Happy Birthday TWD!

Happy Birthday to Tuesdays With Dorie. Laurie Woodward our fearless leader and founder started it all. Just to recap: Join the weekly TWD baking group, buy Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours book, bake the assigned recipe, capture the closeup, write about it and post! Every week is a celebration. So for this week's party.....


Dorie our guiding light has selected one of her favorites. I can see why. The pear tart is flavorful and elegant. A sweet almond crust with sliced pears resting on a bed of heavenly almond cream. Check out Dorie's post for the recipe.


Thank you very much, and many happy returns.

Cheesecake

Cheesecake is such a guy dessert. My husband's favorite is this cheesecake. Blackberry puree in a swirly pattern.


The crust is a combination of chocolate, graham crackers and gingersnaps. This is my signature cheesecake that is also for sale and demonstrated in private baking classes. I like the texture and tangyness of the cake.


We're visiting family in San Diego. The cake arrived safely. Happy Holiday to all.

For Real Butterscotch

It's the real thing. Along with a couple of gingersnaps and a few dried cranberries.


CREDITS
Baking Club: Tuesdays With Dorie
Baking Host: Spatulas Corkscrews & Suitcases

Is It A Cookie?

We woke up Sunday morning and on went the oven. By noon, the kitchen was an assembly line of cookie production in various phases; dough to decorating. Last week's Snowman Sugar Cookies were back in production. This week's Buttery Jam Cookies were just getting the minced candied ginger added to boost the flavor. Sheet pans and and flour were all over the counter.


Don't get me wrong, I liked these a lot. The apricot flavor, not too sweet. I just think they're more biscuit than cookie. Split, and a scoop of ice cream would be heaven.

And now the big question... What is a cookie? Dorie, Sara Dickerman and David Lebovitz analyze the state of the cookie. It's hand held, portable, sweet and more. Although, I'm not so sure about a profiterole! What to do with all that chocolate sauce?? For more discourse on the topic, check out Slate.

CREDITS
Baking Club: TUESDAYS WITH DORIE
Baking Host:RANDOMOSITY AND THE GIRL

Sugar Wonderland

Thanks Ulrike, good choice and Happy Holiday!


Short on time this week. Cookie decorating is so calming.

Who needs Oreo?

Like Dorie, it sounds like I grew up on the same cookie. As a child, I would split it apart and eat the side with the jam, then the other.


The nutty, buttery cookie, along with the jammy sweetness is perfect with a glass of ice cold milk.


At first I was unsure of rolling them out too thick. After trying one, I knew. That's how I remember them. Heaven!



CREDITS
BAKING GROUP:TUESDAYS WITH DORIE
RECIPE HOST:LIVING THE LIFE

Pumpkin Pie Revolt

Rock Band or Guitar Hero? More about that later.

I was asked to bring dessert. Then I get the 'We don't like pumpkin pie." Is this a trend? I hear others feel the same.


This week's TWD baking club recipe is Thanksgiving Twofer Pie. Contrasting texture with two layers. Crunchy pecan pie sitting on a creamy pumpkin custard base.


To round out the holiday flavors, apple and ginger were missing. My family loves cheesecake so along went the Apple Cheesecake. A creamy and tangy cheesecake with a surprise layer of apples. In case you missed it, It was part of the TWD, Feb. '08 rotation. A ginger jelly glaze was added to the saute of apples and blackberry. Hands down winner. Last year we had pumpkin swirl cheesecake. Next year will there be a pumpkin pie?

It's Thanksgiving and thankful for way too many things to list here...but I just have to ask, Rock Band or Guitar Hero?

CREDITS
Baking Group::Tuesdays With Dorie, TWD
Recipe Host: Vibi from la casserole carree