Posts tagged 2011

I actually made these a week after Christmas once I was recovering from my illness. They were also a new recipe I picked for this year! They came out great. I still have two recipes I plan on making in the winter that I didn’t get to, so you can look forward to those.

Secret Kiss Cookies

Makes: 2.5 dozen.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened.
• 1/2 cup sugar.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour.
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts.
• 30 milk chocolate kisses.
• 1-1/3 cups confectioners sugar, divided.
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa.

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. Fold in walnuts. Refrigerate dough for 2-3 hours or until firm.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Shape into 1 inch balls. Flatten balls and place a chocolate kiss in the center. Pinch the dough together around the kiss. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes or until set but not golden. Cool for 1 minute before moving to a wire rack to cool.

Sift together 2/3 cup confectioners sugar and cocoa. While cookies are still warm roll half in cocoa mixture and half in the remaining confectioners sugar. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

This is about the time before Christmas when I got horribly sick with asthmatic bronchitis. I could barely breathe or move it was horrible. I began to struggle through preparing for Christmas. I didn’t even get to make all of the kinds of cookies I had wanted to make. Don’t worry I am still going to make them before winter is over. Although it doesn’t feel like winter yet here on the east coast. I’m loving the beautiful weather.

Notes: This was a new recipe I picked to try this year. They were delicious!! I added extra ginger for that extra zing! I will be making these every year from now on.

Ginger Snaps

Makes: 3 dozen
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened.
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar.
• 1/4 cup molasses.
• 1 tablespoon water.
• 2 teaspoons fresh minced gingerroot (I added more).
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour.
• 1 tablespoon baking cocoa.
• 1-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
• 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves.
• 7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped.
• 1/4 cup sugar.

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, water, and gingerroot. Combine the flour, cocoa, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tops begin to crack. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

This sugar cookie recipe is very basic and is great for people with allergies. I spent a lot of time many years ago trying to find recipes that make great shapes. This one is a tried and true winner.

Favorite Sugar Cookies

Makes: 6-7 dozen.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened.
• 1 cup confectioners sugar.
• 1 egg.
• 1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour.
• 1 teaspoon salt.

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8in thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Place on greased baking sheets. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Here is one of my tried and true sugar cookie recipes that I have been using for years. It makes perfect shapes. It does have cream cheese in it, so I have a second sugar cookie recipe that is pretty plain for people in my family with allergies. I will post that one next. They both have identical results, just a different taste. These recipes are both easy and simple to make. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does.

Notes: I always double my Christmas cookie recipes since I have a large family. So keep in mind that this is not the doubled amount. Feel free to make your own frosting, since all of my in-laws are British so they like their sugar cookies plain to be served with tea.

Best Ever Sugar Cookies

Makes: 4 dozen.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

In a large bowl cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and extracts. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for three hours or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters.

Place 1in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden. Cool for about two minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Store in an air tight container.

Blog-checking lines: Our Daring Bakers Host for December 2011 was Jessica of My Recipe Project and she showed us how fun it is to create Sour Dough bread in our own kitchens! She provided us with Sour Dough recipes from Bread Matters by AndrewWhitley as well as delicious recipes to use our Sour Dough bread in from Tonia George’s Things on Toast and Canteen’s Great British Food!

I was so excited for the daring bakers challenge this month. My fiance is a baker for a living so the thought of making bread without yeast seemed totally wrong to him. But he absolutely loved the bread after the five days it took to make it. I want to try the rice flour bread as soon as the holiday season is over.

French Country Bread
Stage 1: Refreshing the leaven
Ingredients
1 cup less 1 tablespoon (225 ml) (160 gm/5 ⅔ oz) wheat Leaven Starter
6 tablespoons less 1 teaspoon (85 ml) (50 gm/1¾ oz) stoneground bread making whole-wheat or graham flour
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons (250 ml) (150 gm/5 ⅓ oz) unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
Production Leaven Total 2¾ cups plus 4 teaspoons (680 ml) (480 gm /1 lb 1 oz)

Directions:
1. Mix everything into a sloppy dough. It may be fairly stiff at this stage. Cover and set aside for 4 hours, until bubbling and expanded slightly.

