Mandorlicious

Best Almond Cake

From Cook's Illustrated | January/February 2014

Why this recipe works:

To create an Almond Cake with a great appearance and superior almond flavor, we used finely ground almonds, which had a more pronounced almond flavor than almond paste, which is used in most cake recipes. And to create a light cake with a moist open crumb, we used the protein structure of eggs in place of the denser gluten structure created from using all-purpose flour.

Best Almond Cake

To perfect this elegant European dessert, we deepened its flavor and lightened its texture—and did it all in a food processor.

Serves 8 to 10

If you can’t find blanched sliced almonds, grind slivered almonds for the batter and use unblanched sliced almonds for the topping. Serve plain or with Orange Crème Fraîche (see related content).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup blanched sliced almonds, toasted 3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 4 large eggs 1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons) 3/4 teaspoon almond extract 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. Pulse 1½ cups almonds, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in food processor until almonds are finely ground, 5 to 10 pulses. Transfer almond mixture to bowl. 
2. Process eggs, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and almond extract in now-empty processor until very pale yellow, about 2 minutes. With processor running, add melted butter and oil in steady stream, until incorporated. Add almond mixture and pulse to combine, 4 to 5 pulses. Transfer batter to prepared pan. 
3. Using your fingers, combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest in small bowl until fragrant, 5 to 10 seconds. Sprinkle top of cake evenly with remaining 1/3 cup almonds followed by sugar-zest mixture.
4. Bake until center of cake is set and bounces back when gently pressed and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes, rotating pan after 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan. Invert cake onto greased wire rack, discard parchment, and reinvert cake onto second wire rack. Let cake cool, about 2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve. (Store cake in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

How We Got the Best Almond Flavor—and Cake Texture
For a rich, nutty taste and a consistency that’s not too dense, we toast blanched almonds (we dislike the slight bitterness imparted by skin-on almonds) to deepen their flavor. Then we grind them in the food processor. The ground nuts give the crumb an open, rustic texture.

START WITH BLANCHED ALMONDS

TOAST UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN

GRIND WITH FLOUR, SALT, AND LEAVENERS

Egg Foams: Mixer versus Food Processor
The goal when mixing most cake batters is to incorporate a lot of air into the eggs so that the cake will bake up light and tall, and a mixer is usually the best tool to get the job done. For our Best Almond Cake, however, we wanted a flat, level top; just a moderate rise; and a texture that was neither too fluffy nor too dense. Ditching the mixer in favor of a food processor did the trick. Here’s why: When eggs and sugar are whipped in a mixer, the whisk gently unfolds the protein strands in the eggs while incorporating lots of air, producing a foam with a strong network that holds on to that air. The outcome? A tall, well-risen, domed cake. A food processor, with its high rpm and very sharp blade, similarly unravels the eggs’ protein strands and incorporates air, but it also damages some strands along the way. The result is just what we were after: a flatter, slightly denser cake.

MIXER: Tall and domed.

FOOD PROCESSOR: Perfectly flat.

Bribing someone to make this for me

i'm not a very good baker.

you see the problem here.

Triple-Chocolate Mousse Cake

Why this recipe works:

Triple chocolate mousse cake is a truly decadent dessert. Most times, though, the mousse texture is exactly the same from one layer to the next and the flavor is so overpoweringly rich it’s hard to finish more than a few forkfuls. We set out to tweak this showy confection. By finessing one layer at a time, starting with the dark chocolate base and building to the top white chocolate tier, we aimed to create a triple-decker that was incrementally lighter in texture—and richness. For simplicity’s sake, we decided to build the whole dessert, layer by layer, in the same springform pan. For a base layer that had the heft to support the upper two tiers, we chose flourless chocolate cake instead of the typical mousse. Folding egg whites into the batter helped lighten the cake without affecting its structural integrity. For the middle layer, we started with a traditional chocolate mousse, but the texture seemed too heavy when combined with the cake, so we removed the eggs and cut back on the chocolate a bit—this resulted in the lighter, creamier layer we desired. And for the crowning layer to our cake, we made an easy white chocolate mousse by folding whipped cream into melted white chocolate—and to prevent the soft mousse from oozing during slicing, we added a little gelatin to the mix.

