TWD Summer Peach Galette...

I used to think chocolate desserts were my favorite, but I've changed my mind. I really LOVE fruit desserts. Especially when excellent, ripe, sweet fruit is involved. This galette is no exception. Dorie's original recipe is called Summer Fruit Galette, and she recommends peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots or rhubarb. I found some amazing peaches at the Farmer's Market, so that's what I chose to bake with. This reminds me of the apple crostada I LOVE to make in the Fall & Winter. If you are a pie lover but don't love to make pies...this could be one for you. The pastry is pretty easy to put together, and there is no "transfering to a pie plate." Just roll the pastry into a circle, fill the center with fruit, and wrap the pastry up around the edges. It is a very rustic, homemade looking dessert...and I LOVED it! It was a crowd pleaser!

You can visit Michelle in Colorado Springs for the complete recipe, and stop by the Tuesdays With Dorie blogroll...there were some AMAZING things done with this recipe!

Great pick Michelle!!

TWD blueberry pie...

Thank you, thank you, thank you Amy from South in Your Mouth for choosing this recipe! I thoroughly enjoyed making this. I thought the pastry was the perfect pie crust (thank you, Dorie!) I didn't want to waste one bit of the dough so I made pie crust cookies (just cut out & sprinkle with a little sugar before baking.) Really, I'm not sure which I enjoyed more...the tiny cookies disappeared quickly!!

For the complete recipe you can visit Amy's site. Please do, you won't be disappointed!

TWD apple cheddar & apple cinnamon scones...

This really is my kind of recipe...simple, delicious, quick...you get where I'm going with this. The original recipe calls for dried apples & cheddar cheese. While those are wonderful on their own, I thought a little cinnamon and nutmeg in place of the cheddar would make a nice sweet option. I was right. I made half with apples and cheddar & half with apples, cinnamon & nutmeg. The apples in both scones are really just a subtle hint of sweetness that really was tasty.

I have made scones many times before, and I found this to be the easiest recipe yet, and with the same wonderful results as other, more time consuming recipes.

Thanks Karina for the excellent choice! For the complete recipe you can visit Karina at The Floured Apron, or for all of Dorie Greenspan's amazing recipe's, her book , Baking: From My Home to Yours would be a fabulous addition to any kitchen!!

TWD peppermint cream puffs...

Absolutely divine!

This recipe, chosen by Caroline from A Consuming Passion, was amazing. It was originally supposed to be a cream puff ring. I read that other TWD bakers were having problems with their "rings" collapsing, so I took the petite cream puff route.

I have made pate a choux (or choux paste...or cream puff dough...) many times before, and was anxious to try Dorie's recipe. LOVED it. The cream puffs had the exact flavor a cream puff should have, and were also the perfect consistency...crisp on the outside, moist on the inside.

It was also relatively easy to pull together.

The chocolate on the outside & the crunch of the almonds just added an extra wonderful flavor and texture.

This will definitely be made in my kitchen again, and again, and again...!!

TWD La Palette's Strawberry Tart...

I received some little tart pans that had belonged to my Grandma & have been waiting for an opportunity worthy of using them. That opportunity came along with this weeks recipe, chosen by Marie from A Year At Oak Cottage.

This is one of the more simple recipes we've taken on lately at Tuesdays With Dorie, and that is exactly what I loved about it. Sometimes the simple things are the most wonderful. This strawberry tart definitely proves that. No need to mess around with this one in my book...it is PERFECT just the way it is!

The recipe can be found in Dorie Greenspan's fabulous book, Baking from my Home to Yours on page 374.

TWD french chocolate brownies...

Mmmmmmmm! These babies really are a beautiful thing. Surprisingly gooey & fudgy in the middle, despite the crisp layer on the top. Again...mmmmmm! The only changes I made to the original recipe was trading the rum soaked raisins for chopped pecans, and I used semi sweet chocolate instead of bittersweet. Have I mentioned...mmmmm yummy?!?!?

