Monthly Archives: December 2023

KAB Recipe of 2024!

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I received a personalized email from King Arthur Baking (along with probably a million other customers) proclaiming their selection of the recipe of the year for 2024. How could I resist.?

There were two interesting techniques that I never used in cookies. The first was making brown butter. This adds a rich caramel taste. The other was tangzhong, which is used in many Japanese breads to provide a soft, fluffy texture.

I never made brown butter before (but will again) and was an unsure when it was “done.” The recipe states it will foam near the end, but it also foams near the beginning. The second foam is very fine and if you stir the butter and you can see the browned butter with some bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

I also formed the dough into balls before refrigerating overnight. It seemed like s sensible step.

All the ingredients are ready
Second “fine” foam
It looks lumpy bit thats ok
An ice cream scoop was about right to make 90g balls of dough. They can be close together until ready to bake.
Balls need to be well spaced or they will meld together.
Well, they were not spaced out enough!
Soft and chewy as claimed, great flavor with hints of caramel.

Chocolate Chip Cookies – Supersized, Super Soft from KAB

PREP-45 mins: BAKE-15 to 22 mins: TOTAL-1 day 1 hr: YIELD-16 to 17 large (4″) cookies or 28 medium (3″) cookies

INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups (426g) light brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 16 tablespoons (226g) unsalted butter, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1/2 cup (113g) milk, whole preferred
• 2 3/4 cups (330g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour, divided
• 2 large eggs, cold from the refrigerator
• 1 tablespoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate, preferably 60% to 65% cocoa content*
*Use chopped wafers or bars for best results; if using chocolate chips, chop them roughly before incorporating. (My chocolate chips were small so I didn’t chop them.)

METHOD

  1. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar and salt. Set aside.
  2. To brown the butter: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. After several minutes, the butter will sizzle and may spatter. Continue to cook the butter, swirling the pan regularly, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until it’s a dark golden brown color and brown bits start collecting at the bottom of the pan; the butter will have stopped sizzling and may also have a layer of foam on the surface.
  3. Once the butter is browned, immediately pour it over the sugar mixture (be sure to scrape out the brown bits at the bottom) and whisk vigorously to combine; this helps dissolve the sugar slightly and creates the shiny surface of the baked cookies. (The mixture will stay lumpy and won’t become smooth at this point.) Set the empty saucepan aside to cool slightly.
  4. To make the tangzhong: In the same saucepan used to brown the butter, combine the milk with 3 tablespoons (23g) of the bread flour and whisk until no lumps remain.
  5. Place the saucepan over low heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly with a whisk and then a flexible spatula, until it’s thickened, paste-like, and starts to come together into one mass, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Remove from the heat and transfer directly to the bowl with the butter and sugar. Whisk until mostly smooth; some lumps of the tangzhong mixture are OK.
  7. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue whisking until smooth.
  8. Weigh or measure the remaining 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (307g) bread flour by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Add the bread flour to the bowl with the butter and sugar, then add the baking powder and baking soda. Using a whisk or flexible spatula, stir until well combined and no dry spots remain.
  9. Place the bowl, uncovered, in the refrigerator and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
  10. While the batter is cooling, use a serrated knife to roughly chop the chocolate into coarse pieces. Avoid chopping the chocolate too fine, as small pieces will melt when mixed into the dough.
  11. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and fold in the chopped chocolate. (Dough weighs 1440g. This will make sixteen 90g cookies before baking.)
  12. Return the dough to the refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours.
  13. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and form the dough into 85g to 90g balls, (50g for small cookies,) flatten slightly with the palm of your hand to about 3” diameter circles, cover and return to the refrigerator for 24 to 72 hours to allow the flavors to intensify.
  14. To bake the cookies: When you’re ready to bake, remove the chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to warm up slightly. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
  15. Arrange the cookie dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, them 3″ to 4″ apart. (Five dough balls fit perfectly on a half-sheet pan. The 90g cookies can be arranged in a 2-1-2 pattern; the 50g cookies can be arranged in a slightly staggered 4 x 2 pattern.) For consistently shaped cookies, roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball before baking.
  16. Bake the large (90g) chocolate chip cookies for 18 to 22 minutes or the smaller (50g) cookies for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are set and the cookies are browned, rotating the pan halfway through baking to ensure even browning. (For best results, bake one pan of cookies at a time.) Remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheets until cool enough to handle, at least 15 minutes.

Storage information: Store leftover chocolate chip cookies, covered, for up to 5 days; their slightly crispy edges will soften and the cookies will maintain a soft texture. Freeze baked cookies for longer storage.

Blueberry/Lemon Drizzle Cake

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Always a fan of Chef Jacques Pepin who scores a home run again with this cake. It’s easy to make, the directions are spot on and it’s delicious to boot!

My only change was to substitute 1/2 cup of yogurt for 1/2 cup of sour cream. Who knew a container of yogurt was only 1/2 cup?

