Dorie's Virtual Surprise Birthday Party!

As Dorie is currently still on tour with her new book, several of us decided to be stealthy and put together a super secret project for today, October 24^th, which just so happens to be Dorie’s birthday! We wanted to throw a little surprise birthday party for her while she is out on the road by putting together a party menu from each section of ‘Around My French Table’.  We hope you like what we’ve come up with and that it encourages you to pick up a copy of the book.

We would all just like to wish Dorie a very, very happy birthday and all our best wishes! I know we all appreciate the work, time, care, thought and heart that she puts in to her work. Thank you Dorie!

Nibbles and hors d’oeuvres

Hummus and Cheez-it-ish Crackers, made by Katrina at Baking and Boys

Saint-Germaine-de-Pres Onion Biscuits, made by Jaime at Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats

Savory Cheese and Chive Bread, made by Lynne at Honey Muffin

Tzatziki, made by Jules at Someone's in the Kitchen

Soups

Corn Soup, made by Holly at PheMOMenon

Spiced Squash, Fennel & Pear Soup, made by Steph at A Whisk and A Spoon

Salads, Starters and Small Plates

Tomato-Cheese Tartlets, made by Jessica at My Baking Heart

Spinach and Bacon Quiche, made by Di at Di's Kitchen Notebook

Fresh Tuna, Mozzarella and Basil Pizza, made by Leslie at Lethally Delicious

Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Flan, made by Jessica at Cookbook Habit

Chicken and Duck

Duck Breasts with Fresh Figs, made by Nancy at The Dogs Eat the Crumbs

Roast Chicken for Les Paresseux, made by Susan at Doughmesstic

Curried Chicken, Peppers & Peas en Papillote, made by Marthe at Culinary Delights (not pictured)

Beef,Veal, Pork and Lamb

Bistrot Paul Bert Pepper Steak with Bacon, Mushrooms and Frites, made by Holly at PheMOMenon

Fresh Orange Pork Tenderloin, made by Holly at PheMOMenon

Fish and Shellfish

Mussels and Chorizo with Pasta, made by Spike at Spike Bakes

Almond Flounder Meuniere, made by Monica at SweetBites

Vegetables and Grains

Garlicky Crumb-Coated Broccoli, made by Mary at Popsicles and Sandy Feet

Brown-Sugar Squash and Brussels Sprouts, made by Katya at Second Dinner

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good, made by Natalia at gatti fili e farina

Desserts

Marie-Helene's Apple Cake, made by Amy at AmyRuth Bakes

Beurre Noisette Visitandine with Nutella and Toasted Hazelnuts, made by Holly at PheMOMenon

Crepes with Strawberries, Bananas and Nutella, made by Linda at A Tender Crumb

Paris-Brest, made by Cristine at Cooking with Cristine

Quatre-Quarts, made by Laurie at Slush

For more from Around My French Table, check out the French Fridays with Dorie site.

For reviews of Baking From My Home To Yours, visit the Tuesdays with Dorie site.

Special thanks to everyone who participated in making this party happen, 

and especially to Laurie for helping put it all together!

ALL RECIPES FOR THIS ROUNDUP CAN BE FOUND IN

AROUND MY FRENCH TABLE, by Dorie Greenspan

TWD: Rugelach

Chocolate, Dulce de Leche, Pecans, Cinnamon and Sugar

I have to tell you, I know I just said this about the pumpkin muffins, but I love that this group helps me to make things I've never made before. The difference between those muffins and this week's recipe for Rugelach, chosen by Piggy of Piggy’s Cooking Journal, is that as soon as I read the ingredients and story with this recipe, I couldn't wait to make it and I knew I would love it.

I have had this one bookmarked ever since I got my copy of Baking From My Home to Yours. I am so glad that the time came for these cookies / pastries. I can't stress enough how much I loved these. Making them, and of course, and especially eating them. Everyone that tried them really loved them too.

Almond Cream, Chopped Almonds, Poppy Seeds, Cinnamon and Sugar

I was so excited to make this that I knew that, much like the biscotti, I would want to have these available on hand as often as possible. The other fun part of this kind of recipe is the fact that you can make a big batch of these and freeze the bulk of it, then just have them on hand any time.

Also, I love that it gives me the opportunity to play around with different filling choices - and, since they are freezeable, that means I can bake a few of each kind on the same sheet and everyone gets what they love. Well, I guess everyone, unless you were actually expecting to see the raisins or currants here. Which, since you're probably as tired of hearing me say it as I am of saying it, but this is pretty much a no-raisin zone. Sorry raisin commission - nothing against you, but I just don't like the little buggers.

