A Kitchen Keeper Original - Maple Walnut Chiffon Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There's a place on memory lane where retro recipes are safely stored. They're carefully filed away, waiting for another generation to "discover" them. Today's recipe, an outstanding chiffon cake, is one of them. The chiffon cake has quite a history. It became an overnight phenomena in the late 1940's. It had been created prior to the great depression by Harry Baker, an insurance agent who became a caterer. He kept the secret of his remarkably airy cake for two decades before selling the formula to General Mills. His secret recipe used vegetable oil instead of conventional shortening. General Mills released the recipe for chiffon cake to Better Homes and Gardens magazine where it was advertised as the first really new cake in a hundred years. The magazine sponsored on-going contests that caused the mania for chiffon cake to last for at least two decades. Chiffon cakes were a wonder to home bakers. They combined the richness of butter cakes with the light spring of an angel food or sponge cakes. The cakes were unusually moist, but they were not that all easy to make. Not everyone mastered the beating of egg whites that was required to produce the towering cake. As the bundt cake became popular, fascination with the chiffon cake waned and most busy women turned to desserts that were easier to prepare. I continued to make them because one of my children loved chiffon cakes, and, for years, this maple-nut masterpiece was the one he requested for his birthday. This weekend, I decided to pull the recipe for the cake from storage to see if it still passed muster, and I must admit I had forgotten just how good it actually is. I know you'll love this one. I hope you'll be able to make it for your family and friends. Here is how it's done.

Bob's in the Kitchen - Walnut Fudge Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have five desserts that I can make, and most of them use ice cream as their main ingredient. This one is a bit different. Mary found the recipe for this pie and passed it onto me. It is really simple to make because it uses a frozen deep dish pie crust to hold the fudgy filling. If you like rich chocolate desserts you will like this quick mix pie. You can serve it with whipped cream or ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Here is the recipe.

Simply Scrumtious Walnut Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We've been buried in fog for the past several days. It's the kind you associate with Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper and the clopping of horse's hooves on the cobblestones of a back alley in Merrie Olde England. Around seven this morning, the Silver Fox joined me at the table, had a few sips of coffee and then went out on the deck. While I couldn't see him, I could here him pacing on the deck and knew instinctively that cabin fever had the man in its grip. He came back into the house and issued one of his famous urbi et Maria pronouncements, "We're heading to the coast, I want to be out of here by ten." Normally, I'd have been thrilled, but I had committed to bring something to a coffee the following morning. Wanting not to disappoint on either score, I did a quick search of my "keepers" and found this old recipe for a super simple, yet scrumptious walnut bread. Fortunately, I had walnuts aplenty and immediately started work on the loaves which I knew would be perfect for the morning coffee. While I had to use the microwave to help bring the ingredients to room temperature, once that was done it took all of ten minutes to make the bread and throw it in the oven. I dressed while it baked and left its care to the kitchen gods who have been very kind to me of late. Both the bread and I were ready for our ten o'clock departure. We headed toward the coast and by the time we crossed the Siuslaw River, the sun was shining. We spent the day learning how to crab and inspected  a three-master, called the "Sea Nile" whose owner may indeed have been. At any rate, downtown Florence, one of our larger coastal towns, was packed with folks who had the same idea as the sun-starved Silver Fox and he had to share the streets with them. We headed home and while our part of the valley was still smothered in fog, the aroma of the walnut bread as we walked in the door reminded me how very good this simple bread can be. I do hope you'll try the recipe. Make it the day before you plan to serve it and I promise you'll not be disappointed. Here is how it's made.

Maple-Walnut Tart

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite......and then a miracle occurred. Everything got to the table on time and I didn't cuss even once in the process. I have pictures and recipes that I'll be sharing with you next week because this was a meal that would work as well for Christmas as it did for Thanksgiving. Today's tart is a riff on pecan pie that I found in Fine Cooking magazine. It is a rich and delicious creation and it was the first of the desserts to disappear from the table. The recipe seems long, but the tart is not actually difficult to make. While the tart crust described in the recipe is lovely, a commercial pie shell would make short work of this dessert without harming the finished tart. If you like maple flavored desserts, do give this one a try. It is delicious. Quite rich, but delicious nonetheless. Here's how it is made.

