Making My Own Filo Pastry - Am I Mad?

Erica of Erica’s Edibles was our host for the Daring Baker’s June challenge. Erica challenged us to be truly DARING by making homemade phyllo dough and then to use that homemade dough to make Baklava.

Well, as you can imagine, I was just thinking to myself that I am far too busy to contemplate making my own Filo pastry!  It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  Really easy to make.  I used my pasta machine to roll out the dough into transparently thin sheets.  

It meant my sheets were very narrow so I just made two for each layer. The dough was really lovely to work with.  I had some shop-bought Filo in the fridge so took it out to compare - the shop stuff is brittle and cardboard-y whereas the home made stuff is moist and soft and pliable - so much easier to work with.

I can't imagine that I will make it myself many times more but if ever I was trying something special with Filo, I certainly would make it myself as I am sure it would make execution of little parcels and things like that a lot easier and probably prettier. 

So, onto the Baklava.  The best thing about making this was that it was the very first time I used my first ever food processor!  I whizzed up the nuts in it - my brand new Magimix.  Oh, I am so excited to finally have a processor.  I have used it loads since getting it but it still feels like such a novelty.  It sits out on the counter and I look at it lovingly every day.

The mistake I made was to halve all the ingredients except the syrup ingredients so I ended up pouring over too much syrup and finding that it was still drowning in syrup the next morning rather than having the syrup all absorbed.  I am glad I halved the recipe though as it is so rich and calorific!  Yum, though!

I felt this recipe gave a lovely Baklava just like that I can buy in the street market.  I particularly loved the evocative tastes - the syrup was beautiful!  I will never ever complain again at the price of the baklava I buy - all that layering is time consuming so I would expect to pay more!

Recipe - 

Filo Pastry.

Recipe source - Phyllo Dough Recipe - Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

(Enough to make Baklava in an 9” X 9” baking dish – although I halved the recipe for my version.)

Ingredients –

2 2/3 cups (640 ml) (370 gm/13 oz) unbleached all purpose (plain) flour


1/4 teaspoon (1.3 ml) (1.5 gm) salt


1 cup less 2 tablespoon (210 ml) water, plus more if needed


4 tablespoons (60 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough


1 teaspoon (5 ml) cider vinegar, (could substitute white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar, but could affect the taste)

Method –

1.    In the bowl of your stand mixer combine flour and salt.

2.    Mix with paddle attachment.

3.    Combine water, oil and vinegar in a small bowl.

4.    Add water & oil mixture with mixer on low speed, mix until you get a soft dough, if it appears dry add a little more water.

5.    Change to the dough hook and let knead approximately 10 minutes. You will end up with beautiful smooth dough. If you are kneading by hand, knead approx. 20 minutes.

6.    Remove the dough from mixer and continue to knead for 2 more minutes. Pick up the dough and through it down hard on the counter a few times during the kneading process.

7.    Shape the dough into a ball and lightly cover with oil.

8.    Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let rest 30-90 minutes, longer is best.

9.    Use whatever means you have to get the dough as thin as you can. Use a wooden dowel (video showing how to this on YouTube), use a pasta machine if you have one, or a normal rolling pin whatever works for you. Unwrap your dough and cut off a chunk slightly larger then a golf ball. While you are rolling be sure to keep the other dough covered so it doesn’t dry out. Roll out your dough until it is transparent. NOTE: you will not get it as thin as the frozen filo dough you purchase at the store, it is made by machine.

10. Set aside on a well-floured surface. Repeat the process until your dough is used up. Between each sheet again flower well. You will not need to cover your dough with a wet cloth, as you do with boxed dough, it is moist enough that it will not try out.

Baklava.

Adapted from Alton Brown, The Food Network
30 servings

Ingredients –

For the filling.

1 (5-inch/125 mm piece) cinnamon stick, broken into 2 to 3 pieces or 2 teaspoons (10 ml) (8 gm) ground cinnamon


15 to 20 whole allspice berries

3/4 cup (180 ml) (170 gm/6 oz) blanched almonds


3/4 cup (180 ml) (155 gm/5½ oz) raw or roasted walnuts


3/4 cup (180 ml) (140 gm/5 oz) raw or roasted pistachios


2/3 cup (160 ml) (150 gm/ 5 1/3 oz) sugar


Filo dough (see recipe above)


1 cup (2 sticks) (240 ml) (225g/8 oz) melted butter

For the syrup.

1 1/4 cups (300 ml) honey

1 1/4 cups (300ml) water


1 1/4 cups (300 ml) (280 gm/10 oz) sugar


1 cinnamon stick


1 (2-inch/50 mm) piece fresh citrus peel (lemon or orange work best)


a few cloves or a pinch or ground clove

Method –

1.    Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4.


