use real butter

[*Note to Daring Bakers in search of June’s challenge - please scroll down one post*]

No recipe today. Just me blathering away…

ahhh, sangria

Is it July yet? Just yesterday I was freaking out because I realized we were nearing the end of June. My summer is almost booked solid and even though summer technically began less than 2 weeks ago, I can’t help but get this panicky feeling that summer is already over - gone! I psyche myself out like that though, because I cannot ever relax except under heavy sedation… If I wake up after 7 am I feel as if my whole day is done for. Hey, I never claimed to be free of mental issues!

strawberries and peachy

June has been a bit of frenzy for me, but with the tele betties barbecue we threw yesterday, I can breathe a sigh of calm today and smile at the spread of leftovers in our fridge! I had BARBECUE for brekkie this morning, and that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.

bacon makes it (baked beans) good

My aunt was visiting this weekend ever so briefly - to crash at our place for a night before picking my cousin up from camp in Denver and driving the 7 hours back home to New Mexico. Older relatives in my family are always “elders”, but not so with Elena. She’s always been my friend ever since I was a wee tot, and she still is - even more so now that we are adults.

my favorite aunt and uncle by the globe fountain in boulder

The barbecue was great fun yesterday. I have this thing about the company I keep - specifically the female company I keep. They are almost exclusively what I call alpha chicks. What did you expect of me? I have LOADS of amazing women friends and each one is a superstar in her own right. I adore them all and yes, they kick ass. That’s actually a pre-requisite to be my friend… kick-assery. Nothing like cooking up a storm for a bunch of alphas and chilling out together well into the mountain night. And don’t feel sorry for Jeremy… he loves an evening with tele babes.

the menu
chips and salsa, crudités and spinach dip
blackberry-lime cordial cooler, sangria, iced tea
texas barbecue beef brisket
carolina-style pulled pork
mayonnaiseless coleslaw
baked beans
german potato salad
potato rolls
chocolate pistachio cake
mojito jello shots
watermelon sorbet


oh yeah, i made cake for the chicas

Now that my cooking/baking frenzy has abated, I am getting around to visiting blogs and taking care of some desperately-needed digital house keeping. I can tell that my health is improving because a number of things have begun to annoy me on my web travels… I’m just tossing some observations out there:

1) It pains me when blogs play music on their site. This is usually because I am playing iTunes or some public radio show feed on my computer and then I am suddenly accosted with cacophonous noises because frakking Céline Dion (them) just doesn’t jive with The White Stripes (me).

2) I hate sites that make my browser crash. Because I usually have a million tabs up and when the browser crashes I have to go and reload every page, swearing all the way. I usually never revisit those sites again.

3) Tastespotting is back. It is being run by Someone Else. The new Tastespotting is woefully short on technical prowess because it accepts the changes to my profile, but then it doesn’t. Bastards.

But this brings us to another issue, which was the void left by the old (and in my opinion, better, version of) Tastespotting. Everyone was sort of dumbstruck for the first day or so, and then a bunch of folks stepped up to the plate and implemented their own versions. There are quite a few out there. At first this was nice, but soon it became obvious that there was a lot of overlap. And while I believe that redundancy is good in many situations like climbing or emergency planning, I most definitely do not want it in my daily food porn. For what it’s worth (probably not much, but - this is my blog, so I can rattle on as I please), I’m getting behind Chuck’s Food Gawker because it is not only the best in design and functionality, but because Chuck is SO DAMN GOOD about feedback and improvements.

And while Food Gawker is my choice for the onslaught of all that is delicious and documented in the food blogosphere, I also visit Robin’s FP Daily for the beauty of food porn and because I enjoy her little commentaries. I like witty, and Robin is just that.

4) I understand that blogging is not a commercial production for most people, but… would it kill ya to spell check the damn entry before you post it? Or maybe read it over once to catch the misuse of your in place of you’re? [Just watch, I’m going to make this very mistake in my next post…]

5) I have great hatred for Blogger. Sure, call me elitist. I can’t help that I happen to prefer blogging platforms that actually work.

