Second Anniversary/Flag Pie

This fourth of July marks the second anniversary of my blog.  Woohoo!
I never thought I would still be doing it after two years!

For my first blog, fourth of July 2012, I did three separate pies: a red pie (rhubarb), a white pie (ricotta), and a blue pie (blueberry).
For fourth of July 2013 I did a cake that when cut resembled the flag.

This year I combined the two previous themes into a red white and blue Flag Pie!

The first step was to make the crust.  I was out of Crisco sticks and I have a little baby so I opted to make the crust in the food processor.

Quickie Crust:
3 sticks of unsalted butter
4 1/2 cups of flour
pinch and a half of salt
3/4 cups cold water

Just process the butter salt and flour until crumby.  Then while running slowly add water until a ball forms. Refrigerate 2 hours.

I used a blueberries for the blue filling (duh) and strawberry/rhubarb for the red filling.

Blue filling:
1 pint of blueberries
1 cup sugar
3 tbs flour

Red filling:
3 pounds chopped rhubarb
1 pint chopped strawberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour

Now to assemble the pie.
Roll out enough crust to cover the bottom of a jelly roll pan.  Press into parchment lined pan and trim excess.

Add the blueberries in the upper left hand region where the stars would be.  Add the red filling under the entire area of stripes.

Roll out the remaining crust and cut out the stars and white stripes. 
I only did 12 stars but I looked up the flag on the internet to make sure I had the right arrangement and quantity of white strips.

 



Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Then lower temperature to 350 and bake for another 30 min.

Happy forth of July!!

Goo Baby Cheesecakes

It seems that I was destined to make mini cheesecakes.

The first clue came when a woman I met at a recent baby shower was telling me that she simply could not find good mini cheesecakes.  (She was really upset about it!)

The second clue came a few weeks later when a large box arrived from Rob's aunt. Most of the box contained things for my baby, but she also included 6 mini cheesecake pans!

The final clue came when I was trying to think of something to make for the last day of my mommies group. What could be better for mommies with new babies then baby cheesecakes?


As a side note: I named this post "Goo Baby Cheesecakes" because that is what I call my little baby goo.  (It is a baby talk adaptation of "baby girl."  Plus with all that drool she certainly is a gooey baby!)

The recipe is as follows:  (Remember with cheesecakes the batter is the easy part.  What really matters is the baking and cooling technique.)

CRUST:
1 cup gram cracker crumbs
1 stick butter (unsalted)
Melt butter and mix with graham cracker crumbs.  
Press into six 5" spring form pans.

BATTER:
three 8 oz packages of cream cheese (room temp)
1 cup sugar
6 eggs (separated)
1 tsp vanilla
1 pint sour cream
1/3 cup flour
Preheat over to 350.  Place jelly roll pan filled 1/2 way up with water in oven with no rack above. 
Whip up the cream cheese with the sugar.  
Add egg yolks and then vanilla. 
Whip egg whites till foamy and add to mixture.  
Fold in flour and then sour cream.  
Pour batter evenly amongst the six pans.  
Wrap outside of each pan with foil (too keep the water out) and carefully drop each onto the jelly roll pan in the oven.  
Bake for 40 minutes and turn oven off.  Leave too cool in oven for 4 hours or overnight. 
Refrigerate cakes for 4 hours or overnight before removing from pan.  
Place in pretty packaging your wonderful husband ran around town buying for you.

I did it twice . . . 12 cheesecakes ready to go!!

Valentine's Day

I usually like to make something extra complicated and chocolate for Valentine's Day.

What I opted for this year was a recipe from my "Lost Desserts" cookbook.
This recipe was the signature desert at the Windows On the World restaurant.
I never had the chance to go there but I imagine it had the potential to be very romantic,  with the skyline views and late 60s Mad Men style.

This cake seemed to fit the criteria as it was made of layers of orange LIQUEUR soaked chocolate genoise cake alternating with crisp chocolate pastry layers.   
These layers of textural opposites are tied together by layers of rich dark chocolate ganache.

I was ready for this cake too be an epic battle,  But it was relatively easy.

The day before I made the chocolate pastry.  
This essentially amounted to a sweet pie crust.  
And the recipe even called for the use of the food processor making it even easier!

Chocolate Pastry Layers:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
3 sticks unsalted butter (cut in cubes)

Pulse together all of the dry ingredients in the food processor
Add in butter pieces and pulse till loose and crumbly.
Pour in cold water and pulse till dough forms a ball.
Refrigerate for 2 hrs or overnight.
Roll out into desired shape and size of final cake.  (The recipe called for a 9" round but I made 2 small 4"x8" rectangular cakes.)  Don't worry you can trim them a bit after they bake.
Prick all over with fork.
Bake between layers of parchment and baking sheets for 30 minutes at 325.

Of course I realized I didn't have any cocoa powder after I already started so I substituted in melted semi sweet pieces instead.  Turned out fine, although didn't distribute through the dough as well.  You can see the marbling in the picture above :-(

Next I made the Cake.

Chocolate Genoise Cake:
1/3 cup cake flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 large eggs plus 3 yolks
3/4 cups sugar
pinch of salt

Sift together all dry ingredients.
Beat eggs and yolks in electric mixer.
Heat egg mixture in double boiler till warm. 
Return to mixer and beat again on high for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Slowly fold dry into wet.

I used a 9x13 baking pan with parchment, which suited my rectangular cakes.  The recipe again called for a 9" round baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Let cool and cut into desired shapes. 

Orange Liqueur Soaking syrup:
Simmer 2/3 cups sugar with 1/3 cup triple sec (or Grand Marnier if you are fancy and rich)until sugar is dissolved.

Chocolate Ganache:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
6 tbs butter
1 1/4 pounds semi sweet chocolate

Heat cream and butter.
Pour over chocolate.
Cool until spreading consistency.  About 2 hours.

Assemble the cake:
Spread a fine layer of gancahe on plate.
Lay down one pastry layer and then another layer of ganache. (Before you start take note of how many layer of each you have.  It is far better to end on a pastry layer then a cake.)
Add a cake layer and pour some of the soaking liquid over it until nice and moist.

 

Continue until all of the layers are utilized.
Cover the entire cake with remaining ganche.
If you have trimmings from the pastry layers crumble them up and add them to the sides of the cake, or decorate as desired.

I was afraid this cake was going to be impossible to cut, due to the hard pastry layers, but with a serrated knife and a little sawing motion it was just fine.

I enjoyed this cake . . . I don't think Robby was thrilled though. 

Hope you had a romantic day!