Chocolate Covered Pears... with toasted almonds.

Chocolate Covered Pears... with toasted almonds. A great Christmas gift idea.... for a healthier option. With Christmas right around the corner, I thought I'd share a  recipe for a healthier alternative when it comes to gift giving. Well, ok, you can also make this for yourself:). But the gift looks festive and can please most folks. It is gluten-free, grain-free, egg-free... and if you want, you can even make it nut-free by substituting the nuts with maybe some mini white chocolate chips or brittle.... even bits of dried cherries or other dried fruits. Oh, and it's also bake-free... well, if you don't consider toasting the almonds as baking per se, though you could buy toasted almonds and then it would really be bake -free:). It's also a make-ahead sort of gift.... so, it's great all around. Makes a rather nice gift, that looks pretty, and doesn't cost a ton... edible, too.   

While I was planning on posting this idea later on, I decided to introduce it now rather than later. This way, if any of you would care to try it, you'd have ample time to make it before Christmas. And I'm really posting this more of an idea, because you can easily add your own personal touches. I'm thinking you could easily substitute all sorts of nuts. Pistachios(being green) would be nice for the season.... and you could even bring in some white chocolate for contrast. In any case, it's a fun little project. Hope you enjoy...

Tip #1: Depending on how fresh your pears are, the dipped pears can be made quite a few days ahead. Just keep them refrigerated.  

Tip #2: If, and only if, you have too many dipped pears, you can opt to make the Gluten-Free Pear Buckwheat Cake... in mini version. Just slice pears and place on  top of cake batter... and sprinkle any pieces of chocolate that may have crumbled when cutting.  Funny thing is I really didn't have any "leftover" pears... it's just that my husband has been wanting me to re-make the cake for some time now. As much as gluten-free cakes aren't his favorite, this buckwheat cake is one of his absolute favorites:)!  Here's a photo of the mini cakes... another option for gift giving.

 You will need:

• red and/or green pears, organic if possible
• good dark chocolate(I used callebaut), melted
• raw almonds, toasted and chopped
• clear treat bags
• ribbon  
• and a parchment/plastic covered cookie sheet/plate

Directions:

1. Wash and thoroughly dry pears. Set aside. Line a cookie sheet/plate with plastic/parchment... set it aside. 

2. Toast  raw almonds in oven/toaster oven for  a few minutes(5-10) at 350 deg F... keep an eye on them as they can burn easily. Time is approximate... check on them frequently. Allow almonds to cool and chop finely. Set aside.... you can place the chopped nuts in a bowl if you like.

3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler... I like to take chocolate off heat when there are still some bits of chocolate that haven't completely melted... the residual heat will eventually melt all the chocolate. Overheated chocolate will  be clumpy and not as shiny.  

4. Holding pear by stem, dip pear in melted chocolate... rocking it from side to side to form tulip petals all around. Lift up and allow excess chocolate to drip back... make sure you let most of the excess chocolate to drip off, otherwise the nuts will be too heavy with the chocolate and the chocolate and nuts can slide off.

5. Place chocolate dipped pear  gently into chopped nuts... making sure to sprinkle some of the nuts all around to cover almost to the top. I like to leave some chocolate showing. At this point, you can also drizzle some melted chocolate on top of the pear if you like.

6. Place dipped pear on parchment/plastic lined sheet/plate... and repeat with extra pears.

7. Place pears in refrigerator until chocolate hardens. Wrap in clear bags. Tie with ribbon.

8. Store in refrigerator.

Turkish Lamb Lahmacun... flat-bread pizza with minced lamb.

Turkish Flat-bread Lamb Lahmacun... and a quick version. One day, while watching a documentary on different foods of the world, I happened to see a clip that focused on Turkish cuisine. I absolutely love it when they showcase outdoor farmer's markets... that's where you can see the culture come alive in foods and wares that are specific to a region. In any case, this little documentary I was watching focused on Turkish foods and the popular "fast food" item, called Lahmacun. 

I had never heard of Lahmacun before, but I found out it's basically a Turkish flat-bread pizza that uses a raw spiced meat mixture as the base for the topping. But placing raw minced meat on a flat bread wasn't new to me. I posted a Greek version(Open-faced Kofta) some time ago, which is quite similar. And some time ago, my sister told me of an Armenian version that sounded very, very similar to the Turkish version of the Lahmacun. I suppose various countries have their own take on the classic pizza... quite fascinating, actually. 

