The world abounds with recipes of apple pie. There are so many versions of the perfect “grandma’s apple pie” out there, and it’s not hard to find many apple pie recipes in the blogworld which are coated in saccharine sentimentality of nostalgia, real or not. Not many people admit that grandma or mum actually sucked in the kitchen, hell, I don’t either.
But having sampled a few apple pies, and acknowledging that neither am I a connoisseur, nor do I have the handed down know- how of a family recipe handed down for generations, I still figured down a few things on my own. For example, I prefer the crumb top to a lattice top, pre made crust to freshly made pie dough strictly on the disproportionate rewards to effort outcome, combination of apples like golden delicious and granny smith to just granny smith.
So here it is- my virgin attempt at making an apple pie. I was debating whether to make the crust myself, having done that years ago when I used to make quiches. However, I succumbed to laziness and bought a store bought crust. When I first tasted the pie, hot from the oven, I thought it was too tart. But as it cooled down, I realized that the sweetness of the crumb top was a good contrast to the tartness, however, I might reduce the quantity of lemon juice next time. The best part was when my partner gulped down four slices on the first night, he never eats that much of my dessert ever.
For the filling, I mixed the following.
7 med granny smith apples ( it might be a better idea to mix some sweet apples with these tart ones) which I cubed
juice of half a lemon ( I might use half of this quantitiy next time)
handful of raisins ( will use at least a cup of raisins in the future )
1 cup of sugar
2 tbspn flour
nutmeg
cinnamon
vanilla extract
I spread the dough over a nine inch crust, and added the filling. I baked it for 45 minutes in a pre heated 375 degrees oven.
For the crumb top I mixed the following till I got little lumps and I froze it.
I cup of flour,
2/3 cups of brown sugar
half a stick of cold butter
I then toppped the pie with the crumbs, which had been baked for 45 minutes, and baked it for another 45 minutes.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Walnut Chicken (Akhrot Murg)
Yeah, yeah, this was supposed to be a blog about vegetarian food. But, I went to the dark side only to please the man. I never even taste this stuff. I just look at websites to read chicken recipes. I made chicken tikka masala a few weeks ago. This was my second foray into cooking an Indian meat dish. I did make pasta with fennel, swiss chard, and sausages last week. I just rely on smell, looks, and my partner's taste buds to make sure everything is all right. This recipe was quite easy and quick. I found it on Sanjeev Kapoor's website and didn't even change it much. It is a creamy festive way to cook chicken, low on spices, so you get a better flavor of the walnuts.
http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/akhrot-murgh.aspx
I will admit, when he tasted this dish, he said the texture was “interesting.” Like the meat was the softest he had. I guess he likes his meat with a sear on it. But who are we talking about, this is a person whose idea of great food is box mac-n-cheese. He prefers it over my panko bread encrusted macaroni and cheese, adorned with copious amounts of three cheeses painfully grated from cheese slabs, flavored with paparika and mustard, endorsed by Martha Stewart, baked in individual gratin pans. :)
http://indianfoodathome.blogspot.com/2010/08/mac-and-cheese-serves-4.html
Oh well, you can't win them all. Sometimes you just have to concede defeat to the familiarity of the blue box. The conclusion is that I will make this walnut chicken dish again when i have people over!
Blanch 1/2 cup of walnuts overnight.
Marinate the following over night
1. Finely chop an onion, puree one tomato, and chop 4 green chillies. Blend the walnuts with some water to make a paste.
2. Take some oil in a pan and brown the onions.
3. Add the chillies and saute for a minute.
4. Add the tomato and roast.
5. Add 1 tspn coriander powder. Roast for a while till the oil separates.
6. Add the chicken. Add more salt and 1/4 cup of water. Cook till done. Should take 12-15 minutes.
7. Add the walnut paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add 2 tbspn of cream or more. Add a sprinkle of garam masala.
