Continuing our cooking during Corona . . . We Made These:
Any-Kind-Of-Fruit Galette from Smitten Kitchen--5 Stars!
CRUST
1 1/4 cups (165 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (4 ounces or 115 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup (60 grams) plain yogurt or sour cream
3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) cold water
FILLING
3 1/2 cups berries, stone fruit, or other fruit, chopped or thinly sliced, or any combination thereof
Pinch of salt
Juice of half a lemon or lime (optional)
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 to 1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch (see Note, below)
**we added a dash of cinnamon and cardamom
Make the pastry: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle butter over dough and using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work it into the flour until the mixture resembles small peas. Sprinkle sour cream and 3 tablespoons water over mixture and stir/mash it together to combine; it should form large clumps; add last tablespoon water if it does not. Use your hands to bring it together into a single mass. Transfer dough to a large square of parchment paper, patting it into a flatter packet, and wrap it tightly. Chilling it in the fridge until firm, 1 to 2 hours or up to 4 days. You can hasten the firming process along in the freezer, for about 20 minutes.
Make filling: Combine fruit, salt, citrus juice (if using), sugar, and starch in a medium bowl and set aside.
Assemble galette: Heat oven to 400°F and flatten the parchment paper that you wrapped your dough in on a large baking sheet. On a floured counter, roll the dough out into a large round-ish shape, about 14 inches across. Gently transfer it to the parchment paper in the pan. Spoon fruit filling and any juices that have collected into center, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border uncovered. Fold this border over fruit, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.
For crust: brush with water and sprinkle with sugar
Bake galette: For 30 to 35 minutes, or golden all over and the fruit is bubbling and juicy. Cool for at least 20 minutes on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Do ahead: Fruit galettes keep at room temperature for a few days and up to a week in the fridge.
Chocolate Depression Era Cake--3 Stars (Mama Teacher made this)
Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (or black cocoa)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup cooled brewed coffee (or water)
Instructions:
Preheat to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch round or square pan.
Mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and the sugar. Poke three holes into the mix. Pour the vanilla, vinegar, and oil into each hole.
Add the coffee and stir the ingredients until well blended. Add to the pan.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is set but springy. Cool the cake in the pan, then top with the frosting of your choice or enjoy plain.
NYTimes Italian Plum Torte--5 Stars!
¾ to 1cup sugar
½cup unsalted butter, softened
1cup unbleached flour, sifted
1teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt (optional)
2eggs
24halves pitted purple plums
Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)
New York Times Strawberry Spoon Bread--4 Stars
½cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus more for greasing
5ounces/145 grams frozen and thawed or fresh, hulled strawberries (about 1 cup)
⅔cup/150 grams packed light brown sugar
½cup/120 milliliters whole milk, at room temperature
½teaspoon kosher salt
1cup/130 grams all-purpose flour
1teaspoon baking powder
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch (square or round) baking dish with butter. Set aside.
Using your hands or the back of a fork, mash the berries to release all their juices, and stir in 1/3 cup of the brown sugar. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, milk and salt, then add the flour and baking powder and continue whisking just until the batter is smooth. Transfer the batter (it’s not much) to the greased baking dish, and spread evenly into corners.
Spoon the strawberries and all their juices over the top of the cake batter. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or just when a toothpick comes out clean in the center. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes before spooning into bowls. Serve warm with ice cream.
To Make Next Time:
NYTimes Coconut-Ginger Black Beans
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans
2 tablespoons coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice (from 1 lime)
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Rinse 1 can of black beans, and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium. Add the cumin and half of the ginger and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rinsed black beans and the remaining whole can of black beans (including the liquid), and the coconut milk; season generously with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and the mixture is flavorful, 15 to 20 minutes. (If you want a thicker consistency, smash some of beans with the back of a spoon as the mixture cooks, and simmer longer.)
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, crumble the plantain chips into bite-size pieces. Add the lime zest and a few generous grinds of black pepper, and stir to combine.
Remove the beans from the heat. Stir in the remaining ginger and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the lime juice a little at a time until the beans taste bright but the coconut flavor is still rich. Top with the seasoned plantain chips and serve with hot sauce for more kick.
NYTimes Sour Cream and Onion Chicken Cutlets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally (see Tip) and pounded 1/8-inch thick, or use 4 chicken cutlets (don’t split or pound)
Kosher salt and black pepper
½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
¼ cup thinly sliced chives (or 1 tablespoon dried chives), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Canola oil, for frying
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Pat chicken dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, chives and 1 tablespoon onion powder. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. (Chicken can sit in the marinade for up to 8 hours. Refrigerate, then let come to room temperature before cooking.)
In a shallow bowl or lipped plate, stir together the panko and remaining 1 tablespoon onion powder; season with salt and pepper.
Working one at a time, press the chicken breasts into the panko, using your fingers to pack the panko onto both sides of the chicken, and place on a large plate or a sheet pan.
Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 1/8-inch canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Drop a piece of panko in: If it sizzles, the oil’s ready. Add a chicken cutlet (or two, if they can fit comfortably), and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding and heating more oil as needed, and removing excess panko from the pan with a slotted spoon.
Serve chicken with more chives and lemon wedges for squeezing.
NYTimes One Bowl Chocolate Mayo Cake
¾ cup/180 milliliters boiling water, or use hot coffee, Earl Grey tea or mint tea
¼ cup/25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed or natural)
1 to 2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate (optional)
⅔ cup/160 milliliters mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or a dash of bourbon or whiskey (optional)
1 ½ cups/190 grams all-purpose or cake flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for finishing
To a large mixing bowl, add cocoa powder and chopped bittersweet chocolate (if using). Pour in boiling liquid, and let it sit for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. The chocolate will have melted, if you used it, and the cocoa dissolved.
Whisk in mayonnaise, salt, baking soda, 3/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth. Then whisk in a teaspoon of vanilla extract, if you have it (or a dash of Bourbon or brandy or just leave it out entirely). Finally, whisk in 1 1/2 cups flour (either all-purpose or cake flour), mixing vigorously to eliminate any lumps.
Grease an 8- or 9-inch pan (square, round, star-shaped, anything is good). Pour the batter into the pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 40 minutes, until the top springs back when the center is lightly pressed. The deeper the pan, the longer it will take to bake through.
Let cool, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar to finish.
NYTimes Cheesy Black Beans Bake
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
¼ cup tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup boiling water
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 ½ cups grated Cheddar or Manchego cheese (from about a 6-ounce block)
Heat the oven to 475 degrees. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Fry the garlic until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, red-pepper flakes and cumin (be careful of splattering), and fry for 30 seconds, reducing the heat as needed to prevent the garlic from burning.
