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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

Fruits of the North Pie

Fruits of the North Pie

Fruits of the North Pie

 

Pastry for single-crust pie (9”)

¾ c. sugar

¼ c. cornstarch

2 c. fresh strawberries

1 ½ c. fresh raspberries

2 c. fresh cut rhubarb

1 c. fresh blueberries

1 T. lemon juice

 

On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry. Transfer to a 9” pie plate. Trim pastry to ½ inch beyond edge of the plate and flute the edges or decorate as desired. Line the pastry with double layers of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 for approximately 7 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 7 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.  While the pastry is cooking, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in fruit and lemon juice. Cook while stirring occasionally over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour over prepared crust. Cool completely. Enjoy with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

Louisa’s Cake

Louisa’s Cake

Louisa’s Cake

 

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 pinch salt

1 cup fresh ricotta

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 apple, peeled and grated (should yield about 1 cup)

Confectioners’ sugar for serving

 

Heat the oven to 400° F. Butter and flour a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer until light and fluffy. On the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time. Slowly add the flour, salt, ricotta, lemon zest, baking powder, and apple. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and the sides start to pull away from the pan. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan and cool completely on the rack. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top or serve with your favorite seasonal fruit.

Olive Oil Cake with Fennel Pollen

Olive Oil Cake with Fennel Pollen

Olive Oil Cake with Fennel Pollen

 

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 c. milk

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sea salt

2 T. fennel pollen (fiore di finocchio)

 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit a 12-inch cake pan (I usually make this in a 12-inch cast iron skillet); drizzle some olive oil into the pan, then place the parchment paper and slide it around so it’s well-oiled. Blend the eggs and sugar together in a medium-sized bowl, then stir in the olive oil and milk. In another large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and fennel pollen. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and slowly add the egg mixture, stirring just until blended. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan on top of the parchment paper. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool completely, then loosen the sides with a knife, and invert onto a serving plate (hold the plate against cake pan and flip…hopefully it will come out in one piece). Remove the parchment paper, slice, and eat.

Rhubarb Scones

Rhubarb Scones

Rhubarb Scones

 

1 cup chopped rhubarb (about 2–3 medium-size stalks,

cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces)

1⁄3 cup granulated sugar, divided

2 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

1 T. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1⁄2 tsp. salt

8 T. unsalted butter, cubed and frozen

1 cup buttermilk

Raw or large-crystal sugar

Americanized Devonshire Cream (see below)

Small-Batch Strawberry-Rhubarb (see below)

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine rhubarb with 1 T. sugar in a small bowl. Place remaining sugar, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor with a metal blade; pulse twice to combine. Scatter butter over flour mixture, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly add buttermilk, and process just until a soft dough forms. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle rhubarb mixture on top. Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon 16 (1⁄4-cup-size) dough rounds onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with raw or large-crystal sugar. Bake for 25 minutes. The recipe makes 16 rhubarb scones. Serve warm with Americanized Devonshire Cream and Small-Batch Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam.

 

Americanized Devonshire Cream: Combine 1 cup whipped cream cheese spread, 1 cup sour cream, and 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar in a medium-size bowl. Whisk together until creamy and thick. Makes 2 cups.

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

 

31⁄2 cups chopped rhubarb (about 8 medium-size stalks,

cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces)

3 cups strawberries, hulled and halved

1 1⁄2 cups sugar

2 T. orange juice

 

Combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and orange juice in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 45–50 minutes. Fruit will cook down and thicken. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Cool; cover and refrigerate. No canning is required for this great, 4-ingredient homemade jam. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

Bien Cuit Shortbread

Bien Cuit Shortbread

Bien Cuit Shortbread

 

302 grams unsalted butter

93 grams confectioners’ sugar

3.5 grams kosher salt

302 grams all-purpose flour

1/8 cup regular or raw sugar, for sprinkling

 

