Caramel-Almond Torte with Spiced Mango Compote (for Passover)

Disclaimer: I haven't actually made this yet. Occasionally a recipe shows up on this blog before I've made it because someone sends it to me in hard copy or e-copy and I've nowhere else to store it and I feel compelled to keep it rather than throw it away. This is what my family ate for Passover dessert last year and my mother copied out the recipe on the back of some study materials and mailed it to me, and it looks delicious. Perhaps I'll make it for Passover this spring, if we get the chance to celebrate it (e.g. I am not on the night float.)

From Bon Appetit April 2002 by Jayne Cohen. 

Ingredients:

For the compote:

1 1/4 C. sugar

1 1/4 C. water

1 1/2 T. chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 T. orange zest

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

3 1-pound mangoes, peeled, pitted, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

For the torte:

2 1/4 C. slivered almonds (approx. 9 oz.), toasted, cooled

8 T. sugar

1 T. potato starch

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 large eggs, separated

1 tsp. almond extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 C. pareve kosher-for-Passover margarine

1/4 C. packed golden brown sugar

Directions:

1. Make the compote: Combine the first six compote ingredients in a medium heavy saucepan. Bring the syrup to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil syrup five minutes then pour into a medium bowl and cool for 30 minutes. Stir in mangoes. Cover and chill at least two hours and up to four days.

2. Make the torte: Preheat the oven to 375F. Blend 1 3/4 C. almonds, 2 T. sugar, starch, and cinnamon in a processor until nuts are finely chopped, about 45 seconds. 

3. Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 2 T. sugar, and almond extract in a large bowl until very thick and pale in color, about three minutes. Fold almond mixture into yolk mixture.

4. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 4 T. sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into yolk mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites.

5. Transfer batter to 9" springform pan. Bake torte until puffed and golden brown and tester inserted into smooth and thick, about three minutes. Mix in remaining 1/2 C. almonds. Spoon topping over torte. Cool one hour. (Can be made six hours ahead, let stand at room temperature).

6. Cut around pan sides to loosen torte; release pan sides. Place torte on platter and serve alongside compote. 

Butterscotch Pudding

An indulgence, really, but somehow when I found this recipe it caught my eye and knowing how much the Robber loves butterscotch and I love cold, creamy things, I decided to give this a try. The flavor is more carmelly than butterscotch really, and I didn't have a strainer so the texture in mine turned out less than ideal but it was easy to make and the Robber loved it, so let's call it a win. (I did not make the ganache, this is rich enough it is totally unnecessary).

From the Pizzeria Locale in Denver by way of the NYTimes Restaurant Takeaway Column:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/dining/butterscotch-pudding-creamy-light-and-nutty.html?ref=restauranttakeaway

Ingredients:

For the pudding:

3 C. heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 C. milk

3/4 C. plus 1 T. dark brown sugar

3/4 tsp. fine sea salt (or just regular salt)

4 large egg yolks

1 large egg

4 tsp. cornstarch

4 1/2 T. unsalted butter

For the ganache:

1/4 C. heavy whipping cream (plus additional for topping)

2.5 oz. chopped milk chocolate

Directions:

1. Make the pudding: In a small pot, bring the cream and milk to a simmer. Cover to keep warm.

2. In a medium pot, bring brown sugar, 1/3 C. water and salt to a boil. Cook while stirring occasionally until the solution is 240 degrees on a candy thermometer (5-10 minutes). The mixture should be a deep brown color and smell nutty and carmelized.

3. Immediately whisk cream mixture into brown sugar to stop the cooking. The mixture will seize. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and cook until smooth.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, egg and cornstarch. Pour a ladleful of hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the eggs don't curdle. Pour egg mixture into the pot with the cream, whisking more. Cook for another 2-4 minutes until thickened (ok if the mixture simmers).

5. Strain mixture into a bowl and whisk in butter until smooth. Divide into 8 serving dishes (or one large souffle dish) and chill for at least 4 hours until custards are set. 