Add the beans, water and generous pinches of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top then bake until the cheese has melted, 5 to 10 minutes. If the top is not as browned as you’d like, run the skillet under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
NYTimes Take Out Sesame Noodles
1 pound noodles, frozen or (preferably) fresh
2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash
3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chile-garlic paste, chile crisp or chile oil, or to taste
Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch by 1/8-inch by 2-inch sticks
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. They should retain a hint of chewiness. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chili-garlic paste.
Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.
Cherry almond tart by Nigel Slater
There is a thick layer of jam between the pastry and almond filling of this softly textured tart. I suggest the sharper, ruby-hued morello rather than black cherry, which I feel is too sweet. Use apricot if you can’t get hold of morello.
I bake the pastry case before adding the filling. It is a bit of a faff, but a necessary one and it gives a contrastingly crisp crust to the soft, almond-scented filling. It is, I assure you, well worth the trouble. Serves 6
For the pastry: plain flour 200g butter 100g egg yolk 1 water about 2 tbsp
For the almond filling: butter 100g caster sugar 125g eggs 2 flour 60g ground almonds 120g
For the cherry filling: morello cherry jam 250g cherries 300g flaked almonds 2-3 tbsp
You will also need a rectangular baking tin measuring approximately 18 x 28cm
In a food processor, reduce the flour and butter to coarse crumbs, then add the beaten egg yolk and just enough water to bring the dough together into a firm ball – about 2 tbsp. Wrap in baking parchment or greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
If you don’t have a food processor, cut the butter into dice, rub into the flour with your fingertips, mix in the egg yolk and water, roll into a ball and chill as above.
Heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Roll the pastry out and line the baking tin, pushing the pastry right into the corners and taking care to patch any tears or holes. Cover with baking parchment or foil and then fill with baking beans, then bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper or foil and beans and return to the oven for a few minutes until the pastry is touch-dry.
While the pastry is baking, make the almond filling. Put the butter and sugar in a food mixer and cream until light and fluffy. Break the eggs into a bowl, beat lightly with a fork, then add slowly to the butter and sugar. If the mixture shows any sign of curdling or becomes grainy, add a little flour. Finally, mix in all the flour and ground almonds, and set aside.
Stone the cherries. Remove the pastry case from the oven and turn the oven down to 165C/gas mark 3. Spread the jam carefully over the pastry, then spread the almond filling over, smoothing it with the back of a spoon. Scatter the cherries over the filling, pushing them down a little way into the mixture.
Scatter the flaked almonds over the top and bake for about 45-50 minutes, until the filling feels lightly firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before lifting it out of the case and cutting it into slices.
Sazon at Home
1 tbs garlic and onion powders
1 tbs seasalt
1 tbs cumin
1 tbs achiote
1 tbs coriander
1 tbs oregano
½ tbs ground pepper
Smitten Kitchen’s Strawberry Sheet Cake
9 tablespoons (125 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (175 ml) milk, whole is preferred but all varieties have worked
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/4 cups (295 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) of the freshest, even a touch overripe, strawberries, hulled and halved
Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
Lightly coat the sides and corners of a 9×13-inch cake pan with butter or nonstick spray, and fit the bottom with a rectangle of parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat butter, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, yolk, and vanilla and beat until combined. Add milk and mix until (updated) combined; it may look a little curdled but don’t fret, it will smooth out in a minute. Sprinkle baking powder evenly over batter and beat into batter for 20 seconds longer than will seem necessary — this ensures it’s perfectly distributed. Scrape down the bowl. Add flour and beat or stir until just combined.
Spread batter in prepared pan. Arrange strawberries cut side down, as snugly as you can get them to fit. If you have extra, nudge them in anyway. Leave no strawberries behind. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar — it will seem like a lot but helps the strawberries get jammy and gives the cake a great texture.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out free of wet batter (gooey strawberries are a given and doesn’t mean it’s underbaked) — about 45 to 48 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into squares and serve as is, or with lightly sweetened whipped cream, if you’re Deb.
Do ahead: Cake is even better a half- to a full day later, when the strawberries marry with better with the cake. I like to leave the cake uncovered at room temperature so it doesn’t get sticky on top.
Related
La Cucina Italiana
The Recipe: Beatrice's Orange and Almond Cake
Ingredients:
4 ½ oz almond flour 1 stick butter 4 oz + 4 oz sugar 3 oz flour 4 eggs 3 small oranges 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 1 packet of yeast 1 jar of yogurt A pinch of salt
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 24 cm diameter springform baking pan with baking parchment.
In a small saucepan, mix 1 oz butter, 4 oz sugar and lemon juice over medium heat. Caramelize the mixture for about 4 minutes after boiling until brown. Then pour over the bottom of the mold.
Cut the oranges and place them on the bottom of the mold over the caramel.
In a large bowl, mix almond flour, 00 flour, yeast, salt, and grated lemon zest.
In another bowl (it’s easiest to use an electric mixer), mix butter with 4 oz sugar. Then add one egg at a time followed by the yogurt. Add the flour mixture and mix well.
Once the mixture is smooth, pour it into the mold and bake for 45-50 minutes.
CTInsider
Chocolate Bundt Cake with Orange Blossom Ganache
The headnote says, “Orange blossom water is water distilled from the flowers of orange trees. It is highly fragrant and imparts a flavor reminiscent of orange groves and wildflowers. I love the combination of chocolate and orange blossom. It is a play on the traditional festive combination of chocolate and orange, and the flavor of chocolate is deep enough to hold its own against the floral notes of the orange blossom water.”
Chocolate Bundt Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
13/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Orange Blossom Ganache
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon culinary-grade orange blossom water
Make the chocolate Bundt cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt cake pan with oil. Set the cake pan aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, oil and vanilla and whisk until the ingredients are fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all the dry ingredients are mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles from the batter.
Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting the pan to release the cake onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Make the orange blossom ganache. In a small pot over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Place the white chocolate in a small bowl and pour the cream over the white chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit for 1 minute. Add the salt. Whisk the mixture until the white chocolate has fully melted. Add the orange blossom water and whisk to combine. Set the ganache aside to cool. The cooled ganache should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (if it is too warm, it will be runny and the cake will absorb it).
When the cake and ganache have both cooled, transfer the cake to a plate and drizzle the ganache over the peaks of the cake, letting the ganache run down the sides. Yields 1 (10- to 12-cup) Bundt cake.
