Emily's Delight

My daughter Emily also really likes to cook. She got an Easy-Bake Oven for Christmas when she was 3 or 4, and now that she's 8 (the recommended starting age for Easy-Bakes), she's moved on. Good for her. That food was disgusting! (She disagrees.)


When she was 6, Mark and I gave her a cookbook (Williams Sonoma Kids' Cookbook), measuring cups and spoons, a wooden spoon, and a rubber spatula for her birthday. She now owns another cookbook (Williams Sonoma Kids' Baking), and I highly recommend both.

Yesterday, she found a delicious recipe on the Strawberry Shortcake website, and she made it today for a treat after dinner. Not only was it deliciously, nearly entirely made by her, and eaten in less than 10 minutes, it also seems to be a great idea for party food. So, without further delay, here is the recipe (modified from the original, as we like it) which you should try, and then comment to let Emily know what you think. Bon appetit!

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

1 pkg. (8 oz.) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 t. lemon juice
1/2 t. grated lemon peel
1/2 t. vanilla extract
16 - 24 whole strawberries, depending on the size
8 graham cracker squares, finely crushed (about 2/3 cup)

In a mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and vanilla until smooth and creamy; refrigerate half an hour until fairly firm (or freeze about 8 minutes). Using a paring knife, hull the strawberries, being careful to remove the entire inner core. Generously fill each strawberry with cream cheese mixture. Roll tops into graham cracker crumbs. Arrange on serving platter and chill until ready to serve.

The World's Best Treat

In case you hadn't yet figured it out, there is one best possible treat. Okay, well, maybe there are two, but one of them can easily be perfected and I never get sick of them. Not even if I've eaten the entire pan myself. It is the Rice Krispy treat.

You should know by now that the Kellogg's recipe, while a good starter, is not the best way to prepare them. First of all, they call for "margarine or butter". Not even "butter or margarine". Unfortunately, not just "butter". And second of all, they're not gooey enough. Here, then, is the perfect recipe, which I created earlier this evening.

Wait, first, a note before we begin.

The brand of marshmallows does matter, as does the brand of cereal. No, I'm not just being a food snob, or brand snob, but the fewer ingredients in a recipe, the more important the quality of those ingredients. I've tried different brands of marshmallows, and the flavor is definitely lacking in the less-expensive brands. Same with the Krispies. Anyhow, you're maybe paying 40 cents more per bag of marshmallows, so I'm sure you can handle that or you wouldn't be making such a frivolous dessert. I admit the Krispies can be significantly more expensive than the cheap version, and I don't know that there is a large difference in flavor, but the texture of Kellogg's seems to be crispier and fresher. If you're really needing to cut corners, do it on the cereal, not the marshmallows, but when it comes to the best treat in the whole world, why not do it right?

Okay, here you go.

Just-Right Rice Krispy Treats

22 oz. Kraft Jet-Puffed marshmallows (or Campfire brand)
8 T. (4 oz.) unsalted butter
1/2 t. vanilla
8 c. Kellogg's Rice Krispies

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" pan.

Find a really big plastic bowl that is microwave-safe (this is the easiest for cleanup afterwards). Soften the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds if it's straight out of the fridge (or don't if it's room temperature), then throw the marshmallows in with the butter and microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes to start. Remove and stir with a rubber spatula. Continue microwaving and checking on it for 30 second intervals. When the marshmallows and butter are a smooth consistency, stir in the vanilla, then the Rice Krispies. After they're stirred in completely, pour into pan. Butter your hands well and press down so the top is fairly even. Set aside to set up, about 1 hour, or throw it in the fridge for 20 minutes if you're anxious. I usually am. Cut and serve. Or don't serve and just keep them all for yourself. Splendid!

Hodge Podge

So, apparently, I now weigh nothing, since I've clearly not been eating for the last 6 months.

Okay, just kidding. Honestly, a crazy thing happened to me. While I was pregnant and then during the first 3 months of my new daughter's life, I completely lost interest in cooking. Actually, to some degree, I lost interest in good food as well. It just wasn't that exciting. I think perhaps it had some stiff competition, and then there's the whole thing about my body (and digestive system) not quite being up to par, so I really preferred to not think about what to make for dinner.

The good news is that's over.

Now, I've been thinking over the last several weeks about posting, but everytime I take a picture, it just hasn't been doing my food justice, so the only pictures in this post are going to be what I baked in my oven. Her name's Kate, and she's now 4 months old. So far, her food preferences just include milk, but that's bound to change over time. Emily, our 8-year old, started liking avocados at about a year, and David, who is nearly 3, likes turkey. Even when it's chicken.

