Feel the Love...

I adore Dorie Greenspan's French Apple Tea Cake.  I make it often and it never disappoints.  It is my all time favourite, 'hand on my heart' cake recipe and I wonder how I ever got along in life as a home baker before I found Dorie. 

Yesterday I decided to give it a couple of tweaks -  I know it is almost blasphemous to mess with perfection, but I like experimenting and believe that if you have a fair idea of what you are doing, you can always adapt a recipe/substitute like ingredients to a degree.  I mean, isn't imitation the finest form of flattery?

Results are thus - I just want to shout from the rooftops how wonderful my new cake is.  By swapping apples for ripe pears , decreasing the original amount of rum and adding a little fresh grated nutmeg, the cake is elevated from really good to extraordinary - well in my humble opinion anyway!


Pear and Nutmeg Tea Cake (Recipe tweaked and inspired by Dorie Greenspan's French Apple Tea Cake - and borrowed from David Lebovitz.com)

Makes One 8 inch (20cm) cake

3/4 cup (110g) flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 ripe pears (don't use pears that are over ripe as they won't hold their shape in the cake)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (115g) butter, salted or unsalted, melted and cooled to room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven.
Heavily butter and line an 8 inch (20cm) spring form pan and place it on a baking sheet.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
Peel, core and dice the pears into 1 inch chunks.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until pale and thick (they should double in size) then beat in the sugar, then rum and vanilla. Fold in half of the flour mixture, then gently stir in half of the melted butter.
Fold in the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the butter.
Gently fold in the pears until they well-coated with the batter and scrape them into the prepared cake pan.  
Bake the cake for 50 minute to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the pan and carefully remove the sides of the cake pan, making sure no pears are stuck to it.

This cake is delicious with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream or a lazy dollop of creme fraiche. 

Until next time,

Buon appetit!

Kitty xx

Possibly the BEST cake I have EVER baked!

There are moments in life where you just have to stop and pinch yourself.  When you are in the moment and you are thinking 'Is this really happening to me?' Let me tell you, I had one of those amazing-epiphany-Oprah Winfrey 'Light Bulb Moments' on Tuesday when I baked a cake which I possibly think could change my life.

I cannot take all the credit.  I must refer you to brilliant American Blogger David Lebovitz who, incidentally does not even know I exist - even though I did comment on his blog entry regarding said cake, which goes a little like this...

 'So glad I have the day off work.  So glad I have rum and apples in pantry.  So glad I have a French Apple cake baking in my oven for afternoon tea'. 

So in the flurry of messages that this gentleman receives each time he writes a blog entry, there sits my little comment, out there in the wilderness of cyberspace.  What is amusing to me is at the time I didn't even know how really good this cake was going to be - let alone if it would work for me.

I get excited when I read about people who love food.  It gets my juices flowing to read how they, just like me, get excited about food.  Food has so many elements, other than just being 'stuff to eat'.  I love the wit and charm that food can have.  Food is a great conversation starter.  It is comforting, it is playful, it is sexy, it is nurturing.  What is there not to love?

So reading David's entry for French Apple cake (which incidentally is a Dorie Greenspan recipe), I could not help but be inspired.  I was excited because this cake looks (and is) so simple to bake.  Plus I had all of the ingredients on hand.  At first I thought it would turn out to be a little crumbly, or maybe a little rubbery - as I have had attempts at making apple cakes before without success. 

I am impatient.  I will start a recipe with only having read the ingredients list first - naughty I know!  I felt a little trepidation as I read through the method.  To me this recipe had a 'sponge cake' feel about it.  I get nervous when it comes to beating eggs - It's the whole 'not knocking the air out of them' when you add flour and melted butter.  My last sponge cake was anything but - more like a giant over sized crispy sugar cookie!  I decided I just needed to take a deep breath and what will be will be!  

I prepared my batter as per instructions and folded in my beautifully crisp Granny Smith apple pieces, being careful to not knock the air out of my batter.  I then poured it gently into my greased cake pan.  (Which I did not line with parchment - word of warning, if you attempt this cake it is a good idea to grease and line your springform tin, otherwise your cake will end up being a little more 'rustic' than you might appreciate). 

To add insult to injury, silly me had put the base of my springform tin in upside down and I am sure you can imagine my horror as I saw the batter slowly seeping out of the sides of the tin... 

I took another deep breath and said to myself 'Keep calm and carry on'.  I blessed myself, I blessed the cake and I blessed the oven .  It was all in the lap of the Gods - If this cake was going to succeed there wasn't anything more I could do for it.  Of course I could have scraped it out of the tin and put it into another pan, but hey, I love a little drama!

