…AKA Amazing-ness…
Flaky French Croissants March 4, 2012
French croissants make me happy!
One of my favorite things about France (hmm…I guess one of the only things I like about France…but that’s a story for another day) is French Croissants. I have never in my life had a flakier, more tender croissant than in Paris. There’s no better way to start the day than to have a tasty croissant with a delicious macchiato coffee in a little Paris cafe. Well, of course after we move back to the States, we want to continue this wonderful experience of croissants for breakfast and so of course I HAD to learn how to make them. That and I just plain enjoy a challenge. Little did I know how much of a challenge to my patience this project would be. Did you know it takes three days to make croissants. THREE DAYS of waiting and dreaming of those delicious, buttery little crescents. After day two I was ready to give up and just use Pilsbury refrigerator dough for the rest of my life. By the time the croissants were actually in the oven baking and smelling amazing, I had changed my mind. While lots of work up front, these are a wonderful little treat for a weekend and much tastier than Pilsbury. While not as yummy as the Parisian croissants, they are very good and will have to suffice until we can return to the City of Lights (and Croissants).
French Croissants
Dough
4 cups flour
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup cold whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
2 1/4 teaspoon salt
Butter Layer
1 1/4 cup cold butter
Day 1: Make the Dough
Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix by hand or with a mixer until combined. Make into a disk shape and wrap well with greased and floured plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
Day 2: Butter Layers
Cut the cold butter into 1/2 inch thick slabs. Place onto waxed paper and roll/pound into a 7 inch (appx) square. Refrigerate or freeze for 10-20 minutes.
Unwrap and lay the dough onto floured work surface. Roll out into a 10 inch (appx) square. Remove extra flour and place butter on top. Wrap the dough around the butter by folding over and sealing with fingers. Then gently roll/press the dough to lengthen. Roll the dough until it’s approximitely 8 inches by 24 inches. Fold dough lengthwise into thirds. Freeze for 20 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding, this time rolling toward the open ends of the dough. Freeze dough again and roll a final time. During this process, ensure that you seal any open ends where you see butter starting to break through. After the third time of rolling, wrap dough completely and refrigerate overnight.
Day 3: Patience is Rewarded…
Unwrap the dough and gently roll and press the dough into an 8 inch by 44 inch strip. (At this point, I divided the dough into thirds to make different flavored croissants.) Cut the dough diagonally to make 15 triangles. Roll the triangles, starting at the wide end into cresent shapes. Push your hands outward to lengthen the rolls. Brush with 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water. Place onto a baking sheet and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for an hour until doubled in size. Brush with egg mixture again. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes until rolls are golden brown. Serve warm.
Variations:
I made four different varieties of croissants and all were delectable. Before rolling the triangles into the crescent shapes, I added chopped dark chocolate to one batch, chopped ham and cheese, and Nutella to the final batch. YUMMY. My favorites were the ham and cheese…
Skip to Day 2...dough all ready for rolling!
Buttery goodness!
Rolled out butter
Ready to wrap up the butter!
The butter is all cozy inside!
First roll done.
Folded and ready to roll again
Triangles ready to fill
Ham and cheese--yum!
Nutella is tasty but messy!
YUM-dark chocolate!
Ready to pop in the oven!
Delightfully delicious breakfast!
Pad Thai January 16, 2012
One of my favorite foods ever is Pad Thai. I love the complexity of the flavors all melded together. The hot spices, the tart lime, the sweetness, the saltyness….It’s just all so yummy. I rarely order anything else when we go to a Thai restaurant. I finally decided it was time to learn how to make it. It just so happens that I received the Williams-Sonoma cookbook for Christmas (Thanks, Carolyn!), that happened to have a pad thai recipe. After a few modifications, this is what I came up with….
Pad Thai
1 package wide rice noodles
4 tablespoons oil (coconut adds nice flavor)
1/2 pound shrimp, deveined and detailed
1 chicken breast, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 lime zest
1/4 cup lime juice
1 red jalepeno pepper, chopped and seeded
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 cups bean sprouts
4 tablespoons chopped peanuts
2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
2 green onions chopped
2 limes thinly sliced
Place noodles in a large pot. Cover with hot water. Let sit for 15 minutes and then drain and allow to dry on a cookie sheet. (Important…let the noodles dry. I didn’t and they were a little soggy.)
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok. Add garlic and lime juice and zest. When hot, add chopped chicken. When chicken is almost finished cooking, add the shrimp. Let cook for 2-3 minutes until finished. Remove meats from the pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil and add the eggs. Stir until soft curds form. Add to shrimp and chicken. Add final 2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the noodles and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Add the sugar and fish sauce to the pan. Toss the noodles to coat. Add half of the bean sprouts and half of the peanuts. Toss again. Add all of the shrimp, chicken, and egg. Toss again and serve. Use rest of the bean sprouts and peanuts as well as green onion and limes to garnish.
Swiss Butterhorns January 8, 2012
Another tradition from Nathan’s family is Swiss Butterhorns. My wonderful mother-in-law was willing to share the recipe with me and now my family is also hooked on them! These little sweet rolls are just about the best thing ever. They are amazing and delicious. I can’t even begin to describe them. You’ll just have to try them. They are beyond amazing…
Swiss Butterhorns
Dough:
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup sour cream
Filling:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Glaze:
1 cup powder sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
Combine flour, butter, and salt until crumbly. Add egg yolk and sour cream. Mix well until dough forms. Chill for several hours or overnight. Divide dough into 3 sections. Roll into a 1o inch circle. Sprinkle with filling and cut into 12 wedges. Roll from the wide side to the narrow side to form rolls. Place point side down on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls and serve.
