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Tag: Baking

Cornbread

Cornbread

1 1/2 C. Yellow Cornmeal
1 C. Flour
1/3 C. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 C. Milk
1 T. Baking Powder
2 Eggs
6 T. melted (but cool) Butter
8 T. melted (but cooled) Shortening

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs lightly, stir in melted butter and shortening and add milk. Pour into dry ingredients and beat together until smooth; do not overbeat. Lightly butter an 8 x 12 shallow baking pan and pour in the batter. Bake in center of the oven for about 30 minutes or until the bread comes slightly away from the sides and it is golden brown.

Comté and ham wafers (Sablés au Comté et au jambon)

Comté and ham wafers (Sablés au Comté et au jambon)

These wafers are savory and a bit salty, which makes them ideal to serve with drinks before dinner. A baker once confided in me that restaurant owners requested that he increase the quantity of salt in his bread because it prompted the customers to drink more. You didn’t hear it from me, but because of the ham and cheese, you might want to plan on having plenty of beverages to accompany these.

8 tsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
2 tsp. chopped fresh chives, or 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 1/22 C. (coarsely grated Comte cheese, or another sharp, firm cheese, such as aged Gouda or Cheddar
1 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. cornmeal or fine polenta
1/2 C. crumbled or finely chopped ham chips, from about 2 slices

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, by hand), beat the butter, pepper, salt, and chives on medium speed until smooth. With a chef’s knife, chop the grated cheese into small bits; add them to the butter mixture. Stir in the flour and cornmeal. Add the ham, and mix until the dough comes together. 3 Divide the dough in half and roll each half on a lightly floured surface into a 7-inch (18cm) log. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. The unbaked dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 2 months. To bake the sables, preheat the oven to 350°F (i8o°C). line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. With a sharp chef’s knife, slice the sables 1/4-inch (.75cm) thick and place them cut-side down on the baking sheets evenly spaced. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets on the racks of the oven midway through baking, until the sables are golden brown on top. Let cool and serve. The sables can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Gram’s Good Buns

Gram’s Good Buns

Combine 1/2 C. scalded milk, 1/4 C. shortening, 1 T. sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Cool by adding 1/2 C. water. Add 1 cake yeast, dissolved as directed. Blend in 1 egg and 3/4 C. chopped browned onions. Add 3 C. flour, mix well. For round buns, roll to 1/2” thick and cut into rounds with 3 1/2” cutter. For square buns roll out into a 9 x 12 square and cut into 12 3” squares. Place buns on greased baking sheet and allow to rise until double. Bake at 400 degrees 15 minutes.

Aunt Velma’s Pumpkin Bread

Aunt Velma’s Pumpkin Bread

3 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
1 C. Salad Oil
2 C. Pumpkin
2/3 C. Water
3 1/2 C. Flour
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Salt
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 C. Chopped Nuts or Raisins

??? Only list of ingredients. No instructions on how much it makes, what pans to use, temperature or time to bake ???

Troller’s Cookbook Zucchini Bread

Troller’s Cookbook Zucchini Bread

3 Eggs
2 C. Sugar
2 C. peeled, grated Zucchini
3 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Oil
3 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
3 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 C. chopped Nuts

Combine eggs, sugar, zucchini, vanilla and oil. Sift together Flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, beating until just mixed. Stir in nuts. Divide equally between 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees one hour.

Roasted Garlic Swirl Bread

Roasted Garlic Swirl Bread

2 medium whole garlic bulbs
2 tsp. olive oil
1 package (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
1 C. warm water (110° to 115°)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2-1/2 to 3 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. minced fresh sage or 2 tsp. rubbed sage
2 tsp. minced fresh marjoram or 3/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. butter, melted

Remove papery outer skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves). Cut top off garlic bulbs; brush with oil. Wrap each bulb in heavy-duty foil. Bake at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until softened. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze softened garlic into a small bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt and 1 C. flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, add the sage, marjoram and rosemary to the reserved roasted garlic. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 10-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Spread garlic mixture to within 1/2 in. edges. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam and ends to seal. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place loaves seam side down on pan; tuck ends under. With a sharp knife, make several slashes across the top of each loaf. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks; brush with butter. Yield: 2 loaves (10 slices each).

Yield: 2 loaves. 10 slices each
Serving size: 1 slice
Calories: 84
Fat: 1g
Fiber: 1g

Wheat Bread

Wheat Bread

2 1/2 C. warm water
2 T. active dry yeast
2/3 C. sugar
2 3/4 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. potato flakes
2 3/4 C. white flour
1 tsp. salt
2 T. vinegar
2 T. oil
1/4 C. nonfat instant dry milk

Mix the yeast in warm water and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Add sugar, whole wheat flour, white flour and blend well. In the following order add salt, dry milk, oil, vinegar and potato flakes until it turns into a dough, add flour as needed. Dough is ready when tacky to the touch. Knead for 12 minutes. Cover and let rise for approximately one hour. Punch down and place in 2 greased loaf pans. Cover and allow to rise for about half hour or until about double in size. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Can also be baked in a cast iron Dutch Oven with briquettes

