These take about three days to “build” but are easy and the stages aren’t hard. The time it takes to make them is mostly to let the dough rest. Typically I start this at night (day 1), roll out two times during the next day (day 2) and bake in the morning on day 3.
Ingredients – To make the dough (day 1) 1 cup milk 2 tsp active dry yeast 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt
Butter addition (day 2) 12 tbsp butter (I use sweet cream) 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
Day 1 – Make the dough Heat up 1/4 cup milk to lukewarm. Whisk the active dry yeast and 2 tbsp flour (from the 2 1/4 cups flour) into the 1/4 cup warm milk until no lumps. Cover and let stand at room temperature until doubled (about 20 minutes).
Mix the remaining 2 1/8 cups flour into the sugar and salt in a large electronic mixing bowl with dough hook attachment.
Once the yeast mixture has risen, heat the remaining 3/4 cup milk and add both to the dry ingredient mixing bowl. Start mixing with the dough hook and let mix until the dough is sticky and soft.
Remove the dough hook, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.
Day 2 – Butter addition “Laminating” Bring the butter to room temperature and work it with the heel of your hand to incorporate 3 tbsp flour. Shape into a rectangle – about 5 1/2″x4″.
Sprinkle a work surface with flour. I roll mine out on a large silpat. Roll the dough out to measure about 6″x15″ rectangle. Add the butter rectangle into the middle of the dough. Fold the dough like a letter, into thirds. Turn the dough counterclockwise, and roll out again to the 6″x15″ rectangle and fold as a letter as before.
Butter laid inFold overLetter fold
Transfer the dough to a baking pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours.
Day 2 – 6 hours later Roll out the dough 2 more times, wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Day 3 – About 1 1/2 hours before baking time, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Lay out the silpat again on the counter and sprinkle with flour. Roll out the dough into a 16 inch circle, working as quickly as possible. Use the bench scraper to cut into quarters, and then each quarter into 3 triangles.
With both hands, roll the large base of the triangle to the center. Do not curl the ends. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet with a silpat. Brush with 2 tbsp milk and let stand at room temperature for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 400oF. Add an egg yolk to the remaining milk leftover from brushing the croissants. Brush the croissants with egg yolk/milk mixture and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
There is a variation that I like to add once in a while. To pan chocolate stuffed croissants, add in dark chocolate chips to the triangle of dough before rolling. Then follow the same directions as above.
Croissants BakedCroissants Ready to Eat
November 2, 2024
by Ashley Comments Off on Laminated Pork Chops
1¼-pound pork tenderloin or thin pork chops, trimmed of silver skin and patted dry
4 slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces total)
12 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
4 ounces Parmesan cheese (without rind), shredded on the small holes of a box grater (2 cups)
INSTRUCTIONS
Stir ½ teaspoon pepper into breadcrumb mix.. In a second similar dish, stir the flour and 1 teaspoon pepper. In a third dish, beat the eggs with a fork.
Pound pork slices thin. Season both sides of each cutlet with pepper, then lay a prosciutto slice on each cutlet. Re-cover with plastic wrap and gently pound so the prosciutto adheres.
One at a time, dredge the cutlets in the flour, turning to coat and shaking off any excess, then dip in the egg and, finally, coat with the panko, pressing so it adheres. Set the cutlets on a large plate.
Refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and place near the stovetop.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 6 tablespoons of oil until barely smoking. Add 2 cutlets and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip and cook until the second sides are golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining 6 tablespoons oil and remaining cutlets. Wipe out the skillet and set aside.
Evenly sprinkle the cutlets with the Parmesan. Bake at 350oF until cheese is melted
September 24, 2024
by Ashley Comments Off on Kettle Corn
Ingredients 2 tbsp cooking oil 1/2 cup popcorn kernels 2 tbsp granulated sugar salt
Set a bowl out that you will pour the popcorn into, to prevent it from staying in the pan for too long.
Use a large stock pot with a lid and pour in the oil. Pour in the sugar and kernels. Stir to mix everything well. Start the range on medium heat and shake the pan periodically every 30 seconds to 1 minute to ensure the popcorn isn’t burning. This should take 5 minutes or so to pop. Pour immediately into the reserved bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Allow to cool a minute or two before digging in.
August 20, 2024
by Ashley Comments Off on Quadruple Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 stick butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup white sugar 1 cup flax seed, milled 1/4 cup water 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup white chocolate chips 1/4 cup butterscotch chips 1/4 cup small mini chips 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 375oF.
In a mixer, whip the softened butter with the sugars. Mix until creamed together. Add in the flax seed and water and keep mixing until combined. Add in one egg at a time, until smooth. Add in the vanilla and mix together. Stop mixer. Add in the cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and flour and carefully mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Mix in the chips.
Use parchment paper or a silpat covered cookie baking sheet. Place tablespoon sized balls on the sheet evenly spaced. Bake for 15 minutes or so, checking to make sure that they aren’t over done. Once done baking, let rest on a wire rack before serving.
August 20, 2024
by Ashley Comments Off on Shirazi Salad
I revamped the mug cake that was found on this website. The last one we won’t make again. This one we will revisit as everyone enjoyed it.
Chocolate Mug Cake
3 tbsp all purpose flour 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1tbspunsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 tsp baking powder dash Kosher Salt 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk 1 tbsp coconut oil 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp nutella 8 large chocolate chips 1tspcanola oil
Spread a little of the coconut oil around on the inside of a microwave safe mug or bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients and stir together.
Add the cream, oil, vanilla and nutella and stir together until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the prepared mug. Add in the chocolate chips.
Cook in the microwave for 90 seconds to 2 minutes until cake is set. Let cook a bit before you eat. Top with coconut or powdered sugar. This is big enough to share.
Sauce 4 tsp black vinegar 4 tsp soy sauce 3 tbsp spicy chili crisp (black bean chili sauce for milder noodles) 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp tahini
4 bundles Sichuan Noodles (about 12 oz) Chives or green onions
Start with the sauce. Just mix ingredients together and set aside.
Heat about 2 tsp cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Stir fry the pork until cooked, no pink left. Pork should be in small bits. Add the ya cai and stir fry for one more minute. Add the Shaoxing wine and the two soy sauces to the pork mixture. Stir fry until the liquid is almost gone.
Bring a pot to boil for the noodles. Add noodles to boiling water and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring often, until almost tender. Drain. Toss with oil to prevent sticking.
Create the bowls. Spoon 3 tbsp of sauce into each bowl. Top with noodles and meat. Divide noodles evenly among the prepared bowls. Top with green onions and serve. Leave each diner to stir their noodles and sauce together.
Served with vegetables on the side. Spinach, shredded carrots, peanuts, diced tofu, cucumbers just some examples of what we served with the noodles.
May 31, 2024
by Ashley Comments Off on California Margarita
This is a recipe from a friend who makes cold brewed coffee all summer. This recipe is easy to do and reminds us of vacation with friends.
Ingredients 1/2 cup coffee grounds (medium ground & medium to dark roast) 4 cups water
Pour the coffee into a french press or jar, pour in the water and cover. Let sit on the counter 16 – 24 hours. Enjoy! It is best when started after you finish previous batch in the morning so it has longer to sit.
