Amy Ruth

This past Friday, I made a huge bowl of guacamole and took it with me to the gym. (Its hard to take Texas out of the girl)  Along with the Tostitos, was a sack of  yummy flax seed spicey corn chips from Trader Joes, for my gluten intolerant gym friends.   Those of you who are lucky enough to live near TJ’s ….well,  I’ll just be nice and say you are lucky.  Once in a while  I think my gym friends need a little pick me up.  I’m telling you they really do like food and I’m just kind of fond of them all.  Still out there sharing the love.  Its just been a little quiet around here.

Even though I have been under the radar for  a couple of months, YAY,  I had big fun with my little family for the holidays.  Santa was so good to the kids this year!!!   They’re in college & a teenager, and they were happy!  Score!!  So you’re a skeptic and you don’t go for all the hoopla?  Duh, You bet I believe!  Would you deprive the jolly, beloved,  velvet enrobed man the pleasure?

Anyway people, its fun to talk to you again, if you’re out there.  I hope you are.

February baking is always festive and happy.   Beginning the month with Dorie’s Milk  Chocolate Mini-Bundt cakes is pretty sweet .  The quintessential personal serving of a gentle milk  chocolate cake glazed with chocolate sauce.  A selection this week made by the lucky baker Kristin, the Queen of Quite a Lot and blogger I’m Right About Everything…. who can argue?  Seriously a fun month to be part of the recipe rotation.  You see, if you’re new to this baking thing called Tuesdays With Dorie then let me just say its a growing bakers group who take turns choosing recipes from Dorie Greenspan’s cookbook, Baking From My Home to Yours. Each week a featured member chooses a recipe that all who participate can bake and then post to their blog on Tuesday.  Its a magical day.   That featured baker then posts the recipe for all to see on her or his blog.  In this case once again it is Kristin at I’m Right About Everything.  Just click on her link or here. Lots of ovens working, right?  Of course you really should add Dorie’s book to your shelf and bake along if you like.

My Lift and Serve Molten pan hosted this recipe because I do not own a mini bundt pan.  It worked out perfectly.  Also, I substituted buttermilk for the whole milk with the minor addition of 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda as suggested by Dorie.  A couple of the little cakes had a pecan swirl, the rest were pure milk chocolate.  They are nice little cakes, quite delicious and tender.  I paid particular attention after they passed the 18 minute mark in the oven.  They remained there for the toothpick test for a few more minutes until they were tenderly baked, but not too much.  Just right Goldilocks!

Thanks for the visit.

Dear Dorie,
You are genius! I remember the first time I collected the gumption to make a classic french souffle. I was a nervous wreck.  With your version, I can now whip out a lovely chocolate souffle with little risk of failure.  Sunday night, my daughter brought over a small group (6) of her friends and we officially launched a “Treat Taster’s Group.” These are college age, darling kids (at least to me) who are kind enough to indulge me the pleasure of sharing your recipes with the intent of getting their responses. Thus, giving me lots more practice at a bargain basement calorie discount. Don’t you love the concept? I am so excited to have yet another audience.

I have to say I got Tweets on Twitter and  text messages with compliments to you for your Magic Dorie Chocolate Souffles.  I made 7,  in 8 ounce ramekins and to a few of them I added some of Dorie’s Vanilla Ice Cream as well.  They were devoured entirely.

Dorie, among the books in my collection is the book you authored entitled Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme. As I was combining the melted chocolate with the yolks there was this feeling that I had made this recipe before and then I remembered that I had made the chocolate mousse from Pierre’s book multiple times. There is a very close relationship between the two and so all at once I felt very comfortable with the souffles and knew they would be a hit. They were. My “Treat Taster’s Group” loved them and managed to leave with smiles on their chocolate faces.

Thanks Dorie for taking the fear out of making souffle’s! You are a genius! Now, all the Tuesdays With Dorie bakers can launch their journey toward many more souffle adventures to come.

