Summer Fruit Cobbler

September 8, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Summer Fruit Cobbler
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Ingredients
  1. One recipe Sour Cream Cobbler Dough (see below)
  2. 8 cups fruit, whole if small/1” pieces if large
  3. ½- ¾ cup sugar
  4. 1-2 tablespoon flour
  5. Pinch salt
  6. 1-2 filling flavorings (1 teaspoon. citrus zest, ½ teaspoon. cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon. nutmeg, 2 teaspoon minced fresh or crystalized ginger, ¼ teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  7. 2 tablespoon sugar
  8. Sour Cream Cobbler Dough Recipe
  9. 1 2/3 cup flour
  10. 1/3 cup sugar or brown sugar
  11. 1 tablespoon baking powder
  12. ¼ teaspoon salt
  13. 6 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small pieces
  14. 1-2 dough flavorings ( ½ teaspoon citrus zest, ¼ cup fine cornmeal, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ cup chopped nuts)
  15. ¾ cup sour cream
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to blend ingredients. Add the butter and pulse until they are the size of small peas. Dump the mixture into a mixing bowl. Add any flavorings and stir until dispersed. Add the sour cream. Using a rubber spatula, gently smear the ingredients together until the dough begins to form large, soft, moist clumps. Bring the dough together in an 8” log. Divide the log into 10 equal pieces. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
  3. Put the sugar, flour, salt, and filling flavorings into a large bowl. Add the fruit and toss. Pile the fruit into a 9”x13” dish (or one of similar volume). Place the dough pieces atop the fruit. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bake until filling is bubbling and the topping is browned, 50-60 min.
  4. Let the cobbler sit at least 20 min. before serving to allow juices to settle.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
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For The Love Of Caramel by Paul Lindemuth

July 12, 2017 by Leave a Comment

One of my favorite cookbooks is “My Last Supper” by Melanie Dunea. It is a journal where 50 great chefs were asked “if you were to die tomorrow, what would you want for your last meal on earth?’ Each chef shared their personal thoughts and requests.

I’ve often been asked a similar question when I’m teaching: “what is your favorite food or flavor?” I know the answer, hands down, to either of these questions:  Caramel.

There is something seductive about caramel and the flavor descriptors are pretty diverse:  buttery, nutty, smoky, toasted, butterscotch, burnt.

I love the chemistry part of working with caramel which begins with melting pure cane sugar and slowly controlling the temperature to turn the sugar from crystal clear to pale amber to deep golden brown. Each stage yields different flavors: pale amber is light and mild, deep amber is rich and complex. Taking the caramel beyond this point to dark caramel yields a more bitter flavor due to increased oxidation (my favorite). Additionally, heating beyond this point (which happens very quickly) will turn the caramel into a black, smoking, bitter mess as the sugar breaks down into pure carbon.

I spent the 4th of July holiday toying with this chemistry while roasting marshmallows to create S’mores. I started with that initial golden-brown crust on the marshmallows, took it one step further to dark brown (actually peeling that layer off to taste it and then putting the remainder back over the fire and tasting again). Then I let a couple of marshmallows actually catch fire and get totally charred…. not so tasty. It sure was fun playing with melted and burnt sugar!

When you peel back the layers of chemistry and technique of caramel, you can easily create some pretty amazing flavors. Patiently working with one cup of granulated sugar, ¼ cup of water to dissolve the sugar and adding 1 cup of heavy cream to the hot caramel will yield my favorite thing to eat:  perfect caramel sauce.

Salted Caramel Apple Tartlets
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup sugar
  2. ¼ cup cold water
  3. 1 cup heavy cream
  4. ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
  5. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  6. 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick wedges
  7. ¼ cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar
  8. ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  9. 2 tablespoons Calvados or apple brandy
  10. 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  11. 1 package frozen puff pastry thawed
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan combine the sugar and the water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Using a pastry brush dipped in cold water, brush down any sugar particles that cling to the side of the pan. Continue to boil until the sugar caramelizes and turns a deep amber color, being careful not to let it get too dark and burn.
  2. Place the saucepan in the bottom of the sink. Carefully pour the cream into the melted sugar. The sugar will bubble violently and give off steam. Return the saucepan to low heat and stir until the caramel is dissolved and smooth. Add the sea salt and set the caramel aside.
  3. In a large sauté pan melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples and toss to evenly coat them with the butter. Sauté the apples until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the sugar and continue cooking until the sugar melts and the apples are caramelized, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
  4. Add the nutmeg, Calvados or apple brandy and lemon juice. Toss gently to combine. Set the apples aside. (The apples may be prepared up to 4 hours in advance, loosely covered and held at room temperature.
  5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  6. Gently unfold one sheet of the thawed puff pastry. Cut the pastry into 4 rounds. Transfer the pastry rounds to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Using a smaller round cutter make a shallow indentation into each puff pastry round, being careful to not cut all the way through the pastry. Using a fork, evenly prick the center of each pastry inside the inner circle.
  7. Divide half of the apples into the center of the pastry rounds. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and apples.
  8. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into thin slices and scatter the butter evenly over the apples. Sprinkle the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the tartlets. Bake the tartlets until the pastry is puffed and brown and the apples are soft, about 15 to 18 minutes.
  9. Remove the tartlets from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to plates. Spoon some of the caramel sauce over each tartlet and serve.
  10. Serves 8
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
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Walnut Cake

