Almost Fudge Gateaux

I was going to make this cake again recently and went to pull up my "notes" (blog post) and realized I hadn't posted it! I made, wrote, and photographed this last year... oops!

Although we regularly eat healthy, we like to splurge now and then... It is almost like we have a little junk food pressure valve that just needs to be released every once in awhile. We had Easter at our house and I was more than happy to make some desserts to share with everyone. I made my usual cream puffs (someday I'll have to post them!) and then decided to meet my brother's challenge of making something CHOCOLATE. Dorie to the rescue - an extremely chocolatey, rich cake with a delicious ganache that goes very well with (vanilla) ice cream.

My mother-in-law loved this cake so much that we decided I should make it again for her birthday. This time I added a stenciled pattern to the top. (My favorite stencil, by the way, which I only had the opportunity to use this ONE time before it was destroyed by:

Mr. Helpful himself. Oy. If he wasn't so cute...)

The sugar on top added something to the cake - I would definitely do this again. With a different stencil. And then I would immediately wash it and put it away, even if I was running late for dinner.
Anyway, the cake was awesome, even though I made a small error - I forgot to add the flour! This cake only has 1/3c. of flour, and I had started cooking it already when I saw the little 1/3 cup of flour sitting among the typical chaos on my butcher block. OH NO! My thought process became quickly panicked. Would adding it now ruin everything?! would it screw up the delicate balance of eggwhite/air? WOULD I HAVE TO WALMART (the closest store) AND BUY MORE CHOCOLATE AND DO THE WHOLE THING OVER AGAIN!? Well, what the heck, I figured I'd try to add the flour after the 5 minutes of cooking. Gently. Lo and behold, it was better than the first cake. Read: This cake is more forgiving than it seems. Next time I will add the flour when I'm supposed to and then I'll let you know if it is as good as this one. The first cake *possibly* got cooked a little longer because it was hectic Easter and I was trying to do too many things at once. We shall see! I will update you, my three readers - mom, dad, and nate, on that...in person when you have a piece of the cake.

Almost-Fudge Gateau

Makes about 10 Servings, but it is very rich and we almost always get 12+

photos & additional instruction notes by Adrienne

recipe from Baking: From my Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Cake Ingredients:

5 large eggs

9 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsley chopped (I like to use Ghiridelli)

1 cup sugar

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks

2 Tablespoons coffee or water

1/3 cup all purpose flour

pinch of salt

Glaze Ingredients:

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350F.

1. Butter a 9" springform pan (if you don't have one, you can find them on amazon or any store that sells kitchen stuff - they are really very useful!), line the bottom with parchment paper. I don't have fancy pre-cut parchments, I make it myself and it works out perfectly:

How I make my parchment liner

Don't worry if there is a little bit of a lip on the bottom, after you flip the cake you'll be covering up any dirty work with the delish glaze. :D

Fits like a glove!...or, close enough :)

Butter the paper once you've put it in the pan, dust the inside of the pan with flour, and tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with more parchment or silicone, just in case you have any leaks :)

2. Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a mixer bowl and the yolks in a small bowl.

3. Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add the chocolate, sugar, butter and coffee. (if you're like me and have a kitchen gadget problem, this is not a place I'd recommend using a one-piece double boiler because you need to be able to remove the bowl. I like to use pyrex so I can see what is going on :)) Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are melted - the sugar is probably going to stay a little grainy and that is fine. Transfer this bowl to the counter and let it sit for three minutes. Don't walk away :)

4. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the yolks one by one, then fold in the flour. Don't forget the flour. I  mean it.

5. Working with the whisk attachment of your mixer (stand, hand or your awesomely powerful arm), beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold firm but glossy peaks. Stir about one quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter with a spatula. Gently fold in the rest.

6. Scraper the batter into the pan and jiggle it from side to side a couple of times to make sure everything is evened out. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the cake has risen evenly, the top has firmed and doesn't "shimmy" (Dorie's word - a perfect description, really) when tapped. It might rise around the edges first but let it keep going until the center puffs up, too. The top will probably be cracked, but that is fine because it is actually the bottom and we're covering the whole thing up anyway. A thin knife in the center should come out just slightly streaked with chocolate. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Be patient.

7. Run a blunt knife gently around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Carefully turn the cake over onto a rack and remove the bottom pan and parchment. Invert the cake onto another rack and let cool to room temperature right side up. As the cake cools, it may sink. Don't worry! We'll solve that problem next.

The "Optional" Glaze

Dorie is nice and she claims the glaze is optional, but I don't really see this cake being as decadent and impressive looking without it. So please decide to make it. :)

Turn the cooled cake over onto another rack so you are glazing the flat bottom. I like to put the rack on top of the still-parchment-lined pan that we used to catch any drips in the oven, because it will surely be catching a fair amount of drippage here.

