This Valentine’s day, I’m telling chocolate to move over. Now, please don’t get me wrong I love chocolate. It might even be my middle name but I think we’ve all done the chocolate dessert thing and it’s about time this sexy holiday meets its match with this McDreamy flavor – Vanilla – in this McCreamy dessert – Pots de Cremes. That’s right. I’m talking Vanilla. Who’s with me? Seriously, I don’t know anyone who does swoon at the first sniff of pure vanilla. So heady and intoxicating – it’s no wonder why my mom’s generation (and those before, I bet) used to dab a little behind their dainty ears before a party.

Speaking of parties, when I was a little one, my mom used to put on a Valentine’s Party for me and my Brooklyn gal-pals. Mom was a craft-y type (a DIY’er before her time – Who knew?) and, as the only girl out of 6 in her family and having her own 3 sons before having me, I think she just enjoyed a girly party now and then.

With pink, red and white as the parties’ color palate, steamers, balloons and cupids abounded in our downstairs kitchen. The table was filled with all the fixings for old-school Valentine making – scissors, glue, paper, dollies, and glitter galore. Little direction was given save Mom’s urging to “please peel the doilies apart and use one at a time”. Heart crowns were made, mobiles were constructed as were elaborate boxed valentines (made from my mom’s supply of pantyhose boxes. Raise your hand if you remember those Hanes boxes.) Not all of the creations were fancy-shmancy, some were blissfully simple and straightforward. “So Elegant” was often Mom’s discrete critique.  Everyone went home with their bellies full, and arms filled hearts.

Thinking about our Valentine’s Baketogether and the memories of Valentine’s Day parties past, nostalgia grabbed hold and I decided to combine the two and host a V-day Baketogether Party. Everyone gets creative, everyone has a full belly and ONE lucky participant will leave this party with this basket of McDreaminess courtesy of my very favorite vanilla -  Heilala Vanilla! Based in Tauranga New Zealand, these sumptuous Heilala vanilla products have a wonderful story behind them. “What started as a gift of land from a Tongan chief turned into an aid project and then a flourishing business…..” Read the rest of the Heilala Vanilla Story here. I’m so excited that Heilala is becoming available here in the US – Bristol Farms, some Whole Foods in Californi and Williams-Sonoma are carrying some of the products with more and more coming soon. Don’t forget that Heilala will happily ship their vanilla to you – anywhere.

What’s the prize?  That’s right.. It’s  “Vanilla To Make You Shiver”! <—- said with a NZ accent

Contents:
1- Heilala Vanilla Extract 100 ml bottle
1- Heilala Vanilla Award Winning Paste 100 ml jar
1- Heilala Vanilla Syrup 250 ml bottle
1-  Heilala Vanilla Sugar 330 gm
1-  Heilala Vanilla Beans- 2 bean tube
1-   Heilala Vanilla Tote Bag
Retail Value $100. HOLY MOLY!

Of course, we all know that Baketogether isn’t a competition, but.. This month, one lucky US or Canadian baketogether participnat will be selected by Random.org to win this bag of vanilla lusiousness shipped directly from Heilala. I love prizes. I love vanilla. I love vanilla prizes.

To Enter: Like with all Baketogethers you have until the end of the month, February 28, 2013 to enter. You need to do ONE things to enter:  linkup to your VANILLA baketogether recipe to this post via the linky thingy. You can submit multiple times as long as it’s a separate vanilla recipe. If you DON’T have a blog and would like to participate, send me a pic and a breif description of your dessert. I’ll tack it on to the bottom of the post and then you will be entered. I’ll let Random.org chose a winner on March 1, 2013. I’ll announce the winners officially via email and, of course, I’ll mention on Twiiter. You’ll have 24 hours to contact me (Abby@abbydodge.com or via Twitter DM) & tell me your mailing address Heilala willThe mail it out to you! If I don’t hear from you, sadly, I’ll move onto the next person.

If you are new to #Baketogether, check out the rules here: http://www.abbydodge.com/category/baketogether/ and let me know if you have any questions!

Back to the recipe….

Because this is a Vanilla Party, I’m going to ask that all Baketogether recipes use Vanilla as the star flavor. That said, vanilla doesn’t have to stand alone – vanilla loves dance partners as long as they don’t out shine her.

Here are a few ideas for switching things up but feel free to streeeetch your limits. We are, after all, baking together so show us what you’ve got.

Add a fruit  and/or a flavor:  pop a few raspbs in the bottom of each pot. I’ve also  added  nibs, herbs ( lemon basil?), spices and even citrus. Can you say five-spice powder? How about coconut? Bring it.

Change it up: Make it skinny (whole milk but don’t go less than that or they will be watery). Go with Honey over the granulated. Make it a brulee, ole! Caramel it! Churn into ice cream. Use it as a sauce. Add some cornstarch and make it into pudding or pastry cream and, as I said, feel free to partner this wonderfulness with another flavor.

Add a drizzle or a glaze: Caramel? Chocolate? Double it up with a vanilla bean sauce? Sprinkle or nuts? Yes. Yes you can.

Double the recipe? Why not! You can even make just 2 of these pots (use 2 or 3 yolks and  a smig over 3/4 cup half and half) but I’d suggest you make the full batch.. it’s always nice to have a little extra.

Before you dive in, how about a few tips and pix for success?

