The Baking Barrister

Pear, Goat Cheese & Leek Pizza with Prosciutto

2012-01-23T21:11:00.000-08:00

I have to be honest with you -- I don't like pears. When they're ripe, they're mealy. When they're unripe, they have no flavor. And don't even get me started on pear-flavored candy -- it's worse than banana. And that nasty grape-flavored medicine, too.

You're probably wondering why I bought a pear, right? I didn't! Well, not intentionally. I'm trying the whole Community Supported Agriculture thing, and a pear was delivered right to my door -- without my permission, too.

Okay, fine. I remembered to put fennel, winter squash and lettuce* on my unacceptable items list -- but I forgot to add pears. So they gave me a damn pear.

I suppose I can't really complain about this pear. Sliced thin and roasted, it wasn't too bad. With the addition of softened leek, goat cheese and prosciutto, the pear was beyond palatable. In fact, it was damn good.

Color me surprised -- but don't mistake me for a pear convert. I remain unimpressed with the few precooked pieces I consumed.

With that having been said, go ahead and make this pizza for your pear-hating friends and family. Just be sure to cook the pears all the way through. And add lots of goat cheese and prosciutto -- they make everything better.

*Look, I like lettuce. But I'd rather get greens I can use for salad and cook into other dishes. Like spinach or kale. Mmm...kale.

Pear, Goat Cheese & Leek Pizza

with Prosciutto

dough for a 12" pizza*

1 medium leek, light parts only

1 ripe pear sliced thinly

4 oz. goat cheese

4 slices prosciutto

olive oil

sea salt

*Trader Joes pizza dough is a great

option for the lazy amongst you.

Preheat oven to 450F, along with pizza stone if available. Stretch your dough into a 12" crust.

Heat olive oil and add chopped leek. Cook until nice and browned, and then spread across crust. Don't pat off oil.

Use a pastry brush to spread excess olive oil over crust. Use additional if necessary, and then sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt.

Sprinkle pizza with half of the goat cheese and then layer with thin slices of pear. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, and then with pieces of prosciutto.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until browned and melted. Devour.

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Panko Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt

2011-12-27T18:48:00.000-08:00

It’s Hanukkah, but this is not fried food. Nor is this a Hanukkah post, so let’s just move on.

Truffles should not be made while your house is at a cool 52 degrees. No, truffles should be made in a temperature-controlled room set to some yet-to-be-determined number. When I figure it out, I’ll let you know.

You see, my house is really cold. Like, so cold that in the winter my roommates and I hide in our rooms, all of which are adorned with space heaters. If we’re really bored, we may bundle up and watch Gossip Girl for an hour in the living room. Then we scamper back to bed.

This was not a problem when I lived with my parents. I’ve had to learn to adjust.

These truffles forced me to adjust.

Honestly, I should have just left the ganache on the counter overnight. When I took it out of the fridge, it was fine. When I left it on the counter for 20 minutes, it was not. I couldn’t roll it, so I had to use a knife to cut it into squares. Those squares were then placed in a glass dish.

That glass dish went on a heating pad. Yeah, I used to a heating pad to warm my ganache.

I then tried to roll the ganache, but it resisted. I persisted. It resisted even more. You have no idea how thankful I was to have bought plastic gloves for this task. My gloves were covered in wasted chocolate.

Apparently, body heat melts chocolate – but just the topmost layer. Sigh.

I eventually got my truffles rolled, which allowed me to proceed to the final task -- dipping. My melted chocolate didn't want to stay melted. No, it wanted to become a fudgy mess. It was tasty, sure, but there are only so many times you can put the same chocolate in the microwave.

The house was so lucky I didn’t burn that chocolate. So lucky. I don’t know what I would have done, but it wouldn’t have been pretty. I would have had to hire someone to clean it up.

Needless to say, my panko chocolate truffles were a big fat pain in the ass. They’re delicious, but damn. If you plan to make them – which you should – make sure your house is heated to above 52F.

