A Taste of Wave Hill Breads
15 Apr 2012 4 Comments
in Around Town, Bake, Gourmet, Interviews, Photography, Serendipitous Adventures Tags: Bread, pain de campagne bread, wave hill, Wave Hill Bread
Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography
The first time my lips locked onto the crispy crust, teeth sinking into the pillowy like pain de campagne bread loaf, I melted like butter on warm bread. How’s that for an up close and personal introduction to Wave Hill Breads.
Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography
Many Connecticut locals are familiar with these iconic bread makers, whether they’ve stumbled upon them through the local farmers market, or sampled then quickly purchased a loaf at Whole Foods Market, or were regulars from their previous location in Wilton. There’s no denying the constant craving you’ll develop for this delicious carbohydrate. All the breads are handmade by the traditional techniques in small-batches that are long-fermented and blended with wheat, spelt and organic rye flours. It’s the inspiration that has driven the talented duo Margaret Sapir and Mitch Rapoport to begin making bread.
Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography
With the opening of their new location at 30 High Street in Norwalk, Connecticut and the growing appetite for their artisanal fare, they’ve added two new and impressive culinary talents. Seasoning the café menu with his culinary talents is Mike Devlin, (formerly Executive Pastry Chef at Universal Studios and the Dressing Room) who also manages the catering. While pastry chef Matt Kirshner, (formerly at The Essex House Hotel and Russian Tea Room in NYC), creates visions of the most exquisite sweets.
Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography
I spent the afternoon at the new café with my in-laws, eating and sampling much of the menu. We lunched on Leek, Potato and Ham Soup, coupled with several sandwiches that were piled high, like the Tuna with Capers and Lemony Fennel layered atop of Multigrain Bread, a Grilled Poblano with Cheese on Three Grain French Bread, and a Smoked Turkey, Avocado and Bacon on a Bun with Balsamic Caramelized Onions. Our lunch was pure heaven. We sampled Bread Pudding, Almond and Chocolate Croissants and stocked up on bread, desserts and the French Energy Muffins to fill our pantries at home. I personally devoured the Triple–Nut Glazed Brownie, though I recommend buying two, you may, like me be eating one for dinner as well. Though, the Coconut Meringue Clouds are quite dreamy, too.
Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography
While we were lunching I had the pleasure of getting to know Margaret, which is what inspired this interview today…
GC: Give us a brief bio, where you are from and how you started Wave Hill Breads?
WHB: My husband and I were in Stowe, Vermont having dinner at the Blue Moon Cafe about 10 years ago and loved their bread. We found out where we could buy it in the area and did so for a year or so. Then, we tracked down the baker, Gerard Rubaud, and visited him in the middle of the night, when he came down from his apartment above the bakery to begin baking. We talked a long time about bread, baking, philosophy of baking bread… Soon after, we trained with him. We went to Vermont, sometimes with our middle school-aged son, to learn from scratch the steps to making traditional French bread. We would then go home and practice until the next session, often calling with questions in between. When we were making consistently good loaves, we brought them to nearby stores to see if they would carry our bread. The Village Market in Wilton and other stores wanted it immediately. (That was the extent of our market research, perhaps a thin sampling for two MBAs.) We set about to find a location. It wasn’t easy. Ridgefield Health Department wouldn’t let us use wooden implements, which we had been trained to use – wooden proofing boards and wooden cooling racks. Our home is in Wilton and we were lucky to find a place there. By the way, the name “Wave Hill Breads” comes from Wave Hill, a botanical garden in The Bronx, on the Hudson River, (in Riverdale) where my husband and I were married over 30 years ago.
GC: What inspired you to open a Bakery?
WHB: My husband wanted his own business and we thought that Fairfield County needed good, French bread. After five years of making only one type of dough, we are now making several excellent varieties. We deliver to around 17 restaurants and 30 stores and participate in 20 farmers’ markets in New York and Connecticut. We recently opened our Bakery Cafe and Local Food Market.
GC: What’s your idea of the perfect meal?