Anyhow, I'm going to tell you all about the food I've been enjoying now that my head is back in the game. About a month ago, when Sockeye salmon was in season, I made this delicious salmon salad. I like to serve it on a bed of lettuce with julienned carrots, halved cherry or grape tomatoes, sugar snap peas, and maybe some fresh corn removed from the cob. Here's the rest of the recipe:

Salmon Salad

1 - 1 1/4 lbs. wild salmon
1 lemon
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/3 c. mayonnaise
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. olive oil
2 t. small capers, chopped
dash caper juice
dash Worcestershire sauce
dash hot sauce
2 t. fresh chives, chopped

First, poach the salmon. Season the salmon, then place it in a large, deep skillet. Add 1/2 of the lemon, juiced and sliced, and enough water to cover by 1/2". Turn the heat to medium, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low and maintain a slight simmer for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish, until the salmon is thoroughly cooked. That's when you see all the fat congealing at the top and the fish separates easily when you test it with a fork. After it has just reached this point, remove it from the poaching liquid and set on a plate in the refrigerator to cool. (By the way, I always want to stop at this point and just eat the salmon this way; I love cold, poached salmon.)

Next, combine the juice from the other half of the lemon with the remaining ingredients, beginning with just 1/4 c. of mayonnaise. Break up the chilled salmon into chunks and gently fold it into the dressing until consistent. Add a touch more mayonnaise if it needs it, but don't overdo it, as you want to mostly just taste the salmon. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

When serving this on a salad, dress the salad with a little red wine vinegar and olive oil before topping it with the salmon. The salmon is also be delicious on a croissant.


Just last week, I made gnocchi for the first time. (Thank you for the applause - you're so kind!) I thought it was going to be very difficult, but in fact, it was only a little difficult. And very worth it. It was a bit tricky, having never made it before, so really guessing whether the consistency of the dough was right. I think I probably made it wetter and stickier than was indicated in the recipe, but it made for a very light noodle. The other point of caution I paid attention to in the recipe from Michael Chiarello was to not overknead the dough. Overkneading can make the gnocchi tough and heavy, something I was keen to avoid. I served it with a tomato cream sauce, a recipe I have used a few times, and it was a perfect partner. Oh, and I doubled the gnocchi recipe, knowing it might be a bit of a doozy to prepare but probably worth eating two days in a row, and I was glad I did. Here's the sauce recipe:

Tomato Cream Sauce

olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. fresh tomatoes, seeded, chopped
several sprigs fresh thyme (a handful from the garden is good)
1/2 c. chicken stock
2 T. tomato paste
1 c. cream
2 T. unsalted butter
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add the onions with a dash of salt (this helps to pull out the sugars in the onions) and saute about 10 minutes, until well-cooked and starting to caramelize a bit. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute, then stir in the tomatoes, thyme (whole), stock, and another couple pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium, cover partially, and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have released their juices and the sauce is a bit thick. Stir in the tomato paste, then the cream. Bring to a boil and simmer until the cream thickens a bit (around one minutes). Remove from heat, stir in butter, and season with salt and pepper.

Just a note: this sauce is delicious and you will want to make it at least once a month for something, especially when tomatoes are in season.


Another wonderful thing to do with in-season tomatoes is this: cut them in half (remove the top half, not a side half), remove the seeds, salt the tops of the halves, then top them with a lot of grated Comté cheese. Roast on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper or a silicone mat at 400 degrees until the cheese starts to bubble and brown slightly. This is absolutely wonderful. You'll need to find a cheese shop to get Comté: it's not typically available at a standard supermarket, but it is a stupendous cheese that is creamy and nutty and slightly ripe but not at all overwhelming. In fact, I've run out, and I'm getting antsy to go buy some more just typing this up.

By the way, the reason I don't have lovely pictures of the salmon or the gnocchi with tomato cream sauce is really because nothing pink on a plate looks good in pictures, though if it's in front of you and the aroma of the dish is pulling you toward it, the plating seems much better. Don't let that hold you back. Keep cooking!

Chocolate

The holidays are really all about gluttony for some of us, but I actually prefer the cooking part to the eating part, strange as that may seem. Not that my food isn't good - I'll admit it's terribly good sometimes - but eating is a short-lived experience, and cooking is a slow process that adds layers of flavor one on top of another, each adding another smell to the kitchen. And the really nice thing about the holidays is that, since everyone enjoys eating so much, I get to cook more.

I think I only really make chocolate tortes and cheesecakes and dense desserts around this time of year, as my family of four would barely make a dent in them. They're great for a crowd, and this chocolate torte recipe is especially great for a crowd that likes a really deep chocolate flavor. It starts with a ganache, which is highly versatile, and builds from there. But before I get to the torte recipe, I need to discuss a few things.

First, dark chocolate (the kind to use in baking) comes in all different flavors and levels of quality, and what chocolate you use in something with mostly just chocolate in it will make your dessert what it is, or what it should have been. This is not a time to sacrifice quality, it's a time to sacrifice whatever nice meal you were planning on later in the week to purchase the best you can get. My favorite chocolate to bake with is no longer something readily available: the Ghirardelli 10-lb. blocks of dark chocolate that I used to find broken into large chunks in the bulk section of my grocery store no longer exist. They actually aren't even made on a regular basis. I know, because I called Ghirardelli and talked to 20 people trying to find some. If you can get their Queen Anne dark chocolate melting wafers, you are a lucky person, but it's not likely. Sometimes you can still find chunks of their dark chocolate blocks, as I did recently at World Market, around the holidays. Beyond that, I don't have great recommendations. Ghirardelli's bittersweet chocolate chips will probably work pretty well, also. You can find those at most grocery stores, or a huge 3-lb. bag at World Market as well. (Very handy for keeping around the house.) Oh, and I really like the Lindt 70% cocoa bars, available only in 4 oz. bars. I've toured a lot of brands of chocolate, and I have to say it's all about personal taste. Ghirardelli and Lindt have a very smooth flavor that I like. I think Callebaut also has that same quality. Valrhona has a very sharp chocolate flavor, perhaps with a deeper roast to it. Nestle has a new 62% cocoa Chocolatier baking bar out, sold in 8 oz. bars, that I didn't like, as it didn't melt well and the chocolate wasn't outstanding, but it would do in a pinch, unless it's for drinking.

