Festive Holiday Almond Cake Squares

I spent several days last week working with a friend in her pastry shop, then on Sunday I attended a potluck for which I had volunteered to bring a dessert. Since I had been surrounded by cakes, frostings and fillings, and lovely little petit fours all week, for my potluck contribution I was inspired to prepare some simple little cake squares out of my favorite almond cake. Filled with red raspberry jam and frosted with pale green frosting, they had a festive, Christmas-y look.

Besides being appropriate for the season, the cake squares were perfect for a potluck. To me the ideal dessert for a potluck should be something that can be served in small, one or two bite portions. A small dessert is "pre-portioned" so people don't have to wrestle with knives, cake servers, or gooey spoons—they can just grab (ideally with their fingers) and go. Also, since there is always a selection of desserts at a potluck and people want to sample several, miniature desserts make it so they can do so with minimal guilt.

If you are attending a potluck this season, there are many desserts that can be served in charming, miniature portions. Brownies and bar cookies of all kinds can be cut into any size you like—and, except for the ooziest bars and gooiest brownies, they make good finger food. I have posted several likely candidates over the course of the past year—Chocolate Truffle Squares with Candied Orange, Black Forest Brownie Squares and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars. This time of year, a platter of a special Christmas cookie is always a good idea, too.

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, the cake squares that I took with me yesterday were made with an almond cake. But you could do the same thing with any favorite cake as long as it is a cake that has a fine, moist crumb so that it can be sliced cleanly. Pound cake would be a good choice, as would the Pistachio Cake I posted in March of this year.

To make cake squares, bake the cake in a square or rectangular pan. The baked cake should be about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches tall. The recipe for the pistachio cake, for example, is for a 10-inch round, single layer cake, but will bake perfectly in a single 9-inch square pan. A 9-inch round single cake layer will fit into an 8-inch square pan. I imagine that there are charts out there somewhere that will give exact pan conversions, but you can always measure pans by filling them with water and then measuring the volume (or weight). Also, if the depths of the pans you are comparing are the same, you can use a simple calculation of the area of a circle, square or rectangle to see if two pans can be used interchangeably.

After you have decided on the kind of cake you want to make, decide if you want to split and fill the layer (with jam, citrus curd, frosting/buttercream...or nothing at all) and how you would like to "finish" the cake (with a glaze, icing/frosting/buttercream, a simple dusting of powdered sugar with a rosette of whipped cream and some berries, etc.). Obviously variations are endless. I really liked the version that I made, but I could have left the frosting an ivory color and topped the cake squares with a fresh raspberry. I also toyed with the idea of finishing the cake squares with chocolate ganache—almond, raspberry and chocolate are a magical combination—but decided in the end with green and red for Christmas.

I would like to say that making these simple looking cake squares is easy, but I would be dishonest if I didn't tell you that you should have some facility with icing cakes and using a piping bag in order for them to turn out well. I am not a professional cake decorator so I will not attempt to explain the details of icing a cake and using a piping bag. I am certain there are web-sites and blogs devoted to this subject that do a much better job than I could. In my directions I will only mention the things that I think are particularly important. Above all, you must be neat, clean and precise.

To prepare the cake squares you will need the cake (recipe below), seedless raspberry jam—approximately 1/3 cup, 1 recipe Honey Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)—tinted green with 2 or 3 drops of green food color, and green decorator sugar.

Before building the cake squares, wrap the cooled cake layer and refrigerate until firm and cold. Using a serrated knife, split the cake in half horizontally. Spread a thin layer of seedless raspberry jam over the bottom half.



Top with the remaining layer. Frost the top of the cake with the cream cheese frosting. It is not necessary to frost the sides because they will be trimmed away, but I usually slick a "crumb coat" onto the sides out of habit and to keep stray crumbs from mucking up my work area. If you want the frosting on the top to be perfectly smooth, after you have frosted the cake run an offset spatula that has been dipped in very hot water and then wiped dry over the top of the cake. You will need to make several passes, rinsing and drying the spatula between each stroke. Chill the cake until the icing and cake are firm—at least an hour, preferably longer.

Using a long, thin, sharp slicing knife, trim the edges of the cake to make the cake perfectly square. (Sample the trimmings to make sure that what you are taking to the potluck is edible.)

