breakfast and breads Archives | Page 4 of 4

brown butter banana bread, with crumble

June 11, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

I’m going to go out on a limb and say no one ever plans to make banana bread. I mean, no one ever goes to the grocery store to pick the brownest, most-speckled bananas on the display for the sole purpose of baking moist, delicious breakfast bread . . . Right?

Wrong!

Yesterday I found myself digging through the mounds of bananas at the grocery store, trying to find the most over-ripe, dumpster-bound ’nanners they had. You see, I’ve recently been stockpiling smoothie supplies, which has left me with lots of browning bananas—the byproduct of which has been excessive amounts of banana bread. So when I noticed I had one of these Dalmation-spotted bananas left in the fruit bowl this week, I didn’t want it to go to waste. And that brings us back to yesterday and the aforementioned produce section scavenge. (Disregard the fact that I didn’t want one thing to go to waste, so I went out and bought TWO MORE THINGS. My logic is sensational.)

When I got home, I thought about how—despite having made lots of banana breads in the past—I had never really found the one. Each result was pretty typical: moist, slightly sweet, lightly spiced, even-crumbed banana-y cake. Not sweet enough, too sweet, too dull, too crazy, clingy, not clingy enough . . . wait, ugh, oh right, the bread! This time I wanted to up the banana bread ante so my natural thought process looked a little like free association:

Bananas (duh)! Banana Bread (keep)! Bread! Bread and Butter! Butter! Brown Butter (ohh, yeaahh)! Butter on Pancakes! Banana Pancakes (Jack Johnson?)! Breakfast! Coffee cake (interesting . . .)! Streusel (of course)!

Sweet banana bread with a nutty depth from brown butter and a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping sounded like exactly what I needed and, I would argue, you need it too. If you’re intimidated by the sound of brown butter, stop that. You can do it. You’ll literally just heat the butter until it starts to crackle and foam. Once the crackling subsides, it will start turning golden and you’re in business! So . . . Run! Get to the store, before all the brown bananas run out!!

brown butter banana bread, with crumble
adapted from Joy the Baker

Prep Time: 30 minutes (includes browning and cooling butter)
Cook Time: 45–55 minutes
Total Time: about 1 hour 25 minutes
Makes 1 9 x 5 loaf

Ingredients:

1½ sticks (6 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces (we will brown this in step one; it will result in a little over ½ cup brown butter)
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup well shaken buttermilk (mine was straight from the fridge cold)
1½ cups very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 medium bananas)

Topping:
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cups roughly chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½ pieces
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Instructions:

In a small saucepan with a small heatproof bowl nearby, melt the butter—stirring constantly until all of the pieces have melted. About 30 seconds after the butter melts completely, it will begin to bubble and foam. You will hear crackling sounds. Continue to stir constantly. As the foam and crackling begins to subside stir constantly while paying attention to the color and smell of the butter. As soon as it gives off a nutty smell and starts turning light brown take it off the heat to prevent it from burning. Then, quickly, but carefully, pour into the small heatproof bowl. Allow the brown butter to cool at room temp (or in the fridge if you’re in a pinch) while you prepare the rest of the bread.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the center. Grease a 9 x 5 inch bread pan or similar sized baking dish.
Prepare the crumble: In a small bowl combine the sugar, flour, walnuts (if using), butter, cinnamon and salt. Use your hands to mix together until the butter begins to stick to the other ingredients to make chunks. Some of the mixture will stay powdery, and that’s okay. Set aside.
Prepare the bread: In a large bowl—or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment—whisk together flour, white and brown sugars, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk. Add the mashed bananas and then the cooled brown butter.
With the mixer on low speed, add half of the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the second half of the egg mixture and mix on low until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
Spread half of the bread batter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle ⅓ of the crumble on top of the batter. Top with remaining half of bread batter, using a knife or spoon to spread if needed. Top evenly with the rest of the crumb topping.
Bake bread for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature for up to 4 days.

party biscotti

May 8, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

You might be sitting there thinking “Ugh, she’s posting about biscotti? How lame!”

And, in some cases, you might be right. Biscotti doesn’t have a reputation for being a fun food. No childhood birthday party has ended with a “Happy Birthday! Time for dessert! Bring out the biscotti!” (Maybe it has ended that way, actually . . . “Did they say biscotti? Sorry Suzy, I need to go home . . . and . . . um . . . clean my fish tank.) I think this is just because biscotti hasn’t shown up to the party wearing sprinkles—Until now!

