Daring Bakers September 09 Challenge: Vol-Au-Vents with Homemade Puff Pastry

The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon. She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan.

In order to make vols-au-vents you need puff pastry (aka pâte feuilletée) and it was making our own puff pastry that was the main focus of this months challenge. Puff pastry is in the ‘laminated dough” family, along with Danish pastry dough and croissant dough. A laminated dough consists of a large block of butter, called the “beurrage” that is enclosed in dough, called the “détrempe.” This dough/butter packet is called a “paton,” and is rolled and folded repeatedly. A process known as “turning.” This turning process creates hundreds of layers of butter and dough, with air trapped between each one. Unlike Danish or croissant dough, puff pastry contains no yeast in the détrempe, and relies solely aeration to achieve its high rise. In the hot oven, water in the dough and the melting butter creates steam, which expands in the trapped air pockets, forcing the pastry to rise in its characteristic thin, crisp and flakey layers.

We were then instructed to make vols-au-vents with our puff pastry, which we were allowed to make the size and shape of our choosing. I decided to stick to circular vols-au-vents in two sizes. I made smaller ones which became raspberry and lime cream tarts and larger ones which were baked around a stuffed mushroom which I enjoyed for dinner.

The dough, although a little time consuming, was quite straightforward to make. It was rather fun attacking the large lump of butter with a rolling pin and beating it into a flat oblong before encasing it in the dough. It certainly helped release any pent up stress! Once rolled, cut and assembled I thought they looked rather like buttons, especially with their prick marks to prevent the bases from rising.

I was thrilled when the sides rose up straight, tall and turned beautifully golden. They were also very light and crisp with many buttery flakey layers that made a great freshly-baked-crispiness crunch as you bit into them. Once filled with a lime cream and topped with the last of this seasons raspberries they tasted divine and were much enjoyed by my family.

You are not meant to re-roll puff pastry as it disrupts all the perfectly aligned layers, but I couldn’t bear to throw my scarps away and so made a few cinnamon palmiers with the offcuts.

Thanks Steph for such a great challenge choice. Don’t forget to visit the blogroll to see other Daring Bakers vol-au-vents.

Vol-Au-Vents with Homemade Puff Pastry

This recipe makes about 1kg of puff pastry, but you can halve it quite easily.
Ingredients

500g plain flour

1 tsp salt (use less if making a sweet filling)

300ml ice cold water

455 g very cold unsalted butter
1 egg, beaten for glaze

Mixing the Dough
Put the flour and salt in the food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse a couple of times just to mix. Add the water all at once, pulsing until the dough forms a ball on the blade. The dough will be very moist and pliable and will hold together when squeezed between your fingers. (Actually, it will feel like Play-Doh.)
Remove the dough from the machine, form it into a ball, with a small sharp knife, slash the top in a tic-tac-toe pattern. Wrap the dough in a damp towel and refrigerate for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the butter between 2 sheets of clingfilm and beat it with a rolling pin until it flattens into a square that's about 1" thick. Take care that the butter remains cool and firm: if it has softened or become oily, chill it before continuing.

Incorporating the Butter

Unwrap the dough and place it on a work surface dusted with flour (A cool piece of marble is the ideal surface for puff pastry) with your rolling pin press on the dough to flatten it and then roll it into a 10" square. Keep the top and bottom of the dough well floured to prevent sticking and lift the dough and move it around frequently. Starting from the center of the square, roll out over each corner to create a thick center pad with "ears," or flaps.
Place the cold butter in the middle of the dough and fold the ears over the butter, stretching them as needed so that they overlap slightly and encase the butter completely. (If you have to stretch the dough, stretch it from all over; don't just pull the ends) you should now have a package that is 8" square.

Making the Turns
Gently but firmly press the rolling pin against the top and bottom edges of the square (this will help keep it square). Then, keeping the work surface and the top of the dough well floured to prevent sticking, roll the dough into a rectangle that is three times as long as the square you started with, about 24" (don't worry about the width of the rectangle.) With this first roll, it is particularly important that the butter be rolled evenly along the length and width of the rectangle; check when you start rolling that the butter is moving along well, and roll a bit harder or more evenly, if necessary, to get a smooth, even dough-butter sandwich.
Brush off the excess flour from the top of the dough, and fold the rectangle up from the bottom and down from the top in thirds, like a business letter. You have completed one turn.
Rotate the dough so that the closed fold is to your left, like the spine of a book. Repeat the rolling and folding process, rolling the dough to a length of 24" and then folding it in thirds. This is the second turn.