He said the chicken was soft and juicy. I guess marinating the meat all night tenderizes it. This recipe was quick and easy. I guess cooking meat shouldn't be as daunting as it seemed.
http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/akhrot-murgh.aspx
I will admit, when he tasted this dish, he said the texture was “interesting.” Like the meat was the softest he had. I guess he likes his meat with a sear on it. But who are we talking about, this is a person whose idea of great food is box mac-n-cheese. He prefers it over my panko bread encrusted macaroni and cheese, adorned with copious amounts of three cheeses painfully grated from cheese slabs, flavored with paparika and mustard, endorsed by Martha Stewart, baked in individual gratin pans. :)
http://indianfoodathome.blogspot.com/2010/08/mac-and-cheese-serves-4.html
Oh well, you can't win them all. Sometimes you just have to concede defeat to the familiarity of the blue box. The conclusion is that I will make this walnut chicken dish again when i have people over!
Blanch 1/2 cup of walnuts overnight.
Marinate the following over night
- 1 pound of chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
- 2 coves of garlic finely chopped
- 1 piece of ginger finely chopped
- salt
- 1 tspn cumin powder
- 1/4 cup of thick yogurt
1. Finely chop an onion, puree one tomato, and chop 4 green chillies. Blend the walnuts with some water to make a paste.
2. Take some oil in a pan and brown the onions.
3. Add the chillies and saute for a minute.
4. Add the tomato and roast.
5. Add 1 tspn coriander powder. Roast for a while till the oil separates.
6. Add the chicken. Add more salt and 1/4 cup of water. Cook till done. Should take 12-15 minutes.
7. Add the walnut paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add 2 tbspn of cream or more. Add a sprinkle of garam masala.
He said the chicken was soft and juicy. I guess marinating the meat all night tenderizes it. This recipe was quick and easy. I guess cooking meat shouldn't be as daunting as it seemed.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Soft scrambled eggs with croutons
I am always looking for ways to make eggs more delectable. I usually make breakfast every Saturday morning for my partner, and he claims he never cared for eggs till he tasted mine. Now it’s a ritual.
The first trick to great scrambles is to use farm fresh eggs. I buy organic cage free eggs from my Farmer’s market every Saturday morning. The difference is pronounced, when compared to using super market eggs. Fresh organic eggs are creamier, brighter, and very flavorful and do not turn grey like supermarket eggs.
The second trick to soft scrambled eggs is to use a thick bottomed pan, keep the stove temperature low, and stir consistently. I add butter to an omelet pan, allowing it to melt, and add the eggs to the pan which is not too hot. I keep stirring the eggs for 10 minutes or so till I get soft scrambled eggs. I also add some cream to the eggs when I start the stirring.
Now for a little twist to traditional scrambled eggs.
I found the following recipe on Food and Wine magazine. The chef adds bread croutons to the eggs at the end.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/scrambled-eggs-with-herbed-croutons
I made these eggs for my partner this weekend, and served them with honey-butter-paprika toasts, to provide a sweet contrast to these savory eggs which already have toasts in them.
5 eggs
2 tbspn cream
1 tbspn butter
Salt
Pepper
2 cloves of garlic (smashed)
Olive oil
Brioche croutons (I make extra croutons and freeze them, so I had these on hand. If you don’t have these, just take 3-4 slices of whatever bread you have, preferably brioche, and dice it into cubes)
1. Heat the oil, and add the garlic for flavor. Now add the cubed pieces of bread till they are brown and crispy. Discard the garlic.
2. Heat the butter in a thick pan. When it starts to melt, add the eggs and cream.
3. Add salt/pepper.
4. Keep whisking and stirring.
5. When the eggs are almost set, throw in the croutons.
6. Garnish with chives.
The first trick to great scrambles is to use farm fresh eggs. I buy organic cage free eggs from my Farmer’s market every Saturday morning. The difference is pronounced, when compared to using super market eggs. Fresh organic eggs are creamier, brighter, and very flavorful and do not turn grey like supermarket eggs.
