My story is one you’ve probably heard before. Young Jewish woman is pre-med in college, ends up in law school after a chemistry accident. 
Guest blog in Diets in Review
For a healthy carrot cake, go to Paula's guest blog on Diets in Review
www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/01/simple-changes-can-make-an-old-recipe-your-new-favorite/
Top Pies and Tarts from The Kosher Baker
Your guide to choosing the best dairy-free dessert for your Thanksgiving mealThere are 24 different tarts and pies in The Kosher Baker. How do you choose which one to make this year? Here is the list of my top ten favorites for the Fall/Thanksgiving season.
Quick Fruit Pie - The fastest, easiest pie you can make that are also pretty. It uses frozen pie crust and is perfect for when you simply have run out of time but must serve something homemade. You can see a video of me making this on WUSA Channel 9 in DC and find the recipe at the WUSA website.
Pumpkin Pie – This pie is also super easy and you will think you are eating your favorite dairy pumpkin pie.
Orange Mocha Pecan Pie – Another sophisticated pie with a ready-made crust. The orange zest gives it a more adult taste, which is why my daughter Emily, who bakes it every year, omits it along with the coffee and instead adds ½ cup parve chocolate chips. I think she is onto something . . .
Plum Tart - This tart uses frozen puff pastry as its crust, has a custard filling and is topped with plums. You can find the recipe at the WUSA site.
Apple Tarte Tatin is one of the greatest contributions of the country of France to the world of apple desserts. I have to admit that I do prefer the dairy version over the parve, but the combination of caramelized apples and puff pastry is heavenly. The joy of unmolding this tart was captured perfectly on my friend Dorie Greenspan’s new culinapp captures the joy of unmolding the perfect tarte tatin:
http://doriegreenspan.com/2011/09/video-culinapp-baking-with-dorie-greenspan.html
Pear and Almond Tart – My personal favorite tart and my son Sam’s favorite birthday cake. I find the combination of crunchy sugar cookie crust, soft, flavorful almond cream and vanilla poached pears irresistible. It has several steps, but this tart is entirely worth the effort. And the calories.
For your guests on special diets:
Sugar free Fruit Galette
Gluten-free: Key Lime Pie
Photo courtesy of Food Network
The Road to Sweet Genius
As many of you already know, I will appear on Sweet Genius, a brand new dessert competition show, this Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 10:00 pm EST on Food Network. The show features multiple secret ingredients, unusual dessert inspirations and an Israeli judge, master NYC cake decorator Ron Ben-Israel. I cannot discuss details of the show until after it airs, but people keep asking me why I decided to do this, which is a nicer way of saying, “Are you absolutely crazy?”
When I was cast on the show I didn’t quite believe I could really do it because, to be honest, these competition shows are intense and downright terrifying. My heart races during the countdown of every round of Chopped. Ultimately, I overcame my fear and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
One of the genuine thrills for me was the opportunity to bake with butter and real cream; as the maven of dairy-free desserts, I rarely get that experience. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to profoundly challenge myself professionally and do something that so few chefs get to do. Most people my age play it safe and stick to what they know, and risking potential public embarrassment is generally not an option.
For me this was a grand opportunity to prove to myself that I indeed have the pastry skills required to go up against the best and most professional chefs out there, and that I can create much more that the best chocolate babka you have ever eaten. I wanted to prove to the foodie world that we cookbook authors and home bakers, many of us moms, can compete in the fancy pastry world.
As I stepped into the gorgeous Sweet Genius kitchen, and prepared to face whatever challenges came my way, I smiled to myself because I already knew that in my world of baking for people with special diets, I was already a sweet genius.
Sweet Genius judge, Ron Ben-Israel asked about Paula Shoyer on The Jew and the Carrot.
My Spring and Summer Challenge
Like the dafodils and irises outside my window, I have come up for air after nine fabulous months of meeting Kosher bakers all around the country. My next challenge is the following culinary to-do list that I hope to accomplish over the next few months. I am open to assistance in any form and plan to blog about my successes and failings.
- Homemade ravioli – I will buy the right equipment and master three new flavors
- Croissants from scratch – I used to bake them for special occasions. And no, they will not be dairy-free, unless I get really ambitious.
- Perfect gazpacho – I cannot eat any canned tomato product and too much tartness upsets my stomach as well. I want a gazpacho I can feel good eating.
- Homemade marshmallows –They were huge in Paris a few years ago, but I still haven't seen the range of flavors here that I saw there.
- Fruit Souffles – I got the chocolate one right and now want to try something else, maybe mango?
- Gluten-free challah – I have heard it is very difficult
- Parve caramel candies – I have mastered caramel sauces, but would love to create a great dairy-free, chewy caramel candy
- Passover, nut-free pie crust – At least I have 11 months to achieve that one
- Four new sugar-free desserts – for my dad and beyond
- Whole wheat babka – in time for Rosh Hashanah
- Baked Alaska – my son Joey saw it on a Food Network show and was fascinated by the science of it
- Homemade mozzarella cheese – first have to find Kosher vegetarian rennet
- New brisket recipe – I love my stand-bys, but ready for something new
- New Banana dessert – I have not given bananas enough attention
- The best kosher pad thai recipe I can create
- French Baguette – I took the bread course in Paris cooking school 15 years ago and it is time to get over my fear
Paula