October Daring Bakers Challenge - Povitica!

The Daring Baker’s October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!

Povitica (pronounced po-va-teet-sa) is traditional Eastern European dessert bread that is usually served during the holiday season. It is also known as Nutroll, Potica, Kalachi, Strudia, just to name a few. Family recipes, and the secrets on how to roll the bread so thin, were passed down through generations of families. However, the tradition of baking this type of bread has become somewhat of a dying art form.  I don't remember having this bread as a child, but we had a similar rolled sweet bread filled with poppy seed called macowiec.  This Daring Baker's Challenge was a blast, the thin rolling of the dough was extremely challenging, yet therapeutic, satisfying and destressing, and the finished loaves were beautiful and delicious!

Povitica
(makes 4 loaves)

click here to view this recipe


To activate the yeast:
2 t sugar
1 t flour
4 oz warm water
2 T active dry yeast

For the dough:
16 oz milk
6 oz sugar
3 t salt
4 eggs
4 oz butter, melted
Up to 8 c flour, divided

Walnut Filling:
7 c ground walnuts
8 oz milk
8 oz butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 t vanilla
16 oz sugar
1 t unsweetened cocoa
1 t cinnamon

Directions
To activate the yeast, stir 2 t sugar, 1 t flour and the yeast into 4 oz warm water (approx 100° F) in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Autumn Macs - Vanilla Bean with Pumpkin Butter and Cinnamon with Pear Cream

I designed today's baking experiment around making autumn macs that were NOT filled with buttercream.  I've had a lot of success filling my recent macarons with buttercream, but I just wanted to try something different.  My first batch today are cinnamon macarons filled with a unique filling called Pear Cream, which is basically a custard mixed with cooked/pureed pears. A splash of pear brandy is added to bring out the flavor and then the custard is blended with butter to give the filling some creaminess.

Todd suggested pairing the filling with cocoa macarons, but he's out of town and I'm not sure how I feel about chocolate and pear together...So, I decided to make cinnamon macaron shells.  I used a basic recipe to which I added about 2 T of ground cinnamon.

Before I share the pear cream recipe, I would like to take a few moments to talk about custards. Simply and scientifically put, a custard is a liquid thickened or set by the coagulation of an egg product. Doesn't that sound delicious?? Ha ha. Seriously, there are 2 types of custards, a stirred custard (which is stirred over heat and remains pourable) or a baked custard (which sets as it bakes). The basic rule for any custards is that the internal temperature should never get over 185 F. This is the temperature at which the mixture coagulates and, beyond that, it will curdle. So, what this means is that stirred custards should always be stirred or whisked while being heated and baked custards are baked at a moderate temperature, usually with the use of a water bath to regulate heat distribution. Some examples of custards include creme brulee, bread pudding, creme caramel, cheesecake, quiche and ice cream.

Pecan Pumpkin Macs

I have started calling macarons "macs" in conversation with Todd.  It just makes things easier, plus I think it sounds cool.  And, yes, that means that I do have conversations with Todd about macs...

I made some macs using ground pecans instead of almonds and let me tell you, the flavor was amazing.  But it wasn't easy!  Pecans are a much oilier nut than almonds, plus I have the luxury of being able to buy ground almonds (almond meal) and with pecans, I had to make it myself.

Whoopie for Pumpkin!

I've always liked whoopie pies.  I've pretty much always liked dessert sandwiches period.  Ice cream sandwiches, cookie sandwiches and by now you know I'm somewhat obsessed with the French macarons, another dessert sandwich!  Let's get real, it's just a good idea.... Good stuff squeezed between more good stuff.  Yum.

I always enjoy baking with the seasons and my son, Josh, actually decided on pumpkin when we were at the grocery store.  He pointed and said "pumpkin."  They had carving pumpkins, but also some cute (read: littler) pie pumpkins.  I adore anything littler than it's regular size counterpart... So, I brought the baby pumpkin home.

To roast your own pumpkin (highly recommended, but very understandable to buy canned pumpkin), first rinse well, cut off the top near the stem, then cut it in half.  Use a big spoon to scrape out the seeds and pumpkin "innards."  If you are so inclined, save them so you can roast the seeds.  (Yummy with salt!)  Cut each half into thirds and place them cut side down on a sheet pan.  Roast in the oven at 350 F for about 45 minutes.

It's not necessary to peel the pumpkin, once it's roasted the skin will start wrinkling up and trying to come off anyway.  It's not easy to peel a raw pumpkin, so I always wonder why people want to do that before roasting!

Once the flesh is tender, remove from the oven and allow the pumpkin pieces to cool a bit in the pan.  Then peel the skin, using a peeler for any stubborn patches that remain.  Puree the pieces in your food processor until smooth.  You can use immediately or freeze in well-sealed plastic baggies for about 6 months or so.