Yet, the idea behind the Turkish version is the tomato-based meat mixture as well as its very thin dough that's "rollable". The Lahmacun can be stuffed with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, onion and parsley and drizzled with some yoghurt sauce or a squeeze of lemon juice. Acidity is rather important to the Lahmacun, because you really need to cut the "sweetness" of the tomato paste lamb mix. In my opinion, the lemon just brightens the dish and brings it altogether. But I loved the idea of a rolled up pizza. And I knew I wanted to make it. Didn't wait long and found a recipe...

Oh, I sure enjoyed this pizza! If you are looking for a different sort of pizza, one that takes you to a different country, you just might want to make the Lahmacun. You've got to be open minded though, as this Lahmacun is loaded with various flavors not normally found on a traditional pizza. All sorts of ingredients can be added... the common ones being tomato paste, garlic, onion and paprika. But from there, recipes can vary quite a bit... there's the addition of sumac, cumin, cinnamon, and others. But it was the addition of cumin and cinnamon that transported me to a land far away... of course, if you like staying close to home, opt to skip the cinnamon:).... especially if you aren't used to cinnamon in savory foods. But I personally loved it, as it wasn't overly pronounced. 

The Lahmacun can easily be a wonderful appetizer, cut up in small pieces...  but it can also be a meal in itself. You'll find Lahmacun varies from place to place, depending on the spices used. Interestingly, there's also a different take on it... made with spinach and feta cheese, a vegetarian version I haven't yet tried, but sounds delicious as well. I ended up looking at Saveur's version  for the Lahmacun I made... and from there, I sort of adjusted the measurements. I wanted to use a bit more meat... so I could try a  quicker version of the Lahmacun, using tortillas instead of the yeasted dough. Because I increased the amount of meat, I also ended up adjusting some of the spices as well... but you can easily play around with spice amounts according to preference. 

I found out that using tortillas for the base of the pizza works remarkably well, especially if you are short on time. I liked both... but preferred the homemade yeasted dough because it tastes more like a pizza:)... and it's more traditional. But, regardless, what you use, be it tortillas or the yeast dough, you'll definitely taste a different sort of pizza. It's delicious... or at least I think so:). Hope you enjoy...   

Note: When baking the Lahmacun, if the homemade dough is stretched out thin enough, you will notice the crust bakes up quite crispy. I like to sort of cover them( after I remove them from the oven) so they soften up a bit and can be "rollable"...  the moist meat topping will naturally soften over time without being covered. 

And you don't have to roll up the pizza... you can eat the Lahmacun as you would a regular pizza slice.

Tip: The Lahmacun can be eaten warm, or at room temperature... so it's an ideal picnic bread. I like to also freeze a few... so I can have later on during the week(s). Just reheat in the toaster oven. 

~Also, the meat mixture can last several days in the fridge, so if you want to make a fresh Lahmacun a couple of days in a row, you can... otherwise just freeze some of the meat mixture and take out and defrost when needed. 

You will need: inspired by Saveur

Flatbread Dough: can use store- bought/homemade tortillas for a quick alternative

2 cups flour, plus more

1 tsp. sugar 

2 tsps instant yeast

1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 cup warm water (110-115 deg F)

Lamb Topping: for 1 dough recipe + 6( 6/8 inch flour tortillas)... or double amount of dough recipe if using the whole amount of lamb topping... or freeze half. 

8 oz. ground lamb

1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4-6 TBS tomato paste (can use lesser amount) 

3 TBS minced flat-leaf parsley

1⁄2 tsp. hot smoked paprika(can use sweet paprika/cayenne pepper)

3⁄4 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. sweet paprika

1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon(can  be optional, if you don't like cinnamon)

1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste 

3-4 cloves garlic, grated

2 small/medium tomatoes(1/3 cup), grated

1 small onion(1/2 cup), grated

1 jalapeno chile minced

Extra:

chopped parsley,

sliced onion, 

chopped cucumbers, tomatoes

lemon wedges(this is quite important, and shouldn't be skipped... it brightens the dish)  

salt as needed

Yoghurt Sauce: optional

1 cup yoghurt( or a mix with sour cream)

1-2 tsp za'atar, or sumac to taste

freshly grated garlic, a touch...or to taste

Serve with: 

Ayran yoghurt drink (equal amounts of yoghurt and water, seasoned with a bit of salt.) 

Directions:

Make the Meat Topping:

1. Grind lamb, if needed... 

2. In a large bowl, combine oil, tomato paste, parsley, hot smoked paprika or cayenne, cumin, sweet paprika, and cinnamon.... add  ground lamb. 