Thanks Di for the fabulous selection!!

- makes 16 brownies

-Adapted from Baking From My Home to Yours

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1/3 cup raisins, dark or golden

1 1/2 tablespoons water

1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons; 6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 12 pieces

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sugar
Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil, place the pan on a baking sheet, and set aside.
Whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon, if you're using it.
Put the raisins in a small saucepan with the water, bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the water almost evaporates. Add the rum, let it warm for about 30 seconds, turn off the heat, stand back and ignite the rum. Allow the flames to die down, and set the raisins aside until needed.
Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Slowly and gently melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and add the butter, stirring so that it melts. It's important that the chocolate and butter not get very hot. However, if the butter is not melting, you can put the bowl back over the still-hot water for a minute. If you've got a couple of little bits of unmelted butter, leave them—it's better to have a few bits than to overheat the whole. Set the chocolate aside for the moment.
Working with a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until they are thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Lower the mixer speed and pour in the chocolate-butter, mixing only until it is incorporated—you'll have a thick, creamy batter. Add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for about 30 seconds—the dry ingredients won't be completely incorporated and that's fine. Finish folding in the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula, then fold in the raisins along with any liquid remaining in the pan.
Scrape the batter into the pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is dry and crackled and a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the brownies to cool to warm or room temperature.
Carefully lift the brownies out of the pan, using the foil edges as handles, and transfer to a cutting board. With a long-bladed knife, cut the brownies into 16 squares, each roughly 2 inches on a side, taking care not to cut through the foil.

TWD brown sugar-pecan shortbread...

This week the recipe chosen by Tara of Smells Like Home is for Madeleine cookies OR any TWD recipe that has been previously baked. I have to say that I have had my eye on these shortbread cookies from the very beginning so this was an easy choice for me. These are a gourmet, homemade version of the good old, store bought pecan sandies that I have always loved. I really had a hard time limiting my intake of these..SO FABULOUS!! The recipe was very easy to put together, and tasted even better then I imagined they would.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of ground cloves

2 sticks butter; room temp

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup finely ground pecans

Sift together flour, cornstarch, salt & cloves. Beat butter and brown sugar on med. speed for about 3 min, until the mixture is very smooth. Reduce speed and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Add the pecans and give the mixer a couple of turns, just to get the nuts into the dough.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the soft dough to a gallon-size ziploc bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that is 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn't cause creases. When you get the right size thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 min. The shortbread should be very pale-they shouldn't take on a lot of color. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

TWD peanut butter torte...

My cute new cake pedestal was waiting for a treat...

My plate and fork were waiting for a treat...

This recipe was waiting for some attention...

These presents were waiting to be opened, and this torte was waiting to be eaten...

...the presents had to wait a while...

This weeks recipe, chosen by Elizabeth from Ugg Smell Food, could not have come at a better time! It was my husband's Birthday last week and I don't know anyone who loves chocolate and peanut butter more than him...yay!

It was a very easy recipe to put together. I used milk chocolate for the ganache on the top and it was extremely tasty... and anything with an oreo crust is an automatic winner for me!

Peanut Butter Torte
1 ¼ c. finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
½ c. mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semi sweet chocolate)
24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt
2 ½ c. heavy cream
1 ¼ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ c salted peanut butter – crunchy or smooth (not natural; I use Skippy)
2 tablespoons whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
Getting ready: center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Toss ½ cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chops together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan (they should go up about 2 inches on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.
Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in ¼ cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Scrape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Wipe out (do not wash) the bowl, fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, ¼ cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.
Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Scrape the mouse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.
To Finish The Torte: put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan.
Bring the remaining ½ cup cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and , working with a a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.
Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining ½ cup peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.
When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the Springform pan; it’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, and then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel damped with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

TWD carrot cake...

I measured my dry ingredients...

I whisked my dry ingredients...

