Homemade Apple Cider Donuts

And just like that, Fall has arrived. This time of year makes me feel so happy and refreshed that I don't even care that everything in my kitchen is covered with a light slick of oil from making these donuts. 

Apple Cider Donuts
yield, 10-12 donuts and holes

The dough for these donuts is very soft and sticky, almost like cookie dough. I rolled my dough out on a generously floured piece of parchment paper so I could transfer it easily to the refrigerator if the dough got too soft while I worked with it. I highly recommend this method.

1 cup apple cider
2 3/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons non hydrogenated shortening or lard if you have it
1 egg plus one egg yolk
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 1/4'' and 1 1/4'' round cookie cutters

canola oil, for frying
1/2 cup sugar, for topping
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, for topping

1. Bring the apple cider to a boil over high heat and cook it until it has reduced to 1/3 cup, 7-10 minutes. Set aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the donuts.
2. Sift the cake flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the shortening and sugar together on medium speed until sandy. Add in the egg and egg yolk and mix on high until light and thickened, about 5 minutes.
4.  Mix the reduced apple cider and buttermilk together. Then add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk mixture to the mixer in three additions mixing until just combined. The dough will be soft and sticky much like cookie dough.
5. Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour or overnight.
6. When you are ready to roll and fry the donuts, heat a large pot or dutch oven with at least 2 inches of oil over medium heat until the oil reaches 370º on a candy thermometer. Gently roll the chilled dough out onto a generously floured board or piece of parchment paper into a circle about 1/2'' thick and about 8'' wide. Cut as many donuts and holes as possible, making sure to flour the cutters before each cut. Gently reroll the scraps and cut more holes. If at any time the dough becomes too soft to handle, just put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Place the cut donuts on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes until they are slightly firm and easier to handle. While the donuts are chilling, stir together the cinnamon and sugar for the topping in a shallow, wide bowl.
7. Brush off any excess flour and fry the donuts for about 1 minute per side, being careful not to crowd the pan. When the donuts are deep golden brown on each side, remove them from the oil, gently blot off excess oil and toss immediately in the cinnamon sugar.

Simple Stone Fruit Tartlets

Take a trip to the market and pick up the most luscious stone fruit you can find, but let it sit on your counter in a bowl for a few days, admire it, arrange it, enjoy its sweet smell. Then, when it is ripe and juicy and in danger of bruising, slice it up and make a tart.




Heck, make a whole bunch of little tarts to share with your friends. Pretend you're Swedish and invite everyone over for fika. I don't know about you, but sharing a cup of coffee and a few bites of something sweet and buttery sounds like a perfect little break in the day to me, but it's summertime so let's keep it nice and easy. Less than 5 ingredients easy.




Roll out some pastry, maybe homemade (maybe not) make sure that it is made from butter and only butter (til death do us part). Cut it into little squares or rectangles or circles if you want, just make sure the pieces are large enough to cradle half of an apricot or a few slices of fuzzy peach. Sprinkle the whole mess with sugar, bake until golden, and enjoy the simple goodness of fresh fruit in a buttery crust.



If you've never tried making your own puff pastry, give it a go with rough puff pastry. It takes a little time, but it's not too difficult and the final product will make you feel like a pastry genius. Plus, when your freezer is stocked with a few sheets of the good stuff, it makes recipes like this a cinch to pull together on the fly. The recipe below makes quite a bit and just think how fancy you'll feel when you tell your pals you made it yourself.

What you'll find below is more formula than recipe, easily adaptable to stone fruit in the summer and apples and pears in the fall and winter. Add some spices or serve these tarts with whipped cream, they're good any way you slice it (pun intended).

Simple Stone Fruit Tartlets
inspired by Not Without Salt
yield 18-20 tartlets (depending on size)

It's super important that you make these tarts with very cold pastry and a very hot oven. I've made them a few times now and had the greatest success baking the pastry when it was just shy of frozen. The ones pictured above were baked in an oven that wasn't quite hot enough and while they were delicious, the next batch was quite a bit flakier.

1/2 recipe rough puff pastry (recipe and photo tutorial here) OR 1 sheet store bought puff pastry (all butter please!)
Assorted stone fruit, a pound or so
 - 1 apricot will yield 2 tartlets
 - 1 small peach will yield 3 tartlets
 - 1 small nectarine will yield 3 tartlets
about 1/3c crunchy sugar: turbinado sugar works great, as does organic cane sugar which is generally a bit coarser than granulated sugar, vanilla sugar works well here if you have it
1 egg or 2T milk, cream or even water
Confectioner's sugar to finish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400º

1.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 1/4'' thickness. With a knife or pastry cutter, cut the pastry into 2 1/2''-3'' squares or circles (they don't have to be perfect, this is supposed to be easy!). You want them large enough to fit half of an apricot or about 1/3 of a piece of stone fruit. Place the cut squares on a parchment lined baking sheet and put them in the freezer for at least 20min while you prepare the fruit.
2. For apricots: gently tear them in half. For peaches and nectarines: remove the pits and thinly slice the fruit into 1/8'' slices. Try to keep the halves together while you are slicing them, it will make it easier to fan the slices on top of the tarts.
3. Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and brush with a beaten egg (or milk or cream or water in a pinch), sprinkle with sugar, and place the the apricot halves or fanned slices of peaches or nectarines on top. Finish the fruit with another light sprinkle of sugar (if desired) and slide the pan into the oven. Bake until the puff pastry is golden brown and the fruit has softened, 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature. Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Bonus watermelon smile. Because it's summertime.

