The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.
I've been eyeing these Daring Bakers for quiet a while but was worried about being able to keep up! Now that my oldest just started back to school I decided to give it a shot. So I signed up. Then I got the information! I wasn't so sure anymore. Especially after I seen what this months challenge was! I didn't know if I could handle it. But I psyched myself up and gave it a go.
This was the finished product. Was I happy? NO. Was I satisfied that I finished the challenge with at least something to show? Yes.
The ingredients were pretty simple. I already had everything in my pantry or fridge.
The recipe suggested using parchment paper with circles drawn on them over and over to make the layers needed. Then they had to be trimmed so that they all were even. I thought that was too much work. So I just used six disposable 8 inch tins. And look, no wasted parchment paper! These can be washed and used again or just trashed.
I even got a little help folding the batter. Maybe I can talk her into washing those pans! And see, they all came out even and exactly the size I needed.
Stack them up with the chocolate buttercream and there ya go. No drawing, no cutting, no trimming! That, however, was the easy part.
The top decorative caramel layer was where I had the most problem. I chose to make it one of the disposable pans. BIG mistake. And I think I need to wait before pouring it directly onto the cake layers. The caramel was very fluid and I think if it was allowed to set up a bit before pouring it would have stayed on top better. However, these absorbed the caramel and most of it drained right through. And it was almost impossible to get out. Actually I had to put it back in the oven for a few minutes just to loosen it up enough to get them out.
Either way. This is what I ended up with. After refrigeration the buttercream set up and made the whole cake easier to cut. I'm excited that I was able to finish this one and can't wait to see what's on the calendar for next month.
Dobos Torte
Equipment · 2 baking sheets· 9” (23cm) springform tin and 8” cake tin, for templates· mixing bowls (1 medium, 1 large)· a sieve· a double boiler (a large saucepan plus a large heat-proof mixing bowl which fits snugly over the top of the pan)· a small saucepan· a whisk (you could use a balloon whisk for the entire cake, but an electric hand whisk or stand mixer will make life much easier)· metal offset spatula· sharp knife· a 7 1/2” cardboard cake round, or just build cake on the base of a sprinfrom tin.· piping bag and tip, optionalPrep times· Sponge layers 20 mins prep, 40 mins cooking total if baking each layer individually. · Buttercream: 20 mins cooking. Cooling time for buttercream: about 1 hour plus 10 minutes after this to beat and divide. · Caramel layer: 10-15 minutes. · Assembly of whole cake: 20 minutesSponge cake layers· 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature· 1 1/3 cups (162g) confectioner's (icing) sugar, divided· 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract· 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (112g) sifted cake flour (SUBSTITUTE 95g plain flour + 17g cornflour (cornstarch) sifted together)· pinch of saltChocolate Buttercream· 4 large eggs, at room temperature· 1 cup (200g) caster (ultrafine or superfine white) sugar· 4oz (110g) bakers chocolate or your favourite dark chocolate, finely chopped· 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (250g) unsalted butter, at room temperature.Caramel topping· 1 cup (200g) caster (superfine or ultrafine white) sugar· 12 tablespoons (180 ml) water· 8 teaspoons (40 ml) lemon juice· 1 tablespoon neutral oil (e.g. grapeseed, rice bran, sunflower)Finishing touches· a 7” cardboard round· 12 whole hazelnuts, peeled and toasted· ½ cup (50g) peeled and finely chopped hazelnutsDirections for the sponge layers:NB. The sponge layers can be prepared in advance and stored interleaved with parchment and well-wrapped in the fridge overnight.1.Position the racks in the top and centre thirds of the oven and heat to 400F (200C).
2.Cut six pieces of parchment paper to fit the baking sheets. Using the bottom of a 9" (23cm) springform tin as a template and a dark pencil or a pen, trace a circle on each of the papers, and turn them over (the circle should be visible from the other side, so that the graphite or ink doesn't touch the cake batter.)
3.Beat the egg yolks, 2/3 cup (81g) of the confectioner's (icing) sugar, and the vanilla in a medium bowl with a mixer on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale yellow and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted a few inches above the batter, about 3 minutes. (You can do this step with a balloon whisk if you don't have a mixer.)4.In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 2/3 cup (81g) of confectioner's (icing)sugar until the whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, stir about 1/4 of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remainder, leaving a few wisps of white visible. Combine the flour and salt. Sift half the flour over the eggs, and fold in; repeat with the remaining flour.