I prepped my carrots...

I grated my carrots...

I baked my little carrot cakes...

Well, I gave it a shot. I don't know what exactly caused the problem...I'm sure I did not account for the amount of leavening in the batter when I filled my little cake pans...I left out the nuts, coconut and raisins (we're not really into chunks in cake around here) and did not compensate for that...should I have replaced those ingredients with something else??? I have the worst luck with cakes made from scratch. Normally I am such a perfectionist that I would have given this another shot, but at this point I was out of carrots, out of time and...out of patience...it had been a long day!

TWD Marshmallows...

Marshmallows, marshmallows, marshy, marshy, marshmallows...(sing along with me) There's something about a treat like this that brings out the goofy kid in me (no kidding!?!) I have never made marshmallows, never really thought about making marshmallows, but...why not? I was really happy when I saw this weeks recipe choice. Judy from Judy's Gross Eats picked this one & I'm so glad she did!

There were some wonderful suggestions of ways to "play around" with additions to this recipe, and some of the amazing TWD participants really went for it and did an incredible job! Click here to check out the blog roll...there really are some fabulous & creative takes on this recipe.

A busy week and four little ones kept me from going crazy with this recipe, so I stuck with the basic vanilla approach. Even though I kind of waited until the last minute and felt like I rushed through the process (ahem), I really enjoyed seeing this come to life. I think I may actually enjoy it more as a marshmallow cream...before it set up...than the finished product, but they were tasty! (Visions from childhood of peanut butter & marshmallow cream sandwiches...don't knock it till you try it.)

Even though it was the first warm day in weeks...this was how one of my little guys wanted to enjoy his marshmallowy goodness! (Kind of looks like pats of butter floating around in there...)

Makes about 1 pound marshmallows

About 1 cup potato starch (found in the kosher foods section of supermarkets) or cornstarch

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 1/4-ounce packets unflavored gelatin

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

3/4 cup cold water

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar

GETTING READY:

Line a rimmed baking sheet -- choose one with a rim that is 1 inch high -- with parchment paper and dust the paper generously with potato starch or cornstarch. Have a candy thermometer at hand.

Put 1/3 cup of the water, 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, continue to cook the syrup -- without stirring -- until it reaches 265 degrees F on the candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.While the syrup is cooking, work on the gelatin and egg whites.

In a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining cold water (a scant 7 tablespoons) and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until it is spongy, then heat the gelatin in a microwave oven for 20 to 30 seconds to liquefy it. (Alternatively, you can dissolve the gelatin in a saucepan over low heat.)

Working in the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in another large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until firm but still glossy -- don't over beat them and have them go dull. As soon as the syrup reaches 265 degrees F, remove the pan from the heat and, with the mixer on medium speed, add the syrup, pouring it between the spinning beater(s) and the sides of the bowl. Add the gelatin and continue to beat for another 3 minutes, so that the syrup and the gelatin are fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla.

Using a large rubber spatula, scrape the meringue mixture onto the baking sheet, laying it down close to a short end of the sheet. Then spread it into the corners and continue to spread it out, taking care to keep the height of the batter at 1 inch; you won't fill the pan. Lift the excess parchment paper up to meet the edge of the batter, then rest something against the paper so that it stays in place (I use custard cups).Dust the top of the marshmallows with potato starch or cornstarch and let the marshmallows set in a cool, dry place. They'll need about 3 hours, but they can rest for 12 hours or more.

Once they are cool and set, cut the marshmallows with a pair of scissors or a long thin knife. Whatever you use, you'll have to rinse and dry it frequently. Have a big bowl with the remaining potato starch or cornstarch at hand and cut the marshmallows as you'd like -- into squares, rectangles or even strips (as they're cut in France). As each piece is cut, drop it into the bowl. When you've got 4 or 5 marshmallows in the bowl, reach in with your fingers and turn the marshmallows to coat them with starch, then, one by one, toss the marshmallows from one hand to the other to shake off the excess starch; transfer them to a serving bowl. Cut and coat the rest of the batch.