May 25, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Walnut Cake
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup walnut pieces (ground to 1/2 cup walnut powder)
  2. 1 1/4 cup cake flour (divided, plus more for dusting pans)
  3. 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  4. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  6. 1 stick butter (softened, plus 1 tablespoon to grease pan)
  7. 1 cup sugar
  8. 3 large eggs
  9. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  10. 1/2 orange (zested)
  11. 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  12. 3/4 cup buttermilk
  13. powdered sugar (to dust)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease an 9-inch cake pan with butter and dust with flour and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor add the walnuts and 1/4 cup flour and pulse until finely ground to a powder. Remove from the processor to a large bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor.
  3. To the ground walnuts, add the remaining flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine.
  4. In the bowl of the food processor add the butter and sugar and pulse until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, vanilla, orange zest and maple syrup and process until combined.
  5. Add the flour mixture and pulse until just combined. While the machine is running, drizzle in the buttermilk and continue to process until the batter just comes together.
  6. Remove to the cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown. Remove to a baking rack to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Adapted from Carla Hall
Adapted from Carla Hall
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
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Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

February 16, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
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Ingredients
  1. 3 ripe bananas
  2. 2 eggs
  3. ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  4. ½ cup milk or almond milk
  5. ½ cup maple syrup
  6. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  7. 1 cup of whole wheat flour
  8. 3 tablespoons ground flax
  9. ½ cup dark cocoa powder
  10. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  11. ½ teaspoon salt
  12. ½ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
  2. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add eggs and combine thoroughly. Then mix together the remaining wet ingredients: Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup and vanilla.
  3. Add in dry ingredients (flour, flax, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt) and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Pour mixture into a greased muffin tin, filling each up about ⅔ full.
  5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the muffin. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
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Heart-Shaped Dried Cherry and Chocolate Chip Scones

February 7, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Heart-Shaped Dried Cherry and Chocolate Chip Scones
Yields 12
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  2. 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  3. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  4. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  6. 7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced
  7. 1 teaspoon (packed) grated orange peel
  8. 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
  9. 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries
  10. 2/3 cup chilled buttermilk
  11. 1 large egg yolk
  12. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  13. 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  14. Milk (for glaze)
Instructions
  1. Butter and flour baking sheet.
  2. Whisk 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add butter and grated orange peel; rub in with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Mix in chocolate chips and dried cherries.
  3. Whisk buttermilk, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract in small bowl to blend.
  4. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; stir with fork until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Press out dough on lightly floured surface to 3/4-inch thickness.
  5. Using 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out scones. Gather scraps, press out dough and cut out additional scones.
  6. Transfer to baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
  7. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  8. Brush scones lightly with milk; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until scones are crusty on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes (or up to 20 minutes if refrigerated). Serve warm or at room temperature.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
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French Apple Cake

October 6, 2016 by 1 Comment
French Apple Cake
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Ingredients
  1. 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  2. 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  3. Pinch of salt
  4. 4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
  5. 2 large eggs
  6. 3/4 cup sugar
  7. 3 tablespoons dark rum
  8. 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  9. 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
  1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan and put it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform on it.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl.
  3. Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks.
  4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they're foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it's coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it's fairly even.
  5. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
  6. Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it's fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.
Notes
  1. The cake can be served warm or at room temperature, with or without a little softly whipped, barely sweetened heavy cream or a spoonful of ice cream (vanilla or cinnamon).
Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
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A Rediscovered Recipe by Julie Busteed

May 24, 2016 by 1 Comment

It’s that rare but valuable experience – where you set off in search of one thing, and find something completely different. Such was the case during a recent recipe search.  I was given a large cardboard box full of cookbooks.  Or so I thought…

The box with filled with items from a dear friend of mine who had passed away last year.  She was a wonderful cook who also had the gift of hospitality. I was blessed to receive her cookbooks. What a treasure!  

LemonBars1Upon looking more closely, I discovered that the box contained not only cookbooks but also three ring binder notebooks where she kept all of her recipes from food magazines like Bon Appetit and Food and Wine.  While leafing through the notebooks I found that she kept a list of every dinner party she had hosted, who was there, and what she served.  Her journal was a gold mine of 25 years worth of dinner parties, with notes about what worked and what did not. Since we were often guests at her home, my name reappeared many times… the earlier entries dating back to before I was married.  I, of course, don’t remember exactly what she served at every meal, but my memories were of delicious evenings feeling loved and cared for. 

I had also been looking for a lemon bar recipe that I used to make, but couldn’t find in my own files. It was such a surprise to find a copy of my recipe in her files!  I hope that you enjoy this rediscovered favorite recipe!