Maple-Walnut Tart...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Fine Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
Pie Crust
1-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour + more for rolling
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 24 small pieces and frozen
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Cooking spray
Filling
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure maple extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:
1) To make pie crust: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor once or twice to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture is pebbly, with some pea-size bits of butter.
    Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of ice water together in a small bowl. Pour mixture through feed tube of food processor, pulsing to combine. Dough mixture should be moist but should not come together into a ball. If a small handful of dough pressed together does not adhere, add remaining 1 tablespoon ice water and pulse to combine.
    Turn dough mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Gather plastic around dough and press dough into a disk. Wrap tightly in additional plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
2) To roll crust: Let dough stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes to become pliable before rolling. Lightly coat a rolling pin with flour and roll  dough on a lightly floured surface into a 15-inch circle. Lightly coat a round 9-1/2 x 1-inch fluted metal tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Roll dough around rolling pin and carefully unroll over tart pan. Gently press it into bottom and up  sides of  pan without stretching. Trim excess, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold overhang inside  tart and press against sides to make a double wall about 1/4 inch higher than  tart pan (this will offset any shrinkage during baking). Wrap tart shell in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
    Position a rack in lower third of oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line tart shell with parchment and add enough beans or pie weights to fill shell. Bake on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet until  edges are firm and starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully lift parchment and weights from tart shell. Continue to bake until bottom of the shell is pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes more. Let cool on  baking sheet on a rack and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
3) To make filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, maple and vanilla extracts, and salt. Set aside.
     In a 2-quart saucepan, combine maple syrup and sugar and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture just starts to boil, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add butter, stirring until melted. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute.
    Slowly whisk warm syrup into egg mixture, drizzling it in about 1/4 cup at a time and whisking continuously to prevent hot syrup from cooking eggs.
4) To fill and bake tart: Fill tart shell with chopped walnuts. Carefully ladle filling over walnuts to within 1/4 inch of  rim (do not overfill; there may be a little filling left over). Bake tart until it is just set in the center, 30 to 40 minutes (if crust is golden-brown before filling is set, cover edges loosely with foil). Cool completely on the baking sheet on a rack.
    Carefully remove tart rim. Slide a long, flat spatula between  pastry and the pan bottom and transfer tart to a serving platter. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Latte

Two Years Ago Today: Coconut Bubble Bread

Three Years Ago Today: Puff Pastry Pillows with Blue Cheese Filling

Chocolate Brownie Clusters

Photo courtesy of Baking with the Cake Boss


From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These meringues actually have the taste and texture of brownies. They come from Buddy Valastro's new book , Baking with the Cake Boss. In their unbaked state, these cookies look, for all the world, like a genetic accident. By some miracle, probably related to his baking prowess and the marvels of kitchen chemistry, they manage to rise to the occasion and become something you'd be proud to serve to your family and friends. They contain just four ingredients and the dough, which is thick and gooey, is so sticky that it can only be dropped onto cookie sheets. You'll actually need two spoons to accomplish this. One for scooping and the other for dropping. I made two batches of these cookies, and while neither of my efforts looked as good as that shown in the book, they were, nonetheless, delicious. If you love the combination of chocolate and nuts you will enjoy these brownie-like bites. It is important to use extra-large eggs when you make them and I would suggest you spoon, rather than pack, the sugar and cocoa into cups for measuring. Sifting is also important. The finished cookies are not pretty things, but they are delicious. I hope you'll give them a try. Here's the recipe.

