Dessert First

In Which A Busy Week Is Capped With An Unexpected Surprise

First, thank you to all of you for your very sweet birthday wishes - I'm consistently amazed and touched by the well-wishes I receive from fellow pastry lovers from around the world. Thank you for making my birthday that much more special!

It actually did rain on my birthday, but it seems like the birthday fairies decided to make up for it by sending a stretch of luxuriously balmy weather afterwards, capping off with a positively scorching weekend. Mmm, I can almost feel summer around the corner!

Sadly, I've been quite busy this last week, so haven't had much time to enjoy the weather except to keep drinking water to try and stay hydrated. I also haven't had the chance to properly document my latest kitchen brainstorm, so here, finally, are a few pictures.

Since it's full-on strawberry season (overflowing their baskets at the farmers' markets, beckoning from roadside stands in the suburbs), I am constantly being tempted into buying way too strawberries and then trying to figure out what to do with them. I remembered this cake I had seen in a Hong Kong bakery, layers of delicate sponge cake sandwiching fluffy strawberry cream and frosted with whipped cream, and decided to have a go at recreating it.

The result ended up resembling a cross between an opera cake and the layered fruit-and-whipped cream cakes found in many a Chinese bakery. The cake, an almond genoise, is the same as the one used in a traditional opera cake. Spread thinly with pureed strawberries, and then a layer of strawberry buttercream, the light cake provides the perfect base for intense strawberry flavor. The topping is made from whipped cream and just a little confectioners' sugar, since I didn't want a heavy frosting to weigh down the cake.

I think this cake really captures a lot of strawberry flavor, without being too rich or heavy - just right for summer. I'm still tweaking the recipe, so I'll try to get posted here sometime tomorrow.

And, as a capper to the week, I discovered that the fantabulous Jen of Use real butter, one of my favorite blogs, was in town! After some furious planning, we arranged a blogger meetup with me, Jen, and Lisa of I Must Have a Lot of Time on My Hands, another amazingly talented cook/baker/blogger that I adore!

Lisa was kind enough to play hostess, so Jen and I got to visit Lisa's place, meet her beyond adorable doggie Lucca (honestly, go to her page and once you lay eyes on Lucca you will be smitten), and sample Lisa's excellent coffee cake and macarons. This girl can seriously bake! Thanks so much Lisa, and I'm hoping to return the favor soon!

Jen is just as funny and real as she is on her blog - I feel super lucky that I found her blog, and got to become friends with such a great person! Hope you had a great flight back home, sweetie!

Lisa has already put up an account of the meetup on her blog, so go read if you want to see what three foodies were up to one Saturday morning! It was definitely the panacea to cure a long week of work, and now I'm ready to bake up some more sweets again!

I'm Still Here...Really!

Many of you may be wondering just where I've gone off to...didn't I say I had returned from vacation and was promising all sorts of lovely travelogues and pretty pictures and even a recipe or two?

Well, readers, you've been marvelously patient and supportive, and now it's time for me to come clean: I'm currently neck-deep (perhaps a tad higher) in the end stages of my second book, and it has taken over my life.

Oh, by the way, have I told you what the second book is about?

Well, a few months after Field Guide to Cookies came out, I received a call from my editor, who wanted to know if I might be interested in doing a companion book, on the topic of...candy.

I was very excited and flattered, to say the least, and perhaps slightly apprehensive about how much candymaking would take over my life in the next few months.

Suffice to say that at this point I am pretty thinking about candy ALL THE TIME. When I am not tweaking recipes in the kitchen, getting everything covered in caramel and chocolate, I am writing on the computer or thinking of more candies. I have visited just about every candy store in San Francisco. My boyfriend does not blink now when I say for the 3rd time in a week, "We need to go get more sugar." I think I've even dreamed about candy (which, actually, for a dessert lover like me, should be like the gold ring of dreams.)

It's been a fun and amazing and intense experience, and now as I'm approaching the photoshoot for the book, the intensity is pushing past 11 on the meter. In a few weeks, there will hopefully be lovely shots of candies to entice and beguile the candy-curious. Until then, I'll be in the kitchen, whipping up sweets Willy-Wonka style.

I miss blogging, I really do. I miss being able to jump in the kitchen when an idea strikes, experimenting with possible new desserts. I miss taking photographs, playing around to find the right angles and colors and light. Most of all, I miss the community out there - I'm still visiting the blogs, although lack of time to comment has turned me more into a lurker. But trust, I'm still seeing what's going on out there in the wonderful wide blogosphere, and I'm loving it still even as my participation has dwindled.

As soon as the candy photoshoot is over in a couple of weeks, I'm eager to get back in the blogging saddle, so to speak, and resume a more regular pattern of blogging. Thanks to all of you in the meantime for your continued support - I have a long backlog of things I'd love to put up on Dessert First, and I hope you'll be around when I do!

And just so this post isn't totally dessert-free, Sunset Magazine interviewed me for my recommendations on best desserts around the Bay Area. The February issue is out on newsstands now, or you can go the site for the article. Enjoy!

A Sweet Little Holiday Gift Guide

Happy Friday, all! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are all now firmly ensconced in the holiday season and all its glittery, glowing trimmings. Since I live near the downtown area of San Francisco, I've been able to see the holiday decorations go up over the last couple of weeks - I've walked down the streets every day and watched as curlicues of lights slowly wend their way around the trees on the sidewalks, wreaths of holly and gleaming red bells sprout over doorways, and tinsel-bedecked presents pile up in drifts of imitation snow in storefront windows. We've certainly got some industrious elves working here!

What with book #1 coming out and book #2 in progress, my holiday baking has been sadly derelict so far. I can't believe I was so prepared last year at this point in time that I'd already done several holiday posts in advance! My holiday shopping has been slightly, if not much more, successful - I think I know what I will be doing this weekend, along with all the masses in downtown! By the looks of the crowds strolling about, "Silver Bells" style, you'd hardly know about the economic straits the country is in.

