Lemon Squares

Just as I start to get into the swing of baking and photographing and blogging, I have to go back to school. The place where blogging (and motivation) go to die. It's not that I can't bake in my miniscule kitchen, it's just that I don't have all the ingredients. So I'll have to make a list, then go to the store, then lament over all the things that I need to buy because my house always seems to have flour/butter/sugar/vanilla/eggs and my apartment is oddly lacking all those things at any every given moment. Hence, I am easily deterred from baking. Which is OK (for now) because (hopefully) someday in the future I'll own my own bakery where baking will be a daily necessity.

Yes, I'm aware that's just a picture of (nicely stacked) lemons. But there aren't many things to photograph whilst making lemon squares (only the shortbread crust and the lemon mixture - which is just all the ingredients whisked together - and neither of those are wildly visually appealing). Anyway, these are the quintessential summer dessert. Except that my family clamors for them in every other season, too.

Be warned though, that while it is almost difficult to have two of these in one sitting because they have such a strong flavor (though I have managed to push through), these little squares will soon become smaller and smaller as the people in your household will very sneakily slice off the edges so that it doesn't actually look like they've had 5 whole squares in a single day.

Not that anyone in my family does that.. I'm just saying.

Lemon Squares
(makes one 9 x 13 inch pan)
Ingredients:
6 large eggs
2 1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp lemon zest
1 c. lemon juice (about 5 lemons)
1 c. flour

For shortbread crust:
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick plus 1 tbsp (9 tbsp) very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg yolk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter a 9 x 13 inch pan. Set aside.

In a food processor (or in a bowl, my food processor is temporarily broken so I've been making this without one - works just fine the old fashioned way), combine flour, confectioners' sugar and salt and pulse to mix.

Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely combined. The pieces of butter should be different sizes, some smaller and some larger.

Stir the egg yolk and add it to the mixture a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg is completely in, pulse for about 10 seconds at a time until the dough starts to come together and form clumps.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and lightly knead just to incorporate any dry ingredients that didn't get mixed in. Gently press the dough evenly over the surface of the pan and slightly up the sides. (The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick). Freeze for at least 30 minutes before baking.

To partially bake the crust, butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and press it, buttered side down, against the frozen crust. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25 minutes. (If you want to fully bake the crust for another recipe, bake an extra 8 minutes).

Set the pan aside and lower the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all the ingredients for the lemon squares. Whisk together and pour over fully-cooled crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until about 5 minutes after the bars are set. Let cool to room temperature, dust with confectioners' sugar and cut.

*A trick for getting the most juice out of citrus fruits: roll the fruit against a hard surface, applying pressure with your hand. Then, microwave the fruit for 20 seconds before slicing and squeezing.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Biscotti

I guess you could call these biscotti. Except they're not rock hard and dry like biscotti usually are. These are more like a cookie in the shape of a biscotti. A biscookie, one might say. They're chewy and slightly sweet, perfect with a cup of coffee (or tea, or water, or just by themselves). So if break-your-teeth biscotti are your kind of thing, then these are not for you.

I was sent this recipe after I interviewed and wrote a story about a chef for my internship last semester (he's one of the executive chefs for Safeway!). My dad loves anything with cherries so I figured I'd try them out. The night before Thanksgiving I made a batch and left them on the cooling rack while I went out to dinner (my mistake; one should never leave hot-from-the-oven sweets unguarded). My father called me while I was out, asking how many biscotti he was allowed to eat. When I came home, there were three left.

(Sorry dad, but you seriously ate the whole batch.)

I made a double batch the next day for Thanksgiving dessert and they flew off the table. They're now my go-to for gifts, impromptu gatherings, afternoon snacks and anything in between.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Biscotti
(makes around 15 pieces)
Ingredients:
6 tbsp butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. dried cherries (sweet or sour)
1 c. chocolate chips (I used white for these)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.

In a stand mixer (or a medium sized bowl), beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking powder until smooth. Add eggs and mix until just combined.