Chocolate Bundt Cake from Tastes Better from Scratch
1cupmini chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on top of cake (optional)
For the ganache:
1cupheavy whipping cream
2cupschocolate chips
Instructions
For the Chocolate Bundt Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour a standard size bundt pan (make sure to grease it really well so the cake doesn't stick! I spread a thin layer of shortening all over the inside of the pan, then sprinkle a little flour all around and pat and shake the pan until it is evenly coated.)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, set aside.
Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once butter has melted, stir in oil, cocoa powder and water and bring mixture just to a boil, whisking constantly. Pour hot butter mixture into flour mixture and stir.
Stir in buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and whisk mixture until well combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips, if using.
Pour mixture into prepared bundt pan and bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Once cake has cooled, make ganache.
For the ganache:
Place cream in a large microwave safe bowl and heat for about 2 minutes, or until the cream is simmering.
Carefully pour chocolate morsels into cream and allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream until shiny and smooth, about 1 minute.
Use a large spoon to drizzle the ganache over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with remaining mini chocolate chips, if desired.
Notes
Make ahead and Freezing Instructions:
The cake can be made and frosted up to 2 days before serving. The cake can be frozen frosted, or unfrosted. To freeze lightly cover it with plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
5 Ingredient Bagel
After setting the oven to 375°, I started by mixing a cup of flour with two teaspoons of baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon of salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. I used a fork to stir, because I am lazy and didn’t want to wash a whisk, and, again, I am not a baker and have nothing to prove. (Note: I used regular, all-purpose flour, but other recipes say you can use gluten-free flour and get the same results.)
Next, I mixed in a cup of plain, Greek yogurt, making sure to pour out the excess liquid before dumping it in the mixing bowl. After a while, it became difficult to stir with the fork, so I washed my hands (for over 20 seconds, thank you very much), and went to town, smooshing the ingredients together with my fingertips. When it was all mixed together, it felt like your average cookie dough, but a little more crumbly.
I then took the dough to a floured surface and began to knead it, giving myself the only arm workout of this social distancing period to date. (In all honesty, I’m exaggerating — it was quite easy to do.) The recipe suggests about 15 turns, and to use enough flour to make sure your hands don’t have any dough stuck to them by the end.
After that, I separated the chunk of dough into four equal balls, and rolled each into little snakes using my palms. The recipe suggests rolling them into “3/4-inch thick ropes” but I just eyeballed it and it worked out. I then created bagel shapes by looping the ropes and pinching the ends together. You really do have to squeeze and squish the ends, since the dough is no longer sticky. But if they look like bagels, you probably did it right! This particular recipe yielded four small bagels in total.
Vermont Chocolate Potato Cake by New England Food Today
The combination of mashed potato, chocolate, and spices in this chocolate potato cake makes for a fragrant, dense, and moist dessert. Frost, glaze, or simply dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool
2 cups granulated sugar
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup freshly mashed potato
2 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the melted unsweetened chocolate and mashed potato, and beat until smooth. Add the egg yolks along with the vanilla and almond extracts and continue beating.Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, then blend in the nuts.
In a clean, medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry, then gently fold into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for one hour or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
NYTimes 3 Ingredient Butter Cookies
Simplest of all, three-ingredient cookies maximize downsized ingredient lists to deliver the same sweet satisfaction without the supplies of an expansive baker’s pantry. Varying combinations of fat, sugar and flour yield these three easy recipes: slice-and-bake butter cookies, tender chocolate-hazelnut cookies and classic peanut butter cookies. They need no embellishments, but if you’re a maximalist at heart, you’ve got options to dress them up.
Three-Ingredient Butter Cookies
In a bowl, using a pastry cutter or fork, combine a 1/2 cup/115 grams softened unsalted butter (1 stick), a 1/3 cup/40 grams confectioners’ sugar and 1 cup/130 grams all-purpose flour until the dough holds together when pressed between your fingers. Roll into a 10-inch-long log, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Unwrap, slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and arrange evenly on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes. Makes about 35 cookies.
Variations: Lightly brush the chilled cookie dough log with water and roll it in sprinkles or turbinado sugar before slicing; or add a 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, vanilla extract or lemon zest to the dough. You could even make jam thumbprints: Roll dough into tablespoon-size balls, dimple the center of each with your thumb, fill the thumbprint with about a 1/2 teaspoon jam, and bake until lightly browned around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.
Smitten Kitchen’s Ciambellone, Italian Tea Cake
CAKE
2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons fine sea or table salt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of half an orange
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (325 ml) neutral oil (such as sunflower, safflower, grapeseed or another vegetable oil)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (about 185 grams) plain, not Greek, yogurt (see note)
1/2 cup (120 grams) mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (20 ml) vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
GLAZE
1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
Scant 2 tablespoons (30 ml) corn syrup
About 3 tablespoons (45 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Make cake: Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat bundt or tube cake pan (check notes for size tips) with nonstick cooking spray and coat with granulated sugar. Knock out any excess sugar from pan.
Place sugar and salt in the bottom of a large bowl and use your fingertips to rub the zest into it. This abrasion helps release the most flavor from it. Whisk in oil, mascarpone, yogurt, and then eggs and vanilla until smooth. Sprinkle baking powder over batter and whisk it thoroughly into the batter, a good 10 turns around the bowl. Sift flour onto batter and use a rubber spatula to stir just until batter is smooth.
Drop batter in large scoopfuls equally around your cake mold, then smooth, and drop on counter a few times to ensure there are no trapped air bubbles. Bake for about 40 minutes (times will range by shape and volume of pan), checking in at the 30 minute mark to rotate the pan for even coloring, and to ensure it’s not baking faster than anticipated. Cake is done when a toothpick or tester comes out batter-free (crumbs are fine).
While the cake bakes, make the glaze: Whisk sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice together until smooth, adding the last tablespoon of juice just if needed. You want this glaze thick, thicker than your regular drizzle glaze, because we want it to stick to the sides of the cake when it’s hot.
When cake is done, let it rest on a cooling rack for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove it from the pan — yes, while piping hot. Brush glaze evenly over the top of the cake, and sides if you wish. Chef Weiss says “Use all of the glaze! Don’t be cheap.” And I listen to her. Glaze will set as cake cools.
Cake is good at room temperature for 4 days. I loosely, really loosely, cover it with foil.
No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
These no-yeast cinnamon rolls are perfect when you’re short on time (or yeast) and look especially attractive when baked in a cast-iron skillet.
Recipe courtesy of The Captain Lindsey House in Rockland, Maine.