Fresh Plum and Lime Custard Hand Pies

Fresh Plum and Lime Custard Hand Pies

1 1/4 C. chopped plums
2-4 T. sugar (see note above)
1 T. cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Enough pie dough for one double crust pie
8-10 T. lime curd (about 1 T. per pie)
1 egg, lightly whisked
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine plums, sugar and corn starch; set aside. Roll pie dough to about 1/8″ thickness in one or two rectangles (two is easier to manage; they do not need to be perfect rectangles). Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut strips that are about 4″ wide and 10″ long (again, these are rough measurements that don’t need to be exact). Place about a T. of lime curd in the middle of the strip, about 2 1/2″ from the bottom edge. Pile a spoonful of plums on top and fold each strip in half, making a hand pie that is roughly 4″ wide and 5″ long. Line up the three cut edges and crimp closed with a fork. Transfer finished hand pies to a parchment lined baking sheet. Add a splash of water to the egg and whisk some more to make an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash over the top of each hand pie. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow pies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Serve warm or keep for up to 2 days on the counter or up to 4 in the refrigerator.

Pantry Friendly Roasted Garlic Bread

Pantry Friendly Roasted Garlic Bread

4 C. bread flour (or 2 C. bread flour and 2 C. whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp. instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 C. room-temperature water
2 whole heads of garlic
1 tsp. olive oil (for roasting garlic)
Pinch of salt (for roasting garlic)
Cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting loaf

To roast garlic, slice the very top of the head off, revealing all the individual cloves. Then wrap each head in foil and drizzle in a tiny bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Wrap these little packages up and bake them at 350 degrees until the garlic is really fragrant and tender, about 30 minutes. If you want to test them, you should be able to easily slide a knife into a clove with almost no resistance. Let the roasted heads of garlic cool for a few minutes and then you can squish out each clove of garlic from the papery stuff. For bread dough, combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the roasted garlic and mix it in with your finger tips to make sure it’s evenly distributed. Add water and stir until blended; dough will be really wet and saggy. It’ll smell like roasted garlic though which is a good thing and you should be able to see tiny pieces of garlic in the dough. Cover this with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 14-18 hours. When its surface is dotted with bubbles, the dough is ready. At this point you need to form the loaf. Basically, just lightly flour a counter and pour the dough onto the surface. Gently fold it over itself a few times and then form it into a rectangular loaf. Sprinkle a clean towel with a good layer of cornmeal or semolina flour and lay the loaf on the towel, seam side down. Dust with additional corn meal or semolina. Cover this with another clean towel (or just fold the towel over onto the loaf). Let it rise again for about 2 hours. Dough should have more than doubled in size. At least a half hour before dough is ready, preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Put a 5- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Put the lid on the pot and cook it for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and cook the loaf for another 15-20 minutes until the loaf is a deep dark brown. Remove the bread from the pot and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing into it.

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Soft Pretzels:
1 1/2 C. warm water
2 T. light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
3 oz. unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 C. all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
1/2 C. baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 T. cold water
Coarse sea salt

For the cheese sauce:
½ T. unsalted butter
½ T. all-purpose flour
½ C. milk
8 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated

For the Pretzels: Combine the 1 1/2 C. water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 T. at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands. Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring the 3 quarts of water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and carefully add the baking soda. It will boil over, so add slowly and be careful! Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 oz. each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce. To make the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. *If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a tsp. vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

1 1/4 C. coarsely ground cornmeal
3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 C. whole milk
1 C. buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 T. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a 9-inch cast iron skillet inside to heat while you make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk in the milk, buttermilk, and eggs. Whisk in almost all of the melted butter, reserving about 1 T. for the skillet later on. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Coat the bottom and sides of the hot skillet with the remaining butter. Pour the batter into the skillet and place it in the center of the oven. Bake until the center is firm and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and serve.

Tomato-Cheese Bread for Cameron

Tomato-Cheese Bread for Cameron

1 C. lukewarm water
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 C. (11 1/2 oz.) bread flour, divided
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. tomato powder
1 tsp. salt
1 generous C. (4 oz.) coarsely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tsp. olive oil

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine water, yeast, sugar, and one C. the bread flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes. Add the remaining flour, oregano, tomato powder, and salt. Knead with the dough hook until the dough cleans the side of the bowl and starts becoming elastic. Add the olive oil and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic and is no longer sticky. Add the cheese and knead just until it is incorporated. You don’t want to knead so much that the cheese disintegrates into the bread. It it’s a little unevenly distributed, that’s fine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and sprinkle some cornmeal on a baking sheet. Flour your work surface and knead the dough briefly before you form it into your preferred shape. Put it on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. When the dough has risen, slash it as desired, then bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until nicely browned. Cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Carrot Snack Sticks

Carrot Snack Sticks

1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup carrot, very finely shredded and thin
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the first four ingredients and stir to combine. Using your hands, add the carrots to the flour mixture coating the carrot pieces with flour. Add the oil and work with your hands to bring the dough together. (You really have to be patient with working this dough together so that the flour absorbs the oil. If you are concerned that it is not coming together, just add 1 extra tsp of oil to the dough and work it with your hands forming a ball until it comes together.) Form the carrot parmesan dough into a flat rectangular disk and allow to rest for 1-2 minutes then roll out 1/2 inch thick on parchment paper or a dry clean surface. Using a knife, cut the dough into sticks, 2 inches long by 1/4 inch wide. Bake on a Silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet for 15-17 minutes. Cool and serve.