2.    Combine nuts, sugar and spices in a food processor and pulse on high until finely chopped. If you do not have a food processor chop with a sharp knife as fine as you can. Set aside.

3.    Trim your filo sheets to fit in your pan.

4.    Brush bottom of pan with butter and place first filo sheet.

5.    Brush the first filo sheet with butter and repeat approximately 5 times ending with butter. (Most recipes say more, but homemade filo is thicker so it's not needed).


6.    Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture on top.

7.    Continue layering filo and buttering repeating 4 times.

8.    Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture on top.

9.    Continue layering filo and buttering repeating 4 times.

10. Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture on top.

11. Continue layering and buttering filo 5 more times. On the top layer, make sure you have a piece of filo with no holes if possible, just looks better.

12. Once you have applied the top layer tuck in all the edges to give a nice appearance.

13. With a Sharp knife cut your baklava in desired shapes and number of pieces. If you can't cut all the ways through don’t worry you will cut again later. A 9x9 pan cuts nicely into 30 pieces. Then brush with a generous layer of butter making sure to cover every area and edge.

14. Bake for approximately 30 minutes; remove from oven and cut again this time all the way through. Continue baking for another 30 minutes. (Oven temperatures will vary, you are looking for the top to be a golden brown, take close watch yours may need more or less time in the oven)

15. When you put your baklava in the oven start making your syrup. Combine all ingredients in a medium pot over medium high heat. Stir occasionally until sugar has dissolved.

16. Boil for 10 minutes, stir occasionally.

17. Once boiled for 10 minutes remove from heat and strain cinnamon stick and lemon, allow to cool as baklava cooks.

18. When baklava is cooked remove from oven and pour the cooled (will still be warmish) syrup evenly over the top, taking care to cover all surfaces when pouring. It looks like it is a lot but over night the syrup will soak into the baklava creating a beautifully sweet and wonderfully textured baklava!

19. Allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled cover and store at room temperature. Allow the baklava to sit overnight to absorb the syrup.


20. Serve at room temperature.

Freezing/Storage Instructions/Tips: There are a few ways to store your Baklava. It is recommended that you store your baklava at room temperature in an airtight container. Stored at room temperature your baklava will last for up to 2 weeks. You will notice as the days pass it will get a little juicier and chewier. You may choose to store it in the fridge; this will make it a little harder and chewy, but does increase the shelf life. You can also freeze your baklava and then just set it out at room temperature to thaw.

Feel free to have a look at The Daring Kitchen to see other bakers' results and sign up if you fancy joining in with the challenges.

Daring Bakers' Challenge No. 5 - March 2011 - Yeasted Meringue Cake.

The March 2011 Daring Baker's Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria's Collection and Jamie of Life's A Feast.  Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.

And, in case you get confused like me - no, there is no coffee in this cake.  I scoured the ingredients time and time again thinking I was missing something but apparently a coffee cake in this sense is one to be eaten alongside a cup rather than flavoured with coffee.

I was intrigued by the meringue in the cake. It turns out that it cooks into a chewy meringue in the bits that are exposed by the cuts in the dough whereas elsewhere it simply disappears leaving a sweet moisture within the cake.

I made my one with Jamie's version which included pecans, cinnamon and chocolate although I changed the pecans to almonds as that is what I had in the house.  

I ended up with something which very reminded me of something from a French patisserie - a bit pain au chocolate and a little bit Danish.

I think I should have put a little more chocolate in my one as I found it a little bit dry but Steve enjoyed it.  I was also inspired by other Bakers versions and would like to try a savoury version.  According to Audax (who made many versions - some rather surprising - check out the one made with sweeties!) the cheese and meringue mix to make a lovely gooey, oozy sauce.  I also liked versions made with apples and sultanas - yum.  Definitely one to try again with different fillings.

Recipe - 

Makes 2 cakes.

Ingredients - 

For the dough - 

600g plain flour

55g sugar

3/4 tsp salt

7g active dried yeast (I just bunged in a lump of fresh yeast)

180ml whole milk

60ml water

135g unsalted butter at room temperature

2 large eggs at room temperature

For the meringue - 

3 large egg whites at room temperature

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

110g sugar

For the filling - 

110g flaked almonds

2 tbs granulated sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (I used more)

170g plain chocolate chips (I just used what I had which probably wasn't as much as this and I think it really needed the full amount)

Egg wash - 1 beaten egg.

Method - 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 230g of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.