Chilling the Dough
If the dough is still cool and no butter is oozing out, you can give the dough another two turns now. If the condition of the dough is iffy, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. Each time you refrigerate the dough, mark the number of turns you've completed by indenting the dough with your fingertips. It is best to refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes between each set of two turns.
The total number of turns needed is six. If you prefer, you can give the dough just four turns now, chill it overnight, and do the last two turns the next day.

Assembling and Baking
Using a knife or metal bench scraper, divided your chilled puff pastry dough into three equal pieces. Work with one piece of the dough, and leave the rest wrapped and chilled.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the piece of dough into a rectangle about 3-6 mm thick. Transfer it to the baking sheet and refrigerate for about 10 minutes before proceeding with the cutting.
Use cookie cutters to cut out circles of dough. Make clean, sharp cuts and try not to twist your cutters back and forth or drag your knife through the dough. Half of these rounds will be for the bases, and the other half will be for the sides.
Use a smaller cutter to remove the centre from half the circles, to leave you with a ring of pastry. Place a ring of pastry on top of each pastry round and dock the base with a fork (but not the ring).
Transfer them to a baking tray and lightly glaze them with a beaten egg, trying not to drip any down the sides (which may inhibit rise).
Once assembled, refrigerate vols-au-vents on the baking sheet while you pre-heat the oven to 200ºC. (You could also cover and refrigerate them for a few hours at this point.)
Once the oven is heated, remove the sheet from the refrigerator and bake the shells until they have risen and begin to brown, about 10minutes depending on their size. Reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC, and continue baking until the layers are golden, about 15-20 minutes more depending on their size.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature for cold fillings or leave warm for hot fillings.


For the Stuffed Mushrooms
2 portobello mushrooms
1 small red onion
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 tbsp pesto

Heat the oven to 190C.
Slice the onion into strips and fry in the oil along with the thyme until just starting to soften. Add the vinegar and fry for 1 minute more before removing from the heat.
Arrange the onions in the base of an unbaked vol-au-vent case, which has been cut big enough to incorporate the mushroom (I used a saucer for a cutter).
Place the mushrooms on top of the onions, with the underside facing upwards.
In a small bowl, rub the pesto into the breadcrumbs and divide among the mushrooms, pressing it into the underside cavity.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry has risen around the mushrooms and turned golden brown and the mushroom is softened and juicy. Serve immediately.


For the Raspberry and Lime Filling
300ml double cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lime
150g raspberries
Redcurrant or raspberry jam for glazing

Place the cream into a bowl. Finely grate the rind off the lime and add it to the bowl of cream along with the juice. Add the sugar and whip until soft peaks form. (This should be very quick as the limes acidity speeds up the process).
Spoon the cream into the cooled vol-au-vent cases and top with the raspberries.
Heat a little jam until runny and lightly brush over the top of the raspberries to glaze them.
Serves 6-8 dependant on size

Daring Bakers Challenge August 09: Dobos Torte

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

Dobos Torte is a five layer sponge cake, filled with a rich chocolate buttercream and topped with thin caramel covered cake wedges. (Some tortes may have as many as 12 layers, but 5-6 is quite standard.) It was invented in 1885 by József C. Dobos, a Hungarian baker, and it rapidly became famous throughout Europe for both its extraordinary taste and its keeping properties. The recipe was a secret until Dobos retired in 1906 and gave the recipe to the Budapest Confectioners' and Gingerbread Makers' Chamber of Industry, allowing everyone to use it freely.

In simplest terms Dobos Torte is five layers of whisked sponge, layered and covered with an enriched chocolate buttercream and topped with a sixth caramel topped cake layer, that has been cut into triangles and arranged in a fan design. It is this caramel fan which makes a Dobos Torte so unique and instantly recognisable.

Making the Dobos Torte was quite time consuming due to all the individual components, but it was also very enjoyable. I loved all the different techniques involved and seeing it all come together. I had also never made a poured caramel quite like this one before so the recipe was also a wonderful challenge. A recipe truly worthy of its Daring Bakers status.

The cake layers were very light and soft with a slight stickiness that reminded me of angel food cake. The hardest part was finding work surface space for them all to cool down on. Thankfully I did have three cooling racks on which to place them, all lined in a row. The chocolate buttercream took a little work but produced a gorgeous silky smooth and indulgent cream. I added some Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) to mine and it really took it to the next level, complementing the chocolate flavour so well.

