Banana Cake with Swiss Cream Cheese Frosting. (via The Roaming Kitchen)
A smorgasbord of wanderlust both geographical and gastronomical, auditory and ocular, literary and (perhaps) entirely frivolous.
October 23, 2012
October 14, 2012
Pumpkin Chocolate Granola Bars
Yields 8 granola bars
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan (or pan of equivalent area).
In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the oats, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, almonds, and coconut, stirring until granola is evenly coated. It will be moist.
Press granola firmly down in baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until lightly browned and no longer moist to the touch. Allow to cool completely before turning out on a cutting board. You must allow the granola to cool completely or the bars will fall apart (a refrigerator can speed up the process). Cut granola bars into desired size (I ended up with 8 2x4-inch bars). Wrap in parchment paper to make quick grab-and-go snacks. Store in an air-tight container to keep fresh. (via Pastry Affair)
October 11, 2012
October 3, 2012
Triple Coconut Cookies
Yields about 12 cookies
Coconut Cookies
1/4 cup (52 grams) coconut oil, in a solid state
1/2 cup (113 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) sweetened coconut flakes, lightly packed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the (solid) coconut oil and sugar until smooth and uniform. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Slowly mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until smooth. Stir in the coconut flakes.
Drop by tablespoon onto a cookie sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned. Allow to rest for a minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Coconut Glaze
1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons coconut milk
Toasted coconut flakes, for garnish
In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and coconut milk until smooth. If glaze is too thick, thin with a little coconut milk. Likewise, if glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar until glaze thickens.
Spread glaze on top of cooled cookies and sprinkle on toasted coconut.
(via Pastry Affair)
July 26, 2012
![Jonathan Franzen’s Pasta with Kale
We want to make fun of Jonathan Franzen for calling this garlicky pasta “handsome,” “private,” “erotic” and “virtuous,” but we want to eat it so much that we can’t quite bring ourselves to give him any lip.
“This is good food for a working writer: cheap, easy to make, handsome, elegant, nutritionally well-balanced, devoid of saturated fat, private, erotic, virtuous, delicious. I eat it hot the first night and then cold as leftovers for two further dinners and maybe one lunch.
1 lb. fresh kale1 lb. good dry pasta, ideally Del Verde brand1 kettle of water with lots of salt3 medium-size garlic cloves1/2 cup (or less) extra-virgin olive oilSalt and pepper to taste
Boil water in a kettle. Peel the garlic and chop it up. Wash the kale, tearing it into pieces roughly the size of playing cards (throw away the lower, woodier two-thirds of the stems), and pile it into a pot. Add a little water, if necessary, to make maybe a quarter-inch on the bottom of the pot. Cover with a lid. Sauté the garlic (and some salt) in the olive oil until the garlic just barely begins to brown; remove from heat. Add pasta to the boiling water and stir it a little. Turn on high heat under the kale and steam/boil it, tossing it once or twice, until it’s full wilted; pour off any excess liquid. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and toss it with the kale, garlic, and oil. Some pepper may be ground over it. Grated cheese, however, is a desecration.”
[From The New Great American Writers Cookbook by Dean Faulkner Wells]
(via Flavorwire)](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7sjtbF1W41rszn7ao1_1280.jpg)
Jonathan Franzen’s Pasta with Kale
We want to make fun of Jonathan Franzen for calling this garlicky pasta “handsome,” “private,” “erotic” and “virtuous,” but we want to eat it so much that we can’t quite bring ourselves to give him any lip.
“This is good food for a working writer: cheap, easy to make, handsome, elegant, nutritionally well-balanced, devoid of saturated fat, private, erotic, virtuous, delicious. I eat it hot the first night and then cold as leftovers for two further dinners and maybe one lunch.
1 lb. fresh kale
1 lb. good dry pasta, ideally Del Verde brand
1 kettle of water with lots of salt
3 medium-size garlic cloves
1/2 cup (or less) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil water in a kettle. Peel the garlic and chop it up. Wash the kale, tearing it into pieces roughly the size of playing cards (throw away the lower, woodier two-thirds of the stems), and pile it into a pot. Add a little water, if necessary, to make maybe a quarter-inch on the bottom of the pot. Cover with a lid. Sauté the garlic (and some salt) in the olive oil until the garlic just barely begins to brown; remove from heat. Add pasta to the boiling water and stir it a little. Turn on high heat under the kale and steam/boil it, tossing it once or twice, until it’s full wilted; pour off any excess liquid. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and toss it with the kale, garlic, and oil. Some pepper may be ground over it. Grated cheese, however, is a desecration.”
