Leite's Culinaria» breads

Mommom’s Chocolate Bourbon-Spiked Banana Bread

Joy Wilson — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:00:44 +0000

Joy the Baker Cookbook | Hyperion, 2012 | Makes one 9-by-5-inch loaf

Dear Mommom,

I love your banana bread. It’s moist and uncomplicated, full of banana bits and supreme comfort. I’ve enjoyed your banana bread for as long as I can remember. Dad makes a low-fat version of your banana bread but come on! I just can’t get behind that. Your recipe reigns supreme. Just one thing though, I added chocolate and bourbon to your classic. What can I say—I’m young and reckless.

Love, Your Dear and Darling Granddaughter,

–Joy Wilson

LC Not Your Grandma’s Banana Bread Note: Is it just us being behind the times or is the notion of stirring chunks of chocolate into banana bread batter a relatively recent thing? And why did no one say anything to us sooner?! Regardless, no matter what its title, this eat-it-by-the-loaf recipe isn’t exactly your grandma’s banana bread. It’s better. And a little different. “This banana bread has wayyyy more in common with cake than any banana bread I’ve ever eaten,” one of our recipe testers expressed upon making–and tasting–this little life-changer of an approach. “Not that that’s a bad thing.” Not a bad thing at all, we think. Although those hoping to get a buzz off the bourbon, please note that its function here is as a fundamental flavor enhancer. Much like vanilla extract. If you crave a harder hit, you’ll need to keep that bottle by your side. Shot glass optional.

Active time: 25 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Chocolate Bourbon-Spiked Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (about 3) mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons bourbon, plus more for the baker
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

Directions

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and place a rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute between additions. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the bananas, lemon juice, and bourbon and beat with the paddle until well incorporated. The mixture may look curdled, but that’s okay.
4. Turn the mixer to low, add the flour mixture all at once, and beat until almost completely incorporated. Stop the mixer, add the walnuts and chocolate, and stir by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon just until incorporated. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack and letting it cool completely, if you can manage to keep your hands off it for that amount of time. The banana bread will keep for up to 5 days, well wrapped, at room temperature. [Editor's Note: Hah! Good luck making it last 5 hours. As if...]

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Chocolate Bread Pudding Cupcakes from Cupcake Blog
Sweet Potato Mascarpone Bourbon Bread from She Simmers
Gluten-Free Banana Bread from Leite's Culinaria
Carrot-Zucchini Bread with Candied Ginger from Leite's Culinaria

Bite-Size Bacon and Cheese Scones

Kim Laidlaw — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:00:14 +0000

Williams-Sonoma: Home Baked Comfort | Weldon Owen, 2012 | Makes about 4 dozen

I dare you to stop eating these! Seriously, when I make these scones, someone (usually my husband) has to take them away from me. These buttery, bacony, cheesy delights are heaven in one easy bite. Perfect for brunch, they would also make for a great lunch alongside a bountiful salad. To take these scones over the top, add a pinch of grated cheese to the top of each one before you slide them into the oven.–Kim Laidlaw

LC Nomenclature Note: We had a tricky time discerning what name was more apt for these cute-as-a-button, buttery little bundles of bacony, cheesy goodness. Say something’s a scone and that summons notions of a special sort of flakey, buttery baked good. Call something a biscuit and that brings about similar yet distinct expectations. Not that you can go wrong either way with these little lovelies, whether served morning, noon, or night. What say you?

Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Bacon and Cheese Scones Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

3 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup finely grated Asiago or Gruyere cheese, plus more for sprinkling if you please
Pinch of kosher salt (if you add 1/4 teaspoon, you’ll be just fine)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks
1 large egg
3/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk

Directions

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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a skillet, fry the bacon over medium-low heat until lightly crisped, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a cutting board and finely chop it.
3. In a food processor, dump the flour, baking powder, cheese, salt, and pepper and pulse briefly to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and cream or milk until blended. Pour the egg mixture into the processor and pulse just until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and come together into a ball. The dough will be quite sticky.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently knead in the bacon by sprinkling the surface of the dough with some of the chopped bacon, folding the dough onto itself, and then repeating the sprinkling and folding until all of the bacon is incorporated. Be careful not to overhandle the dough. Then bring the dough together into a ball. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1⁄2 inch thickness. Using a 1 1⁄2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many scones as you can. Gather the scraps of dough, roll out, and cut out more scones. Space the scones evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with additional cheese, if desired. [Editor's Note: We strongly encourage you to abide by this suggestion.]
6. Bake until the scones are golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving, if you can stand to wait.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Bacon and Cheese Breakfast Muffins from Dine and Dish
Maple Bacon Biscuits from A Cozy Kitchen
Apple and White Cheddar Scones from Leite's Culinaria
Bacon and Cheddar Biscuits from Leite's Culinaria

