger Buns at Home

Sloppy Joe, Fried Potatoes and Coleslaw

There are times when I get the urge to make something like hamburgers or Sloppy Joes and have no buns. Since I always make our bread, this is no big deal; I just make my own. I had used an old recipe from Better Homes and Gardens for a long time, no matter what I needed in the "roll" department. Once you have a basic recipe, it is very versatile. Make the dough into any shape you please, to fit the occasion. A simple roll dough can be formed into cloverleaf rolls for a nice dinner, buns for a barbecue, or even doughnuts.

Making Cloverleaf Rolls is just a matter of forming a whole lot of tiny dough balls. Fit three little balls of dough into one cup of a greased muffin pan and continue till all the little wells are filled with three dough balls. They bake in no time, being so small. Usually 12 to 15 minutes is enough. To make them extra pretty, brush them with an egg wash before baking. An egg wash can be a whole egg mixed with a couple of tablespoons of water, or an egg yolk with one tablespoon of water. 


To make buns, Use about the same amount of dough as would have been made into three of the little balls, or slightly more. I was uncertain yesterday of how much exactly was needed for each bun, having just invented the recipe. I also weighed the dough. I used just about 3 ounces per bun; this was a little bit too much. The buns turned out great, but a bit larger than usual. I got 16 buns from this recipe, but I believe it would have been better to make 20 or even 24. If you have a scale, try making the balls about 2 to 2.5 ounces each.

Cloverleaf Rolls

My background is Slovak / Serbian. All my grandparents came from "the Old Country". From my Mom's Slovak side, she taught us about "Doughnut Day." Once we knew about it, every year we clamored for doughnuts. Doughnut Day is the Slovak equivalent of Mardi Gras, the day before Lent starts; the last of sweets and other excesses until Easter. And, who can resist a doughnut, hot from frying, dipped in a glaze or rolled in sugar? I mean, REALLY! 

Though my kids were born in Guatemala, where Mardi Gras was an exceedingly pale thing in comparison to, say, the wild excess of Rio, or New Orleans - I taught my kids about Doughnut Day and made doughnuts with a basic roll dough. I also, on occasion have made doughnuts or buns or cloverleaf rolls from my version of my Mom's and Grandma's Pascha. I call my version "My Kitchen Aid Mixer Bread". In essence, similar, in some exchanges of ingredients (honey for sugar, dry milk for regular milk), and the use of my Kitchen Aid Mixer to do the work. It would work with pizza dough, in a pinch. The only real difference is in the shaping. And last evening I was going to make Sloppy Joes, so I needed buns.

Hamburger Buns, ready for dinner

The other day I made Cinnamon Rolls, and had created a dough I felt would be good for that application. I am sure it would be good as a basic roll dough for any of the already mentioned uses, but yesterday I needed hamburger buns and was thinking of how tender Potato Buns can be. So I altered amounts of some ingredients and added others, using a little potato flour and made a new recipe. It has been exceptionally cold of late. All right, who am I kidding - it has been totally frigid practically since Thanksgiving, with temps soaring down to 24 below and wind chills of -50. When it is that cold, sometimes a yeast dough has a little difficulty rising as quickly as I would like, even with the use of "instant rise" yeast. In mid summer, it is a different story. Yeast dough rises like magic in summer. It took a little longer to get the buns to rise than sometimes, but they turned out most amazingly tender and moist. We had some really fabulous Sloppy Joes! Usually I use the oven with the light on, creating a nice, warm ambient temperature for the dough to proof. However, I had just made my Green Tea Lime Sables, and the oven was just plain HOT, so I couldn't set the dough there to rise. It took about 1½ hours for the dough to rise in the cool kitchen, and at least another 45 minutes for the formed buns to rise. They baked in about 15 minutes. Here is the recipe: 

Basic Potato Roll Dough

Makes 20 - 24 buns

2 cups warm water, not hot
¼ cup honey
1¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil, or use melted butter or other oil of choice
4 cups Bread Flour, divided
1 packet Instant Rise/Rapid Rise Yeast
½ cup potato flour
¼ cup dry milk powder
1 egg