WHB: I like variety and foods from many cultures like, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, Indian… as well as a Wave Hill Breads baguette with some great cheese. I’ll never turn down good pasta dish, of course.
GC: If you could apprentice with any baker, who would that be?
WHB: I am very glad we apprenticed with Gerard Rubaud. I never really had a mentor in all my years in business and now I feel I do. In addition to being a meticulous baker, he has a lot of business experience. (He ran Roussignol Skis in the U.S. for many years and has the tenacity of the athlete he was.)
GC: Describe Wave Hill Breads in 5 words?
WHB: Excellence, great team, enthusiastic fans.
GC: Lastly, any words of advice for aspiring bakers?
WHB: In order to be successful, you have to make the best product you can. With bread, it’s not just the recipe, but also the time, the temperature, and the touch. It’s a challenge to make a business out of the art and science of making bread. You have to think about the costs of production, and the timing, and distribution. We are now running several businesses at once: wholesale bread and pastries, retail bread and pastries, cafe (with soups, salads, sandwiches, pizzas). Our challenge is to market each business successfully.
Photo Credits: Pamela Einarsen Photography
The secret is out… I think Wave Hill Breads is the next best thing since sliced bread.
To find out hours of operation, rotating menu selection and catering needs visit the website at Wave Hill Breads 30 High Street, Norwalk, CT (203) 762 9595
A great big Thank you to Pamela Einarsen who is a fine art portrait photographer that seeks to capture the essence of a person and their places. You can see the more of her collection on Wave Hill Bread: A Slice of Life at Pamela’s site.
Like this:
Acorn Squash and Leek Galette
18 Mar 2012 5 Comments
in Appetizers, Bake, Food, Gourmet, Healthy, Main Dish, Pie, Tart Tags: acorn squash, galette, hello boutique, leek, squash
Today I’m guest posting for my friends over at Hello Boutique. Seeing the new fashion styles at their online store inspired me to put a new spin on my menu. Like maybe making more of these low calorie galettes for starters. They will have you ready for spring in no time.
Acorn Squash & Leek Galette
2 butternut squash
1 large leek, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 oz cream cheese
1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt & pepper to taste
9-inch piecrust, store bought is perfect (I used pillsbury pie dough)
Preparing the Acorn Squash:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Cut the acorn squash in half, scoop out seeds. Using 1 tablespoon of butter, dollop into the center of squash, place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil to one side, leaving room for the leeks. Taking the chopped leeks and toss with olive oil, set to the other side of foil lined baking sheet, place in oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes prior to mixing with other ingredients.
While acorn squash and leeks are roasting, roll out the piecrust to fit a rectangular cookie baking sheet, set aside until ready to use.
Mix cream cheese and 3/4 of the shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl. Scoop the acorn squash out, along with the leeks. Combine into the cheese mixture, mix well. Spread evenly over piecrust, leaving a couple of inches along the edges to fold over. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown in color. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, slice and serve. Enjoy!
*recipe adapted from Three Many Cooks
Like this:
Pesto Orange Sables #baketogether
10 Mar 2012 9 Comments
in #baketogether, Appetizers, Bake, Cookie Tags: basil, Cookie, cookies, orange juice, orange zest, sables. pesto
What would the world be like without cookies? I don’t even want to think about it! I love all cookies… soft, chewy, crunchy, sweet and savory. Imagine adding your favorite herb to a cookie. In this months #baketogether Abby Dodge inspired us to add our favorite flavors to the buttery, flakey biscuit “Sables”. Like all the recipes in her book, these cookies are easy to make and super delicious.
For those of you who would like to know more about our monthly #baketogether, you can get all the details from our head baker herself, Abby Dodge. Check out Abby’s site to learn more about the community, recipes and tips for each months baking assignment.
What I like the most about #baketogether is that it’s a creative, fun and made up of a talented group of food bloggers. Here we gather, engage and share with one another our culinary adventures. I’ve learned so much and I’m grateful for the friendship and support.