Panisse Puffs (Panisses Souffles)

Panisse Puffs (Panisses Souffles)

Do not open the oven door while they are cooking; your panisses won’t turn out well. Since they’re very easy to make and best right after they come out of the oven, I recommend serving the panisses right away. A popover pan with 2 x 2-inch-deep (6cm) molds works perfectly. You can use standard size muffin pans; the panisses won’t rise as dramatically, but they’ll still be delicious. Due to the batter’s tendency to stick in muffin pans, spray the molds well with nonstick spray right before pouring the batter, or use clarified butter.

2/3 C. (75g) chickpea flour
1/3 C. (45g) all-purpose flour
1 C. (250ml) whole milk
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg white
1 tsp. salted or unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing the mold
3/4 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
1/44 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with the oven rack in the middle position. Put a popover pan on the oven rack and have a baking sheet ready. Combine all the ingredients in a blender until completely smooth. Remove the popover mold from the oven and set it on the baking sheet. Brush the insides of the popover molds lavishly with melted butter, being careful since the pan is quite hot. Quickly divide the batter among the molds, put them in the oven, then decrease the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and bake for 35 minutes, until puffed up and brown. Serve immediately, while warm.

Lagana (Once a Year Bread)

Lagana (Once a Year Bread)

2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
Pinch Sugar
2 ½ C. Bread Flour
½ tsp. Salt
¼ C. Olive Oil

Topping:
1 tsp. Bread Flour
½ tsp. Olive Oil
¼ tsp. Salt
1 1.2 tsp. Sesame Seeds

Sprinkle dried yeast into large bowl. Add sugar and 7 oz. lukewarm water and leave until it starts to activate and bubble. Add flour, salt, and olive oil and mix together with a wooden spoon until a loose dough forms. If it seems dry, add a few drops of water. Knead for 6 to 7 minutes on lightly floured surface, until smooth and spongy. Wipe out bowl with oiled paper towels and place dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, then a dish cloth, and leave in a warm spot for 2 ½ hours or until puffed and doubled in size. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch dough down and shape by stretching and rolling into a rough 10×12 rectangle, 3/8 – ¼ inch thick. Place on lined sheet and dent the top with many holes with the tips of your fingers for the traditional puckered look. Cover with dish cloth and leave to rise another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400. Whisk topping flour, oil, salt and 2 tsp. water together. Gently brush over the top of the bread and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 20 minutes, or until golden.

Chicken Biscuits with Bacon Gravy

Chicken Biscuits with Bacon Gravy

2 C. plus 3 tsp. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
Salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled, plus 2 T.
1 C. chopped leftover fried chicken
¾ C. buttermilk, plus more for brushing
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 C. chicken broth
1 C. whole milk
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 450. In a large bowl, sift 2 C. flour with the baking powder and ½ tsp. salt. Using your fingertips, blend in the chilled pieces of butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, then mix in the chicken. Stir in the buttermilk just until incorporated. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until just blended, then pat into 8” round. Using a 3” cookie cutter, cut out 6 biscuits; combine the scraps and cut out 2 more biscuits. On a baking sheet, arrange the biscuits 2 inches apart and brush lightly with buttermilk. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tsp. butter until melted, then whisk in the remaining 3 tsp. flour until incorporated. Whisk in the chicken broth, milk, ½ tsp. salt, and the cayenne and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Serve the gravy alongside the chicken biscuits.

Cornmeal Bread Braid

Cornmeal Bread Braid

2 C. milk, scalded
2 eggs
2 tsp. yeast
6 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C. canola oil
1/4 C. warm water
1 C. cornmeal
7 C. flour

Scald milk by heating it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. It’s ready as soon as tiny bubbles begin to form around the outside edges. Discard skin that may have formed on top of the milk. Pour hot milk into your mixer and stir in the sugar. Allow to cool slightly before adding the yeast. Let the yeast sit and come alive. Add salt, eggs, 1/2 C. canola oil, water, and corn meal. While mixing, add five or six C. flour. Continue adding the remaining flour just until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is not sticky. (I only used a total of 6 C. flour.) Knead for 10 min. Divide dough in half, then into thirds, and braid as desired. Transfer to a sprayed cookie sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal. (One recipe made two fairly large Christmas wreaths.) Let raise about an hour, until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes and brush with butter before serving. The braid was soft and tender as can be on the inside with lots of corn flavor

Cherry, Orange & Rye Hand Pies

Cherry, Orange & Rye Hand Pies

Cherry, Orange & Rye Hand Pies

 

For the dough

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups rye flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and freezer-cold

1 large egg

1/3 cup ice water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

For the filling and to finish the pies

1 1/2 cups cherry compote or preserves

1 tablespoon Contratto or other earthy orange liqueur

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 orange, zested

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 pinch kosher salt

1 handful Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

1 large egg, beaten and mixed with 1 tablespoon water or milk for egg wash

 