Heat the water and pour into a large bowl or heavy duty stand mixer, such as Kitchen Aid. Add in the honey, salt and oil. Mix together 2 cups of the bread flour, the packet of yeast, potato flour and dry milk powder. Whisk together well, then add to the warm liquid. Start the mixer, or stir together with a spoon. Once there is a soft batter, add in the egg and beat well. Add in the remaining 2 cups of flour gradually, while either kneading with the mixer's dough hook, or by hand for at least 10 to 12 minutes. The dough may seem very stiff at first. The use of potato flour seems to start this way, but softens later in the kneading process. Set the dough into a greased bowl, turning once to allow all sides to be well oiled. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.
 
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Punch down the dough and divide into 4 sections, as equally as possible (or weigh the dough). To make hamburger buns, further divide each section into at least 5 pieces. Form a smooth ball from each piece, then use a rolling pin to roll into a fairly flat disc about 6 inches across. The dough will shrink back on itself. Set each piece onto a greased baking sheet, with at least 3 inches between them (usually about 6 per sheet). I have large "muffin-top" pans, and use those, also. The piece of dough should overlap the little shallow well, but shrink back and fit inside.
 
Set the buns to rise until about double. The centers may not look completely puffed yet, but while baking they will grow. Before baking, if desired, brush the buns with an egg wash and sprinkle on sesame seeds or poppy seeds. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (325 on Convection). Bake the buns for about 15 minutes, or until puffed and brown.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Tale of French Sables

Somewhere, at some time, I was aware of French cookies called "Sables." I have no idea when or where I heard of them, but they were stashed in the dusty files in my brain. If asked what, exactly, they are, I would have to say "a French cookie" but without any real details. So, while watching one of the myriad TV shows, I heard mention of French Sables and was curious. I am not French, not do I have any French in my background, so I cannot give any reason except 3 years of high school French classes, for hearing the person on TV pronounce the word as SAH-blays and just "knowing" that this was incorrect. I did more research online and indeed, there is just about every pronunciation under the sun - all of them different. Written in French, the "e" on the end of the word has an accent mark above it, which indicates it is pronounced. All I can assume is that this happened just like with the Spanish word Queso and pronounced in the US as KAY-so (also incorrect). The actual pronunciation of that work is softer; KEH-so. Anyway, back to my windy irritation at mispronounced words, I believe, coming from 3 years of high school French, that Sables is pronounced SAH-blehs; the second syllable soft. I read online of someone saying that a French chef pronounced them SAH-blees, but again, just as American ears hear KAY-so, they may have heard SAH-blees. You say tomato, I say SAH-blehs.

Green Tea Lime Sables

Okay, enough on that subject. My next beef is that in so many places I have read that Sables are a type of "shortbread" cookie. Again, my knowledge of shortbread is that it is crumbly, mainly due to the complete lack of egg in the dough. Shortbread tends to "poof" apart when trying to cut or bite. "Mexican Wedding Cakes" or Guatemalan Polvorosas are shortbread type cookies. And they really let you know it when biting into one. Every recipe for Sables I searched online and the one I saw on TV used egg yolks in the dough. Ergo: not shortbread.

Okay, so I have established (in my mind) what these cookies are not. So, what are Sables? Sables are a French cookie and according to Wikipedia, originally from Caen, in Lower Normandy. The word "sable" means "sand" in French, and the cookies given this name for their sandy texture and golden color. Outside of that, there seems to be every which way to make them, similar to all the pronunciations. Some of the recipes roll out the cookie dough and cut them into rounds. Some leave them as single wafers. Some dust with powdered sugar. Some roll in a log and chill, then slice to bake. Some roll into a brick shape, chill and slice to bake. Some slice the chilled dough very thinly, some slice it very thick, or anywhere in between. Some sandwich them with jam in the middle. Some brush the edges of the chilled dough with egg yolk before cutting and roll in large-crystal sugar. Others slice the chilled dough and brush egg yolk on the tops and sprinkle with large crystal sugar. This large crystal sugar is often called "Sanding Sugar". Turbinado sugar works, too.