The Cookies…
When I attended NYC Cookie Swap fundraiser last year, I made a sweet & savory pesto cookie, the recipe adapted form Grown Up Cookies. I remembered how good they we’re – more of a sweet cookie then savory. So for this months #baketogether assignment I was inspired to combine Abby’s sable recipe and the flavors I used in my pesto cookie making a “Pesto Orange Sable Cookie”. The results… let’s just say… I have me a new cookie crush!
Here’s what you’ll need: Makes 30 Cookies
Pesto Orange Sables
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped fine
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 7 slices, well chilled
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 & 1/2 teaspoons very cold water
To make the dough: ( I followed Abby’s recipe word for word. It’s my first try at the “fraisage” technique and I didn’t want anything getting lost in the translation).
Put the flour, pesto, orange zest, salt and basil (reserve some basil to sprinkle on top of cookies), in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter pieces are slightly larger than pea size, about 10 to 12 pulses depending on your machine. Drizzle the orange juice and water evenly over the flour mixture. Pulse until the dough begins to form moist crumbs that are just beginning to clump together, about 8 or 9 more pulses depending on your machine.
Dump the moist crumbs onto the unfloured counter and gather into a pile. With the heel of your hand, push and gently smear the crumbs away from you until they start to come together in a cohesive dough. Two or three ‘smears’ should do the trick. Using a bench scraper, gather the dough together and turn it about 45 degrees and give it one or two more smears. Gather the dough together and shape the dough into a 7 1/4-inch long and 2 1/4 -inch wide rectangle using the bench scraper to make the sides nice and straight. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, about 3 hours, or up to 2 days.
Position oven rack to the center and set oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the log into 1/4-inch slices and arrange about 1 inch apart (they don’t spread much at all) on the prepared sheets, sprinkle will reserved basil. Bake until nutty brown around the edges, 16 to 18 minutes. Serve slightly warm or room temperature.
Whatever kind of fete you have in mind, be sure to indulge your guests with these savory scrumptious cookies. Guaranteed to have everyone singing your praises all night long.
Like this:
Vanilla Layer Cake with Orange Cream Frosting + The Fairy Hobmother
06 Mar 2012 8 Comments
in Bake, Cake, Dessert, Gourmet, Serendipitous Adventures, Sweet, Valentine Tags: almond extract, fairy hobmother, orange frosting, vanilla, vanilla cake, vanilla layer cake
You may be wondering what a “Fairy Hobmother” is. If you’re an avid blog reader chances are you’ve stumbled upon her fairy dust someplace online. Recently the “Fairy Hobmother” from Appliances Online cast her wand on me with an Amazon Gift Card. I’m delighted!
The “Fairy Hobmother” found me through a recent post about falling in love: Valentines Day Love Story, inspired by my love and affection for my husband. I’m still as crazy about my husband today, as I was the first day I met him.
This is true… my heart still skips a beat every time I see him. So much so, that I made him this beautiful Vanilla Layer Cake with Orange Frosting to welcome him home from a recent business trip. I missed him!
Vanilla Layer Cake with Orange Cream Frosting
Here’s what you’ll need: Two 8-inch round cake pans.
Vanilla Layer Cake:
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
Orange Cream Frosting:
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure orange extract
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Preparing the Vanilla Layer Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cake pans and line with parchment, followed by a dusting of flour.
In a medium bowl combine and lightly beat the egg whites, add the 1/4 cup of milk, the vanilla and almond extract. Set aside until ready to use.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine dry ingredients, cake flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. On low speed mix for 30 seconds. Place the butter in bowl with dry ingredients and blend on low speed for about 30 seconds, then add remaining 3/4 cup of milk, and mix on low speed until all the ingredients are mixed together. Increase to medium speed and mix for 1 1/2 minutes.
Scrape the sides and add the wet ingredients, the egg mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition. Divide the batter in two, spreading evenly into each cake pan.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when testing the center. Keep an eye on this cake, as it can over-bake. It’s suggested to check cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and once you feel it’s almost ready, set the timer for 2 minute intervals.
Remove cakes from the oven. While still in the pans, place cakes on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from pan, using a spatula to loosen the sides and gently place on wire racks to cool completely.