Sincerely,
AmyRuth

If you would like Dorie’s recipe please stop here and visit Susan at She’s Becoming Doughmestic.  Isn’t that a cute name for a blog.  I think she must just be fun with loads of personality.    However, if you’ve visited before and you’re  a wee bit curious, maybe a book purchase is in order. Baking From My Home to Yours is the title of Dorie Greenspan’s book full of a variety of sweet treats sure to capture your heart or at least your sweet tooth.  A recent article in the Star Tribune of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota featured an article entitle Cookbooks That Rise to the Top. Among the food professionals, Zoe Francois of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, listed Baking From My Home to Yours as her favorite new cookbook.

As always, thank you so much for coming by and feel free to leave a comment.  I love chatting with friends and making new ones.

I baked a half recipe tonight again,  so they could be photographed.  I agree with Dorie’s suggestion and many of the TWD bakers, that a creme anglaise would be a perfect accompaniment to the chocolate souffles.  I filled three of my 8 ounce ramekins and baked them about 15 minutes in a 375 to 400 degree oven.  I think they could have been removed a little sooner.  I enjoyed this delicious chocolate dessert.

Tuesdays With Dorie.

I made this tart a while back upon discovering its reputation on SmittenKitchen.  I have to say as I read the varying comments I wasn’t sure how things would go.  I used Meyer lemons before and also this time.  This was my first experience with them.  A much softer, less intense  and not so tart lemon.   Pretty little things, they are.  I have to say it was really a nice and similar to an old southern lemon chess pie recipe I make all the time for my Mom.  I love the translation of desserts from Dorie’s home to ours and the connections they often times have to our families.  

My crisper drawer had  Meyer lemons and regular lemons.  They definitely called out so I made two tart shells and set about making Tartest Lemon Tarts.  I love lemons.  I know everyone asks “Did I say I love lemons?”  But really…. I do!  So, don’t worry even though I love them, well, Corbin had an Orthodontist appointment on Monday morning.  I’m not the patient so its easy for me to say, “It’s fun” however Corbin might not agree.  He’s always grumpy for a few days after.  They don’t mind if I bring my baking to them and they actually seem to enjoy ????  They’re nice.  The Meyer lemons are very small with thin skin.  I used two, skin and all, minus the seeds.  There is very very little pith in Meyer lemons.    Aside from that everything else was according to the written recipe in Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan.  

There were good suggestions about handling the pith from the regular lemons in the P & Q section of the TWD site.  I considered my options,and decided I didn’t want to risk all my ingredients and time to a possible bitter aftertaste.  I used my micro plane to zest my lemons, peeled away the pith, removed the seeds and cut up the 1 1/2 lemons.  The unbaked tart filling tasted quite nice so I can’t wait to taste the cooled version.  Mmmmm.

Thank you so much for your patience today because my post was an evening edition not an early morning one  and for stopping by for a visit.   I can’t wait to see all the beautiful Tartest Lemon Tarts out there in the Tuesdays With Dorie baking group.  Take a look for yourself.  You’ll definitely want to snag a copy of Baking From My Home to Yours for yourself.  In the mean time take yourself back to Babette Feasts where you can get the recipe.

• Megan of My Baking Adventures  is the featured member this week.  She has a lively blog and I know you would be impressed with her energy in the kitchen as you can see on her many posts each week.  She will also have the recipe for Tiramisu on her blog so stop by and give her a clap, clap clap.  In case you are interested in joining in the weekly blogging routine check out TWD right here and get the details.  

This baking group I participate with each week, on Tuesdays, is titled “Tuesdays With Dorie.”  To clarify if you’re not familiar, our 350 some bakers bake weekly, post on Tuesdays and fight the calories the rest of the days of the week.  You should hear the stories about how we produce scaled down recipes for photographic and tasting purposes.  Oh sometimes, we make the whole recipe and then sometimes  we cut the recipe down to 1/4 or even less.  One of our members who is famous for trimming those delicious, Dorie Greenspan inspired, and lovingly written recipes from Baking From My Home to Yours, is Nancy at the Dogs Eat the Crumbs.  She is genius with her calculations.   One of the many benefits of making friends in the blog world is the exchange of information.

