Pumpkin Tiramisu

Over Thanksgiving I wanted to make soemthing nontraditional. I had some mascarpone and some lady fingers hanging out in my pantry so I decided to make some pumpkin tiramisu. I wasn't completely sold on the final product but my sister in law and my husband liked it. I think it was a texture thing for me. Next time I will make it a little differently.

Now don't get all technical on me, I know this isn't really tiramisu- its missing a lot of components of tiramisu but it's my interpretation.

I wanted to let you know that Sugared Ellipses is having a Penzey Spice giveaway. How nice is that? And what perfect timing when everyone is baking, baking and of course baking! So go on now and check out the giveaway.

Pumpkin Tiramisu
Lori's Lipsmacking Goodness Original

2 cups pureed pumpkin
16 ounces mascarpone, room temp.
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup Tuaca (Italian liquor)
1 cup simple syrup
1/2 cup praline (I used hazelnut but I bet pecan would be outstanding)
16 plus Ladyfingers

Make simple syrup (1 cup water and 1 cup sugar, boiled and cooled) and add Tuaca to syrup. Place a single layer of ladyfingers in a 9 x 9. Drizzle half of syrup mixture over the ladyfingers.

In a bowl fold the pumpkin into the mascarpone. Stir in cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar. Slather half of the mixture down on the layer of soaked ladyfingers.

Place another layer of ladyfingers over the pumpkin mixture. Slather the remaining pumpkin mixture of the ladyfingers. Sprinkle with praline. Chill overnight.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or not- "Uppa tah you" (as my Nonna use to say)


Bench notes:
1. Next time I would use slightly less syrup (I already reduced it a little in this recipe). Uppa tah you...

2. I may even fold in some whipped heavy cream to the mixture.

3. Not have such a full stomach from Thanksgiving so I could actually enjoy it.

Recipes to Rival: Rye Bread

I have been on a search for a recipe that tastes like the pumpernickel you buy in the store. I love it. And those yummy pumpernickel pretzels are really good as well. So I was excited to see Temperance's, High on the Hog, recipe for rye for this month's Recipes to Rival Challenge- looking a lot like pumpernickel. I don't know maybe it was because I used Blackstrap Molasses. Maybe the recipe is not the same but I am sorry to say that this is not what I was looking for in pumpernickel. So if there is someone out there saying to yourself as you read this, "I've got a pumpernickel recipe for you." Please, please, please send it to me.

One of the highlights of this months recipe was finding out that adding wheat germ, milk powder and soy flour to some bread will up the nurtitional quotient quite a bit. "Back in the 1930's, a Cornell University professor named Clive McCay developed a bread recipe named Cornell Bread. It makes a complete protein that rats can live on exclusively. (The only reason that humans can't live on it exclusively is that it lacks vitamin C, which rats don't need.) The Cornell formula to enrich bread consists of 1 tablespoon each soy flour and nonfat milk powder plus 1 teaspoon wheat germ for each cup of flour used in a bread recipe. These enrichments are placed in the bottom of the measuring cup before the flour is spooned in." It's called McCay's Miracle Loaf.

So what exactly is the difference between rye and pumpernickel. I have read different opinions in baking books and on the web. I did a little research and found this information. "Light rye bread is made with the white rye flour made by grinding the rye berry’s center endosperm. The ground flour will not contain any of the outer seed coat, the bran or the germ so it will be fairly light in color as well as the bread made from it. For the dark rye bread, there are two ways that it can be made. The first one is exactly the way light rye is made but with coloring and some flavoring added like cocoa powder and molasses. The second way, which also seems to be more agreed upon as authentic, is where a different grind of rye flour than light is used. The flour is milled from the rye berry’s endosperm which is the part that contains more coloring pigments. The flour is usually ground more coarsely too... As for the pumpernickel bread, it is made from a kind of flour known as pumpernickel flour made from coarsely ground rye berries. In certain particular recipes, crumbs from other rye breads can be added to the pumpernickel bread dough. Pumpernickel bread loaves are usually dense and dark with strong flavoring. The flavoring is due to the fact that pumpernickel bread is usually steam baked at a low heat for over two hours, during which time flavors are formed in the bread and the natural sugar in the rye will darken and sweeten because of the long slow baking." (Click here for article. Source: Difference Between.net)

Old World Rye
A World of Breads by Dolores Casella, 1966
what I used in parenthesis

2 cups rye flour
1/4 cup (black) cocoa powder
2 T yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup (black strap) molasses
2 tsp (kosher) salt
2 T (ground) caraway seed
2 T butter
2 1/2 cups white flour or whole wheat flour

Combine the rye flour and cocoa. do not sift.
Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.
Mix molasses, 1 cup warm water, salt, and caraway seed in large mixing bowl.
Add the rye/cocoa mix, the proofed yeast, the butter and 1 cup white flour or whole wheat flour.
Knead until the dough is smooth.
Spread the remaining flour on a breadboard and knead it into the dough
Add more flour if necessary to make a firm dough that is smooth and elastic.

