Amy Ruth

A Tartest Lemon Tart had to be a refreshing and seasonal choice from Babette of Babette Feasts. One might think of it as kind a passing of the torch from the recent infinity of chocolate  to … woo hoo, its fruit season. I can only imagine how she must have “stewed” over  Dorie’s many many recipes for the season before finalizing her selection.  You might know we wait in a long line for our turn to make a recipe choice. ( There are many bakers in this group.)    Some of those choices have been great cause for consternation, swearing, dancing merrily, taking photos of course, stirring, measuring, calculating and recalculating, he he, chilling, heating, freezing, typing and of course eating.  Instructions as well as the recipe will be on Babbettes blog.  You may also want to drop by your local bookstore for a copy of Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.   For more information about joining in on the baking fun drop by 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.

You know you’re in the land of Milk and Plenty when you’re standing in front of the cool, shiney refrigerated receptacle of 31 (or the available number) of familiar and some not familiar voices calling your name. You’re suppose to choose one or two, right? That is the idea. In my head I see a lowly cone with a tower of various dips of ice cream attempting to remain as one before toppling over. Weren’t we supposed to blog about Classic Creme Anglaise? (Oh, just tasted mine, mmmm) I could describe with words…. but you know, make it and see for yourself.  Velvet, smooth, silkie, you get the idea?  A secret:  Its much better than melted vanilla ice cream.

Google and I decided to join forces and just find out a few, mind you of the trillion (yep, thats right Washington D.C.) of different variations of creme anglaise. There are approximately 387,000 listings for some creme anglaise topic. So, that just gives you an idea of the possibilities one has with this Classic Creme Anglasie. Like ice cream, which it can become if churned and frozen. What? You learned something new? (he he) It can be infused, or flavored with liqueurs, chocolates, coffees and tea, spices, citrus zest….. it is limitless. So, there you go Raskin Bobbins of 31 flavors. ( no, didn’t misspell it…..just a family joke)

I stayed with Dorie’s classic recipe, however I did use Madeleine Kamman’s technique. Call me lucky, because its been a while since I have made Creme Anglaise, but mine came together flawlessly. It was magical to watch the chemistry. Did you enjoy how the bubbles were absorbed as the scalding milk was slowly stirred together with the egg and sugar mixture? One of my “go to” books is The New  Making of a Cook, by Madeleine Kamman (don’t laugh, I’m listening). I’ve included a link where you can read about her technique for Creme Anglaise.  In the pages of her book, Madame Kamman displays more than just a recipe (as on the link).   She writes with detailed information,  and explains the chemistry as well as history.   She really connects you with the food and imparts her passion for food and cooking.  

You know Mary the FoodLibrarian, would love it if you went to your local library and checked out cookbooks for reference. BTW, its a really good way to decide if you want to invest in a particular title before you buy. That was just a tip.

My multi-sport husband, who is training for a half-iron man tasted our Tuesdays With Dorie, Floating Islands tonight.  You probably can guess that this is not in the food group of which he ordinarily partakes.  Please don’t tell on him.  Also, he will be the first to tell you he doesn’t have a sophisticated palate.  He loved it.  He just wanted all the Creme Anglaise as well.  he he  My remarks:  How can anyone not like the classic vanilla of the luscious Creme Anglaise?   I’ve enjoyed it before as an accompaniment to another dessert.  However,  I have never had Floating Islands before, along with the caramelized  sugar on top for contrast both in texture and flavor.   I am speechless.  Lovely, soft clouds, silkie and vanilla with a little crunch of the caramelized sugar.  I love that I learned something new today and tasted (okay, really… I ate some, not telling how much) a dessert I would never have ordered in a restaurant or chosen from a cookbook.

Thanks a million  for choosing Floating Islands for this week’s recipe  Shari, of Whisk a food blog,   where you will find the recipe posted.   Shari, is cooking through the Cordon Bleu at home cooking school curriculum.  She is quite busy in her kitchen making up all kinds of cooking group recipes.    I really enjoyed making this because it was new.  Its fun to learn a new trick or two.  Can you just imagine all the variations and  wizardry you’ll see here on the blogroll at Tuesdays With Dorie?  This baking group is baking from Dorie Greenspan’s book Baking From My Home to Yours.

