At the Baker's Bench

Light Wheat Irish Soda Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 02:02:00 +0000

If there's one thing I've learned about Irish Soda Bread over the years, it's that everyone has an opinion about how they want it to taste. Seeds, no seeds. Raisins, no raisins. I'm easy . . . I'll eat it in any form, especially if someone bakes it for me. That said, I do have a pretty strong feeling regarding one specific issue: Irish Soda Bread is a quick bread, not a yeast bread. Why? It's called Soda Bread for a reason! It's chemically leavened ~ that is, with baking soda and baking powder. Hence, no yeast needed. The yeast can chill on the shelf until it's needed for Easter Babka (another holiday bread that seems to have as many opinions about its proper production as there are bakers who craft it).

In my experience, most of the soda breads you find in the grocery store are yeast breads. Why? Probably because they keep longer and are easier to produce in volume. An Irish Soda Bread is essentially a giant scone, and like all scones, it's at its best on the day it's made. Arguably, the hour it's made, when it's still harboring some warmth in its tender heart.

I've made mine here with a little wheat flour for the texture and the sweetness. Sometimes I throw in a handful of oats. Sometimes a half-cup of raisins, Craisins, or even chopped toasted walnuts. (Hey, I'm not Irish, I can make the leap with impunity.)

Usually I make a couple of loaves, with and without raisins, so everyone is happy. And because leftovers are awesome the next morning, lightly toasted with butter.

Go ahead and try this recipe; I think you'll like it. Make a couple of loaves, one with and one without--seeds or raisins--but please, no yeast.

Light Wheat Irish Soda Bread

•3 cups all-purpose flour
•1 cup whole wheat flour
•¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•½ teaspoon salt
•6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
•2 large eggs, lightly beaten
•1 1/2 cups buttermilk, sour milk, or yogurt
•¾ cup raisins (optional)
•1 egg, beaten
•Turbinado sugar for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Pour buttermilk mixture over flour mixture, add raisins if using, and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Dust with flour and knead three or four turns, just until dough clings together. Divide into two pieces and form each into a round loaf. Place on opposite ends of a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut a 3-inch cross, about 1/2 –inch deep into the top of each loaf using a sharp paring knife. Brush loaves with beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
5. Bake loaves in a 375 degree oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when lightly tapped. Let cool on a rack before serving.

Whole-Grain Caramel Apple Holiday Cake ~ And a giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:25:00 +0000

There's nothing like a drippy cloud of dietary guilt to spoil a perfectly delightful parade of holiday goodies. Good news! You don't have to confine yourself to the veggie platter to enjoy healthier treats this holiday season. With high-quality ingredients and a few simple swaps, it's simple to create really delicious baked goods that you'll enjoy not only eating, but giving as hostess and teacher's gifts and serving at your holiday get-togethers.

I've come up with a recipe that adjusted one of my holiday classics to make use of two of my favorite Hodgson Mill products: Whole Wheat Pastry Flour and Whole Wheat Flour. Instead of butter in the cake, I use canola oil. The nutty wholegrain flours are perfect to host the homey spices, sweet apples, and crunchy nuts that make this cake so special. Well, that and the caramel butter frosting, which is a truly decadent finishing touch.

And more good news! Hodgson Mill has been kind enough to provide a $25 prize pack for one lucky visitor to At the Baker's Bench! For a chance to win, leave a comment below by midnight (EST) on December 15, 2012, telling me about your favorite holiday baking tradition, and include your e-mail address so I can notify you if you win. Also, visit Hodgson Mill online for a change to win a holiday gift pack. Click here for a printable Hodgson Mill coupon.

Happy baking!

Caramel Apple Holiday Cake

• 2 cups Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1 cup Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)

Caramel Butter Frosting
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 stick (4 oz) butter
• ¼ cup milk, cream, or half-and-half
• Pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 to 11/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1. Spray two 9" cake pans with nonstick pan spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla, apples, spices, and nuts, if using; stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon or large spatula to incorporate all dry ingredients—batter will be stiff.
4. Transfer batter to prepared pans and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center tests clean. Remove pans to rack for 10 minutes; de-pan cakes and let cool completely before frosting or freezing.
5. For Caramel Butter Frosting: Combine brown sugar, butter, salt, and milk or cream in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let cook for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool 10 minutes. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat in confectioners’ sugar ½ cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Frost cake layer(s) with a small offset spatula, swirling frosting in a smooth motion. If frosting hardens too quickly, place over low heat on stove (or in microwave for a few seconds) until it softens. If desired, add sprinkles or decorations immediately after spreading as this frosting will set up quickly.

Recipe Notes:
• You can make this cake in loaf pans, small Bundt pans, or even muffin pans. Adjust baking time down for smaller pans.
• If you want to drizzle rather than spread frosting, just prepare as directed but use less confectioners' sugar to achieve a drizzling consistency. Alternatively, thin frosting with a little bit of milk or cream, or heat and drizzle over cake while the frosting is warm.
• Unfrosted, this cake freezes beautifully. Make one layer to serve now and wrap the other tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and store in the freezer to serve later.

Almond-Poppy Quick Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 21:27:00 +0000

Almond and poppy ~ such a classic combination for tea bread. This is really lovely; the crumb is moist and flavorful, with the nuttiness of poppyseed and an almost floral note from the almond extract. The top is crusted with almonds and sugar, a perfect foil for the delicate crumb.

You can use the same batter for loaves or muffins, and both freeze well. If you like citrus, add the zest of an orange or lemon to the batter along with the extracts.

Almond-Poppy Quick Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
11/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
11/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
2/3 cup canola oil
¼ cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8x4-inch loaf pans with nonstick pan spray.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Divide batter evenly between prepared loaf pans.
3. Sprinkle each loaf with half of the sliced almonds and then half of the turbinado sugar. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean.
4. Let loaves cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely before wrapping and storing.

Review: Pure Vanilla

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:53:00 +0000

Pure Vanilla
by Shauna Sever
Quirk Books, October 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59474-596-6
Hardcover, $22.95

I believe that vanilla has gotten an unfair reputation as the wallflower of the flavoring sisters. Poor vanilla, she's not as spicy as cinnamon, as bright as citrus, or as sexy as chocolate. But to me, there's no such thing as "plain vanilla." Never domineering, acrid, or bitter (unlike those more volatile sisters), vanilla plays well with others, complementing and enhancing the flavors of her fellow ingredients. (Why do you think we add a bit of vanilla extract to everything from brownies to pumpkin pie?)