6) I don’t have a 10-foot wide monitor. How many columns can a blog possibly fit onto a standard page before the main text is relegated to two words per line? People put so much shit on their front pages now: ads, previous posts, blogrolls, photo thumbnails, archives, more ads, twitter… The overly-enthusiastic horizontalization of the blog is really annoying when I’m on my (precious) 12″ powerbook or better yet - on my iphone. It is also Bad Design Practice. And while I’m at it, who the hell wants to read hot pink text in 8 point font on a medium gray background? Pouring salt in my eyes would be a far more entertaining way to ruin my vision.

nosh on this

I haven’t been so good about replying to comments lately. I will definitely get to that tonight, folks. Right now, I’m going to enjoy a nice, long cardio workout before getting zapped by radiation oncology.

The DBs (Daring Bakers) made DBs (Danish Braids) this month! You can find the whole gang of Daring Bakers at the blogroll. Our co-hosts for this challenge are Kelly of Sass & Veracity, and Ben of What’s Cookin’? It was nice to get a break from uber-sweet bakes. This recipe allowed for some flexibility, which I loved.

we knead to bake!

The entire month of June was a bit of a clusterfuck for me, but I managed to get this done after several intended starts that were postponed for various scheduling conflicts. I had seen a lot of DBers post their results on the DB forum and I felt uninspired… why? Because 95% were sweet fillings and I was pretty burned out on all of the sweet challenges of late. I wanted something savory.

wet ingredients for the dough

the detrempe is ready for chilling

What I ended up deciding on at the last minute was one sweet and one savory braid. A sweet bread compliments barbecue pork nicely. I figured if I could omit the cardamom from the recipe, the orange and sugar would not be too overt for the pork. The sweet filling I chose would be almond paste because almond goes with just about anything, but is especially lovely with an orange accent.

butter and flour in the beurrage

blended until smooth

Making the dough wasn’t so bad. I had timed everything just right until I read the part of the recipe that said to turn the dough a total of 4 times instead of what I had thought was just 2 times. I wish I could do all of my DB challenges with tons of leisurely spare time, but it is never that way and so my “challenge” usually ends up becoming a game of how many times I can dodge tanking the recipe because I didn’t read the instructions through thoroughly enough.

spreading the beurrage on the detrempe

folding

Once the dough was done and sitting in the refrigerator, I figured I could make the braids the next day. But once I had gotten home from my radiation treatment, I rallied and decided to bake the braids. The house was hot, which I normally hate, but it was a good thing because it reduced my proofing time on the braids’ rises.

the dough is ready

barbecue pulled pork filling

The first braid to bake was the pulled pork. Unfortunately, when I turned the braid 180° in the oven, I forgot to reduce the temperature (hey, I was on the phone with my parents). So it cooked a little quickly and was browner than I would have liked.

folding over the almond paste filling

egg washing the braid

The second braid (almond filling) turned out just right because I actually followed the instructions to reduce the oven temperature. Both of the braids were delicious and I am quite fond of the bread. We had weekend guests who raved about the two braids. I think I might try more savory combinations with this dough in the future. This one is a keeper! A big thanks to Kelly and Ben for choosing and hosting a terrific challenge recipe.

a savory braid

a sweet braid

Danish Braid
from Sherry Yard’s The Secrets of Baking

makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

dough (detrempe)
1 oz fresh yeast or 1 tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 tsp ground cardamom (I omitted)
1 1/2 tsps 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 tsp salt

butter block (beurrage)
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

pulled pork filling
2 cups pulled pork with lone star barbecue sauce

almond filling
1 egg white
1/2 cup almond paste
3/4 cup powdered sugar

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
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. 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. 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. 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.

almond filling
In a small bowl, beat the egg white, add the almond paste and powdered sugar, and mix until smooth and blended.

to make the braid
1 recipe Danish Dough see (above)
2 cups filling
egg wash (whisk together 1 large egg and 1 egg yolk)

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. 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. 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. Lightly coat the braid with egg wash using a pastry brush.

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. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. 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.

a slice of lemon mirror cake: my click entry

I thought that when my chemo was over, I would resume my life more or less the way I was before chemo. I will be the first to point out that how I feel now is a million times better than how I felt during chemo - so this is a good thing. While my ideas and enthusiasm are nearly on par with what they are normally, the reality is that my carcass is still playing catch up for a variety of reasons (complications, unexpected lingering side-effects, etc.). Add to that the daily radiation treatments that cut right into the middle of the day and I find I am not getting to all of the items on my ginormous to-do list.

let’s make some lemon mousse

It’s okay. I have learned to accept these setbacks and make the best of it. The tagline on my personal blog reads “things don’t always go as planned” which is funny, because I coined that one before I was diagnosed. But it’s a good concept to keep in mind and I feel that it keeps me on my toes, keeps me from feeling “entitled” and allows me to maneuver through life with greater flexibility… greater happiness.