Lower the mixer speed and add the flour. Mix until smooth (but be careful not to over mix).

Add in cherries and chocolate chips. Mix until just combined, then turn out the dough onto the baking sheet and shape into a log (around 13 inches long, 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick).

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Slice the biscotti into 3/4 inch thick pieces. Do not lay each slice down on its side like traditional biscotti recipes, keep the whole log intact (this is what allows them to maintain their delicious chewy centers and not dry out).

Re-bake the biscotti another 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are just turning golden brown. Transfer individual slices to a rack to cool.

Grandma's (revised) Baklava

If you don't know what baklava is, here's a little history lesson for ya. It's a middle eastern/mediterranean dessert (popular in Greek restaurants, though my Turkish grandmother prepared it as part of her culture) that combines layers of fillo dough and chopped nuts that are smothered in a simple syrup that absorbs into the pastry, making it sticky and super-sweet. And if that doesn't entice you enough, here's a picture.

Not only is it one of the easiest desserts to make, but it's impossible to mess up. I'll post the recipe but it doesn't even really matter if you follow it. The first time I tried to make it I used way less fillo dough and more sugar, and it was great. The second time (that I photographed) I used more fillo and less sugar (as per my father's request), and it was still great.

I used walnuts and breadcrumbs for the filling (minimal breadcrumbs, supposedly my grandma used to use like 7 slices of bread but I thought that was a bit excessive, so I used a half a cup). But some recipes call for almonds or pistachios. I just like walnuts best (and sometimes have a slight allergy to almonds, best to stay away from them).

So basically you just layer the ingredients to your liking. Mine goes like this: 2 slices fillo, brush with melted butter, two slices fillo, brush with butter, one slice fillo, top with half the nut mixture, two slices fillo, butter, two slices fillo, butter, two slices fillo, butter, two slices fillo, rest of the nut mixture, two slices fillo, butter, one slice fillo.

But I swear it's easy.

Now, sorry to backtrack but it's important, while you're layering and brushing and all that, get a small pot on the stove with two cups of sugar and two cups of water. Let this come to a boil (until the sugar is entirely dissolved) and then simmer for around 15 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken. Then when you're done layering, cut the baklava into pieces (it's way too messy to try and cut it after it's baked) and spoon about 1/4 cup of the sugar syrup over the baklava. This helps to keep the top layer of fillo in place (I didn't do this the first time and while it doesn't change the taste at all, it prevents the fillo from drying and curling; it's all about looking pretty).

Traditional Baklava
Ingredients:
16 oz walnuts (amounts to around 3 cups when crushed)
1/2 c. breadcrumbs (I used a slice of stale white bread)
1/2 stick butter, melted
package frozen fillo dough
2 1/3 c. sugar, divided
2 c. water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crush or food process the walnuts to a grainy mixture (should be partially powder but still have small chunks of walnuts). In a medium bowl, combine walnuts, breadcrumbs and 1/3 cup sugar. Set aside.

To make the simple syrup, combine water and 2 cups sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, simmer for around 15 minutes (or until the liquid thickens slightly). Remove from heat.

Generously butter a 9 x 13 inch pan and layer two pieces of fillo dough (if the dough doesn't fit the pan, feel free to trim the edges). Using a basting brush, brush the top of the second sheet with the melted butter. Add two more layers of fillo, brush with butter. Add one more layer and then top with half the nut mixture. Top that with two layers of fillo, brush with butter, and repeat this process until there's eight layers of fillo on top of the nut mixture. Top with the rest of the nuts, then two layers of fillo, brush with butter, and one final layer of fillo.

Score the top of the baklava with a very sharp knife (cut into as many squares as you want) and drizzle 1/4 cup simple syrup over the top.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until the top of the baklava is golden brown. If it seems to be browning too fast, feel free to cover with a piece of tin foil.

