Carrot-Sunflower Wheat Bread

Although this sounds like a unique combination, it's a relatively normal tasting bread with great texture. You pick up the sunflower seeds more than the carrot. This would be good with cream cheese.Carrot-Sunflower Wheat Bread
2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. nonfat dry milk
2 Tbsp. wheat germ
1/2 cup bran flakes
1/2 cup shredded fresh carrot
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups bread flour
1 egg, beaten
roasted and salted sunflower seeds

Heat water until warm, between 105ºF and 115ºF. Pour into warmed bowl, and add yeast. Let stand 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except bread flour. Mix well, cover and let stand 15 minutes.

Slowly add bread flour, beating until a smooth dough forms. Knead dough until it pulls away from sides of bowl and is smooth and springy. (Add more flour if necessary.) Remove the dough hook, cover bowl and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Lightly grease baking sheet. Punch down dough and shape into loaf. Place smooth side up on baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brush loaf with egg and sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Bake about 35 minutes until golden. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Walnut Wheat Bread

This is another delicious bread. I'm a big fan of nuts in bread, and this is a rich bread.

Walnut Wheat Bread
2 tsp. active dry yeast
3 large eggs plus water equal to 1 1/3 cups
1/2 cup butter, softened (see why I say rich?)
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Warm the eggs under hot tap water, and crack into measuring cup. Heat the water until warm, between 105ºF and 115ºF, and add to eggs. Pour into warmed mixing bowl, and add yeast. Let stand 5 minutes.

Add butter, salt, sugar, dry milk, wheat flour and half the bread flour. Beat well. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Slowly add the remaining bread flour, and beat until a dough forms. Knead until dough is soft and springy but smooth to the touch, adding more flour if needed. Knead in walnuts. Remove the dough hook, cover the bowl and let dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Lightly grease 8-inch round cake pan. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, punch down and shape into round loaf. Place the loaf, smooth side up, into the pan. Cover and let rise in a warm area until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Brush the loaf with water. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean and ry. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Chocolate Fountain

This didn't require fancy cooking, baking or even much preparation, but a chocolate fountain is too much fun not to post.

Traditional Tiramisu

This is the final recipe gleaned from pastry day. This is an excellent dessert that freezes well. Since I'm not a coffee aficionado, I would consider using a chocolate liquor.

Traditional Tiramisu
1 1/2 tsp. unflavored geletin powder (can double to reduce setting time)
1 1/4 cups sweet Marsala wine
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 lb. Mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
*cream cheese can be substituted*
2-3 oz. package ladyfingers
3 cups expresso
cocoa for dusting

Sprinkle gelatin powder on top of 1/4 cup Marsala wine and set aside. Whip the cream to stiff peaks and set aside.

Combine egg yolks, sugar and remaining wine in mixer bowl. Set over double boiler and whisk constantly by hand until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat and whip at medium until cool to the touch. Chill in refrigerator.

Gradually stir cheese into egg mixture. Fold this mixture into whipped cream one third at a time. Heat the gelatin mixture to dissolve, and quickly stir into a small portion of the cream mixture. Add this to the remaining cream mixture.

Lay half the ladyfingers on bottom of greased 9-inch pan. Brush liberally with coffee. Spread half cream filling on top and sprinkle with cocoa powder. Repeat layers. Chill at least two hours or overnight to set.

Baked Alaska

This is a healthier version of Baked Alaska. It's a great summer dessert. Also, once the dessert has been "baked," it can be frozen and served later.

Baked Alaska
1 pint orange sherbet
3 egg whites
8 oz. can sliced pineapple, drained on toweling
6 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tarter

Scoop sherbet into six balls and place them on a plate. Freeze until very firm, at least four hours. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. In a clean glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Mix in cream of tarter and gradually beat in sugar until stiff and glossy.

Place pineapple rings on baking sheet, and top with sherbet balls. Spread meringue on top and sides. Bake 5 minutes until browned. Remove and serve immediately.

Blue Cheese and Pear Tarts

These are excellent appetizers, simple and elegant.
Blue Cheese and Pear Tarts
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and chopped
2 Tbsp. light cream
black pepper to taste
1 package mini phyllo tart shells

Prebake phyllo shells according to package directions. Set aside to cool. Mix together blue cheese, pear and cream. Season to taste with pepper. Spoon mixture into cooled shells. Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Lemon Tart with Almond Crust

This is the same lemon tart filling I used for my concoction the other day, but the almond crust recipe deserves to be posted as well.

Almond Crust
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3-5 Tbsp. ice water

Process first four ingredients in food processor until they resemble coarse sand. Dump in all the butter and almond extract. Pulse until butter is the size of peas. Add ice water and pulse just enough to incorporate the water. The dough should hold together when pinched but not be sticky.

Shape dough into disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 30 minutes prior to rolling out. Preheat oven to 425ºF with rack in lower third. Spray 9-inch tart pan with removable sides. Roll dough on lightly floured surface and place it into tart pan. Freeze until firm, and then bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown. (Use tin foil and baking beans to help it hold its shape.) Reduce oven heat to 325ºF.

Make lemon tart filling:

Lemon Tart Filling
3 eggs
3 egg yokes
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice (fresh, if possible)
2 Tbsp. lemon yest
6 Tbsp. butter

Whisk all ingredients except butter together in large saucepan. Add butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cook until filling thickens slightly.

Pour filling into crust and bake until set, about 10 minutes. Cool before removing sides and transfer to a serving platter. Cool completely before cutting. Tart can be frozen.

