Baguettes

My first baguette attempt. I've done this several times since. They are delicious, but each time they get closer to the sort of baguette Cormac and I consumed a zillion of during our time in Paris. It just takes patience and more important, time, which I have little of!



This is the rough recipe. I'll admit, I have a bad habit of writing down my recipes in short hand.

First make the "sponge". This is the nice bit that makes all those air pockets in the middle of the bread. You simply fold this into the rest of the dough later.

Sponge:
280g flour (roughly 2 1/5 cups)
280g water
5g yeast

mix, let rise for 2 hours. After 1 hour, reach in and mix it up a bit. Don't start the dough until the sponge has been able to rise.

Dough:
720g flour (roughly 5 1/2 cups)
370g water (1 1/2 cup water)
5g yeast
20g salt (1 tbsp)

If you have a mixer, yay! You want to mix up the dough, add in the sponge (after the sponge has been allowed to rise). 1st speed in your mixer for 3 minutes, then 7 minutes on the 2nd speed. You can just knead it by hand, but that will suck.

Let rise 45 minutes in a warm place. It's always chilly here, so I warm my over a bit and stick it in there.

Split into two loaves, slice a few diagonal slices with a knife-- let rise another 30 minutes in a warm place.

Bake 225C for 25 minutes. CONSUME WITH RIDICULOUS AMOUNTS OF BUTTER/HONEY/JAM.

Mexican Cottage Pie

I have to explain that a lot of these pictures were snapped quickly before I knew I was really going to start this blog, so I didn't do a whole lot presentation-wise. I promise I will try my best to improve the picture quality!
On to the Mexican Cottage Pie. It is a layer of 1/3 any cornbread recipe, ground beef mixture, topped with a mash of white and sweet potato:



I have the bad habit of making things on a whim, with what is in the cupboard.

I can guess what was in this. Let me introduce you to a staple in my kitchen. It's such a staple, that I bring back several boxes of this every trip I make to the states. Blame my Puerto Rican best friend who introduced me to this in college.



Cook up your lbs of ground beef, with one packet of this (or some other stock cube seasoning-- don't mind that its chicken).

Few pinches of (to taste, just keep sampling it until it tastes good to you)
white pepper
chili powder
cumin
basil
half tube of tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic, I put them throw a garlic press, you can finely chop
shake of Worcester sauce (another staple)
1 red pepper
mix in a rough cup of shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2-1 cup peas.

I actually cooked a 1/3 recipe of cornbread in the bottom of this pan before I added the hamburger meat. Any all recipe will do. You can skip this step, but it makes the pie oh-so-nice. You can make half of a jiffy cornbread mix if you'd like.

Spread the ground beef into a 9x9 or other pan (or on top of your cornbread). Press it down nice and tight.

The top is a mash of both white and sweet potatoes (2 white, on 1 sweet). Steam and mash, spread across the top. Sprinkle some cheddar on top.

Bake 20-30 minutes at 350F

Spoon out and consume, comfort food!

Pecan and Brandied Fig Pie

Bites:


Just absolutely delicious. Holiday pie? Done. Make this pie!

Pie Filling
3/4 cup finely chopped dried figs (about 5 ounces)
2 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons water
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 large eggs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan halves, toasted
Pie crust


Cream
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon brandy

Preparation
For filling:
Stir figs, brandy, and water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes; cool. Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, and next 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in pecans, then fig mixture.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish. Fold edge of dough over, forming double edge, and crimp decoratively, pressing to top edge of dish. Pierce all over with fork. Freeze crust 15 minutes.

Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until sides are set, about 12 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake until crust is pale golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Spoon filling into warm crust. Bake until filling is puffed at edges and set in center, about 40 minutes. Let stand until cool, at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

For cream:
Beat cream, sugar, and brandy in medium bowl. Whisk until peaks form. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; chill.) Serve pie with cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I came across this recipe when I messed up another recipe. After some other personal tweaking, its my go-to cookie recipe. Not only are they delicious, with a subtle crunch on the outside and perfect chewiness in the center, but they look darn pretty.




Chocolate Chip Cookies
3½ cups flour (add up to an extra cup towards the end, more flour, the thicker they will be without compromising taste).
3 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

225g (1 cup) melted butter
1½ cups caster sugar
1½ cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F.
Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
Preparation
In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Set apart.
In a large bowl or mixer, mix the butter and sugars, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and mix well.

Slowly add in the flour mixture.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Form balls (¼ cup approx.) of dough and press them slightly between you hands. Place on the lined baking sheet (I put 6-9 cookies on one baking sheet). I use a large cookie scoop.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly colored.
Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. I found they were best after completely cooling, but who can wait that long!

Chocolate Stout Cake

The sinfulness that is Nigella's chocolate cake recipe. I've yet to find a chocolate cake to come close to this recipe in richness. It's so moist! I'm not usually too much of a cake gal, but this cake makes a believer out of me. I would normally do a cream cheese icing with this cake (to resemble a pint of Guinness), however, I'm practicing smoothing my icing so I did a chocolate buttercream.

Chocolate Stout Cake:
butter for pan
1 c. Guinness
6 tbs. unsalted butter
3/4 cup good quality cocoa (cheap cocoa, cheap cocoa taste)
2 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
2 c. all-purpose flour
2.5 tsp. baking soda


Heat oven to 350. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.

Preparation
In a large saucepan over medium-low, combine Guinness, butter, and cocoa. Stir and cook very gently until butter and chocolate melt and the mixture is fairly smooth; remove from heat. Whisk in the sugar.

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk this mixture into the Guinness mixture. Add the flour and baking soda and mix again until smooth.

Pour the batter into buttered pan and bake 45 min to an hour, until risen and firm. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.


Thank Nigella! Adapted from Feast.

Blackberry Jam

Apple Turnovers

Chicken Pot Pie

My Kitchen, Old Red

I should introduce you to my babies.

First, is Red. Red is a 5 qt. Artisan KitchenAid Mixer. I got Red off Amazon for $165. How did I catch this incredible deal? I have no idea. She was worth checking as baggage to bring back from my parents (did I mention free shipping?) to Ireland.


This is my other baby, Jane. Jane is nearly 18 months now. Is she anything but gorgeous?