Pot de cremes:

First off, I’ve written the pot de creme recipe using a modification of the traditional method. Here, I’ve microwaved (aka nuked) and steeped the half and half and the vanilla bean in the same measuring cup I used to, well, measure the half and half. Mixing the yolks in a saucepan eliminates the need for a bowl and I have skipped the re-heating of the liquid. If you don’t have a microwave, go with the traditional method. Let me know if you need some help with those dirx.

When  the yolk and half and half mixtures are just mixed (before cooking) , the liquid will be quite thin and foamy on top. In a french kitchen, this foam is called a mousseline and it will gradually disappear as the custard cooks.

Here’s a snap of the sauce after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking. It’s still very thin and it barely covers the spatula

After stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan.. ahh.. that’s better. Make sure not to boil this mixture. You don’t want a scrambled mess in your pot.

Run a finger across the spatula and the custard should hold the line. Perfect.

Here’s the finished custard. It’s thick and tinged with yellow and flecks of vanilla seeds. If you are not using the vanilla bean, stir in the extract of paste now. but do try and use a vanilla bean.

You can pour the custard straight from the pot into the ramekins but I like to pour the custard back into the 2-cup measure and then into the rammies. The spout makes for clean work.

Cover loosely with foil and bake until the centers jiggle like jello when you nudge the rammies. Baking times will vary depending on the thickness of the cups/ramekins you use so keep an eye on ‘em. If you think they are in danger of over cooking, lift them from the water immediately after you take them out of the oven. Using tongs wrapped with wide rubber bands make great, slip-free grabbers that are perfect for transfer duty.

The Sauce:

Adding some fruit preserves or jam to my berry sauce makes it doubly fruity and makes the finished sauce the perfect consistency. If you have your own frozen fruit and preserves, please use those. Unfortunately, Hurricane Sandy and subsequent week-long power outage stripped me of every last thing in my freezer and frig so I used store bought berries and jam. Oh and don’t forget to put a piece of plastic over the bowl BEFORE you put the top on – makes clean up much easier (works for blenders too).

Again, I ask, who’s with me? Go ahead, dab a little behind your ears. It’s time to get your Valentine Vanilla Baketogether on kids.

From Katherine! Entry #10  changed to #13

This is my first Baketogether and what a delicious one to start with. Abby’s Pots of Heaven are pure joy all on their own but since I love to tinker with recipes I had no problem coming up with several variations. I knew I wanted to add a brulee topping. It is like treasure hunting: break through the caramel to get to the custard reward. After much debate, I settled on a ginger flavoring (lavender was my runner-up). The wonderful thing about vanilla is that it goes beautifully with nearly every flavor. But ginger could easily outshine the vanilla, so I played it safe and came out with a subtle ginger background flavor that brought just a touch of zing to the pot de creme.

I followed Abby’s original recipe adding four 1/4″ thick slices of ginger to the half-and-half for steeping and substituting vanilla sugar for the regular sugar. I did use the traditional method of heating the half-and-half in a pot. I always taste as I go with recipes and I decided the ginger slices were not imparting enough flavor so I took out my potato masher and broke up the slices a little bit and let it steep for a couple of hours. Then I removed the large chunks of ginger and continued with cooking the custard.  Then I ran it through a strainer as that was the easiest way to remove the ginger and vanilla bean pods.
Before serving the chilled custards, I spread a thin layer of granulated sugar over the top of each one and used my broiler to caramelize the sugar. I didn’t get the prettiest caramelization but it tasted great.
From Claire! Entry #11 changed to #14

I took one can of dark sweet canned cherries, drained, liquid reserved, and added the cherries to the warm cream to steep.
After steeping, I put the cream through a strainer, keeping the cherries which I then rinsed quickly.  I proceeded with the recipe as written.
I took the reserved cherry liquid and reduced it to about 1/4 cup, added 1 tsp of lemon juice and a pinch of salt to make a sauce.
To serve, I removed a spoonful of custard and added a spoonful of sauce, a few chopped cherries and lemon zest.
My comments:  I don’t think I found the most flavorful canned cherries to work with.  things to do differently: I would have chopped before steeping them to get more of the cut surface of the cherries to help flavor the custard.  I would have steeped the cherries/vanilla longer than 30 minutes.  I didn’t find that the cherried flavored the custard much if at all.  Maybe add a TBs of cherry liqueur to the creme?
The sauce was flavorful and a nice color

Over the past 18 months or so, our monthly Baketogether sessions have brought many of us from around the globe together under the umbrella of friendship, food and community. For me, it’s always a wonderful surprise to see who shows up in our virtual kitchen and to see how these creative folks have spun the recipe. The recipes are always impressive, creative and, most of all, inspiring. Each version of every recipe inspires me to push forward with new variations, renovated techniques, unique flavor pairings. In a sentence, your baketogether recipes have inspired me to be a better baker.

Of course, we Baketogether folks are always looking for new company in our kitchen. As I like to say .. “the more the merrier’! I bet you can imagine my absolute delight when my  friend, the venerable GREG PATENT himself reached out about BakeTogether! Along with being an incredibly warm, giving colleague, Greg is a brilliant writer, an American baking icon and one of my all-time baking heros. He’s written many books with these two as my personal faves – Baking in America and A Baker’s Odyssey. They hold a special place on my bookshelf as they should on yours. He is a baking genius hence his aptly named website: The Baking Wizard ! Grab a cup of tea or coffee and check out his site.. so much valuable, valuable info and recipes. Greg is also on Twitter. Follow @GregPatent – I do!

