Eat The Love

Roasted Carrots with Za’atar, Pomegranate Seeds and Molasses (with video)

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 18:45:49 GMT

This quick and easy roasted carrots is packed with flavor because of the za’atar spice blend and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses and seeds.

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These carrots are a great and easy side dish to go along with something like my Lamb Tagine, Mediterranean Meatballs or Spiced Lamb and Beef Kebabs. Since the carrots are cooked under the broiler, they cook fast, with a slight smoky char to them. Regular orange carrots are great, but to make the dish extra special, look for rainbow carrots, which are available at farmers markets and upscale grocery stores.

How do you make roasted carrots?

Though it’s easy to roast carrots in the oven, this recipe has the carrots roasted under a broiler, functioning almost like grilling the carrots. Broiling the carrots chars them slightly, giving a slight smokiness and heightens the sweetness to the carrot. The direct heat of the broiler also means the carrots are done in about 10 minutes!

To broil the carrots, slice the carrots lengthwise so they cook faster, and then toss them with olive oil, za’atar, salt and pepper. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes, turning or tossing the carrots halfway.

Once done, drizzle with pomegranate molasses and sprinkle with fresh pomegranate seeds before serving.

What are rainbow carrots?

This recipe can be made with regular orange carrots but look beautiful when made with rainbow carrots. Carrots actually comes in a variety of colors beyond orange, and they all taste like carrots. Different colored carrots do have slightly different flavor profiles though! You can find rainbow carrots at farmers markets and upscale grocery stores.

Orange carrots: Orange carrots are the most common carrots that folks are familiar with. They are sweet, earthy and crunchy.
Purple carrots: These carrots are more earthy and savory in flavor. They tend to be a little less sweet flavor than orange carrots. Some variety of purple carrots have a beautiful orange or yellow center, while some purple carrots are dark all the way through. The purple carrots with the dark center occasionally to have a hint of pepperiness to them.
White carrots: These carrots are less earthy and more sweet. White carrots tend to be crunchier and crisper than other carrots.
Yellow/Golden carrots: These carrots are mild in flavor and are sweet with a little less earthiness than orange carrots.
Red carrots: These carrots are similar to orange carrots in flavor, but their red color comes from lycopene, which is the heathy antioxidant found in tomatoes.

What is za’atar and can you substitute?

Za’atar is a specific culinary herb similar to oregano, thyme, marjoram and savory. But most folks are familiar with za’atar as a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern spice blend mix of dried za’atar or another more familiar green herb like thyme or oregano, as well as other spices like sesame seeds, and sumac.

The za’atar that I use in this recipe is the more commonly found spice blend mix that can be bought at upscale grocery stores and online. There are hundreds of recipes and variations of how to make your own za’atar online.

But if you don’t have za’atar and can’t find it, feel free to substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon dried sumac or lemon zest in place of the za’atar in recipe.

What is Pomegranate molasses and can you substitute?

Pomegranate molasses is a syrup made from the juice of the pomegranate fruit. The juice is reduced to a thick dark red syrup and is both sweet and tart. It can be found in well-stock grocery stores, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern grocery stores and online.

If you don’t have access to pomegranate molasses do not substitute regular molasses for it! Regular molasses is too bitter and aggressive in flavor for this recipe.

Though it will change the flavor profile of the recipe, you can try substituting aged balsamic vinegar in this recipe or use 2 teaspoons of honey mixed with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice instead of the pomegranate molasses and just skip the pomegranate seeds. The dish flavor will shift but it will still be delicious.

Can you make this ahead?

Yes! Though this recipe is easy and fast to make, you can also make it ahead of time. Toss the carrots with the oil and spices and roast them as directed. Let the carrots cool and store them in an air tight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Do not drizzle with the pomegranate molasses or pomegranate seeds before storing them.

To serve, warm them up in the microwave or in an oven or toaster oven at 350°F for about 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with the pomegranate molasses and pomegranate seeds right before serving.

If you like these roasted carrots, check out these other roasted vegetable side dishes:

Roasted Carrots with Za’atar, Pomegranate Seeds and Molasses

This quick and easy side dish is a beautiful addition to any meal and packed with flavor. If you can find rainbow carrots, a variety of heirloom carrots often found in well-stocked grocery stores or farmers markets, use them to give this a stunning presentation. Otherwise, regular orange carrots are equally tasty in this recipe.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Keyword carrots, pomegranate, vegan, vegetarian, zaatar

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 185kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds carrots rainbow preferred
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons za’atar spice blend see note above
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses see note above
2 tablespoon pomegranate seeds

Instructions

Turn the broiler on in your oven. Remove the greens if they are still attached to the carrots. Scrub the carrots clean under water, but don’t bother peeling them. Split the carrots in half lengthwise (or quarter if necessary) so all the carrots are equal thickness. Place the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle the carrots with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the za’atar spice blend, salt and pepper.
Toss carrots with your hands until they are all coated evenly with the carrots and spices.
Place the carrots under the broiler and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, carefully turning the carrots halfway through the cooking to make sure the carrots are charred on both sides.
Once the carrots are charred and roasted, move to a serving plate. Drizzle the pomegranate molasses over the carrots and sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over the carrots before serving.

Video

The post Roasted Carrots with Za’atar, Pomegranate Seeds and Molasses (with video) appeared first on Eat The Love.

Cardamom Buns (aka Swedish Kardemummabullar)

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 00:15:29 GMT

These Swedish-style Cardamom buns are a fun, less cloyingly sweet twist on the classic American-style cinnamon roll.

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The days have gotten short and brisk here in San Francisco while the nights are long and dreary right now. And though the days will start to get longer soon, I feel like I’ll still be hunkering down for the next couple of months, trying to achieve some Scandinavian hygge, a Danish word for a mood of comfortable contentment.

This of course will entail me making large mugs of coffee, reading lots of books, wearing thick wooly sweaters and socks, and baking up a storm with warm wintery spices. And though I love making cinnamon rolls in all their various forms, from classic cinnamon rolls, red velvet cinnamon rolls, rosemary & pistachio cinnamon rolls, sweet potato cinnamon rolls and, even eggnog cinnamon rolls, I was inspired by a local Scandinavian eatery nearby, to make these cardamom knots.

What is a cardamom bun?

Cardamom buns, called kardemummabullar in Swedish, are the sibling to the classic cinnamon bun, though they are significantly less sweet, with a brown sugar cardamom filling and no icing on top. Instead of the sticky cream cheese frosting, the Scandinavian cardamom knot has Swedish pearl sugar sprinkled on top.

How do you make cardamom buns?

First you make an enriched yeasted dough, which has all-purpose flour, milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, salt, brown sugar, white sugar and a touch of cardamom in it. Knead and let the dough rise until double in size.

As the dough is rising, make the filling which has brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cardamom and cinnamon in it. Yes, the cinnamon is not traditional in a Swedish cardamom bun, but I like the extra warmth and dimension it adds. Feel free to omit it if you are a purist.

Once the dough has risen, roll the dough out in a large rectangle and spread half the filling over it. Fold the dough in half over the filling.Once the filling is sandwiched between the dough, cut the dough into 1-inch strips. Wrap the dough around your fingers and form the knots! Let the buns rise, brush with an egg wash, sprinkle with the pearl sugar and bake.

Wait back up. That knot looks complicated, how do you shape cardamom buns?

It’s not! Promise. If you can tie a ribbon around a present, you can make these buns. In fact, it’s EASIER than tying a ribbon!

Roll the entire dough out into one large rectangle, about 12 x 18-inches. Then spread the filling over half the dough. Fold the dough in half, creating a 12 x 9-inch rectangle.

Cut into 12 strips, about 1-inch thick. Take the strips of dough with the filling inside, gently stretch each strip out to twice its size, about 18-inches long.

Wrap the dough over a couple of your fingers about three times, making sure there is enough dough left for ONE more wrap around. Slide the dough off your fingers.

Then take the remaining dough and change directions, using that last piece of dough to wind around the bun, making sure the end of the dough is on the bottom of the bun.

If those instructions and photos above don’t help you, here’s a short 15 second video that shows how to twist and fold the cardamom buns.

Proceed with the recipe as written, letting the knots rise for an hour, and then brushing with an egg wash, sprinkling with pearl sugar and bake until golden brown.

What is cardamom?

Cardamom is a spice that comes from the seeds of a couple of different plants in the ginger family. It is used a lot in Indian cooking and is one of the common components in Indian chai beverages. It is native to South India and Indonesia, though most cardamom purchased in the United States is from Guatemala. Though long associated with South Asian and Middle East, cardamom spice has migrated to Scandinavia where is has been used liberally in Nordic baked goods. Sweden consumes 18 times more cardamom than the median country, while Norway consumes 30 times as much!

Cardamom has a more complex flavor profile than cinnamon, though the two are often compared to one another. Cardamom has floral and citrus notes in it, with a subtle mentholated eucalyptus taste. I use a blend of ground cinnamon and ground cardamom in this recipe because I like how they interplay with each other, but you can use all cardamom if you want to make this a traditional cardamom bun. Or you can omit the cardamom completely and use cinnamon in its place, turn these knots into beautiful individual cinnamon rolls.

What is Pearl Sugar?

Pearl sugar, otherwise known as nib sugar or hail sugar, is coarse, crunchy, hard white sugar that does not easily dissolve. It comes in two versions, Belgian and Swedish. The Belgian pearl sugar is larger and used in liege waffles, while the Swedish style is smaller and looks like pretzel salt. I use the Swedish pearl sugar on these cardamom knots. If you have Belgian style pearl sugar, try placing them in a heavy-duty freezer Ziploc bag and crushing them with a rolling pin into smaller bits before using them in this recipe.

You can find pearl sugar online (<- affiliate link) or at specialty baking and professional food shops. Ikea occasionally sells it as well in their food department. If you can’t source it or don’t wish to buy it online, you can make a substitution by lightly crushing some sugar cubes in a resealable Ziplock bag under a rolling pin. Keep in mind the resulting sugar won’t be exactly the same as the pearl sugar and the knots won’t look as traditional, but they will still taste great.

Of course, you can also just use sparkling sugar, turbinado sugar or even plain sugar on top of the knots. They won’t look as traditional but will be equally tasty, with a crunchy sweet topping.

Can you make these ahead?

Like most yeasted dough, you can make the dough ahead and slow the rise time by chilling the dough. Here are two ways you can make the dough ahead of time.

Make the dough and let it rise overnight in the fridge in a covered bowl, then take the dough out the next day to continue to rise until double in size. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
Or let the dough rise completely, divide, roll out and form the buns. Place the buns on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge overnight. The next day, let the buns come back to room temperature, about 1 to 2 hour on the counter or kitchen table, then brush with the egg wash, sprinkle with the pearl sugar, and bake as directed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I substitute instant or rapid rise yeast for the active dry yeast?

Yes! I use active dry yeast but feel free to substitute instant or rapid rise yeast for the active dry yeast if that is what you have on hand. You can either reduce the amount of instant or rapid rise yeast to 1 3/4 teaspoon instead of the full 2 1/4 teaspoon that the recipe calls for, or just use the same amount of yeast as the active dry yeast. If you use the same amount, keep in mind the dough will double and rise faster so check the dough in 30 to 45 minutes instead of 1 hour.

Instant yeast also does not need to be dissolved in liquid first. Just add the yeast with the flour and proceed with the recipe.

Can I knead this dough without a stand mixer?

Yes! Just hand knead this dough for 6 to 7 minutes on a clean surface until the dough is smooth and elastic. You want the dough to be slightly tacky but not sticky and not dry.

How do you store these buns?

Store the buns in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days at room temperature or up to 7 days in the fridge. Warm them up in the microwave for 30 seconds or in the oven/toaster oven at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes or until warm.

Can you freeze the cardamom knots?

Yes! These cardamom knots freeze great! Let the knots cool completely and then place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours or until they are completely frozen. Then store them in a resealable Ziploc bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw them on the countertop or just warm them up directly in the microwave (1 minutes) or in an oven/toaster oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warm.

If you like these cardamom buns, you might also like these other baked breakfast treats:

Cardamom knots

These beautiful Swedish cardamom knots are easier to make than they look. A cousin to the classic cinnamon roll, these buns have ground cardamom, as well as a touch of cinnamon, in the filling, adding an alluring floral and citrus note to these buns. Feel free to use all cardamom in the filling if you’d like a more traditional cardamom bun. These buns require two resting periods to rise, so plan accordingly, or make the buns one day, let them rest in the fridge overnight, and bake them the next day!

Course bread, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Swedish

Keyword bread, buns, cardamom, cinnamon, swedish meatballs, sweet buns, yeast

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Resting time 2 hours

Servings 12

Calories 362kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast 7 g or 1 package
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1/4 cup white granulated sugar 50 g
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups all-purpose flour plus more if necessary

Filling

6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 165 g
2 tablespoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

To finish

1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons Swedish pearl sugar see note above

Instructions

Make the dough by first warming the milk up on the stove in a small pan, about 15 seconds or so on high. You only want the milk to get warm to the touch, not hot. Remove from heat, stir in the brown sugar, then stir in the yeast until it dissolves. Set aside for 5 minutes to proof.
Once the yeast has proofed and bubbles start to form at the top of the surface of the milk, pour the liquid into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the melted butter, eggs, sugar, cardamom, vanilla and salt. Stir with a whisk or a fork to combine.
Add the flour and turn the mixer on low speed and mix until flour has been absorbed and a shaggy dough has formed. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to help this along. Once most of the flour has been absorbed, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should not be sticky but slightly tacky. If you need to add more flour, knead it in 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency.
Grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Grab the dough and pull/stretch the sides of it until a smooth round ball is formed. Place the dough, rough side down, in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
While the dough is rising, make the filling by placing the butter and vanilla in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom in a medium sized bowl.
Prep two 12 x 17 baking sheets by placing silicon baking mats or parchment paper on each of them. If you’re using parchment paper, liberally spray the paper with cooking oil.
Once the dough has risen, roll the dough out to a 12 x 18 inch rectangle. With the dough in a vertical “portrait” position, spread the filling over the top half of the dough, leaving the bottom half bare.
Fold the dough over, sandwiching the filling between two layers of dough, forming a 12 x 9 inch rectangle.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 12 strips, about 1-inch thick.
Take one strip and gently stretch the dough until it is about twice as long (about 18 inches). Then wrap the dough around two fingers 3 times. After the third time, slide the dough off your fingers and wrap the remaining dough perpendicularly over the dough, forming a knot. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining strips.
Cover with plastic wrap and let the knots rise again for about 1 hour in a warm place. They should look puffy but will not have doubled in size.
Beat the egg yolk and water together in a small bowl. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Once the knots have finished their final rise, brush them with the egg wash and then sprinkle them with a generous amount of pearl sugar. Bake the knots for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top. Don’t worry some of the filling leaks out of the knot. That is to be expected. If you have an instant read thermometer, the inside temperature should read 185°F.
Let the knots cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire cooling wrap to cool completely.

The post Cardamom Buns (aka Swedish Kardemummabullar) appeared first on Eat The Love.

Red Velvet Crackle Cookies

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 13:00:20 GMT

Red velvet crackle cookies are fun variation of the chocolate crackle cookie with a secret ingredient to give that classic red velvet flavor!

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I’ve been obsessed with red velvet EVERYTHING for years now. This is evident with my recipes for red velvet cinnamon rolls, red velvet smores (with cream cheese marshmallows), and my ridiculous blood orange and coconut velvet cake. And though red velvet’s popularity has definitely gone up and down over the years, I’ve been a steady proponent of it. So this year, I finally got around to nailing the red velvet crackle cookie recipe that I’ve been working on for years.

Similar to my chocolate crackle cookies and my reverse white chocolate crackle cookies, and my black forest chocolate crinkle cookies, these cookies have a touch of cocoa powder and a healthy dose of red food coloring gives the cookie the same look and flavor of red velvet cake. In addition, the powdered sugar coating has a touch of buttermilk powder to give a slight tang to it, just like the cream cheese frosting would give. A festive cookie perfect for the holidays (and, truthfully, all year round).

How do you make these cookies?

Making these crackle cookies are pretty easy. Start by mixing together melted butter with sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder and salt.

Then add in eggs, milk and red food coloring. Add in the flour and then mix until you have a very sticky loose batter.

At this point you need to refrigerate the dough for at least an hour, preferably overnight. The dough is super sticky and can be challenging to work with. The chilling definitely makes it easier!

Once chilled, divide the dough, roll it in granulated sugar, then a combo of powdered sugar and buttermilk powder. Bake and serve!

What is buttermilk powder and why use it?

Buttermilk powder is dried buttermilk that has been turned from liquid to a powder form. You can find it online (Amazon affiliate link) and in well stocked grocery stores.

That said, it’s totally optional in this recipe. I add a touch of it to the powdered sugar coating. It has a slight tang to it and adds a subtle creaminess to the coating, giving the cookies that classic cream cheese frosting tang.

But if you don’t have buttermilk powder, or don’t feel like tracking it down, feel free to skip it or substitute nonfat dry milk or malted milk powder in its place. The cookies will be awesome anyway you make them!

How do you make the best looking cookies?

Often times crackle cookies, once baked, end up absorbing the powdered sugar, which means the cookies don’t look that great. You want the bright white powdered sugar to stay bright white in contrast to the dark inside.

The secret is first coating the cookie in granulated sugar, then the powdered sugar! The granulated sugar acts as a “protective” coating and keeps the powdered sugar from being absorbed into the cookie. The result is a bright white coating over the cookie which makes the best looking cookie.

Do you need to use food coloring? Is there a natural way to dye the cookies?

Though I am usually not a fan of artificial food coloring, almost all the natural red food colorings that I have tried in the past have either imparted an odd flavor (paprika, beets or hibiscus) or fade to a brown color when baked or heated. Because of that, I recommend using conventional artificial red food coloring for these cookies.

But if you find a natural food coloring that holds its color when baked and doesn’t add an odd flavor to these cookies, please leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to test it out and add it to the recipe notes!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make these cookie dough ahead of time?

Yes! In fact, the recipe calls for a chilling of the cookie dough for a minimum of an hour. If you want, you let the dough rest up to 48 hours (2 days) in the refrigerator. The longer you chill the dough, the easier to handle the cookie dough when dividing and rolling them into balls and in the coating. Just make sure the cookie dough is tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.

How do you store these cookies?

Store these cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Can you freeze these cookies?

Yes. You can freeze these cookies. Keep in mind that the powdered sugar will dissolve a bit when you thaw them out. So the appearance might not be as beautiful as when you first baked them.

To freeze the, put them on a rimmed baking sheet and place them it in the freezer. Once the cookies are frozen solid, about 2 hours, store the cookies in an air tight container, with parchment paper between layers. The cookies will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

If you like these red velvet crackle cookies, check out some of these other cookie recipes

Red Velvet Crackle Cookies

These red velvet crackle cookies are variation of the traditional chocolate crackle cookies. The addition of the buttermilk powder in the coating is optional but helps give the coating a creamy tangy flavor reminiscent of cream cheese frosting. If you want a more intense red color, increase the food coloring to 2 teaspoons.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword christmas, cookies, holidays

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour

Servings 36

Calories 80kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Dough

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar 250 g
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted 57 g
1 tablespoon cocoa powder natural not Dutch-processed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk any percentage
1 teaspoon red food coloring
2 cups all-purpose flour 280 g

Coating

1/2 cup powdered sugar 57 g
1 tablespoon buttermilk powder optional (see note above)
1/2 cup granulated sugar 100 g

Instructions

Place the sugar, melted butter, cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix the ingredients together until uniform in color and clings to the side of the bowl.
Add the eggs, milk, and red food coloring. Mix until incorporated. Scrape down again.
Add the flour and mix slowly, turning the mixer on and off if necessary, until the flour is absorbed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, the increase the speed and mix until everything is thoroughly incorporated. The dough will be very loose.
Place a piece of plastic wrap on your counter or table and scrape the dough onto it. Wrap tightly, pushing and spreading the dough into a rectangle after you wrap it tightly. Place in the refrigerator for one hour, or preferably overnight.
Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
Combine the powdered sugar with the buttermilk (if using) in a medium bowl. Place the granulated sugar in a different bowl.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Then divide each 4 sections into 9 pieces. Take one piece and roll it in your hand into a ball.
Roll the ball in the granulated sugar until coated. Then place in the powdered sugar and roll until completely coated.
Place on the baking sheet and repeat, making sure the cookies are placed 2 inches apart from each other.
Once the pan is filled, bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are just set. Don’t overbake. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire cooling rack.