Chocolate Brownie Clusters...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Buddy Valastro

Ingredients:
3 extra-large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 cups powdered (10X) sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups unsalted raw walnut halves

Directions:
1) Position a rack in center of oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F.
2) Put egg whites and lemon juice in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment. (Be sure the bowl is immaculately clean). Whip on low speed for 2 minutes, then on maximum speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
3) Sift sugar and cocoa powder into bowl together, then fold into batter with a stiff spatula until batter is smooth and shiny. Fold in walnuts, until they are well coated with the batter.
4) Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, using nonstick spray or a dab of butter in each corner to glue paper in place. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 1/2 inch apart, being sure each tablespoon has about 3 or 4 walnuts in it.
5) Bake until outside has crisped and bottom starts to pull away from parchment paper, 15 to 20 minutes.
6) Remove cookie sheet from oven. As soon as clusters can be moved, use a spatula to transfer them to a rack and let them cool. Enjoy cookies right away, or store when completely cool in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Yield: 18 cookies.







One Year Ago Today. Pink Grapefruit Salad Dressing
















Two Years Ago Today: Torpedo Rolls

Muhammara

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's hard to believe the year is coming to an end. At dinner tonight Bob and I will toast absent friends and I want you to know that all of you are included in that number. We have no special plans for the evening, though we will be hosting a brunch on New Year's Day. I have made some very simple finger foods for the two of us to nibble on as wile away the countdown to midnight. I've actually made three dishes and a coin toss determined which I would share with you today. Muhammara, a hot pepper dip, won. This is a Turkish dip that I had for the first time this year. As you scan the recipe ingredients you'll see that there is nothing here not to like. It is very easy to make and if you keep pomegranate molasses in the pantry, you can have it on the table in 10 minutes. It is usually eaten as a dip or spread, though it also makes a wonderful sauce for grilled meats and chicken. It's important to use fresh bread crumbs and toasted walnuts when you make this. They add flavor and texture that can't be achieved with easier substitutions. I hope you'll give this dip a try. It is additive and I think you'll like it. And because it's New Year's Eve, I thought I sneak in the latest pictures of our younger grandsons. They're sweeter than muhammara but just as addictive. They are, however, more work.Their photos are at the end of this post. Here's the recipe for this wonderful Turkish dip.

Muhammara...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry
2/3 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted lightly and chopped fine
2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
toasted pita triangles as an accompaniment

Directions:
In a food processor blend together peppers, bread crumbs, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste until mixture is smooth. With motor running add oil gradually. Transfer muhammara to a bowl and serve it at room temperature with crudities or pita triangles. If not served immediately refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve at room temperature. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.







One Year Ago Today: Bouillabaisse la Marseillaise
















Two Years Ago Today: Mexican Beer Cheese Spread

Cauliflower and Walnut Cream Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This soup is an example of a dish I never would have made in the days before you joined me at the table. I did not like cauliflower and the pictures I had seen of soups made from it look bland and unappealing. Had it not been for one I was served while traveling, that would probably still be the case. I liked that soup well enough to look for recipes that would allow me to duplicate it once I was home. I found one in a book called The Soup Bible. Their recipe used just five ingredients and was table ready in less than an hour. My readers, at the time, were looking for really easy recipes that could be prepared quickly. I thought this would be perfect for them if it passed the taste test. I set to work and prepared the soup, following specifications to a tee, save for the fact that I used brown chicken stock to make it. I had no clear broth in the house and decided to go with what I had, rather than make a market run. That proved to be a mistake, not from a taste perspective, but because of the color it gave the soup. It should be creamy white and mine was beige. Bob and I each had a bowl of it and despite the color, thought it was great. I decided to hold off on pictures until I had the morning light, so I poured the soup into a container, gave it a good stir and put it in the refrigerator for the night, never thinking that the paprika, that had been used as a garnish was now incorporated into the soup. The next morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I got ready to photograph my creation, only to find the beige soup of the previous evening was now verging towards brown on the light spectrum. I never posted the recipe, but I thought the sight of my brown cauliflower soup might bring a smile to your face, so here it is. The recipe is sound and I think you'll enjoy the soup, if you use a clear broth and remember not to stir paprika into it before it's served. Here's the recipe.

