Caramel-Topped Semolina Cake = French Friday's with Dorie

I am so glad it is Friday.  I am happy because I have two days off from packing lunches, I don't have to rush the kids out the door as the sun is coming up, begging them to eat breakfast, no rushing from here there and everywhere and I can relax, just a little.

I also love Friday's because I get to take myself to Dorie's virtual cooking school. I get to share my cooking experience with people who live all around the globe and we talk to each other, via the Internet, as if we have been friends since childhood.  I have only known these people for a little under a month, but we all share a common passion; food, cooking, Dorie, and her new book; around my french table.

What I really love most about this book is that it puts "french food" into perspective.  It is not intimidating and it is Americanized just enough for it still feel very, very french.  Before joining French Friday's with Dorie, I had earmarked so many pages in the book.  This cake was earmarked.  I was overjoyed when I saw that this cake made the list of  November challenges.

The semolina in this recipe is plain old, Cream of Wheat cereal. Growing up, I was a HUGE cream of wheat fan.  I liked it with a little pat of butter and a sprinkling of brown sugar.  I have not eaten it for over 30 years and obviously did not have any in the house.  However, I did have a bag of Bob's Red Mill Organic Brown Rice Cereal.  You ask why?  Can't tell you!  So, I opted to use what was on hand.  The recipe calls for golden raisins, which I was out of.  Yet, I did have some dried, black mission figs.  Rather than making a special trip the grocery store, I swapped out the raisins and added the figs.  Mmmmmmm.

The texture of this cake reminds me of a cross between a flan and a clafoutis.  It is somewhat custard like and then  cake is topped with a caramel sauce.  I think that is why I originally earmarked the page.  Caramel anything is my friend.  This cake is my new friend!  It got the thumbs up from everyone in my house!

Caramel-Topped Semolina Cake
page 438-439

French Friday's with Dorie: pommes dauphinois

I have a serious problem with this dish.  I am embarrassed to say that I ate 25% of it  before dinner was served last night.  I am scared to put on my jeans.  Instead of walking my usual 2.5 miles today, I am going to have to double that!  What was I thinking?

The real problem here is that these are so utterly good, that one cannot just take a small portion. With that said,,  eating 25% of the pan, isn't all that unreasonable.  Is it?  In the past, I have always made Patricia Well's recipe, Gratin Dauphinois from her book At Home in Provence.  I adore her books and have made many of her recipes, but her particular dish requires one to cook the potatoes in the cream and milk mixture, on the stove, before layering the pan, etc.  An unnecessary step.  Dorie's recipe beats out any other potato dish of this kind and this is my new "go-to" dish for those nights when I just don't have time to mess in the kitchen.

Potatoes au Gratin or "scalloped potatoes" as my dad endearingly referred to them as, was one of my dad's favorite dishes.  He loved his food.  And he loved his restaurants. He was a carbs kind of guy. Happily I admit, I am as well.  As I tempered the cream and sliced the potatoes, all I could really think about was my dad.  He would have loved these potatoes.  And he would have told all his friends about them and he would have talked about them for weeks!

I  got my passion for food from my dad.  I can remember, even at 10 years old, a huge desire to go to the best restaurant I could find.  If someone had mentioned something being the "best", I would make a mental note and hint a little hint to my dad. Growing up we were in no position to eat in these types of restaurants.  But, there were those rare occasions when he'd step out and indulge.

I felt such pride the first time I ate at Scandia, Chasens, The Bel-Air Hotel, Spago, The Palm, Musso and Franks, and countless others.  And as much as I enjoyed putting on my best outfit, my dad enjoyed it even more.  He looked so good in a suit and the smile that stretched from ear to ear, knowing how excited I was, is a memory etched in the back of my brain.  I know, if he could have, he would have done it a lot more than he had.  Yet, just as much as my dad and I loved dressing up and going to the finest, we also loved a good burger at The Apple Pan, the fried eggs and salami at Nate 'n Als, the fried zucchini circles at The Hamburger Hamlet and the french onion soup at La Frite.

My life today, centers around food, the home, and my kitchen.  At age 7, when I whipped up that first cake, from scratch, for my dad's birthday - the feeling was no different.  So as I take another bite of these delicious potatoes, I say thank you to my dad for sharing his passion with me and I also say thank you to Dorie for bringing me back to a place in my life that I hold very, very near and dear to me.

around my french table
potato gratin (pommes dauphinois)
page 360-361

Marie-helen's Apple Cake

I know, I know, I am a couple days late in posting this, but it was a very busy and hectic weekend.  Halloween is fun yet daunting all at the same time.

I did make this cake on Friday morning and had nothing but good intentions in posting on Friday. But, between pumpkin carving, an international pot luck at Eli's middle school and making Friday night dinner, I ran out of time.  Then the weekend came...and went!

So, here I am, on Monday morning to tell you how much I love this cake. I have so many plans for this cake.  I want to make it again, this week (have tons of apples) and make them bite size.  I love bite size anything and I have a feeling that this cake would be great as little cakelettes!