Semolina Pizza Dough

Brigit Binns — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:45:59 +0000

Pizza: And Other Savory Pies | Touchstone, 2008 | Makes 2 crusts

Semolina is a protein-rich flour that makes this dough resilient and gives the baked crust a hearty chew and tooth-sinking texture.–Brigit Binns

LC Astoundingly Accurate Adjective Note: It’s not every day that we hear of a pizza crust being described as having a “tooth-sinking” texture, as author Brigit Binns describes it. But you know what? That odd little turn of the phrase is an astoundingly accurate adjective. You may wish to consider adding it to your lexicon, just as you may wish to add this pizza crust–and the accompanying mammoth meatball monstrosity of a topping–to your repertoire.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Semolina Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1/4 cup warm water [120°F (49°C)]
1 teaspoon sugar
1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 cup room-temperature water, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the bowl
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons fine semolina flour
1 cup plus 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
1 tablespoon salt

Directions

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1. In a measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the warm water and the sugar. Sprinkle with the yeast and let stand until it starts to foam, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the room-temperature water and the olive oil to the foaming yeast concoction. Set aside for a moment.
3. In a food processor, combine the semolina and all-purpose flours and the salt. With the motor running, add the yeast mixture in a steady stream and then pulse until the dough comes together in a rough mass, about 12 seconds. (If the dough does not form a ball, sprinkle with 1 to 2 teaspoons of cold water and pulse again until a rough mass forms.) Let the dough rest in the processor bowl for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Process the dough again for 25 to 30 seconds, steadying the top of the food processor with one hand. The dough should be tacky to the touch but not sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and form it into a smooth ball. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, turn the dough to coat with oil, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size and spongy, about 1 1⁄2 hours.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, gently punch it down, and shape it into a smooth cylinder. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball, dusting with flour only if the dough becomes sticky. Cover both balls of dough with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes before proceeding with your pizza recipe. (You can freeze the balls of dough in gallon-size zipper-lock bag, being sure to squeeze as much of the air as possible out of the bag, for up to 2 months. Thaw the frozen dough for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature.)

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Seeded Flatbread from 101 Cookbooks
Gluten-Free Pizza Crust from Gluten Free Goddess
Crispy Herbed Flatbread from Leite's Culinaria
Ricotta Calzones with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe from Leite's Culinaria

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

The Lodge Company — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:00:54 +0000

The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook | Oxmoor House, 2012 | Makes 6 to 8

This very simple, very old-fashioned recipe from Marilyn Geraldson works only with cast iron and is for all Southerners who love their biscuits.–The Lodge Company

LC (Almost) Instant Gratification Note: The search stops here. That’s what we’re hearing from folks who’ve spent the better portion of their lives seeking a tender, buttery, quick drop biscuit recipe.
And is it just us, or did we detect a measure of skillet snobbery in the above note from the otherwise kind folks at Lodge? We’re no strangers to the charms of those blackened and wizened skillets, thank you. But the part about how this recipe works only with one sort of precious metal seems a little presumptuous. While we find there’s no substitute for a cast iron skillet when there’s a ribeye to be seared, when it comes to these biscuits, we found that you can get by just dandy by dropping blobs of this batter on a baking sheet.