Still, I think this is more a season for giving thoughtful, heartfelt gifts, and not just the trendiest, glitziest baubles out there. That's why I love baking gifts so much: whether it's a jar of jam you made, or a cute set of cookie cutters, or a cookbook to encourage someone to bake something new in the kitchen, there's something about baking that celebrates creativity and care. What better way to show someone your love?

With that sentiment in mind, I'll like to present a little round-up of gift-giving ideas for the sweet ones in your lives. They include items for novice bakers, the experts, and even those who just like to eat. This also includes my yearly cookbook round-up I like to to do: there was definitely a plethora of excellent cookbooks that came out this year; all I can say is that I'm glad my lil' ole book is focused just on cookies and isn't going directly up against the likes of Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz, and Joel Robuchon!

Oh, and speaking of books and gift-giving, I'm sure you're all eager to find out about the winner of the book giveaway from last week. The lucky winner of Cindy Mushet's The Art and Soul of Baking is Melody Brandon! Congrats, Melody!

Holiday Baking Fun

Holidays, of course, are the times to break out the themed cookie cutters and other molds that languish in the back of the drawer the rest of the year. The concept of forming your food into cute shapes has happily spread beyond cookies: See these cute Holiday Ice Cream Sandwich Molds, Set of 3which the kids will surely adore.

Similarly, give cupcakes the holidays treatment with these Silicone Holiday Cupcake Molds, Set of 12.

I can't think of more appropriately shaped cake pan than NordicWare's Holiday Tree Bundt Pan. And, if you're looking for a recipe to go with it, look no further than the winner of last year's NordicWare's bakeoff, which used this pan!

If you're more of an individual-serving, cute-little-miniature-cakes type of baker (like me), NordicWare's Holiday Mini Loaves Pan might just do the trick.

Baker's Basics

Ok, so you may think a rolling pin is not that exciting or "sexy". Well, let me tell you when I went back to my parents' home for Thanksgiving and tried to make a tart in the kitchen with my mom's old plastic rolling pin, I was really missing my nice solid wooden one (sorry, Mom - obviously you can make magic in the kitchen with your simple tools whereas I am clearly dependent on my fancy toys to turn out something good).

A good, dependable rolling pin is a must in any baker's arsenal and a worthwhile investment. I prefer the French-style pins with no handles (the middle one in the picture), but find one that works well for you. The pins pictured are all Vic Firth Maple Rolling Pins.

Now, for a bit of whimsy, who wouldn't fall in love with this Quartet of Geese Measuring Cups? I know I'm a big advocate of using a scale, but these cups have their uses as well, not the least of which is adding charm to your kitchen.

  

And I am completely in love with fredflare's Panda Bear Skillet- it's almost too cute to actually use! There's also a little panda on the lid as well - my Hello Kitty-honed kawaii radar is beeping off the charts!

You would think that working in a professional bakery where aprons are purely utilitarian and (in my case) end up covered in flour and chocolate by the end of the day, I'd have no use for frilly, flouncy little numbers. Not so. This chic little Parisian Cafe Apron (you should click on the link to get a nice closeup of the pattern) will make you feel like you're turning out perfect croissants in one of those French cafes where no one ever, ever gets a speck on their apron.

The Gourmand's Cupboard

I am a fan of Vosges and Katrina Markoff's unending dedication to exploring new flavor combinations with chocolate. My favorite item from her collection are her chocolate bars, which I think really allow you to savor the complexities of the flavors she's using better than her one-bite truffles. Vosges Exotic Candy Bars are a great gift for the adventurous eater on your list. My personal favorites are her Black Pearl, Red Fire, and Goji Berry.

Charles Chocolates has always been a local favorite of mine, not just because the founder Chuck Siegel is such a great all around guy, but because they take such pride in their products. Their "newest" product, the Raisy, has actually been around in production for a while, but they haven't been able to ship them without damaging them. Now they've devised a perfect storage box, and you can enjoy this heavenly "ice cream cone" of chocolate, ganache, and pate de fruit in the Raisy Assortment.

Vanilla is another essential in the baker's kitchen. Instead of just picking up a bottle of anything at the grocery, why don't you try Patricia Rain's Vanilla Extract. If you don't know about The Vanilla Queen and her amazing life, I suggest you pop over to her site and learn about her lifelong obsession with vanilla. I have her book Vanilla and it's a wonderful read. It stands to reason that her vanilla products are excellent, given her background - I've gotten to try several of her items and it's fascinating to compare the differences between Madagascar Bourbon, Tahitian, and Mexican vanilla.

 

One can never have too many sprinkles, jimmies, dragees, or decorating sugars in the house, especially around the holidays. One of my favorites is Confetti Sparkling Sugar; it's fun and multicolored and the big crystals crunch satisfyingly in your mouth.

The Baker's Bookshelf

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate

How fitting that two revered French pâtissiers in New York have come out with chocolate cookbooks this year. I always associate holidays and cold weather with rich, gooey, indulge-by-the-fireplace chocolate desserts, so both these cookbooks are here at the perfect time. I haven't gotten a chance to visit Jacque Torres' chocolate factory yet, but his newest cookbook A Year in Chocolate: 80 Recipes for Holidays and Special Occasions is a more than adequate balm to distract me while I'm dreaming of his store.

I have been to Payard's pâtisserie, so his newest cookbook Chocolate Epiphany: Exceptional Cookies, Cakes, and Confections for Everyone brings up a host of sweet memories, as well the desire to recreate some of his delectable creations I had at his wonderful place. 

Baking Resources

I've already raved about this book, but naturally I had to include it on the list. There have been several baking reference books that came out this year, and I think The Art and Soul of Baking really is one of most accessible, and beautifully produced ones.

