Monthly Cooking Thread, December 2021

I happened to hit on this Russian Crepe Torte recently – it has chicken, mushroom and cream cheese filings, and looks like a ton of work and time – but I can’t think of a better time than Christmas (or maybe New Year's Eve?) to try out something so extravagant:

I have had several cookie-presses – my first one was a Mirro, which I had in the 1960s when I first became interested in cooking. It was all metal, with the giant screw that you had to crank down for each cookie. After that, I had several of the plastic gun-type ones, and they usually broke after a short while.

Recently I had a birthday, and someone gifted me an Italian Marcato ‘biscuit maker’, which is supposed to be the G.O.A.T. of cookie presses. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but it’s all metal and very sturdy, and has great reviews.

Here is the Spritz recipe from the little book that came with my old ‘Mirro’ press; I’ve used this since I was a kid, and one of my friends still wants nothing else for Christmas except a box of these cookies:

Sift flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Cut in your shortening – it should resemble biscuit or pie crust, but very small particles.

Measure the egg in a measuring cup – a large egg should measure ¼ Cup; if it doesn’t, add water to measure ¼ Cup.

Add egg and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat well. Fill your press and press out cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, and remove immediately to a cooking rack.

(You may have to do your dough in portions, while keeping the rest regrigerated. Different cookie presses function differently.)

I’m not really crazy about turkey at holidays – maybe because I’m so tired from roasting and watching over it and all of the sides. But I love Thanksgiving and Christmas leftovers, and would like to hear your recipes for leftover turkey.

This recipe is packed with deliciousness, incredibly flavorful, and bite size for easy party munching.

Sushi Egg Rolls / easy finger food recipe for a crowd

Ingredients 5 egg roll wrap 1 cup Japanese rice, cooked ¼ cup cream cheese 2 cups smoked salmon 1 green bell pepper, sliced 1 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp black sesame seeds 5 tsp powdered mustard soy sauce to taste

Directions Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap, place a thin layer of rice and arrange the salmon, cream cheese, green bell pepper slices, sesame seeds (black and white), powdered mustard, and drizzle soy sauce. Lift the side of the mat closer to you and roll over the ingredients, lightly pressing. In a floured surface unwrap the egg rolls wrap and position the sushi rolls. Wrap by folding the right and left corners to the center, and rolling up. Fry golden in heated vegetable oil. Drain. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Serve with peanut sauce and soy sauce dips.

This recipe looks amazing. I love the pictures.

Spiced Chocolate-Orange Loaves

Ingredients
Dough
3 1/4 to 3 3/4 cups (406 to 469g) all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup (55g) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 (0.25-ounce) package (7g) Platinum Yeast
2 teaspoons (6g) kosher salt
1 cup (240g) whole milk
1/3 cup (76g) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon (5g) tightly packed orange zest
1 (50g) large egg, room temperature
Filling
6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, room temperature (see Note1)
1/3 cup (73g) firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons (10g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tablespoon (6g) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon packed orange zest
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Topping/Garnish
1 (50g) large egg, lightly beaten (for egg wash)
1 tablespoon (15g) water (for egg wash)
Garnish: confectioners’ sugar

Instructions
For dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 1 cup (125g) flour, brown sugar, yeast, and salt at low speed just until combined.
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, butter, and orange zest. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and an instant-read thermometer registers 120°F (49°C) to 130°F (54°C). Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add egg; beat at medium-highspeed for 2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, gradually add 2 1/4 cups (281g) flour, beating just until combined and stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at medium-low speed until a soft, elastic dough forms, 6 to 12 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl and dough hook; add up to remaining 1/2 cup (63g) flour, 1 tablespoon (8g) at a time, if dough is too sticky. (Dough may still stick slightly to bottom and sides of bowl. Dough should pass the windowpane test; see Notes2.) Turn out dough onto a clean surface, and shape into a ball.
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
Punch down dough; cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
For filling: In a medium bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, and salt with a silicone spatula until well combined.
Spray 2 (8½x4½-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray. Line pans with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pans. (See Notes3.)
Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough into a 13×10-inch rectangle (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick) with one long side closest to you. Using a small offset spatula, dot half of filling on top of dough, and spread into an even layer, leaving a ½-inch border on both short sides and one long side. Starting on long side without border, roll up dough, jelly roll style, and pinch seam to seal. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough and remaining filling. Wipe hands and surface clean as needed.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Unwrap and gently stretch 1 dough log to 14 inches long, if necessary. Place seam side down; using a sharp serrated knife, cut in half lengthwise, wiping knife clean between cuts. Turn cut side up, and place halves in an “X.” Twist together top half of “X” twice; pinch ends together, and tuck under. Repeat with bottom half of “X.” Repeat with remaining dough. Place in prepared pans, making sure to keep cut sides up and ends tucked under. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until puffed and dough holds an indentation when poked, 25 to 30 minutes.
Make egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon (15g) water. Brush tops of loaves with egg wash.
Bake for 20 minutes; rotate pan, and loosely cover with foil. Bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 190°F (88°C), about 8 minutes more. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pans, and place on wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, just before serving.

