Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That?

Over the weekend I received the October issue of Glamour Magazine.  Buried at the back of the magazine was a 3 page article entitled "How to Do Anything Better Guide" featuring the new cookbook by Ina Garten due out on October 26.  The article, also available here, features 4 easy recipes from the book that even I could make. And that is saying a lot!

Preorders available on Amazon

One of the recipes included in the upcoming book is White Chocolate Bark. This is one recipe I am definitely going to try.  When I think of chocolate bark I usually think of the chocolate peppermint version which I am not particularly a fan of.  However, I like Ina's version....particularly loving the fall colors of this dessert.

White Chocolate Bark
1/2 cup whole shelled salted pistachios
16 oz. good white chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup medium-diced dried apricots

Step 1.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a pencil, draw an 8” x 10” rectangle on a piece of parchment paper. Turn the parchment paper over so the pencil mark doesn’t get on the chocolate, and place it on a sheet pan.

Step 2.
Place the pistachios in one layer on another sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Step 3.

Place three quarters of the white chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl, and put it in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. (Time it with your watch for accuracy.) Stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula, return it to the microwave for another 30 seconds, then stir again. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is just melted. Immediately stir in the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it’s completely smooth. (If you need to heat it a little more, put it in the microwave for another 15 seconds.)

Step 4.

Pour the melted chocolate onto the parchment paper and spread it lightly to fill the drawn rectangle. Sprinkle the top evenly with the cooled pistachios, the cranberries and apricots. Press the nuts and fruit lightly so they will set in the chocolate. Set aside for at least 2 hours until firm, or refrigerate for 20 minutes. Cut or break the bark into 16 pieces and serve at room temperature. Makes 16 pieces.

Enjoy!

Photos and recipe via Glamour Magazine reprinted from Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That? by Ina Garten. Photographs by Quentin Bacon.

It was the cake's fault...

What I am about to say may shock those who do not know me. I do not cook. There. I said it. It's on the table and out in the open. To say I have never cooked is unfair. But I can count the number of times I have cooked on one hand. No exaggeration. In some cases the food came out great (roast pork tacos) and in other cases it was pure disaster (baked pasta casserole). Needless to say, Mr. B and I eat out a lot.

I read a story in the LA Times entitled "Historic Appeal" that talked about Valerie Gordon of Valerie Confections who attempted to recreate the Grapefruit Cake from the now defunct historic Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood.  Gordon's recipe accompanies the article which states that she "...worked hard to research the confection’s history. Eventually, she honed in on a recipe that both honors the spirit of the classic while adding new vitality with fresh ingredients." 

The photo of the grapefruit cake in all its pastel glory called to me. The article intrigued me.  And it got me thinking, as it did with Valerie, about other historic recipes that were lost at the close of many other legendary L.A. restaurants.  So what happens when you are home recuperating from surgery? With the internet and a credit card you go shopping. And that is exactly what I did. I located a couple of vintage cookbooks and at the click of a button later they will be arriving on my doorstep in a few days. My goal is to make that grapefruit cake.  Maybe it will inspire so much more. Maybe it won't. I will keep you posted.

Grapefruit cake photo by Amy Neunsinger via LA Times