3. Grate garlic, tomatoes, onion, and chop chile. Combine everything and season with salt; set topping aside. You can do this overnight for better flavor. 

Make Dough:

1. Combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a mixer bowl(or food processor, as in my case)...  and mix a few  seconds to combine.

2. Measure out 3⁄4 cup warm water( heated to 115 deg F)add it to the flour mixture.

3. Mix/knead with a dough hook until you get a smooth dough... about 6 minutes. If using a food processor, process until a ball of dough forms around the edge of the food processor bowl... 1-2 minutes. 

4. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead  a few seconds more just to bring the dough together smoothly.

5. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour (or so). 

6. Divide dough into 4 portions, and roll each portion into a ball. 

7. Transfer dough balls to a floured baking sheet or counter) and cover with a damp tea towel and let it rest for  about 45 minutes(or so).  

Bake Lahmacun:

• Place a pizza stone in bottom third of oven
• Preheat oven to 475° deg F.... for about 30 minutes

1.Working with one dough ball at a time and using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 10" disk. If you don't want a "bubbly" crust you can dock the crust using a fork... I did that to a few of mine.

2. Brush off excess flour and transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper... I sort of rolled out all the dough pieces and placed some plastic wrap between each...  but you can do one at a time.   

3. Spoon about 3–4 tablespoons of meat topping onto dough and spread topping evenly to edges. I noticed if you don't want to have the edge puff up as you would on a normal pizza, you will need to spread the meat all the way to the edge... otherwise the edge will puff up a bit and be thicker( as were mine). Season with a bit of  kosher salt.

4. Transfer pizza and parchment paper to the hot baking stone.

5. Bake until dough is golden brown and topping is cooked, 6–8 minutes. 

6. Repeat with remaining dough and topping; serve warm or at room temperature.  

Note: You can use tortillas, instead of the homemade dough for a quicker version.... I found out that you really need to spread the meat all the way to the edges, otherwise the edges can burn a bit. 

~On the spur of the moment, I made a quick yoghurt zaatar sauce to drizzle on the Lahmacun... with some fresh sliced leek. But you can simply add any toppings you like.

Homemade Croissants... ATK/Cook' s Illustrated version.

Homemade Croissants... ATK/Cook' s Illustrated version... Memories of Paris. Freshly baked croissants in bakeries everywhere. Some filled with chocolate, some plain... but all of them flaky with a buttery goodness. Though it's been a few years since visiting Paris, I've kept many a memory of the times my husband and I would have breakfast together, stopping at a local bakery and ordering a delicious breakfast treat to go along with a cup of espresso. It seemed croissants were always available in the early morning hours....and you could smell the butter in the air as you entered the bakery shop.

Croissants. I've always wanted to make croissants... but could it ever be doable... you know, to make at home? And I mean the real croissants. The ones that are airy, flaky and buttery.... with a delicate crisp shattering outside "crust". Not the somewhat flaky pie crust/crescent type... where the butter sort of combines with the flour and has no layers. Those are good too, ... but I wanted the croissants to be like those in Paris.

I have to admit I've tried making croissants before... quite a few years ago. And as much as I wanted them to have been a success back then, well... they really weren't. And truth be told, I tried making croissants a few more times after that... with different recipes... until I gave up. Somehow, I felt I would never be able to get the dough to bake up like a real croissant.... like those in Paris. So I stopped trying to bake the "perfect" croissant. Figured the home cook can't... just don't have the right laminating machine, the right oven, etc. But recently, I decided to try again... after all these years. And this time... from a recipe by the folks at Cook's Illustrated. 

I've always had great success with Cook's Illustrated/Cook's Country/America's Test Kitchen's recipes. Many of their recipes are personal favorites. So when I came across their croissant recipe video, I felt I could try making croissants again. I mean, they sure made it look simple!  But before trying out the recipe, I made sure to have the right ingredients....  which meant european-style butter(less water and a bit higher fat%) and King Arthur's flour(has a bit higher protein%).  I hardly ever buy european-style butter, but in this case, I was willing to buy it. I wanted my croissants to come out... without blaming myself that I didn't follow the recipe exactly.  The butter was the only new ingredient I had to buy... because for the past few years, I've been using King Arthur flour for all my baking... so the flour wasn't an issue. 

