The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.

This month the challenge was to make a crostata crust and add whatever filling we wanted.  I chose to make an apple crostata because it fit with the season.  I also made mine free form (not in a dish).

Crust

• 1/2 c. minus 1 tablespoon superfine sugar or a scant 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 and 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• a pinch of salt
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• grated zest of half a lemon
• 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten in a small bowl

1. Whisk together sugar, flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Rub or cut the butter into the flour until the mixture has the consistency of coarse crumbs. You can do this in the bowl or on your work surface, using your fingertips.  (you can also do this in a food processor)
3. Make a well in the center of the mounded flour and butter mixture and pour the beaten eggs into it (reserve about a teaspoon of the egg mixture for glazing purposes later on – place in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to use).
4. Add the lemon zest to your flour/butter/egg mixture.
5. Use a fork to incorporate the liquid into the solid ingredients, and then use your fingertips.
6. Knead lightly just until the dough comes together into a ball.
7. Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours. You can refrigerate the dough overnight.

Apple Filling  (Ina Garten Recipe)

• 1 1/2 pounds McIntosh, Macoun, or Empire apples (3 large)
• 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet.
3. For the filling, peel, core, and cut the apples into 8ths. Cut each wedge into 3 chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.
4. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.
5. Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender.  Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I wasn’t too crazy about this one.  The apples didn’t cook long enough and the crust was way underdone on the bottom and falling apart on the top.  I guess I should have stuck to either the lemon or jam filling recipes that were provided.

But this regular apple pie I made for Thanksgiving was delicious!  Instead of making a lattice top crust, I made a crumb topping with flour, butter, and brown sugar.  It was a hit with the fam!

Hooray!  It’s pumpkin season!  This is the third pumpkin baked good I’ve made in a month and it was delicious.  I could’ve eaten the frosting by the spoonful.  Since there’s only 2 of us in the house, I always send some to my fam so they can enjoy (really it’s because me and E have no self control when it comes to sweets).  I got the cupcake recipe from Smitten Kitchen and the frosting from the Pioneer Woman, because she’s my hero.

Pumpkin Cupcakes- makes 17-18 regular size

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.

2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and sal into a medium bowl.

3. Add the eggs 1 at a time to the mixer, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Scoop the batter among the cupcake liners — you’re looking to get them 3/4 full. Rap the filled pans once on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.

Notes-  Cake flour is awesome, as it buttermilk.  I didn’t have my stand mixer yet so I just used a hand mixer.  I also halved the recipe to make 9 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• ¼ cups Softened Butter
• 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
• ½ pounds Powdered Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla

Mix all ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth.  I put the mixture in a plastic bag with the tip cut to make a pretty design on the cupcake.  This didn’t work too well.  So I ended up just spreading it on with a knife.

The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.

In this month’s challenge, I conquered 2 of my fears: yeast and frying.  I decided to try out the regular glazed doughnuts  and I think  they turned out pretty good.  I only burned myself once!  Some of them were better than others depending on the thickness.  The thinner ones weren’t as fluffy (obviously) but the glaze made up for it.  These are definitely best eaten within a few hours because they’ll dry out and get a bit hard.  But make sure you dip them in the glaze while they’re still warm!  Gooey sugar is never a bad thing, especially on fried dough.

The recipe is from Alton Brown, the man knows his food stuff.

Yeast Doughnuts- This recipe makes 20-25 doughnuts.  Since I don’t really want E to eat that many in a day, I cut it in half.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 1/2 ounces vegetable shortening, approximately 1/3 cup
• 2 packages instant yeast
• 1/3 cup warm water (95 to 105 degrees F)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 23 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface
• Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying (1 to 1/2 gallons, depending on fryer)

Directions

1. Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat just until warm enough to melt the shortening. Place the shortening in a bowl and pour warmed milk over. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and shortening mixture, first making sure the milk and shortening mixture has cooled to lukewarm.

3. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment, combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined. Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well. Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

4. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out dough using a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter or pastry ring and using a 7/8-inch ring for the center whole. Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a tea towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or dutch oven to 365 degrees F. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute per side. Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan.

*Notes- I don’t have a stand mixer yet (it’s on the way though!) so I just used my hand mixer and it was pretty hard but it got the job done.  Also, I don’t own a fryer so I just used a big cast iron skillet and it worked perfectly.  And I don’t know how the heck to measure the rolled dough to 3/8 in. so I just guessed.

I used P Dub’s glaze recipe (the Pioneer Woman, love).

Glaze

• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla
• ½ cups Cold Water Or Milk

Just mix all ingredients together and dip each side of the doughnut into glaze.  Place onto rack to let drip.