I was excited and looking forward to making this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe.
Ispahan cake.
I love turkish delight.
I love raspberries.
And… I love lychees (I have eaten kilos of them this summer).
Yes, I know there are no lychees in this cake however the three ingredients were now linked in my mind and this cake was going to be awesome!
And it was!
The cake is made mostly of almond flour so the texture is moist and delicate.
The recipe calls for rose syrup and rose extract. My chances of finding either were slim, so I used a good quality rose water and the flavour came through beautifully.
To be honest, I liked the taste and texture of the cake so much, I wouldn’t have minded the loaf plain, without the raspberries.
It was that good!
I am looking forward to catching up with the rest of the French Fridays with Dorie group and see what they thought of this week’s recipe.
It has been a long, long, while since I last posted.
I have missed everything that goes along with producing a new post.
The planning, the cooking, the photos and then putting it all together in some sort of presentable way!
At some point, I think I decided that since it had been so long since I had done anything, I needed to do something really great to make up for it. That didn’t work out so well for me… so I did more of nothing!
And I realised that simple was exactly what I needed.
I put so much pressure on myself to come up with something amazing, I totally lost sight of the simple pleasures that make life special.
So on the weekend I took out my baking pans and started.
It had been so long, I actually felt a little anxious! Crazy, I know!
However, as I started mixing the dough I began to enjoy myself.
I decided to try a few different variations…
…and as soon as I pulled out one batch of cookies, my daughter and her friends ate them hot out of the oven on their way to make a video for their homework.
The next batch my husband ate most of, on his own!
The final batch I had to rescue from my boys and their friends who were running in and out of the house.
So…
Choc Chip Cookies came to my rescue!
I can’t recommend these enough. For a sweet break (and for mental health)!
Please click over to Peggy at Galettista who has the full recipe on her site!
This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe was ‘Fresh Orange Pork Tenderloin’.
I found this dish… I don’t know… plain?
The meat itself was delicious.
Moist and tender.
However I think this was due to the beautiful cut of meat I used.
My older son started high school and they were off to camp in the second week. The day he returned from camp, was my little boy’s first day at school!
I made the pork that night to celebrate and I served it with Dorie’s Potato Gratin which they love!
We scraped the oranges off the pork and enjoyed it alongside the gratin.
With all the start of new year craziness, I made last week’s recipe, the brown sugar squash and brussels sprouts en papilotte, however I did not get around to posting it!
(That happens more than I like to admit!)
Again, I have to say the recipe, was nice, but nothing special.
I’m glad I tried both of the recipes above.
I’ve noticed if I tell my guys at home it’s a FFwD recipe, they just nod their heads and give it a go, no complaints, even if they don’t like it!
I love how being part of this group has become a family affair!
I’m looking forward to catching up and reading what the rest of the French Fridays with Dorie group thought of both recipes!
Bread, in all its forms, excites me.
My husband had no appreciation for bread when we met.
His exposure to bread was limited to white sliced sandwich bread.
(How that happened still boggles my mind!)
Initially he humoured me as I dragged him around bakeries.
I’d buy loaves of crusty bread and break off chunks to snack on as we walked.
He thought I was weird.
(He told me this much later btw!)
It shocked me.
I thought everyone did that!
Over time he accepted the little chunks I offered.
Slowly, he developed a taste and appreciation for bread.
Today I can proudly report he even has a favourite crusty bread, sourdough.
Our children are all bread lovers.
Our local bakery is very much a part of their lives.
On weekdays, we walk up to the bakery for coffee, bread and cheese & bacon rolls.
On weekends, the kids in the neighbourhood make their way there for lunch after running around all morning.
They pull up some crates at the front of the shop and plan the rest of the day over some meat pies and sausage rolls.
So this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Julia recipe had me excited!
And, if I’m to be honest, a little apprehensive.
Eating bread is one thing.
Making it is another!
My expectations were low, so to see the golden, crispy focaccia come together was incredibly satisfying!
I halved the recipe and then divided the dough I had, into two equal balls.
The first one I topped with olive oil, salt and a sprinkling of thyme and rosemary.
With the second one I got more adventurous…
I found a recipe for Cheesy Focaccia with Caramelised Onions and Sauteed Spinach in my copy of Baked: Elements.
I decided to try a somewhat modified version of their topping…
This was absolutely delicious!
The plain focaccia was crisp and crusty.
Best eaten fresh out of the oven.
The second one however was softer, the topping gave it a moistness that made it delicious warm and cold.
The recipe for this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie dish can be found at our host’s site, Wandering Through… The recipe for the topping follows..
