Recipe, interrupted

Recipe: Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Crumb Cake

All I seem to be posting about these days is sweet baked goods. Some winters, it was hearty stews that got me through the cold weather. This year, I’m turning to baking to warm up my kitchen. But I promise, next time, I’ll write about something savory. That may not be for a while, however. Project: Kitchen Face-Lift is kicking into high gear. I suppose I could write about toaster-oven cooking or the cheapest take-outs in Park Slope. Stay tuned…

Today I’m compelled to write about this blueberry coffee cake. It’s homey, lightly spiced with cinnamon, and just enough of a treat on a crisp morning when you’d rather linger inside. It shares some similarities with my blueberry yogurt muffin recipe. In both, I use frozen blueberries (for the ease of it and because they’re off season) and some cultured dairy (for moisture and lift). But this coffee cake is a little denser and richer and the crumb topping definitely makes it more of an indulgence.

What really excites me about making this coffee cake is its practicality. All of the ingredients in this recipe keep for a long time. They’re pretty versatile ingredients too, so it makes sense to keep them in stock for other purposes. That way, you don’t have to tromp out into the cold to make this cake. Take the powdered buttermilk, for example, which I’ve been experimenting with a lot lately. No more buying a quart of fresh buttermilk for a single batch of biscuits or waffles or cake and then scrambling for ways to use the leftover milk before it goes bad.

Of course, if you have fresh buttermilk, you can absolutely use that. In place of the powdered buttermilk and water, add in ¾ cup fresh buttermilk as you would the water.

 

Makes one 9 x 13-inch cake

Preparation time: About 1 hour

 

For the crumb topping:

 ¾ cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup old-fashioned oats

¾ cup light brown sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

 

For the cake:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for buttering pan

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons buttermilk powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup water

2 cups frozen blueberries (if it’s blueberry season, use fresh and reduce baking time slightly)

 

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch pan.
    
2. Prepare crumb topping: In a mixing bowl incorporate all ingredients together until mixture forms large, clumpy crumbs. It’s easiest if you use your hands. Set aside.
    
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk powder, and cinnamon.
    
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until lightened, about 3-5 minutes with a stand mixer, longer with a hand mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla.
    
5. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the water in two additions. With each addition mix just until ingredients are incorporated.
    
6. Gently fold in blueberries. Spread cake batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly on top.
   
    
   
7. Bake for about 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
    
8. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack or cutting into slices directly in the pan.
   

Recipe: Leek and Sausage Frittata

There are so many variations on this theme, this recipe is just one example that you could use as a guideline. If you stick with the basic formula of egg + dairy + add-ins, you can get creative with just about anything in your fridge.

Because you don’t have to flip it or stir the eggs, this frittata is much easier to make than an omelet. And when you prepare it in a small skillet it comes out nice and thick like a quiche.

 

Serves 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

 

2 medium-sized leeks, washed, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

6 eggs

¼ cup heavy cream or half-and-half

¼ cup ¼-inch cubes dry sausage (or cooked bacon)

½ cup peas (if fresh, blanched; if frozen, defrosted)

¾ cup cubed sharp white cheddar cheese

 

1. Heat a medium pan over a moderate flame and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When oil is hot, add leeks and a large pinch of salt. Stir to coat well with oil and cook until leeks are softened, stirring occasionally to prevent browning, about 7 minutes.
   
   
2. In a small mixing bowl, beat together eggs, cream (or half-and-half), and a pinch or so of salt.
   
   
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    
4. Preheat a small, oven-proof skillet (I prefer cast iron) over a moderate flame. When oil is hot, transfer leeks into pan and stir in sausage and peas, spreading them evenly in the pan. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and sausage and reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cook on the stove for a few minutes, just until the edges begin to set.
   
   
   
   
5. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until eggs are set throughout and the top is golden, about 5 minutes.
   
   
6. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a serving platter. Slice and serve hot or at room temperature.

 

Recipe: Chocolate Swirl Bread

Warm and chocolatey – what a way to start the weekend. I had some left-over pizza dough (Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything recipe) from the night before and rolled it up with chocolate ganache. It came out of the oven so beautiful and disappeared so quickly, I made two more loaves the next day, tweaking the ingredients just a bit.