Blueberry Buckwheat Tartlets with Greek Yogurt Cream

The arrival of blueberries at the market (and the farm) signals the start of summer for me. I know they aren't the first fruit to show up to the party, but something about their patriotic hue screams picnics and bbqs, and hot, lazy nights. Where I live, blueberries are plentiful and cheap so I turn to them often for fun, summer treats like these tartlets. 



I baked these little beauties last week on a 90+ degree day when, in a fit of heat induced crazy, I decided to crank up the oven and turn on the stovetop at the same time. What can I say, the blueberries in the fridge were calling and I had to answer despite my assertion that I would not turn the oven on during the heatwave...oops.

I like the combination of fresh and barely-sweetened, cooked fruit here, but if you aren't feeling up to the task of cooking three different components just use fresh berries, any kind you like or maybe some sliced stone fruit. For something a bit sweeter I imagine a dollop of jam would make a fine topping too. I guess what I am saying is that when you have sweet summer fruit at your disposal, you pretty much can't go wrong.



And can we talk about this Greek yogurt cream for a second? It is cool and smooth and just slightly tart which makes it a perfect foil for any fruit you have laying around and nearly impossible to resist eating straight from the fridge. I am already imagining making these little tarts again later this summer, topped with some bourbon spiked peaches.

Blueberry Buckwheat Tartlets with Greek Yogurt Cream

For the Buckwheat Tart Shells
adapted from Desserts for Breakfast
yield, 6 tartlets or 1, 9'' tart

5 1/2 ounces all purpose flour
3 1/2 ounces buckwheat flour
2 ounces sugar
pinch salt
1 egg yolk
4 ounces cold butter
2-3 ounces iced water

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the butter until it is the size of small peas.
2. Add in the egg yolk and stir gently until it is evenly distributed, then slowly stream in the water until the dough will hold together when you press it with your fingers. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and press it into a disk. Refrigerate for one hour. (While the dough is chilling you can prepare the pastry cream, recipe below)
3. To bake the tart shells: Preheat oven to 425ºF and lightly butter 6 removable-bottom tartlet pans.
4. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut it into 6 pieces. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pans and prick the bottoms with a fork. If the dough has softened, refrigerate or freeze it for a few minutes or until it is firm again. Line each tartlet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
5. Bake the tart shells for 13-15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove the pie weights or beans and return to the oven to bake for 3-5 minutes more, or until the crust is completely golden brown. Let the shells cool completely before filling and serving.

Greek Yogurt Pastry Cream

8 ounces whole milk
3 egg yolks
1 3/4 ounces sugar
3/4 ounce cornstarch
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped or 1t vanilla extract
1 ounce cold butter
6 ounces plain greek yogurt (non-fat, low-fat or full-fat will all work)

1. Bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan with the scraped vanilla bean and pod
2. In another saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until well blended. While whisking, slowly stream in about 1/4c of the hot milk to temper the egg mixture. Continue whisking and pour in the remainder of the hot milk. Remove the vanilla bean pod and reserve for another use.
3. Put the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously, making sure to get into the bottom and sides of the pan. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook until thick, about 1-2 minutes. If you are using vanilla extract, now's the time to whisk it in.
4. Add in the butter and whisk the cream until smooth, transfer to a bowl and press a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until cold and set.
5. After the cream has thoroughly chilled, whisk in the greek yogurt until smooth and evenly combined. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Blueberry Filling

12 ounces blueberries, divided
2T honey
2T Gran Marnier (optional)
Zest and juice of 1/2 orange

1. Combine 1/2 of the blueberries, honey, Gran Marnier (if desired) and orange juice and zest in a medium skillet. Warm the berries on medium low heat until they begin to burst and release their juices. 2. Turn the heat up to medium and gently simmer the berries until they are thick and syrupy, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the remaining fresh blueberries, reserving a few to garnish the tops of the tarts. Refrigerate the mixture until cold.

To Assemble

Divide the Greek Yogurt Pastry Cream between the tart shells, top with a heaping spoonful of the Blueberry Filling and top with additional fresh blueberries and a zip of orange zest of desired (not pictured).  Serve immediately for crisp tart shells. The assembled tarts can also be refrigerated for an hour or so before you serve them, but as they sit in the refrigerator the shells will soften.

The extra blueberry mixture can be enjoyed on the top of yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, toast or on its own.

Rhubarb Custard Crumb Pie

Rhubarb is another one of the foods that I've come to love and appreciate a bit later in life. Growing up, we had a huge rhubarb plant that grew by the side of our house, but I can't remember ever eating any of it. I always just admired it's huge leaves and rosy stalks. If you look back in the Apt. 2B archives you may notice last year around this time I had it pretty hot and heavy for the Barb (what, you don't have nicknames for your favorite produce)?



When I was in Seattle a few months ago visiting family my mom had to restrain me from "borrowing" a few stalks from a neighborhood plant when I realized the one that used to grow in our yard was long, long gone. Don't worry, I'd never actually take anyone's produce without asking, but I admit to being temporarily blinded by my rhubarb lust. It's a good thing that rhubarb season was gearing into full swing by the time I got back to New York.



So, I picked up a few pounds of the Barb at the Greenmarket and used half for this tart and the other half for this creamy and crunchy custard pie that I will definitely be making again as more fruit comes into season. Although, my mom just told me about the strawberry tart with rhubarb glaze she's been making this Spring so that may just have to be next...

Are you a rhubarb lover too?

More rhubarb recipes from this blog can be found HERE.
More rhubarb recipes from BBC Good Food can be found HERE.

Have a great weekend everyone!


Rhubarb Custard Crumb Pie


For the Rye Pastry
adapted from Kim Boyce's, Good to the Grain
yield, pastry for 1 large rustic tart or a single crust pie

I won't lie, the rye pastry takes a bit of work to put together but man is it good. It's my new favorite base for fruit desserts, but feel free to sub in your favorite pie crust here if you aren't feeling the rye.