French Country Bread
Stage 2: Making the final dough
Ingredients
3/4 cup less 1 teaspoon (175 ml) (100 gm/3 ½ oz) stoneground breadmaking whole-wheat or graham flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (510 ml) (300gm/10 ½ oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons (7½ ml) (7 gm/¼ oz) sea salt or ⅔ teaspoon (3⅓ ml) (3 gm/⅛ oz) table salt
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) water
1 ¾ cups (425 ml) (300 gm/10 ½ oz) production leaven – this should leave some (1 cup) for your next loaf.
Total 6 cups less 2 tablespoons 1415 ml (1007 gm/35 ½ oz/2 lb 3½ oz)

Directions:
1. Mix the dough with all the ingredients except the production leaven. It will be a soft dough.
2. Knead on an UNFLOURED surface for about 8-10 minutes, getting the tips of your fingers wet if you need to. You can use dough scrapers to stretch and fold the dough at this stage, or air knead if you prefer. Basically, you want to stretch the dough and fold it over itself repeatedly until you have a smoother, more elastic dough.

3. Smooth your dough into a circle, then scoop your production leaven into the centre. You want to fold the edges of the dough up to incorporate the leaven, but this might be a messy process. Knead for a couple minutes until the leaven is fully incorporated in the dough.
4. Spread some water on a clean bit of your work surface and lay the dough on top. Cover with an upturned bowl, lining the rim of the bowl with a bit of water. Leave for an hour, so that the gluten can develop and the yeasts can begin to aerate the dough.
5. Once your dough has rested, you can begin to stretch and fold it. Using wet hands and a dough scraper, stretch the dough away from you as far as you can without breaking it and fold it back in on itself. Repeat this in each direction, to the right, towards you, and to the left. This will help create a more ‘vertical’ dough, ready for proofing.
6. Heavily flour a banneton/proofing basket with whole wheat flour and rest your dough, seam side up, in the basket. Put the basket in a large plastic bag, inflate it, and seal it. Set aside somewhere warm for 3-5 hours, or until it has expanded a fair bit. It is ready to bake when the dough responds to a gently poke by slowly pressing back to shape.
7. Preheat the oven to hot 425°F/220°C/gas mark 7. Line a baking sheet with parchment, then carefully invert the dough onto the sheet. I like to put the baking sheet on top of the basket, then gently flip it over so as to disturb the dough as little as possible. Make 2-3 cuts on top of the loaf and bake for 40-50 minutes, reducing the temperature to moderately hot 400°F/200°C/gas mark 6 after 10 minutes.
8. Cool on a cooling rack.

Verdict: The bread was delicious and moist. My progress with bread (my biggest challenge to work with) has really improved since joining the daring bakers. I am really proud. I am also excited for all of the daring baking/cooking challenges that the new year will bring. In the New Year I hope to have more money so I can experiment and post on here more.

Coming soon: chicken brocolli stir fry, daring cooks January 2011, holiday cookie recipes, daring bakers January 2011.

Blog-checking lines: Catherine of Munchie Musings was our November Daring Bakers’ host and she challenged us to make a traditional Filipino dessert – the delicious Sans Rival cake! And for those of us who wanted to try an additional Filipino dessert, Catherine also gave us a bonus recipe for Bibingka which comes from her friend Jun of Jun-blog.

I was really excited about this challenge because half of my class from pre-k through 8th grade was filipino! One of my closest friends was extremely filipino and I have eaten many filipino desserts at her house. I was really excited to try it out for myself. I was only able to afford to the make the Sans Rival but it was amazing!!! I mean WOW try it out for yourself.

Sans Rival:
Servings: 12

Photos shown are chocolate version, which is not traditional.

Ingredients
10 large egg whites, room temp
1 cup (240 ml) (225 gm) (8 oz) white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (3 gm) cream of tartar
¼ cup (60 ml) (20 gm) (2/3 oz) Dutch processed cocoa (optional and not traditional)
2 cups (480 ml) (240 gm) (8½ oz) chopped, toasted cashews

Directions:
Note: You will need four layers which will mean that you might have to bake in two batches. Be sure to use fresh parchment paper and cooled pans for each batch.

1. Preheat oven to moderate 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3.
2. Line cake pan bottoms with parchment paper and butter and flour the sides really well.
3. In a large clean, dry glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium until foamy (2 mins.). Sprinkle with cream of tartar. Gradually add sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time, continuing to beat now at high speed until stiff shiny peaks form. (about 7-10 mins.)