Caramelised Onions with Sauteed Spinach and Goat’s Feta
(adapted from Baked: Elements)
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 red onion, thinly sliced 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme salt goat’s feta, enough to crumble on top
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan over medium-low heat, add the onion and saute until soft and translucent. Set the onion aside when finished. 2. Add the spinach to the pan and cook until spinach is soft. Set aside to cool and squeeze the spinach dry when cool enough to handle. 3. When the focaccia is almost cooked (about 15 minutes), pull out of oven and brush with remaining olive oil. 4. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and salt. 5. Top with onion, spinach and crumble goat’s feta cheese. 6. Place focaccia back in oven and continue baking until the cheese starts to brown.
According to family and friends, there are foods that define me.
Pineapples, coconuts and meringues make them think of me.
(Hey, I could be associated with much worse!)
And when it comes to baked goods they know I’m a total sucker for pastries with apples and cinnamon.
So it’s no surprise that this French Apple Tart was an absolute pleasure to bake and eat.
Soft, mashed apples with a hint of cinnamon, topped with a layer of tender, baked, apple slices.
It’s amazing what you can make with a few simple ingredients…
Sugar.
Flour.
Butter.
Bread crumbs.
Lots and lots of apples.
And a little bit of lemon juice…
\I decided to use another recipe for the pastry crust however.
I tried the ‘flaky pie dough’ from this book when the group made the Blueberry-Nectarine Pie.
And I didn’t like it.
I’ve tried Dorie Greenspan’s ‘tart dough’ recipe from her book Around My French Table , as part of the French Fridays with Dorie group, and I’ve loved it each and every time.
But I wanted to try something different this time.
I mean what’s the point of buying so freaking many cookbooks if you’re not going to open them up and give them a test run? Right?
So I decided on a recipe from John Barricelli’s The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook and my husband declared it the best pastry he’s EVER had.
He even asked if he could scrape off the apples and just eat the crust!
I have to admit, it was pretty good!
It went amazing well with the tart filling.
# recipe makes enough for 1 double-crust pie or 2 single-crust 9 inch tarts, since I only needed enough dough for a single 9 inch tart I halved the recipe below#
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup ice water
1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds.
With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube in a slow and steady stream, a little bit at a time until the dough just comes together. The dough should not be wet or sticky. If the dough is too dry and does not hold together, add a little more water.
2.Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two and wrap each half in plastic wrap, shaping them into flattened discs. Chill at least 1 hour before using.
(The book’s author, John Barricelli, gives the following tip: “When making dough, not only should the ingredients be cold (including dry ingredients) but so should your equipment, including the bowl and blade of your food processor or bowl and attachment of your standing mixer.”
I’ve read this tip a few times in different books and decided to follow it. Maybe this is what made it the best pastry my husband has ever had???)
This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe is Chicken Liver Gateaux with Pickled Onions.
I decided to go rogue and catch up on a recipe I missed.
When theFFwD group made this dish it was winter in Australia and nectarines were not available.
I love scallops and was disappointed at the time I couldn’t make this dish as Dorie intended.
So, I made a mental note to myself to wait until summer…
Surf lessons…
Theme parks…
Water slides…
And don’t forget the sweltering Aussie heat.
Summer is here!
So Chicken Liver Gateaux has been pushed to the back burner in favour of more seasonal cooking!
Tomatoes, corn, nectarines and basil are teamed with plump, tender, scallops…
And topped with a basil puree and lime dressing.
(It’s still school holidays here and I took my two beautiful boys grocery shopping with me.
To break up a fight, I asked them to go and grab me a two limes.
I had to laugh when I got home and unpacked the groceries…)
Each one looked at me indignantly and blamed his brother!
In the end, It all came together beautifully.
I served this with fresh, crusty, bread rolls and everyone enjoyed it. And that’s all that matters!
The perfect summer dish 🙂
I have to say, I’m curious about what the rest of the French Fridays with Dorie group thought of the Chicken Liver Gateaux!
This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe was simple yet elegant. Layers of finely sliced apples, brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with spiced sugar. Then baked slowly for a long, long time. Like I said, simple and elegant.
Except for the fact that Australia is in the midst of a heatwave. A heat wave that is breaking records. (pictures of a dust storm off Western Australia on Ninemsn) A heatwave that would make keeping your oven on, at any temp, uncomfortable. Let alone 4 hours of baking!
So this recipe involved planning and cultivating a close relationship with the weather channel! My memories of the 43 degrees celsius (109.5 degrees farenheit) day last week were just too raw. So I waited till evening to begin baking these. My apples went in at 8.30pm and I turned the oven off and went to bed at 12.30am. My latest tv obsession, The Walking Dead, kept me entertained while I waited 🙂
The next morning, my usual oats… Became mighty fancy!
I really enjoyed this recipe. As a decadent topping for simple oats. Or on its own with a dollop of sweetened cream.
This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was the perfect recipe to kick-start 2013
(after a month of posting nothing!)
I had good intentions…
But we all know where they lead you when there’s no actions to back them up!
December was chaotic.