In a glass measuring cup, combine water and vinegar together, and add a few ice cubes. To a large mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, rye flour, salt, and sugar and stir to combine. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter, just until pea-sized bits remain. Add the egg and cut in to incorporate. Drizzle the vinegar-water mixture a little at a time, cutting the liquid into the dough, pausing to check and see if dough holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Use only as much liquid as is needed for the dough to come together without crumbling. Alternatively, pulse together dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor to combine. Add the butter and pulse at intervals, until pea-sized bits form. Add the egg and pulse. Run the processor at intervals while drizzling the vinegar-water mixture, until a cohesive dough forms. As you would in the pastry blender method, test by squeezing a clump between your fingers. Divide dough evenly onto two segments of plastic or bees wrap. Use the wrap as a barrier to limit how much you handle the dough: Hold opposite ends and press to form the dough into a mass. Flatten it into a disc, wrap securely, and repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate pastry for at least 20 minutes to allow the dough to relax. This step can be done up to 3 days in advance. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling and stir until uniform. Remove pastry from the refrigerator 15 minutes before attempting to work it. Roll pastry to 1/8-inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut discs into the pastry, dipping the cutter into flour in between and tapping off any excess flour as you go. Combine scraps and re-roll until you’re left with no more dough (you should get about 40 rounds). Spoon tablespoons of the fruit mixture into the center of half the pastry discs (about 20). Working one at a time, wet the periphery of each un-filled disk with your index finger, then secure onto the preserve-topped base. Work from opposite sides to gently seal the entire edge, using the flat of your fingers. With a fork, crimp the edge of each hand pie, overlapping one tine as you work around the circumference. It helps to dip the tines into flour between each round so they don’t stick as you work. If the pastry drags at any point, chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator and then continue where you left off. Chill the filled and crimped pies for 20 minutes. With a sharp paring knife, score an “X” into the center of each pie for venting. Paint each pie with eggwash and sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Freeze the pies for 4 hours and as long as overnight. When you’re ready to bake the hand pies, heat oven to 400ºF. Arrange hand pies on two parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate pans and swap racks for the last 5 to 10 minutes, or until pies are deeply golden. It is okay if preserves leak—think of it as a fruit leather cook’s treat. Once the pies are baked, cool them on wire racks for 15 to 20 minutes. They’ll be ready to eat or wrap for gifting.

Loaded Bacon Cheddar Bread

Loaded Bacon Cheddar Bread

6 C. all purpose flour
3¼ C. warm water
2 tsp. instant yeast
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
2¾ C. cheddar cheese, fresh grated not bagged
10 strips cooked thick cut bacon, chopped and divided
fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl combine water, yeast, salt and sugar. Allow mixture to sit for several minutes. Add flour, two C. cheese, ½ bacon and fresh ground black pepper. Stir with spoon until combined. Dough will be shaggy. Don’t stress if it looks messy. It will come together in the end. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour. After an hour, turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes. It does not need to be completely smooth. Just knead it long enough to come together. Divide dough into two equal halves and place in standard loaf pans. Cover loaves with remaining cheese and bacon. Cover with towel and allow to rest for thirty minutes. Bake in a 400º oven for fifteen minutes. Cover loosely with foil and reduce heat to 350º and continue baking for another 35 minutes. Remove foil and allow to bake for another 10 minutes. Notes: If the dough feels too wet, add a little more flour but know that this dough is a bit stickier than most.

Cheddar-Scallion Scones

Cheddar-Scallion Scones

Cheddar Scallion Scones2 cups all purpose flour
1 T. sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 ts.p baking powder
â…› tsp. garlic powder
freshly cracked pepper
5 T. cold butter
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
3 green onions, sliced
¼ cup milk
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, garlic powder, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 5 cranks of a pepper mill).  Cut the cold butter into chunks, then add to the bowl with the flour mixture. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry cutter until the texture of the flour resembles damp sand and no large chunks of butter remain. Stir in the shredded cheddar and sliced green onions. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until smooth. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until a ball of sticky dough forms and no more dry flour remains on the bottom of the bowl. Use your hands, if necessary, to form the dough into a cohesive ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press it into an 8 inch diameter circle (about 1-inch thick). Cut the circle into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated 400 degree oven for about 18 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown. Serve warm or allow to cool to room temperature.

Alabama Biscuits

Alabama Biscuits

Alabama Biscuits2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 C. sugar
1 (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 C. water
6 T. butter, melted
1 C. buttermilk

Sift dry ingredients together. Dissolve yeast in water; Add buttermilk and add in sifted ingredients mixing well. Knead 20 times and roll out 1/4″ thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or 1″ drinking glass. Butter biscuits with brush and stack in twos, let rise for 2 hours. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until brown.

Friendly Fiber Muffins

Friendly Fiber Muffins

Friendly Fiber Muffins1 C. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 C. Kashi Good Friends cereal
3/4 C. skim milk, rice or soy milk
1/4 C. honey
2 egg whites
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1 medium ripe banana, mashed
non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine Kashi Good Friends cereal and milk and let stand for 2-3 minutes. Add the egg whites and beat well. Stir in honey, applesauce and banana. Add flour mixture and mix only until dry ingredients are moistened (over-mixing will produce rubbery muffins). Fill sprayed muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Mrs. Carrigan’s Honey Wheat Bread

Mrs. Carrigan’s Honey Wheat Bread

This is a terrific recipe for the bread machine. Easy to make, and taste so good!! Has a wonderful crispy crust, and so tasty on the inside! The house smells wonderful! It’s terrific right out of the bread machine warm, but it tastes just as good when it’s cool! Makes wonderful grilled cheese and lunch box sandwiches! I’ve made this bread on a Monday, and I then store it in a plastic bag. We use it for sandwiches, toast, etc. It stays fresh for days. Of course, it’s usually gone in a day or two at our house.