Yield: 16 rolls
Ingredients
4-1/2 cups flour
2-1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter — thinly sliced (plus extra for topping)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup (approx.) maple syrup
Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in shortening. In a separate bowl, combine baking soda and buttermilk; stir into the flour mixture. Form into ball. Turn dough out onto floured surface and shape into a 24 by 12-inch rectangle. Dot rectangle with butter slices and sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Starting on long side, roll rectangle tightly into a log. Slice log into 16 rounds, each 1-1/2-inch thick. Place into well-seasoned cast iron skillet; pack rolls in tightly. Drizzle with maple syrup and butter slices. Bake about 40 minutes, until just brown. Let stand for 5 minutes; then separate rolls and serve.
InstantPot directions were added in January, 2019.
Serves 6
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes 1 (3 to 3 1/2 pound) boneless beef chuck roast, tied with a string 1 head garlic, separated into cloves, left unpeeled
In an oven: Heat oven to 300°F (150°C). Coarsely chop tomatoes with their juice in a food processor (Gourmet’s suggestion) or go at them in their can with kitchen shears (my lazy preference) to break them up. Put roast in an ovenproof 4- to 5-quart heavy pot or a casserole dish with a lid — a tight fit is just fine, as it will shrink very soon. Pour tomatoes over roast and scatter garlic around it. Season generously with salt and pepper. Braise in middle of oven, covered, until very tender, 3 to 4 hours.
Both methods, to serve: Cut roast into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve with sauce, garlic, squeezed from its peels (or you can leave others to do this) and orzo (Gourmet’s suggestion, of course not gluten-free), mashed potatoes (recipe at the end) or crusty bread. Leftovers shredded over egg noodles sound wonderful as well.
Do ahead: Like almost all braises, this is even better on the second day, which means it’s a dream of a dinner party dish. Let it cool to room temperature, then chill it in the fridge until needed. Defat the sauce before warming (it will be a cinch once solidified on top) and rewarm at 300 for 30 to 45 minutes.
Notes:
What to buy: Gourmet is absolutely adamant that you should buy your meat from a supermarket, and not a fancy butcher shop, where the meat is often too lean and becomes dry when cooked. I, ever the rebel, and eager to part ways with my hard-earned money, didn’t listen and bought a lovely and dearly priced grass-fed organic one with a good marbling of fat and regret nothing. But you have every reason to keep this as budget-friendly as possible.
Why truss? It’s a valid question, especially as we are not stuffing the roast and thus have nothing to contain. This is almost purely an aesthetic choice; it’s about appearance, not flavor. Trussing keeps a roast from spreading out too much as it expands while cooking, losing that nice round shape you paid so much for. If it flattens, it also might end up completely submerged in the liquid, tasting more boiled than braised, which would be a bummer.
How to truss: Note, don’t use mine as much of a guide; it’s far more trussed than this dish requires. (I couldn’t say no when the butcher offered to do it for me.) Two or three loops — at either end, or with a third one in the middle — would have done just fine. Keep them loose; you want the meat to expand even while gently encouraging it to keep it’s shape, plus cotton butchers twine, the best thing to use, will shrink in the oven as well. If you’re still nervous about how to proceed, check out one of these videos on YouTube (using fewer loops and not trimming the fat, okay?). [Trussing Video 1 or 2]
To dabble: You should not make this if you care for neither garlic nor tomatoes, for obvious reasons. And I hope that you anticipate that this will be a simple (but lovely) dish as written. Nevertheless, there’s no reason not to dabble if you’ve got a couple pet ingredients you’d prefer this with. I don’t think I’d be able to resist adding a couple glugs of red wine, maybe a halved onion and some thyme next time. A tablespoon or two of tomato paste will add more body to the sauce. And I’ve rarely met a beef braise that didn’t taste good with a dash of vinegar (sherry, balsamic or malt) or Worcestershire, bay leaves, mushrooms (which I’d saute and add at the end).
Smitten Kitchen Chocolate Dutch Baby
You can use this recipe to make 1 big 12-inch pancake or 2 smaller 9-inch pancakes. I haven’t used it to make 4 6-inch pancakes, but I have a feeling I will in the near future.
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt
6 tablespoons (50 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (15 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, any variety, sifted if lumpy
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk (I use whole)
4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter
Shaved dark chocolate and powdered sugar (to finish)
Fresh berries and syrup (to serve, if desired)
Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Whisk eggs, sugar and salt in the bottom of a medium bowl. Add flour and cocoa, whisking until mostly smooth (some tiny lumps are okay, but whisk out what you can). Drizzle in milk, whisking the whole time.
Heat a 12-inch ovenproof skillet on the stove over high heat. Add butter and melt, tipping the pan around so it butters the sides too. Turn heat off and scrape batter into pan. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until pancake is billowy.
Remove from oven and grate chocolate over, to taste. Dust generously with powdered sugar. Cut in halves or quarters and eat with berries and syrup, if desired.
Smitten Kitchen Layered Yogurt Shortbreads
Layered Yogurt Flatbreads
SERVINGS: 8 FLATBREADS
TIME:90 MINUTES, MOSTLY REST TIME
SOURCE: SMITTEN KITCHEN
Heap these flatbreads with a simple salad, an egg, a saute of vegetables, or eat them as my kids do, warm from the pan with a little extra butter on top. Feel free to use this recipe as a springboard for other flavors — garlic, herbs, or spices.
Update, 6/5/20: What I’m learning from your comments is that yogurt varies widely in how loose it is and if yours is on the wetter side, you may not need any added water here. So, I am updating the recipe to only add water as needed. I hope this resolves any issues with sticky dough. Stick dough is fine when it first comes together — the goal, in fact — but it should absorb and become easy to roll as it rests; check my pictures of each step for reference.
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 teaspoons kosher salt (I use Diamond, use half of another brand, here’s why)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup plain, full- or low-fat yogurt (Greek or regular)
Make dough: Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add yogurt and [updated to edit] stir to combine — you’ll have to mash it a bit to get it mixed in. If needed, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring thoroughly to combine, until flour-yogurt mixture forms large clumps. For plain, non-Greek yogurt, you might need 2 to 3 tablespoons of water total; for Greek, you might need up to 4 tablespoons; for a thinner or homemade yogurt, you might need no water at all. Mix as best as you can with a spoon and then, if you can reach your hands into the bowl, use them to bring the dough together into a rough ball. Transfer — along with any unmixed bits — to your counter and knead into a smooth ball, about 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly flour a spot on the counter, place the ball of dough on top of it, and upend the empty bowl over it. Let rest for 30 minutes.