 

If you're obsessively curious like me about the origin of pastry terms, what all those exotic-sounding French and Italian pastries are, or exactly what goes into the puff pastry technique, you want The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Baking and Pastry Professional on your bookshelf. With over 4800 terms defined, you'll be able to decipher any recipe. It even includes sections on pairing flavors, pastry tools and equipment, and a guide to common pastry problems.

For the Professional

Of all the cookbooks coming from professional chefs this year, Dessert FourPlay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef intrigued me the most. I love Johnny Iuzzini's aesthetic (check out his strawberry quartet), and anytime a pro is willing to part with his secrets, it's a cause for celebration.

Finally, this is not technically a dessert book, but Grant Achatz's Alinea is so awe-inspiringly gorgeous, it's a must-see for any lover of food. Since Achatz's creations look like works of art in a museum, it's fitting his book resembles the exhibition catalogues published for museum collections - every creation captured for posterity. There's also plenty of desserts in there, so if you're curious about how to make dry caramel, or a kumquat bubble, or Achatz's space-age take on chocolate ganache, it's all there to astonish and inspire.

If you're looking for other gift ideas, be sure to check out the sidebar on right of my page, or my astore. Happy shopping, and happy baking, too!

Oh! Just before I was going to hit the "Publish" button, I got two exciting pieces of news: My book was mentioned in Mark Bittman's NYTimes blog here,

and Chow.com has just put up a couple of videos I made with them on baking tips. We filmed four total, and the first two are up:

Rolling out Cookie Dough

Browning Butter

I'll let you know when the other videos are up!

Sugar High Friday: Spice Up Your Life! Part Two

Hello to everyone - I hope your Halloween was sweet and whetted your appetite for the second part of the SHF round-up. I am very grateful for everyone's patience and indulgence as I sorted through a truly inspiring array of entries. I want to mention again just how blown away I am by all the baking talent out there; I was amazed and humbled by all your creativity and skill. Even as I trying to get all the entries up as fast as I could, I kept being distracted by all these wonderful blogs I was discovering, and wanted to spend my time reading them instead!

So thank you for letting me be your host, and for helping me expand my ever-growing circle of blogs to visit! Without further delay, onward to the second half of the Spices round-up!

Linda of Make Life Sweeter! baked this beautiful Apple Tart with Crystallized Ginger - I love the plate it's on as well!

 

Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody used one of my favorite fall fruits in her Pear Nutmeg Bread Pudding.

Ivy of Kopiaste used pumpkin, apples, and quince to make a true Autumn Pie.

 

Madam Chow of Madam Chow's Kitchen is ready for the holidays with her Eggnog Ice Cream Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce.

Mike of Mike's Table has a classic combination going with his Caramelized Apple and Cinnamon Cream Tart.

Aimee of Under the High Chair sent in a truly gorgeous Tonka Bean Spiced Apple-Raspberry Cake - I always love seeing tonka beans used!

Esi of Dishing Up Delights came up with a very restaurant-worthy dessert: Pumpkin Shortcakes with Apple Compote and Vanilla Honey Ice Cream.

Vanille of @ Down Under contributed her Spicy Pistachio Candy - love the color and the photo!

Yasmin of Almond and the Hazelnut makes an eyecatching SHF debut with her Persian Love Cake. 

                                                       

Amanda of Slow Like Honey sent in a gorgeously assembled and plated Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache.

Elodie of Yummyaourt baked some Hackney Chelsea Buns - perfect for a chilly morning.

Veronica of Veronica's Test Kitchen, the macaron goddess, sent in her latest version - Macarons with Saffron-Pear ganache.

 

Chris of Melecotte gets warms and cozy with Baked Spiced Pears.

Leah of Wine Imbiber uses of my favorite savory spices in her Chipotle Apple Pecan Cake



Kristin of Figue et Noisette made some really tempting Pear and Apple Compote with Spiced Butter Biscuits.



Lauren of I'll Eat You contributed some Sweet and Spicy Pecan Brittle - brilliant, since I've been experimenting with brittles!



Lisa of dandysugar made a Thyme-Scented Apple Galette - so perfectly simple and delicious.

Vera of Baking Obsession gives an Asian twist to pumpkin with her beautiful 5-Spice Pumpkin and Date Loaf.

 

Sandra of Le Petrin turns financiers in a fancy dessert with her Spiced Financiers with Poached Spiced Pears.

Paula of Half-Baked Baker baked these truly decadent Autumn Pumpkin Muffins with Pecan Toffee Streusel.

Stephanie of Confessions of a City Eater sent in these wonderfully named Spiced Sugar Coins.

Monica of the sour plum baked some yummy-looking Macarons au pain d'épice  - lovely form!

Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook made a Yorkshire Parkin, which I hadn't heard of before, so thank you for introducing me to this!

Cakelaw of Laws of the Kitchen contributed her Spicy Banana Cake, an excellent way to use up ripened bananas.

Denise of Chez Us made a really scrumptious Pumpkin Crème Brulee - I just had some at a restaurant last night and now I'm craving more!

 

Holly of PheMOMenon goes over the top with her Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies.

 

Mansi of Fun and Food Cafe makes a moist and hearty Chocolate Zucchini Bread.

 

Jacqueline of Toxo Bread has some Kanelbulle - so exquisitely shaped!

 

Anh of Food Lover's Journey amazes again with her absolutely stunning Star Anise Chocolate Mousse.

 

Judith of Shortcut To Mushrooms made a cozy, tempting Spice Cake.

 

Celia of English Pastis is making me long for a tropical vacation with her Mango & Cardamom Upside-down Cake.

Mary of Alpineberry is all ready for the holidays with her All-in-One Holiday Bundt Cake.

 

Susan of FoodBlogga sent in these intricately formed, delicate Pizzelles.

Marija of Palachinka created this stunning Strawberry & Poppy Seed Cake.

Kate of A Merrier World gets everyone's spice senses tingling with her Chai Chilli Biscuits.

Winnie of Bake From Scratch overachieved with two spectacular-looking desserts: Sticky Spiked Double-Apple Cake w/ Brown Sugar-Brandy Sauce

and Spiced-Quince Butter Cake w/ Candied Walnuts.