My caramel layer went without a hitch, but you really must keep an eye on it while its boiling away. It stayed a clear sugar mixture for ages and then all of a sudden – whoosh – it became an amber caramel, so don’t ignore it! Once the caramel had set firm, I had fun slicing the excess off the edges. The crack and slice as the shards scattered everywhere, including the floor, was rather satisfying.

The finished cake tasted fabulous. Creamy chocolate and hazelnut cream, soft and squishy layers of sponge and finishing sweet crunch of caramel, just divine. My family and I ate most of it in one afternoon. I found the caramel topping a little hard to eat on the first day, but after a night in the fridge it had softened slightly, allowing you to take a forkful much more easily.

Thanks Angela and Lorraine for such a fantastic challenge choice! Click here to see a list of fellow Daring Bakers and their Tortes.

Dobos Torte
Sponge Cake Layers
6 eggs
160g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g plain flour
15g cornflour
Pinch of salt

Chocolate Buttercream
4 eggs
200g caster sugar
110g dark chocolate
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp Frangelico (hazelnut liquor – my adaption)

Caramel Topping
200g caster sugar
180ml water
40ml lemon juice

Decoration
50g finely chopped hazelnuts (optional)
12-13 whole peeled hazelnuts

For the Sponge Layers
Position the oven racks into the top third of the oven and preheat to 200C.
Cut out six strips of greaseproof paper to fit a baking tray and draw a 9inch/22.5cm circle on each one. Turn the greaseproof paper over, so the drawn line is not going to come into contact with the food. Lay one sheet ready on a baking tray.
Separate the egg yolks and whites into two large bowls. Whisk the egg whites until foamy and then slowly add half the icing sugar (80g) beating well until a thick and shiny meringue is formed.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the vanilla and the other half of the icing sugar (80g) until thick, pale in colour and ribbons form when you lift the beaters above the batter. This should take about 3 minutes.
Add a third of the meringue to the egg yolk mixture and fold together gently using a metal spoon or a spatula. Then lightly fold in the remaining meringue.
Sift over the flour and cornflour in two batches, folding in gently, as before, until no flour streaks remain.
Spoon one-sixth of the batter onto one of the prepared greaseproof papers, spreading it out to fill the circle you drew on earlier. (I found 2 heaped tablespoons of batter was the right amount).
Place the circle of batter into the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Prepare the next cake circle on a second baking tray while the first one bakes.
After 5 minutes the cake should be puffy and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool, leaving it attached to its base paper.
Place the second cake circle in the oven and prepare the third one in similar fashion. Continue until you have 6 baked cake circles.

For the Chocolate Buttercream
Half fill a saucepan with water and allow to come to a boil. Break the chocolate into small pieces and set aside. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl (not a plastic one as its going over the heat) until it has tripled in volume, turned pale, thick and creamy, around 3-5 minutes.
Place the bowl over the top of the boiling water in the saucepan, but don’t allow the bowl to touch the water. Continue to whisk for 3 minutes until the mixture has warmed and is starting to thicken.
Add the chocolate to the mix and whisk until melted and well combined. It should be shiny and sticky at this stage.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Once cool, beat the mixture and add the Frangelico if using. Continue mixing and add the soft butter in small chunks. It should start to stiffen, turn paler and become more creamy. Chill until required.

For the Caramel Top Layer
Use a shape serrated knife and the base of an 8inch/20cm cake tin to cut out rounds from your six cooled cake layers. Select the best one to be your top caramel covered layer and set the rest aside.
Cut your chosen top layer into 12 triangle portions and place on a baking tray lined with a well greased sheet of greaseproof paper or silicon mat. Reform the triangles to their original circle shape.
Oil a small metal knife or spatula and have it to hand.
Heat the sugar, water and lemon juice together in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar has dissolved before bringing to a boil. Do not stir, but watch over it from now it. It will gradually turn a light brown before suddenly turning into an amber caramel colour. Immediately remove from the heat and carefully pour the hot caramel over the surface of the cut cake layer. Use the oiled knife to help you spread it out to the edges, but be quick as it starts to set after 20seconds.
Leave to cool and set hard before peeling off the paper, transferring to a chopping board and re-cutting the cake into its precut triangles. Use a long sharp knife and try to make each cut in one quick movement to prevent and layer from shattering where you don’t want it to. Slice the excess caramel off the outside too.