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, margarine, or vegetable shortening, cold, cut into small pieces, plus more for the pan
1 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

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1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and lightly butter one large or two smallish cast-iron skillets or a single baking sheet.
2. Whisk or stir together the dry ingredients, smashing any lumps. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk and gently toss the liquid and dry ingredients with the fork just until everything is blended and a soft, sticky, blobbish dough forms.  
3. Drop blobs of the dough onto the prepared pan, spacing them about an inch or two apart. Bake until browned on top, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Chances are you’ll need to swat hands away.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits from Gimme Some Oven
Artichoke, Roasted Red Pepper, & Feta Biscuits from Two Peas and Their Pod
Rachel’s Very Beginner’s Cream Biscuits from Leite's Culinaria
Bacon Cheddar Biscuits from Leite's Culinaria

Feather Light Rolls

The Lodge Company — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:57:26 +0000

The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook | Oxmoor House, 2012 | Makes about 24

Baking bread in a cast iron camp Dutch oven is a real treat. (A camp Dutch oven is one with a flat lid, allowing coals to be placed on top of it when cooking on a campfire.) The crust is exceptionally thin and crisp and the interior sweetly fragrant. These campfire rolls are delicious served with butter and honey. Homemade jam is tasty as well. This recipe was contributed by Sandy and Jack Wallace and Maureen Knapp of the International Dutch Oven Society.–The Lodge Company

LC Light as a Feather… Note: These buttery pull-apart rolls are, as the title promises, feather light. Paranormally airy, even. So much so that they practically levitate on their own, which takes us straight back to that loony levitation game we played at the pajama parties of our childhood. “Light as a feather, stiff as a board. Light as a feather, stiff as a….” Oops. Sorry. Anyways, we think you’ll have no trouble lifting each of these rolls with just two fingers. No chanting or paranormal activity required.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 2 hours

Pull Apart Rolls Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 1/4 cups warm milk [110°F to 115°F (43°C to 46°C)]
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup mild vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for the work surface
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the work surface

Directions

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1. Combine the yeast, milk, sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl, stirring well. Add 2 1⁄2 cups flour and stir well for 1 minute. While stirring, slowly add the salt. Add the remaining 1 cup flour, a little at a time, or as much of it as needed, to create a soft dough.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or strongly whack the dough with a large spoon 30 times. [Editor's Note: Yes, you read correctly. It works!] Shape the dough into a round and place it in a large bowl. (Avoid stainless steel or sheet metal bowls, as both can have a negative reaction with the yeast.) Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and place it in a warm, but not hot, spot. Let rise until doubled in bulk. The warmer your kitchen, the faster your dough will double—figure 20 to 30 minutes at 75°F (18°C).
3. While the dough is rising, melt the butter in a warm 12-inch cast-iron Dutch oven or a similarly sized pot with a lid. Remove from the heat and tilt the skillet so the butter covers the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pot. The excess butter will pool in the bottom of the pan. This s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay, it’s desirable.
4. After the dough has risen, place it on a clean, flat, lightly buttered work surface and shape the dough into a round ball. Pinch off a 1 1⁄2- to 2-inch portion of dough, roll the dough between your palms to round it, then pinch and smooth it to seal the seam. Plonk the dough ball into the prepared Dutch oven and roll it around in the butter to coat it on all sides. Place the buttery dough balll, seam side down, in the Dutch oven with its nice rounded top facing upwards. Repeat with the remaining dough, arranging the rolls so they touch one another.
5. Cover the Dutch oven with a clean cloth or its lid and place it in a warm, but not hot, spot. Allow the rolls to rise until almost doubled. Again, depending on the temperature, this will take 20 to 40 minutes. Watch the dough carefully!
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Slide the rolls into the oven and bake, covered with a lid or tinfoil, for 20 or so minutes. Then uncover and bake until puffed and lightly browned, 10 to 15 more minutes. (Keep in mind, every time you lift the lid to check on your rolls, you need to add 5 more minutes of cooking time.) Be patient and trust your nose, knowing when you can smell yeasty bread, the rolls are about 5 minutes away from being done. And when you smell baked bread, the rolls are done.
7. Remove the rolls from the oven. Thanks to the exceptionally generous amount of butter in the pot, the rolls should be easy to lift, slide, or plop onto a plate or platter. They can also be brought to the table in the Dutch oven, although if you leave the rolls in the vessel, its residual heat will cause the bottoms and sides of the rolls to get a little crunchy. (If you’re really keen on serving the rolls out of your spiffy cast-iron Dutch oven, dump the rolls out on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes, then return them to your Dutch oven when it comes time to serve them.) We like them best when they’re still warm, but they’re lovely at room temperature, too.