Greg and I had been emailing about Baketogether and I bravely and humbly asked if he’d like a copy of my Mini Treats & Handheld Sweets. He said yes. I mailed the book. And.. he liked it. So much so that he asked for permission  to do a BakeTogether version of one of the recipes in the book. (really? Greg Patent wants to spin one of MY recipes? I giggled like a school girl.) Specifically, he inquired about the Orange Whoopie Pies with Orange-Honey Buttercream (page 112). To say I was and am honored, would be the world’s biggest understatement. We agreed that I would do a spin-off recipe as well and we would co-post in January. TODAY.

Here’s Greg’s recipe.

I’ll admit that I cheated a bit with my version of, well, my recipe. While I’ve switched up the flavoring of the Whoopie and filled them with a devilish, chocolaty velvet filling, I have only given you the recipe for the Whoops and not the filling. OK.. OK.. I can hear the name-calling from my office. Yes, I confess to being more than a little bit of a tease but, in my own defense, a girl has to at least try to make a living. Forgive me? I hope so.. You can find the filling recipe on page 118 of Mini Treats.

While this isn’t a “regulation” Baketogether, Let me know if you’d like to join me and Greg in spinning this Whoopie YOUR way. If so, I’ll add a linky thing so we can share. In the meantime, checkout Greg’s recipe.. It’s brilliant.

And, stay tuned for February’s Baketogether — there’s a BIG, sweet prize involved!

I’ll close this post as Greg and I have taken to closing our emails…

Whoopie!

I’ll admit that January isn’t my favorite month. Between the post-holiday let down, the clean-up, the frigid temps & cloudy days, I sometimes wish I could channel my inner bear and hibernate until the spring air wafts past my sleeping nose. Yet, year after year, as hard as I try to be bear-like, I’m reminded that hibernating isn’t an option. I am simply human and must forge ahead.

In my effort to keep that darned “glass” half full, I have a  Sunday afternoon ritual. I light a fire in the hearth, turn on some music (Thank you Santa for my Sonos – it’s life-changing and even, at times, sanity-saving), clean off my desk and turn on the stove. Sure, 90% of my days are spent on the sweet side of my kitchen but, during these wintery months, I spend a fair amount of time over on the savory side stirring up stews, soups and sautes. I really do. Of course, my family, used to days full of sweets, usually make cracks like ” wow.. I forgot you knew how to cook ‘real’ food” but their voices are soon quieted by the warmth in their bellies. Their silent, appreciative smiles are reward enough.

Today will be no different. With Ms T headed back to school and it is just me and Joe listening to some tunes (Joe prefers the classics on Sundays but you should hear what he listens to on the other days… crazy.), I’ll clean off my desk (OK..somewhat clean off my desk. judge-free zone, please), and head to the savory side to cooked up one of my easiest skillet stews – chicken paprikash. Sure, the stew is great on it’s own or served over egg noodles but I like to plunk the rich, thick & chunky stew  into bowls and top each with an easy-peasy pate brissee and bake ‘em up just before dinner. It just feels more homey and comforting. If I don’t have all for of us humans home for dinner, I wrap the extra, unbaked crock-o-pies and tuck ‘em into the freezer and pull them out as needed. Nothing quite like a hot meal at-the-ready.

Here’s hoping your glass is always half full. Cheers.

ps… While this isn’t an official #Baketogether recipe, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t treat it like one. Go for it. Spin the stew anyway you like. Throw in more stuff (beans are nice and so are hot chilies) or take out some stuff (don’t like ‘srooms? toss ‘em, I say.). As for the crust, here are a few thoughts. Have fun!

Optional flavors for the crust:
Add one of the following ingredients to the flour and salt mixture:
1/3 cup  (1 1/2 ounce) finely grated Parmesan cheese
OR
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
OR
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh herbs (be sure that the herbs are VERY dry or you’ll add too much moisture to the dough)

A couple of process-y shots:

Here you’ll see that I’ve rolled  and cut the dough to fit my wide-mouth bowls and I’ve used the butt end of a pastry tip to punch out a hole for the steam to escape while they bake.  Adjust the pastry circle’s dimensions to suit your bowls and use whatever you like to cut the dough. X marks the spot works well too.

I bake the stew-filled bowls on a foil lined baking sheet to catch any drippings. For me, clean-up needs to be easy – I do enough dishes in a day. You can also see how I’ve pushed the dough down into the the bowl. This allows the excess to fare up around the edges. All that’s left to do is press this 1/2 inch or so of dough against the sides of the bowl.

A few weeks back, I guest hosted on Martha Stewart Radio “Cooking Today” and, boy o’ boy, did I have fun.  Here’s a shot of my “deck”.. There isn’t much better than spending 3 hours with your food-loving pals gabbing about, well, food. Gail Dosik (onetoughcookieNYC.com), Susie Middleton (sixburnersue.com), Marcy Goldman (betterbaking.com), Martha Holmberg (Modern Sauces is her HOT book), Victoria von Biel (organicgardening.com) and, last but never least, Mark Oldman (markoldman.com) all visited. We gabbed, giggled and, yes, we talked about food and I tasted sparklers & white wine with one of today’s wine masters.

