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Wow, when they say “daring”, those bakers MEAN IT!

Today is Daring Bakers Challenge Post Day! I was awful at photo documentation this challenge. By the time I remembered I needed photos, I was done. I should have taken pictures of all the dishes I used. I don’t think I’ve ever used so many dishes to make something! LOL I’m glad I didn’t decide to make this the night before my work holiday potluck. It was very, very labor- and time-intensive, and I would have been up ALL NIGHT.

This month’s challenge was hosted by Hilda of Saffron & Blueberry and Marion from Il en faut peu puor etre heureux. We had to make a French Yule Log, courtesy of Flore (http://plaisirgourmand.perso.cegetel.net/index.html). I can’t read the website because it’s in French, but I didn’t see the recipe on the website here. If you speak French or are feeling daring on your own accord, I suggest trying to find it. Or check out Hilda’s December Challenge Post for the basic recipe.

I spent literally all day in the kitchen yesterday, making this dessert. Thankfully, I had the apartment to myself. First things first, I ran to the store to get some things I didn’t actually have (like enough chocolate, and some Special K for one of the layers). We had to make and include 6 separate elements into the Yule Log. The recipe was 18 pages of instructions and possible flavor substitutions. I stuck with chocolate, which seemed to be the easiest to find ingredients for if I didn’t have them on hand.

The six basic elements are as follows:

1. Dacquoise Biscuit
2. Mousse
3. Ganache Insert
4. Praline (Crisp) Insert
5. Creme Brulee Insert
6. Icing

The first element - Dacquoise Biscuit. This is a biscuit comprised basically of almond meal, sugar, and egg whites. My oven, which is notorious for cooking things in a fraction of the time called for in the recipe, actually seemed to take the whole 15 minutes the recipe said it would. I spread the batter out a bit too thin in some places, and those places burned, but over all, it was okay. The leftover pieces were delicious.

After the biscuit was finished, I put together the Creme Brulee section. It needed to infuse for an hour, bake for an hour, and freeze for another hour. I boiled everything together as the recipe called for, then I let it sit and infuse. I made a vanilla creme brulee. I did have a problem with the parchment paper coming unattached from my pan, which created a weird little section where part of it broke off, but other than that, I didn’t have any problems. My oven cooked this a bit faster than the recipe amount, but I think it came out fine anyway.

While the creme brulee was baking, I made the crisp insert. I couldn’t find the recipe for the praline, so I ended up skipping that part, but I made a chocolate crisp. I melted the chocolate together and crushed some Special K (since, you know, it’s healthy … LOL), then stirred it all together to coat the cereal. This was my favorite part of the recipe, and I could see myself making chocolate coated Special K just for fun. I rolled the chocolate/Special K mixture between a sheet of wax paper folded in half an stuck it in the fridge. The piece that was made after rolling out was way too big for my mold, so I snacked on the leftovers while making the rest of the sections.

After that, I set about making the Chocolate mousse. This ended up being a lot easier than I expected it to be, even though I was certain I screwed up the Pate a Bomb. I actually did screw the mousse up because I somehow had the wrong amount of cream needed to mix in at the end. After it set, I went back and mixed in the rest of the cream, and it became a bit lumpy. I let it set again, and it still came out moussey, but there were lumps no matter how hard or often I mixed it together. No worries, though, it tasted just fine. I would make the mousse again on its own, though, for sure.

After the mouse, I made the Milk-Dark Chocolate Ganache, and it was also very tasty. I didn’t have any problems with it, and I think it probably came out close to perfect. After the ganache, I made the icing, which also came out with no problems. I did end up having to make another batch of the icing though, because even though it coated the spoon, I couldn’t make the icing stay on the sides of the pan.

After the icing was made, I started assembling the mold.