Place in buttered bowl and cover. Allow to rise until double (about 2 hours).
Punch dough down, shape into a round loaf and place on a buttered cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.
Let rise about 50 minutes.
Bake at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes.

Bench Notes (I love saying that- it makes me feel so professional):

1. If I were to try this recipe again I would use regular molasses.
2. I would use the black cocoa again because it gives the bread a nice color. And since I have some of it and I am not quite sure what to do with it besides make cholocate wafer cookies, I think I will use it for pumpernickel.

The Case of the Disappearing Sweet Potato Salad

A quick pic of this salad at dinner was all I could manage- twice now. I planned on saving some to take a nice pic the next day and... gone. All gone both times. It's really a winner of a salad. I saw it on Pinkstripes here and she saw it on Mark Bittman's site here. Of course it can be changed in a variety of ways to suit your tastes. It is so creamy and tastey. A very nice winter salad, chock full of nutrition.

Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad

1 avocado, chopped
1 red pepper or roasted peppers if you have them
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, minced
2 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa
2 sweet potatoes, cubed and roasted
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons plus balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1/4 cup chopped green onion

In a sauce pan saute red pepper and onions until soft. Add garlic and cook one minute more. Add balsamic and remove from heat. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. I like this salad luke warm.

Daring Bakers: Cannoli

Cannoli? Oh, yeah. This was something I have been wanting to do for so many years but probably would have never done it on my own. I hate the whole frying thing. But then yah know, it was Daring Baker challenge and it was Lisa Michelle (an amazing cook and pastry girl!) and I just had to participate. Ah, twist my arm- I am so on this.

Truth be told I am not a cannoli loving girl in the slightest. Mostly because I am not big on ricotta or even pastry cream. But lo and behold I have discovered that some mousse with mascarpone is an amazing filling for a homemade cannoli. And when you make it yourself the shells are so crisp. Not to mention that a little Marsala in the dough makes one fine tasting shell. Yum!

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.
The set up for cannoli production.

Lidisano’s Cannoli
Makes 22-24 4-inch cannoli
Prep time: Dough – 2 hours and 10-20 minutes, including resting time, and depending on whether you do it by hand or machine.
Filling – 5-10 minutes plus chilling time (about 2 hours or more)
Frying – 1-2 minutes per cannoli
Assemble – 20–30 minutes

CANNOLI SHELLS
2 cups (250 grams/16 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons(28 grams/1 ounce) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 3 grams/0.11 ounces) salt
3 tablespoons (42 grams/1.5 ounces) vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar
Approximately 1/2 cup (approx. 59 grams/approx. 4 fluid ounces/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala or any white or red wine you have on hand
1 large egg, separated (you will need the egg white but not the yolk)
Vegetable or any neutral oil for frying – about 2 quarts (8 cups/approx. 2 litres)
1/2 cup (approx. 62 grams/2 ounces) toasted, chopped pistachio nuts, mini chocolate chips/grated chocolate and/or candied or plain zests, fruits etc.. for garnish
Confectioners' sugar

Note - If you want a chocolate cannoli dough, substitute a few tablespoons of the flour (about 25%) with a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process) and a little more wine until you have a workable dough (Thanks to Audax).

CANNOLI FILLING
2 lbs (approx. 3.5 cups/approx. 1 kg/32 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1 2/3 cups cup (160 grams/6 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, (more or less, depending on how sweet you want it), sifted
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (4 grams/0.15 ounces) pure vanilla extract or the beans from one vanilla bean
3 tablespoons (approx. 28 grams/approx. 1 ounce) finely chopped good quality chocolate of your choice
2 tablespoons (12 grams/0.42 ounces) of finely chopped, candied orange peel, or the grated zest of one small to medium orange
3 tablespoons (23 grams/0.81 ounce) toasted, finely chopped pistachios

Note - If you want chocolate ricotta filling, add a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder to the above recipe, and thin it out with a few drops of warm water if too thick to pipe.

DIRECTIONS FOR SHELLS:
1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil, vinegar, and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight.

2 Cut the dough into two pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Lightly flour a large cutting or pastry board and roll the dough until super thin, about 1/16 to 1/8” thick (An area of about 13 inches by 18 inches should give you that). Cut out 3 to 5-inch circles (3-inch – small/medium; 4-inch – medium/large; 5-inch;- large. Your choice). Roll the cut out circle into an oval, rolling it larger and thinner if it’s shrunk a little.

3 Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube/form and dab a little egg white on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg white seal dry a little.

4. In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer's directions. Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags.

5. Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.

8. Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill.

9. Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough.

Pasta Machine method:
1. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Starting at the middle setting, run one of the pieces of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine. Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Pass the dough through the machine repeatedly, until you reach the highest or second highest setting. The dough should be about 4 inches wide and thin enough to see your hand through

2. Continue rolling out the remaining dough. If you do not have enough cannoli tubes for all of the dough, lay the pieces of dough on sheets of plastic wrap and keep them covered until you are ready to use them.

