TWD: Sourcream Pumpkin Tart

I learned three very significant things while making this weeks Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. But I just forgot one of them while I was writing this so I will give you two.....

1. This makes way to much filling for one measly tart, and I should probably review the recipe because I might have messed something up.
2. Pumpkin pie isn't horrible if you didn't just eat your weight in turkey, stuffing and gravy!

I wish I could think of the 3rd thing because it was really important but its been a long long long day. We had open enrollment at my work and me being the HR bossy boss of such things I am super beat so I will leave it at that before I write something really stupid.

Oh frick I just remembered! Apparently my brain is not as mushy as I suspected.

3. Leaving out 2 tablespoons of butter really doesn't matter when you have a cup and a half of heavy cream in a recipe! 

Go see Miss Judy for the recipe this week over at Judy's Gross Eats because this is anything but....

Make sure you join me next week as I get to be the AND/OR host for one of the very last recipes. Good gosh I hope my Madeleines don't stick!

December 6, 2011 – Kayte of Grandma’s Kitchen Table chose Honey Almond Fig Tart on page 373 AND/OR Nicole of Bakeologie chose Earl Grey Madeleines on page 169.

FFwD: Hachis Parmentier [Shepard's Pie]

This was so damn good... no really, really good. We ate 1/2 of it and I'm sure it was meant for a family of more than two people. I can't wait until tomorrow so I can has leftoverz.

Me and my honey made the quick version when we got home from work today. It didn't take that long to put together which is cool because we will be making it again

We threw in some peas for good measure and used some Dubliner Irish Cheddar, if you've never tried this cheese you should right away.

If you haven't gotten your book go here and get it already! And join the group of other cookers at French Fridays with Dorie. I promise you will not be disappointed ;)

TWD: Fold-over Apple Torte

I was pretty convinced that this was all about the crust. I mean why else would you leave the crust just laying on the top of the torte unless it was just so you could have more crust to eat? Or because your just lazy... and since I have to raise my hand on both occasions I was happy to oblige. I swapped the pears for apples and since I heard lots of TWDers mention they would have liked more innards (of custard that is) I nixed the nuts and the whatever else was supposed to go in there.

The apples rose to the top and reminded me a little of corn when this was about 3/4 done. And anyone who knows me, knows I don't like surprise unnecessary cornage.... so I was a little grossed out by the whole thing until it was finished. Because when it was finished it was golden and yummy looking. I let it chill out in the fridge until today and it was perfect. The custardy part is not really like giggly custard, its got some heft to it, some yummy heft. I'm glad I got rid of all the extra stuff, because this is simplified and perfect.

You can of course get the full recipe from our hostess this week by clicking here.

TWD: Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream

I always wonder why I never make ice cream after I make some. It's fairly simple straightforward and easy to do every single time. Maybe its because there is patience involved and you know how I feel 'bout that....waiting is not my strong suite.

It came out a little grainy, probably because of the chocolate that I used but otherwise it was pretty delicious. I mixed in some mini dehydrated marshmallows because I'm stuck with a gigantic bag of them. Never underestimate the power of dehydration because a pound of mini dehydrated marshmallows is shockingly bigger than one would imagine. At least to me it was...... A fresh baked sugar cookie cup and a little squeezy chocolate out of the fridge finished it up quite nicely.

Great choice this week from Katrina at Baking and Boys! you can find the full recipe on her blog here.

Hawaiian-bread Pudding

I have this hate/hate relationship with bread pudding as explained here. But with alot of things in life...it never hurts to give it a try again. I had some Kings Hawaiian Bread leftover from the 4th of July BBQ so I decided to mix up some bread pudding. It tasted fantastic, I wanted to pick off all the top of the pudding and dunk each piece into caramel.....

Hawaiian-bread Pudding


Liberally butter a glass baking dish and pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees.

• 1 C. Whole Milk
• 1/2 C. Fat Free Half & Half
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Cardamom 
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 8 Hawaiian Bread Rolls
• 1/4 C. Sliced Almonds
• 4 tbsp Butter 
• Cinnamon/Sugar (optional)

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients. Cut the Hawaiian bread into quarters, dunk them into the custard and pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, cinnamon sugar and dot with butter. Bake in a baine marie until custard sets. Slice and serve with warm caramel sauce.

Chocolate Cheesecake

When I was in culinary school they had us make cheesecake in a regular cake pan. This was a little scary at first because sheesh I've used a spring form pan most my whole life, how the hell are we going to get a cheesecake out of a regular pan!

Here's what you do...line the bottom of a regular cake pan with parchment just like making a cake. Par-bake your crust, and bake your cheesecake like usual. Let the cheesecake chill out overnight in the pan in the fridge. The next day, take your pan put it directly over your burner on a high flame, and spin it around for a few seconds to slightly warm the crust, run a knife carefully around the sides then invert (yes really) the cheesecake onto a cardboard or plate, it will plop right out. Turn it right side up on your serving plate. Voila! Easy cheesy! You will never have to buy an uber-expensive spring form pan or try and keep your water bath from seeping into it or find a place to store the blasted thing.....

