TWD: Apple-Apple Bread Pudding

It's hard to get back to the things you love sometimes. So much can get in the way. There's work, of course, but also family obligations, new puppies, friends, becoming a Mac, laundry, the epic end to "Lost." But eventually, with careful planning, and re-arranging of puppy space in the kitchen, you get back to baking. And that is a good thing.

Of course the getting back can be poorly planned. As I type this the bread pudding is in the oven, with another hour to go. But I have high hopes for it's taste based on fellow TWDer's reviews, and the fact that all of Dorie's apple recipes have been stellar.

I made an 8 x 8 pan rather than the 9 x 13, and tried to reduce the recipe by 1/4 (I guess that means I made 3/4 of the recipe??). My math is never very good, so it will be interesting to see how this all turns out. I had hoped to get some apple butter from Trader Joe's, but was left with a monstrously large container from Vons. Good thing I like it when I tried it on the end of some left over challah. I will be adding it to my toast in the future (and for a long time after!).

A few apple slices hit the floor on their way to the pan, so it was a great opportunity to see if Bailey (the new pooch) liked apples. Apparently he didn't know himself until after he played with the slices a few times. He came back for more, which seemed like a good sign.


This is a little rambling since I have no actual dessert yet. But a big shout out and thanks for the pick to Elizabeth at Cake or Death. I have another year before I get to pick a recipe (assuming I post a wee bit more than I do now) so I can understand the angst that goes into making the choice. But based on the reviews and the fabulous smell coming from my oven, this one is a real winner.

TWD: Coconut Tea Cakes

Picture this - it's just after 11:30pm. I've taken the new pup for the last walk of the night as the last of my Coconut Tea Cake cupcakes are baking in the oven. After getting him settled I pull the cupcakes out of the oven, having already put the first batch in a container to take to work. I settle into bed, warm and snugly, happy in the knowledge that I have finally reclaimed my kitchen after 2 weeks of exile. This "being a new mom thing" is really hard, even if it is only being a canine mom.

Then, just as I am about to drift off to sleep, happy in knowing I have baked and baked well, I look at the clock and realize I forgot one last step - I didn't post! Since it was after midnight, I figured a few hours either way wasn't going to matter.

So that is how I am here posting on Wednesday morning about this delicious recipe picked by Carmen of Carmen Cooks.




Since I don't have a bundt pan I went the cupcake route. I used sweetened coconut as I am a huge lover of coconut. The cupcakes took about 20 minutes and turned out moist and and so good (I've already had two!). They have just enough coconut flavor without being over powering and I love the texture the shredded coconut gives. These will definitely find their way into a rotation.

Since I made cupcakes I was tempted to find a way to top them, but I think they will show up to work "naked." They are tasty all on their own. And for my co-workers who may reject them because they need a topping, then I say "more for me!"

Why there is no TWD from me this week

And it's a good one......I'm a mom again! Complete with lots of walks (us), a little separation anxiety (us again), a few "accidents" (that would be him) and a whole lot of sleep deprivation (me! He's snoring right now! UGH).



That said, I think I struck gold with this little rescue poodle/terrier/who-knows-what mix. I've been 2 years without a furry companion after Jake the Wonderdog went to doggie heaven. It was finally time to bring in a new recruit. And this little one year old, named Bailey, is a well mannered, smart, fun little guy. We're getting to know each other, and so far I think we like what we see in the other.

I'll be back to baking next week. See you then!

TWD: Thumbprints for us Big Guys

Well, I can say I'm not a guy - no comment on the size part. And instead of a thumb this recipe calls for a pinky. I went the wooden spoon route, but I am getting a little ahead of myself.

I made half of the recipe, and used almond meal rather than ground hazelnuts. Since Trader Joe's carries the almond meal it just sounded easier and cheaper. Also I am not a huge fan of raspberry, so I used what I had on hand - apricot preserves and lemon curd (oh how I love lemon curd!). Otherwise I followed the rest of the recipe. I won't tell you how old the almond extract I used was. Let's just say I haven't used much of it until now, but it has been packed up and moved with the rest of the kitchen things more than once.

Sadly I felt very rusty making these, even though I have baked since January. When I mixed everything together it just didn't come out right. Rather than dough I had sand and definitely not the correct consistency. My solution - my hands. I squished everything together until it was dough like, and would maintain the shape of a ball.



These also seemed pretty small. Somehow the picture in the book makes both the cookie and the "thumbprint" look much bigger. And they didn't come out of the oven looking very pretty (probably due to the weird consistency of the dough). They look more "ragtag" than anything else.


It's at this point in the process I think that my co-workers will not be munching on cookies tomorrow.

After cooling I filled them and gave them a try. A little dry - again, probably more to do with me than with the recipe - but very tasty. I really like the nutty flavor with the sweet apricot. The lemon curd sure does give it some tang! Still won't be bringing these to work for the co-workers (I have a reputation to maintain), but they will be very nice with a cup of tea in the morning.

PS - it sure is good to be back!

Almost Back!

Hey there!

Long time no blog. So long, in fact, that when asked for my password I really had to think about it. I'm horrified it's been since January since I've posted here. Yikes!