SERVING: Put the marshmallows out and let everyone nibble as they wish. Sometimes I fill a tall glass vase with the marshmallows and put it in the center of the table -- it never fails to make friends smile. You can also top hot chocolate or cold sundaes with the marshmallows.

STORING: Keep the marshmallows in a cool, dry place; don't cover them closely. Stored in this way, they will keep for about 1 week -- they might develop a little crust on the outside or they might get a little firmer on the inside, but they'll still be very good.

**There are a few things I did a little different from what Dorie suggests...I used a mixture of half cornstarch & half powdered sugar in a large ziploc bag to coat marshmallows. I just tossed a few around in there at a time then shook off the excess.

I also lightly buttered my pan then coated it with the cornstarch & sugar mixture & after 3 hours, those little babies came right out.

I think it would be a fabulous touch to coat with a little cocoa powder, as well..YUM!!

TWD french lemon cream tart...

Lemon Cream:

1 cup sugar

Grated zest of 3 lemons

4 large eggs

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (4-5 lemons)

2 sticks plus 5 Tbsp butter, cut into Tbsp size pieces, at room temp

1 9-inch tart shell made with Sweet Tart Dough

Have an instant read thermometer, a strainer and a blender on hand. Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan.

Put the sugar and zest in a large heatproof bowl that can be set over the pan of simmering water. Off the heat, rub the sugar and zest together between your fingers until the sugar is moist, grainy and very aromatic. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the lemon juice.

Set the bowl over the pan and start stirring with the whisk as soon as the mixture feels tepid to the touch. Cook the lemon cream until it reaches 180 degrees. As you whisk-you must whisk constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling-you'll see that the cream will start out light and foamy, then the bubbles will get bigger, and then, as it gets closer to 180 it will start to thicken and the whisk will leave tracks. This could take as much as 10 min.

As soon as it reaches 180, remove the cream from the heat and strain it into the container of the blender; discard the zest. Let the cream stand, stirring occasionally, until it cools to 140 degrees, about 10 min.

Turn the blender to high and, with the machine going, add the butter about 5 pieces at a time. Scrape down the sides of the container as needed as you incorporate the butter. Once the butter is in, keep the machine going-to get the perfect, light, airy texture of lemon cream, you must continue to blend the cream for another 3 min.

Pour the cream into a container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to create an airtight seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When you are ready to assemble the tart, just whisk the cream to loosen it and spoon it into the tart shell. Serve the tart, or refrigerate until needed.

Sweet Tart Dough:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick plus 1 Tbsp butter, very cold or frozen, cut into small pieces

1 large egg yolk

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in-you should have some pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and some the size of peas. Stir the yolk, just to break it up, and add a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg is in, process in long pulses-about 10 seconds each-until the dough, which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and curds. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and, very lightly and sparingly, knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.

Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Freeze the crust for at least 30 min, preferably longer, before baking.

Lightly butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake crust for 25 min. Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, gently press is down with the back of a spoon. Bake for another 8 min, or until it is firm and golden brown. Cool completely before filling.

Ok...if you are a citrus fan...if you're not a citrus fan...this lemon cream is spectacular! Talk about silky, creamy goodness. I loved making this tart. Talk about stepping out of my comfort zone...I would usually pass up a recipe like this. I would be very intimidated by all of the steps. However, the ingredients are all household items, and it really is amazing watching the science part of this recipe work it's magic. My husband and kids were even into it! (I soooo wish I had a pic of that!) I served it up with a little sweetened whipped cream, a perfect accompaniment in my opinion. I would love to try these next time as individual mini tarts. Overall...a great choice by Mary at Starting from Scratch. I loved every little aspect of this weeks recipe...making it and of course eating it!

TWD gooey chocolate cakes...