6. Make the ganache: In a small saucepan, heat cream until steaming. Add chocolate and stir constantly over very heat until just melted. Strain into a glass measuring cup with a spout. 

7. Pour a thin layer of the ganache over the tops of the custards. (There may be some left over.) Chill for an additional four hours and serve with whipped cream on top.

Smitten Kitchen Buttermilk Biscuits

Just when you think you can't have enough biscuit recipes, then you make another one. I wouldn't have even blogged the recipe (thinking ok, ok I have enough) except that the Robber really liked these and... ok fine, they are pretty delicious. I will make something that is not from Smitten Kitchen eventually, but my cookbooks have been packed in boxes for years now, and I haven't the time to be more creative in internet browsing. And why would I when Deb does such a good job? We ate the biscuits with barbecue chicken and corn on the cob-- a perfect end of summer meal.

Notes: Deb states you can use cake flour for a more tender biscuit, and when I made these for the Robber I used half all-purpose and half cake flour and liked the result. I used 2 tsp. of sugar. I felt they tasted a little too much of baking powder, so I would half this or omit it in the future. Makes six large biscuits.

From Smitten Kitchen:
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/03/my-favorite-buttermilk-biscuits/

Ingredients:

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour, cake flour, or a mixture of the two
2 tsp - 1 1/2 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. (or less?) baking soda
9 T. chilled unsalted butter
3/4 C. buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl and using a pastry blender or form, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles a coarse meal.

3. Add buttermilk and stir until roughly moistened. Flour hands and knead the mixture in the bowl under it holds together.

4. Transfer the dough to your parchment paper-lined baking sheet and shape into a disc approximately 1/2 - 3/4" inch deep. Using a floured knife, cut the disc into six (or desired number) wedge shapes and space the wedges out evenly on the baking sheet.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on the top.

Ruggles Pie

I made this pie for the one month birthday of my little son Ruggles. The pie, like my Ruggles, is my own invention! Home grown. I'm sure there are other cranberry-cherry-lime pies out there (are there? I don't know) but this one I made up for Ruggles. It is based off of a little "tart" I made for Bob when I was pregnant with Ruggles. I hardly ever cooked or baked when I was pregnant, I just didn't have any desire to do so. No nausea, no food aversions... just no cooking bug. But with the few pies I did make, I started to make little "tarts" out of the left over dough instead of pie crackers-- the reason being that most pies really are better on the second day, but no one wants to wait that long to eat one, but if you make a little tart you can sate the desire to eat pie without actually eating the pie itself. And on one particular day I had some cherries in the fridge and, having never baked anything with cherries before, decided to give them a whirl. I must have had limes too, and we always keep frozen cranberries around, so I threw them all together into the little tart and it turned out quite delicious! I vowed one day to try and make a whole pie that way, and Ruggles' celebration seemed to be the perfect occasion. And the pie turned out quite well! I was very pleased with the result, and may not even tinker too much with this formulation in the future. Now that it is Ruggles' pie, he will be obligated to have this as his birthday treat and nothing else for the rest of his life.

The crust I used is a "cornmeal crust" and the recipe comes from the Luscious Little Dessert Company. I don't think you have to use a cornmeal crust, other crusts would be equally delicous, but in honor of the original Ruggles pie as it was baked and consumed you can find the pie crust recipe as below:

http://vegetabletuesdays.blogspot.com/2013/10/cornmeal-pie-crust.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/dining/that-photogenic-blueberry-pie.html

But first, pictures of the pie to whet your appetite:

Ingredients (for the filling):

16 oz (approx 3 C.) fresh or frozen cranberries

16 oz (approx 3 C.) fresh or frozen pitted sweet cherries (not cherry pie filling!)

