TWD: Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

I love making ice cream, but since the main consumer in our household of ice cream is M, often times this means I end up making his favourite flavours which are, in descending order of popularity: mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip, anything chocolate flavoured, or anything with lots of candy/nuts/cookies in them. While I like ice cream myself, I try not to eat too much of it and my tastes run counter to that of M's. I hate candy or nuts in my ice cream and while I do like chocolate ice cream, I also like to sample the more unusual flavours such as goat cheese ice cream and olive oil ice cream. As such, I was glad that this week's TWD recipe allowed me to incorporate a great summer flavour into ice cream - blueberries!

Following the advice of some of the comments I read on the TWD board, I substituted the sour cream with creme fraiche as many TWDers noted that they found the taste of the sour cream overpowering. I found it quite unusual that there were no eggs in this ice cream as I am used to making a creme anglaise base for most, if not all, of my ice creams. Still, since the recipe didn't involve eggs, it meant that I could easily whip it up in an evening and have it churning in the ice cream maker by night.

I've yet to have a proper serving of this ice cream but I did lick the ice cream scoop and my first impressions are that it tastes a little like blueberry cheesecake and that the texture is less rich than some of the egg-based ice creams I've made in the past. Still, I thought it was yummy and will definitely be helping myself to more over the next few days! 

For the recipe, click here.

TWD: Black and white banana loaf

Several years ago, when I was back in business school, one of the first things that I dabbled with baking is banana bread. It was one of the first few things, besides brownies and chocolate chip cookies, that started my whole love affair of baking and dessert making. So I was genuinely excited to see this week's TWD pick and to try Dorie's variation on banana bread.

One of the obstacles of making banana bread is having ripe enough bananas in the kitchen. And we're talking super-ripe. The type that has is mottled with black spots and one you probably don't want to eat. So almost a week to the day that I was due to bake, I picked up a small bunch of bananas and set it aside on the countertop with a message to all not to eat it.

Come the weekend then, my bananas were wonderfully ripe and just perfect for whipping up this recipe. Rather than making the standard 9 by 5 inch loaf, I decided to make mini loafs, which was just as well since I got a little greedy with the chocolate flavoured batter and ended up with way more than half the batch flavoured chocolate. As such, I ended up with 6 little mini loafs and one small chocolate banana loaf.

To be frank, I wasn't a huge fan of this recipe, much preferring some of the other banana bread recipes that I've used in the past. Still M liked it, so it wasn't a total loss.

For the recipe, click here.

A pudding that will change your mind about puddings

I have to admit, I used to be a snob about pudding. I love chocolate mousse, creme brulee and pots de creme, but pudding to me always sounded like the kind of dessert that you make out of a box. Like a creamy jello of sorts.

This week's TWD pick, Dorie's chocolate pudding, has made me change my mind. Homemade pudding is different from anything that you'll ever get out of any box. This pudding, although made only with milk, is as creamy as any chocolate mousse you'll ever taste. And the texture, is so incredibly smooth.

I read on the TWD comments section about this recipe that one of the TWD member's son said that if you could put a dress on pudding and marry it, he would. That just made me laugh, not because its an exaggeration, but because that's how I feel too. Although in my case, it would have to wear a suit. Try it and see for yourself.

For the recipe, click here.

Blueberries galore!

At this time of year, blueberries are seemingly overflowing from the supermarket shelves so it was fortunate timing that the TWD pick this week was Dorie's Double Crusted Blueberry Pie. Now I've made pies many times before but I've generally stuck to apple pies, so this was a chance to try something different. Besides, M absolutely loves blueberries.

Since baking the scrumptious TWD treats every week has taken a toll on my waistline, I decided to make just one fourth of the recipe and make an individual portion of this pie. Sure it was a lot of work to make just one serving of this but not having to sit around and resist a barely eaten 9 inch pie made it worthwhile!

I was skeptical about using bread crumbs to line the inside of the pie crust as I was worried that this would make the filling too "doughy" but I have to say that you really don't notice it in the taste and it definitely helps keep the base of the crust from getting too soggy. A good trick for future pie-making endeavours.

M and I shared the pie for dessert on Sunday night, and needless to say, we licked the bowl clean.

For the recipe, please click here.

Danish braid with chocolate

It feels like a while since I've last done a Daring Baker's challenge but in reality, I've only just skipped one month, when I was away on honeymoon. In any case, after a long absence, I was raring to go again and was delighted with the pick of Danish Braid for this month's challenge.

I rarely make yeasted doughs on my own simply because it requires a bit more planning, but I absolutely adore the results. Since we were given the option to vary the filling, I decided to skip the suggested apple filling and made my braid with chocolate instead. I suppose any kind of chopped chocolate would do, but since I had an excess of chocolate batons in my cupboard (the type for making pain au chocolat) I decided to use that.

The braid turned a little darker than I expected when it was in the oven, so next time, I might just decide to skip the egg wash. Taste-wise, however, the braid was a hit. I brought it to a friends' house where 5 of us devoured the braid over a cup a coffee. Will I make this again? Absolutely!

Danish Dough

From The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard

For the dough

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

1 1/2 tsp 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

For the butter block

2 sticks cold unsaltd 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.

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 3o minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and 1/4 inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and the 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, 1/4 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. 

Danish Braid

1 recipe Danish dough

Chocolate batons (like those for Pain au chocolat)

For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large 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, 1/4 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.

Egg wash

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

Proofing and baking

Spray cooking oil 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.

Makes enough for 2 large braids