The second trick to soft scrambled eggs is to use a thick bottomed pan, keep the stove temperature low, and stir consistently. I add butter to an omelet pan, allowing it to melt, and add the eggs to the pan which is not too hot. I keep stirring the eggs for 10 minutes or so till I get soft scrambled eggs. I also add some cream to the eggs when I start the stirring.
Now for a little twist to traditional scrambled eggs.
I found the following recipe on Food and Wine magazine. The chef adds bread croutons to the eggs at the end.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/scrambled-eggs-with-herbed-croutons
I made these eggs for my partner this weekend, and served them with honey-butter-paprika toasts, to provide a sweet contrast to these savory eggs which already have toasts in them.
5 eggs
2 tbspn cream
1 tbspn butter
Salt
Pepper
2 cloves of garlic (smashed)
Olive oil
Brioche croutons (I make extra croutons and freeze them, so I had these on hand. If you don’t have these, just take 3-4 slices of whatever bread you have, preferably brioche, and dice it into cubes)
1. Heat the oil, and add the garlic for flavor. Now add the cubed pieces of bread till they are brown and crispy. Discard the garlic.
2. Heat the butter in a thick pan. When it starts to melt, add the eggs and cream.
3. Add salt/pepper.
4. Keep whisking and stirring.
5. When the eggs are almost set, throw in the croutons.
6. Garnish with chives.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Pasta with fennel and Swiss chard in a tomato sauce
This recipe is from my Italian friend. I just wanted to make a nice dish, especially for my partner, and having been an ardent admirer of her culinary skills, I knew I could expect something delectable. She had been to the farmer’s market the day before, and picked up some fennel, nettles, and Swiss chard. She suggested I used sweet Italian sausage for my partner, and I could easily add it later
1 - 14 oz can of crushed tomatoes (use Italian organic brand)
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
Red pepper flakes
½ bulb of fennel chopped into half inch pieces
I bunch of Swiss chard chopped
I onion finely chopped
2 sweet Italian sausage links (optional)
½ box of penne noodles
Salt
Black pepper
Parmesan
1. Heat some olive oil. Add the onions and sauté till translucent.
2. Add garlic. Now add the fennel and cook till tender.
3. Make the pasta in salty water. I like it al dente.
4. Sauté the sausages, which are diced into quarter inch pieces, on low heat till they turn brown.
5. Add the tomatoes to the sauce. Add Swiss chard, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Cover and cook till sauce is done, around 10-15 minutes. Do not add any salt. Once you add the pasta, which is salty, adjust for salt.
6. Add pasta to sauce.
7. Add the sausages, if you need to.
8. Grate some parmesan on the top.
1 - 14 oz can of crushed tomatoes (use Italian organic brand)
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
Red pepper flakes
½ bulb of fennel chopped into half inch pieces
I bunch of Swiss chard chopped
I onion finely chopped
2 sweet Italian sausage links (optional)
½ box of penne noodles
Salt
Black pepper
Parmesan
1. Heat some olive oil. Add the onions and sauté till translucent.
2. Add garlic. Now add the fennel and cook till tender.
3. Make the pasta in salty water. I like it al dente.
4. Sauté the sausages, which are diced into quarter inch pieces, on low heat till they turn brown.
5. Add the tomatoes to the sauce. Add Swiss chard, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Cover and cook till sauce is done, around 10-15 minutes. Do not add any salt. Once you add the pasta, which is salty, adjust for salt.
6. Add pasta to sauce.
7. Add the sausages, if you need to.
8. Grate some parmesan on the top.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Vada Pav – My version
I just call these Indian sliders.
Makes 9 mini sliders
3 russet potatoes – boil
Heeng
Curry leaves
Rai
Cumin Seeds
Tamarind ( I used lemon juice which I regret)
Fresh Coriander
Salt
Ginger garlic paste
Haldi
To some oil in a pan, add the zeera, rai, ginger garlic, curry leaves, haldi, and add it all to the potatoes. Add fresh coriander. Make 9 spheres out of the mixture.