This was the Low & Lush Chocolate Cheesecake from Baking from My Home to yours page 243. The crust is a combo of sugar cookies, almonds and turbanado sugar. The sugar stays crunchy because there isn't much to dissolve the granules when you make a press in crust. This was great to add a little crunch to the creamy texture of the filling. The top was a dark chocolate 50/50 ganache poured on after it was cooled down a bit.

TWD: Split Level Pudding

There's nothing quite so un-photogenic as pudding or any custard for that matter...pair that will my horrifying photography skills (the one thing I didn't inherit from my dad) and you get this... yu...mm.. ok no not so much. It tasted way better than this looks and well pudding is for eating not for photographs so :P

The recipe was quick and easy. I did muck up the ganache part, it was a little grainy. I probably didn't heat the cream enough to melt the chocolate properly, no matter we will definitely polish off the 4 that are left in the fridge.

You can head over to Garret's site The Flavor of Vanilla for the easy peasy recipe, or turn to page 384~385 in Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.

TWD: Chocolate Crunched Caramel Tart

I don't know if this was because of my running tally of TWD failures recently, or maybe I been a good girl... because the pastry angels have finally smiled upon me and generously granted me the perfection that is the Chocolate Crunched Caramel Tart. I think my honey enjoyed it too because he took a bite and contorted his face into the biggest grin possible.
Oh I made one smidge of a change.... please excuse me a moment whilst I go note it in the book, because it created utter bliss....
Ok I'm back, I used semisweet chips from TJ's and replaced 2 oz of said chips with Ghirardelli white chocolate chips.
Way to hit it out of the park with your pick Carla! You can get the recipe over at her site Chocolate Moosey.

YWP: Strawberry White Nectarine Cheescake Popsicles

Jenn from Piccante Dolce choose a Vacation theme for September You Want Pies with That?.

We never truly take a "vacation" type vacation.... you know packing up the family and heading out to some fantastic local requires a bit of money and/or a bit of planning, both of which I am in short supply. So when I think of vacation, I simply think of summer which leads me to fresh summer fruits. And what better suits summer and fruits for that matter than popsicles?

I created a creamy cheesecake swirled with a puree of fresh strawberries and white nectarines. Froze them into popsicles and drenched them in white chocolate ganache. A perfect chilly treat for a hot summer "vacation".

TWD:Lime Cream Pie-Part Deux

I had to skip this weeks Espresso Cheesecake Brownies chosen by Melissa from Life in a Peanut Shell, for no other reason that they just sounded deadly. And since last week I had a haphazard post about the Lime Cream Pie, I thought maybe I should post an update, because that pie was gu--ouh--ood-a! (If your a Ron White fan just read that like he would and you know what I'm sayin')

One of my favorite restaurant desserts (there are very few believe it or not) is the Keylime Pie at CPK and this pie kicked its buttocks... By the time I brought any of it to work my honey and I had already eaten 1/2 the pie and could have easily polished it off and licked the pie pan. So thank you Linda from Tender Crumb my next CPK bill will be less now because of you, I know I can make it better at home!

TWD:Lime Cream Pie

It's about 8:30pm Tuesday night and I just finished making my filling. It's in the fridge chilling out.

It looks good, sounds odd... so the verdict will have to wait until we try tomorrow after dinner.

TWD: Chocolate Cream Tart

Woot! Finally cool enough to bake! The temperature went from toasty 98+ degrees to a wee 60 degrees overnight. I guess my cool weather dance paid off.

This is the last time I will bake in our old house because everything is packed up besides some basics. A few bowls, a saucepan and a cast iron skillet. The skillet I took as suggestion from Chef over at Pastry Methods & Techniques who's hitching a ride on a moving truck of her own. Even our dishes are boxed up so this photo was taken on a loverly paper plate (as if you couldn't tell). I suppose we really don't need all the gadgets and gizmos we think we do to get the job done. Afterall years ago when chefs were whipping up the first french meringue buttercream I doubt they had a kitchenaid handy.

One modern convenience I did need was the internet, because my cookbooks were packed away weeks ago, I had to go a Googlin' for the recipe online. Hopefully this was the right Tuesday's with Dorie recipe for Chocolate Cream Tart chosen by Kim at Scrumptious Photography. Her blog name does not tell a lie, her photos make you want to reach right through the screen and run away with the plates. Since I don't have pans I decided to use up some puff pastry and make some long rectangle shaped tart shells to fill. Worked out pretty spiffy because I believe the chocolate shells would have been too much chocolate for me (What!? Did I just say that!). No matter what it was a great way to say au revoir to the tiny kitchen from hell.

TWD: Espresso Cinnamon Cup Custard

This weeks Tuesday's w/Dorie recipe was chosen by Bridget from The Way the Cookie Crumbles.

Hmmm... not much to say about this. I went for the Espresso Cinnamon variation. It was easy to make but I didn't care for it...too eggy. It reminded me a little of chocolate yogurt, two great tastes that don't taste great together....

Designate a Driver Pudding

Holy smokes real butterscotch pudding packs a punch! I think I'm still a little woozy from it and we had it for dessert a few hours ago....

This was a Tuesdays with Dorie choice back in December. I didn't have any Scotch lying around so it took me awhile get some. Glad I finally tried it but I probably wouldn't go to the trouble again. Breaking out the food processor for pudding is just a bit much in my opinion.