Layer dough: Divide dough into 8 wedges. Working with one at a time, very lightly flour your counter and roll out each into a round or oblong shape as thin as it will go — usually about 6″ in diameter. Brush thinly with 2 teaspoons butter or oil. Roll dough away from you into a thin cylinder, then wind each cylinder into a coil (it will look like a sideways snail). Place each coil of dough back on a floured spot and cover, resting for another 15 to 20 minutes; repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
Heat your oven to 300 degrees F and have a big baking sheet ready. (Flatbreads fully cook on stove, but you can keep them warm and lightly puffed in the oven.)
Cook flatbreads: Working with one coil at a time, roll into a thin round (about 5″). Brush the top with more butter, you can be a bit more generous here. Repeat with as many flatbreads as you think you can fit in your pan; leave the remaining coils continue to rest, covered.
Warm a frying pan over medium-low heat. Flip flatbread butter-side-down onto pan and cook until a deep golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Brush the top with more butter as it cooks on the first side, then flip and continue cooking until the same deep golden brown on the second. Transfer to baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Continue this process with the remaining coils and flatbreads.
Do ahead: These layered yogurt flatbreads keep perfectly in the fridge; I wrap mine in foil. Rewarm in a 300-degree oven for about 10 minutes.
Smitten Kitchen Chocolate Budino
Chocolate Budino
SERVINGS: 8 SMALL SERVINGS
TIME:15 MINUTES ACTIVE COOKING, PLUS TIME TO CHILL
Please note: These photos show a halved recipe, which yielded 6 tiny espresso cups of budino (luxe chocolate pudding), perfect for a weekday treat for us, but probably too outrageously tiny for normal people. The recipe below is for a full yield, which makes eight 1/4- to 1/3-cup servings. The budino is rich with dark chocolate and intense. Should you find it too intense for your tastes, you can replace half the chocolate with milk chocolate. You should not, however, skip the whipped cream; it’s just not the same without it. Finally, here are some recipes to use up those extra egg whites, a classic American-style chocolate pudding, if your tastes run less rich, and while we’re at it, a luxe butterscotch pudding/budino, inspired by a different restaurant’s famous version, should your tastes run chocolate-free.
5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream, plus another 1/2 cup for making whipped cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (60 percent range is perfect here), finely chopped
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Two pinches of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons bourbon, brandy, or another liqueur (optional)
In the bottom of a medium-sized saucepan, whisk egg yolks with granulated sugar until fully combined. Slow drizzle in 2 cups of cream, whisking the whole time. Warm mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it is thick enough that it coats a spoon. (Don’t let it simmer or boil.) Place chopped chocolate in the bottom of a large bowl and set a fine-mesh strainer over it. Pour egg yolk mixture through strainer, onto the chocolate. Remove strainer and stir; the heat of the egg yolk mixture should melt the chocolate. Add butter, salt, and vanilla, and mix until butter is melted and combined. Divide between small cups (you’ll have about 2 1/2 to 2 2/3 cups of budino mixture) and chill until fully cold and set. Either right before you serve it or, when the chill is off the custard enough that it won’t melt the cream, whip remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream to very soft peaks. Spoon generously over each cup. Serve cold, with strong coffee, and your favorite biscotti.
4 ½cups plus 1 tablespoon/420 grams almond flour (see tip)
2teaspoons ground cardamom
1 to 2tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
3 to 4tablespoons finely chopped pistachio nuts, for garnish
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9-inch round or square pan and set aside. Using a stand mixer, whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar, and whisk to blend. Whisk in almond extract and oil. Add almond flour and cardamom. Gently stir a third of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest until just incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack. To decorate, dust with confectioners’ sugar and chopped pistachios.
Tip
If you want to grind your own almond flour, start with 3 cups nuts. Using a large food processor, pulse almonds until very finely ground, stirring once or twice to prevent them from turning into a paste.
Irish Times FLOURLESS ALMOND TRAYBAKE (Gluten free)
60g apricot jam (approx 3 tbsp mixed with 1 tbsp water)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius fan oven and line a rectangular baking tin (18cm x 28cm) with parchment paper.
2.Melt the butter, and allow it to cool.
3. Prepare the rhubarb by washing it, shaking off excess water and cutting the stalks into large chunks . Combine the rhubarb with 1 tbsp sugar and place in an ovenproof dish or baking sheet.
4. Cover with a sheet of tinfoil and slowly roast it for 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven, removing it while the rhubarb pieces are starting to soften and before the chunks collapse and lose their shape.
5. Peel, core and cut the apples into chunks (if you do this in advance, toss the chunks in lemon juice to avoid them discolouring).
6. Using an electric whisk beat the eggs, sugar and almond essence together until the mixture is very thick, pale and mousse-like.
7. Gently fold in the melted butter so it is fully dispersed, then fold in the ground almonds (once combined avoid leaving the mixture to sit at this stage or the butter will separate).
8. Pour two-thirds of the mixture into the lined baking tray, cover with the baked rhubarb pieces and most of the apple. Pour over the remaining cake batter, then gently press in any remaining apples on the surface.
9. Scatter the flaked almonds over the top. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until just firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Elsie’s Favorite Graham Cake from Today Show
COOK TIME:25 minutes
PREP TIME:15 minutes
SERVINGS:8-10
This cake is so simple to make and you only need a few ingredients — no flour needed! The sweet jam and whipped cream make it taste like summer, no matter the season.
Technique tip: Crush the graham crackers super fine either with rolling pin or food processor. The measurement will be closer to 3 cups once crushed super fine.
Swap option: Use your favorite jam flavor.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cups milk
1/3 cup raspberry jam
2½ cups whipped cream
Fresh berries, to garnish (optional)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease two 8-inch round pans lined with parchment (or three 6-inch pans).
2. In a stand mixer on medium-high, cream butter and sugar together, about 4-5 minutes. Scraping bowl if needed.
3. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, combine graham crackers, baking soda and salt.
5. Add half the graham cracker mixture alternating with milk, ending with graham crackers. Mix on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add walnuts and mix for 30 seconds.
6. Divide batter between pans and bake for 20-25 minutes.
7. Allow cake to cool.
8. Spread raspberry jam between layers and top with whipped cream and fresh berries, if using.
Elsie’s Favorite Chocolate Syrup Brownies from Today Show
COOK TIME:40 minutes
PREP TIME:5 minutes
YIELD:makes about 30 brownies
Finally, a worthy use (other than chocolate milk, of course) for that chocolate syrup that's been hanging in your fridge for what seems like an eternity! These brownies satisfy chocolate cravings — fast. By cutting out the cocoa powder and adding in chocolate syrup, they also help keep kitchen mess to a minimum.