It was also really fun to find that Dorie had already posted about Rugelach a while back on her blog. You can not only read Dorie's post on her blog but you can listen to her baking these in her interview and baking session on NPR. I love it when they have those. It is just way too much fun.
So, for the variations I made this time around I went with the following:

- Almond cream (recipe in BFMHTY toward the back of the book), sprinkled with poppy seeds, chopped almonds, and cinnamon and sugar
- Dulce de Leche, , chopped pecans, chopped bittersweet Lindt chocolate, and cinnamon and sugar

I also have several variations planned and seem to be thinking up more and more as I go along. I can't wait to try:

- Seedless raspberry jam, coconut, chopped walnuts
- Chopped white chocolate, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts
- Salted butter caramel, chopped cashews

And on the savory side of life, since Dorie talks all about that on her blog, I really want to try:

- Shredded chicken, bbq sauce, shredded white cheddar, crumbled bacon
- Spinach and artichoke, parmesan, cream cheese, roasted garlic, cayenne
- Pepperoni, pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella
- Pulled pork, sweet vinegar bbq sauce

Marshmallows + Chocolate Ice Cream = Stone Soup Ice Cream

Oh, sweet nostalgia. Growing up, Rocky Road Ice Cream was my absolute favorite. Today, while I was looking at the marshmallows still left from my first Tuesdays with Dorie and thinking about how to use them up I decided to make some ice cream.

Here's the thing. I've made ice cream with the machine I "had" to have only 3 or 4 times in the past four years... and two of those times are in the past month. I think I just used to be a lot more intimidated about making custard than I am now. Anyway, I went to my copy of BFMHTY... book and decided to check out her ice cream recipes. I figured this would probably be safe, since it would be difficult to choose ice cream for Tuesdays with Dorie since it is a given that not everyone has an ice cream machine.

While I was making this, I realized that I've only made vanilla ice cream before and with no mix-ins. Well, now the top is blown off folks, because there is no going back. Oh, I'll still make vanilla, but now the sky's the limit! Oh, yeah. Homemade ice cream rocks! This recipe ended up being the perfect one to make because I already had all the ingredients on hand and needed to get them used up. It kind of reminded me of a cold version of Stone Soup, so I guess for me, at least today, that is why it's called Rocky Road (and seriously, does anyone know why it is called that or who came up with it?!). So, here is another great way to use homemade marshmallows with another great Dorie recipe.

Before we get to the ice cream, one last reminder that you still have a few days to send in your entry for Blogging for Babies. I also updated a few days ago that there are some prizes up for grabs, so send in your entry (or entries) and get in on the fun. The deadline for entries is April 21st (Monday) and I'll post the round-up next week so everyone can check it out and vote for their favorites!

Stone Soup (aka Rocky Road) Ice Cream
(Adapted with the Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream Recipe from Baking: From My Home to Yours)

Notes from Dorie: I go for dark, dark bittersweet chocolate in this ice cream, but it is good made with semisweet as well. (You could even use milk chocolate, but the flavor will be very mild.) It's also good with chocolate chunks, rum raisins (page 92) or both, tossed in at the last minute of churning.

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I actually used Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - mainly just because I had them on hand)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup small diced marshmallow pieces (I cut my marshmallows with a clean, sharp pair of kitchen shears into pieces about the size of mini marshmallows)
1/2 cup toasted almond slivers

Put the chocolate in a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or large heatproof bowl. Bring 3/4 cup of the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit a minute, then, using a rubber spatula and starting in the center of the mixture, slowly stir the cream into the chocolate in ever-widening concentric circles. When the ganache is smooth, set it aside.

Bring the milk and remaining 3/4 cup cream to a boil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until well blended and just slightly thickened. Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid - this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won't curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon; if you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track. The custard should reah at least 170 degrees F, but no more than 180 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and slowly and gently stir the custard into the ganache.

I also poured the custard into another bowl at this point through a strainer to make sure it was nice and smooth. Dorie doesn't suggest this step, but I did it just in case and there was a little bit of a skin from boiling the cream, so, totally up to you.

Refrigerate the custard until chilled before churning it into ice cream.

Scrape the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. At this point, in the last couple of minutes of churning is when you would add the nuts and marshmallow pieces. Pack the ice cream into a container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.

A New Book, Cupcake Hero & Event Updates

I can't begin how to tell you how excited I am that I finally got my copy of Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. Every week I have been waiting impatiently to go and check out all the goodies that it seems everyone (but me) has been making from this book for Tuesdays with Dorie, which I am excited to say I will be posting my first week's participation for tomorrow. I haven't had a new cookbook for quite a while, and I am glad that it was this one. It is my new "go-to" spot for ideas and recipes.

