recipe: new york style crumb cake

it’s hard to find a better way to start the day than a fresh piece of crumb cake and a mug of coffee. my fantasy? someone wakes me up from a blissful slumber on a saturday around 10:00 with a nice little plate of two small pieces of crumb cakes, a cup of strong coffee with a little cream and sugar, and a big glass of water. i decided to take matters into my own hands and create a situation like this on a recent saturday. (ok, a few things were different. a) i woke up at 8 am because they are drilling outside of my apartment), and b) i made the crumb cake and by the time it was done, my coffee was gone. but still! this crumb cake was so delicious.

the recipe comes from the baked explorations cookbook, by matt lewis and renato poliafito, owners of baked bakery in red hook, brooklyn and charleston, south carolina. their version stays true to the iconic new york recipe, and it is perfectly graced with what i consider just the right amount of cinnamon.

the batter, before the crumb topping is put on it (it was a thick batter, and quite tasty)

the cinnamon sugar crumbs atop the batter, ready to go in the oven

the final product: moist cake with an extra crumbly, cinnamony topping

recipe courtesy of baked: explorations

makes and 8×8 sheet of crumb cake

*note – i halved this recipe and condensed the instructions

pappa al pomodoro

i love soup. i could eat it all of the time, except, sometimes i find that i am hungry about an hour after i eat it. i’m always looking for more filling soup recipes. something hearty and relatively healthy,  something comforting and something that will hold me over until my next meal. enter: pappa pomodoro.

ina garten’s recipe is really simple to make, and it makes about 8 servings, so it’s perfect for a crowd (or in my case, for lunch for the next week). it’s also a great use for a somewhat stale loaf of bread! note: i omitted the pancetta in the topping, and the soup was still very flavorful.

pappa al pomodoro

serves 6 to 8

recipe courtesy ina garten’s back to basics

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
• 1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and medium-diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes, crusts removed
• 2 (28-ounce) cans good italian plum tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

for the topping:

• 3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes
• 2 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
• 24 to 30 whole fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus more for serving
• Salt and pepper

heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. add the onions,

carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

for the topping, place the ciabatta cubes, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. the basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine. reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. stir in the parmesan and taste for seasoning. serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil.

recipe: tarte tatin

i love anything with apples in it. apple pie, apple bread, apple crisp – you name it, i’ll eat it. just mention “tarte tatin” and i’ll start salivating. this classic french dessert with a layer of apples covered in caramel, sheltered with dough, baked and inverted, is kind of like a more refined version of an upside down cake. i don’t know why, but i have always been intimidated by this dessert. sitting in my kitchen with a bag of apples and not knowing what to do with them, it dawned on me: i will make tarte tatin! i’m up for the challenge!

the dessert proved to be much easier than i had imagined. i used clotilde dusolier’s recipe from her book, chocolate and zucchini. it was perfect!

recipe: tarte tatin

(from the chocolate & zucchini cookbook, by clotilde dusolier), serves 8

ingredients:

for the dough:

½ cup sugar

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

8 tbsp. butter (1 stick) chilled, plus more for greasing the pan

1 to 2 tbsp. milk

for the caramel and filling:

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

3 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature

2 lbs. apples (about 4 medium)

directions:

1. prepare the dough: in a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with the tips of your fingers or a wire pastry blender, until the mixture resembles course meal. add 1 tbsp. milk and knead the dough gently until it forms a smooth ball. if the dough doesn’t come together after a minute, add a little more milk and knead again. this can all also be done in a food processor. gather into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. butter the sides of a 9 or 10-inch cake pan (not springform) or quiche pan with the pat of butter.

3. combine the brown sugar and 1 tbsp. water in a small saucepan and melt the sugar slowly over medium heat. swish the pan around from time to time, but don’t stir. as soon as bubbles form on the surface (avoid overcooking the caramel – it can get bitter), remove from heat. add the salt and butter and stir with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted and blended into a paste with the caramel. pour immediately into the pan and use the back of your spoon to spread it over the bottom of the pan. the entire surface doesn’t need to be covered, but make it as even as you can. set aside.

4. preheat the oven to 350 degrees and remove the dough from the fridge. rinse, core and peel the apples and slice into eighths. arrange the apple pieces in a circular pattern over the caramel in the pan, stirring from the outside.