The slicing knife—like the offset spatula—must be dipped in hot water and wiped dry before each stroke. Cut the cake into 36 squares. There are many ways to organize your slices (cut the cake into 6 long thin rectangles and then make 6 cuts across these rectangles....cut the cake in quarters and then cut each quarter into 9 squares...etc.)—the most important thing is to make sure your knife is always hot and dry and that your cuts are evenly spaced. It helps to use a ruler.

Top each of the squares with a small rosette of the frosting using a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Use a light hand to sprinkle some green decorator sugar over each cake square. If you like those little silver balls (dragees), you could sprinkle 3 or 4 over each little rosette.



I should mention that these cake squares can't be made too far in advance. Traditional petit fours are completely covered with fondant or a poured glaze of some kind. This effectively seals the cut surfaces of the little cakes so that they won't dry out. Because these cake squares are only frosted on the top, they will dry out if made too far ahead. The cake can be frosted and filled well in advance—it needs to chill anyway—you just need to wait until closer to the time you will be serving it to cut it.

Madeleine Kamman's Danish Holiday Almond Cake

8 oz. unsalted butter, cool room temperature
1 c. granulated sugar
10 1/2 oz. almond paste (not marzipan), finely grated
1 t. vanilla
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sifted cake flour
large pinch of salt
1/2 t. baking powder

Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter a 10-inch round or 9-inch square cake pan. Line the pan with parchment, butter the parchment and dust the pan with flour. Set the pan upside down and tap it once to remove all traces of excess flour.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until white. Add the sugar and almond paste and beat until fluffy and white again, 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high speed. Turning the speed down to low, add the vanilla and then add the eggs, one at a time. Beat again on medium-high speed after each addition until the batter returns to white foaminess, scraping down the sides of the bowl before adding the next egg. Finally, resift the cake flour mixed with the baking powder and salt directly over the batter and fold into the batter. Turn into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is done when it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into its center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold onto a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.

(Recipe from The New Making of a Cook by Madeleine Kamman)

Honey Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from The Vineyard Kitchen ): Place 4 oz. of unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer along with 4 1/2 oz. of confectioners' sugar, 1/8 t. salt and 1/4 t. vanilla. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy—about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add 8 oz. of cream cheese and beat until incorporated—about 20 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and drizzle in 2 T. of honey. Beat until smooth—about 15 seconds.

Using Beef Tenderloin "Trim"

My busy season with work started off with a bang last week. Unfortunately, this means that I haven't had too
much time to devote to my blog. So that regular readers won't wonder if I have dropped off the planet, today I thought I would squeeze in a quick post about a meal I made recently with beef tenderloin trimmings.

A little over a year ago I posted a description of how to clean, trim and portion a whole beef tenderloin. I pointed out that when you trim a tenderloin there are invariably a few small, odd shaped pieces that remain after the whole has been reduced to steaks and roasts. Since tenderloin is expensive—and there is nothing "wrong" with these pieces other than that they are oddly sized—I try and make a habit of using them for weeknight/informal family meals.

Last Saturday I trimmed a whole small tenderloin for roasting. Besides the fat, sinew and "chain", the trimmings produced a small chunk, a thin strip of the head and the thin tail piece. The total weight of all of this useable "trim" was just over half a pound—which in my world is a perfect amount of meat for two portions. I know that at first glance these pieces may not look like a typical "steak",

tenderloin pieces, resting with "deglazings" poured over

but when cooked properly, sliced and fanned on the plate, they look fine—and as I'm sure you can imagine, they tasted great.

I didn't do anything special or difficult when I cooked these pieces—I rarely do for a simple meal at home. Just season the meat with salt and pepper and sear on all sides in a little bit of oil in a hot sauté pan. Sometimes, for large/thick pieces of meat, I will transfer the sauté pan to a hot oven to finish the cooking process there. But on this particular occasion, because the pieces were so small and thin, I finished them on the stove by reducing the heat, adding a pat of butter and continuing to cook, turning the pieces occasionally, until they reached the "doneness" that I prefer. As you can see, I prefer rare/mid-rare...which only takes a few moments. I deglazed the pan with water—but if you have stock or wine on hand, that would be fine too. Rather than turn these "deglazings" into a sauce, I simply poured them over the resting meat. Then when I sliced and served the meat, I poured the resting juices and deglazings over all.

To go with our tenderloin, I served some buttered Brussels sprouts and Butternut squash roasted with red onions and sage. I think I mentioned in a previous post that I always keep Brussels sprouts on hand during the late fall and winter months. Serving them was an obvious choice—particularly since I had a chunk of squash that I wanted to use up. Brussels sprouts and winter squash make excellent partners.

