Charlotte Russe

I am very excited that I finally get to make some pretty things in pastry school! Last week I made a Charlotte Russe torte which is a Bavarian cream torte with lady fingers around the outside. The one pictured below is made with a vanilla chiffon cake, layered with vanilla Bavarian cream and topped with apricot glazed fresh fruit.

The recipes that I have make way more cake than you would want to make at home. So I will just tell you how to construct this torte.

You will need:

• an entremet ring (cake ring) one inch larger than your cake pan
• a cake board larger than your cake ring
• acetate strip
  
• a recipe for 1 chiffon cake
• a recipe for vanilla Bavarian cream
• lady fingers
  

1. Bake and freeze chiffon cake: Make one pan of chiffon cake, and once cooled place in the freezer (the cake will be easier to remove from the pan and cut in half if frozen). Get all of your ingredients ready to make the cream, and before you make it, prepare your cake ring.
   
2. Prepare cake ring: Place the cake ring on a larger cake board. You will need to put a strip of acetate around the inside of the rings and then place your lady fingers inside the ring as well. You will need to layer your torte with chiffon cake and cream, so cut your cake in half equally. Next brush the cake layers with dessert syrup (recipe below). Place one cake layer inside the circle of lady fingers (it is okay if there is room in between the lady fingers and the cake, the cream will just fill in these spots and hold the torte together).
3. Make the cream and assemble the torte: Now you can start to make your cream. Once the cream is done, you must make sure that it is not too runny or it will run out the bottom of the ring. However, because it has gelatin in it, you cannot let it sit around or it will set up quickly. Once it is the right consistency, pour half of the gelatin over the first cake layer. Then take the second cake layer and set it on top, and press it down a little bit into the cream. Pour the remaining cream on top and use a flat edge to make the top even with the cake ring. Freeze overnight.
   
4. Decorate: Before you begin decorating, pull torte out of the freezer and let thaw for about an hour or so. When you are ready to decorate your torte, first put your toppings on before removing the cake ring. Once you are finished with your torte you are now ready to remove it from the cake ring.
5. Remove torte from cake ring: In order to do this we used a torch and a cake turn table to warm the top part of the ring. Do not hold the torch in once spot too long, and do not use the torch too long in general because it will melt your cream. Once you warm it up you should be able to slowly lift the cake ring up and off the torte. Peel off the acetate and place on a serving plate. Slice and serve cold.

Dessert Syrup
(yields enough syrup for about 2 - 10" torte)

• 1/8 cup water
• 1/8 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier (or desired flavor)

1. Combine sugar and water in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add Grand Marnier. Bring back to a boil and remove from heat.

In the future I will try to cut down my recipes so I can post them here for you.

-amanda

Oreo Truffles

These are sooooo yummy! If you like Oreos, you will probably love these. Even my boyfriend (who dislikes sweets), said they were "amazing". I love when I finally make something he likes. :o) You must try these!

Oreo Truffles
Makes approx. 24

-1pkg of Oreos (18oz)
-1pkg of softened cream cheese (8oz)
-Chocolate melts or semi-sweet chocolate (for dipping)

Crush the package of Oreos, either in a food processor or in place in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin. Once the Oreos are crushed (you want them to be very fine crumbs, otherwise you will have chunks of cookie in your truffles), combine them with the softened cream cheese in a bowl. Mix until it is well blended. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer or fridge to harden the truffles. Once firm enough (about 30 - 1 hour in fridge), remove them and dip them into the melted chocolate using a fork. Replace back on cookie sheets and put them in the fridge or freezer to harden. Best when served chilled.

Enjoy!!!

-amanda

Happy New Year!