Campfire Cooking Variation

If you’re baking these rolls outdoors over a campfire, arrange 8 hot coals in a ring underneath the Dutch oven and place hot 16 coals on the lid, keeping in mind that your target temperature inside the Dutch oven is 325°F to 350°F (163°C to 176°C). It may take 25 to 40 minutes to reach this temperature.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread from Joy the Baker
Pull Apart Cornmeal Dinner Rolls from Amanda's Cookin
Buttermilk Sandwich Loaf from Leite's Culinaria
Rosemary Mini Breads from Leite's Culinaria

Ciabatta

Carol Field — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:00:49 +0000

The Italian Baker | Ten Speed Press, 2011 | Makes 4 loaves

I can’t think of a way to describe the fabulous and unusual taste of ciabatta, except to say that once you’ve eaten it, you’ll never think of white bread in the same way again. Everyone who tries this bread loves it. “Ciabatta” means “slipper” in Italian; one glance at the short, stubby bread will make it clear how it was named. Ciabatta bread is a remarkable combination of rustic country texture and elegant tantalizing taste. It is much lighter than its homely shape would indicate, and the porous, chewy interior is enclosed in a slightly crunchy crust that is veiled with flour. Eat it for breakfast or slice an entire ciabatta horizontally and stuff it with salami and cheese.

This ciabatta recipe should be made in a stand mixer, although it can also be made in a food processor. I have made it by hand, but I wouldn’t recommend it. (You can’t put the dough on the table because the natural inclination is to add lots of flour to this very sticky dough, and pretty soon you wouldn’t have a ciabatta…unless you are willing to knead the wet, sticky mass between your hands–in midair–turning, folding, and twisting it rather like taffy, your hands covered with dough.) Resist the temptation to add flour, and follow the instructions. The dough will feel utterly unfamiliar and probably a bit scary. And that’s not the only unusual feature: the shaped loaves are flat and look definitely unpromising. Even when they are puffed after the second rise, you may feel certain you’ve done it all wrong. Don’t give up. The ciabatta bread rises nicely in the oven.–Carol Field

LC Bereft of a Baking Stone? Note: If, like many of us, you haven’t yet brought yourself to ante up for a dearly priced baking stone, try flipping a large cast-iron skillet upside down and baking on its bottom. It ought to do the trick. It has for us.

Special Equipment: Two baking stones

Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 4 hours, 20 minutes

Ciabatta Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
5 tablespoons warm milk
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water, at room temperature (if using a food processor, use cold water)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 very full cups (17.5 ounces / 500 grams) biga, rested for 12 hours
3 3/4 cups (17.5 ounces / 500 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
1 tablespoon (0.5 ounces / 15 grams) salt
Cornmeal

Directions

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1. If making the ciabatta in a stand mixer: Stir the yeast into the milk in a mixer bowl; let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add the water, oil, and biga and mix with the paddle until blended. Mix the flour and salt, add to the bowl, and mix for 2 to 3 minutes. Change to the dough hook and knead for 2 minutes at low speed, then 2 minutes at medium speed. Knead briefly on a well-floured surface, adding as little flour as possible, until the dough is velvety, supple, springy, and moist.

If making the ciabatta in a food processor: Stir the yeast into the milk in a large bowl; let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons of cold water, the oil, and the biga and mix, squeezing the biga between your fingers to break it up. Place the flour and salt in the food processor fitted with the dough blade and pulse several times to sift the ingredients. With the machine running, pour the biga mixture through the feed tube and process until the dough comes together. Process about 45 seconds longer to knead. Finish kneading on a well-floured surface until the dough is velvety, supple, moist, and springy.
2. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours. The dough should be full of air bubbles, very supple, elastic, and sticky.
3. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces on a well-floured surface. Roll each piece into a cylinder, then stretch each cylinder into a rectangle, pulling with your fingers to get each piece long and wide enough. It should be approximately 10 by 4 inches.
4. Generously flour 4 pieces of parchment paper placed on peels or upside-down baking sheets. Place each loaf, seam side up, on a piece of parchment. Dimple the loaves vigorously with your fingertips or knuckles so that they won’t rise too much. The dough will look heavily pockmarked, but it is very resilient, so don’t be concerned. Cover the loaves loosely with damp towels and let rise until puffy but not doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The loaves will look flat and definitely unpromising, but don’t give up; they will rise more in the oven.
5. Approximately 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC) and slide your baking stones on the center rack to heat.
6. Just before baking the ciabatta, sprinkle the stones with cornmeal. Carefully invert each loaf onto a stone. If the dough sticks a bit to the parchment, just gently work it free from the paper. If you need to, you can leave the paper and remove it 10 minutes later. Bake for a total of 20 to 25 minutes, spraying the oven three times with water in the first 10 minutes. Transfer the ciabatta loaves to wire racks to cool.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Sourdough Bread from Pinch My Salt
Rustic Rosemary Garlic Bread from Amanda's Cookin
Buttermilk Sandwich Loaf from Leite's Culinaria
No-Knead Olive Bread from Leite's Culinaria

