Author: amsal

Chocolate Babka Buns

Dough

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, preferably whole
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) plus a pinch of granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 large egg, brought to room temperature
• 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Filling

• 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 pound (225 grams) semisweet chocolate
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Egg Wash

• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) heavy cream or milk

Directions

1. Warm 120 ml milk and a pinch of sugar to between 110 to 116°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you’re looking for it to be warm but not hot to the touch; best to err on the cool side. Sprinkle at least 4 teaspoons yeast over milk and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg and remaining 50 grams sugar, then slowly whisk in yeast mixture.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 250 grams flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Run mixer on low and add egg mixture, mixing until combined. Add 3 tablespoons butter and mix until incorporated. Switch mixer to dough hook and let it knead the dough for 10 minutes on low speed. At 10 minutes, it should be sticky and stringy and probably worrisome, but will firm up a bit after it rises. Butter a large bowl and place dough in it. Cover loosely with a lint-free towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled.
4. Meanwhile, prepare filling: If your chocolate is in large bars, roughly chop it. Then, you can let a food processor do the rest of the work, pulsing the chopped chocolate with the salt, sugar, and cinnamon (if using) until the chocolate is very finely chopped with some parts almost powdery. Add butter and pulse machine until it’s distributed throughout the chocolate. (If you don’t have a food processor, just chop the chocolate until it’s very finely chopped, then stir in the sugar, salt, cinnamon and butter until it makes a pasty/chunky/delicious mess.) Set mixture aside.
5. Generously butter a standard 12-muffin tin; set aside.
6. Form buns: Once dough is doubled, turn it out onto a well-floured surface and gently deflate it with floured hands. Let it rest for another 5 minutes. Once rested, roll dough into a large, large rectangle. The short sides should be a scant 11 to 12 inches. The other side can be as long as you can roll it. The longer you can make it — I got mine to 20 inches before I ran out of counter space — the more dramatic and swirled your buns will be.
7. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough’s surface. It’ll be clumpy and uneven and probably look like there’s too much chocolate for the volume of dough; just do your best. Tightly roll the dough back over the filling from one short end to the other, forming a 12 to 13-inch log. (Yes, it always magically grows because the dough is soft.) With a sharp serrated knife, gently saw 1-inch segments off the log and place each in a prepared muffin cup. Loosely cover buns with plastic wrap or a lint-free towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
9. Bake: If you’d like, you can egg wash your buns before baking them (whisking together an egg and the cream until smooth, brush over each bun top). I found the buns I brushed with the wash shinier but otherwise virtually indistinguishable from the un-brushed buns in color. Bake buns for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and brown. If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take the buns out when it reads 185 to 190 degrees in the middle of each bun.
10. Set buns on cooling rack. Theoretically, you should cool them completely before unmolding them (with the aid of a knife or thin spatula to make sure nothing has stuck). This, of course, won’t happen, so have at them; just don’t burn your tongue. Serve with iced coffee and a bowl of berries. For nutritional balance.
11. Do ahead: These buns can be formed, placed in the muffin cups and refrigerated (loosely covered with plastic, which you might want to oil to keep it from sticking) the night before, to bake in the morning. You can bake them directly from the fridge. They can be baked and frozen until needed, up to 1 month.

Via smitten kitchen

Madeleines

• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100g) white sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• zest of lemon or two
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (128g) AP flour

Directions

1. Melt the butter. While it’s melting, mix eggs with both sugars for about five minutes.
2. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest. Mix more.
3. Put the melted butter in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the batter that you just mixed to the butter.
4. Sift flour and baking powder together. Add this combination to the batter. Fold gently but definitely combine.
5. Now take the butter that has the 1/2 cup of the batter and add that to the batter. You’re supposed to pour it in on the side of the bowl and add a bit at a time. No need to get too anxious about how much is added at once. Again, fold gently.
6. Chill the batter. Now ideally this is done overnight but a few hours minimum should be OK too.
7. Preheat oven to 375°F. Take the Madeleine pan from the freezer, where it’s stored. Butter the pan. Put some flour atop the butter and bang the pan to distribute the flour.
8. Put a bit more than a teaspoon in each slot at the round part of the mold.
9. Bake about 10 minutes. You can sift powdered sugar atop.