The butternut squash is from a recipe by Maria Helms Sinskey that ran in Food & Wine several years ago. You can find it here. I followed it almost exactly...except that I didn't prepare the browned butter or fry the sage separately. Instead, I just tossed the sage in with the onion, squash, olive oil and brown sugar and roasted everything together. The sage leaves become crispy in the oven and obligingly break into smaller pieces every time the squash and onions are stirred.

This simple meal of pan-seared tenderloin and vegetables came together very quickly—making it perfect for a busy day. And for us, since we don't tend to eat a lot of meat, the presence of the tenderloin gave our meal a nice, special occasion air.

Chocolate Fruit Cake

I kicked off my holiday baking with a Date, Dried Cherry & Chocolate Torte. I ran across the recipe in an old issue of Gourmet magazine, but it is originally from Deborah Madison's book Local Flavors. For the most part I try to post things on my blog that I have put my own stamp on in some way, but occasionally I just want to pass along a recipe that I think more people should know about. This is one of those recipes.

I think that this cake, with its abundance of slightly boozy fruit and its dense texture, could most accurately be described as a chocolate fruitcake. But since (as I mentioned last year in my Brandied Fruit & Almond Pound Cake post) not too many Americans will try a cake with "fruitcake" in the title, "Date, Dried Cherry & Chocolate Torte" is a clever name. If, like me, you love dates, dried cherries and chocolate, you will probably love this cake. I made it on Saturday and started eating it on Sunday. I expected it to be best the day after I made it, but I have been surprised to discover that it continues to get better—becoming moister and more intensely fruity with each passing day.

The original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of two varieties of dates. I only had one kind of date on hand (Medjool—my favorite), so instead of making the cake with all dates, I substituted some nice white Turkish figs for a half cup of the dates. If the distinctive seedy crunch of the figs would bother you, go ahead and use all dates. But, if you are a fan of those little Italian Fig Cookies called Cucidati, you will enjoy the cake when it is made with the figs.

I think this cake would make an elegant holiday dessert...cut in small wedges and served with a little whipped cream. But it is also excellent served with an afternoon cup of coffee (or tea). And I don't really need the whipped cream...or even the plate. I have discovered that my favorite way to eat a slice has been with my hands—using my fingers to break off little chunks of this chocolate-y, fruity treat.

Date, Dried Cherry & Chocolate Torte

1 c. Medjool dates (6 oz), pitted and each cut into 6 pieces
1/2 c. Dried figs, stemmed and cut into uniform dried cherry-sized pieces or use another variety of dates, pitted and each cut into 6 pieces (3 oz)
1 c. dried tart cherries (5 oz)
1 t. baking soda
1 c. boiling water
1/4 c. brandy
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process), sifted to remove lumps
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 t. vanilla
zest of one orange
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped
3/4 c. pecans (3 oz), lightly toasted and finely chopped

Combine dates, cherries, and baking soda in a heatproof bowl, then stir in boiling water and brandy. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and zest. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just combined. Add half of flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Add date mixture with liquid and beat at low speed until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate and pecans.

Pour batter into a buttered and floured 9-inch springform pan, smoothing top. Bake in middle of a 375 degree oven until center is slightly rounded and top of torte is cracked (edges will be dark brown),

about 55 minutes. Let torte stand 10 minutes in pan on a rack. Run a small knife around side of pan to loosen, then remove side. Cool torte on rack. Cake tastes best if allowed to sit, well-wrapped, for 24 hours. Serves 12 to 16.

(Recipe adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison)



Turkey Leftovers...

I have been teaching people how to prepare the Thanksgiving feast for as long as I have been teaching cooking classes.  But during all of that time I think I have only had the privilege of preparing the entire spread for my own family a couple of times.  This turned out to be one of those years.  I of course love it when I have the opportunity to enjoy someone else's cooking, but there are a lot of things I miss when I don't get to prepare the meal.  I think the thing I miss the most is having left over roast turkey.  Since there were just seven of us at my table this year, and I roasted a fifteen pound bird,

 I had lots of leftovers....and I have been enjoying every bite.  We are still working on them, but I thought I would take a moment to share what I have made so far. 