Shauna Sever's wonderful Pure Vanilla features eighty recipes and loads of luscious full-color photos to help you enjoy vanilla's solo act. Whether you're a longtime fan of vanilla's subtle grace notes or a diehard chocolate addict willing to explore the paler side of the dessert tray, you'll find plenty to drool over. From nice (Vanilla Stewed Fruit) to naughty (Twinkie Bundt Cake) to super sexy (Vanilla Martini), there are recipes for a wide range of tastes.

Vanilla Cloud Cake

Sever includes lots of info on her subject in Pure Vanilla, including a history of vanilla, tasting notes, and a really interesting look at how our favorite spice goes from orchid pod to extract bottle. The book begins with an introduction and ends with a resources sections, and the chapters are broken down thusly:

Breakfasts
Cakes and Pies
Cookies and Bars
Candies and Confections
Custards and Creams
Drinks

The Scoop:
*Good for gifting.
*Good for cookshelf.

Thanks to the ever-awesome Quirk Books for providing photos and a review copy.

Peanut Butter Triple Chocolate Chunk Blondies

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 21:20:00 +0000

Last week my daughter was born . . . today she drove herself to school for the first time. Okaaay, not last week. It was sixteen and a half years ago. But it feels like it was just last week. So it's a bit surreal, to say the least, that this child, who was most content when swaddled as tightly as a spring roll, is suddenly begging for the freedom to execute a solo mission to Target with her freshly minted license.

As I made this batch of blondies to celebrate her successful road test yesterday afternoon, she was on her phone, making plans to drive to Canada or California or the mall.

"Mom, is it okay if I take the car tonight?" she called, hand over the phone.
"But I'm making peanut butter blondies!" I yelped.
"Mom, be serious."

Maybe I couldn't keep her home with oven love, but I could delay activating her insurance coverage a few more hours ~ just long enough to deal with my pangs of apprehension and separation anxiety.

So we sat around and celebrated one more developmental milestone and reminisced about yesterday, when the only car keys she was interested in were plastic and attached to a teething ring.

Peanut Butter Triple Chocolate Chunk Blondies

Recipe adapted from this one by Joy the Baker.

5 ounces unsalted butter
2 cups light brown sugar (see Notes)
1 ¼ cups smooth peanut butter (I choose Jif)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large milk chocolate bar cut into chunks
½ cup semisweet baking chips
½ cup dark chocolate baking chips or chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13” glass baking dish with nonstick spray, line with parchment, spray parchment.

In a 3-quart saucepan, melt butter and sugar over medium heat until butter is melted, stirring to combine. Remove pan from heat. Stir peanut butter into butter mixture. Let cool for 10 minutes or so. Stir in beaten eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to peanut butter mixture and stir just until the wet ingredients are moistened. Batter will be very thick. Spread batter into prepared pan and level with a spatula. Bake at 350 degrees F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and blondies are golden brown. Check at 20 minutes and then at 5-minute intervals thereafter.

Let pan cool on rack; pull gently up on parchment sling to remove blondies from pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes:

If you don't have brown sugar, you can make a perfect substitute by using one cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses for each cup of brown sugar called for in the recipe.
I used about 2 cups of chocolate chunks total, which seemed like the perfect amount.
You can replace half of the AP flour with whole wheat flour without too much drama.
You can use salted butter if you don't have unsalted; omit the added salt in this case.

Carrot Cake Granola Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:30:00 +0000

a midnight snack . . .

I love granola bars for post- (or mid-) run snacks. My kids love them for quick, grabby breakfasts. It's such a simple item to prepare yourself, and they're infinitely customizable. I make big batches, wrap the bars individually, and store them in the freezer. The bars take less than 10 minutes to thaw, but I've gnawed on many a still-frozen bar with no ill-effects.

I came up with this recipe because I wanted something nice and fall-ish that didn't involve going to the store to buy pumpkin. So, do they actually taste like carrot cake? Yep, these are definitely cousins in the carrot cake family. Think of them as the kind of jovial, polite, but health-conscious cousins who come to Thanksgiving dinner and make great conversation but eat only one kind of pie and no second helpings.

Carrot Cake Granola Bars with Walnuts

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup flaxmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil inside a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish and mold it to fit the dish. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, wheat flour, white flour, flaxmeal, salt, spices, and walnuts. In a medium mixing bowl, combine honey, oil, egg, extract, carrots, and raisins. Stir carrot mixture into dry ingredients; mix until thoroughly combined and all dry ingredients are evenly moistened.

Spoon mixture into foil-lined baking dish and press into an even layer with a spatula or a oiled hand. Place pan in a 350F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Set pan on rack and let cool completely. When cool, carefully lift foil out and transfer to cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife to cut into bars.

If desired, wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in a tightly sealed container in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Yields: Makes about 20 bars.

Date Walnut Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 03:09:00 +0000

When I say “date walnut bread,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For lots of people ~ especially in the Chock Full o’ Nuts generation (I refer to the cafe, not the mental state) ~ this conjurs images of dark, dense nut bread studded with tender pieces of sweet dates. For others ~ many, many others ~ it conjurs the following response: blech.

I stand here today a little embarrassed to confess that just a few hours ago, I was in the latter camp. In all the years I’ve been baking both recreationally and professionally, I can’t recall ever having produced a single loaf of date-nut bread. But that was yesterday. Now, I’m all about it!

Earlier today, I set out to make a couple of quick breads. Banana? Snore. Zucchini? Sounds good. I called my gardening mom and asked her to hook me up with a few of the giant zukes she undoubtedly was hauling by the wheelbarrowful from her garden this late in the season. "Oh . . . well, I gave them all away. But I do have half a four-inch zucchini left. You can have that." So much for that. I dove to the back of the pantry in desperation, where I happened upon a bag of dates left over from my days of making who-knows-what I used to make with dates. Hmm. Interesting.