In any case, I basically followed their recipe without any changes of mine (well, except as noted in the last tip). The result was unbelievably amazing. You truly can make croissants at home! They were just what I had been wanting to make all these years... and I wouldn't change a thing about them. Even the butter was well worth the investment... you can actually taste the difference. And you know what?... the croissants weren't really that difficult to make. 

Ok, I have to admit it might not be an easy recipe... especially for a beginner. And I must mention, since trying out my very first croissant recipe years ago, I've had plenty of experience with laminated dough(or puff pastry).... so I didn't attempt this recipe without knowing the basics. Over the years, I've learned through trials and errors, that a laminated dough must be kept cold at all times... otherwise, the dough won't have those distinct layers.... you'll just get a buttery dough. And since croissants are similar to puff pastry, I wasn't going into something foreign. The only difference in making a croissant dough is that you add yeast and milk. 

This recipe is what a croissant is all about... I don't think I''ll  be trying another recipe. For me it was a winner, and will definitely be making again.  By the way, did you know the croissants were first invented in Austria?... at least that's what they say. Could have very well been. I wouldn't know. However, I do know the Austrians make amazing desserts... as do the French. But regardless who invented the croissant... this recipe is worth making. Just give yourself some time, don't rush and be as precise as possible... oh, and enjoy your hard work:). They're totally worth it. Hope you enjoy...            

Update: I much prefer to bake ALL the croissants when freshly made and freezing them baked... rather than freezing the unbaked rolled croissants and then defrosting to rise and bake later.... the wait is too long, and they never seem to rise as high as the original.     

Note: Though it looks like the longest of posts, the process isn't really that long... just lots of waiting in between folding, refrigerating and rising.

Tips: 

• It really helps being precise... use a ruler to measure. Oh, and read the recipe/watch the video a couple of times to understand the process before proceeding.   
• Keep your butter cold at all times... when folding dough, if you notice the butter getting soft, refrigerate/freeze dough until it firms up.
• Work in a 70 deg F kitchen... ideally no hotter. A couple of degrees above won't matter much, but when the kitchen is too hot, the croissants will suffer. 
• While folding and rolling, use a straight edge(I used the side of a large knife) to bring the dough to the proper measurements. 
• Allow the  croissants to rise in a 68-72 deg F... ideally no colder nor much hotter. If it's too cold, the yeast will take much longer to activate... and if it's too hot, the butter in the dough will melt.  
• While Cook's Illustrated/ATK does not say to lightly cover croissants with aluminum paper half way through baking, I find it essential to do this. This way you don't have croissants that are burned/overly browned.... and at the same time have the insides cooked through.

You will need: from Cook's Illustrated(Jan/Feb 2012 issue), or the ATK's video clip(not sure how long this link will be valid), or Food. com 

Dough:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups whole milk 

4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast 

4 1/4 cups (21 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour ( King Arthur is preferred, what I used)

1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar 

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

Butter Block:

12 oz (24 tablespoons) unsalted European-style-butter, very cold (I used Plugra, recommended)

Egg Wash:

1 large egg 

1 teaspoon cold water

pinch of salt

Directions:

DOUGH:

1. Over low heat, melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Remove pan from heat and immediately stir in milk (the temperature should be lower than 90 degrees F ). 

2. Whisk in yeast and transfer milk mixture to bowl of a stand mixer. 

3.  Add the flour, sugar, and salt  to the bowl with milk mixture. Using dough hook, knead on low speed until a cohesive dough forms... which should take about 2 to 3 minutes. 

4. Increase mixer speed to medium-low and knead for 1 more minute. 

5. Remove bowl from mixer and cover with plastic wrap. 

6. Let dough rest at room temperature 30 minutes.

7. Transfer dough to parchment paper–lined baking sheet(I just placed a parchment paper on the counter and then placed the dough on the parchment paper)

8. Shape(using your fingertips) into 10 x 7-inch rectangle about 1 inch thick.

9. Wrap dough tightly with plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

BUTTER BLOCK: 

1. While the dough chills, fold a 24-inch length of parchment paper in half to make a 12-inch rectangle. 

2. Fold over the 3 open sides of the rectangle to form an 8-inch square with enclosed sides. 

3. Crease folds firmly. Set aside.

4. Cut and place 24 tablespoons (12 oz) very cold butter directly on counter (or leave on butter paper) and beat with rolling pin for about 60 seconds (or so) until butter is just pliable but not warm. You can  then fold butter on itself using bench scraper, but I didn't... I sort of cut a few pieces of butter and added them to the sides to make the corners. 