To Assemble the Cake
Place one of your five remaining the cake layers onto a serving plate and spread over 2 tablespoons of the chocolate buttercream. Repeat with the remaining cake layers.
After the final cake layer, use most of the remaining buttercream to cover the top and sides of the cake. Reserve 2-3 tablespoons for decoration.
Put the remaining buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe 12 swirls around the edge of the cake and place one of the whole hazelnuts on top.
Place one of the caramel topped cake triangles at a slant, half resting on top of the hazelnut, with the point facing inwards. Repeat with the other triangles to create a fan design.
Press the chopped hazelnuts onto the outside of the cake if desired.
Makes one 8inch/20cm 5 layer cake. Serves 12

Daring Bakers Challenge June 09: Bakewell Tart

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.

Like many regional dishes there’s no “one way” to make a Bakewell Tart and/or Pudding, but most of today’s versions fall within one of two types. The first is the more well known “Bakewell Tart” where a rich shortcrust pastry contains jam (traditionally raspberry) and an almond frangipane topping. The lesser known “Bakewell Pudding” consists of a layer of jam covered by an almondy pastry cream and baked in puff pastry. Our challenge was to make an almond shortcrust pastry tart with a jam filling and frangipane – the more well known tart but with added almond in the pastry.

Bakewell tarts always bring back fond memories of my childhood, as my mum would often make a Bakewell tart for pudding on Sundays. I am also lucky enough to have tasted the more elusive Bakewell pudding, having visited the village of Bakewell in Derbyshire (which gave it its name) while I was at University. Both contain the same sorts of flavours but look and taste completely different, the pudding appearing a bit more like a jam and custard filled Yorkshire pudding. While both are nice, I have to say that my heart belongs to the Bakewell tart.

The jam filling for a Bakewell tart is traditionally raspberry, but we were given free reign to use whatever jam and fruit combination we wished. The recipe called for a 10inch/25cm tart tin, but I decided to make two different sizes, complete with different filings. I made one 7inch/17.5cm tart filled with peach jam and slices of peach as well as four 3.5inch/8cm tarts filled with black cherry jam.

The flavours of the peach were sweet and summery and I really loved seeing slices of actually fruit hidden amongst the frangipane when I cut a slice. The fruit gave off some juice meaning the frangipane was a little delicate when hot, but firmed up nicely when cool. I couldn’t resist the smaller tarts filled with the cherry jam – the combination of cherries and almond is always a winner in my books and the vibrant layer of jam looked so striking and pretty when cut into. So my tarts weren’t classically Bakewell, but they provided the inspiration.

I have sometimes had trouble making my own pastry in the past but this recipe came together perfectly, and didn’t tear or shrink during baking – success! The pastry was light, crisp and flaky and I loved the almond addition, which together with the almond filling made for one intensely almond flavoured tart!

Bakewell Tart - Almond Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients
225g plain flour
30g caster sugar
½ tsp salt
110g unsalted butter, chilled
2 egg yolks
½ tsp almond extract
1-2 tbsp cold water

Method
Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Coarsely grate the cold butter into the flour mixture and using your finger tips only, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract and quickly mix into the flour mixture using a round bladed knife. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough. When it still looks a little dry, use your hands to bring it together into a ball of dough.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Frangipane Topping

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter, softened
125g icing sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
125g ground almonds
30g plain flour

Method
Cream the butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle but don’t worry this is normal.
Add the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. Pour over the flour and ground almonds and mix well until combined. The mix may still look a little curdled but this is fine. Set aside while you prepare the tart.

To Assemble

Ingredients
Jam of your choice (raspberry is traditional)
Fruit (optional)
Flaked almonds for decoration

Method
Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm thick, roll in one direction only. Start from the centre and roll away from you, turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to a 10inch/25cm tart tin and trim off any excess. Chill in the freezer or fridge for another 15 minutes.
Once chilled, preheat the oven to 200C.
Spread a generous layer of your chosen jam over the base of the pastry. Arrange any fruit (if using) over the top.
Dot spoonfuls of the frangipane over the top of the jam/fruit and spread it out evenly, make sure you go right to the edges to prevent the jam from bubbling up and out over the top.
Scatter over a handful of flaked almonds and bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown. Quickly, loosely cover the top with a layer of foil and bake for a further 10 minutes until the filling is set and spongy.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool until it is cool enough to handle with your bare hands. Carefully remove from the tin and serve whilst still warm with custard. Leftovers also taste great cold when it becomes a bit firmer.
Makes one 10inch/25cm tart.
I baked two different sized and flavoured tarts. One 7inch/17.5cm tart filled with peach jam and slices of peach and four 3.5inch/8cm tarts filled with black cherry jam.