Blueberry Cake —Cake Chef Jacques Pepin

Active time: 15min Total Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ½ c plus 1 Tbl AP flour divided.
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 c granulated sugar
  • ½ c plain yogurt (or 1 c yogurt and no sour cream)
  • ½ c sour cream (or 1 c sour cream and no yogurt)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ½ c vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 ½ c fresh or frozen blueberries
    Lemon Glaze/Syrup
  • 3 Tbl lemon juice
  • 1 c sifted confectioner’s sugar

    METHOD
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F
  2. Grease the sides and bottom of a loaf pan
  3. Sift together all dry ingredients for the bread
  4. In a large bowl, mix together all the moist ingredients
  5. Slowly add in the dry ingredients
  6. In a separate bowl, add the Tbl of flour to the blueberries and toss to coat the fruit.
  7. Fold gently into the batter
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan
  9. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. If a toothpick comes out clean the bread is done
  10. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes
  11. Remove loaf from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack
  12. In a small saucepan on low heat, add the powdered sugar to the lemon juice and let it dissolve.
    Simmer for 3 minutes
  13. Using a toothpick, poke holes all over the loaf, top and sides
  14. Use a pastry brush to brush the lemon syrup on the top and the sides.

Fudge – Not Like What Mom Made

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I made a recipe for chocolate fudge that was totally different from my Mom’s. (To be fair it did use chocolate.)

It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t Mom’s either. This new recipe was smooth, silky, and not too sweet, like what you buy in a good chocolate shop.

Mom’s, or to be more accurate, Better Housekeeping’s, is sweet, a bit grainy and significantly more work. (Beating at the end to achieve the correct viscosity for it to still pour, but harden properly is always a challenge.)

It was a good exercise and it’s always a fun to try new recipes, but Mom always liked her’s best, (an homage to Tommy Smothers) and so do QC and me.

Chocolate Fudge –
with Sweetened Condensed Milk

INGREDIENTS
• 350 g (12 oz) 54% dark chocolate chips
• 397 g (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 20 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of sea salt

METHOD

  1. Line an 8” square cake pan with parchment paper.
  2. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan chopped chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, softened butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
  3. On low heat, let the preparation melt completely while stirring from time to time with a spatula.
  4. Immediately pour the preparation into the prepared pan.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.
  6. When the chocolate fudge has completely cooled, remove it from the cake pan and cut into 1” squares.

Chocolate Fudge –
Good Housekeeping’s and Mom’s

INGREDIENTS

• 4 c sugar
• 1 1/3 c milk
• ¼ c corn syrup
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
• ¼ c butter
• 2 tsp vanilla

METHOD

  1. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with butter.
  2. In 3-quart saucepan, cook sugar, milk, corn syrup, salt and chocolate over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and sugar is dissolved. Cook, stirring occasionally, to 234°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water; remove from heat. Stir in butter.
  3. Cool mixture without stirring to 120°F, about 1 hour. (Bottom of saucepan will be lukewarm.) Add vanilla. Beat vigorously and continuously 5 to 10 minutes, using wooden spoon, until mixture is thick and no longer glossy. (Mixture will hold its shape when dropped from a spoon.)
  4. Spread in pan. Let stand about 1 hour or until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares.

Christmas ‘23 – Like No Other

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Covid sucks. No sense in beating around the bush, Covid just plain sucks. It totally disrupted our holiday today, and tomorrow and…

We were invited to a family dinner tonight and I was asked if I could bring my dinner rolls and one of my desserts, to which I said “Of course!” I decided to make rolls in the shape of a Christmas tree and eclairs suitable for a Christmas dinner.

When I contacted our relative and begged off due to possible Covid exposure she said I shouldn’t bring the rolls and dessert. I told her how I was looking forward to baking and making them and would be very disappointed to not be able to. (I dropped them off this afternoon.)

I know her husband loves the my eclairs so I modified my usual ones to be “Christmasy.” I glazed a few with my normal dark chocolate and made colored white chocolate for the rest, I reserved some of the white chocolate glaze and colored it using oil based food coloring. I “painted” the faces etc and realized in the future I need to make the eclairs larger to have a larger “canvas” to paint on. I call this “Tim Burton’s Eclairs for Christmas” eclairs.