Yeasted doughs can be intimidating, but this one is really easy, especially if you have a food processor. If you prefer, you can get the dough started the night before and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. 

 

Preparation time: 3 hours 20 minutes (includes 2 hours for rising and 50 minutes for baking)

Makes one loaf

 

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more for kneading and rolling

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 teaspoon instant yeast

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more butter for greasing bowl and bread loaf pan

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or ½ cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup heavy cream

one large egg, separated

 

1. In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
    
2. With the processor running continuously, drizzle in the melted butter and 1 cup of warm water through the feed tube. The ingredients should begin to form a ball shortly after these ingredients are incorporated. If not, drizzle in a couple additional tablespoons of water.
    
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. If the dough is too loose and wet, work in a little more flour.
    
4. Place the dough into a buttered mixing bowl, rolling the dough around in it briefly to coat the dough lightly with butter. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and allow dough to rise for 2 hours in a warm spot, until about doubled in size.
   
    
5. While the dough is rising, prepare chocolate ganache spread: place chocolate in a small mixing bowl. Heat cream just to boiling and then pour over chocolate. Leave undisturbed for about 5 minutes, until chocolate is completely melted. Whisk chocolate and cream together until smooth. Whisk in egg yolk. Allow ganache to set slightly in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before using.
   
   
6. Preheat oven 350°F. Butter an 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan.
    
7. Roll the dough out to roughly 13” x 18” on a lightly floured surface. (I use my silicone liner as both the rolling surface and a size guide.) Spread ganache on surface of dough, leaving about ½-inch border. Roll dough into a log, beginning with a long edge.
   
   
8. Cut dough in the middle. Stretch out dough slightly and twist the two lengths of dough together. Place the twisted dough into the loaf pan, tucking the end down towards the bottom of the pan.
   
   
   
9. Brush the exposed surface of the dough with egg white. Bake for 50 minutes, or until bread is golden brown. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
   
   

 

Recipe: Individual Brioche Puddings

I imagine this bread pudding as a cozy finish to a wintry meal, something like a hearty beef stew. It is a rich dessert, though, so these small individual servings are meant to keep you from feeling like you've overdone it. But if you are feeling really indulgent, add a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream.

This dish could also be served for brunch, as a variation of French toast (and one you could make it advance). I like putting golden Hunza raisins in here, but chocolate chips and/or banana slices would be delicious, too. 

Not only do the individual portions make a more elegant presentation than a large dish of bread pudding, but the preparation is easier and faster. Individual bread puddings bake more quickly and at a higher temperature, so there's none of that worry about getting the center to set before the edges overcook. 

 

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Makes 12 individual portions

 

1 tablespoon butter

6 cups brioche, or challah, bread ut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 ounces)

2 1/4 cups half and half

3 whole large eggs

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon table salt

Confectioners sugar, for dusting 

Optional: whipped cream, ice cream

 

1. Preheat oven 400°F. If you have an electric oven (like mine) that doesn’t return to its set temperature after you’ve had the door open for a bit, preheat higher, like to 450°F.
   
   
2. Butter the inside surfaces of a 12-cup muffin tin.
   
   
3. Boil about 4 cups of water for a water bath.
   
   
4. In a large bowl, toss together bread and raisins.
   
5.  In a mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour over bread and raisins, tossing gently to combine.
   
6. Distribute mixture into muffin tin. Place muffin tin onto a baking sheet that has a raised edge of at least 3/4 inch. 
   
7. Place the baking sheet and muffin tin together in the oven. Carefully, pour the hot water into the baking sheet so that it is about 1/3 inch deep.
8. If you over-preheated the oven, reset the oven temperature to 400°F.
9. Bake until the tops of the pudding are nicely browned and the custard is set but still glossy.
10. Cool in pans for about 5 minutes. Run a small offset spatula around the edges of the pudding to loosen it from the pan and gently lift it out. (Pardon the interruption, but I don’t think I’ve mentioned how indispensable this tool is for me. My family can vouch for how bezerk I go when I misplace it. It makes handling delicate baked goods much easier and is ideal for small icing projects.)
    