5.Line one of the baking sheets with a circle-marked paper. Using a small offset spatula, spread about 3/4cup of the batter in an even layer, filling in the traced circle on one baking sheet. Bake on the top rack for 5 minutes, until the cake springs back when pressed gently in the centre and the edges are lightly browned. While this cake bakes, repeat the process on the other baking sheet, placing it on the centre rack. When the first cake is done, move the second cake to the top rack. Invert the first cake onto a flat surface and carefully peel off the paper. Slide the cake layer back onto the paper and let stand until cool. Rinse the baking sheet under cold running water to cool, and dry it before lining with another parchment. Continue with the remaining papers and batter to make a total of six layers. Completely cool the layers. Using an 8" springform pan bottom or plate as a template, trim each cake layer into a neat round. (A small serrated knife is best for this task.)
Directions for the chocolate buttercream:NB. This can be prepared in advance and kept chilled until required.1.Prepare a double-boiler: quarter-fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.
2.Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale and thickened, about five minutes. You can use a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer for this.
3.Fit bowl over the boiling water in the saucepan (water should not touch bowl) and lower the heat to a brisk simmer. Cook the egg mixture, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes until you see it starting to thicken a bit. Whisk in the finely chopped chocolate and cook, stirring, for a further 2-3 minutes.
4.Scrape the chocolate mixture into a medium bowl and leave to cool to room temperature. It should be quite thick and sticky in consistency.
5.When cool, beat in the soft butter, a small piece (about 2 tablespoons/30g) at a time. An electric hand mixer is great here, but it is possible to beat the butter in with a spatula if it is soft enough. You should end up with a thick, velvety chocolate buttercream. Chill while you make the caramel topping.Lorraine's note: If you're in Winter just now your butter might not soften enough at room temperature, which leads to lumps forming in the buttercream. Male sure the butter is of a very soft texture I.e. running a knife through it will provide little resistance, before you try to beat it into the chocolate mixture. Also, if you beat the butter in while the chocolate mixture is hot you'll end up with more of a ganache than a buttercream!Directions for the caramel topping:1.Choose the best-looking cake layer for the caramel top. To make the caramel topping: Line a jellyroll pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. Place the reserved cake layer on the paper. Score the cake into 12 equal wedges. Lightly oil a thin, sharp knife and an offset metal spatula.
2.Stir the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved into a smooth syrup, turn the heat up to high and boil without stirring, swirling the pan by the handle occasionally and washing down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan with a wet brush until the syrup has turned into an amber-coloured caramel.
3.The top layer is perhaps the hardest part of the whole cake so make sure you have a oiled, hot offset spatula ready. I also find it helps if the cake layer hasn't just been taken out of the refrigerator. I made mine ahead of time and the cake layer was cold and the toffee set very, very quickly—too quickly for me to spread it. Immediately pour all of the hot caramel over the cake layer. You will have some leftover most probably but more is better than less and you can always make nice toffee pattern using the extra to decorate. Using the offset spatula, quickly spread the caramel evenly to the edge of the cake layer. Let cool until beginning to set, about 30 seconds. Using the tip of the hot oiled knife (keep re-oiling this with a pastry brush between cutting), cut through the scored marks to divide the caramel layer into 12 equal wedges. Cool another minute or so, then use the edge of the knife to completely cut and separate the wedges using one firm slice movement (rather than rocking back and forth which may produce toffee strands). Cool completely.Angela's note: I recommend cutting, rather than scoring, the cake layer into wedges before covering in caramel (reform them into a round). If you have an 8” silicon round form, then I highly recommend placing the wedges in that for easy removal later and it also ensures that the caramel stays on the cake layer. Once set, use a very sharp knife to separate the wedges.Assembling the Dobos1.Divide the buttercream into six equal parts.
2.Place a dab of chocolate buttercream on the middle of a 7 1/2” cardboard round and top with one cake layer. Spread the layer with one part of the chocolate icing. Repeat with 4 more cake layers. Spread the remaining icing on the sides of the cake.
3.Optional: press the finely chopped hazelnuts onto the sides of the cake.
4.Propping a hazelnut under each wedge so that it sits at an angle, arrange the wedges on top of the cake in a spoke pattern. If you have any leftover buttercream, you can pipe rosettes under each hazelnut or a large rosette in the centre of the cake. Refrigerate the cake under a cake dome until the icing is set, about 2 hours. Let slices come to room temperature for the best possible flavour.