Preparing the Orange Cream Frosting:
Place sugar, butter, orange extract and vanilla extract in an electric mixer and beat for 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the cream and beat for another 2 minutes.
Frosting and Preparing the Vanilla Cake Layers:
* I made four layers in this cake, cutting both cakes in half.
Put a small dollop of frosting in the center of a dessert plate, and place the bottom cake layer on top.
Place a cup of frosting on top of the cake layer, and spread evenly with a small offset palette knife. Lay the next cake layer on top of cake, adding anothe heaping scoop of frosting on top, spreading evenly, repeat with each layer of cake. Frost the top and begin working your way down the sides until you have a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. Chill the cake until the frosting is set, about 30 minutes.
Serve and eat! Jeff and I ate a slice of this cake everyday for a week. I wish I had a slice right now!
Warning: This cake is good. Real good. So good whoever eats it may fall in love with you!
* Recipe adapted from Sweetapolita, Funfetti Layer Cake
Like this:
Year of the Dragon Wonton
22 Feb 2012 3 Comments
in Bake, Dessert, Food Bloggers Events, Gourmet, Healthy, Love My Local, Serendipitous Adventures, Sweet Tags: fruit wontons, ginger, honey, pears, wontons, year of the dragon
The year of the dragon, may it bring you good fortune!
- Dragon Wonton
A few weeks ago I attended Chinese New Year Potluck in NYC. The event was hosted by the talented duo Jackie and Ken , who spared no expense creating fantastic food and decorating the studio with adorable party favors and a Dragon hologram gracing the wall. Very cool. I’m extending a huge thanks of gratitude to our sponsor Tigerbeer who graciously donated the studio space and drinks for this intimate affair.
- Pear & Ginger Honey Wonton Napolitano
To attend we all committed to making a dish, this is a potluck after-all. I have to travel a bit when attending gatherings in NYC, so I needed to create something that would travel well; easy to serve and taste mighty good.
- Bowl of Fruit
After several attempts at a variety of fruit wontons, I consulted with my eight wise men of Confucius (below) and arrived with these tasty Dragon Wonton desserts.
Confucius Wise Men
Pear Ginger Honey Wonton Napolitano
Here’s what you’ll need:
3 asian pears
3 forreill pears
2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger root
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey and extra for brushing wonton
1 stick salted butter
14 wonton wraps
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Banana Chocolate Walnut Wonton Stacks
6 bananas
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
3/4 stick butter
Chocolate syrup to drizzle
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped finely
14 wontons wrappers
For the pears:
Slice off the bottom of each pear just enough so it will stand upright. Peel the entire pear leaving the stem and skin at the top. Rub with butter, place in sauces pan, add water, ginger, honey and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, set aside to cool once done.
For the bananas:
Slice bananas 1/8 inch thick, place in a medium saucepan along with vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and butter sautee for 10 minutes on low heat, untill banana are tender and cooked.
For the honey baked wontons:
Cut the wontons diagonally from one corner to the other. Brush with honey and place on a lightly greased baking sheet, bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden in color. (They bake quickly – so keep an eye on them). Remove from oven, allow to cool a few minutes on baking sheet, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Stacking your Pear & Ginger Wontons:
Once the pears have cooked, slice them very thin about 1/8 of inch or thinner. Begin stacking your fruit wontons placing a honey baked wonton on the first layer, add a slice of asian pear, followed by a slice of forreill pear, add the second layer of honey baked wonton, followed by a slice of asian pear and finally top with forreill pear. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Stacking the Banana Chocolate Walnut Wontons:
Begin layering a honey baked wonton, add a layer of bananas – two, sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Add another layer of honey baked wonton, bananas, chopped walnuts and drizzle with chocolate syrup.
- Ginger Pear and Banana Chocolate Walnut Wontons
I had a wonderful time as always catching up with friends, making new ones, and eating some of the most delicious food this side of the east coast. The menu at this affair was amazing! Check out the fabulous blogger’s posts of dishes served and get these tasty recipes for yourself.
