The Baking Podcast Ep 2: Holiday Party Baking Hacks

Melody and Taunya discuss holiday parties! Taunya introduces two great party recipes that are as delicious and not among the standard holiday party line-up; Hot Chocolate wine and the Gougere, a savory cheese puff made with choux pastry. Melody also talks about how she made her baked jalapeno poppers (a non-deep fried option). On the business side, the pair talk about two new bakery opportunities that have come up recently. Melody talks about her move and gives an update on Tina and Tofu, her pet turkeys!

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Recipes:

Gougeres (Modified from David Lebovitz)

1/2 cup (125ml) water

3 tablespoons (40g) butter, salted or unsalted, cut into cubes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup (70g) flour

2 large eggs

12 teaspoons chives, finely-minced (or 1 to 2 minced fresh thyme, or 2 tsp of any dried herb you fancy)

3/4 cup (about 3 ounces, 90g) grated cheese -- use a harder cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 425F (220C.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Heat the water, butter, salt, and pepper in a saucepan until the butter is melted.

3. Dump in the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture pulls away from the sides into a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let rest two minutes, to cool it down a bit. At this point, you can scrape the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. If you don’t have a mixer, let it cool in the pan, stirring it a few times to let the heat escape.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring quickly to make sure the eggs don’t ‘cook.’ The batter will first appear lumpy, but after a minute or so, it will smooth out.

5. Add about 3/4s of the grated cheese and the herbs and stir until well-mixed.

6. Scrape the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a wide plain tip and pipe the dough into mounds, evenly-spaced apart, making each about the size of a tangerine. NOTE: If you don't have a pastry bag, fill a freezer bag and snip off the corner allowing a 1/2 inch opening. This dough is very forgiving; you don't need to have perfect round shapes. Remember, rustic is IN!

7. Top each puff with a bit of the remaining cheese, the put the baking sheet in the oven.

8. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375F (190C) and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re completely golden brown.

For extra-crispy puffs, five minutes before they’re done, poke the side of each puff with a sharp knife to release the steam, and return to the oven to finish baking

Eat warm. You can reheat if serving the same day or freeze!

Hot Chocolate Red Wine:

To Make the Chocolate Syrup:

60 grams good quality dutch process cocoa powder (1/2 cup)

100 grams sugar (1/2 cup)

120 grams water (1/2 cup)

1. combine all three ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved--whisk constantly. Should take less than 5 minutes.

2. Take off heat, let cool down for about 30 minutes, transfer to jar, or plastic container and refrigerate. Should keep for up to a month (or maybe more)

To make the Hot Chocolate Red Wine

1. Heat 1 cup of milk with 2 heaping tbs of chocolate syrup in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, but not a boil

2. Add one cup of red wine, bring to simmer

3. Pour into 2 mugs