2. In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over a medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted.

3. With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended.

4. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 mins.  Add the eggs and 150g flour and beat for 2 more mins.

5. Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together.

6. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for 8-10 mins until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic.

7. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat all sides.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45-60 mins.

8. Prepare your filling.  In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

9. Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue.  In a clean mixing bowl (ideally plastic or metal so the egg whites adhere to the side), beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30s then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque.  

10. Add the vanilla then start adding the sugar a tbsp at a time as you beat until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

11. Assemble the cake.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

12. Punch down the dough and divide in half.  On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of dough at a time, rollout the dough into a 20"X10" rectangle.  

13. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2" from the edges.  Sprinkle half the sugar/cinnamon mixture over the meringue followed by half the nuts and half the chocolate.

14. Now roll up the dough from the long side.  Pinch the seam closed to seal.  Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined baking sheets, seam side down.  Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal.

15. Using kitchen scissors, make cuts along the outside edge at 1" intervals.  Make them as shallow or deep as desired.

16. Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings.

17. Cover the cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 mins.

18. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.

19. Brush the tops of the cakes with egg wash.

20. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 mins until risen and golden brown.

21. Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheets onto the table.  Very gently loosen from the paper and slide onto cooling racks.  Allow to cool.

22. Just before serving, dust the tops with icing sugar and cocoa powder.  Best eaten fresh the same day or the next day.

Daring Bakers' Challenge No. 4 - Feb 2011 - Mocha Panna Cotta and Florentine Cookies.

The February 2011 Daring Bakers' Challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa In The Kitchen.  She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.

I loved these recipes.  The Panna Cotta was much easier to make than I imagined and turned out really well although I cheated and did it in a glass instead of a mould - I'll need to attempt that part of the challenge next time.  I made the chocolate panna cotta and married it with a coffee gelee.  I would love to make the vanilla panna cotta with a fruit gelee but my fruit-phobic husband wouldn't have helped me eat it so I'll have to keep that for some time I am having friends round.

The cookies were really tasty too.  They spread a LOT in the baking tin but are very tasty.

Chocolate Panna Cotta.

(recipe adapted from Bon Appetit)

Ingredients - 

240ml whole milk

1 tbsp (7g) unflavoured, powdered gelatine

480ml double cream

115g sugar

145g plain chocolate

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method - 

1. Pour milk into a small bowl, sprinkle gelatine over the top, set aside for 2-5 mins.

2. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir in cream, sugar and vanilla.  Bring to a low boil.

3. Add chocolate and whisk until melted.  Whisk the milk/gelatine mixture into chocolate cream mixture. Whisk until gelatine has dissolved.

4. Transfer to ramekins or nice glasses for serving.

5. Cover and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Coffee Gelee.

(recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine) 

Ingredients - 

480 ml good quality brewed coffee

60 ml hot water and 2 tbsp cold water

115g granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp (3 1/2 g) unflavoured, powdered gelatine

2 tsp vanilla extract

Method - 

1. Place sugar and hot water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stir until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Sprinkle gelatine over 2 tbsp cold water and let it soften for 2 mins or so.

3. Stir the coffee, sugar, hot water and vanilla into a small metal bowl, add gelatine mixture and stir well until gelatine has dissolved.  

4. If pouring over Panna Cotta, leave to cool to room temperature first or it will melt the panna cotta.

Florentine Cookies.

(adapted from the cookbook "Nestle Classic recipes") 

Ingredients - 

150g unsalted butter

160g quick oats

230g granulated sugar

95g plain flour (I added some extra to subsequent batches which made the hold their shape a little better while baking)

60ml golden syrup

60ml whole milk

1tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

250g dark chocolate

Method - 

1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C/GM5.  Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.

2. Melt butter.

3. To the melted butter, add oats, sugar, flour, syrup, milk, vanilla and salt. Mix well.

4. Drop a tbsp full, three inches apart, onto your prepared baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with the back of your spoon.

5. Bake for 6-8 mins until the cookies are golden brown.  Cool completely on the baking sheets.

6. Melt your chocolate.

7. Spread a tbsp of chocolate on the bottom of your cookie, sandwiching another atop the chocolate.  Or you can choose not to sandwich them but simply drizzle the chocolate over the tops.

Join the Daring Bakers here. 

Daring Bakers' Challenge No. 3 - Jan 2011 - Biscuit Joconde Imprime/Entremet.

Oh wow - you really have to go the Daring Kitchen Home Page and look at the gallery of photos of all the entremets made by the daring bakers this month.  So many stunningly creative ideas and beautifully presented desserts.