Layer 1 - Icing.
Layer 2 - 1/3 Mousse
Layer 3 - Creme Brulee Insert (yum)
Layer 4 - 1/3 Mousse
Layer 5 - Chocolate Crisp
Layer 6 - 1/3 Mousse
Layer 7 - Chocolate Ganache
Layer 8 - Almond Dacquoise

Then I stuck the thing in the freezer for a few hours. I couldn’t wait until the next day, so after the whole thing set in the freezer a bit, I unmolded it onto a plate. I realized that the sides didn’t have any icing on them, so I made another batch of icing & poured it over the whole thing. I froze it a little longer, then took it out to cut a slice.

It definitely isn’t as pretty as some of the others I’ve seen, but it is delicious! It’s very rich, and I think if I were to do this again, I’d try some of the other flavors instead of making it Chocolate Fest 2008. I think it’s TOO much chocolate, as if there ever were such a thing. These challenges have been SO fun… I’ve made things I never thought I’d ever make, and I’m very excited about it. I can’t wait to see what 2009 will bring, but here’s hoping next month’s challenge is a LITTLE less involved. LOL

Well, I sort of accidentally skipped last month’s challenge of Pizzas. Things were busy, and then we traveled, and then the month was over. But! When I saw we were switching to sweet stuff after a couple months of savory challenges, I was very excited. I was even more excited when I found out we were baking a CAKE! There was also the optional challenge of making these vanilla bean caramels, but eh. I didn’t feel like it, especially after the harrowing experiences I had trying just to MAKE this cake! lol

Team Unraveled (my 3-day walking team) decided to have a get together other than our regular Thursday night knit night and get together to watch Pride & Prejudice (the GOOD version. The Colin Firth version), because some of us had seen it, and some of us hadn’t seen or, or seen it the whole way through. When I found out the challenge, I figured the watching party would be a GREAT place to try it out!

I ran into some challenges along the way. My oven is crazy and very unpredictable, and it burned the cake within 10 minutes of being in the oven. (I HATE my oven, but I have no idea what I can do about it, living in an apartment.) Well, burned the edges and very darkly browned the top, but the center was raw. I turned the oven off and let it sit there, hoping to cook the center. That experiment seemed to work, but when I took the cake out of the oven, it still looked like it was going to be inedible.

I cut the cake in half and found that aside from the outside edges, it was edible, and actually very delicious. Unforunately, I’d already massacred it, so I ran out to get more ingredients, because I ran out of some stuff with the previous batch. I remade the batter, but some of the things didn’t get to room temp despite my attempting to hurry things along (eggs in a hot water bath, microwaving the milk for a few seconds, etc), and the batter looked like it was curdled after I finished it the 2nd time. I, fed up with the whole mess, dumped it and cleaned up the kitchen.

I ended up taking one of the halves of the cake to the party anyway, sans frosting, and it was a very delicious hit! Very moist and very tasty. I decided I wanted to try it again to take to my future in-laws for Thanksgiving, and the whole thing was a big mess. I made the syrup the day before, hoping to at least alleviate some of that headache, so it would be room temp by the time I needed it, but it ended up crystallizing in the jar I put it in. I don’t think I let it cook long enough. I warmed it up, hoping to be able to use it, but it wasn’t as dark and clear as the batch of syrup I’d made with the last cake.

My oven, again, burned the cake, but after learning from last time that it would still be good, I followed the same steps. This time, I cut off the edges and frosted it anyway. I wasn’t going through all that work for nothing again. LOL

I took it to Thanksgiving, and it seemed to be a big hit. I got a lot of compliments on it, but when I tasted a piece, it seemed to be very dry…not at all as moist as it was the last time, but it was still good. The frosting gave the dry cake a nice balance, and while it’s still very sweet, the sweetness seemed to be evened out by the cake.

I really liked it, and I will try this recipe again, if for no other reason than to get it RIGHT for once, but I will have to be VERY motivated to do it with all the prep work (ie: making the syrup) involved. I think I’d also maybe like to try it by substituting maple syrup or chocolate syrup or some other pre-made syrup. The recipe is behind the cut.