Cauliflower and Walnut Cream Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of The Soup Bible

Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower
1 onion, chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups milk
1/4 cup walnut pieces + chopped walnuts for garnish
Salt and pepper
Paprika for garnish

Directions:
1) Trim cauliflower and break into small florets. Place cauliflower, onions and both into a large saucepan.
2) Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer, covered, until cauliflower is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add milk and 1/4 cup walnuts. Pour into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
3) Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Return soup to saucepan and reheat. Sprinkle with paprika and walnuts. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.









One Year Ago Today: Kimpira Gobo - JapaneseBurdock













Two Years Ago Today: Guacamole








You might also enjoy these recipes:
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Parmesan - Snappy Gourmet
Lazy Cauliflower Soup - Food and Feminism
Roasted Cauliflower Soup - The English Kitchen
Cauliflower Soup with Creme Fraiche - The Harried Cook
Curried Cauliflower Soup - A Spoonful of Thyme

Walnut Coffee Cake - Blue Monday

Trafalger Square








As you read this, we'll be on our way to Texas for the first leg of our Christmas adventures. We'll be in Austin through the 26th and then head to Connecticut to meet our newest heir and greet the New Year. While my correspondence may suffer, there will be a new recipe and a, hopefully, pithy observation each day I'm gone, so please don't be strangers. I'll do my best to respond to your comments, but should reality trump intent, know I'll be back and in fine fettle for the New Year.

The walnut coffee cake featured today is the very nicest surprise of my Christmas baking adventures. I stumbled on the recipe and clipped it to use as a filler, never expecting it to become a holiday superstar. It is a wonderful yeast bread that is decidedly simple to make. It requires patience rather than kneading. The dough is mixed and then put to bed for the night in the refrigerator. It is filled, rolled and baked the following day. While there are several steps required to make this, none of them are difficult and no special equipment is required. The loaves can be frozen, but if you choose to take that route don't frost them until they've been thawed and are ready to serve. The loaves are very sticky, so don't let them sit for more than 15 minutes in their pans. When you turn them out, cover your cooling rack with plastic wrap or parchment paper to keep them from sticking to the ribs of the rack. Once cool, they'll be fine and the paper can be removed from the bottom of the loaves. This cake comes very close to being my all-time favorite coffee cake. It would be in first place if it weren't for the fact I know that there is another one out there that is just waiting to be discovered. On a scale of one to five, this cake is easily a five. Please try it.

Over-Night Walnut Coffee Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Epicurean.com

Ingredients:
Dough
4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
4-1/2 teaspoons (2 pkg.) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs
1 cup cold milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons melted butter
Filling:
3/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon hot water

Directions:
1) In large mixing bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt. Cut in butter until it resembles corn meal.
2) In small bowl, combine yeast with 1 tablespoon sugar and warm water; stir to dissolve.
3) In another bowl, combine eggs, milk and vanilla; stir until well combined. Stir in yeast mixture, then add to flour mixture with a wooden spoon mixing until well combined and a rough dough forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.
4) When ready to proceed, cream butter. Gradually beat in gradually beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread 2 tablespoons of mixture in bottom and up sides of two 9 x 5 loaf pans. Reserve remainder for filling. Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped nuts in bottom of each pan.
6) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
7) Divide dough in half. On lightly floured board, roll each half to a 10 x 18 inch rectangle. Spread each half with remaining filling, then sprinkle each with 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Cut each half cross wise into 3 equal strips, 6 x 10 inches long. Starting at long edge of each strip, roll up jelly-roll style to form 10-inch long rolls; twist slightly. Braid 3 rolls together; place in pans, tucking ends under.
8) Bake for 50 - 55 minutes. Remove from pans; frost when cool.
9) To make frosting, place powdered sugar, butter, corn syrup and water in a small bowl and combine until smooth. Add additional water as need to make a heavy but pourable icing. Yield: 2 loaves/cakes.