I think everyone starts out their first round of "leftovers" with a reheated plate of everything they had at the main event.  It's a way of truly savoring the meal—knowing that such a spread really only happens once a year...and you have to make it last.  Next up is the roast turkey sandwich.  My perfect leftover turkey sandwich includes lettuce, slivers of cheese (something like a sharp Cheddar is good—but I wouldn't turn my nose up at a bit of Brie), leftover cranberry sauce and plenty of mayonnaise and Dijon mustard.  My bread of choice is a nice artisanal loaf of Rosemary Olive Oil bread from a local bakery.  It is substantial enough to stand up to all of the filling, but not so much so that it overpowers the sandwich.  Since it is also the bread I like to use to make dressing, I have it on hand any way. 

Another favorite—albeit old-fashioned (maybe I should say "retro"...it sounds much more cool)—is Turkey Tetrazzini.  A simple baked casserole of spaghetti, turkey, cheese and mushrooms, bound in a rich velouté and topped with breadcrumbs,

there are literally hundreds of versions of this recipe floating around.  Mine is a variation of one that ran in Gourmet magazine several years ago.  Besides the classic ingredients this recipe includes some sherry and scallions.  When I make it, I make my velouté with turkey stock and, if there is any left, some turkey gravy—which truly makes this dish a once a year treat.

This year I also had a lot of leftover sweet potatoes.  I knew from the start that there were only going to be a couple of us at the table who would eat sweet potatoes, but since it isn't Thanksgiving to me without the sweet potatoes—and I was in charge of the meal—I made them.  They were delicious.  They were also the perfect "glue" for some lunchtime quesadillas.  Besides a thin layer of the sweet potatoes, I added some caramelized red onion,

a scattering of chopped turkey and some Monterey Jack cheese. 

With a spoonful of cranberry sauce on the side, they were quite a treat.  The purée that I made this year was a combination of sweet potatoes and carrots, but any simple sweet potato purée would work—just make sure you don't pile it on too thickly (or your quesadillas will ooze). 

For dinner this evening—to go with the last of the sliced turkey breast (there are still lots of chunks and shredded pieces that will be great in soups, casseroles, quick pastas...)—I made a big salad that was loaded with some of my favorite Thanksgiving ingredients.  To baby lettuces, I added diced roasted sweet potatoes, blanched green beans, dried cranberries and toasted walnuts.  I dressed it with a simple sherry vinaigrette (1 small shallot, 1 T. sherry vinegar, 3 T. olive oil) and piled it on top of the turkey that had been warmed up in a bit of leftover turkey stock.  It was a very good salad.  Even if I don't have any turkey on hand to serve it with, we will be having this salad again. 

There are so many ways to use up roast turkey that I know I will run out of turkey long before I run out of ways that I want to eat it.  Earlier this month I posted a soup and a casserole that would both be excellent places for some of those leftovers.  Other simple ideas include quiche, frittatas, quick pastas and grain pilafs.  It isn't necessary to reinvent the wheel or do something wildly unusual.  As a chef I am sometimes a bit dismayed as I look at the same old things on my family's holiday table year after year.  But the same things show up every year for a reason:  they are the favorite foods that everyone grew up with...they are well-loved.  And as a friend said to me this morning (as we were comparing turkey leftover notes over the pews), it is the same with Thanksgiving leftovers.  They are all about combining turkey in a variety of different ways with your other favorite holiday foods.  

Turkey Tetrazzini

3 1/2 to 4 T. butter, divided

1/2 c. coarse breadcrumbs
6 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 green onion (including most of green), trimmed and thinly sliced
1 to 2 T. dry sherry
8 oz. (1 1/2 to 2 cups) shredded roast turkey
2 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1 c. turkey stock (or use chicken stock)
1/2 c. leftover turkey gravy (or use 1/4 c. milk plus 1/4 c. stock and increase butter and flour in the roux by 2 t. each)
8 oz. spaghetti
2 oz. grated Gruyère (1/2 cup)
1/2 oz. grated Parmesan (about 3 T.)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Generously butter a 1 1/2 quart gratin or casserole and set aside.

Toss the bread crumbs with 1/2 T. of melted butter and set aside.

Sauté the mushrooms in 1 1/2 T. of butter in a non-stick sauté pan set over medium-high heat. When the mushrooms are browned, tender and any liquid that they have given off has evaporated reduce the heat and add the green onions. Cook briefly to wilt. Add another 1/2 T. of butter if the pan seems dry. Add the sherry and reduce to a glaze. Transfer the mushrooms to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Add the turkey to the bowl with the mushrooms.