So, to begin, you need to know how to make chocolate ganache. A basic ganache is very simple: take 8 oz. of a chocolate that you like and chop it up. If it's a large chunk, chop it up with a serrated knife, as that works best. Then, separately, bring 8 oz. (1 cup) of heavy cream just barely to a simmer and pour it over the chocolate. Stir the two together until the chocolate is melted and consistently smooth. At this point, you better taste a spoonful, just to know how good it is.

A ganache like this can be used as a sauce for decadent desserts or a base for hot chocolate. My favorite drinking chocolate recipe is as follows: 1 c. milk, 1/3 c. firm ganache (3 parts chocolate to 2 parts cream), and 1 1/2 T. cocoa. Heat the milk until quite hot, whisk in the cocoa until melted, then stir in the ganache until consisted. The ganache can also be used for desserts, one of which is a Chocolate Hazelnut Torte. We should get to that point now.

But, before we do, I have one more point to make. I am a happy baker because I have the perfect cake pans. Some like their regular cake pans, some like their springform pans, but I have the best pans of all. They're my 9"x3" cake pans with removable bottoms. They're more expensive than regular cake pans, but if you get them, you will be as happy as I am every time I use them...I get giddy just thinking about it. If you don't have them, you have no idea how extraordinarily useful they are. I always line the bottom and sides of my pans with parchment paper (yes, I do measure and cut that out), and then when my cake is slightly cooled, I set the whole pan on a drinking glass and it slides right out of the pan, along with the bottom. Then I can easily remove the bottom from the cake by turning it upside down or sliding a knife or spatula along the bottom if necessary (to slide it onto a serving tray). It can be cooled on the removable bottom, even served on it. It can also be cooled completely on it, then reinserted into the main pan and thrown safely into the freezer. I also have the 6"x3" pans, which is the perfect size for half a recipe. They come in 2" tall versions as well, but don't go there. If you make a cheesecake or torte, you'll be a wee bit shy of enough room for a large recipe.

Okay, on to the chocolate torte:

Chocolate Torte

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate
12 oz. heavy cream
5 T. sugar
1 t. vanilla
5 eggs, separated
1 c. whole hazelnuts

First, roast the hazelnuts in a 350° oven for 12-15 minutes, until fragrant and the skins are peeling back. Remove them and cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°.To remove the skins, take a handful and rub it back and forth between your two hands until the nuts are mostly cleaned. Place them in a food processor with 2 T. of sugar and process until finely ground. If you do this too long when they're warm, you'll end up with hazelnut butter, so be careful of that.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°. Prepare your 9"x3" or 10"x2" cake pan or springform pan by spraying the pan with cooking spray, then lining the bottom and sides with parchment paper. (No need to spray the paper.)

Make the ganache: chop the chocolate up, heat the cream, pour the cream over the chocolate, and stir until smooth. Let this cool a bit before continuing.

Mix the vanilla, and egg yolks into the ganache. Separately, whisk the egg whites with the remaining 3 T. sugar to medium peaks, then fold the whites into the ganache in 3 batches. Being careful not to stir too long. Stir in 2/3 cup of ground hazelnuts.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, until the cake is well-set. Remove to a cooling rack and cool 5 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan if you're using a springform or removable bottom pan. Cool completely, then chill. This torte is great prepared 1-2 days in advance at least, as the flavors will have more time tow meld. Serve with whipped cream or raspberry sauce.


At this point, I've mixed in part of the egg whites and I'm adding more to them.






This is what the torte looks like upon removing it from the oven: a little crackly but no longer jiggly.






After several minutes, you'll see a large crack in the middle. Don't be shocked. The cake is very much like a souffle, so this is to be expected and won't detract from the texture at all.



I made two chocolate tortes, along with two cheesecakes, for my guests last week. I had prepared the desserts early in the week and frozen them, then set them on my chest freezer to thaw, thinking the easiest way to slice them would be when they're partially frozen. Unfortunately, I left the garage door open, and a stray dog made his way into my garage, pulled one of these well-wrapped tortes off the top of the freezer, dragged it into the front yard, and only stopped licking his plate when I came outside to find this. In case you can't tell from the picture, there's nothing left. The dog didn't belong to any of my neighbors and had a collar on but no tags, so I couldn't contact his owner to let them know of the impending sickness that would overcome a dog that eats 12 oz. of dark chocolate. Eventually, the poor thing wandered off, leaving me crestfallen over my dessert, and wondering what the dog's fate will be.