Maybe my eyes were still blinking sparkly lights after my recent girls’ weekend in Las Vegas, but when I decided to make biscotti this week I wanted something a little more fun than the average fruits and nuts. I wanted something that was colorful and would be welcomed for a celebration or just with a cup of coffee. And for whatever reason, I also wanted something reminiscent of birthday cake batter.

I mixed up biscotti with a combination of vanilla bean, touches of almond and lemon zest, creamy white chocolate chips and sprinks (yes, I did that) both inside and out.

And after a few test batches, “party biscotti” was born.

The word “Biscotti” comes from the Italian roots ‘bis’ and ‘cotti,’ meaning twice-baked. As its name suggests, the dough hits the oven twice: first in logs and second sliced into rectangles after the logs have been partially cooked. Because these are supposed to be crunchy and somewhat dry they’re long lasting making them a perfect cookie jar cookie. As a note, biscotti is the plural term for biscotto. In the U.S. I tend to hear the cookie referred to as biscotti whether referring to one or a full platter.

Fun fact: In Italy, Biscotti is also the generic term for any cookie. So, in Italy, if you bring a plate of biscotti to a kid’s party, you’re always super cool. Well played, Italy.

party biscotti
Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hr. 45 minutes (including cool time)
Makes: About 2 dozen biscotti

Ingredients:

2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup white chocolate chips or coarsely chopped white chocolate (I tried both and actually preferred the chips)
¼ cup rainbow sprinkles
1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
¼ cup sparkling sugar, for topping egg wash (granulated sugar will also work)
1 cup white chocolate chips or coarsely chopped white chocolate, for garnish (optional)
Additional sprinkles or small candies for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder to blend. In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and salt until blended. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, followed by the vanilla and almond extracts.
With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat just until blended. Mix in the white chocolate and sprinkles with the mixer on low, or by hand.
Form the dough into two 8-inch long, 3-inch wide logs on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake until lightly golden, about 35 minutes. Cool on sheet for 20 minutes.
Place the logs on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife cut the logs into ¾-inch-thick slices. Place the biscotti, cut side down, back onto the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 6 minutes. Gently flip the biscotti over and cook with the other side facing up until pale golden, another 4–6 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
In a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water stir the white chocolate with a rubber spatula or metal spoon until the chocolate melts. Dip one side of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Dip or sprinkle with desired topping and place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Allow the chocolate to harden before serving or storing.

lemon loaf with lavender glaze

April 30, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

Since, after three days, we’ve officially finished the final crumb of this bread, I thought it was time you all should know about it. Three days is actually a pretty impressive length of time, which I’ll attribute to my trying to be “good” about my sweet intake this week. I consider this a success even if only for the fact that each time I ate it I actually cut a slice and put it on a plate, rather than jabbing a fork into the loaf for a bite each time I passed its platter. (Does anyone else leave a fork on the serving plate ready for this move at any time?) If When I make this again, I’d estimate a one- to two-day counter life based on deliciousness alone.

This loaf was the result of yet another ‘Buttermilk Conundrum,’ as I like to call it. I often purchase buttermilk for a recipe that only requires a half-cup of it. Before I know it, the carton has taken up residence in my fridge until I finally realize expiration is approaching and google, “what to do with leftover buttermilk.” It’s a classic tale—a Buttermilk Conundrum.

Well my Google search was a little more targeted this time knowing I also had lemons in the fridge, it was early on a rainy Saturday morning and I much preferred to stay in pajamas than put on real-people-clothes to go to the store for anything. I found a well-reviewed Ina Garten lemon cake recipe as a starting point. Her recipe made two loaves, which we didn’t need in the apartment (see, I was being good!), so I started to tweak a little bit as I scaled the recipe down. It turned out to be quite good with a perfect bread loaf texture—moist with a tight but not-too-dense crumb. There was a noticeable citrus flavor—without it being too bitter or too tart—from the additions of lemon zest in the cake and lemon juice in a syrup spooned over the warm loaf after it comes out of the oven. I decided to call it a bread versus a cake solely to make Greg and me feel better about having it for breakfast.

