Rolling in Dough

Buche de Noel - December Daring Baker's Challenge

When we were in France for Christmas a few years ago, I noticed the Buche de Noel phenomenon. They were simply everywhere. Besides being in the window of every pastry shop we passed, I saw them at the grocers, in department stores and at restaurants. Pretty log shaped cakes, decorated with mushrooms and snow. I began to wonder if the Buche de Noel was to the French what Fruitcake was to Americans - found everywhere, but really eaten and enjoyed by no one. I (being the ambitious and over promising baker that I am), of course vowed to try to make a Buche de Noel of my own for the next Christmas. And the one after that. And the one after that one. Making the promise was easy, but somehow actually beginning the rather daunting challenge of filling and rolling the cake, frosting the stumpy part and making mushrooms had always been pushed off of top of the priority list in the rush of Christmas preparations. Until this year. The monthly Daring Bakers challenge, chosen by the lovely Lis of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice, was of course the Buche de Noel, the perfect challenge for Christmastime. I was excited, but a little apprehensive. Could I roll the cake? Can I make meringue mushrooms? Will anyone want to eat it? Well, now that I have a Yule Log under my belt, the answers to those questions are yes, no and yes. I have learned to roll a cake (Hooray!), my meringue mushrooms looked like bird droppings (Ick), and I'm serving it tonight at the huge Christmas Eve Fish Fest with Mike's family. With 20 people here for dinner and dessert, surely someone will try a piece.

                               

Many thanks to the Daring Bakers, now over 300 strong, whose constant challenges and support have greatly enhanced my baking this year. Can't wait to see what's ahead for the new year. Merry Christmas! 

Spritz Cookies

When I heard about Food Blogga's Eat Christmas Cookies from Around the World food blog event, I knew I had to bring Spritz to the party. They are everything Christmas cookies should be - delicious, traditional and they've got a story. If you are in the mood to bake some cookies of your own, head over to the party at Food Blogga's and discover some new cookies to try this Christmas!

                            

Well, it is the Christmas season, which has always meant that is time to bake Spritz. They are truly my favorite cookie - light, crisp, buttery, simply perfect. My family is Swedish, which meant that for Christmas we baked Spritz Cookies. Isn't it interesting how people pick and choose their traditions?  We always have Spritz, but we never make Ginger Snaps, or Lutfisk for that matter. But I guess if you are going to keep only one tradition, keeping the Spritz instead of the Lutfisk was probably at good decision. My Grandmother used to bake them by the tons and mail them to us from Iowa, packed in a Rice Crispie Box. Hers were always squiggly "wreaths" sprinkled with green and red sugar. As I've grown older, Spritz making has become my job, but not really my favorite one. I love the finished product, but the process leaves a little to be desired. In fact, these wonderful bits of buttery heaven are often referred to as (Pardon my lack of Christmas spirit here) as Goddamn Spritz. The problem arises from the Cookie Press, as Spritz are cookies that need to be pressed or piped onto the cookie sheet. Has anyone made a cookie press that is strong enough to pipe anything thicker than whipped cream? It always starts out innocently enough, with the press working fine, making cute little wreaths and trees, and then the end pops off and the dough oozes out. Then the battle is on, me trying to pipe cookies, the press fighting me every inch of the way. This eventually ends with me shouting "ALL I WANT IS TO FINISH THIS PAN OF COOKIES, FOR GOD'S SAKE!" I own more cookie presses than I can count, and have thrown away a dozen more, all in the endless pursuit of a press than can make Spritz. (Please enjoy the picture of a few of my presses)

                                                

My Grandmother used to pipe her Spritz with this "Primitive" icing thing. Hers had a blister inducing gap in the round part that your thumb is supposed to go into. She was clearly a better woman than I am. I have tried this method and the cookies aren't worth the pain.

                                             

But this is all over now, as I have found a Spritz recipe that makes a dough that is not hard as rock and since I have learned that a pastry bag is the perfect cookie piping instrument. No more cursing and gnashing of teeth. Hooray! Christmas Spirit is restored! Simply beautiful crisp little cookies to be enjoyed with a glass of milk. I might even make another batch. Enjoy them!

                              

Spritz

from Visions of Sugarplums by Mimi Sheraton

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 egg

2 1/4 cups of sifted flour, approximately

Let butter soften slightly at room temperature, then cream with sugar and salt until mixture is light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and blend thoroughly. Stir in enough flour to make a soft, workable dough. Fill a pastry bag with the dough and pipe onto baking sheets into any shape you like. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 7 minutes until the edges of your cookies are light golden brown. Makes about 5 dozen.   

Menu for Hope

Please join the food blogging community in supporting Menu for Hope, an online raffle benefitting the UN World Food Programme. Started by Pim at Chez Pim, this is our 4th year of participation, with the 2006 raffle raising $62,925. This year's proceeds will be going to help support the school lunch program in Lesotho, Africa, which feeds the children and helps to keep them in school. Raffle tickets are $10 each, and you can specify which of the prizes you are bidding on. You can find links to the entire list of prizes at Chez Pim.

