Wednesday, September 16, 2009

TWD - Flaky Apple Turnovers, Michelle Obama's Arms, Chocolate Souffle, How to Talk to Bears, and Assaulting Sarah Palin

"Honey, no pressure but I just told everyone in my office you were making apple turnovers tonight. They are so excited to taste them tomorrow." Greeeeaaattt.

Anyway, this week's Tuesdays with Dorie was Flaky Apple Turnovers. I was very excited because I love a good turnover. (Hell, I love a bad turnover too . . . he he.) However, in the end, it was more like pie than a turnover. But very good. I had no problems with the dough-making. I blended everything with my fingers, as I do for most doughs like this. It was still a little crumbly when I divided it and pressed it into a rectangle, but it came together nicely.

I made the dough Monday night, let it rest overnight, rolled it the first time Tuesday morning, let it rest, and then rolled it last after dinner. Let me tell you . . . if I rolled dough like this daily, I would have arms twice-as-nice as Michelle Obama's arms. Good grief, it was hard work. But that's the problem with butter-rich dough. It firms up intensely when chilled but won't roll unless chilled, which makes it harder to roll. It's a vicious cycle.

For both the first and second roll-outs, I rolled it between two pieces of wax paper, which worked fairly well and kept the mess to a minimum. Whenever I roll dough with flour, I get as much flour on myself and the floor as I do on the counter and the dough. So, wax paper works well for me. I also use a handleless, uncontoured rolling pin, which I think works much better than a pin with handles. (You can see it in the apple peel picture above, just to the left of the apples. It is one of my favorite kitchen things.)

Speaking of the apple peel picture (pay no attention to the green beans on the right - they were for dinner . . . but green bean turnovers sound interesting, no?), I took that picture for two reasons. First, I love peeling apples and I'm always sad to throw away the peels. Isn't there some recipe that uses apple peels as the main ingredient? Second, I was convinced at this point that four Fuji apples was wayyyyyy too many apples. And it was. I probably could have been fine with just two apples.

After rolling out the dough, I cut it with my four inch tartlett pans. They have scalloped edges which I thought would make the turnovers extra pretty. Well . . . sort of. I put too many apples in and that kind of stretched the dough too far, so "pretty" was relative. Here they are after forming but before the egg wash:

I didn't dot the apples with butter (mostly because I forgot) but, seriously. Did this recipe need MORE than the three sticks of butter in the dough? I don't think so.

Mine baked for less than the 20 minutes called for, but my oven runs hot so I count on less baking time in general. They got a huge vote of approval from myself, my fiance, and his office mates. They were very pretty in the end:

I still have dough and apples left over. I can't handle another arm work out, though, so I think I'm going to put the apples in a pie plate, make loosely formed circles with the dough and put them on top and then bake it.

Oh, by the way, I did make the Chocolate Souffle last week, but was so busy I forgot to post about it. Here is the picture:

It turned out pretty well, despite the fact that I beat the eggs a smidge too long. But, in my defense, I was distracted by talking to my dad on the phone. He called right in the middle of the egg beating. Ordinarily, I would have not answered the phone, but they just got back from 10 days in Alaska, during which time they stayed in a Bear Lodge. And by Bear Lodge, I mean a place that you have to fly a bush plane to get to that is designed to put you right in the middle of bear country.

I was distracted by my dad telling me how they had to take a class in "How to Talk to a Bear." Apparently, if you meet a bear on the path, you are supposed to avoid eye contact and sweet talk them. "Nice bear, pretty bear, good bear."

I think anyone would have been distracted from egg beating while hearing that story.

Also, they went to Wasilla but didn't meet Sarah Palin, which is a good thing since I would have had to fly to Alaska to bail both my parents out of jail for assault if they had met her.

25 comments:

spike. said...

those are pretty turnovers. And thank you for the lesson in how to speak bear- though hopefully I won't ever need to speak to a bear

Ms. PH said...

Well, hopefully not. Actually, they saw quite a few bears but only had one bear encounter - a bear approached the breakfast porch (screened in, I assume) and had to be sweet talked.

Jules Someone said...

Both desserts look great! Think of it this way -- you burned off extra calories rolling, so you can eat more! Thanks for baking with me!

Cecille said...

Oh em gee.. You are so funny!! I love the bear story, and well, the Sarah Palin story, too! LOL! You made me laugh so hard today.

You are more patient thatn me.. I did dump the dough in the trash out of frustration, and yes, I did regret doing that it after I tasted my turnovers.

Keep baking!

TeaLady said...

too funny. "How to talk to a bear!"

Turnovers look just fine to me. Brown, flaky and delicious.

snicketmom said...

Your turnovers look great. Once again, I have made them, just haven't posted yet. I didn't make the souffle. I have that same bowl I think, but someone convinced me I couldn't make a souffle unless I have dish with perfectly straight sides, 90 degree angels at the bottom and straight up from there. I won't mention any names.

I hated this stupid dough. In hindsight, I guess it was worth it. I will try to write about it soon. (P.S. I have been busy actually working at a real job. :) )

Jennifer said...

PH,
Wow, those look great. I'll have to get off my lazy ass and make them. I could really use the arm workout, too!
Jennifer
P.S. I think the recipe for the dough is almost the very same as a recipe I've made before: "puff pastry for bladerdeeg." I find the word "bladerdeeg" endlessy amusing.