Put the chocolate in a small heat proof bowl.

Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water or in a microwave oven - make sure you just melt it - it should be only warm, not hot. I like to do the simmering water technique here to make sure I have full control over it. However, my microwave is less predictable than most, so if you feel comfortable using yours, go for it. 

Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate mixture and stir very gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in the corn syrup.

Pour the glaze over the cake and smooth the top with a long metal icing spatula. Dorie notes that the sides might not drip evenly, but I haven't ever had that problem as I find the glaze to be fairly loose when I'm pouring it. Just make sure to work your way around the cake with the icing spatula, don't just go "back and forth". Allow the glaze to set at room temperature, or slip the cake into the refrigerator for 20 or so minutes. If the glaze dulls in the fridge, give it a little gentle heat from a hairdryer and it is good to go! :)

Yummmm!

I'm still alive! :D

I am sincerely working on moving photos from my camera to my computer and picking things back up again over here! New posts will happen soon, I think! :) Stay tuned...

More S'Mores!

I have had a great life so far, but on my short list of horrible experiences is any outdoor camping trip I have ever been on. I would never ever ever choose to do this to myself. Why volunteer to be homeless? I like indoor plumbing! I like having a bed! And as a young, aspiring vegetarian, there were not a  lot of easily portable food options, back in the day. As far as I'm concerned, there is only one item on the "pro" list in the pros & cons of camping: S'MORES.
These little s'mores bars will make you feel like you did all the horrible campfire building and mosquito swatting and are finally getting to sit down and enjoy the only wonderful part of camping. They are SUPER easy to make, and have been a huge hit with everyone I've introduced them to. Whip up a quick batch tonight! You won't be sorry!

Disclosure: My husband loves s'mores. He ate 4 of the 16 bars the first day, and these pictures are from the second batch I've made ;)

S'more Cookie Bars

from Baked Perfection

annotations by Adrienne

makes 16 bars

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 6-7 full graham crackers)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 super-sized (5 oz.) dark chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s) (I prefer the smaller bars - they are thinner, and I don't like too much chocolate in my s'mores bars)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows) (I usually use *most* of a small jar of fluff)

1. If you're like me and you like the small chocolate bars OR if the store is out of anything else ;) unwrap your mini chocolate bars first :)
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. I butter the pan, then line it with parchment, then butter the parchment. It seems like overkill, but it makes it SO EASY to get the whole thing out and make nice, evenly cut bars.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
5. Divide dough in half and press half of the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. Two 5 oz. Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread marshmallow fluff evenly over the chocolate layer. (I eyeball this, because measuring fluff isn't a very easy task ;)

6. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff. I like to put the second half of the dough in a gallon size freezer bag and roll it ouThis is most easily done by putting the second half of the dough in a gallon size freezer bag. Use your palms to flatten it out, and then use scissors to cut down both long sides of the bag, so it will open up book-style. Open it up carefully, and the dough will stick on one side of the bag. Then place the bag, dough side down, on the other three layers. From there peel the bag up and spread the dough where it is uneven.
7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars. The bars looks sort of sloppy in these pictures because I had company coming and I needed to cut them before they were completely cooled. The first batch, which I actually left out overnight, covered with a towel, looked BEAUTIFUL. :)

All Photos ©2012 Patisserie d'Adrienne

I Work Out! (Tofu & Quinoa)

We need to BRANCH OUT around here!

I know with the typical amount of butter in my posted recipes it might be surprising to most people that I like healthy food a lot and the A & E household works out on an extremely regular basis. The lack of posts for the last months has been due to the massive amounts of P90X and not a lot of fun baking. We changed gears about a month and a half ago and started P90X2 and decided that it was time to try to adapt our diet as well. You definitely see more results from an "Extreme" workout program when you aren't coming home and eating loads of delicious snacks before dinner, then sitting down with a bowl of ice cream after. (Not that either of us ever did THAT :) WELL. Now I've decided it is time to adapt the blog. Posts can't be all unhealthy goodness, right? And this bakery can cook, not just bake! 

To share a little bit of what the last couple of months in our household has entailed: Lent started, and E decided (this was his own suggestion, which I LOVED) that we should give up TV as our lenten sacrifice, only watching on Sunday "the day of rest," more out of necessity to clear off our dvr than anything. And bonus: our electricity bill always goes WAY WAY WAY down when we give up TV for any amount of time. Starting P90X2, including the "eating right" part of the plan, has been great. We are fortunate enough to not have a lot of weight to lose, but we have both lost a few pounds and have seen gains in our workout stamina & recovery, providing we get enough sleep to tie it all together.

