I have been doing the dairy-free diet for a few weeks now so I am starting to miss buttery sweets. While searching for a good shortbread recipe, I found this one. It was adapted from the book Butter Sugar Flour Eggs: Whimsical Irresistible Desserts. The original recipe was called Lydia’s Austrian Raspberry Shortbread.

The first day I mixed the shortbread, divided it into four pieces (for easier grating), and placed them in the freezer.

The next day I grated the shortbread in an 8″ x 8″ pan.

The blueberry jam bled through the shortbread and the whole thing came out a lot thicker than the picture in the book but still good overall. It was also a little sweeter than I would have liked so next time, I will reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup. It could be that the jam already had enough sugar.

RECIPE:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks, softened at room temperature
2 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt
1/2 cup blueberry jam, at room temperature (or any jam available, preferably homemade)

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (I used a hand mixer), the buttery sticks until soft and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and mix well.

In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the buttery stick/egg yolk mixture and mix just until incorporated and the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and form into 2 or 4 balls. (I found smaller balls easier to grate). Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and freeze at least 2 hours or overnight, or as long as a month.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove 1 (or 2) balls of dough from the freezer and coarsely grate the frozen dough into the bottom of an 8″ x 8″ baking pan. Make sure the surface is covered evenly with shreds of dough. With a spoon or spatula spread the jam over the surface, to within 1/2-inch of the edge all the way around. Remove the remaining dough from the freezer and coarsely grate it over the entire surface. Bake until light golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.  (I used convection bake and it only took about 20 minutes). Cool on a wire rack, then cut in the pan with a serrated knife.

The verdict on the buttery sticks? It was a great substitute but I would not want to use it all the time. Not that I should eat that much “butter” anyway

I will write about my decision to go dairy-free sometime, but for now enjoy the sweets!

Butterscoth Brownies or sometimes called Blondies

I might be the only person I know who is not fond of chocolate. I do like it in small quantities such as in tiramisu, café mocha, or maybe a small square of dark chocolate after dinner.  Marcel on the other hand LOVES chocolate so I am always trying new recipes that use chocolate but not too much of it. Here is one I tried recently from the Joy of Cooking book. I expected it to be a little bit more dense and less chewy but mine came out with loose crumbs and breaking apart. I can only blame the white whole-grain flour I used, and maybe the lack of corn syrup? Let me know if you have a good recipe for it or have any advice.

Pizza Margherita

I am constantly trying out new recipes, even some that are too complicated for my limited culinary skills. However, most days we eat simple meals that are quick and easy. Like a lot of you out there, I don’t always have time to spend  hours in the kitchen to make a great meal.  We don’t eat a lot of processed food but sometimes I need some help from those little boxes.

A weekend lunch might consist of pizza and salad. A favorite of ours is the refrigerated pizza dough from Whole Foods Market. We toss the dough, add tomato sauce (this time I used  leftover spaghetti sauce), add fresh tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and slices of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkled with red pepper flakes and parmigiano reggiano cheese,  I have just made a gourmet pizza in my own kitchen. A bag of salad greens with good quality store-bought dressing completes the meal.

Lovejoy Bakers

When I first discovered Ken’s Artisan Bakery, I was extremely delighted to find such a place in Portland. It is so European and reminded me of our travels in the old world. I also admire the bakery’s philosophy of using local ingredients and sustainable practices.

Even though I am a fan of Ken’s, I am always looking for great places to eat. Today, I found myself strolling through the Pearl District when I discovered another European-style bakery, the Lovejoy Bakers. It had a contemporary style and was more of a lunch place than a bakery. Although they showcased different kinds of bread, the hustle and bustle of the lunch crowd made it less of a bakery.  I ordered a croissant and a lemon bar to go. I noticed the croissant was much smaller than Ken’s and lighter in color. I had a light bulb moment. How about I compare them side by side? On my way home, I stopped at Ken’s to get a croissant and a cranberry macaron.

Lovejoy Bakers < > Ken's Artisan Bakery

Croissants

Flakiness:
Both are nice and flaky but Ken’s had thicker flakes which made it a little too chewy.
Color and Texture:
I like the color and texture of Lovejoy’s. Ken’s is darker and had a hint of dark, almost burnt caramel flavor.
Inside:
Ken’s is lighter inside and has more air which I like. Lovejoy’s is more dense.
Butter-iness / Moisture:
Lovejoy’s is moist all throughout. Ken’s is on the dry side but less greasy.
Flavor / Sweetness:
Since Lovejoy’s is more buttery, it had more flavor while Ken’s thick flaky crust seems to take away from the buttery flavor.

Ken's Artisan Bakery < > Lovejoy Bakers

Desserts

Lemon Bar – Lovejoy Bakers
I’m sorry to say that I like the ones I make using Smitten Kitchen’s Recipe better. Theirs tasted like lemon candy. The crust did not have a bite to it, not crumbly like I expected.

Cranberry Macarons – Ken’s Artisan Bakery
I’ve never had macarons before, not anywhere in Europe or here. This one from Ken’s is so delicious! Lightly sweetened with a nice chewy texture. I am so going back there to try the other flavors.

Lemon Bar < > Cranberry Macaron

For me, Lovejoy Bakers makes the better croissant. It’s been a while but I think their version is closer to what you would get in Paris. The lemon bar from Lovejoy Bakers was disappointing while the macaron at Ken’s was wonderful. I know that’s not apples to apples but I wanted a different angle of comparison. With that said, I highly recommend both places and the next time I find myself in the neighborhood, I will be coming back for more.

P.S. If you haven’t already tried it, head over to Ken’s Artisan Pizza for some of the best pizzas in Portland.

How about you? Let me know what you think of Lovejoy Bakers and Ken’s Artisan Bakery.