Once the loaf cooled completely, I topped it with a lavender glaze to play around with some dried cooking lavender in my cabinet. It added a subtle floral note, which was a nice compliment to the citrus. If you don’t have lavender, a simple lemon glaze or powdered sugar and milk glaze would have also been super as the bread itself is the star here.

Lemon Loaf with Lavender Glaze
Adapted from Ina Garten

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes (including cool time)
Makes one 8-inch loaf

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

1 stick (¼ pound/8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup grated lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)
1½ cups flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided (from about 2 lemons)
½ cup well-shaken buttermilk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

½ cup milk
1 tablespoon dried lavender (from a food store, not a flower store)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8 x 4 x 3 inch loaf pan (or comparable size), or coat with a non-stick baking spray.
Cream the butter and 1 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then the lemon zest.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter—beginning and ending with the flour. Spoon into loaf pan, smooth the top and bake for 45–55 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan while you prepare the lemon syrup.
To prepare the lemon syrup, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar with ¼ cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
Remove the cake from the pan and set it on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan. Spoon the lemon syrup over it. Allow the cake to cool completely.
To prepare the glaze, heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to boil. Remove the pan from heat and add the dried lavender. Let the mixture steep for 5–8 minutes then strain the milk into a small bowl or cup to remove the dried lavender. Whisk the confectioner’s sugar into the milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you get a smooth glaze. Pour or spoon over the cooled loaf.

tourte milanese

April 23, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

While brunching out is one of my favorite things to do—give me eggs ‘beni’ and a spicy bloody and I’m on cloud nine—there is something lovely about having brunch at home on a lazy weekend morning. It forces you and your company to slow down, catch up, and laugh into the afternoon with no real agenda.

Brunch, whether out or at home, often includes some sort of egg dish; a quiche, an omelet, the aforementioned eggs benedict, or, if you rewind to our apartment a few days ago, this Tourte Milanese. When flipping through cookbooks Saturday morning looking for a cookie recipe to make for Easter Sunday, I saw this tourte and said out loud “Oh!!! PRETTY! I’m making this!” Layers of herbed eggs, ham, cheese, spinach, and roasted red peppers all wrapped in a buttery puff pastry: it is a bold, beautiful thing. Little did Greg know, when I said I was making this, I meant I was making this this minute (not uncommon), and he was tasked as sous chef. The cookies had to wait.

This is a perfect recipe for brunch entertaining because you can prep and cook the entire tourte a day ahead and just bring it to room temperature or lightly warm in your oven before guests arrive. It saves you morning stress with the additional perks of extra shuteye, a tasty meal, and impressed friends.

At first glance, this tourte may look complicated, but it is really not hard to make at all. It has a few simple components that need to be prepared separately before assembly: scramble the eggs, sauté the spinach, and blister the red peppers under a broiler. The long instructions are only an illusion of difficulty, though I would suggest budgeting yourself a bit of time for the prep, chilling, and cook time.

Tourte Milanese
Adapted from Michel Richard’s recipe in Baking with Julia

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves: 6–8

Ingredients:

1 pound puff pastry, homemade or store bought (If using store bought, it’s often sold in 1.1 pound packages. This works great.)
4 large red bell peppers
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ to 2 pounds fresh spinach, trimmed
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
11 large eggs
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
2 teaspoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
½ pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
½ pound thinly sliced ham
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Instructions:

Coat an 8-inch round spring form pan with butter or non-stick baking spray. Roll out ¾ of the puff pastry ¼-inch thick and line bottom and sides of pan leaving a 1-inch overhang. Roll out the remaining pastry into a ¼-inch thick circle (this will be the top of the tourte). Transfer onto a plate. Keep both pastries refrigerated while preparing the filling.

Prep Peppers: Turn on your oven broiler and fill a large bowl with cold water. Place the whole red peppers on a baking sheet and cook under broiler until skin begins to blister. Rotate peppers until all sides have blistered and then transfer peppers to the bowl of cold water. Using your hands, peel the skin off the peppers and discard. Remove the peppers to a cutting board, cut into flat 1 to 2 inch wide flat strips, trimming inside veins and discarding seeds. Set aside.

Prep Spinach: Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Add spinach and garlic and sauté until spinach just wilts, about 3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, if using. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat, set aside.