4.5 ounces rye flour
4.5 ounces all purpose flour
1/8 ounce salt
1/2 ounce sugar
6 ounces cold butter cut into chunks
4 ounces ice water (may need a little less or more than this)
1t apple cider vinegar

1. In a large bowl, mix the flours, salt and sugar together. Add in the butter and quickly rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers. You want the butter to break up into small pieces the size of peas to lima beans.
2. Combine the water and apple cider vinegar in a measuring sup. Make a well in the flour/butter mixture and slowly stream the water into the dough while mixing gently. Mix until the water is evenly distributed and the dough holds together when you squeeze it. It will look dry, and that's okay, just as long as it holds together when you squeeze it. If it is too dry, add a bit more water.
3. Dump the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, gather the wrap tightly around the dough and refrigerate it for at least an hour or overnight.
4. After it has chilled, unwrap the dough and place it onto a lightly floured board. Pat the dough into a rough square, then roll it into an 8'' x 11'' rectangle. The dough will be a bit rough and crumbly and that's okay! With the long side of the dough facing you, gently fold the dough into thirds. Then turn the dough so the seam is at the top and parallel to your body. Repeat this process 2 more times then wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days before using.
5. Preheat your oven to 375º. Roll the crust out into a 13'' circle about 1/4'' thick. Line a 9'' pie pan with the dough and crimp the edges in a decorative pattern. If the dough seems at all soft, pop it into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes then proceed.
6. Line the crust with a sheet of parchment paper and fill it with pie weights. I use beans or rice as pie weights. Slide it into the oven and bake until the edges begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Then remove the weights and bake until all of the pastry is golden brown and no longer raw, 15-20 more minutes. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.

For the Filling
I turned to the fine folks at BBC Good Food for this recipe because I heard that Brits knew what they were doing when it came to rhubarb. They called this pie an irresistible combination of two classic puds and they were right!

12 ounces rhubarb, diced into 1/4''-1/2'' cubes
3.5 ounces sugar
1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
.25 ounces or 1T flour
1/2 vanilla bean scraped or 1T vanilla extract
9.5 ounces heavy cream
pinch salt

For the Crumb Topping
adapted from BBC Good Food

For the pie pictured I used leftover crumb topping from this recipe that I had stored in the freezer, but here is a quick and easy formula for a crumb topping that will also work great.

2 ounces melted butter
2 ounces brown sugar
2 ounces oats (or combination of oats and chopped nuts)
pinch salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and set aside until needed.

To Assemble and Bake the Pie

1. Add the rhubarb and half of the sugar to a medium skillet. Warm the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture into a bowl to cool while you prepare the custard.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg and egg yolk, remaining sugar, vanilla or vanilla bean seeds, salt, and flour. Then whisk in the cream with any juices that have accumulated in the rhubarb bowl.
3. Spoon the diced rhubarb into the prepared crust and gently pour the custard over the top. Bake at 400º for 15-20 minutes or until the custard has just barely begun to set.
4. Remove the pie from the oven and turn up the heat to 425º. Gently spread your crumble over the top, slide the pie back into the oven and bake until the custard has set and the topping has browned, about 15 minutes. The custard may have risen and cracked a bit in the oven, but that's okay, it will settle back down as it cools. Serve warm, no accompaniment necessary, but ice cream is always nice with pie, isn't it?

Marmalade Pull Apart Bread

I've talked about my "condiment situation" here before so I know many of you also find yourself with an overabundance of jam on your shelves. Well, with rhubarb season in full swing and strawberries just around the corner I decided it was time to face the pantry head on, and by pantry I mean the shelf in my closet where I keep my jam. It's next to the extra sheets if you were wondering. Fancy, I know. This little loaf that I whipped up last weekend is a lot of things, fun to eat, easy to share, your toast and marmalade all in one, but the best part is that it uses an entire 8oz jar of marmalade. Like a lot of sweet bread this is the tastiest the day it’s made, but if you have to keep it around for a day or so make sure you wrap it up tight and warm it up before you eat it.

Marmalade Pull Apart Bread

For the Dough
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
yield, one 9x5 loaf

3 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoon sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4t)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk + 1/4 cup milk, separated
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Filling

8oz marmalade
4 Tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
½ vanilla bean scraped  or 1t vanilla extract (I used a vanilla scented marmalade and I loved the vanilla flavor so much, but this is totally optional)

To Assemble

1. In a small saucepan heat the 1/3c milk and butter until the butter is melted. Add in the 1/4c milk, vanilla, and the sugar. Let the mixture cool to between 105-115º, then whisk in the yeast and set aside until the mixture is foamy and frothy. 2. In a large bowl stir 2c flour and the salt together, then add in the yeast mixture and stir until the liquid is incorporated. Add the eggs in one at a time, followed by the last cup of flour. Stir for about two minutes, the dough should be quite sticky, but well mixed.
3. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise until doubled in size, about an hour. While the dough rises, prepare the filling.
4. Dump the marmalade into your blender (or use an immersion blender) and pulse a few times to break up the bits of zest, I pulverized mine pretty well because I wanted it to be easily spreadable. If your marmalade has finer bits of zest to begin with, you probably won’t have to go crazy with the blender, you don’t want to totally puree it. Then, add in the spices and vanilla if using. If you are using a flavored marmalade, you might want to skip the spices and vanilla, your call. Grease and line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment.
5. After the dough has risen, dump it onto a floured board and roll it into a roughly 12x20 rectangle. Use a brush or spoon spread the melted butter onto the dough, then gently spread the marmalade mixture on top. You want a very, very thin layer of marmalade so you may need a bit less than 8oz total.
6. Slice the dough into 6 vertical strips, then stack the strips on top of each other. Slice the stack into 6 squarish pieces. Lay the stacks of dough in the prepared loaf pan so the layers are visible, like the pages of a book. Cover and let rise until almost doubled again, 30-45 minutes.
7. Heat your oven to 350º. When the dough has risen, put the loaf pan onto a sheet pan and slide it into the oven. Bake until deep golden brown, 30-35min. Let it rest for about 20 minutes then dig in!