So, with all this in mind, and having read about 10 different methods for making Sables, I created a recipe of my own. I wanted interesting flavor, and had just bought a new bag of Matcha Green Tea powder. This new bag of tea is far, far darker green than my previous bag. Now I can understand why some of the baked goods in photos on the web are that deep, rich green color. My green tea baked goods were always very pale. I wanted to combine lemon zest with the green tea powder, thinking that lemon and tea always go well together. Unfortunately, I had no lemons left in the fridge. So, limes. At least the the tea powder and the lime zest were both green. I would have green cookies. They turned out with a beautiful tender texture, tending to easily break into little sandy bits. The cookies are not fragile, just have that sandy texture they talked about.

Most recipes for Sables have a large amount of butter. This contributes to the cookies' texture. The egg yolks that seem to be in almost all the recipes are a binding agent. While the cookies are a little crumbly, they do have a nice tender crispness to them. Most recipes used no leavening (though some do), so they do not grow much in the oven. The most important thing to remember if you want nice tender cookies is not to overwork the dough, particularly after the flour is added. And, after all that, here is my recipe for how to bake Sables.

Green Tea Lime Sables

¼ cup confectioners' sugar

Steps 1 and 2

3 - 4 tablespoons fresh lime zest (about 2 limes)
2 teaspoons Matcha green tea powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2 cups, minus 2 tablespoons flour
----------------------------
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
large crystal sugar, for sprinkling (about ¼ cup)

Step One: In a small bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients. Use fingers to work the zest into the mixture and release the oils.

Steps 3 and 4

Step Two: In a mixing bowl, or stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add in the granulated sugar with the confectioners' sugar mixture and mix just to combine. Add the 2 egg yolks and again, mix just to combine. If using a mixer, remove the bowl and set the mixer aside. I wrote in the ingredient list "minus 2 tablespoons" of the flour as my dough was difficult to make come together; a little less may work better. Add in the flour and work quickly with a spoon or spatula until it is in large crumbs.
 
Step Three: Turn the dough out onto a surface and using a bench scraper, bring the dough together, fold, turn and scrape.

Steps 5 and 6

Step Four: Once the dough mostly holds shape, divide into 2 portions.
 
Step Five: Form each portion into a log shape or a small brick, as desired.
 
Step Six: Roll the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours. You want the dough to be nicely hardened so it holds its shape when slicing. At this point the dough can be left in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days or even frozen for a month, if needed.
 
Step Seven: When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 on Convection). Remove one of the portions of dough from the refrigerator at a time. Unwrap from the plastic and using a very sharp knife, slice the dough into 1/4-inch thick slices. Lay the slices onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment. This makes the removal of the cookies far easier. If removing from a dry baking sheet, they could break, crumble of become deformed. Use the parchment.

Steps 7 and 8

Step Eight: Mix together the remaining egg yolk with the water and brush onto the tops of the cookies. Sprinkle sugar onto the egg-brushed cookies.
 
Bake them for 18 to 20 minutes, or until just turning golden at the edges. Slide the whole parchment with cookies on to a rack or counter to cool before removing from the parchment. This made 28 (2½ x 2½-inch) cookies.




My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

There is Nothing Like a Warm Cinnamon Roll...

Cinnamon Roll, ready to eat

Today I was all set to head up to my office and work on my cookbook, when I thought about the cinnamon rolls I saw Mario Batali make on The Chew. He used pizza dough to make them, and while that would probably be good, I decided to try something my own way. Starting with my own pizza dough recipe as a base, I added in some honey for a little sweetness and an egg just to enrich the dough. I also scraped a half vanilla bean into the mixture. 

Once the dough was made, I weighed it. People always seem to give dough by weight; something I had never done till now. The whole batch of dough weighed just about 2.8 pounds.  I allowed the dough only a short rise of 15 minutes, rather than wait for a full "double in bulk." In the 15 minute wait, I made the filling by mixing together 1 melted stick of butter with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.

