Eastern European Rye...Oh My!

I discovered rye bread my freshman year in college at University of San Diego.  I went to the deli on campus and ordered a pastrami, havarti, extra mustard on rye.  The only choices for bread back then where wheat, white or rye, but the rest of the semester, I ordered everything on rye.  With all the artisan bakeries popping up everywhere, really good rye bread is everywhere.

I was so excited to try making it myself.  The recipe and technique is clearly explained in Baking with Julia.   I recommend reading the recipe and instructions at least once before starting this project and make sure to save if for a day that is open.


Cover the dough with your favorite towel from Dorie Greenspan!!!







I started my dough early in the moring, went to breakfast with a friend, came home checked on the dough, ran errands, checked on the dough and finished up while watching the Seahawks game.  I missed part of the game because I had to figure out how I was going to suspend the dough for the last rise.

The bread was done after the Seahawks win over the Panthers...Yay!!!

I let the bread cool, as instructed, as much as I wanted to try it.  The next morning, I toasted a piece to have with my fried eggs.  YUM!!!

To see other versions of this recipe, click here.

Granola Energy Bars

Well, it's January and in my house we are all thinking we should eat better.  Granola Energy Bars from Dorie Greenspan's Baking Chez Moi, are a perfect addition to our "snack" selection.  I made these over the weekend and I followed the recipe except substituted the brown rice syrup for agave.



The flavor was very good.  The texture was good, but my bars did not really stick together well.  I will try the brown rice syrup to see if it makes a difference.  To see the other versions at Tuesdays with Dorie, click here.

the Rugelach that won over France

Well, it's time for holiday baking...I love it!  This past weekend I finally got around to narrowing down my cookie selection, sables and Rugelach are always on my list.  I have used Dorie Greenspan's sable recipe for years, but not her Rugelach recipe.  In Baking Chez Moi, the Rugelach recipe seemed way too fussy, but I think Rugelach is a little fussy.  A lot of steps, a lot of ingredients, a lot of time, but worth it.

I actually made the dough for this recipe on Sunday and knew I wouldn't be making these little gems until Tuesday Night.


I wasn't really sure of the filling either.  I usually use jam, nuts and cinnamon.  I grabbed the jam from the fridge, then realized, it wasn't needed in the recipe.  Whoops!


The dough was easy to make, and easy to work with.  I didn't think the dough would really hold up to the rolling, filling and baking, but it did!

Delicious!  To see the other versions of this delicate little sweet, click here.

the journey from starter to finished walnut bread

So, I don't know when my fear of yeast started, but it still freaks me out.  I skimmed over the recipe for walnut bread, but must have missed the part where it said "fully kneaded starter left-over dough" as an ingredient. Ok, I don't have starter sitting in my fridge all the time, or ever.  So I started with the "starter".  I also must have missed the part that said "Day 1" and "Day 2"...WHAT?!  So now my fear of yeast had turned to "Seriously, I don't care what it costs, I'm going to buy bread from now on!"

Day 1: bloom the yeast, mix the dough, proof...more flour, rise, knead.

Next take a tiny bit of the starter dough and make more dough, mix in flour, rise, knead.

Ok, with all the time I had to wait for the dough, I was able to do a little shopping, stop by work, come home and lounge around a bit, walk the dog, and think about getting our Christmas decorations out.

Day 2:  This was my big mistake, in the instructions, Day 2 was a Sunday, unfortunately, my Day 2 was a Monday, aka, a work day.  I got up early, mixed water and more yeast to the dough and let it rise for 4 hours.  I even went to the gym and walked my dog.  With a few steps left, I refrigerated the dough, the instructions said, "for 1 hour, but no more than 8". Ok, I'll finish this after work.  Ugh.

Long story short, I waited until Midnight for my bread to be done.

Too late to try it, too tired to care.

Worth it?