The post Red Velvet Crackle Cookies appeared first on Eat The Love.

Cranberry Spiral Bread with Ginger and Pecans [Sponsored Post]

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 13:00:15 GMT

This stunning holiday cranberry spiral bread is inspired by a Swedish tea ring but has a cranberry, ginger, and pecan fruit filling that will make your holiday table look spectacular.

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This post was sponsored by Bi-Rite Market. I was compensated for this post and developing this recipe. However, all opinions below are my own.

I’ve been making this cranberry spiral fruit bread ring for years now in one version or another. It’s inspired by a traditional Swedish tea ring, a yeasted coffee cake that is often served during the winter months. Yet somehow, I have never actually gotten to share the recipe on my blog. So when I was approached to partner with my favorite local San Francisco grocer, Bi-Rite Market, I knew it was the recipe I wanted to share! I’ve been shopping at Bi-Rite Market for the past 15 years, ever since I moved two blocks away from them, and they always have the best seasonal and local produce available.

This cranberry spiral bread is one of those stunning desserts that uses seasonal fresh cranberries in the filling along with crystallized ginger and chopped pecans. Rolled into a log, made into a ring, then cut partially into spiral disks, the sweet yeasted bread looks like a beautiful holiday wreath that you can eat!

How do you make this spiral bread ring?

The base of this recipe is similar to a cinnamon roll dough or my apricot blueberry braided bread, where you make an enriched yeasted dough, filled with sugar, flour, eggs, butter, yeast milk, water, and spices. Knead the dough and let it rise until double in size.

While the dough is rising, make the cranberry filling on the stove by cooking cranberries, sugar, and orange juice. Once cooked, add in some chopped pecans and chopped crystallized ginger.

Once the dough has risen, roll it into a large rectangle, spread the filling over it, and roll the dough into a log, like you would to make cinnamon rolls. But instead of slicing into discs to make cinnamon rolls, bring the ends together to form a ring.

Place the ring on a sheet of greased parchment paper in a baking sheet. Cut the dough with scissors partially, all the way around the ring. Then twist each disk slightly so it lies flat to show off the spiral! Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again.

Brush with an egg wash, then bake. Once baked and cooled, drizzle vanilla glaze over the ring and serve.

Can I use store-bought or homemade cranberry sauce for the filling?

I don’t recommend using canned cranberry sauce for the filling as the canned cranberry sauce will most likely melt in the baking of the bread.

Depending on how chunky and thick your homemade cranberry sauce is, you might be able to use it as filling. The thicker the cranberry sauce, the better. Just use 1 1/2 cups of the homemade cranberry sauce and add in the chopped pecans and chopped crystallized sugar.

Keep in mind that most homemade sauce will be a little thinner so there might be more leakage in the filling when you bake the bread. If you wish, you can compensate for this by cooking the cranberry sauce for a little bit on the stovetop to thicken it. Try cooking it for 10 minutes, then cool it and check the consistency. It should be thick, like jam or preserves.

Can you use frozen cranberries or dried cranberries?

You can use frozen cranberries like you would fresh cranberries but I wouldn’t recommend dried cranberries. You want more moisture in the filling.

Can you hand knead the dough if you don’t have a stand mixer?

Yes! You can do this the old-fashioned way and make the dough by hand. Just mix all the dough ingredients together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon as instructed. Once a cohesive dough forms, scrape it onto a clean surface and knead the dough by hand for 6 to 7 minutes or until the dough is smooth and uniform in texture. Let rise and proceed with the recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use instant yeast or rapid rise yeast for this dough?

Yes! Just use the same amount of rapid rise or instant yeast as you would the active dry yeast. Keep in mind that this recipe is designed for active dry yeast, so the rapid rise or instant yeast will work faster. Keep an eye on the dough, rolling it out when the dough has doubled in size and baking the bread ring when it is puffy and doubled in size.

How do I store this bread?

This bread ring is best eaten the day it is baked. But the bread will keep for two days at room temperature. Just store it under a cake dome or in an airtight container. Keep in mind that the longer the bread sits out, the more dry and stale it becomes.

Can you freeze this bread?

Yes. You can freeze this bread. Just keep in mind that the icing on the bread might dissolve in the freezing and thawing. So if you plan on freezing the bread to serve later, I recommend you freeze the bread without icing it first, thaw it out before serving and ice it the day you serve it.
To freeze, just wrap the bread in plastic wrap and then slip the bread into an extra large resealable freezer bag. The frozen bread will keep for up to 2 months.

If you like this cranberry spiral bread, check out these other sweet yeasted breads

And check out these other cranberry recipes

Cranberry Spiral Bread with Ginger and Pecans

This beautiful yeasted fruit bread is inspired by a Swedish tea ring. An enriched dough is rolled and then formed into a ring, cut partially to show the spiral rings and then baked in the shape of a wreath. Though the process looks complicated, it’s not as difficult as it looks. Keep in mind you do need to let the dough rise twice, so plan accordingly.

Course bread, Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword bread, cranberry, ginger, holiday, pecans, yeast

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Rise time 2 hours

Servings 12

Calories 286kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Dough

1/2 cup milk whole preferred but any percentage will work
6 tablespoons water
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided 75 g
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast 7 g or 1 package
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 490 g
2 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
1 large egg
1 teaspoon orange zest from about 1/2 large orange
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Filling

1 1/2 cups cranberries 145 g, fresh cranberries preferred but frozen will work
1/3 cup white sugar 65 g
1/3 cup orange juice from about 1/2 large orange
1/2 cup chopped pecans 50 g
2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon orange zest from about 1/2 large orange
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

To finish

1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Glaze

2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted 230 g
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 5 tablespoons milk whole preferred but any percentage will work

Instructions

Make the dough by first warming the milk and water in a small saucepan until lukewarm, about 100°F. Stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of the brown sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid stir to dissolve. Set aside for about 5 minutes or so, until you see the top of the liquid start to bubble.
Place the flour, remaining brown sugar, melted butter, egg, orange zest, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on slow speed to combine.
Drizzle the yeasty liquid into the bowl with the mixer still turned on to slow. Continue adding the liquid until completely added. Mix until a dough forms. Change from the paddle attachment to the dough hook attachment. Knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and uniform.
Spray a bowl with cooking oil, then take the dough and stretch it out so it is a smooth ball. Place the rough side of the ball of dough into the bottom of the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm area to rise. Let the dough rise until double in size, about 60 to 90 minutes.
While the dough is rising, make the filling. Place the cranberries, sugar, and orange juice in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until the cranberries have popped and a thick sauce has formed. Stir in the chopped pecans, crystallized ginger, orange zest, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside to cool while the dough rises.
Once the dough has risen, assemble the bread ring by dumping the dough onto a clean surface and rolling it out into a 12 x 15 inch rectangle.
Spread the cranberry sauce over the dough, trying to spread it out as much as possible to the edges. Roll out the dough into a log form the long side, creating a 15-inch long log.
Spray a piece of parchment paper with cooking oil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Move the dough onto the parchment paper and form a circle with the log. Brush the ends of the log with water and then pinch the ends of the log together to form a full circle.
Using a pair of kitchen scissors, make a cut in the ring about 2/3 through, leaving 1/3 of the center part of the ring untouched. Make another cut about 1 inch apart, repeating all the way around the ring. Twist and turn each cut out piece slightly so it lays flat on the baking sheet to reveal some of the spiral. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again for about 30 to 45 minutes or until puffy and almost double in size.
While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F. One the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap. Beat the egg yolk with the water and brush over the top of the bread. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top of the bread is a deep golden brown. If you have an instant read thermometer, the dough internal temperature should read 190°F.
Let the dough rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then slide it onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Once the bread has cooled completely make the glaze by combining the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of milk. The glaze should be thin and drizzly. If it is too thick, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time until you have the right consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the bread with a spoon, or use a plastic squeeze bottle or icing bag with a plain tip if you want to be more precise. Let the glaze dry and harden then serve.

The post Cranberry Spiral Bread with Ginger and Pecans [Sponsored Post] appeared first on Eat The Love.

Cinnamon Rolls

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 13:00:00 GMT

These fluffy cinnamon rolls are easy-to-make from scratch and have an extra amount of cinnamon in the filling make to give them zip and pop! Make them the night before if you want a special breakfast with minimal morning effort.

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My obsession with cinnamon rolls is a little over the top. This is clearly evident in my archives, as I have recipes for pumpkin cinnamon rolls, sweet potato cinnamons, rosemary pistachio cinnamon rolls, red velvet cinnamon rolls, eggnog cinnamon rolls, and quick and easy cinnamon rolls. Heck I even have a cinnamon bun cookie on this blog! WHAT. IS. WRONG. WITH. ME. (some would argue SO MUCH, but that’s probably a blog post for another day). YET…somehow I have never shared a recipe for my basic classic cinnamon rolls. Partly it is because I keep on tinkering with the recipe, trying over and over to find that center of the Venn diagram of easy-to-make, super fluffy, and extra tasty without being too sweet. Finally, here’s my favorite homemade cinnamon roll recipe.

How do you make cinnamon rolls from scratch?

Classic cinnamon rolls start with a yeasted enriched dough, which is just fancy phrasing for a dough made with yeast, flour, butter, milk and eggs. It’s not difficult to make, though it does helps if you use a stand mixer to help knead the dough. Fear not though! If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can still make excellent cinnamon rolls. I have instructions for that too, just see the hand kneading section below!

First proof the yeast (see the yeast section below on what this means) by dissolving it in milk with a little sugar. Then combine the yeasty liquid with flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. Knead until a dough forms. Let the dough rise until double in size.

Once the dough is made and rolled out into a rectangle, you spread the cinnamon filling out on it, then you roll up the dough! Cut the dough into small disks, place in a baking pan, and let it rise again.

Then bake the rolls until they are gloriously golden brown! Glaze with a classic cream cheese frosting and serve them up.

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Yeast scares me! Do you have any tips on using it?

I feel ya! I used to be scared of yeast too. But nowadays commercially available yeast (the kinds that come in packets at the grocery store) is pretty foolproof. Here are a few tips on how to comfortable use this common baking ingredient.

Use recently purchased yeast. Make sure the yeast package is well within the expiration date and hasn’t been languishing too long in the back of a hot kitchen cabinet. Storing your yeast in the fridge will help keep the yeast viable. Some folks even store it in the freezer, but I don’t bother as I go through it too fast.

Proof the yeast. This process sounds scary but all it entails is dissolving the yeast in warm (but not hot) liquid. If the yeast is “alive” you’ll start to see bubbles at the top of the liquid. Optimally the water or milk should be 90 to 100°F. But I never bother to get the thermometer, I just make sure the liquid is lukewarm to the touch.

Sprinkle a little sugar into the liquid to give the yeast some “food” to grow. And keep in mind that milk (which is what I use in this recipe) often doesn’t proof the yeast as well as plain water. So don’t stress too much if you don’t see as much bubbles on the surface.

Don’t be confused or worried by the different variants of yeast! There are numerous names for the type of yeasts out there, and even more confusing, varies brands have their own name.

Regular active dry yeast is what I use to develop this recipe. But you can use Rapid Rise or Instant yeast as well! Just realize that both of them will make the dough rise faster. Just keep an eye on dough and just form the rolls when the dough has doubled in size. Then proceed with the recipe as directed.

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I don’t have a stand mixer. Can I hand knead the dough?

Yes! You don’t need a stand mixer to make cinnamon rolls, but it does make it a little bit easier is all. Just follow the instructions, mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or wooden spatula. Once a dough has formed and most of the wet ingredients are incorporated, carefully dump the content onto a clean surface.

Using the heels of your hands, push the dough down, then fold it over and push again. Continue this kneading process on the dough, incorporating the remaining dry ingredients into the dough. Continue to knead until you have a smooth elastic dough, about 5 to 6 minutes. Make sure to dust your hands and surface with extra flour if necessary. Keep in mind that the final dough is slightly tacky but not sticky.

Can I make these overnight rolls?

Yes! If you want, make the dough, let it rise, form the rolls and place them in the baking pan. Then cover them and let them sit in the refrigerator overnight. Bring them to room temperature the following morning (about an hour on the countertop) and proceed with baking them. If the rolls are still a little cool from the fridge and haven’t quite gotten to room temperature, don’t worry. Just bake them a few minutes longer.

You can make the frosting in the morning, or you can make it the night before, storing it in the fridge with the unbaked rolls. Just take the frosting out of the fridge when you take the rolls out of the fridge as well, so the frosting isn’t too stiff. Warm cinnamon rolls in the morning is the best!

How do I store these rolls?

Cinnamon rolls are best when they right out of the oven. The longer the rolls sit around, the drier and more stale they become. However, you can store leftover rolls for up to 1 day on the counter, covered in an airtight container. Or you can cover and store for up to 3 days in the fridge. Just make sure the rolls come to room temperature before serving or eating them.

Can I freeze these rolls?

Yes! These cinnamon rolls totally freeze. That said, the cream cheese frosting does get a little gooey when you pull the out of the freezer. If you are making them to serve a batch ahead of time, you might consider freezing them before you frost them. Thaw them out and then frost and serve.

That said, you can store already frosted rolls in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter before serving. If you choose to store then in a Ziploc gallon freezer bag, I suggest covering the glazed cinnamon rolls with parchment or wax paper first, then placing them in the freezer. The paper will peel off the frozen frosting easier than trying to scrape the frosting off the plastic freezer bag.

If you like these cinnamon rolls check out these other morning baked goods:

Cinnamon Rolls

These fluffy and sweet cinnamon rolls have a pretty robust amount of cinnamon in them, which give them zip and pop! But if you prefer something slightly more mellow, reduce the cinnamon down to 1 tablespoon. These can also be prepared the day before, and then stored in the refrigerator overnight, making them perfect for a special morning breakfast with minimal work!

Course bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword bread, cinnamon rolls, yeast

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Rest Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 543kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup warm milk, any kind 90 to 100°F
1/2 cup white sugar, divided 100 g
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 595 g
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 57 g or 1/2 stick
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs

Filling

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 115 g or 1 stick
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 165 g
2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional but recommended
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 115 g or 1 stick
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature 1/2 cup or 1/2 brick
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted 115 g

Instructions

Make the dough by first proofing the yeast. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of the sugar (taken from the 1/2 cup) into the warm milk, then sprinkle the yeast over it and stir. Let the yeast proof for 5 minutes or until you see a few bubbles on the surface. Keep in mind that milk doesn’t proof yeast as easily as water, so don’t expect a lot of activity.
Place the flour, remaining sugar, melted butter, salt and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix until they are blended and form a sandy consistency.
Add the warm milk and mix until a dough forms and most of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Switch to the dough hook, and knead until a smooth elastic dough forms, about 3 to 4 minutes.
If you don’t have a stand mixer or prefer to knead by hand, mix the ingredients together in a bowl with a wooden spoon, then dup the ingredients on a clean surface once a rough dough has formed. Knead by pushing the dough with the heel of your hand into the dough, then fold over and push again. Continue to knead until all the dry ingredients are incorporated and you have smooth and elastic dough, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Lightly spray a bowl with cooking oil. Pull the dough into a tight ball, then place the “rough” side of ball is facing down into the greased bowl and the top of the ball of dough is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, make the filling by placing the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the ingredients together until well blended, creamy in texture and clings to the side of the bowl.
Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 x 2 inch tall pan with cooking oil, then line it with parchment paper, making sure some of the paper is hanging over the edges by about 1-inch.
Once the dough has risen, roll the dough out into an 18 x 12 inch rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough, to the edges, leaving about a 1/2-inch border on one of the 18-inch sides.
Roll the dough up tightly, starting at one of the 18-inch sides, so you have a 18-inch long log. Cut the dough into 12 pieces, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place them, swirl side up, inside the prepared baking pan.
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place to rise again, about 30 to 45 minutes. The rolls should be puffy and bulging slightly against each other.
In the meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Once the rolls have risen, remove the plastic wrap and bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top of the rolls are golden brown. If you have an instant read thermometer and you are persnickety about your baking (like me), the internal temperature of a center roll should be somewhere between 185 to 190°F.
While the rolls are baking, make the frosting by placing the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix together until creamy and well blended. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix to incorporate.
Add the sifted powdered sugar into the bowl and mix until incorporated. You may want to scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through to make sure all the sugar is absorbed.
Once rolls are done baking, immediately spread a thin layer of the frosting over the rolls. The frosting will immediately melt from the hot rolls. But this melted frosting will help keep the rolls from drying out. Let the rolls cool for about an hour, then spread the remaining frosting over the rolls. Serve immediately.

Notes

Frosting technique (where you frost the rolls immediately after taking them out of the oven with a little frosting, then let it cool and frost again) adapted from Sarah Kieffer’s cinnamon roll recipe.

The post Cinnamon Rolls appeared first on Eat The Love.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Graham Cracker Crust

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 13:00:00 GMT

This smooth and creamy pumpkin cheesecake has pumpkin pie spice blend in the pecan and graham cracker crust a well as the filling.

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Lately I’ve been serving up pumpkin cheesecake annually for Thanksgiving. It’s not that I don’t love pumpkin pie. It’s that after serving various different pumpkin pies, including my pumpkin tart, my chocolate pumpkin pie, and my caramel pumpkin pie for 20+ years after our annual Thanksgiving dinner, it’s nice to make a change! This pumpkin cheese is rich and creamy, without being overly heavy. It has a generous amount of wintry pumpkin pie spice and is a family favorite even for folks who skip the classic pumpkin pie.

How do I make pumpkin cheesecake?

Making a pumpkin cheesecake seems daunting but it’s not. Just keep in mind that you need to make it a day ahead of serving, as it needs to sit in the refrigerate to chill and set up.

First make the pecan graham cracker crust. Crush all the crust ingredients, pecans, graham crackers, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and a touch of salt in a food processor. Then drizzle with melted butter and pulse a few more times to combine. Press moist crumbs into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake for a little bit.

Then make the filling by using room temperature cream cheese and eggs, along with some vanilla, more pumpkin pie spice, white and brown sugar, some sour cream and pumpkin puree.

Pour filling into the springform pan and bake in a water bath. Once done, cool for a bit in the oven, take it out and cool to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight before serving.

What is a water bath and why do I need to use it?

A water bath is exactly what it sounds like. You place the cheesecake pan inside a large roasting pan, and then you pour boiling water around the cheesecake pan into the roasting pan. Then you bake the cheesecake in the pan with the water around it.

It sounds fussy to do but a water bath has multiple functions in making a cheesecake. First it keeps the baking slow, allowing for the center of the cake to cook fully without the edges of the cake baking too fast. Liquid water will only get to 212°F before it evaporates. So, the edges of the cheesecake don’t over heat.

Secondly the evaporated water from the bath keeps the oven environment moist, leading to a moist and creamy cheesecake. The steam also helps create a more even temperature inside the oven, so you don’t get a high risen edge and a sunken middle of the cheesecake.

Finally, as you cool the cheesecake in the oven, the heat capacity of the water is higher than the heat capacity of the air in the oven. This means the water will cool down slower once the oven has been turned off. Quick heat changes can makes the cheesecake crack. With a water bath, the cheesecake will cook slowly, and cool down slowly, both of which help prevent cracks.

How do I prevent cracking in cheesecakes?

One of the biggest issues with cheesecake is the cracking that can occur on the top of the cheesecake. Reasons why cheesecake might crack include:

Parts of the cheesecake cooks faster than other parts. This could be a hot spot in the oven or you have the oven that runs too hot or has hot spots.
The cheesecake cools too fast, which causes stress on the custard filling, as the cooling part shrinks faster than the warm part.
Overbaking will also create cracking, with the outer rim of the cake more firm while the inside center still creamy and soft. This difference in texture will have the custard filling separating from each other, causing cracks.