Serves 12 to 16 

This recipe requires a springform pan at least 3 inches high. It is imperative that each layer is made in sequential order. Cool the base completely before topping it with the middle layer. We recommend Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar for the base and middle layers; our other recommended brand of chocolate, Callebaut Intense Dark L-60-40NV, may be used, but it will produce drier, slightly less sweet results. Our preferred brand of white chocolate is Guittard Choc-Au-Lait White Chips. For best results, chill the mixer bowl before whipping the heavy cream. The entire cake can be made through step 8 and refrigerated up to a day in advance; leave it out at room temperature for up to 45 minutes before releasing it from the cake pan and serving. For neater slices, use a cheese wire or dip your knife in hot water before cutting each slice.

Ingredients

Bottom Layer
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, plus extra for greasing pan 

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (see note) 

3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

4 large eggs, separated 

pinch table salt 

1/3 cup packed (about 2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar, crumbled with fingers to remove lumps 

 

Middle Layer 

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed 

5 tablespoons hot water 

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (see note) 

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream 

1 tablespoon granulated sugar 

1/8 teaspoon table salt 

 

Top Layer
3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin 

1 tablespoon water 

6 ounces white chocolate chips (see note) 

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream 

Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder for serving, optional (see note)

Preparation

1. FOR THE BOTTOM LAYER: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of 91/2-inch springform pan. Melt butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool mixture slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in vanilla and egg yolks; set aside.
2. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add half of brown sugar and beat until combined, about 15 seconds. Add remaining brown sugar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 1 minute longer, scraping down sides halfway through. Using whisk, fold one-third of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain. Carefully transfer batter to prepared springform pan, gently smoothing top with offset spatula.
3. Bake until cake has risen, is firm around edges, and center has just set but is still soft (center of cake will spring back after pressing gently with finger), 13 to 18 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. (Cake will collapse as it cools.) Do not remove cake from pan. 
4. FOR THE MIDDLE LAYER: Combine cocoa powder and hot water in small bowl; set aside. Melt chocolate in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.
5. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, granulated sugar, and salt at medium speed until mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds.
6. Whisk cocoa powder mixture into melted chocolate until smooth. Using whisk, fold one-third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Spoon mousse into springform pan over cooled cake and gently tap pan on counter 3 times to remove any large air bubbles; gently smooth top with offset spatula. Wipe inside edge of pan with damp cloth to remove any drips. Refrigerate cake at least 15 minutes while preparing top layer. 
7. FOR THE TOP LAYER: In small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand at least 5 minutes. Place white chocolate in medium bowl. Bring ½ cup cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; add gelatin mixture and stir until fully dissolved. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes (mixture will thicken slightly).
8. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip remaining cup cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds. Using whisk, fold one-third of whipped cream into white chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold remaining whipped cream into white chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain. Spoon white chocolate mousse into pan over middle layer. Smooth top with offset spatula. Return cake to refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours. 
9. TO SERVE: If using, garnish top of cake with chocolate curls or dust with cocoa. Run thin knife between cake and side of springform pan; remove side of pan. Run cleaned knife along outside of cake to smooth sides. Cut into slices and serve.

Step-by-Step
Triple-Decker Construction
Our Triple-Chocolate-Mousse Cake is assembled in one pan and features progressively lighter layers.

BOTTOM LAYER
A modified flourless chocolate cake made with whipped egg whites, egg yolks, butter, dark chocolate, and sugar provides a sturdy—but not dense—base. The cake collapses as it cools.

MIDDLE LAYER
The layer's silky yet sliceable consistency is similar to regular mousse in texture, with flavor from dark chocolate and cocoa powder.

TOP LAYER
Made with whipped cream and white chocolate, this layer is the lightest in flavor and texture. The addition of a little gelatin helps to make the topping sliceable.

Step-by-Step
Slicing Soft Cake
To create perfectly smooth slices of soft desserts, the best tool is not a knife. It's a cheese wire—the minimal surface area produces less drag for cleaner, neater slices. If you don't have a cheese wire, dental floss will work almost as well.

