Chocolate Icing - Light and Delicious - Plus how to Cake Drip....The DoughDr 7/15/2023

Hello Bakers!
On Saturday’s show we had so great questions both saved and in the moment. Here is the link: Saturday's Show
Demo was all about making a fluffy chocolate frosting that marries American buttercream and ganache. For the finale, I showed you how to create an elegant “cake drip” with ganache.
Let’s jump right in - any questions let me know and please tag me in your beautiful bakes @bakingwcolette on Instagram.

Fluffy Chocolate Frosting:
Yield: Enough to fill and decorate an 8” cake

Mise en Place Fluffy Chocolate Icing

Part 1 - Make chocolate ganache:

Equipment: - small saucepan, whisk or spatula, scale

Make ganache - half will be used with the icing and half will be used for the drip.

8 ounces chocolate (56% cacao or higher helps) - chopped fine if not in chip form.
8 ounces heavy or whipping cream

1. In a small saucepan heat the cream until it reaches a low boil. Pour over the chocolate and gently shake the bowl to submerge the chocolate. Let sit for 1-2 minutes. Stir until smooth with a whisk and spatula.

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, spatula

Part 2 Make American Buttercream Base
227g (2 sticks) unsalted butter - partially softened
16 oz (454g) powdered sugar
15g (1 tablespoon) milk
6g (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
pinch salt

1. Start with the butter in the bowl of the stand mixer and mix on low speed until the butter is smooth (1-2 minutes).

2. Add half the powdered sugar and mix on med/low speed until the sugar and butter are combined. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl, add the remaining half of powdered sugar. Mix until smooth 1-2 minutes.

3. Scrape the mixer down and add milk, vanilla and salt.

4. Mix for 2-3 minutes on med-high speed until light and smooth.

   Add 6-8 ounces of the chocolate ganache to the buttercream and mix until smooth. For a lighter chocolate flavor add 6 ounce (170g) use the full 8 ounces (227g) for a full chocolate flavor.

   The icing can be made ahead, wrap well, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

   For the Drip:
   Place the remaining ganache in a squeeze bottle - make sure it flows out of the bottle freely. If it is stuck - rewarm for a 10-15 seconds in the microwave.
   
   

Scones Master Recipe - The DoughDr Archive July 1, 2023

Hello Bakers,

Here is the recipe from Saturday's Show where I demoed how to make scones in the mixer. We also discussed customizing flavors - not only the scones but also the delicious flat icing that can be spread on top. This may seem a little over the top but I think it makes them extra delicious.

One last thing - these scones do not have to be made in a mixer - but if you have one use it - most cut in doughs can be made in the mixer - if the butter or other fat is cold and the speed is kept on low.

I encourage to whip up a batch. They can be made the night before and chilled and baked the next day. Have fun, be creative and tag me on IG @bakingwcolette. I love to see your beautiful bakes.

Scones: Yield 8 3”x 4”

Equipment:
Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (large bowl and bowl scraper if mixing by hand), bowl scraper, pastry brush, ruler, rolling pin and a half sheet tray lined with a silpat mat or parchment paper, scale, knife or bench scraper.

Scone MEP

Ingredients:
300g all purpose flour
38g sugar
4g baking powder
3g baking soda
2g salt

113g butter (1 stick) - chilled cut into small cubes and refrigerated
201g heavy cream, buttermilk, plant based milk or regular milk
Note: lower in fat milks will impact the keeping quality of the scones but freezing leftover scones and then thawing and refreshing them in a 350 degree oven will bring them right back to deliciousness.
Additions can be any citrus zest, dried fruit, chocolate chips, frozen fruit
For pumpkin or banana scones I need to create a new formula as the water content in pumpkin and banana those off things off.

Show Flavors: I large orange zested, 85g dried cranberries.
1. In the mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds.

2. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of corn flakes - as the butter is breaking down, turn the mixer off from time to time.

3. Add the cream and mix on low speed until the dough becomes a cohesive mass. It will be necessary to stop the mixer and scrap the paddle and the mixer bowl.

4. As the dough forms an almost cohesive mass, the sides of the bowl will be mostly clear - they might be a little power dust on the bottom of the bowl. Add the cranberries and mix briefly until they are dispersed evenly.

5. Dump the dough out on the work surface and fold over with a light touch a few times to make sure that everything is incorporated and any dry bits are worked into the dough.

Shaping in process

6. Roll the dough into a 4” x 12” rectangle. make sure the sides are straight and the corners squared off. On the long side, measure off 3” increments - cut into rectangles at the 3” mark and then cut the rectangles in half forming triangles. The desired thickness is about 3/4”.
7. Transfer the scones to the prepared sheet tray and brush with heavy cream or the milk you used to make them.

Brushed and ready for chilling

8. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes to overnight.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes until they are a light golden brown.

Let the scones cool for a few minutes before serving. They are delicious served with this flat icing.

Flat Icing:
170g powdered sugar, sifted
28g melted unsalted butter
28g milk or fruit juice - in the show I used orange juice and some zest
4g vanilla (not for a citrus glaze) but great for the rest.