So a little of this and a little of that later, I was sliding two orange-scented, sugar-crusted date-walnuts loaves into the oven. And then I sat down to catch up on some blog reading and Facebook trolling, which is where I learned that by extraordinary coincidence, today happens to be Date Nut Bread Day! I kid you not. {Go Google that . . . September 8, Date Nut Bread Day. Seriously.} Weird, right?

Well, what's even weirder is that there are TWO Date Nut Bread Days ~ September 8 and December 22. My theory on this: you make the two loaves on September 8, pop one into the freezer, and remember it on December 22 ~ Happy holidays!

Orange-Scented Date-Walnut Bread

Yield: 2 8x4” loaves

1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or Cointreau (optional)
1 cup pitted dates, chopped
¾ cup canola or other neutral cooking oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
3 large eggs, beaten
3 cups flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; spray two 8x4” loaf pans with nonstick pan spray

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add liqueur and chopped dates. Cover and remove from heat; let stand 20 minutes. Reserve all liquid in pot.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
To dates and soaking liquid in pot, add oil, vanilla, and orange zest. Stir in eggs until well blended.
Add date mixture to flour mixture and stir to mix thoroughly. Fold in chopped walnuts.
Divide batter evenly between pans. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar over batter in each pan. Place pans on middle rack in oven and bake at 350F for approximately 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let pans cool on rack for 15 mins. De-pan loaves and let cool on rack at least 1 hour before cutting.

Tips:

Like most fruit and/or nut breads, this one benefits from some resting time. If you can wait, after cooling, wrap tightly in plastic and let sit overnight before slicing and serving.
This bread freezes very well. Wrap cooled loaves (or individual slices) in plastic wrap and then in foil, label, and store for up to 2 months in the freezer.
This bread has a lot of flavor and is delicious on its own, but it’s just crazy-good with a shmear of whipped cream cheese. And don’t be skimpy.

Tart Cherry Lattice Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:28:00 +0000

Can she make a cherry pie,
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Can she make a cherry pie,
Charming Billy?
She can make a cherry pie,
Quick as a cat can wink an eye,
She's a young thing
And cannot leave her mother.

~ "Billy Boy" c. 1930

Tart Cherry Lattice Pie

5 cups frozen tart cherries, divided
1 cup granulated sugar (or more, to taste)
1/4 cup cornstarch
Zest of 1 orange
Pie crust for double crust pie
Butter, to dot
1 egg, beaten
Turbinado sugar, to garnish

Oven at 375 degrees F

Place 4 cups frozen cherries in a medium saucepan; cover and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally, until cherries release enough juice that they are almost covered in liquid. Remove cherries from heat.
In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cornstarch. Add sugar mixture to cherries, stirring. Return cherries to heat and stir continuously until thickened and bubbly (careful not to let the bubbling cherries splatter you!). Remove from heat, stir in orange zest and remaining 1 cup of cherries. Taste for sweetness; adjust sugar if necessary. Let cool.
Roll out bottom pie crust, place in pan, freeze for at least 15 minutes. Place cooled filling in crust-lined pan and dot with butter and moisten edge of bottom crust. Roll out top crust, cutting lattice strips, if desired, and place on top of filling. Seal and crimp. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut vents in top crust (if not using lattice) for steam to escape.
Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 50 minutes, or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. If crust darkens too quickly, cover with foil during baking.
Let cool completely before cutting. Seriously.

Tips

I prefer Pyrex pie dishes to other materials because they let me see what the bottom crust looks like. But disposable aluminum pans work fine too. I place my pans on a parchment-lined baking sheet for ease of cleanup.
Let your pies cool completely at room temp, but refrigerate fruit pies if you'll have leftovers lasting over 24 hours.
Speaking of cooling . . . Juicy fruit pies (like berry and cherry) must be completely cool to set up. Better yet, let them sit overnight on a cool countertop or in the fridge. Unless you don't mind eating them with a spoon ~ in which case, dig right in.
Try replacing the orange zest with 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and sprinkling the top crust with 2 tablespoons of flaked almonds before baking.
When using a lattice top, I like to make my lattice strips fairly broad. I find that they don't brown too quickly and they cut nicely, too.
You can use fresh tart cherries, of course, but then you have to pit them. Also, it takes a little longer for them to release their juice, and they don't release quite as much.

My Emo Zombie Cake ~ Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:59:00 +0000

Part 2: My Emo Zombie Cake
In which a movie and a cake get made, and everyone celebrates.

"Not Even Death"

Recently, my 15-year-old daughter and a friend made a music video. It is awesomely awesome. It's wicked good. Consider this: they managed to direct their friends in a video that shot over a period of several weeks, without in-fighting, creative disputes, or other notable drama. And they did it on a budget that wouldn't have bought a decent shoestring.

The video features zombies and realistic-looking blood made from a secret recipe that includes chocolate syrup and red food color. On warm days when the sun is shining, my front door still smells delicious. (You'll have to watch the video to understand why.)

The girls released their video on Halloween. We had a party; I made a cake. My design, as you can see below, is a tableau of a zombified Romeo and Juliet reaching for each other from their graves. "Till death do us part?" Not them. So emo.

Since this was my first cake involving figures and fancy stuff, and I was going mainly went on instinct and je ne sais quoi, I don't have a terrific step-by-step to show you. Next time, I'll aim for that. (Confession #2: I kept this cake a secret from the kids and baked cookies just in case it didn't turn out.)

For the "dirt" the arms are pushing up out of the graves, I used crushed cocoa-hazelnut dragees that I had made for something else.

I used marzipan for the figures. I modeled the arms and the sleeves separately. To color the "fabric," I kneaded gel food color into the marzipan.

The gravestones and title plaque are white chocolate tinted gray with black gel food color. The writing is piped bittersweet chocolate.

So far, this cake-decorating thing gets a thumbs-up from me. With no real pressure, the process was all about having fun with a playful design. I'm happy to report that the cake was a hit. It tasted good and looked reasonably like what I'd pictured in my mind's eye ~ main criteria I measured my success by. And everyone got what it was supposed to be.

I'm looking forward to getting my cake on again.

My Emo Zombie Cake ~ Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:04:00 +0000

Part 1: In which I begin to conquer my fear of cake decorating....