Friday morning was wet and rainy.  As this cake baked in the oven, my house smelled so good. I could not wait to dig into it.  All I wanted to do was cut a huge slice, get under my favorite blanket and catch up on Oprah. But I held out.  I restrained.  I exercised my skills in will power.  Glad I waited.  I had some homemade caramel sauce in the fridge.  Drizzled a little warm caramel sauce over the cake and it was like eating a caramel apple.  

I have committed or possibly over committed to French Friday's with Dorie.  But, I love all things Dorie, so I am treating this like an education.  Some days you just don't want to wake up and get up and go to class, but you really don't have a choice in the matter.  I have made the commitment and I want to see it through.

I am anxiously waiting for the November "assignments" to come my way.  If anyone of you want to do this with me, I would welcome the company!  It's fun and it forces you to do things you wouldn't normally include in your weekly meal plans.  Come on, people, buy the book and let's do this together!

Mmmmmmmmm.  Can't wait until the next time I make this cake!

Marie-Helen's Apple Cake

page 432-433

Make it and enjoy a slice for me!

October 25th marks my 2 Year Anniversary

Two years ago I started this blog.  Happy Anniversary to the Urban Baker!

I originally started blogging as a way to connect with family and friends who lived all over the country.  I thought it would be a great way to share milestones, the kids growth and our families travels. But then, somehow, it turned into something completely different.

I have always enjoyed being in the kitchen  and through it's evolution, I saw my blog as a vehicle for creating, for lack of a better description, a virtual photo album for my kids of our journey through food.  I have three boys and they don't always join me in the kitchen.  I wanted this to be somewhat of an heirloom piece, to be passed down to them. Lord knows, I am not in any photographs with them (as I am always the one with the camera in my hand), at the very least they will remember me not by what I looked like, but by how I shared my love through the food and celebration.

Never in a million years would I have thought that this blog would have brought me so much happiness and  satisfaction.  I have challenged myself in the kitchen, I have challenged myself with the camera and I have challenged myself with my voice.  I have made friends and created relationships that are deep, true and authentic.  And through these relationships, I have been introduced to a world, a somewhat virtual world, that is supportive, funny, creative, loving, and inspiring. I have a new found love and appreciation for all things culinary and I have changed the way I grocery shop, feed my family and plan my meals.

I am just a home cook, self taught, yet find ways to learn each and every day.  I am not a professional photographer, yet through other blogs and meeting amazing photographers; Penny de los Santos, Diane Cu + Todd Porter, Matt Armendariz, Aran Goyoaga and countless others, I have learned, grown and gone outside my comfort zone.  This blog has taught me that I am an eternal student.  This blog has kept me humble.

So, in my most humble voice, I raise a glass to you (and to me) and on this day, I say happy 2 year anniversary.  May we share many, many more years together!

Bill's Big Carrot Cake
adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking, from my home to yours
yield: 10 very big servings

ingredients:
for the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup plump golden raisins
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs

for the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut

toasted coconut for garnish

instructions:
• preheat oven to 325*.  butter 3 9" x 2" cake pans and dust with flour.  line the pans with parchment.
for the cake:
• whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  in another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.
• working with a kitchen aid mixer, beat the sugar and oil together on medium speed.  add the eggs, one by one, beat until smooth.
• reduce the speed and add the flour and combine. mix in the chunky ingredients.  divide the batter between the three pans.
•bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pan from top to bottom, front to back.
• cool on racks for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. invert them and let them cool completely.
for the frosting:
• working with a kitchen aid mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy.  gradually add the sugar and vanilla.  when combined add the coconut.
to assemble the cake:
• put one of the cakes on a cardboard cake round.  put a third of the frosting on the cake.  top with the second cake and repeat until all three cakes have been frosted.
• toast some additional coconut and then sprinkle the top of the cake with coconut.
• refrigerate the cake before eating.

French Friday's with Dorie: Hachis Parmentier

I am sure you all know by know that I am a big Dorie Greenspan fan.  So, when I read about French Friday's with Dorie, a virtual cooking class, I immediately signed up.  The idea here is that every member of this "cooking class" creates a dish from Dorie's new book; around my french table.

I am thrilled to be a part of this as I was "shut out" of "Tuesday's with Dorie" Each week I would see submissions on tastespotting and completely felt left out.  Boo Hoo!  I am now a proud memeber of "FFwD". I have yet one more thing to add to my "to do" list, however cooking doesn't feel so much like a chore, I actually enjoy it.  I am excited to step a little bit outside of my comfort zone and try a new way of doing things.

When I saw what was on this weeks, menu, I was ecstatic for two reasons.  One, I had earmarked this page, and two, "shepherd's pie" was on this weeks meal plan.  I was able to check a dinner off my weekly menu and I was able to create dorie's version of this very classic dish!

Hachis Parmentier is simply just a fancy name for shepherd's pie.  I made it according to dorie's recipe, however my original plan, was to make one with ground turkey.  I am happy I made it Dorie's way.

hachis parmentier
page 258-259
yield: 4-6 servings.

This recipe was easy, super economical and DELICIOUS!!!