- Jackie - Toasted Black & White Sesame Chocolate Bark and Chocolate Dipped Kumquats
- Ken - Sesame Gold Nugget and Auspicious Walnut Cookies
- Kathy - Duck Pancakes
- Kirsty - homemade Fortune Cookies
- Kristen - Kung Pao Chicken
- Dan - Five-Spice Almond Cake
- Sarah - Chicken Curry
- Maggy’s - Honey Walnut Shrimp
- Justin - Philippine Adobo
I regret that I did not take photo’s at Chinese New Year Potluck, I mingled and ate the entire time. I encourage you to head over to Ken and Jackie’s sites and look through the amazing photo journal of the entire event. Hope to see you next time!
Like this:
A Valentine’s Day Love Story
14 Feb 2012 5 Comments
in Bake, Cookie, Dessert, Gourmet, Sweet, Valentine
I met my husband in the parking lot of a grocery store. I know… how apropos.
Shortbread Buttery Cookie Bars
It was at a Publix grocery store, one of my favorite food stores. I have this slight obsession – I cannot pass by an abandoned grocery cart, I return them to their proper place. Let’s call it love & service and save the term obsession for sweeter things.
You can kind of see where this is going…
I offered my grocery cart to Jeff as he was walking by and well, we’ve been together ever since.
Over the years, Jeff and I have acquired a special kind of love for many many sweets. Currently at the top of our list is Tate’s Bake Shop cookies. Most of you are familiar with the obvious scrumptious flavors, like their chocolate chip and oatmeal raisins cookies that are full of crunchy goodness. Though, a recent trip to the grocery store unveiled a new flavor. We fell in love again. The obsession kind of love. The flavor: shortbread.
It seems we do a lot of falling in love at groccery stores. It also seems impossible to get your fingers, er’… lips on them. A plain crunchy, salty, buttery, shortbread that has you gobbling it up by the package. Did I really admit to that? Well, yes but I shared it with Jeff – so it was totally acceptable!
Buttery Shortbread Cookie Bars (recipe adapted from Tate’s Bake Shop)
Here’s what you’ll need… You can make cookies and cut them out with any cookie cutter, or use a baking pan like I did to make bars. I used a 1/4 sheet pan, 9″X 13″ X 2″.
3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups salted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and cornstarch. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, use a paddle attachment to cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until combined . Add salt and vanilla mixing well until combined. Pour in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Your dough should be thick and stiff.
Form the dough into a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured baking dish making it about to 1/4″ thick..
Bake cookies for 25 to 30 minutes. They will start to get golden brown on the side of pan and the top. Allow to rest in baking pan until completely cooled.
I am constantly craving these buttery shortbread crunchy sweets, so much so that I never thought getting these on a regular basis would be difficult, otherwise I would have stashed some away for later.
This new shortbread obsession sent me on a whirlwind search for this perfect cookie. I explored new grocery stores, searched online blogs, reviews of cookie recipes, to finally buying Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook and testing several recipes only find they were very different.
I had fallen deep into “unrequited love”. Shortbread cookie love.
Until recently, in a weekly Tate’s newsletter was the traditional recipe of the month, offering a version of their shortbread cookie. I immediately noticed this recipe was different then any of the others I tried, so I did what any good sugar shortbread cookie obsessed baker would do and made them.
WOW, these are pretty close, tasty and buttery and crunchy and salty and all things good. They had the consistency and texture that had me falling for them in the first place.
I am happy!
So for today and because it’s Valentines day, I’m sharing this incredibly simply, crunchy, salty, buttery shortbread cookie with you.
I hope they make you happy too!
Like this:
Chocolate Love: A Wicked Good Brownie
04 Feb 2012 33 Comments
in Bake, Bloghop Love, Dessert, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: Brownie, donna hay #chocolatelove, penut butter
Jeff: you put peanut butter in my chocolate? Georgie: you put chocolate in my peanut butter?
I can honestly say, in an embarrassing kind of way… that I have been known to eat reese’s peanut butter cups at least once a week (sometimes more). I try to stay away from the stuff, well, because it makes a girls hips jiggle.
