A friend recently asked me to find him a good cornbread recipe for Thanksgiving this year. Obviously, I couldn’t say no to such a challenge, even though I did just write about corn muffins last month. As a matter of fact, even though I’m a bit of a fanatic about anything made with cornmeal, I didn’t actually have a honest-to-goodness favorite cornbread recipe either. I mean, let’s face it, muffins do not always translate perfectly into bread, and in my opinion, a bona fide cornbread ought to taste a bit differently: dense and buttery, not so puffy, craggy, and….well, muffinlike as the muffins. A nice thick wedge of cornbread should be able to stand on its own at the Thanksgiving table, whether it eventually becomes stuffing or is sliced into thick wedges for soaking up the gravy.

Over the years, I’ve made and tasted a number of cornbread recipes, with varying degrees of success. One thing I’ve noticed, though, is that a surprising number of people seem to like the Moosewood one. Frankly, I find it to be kind of flavorless and dry…maybe because it only uses two tablespoons of butter? True, it’s tricky to get cornmeal to stay moist without using oil (but why bother? butter is so much more flavorful!), but geez…being that stingy with the good stuff just isn’t going to get the job done. So even though it was recommended, that one was not even in the running.

After some recipe-hunting and a bit of experimenting, though, I think I’ve found a worthy contender. It’s a slightly modified recipe from Gourmet, which I fiddled with to be a little more straightforward and savory. I love the use of honey here and suspect its role isn’t accidental - it does a fantastic job at keeping the cornbread moist, while keeping a low profile on the sweetness front. The buttery, rugged crust is tender and eminently dippable. I think it’s definitely worthy of the holiday table. Feel free to experiment with different herbs, too; rosemary and sage would be excellent stand-ins for the thyme.

(more…)

Baking | 14 Comments »

Here’s another excellent cookie recipe that I made last week. These ones are rather less elegant, appearance-wise, than the lace cookies, but trust me, no one will care once they take a bite. The texture is a bit brownie-like, with fudgy, supremely chocolatey insides, fortified with a healthy dose of espresso. I thought they were delicious (if a wee bit soft), but was surprised at what a huge hit they were at work - two guys even fought over who would get the last one! They also traveled without a hitch in a package of birthday sweets, and were extremely well-received there, too. I’m pretty sure they’re among the chocolatiest cookies I’ve ever had, so to all the other chocolate freaks out there, these are definitely for you.

On the other hand, for those who are sensitive to coffee, you can use decaf espresso. But beware: I used the decaf stuff myself for this batch, or thought I did, anyway. Instead, I suspect the sneering barista decided to secretly sell me the real deal instead, a revelation which occurred to me after I ate some cookies before bed and was so bouncy with caffeine, I couldn’t sleep a wink that night. So be mindful of surly baristas who look down on those who ask for decaf! If this story makes you paranoid, you can also skip the coffee entirely and have perfectly delicious chocolate cookies, too.

(more…)

Baking | 14 Comments »

It’s that time of year again, when we all start poring through the endless volumes of holiday cookie recipes in search of something new to liven up the standard repertoire. It’s my favorite part of the season, actually, because when the sky is dark before I even think about leaving work, any opportunity to fill the house with the smell of cookies makes these long evenings a little more bearable.

So with that in mind, let me introduce you to a new favorite, discovered just this week: lacy, buttery tuiles of toasted almond, brightened up with a nice little zing of orange. Orange and almond are a classic pair for good reason; I even find them as evocative as rosemary and gingerbread, but not so representative of the season that they’d be out of place in spring or summer.

The texture is crisp and delicate, but they’re not as papery-fragile as some tuile cookies. The nuts, chopped finely-but-not-too-finely (don’t grind them to dust in the processor, you’ll lose the nice texture), give a satisfying crunch amid the buttery richness that belies their slim size. I think they’d pair very well with an elegant flute of Champagne, or maybe perched atop a cool bowl of sorbet. Or how about as a gift, packaged with colorful tissue wrap and neatly boxed with a big bow? They keep for a extremely well, too - up to a month in the freezer, and at least a week at room temperature - which is a definite bonus, especially around holiday time.

(more…)

Baking | 5 Comments »

I’ve probably said it before, but one of my favorite places in New York is Strand. In fact, if you’re walking around Pittsburgh and come across a girl carrying a Strand bag, there’s a good chance it could be me. The only problem with those 18 miles of books is that one can get a bit carried away at times. Some people might think that a person who worked in a bookstore for five years would be immune to that sort of temptation, but hey, I know I’m not alone in my book gluttony. Luckily I have a special friend who allows me to visit once in a while so we can take the metro over and loosen up our wallets.

The last time I was there, I spied a copy of The Essence of Chocolate, by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg. Naturally it took no deliberation to decide on its fate in the to lug-back-to-Pittsburgh pile, but the poor book’s new life began as only a pretty shelf ornament, neglected in favor of other purchases, old standbys, and library borrowings. There’s no good explanation for this, but I sure won’t make the mistake again after I finally dusted it off to make this Banana, Chocolate and Caramel cake.