Smoky Honey Caramel Corn with Pecans

I've said it before and I'll say it again, sweet and salty is my jam. In fact, looking over the recipes I've posted here you all may think I have a flaky salt addiction. Who am I kidding, you're totally right. My favorite treats are the ones that keep you guessing a little bit, the ones that hit your taste buds from all angles. When I was putting this recipe together I was feeling a little wild so I tossed in some smoked paprika at the end which ended up being a light, subtle background note, and who doesn't love a honey roasted pecan? Not this gal.

p.s. Wow, wow! Thank you for all of the kind comments on my last post. I don't know what to say except, it's so nice to know that I'm not alone over here.

Smoky Honey Caramel Corn with Pecans

4T butter
2T water
1/2c honey
1c brown sugar
1T salt
1t baking soda
1t smoked paprika
2c pecan halves (optional, but recommended)
8c popped corn (from about 1/2c kernels)

Preheat oven to 200º and line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats, or grease well

1. Put the popped corn and pecans in a large bowl and lightly grease (or spray with cooking spray) two wooden or silicone spoons
2. In a heavy bottomed pot combine the butter, water, honey, brown sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for 5 min. Whisk in the baking soda and smoked paprika.
3. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the pop corn and pecans and stir well to combine. This recipe makes a lot of syrup, so don't worry about getting it all out of the pan.
4. Divide the mixture between the two baking sheets and spread into an even layer.
5. Slide the baking sheets into the oven and cook, stirring occasionally for 60min. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.


Notes:

- Check out this post for instructions on how to pop corn kernels on the stove, I love to use mushroom corn kernels for caramel corn.
- To wash all of your caramel covered bowls, spoons, and pots just soak them in really hot water and all of the sugar will just melt off.
-You can buy your own mushroom popcorn kernels here. I've ordered from JustPoppin.com quite a few times and their customer service is great, plus I really like their name.

Chocolate Irish Cream Candies

Due to the unseasonably warm temps we've been enjoying in NY, Spring cleaning (and picnic season!) is starting a little early in Apt 2B. I like to take Spring cleaning nice and slow so I usually start with the pantry/kitchen where I am guaranteed to find all kinds of fun (ugh, and not so fun) things hiding. My first discovery this year was a sad, half empty bottle of Baileys from who knows when that I revived into these seasonally appropriate chocolate candies. I invited a pal to enjoy them with me in the park over a game or two of Bananagrams. It was warm and breezy and everything was perfect until a pair of dudes and their techno music ruined our sun soaked afternoon, but I digress. These sweet and salty treats require a candy thermometer to make, but I'd say they're pretty low on the difficulty scale. Just dump the first 5 ingredients into a big pot and cook them until they're good and hot, add some chocolate, sprinkle some salt and they're done. Texture wise, I'd put these candies somewhere between fudge and caramels; firm from the chocolate and soft and chewy from the cooked sugar.

Chocolate Irish Cream Candies
adapted from Vanilla Garlic

1c heavy cream
1/2c Irish Cream liquor
1 1/2c sugar
1 1/2c golden syrup (or corn syrup)
1t salt
9oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely
1t flaky salt for sprinkling (optional)

1. Line a 9x9 pan with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease well.
2. In a large, heavy bottomed combine the heavy cream, Irish Cream, sugar and corn syrup. Over medium high heat bring the mixture to a boil and cook until it reaches 250º (or 248º for slightly softer candies). Remove from heat and let cool for 5min.
3. Stir in the chopped chocolate and pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.
4. Cool completely and cut into 1'' cubes with a sharp, hot knife. In between cuts I run my knife under hot tap water then dry it off and slice. Wrap in parchment or waxed paper squares and keep the candies in an airtight container to store.

Orange Almond Upside Down Cake

I've been taking myself on more adventures lately. Nothing big or fancy, just a short jaunt every now and then to somwhere I've never been before.  I love this city, but the Northwesterner in me longs for more green stuff and fresh(er) air.

I had the afternoon free last Friday and a new camera to test out so I grabbed some film, a snack and hopped an uptown train to visit Fort Tryon Park and The Cloisters at the upper tip of Manhattan. The Cloisters house a collection of medieval art and architecture including some damn fine unicorn tapestries and beautiful gardens full of trees and plants depicted in the art. Pretty neat stuff. 

It was cold and bright that day. When I got off of the train I noticed here were very few other people in the park, save a class of kids having lunch and a grounds keeper or two. The quiet was nice and I wandered through the park, following all of the stairways and paths I came across until I got to the museum. 

Admittedly, winter wasn't the best time to visit as there wasn't much going on, but there were signs of spring popping up in the form of crocuses and hyacinths spread throughout the enclosed courtyards. There were even a few citrus trees (maybe mandarins of some sort?) full of fruit in varying stages of ripeness.

It was a wonderful, inspiring afternoon and on my way back through Fort Tryon Park I walked slowly and savored a juicy Sumo Mandarin and let my mind wander a little bit. I'll be sure to visit later in the Spring and Summer when things are a bit greener and to see the fig, quince, and apple trees heavy with fruit.

