Category: Holidays

We Bake Bon Appetit … Day 1: Orange-Almond Lace Cookies

Last year a group of intrepid bakers, including myself decided to bake 12 Days of Cookies for the Holidays. Our inspiration was a great spread on Gourmet.com chronicling decades worth of cookies .With the demise of Gourmet ( may she rest in peace) we turned to another Conde Nast publication. I must admit Bon Appetit has never really captured my interest, but their holiday slide show provided just the ticket our growing group needed.
I must be insane to do this again. Last year the cookies built up and overtook my house. I ended up giving them away at a few friends Holiday parties. Certain Someone , at first indulgent, was not amused after a while. He will be away while I bake this year. I knocked out three recipes with him here and he liked one in particular, which is rare as he does not like sweets so much.
The first cookie Im posting is similar to another one I will post a little later. I worried about this, but the taste are way different and each cookie stands apart. What I love about these challenges is I am introduced to new recipe , I might not otherwise bake. So indulge me over these next 12 days. I will be posting a lot this December, as Tis the Season! Bon Appetit!

My first Cookie is the Orange – Almond Lace cookie. I love these butter and sugar based cookies that are mixed on the stove before baking to a deep golden color. If you are scared of butter, back away. The recipe called for finely chopped almonds, but I ran mine more into a coarse almond meal with some sliver chunks remaining. Don’t be alarmed at the batter, it it runny and you drop it by the spoonful inches apart to bake . They spread into a delicate lacy pattern as they crisp up. Addition of a little egg makes then stronger. Dont be afraid that these are turning too brown while baking. The more golden and dark, the more the flavor comes through, as the sugars caramelize. You can find the recipe here.

Be sure to visit my other fellow bakers:

Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes (honorary member and our founder but not participating this year)

Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen

Courtney of Coco Cooks

Di of Di’s Kitchen Notebook

Judy of No Fear Entertaining

Kelly of Sass & Veracity

Michelle of Big Black Dog

RJ of Flamingo Musings

Sandy of At the Baker’s Bench

Tiffany of The Nesting Project

Last Years 12 Days of Cookies from Gourmet.com
if you need further inspiration.

Brandy Snaps
Galettes De Noel
Old Fashioned Christmas Butter Cookies
Rugelach
Maida Heatters Chocolate Cookies With Gin Soaked Raisins
Chocolate Wafers
Viennese Vanilla Cresents
Bizcochitos
Brown Butter Cookies
Chocolate Meringue Biscuits
Benne Wafers
Navettes Sucres (Sugar Shuttles)

Duck Fat and Garlic "Toasted" Camembert Mini Grilled Cheese…Holiday Cooking With Ile De France


I love small plates and little nibbles. I also love all things rich ( my men, my life, my food). One of the most most beautiful and richest cuisines out there is French. I look back at long ago my school years in Paris and wish I took advantage of the resources out there then. But I was young and Paris was my Movable Feast.

This past week was the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau. My old friend Terry treated me to the Annual Fete at the French American Chamber Of Commerce. This is an opportunity for many restaurants to display their food in the small plate format. One place was making grilled Camembert sandwiches on a hot plate. I took a bite and noticed the Camembert didn’t melt through the grilled bread. Terry and I were talking about earlier and I had a revelation. I was going to make this dish with the duck fat I rendered that was in the freezer.

Forget butter, but use the duck fat for that extra dimension. I also decided to add mushed blanched garlic to create a Gascony style Butter. Before the health police start, did you know Duck Fat is better for you than butter? Duck Fat has less saturated fats than butter 32% versus 62%. Duck fat has higher Mono Saturated Fat than butter and is more comparable to Olive Oil (read about it here).

So when I received my Ile de France sample, I was ready. With the Holidays you want a quick easy recipe to assemble and that will keep warm with minimal fuss. Toasting in the oven , rather than frying works very well and insures the cheese is melted through.

Duck Fat and Garlic “Toasted” Camembert Mini Grilled Cheese
makes 12 and can be increased easily increased
24 slices of Baguette
1/2-3/4 cup Duck Fat (can be purchased )
5 cloves of Garlic ( or to taste)
Ile De France Camembert Cheese
Dried Thyme
Water to blanch garlic

In a small saucepan , blanch garlic cloves until tender( about 1 minute).
In a small mixing bowl mash the garlic into the duck fat. You can use a immersion blender or food processor to make smooth.
Take a pastry brush and brush each slice of Baguette.
Assemble small wedges of Camembert into two slices of bread.
Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with dried Thyme.
Bake at 350 F until golden, approx 15 minutes. Turn/flip sandwiches midway and press down with spatula to aid the cheese in melting. Turn up to 400 F the last few minutes to insure crispness and browning.
Serve on passed platters or on small plates with dressed greens.
*Can be kept in warming oven until ready to serve.