2/3 C. brown sugar

1/3 C. white sugar

1/2 C. flour

1 very heaping tsp. cinnamon

1/16 tsp. ginger

Zest of 2.5 limes (2-3, whatever)

Juice of 2 limes (just however many you are zesting, 3 would be ok too)

Directions:

1. Combine all the dry ingredients and the lime zest in a mixing bowl. 

2. In a separate large bowl, stir together the cherries and the cranberries. You don't need to thaw them first or cut them up, although if you are using fresh cherries you should de-pit them which may involved halving the cherries. 

3. Pour the dry mixture over the fruit and combine thoroughly. Add in the lime juice and stir again until the berries are evenly coated with the dry mixture and the lime juice. You can either let the fruit sit for a while or use it immediately. Because the cherries/cranberries aren't that juicy, you don't need to "pre-bleed" the fruit like I will for other fruit pies to reduce the liquid content.

4. Add the filling to a large pie dish with one half of a crust in the bottom. Cover the filling with the top crust. Cut slits in the top to vent out extra steam-- this pie won't bubble much so you don't need a lot of slits or to put a pan under your pie plate in the oven. If desired, brush the top of the pie with buttermilk, milk or cream and top with raw (demerara) sugar.

5. Bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes and then reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or follow the instructions for your crust recipe and bake until the crust is golden brown and the fruit has softened (approx one hour).

Serve hot or cold with whipped cream or vanilla icecream, although the pie is not too strongly flavored that this is necessary. Enjoy and picture the cute, cute baby as above. Cheers, Ruggles!

Cornmeal Pie Crust

This pie crust comes from the Luscious Little Dessert Company in Yonkers, N.Y. by way of a "photogenic" blueberry pie in the New York Times. I first made it during my late-pregnancy insomnia (will blog about that, along with the blueberry pie recipe, later) and loved it-- more than the pie even which is one reason the crust is getting its own entry. The other reason is that I have subsequently used the crust as part of my "Ruggles pie." I don't think Ruggles pie is obligated to use this cornmeal crust, but in honor of the inaugural Ruggles pie, those seeking to replicate a true Ruggles pie will follow this recipe as well. There isn't much cornmeal in the crust, but what there is adds a little twist in the texture and the flavor that is truly delicious. I also find this pie dough surprisingly easy to work with, which coupled with its tastiness, makes it a keeper.

Note: I have blogged the volumes for the crust ingredients only in cups, tablespoons, etc. but for the purists out there, the weights in grams of the ingredients are available at the link below.

Available from the NYTimes here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/dining/that-photogenic-blueberry-pie.html

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling out dough)

1/4 C. cornmeal

3 T. white sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

12 T. unsalted, chilled butter cut into small cubes

1/4 C. vegetable or butter shortening, chilled 

Ice-cold water

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt together in a medium sized mixing bowl.

2. Add the butter and shortening to the flour mixture and cut in with a pastry blender or a fork until the fats are in pea-sized chunks.

3. Add ice water to the mixture 1 T. at a time by stirring the dough clockwise with a fork until the dough begins to form a ball (approx 8 T. water, but this varies. Use your best judgement). At this point, add 1/2 - 1 T. more water and using your hands shape the dough into a ball and then divide it into two discs, wrap the discs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for at least one hour.

4. Roll out using additional flour as needed. Bake first at 400 F for 20-25 minutes until crust just begins to brown, then decrease the oven temperate to 350 F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or as needed for the filling of your pie.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Another comfort food for the Robber which he requested that his mother make for him when she came out to visit (she did make these). Nana used to make these a lot when the Robber was a wee lad, but had to stop when her seventh child had severe nut allergies. Still the Robber remembers them fondly, and jumped at the opportunity to have these in our non-nut restricted kitchen.

Ingredients:

For the bars:
1 C. flour
1 C. quick oatmeal
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. butter or margarine
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 C. peanut butter
1/4 C. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 package (2 cups) chocolate chips

For the frosting:
1/4 C. powdered sugar
2 T. peanut butter
2-3 T. milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9 x 9 glass pan.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in eggs, peanut butter, milk and vanilla. Stir in the combined dry ingredients by hand.

4. Spread mixture in prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. When bars are freshly out of the oven, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and spread evenly as the chips melt.

