Doh!

In my last post, I had said that I was on vacation this week and hoping to make up for my lack of posts the week before. Some of you may be wondering, therefore, why I haven't updated in a quite a few days now. Reason is, in packing for my trip to Toronto, I stupidly forgot to pack my camera's USB cable so I can't upload any of my pictures... Arrgh!

I do have a few things saved up for next week including a write-up on a wonderful omakase restaurant here in Toronto, pictures from a cookie decorating that I've taken and a recipe for a crepe cake that I made for my family. Until I get back home, however, I'm afraid that there won't be much happening on this blog. Stay tuned!

Yay! I'm a Daring Baker

For months before I started this blog, I had been following the adventures and escapades of a virtual group of like-minded baking enthusiasts called the Daring Bakers. Essentially, what happens every month is that a challenge recipe is selected and every member of the group is asked to make that recipe and post about it on the same day at the end of that month. Goodies that have been part of the challenge in the past include Gateau St Honore (hosted by Anita and Helene), Strawberry Mirror cake (hosted by Peabody), and Milk Chocolate and Caramel Tart (hosted by Veronica and Patricia).

Every single month, when I've read the posts of the varied members of this group, I've literally found myself starting to drool. This month's challenge, hosted by Marce is no less drool-worthy. In fact, this month is a double treat of sorts since the chosen recipe for the month was Cinnamon and Sticky Buns using a recipe from The Bread Baker's Apprentice. What that means is that the one base recipe can be used to make either cinnamon or sticky buns and members were given a choice as to which they wanted to make, or if they couldn't choose, to make both!

For my first challenge, I decided to make the cinnamon buns since M loves his kanelbullar (Swedish cinnamon buns). To try to recreate the taste of the buns found in Sweden, instead of just using cinnamon in the filling, I chose to use a mixture of cinnamon and cardamom - one of the allowed modifications for this month's challenge recipe.

To be honest, I was slightly nervous when commencing this recipe for a myriad of reasons but mostly because it was my debut challenge and I wanted to do a good job. Also, since I haven't worked all that much with yeasted doughs, I was worried as to how this would turn out. As it turns out, my fears were not completely unfounded. For one, I found that my dough was really really sticky and hard to roll out. I kept sprinkling flour on my surface and on top of the dough but was worried that this would make the buns hard and doughy. From what I've read, other members did not seem to have this problem so perhaps there was something in the way I whipped up the dough.

In any case, despite the slight executional challenges, the cinnamon buns were totally yummy and won M's approval even if they're not exactly the most picture perfect creations. Given how delicious these were, the sticky bun version will definitely go onto my must-try recipe list. To do justice to this fabulous recipe, please do check out other members' creations here.

PS: To commemorate my official joining of the Daring Baker's group, you'll find a new DB logo on my blog!

Cinnamon and Sticky Buns
From The Bread Baker's Apprentice

Days to Make: One (1)
Active/Resting/Baking Time: 15 minutes to mix, 3 1/2 hours fermentation/shaping/proofing, 20 - 40 minutes to bake
Recipe Quantity: Eight(1) - twelve (12) large rolls or twelve (12) - sixteen (16) small rolls

Making the Dough

Ingredients:

• 6 1/2 tablespoons (3.25 ounces) granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 1/2 tablespoons (2.75 ounces) shortening or unsalted butter or margarine
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract OR 1 teaspoon grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3 1/2 cups (16 ounces) unbleached bread or all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast*
• 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature OR 3 tablespoons powdered milk (DMS) and 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (6 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, or any other spices you want to use, cardamom, ginger, allspice, etc.)
• White fondant glaze for cinnamon buns or caramel glaze for sticky buns (at the end of the recipe.)
• Walnuts, pecans, or other nuts (for sticky buns.)
• Raisins or other dried fruit, such as dried cranberries or dried cherries (for sticky buns, optional.)

*Instant yeast contains about 25% more living cells per spoonful than active dry yeast, regardless of the brand. Instant yeast is also called rapid-rise or fast-rising.

Step 1 - Making the Dough: Cream together the sugar, salt, and shortening or butter on medium-high speed in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a large metal spoon and mixing bowl and do it by hand).

Note: if you are using powdered milk, cream the milk with the sugar, and add the water with the flour and yeast.

Whip in the egg and lemon extract/zest until smooth. Then add the flour, yeast, and milk. Mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until the dough forms a ball. Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes (or knead by hand for 12 to 15 minutes), or until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. You may have to add a little flour or water while mixing to achieve this texture. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Step 2 - Fermentation: Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

Step 3 - Form the Buns: Mist the counter with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Proceed as shown in the photo below for shaping the buns.

(Text from the photot: (A) Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the top with flour to keep it from sticking to the pin. Roll it into a rectangle about 2/3 inch thick and 14 inches wide by 12 inches long for larger buns, or 18 inches wide by 9 inches long for smaller buns. Don´t roll out the dough too thin, or the finished buns will be tough and chewy rather than soft and plump. (B)Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the surface of the dough and (C) roll the dough up into a cigar-shaped log, creating a cinnamon-sugar spiral as you roll. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 8 to 12 pieces each about 1 3/4 inches thick for larger buns, or 12 to 16 pieces each 1 1/4 inch thick for smaller buns.)