After almost an hour my cake was baked.  The sweet aroma of apple spiked with rum filled the kitchen.  The cake was golden and looked delicious.  I left it to cool and here I discovered my lack of lining dilemma - I overcame it brilliantly.  The upshot was that the little skim of cake stuck to the bottom of the pan, became a treat for the cook!  The downside was that it made the cake look a little more like a Bulldog than a Ballerina - but you know, that is why God invented icing sugar!  (Flipping it helps disguise blemishes as well).

The taste - My my my!  How do I describe it... It is spongy, with lovely chunks of apple,  with a lovely warm glow from the flavour of the rum.  Even though the alcohol is cooked out, you can't help but feel a little naughty. (I'm amused how people always get slap happy about things that have alcohol in them).

This cake is quite the dark horse - from its exterior you kind of write it off as being nothing too special - but then you taste it... 

Do try this cake.  It is simply amazing.  I must thank David and Dorie for bringing it into my life.  I hope you will one day thank them too.  By the way, here is the link for the recipe!  French Apple Cake

Until next time...

Kitty xx

Where have Yuzu been all my life?

Here I am in New York City.  It is my favourite place to crash.  (Yes I do enjoy how pretentious that sounds).  It is such a diverse city with so many different cultures and cuisines.  It's the city that never sleeps - and thanks to the Manhattan Diner, if you are hungry, you can always rely on them being open 24/7.  (They do a pretty good Reuben too by the way...)

New York appeals to the mindless wanderer within me.  I can walk for hours and hours, just looking at the buildings or sitting in the park, or just people watching in general.  It is a great place to watch others while you take time to smell the roses, or to catch your breath.

One of the best things about my walks is that they have lead me to many a sweet treat along the way.  What better reward for hours of walking?  Bakery treats!

So now I introduce you to my latest TriBeCa find - The Takahashi Bakery.  It is a very clean, modern and sleek establishment.  The desserts - oh so sweet!  I was marvelling over the display cabinet and trying to discreetly take pictures, while salivating wildly. I was tempted to try their pizza with lotus root, though was in the mood for something sweet.

I bought a red bean bun to go and ordered a Yuzu Tart.  I had never heard of Yuzu before.  It is an Asian citrus, much like lemon.  I have never tasted it on its own, so I can't really give you a really honest interpretation of the flavour, but let me try and describe the tart to you...

The pastry was very short and crisp.  Once I bit into the tart, I enjoyed a soft, velvety custard which was not too tangy, and not too sweet.  It was the most delicious citrus tart I have ever tasted.  I couldn't believe I had to travel half-way around the world to find pastry nirvana! 

I think what I enjoyed most was that the citrus flavour was so smooth.  It didn't have that pucker that some lemon curd desserts can give you.  There was the perfect balance - which is such a skill to be able to perfect.  This bakery had it bang on.  I can't wait to go back!

So when I am back in Australia, I know I am going to be yearning for Yuzu.

Until next time...

Kitty xx

Dulce Dulce Dulce!

Dulce = sweet in Italian.  Sweet things are not really what one should eat at lunchtime, but I like to make exceptions to the rule.  Plus, I didn't expect an experiment to turn into my lunch!

I think Winter is making me want all things naughty, nice and deep fried. 

I had some leftover ricotta cheese in my refrigerator, about half a tub.  Originally it was to make cannelloni or ravioli, but I used it to make the honeyed ricotta for my french toast. (See previous blog entry).  I was stumped as to what to do with this left over cheese...  

Ricotta Doughnuts sprung to mind.  I had never made them before and had no recipe so I did a little Internet searching.  There are many recipes out there for these doughnuts - but not so many for such a meagre amount of cheese.  I had to do much converting and a little experimenting - Here is the version I came up with.

Ricotta Doughnuts - Makes about a dozen small doughnuts 

125g ricotta cheese
30g castor sugar
2 small eggs (or 1 XL egg)
85g plain flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Oil for deep frying
Few tsp castor sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat oil in a small saucepan (about 2 inches of oil in pan).  Mix cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla together.  Sift in flour and baking powder.  Fold to make a smooth batter. 

Drop teaspoons full of batter into the hot oil.  Do not overcrowd the pan.  The doughnuts will initially sink to the bottom, then puff up slightly and rise to the top.  Turn and cook until golden. 

Remove from oil and roll in cinnamon and sugar.  Eat while hot!

This recipe easily makes enough doughnuts to satisfy a sweet craving for two people.  If dining solo, you can keep any left over batter in the fridge to make more later.

With a little further experimentation, I am sure this recipe would respond well to tweaks - like adding orange zest to the batter, or a chocolate or caramel dipping sauce to accompany... You are only limited to your own taste and imagination!

Until next time...

Kitty xx

Who are you calling a Tart?

It seems that there is something about the tarty, puckery sourness of lemons that, when baked into a luscious silky smooth tart can make some people weak in the knees.  I have a friend who is quite the aficionado of citrus tarts.  On occasions when we have been out for lunch, we must at least look at having a sweet or dessert (one must always make room) and if there be a citrus tart on the menu, then "Wheel out the pastry cart and let us eat tart!"