Along those lines I decided to make a variation on a couple of Dorie's recipes that I have been thinking about for a while now. A chocolate cupcake with strawberry buttercream, and just to further gild the lily I added a small chocolate covered strawberry on top. Now, you might not think that this is healthy, and to be honest you would probably be right. But, since I am one to try to justify my habits anyway, here is my case for calling these little lovelies qualified to be sent in to Cupcake Hero to help celebrate Earth Day. 1) Dark Chocolate is good for your heart, 2) there isn't a lot of sugar in this recipe (overall), 3) the frosting uses egg whites instead of something heavier like cream cheese or lots and lots of sugar, and 4) the strawberries I used are organic - plus I used those same strawberries to make a small batch of homemade strawberry preserves to use in the frosting.

To stretch my justification even further, since these cupcakes are dense and satisfying, not too sweet and with a fresh, light, dreamy frosting, while I would usually end up eating to eat two or three as soon as they are made, I was pleasantly surprised to have my craving satisfied with just one... ok, at least for a couple of hours anyway.





Before I get to the recipes though I wanted to throw out a couple of quick reminders about the events I'm hosting. First off, in case you didn't already know, this month for Art You Eat the theme is to Go Local! to celebrate Earth Day. Entries aren't due til the end of April, so you've got plenty of time to get inspired.




Second, a quick reminder to send in your small creations for the Blogging for Babies Event to support our Little Wonders Team for the March for Babies to raise awareness for the March of Dimes. You can read all the details here. I've already received a few entries, but I've been hinting that I was trying to get my hands on some prizes. I am excited to announce that I have some prizes for the person whose entry gets the most votes as the people's choice in the round-up. So far, the prize "basket" includes two of my most favorite ingredients - a 2 lb bag of my favorite, dark, rich dutch-process cocoa made by a division of Callebaut and a bottle of Nielsen-Massey's Vanilla Bean Paste (like having a jar full of ready to go vanilla bean goodness). Because these are two of my favorites I used them both in the Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes.




I also have an adorable "Night Owl" baby shirt (18-24 month size) created and donated by Kate from her company Bubble & Squeak - these are unique and seriously adorable baby clothes that she illustrates herself.




Stephanie, the Happy Sorceress, has also been kind enough to donate a brand spankin' new copy of Small Bites Big Nights, by Govind Armstrong - this looks like a fabulous cookbook and I'm so excited that Stephanie has donated it to the cause. I am so grateful to these two lovely gals for helping me out with this event! I may even have some more prizes on their way to announce at the round-up so I will be able to give out prizes to the top three vote getters - so that just increases your chances to win!

So, what do you have to do to win these spoils? Just check out the event details here and send in your entry on or before April 21st reminding people about the March for Babies and linking to the fundraiser. Then, once the round-up is posted, I'll take email votes for the People's Choice favorite "little wonder" creation. The entry (or entries) with the most votes, wins. Easy enough - you can enter as many creations as you want too, so get busy! I'll make sure to send an email to everyone whose email I have (so make sure to give me a good address) when the round-up is posted so that you can post a reminder and link to the round-up so you can tell your readers to go check it out and vote!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
and Chocolate Covered Strawberries

NOTE: these are shown in the order I recommend making them.
(Adapted from Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcake recipe, page 215, and the Buttercream for Dorie's Perfect Party Cake, page 250, Baking: From My Home to Yours)

Homemade Strawberry Preserves
(Adapted from Jamie Oliver)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 1/2 ounces sugar
8 ounces strawberries, washed and hulled (by weight after they have been hulled)

Combine all three ingredients in the bowl of the food processor, puree until mostly smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan. Put on a medium heat to bring to a gentle simmer and leave to cook for about 6 minutes. Using a ladle remove the scum from the top and leave to cool.

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Getting Ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cups of a regular-size muffin pan with paper liners.

To Make the Cupcakes:
Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until it is blended into the butter. Add the egg, then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the vanilla, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear. Scrape down the bowl and add the buttermilk, mixing until incorporated, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl, add the melted chocolate and mix it in with the rubber spatula. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin molds.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the tops of the cakes are dry and springy to the touch and a knife inserted into their centers comes out clean. Transfer the muffin pan to a rack and let the cakes cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them. Cool to room temperature on a rack before frosting.

For the Buttercream (these measurements are actually for a half-batch of the frosting, which ended up being the perfect amount for the cupcakes):
1/2 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
12 tablespoons (6 ounces or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 batch fresh strawberry preserves (recipe to follow below) (approximately 3/4 cup smooth pureed preserves)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To Make the Buttercream:
Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter 4 tablespoons at a time (half stick each time for a total of three installments), beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again. On medium speed add the vanilla. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Add the strawberry preserves and beat until well combined. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream until you are ready to frost. Pipe or frost onto each cupcake and top with a chocolate covered strawberry.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
12 small whole strawberries, washed and patted dry
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

Once the cupcakes are frosted, dip each strawberry in the melted chocolate and press onto the top center of each one.