Once the baklava is out of the oven, pour the rest of the simple syrup over the top. It might seem like a lot, but it absorbs into the fillo dough. Let the baklava rest out on counter (uncovered) for AT LEAST four hours. This is the hardest part, but try to resist the temptation to cut a square as soon as it's out of the oven. The syrup is the most important part and if it's not entirely absorbed the baklava will be dry.

**Fillo dough dries out really quickly, so make sure to cover the sheets with plastic wrap and a damp cloth while you're working.

New Year, New Start

Something huge has happened since I last posted. So huge that I'm even making all the pictures bigger, just to emphasize the importance.

Can you tell I'm excited?

I've never wanted anything so much as I've wanted a KitchenAid stand mixer. And my saint of a boyfriend got it for me for Hanukkah. He even got it in the sweetest ice blue color to match my ice cream machine (see here). And so now there's a whole new world of delicious recipes I can make, like cinnamon rolls, breads, pretzels, homemade pizza dough, and challah.

Mmm, challah.

I had never made challah before. Well, that's sort of a lie, I made it in preschool once and ate the entire loaf before I got home. I meant to share it with everyone. Whoops. So 18 long years later, I was ready to tackle the recipe (with the help of my new mixer, of course).

It was a process. From letting the yeast bubble to making the dough, then letting that rise and then making the loaves and then letting those rise and then baking to the perfect golden brown... it might have been more than I bargained for. Except that when the two glossy braided loaves came out of the oven and the whole house smelled like fresh bread, it was worth it.

For my first attempt, I followed this recipe from The Challah Blog to a tee. Next time I might try playing around with how many eggs I use because my family's used to a lighter challah. This recipe yields a thicker, more dense loaf. It's perfect for french toast or bread pudding, or just for toasting up with some butter.

Oh and on a complete side note, my picture quality will be drastically improving because I just purchased a Nikon D5100. No more blurry/grainy/overall bad photos for me!

So it's been a while...

After returning to school and, subsequently, my 8 ft by 8 ft box of a kitchen in my college apartment, I haven't blogged. It's not that I don't bake (just ask my roommates), but that I can't seem to get any half decent pictures of what I bake. Which wouldn't be an issue for any normal food blogger, but it bothers this slightly neurotic perfectionist. But at my father's repeated pleads, I will give the people what they want.

A birthday cake for a sweet 14 year old

My birthday-cake-baking began years ago, when my father requested a homemade carrot cake for his birthday. I've since lost that recipe, but have found and tested many more. This particular cake, while drenched in chocolatey goodness, is pure vanilla on the inside. I love Magnolia's vanilla cake recipe. It's easy and reliable and dense but still moist and cakey. 

vanilla chocolate chip filling

The filling is any regular vanilla frosting (or marshmallow filling, if ya wanna get fancy) with mini chocolate chips. The light brown frosting around the outside of the cake is just some of the vanilla frosting mixed with some of the chocolate ganache that's poured over the top of the cake. This same recipe will also make around 24 cupcakes. For a two layer cake (with each layer sliced in half like I did), you'll need two 9-inch pans. Also, if you don't have self-rising flour, or don't know what it is, it's just one cup of all-purpose flour with 1.5 tsp of baking powder and .5 tsp salt.

Magnolia's Vanilla Cake Recipe

(adapted from a Food Network recipe that was pulled from Magnolia's cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the flours and set aside.

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer (or with a wooden spoon and a strong arm), cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat them together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. After each addition, beat until ingredients are combined but be careful not to over mix. Divide the batter between the two greased cake pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes (until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).

If you want to bake the cakes the night before, cool the cakes completely and remove from pans. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Cakes will be easier to slice and frost in the morning.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

12 ounces chocolate (I always use semisweet), chopped into small pieces

1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Put the chopped chocolate in a large bowl

Heat the cream in a saucepan on medium high until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit for a minute, and then stir until the chocolate is completely mixed and glossy. Let the ganache cool before pouring it over the cake, or let it cool completely (in the fridge helps) before whipping into a frosting.

