There is nothing more fraught than the relationship between a baker and their oven. An oven that's too hot, not hot enough, one that shuts of on a whim or worse, one that doesn't cook evenly. Like any new relationship, it takes a while to figure out how you'll communicate and learn to manage temper tantrums (mine, not the oven's). But new apartment oven, I haven't even had a chance to get to know ya. I've yet to test even a pan of brownies, nary a cookie in your gas powered caverns. Sure you're not a looker, nor are you even full-sized (I know, how could I have chosen an apartment without a full-size oven) and yes, our first encounter coincided with my first call to maintenance (pilot light out). But even still I have high hopes for us. I've picked out our song, and our china patterns, I have recipes at the ready for us to bake together.
For now though, we have to keep our distance. Even I won't go near an oven when the thermometer creeps over 100. So if you need me I'll be by the pool and in the event of rain, making pickles (I was inspired by the pickle backs at American Ice Company last weekend).
To my oven and my dear readers, I have not forgotten you. I'm not even cheating on you (the freezer doesn't count right?). I'm bound to get sick of sitting on my couch eating frozen grapes eventually.
I'm so optimistic in fact that I bought two pounds of unsalted butter (our poison of choice) at my new Whole Foods just yesterday.
Stay cool folks. Oh and let me know if you swing by Whole Foods, I need more grapes.
I love the Fourth of July. Everything about the holiday is seeped in awesomeness for me. Hot dogs? Bring on the Hebrew Nationals and cover them with literally every topping available. Watermelon? I'll even eat them with seeds. Parades? I would go to a parade everyday if that was an option. Fireworks? Bring it. If I could find anyone left in the city who would go to the Mall with me on the Fourth I would be there right now, camping out amid the tourists who are looking for the Cherry Blossoms (sorry, you're a little late) and fighting for a spot with a vendor who specializes in FBI t-shirts and stunna shades.
As a kid the Fourth meant the Palisades Parade in the quaint DC hamlet that tricked me into thinking I was raised in a sleepy small southern town. As an adult things haven't changed much. If I find myself in DC, I'm usually back at the Palisades Parade giving out candy and stickers (now I know why Santa is always so jolly) while shilling for a local candidate. But afterwards I usually retreat to a more "adult" activity like sneaking out onto illicit rooftops and drinking wine out of a Nalgene with 100 of my closest friends.
This year won't be too much different except that instead of the parade I'll be mattress shopping (girl's gotta sleep), packing for my impending move and spending time with my grandmother who is in from Texas (hi Nini!) before sneaking out onto a rooftop with my girls. Because baby, I can't miss the fireworks.
What to make for a pre-Fourth celebration? Apple pie you say? I hope you give me a little more credit than that. For one, I'm not the biggest fan of pie crust. I don't mind making it and I certainly won't mind eating it, but to me, there really is nothing better in the summer than fresh local fruit topped with butter and sugar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But since I have trouble picking favorites from the bevy of beautiful fruit laid before me at the market, I threw them all in. You of course can just pick one or two and go with it.
Like the United States of America, this recipe is both an original and a fruit salad (tell me I'm not the only one who went to liberal schools and learned we're more like a fruit salad than a melting pot). Come on fruit, let your colors burst. But please, whatever fruit you choose, serve this crisp with vanilla (or ginger) ice cream, it's the American way.
Red, White and Fruit Crisp
Filling Ingredients:
2 peaches, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 apples, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups blueberries, washed and devoid of stems
1 lemon juiced and zested
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons uncooked tapioca pearls
Topping Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon crystalized ginger (optional)
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds (or your choice of nuts)
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl throughly combine prepared fruit with lemon juice and zest, sugar and tapioca. Pour contents into deep pie pan. Put aside until topping is ready.
Slice butter into 1/2 inch cubes and pulse with flour, cinnamon, ginger, sugar and salt in Cuisinart until combined. Remove contents to large bowl and using your finger tips (or if that grosses you out a wooden spoon) combine oatmeal and almonds with mixture until nice and crumbly. Distribute topping evenly on top of fruit.
Bake for 45-50 minutes watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn (after 35 minutes I put foil on top to ward off any chance of burning).
Bad news folks. I am going to start working full-time again tomorrow. Will I find time to bake for y'all? But of course. Will I be rolling out cake balls and washing them down with sangria everyday? Not so much. While I adjust to life as a working woman once more, I need your help. Have an idea for a blog? Shoot it on over and we can discuss how you can post a guest blog of your very own.
Annie get our your pie pans, I'm sure you can do better :)
While I admire so many celebrity chefs, and while my first love will always be Alice Waters (Fanny at Chez Panisse was the best birthday present I have ever gotten) and my second favorite is former White House Pastry Chef Ann Amernick and my third Paula Deen and my fourth Warren Brown and how could I forget Mark Bittman (ok so I crush a lot) Ina is my true idol.
Did you know that the Barefoot Contessa has her pilot's license, was a White House nuclear policy analyst and used to flip homes in my favorite neighborhoods in DC (Kalorama and Dupont)? Like me she's a Jewish Democrat who loves to entertain and has a home in East Hampton and several cookbooks under her belt. Ok so maybe only half of that is true but I can dream (just like Liz does on 30 Rock).
