Archive for October, 2007
The other day I realized that it had been a long time since I had some freshly baked oatmeal cookies. And even longer since I had oatmeal raisin cookies. I couldn’t let it go on any longer, so I pulled out my mixing bowls and got to work.
I was inspired by some of the spice blends that I made last week and decided to use them as the focal point of the cookie, rather than simply cinnamon, which is often the primary spice/flavoring in an oatmeal raisin cookie. The warm spices also give a seasonal feel to the cookies, since spicier cakes and cookies are typical of fall and winter fare. I used pumpkin pie spice for this batch and absolutely loved the accent that the small amount of cardamom in the blend gave to the finished cookies. If you’re going to use a store-bought spice mixture here, be sure to add in a pinch of cardamom to give your batch an extra flair and set them apart from other recipes.
The cookies came out of the oven smelling amazing: buttery, sweet and with just the right amount of spice. I made them so that they were on the large side, but not so big you have to feel guilty about eating two. When fresh from the oven, they were deliciously crisp on the edges and chewy in the center, and cooled to be slightly chewy, but not soft. I like my cookies this way, but if you prefer to keep yours on the very soft side of the spectrum, just keep the baking time on the low end of the time noted and shoot for a cookie that is just golden at the edges and still soft (yet set) in the center. Either way, this is a cookie recipe that you really can’t go wrong with. And I suspect it will be making another appearance at my house when we get into Christmas cookie season.
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For lovers of waffles and pancakes, it can be difficult to find a good cookbook on the subject. They tend to seem one-dimensional, as the recipes look similar from pancake to pancake with often only the add-ins changing from page to page. They also tend to approach these as breakfast-only foods, though there are lots of savory options for both pancakes and waffles. Crepes, Waffles, And Pancakes! hits the target on both these counts, however, and is a very well-rounded book (especially for what is essentially single-subject title) for it.
The cookbook starts off by giving the reader two basic recipes for “perfect batters”: one for crepe batter and one for waffle batter. These two make handy reference points throughout the book, as there are over 100 recipes and it saves the trouble of repeating the same ingredients and same instructions over and over. That said, most of the recipes do not use either of these two basics, but start over from scratch with different ingredients, different ratios and different flavorings. The recipes cover breakfast main dishes, specialty (regional/international) dishes, desserts and snacks. Breakfast tends toward maple syrup, fruit and sausage, while dessert leans to sweet sauces and decadent toppings. I particularly like the main dish section, which is the largest in the book, because the recipes in it are so creative with their use of fillings and toppings. Filled crepes play a big role, and waffles are used frequently as a base (think bread substitute) for saucy dishes.
I would estimate that about 40% of all the recipes in the book include tempting full-page photos. In addition to the recipes, the book covers all the basic and most common pancake ingredients – from leavenings to flours – in a fair amount of detail, giving the reader background that should help to improve all his or her pancake attempts. It also goes over equipment that pancake/waffle making requires and the technique for getting a good batter. The recipes are given in standard and metric measures.
A butter tart is a Canadian specialty that, unless you have friends or family living up North, you may never have experienced. I’ve certainly never seen them sold in any bakery around here. The pastries are made with a tart shell that is filled with a mixture of sugar and butter, held together with eggs. Often, the tart filling includes raisins or chopped nuts, but a plain tart is pretty standard – and pretty darn tasty, too.
The closest way I can think of to describe the overall texture of the tart is to say that it is a little bit like a pecan pie without the pecans. But that really only emcompasses a small part (the sweetness) of the tart. The filling is gooey and buttery, almost slick with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and just the right amount of caramely sweetness from the sugar. It is held together with a hint of flaky crispness from the pastry crust. The tarts are light, but rich, and it seems prudent to make them small so that you can enjoy a few bites at a time. I baked mine in a standard muffin pan, which worked out perfectly and didn’t require me to pull out a set of miniature tart pans.
This recipe turns out a very tasty butter tart. Many recipes call for the filling to be made with corn syrup (sometimes lots of corn syrup), but mine starts with brown sugar. I added a little bit of maple syrup for an extra hint of flavor, and made sure to include a pinch of salt to take the edge off the sweetness of the filling. Since I made two dozen, I made half with raisins and half without. The amount of raisins given below is approximate; just sprinkle a few raisins into each tart shell to suit your tastes. Since the raisins take up some of the filling space in the shells, you might get two or three fewer tarts if you omit them entirely, so keep that in mind. I used my pate brisee recipe to make the crust. One recipe makes enough dough for two dozen small tarts.
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I like my food to look like, well, food. Beyond that, I want it to look tasty, as well. But for some people this isn’t the case and the appeal of turning out a cake that tastes good but can gross out your friends, family and coworkers once in a while is hard to resist. The Gross Out Cakes Cookbook is pretty much the go-to source for recipes for cakes that look and sound like something they’re not.
Since kids seem to be the biggest consumers of “gross-out” products in general, the book is geared towards them. Most of the recipes require some grown-up help, and there is certainly nothing to stop adults from making the cakes from start to finish without kids. The recipes are easy and, keeping the focus both kid-friendly and primarily on the decorations, many call for cake mixes (easily substituted with your own favorite cake recipe if you don’t want to go this route). The directions are presented in a picture-heavy, step-by-step format to try and ensure that you get the best (or worst, all things considered) results possible. Anyone up for Blood Clot Cake?
Croutons are small pieces of bread – usually cubes - that are toasted and used to garnish soups and salads. A variety of cheeses and spices are often incorporated for an extra kick of flavor. Chocolate is not generally one of these components, but a company called Marcy’s, which specializes in salad dressings and croutons, has decided that the time for chocolate and croutons to come together. They actually sell gourmet chocolate covered croutons. The croutons start with a slightly spiced bread base, which is dipped in a generous layer of smooth dark chocolate. The overall effect is a sweet-salty one, and Marcy’s recommends pairing them with ice cream, yogurt and fruity dishes. You can even serve them straight for dessert with coffee or wine.
They’re probably not the best choice as a soup garnish, but I would give them a try in a really spicy chili, preferably one with a strong smokey (possibly chipotle) flavor where the sweetness of the chocolate could balance the dish while the bread adds crunch.