Swedish Meatballs
This Christmas was one of building new traditions for Nathan and I. Not only was it our first Christmas together, it was also a Christmas in Germany. As we decide what to keep from our own families and what to try new for ourselves, we are having fun experimenting with different traditions. This Christmas Eve we decided on Swedish meatballs (from Nathan’s family) and German spaetzle. It was the first time I had ever made Swedish meatballs and I think that is one tradition we’ll be keeping over the years….
Swedish Meatballs
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
6 slices stale bread
2 eggs
1 large onion, chopped
2/3 cup of milk
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon pepper
Mix all ingredients well. Form into 1-2 tablespoon sized meatballs. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a large skillet. Carefully brown each side of the meatball and move to a large pot. When all meatballs are browned, add 6 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup of flour to the skillet. Whisk flour into the hot butter to make a rue. Slowly add 1 quart beef stock and bring to a boil. Whisk in 3/4 cup sour cream and add salt to taste. Pour sauce over the meatballs and allow to cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Spoon meatballs over noodles or spaetzle and serve with lingonberry preserves. Enjoy!
Burnt Caramel Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Coins December 22, 2011
Found this recipe and decided to try it. It’s pretty amazing!
http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2009/03/burnt-caramel-sea-salt-dark-chocolate.html
Enjoy!
Grandpa’s Medicine (Fudge)
When I was little, I loved helping my grandma cook. I vividly remember helping her in her cozy farmhouse kitchen. To this day, the smell of the cooking milk and sugar in this fudge recipe takes me back there. I think I make fudge for the smell. For the brief moment of being five years old and helping grandma again. The fudge itself tastes delcious but I don’t eat much since it is so rich. And so, I enjoy the smells and everyone else enjoys the taste. I usually make this recipe without a candy thermometer, that’s how I grew up doing it but it is helpful to have one.
Grandpa’s Medicine
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 large can evaporated milk
1 stick of butter
Cook over medium heat to firmball stage (this takes forever! But it’s so worth it!). (To test without a candy thermometer, drop a spoonful into a glass of ice water. Gently try to roll the mixture into a ball. Ball should hold together in a ‘firm’ ball.) Remove from heat and add 10 ounces marshmallows, 12 ounces chocolate chips, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan and cool.
A German Christmas Market Tradition
Every Christmas market you go to here you will find similar foods. Gluhwein, bratwurst, Kasewurst, pretzels, crepes, and amazing potato pancakes. I’m not a big fan of potatoes in general and feel that if I’m going to eat a pancake it had better be a pumpkin one. However, I quickly learned the error of my ways when I tasted the German potato pancakes. They were so delcious. I even branched out a little and tried *gasp* apple sauce WITH the pancakes. I am not a food mixer. Do not ever ask me to put a fruit glaze on meat. Eew. It just doesn’t sound appetizing to me at all… But the apple sauce with the potato pancakes was amazing. I couldn’t believe it! So, of course we had to try it at home. I can’t really take credit for this one because Nathan actually made them for me but he doesn’t have a cooking blog…
German Potato Pancakes
4 large potatoes, shredded
2 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped ham (spec)
Combine all ingredients. Cook in a 1/4 inch of oil until cripsy on both sides. Serve with fried eggs and applesauce.
Swedish Almond Cake
Everyone here thinks I’m such a Scandinavian. All of my co-workers are not surprised when I tell them I lived in Minnesota. They say, “oh I can see you’re a good Swedish Minnesooooootan.” Oddly enough, I have barely any Swedish blood in me and I grew up in Illinois! The best reaction is to my last name. People assume it’s a Swedish name and even though it’s my married name say, “well that explains the Swedish look”. It’s been very entertaining but in all actuality, I love the Swedish heritage, no matter how small a part of my history it may be. My family seems to have adopted more Swedish traditions around Christmas including Santa Lucia rolls, herring, lachs, oyster stew, etc… This year, with everyone at my home for Christmas, I’m introducing a new Swedish tradition: Swedish Almond Cake.
You probably will think I’m crazy when you see this recipe but this cake is surprisingly light. The flavor and the texture are just perfect. I first baked this cake with an adorable old Swedish woman on a snowy Minnesota day after which we enjoyed coffee and a cozy fire. It was a perfectly delightful wintry day and made me truly feel Swedish.
Njut och God Jul! (Enjoy and Merry Christmas!)
(Sorry about the sideways pictures, they weren’t saving the right way…)
Swedish Almond Cake
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2/3 cups milk
Combine well.
Add 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon almond extract. Combine well again.
Add 1 stick melted butter. Combine well. Pour into a greased pan and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes until golden brown. (I always grease the pan and then coat it with sugar or almond meal, just helps it to not stick.)
PS-Did I mention how simple the recipe is? 🙂
Coming Soon…. December 20, 2011
I’ve fallen so far behind but hoping to catch up someday…Here’s a preview of what’s to come (maybe)…
Swedish Almond Cakes
Artichoke Dip
Potato Pancakes
Grandpa's Medicine! (Fudge)
Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Coins
Yummy!
culinaryramblings 