What Linzertorte???

So, I was going to make the Linzertorte today...but life happened. All of us decided to do our Christmas baking...to the tune of 2 dozen sugar cookies, 4 dozen Peanut Butter Blossoms, and Hungarian Nut Loaf. So hopefully there will be Linzertorte tomorrow.

Up coming recipe

Hey all,

Sorry about the long delay between posts. College has a way of taking most of your time away from you. I will however be making a Linzertorte recipe Thursday. The cool thing about this recipe is that it is from a guy in NY that owns a bakery. I actually won it in a contest, and no, it was not poker.

Check back then!

A request long in waiting, answered.

So sorry people that we have not been able to get to our blog as much as we would like to. College has a way of doing that to us.

We have had a request from a reader to know the difference between a stock and a broth. We will honor this request.

According to The Prentice Hall Essentials Dictionary of Culinary Arts a stock is

stock1. A clear, unthickened liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from meat, poultry, or fish and their bones as well as from a mirepoix (50% onion, 25% carrots and 25% celery), other vegetables and seasonings; used for soups and sauces.

That is the official definition of a stock. Here is the official definition of a broth, ibid.

brothA flavorful liquid obtained from the long simmering of meats and/or vegetables

All this mumbo-jumbo means is that there are basically 2 distinct differences between the two liquids.

1.) A stock is made with bones. This gives body and substance to the stock through the dissolving and chemical break-up of collagen into a tasteless and odorless mixture of proteins called gelatin...blah-blah-blah...etc. All you have to know is a stock is made with bones.

2.)A broth is made with meat and bones. This gives the liquid a deeper flavor than a stock because the meat is generally browned, thus giving us all the great yum-yums that stick to the bottom of the pan. All you have to know with a broth is use meat and bones.

Now the process for the making of the liquids twain are virtually the same (We amaze ourselves sometimes). The process is as follows:

Brown meat/meat & bones if making a brown stock/broth.
Start the liquids with cold water.
Simmer the liquids gently.
Skim the liquids frequently.
Strain the liquids carefully.
Cool the liquids quickly.
Store the liquids properly.
Degrease the liquids.

Brown Stock

* 2 1/2 pounds chicken, beef or veal bones
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 2 red onions, sliced
* 1 stalk celery
* 2 carrots, diced
* 8 cups water, or as needed
* 1 head garlic, halved
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 4 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange the bones on a baking sheet. Roast for about 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until well browned.
2. Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and carrots; cook and stir until browned. If they scorch, just add a bit of water and scrape up all the bits.
3. Add the roasted bones to the pot, and fill with enough water to cover the bones by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, and add the garlic, thyme, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 2 hours for chicken bones, 6-8 for beef or veal bones hours. Add more water if needed.
4. Strain out all of the solids from the stock, and refrigerate. Remove the fat after it has chilled. The stock will be thick. Use full strength for soups and gravies, or dilute with water for a milder flavor. I like to use freezer bags for longer storage.


Chicken Broth

1 pound chicken breasts, thighs, or a combination
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, peeled
4 sprigs fresh parsley
3 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf

Combine the chicken, onion, carrot, parsley, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large saucepan with water to cover by about inches. Cover loosely and bring to a gentle boil (a few bubbles). Use a spoon to skim off and discard any foamy surface residue. Cook until the chicken is opaque throughout, about 30 minutes. Use tongs to remove the chicken to a plate. Remove and discard any skin. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones. Cut the chicken into the size needed for the recipe and refrigerate for up to overnight, if not using immediately.
Return the bones to the broth. Continue cooking the broth, uncovered, for at least another 30 minutes. Taste the broth (after cooling it on the spoon), and if it has a good chicken flavor, strain the broth into a large bowl. Discard the bones and seasonings. (Any salt and pepper will be added when the broth is added to a filling.) The broth is ready to use or it can be covered and refrigerated for up to days. Or, the broth can be sealed in freezer containers and frozen for up to 1 month.


There you have it. We hope that the reader has been answered and that we have explained everything properly.

Cream Cheese Danish

You know those tasty little cheese danishes that are on the Continental Breakfasts at hotels? Forget those my friends...forget those forever. This Cream Cheese Danish is so much better, and easy to make I might add.




For this you will need two packages of canned crescent rolls. While this is me opening the rolls, I wish I could have gotten a picture of CC opening the other package. She jumps every time. hee-hee



Roll out one package of the rolls into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. I used a mini rolling pin from the Pampered Chef (used without permission). If you don't have one of these nifty uni-taskers, then just pinch the seams together.



In a medium bowl add two packages cream cheese, one cup of sugar, one egg yolk (keep the white for later), one teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt.



Mix until all combined, creamed...etc.