brushing soaking syrup onto the chiffon cake

I still have trouble in the kitchen because my left arm and left hand are experiencing problems including pain, numbness, and weakness. While I’m right-handed, any avid cook knows that you use BOTH hands when cooking or baking. But some things can’t wait and I feel happier overall when I can get into the kitchen and create something.

layering the mousse

After I had contacted Bee about contributing a prize for Bri’s fundraiser, she encouraged me to enter the CLICK photo competition for June. The theme: yellow. Ah yes, that damn cancer thing. Pink for breast cancer (I hate pink) and yellow for cancer (I don’t love yellow but I do hate cancer). It’s not that I wanted to enter the contest so much as I wanted to show my support for Bri. If you think you’re tired of hearing and reading about cancer, try having cancer… that gets old pretty fast.

pouring the mirror

What I realized while I made the cake was that it was very much like my own experience with cancer. I usually have a grand plan in my head for pastries I want to make. I think about it for as little as a few minutes to as much as a couple of weeks - planning flavors, textures, components, shape, presentation. I have *expectations* and then I play it out. I used to execute most of my baking plans with good effort and great success. But this time things were slower. Folding whipped cream into lemon curd hurt my hand. Washing dishes that I needed burned my tender skin. My strength and balance were a little off so that I bumped the mold against the wall of the fridge, spilling liquid gelatin over the top. All of that control I had commanded before… lost for now. It no longer became a matter of what shots I would get, but if I could manage a damn cake at all.

the mirror is set

After my surgery, but before my chemo, I thought I’d push through the treatment like I push through everything else in life - with determination and gusto. I had high expectations and a good attitude. Things were off to a decent start as I could still run a 5K after the first infusion and remain active and upbeat. However, the four and a half months chipped away at me with complications that were unforseen, side-effects harsh enough to knock a horse on its ass, and the reality that mine was not going to be an easy peasy treatment. I learned a lot about myself and my limits this year. I had a pretty good idea to begin with, but I have a deeper understanding now. I think that is a positive. I’m accepting that there are aspects in life that I cannot bulldoze through in my usual way and sometimes we have to make due with less than ideal - but we can still be happy.

Driving up the canyon on my way home the other day, I thought to myself how wonderful it was to be alive right then and there. To see the sun glistening off the pine forests, smell the canyon air, feel that lovely breeze cooling on my face - to be able to smile. As in chemo, as in baking, as in life… many of us persevere the crap to get to the reward on the other side. I suppose for me, the journey alone is reward in and of itself.

lemon mirror cake with raspberry coulis

Lemon Mirror Cake

1 sheet or 1 round lemon chiffon cake (1/2 recipe)
lemon mousse
limoncello soaking syrup
lemon mirror

lemon mousse
2 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin
2 oz fresh lemon juice
10 oz heavy cream (medium peaks)
8 oz lemon curd, freshly made or warmed
1 oz light corn syrup
1/2 tsp lemon extract

Bloom gelatin in lemon juice then melt it to 100°F. Whip the heavy cream to medium peaks. Cover and put in refrigerator. Blend together the warm curd with the corn syrup and the lemon extract, stirring with a whisk. Add the melted gelatin to the curd. Strain and cool the mixture to 70°F. Temper 1/2 of the whipped cream into the curd mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Immediately use the mousse, cover and refrigerate until set.

lemon mirror
1 1/2 cups lemonade, strained
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp limoncello
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
1 drop yellow food coloring

Place lemon juice, limoncello, and water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over this mixture; set aside until spongy and soft. Heat lemonade in a pan until it simmers and pour over gelatin mixture. Stir to dissolve gelatin. Stir in the yellow food coloring. Place bowl over ice bath and stir occasionally until the mixture is syrupy.

Assembly: Place ring mold on foil base. Cut the cake into two slices for the shape of the mold or pan you are using. Set the first slice down in the ring mold and brush with half of the soaking syrup. Pour half of the mousse on top of the cake layer. Set the second cake layer over the mousse and soak with remaining syrup. Pour the rest of the mousse on top and smooth the surface. Refrigerate until the mousse is set. Remove from refrigerator and pour mirror on top and return to the refrigerator until gelatin is set. Unmold and serve.