Swap option: Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips or nuts.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter melted
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups chocolate syrup
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch pan, set aside.
2. In a mixer or large bowl, add melted butter and sugar. Mix until incorporated, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well until fully incorporated.
4. Add half the flour and mix well, then add vanilla and chocolate syrup. Mix to combine. Add remaining flour and mix again.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Smitten Kitchen’s Strawberry Milk
Strawberry Milk
SERVINGS: 4 TALL GLASSES (RESTAURANT-STYLE) OR JUST ABOUT 8 PETITE (OURS SHOWN ARE 8 OUNCES*) ONES
I love: 1. that this tastes like a melted milkshake without requiring the caloric intake of a pint of vanilla ice cream. 2. how straight-up 1950s retro it is. 3. that there’s another glass of this in my fridge right now and I’m not sharing it.
1 pound strawberries, trimmed and sliced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 cups milk
1 cup buttermilk
Mix strawberries and sugar in the bottom of a bowl (or even your blender’s bowl) and let them macerate for at least an hour, or until very syrupy. The more juice they exude now, the better. Blend strawberries and juices until smooth, then pour into a pitcher along with milk and buttermilk. Stir and let steep overnight in the fridge. In the morning, mix again if needed, and pour into glasses. Repeat as long as it lasts.
A Family Feast’s Italian-Almond Orange Cookies
1/3 cup egg whites (we separated two jumbo eggs and got exactly 1/3 cup of egg whites, but you may need more than two eggs to measure out exactly 1/3 cup)
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
Zest of one orange
2 tablespoons honey
2 ½ cups almond flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix egg whites, sugar, orange zest and honey with a whisk until smooth.
Add the almond flour and baking powder and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until moist and all of the dry ingredients are absorbed into the wet and combined.
Cover and refrigerate for one hour and as long as 24 hours. I made my dough the night before then baked the next morning.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees F with two racks in top two positions.
Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
Roll the dough on your counter with your hands into a fat log and cut it into two equal pieces.
Roll each piece out into logs and cut in half then each piece in half again. Then cut each piece into three. This will give you 24 pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball then roll in the powdered sugar then onto the cookie sheets, 12 per tray.
Bake both together for 15-17 minutes, rotating the pans half way through.
The cookies are done when they start to crackle and flatten out and are slightly browned on the bottom. The centers will be very soft so don’t go by the feel of the cookie and don’t lift off the cookie sheet yet.
As they cool on the cookie sheet, they stiffen up and have a crisp outside and a chewy center.
Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.
1 to 2 cups radicchio in 1/4-inch ribbons or torn into bite-size pieces
Heat your broiler. Put your peppers on a rimmed baking sheet and broil, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. [If your broiler is more annoying than effective, you can do as I do: 400 degree oven and roast the peppers for about 30 minutes, turning them every 10 so that they get blistered on all sides.] Set the peppers aside to cool until you can handle them.
In a big bowl, combine your beans and soppressata, if using. When cool enough to handle, break the peppers open over the beans and let the peppers’ juices run out. Pull the charred skin and seeds from the peppers and discard. Sometimes, I find it easiest to give each pepper strip a quick rinse under cool water to remove clinging seeds. Cut the peppers into thin strips and add to the beans, plus any more juices that collect. Chop garlic with rosemary and oregano finely minced and add to bowl. Drizzle the oil, vinegar, and lemon juice over the salad and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and parsley. Toss to combine everything. Here, you can add ribboned radicchio, as I do, or you can put torn pieces on a plate later and serve the bean salad on top of it. The salad is ready to eat now, but it’s even better after marinating for an hour or two.
Do ahead: Bean salad keeps in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
A few ingredient notes: You could swap 1 pound dried cannellini, cooked and cooled, for the 3 drained cans. (I made my first batch with Rancho Gordo’s delicious Marcella beans and the batch you see here with Goya Great Northern and it turned out to be exactly as good, lucky us.) You could use other small beans, black or yellow-eyed peas, or chickpeas here, doesn’t matter. I add a little garlic, because roasted red peppers need garlic. I use dried oregano instead of fresh because of my Good Seasons nostalgia, and skipped the rosemary because my plant is scraggly. I used much less radicchio than called for (original recipe call for two heads). I know it can be quite bitter but it mellows beautifully without becoming soggy or unpleasant in the salad, even days later. And I use a third sweet bell pepper instead of a poblano. Rainbow-colored peppers aren’t mandatory but they do look pretty if you can find them. You could use jarred peppers, but I vastly prefer the sweetness (and juices that flavor the salad) of roasting fresh ones. The soppressata (an Italian dry salami that comes hot or mild) is completely optional and I don’t think you’ll find the salad lacking for anything if you skip it. Whatever swap you’re considering, I say you go for it. Bean salads are flexible.
A Family’s Feast
Swedish Tosca Cake
Cake
Butter and flour, to prepare the pan
½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
Topping
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup sliced almonds
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For Serving
Whipped cream, optional
Fresh strawberries, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan, then line the pan with a round piece of parchment paper. Butter the paper top, but no need to flour it. Set the pan aside.
In a small saucepan, melt 8 tablespoons of butter. Set aside to cool – you’ll want it warm enough to be liquidy, but not hot.
While the butter cools, sift together flour, baking powder and kosher salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the melted and cooled butter, vanilla, and milk. Set this aside too.
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar together on high speed for several minutes, until the mixture is pale and thick.
On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the butter mixture to the egg mixture – mixing after each addition just until blended* – and ending with the flour mixture. *To achieve a soft, tender cake, it’s important not to overmix the batter. You can also fold the ingredients together by hand if you prefer.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes – at this point the top of the cake will be just barely set.
While the cake is baking, make the topping. In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar, cream, flour and salt. Place the sauce pan over medium-high burner, stirring constantly as the butter melts. Once the butter has fully melted, add the almonds, then stir again, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the almond and vanilla extracts.
Once the cake has baked for 20 to 25 minutes, carefully remove it from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Gently spoon on the almond mixture over the cake, making sure to evenly distribute the topping all the way to the edges.
Place the cake back into the oven, and bake for another 15 minutes or so, until the topping is lightly golden brown.
Cool the cake completely on a rack. With a thin, sharp knife, loosen any of the topping that may have stuck to the edges of the springform pan. Remove the springform ring and place the cake on a platter for serving.
Slice and serve with whipped cream and fresh strawberries on the side if you’d like.