Put the cream cheese goodness into the pan.



Roll/grumble/pat out the next package of rolls on top of the cream cheese filling.



Make up an egg wash by taking the egg white and adding a tablespoon of water to it and whisking till the egg does not...uhhh...hold together...is loose enough to brush.



Pinch the seams of the dough and brush with the egg wash.

Bake in a 350º oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

While the danish is baking, you have to make a powdered sugar glaze.



Use a ½ cup of powdered sugar,



a pinch of salt, a blurb of vanilla, and about a tablespoon of water or milk.



Make it to be a little thick but liquiddy enough to drizzle.



When the danish is fresh from the oven, drizzle on the glaze in fancy designs because you can.



Then comes the fun part! Yummo!

Cream Cheese Danish

• 2 packages crescent rolls
• 2 packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg, seperated

Preheat the oven to 350º. Lay out one package of the crescent rolls in the bottom of a greased 9x13" pan, pinching the seams. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg yolk in a stand mixer till well blended. Spread over first layer of rolls. Lay out second package over the filling, again, pinching the seams. Beat the egg white and brush over the top layer of rolls. Bake for 30 minutes. Drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze.

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

I love summer, but not as much as I love fall. I love summer because you get bucket loads of tomatoes and you have nothing else to do with them beside eat them. With fresh mozzarella. And fresh basil.




So first you chop your tomato with your sweeet Wulstof knife.



Then you cube your fresh mozzarella.



Then you snip your basil into little pieces. This here is a neat little trick that I learned. Just put your herb of choice in the measuring cup and snip away.



I used dried oregano too. Just dump a bit into your hand and crush it up like so to release the oils from the herb.



Add salt and pepper to taste, as well as a bit of olive oil.



Mix up and your done!

New York Cheesecake

Here is the tasty filling for the Pate Sucree.



First put the cream cheese in your mixer bowl.



Beat for a little while with the sugar till it is smooth and creamy (we think it's the best).



Add your eggs one at a time and mix in completely before adding the next egg.



Add the sour cream, heavy cream and the vanilla.



Mix all together and pour into the pan to bake.

Classic New York Cheesecake

• 1 recipe Pate Sucree

Filling:

• 3 packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 3 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice, or ½ tsp. lemon oil (I did add this, I just didn't get a picture)
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. sour cream
• ½ c. heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 325º.

Using a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft and no lumps remain, stopping to scrape down the bowl once or twice. Do this using the slow speed; you don't want to incorporate air into the mixture. Add the sugar and salt and mix until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth before adding the next egg, and scraping the bottom of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the lemon, vanilla, sour cream and heavy cream. Stir just until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the 325º oven for 45-50 minutes; the edges of the cake will be set and a light golden brown and the middle should still jiggle when you nudge the pan. The internal temperature when measured an inch from the center should be 165º or above. Turn the oven off, open the door slightly and let the cheesecake cool slowly in the oven for 1 hour. During this time the center will finish setting. Cooling the cake slowly will keep the top from cracking very much and ensure an even, smooth texture inside.

After an hour, remove the cake from the oven and run a knife around the edge to allow the cake to contract as it cools. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Top with fruit or whipped cream, if desired.

Sweet crust **recipe update**

So this is a traditional French sweet dough called Pate Sucree. This is going to be a two-part post with my own delicious recipe for New York Cheesecake to follow in a couple of days...weeks...whenever...




Mix with your flour,



powdered milk,



sugar,



salt.



and cut in stick of COLD butter,



uuhhhh...yeah...moving on...



Mix together an egg yolk, vanilla bean paste, and the water,



Dump said egg mixture onto the aforesaid flour mixture,



and mix into a "shaggy mass". Memorize what this looks like...you should have already done this with the pie crust.



Here comes the tricky part. Dump the dough in to the pan, cover with plastic wrap, and mush/pat the dough into and 1" up the sides of the pan with the measuring cup.



Dock the surface liberally with a fork.



Bake and let it cool while you prepare a tasty filling.

Pate Sucree

• 1 1/4 c. pastry or all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. powdered milk
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 8 tbsp. (1 stick) COLD butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. water

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then cut in the cold butter. Whisk together the egg yolk, vanilla and water and stir into the dry mixture; the dough should be crumbly but hold together when squeezed. Roll out the dough (hard way) or press it (easy way) into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch square or 10-inch round (preferably removable bottom) tart pan. Prick all over with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375º.

To prepare blind baked, ready-to-fill crust, weigh down the crust with pie weights, a nesting pie pan, or line with parchment and fill with rice or dried beans. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is set. Remove weights, extra pan, or parchment and return to the oven for 6-8 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool before filling.