The Time I Tried (AND MADE) Sweet Potato Pie

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DSCN0070 RIght, so we all know that my relationship with yams thus far in my cooking career has been rocky at best.  But, I had some leftover from the weekend before and when life gives you yams...

Never mind.

So for starters I would just like to note that not only is that a homemade crust, but it was no-roll, and it took me thirty minutes. THIRTY MINUTES. And it was all thanks to Joy The Baker!

This time around I boiled those potatoes for 40 minutes, and then cooked them some more! If you can stick a sharp knife straight down the middle of one of those jokers with absolutely no resistance whatsoever, you've done your job spectacularly, my friend.

From there it was totally smooth sailing. 50 minutes later and...

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Voila! A pie that spilled a little in transit from the counter to the oven, but that tasted AMAZING!  (And was completely gone after two days.) Not too shabby for my first try at pie, wouldn't you say?

I'll tell you something: it made me immediately forget all about the nightmare that was the weekend before.

I, Sydney, blogger and home cook, will never fear the yam again.

Progress!

What You'll Need:

  • 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
  • 2- 5oz cans evaporated milk (1 1/4 cups evaporated milk)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla

Get the recipe here!

Happy baking!

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My Date With Oatmeal Raisin

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Ah, oatmeal raisin cookies: a staple of my childhood. I am a big fan of a crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, cookie. Too much crunch and you've lost me. Too chewy, and it's probably time to stick it back in the oven. But when done just right, you've got me right where you want me.

I am a HUGE (honestly, that might be an understatement) fan of The Smitten Kitchen, and just found the best recipe for the thick, chewy, oatmeal raisin cookie. (That sort of rhymes if you read it a certain way.)

This is how I spent my Saturday:

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DSCN0049For this post, there are no "after" pictures because as soon as they were done, most of them were eaten by me and my housemates. Nonetheless, my experience was great.

What I Learned:

1. This recipe was an adaption of the one found on the back of the Quaker Oats box. (I know, not really that important, but I found it interesting, so here you go.)

2. Oatmeal Raisin dough is fun to work with.

3. Chill your dough before you bake it. I chilled mine for 30 minutes, and I promise, it totally helped with the thickness.

4. Parchment paper is my new best friend and cleanup was a breeze. (My beloved cookie sheet is permanently stained with the shapes of 12+ Christmas trees from a baking adventure long ago. I didn't butter as well as I thought, and now I'll always be reminded. Side note within this side note: those christmas tree cookies were DELICIOUS.)

What You'll Need:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces, or 115 grams) butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup (125 grams) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt (I often use a half teaspoon, but I like more salt in my baked goods)
  • 1 1/2 cups (120 grams) rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup (120 grams) raisins
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (65 grams), chopped (optional)

Check out the recipe here!

Happy baking!

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The Time I Made Shortbread

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My love for shortbread knows absolutely no limits. It's buttery (especially when I make it), but light enough that you can eat a few pieces, and it still feels like a snack.  

Over the holidays I decided to try my hand at it, and the results were marvelous!

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What I learned:

1. Making shortbread is so simple, and so easy to do! And if you make a mix large enough, you can have shortbread cookies for days and days!

2. Shortbread dough can be a bit tough at times to work with. It is ESSENTIAL that your work space is well-floured before rolling out your dough. If it isn't, you'll constantly have to pull dough off your rolling pin. Trust me on this one. It's sticky.

3. My life motto: The more butter, the better.

These little cookies were perfect for my afternoon tea party!

What You'll Need:

  • 1  Cup Butter
  • 3/4  Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1  Teaspoon Vanilla
  • 2 1/2  Cups  All-purpose flour

Check out the recipe here!

Happy baking!

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Learning the Language of Latkes

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For three weeks I've had one dish on my mind: latkes. So what is a latke you ask? For those who don't know, here's an official definition:

Noun
(in Jewish cooking) A pancake, esp. one made with grated potato.

Now here's my (unofficial) definition:

Noun

Circular potato pancake of deliciousness. 

I am officially on break for a month, thus: the perfect time to start cookin'! And boy, was this dish an easy blast!

Here we go!

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It took me absolute ages to peel these potatoes, but I made it happen! A good vegetable peeler is an essential tool for the kitchen. Without it, I would have used that knife, and I'd probably still be peeling. (Okay, honestly, the peeler probably just saved me 10-15 minutes tops.  Still!)

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Next, in order to fit the onions and potatoes into the food processor for shredding, I had to cut them up into little pieces. I'm happy to announce that the onions did not sting my eyes, as they usually do. I don't normally have access to food processors at my apartment, so using one definitely saved me some time. If you've got one, use it. Some recipes call for graters, which I'm sure work fine, but if you're planning on making latkes for a dinner party, or planning on having leftovers, a food processor is the way to go.

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The recipe calls for 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and one large egg, but since I used two potatoes, I ended up doubling the recipe. Adding the freshly shredded and drained potato/onion mixture to the...well, mix, I whisked it all together until everything was coated.

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Latke time! Here's what I learned:

1. When the recipe tells you to scoop a mere teaspoon of latke mix into a pan, do it. I decided to take spoonfuls because I wanted bigger cakes, but that was a MISTAKE. They cooked slower than I wanted, and I just didn't feel in control at all.

