Author: amsal

Max’s Focaccia

• 6g // 12g yeast
• 5g // 10g sugar
• 4.25oz // 8.5oz warm water
• 25g // 50g olive oil
• 200g // 400g flour
• 2.5g // 5g salt

Directions

1. Dissolve 12 grams of yeast and 10 grams of sugar in 8.5 oz of warm water.
2. Stir in 50 grams of olive oil.
3. Put it all, with flour (400g) and salt (5g) into mixing bowl and mix.
4. Place dough in bowl (coated in oil) and wait at least 20 minutes until doubled in size.
5. Punch down and wait for it to double again, about 30 minutes.
6. Spread out on baking sheets, add oil and wait an hour.
7. Add indentations with fingers, then put garlic or whatever you want, salt and more oil.
8. Bake at 375˚ for 25 minutes.

If you’re adding tomato, cheese, or other wet toppings that can make the dough moist, bake the focaccia for twenty minutes before adding those toppings.

Adapted from a nice old lady in the north of Italy

Challah

• 3 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon (13 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups (412ml) lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup (118 ml) olive or vegetable oil
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) table salt
• 8 to 8 1/2 cups (1000 to 1063 grams) all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar in water; set aside for 5 minutes until a bit foamy.
2. Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading, but be careful if using a standard size KitchenAid–it’s a bit much for it, though it can be done.)
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
4. Form loaves. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
5. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375˚ and brush loaves again. Sprinkle bread with seeds, if using. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking.
6. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. (If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take it out when it hits an internal temperature of 190 degrees.) Cool loaves on a rack.
7. Note: Any of the three risings can be done in the fridge for a few hours, for more deeply-developed flavor. When you’re ready to work with it again, bring it back to room temperature before moving onto the next step.

Coconut Macaroons

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 1/2 cups (200g) unsweetened shredded coconut (see note)
• 1/4 cup (35g) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Directions

1. In a large skillet or wide saucepan, mix together the egg whites, sugar, salt, and honey.
2. Over low heat on the stovetop, stir the egg whites and sugar together until the mixture is tepid, but not warm or hot. You don’t want to cook them; just warmed slightly so they are looser.
3. Add the coconut, flour, and vanilla. Continue to stir the mixture over medium heat for a few minutes until it thickens to a cohesive mass. (It’ll be like very thick oatmeal and the bottom will very slightly start to scorch.) Remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
4. When ready to bake, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC).
5. Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch (4cm) rounds in your hands, squeezing the dough to coax them into rough rounds (remember, the French call them “rocks,” so they can be a uneven – for smoother rounds, dampen your hands), then place them evenly spaced on the baking sheet. Bake the macaroons until deep golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. I sometimes cook five minutes more to get them extra crisp. Cool completely. If you like, you can drizzle melted chocolate atop.

Author’s Note: I don’t bother with most of the instructions tbh. Usually I’ll just put everything in a KitchenAid and mix. Also, I usually put in 230g sugar instead. If you beat the sugar and egg whites first, they’ll be extra fluffy.

Adapted from David Lebovitz

Coffee Cake

Filling

• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1 cup walnuts (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Dough

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2.5 cups cake flour (300g)
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 pint sour cream OR 8oz plain yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Sift baking soda and flour. Cream the butter and sugar. Then add eggs, sour cream, juice. Then add dry ingredients.
2. Pour in half of the batter, and then add half of the dry mix.
3. Add rest of batter, then the remainder of the filling mix as a topping.
4. Bake at 350°F for 53 minutes, then maybe another 20 minutes if you’re not happy with the results.

P.S. At one point, two teaspoons of baking powder was included, but it’s now crossed out. Make of that what you will.

Commonly referred to as the Gertie Golden Cake. 