Step 4 - Prepare the Buns for Proofing:

• For cinnamon buns: line 1 or more sheet pans with baking parchment. Place the buns approximately 1/2 inch apart so that they aren´t touching but are close to one another.

• For sticky buns: coat the bottom of 1 or more baking dishes or baking pans with sides at least 1 1/2 inches high with a 1/4 inch layer of the caramel glaze. Sprinkle on the nuts and raisins (if you are using raisins or dried fruit.) You do not need a lot of nuts and raisins, only a sprinkling. Lay the pieces of dough on top of the caramel glaze, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Mist the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag.

Step 5 - Proof the Buns: Proof at room temperature for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown into one another and have nearly doubled in size. You may also retard the shaped buns in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, pulling the pans out of the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours before baking to allow the dough to proof.

Step 6 - Bake the Buns:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the oven rack in the middle shelf for cinnamon buns but on the lowest shelf for sticky buns.

• Bake the cinnamon buns for 20 to 30 minutes or the sticky buns 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. If you are baking sticky buns, remember that they are really upside down (regular cinnamon buns are baked right side up), so the heat has to penetrate through the pan and into the glaze to caramelize it. The tops will become the bottoms, so they may appear dark and done, but the real key is whether the underside is fully baked. It takes practice to know just when to pull the buns out of the oven.

Step 8 - Cool the buns:

• For cinnamon buns, cool the buns in the pan for about 10 minutes and then streak white fondant glaze across the tops, while the buns are warm but not too hot. Remove the buns from the pans and place them on a cooling rack. Wait for at least 20 minutes before serving.
  

• For the sticky buns, cool the buns in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes and then remove them by flipping them over into another pan. Carefully scoop any run-off glaze back over the buns with a spatula. Wait at least 20 minutes before serving.

Toppings for the Buns:

White fondant glaze for cinnamon buns

Cinnamon buns are usually topped with a thick white glaze called fondant. There are many ways to make fondant glaze, but here is a delicious and simple version, enlivened by the addition of citrus flavor, either lemon or orange. You can also substitute vanilla extract or rum extract, or simply make the glaze without any flavorings.

Sift 4 cups of powdered sugar into a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange extract and 6 tablespoons to 1/2 cup of warm milk, briskly whisking until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the milk slowly and only as much as is needed to make a thick, smooth paste.

When the buns have cooled but are still warm, streak the glaze over them by dipping the tines of a fork or a whisk into the glaze and waving the fork or whisk over the tops. Or, form the streaks by dipping your fingers in the glaze and letting it drip off as you wave them over the tops of the buns. (Remember to wear latex gloves.)

Caramel glaze for sticky buns

Caramel glaze is essentially some combination of sugar and fat, cooked until it caramelizes. The trick is catching it just when the sugar melts and lightly caramelizes to a golden amber. Then it will cool to a soft, creamy caramel. If you wait too long and the glaze turns dark brown, it will cool to a hard, crack-your-teeth consistency. Most sticky bun glazes contain other ingredients to influence flavor and texture, such as corn syrup to keep the sugar from crystallizing and flavor extracts or oils, such as vanilla or lemon. This version makes the best sticky bun glaze of any I´ve tried. It was developed by my wife, Susan, for Brother Juniper´s Cafe in Forestville, California.
NOTE: you can substitute the corn syrup for any neutral flavor syrup, like cane syrup or gold syrup.

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature.

2. Cream together for 2 minutes on high speed with the paddle attachment. Add 1/2 cup corn syrup and 1 teaspoon lemon, orange or vanilla extract. Continue to cream for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

3. Use as much of this as you need to cover the bottom of the pan with a 1/4-inch layer. Refrigerate and save any excess for future use; it will keep for months in a sealed container.

TGIF

I don't think I've ever been more thankful that it's Friday but after the hell-ish week I've had, I am really looking forward to the weekend. On top of that, I'm actually on vacation next week as I'm flying to Toronto to visit my sister! I've got some baking classes lined up for while I'm in Toronto so hopefully I'll be able to make up for my lack of posting this week with some new things I've learned. Also, I'm thinking of adding some new functionality to my blog if I can figure out all this html stuff.

Anyway, before I take off bright and early tomorrow morning, I thought I'd put up a quick post on a chicken fricassee that I made the other day. This particular recipe is one by Daniel Boulud whose namesake restaurant in NYC was one of the culinary highlights of my four years in New York. Since this recipe makes enough for 4, I stored some leftovers in the fridge and heated it up the next day. I have to say it was even better the second day than the first. I guess having the time to let the flavours mingle really does make a difference!