Adapted from Joy of Baking

Marshmallows

• 2.5 tablespoons gelatin
• 1/3 cup (100g) corn syrup
• 2 cups (400g) of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (65g) corn starch
• 1/2 cup (65g) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tbs vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a KitchenAid mixing bowl, stir 2.5 tablespoons gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water. Let rest for 15 minutes.
2. In a pot on the stove, put a half cup water, 1/3 cup corn syrup, 2 cups of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Take to medium heat. Boil, swirl the pan, do not stir. About 6-8 minutes, bring it to 240 degrees.
3. Line 13×9 inch pan with aluminum foil. Make sure the edges of the foil go over the edge, to give you something to grab. Spray it with vegetable oil.
4. Return to the first bowl. Whisk that. Slowly add the hot stuff from the pot. When you add the hot stuff, pour so that it doesn’t touch the side of bowl to avoid splattering. Gradually turn the mixer to high. Whisk for 10-12 minutes. Towards the end, add two teaspoons of vanilla extract.
5. Using a spatula sprayed with oil, get everything out of the bowl and off the whisk quick. Put into pan. If it gets cold, it’ll firm up and be a pain. Smooth it all out.
6. In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup corn starch, and 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Sift a couple tablespoons over top, and then put the rest aside for tomorrow. Put the pan into the fridge.
7. The next day, spray a chef’s knife with vegetable oil and dust a cutting board with the corn starch/sugar mixture from yesterday. Put the contents of the pan onto cutting board, then sift more over.
8. Cut them into cubes, rolling each into the bowl of dusting powders.