Mix the following
Ajwain, besan, water, red chilli powder, salt till you get a thick batter.
Coat the balls with the blatter and deep fry on medium heat.
Assembling
Pav
Patak’s eggplant relish
Tamarind date chutney
Coriander chutney
Heat the Pav at 350 degrees and slice in half. Make a sandwich using the pav, with the chutneys and vada.
The original vada pav is served with garlic chutney, which is made of red chilies, coconut, garlic and tamarind.
Makes 9 mini sliders
3 russet potatoes – boil
Heeng
Curry leaves
Rai
Cumin Seeds
Tamarind ( I used lemon juice which I regret)
Fresh Coriander
Salt
Ginger garlic paste
Haldi
To some oil in a pan, add the zeera, rai, ginger garlic, curry leaves, haldi, and add it all to the potatoes. Add fresh coriander. Make 9 spheres out of the mixture.
Mix the following
Ajwain, besan, water, red chilli powder, salt till you get a thick batter.
Coat the balls with the blatter and deep fry on medium heat.
Assembling
Pav
Patak’s eggplant relish
Tamarind date chutney
Coriander chutney
Heat the Pav at 350 degrees and slice in half. Make a sandwich using the pav, with the chutneys and vada.
The original vada pav is served with garlic chutney, which is made of red chilies, coconut, garlic and tamarind.
Methi Paneer
This is a quick light dish and ridiculously easy to make. It is also a one pot dish and for once, you do not have to sear the paneer.
You need
1 pack of paneer cubed
Yogurt- enough to marinate the paneer
I onion finely diced
3 green cardamoms
1 clove
1 piece of cinnamon
Few pieces of black peppercorn
1 black cardamom
3 cloves of minced garlic
Minced ginger
Salt
2 tbspn kasoori methi
2 green chilies
Turmeric
Coriander powder
1. Marinate the paneer in the yogurt.
2. Heat some oil in a pan. Add the green cardamom, clove, black cardamom, cinnamon and peppercorn, and wait till you hear the cardamom splutter. Add the onion and cook till you get a translucent hue.
3. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a minute.
4. Now add the powdered spices , the turmeric and the coriander powder, and sauté
5. Add the paneer and yogurt.
6. Add salt and kasoori methi with some water. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.
7. Add loads of chopped green coriander and serve.
You need
1 pack of paneer cubed
Yogurt- enough to marinate the paneer
I onion finely diced
3 green cardamoms
1 clove
1 piece of cinnamon
Few pieces of black peppercorn
1 black cardamom
3 cloves of minced garlic
Minced ginger
Salt
2 tbspn kasoori methi
2 green chilies
Turmeric
Coriander powder
1. Marinate the paneer in the yogurt.
2. Heat some oil in a pan. Add the green cardamom, clove, black cardamom, cinnamon and peppercorn, and wait till you hear the cardamom splutter. Add the onion and cook till you get a translucent hue.
3. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a minute.
4. Now add the powdered spices , the turmeric and the coriander powder, and sauté
5. Add the paneer and yogurt.
6. Add salt and kasoori methi with some water. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.
7. Add loads of chopped green coriander and serve.
Chocolate Pots de Crème
I invited friends over for dinner on Sunday. My menu included my virgin attempt at cooking meat, I ended up making a "chicken tikka masala," I just substituted chicken for the paneer in my tried and tested " paneer tikka masala" recipe. (http://indianfoodathome.blogspot.com/2010/07/paneer-tikka-masala.html )
It worked fine.