Liz Lemon: I'm like that woman on the Food Network whose husband only comes home on the weekends, and spends the rest of the time eating and drinking with her gay friends. Jack Donaghy: Her name is Barefoot Contessa, Lemon, and you will never be like her, starting with the 'barefoot' part.
I love watching Ina as she cooks for her fabulous friends and her adorable husband Jeffery with her collar popped. But most of all, I love the Contessa because her recipes are always winners. So when Ina told me how to make rugelach, I was all ears. Pour some sugar on me, I can't get enough.
I gotta go now, Jeffery just pulled into the driveway (and by Jeffery I mean my awesome cousin Emily and by driveway I mean the DC2NY bus).
3/4 cup raisins (I used Trader Joe's Golden Berry Blend)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (obviously optional but I am in shock that Ina didn't include this)
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup apricot (or raspberry, I did 2 dozen of each) preserves, pureed in a food processor
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
Directions
Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins (or whatever you are using), chocolate chips, and walnuts.
On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough.
Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges—cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. This is a great time to get out that pizza cutter you bought and never use. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or of course a Silpat). Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.
Come on admit it. At one time or another in your life you have found yourself faced with the prospect of eating a grocery store sheet cake and saying yes. Be it at an office party/kindergarten graduation/best friend's cousin's bat mitzvah reception, you saw it in the corner of the room awaiting it's pomp and circumstance and then quick demise. Your thighs say no, but your eyes say yes. Then finally the moment of truth. The songs have been sung, the cake has been cut, plates are being passed. You pass up the first plate ("oh no, that's way too big"), you even pass up the second. But then the third piece you're responsible for taking or passing, it's just perfect. Somehow against all odds, it seems that every single flower that was on that ginormous cake is now nestled on your plate. Fate has intervened. There is no way you can pass this little piece of perfection. You dig in.
For me, it's all about the frosting in this scenario. The cake is inevitably a disappointment so you've set the bar for that low, but the frosting, you always hope that it can carry the team. Heaven forbid that if your beloved frosting has that tell-tale taste of food coloring and playdough which so often mars a beautiful grocery store creation. There is only one way to salvage this situation. Throw the cake away? You are sadly mistake my friend. The obvious answer is to think back to what your 7 year-old self would do. She would take the back of her fork and squish the cake and frosting together until there was a disgusting looking paste and then enjoy the fruits of her labor. This my friends is not doubt the way that the cake ball was born.
Whip up a cake today and prove me wrong that this isn't the best way to eat a sheet cake. Kudos to Scho for introducing this concept to me via her friends at Bakerella.
Today I was in the mood for Red Velvet Cake Balls, but I have also made delicious cake balls using the Red Wine Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from the lovely ladies at We are Not Martha. The tartness of the red wine was a fantastic complement to the sweet duo of frosting and chocolate shell.
You're going to judge me, but I can take it. While I have made many a sheet cake from scratch, there are times (you can count them on one hand) where I have used a boxed cake mix. This my friends was one of those times. I like to think I make up for my transgression by making my own frosting.
Cake Balls!
Directions for the easiest recipe you have ever attempted. Seriously, cake + frosting = cake balls!
1) Using your favorite cake recipe (or least hated cake mix), bake a 13x9 sheet cake and let cool COMPLETELY. I made red velvet.
2) Whip up a batch of your favorite frosting (or buy a tub on aisle 7). The best pairing for red velvet is most certainly cream cheese frosting and lucky for you that is the easiest frosting to make from scratch.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese (obvi I use 1/3 less fat)
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla your aunt smuggled back from Mexico (or whatever you find on aisle 7)
Cream together cream cheese and butter using an electric hand mixer (or a standing mixer if you have it). On medium speed mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla one teaspoon at a time until thoroughly combined. When your frosting looks perfect (don't get lazy and leave any lumps, you will regret it), cover and put in fridge to chill until you are ready to start ballin'.
3) When your cake is totally cool and not a moment sooner, get out a knife and rip that sucker up into a large mixing bowl. Seriously, you want it to look like this.
4) Mix frosting into bowl of cake crumbs using a good spatula, combining well.
5) Let mixture chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes-1 hour (or longer if need be).
6) Using cookie dough scoop or melon baller to measure roll little your cake balls into semi-precious little lumps and drop onto wax covered cookie sheet. Repeat 75 times (yes this recipe makes 75 cake balls).
7) Let cake balls chill in freezer until you are ready to dip in chocolate.
8) To cover cake balls in chocolate, melt semi-sweet chocolate chips one cup a time in microwave for approximately 1-2 minutes depending on microwave, stir until completely melted.
9) Using two spoons roll cake ball around one at a time in the melted chocolate until it's completely covered in a thin layer of chocolate. Return cake ball to wax lined baking sheet. Repeat 75 times. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired.
10) You can chill cake balls in the fridge or the freezer depending on your preference. The last time I made them my friends stashed them in the freezer early in the party and shared them as a treat with people they liked (secrets, secrets are no fun).