15 minute rise

By the time I finished making the filling and washing the utensils, the dough was ready to work with. At that point I took the dough out and divided it into two sections, rolled, filled and cut, and set the pieces into a pan for another 15 minute rest. I turned on the oven, cleaned up the counters and utensils and it was time to bake the cinnamon rolls. Oh, the heavenly smell of cinnamon rolls baking! 

While they baked, I made the icing; a very simple confectioners sugar, melted butter, a pinch of salt, vanilla and water. This icing is rather thick, but as it gets set onto hot rolls right from the oven, the heat of the rolls takes care of melting the icing very enticingly down over and into the rolls.

The whole process took just about 2 hours with the short rising times, and I always use "quick rise" or "instant" yeast, so that makes rising times far shorter than they could be. Quick rise or instant yeast is available in most every grocery these days. I buy it bulk in 1 pound bricks, because I bake all our bread and many other wonderful things, like yeast waffles or pizza. One packet of yeast is equivalent to just about 2 1/2 teaspoons of bulk yeast, in case you might want to invest. There are little jars in the grocery also. I used to buy those, and then graduated to the pound brick. I keep my yeast in the freezer. Just take it out and straight into the bread mixture. No need to wait or thaw. The other benefit with instant yeast is that it does not need to "proof". No need to put the yeast into a little warm water to wait for it to start bubbling and growing. It can be added right to the dry mixture and everything just mixed together. Love it!

Dough, smeared with cinnamon mixture

Cinnamon Rolls

DOUGH:
1/4 cup honey
1 3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil, melted
4 cups bread flour
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 packet instant-rise yeast
1 egg

In a large bowl, or bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer, place the first 4 ingredients. Add in the flour, vanilla and yeast and begin mixing. Add the egg and continue mixing. If kneading by hand, turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 6 - 8 minutes. In the mixer, allow to mix with the dough hook for the same amount of time. Place dough into a greased bowl and set aside for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the Cinnamon Filling:

CINNAMON FILLING:

Rolled and cut

1 stick butter, softened
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place all ingredients into a small bowl and combine with a spoon or hand mixer and set aside.

Divide the dough into 2 sections, and first roll one section of the dough into a large rectangle about 12 x 20 inches or so. Divide the cinnamon mixture in half and place half on the rolled piece of dough. Using a fork, smear it around. It can be difficult to smear in cold weather, but it doesn't have to be even. Roll the dough from the longer edge. Dot the far edge with a little water, to seal well. I sort of eyeballed the cutting, first dividing in half, and then into sections about 2-ish inches wide. Stand these on end in one half of a greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Repeat these steps with the second section of the dough and the cinnamon mixture, rolling, cutting and placing into the second half of the 13 x 9 pan. The two sections could also be set into two 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside to rise for 15 minutes. Set the oven to preheat to 350 degrees (325 on Convection).

Rolls set in pan for 15 minutes

ICING:
4 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
3 - 4 tablespoons water or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, stirring vigorously to combine. The icing will be stiff, but it will melt nicely onto the hot rolls.

Bake the rolls for about 20 to 25 minutes, or, if you own an instant-read thermometer, until one of the rolls in the middle of the pan reads 180 degrees in its center. They should be golden.

Remove from the oven and have handy a large baking sheet, (if you used a 13 x 9 pan) or a round plate (if you used 9-inch round pans). Place the baking sheet or plate over top of the hot pan, grip both together with hot pads and flip the hot pan upside down onto the baking sheet or plate. Now, repeat this process, so the rolls will end up with the tops upwards onto a serving plate or tray. It seems like a lot of to-do, but it is the easiest way to have the rolls out of the pan.

Baked with golden tops and melting icing

Set a rounded tablespoon sized blob of icing on top of each roll. The residual heat will cause the icing to melt down into and over the hot cinnamon rolls. Note in this last photo, the almost solid blob of icing on the roll in the forefront, versus the nicely melted one behind.