Cut the cold butter and reserve at room temperature to temper slightly. Line a 13×9-inch baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Mix the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and flour in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix for a few seconds to combine the dry ingredients. Add the cubed butter and mix on low speed until a smooth dough is formed and butter is fully incorporated. At first, the dough will look extremely flaky and dry; let it keep mixing and it will eventually come together into a dough. Dump the dough into the baking sheet or dish and spread it evenly to the corners. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. The next day, heat the oven to 300°F. Dock the dough every inch or so with a fork. Bake until the shortbread is golden brown, 60-75 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Turn the shortbread out onto a cutting board, and slice into 4-inch x ¾-inch slices. Sprinkle with raw sugar and transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Rhubarb Custard Cake

Rhubarb Custard Cake

Rhubarb Custard Cake

 

1 box yellow cake mix

Water, eggs and vegetable oil required for cake mix

4 c. chopped rhubarb

¾ -1 1/4 c. granulated sugar

1- 1 1/2 c. heavy cream

whipped cream or Cool Whip for serving

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare yellow cake mix as directed. Pour in a greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle chopped rhubarb and sugar evenly over the cake mix. Pour heavy cream over everything. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes. Serve cake warm topped with whipped cream and store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Best Pizza Dough, Period

Best Pizza Dough, Period

Best Pizza Dough, Period

 

Makes two 1-pound (454-gram) balls

(each makes a proper 16-inch 140.5-cm pie)

 

Important note while making dough: Turn your phone off and don’t speak; it’s a great time to listen, it’s a great time for new ideas, it’s not busy, you are present, and you are somewhere else. Making dough should be a calming, meditative process and a great time to think of new ideas about pizza, or about life in general.

 

114 cups (355 g) cool water

2 tsp. sugar

About 14 tsp. active dry yeast

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

314 cups (500 g) all-purpose or bread flour

1 T. + 14 tsp. fine sea salt

 

Pizza is bread. It’s really simple and a little complicated at the same time. Dough takes planning to develop good flavor, and if you do it right you’ll thank me later. You can make dough with a sourdough starter, but I’ve found that a nice, slow fermentation is more consistent and the results are always perfect. Sourdough can be unpredictable. Find yourself a nice all-purpose or bread flour. I use organic flour, but regular King Arthur will do fine. Traditionally, four ingredients are used in making dough (flour, water, salt, and yeast), but we’re adding sugar to help with fermentation and a little oil to relax and fatten the dough. It took me a couple of years to come up with this process, which produces a dough with excellent flavor, a crispy exterior, and a chewy interior. These measurements are in metric, as traditional Italian recipes always are. This is how I initially learned how to do it. They are more exact, which is vital in baking.

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

 

2 C. (256 grams) cake flour (not self-rising)

2 tsp. (8 grams) baking powder

½ tsp. (3 grams) fine sea salt

8 T. (112 grams) unsalted butter, softened

1 C. (200 grams) sugar

3 large eggs, left at room temperature for 30 minutes

1 ½ tsp. (7 ml) vanilla extract

¾ C. (177 ml) whole milk

For the chocolate frosting

5 ounces (142 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ C. (120 grams) sour cream

1 T. (15 ml) whole milk

1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract

Pinch of fine sea salt

Rainbow sprinkles

 

Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Butter and flour an 8 x 8-inch baking pan, tapping out any excess flour. Into a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add vanilla and beat for 5 minutes more. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternate between adding the flour mixture (in 3 parts) and the milk (in two parts), starting and ending with flour. Mix just until batter is smooth — do not overmix. Spread batter into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, just until a cake tester comes out clean from the center. Cake will be pale, not brown. Cool completely before frosting. For the chocolate frosting Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in short bursts (about 30 seconds each) in the microwave, stirring between bursts. When melted, stir in sour cream, milk, vanilla and salt until smooth and glossy. Spread immediately onto cooled cake. Decorate with sprinkles. Frosting will set over time.