1. Hold the handles and pull the wire taut. Using your thumbs to apply even pressure, slice down through the cake. Wipe the wire clean with a dry towel.

2. Make a second cut, perpendicular to the first. Continue to make cuts around the circumference.

Technique
Making Chocolate Curls
Wispy chocolate curls are an easy way to decorate desserts.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel curls off of a large block of milk or dark chocolate. (Large blocks of chocolate make nicer shavings than thin bars of chocolate.)

Self-delusion is delicious

though, TRUTH: i'd eat the fack out of that cake.

It's great pumpkin bread, Charlie Brown

Pumpkin Bread

From America's Test Kitchen 

Why this recipe works:

Canned pumpkin puree often lends a raw, metallic flavor to pumpkin bread. We cook down the puree to eliminate those off-putting flavors. Instead of dirtying more dishes, we mix the quick bread right in the pot, adding cream cheese and buttermilk for their tangy flavor. A quick-to-assemble topping adds texture and keeps the loaf from getting soggy the next day.

Makes 2 loaves 

The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches; if using a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes early.

Ingredients

Topping  

5 tablespoons packed (2 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar  

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour  

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened  

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon  

1/8 teaspoon salt 

Bread2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour  
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder  
1/2 teaspoon baking soda  
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree  
1 teaspoon salt  
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon  
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg  
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves  
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar  
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar  
1/2 cup vegetable oil  
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces  
4 large eggs  
1/4 cup buttermilk  
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine 
 

Instructions 

1. For the topping: Using fingers, mix all ingredients together in bowl until well combined and topping resembles wet sand; set aside. 
2. For the bread: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat; stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and cream cheese until combined. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture is homogeneous.
3. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine. Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined (some small lumps of flour are OK). Fold walnuts into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle topping evenly over top of each loaf. Bake until skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let breads cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove breads from pans and let cool for at least 1½ hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Muffin top

Whole-Wheat Blueberry Muffins

From Cook's Country

Why this recipe works:

One hundred percent whole-wheat muffins can often be dense, squat sinkers that nobody wants to eat. Our goal was to fix that problem. After combining two leaveners and incorporating ingredients with high amounts of moisture (buttermilk, eggs, and blueberries) and a mix of melted butter and oil with 100 percent whole-wheat flour, we were ecstatic to find our blueberry muffins as tender as they are. After a sprinkle of streusel on the top of the muffin, we now had a tender, slightly sweet whole-wheat muffin with that signature nutty, whole-wheat flavor.

Makes 12 Muffins 

Do not overmix the batter. You can substitute frozen (unthawed) blueberries for fresh in this recipe.

Ingredients

Streusel

3 tablespoons granulated sugar  

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar  

3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour  

Pinch salt  

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

Muffins3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) whole-wheat flour  
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder  
1/2 teaspoon baking soda  
1 teaspoon salt  
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar  
2 large eggs  
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted  
1/4 cup vegetable oil  
1 1/4 cups buttermilk 
  1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract  
7 1/2 ounces (1 1/2 cups) blueberries 
 

Instructions

1. For the streusel: Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and salt in bowl. Add melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms large chunks with some pea-size pieces throughout; set aside.
2. For the muffins: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin, including top, generously with vegetable oil spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk sugar, eggs, melted butter, and oil together in separate bowl until combined, about 30 seconds. Whisk buttermilk and vanilla into sugar mixture until combined.
3. Stir sugar mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in blueberries until incorporated. Using heaping 1/4-cup dry measuring cup, divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (cups will be filled to rim); sprinkle muffin tops evenly with streusel.
4. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with few crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking. Let muffins cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin tin and let cool 5 minutes longer. Serve.

Don’t Make this Mistake: Heavy and Dense Muffins
You can’t simply swap whole-wheat flour into a regular muffin recipe and expect it to work. But if you know the science behind baking and account for the variables, you can make great blueberry muffins using 100 percent whole-wheat flour.

The wrong whole-wheat muffin . . . Makes for a fine doorstop . . . but bad eating.