Banana Bread French Toast

Ryan D'Agostino — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:04:51 +0000

Esquire's Eat Like a Man | Chronicle, 2011 | Serves 1

Breakfast at home can be special without being complicated. I came up with this twist on French toast for a diner that I helped open outside Denver. The cool tartness of the lemon-infused sour cream balances the sugar.–Ryan D’Agostino

LC The Bigger The Better Note: Guys like things BIG. Which is exactly why we bring you this behemoth stack of French toast made from thick-sliced banana bread. Guys also likes things to be quick. Which is exactly why author Ryan D’Agostino brings you this quickie take on the accompanying vanilla-infused maple syrup, which ably accommodates last-minute cravings. (If you’re the lazy or uber efficient sort, you can make a bigger batch of syrup to keep on hand at all times. Simply split an entire vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into a bottle of maple syrup, close it, and shake it up a bit. It’ll be ready in a matter of hours or, for a more intense flavor, days. Keep it on hand for last-minute emergencies.) As for that blob of lemony sour cream, it’s just as quick.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Banana Bread French Toast Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

For the French toast
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk
Pinch ground cinnamon
1/4 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 thick slices—like 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick –banana bread, preferably day old or really well dried out (or, if you’re gluten-free, try this banana bread)
For the gloppy toppings
Maple syrup, as much as you deem a glorious excess
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 to 3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

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For the French toast
1. In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, and cinnamon until well combined.
2. Thoroughly coat the slices of bread with the egg mixture, turning to coat all sides and allowing any excess to drip off. There’s no need to let the bread soak, as this recipe is all about instant gratification.
3. In a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over medium to medium-high heat until barely foamy. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side.
Make the gloppy toppings
4. While the French toast is in the skillet, warm the maple syrup and the vanilla bean—both the seeds and the pod—in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Remove and discard the pod.
5. Then whip the lemon zest and sour cream until thick–really thick–so the cream won’t just melt into the hot French toast upon contact.
6. Stack the French toast on a plate and smother it with the maple syrup, allowing the syrup to drip down the sides of the stack. Glop a big spoonful of lemon sour cream on top. Grab your fork.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Stuffed French Toast with Gingerbread Praline Sauce from Food for My Family
Orange Blossom & Almond Overnight French Toast from The Nap Time Chef
Deep-Dish Brioche French Toast from Leite's Culinaria
Cranberry-Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast from Leite's Culinaria

Flaky Croissants

Sarabeth Levine — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:00:15 +0000

Sarabeth's Bakery | Rizzoli, 2010 | Makes 28

At the bakery, we combine the half-triangle scraps of croissant dough with trimmings from the Danish dough to make pains de matin, which are sweet breakfast rolls. However, it’s unlikely that a home baker will collect enough scraps to make undertaking these rolls practical. I don’t want to waste croissant trimmings, so you’ll find instructions for piecing the scraps together to make croissants. [Editor's Note: Actually, you don't literally reroll the scraps. Instead, Sarabeth relies on a clever way of cutting the dough to minimize scraps.] They won’t be perfect, but it’s quite possible that no one will notice.–Sarabeth Levine and Rick Rodgers

LC Not Complicated Croissants Note: We’re grateful beyond words to Sarabeth, of the famed Sarabeth’s Bakery in Manhattan, for divulging her recipe for these Frenchy, flaky croissants whose exterior seems to shatter at the merest glance and whose interior comprises layer after layer after layer of moist, buttery goodness. Although baking your own croissants may seem relatively fussy compared to running to the corner bakery, since most of us aren’t fortunate to live in France (or around the corner from Sarabeth’s Bakery), we feel pretty confident in saying you’re much better off making your own. Though the recipe may appear quite long, it’s not complicated. It’s just precise. Trust us, when you’re standing at the counter with your sleeves rolled up, your cheeks smudged with flour, and this ridiculously, obscenely, ineffably buttery loveliness before you, you’ll understand.