Corbin says “Its like eating a marshmallow,” he likes it!  He’s my 15 year old baby.  Ya know, near and dear.  He  takes my photos too.  Clap Clap Clap Clap!!

 Back to the ice cream:  As I recall, when I was a little girl, in that little town, I thought ice cream was soft serve…

Earlier in the Thanksgiving week I made 4 recipes of Dorie’s Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough – the double crust recipe. The yield was 8 pie crusts for the Thanksgiving holiday. I chilled them overnight, rolled them out the next day and placed them in the freezer. Normally I use Martha Stewart’s Pate Brisee, and have successfully produced many delicious pie crusts in my food processor. This was the first time to use Dorie’s variation. I have a new food processor with a larger bowl and a more powerful zzzzzz so I was a little cautious with the first batch. Trying to avoid over processing, I probably under processed and had a somewhat crumbly outcome. Those crusts were a little more, shall we say “rustic?” Can you say “learning curve?” The remaining crusts were easy to handle and they all tasted absolutely delicious. I really think I will happily use Dorie’s recipe for future pie baking. It is Most Delicious!! “Did you hear that Dorie?”

In my holiday routine I usually bake according to the crowd. Pecan, Pumpkin and Lemon Chess Pies are among the selections. This year I baked lots of extra pies “for friends” and family. I chose to make the pecan and lemon chess along with the Thanksgiving Twofer Pie. Sorry pumpkin, maybe next time. I really enjoyed the Twofer Pie. Funny thing, my daughter wanted to know where was the pumpkin pie, “Its my favorite, Mom.” Smiling Mom said “I’m sorry sweetums,” Ooops. Guess, I’ll have to make up for that one. Its nice to be loved.  If you don’t have Dorie’s book, Baking from My Home to Yours,  let me explain a little bit about this wonderful pie.  It reminds me of the layering effect of a pecan pie.  You know when you slice it and you can see the top being the pecan yum and the bottom being the sweetness.  There is a resemblance with the difference being a layer of chewy  pecan yum and pumpkin on the bottom.  Its  a delicious pairing.  I liked it a lot.[SinglePic not found]

  Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday with their families both near and far, with safetravel as well. Thank you Dorie for the fun holiday pie concoction. A good marriage of traditional American favorites. It was delicious! You can add Dorie Greenspans Baking from My Home to Yours to your holiday wish list or just click on the title and click away for your online order. Vibi from La Casserolee Carree chose this timely selection for the holiday week of Tuesdays with Dorie baking group. If you would like the recipe, her site is in French, however, in the upper right corner you can choose the proper translation and there you will be able to read the recipe for your own baking pleasure.

Okay, I have to explain myself.  I am prone to (what I think are ) logical assumptions.  Because the beautiful photograph of the Chocolate Chunk Muffins was a few pages away from last weeks featured attraction, I naturally proceeded to the muffins.  Instead of the Chocolate Cupcakes. Oops!  Please tell me someone else almost thought the same thing???  So, as it goes I prepared, mise en place, the ingredients for the Chocolate Chunk Muffins.  In my mode of logical assumptions, I thought, ah well, it might be interesting to compare the two. [SinglePic not found]

The Chocolate Chunk Muffins were pretty darn good, to quantify though, how could you not like them?  They have wonderful chocolate chunks in them.   Shhhh, don’t tell anyone that I made a mistake and made them anyway.  Just a note to self to enjoy them sometime too. Dorie’s muffins are simple and go together quickly.  The warm chocolatey muffins were enjoyed this morning by a couple of friends who dropped by with a Boo Wish.  Its the season, you know!  They liked them and said they would be good as mini’s for a brunch or anytime of day.  Nice to have tasters magically appear, huh?  I like that too.  Even better the next day.

