Yes, I admit it.  I am meandering through cookbooks that I have not picked up in awhile.  I am a messy cook (ha! Understatement) and the books tend to get messed up. I waver between thinking that it is worth it to sacrifice the book in the quasi-anthropological quest for vintage recipes AND thinking that by the time I am finished the book will be compost.

Marc loves Boston Cream Pie and I have been on a pastry cream kick since the Great Daring Bakers Eclair Caper.

Anyway, decided to do this on Labor Day and I liked it.  The cake was sweet and light, although the batter was a little loose for what I am used to, it did very well.  It was a sticky cake with the texture of an angel food cake pumped up with air..if that makes sense.  I made it with the vanilla pastry cream but I intend to try it with the espresso cream that I used for the eclairs as well.  It was beautiful until it was cut and then, because the layers were so light it would not stand up properly for pictures.

I used to have the same problem with my kids on picture taking day.

So, try the cake, forgive the image, and have a great day.

Oh..and hey, I have less than 25 recipes to finish on the cookbook so I should be back en force at some point next week.

Boston Cream Pie

Cake:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a 9 inch baking pan.
2. Heat the butter and milk until bubbles form and butter melts.  Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients
4. Beat eggs until very light and thick.  Continue to beat and add sugar gradually. Ribbons will form when the beaters are lifted.
5. Add vanilla and milk mixture beat well.  Fold in flour mixture.
6. Turn gently into the baking pan and bake for  25 to 30 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, cool for a few minutes and remove from the pan while still warm..split carefully.

Pastry Cream

• 2 cups half and half

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/2 teaspoon almond flavor

• 1/3 cup butter

• 3 tablespoons organic cornstarch

• 4 egg yolks

1. Whisk together all the ingredients except the butter, almond, and vanilla.  Microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring every minute until the mixture is thick adn creamy and coats a spoon thickly.
2. Remove from the microwave and add the butter and vanilla.  Place buttered wax paper on the top, against the surface of the pastry cream.  Chill.

Chocolate Glaze

• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon corn syrup (keeps it shiny)

1. Bring the cream just under a boil.  remove from heat.
2. Add the chocolate and stir until melted.
3. Add the butter and corn syrup and blend well.
4. Cool slightly and then smooth it over the top of the filled cake, allowing some to drip down the sides.

To Assemble:

1. Place one half of the cake with the cut side up on a cake plate.
2. Spread with the pastry cream.
3. Place the other half cake cut side down on the pastry cream.
4. Settle the layer by pressing down gently.
5. Smooth the chocolate over the top as directed.
6. Chill.

Serves 12

Image:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

I love chocolate pudding.  Chocolate mousse is nice, but for pure home comfort food chocolate pudding has to be right up there on the list.

It amazes me how many people grab a box of Jell-o instant when they could so easily have the real thing. Darn Bill Cosby anyway!  If I promise to give you a no fail, super easy, incredibly fast pudding recipe will you swear, once and for all, to never touch a box of powdered toxic chemicals in chocolate flavor again? Good. I knew you would.

If you really want to streamline the creation of this just keep the dry ingredients mixed in a ziploc.

You can use it for pie filling or pudding, and if you refrigerate it uncovered it will get that nasty skin on it that my family finds to be the best part of the pudding.  In fact, ::::shudder::: My daughter has been known to pour it in a saucer to cool so that it is mostly……skin.

If you don’t want that, just butter a piece of wax paper and place it on top of the pudding as it is chilling.   I like to make a streusel with equal parts of butter, sugar, and flour to sprinkle on top of the finished pudding.

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup organic cornstarch (no GMOs!)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5-1/2 cups half and half…you can use whole milk if you must but do not use low fat or skim…
•  1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients together until there are no lumps of cocoa or cornstarch.  Add half and half slowly whisking smooth as you add the cream.  Whisk it until smooth.  Now…put in the microwave and cook, stirring every minute, until mixture is thick and coats a spoon…This will take 6 to 9 minutes.

Remove from microwave and add butter in small pieces, whisking it in to blend.  Finally add vanilla.  Cover (or not) and chill until ready to serve.

8 servings, or one pie.

image:Marye Audet 

Post from: Baking Delights

When I was making the cake for Amanda’s graduation last week, I had  one layer crumble as I was moving it. Not just crack, mind you, but CRUMBLE with every ounce of determination it had to crumble.

You can’t just toss out cake.  Not here anyway. So I took the pieces and spread them in a 13x 9 dish and set them aside.

After things had calmed down I grabbed the dish and sprinkled the, by now slightly stale, cake with rosewater.  We don’t have alcohol here much, although some sherry sprinkled on the cake is very good.  Use what you have. Make a sugar syrup of green tea, or lemonade..whatever. Don’t get the cake wet, just sprinkle it.

Next layer fruit over it. I had picked up a couple of packages of very ripe, organic strawberries at the store so I used those. Raspberries are fantastic, blackberries are better…

For the custard:

3 c  fresh goat  milk (if you use regular milk use 1/2 c heavy cream in place of 1/2 c milk. Yes, there is that much difference. BUT DO NOT used goat milk from the stor. EWWW.)