1 C. warm water
2 tsp. warm water
1/4 C. honey
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. butter
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. bread flour
1 tsp. salt

Pour warm water, honey, butter, whole wheat flour, bread flour, salt, and yeast, respectively, into the pan of a bread machine. Set the bread machine to Basic/White, 2 pound loaf, light crust, and select Start. Cool completely before slicing.

Quick No-Knead Rolls

Quick No-Knead Rolls

Quick No-Knead Rolls

 

¾ C. hot water

½ C. canned milk

2 packages yeast

2 T. sugar

3 ½ C. flour

1 tsp. salt

 

Dissolve yeast in water and milk. Add sugar, 1 ½ C. flour, and salt; mix until well mixed. Add 2 C. flour, mix well. Let rest 5 minutes. Shape into rolls and let rise until double. Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes. I use these when I make harvest soup or beef stew. They are easy and good, though they are a heavier roll than ones that raise twice.

Cheese & Chive Cake Sale

Cheese & Chive Cake Sale

1¾ C. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
½-1 tsp. salt (depending on what cheese and add-ins you’re using)
¼ tsp. freshly ground white pepper (or more to taste; you could even add a pinch of cayenne)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 C. whole milk, at room temperature
1/3 C. extra-virgin olive oil
1 generous C. coarsely grated Gruyere, Comte, Emmenthal, or cheddar (about 4 ounces)
2 ounces Gruyere, Comte, Emmenthal, or cheddar, cut into very small cubes (½-2/ 3 C.)
½ C. minced fresh chives or other herbs (or thinly sliced scallions)
1/3 C. toasted walnuts, chopped (optional)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-x-4½-x-2¾-inch loaf pan – a Pyrex pan is perfect here. If your pan is slightly larger, go ahead and use it, but your loaf will be lower and you’ll have to check it for doneness a little earlier. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and white pepper together in a large bowl. Put the eggs in a medium bowl and whisk for about 1 minute, until they’re foamy and blended. Whisk in the milk and olive oil. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and, using a sturdy rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, gently mix until the dough comes together. There’s no need to be energetic – in fact, beating the dough toughens it – nor do you need to be very thorough: just stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the cheese, grated and cubed, the herbs, and the walnuts, if you’re using them. You’ll have a thick dough. Turn the dough into the buttered pan and even the top with the back of the spatula or spoon. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the bread is golden and a slender knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and wait for about 3 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pan and turn the loaf over onto the rack; invert and cool right side up. The bread can be served when it is still slightly warm, but I think it tastes better when it has cooled completely. If the bread is keeping company with drinks, cut it into 8 slices, about ½ inch thick, and cut the slices into strips or cubes.

Bonne idee: You can use whatever hard cheese you like most or whatever combination of cheeses you have on hand. You can vary the herbs just about any way you wish – I really like this with basil or a mix of herbs that includes basil — or you can skip the herbs. And you can have a field day with add-ins; for example, you can mix in diced ham, bacon bits, toasted chopped nuts, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, minced shallots, or small pieces of cooked vegetables.

Bonne idee: Bacon, Cheese, and Dried Pear Bread. For this bread, you’ll need 5 strips of bacon, cooked until crisp, patted dry, and chopped into thick bits, 1 C. finely chopped moist dried pears (about 3½ ounces), and 1 T. minced fresh sage instead of the chives, stirred in just before the dough goes into the pan. I think the toasted walnuts are a must in this one. If you really want to change things up, instead of adding cubes of Gruyere or other hard cheese, fold in a blue cheese, like Roquefort, Fourme camAmbert, or Gorgonzola.

Pompe à l’Huile

Pompe à l’Huile

3 3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar*

1 7-gram package active dry yeast

3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon good quality extra-virgin olive oil (I used “Tuscan Herb” flavored olive oil)

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to sprinkle on dough before cooking

*Note: For a sweeter loaf, and depending on flavor of your olive oil, increase sugar to 1/3 cup

 

Make a poolish: Put 1 1/2 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast, and 1 cup warm water into a large bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon to combine. Let the mixture sit in a warm spot until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Add remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup of the oil, and salt to the poolish and stir until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5–7 minutes. Grease a large clean bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, place dough in the oiled bowl, and cover with a clean towel. Set the dough aside in a warm spot to let rise until doubled in bulk, 3–4 hours. Preheat oven to 400° F. Gently turn dough out onto a large sheet of parchment paper and gently stretch it with your fingers to form a 12″ circle. Using a small, sharp knife, cut out 2″long slits, each about 1″ wide, starting from the center of the bread and cutting toward the edge, and add few cuts on the edge, so that the dough resembles a sand dollar (discard dough scraps or bake them separately as a cook’s-bonus nibble). Using your fingers, gently stretch the holes open a little wider so that they won’t close up completely when bread is baked. Carefully transfer the dough, on the parchment paper, to a large baking sheet, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake until golden brown and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the bread to a rack to let cool or serve warm.