Now coming to the problem that always baffles me - dessert. My original idea was to make a "khubani ka meetha" with mascarpone. I found the recipe on the Masterchef web site-
http://starplus.startv.in/masterchef/mcrecipe.aspx?cname=KandlaNijhowne&id=119&sid=40
I thought the concept of using mascarpone with the apricot and adding pomegranate seeds was genius. The sweetness of the apricots, balanced with mascarpone rather than whipped cream, and the pomegranate seeds bursting in your mouth while adding freshness and pizzaz to the recipe. However, I couldn't find dried apricots at the store. Again as usual, I started to surf food and wine magazine. At this point, it was the afternoon of the dinner day, and I was desperate, till I stumbled on this recipe. Pot de crème ("pot of cream") is a traditional French custard typically served in a pot-shaped cup. It is pronounced as "poe de krehm', with a soft 'd' like we have in Hindi. This milk-chocolate version from pastry chef Frank Urso is easy and I got it right the first time I made it. I was looking for a dessert recipe for a dinner party, and foiund this recipe on food and wine magazine. I have copied the original recipe here, with my comments in bold.
I followed the following link to make this recipe.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/milk-chocolate-pots-de-creme
The dessert turned out to be dense rich decadent chocolate custard, topped with whipped cream. It also looks very pretty in a martini glass. I modified the above recipe, using semi sweet chocolate, and halving the amounts. It made four servings.
1. 10 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped ( I used 4 ounces of semi sweet Ghirardelli chocolate and 2 ounces bitter sweet)
2. 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped ( mentioned above)
3. 1 cup milk ( used ½ cup)
4. 1 cup heavy cream ( used ½ cup)
5. 1/4 cup sugar ( used 2 tbspn)
6. 5 large egg yolks ( used 3)
7. Crème fraîche and chocolate shavings, for garnish ( I used whipped heavy cream with vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar)
8. Vanilla Extract ( My touch)
• In a large heatproof bowl, combine the milk and bittersweet chocolates. (Tempering chocolate. I just took the chocolate in a glass bowl and micro waved it for 2 minutes. You need to keep doing this and checking the chocolate, till it melts)
• In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, heavy cream and sugar to a boil, whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
• In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in half of the hot cream. (Be careful here and keep whisking. You do not want the egg to scramble. Make sure you add the cream, little at a time)
• Whisk the egg-and-cream mixture into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back of the spoon, about 4 minutes. Pour the custard over the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes, and then stir until smooth. ( At this stage, add some vanilla extract)
• Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until very smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into four 4-ounce ramekins and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours.
• Let the pots de crème stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Garnish with crème fraîche and chocolate shavings; serve. ( I served with whipped cream. I also kept the dessert out for longer, you want the custard to be softer, it turns hard in the fridge. )
It worked fine.
Now coming to the problem that always baffles me - dessert. My original idea was to make a "khubani ka meetha" with mascarpone. I found the recipe on the Masterchef web site-
http://starplus.startv.in/masterchef/mcrecipe.aspx?cname=KandlaNijhowne&id=119&sid=40
I thought the concept of using mascarpone with the apricot and adding pomegranate seeds was genius. The sweetness of the apricots, balanced with mascarpone rather than whipped cream, and the pomegranate seeds bursting in your mouth while adding freshness and pizzaz to the recipe. However, I couldn't find dried apricots at the store. Again as usual, I started to surf food and wine magazine. At this point, it was the afternoon of the dinner day, and I was desperate, till I stumbled on this recipe. Pot de crème ("pot of cream") is a traditional French custard typically served in a pot-shaped cup. It is pronounced as "poe de krehm', with a soft 'd' like we have in Hindi. This milk-chocolate version from pastry chef Frank Urso is easy and I got it right the first time I made it. I was looking for a dessert recipe for a dinner party, and foiund this recipe on food and wine magazine. I have copied the original recipe here, with my comments in bold.
I followed the following link to make this recipe.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/milk-chocolate-pots-de-creme
The dessert turned out to be dense rich decadent chocolate custard, topped with whipped cream. It also looks very pretty in a martini glass. I modified the above recipe, using semi sweet chocolate, and halving the amounts. It made four servings.