Now, get ready to savor these wonderful, warm, gooey, cinnamon-y confections.





My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Beef Rump Roast in a Crock Pot

Crock Pot Rump Roast

Thank goodness for Crock Pots. They allow for things that could be difficult otherwise. Things like setting and forgetting. I have been busy working on a cookbook that I wish could be published someday, and as I am the author, typesetter, graphic artist and photographer, it is going slowly. So I work on it daily, mainly because I really enjoy doing all those things. Cooking is still required in order to make the recipes, so I must keep at it. Some days are more inspired than others, and yesterday wasn't one of the more brilliant days. I have a freezer full of a side of beef, which in this weather comes down to making things like roasts, stews or spaghetti. My husband has had tooth problems on and off for months, so he doesn't want to eat the roasts, as it hurts to chew. So, what to do?

I decided to chance it. I pulled a Rump Roast out of the freezer yesterday morning. It was like a rock, and would likely take at least a day to thaw properly. So - here comes the crock pot! I have never really had a "recipe" for a roast in the crock pot. Some days the thing comes out tastier than others, but they are all good. Yesterday, though I didn't feel terribly inspired to begin with, and was running low on groceries (something I remedied today), the roast and its gravy were just plain delicious. 

A serving of the roast with gravy

I had no potatoes in the house, so I just set some carrots in the bottom of the crock pot, as a sort of rack. Since the meat was frozen solid, I wanted to give it some space underneath for the heat to circulate. I set the frozen roast on top of the carrots and stepped back to think; what would taste good with the roast?

The first thing I thought of was the Dry Onion Soup Mix I created a couple of months ago. I still had enough in the jar to use the equivalent of one store-bought envelope, so I measured out the 1/4 cup of the mix and strewed it over the meat.  I tossed in a bay leaf. Then, because I wanted to make gravy later, I added in about 1 teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet to make sure the color of the gravy would be good. I have Guinness Stout in my pantry, for cooking purposes (I like beer on occasion, but not Guinness Stout for drinking), so I poured one bottle in onto the roast. Then, because I wanted a rich color and flavor, I added in about 1/2 cup ketchup. I put the lid on and turned the pot to high. This was at 8:30 AM. Meanwhile, this is my recipe for the Dry Onion Soup Mix:

Dry Onion Soup Mix

4 Recipes of Dry Onion Soup Mix

Makes ¼ cup, equal to about one packet. Reconstitute with 4 cups liquid.

3 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar, optional
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon celery seeds, crushed or ground
¼ - ½ teaspoon black pepper

Mix all ingredients together and store in a glass jar in a cool dark place.

If mixing up more than one batch at a time for future use, be sure to mix thoroughly before using, as the onion will tend to surface and the finer ingredients will sink.
About 1 PM I came downstairs to check on the roast. I did not uncover the pot, but the house was smelling really wonderful, so I figured I had done something right! I turned the temperature to low and went back upstairs to work. 

At 4 PM I came back down and removed the lid from the crock pot. The roast was completely cooked! I removed the roast from the pot and set it aside and poured off the liquid into a saucepan. I did not strain the liquid, as there were all the reconstituted onion bits and other good things in there, but if preferred, it could have been strained. I mixed up about 3/4 cup of water with about 4 - 5 tablespoons of flour (or so - I wasn't measuring). I put this into one of those Tupperware containers with the little insert so it blends the flour and water well. With the saucepan at a simmer, I whisked in the flour and water slurry, whisking while the mixture thickened. As I was not measuring anything, I cannot say how much of the slurry I used - most of it - and the amount of liquid in the pan had originally been about about 3 - 4 cups. 

Here I must interject - neither my husband not I have a gluten intolerance, and if making things normally, I use wheat flour to thicken gravies. If one were to make this roast with gluten free gravy, substitute cornstarch for the thickening agent.

I let the gravy simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, so the flour was cooked. The color was beautiful. The gravy tasted just wonderful. I served the meat and gravy with some rice (with a pinch of saffron, just because), and it was one delicious meal!



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.