NYE Wedding Toffee D'Amour in full production!

Aiming to turn on the neighborhood with wafting aromas of crushed sugared rose petals, melting chocolate, simmering caramel...

XMas Eve @ Julie's

The "Put a Bird on It" Buche De Noel

Challah Rolls

Somehow the last several times I've made challah, even though spread out over years, I have felt really meloncholy - so I always think of the obvious punny "mellonchallah". I wonder if even just saying challah now makes me melancholy, like power of suggestion. Whatever it is, I hope these enzymes or emotions don't end up in the dough like a "Water for Chocolate" type phenom. Anyway, the rolls look and smell delicious. We'll know soon enough if suddenly everyone becomes somber at the Chanukkah party.

Strudel Part 1

Homemade strudel dough is such a delicious revelation. It's pretty easy to make, and meditative, because it's not a quick process. Sort of a Zen metaphor for life - you have to let it stretch, slowly. You can't force it or it will tear. So, you need patience and to be very gentle. The idea is to slowly nudge it thinner and thinner, using your knuckles (no rings!) to pull from the center. Until you have a big beautiful sheet of dough to roll up. I think it's easier to work with than frozen filo - as that can be frustrating as it dries out so quickly.

Today I sort of feel like a strudel dough.  Just when you think it can't be stretched any thinner, hey, viola! Seems it can. It's translucent, but it's a resilient little dough.

Here's a very nice recipe, for sweet or savory fillings (makes 2 large strudels). Make ahead and fridge overnight. Let sit at room temp one hour before stretching.

2 cups bread flour
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 stick (8 T) butter, room temp
1 t salt
2 eggs
1 cup warm water
1 t lemon juice or vinegar

Mix all with dough hook in kitchen aid mixer til comes together, adding a tad more water if needed.
Knead into smooth ball, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and fridge or freeze.

Process: on a clean floured tablecloth, begin to roll dough and then slowly stretch it. If it bounces back let it rest for a few minutes before continuing. YOu should almost be able to see through it when fully stretched. If it tears, just repair the hole. (Good to have a friend at the other end of the table to help pull - a bit more challenging to do alone).

 Brush dough with melter butter then, and then for savory filling, sprinkle with breadcrumbs (and parmesean cheese as shown here for a spinach mushroom filling). For a sweet filling, sprinkle with cake crumbs.

 Place (cooled!) filling along one egde of strudel and slowly roll up, tucking in the sides as you go.

 Brush rolled strudel with more butter and bread crumbs.

 A curved shape is a nice way to finish. I'm going to freeze this one for later. When ready to serve, bake 35 to 40 minutes in a 350 oven til nicely browned. Cool, slice with a serrated knife, and serve.

Bella.
*The spinach mush filling I used is pretty tasty. If anyonehas interest, I'll supply.

Easy Peppermint Bark

Just like Fannie May!!

4 oz dark chocolate, melted
8oz quality (Callebaut, Lindt) White chocolate, melted
3 T vegetable oil
4 oz pulverized candy cane (plus 1 oz reserved)

Melt chocolates and stir 1 T veg oil into the dark, and 2 T veg oil into the white. Mix well.

Pulverize candy canes in bag with a hammer or in Cuisinart. Mix 4 oz candy into white chocolate and stir well. Line a 1/4 sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the dark chocolate in an even layer on pan. Chill til set. Spread white candy cane mixture over that carefully, spreading with spatula til even layer, then tap the pan to even out even more. Then, scatter reserved 1 oz of candy canes evenly over the top. Chill til set. Slice into even slices, wrap and gift, or present in candy cups!!
(yield = about 48 1 x 2" rectangles)

Kale Chips

why Kale is a superfood, here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kale

Crispy Kale chips:
heat oven to 300

on sheet pan, remove and toss curly kale leaves (not tough stems)with oh about several drizzles of olive oil (then mix well with your hands until all leaves have a coating) and then sprinkle with Kosher Salt and fresh ground pepper. Bake for 15 mins. Remove and cool. Kale will have shrunk a bit but will be crsipy and flavorful - and these look prettier in a dish that tater chips.

Zen Tea Gingerbread House Favors

Adding some Gingerbreads to the Mix

Needed to spice up this rainy day.