Tuesday, February 24, 2009

TWD: Caramel Crunch Bars


Whitney from What’s left on the table? chose Caramel Crunch Bars for this weeks Tuesdays with Dorie. You can find the recipe on Whitney blog or on page 112-113 of Dorie Greenspans cookbook "Baking From My Home to Yours".

These were easy to make and taste great. The little bit of coffee and cinnamon flavor really shine in these cookies. Although they are maybe a little too sweet for my taste, the family really liked them. Great choice Whitney!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

TWD: Devils Food White Out Cake


Stephanie of Confessions of a City Eater chose this weeks Tuesdays with Dorie baking project and what a project it was...I think everyone was waiting for this recipe to be picked since it is on the cover of Dorie Greenspan's cookbook "Baking From My Home to Yours".

I've learned over the months that I've been baking along with the TWD group, that it's very, VERY important to read Dorie's recipes through and then read them again and maybe even read them a third time to make sure I know exactly what she's saying. For instance, in this recipe I wasn't sure when making the frosting what stage the egg whites needed to be whipped to before I started adding in the syrup, because she says to begin whipping them on medium, but if they get firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches 242 degrees then you have to slow them down. I personally would like information that said beat the whites until they were at such and such stage, then add the syrup, which should be 242 degrees. And then if she would want to add the part about how she might want to go about doing that, at least I would understand where I wanted things to be when they go together. I know...picky-picky. I just have a difficult time understanding what she's saying many times. I get so caught up in the recipe, I forget to take pictures as I go. Oh well!


After reading the P&Q this time and everyone having problems with the cake rising very much, I was a little hesitant to try. And I didn't have 8 inch round pans. But I found a couple of 8 inch square ones and decided to give it a go anyway. And of course, my cakes didn't rise very much either. One of the difficult tasks of this recipe was cutting the layers in half since they were so flat anyway. The picture on the cover has much fatter layers than my cake!! But the cake does taste delicious! More like a cakey brownie! The frosting tastes like whipped marshmallow and the mix of the two is just pure bliss.




Yum! Thanks Stephanie for a great choice! Go check out the recipe on Stephanie's blog and taste it for yourself!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

TWD: World Peace Cookies


These cookies are definitely yummy enough to create world peace! Jessica of cookbookhabit chose World Peace Cookies , for Tuesdays with Dorie this week. The recipe is on pages 138-139 of Dorie's cookbook or you can get the full recipe on Jessica's blog.

When I was mixing these up and the directions said to pulse the mixer on low and that the mixture would be kind of crumbly, I had no idea how crumbly Dorie meant. I really never thought I was going to get them into a roll to refrigerate them to slice them later! I dumped a bowl full of barely mixed flour on the counter. Somehow I got the two logs rolled and in plastic wrap. Slicing them was a new adventure. I had serious doubts that they would even come out at all! But yummy they are...so rich and dark and deliciously chocolate! The taste of the salt with the sweet of the chocolate was just another wonderful surprise! Luckily my cookies didn't come out too large...I don't think I would have wanted a larger cookie, they are so rich! I've never made a cookie without some other kind of liquid or egg or anything else to hold it together! But it works...













...and warm from the oven - they were especially yummy! Thanks Jessica!