My excuses are the usual - work, family, etc. I work for a company that is very busy around Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. This year I was able to travel for the company, which I love to do. I have to work really hard, but I also get out of the office and meet new people and see new places. This time I went to Maine. Since I have friends in New England I was very happy about the location (plus the incredibly mild winter they are having this year!). Last time was Albuquerque (which I can now spell). Most "interesting" place was Waco, Texas. "Interesting" indeed!

Other than those reasons I feel compelled to share one more. I suffer from a "perfectionism" problem. It isn't just here, it's really all through my life. I don't want to do something unless it is nothing short of spectacular. So often times I don't post because I'm just not feeling spectacular. Anyone else have that problem? I know it's ridiculous, so I'm going to try to make a concerted effort to post more often, even if it's only "good enough." Get on me if I don't. A little peer pressure and/or friendly support is good for these personal life changes one wants to make.

Anyway, I'm just typing this up while I wait for my butter to get to "room temperature" so I can make this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. Plus I wanted to lessen the shock of my return. Oh, and bribe you a bit. Many of you asked about my cool Recipe Divider months back. It divides and multiplies measurements by two and three - very handy when not wanting to make 60 cookies, for instance. I was at the local cooking store recently and picked up an extra as a give away. So leave a comment on my blog (any post, not just this one) during the month of March and I'll pick a name at random and send it to you.

I look forward to seeing what you've been up to the last few months. Now - off to bake some cookies!

TWD: Tarte Tatin

First let me say "Happy Birthday 'Tuesdays with Dorie'!" At this time of year, especially when flipping over to a year with a "0" one can't help but look back and reflect on what has come before. Two years ago I never would have imagined I'd be blogging about cooking or baking. Or would I have imagined that one cook book can hold so many wonderful treasures. Or the confidence I would gain in the kitchen by making the variety of recipes we've made out of said book. But most of all, I wouldn't have imagined meeting such a fun and fine group of people as yourselves. I'm somewhat sporadic in visiting your blogs, and even more sporadic when it comes to leaving comments - so you may have a hard time believing how much I've come to adore you. Thanks so much for the cyber friendship. It means a lot to me.

Last, but not least, a special thanks to LW who got the whole TWD thing rolling. Your hard work is appreciated and you should be very proud of this amazing thing you created. Congrats!

Now -- on with the post!

I can't tell you how much I've looked forward to this recipe. On my whirlwind 48 hour trip to Paris I took in 2003 I had this dessert for the very first time. How little I knew about food is horrifying in retrospect. But I did "get" that "caramelized apple tart" sounded like a very good thing. And it was. Heaven on earth. It sealed the deal for my love of Paris (that and the multitude of chocolate croissants I consumed!).



I've pondered getting a cast iron pan many times just for this recipe, but since Dorie gave a great option of using a skillet I gave that a try. I was very nervous about the whole project. Worried the pan wasn't right, worried the Braeburn apples weren't the best choice, worried the caramel would burn, worried I wouldn't survive the flip. And truth be told the pan was probably a little big and the sides a little too slanty. The apples were a little soft when I cut them and probably weren't the right choice. Although I let the apples cook over the stove for much longer than the 15 minutes Dorie recommended, I didn't have the heat on high enough to get the proper color on the caramel. The one true success was the pan flipping. I just took Dorie at her word - I flipped it "confidently" and it worked. Had I listened to her on all the other things, I probably would have better results.


All of that said, even though I have very "tender" apples that have very little color, the results are delicious. And due to my experience this past year plus of baking with this group, I know I have another puff pastry in the freezer. A few more apples (I'll try Gala this time), a trip with my coupon to my favorite cooking store to get that cast iron skillet, and I'll be good to go trying this out once again. I can't wait to do so. Just like I can't wait to see what this year brings baking with all of you.

Happy 2010!

TWD: My Favorite Pecan Pie

Hellllllooooooooooooooooo! Remember me! I'm stunned I haven't written since November. I guess I've been busy! Will have more details on that later - but for now, pie!

I love pecan pie. It is my favorite right behind Apple Pie. Up to this point I was intimidated by making it, so I really didn't want to miss out on this recipe, and was super happy to have a little extra time to write up this post. So thanks to LW for the leeway on the date of posting, and super special thanks to Beth from Someone's in the Kitchen with Brina (and her husband!) for picking this recipe.

Despite my love of pecan pie I agree with Dorie that most versions are just too sweet and make it hard to eat even a small slice. This recipe tones down that sweetness nicely. I used instant coffee instead of espresso and cut the amount in half. Glad I did, as I think it would have been too much. The chocolate seemed a bit much too, but that might be more about how large I chopped the pieces (I think I took "course chop" a little too literally).



This is a great recipe, but I'll be happy to get the rest of it to work tomorrow. Much too dangerous to have alone in the house with only me to eat it! I'm sure I'll have plenty of volunteers and it will be gone before noon.


Here's hoping you've all had a good rest over the holiday weekend, and that all is well in your worlds. I've missed being here, and will resolve (as it's a resolution time of year) to be here more regularly as we proceed into the new year (and decade).

See you soon!