Notes
Unlike softened butter, room temperature butter should provide no resistance when pressed with a finger. At this point, the butter is softened enough to easily spread over dough.
To use the windowpane test to check dough for proper gluten development, pinch off (don’t tear) a small piece of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the center. If the dough is ready, you will be able to stretch it until it’s thin and translucent like a windowpane. If the dough tears, it’s not quite ready. Beat for 1 minute, and test again.
Loaves can also be baked freeform on 2 rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Shape loaves as directed, being sure to tuck and pinch ends under. Proof as directed. Bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 190°F (88°C), 15 to 20 minutes.

PRO TIP
Spice up your dough with 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons (2 to 3g) ground cardamom. For the filling, skip the cocoa powder and add 1 tablespoon (6g) ground cinnamon, 1 3/4 teaspoons (3.5g) ground cardamom, 1 teaspoon (2g) ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper for a Swedish cinnamon bun flavor profile.

https://redstaryeast.com/blog/spiced-chocolate-orange-loaves/

NO BAKE DO AHEAD CHOCOLATE CAKE

Malted Chocolate Icebox Cake

Ingredients 2 cups (about 8 ounces) chocolate-covered malt ball candies, plus 16 more for garnish 2 cups whole milk ricotta (see headnote) ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder 1 cup malted milk powder 2 tablespoons honey ½ teaspoon sea salt 2 cups heavy cream 49 store-bought round, flat chocolate wafer cookies (from two 9-ounce packages)

Directions Place the 2 cups malt balls in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (about 30 times). Transfer to a medium bowl. No need to wipe out the food processor bowl.

Combine the ricotta, cocoa powder, malted milk powder, honey, and salt in the food processor. Process until the mixture is very smooth, about 2 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold the ricotta-chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. Set aside.

To form the bottom layer of the cake, place 6 cookies on a plate or cake stand, to form a 7¾-inch-diameter circle. Add one more cookie to the center to finish forming the first layer. There will be gaps between the cookies.

Spoon 1 cup ricotta mixture onto the center of the circle of cookies. Use an offset spatula or rubber spatula to evenly and gently spread the layer of ricotta mixture, leaving a little of the cookies on the outer edge exposed.

(Note: The first layer is a bit tricky . . . if necessary, place a little dollop of the cream mixture under each cookie to help hold them in place or use fingers to gently hold the cookies in place while spreading the ricotta mixture.) Once the layer is complete, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped candies.

Repeat this process, gently adding the remaining cookies, ricotta mixture, and candies and ending with the ricotta being the top layer. In all, you should have 7 layers of cookies and 7 layers of the ricotta mixture. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top layer of the ricotta mixture and sprinkle all over the top with more chopped candy.

Decorate the edge of the top of the cake with whole malted milk balls. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator and leave uncovered until the cookies have softened and the cake is easy to slice, about 4 hours or overnight. The cake can be made up to 1 day ahead of time.

A GREAT TECHNIQUE TO MAKE HOMEMADE JAM CHRISTMAS GIFTS IN A JIF.

APRICOT JAM

ING 1kg apricots, lemon, juice and zest,1/2 cup water, 1kg sugar

STEPS Sterilise your jars to ensure proper safety of your jam when storing at room temperature in your pantry. Sterilising instructions below.

Halve apricots and deseed. Keep seeds, we’re cooking with them too, they add extra pectin which helps your jam set. Place a few small saucers in the freezer, for testing the setting point later on.

Place a heavy base wide pan on a medium heat. Add apricots, seeds, water, lemon juice and zest. Mix well and cook gently for 15 minutes to soften apricots. Add sugar and mix to combine. Dissolve sugar completely. Increase heat slightly to create a boil, reduce heat to medium. Cook for around 30 - 45 minutes until jam is set. Stir occasionally so jam doesn’t catch on bottom of pan and boil.

Ensure your jars are still hot from sterilising - I keep them in the oven on 100 until I need them. Carefully pour jam into jars, wipe rims, firmly secure lid and turn upside down to cool, set and seal. Turning your jar upside down reacts with the pressure of the lid, the heat of the jar and the heat of the jam to create a heat seal. This adds to safely storing your jam at room temperature. You’ll be able to tell if a proper seal has been created by lightly twisting the lid, it shouldn’t move. If you look at the lid it will dip in the middle slightly.

How to sterilise your jars and lids. Wash jars and lids really well in hot soapy water. Rinse them and place on clean tea towel. Place jars in cold oven. Turn oven on and set to 100 deg. Once oven is at 100 degrees C - time your jars for 10 minutes. I keep my jars in the oven until I’m ready to fill with hot jam. This is so the glass jar and jam are at a similar temperature and saves glass breakages. Place lids in a pot, fill with water. Boil lids on a rolling boil for 15 minutes. Place on a clean tea towel to air dry.

How to tell if your jam is set. As you begin to cook your jam, your bubbles will be short and sharp then changes to slower longer pops, there’ll also be less of them.

Remove a saucer from the freezer and spoon 1/2 teaspoon of jam onto cold saucer. Push your finger through jam. If jam runs back together - it needs more time. If jam stays separate - jam is done, take off heat immediately.

Store opened/unsealed jam in fridge. Sealed jam will last in your pantry for a year (or 20 if you’re a part of my family). A note on food safety - if your jam is discoloured, mouldy, has random ‘bits’ in it which you cannot identify, smells off - throw it out.

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