4. Fold in nuts, reserving enough to use for decoration.
(Note the more finely ground for folding into meringue. The coarsely ground for is decoration of finished cake.)

5. Divide meringue into four equal parts. Spread in pans, evenly to edges. If doing batches, use fresh parchment paper and cooled pans for each batch.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the meringue from the baking pans while still hot; allow to cool slightly. Peel off the parchment paper while it is still warm, it is difficult to remove sometimes when they have completely cooled.

7. When cool, trim edges so that all 4 meringue layers are uniformly shaped. Set aside.

French Buttercream:

Ingredients
5 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) (225 gm) (8 oz) white granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
1¼ cup (300 ml) (2½ sticks) (285 gm) (10 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
Optional Flavorings: 2 oz (55 gm) unsweetened chocolate, melted, or 1½ teaspoon (7 ½ ml) almond extract, or 1½ teaspoon (7 ½ ml) vanilla extract, or any flavor you like

Directions:

1. Put the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Beat at high speed until the yolks have doubled in volume and are a lemon yellow.
2. Put the sugar and water in a heavy pan and cook over medium heat, stirring the sides down only until all the sugar is dissolved and the syrup reaches 235°F/112°C (or thread stage).
3. With the mixer on high, very slowly pour the syrup down the sides of the bowl, until all has been added. Be careful as the very hot syrup could burn you if it splashes from the beaters. Continue beating on high until the mixture is ROOM TEMPERATURE (about 15 mins). Still on high, beat in the soft, room temperature butter a tablespoon at a time. Add flavoring after you beat in the butter. Refrigerate the buttercream for at least an hour, and whip it smooth just before you use it.
Assembly:
Set bottom meringue on cake board with a dab of butter cream to hold it in place. Spread a thin layer of buttercream and then place another meringue on top. Repeat with a thin layer of buttercream, meringue, thin layer of buttercream, meringue, and finally buttercream the top and sides. Decorate with reserved nuts.

Assembly:

Set bottom meringue on cake board with a dab of butter cream to hold it in place. Spread a
thin layer of buttercream and then place another meringue on top. Repeat with a thin layer of
buttercream, meringue, thin layer of buttercream, meringue, and finally buttercream the top and
sides. Decorate with reserved nuts.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. It is easier to cut cold. May freeze.

I am looking forward to more challenges coming up and Christmas baking!! Once I knock this horrible cold out of my I have some really good recipes coming up! Let’s hope I get better asap.

Blog-checking lines: Sarah from Simply Cooked was our November Daring Cooks’ hostess and she challenged us to create something truly unique in both taste and technique! We learned how to cook using tea with recipes from Tea Cookbook by Tonia George and The New Tea Book by Sara Perry.

I absolutely love tea. I even have way too much tea. I am currently horribly sick and drinking cups and cups of tea a day. I really wanted to try out this braised beef recipe because it looked amazing. I also wanted to try out a few recipes of my own but this month is super hectic for me, between Thanksgiving and four family birthdays in one week, its a lot to deal with. I also had the chance to make green tea couscous, which was a little bit of a fail.

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes

Servings: 4-6

Rooibos tea is an herbal infusion from South Africa. Also called red tea, redbush tea, or honeybush tea, it is honey-flavored and light colored. It is gaining popularity because it is low in bitter tannins and caffeine-free. It can be substituted in this recipe by black tea, or try another dark herbal tea such as one containing licorice.

Ingredients
1¼ pounds (600 gm) brisket or stewing beef, trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (18 gm) (⅔ oz) flour
1 tablespoon (15 m) oil
2 onions, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (8 gm) tomato concentrate
5 rooibos tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose tea leaves)
1 quart (1 litre) just-boiled water
5 tablespoons (75 ml) red wine vinegar
4 strips unwaxed orange peel, pith removed (the peel of about half an orange)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
4 small sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
¾ cup (175 ml) mild honey (optional)
cilantro (coriander) leaves, to garnish
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Season the beef and coat in the flour. Heat the oil in a large stock pot and then brown the beef on all sides.
2. Add the onions and celery. Put on a tight fitting lid and let soften for ten minutes.
3. Add the garlic and tomato concentrate and cook for one minute.
4. Meanwhile, place the tea bags in a heatproof pitcher and pour over the water. Allow to steep for four minutes. Then remove the tea bags (or strain out the tea leaves) and pour the tea into the stock pot. Add the red wine vinegar, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, and ginger.
5. Lower the heat and cover. Let the stew simmer for 2 hours, until the beef is tender.
6. Add the sweet potatoes, honey (if using), and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft.
7. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.