1. 10 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped ( I used 4 ounces of semi sweet Ghirardelli chocolate and 2 ounces bitter sweet)
2. 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped ( mentioned above)
3. 1 cup milk ( used ½ cup)
4. 1 cup heavy cream ( used ½ cup)
5. 1/4 cup sugar ( used 2 tbspn)
6. 5 large egg yolks ( used 3)
7. Crème fraîche and chocolate shavings, for garnish ( I used whipped heavy cream with vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar)
8. Vanilla Extract ( My touch)
• In a large heatproof bowl, combine the milk and bittersweet chocolates. (Tempering chocolate. I just took the chocolate in a glass bowl and micro waved it for 2 minutes. You need to keep doing this and checking the chocolate, till it melts)
• In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, heavy cream and sugar to a boil, whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
• In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in half of the hot cream. (Be careful here and keep whisking. You do not want the egg to scramble. Make sure you add the cream, little at a time)
• Whisk the egg-and-cream mixture into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back of the spoon, about 4 minutes. Pour the custard over the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes, and then stir until smooth. ( At this stage, add some vanilla extract)
• Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until very smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into four 4-ounce ramekins and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours.
• Let the pots de crème stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Garnish with crème fraîche and chocolate shavings; serve. ( I served with whipped cream. I also kept the dessert out for longer, you want the custard to be softer, it turns hard in the fridge. )
Monday, January 10, 2011
Apple Bread Pudding
We were invited to a friend's house for dinner and I was struggling to figure out a dessert we could take with us, rather than just the obligatory bottle of wine. Historical evidence over the years does let me know what I am not capable of - baking. Baking is a little too precise for me. I am more of the ,"throw a little bit of this" and "a little bit of that" kind of a girl. So, I tried baking cookies two months ago. What a disaster that was. Some of the cookies were burnt, some underbaked. The cookies definitely needed more sugar and everything ended up in the trash can. Also, dessert is definitely not my forte. I actually avoid making dessert, because I am the only one who ends up finishing it in my house. Who needs the extra calories?
And so I ended up browsing "food and wine" for something I could make. My partner likes apple pie, and I definitely wanted to make something he would appreciate. I have made bread pudding in the past. But this one was different. It turned out light and fluffy, with a flavor that reminded me of apple pie. So I found this recipe, which Tre Wilcox from "Top Chef" had made in one of the seasons. Here is a link to the recipe
http://www.bravotv.com/foodies/recipes/apple-and-brioche-bread-pudding
He just toasted brioche and cored the apples, which he then baked in vanilla anglais. Vanilla anglais is heavy on egg yolk. The pudding was deemed as heavy and I can understand why. Vanilla anglais is great on it's own, and works well with cakes and fruit. However, further baking it would make it denser.
However, Gail Simmons modified the recipe. She cooked the apples in calvados, she also lightened the custard. I love the idea of using brioche as the bread base for the pudding. Brioche is a light, slightly sweet, eggy bread and also makes as an excellent bread for french toast. The difference between using plain white bread and brioche is huge. This is the Gail Simmons recipe I followed ,
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/apple-bread-pudding
I used a lesser amount of bread. I had a loaf of brioche; I used only three fourths of the loaf; I think the custard needed more sugar; I cooked the apples for more than one and a half minutes after adding the calvados. Here is the original recipe with my modifications in bold .
1 pound brioche, cut into 1-inch pieces – (12 cups of bread) I used 8 cups of bread.
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup sugar (I used ¾ cup sugar for the custard and ¼ cup brown sugar for the apples. In the future I will add an extra 2 tbspn sugar to the custard)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup Calvados or other brandy ( I used Calvados)
4 large eggs, beaten ( I make sure that these are at room temperature)
3 cups milk ( I used 2 ½ cups milk and ½ cup cream)
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped ( I used pure vanilla extract)
Whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving (I made this by whipping 1 ½ cup oh heavy whipping cream, with 4 Tbspn confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract. I made the cream a little sweeter, because my bread pudding was a little less sweet than what I aimed for)
Nutmeg, 1/2 cup raisins , 1/2 cup walnuts ( my additions)
1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the brioche on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly golden and dry.