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

Circassian Chicken - Cerkez Tavugu

Circassian Chicken is a Turkish wonder that's seems to be lost in time. The dish is like an extremely nutritious and flavorful chicken salad. While it still graces the meze tables of Turkey and once graced sabbath tables in the ghettos and shettles of North Africa and Europe, it's never gained popularity in the United States. The dish, a poached chicken in a walnut sauce, was brought to Turkey by slaves from Georgia. Jews who settled in Turkey following their expulsion from Spain, adapted the dish to their dietary rules. The prohibition of cooking on the Sabbath gave rise to meals, such as this chicken, that could be made ahead and kept warm in the dying embers of the stove or fireplace. This is one of those dishes that looks much harder to do than it actually is. Years ago, the grinding of nuts was a chore, but blenders and food processors have made swift work of a once tedious task. You can have this chicken on the table in an hour. It's not expensive to make and I think you'll like it, especially if you're looking to add a "wow" factor to your meals. This is one of those dishes you should try before you die. Serve it with warm pita bread and crisp lettuce. You're gonna' like the way this tastes.

Circassian Chicken - Cerkez Tavugu

Ingredients:
3 pounds (about 6) boneless chicken breasts
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cups water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, divided use
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. shelled walnuts, finely chopped
5 slices white bread, crusts removed, finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons paprika, divided use
3 tablespoons walnut oil

Directions:
1) Place chicken breasts and onion in a large skillet. Add water, lemon juice, cilantro and parsley. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, about 25 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove chicken, reserving stock. Set aside to cool. Shred chicken into bite size pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain stock and reserve.
2) While chicken cooks, place walnuts in bowl of a food processor with some breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon paprika. Pulse to combine. Add remainder of crumbs and pulse until fine. Slowly add reserved stock and puree until stock is like a thick soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3) Toss chicken with some sauce, reserving half for topping. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with remaining sauce.
4) Warm walnut oil and reserved 2 teaspoons paprika in a small pan. Drizzle over top of chicken. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons parsley. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

I'm sending this recipe to dp at Blazing Hot Wok for her Regional Recipes event. The country this month is Turkey.

Coffee Walnut Snack Cake

I put this cake together while watching the news last evening. I must admit I have a fractured relationship with television. It began when the BBC killed Inspector Morse, it worsened when I realized that dialogue on prime time series had fallen to 500 words or less and it ended when the networks began to sell opinion as news. The final nail in the coffin came when producers made entertainment and charm a component of cooking shows. I'm ashamed to admit I began talking, often rudely, to the TV and, while an intervention got me back on track, I'm constantly aware of how easily one can fall back into bad habits. Hence, I distract myself by multitasking - baking - when the set is on. This cake is simple to do. It can be made in two bowls with a wooden spoon and it follows in the European tradition of barely sweet pastry. I like to serve this with coffee for dessert or breakfast and, said she smiling sweetly, whenever the TV is on.

Coffee Walnut Snack Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals
1 tablespoon boiling water
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Confectioners' sugar
Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup crystallized sugar
2 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 tablespoon water

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. Set aside.
2) Place flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Add sugar and whisk again.
3) Combine milk, eggs. butter and coffee mixture in a second medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
4) Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Add chopped walnuts and mix together with a wooden spoon. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Set aside.
5) To make topping, mix flour, baking powder, salt, walnuts and crystallized in a small bowl. Add butter and use fingers to rub in until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle in apple pie spice and water and lightly work mixture to form loose crumbs. Sprinkle topping over cake.
6) Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan. Release sides and transfer to serving plate when completely cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Yield: 8 servings.