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Last month while reading my bloglines, one of the bloggers (sorry, I don’t remember which one!) had posted a Daring Bakers challenge. The August challenge was eclairs, and I was like “What a great idea!!” I need an excuse to be in the kitchen, and I love to bake. So…. I signed up!! Turns out it was just in time too. The challenges are released on the first of the month, so you have all month to bake your item and take your photos and put together your blog post, and we all post on the designated day, which is usually near the end of the month. I almost forgot this month. I kept thinking I had plenty of time, but after looking at the calendar this past week I realized that “EEK!!” I needed to get going.

This month’s challenge was different than what they have done in the past, apparently. They turned the reigns over to Natalie of Gluten a Go Go and Shel from Musings from the Fishbowl for a gluten-free challenge: Lavash Crackers with a vegan dip.

The challenges are pretty strict (you can only make whatever changes are allowed each month, otherwise everyone follows the same recipe), but we had the option of making the crackers gluten-free or not gluten-free. I wasn’t about to hunt down a bunch of different things to make these, so I went with the not gluten-free version using unbleached flour. I also didn’t have agave syrup, so I went with sugar.

RECIPE - Recipe Reference: The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering The Art of Extraordinary Bread, by Peter Reinhart. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. Copyright 2001. ISBN-10: 1-58008-268-8, ISBN-13: 978-158008-268-6.

Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers

* 1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz) unbleached bread flour or gluten free flour blend (If you use a blend without xanthan gum, add 1 tsp xanthan or guar gum to the recipe)
* 1/2 tsp (.13 oz) salt
* 1/2 tsp (.055 oz) instant yeast
* 1 Tb (.75 oz) agave syrup or sugar
* 1 Tb (.5 oz) vegetable oil
* 1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 Tb (3 to 4 oz) water, at room temperature
* Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for toppings

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, agave, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tb of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.

2. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test (see http://www.wikihow.com/Determine-if-Bre … ong-Enough for a discription of this) and register 77 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

or

2. For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), and slightly tacky. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).

4. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.

or

4. For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Lay out two sheets of parchment paper. Divide the cracker dough in half and then sandwich the dough between the two sheets of parchment. Roll out the dough until it is a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. Slowly peel away the top layer of parchment paper. Then set the bottom layer of parchment paper with the cracker dough on it onto a baking sheet.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternating rows of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.) Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).

6. When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.

RECIPES - Toppings

You may use your choice of topping/dip/salsa/relish/spread for your lavash crackers as long as it is vegan and gluten free.

My edges were thicker than the center was, so the pieces in the middle were more cracker-like. The edges were more like naan or pita bread. Either way, it was pretty tasty.

See? Tasty!

For my “topping”/dip, I made a Roasted Red Pepper Hummus which turned out SUCKY. I used a little chopper thingy, and it didn’t really process very well because I didn’t have a big enough container. I need to invest in a blender or a food processor (or maybe both. I had a blender in Dallas, but Joe had one, too, so I didn’t bring it. Turns out neither one of us did!). It was chunky and not smooth and not very good. I did the chopping in my little chopper thing, but ended up transfering to another bowl and trying to mash it and mix it, and ugh. I made more of a mess making the hummus than doing the crackers.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (courtesy of allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
* 1/3 cup tahini
* 1/3 cup lemon juice
* 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
* 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

DIRECTIONS

1. In an electric food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.

(Please excuse the dirty stovetop. I didn’t realize I didn’t clean it before I took the picture. Eek!)

See what I mean about the hummus? I’ve had better.

The crackers also passed the Joe test. He doesn’t usually care about what I bake when I bake it because he’s not big on things like cake and pastries and stuff like that (I KNOW! What is WRONG with him??), but as of right now, there are no more crackers…. and he ate a good 3/4 of them. *lol* This recipe is a keeper.

Thanks, Daring Bakers!! I can’t wait to see what you have cooked up for next month!