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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Peppercorns? In Shortbread?

I have a baking challenge for you. Try using what are normally savory ingredients in a sweet baking application.


Now, I’m only being so commanding because I truly think it will be an enlightening baking adventure. My muse? A Cracked Peppercorn Shortbread success story.

It’s amazing how the taste of something as familiar as pepper changes when introduced into a sweet, crumbly shortbread. It becomes floral and more nuanced…without losing its kick. It’s really something fantastic.


The sky is the limit here, and creativity is key. My next flavor adventure will be a peanut butter and cayenne cookie…and then perhaps a cumin-scented butter cake.

If you want to give the peppercorn shortbread a whirl, I recommend adding about 1 teaspoon finely ground pepper for each cup of flour called for in your favorite shortbread recipe. Try using a variety of peppercorns...I used black, green and white. Then, I sprinkled the top with a mixture of sugar and more cracked pepper. Who knew pepper could be so sweet?

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Monday, November 16, 2009

Cardamom and Pear Upside-Down Cake

I have a flavor secret weapon: Cardamom.


It wasn’t until I went to pastry school that I truly discovered and fell in love with Cardamom. In my experience, it’s one of those ingredients that many people have heard of but don’t know how to use…nor are they aware of the magical powers it possesses in the deliciousness department. Cardamom’s flavor is both pungent and sweet, it reminds me of cinnamon, ginger and citrus.


Cardamom is a member of the ginger family and is one of the most expensive spices out there (luckily, a little goes a long way). The most common varieties sold are green and black. I tend towards the green cardamom in baking, but you can use either variety depending on your taste. To me, black cardamom is a bit bitter and has kind of a blunt flavor compared to the green variety.

For maximum flavor, I recommend buying the cardamom in their pods and then grinding it in a spice grinder. You can also find it in powder form but it’s a little iffy as to how strong the flavor will be…it could have been sitting on the grocery store shelves for longer than you’d like to imagine.


Cardamom has a warm and lingering flavor that is full of complexity and is quite wonderful in baked goods. I especially like pairing it with fruit, like pears in this Cardamom and Pear Upside-Down Cake.


Here, the cardamom takes on a very warm and cozy quality that is perfect for dessert tables in the fall and winter months.



Cardamom and Pear Upside-Down Cake
Upside-Down Topping:
2 Bartlett Pears, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch slices
½ stick of butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons juice from an orange

Cake:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
¾ stick of butter
zest from 1 orange
¾ teaspoon cardamom
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan (I used a pan with a removable bottom, but it’s not necessary).

For the Upside-Down Topping:
Heat the butter, brown sugar, salt and orange juice in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and all sugar is dissolved, take off the heat and pour mixture into the cake pan.
Arrange the Pear slices overlapping one another on top of the sugar mixture. Set aside.

For the Cake:
Melt the butter with the orange zest and cardamom. Once butter is melted, set aside to cool.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk both sugars and the eggs together in a large bowl until thick and smooth. Slowly whisk in the melted butter mixture until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture and whisk just to combine.
Pour batter into the pan over the pears and spread evenly. Bake until cake is golden brown, ~35-40 minutes.

Cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a butter knife or small offset spatula around the inner edge. Place wire rack on top of cake and flip over the cake (you may want to do this over parchment to catch any drips). Gently remove the cake pan and allow to cool completely.

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Friday, November 13, 2009

What the Fuyu?


Persimmons are small, squat fruits that look like the offspring of a tomato and a sugar pumpkin. They taste like nothing I’ve had before…sweet like pears or apples with a squash-esque note. Sounds bizarre, but these orange beauties are delicious!

Although there are many different types of persimmons out there, two varieties are seen most often; the Fuyu and the Hachiya. These two types of persimmons look almost identical, but can be identified by their their shape. And, you definitely want to be able to distinguish the two...

The Fuyu persimmons are flat on the bottom and have the best flavor when they are still firm...but don’t get too comfortable munching on firm persimmons. Beware the Hachiya variety. Hachiya persimmons are incredibly tannic and astringent until they have fully ripened. They are heart-shaped and should only be eaten when they are squishy soft (spreadable even). If you eat a Hachiya Persimmon when it’s still firm, your tastebuds will hate you. If you eat it when it’s smushy gushy, your tastebuds will love you.


I’ve got an assortment of persimmons hanging out in my kitchen. The Hachiyas are still too firm to eat, so I’ve been experimenting with the Fuyu variety. Although they are perfectly yummy when eaten like an apple, sometimes it’s fun to add a little variety to the mix…like with this Fuyu Persimmon and Cranberry Compote recipe.