Fruit Tart

Another creation from pastry day, but I can't find the pictures we took. Take my word, this looks pretty and tastes just as nice as it looks. It has a great orange flavor in the filling.
Fruit Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. orange juice
2 tsp. orange zest
2 cups strawberries, halved
2 oranges, peeled, cut in half and sliced
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup apricot jam

Thaw pastry at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface and roll into 14 by 10 rectangle and place on baking sheet. Brush edges of rectangle with water. Fold over 1/2 inch on all sides and press firmly to form rim. Prick pastry thoroughly with fork. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Cool.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Spread on pastry. Top with strawberries, oranges and kiwi. Brush jam over fruit. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Serves 12.

Chocolate Ganache

Another staple recipe gained during pastry day.

Chocolate Ganache
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla

Bring cream to boil in saucepan. As soon as it boils rapidly, remove it from heat and pour over chocolate chips. Let stand for 1-2 minutes, and then whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool at room temperature or refrigerator.

Pate a Choux

That is the fancy way of saying cream puff apparently. This basic dough recipe can be used for a variety of pastries, particularly cream puffs. It freezes well once it is baked.

Pate a Choux
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup water
1 cup flour
pinch salt
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 450ºF. In saucepan, combine shortening and water and bring to a boil. Sift together flour and salt and pour all at once into boiling mixture. Stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat, and add eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one.

Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheets or pipe in desired shape. Bake 10 minutes and then reduce oven to 400ºF. Bake 25 minutes more until golden. Cool completely and split in half. Fill with desired concotion.

The puffs can be frozen after they are baked, prior to being filled.

Old-Fashioned Pastry Cream

This came from a day of pastry adventures. This cream tastes good and is versatile.

Old-Fashioned Pastry Cream
1/2 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. flour
pinch of salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

In saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt. Stir in milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 60 seconds, and then pour a small amount of hot liquid into the egg yolks and stir. (This is called tempering the eggs and prevents them from instantly cooking.) Return the egg yolks to the saucepan and stir, over heat, until the mixture starts to bubble again. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cover and chill.

Lemon Tartlets

I had extra egg yolks in the refrigerator, so I decided to make this lemon filling. I had made this previously to go into an almond crust tart, which was fantastic. The lemon filling is tart, yet sweet, and absolutely perfect with the lemon zest. This time, I put the filling on top of lemon sandwich cookies.

Lemon Tartlets
3 eggs
3 egg yokes
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice (fresh, if possible)
2 Tbsp. lemon yest
6 Tbsp. butter
lemon sandwich cookies

Whisk all ingredients except butter together in large saucepan. Add butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cook until filling thickens slightly.

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line muffin tins, and place a sandwich cookie into each tin. Pour filling into tins, filling to the top. (They settle when they bake.) Bake 8-10 minutes, until filling is set. Remove from muffin tin pan and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate or freeze to store.

Beef Barley Bake

This is a fantastic recipe, a nice hearty meal. It takes a bit of time to prepare but minimal effort.Beef Barley Bake
2 lbs. sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup chopped onion
8-16 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 1/2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup pearl barley
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Brown meat and onion in large skillet. Add mushrooms and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper. Pour into 3-quart casserole dish.

In skillet, boil broth and lemon juice. Stir in barley and parsley. Pour this mixture evenly over meat. Cover and bake at 350ºF for one hour. Stir, adding more broth or water if necessary. Cover and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Zucchini Muffins

I am always willing to take whatever produce is offered to me, even if it's not something I normally eat. When I had the opportunity to get a zucchini, I decided to try a new recipe. The results were OK, but I would classify this as not bad but fantastic. It's probably not going to be a repeat offender in my recipe box.

Zucchini Muffins
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cocoa
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Lightly grease 12 muffin tins or line with muffin papers. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In separate bowl, combine zucchini, buttermilk, oil, egg whites and vanilla. Stir this mixture into dry ingredients until just blended, about 25 strokes.

Spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Cool one minute and then remove from tins and transfer to wire racks to cool completely or serve immediately warm. Store leftover muffins in the refrigerator or freeze to maintain freshness.

10-Grain Cereal Bread

This is a heartier bread, with a slightly chewy texture. Good for soups or just to accompany a bread-and-butter meal.10-Grain Cereal Bread
2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups boiling water
3/4 cup 10-grain cereal
2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups bread flour

Pour boiling water into mixing bowl, add cereal and stir. Let stand 30 minutes, until the mixture cools to between 105ºF and 115ºF. Add yeast, and let stand 5 minutes.

Add butter, syrup, salt and whole wheat flour. Beat until smooth. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Slowly add the bread flour until a smooth dough forms. Knead on medium until soft and springy to the touch. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

On lightly floured surface, punch down dough. Shape into round loaves and place smooth side up on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until loaves are golden. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

Italian Herb Bread

This bread is delicious with Italian dishes. I tried something new with it and made much of my dough into individual rolls (baked in muffin tins). The rolls are great to freeze and then pull out individual servings for meals.Italian Herb Bread
2 tsp. rapid-rising dry yeast
1 1/3 cups water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. Italian herbs
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. 7-grain cereal
1/3 cup prepared pesto sauce
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 1/2 cups bread flour

Heat the water until warm, between 105ºF and 115ºF. Pour into warmed mixing bowl with yeast, herbs, sugar, salt and cereal. Let stand 5 minutes. Then beat in oil, pesto and wheat flour until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes. Slowly add bread flour, beating until a soft dough forms. Knead on medium until dough pulls away from sides but is soft and springy to the touch. Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and shape into a baguette or individual rolls. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaf is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.