Sweetest

Mrs. Cochran's Perfect Pecan Pie, Courtesy of Sweetie-licious

Note: To make this a chocolate pecan pie, add 1/2ish cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to bottom of pie before pouring in filling? Yes? Dark chocolate? Other? —dj

Ingredients
3 eggs
½ C. sugar
½ C. dark brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
¾ C. dark corn syrup
1 Tbsp. flour
1 C. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. brandy
2 C. pecan, chopped or whole

Eggnog ice cream, to serve
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugars, butter, corn syrup, flour, and cream. Stir in the vanilla, brandy, and pecans. Pour into an unbaked frozen pie shell. 
2. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool.  Serve with eggnog ice cream . . . and enjoy!

I just *have* to finally buy a trifle dish already

Blackberry-Key Lime Trifle

 
From Cook's Country, August/September 2014, at http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/8015-blackberry-key-lime-trifle?extcode=LN14H1KAA

Why this recipe works:

To create this refreshing summer dessert, we make a no-cook pudding with fresh lime juice, sugar, cream cheese, condensed milk, and a secret ingredient: instant vanilla pudding. After the pudding has thickened and chilled in the fridge, we layer it with graham crackers and plump fresh blackberries. Decorated with fresh lime slices, this trifle makes for an impressive end to any meal.

Serves 12 

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar 

1 tablespoon grated lime zest plus 1 cup juice (8 limes), plus 5 limes sliced 1/8 inch thick 

8 ounces cream cheese, softened 

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 

1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

12 whole graham crackers, broken in half 

1 recipe Large-Batch Lightly Sweetened Whipped Cream (see below) 

30 ounces (6 cups) blackberries

 

Instructions

1. FOR THE FILLING: Process sugar and lime zest in food processor until sugar turns bright green, about 30 seconds. Set aside 2 teaspoons lime sugar. Add cream cheese to remaining lime sugar and process until combined, about 30 seconds. Add condensed milk and pudding mix and process until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With processor running, add lime juice and vanilla and process until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer custard to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour.
2. TO ASSEMBLE: Shingle 12 cracker halves along bottom of 3 1/2-quart trifle dish or glass bowl. Arrange half of lime slices upright around bottom of dish, wedged between cracker halves and wall of dish. Spread 1 1/2 cups custard in even layer over cracker halves, followed by 2 cups whipped cream. Sprinkle 5 cups blackberries in even layer over whipped cream. Shingle 11 cracker halves over blackberries along edge of trifle and place remaining 1 cracker half in center. Arrange remaining lime slices upright around dish. Spread remaining custard over cracker halves, followed by remaining 2 cups whipped cream. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours. Just before serving, arrange remaining 1 cup blackberries in center of trifle and sprinkle top of trifle with reserved lime sugar.

Large-Batch Lightly Sweetened Whipped Cream

From Cook's Country | June/July 2014, at http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/7965-large-batch-lightly-sweetened-whipped-cream

 

Why this recipe works:

We found that chilled heavy cream is easier to whip and get to peak-form more quickly than if left at room temperature. Just a bit of vanilla extract sweetens the whipped cream but doesn't make it cloying.

Makes 4 cups 

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream, chilled 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. 
2. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes.

Keen on peaches

Fresh Peach Pie

Published September 1, 2013. From Cook's Illustrated at http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/7511-fresh-peach-pie?extcode=LN14H2CAA#.

Why this recipe works:

Juicy summer peaches usually produce soupy peach pies. We corralled the moisture that peaches give off during cooking in a number of ways. First, we macerate the peaches to draw out some of their juices and add back to the filling only a specific amount. Second, we use both cornstarch and pectin to bind up what remains. Using two thickeners leaves the pie with a clear, silky texture without any of the gumminess or gelatinous texture that larger amounts of either one alone produces. Finally, we use a reliable, delicious lattice crust, the open nature of which lets moisture cook off as the pie bakes.

Serves 8 

If your peaches are too soft to withstand the pressure of a peeler, cut a shallow X in the bottom of the fruit, blanch them in a pot of simmering water for 15 seconds, and then shock them in a bowl of ice water before peeling. For fruit pectin we recommend both Sure-Jell for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes and Ball RealFruit Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin.