5. For the frosting, combine all ingredients and blend thoroughly. Drizzle over the top of the melted chocolate and swirl while still melted if desired.

Cholesterol Pie

I think most families (except mine?) make this dessert, they just call it something different. In the case of the Robber's family they call it cholesterol pie and someone makes it for every major family event. The Robber himself loves it and when his mother came to visit and to help out with Ruggles last week, the Robber requested special that she make it for him. I ended up making it, in a grand gesture of support for the Robber and to allow Nana to spend more time with Ruggles and I think everyone was happier that way (see note on pecans below) but I think the future I will leave the making of this to the Rawles.

Writing Ruggles and "cholesterol pie" in the same paragraph hurts my heart a little, even if it is entirely hypocritical given that I exposed him to icecream in grand amounts during my whole pregnancy.

Notes: I added chopped pecans to the crust and toasted chopped pecans and some chopped dark chocolate chips to the top. The pecans to the crust were genius for the Robber and I felt the toppings were too, but the Robber scraped them off the top and then ate the rest. Hmmm. If I were making this again I would make a thicker cream cheese layer and remember that the crust is kind of crumbly, so you have to portion out the cream cheese layer for the spreading, not just plunk it down in the middle and spread it out from there.

Ingredients and Directions:

Layer 1

1 C. flour

1/2 C. butter or margarine

1/2 C. chopped nuts (not optional, pecans!)

Mix together and spread in a 9x13" glass pan. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 min.

Layer 2

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 C. powdered sugar

1 1/2 C. Cool Whip

Cream together and spread over cooled Layer 1.

Layer 3

1 large package instant chocolate pudding

2 1/2 C. milk

Beat together for 2 minutes and pour over Layer 2.

Layer 4

2 C. Cool Whip

Spread on top of pudding layer. If desired, sprinkle top with nuts, chopped chocolate, etc.

Plum Clafoutis

And just like that, my little cooking bug returns. I guess the oven has room in it again.

But it's hard, you know, to cook and to care for a little lion at the same time. Still, I wanted to bake something again just because I wanted to bake and to prove I was more of a human again and less of an incubator. I've been on this fruit kick something serious during pregnancy, so I had lots of plums and I lot of buttermilk I had the Robber buy thinking I would make biscuits-- and I had some milk-- but what I didn't have was flour, cream, or time. What does that all add up to? In this case, clafoutis. And as always, this was easy and delicious, a perfect post-pregnancy treat.

Oh, and the Robber liked it too.

Notes: I made a second one tonight but I forgot to add the sugar to the fruit layer, let's see how it turns out eh? Because if it doesn't need it, that would cut down on the calories a little and make it even more appealing.

Adapted from Julia Child, available here on Gratinee:
http://gratineeblog.com/2009/09/julia-childs-plum-clafouti/

Ingredients:

1 lbs firm, ripe plums (I used three medium-ish plums cut in round cross-sections)

1 1/4 C. milk (I used buttermilk)
1/3 C. sugar
3 eggs
1 T. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 C. sugar

1/3 C. extra sugar

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cut plums in half (or in slices, like I did, I think it's easier to cut through that way) and sprinkle with some sugar. Set aside.

2) Add all of the ingredients except the fruit and the additional sugar in a blender in the order listed. Blend for 1 minute on high.

3) Pour of layer of the batter until it covers the bottom of your baking dish (I use a large glass pie plate). Place in the oven for about five minutes or until a film of the batter has set in the bottom of the dish.

4) Spread the fruit over the batter with skins up (if using halves). Sprinkle with the extra sugar (optional). Pour the rest of the batter over the fruit.

5) Bake for an additional hour or until the clafouti has puffed and browned and a tester placed in the center comes out clean. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Can serve hot or cold (I prefer cold, the next day).

