An Italian Pick-Me-Up!

The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.  The only requirement was that we had to make a pasta frolla pastry.  Pasta frolla is an Italian pastry that is similar to shortbread and is used primarily in cookies, pies, and, of course, crostata.  It took me a long time to decide what type of filling I wanted to use.  I’m not really a fan of fruit jams in pies, so I knew I was going to make some sort of pastry cream filling.  After looking through my cookbooks I came across Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Black Bottom Tiramisu Tart in her Pie and Pastry Bible.  I decided that the filling for this tart would be perfect as a crostata.  I generally like the flavors in tiramisu, Italian for “pick-me-up,” but it’s never really substantial enough for me.  I like nuts in my cakes, chunks in my cookies and the crust on a pie.  Tiramisu however, is just too mushy.  A shortbread-like crust would be an ideal complement to the Italian treat.  

The first step was to make the pasta frolla.  I made the dough by hand, as opposed to making it in a food processor.  It was really very simple to put together.  First, I measured out my ingredients (flour, sugar, butter, and eggs).  Then I grated the butter based on the suggestion of a fellow Daring Baker.  The only trouble I had was my concern in adding too much liquid (the eggs.)  The dough was very crumbly but once refrigerated and rolled out, it came together quite nicely.  In hindsight, I probably could have added more liquid with no negative effects.  I blind baked the crust with pie weights then finished baking it until it was just golden brown.

For the tiramisu, I made the espresso syrup (easy) and brushed it on a layer of sponge cake (also easy because I bought it at a bakery.)  Next, I made the custard.  The recipe consists of a sabayon and mascarpone, along with gelatin for stability.  I chose to omit the gelatin because frankly, I couldn’t get it smooth.  I decided it wasn’t that important anyway.  Once I had all the components, the assembly was quick and easy.  I dusted the top with two types of cocoa and topped it with chocolate shavings and curls.  The end result was delicious and the decision to combine the tiramisu and pasta frolla produced a pastry that was quite tasty!

Three Firsts

Really?  Soufflé?  I suppose I signed up for the Daring Cooks so I could be challenged in the kitchen.  But a soufflé for my first challenge seems a little ambitious.  In any case, I’d like to start out my new venture with enthusiasm.  CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!  

For my first soufflé, I chose to make a Sweet Potato and Gruyere variety, which was actually quite simple to put together.  Because I am also a Daring Baker, I opted for a savory soufflé, and I felt like sweet potatoes were appropriate for the season.  The recipe was suspiciously simple, and probably didn’t include enough directions regarding soufflé preparations in general (e.g., make sure your bowls are spotless, be careful not to let any fat in your egg whites, etc.)  Regardless, I followed the instructions as they were given and didn’t encounter any difficulties.

The final product seemed successful enough.  There was a definite rise and fall, although the rise wasn’t as spectacular as I had hoped.  The consistency was light yet still substantial.   Everything appeared to work out as the recipe suggested but the end result was slightly lacking.  The flavor of the sweet potato was masked by the overwhelming taste of gruyere, egg and onion.  Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes and I was really hoping that this recipe would highlight their flavor.  Unfortunately I think it acted as more of a receptacle for eggs and cheese.  

This would probably make a great brunch dish, but I doubt I’ll be making it again.  I will, however, try my hand at soufflé again.  Next time I don’t think I’ll be able to resist the temptation to make a dessert variety.  

Overall, my first Daring Kitchen challenge was definitely a success.  It encouraged me to get back in the kitchen, gave me an opportunity to cook something I have never cooked, and provided me with a reason to start a blog – yes, this is my first blog post ever.   

I’m already looking forward to next month’s challenge.