Christmas Tree Dinner Rolls

INGREDIENTS
• 488 g (2 cups) warm milk
• 2 tablespoons instant dry yeast
• 50 g white granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 tablespoons salted butter softened
• 2 large eggs
• 750-850 g (6-7c) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 egg and 1 Tbl water for an egg wash
• ½ c fresh cranberries – choose the most uniform
• Several sprigs fresh rosemary.
• ½ c water
• 1 ½ c sugar, divided 1:½

METHOD

  1. In the Pro600 stand mixer bowl, combine and mix all ingredients except the flour. (This is to remind me to use my larger mixer.)
  2. Add in 5 ½ cups of flour. Using a dough hook, turn the mixer on and increase speed slowly to keep the flour from flying all over. Slowly add the remaining flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (I watch the bottom of the bowl and add flour until the dough just comes clean from the bottom.) Once the dough clears, knead for 8 minutes. The dough mixture should be sticky and soft.
  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. (I dump the dough on the counter, spray the stand mixer bowl with some olive oil and return the dough, cover and let rise 45 – 60 minutes, until doubled.)
  4. Form the the dough into into 45g balls.
  5. Arrange the balls into 8 rows, 3 for the base of the tree, then 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
  6. Reserved one ball to shape the star. (I used a star cookie cutter.)
  7. Cover and let rise 45 – 60 min.
  8. Preheat oven to 375⁰F 15 minutes before the end of the final proof.
  9. Mix egg and water to make an egg wash and lightly brush the rolls.
  10. Bake the rolls for 12 to 14 minutes, until lightly browned.
  11. Remove rolls from oven and brush with melted butter. Best when served warm. To cool, let rest in the pan for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Once cooled completely, store in a plastic bag.

Sparkling sugar cranberries and Rosemary

  1. Wash cranberries and put in a heat proof bowl
  2. Bring the water and 1 c sugar to a simmer
  3. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes then pour over the cranberries
  4. Cool for 1-2 hours in the fridge.
  5. Strain the berries and let dry
  6. Roll in granulated sugar, spread on parchment paper and let dry
  7. Repeat with the rosemary

Pinball Wizard

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This week was our son, Neil’s, birthday. He is a coffee Q Grader, cat owner and competitive pin ball player. This cake was in honor of one of his many accomplishments?

It’s based on my extreme chocolate cake, shortbread cookies and added a new meringue buttercream frosting. It was a relatively small cake so the decorations were somewhat oversized, but overall it was acceptable.

The red and white is royal icing. The black and yellow is fondant.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream – From Sally’s Baking Addiction

INGREDIENTS
• 6 large egg whites (approximately 230g)
• 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/2 cups (3 sticks; 350g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool (60°F and firm) and cut into Tbsp size pieces
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

METHOD

  1. Make sure all the tools you are using are completely cleaned, dried, and grease-free. A quick wipe with a little lemon juice or white vinegar is very helpful.
  2. Separate the eggs 1 at a time into a small bowl, then transfer to the metal stand mixer bowl. Repeat with the remaining egg whites. This way, if a yolk breaks in one of them, you don’t waste the whole batch.
  3. Whisk sugar into the egg whites, then set the bowl over a saucepan filled with two inches of simmering water over medium heat assuring the bottom of the egg whites bowl don’t touch the water.
  4. Whisk the whites and sugar constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out, about 4 minutes. The mixture will be thick and tacky at first, then thin out and be frothy white on top. To test that it’s ready, you can use your finger, or an instant read thermometer. Lightly and quickly dip your finger (it’s very hot, be careful) and rub the mixture between your thumb and finger. You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules. If using a thermometer, the temperature should read 160°F (71°C).
  5. Don’t let it cool down to start this next step– it’s important to begin mixing while it is still warm. On medium-high speed, beat the mixture until stiff glossy peaks form and the meringue is no longer warm to the touch, at least 10-15 minutes. On particularly humid days, this has taken me up to 17-18 minutes. If it’s still not reaching stiff peaks, stop the mixer, place the bowl–uncovered–in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, then return to the mixer and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
  6. If the bowl and meringue still feel warm, wait until both cool to room temperature (around 70°F (21°C)) before adding the butter in the next step. Feel free to place it in the refrigerator. A warm bowl and meringue will melt the butter.
  7. Switch the stand mixer to the paddle attachment. On medium-high speed, add the butter 1 Tablespoon at a time. Wait for the butter to fully mix in before adding the next Tablespoon. After all the butter has been added, turn the mixer down to medium speed and fully beat in the vanilla and salt, about 30 seconds.
  8. Add any color the beat until uniform. (Gel food coloring only.)
  9. Your Swiss meringue buttercream should be thick, creamy, and silky smooth.

Notes
Too Thick or Too Thin:

  1. If your meringue has separated, curdled, or is too thick at any point after you mix in all of the butter, place the mixture in your heat-proof bowl back over a pot of 2 inches of simmering water.
  2. Without stirring, let the edges of the meringue warm up and become liquid (the center of the meringue will still be solid), about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and return to the mixer. Beat meringue on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to medium-high speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Works every time.
  4. If your mixture has become too thin and soupy after you add the butter, place the entire bowl in the refrigerator (covered or uncovered, doesn’t matter) for 20 minutes to cool down, then return it to the mixer and beat on medium-high speed until thickened. Any longer than this will solidify the butter, so only refrigerate in 20 minute spurts. If it’s still soupy, place back in the refrigerator for longer before re-whipping again.