Food Lush

Baking Bucket List: Bûche de Noël

by Maura

Years and years ago (circa 2008), I didn't cook. If it didn't involve butter, flour, and sugar, I didn't make it. I baked and that was it. Ironically, I was 10lbs thinner, but that is neither here nor there. I was so into baking that I was even part of a group called the Daring Bakers. Each month, I would participate in a baking challenge with hundreds of other bakers. I made eclairs, opera cakes, Julia Child's French bread, apple strudel, and lemon meringue pie, among other recipes. You can see some of them on my now-defunct blog, MauraLessa (fka AnonymousNY).

(Image credit: bonappetit.com)

The one challenge I regret I did not tackle was the Bûche de Noël. A traditional French dessert served around Christmas, the Bûche de Noël is an impressive accomplishment. Also known as a Yule Log, the Bûche de Noël is a vanilla genoise cake with chocolate butter cream icing, rolled into a log. The outside of the cake is frosted with chocolate icing and decorated to look like a tree log. Many other types of cakes and fillings can be used, but genoise and chocolate butter cream is traditional. 

(image credit: epicurious.com)

There are very few things I have an interest in baking these days; as I get older, I prefer savory over sweet. However, I will one day make a Yule Log for Christmas.

Have you ever made a Bûche de Noël? Do you have any desserts on your baking bucket list?

Because sometimes you just want a warm cookie

By Nora

I am one of those people that when I have a dessert craving, it must be satisfied by any and all means necessary. And if that requires running to Baskin Robbins at 9:30 at night for Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, then that's what happens. We are not people that always keep dessert in the house either. Occasionally we'll have some Skinny Cows around, or leftover pie (in case you hadn't heard, I LOVE PIE), but I rarely buy cookies or sweets to always have around, because that is dangerous and my pants are already getting tight and it's not even fall yet. But I do love me some fresh baked cookies (and i'm not talking about the Pilsbury kind, here), however it's such a production to make fresh baked cookies. Lately though, i've been seeing recipes around for slice and bake cookies, where you can make a roll of cookie dough, freeze it, and cut off a few cookies at a time to bake whenever your'e in the mood.  This is so perfect for me, I can't even tell you. I have two rolls of these Oatmeal Crispies in my freezer right now, and plan to make these cookies that Pioneer Woman recently posted about (I love you, Ree). 

So go ahead, make a batch of cookie dough and indulge at your own pace (rather than making an entire batch at once and sneaking one out of the tin every time you go in the kitchen, which can easily equal 10 or more cookies a day OMG).

(photo from Pioneer Woman)

Oven Racks

By Kristin

This post is probably going to get me kicked off Food Lush, seeing as I should know things to be able to write about food, yes?

Here is my admission - I don't know where the racks in the over are supposed to go. Are they supposed to go close to the top? Close to the bottom? Does it depend on what you are cooking? Have I been doing it all wrong my whole adult life?

Does it even matter? Help, oh wise Food Lush readers!

Simple Cream Cheese Danish

By Erica

I've mentioned that I'm entering the Pillsbury Bake-Off and this means I'm experimenting with recipes all over the place. I'm going to share one with you that I don't think is a million dollar winner, but is damn tasty nonetheless.

Ingredients:

2 cans of crescent rolls
1 8oz package of cream cheese at room temp.
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp sour cream
Optional: pie filling or fruit preserves of your choice

Icing:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp softened butter

Preheat the oven to 350.

Open the crescent rolls carefully to avoid unrolling or tearing the dough. You'll need to leave it in it's cylindrical shape. Slice the dough into pieces about 1/4 inch thick (as though you're slicing cookie dough). Place the slices on a cookie sheet and press the center in to make an indentation for the cream cheese filling.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese, white sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and sour cream. Add a dollop of the mixture to the indentation you made in each circle of dough. I find that about a tbsp works well, but you can use as little or as much as you like. If you like fruit with your danish, you can also add it to the rolls before the cream cheese mixture. (I like cherry pie filling or blackberry preserves, personally.) Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

While the danish are baking, you can make a quick royal icing to drizzle over the tops. Mix together the confectioner's sugar, milk and butter in a small bowl. You can use a spoon to drizzle it over the tops of the danish, or you can put it into a small zip-top bag and snip of the corner for an easy "piping bag." Take the danish out of the oven and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes before icing.

Voila! Cream cheese danish without leaving the house or breaking a sweat.

Molten Chocolate Cake

By Maura

In 2003, molten chocolate cakes were all the rage in New York City. I was fortunate enough to eat at a lot of nice restaurants that summer, and by the end I swore I would never eat a molten chocolate cake again.

Never say never! These little cakes remain one of my favorite restaurant desserts, but now you can whip them up right in your own kitchen. Wow your hubby! Bowl over your guests! Eat them all yourself!

 
[Image credit: Kraft foods]

Molten Chocolate Cake
Recipe from Kraftrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER'S Bittersweet Chocolate

10 Tbsp.  butter

1-1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar, divided

1/2 cup  flour

3 whole eggs

3   egg yolks

18 fresh raspberries

Instructions:

Heat oven to 425ºF.

Grease 6 (6-oz.) custard cups or souffle dishes. Place on baking sheet.

Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on MEDIUM (50%) 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Add 1-1/2 cups sugar and flour; mix well. Add whole eggs and egg yolks; beat until well blended. Pour into prepared cups.

Bake 14 to 15 min. or until cakes are firm around the edges but still soft in the centers. Let stand 1 min. Run small knife around cakes to loosen; carefully unmold onto dessert plates. Cut in half. Serve warm topped with remaining sugar. Garnish with berries.

MAKE AHEAD  Batter can be made the day before; pour into prepared custard cups. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate. When ready to serve, uncover and bake as directed. 

Pillsbury Bake-Off: What would you do with a million dollars?

By Erica

I have never before entered a cooking contest, but I've decided to jump in with both feet. I'm entering the 45 annual Pillsbury Bake-Off. I'm fairly certain I won't be walking away with the million dollar prize, so don't start planning on hitting me up for a loan. But one of the smaller $5,000 prizes? Oh, I got that.

There are four categories you can enter recipes into: Breakfast & Brunches; Dinner Made Easy™; Entertaining Appetizers or Sweet Treats. Your recipe also has to use two ingredients from the list of qualifying ingredients. (The list isn't weird or crazy things like Himalayan Pink Sea Salt or Yak's milk or anything. Don't worry.) You can submit as many recipes as you'd like. (Insider tip: The winner of the million dollar prize in 2006 is a friend of a friend. I have it on good authority that she submitted over 70 recipes that year.)

There are a few restrictions on entry, though. You can't enter if you're a professional chef or culinary school attendee/graduate. You also can't be a paid food blogger. You also can't enter if you've previously won the contest or been a finalist more than three times. It's nice to know that you're not competing with professionals or someone who already has the million dollars. 

I encourage you to give it a try. You have nothing to lose and your family and friends get to eat all your "rough drafts." If they're anything like my family, they're dying to help out.