Using a water bath helps with this issue. The slow baking and slow cooling prevents extreme temperature changes that will cause the cracking. Cooling the cheesecake in the oven with the door cracked slowly for an hour also helps prevent cracks. And finally making sure to stop baking the cheesecake when the middle part (about 2 to 3 inches from the center) is still wobbly will prevent overbaking.

But if ALL ELSE FAILS and your cheesecake still cracks, don’t worry. It happens to everyone and it will still taste fantastic. That’s all that matters! Just serve it with a big dollop of whip cream over the cracks and no one will know the difference.

What is a springform pan? Can I use something else?

A springform pan is a pan with removable sides. It allows you release the cheesecake from the pan without flipping it over. If you plan on making cheesecakes, a springform pan is worth investing it. However, don’t trust ones that claim to be “leakproof”. As the pan gets used, it starts to warp slightly and will start to leak. This is why I always wrap aluminum foil around the bottom of the pan.

If you don’t have a spring form pan, you can still bake a cheesecake! Just use a 9-inch cake pan that is at least 2-inches tall, preferably 3-inches tall. This is to accommodate the cheesecake rising.

You can serve the cheesecake directly in the pan. But if you want to remove it, I recommend oiling the bottom and the sides of the pan. Then line the bottom with parchment paper and the sides with a strip of parchment paper. If your pan is 2-inch tall, I recommend the strip of parchment paper go higher than pan itself to help contain any cheesecake that might rise higher than the pan when baking. The parchment paper makes it much easier to remove it from the pan! Keep in mind that cheesecake is perfectly fine to serve in the pan itself though.

Can I substitute the pecans or make the crust nut free?

Yes! If you don’t like pecans or don’t have any on hand just substitute an equal amount any sort of nut for the pecans. These include:

Walnuts
Hazelnuts
Pistachios
Almonds
Cashews
Macadamia nuts
Peanuts

Or if you’re avoiding nuts or are allergic to nuts, but still want a crunchy nutty flavor to the crust, consider substituting the same amount of:

Cacao nibs
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Rolled oats

You can also just skip the nuts and add in an additional sleeve (9 to 10) graham crackers in place of the pecans.

How do I get my cream cheese and eggs to room temperature?

One of the most frustrating things about cheesecake is the lumps in the cream cheese! I always suggest using room temperature cream cheese as it will blend more smoothly without lumps. Obviously, the easiest way to get room temperature cream cheese is to leave the cream cheese out for a couple of hours on the counter top.

But if you are in a rush or forget to do this, just place the cream cheese, still in its aluminum foil unsealed, in a large bowl with hot water from the tap. Do this before preheating the oven or making the crust. Once the crust is in the oven to bake, drain the water (it will have cooled a bit) and refill the bowl with more hot water. By the time the crust is finished baking, the cream cheese should have warmed up enough to be at roughly room temperature and lump free.

You can use this trick to warm up eggs to room temperature too! Just place them in a bowl of hot water from the tap while you make the filling. By the time you need to add them to the filling, they will also be warmed up to room temperature.

What is pumpkin pie spice and can I substitute for it?

Pumpkin pie spice blend is a blend of warm wintery spices that you can buy at most grocery stores and online! Various brands have different ingredients in the blend but most brands have a primary ingredient of cinnamon with additional ingredients including ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. You can either make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice or substitute 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves for every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice needed in the recipe.

But if you don’t have all those ingredients, just use all cinnamon for the pumpkin pie spice blend in the recipe. The cheesecake will still taste great, just not as complex in flavor and dimension.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store cheesecake?

This cheesecake is best stored in the refrigerator, tightly sealed under aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

How long does cheesecake last?

Refrigerated, the cheesecake should be consumed within 5 days.

Can I freeze cheesecake?

Yes! Cheesecake can be frozen. You can freeze the entire cheesecake as is if you’d like. Just freeze it on a baking sheet until solid, about 3 hours, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and move to a giant resealable Ziploc bag for storage. Or store in a large airtight container. The cheesecake should keep for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

You can also freeze individual portions. Just slice up the cheesecake and store in an airtight container. This is great if you want to thaw out an individual slice of cheesecake for yourself and not a whole cake.

If you like this pumpkin cheesecake check out these other pumpkin desserts:

And also check out these other cheesecake recipes.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Graham Cracker Crust

A nice change of pace from the classic pumpkin pie dessert. This creamy smooth wintery spiced cheesecake has a pecan and graham cracker crust. Be sure to plan ahead, as you do have to bake this cheesecake one day ahead and let it cool and chill in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cheesecake, pecans, pumpkin

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Cooling time 10 hours

Servings 12

Calories 517kcal

Author Irvin

Equipment

9-inch springform pan

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup pecans 110 g
9 to 10 graham crackers, broken in half 135 g or about 1 sleeve
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend see note above
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt use 1/4 teaspoon if table salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Filling

4 bricks (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature 2 lbs or 905 g, see note above about bring cream cheese to room temperature
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice blend see note above
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1/2 cup white sugar 100 g
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 165 g
1/4 cup sour cream
15 ounces pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling, 425 g

To bake

Boiling water for water bath

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a 9-inch springform pan on top of a piece of aluminum foil. Gather the foil up about 1 inch up the side of the pan to help seal the bottom in case there is any leakage and to help prevent the water from seeping into the pan when you bake the cheesecake.
Place the pecans in a food processor and process until they are broken down into small bits, roughly the size of unpopped popcorn kernels.
Add the graham crackers and process again until they are broken down into crumbs and the pecans are about half the size that they were. Add the sugar, pumpkin spice and salt. Pulse a couple of times to blend. Then drizzle in the melted butter, pulsing while you do, until the entire crumb bottom is moist, and looks like wet rough sand.
Dump the crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Press down with your fingers and the palms of your hand, spreading out the crumbs until a flat layer has covered the bottom of the pan.
Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet or pizza pan and then bake in the oven for 10 minutes. The top of the crust should look slightly drier but don’t worry too if there isn’t much difference in the way the crust looks after baking. Let cool on a wire rack while you make the filling. Keep the oven at 350°F temperature.
Make the filling by placing the room temperature cream cheese in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix the cream cheese on medium low speed until the cream cheese is smooth, creamy and clings to the side of the bowl. You want to make sure there are no lumps in the cream cheese, as it will be difficult to get those lumps out later.
Add the pumpkin spice and vanilla extract and mix to incorporate, about 10 seconds on medium low speed. Scrape down the sides and add the brown sugar and white sugar to the bowl. Mix to incorporate, about 30 seconds, then scrape down the sides again.
Repeat with the eggs, adding them all at once, then the sour cream and pumpkin puree together, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition and mixing.
Pour and scrape the filling in to the pan with the crust. Smooth the top of the filling out with a butter knife or offset spatula and then tap the pan gently on the counter to settle the filling and make sure there are no air bubbles.
Place the entire pan in a large roasting pan, then pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, being careful not to get any in the cheesecake. Pour until the water is about halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.
Bake in the oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until the edge of the pan looks set but the inside of the cheesecake is still a little wobbly. Once done, turn off the oven and crack the door slightly. I like to put the handle of a wooden spoon in-between the door and the oven to do this. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven as it cools for 1 hour. This will help the cheesecake cool slowly so it is less prone to cracking.
Once the hour is up, remove the cheesecake from the oven and then remove it from the water bath. Place on a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 to 3 hours. Once it has completely cooled (you can’t feel any warmth at all from the underside of pan), cover the cheesecake with foil and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Serve cold or let the cheesecake warm up slightly for an hour on the counter before serving.

The post Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Graham Cracker Crust appeared first on Eat The Love.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Brown Butter

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 13:00:11 GMT

These classic all-American oatmeal raisin cookies have nutty and fragrant brown butter in it to make it the best version possible!

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In the holy trinity of classic all-American cookies, you have the sexy leading chocolate chip cookie, the down-home pure comfort snickerdoodle, and then you have the oatmeal raisin cookie. It’s overlooked, often dismissed, and even relegated as an afterthought in the back of the cookie jar or cookie box.

But the comfort and warmth of a classic oatmeal raisin cookie can’t be beat. It’s chewy subtle spice and pop of fruit sweetness make it a classic in the pantheon of American cookies. And though I’ve made variations over the years for the blog, like my blueberry and ginger oatmeal cooki, my vanilla white chocolate oatmeal cookie, and my oatmeal chocolate chip cookie this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe made with nutty and fragrant brown butter, is my go-to version of the classic cookie recipe and should be reconsidered.

How do you make oatmeal raisin cookies?

These oatmeal raisin cookies start by first making brown butter and then letting it cool down until it solidifies. You can do this a day or two ahead of time if you want.

Then cream the brown butter and sugar together until a paste forms. I also add in spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as vanilla extract and baking soda to the creaming. All those flavors bloom and intensify in the butter, as the volatile oils that give the spices and vanilla flavor are fat soluble and the butter amplifies them. Adding the baking soda at this stage also means the leavening will be distributed evenly in the dough, and you don’t have to sift it into the flour.

Mix in the egg, then the rolled oats and the flour. Finally stir in the raisins, scoop dough balls, and then bake away!

What is brown butter and how do you make it?

Brown butter, called beurre noisette in French (which translates to hazelnut butter) is butter that has been cooked until the milk fat solids have caramelized and browned. The caramelized milk fat takes on a hazelnut brown color and the buttery liquid will smell rich and nutty. It adds an extra layer of sophisticated flavor to baked goods and is easy to do!

Place the butter in a pan (preferably silver or light colored if you aren’t experienced in making brown butter) and then cook the butter. Stir constantly, as the water in the butter will start to evaporate and make the butter foam. Once you notice that the milk solids are starting to brown, remove the pan from the heat. Let the residual heat of the pan continue to cook the milk fat.

It’s always easy to put the pan back on the stove and cook the butter a little longer to nudge it to the right place. But you can’t go backwards if you burn the butter. You will need to start over!

Can I skip making the brown butter?

If you find making the brown butter fussy, just skip it and use the same amount of room temperature butter instead. These cookies will still be awesome (though not quite as complex in flavor).

What type of oats should you use?

I prefer to use old fashioned rolled oats, or thick cut oats for oatmeal cookies. Quick cook or instant oats are cut thin and don’t have as much substance as the old fashioned rolled oats. You can even use extra thick cut oats if you’d like to give the cookies extra chew and texture.

Don’t use those packaged instant oatmeal packets, as they are already pre-sweetened with flavorings and sugar. And don’t use steel cut or pinhead oats for this recipe. That will lead to a gritty cookies with bits of hard uncooked oats in it, as the oats won’t have time to absorb any liquid and cook in the short bake time.

Can you swap out the raisins for something else?

The classic dried fruit for these cookies is obviously black raisins. But mix it up and substitute the same amount of other dried fruit (or a mix of them):

Golden Raisins
Currants
Dried blueberries
Dried cranberries
Dried cherries
Chopped dried figs
Chopped prunes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make the cookie dough ahead?

Yes! This cookie dough actually benefits from being made ahead. Much like my bakery style chocolate chip cookie or my sourdough chocolate chip cookie, if you make this cookie dough ahead of time, the cookies will have a more complex and deeper flavor.

Just make the dough and refrigerate the dough, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours. You’ll notice the dough will be a little more crumbly but massages the dough balls with your hands a bit to warm it up and the dough should form into balls. Bake as directed.

Can you freeze the cookie dough

Yes. I like to portion out the dough into the balls before freezing for ease. Just form the balls of dough as per the recipe instructions, place on a baking sheet, and put them in the freezer for 2 hours. Once the dough has frozen through and are solid, place the dough balls in a freezer Ziploc bag. The dough will keep up to 2 months in the freezer.

Bake directly from the freezer, increasing the bake time by 2 minutes to accommodate the cold dough. Fresh baked cookies almost anytime!

You can also freeze the dough as is, without portioning it out. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then slip the entire thing into a freezer Ziploc bag. Keep in mind though, that you will need to thaw the entire amount of dough (either overnight in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature for 2 hours) before forming balls and baking.

Can you freeze the cookies

Yes. Once the cookies have been baked and cooled, put them on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Let the cookies freeze solid through, about 2 hours, and then move the cookies into a freezer Ziploc bag. Cookies will keep for about 2 months in the freezer.

How do you store the cookies

Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

If you like these oatmeal raisin cookies, check out some of these other awesome cookie recipes:

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Brown Butter

This homey all-American cookie is brought up a half-notch with the addition of brown butter! This is a classic comfort cookie, best served with a tall glass of milk.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Cool time 30 minutes

Servings 24

Calories 107kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 115 g or 1 stick
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 110 g
1/2 cup white granulated sugar 100 g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups rolled oats 165 g
3/4 cup all-purpose flour 105 g
1/2 cup raisins 80 g

Instructions

First brown the butter by placing the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan (preferably one with a silver or light-colored bottom). Cook the butter on high heat until it completely melts, then reduce the heat to medium low. Continue to cook, stirring frequently with a heat proof spatula, until the milk solids have started to turn golden brown and smell nutty.
If you need more specific hints on making brown butter, see the brown butter section above.
Pour the butter into a heat proof bowl, being sure to scrape in all the brown bits as well. Place the butter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until it is solid.
While the brown butter is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking pans with silicon baking mats or parchment paper.
Once the butter has solidified, scrape it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, making sure to add in the brown bits as well. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix the ingredients together until they are well blended, creamy in texture and cling to the side of the bowl.
Scrape down the sides and add the egg. Mix to incorporate and scrape down again.
Add the oats and flour. Mix until the dry ingredients are absorbed. Add the raisins and mix slowly until the raisins are distributed evenly in the dough.
Scoop out 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon) of the cookie dough and place on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake in the oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and just set.
Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the pan before moving them to a wire cooling rack to cool further.

Notes

If you find making brown butter too fussy, just skip that step and use room temperature butter in place of the brown butter.

The post Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Brown Butter appeared first on Eat The Love.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel Topping

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 13:00:00 GMT

This moist pumpkin coffee cake is packed with autumnal flavor. It has a pecan streusel crumb topping and a pumpkin spice ribbon in the middle.

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I often joke that the world IGNORES pumpkin until September/October, when it is EVERYWHERE. Which I get, because I love my seasonal food. But not a lot of folks actually go through the effort of roasting and using an ACTUAL pumpkin when they make something with pumpkin. They use canned pumpkin, which is available all year long.

I, of course, realize it’s an uphill battle and have just resigned myself to using pumpkin mostly in the fall and winter, making pumpkin spice muffins or pumpkin spice latte bread. Which is fine. Other times of the year I’m making a peach and blueberry coffee cake, an Earl Grey infused blueberry coffee cake or a Mexican chocolate and corn coffee cake. But once fall and winter are here, I’ve got an excuse to make this pumpkin coffee cake with pecan streusel topping!

How do you make Pumpkin Coffee Cake?

For me, a proper coffee needs a crumb or streusel topping. This pumpkin coffee cake is no exception. Start by mixing together flour, sugar, chopped pecans, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, and a little salt in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle in melted butter and toss until everything starts to clump together. Then refrigerate while you make the rest of the cake!

I like to give my coffee cake a little middle swirl of extra pumpkin spice and sugar as well as a touch of cocoa powder for color. Just blend it all together in a small bowl and set side. You’ll thank me later for that.

And then cake batter! It’s easy to make. I don’t even bother pulling out the stand mixer for this cake. Just use a whisk and blend together sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice blend, and salt. Then whisk in eggs and some pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!). Stir in the baking powder, and then fold in the flour.

Spread half the batter into a parchment lined springform pan. Sprinkle the pumpkin spice filling on top of it. Then spread the remaining batter on top of the filling. Then take the cold crumb topping and sprinkle it all over the top of the cake, breaking up any big chunks into small pebble sized pieces. Bake, cool and serve!

What type of canned pumpkin should I use?

I prefer to use canned pumpkin for this recipe, but not all canned pumpkin is the same! This recipe is tested with Libby’s canned pumpkin, which is the leading dominant brand at most grocery stores. It also has less moisture than other canned pumpkin.

If you use Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s brand organic canned pumpkin, or another brand of pumpkin puree, you’ll want to remove some of the liquid from it. You’ll know if your canned pumpkin is thick enough if it has the consistency of thicker Greek-style yogurt. If it’s thinner like regular plain yogurt, you have too much moisture.

You remove moisture by either cooking it on the stovetop in a large skillet, stirring constantly until 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin puree has reduced to 1 cup or by blotting 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree with paper towels until enough moisture has been removed to make it 1 cup.

If you use homemade roasted pumpkin, the resulting pumpkin puree will also be very moist. Reduce 1 1/4 cups of homemade pumpkin puree on the stove over medium heat in a large skillet, stirring constantly, until it reduces to 1 cup. You can try to do the same method as above with paper towels but be aware you’ll end up going through a LOT of paper towels to get that much moisture out.

Of course, you can skip this step if you want, and just use the more watery pumpkin puree. Just keep in mind your pumpkin coffee cake will taste less pumpkin-y. Reducing the water increases the pumpkin flavor!

Whatever option you take, opt for pure pumpkin puree only! Avoid the canned pumpkin pie filling which is already packed full of spices and sugar. You want 100% pumpkin for this recipe.

What is pumpkin spice and can you substitute it?

Pumpkin spice, otherwise known as pumpkin pie spice is a blend of various different spices, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. You can buy it at the store, online (<- affiliate link) or you can make your own custom homemade pumpkin spice blend.

If you don’t feel like making a large batch of pumpkin spice, just use 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg for every 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice in the recipe. This is the amount in each component of the recipe: the streusel topping, the filling, and the cake batter. You can also just substitute the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for the pumpkin spice, just keep in mind the resulting cake won’t quite tastes as complex in flavor.

Can you skip the pecans or substitute something else?

You can easily substitute the pecans for the same amount of chopped nut if you wish. Some great options that taste wonderful with pumpkin include:

Walnuts
Hazelnuts
Almonds
Macadamia
Pistachios

That said, nuts can be a polarizing thing in recipes! Some folks don’t like them, others are allergic. If you want to keep a “nutty” flavor to the streusel topping but are allergic to nuts, try substituting an equal amount of roasted cacao nibs, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for the chopped pecans.

If you want to omit the nuts completely, just increase the flour to 1 1/4 cup of flour, and increase the brown sugar to 1/4 cup. You can also substitute 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar for Turbinado sugar, to give extra sweet crunch to the top of the streusel.

Can you use a regular cake pan instead of a springform pan?

I like the ease of the springform pan and how it releases the cake without disturbing the top of the crumb streusel. But if you don’t have a springform pan, you can use a regular 9-inch wide cake pan instead. I recommend using one that is at least 2 inches tall however, to accommodate the crumb topping and the rising of the cake.

Make sure to spray or oil the sides and bottom of the pan with cooking oil, and line it with parchment paper. Once the cake is baked and cooled about 30 minutes (it should still be warm to the touch but cool enough to handle with your bare hands), place a cutting board over the top of the pan and invert the cake on it. Peel away the parchment paper and place the serving platter or cake platter upside down on the bottom of the cake. Then flip the cake right-side up. Replace any crumb topping that has fallen off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make this cake ahead of time? How do you store it?

Yes! This cake keeps beautiful for up to 2 to 3 days at room temperature. The pumpkin puree keeps the cake very moist. Just store it at room temperature under a cake dome or covered with plastic wrap.

Can you freeze this cake?

This cake freezes well. You can freeze the whole cake, wrapped tightly in plastic wrapped and slipped into a giant freezer resealable Ziploc bag. But I like to slice up the cake ahead of time and then freeze the individual cake slices on a baking sheet for 2 hours. Once the cake slices have frozen solid, I move the cake to a plastic freezer bag or to a container, stacking the slices between pieces of parchment if necessary. This way I can take out one slice at a time to thaw for my own personal treat! The cake will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just defrost the cake at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.