One thing I have found most challenging about changing my eating habits has been getting in enough protein. I have been a vegetarian for more than 14 years at this point and have probably never gotten enough of it, and it has been great trying to fit more of it into my everyday meals. I've found a great protein powder that I love, but you don't always want to drink ALL your protein. Even pre-vegetarian Adrienne loved her some tofu. But you can only consume SO MUCH tofu. The first couple weeks of P90X I went through 2-3lbs of tofu by myself and quickly found that I needed to branch out. P90X2 meal plan is great at allowing for different dietary requirements, but as a vegetarian you still don't have a lot of "Protein" options besides Soy-based protein, Veggie Burgers (again, often soy based), Protein Powder. (Before anyone asks, yes, legumes and dairy are allowed, but they are in a separate category of the meal plan, they are not strictly considered "Protein").

Now that I have adapted to eating better, I have gone back to Tofu as a regular part of my diet. This recipe for Tofu & Quinoa is from the P90X2 food guide. I was extremely skeptical of quinoa at first because small, grainy type food (rice, couscous, quinoa) has never been in my food wheelhouse. Luckily, this is a delicious recipe that I turn to week after week as an easy lunch to reheat for work, and a nice simple way to get in a couple of proteins and a legume. :)

There is fresh ginger in this picture...but I ended up using pickled "sushi" ginger because this ginger wasn't good anymore. Make sure you freeze your fresh ginger before it goes bad!

Tofu & Quinoa
Adapted from "Asian Spiced Tofu" recipe by [Beachbody]

Marinade for Tofu:
3 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
2 teaspoons Agave Nectar
2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
1 (heaping) teaspoon minced garlic (or two garlic cloves, minced)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons chopped pickled ginger (the recipe asks for fresh ginger, but I use what I've got :)
1 lb. organic, extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut lengthwise into 5 cutlets (My favorite variety is Trader Joe's, it seems to hold up best to the draining and pressing, and seems to be one of the only ones I've tried that holds up to the "extra firm" claim.)
1 c. uncooked quinoa, cooked according to package instructions. (Typically: rinse, put in pot with 2 c. water, boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and white grain spiral is visible, fluff with fork, enjoy!)
Directions:

One way of draining tofu...But read below for my preferred method!

• Combine all marinade ingredients in a glass baking dish (I like to use my pyrex 5x9, which fits all 5 pieces of tofu nicely side by side) (Sometimes I double the marinade so I can pour the extra over the quinoa when I divvy up my leftovers...up to you!)
• Drain your tofu! Here is how I do it: Cut tofu package being careful not to actually cut the tofu. Drain off all liquid, rinse the block of tofu. Get a couple of microfiber towels. They are awesomely super absorbent, and have really helped with my tofu prep. Cut tofu lengthwise into 5 fairly even "steaks". They'll be a little wonky, it doesn't matter. Lay them flat on the microfiber towel, fold the towel over the top of the tofu and lightly press out as much liquid as possible with your hands, a weighed board, whatever. You might have to remove the tofu, re-fold the towel so you can utilize some of the dry spots, and re-press. As long as it is pretty dry, it will soak up the marinade better and be a little easier to work with.
• Place tofu cutlets in the glass baking dish and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. I like to turn them over once around the 15 minute mark if I have time. If not, I just flip them once more after I take them out of the fridge.
• Preheat oven to 400ºF
• Bake tofu for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for 10 more minutes.
• Serve each cutlet with 1/2 cup of your cooked quinoa. Enjoy!

All Photos ©2012 Patisserie d'Adrienne

One Bowl PBCC Cookies!

Peanut butter and chocolate are a favorite flavor combination for SO MANY people...understandably so, they may be some of the most complementary flavors in the universe :) And as much as I like a complicated, entire weekend-consuming recipe, sometimes I want something quick and relaxed with no intense prep-work or resting time. When I stumbled upon this AWESOME recipe from the Inventive Vegetarian, I just couldn't resist. And they are well worth it. They are also versatile enough that they can be made vegan by changing a few simple ingredients, which is great for people with food allergies as well. So give these a shot - they whip up fast, you don't even need to mess up the kitchen much.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 20 using the Medium Pampered Chef Scoop

instruction notes and photos by Adrienne

recipe from the Inventive Vegetarian

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter at room temperature (or margarine/dairy free butter product for vegan option)

1/2 cup peanut butter (either creamy or crunchy works)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg or 1 ripe banana

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant oatmeal, real rolled oats)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt (i used kosher, you can use whatever you want :)

6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat oven to 350F

1.  If using a banana, mash it in a large mixing bowl. If using an egg, just put the egg in the bowl :)  Add the sugars, butter, peanut butter, and vanilla to the bowl and mix until everything is well combined. Use some elbow grease - it only takes a minute or two as long as your butters are soft enough ;)

Everything in one bowl! Love!

2.  Mix in the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt.  Stir until everything is just combined, then add in the chocolate chips and mix again.