Kara of Kara's Kitchen makes me think of Charlie Brown with these Great Pumpkin Cookies.

Renato of Sugar Nut gets most creative with these Spicy Fruit Skewers.

 

Katharine of the Fresh Dish sent in a Plum, Pear, and Cardamon Coffee Cake with Southern Comfort, Saffron, and Ginger Ice Cream - yes it's a mouthful!

 

Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar makes an adorable presentation with her Spiced Pumpkin Pots de Creme.

 

Helena of MooseAbout sent in these very cutely named Zesty Date Cookies with Marshmallow Beaks.

 

Bron of Bron Marshall contributes these delicious Spiced Manuka Oaties, all tied up for giftgiving!

 

Nicisme of Cherrapeno made this wonderfully decadent, luscious Chocolate Gingerbread Cake.

Andrew of Spittoon Extra finishes off SHF with some beautiful candy-colored Vanilla Poached Quinces.

Again, if I've made a mistake with anyone's photo, name, links, let me know and I'll fix it right away. Also if I've forgotten anyone, PLEASE e-mail me. I've gone through my inbox several times and I think I've got everyone who entered, but if I inadvertently left someone out, I will of course rectify that immediately.

Thanks again everyone! It was a fun and memorable experience, and I look forward to seeing more of all of your sweet creations in the future!

Sugar High Friday: Spice Up Your Life! Part One

There's a definite autumnal chill in the air here: the beloved San Francisco Indian summer has finally made its last farewell, I think, and brisk, crisp, fog-coat of fall is rolling in with gusto. Perfect timing, I do believe, for all manner of spicy treats to warm one up. It's one of the things I love so much about fall: warm woolly scarves in all shades of winter-defying primary colors, rubber rainboots squeaking against rain-slick streets, something baking in the oven, filling the house with a comforting scents of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise.

I'm so very impressed (and overwhelmed) by all the entries I received for my very first Sugar High Friday. Jennifer of the Domestic Goddess graciously let me take on the duties for this month, and I hope I'll do an adequate job at showcasing all the wonderful ways you have come up with to use spices! I am truly impressed by all the creativity and talent out there, and am glad to have gotten the chance to meet all these other sweet bloggers!

Onward to the first part of the round-up!

Sailaja of Sailu's Kitchen made two dishes for SHF!  Semiya Payasam ~ Vermicelli Kheer

 

and Rava Laddu ~ Sweet Semolina Balls. I love the vibrant colors!

 

Shavedicesundays of Shaved Ice Sundays created this Jujube Rice Pudding with Cinnamon and Honey - so seasonal and so yummy!

Hannah of BitterSweet baked up these intriguing  Autumnal Wattleseed Muffins - I'm especially liking the square shape!

 
Zita of Simplicious made this absolutely beautiful Hummingbird Cake.

 

Andrew of Eating Leeds used one of my favorite flavor combinations in his Chocolate Chili Fudge Cake.

 

Y of lemonpi came up with these Baked Mandarin Custard with Mandarin and Hazelnut Soldiers  - I love the name and the flavors!

 

Ning of Heart and Hearth used one of my favorite fruits to make these Strawberry Muffins.

 

Shari of Whisk got a head start on Halloween with her Pumpkin Chai Tart.

 

Dita of Yummy! My Culina Sanctuarium shares her Favorite Boiled Fruit Cake.

 

Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen makes one of my favorite fall desserts, Spiced Pear Galette

Laura of Food Diaries of a Concubine created some Quince and Cardamon Breakfast Buns, which I am now craving!

Lori of Lori's Lipsmacking Goodness thoroughly embraces the spice with her Triple Ginger Cookies.

Heather of Diary of a Fanatic Foodie made a Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cranberry Bourbon Sauce, a fab dish for the holiday table.

Arfi of HomeMadeS created these divine-looking Churros con Chocolate.

Gretchen of Canela & Comino made a wonderful, heady-sounding Wine Cake.

Rachael of I Eat the World sent in these lovely Sweet Potato Pikelets with Spiced Sauteed Pears - now I've learned about pikelets!

Kristen of Something Sweet must be a shortbread lover like me, her Brown Sugar Shortbread sounds delicious!

Helen of Tartelette made these absolutely adorable Bittersweet Chocolate Cardamon Cupcakes.

Sunshinemom of Tongue Ticklers shared the joys of the Swedish Tea Ring with us.

Dana of Dulcedo tempted all pumpkin lovers with her Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies.

 

Sweatha of TastyCurryLeaf put a spin on an old favorite with her Orange Cardamon Monkey Bread.

Kelly of Sass and Veracity added some Southwestern spice to the mix with her Chocolate Chipotle Cakes with Tomatillo Sauce and Cream.

Jude of Apple Pie, Patis, and Pâté submitted a truly elegant fall dessert - Pumpkin Pavé - Spiced Pumpkin Filling on Streusel.

 

Anne of A Foodie Froggy in Paris made a Tart Tatin with Pears and Aniseed Honey-poached Quinces - all that fruit sounds so delectable!

 

Kay of Salubrious Tryst made these cleverly named Acronym Muffins - go find out what's in them!

Maryann of Finding La Dolce Vita has the perfect Halloween treat: her spooky Bones of the Dead.

Bharti of Veggie Foodist contributed a lush and light Eggless Vanilla Apple Cake.

Caitlin of Engineer Baker sent in some really yummy Double Cinnamon Pecan Biscotti, all ready for dunking.

Zhulaiha of epicurean escapism serves up the best of fall with her Apple Crumble Bars.

Freya of The Cocoa Lounge goes for an Asian twist with her Coconut and Lemongrass Truffles

Meeta of What's for Lunch, Honey? sent in a beautiful jewel-toned Spiced Chocolate & Orange Bread.