Special Equipment:

Active time: 45 minutes | Total time: 3 hours

Flaky Croissants Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

For the detrempe
3/4 ounce (1 packed tablespoon plus 1 1/2 packed teaspoons) compressed yeast, or 2 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups whole milk, cold
1 3/4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling out
1 1/4 cups pastry or unbleached cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the beurrage
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into tablespoons
2 tablespoons bread flour, plus more for the work surface
For the croissants
Unbleached all-purpose flour, for rolling
1 large egg, well beaten

Directions

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Make the detrempe
1. If using compressed yeast, finely crumble it into the bowl of a heavy-duty standing mixer. Add the sugar and let it rest until the yeast gives off some moisture, about 3 minutes. Whisk well to dissolve the yeast, then stir in the milk.

If using active dry yeast, sprinkle the yeast over 1/4 cup of the milk that you’ve warmed to 105° F to 115° F (40°C to 46°C) . Let it rest until the yeast softens and begins to foam, about 5 minutes. Whisk well to dissolve. Pour into the bowl of a heavy-duty standing mixer and then stir in the sugar. Add the remaining 1 cup cold milk.
2. Mix the bread and pastry flours together. Add 2 cups of the flour mixture and the salt to the yeast mixture in the bowl. Attach the bowl to the mixer and fit it with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed, adding enough of the remaining flour mixture as it takes to make a soft, sticky dough. Do not overmix, as the dough will be worked and absorb more flour during the rolling and folding processes.
3. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead a few times to smooth the surface. Shape the dough into a ball. The ball will hold its shape but will spread slightly as it stands.
4. Dust a half-sheet pan with flour. Place the dough on the flour and use a small, sharp knife to cut an X about 1-inch deep in the top, marking it into quadrants. Sprinkle the top with a little flour and refrigerate.
Make the beurrage
5. Clean the mixer bowl and paddle attachment. Add the butter to the bowl and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until the butter is almost smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and continue beating until the mixture is smooth, cool, and malleable, about 30 seconds more. Transfer the beurrage to a lightly floured work surface and press any remaining lumps of butter out with the heel of your hand. Shape the beurrage into a 4-inch square, place it on the half-sheet pan with the detrempe, and refrigerate them for about 15 minutes. The detrempe and the beurrage should be the same consistency and temperature after this slight chilling.
6. Flour the work surface again. Place the detrempe on the work surface with the ends of the X at approximately 2, 4, 7, and 10 o’clock positions. You will notice 4 quadrants of dough between the crosses of the X at the north, south, east, and west positions. Dust the top with flour. Using the heel of your hand, flatten and stretch each quadrant out about 2 1/2 inches to make a cloverleaf shape with an area in the center that is thicker than the “leaves.” Use a rolling pin to roll each “cloverleaf” into a flap about 6-inches long and 5-inches wide, leaving a raised square in the center. Using the side of the rolling pin, press the sides of the raised area to mark the square.
7. Place the butter square in the center of the cloverleaf. Gently stretch and pull the north-facing flap of dough down to cover the top and sides of the butter square, brushing away any excess flour. (This dough is very extendable and will stretch easily, but don’t tear it.) Now stretch and pull the south-facing flap up to cover the top and sides of the butter square. Turn the packet so the open ends of the square face north and south. Repeat folding and stretching the north- and south-facing flaps (originally the east and west flaps) to completely cover the butter square, making a butter-filled packet of dough about 6-inches square.
8. Dust the work surface with flour. Turn the packet over so the 4 folded flaps face down with the open seam facing you. Dust the top with flour. Using a large, heavy rolling pin held at a slight angle, lightly pound the top to widen it slightly and help distribute the butter inside. Roll the dough into a 17-by-9-inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, like a business letter, brushing away any excess flour. This is called a single turn. Roll the rectangle lightly to barely compress the layers. Transfer to a half-sheet pan and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
9. Lightly flour the work surface. Place the dough on the work surface with the long open seam facing you. Dust the top with flour. Roll out the dough into a 17-by-9-inch rectangle. Fold the right side of the dough over 2 inches to the left. Fold the left side of the dough over to meet the right side. Fold the dough in half vertically from left to right. This is a double turn (also known as a book turn). Roll the rectangle lightly to barely compress the layers. Return to the half-sheet pan and refrigerate for another 20 minutes.