My vacation is coming to an end. While I have been back to work for a couple days now, I don't go back to school until next week. I have been enjoying my time off and I am trying to relax as much as possible. Drinking hot chocolate and trying to stay nice and cozy inside as much as possible. I know once school begins again, the craziness will follow. There will be no time for anything, what with 20 hours at school, 20+ hours at work and 3 days of workout classes (what was I thinking?!). So I am using this time now to just lounge around. Therefore I haven't felt like baking much. My apologies. I also realize I didn't post much from school last semester, but since I was mainly baking bread, I didn't find anything to be pretty enough to post. This semester should have a lot more things to post, as I will be making lots of pastries. I believe I will also be making a wedding cake, so that should be interesting!

Anyways, if you are still around, I appreciate it. I will try to get some new stuff up soon.

-amanda

Challah Wreath

Challah
Makes 2 wreaths

Ingredients

• 1 lb water
• 2 oz fresh yeast
• 2 lb 12 oz hi-gluten flour
• 4 oz sugar
• .75 oz salt
• 8 oz eggs
• 4 oz oil

1. Mix yeast and water together first, then combine all ingredients together in mixing bowl and mix on low for 12 minutes.
2. Ferment dough in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours. (Some people put it in the oven with the oven off but the light on.)
3. Scale the dough into logs.* Each wreath will need 6 logs (3 of each size). So scale six - 6 oz logs, and six - 4 oz logs). Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
4. Once the dough has rested, roll out each log into a long strand. Cover and let rest again for a few minutes then roll once more. The longer the strands the bigger your wreath will be.
   
5. Braid 3 pieces of 6 oz strands together, pinching the ends. Do the same for the 4 oz strands.
   
6. Egg wash the top of the 6 oz strand braid and place the 4 oz strand braid on top.
   
7. Shape into a wreath, place on sheet pan with parchment and egg wash.
8. Repeat steps 5 - 7 for your second wreath.
   
9. Place sheet pan in oven once again with just the light on for about 20 minutes or until dough has proofed.
10. Egg wash again and then bake for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees F.

*When scaling the logs, if there is enough left over dough you can use it to make a regular 3 braid challah loaf.

-amanda

Day 12: Oatmeal Scotchies

It's the last day of cookies. How sad. :o( For the last cookie, I made something I had never heard of this until this year, and boy are these cookies yummy! Enjoy!


Oatmeal Scotchies
Makes about 4 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups quick or old fashioned oats, uncooked
• 2 cups butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Once creamed add eggs and vanilla, mix until combined and creamy. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. Drop tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets lined with parchment. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

Thanks for joining me for my 12 Days of Cookies!

-amanda

Day 11: Scotcharoos

Butterscotch and chocolate and peanut butter, oh my! These little yummies won't last long. And of course, my favorite part about them...no baking! Super easy to make. :o)

Scotcharoos (from All Recipes)
Makes 24 bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
• 6 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Generously butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, mix together corn syrup, sugar, and peanut butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring until peanut butter melts. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, and stir in crisp rice cereal.

3. Transfer mixture into a well buttered 9x13 inch pan. With your hands well buttered, pat it down into pan.

4. In a medium saucepan, over medium low heat, melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips until smooth. Spread over top of bars and let bars cool. Cut into squares.

-amanda

Day 10: Thin Mints

I think you will either love or hate these crackers. I had a lot of people who love thin mint cookies, say these tasted almost just like them, and they loved them! Other people just didn't the idea of a chocolate on a cracker. I really enjoyed them, and I hope you will too!

Thin Mints
Makes 80

Ingredients

• 1 pound bittersweet chocolate
• 80 Ritz crackers
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1. Melt chocolate using a double boiler or the microwave. (Do not overheat or get water into the chocolate)
2. Once chocolate is melted, stir in a couple drops of peppermint flavor into the chocolate.
3. Dip crackers into the melted chocolate and then place onto a cold cookie sheet and put into the refrigerator to set. (The cold sheet tray will keep the bottoms neat.)
4. After a few minutes take them out and package them up.

If you'd like to add sprinkles or crushed peppermint, do so after dipping and before refrigerating.

-amanda