This is my contribution. I am donating a copy of Dorie Greenspan's wonderful tome, Baking, From My Kitchen To Yours - an indispensible guide to baking all kinds of mouth-watering items. The pictures are beautiful and will inspire you to take your baking to a whole new level. I am also including a gift box from the Savory Spice Shop, filled with freshly ground spices to enhance any baking project. The goodies include whole Grenada Nutmeg with a grater, Almond Extract, Cocoa Powder, Ground Chiinese Ginger, Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract, Vietnamese Saigon Cassia Cinnamon and Savory's own Baking Spice - a wonderful smelling blend of Saigon and Indonesian Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Mace, Allspice and Ginger, all packaged with fresh Ginger Root, Star Anise and Cinnamon Sticks. Everything you need to create an ovenful of wonderful delicacies from Dorie Greenspan's book!

Due to customs requirements, I'm limiting the shipping to Unites States addresses only (I shipped spices to Australia and half of them got confiscated). Value of $75. 

    

The prize code to bid on the Baking and Spices Package is UC10.

Here's how you can participate: Choose a prize from the listing at Chez Pim, noting the prize code. Go to the First Giving website and make a donation. In the personal message box, you need to specify what prizes you are bidding on (ex. 2 tickets for UC10). Be sure to include your email address so we can contact you if you win. You can buy tickets through December 21, and the winners will be posted on Chez Pim on January 9. Happy bidding and thanks for your support for this great cause!

Swedish Apricot Nut FruitCake

Is there a food that needs a image makeover more than the much maligned Fruitcake? I can't say that it's reputation is undeserved - the only kind of fruitcake most people have ever come into contact with is the heavy dark loaf reeking of alcohol and dotted with mystery bits of blue, yellow and red "fruit". The kind with the unlimited shelf life that is better used as a doorstop than served with tea. A generally bad present to give or receive and often regifted to some other unsuspecting soul. Here in Colorado, on the day after Christmas there is actually a traditional Fruitcake Toss, where the unlucky recipients of spooky fruitcake can bring their unloved loaves out and catapult them across a field. So in honor of the Festive Food Fair hosted by Morsels and Musings, I have decided to take on Fruitcake - the most traditionally festive holiday food that everybody hates.

                                        

I found lots of recipes, many of them with directions that include things like "soak cake in rum each week for 3-4 months" and "allow cake to ripen 1-2 months". Ick. There had to be a better, more appetizing way. Finally, I came across a recipe for Swedish Apricot Nut Bread - a golden colored fruitcake that sounded like something you may actually want to eat. My Grandmother always said that something couldn't taste bad if it only had good things in it. This makes sense, and should therefore apply to fruitcake too. Cake made with orange juice, lemon zest, apricots and walnuts - all things I know and love - had to taste good. I mixed it up, substituting the brandy in the recipe for Calvados, baked it and left it to "mellow" in a Calvados-soaked towel overnight. I was greeted this morning by a delicious, light, moist, fruity and not at all scary golden fruitcake, flecked with bits of Calvados-infused apricots and walnuts. Just the thing to enjoy with my early morning coffee and a vastly tasty improvement over the mystery loaves. I might even give a couple of cakes away - but I think I will rename them if I do. I'm not sure that the dark name of Fruitcake can be overcome, and I'd hate to have them show up at the Fruitcake Toss.

Please check out all of the Festive Food offerings at Morsels and Musings Festive Food Fair, a global celebration of traditional holiday foods and drinks we all love and cherish!

Swedish Apricot Nut Bread (Fruitcake!)

from Visions of Sugarplums by Mimi Sheraton

1 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup Calvados or Brandy

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons softened butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

zest of one lemon

1/2 cup strained orange juice

2 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Soak apricots in Calvados or brandy for 2-3 hours. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Cut each apricot half into small bits. Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and lemon zest and beat until mixture is smooth and well blended. Add reserved Calvados and orange juice. Sift flour with baking powder, soda and salt. Resift into batter gradually, stirring well between additions. Fold in nuts and apricots. Butter and line an 8" loaf pan or 4 mini pans and pour in batter. Let stand for 20 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the tops are golden brown and a tester comes out clean - 1 hour for the 8" loaf pan and 40-45 minutes for the smaller pans. Turn out of the pans while hot, peel off paper and let cool on a rack. Wrap in Calvados infused towels and let mellow or 24 hours before cutting. Store in an airtight container. The cake should improve with age.   

BreadBakingDay #5

BreadBakingDay was a brilliant idea for an ongoing food Blog Event, created by the lovely Zorra at Kochtopf. BreadBakingDay celebrates the wonderfully chewy miracle from the oven that I simply cannot live without. So I am thrilled to have the enormous honor of hosting BreadBakingDay #5, Filled Breads. Let your inner baker go wild. Mix up any bread you like, white or wheat, roll it out, fill it with something inspiring and roll it up and bake it. It can be fruit, cheese, salsa, sauce, spices, veggies, candy - whatever you are in the mood for. Rolls, calzones and meat pies all count as filled breads and if you have a filled bread that is a tradition where you live, we'd love to read about it. Simply bake your lovely filled bread creation, take some pictures, write about it and post between now and January 1. Please include a link to Rolling in Dough in your post and send me an email at chelsea@tresbonvivant.com, including the permalink to your post, a picture if you have one and your name and general location. I'll have the collection of wonderful breads up by January 5. What a great way to end one year and begin a new one - by baking bread!

