Traditional Madeleines (TWD)

I was delighted to find out that Tara from Smells Like Home selected Traditional Madeleines for Tuesdays With Dorie!

What is Madeleine --- is it a cake or a cookie? Well, I think they are a little of both. Essentially, Madeleines are made from a genoise cake batter, and baked in scallop-shaped molds to provide the lovely shape.


Even though I use non-stick, I always generously butter and flour the pan. To fill the madeleine molds, I use a piping bag, which keeps everything neat. If piping bags aren't available, ziplock bags also work perfectly.


I've repeatedly used a recipe from Baking with Julia, which calls for a traditional genoise cake batter. When comparing the two recipes, I noted that this version slightly varies:
- More butter and less eggs - who is to complain about more buttery goodness!
- Refrigeration time - this recipe calls for the batter to set in the frig for 3+ hours. I refrigerated the batter for only 3 hours.
- Leavening - traditional genoise is tricky, as it relies solely on eggs to give the cookie lift, and this recipe calls for a little baking powder.


This pan just came right out of the oven. Those humps are a good sign! I love baking these treats until the edges are a darker brown... the crispy buttery edges are my favorite part...yum! These cookies can be dipped in chocolate, but I like them either plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar.




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Overall, this recipe was very easy and fast to pull together and made just the right amount of cookies - 1 dozen using the large madeleine pan.

After my effort this afternoon, here is the best part...enjoying my treat!

I really enjoyed the buttery flavor and the cakey texture of this madeleine ...delicious!

To see what else is cookin' this week, check out the blogroll at TWD...

Florida Pie (TWD)

I've been looking forward all week to get my hands on this week's Tuesday's With Dorie recipe, Florida Pie, which was selected by Diane at Dianne's Dishes. I've never tasted key lime pie, so this will be a first for me!

Although Dorie mentions the use of a ready made crust, I couldn't resist making a graham cracker crust (which came together in minutes, thanks to my trusty food processor).





The modifications made to the original recipe were:
- futher grinding down the coconut in the food processor, which gave the coconut layer a thick, creamy texture.
- omitting the coconut in the meringue
Also, freezing was an essential step for me, as it helps the custard hold it's shape, as cut slices.

I did overbeat the meringue, so the quick fix was to pipe it to hide the mistake!


Overall, I like the combination of key lime and coconut, but these great flavors were overwhelmed by a cloying sweetness coming from the sweetened condensed milk (I used the Nestle brand, perhaps another brand would make a difference?).

I plan on experimenting with the recipe (i.e. replacing the sweetened condensed milk with a homemade custard) to dial down the sweetness. Also, will try topping this with whipped cream instead of the meringue.


If you want to see more, check out the gorgeous creations of my fellow baking bloggers at Tuesday's With Dorie!





Florida Pie
Baking From My Home To Yours - By Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:
1 9-inch graham cracker crust, fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, seperated
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/4 cup of sugar

Getting Ready:
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment of a silicone mat.
- Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.
- Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended.
- Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.
- Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.

To Finish the Pie with Meringue:
- Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch.
- Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.
- Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown. (Or, if you've got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.)
- Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.

Peanut Butter Torte (TWD)

This week's TWD selection comes from Elizabeth
at Ugg Smell Food. I will be very honest...I am not a huge fan of peanut butter desserts. Don't get me wrong, as I'm not a hater of peanut butter. I love eating PB&J sandwiches and enjoy slathering PB on apples, but I've never developed a fondness of PB cakes, pies, cookies, candy, ice cream etc (strange isn't it?). I've never tried a PB mousse, so I'm giving PB based desserts one more try.















Instead of a 9" springform pan, I used a 7" and two 4" springform pans(showing only one of the mini tortes here).















The recipe was uncomplicated and the torte came together very quickly. I made the following tweaks to the original receipe:

- increase the quantity of oreos (the recipe asked for 24 - I used 30)
- increase the amount of mini chips (the recipe called for 1/2 C - I used 1 C).
- reduced the amount of sugar in the mousse (the recipe called for 1 1/4 C - I used 1 C















For the larger torte, I didn't pull the crust all the way up the side of the pan, as I wanted to show off the decadent mousse.















Overall, the texture of the cold fluffy mousse really helped to offset the heaviness and richness of the peanut butter. The mousse was a nice, creamy, slightly salty contrast to the sweet crunchy crust. This is a wonderful recipe, and this is definitely one to repeat for my PB lovin' friends....and for me!

Peanut Butter Torte
From Baking From My Home to Yours, By Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients
1 ¼ c. finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
½ c. mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semi sweet chocolate)
24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt
2 ½ c. heavy cream
1 ¼ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ c salted peanut butter – crunchy or smooth (not natural; I use Skippy)
2 tablespoons whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped


Getting ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Toss ½ cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chops together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan (they should go up about 2 inches on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.
Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in ¼ cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Crape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Wipe out (do not wash) the bowl, fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, ¼ cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.
Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Scrape the mouse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.

To Finish The Torte:
Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan.
Bring the remaining ½ cup cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and , working with a a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.
Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining ½ cup peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.
When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the Springform pan; it’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, and then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel damped with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.