Chicken Grand-mere Francine
From Daniel Boulud

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
One 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 cippolini onions, peeled and trimmed
4 shallots, peeled and trimmed
2 heads garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
3 sprigs thyme
4 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 small celery roots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 ounces slab bacon, cut into short, thin strips
12 small cremini or oyster mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed2 cups unsalted chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth

1. Working over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof sauté pan or skillet - choose one with high-sides and a cover. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper, slip them into the pan, and cook until they are well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Take your time - you want a nice, deep color and you also want to cook the chickens three-quarters through at this point. When the chicken is deeply golden, transfer it to a platter and keep it in a warm place while you work on the vegetables.

2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat from the pan. Lower the heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the onions, shallots, garlic and thyme and cook and stir just until the vegetables start to take on a little color, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, celery root, and bacon and cook 1 to 2 minutes, just to start rendering the bacon fat. Cover the pan and cook another 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and return the chicken to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, until the vegetables and chicken are completely cooked through. Spoon everything onto a warm serving platter or into an attractive casserole and keep warm while you finish the sauce.

4. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat, scraping up the bits of vegetable and chicken that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook the stock at a boil until it is reduced by half. Remove the pan from heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

To Serve:
Strain the sauce over the chicken and vegetables, and serve immediately with plenty of pieces of crusty baguette to sop up the sauce and spread with the soft, caramely garlic that is easily squeezed out of its skin.

Makes 4 servings

Cooking for one

M has been away this week - he's in the US of A on a work trip and will be gone for two weeks. That combined with the fact that I've been having a hellish week at work myself (think several 1 am nights in a row and you start to get the picture) means I haven't really had much time to cook or bake, much less blog about it.

Since I find cooking for one not much fun, I've been surviving on very simple dinners this week - salads, omelettes, and cereal even. Last night, I decided to whip out the pans and cook myself a very simple something with one of my favourite foods. Mushrooms.

I usually serve this as a side paired with something more substantial, such as a steak or a grilled fish. This time, I simply sauteed the mushrooms and put them on top of a bed of salad leaves. Simple and healthy. In fact, this dish is so simple that it doesn't really require a recipe. Simply heat some butter in a pan, throw in the sliced portobello mushrooms, toss in some Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar and voila! Ready to eat.

Salmon rilletes

The first time I ever tasted Salmon rillettes was for brunch at Bouchon in Las Vegas. At the time, I wasn't quite as into food and as I am now so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. When I enquired of the waiter what it was he described it to me as a salmon pate of sorts. Since I am a huge fan of pate, I decided to give it a try. In hindsight, I am really glad I did. If my memory serves me, the rillettes were served with a side of toasted croutons and I remember thinking that they were one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. It was a creamy spread containing chunks of steamed and smoked salmon and flavoured with Pernod.

When I came across this recipe in delicious., I knew I had to give it a go. As you'll see in this particular recipe, both salmon and trout are used. I'm sure you can substitute the smoked trout with smoked salmon if you prefer. I stayed true to the recipe and thought that it was as exquisite as I remember the Bouchon one being.

The rillettes were a big hit at brunch. Besides me, there were at least one or two others for whom this was their favourite dish. The recipe called for serving it with toasted bagel chips but I chose to serve to it with homemade whole wheat bread instead. If you've never had this before, I highly recommend it. Let me know how you like it if you do. As for myself, I belatedly realized that I also have the recipe for the Bouchon version. I'm definitely going to try that one when I get the chance and compare the two!

Salmon Rillettes
From delicious.

450g skinless salmon fillet, pin-boned
125g unsalted butter, softened
6 eschalots, very finely chopped
1 tbs creme fraiche
250g smoked trout fillet
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 egg yolks
2 tbs Pernod* (optional)
1 tbs chopped dill, plus a sprig to garnish
Clarified butter, to top (see Note)

Place the salmon fillet in a shallow dish and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sea salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning the salmon fillet once.

Line a steamer with baking paper, then steam the salmon fillet over a saucepan of simmering water for 8 minutes until just cooked but still a little opaque in the centre. Remove the salmon and allow to cool.

Melt 40g of the butter in a frypan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until soft. Add a pinch of salt, then cook for a further 2 minutes.

Place the remaining 85g of butter in a bowl and use hand beaters to beat until pale. Add the creme fraiche and beat in well. Break the steamed salmon and smoked trout into pieces and add to the bowl with the eschalots, lemon juice, oil, egg yolks, Pernod (if using) and dill. Beat gently until the mixture is combined but still coarse, then season well. Place in a glass bowl or clip-lock jar large enough to fit all the mixture and cover with a 1cm layer of cooled clarified butter (see Note, below). Top with the dill sprig, then cover with plastic wrap or the jar lid and and chill for at least 1 hour. (The rillettes will keep for 3 days in the fridge.)

Serves 6

Note: To make clarified butter, very gently melt 125g unsalted butter over low heat, skimming any foam off the top but not stirring. When the butter is melted, remove from the heat and leave to stand for 1 minute, so the milk solids settle to the bottom. Carefully pour off the golden clarified butter into a jug and discard the solids in the pan. Allow to cool before using.
* Pernod is an aniseed liqueur available from bottle shops.