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and whisk until smooth.

Galettes - not a pie - not a tart - but a perfect pastry frame for summer fruit

Hello Bakers,

On Saturday’s show I showed you how to make a galette - a lovely summer dessert - not a pie and not a tart. The difference? Here is the link to the show: Show Link
Pies are comforting and homey, tarts are all kinds of chic and fancy and then there are galettes.
Galettes can be put together in about two hours and showcase the sweet flavors of summer fruit. Have overripe fruit? Make a galette
The following is a master recipe.
Once we cover the dough, I’ll talk about the filling and how to turn different fruits into delicious fillings.

Basic Galette Dough (Sweet)
This dough can be used for any type of galette. 

Equipment: Larger bowl, plastic bowl scraper or pastry blender. Half sheet pan, lined with aluminum foil, measuring cup

175g Unbleached all purpose flour
18g Sugar
2g Salt
50g eggs
30g milk

113g unsalted butter - cubed and chilled into ½” pieces
10g lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. 
Sprinkle the cubed butter and lemon zest (optional) over the dry ingredients
Using the bowl scraper, pastry blender or your fingers (if you have cold hands)
to work the flour and butter together until well combined and the butter is the size of chickpeas.Combine the egg and cream in a measuring cup. Use 1/4 cup (57g) of the mixture for the dough. Save the remainder to brush the crust before baking.
Drizzle the egg and cream mixture over the dry ingredients and keep it in the bowl, using the bowl scraper to mix the dough together into a cohesive mass. 
Using the heel of your hand push any loose pieces of dough into the ball of dough.
Flatten to ½ inch thick circle, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
While the dough is chilling, line a half sheet pan with buttered parchment paper or foil (shiny side down)
20 minutes before shaping the dough, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Fruit filling: 
400g of sliced or cubed fruit.
75 - 125g of granulated sugar or light brown sugar (divide in half) - the riper the fruit - the less sugar you may need.
It’s best to peel fruits before using - Peaches are better if they are peeled. But other stone fruits like plums and nectarines are fine to use with their peels intact.
Pinch of salt
35g cornstarch or instant clear gel - if your fruit is not juicy like figs, reduce the cornstarch or instant clear gel by 10g.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom - some spices go naturally well with fruit.
Use your favorites - need ideas on pairings - let me know.
Combine half the sugar with the fruit and let sit for 20 minutes. This helps pull juices out of the fruit.
Combine the instant clear gel or cornstarch with remaining sugar. Add to fruit let sit at least 5 minutes.
Assembly:
Components
Dough, fruit filling, jam (optional), crumb topping - recipe below
On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12” circle. The edges can be ragged.If your fruit is underripe, a layer of jam in the center of the dough - you’ll want to leave a 1 ½” border. A layer of crumb topping can also be used on the bottom of the crust.
This helps absorb excess moisture.
Pile the fruit into the center of the dough and fold the pastry over the fruit, pleating it.
Brush with the leftover egg and milk mixture - sprinkle with sugar or sanding sugar if you have it.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
Let cool for 20 minutes before serving - whipped cream or ice cream are great accompaniments
Galettes are best served the day they are made.

Torta della Nonna Assembly - The DoughDr Episode 6/17/2023

Hello Bakers,

We are almost to the end of our tart series on the show. My hope is that you feel more confident putting any of these doughs together.

And finally the assembly of the Torta della Nonna - literally “Grandmother’s tart” In Italian. This tart is really special - I encourage you to make it for your family and friends. With the flaky buttery pastry and rich vanilla kissed custard it needs very little garnish beyond a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Torta della Nonna Assembly.

1. Make the pasta frolla and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours. Can be made ahead, refrigerated for 2-3 days and frozen for up to one month.

2. Make the pastry cream and chill.

3. Roll out the bottom crust and line the tart pan - keeping the dough 1/8” thick. Prick the bottom with a fork. Chill the tart shell for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, set up an egg white wash (one egg white beaten up with 1 teaspoon of water until it is smooth.) You need a pastry brush, a baking tray to support the tart in the oven and pine nuts and pistachios if you are using them for garnish.

5. After 30 minutes, remove the tart shell from the refrigerator and place it on the baking tray. Spread almost all of the pastry cream into the tart shell - leaving about a 1/4 inch from the top. This 1/4 inch will make space for the top crust. Using a small offset spatula make sure the cream is smooth and flat.

6. Roll out the remaining piece of dough, 1/8” thick and a little larger than the diameter of the tart. Carefully lift and drop the top crust over the tart using the rolling pin.

7. Press the edges together, clean the sides of the pan using your thumb.

8. Brush the top of the tart with the egg white wash and bake for 40 minutes in the middle of the oven. If the top of the tart is pale, move it to the top third of the oven and bake for 5-7 more minutes.
   The tart is done when it is an all over light golden brown. Let cool before serving.

9. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

10. If made ahead, let warm up at room temperature before serving (about an hour) and refrigerate leftovers. Enjoy!