The compote is absolutely delicious, especially over vanilla yogurt with some toasted walnuts scattered on top. This compote is tart and a bit sweet with dried cherry/plum flavors (likely imparted by the wine). What a nice way to treat a Fuyu.

Fuyu Persimmon and Cranberry Compote
3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 lime, juiced and zested
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/3 to 1/2 cup honey (depending on taste)
1 star anise
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Pinch of salt
3-4 Fuyu Persimmons (about 1 lb total), peeled if desired and cut into 1/4-inch dice

Bring all ingredients except the persimmons to a boil in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Discard star anise and stir in persimmons. Enjoy warm or cold.

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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Cranberry and Pear Galette


The weather in San Francisco is completely unhelpful when it comes to determining the seasons. If you’re not paying close attention, an entire month can slip away with little trace. I’m still trying to figure out where October went…if it weren’t for the Halloween pictures, I wouldn’t believe it was over.

Well, at least I can count on the produce at the farmers markets to help me (loosely) keep up with the time of year. And, based on the bounty of pears, apples, persimmons, cranberries, squash and pomegranates…well, we’re in the midst of autumn.

The fall and winter months are synonymous with warm fruit desserts. Tender fruit baked with homey spices, perhaps a crisp and nutty topping, a flaky crust, or buttery biscuits that absorb the flowing juices. Perfect with a scoop of ice cream, which immediately starts melting into the fruit creating the most delicious bite. It’s impossible not to slow down for a moment and say “mmmmm”.


Pears and cranberries are a simply lovely combination in fruit desserts. The sweetness of the cooked pears melts into the tart cranberries. Add some frangipane to the mix and you can’t go wrong.

One of my favorite ways to feature fruit in desserts is in the form of a galette, or a free-form pie (think of it as a pie without the pan).

In this version, I used Bartlett Pears which turn from green to golden as they ripen. The flavor of the pears will come through, even if you start with slightly under-ripe pears. This galette is not only beautiful and delicious but as easy as…well, pie.

Cranberry and Pear Galette
For the Crust:
1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
3-4 tbsp cold water
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

For the filling:
2 Bartlett Pears, cored, peeled if desired, and cut into chunks
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1/3 cup slivered blanched almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick room-temperature unsalted butter
1 egg
1 Tbsp flour
2 drops almond extract

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the butter pieces in a bowl or plate and freeze for at least 20 minutes. Refrigerate the water in a small cup until needed.

Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 10 seconds to incorporate the ingredients. Add the frozen butter pieces and pulse 6-10 times until the butter and flour mixture looks like crushed crackers and peas.

Immediately transfer the butter-flour mixture to a large bowl. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the cold water of the mixture and fluff it in. Then, add another and another, until 3 tablespoons have been added. Continue to fluff and stir 10 to 12 times. It will not be a cohesive dough at this point, but before bringing it together, you need to test for the correct moisture content. Take a handful of the mixture and squeeze firmly. Open you hand if the clump falls apart and looks dry, add a bit more water (one teaspoon at a time). The dough is done when it holds together (even if a few small pieces fall off). If the butter feels soft and squishy, refrigerate before continuing. If it’s still cold and firm, continue to the next step.

Turn the dough onto a work surface and gently knead 3-6 times. Flatten the dough into a 6 inch disk and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the filling, put the pears, cornstarch brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and toss together. Set aside. Grind the almonds with the sugar and salt in a food processor until the almonds are finely ground. Add the softened butter and process (scrape down from food processor sides if needed). Add eggs one at a time, making sure first egg is thoroughly mixed before adding the next. Add the flour and almond extract and mix well.

Dust a work surface with flour and set the disk of dough on the flour. Dust the top with flour and roll it out until you’ve got a14-15 inch circle bout 1/8 inch thick. Fold the dough circle into quarters and transfer to a sheet pan, then unfold dough.

Put the almond mixture in the center of the dough leaving a 3 inch margin on all sides. Mound the pear mixture on top of the almond mixture and then put the cranberries on top.

Fold the excess dough up over the fruit in a clockwise direction until the fruit is enclosed (there should be about 4-6 inches of exposed fruit in the middle).

Chill the galette in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

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Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween Macarons and Mini Pizzas

Here's hoping your Halloween was happy and delicious!


Nick and I went to a Halloween potluck party hosted by a couple of our dear friends. We dressed as Betty Crocker and Chef Boyardee. I’ll let you figure out who was who…

For the party, I made Orange French Macarons filled with Grand Marnier Ganache. They were BooooOOoooozie…


Nick also decided to bake for the party, and gave homemade pizza a try (using the pizza dough recipe from my last post). He made mini pizzas with a homemade pomegranate BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese and cilantro.



Those are some treats worth sinking your teeth into!