NYTimes Peach Poundcake
1cup/230 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled to room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
2 ½cups/320 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
3medium, ripe, red-hued peaches (about 1 pound), pitted (see Note)
1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, beaten
1 ½teaspoons vanilla extract
1cup/125 grams unsifted confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed
1 ½cups/300 grams granulated sugar
2 ½teaspoons baking powder
¾teaspoon kosher salt
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, and set aside.
Dice 1 peach into 1/3-inch pieces. Pat the pieces dry with a paper towel and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine. Pour the peach mixture into the flour mixture, and whisk well until the batter is thoroughly combined, then fold in the diced peaches. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan, spread evenly to the edges, and bake until crusty and golden brown on the top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 75 to 80 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Stir the icing a final time and spread it on top of the warm cake, allowing the extra icing to drip down the sides. Cool the cake to room temperature. Slice and serve, or wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store on the counter for up to 3 days.
Tip
Use the boldest-colored peaches you can find, as their skins will lend blush to the glaze. However, you can also peel the peaches, if you mind the specks of skin.
Whipped cream and fresh berries, for serving (optional)
In a medium saucepan, combine cream, crème fraîche, brown sugar and salt over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar.
Cook at a vigorous simmer until mixture thickens slightly, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in molasses and vanilla. Let sit until mixture has cooled slightly and a skin forms on top, about 20 minutes.
Stir mixture, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup with a spout. Pour mixture into ramekins or individual serving bowls.
Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Serve with whipped cream and berries, if you like.
NYTimes Blueberry Lemon Almond Cake
½cup (1 stick) plus 3 tablespoons/150 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
1scant cup/190 grams granulated or superfine sugar (caster sugar)
1teaspoon lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or more juice as needed)
Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9- or 8-inch/21-centimeter loaf pan with butter, line it with a parchment paper sling and butter the paper. Set the pan aside.
Place butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light, then lower speed to medium. Add eggs in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times as necessary. The mix may split a little but don’t worry: It’ll come back together once you add the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and almond flour. With the stand mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing just until no white specks remain. Fold in about 3/4 of the blueberries by hand, then scoop batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining blueberries over the top of the cake. Return to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes, until cake is golden brown but still uncooked. Cover loosely with foil and continue to cook for another 25 to 30 minutes (less for a 9-inch pan, more for an 8-inch pan), or until risen and cooked, and a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside in its pan to cool for 10 minutes before removing cake from pan and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
When cake is cool, make the icing: Add lemon juice and icing sugar to a bowl and whisk together until smooth, adding a bit more juice if necessary, just until the icing moves when you tilt the bowl. Pour over the cake and gently spread out. The blueberries on the top of the cake may bleed into the icing a little, but this will add to the look. Let icing set (about 30 minutes), slice and serve.
NYTimes Berry Buttermilk Poundcake
½cup/120 milliliters vegetable oil or other neutral oil, plus more for greasing the pan
½cup/120 milliliters buttermilk or milk
2large eggs
1tablespoon vanilla extract
1cup/200 grams plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½cups/190 grams plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ½teaspoons baking powder
½teaspoon baking soda
½teaspoon kosher salt
1(10-ounce/285-gram) bag frozen berries (about 2 cups), any kind, any combination (large berries quartered)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch baking dish or pan (square or round is OK) with oil and line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and 1 cup sugar. In a separate medium bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Whisk wet ingredients into dry until just combined. (Some small lumps are fine.) Toss berries on a plate with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Fold into batter and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 53 to 58 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Cake will keep, loosely wrapped at room temperature, for about 4 days.
NYTimes Early Grey Tea Cake with Dark Chocolate and Orange
¾cup/180 milliliters heavy cream
2teaspoons loose Earl Grey tea
¼cup/30 grams confectioners’ sugar
½cup/115 grams mascarpone or softened cream cheese (see Tip)
FOR THE CAKE:
½cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 ½cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
1tablespoon loose Earl Grey tea
1teaspoon baking powder
½teaspoon kosher salt
1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
2teaspoons freshly grated orange zest (from 1 large orange)
2large eggs, at room temperature
½cup/120 milliliters whole milk, at room temperature
¼cup/45 grams chopped dark chocolate
Prepare the frosting: In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup/120 milliliters heavy cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the tea, remove from the heat, cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, and chill the remaining cream until completely cold, at least 1 hour.
Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, tea, baking powder and salt.
In large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the orange zest and beat to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the flour mixture on low, until just combined, then beat in the milk. (Don’t overmix.) Add the chocolate and fold it in using a spatula. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake just until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then tip the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.
To finish the frosting, add the remaining 1/4 cup/60 milliliters cream and the confectioners’ sugar to the tea cream. With an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream mixture until medium-stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mascarpone and beat just until stiff peaks form. (Do not overmix.) Top the cake with the frosting to serve. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; let come to room temperature before serving.
Tip
If using cream cheese instead of mascarpone, because it has a thicker consistency, whip the cream cheese with the confectioners' sugar first, then add the whipped tea cream.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly grease a 10-cup or 12-cup Bundt pan (I always use a baking spray for Bundt pans; I find this is better than butter for ensuring the cake doesn't stick).
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then both vanillas.
Whisk together the salt, baking powder, and flour. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk. Once all the ingredients are added, mix until the batter just comes together.
Spoon the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. A tester inserted in the center should come out clean, and the cake should be a golden brown but not too dark.
Remove from oven and let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes before flipping it over and turning it out of the pan. If it seems to be sticking, try running a knife delicately into the edges as far as you can (if you're using a regular-shaped pan, this is easy! It's tricky with a Bundt pan). Let the cake cool before slicing.
Perfect chocolate biscuits from the Guardian
Prep 15 min, plus chilling Cook 15 min Makes About 20
100g dark chocolate 150g butter, at room temperature 130g caster sugar 70g golden syrup 215g plain flour 45g cocoa powder ½ tsp fine salt
Start by roughly chopping the chocolate into shards of the kind of size you’d like to find in a biscuit.
Chop the chocolate into small or large chunks, depending on your preference.
Put the butter in a food mixer and beat briefly to soften, then add the sugar and syrup, and beat on a medium speed for about five minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until fluffy.
Beat the softened butter with the sugar and syrup until fluffy …
Meanwhile, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. With the mixer running on a low speed, add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until everything comes together into a dough. Which it will, don’t worry.
… then sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt, and mix again.
Roll into a sausage shape about 5cm in diameter. Wrap well and chill for at least 30 minutes, and up to 10 days.
Shape the dough into a sausage, wrap in clingfilm and chill. Cut into rounds, arrange on lined trays, and bake.