3, Roll, cut out and fry the cannoli shells as according to the directions above.

For stacked cannoli:
1. Heat 2-inches of oil in a saucepan or deep sauté pan, to 350-375°F (176 - 190 °C).

2. Cut out desired shapes with cutters or a sharp knife. Deep fry until golden brown and blistered on each side, about 1 – 2 minutes. Remove from oil with wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, then place on paper towels or bags until dry and grease free. If they balloon up in the hot oil, dock them lightly prior to frying. Place on cooling rack until ready to stack with filling.

DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING:
1. Line a strainer with cheesecloth. Place the ricotta in the strainer over a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Weight it down with a heavy can, and let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for several hours to overnight.

2. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl and stir in chocolate, zest and nuts. Chill until firm.(The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).

ASSEMBLE THE CANNOLI:
1. When ready to serve..fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain or star tip, or a ziplock bag, with the ricotta cream. If using a ziplock bag, cut about 1/2 inch off one corner. Insert the tip in the cannoli shell and squeeze gently until the shell is half filled. Turn the shell and fill the other side. You can also use a teaspoon to do this, although it’s messier and will take longer.

2. Press or dip cannoli in chopped pistachios, grated chocolate/mini chocolate chips, candied fruit or zest into the cream at each end. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and/or drizzles of melted chocolate if desired.



Pomegranate Mascarpone Mousse
I had some frosting and filling left over from my cake for my Mother's birthday. I folded one into the other and came out with the best tasting filling.

the filling:

16 ounces mascarpone
4 tablespoons POM syrup*
2 tablespoons PAMA (pomegranate liquor)
1 cup confectioners sugar
the seeds of one vanilla bean

Whip all ingredients together until throughly combined.

the frosting:

2 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1/4 cup sugar

In a small bowl combine gelatin with cold water and let sit for a mement. Then heat it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to disolve it. Remove and let cool to room temp.

In a cold metal bowl whip the cream until it forms bubbles, sprinkle in sugar and add pomegranate syrup. When the mixture is just about to form stiff peaks add in the gelatin all at once. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

*Pomegranate syrup: combine 2 cups POM juice with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar. Boil and reduce to half

Happy Thanksgiving 2009

Pilgrims and Indians made from yogurt cups.

Thanksgiving Delights
On Thanksgiving Day we’re thankful for
Our blessings all year through,
For family we dearly love,
For good friends, old and new.For sun to light and warm our days,
For stars that glow at night,
For trees of green and skies of blue,
And puffy clouds of white.We’re grateful for our eyes that see
The beauty all around,
For arms to hug, and legs to walk,
And ears to hear each sound.The list of all we’re grateful for
Would fill a great big book;
Our thankful hearts find new delights
Everywhere we look!By Joanna Fuchs
Happy Thanksgiving to all whether you live here or in another part of the world. Let every day be a day to give thanks for all that we hold dear in our lives.

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Here is one of my favorite Thanksgiving treats. I tried something different last year and did not like it as much as I like this one. So I went back to my tried and true recipe. Orange Cranberry Sauce. It's simple and simple is nice this time of year when things get a bit busier.

I made my cranberry salsa with the cranberry leftovers. I love that stuff.

Orange Cranberry Sauce
Lori's Lipsmacking Goodness

1 1/2 pounds cranberries
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 orange, juice and pulp
pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

In a food processor or blender, pulse cranberries together with sugar, cinnamon and orange juice. Pour into a glass bowl and let marinate at least overnight or up to two days. Fold chopped nuts in just before serving.

The Best Pancakes I Ever Had

We have a pancake recipe that I have been using for over ten years. It's what I have always used. Until two weeks ago. My husband decided he was going to make pancakes. He didn't want the usual recipe. He reached for the King Arthur Cookbook and pulled out the recipe below. He made them all I didn't do anything. That in its own right is a reason why they are the best pancakes I ever had. But really they were super delicious and they have a little extra nutrition than our old recipe didn't.

Oatmeal Pancake Mix
King Arthur- The All Purpose Baking Cookbook, Countryman

3 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats or quick oats
5 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tabeslpoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil

Grind oats in a food processor until they are chopped fine. Place the flour, oats and all the dry ingredients. Mix, drizzle vegetable oil into the bowl while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, grab a clump in your hand and see if it holds its shape. If it does, its just right. If it crumbles then, you need a bit more oil. The mix will keep at room temp in an airtight container for up to two weeks or indefinitely in the frig or freezer.

To make a batch of pancakes, use 1 cup mix, 1 cup buttermilk and 1 egg*. Mix and let it stand for five to ten minutes before cooking.

*Or if you are like my husband and want to double the protein, use two eggs. 'Cause that's how he rolls!