The January 2011 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of blog Accro.  She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around an Entremets dessert.

Well, this was a challenge too far for me, I'm afraid.  I am not patient enough or precise enough and with the kids running around getting bored of me fickering with my sponges, mousses and jellies, I ended up with a bit of a failure.  However, I am impressed with myself for giving it ago after my initial reaction was to have this month off and I have also learned loads from my mistakes this time round which may mean I might pluck up the courage to have another go!

I decided to do a chocolate orange concoction and so started off with making the Joconde Imprime with a chocolate design. I wanted to do the boys' names so I started by having to draw them backwards with the chocolate Joconde-decor paste.

I froze this then spread over the joconde sponge layer and put in the oven.  Mistake number one - I used a flat baking sheet with no sides and the sponge mixture started to slide off the side of the baking sheet in the oven until it set in the heat.  I therefore ended up with the first parts of the names looking okay and the ends just being a mushy mess.  Hee hee.  It's okay - my kids can't read anyway.

I can see, though, that the contrast between the chocolate decor paste and the plain sponge is really effective.  If I try this again, though, I would like to do something in colour - some of the bakers did absolutely stunning designs with beautiful, bright colours - really impressive.

I then layered up my entremet with layers of chocolate sponge (just used Delia's basic sponge recipe), a milk chocolate mousse and a white chocolate orange mousse.

I then got to my next mistake which was the jelly but by this point I wasn't really caring that much anymore.  The first jelly I left to set too long and found it solid and we were getting to the end of the day when the kids were playing up and I get stressed on a normal day.  So, the next time I did it, I knew it wasn't set enough but I poured it in anyway, and of course it just soaked through the sponge and out the bottom of the cake pan.

So, all in all, this is not a beautiful dessert but it is a great lesson - I think I could do much better next time.

Recipe - 

Joconde imprime /entremets. A joconde imprime (French Baking term) is a decorative design baked into a light sponge cake providing an elegant finish to desserts/torts/entremets/ formed in ring molds.

A joconde batter is used because it bakes into a moist, flexible cake. The cake batter may be tinted or marbleized for a further decorative effect.

This Joconde/spongecake requires attentive baking so that it remains flexible to easily conform to the molds. If under baked it will stick to the baking mat. It over baked it will dry out and crack. Once cooled, the sponge may be cut into strips to line any shape ring mold.

Entremets (French baking term)- an ornate dessert with many different layers of cake and pastry creams in a mold, usually served cold. Think Trifle in a mold vs. a glass bowl.

A joconde imprime is the outside cake wrapper of the Entremets dessert.

Read through the whole recipe first. This looks more difficult than it is. Very simple ingredients. The baking and execution is the challenge - the assembly can be the most time consuming.

Joconde Sponge

YIELD: Two 1⁄2 size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan

Ingredients:

3⁄4 cup/ 180 ml/ 3oz/ 85g almond flour/meal - *You can also use hazelnut flour, just omit the butter

1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons/ 150 ml/ 22⁄3 oz/ 75g confectioners' (icing) sugar

1⁄4 cup/ 60 ml/ 1 oz/ 25g cake flour (I just used plain)           

3 large eggs - about 51⁄3 oz/ 150g

3 large egg whites - about 3 oz/ 90g

21⁄2 teaspoons/ 121⁄2 ml/ 1⁄3 oz/ 10g white granulated sugar or superfine (caster) sugar

2 tablespoons/ 30 ml/ 1oz / 30g unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1.            In a clean mixing bowl whip the egg whites and white granulated sugar to firm, glossy peeks. Reserve in a separate clean bowl to use later.

2.            Sift almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, cake flour. (This can be done into your dirty egg white bowl)

3.            On medium speed, add the eggs a little at a time. Mix well after each addition. Mix until smooth and

light. (If using a stand mixer use blade attachment. If hand held a whisk attachment is fine, or by hand. )

4.            Fold in one third reserved whipped egg whites to almond mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in

remaining whipped egg whites. Do not over mix.

5.            Fold in melted butter.

6.            Reserve batter to be used later.

Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste

YIELD: Two 1⁄2 size sheet pans or a 13” x 18” (33 x 46 cm) jelly roll pan

Ingredients (Should halve this recipe next time)

14 tablespoons/ 210ml/ 7oz/ 200g unsalted butter, softened

11⁄2 cups plus11⁄2 tablespoons/ 385ml/ 7oz/ 200g Confectioners' (icing) sugar

7 large egg whites - about 7 oz / 200g

13⁄4 cup/ 420ml/ 73⁄4 oz/ 220g cake flour (or use plain flour)

Food coloring gel, paste or liquid

COCOA Décor Paste Variation: Reduce cake flour to 6 oz / 170g. Add 2 oz/ 60 g cocoa powder. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together before adding to creamed mixture.