Eataly = Italy

After much prodding from my father that he's "resigning himself from reading my blog" because I haven't uploaded in so long, I've returned. August was just really hectic and flew by. I finished my internship, went back to school, dealt with cockroaches and dead mice in my apartment (please, don't ask) and had my first full week at school. But don't think I forgot about blogging! I took tons of food pics over the summer, but just didn't have the time to upload them.

(house made mozzarella, prosciutto cotto and crusty bread)

(the Piazza in the center of the market)

I was skeptical about Eataly. After all, I lived in Italy for four months and just didn't think that anywhere on this side of the pond would really be an exact replicate. I was happily surprised that Eataly came pretty close. It's a giant indoor market in Manhattan that sells authentic Italian cheeses, coffees, snacks and just so much more. There are a bunch of different food stands that you can sit down at and try what they have to offer. We stood at one of the bars in the middle of the Piazza and tried the mozzarella, which was some of the best that I've had [in this country]. 

(homemade pasta for sale)

(hi guys!)

And because my boyfriend and I are bottomless pits (it's actually absurd), we went to dinner after (we did do some shopping in between, we're not that chubby). After a lot of research we decided upon Alta, which is right on the edge of the West Village. It is strictly a tapas restaurant, though they call their menu, "a menu of small plates." With 47 dishes to choose from (not including desserts), we were able to customize our meals to exactly our tastes. And, even better, we got to try a lot of different dishes because they were small (and not like usual-sharing-plates-small, they were pretty teeny).

(lamb meatballs in a sweet tomato sauce topped with a yogurt sauce and an egg yolk)

We ordered four dishes and a dessert, and we I was stuffed by the end (my boyfriend probably could have had one or two more plates). We started with the lamb meatballs because so many reviews raved about them. I personally don't like lamb and I loved these, so I guess that says it all. Also, I love yolky runny egg yolks, so that's always a plus in my book. After, we had "the best appetizer of all time," according to the bf. That mighttt be a bit of an exaggeration, but it really was unbelievable. It was a bruschetta with cream, braised artichokes and tomato jam. It was sweet and crunchy, smoky and cooling, and all together the perfect bite.

(the picture doesn't do it justice, but I was rushing to shove the whole thing in my mouth)

(avocado relleno with with crabmeat and shrimp, frisee and orange)

That looks weird, I know. It's a little nugget of crabmeat and shrimp, diced together, surrounded by avocado slices. I loved this, but we ranked it the lowest out of our four dishes because the others were just so good. To round out the meal, our last savory dish was a grilled shrimp and chorizo skewer with avocado cream. I didn't take a picture because we inhaled it. Oops.

(angel food cake with bananas and ice cream)

And because we always save room for dessert, we ended with a sweet and tart angel food cake confection. The malted milk ice cream was to die for. Maybe I'll try that next in my ice cream machine (although since everyone in my apartment is dieting, they might kill me). I promise I'll be blogging more often, I have to make up for lost time!

Graham Cracker Blueberry Swirl Ice Cream

Now this, this alone is a pretty convincing reason to get an ice cream machine. It's so easy to perfect a flavor when you can taste as you go along. Of course, there are still things I would change, but this ice cream is prettty good.

Most of the time at my internship I'm uploading recipes. Every now and then I find a recipe that I like, and I go searching for it on the blogs that I like, and then I get totally off track and stumble onto things like this that make me rush home to my ice cream machine and get churning. This ice cream is so simple, just prepare your basic vanilla recipe and add three crushed graham crackers (next time I would definitely add more). Once the ice cream is finished, layer it in a freezer container with blueberry pie filling (though not so thick, or you'll have frozen chunks of blueberry filling which is what I had. Not that that's a bad thing, at all, it's just a preference).

The ice cream was graham-crackery, creamy and delicious. And it saved me the trouble of having to make a pie and ice cream separately. I love twofers.