Scallion and Cheddar Supper Bread

Scallion and Cheddar Supper Bread

1 1/2 C. biscuit mix
1/2 C. milk
1 large egg
1 C. sharp shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 C. chopped scallions
1 /4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch round or square cake pan. Combine the biscuit mix, milk and egg in a large mixing bowl. Add cheese, scallions and pepper. Stir until combined. Scrape dough into prepared pan and spread evenly with spatula. Drizzle olive oil over the top. Bake until golden brown, 16-18 minutes. Remove from pan and cool 5 minutes. Slice and serve warm.

Fig and Fontina Flatbread with Rosemary

Fig and Fontina Flatbread with Rosemary

The recipe below makes two large cookie sheet size breads with a slightly puffy crust. If you like your crusts thin, as we do, you can split the dough into thirds and roll it out thinner, making three smaller breads from the same batch of dough. You’ll need to watch it more closely as the ends will cook quickly.

Fig and Fontina Flatbread with Rosemary1 package active dry yeast
1/4 C. hot water (100 degrees – very hot tap water will do)
A pinch of sugar
3 C. all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur’s bread flour); more as needed
2 T. olive oil, plus a little more
2 tsp. coarse kosher or sea salt
3/4 C. water

1 C. shredded Fontina cheese
1 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 lb. black mission figs
Fresh rosemary (optional)
Salt and pepper

Pour 1/4 C. hot water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top along with a pinch of sugar. Give a quick stir and let sit till bubbles rise. Combine flour, salt, olive oil and activated yeast in a food processor. Begin processing and add 3/4 C. water through feed tube. Process, adding a little more water if necessary, until mixture forms a slightly sticky ball. Turn dough onto a floured work surface, and knead to form a smooth, round ball. Put dough ball in a bowl, and cover with a clean damp towel. Let rise until dough doubles in size, 1-2 hours. Just before the dough is done rising, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the figs by cutting them in half lengthwise (de-stem the ends with the knife if needed), then trimming the backsides flat, so you end up with nice thick slices with skins just around the edges. Divide dough in half and roll it onto lightly oil-greased baking sheets. Rub a little olive oil over the doughs, and divide cheese and figs among them. Sprinkle generously with fresh rosemary, salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake in the oven on the top shelf for 8-10 minutes, until golden. Cut into squares using a pizza cutter and serve.

Chef Meg’s Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins

Chef Meg’s Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins

Chef Meg's Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins1 T. flax seeds
1 C. blueberries
1 C. quick oats
1 C. lowfat buttermilk
1 C. whole wheat flour
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 whole egg
3/4 C. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin pans with nonstick spray or line with paper liners. Use a clean coffee grinder to roughly grind the flax seeds, trying not to process them into a mealy texture. (You can use pre-ground flax if that’s what you have on hand.) Wash and dry the blueberries. In a small bowl, combine the oats and buttermilk, and let stand at room temperature for five minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix with a fork to blend and set aside. In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, beat the egg, applesauce, brown sugar at medium speed for 3 minutes. Blend in the oat-buttermilk mixture. Stir in the flour mixture only to combine, try not to overwork the mixture. Fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin C. 3/4 full and top with a sprinkle of flax seed. Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

ABM Rocco’s Olive Bread

ABM Rocco’s Olive Bread

Rocco’s olive bread is a white, fluffy bread with a hint of garlic.

8 oz. black olives, drained
1 1/4 C. water
1 1/2 tsp. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. garlic salt
3 1/4 C. bread flour
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select White Bread Setting; 2 pound loaf; press Start.

Bread Machine Rolls

Bread Machine Rolls

3 C. bread flour
3 tsp. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 C. dry milk powder
1 C. warm water (110)
2 tsp. butter, softened
1 (.25 oz.) package active dry yeast
1 egg white
2 tsp. water

Place the bread flour, sugar, salt, milk powder, water, butter, and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set on Dough cycle; press Start. Remove risen dough from the machine, deflate, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces, and form into rounds. Place the rounds on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume,
about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix together the egg white and 2 T. water; brush lightly onto the rolls. Bake in the
preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.

Savory Arugula and Pine Nut Loaf Cake

Savory Arugula and Pine Nut Loaf Cake

Savory Arugula and Pine Nut Loaf Cake

1 and 1/3 C. flour

3 ounces of plain yoghurt

4 C. of arugula, measured by packing it down into a liquid measuring C.

3/4 C. of Parmesan, grated, and several more T. for sprinkling on top of the cake