Green Tea Couscous

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 single-serve bag green tea
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• 1/2 cup finely chopped mint leaves, a couple of handfuls
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 lime, juiced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the olive oil in sauce pot over medium heat and add the scallions. Season with salt and pepper and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil, secure tea bag to handle of the pot, and let steep for 1 minute. Remove the tea bag, stir in honey and couscous. Turn off the heat, stir in mint, and cover the pot. Let couscous stand 5 minutes, then fluff with fork and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the cucumber and lemon and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, toss to combine and serve.

I added way too much lime and lemon so it was too strong. Now that I’m really sick, the strong might have been really good for me. I think next time I will do a better job of tasting while adding. The braised beef was amazing!! I will be making it again in the future. I promise I will do a better job with this blog from now on. This is just the toughest time of the year for us.

Blog-checking lines: The Daring Baker’s October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!

I was so excited for this challenge because one of my own personal goals is to get better at working with dough. I have many many failures. Which is horrible because my fiance is a baker and bakes bread early every morning. He comes from a family of bakers. I know I’m such a disgrace ;)

I made four loaves. Two were the regular walnut, one was apple walnut, and the other was walnut with some honey drizzled in the middle.

Povitica (makes 4 loaves)

Ingredients

To activate the Yeast:
2 Teaspoons (10 ml/9 gm) Sugar
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
½ Cup (120ml) Warm Water
2 Tablespoons (30ml/14 gm/½ oz/2 sachets) Dry Yeast

Dough:
2 Cups (480ml) Whole Milk
¾ Cup (180 ml/170gm/6 oz) Sugar
3 Teaspoons (15 ml/18 gm/2/3 oz) Table Salt
4 Large Eggs
½ Cup (120ml/115 gm/one stick/4 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted
8 cups (1.92 l/1.12 kg/39½ oz/2½ lb) All-Purpose Flour, measure first then sift, divided

Walnut Filling:
7 Cups (1.68 l/1.12 kg/2.5 lbs) Ground English Walnuts
1 Cup (240ml) Whole Milk
1 Cup (240ml/225 gm/2 sticks/8 oz) Unsalted Butter
2 Whole Eggs, Beaten
1 Teaspoon (5ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Cups (480ml/450 gm/16 oz) Sugar
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/4 gm) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) Cinnamon

Topping:
½ Cup (120 ml) Cold STRONG Coffee
2 Tablespoons (30 ml/28 gm/1 oz) Granulated Sugar
Melted Butter

Directions:


To Activate Yeast:
1. In a small bowl, stir 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon flour, and the yeast into ½ cup warm water and cover with plastic wrap.
2. Allow to stand for 5 minutes

To Make the Dough:
3. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk up to just below boiling (about 180°F/82°C), stirring constantly so that a film does not form on the top of the milk. You want it hot enough to scald you, but not boiling. Allow to cool slightly, until it is about 110°F/43°C.
4. In a large bowl, mix the scalded milk, ¾ cup (180 gm/170 gm/6 oz) sugar, and the salt until combined.
5. Add the beaten eggs, yeast mixture, melted butter, and 2 cups (480 ml/280 gm/10 oz) of flour.

6. Blend thoroughly and slowly add remaining flour, mixing well until the dough starts to clean the bowl.

7. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead, gradually adding flour a little at a time, until smooth and does not stick. Note: I did not use all 8 cups of flour

8. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (they will each weight about 1.25 pounds/565 grams)
9. Place dough in 4 lightly oiled bowls, cover loosely with a layer of plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel and let rise an hour and a half in a warm place, until doubled in size.

To Make the Filling
10. In a large bowl mix together the ground walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cocoa.
11. Heat the milk and butter to boiling.
12. Pour the liquid over the nut/sugar mixture.
13. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
14. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to be spread on the dough.
15. If the mixture thickens, add a small amount of warm milk.