5. roll the dough into a circle, about 10 inches in diameter if you use a 9-inch pan, 11 inches if you use a 10-inch pan. prick the dough all over with a fork and fold loosely over the rolling pin, lay it over the apples in the pan and tuck in the flaps of dough.

6. bake for 45 minutes or until the dough turns golden.

7. take the pan out of the oven, run a knife around the sides and turn onto a serving dish (serve warm but not piping hot). you can always reheat this at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. best enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla gelato!

recipe: (irresistible) sticky buns

if you’re as much of a sweet tooth as i am, then i can guarantee you something. you will not, i mean, WILL NOT be able to resist these sticky buns. i first saw them on an episode of throwdown with bobby flay, then read about them on serious eats, then heard from a friend who tried them that they were life-changing. i was basically ready to take a trip to boston’s flour bakery to buy these sticky buns of my dreams. but wait! i got ahold of the recipe in the flour bakery cookbook (it is also in the throwdown cookbook) and knew instantly that i need to bake this treat as soon as possible. and what better excuse to eat sugary things than valentine’s day?

i adapted the recipe slightly by omitting the pecans and substituting whole wheat flour for bread flour. i must admit that this recipe was a ton of work. not  a throw-everything-in-a-bowl-and-mix type of project. this is definitely a weekend event, as the dough needs time to proof and such, but if you ask me (and my deliciously happy belly), it was completely worth it. these sticky buns were the best i’ve ever tasted! the brioche dough is super soft and moist, with a cinnamon-sugar filling, oodles of goo on the bottom and some more goo spooned on top. these are best served warm, but are quite easy to reheat in the oven.

the dough (below) was quite easy to roll out

the “goo” was incredibly easy to make (and involves more butter and sugar than i cared to tell the people who were eating the buns)

the goo pours right into the bottom of the pan, and the cinnamon rolls just bake on top of it, soaking up all of the decadent flavor

the finished product, with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top

recipe for sticky buns courtesy of flour bakery

ingredients for the goo:

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks; 170 grams, 6 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups (345 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (110 grams) honey
• 1/3 cup (80 grams) heavy cream
• 1/3 cup (80 grams) water
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Basic Brioche Dough, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (100 grams) pecan halves, toasted and chopped

First, make the goo. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, to combine (it may look separated, that’s ok). Remove from the heat and whisk in the honey, cream, water, and salt. Strain to remove any undissolved lumps of brown sugar. Let cool for about 30 minutes, or until cooled to room temperature. You should have about 3 cups. (The mixture can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

Divide the dough in half. Use half for this recipe and reserve the other half for another use.

On a floured work surface, roll out the brioche into rectangle about 12 by 16 inches and 1/4-inch thick. It will have the consistency of cold, damp Play-Doh and should be fairly easy to roll. Position the rectangle so a short side is facing you.

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and half of the pecans. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Starting from the short side farthest from you and working your way down, roll up the rectangle like a jelly roll. Try to roll tightly, so you have a nice round spiral. Trim off about 1/4- inch from each end of the roll to make them even.

Use a bench scraper or a chef’s knife to cut the roll into 8 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2-inches wide. (At this point, the unbaked buns can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 week. When ready to bake, thaw them, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, then proceed as directed.)

Pour the goo into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, covering the bottom evenly. Sprinkle the remaining pecans evenly over the surface. Arrange the buns, evenly spaced, in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm spot to proof until the dough is puffy, pillowy, and soft and the buns are touching-almost tripled in size, about 2 hours.

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 350 degrees F.

Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the dish on a wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes. One at a time, invert the buns onto a serving platter, and spoon any extra goo and pecans from the bottom of the dish over the top.

The buns are best served warm or within 4 hours of baking. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, and then warmed in a 325 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes before serving.

ingredients for brioche dough:

• 2 1/2 cups (350 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
• 2 1/4 cups (340 grams) bread flour
• 1 1/2 packages (3 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast or 1-ounce (28 grams) fresh cake yeast
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (82 grams) sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 6 eggs
• 1 3/8 cups (2 3/4 sticks; 310 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 10 to 12 pieces

Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and 5 of the eggs. Beat on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until all the ingredients are combined. Stop the mixer, as needed, to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients. Once the dough has come together, beat on low speed for another 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be very stiff and seem quite dry.