Ingredients

3 pounds peaches, peeled, quartered, and pitted, each quarter cut into thirds 

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) plus 3 tablespoons sugar 

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons low- or no-sugar-needed fruit pectin 

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Pinch ground nutmeg 

1 recipe Pie Dough for Lattice-Top Pie (see related content) 

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation

1. Toss peaches, ½ cup sugar, lemon zest and juice, and salt in medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Combine pectin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl and set aside.
2. Remove dough from refrigerator. Before rolling out dough, let it sit on counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes. Roll 1 disk of dough into 12-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Transfer to parchment paper–lined baking sheet. With pizza wheel, fluted pastry wheel, or paring knife, cut round into ten 1¼-inch-wide strips. Freeze strips on sheet until firm, about 30 minutes. 
3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Roll other disk of dough into 12-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto 9-inch pie plate, letting excess dough hang over edge. Ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into plate bottom with your other hand. Leave any dough that overhangs plate in place. Wrap dough-lined pie plate loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, transfer 1 cup peach mixture to small bowl and mash with fork until coarse paste forms. Drain remaining peach mixture through colander set in large bowl. Transfer peach juice to liquid measuring cup (you should have about ½ cup liquid; if liquid measures more than ½ cup, discard remainder). Return peach pieces to bowl and toss with cornstarch. Transfer peach juice to 12-inch skillet, add pectin mixture, and whisk until combined. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and pectin is dissolved (liquid should become less cloudy), 3 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add peach pieces and peach paste, and toss to combine. 
5. Transfer peach mixture to dough-lined pie plate. Remove dough strips from freezer; if too stiff to be workable, let stand at room temperature until malleable and softened slightly but still very cold. Lay 2 longest strips across center of pie perpendicular to each other. Using 4 shortest strips, lay 2 strips across pie parallel to 1 center strip and 2 strips parallel to other center strip, near edges of pie; you should have 6 strips in place. Using remaining 4 strips, lay each one across pie parallel and equidistant from center and edge strips. If dough becomes too soft to work with, refrigerate pie and dough strips until dough firms up.
6. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Press edges of bottom crust and lattice strips together and fold under. Folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Crimp dough evenly around edge of pie using your fingers. Using spray bottle, evenly mist lattice with water and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
7. Place pie on rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is set and begins to brown, about 25 minutes. Rotate pie and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees; continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbly at center, 30 to 40 minutes longer. Let cool on wire rack for 3 hours before serving.

Secrets to a Filling that isn’t Soupy and Tastes Just Peachy

1. LIMIT JUICE: Macerating large chunks of peaches and reserving the resulting juice allows us to add only as much liquid as the filling can handle—no more.

2. ADD PECTIN (AND CORNSTARCH): A combination of pectin and cornstarch keeps the filling smooth, clear, and moist without being soupy.

3. MAKE A STICKY MASH: A bit of mashed-up peaches added to the filling acts like glue, preventing any peach chunks from falling out of a slice.

Shocker

 

ham!!

Is this a troll? This is a troll. Right? . . .

i was skeptical when i first read this pin's description . . .

. . .  but enough of a coconut fan to click through to the recipe list . . .

. . . where a part of me died. died outright.

Roma, butter pastries, and compagne di stanze

read this: When in Rome by Cara Mckenna -- a free short story, available online.

mckenna's my favorite contemporary-romance-writing boo. her stuff is really good -- modern, heartfelt, and funny. so happy to find this tasty morsel online. 

indulge, kittens!

Light ending to summer dinner parties

America's Test Kitchen's Lemon Ice
from http://www.onlinecookingschool.com/school/courses/210/topics/1759?extcode=LN14G2SAA

With so few ingredients, lemon ice is regularly plagued by the harsh and unbalanced flavors that often afflict lemon desserts. The way we see it (or taste it), lemon ice should melt on the tongue with abandon, strike a perfect sweet-tart balance, and hit lots of high notes before quickly disappearing without so much as a trace of bitterness.

For a recipe that satisfied all of these requirements, it was important to treat water as an ingredient that lends the lemon ice flavor in addition to texture. Because water accounts for nearly 50 percents of the volume of the unfrozen mixture, the type of water used has an impact on flavor. Tap water gave our ice a tinny, metallic quality. The best course of action was using bottled, spring, or sparkling water. Or, at the very least, using filtered tap water.