1 c sugar

1/4 c flour

4 egg yolks, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp rose water

1/2 c butter (unsalted)

pinch salt

mix sugar, flour, milk and salt in a pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until thickened.  Add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolks to temper and then add the yolks to the custard. Stir constantly for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat, add in the butter and the flavorings and let cool.

When the custard has cooled pour it over the fruit and cake.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill for 2-3 hours.

When ready to serve whip 1 pt of heavy cream with a little sugar to taste and a few drops of the rosewater. Spread over custard. Serves 12

Image: Marye Audet 

Content:Marye Audet for Baking Delights 

Post from: Baking Delights

I had some time this morning since I have my dinner basically finished (evil laugh) and I wanted to post some ideas for what to do when, all of a sudden, you find out YOU are hosting Thanksgiving, and cooking.

It happens. Maybe the relatives that were going to host got sick, or decided to join a commune in Oregon, or maybe you misunderstood something, or….

Well. It happens. I envision the scene from A Christmas Story where they eat Christmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant. Roast duck, anyone?

So…here are some ideas, mine and around the web, for putting together a quick but gourmet feast that you will be proud to serve. Every thing on this list takes less than 1 hour total…except maybe the turkey.

Appetizers:

1.Mushroom, Oregano & Gorgonzola Beggars Purses

These look deceptively difficult but are very easy and quick. For an easier version use the filling and frozen puff pastry dough to make palmiers. Just thaw the puff pastry sheets (don’t get the pre cut) and roll out. Spread with cooled mushroom mixture and roll each side to meet in the middle. bake as directed.

2. Just get a nice assortment of cheese and fruit. Classic and wonderful. Apples, pears, grapes, and even mango and pineapple pair well with many types of cheese. Add some smokey ham or Greek olives for a nice contrast. Head to the gourmet cheese section of the grocery and pick up a couple of classics like brie, camembert, and gouda and then some that you may not have tried like kasseri, pepato, or teleme.

Turkey :

1. This Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Breast takes nearly 3 hours to prepare, bake and serve..but still less than a whole turkey.

2. This Roasted Turkey Breast with Cornbread and Sage Stuffing from Epicurious takes less than an hour start to finish!

3. Again from Epicurious, Turkey Cutlets with Cilantro and Almond take 35 minutes.

Since each of those comes with stuffing we will head on to the Side Dishes

1. Artichoke, Portabella, and Potato Gratin takes about an hour in the oven. Cut the preparation time by using canned artichoke hearts.

2. Roasted Baby Sweet Potato Medley. I found a bag of tiny, fingerling sized, sweet potatoes and yams of several different varieties at my local grocer. I washed them well, cut in half,dunked them in melted butter and roasted them at 375 for about 30 minutes. Simple but OH SO GOOD.

3. Food network has this recipe for Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips and Brussels Sprouts that clocks in in under 40 minutes.

Bread :

O.k..Listen up..Not many people know this but you can use the microwave to raise bread dough in record time. If your microwave has a very low setting then after you have kneaded the dough, grease it and put in the microwave at it’s lowest setting for 5 minutes, let it rest 5 minutes and then 5 minutes at the lowest setting. Leave in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Shape, and allow to rise for 30-45 minutes and bake as usual.

If you want to buy the brown and serve rolls go for it…but dip the tops in melted butter before you brown them.

Desserts

Chocolate Fudge Pudding Cake in about 10 minutes

Pumpkin Crisp in about an hour

Or, try Pumpkin Pecan Praline Ice Cream Pie ..just get a graham cracker crust, soften 1 quart of Butter Pecan ice cream and mix in 1 cup of pumpkin puree. Add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp each of ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Mix well and spoon into crust. Freeze.

And, last but maybe the coolest thing of all is this Last Minute Thanksgiving Timeline with a schedule for you to follow starting right now.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Post from: Baking Delights

Thanksgiving is this week!

This is always a busy week for me and sometimes I just want to get the kids busy doing something so that I can concentrate on other things. I don;t usually use convenience foods like slice and bake cookies, cake mix or premade frosting but here are some ideas for foods the kids can make by themselves!  The mixes just mean that they can be more independent-more time for you to get your stuff done!

1. Check out these cute Turkey Cookies from Pillsbury!

2. Let them make some Pumpkin Ice Cream

3. How cute are these Marshmallow Pops?

4. And I thought this Peanut butter “Cheese Ball”would be cool to take to the school party with some Lorna Doones.

5. Pumpkin Dessert Squares are a little more involved but yummy and easy enough for most kids 8 and up to do with a little supervision.

6. How could a kid resist these Teeny Turkey Snacks?

7.  Here is an easy Oreo Cookie Turkey Snack

8. Pumpkin Mousse is easy and delicious. Have the kids whip it up while you watch the parades!

9. Kids can toss together this beautiful Bacon Cranberry Spinach Salad for a colorful side

10. Make an edible centerpiece with this cornucopia

Other ways to get the kids busy in the kitchen is to have them wash vegetables, make place cards and place mats,  and practice their reading by reading off recipes to you as you cook.  Make it a family thing and make memories that last a life time.

Post from: Baking Delights