To Roll and Assemble the Dough:
16. Spread a clean sheet or cloth over your entire table so that it is covered.
17. Sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons to a handful of flour (use flour sparingly)
18. Place the dough on the sheet and roll the dough out with a rolling pin, starting in the middle and working your way out, until it measures roughly 10-12 inches (25½ cm by 30½ cm) in diameter.
19. Spoon 1 to 1.5 teaspoons (5ml to 7 ½ ml/4 gm to 7 gm) of melted butter on top.
20. Using the tops of your hands, stretch dough out from the center until the dough is thin and uniformly opaque. You can also use your rolling pin, if you prefer.
21. As you work, continually pick up the dough from the table, not only to help in stretching it out, but also to make sure that it isn’t sticking.
22. When you think it the dough is thin enough, try to get it a little thinner. It should be so thin that you can see the color and perhaps the pattern of the sheet underneath.

23. Spoon filling (see below for recipe) evenly over dough until covered.
24. Lift the edge of the cloth and gently roll the dough like a jelly roll.
25. Once the dough is rolled up into a rope, gently lift it up and place it into a greased loaf pan in the shape of a “U”, with the ends meeting in the middle. You want to coil the dough around itself, as this will give the dough its characteristic look when sliced.
26. Repeat with remaining three loaves, coiling each rope of dough in its own loaf pan.
27. Brush the top of each loaf with a mixture of ½ cup (120 ml) of cold STRONG coffee and 2 tablespoons (30ml/28 gm/1 oz) of sugar. If you prefer, you can also use egg whites in place of this.
28. Cover pans lightly will plastic wrap and allow to rest for approximately 15 minutes.
29. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F.
30. Remove plastic wrap from dough and place into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes.
31. Turn down the oven temperature to slow 300°F and bake for an additional 45 minutes, or until done.
32. Remove bread from oven and brush with melted butter.
33. Check the bread at 30 minutes to ensure that the bread is not getting too brown. You may cover the loaves with a sheet of aluminum foil if you need to.
34. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes, still in the bread pan. Remember, the bread weighs about 2.5 and it needs to be able to hold its own weight, which is difficult when still warm and fresh out of the oven. Allowing it to cool in the pan helps the loaf to hold its shape.
35. It is recommended that the best way to cut Povitica loaves into slices is by turning the loaf upside down and slicing with a serrated knife.

For apple variation:

• 2 apples (I used New York) cut into thin slices
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions: Mix all together and all in the middle with some of the walnut spread.

This recipe was really successful for me. I was so amazed by the finished product. (Pictures as soon as I find my phone). Excited to see what is in store for next month. Already beyond excited for the Daring Cooks November challenge!!

Thank you Jenni for this wonderful challenge.

Blog-checking lines: The October Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by Shelley of C Mom Cook and her sister Ruth of The Crafts of Mommyhood. They challenged us to bring a taste of the East into our home kitchens by making our own Moo Shu, including thin pancakes, stir fry and sauce.

I was a little delayed in posting this Daring Cook’s challenge because I spent the weekend at the NYCC! I made this way at the begining of the month because we had almost all of the ingredients on hand. I was so excited because I have never made Moo shu before.

Thin Pancakes:

Makes 24-30 pancakes
Preparation time: about 10 minutes plus 30 minutes’ standing time
Cooking time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients
4 cups (960 ml) (560 gm) (19¾ oz) all purpose flour
About 1½ cup (300ml) (10 fl oz) boiling water
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vegetable oil
Dry flour for dusting

Directions:

1. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Gently pour in the water, stirring as you pour, then stir in the oil. Knead the mixture into a soft but firm dough. If your dough is dry, add more water, one tablespoon at a time, to reach the right consistency. Cover with a damp towel and let stand for about 30 minutes.
2. Lightly dust the surface of a worktop with dry flour. Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes or until smooth, then divide into 3 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a long sausage and cut each sausage into 8-10 pieces. Keep the dough that you are not actively working with covered with a lightly damp dish cloth to keep it from drying out.
3. Roll each piece into a ball, then, using the palm of your hand, press each piece into a flat pancake. Dust the worktop with more dry flour. Flatten each pancake into a 6 to 8 inch (15 cm to 20 cm) circle with a rolling pin, rolling gently on both sides.
4. Place an un-greased frying pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot, lower the heat to low and place the pancakes, one at a time, in the pan. Remove when little light-brown spots appear on the underside. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to serve.