10. Repeat rolling and folding into a final single turn. With the long seam facing you, cut the dough in half vertically. Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap again. Freeze for at least 24 hours or up to 4 days. The night before using the dough, transfer it to the refrigerator and let thaw overnight, about 8 hours. Once defrosted the dough will begin to rise, so make sure to roll it out immediately.
Form the croissants
11. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Dust your work surface with flour. Place the dough on the work surface with the open seam facing you. Dust the top with flour. Using a large, heavy rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle. Don’t press too hard; let the weight of the pin do much of the work. If you change the position of the dough while rolling it, keep track of which side contains the seam.
12. Turn the packet so the seam faces you. (If you’ve lost track, look carefully at the sides of the dough, and you should be able to discern it, even though it’s faint.) Using a pizza wheel and a yardstick or rule, neatly trim the rough edges so you have a neat rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise to make two 16-by-6-inch rectangles. Fold each rectangle into thirds, place on a half-sheet pan, and refrigerate, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.
13. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Working with one piece at a time and using a pizza wheel and a yardstick, start at the top left corner of the dough and make your way downward diagonally to make a half-triangle with a 2-inch base. Measure 3 1/2-inches from the top left corner of the strip and mark this point with a notch from the wheel. Cut down diagonally from the notch to meet the bottom left edge of the dough strip to make another triangle with a 3 1/2-inch base. Continue cutting, alternating diagonal cuts, to cut out 6 triangles. The last cut will yield a half-triangle with a 2-inch-wide base. Repeat with the second strip of dough to make 6 more large triangles and 2 half-triangles. You should have a total of 12 large triangles and 4 half-triangles.
14. (See slideshow above) Place a single “complete” triangle on the work surface with the base of the triangle facing you. Stretch the bottom slightly so it is about 5-inches wide. Pick up the triangle. With one hand, hold the dough triangle at the bottom and stretch it with your other hand until it is about 7-inches long. Return the triangle to the work surface. Starting at the bottom, roll up the triangle, and finish with the tip underneath the croissants on the pan. Curve the croissants by bringing the 2 ends together and then cross one end over the other, and press together. Repeat rolling the remaining dough triangles, placing them 1 1/2-inches apart on the pan. Overlap 2 of the half-triangles at their long sides, and press the seam together. Roll up as described for the large triangles and add to the pan. Repeat with the remaining half-triangles.
15. Choose a warm place in the kitchen for proofing. Slip each pan into a tall plastic bag. Place a tall glass of very hot water near the center of each pan. Wave the opening of each bag to trap air and inflate it like a balloon to create “head room,” being sure that the plastic does not touch the delicate dough. Twist each bag closed. Let stand until the croissants look puffy but not doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
16. Meanwhile, position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Remove the glasses from the bags, then the pans. Lightly brush the croissants with the beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F (176°C) and continue baking until the croissants are crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Serve the croissants warm or cool to room temperature.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Cinnamon Swirl Bread from Dine and Dish
Almond Croissants from Chocolate and Zucchini
Crumpets from Leite's Culinaria
Brioche from Leite's Culinaria

Jamaican Fried Dough | Festival

Virginia Burke — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:00:48 +0000

Virginia Burke | Eat Caribbean | Simon and Schuster, 2005 | Makes 12

Slightly sweet and very moreish fried dumplings, called festival, from Jamaica, these are traditionally served with jerk meats.–Virginia Burke

LC More on “Moreish” Note: For those of us who aren’t Brits–or literate in utterances that commonly escape Brits’ mouths–the term “moreish” means, quite literally, something that’s sooooooooooo darn good, it makes you want more. ‘nuf said.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes.

Jamaican Fried Dough | Festival Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Enough cold water to make a soft dough
Oil for frying

Directions

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1. To make the festival recipe, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add just enough cold water to make a stiff dough.

2. Flour your hands well and knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for just a minute or so. Divide the dough into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a small cigar or sausage shape that’s somewhat tapered at the ends.

