Quiche Maraîchère For National Pie Day

National Pie Day is January 23rd and instead of a pie in the traditional sense, I'd like to share a quiche recipe with you. Quiche is a savory pie, after all!

This one is from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table Cookbook which is filled with wonderful recipes.  I found the recipe on several...other... websites,  so I hope Dorie doesn't mind that I'm sharing it here.

I brought this quiche to a New Year's Eve party as an appetizer and I received lots of compliments on it!  It was so delicious, I made it again for my husband and myself for dinner with a simple side salad.

First the pie/tart crust is baked then heaped full of delicious sautéed vegetables - a mirepoix of sorts. Then, it's filled with an egg and cream mixture and baked.  At first I was surprised at how little egg is actually in the mixture but went ahead with the recipe as written at it turned out perfectly.. Rather than Dorie's recipe for tart dough, I used my own Flaky, Tender No-Fail pie crust recipe that I got long ago from a friend,  but you can find Dorie's tart shell recipe on one of the sites I referred to above or simply use your favorite recipe for pie crust.

After the filling is baked, a layer of grated Gruyère cheese is added to the top and then returned to the oven to melt to a golden brown.  Now that's my kind of pie!

Quiche Maraîchère
Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
Printable Recipe

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2-3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into a small dice
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, quartered lengthwise, washed, and thinly sliced
2-3 carrots, trimmed, peeled, and finely diced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced
salt and pepper
1 9-inch tart or pie shell partially baked and cooled (watch careful that your crust doesn't contain any cracks or the filling will ooze out. Add a scrap of pastry to the crack and bake a little longer, if necessary)

2/3 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2/3 cup grated cheese, preferably Gruyère

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced vegetables and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until barely tender. Season with salt and pepper, then remove the vegetables to a bowl and let cool.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400 F degrees. Put the crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon the vegetables into the tart shell and even them out. They should almost fill the crust. Whisk the the cream, egg, egg yolk together, season with salt and pepper, and carefully pour over the vegetables. Depending on how your crust and filling, you may have too much custard. Pour in as much custard as you can without it overflowing and wait a few minutes until it has settled, then add more if you can. Very carefully slide the baking sheet into the oven.

Bake the quiche for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake for another 5 or 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden (the filling should be puffed all over - especially the center), browned, and set. Note: This took a little longer in my oven.

Transfer the quiche to a rack, remove the sides of the pan, and cool until it is only just warm or until it reaches room temperature before serving.
   
Always Flaky and Tender No-Fail Pie Crust

Printable Recipe

This recipe makes enough crust for 1 single crust pie and 1 double-crust pie (3 crusts) and is easily cut in half or even thirds if you care to do the math.  You never have to worry about over-working this pie crust dough - it turns out beautifully flaky every time.

4  cups all-purpose flour
1  Tablespoon sugar
2  teaspoons salt

1-3/4 cups cold shortening

½ cup ice water
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 large egg

Stir together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening. Mix liquid ingredients together and stir into flour mixture. Divide into 3 portions and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out on a well-floured surface.

Save scraps to fill any cracks in the crust, if they develop while baking.

RIP - Devil's Food White Out Cake (Dorie Greenspan)

If you want to mess with a devilishly good recipe for Halloween (or the upcoming holidays), this is such a delicious cake! Real chocolatey, devil's food cake and a fluffy, white, ghostly, marshmallow-like filling and frosting.  Topped with devils food cake crumbles, it will send shivers down your spine! We ate the entire cake at gourmet...may it rest in peace.  

I've have Dorie Greenspan's book Baking, From My Home to Yours for a few years and love it but I had never made the cake on the book's cover.  Luckily, I was assigned the recipe to make and bring to our gourmet group this past Saturday night.  I'm so glad I did, it will be a repeat here!   

This would be beautiful for Valentine's Day also with some candy hearts or red flower decorations!

Devil's Food White-Out Cake
Adapted from Baking, From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
and Shared on NPR
Printable Recipe

Makes makes 12 servings

For the cake

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup boiling water
4 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, finely chopped, or 2/3 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

For the filling and frosting

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large)
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugars and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. When it is fully incorporated, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. At this point, the batter will be thick, like frosting. Still working on low speed, mix in the boiling water, which will thin the batter considerably. Switch to a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Don't worry if the tops have a few small cracks. Transfer the cake pans to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

When you are ready to fill and frost the cake, inspect the layers. If the cakes have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. With the same knife, slice each layer horizontally in half. Set 3 layers aside and crumble the fourth layer; set the crumbs aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING AND FROSTING: Put the egg whites in a clean, dry mixer bowl or in another large bowl. Have a candy thermometer at hand.

Put the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches 242 degrees F on the candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, start beating the egg whites.

