galette bressane

I came across a new food blog for me when I was researching masonry ovens.  I would really like a masonry oven but have not gotten built yet.  But I do wish to experiment with building one.  And then baking breads in it.  Lucy's Kitchen Notebook had a recipe for Galette Bressane which is traditionally baked in a masonry oven.  The bread/cake sounds so good and the story she told with it was lovely as well.  I did decide to use my sourdough starter as the yeastie beasties.  I think it adds a lot of flavor even though this is not baked with a wood fire.  My Tall Short Person thinks if you top with the greater amount of sugar that I have in the recipe, that it tastes like a sugar brioche.  I would have to agree.  With a cup of tea or coffee, it makes a lovely breakfast or not so sweet dessert.  

We will call it cake.

Galette Bressane

sourdough starter

1 cup flour

3/4 cup water

170 to 340 grams flour (2 to 3 cups)

2 eggs with enough water added to make 130 grams

80 grams (a bit more then 1/3 cup) butter

30 grams (2 tablespoons) sugar

1 pinch salt (two finger)

1 egg, beaten

20 grams creme fraiche (I used a 1/4 cup)

1 pinch salt (two finger)

20 to 40 grams granulated sugar (2 to 4 tablespoons)

8 to 12 hours before you wish to start mixing the dough, combine the sourdough starter, 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl.  Cover and let ferment.

After 8 to 12 hours, remove a bit of starter for next time.  In the remaining sponge, mix the sugar, butter, egg and water mixture, and 1 pinch salt.  Mix in enough flour to make a very soft dough.  "Knead" for five minutes.  This was really more a bringing together to make a smooth dough.  Put in a large ziploc and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

After refrigeration, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Roll the dough out until it is 1/4 inch thick.  Let rise for two hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix the creme fraiche with a pinch of salt.  Pinch the sides of the dough so there is a 1/2 inch high ridge.  Paint with the egg.  Getting the outside is good.  Spread the creme fraiche mixture over the center but not past the edges.  Sprinkle with the 2 to 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar.

Bake for 12 minutes.  Make sure that there is a pan underneath or you may have some of the creme fraiche end up on the bottom of the oven.

Not the best picture in the world I know, but this is another of those things that seemed to disappear rather quickly.  The Tall Short Person came searching for more the next day.  I actually am going to mix the dough up to go in the refrigerator shortly.  It does really remind me of an easy sugar brioche.  But not so dry.  Which of course, makes me smile.

Dessert with tea tomorrow!

creme fraiche

I admit to being one of those crazy people who makes the ingredients for the foods I am making.  Like I made a "cake" that called for creme fraiche.  I really want to start making cheeses but have not gotten any rennet yet but I decided that I would research creme fraiche to see if I could make it.  Easy peasey!  It is just one of those things that takes time and it is a fermentation.  Sometimes that seems like what my whole life revolves around:  yeasty beasties

creme fraiche

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons cultured buttermilk or yogurt

Mix together and let sit on the counter loosely covered for 12 hours.  Refrigerate.

It is lovely with fresh or frozen berries.  It was wonderful with the "cake" I made too.

croquant cake

I told you going to Oxheart resturant was a bad thing. I have been playing with meringue cakes after their carrot cake.  I took my croquant cookie recipe to use as the merinque layer.  I was actually much happier with it then the typical meringue.  The filling and glaze on this one are very similar to the merinque cake but I did use a chocolate ganache.  That is how I knew I liked the chocolate syrup better.  Which is what I will use next time.

Croquant cake

1 recipe croquant cookies 

8 ounces marscapone

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup chocolate chips

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrentheit.

Mix the croquant dough as the recipe calls for.  Make three "cookies" instead of many.  You want them to be about six inches across.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Let cool.

Mix the marscapone with the 2 tablespoons sugar.  Set aside.

Melt the chocolate chips with the whipping cream.  Keep warm.

Set one layer on a plate.  Spread with marscapone.  Spread with ganache.  Set another layer on top.  Again, spread with marscapone and ganache.  Put the last layer on top.  Spread with ganache and dribble with whatever marscapone is left.

Serve.  Do not let your child at it with a fork.  The cake will have strange indentions in it then instead of sliced edges.  It was like having a large mouse!

gluten free crack pie

I was reading the Los Angeles Times online and they were doing a review of a new cookbook that is coming out.  Or maybe it was the cook.  I do not remember.  But the jist of it was that there was a recipe for Momufuku's Crack pie.  

This sounded interesting but it was not gluten free so I decided to play.  The finished pie was very yummy.  Really sweet.  Kind of like the butterscotch chip cream cheese bars.  Did I blog about those?  I will have to check.... Camping, you know.

On to the pie!

Crack pie

6 tablespoons butter, melted

6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup millet flour

1/4 cup sorghum flour

1/4 cup arrowroot flour

1/4 cup almond flour

1/2 cup gluten free quick oats

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup room temperature butter

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

4 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375.  Place parchament paper in the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.  Butter the paper and sides.

Melt the 6 tablespoons cup butter.  Mix in the 6 tablespoons brown sugar, the flours, and the oats.  The mixture will be sandy.  Press into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl together.  Pour over the prepared crust.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  The filling will be gooey.

Cool completely.

Once completely chilled, slice into small slices and serve.  

Very sweet.  Very rich.  With a cup of tea...  makes me smile.

julia's salad

We were invited over to friend's for dinner on Monday.  It was one of those out of the blue invitations that was just so much fun.  Even the first question made me laugh, "Do you eat steak?"

And the food.  Now, Mike can grill.  The steak and the asparugus were lovely.  It was the first time that I ever had asparugus a way I liked and I like it grilled.  But Julia made this salad.  I have been craving it since.  I wanted it last night but I had to wait until tonight.  I actually changed it up a bit because of what I had but is that what salads are supposed to be?

Julia's Salad

Romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces

A couple handfuls of strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced

An asian pear (or a truly ripe pear if you cannot find an asian), sliced into bite size pieces

Feta or chevre cheese

Mix the romaine, strawberries, and pear in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Serve with the dressing of your choice.

I was thinking about it and thought some nuts might be good to.  Maybe next time becasue there will be a next time!