A Long Overdue Update - April

I've been a little busy.

 

Working.

Quitting work.

Surgery.

Moving.

To a different country.

Wow.  What a bunch of excuses.  Well, no more.  Here's a quick synopsis then onwards and upwards...

 

April showers also brought Easter and TWO Easter egg hunts for Harry.  The kid doesn't know how lucky he is...

Look at all that loot!  And that's not even the half of it.

And, as much as he liked the chocolate eggs (I bought him Purdy's dark chocolate) he was a big fan of all of the "little buddies" hiding in the plastic eggs on his hunt.  I did eat his chocolate bunny with little remorse.

We invited all the grandparents up for the Easter Egg hunt (probably why we still have Easter eggs in the cupboard) and dinner.  I have to say, I am... amazing!  Look at this Challah Bread...

Gorgeous!  The following recipe makes two giant loaves.  And can I tell you?  Day old Challah bread french toast kicks breakfasts' ass!

Almost Grandmother's Challah Bread

from Epicurious

• 1/2 cup plus 2/3 cup warm water (105°F. to 115°F.)
• 2 tablespoons dry yeast
• 1 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup sugar

• 5 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 7 1/2 cups (about) all-purpose flour

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water

Combine 1/2 cup warm water, yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in large glass measuring cup and stir until yeast dissolves. Let yeast mixture stand at room temperature until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In large bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat 5 eggs until blended. Add oil, salt and 3/4 cup sugar and beat until pale yellow and slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Beat in 2/3 cup warm water. Add yeast mixture and beat until blended. Remove whisk and fit mixer with dough hook. Add enough flour 1 cup at a time to form smooth dough, beating well after each addition. Beat on medium speed until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding flour by tablespoonfuls if sticky. Turn out onto floured surface and knead 2 minutes.

Lightly oil large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap, then with clean kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Cover with plastic and clean kitchen towel and let rise 30 minutes.

Grease 2 large baking sheets. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Divide each portion into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 9-inch-long rope. Braid 3 ropes together; pinch ends together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough pieces, forming 2 braids. Place each braid on baking sheet. Cover with towel . Let rise in warm area until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk yolk with 1 tablespoon water to blend. Brush dough with egg mixture. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 35 minutes. Transfer loaves to rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)

Caroleigh's notes...
Note 1: Who's grandma made this bread?  I want to be her honorary granddaughter and learn her recipes.

Note 2: You really should use a heavy duty mixer like a KitchenAid.  This is a lot of dough and it's very sticky.  But, I suppose if you are trying to keep your arms from looking like a grandma's, a big fat wooden spoon and a big (or as Harry would say, big-biggie) bowl would be a tremendous workout.

And you know, Easter dinner is a delicious, traditional meal.  But really, it's all about the presentation...

So cute! These are candy coated almonds tucked into napkin rings!

You see those "amuse bouche" spoons at the home decor store and wonder, who uses these?  Me, of course!  These spoons were topped with Speck, tarragon and some black salt and perched on the velvety squash soup.  So tasty.

And then a beautiful leg of lamb, studded with garlic and roseamry, marinated for a day in red wine and more garlic and rosemary and smoked to perfection by Colin.

It's hard to believe, but there was dessert too!

Mini Canneles.  These are not the right pans, I think they are a bit small.  True canelles are larger and in more of a cylindar-shaped pan.  Then you get more caramelization around the edges and still  maintain the custard-like center.  I'd make them again.  With the right pan..

Cannele de Bordeaux

From frenchcookingboard.com

Ingredients

• 500ml evaporated milk

• 50g butter, diced

• 1tsp Vanilla Extract

• 100g plain flour

• 200g sugar

• 3eggs

• 2tbs rum

Procedure

• Pour the evaporated milk in a saucepan, add the vanilla extract & butter & bring to a boil. Remove from the heat when the mixture starts to boil. Beat the eggs & sugar with your electric mixer until the mixture becomes pale & light.

• Pour the eggs & sugar mixture into the flour & pour in the milk mixture. Whisk until it’s well blended, add your rum & whisk.

• Cover & refrigerate till next day, at least 24hours before baking.

• Preheat the oven to 480deg F. Take batter out of the fridge & blend again slightly. Fill the silicon molds with the batter up to 2/3. Bake for 20mins, reduce the heat to 400deg F & bake for another 40-50mins, until their bottoms have turned into a very dark brown.

• Allow to cool on a cooling rack. The Cannelés Bordelais are best eaten a few hours after they’ve been baked.

Caroleigh's notes

Note 1: Yes, let it sit for a day.  Yes they will be very dark brown.

Note 2: I don't know...the may be best a few hours after coming out of the oven, but they were still pretty darn good warmed up out of the freezer.

 

 

All right!  On to May...