Prepare the velouté: In a small saucepan, bring the milk and stock to a simmer; keep hot. In another small saucepan, melt 1 1/2 T. of the butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, whisk in the flour. Cook stirring constantly for a few minutes—the roux will be bubbly and straw yellow. Remove from the heat and pour in half of the hot milk/stock, whisking constantly until smooth—it will thicken immediately. Add the remaining milk/stock mixture. Return to the heat and stir constantly until the sauce returns to a simmer. Add the gravy and bring to a simmer. Taste and season as desired with salt and pepper. Keep hot while you cook the pasta.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of rapidly boiling water seasoned generously with salt. Stir and cook until the pasta is al dente (since it will continue to cook as it bakes with the sauce, it can be left quite firm). Drain the pasta.

Add the pasta and velouté to the bowl with the turkey and mushrooms and fold in. Add the cheese and quickly fold in—the cheese does not have to melt. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan. Scatter the buttered breadcrumbs over the top and place on a baking sheet.

Bake until hot through (it should be bubbling around the edges) and lightly browned—about 25 minutes. If necessary, place under the broiler (about 4 inches from the heat) until the top is golden. Serves 4.

Notes:
• This recipe doubles easily to feed a larger group. Use a 13- by 9-inch (3 quart) baking dish.
• If you prefer a looser, saucier version, reduce the quantity of spaghetti to 6 oz.

Quinoa Pilaf with Mushrooms & Walnuts


For our dinner on the night before Thanksgiving, I felt the need for something light, sustaining and simple. The quinoa pilaf I made that night filled the bill perfectly and was so good I wanted to share it here. Since it was also quick to prepare and didn't dirty too many dishes, it made a perfect holiday weeknight meal.

If you aren't in the habit of preparing main course pilafs, you will find a primer of sorts in a post I wrote over a year ago for a bulgur pilaf. Pilafs are great, not only because they tend to be whole grain-based, but also because they take easily to adaptation and variation. If you keep your favorite grains on hand and are in the habit of regularly stocking up on seasonal vegetables, a pilaf is easy to put together.

The basic components of the quinoa pilaf I made—shallots, garlic, mushrooms, walnuts and parsley—will combine well with all kinds of winter vegetables. I topped ours with some baby Brussels sprouts and the last of the beautiful little white topped turnips from my farmers' market. But if you don't have turnips, you could top the pilaf with the Brussels sprouts and some chunks of roasted winter squash or maybe some roasted carrots. Almost any roasted root vegetable would be good. For a pretty presentation, you could roast some half circles of Delicata squash and then pile the pilaf, followed by the Brussels Sprouts, on top of the squash (as I did in the vegetable medley I posted a few days ago). If you don't have any Brussels sprouts on hand (I always keep Brussels Sprouts around during the fall and winter months—I love them), some cooked kale, spinach or chard—folded into the pilaf—would be good, too.

For us, the quinoa and vegetables really were just the thing for the eve of The Feast. But if a grain pilaf with vegetables doesn't sound like dinner to you, then you could always serve it as a side dish. I think it would go particularly well with salmon (perhaps on a bed of wilted spinach). But it would also be good with chicken...or maybe even some leftover turkey.

Quinoa Pilaf with Mushrooms & Walnuts

1/2 T. olive oil
1/2 T. butter
5 to 6 oz. mixed mushrooms (crimini, oyster, shiitake, etc.), trimmed and sliced 1/4-inch thick or cut into uniform pieces
1 T. olive oil
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. quinoa, well-rinsed and drained
2/3 c. hot chicken stock or water (or turkey stock...I just happened to have some on hand)
1/4 c. toasted walnuts, coarsely broken and tossed with a small amount of olive oil and some salt, if you like.
2 T. chopped parsley

Sauté the mushrooms: Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned, tender and any liquid that they have given off has evaporated. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and season with salt and pepper.

oyster and crimini mushrooms

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan set over moderate heat. Add the shallot and garlic along with a pinch of salt and cook until tender and translucent Add the quinoa and cook, stirring to coat in the fat until hot through. This will take a minute or two. The quinoa should be sizzling and snapping in the hot fat. Add the stock along with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 15 minutes—or until cooked through. The grain will be translucent and the thin germ coil will be white. Remove from the heat, scatter the mushrooms over the surface of the quinoa and let rest, covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, adding the walnuts and parsley. Makes 2 portions. Recipe is easily multiplied.