Susan of Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy is all set for the holidays with her Pumpkin Cheese Pie with Toffee and Caramel Swirl.

Judy of Judy's Gross Eats also made two dishes: A lovely Gingerbread with Crystallized Ginger

 

and a tempting Spicy Pumpkin Custard. Beautiful job!

Elizabeth of Cake or Death? got a perfect shot of her lovely Chocolate-Chile Souffles with Cardamom Creme Anglaise.

 

Deeba of Passionate About Baking submitted a Glazed Prune Cake - I am as impressed by the cake as the props!

Janne from The BIte Size does her first SHF with an amazing Orange Carrot Cake with Chili Pepper, Thyme and a Citrus-Ginger Icing.

Hanne of Freshly Made tempts us all with her very photogenic Apple Cake with Spices.

Retno of Kedai Hamburg gave us her Banana-Choco-Walnut and Sultana bread - full of everything that's delicious!

 

Patricia of Technicolor Kitchen in English made White Chocolate and Pecan Spice Friands  - I have a weakness for financiers so I'll have to try these!

Minh of Couture Cupcakes baked up some beautiful Peanut Butter and Banana Cupcakes with Five Spice - a very interesting combination!

The second part of the round-up will follow next week - I'm sorry I couldn't fit you all in, but for everyone who's not in the first part, rest assured you'll be hearing from me this weekend!

Also, if any of the links or information in this post is wrong, let me know and I'll correct it right away!

Finally, just another little tidbit about my book  - I don't mean to bring it up in every post, but I wanted to let all your readers know that Field Guide to Cookies is being featured on Bust, and they are giving away 10 copies of my book! All you have to do it fill in the online entry form. I believe the contest ends November 5th so enter now!

Have a great weekend!

I'm the Host for Sugar High Friday! Time to Spice Up Your Life

I'm very excited this month, and not just because it's finally, fully autumn and there's all the wonderful cold-weather baking I'm going to do, plus the holidays lurking in the turning of fall leaves (is it me, or do Christmas displays in the stores go up sooner and sooner every year?)

I'm thrilled to finally be hosting Sugar High Friday, the grande dame of online events for sweet-minded bloggers. When I e-mailed Jennifer, The Domestic Goddess and founder of this event, I expressed surprise that I'd been running a dessert blog for two and half years and had yet to play host, and she concurred.

For my inaugural turn as Sugar High Friday host, I'm choosing Spices as the theme. I think it's fabulously appropriate, as fall is the perfect time for filling your kitchen with the alluring and cozy aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and all those other spices that put one in the holiday frame of mind.

It's also a chance, if you like, to experiment with some spices that you may not be as familiar with and perhaps may not associate with baking: star anise, rosemary, wattleseed, to name a few?

The rules for this Sugar High Friday are simple: make something using one or as many spices as you like.
If you need some inspiration for spices to use, there are some great lists here and here. It should still a sweet dish and not a savory dish, of course! Here are some spice-inspired recipes from Dessert First to get you going:

Apple Spice Cakes

Maple Star Anise Mousse

Spiced Chocolate Mousses

Roasted Cinnamon Ice Cream

Linzertorte

I've also taken this opportunity to make Claudia Fleming's Sugar-and-Spice Doughnuts from The Last Course. I seldom make doughnuts, fearing their effect on my waistline, but these fluffy, yeasty little pillows of happiness are worth it. The dough is a breeze to make and the finished golden fritters boast a distinctly exotic tone with the inclusion of orange flower water and mace. Rolled in sugar, cinnamon, and cardamon, they are delightful way to start the day - or end a meal.

So this month, I hope to see you all adding a little spice to your lives! How can you participate and show me your spice?

1. Make your dish and post about it on your blog before Monday, October 27th.

2. Send me an e-mail with SHF in the subject line. Include in your e-mail:

The name of your dish

The link to your post

The link to your blog

A photo of your creation (250 px by 250 px)

Your name, of course, so I can properly credit your creation in the round-up!

3. Come back on Friday, October 31st (otherwise known as Halloween) for a sweet-and-spicy roundup!

Happy Baking, and I look forward to seeing all your entries!

Sugar and Spice Doughnuts

adapted from Claudia Fleming's The Last Course

makes about a dozen doughnuts

Doughnuts

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon mace

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 tablespoon orange flower water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Vegetable oil for frying

Sugar and Spice Topping

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon

Warm milk in a saucepan or in microwave until just warm, not hot (you will kill the yeast). Combine milk in a small bowl with the 1/2 tablespoon sugar and the yeast and let sit for 10 minutes, until the mixture has expanded and bubbled.

Combine flour, remaining sugar, mace, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Mix the egg, orange flower water, and 3 tablespoons of water together in another small bowl.

With the mixture running on low speed, slowly add in the yeast mixture, egg mixture, and melted butter, mixing just until it starts to come together.

Switch to the dough hook and mix the dough together for another 10-15 minutes, until the dough has formed a ball around the hook and making slapping noises around the bowl.

Scrape dough together, place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Roll the dough out to about a 3/16" thickness on a lightly floured surface or silicone baking mat. Chill for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into rings and holes with a donut cutter, or if don't have one, just cut into 1-inch squares. Place on a baking sheet lined with lightly greased parchment paper, cover with another piece of lightly greased parchment paper, and let proof in a warm area for about 30 minutes, until the doughnuts have risen.

Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the sugar and spice topping in a bowl.

When you are ready to fry the doughnuts, fill a medium heavy-duty saucepan about half full with the oil and heat on medium-high heat to 375 degrees.

Carefully drop in a few doughnuts at a time, taking care not to overcrowd them - they won't be able to cook properly and you'll have more difficulty pulling them out at the right time.

Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side until they are evenly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain.

When they have cooled enough to touch but are not totally cool, toss them in the sugar and spice topping to coat. Serve immediately.

Ready for Another Chocolate Adventure?