I also shared one of my new holiday cookie recipes – Spicy Ginger Slice ‘n Bakes. It’s such a lovely cookie for anytime of year but, with its warm, spicy flavors and the crystallized ginger, I decided I had to make it December’s #BakeTogether (I’ve also had more than a few email requests for the recipe.)

Before we get to the recipe, a few pics from my week at Martha Stewart Living Radio.

Take a look at these cookies that Gail brought along. They didn’t last long..

And yes.. me and Gail laughing. There’s a surprise for you.

Do you know Mark Oldman? If not, you must. He’s brilliant and brilliantly  fun. He had me in stitches and, yes, I was laughing so hard that I even snorted on-air. Don’t judge.. he’s hilarious.

OK.. back to our cookie..

Here are a few ideas for switching things up but feel free to streeeetch your limits. We are, after all, baking together so show us what you’ve got.

Feeling nutty? We #baketogether folk just love the nutty. You can add in a chopped toasted nut (pinenut would be lovely or even pistachio) instead of the crystallized ginger or, go ahead and add both.

Change the shape: This dough can be shaped in rounds, squares, rectangles, oh my.. and, yes, it can even be rolled out into sheets and cut into holiday shapes.

Change the flavor: Remember, you can switch this puppy up and skip the the gingers altogether. Maybe you want a pure cinnamon cookie? Maybe dried fruit & citrus number? How about Lavender & Earl Grey snap? I make this one often (holler if you want measurements) How about adding in a little texture? Cornmeal & Lemon_Ginger anyone? How about a Toasted Coconut Slicer? Or, perhaps you want to make this guy a savory snap to enjoy with some bubbly. Feel like going rouge with toasted walnut and some blue cheese anyone? To all these and more, I’ll simply say “yes, please”!

Add a drizzle or a glaze: Caramel? Chocolate? Vanilla bean? Yes. Yes you can.

You could also go classic Peppermint Chocolate (see below), like I did in my new book Mini Treats & Handheld Sweets.. Check out the book trailer up there ::pointing:: on the right hand column.

If you are new to #baketogether – Welcome! Read this short bit about how we roll:  “rules”. And please upload the BakeTogether badge to your site – it’s up there on the right side of the site.

It’s all about balance.. it’s all about flavor and it’s all right here in this month’s #baketogether. So, go ahead and stretch your limits,  find your balance and share your brilliance.

Happiest & Healthiest of Holidays my friends! We’re going savory in January.. Be ready.

Abby

If you’ve read any of my books, you know that I owe a debt of enormous gratitude to my dear friend Claire for testing many, many of my recipes and offer her suggestions & comments along the way. I heard from Claire just before our homeotwn cookie exchange. She told me that she was “going all Baketogether” this year with a Toasted Coconut Slice n Bake dipped in chocolate version of this month’s cookie. All I can say is that her cookies (with 1 1/2 cups of toasted, sweetened coconut) didn’t last long at all in my house.

BREAKING NEWS! The winner, chosen by Random.org, of the “BakeTogether Gift Basket via Red Star Yeast is…… Carol Sacks!!!!!

This Baketogether is late. I know and I’m sorry. A  hurricane and a snowstorm put me more than a bit behind schedule for this and, oh, about a hundred other things on my to-do list. Enough with my excuses. Let’s get our BakeTogether on!

This month’s recipe is Whole Wheat – Honey English Muffins. Yes. It is a re-post and not just because it’s perfect for Holiday breakfasts and brunches. Truth told, I’m dying to see the many, many ways you guys can change up these babies. Because of the delay, this BakeTogether is extended to December 15, 2012 AND because I had such fun with the September BakeTogether giveaway, I thought we should do it AGAIN. Why not, right?  And what’s better and ever so appropriate to give away than one of the VIP Platinum Packages from my friends at Red Star Yeast. Three cheers for Red Star!

**NOTICE: December’s BakeTogether will be posted on time and run concurrently with this one.**

Before we get to the recipe, let’s talk a minute or two about what these muffins are.. and what they are not. In the magazine and cookbook business, we  call this “managing reader expectation.”  There is nothing worse than getting a reader email that starts with “…I was expecting something much different….”. In cookbooks and mags, this managing usually happens in the headnote but here in my blog world, I don’t include a proper headnote..

• This is a soft and slightly sticky dough but not a pourable, crumpet-like one.
• While it will take a bit longer to knead than a traditional bread dough, shaping is very similar to making rolls. The rounds should be about the size of a blood orange and have a taut outer surface and a firm, pinched seam on the bottom.
• I use my Calphalon non-stick griddle to ‘bake’ these muffins but you can use a regular skillet as well. You might, however, need to add a touch more butter to the skillet and reduce the heat some so they don’t stick or burn. If you do make changes, be sure to jot them down so you’ll remember the next time out.
• The finished texture of the muffins is coarse and a bit chewy but don’t look for those big nooks & crannies – they won’t be there. A cautionary reminder: Resist the urge to split these muffins in half with a knife as it takes away the numb-y texture. Use a table fork and go the old-fashioned way. Yeah, it will take an extra 30 seconds or so but you’ll thank me for the reminder.
• The recipe makes 6 muffins that will stay fresh and delicious at room temperature for 3 days or so (my batch sustained me through 5 days of hurricaine-related power loss) but they also freeze beautifully.