Panko Chocolate Truffles

with Sea Salt

Makes ~45 Truffles

Ganache

16 oz. 60%-70% chocolate
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 stick butter

3/4 cup Panko

Coating

6 oz. chocolate

2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening

sea salt

Ingredient Notes: (1) High quality chocolate is key, but go ahead and use a mixture. I used half 60% and half 70% -- Trader Joe's Pound Plus Bars are a good option. (2) If you can temper chocolate, go ahead and do so when it's time to coat the truffles. Shortening is for those of us who lack the skills. (3) Kosher salt works, too. (4) Gluten-free people should try rice cereal instead of Panko.

To Make Ganache Centers:

Heat cream in sauce pan until simmering. Add butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth.

Let stand for 15 minutes and then fold in Panko. Then place in a lined dish and refrigerate for 2 hours or until the ganache has set into a moldable paste.

Use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop up ganache and roll into 45 .5 oz. balls. If you have plastic gloves, use them! Then set in fridge while you make coating.

To Coat Truffles:

In the microwave, slowly melt chocolate and vegetable shortening. The mixture should be easy to drizzle. If too thick, add a little more shortening. If too thin, add more chocolate. You may need to readjust as you dip.

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment, then dip the bottom of each ball in the coating. Set the balls coating-down on the parchment so that they form feet. Cool for 10 minutes or until set.

Remove truffles and place a wire rack over the parchment paper. Place truffles on the rack feet-down. Then using a ladle, spoon a thin layer of coating over each truffle, ensuring that all sides are covered. When hardened, drizzle with remaining chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.

This video provides a visual explanation.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

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Cranberry Curd Bars with a Chocolate Pecan Crust

2011-12-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

These are the product of a bet. No, not the kind of bet that brought you Spam Cupcakes. That was pure folly, and only netted me a silly post from Ben. This bet was pure ego. And a little bit of boredom, too.

I jokingly challenged a co-worker to a posting duel.* She agreed, and we settled on a bounty of baked goods. I lost by a measly 1 minute and 45 seconds. I rose my fist in anger and grumbled. I conceded my loss.

And then I went back to my on-site writing lair and thought. And complained to my office mate. But mostly I thought.**

Those thoughts almost immediately turned to my stash of frozen cranberries. I had bought a Costco-sized bag and couldn't bear a repeat of the Great Broccoli Soup Disaster of 2010. But after making Cranberry Orange Muffins, I had only eaten a handful, and only in one of two ways:

Diced up and added to chocolate chip pancakes; or
Microwaved and mashed into a rustic compote that is then smothered between two frozen waffles along with a few chocolate chips.

I like frozen waffles. Leave me alone.

Or better yet, focus on the trend. Chocolate and cranberries are a delicious combination.

That co-worker would agree, but she's a little shifty,*** so you should probably try for yourself.

Yeah, I'm clearly still grumbling about the bet.

*For the uninitiated, I swapped my unemployment card for an underemployment card in January. I write content for a number of legal blogs and they oddly require me to be in the office.
**Mostly I grumbled.
**Okay fine, I'm lying. She's pretty cool and her shiftiness level is about that of the average attorney.

Cranberry Curd Bars with a Chocolate Pecan Crust

Adapted from The Kitchn

Crust

3/4 cups chopped pecans
1 cup all-purpose flour 

2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened & cut into chunks

Cranberry Curd 

3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries 

1/2 cup water 

1 cup granulated sugar 

4 eggs 

4 egg yolks 

2 tablespoons lemon juice  

1/4 teaspoon salt 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks

1. For crust, coarsely grind nuts in food processor. Then add flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt. Pulse until finely ground, about 15 seconds. Sprinkle with butter and pulse until it resembles wet sand, about 25 seconds. The mixture will stick together if squeezed in your palm.

2. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper such that the sides hang out. This will help you lift the bars once cooled. Press the crust mixture into the baking pan as evenly as possible. (Tip: an offset spatula or a flipping spatula without holes is useful for spreading and pressing.)

3. Freeze crust for 1 hour and then bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, until edges are brown. (Tip: it's visually difficult to determine when chocolate dough has browned. Lightly touch the edges of the crust. If firm, it's done.)

While crust is chilling and/or baking, make your curd. To do so:

4. Heat cranberries and 1/2 cup water in saucepan, stirring frequently. When they have all popped and turned mushy, remove from heat. Strain into a clean bowl in order to remove skins. You should have about 1 cup of cranberry puree.

5. Mix the cranberry puree, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice and salt in a clean saucepan. Whisk well to combine. Heat on medium until the curd reaches about 150F degrees, remembering to stir frequently. Strain to remove any cooked eggs.

6. Evenly pour the cranberry curd onto the crust. (Tip: return to your spatula or lightly shake the dish from side to side).

7. Bake at 350F for another 10-15 minutes until edges have set. Curd should still lightly jiggle in the center.

8. Let cool before refrigerating, and refrigerate before cutting. Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar just before serving.

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Carrot Cake > Pumpkin Pie

2011-11-26T18:40:00.000-08:00

Instead of baking this carrot cake for my birthday two weeks ago, I went out and bought a big ol' slice of the stuff. My roommates and I simply didn't need an entire cake to ourselves. But you see, the purchased cake was dry. And there wasn't enough frosting to compensate.

When cream cheese frosting can't save the day, you know something is wrong. And sad. That cake was wrong and sad.*

So I took over Thanksgiving and made myself a belated birthday cake. My brother was a little disappointed that there was no pumpkin pie, and I'm pretty sure that some sort of fruit cobbler will soon make an appearance on my father's behalf.

But you know what? The two of them enjoyed my carrot cake. They enjoyed the copious amounts of frosting and the moist crumb. The small piece left in the fridge proves that. And you know why they enjoyed it?

Because it's not your ordinary carrot cake.

No, it contains a full two cups of crushed pineapple. Including the liquid. The pineapple makes the cake incredibly moist and slightly sweet. It provides little pockets of texture. It beats raisins and dates by leaps and bounds. It makes apple sauce look like a sissy.**

Yeah, I'm on the pineapple side of the Great Carrot Cake Debate. All you need is a can of crushed pineapple, chopped walnuts, and fresh spices. And good frosting, of course.

Oh, and a sous chef who wears a lobster hat while he preps a freshly caught lobster for you. That was part of Friday night's dinner, which saw us eating an easy lobster and shrimp scampi instead of leftover turkey. Leftover carrot cake, of course, was consumed.

*Stay away from cake at The Cheesecake Factory. I know I should have known better, but it's always looked so good. And cheesecake, while delicious, has too much dairy for my poor stomach.
**I like apple sauce, I just don't believe it belongs in 99% of the baked goods you see it in.

You can sort of see the extra frosting on the right.

And because I believe in full disclosure (and making fun of my kitchen mishaps), I'm letting you know that part of this cake had to be frosted back together. A very slippery non-stick pan should never be placed atop a non-stick cooling rack. Even the tiniest of nudges can lead to a catastrophe.

But I persevered, and picked myself and my second cake layer up off the floor. I did a little reconstruction. I tried to pull out as many dog hairs* as possible. And I got a pretty even looking structure. I am proud.

*Persons who own cats and/or dogs understand that a meal isn't a meal without a little animal hair. We try our hardest, but even when the food doesn't touch the floor, it has a tendency to attract a stray hair or two.

Carrot Cake

2 cups grated carrots

2 cups undrained crushed pineapple

4 eggs

1 1/4 cup oil
2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting
(If making a layer cake,
make at least half a recipe extra)

1 stick butter, room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 lb. powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Decoration

sweetened shredded coconut

chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. First mix carrots, pineapple, eggs and oil. Add in sugar. Then add in the rest of the dry ingredients, including the walnuts.