With the mixer on low speed, add the butter, 1 piece at a time, mixing after each addition until it disappears into the dough. Continue mixing on low speed for about 10 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. It is important for all the butter to be thoroughly mixed into the dough. If necessary, stop the mixer occasionally and break up the dough with your hands to help mix in the butter.

Once the butter is completely incorporated, turn up the speed to medium and beat until the dough becomes sticky, soft, and somewhat shiny, another 15 minutes. It will take some time to come together. It will look shaggy and questionable at the start and then eventually it will turn smooth and silky. Turn the speed to medium-high and beat for about 1 minute. You should hear the dough make a slap-slap-slap sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. Test the dough by pulling at it; it should stretch a bit and have a little give. If it seems wet and loose and more like a batter than a dough, add a few tablespoons of flour and mix until it comes together. If it breaks off into pieces when you pull at it, continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until it develops more strength and stretches when you grab it. It is ready when you can gather it all together and pick it up in 1 piece.

Put the dough in a large bowl or plastic container and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the dough. Let the dough proof (that is, grow and develop flavor) in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight At this point you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

easy cranberry & apple cake

i really love that the name of this recipe begins with the word “easy.” when i am searching for a new dessert recipe, i am frequently overwhelmed by the number of steps and ingredients many entail. sometimes i’m up for a challenge, but sometimes i just want something quick, delicious and….easy.

leave it to ina garten to create such a thing. this easy cranberry & apple cake comes from her new book, how easy is that? and the name of the recipe did not mislead me. the cake truly was a cinch, and the tart cranberries in this cake complement the sweet apples so well.

recipe:

easy cranberry & apple cake

serves 6 to 8

12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
1 granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
11⁄8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. set aside.

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. with the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. on low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.

pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1⁄8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. serve warm or at room temperature.

while baking this cake, i wondered if cranberries were a fruit or vegetable. i figured they were a fruit, but i thought i’d check nonetheless.  indeed, they are a fruit (a cousin of blueberries). i am probably the only one who didn’t know that.

the cake slides easily out of the pan, only leaving behind a few lone pieces of fruit (which i gladly ate).

moist, fruity, not too sweet and still warm from the oven. the perfect slice!

holiday sweets (belated)

the best part about the holidays? the massive amounts of delicious desserts.

butterscotch blondies

carrot cake mini cupcakes adapted from food & wine’s january 2010 issue

“honeymoon cake”  with grand marnier (from my aunt maria)

my aunt alida’s famous annual cookie plate (including, but not limited to, cardamom crisps, chewy ginger cookies, linzer cookies, chocolate mint cookies and lemon cookies)

coconut sandwich cookies from martha stewart cookies

a festive pumpkin log

my personal (new) favorite cookie of the year: toffee millionaires from martha stewart

gooey chocolate butter cookies from paula deen (not a favorite – these tasted a little bit like cakey prepacked brownies)

pancakes

mark bittman was right. the person who invented pancake mix was a genius. it occurred to me recently, that other than on a few special occasions, i never really make pancakes from scratch. the good ole’ aunt jemima mix occupies a valued piece of real estate in my cabinet, and i realized after this recent pancake adventure, it doesn’t have to.

there are really only a couple of dry ingredients (simple pantry staples, i might add) in pancake mix anyway, and the process itself is so easy, there is no reason to ever use the mix again! this is a basic pancake recipe from mark bittman’s how to cook everything, but i added the cinnamon and nutmeg for some wintry/fall flavor.

the batter was a little thick, so i added that extra 1/2 cup of milk.

the most important part? waiting until the pan is hot enough.

as soon as those bubble start rising on your pancake, it’s time to flip!

voila! nice buttery, crispy outside topped with some maple syrup.

ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 – 2 cups of milk

2 tbsp. melted and cooled butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

directions:

1. preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter.
2. mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the egg into 1½ cups of milk, then stir in the 2 tablespoons melted cooled butter and vanilla. gently stir this into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten the flour; don’t worry about a few lumps. if the batter seems thick, add a little more milk.
3. if your skillet or griddle is nonstick, you can cook the pancakes without any butter. otherwise, use a teaspoon or two of butter or oil each time you add batter. when the butter foam subsides or the oil shimmers, ladle batter onto the griddle or skillet, making any size pancakes you like. adjust the heat as necessary; usually, the first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. the idea is to brown the bottom in 2 to 4 minutes, without burning it. flip when the pancakes are cooked on the bottom; they won’t hold together well until they’re ready.
4. cook until the second side is lightly browned and serve, or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200-degrees oven for up to 15 minutes.

brookies

the name says it all. this “brownie-meets-cookie” treat in the clinton st. baking company cookbook combines two of the most well-loved goods into one chewy, rich mouthful.  i ate them only a couple minutes after their departure from the oven, and they really hit the spot with an ice-cold glass of milk. my only complaint was that they lost some of their freshness after only two/three days in our cookie jar (but we still loved the flavor and ate them anyway).

the batter texture and liquidity was much more like brownie batter than cookie batter, but they ended up baking nicely. i spaced them about 1.5 – 2 inches apart.

the finished product, below.

brookie recipe below from the clinton st. baking company cookbook

makes eighteen to twenty

ingredients
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. unsalted butter
2 c. semisweet chocolate chunks (52-62% cacao)
2 large eggs
¾ c. light brown sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ c. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1. while the oven preheats to 350°, melt the oil, butter, and 1 cup of the chocolate together in the microwave on high heat for 2.5-3 minutes, stirring at 1-minute intervals. or melt the mixture in the stainless-steel bowl of a double boiler. Let cool.

2. in another bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla until combined. fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

3. whisk together the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl. combine the flour mixture with the chocolate mixture, and then fold in the remaining chocolate chunks.

4. freeze the batter in a shallow pan (such as a pie plate) 6-8 minutes until it sets and hardens slightly.

5. spray two cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper. scoop about 10 tablespoons of batter onto each sheet. bake 11-12 minutes, until the tops look dry and cracked (the insides will still be quite moist). cool completely. the brookies will be perfectly soft and chewy.

a thanksgiving feast

the time between the day before thanksgiving and christmas day is my favorite time of year. i guess it is for a lot of people, but here’s why it is so magical to me.  a) it is a state of pure joy. i love spending time with family and friends, being hectic, listening to music, and feeling cozy. b) i get to obsessively watch home alone two-three times a week without seeming crazy. c) i obsess over recipes. what to make? what to eat? what to bring to people’s apartments, houses, and holiday parties? the food options are endless this time of year! and it kicks off with thanksgiving.

here are a few photos:

the turkey (after years of being a white meat eater, i have started to absolutely crave dark meat)

brussels sprouts with bacon

cranberry sauce with dried cherries (recipe from everyday food)

cauliflower au gratin (recipe from barefoot in paris, by ina garten)

thinly sliced, roasted sweet and white potatoes with butter, salt and pepper

the stuffing! my uncle’s stuffing was excellent, and super flavorful

we took a quick breather before we hit the dessert table…pumpkin pie (without the added toppings, apple pie, chocolate crackle cookies, and almond cake (which i have no other photo of, but i LOVED)

bobby flay’s pumpkin pie with cinnamon crunch (the “crunch” gave some great added texture to the creamy pie)

my aunt and cousin’s traditional apple pie (with picture-perfect crust!)

an always-requested hit, chocolate crackle cookies

turkey lasagna

i love love love ina garten (the barefoot contessa). i love every recipe she creates, partly because they taste so delicious, and partly because it always seems like you spent hours making a dish that took about 25 minutes.

i’ve been on a recent red sauce/cheese/pasta kick, so on my search to find a new lasagna recipe, ina garten’s turkey lasagna immediately seemed like the best option. it’s a slight twist on something classic; turkey sausage instead of ground beef or turkey, goat cheese mixed with the normal ricotta, and a homemade sauce that was ready in less than five minutes. the actual recipe was incredibly quick to assemble, and it baked for only 30 minutes. i used whole wheat lasagna noodles instead of white pasta , and i added a little more salt and pepper than the recipe suggested. this is definitely a make again! 

turkey lasagna (recipe fromina garten, barefoot contessa family meals, or foodnetwork.com)

serves 6. (with some leftovers)

ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet italian turkey sausage, casings removed
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound lasagna noodles
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
• 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

directions:

preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. set aside.

ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. sprinkle with 1/4 cup of parmesan. bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling. dig in. (i did right away and burned my mouth….)