New Friends, Good Food + Dorie Greenspan

This past weekend I was up in San Francisco, attending the Blogher Food '10 Conference.  I did not go last year, yet I was told that it was something that could not be missed.  I anticipated this weekend for months.  I booked my flight, I made my hotel reservation and I planned my eating itinerary. I packed thoughtfully (however, next year I need to bring another suit case to cart back all the "swag") and I remembered all my computer cables and charged my camera battery!  I was set to go.

I was looking forward to spending face time with some of my posse (Gaby, Brooke, Carrie, Jenn, Marla) and I was really looking forward to meeting new people.  I took my camera with an extra memory card, anticipating taking tons of pictures.  Well, I got caught up in the moment and didn't snap as much as I had hoped.  Maybe I was a little "star struck", or just plain overwhelmed.  I am kind of mad at myself for not being the shutter bug that I can annoyingly be, yet with that said, I LOVED my weekend.  I was inspired, I learned, I ate, I laughed, and I even cried.

The highlight of my weekend was meeting Dorie Greenspan.  For years, I have admired her from a far, have been reading her columns in magazines, studying and cooking from her various books, reading her posts on facebook and of course, following her blog.  Dorie is lovely, approachable, humorous and humble.  I revere Dorie as my mentor  as my inspiration and now, my friend.

In celebration of a fabulous weekend, I have made the savory cheese and chive bread from Dorie's new book; around my french table.  As I eat this bread and share it with my family, I will savor the memories of meeting lots and lots of amazingly wonderful people, becoming closer with those that I already know and love, recount how Penny de los Santos inspired me and brought me to tears, and embrace how this silly little blog has brought me to a place in my life that fulfills me in ways that I never could have imagined!

savory cheese + chive bread
adapted from around my french table
yield: 1 loaf (I doubled it and made 2)

ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose
1 Tbls. baking powder
1/2- 1tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 generous cup grated Gruyere
2 oz. English white cheddar, cut into cubes
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

instructions:
• center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350*
• generously butter an 8" x 4 1/2" loaf pan
• whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and white pepper together in a large bowl
• put the eggs in a large bowl and mix for about a minute, whisk in milk and olive oil.
• pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  using a sturdy spatula, gently mix until the dough comes together.
• stir in the cheeses, herbs, and walnuts.  this is a thick dough
• spread into the prepared pan and even out with a spatula.
• bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the bread is golden and a slender knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
• remove and set on a wire rack to cool for 3 minutes.  then run a knife around the edges and then turn the loaf over onto the rack.  invert and cool, right side up.

Me, Penny (Penny de los Santos) + Gaby

Top: Diane and Todd (White on Rice Couple)

MIddle left: Helene (mytartelette), right: Brooke

Bottom: Marla, Amanda(I am Baker), Carrie, and Natanya(fete + feast)

visiting the ferry building, walking the farmers market, eating lunch at

il cane rosso and eating treats at miette was a fun field trip

partying with my posse

brooke, jaden, carrie, + marla

GROUP HUG

HP provided this VERY COOL photo booth,
 we went a tad crazy snapping fun-silly photos!

before flying out on Sunday morning, I met my cousin for breakfast

at my FAVORITE place; Tartine!  It was a gab fest and a carb fest.

Ahhh...the perfect ending to a most memorable weekend!

Until next Year!

Sables - 2 flavors, 1 dough

These are my new faves.  Sables are as abundant in France as the chocolate chip cookie is in the good 'ole US of A.  Sables are a glamorous shortbread.  And boy do I love a good shortbread.

This dough is so versatile.  The main dough can be altered to create many different flavors and tastes.  Today I made a simple hazelnut dough and a lemon - almond dough.  These cookies are so light, but don't break when you bite into them.  They hold their shape and bake easily.  And...the dough can be shaped, rolled and frozen.  My kind of dough.

Sables
Baking From My Home to Yours, Dorie Greenspan

ingredients:
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, room temp.
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large egg yolks
2 cups all purpose flour
sanding sugar for rolling


instructions:
• working with a standing mixer and a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed.  add the sugars, & salt and beat until blended, this mixture should be smooth and velvety.
• reduce mixer speed to low and add the egg yolks until well blended
• add flour and pulse a few times until you don't see any flour left in the bowl.  if it feels like play-doh it is done.
• scrape dough out on to a slightly floured work surface and shape into a ball.  divide the ball in half.
• shape each ball into a 9" log.  wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
to bake
• preheat oven to 350*.  line baking sheet with silpat mats.
• unwrap one of the logs (keep the others in the fridge). brush the log with one egg yolk that has been whisked.  immediately roll the log in sugar.
• slice the log into 1/3" thick cookies, place on prepared cookie sheet, leaving some space between each cookie.
• bake for 17-20 minutes, rotating the pans, front to back and top to bottom at the half way point.  they should be golden around the edges and pale on top.
• let cookies cool on racks.


variations:
• replace 1/2 cup of your flour with a nut of your choice.
• add the zest of a lemon to your sugar mixture before adding to the creamed butter.

the G's got a box of both the lemon and the 

hazelnut along with a bag of "crack" cookies!