Daring Bakers May 2009 Challenge: Strudel Dough

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

The challenge this month was to make our own strudel dough which is basically filo pastry, a paper thin dough which was filled with fruit, nuts and spices before being rolled and baking into a yummy strudel. We were also provided with the recipe for an apple filling but as this was optional, I decided to create my own using apples, plums and ground almonds.

Creating the dough itself was surprisingly easy but the skill involved with rolling and stretching it out into a see-through thinness is something of an art form requiring a large work space and a well floured tablecloth! As I had neither of these things I decided instead to divide the dough into 8 pieces and make individual strudels instead.

I tried my best at getting the dough as thin as possible without it tearing, although a few holes did appear. Thankfully these disappeared as the layers were rolled over each other. My individual strudels turned out well and were lovely and crisp, although next time I might try making the dough longer to create a few more outer flakey layers. The apple and plum filling was soft without being mushy and mingled with the mixed spice and almonds well. I served mine with some cinnamon ice cream (sadly not home made) which was the perfect accompaniment, and providing an enjoyable hot with cold mouthfeel.

Thanks Linda and Courtney for such a fun challenge. Click here to see other Daring Bakers Strudels.

Strudel Dough

(Recipe from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers)

Ingredients
200g strong plain flour

1/8 tsp salt

105 ml water, plus more if needed

2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough

½ tsp cider vinegar

Method
Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a jug. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.
Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the dough with clingfilm. Allow to stand for at least 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
(It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm) for the next stage).
Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.
The dough has become too large to hold, put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.
(I made individual strudels so cut the dough into 8 pieces before stretching which made it a lot easier to work with).


For the apple strudel filling
(Recipe from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers)
Ingredients
2 tbsp golden rum

45g raisins

¼ tsp cinnamon

80g caster sugar

115g unsalted butter, melted, divided

100g fresh bread crumbs

60g coarsely chopped walnuts

900g tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

Method
Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.
Heat 3 tbsp of the butter in a large pan over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Make the strudel dough as described above.
Spread about 3 tbsp of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands. Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches/8cm from the short edge of the dough in a 6 inch/15cm wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.
Fold the short end of the dough over the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best eaten on the day it is baked.

For the apple plum & almond filling
Ingredients
4 tbsp ground almonds
2 Bramley apples
4 plums
1 tsp almond extract
2 tsp mixed spice
60g caster sugar
60g unsalted butter

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Make the strudel dough as described above.
Mix the sugar and the mixed spice together in a small bowl. Melt the butter and stir in the almond extract.
Peel, core and finely dice the apples and cut the plums into similar sized pieces.
Divide the strudel dough into 8 pieces. Dust a clean tea towel with flour and roll and stretch each one out into a rectangle shape, making it as thin as you can. Use your fingers and back of your hands to gently stretch it thin.
Brush a little melted butter on top of the rectangle of dough. Scatter over half a tablespoon of ground almonds.
Arrange a line of apple and plum across the width of the dough. Use about quarter of an apple and half a plum for each individual strudel.
Scatter over two teaspoons of spiced sugar over the fruit. Fold the top edge of the dough over the fruit and then fold in the sides – like you would if making a spring roll. Roll up into a sausage shape, using the tea towel to help you if needed.
Place on the baking tray and brush with the melted butter.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until crisp and golden brown in colour.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving with custard of ice cream. (I used cinnamon ice cream)
Makes 8 individual strudels.

Daring Bakers April 2009 Challenge: Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

I was very excited when I saw this month’s challenge was cheesecake. I adore cheesecake but find ones you have out are often disappointing. Often they are not what I consider ‘proper’ cheesecakes. Many are just mascarpone mixed with sugar and shaped into a mould or even worse – set with gelatin. However, this cheesecake sounded perfect – lots of cream cheese, a proper biscuit base and baked in the oven – hurrah!

This recipe was given to Jenny by her friend Abbey T. Jenny says it is her favourite cheesecake and thought it would be the perfect recipe for this months Daring Bakers challenge and after making mine, I applaud Jenny for her choice – it’s fantastic!

