Passport
Baker
Vicki
Location
Madison, WI
Baking Challenge
Savory Pithivier.
Give your dessert a clever name — and tell us about your recipe.
My creation is called Pithivier Fall Harvest Quilt – a puff pastry that blankets organic butternut squash, spinach, portabella mushrooms, chicken breast and fresh sage.
What was the biggest surprise during your baking journey? Did you use any unconventional approaches? What did you learn along the way? Tell us about it!
The biggest surprise during my baking journey was that I could actually make puff pastry. I took a croissant baking class a few years ago and have never attempted to make them on my own, so this was the perfect opportunity to try. I will admit, I watched several YouTube videos for technique and reviewed several traditional and rough puff pastry recipes before starting. I began by making rough pastry and decided to keep rolling, folding and turning it for a traditional pastry. I have discovered making my own puff pastry isn't as difficult as it seems, and you can see the Pithivier has beautiful puff pastry layers. I am no longer afraid of making my own pastry dough!
How did you add a Wisconsin twist to your flavors or decoration?
With the harvest of fall vegetables and the cooler Wisconsin weather we experience in the fall, a Pithivier is the perfect dish to feature the hearty, rich flavors of squash and sage. The design on the top of my pastry is inspired by the leaves of fall and the beautiful quilt patterns that I have observed the last few days while attending the annual Quilt Expo in Madison, WI. Soaking up some creativity from quilters and applying it to this baking challenge is just another way to enjoy and learn from the programming of Wisconsin Public Television.
How did you do?
Pleasantly satisfied.
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