5. Beat butter into a rough 6-inch square... 

6. Unfold parchment envelope you set aside earlier. Using bench scraper(or butter paper), transfer butter to center of the parchment paper, refolding at creases to enclose. 

7. Turn packet over, with flaps underneath, and using a rolling pin on top of the parchment paper, gently roll until butter fills the parchment square. Make sure you have an even thickness. 

8. Refrigerate  butter packet at least 45 minutes.... or longer.

LAMINATE: 

Before making the laminate dough you will need to transfer the dough from the above DOUGH directions, step 8,...  and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

1. After 30 minutes in the freezer, transfer dough to lightly floured counter and roll into 17 x 8-inch rectangle with the long side parallel to edge of counter. 

2. Unwrap butter packet and place the butter in center of dough. 

3. Fold both sides of dough over butter so they meet in center. Press seam together with fingertips. 

4. With rolling pin, press firmly on each open end of packet( top and bottom) to seal edges. 

5. Roll out lengthwise into a 24 x 8-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a business letter ... so you get an 8-inch square. 

6. Turn dough 90 degrees counterclockwise. Roll the dough out lengthwise again into 24 x 8-inch rectangle and fold into thirds.... like a business letter. 

7. Place dough on a parchment paper (or cookie sheet), and wrap it tightly with plastic. 

8. Return dough to freezer for 30 minutes. 

Repeat folding after 30 minute freezer time:

1. Transfer dough from freezer to a lightly floured counter ... so that top flap opens on right. 

2. Roll out dough lengthwise into 24 x 8-inch rectangle and fold into thirds. 

3. Place dough on sheet, wrap tightly with plastic, and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 24 hours. I left mine overnight.

SHAPE:  

Before shaping you will need to remove the laminated dough from the fridge after it's been in the fridge for the 2-24 required hours.... and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

1. After the dough has been in the freezer for 30 minutes, transfer it to a lightly floured counter and roll into 18 x 16-inch rectangle with long side of rectangle parallel to edge of counter. 

2. Fold upper half of dough over lower half. 

3. Using ruler, mark dough at 3-inch intervals along bottom edge with bench scraper (you should have 5 marks). 

4. Move ruler to top edge of dough, measure in 1 1/2 inches from left, then use this mark to measure out 3-inch intervals (you should have 6 marks). 

5. Starting at lower left corner, use sharp pizza wheel or knife to cut dough from mark to mark. You will have 12 triangles and 5 diamonds; discard scraps.... place scraps(next to each other) in a small tart pan to rise.

6. Unfold diamonds and cut into 10 triangles (making 22 equal-size triangles in total).

7. Position 1 triangle on counter. (Keep remaining triangles covered with plastic.) 

8. Cut 1/2-inch slit in center of short side of triangle. Grasp triangle by 2 corners on either side of slit and stretch gently, then stretch bottom point, again gently. 

9. Place triangle on counter so point is facing you. Fold down both sides of slit. Roll top of triangle partway toward point. Gently grasp point with 1 hand and stretch again. Resume rolling, tucking point underneath. 

10. Curve ends gently toward each other to create crescent. Repeat with remaining triangles.

11. Place 9 shaped croissants on a parchment lined sheet (or 12 croissants on 2 parchment-lined sheets)... at least 2 1/2 inches apart. 

12. Lightly wrap with plastic. Let stand at room temperature( 70 degrees F is ideal) until nearly doubled in size, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

( The rest of the shaped croissants can be refrigerated for up to 18 hours. Remove from refrigerator to rise and add at least 30 minutes to rising time.... I personally haven't yet tried this. 

Or you can freeze the rest of the shaped croissants (what I ended up doing).... see Make Ahead Note at the bottom of this post. ) 

13. After croissants have been rising for about 2 1/2 hours(or until croissants have almost doubled)...

•  adjust oven rack to be in the middle... if making only 9 croissants and using 1 sheet.
• adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions... if making 12 croissants and using 2 sheets. 
•  heat oven to 425 degrees F. 

14. In small bowl, whisk together egg, water, and pinch salt.

15. Brush croissants with egg wash. Place croissants in hot oven and reduce temperature to 400 degrees F. 

16.  Bake for 12 minutes, then switch and rotate baking sheets if making 12 croissants. If making only 9 you don't have to worry about rotating pans.

17. After about 12 minutes baking time, loosely cover croissants with aluminum paper and continue to bake until deep golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes longer. My total baking time was close to 20 minutes. Do watch so as not to burn. 