11. Dust with confectioners sugar. Serve warm, alone or with whipped or ice cream.

Recipe: Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

I’ve been making these on the weekends lately and freezing any leftovers for weekday breakfasts. The morning runs a little more smoothly when I have blueberry muffins to offer the kids. I just pop a couple frozen muffins in the toaster oven at 200°F while the kids get dressed. Then, while they’re happily munching away, I get a chance to make my coffee.

I won’t get into what our mornings are like when there are no muffins…

 

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Makes 12 standard-size muffins

 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

Grated zest of one lemon

¾ cup plain yogurt

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon coarse turbinado sugar

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    
2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
    
3. Set aside 2 tablespoons of flour. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
    
4. Cream butter and sugar together until lightened, 3-5 minutes on medium speed using a stand mixer, longer if using a hand mixer or whisk.
   
5. One at a time, beat eggs into butter-sugar mixture, scraping down sides to ensure ingredients are evenly beaten and distributed. Beat in lemon zest
    
6. Gently stir in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the yogurt in two additions.
    
7. Toss the blueberries with the 2 tablespoons reserved flour. Very gently fold berries into batter.
   
8. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  
9. Bake until tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes if using fresh blueberries, 25 minutes if using frozen.
   
10. Allow muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before removing them and transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, ideally within a day of making them, or freeze.

 

 

 

Recipe: Sweet Potato Latkes

A few years ago, my sister-in-law served some delicious sweet potato latkes. I was hoping to find them at her table again yesterday, but no luck! Instead, there were many other goodies we all enjoyed. Still, when I got home I had to try making the sweet potato version of the classic potato latkes myself. Here's what I came up with. I think they'd be delicious for a breakfast or brunch as well as part of a Hanukkah spread. 
 

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Makes 8 three- to four-inch pancakes

 

2 cups very well packed grated sweet potato (that's about 1 pound)

1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

about 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

about 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil such as grapeseed

sour cream for garnish

 

1. In a mixing bowl, combine sweet potato, bread crumbs, egg, cinnamon, and salt together well. Let mixture rest for a few minutes while you preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
   
2.  When the skillet is hot, add about half the butter and cooking oil. 
    
3. Place 1/4 cup of well-packed sweet potato mixture into the skillet, pressing down to form roughly a 3- to 4-inch pancake. Continue forming pancakes in the skillet, leaving an inch or so of space around each one. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until latkes have browned and are cooked through and crispy on the outside.
   
   
   
4. Continue with additional batches, using the remaining butter and oil.
   
   
5. Serve hot or keep warm in a 200F oven until serving time.

Recipe: Potato Pancakes with Seasonal Vegetables, Scape Pesto and Poached Eggs

 
This is a brunch special that can be adapted for any season. Or adapted for any meal. I served this dish for dinner tonight. It was perfect for an early summer’s night – fresh and vegetal but substantial enough to be satisfying. In this photo, I prepared the pancakes with a blend of potatoes and turnips and served them with sautéed asparagus and mushrooms and a garlic scape pesto, along with the poached eggs. You can use other vegetables with the potatoes with other vegetables instead of turnips – zucchini or sweet potato come to mind. In place of a pesto, you can serve the pancakes with crème fraiche. And the asparagus and mushrooms can be substituted with variations such as sauteed spinach, chopped fresh tomato, or a crab hash. 

For tips on making pesto, see my pesto how-to slideshow on Serious Eats. 

Serves 6 

Preparation time: 45 minutes 

 

For the pesto: 

1 cup scapes, roughly chopped

 ¼ cup toasted blanched almonds

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup flat leaf parsley

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

juice of half lemon

about ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

 

For the pancakes: 

1 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, or a blend of Yukon gold potatoes and turnips, peeled and grated

1 small onion, grated

2 eggs

2 tablespoons potato starch (or corn starch)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus additional, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Neutral high-heat cooking oil, such as grapeseed

 

For the vegetables: 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch (1 pound) asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths

8 ounces assorted mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed (see my mushroom cleaning and trimming how-to), and thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/ 4 cup or so white wine.