Here are a few ideas for switching things up but feel free to streeeetch your limits. We are, after all, baking together so show us what you’ve got.

Feeling nutty? I thought so..

Change the shape: I see loaves, boules, and possibly even rolls in this dough’s future.

Change the flavor: Ginger? Dried Fruit? Multi-grain? Oatmeal? Molasses? To these, I’ll simply say “yes, please”!

Make It Mini: Shameless, I know, to plug the new book,(have you seen the book trailer up there on the right column?)  BUT in my defense, I really do mean that these giants can be made mini or, at the least, smaller.

Deets on the Platinum Giveaway from my friends at Red Star Yeast:

One winner will receive: A VIP package that includes yeast samples,  coupons of Platinum yeast, a beautiful cutting board, and chic, black half apron. You want this package – trust me.

To Enter: You have until  midnight EST December 15, 2012 to enter. Open to US and Canada residents only (sorry!). You need to do ONE thing: linkup to your baketogether recipe to this post via the linky thingy. If you don’t have a blog, you can still be entered by emailing me a pic and short desccription of your muffins – I’ll add them to the post. I’ll let Random.org chose a winner on December 16, 2012. I’ll announce the winner officially via email and, of course, I’ll mention on Twiiter. You’ll have 24 hours to contact me (Abby@abbydodge.com or via Twitter DM) & tell me your mailing address and my friends at Red Star Yeast will mail it out to you where ever you live! If I don’t hear from you, sadly, I’ll move onto the next person. Disclaimer: Prize is provided and shipped by Red Star Yeast.

AND THE WINNER IS>>>Dorothea! I’ve emailed you!!

I had a very different type of post planned for tomorrow. The recipe is the same but, originally, I had wanted to include a conversation about my Mom’s breakfast ritual of English muffins and my hankering for homemade version of her fave. But.. with Hurricane Sandy barreling towards us, I’m not even sure I’ll have electricity come Monday morning so I’ll save my thoughts on the importance of a mother’s influence on a child (It’s the small stuff that makes the most difference) and get you this recipe asap not just because of the giveaway opportunity via my friends at Red Star Yeast but because I think you-who-have-power might just need to make these right now. They are giant-sized, earthy-flavored muffins with just a touch of honey sweetness that toast up perfectly – all the garnish needed is a smear of unsalted butter. My mom would have loved them and I think you will as well..

My friends at Red Star Yeast recently sent me samples of their new yeast “Platinum” and, seriously, the timing could not have been better. I was just about to mix up a batch of these muffins using their Quick-Rise yeast (which I use on a regular basis) so I couldn’t resist their offer to try this new one and, frankly, I was impressed with the results. Along with several batches of these muffins, I made my potato bread and my boule and I noticed the biggest difference with these loaves. English muffins require the traditional double rising method to ensure height and texture but, with the loaves, I followed Red Star recommendations , watched Gesine’s fab video (she really is a dear) and let the dough ‘rest’ only 10 minutes before shaping, rising and baking. Anything that saves time without sacrificing results is brilliant.

Ok.. I’m off to brew a cup a tea and toast up my last muffin before the storm hits. Wishing everyone in harms’ way safety and wellness.

A

ps.. you may be getting a sneak peak at November’s BakeTogether recipe. And there maybe prizes, too… Tune in Monday November 5th for the announcement.

Deets on the Platinum Giveaway from my friends at Red Star Yeast:

One winner will receive: A VIP package that includes samples  + coupons of Platinum yeast, a beautiful cutting board, and chic, black half apron. As an added bonus, the winner of this giveaway, chosen via random.org , will also be entered into a grand prize drawing for a ‘Platinum’ KitchenAid Mixer courtesy of Red Star Yeast.. who doesn’t love that?

To Enter: You have FIVE chances to win. Leave up to FIVE separate comments on this post telling me about your biggest baking fears. Really, I want to know.

The Giveaway begins October 29, 2012 and comments will close at midnight EST on Sunday November 4, 2012 .Open to US  and Canada residents only.  The winner will be chosen via Random.org and I will notify you by email on Monday, November 5, 2012. You’ll have 24 hours to respond before another winner is chosen.  Prizes are provided and shipped by Red Star Yeast. Grand prize drawing will be held on November 12, 2012 and you will be contacted by Red Star Yeast if you are the winner.

Disclaimer: My friends at Red Star Yeast sent me samples of Platinum yeast for testing purposes, a platinum package  (described above) and sponsored this post but my opinions, as always, are 100% my own. I would never steer you wrong.

Tuesday Morning: With a steady chilly rain pelting my kitchen windows, I reheated my tea and gave my pal Cathy Barrow a call. It had been ages since we talked and I was desperate for a solid catch-up. Cathy is a lovely person, a good & trusted friend and colleague. She’s also a wildly talented cook and writer. If you don’t know her, you should. Check out her mad skills at Mrs.Wheelbarrow’s Kitchen.