[From The New Great American Writers Cookbook by Dean Faulkner Wells]
(via Flavorwire)
July 23, 2012
July 10, 2012
July 5, 2012
Mexican Street Corn. (via The Kitchy Kitchen)
June 26, 2012
June 26, 2012
June 25, 2012
June 8, 2012
Homemade Beer Ricotta
Makes about 1 1/4 cups
3 cups whole milk (do not use Ultra-Pasterized, it won’t work)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup Saison beer, Plus 2 tbs divided
3 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar (you can also use lemon juice, or a combination of the two)
In a pot over medium high heat (do not use an aluminum pan) add the milk, cream, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/3 cup beer.
Clip a cooking thermometer onto the side of the pan.
Bring the liquid to 190 degrees, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from scorching. Keep a close eye on it, the liquid reaches and passes 190 very quickly and you don’t want it rising above 200.
Remove from heat, add the 2 tbs beer and then the vinegar (or lemon juice) and stir gently once or twice. It should curdle immediately. Allow to sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes.
Line a large strainer with 1 or 2 layers of cheese cloth, place the strainer in the sink over a large bowl.
Pour the ricotta into the strainer and allow to drain for 15 to 30 minutes and up to an hour.
After 15 minutes you will have a smooth creamy spreadable cheese. As you continue to allow it to drain, it will become more and more firm. It will also continue to firm once it is chilled, remove it from the strainer before it reaches the firmness level you want as it will continue to firm up in the fridge.
Place in an air tight container and store in the fridge.
(via The Beeroness)
June 6, 2012
June 5, 2012
Sugar Buns
With inspiration from a variety of sources. They’re cinnamon rolls mashed up with the morning buns from Tartine Bakery and Café, along with a touch of a bostock, in accordance with the specifications of the sort of pastries my family likes. Just a head’s up, the Danish dough requires at least an overnight rest — so plan accordingly.
Ingredients
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for dusting
1/3 cup golden brown sugar
Zest of 1 orange, depending on taste (if you happen to have 3 clementines, use them)
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
A good pinch of kosher salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces, 3/4 stick) browned butter, cooled
All-purpose flour for dusting
2 pounds quick Danish dough, recipe below
Combine sugars, zest, spices and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Brush the wells of a 12-cup muffin tin (see note) with a thin film of browned butter, using maybe 1 tablespoon in total. Set aside the rest. Coat the wells generously with granulated sugar, tapping out excess. Set aside.
On a lightly-floured work surface, roll our Danish dough to an 8x20-inch rectangle. Brush the remaining browned butter across the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the long sides. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly atop the butter. Press the sugar lightly into the dough. Starting from the long side closest to you, carefully roll the dough into a tight log. Once completely rolled, pinch the seam to seal. Turn the rolled dough onto its seam and cut into 12 equal portions. Turn each slice onto one of its flat sides, and press down lightly to level. Place slices in prepared pan. Set aside to rise in a warm, draft free spot until just about doubled in size, around 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake the buns until puffed and golden, around 20 minutes. Immediately turn the buns out onto another sheet pan. Carefully flip buns right side up, cool until just manageable to touch, around 5-10 minutes. One by one, roll the hot buns in a small bowl of granulated sugar, coating completely but shaking off excess.
Best when eaten still warm. Makes 12.
Notes:
- For ease of baking, 12 buns work best. However, my preference is to make 14, cutting the dough into 1 1/2-inch slices and dividing the buns between two muffin pans — one 12-cup and one 6-cup. I like this size as they stay neat in the tins, and are make for the (slightly) more modest bun as seen in the photos.
Quick Danish dough
The is a whole wheaten adaptation of Nigella Lawson’s Food Processor Danish Pasty Dough from How to be a Domestic Goddess, which I make by hand (a modest effort for less dishes). It can, of course, be pulsed together in a processor instead.
¼ cup warm water
½ cup milk, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature and lightly beaten
A few drops almond extract, optional
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
¾ cup whole wheat bread flour
2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup (8 ounces, 2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small dice
In a small pitcher or measuring cup, stir together the water, milk, egg and almond extract, if using.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, sugar and yeast. Scatter the cubed butter across the flour mixture. With two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry mix, as you would in making biscuits or pastry. Stop cutting once the butter is distributed but chunks still visible.
Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, then pour in the milk/egg mixture. Stir quickly to bring everything together into a messy dough. It won’t be pretty, it will be shaggy and sticky and uneven. Not to worry. As long as the flour is all combined, it is ready to go. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight, or as much as two days.
When ready to proceed, bring the dough to room temperature. On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the dough to a 20-inch square. (The dough may be hard to work with on the first rolling, but it will get silkier and easier with each turn.) Fold the dough in thirds, as with a business letter. Turn the package 90 degrees counter-clockwise, so that it the closed ends are to your left. Roll out again to a 20-inch square, and fold again, then turn. Repeat the process of rolling and turning 3 more times, 5 folds and turns in total. If the dough seems to be getting sticky or greasy, chill briefly in between turns.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for 20 minutes before using, or freeze for a later date.
Makes 2 pounds.
(via Seven Spoons)
June 4, 2012
Almond Cake with Lemon and Crème Fraîche Glaze.
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