To prepare the Brussels sprouts (and turnips, if using): Fill a shallow, straight-sided sauté pan that is wide enough to hold the vegetables in a snug single layer with a quarter inch of water. Add some butter and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts (and turnips)

and some optional picked thyme and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the Brussels sprouts are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the lid and boil over moderately high to high heat until water is evaporated and the vegetables are sizzling in the butter and beginning to caramelize, 3 to 4 minutes.

Spoon over the pilaf. For two portions, I used 5 or 6 oz. of each of the Brussels sprouts and the turnips. The Brussels sprouts should be halved and the turnips cut into uniform wedges that are about the same size as the Brussels sprouts halves. For every pound of combined vegetables, use about a tablespoon of butter.

Learning to use a pizza peel and a recipe for Pizza with Mushrooms & Butternut Squash

We have been eating a lot of pizza lately. Not that pizza doesn't in the normal course of things make regular appearances on our table.... It's a perfect meal for two (just add a salad) and there is usually a left over piece or two for one lucky person at lunch the next day. Pizza is also a great blank canvas upon which to improvise a quick meal from whatever you happen to have in the house. But the reason we have been enjoying it more in recent days is because I have a new toy.... I mean tool. For my birthday this year, I was given a pizza peel and for the past few weeks I have been happily putting it through its paces.

I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I have always thought that using a peel would be tricky....that it would take lots of practice to master the particular flick of the wrist necessary for depositing the uncooked pizza intact onto the hot stone. I was pretty sure that my pizzas would end up looking like accidental calzones or strombolis. So for years I have been perfectly happy with my "peel-less" method: Build the pizza in a pizza pan (or on a baking sheet) and place the pan directly onto the hot stone. When the crust is set (this usually takes less than five minutes), slide the pizza off of the pan and on to the stone. This works very well—producing a lovely crisp crust. I highly recommend it if you don't have a peel. The chief drawback to this method is that if you aren't fast your oven temperature will drop dramatically while you are sliding the pizza off of the pan.

As I have worked with my new peel, I have been so pleased to discover that it is remarkably easy to use: Start by generously flouring the peel (see note at the bottom of the post)—you don't want gobs of flour, but you want the surface to be well-dusted (I actually rub the flour lightly into the peel). Before you put the round of dough onto the peel, make sure that all of the ingredients are on hand and ready to go. You only have a small window (a minute or two) of time before the dough starts to stick to the peel.

When you place the rolled out dough onto the peel, gently slide the peel back and forth to make sure the dough isn't sticking. Quickly layer the toppings onto the pizza. Open the oven (which should have been preheating—with the stone—for at least a half hour at 500°) and hold the paddle just slightly above the stone. In one fluid motion, move the peel forward just slightly (to get the pizza to slide to the edge of the peel) and then change directions and pull back, laying the pizza onto the hot stone as you pull the peel out of the oven. Close the oven door and bake the pizza until the crust is golden brown on the bottom (take a peek, using the peel to lift it up) and the toppings are bubbling. This should take about 8 to 12 minutes.

So far I haven't had any disasters...or even any ugly pizzas. In fact, I think my pizzas are better now. The crust bakes more quickly than it did when I used a pizza pan so the toppings don't get quite so dark. I don't know why the fact that my pizzas are now better should surprise me. Obviously the peel and stone are the implements of choice for serious pizza cooks everywhere for a reason. I also don't know why I waited so long to learn how to use a peel. If you love to make pizzas at home, the peel and stone are both worthwhile investments.

A few nights ago we enjoyed a pizza topped with one of my favorite combinations of autumn vegetables: winter squash and mushrooms. The mushrooms are simply sliced and sautéed. The squash can be sliced or diced before it is quickly roasted—if you like you can give the squash a start in a sauté pan before transferring it to the oven. The finished squash should be tender and lightly golden. To build the pizza, give the crust a light smear of herb (rosemary...or maybe sage) and garlic oil, followed by a handful of a nice melting cheese (I had Dubliner on hand), the cooked vegetables, some crumbled goat cheese and more of the melting cheese. Slide the pizza onto the stone. While the pizza bakes, dress some greens with a nice olive oil and some lemon or vinegar and you are done.