I need to apoligize for the darkness of some of these photo's. I didn't decide to make this tart till late yesterday evening and, as I don't have photoshop, I couldn't fix them. Needless to say, I think they explain the process pretty well and the end product was delicious.
I started with the dough which needs to firm up in the fridge for about 30 min. I was able to make this dough in my food processor which saved on muscle and dishes!
After adding the butter and egg, it pulsed for just a few more seconds till it mostly came together to form a dough. See how it is still kinda crumbly?
I shaped it together to form a round disc, then covered it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.
When it had chilled enough I rolled it out and placed it in my 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. The extra crust hanging over the sides was tucked under to form a base that was wider than the bottom to help give it more strength. Then the scraps were rolled out, cut and placed on the pie to form a lattice crust on top.
Pop it in a 400 degree oven and a mere 25 minutes later it is ready and beautiful!
After placing it on a rack to completely cool, I sliced a piece to eat. But I thought it looked a little empty and plain.
So I dusted it with confectioners sugar on the outside edge and it was perfect. Perfectly delicious too. There was a perfect ratio of fruit to crust. I wasn't sure about the crust when I was rolling it out it was kinda hard. Because of it's relatively dry and coarse texture I was afraid it would fall apart as soon as I tried to remove a piece. But it stayed together nicely. Plus it was a very good tasting crust. Not too buttery or too sweet. Just right. I can't wait to try it with other flavors of jam!
Italian Jam Tart
from thefreshloaf.com
Ingredients
2 cups (250 g) AP flour, unbleached
1/2 cup (125 g) unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup (110 g) sugar
1 medium egg
1 yolk, save the whites
1 cup (260 g) fruit jam (such as apricot, plum, or sour cherry)
If the granulated sugar is coarse, process it briefly in a food processor or coffee grinder. Mix flour and sugar, then work the butter in with the tip of your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the egg and yolk and work briefly until the dough just holds together. It is important not to overwork the dough (do not knead it) or it will harden when baked. A food processor works perfectly to make the dough: start by placing flour and sugar in the work bowl, process for a few seconds to mix, then add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the egg and yolk and process a few seconds more until the dough forms. Do not overprocess.Wrap the dough in wax paper (I used plastic wrap) and let it rest in a cool place for at least 30 minutes.On a lightly floured board roll 2/3 of the pastry dough to a 1/8-in (3 mm) thickness, and line with it the bottom and sides of a 9-in (23 cm) tart pan with scalloped edges and a removable bottom. The sides should be lined with a slightly thicker layer of pastry than the bottom, about 1/4-in (0.5 cm). Fold back in the dough that is hanging over the sides to make a thicker lining along the sides. Cut of excess. *** the pastry bottom with the tines of a fork in a few places, then spread with the jam. Do not use a deep tart mold.
Roll the remaining pastry on a lightly floured board slightly thicker than 1/8-in (3 mm), then with a sharp knife or pastry cutter cut it in strips 1/4-inch (0.5 cm) wide and make a lattice on top of the jam layer. There might be some leftover pastry. I usually make a few cookies with it, or tartlets. (which I did, as well)
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake the tart until golden, about 25 minutes. Unmold the tart as soon as it is ready and let it cool on a rack. If left in the pan it will turn irremediably soggy. It is great freshly baked but it definitely improves after a day or two, if kept in a closed container.
A note on the fruit jam: select a jam that is relatively low in sugar, 38% to 40% content of sugar is best; jams that contain a higher percentage of sugar tend to be adversely affected by the baking temperatures, turning sticky and ruining the final result.
(I used Smucker's sugar free Apricot perserves)
I was never much of a mushroom eater when I was a child growing up. I don't know many children who are. After meeting and marrying my husband I started trying and enjoying many "new" foods. Preparing meals for him was always easy. And, unless asked, he doesn't say what he would like to have for dinner. It's like opening a present every day. He just comes in and see's for the first time what he will be eating just minutes before he eats it. With never a complaint. See, I told he was easy.
And one of his favorite things to eat are mushrooms. However, being new to the mushroom eating thing, I still only like them when they are cooked in something. When I found this tart recipe in my Kitchen Aid mixer cookbook, I thought it sounded great. They were supposed to be pressed into a mini muffin pan and served as appetizers, but I couldn't find my mini muffin pan.