A Confession

Cake making intimidates me.

Not cake making, exactly. Cake batters and fillings are a walk in the park. I have no fear of buttercream. (Remind me to tell you about the time when I was making a 10-pound batch of Italian meringue buttercream and added the butter to the hot meringue too soon. Long story short . . . it turned out just fine.) So what's the problem then?

It's frou-frou that gives me the sweats. The necessary perfectness of smooth surfaces, the decorating in painstaking detail and making of figures that are recognizable to people who are not you. There is an incredibly weighty responsibility attached to making a cake that has the sole power to make or break someone's entire marriage celebration. (Well, not really, but you'd think so, given the pressure involved.)

Lately, I've started to feel a little embarrassed about this. What kind of pastry chef avoids cake decorating? And do I want to be that kind? Ick. Maybe I'll never be the Frank Lloyd Wright of cake architecture, but so what? There's only one Frank Lloyd Wright and that didn't stop other people from designing buildings. I can decorate a cake if I decide I want to. And lately, I've decided that I want to. It's only cake, not brain surgery.

So I'm building my stock of decorating tips and gel food colors. I've picked up a few good books on technique. And I've decided to make cakes for every conceivable occasion between now and whenever I master the art of cake decorating. Practice makes perfect, right?

Stay tuned for Part 2, in which you'll meet my first cake featuring modeled figures: my emo zombie cake, "Not Even Death" . . . .

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:04:00 +0000

Some muffins are great because they're fast and fuss-free. You dump all the ingredients into one bowl, sling the pan in the oven, and before you can say "way better than a heavily processed toaster pastry," you're tossing hot buttered muffins to your kids as they're running out the door to catch the school bus. But these are not those muffins.

We like other muffins because they incorporate leaves and twigs and similar healthful ingredients intended to meet our nutritional needs and enable us to feel virtuous about scarfing muffins instead of less appealing fiber sources. But these are not those muffins either.

These muffins are the kind you bring out on your best tea-party china and serve on occasions that merit your breakfast A-game. In-laws coming for brunch for the first time? Yeah. Your mom/daughter/sister having a special birthday? Definitely. Someone order a romantic anniversary breakfast in bed? Oh, yes. These are those muffins.

Ruby red raspberries, mellow white chocolate, a hint of almond, and a buttery streusel crumb make these totally top-shelf. If you want to get bakery-fancy, give these a dusting of confectioner's sugar when they're completely cooled.

Raspberry White Chocolate Streusel Muffins

4 oz (1 stick) butter, at room temp
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ cup sour cream or Greek-style yogurt
½ cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
¼ cup white chocolate chips, roughly chopped

For streusel:
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup oats
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 oz (6 tablespoons) cold butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For streusel:
1. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and use pastry blender to cut in butter till crumbly. Set aside.
For muffins:
1. Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add egg and continue beating. Combine milk, sour cream, and extracts in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients.
2. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternating with wet ingredients until just combined.
3. Gently fold in raspberries and white chocolate chips.
4. Spray 12 standard or 6 jumbo muffin cups with nonstick pan spray. Divide batter among muffin cups, top with three quarters of the streusel. Use a butter knife to swirl streusel into muffin batter, sprinkle with remaining streusel.
5. Bake muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in center emerges without crumbs clinging to it. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes; carefully remove muffins from pan and let cool completely on rack. Store leftover muffins in refrigerator.

Oatmeal Graham Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 16:10:00 +0000

These are not your grandma's oatmeal cookies. At least not my grandma's. There's not a single raisin in sight. Not a walnut, not even a chocolate chip. This crazy little cookie is a hybrid oatmeal-graham cracker baby ~ soft, chewy, grahamy . . . Your grandma would like them, I think. You should bake her some.

These cookies are pretty good on their own, but if you want to take them right over the border into Swoontown, I highly recommend sandwiching some Cheesecake Ice Cream between a couple. You can find that recipe on my cooking blog, Eat Real. It's super easy and ~ trust me ~ these cookies and that ice cream were born to be together. (They were, literally. I made the ice cream first and then needed to come up with a cookie to sandwich it. Cheesecake, graham . . . you get it.)

Oatmeal Graham Cookies
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment or coat lightly with butter.
Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating, scraping down sides of bowl. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in oats and graham cracker crumbs.
Use a #40 ice cream scoop or roll dough into walnut-sized balls and place on cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Flatten cookies with the palm of your hand or a fork.
Bake two sheets at a time for about 10 minutes, until cookies are golden, rotating sheets halfway through. Allow to cool for a minute or two on sheets, then transfer with a spatula to racks to cool completely.

Yield: About 2 dozen cookies

This model is jumbo-size. Like a good ice cream sandwich should be.

Turtle Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:44:00 +0000

There are lots of recipes for these indulgent little cookie bars, which are modeled on the famous pecan-caramel-chocolate candy. I like this one in particular because it's absolutely un-fussy, doesn't rely on jarred caramel sauce, and it's always welcomed at parties and potlucks.

If you're feeling frisky, you can substitute almonds for the pecans; replace some of the flour with an equal portion of whatever nut you're using in the topping, ground into meal (e.g., almonds and almond meal); or replace the milk chocolate with white chocolate and throw in a handful of dried cranberries or cherries when you add the chocolate. Keep this recipe on hand for those "can you make something for me to bring to school/work/a friend's tomorrow" occasions. It's a solid go-to.

Turtle Bars
Makes 4 dozen

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups pecan halves, broken
5.5 ounces unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
11/4 cups milk chocolate chips (or milk and semisweet mixed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick pan spray; set aside.

Combine the 4 ounces butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender, mix until the texture resembles fine crumbs. Transfer crumbs to baking dish and press mixture firmly into pan in an even layer. Sprinkle the broken pecan halves even overtop and set aside.

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine 5.5 ounces butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and salt over medium heat. Cook until butter melts, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil and allow to boil for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Pour caramel over cookie base, distributing evenly over pecans.

Bake the cookie base for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly overtop. Return cookie base to oven for 1 to 2 minutes, or until surface is evenly bubbly and chocolate is glossy. Remove pan to rack and let cool completely.

