WCNY presents a special Holiday Cooking Marathon!

 

December 11

Noon | Hugs and Knishes: A Celebration of our Jewish Foods and Traditions

7 p.m. | Great British Baking Show: Masterclass

8 p.m. | Lidia Celebrates America Home for the Holidays

Great British Baking Show: Cake

Featured Recipe: Lemon Madeira Cake with Candied Peel

For more great recipes from Great British Baking Show, visit pbs.org/food/shows/great-british-baking-show

This black forest gateau cake recipe is Mary’s interpretation of the showstopper challenge in the Cake episode of Season 3 of The Great British Baking Show. It is explained in further detail by Mary in Masterclass: Part 1.

 

Ingredients

For the candied peel:

1 unwaxed lemon

200g (7oz) granulated sugar

100g (3½ oz) caster sugar

For the cake:

175g (6oz) softened butter

175g (6oz) caster sugar

225g (8oz) self-raising flour

50g (1¾ oz) ground almonds

4 large free-range eggs

1 large unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest only

 

Directions

1. For the candied peel, cut the lemon into 8 wedges, then cut out the flesh, leaving a 5mm thickness of peel and pith. Cut each wedge into 4 strips.
2. Pour 300ml (10fl) oz water into a small pan, add the granulated sugar and heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon zest and simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes, until the lemon peel is soft and translucent.
3. Drain in a wire sieve and leave to cool. Spread the peel out on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprinkle with caster sugar. Place in the oven on the lowest setting (approximately 200°) for 1 hour until dry.
4. For the cake, preheat the oven to 325°. Grease a 18cm (7in) deep round cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
5. Put the butter, sugar, flour, ground almonds, eggs and lemon zest into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat for 1 minute to mix thoroughly. Turn into the prepared tin and level the surface.
6. Bake for 35 minutes. Decorate with 3 pieces of candied peel and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre, comes out clean. Leave in the tin for 15 minutes to cool before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

Great British Baking Show: Biscuits

Featured Recipe: Hazelnut and Orange Biscotti

For more great recipes from Great British Baking Show, visit pbs.org/food/shows/great-british-baking-show

This hazelnut and orange biscotti recipe is Paul’s interpretation of the signature challenge in the Biscuits episode of Season 3 of The Great British Baking Show. It is explained in further detail by Paul in Masterclass: Part 1.

 

Ingredients

• 250g (9oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 250g (9oz) caster sugar
• 3 medium free-range eggs, beaten
• 200g (7oz) chopped hazelnuts
• 1 large orange, finely grated zest only

 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300° and line a large baking tray with baking parchment.
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl and add the eggs slowly to make a dough. Mix in the hazelnuts and orange zest.
3. On a lightly floured surface, knead the mixture gently and divide into 2. Roll into logs, each approximately 25cm (10in) long. Place on the lined baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly, then cut each log into 1½-2cm (⅝-¾in) thick slices. Lay the slices on the baking tray.
5. Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 5-7 minutes, turn over and continue to bake for another 5-7 minutes until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

 

Lidia Celebrates America: Home for the Holidays

Featured Recipe: Marinated Winter Squash

For more great recipes from Lidia Celebrates America: Home for the Holidays, visit

http://www.pbs.org/food/features/lidia-celebrates-america-recipes/

From Lidia:

Squash is becoming ever more popular, and I love cooking with it and its fabulous flavor as well. This is a great side dish or appetizer— traditionally the zucca is fried before it is marinated, as I do here, but it is also delicious when grilled or boiled first. Though I recommend butternut squash, acorn, Hubbard, and other varieties will work as well.

 

This Marinated Winter Squash recipe is also know as “Zucca Gialla Marinata.” It appear in Lidia Bastianich’s special, Lidia Celebrates America. It also appears in the Lidia’s Favorite Recipes cookbook.

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or more to taste
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon extra- virgin olive oil
• 2- pound butternut squash
• 1 cup vegetable oil, or as needed
• 10 to 20 fresh basil leaves, shredded

 

Directions

1. Mix the vinegar, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt together in a small saucepan. Let simmer over high heat until the sauce is reduced by half. Remove from the heat, drop in the garlic slices, and let the marinade cool. Stir in the olive oil.
2. Slice the squash in half lengthwise, and scrape out all the seeds. Peel the halves; with cut side down, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch- thick half- rounds.
3. Pour a thin layer of vegetable oil into a deep skillet, and set over medium- high heat. When the oil sizzles on contact with the squash, fill the pan with a layer of slices, spaced slightly apart. Fry for about 3 minutes on the first side, then flip the slices over.
4. Fry on the second side another 2 or 3 minutes, until the slices are cooked through (easy to pierce with the tines of a fork), crisped on the surface, and caramelized on the edges. Lift out the slices with a slotted spoon, draining off oil, and lay them on paper towels.
5. Sprinkle some of the remaining salt lightly on the hot slices. Fry up all the squash, in batches, the same way. Arrange a single layer of fried squash in the bottom of the marinating dish, and scatter four some of the shredded basil leaves on top. Stir up the marinade, and drizzle a couple of spoonfuls over squash. Continue to layer the squash in the dish, topping each layer of fried slices with basil leaves, and garlic marinade. All the seasonings should be used— drizzle any remaining marinade over the top layer of squash.
6. Wrap the dish in plastic, and marinate the squash for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight in the refrigerator; let it return to room temperature before serving.

 

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