A lot of baking (and cooking) happened over the holidays… and I’m just trying to catch up now with my posts.

Croissants are my favourite item to buy from the bakery. Cheese croissants heated up a little, fresh chocolate croissants… buttery, flaky… so good! I didn’t have a recipe on hand from anyone that I knew, and none of my cookbooks really covered it at all. I did a search online but was pretty unsatisfied. I finally found one that looked like it would work (and altered the steps a bit, added fillings etc), and I set out on a baking mission. I knew it wouldn’t be easy!

Note: You will get dirty. It’s a lot of work. You will need 2 days. Also — you will need a scale for this recipe. I know it seems like a pain, but once you have one you won’t be able to live without it. Baking is a million times more accurate by weight, as the volume of flour and other ingredients changes depending on the season, humidity and your room temperature, etc. You can pick up a scale for $10 at any cooking store, or you can splurge $30-80 on a digital one.

Here’s the recipe and photos of my steps:

Stuffed Golden Flaky Croissant Recipe

350g unsalted butter
50g icing sugar
30g sunflower oil (I buy mine from Gourmet Warehouse/Whole Foods. You can also sub for olive oil here)
7g salt
2 large eggs
42g FRESH yeast (this is important! You can find fresh yeast at most bakeries or at Granville Island)
200mL milk (2%)
500g all-purpose flour
An additional egg yolk to brush the croissants and different fillings such as cheese, chocolate, fruit, etc.

1. Cover your working surface with parchment paper. Knead down the butter by hand until it is relatively flat. Then fold the parchment paper over and use a rolling pin to get the block to be very rectangular. Use a measuring tape or ruler and try to get the butter block to 8.5×6.3 inches and about 1 cm thick. Place the block in the fridge to chill no longer than 30 minutes.

2. Now make the dough. In a mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in slightly warm milk and then combine with the sugar, eggs, oil, flour and salt. Mix gently and then knead very lightly.

3. Form a rectangle with the dough that is double the size of the butter block (approximately 19 inches by 13 inches). Place the chilled butter in the middle and then fold the dough over the butter. Do not stretch. It’s really important that the sides are covered with enough dough, as if it gets to thin, the butter will ooze out when you are doing all the folding. Carefully press the edges together and seal in the butter. Make sure all air as been released by pressing on the dough.

4. Roll the dough package with a rolling pin (dust the outsides with flour), turning the dough over occasionally to keep the edges event. Try not to let the the dough get so thin that the butter squeezes out. Continue until it is very thin, about  1 cm thick or as thin as you can get it.

5. Now start folding the dough. The folds of the dough are what make the croissants so flaky… so the more folds you do, the flakier the croissant is and the more it will puff up! Fold the dough into thirds (like a letter). Now rotate the other way and do the folds again. Now cover with foil or saran wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

6. Do several more folds (I did about 6, but 2 or 3 should suffice) and then cover and chill overnight.

7. The next day, cut the dough in half and roll out to about 3mm thick. Cut in pointed triangles and fill with different stuffings… I used cheese blocks and some nice bittersweet chocolate… don’t put the fillings too close to the edge or they will ooze out while baking.

8. Start forming the croissant crescents by rolling the shortest side up to the tip of the triangle. You will want to roll these VERY tightly. Press together all the sides and make sure they are sticking while together. When placing on the baking sheet covered with parchment paper, make sure to put the tip of the triangle underneath the croissant so that it cannot fold out. If you do not wrap the croissants taut enough, they will unroll while baking (as I learned from experience… it was a disaster). So make sure to stick them well together

9.  Brush the croissants VERY lightly with egg yolk… if you like your croissants darker, brush more egg yolk. Let rise for 15 minutes.

10. Bake in pre-heated oven (355 degrees F) for 15-25 minutes until golden brown.

And that’s it! Here’s a photo of my croissant torn apart while I was eating it so you can see the flakiness They tasted SO good… just as good as bakery if not better, but I wish they looked a bit better. Rolling the dough a bit thinner and rolling the crescents more tightly would fix that next time I think. I also would drizzle chocolate over the chocolate croissants if I had a bit more time!

Cheesy Tomato Basil and Green Onion Savoury Scones Recipe plus Cranberry Breakfast Scones Recipe

I will post the recipe in the comments to save space. These scones were a huge hit on Christmas morning. So savoury! I split the mixture into half to make two different kinds of scones… but in retrospect I would just make the cheese scones again. So good!