Thank you to all of you for your well-wishes - they definitely buoyed my spirits over a weekend of sneezing, sniffling, and coughing - let's just say you probably didn't want me anywhere near where your food was being prepared! However, I'm happy to say I am 100% recovered, all tissues and cough drops have been returned to their proper places, and I'm itching to be back in the kitchen!

I have a backlog of posts I'm eager to get up, and the first one is a recap of a very fun event I went to a few weeks ago. Remember the Chocolate Adventure contest from last year? It's back for a second round: entrants are invited to create an original recipe using Scharffen Berger chocolate and one or more of 16 adventure ingredients, from more obvious items like cocoa nibs and matcha tea to true challenges like mustard seeds, jicama, and coriander. This year, the adventure theme is being extended even further: there are three categories: Sweet, Savory, and Beverage. Each category will have a grand prize winner who will get $5,000, signed copies of Essence of Chocolate, Pure Dessert, and Demolition Desserts (I'll add that I can vouch for the excellence of all three books and their necessity on your bookshelf!), plus the honor of having their recipe published on TuttiFoodie and the Scharffen Berger newsletter.

All the official rules are here: you are allowed up to 10 entries, so get your chef's hats on and your tastebuds primed. The contest started on October 1 and runs until January 4th, 2009, so you have plenty of time to come up with the most innovative, adventurous chocolate recipe ever!

To kick off the excitement and get us thinking about unusual flavor combinations with chocolate, sponsors Schaffen Berger Chocolate Maker and TuttiFoodie, along with food diva extraordinaire Marcia of Tablehopper, threw a little party at Orson, Elizabeth Falkner's newest restaurant.

I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Falkner, and I thought the choice of her as a kind of patron saint for a contest celebrating culinary creativity was inspired genius. Falkner is a chef who works fearlessly with sweet and savory ingredients, who plays with flavor and texture in the most whimsical, avant-garde of ways, yet never forgets that food should be foremost delicious and satisfying. Her first restaurant, Citizen Cake, showed she was so much more than just a pastry chef working with sugar and butter, and Orson is just the next extension in her culinary explorations.

The restaurant looks like a cross between a modern art museum and a sleek, ultracool lounge. The center is wide open and dominated by a dramatic hanging sculpture over a bar, perfect for after-work libations.

Here's a better perspective of the space. We are about to have John Scharffenberger lead us through a blind chocolate tasting - if you look closely, you can spot the little eye masks at each person's seat. Scharffen Berger has just released a special edition 10th Anniversary bar called Finisterra, made of a blend of beans from Venezuela, Trinidad, and Madagascar. What Scharffenberger did was have us taste each of the three component chocolates individually, to see how they differed in taste, mouthfeel, and finish, and then taste the finished bar, explaining how they combined the three and how they worked with each to create an entirely new flavor, but with identifiable notes from its parts. It was really eye-opening - pardon the bad pun - how not being able to see definitely forced you to concentrate and focus on the flavors of the chocolate in a different way. Plus, there is something just a little naughty about having someone feed you chocolate while you're blindfolded...

I realize I took no photos of Elizabeth Falkner! Well, here's one if you don't know what she looks like. She was busy running back and forth from the kitchen, bringing out an amazing array of courses, all using chocolate and some of the adventure ingredients in some surprising arrangement. All I can say is,  thank your lucky stars that Falkner is not competing in this contest! She is, however, one of the judges, so know that this is one chef who is very well versed in exotic experimentation!

We started off with a rum-based cocktail laced with kaffir lime and chocolate shavings, moved on to potato rounds topped with cocoa nibs and romanesco, and then chicarrones (fried pork skins) dipped in a bittersweet chocolate sauce. By the way, the chicarrones are a staple on her bar menu, but served with barbecue sauce. Give me a bucket of those chicarrones and some chocolate sauce to dip it in, and I will happily die from a heart attack.

For the main courses, we started with a salad of mango, avocado, and cherry tomatoes with chocolate shavings and a violet vinaigrette, and then were served roast pork in a chocolate mole sauce spiced with chili and ginger. Sorry I have no photos of all these - it's not that I pigged out and ate them all before snapping shots, it's just the quality didn't come out very well!

Here are two shots that did come out decently - this one is a quenelle of Parmesan pudding along with some red peppers, and cocoa nibs mixed with unflavored Pop Rocks - yes, pop rocks are one of the adventure ingredients.  Creamy and rich without being overpowering, and the pop rocks added an interesting sensation contrast to the pudding.

 

This was the one "real" dessert - imagine that we've had about 8 dishes, all using chocolate in some way, and only one was a sweet item! This was, of course, one of my favorites - chocolate and black olive ice cream sandwiched between thin cookies made of chocolate, cocoa nibs, and espresso. I'm not a fan of olives, but this was really something special - the bitter saltiness of the olives played wonderfully off the chocolate, making it sweeter and more complex at once. It's one of those dishes that makes you happy you've opened your mind to possibilities heretofore unconsidered.

All of us lucky enough to be at Orson certainly came away with a new appreciation for the versatility of chocolate as an ingredient. I've seen plenty of amazing creativity out there in the blogosphere as well, so I'm sure all of you who enter will be dreaming up some astonishing dishes!

I'm being a little less creative for this post, but after eating at Elizabeth Falkner's restaurant I couldn't help making one of her recipes from Demolition Desserts. This one, called A Chocolate Tart Named Desire, is a sweet, sassy ode to the South - essentially a warm chocolate cake batter baked in a buttery tart shell lined with a layer of rich caramel. Decorate with some pecan praline and some mint-and-bourbon-laced cream, and you have yourself a beautiful, balmy evening on the front porch - or a cozy evening inside, if fall's already settled in firmly where you are.

The dessert is multi-part, like most of Falkner's desserts, but it's worth the work - the chocolate tart is nicely rich and smooth, and I like how the tart crust "corrals" the cake batter so it doesn't run everywhere. The caramel sauce and pecan praline just up the decadence factor - there's something about pecans and brown sugar and butter that makes it really hard to stop eating them. Finally, a little bit of mint, just to cut through all the richness and add a sprightly top note.

