Sunday, November 30, 2008
Fresh Meyer Lemon Tart
I had a bowl of Meyer lemons, an extra pastry shell from another recipe, and a few minutes cook. I should also mention that the pile of baking cookbooks in my kitchen is growing, and I've been having fun with Tartine, the cookbook by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson, titled after their amazing bakery in San Francisco. I'll add details about how I made this soon!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Best Organic Brownies Recipe
Sometimes there's no substitute for moist, chewy perfect brownies. Here is a recipe that has never failed to inspire those quick enough to taste some before they disappeared!
1 cup or so of chopped walnuts
1¼ cups organic flour (low-gluten cake flour is ideal, but whatever you have will do)
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces semisweet or unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter cut into pieces for easier melting
2¼ cups organic sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and put the oven rack in the middle position. You don't want these puppies to burn on the bottom, or get too hot near the top of your oven.
Butter a 9 x 13 pan, or something near that size. A smaller pan will give you thicker brownies, and you better know what you're doing so you get the baking time right!
Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet for 5-7 minutes, and remove from oven. You'll add them to the batter later.
Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.
Melt chocolate and butter in large bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until completely combined. Add the vanilla and whisk some more.
Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth. Add the nuts now, or sprinkle them on top before baking.
Pour the batter into your baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for an hour or two (like you can even wait!), and cut into squares.
These are awesome. Enjoy!