We were given a lot of free reign on this challenge. All we had to do was follow the basic vanilla cheesecake recipe and modify it in any way we desired. The hardest part of this challenge was choosing what flavour to do, so many great ones kept popping into my head – apple, salted caramel, double chocolate, Amaretto, Coffee, fruity… you get the idea. In the end I decided to make a raspberry ripple cheesecake as I wanted to keep the smooth creamy flavour of the vanilla cheesecake but also include a vibrant fruity ripple of raspberry as a contrast.

When I bought the raspberries they looked so plump and had such a wonderful aroma that I bought two packs and stirred one pack through the cheesecake batter just before placing in the tin, meaning it baked with little pockets of juicy raspberries hidden inside. I am so pleased I did this, as they intensified in flavour and looked so pretty when the slices were cut.

For the ripple effect I pureed the remaining pack of raspberries and sieved out the seeds as I wanted a smooth coulis. I then boiled it with some sugar to make it thick and jammy before swirling it over the top of the cheesecake. The colour of the coulis dulled a little on baking, but the flavour intensified and it tasted wonderful.

The texture of the cheesecake itself was heavenly. With 750g of cream cheese I thought it was bound to be a bit heavy and dense, but it turned out amazingly light and creamy whilst still retaining the body of a baked cheesecake. It was also fantastically deep – just look at how high and creamy it is! It sort of melted on your tongue, coating your whole mouth with vanilla and raspberry flavours. Mmm just divine. The worst part about it was that it tasted so light that it meant you could eat more of it without any trouble – pleasurable but rather detrimental to the figure. I made sure to divide it up amongst my family for fear of eating it all myself.

I served the cheesecake with some leftover raspberries and extra coulis which added a vibrant colour and zingy sweet flavours which went perfectly with the creamy cheesecake. I can’t wait for an excuse to make this cheesecake again and to experiment with other flavour variations. Check out the Blogroll to see what other Daring Bakers did with their cheesecakes. Thanks Jenny for such a divine recipe!

Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake
Ingredients – for the base
180g digestive biscuits
115g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients – for the cheesecake
750g cream cheese
210g caster sugar
225ml double cream
3 eggs
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
100g fresh raspberries

Ingredients – for the raspberry coulis
150g fresh raspberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
100g caster sugar
½ tsp raspberry extract

Method – for raspberry coulis
Place the raspberries in a microwaveable bowl and cook for 1 minute. The raspberries should not be soft and releasing juice. Crush them with a fork and then pass the liquid through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.
Place the raspberry juice, sugar and lemon juice into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until syrupy.
Remove from the heat and stir in the raspberry extract if using.
Allow to cool and thicken before using.

For the cheesecake
Preheat the oven to 180C.
To start, make the base. Place the biscuits into a strong plastic bag and crush into fine crumbs using your fingers. Melt the butter, stir in the vanilla and pour over the biscuit crumbs.
Mix well to ensure all the biscuit crumbs are evenly coated in butter and press firmly into the base of a deep 8inch/20cm springform tin.
In a very large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until soft and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each one.
Pour over the vanilla, lemon juice and cream and mix well.
Gently fold in the fresh raspberries and pour the mixture on top of the biscuit base, smoothing down the top. Tap the tin a few times on a work surface to remove any trapped air.
Drizzle half of the raspberry coulis over the top of the cheesecake and swirl in into the mixture using a skewer or small knife. Don’t mix too much as you want a rippled effect to remain.
Wrap the base and sides of the tin in foil, making sure to use one large sheet rather than lots of little ones, as you want it to be water tight.
Place the wrapped tin into a deep baking tray and half fill with boiling water from the kettle. Carefully transfer the cheesecake to the oven and top up with a little extra water is necessary.
Bake for 60-70 minutes until the outside is set and the middle remains fairly wobbly. Give it a small jiggle to test it. Once ready, turn off the heat but leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool down gradually. It will continue to firm up during this time.
After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and from its water bath. Leave to cool to room temperature before refrigerating overnight.
The next day, run a thin hot knife around the edge of the cheesecake and release it from the tin.
Serve in generous slices with extra coulis and fresh raspberries.
Indulge and enjoy. Makes 1 very deep 8inch/20cm cheesecake.

