Weeknight No-Knead Bread
January 28, 2011
OK, so I finally tried it. I know I’m a little behind the times and most of you have already made or at least eaten the reputable “No-Knead Bread”, but for me this was a first. Back in 2006, when New York Times published a variation of this recipe it created quite a fervor. Multiple friends shared their success with the bread, but I was home with a baby who was not yet mobile. I had nothing to do but bake bread, the other, more time-consuming way, by kneading it. Truly, I paid little heed to the recipe. Then later, when Cooks Illustrated published another version, I ignored it again. At that time we were blessed with bakery seconds delivered to our door each week from an amazing local bakery. Now that I am back to work, the kids are beyond mobile, and the free bread has long since stopped gracing our table, it was time to dig out this AMAZING recipe and give it a try.
Deep Dark Gingerbread
January 7, 2011
In case you didn’t notice (or you live in some place with obscenely nice weather), it has been raining A LOT this winter. (My apologies to anyone reading this who is currently snowed in or worse, lots of rain is extreme weather for us here in Northern California.) In fact, it rained nearly every day of our Winter Break from school. At first it was nice. We read books, built forts, danced, and suited up in rain gear for wet adventures through the woods. By the end of the second week though, the mere thought of constructing another LEGO plaything made me ill. Luckily my children love to eat even more than I do and given the opportunity they love to cook as well.
Easy Cranberry Bread
December 23, 2010
How is it that cranberries have become the icon of the holidays? Is it their crimson color or their relative scarcity throughout the rest of the year? Whatever it is, they play a special role during this season. For some reason, I have been craving cranberry bread. When I set out to find a recipe, I was surprised that there are very few out there. The recipe that follows is generously adapted from one posted on Everyday Food (that received mediocre reviews).
I was craving a bread that would celebrate cranberries rich color and tart flavor without distractions from nuts, citrus, etc. To boost the flavor, I swapped out the whole milk for buttermilk. The cranberries are chopped and sprinkled with sugar before folding them into the dough. This sweetens the berries and prevents an overwhelmingly sour pop of cranberry when you bite into a piece. The result is a quick bread that is perfect for breakfast or brunch during the holidays or any time of year. (Now is the best time to buy cranberries. They freeze well!)
Cardamom Bread
December 22, 2010
Every year when I bake Swedish Cardamom bread for our Christmas morning brunch, I wonder why I reserve it for Christmas alone. It is beautiful, relatively easy to make, and tastes so tender and delicious. I love it!
Cardamom is not a spice that gets a lot of play in standard American fare. I know it best through Swedish and Indian recipes. This bread features it prominently. The key is to grind the cardamom seeds just before adding to dough. (Do not use pre-ground cardamom powder, please. It is not the same.) I like to hull the pods, then grind the seeds in a mortar and pestle until they are fine, but still contain some larger chunks (think pre-ground pepper and course pepper ground in your mill for a size comparison). The courser bits add a flavorful crunch when biting the bread.
Caramel Apple Tarts
December 20, 2010
Oh, it is a good thing to have a refrigerator full of caramel sauce. When I set out last week to make a pot full of caramel sauce, I truly intended to pass it on to well deserving friends and family. As the days wear on however, I can see the supply dwindling. The problem is… it is really good! (If you don’t yet have a fridge full, check out my post on Edible Gifts! Chocolate and Caramel Sauces. ) First was the obvious, caramel over ice cream (which has possibly converted this chocolate faithful to the caramel side of the ice cream shop), then apples dipped in caramel (it’s OK to eat it as a snack then, right?), and then putting it all together for one holiday worthy dessert. Tonight’s dessert was part apple crisp, part caramel apple, entirely decadent and yet homey, the caramel apple tart.
This recipe has been sitting in my “someday I want to make” pile for over a year. It was originally published in Bon Appetit magazine, May 2009 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito and originates at the restaurant, Baked, in New York. Here is the concept: individual tart crusts, baked off in advance, then layered with caramel sauce, sauteed apples, and crisp topping. These tasty tarts are then baked again until the sugary syrup bubbles up and the topping browns. The original recipe suggests pairing these with Cinnamon-Rum ice cream (and provides a delicious sounding recipe- you should check it out on Epicurious). I couldn’t manage the extra prep, so I topped it with good ol’ vanilla and a drizzle of caramel sauce. No complaints.
My Pantry Shelf 