2 Similarly toast the walnuts.
3 Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter; reserve 3 tablespoons of the melted butter in a small bowl. Add the apples and 1/4 cup of the sugar (use brown sugar here ) to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are golden and softened, about 15 minutes. ( I did so for 12 minutes) Stir in the cinnamon. ( I also added nutmeg) Remove from the heat and add the Calvados. Return the skillet to the heat and cook until the sauce is syrupy, about 1 minute. I cooked for an addition 3-4 minutes, till the smell of alcohol was not as pronounced.
4 In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar. ( I think an extra 2 tbspn sugar will be better) Add the vanilla essence, raisins and walnuts. Add the brioche and apples and toss until evenly coated. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the brioche to absorb the custard.
5 Brush an 8-by-11-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the reserved melted butter. Add the bread pudding and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter on top. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is golden. Let the bread pudding cool slightly, and then serve with whipped cream or crème fraîche.
And so I ended up browsing "food and wine" for something I could make. My partner likes apple pie, and I definitely wanted to make something he would appreciate. I have made bread pudding in the past. But this one was different. It turned out light and fluffy, with a flavor that reminded me of apple pie. So I found this recipe, which Tre Wilcox from "Top Chef" had made in one of the seasons. Here is a link to the recipe
http://www.bravotv.com/foodies/recipes/apple-and-brioche-bread-pudding
He just toasted brioche and cored the apples, which he then baked in vanilla anglais. Vanilla anglais is heavy on egg yolk. The pudding was deemed as heavy and I can understand why. Vanilla anglais is great on it's own, and works well with cakes and fruit. However, further baking it would make it denser.
However, Gail Simmons modified the recipe. She cooked the apples in calvados, she also lightened the custard. I love the idea of using brioche as the bread base for the pudding. Brioche is a light, slightly sweet, eggy bread and also makes as an excellent bread for french toast. The difference between using plain white bread and brioche is huge. This is the Gail Simmons recipe I followed ,
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/apple-bread-pudding
I used a lesser amount of bread. I had a loaf of brioche; I used only three fourths of the loaf; I think the custard needed more sugar; I cooked the apples for more than one and a half minutes after adding the calvados. Here is the original recipe with my modifications in bold .
1 pound brioche, cut into 1-inch pieces – (12 cups of bread) I used 8 cups of bread.
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup sugar (I used ¾ cup sugar for the custard and ¼ cup brown sugar for the apples. In the future I will add an extra 2 tbspn sugar to the custard)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup Calvados or other brandy ( I used Calvados)
4 large eggs, beaten ( I make sure that these are at room temperature)
3 cups milk ( I used 2 ½ cups milk and ½ cup cream)
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped ( I used pure vanilla extract)
Whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving (I made this by whipping 1 ½ cup oh heavy whipping cream, with 4 Tbspn confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract. I made the cream a little sweeter, because my bread pudding was a little less sweet than what I aimed for)
Nutmeg, 1/2 cup raisins , 1/2 cup walnuts ( my additions)
1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the brioche on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly golden and dry.
2 Similarly toast the walnuts.
3 Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter; reserve 3 tablespoons of the melted butter in a small bowl. Add the apples and 1/4 cup of the sugar (use brown sugar here ) to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are golden and softened, about 15 minutes. ( I did so for 12 minutes) Stir in the cinnamon. ( I also added nutmeg) Remove from the heat and add the Calvados. Return the skillet to the heat and cook until the sauce is syrupy, about 1 minute. I cooked for an addition 3-4 minutes, till the smell of alcohol was not as pronounced.
4 In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar. ( I think an extra 2 tbspn sugar will be better) Add the vanilla essence, raisins and walnuts. Add the brioche and apples and toss until evenly coated. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the brioche to absorb the custard.
5 Brush an 8-by-11-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the reserved melted butter. Add the bread pudding and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter on top. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is golden. Let the bread pudding cool slightly, and then serve with whipped cream or crème fraîche.
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