If you like this pumpkin coffee cake, check out these other coffee cake recipes:

And check out these other pumpkin recipes:

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel Topping

This moist and autumnal scented cake is a great way to use leftover pumpkin puree that you might have leftover. The pumpkin makes the cake moist with a lovely toothsome bite, while the pecan crumb topping and pumpkin spice filling makes this a classic. Serve it with tea or coffee in the afternoon or for breakfast on a cold winter day.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword coffee cake, crumb topping, pecans, pumpkin

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 8

Calories 543kcal

Author Irvin

Equipment

9-inch springform pan

Ingredients

Streusel topping

3/4 cups all-purpose flour 105 g
1/2 cup white sugar 100 g
1/2 cup pecans chopped, 55 g
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend see section above about substitutions
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons butter melted, 85 g

Filling

1/3 cup dark brown sugar 75 g
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend see section above about substitutions
1 teaspoon cocoa powder optional

Cake batter

1 cup white sugar 200 g
1/3 cup vegetable oil corn or canola, 67 g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend see section above about substitutions
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling, 235 g
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 210 g

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a 9-inch springform pan on a piece of aluminum foil and wrap the bottom of the pan tightly with the foil to keep any cake batter from leaking. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of the pan with cooking oil, then line the bottom with parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.
Make the streusel filling by combining flour, white sugar, chopped pecans, dark sugar, pumpkin spice blend and salt in a medium size bowl. Stir together until mixed, then drizzle the melted butter over the dry ingredients, tossing with a fork until the butter has been absorbed and the ingredients have clumped up. Refrigerate uncovered while you prepare the remaining cake.
Make the filling by combining the dark brown sugar, pumpkin spice and cocoa powder (if using) in a small bowl and mixing with a fork until uniform in color.
Make the cake batter by placing the sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, and salt in a large bowl. Mix with a whisk until well blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, making sure the first one is mixed in before adding the second one. Add the pumpkin and mix in.
Add the baking powder and mix to absorb. Add the flour and gently stir it in with a large spatula or wooden spoon until all the flour is absorbed.
Carefully spoon and spread about half the batter into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the filling over the top of the batter, leaving about a 1/2-inch margin around the edge of the cake. Carefully spoon and spread the remaining batter over the filling.
Take the cold streusel topping out of the fridge and sprinkle it all over the top of the cake, breaking up any big chunks into small pebble sized pieces. Make sure to cover the entire cake.
Gently tap the cake on a table or counter to release any air bubbles, then bake in the oven 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. If you have an instant read thermometer, the center of the cake should read 210° F.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before releasing the sides of the spring form pan and removing the cake to a serving platter.

The post Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel Topping appeared first on Eat The Love.

Garlic Knots

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 12:00:43 GMT

These classic buttery garlic knots are a pizzeria treat, made from pizza dough and tossed in parmesan, oregano and lots of butter and garlic!

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The first time I saw garlic knots were on a trip to New York City at a corner pizza-by-the-slice shop. Though my friends all ordered slices of pepperoni, sausage, and olive pizza, I gravitated toward the glass counter and stared at those glistening garlic bombs stacked high. I asked for a bag of them, and happily munched on them as my friend attacked their slices. I had no regrets with my choice! Since then, I’ve been making garlic knots with my homemade easy pizza dough to go with my dinner when I want to change it up from my parker house rolls or potato rolls.

What is a garlic knot?

Garlic knots are knotted pieces of dough, tossed in a butter garlic and oregano sauce. The origins of garlic knots came about in New York City where pizzerias wanted to prevent waste by using leftover pizza dough scraps.

Nowadays, they are sold in nearly every pizzeria in New York, as well as across the country. But they’re super easy to make at home, by either using homemade pizza dough or store-bought dough. They make a tasty snack as well as a great side dish, like dinner rolls, for soup or stew.

How do you make them?

Garlic knots start with pizza dough, which is a lean yeasted dough. Combine warm water with a little bit of brown sugar and yeast. Stir to dissolve and proof the yeast. Then combine the yeasted water with flour, a little olive oil and salt.

Knead the dough, then let it rest to rise until double. Once doubled, divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll out the dough into ropes. Tie the ropes into knots.

Then make the butter garlic sauce! Cook fresh garlic with butter, then add in garlic powder, dried oregano, Parmesan cheese and salt. Brush the sauce on the dough knots and bake.

Once baked, toss the knots in the remaining leftover garlic sauce that has some chopped parsley in it, and serve!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use store-bought pizza dough?

Yes! I use my easy pizza dough in this recipe (it’s also included down below in the recipe for your convenience). But you can use store bought pizza dough if you want to skip making the dough. Just pick up a package of 14 to 16 ounces (1 pound) of pizza dough and use that in place of the homemade dough.

How do I store the garlic knots?

Store garlic knots in a refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days. Warm them up in a toaster oven or regular oven at 300°F for about 5 to 10 minutes to refresh them.

Can I freeze garlic knots?

Yes. Garlic knots can be frozen! Just freeze them on a baking sheet for two to three hours, until they are frozen solid, then store them in a heavy-duty freezer Ziploc bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them by placing them on the counter at room temperature for a couple of hours, or warm them up in the toaster oven or regular oven at 300°F for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve these knots with:

If you like these garlic knots, check out these other bread recipes

Garlic Knots

These buttery and soft garlic knots are easy-to-make using homemade pizza dough or store-bought pizza dough! A quick herb butter sauce is made and brushed over the knots before baking, then the knots are tossed again in the remaining sauce right before serving.

Course Appetizer, bread, dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword bread, garlic, pizza

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Rest time 1 hour

Servings 12

Calories 158kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Dough

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water 90 to 100°F
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour plus additional flour if necessary
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce

1/2 cup unsalted butter 115 g or 1 stick, plus more if necessary
1 teaspoon minced garlic about 1 to 2 medium cloves
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder not garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir the brown sugar into the warm water to dissolve, then sprinkle the dry yeast into the water. Stir to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes for the yeast to proof.
At the end of 5 minutes, there should be bubbles and foam at the top of the water. If not, discard and start over with fresh yeast. Add the flour, olive oil, and salt to the bowl.
Stir with the hook attachment, until a rough dough has formed. You might need to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once a dough has formed, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky. If it’s too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until absorbed and the dough is easy to handle.
Pull the dough into a round smooth ball and place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area to rise until double in size, about 60 to 90 minutes.
Once the dough has risen, line two baking sheets with silicon baking sheets or parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 7 to 8 inch long rope, about 3/4-inch thick.
Tie each rope into a knot, then place on the baking sheet. Once you made all the knots, cover with plastic wrap and make the sauce.
Place the butter and garlic in a medium-sized skillet or saucepan. Cook over medium heat, until the garlic starts to smell fragrant, about 1 minutes after the butter has melted and the garlic has started to sizzle. Stir in the garlic powder, oregano, and salt.
Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Brush the top of each garlic knot with about half the warm butter, trying to keep as much of the solids in the skillet as possible. But don't stress too much about it. If some of the solids get on the dough, that's OK! Make sure there's about half of the sauce left for later. Bake in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the top of the knot is golden brown.
While the knots are baking, pour the remaining sauce into a large bowl. Add the parsley to the sauce.
Once the knots are done baking, remove from the oven and then move each knot to a wire cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes, then place a few knots in the remaining garlic sauce and toss to coat. Move to a serving plate and repeat with the remaining knots.
If the butter has cooled and solidified, microwave the sauce for 10 to 15 seconds to warm it up again. If you need to, add additional melted butter to the bowl as you toss and coat the knots to make sure they are completely coated.

Notes

For an easy shortcut, feel free to use store-bought pizza dough instead of making your own.

The post Garlic Knots appeared first on Eat The Love.

Bavarian Pretzels Dipped in Lye

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 12:00:47 GMT

This recipe for authentic Bavarian Pretzels uses a lye solution, resulting in the traditional Germany pretzel, called laugenbrezel.

Jump to Recipe.

These authentic Bavarian pretzels are different than their American counterpart soft pretzels because they are dipped in a more traditional lye mixture. In fact, the German name for these pretzels laugenbrezel literally translates to “lye pretzels.”

These pretzels are shaped in a more traditional Bavarian-style with a rounded belly and thinner arm. If you want Swabian-style pretzels, (Swabia being a specific region of Bavaria) roll out the “arms” of the pretzel super skinny. They will bake up crispy, a nice foil to the soft and plump belly.

What are Bavarian or German-style pretzels?

You can find large pretzels all over Germany though they are particularly popular in Southern German, an area called Bavaria. The salty snack are a ubiquitous snack at the annual Munich Oktoberfest, but they are available all-year round in pubs and restaurants across Germany.

They were imported to the United States with the German immigrants (the Pennsylvania Dutch population) which explains why the most popular U.S. pretzel companies (Snyders of Hanover and Rold Gold) have Pennsylvania roots.

Unlike American soft pretzel, which are nice and plump, German-style pretzel dough is a slightly leaner dough with less butter in it. The Bavarian pretzel dough first starts out with a pre-ferment, which allows for the yeast to get a kick start and give the pretzel more flavor and dimension. Think sourdough but not quite as robust, nor without the need to make a sourdough starter.

German-style pretzels are also rolled with a fat belly and thin arms. The belly is slashed with a knife and splits open as it bakes.

Finally, and most importantly, German-style pretzels, are dipped in a lye solution, while American soft pretzels usually rely on an easier baking soda dip. Both baking soda and lye are alkaline solutions that caramelize and create the signature bitter crust on pretzels. However, food grade lye is significantly more alkaline than baking soda. The hard caramelized crust you get from dipping the pretzel in lye isn’t achievable with just baking soda. In fact, as I mentioned right off in the beginning, the German word for pretzels are laugenbrezel which literally translated to “lye pretzels.” If you aren’t using lye as a dipping solution, you aren’t making authentic German pretzels!

How do you make Bavarian pretzels?

Bavarian pretzels start with a pre-ferment dough, which is a small amount of yeast mixed in flour and water. This mixture is set aside for a long period of time (3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator). This pre-ferment gives the dough and pretzel extra complex flavor.

Once the pre-ferment is ready, the dough is made with barley malt syrup, water, more yeast, flour, butter and salt. The pre-fermented is added, and the entire dough is kneaded until it is smooth and elastic.

The dough is left to rise, then divided and formed into a pretzel shape by first rolling out a long rope, then making a U shape, and bring the arms of the U across each other, then twisting again, then brought back down to the belly, forming a pretzel shape.

Once all the pretzels are formed, they are chilled in the fridge or freezer. This makes them easier to handle. Once cold, they are dipped in a lye solution, sprinkled with salt, sliced open in the belly with a sharp knife or razor, and baked.

Can I use a different pretzel dough?

Yes! If the pre-ferment dough and the additions of barley malt syrup and diastatic malt seems too fussy and time-intensive, or if you have a sourdough starter you can make this pretzel with that dough. Just follow the dough instructions for my soft rye pretzels, my sourdough pretzels, my pretzels buns, or my beer twist pretzels and use the instructions below for dipping in lye. Keep in mind the dough will not taste quite as traditional as what you might get at a German pub or Oktoberfest.

Why do you want a higher pH solution for the pretzels?

The higher the alkaline solution the more it breaks down proteins on the surface of the dough, accelerating the Maillard reaction. This reaction is the caramelization reaction that gives browned food (think seared steak, crusty European-style sourdough bread and pan-fried dumplings) it’s flavor. That traditional blistered and dark mahogany brown pretzel crust can only be achieved with a higher pH solution dip!

What is lye and where can I get it?

Lye is a very strong alkaline base with a pH of around 13. The higher the pH, the more powerful the alkaline base. The active ingredient of food safe lye is sodium hydroxide. it is sometimes is also called caustic soda. It’s the primary ingredient in making soap and can be found in some de-clogging plumbing liquids like Drano and Liquid Plumber.

Food safe lye can be found online (<– affiliate link) and at craft stores in the soap making section.

Is lye safe to use in food?

All this sounds SUPER scary and you should definitely use caution when using lye. However, in the 3% to 4% solution that you are using it in this recipe, the food safe lye is no more dangerous than using household bleach to clean or do laundry with. In other words, use common sense and caution, and you’ll be fine.

All that said, once the pretzels have been dipped in the lye solution and then baked, the steam produced in the oven from the pretzel dough reacts with the lye and turns it into a benign carbonate that is completely safe to eat.

In fact, any commercially made pretzel that you have eaten in the past, most likely was made with a lye solution.

What precautions should I use when working with lye?

As I said above, lye is dangerous but you shouldn’t be scared of it. It’s like working with household bleach, in that you don’t want it on your bare skin but if that happens, just calmly go to the sink and rinse the area that touched the lye under water for 3 to 5 minutes.

I do recommend that you use plastic gloves when working with lye. When I’m feeling cautious, I also wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants with shoes just in case. My partner is chemistry professor at a community college, so he gets super overprotective of me and makes me wear safety googles, but that’s optional. If you use caution and common sense, it’s fairly unlikely you’ll be splashing the lye solution enough to get it in your eyes.

All that said, lye is caustic to your skin, so precaution and plastic gloves are recommended and make it easier to work with. I often also lay a couple of pieces of parchment or wax paper underneath the bowl that I put the lye in. That way, if anything splashes or drips as I move the pretzels in and out of the solution, it won’t get on my table or counter and damage it.

One thing to note, always add lye to the water. Never add water to lye! Pouring water into lye has a much higher risk of splashing and getting it on you.

What sort of container should I put the lye solution in?

Lye is a strong alkaline solution that powerful enough to actually ruin containers! It is, in fact, corrosive to glass, so I don’t recommend using glass bowls for the lye solution at all. Though you might not notice any damage to the glass bowl, over time, using lye in a glass bowl will continue to degrade the quality of it and potentially weaken it. Nothing like having a glass bowl shatter randomly in your kitchen!

Stainless steel is a better choice, but unfortunately there are multiple types of stainless steel and there’s often no real way to tell if what is metal is used in the stainless steel. Lye can be corrosive to some metals. For instance, you do not want to use aluminum, as the lye will dissolve the aluminum. Stainless steel is a better choice than glass however.

All that said, the best option is to use a plastic bowl or container. But keep in mind the bowl should be made of high density polyethylene or polypolypropelene. Thankfully here in the United States, it’s easy to figure out what plastic is being used. Just flip the bowl over and look at the recycling number. You want plastic #2 (HDPE or high-density polyethylene) or plastic #5 (PP or polypropylene) as those are unreactive to the alkaline lye solution.

For more detailed information about what sort of container to use for lye solution, check out this webpage.

All this lye stuff is freaking me out. Can I just use baking soda?

Absolutely! You can make the dough and form the pretzels, but instead of using the lye solution, boil 2/3 cup of baking soda with 10 cups of water and boil the pretzels in the baking soda solution for 45 seconds, then flip and boil for an additional 45 seconds. This method is what I use to make my rye soft pretzels, my beer pretzel twists , my sourdough pretzels and my pretzel buns.

You can also go the extra step and bake the baking soda! Heating the baking soda will break it down from sodium bicarbonate (the chemical name for baking soda) to sodium carbonate, making it even more alkaline. Sodium carbonate is somewhere between a 10 and 11 on the pH scale, a significant jump from the 8.3 pH of baking soda.

To make sodium carbonate, just spread 1 cup of baking soda on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a 275°F oven for an hour, stirring the soda every 20 minutes. The baking soda should reduce down to about 2/3 cup. Dissolve the baked baking soda in 10 cups of water and boil the pretzels for 45 seconds on both sides. Be sure to use caution, as the solution is a higher alkaline than baking soda.

All that said, you won’t get the same crisp blistered crust that you get from using lye, regardless of the baking soda or baked baking soda solution. The pretzel will be tasty, but it won’t quite the same as a traditional German-style pretzel.

How can you prevent the lye dipped pretzel from sticking to the parchment paper/silicon baking sheet?

One of the things with baking with lye is that the dough has been chemically changed and will stick to the paper/silicon baking sheet after baked! I’ve tried different quality parchment paper, as well as silicon baking paper. Higher quality parchment paper definitely works better than the cheap stuff, and silicon baking sheets also works nicely.

But the best way to keep the pretzels from sticking is to generously spray or grease the paper or silicon mat! A layer of oil helps to prevent the pretzels from sticking, even on the silicon baking mat. So don’t skimp oiling step. Otherwise you’ll be picking and peeling paper from the bottom of your pretzels.

All that said, if you DO have pieces of parchment paper stuck to the bottom of your pretzels, I found the best way to remove them, without removing too much pretzel bread, is to use a rasp grater like a Microplane, the type that you would use to grate Parmesan cheese, to grate off the parchment paper.

What is barley malt syrup and diastatic malt?

You’ll notice, along with the lye, there are two ingredients that most folks might not be familiar with. Barley malt syrup is a bitter sweet syrup that gives pretzels and bagels their traditional bitter sweet flavor. It is made from barley grain that has been sprouted, dried and then cooked. The resulting liquid is reduced down into a syrup.

I use barley malt syrup in this recipe because it’s the traditional ingredient for Bavarian pretzels and I was striving for authenticity in this recipe. But if you don’t feel like getting yet another specialty ingredient, you can substitute an equal amount of brown sugar or honey for the malt barley syrup. Just know the pretzels won’t taste quite as authentic.

The other ingredient is diastatic malt. This is a powdered ingredient, again usually made from barley grain. It helps improve the dough texture, volume, flavor and increase the golden brown crust. It is an ingredient for a lot of professional bakers and bread baking enthusiasts.

Don’t mix up diastatic malt with non-diastatic malt or grocery store malted milk powder. Non-diastatic malt and malted milk powder are both flavoring agent and won’t improve the dough texture, volume or golden crust of the pretzel. If you don’t have diastatic malt and don’t feel like getting it, just omit it from the recipe. The resulting pretzel will still taste great.

Barley malt syrup can be found online and so can diastatic malt (<– both of those are affiliate links). Barley malt syrup can also be found at well-stock health food stores, and diastatic malt can be found at beer making stores.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store German style pretzels?

Store these pretzels at room temperature in an airtight container or resealable Ziplock bag for up to 2 days at room temperature. Warm them up in a toaster (if the slots are big enough) or in a toaster oven/regular oven at 350°F for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Can you freeze these pretzels?

Yes! These pretzels freeze great. Store them in an airtight container or resealable Ziplock bag for up to 2 months in the freezer. Keep in mind that salt will dissolve when you freeze them, so they won’t look exactly the same as when you initially baked them, but they will still have a salty skin topping and will taste great.
To defrost, just leave them on the counter for 30 to 60 minutes. Or warm them directly from the freezer, in a toaster with a wide slot or a toaster oven/oven at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes.

What sort of yeast should I use?

I developed this recipe using active dry yeast in this recipe. I recommend using it if you can. But if you have only have Rapid Rise or Instant yeast you can use those two. Just keep in mind that the yeast works faster and will rise quicker.
If you do use Rapid rise or Instant yeast, skip the pre-ferment stage, adding all the flour, water and yeast to the main dough. And keep an eye on the dough as it rises. It will rise and double faster.

What to dip these pretzels in:

The classic German pretzel is enjoyed all by itself, or with a cold glass of beer. But you can also serve it with condiments if you like. Try it with

Whole grain mustard
Spicy hot honey mustard
Beer Cheese Dip
Obadza (a classic German cheese dip served with pretzels)
Queso, a Mexican cheese dip
Pimiento Cheese

And if you like this German pretzel, try these other bread recipes

Bavarian Pretzels dipped in lye (aka Laugenbrezel)

These Bavarian pretzels are done the authentic and traditional way, dipped in food safe lye. They also use a pre-ferment dough and use specific bread making ingredients like diastatic malt and barley malt syrup. The entire project requires sometime to let the pre-ferment develop, as well as the dough to cool and chill in the refrigerator so keep that in mind.The effort is absolutely worth it for authentic tasting Bavarian pretzels that taste like they’re from an actual German pub.