In the course of our convo, Cathy asked me about the new book and how it was going.. I think she said “Now that the book is out, are you relieved?” With a hoot and a snort (yes, I snort on occasion), I belted out a “hardly relieved.. in fact, this part is the most terrifying!” As I explained to Cathy, writing the book and developing the recipes is my pleasure… promoting and selling the book is my job. I liken the book writing and selling process to hosting a dinner party. First, you come up with the idea to host the party ~  book concept is born.  Next,  you are fully immersed in all the party planning. It’s such a creative rush ~  writing the book. Even getting dressed for the party is fun ~ book photography & video shoots. Then.. it’s moments until party time ~the book launch~ and fear and self doubt start creeping into my brain. The voices are whispering “will the guests come to the party ~ buy the book?” “Will they have fun at the party ~ like the book?” “Will they tell their friends about your great party ~ book?” “What happens if no one shows up to the party ~ buys the book?” Get my drift here? It’s nerve wracking and just to pile on here, this “party” is my career.. yeah.. no biggie. Cathy laughed and smartly said that she’s heard that “everyone loves Abby’s parties”. From your lips to cookbook buyers’ ears, Cathy!

Wednesday Morning: With the rain still coming down and the sky so dark it was  hard to believe it was daytime, I decide that this girl needed some serious comfort food to help erase those doubts, lift my spirits and work my way through the promote-the-book to-do list. Rice Pudding sounded just about right.  Not wanting to take the time to stir and tend the pudding over the stove, I piled my ingredients into my slow cooker, set the timer and walked into my little office to tackle the day. Two hours later, I sat here typing this post with a bowl (ok, it was a large bowl) of steaming coconut rice pudding topped with crunchy, toasted coconut. Heavenly. I swear rice pudding has healing powers..

Thursday Morning: The day is perfect. The sun is brilliant and the air is crisp and clean – a perfect day for rice pudding. And, yes.. I sit here finishing this post with a bowl of yesterday’s pudding.  Before I move over to the recipe here’s some shameless self-promotion: If you’d like to check out my “party” aka my new book,  Mini Treats & Handheld Sweets is available HERE with info HERE (book trailer coming soon). Also.. check out the slideshow of my kitchen & office and enter to win the giveaway over at Finecooking.com. It’s a few of my favorite, must-haves for baking success including an amazing KitchenAid mixer courtesy of KitchenAidUSA. It’s a HUGE giveaway. Good luck!

The recipe:

While this pudding is technically not a #BakeTogether recipe, I can’t resist give you a few ways to switch this up ~ as for me, it’s all I can do to not eat it directly from the pot..
Here are a few add-on variations to gussy-up this homespun dessert.

Coconut Rice Pudding, Swedish-Style
Whip 3/4 cup heavy cream to medium-firm peak and gently fold into a batch of the chilled Toasted Coconut Rice Pudding. Delicious served with fresh raspberries along with the toasted coconut.
Gingered Pudding
Add 4 or 5 thin-sliced pieces of fresh ginger along with the coconut milk, sugar, rice and salt and proceed as directed and fish them out before. Serve pudding with toasted coconut, sliced fresh mango and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Classic Rice Pudding
Substitute 4 cups of half & half  (2 cups whole milk + 2 cups half & half works too) for the coconut milk and proceed as directed.

Coffee Rice Pudding
Make the Classic Rice Pudding as directed above and add 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules along with the vanilla and stir until dissolved.  Serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a crisp chocolate cookie.

*Ingredient note: medium grain rice – the same kind I use for my paella – is the only type that will work here. Long grain rice will dissolve completely and short grain will be a sticky, sticky mess. I have not trd this recipe with brown rice but I suspect that with a few tweaks it would work. Let me know if you try it.

Coming off the party-high from last month’s Mini Treats & Handheld Sweets Baketogether Party, I thought we could all use a small, elegant recipe that can truly swing #TeamSweet or #TeamSavory.  This recipe highlights a few classic techniques that we should all dust-off or learn a bit more about. This skillet souffle is a lovely, non-intimidating vehicle to exercise your whites-whipping & folding skills. You can do it!

- Disclaimer Alert: I extend apologizes to Team Savory as I had full intentions of making this recipe a savory one. But..  the season prevailed and the pears sitting on my counter were deliciously fragrant and the perfect firm-ripeness needed to make this skillet souffle into dessert. That said, this baby is just asking to be some lucky baker’s dinner or lunch. See below for suggestions and then take it away Team Savory. I want to hear from and… you know thatI know who you are!

Oh and about the Party Gifts from last month… I liked that whole give-away thing so keep your eyes peeled for more books and good stuff in upcoming months..

Here are a few ideas for switching things up but feel free to streeeetch your limits. We are, after all, baking together so show us what you’ve got.

Add different flavors : I’ve used pears & Poire William (pear liqueur) but you can use pretty much any combo of fruit & booze. You can also add in herbs, spices, citrus (don’t forget ginger, my fave)..heck.. you can make the souffle chocolate and use lightly salted mixed nuts instead of fruit. Bring it.

Savory works too! Hey, Team Savory.. I’m talking to you. This little skillet souffle dessert morphs easily into a savory lunch served alongside lightly dressed greens. Maytag Blue & toasted walnuts? Breadcrumbs instead of fruit? Goat cheese, red peppers & herbs? Heck, yes!

Change the shape:  I’ve made this in a small, 8-inch skillet to make it a more manageable size for smaller households as well as making it a bit easier for beginner-souffle-ers. That said, you can make this bigger – use a larger non-sticker &  2x or 3x the batter – or go the more traditional route and make ‘em indies — butter and coat those rammies with sugar (or breadcrumbs if you are team savory). We like ‘em all.