Each week I ponder how I can actually sample the finished product and offer an appealing presentation of the remaining baked good for sharing.  You see, I figure if I am going to invest time and resources why not share Dorie’s lovely creations “with friends.”  This week’s recipe was perfect.  A “pick me up” excuse.  I used my 9 x 13 baking pan so I could present squares, while still having a morsel for tasting.  Isn’t that smart?  he he  

Tomorrow “my friends” at the gym will get to have a little “pick me up.”  Yea, I know, you think all those fitness buffs don’t eat like this.  Guess what?  Sometimes, they do.  Surprised?  They do it behind closed doors.  he he  Can’t let all their secrets out.  Shhhh.

Typically, I intentionally  follow Dorie’s original recipe.  I can then later adjust as I like in the future.  The only variation was the use of a 9 x 13 pan rather than 9″ rounds.  The second was the choice of liqueurs.  I used Di Saronno Amaretto for the syrup.  Also I used chocolate shavings rather than small chopped chocolate.  It was simply a softer texture to compliment the soft creamy coating of the mascarpone and cream.  

Tiramisu trio of flavors reminds me of one of the fancy schmancy coffee drinks typically in the $4 to $5 price range.    Mascarpone and cream along with the espresso and chocolate.  Oooo La La.  Hope you enjoyed!  I surely did.  

My morning coffee is usually brewed from beans obtained from a locally owned and operated  roaster, Lakota Coffee.    I like a couple of different varieties from there, Tanzania Peaberry and Ethiopia Yirgacheffe.    What is your favorite coffee?

Playa del Carmen was our Spring Break destination of choice. We are beginning to feel very much at home there.

No, this wasn’t it, we flew.   It would have taken way too long, but it was a nice way to get back and forth to the Paseo or to breakfast at La Cueva del Chango.   Absolutely, without a doubt, our favorite breakfast and lunch spot. Come to think of it, a great place to have dinner as well!  This trip, I got to have some of their fabulous Mole on my scrambled eggs one morning.  Oh My Gosh!!!  

Of course this is most of what we spent our time doing…..and my daughter (the middle child) was joined by three of her closest friends.  Days of these and sunshine, books, salsa, guacamole…

You know that question in the OSI on the Tuesdays with Dorie website?  The Day Off question?    Gloriously, I am having one of those days off.  The hubs is off in St. Louis for a weekend with his Tri-sport friends.  I am totally in the kitchen…. accompanied by, at the present, one of my favorite chick flicks.  A Nancy Meyers film, (a woman whose work I adore) Something’s Gotta Give.  Do you love it?  

 Dorie, you have provided a certain element of therapy for those who connect with the creative, organic practice of baking.  Dorie, do you know how many lives you have saved, or been the object of seriously funny stories posted  on TWD, how many temper tantrums you have thwarted or how many happy baking experiences you have facilitated???  Dorie…..are you reading?  he he  I hope so.   Oh and how about eating the finished product and sharing with those you love?   Okay now, I am not writing a romance novel, the bread pudding is coming.

   “Four Star Chocolate Bread Pudding,” this weeks recipe selection by Lauren of Upper East Side Chronicle.  It will be fun to see what she does with this simple concoction.  Check with her for the recipe.  She is an accomplished Pastry Chef whose blog I enjoy visiting to see her beautiful photos and her interpretation of Dorie’s  recipe from Baking From My Home to Yours.  Thank you Dorie for the suggestion of a fine little “bread sponge” such as challah or brioche.  A nearby grocer makes challah,  so for  convenience that was what I bought and toasted for the suggested 10ish minutes. Besides its absorption quality, the buttery sweet flavor was unique to any other bread.  I had a little over 3 ounces of 70% cocoa chocolate chopped up already and to that I added the balance of the bittersweet with 60% cocoa chocolate.  For a person who really likes an intense chocolate flavor, by all means add more.    I liked its simplicity and ease of assembly.  That’s bread pudding for you.  A nice comfort food.  

The End!      {It really is delicious chilled!!!  Enjoy}