3. Prepare your cookies and cookie sheet using your preferred method. I like parchment paper and a cookie scoop, but feel free to grease up the pan and use two spoons if that is what you like. Make sure all cookies on the same pan are approximately the same size, but make them whatever size you'd like. If you used a banana instead of an egg, you probably want to mash the cookies down with the back of a spoon a bit because they will not spread much during baking.

This is my preferred cookie layout, especially when it is a "new" recipe and I'm not sure how much they are going to spread.

4. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown (this will vary based on what size you made the cookie.) Then cool them for about a minute on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

My kitchen helper...he obviously ate a cookie (without my permission.) Don't worry, he's fine ;)

PSA: Fly Killaz

Summer is the best. Fresh fruit & vegetables, baking with fresh fruit & vegetables...ahhhh yummmm! Unfortunately, I quickly run out of room in the fridge to house all of the latest and greatest from the garden, and some things just shouldn't be in there to begin with. The disgusting, miniature vultures known as Fruit Flies come and try to take what they can of your wonderful produce.
I was freaking out last year when my nice, clean kitchen was still attracting these disgusting little things and I was at the end of my rope trying to get rid of them without putting flypaper or something that could get my animals into trouble all over the house. Finally, after extensive googling, I found a "recipe" that is tried and true - the stupid little suckers won't know what hit 'em. I don't remember where I found this or if I've changed it at all, but here is the BEST way to kill fruit flies without really trying:

"Fly Killaz" 
by Adrienne

Items Needed:
1 tall, skinny bottle, preferably with a narrow neck (beer, wine, soda, whatever you have lying around)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Dawn or similar dish soap

Don't these look yummy little flies? Well I have something
you'll REALLY enjoy!

1. Rinse your bottle with hot water so none of the sugar from the liquid that was in it is in it now. You don't want the flies to get their treat on the neck of the bottle and then leave! No no! You want them to check in for an extended stay. :) I like to use a brown bottle (like an IBC rootbeer bottle) so I can't see what is going on inside, because it looks pretty nasty.
2. Pour Apple Cider Vinegar in the bottle so it is about 1" deep. Put ONE drop of dish soap in and swirl it around. This will make it so the surface tension of the vinegar is no more. The flies would usually be able to land on top, slurp up their fill and leave. Just in case they are particularly crafty and are still able to drink the vinegar without drowning, the narrow neck of the bottle will further confuse them and they will not be able to leave.
3. I like to put a label on the bottle so it doesn't get accidentally discarded before its time, or so (heaven forbid) it doesn't get confused with a bottle that is currently being enjoyed.
4. Put the bottle near the sink. Watch 'em die. Or not. Your choice. They'll be doing it anyway.

These blueberries are covered in cinnamon,
waiting to be baked,  flyless!

Red, White & Blueberry! (Late...)

We have been having some technical difficulties over here at la patisserie...and it has also been too hot to bake anything. *luckily* (not) our 4th of July was rainy and craptastic. However, that made it cool enough for me to whip something up.
Our family 4th of July party only had 6 attendees. 4 ate this tart. 3 had seconds (they were all male, so apparently men like the tart fruit/sweet cheesecake combination the most ;) There wasn't much left by the end of the day. :) Despite the red, white, & blue theme, I think it is appropriate for all summer gatherings, or evenings in where you need a nice cool dessert. Enjoy!

Red, White & Blueberry Cheesecake Tart
From Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts

For the Crust:
6 Graham Cracker sheets (3 1/2 oz)
1/3 cup whole raw almonds
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
1 pound (two 8 oz bars) cream cheese, room temperature (I used 1/3 reduced fat, it worked fine)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of Salt

For the Topping:
4 red plums (1 to 1-1/2 lbs total), halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 oz. (2 cups) fresh blueberries

1. Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers, almonds, and sugar until finely ground; add butter, and process until combined. Press mixture firmly into the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

2. Make the filling: Carefully wipe processor blade and bowl clean. Process cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, egg, vanilla, & salt just until smooth. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet; fill with cream cheese mixture. Bake until filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool completely.

3. Make the topping: In a medium saucepan, combine plums, sugar, & lemon juice. Cook at a low simmer, stirring until mixture has thickened to a jamlike consistency, 15 to 25 minutes. Time will depend on  ripeness of fruit. (In my experience, this was closer to the 25 minute end of things...but my plums were icky walmart plums that weren't all that ripe...so they had more cooking down to do. Just watch it closely and keep on stirring!) Reserve 1 Tablespoon cooking liquid (no solids); cool remaining plum mixture completely.

4. Leaving a 1" border (if you can...i couldn't, I don't think I cooked my plums quite long enough), spread cooled plum mixture over tart filling. Reheat reserved plum liquid on stove or in microwave until loose. In a medium bowl, combine with blueberries, and scatter on top of plum mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve, 2 hours or up to 1 day; unmold before serving.

Lonely little leftover slice.