Course Appetizer, bread, Snack

Cuisine German

Keyword bread, pretzels, yeast

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 18 minutes

Rest Time 6 hours

Servings 8

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Pre-ferment dough

1/4 cup warm water 90 to 100°F
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 70 g
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Dough

1 1/4 cups warm water 90 to 100°F
1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 525 g
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
2 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon diastatic malt powder optional

Lye solution

1 quart room temperature water 950 g
2 tablespoons food grade lye also called caustic soda, 35 g

To finish

Coarse salt

Instructions

Make the pre-ferment dough by placing the water in a glass measuring cup and dissolving the yeast in it. Mix in the flour and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour at room temperature. Then refrigerate the pre-ferment dough for a minimum of 3 hours, or up to 12 hours.
In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the warm water and stir in malt syrup or brown sugar. Add in the yeast and stir to dissolve. Set aside for 5 minutes to proof or until foam starts to form on the surface of the liquid.
Add the flour, melted butter, salt, and malt powder to the bowl. Add in the pre-ferment dough as well, scraping the measuring cup to make sure all of it is added.
Stir together with a spatula, until a shaggy dough forms, then on slow speed mix and knead with the dough hook until the dough is smooth or elastic, increasing the speed to medium as the dough comes together. It should take about 4 to 5 minutes. You may need to scrape down the side of the bowl a couple of times.
If you don’t have a stand mixer or want to hand knead the dough, stir all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough has formed and most of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Knead the dough by hand on a clean surface for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Grab the dough and pull/stretch the sides of it until a smooth round ball is formed. Place the dough, rough side down, in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Once the dough has risen, dump the dough onto a clean surface. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, about 4 ounces (115 g) each.
On a clean bare surface, roll the dough out into a long rope. To get a more traditional German style pretzel shape, taper the ends of the rope thin and leave the middle of the dough thicker and more fat. Do not flour the surface, as you need a bare surface for the dough to properly roll out.
As you roll the dough, you might encounter some resistance from the dough itself, with the ends of the rope becoming super elastic and bouncing back. If that happens, just step away from the dough for about a minute or two. This will allow the gluten in the dough to relax. Once the gluten has relaxed, this will allow you to roll out the ends easier. You want your rope to be about 24 inches long or longer.
Form the pretzels by first making a “U” shape with the rope.
Cross the arms over once. Then cross them over again in the same direction, twisting them.
Then bring the arms down to the bottom of the “U” firmly press the ends to the belly, forming a pretzel shape. Move the pretzel to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
Cover the pretzels with plastic wrap for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they start to look a little puffy. Remove the plastic wrap and let the pretzels sit out to help form a “skin” on the dough for about another 15 minutes.
At this point you can either move the pretzels (uncovered) to the freezer for a faster chill or the refrigerator for a slow cool down. If you have room in the freezer, place the pretzels in there for 15 minutes to chill and firm up. If you don’t have room in the freezer, place the pretzels in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Chilling the pretzels makes them easier to handle when dipping them in the lye.
While the pretzels are chilling, preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with silicon baking mats or parchment paper then generously spray or brush each of them with cooking oil.
At this point you can prepare the lye solution. Lye is a concentrated basic solution that is caustic and can burn. See my section above on working with lyehttps://www.eatthelove.com/bavarian-pretzels/#bakingsoda. Prepare the lye solution by pouring the water in a large plastic bowl (preferred) or stainless-steel bowl. Add the lye powder to the water. Carefully stir the lye solution. It will first seem cloudy, as the powder is suspended in the water, but then it will start to clear up as the lye powder dissolves. Once it’s clear, set it aside.
Once the pretzels have chilled and firmed up, take them out of the fridge/freezer. Dip one pretzel in the lye solution and leave it there for 30 seconds, making sure it’s completely submerged. Pull the pretzel out of the lye and place on the prepared oiled baking sheet. The pretzels will be a little slippery so keep that mind. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
After all the pretzels have been dipped, sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt. Slice the belly of the pretzel with a sharp knife or razor.
Bake the pretzels for 16 to 20 minutes, depending on how deeply brown you want the pretzel and how crisp you want them. You may want to check your pretzels halfway through and rotate the pans if your oven heats unevenly. Enjoy the pretzels warm from the oven or at room temperature.

Notes

If you want to skip the pre-ferment dough, just add all the pre-ferment ingredients to the pretzel dough when you form it or use a different pretzel dough like my rye soft pretzels, beer pretzel twists, pretzel buns or sourdough pretzels.
If lye scares you, you can make a baking soda solution or a baked baking soda solution. See my section above for directions.
If you want to make these German pretzels even MORE traditional, you can use 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tablespoon pork lard instead of just butter.

The post Bavarian Pretzels Dipped in Lye appeared first on Eat The Love.

Apple Slab Pie with Brandy and Prunes [Sponsored Post]

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 12:01:04 GMT

This apple and prunes slab pie with a dash of brandy and wintery warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg can be made ahead of time and sliced into easy-to-serve portions for a larger holiday crowd!

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This post was sponsored by California Grown. I was compensated for this post and developing this recipe. However, all opinions below are my own.

Fall is here and I’m officially ready for it! As the produce starts to shift at the grocery store I keep seeing some of my favorite Autumn and Winter fruit come into season. Figs are everywhere, which means I’m making my fig focaccia and my fig financiers. And all the heirloom apples are also arriving, which means apple pie! Fried apple pies, open-faced brown butter apple pie, and caramel apple pie bars are all in heavy rotation. But one of my favorite sorts of pies are slab pies! These apple slab pie with brandy and prunes is the perfect example. They’re almost like a cross between apple pie bars and true apple pie, with a thinner filling per crust ratio.

This apple slab pie also feed a crowd, for all those casual gathering that you might find yourself attending that require…some physical distance (if you know what I mean). Cut the pie into smaller slices and leave them on the buffet table for folks to serve themselves. No fuss, no mess! This is the recipe you will want for the upcoming holidays!

What’s a slab pie?

A slab pie is a pie that is made in a small rimmed rectangular sheet pan or baking pan. Because of this, there is a larger crust to filling ratio in most slab pies. Slab pies are perfect for larger gatherings as they can be cut ahead of time into smaller pieces, serving more people.

How do you make a slab pie?

Make a slab pie requires a 9 x 13 x 1-inch rimmed baking sheet, or a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan (the kind you might make brownies or a sheet cake in). If you use the 2-inch tall baking pan, I recommend spraying it lightly with cooking oil, then lining it with parchment paper, so you can easily remove the pie once it’s done baking for easier serving. If you use a rimmed 1-inch tall baking sheet, lining the pan isn’t necessary and you can bake the pie directly in the pan!

As with all pies, you make a crust first. Place flour, salt and cold butter that has been cubed in a large bowl. Smash the butter with your fingers, to break them up. Then drizzle water over the ingredients, tossing with a fork until a crust forms. Divide the dough into two disks, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and then refrigerate for 2 hours. You can also make the pie dough the day before and let it chill overnight.

While the dough is chilling, chop the prunes roughly into 1/2-inch pieces, and then let them steep in the brandy for the 2 hours while the crust is chilling.

Once the brandy has finished steeping, combine the prunes and brandy with the sliced apples, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt to make the filling.

Roll out the first disk of dough into a rough 11 x 15 rectangle then fit it into the 9 x 13-inch pan. Pour the filling into the pan and distribute it evenly into the pastry dough.

Roll out the second disk of dough and fit it over the filling, sealing the edges and crimping them tightly together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Once the oven is preheated, brush the top of the pie with an egg yolk beaten with water, then sprinkle with some turbinado sugar. Cut a few vents into the top of the pie and bake until the filling is boiling and bubbling up through the vents in the middle. Let cool and serve!

Why the addition of prunes?

If you’ve visited my site before you know that I love my prunes! They’re a versatile dried fruit that works well in savory dishes like my lamb tagine, and sweet dishes like my carrot muffins.

Prunes are actually dried Improved French variety Plums and their dark earthy, sweet and rich flavor works well with autumn fruits like pears and apples, as well as rich complex recipes that work with espresso, chocolate and chilies. California grows 99% of the nation’s prune crop and 40% in the world. You can learn more about how the farmers and the produce grown in California from California Grown’s How to Support a Farmer page.

On top of that, plums are highly nutritious, packed with antioxidants, high in vitamins and minerals and packed with fiber, sorbitol and polyphenols which are all great for good digestive health, as well as heart and bone health. They also add natural sweetness and moisture to desserts, allowing you to skip adding sugar or sometimes oil! You’ll notice that the filling of this slab pie, which serves 12 people, only has 1/4 cup so dark brown sugar, with an additional sprinkling of 1 tablespoons of sugar on top of the crust. That’s it!

What’s the best apples to use?

Not all apples are made the same and some apples are better than others for baking. I like to use a mix of apples when I bake a pie to give the filling more complexity. Here’s a few baking apples that I like to use when baking up pies.

Granny Smith
Gala
Honeycrisp
Jazz
Jonagold
Opal
SweeTango

I also tend to avoid Red Delicious apples and Braeburn apples, as they often get mushy when cooked.

By the way, if you can find them, Gravenstein, Pippin, and Arkansas Black apples are some of my favorite heirloom varieties of apples. They’re hard to find but if you see them at a Farmers market, snatch up a bunch to bake or eat out of hand!

What other sort of spices can I use?

I use a mix of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in this recipe, because they go so well with apple and prunes. But if you aren’t a big cloves or nutmeg fan or if you’re tired of using cinnamon in your apple pie, try mixing it up with some different wintery spices! Here’s a list of different spices to try out in your slab pie. Just substitute up to 2 teaspoons of whatever combination of spices you want. Keep in mind that some spices (like cardamom, cloves or nutmeg) are much more assertive and should be kept in smaller amounts.

Allspice
Black pepper
Cardamom
Coriander
Ginger
Grains of Paradise
Longpepper
Mace
Orange zest, fresh
Pink Peppercorn
White pepper
Vanilla bean powder

Can I make this non-alcoholic?

Yes! If you are avoiding alcohol, you can absolutely make this without the brandy. Just substitute the brandy for orange juice or apple juice. Or you can just leave out the brandy and liquid completely and just reduce the flour to 2 tablespoons. If you do omit the brandy, expect the prunes to be a little more firm and drier in the filling.

Can I use a different alcohol?

I use Brandy in this recipe as it works really well with the apple and prunes, but you can substitute another dark, complex flavored liqueur in its place. Here’s a few suggestions:

Armagnac
Bourbon
Cougnac
Dark rum
Whisky

Frequently asked Questions

Can you make this pie ahead of time?

Yes. This pie can be made one day ahead of time before serving. Just refresh the pie in a 300°F for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the crust to crisp up again before serving.

How do I store this pie?

Keep the pie covered at room temperature up to 2 days or up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Just cover the pie with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Keep in mind the longer you store the pie, the more soggy the crust gets. Refresh the pie in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes (or longer if you have stored the pie in the fridge) until the crust has crisped up.

Can I freeze this pie?

Yes! Slice the pie before freezing and then place the pie in the freezer on the baking sheet until frozen solid. Then move the pie to a ziplock bag or airtight container. The pie will keep for up to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the countertop before refreshing in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

If you like this slab pie, check out these other pies of mine:

Apple Slab Pie with Brandy and Prunes

This apple slab pie is spiked with brandy, as well as wintry warm spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The autumnal winter scent will fill your house as you bake it in the oven, and every bite will remind you of the winter holidays!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apples, pie, prunes

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Chill Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 401kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Pie Dough

3 cups all-purpose flour 420 g
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter 285 g or 2 1/2 sticks
3/4 cup cold water plus more if necessary

Filling

1 cup prunes 145 or about 18 medium-sized prunes
1/4 cup brandy
2 pounds apples 910 g or about 4 medium sized apples
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 65 g
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

To finish

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoons turbinado sugar or sparkling sugar or white granulated sugar

Instructions

Make the pie crust by placing the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes then sprinkle it over the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, smash the butter into small flat bits, breaking the butter up into pieces the size of peas.
Sprinkle and drizzle the water over the ingredients, tossing the components with a fork. Continue to do this until all the water has been added and a dough forms. You might need to “clean” the fork every now and then as you make the dough. If the dough seems too dry, sprinkle a tablespoon of water at a time onto the dough until it comes together.
Divide the dough in half and form flat 1-inch thick discs. If you have a scale, each disk should way roughly 415 grams. Tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
While the dough is chilling, chop the prunes into 1/2-inch chunks and place them in a small bowl. Pour the brandy over the prunes and cover with a plate. Let sit for the 2 hours, stirring every now and then.
Once the dough has finished chilling, make the filing by peeling the apples, and then slicing them into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place them in a large bowl (it can be the same bowl you made the pie dough in, no need to clean it). Add the prunes and the remaining brandy, flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Gently stir together with a large spatula to make sure everything is coated.
If you’re using a 9 x 13-inch baking pan (the kind that you make brownies in), lightly spray it with cooking oil, then line it with parchment paper. If you are using a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet, skip this step. Flour a clean surface and then roll out a disk of dough into an 11 x 15-inch rectangle.
Fold the dough into quarters. Move the dough carefully to the pan. Unfold and fit the dough into the baking sheet or pan, trying to NOT stretch the dough as much as possible. This will help prevent shrinkage.
Pour the filling into the pastry dough and then distribute the filling evenly throughout the pan. The flat apple slices should lay down fairly evenly throughout the pie.
Repeat the rolling out of the dough with the remaining disk, making sure it 11 x 15 as well. Place this dough over the filled pie.
Roll up and seal the pie all the way around, pinching any excess dough together to form a crust. Them decoratively pinch and seal the dough all the way around the pie. Place the pie in the refrigerator (uncovered) for 30 minutes.
While the pie is chilling, preheat the oven to 400°F. Once the pie is done chilling, make an egg wash by combining the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Beat together and then brush all over the top of the pie crust. Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar and then cut some decorative vent holes into the top.
Bake the pie for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the pie top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. If the top of the crust seems to be browning too fast, cover the entire pie with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning.
Let cool to room temperature for pie to set before serving.

The post Apple Slab Pie with Brandy and Prunes [Sponsored Post] appeared first on Eat The Love.

Fig Financier with Brown Butter, Bay Leaf and Vanilla

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 12:00:00 GMT

These fig financiers are a version of French almond tea cakes but made with brown butter, bay leaf, extra vanilla and a fresh fig nestled in it!

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San Francisco is an oddball when it comes to weather. While the rest of the country is crazy hot in the summertime, we’re cool and foggy…unless we’re in a weird heat wave. Or hazy and smoky with the fire season. But the one things I can count on to help signify the changing of the seasons from summer to fall is the slow disappearance of berries and stonefruit and the appearance of figs! Fresh figs means I can eat them out of hand, putting them in my yogurt and oatmeal as well as make my fig and honey focaccia. But I’ve also been wanting to make brown butter financiers forever, and nestling figs in each of the financier elevates these almond tea cakes to the next level!

What’s a financier?

A financier is a small French pastry that is made with almond flour, egg whites and brown butter. The traditional financier is baked in a small rectangular loaf, which requires a specialty pan.

Though traditional financiers require this specialty pan, which you can purchase online (<- Amazon affiliate link), I opted to bake them in a standard muffin tin, which most folks have in their house. The financier is equally delicious, just baked in a different shape!

How did financiers get their name?

When baked in their traditional rectangular shape, these tea cakes are similar in appearance to gold bars, which is one theory of where the name financier comes from. Another popular theory they were often sold in the financial district of Paris in the 1800s, where the pricey tea cakes (the ingredients used to make them were expensive at the time) could only be afforded by the financial investors working nearby. And finally one story says that the French enjoy a mid-afternoon snack at the sweet shop, and they needed something that would be easy to eat that wouldn’t be messy, as they were in their work clothes. The financier was the perfect solution!

How do you make a financiers?

Similar to a French madeleine cookies, the financier cake is made by first creating brown butter. I opted to add fresh bay leaves to the butter as I cook it, which gives an elusive autumnal scent to the butter.

To make the bay leaf brown butter, you place the butter and bay leaves in a large skillet, preferably one with a silver bottom. Then slowly cook the butter until it is melted and the milk solids have turned golden brown and smells fragrantly nutty. Discard the leaves and set aside the butter to cool.

Grease a muffin pan with melted butter and preheat the oven. Stir together the almond flour, sugar, flour and salt in a large bowl with a balloon whisk. Then add in the egg whites, folding until absorbed.

Mix in the brown butter and the vanilla then divide the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Nestle in half a fresh fig into each cup of batter and bake until golden brown.

Can I make these financiers in a more traditional manner without the figs and bay leaf?

Yes! This is an excellent base recipe for financiers. Just omit the bay leaf when browning the butter and bake the financiers without the fresh fig.

You might want to reduce the vanilla down to 1 teaspoon or use a mix of 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for a plain financier. Or keep the full 1 tablespoon for a robust vanilla flavor.

Frequently asked questions

How do you store financiers?

Typical financiers keep really well, for up to one week in an airtight container at room temperature. However, these fig financiers should be eaten sooner, within two to three days as the fresh figs will spoiler faster! Store the fig financiers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature (about 30 minutes on the counter) before serving.

Can I freeze these financiers?

Yes! You can easily freeze these financiers. Just freeze them first on a baking sheet, until frozen solid, about 2 to 3 hours. Then store them in an airtight container or in a ziplock bag. They will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

If you like these Fig Financiers, check out these other small individual sized baked goods:

Fig financier with brown butter, bay leaf and vanilla

The classic French almond tea cake is given an autumnal twist with fresh bay leaf, a healthy dose of vanilla and a fresh fig nestled into the cake. Bake them until they just golden brown on top. Be sure to brown the butter until the milk solids just start to turn golden brown. Then remove the pan from the heat and let the residual heat darken and brown the butter. If you leave the butter on the heat too long, it will burn and you’ll have to start over.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, French

Keyword almond, cake, figs

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Cooling time 10 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 197kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

To prepare pan

2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Batter

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 fresh bay leaves
1 cup almond flour 140 g
3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoon white granulated sugar 175
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 45 g
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

To finish

6 fresh figs

Instructions

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin tin by brushing the bottom and sides generously with the melted butter. Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator for the butter to cool and solidify as you make the financier batter.
Place the butter and bay leaves in a large skillet. Turn the heat to high and melt the butter. Reduce the heat to medium once the butter has melted and continue to cook. Cook the butter and bay leaves, stirring frequently, until the solid butterfat particles has settled out and started to turn light brown. Remove pan immediately from heat and continue to stir, letting the residual heat cook the butterfat until they are golden brown and it smells nutty and rich. Let the butter cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the bay leaves and discard.
Place almond flour, sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until all ingredients are uniformly distributed. Add the egg whites and fold in to dry ingredients until absorbed.
Add the brown butter and vanilla to the batter and mix until well blended.
Take the chilled muffin tin out of the oven and evenly divide the batter into the muffin tin. It should be about a scant 2 tablespoons per cup, barely filing the cup halfway. If you have a scale, each cup should be about 45 to 50 grams. Cut the figs in half and nestle half the fig into the top of each financier.
Bake in the oven, 15 to 18 minutes, or until the top of the financier is light brown and the edges are a darker golden brown. Immediately run a thin knife around the edges of each financier carefully to loosen it from the pan. Then let cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the financier to firm up, then remove carefully and let cool on a wire rack.

The post Fig Financier with Brown Butter, Bay Leaf and Vanilla appeared first on Eat The Love.

Cherry Tomato Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 12:00:00 GMT

This cherry tomato focaccia with rosemary and sea salt is easy-to-make and perfect as an accompanying bread for soup or stew!

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Tomato season is raging strong here in California with all the heirloom tomatoes. I’ve been making easy baked ziti, my zucchini pasta summer vegetable medley, vegetarian breakfast tacos and queso dip like mad crazy. But after sharing my fig and honey focaccia here, I realized I have never shared a more traditional classic cherry tomato focaccia with rosemary and sea salt recipe. This is the focaccia that I’ve been making for the past 25 years (from before I even moved to San Francisco) after I discovered the magic of using a small boiled mashed potato in the dough from an old lost cookbook that I no longer can find. I make it all the time at home to go along with soups like my Summer minestrone or Leek and Beans soup.

What is focaccia?

Focaccia is an Italian flat bread that is often associated or confused with pizza. But focaccia dough is different than pizza dough, especially the recipe I am sharing here, which uses a mashed russet potato in the dough.

If you’ve never had a focaccia, think of it is a slab of herb bread, comparable to a thick crust or deep dish pizza, without the sauce or pizza toppings. Though focaccia can come in a variety of styles, from thin to thick, most focaccia is more bread than topping, without any sauce on top. One of the most simple types of focaccia is often topped just with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and some rosemary. This version has the addition of cherry tomatoes to the top, which is also very common.