Lemon Bars
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Crust
  1. 2 cups flour
  2. 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  3. 1 cup butter
Filling
  1. 4 eggs
  2. 2 cups sugar
  3. 1/3 cup lemon juice
  4. 1/4 cup flour
  5. 1/2 t. baking powder
Crust
  1. Preheat over to 350 F.
  2. Sift the flour and sugar and cut with butter until it clings together. Press with a fork into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.
Filling
  1. Beat eggs, lemon juice and sugar together. Sift flour and baking powder and stir into egg mixture. Pour over baked crust.
  2. Bake for 25 more minutes.
  3. Sift powdered sugar over top when ready to serve.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
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Parachute Bing Bread

March 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Parachute Bing Bread
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Ingredients
  1. 1 T. sugar
  2. 1 cup warm water (100°F)
  3. 1 1/8 t. active dry yeast
  4. 1 t. kosher salt
  5. 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for kneading and dusting
  6. 1 T. toasted sesame oil, divided
  7. 8 slices thick cut bacon
  8. 1 medium russet potato, diced
  9. salt and pepper to taste
  10. 1 cup shredded white cheddar
  11. 3/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
  12. oil for pan frying
  13. 1/2 T. soy sauce
  14. 1/2 t. sugar
  15. 1 T. sesame seeds, divided
Instructions
  1. Stir together the warm water and sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the salt and flour. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together in a shaggy ball with only a few dry spots. Move to a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and proof until doubled in size, about 50-70 minutes.
  3. While the dough is rising, cook the bacon and potatoes. Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch pieces and cook over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Peel and dice the potato. Place in cold water in a small pot and bring to a boil, cook for 4-5 minutes. Drain well and cook in a touch of the bacon fat over medium heat until cooked through and crispy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  5. Once the dough has doubled, gently punch down and transfer to a generously floured surface. Knead, adding flour a tablespoon at a time if needed. Dough should be soft, pliable and slightly sticky. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and cover the pieces with plastic wrap.
  6. Take one dough piece, and on a floured surface, roll out until 1/4″ thick. Brush off excess flour and brush with toasted sesame oil and generously sprinkle with potato, bacon, cheese and scallions.
  7. Roll up, as you would a cinnamon or jelly roll and pinch to seal. Coil the roll into a spiral and gently flatten. Place on parchment paper, lightly dust with flour if needed and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  8. Whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl.
  9. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add a generous amount of oil and place 4 spirals into the skillet. Brush with soy glaze. Cover and cook until the underside is golden brown, 5-10 minutes, checking often. Uncover and flip, brushing with soy glaze. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  10. Transfer the cast iron pan to the oven and bake until bottoms are brown and bread is cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Cover with foil if starting to brown to quickly.
Adapted from Parachute Restaurant via Bon Appetit / I Am A Food Blog
Adapted from Parachute Restaurant via Bon Appetit / I Am A Food Blog
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
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Homespun by Anne Farnum

March 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment
PoundcakeMy mom is a baker and has always been a baker…homemade only.  Scratch-made, homemade, homespun…call it what you would like but a box mix has never graced the shelves of my mother’s pantry or cabinets.
 
I know that time and memories can play tricks on you but I recall coming home every day from school and there being a fresh baked good waiting for me and my six siblings to enjoy.  The only prerequisite that my mom had was that we had to eat a bowl of cereal or a piece of fruit first.  I am now 47 years old, have four children of my own and my mom continues to bake almost daily.  In fact, my children walked to my parent’s house after school today and a pan of brownies were in the oven.  
 
When there is a family occasion, my mom is our go-to baker.  Whether it be a holiday, birthday, Big Game party or just a regular family dinner, it is her baked goods that are always the dessert and it’s usually not just one dessert.  There is an “appetizer” dessert and a main dessert.
 
My children always put in their birthday cake requests to my mom, (their Mimi), prior to the birthday celebration. My son Luke loves Miss Bebe’s Spice Cake, my daughters Lucy and Tess ask for the checkerboard Oreo Ice Cream Cake and my 10 year-old son, Hugh, always puts in his request for Delicious Poundcake. Poundcake isn’t the typical birthday cake a 10 year-old boy would request but without fail, it’s ALWAYS the one — and it is delicious! 
 
So, thank you Mom, for always baking for me over the years and for continuing the tradition for the next generation’s enjoyment.  
 
Poundcake2
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Raspberry-Filled Chocolate Molten Cupcakes

February 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Raspberry-Filled Chocolate Molten Cupcakes
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Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  2. 6 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
  3. 4 large eggs
  4. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  5. pinch of salt
  6. 11 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted (2 ½ cups chopped)
  7. 18 raspberries (36 if they are small)
  8. confectioners' sugar, for serving
  9. vanilla ice cream (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Line 12 standard muffin tin cups with paper liners.
  3. In large bowl with a mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low, beat in flour and salt. Beat in chocolate until just combined.
  4. Divide half the batter among cups, add two raspberries to each, and top with remaining batter. Bake until tops are just set and no longer shiny, 10 to 11 minutes, let cool in pan on a wire rack, 10 minutes. Remove from pans, dust with confectioners' sugar, and top with ice cream, if desired.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
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