Salt heightened the lemon ice's flavor and alcohol's anti freezing properties countered the mixture's solidity and stiffness when frozen. Colorless, odorless vodka went unnoticed and lent the lemon ice a soft, creamy, slightly slushy texture that was preferred over the harder, coarser crystalline structure of the unspiked lemon ice.

But the single most important determinant of the texture of lemon ice is the freezing method. While you can certainly use an ice cream maker, we found that freezing the lemon mixture in ice cube trays, then processing the cubes in a food processor whose parts had been chilled in the freezer. The texture of this version comes out dense and mostly creamy, with occasional lumps. We actually found this unevenness appealing; biting into a lemony lump was like finding a peanut in a box of Cracker Jack. 

 

Total Time: 3 hours
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Active Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Make Ahead: Serve immediately
Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients
1 Cup lemon juice from 5 or 6 large lemons
1 Cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar 

1/8 Teaspoon table salt
2 1/4 Cups water *
2 Tablespoons vodka * *

* We found that filtered or bottled water tastes best in this recipe.
* * The vodka in the recipe helps prevent the ice from freezing to hard, and helps the dish retains a loose slushy feel. But it is optional; the texture may suffer but you can prepare this recipe without it.

Tools
Medium non-reactive bowl
Rubber spatula
Whisk (see note below)

Ice cube trays
Food processor
 

Note: If making the lemon ice by hand, use a whisk to whisk and scrape the mixture every 30 minutes, until the mixture is slushy and granular, 3 to 5 hours. 

 

Preparation

1. Squeeze 5 or 6 lemons to obtain 1 cup juice.
2. Combine lemon juice, 1 cup sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 2 1/4 cups water, and 2 tablespoons vodka in medium (at least 3-quart) nonreactive bowl. Whisk occasionally to dissolve sugar.
3. Pour mixture into 2 ice cube trays and freeze until thoroughly frozen, at least 2 1/2 hours (or up to 5 days).
4. Meanwhile, freeze medium bowl and food processor workbowl and blade for at least 30 minutes. Attach chilled workbowl and blade to food processor.
5. Working quickly, use dinner knife or paring knife to pry frozen cubes from 1 ice cube tray, letting cubes fall into chilled workbowl.
6. Pulse ice cubes until creamy and no large lumps remain, about eighteen 1-second pulses.
7. Transfer mixture to chilled bowl and freeze while processing remaining ice cubes. Serve.

Once a year

America's Test Kitchen's Sour Cherry Cobbler
from http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/428-sour-cherry-cobbler?extcode=LN14G2AAA

Why this recipe works:

Most cherry cobbler recipes just don't taste like cherries (because the cherries come from a can and are precooked), and the biscuit topping is often undercooked. We wanted our cherry cobbler recipe to be different, so we selected jarred Morello cherries if fresh were unavailable (as they are 11 months out of the year) and combined the cherry juices with red wine. To ensure nicely browned biscuits, we baked them on their own ahead of time, then assembled the cobbler and put it in the oven for a brief warming.

 

Serves 12 

Note: Use the smaller amount of sugar in the filling if you prefer your fruit desserts on the tart side and the larger amount if you like them sweet.

Ingredients

Biscuit Topping  

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)  

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder  

1/2 teaspoon baking soda  

1/2 teaspoon table salt  

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 1/2-inch cubes  

2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling  

1 cup buttermilk 

Cherry Filling  

4 (24-ounce) jars Morello cherries, drained (about 8 cups drained cherries), 2 cups juice reserved

 3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar  

3 tablespoons cornstarch, plus one teaspoon cornstarch  

pinch table salt  

1 cup dry red wine  

1 cinnamon stick (3-inch)  

1/4 teaspoon almond extract 

 

Preparation

1. Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, pulse flour, 6 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Scatter butter pieces over and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 one-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl; add buttermilk and toss with rubber spatula to combine. Using a 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-inch spring-loaded ice cream scoop, scoop 12 biscuits onto baking sheet, spacing them 11/2 to 2 inches apart. Sprinkle biscuits evenly with 2 tablespoons sugar and bake until lightly browned on tops and bottoms, about 15 minutes. (Do not turn off oven.)
3. Meanwhile, spread drained cherries in even layer in 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish. Stir sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in medium nonreactive saucepan. Whisk in reserved cherry juice and wine, and add cinnamon stick; set saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, whisking frequently, until mixture simmers and thickens, about 5 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick, stir in almond extract, and pour hot liquid over cherries in baking dish.
4. Arrange hot biscuits in 3 rows of 4 over filling. Bake cobbler until filling is bubbling and biscuits are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; serve.