So I decided to make them in small tart pans with removable bottoms. Which in the end made them very easy to remove! How coincidental!
I was in the process of making and photographing other recipes which would end up being our dinner. As well as trying to keep three hungry and bored children busy. It was quite an afternoon!
How I made it through I don't know. But when it was all over I had some very good dishes and a very satisfied husband.
And all it took me was five hours! Should it take that long to make dinner for your family? No, not really. Unless you are taking pictures of every step and wrestling managing three small children and their constant needs!
But that is all part of a mother's daily life, right? And they're sooo worth it. So were these tarts. Make them soon for someone you love.
Mushroom and Onion Tarts
4 oz cream cheese
3 Tbls butter, divided
3/4 cup plus 1 tsp all-purpose flour
8 oz fresh mushooms, coarsley chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 egg
1/4 cup
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
Salt and Pepper
Mix cream cheese and 2 Tbls butter in a mixer bowl. Add 3/4 cup flour and mix for 1 minute. Scrap down the bowl mix for 30 more seconds. Form mixture into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hr. Clean mixer bowl and beater to reuse in a little bit.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 Tbls butter in skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions. Cook and stir until tender. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Divide chilled dough into 4 pieces for individual servings or 24 pieces for appetizers. Press into tart pan or mini muffin cups.
Place egg, cream, remaining 1 Tbls flour, and thyme in mixer bowl. Beat 30 seconds to blend. Stir in swiss cheese and cooled mushrooms mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into pastry-lined cups.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 min (for mini muffin cups, 25-30 min for tart pans) or until egg mixture is puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.
Tomato pie. What a great use of garden veggies! Simple, satisfying and delicious. And there's no need to run out and buy store bought crust. If you have butter, flour, salt and water at home then you can make your own! Seeeeee.....
I told you it was easy peasy! Just in case you're one of those that need a recipe (like me) then it will follow at the bottom. But it's still easy, and if there is one thing you should remember in making pie crust is not to over mix or add too much water. Ya want it to be rough looking when you wrap and refrigerate it. It will come together some more when you roll it out. But it helps for the butter to never be quiet mixed it. That helps with the layered flakiness.
Ok, so on to the filling. While the crust was in the fridge I put some bacon on to render down. After it was crispy, I removed it from the pan and add the onions, zucchini, garlic and corn. NNOOOOO, I didn't dump out the bacon grease. Are you NUTS? That is pure lovin there baby!
While it was cooking away I added 2 tablespoons of cream cheese and 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese in a bowl and smashed it together. Then added the bacon.
After the veggies were soft and translucent I added them to the bowl as well and mixed it all together then seasoned with basil, salt and pepper.
I took the crust out, floured my counter and rolled it out. Placed it in a glass pie dish then added the veggies to the pie crust and smoothed it down.
I skinned the tomatoes, which were so ripe they didn't hold their shape very well, but were sooooooo good. Let me tell you!
I mixed some bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together and sprinkled it over the top then drizzled EVOO all over. Bake it in a 375 degree oven for about 40 min. Near the the last 3 minutes I turned the oven to broil and browned the top some more.
It's important to let the pie rest for about 10-15 min to let it settle and cool so everything won't slide out when you try to serve it. I have so many more ideas for this pie. I will be making it again real soon, seeing as how I got dozens of ripe tomatoes ready to fall off the vine! Enjoy!
Tomato Pie
Serves 4-6
4 strips bacon, chopped
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp basil
2 Tbls cream cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 Lg or 2 med fresh tomatoes, cut into ½ in slices
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
1 Tbls olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375°. In saute pan fry bacon till crisp, remove to a plate. Add veggies and cook till translucent and soft. Add seasoning. Mix cheese's together in a bowl then add bacon and veggies. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
Roll the crust out and place into a glass pie plate. Pour the veggie mixture into the crust and smooth down.
Layer tomatoes over the vegetables.
In a small bowl, combine the cheese and the bread crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Bake the pie for 40 minutes, or until the top is browning. During last 3 minutes of cooking, turn oven to broil and finishing browning the crust and topping. Remove from oven, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Pate Brisee (pie crust)
This recipe can found in "Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook".
Ingredients
Makes enough for 2 crust. (I only used one, froze the other)
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 sticks (1 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup ice water, plus more if needed
Directions
In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)
With the machine running, add ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of the dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened rectangles. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. The dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.