Yes!  Besides, I have so much starter left, I will be making bread every week, for months!  The detailed instructions for the starter and walnut bread can be found in Dorie Greenspan's Baking with Julia.  To see how other did with this recipe, click here.

Channeling my Italian roommate Paola: amaretti

I have to admit, I had forgotten that I needed to bake amaretti cookies today. Thank goodness, these are one of the easiest cookies I've ever made. After a quick to the gym, so I would have no guilt sampling the amaretti cookie later, I stopped in to get the 8 oz. can of almond paste. Ok, this is not located in the right place, not near the baking supplies, rather on the bottom shelf under the nuts. Ok? Three ingredients, almond paste, egg whites, sugar...easy. I had Salt and Pepper cranked up, to channel my SF roommate from college, Paola, who moved back to Italy many years ago, and one of my cooking mentors! first separate the eggs then cut the almond paste in small cubes mix on low agg egg whites, one at a time mix on low until smooth Ok, here's one step you need to decide on, pastry bag or cookie scoop? I went with the scoop! I baked half on the a silpat and the other half on parchment paper. I baked my amaretti in a convection oven for 15 minutes, then twirled the sheet pan around for the last 5 minutes. Cool on a rack with the liner. So, the liner does make a difference. I both cases, the amaretti stuck to the liner, maybe I didn't wait long enough for them to cool. Also, I feel like the amaretti so baked on the parchment puffed and crackled slightly more. This recipe is in Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan. This week Doristas at Tuesdays with Dorie are baking amarettis today, to check out the other versions of this recipe, click here.

palets de dames

I have to admit, this is not the first recipe I have made from Dorie Greenspan's, Baking Chez Moi cookbook.  I let my husband pick any recipe for me to make for him and he selected Cheesecake, Alsace Style.  I hope we don't wait too long to make that yummy treat!!!
So I was very excited to make Palets de Dames.  As I skimmed through the recipe I remembered the word "puck", so I was expecting a very different cookie.   One thing that is for sure, this tea cookie can be made and enjoyed before you finish off your morning pot of tea.















Cream the butter, then add room temperature eggs, one at a time.

Add vanilla extract, I made my own vanilla extract months ago, to be prepared for fall baking!

Add flour, slowly, then cover the mixing bowl and chill the dough.  I was anxious to have the Palets de Dames with my tea, so I rushed the chilling.

Scoop then put in a 400 degree oven for 7-9 minutes, no longer!

I only baked off half the dough and saving the rest for later.

I didn't wait long to dip the cookies in the glaze, I could barely wait.  Also, I used a little extra milk and lemon zest instead of lemon juice for the glaze.  I didn't have any pretty sugars, so I thought the glaze alone might look too plain.  To see how the rest of the group liked this recipe, click here.
Sammi was not too interested in the Palets de Dames, so she left me alone while I baked.

Waiting patiently as the glaze dries.

Aw, finally, I can relax and enjoy!

TWD-BWJ: Alsatian Onion Tart

I recently tasted an onion tart at a French wine dinner and thought, "I can make this better!".  Well, after a little digging, and I didn't need to look far, the recipe jumped out at me.  Baking with Julia, by Dorie Geeenspan, sits in my kitchen everyday and the recipe for Alsatian Onion Tart was calling my name.  It just so happens, the Tuesdays with Dorie/Baking with Julia was scheduled to make the Alsatian Onion Tart.  I have been following along with the TWD/BWJ group for many years, but don't always have a chance to post my results.  This time I actually had some time to share my results.
I stated prepping early in the day before I left for the gym, but made sure I would have a quick assembly when I got home from work later in the day.

OK, there was a lot of onion chopping.  Maybe next time I will use my Cuisinart.  The onions are just gently cooked in broth over low heat, then drained and cooled.  Bacon is also partially cooked.  I pressed the puff pastry in a sheet pan and put everything unassembled in the fridge for later.  My husband preheated the oven so when I got home, I quickly assembled the tart and popped it in the oven for 30 minutes.  Voila!  Delicious!!!