Parmesan, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, basil, green onions… mmm! What more could you want in a savoury scone?

Dried cranberries and a little sugar added for some sweeter breakfast scones.

The finished result!

What do you think? Let me know if you have any questions

Yesterday was the Survivor finale… Allan and I had been looking forward to this for a long time. In celebration, I thought it would be a good idea to make a nice dinner to eat while watching the show. (Don’t even get me started on how the Survivor finale turned out. I’m still upset this morning.)

I had been planning to make bread pudding since I tried it for the first time in Kicking Horse. And I thought I’d try to modify my normal risotto recipe but with some new ingredients… since it had been a while since I made risotto (one of my very favourite foods). I will say this in advance: I made a critical error with my selection of saffron. If you try this recipe at home, please read the note about saffron carefully.

A couple people asked for the recipes on Facebook and Twitter, so I’ve made sure to include them inline this time. Apologies for not putting up the recipes on the five-course meal yet. This weekend turned out a little crazier than expected! I’ll try my best to get them up soon.

I am very, very picky about my risotto and spices so I’ve ordered some special risotto and saffron that will arrive this week. I am very much looking forward to posting about it, so I am going to have a more detailed “beginner’s guide” on how to make perfect risotto then. The instructions below are brief.

TOMATO BASIL SAFFRON RISOTTO RECIPE (makes enough for 4 servings… perfect for two people with some leftovers)

1 3/4 cups Carnaroli risotto rice (good quality)
One full box of cherry tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed with a knife or ground
2 large shallots
4 cups chicken stock
4 Tablespoons of salted butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon good quality saffron. Unfortunately I accidentally bought American saffron, which is not actually saffron. Don’t make the mistake I did… read the label carefully and make sure you are buying REAL saffron stigmas from Spain or Italy. Unfortunately the cheap saffron does not have very strong taste or colour.
1/5 cup of dry Italian white wine (we like Masi)
4-5 large Basil leaves, chopped
Grated parmesan (approx 2-4 Tablespoons depending on your preference)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse off the tomatoes and flash boil them in a pot for 30 seconds to loosen the skins. Then skin, seed and slice the tomatoes in half. Mix the fennel in with the tomatoes in a bowl.

2. Heat the chicken stock on the stove until it is hot to the touch but not boiling. Meanwhile, dice the shallots.

3. Melt the olive oil and 2 Tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and cook 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the risotto rice to the pan and sauté about 2-3 minutes. Add the saffron, stir, and then add the wine and cook till absorbed.

5. Keep adding the stock in small amounts until completely absorbed. Use up the rest of the broth and then add the tomatoes.

6. When all the stock is gone and the risotto is creamy, add the parmesan, rest of the butter and the basil just before serving.

STICKY TOFFEE CHOCOLATE BRIOCHE BREAD PUDDING RECIPE

The trick, is to start out with a really nice caramel sauce since it forms a lot of the base for the flavour of the bread pudding, plus you use it to drizzle all over at the end as well. Start out by making the caramel sauce as it will thicken while you are making the bread pudding later.

Vanilla-Bourbon Caramel Sauce:
2 cups sugar (granulated)
1/2 cup purified water
2 cups whipping cream
3/4 stick of butter (unsalted)
1 whole vanilla bean (we like the Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup of high quality Bourbon (we like Woodford Reserve)

1. Heat sugar and water in a pot on high heat.

2. Split the vanilla bean in half (long way) and gently scrape out the beans into the sugar water. I also like to add the rest of the bean halves into the water as well for flavour. Bring the mixture to a boil and make sure to keep whisking to keep it from sticking to the sides.

3. You’ll see the mixture start to brown and turn a dark caramel colour…remove from heat when it is dark, but be careful not to burn the mixture. Quickly whisk in the whipping cream, butter and the salt and make sure you get all the lumps out with the whisk.

4. Put the pot back on the burner and cook for 10 more minutes or so on low to medium heat until the mixture gets creamy. Turn off the burner and whisk in the bourbon. Let the mixture sit while you make the bread pudding and whisk every once in a while. The mixture should get nice and thick! Enjoy the delicious smell of the vanilla bourbon caramel

Sticky English Toffee Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding Recipe:
1 loaf of regular brioche or brioche with raisins
1 1/2 cups of English toffee broken into chunks (Skor Bars work well in a pinch, but real English toffee is better)
About 12 oz of good bittersweet dark chocolate (70% or so)… Valhrona is nice but other good quality chocolate is great too
2 1/2 cups of whipping cream
3/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup of sugar (granulated)
6 egg yolks
2 eggs
1/2 cup of the caramel sauce above

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cut the brioche into cubes, making sure to remove the crust. Set aside with the toffee pieces mixed in.