Though most focaccia is savory, focaccia can also sometimes veer into the sweet side, like my fig, honey and lemon focaccia!

How do you make this focaccia?

To make this focaccia, a small baking potato is peeled, quartered and simmered in water until soft. The potato is then mashed, and the remaining potato water is mixed with yeast.

Knead the mashed potatoes together with flour, olive oil, honey, and salt until a nice soft dough is formed. You can do this with a dough hook and stand mixer or by hand.

Cover and let the dough rise until double, then dump it into a well-oiled 10-inch springform pan. Press the dough out to cover the bottom of the pan with your fingers. Let the dough rise again until double and puffy.

Once the dough is puffy, press the cherry tomatoes into the dough and sprinkle the top with fresh rosemary and salt. Bake and serve!

Why do you use potato in the focaccia bread?

There are plenty of focaccia bread recipes out there without potato in the dough, but the addition of the potato creates a wonderful soft dough that will rise higher. It’s a traditional method that is used in the Puglia region of Italy.

Adding potato to the dough lowers the gluten content, meaning the dough will be more soft, tender and less chewy. The potato is high in starch, which swells when it is cooked. This starch also holds onto water, which leads to a moister bread.

The potato itself also adds additional flavor because it ferments faster than regular flour while the sugars in the potato don’t get consumed as fast by the yeast, leading to a slightly sweeter, more complex-flavored focaccia.

Can I substitute regular tomatoes for the cherry tomatoes?

Yes! Just cut the regular tomatoes into bite size pieces, roughly 1-inch in size, or the size of a cherry tomato. Or, if the tomatoes are smaller, you can slice them into rounds and use that. You want roughly 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups of cut or sliced tomatoes, which can be anywhere from 2 small Roma or Early Girl tomatoes to 1 large heirloom or Beefsteak tomato.

Can I use dried rosemary instead of fresh rosemary?

I don’t recommend dried rosemary leaves for this recipe, as they tend to be woody and tough in texture. If all you have dried rosemary, try grinding it up in a mortar and pestle, or in a spice grinder and then mixing it with the salt to make rosemary salt. Use this to sprinkle over the focaccia dough before baking.

What other herbs and spices work on focaccia?

When I’m making focaccia as a side dish for a soup or stew, I tend to keep the topping simple. But feel free to add more fresh or dried herbs, spices and aromatic vegetables to the topping! Here’s a few suggestions that would be great on this focaccia include:

Italian (flat leaf) parsley, fresh or dried
Oregano, fresh or dried
Thyme, fresh or dried
Marjoram, fresh or dried
Basil, chopped fresh or dried
Lemon zest, fresh
Fennel seeds
Minced garlic, or garlic powder
Chopped red or yellow onions
Chopped green onions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I substitute instant or rapid rise yeast for the active dry yeast in this recipe?

Yes! You can substitute instant or rapid rise yeast. Just use the same amount as the active dry yeast, but keep in mind that the dough will rise faster than if you had used the active dry yeast.

If you use instant yeast, you do not have to dissolve the yeast in the potato water. You can directly add the yeast in when you add the flour and other dry ingredients.

How do I store focaccia?

Focaccia keeps for about 2 days. Just store it in an airtight container or resealable Ziploc bag at room temperature. Refresh it in the toaster oven or regular oven at 325°F for 5 minutes.

Does the focaccia freeze?

Yes, you can totally freeze this bread! When I bake up a big batch of focaccia, I usually can’t eat it all. I freeze any remaining leftovers in a heavy duty resealable Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Just thaw it out at room temperature, or in the toaster oven or regular oven at 325°F for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Keep in mind that freezing, and the subsequent thawing of the focaccia will also make the tomatoes very watery so don’t be alarmed when you warm up the leftover focaccia.

Can I hand knead this dough?

Yes! The instructions in the recipe are for using a stand mixer, but you can hand knead the dough if you wish. Just mix the dough ingredients in a large bowl using a wooden spoon. When a rough dough forms, dump the dough and any dry loose bits onto a clean surface. Knead the dough with the heel of your hand for about 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Then proceed with the recipe.

If you like this focaccia recipe, check out some other bread recipes:

Tomato Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt

This traditional Italian slab bread is studded with cherry tomatoes then sprinkled with fresh rosemary and flaky sea salt. The olive oil keeps the dough supple and rich. The addition of a boiled and mashed potato (a traditional southern Italy Puglian-style technique) means the focaccia stays soft and complex in flavor!

Course bread, brunch, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bread, rosemary, tomatoes, yeast

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Rise Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 205kcal

Author Irvin

Equipment

10-inch springform pan

Ingredients

Dough

1 small russet potato 4 to 5 ounces or 115 to 140 g
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 to 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 280 to 315 g
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt

To bake

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Topping

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary from 2 medium sprigs, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon quality flaky salt like Maldon, sel de gris or Diamond Brand kosher salt

Instructions

Peel and cut the potato into quarters. Place the potato quarters in a medium-sized sauce pan and cover with water, making sure the water is about an inch above the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook the potato for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a fork easily inserts into the potato.
Set aside for the potatoes and water to cool to a lukewarm temperature, then scoop the potatoes out of the water with a fork or a slotted spoon and measure out 1/2 cup of the potato water, discarding the rest. If you don’t have enough water, add additional warm water from the tap until you do.
Mash the potatoes into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment.
Sprinkle the yeast over the warm potato water and stir to dissolve. Add yeasted water to the mashed potatoes.
Add 2 cups (280 g) of flour, olive oil and salt to the bowl, and then stir slowly with dough hook, increasing speed as the flour is absorbed into the wet ingredients. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Increase the speed once the dough has started to form and knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should be tacky but not overly sticky. If it is too wet, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time up, kneading it in, up to 4 tablespoons.
Spray or oil a large bowl with olive oil. Pull the dough into a ball by stretching the sides of the dough until one side is smooth. Place the rough side down into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until double in size, about 60 to 90 minutes.
Once the dough has doubled, place a 10-inch springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil into the pan, making sure to brush the oil all over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. If you springform pan doesn’t seal tightly, cover the bottom with aluminum foil.
Dump the dough directly into the oiled springform pan and press down with your fingertips to push the dough out and to the sides, making sure the dough is evenly distributed in the pan. If the dough is sticking to your fingers, wet your hand slightly and use the damp fingers to press the dough out.
Cover again with the plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and double in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Once the dough is ready, preheat an oven to 400°F. Press the cherry tomatoes deep into the focaccia dough all over. Then drizzle the olive oil all over the top of the focaccia. Sprinkle the rosemary leaves and salt all the top as well.
Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If you have an instant read thermometer, the inside of the focaccia should read 200°F.
Immediately run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the focaccia from the sides. Then let the focaccia cool for 15 minute before releasing the sides of the pan and removing it. Sprinkle with additional fresh rosemary leaves and salt if desired.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

The post Cherry Tomato Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt appeared first on Eat The Love.

Plum Crisp

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 19:59:30 GMT

This easy-to-make rustic plum crisp has a crispy cinnamon spice oat topping and sweet-tart filling that is screaming for a scoop of ice cream on top!

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I’m lucky to have a prolific plum tree in the backyard of my rental apartment building. Though all the other tenants have access to the plum tree, there are years when the tree is so insane, that none of us could keep up with the plums being produced. I made numerous batches of plum jam, including my lavender plum jam and plum and strawberry jam, a plum galette, a mixed plum tart (with some green plums I bought at the store), a plum and rhubarb cobbler and an apricot, plum and cherry pie. Yes, I had a LOT of plums to go through! But when I finally ended up with my last bag of plums I decided I needed something super simple and easy. I made a plum crisp!

What makes this recipe different and better?

Plum crisps are an easy and rustic recipe that everyone loves. Most recipes have you sprinkling the topping over the unbaked filling. I go the extra step of baking the topping first. This allows the crisp topping to truly be crisp, like the name! While the topping is baking (a quick 15 minutes in the oven), you can prep the filling.

I also add in a grated apple which seems like an unusual addition. But the grated apple does two things. It helps thicken the filling with pectin (a natural protein that apples have) without additional thickener or starch. It also naturally sweetens the filling, which means I can use a little less sugar in the filling. Don’t worry about tasting the apple though. It blends into the background of the filling, letting the plum flavor shine through!

How do you make a plum crisp?

Make the filling first by combining the topping ingredients of flour, rolled oats, sugar, turbinado (or brown) sugar, salt, and some spices in a bowl. Drizzle melted butter and vanilla over it, and toss until it starts to clump up. Bake in a preheated oven on a lined rimmed baking sheet for 15 minutes.

While the topping is baking, make the filling by slicing the plums into a bowl and adding sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. You can also add lemon zest and crystallized ginger but those are optional if you don’t have them or dislike lemon and ginger. Grate an apple into the filling then toss to combine and pour into a deep dish pie pan or a 2 quart baking dish.

Once the topping is baked (it won’t change color much) crumble it over the top of the filling and then bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling thick. Let cool to warm and then serve with vanilla ice cream or the ice cream of your choice!

Do you need to peel the plums?

No. In fact it’s better if you don’t peel the plums! A lot of the tart assertive plum flavor is in the skin. And the skin is where the plums get their beautiful reddish-purple color. The skins are soft so don’t peels the plums for this crisp.

What sort of plums are best for this crisp?

Any plums that you like to eat directly out of hand are great for this crisp. If your plums are extra juicy, which might include ripe Santa Rosa, Mirabelle, Green Gage, Black Amber or Friar plums you might need to adjust the filling and add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch.

Or if your plums are less juicy, like Damson, French Prune or Italian plums or they are just not as ripe, you might need to use 1 tablespoon less cornstarch.

One final note. Taste the plum before you add the sugar! Some plums (especially the French and Italian plums) are significantly sweeter and need less sugar. Under ripe fruit may need more sugar but will be less juicy, so adjust the cornstarch and sugar accordingly.

Can I substitute a different stone fruit for this plums?

Yes! This recipe is a great base recipe for any summer stone fruit. This includes peaches, nectarines, apricots or cherries. Just adjust the cornstarch and sugar according to the sweetness and juiciness of the fruit. You may also want to experiment with different spices to go along with the fruit flavors.

You can also use hybrid fruit like pluots, apriums, pluerries, peacotums, plumcots or any other hybrid summer stonefruit that you might find at the store. Though hybrid fruits may at first glance seem like a strange genetically modified fruit, they are not created in a lab or through genetic modification but rather through selective crossbreeding by farmers.

How do you store this crisp?

This plum crisp is best eaten the day it is made, but you can store the crisp in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that the longer the crisp is in the fridge, the less crisp the topping will be.

Gently place the crisp up in an oven proof bowl or pan and warm up in a 350°F oven or toaster oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until warm.

What should you serve the crisp with?

You can serve the crisp all by itself but my favorite way to serve the crisp is with a scoop of ice cream! Vanilla is my favorite but pick and choose a flavor that compliments the plum and oatmeal flavors of the crisp. These might include:

French Vanilla
Salted Caramel
Butter Pecan
Cinnamon or Horchata
Praline Pecan
Maple
Strawberry

If you like this rustic fruit dessert, check out some of my other classic rustic desserts:

Plum Crisp with Ginger

This classic easy-to-make rustic dessert uses plums with the addition of a little bit of crystallized ginger in the filling. If you don’t have the ginger or don’t like it, feel free to omit it. The topping is baked ahead of time, which helps crisp it up and prevents it from becoming soggy. While the topping is baking, you can prepare the filling.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword crispy, fruit, oats, rustic dessert, summer

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 361kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Topping

1 1/4 cups rolled oats thick cut preferred, 145 g
3/4 cup all-purpose flour 105 g
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar or dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted, 1 stick or 115 g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

1 3/4 pounds plums about 9 or 10, 850 g
4 to 6 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest optional
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger optional
1 medium apple, peeled

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking sheet.
Combine the flour, oats, both sugars, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir vigorously with a balloon whisk until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Stir the melted butter and vanilla together in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Drizzle the liquid over the dry ingredients, tossing to coat them, until all the liquid is absorbed and the dry ingredients start to clump together.
Spread the mixture in an even layer onto the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. The edges should JUST start to darken but there shouldn’t be much change in color.
While the topping is baking, make the filling by cutting the plums into 1-inch thick slices into a large bowl. Gently toss with 4 tablespoons of sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, as well as the lemon zest and crystallized ginger if you are using. If your plums are particular tart and sour, add a tablespoon or two of sugar to help balance it. Grate the peeled apple with the hole from a larger grater into the bowl and mix in.
Pour the filling into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate or another 2-quart baking dish. Once the topping has baked, pull it out of the oven. Once it is cool enough to handle, sprinkle the crisp topping over the fruit.
Place the crisp in the oven and bake 50 to 60 minutes or until the fruit filling is bubbling and thick. Let cool to room temperature for the filling to thicken up before serving.

The post Plum Crisp appeared first on Eat The Love.

Blueberry Pie

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 12:00:00 GMT

Vibrant and juicy, this is the best blueberry pie recipe made from scratch! It is everything you want in a blueberry pie.

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I get asked often what my favorite thing is to bake. And though I love cookies, cakes and cobblers, PIE is often the answer I give. I love to make pies, whether it’s a Mexican chocolate pecan pie, a handheld fried apple pie, or a rhubarb berry slab pie that is designed to feed a crowd. And though I like my fancy pants pies with woven crusts and decorative like my popular grape and blueberry pie, as well a buttery crumb topped pie like my summer fruit pie, there is something charmingly simple about a straightforward double crust pie like this blueberry pie. In fact, it’s one of my absolute favorite pies to make and eat! With minimal spices and a basic double crust, this easy, juicy and vibrant blueberry pie is everything you want in a fruit pie.

How to make blueberry pie

Making the best blueberry pie relies on making good pie crust and using quality berries. If you have access to wild blueberries, I recommend using those, as wild blueberries have a more intense robust flavor. But cultivated farmed blueberries are readily available for most folks and you’ll still get a pretty awesome pie with them.

First make the crust by combining flour, salt, sugar and butter together. Smash the butter into small flat pieces, then drizzle water all over it. Toss until the dough forms. Divide the dough in half, flatten into a 1-inch disk, then cover with plastic wrap and chill for an hour or overnight.

Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven, and roll out one of the dough disks. Fit it in the pie pan and place back in the fridge. Make the filling by combining in a bowl, blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, tapioca starch (or cornstarch), sugar, cinnamon, allspice (optional), salt, and a grated apple.

Pour into the pie shell, then roll out and top with the second disk. Flute the edges, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in the oven until the filling is bubbling hot. Let cool completely for the filling to set, then serve!

Why use an apple in the filling?

A lot of recipes have you using tapioca starch, cornstarch or flour as a thickener in the filling. I use both tapioca starch and a grated apple in my filling. The role of the apple does two things. It naturally sweetens the filling, meaning I can use less sugar, allowing the blueberry flavor to really shine through. But the apple also helps thicken the filling! Apples are naturally filled with pectin, which is the protein that helps set jams and preserves. This thickening protein also works in a pie filling!

Don’t worry about tasting the apple though. The apple blends into the background of the pie filling, allowing the vibrant blueberry flavor to take center stage.

Tips on the best pie crust

Pie crust is one of the most overlooked components of pie. Here’s a few tips on making the best pie crust so you get the best pie.

Make it ahead of time. If you have the forethought, make the pie crust the day before and let it rest in the fridge overnight. This chilling will make the pie crust easier to handle as the water will have fully hydrated the flour, the gluten will have relaxed, and the butter will have solidified in the cold refrigerator creating a more flaky crust. If you didn’t make the crust a day ahead, allow the dough to rest for at least a minimum of 1 hour in the fridge
Freeze the pie crust ahead of time. Pie crust freezes really well. So next time you make pie, make a double batch of the crust and the second batch. Wrap the disks of the dough in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer Ziploc bag. Thaw the dough the night before in the fridge and just roll and bake!
Chill the pie after filling and sealing it. Chilling the dough, for 30 minutes, again helps solidify the butter which increases pie flakiness. It also helps prevent shrinkage of the crust which means all those pretty crimping shapes around the edge of the pie stay pretty and crimped.

Next level blueberry filling tips

If you want to make an even BETTER blueberry pie filling and bring it to to the next level, here are a few tips to pack it with even more blueberry flavor into it.

Use wild blueberries. If you have access to wild blueberries, try using the same amount of them in the filling than the cultivated ones. Wild blueberries have a more intense blueberry flavor and will give you an even better filling and pie flavor.
Use frozen wild blueberries. Fresh wild blueberries are only available seasonally in certain locations where wild blueberries grow. But you can find frozen wild blueberries all year round across the country. Just mixing in 8 ounces of frozen wild blueberries (1 1/2 cups) to 1 1/2 pounds (4 1/2 cups) cultivated fresh blueberries into the filling will give your pie a more intense blueberry flavor. If you are using the frozen fruit, increase the tapioca or cornstarch to by 1 tablespoon as the frozen fruit will shed more liquid.
Use freeze-dried blueberries. Freeze dried blueberries can be found at well-stocked grocery stores as well as specialty stores like Trader Joe’s. Just look in the produce section or near the dried fruit. Crush 1.2 ounces of freeze-dried fruit in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag with a rolling pin into a powder before adding it to the filling. The blueberry powder will intensify the flavor of the blueberry filling. Decrease the tapioca starch or cornstarch to 3 tablespoons if you do this, as the blueberry powder will absorb liquid and less starch is needed.
Use dried blueberries in the filling. You can find dried blueberries in well-stocked grocery stores as well as specialty stores like Trader Joe’s and Costco. Just look in the produce section or where dried fruit is sold. Add 1/2 cup of dried blueberries to the filling. Decrease the tapioca starch or cornstarch to 3 tablespoons if you do this, as the dried blueberries will absorb liquid and less starch is needed.

Frequently asked questions

How to store this pie

Store this pie at room temperature for up to 2 days covered. Or store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days covered. Keep in mind that the longer you store the pie, the less flaky and more tough the pie crust will get. You can refresh the pie in a 300°F toaster oven or preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes to help crisp up the crust.

Discard the pie if it smells off or notice any mold on it.

Can you freeze this pie?

Yes. Blueberry pie can be frozen. If you would like to freeze a whole pie, just wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, then slip it into a large heavy-duty freezer Ziploc bag and freeze whole.

If you are freezing leftovers, I recommend cutting the pie slices into individual servings first, then freezing them in a container, with parchment paper separating the slices. This way you can thaw and defrost individual pieces to serve.

Frozen pie can keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Can I use frozen fruit?

Yes. You can use frozen blueberries for this filling! Don’t thaw the blueberries ahead of time. Just make the filling with the frozen blueberries. Increase the tapioca starch or cornstarch to 5 tablespoons a frozen fruit sheds more liquid or keep it at 4 tablespoons and just expect the filling to be a little more loose and juicy.

Can I use store bought crust?

I always recommend homemade crust if possible as the flavor and texture is always going to be better than store bought. But I get that not everyone has time to make a pie crust and there’s no shame in shortcuts!

Store bought pie crust can totally be used in this recipe. If you are using a frozen pie crust, make sure the crust is completely thawed before rolling it out though. If you want a review of best store bought pie crusts check out Simply Recipes post on various purchased pie crusts.