Add a drizzle or a sauce: Caramel? Chocolate? Vanilla bean? Boozy Anglaise? To this, I’ll simply say “yes, please”!

Before you dive in, how about a few tips and pix for success?

I’ve cut the pear into 1/2-inch slices (see here for slicing tips) and sauteed them in butter in a non-sticker (very important) until they are just beginning to caramelize. When yours are tender and look like this (below), add the brown sugar.

Unlike regular souffles that usually begin with a very thick base, this is what the yolk mixture will look like before you add the beaten whites. A reminder that separating egg yolks from whites is easier when the eggs are cold BUT the whites whip up bigger and better when beaten at room temperature so please plan according.

This recipe only uses 2 egg whites but I still used my stand mixer – feel free to use a handheld or, if you want some upper arm work, whisk ‘em by hand. Regardless of your method, make sure to NOT over whip your whites. You want the whites to be glossy and just firm enough to hold a peak that flops over like this one. Saying “no” to firm, stiff peaks means that your whites will still have some growing-power when the souffle hits the oven.

Folding is not stirring. Period. For this recipe and most all that incorporate beaten whites into the batter, you’ll want to use a wide rubber spatula and a light hand to gently fold the two mixtures together. Think about using the spatula to lift the batters together and then gently fold them over the middle, turning the bowl slightly after each pass. In the beginning, the white and yolk mixtures will be very distinct. Need more help? Let me know.

And here’s the batter completely folded together. Can you see how I’ve barely lost any of the volume? That’s what you are shooting for to make sure your souffle, well, souffles.

Gently pour and scrape the batter over the re-heat pears and smooth the top just enough to make an even layer.

This baby is just out of the oven — POTHOLDERS PLEASE- I dust the golden top with a little confectioners’ sugar to keep the souffle from sticking to the serving plate. This isn’t a “must-do” but I like to do it. Now, working quickly and with POTHOLDERS hold the skillet in one hand and gently place the serving plate over the souffle with the other. In one motion, invert the skillet and plate. Lift the skillet..

…and voila. .. Serve this beauty asap or you’ll end up with a pancake. Granted, it will still be tasty but not the light and airy souffle you wanted.

From DrBabs:

“ this month’s soufflé really called to me.  I decided to join team savory and make it for dinner.  I used onions and gruyere cheese (with fresh thyme, and sherry in place of the Calvados), so it was a bit like French onion soup in a soufflé.  And I added mushrooms to the caramelized onions.  Just because.”

My friends, this isn’t just any ole Baketogether. No.. this month we are having a BakeTogether Party! Here’s your invite to this month’s Baketogether Party that will be filled with good company, great food, games and a PRIZE:

What’s the Occasion: The launch of my new book: Mini Treats & Handheld Sweets ~100 Delicious Desserts to Pick Up and Eat!  For more info on the book check it out here on my Web Ad (trailer & videos coming soon)

Who’s invited: Everyone! This is #baketogether, after all, and we keep good company.

Will there be food & games? Of course there will be. What’s a party without food & games? See the recipe below & let me know if you have any questions. Post your version and link it up below via the Linky thing + leave a comment with your Twitter handle and we will all virtually potluck together. If you are new here, check out The Rules.

What about prizes? We all know that Baketogether isn’t a competition, but.. This month, two lucky posters will be selected by Random.org to win one, personalized copy of Mini Treats & Handheld Sweets each! I love prizes.

To Enter: Like with all Baketogethers you have until the end of the month, September 30, 2012 to enter. You need to do TWO things: leave a comment with your Twitter handle on this post AND  linkup to your baketogether recipe to this post via the linky thingy. I’ll let Random.org chose a winner on October 1, 2012. I’ll announce the winners officially via email and, of course, I’ll mention on Twiiter. You’ll have 24 hours to contact me (Abby@abbydodge.com or via Twitter DM) & tell me your mailing address & how you want your book inscribed and my publisher, The Taunton Press, will mail it out to you where ever you live! If I don’t hear from you, sadly, I’ll move onto the next person. Disclaimer: The two copies of Mini Treats & Handheld Sweets are being donated & mailed by The Taunton Press and personalized by me.

Even in party mode, we begin with a recipe. It’s one I think you guys will have a lot of fun messing around with. A little background.. Last fall my friends Ken and Jackie hosted a #PieParty right when I was developing the recipes for this new book. I was working on two recipes at the time so I mashed-up  (#baketogethered) two recipes from the new book – the brown butter cookie crust from the Peach-Rosemary Mini Hand Tarts (page 55) and the filling from Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Phyllo Triangles (page 77). Lots of folks asked for the recipe and I promised that this would be the first recipe I published. Thanks everyone for being patient… and my publisher thanks you too.

Here are a few ideas for switching things up but feel free to streeeetch your limits. We are, after all, baking together so show us what you’ve got.

Add a flavor to the crust:  I’ve added  nibs, herbs, spices and even citrus. Can you say five-spice powder? Bring it.

Change the shape: These guys are mini but you can make ‘em round, or triangles or star-shaped or even make one whole tart or slab. We like ‘em all.