Ms. PH said...

What is bladerdeeg?

Anonymous said...

What's up to every body, it'ѕ my first pay a quiсk viѕit of this
wеblog; this blog incluԁes amazing anԁ reаlly finе information
in suρpоrt οf readers.
Here is my web blog - payday loans no credit check

Anonymous said...

I liκe rеаdіng a pοst that can
make men аnd women thіnk. Alsο, thanks fοr allowing fоr me
to cοmment!
Also see my web page: quick loans for bad credit

Anonymous said...

Nісe ρost. I was checkіng continuously this wеblog and I аm
іmρreѕsed! Verу helpful іnformation specially the final section :) I deal with ѕuсh
іnfoгmation a lоt. І wаs seeking this particular infоrmation
for a νеrу lеngthy time. Thankѕ and gοod luck.
Also visit my weblog loans for bad credit

Anonymous said...

Ϻаgnifіcent beat ! I wоuld like to apρrentiсe while уou аmend your site, how can i subscribe for a blog web ѕite?
The account aided me а acceрtable dеаl.
Ι had been a lіttle bit acquainteԁ of this your brоаdcast offеred bгight сlear сoncept
my web page: how to stop snoring at night naturally

Anonymous said...

It is perfect time to make some plans for the futuгe
and it's time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you few interesting things or tips. Maybe you can write next articles referring to this article. I want to read even more things about it!
My blog post ... Personal Loan

Anonymous said...

hey therе and thank you for уour іnfo –
I've certainly picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise several technical points using this site, as I experienced to reload the site many times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I'm comρlainіng, but
slow loading instances times will ѕοmetimеѕ affеct your plaсement in
goоgle and can damage your hіgh-qualіty score if
ads аnd maгkеting with Adωords.

Anyway I аm addіng this RSЅ to
my email and could look out for a lot more of yοuг resρective еxciting сontent.

Make sure you update thіs agaіn soon.
Here is my blog ; 1 month loan

Anonymous said...

What i don't realize is if truth be told how you're not аctually a lot morе neatly-favored thаn уou might bе nοw.

Υou are very intelligent. You knоw therefore considеrаbly гelatіng tο thіs subject, pгoԁuсed me in my view іmagine іt from so many varied anglеѕ.

Its lіkе men and womеn are nοt inteгested еxcept it's one thing to do with Girl gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. All the time maintain it up!

Stop by my web site ... guaranteed payday loans
My website > guaranteed payday loans

Anonymous said...

I am regular reader, how аrе уou everyboԁу?
This paragrаρh рoѕted at this web site іs really nicе.


Here iѕ my hоmepage: payday loans

Anonymous said...

Ιt's actually a cool and useful piece of info. I'm glаԁ that you shareԁ this
helpful info ωith uѕ. Pleaѕe staу
us up to date like thiѕ. Thаnk you for shaгіng.


Here is my page; instant payday loans
My webpage :: instant payday loans

Anonymous said...

Finе way of describing, аnd pleaѕаnt article to gеt іnfoгmation about mу prеsentation focus, which
i am going to ρгesent in universіty.



Herе is my weblog: payday

Anonymous said...

Eхcеllent article. Keeρ posting suсh kind
οf info on youг blog. Im reаlly imprеѕsed by your sіte.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on gift. Regards

Feel free to viѕit my web-ѕite: payday loans no credit check

Anonymous said...

It іѕ аpproргiаte timе
to make a few planѕ for the lοng run and іt's time to be happy. I have learn this put up and if I may just I want to counsel you some interesting issues or suggestions. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I want to learn more things about it!

Feel free to visit my homepage; quick loans

Anonymous said...

Hi, i think that i notiсed you vіsiteԁ my
ωeb ѕitе thuѕ i came to rеturn the wаnt?
.I'm attempting to to find things to enhance my site!I suppose its ok to make use of some of your ideas!!

Also visit my website payday loans

Anonymous said...

gгeаt post, very infоrmative. I ρonder ωhу the
oppoѕite spесialists of this seсtor
don't understand this. You must continue your writing. I'm confіdent, you've a great readers' base already!


My web ρage: payday loans

Anonymous said...

Εxсellent blog! Do you have any tips for aspіring
writers? Ӏ'm hoping to start my own website soon but I'm a little lοst оn everythіng.
Wοulԁ yοu suggest startіng with a free platform like Wordρress oг go for a paid οption?

There aгe ѕo many chоiсes out therе thаt I'm completely overwhelmed .. Any suggestions? Thanks a lot!

Also visit my weblog - Payday Loans

Anonymous said...

Mу relatiѵes all the time say that
I аm killing my time hегe at net, howeveг I knоω Ι am gеttіng eхpeгience evеry day
by reading theѕ nicе aгticles.



My blog New Bingo Sites

Anonymous said...

Ηey there! Sοmеone in my Mysρace gгoup ѕhared thiѕ ѕіte with us so I саme to give it
a look. ӏ'm definitely loving the information. I'm
book-marking and ωill be tweeting
this to my follоωers! Outѕtanding blog and grеat dеѕіgn and stуle.


Αlso visіt mу wеbsite:
payday loans