Monday, April 23, 2018

Tuesdays with Dorie: Apple Matafan AND Viennese Sables

I'm pretty pleased that I managed to get both of the April recipes selected from Baking, Chez Moi baked this month, even if the first one was not made in time to post last week. So I'm pulling a double here.

I had no clue what Apple Matafan even was before I read the recipe. It sounded exotic and fancy, but really, it's like a giant apple pancake that cooks in a pan. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Dorie handles apples in the best, most appley way possible. The flavor isn't masked by cinnamon or caramel or anything else. I've actually started calling her Saint Dorie of the Apples in my head, because I'm cool like that. Ha!
Anyway, so I prepared this as my treat, the day after completing an 80 day workout program (which was AMAZING, and I'm about to start my second round of it next week, if anyone wants to join my Success Group. I'm happy to send you more info on it.) It came together easily (like I said, it's basically a pancake batter, with some extra touches). Batman sniffed his way into the kitchen and said, "I KNOW this is going to be good, just by the smell of it." He was right.
This would be a lovely Mother's Day breakfast, or a great brunch component. Not too sweet, not too filling. Perfection.

Conclusion: Loved it.

Yesterday, I made Viennese Sables. The dough was easy to make, but I definitely could not make shapes out of it using my super high-tech Ziploc bag piping technique. I tried that for two, made a mess, and then just made little logs. Or, as Matt put it, "So you decided to take the turd approach?"

Can you guess which 2 are supposed to be W's? HA!
That is correct, and I threw sprinkles all over those little turds, because sprinkles make everything better. EVERYTHING.
Dorie likens them to the Danish butter cookies that come in the blue tin. She says "You get an initial crunch, a hit of flavor and then they melt in your mouth."

Maybe I left mine in the oven a minute too long? Mine are dry. They do not melt in your mouth. They also taste kind of bland. I mean, they're fine, but they don't make me want to eat them. This is probably a good thing. I smeared nutella on one, enjoyed it, and was done.
Conclusion: Just okay. I don't see myself making this recipe again.

7 comments:

  1. I can't stop laughing at Matt's comment. Only you could be married to him. ;)

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  2. NIce catchup and LOL re the turds. I found the dough very challenging as well but mine were melt in the mouth (maybe because they were thinner?)

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  3. omg, i almost peed in my pants at the turd remark. sorry that ziplock thing didn't work so well, but glad the apple pancake was a hit! i liked that one, too.

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  4. Whatever the results, I can tell you, and Matt, have a good time making them. Great Mother's day idea!

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  5. You gave everyone a little chuckle today. I baked my cookies a little less than stated so maybe they were over baked. I am glad everyone liked the apple matafan. Good luck with your work out.

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  6. The matafan was good, wasn't it. Love that you went with it on the sables, and yes, sprinkles make everything better!

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  7. I ended up shaping the sables into rounds, because Matt described the ziploc-piped visuals perfectly! Mine were melt in the mouth, though. And the apple matafan is going to be a brunch staple, for sure.

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