Carefully lift foil sling out of pan and onto cutting board. Fold foil edges down flat and use a long knife to cut cookie slab into small bars. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or freeze for longer storage.

Herbed Almond Crackers ~ Grain-free, Gluten-free, and Paleo!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 04:18:00 +0000

Let me get right to the point. This cracker . . . this gluten-free, grain-free, delicious, wonderful, well-keeping, amazing cracker is my latest favorite thing to come out of my oven. I'm not kidding. And I'll be honest with you, I wasn't sure where we were headed at first.

Personally speaking, I'm not on a gluten-free, grain-free, or vegan path. But as a runner in mid-training cycle, I do try to make my carbs count. And I'm always on the lookout for good sources of protein so I don't have to pretend I like snacking on water-packed tuna. That's right, I snack. I like snacks; snacks make me happy. Bad snacks, ugly snacks, snacks engineered by robots make me less happy.

These crackers, therefore, absolutely send me. Why? First of all, they're so good I have to hide them from myself. Actually, not really, but I do have to ration them or I'll eat them all (it's not a huge batch, but still). Second, they're easy to make. No, seriously, they are. Third, they're good for you: nuts, seeds, a little olive oil. Did I mention that they're incredibly good? They have this hard-to-describe texture that's so, so addictive. Imagine some really delicious nuts seasoned with your favorite seasonings but in a cracker form. Mercy.

And if you happen to know someone who is on a gluten-free (or grain-free or paleo or primal), well . . . you better make two batches because you are about to become that person's new BFF.

Herbed Almond Crackers

2 cups almond meal
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons of za'atar* or your favorite blend of herbs or spices
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons water
1 egg white
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Kosher salt for sprinkling, optional

Combine almond meal, salt, za'atar, and sesame seeds in a medium mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together water, egg white, olive oil, and sesame oil. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until a stiff dough forms and all dry ingredients are moistened.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll out to an even thickness of about 1/8 inch. Transfer parchment-covered dough to a sheet pan and remove the top piece of parchment. Use a pizza wheel or a pastry wheel to trim the uneven edges of the dough, then cut the sheet of dough into cracker-size squares.
If desired, sprinkle crackers with kosher salt and place in oven. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Turn off oven and let crackers sit inside oven for an additional 10 minutes, until golden. Remove baking sheet from oven and let crackers cool completely before storing in an airtight plastic container.

Recipe Notes

You can purchase almond meal (also called almond flour) or make your own. To make it, just process blanched whole or slivered almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Do not overprocess or you'll end up with almond butter.
Za'atar* is a wonderful Middle Eastern spice blend made up of roasted thyme, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. I purchase mine loose, from a bulk jar, at the health food store. If you purchase it prepackaged, checked the ingredient list carefully ~ some brands may include wheat flour.

Feel free to experiment with other herbs and spices. Chili, curry, rosemary, herbes de Provence, and cumin are all good choices.

Bake Your Own Bread ~ You Can Do It!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 18:50:00 +0000

It's true, you can! And the best part is that once you get started, it gets easier. Don't be intimidated by recipes that sound complicated or yeast disaster stories ~ we've all had mishaps and we emerge better, wiser bakers from them. Stick with it and the rewards will be enormous; there's nothing like making homemade breads and other baked goods for your family, your friends, and yourself.

Over the course of this coming year, I'll be exploring some new recipes here ~ old breads that are artisan classics as well as newer breads that employ unconventional flours and techniques. In the meantime, I've gathered a few recipes to get you started on the path to oven love.

Remember, enjoyment is everything, so relax and "lean into" the process! Have fun. Wear an apron, or don't. Smile. Bread is on its way!

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day = No excuses!
Irish Soda Bread ~ It isn't just for St. Patrick's Day!
Azerbaijani Sweet Bread ~ Like a giant cinnamon roll
Hot Dog Buns ~ or red hot rolls
Cracked Wheat Topknots ~ Delicious and pretty
Lavash Crackers

Happy Baking!

Cookies We Love: Basler Brunsli

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 21:43:00 +0000

For my third cookie in the Cookies We Love Series, I chose the chocolate-almond Basler Brunsli. These spiced chocolate treats hail from Switzerland (where else?), and were fairly easy to make and not too expensive. They're also a bit different from the usual chocolate-nut cookies I make in that they contain no flour ~ a bonus, if anyone's looking for a nice gluten-free holiday cookie recipe.

If you make these, take note that the formed cookies require significant drying time before baking, like French macarons do, and plan accordingly. I'd I make these again, I'll experiment with swapping out the spices for espresso powder. This recipe makes quite a few cookies, so you can either halve it or freeze some. I'm thinking of drizzling the finished cookies with white and dark chocolate before putting them on my cookie platters. If you'd like to do the same, do so after you've frozen and thawed them, not before.

Click here for the recipe, and be sure to check out what the other bakers in our group have come up with!

Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes

Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen

Di of Di’s Kitchen Notebook

Judy of No Fear Entertaining

Kelly of Sass & Veracity

Michelle of Big Black Dog

RJ of Flamingo Musings

Tiffany of The Nesting Project

Courtney of Coco Cooks

Cookies We Love: Krumkakes

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 22:31:00 +0000

For week 2 of the Cookies We Love challenge, I chose Krumkakes (Norwegian Wafer Cookies). They sounded so good, "light and crisp and perfumed with cardamom," that I added these to my list right away. Regardless of the fact that I do not own, nor do I know anyone who owns, a krumkake maker.

Where there's a will, there's a way, right? Also, I know that my mom happens to own a pizzelle press, and I figured that would be good enough.

In the interest of holiday spirit, I'll skip the fussing and fuming and just share a few tips with you that I learned from this particular piece of fieldwork:

Lubricate the preheated grids well. Then lubricate them again. And one more time.
If you fail to comply with step one, you will need wet paper towels, a clean pastry brush, and a bamboo kebab stick, plus a perfectly good afternoon, to steam-clean and evacuate the grids.
Don't skimp on the lube.
Rolling these into cones without a krumkake roller is tough. Consider making lovely flat cookies or small waffle bowls.