The tart will be ordered and, upon its arrival, it will be analysed, tasted and scrutinized.  The pastry must be short and crisp, the lemon tart, but not too twangy, there must be the right amount of acidity as well as tartness, whilst maintaining a mellow, creamy sweetness.  When the tart is 'just right' there will be a hush over the table and communication from here on will consist of 'mmm's' and 'ahhh's' until savouring (more like devouring, but we are ladies) is complete.

I decided I wanted in on this tart action.  I wanted to replicate for myself the joy and pleasure of making a citrus tart, to share with others.  When looking for a recipe however, I was afraid of those which required making a lemon curd.  I am always worried about my eggs cooking and ending up with a lumpy, corn-floury tasteless saucepan of goop.  I found a recipe for a Lemon Lime Cream Tart, a no-curd kind, and just knew that I would have to make it, thus throwing my reputation as a self-styled pastry cook (yeah, in my own head I am!) upon the mercy of friends and family to see if my tart would indeed surpass others they have tasted. 

The recipe I use for the best Citrus Tart ever is by Jamie Oliver.  From his book 'The Naked Chef'.  This recipe is so good there is nothing I wish to do to alter it to make it my own - So bless you Jamie, and here is his recipe.
  
Lemon Lime Cream Tart
1 tart shell, baked blind
8 large free-range eggs
12 ounces caster sugar
12 ounces double cream
7 1/2 ounces lime juice
3 3/4 ounces lemon juice

With this particular tart, as it has a moist filling, it's important to egg-wash the uncooked tart shell before adding the filling. This adds a sort of waterproof layer and keeps the pastry crisp and short for longer.

Whisk together the sugar and eggs in a bowl. When they are well mixed, slowly stir in the cream and the juices. Put the cooked tart shell back into the oven and then pour the filling into it – I find this reduces spillage.

Bake for around 40 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees F or until the filling is set, but still semi-wobbly in the middle (obviously different ovens will cook at different rate so it is good for you to try this tart a couple of times to gauge exactly when you should take it out of the oven).

After cooling for an hour, the semi-wobbly filling will have firmed up to the perfect consistency; soft and smooth. If you cut it before it has had time to rest it will pour out or be extremely gooey.

You can dust it with a little icing sugar, if you wish. Serve with a huge pile of fresh raspberries or strawberries. Whatever you decide to serve it with should be quite simple so that you let the tart do the talking.

I think I am allowed to do a quiet little victory dance at my result. It is so good I have been asked to make this tart again... and again. I think it might become my new (if somewhat stolen) signature dish.


Until next time...

Kitty xx

Fond Food Memories...

It is nice when you cook something, and the smell gives off a waft of nostalgia that forces you to stop and cast your mind back to years past...  What you were doing?... Were you a young kid playing out in the backyard with your Mum calling you inside for some Ox tail Soup?  Or Corned Beef with white sauce, mashed potato and cabbage?  Steak and Kidney Pie?  Do you eat foods today to re-capture food memories of the past?

My Dad makes the most wonderful Apple Pie.  The apples are so tender, juicy and plentiful, and I love the top of the pastry and how it is crunchy and sprinkled with sugar.  I also love eating stewed rhubarb and apples because the stringy texture and sour twang of the rhubarb reminds me of when I was a kid and how Dad used to grow it in a tub in the backyard.  (What I remember most is my parents telling me to never feed the leaves to rabbits.)  Now and then I might get a slice of my Dad's wonderful pie, and I can't help but feel like a kid again.

Mum makes the best Lemon Chicken.  It has been years since she has made it, but I remember as a kid, whenever she would get her Elizabeth Chong "First Happiness" cook book out, we knew we were in for a feast, and that meant, part of the banquet would be Lemon Chicken. 

My brother is a wonderful cook.  He would be an even bigger food aficionado than I even claim to be.  He has the Midas touch when it comes to food.  He has cooked so many wonderful things for me and my family it is hard to decide what I have enjoyed the most.  He does the most spectacular Christmas dinner (I joke and say we eat every animal that came off the Ark on Christmas Day).  His partner makes a wicked plum pudding as well.  If I had to choose one of my brother's dishes though, it would have to be his French Onion Soup.  It is just so good... and that cheesy crouton... Oh... my... goodness!

I enjoy cooking Chinese Steamboats.  I invite friends over and we talk and laugh and eat for hours.  It is a lot of preparation, but I find that is part of the fun.  I get to express myself with all my cute little bowls, plates and baskets to present my ingredients.  I feel so flattered when my friends talk about what a great time they have when we have steamboat nights, and how they keep asking me to do more.  That tells me that I have created fond food memories for them, and it means the world.

Until next time...

Kitty xx