The berries are in

America's Test Kitchen's Blueberry Pie

Ingredients
Foolproof pie dough
Ingredients
 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water
 
Blueberry filling
6 cups fresh blueberries
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated on large holes of box grater
2 teaspoons grated zest and 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons instant tapioca, ground
Pinch table salt
2 tablespoons unsalted better, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Preparation

1. FOR THE PIE DOUGH: Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
3. Remove 1 disk of dough from the refrigerator and roll on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch think.  Roll dough loosely and rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side.  Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand.  Leave dough that overhangs plate in place; refrigerate while preparing filling until dough is firm, about 30 minutes. 
4. FOR THE FILLING:  Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack and heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place 3 cups berries in medium saucepan and set over medium heat.  Using potato masher, mash berries several times to release juices.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently and mashing occasionally, until about half of berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes.  Let cool slightly. 
5. Place grated apple in clean kitchen towel and wring dry.  Transfer apple to large bowl.  Add cooked berries, remaining 3 cups uncooked berries, lemon zest, juice, sugar, tapioca, and salt; toss to combine.  Transfer mixture to dough-lined pie plate and scatter butter pieces over filling. 
6. Roll out second disk of dough on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 11-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick.  Using 1 1/4 inch round biscuit cutter, cut round from center of dough.  Cut around 6 rounds from dough, 1 1/2 inches from edge of center hole and equally spaced around center hole.  Roll dough loosely around pin and unroll over pie, leaving at least 1/2 inch overhang on each side. 
7. Using kitchen shears, trim bottom layer of overhanging dough, leaving 1/2-inch overhang.  Fold dough under itself so that edge of fold is flush with outer rim of pie plate.  Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with times of fork to seal.  Brush top and edges of pie with egg mixture.  If dough is very soft, chill in freezer for 10 minutes. 
8. Place pie on heating baking sheet and bake 30 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juice bubbles and crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes longer.  Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.  Cut into wedges and serve.

In sanga-ria-ville

The Best Sangria by America's Test Kitchen at http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/871-the-best-sangria?extcode=LN14G1CAA

Why This Recipe Works

For a robust, sweet-tart sangria recipe, we started with cheap red wine, which actually makes a better sangria than the expensive stuff. We experimented with untold varieties of fruit to put in our sangria recipe and finally concluded that simpler is better. We preferred the straightforward tang of citrus in the form of oranges and lemons and we discovered that the zest and pith as well as the fruit itself make an important contribution to flavor. Orange liqueur is standard in recipes for sangria, and after experimenting we found that here, as with the wine, cheaper was just fine, this time in the form of triple sec.

serves 4 

Notes

The longer sangria sits before drinking, the more smooth and mellow it will taste. A full day is best, but if that’s impossible, give it an absolute minimum of two hours to sit. Use large, heavy, juicy oranges and lemons for the best flavor. Doubling or tripling the recipe is fine, but you’ll have to switch to a large punch bowl in place of the pitcher. An inexpensive Merlot is the best choice for this recipe.

Ingredients 2 large juice oranges, washed; one orange sliced; remaining orange juiced 1 large lemon, washed and sliced 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup Triple Sec 1 bottle inexpensive, fruity, medium-bodied red wine (750 milliliters), chilled

Preparation

1. Add sliced orange, lemon, and sugar to large pitcher; mash gently with wooden spoon until fruit releases some juice, but is not totally crushed, and sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Stir in orange juice, Triple Sec, and wine; refrigerate for at least 2, and up to 8, hours.
2. Before serving, add 6 to 8 ice cubes and stir briskly to distribute settled fruit and pulp; serve immediately.