Option 1: Bake in greased 13inx9in pan for 50 minutes to an hour.

Option 2: Bake in two greased 8 inch cake rounds for approximately 40 minutes.

Frost once cooled. One Tough Cookie has a great tutorial on frosting a layer cake. For the side decor, you're just pressing the nuts and coconut into the cake a little bit at a time.

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Foodbuzz Fest 2011: I Ate Too Much in San Francisco

2011-11-09T20:59:00.001-08:00

Delicious. Taken by Kimmie.

As you may be able to tell, I like to play with my food. And I played with my food a lot this past weekend while amongst my blogging peers. I also drank an inordinate amount of wine, which may or may not have contributed to the above photo.

Whatever, I have no shame.

This was my second year at Foodbuzz Fest, and it was an enjoyable experience. Though I missed some of last year's posse, it was nice to see old friends and meet new ones. I even let some of them hug me! But it turns out that my reputation precedes me. Some people (who I don't know) think I'm a big ol' Twitter meanie.

To that I say the following:

Sarcasm, people. It's called sarcasm. Except for the hug thing. I totally bite.

Anyway, you're here for the food. Let's go!

Scallops are one of my favorite foods, and this was a delicious one. The parsnip puree was equally as good. But the pomegranate shooter resisted consumption. Turns out I was supposed to use a tiny crack spoon instead of my tongue. Jessie also had this problem.

I compromised. I refused to try the Sabra dessert, as chocolate hummus just didn't seem appealing. Instead, I tried the beet ravioli. I followed it up with mac n' cheese and four kinds of macarons.

Please keep in mind that I don't even like macarons. But the gingerbread and red licorice flavors were amazing. Yigit Pura knows what he's doing.

Saturday morning, I learned an insane amount of useful information about point and shoot photography from Greg. Then I tried to put it to use at the Tasting Pavilion. My first target was TCHO drinking chocolate.

Insane.

It's no secret that I love cheese. This particular cheese is roasted chili chevre by Redwood Hill Farm. I think I died and went to heaven. The candy cap mushroom cookie was also quite delicious.

One wouldn't guess it, but non-alcoholic wine soda is quite delicious. Definitely something to consider at dinner parties for those non-drinking guests. You should also feed them sprinkles. Who doesn't like sprinkles?

Watermelon beer is where it's at, yo. Plus, it's local. Well, if you live in the Bay Area. And don't even get me started on Sonoma Syrup Co.'s blackberry cheese drizzler. I would have licked the plate if it weren't so impolite.

A few of my lovely dinner companions. We have Ben, who always has a wonderful expression on his face. Then there's Marc, who is demonstrating just what bloggers do while at dinner. Angi and Jean are hiding behind my wine glass while drinking from their own.

Saturday's dinner was a really odd mix of appetizers. Samosas. Sushi. Yummy risotto mushroom things. Champagne. And french fries. Tyler Florence was apparently present, but I had to stop listening for fear that I would react violently to his verbal ticks.

Right?

I like shrimp. I'm not a fan of under- or overcooked beef. Therefore I ate shrimp. Really, I just wanted to eat the celery root puree and the blue cheese from the salad.

Also, take a close look at Angi's reaction to the above-mentioned french fries. If you notice, Ben has a similar expression a few photos up. Undercooked frozen french fries are a bit on the unappetizing side.

I wanted to take the goat cheesecake bites home with me. The only problem was that the bread pudding got in the way. And stuck to my spoon.

Okay, maybe I encouraged it to stick to my spoon. But bread pudding shouldn't be served cold and it was just begging to be played with. It tasted good, though.

So, that's about it. I sort of forgot my camera in the hotel room Sunday morning, which was probably a good thing. You would have only gotten photos of crispy bacon. And more cheese--it's an addiction.