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate,
(4 ounces coarsely chopped,
1 ounce very finely chopped)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
6 tablespoons of sugar
Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. butter (or spray – it’s easier) 6 cups of a regular-size muffin pan, preferably a disposable aluminum foil pan, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Put the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
Sift the flour, cocoa and salt together.
Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the coarsely chopped chocolate and the butter in the bowl and stir occasionally over the simmering water just until they are melted – you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until homogenous. Add the sugar and whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and, still using the whisk, stir (don’t beat) them into the eggs. Little by little, and using a light hand, stir in the melted chocolate and butter. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle the finely chopped chocolate over the batter.
Bake the cakes for 13 minutes. Transfer them, still on the baking sheet, to a rack to cool for 3 minutes. (There is no way to test that these cakes are properly baked, because the inside remains liquid.)
Line a cutting board with a silicone baking mat or parchment or wax paper, and, after the 3-minute rest, unmold the cakes onto the board. Use a wide metal spatula to lift the cakes onto dessert plates.

This weeks recipe was chosen by Leigh of Lemon Tartlet (GREAT site!). Check out other TWD bakers for their take on Gooey Chocolate Cakes...

I have to say I was really excited to see this recipe last week...chocolate, gooey, "best served with ice cream," what's not to love? In the end, though...not a favorite. The center wasn't quite as gooey as I had hoped (I even baked with the convection setting on my oven which tends to undercook the center of things) I used semi-sweet chocolate which I highly recommend, maybe even milk chocolate...even if you love dark chocolate...(the dark chocolate lover in this house still thought it was a little bitter) On the up side it was really easy to put together, it made just the right amount, and it gave me an excuse to buy good vanilla ice cream. However, the next time I want a chocolatey, gooey, serve with ice cream dessert...I'll probably stick to my fav brownie recipe. I did love the choice of this recipe, though...that is why I joined TWD...to bake things I had never baked before! Thanks!!

TWD caramel topped flan...

For the Caramel:

1/3 cup sugar

3 tbsp water

squirt of fresh lemon juice

For the Flan:

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1-1/4 cups whole milk

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a roasting pan or a 9-x-13-inch baking pan with a double thickness of paper towels. Fill a teakettle with water and put it on to boil; when the water boils, turn off the heat.Put a metal 8-x-2-inch round cake pan-not a nonstick one-in the oven to heat while you prepare the caramel.

To Make the Caramel: Stir the sugar, water and lemon juice together in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Put the pan over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar becomes an amber-colored caramel, about 5 minutes-remove the pan from the heat at the first whiff of smoke.Remove the cake pan from the oven and, working with oven mitts, pour the caramel into the pan and immediately tilt the pan to spread the caramel evenly over the bottom; set the pan aside.

To Make the Flan: Bring the cream and milk just to a boil. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart glass measuring cup or in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and sugar. Whisk vigorously for a minute or two, and then stir in the vanilla. Still whisking, drizzle in about one quarter of the hot liquid-this will temper, or warm, the eggs so they won't curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remainder of the hot cream and milk. Using a large spoon, skim off the bubbles and foam that you worked up.

Put the caramel-lined cake pan in the roasting pan. Pour the custard into the cake pan and slide the setup into the oven. Very carefully pour enough hot water from the kettle into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. (Don't worry if this sets the cake pan afloat.) Bake the flan for about 35 minutes, or until the top puffs a bit and is golden here and there. A knife inserted into the center of the flan should come out clean.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven, transfer the cake pan to a cooking rack and run a knife between the flan and the sides of the pan to loosen it. Let the flan cool to room temperature on the rack, then loosely cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

When ready to serve, once more, run a knife between the flan and the pan. Choose a rimmed serving platter, place the platter over the cake pan, quickly flip the platter and pan over and remove the cake pan-the flan will shimmy out and the caramel sauce will coat the custard.