Note: Covering the croissants with aluminum paper was my idea to keep the croissants from not burning on the outside, and yet still cooking completely inside.... you can skip it if you like, but the croissants have a tendency to burn rather quickly .

18. Transfer croissants to wire rack and cool about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

TO MAKE AHEAD: see step 12 above. 

1. After shaping, place 10 croissants( or the remainder if you've baked only 9) 1 inch apart on parchment-lined sheet. 

2. Wrap with plastic and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. 

3. Transfer to zipper-lock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. 

4. Bake frozen croissants as directed from step 8, increasing rising time by to 2 hours, or as needed to double in size.

Sweet Potato Doughnuts...

Sweet Potato Doughnuts... a baked version that's super delicious! I love baked doughnuts.. and I really like my doughnut pans. I love being able to make doughnuts without frying. And this recipe is super simple to make. You can easily have fresh doughnuts in a matter of minutes... well, ok, maybe just a bit longer if you are making the sweet potato puree from scratch. 

Ever since I saw a pumpkin doughnut recipe on King Arthurs' blog, I wanted to make them. I've been really enjoying sweet potatoes this year... more so than any other year. When I noticed that sweet potato could be used in lots of dessert recipes, I  started experimenting with it more. While I love pumpkin, I've been wanting to limit the use of cans in my cooking and baking... or eliminate it at as much as possible anyway. And because making my own pumpkin puree from scratch can take quite a bit of work and time, I've sort of switched to steaming sweet potatoes instead. This way, I don't have to buy a large pumpkin and can just use 1 or 2 sweet potatoes instead. And because I use my pressure cooker to steam the sweet potatoes, I find it hardly takes any time to make some fresh puree to have on hand. I'll freeze it, too.

In any case, I decided to turn the original pumpkin doughnut recipe into a sweet potato doughnut. It worked wonderfully well! I also managed to cut the sugar amount to 1 cup  for the batter... from the original 1 1/2 cup that was required in the recipe. I figured that extra 1/2 cup could go towards the icing. And I'm glad I made that change. Maybe, next time, I'll cut the sugar amount a tiny bit more:)....  

These doughnuts are super soft and  melt- in- your mouth tender. They are best eaten when the glaze has set and the doughnut has had a chance to firm up a bit(they are quite soft when warm). Actually, I liked them a bit cold, after refrigerating them a bit... but that's just me.  I decided to play around with icings and sugar coating, and I posted  how I glazed my doughnuts...  but there are plenty of other choices, such as a maple, mocha, chai, orange, cream cheese, praline, brown butter, caramel icing, etc... so it's  best if you make something you like. My husband really loved these doughnuts. His verdict: "Wow, these doughnuts are good!  Hope you enjoy... 

Tip: If you don't have a doughnut pan, these can be baked in a muffin tin... increase baking time to about 18-22 minutes( or so)... the only thing is they just won't be doughnuts:(

You will need: inspired by King Arthur blog ~ makes 18-24 doughnuts, depending on pan and how much batter is used in each doughnut well. I made 24 doughnuts... some definitely skinnier than others:). 

Note: The amounts of icing/glaze was just right for my 24 doughnuts(I did have some cinnamon sugar leftover), but if you only want to use one type, you may need to double or even triple amounts, if needed.  Feel free to experiment with other flavors of choice.

1/2 cup extra light olive oil

3 ex-large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups sweet potato purée (can use pumpkin)

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 tsp almond extract, optional

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 TBS cornstarch (can use flour)

* you could also use 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon+ heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg+ heaping 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Coating: of choice, or make your own

Powdered sugar (not shown)

Cinnamon/sugar

 3-4 TBS sugar( superfine, is better)

1/2-1 tsp ground cinnamon, or to taste

melted butter, optional

Powdered sugar icing: my favorite

1 cup powdered sugar

1/8 tsp flavoring of choice(maple, vanilla, etc), optional

1-2 TBS milk(or water)

Chocolate/espresso icing: only if you want a more chocolate dominant flavor

1/4 cup half and half, heated

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup powdered sugar(or as needed)

1/2 tsp ground espresso, optional

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F. 
• Grease donut pans.

1. Cook sweet potato until fork tender... use what ever method you prefer ( I used this method as for my sweet potato brownie). Process sweet potato into a super smooth puree.

2. In a large bowl, beat/( I whisked), oil, eggs,sugar, sweet potato puree( or pumpkin, if using), pumpkin pie spice(or equivalent), salt, baking powder, almond extract( if using) until smooth.... 