Butternut Squash & Mushroom Pizza

10 to 12 oz. butternut squash (half of a small to medium squash)—see note
Olive oil
1 or 2 cloves garlic
pinch of pepper flakes
1 to 2 t. minced rosemary
6 to 8 oz. crimini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 ball of pizza dough (see below), rested
3 oz. Fontina, Gruyère, low-moisture mozzarella or any good melting cheese, coarsely grated
2 oz. Goat Cheese, crumbled (or, simply use another couple of ounces of the melting cheese)

Halve the squash and scoop out the seed and fiber from the cavity. Set aside any extra squash for another use (see note). Peel the remaining squash. Cut the squash into a half-inch dice. Over medium-high heat, warm some olive oil in an oven-proof sauté pan that is large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Add the squash.

Sauté until the squash is beginning to color. Season with salt and pepper and transfer the pan to a 375° oven. Roast the squash until tender—about 20 minutes. (If you prefer, you may simply slice the squash cross-wise into ¼-inch slices, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in a 450° oven until tender and beginning to brown—about 20 minutes.)

While the squash roasts, peel and mince the garlic. Stir the garlic, along with the pepper flakes and the rosemary, into 1 1/2 T. of olive oil. Set aside.

Sauté the mushrooms: When sautéing mushrooms, do not over-crowd the pan. If necessary, sauté in batches. Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add oil to coat the pan, then add the mushrooms. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned, tender and any liquid that they have given off has evaporated. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and season with salt & pepper.

Build the pizza: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a pizza pan, baking sheet or pizza peel that has been dusted with flour or semolina. Using your fingers, push up the edges of the dough to make a slight rim. Quickly spread a thin layer of the seasoned oil over the crust. Scatter with half of the Fontina. Arrange the roasted squash in an even layer on top of the cheese. Scatter the mushrooms evenly over the squash. Crumble the goat cheese over all and top with the remaining Fontina.

If using a pizza pan or baking sheet, place the pizza in the pan on a pre-heated pizza stone in a pre-heated 500° oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown on the bottom and the cheese is bubbling, about 12 to 15 minutes. To insure a crisp crust, slide the pizza off of the pan and onto the pizza stone as soon as the crust is set (after 4 or 5 minutes).

If using a peel, slide the pizza directly onto the preheated baking stone. Bake until the crust is golden brown on the bottom and the cheese is bubbling—about 8 to 12 minutes.

When the pizza is done, transfer to a cutting board and cut into wedges and serve.

Note: It is unlikely that you will find a butternut squash that only weighs 10 to 12 oz. If you do, use the whole squash. For a larger squash, use only what you need, saving the remainder for another use (e.g.—roast with butter and honey/brown sugar for a side vegetable, or roast and scoop and purée for soup or baked goods).




Pizza Dough:
1 cup warm water (100º-110º)
1 package (2 1/4 t.) active dry yeast
2 1/2 to 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 T. olive oil
1 t. salt

Place the water in a large bowl and add the yeast.  Let soften for a minute or two.  Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and whisk until smooth.  Add the oil, salt and another cup of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon to form a soft dough that holds its shape. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle with a bit more flour. Knead the dough, adding just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, until the dough is smooth and springs back when pressed lightly with a finger—about 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in bulk—about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two pieces (for 12”-pizzas) and roll into balls. Cover with a towel and let rest for 10-20 minutes. The dough is now ready to be shaped, topped and cooked or frozen.

(Crust recipe adapted from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins)

Variation for a Whole Wheat Crust: Instead of unbleached all-purpose flour, use 1 ½ c. bread flour and 1 to 1 ½ c. whole wheat flour (the new “white” whole wheat flour is a good choice).

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Note (5 January 2017):  Since writing this post I have switched from dusting the peel with plain flour to using semolina flour.  While regular flour works fine, it isn't nearly as effective as semolina.  The coarser semolina acts like little ball bearings, allowing the crust to slide freely on the peel.  Furthermore, the semolina is not absorbed into the dough the way that all-purpose (or bread) flour is.  This gives you a much wider window of time in which to build the pizza.  I think I can say that I have never had a crust stick to the peel when I'm using semolina flour.  I keep a bag on hand, just so I can use it for my pizza peel.

Pumpkin Cake with Browned Butter Streusel



Today, in honor of the upcoming holiday—and for those of you who might not be crazy about pumpkin pie—I thought I would share my favorite pumpkin cake. Unlike most pumpkin cakes it isn't covered in cream cheese frosting (not that there's anything wrong with that). Instead it is a single layer cake topped with a lovely browned butter streusel. I find it to be positively addictive and during "pumpkin season" it is rare for me not to have several slices stashed away in my freezer.