These are really tasty ~ they are exactly as described, light and crisp with a delicate cardamom flavor. They break easily, so store them carefully. I made waffle bowls by putting a warm krumkake in a small bowl and gently nestling an identical small bowl on top of the first to press it into a bowl shape. Cool completely before storing.

Click here for the recipe, and don't forget to check out what the other bakers are baking!

Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes

Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen

Di of Di’s Kitchen Notebook

Judy of No Fear Entertaining

Kelly of Sass & Veracity

Michelle of Big Black Dog

RJ of Flamingo Musings

Tiffany of The Nesting Project

Courtney of Coco Cooks

Cookies We Love: Tozzetti

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 17:52:00 +0000

For cookie numero uno in the Cookies We Love challenge, I chose tozzetti. These cookies, Roman-style biscotti, have a delicate anise aroma, and they're packed with nuts, featuring both almonds and hazelnuts.

I've made a lot of biscotti and biscotti-type cookies over the years, but this is the first recipe I've seen that uses the somewhat unconventional method of pouring the batter into the pan, rather than forming a stiffer dough into loaves. Although the resulting cookies are free-form and not tapered on the ends as biscotti and mandelbrot typically are, it's a decent trade-off for skipping the sometimes-tricky step of shaping a uniform loaf of sticky biscotti dough.

Like all biscotti, tozzetti are twice-baked. If you're short on time, you can do some advanced prep. Make and bake the cookie dough, then let it cool completely in the pan on a rack. Slice and bake the individual cookies later, or even the next day. Alternatively, you can cut the cooled baked cookie dough in half, wrap it well in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, and freeze it for up to two weeks, then slice it and bake as directed.

One final note . . . the recipe contains no fat other than what is present in the eggs. This means that these are traditional hard biscotti. Ideally, they should be dunked before consuming them, unless you like a good gnaw and have durable choppers. They're excellent with espresso, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, milk, or even red wine.

Click here for the recipe, and don't forget to visit the other blogging bakers to see which cookies they chose this week!

Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes

Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen

Di of Di’s Kitchen Notebook

Judy of No Fear Entertaining

Kelly of Sass & Veracity

Michelle of Big Black Dog

RJ of Flamingo Musings

Tiffany of The Nesting Project

Courtney of Coco Cooks

Some things you might need:
10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan
almonds
hazelnuts
anise seed

Cookie Season Opens Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:28:00 +0000

It's that time of year again ~ cookie time! And oh, have I got cookies for you. For the past few years, a very special group of food bloggers has been celebrating the season with a baking challenge. We've baked Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and now, we're taking on Saveur!

This year's challenge will feature a minimum of four types of cookies, spread out over four weeks ~ all chosen from Saveur's Smart Cookies: Favorite Holiday Treats From Around the World feature. As in years past, each of us will choose our cookies at random, independently from one another. We may post the same cookies on the same weeks, or we may all post something different. In any case, it will be fun to see everyone's take on the same set of recipes. I know I'm looking forward to it!

Who's involved in this completely fabulous baking group? Here's a complete list:

Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes

Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen

Di of Di’s Kitchen Notebook

Judy of No Fear Entertaining

Kelly of Sass & Veracity

Michelle of Big Black Dog

RJ of Flamingo Musings

Tiffany of The Nesting Project

Courtney of Coco Cooks

Sandy of At the Baker's Bench

Be sure to visit each of these blogs weekly and see what the other baking bloggers are up to! Stay tuned for Cookie #1 . . .

Note: Thank you to Claire for creating all of our amazing badges, and to Courtney for coordinating our group this year!

Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Butter Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:54:00 +0000

Everyone should have at least one go-to recipe that's a guaranteed smash hit. The one that makes people smile (applaud?) when you walk into a room carrying it on a plate. The one friends call you for. The one friends of friends call you for. This is mine. It's pretty much no-fail. You can make it into muffins, loaves, layers, even cookies just by adjusting the baking time. And the frosting? Just between you and me, I like to make this when no one else is home, so there will be no witnesses to my disgrace. It is finger-, spoon-, pot-licking amazing.

This is the kind of cake that just might become your signature sweet if you're willing to let it. You can bring it for coffee hour, for brunch, for baby showers and bachelor/ette parties, and of course for dessert ~ it's heavenly with scoop of French vanilla or cinnamon ice cream snuggled beside it if you warm a tiny bit first, just to make that frosting a little melty. Swoon.

I like to make this with walnuts or pecans, though it's just fine with no nuts too. Throw in some dried cranberries, or don't. For apples, I like to use something tart and firm ~ Cortland, Granny Smith, Rome, even Macoun or Empire. If you're making cookies with the batter, go less on the apples or your cookies will be soft. If your making muffins or loaves, go to town.

Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Butter Frosting

3 cups all-purpose flour (can replace 1 cup white flour with wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Caramel Butter Frosting

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 stick (4 oz) butter
¼ cup milk, cream, or half-and-half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 11/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Spray two 9" cake pans with nonstick pan spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and baking powder, spices, and salt; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla, apples, and walnuts; stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon or large spatula to incorporate all dry ingredients.
Transfer batter to prepared pans and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center tests clean. Remove pans to rack for 10 minutes; de-pan cakes and let cool completely before frosting or freezing.
For Caramel Butter Frosting: Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk or cream in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let cook for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool until the caramel is just slightly warm. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat in confectioners’ sugar ½ cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Frost cake layer(s) with a small offset spatula, swirling frosting in a smooth motion. If frosting hardens too quickly, place over low heat on stove (or in microwave for a few seconds) until it softens. If desired, add sprinkles or decorations immediately after spreading as this frosting will set up quickly.

Recipe Notes:

If desired, you can make this cake in a Bundt pan. Let bake a few minutes longer until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean ~ about 45 to 50 minutes. Let sit on rack for 15 minutes before removing cake from pan and cooling completely. Prepare frosting as directed but use less confectioners' sugar to achieve a drizzling consistency. Alternatively, thin frosting with a little bit of milk or cream, or heat and drizzle over cake while the frosting is melted.
This cake freezes beautifully. Make one layer to serve now and wrap the other tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and store in the freezer to serve later.

Rocky Road Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:06:00 +0000

Rocky Road Brownies. What else can I say? Make some!