With the scent of citrus oils on my hands, I thought all of the way home about baking something light and orangey. I knew this simple gluten free cake I spotted on Simple Bites a few weeks ago and was the perfect thing to cap off the day.


Orange Almond Upside Down Cake
adapted from Simple Bites

For the Topping

1 thinly sliced navel orange
2T butter
1/3c sugar

For the Cake

8oz soft butter
8oz sugar
8oz finely ground almonds
3 eggs
1t vanilla extract
2T lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons
zest of 1 orange
3oz fine cornmeal
1t baking powder
1/2t salt

Preheat oven to 325º. Grease and line a 9'' cake pan with parchment paper. I obviously didn't line my pan and the cake stuck a bit, not too bad, but not good either. So don't be like me, line your pan.

For the Topping

In a medium skillet melt the butter then add the sugar. Over medium heat, cook for 1 minute. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, then arrange the sliced oranges on top of the butter/sugar mixture in a single layer. You may have to slice your slices in half for this.

For the Cake

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, or with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3min. Add the almonds and mix thoroughly.
2. Add in the eggs one at a time followed by vanilla, zests, and lemon juice.
3. Fold in the cornmeal, baking powder and salt making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure that the batter is mixed well.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Slide into the oven and bake for 40-45min or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10min, then invert onto a plate or platter to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temp.

Notes:

- This blog is a great resource for fun day trips from NYC that are accessible by subway, train and car: nycitycures.com
- The Cloisters Gardeners keep a blog too: The Medieval Gardens Enclosed

Nibby Bittersweet Brownies

I never know what to say when people ask about my favorite thing to bake. I usually just spout out the first thing that comes to mind because the truth is, I don't have an answer, I love it all. I enjoy the time, technique and concentration it takes to put together a layer cake or multi component dessert, but I also love how easy it is to throw together a batch of cookies or a pan of brownies. Especially these brownies that have caused men and women all over the country to declare them the best ever. I'm not one for hyperbole, but I can say that I've baked a lot of brownies and these certainly are my brownie ideal. They are dark and fudgy with a crackly top and a little crunch from the cacao nibs and they ship really, really well if you have some far away friends in need of a pick me up. Have a great weekend you guys!

Nibby Bittersweet Brownies
adapted from Alice Medrich

8oz chopped bittersweet chocolate
3oz unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1c sugar
3 eggs
1t vanilla extract
heaping 1/4t salt
1.75 oz (1/3c plus 1T) flour
1/4c cacao nibs (optional)
1/2t flaky salt to sprinkle on top (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º and line the bottom and sides of an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with foil and grease lightly

1. Put the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt until the mixture is lighter in color, about 3min.
3. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs and whisk to combine, then fold in the flour and 2T of the cacao nibs. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2T of cacao nibs and flaky salt if desired. Slide into the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean, 25-30min. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

p.s. I love eating these brownies cold, straight from the fridge.
p.p.s. Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response to my Ombre Cake, in just 2 days it is already the most popular post on the blog, by a long shot.

I'll Bake You a Cake

If you are feeling sick, let me make you some soup. Feeling sad? I’ll make you something warm and comforting. Watching your weight? Well you look great to me, but I’ll make you something really healthy. Are you celebrating? I’ll bake you a cake.
 

I am terrible at small talk, but really good with food. I’ll probably have a hard time explaining myself so let me make something with my own two hands to show you.
 

When you are away, I’ll send you a care package full of things to nourish you and make you smile. I'll wrap everything in newsprint and tissue paper and include a little note, but the love is in the treats.
 

I sent my brother and his wife a package today. For their new little ones, I’ll make birthday cakes like this one every year even if I am not with them because that's what I do. I know first impressions are everything so I made this one tall and pink and carefully constructed to make sure they know their aunt is no slouch.

To see how I put this cake together Check out this set of photos on flickr to accompany the instructions below

Almond Cake
adapted from Martha Stewart

1 1/2c, 3 sticks, softened butter
9oz almond paste, room temperature
1 1/2c sugar
6 eggs
1/2t vanilla extract
1 1/2c cake flour
3/4t baking powder
1/2t salt

Preheat oven to 350º and butter and flour 2, 8'' cake pans (3'' tall works best here) If you have shorter pans, I suggest you divide it into 3 pans to prevent overflow.

1. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, mix the almond paste and sugar until the almond paste is broken up into very small pieces. Add in the butter and beat until light and fluffy, 5min.
3. Add in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients.
4. Divide the batter between the two pans, smooth the tops and slide into the oven. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30min. Cool the cakes in the pan for 10min, then carefully invert on a cooling rack and cool completely.
5. Once cool, trim each cake flat on the top, then in half horizontally. You will have 4 layers of cake when you are finished. If you baked the cake in 3 pans, just trim the tops flat.

Simple Vanilla Buttercream

1 lb softened butter

2 lbs sifted confectioner's sugar

1T vanilla extract

1/4-1/2 cup room temp milk

big pinch salt

In the bowl of a standing mixer or with a hand mixer cream the butter until it is well mixed, about 1 min. Gradually add in the sugar and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 min. Add the salt and vanilla extract. Slowly stream in the milk until the frosting is soft, smooth and spreadable. If you plan on finishing the cake with an ombre design it is helpful if the frosting is very soft, but not runny at all. 