Raspberries & Blackberries Sweet Rolls

Raspberries & Blackberries Sweet Rolls

Raspberries & Blackberries Sweet Rolls Recipe

 

Dough

3 – 3 ½ C. all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 C. granulated sugar

1 T. instant yeast

1 tsp. salt

1 C. milk, warmed to about 75°F

1/3 C. vegetable oil

 

Filling

1 Package (6 ounces) Raspberries

1 Package (6 ounces) Blackberries

1 tsp. cornstarch

Zest of 1/2 large lemon (about 1 tsp.)

1/4 C. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 C. granulated sugar or light brown sugar

 

Glaze

1 ½ C. confectioners’ sugar

3 T. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 – 3 T. whole milk, divided

 

Butter or spray lightly with oil a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish and set aside. Dough: Place 2 C. all-purpose flour into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add 1/2 C. granulated sugar and Add 1 T. instant yeast and Add 1 tsp. salt. Add 1 C. warm milk and Add 1/3 C. vegetable oil. STIR ingredients until smooth. Add and stir in up to 1 ½ C. additional all-purpose flour until a soft dough forms. Mix dough using dough hook or knead by hand 5 – 7 minutes until smooth. Cover dough and let rest 10 minutes. Filling: Place 1 package (6 ounces) raspberries into a medium bowl. Add 1 package (6 ounces) blackberries and cut any very large blackberries into smaller pieces. Add 1 tsp. cornstarch. Add 1 tsp. lemon zest. Stir to combine and set aside berry mixture. Dust a work surface lightly with flour. Transfer dough to work surface. Roll out dough to a 12-inch x 18-inch rectangle. SPREAD 1/4 C. softened butter evenly over dough. SPRINKLE 1/2 C. granulated sugar evenly over dough. SPOON berry mixture over dough and SPREAD evenly and LEAVE a 1-inch border around edges. BEGIN with long end of dough and ROLL into a tight log. CUT into 12 even slices. TRANSFER pieces to prepared baking dish and LEAVE about 1 ½ inches between pieces. COVER baking dish with plastic wrap and PLACE in a warm location until dough is almost doubled in size (25 – 90 minutes). PREHEAT oven to 350°F. REMOVE plastic wrap and BAKE 25 – 30 minutes until edges are golden brown. Glaze: PLACE 1 ½ C. confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl. ADD 3 T. melted butter and ADD 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. ADD 2 T. whole milk and STIR to combine. ADD up to 1 additional T. whole milk and STIR until glaze is a thick pourable consistency. DRIZZLE glaze over sweet rolls and SERVE warm.

Tomato, Camembert & Gruyere Tart

Tomato, Camembert & Gruyere Tart

Tomato, Camembert & Gruyere Tart

 

1 1/2 C. all purpose flour

6 T. cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

2–3 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. water

1 T. Dijon mustard

1/2 C. Gruyere, grated

4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices and seeds removed

6 ounces Camembert, sliced into 1/8-inch strips

1/3 C. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 C. fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 C. fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 T. fresh thyme leaves

1 clove garlic, minced

 

Make the tart dough: Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, combine the flour, butter, salt, and pepper until mixture resembles coarse meal. Using a fork, mix in 2 T. of the oil and the water just until the bottom of the mixture begins to cling together. If necessary, add an additional T. of oil. Gather into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out the chilled dough into a 14-inch circle and place it into a tart pan. Spread the mustard over the bottom of the tart shell. Sprinkle the Gruyere evenly over the mustard and alternately place the tomato slices and the Camembert over the Gruyere. In a small bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil, all of the herbs and the garlic together and brush two-thirds of the mixture over the tart. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 35 minutes. Remove the tart and brush it with the remaining oil. Serve warm.