Marzipan Fruits You Can Make Yourself… Ideas For Giving

Assorted Marzipan Fruits ( Sugar Plums,lemons, bananas, oranges, limes,pears, strawberries)

I adore Marzipan. In Europe its used much more commonly than in the United States for cakes and sugar crafts decorations. Come Christmas one will see all sorts of marzipan fruits, pigs ( Glückschwein) for luck, and coco covered potatoes. While browsing through the store (World Market) I saw all sorts of pricey Marzipan offerings from Spain and Germany and “I said you know. I can make this myself!” I love working and shaping marzipan. I don’t know if any of you readers recall my holiday rabbit, which some people mistook for a rat ,for a Yule Log.

Its Not a Rat, It’s a Rabbit

So this year I am making less frightening Marzipan objects. Marzipan is essentially ground almonds and sugar and has a rich tradition dating back to Medieval Times starting in Persia and other Arabic cultures, then spreading to the Mediterranean and Europe. Manufacturers may add essences of Rosewater and highly guard their recipes and ratios. At one time Marzipan was associated with medicinal abilities, as only Pharmacists sold it and other high priced confections. Marzipan was mainly associated with Royal houses and the upper classes due to the high price of sugar. Today, Lübeck Germany is the leading center of Marzipan production where you can find 200 varieties of the delicacy.

If your looking for fun craft that the family can do , or just want to get creative buy a few bars of Marzipan. I found some decorative tins form the dollar store and sealed each Marzipan fruit in a individual plastic cookie bag. There is some debate on weather Marzipan should be refrigerated or not. It will turn hard over time and needs a cool dry place. I always take the safest route and refrigerate in a air tight container up to a month or so. These fruits would be beautiful displayed at your Holiday party, given as favors, or sent to someone far away to bring Christmas Cheer. You could even decorate a Christmas cake with these.

I used powdered food color and petal dust to get my effects. A little marzipan goes a long way. Two 4.9 oz bars of Schluckwerder bars (60% almonds) make more than two small tins of assorted fruits. Use cloves for realistic stems on oranges, strawberries , lemons, etc. Tint your marzipan, and finish with textures effects and brushed petal lustre, edible glitter . When you are done set your marzipan, as you would gum paste, on a rack over a steaming pot of water for a few seconds, rotating .The longer you steam ,the glossier it gets. Remove and let dry completely. If you don’t feel you have artistic abilities, roll little balls of Marzipan, infused with a little liqueur if you wish, and dust with coco powder to resemble potatoes.

Have fun with it and enjoy. Certain Someone loves his marzipan and its really the only sweet he loves besides chocolate.

Pecan Apple Honey Challah

One of my favorite breads has to be a egg based bread called Challah. This bread is Jewish in origin and eaten mainly on the Sabbath and high holy days. Normally its braided into one loaf. For the Jewish New Year , Rosh Hashana, its formed into a more circular pattern to symbolize the cycle of the year.Apples and honey symbolize a sweet new year . So a Challah made with apples and honey is loaded with symbolism and reference. One doesn’t have to be Jewish to appreciate this. I saw a Apple Honey Challah in the September issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Seems a lot bloggers have already given this recipe a go . I decided to toss my dough into the ring. But rather than stick to Martha’s recipe , I added a handful of chopped pecans. The recipe is pretty good. Just note if you are not experienced with bread making this is a wet dough. The recipe doesn’t explain that. I used a bit more flour and my my Kitchen Aid, You don’t want a non wet dough, but it should be well kneaded and smooth. A well buttered rising vessel is essential. I used a spring form cake pan as my baking pan. I also noted several bloggers had difficulty in the size of apples. I had dried some apples earlier in the week and used those chopped with chopped fresh. This made it more manageable than slices. The pecans are optional but I think they are fantastic and take the bread to another level. This would be great for coffee or tea and even french toast.

Pecan Apple Honey Challah adapted from Martha Stewart’s Apple Honey Challah Living September 2009

4 oz. (1stick) unsalted butter , plus more for bowl

3 ½ C. unbleached bread flour, plus more for surface
3/4 C. warm water
2/3 C. honey
2 large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks
2 t. active dry yeast
2 t. coarse or sea salt
1 ½ apples peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Butter a large bowl, and melt 4 T. butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; let cool. Combine 2 T. melted butter, the flour, water, 1/3 C. honey, the eggs and yolks, yeast, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer. Mix until dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth or use dough hook and stand mixer, about 10 minutes. The dough will be wet but should be smooth . Transfer dough to buttered bowl, and brush with 1 T. melted butter. Cover with plastic. Let rise in a warm place until dough almost doubles in volume, about 1 ½ hours. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Pat into an 8 1/2-by-14-inch rectangle. Top with apples and pecans ; knead to incorporate. Return to bowl. Brush with remaining T. melted butter; cover. Let rise again in a warm place until dough almost doubles in volume, about 1 hour more.4. Preheat oven to 375°, with rack in lowest position. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (I used a spring form pan). Roll dough into a rope (about 24 inches) on a floured surface. Coil into a circle, and transfer to pan. Butter plastic wrap, and cover dough. Let rise again until dough almost doubles in volume, about 45 minutes more.5. Heat remaining 4 T. butter and 1/3 C. honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts. Brush dough with half the honey-butter. Bake until golden brown and firm, about 35 minutes.6. Brush challah with the remaining honey-butter. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Turn out loaf from pan, and let cool.Makes one 9-inch round loaf.