To Assemble the Cake

Trimmed Cake Layers

Vanilla Buttercream

12oz of cherry jam (raspberry or apricot would be great too)

Cake Turntable (not necessary, but SO helpful)

Check out this set of photos on flickr to accompany the instructions below

1. Anchor the first layer of cake to the turntable with a bit of buttercream. Spread a thin layer (about 1/3c) of buttercream on the cake, taking care to leave the frosting a little thicker on the edges to make a dam to hold the jam. Top the buttercream with a few tablespoons of jam and top with the next cake layer. Repeat until you use all of the cake layers finishing with the flat bottom of the last cake layer facing upward.

2. Crumbcoat the cake with a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides and refrigerate for at least 30min.

3. While the cake is chilling, prepare the colored frosting. Split the remaining frosting into 4 bowls, tint three of the bowls dark, medium, and very light pink using food coloring. I use gel food coloring and use VERY little even for the darkest frosting. Leave one of the bowls white for the top of the cake.

4. Starting at the bottom of the cake with the darkest color, use a small offset spatula to apply frosting to the bottom 3rd of the cake, then follow with the medium color in the center of the cake and the lightest color towards the top. Top the cake with white frosting to finish. Using a tall spatula, smooth the frosting on the sides as much as possible, don't worry if the colors mix together a little bit, but try not to smoosh them together. Smooth the top.
5. Finish the cake by holding the tip your offset spatula horizontally, pressing gently on the frosting at the bottom of the cake. Smoothly spin the cake turntable while simultaneously dragging the spatula up the side of the cake, stop when you get to the top. Wipe the spatula clean, then gently press the tip of the spatula into the middle of the top of the cake and spin the turntable while simultaneously dragging the spatula towards the outside of the cake. 

Quince Frangipane Tartlets

I know I just mentioned it, but my family really does send the best care packages. Last week I got a sweet smelling box full of quince straight from my ma and pa in Seattle. If you've never had the pleasure, quince are a magical little fruit. They are lumpy and bumpy, sometimes covered with fuzz and totally inedible when raw, but when cooked they turn a rosy hue and taste kind of like a tropical, floral pear. Fancy! Theses guys were a little worse for wear from the trip across country so I took the prettiest of the batch and simply poached them to use in these fab tarts. I know frangipane sounds complicated, but its really just some ground almonds mixed with sugar and eggs, and the tart dough is a cinch to put together too. Just mix up the ingredients in a food processor or with your hands and pat it into a tart pan, no rolling required. Oh, and the gnarliest quince of the batch became a preserve perfect for the Thanksgiving table that I will share soon.

Poached Quince
makes enough for the tarts, plus some extra for snacking

5c water
2c sugar
1/2 lemon, cut into 1/4'' wedges
1/2 vanilla bean or 1t vanilla extract
4 medium quince, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each

Over medium heat, combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon, vanilla bean and quince and stir gently to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook the quince gently until they are soft and fork tender, but not mushy. This can take from 20-40 minutes depending on how ripe your quince are and how thickly they are sliced

Store the quince in their syrup until you are ready to use them. Serve the extra with yogurt or ice cream, or enjoy them as they are.

Pate Sable, Sweet Tart Dough
from Dorie Greenspan
for 1, 9'' tart or 6, 4'' tartlets

1 1/2c flour
1/2c confectioner's sugar
1/2t salt
9T cold, cubed butter
1 egg yolk (save the white for later)

1. In the bowl of a food processor or with a pastry blender, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the yolk and pulse until the mixture begins to clump a bit.
2. Lightly butter your tart pan or pans and gently press the crumbly dough into the pan. Make sure to evenly coat the bottom and the sides while being careful to not compact the dough too much. You may have a bit of extra dough, save it just in case you have to repair any cracks later on. Freeze the tart shell for 30min.
3. Preheat your oven to 375º and bake the tart shell (no need for pie weights) until it is lightly golden, repair any cracks that may have formed with your leftover dough. Cool the shell on a rack while you prepare the rest of the tart.

Frangipane, Almond Filling
Again from my girl, Dorie Greenspan

6T soft butter
2/3c sugar
3/4c ground, blanched almonds
1 egg plus one egg white (leftover from making the dough)
2t flour
1t cornstarch
1t vanilla extract
1t almond extract
pinch salt

In the bowl of the food processor, combine the butter and sugar and pulse until smooth. Add the almonds and blend. Then add the flour and cornstarch followed by the egg and egg white and finally the extracts and salt. Mix until just combined.


To assemble

Spread the frangipane into the cooled tart shell or shells, it should come up just below the edge of the shell. Remove the wedges of quince from their poaching liquid and lightly drain them on a paper towel. If you are making mini tarts, I suggest slicing the wedges even thinner before placing them on top of the frangipane in a decorative pattern. If you are making one large tart, arrange the quince wedges in a decorative pattern on top of the frangipane, you will need about 2 total quince for this.

Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350º oven until the crust and frangipane are golden and set, 20-30min for tartlets and 45-50min for a large tart. Cool on a wire rack and dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

Notes:

- I always grind the almonds for the frangipane in the food processor before making the dough and I don't bother washing out the bowl in between recipes. A little ground almond residue won't hurt the crust at all and then get this, I make the frangipane in the same bowl without washing it. So now you know my little secret, I hate doing dishes in my teeny tiny sink.
-This recipe is also fantastic with poached pears instead of quince.
-Do you love quince too? Here is another great quince recipe from the archives.

Oatmeal Chocolate Cherry Cookies

I can't believe it's been so long since we had any cookies around here. I admit, I got so caught up with delicious summer fruit and ice cream and preserves that I forgot how nice it is to have a little portable sweet treat lying around. These are the chewy centered, crispy edged variety of oatmeal cookies which just happen to be my personal favorite and I like to sprinkle them with a little salt before heading into the oven too. If sweet/salty isn't your thing feel free to skip the step, but if you've never tried it, give it a go with a cookie or two. They would make a great lunch box dessert if you have kiddos heading off to school this fall and after you tuck one or two in their lunch boxes you can eat a few for breakfast with your morning coffee. I mean, they're made of oatmeal right?

