I'm officially a Daring Baker!

and my first challenge (for July): Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream From Great Cakes by Carol Walter.

Now I know why it's called a Daring Baker Challenge (this is my first one). I'm happy with the end product, but not proud. The gateau was too flat (and too great of crumb), the ganache was delicious but too rich, and the buttercream: Ew, and hard to work with, thanks to the hazelnut chunks clogging my tip.

First challenge: how do I remove the skin from the hazelnuts? Do I boil them a la Rose Levy Beranbaum and rub off the skins, or do I go the Baker's Illustrated route and toast them, then rub off the skins?

I tried both with the hazelnuts and they both had their own challenges, but I decided the messes created and time spent were about the same. The main difference I found was the boiling method left a more delicate flavor than the toast and peel method.

The boiling method (involving a dash of baking soda) left a lovely mess on my range, plus I wasted a bunch of water removing the skins. I still had to toast them, but there were no skin pieces left after I was done and despite the huge amount of water I wasted, I probably could have used less and the skins were quick to fall off.

The toasting method took a long time, created hazelnut dust in my kitchen, and I didn't get all the skin off, but didn't weird me out with pink boiling water.

My other challenges: I want a new mixer bowl and I need a new food processor. I overbeat my whites so my 10" genoise was too flat for 3 layers (only 1 1/2" tall - but I cut it into three layers anyway. Daring!); my food processor decided to fall apart on me so my praline paste was a little chunky for my 112 tip (a little smaller than the 114 leaf called for in the recipe) and I spent the decorating time with a knife wedged up the tip trying to dislodge the chunks; and finally, when I "thunked" the ganache (a bittersweet/semisweet concoction), the whole cake slid along the whipped topping layer to create a lovely little ledge tiltitude.

Despite all this, my near and dear declared the project Delicious! and I was immediately able to foist the rest of the cake off on some unsuspecting neighbors.

If I were to recreate this, I would use a 9" round (and not overbeat the whites), use a frangelica/lemon liquor combo instead of rum/orange liquor, and grind those hazelnuts to a fine paste first. I don't think this could be made vegan, although GF is possible. This is a once-a-year kind of creation.

Oh, and I would probably not sample the liquor three or four times before pouring the ganache glaze. But maybe I would. It was pretty good stuff.

Hazelnuts don't seem to be an exploited crop, although I couldn't find much on them. Flour is usually an issue, but King Arthur flour is worker-owned. The butter is organic, and the eggs local but I used cane sugar -- a HUGE environmental yuckola. Can't wait for the next challenge ...

Wheatsville, again

It's been about three years since I upgraded from an orange card to a green card, and about three years since I stopped going to Wheatsville for whatever reason. Sunday, while running errands, i upgraded to a gold card. Yay!

Bought dog treats because I could. Yay bark 4 peace!

And if I can convince the Near & Dear to try new places (he knows what he likes) I've got some restaurants to try (if they're still around. It's amazing how quickly some things come and go. I managed to get N&D to the Frisco, and now it's gone. Just gone).

Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Polenta

We're really lucky that we're on the mailing list for Central Market. Periodically we'll get coupons for things I would never buy. Yesterday, we pulled out the grill and charred a lovely pork tenderloin, marinated in lemon & herbs, four minutes each side and then five minutes of rest (internal temperature up to about 150, although 160 is recommended as minimal. Me, I'm an advocate of letting fresh flesh be slightly rare). It was sadly gone before I could take a picture (those are leftovers). I made baked polenta to go with it, modified from the Herbfarm Cookbook, and easy enough to throw together while waiting for the grill to get hot!

In a pot on the stove bring to boil 4 1/2 cup water (or broth and water, low salt recommended) and 1 tsp salt (I used sea-salt)

then whisk in 1 c coarse cornmeal (classic polenta) that can be bought in bulk from CM.

Whisk constantly for about five minutes (or until cream-of-wheaty - whatever that means) and add in 3/4 cup shredded cheese - I used comte, but gruyere is recommended and herbs - I used an herbs de province mix I put together from the garden, but sage, thyme, rosemary, all of that is good. And 1 tablespoon fresh is recommended as a start, unless you're like me, then you add in as much is needed, plus a dash of cayenne and nutmeg and dried mustard powder, and some ground black pepper, and maybe a pinch of something something because you can.

Add in anything else you feel like adding in now, too - because you're next pouring it into a buttered 1.5 quart dish and putting into a preheated 350 degree oven, with another 3/4 cup shredded cheese on top, and cooking for about 1 hr, more or less, depending on how dry you like your polenta.

The longer you let it sit before serving, the better it sets up (like lasagna). Even mushy it ends up being quite tasty.