If you like this blueberry pie recipe, check out these other blueberry recipes:

Blueberry Pie

This vibrant double crust blueberry pie has a juicy filling that bursts with blueberry flavor with minimal sugar so the fruit can really shine. Note I use a grated apple in the filling to help with the thickening of the pie and added natural sweetness, you won’t taste it. If you are making your own pie crust make sure to allow for an extra hour to let the dough chill or make it the day before and let it rest in the fridge overnight.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword blueberries, dessert, pie

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Resting time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 8

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Pie crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 350 g
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted cold butter 225 g or 2 sticks
8 to 10 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling

6 cup blueberries 2 pounds or 910 g
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup tapioca starch or cornstarch
1/2 cup white sugar 100g
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice optional
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 apple peeled and grated

To finish

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon white sugar

Instructions

Make a double pie crust by placing the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together with a balloon whisk. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Sprinkle over the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, smash the butter cubes into small flat pieces, about the size of peas. If the butter starts to stick to your hands, dip them back into the dry ingredients and coat with the flour.
Once the butter has been broken down, drizzle the water over the flour and butter, tossing the dry ingredients with a fork. Once all the water is added, continue to toss, eventually working the wet and dry ingredients together with your hands. If the dough is too dry, add an additional 1 tablespoon of water, up to 2 tablespoons, until a dough forms.
Once the dough has formed, divided the dough in half. Take half the dough and form a ball, then flatten it into a 1-inch disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then repeat with the second half of the dough. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Once the dough has chilled, roll out one pie crust disk into a 12-inch disk.
Carefully move the dough into a deep-dish pie pan, making sure not to stretch the dough as you transfer it. Just gently fit it into the dish. Trim any excess dough around the pan.
Place the blueberries, lemon zest, juice, tapioca starch, sugar, cinnamon, allspice (if using), salt, and grated apple in a large bowl. Mix to combine. Pour the filling into the pie crust.
Roll out the second disk of dough into a 12-inch disk. Cover the pie with the top crust.
Trim any excess pie crust, then seal the edge of the pie crust together by pinching the two crusts together. Decoratively crimp the pie edges. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Once the pie has chilled, place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Beat the egg yolk and water together in a bowl then brush it all over the top of the pie. Sprinkle the sugar all over the top of the pie.
Cut some vents on top of the dough to let the steam release. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake an additional 50 to 60 minutes, or until the pie filling is bubbling up through the top pie crust. Check the pie 40 minutes after turning down the heat to see if the pie crust is browning too fast. If so, cover it with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
Let the pie cool completely before serving for the filling to set.

The post Blueberry Pie appeared first on Eat The Love.

Fig Rosemary Focaccia with Honey Lemon Glaze

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 12:00:00 GMT

This fig rosemary focaccia with honey glaze walks the line between savory and sweet, making it great for dessert or perfect to serve with coffee or tea!

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This post was sponsored by California Grown. I was compensated for this post and developing this recipe. However, all opinions below are my own.

San Francisco weather is different than the rest of the country as we rarely get super cold or super hot. For me, the changing of the seasons usually is marked more by what produce I can get at the grocery store and the farmers market. California, as most folks know, is an ideal climate for growing fruit and vegetables. It grows a third of the vegetables for the entire nation, and two thirds of the fruits and nuts for the US! Local berries and stone fruit at the store means its summertime here in SF. Citrus means wintertime. But as the days go by and figs start to appear, I know late summer and early fall is starting to creep up.

I absolutely adore adding dried figs to some of my baked goods like my fig and hazelnut scone and apple and fig cobbler. When California Grown reached out to me about partnering together to make a recipe featuring figs, I knew I wanted to try something different! This fresh California fig focaccia with honey and rosemary walks that line of crunchy and soft, as well as sweet and savory.

What is focaccia?

If you’ve never had a focaccia, think of it is a slab of herb bread, comparable to a thick crust or deep dish pizza, without the sauce or pizza toppings. Though focaccia can come in a variety of styles, from thin to thick, most focaccia is more bread than topping, without any sauce on top. One of the most common types of focaccia is often topped just with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and some rosemary.

Though most focaccia is savory, this particular focaccia veers toward the sweet side of things with fresh meaty figs topped over the soft bread. A generous brushing for honey, lemon juice and zest, as well as fresh rosemary gives the bread a sweet savory touch.

How do you make a fig focaccia?

To make this focaccia, a small baking potato is peeled, quartered and simmered in water until soft. The potato is then mashed, and the remaining potato water is mixed with yeast. Knead together with flour, olive oil, honey, and salt until a nice soft dough is formed.

Quarter the figs and press them into the puffy dough. Then brush a mixture of honey, lemon juice, lemon zest and fresh rosemary all over the top of the dough. Bake and serve!

Why do you use potato in the focaccia bread?

When are figs in season?

Dried figs are available all year round, but fresh figs are only available in the summertime into the autumn months. California grows 98% of the commercially sold fresh figs sold here in the United States and they start popping up as early as mid-May at stores. But they become more common to find at the stores starting in July through November. You can find more details about when figs are in season, as well as what California fruits and vegetables are in season and when over at the California Grown website.

Where can I buy figs?

You can find fresh figs at most major grocery stores in the produce section. Look for dried figs throughout the produce aisle or in the snacking aisle, along with other dried fruit.

What sort of figs should you use for this focaccia?

Fresh figs come in a number of varieties. I’ve used Mission figs here, which are dark brown fig that have a “meaty” flavor. But you can use any type of fig that you like. The ones I find the most at my local stores include the Mission figs which I used, the Brown Turkey fig and the Tiger Stripe fig.

Brown Turkey figs have a rich sweet, almost nutty flavor, while Tiger Stripe figs have a striking green and yellow striped skin with a vibrant red inside with a sweet, almost raspberry jam flavor. Other fresh figs available include Kadota, Sierra, and Calmyrna figs. You can learn more about fresh figs and the different varieties at the California Fig website.

Of course, if you have a favorite type of fresh fig, feel free to use it in this recipe, as all fresh figs work well in this focaccia! If you are looking for more information on buying California produce like fresh figs, check out the California Grown website on how to support the California Farmers.

How long do fresh figs last?

Fresh figs are highly perishable. Use the figs 5 to 7 days after purchasing them. Store them in a very cold refrigerator, ideally somewhere between 32°F and 37°F.

Or you can save the fresh figs by just popping them in the freezer! Stored in a heavy-duty freezer bag, fresh figs will last about 9 to 12 months frozen.

Can I substitute dried figs for fresh figs?

Thankfully, even though fresh fig season is very seasonal, dried figs are available all year round! And yes, they can be substituted in this recipe. You can either use them directly as dried figs or you can plump them up first by simmering them in white wine for 15 minutes before adding them to the focaccia.

Frequently asked questions

Can I substitute instant or rapid rise yeast for the active dry yeast in this recipe?

How do I store focaccia?

Focaccia keeps for about 2 days. Just store it in an airtight container or resealable Ziploc bag at room temperature. Refresh it in the toaster oven or regular oven at 325°F for 5 minutes.

Does the focaccia freeze?

Can I hand knead this dough?

If you like this focaccia recipe, check out some other bread recipes:

Fig Rosemary Focaccia with Honey Lemon Glaze

This fig focaccia walks the line between savory and sweet. The mashed potato in the dough keeps the bread soft and sweet. The generously brushed topping of honey and lemon juice caramelized a bit on top giving the focaccia a crisp top. And finally, the earthy rosemary plays well with the rich and succulent fresh figs, making this a sophisticated dessert for a dinner party or a great accompanying dish to a morning or afternoon coffee or tea.

Course Appetizer, Dessert, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword bread, figs, honey, lemon, rosemary, yeast

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Rest time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 230kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Dough

1 small russet potato 4 to 5 ounces or 115 to 140 g
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour 280 g
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt

To bake

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Topping

4 to 5 fresh figs 7 to 9 ounces or 200 g to 255 g
3 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary from 2 medium sprigs, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon lemon zest from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Peel and cut the potato into quarters. Place the potato quarters in a medium-sized sauce pan and cover with water, making sure the water is about an inch above the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook the potato for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a fork easily inserts into the potato. Mash the potatoes or press them through a ricer into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment
Measure out 1/2 cup of the potato water, discarding the rest. If you don’t have enough water, add additional warm water from the tap until you do. Let the water cool to a lukewarm temperature (90 to 100°F). Once cool, dissolve the yeast in the measure cup with the warm potato water.
Add the flour, olive oil, honey, and salt to the bowl with the mashed potatoes, then pour in the yeasty potato water.
Stir slowly with dough hook, increasing speed as the flour is absorbed into the wet ingredients. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed once the dough has started to form and knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Spray or oil a large bowl with olive oil. Pull the dough into a ball by stretching the sides of the dough until one side is smooth. Place the rough side down into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until double in size, about an hour.
Once the dough has doubled, place a 10-inch springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle and brush the olive oil all over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. If your springform pan doesn’t seal tightly, cover the bottom with aluminum foil. Dump the dough directly into the oiled springform pan and press down with your fingertips to push the dough out and to the sides, making sure the dough is evenly distributed in the pan. Don’t worry if there are lumps or bumps when pushing the dough with your fingers. Cover again with the plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes. Once the dough is ready, preheat an oven to 400°F.
Trim the figs of their hard tips, and then quarter them lengthwise. Press the figs deep into the focaccia dough all over.
Combine the honey, lemon juice, rosemary, lemon zest and salt in a medium sized bowl or glass measuring glass. Brush the liquid all over the top of the focaccia, making sure to use all the liquid. It will seem like a lot, but it will be absorbed as it bakes. Make sure all the rosemary leaves are distributed over the dough.
Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If you have an instant read thermometer, the inside of the focaccia should read 200°F. Immediately run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the focaccia from the sides. Then let the focaccia cool for 15 minutes before releasing the sides of the pan and removing it. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The post Fig Rosemary Focaccia with Honey Lemon Glaze appeared first on Eat The Love.

Soft Sourdough Pretzels

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 12:00:00 GMT

These super easy-to-make soft sourdough pretzels can be made with active sourdough starter only, with sourdough discard and/or some active dry yeast!

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I’m not one of those folks that will talk incessantly about my sourdough starter. I haven’t named it a cute punny name like “Eww, Doughvid” or “Breadly Cooper”. But like most folks with a starter, I love the ritual of feeding it on a regular basis and watching it rhythmically rise and fall throughout the day. One of the first things I learned to make with it was these easy soft sourdough pretzels! They’re an adaptation from homemade rye soft pretzels, similar to my soft beer pretzel twists and pretzel buns but they use the sourdough starter instead of active dry yeast. If you’re looking for a super easy sourdough recipe to dip your toe into the world of sourdough baking, this is the one!

How do you make sourdough pretzels?

Unlike sourdough bread dough that is often very wet and requires you to proof the dough in long stages, sourdough pretzels are easy-to-make with the dough rising just once.

To make the pretzels, first stir in some malt syrup (or another sweetener like honey or brown sugar) to warm water. Stir in the active sourdough starter. Then add in flour, melted butter and salt. Knead the entire dough together until it’s smooth and elastic.

Set the dough aside to rise until double. Once it’s risen, divide the dough into 10 pieces, roll each piece out into a long rope, and form the pretzel shape.

Boil the pretzels in a baking soda solution, brush them with an egg wash, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake!

How do I make the shape of the pretzel?

Forming a pretzel shape seems intimidating but it’s not! It’s actually my favorite part of the recipe and once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it fun to do.

First you roll out a portion of the dough into a long rope, roughly 20 to 22 inches long. If you want a more traditional German or Bavarian shape, leave the center of the rope fatter than the ends.

Then you form a “U” shape with the rope. Then cross the “legs” over once.

Cross the legs over one more time, then flip the ends down and seal the pretzel ends to the belly!

Where do you get the sourdough starter?

If you don’t already have a sourdough starter, you can either make your own, get some from a friend or buy some. Making it from scratch is easy, though it does take a bit of time (it’s mostly just waiting around for it to build up, none of it is active time).

There are plenty of instructions online on how to make a sourdough starter from scratch. I love the guide over at The Perfect Loaf but both King Arthur Flour and The Kitchn also have guides on creating a starter from scratch. The main thing about working with a sourdough starter is knowing it’s often not as robust as the dry yeast you get at the grocery store. And you have to pay attention to how it rises and falls so you know when to use it.

That said, if you don’t want to build up a starter from scratch you can ask your friends or neighbors if they would be willing to share some with you. Facebook or Next Door are both great places to ask around. Most folks are totally willing to share some starter, as the stuff multiples pretty fast.

Or you can also just buy some! King Arthur flour has some for sale, though demand is fairly high, so you’ll have to check often if they are sold out. My friend Amanda of Heartbeet Kitchen also sells her amazing sourdough starter (with origins in Australia!) so if King Arthur’s starter isn’t available, check her site.

What the best time for me to use my sourdough starter for these pretzels?

This recipe calls for an active fed starter, not the starter discard. Once you’ve fed the starter, it needs to be at its peak activity, when it’s double in size. The top of the starter should be bulging and rounded, not falling down and it should smell ripe and fruity with scents of yeast and summertime stone fruit. The other way to check if the starter is ready to use it to add a tiny spoonful of the starter to a glass of water. If the starter floats in the water, it’s ready to use! If it sinks, wait longer for it to be fully active.

So, plan accordingly to that. If you use the starter at a less than ideal point in its cycle, it will most likely still work, but it will take longer for the dough to rise because it won’t be as active and your final product might be a little more dense (which isn’t a huge problem with pretzels as they are naturally dense, but you don’t want them to be hard as a rock).

But I’m impatient! Can I just use the sourdough discard or use a starter that isn’t super active?

Actually, yes you can TOTALLY use the sourdough discard in this recipe. But it will take a lot longer for the dough to rise (as the discard isn’t as active). Let the dough sit in a warm place to rise until double. This will take anywhere from 8 hours to 12 hours with just the discard, depending on how robust your discard is, and how long you’ve left it around.

That said you can “cheat” by using some store-bought yeast if you want! If you have active dry yeast, dissolve anywhere from 1/4 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast in the warm water, depending on where you are in the starter cycle and how fast you want to make pretzels. In the baking industry, using active dry yeast is called “spiking the dough”. For some it’s considering cheating, but as long as it tastes great, who cares?

I like to use a full 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast when I’m just using old sourdough discard and a scant 1/4 teaspoon of active dry yeast if I’m being impatient and just want to “spike” the sourdough starter a bit to get it going faster. Once the dry yeast has dissolved, just add in the starter and stir to dissolve it in the yeasty water.

The active dry yeast will do most of the heavy lifting and usually cuts the rise time down to just 1 1/2 to 2 hours from the initial 3 to 4 hours with just the active starter, while the starter discard will provide some sourdough flavor.

Keep in mind that active dry yeast has a different flavor from sourdough, and the resulting pretzel won’t taste quite as tangy and sourdough-ish if you use the active dry yeast. But the sourdough flavor will be there, and you’ll notice a much more complex flavor from the pretzel than if you had just made the pretzels with active dry yeast.

Regardless, whatever method you use, with or without the active dry yeast, proceed with the recipe as written once the dough has doubled in size.

Do I need a scale for this recipe?

Most bread bakers will talk about how you ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BUY A SCALE to bake. And though I totally agree that a scale is important, if you don’t have one for this recipe, don’t worry. Unlike a sourdough loaf of bread, soft pretzel dough is pretty forgiving. You can follow the instructions in my recipe using measuring cups!

That said, a scale gives you accurate measurements when baking, which is why bakers love to use them. Accurate measurements means a higher chance of succeeding! But again, don’t stress if you only have measuring cups. I’ve given plenty of visual instructions and photos on how to make the proper dough.

One thing to note, if you are adding ingredients, you might want to add 1/2 cup less flour than the recipe calls for. Then slowly add in more flour to the wet dough until it is the correct consistency. It’s always easier to add in more flour than add in more liquid to a dough. So start off wet, and add flour!

And if you find that you’re not having success with this recipe or other sourdough baking recipes and are using measuring cups, it might be time to cave and buy a scale. You’ll find your baking results improve immensely.

Can I knead the dough by hand or do I need a stand mixer?

The recipe below has instructions for using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough. But you can totally make this dough by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer or your mixer isn’t powerful enough to knead the dough.

Mix the ingredients all together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough has formed and most of the dry ingredients have been incorporated.

Then dump the dough (and any remaining dry ingredients) onto a clean surface. No need to flour it. Just make sure it’s clean.

Then knead the dough! Fold the dough over (trying to capture as much of the loose dry ingredients as you can inside the fold) and press down with the heel of your hand. Fold it over again, and press down again, repeating with each hand, do small folds and rotations with the dough.

The dough will initially be very lumpy and sticky in spots, but as you knead it, the water and flour consistency will even out. There’s something super rhythmic and meditative about hand kneading dough. And though a lot of sourdough bread has a high hydration and requires a different sort of handling (stretch and fold or coil folding being the two most popular methods for wet dough) this pretzel dough is a significantly lower in hydration and can be handled in a more traditional kneading method.

Once the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 to 7 minutes, continue with the recipe as instructed.

Do I need to use lye to dip the pretzels in? Can I use baking soda?

Traditional pretzels are dipped in a strong alkaline base solution made of lye. You can order lye from various online sources. But I use baking soda because it’s much easier to find and safer to use.

There are various recipes online that also recommend baking or roasting the baking soda in the oven before using it for pretzels. Baking soda’s chemical name is Sodium Bicarbonate and when heated up (like in an oven) it breaks down into Sodium Carbonate, which is an even stronger alkaline base than Sodium Bicarbonate. Stronger base = more pretzel flavor!

If you want to try this technique you can spread baking soda in a large pan and roast it in the oven for 2 hours, stirring the baking soda every 30 minutes to make sure all of the baking soda gets heated and breaks down. Personally, I find this method a bit fussy and don’t bother with it. I use a large amount of baking soda (2/3 cup or 170 grams) in my solution as well as boil the pretzels for 90 seconds, which is longer than other recipes out there. The pretzels themselves get a pretty nice brown pretzel flavor without the baking of the baking soda.

What is malt syrup? Can I substitute it?

Malt syrup is a sweetener made from barley malt grain. It is traditional used in baking and in pretzels as well as bagels. It helps feed the yeast, gives the dough a very slight sweetness that is associated with soft pretzels and helps promote the browning in the crust of the pretzel.

If you don’t have access to malt syrup, you can substitute an equal amount of honey or brown sugar. Again, realize when you substitute for the malt syrup, your pretzels will shift slightly in flavor and won’t taste quite as “pretzel-y” nor will they be quite as brown as if you had used the barley malt syrup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use active dry yeast or store bought yeast instead of a sourdough starter?

If you don’t have a starter and don’t want to get one, I’d recommend checking out my homemade soft pretzels as a recipe to use. It’s the one that I’ve based this recipe on, and it uses store bought active dry yeast instead of a sourdough starter in this one.

How long do sourdough pretzels keep?

Sourdough pretzels keep for up to 2 to 3 days at room temperature, stored in an airtight container or resealable Ziploc bag. But if you want to keep them fresh for longer, I recommend freezing them.

Can I freeze sourdough pretzels?

Yes! I love to freeze batches of sourdough pretzels. Just store them in an airtight container or a resealable Ziploc gallon bag for up to 2 months. To thaw, just place the frozen pretzel on a plate and leave at room temperature on the counter for about an hour. Or toast the pretzel directly from the freezer either in the toaster oven (5 to 6 minutes at 350°F) or in a bagel toaster.