In addition to the usual holiday madness, I had my older son finishing his last year of primary school.
After 7 years together (in Australia, kids start primary school when they are about 5 and complete a year of kindergarten followed by Years 1-6) my 12-yr-old son has now finished Year 6 and is off to high school where he will do Years 7-12!
School ended December 19th, however those last few weeks were in full party mode.
Surfing lessons, golf, tennis, camps, craft days, graduation ceremonies, concerts, dances and dinners were all arranged by the school.
My son and husband at his Year 6 graduation dinner/dance…
Then there were all the after school activities that the kids took to arranging for themselves on Skype and Instagram!
While the primary school was focused on sending their Year 6 kids off with a bunch of great memories, their respective high schools had their own orientation days and activities designed to welcome their new Year 7’s for 2013!
And all this was just with one child!
My younger son is starting primary school in 2013 so he had a series of orientation days of his own to attend and my daughter is undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh program which meant the last couple of weeks of school were spent getting organised for a kayaking/camping trip.
So…
Visions of myself baking Buche de Noels, Gingerbread houses, Christmas themed cookies, cakes and cupcakes went out of the window.
This year, it felt like Christmas was eclipsed by… life.
I didn’t even try to fight it.
I just went with it.
The kids return to school January 30th and we usually go away for a couple of weeks at some point over this 6-week break, however this year we decided to stay in Sydney.
And days like the one in the pics below, reminded me of what an awesome place we live in!
My son went to his friend’s 5th birthday, kayaking around Manly harbour…
The kids headed out with their parents…
Then returned to cool down with a swim and a picnic lunch.
Today was a crazy 43 degrees celsius in Sydney.
But yesterday was the perfect pizza making day!
And so we kick start 2013 baking with Dorie and Julia!
We all love olives and goat’s cheese in our family, so this recipe was enjoyed by everyone.
I have been wanting to make this for a while and I love the mix of the sweet onions with the salty olives and cheese. I thought it was perfect!
I didn’t have baby sized cake pans.
Luckily though, the recipe says you can also use it to make a 10 inch sized gingerbread cake.
Umm… I don’t have one of those either…
But I do have two x 6 inch cake pans and they worked perfectly!
So I guess I made… Gingerbread Adolescent Cakes???
The first cake I kept simple, just a dusting of sugar and served with sweetened whipped cream.
The second cake, I drizzled some lemon icing over…
I think the twist of lemon added a whole new dimension of flavour to this cake.
Now, total disclosure…
I’m not a ginger lover, never have been.
However I’ve linked the smell of ginger in baked goods to Christmas.
So baking this cake, kick started the Christmas season for me!
Gingerbread seems to go hand in hand with cold weather and snowmen.
However I live in Australia, so this gingerbread cake was made in sweltering heat with lizards hanging out my bathroom window and the creek alongside our house in full tropical bloom!
So…
Not being a ginger lover, I think I liked what this cake represented more than the cake itself!
However, if you are a ginger lover, try this recipe for yourself!
Karen, from Karen’s Kitchen Stories is this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie host and has the full recipe on her site.
This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe is Herbed Olives.
Ummm…
I didn’t make herbed olives.
I didn’t even register herbed olives on the November recipe schedule!
I just went to the FFWD site to get ready to link to it and there they were.
November 23rd – Herbed Olives.
I’m genuinely baffled and a little amused!
(Amused because I think my little obsession with beef cheeks has rendered me blind!)
It all started with an episode of MasterChef.
One of the contestants was cooking against a chef from Melbourne called Frank Camorra.
There was such a humbleness and graciousness in the chef’s demeanor, years later, I can still recall how uplifted and inspired I felt after that episode.
On our next trip to Melbourne, I googled his restaurant on a whim and before I knew it, we were having lunch at his Spanish restaurant, Movida.
I was so excited, I wanted to try everything on his Tapas style menu.
Dish after dish arrived, my husband and I were having so much fun.
The flavours were exciting and new.
And then… right at the end… it came out.
Braised Beef Cheeks in Pedro Ximenez on Cauliflower Puree.
I didn’t think food could make you feel giddy with pleasure.
But that’s what this dish did to me.
The beef cheeks melted in my mouth.
The sweetness of the dark, thick, sherry sauce was perfectly balanced and complimented by the smooth cauliflower puree.
Seriously, my words just don’t do this dish justice.
Every 2-3 months we fly to Melbourne and 2 years later, our first stop is still Movida.
So with all this flooding my mind, it’s no wonder I jumped the gun on this recipe!
Dorie’s recipe for beef cheeks was good.
Comforting.
Satisfying.
After all the jumping around it was a good meal to sit on the back deck and fill up on…
Once I realised this was not going to be anything like Movida’s beef cheeks, I let go of my expectations and enjoyed the dish. It was a good, solid, meal.
Kitchen Therapy 