Moo Shu Pork:

Serves 4
Preparation time: 25-30 minutes
Cooking time: 6-8 minutes

Ingredients
½ lb (450 gm) pork loin or butt
3 cups (6 oz) (170 gm) Chinese cabbage (Napa cabbage), thinly cut
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt
4 tablespoons (60 ml) vegetable oil
2 scallions
1 tablespoon (15 ml) light soy sauce
2 teaspoons (10 ml) rice wine
A few drops sesame oil
12 thin pancakes to serve

Directions:

1. Thinly cut the pork and Chinese cabbage into matchstick-sized shreds.
2. Lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.
3. Heat about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil in a preheated wok and scramble the eggs until set, but not too hard. Remove and keep to one side.
4. Heat the remaining oil. Stir-fry the shredded pork for about 1 minute or until the color changes. Add the  Chinese cabbage and scallions. Stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes, then add the remaining salt, soy sauce and wine. Blend well and continue stirring for another 2 minutes. Add the scrambled eggs, stirring to break them into small bits. Add the sesame oil and blend well.
5. To serve: place about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of hot Moo Shu in the center of a warm pancake, rolling it into a parcel with the bottom end turned up to prevent the contents from falling out. Eat with your fingers. 

Hoisin Sauce:

(source: http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/13249/hoisin-sauce.html)

While most restaurants, or at least those at which I have ordered the dish, serve this with plum sauce, none of the cook books or online recipes that I have seen have referred to that as being traditional. Most that reference serving it with a sauce call for it to be served with hoisin sauce.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons (60 ml) soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) peanut butter OR black bean paste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey OR molasses
2 teaspoons (10 ml) white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon (⅔ ml) garlic powder
2 teaspoons (10 ml) sesame seed oil
20 drops (¼ teaspoon) Chinese style hot sauce (optional, depending on how hot you want your hoisin sauce)
1/8 teaspoon (⅔ ml) black pepper

Directions:
Simply mix all of the ingredients together by hand using a sturdy spoon.
At first it does not appear like it will mix, but keep at it just a bit longer and your sauce will come together.

Thanks so much for this amazing challenge. We all really enjoyed the results. We will be making this all the time. I also want to say that I took some amazing photo’s for this but since my phone switched to my new iPhone I did not get to keep those pictures. I took one the day after so I will post it soon.

Blog Checking Lines:

The Daring Bakers go retro this month! Thanks to one of our very talented non-blogging members, Sarah, the Daring Bakers were challenged to make Croissants using a recipe from the Queen of French Cooking, none other than Julia Child!

It’s time to post September’s Daring Baker’s Challenge. I am also super excited because I am making October’s Daring Cooks Challenge tomorrow!! I really enjoy and look forward to these every month. I have never made Croissants before but I have eaten a ton of them (even in Paris!). I am so proud that my batch came out successful, even if they took a lot of hard work and effort. I put some chocolate in one and some cinnamon sugar on another just to experiment. They were best plain.

Croissants

Servings: 12 croissants

Ingredients
¼ oz (7 gm) of fresh yeast, or 1¼ teaspoon (6¼ ml/4 gm) of dry-active yeast (about ½ sachet)
3 tablespoons (45 ml) warm water (less than 100°F/38°C)
1 teaspoon (5 ml/4½ gm) sugar
1 3/4 cups (225 gm/½ lb) of strong plain flour (I used Polish all-purpose flour, which is 13% protein)
2 teaspoons (10 ml/9 gm) sugar
1½ teaspoon (7½ ml/9 gm) salt
½ cup (120 ml/¼ pint) milk (I am not sure if the fat content matters. I used 2%)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) tasteless oil (I used generic vegetable oil)
½ cup (120 ml/1 stick/115 gm/¼ lb) chilled, unsalted butter
1 egg, for egg wash

Directions:

1. Mix the yeast, warm water, and first teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl. Leave aside for the yeast and sugar to dissolve and the yeast to foam up a little.
2. Measure out the other ingredients
3. Heat the milk until tepid, and dissolve in the salt and remaining sugar
4. Place the flour in a large bowl.
5. Add the oil, yeast mixture, and milk mixture to the flour
6. Mix all the ingredients together using the rubber spatula, just until all the flour is incorporated
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and let it rest a minute while you wash out the bowl
8. Knead the dough eight to ten times only. The best way is as Julia Child does it in the video (youtube it). It’s a little difficult to explain, but essentially involves smacking the dough on the counter and removing it from the counter using the pastry scraper.
9. Place the dough back in the bowl, and place the bowl in the plastic bag
10. Leave the bowl at approximately 75°F/24°C for three hours, or until the dough has tripled in size.