Chocolate Brownie Cookie & Peanut Butter Frosting
That being said…
I recently picked up a copy of the 10th birthday collector’s edition of Donna Hay magazine. Inside I found an entire section devoted to brownies, and one recipe in particular inspired me to get baking right away… brownie cookies with peanut butter frosting.
Brownie Cookie Mix
These are perfect for #chocolatelove bloghop and as a Valentines day treat. I decided to add another layer of flavor by making maple frosting brownie cookies as well… for those who don’t share in my love in peanut butter or have allergies. This way everyone gets some chocolate love.
Something Wicked Good Comes This Way... Brownie Cookies
All I can say is… hold on tight you’re about to crash into the most luscious, scrumptious wicked chocolate decadence.
Wicked Good Brownie
Here’s what you’ll need: parchment paper, baking sheet, makes 12 saucer cookies.
For the Brownie Cookies
12.5 ounces dark chocolate (chopped) I used milk chocolate 
2 – 3/4 tablespoons butter (40 grams)
2/3 cup of caster sugar (superfine)
1/4 cup all purpose flour (sifted)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup confectioners sugar (powder sugar)
5 – 3/4 tablespoons butter (80 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup of heavy cream
For the Maple Frosting
1 cup confectioner’s sugar (powder sugar)
5 – 3/4 tablespoons butter (80 grams)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons of heavy cream
Preparing the Brownie Cookie
Baking Brownies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
(Please use parchment paper these cookies spread out wide and burn quickly).
Place 8 ounces of chopped chocolate and butter in a saucepan on low heat, stir until smooth and melted. Set aside for later use.
Place eggs, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer and whisk for 15 minutes until pale and creamy. Stir in the flour, baking powder, chocolate mixture and the remaining chocolate and let rest for 10 minutes.
Use a teaspoon – these cookies spread out like saucers. Scoop a teaspoonful of the brownie mixture onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until brownies are puffed and cracked on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool on trays.
Preparing the Peanut Butter Frosting
Place sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla in an electric mixer and beat for 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the cream and beat for another 2 minutes.
Preparing the Maple Frosting
Place sugar, butter, maple syrup and vanilla bean paste in an electric mixer and beat for 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the cream and beat for another 2 minutes.
Once the brownie cookies have cooled, spread a heaping scoop of frosting onto one cookie and sandwich with another. If you’re like me and love chocolate and peanut butter and maple then you’re gonna want to make a double batch… or hide some for later – they go really – really fast.
Maple & Peanut Butter Frosting Brownie Cookies
I’m part of bloghop, where the food blog community connects with other blogs to share recipes and spread the love. This month, February is #chocolatelove month!
You’re more than welcome to join us in #chocolatelove fun by simply adding your recipe at the end of this bloghop! Be sure to link back to this post, so that your readers know to stop by the #chocolatelove event! The twitter hashtag is #chocolatelove – have Fun!
Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookies
19 Jan 2012 5 Comments
in Bake, Bloghop Love, Cookie, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: Cookie, cookies, oatmeal, oatmeal cookie, orange, orange zest, pistachio
Here is the scrumptious Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookie recipe I promised to post. I served these with my Orange Peel Sweet of the Spoon dessert and a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream. These tasty little cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, similar to a granola cookie. I hope you enjoy them!
Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookies
Here’s what you’ll need…
Makes 20 to 30 cookies
4 tbsp salted butter, melted
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup oats, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoons corn syrup ( I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup)
dash of salt
Preheat oven to 425
Melt the butter in a saucepan, set aside. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios and raw oats into tiny pieces. Combine all ingredients – the butter, sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, orange juice, orange zest, corn syrup and salt into a bowl, mixing until all ingredients are incorporated.
Orange Pistachio Oatmeal Cookie
Using a measuring teaspoon, scoop a spoonful onto a baking sheet, be sure to space several inches apart. Bake for 6-8 minutes (each oven varies, so keep an eye on them – they bake fast), or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges. Let them cool on a baking sheet.
Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookies & Greek Coffee
Serve with a glass of milk, ice cream or a nice cup of Greek coffee – the way I ate them.
Peasant Boule #Baketogether
11 Jan 2012 14 Comments
in #baketogether, Bake, Gourmet Tags: #baketogether, boule, Bread, homemade bread, peasant boule
There is something simply wonderful about the smell of homemade bread baking in the oven…. then the breaking of the bread… and finally slathering butter all over… its pure heaven. If you haven’t done this, well, then you must!
Peasant Boule and Orzo Soup
I grew up eating homemade bread, like this “Rustic Village Bread“. So when I read that Abby’s #baketogether challenge for January was a Peasant Boule I immediately gathered the ingredients and began making this delicious – oh’ so tasty bread.
I followed Abby’s “Peasant Boule” recipe step by step since this was my first attempt at this bread and I’m happy I did.
Here’s what you need…
Makes one 8-inch round loaf or two 4-inch round loaves
3 – 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 – 1/4 ounce package instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 – 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 – 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 – 1/3 cups very warm water, should register on a thermometer between 115 and 125 degrees
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon toasted onion, dry herb mix
Making dough for Peasant Boule
In a large bowl whisk the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Clip the bowl into the mixer stand and fit the mixer with the dough hook.
Check that the water temperature registers about 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
With mixer on medium-low speed, slowly pour the water into the flour and mix until the flour is completely incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bottom and sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes.
Scoop up the dough and shape it into a ball. Lightly grease using some of the melted butter the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl and pop the dough back into the bowl. Cover the top securely with plastic wrap. Let the covered dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. I use a blanket or towel to cover the entire bowl to keep warm.
Using some of the melted butter, generously butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface, there’s no need to flour—the dough is soft but not sticky, and press to deflate it. Shape the dough into a 7-inch-wide round and place it, like Abby’s recipe with smooth side up, in the center of the prepared pan. Generously brush the top and sides with some of the melted butter.
I made two small 4-inch-wide round loaves, placing them on a buttered baking sheet. Using a knife make 3 diagonal lines across the top of loaves, these will spread open, letting you know when the dough has risen.
Allow the dough to rise, there’s no need to cover it, keeping in a warm spot until doubled in size for about 25 minutes. If using a 8-inch pan, it will fill the pan. If using the baking sheet the slits you made atop of loaves will spread open.
I brushed one loaf lightly with the melted butter. The second loaf I added some dry toasted onion sprinkled on top and brushed remaining butter generously all over.
Peasant Boule with Onions and Butter
About 15 minutes before the dough is ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and the oven to 375 degrees. When the dough has risen to about 2 inches above the edge of the pan, bake until the boule is well browned and sounds hollow when tapped about 40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and tip the baked bread onto a rack and remove the pan. Set it right side up and let cool completely.
Soup & Bread
I served this with a Orzo Soup and Jeff and I ate one entire loaf for dinner.
Like this:
Oatmeal Lace Cookies
15 Dec 2011 9 Comments
in Around Town, Bake, Cookie, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: lace cookie, Lace cookies, oatmeal, oatmeal cookie, oats
Here is the lovely – delicate – chewy – sweet lace cookie recipe I promised to post from the NYC Cookie Swap, the spectacular fundraiser event to help Cookies for Kids Cancer.
Oatmeal Lace Cookie
Here’s what you’ll need…
Makes 30 to 40 cookies
6 tbsp salted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oats, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons corn syrup ( I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup)
dash of salt
Preheat oven to 425
Melt the butter in a saucepan, set aside. In a food processor, pulse the raw oats into tiny pieces. Combine all ingredients – the butter, sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, heavy cream, corn syrup and salt into a bowl, mixing until all ingredients are incorporated.
Using a measuring teaspoon, scoop a spoonful onto a baking sheet. Be sure to space several inches apart, about 3 inches to prevent cookies from merging together.
Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and beginning to brown around the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheet. Remove with a metal spatula and serve!
You can add a center filling, like raspberry jam or chocolate (white, dark or milk) and make a sandwich. These little sweets are quick and easy to make and oh so good!