When the syrup is at about 235 degrees F, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer. If the whites form firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches temperature, reduce the mixer speed to low and keep mixing the whites until the syrup catches up. With the mixer at medium speed, and standing back slightly, carefully pour in the hot syrup, pouring it between the beater(s) and the side of the bowl. Splatters are inevitable — don't try to scrape them into the whites, just carry on. Add the vanilla extract and keep beating the whites at medium speed until they reach room temperature, about 5 minutes. You should have a smooth, shiny, marshmallowy frosting. Although you could keep it in the fridge in a pinch, it's really better to use it right now.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Put a bottom layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or on a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a long metal icing spatula, cover the layer generously with frosting. Top with a second layer, cut side up, and frost it. Finish with the third layer, cut side down, and frost the sides and top of the cake. Don't worry about smoothing the frosting — it should be swirly. Now, cover the entire cake with the chocolate cake crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the filling with your fingers.

Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour before serving. (If it's more convenient, you can chill the cake for 8 hours or more; cover it loosely and keep it away from foods with strong odors.)

SERVING: I think the cake is best at room temperature or just cool, but many people prefer it cold (the texture of the cake becomes fudgier after it has been refrigerated). No matter the temperature, the cake is so pretty it should be cut at the table, so bring it out on a platter and cut it into generous wedges using a serrated knife and a sawing motion.

STORING: The frosted cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, or longer if you have the time.

Tweet

Chocolate Pots de Crème for all of my Valentines~

A rich and chocolatey dessert for all my dear friends, cyber and tangible, and for my wonderful family. They are wonderful finale to any holiday or special dinner.

I've had pots de crème that have been like eating chocolate truffles, dense and heavy, but these are more like a custard. Delicious!


A mouthful of love from me to you...



Chocolate Pots de Crème
from Baking, from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

"While you can serve pots de crème at room temperature, I prefer these chilled. I usually serves them with a little lightly sweetened whipped cream or a dollop of crème fraîche." Quote by Dorie Greenspan

Makes 8 servings (my little lion cups are only 1/3 cup so I got 11 full servings)

4 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate, finely chopped*
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 large egg
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt

Place rack in center of oven, and preheat to 300F. Line a roasting pan with 2 layers of paper towels. Place 8 (4-ounce) custard cups, ramekins, espresso, or pot de crème cups in pan.

Place the chopped chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl. Bring 1/2 cup cream to a boil and immediately pour over chocolate, and let sit 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to gently swirl in circular motions until ganache is smooth. Set aside.

Combine the remaining 1 cup of cream and the milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, a large bowl, whisk egg, yolks, sugar and salt until pale and slightly thickened. Whisk in a small amount of the hot milk in order to temper the eggs. Slowly whisk in remaining hot milk. Then, slowly whisk egg mixture into the ganache, stirring gently to combine.

Skim foam from surface and gentely pour custard into cups. Fill pan with hot water to come halfway up the sides of cups. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, poke 2 holes in opposite corners and slide pan into the oven.**

Bake at 300° for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tops darken and the centers barely jiggle. Remove from the oven and allow the custards to rest for 10 minutes on a rack. Peel away the plastic wrap, remove cups from water bath, and let them cool to room temperature. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill overnight or up to 1 day.

*My notes: I used Valhrona 85% dark bittersweet. The second time I made them I used 5 ounces of chocolate for a more intense chocolate flavor.

**I was very worried when I read plastic wrap, but since they bake at such a low temperature, there was no problem at all. Just don't forget to poke the holes. I actually reduced the oven temperature to 290F and cooked them for the full 40 minutes.

World Peace Cookies

Looking for a delicious bite of chocolate for Valentine's Day?  Look no further that Dorie Greenspan's World Peace Cookies.  The beauty of these cookies is that it's basically a refrigerator cookie dough so you can prepare the dough up to three days ahead, cut slices and bake them fresh when you want them.  Just look at that delicious gooey chocolate warm from the oven!

Dorie Greenspan's World Peace Cookies

Baking: From My House to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Makes about 36 cookies

“I once said I thought these cookies, the brainchild of the Parisian pastry chef Pierre Hermé, were as important a culinary breakthrough as Toll House cookies, and I've never thought better of the statement. These butter-rich, sandy-textured slice-and-bake cookies are members of the sablé family. But, unlike classic sablés, they are midnight dark — there's cocoa in the dough — and packed with chunks of hand-chopped bittersweet chocolate. Perhaps most memorably, they're salty. Not just a little salty, but remarkably and sensationally salty. It's the salt — Pierre uses fleur de sel, a moist, off-white sea salt — that surprises, delights and makes the chocolate flavors in the cookies seem preternaturally profound.
When I included these in Paris Sweets, they were called Korova Cookies and they instantly won fans, among them my neighbor Richard Gold, who gave them their new name. Richard is convinced that a daily dose of Pierre's cookies is all that is needed to ensure planetary peace and happiness” – Dorie Greenspan

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips (I use chopped Scharffen Berger Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs in mine – that gives them a nice crunch)
1. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.

2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

3. Turn off the mixer. Pour in the dry ingredients; drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek — if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough — for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don't be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (I put mine in the freezer for 15 minutes and then refrigerated for 1 hour – they turned out just fine). The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you've frozen the dough, you needn't defrost it before baking — just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.

Getting Ready to Bake:

5. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

6. Using a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you're cutting them — don't be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.

7. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes — they won't look done, nor will they be firm, but that's just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.