Directions:

1.                  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (use stand mixer with blade, hand held mixer, or by hand)

2.                  Gradually add egg whites. Beat continuously.

3.                  Fold in sifted flour.

4.                  Tint batter with coloring to desired color, if not making cocoa variation.

Preparing the Joconde- How to make the pattern:

1.                  Spread a thin even layer of décor paste approximately 1/4 inch (5 millimeter) thick onto silicone baking mat with a spatula, or flat knife. Place mat on an upside down baking sheet. The upside down sheet makes spreading easier with no lip from the pan.

2.                  Pattern the décor paste – Here is where you can be creative. Make horizontal /vertical lines (you can use a knife, spatula, cake/pastry comb). Squiggles with your fingers, zig zags, wood grains. Be creative whatever you have at home to make a design can be used. OR use a piping bag. Pipe letters, or polka dots, or a piped design. If you do not have a piping bag. Fill a ziplock bag and snip off corner for a homemade version of one.

3.                  Slide the baking sheet with paste into the freezer. Freeze hard. Approx 15 minutes.

4.                  Remove from freezer. Quickly pour the Joconde batter over the design. Spread evenly to completely cover the pattern of the Décor paste.

4

5.                  Bake at 475oF /250oC until the joconde bounces back when slightly pressed, approx. 15 minutes. You can bake it as is on the upside down pan. Yes, it is a very quick bake, so watch carefully.

6.                  Cool. Do not leave too long, or you will have difficulty removing it from mat. 7.            Flip cooled cake on to a powdered sugared parchment paper. Remove silpat. Cake should be right side up, and

pattern showing! (The powdered sugar helps the cake from sticking when cutting.)

Preparing the MOLD for entremets

You can use any type of mold. I would suggest:

1.                  Start with a large piece of parchment paper laid on a very flat baking sheet. Then a large piece of cling wrap over the parchment paper. Place a spring form pan ring, with the base removed, over the cling wrap and pull the cling wrap tightly up on the outside of the mold. Line the inside of the ring with a curled piece of parchment paper overlapping top edge by 1⁄2 inch. CUT the parchment paper to the TOP OF THE MOLD. It will be easier to smooth the top of the cake.

2.                  A biscuit cutter/ cookie cutter- using cling wrap pulled tightly as the base and the cling covering the outside of the mold, placed on a parchment lined very flat baking sheet. Line the inside with a curled piece of parchment paper overlapping.

3.                  Cut PVC pipe from your local hardware store. Very cheap! These can be cut into any height you wish to make a mold. 2 to 3 inches is good. My store will cut them for me, ask an employee at your store. You can get several for matching individual desserts. Cling wrap and parchment line, as outlined above.

4.                  Glass Trifle bowl. You will not have a free standing dessert, but you will have a nice pattern to see your joconde for this layered dessert.

Preparing the Jaconde for Molding:

1.            Trim the cake of any dark crispy edges. You should have a nice rectangle shape.

2.            Decide how thick you want your “Joconde wrapper”. Traditionally, it is 1⁄2 the height of your mold.

This is done so more layers of the plated dessert can be shown. However, you can make it the full

height.

3.            Once your height is measured, then you can cut the cake into equal strips, of height and length. (Use a

very sharp paring knife and ruler.)

4.            Make sure your strips are cut cleanly and ends are cut perfectly straight. Press the cake strips inside of the mold, decorative side facing out. Once wrapped inside the mold, overlap your ends slightly. You want your Joconde to fit very tightly pressed up to the sides of the mold. Then gently push and press the ends to meet together to make a seamless cake. The cake is very flexible so you can push it into place. You can use more than one piece to “wrap “your mold, if one cut piece is not long enough.

5.            The mold is done, and ready to fill.

*Note: If not ready to use. Lay cake kept whole or already cut into strips, on a flat surface, wrap in parchment and several layers of cling wrap and freeze.

Entremet- Filling Options:

It is nice to have a completed dessert so you can unmold and see the Joconde working. Fill with anything you desire. Layers of different flavors and textures! However, it needs to be something cold that will not fall apart when unmolded.

Suggestions:

Mousses, pastry creams, Bavarian creams, cheesecakes, puddings, curds, jams, cookie bases, more cake (bake off the remaining sponge and cut to layer inside), nuts, Dacquoise, fresh fruit, chocolates, gelee.