If you would like to explore some other wonderful bread baking ideas, please join Baking History for the roundup of BreadBakingDay #4, Bread with Spices!

I'm including a recipe to get you started. Please feel free for use it, alter it or use any other recipe that catches your fancy. This makes a rich bread with a tight crumb. I filled one of these with Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes, and the other with Butter, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Raisins - one for breakfast and one for dinner. Can't wait to read about all of your breads! Cheers!

Basic White Bread

from Beautiful Breads and Fabulous Fillings by Margaux Sky

Makes 2 loaves.

1 tablespoon yeast

2 cups warm milk

2 cups warm half and half

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup powered sugar

8 cups AP flour

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

3-4 cups of filling of your choice per loaf

1 egg and 2 tablespoons of water for an egg wash.

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the milk and half and half. Let stand for 5 minutes, until the yeast is foamy. Add the butter and mix with a whisk. Add the powered sugar and mix well to break up any clumps.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and the salt. Slowly add the liquid mixture and knead well - 3-4 minutes if using the stand mixer, and 4-7 minutes if by hand. Keep the dough moist for a soft, tender bread.

Place the kneaded dough in a generously buttered bowl, cover and let rise in a warm, dry place for 60 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide into 2 pieces. Butter 2 9" loaf pans. Roll out your dough, and spread the filling over the dough. Tightly roll the roll, folding in the outer edges as you go to keep the fillings inside. Place the rolled loaf in the pan. Cover and let rise for another 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slash the loaves diagonally three times, deep enough to see the fillings. Brush the egg wash over the loaves and bake for about 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 30 mintues, then remove from the pan and cool another 30 minutes on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!

   

Rolling in Dough

Bon Vivant is now a year old - I've learned a lot, met some awesome and inspiring food bloggers and tried some fantastic recipes. But in winding my way through the wonderful world of food writing, I've been thinking about what it is that I really love, and the answer is simply "Baking". Baking is truly Zen for me. I love how centered I become when I'm in the kitchen, spending some quality time with my oven. I love the flavors and smells that take over the house when I've made something wonderful. I am mesmerized by displays of beautiful tarts and cakes and I think that warm bread fresh from the oven is absolutely the best smell on Earth. So, because I believe that life is about pursuing your passion, Bon Vivant is becoming "Rolling in Dough" - baking and writing about breads, cakes, tarts, quiches, candy, cookies and all of the wonderful and beautiful things you might encounter in a bakery or pastry shop. I'll have recipes, conversation, research and ideas for baking lovers to drop by and indulge in. And I plan to stretch a little, trying some new techniques and flavor combinations. I hope you will stop back often to see what's in the oven. Cheers! 

Gingerbread Peppermint Cookies

                                          

Is there a better sign that the holidays have arrived than a winter afternoon spent baking gingerbread cookies while Christmas music plays in the background? Sweet, rich and spicy, gingerbread is the perfect December treat. Yesterday, my kitchen was filled with the delighted squeals of little girls decorating cookies. As I baked gingerbread trees, stars and snowflakes, the girls frosted, applied sprinkles, colored sugar, chocolate chips and debated whose cookie was prettiest.

                                    

Not to be outdone by the kiddos, I frosted a few snowflakes of my own, finishing them with crushed candy canes. The peppermint candy is a wonderful accompaniment to the spicy gingerbread. Rather than simply being sweet, the peppermint flavor dresses up the cookies, giving them a sophisticated taste and a little sparkle. I used a lemon icing for the frosting. The tanginess of the lemon disappears on the gingerbread, leaving a flavor that complements the spiciness of the cookies beautifully. An elegant and pretty way to dress up your holiday cookies - enjoy them with a steaming cup of tea while you decorate your tree.   

Gingerbread Peppermint Cookies

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup water

1 t. vanilla

2 1/2 cups AP flour

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

1 t. ginger

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. freshly ground nutmeg

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add molasses, water and vanilla and mix until well combined. Sift flour and spices together and add to the butter mixture. Beat for several minutes until the flour is incorporated.  Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours until well chilled.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a well floured surface, working with one packet of dough at a time, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick (thinner if you like crispy cookies) and cut into shapes. Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake about 10 minutes. Let then cookies sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes after removing them from the oven, then let cool completely on wire racks.

Lemon Icing

3 cups powdered sugar

3 - 4 tbsp. lemon juice or water

Combine in a bowl, adding the lemon juice or water slowly until the desired consistency is achieved.

Put down some waxed paper, put out some candy sprinkles and colored sugar. Frost and decorate your cookies, squealing often and sneaking bits of candy. Don't forget to debate whose cookies are the prettiest! Cheers!