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French Fridays with Dorie – Double Chocolate and Banana Tart

May 18, 2012 in ffwd

Wanna know something about family? Sure you do.

We go through a lot of bananas each week. I’m talking 5 or 6 bananas a day. And that’s when my husband is gone! They are just so versatile – pancakes, muffins, smoothies, waffles, bread, anything and everything you could possibly bake up is better with bananas!

So of course I was pretty excited about this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe: Double Chocolate and Banana Tart.

Don’t get confused though, it’s double chocolate and double banana. The crust is a chocolate shortbread crust, topped with caramelized bananas that are then covered in chocolate ganache, and finally it’s finished with raw banana slices.

(The caramelized banana slices looked like little scallops!)

I thought this recipe was simple, so impressive, and delicious! I didn’t love the raw bananas on top – for some reason, the contrast between the super rich chocolate and the raw bananas just didn’t do it for me – but those were easily picked off. I really really really loved the caramelized bananas. It gave just a little crunch to the tart.

I halved the crust recipe, got 2 small tarts (maybe 5 or 6 inches?) and then dropped a tart shell in the sink. So I quartered the rest of the recipe and it was perfect for my one tart. HOWEVER, one tart was not enough for this lady and I wish I had another one right now.

(The members of French Fridays with Dorie don’t share Dorie’s recipes because we want to encourage you to check out Around My French Table.)

One year ago: Caramel Pecan Monkey Bread
Two years ago: Gummy Candy
Four years ago: Strawberry Scones

 

 

 

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French Fridays with Dorie – Provencal Olive Fougasse

May 11, 2012 in ffwd

May is turning into such a great month for French Fridays with Dorie! First there was almond-coated fish and now bread! My favorite! And something I haven’t been making a whole lot of lately.

This is a Fougasse which is one of those breads that had always intimidated me. For starters, it just looks complicated. It’s also one of those breads that needs to sit overnight before being shaped and baked. The overnight sitters are always tough for me because I very rarely plan that far ahead. And it also means that I’m thinking about bread all night long. Torture!

The Fougasse is not nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Like I said, it sits overnight before being rolled out, marked, and then only has to rest for about 15 minutes before going in the oven. Probably one of the easier “fancy” breads I’ve attempted since it really doesn’t have to be a specific shape.

This Fougasse is studded with olives, rosemary (I used dried), and lemon zest. The olives, even though they are so strong, don’t really add the typical olive flavor, just more of a saltiness. My 2 year old can’t stand olives but he loved the bread!

Fougasse is a cousin of focaccia so it had that crisp exterior with a nice, fluffy interior. Mine didn’t rise in the oven as much as I’d hoped it would but it was likely an issue with my oven and not the recipe. I’m looking forward to trying other Fougasse recipes now that I know how simple they are.

(The members of French Fridays with Dorie aren’t sharing all the recipes because we want to encourage you to check out Around My French Table.)

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French Fridays with Dorie – Broth-Braised Potatoes

January 27, 2012 in ffwd, sides

One of the great things about French Fridays with Dorie is that we get to nominate and then vote on what we want to cook each month. I was particularly excited when I saw these Broth-Braised Potatoes showed up on the monthly ballot. I mean, what’s wrong with potatoes that are braised in broth? Absolutely nothing.

This was a very simple and quick dish. The potatoes are just sliced in half and then braised in broth with thyme (or rosemary) and some garlic. It took less than 20 minutes and was such a fun way to serve potatoes!

I wasn’t sure that my boys would appreciate this one – and actually briefly considered mashing some of the potatoes for them – but they all ended up eating some, even if they did cover them in ketchup! I thought they were delicious and was happy to eat them for breakfast the next day. I especially loved that my broth turned purple overnight thanks to my purple potatoes!

(The members of French Fridays with Dorie do not post the recipes we make so be sure to check out Around My French Table.)

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French Fridays with Dorie – Quartre-Quarts

January 20, 2012 in cake, ffwd

If you haven’t already bought yourself a copy of Around My French Table, run out and get it right now so you can make this recipe!

This pound cake is our French Fridays with Dorie recipe this week and it has got to be the best pound cake in the world. In Around My French Table, Dorie mentions that it’s drier than the pound cake we’re used to in the US but I thought it was perfect. I happened to catch some strawberries on sale the day I made the cake and it made the best strawberry shortcake.

My favorite part of the cake is the brown sugar that is sprinkled on top before baking. I hated how it made the cake look on the top – it was just little dots of brown – but it added so much to the pound cake!

The recipe is definitely going to be my go-to when it comes to pound cakes from now on, but I’m definitely doubling the recipe next time around!

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French Fridays with Dorie – Cauliflower-Bacon Gratin

December 30, 2011 in ffwd

This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe came at a great time. What’s more perfect for Christmas dinner than a cheesy gratin?

I had tried Ina’s cauliflower gratin years ago (and actually took it to Christmas at the in-law’s) and was really disappointed in it. Shocking because it has 5 stars on Food Network and received rave reviews from all my blog friends. Well I had high hopes for this one because while it’s a very similar recipe, this one includes bacon. And let’s be honest, anything with bacon is going to be good.

I didn’t love the gratin hot out of the oven (and I don’t think any of my boys even touched it) – to me cauliflower and Gruyere are both very bland so it was kind of flavorless aside from the bacon. But after it sat overnight it became something very different and I happily finished off the leftovers by myself.

If I was going to make it again, I’d probably use a different cheese and I would double the cauliflower because mine was more custard than anything.

The recipe is on NPR’s website if you want to give it a go!

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