Additional notes: Julia Child notes you can use either 1 1/4 lbs apples or 3 C pears. To make this Julia's way way, drop the plums in boiling water for ten seconds and then peel and slice them. Next soak the fruit in 1/4 C. orange liquer, kirsch, or cognac and let stand for one hour. Then substitute this liquid for part of the milk in the recipe and omit the final 1/3 C. of sugar.

Rosemary and Cheese Biscuits

The truth is that shortly before Christmas the cooking bug in me died. I don't know what happened. Just one day I wasn't interested anymore. I stopped looking at my stock pile of recipes, dreaming of the kitchen, wondering what ingredients to buy next. I just lost interest. That and I was tired. Tired from residency, tired from December, tired about eating.

Which was unfortunate, because my kind sister S. got us this lovely cookbook for Christmas full of beautiful pictures and good things to eat, and I looked at it and just didn't have the gumption to begin.

Until I discovered the recipe for Cheesy Biscuits and then I was reminded of this time I went to Red Lobster (I think the only time I ever went to Red Lobster) in Burlingame or some other such odd place (I can't remember exactly) and there I ate these amazing delicious little cheesy biscuits that I have wanted ever since and finally that little memory alone propelled me back into the kitchen... twice thus far. Yes, they were that good I overcame my cooking lull to make them not once, but twice! And today I have been singing happy little songs all about cheesy biscuits and smooching my Robber and all was well in the world, briefly, when the cheesy biscuits came out of the oven and the smell wafted through the Cubby and the hope of brighter days ahead dawned. All from the cheesy biscuits.

Adapted from The Essential Fingerfood Cookbook by Bay Books, page 56.

Ingredients:

1 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3.5 oz butter, chopped

4 T. sour cream or buttermilk or plain Greek yogurt (the original recipe calls for 1 T. but I have used 4 both times)

2 oz. grated Cheddar cheese

2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese

1 T. chopped fresh rosemary

1 T. chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Cut in the butter into the mixture is akin to fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add the cheeses and herbs and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add the fat in 1-2 tablespoons at a time until the mixture is softened. You may have to dump the mixture out onto the counter and knead it together so that it forms a firm ball of dough. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. While refrigerating, preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly grease one baking sheet with butter or oil (or use parchment paper).

4. Press the chilled dough out into a flat round and cut into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges on the baking sheet and bake until the wedges are puffy and started to crisp around the edges, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool-- the biscuits will deflate a little while cooling but ideally will have crispy cheesy edges with soft warm cheesy insides. Enjoy!

Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake (Kladdkaka)

I saw this recipe on my friend R.G.'s Facebook page a while back and tagged it, feeling like R.G. ought to know what was good and what was not. She is down to earth, reliable, smart, and used to live in Sweden. The cake is somewhat opposite-- gooey and sweet, runny and soft, but so tempting... I made it for our Valentine's celebration this year and the Robber ate and ate of it. Definitely a treat for two.

I realized I didn't have cocoa powder so I subbed in Ghiradelli hot cocoa mix which was good but I think created a sweeter product. To tone down the sweetness I served it with some tart and creamy Greek yogurt just barely sweetened and with strawberries mixed in. I preferred to eat it that way, while the Robber ate his along with some swallows of whole milk. Either way, it was delicious.

Barely adapted from AllRecipes.Com.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/swedish-sticky-chocolate-cake-kladdkaka/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=kladdkaka&e8=Quick+Search&event10=1&e7=Home+Page

Ingredients:

1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 pinch salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 C. white sugar

1 T. vanilla extract

1/2 C. butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F. Heavily grease and flour an eight inch pie plate.

2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and salt, set aside. In separate bowl, combine eggs and sugar and beat until thick and smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture (or vice versa) and mix until thoroughly combined (but avoid over beating). Add in the vanilla and melted butter and stir until homogeneous. Pour into the prepared pie plate.

3. Bake on the lower rack of a preheated oven (to avoid burning the top) until the center of the top had a set crust-- about 35 min. The remainder of the cake may still appear gooey at the edges. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for at least one hour before serving. Can serve either warm or cold.