TWD: Chocolate TruffleTartlets

The Broad Brook Bakers are at it again.  Sarah suggested that we get tie dye shirts with the words Broad Brook Bakers on them. Stay tuned for when we have a moment for that side project.


We did the chocolate dough the day before. It was very crumbly as the recipe said it would be.  I added one extra tablespoon of water because it did not look like it would come together.  I think the day that it sat in the fridge made a difference. We had packed away (we are moving) the all-purpose flour so we used cake flour for rolling out.  Using that did not make any difference which was a good thing!

I really thought the rolling out of the dough would be more challenging then it was. If a space needed to be filled with dough it was easy to press in some more.

Ummm. Chocolate.  

The crusts smelled delicious.







I realized that my mixer needed to be raised up because the whisk did not reach the very bottom so I had to scrape the bowl quite a bit.





Ready to go in the oven.  The biscotti I bought had almond and anise which I love but the kids were not that crazy about the taste.  So we added the biscotti to three of the tartlets and left the other three without.  









Right out of the oven.  We ate one 20 minutes after they came out of the oven as recommended and it was excellent.  Very rich indeed.  We put in the refrigerator the next day and I ate a piece cold.  It was like a truffle with a crust.  Nathan wanted his piece warmed up so I placed it in the microwave for 10 seconds and it came out like the night before, warm and gooey.  I  like both of our versions, with or without the biscotti.


Looking forward to baking again in our new house next month!

TWD: White Loaves

It's broad brook baker's first post on Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Julia!

Sarah and I worked on this one together.  I must admit that I've probably made this recipe at least a dozen times, but I think all the success should be attributed to this is simply a great recipe.  I've had my KitchenAid mixer for ten years; my husband and I placed on our wedding registry. I was wondering if perhaps this mixer was finally showing its age. But,

I noticed in reading other posts that plenty of you experienced, as I did, the struggle of the mixer during the kneading.  I added a tablespoon or so of water early on and that seemed to make it a little better.   Once we added the butter, the mixer had a much easier time.  Next time I might cut the recipe in half and make one loaf at a time.

I placed a rubber band over the plastic wrap to get a real tight seal, that seemed to really help in the rise.  

This was Sarah's favorite part! Except of course eating!

  

I know it did not call for slits in the bread but I always think this just looks so much nicer.  I let rise a little longer than the directions because the first time I did the finger press check it was not ready yet.  We ate some warm out of the oven and then the next day for toast.  The toast is perfection.  My Nona used to bake homemade bread every day.  On Sundays after church, my dad would bring us to visit and we would have toast and hot chocolate with Creamora in it.  God that was amazing, this gets pretty darn close.  I had this toast this past Sunday with espresso, so good!

Nathan will be my sous on the 21st bake, check us out again then.

The beginning

I was inspired today to begin a blog to enable me to participate in the Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Julia. It started snowing here early morning so basketball for Nathan and Sarah have been cancelled freeing up some welcome time to begin. I believe that I received Baking with Julia at least 15 years ago gifted by my brother.  It's become one of my most treasured and tattered cookbooks. Having made dozens of the recipes over the years, I've yet to tackle, dare I even write the word...croissants. I've read the recipe over and over in these last 15 years and still can't grasp when I can find the time and the energy (to fail) with this particular croissant challenge.  I guess this adventure, beginning February 7, will force me to take the plunge.

But what about, January 21, 2012.  We took out a pork butt for Sunday dinner, the meat bought from a local beef and pork provider, Broad Brook Beef.  I imagine that the butt will not disappoint.  What better meal to take out of the slow cooker as the Patriots game begins on Sunday.  Alas but what about the worthy chicken wing!?