Chocolate Sorbet

• 1.5 cups (12oz) water
• 130 g sugar
• 75 g cocoa
• pinch of salt

~~~

• 170 grams of bittersweet chocolate (broken to bits)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (177ml) water
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Bring to a boil and whisk while heating. Let it boil for 45 seconds. Keep whisking while you’re boiling. Boiling doesn’t mean it’s a zillion bubbles with everything flying everywhere. Some will suffice.
2. Remove from the heat and add to the mixture the second group of ingredients slowly, stirring constantly.
3. Put all of it in the food processor. Definitely put the tube in so that nothing comes out the top and hits the ceiling. Mix for about 15 seconds. Then put in a glass bowl (large) with top on. Put in fridge overnight.
4. Next day, 20 minutes in the ice cream machine.

Adapted from David Lebovitz

Eric Snorkel Cookies

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (+additional for rolling)
• 4 extra-large eggs (3 for batter, 1 for decoration)
• 8 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
• 3 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
• The grated peel of 1 large lemon
• 1 cup of sugar
• ¼ cup of whole milk
• 7 tablespoons of apricot jam
• 7 tablespoons of semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Mix together the 480 g flour, 3 eggs, the butter, baking powder, lemon peel, 225g sugar and 60 ml milk. I use a Kitchen Aid mixer.
2. Remove a chunk of batter at a time (about the size of a baseball) and roll it out to a thickness of 1/8th of an inch. Flour the work surface before putting the dough down to avoid sticking. 
3. Use the drinking glass to cut out small disks and place them on a cookie sheet.
4. Turn on the oven to 375°F. 
5. Mix the apricot jam and the chocolate chips together in a bowl. Begin distributing a small spoonful of that mixture on top of each of disks (in the center). 
6. Take the fourth egg and separate the yolk and the whites into two different bowls. Beat each bowl lightly. You can add a bit of water to each.
7. Smear the rim of the dough disks with beaten egg white, using it as a type of adhesive to stick the cookie together after folding each disk over into a half moon shape. (This is not a critical step so if you can’t be bothered, you should be ok.) Press the edges firmly to make a seal. 
8. Butter the pan and then dust with flour. Alternatively, use parchment paper to save time. 
9. With the cookies on the pan, brush the tops of them with beaten egg yolk. 
10. 10. Bake for 15 minutes. 

Chocolate Cookies

• 2 cups (256g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup (50g) Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 10 ½ oz fine quality bittersweet chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
2. Beat together butter and sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in standing mixer and 6 with handheld.
3. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Reduce speed to low, then add the flour mixture.
5. Add melted chocolate (use double boiler)
6. Form dough into a 14-inch log (2 inches in diameter) on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up dough.
7. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (up to 5 days).
8. Cut 1/8 to 1/4 thick slices from log, roll the edges in sugar and place onto parchment paper about an inch apart.
9. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
10. 10.Bake cookies, switching positions half way, for 12-15 minutes.
11. 11.Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to racks.

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Fruit Tatin

• 1 egg
• 1 cup (128g) AP flour sifted
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1/4 cup (60g) milk
• lemon zest from one or two lemons
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup melted butter (salted or unsalted)
• 2 cups of blueberries or sliced peaches
• some sugar and cinnamon for mixing with fruit

Directions

1. Mix batter in a bowl. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter a round 9” pan. Put parchment atop the buttered pan and mush down.
3. Spread the batter, which  is typically thick, on the parchment and flatten.
4. Spread the fruit, mixed with sugar and cinnamon, atop the batter.
5. Bake for about 60-70 minutes.

Commonly, but incorrectly, referred to as Blueberry (or Peach) Cake. 

Lemon Glazed Cookies

• 330 g flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• a little lemon zest
• 1.5 sticks of softened butter
• 300 g sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 160 g buttermilk

Directions

1. Mix everything together.
2. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
3. Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice for glaze.

Lemon Sorbet

• 2 1/2 cups (591ml) water
• 1/3 cup (66g) sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 lemons worth of juice

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the water and the sugar. Grate the zest of 1 lemon directly into the sauce. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups of water, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
3. Stir the lemon juice into the chilled sugar syrup, then strain the whole thing before freezing the mixture in your ice cream maker.