The cake may not be the prettiest one of all - a homey Bundt shape, with no frosting or fancy glazes. But cake and book lovers alike know not to judge by covers alone, and one bite will be sure to relieve any doubts. The clever thing about the caramel in this cake is that instead of appearing as a visible layer, it’s poured over the still-hot cake, penetrating the crumb and infusing each bite with the flavor of delicious, caramelized brown sugar. When chocolate and banana are along for the ride, I don’t think you need me to tell you that it is a fine thing indeed.

The recipe is straightforward enough, but I’ll repeat the authors’ notes to not add extra bananas to the recipe, since they warn that doing so will make the cake gummy. There’s no need anyway, as the cake hardly lacks for banana flavor, and the moistness from the caramel and bananas keep the cake tasty for a few days at least. I’d wager it would be a splendid thing to have in your house around the holidays for feeding unexpected visitors, or to bring to the park during one last Indian summer day. I can also tell you, from personal experience, that it does a marvelous job at sweetening the mood of the office.

(more…)

Baking | 17 Comments »

I have somewhat of a love-hate relationship with Cook’s Illustrated magazine. I love their science-like obsession with testing a recipe over and over again, fiddling with variables and taking careful note of the results. Also, some of the ideas they come up with are pretty clever, like the one where you fortify your blueberry pie with a bit of sliced apple to add pectin and create perfectly sliceable pieces. Brilliant - and it works like a charm.

On the other hand, I’m less crazy about their interpretations of ethnic cuisine, and sometimes wish they’d be a little more adventurous - I swear, sometimes it seems like there is a pot roast recipe every third issue. But maybe I shouldn’t complain - homestyle American fare is what they do best. I definitely appreciate the mission to develop accessible recipes for the American home kitchen, even if I’m not convinced that there is one best recipe for every dish. And it’s undeniable that the magazine is a great resource, especially for beginners - the endless tips and thorough equipment reviews alone are probably worth the cover price.

These corn muffins are an excellent example of the kind of recipe that Cook’s does so well - simple, all-American, and just right for pleasing a crowd. After making them for six years, I still haven’t found one I like better. To me, they have the perfectly buttery, corny, ever-so-slightly sweet qualities without being dry, flat, cupcakey, or sticky. They’re also versatile enough to go from breakfast to dinner with just a couple of tweaks. I particularly love eating them with a big smooch of apricot jam. So, what do I know…maybe the search for perfection really does pay off.

(more…)

Baking | 6 Comments »

I did it, too. Those blasted éclairs, I mean. You must have seen a thousand or so flood the blogosphere a few weeks ago, didn’t you? Mine just happen to be a little late. Oh, I baked them on time and everything, but there was only one little snapshot that made it. It was getting kind of silly to delay any longer in hopes of taking more, so here we are.

Overall, the recipe went well. I think I need to work on being confident enough to let the éclair shapes stay in the oven a bit longer than for chouquettes. I’m always afraid of scorching their little bottoms, so some of the ones in this batch ended up a little too soft. Still, the recipe was a great classic and will be used again. You can find it at hosts Meeta K or Tony’s blogs or in the book Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé.

As much fun as I had making this recipe, I think this will probably be my parting post as a Daring Baker. I love the concept and cheery enthusiasm of the club, and the recipes chosen are always interesting, but I have such little free time to bake that I’d rather pick my own recipes for now. Once a month isn’t much of a commitment, to be sure, but once I realized I was stressing out about whether the recipe could be made in time and if I could find enough people to eat it…you know the story. Perhaps Pee-Wee Herman said it best: “I’m a loner, Dottie. A rebel.”

Well, maybe not enough of a rebel to ignore a great idea when I see one! With the end of tomato season drawing nigh, it seems the posts about roasted tomatoes are threatening to overtake the Daring Baker ones. I can’t deny that I’ve been doing the same with my own overflow of tomatoes. Between the CSA box, my mom’s garden, and the irresistible cavalcade that trots out at every farmer’s market, it’s a jolly game of eat-as-many-as-you-can-before-they’re-all-gone around here.

So, conform a little, why don’t you? Roasting tomatoes can’t be easier, and the smooth, concentrated flavor is a great accompaniment to cooler-weather meals. I like to sprinkle them with fresh oregano and smear them on bread with some creamy Bulgarian feta. It’s about as perfect an end-of-summer lunch as I can think of.

Simple Roasted Tomatoes

1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
a few leaves of fresh oregano
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 300ºF.

Core tomatoes and slice 1/2 inch rounds, arranging them in a shallow baking pan or casserole dish. It’s fine if they overlap a little bit, but try to keep them in one layer. Slice the garlic thinly over the tomatoes, and pour the olive oil over everything. Roast tomatoes until skins are wrinkled, about 1 1/2 hours. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and torn oregano leaves.

Baking, Daring Bakers, Salads & Sides | 3 Comments »