It's good to be back, everyone - best of luck if you're entering the Chocolate Adventure contest, and also come back next week - I'm the next Sugar High Friday host and I'm just about ready to announce the theme!

Other Recipes to Try

Tiramisushi

Rosebud Creme Brulee

Warm Chocolate Caramel Tart

adapted from Elizabeth Falkner's Demolition Desserts

makes about (8)  3 1/2 in tarts

Crust

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons (2 ounces) sugar

1 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened,cut into small pieces

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons heavy cream

Caramel Sauce

1/4 cup water

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup (7 ounces) sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter

3 large eggs, separated

pinch of salt

6 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces) sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

To make the crust: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix a few times with the paddle attachment just to combine.

Add in the butter and mix on low speed until it just starts to come together - there should still be visible pieces of butter and it should not be a smooth, homogeneous mass.

Add in the egg yolk and cream and mix until the dough just forms into one mass.

Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. form into a flat slab, and wrap well. Chill for at least one hour to let the dough firm up.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and place eight 3 1/2 tart rings on it.

Take out the dough, cut in half, and return rest to the refrigerator for another time. Roll out the dough to about 3/16" thick. Using the tart rings as a guide, cut out rounds of dough and press into the tart rings, forming it to the bottom and sides. Trim the dough off the top so it is even with the tart rings.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway. If the dough starts to puff up, push it back down with a dough tamper.

Remove from oven and let cool while you make the caramel sauce and filling.

To make the caramel sauce: Combine the water, cream of tartar, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until it reaches 350 degrees and has turned dark amber. Be careful not to let it burn.

While the sugar is cooking, you can heat the cream up in the microwave or on the stove until it is warm but not boiling -it will prevent it from causing the hot caramel to seize up when you add it.

Add the butter to the caramel and stir to combine.

Pour in the cream, being careful as it will bubble out. Some of the caramel may seize up, but just place back over the heat and stir until it's melted again.

When it is all combined and smooth, remove from, stir in the salt and vanilla, and let cool before using.

To make the filling: Combine the chocolate and butter in a metal bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a clean mixer bowl, whip the egg whites with 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the salt until soft peaks form. Set aside. 

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg yolk and remaining sugar together until combined and thick. Slowly pour in few spoonfuls of the warm chocolate mixture and whisk to combine until smooth. Pour in a few more spoonfuls and repeat. You want to do it slowly because if you pour it all in at once the chocolate could seize up.

Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture gently with a spatula. Sift the flour into the bowl and fold into the chocolate mixture as well.

You can use the filling right away or refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

To finish the tarts: Spoon 1 tablespoon of the caramel sauce into the bottom of the tart shells. Spoon the filling on top of the caramel sauce, covering it completely and filling the tart shell all the way to the rim.

Bake the tarts for 10 minutes. The filling should puff up and still look slightly shiny. Serve immediately.

Happy News, and an Invite to You All to Participate!

What's this photo doing up there? Well, lovely readers, I just couldn't wait any longer to share this with all of you!

This is the cover (currently, anyways - no guarantees until it's actually out!) of my very first cookbook!!

It's called Field Guide to Cookies and it's a collection of over 100 cookies from around the world, from chocolate chip to linzer to speculaas to alfajores. Each cookie has its own entry that describes its origins, what special holidays and traditions it's associated with, and of course a recipe!

This book is the culmination of a lot of hard work from me, my publisher, and not least of all my dedicated crack team of recipe testers who worked feverishly to make sure all the cookies in the book are delicious!

I apologize for not providing more updates along the way, although I'm sure they would have fallen along the lines of, "Doing research on the 85th cookie...surrounded by cookbooks and can't see straight anymore," or "Testing 3rd batch of cookie recipe...running out of butter and eggs again." During the nascent stages of a book, or any other project, really, one is often advised to keep mum about the specifics - certainly, it would be awful to announce to the world that you're doing a book on the best chocolate desserts ever and then to see that someone's snatched your idea and put out a competing book on the shelves a month before yours!

But now that the book is off to the printers, and it's been officially announced on various retail sites, I think it's safe to unzip the lips a little bit and share some of the excitement with all of you!

Yes, the book is now available for pre-order - here's the listing on Amazon

and here's the listing on Chronicle Books.

1. Yes, I know the listing on Amazon is a bit wonky - I've talked to the publisher and they assure me it's going to be fixed.

2. The other person you see listed under authors was originally going to be a co-author for the book, but unfortunately had to drop out. So it's just me! Let me tell you, 100 cookies is a lot to take on by yourself!

The book is going to be available in November, so I'm sure in the coming months I'll be talking more about my experiences writing it and even sharing a recipe or two from the book.

Thank you all for your continued support and friendship while I've been involved in this project - it was definitely a huge challenge to balance work + book + blog + friends and maintain my sanity and good humor!

While I'm ruminating over what lies in the future, I'd certainly love to refocus some of my attention back on Dessert First and continue to offer recipes, photos, stories, as well as connect with all the wonderful people out there. So I've created my very first poll asking what you're all interested in seeing more of on this site. I'm trying to think up what I'd like to add to the site, so let me know your opinion. All suggestions and comments are welcome! If you don't like any of my choices, just leave your suggestion in the comments!

In fact, I'd like to invite all my readers to comment and say hello! Every once in a while I'll get an e-mail from someone saying, "I've been a long time lurker and I just wanted to say hi." Well, I'd really love to get to know who all of you are out there, so here's your chance! Whether it's your first visit or tenth, whether you've commented once or twice or never, say hi and I'll say hi back! It would really thrill me!

Thanks! I love you all and hope Dessert First continues to be a source of sweet inspiration for you!