Pistachio Pastry Twists

Pistachio Pastry Twists

Pistachio Pastry Twists

 

1 (17.5oz.) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tsp. water

Coarse Salt, for Sprinkling

1 C. unshelled pistachios, toasted and finely chopped

 

Preheat oven to 425. Roll out 1 pastry sheet on lightly floured surface (keep other sheet cold and covered) to a 18×12” rectangle. Bush with egg wash and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle nuts over half pastry (on short side) and then fold up to form a 9×12” rectangle, and roll firmly to remove any air bubbles and make layers adhere. Brush with more egg wash and sprinkle with salt again. Cut into ½” strips. Transfer one at a time to a greased baking sheet, one inch apart, twisting 3 or 4 times and pressing ends into sheet to adhere. Bake in batches in center of oven until golden, 12-15 minutes. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet. Makes 40.

Easy Ranch Quick Bread

Easy Ranch Quick Bread

Easy Ranch Quick Bread

 

Cooking spray or butter, for coating the pan

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. fine salt

1 tsp. no-salt onion powder

3/4 tsp. no-salt garlic powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives (about 1 large bunch)

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, preferably large curd

 

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Generously coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or butter; set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and pepper in a large bowl; set aside. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, butter, dill, and chives in a medium bowl until combined. Add the cottage cheese and stir to combine. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and stir and fold with a rubber spatula just until the flour is incorporated, being careful not to overmix. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, push it into the corners, and smooth the top. Bake until golden-brown and a tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (Test in several places, as you may hit a piece of cottage cheese.) Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Flip the bread out of the pan onto the rack (run a knife around the edges first if needed) and let cool for at least another 15 minutes before serving.

Peach Upside-Down Cake with Vanilla Caramel Sauce

Peach Upside-Down Cake with Vanilla Caramel Sauce

Peach Upside-Down Cake with Vanilla Caramel Sauce

 

Peach Topping

2 Peaches, sliced thinly into half-moons

1 tsp. Butter

1 tsp. Honey

Squeeze of Lemon

 

Cake Layer

1.5 C. + 2 T. Almond Flour

¼ cup Melted Butter (measure after melting)

¼ cup Honey

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Coconut Milk

2 Eggs

¾ tsp. Baking Soda

 

Vanilla Caramel Sauce

3 T. Full Fat Coconut Milk (or Cream)

1 T. Maple Syrup

1 T. Sugar

1 T. Butter

¼-1/2 tsp. Vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the peach topping, melt the butter and honey in a small skillet, then add the peach slices. Toss the peach slices in butter/honey mixture and add a squeeze of lemon. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until peaches begin to soften. Shut off heat and set aside until they cool. Lightly grease a 7-inch pan with a small amount of butter. Trace the bottom of the pan with a pencil on parchment paper and cut out circle. Place parchment circle on the bottom of the inside of the pan. Arrange peach slices in desired pattern on the bottom of the pan. I arranged mine in a wheel pattern. In a large mixing bowl, mix almond flour, butter, honey, vanilla, lemon juice and coconut milk until well combined. Whisk eggs in a small bowl and add to large mixing bowl, then add baking soda and mix until combined. Pour batter into pan over the peach slices. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes, or until top of cake is golden and slightly firm. Remove and let fully cool. While the cake is cooling, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, heat butter, maple syrup and sugar on medium heat until melted. Add coconut milk. Stir or whisk until sauce begins to bubble. Let the sauce bubble for around 30 seconds, stir, and lower the heat to medium low. Add ¼ tsp. vanilla. Taste and add the additional ¼ tsp. vanilla for a stronger vanilla flavor, if desired. Allow the sauce to bubble and slowly boil again while stirring until sauce thickens and coats a spoon (this will take a few minutes, but it starts to thicken quickly so try not to walk away from it). Turn the heat off but keep the pan on the burner to keep the sauce warm. Once the cake is cool, carefully loosen the cake from the pan and flip it upside down onto a plate. Drizzle the warmed sauce over the cake or pour and spread the caramel over the top. Enjoy!