Coconut Tea Cake - Tuesdays with Dorie

A pretty cake in a pretty kugelhopf pan. I think some of my crust came off when I turned the cake out (maybe adding flour to the pan as well as shortening would have prevented this), but with some confectioner's sugar drizzle, it should be just fine tomorrow.

I gather it's really a hot milk sponge cake. It was delightful to make, just watching the sugar and egg mixture puff up and peeking through the oven window to see the cake rising gradually. I have a feeling it's going to be good - will see how they like it at the office tomorrow. It's nice to have a run of cakes for the next few weeks - we have had lots of cookies and tarts in TWD lately but we haven't baked a cake in a while.

Carmen of Carmen Cooks picked this week's recipe for us - it's a very nice recipe, Carmen. Thank you.

The Conquest of Frilly Tarts

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Yippee! Finally! I've figured out a way to get pate sucre tart shells out of frilly tart tins. I have tried many methods and usually end up with about 1/3 of the tarts wasted as they crumble horribly.

So now, here's the method (thanks to Rose Levy Berenbaum, who recommended it). Once the tartlet is baked and removed from the oven, while it is still pretty hot (I mean almost finger-burning hot) stick the eye-end of a sewing or embroidery needle in between the metal and the middle of each flute. Push the needle all the way down to the base of the tin. Pic attached (a terrible pic, I am sorry to say, but it's supposed to be a needle in the middle of a flute). Give each flute the same treatment; when all flutes are done, just gently turn the tartlet tin upside down and the pastry will come out very easily.

I will have to be in a patient mode to do this but with, say, just a dozen or so tartlets, it will now be possible for me to get almost perfect frilly tartlet shells.

Dulce De Leche Duos - Tuesdays with Dorie

Jody of Beansy Loves Cake has chosen this recipe for us this Tuesday. Another delicious Dorie Greenspan cookie recipe, and so easy to put together. I bought some Dulce de Leche at Sahadi's, which was made in Argentina. It has a light coffee flavor and is difficult not to eat by the spoonful.


The cookies keep their shape beautifully while baking - a heaping teaspoon full of dough rolled into balls gives a nice size of cookie. I didn't stint on the filling and as I type am enjoying a Duo, filled with decadent toffee coffee spread. Lovely recipe - definitely a "Make Again."

Thank you for this nice pick, Jodie.

Soft Chocolate and Raspberry Tart - Tuesdays with Dorie

This one looks really good. So far (Sunday night) I've made the pastry and will do the fillings tomorrow.

Not only is there dark chocolate for the Tuesday treat but also white chocolate. Surprisingly, amazingly, we have one taste tester who does not like dark chocolate! Hence the option to try a white chocolate tart.

Thumbprints for Us Big Guys - Tuesdays with Dorie

These are really a delicious shortbread cookie - there's lots of butter and the mix is quite crumbly. I made 30 with thumbprints and another 30 just plain - the plain ones are going to act as "fillers" for my Baking Gals package to the Middle East, although they are so good that "fillers" is hardly the word.

Oh my goodness! I am out of control - I have just consumed two of the cookies with Morello Cherry jam in them. They are fantastic and their small size could lead to eating them like peanuts! Now I'm sorry I didn't make a double portion for the Office. I must quickly put them away in a container so I am not tempted by the sight of them on the tray.

However, I have to practice getting nice, smooth, Dorie-type Thumbprints, not like these raggedy ones dripping jam all over the place. I'm looking forward to reading other blogs to see if I can get some advice.

Mike of Ugly Food Dude selected this treat for us this week. Wonderful choice, Mike! Thank you.

Coconut Custard Tart - Tuesdays with Dorie

Another wonderful Dorie recipe.

I halved the quantities to make just a 7" in diameter tart, then some mini tart shells for lemon curd. The 7" tart took about 15 minutes blind-baked and another 5 openly baked, at 375 degrees. It's a good size for a small group; we had a couple of pieces left at the end of the day and they went quickly at the last minute.
I had a bit of a problem with the consistency of the custard - it was quite rubbery; maybe it needed less cornstarch or it should have been whisked in a double boiler once it had reached boiling in the pan. I just mixed about 1/4 cup of whipped cream in it before serving, to make it a bit softer.

Make again, make again, and then again. I think it will be one of my dessert items for the Annunciation Day reception feast coming up at my Church, maybe in puff pastry vol-au-vents! Umm!

Beryl of Cinemon Girl picked this one for us - thank you, Beryl; an excellent choice.