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Daring Bakers Challenge - Danish Delight

Just when I was falling into a breakfast rut and getting tired of the usual cereal or granola for breakfast, along comes the monthly Daring Bakers Challenge to fill my table with Danishes. Thanks to Kelly of Sass and Veracity and Ben of What's Cookin'?, and an excellent recipe for Danish dough, I am now reminded of the joys of homemade breakfast pastries. 

Sherry Yard's The Secrets of Baking has held an honored spot on my bookshelf for years, and I still find myself referring to her book when I have a baking question. If any of you Daring Bakers, or home bakers in general, don't own it, I'd highly suggest putting it on your list - it's an invaluable resource. (Yard's latest book, Dessert by the Yard, is also an excellent cookbook as well.) I'd made her puff pastry and brioche dough before and devoured the results, so it was certainly with happy expectations that I approached her Danish dough.

Thank goodness that the heat wave broke, which made putting this dough together much easier. Nothing more challenging that trying to put together a laminated dough in hot weather! I will say, though, that I was pleasantly surprised by how agreeably workable the Danish dough was. After making croissants in a bakery for about a year, I can say that the added eggs in a Danish dough make it much more pliable and easier to work with (of course, it could also be the fact that I was making a home batch of dough and not struggling to roll out an industrial mixer-sized portion of croissant dough!)

The Danish dough came together beautifully, and while the kitchen was still pleasantly scented with yeast and spices I pondered what to make with it after doing the braid. The most delightful - or devilish - thing about Danishes is just how many tempting forms they can take, leaving one in an agony of gustatory indecision. I certainly didn't have enough dough to make all the types of Danishes I wanted! Buttery, fluffy-soft, lightly spiced, the Danish dough is an ideal backdrop for all sorts of fillings.

 

I made the Danish braid with half of the dough and apple filling, topped with turbinado sugar- I can't decide if I like this or the apple turnovers better - they're both perfect combinations of crunchy, flaky, buttery pastry and sweet, tender fruit. I really liked creating the braid - a simple and elegant form that looks much harder to make than it really is. Of course, now all the Daring Bakers are in on the secret!

 

Among some of the other things to do with Danish dough (as with any other laminated dough, it is a pastry crime to waste any piece of it, especially when you think of all the work that went into its making). Some quick and easy things you can do with a square include envelopes, where you fold two opposite corners together in the middle, and pinwheels, where you make a cut along each diagonal and fold one side down to make a pinwheel form. Here, pinwheels with fresh cherry filling and envelopes with apricot jam and sliced almonds.

Finally, one of my very favorite ways to indulge in pastry for breakfast - the bear claw. I can't sing the praises of frangipane enough - simply spread a little of this almond ambrosia on a rectangle of Danish dough, fold in half, and slice little cuts along the edge to make the "claws". Sprinkle with sliced almonds, bake, and you'll have some very happy people at the breakfast table.

Thanks again to Kelly and Matt for a great Daring Bakers Challenge!

DANISH DOUGH

Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients
For the dough (Detrempe) 
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DOUGH
Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed.  Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice.  Mix well.  Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated.  Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth.  You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky.  Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Without a standing mixer:  Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk.  Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well.  Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain.  Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even.  Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain.  With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges.  When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes.  You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

BUTTER BLOCK
1.    Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free.  Set aside at room temperature.
2.    After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick.  The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour.  Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough.  Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter.  Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third.  The first turn has now been completed.  Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally.  Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3.    Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface.  The open ends should be to your right and left.  Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle.  Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third.  No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed.  Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
4.    Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns.  Make sure you are keeping track of your turns.  Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight.  The Danish dough is now ready to be used.  If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it.  To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze.  Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling.  Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

APPLE FILLING
Makes enough for two braids

Ingredients
4 Fuji or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Toss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl.  Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes.  Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes.  If you’ve chosen Fujis, the apples will be caramelized, but have still retained their shape. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before forming the braid.  (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate.) They will cool faster when spread in a thin layer over the surface of the sheet.  After they have cooled, the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  Left over filling can be used as an ice cream topping, for muffins, cheesecake, or other pastries.

DANISH BRAID
Makes enough for 2 large braids

Ingredients 
1 recipe Danish Dough (see below)
2 cups apple filling, jam, or preserves (see below)

For the egg wash:  1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1.    Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  On a lightly floured  surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick.  If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again.  Place the dough on the baking sheet.
2.    Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart.  Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
3.    Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle.  Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover.  Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling.  This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished.  Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash
Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking
1.    Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid.  Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.
2.    Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3.    Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown.  Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature.  The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

Thinking about Pastry School?

June has been quite the whirlwind  - I feel like someone's put my life into a KitchenAid and turned it on high. Obligations and distractions abound, all conspiring to keep me out of the kitchen. I made some frozen yogurt popsicles last week and I still haven't managed to get a post written about them.

What I have managed to do, though, and what makes me very very happy, is finally completing a post I've been meaning to do for literally a year. This post has been germinating ever since I got my first e-mail asking about pastry school, and has been living as scribbles on sheets, half-organized thoughts, and occasional exclamations of, "I've got to get this post done so I can refer readers to it!" for months and months.

Some of the most oft-fielded questions I get revolve around my experiences in pastry school. How did I decide to go? How did I choose a school? Did I enjoy it? What was it like? Was it worth it? What advice do I have for people looking to go to pastry school?

I had a great time in pastry school, and I love talking about it to anyone who's interested. But after answering these questions over e-mail several dozen times, I thought, there's got a be an easier way.

So now I have created a page titled Want to Go to Pastry School? There's a permanent link to it on the top right corner of my page, and I hope it will answer many questions I get from pastry chefs in the making, as well as providing a bit more background on myself, for those interested parties.

Please feel free to leave questions and comments on the page - I suspect it will be a work in progress but for the moment I'm just glad to have something up. I'm happy to expound more on any and all topics, it's just that the initial page is long enough already! I'm very, very flattered by all of you who have written me asking for advice, and I hope I can continue to help you in the future! Enjoy - and I hope to regale you with the story of my yogurt pops soon!