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Caramels

• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt (I usually just add a pinch)

~~~

• 1/4 cup (59 ml) water
• 1 1/3 cup (266g) sugar
• 1/4 cup (75g) corn syrup (I use Karo)

Directions

1. Take a square pan, say 8 or 9 inches on the sides, and line it with tin foil that is no-stick. You can also spray the foil with oil.
2. Bring the first group of ingredients to a boil. The vanilla bean should be sliced down the middle with the inside scooped out and tossed in the pot. Stir. Turn off flame. Let steep. This can be for 10 minutes or you can put it, when cool, in the fridge, and leave it steeping for overnight.
3. Put the second group of ingredients in a large, heavy bottom pot. Try to avoid having the sugar go near the edges. You’re going to heat these ingredients without stirring at all. You want to get to 300 degrees on the candy thermometer. If you put the flame very high, it will cook faster but could burn. So, you want to put the flame high enough so that it heats up but not too high. The original recipe says it takes 7-9 minutes but I think it usually takes closer to 15 +.
4. Lower flame after the mixture reaches 300 and swirl the pan. You need to be patient because the mixture needs to reach 350 degrees. Now, the flame is lower but with patience, the mixture will turn amber and reach 350.
5. At that point add the mixture with the cream. Note that it’s probably best to remove the vanilla bean before combining the two mixtures. It will bubble a bunch. That’s why a larger pot is ideal. Stir lots and cook until reaching 248 degrees.
6. Turn off the flame, put it in the pan. Careful, this is very hot. Don’t touch it. After ten minutes or so, sprinkle sea salt a top. Then, let it sit on the counter for an hour and then in the fridge an hour. Then it can be removed from the pan, the foil should be peeled off and you can slice.

   Notes

   – It’s helpful to watch the YouTube video of America’s Test Kitchen making the recipe.

   – No matter how often I make this, it always takes at least twice the length of time that the recipe suggests. However, my preference is to not burn the caramel.

   – It’s very important to get everything set up in advance and be extra careful to avoid getting burned.

   – Cleaning the pot afterward is not a big deal if you promptly fill it with water.

Orange Poppyseed Cake

• 1 stick of butter
• 1.5 cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups (240g) flour
• 2.5 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup (6oz) milk
• 1/2 cup (63g) poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 2 oranges

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs.
3. Sift flour and baking powder together. Add to KitchenAid alternately with milk.
4. Fold in poppy seeds, vanilla, and zest.
5. Put in pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes, then poke holes and pour glaze.

Adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook

Banana Bread

• 3-4 bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup flour (all purpose)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick of butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Sift 160g flour and teaspoon of baking soda together at least three times. You can add a speck of salt if you want. I usually don’t.
3. Put bananas in food processor and puree.
4. You can then add 200g sugar and stick of butter (which should be soft before adding).
5. Toss in the two eggs.
6. Then add the flour and baking soda which has already been sifted three times.
7. Mix. This can be done in the food processor.
8. I use an oversized loaf pan. First I grease it with butter and then line it with parchment. Then I put in the batter and let it bake about 50 minutes. You want to see cracks in the top of the bread.
9. This is great with raspberry jam.

Peanut Butter Cookies

• 4oz of butter
• 120 ml of crunchy peanut butter
• 107 grams of light brown sugar
• 75 grams of granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 192g flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 70g of roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; line baking sheet with parchment.
2. Beat 4oz of butter until creamy (couple minutes).
3. Add 1/2 cup or 120ml of crunchy peanut butter.
4. Add 1/2 cup or 107 g of light brown sugar.
5. Add 75 grams of granulated sugar, beat for 3 minutes.
6. Add 1 egg.
7. Add 192g flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
8. Add 70g of roasted peanuts.
9. Place 2 tablespoon balls on the tray and use a fork to crisscross the top of them.
10. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating pans in the middle.
11. Let the cookies cool on sheets for 3 minutes, then put on racks.

Brownies

• 230 grams of sugar
• 115 grams cocoa (Dorval dutch processed unsweetened)
• 1 stick butter (salted or unsalted)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt (I might add a pinch but often none at all)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 65 grams AP flour
• 65 grams walnuts, chopped up (optional)
• 325 degrees 30 min

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Take a square 8 inch pan, grease it with butter and put the parchment atop.
3. Take a large sauce pan, fill it with water and get it to boil. No need to wait. Put a large bowl (I use a glass one that won’t crack with heat) atop and put the butter, sugar and cocoa in the bowl. Let it melt. Stir occasionally. Make sure no water splashes in. Let it get melted and glossy. 
4. Remove from above the boiling water. Let it cool a bit. When it is moderately warm, add the vanilla extract and stir.
5. Then add the eggs, next the flour and then the nuts. You’re supposed to stir at least 40+ strokes.
6. Official recipe says it takes 20-25 minutes to bake at 325 degrees. That’s controversial. I, like most commenters, say it’s more like 28 minutes.

In a pinch, I actually just cream the sugar and butter, and then add everything. Can’t be bothered with all that double boiler nonsense.

Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Best Cocoa Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 cup sifted cake flour
• 1 ½ cups superfine granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cups egg whites (10 to 12) at room temperature
• 1 ¼ teaspoons cream of tartar
• ¼ teaspoon salt (usually excluded)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Do not make on humid day

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Sift the 110 grams of cake flour five times with 100 g of sugar. Best to use two bowls, and sift one into the other.
3. To prepare the egg whites, put the measuring cup atop a clean plate. This will allow you to then lift the egg whites and pour into the bowl without losing a lot of the egg whites to the counter top. Beat the 300 ml egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and beat until soft moist peaks form when the beater is withdrawn.
4. Add the remaining sugar (which is 1 cup or 200 g) and mix it, little by little,  with the egg whites.
5. Take one-quarter cup of flour-sugar mixture at a time and beat in with egg whites and continue till all is mixed in.
6. Pour into an ungreased pan. I use the blue bundt pan. Bake about one hour.

Angel Food Cake smells lovely when it comes out of the oven but if you don’t wait at least 8 hours to eat it, it will taste like egg whites. For some reason it needs many hours for the flavor to be accessible. So, it’s best to make it in the morning and serve it at dinner.

This is a lovely dessert, which is far more flavorful than your average cornbread. The amount of butter varies in this, I’ve made it with the original 2 sticks (very buttery), and 1 stick (dry), and have settled on middle ground. Feel free to play around with it.

Also, I like to eat it with a berry compote, which is usually just blueberries, sugar, and lemon, cooked in a saucepan.

• 1.5 sticks of unsalted butter
• scant 1 cup (180g) sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 3/4 cup (125g) finely ground polenta
• 2 cups (215g) almond flour
• 6 tablespoons (55g) all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Butter a 9-inch (23cm) loaf pan. Dust the inside with polenta, and tap out any excess. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest at medium-high speed, until it’s light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. (You can also make this in a large bowl, beating the butter and sugar by hand.)
3. Add the eggs one at a time, stopping the mixer after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the almond extract.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the polenta, ground almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt, until there are no lumps. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, just until well-combined. Do not overmix.
5. Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake the cake until it is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, perhaps with just a few crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool on a rack for about 30 minutes, then run a knife along the outside of the cake to loosen it from the pan and tip the cake onto the rack.

Adapted from David Lebovitz’s Orange-Glazed Polenta Cake