Tuesdays with Dorie’s  site has a forum for comments on recipes in progress.  Members of TWD have the opportunity to share their opinions and questions.  That being said, this particular recipe was quite provoking.  There was much discussion, lots of ideas about how to improve the finished cupcake to suit the individual.  I don’t know about you, call me silly, but I just needed to see for myself.  One needs a basis for comparison and of course there is always a personal preference.  I followed the recipe.  Even though I was informed of varying ingredients thought to change the outcome.    I know,  why you ask?   I don’t know, maybe because I was always the member of the family who actually read the instructions for the toys the children received at Christmas time.  Go figure.  Being a girl, I also learned that asking for directions proved to be a more efficient use of time.

The Chocolate – Chocolate Cupcakes from Dorie Greenspan’s, Baking From My Home to Yours, was selected by Clara from I Heart Food 4 Thought. Thank you so much for selecting a timely and fun chocolate recipe.  Stop by her place and take a peek at her Boo-Cakes.  They are adorable.  You can tell she had a blast being creative.    I love chocolate and  the recipes I have baked so far all allow for the chocolate of your choice.  Neat huh?  I like dark chocolate.  I think these would go very well with icecream or with filling.  For those of us who are accustomed to lots of sugary icing either on our cupcakes or on our layered cakes, these may be a little anti-climatic.  I missed the icing, honestly.   What I learned?  Maybe to bake them just a little between  making sure they are done enough not to sink and not too done so that they are dry.  Where is that you say?  Well….maybe with a few crumbs on that toothpick you poked in the middle.  Then, I think I would follow the lead of the other wonderful bakers at TWD who adorned their cupcakes with real cream cheese or buttercream icing. [SinglePic not found][SinglePic not found]

If you would like to see the recipe for this weeks Chocolate – Chocolate Cupcakes click on here 

Remember just a few days away from the end of your opportunity to join in the fun at TWD.  Sign up now… don’t wait!  Next week we are having more fun baking so come back by for a visit and don’t forget to leave me a comment.  I love to talk to new friends. [SinglePic not found] 

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I have learned with each recipe selection in Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours, that I have a few little choices to make.  Whether to forge a path and make a few variations of my choosing or to stick to the written recipe.  Bottom line, pretty much stayed with her recipe for the pumpkin muffins.   I was able to compare this muffin to the one I make and decide my preferences. [SinglePic not found]

These were pretty good fall muffins.  I varied each row in the pan.  Mixing up the recipe as written, short of the nuts and dried fruit.  This is the point where I scooped enough batter for three muffins into a cereal bowl.  The first three muffins were  plain, for my only remaining child at home.  The second row of batter, I added a handful of chocolate chips, for me.  I’m not on a diet today!   The third row of batter, toasted pecans and dried cranberries were added.  The last and final row dried apple and toasted pecans were added.  The remaining batter went to the mini muffin pan.  My family loves to pop those little guys into their mouths for snacks.[SinglePic not found]

The muffins are good I thought, however, as I’ve read amongst other TWD bakers who share an affinity for pumpkin, we all seem to like a little “More” pumpkin flavor.  Therefore, one might be able to conclude that Dorie provided us the Pumpkin Muffin recipe for all mankind.  Do you think?   Those who may not be pumpkin eaters and those who are.  I like pumpkin and  I like goodies in my muffins and so any additions are interesting to me.   Whether its chocolate, not the non-chocolate variety  (or white), which was delicious by the way, or dried fruits and nuts they all add to the flavor and interest to the muffin.[SinglePic not found]

I didn’t have on hand, nor did I find sunflower seeds on recent trips to the store so they were never topped with a crown of seeds.  Maybe I’ll try that sometime when baking some Pumpkin Muffins with Dorie.  Thank you,   Kelly of Sounding My Barbaric Gulp for selecting this recipe from Dorie Greenspans, Baking From My Home to Yours.  You’ll find the recipe for the pumpkin muffins here or here.  Either way, Enjoy!  As it is a nice time of year to bake pumpkin muffins.  A tip from this baking project I learned and will share with you is freezing the remaining pumpkin from your opened can.  I haven’t tried freezing mine yet, however I read about it and then googled and found many others who have as well.  You’ll find some really interesting suggestions for your remaining pumpkin at ChowHound.