Oatmeal Chocoalte Cherry Cookies 
adapted from BAKED
yield 18 cookies
3/4c flour
1/2t baking soda
1/2t sea salt (plus a bit more to sprinkle on top of the cookies)
1/2t cinnamon (I used Saigon Cinnamon from Penzey's that was super strong, so if you use another variety you may want a little more here)
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2c butter
3/4c brown sugar
1 egg
1t vanilla extract
1 1/2c rolled oats
1/2c chopped dried cherries
1/2c chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375ºF

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer (or in a bowl with a hand mixer) cream the butter and the sugars, then add the egg and mix until combined, then add the vanilla.
3. WIth the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Then remove the bowl from the mixer, add the oats, chocolate and cherries and stir them in by hand.
4. Divide the mixture into 18 even balls, I used a cookie scoop about the size of a generous tablespoon and place on two parchment lined cookie sheets. Gently press the cookies down to ensure they spread and sprinkle each one with a tiny bit of sea salt.
5. Slide the sheets into the oven and bake the cookies until lightly golden on the edges and soft in the middle, about 12min. Don't forget to rotate the pans halfway through baking. Cool the cookies on the sheets for a few minutes then remove them to a wire rack and try not to eat the whole batch all at once.

These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for about 3 days.

Chocolate and Zucchini Cake

I know zucchini and summer squash aren't as glamorous as some other summer produce. Anyone who grows the stuff is probably so sick of it by now that they have been sneaking it in to their neighbor's mailboxes for weeks, but I've been busy sneaking mine into baked goods. I have to admit, it makes me feel pretty wholesome to use a vegetable to make cake, but make no mistake. This cake is dessert. A deep cocoa tinted batter is studded with chopped bittersweet chocolate and the shredded zucchini breaks down and lends an incredible moistness to the finished cake. It is so tasty that all it needs is a snowy white dusting of confectioner's sugar to serve, but if you feel like gilding the lily, dollop some whipped cream on there too.

Chocolate and Zucchini Cake
adapted from Clotilde's legendary recipe

120g all purpose flour
120g spelt flour (or use all purpose)
60g cocoa powder
1t baking soda
1/2t baking powder
1/2t cinnamon
1/2t sea salt
180g light brown sugar
115g (1 stick) soft, unsalted butter or 1/2 cup olive oil
1t vanilla extract
2T strong cooled coffee
3 large eggs
350g finely grated zucchini (I used one small zucchini and one small, yellow summer squash)
160g chopped chocolate
confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Preheat your oven to 350º . Butter and flour 6, 6oz ramekins and place them on a sheet pan or butter and flour, 1 10'' springform pan or an 8'' square. Really, just about anything would work here.

1. Sift together the flours, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
2. In a mixing bowl combine the chopped chocolate and grated zucchini, then 1/3 of the flour mixture and toss to combine.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract and coffee. Scrape down the bowl and stir completely to combine.
3. Add the remaining flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and stir gently, then fold in the chopped chocolate and zucchini.
4. Divide the batter between the ramekins, slide into the oven and bake for 30-40min until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Serve warm, dusted with confectioner's sugar and maybe a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream on top.

Olive Oil Gelato with Cocoa Nibs

I've had this recipe from food52 in my "fun things to make in the summertime" folder since it was posted in April. You should probably put it in your folder too because, you guys, this is the creamiest, silkiest, most perfectly scoopable frozen dessert that my little ice cream machine ever did make. I tossed in a few tablespoons of cocoa nibs during the last minute of churning for a little chocolaty crunch and they were the perfect match for the fruity oil. I imagine it would taste mighty fine with some fat, sweet cherries on top too.

Olive Oil Gelato with Cocoa Nibs
adapted from food52
yield, about 2 cups

3/4c sugar
1/4c plus 2 tablespoons water
3/4c whole milk
Large pinch salt
4 egg yolks
1/4c good, but mild olive oil
2T cocoa nibs

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, milk, and salt. Heat on medium until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan. While the mixture heats on the stove, place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until frothy.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and while whisking, slowly stream the milk mixture into the egg yolks. Return the mixture to the pan and slowly heat, stirring often, until the mixture reads 185 on an instant read thermometer.
3. Immediately pour the custard into a bowl and cool over a water bath. Refrigerate until completely cool, a few hours or overnight.
4. When you are ready to churn your gelato, remove the custard from the refrigerator and slowly whisk in the olive oil. The mixture will thicken and turn glossy.
5. Churn according to your machine's specifications and just before it is finished, add the cocoa nibs. Freeze until firm.

BAKED Sweet and Salty Brownies

I made these brownies a few weeks for a group of dudes headed to the woods for a Bucks Party (a bachelor party, for all you non Aussies). In contrast to the mini wedding cake I made for the other half of the lovely couple these brownies were dark, rich, and their only delicate quality was the perfect amount of saltiness that ran through the caramel. From what I hear, they were a very worthy accompaniment to a whole roast pig, lots of beer, and an impressive assortment of Scotch and Bourbon. Don't worry, I took them out of that pretty pink Pyrex before sending them on their way.

Sweet and Salty Brownies
adapted from BAKED: Explorations

For the Caramel

1c sugar
2T light corn syrup
1/2c heavy cream
1t fleur de sel
1/2c sour cream

1. In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup, 1/4c water and stir together carefully. Cook this mixture over high heat until an instant read thermometer reads 350F OR until the mixture is dark amber in color (6-8min). Be careful guys, I almost burnt my caramel because my candy thermometer is a POS and I wasn't paying close enough attention.
2. Remove from heat and slowly add the cream, then the salt, then the sour cream. Set aside to cool.