Rocky Road Brownies

For Brownies:

6 ounces (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
11/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

For Marshmallow Topping:

2 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped (optional)

To make brownies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square pan with nonstick pan spray and line with a sheet of parchment paper. Spray parchment as well.
In a mixing bowl,whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add chocolate and nuts and toss to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together melted butter, vanilla extract, and eggs. Pour wet into dry ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour brownie batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 40 to 45 minutes.
Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the edge of the pan emerges without crumbs. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on rack for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, carefully remove brownie from pan by lifting parchment sling. Let cool completely on rack.

Meanwhile, make the marshmallow topping:

In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine corn syrup, sugar, water, and vanilla bean. Place over high heat and stir with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon until mixture comes to a boil. If there are sugar crystals ringing the sides of of the pan, wash them down with a wet pastry brush.
Let the sugar mixture boil until it reaches a temperature of 242 degrees F on a candy thermometer. While it is coming up to this temperature, prepare the egg whites.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff.
When the sugar syrup reaches the correct temperature, carefully remove the vanilla bean with a pair of tongs. Lower the speed of the stand mix to low and slowly pour the syrup into the beaten whites. Do not pour the syrup onto the whisk; aim for the side of the bowl where the egg whites are. Don't worry about splatters on the side of the bowl, just leave them there. When all the syrup has been poured in, increase the mixer speed to medium and continue to beat for about 5 minutes or until the bowl is barely warm when you place your hand on the bottom. The marshmallow creme should be silky and smooth and hold its shape when you lift the beater. This makes about 2 cups; store any leftover creme in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Assembly:

Remove parchment sling from brownie and place on serving platter. Spoon marshmallow topping over surface and smooth with an off-set spatula or butter knife. If desired, use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallow topping, moving the flame in a sweeping motion from side to side to avoid scorching.

Yields 16 brownies

Print this recipe

Recipe Notes:

When beating egg whites, make sure your bowl and whisk are scrupulously clean. Any lingering trace of fat (including yolk, so separate carefully) will inhibit rising and leave you with flat whites that refuse to rise.
Be extremely cautious when working with hot sugar syrup. It can cause one of the most serious and painful burns in the pastry kitchen. It's a good idea to work with a bowl of ice water on hand. If you splatter hot sugar syrup on your skin, immediately immerse it in the ice water to stop the burning process.
When adding the sugar syrup to the beaten egg whites, be very careful to avoid the whisk. Otherwise, you will end up with a lovely web of spun sugar on your beater and a pool of stiff egg whites ~ no marshmallow.
Cooled sugar syrup will form a seemingly impenetrable shell on your pan and utensils, which might lead you to despair of ever cooking with those objects again. No worries ~ run a little warm water into your saucepan, soak your spatula and bowls for a few minutes, and the sugar will dissolve with no problem.

BYOB roundup ~ September 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 01:45:00 +0000

Andrea of Family and Food gets us off to a great start this month with an entire buffet of baked lovelies! Flex your mouse hand, folks, you're going to want to get warmed up for these links: Elegant Dinner Rolls, Instant Sandwich Bread, Pita Bread, Pain de Seigle, Seven Grain and Seed Bread, Prosciutto Bread, Pain de Campagne, Five Grain Bread, Ice Cream Petit Fours, Portuguese Sweet Bread, Cinnamon Buns, Chocolate Raspberry Almond Tart, Thumbprint Rolls with Lemon Curd, Tuna and Onion Filled Breadring.

Courtney of Coco Cooks crafts tempting Chorizo Rolls. Not only do these look like they'd be heavenly next to a bowl of hot soup, but Courtney goes the extra mile by grinding her own sausage meat for the filling. Don't miss this one!

Kira of Blogs from a Homesick Aussie made Sourdough Muffins! And she spins these unique treats in a variety of ways ~ all of them yummy-looking.

Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook brings us a treat just in time for back-to-school: homemade Granola Bars, perfect for customizing! And . . . and absolutely picture-perfect Cranberry Plum Upside-Down Cake. Why not make both today? Send the kids off to the halls of education with their granola bars, and then cozy up to the cake!

Margaret of Tea and Scones has provided us with an entire bread basket of oven love! Pull up a hot cup of whatever makes you warm and cozy and check out these wonders: Semolina Sesame Braid, Instant Sandwich Bread, Simple Whole Wheat, Elegant Rolls, and the ever popular Pizza Dough.

Another prodigious baker, Heather of Girlichef, gives us much to drool over this month. Do check out her fantastic baked goods ~ but do yourself a favor and don't go on an empty stomach: Lammas Loaf, Chocolate Chile Brownies and Zucchini Brownies, Cherry Almond Bars, Savory Scallion and Cheese Scones, Yeasted Beer Bread, Sage and Cheddar Beer Bread.

And our summer hostess, Cathy of The Bread Experience, rounds things off with a wonderful, inspiring selection of specialties: Four-Leaf Clover Broccoli and Cheddar Buns, Peach Cobbler with Bread Crumbs, Five Grain Bread, Rosemary Flax Baguettes ,Baguettes: Poolish and Pâte Fermentée, Msemmen ~ Algerian Flatbread.

Armenian-Style Lavash Crackers

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:34:00 +0000

Say you have been invited to a friend's house for a dinner party. You ask what you can bring, and your friend tells you that she is making her killer homemade hummus and baba ghannouj mezze. She asks you to bring some "lavash, you know, those insanely good crackers we had at that Middle Eastern place?" to serve with them. You're relieved that you don't have to make a cheesecake or something this time, so you happily agree. Until you get to the market and realize what a problem you now have.

The only lavash your market carries is the soft, wrap-style lavash. How can this be? you think. This is absurd. Everyone knows that lavash (or lavosh or even lahvosh) is a cracker ~ a crisp, crunchy flatbread-type cracker. What's up with this floppy, tortilla-like object? Well, turns out that's lavash too.

Lavash, you see, has an alias. Mmm-hmm. It's aka Armenian cracker bread. I know exactly what you're thinking because I was thinking it too: That's a contradiction in terms, right? Well, maybe. Or maybe not. See, if you take a piece of soft lavash and dry it in a slow oven ~ voila! ~ you have a cracker.