3. Add in flour and 2 TBS cornstarch(or 2 TBS extra flour, if using).... stir until just smooth.

4. Place donut batter into a large ziploc bag, cut one corner( about 1/2 inch) and fill donut mold about 1/2-3/4 filled.... depending how thick or thin you want them. 

5.  Bake for 12-18 minutes depending on how high you've filled your doughnut wells .... or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

6. Let donuts cool before adding any coating.... though the cinnamon-sugar coating can be added when doughnuts are warm(that is, if you are not using any melted butter), as the sugar tends to stick more when doughnuts are warm.    

Make Sugar coating, Icing, Glaze: add coating after the doughnuts have cooled at least 5 minutes, or until no longer fragile... when hot, they are super soft and can break easily.

1. Combine ingredients  for the topping/coating(s) of choice. 

For cinnamon/sugar coating~You may need some melted butter to brush doughnuts if you want a thicker  cinnamon/sugar coating... the cinnamon-sugar tends to only stick to the bottom of the doughnut, when doughnut is still slightly warm. 

 For chocolate glaze~ I heated some half and half and then added the espresso and chocolate... allowed it to sit for a bit until chocolate melted, then added the icing sugar... you can add the sugar in stages, until you get your preferred thickness. Dip or pour glaze( with a teaspoon) over doughnuts.

 For the icing coating~ you can add flavoring of choice, if you want or skip . Add milk a bit at a time until desired thickness is achieved. Dip or pour glaze( with a teaspoon) over doughnuts.  

Romanian Cream of Mushroom with Chicken ...or "Ciulama de Ciuperci cu Carne de Pui"

Romanian Cream of Mushroom with Chicken or... "Ciulama de Ciuperci cu Carne de Pui ".  Ah, back to yet another Romanian dish. I really am determined to post more Romanian dishes... all in it's own time though:). This dish was a favorite when growing up. My mom always made this for us, mostly when she had gizzards on hand. Yes, gizzards.... 

Traditionally ciulama is made using gizzards, though chicken hearts can also be added. But the flavor and texture the gizzards add to the gravy... well, it's just really delicious! Maybe it's delicious to me because I grew up with it. I love the slight chew and meatiness of the gizzards. In any case, the ciulama doesn't necessarily have to be made with meat. It can just as easily be made with mushrooms only.... though I would definitely use chicken stock(to make the gravy) for maximum flavor. You can also combine meat and mushrooms... as I have done in this post. 

But you know, everyone has their own version of ciulama. Nowadays, the gizzards are often substituted with dark chicken meat. So I decided to make the ciulama using diced chicken thigh meat... just because I most always have chicken in the freezer. Of course, if you are shooting for a more traditional and country-style ciulama, then you can always substitute the chicken thigh meat with gizzards... just cook the gizzards until tender.

Ciulama, really, is a basic gravy-like dish... normally served over soft polenta (mamaliga). The gravy can be cooked in various ways, but it's usually made using chicken stock and a bit of sour cream. Though sometimes milk is added instead of sour cream, or even a combination of milk and sour cream can be used. But the result often tastes like the 'cream of chicken' or 'cream of mushroom' we know here in the states... only better:). I don't know what it is, but the combination of the gravy over soft polenta is pure comfort food for me. It's quite simple to make and budget-friendly... especially if you make the ciulama with only mushrooms. Love, love this dish. Hope you enjoy...        


Note: This version of "ciulama" can be made with just mushrooms.... just omit the chicken and add a bit more mushrooms, then skip step 1 and 2 of the directions.  

A side note: I made this dish more "bountiful"... with plenty of meat and mushrooms. You can thin out the gravy and "stretch" the dish even more (basically make more gravy to the amount of meat and mushrooms) by simply adding more stock or a combination of stock/milk to the dish and thickening the mixture with a bit of flour/water slurry. 

Tip: If you don't have any sour cream on hand, you can add some milk, or even cream instead... I've made ciulama using sour cream, heavy cream, or milk. ... they all work. Cream, somehow makes it super delicious:)  

You will need:

1 lb diced chicken (thighs)
1 onion, cut in quarters
1 carrot, cut in chunks
1 small parsnip, cut in chunks(if you don't have, you can omit)
1 celery stick, cut in chunks
4 cups water
4 TBS butter, divided
1 lb white mushrooms, sliced
3-4 TBS flour
3 cups(+/-) chicken stock
3 TBS sour cream
salt and pepper
chopped parsley (or dill), can be optional if you do not have 

Additional:
soft polenta*
*Making polenta using a regular pot on the stovetop can be found... HERE. Using a pressure cooker can be found... HERE.

