President Clinton's Oatmeal Cookies (3/25/2008)

From "Desserts by the Yard" by Sherry Yard

Makes 48 small cookies or 24 large cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
7 ounces (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups Fat Raisins (recipe followed)

1. Sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter on high speed until lemony yellow, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle or beaters. Add the sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Continue creaming the mixture on high speed until it is smooth and lump-free, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each addition. Beat on low speed for 15 to 30 seconds, until the eggs are fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
4. On low speed, add the sifted flour mixture, beating until all of the flour is incorporated. Scrape down te sides of the bowl. On low speed, mix in the oats and raisins.
5. With a rubber spatula, scoop out the dough and divide it in half. Center one half along the bottom of a sheet of parchment paper and roll it up in the paper, creating a log about 2 inches wide and 12 inches long. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Fold over the parchment, creating a sausage. Twist the ends over and wrap in plastic. Chill the dough logs for a minimum of 1 hour. (At this point the dough will keep nicely, wrapped well, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or up to 1 month in the freezer.) You can also simply spoon the dough onto the parchment covered baking sheets and bake at once. (see my comment)
6. Place racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. When the dough is chilled, remove it from the parchment paper. Using a chef's knife or and offset serrated knife, slice 1/2-inch rounds off the log. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back, and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove the cookies from the oven and carefully slide the parchment off the sheets and directly onto your work surface. Cool the baking sheets between batches. Wait a minimum of 5 minutes before eating, or allow to cool completely before storing the cookies in an airtight container. (The cookies will keep for up to 3 days at room temperature.)

Fat Raisins

Makes 1 cup

1 cup golden or Red Flame raisins
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon dark rum
2 tablespoons sugar

1. Combine the raisins, wine, orange juice, rum, and sugar in a small heavy saucepan, bring just to boil over medium heat, stirring all the while. Lower the heat so that the liquid is at a bare simmer and poach for 20 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. (The raisins will keep for up to 2 weeks.)
   

Jam-filled Peanut Butter Cookies (3/24/08)

From: Desserts by the Yard, Sherry Yard

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature (optional; the cookies will be more cakey with the egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup grape jelly

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrap down the bowl. Beat in peanut butter. Scrape down the bowl. Add the egg if using, and beat in. Beat in the vanilla. Scrap down the bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month.)
3. Dust an approximately 12-x-17-inch sheet of parchment paper with flour, place the dough on it, and dust the top of the dough. Top with another sheet of parchment and roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Place with the parchment on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
4. Place racks in the middle and upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
5. Remove the top sheet of parchment from the dough, and using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut 3-inch circles of dough. Top 1 circle with 1 teaspoon of the jelly and cover with another circle. Pinch the edges together and place on one of the baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining circles, placing the cookies 1 inch apart.
6. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back, and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the cookies are nicely browned. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets, on racks. Do not handle the cookies until cool-they're very crumbly and could easily fall apart. (The cookies can be stored airtight for 2 days.)
   

02/21/08 -- Banana Pound Cake

From "The Secrete of Baking" by Sherry Yard

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mascarpone

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 fully ripe babanas, pureed

3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Adjust the rack to the center of the oven. Spray a 9-x-5-x-3-inch loaf pan with pan spray and line it with a strip of parchment paper, running the length the pan. Spray the paper.
2. Triple-sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the sour cream and mascarpone in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the butter with the cinnamon on high speed until at a time, beating continuously on high speed. It should take 5 to 10 minutes to add the sugar. The mixture should be light, fluffy, and a creamy white color. Stop the mixture and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time. Be sure each egg is completely incorporated and scarp down the sides of the bowl before adding the next.
5. Add on third of the flour mixture to the batter and beat until it is just incorporated. Add one third of the mascarpone mixture and mix until it is just incorporated. Add the flour and mascarpone mixture in two more additions, mixing until each addition is incorporated before adding the next. Fold in the bananas and chocolate chips.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes our clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and set on the rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. It will keep for a week in the refrigerator or 3 weeks in the freezer if wrapped airtight.

Optional: Banana Ganache, from "The Secrete of Baking" by Sherry Yard

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

4 ounces milk chocolate

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1. Using a serrated knife, finely chop the chocolates into 1/4 inch pieces and place it in a medium heatproof bowl.
2. Puree the bananas in a food processor or with a fork or potato masher and set aside.
3. Bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Immediately pour the cream over the chopped chocolate. Tap the bowl on the counter to settle the chocolate into the cream, then let it sit for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, stir in a circular motion, starting from the center of the bowl and working out to the sides. Stir until all the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pureed bananas.
4. Allow the temperature of the ganache to drop to 70F. At 70F, the ganache will be firm enough to roll, pipe, or spread. If not used right away, the ganache should be stored, tightly covered, in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

11/22/07: Cranberry Tart

From the New York Times, November 14, 2007; Adapted from "Dolce Italiano: Desserts From the Babbo Kitchen," by Gina DePalma (W. W. Norton, 2007)

Time: 2 hours plus 1 hour's chilling

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup instant or fine polenta

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced

1 large egg plus 3 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup light corn syrup

3 cups (12-ounce bag) fresh cranberries, picked over

1/2 cup heavy cream

Confectioners' sugar, optional.

1. Place 1 1/4 cups flour, polenta, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and lemon zest in a food processor and process to blend. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand. In a small bowl, beat whole egg with oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Uncover processor, pour in liquid ingredients and pulse until a ball of dough forms. This may take 20 or more quick pulses. If necessary, sprinkle in a little water if mixture does not come together. Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour.

2. In a 3-quart saucepan, melt remaining sugar over low heat. Stir in syrup and bring to a boil. Add cranberries and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes, until they begin to release juice. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool about 20 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to an 12-inch circle and fit into a 10-inch loose-bottom tart pan. If dough tears, it can easily be pressed together.

4. In a bowl, whisk together cream and 2 tablespoons flour. Whisk in three egg yolks, remaining vanilla and a pinch of salt. Pour over cranberries and fold together. Pour into tart shell, place pan on a baking sheet and bake about 40 minutes, until filling bubbles but is not yet firm, and pastry browns. Cool in pan before removing sides; if desired, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

11/22/07: Sweet Potato Gratin

From Mesa Grill Cookbook by Bobby Flay

2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon chipotle chile puree
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Thinly sliced green onion, white and green parts, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Whisk together the cream and chipotle puree
3. In a 10-inch sqaure baking dish with 2-inch-high slides, arrange an even layer of potatoes on the bottom of the dish, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the cream mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cream, and salt, and pepper to form 9 to 10 layers. Press down on the gratin to totally submerge the potatoes in the cream mixture.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 30 to 45 minutes, until the cream has been absorbed, the potatoes are cooked through, and the top is browned.
5. Remove frm the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Top with green onion. This can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.

*To make chipotle chile puree, empty the contents of a can of chipotle in adobo sauce into a food processor and process until smooth.