If you like these sourdough pretzels, check out some of these other recipes that use sourdough starter and discard:

Sourdough Discard Onion Rings
Sourdough Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread with Crumb Topping
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pork Tenderloin Sandwich (try using the sourdough discard in place of the buttermilk)

And try serving the sourdough pretzels with

beer cheese dip
queso
mustard, yellow, stoneground or whole grain
hummus
spicy guacamole
Turkish yogurt carrot dip

Sourdough Soft Pretzels

These sourdough soft pretzels use natural wild yeast from a sourdough starter to leaven the pretzels, to produce a naturally tangy and complex soft pretzel that is better than anything you’ll get at a mall or airport! Use active sourdough starter, at its peak of activity when it’s doubled in size, usually 4 to 6 hours after you’ve fed it, but it will depend on how strong your starter is and the warmth and environment you have the starter in. If you want to just use the sourdough discard, see my section above on how to do that as well as how to speed up the rise process by “spiking” the dough with active dry yeast.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, German

Keyword bread, pretzels, sourdough

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes

Rest Time 4 hours

Servings 10

Calories 295kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup warm water 90 to 100°F
1 tablespoon malt syrup can substitute honey or brown sugar
1 cup active sourdough starter 225 g, see section above
4 cups all-purpose flour 560 g
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 57 g
2 teaspoon kosher salt

Baking soda bath

2/3 cup baking soda 170 g
10 cups water

To Finish

1 egg yolk
Coarse salt

Instructions

Place the water and malt syrup (or other sweetener) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir with a fork until the sweetener is dissolved in the water. Add the sourdough starter to the liquid and stir until the starter has loosened and incorporated the water.
Add the flour, butter and salt to the bowl. If you are measuring by volume cups and not weight, use 3 1/2 cups of flour to start. Turn the mixer on slow and stir the ingredients until a shaggy dough forms. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to get all the ingredients to incorporate.
Once a dough forms, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 4 to 5 minutes. If you are using measuring cups, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to get the dough into a smooth and elastic dough. Keep in mind that it’s easier to add flour to a wet dough than add water to a dry dough, so be cautious and just add the dough near the end of the kneading, as the dough has become more consistent in texture.
If you are mixing by hand, you can combine the water, sweetener, and starter in a large bowl and stir with a large wooden spoon. Add the flour, butter and salt and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Then hand knead the dough on a lightly floured surface, until smooth and elastic. To knead, place the dough on a clean, lightly floured, surface, and pressing down with the heel of your hand into the dough. Fold the dough over, rotate the dough 90º then repeat pressing down with your heel on the folded dough. Continue this process, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Coat a bowl with cooking spray. Stretch the dough into a ball, gathering the rough edges of the dough into one side and then place in the bowl, with the rough edges down. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit to rise until the dough has doubled, about 3 to 4 hours.
Once the dough has doubled, preheat the oven to 450º. Line two baking sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper that has been lightly greased with cooking oil. Divide the dough into 10 even pieces. If you have a scale, the dough should be roughly 4 ounces or 110 g each. Cover the pieces with plastic wrap or a damp towel to keep them from drying out.
Roll one piece into a long rope, about 20 inches/50 cm long. If you are looking to form a more traditional Bavarian or German style shape, make sure the center of the rope is thicker than the ends.
Form a “U” shape with the rope, then lay the top of the rope over each other in an “X” formation. Then twist one more time, so the top of the rope is twisted together.
Flip the "leg" ends down to form a pretzel shape. Repeat with the remaining pieces and place on the baking sheet.
Place the water and baking soda in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, stirring to make sure the baking soda has dissolved. Boil three or four of them (depending on how wide your pan is) in the baking soda water for 45 seconds. Flip the pretzels upside down and boil for an additional 45 seconds. Remove the pretzels from the water and place back on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
Beat the egg yolk and water together and brush the top of each pretzel with the egg wash.
Sprinkle the coarse salt on top of the pretzels. The egg wash will help the salt to stick. To make these look more traditionally German or Bavarian, you can also take a sharp knife and slice the “belly” of the pretzel, so it splits there as it bakes.
Bake in the oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until the pretzels are a dark brown. Rotating the pans once during the baking. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.

Notes

You can turn these into pretzel buns by shaping round balls of the dough instead of forming the pretzels. Boil the dough balls, brush with the egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds instead of salt. Cut a cross on the top of the balls and then bake as directed.

The post Soft Sourdough Pretzels appeared first on Eat The Love.

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 12:00:00 GMT

These easy-to-make strawberry oatmeal bars have minimal sugar to let the crisp oats topping and bright berry flavor shine through.

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Due to a project I was working on for a client, I found myself with an over-abundance of strawberries. Which is saying something, since I LOVE strawberries. But strawberries are fragile fruit, going bad quickly. And though I made some strawberry rhubarb syrup, a strawberry rhubarb galette, strawberry lemon shortcake and ended up freezing three packed gallon bags, I still found a pound of strawberries that need to be used up quickly. Thankfully whipping up these easy strawberry oatmeal bars ended up being one of my new favorite snacks! Easy to make, they’re the sort of treat I can grab when I’m feeling snacky and not feel too guilty about eating.

How do you make strawberry oat bars?

The beauty of these bars is they are super easy to make. Like my rhubarb blueberry oatmeal bars, you first make a crumbly oat dough that functions both as the bottom crust and the oat crumb topping!

Toss oats, flour, brown sugar, some spices all together with some melted butter until the dry ingredients start to clump up. Reserve some of the crumbles for the topping and press the remaining dough into the bottom of a pan, forming the bottom crust.

Then make the strawberry filling by combining diced strawberries with sugar, some optional crystallized ginger, a touch of balsamic vinegar, some tapioca starch (or cornstarch), and a dash of vanilla. Toss to combine then spoon over the crust.

Sprinkle the reserve crumbs over the fruit and bake!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen strawberries?

I prefer to use fresh strawberries for this recipe but you can totally use frozen fruit in this strawberry oatmeal bar! I do recommend doubling the tapioca starch or cornstarch to 4 teaspoons in the filling, as frozen fruit tends to release more water.

All that said, do be carefully when you chop the frozen fruit. Frozen strawberries can be hard and a bit slippery and you don’t want to hurt yourself. If you have time, you can let the strawberries sit out on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature, they’ll be easier to cut up. There’s no need to completely thaw them though. Just make the filling with the frozen fruit, then bake. Increase the bake time by 5 minutes to allow for the fruit to thaw.

How long do these strawberry oatmeal bars keep?

These bars can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store them in an airtight container or in a resealable Ziploc bag.

Can you freeze these bars?

Yes. These bars can be frozen! Freeze them on a baking sheet flat, until they are frozen through, about two hours. Then stack them between pieces of parchment or wax paper in an airtight container or heavy-duty resealable freeze bag. They will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

If you like these strawberry oatmeal bars, check out these other strawberry recipes:

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

These strawberry oatmeal bars use fresh fruit and have minimal sugar in them, letting the crispy oats and bright fruit flavor shine through. They’re a great snack or easy breakfast treat!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword bars, oats, strawberry

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 210kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Crust and topping

1 1/2 cups rolled oats, regular or thick cut preferred 165 g
1 cup all-purpose flour 140 g
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 110 g
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 140 g

Filling

2 1/2 cups diced strawberries 1 pound
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger optional
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoon tapioca starch or cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking oil. Line the inside with parchment paper, making sure there is a 1-inch overhang on the sides.
Place the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a large bowl and toss together until mixed.
Drizzle the melted butter over the dry ingredients, tossing with a fork, until all the butter is added. Continue tossing together until the dry ingredients start to clump together.
Scoop out about 1 cup of the crumb topping and set aside. Dump the remaining crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Press firmly on the crumbs, making an even layer at the bottom the pan.
Make the filling by placing the strawberries, sugar, ginger (if using), balsamic vinegar, tapioca starch and vanilla extract in a bowl (you can use the same one you used for the crumb topping). Toss together.
Spoon the strawberry filling over the bottom crust in the pan, spreading it out evenly.
Sprinkle the reserve cup of crumb topping over the strawberry filling.
Bake in the oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until the strawberry fruit is bubbly and thick, and the top of the crust is golden brown. Let cool in the pan. Then lift the entire content of the pan out using the sides of the parchment paper and move to a cutting board. Cut and serve.

The post Strawberry Oatmeal Bars appeared first on Eat The Love.

Apricot Yeast Bread with Dried Blueberries

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 12:00:00 GMT

This tart and slightly sweet fresh apricot yeast bread made with dried blueberries, is perfect for an afternoon coffee or tea break.

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I’m known for my impulsive grocery store buys and it only comes becomes more impulsive as summer fruit starts to appear at the stores. Blueberries and apricots are the first things I start to buy when they appear, and all of sudden I have too much fruit and not enough time to eat it all before it goes bad. This is when I start baking up my apricot blueberry coffee cake, apricot, cherry and plum pie or my blueberry Swedish cake. But lately I’ve been diving deep into bread baking and I knew I wanted to make some sort of yeasted bread with the apricots. A simple modified brioche bread and I have this braided apricot yeast bread with dried blueberries.

How do you make this bread?

Making this bread looks more complicated that it is! There’s no complicated braiding, even if it looks that way. It’s just laying strip of dough over strips of dough.

First make an enriched dough, similar to a brioche bread. This means you combine some melted butter with milk and add in dry yeast to dissolve. Stir in an egg, vanilla and a dash of almond extract to the liquid.

Finish making the dough by mixing and kneading flour and a little bit of sugar with the liquid. Let it rise until double.

While the dough is rising, make the apricot filling by chopping up the apricots and mixing it with dried blueberries, some spices, vanilla and a little honey. Set it aside to let the apricots become juicy and for the dried blueberries to soak up some of the liquid.

Once the dough has risen, this is where it gets fun! You roll out the dough on a piece of parchment paper into a rectangle. Then you mix a tablespoon of cornstarch into the filling and spread it into the center of the dough.

Cut the sides of the dough into 1-inch wide strips, and then lay those strips over each other, forming a braided bread.

Move the whole thing to a baking sheet. Let it rise again until the dough is puffy, then brush with an egg wash, sprinkle with decorative sugar, and bake.

What is Swedish pearl sugar and can I substitute it?

I use Swedish pearl sugar on top of this bread, which is sometimes called nib sugar. You can find it at specialty stores, occasionally at Ikea and online (<– affiliate link). Swedish pearl sugar is white flaky sugar that doesn’t easily dissolve. It is used on top of Swedish cinnamon roll and cardamon knots, as well as a decorative topping for a number of baked goods.

Some folks substitute crushed sugar cubes for pearl sugar. But you can also use regular white sugar, sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar (sometimes called Sugar in the Raw) as a substitute if you don’t feel like buying it, or tracking it down.

Don’t confuse Swedish pearl sugar with Belgian pearl sugar. Belgian style pearl sugar is large chunks of pearl sugar and isn’t meant for decorative use like the Swedish style. You can use Belgian style sugar, but you should crush the Belgian sugar into much smaller pieces before using. Just place the Belgian pearl sugar in a freezer Ziploc bag and then crush it with a rolling pin or heavy skillet. Belgian pearl sugar is most often used in Belgian Liege waffles.

What can I substitute for the dried blueberries?

I use dry blueberries in this recipe because dried fruit will help absorb some of the liquid that the fresh apricots will shed and the intense flavor of dried blueberries plays well with the tangy apricot.

That said, if you want to, you can use another dried fruit in place of the dried blueberries. Some suggestions for substitutions include:

Raisins
Golden raisins
Dried cherries
Dried cranberries
Currants
Chopped dried prunes
Chopped dried figs
Chopped dried apricots (for an even more intense apricot flavor)

I haven’t tested this recipe with fresh blueberries, but if you do try substituting in fresh blueberries for the dried blueberries, I would recommend increasing the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons to help absorb the liquid from the blueberries. If you try the recipe this way, please leave a note in the comments and I’ll add it to this section for other folks to see!

What can I substitute for the fresh apricots?

Fresh apricots are very seasonal, and thus not always available. Feel free to swap out another chopped fresh stone fruit like pitted cherries, plums, peaches or nectarines for the fresh apricots.

You can also try swapping out dried apricots for the fresh apricots. Place the dried apricots and blueberries in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling over them until just barely covered. Let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes to plump up. Drain the liquid, reserving 2 tablespoons of it. Then chop the apricots into 1/2-inch chunks. Cool the liquid and add the 2 tablespoons into the filling mix, along with the remaining ingredients.

Bread Frequently Asked Questions

Can I substitute rapid rise or instant yeast for the active dry yeast?

This recipe uses active dry yeast, but you can substitute rapid rise or instant yeast in it place. You can either use less rapid rise or instant yeast (1 3/4 teaspoons instead of the 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast) or use the same amount (2 1/4 teaspoons or 1 package) and expect the dough to rise and double in size faster.

When using instant or rapid rise yeast, you can add the yeast directly in with the dry ingredients, with the flour. You don’t need to dissolve it first in the wet ingredients.

Can I knead the dough by hand instead of using a stand mixer?

Yes! You can knead the dough by hand, but keep in mind your dough might end up a little more dry than if used a stand mixer.

Mix the dough ingredients together with a wooden spoon in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms and most of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Dump the contents of the bowl onto a clean surface. Using the heel of your hands, fold and press down on the dough, repeating this movement, while rotating the dough 90° with every press. Continue to knead the dough, occasionally dipping your hands in flour, to keep the dough from sticking.

The dough will initially seem sticky, so don’t add more flour to the dough itself, just dust your hands. The dough should firm up and smooth out as you knead. But if you do need to add more flour, do it 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough should be smooth and elastic by the time you’re done kneading, about 5 to 7 minutes.

How do you store this bread?

Store this bread at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Can I freeze this bread?

Yes, you can freeze this bread! Slice the bread, and then store it in an airtight container or resealable Ziploc bag for up to 2 months. Defrost it on you countertop for an hour before serving, or warm it up directly from the freezer in your toaster oven or oven, for about 10 minutes at 350°F.

If you like this yeast bread recipe, check out these other bread recipes

Apricot Yeast Bread with Dried Blueberries

This yeasted bread is only very slightly sweet, with minimal sugar in the dough, a touch of honey in the filling and a dusting of sugar on top. The small amount of honey in the filling allows for the tangy apricot flavor to shine through. Serve slices of bread with afternoon teas or coffee or as a breakfast bread.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword apricot, bread, dried blueberries, yeast

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Rise Time 2 hours

Servings 8

Calories 264kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Dough

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional
2 cups all-purpose flour 280 g
1/4 cup white sugar 50 g
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling

12 ounces apricots about 6 to 7 medium ones, chopped about 2 1/4 cups
1/4 cup dried blueberries 45 g
1 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon cornstarch

To finish

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons Swedish pearl sugar or white sugar

Instructions

Melt the butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave, or on the stovetop in a small saucepan. Once melted, add the milk to measuring cup or saucepan.
Stir in the active dry yeast to the liquid until it dissolves. The liquid will start to lump up. That’s normal. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract (if using) to the liquid. Again, don’t worry if the liquid looks lumpy like cottage cheese.
Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeasty liquid to the dry ingredients, making sure to scrape out any lumps as well. Turn the mixer on slow and let it mix the ingredients until they form a soft dough. You might need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Increase the speed of the mixer and knead the dough until it is smooth and supple, about 5 minutes on medium speed. The dough will be tacky but it shouldn’t be sticky or limp. If the dough is too wet to work with, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you can handle the dough properly.
Lightly grease a bowl with cooking oil, then gather the dough into a ball and place the rough side down into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise. Let the dough rise until double in size, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
While the dough is rising, making the filling by pitting the apricots and then cutting them up into 1/2-inch chunks. Place the apricot pieces in a medium-sized bowl and add the blueberries, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg reserving the cornstarch for later. Stir until ingredients are combined, then cover the bowl and set aside while the dough rises.
Once the dough has risen, put a piece of parchment paper down on a surface and dump the dough onto the paper. Roll the dough out into a 10 x 13-inch rectangle. Using the parchment paper, move the dough to a rimmed baking sheet.
Take the filling and stir in the cornstarch. Spoon the filling into the center of the dough, leaving a generous 3-inch border all the way around.
Cut the dough into 1-inch thick strips on both sides of the long edge of the dough around the filling. Don’t cut under the filling, just start cutting at where the filling edges. Make sure there are an equal number of strips on both sides of the dough.
Take the bottom strip and flip it up and over the filling, making a “U” shape on top of the filling. Repeat with the other end.
Now stretch one side of the dough strip over the filling, and do the same with the other side.
Repeat, alternating the dough strip from side to side, overlapping each strip, making it look like a braid.
Once all the strips are folded over and the filling is sealed in, cover the bread with plastic wrap and let sit for 45 minutes, or until the dough looks a little puffy (it won’t have risen or doubled much, just gotten a little puffy is all). About 30 minutes into letting the dough rise again, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Once the time is over, beat the egg yolk with the water. Then brush the egg wash over the bread.
Sprinkle the Swedish pearl sugar or white sugar all over the top of the bread.
Bake in the top 3rd of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top of the bread is golden brown.
Let the bread cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move the bread to a wire cooling rack, by lifting up the parchment paper and using it as a “sling” to move the bread. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup (with an optional touch of lime and ginger)

Mon, 25 May 2020 12:00:00 GMT

This strawberry rhubarb syrup uses an optional touch of lime and ginger for extra complexity that will make sodas and cocktails taste like Springtime!

Jump to recipe

I have a habit of buying rhubarb whenever I see it at the store. LIKE EVERY TIME. It’s a slightly obsession but that also means I have a LOT of rhubarb. Usually that’s not a huge issue. I bake my strawberry rhubarb galette or my strawberry rhubarb buckle. Or I make a big rhubarb berry slab pie for a crowd. But sometimes I buy rhubarb without realizing I already have a bunch in my refrigerator. And I can’t use it that fast! That’s when I whip up this strawberry rhubarb syrup.

How do you make strawberry rhubarb soda syrup

The best part of the making rhubarb strawberry syrup is that it’s SUPER easy. Chop up the rhubarb and strawberries and then throw it in a pot with sugar and water. I add a few slices of ginger and some lime zest to give a little extra dimension but those two are totally optional.

Let the mixture come to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes then let it cool for 30 minutes. Strain, add the juice of the lime (if you’re using it) and you have the syrup!

What do you use this for?

I like to mix the syrup with sparkling water to make my own homemade soda. What’s nice is that you can totally control how sweet the beverage is, so if you prefer something less sweet or more sweet, it’s totally up to you. It’s also a great in cocktails or mocktails. Try adding a splash to vodka and soda, some syrup to a glass of sparkling rosé or make a Spring fruit-inspired gin and tonic!

But the syrup isn’t just for beverages. You can use it over pancakes, waffles, or French toast, though keep in mind the syrup is on the thin side. That said, a drizzle of it over plain Greek-style yogurt or hot cereal would be great, or a touch of it on ice cream would be pretty awesome. The punchy bright color and flavor is totally addictive.

How long does this syrup last?

Basic simple syrup lasts quite awhile in the fridge but fruit syrups like this rhubarb strawberry syrup will last about 3 weeks because it has fruit juices that can break down faster. Just store it in the fridge in a clean jar or bottle and make sure to label it with a date so you know when to use it up by.

What do I do with the fruit solids?

After you’ve strained the liquid out, you will have what looks like fruit puree. I like to store this puree in a jar or bottle for a couple of days in the fridge and use it for all the non-beverage uses that you can use the syrup for. Add a spoonful over plain yogurt, hot cereal or ice cream, or a dollop of it on pancakes, waffles or French toast. Or you can just use it like a loose jam and spread it over toast!

If you want to store the solids longer, freeze it in a resealable freezer Ziploc bag or an ice cube tray for easy serving sizes. I add the frozen cubes of purée to my smoothies. It’s pretty versatile stuff.

That said, remove the sliced ginger (it won’t have cooked fully) and any large lime zests pieces. If you use small thin zest (like from a rasp grater) no need to do that! The lime zest will just blend in.

If you like this strawberry rhubarb syrup, check out these other rhubarb recipes:

Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup Recipe (with optional lime and ginger)

This easy-to-make strawberry rhubarb syrup tastes like Springtime in a bottle! It is basically a simple syrup with fruit infused in it. I added lime and ginger to give it a little complexity and dimension but feel free to leave them out if you want something a little more straightforward.

Course beverage

Cuisine American

Keyword cocktail, rhubarb, soda, strawberry

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Steep and Straining 1 hour

Servings 2 cups

Calories 85kcal

Author Irvin

Equipment

fine mesh sieve
cheesecloth, optional but recommended

Ingredients

1 pound strawberries
1 pound rhubarb
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
4 or 5 slices ginger root, peeled or washed optional
Zest from 1 lime optional
Juice from 1 lime optional

Instructions

Stem and cut in half the strawberries. Chop the rhubarb into 1-inch pieces. Place the fruit in medium saucepan and add the water and sugar. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat so it just simmers. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the fruit has completely fallen apart. Let cool for 30 minutes in the pan for the fruit to continue to steep.
Strain the fruit solid into a bowl using a fine mesh sieve. If you don’t have a fine enough sieve, lay a piece of cheesecloth inside the sieve. Push as much of the liquid through the sieve, or just let gravity do its work. If you leave the fruit to drain for awhile (like an hour or so) you’ll find gravity has naturally done it’s job and you’ll get even more syrup.
Save the solids for another use (see section above) and store the syrup in a jar or bottle in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Notes

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

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