Directions:
1. In a medium stock pot, add chicken and vegetables... along with 4 cups of water. Season water with about 2 tsps kosher salt. 
2. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, add 2 TBS of butter to a hot skillet and allow butter to melt. To melted butter, add sliced mushrooms, and cook on med/high until mushrooms are cooked and golden....season with a bit of salt. Remove and set aside. 
4. When stock is cooked,  remove vegetables. Strain the stock, while leaving behind the chicken pieces. Set the chicken aside, next to to the cooked mushrooms. Set the stock aside as well, for later.
5. Clean skillet and heat the remaining 2 TBS( you can add 1 or 2 extra TBS of butter) on med/low heat. Add the flour and cook stirring until it is fully incorporated. Remove the skillet away from the heat and slowly add 2 1/2-3 cups of the reserved stock.... whisking until mixture is free of lumps. 
6. Place the skillet back on the stove, and mix in 3 TBS of sour cream. Add the reserved chicken, and cooked mushrooms. Stir to combine.
7. Continue to cook the ciulama on low heat for an additional 15-20 minutes... or until mixture is thickened. Check seasoning. Sprinkle with dill or parsley, if desired.
I sometimes like to cover the skillet/pot while the ciulama is cooking, lifting the lid halfway and checking the consistency of the sauce.... will remove the lid towards the end of the cooking time. And sometimes I don't cover it at all:)


Note:
1. If you notice the sauce is too thick, add a bit more stock as it's cooking in step 7 .
2. If you want to make extra gravy, or you want to use all of the reserved stock, make a slurry of 1-2 TBS of flour and some water/extra stock/or milk... stir some of the slurry in the hot ciulama. Cook until thickened.

Sweet Potato Brownies... Sweet#10

Sweet Potato Brownies...  a healthier version. This was one of my husband's favorite desserts from all the cookies in the "sweet series" I've been posting.... and this recipe happened to be the only non-cookie dessert of the bunch. Sure, he liked all the cookies I made, some more than others... but somehow he had a soft spot for these brownies. 

He loved the flavors, the nuts, the fudgy texture... maybe it was because I added some orange peel to the batter and used a good chocolate instead of the regular chocolate chips I normally use. But whatever the reason, my husband  now wants me to buy sweet potato... just to make these brownies:). So here is the last of the "sweets".... hope you've enjoyed the mini series. But, now ... on to other "healthier" recipes:). Hope you enjoy...

Note: I added some of the measurements in cups... as I measured on my scale... as well as changes I made to the original recipe. Feel free to check the original recipe.

You will need: adapted from Dan Lepard

100 grams ( I used 6 TBS) unsalted butter

125 grams dark chocolate, chopped* 

200 grams baked sweet potato puree(1 cup minus 3 TBS)

125 grams brown sugar (1/2 cup+2TBS+2tsp packed)

1 ex-large egg

1 TBS vanilla extract

100 grams plain flour (3/4 cup)

¼ tsp baking powder

pinch of salt 

75 grams chopped chocolate*

100 grams chopped pecans(about 1 cup half pieces of pecans before chopped)

1 TBS orange zest, optional

* I ended up using a dark Callebaut chocolate

Directions:

1. Cook sweet potato(es)... either baked, steamed, or pressure cooked until soft. I ended up using my pressure cooker... peeled and cut sweet potato into chunks, placed them in the steamer basket and pressure cooked them for about 9 minutes or until fork tender. If you have some leftover cooked sweet potato puree from a previous meal( unsalted and unflavored), you could use that instead.

2. Place sweet potato chunks in food processor and process till smooth. Measure out 200 grams(or a scant cup...which is about a cup minus 3 TBS). Set aside.

• Line an 8 inch square pan( or similar) with nonstick parchment paper.
• Pre-heat the oven to 350 deg. F

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add 125g of the chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted.

2. In a bowl, beat the sweet potato puree with the brown sugar until almost smooth. 

3. Mix in the melted butter /chocolate mixture. 

4. Add the egg, orange zest, and vanilla, beat until thick.

5. Stir in the flour and baking powder until evenly combined. 

6. Fold in the pecans and 75 grams of chopped chocolate.

7. Spread brownie batter in parchment lined baking pan and smooth the top.

8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until barely cooked but still a bit soft under the crust. I baked mine for 25 minutes. Leave to cool completely in the pan before cutting.