3 large eggs

1/4 C. of pine nuts, plus a few T. for decorating the loaf

2 cloves of garlic, smashed

3 ounces of olive oil

1 tsp. of baking powder

1/2 tsp. of sugar

freshly ground salt and pepper

Four C. of arugula is a sizeable amount.  If you have a scale, you can measure 150 grams, and that will be about the equivalent of the four C..  Otherwise, press the arugula down into a liquid measuring C..  Then smash the two cloves of garlic.  Wash the arugula and dry it in a dish towel.  You don’t need to be careful about bruising the leaves, since, after cooking them a little,  they go into the food processor. Measure the 3 ounces of olive oil into a measuring C..  Put 2 T. of it in a pan big enough to hold the lettuce and heat it.  Add the smashed garlic cloves and the arugula leaves and cook, stirring for a couple of minutes.  Grind some salt and fresh pepper over the wilted arugula: Put the arugula and garlic in a food processor and grind them roughly by using the pulse button.  Put this aside to cool while you make the cake batter. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Butter the loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.   In one bowl, mix together the flour and the baking powder.  In another bowl, mix the eggs with the yoghurt, the rest of the olive oil, the sugar and a pinch of salt.  Gradually add the flour to the egg mixture: 9.  Stir in the arugula and garlic, and any liquid they have formed from being ground.  Add 3/4 C. of Parmesan, and 1/4 C. of pine nuts. Put the batter in the pan.  Spear the top with little pine nuts and sprinkle it with Parmesan. Bake the cake for 50 minutes.  The top of the cake will not be smooth.  The loaf is spongy, not dry, and deflates a little as it cools.  Cool the cake and slice it

Brown-Eyed Susan Cake

Brown-Eyed Susan Cake

In the 1950s, garden-themed cakes started cropping up in cookbooks like wildflowers and took on names such as chrysanthemum and pink azalea. The Brown-Eyed Susan Cake, with the flavors of orange and chocolate, is one of our favorites from this period.

1 recipe yellow cake batter for two 9-inch pans
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 teaspoons grated zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from 1 orange
4 cups vanilla buttercream frosting*
Yellow food coloring (optional)
Semisweet chocolate chips
Candied orange peel

For the cake layers: Divide batter between two bowls. Stir 2 ounces melted chocolate into one bowl and orange zest into second bowl. Drop batter by spoonfuls into two greased 9-inch cake pans, alternating between chocolate and orange batters. Bake on middle rack in 350-degree oven until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then turn layers out onto racks to cool completely.

For the frosting: Divide frosting between two bowls. Stir remaining 3 ounces melted chocolate into one bowl and orange juice into second bowl. Add 2 drops yellow food coloring (if using) to bowl with orange frosting.

To assemble: Spread chocolate frosting between cake layers and on sides of cake. Coat top of cake with orange frosting and decorate with chocolate chips and candied orange peel to resemble flowers.

ATK Drop Biscuits

ATK Drop Biscuits

Reliable biscuits start with clumpy buttermilk. Really! Usually, properly combining melted butter with buttermilk (or any liquid) requires that both ingredients be at just the right temperature; if they aren’t, the melted butter clumps in the cold buttermilk. This may look like a mistake (and in recipes like fine-textured cake it is), but it mimics the process of cutting cold butter into flour and is the secret to this recipe. The result is a surprisingly better biscuit, slightly higher and with better texture. That’s because the lumps of butter turn to steam in the oven and help create more rise.

In addition to the variations listed, feel free to use other herbs (chives, rosemary, thyme, and sage work especially well). Use no more than a tsp. or two of stronger herbs like rosemary and sage. One tsp. coarsely ground black pepper is another good stir-in as is 1/.4 C. thinly sliced scallions. Crisp bits of fried bacon (6 slices, cut in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1/4-inch strips) can also be folded into the dry ingredients.

Drop Biscuits

You will need about 2 tsp. melted butter for brushing the tops of the biscuits.

2 C. (10 oz.) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sugar
¾ tsp. salt
1 C. buttermilk, chilled
8 tsp. unsalted butter, melted and still warm, plus extra for serving

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in large bowl. In separate bowl, stir chilled buttermilk and melted butter together until butter forms small clumps. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until just incorporated and dough pulls away from sides of bowl. 3. Using greased 1/4-C. measure, scoop out and drop 12 mounds of dough onto prepared sheet, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart (scant 1/4C. per mound). Bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway
through baking. Brush baked biscuits with extra melted butter to taste, transfer to wire rack, and let cool slightly. Serve warm.

Cheddar Drop Biscuits: Whisk 1/4 tsp. dry mustard and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper into flour mixture, then stir in 1 C. shredded cheddar cheese, breaking up any clumps, until coated with flour.

Tarragon-Gruyere Drop Biscuits: Stir 1 C. shredded Gruyere cheese and 1 tsp. minced
fresh tarragon into flour mixture, breaking up any clumps, until coated with flour.

Basil-Parmesan Drop Biscuits: Stir 1 C. grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tsp. chopped
fresh basil into flour mixture, breaking up any clumps, until coated with flour.

Cattail Pollen Biscuits

Cattail Pollen Biscuits

Cattail Pollen Biscuits

 

The fresh-shucked corn flavor of cattail pollen is amplified by baking. The biscuits are as good with butter and maple syrup or thinly sliced ham. You will need 12-16 cattail flowers to collect ¼ cup of pollen.

 

Biscuits

 

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup cattail pollen

1 T. plus 2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 T. sugar

6 oz cold unsalted butter, coarsely grated

1 ½ cups buttermilk

 

1 egg, beaten

1 T. milk

 

Preheat the oven to 375’F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the grated butter and use your fingers to rub it into the dry ingredients. Pour in the buttermilk and give the mixture as few swipes with a wooden spoon as possible, before bringing the biscuit dough together with your hands. (The less your work it the more tender they will be.) Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Press it gently into an even shape 1 ½ inches thick. Use a biscuit cutter (or upturned glass) to press out as many biscuits as possible. Collect the dough scraps and press them together quickly, then cut out a few more biscuits. Place the biscuits on the baking sheet. Mix the egg wash and brush it gently over the tops. Slide into the oven. Bake until golden-brown, about 20 – 23 minutes. Best eaten at once, but they freeze very well, too.