Change the filling: I used sauteed apples but you can fill with any number of cooked fruits or jams as well as adding other seasonings to your filling. Consider citrus, ginger and lemongrass or herbs, hot peppers, spices, or pink peppercorns. Heck.. you can even spike the filling with your fave liqueur or spirit. To this, I’ll simply say “yes, please”!

Add a drizzle or a glaze: Caramel? Chocolate? Vanilla bean? Sprinkle or nuts? Yes. Yes you can.

Before you dive in, how about a few tips and pix for success?

Take your time browning the butter. It’s not a race and good browning is important to the crust’s flavor that the butter solids are a nice, nutty brown..

You can see how supple, almost fluid, the dough is and check out the color. Deep, rich and gorgeous with thousands of tiny brown butter specs.

I cut around the core using a sharp knife with two swipes in each side and then cutting into cubes. Saves me a step and makes for easy work.

These babies are just about caramelized to perfection.. just a few more minutes.

Yes.. I’m that much of a baking nerd but, seriously, using a ruler and a sharp knife makes easy and accurate work of these hand tarts

These little pillows of goodness are glazed and sprinkled and headed into the oven.

and here they are again:

We’ve had a few brutal heat waves this summer and, during the last one, I made a bold decision that will affect you all. I decided that August’s #baketogether would be no bake. Yes. That’s what I said. A no-bake #baketogether.  But just because we aren’t turning on our ovens doesn’t mean we won’t be creating, together,  a wonderful, refreshing dessert with our own twists. It would just be too sad to skip a month. Oh, and did I mention how easy this one is to whip up and make ahead? It is.

We often chat about how inspiration for a recipe can come from anywhere and anything. Well, this little dessert’s origin is no different and, honestly, it is all about the sauce. Last week I had lunch with my pal, Gail. You know Gail, right? She who is a cookie and cake genius – her motto is “Cookies are a piece of cake.” Brilliant.  Her business  &  hilariously clever blog is One Tough Cookie INC and if you aren’t following her on  Twitter, do it right now. She’s @THEToughCookie. Anyway… we met up at Barbuto (lovely spot for lunch or dinner, btw) and immediately ordered a drink (Gail was practically on vacation and, being a good friend and all, I just couldn’t let her drink alone.). Gail’s tall, ruby-red drink, a “Brezza Fresca”, arrived and it had me at hello. Ice -cold, bursting with big berry flavor with a touch of lime, splash of sparkling water and, well, gin, this was one of the most beautiful and delicious drinks I’ve tasted in a long while. It was so good that I immediately thought that it should be on the dessert menu….. and now it is.. on our baketogether dessert menu alongside a vanilla-scented, smooth, rich ricotta panna cotta.

These two recipes are teed-up nicely for you creative, talented folks to play around with and show off your dessert-making mojo. But, before you rip open your gelatin packets, let’s do a quick review of the recipes along with a few suggestions for switching them up.

Ricotta Panna Cotta:

• I used store-bought, whole milk ricotta for this batch but, knowing you guys, I’m sure more than one of you will be making your own ricotta. Perhaps someone wants to try a low-fat version. Do it.
• Using a blender or food processor smooths out the ricotta texture but don’t feel like you must use it. Same goes for the ricotta – use it or not. Do your own thing.
• I used granulated sugar but this baby can be sweetened with all sorts of loveliness. Can you say “Maple” or “Honey”? Yes you can.
• I flavored this version with vanilla bean paste (courtesy of Heilala who kindly sent me a little of their heavenly vanilla to test drive). I love the visual of those millions of tiny seeds suspended in this thick, creamy-white custard. That said, I just know you all are going to wave your flavor wand over this mixture and come up with some awesome combos. How about steeping the dairy with corn kernels? Anyone?
• I used glasses — martini as well as mini parfait — as my vessels of choice but using something that can be unmolded is more traditional. For the asymmetrical look, arrange your empty glasses in the frig and rest them up against something (I used a loaf of bread) so that they are on a slight angle making sure they are positioned so you can still fill them. FYI: the mixture makes a smidgen over 2 cups so pls plan accordingly. Also, depending on what dairy you use and if you are unmolding, you may need to add a bit more gelatin. Whatever style you decide to make we will love. Promise.

And a few thoughts on the ‘sauce’:

• yes.. it is boozy but, no… it doesn’t have to be. I use gin but you can use whatevah you like. You say “tomato”… I say “tomato”..
• No, it doesn’t have to be raspberry but make sure you capitalize on one of summer’s shining stars. Did I hear someone say cherries? I hope so.
• Mix up the flavoring pairings and consider ginger and lemongrass, herbs, hot peppers, spices, or pink peppercorns.
• The recipe makes about 1 cup (not including the slash of sparkling H2O) but feel free to double or triple up on the goodness and freeze some. I did.
• Maybe you want to go rogue this month and just do something with the sauce. It would make a killer-good sorbet or, heck, how about a cocktail? Go for it you rebel you!

If you are new to #baketogether – Welcome! Read this short bit about how we roll:  “rules”. And please upload the BakeTogether badge to your site – it’s up there on the right side of the site.

And, finally, as I like to say.. It’s all about balance.. it’s all about flavor and it’s all right here in this month’s NO-BAKE #baketogether. So, go ahead and stretch your limits,  find your balance and share your brilliance.

Happy baketogether!

A