Daring Bakers March 2009 Challenge: Homemade Spinach Pasta, Béchamel & Ragu Lasagne

What a fun and tasty challenge this month’s recipe was. It really pushed me outside my comfort zone – I have never made my own lasagne sheets before, let alone ones containing spinach! But to me that just made the challenge all the more exciting – who doesn’t enjoy giving their skills and technical ability a little work out in the kitchen? The main part of this challenge was making our own spinach pasta lasagne sheets which we then had to layer with a white sauce (Bechamel) and ragu of our choice to create a lasagne. We were provided with recipes but I made my own Vegetarian style ragu in place of the meat one provided. I have however, also included the meaty ragu recipe below, in case you want to give it a go. All the recipes below (apart from the Vegetarian Ragu) are from The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

Not having a pasta machine I made my lasagne sheets by hand. I real work out for your arm muscles! The dough starts off hard and tough but the longer you knead it the softer and more pliable it becomes. Thankfully I made it one weekend while I was home and my mum and I took turns at working the dough. It was worth the effort though and produced a silky, springy dough that was a lovely shade of green. The next challenge was rolling out the dough thin enough to cut into sheets. This was a little more tricky with just a rolling pin, but I found by only using a quarter of the dough at a time it was manageable.
For my Vegetarian ragu I decided to go with mushrooms and aubergine for their slightly meaty texture and ability to add a rich deep flavour. Along with other assorted veg I also included a tin of brown lentils which helped enhance the brown meaty appearance of the ragu. I’m not saying I wanted my ragu to taste like meat, but I did want to create a ragu that resulted in a traditional looking lasagne when layered with all the other components.

Once layered and baked it had a lovely golden surface and smelt wonderful. It sliced beautifully too, the individual layers all showing up well. Looking at them made all the hard work worth while and the colours were almost like the Italian flag of green, white and red (well reddy brown). My spinach lasagne sheets seemed to have swollen slightly during baking and were a little on the thick side, but still perfectly acceptable, and the veggie ragu was full of flavour with the Béchamel sauce keeping everything soft and creamy. All in all I was happy with my lasagne and my family seemed to enjoy it too. Well worth pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone and I may even attempt fresh pasta again now.

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge. Thanks for choosing such a fun and challenging recipe guys – it was great to attempt something so outside my comfort zone. Don’t forget to check out the Blogroll.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)

9 litres salted water

1 recipe Spinach Pasta (recipe follows)

1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)

1 recipe Country Style Ragu or Vegetarian Ragu (recipes follow)

125g freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or other cheese

Working Ahead

The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking.

Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)

Makes enough for equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

2 large eggs

300g fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 170g frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

400g plain flour (double zero or pasta flour preferred)

Method – By Hand

Mixing the dough:

Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:

With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:

If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag if not using straight away. Hand rolling is not necessary if you have a pasta machine.

Bechamel Sauce

60g unsalted butter

60g plain flour

approx 570ml milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Method

Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.

Country Style Meat Ragu’ (Ragu alla Contadina)

Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

60g pancetta, finely chopped

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced

1 small carrot, minced

125g boneless veal shoulder or round125g pork loin, trimmed of fat, or 125g mild Italian sausage

250g beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut

30g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma

160ml dry red wine

375ml chicken or beef stock

500ml milk

3 plum tomatoes from a can, drained

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch (30cm) skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.Reducing and Simmering: Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Vegetarian Lentil, Mushroom and Mixed Veg Ragu
400g tin green or brown lentils, drained
200g chestnut mushrooms
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 onion
2 carrots
½ large aubergine
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato puree
6 fresh basil leaves
1tsp dried mixed herbs
350ml vegetable stock

Method
Peel and finely dice the onion and carrots, about 1cm dice. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and carrot. Cover with a lid and leave to sweat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, crush the garlic and finely dice the mushrooms and aubergine. Once the onions have softened, remove the lid and add the mushrooms, aubergine and garlic.
Allow to cook for 10 minutes before stirring in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, stock and herbs.
Cook on a gently heat for 10 minutes before stirring in the lentils. Allow to cook, uncovered, for around 15-20 minutes until the veg is soft and the sauce slightly reduced and thickened. Season to taste.
Allow to cool to room temperature before using.


Assembling the Ingredients Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Have an approx 3 litre shallow baking dish at the ready.

Cooking the Pasta

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne

Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about one and a half tablespoons of the béchamel. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce. Top with a generous covering of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or other cheese (I used cheddar). The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature, 20 degrees Celsius, for about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the centre (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out hot, the dish is ready). If you like a browned top then do not bother with the foil. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve.
Serves 6 to 8 as a main meal.

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