I'll do it!

Thank you to Pie Lady for hosting yet another wonderful dessert exchange. Dinner was outstanding. Here are the photos of most of tonight's desserts:



Cookie Monster's homemade turtles.



Pie Lady's Lavender Cookies



SueF's Cream Cheese Bundt Cake



Pie Lady's Clementine Tart



justjoan's Pecan/Orange Layer Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting





Izzy's "Brides Cake" - Flourless chocolate cake with strawberry compote and fresh whipped cream.


Cathy2's Chocolate Pie from "The Help"



Ms. Ingie's heart-shaped Pink Peppercorn Pavlova's with Sweetened Whipped Cream, Strawberries and Basil Syrup.

I didn't take photos of dinner. I'm fired.

Thanks all for coming and being so nice to my kitty! He thanks you for all the attention.

Izzy: you forgot your blue bowl! I'll bring it next time I see you.
Joan: the lavender was $3.49 for a bag at the Spice House.
Ms. Ingie: all the recipes below with a star are the ones you ate. In regard to the pie, it refers to the crust only. The filling of your tart was smoked mozzarella, provolone, basil, and ham off the bone.
For those of you that have sick minds like mine, you may enjoy Nick Lowe's song about Marie Provost's tragic yet delicious end: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWunemmwJHM

Some of you expressed interest in my recipes. Here they are:
Oven-Roasted Pepper Tart with Prosciutto and Goat Cheese*
from Fine Cooking
http://userealbutter.com/2009/05/04/roa ... rt-recipe/

Clementine Green Bean Salad*
16 oz. cut cooked green beans
4 clementines, peeled and segmented
1 small onion, minced
2 tbsp or so olive oil
1 tbsp stone ground mustard
1 tbsp or so sherry
1 tbsp or so vinegar
Salt and pepper

Combine beans, clementines and onion in a serving dish. Whisk remaining ingredients in small bowl. Pour over bean mixture; toss.

Cheese and Tomato Galette
1 cup pastry flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
7 tbsp cold unsalted butter
3 tbsp sour cream
1/3 cup ice water
2 oz. shredded smoked mozzarella
2 oz. shredded provolone
1/4 cup chiffonade of basil
3 tomatoes, sliced...I used those nifty brown tomatoes

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter and sour cream until mixture resembles small peas. Add enough water to make dough; knead until smooth, adding more flour if necessary. Chill at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375.
Roll out to about 11" circle on heavily floured surface; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine cheeses and basil in small bowl; sprinkle over dough. Top with tomato slices in concentric circles, overlapping slightly. Fold dough over filling, allowing dough to pleat. Bake 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Clementine Cream Tart*
from Chicago Tribune
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010 ... mato-paste
Short Dough
from Professional Baking
4 oz. butter, softened
1.5 oz sugar
dash salt
1.125 oz. egg (sorry, I don't know how much this is)
6 oz. pastry flour

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and beat just until blended. Add flour; beat just until blended. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill several hours before using. Press into 9" tart pan. Chill before baking. I blind-baked the shell at about 375 for 20 minutes or so, taking the rice out of the pan about 3/4 of the way through.

Ms. Ingie wrote:I also didn't take photos of dinner. I'm fired.

I have everything in one box. I can take a photo of that too.

Sue's Chocolate Chip Pecan Cheesecake Bundt Cake

Here is my bundt cake recipe. It is modified from the Walnut Cream Cheese Cake that can be found in the Joy of Cheesecake Cookbook by Dana Bovbjerg & Jeremy Iggers which was published in 1980.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup butter
1/2 pound cream cheese
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (if you use full size ones, they will sink)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 2 quart bundt pan and coat with sugar.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.
4. Beat the eggs in one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl between additions.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed.
6. Add the mini chocolate chips and pecans. Mix then in.
7. Pour the batter into the bundt pan and spread around until level. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Pie Lady wrote:

Ms. Ingie wrote:I also didn't take photos of dinner. I'm fired.

I have everything in one box. I can take a photo of that too.

I guess we're both fired. I told Mr. Pie he could have the leftovers for dinner, completely forgetting about the photo. Oh well. I did get one of your dessert, though.

By the way, we attacked the pavlova last night and he said "that was damned refreshing" and "tell her that was fantastic!" I agree. I think I may have to make us one for valentine's day.

Thanks Pie Lady. I haven't tasted one yet either. I tasted all of the components, but not together. Plus, the Pavlova shells I have at home are all drier, except for perhaps one. I need to buy more cream today so that my daughter and I can have them tonight. I did make some plain shells for my daughter.

these were the first pavlovas i've ever had that i thought were worth eating. that refreshing whiff of pink peppercorns was brief, but delightful. i don't think the syrup is a good idea, even if made with simple syrup- it seems to me it just defeats the whole idea of the meringue- changing its essential nature from crisp to soft and wet. just IMO. thanks jenny for a delicious dinner. are you willing to share the lavender cookie recipe, too? justjoan

BTW, Ingrid- i didnt make the pecan bourbon cake. i used a completely different recipe. i guess i'd call the one i brought orange-pecan cake. (no bourbon)

justjoan wrote:these were the first pavlovas i've ever had that i thought were worth eating. that refreshing whiff of pink peppercorns was brief, but delightful. i don't think the syrup is a good idea, even if made with simple syrup- it seems to me it just defeats the whole idea of the meringue- changing its essential nature from crisp to soft and wet. just IMO. thanks jenny for a delicious dinner. are you willing to share the lavender cookie recipe, too? justjoan

Yes, I forgot to add that.

Chocolate-Dipped Lavender Cookies
King Arthur Flour/The Baking Sheet Summer 2011
1 cup/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup/7 oz sugar
1 egg
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp snipped fresh lavender buds
1-1/3 cups/8 oz dark chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Add egg; beat until well blended. Stir in flour and salt, then lavender, mixing just until blended.
Drop dough by teaspoonsful onto baking sheets 1" apart. Bake 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack.
Melt chocolate; dip half of cookies into melted chocolate (or place in bag and drizzle). Place cookies on parchment until chocolate is set.

Okay, I have the photo of the pavlova but I forgot I don't have a Flickr account anymore. How can I put this photo up?

Pie Lady wrote:Okay, I have the photo of the pavlova but I forgot I don't have a Flickr account anymore. How can I put this photo up?

Email it to me and I'll put it up.

Sorry about the date on there. I've been meaning to read up on how to get it off.

I forget—did we ever decide on who gets March?

Pie Lady wrote:I forget—did we ever decide on who gets March?

no, dobra is considering it. but her computer isn't working, so i'll call and remind her. i think sueF will do april. joan

My anniversary without sugar, or honey, or maple syrup, or agave sweetened desserts is May 7th, now comes deciding what will be the 1st thing I have.

It must be exceptional.

The food here looks lovely and pavlovas are adorable.

So does that mean you'll be at the May exchange?

Pie Lady wrote:So does that mean you'll be at the May exchange?

Depending on the date yes.

Hi,

I thought Toria volunteered for March. You might want to check there first.

My Mom loved the Pavlova! She liked how light it was, rather than hard and dry (which happens sometimes).

Regards,

Yes I did volunteer to do March. I can post something soon regarding dates. Thanks for remembering and posting Cathy.

I said I would do March is no one else was doing it. Otherwise, I would be happy to host for April if Toria is going to do March. Can I ask for any weekend except the 1st one in March? That is my birthday and I have other plans (sorry).

Okay fine. I will look at a calendar to make sure there are no holidays on a Sunday as well. I guess Easter is in April this year.