 

For the eggs: 

6 eggs

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

 

 

1. Prepare the pesto in a food processor by pulsing all the ingredients except the olive oil together until finely chopped. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto has a fairly loose and drizzle-able texture. Taste and adjust season as necessary. Set aside.
    
2. Combine well all the potato pancake ingredients together in a mixing bowl using your hands or a rubber spatula. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan with about 1/8-inch depth. When the oil is hot, spread the batter into 3- to 4-inch rounds. Brown well on both sides, about 8 minutes, total. As they finish, let them drain for a minute or so on paper towels. Keep them warm in a 200°F oven.   
   
3. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and mushrooms, stirring to coat evenly with oil. When vegetables are lightly colored and slightly softened, after about 5 minutes, stir in salt to taste and cook another minute. Add wine, stir and cook another 2 minutes or so. Remove from heat.  
4. Fill a saucier or wide shallow saucepan about 2 inches deep with water and bring to a simmer. Add vinegar. One at a time, crack eggs into water. (I like to drop the eggs into a ladle that is immersed in the water to control spreading for a few seconds and then release the egg to cook further.) Poach the eggs for about 3 minutes, until the whites are set and yolks are still soft.  
5. To assemble individual servings: Stack two pancakes on a plate, slightly overlapping. Spoon over vegetables. Place an egg on top. Drizzle pesto around the edge of the plate. Repeat for other servings. 

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Recipe: Currant Scones with Lemon Icing

This is a good recipe to make with children. There’s no raw egg to handle and no sharp knives to deal with. I let my 4-year-old grate the lemon zest with some kids’ gardening gloves on.

And if you are not making this with children, you can easily do it in a food processor. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in the food processor, incorporate the butter by pulsing the processor about 10 times. When you add the cream, pour it in a steady stream with the processor running. Return the dough to a bowl to mix in the currants.

Makes 12 scones

Scones:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for kneading

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

grated zest of one lemon (a microplane zester does the job really well.)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut up into ½-inch chunks

¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (or 2 if needed) cream

¾ cup dried currants

Icing:

½ cup confectioners sugar

juice of ½ lemon

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Mix the lemon zest and sugar together in a small bowl.
4. Add butter to flour mixture, rubbing the butter into the flour with your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
5. Add the sugar to the flour/butter mixture.
6. Add the cream and stir with a fork until the dough begins to hold together. If it is too dry, add another tablespoon of cream.
7. Mix in the currants.
8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead it 10 times.
9. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it is 1/2 inch or so thick.
10. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out scones. Gather up scraps and reshape to cut out more scones.
11. Place scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
12. Place scones on a wire rack to cool.
13. While the scones are cooling, mix the confectioners sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
14. Brush each scone with the lemon icing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Recipe: Not-Too-Sweet Granola

I used to be a devout muesli and yogurt eater. And then I made a batch of granola for my sister. My muesli suddenly looked so anemic next to the crispy, caramel-colored granola clusters. Gradually I converted and now I make this recipe regularly. I like the color and texture of granola, without the heavy sweetness and fat content of most store-bought varieties. This recipe has just enough honey and agave syrup to sweeten it just a touch and a little coconut butter and grape seed oil to give it crunch.

Wrapped up in decorative bags or jars, it makes a good gift.

Makes about 12 cups

Preparation time: 1 hour

 

6 cups rolled oats

2 ½ cups chopped raw nuts (I usually use a mix of almonds and hazelnuts)

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds

½ cup raw sunflower seeds

½ cup flax seeds

1/2 cup coconut butter

1/4 cup honey

¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

2 ½ cups dried fruit (I use raisins, cranberries, blueberries, and chopped unsweetened pineapple)

 

 

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a rack 1/3 of the way and another rack 2/3 up.
2. In a large bowl, mix together oats, nuts, and seeds until well-blended.
3. In a cup or small bowl, whisk together coconut butter, honey, and salt.
4. Drizzle the dressing into the bowl while stirring to make sure the oat mixture is coated evenly.
5. Spread the granola mixture onto 2 13” x 18” sheet pans and bake. Stir and rotate pans every 10-12 minutes. Bake until deeply golden, about 30 minutes total.

   click to enlarge

6. Cool in pans. Stir in dried fruit. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. 

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