3. Chop the bittersweet chocolate a bit and then put into a large bowl. Set aside.

4. Bring 1 1/4 cups of whipping cream to a boil and pour over the bowl of bittersweet chocolate to form your chocolate ganache. Whisk until the chocolate sauce is nice and creamy and smooth. Set aside.

5. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together. Set aside.

6. Combine milk, sugar and the rest of the cream in a saucepan and bring it just to a boil. Carefully whisky into the egg mixture until smooth… make sure to constantly whisk while you are adding them together otherwise the eggs will cook.

7. Use a fine strainer and strain the egg mixture into the chocolate sauce, whisking constantly. When it is completely blended, pour over the brioche and the toffee pieces. Add the caramel sauce and mix very gently, careful to not squash the bread pieces. Set aside for an hour… the mixture will soak into the bread!

8. Butter a baking pan and place into the fridge. After 1 hour, pour the mixture into the pan and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until done.

9. Cut into pieces and serve with vanilla bean ice cream and drizzle the caramel sauce generously!

It sure is starting to look like Christmas here in Vancouver with a beautiful dusting of snow on the ground already. Like many of you, Christmas is my favourite holiday and it’s no secret that I love winter (although Fall is still my favourite season).

I’m so incredibly backed up on blog posts that I thought I’d give you a little mini preview of what is coming down the pipes on my blog this holiday season, complete with some seasonal photos!

VANCITYALLIE.COM HOLIDAY SEASON 2009 BLOG POST PREVIEW:

Many cooking and baking related blog posts (Christmas cookies hello!), especially as we get closer and closer to Christmas… including *gasp* a fateful attempt at making homemade croissants…

Winter wonderland photos of Vancouver and around our beautiful province…

A gear and gift guide for snowboarding just in time for last minute Christmas shopping… plus lots of snowboarding posts including our upcoming Sun Peaks and Mount Washington trips.

Family, friends, parties for Christmas and New Year’s related posts…

How Allan and I attempted making a 5-course fine dining meal for both our sets of parents when they met for the very first time…

And of course, our last blog post to highlight our time in Kicking Horse and Golden… plus the HD video of the trip!

Hope everyone is enjoying getting ready for Christmas and the holiday season! I know I am!

I really love baking, especially when it starts to get a little bit rainy and cold. There’s something about having the heat of the oven warm your living space, and the aromas of freshly baked goods spreading through the apartment…

First up, I tried out the Barefoot Contessa’s Buttermilk Cheese Biscuits recipe from the cookbook Back to Basics. I found a copy of the recipe online here so you can check it out as well.

I really loved this recipe. The biscuits came out flaky, cheesy, and savoury. I will admit I was only slightly disappointed, because the best cheese biscuits I have EVER had were at this little bed and breakfast at Apex Mountain. Maybe it was the snowboarding that made them taste better… I don’t know. I think I will play around with this recipe a bit to get it tasting exactly how I remember them. Or maybe I’ll call up the B&B and see if I can get a cheat sheet

These are SO good when they just come out of the oven. They actually keep really nice in the fridge for a few days as well and you can heat them up in a toaster oven or the microwave when you are ready to eat.

In other baking news, I have fallen in love with a new banana bread recipe I have been working on. I originally found it in one of my mom’s cookbooks when I was younger, and have adapted it over the years in university and so on. This is the most recent iteration Try it out and let me know what you think!

The Most Absolutely Delicious and Moist Banana Bread Recipe

3 or 4 extremely ripe bananas (over-ripe)
1 stick of butter at room temperature (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup regular sugar
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons real Vanilla extract (I like Madagascar Bourbon vanilla)
1.5 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 heaping teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon (Cinnamon is really good for you, so I use a bit more, but you can use less if you don’t like it very much)
1 cup good quality dark chocolate wafers
3/4 cup of toasted walnuts, chopped (Just toast them gently at 350 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes)

1. Cream the room temperature butter with a mixer. Add in the sugar. Mix in the eggs one at a time.

2. Using a wooden spoon, mash the bananas until mushy and relatively smooth. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and the bananas into the first bowl (with the butter) and beat. This is Bowl A.

3. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a separate bowl. Make sure they are mixed well. This is Bowl B.

4. Mix some flour into the chocolate wafers and walnuts in a separate small bowl. This is Bowl C.

5. Mix Bowl A and Bowl B together gently, until smooth. Do not overmix. Then using a spatula, fold Bowl C into the mixture.

6. Grease a bread pan with butter if you have one, or you can use a casserole dish, and gently fold the batter into the pan. Bake for one hour (or until done with the toothpick test) at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it rest before cutting! Don’t make the same mistake I did and let your boyfriend get into it too early!

I really loved the way this banana bread turned out. It was crispy on the outside but sooo incredibly moist on the inside.

Does anyone have any of their favourite recipes to share? I’d love to hear some if you have any so I can try them out!

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In others news, it’s the first game of the regular season tonight for our beloved Canucks! Canucks vs. Flames tonight. Should be absolutely incredible.  Check it out on CBC… I can’t wait!

I’m not much of a baker. I prefer cooking. My mom on the other hand, is a baker and a cook. Growing up with my family, processed foods and eating out in restaurants or fast food was NEVER an option. We never bought bread from the store. Every morning I would wake up and have 2 slices of home made bread, I’d have 2 cookies with my lunch baked by my mom, and come home to dinner made by the whole family. I know I was lucky. I also know it saved them a heck of a lot of money.

My parents are kind of crazy. They really like eating out of the garden, and they hate spending money on anything expensive. Especially when it comes to food. My mom even grinds her own flour weekly for her baking. I’m not sure I’ll ever get to that stage, but I sure have been getting into baking lately. The difference between my mom and I is that her baking is no-frills, whole goodness that is healthy for you. It tasted delicious, and she made sure her kids were healthy. My goal, on the other hand, in baking is to make everything with good quality ingredients, and make it so moist and delicious it will give you a heart attack. Haha.

Allan’s been asking me to bake cookies for a long time, but since we moved into our new apartment and sold off all our old stuff, we haven’t had any of the supplies we needed to bake. So now that we have them again, hopefully I’ll be baking a lot more in the future.

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So, here’s a recipe for the best chocolate chip cookie, in my opinion. It’s adapted from the New York Times, you can read more about their search for the best chocolate chip cookie here. I made mine a little less sweet, a little smaller, and a little more vanilla-y. The recipe for mine is below. I can honestly say this is the best cookie recipe I have found (in my limited experience), and so far everyone who has tried them agrees But you be the judge! Let me know what you think…

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE, adapted from the New York Times

Note: I doubled the recipe below, so that we could have fresh baked cookies every night for a week. The single recipe below here makes about 20 small cookies or 16 large cookies. Another trick: Use thick-bottomed baking sheets so your cookies are crispy on the top but chewy and not burnt on the bottom

Ingredients:

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour (I used Italian Tipo ‘00′ Cake Flour)
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract (I like Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract)
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet (dark) Belgium chocolate disks

How to Do It:

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them.

3. (Optional) Mix together different batches of cookies (but make sure you keep a batch of the chocolate chips ones in this recipe). Split up your dough into as many batches as you want, and knead in various ingredients.

I can’t speak highly enough about using chocolate disks. SO much better than chocolate chips. A dark Belgium chocolate is soooo good. I wanted to buy the Valrhona chocolate fèves but they were $21 a bag. Yes, seriously. How ridiculous. So I settled for some good Belgium ones instead… I don’t regret my decision

As per Allan’s request, I used butterscotch chips and rice crispies in this one.

I also tried ones by mixing in frozen homegrown raspberries and blueberries. SO GOOD. I highly recommend this if you don’t mind seeds in your cookies. I also made oatmeal raisin ones for Allan. I made Callebaut chocolate chips ones for me

4. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

6. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. I varied my baking time depending on the cookie… I like crispy cookies (see picture below) so I used 22 minutes for those. For soft chewy ones I baked them for 19 minutes (see first picture in this post). Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

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Let me know what you think of the recipe if you try it! What’s your favourite cookie recipe?

Tomorrow, I’m off to Tofino for some more surfing. SO exciting. I’m going to use my new flexible underwater housing and see if it is better than the other one I have. I’ll post a pic of the housing tomorrow! Can’t wait! Rain and surfing… it’s a beautiful combination out here on the West Wet Coast