3. Pour enough oil into a skillet to reach about 1 inch deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Carefully slide a few of the dumplings into the oil and fry, turning as necessary, until golden brown on each side, adjusting the heat if necessary, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining fritters. Eat ‘em hot.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Fried Dough from Good Food Stories
Colombian Empanadas from My Colombian Recipes
Apple Dumplings from Leite’s Culinaria
Baos from Leite’s Culinaria

Chocolate Babka

Martha Stewart — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:00:49 +0000

Martha Stewart Baking Handbook | Clarkson Potter, 2005 | Makes 3 loaves

Making bread, including this chocolate babka recipe, is deeply satisfying. There’s the tactile thrill of putting your hands into whisper-weight flour, the invigorating exercise of kneading a mixture until it’s smooth, and the enjoyable charge that comes with punching down a pillow of dough. Amazingly, such emotional rewards are brought about by cool calculations and science.–Martha Stewart

LC Holy Babka! Note: Know what makes this chocolate babka recipe memorable? Take a peek at the ingredient list. Yup. More than two pounds of chocolate and butter in blissful excess. Fat phobes and calorie counters can take comfort in the fact that the recipe makes three loaves. That’s waaaaay less than a stick of butter per slice, which seems reasonable enough to us. And rest assured, Seinfeld fans, it draws on both chocolate and cinnamon, ensuring that it’s not a lesser babka.

Active time: 1 hour | Total time: 4 hours

Chocolate Babka Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

For the dough
1 1/2 cups warm milk [110°F (43°C)]
2 (1/4 ounce each) packages active-dry yeast
3/4 cup plus a pinch granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus more for bowl and loaf pans
1 tablespoon heavy cream
For the filling
2 1/4 pounds semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
For the streusel topping
1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions

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Make the dough
1. Pour the warm milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar over the milk and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, 2 of the eggs, and the egg yolks. Add the egg mixture to the yeast mixture and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt. Add the egg mixture and beat on low speed until almost all the flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Change to the dough hook. Add 2 sticks of butter and beat until the flour mixture and the butter are completely incorporated and the mixture forms a smooth, soft dough that’s slightly sticky when squeezed, about 10 minutes.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few turns, just until smooth. Butter a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Make the filling
5. Place the chocolate, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the 1 1/2 sticks of butter and, using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut it in until well combined. Set aside.
Make the babkas
6. Generously butter three 9-by-5-by-2 3/4-inch loaf pans and line them with parchment paper. Beat the remaining egg with the cream. Set aside.
7. Gently punch down the dough and transfer it to a clean surface. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
8. Cut the dough into 3 equal portions. Keep 2 portions covered with plastic wrap while working with the remaining portion. On a generously floured surface, roll the dough out into a 16-inch square that’s 1/8-inch thick. Crumble a scant 1/3 of the chocolate filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash and, starting at one side, roll the dough up tightly like a jelly roll. Pinch the ends together to seal. Holding one end of the dough in each hand, twist it 5 or 6 turns. Brush the top of the roll with the egg wash and carefully crumble 2 tablespoons of the filling over the left half of the roll, being careful not to let mixture slide off. Fold the right half of the roll over onto the coated left half, then fold the ends of the dough underneath and pinch it to seal. Twist the roll 2 turns and nestle it into the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough and the remaining filling. Don’t discard the egg wash just yet. (The babka loaves can be frozen for up to a month before baking. Remove from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for about 5 hours before baking.)
Make the streusel topping
9. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and butter. Using a fork, stir until fully combined, with the streusel ranging in size from crumbs to 1-inch clumps.
10. Heat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
11. Brush the top of each loaf with the egg wash. Crumble 1/3 of the streusel topping over each loaf. Loosely cover each pan with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place 20 to 30 minutes.
12. Discard the plastic wrap and bake the loaves, rotating them halfway through, until golden, about 55 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) and bake until the babkas are deep golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and transfer the pans to wire racks to cool to room temperature. Turn the chocolate babka out from their pans and cut them into thick slices.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Cinnamon Babka from Baking Bites
Nutella Cinnamon Rolls from Sugar Crafter
Cranberry-Orange Pecan Bread from Leite's Culinaria
Challah from Leite's Culinaria