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My Night as a Spanish Pastry Chef

partysugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:13:33 -0800

Last week, while in Southern Spain, I had the wonderful opportunity to work in a bakery for an evening. Luckily it wasn't just any night: It was Jan. 5, the night that the Reyes Magos - the three wise men - bring Spanish children presents. The typical Spanish pastry that coincides with the holiday, called roscón de reyes or King's Cake, is consumed in mass quantities on the following morning.
I arrived to find the bakery, Confiteria La Piedra Escrita, crowded with people waiting to pick up their roscónes. Pascual, my pastry chef friend, quickly escorted me to the kitchen where his family was hard at work mass producing over 1000 cakes! The rest of the night was a whirlwind of rolled dough and whipped crema.

With spongelike layers and fluffy filling, this cake is a delicious dessert excellent for any occasion. There are four options for filling - whipped cream, chocolate whipped cream, meringue, and crema (a thick sugar-flour custard) - but my favorite is whipped cream. If you ever have one, you should pair with either coffee or champagne. To take a look at a gallery from my adventures in Spanish baking, and for a recipe to experiment in your own kitchen, read more.

Roscón de Reyes
From The Cuisines of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cooking by Teresa Barrenechea

1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
Minced zest of 1/2 lemon
Minced zest of 1/2 orange
2 1/2 tsp. (1 envelope) active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk, heated to lukewarm (90°F to 100°F)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
3 tablespoons orange-flower water
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
olive oil for preparing pan
1/2 cup candied fruits, finely chopped, optional
whipped cream, chocolate whipped cream, meringue, or pastry cream optional for filling

In a food processor or blender, combine the 1/2 cup sugar and both citrus zests and process on high speed until you have a mixture of fine particle. Set aside.
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and let stand for about 5 minutes, or until foamy.
Add sugar-zest mixture, the butter, 2 of the eggs, the orange flower water, and the salt and stir with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are well mixed.
Add half the flour to the milk mixture and mix with your hands until well blended. Add the remaining flour and continue mixing until all the flour is incorporated.
Knead the dough in the bowl for a few minutes until it is smooth, flexible, and no longer sticky.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until it has roughly doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to its lowest setting and brush rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
Punch down the dough. On a floured work surface, using your palms, roll the dough back and forth until it forms a log about 30 inches long and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place it on the prepared baking sheet and bring the ends together to form a circle with a hole in the center 4 to 5 inches in diameter, forming a "crown." Alternatively, divide the dough in half and form 2 logs each 15 inches long and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Form the logs into 2 crowns on the baking sheet.
Fill an ovenproof bowl with water and place it at the rear of the oven.
Place the baking sheet with the dough crown in the oven. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour, or until nearly doubled in size.
Remove the pan from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Break the remaining egg into a small bowl, beat until blended, and brush it onto the crown(s). Scatter the candied fruits evenly over the top(s), if desired, and sprinkle evenly with the sugar.
Bake the cake(s) for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool on the pan.
Transfer to a serving plate and serve at room temperature.
If desired, carefully slice the cake in half lengthwise. Spread the inside with the filling of your choice and top with the other half of cake.

Makes 1 15-inch or 2 8-inch coil cakes.

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Summer Reading: The Cuisines Of Spain

partysugar — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 05:28:39 -0700

If you read this fabulous little website frequently, you probably know by now that I am a complete and total Spainophile (yes I know that's not a real word, but I couldn't find the Spanish equivalent to the French loving Francophile). After living in Andalucia for two years, what can I say? I love all things Spanish, including the food. I have quite the collection of Spanish cookbooks, however my favorite is The Cuisines Of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cooking by Teresa Barrenechea. I received this book as a gift from my godfather and have made lots of successful, authentic tasting dishes that take me back to the balmy nights and long, lazy afternoons. The empanada dough is flaky and browns perfectly, the classic patatas bravas tapa is the best recipe I've tried, and the gambas al ajilio is succulent and garlicy.

I especially enjoy this book for its beautiful photography of the Spanish countryside, detailed descriptions of the origins of the recipes, and Barrenechea's personal stories that relate to each dish. If you are interested in learning the secrets of a genuine Spanish mother, I highly recommend this book.

Summer Reading Roundup

YumSugar — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 05:12:37 -0700

Can you believe that August is over already? We hope that you all enjoyed August's summer reading month features. We've had thirty-one options that range from vegetarian cooking, shopping list mockery, world history, children's cooking, vacations, fine dining and more. In case you missed any of them, I've compiled them all in one place for easy perusal, or for you to printout and take to the bookstore!

And don't worry, just because summer reading month is over, doesn't mean we'll stop talking about tasty reads! To check out the full list, read more

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
The New Outdoor Kitchen by Deborah Krasner
I'm Just Here For The Food by Alton Brown
Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
The Cuisines of Spain by Teresa Barrenechea
Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans
French Women For All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Be My Guest by Rena Kirdar Sindi
On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee
The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
Candyfreak by Steve Almond
The Wine Club by Maureen Christian Petrosky
Small-Batch Baking by Debby Maugans Nakos
Barefoot Contessa Parties! by Ina Garten
The Gastronomical Me by MFK Fisher
The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten
Milk Eggs Vodka by Bill Keaggy
Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes
Something Delicious This Way Comes by Joshua Ploeg
The Great American Camping Cookbook by Scott Cookman
Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl
Martha Stewart's Hors D'oeuvres by Martha Stewart
Sweets: A History of Candy by Tim Richardson
Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy by Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch
Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
Fanny at Chez Panisse by Alice Waters
Cooking with Curtis by Curtis Stone
Sweet Revenge by Diane Mott Davidson
The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Cocktail Parties With a Twist by Alexandra and Elliot Angle

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