Kitchen Sink Muffins (many variations)

Kitchen Sink Muffins (many variations)

Kitchen Sink Muffins (many variations)

 

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 T. ground flax meal

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

⅓ cup granulated sugar

1 cup unsweetened applesauce or yogurt

2 T. melted butter

⅓ cup milk

 

Add-in Options

 

1 cup fresh or frozen fruit, thawed

½ cup pecans, walnuts or almonds, chopped

⅔ cup dried fruit

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place muffin liners in a 12 standard-size muffin pan. In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients; flour, ground flax, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Add in yogurt, melted butter and milk. Stir until thoroughly combined, creating a smooth, stiff batter. Gently fold in additional ingredient options, then divide batter equally spooning into the muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tops are golden. Transfer to cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, store remaining muffins in an airtight container.

“The Greatest!” Pound Cake

“The Greatest!” Pound Cake

“The Greatest!” Pound Cake

 

2 C. all-purpose flour

¾ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. baking powder

2/3 C. (13 T.) unsalted butter

1 C. granulated sugar

1 tsp. finely grated lemon or orange zest (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 325° and grease a 8½- by 4½- by 2½-inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add citrus zest and 2 unbeaten eggs, 1 at a time, and beat well. Add vanilla and nutmeg to milk. Then, slowly mix dry ingredients into batter alternately with milk. Do not over mix or the cake will become tough. When just combined, pour into loaf pan and bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 1½ hours. Cool on a rack 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb Pie

 

4 C. chopped ripe rhubarb

1 C. white sugar

1/3 C. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

6 T. flour

1 T. butter

1 recipe for a 9” double-crust pie

 

Preheat oven to 450. Combine sugars and flour. Sprinkle ¼ over the crust in the pie plate. Pile the rhubarb over the mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining mixture. Dollop small pieces of butter over the rhubarb sprinkled with sugar. Cover with the top crust and flute edges. Place in the lowest rack in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temp to 350 and continue to bake for 40-45 minutes. Serving with ice cream is a must!

Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Cake

Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Cake

Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Cake

 

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup light brown sugar

4 large bananas, just ripe, sliced lengthwise

1/4 teaspoon table salt

 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

 

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and salt and cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and decoratively press the bananas (flat side down, rounded side up) into the caramel, until all of the caramel is topped with bananas. Set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl, and set aside.  Place the oil, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the egg and yolk, and continue whisking until smooth. Add the buttermilk and whisk again. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold to combine. Do not over mix. Scrape the batter over the bananas and gently smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until a cake tester comes out with a moist crumb or two. Immediately run a paring knife around the edge of the pan. Let sit for 5 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter. If bits of caramel or banana stick to the bottom of the pan, scrape them off and place them back onto the cake. Let cool until the caramel sets a bit, about 20 minutes, or cool to room temperature. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. The cake will keep wrapped in plastic on the counter for up to 3 days, but it is best the day it is made.

Light, Fluffy Butter Cake

Light, Fluffy Butter Cake

Light, Fluffy Butter Cake

 

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, divided

2 sticks (16 tablespoons/8 ounces/227 grams) good-quality unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime, lemon, or orange zest (optional)

1 1/2 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour (my favorite is Pillsbury bleached all-purpose flour; do not use cake flour), divided

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup (60 milliliters) whole milk, room temperature, divided

 

Heat the oven to 335°F. Spray an 8-inch metal square, preferably light-colored, pan with cooking spray.  Separate the egg whites from the yolks. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add ¼ cup (50 grams) of the sugar and beat until stiff. Set aside (transfer to another bowl if you need the same bowl to cream the butter). In another large bowl, using the electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and the remaining ¾ cup (150 grams) of the sugar until and fluffy. Be patient; it may take 5 to 10 minutes. Add the vanilla and lime zest, if using. Add the eggs yolks one at a time, gradually beating for a few seconds to incorporate after each addition. In a small bowl, using a fork, mix ¾ cup of the flour with the baking powder, stirring for 1 minute to aerate. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just to incorporate. Do not overmix.  Add half of the milk and mix for a few seconds to combine. Add the remaining milk, mix again to combine, then mix in the remaining flour. Add half of the egg whites and mix on low speed to combine. Using a spatula, fold the remaining egg whites into the batter. Be patient—it may take quite a few turns of the bowl to fold in the egg whites. My trick is to turn the bowl as I fold. What I do is to do a “quarter turn” of the bowl (as if I’m turning the bowl from a 0-minute position to a 15-minute position) and fold; turn the bowl to a 30-minute position and fold; turn the bowl to a 45-minute position and fold; turn the bowl to a 0-minute position and fold. Repeat the turning of the bowl and folding until all egg whites are well incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level with a spatula. Bake for 45 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and continue to bake for about 9 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. You will see that the cake has risen to the very top of the pan but the surface remains flat (don’t worry if you see a few bubbles). Let cool on a wire rack for 15 to 30 minutes, then invert on a plate, then invert again onto the rack or a platter. I like to wait until the day after to eat it, but you don’t have to. Let cool for a couple of hours before serving