Yield: 6 to 8 Servings

This is one of those recipes that makes me so happy to be a part of "Tuesdays With Dorie." This is not a recipe I would have tried on my own, but I'm so glad I had the opportunity to try it!?!? (Does that make any sense??) This weeks recipe was chosen by Steph from a whisk and a spoon. I did double the caramel recipe (based on the TWD reviews) and I'm glad I did, however...as you can tell by the pics I didn't let it get dark enough. It still tasted good! This got mixed reviews from my panel of judges (two 9 year olds, a 4 year old, a 2 year old & my hubby)...seemed to be more of a texture thing that was the problem more than a taste thing...STILL, a fun recipe to try!

TWD apple pie cake...

I joined a baking group called "Tuesdays With Dorie"!! Once a week a member picks a recipe from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook "Baking, From My Home To Yours" and we all post our results on the following Tuesday. Fun, huh? This weeks recipe is "Russian Grandmothers' Apple-Pie Cake, chosen by Natalie from Burned Bits.

This pie/cake is amazing. It is two layers of dough that is a cross between cookie dough and pie crust...that sandwiches cinnamon apples...need I say more? It was really fun to make, and tastes spectacular.

For The Dough
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lemon
3 1/4 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For The Apples
10 medium apples (I like to use Fuji)
Squirt of fresh lemon juice
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

Sugar, preferably decorating (coarse) sugar, for dusting

To Make The Dough: Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes more. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the baking powder and salt and mix just to combine. Add the lemon juice - the dough will probably curdle, but don't worry about it. Still working on low speed, slowly but steadily add 3 1/4 cups of the flour, mixing to incorporate it and scraping down the bowl as needed. The dough is meant to be soft, but if you think it looks more like a batter than a dough at this point, add the extra 1/4 cup flour. (The dough usually needs the extra flour.) When properly combined, the dough should almost clean the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it into a ball and divide it in half. Shape each half into a rectangle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or for up to 3 days. (The dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months; defrost overnight in the refrigerator.)

To Make The Apples: Peel and core the apples and cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick; cut the slices in half crosswise if you want. Toss the slices in a bowl with a little lemon juice - even with the juice, the apples may turn brown, but that's fine - and add the raisins. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together, sprinkle over the apples and stir to coat evenly. Taste an apple and add more sugar, cinnamon, and/or lemon juice if you like.

Getting Ready to Bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter a 9x12-inch baking pan (Pyrex is good) and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Remove the dough from the fridge. If it is too hard to roll and it cracks, either let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes or give it a few bashes with your rolling pin to get it moving. Once it's a little more malleable, you've got a few choices. You can roll it on a well-floured work surface or roll it between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper. You can even press or roll out pieces of the dough and patch them together in the pan - because of the baking powder in the dough, it will puff and self-heal under the oven's heat. Roll the dough out until it is just a little larger all around than your pan and about 1/4 inch thick - you don't want the dough to be too thin, because you really want to taste it. Transfer the dough to the pan. If the dough comes up the sides of the pan, that's fine; if it doesn't that's fine too.

Give the apples another toss in the bowl, then turn them into the pan and, using your hands, spread them evenly across the bottom.

Roll out the second piece of dough and position it over the apples. Cut the dough so you've got a 1/4 to 1/2 inch overhang and tuck the excess into the sides of the pan, as though you were making a bed. (If you don't have that much overhang, just press what you've got against the sides of the pan.)

Brush the top of the dough lightly with water and sprinkle sugar over the dough. Using a small sharp knife, cut 6 to 8 evenly spaced slits in the dough.

Bake for 65 to 80 minutes, or until the dough is a nice golden brown and the juices from the apples are bubbling up through the slits. Serve warm or at room temp.

I cut the recipe in half and omitted the raisins.I served it up warm with a little vanilla bean ice cream. It was fabulous. This will definitely grace my kitchen many, many more times! Thanks for the great recipe choice Natalie!