11. After the dough has tripled in size, remove it gently from the bowl, pulling it away from the sides of the bowl with your fingertips.
12. Place the dough on a lightly floured board or countertop, and use your hands to press it out into a rectangle about 8 by 12 inches.
13. Fold the dough rectangle in three, like a letter (fold the top third down, and then the bottom third up)
14. Place the dough letter back in the bowl, and the bowl back in the plastic bag.
15. Leave the dough to rise for another 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size. This second rise can be done overnight in the fridge

16. Place the double-risen dough onto a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the plate in the fridge while you prepare the butter.
17. Once the dough has doubled, it’s time to incorporate the butter
18. Place the block of chilled butter on a chopping board.
19. Using the rolling pin, beat the butter down a little, till it is quite flat.
20. Use the heel of your hand to continue to spread the butter until it is smooth. You want the butter to stay cool, but spread easily.

21. Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured board or counter. Let it rest for a minute or two.
22. Spread the dough using your hands into a rectangle about 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
23. Remove the butter from the board, and place it on the top half of the dough rectangle
24. Spread the butter all across the top two-thirds of the dough rectangle, but keep it ¼ inch (6 mm) across from all the edges.
25. Fold the top third of the dough down, and the bottom third of the dough up.
26. Turn the dough package 90 degrees, so that the top flap is to your right (like a book).
27. Roll out the dough package (gently, so you don’t push the butter out of the dough) until it is again about 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
28. Again, fold the top third down and the bottom third up.
29. Wrap the dough package in plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for 2 hours.

30. After two hours have passed, take the dough out of the fridge and place it again on the lightly floured board or counter.
31. Tap the dough with the rolling pin, to deflate it a little
32. Let the dough rest for 8 to 10 minutes
33. Roll the dough package out till it is 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
34. Fold in three, as before
35. Turn 90 degrees, and roll out again to 14 by 8 inches (35 cm by 20 cm).
36. Fold in three for the last time, wrap in plastic, and return the dough package to the fridge for two more hours (or overnight, with something heavy on top to stop it from rising)

37. It’s now time to cut the dough and shape the croissants
38. First, lightly butter your baking sheet so that it is ready
39. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it rest for ten minutes on the lightly floured board or counter
40. Roll the dough out into a 20 by 5 inch rectangle.
41. Cut the dough into two rectangles (each 10 by 5 inches)
42. Place one of the rectangles in the fridge, to keep the butter cold
43. Roll the second rectangle out until it is 15 by 5 inches.
44. Cut the rectangle into three squares (each 5 by 5 inches)
45. Place two of the squares in the fridge
46. The remaining square may have shrunk up a little bit in the meantime. Roll it out again till it is nearly square
47. Cut the square diagonally into two triangles.
48. Stretch the triangle out a little, so it is not a right-angle triangle, but more of an isosceles.
49. Starting at the wide end, roll the triangle up towards the point, and curve into a crescent shape.
50. Place the unbaked croissant on the baking sheet
51. Repeat the process with the remaining squares of dough, creating 12 croissants in total.
52. Leave the tray of croissants, covered lightly with plastic wrap, to rise for 1 hour

53. Preheat the oven to very hot 450°F.
54. Mix the egg with a teaspoon of water
55. Spread the egg wash across the tops of the croissants.
56. Put the croissants in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops are browned nicely
57. Take the croissants out of the oven, and place them on a rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Thanks so much to Sarah for this amazing and challenging experience. There were some spectacular croissants this month, so check them all out on the Daring Kitchen homepage. Click here for the full challenge PDF, including recipes, links and photos.

On a wonderful side note, I will be getting an Iphone any day now so expect better pictures in the future!! I have a ton of recipes I would love to have the time to work on but college is demanding and has to come first. So please bear with me for awhile.