2. Although the recipe called for peanut oil, I found that extra virgin olive oil does the trick nicely as well.

3. You'll have to use more oil than what the recipe suggests.

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Here, I finally started to get the hang of it. (Notice that I heeded the recipe's advice and lessened my spooning size. )

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FINALLY, FINALLY I got it! Perfect size, good crispness. What I learned:

1. YOU MUST WATCH THESE CAREFULLY. These cakes are much smaller, and significantly thinner, so they crisp before you know it. One minute is a pretty solid amount of time, but every cake crisps differently.

2. If you've got an electric stove like I've got at home, the heat should be at about 6. If you've got a gas stove like I've got at my apartment, 5 or 6 is probably a good, safe place to remain.

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Into the tupperware they go, ready to be eaten tomorrow for dinner!!

Doubling the recipe made a TON, and this is a great food item to make in advance, and they're great re-heated. What's also great is that these aren't just for dinner parties! Potato pancakes can be enjoyed at breakfast, or as hor d'oeuvres with some yummy topping combinations!

Oh! And here's the recipe from Smitten Kitchen!

1 large baking potato (1 pound), peeled 1 small onion (4 ounces), peeled 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Peanut oil, for frying

In a food processor or on a box grater, coarsely shred the potato and onion. For longer strands, lay the potato sideways in the chute of your food processor. Transfer to a colander or wrap in a cheesecloth sling, and squeeze as dry as possible. Let stand for 2 minutes, then squeeze dry again.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, egg, salt and pepper together. Stir in the potato onion mixture until all pieces are evenly coated.

In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until shimmering. Drop packed teaspoons of the potato mixture into the skillet and flatten them with the back of a spoon. Cook the latkes over moderately high heat until the edges are golden, about 1 1/2 minutes; flip and cook until golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.

Happy Cooking!!

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So, Let's Talk About Cheesecake.

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Two words for you: Pumpkin. Cheesecake. My roommates and I were throwing a little "At the Coffeehouse" themed shindig, and since it was my idea, I wanted to make something appropriate for fall, and fancy! So, pumpkin cheesecake was a no-brainer.  And let me tell you: it was actually (relatively) easy!

So here was my day:

All I want is to be Julia Child in the kitchen.

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Making the DELICIOUS FILLING was pretty interesting. Tons of sour cream, and lots of pureed pumpkin. I would also like to add that I did all of this before I had my baby (my KitchenAid Hand Mixer). The mixing probably took a good 20 minutes. Now that my hand mixer is around, making this in the future will be a quick breeze! (And my wrist won't feel like it's about to fall off.)

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A few things I learned about crusts:

1. When the directions say to use a specific size pan, do what you're told. This crust is meant for a 9 x 13 size pan, but all we had was 7 X 10. We had one very thick crust.

2, Make sure your rolling space is NICE AND FLOURED. If not, it WILL stick:

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Et voila, the final product:

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Since this was the beginning of my Baking Adventures, I cheated and bought cream cheese frosting to spread on the top.

A Few Things I Learned About Frosting Cheesecake:

1. You have to wait until the cake filling is frozen.

2. If you don't wait until the filling is frozen, spreading the frosting is like spreading frosting onto very creamy soup. Also, you will misjudge how much frosting you need, and you'll put too much.

3. Just wait until it's frozen.

I topped off the top with Pumpkin Pie Spice (who even knew there was such a thing? Everyone else, apparently).

It was delicious. DELICIOUS. And I was so proud of myself for making my first dessert with lasting power!

And oh yeah, here's the recipe from Serious Eats!

Ingredients

Makes 24 bars, active time 1 hour, total time 4 hours, including cooling

  • For the Sweet Pastry Dough
  • 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1⁄4 cup sugar
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
  • 1 large egg
  • For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
  • 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1⁄2 cup sugar
  • 3⁄4 cup pumpkin puree (see page 100)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 large eggs
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄2 cup pecans, toasted (page 19), coarsely chopped (optional)

Procedures

  1.  For the Sweet Pastry Dough

    Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper and butter the parchment.

  2.  Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until sandy (6 to 10 quick pulses). In a small bowl, whisk the egg and add it to the food processor. Pulse just until the dough begins to hold together (if the dough seems exceedingly dry and crumbly, add a teaspoon of water and pulse again). Form the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  3.  Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle slightly larger than 9 by 13 inches (the size of the pan) and about 1⁄4 inch thick. The dough might be sticky, so turn it with a bench knife or spatula as needed and keep the work surface floured. Some people find it easier to roll the dough between two layers of parchment paper—this can make it less messy and easier to transfer to the pan.
  4.  Ever so gently, guide the dough into the pan and lightly press it—without pulling—into the bottom; it is not necessary to bring the dough up the sides of the pan, only to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Trim off any excess. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  5.  Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  6.  Remove the pan from the freezer, line it with aluminum foil, and fill it three-quarters full with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and weights and bake for another 10 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

  7.  For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

    In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed just until it is lump free and smooth. Do not overbeat or the tops of the bars may crack. Add the sugar and beat again until well combined, about 2 minutes.

  8.  In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Add this mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat on medium-low speed until completely combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat until the mixture is smooth. Note: This batter is slightly looser than the average cheesecake batter.
  9.  Pour the mixture over the crust and bake for 23 to 30 minutes, or until the bars are set and slightly puffy (if the tops start to crack, the bars are overbaked). Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the bars to come to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is completely smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth (be careful not to overbeat the frosting or it will lose its structure). The frosting can be made a day ahead: after mixing, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate; let it soften to room temperature before using.
  2.  Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top of the filling layer. If you like, sprinkle the pecans evenly over the top of the frosting. Place the bars in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set before cutting and serving.

The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

Happy Baking!

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