But it's a little trickier still. Armenian-style dry lavash is cracker-y to begin with. And typically covered with at least 2 types of seeds. This is what you want to dip into your hummus and baba ghannouj.

So . . . you can go back to the market and confidently request dry lavash . . . or you can make it yourself. And I highly recommend the latter. Why? Because it's likely to be a good deal tastier and considerably cheaper than anything you can buy, it's a snap to make, and it'll be pretty impressive when you show up with homemade crackers. But by all means, feel free to buy them ~ if, you know, you don't want to steal your friend's thunder. It's her dinner party, after all.

Armenian-Style Dry Lavash
*I adapted this recipe from one I found on the KAF Web site.
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached preferred)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup water plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil*
• 1 cup mixed seeds (e.g., sunflower, flax, poppy, white and black sesame) for topping

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add water and oil*. Mix, and knead until dough is smooth, adding additional water 1 tablespoon at a time if dough is too dry.

2. Place the dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm, draft-free place, for about an hour, until it’s risen a bit.

3. Divide the dough in half. Wrap one half in plastic and set aside while working with the first half. Roll out the first half to a thickness of 1/8 inch. As you roll, sprinkle with topping seed mix. Turn the dough over periodically and sprinkle with seeds, pressing them into the dough with a rolling pin as you roll the dough to the correct thickness. If the dough springs back as you’re rolling it out, cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with second piece of dough.

4. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Place each sheet of rolled out dough on a parchment-lined sheet pan and prick with a fork. Cut each sheet of dough into strips or diamonds with a pizza cutter. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

5. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking time. Turn off the oven and let crackers sit inside for an additional 15 minutes, until crackers are crisp and well browned. Remove crackers from oven, cool, break apart, and store in an air-tight container.

Makes about 100 lavash crackers ~ size will vary if cut into diamonds
Recipe Notes:

The thinner you roll these out, the better they will be. If you find the dough is shrinking back when you roll it, cover it with a clean dish towel and let it rest for 10 minute intervals. This will allow the gluten to relax and you'll have an easier time rolling out the dough to the right thinness.
If you prefer, you can just break the baked cracker into pieces instead of cutting it. Just bake it in one large sheet ~ don't forget to prick it everywhere with a fork before baking.
*Please note that the original recipe did not include oil, and they're just fine without it. The end result sans oil is rustic and crunchy and every bit as delicious. I've made these a few times now both with and without oil, and I'm finding that I prefer the addition of a couple of tablespoons of oil. The crackers are just slightly more crisp than crunchy, but still sturdy enough to bear up under whatever dip you want to foist on them.

Noon Rogani ~ Azerbaijani Sweet Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:27:00 +0000

When the Artisan Bread Bakers Facebook group chose this recipe for Noon Rogani as the July BOM, I knew that no matter how busy I was or how much bread I already had in the house this month, this one was going on my to-bake board.

I knew it would be an attractive loaf of bread, but to tell you the truth, the results exceeded my expectations. The end result was not just attractive, it was beautiful. Really. I'm not bragging; I was honestly surprised at how pretty it was, given the amount of work it took, which is to say, not much at all.

This was an exceptionally easy* dough to work with. It performed exactly as I anticipated it would, kneading cooperatively and rolling out smoothly. It rose as it should and performed predictably in the oven. I covered it with a sheet of foil for the last 10 minutes or so of baking, when it seemed to be browning a perhaps a touch too enthusiastically.

I embellished on the original recipe by adding an almond-butter-cream glaze and toasted sliced almonds to the cooled loaf. This produced a sweet bread that resembled a giant cinnamon roll, but since the dough has so little fat that it almost qualifies as lean, it's neither as calorie-dense nor as heavy as a typical cinnamon roll. And yet it was every bit as delicious.

The leftovers ~ and there were some, it was a large loaf ~ I sliced, dipped into an egg batter, and made French toast with. I served this with homemade blueberry compote, a not-too-sweet accompaniment that suited it nicely.

I can't wait to experiment more with this recipe. Next time, I may use ground almonds or almond paste in the filling. I'd like to try a savory version, maybe with sauteed shallots and farmhouse cheddar ~ if I do, look for it here.

In the meantime, I encourage you to try this recipe for yourself. Click here for a link to the recipe, which you'll find on the King Arthur Flour Web site. My modifications to the recipe (ingredients and/or process) are noted below:

*Recipe Notes

The recipe calls for "1 1/4 cups warm water" but I found that I had to use significantly more than that. Begin with that amount and add more, a couple of tablespoons at a time, until you achieve the correct consistency.
I did not make a slurry. Instead, I combined all the dry ingredients, then added the wet ingredients, then mixed them together by hand, adding additional water as necessary to achieve a cohesive dough that wasn't overly sticky.
For the egg batter to make French toast, I whisked together 2 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt.

To make the almond-butter-cream glaze: In response to the comments I've received, I'm adding my formula (can't quite be called a recipe) for the glaze I used. This also works well for iced cookies, scones, and Bundt cakes. The less liquid you add, the firmer the glaze will dry.

1 tablespoon butter (not margerine)
Confectioner's sugar ~ about 11/2 cups
Heavy cream, light cream, or half-and-half ~ about 1/4 cup
Almond extract (can use any flavor of extract to vary)

Place butter in a small heat-proof bowl and melt in the microwave. Add confectioner's sugar by the tablespoon until you have a pasty consistency and all the butter is absorbed. (Depending on the water level of the butter you use, this will vary. Plan on about a cup, at this point.) Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking it in with a fork until you have achieved a relatively thick glaze with good drizzling consistency. Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and whisk in. Let stand 1 minute and check consistency; add additional confectioner's sugar as necessary to adjust consistency. Cover any leftover glaze and store in the fridge.

BYOB Roundup ~ July 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy Smith) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:32:00 +0000

This month's BYOB roundup is once again being hosted by the terrific Cathy Warner on her site, The Bread Experience.

In spite of the prolific heat we've been having, our intrepid bakers have been churning out oven love without regard to the climbing temps. Proving that, We are bakers, we can stand the heat!

Be sure to grab something iced and refreshing and go check out all the wonderful offerings in this month's roundup. Thanks, Cathy!

Happy summer!
~Sandy