Note: This recipe makes more than enough caramel for the brownie assembly. Use the extra to serve with the brownies or to make awesome brownie ice-cream sundaes.

For the Brownies

1 1/4c flour
2T unsweetened cocoa powder
1t fleur de sel
11oz dark chocolate, chopped (I used valrhona)
1c unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2c sugar
1/2c packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temp
2t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350, line a 9x13 baking dish with buttered parchment or aluminum foil

1. In a medium bowl whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder
2. Put the chocolate and butter in the bowl of a double boiler set over simmering water and stir occasionally until chocolate and butter are melted. Take the bowl from the heat, add both sugars and whisk until thoroughly combined.
2. Add three eggs to the mixture and whisk until just combined, add the remaining eggs and vanilla.
3. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture and fold to combine, do not overbeat or your brownies will be cakey instead of fudgy.

To finish
1 1/2t fleur de sel
1t coarse sugar (demerara and turbinado sugar would work great for this)

To assemble

Pour half of the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Drizzle about 1/2c of the caramel over top while being careful to make sure the caramel doesn't come into contact with the edge of the pan. Gently spread the caramel into an even layer. Finish by topping the caramel layer with big dollops of the remaining brownie batter and gently smooth the top.

Bake the brownies for 30min, rotating the pan halfway through. The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Directly after removing the brownies from the oven, sprinkle with the fleur de sel and coarse sugar.

Cool completely before cutting and serving.

Carrot Cake

I've never really felt one way or another about carrot cake. I mean, I recognize it as a classic and all but I wouldn't really say that it was in my repertoire until I was challenged to a carrot cake cook off over a game of cards last spring. Well friends, I love a good competition and I really love hanging out with other folks who like to bake so I immediately accepted and imagined a big blue ribbon pinned to my chest. When the time came I tested and labored and fretted over the cake then over the frosting. I settled on a dairy and egg free cake (wacky I know) that was the moist, slightly spicy cake of my dreams. For the frosting, I knew that I wanted to go a little non-traditional because I've never really been a fan of the extreme sweetness of traditional cream cheese frosting. I turned to my favorite swiss buttercream with hopes that it's smooth texture and subtle sweetness would lend itself to the addition of cream cheese. I whipped up a batch and enriched it with some tangy cream cheese and the tiniest bit of lemon zest and my goodness. I had created a buttercream that tasted like fluffy whipped cheesecake, victory was mine! The day of the Carrot Caketacular came and I packed up my prize winner in a wicker basket, hopped on the subway and hoped for the best. Five cakes were offered up to the masses, votes were cast, fingers were crossed and no one was more shocked than me when my cake fetched second place. What?! Second Place?! It was a pretty narrow margin between me and #1, so I blame the raisins. I was the only one who used 'em and I guess there were a lot of raisin haters there that day. Not even my revolutionary frosting could save me.

You see that last photo up there? The hosts lovingly tied a frilly topped carrot to their buzzer to mark the spot, so cute!

Vegan Carrot Cake (Don't knock it til you try it)

2 1/4c flour
1c packed brown sugar
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1t ginger
1/2t freshly ground nutmeg
3/4t salt
1 1/2t baking soda
1/2t baking powder
1c plus 2T orange juice (room temp)
1/2c canola oil
1 1/2T apple cider vinegar
1T vanilla extract
1/2c golden raisins (or not, if you don't like em)
1c toasted and chopped pecans
2c peeled, grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350, grease and line 2 9'' pans with parchment paper

1. Add raisins to room temperature orange juice to soak while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the pecans
3. In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Then stir in the orange juice with raisins, and carrots
4. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture all at once and fold gently to combine.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 20-25min or until a cake tester comes out clean.
6. Let the cakes cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then invert on a rack to cool completely before assembly.


Cream Cheese Swiss Meringue Buttercream (not vegan)
makes about 4 cups (enough for your cake, plus a little extra)

5 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
8oz unsalted butter, room temp
8oz cream cheese, room temp
1T vanilla extract
1/2t lemon zest

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until no lumps remain, then blend in the vanilla and lemon zest.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (5-7min).
3. Using your whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture until stiff glossy peaks form and the mixture has cooled completely (up to 10ish minutes). If you get ansty and don't let the mixture cool completely you will end up with frosting soup and no one wants that. Don't get antsy.
4. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter/cream cheese mixture about 1/4c at a time and beat until smooth.

During this last step it is VERY possible that your frosting will 'break" and you will think you messed something up. Good news! You didn't! Mine breaks almost every time I make it too. All you have to do is turn up the speed on your mixer for a moment, until the mixture comes back together and then keep adding the butter mixture until your buttercream is smooth and creamy.

Did I mention that this frosting requires patience? It does, I really mean it, but most really good things require a little patience.

For a more traditional cream cheese frosting (that requires less patience), try this or for maple cream cheese frosting, check here. You really can't lose, anyway you shake it, cream cheese frosting is delicious.

To assemble the cake:

Peel the parchment paper from the layers and place one onto your serving platter or pedestal, domed side down. Scoop about 1 cup of frosting onto the cake layer and spread evenly. Place the other cake on top, domed side up for a more homestyle look, domed side down for a cleaner look. Cover the top and sides with a thin layer of frosting (a crumbcoat) and refrigerate for about 30 min. Pull the cake out and spread another, thicker layer of frosting on the top and sides. Put it back into the fridge if the frosting is really soft, but make sure to serve the cake at room temperature.