Serve chilled, frozen or at room temperature.
Scho's beautiful Fourth of July cake balls from last year, my cake-spiration
For reasons that are not entirely clear to me, I have always been obsessed with Donny and Marie's classic "Little Bit Country/Little Bit Rock and Roll."
Maybe it's that I identify with the duality of the song (after all I am a Gemini). Having been raised a dual citizen of sorts, conveniently enough smack dab in the middle in Washington, DC, a city which itself often gets characterized as in a perpetual identity crisis. With one parent from Texas and the other a dyed in the wool Yankee (but luckily not a Yankee's fan) I have always had the best of both worlds. I got an appreciation for Bruce Springsteen and summers in the freezing Atlantic Ocean as well as a knack for knowing good Tex-Mex and a love of Governor Ann Richards.
While my mother was horrified by my preference for sugar in my grits (instead of the requisite salt, pepper and even hot sauce) my father was, actually who am I kidding, apart from rooting for the Red Sox my father has pretended he's from Texas since 1976, but I digress. And then I digress further.
I have always found the North/South divide most interesting when it comes to corn bread. I don't like gritty corn bread. A black iron skillet? Only if you've got a little sugar and certainly some butter in there. If I'm being really honest with myself, I most adore the corn bread at Whole Foods. Sweet, moist and consistent. But I know it's not true to form.
That why I love this recipe so much, it's got spice, real corn meal, CHEESE, and it's still a little bit sweet. I kicked Ina up a notch (double Food Network pun!) adding a can of creamed corn but you don't really need it I guess. If this cornbread can make me forget the cake they sell at Whole Foods, then it will make anyone a true believer. Also if you don't own this cookbook you should, it's awesome.
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers
1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn
Directions
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions, jalapenos, and creamed corn and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Making a new challah recipe every (or almost every) week can be daunting.
I've learned a lot about the science of proofing yeast and some general rules about working with dough, but there is something especially daunting about starting from scratch (ha!) with a new recipe each week. I do on occasion go back to recipes I've made before, (I think we all recall my obsession with dairy challah made with buttah aka Paula Challah). I'm guessing I'd lose my audience though if every Friday you found a blog about the my latest favorite video from YouTube and Ben's rants about the DMV. So onward and upwards with a new recipe, this one from our buddies at Zabars, which needless to say is one of my fav New York spots.
This challah recipe has a lot going for it. 1) It was easy enough to make. 2) Needed only 2 hours and 45 minutes to rise. 3) Stole my heart when it called for 2 packages of yeast for one loaf (the yeastier the tastier). 4 & 5) Has enough sugar in it to please Zach Lainer and raisins to boot which would make my brother very happy were he not en route to Louisville for the weekend (which reminds me happy graduation Leah!).
But bake up nice and perfect? Not so much. I'm going to take part of the blame for this since it was my first attempt at a round challah. But just like Beauty dug deep and found love for the Beast, I found love for this challah. Watch this sucker closely though, you will almost certainly need to tent it with aluminum foil to keep it from browning too much.
Next time I am going to make sure my dough is less sticky and throw some more flour on while kneading as well as oil my hands well before rolling out the dough. I was left with an enormous loaf which is probably about the same size as my friend Kellie's perfect baby boy born this morning (but far less attractive).
Bradley Alexander Susterka! 7lb 6oz. 20 inches. Born May 13 at 5:01am.
Ingredients: 2 packages dry yeast 2/3 Cup Warm Water (110 degrees) 5 Egg Yolks – Lightly Beaten 3 Whole Eggs – Lightly Beaten 7 Tablespoons Corn Oil ½ Cup Sugar 2 Teaspoons Salt 4 ½ Cups Flour 1 Cup Raisins (Optional) 1 Egg Yolk – Beaten Poppy Seeds (optional)
Preparation:
1. In cup or small bowl dissolve Yeast in the warm water with approx 1 tablespoon of sugar. After just a few minutes the yeast should begin to "bloom". It will become foamy and it will give off a sweet smell. If your yeast is not fresh this will not happen – do not go any further – start over with fresh yeast (ATTENTION RACHEL FOX).
2. In a large bowl mix Egg Yolks, Eggs, Oil, remaining Sugar, Salt and Yeast mixture.
3. Add enough flour to form stiff but sticky dough (I obviously used a standing mixer with a dough hook attachment, worked like a charm).
4. Then turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (adding more flour if needed) – about 6 minutes – work in raisins as kneading.
5. Form a ball and place in a greased bowl and turn dough so all sides are greased. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in warm area to double in bulk – about two hours.
6. Punch down and knead briefly.
7. Roll dough into a 24” long rope. Create a spiral round loaf. (Sometimes I divide the dough into three parts, then I make three smaller ropes and braid them – then I form a circle from with the braid).
8. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment.
9. Brush loaf with beaten egg yolk, sprinkle top with poppy seeds (if desired), and allow too rise until dough doubles in size – about 45 minutes.
10. Bake until golden brown in a pre-heated 375 degree oven – 35 to 40 minutes.