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Cut the sausage into thin rounds and arrange, fairly well spaced out, on the trays. Bake for 25 minutes (for crisp biscuits; or 15 for squidgy, or 20 for somewhere in between), then leave to cool on the baking tray.
• Chocolate biscuits – cookies, wafers … what’s your favourite type, and which commercial ones would you rate as being as good as homemade? And does anyone over the age of eight really believe the Bourbon to be the king of biscuits?
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12″ x 17″ sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1-1/2 cups butter and sugars until well combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour, baking soda and salt until combined.
Place the ingredients for each flavor in six different bowls. Add 3/4 cup of cookie dough to each flavor bowl and mix together to combine well. You can use a large spoon to combine most of them, but your hands work best to really get those dry ingredients well incorporated into the dough.
Press the cookie doughs down evenly, with your hands, to fill the sixth of the sheet pan that each cookie dough is in. Each cookie dough should be pressed up next to the other cookie doughs that are beside it to fill the entire sheet pan.
Garnish each square of cookie dough with additional toppings for that dough, if desired.
Bake for 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cookies comes out clean. Try not to over-bake them if you want them to be chewy.
Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
The English Kitchen’s Small Batch Bakewell Blondies
For the bars:
120g butter, melted (1/2 cup)
50g caster sugar (1/4 cup)
50g soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup packed)
1 large free range egg, beaten
1/2 tsp almond extract
50g ground almonds (1/3 cup)
100g plain flour (1 cup, minus 3 TBS)
1/2 TBS cornflour (cornstarch)
100g white chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
8 tsp raspberry jam
For the glaze and topping:
65g icing sugar (1/2 cup)
few drops of almond extract
hot water
a handful of toasted flaked almond
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin with baking parchment, leaving an overhang. Set aside.
Beat together the melted butter and both sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg and almond extract. Stir in the flour, corn flour and ground almonds until smooth and well mixed. Stir in the white chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin. Smooth the top.
Dollop the raspberry jam evenly spaced over top in little puddles. Using a skewer, lightly swirl it through the blondie mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until they are done with a slight wobble in the centre. This could take longer, or it could take less time. Start checking at 25 minutes. It all depends on how hot your oven runs.
Leave to cool completely in the tin before lifting out onto a cutting board.
Whisk together the icing sugar, almond extract and just enough water to give you a thickish drizzle that you can easily flick over the top of the bars. Drizzle it over and then sprinkle with the almonds.
Allow to set and then cut into 8 bars. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Southern Kitchen’s Cast Iron Poundcake
Cast Iron Pound Cake
Serves: 12 to 16
Hands On Time:
Total Time:
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus additional softened butter, for greasing the pan Pinch salt 3 cups sugar 6 large eggs, at room temperature 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 cup heavy cream 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
Place a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet with the softened butter.
Place the room temperature butter and salt in a large mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until the mixture is creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar, gradually, while beating on medium-low. Increase the mixer speed to medium once all the sugar has been incorporated, and beat until pale in color, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time. Beat until each egg is throughly incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
With the mixer still on low speed, add one-third of the flour, followed by half of the cream, mixing until combined. Mix in another third of the flour, followed by the remaining cream, and then the remaining flour. Mix in the vanilla and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula.
Bake the cake until the top is golden brown and crackly, 65 to 70 minutes. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool at least 1 hour.
Run a knife around the edges of the pan, give the pan a good shake, then invert the cake once, then again, so that the cake rests right-side up on the rack. Let it cool on the rack at least 1 hour before serving. (To store, wrap in aluminum foil or place in a cake saver, and store for up to five days. Alternatively, wrap in foil and freeze for up to six months.)
*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Preheat oven to 325°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
In a large bowl beat butter and powdered sugar for 3 minutes, until light and airy. Beat in flour, cornstarch, salt, vanilla extract, and orange zest, until well combined. Dough will be very soft.
Dust your hands with cornstarch, then form dough into balls about 1 tablespoon in size and roll into a ball.
Place on lined cookie sheets, leaving a little room for spreading. Cookies will not spread much as they bake. Optional: you can also press down top of each dough ball with a fork that has been dipped in cornstarch (to prevent sticking) for a flatter final cookie.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until tops look just set. The cookies will not brown, but will be done. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a cookie cooling rack to finish cooling.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan or line with parchment. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl, adding shredded coconut and/or crushed nuts if desired. Add all remaining ingredients, stir to form a batter (do not overmix), and smooth into prepared pan. Bake on the center rack 25 minutes, then do not open the oven door at all but turn off the heat and let sit in the closed oven 10 additional minutes. If it’s still undercooked at this time, simply turn the oven back on and continue baking—checking every 5 minutes–until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The taste and texture are much better the second day, so I highly recommend waiting if you can. Leftovers can be sliced and frozen for up to a month.
1tablespooncooking oil,(olive oil or coconut oil are fine)
1 1/8cupsuperfine sugar,(caster sugar or white granulated sugar)*
2largeeggs
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
1/2cupall purpose(or plain) flour
1/2cupunsweetened cocoa powder
1/4teaspoonsalt
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking oil spray. Line with parchment paper (or baking paper); set aside.
Combine hot melted butter, oil and sugar together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk well for about a minute. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until lighter in colour (another minute).
Sift in flour, cocoa powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until JUST combined (do NOT over beat as doing so well affect the texture of your brownies).
Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top out evenly. (OPTIONAL: Top with chocolate chunks or chocolate chips.)
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the centre of the brownies in the pan no longer jiggles and is just set to the touch (the brownies will keep baking in the hot pan out of the oven). If testing with a toothpick, the toothpick should come out dirty for fudge-textured brownies.
Remove and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing into 16 brownies.
*Regular white, granulated, sugar can be used if you can't find caster sugar. For even fudgier brownies, use half white and half light brown sugar!
TIPS AND TRICKS:
1. Whisk your butter and sugar really well.2. Beat in your eggs for a good minute. This step is crucial for that crackly top3. Do NOT over beat your batter once the flour and cocoa powder are added. THAT creates air pockets in the batter which will give you cake-like textured brownies.4. Try NOT over bake them. Check them at around the 15 minute mark and keep your eye on them. As some ovens run hotter than others, timing is a guide only. Our oven bakes them at exactly 21:30 minutes. Another oven we tested them in baked them at 18:40 minutes. You can go a little bit over if you like them set a bit more, but I don't recommend it if you're looking for the fudgiest brownies in this lifetime.5. I bake my brownies on the top shelf in the oven. I find the middle shelf cooks them a lot faster and dries them out. If your oven runs hotter at the top half, move them to the middle shelf.