This cake was inspired by a winter squash cake in Suzanne Goin's Sunday Suppers at Lucques. I have taken the browned butter streusel from her recipe with almost no alteration. I love the flavor browned butter adds....to vegetables (it makes a great simple sauce for asparagus or those Thanksgiving Brussels sprouts)...and to desserts. Earlier this year I posted a Pear & Dried Tart Cherry Crisp recipe that used browned butter in the topping and a couple of summers ago I posted a Butter Pecan Ice Cream recipe that featured browned butter.

If you have never made browned butter, check out the latter of those two posts for detailed instructions. If you have never tasted browned butter, you are in for a treat. It has a wonderful nutty flavor and consequently goes very well in desserts that include nuts. Its flavor is always accentuated by the presence of lemon or salt. One of the things that makes this streusel special is the simple inclusion of a little extra salt. If you are a person who is particularly drawn to the combination of salty and sweet, this streusel will hit all of your taste buttons.

The cake itself is an adaptation of a cake I found in the wonderful little cookbook Camille Glenn's Old-Fashioned Christmas Cookbook. I mention this for a couple of reasons. First of all, I always want to give appropriate credit for a recipe that is not my own—and while I have made enough changes to the recipe that I could get away with calling it mine, I know I wouldn't have come up with the recipe for this cake without her recipe as a starting place.

The other reason I wanted to mention Ms. Glenn's book is because it is a great resource for people who appreciate southern food and southern cooking. Camille Glenn was a food columnist and caterer who ran a cooking school in Louisville for many years. She was widely considered to be an authority on southern cooking. Her other book, The Heritage of Southern Cooking (Workman Publishing), is a treasure trove of reliable and authentic southern recipes. Both books appear to be out of print but would be worth seeking out if you love Southern food.

I don't think it is any secret that I love cake. In particular I love simple, unfrosted cakes—laden with fruit or topped with a streusel. I find these cakes to be eminently versatile. With a blob of whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar they can be served for tea.  Accompanied by a dollop of mousse, a scoop of ice cream, a pool of stirred custard or a fluffy sabayon...or possibly some fresh or poached fruit...they become a formal dessert. But most importantly (to me at least), they are especially fine served plain...for breakfast.

Such is the case with the pumpkin cake I am posting today. While it would be wonderful as part of your Thanksgiving spread—with whipped mascarpone...maple ice cream....or crème anglaise—I like it best for breakfast. But for those of you who aren't quite ready for something so sweet first thing in the morning—and who would be threatened with bodily harm if you didn't serve pumpkin pie at the big feast—you might consider making this cake and serving it as part of a holiday brunch.

Pumpkin Cake with Browned Butter & Pecan Streusel

Pecan Streusel:
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. light or golden brown sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
4 T. unsalted butter, browned (see below) and cooled
1/2 c. pecans, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon & salt in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle the butter over and stir with a fork until the ingredients are combined and have formed clumps. Stir in the pecans and chill until ready to use.

Pumpkin Cake:
2 c. cake flour (7 1/2 oz.)
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 c. solid pack pumpkin (or use fresh pumpkin purée—well dried)
1/2 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. light or golden brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Grease a 10- by 2--inch round cake pan, line with a round of parchment and grease the parchment. Flour the pan. Set aside.

Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, milk and vanilla. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides. This will take 3 to 5 minutes at medium-high speed.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition. Increase the speed to medium-high and briefly beat until the mixture lightens in color and expands in volume. By hand, fold in half of the dry ingredients, followed by all the liquid ingredients, followed by the remaining dry ingredients.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the cake.

Bake in a preheated 350° oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean—about 35 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Loosen the sides of the cake by running a thin knife around the edge of the pan. Turn the cake out of the pan. Cool the cake, streusel side up, on a wire rack.

Notes:
• To “brown” butter, place the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. As the butter begins to sputter and pop, whisk occasionally. The butter solids will begin to turn brown. When the solids are a deep golden brown and the butter has a pleasantly nutty aroma, transfer the butter to another container to stop the cooking process.
• If you don't have a 10-inch round cake pan, this cake may be baked in a 9- by 9- by 2-inch square baking pan. To see what it looks like when baked in a square pan, check out the post at Baking and Boys from a few weeks ago.

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