Prepare Eggs: In a large bowl, lightly beat all 11 eggs. Add the scallions, chives, tarragon, and salt to taste. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat (you can use the spinach skillet, just remove spinach to a bowl, discarding extra liquid). Pour the egg mixture and stir briefly. As eggs start to set, lift edges so liquid can run under. Continue lifting and pushing the eggs to scramble until eggs are completely set but still moist (keep in mind they will be cooking further in the tourte). Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic and let cool completely.

Assemble Tourte: Remove the lined pan from the refrigerator. Layer ingredients in following order: half of the eggs, half of the spinach, half of the cheese, half of the ham, all of the red bell peppers. Repeat layering in reverse order using the remaining ingredients. It need not be perfect. Fold the 1-inch overhang of puff pastry onto the top of the tourte and then brush the top of the pastry with egg wash. Remove the other circular pastry from refrigerator and place on top of tourte and seal edges with your fingers. Brush top with egg wash. With a sharp knife, cut a small hole in the center of the tourte as a vent. Cut any additional desired designs into the pastry, careful not to pierce through the dough entirely. Refrigerate assembled tourte for 30 minutes.

Cook Tourte: Position rack in lower third of oven, preheat to 350 degrees F. Remove tourte from refrigerator, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until deep golden brown, about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes (we I was impatient and took it out after 1 hour. It definitely needed a little more time to full cook all sides of the pastry). Cool for 30 minutes, release from pan. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. *Can be made one day ahead, refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

sweet potato streusel muffins

April 18, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

Fluffy, moist sweet potato muffins spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with a crunchy, sweet pecan streusel

I’ve been meaning to bake with sweet potatoes for so long. Really, it has been on my mind since last Thanksgiving after eating the classic sweet potato casserole topped with gooey marshmallow and sticky sweet pecans. It still boggles my mind that sweet potato casserole is considered a side dish and not a dessert, though I’m certainly not complaining because then I can have guilt-free seconds!

With Easter around the corner, my timing to make sweet potato streusel muffins couldn’t be worse. Right now, you’re likely expecting some variation on homemade Peeps, deviled eggs, or carrot cake. (Thanks to my mom, I have the BEST carrot cake recipe to share with you at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later.)

Alas, I dropped the ball and picked up a sweet potato and this is what came of it.

For those of you who are weary of veggies in dessert, trust me, you’ll be happy you gave this recipe a shot. Sweet potato carries similarities to pumpkin when used in baked goods; it effortlessly results in a moist cake. Paired with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and topped with a sweet, crunchy pecan streusel, these sweet potato streusel muffins are for keeps. The muffin tops have just enough crunch and the insides stay fluffy, moist, and flavorful. No crumbly, dense, or dry muffins here.

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As a lifelong Bostonian, and as we approach the 2014 Boston Marathon, I’d like to remind everyone that you can still donate to The One Fund to help those most affected by the tragic events of last year’s Boston Marathon. While my heart continues to be heavy for those whose lives were directly impacted by the tragedy, I continue to be inspired by the stories of hope and the force of this great community—and communities across the globe—to come together with pride, positivity, and support.

sweet potato streusel muffins

Author: Adapted from SugarDishMe and Rachael Ray

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 12 muffins

Fluffy, moist sweet potato muffins spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with a crunchy, sweet pecan streusel.

Ingredients

3 large eggs
⅓ cup Greek yogurt
¾ cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed* (about 1 large or two small sweet potatoes or yams)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1½ teaspoon vanilla
1¾ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
For Streusel Topping:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
½ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on low for 15 seconds. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the yogurt, oil, and sweet potato mash. Finally, add the brown sugar and vanilla, and mix until combined.
In a separate, medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
Gently pour the flour mixture into the sweet potato mixture and set the emptied flour bowl aside. With the mixer on low, beat until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 prepared muffin cups.
In the bowl you used for the flour mixture, crumble together the softened butter, chopped pecans, flour, and sugar with your fingers until small clumps form. Sprinkle the topping over all the muffins. It may seem like a lot, but it will spread as the muffins puff up in the oven.
Bake the muffins at 425°F for 6 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for additional 12–14 minutes, or until a toothpick tested in the center of a center muffin comes out clean. Cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes and then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
*To make sweet potato mash, poke a large sweet potato all over with a toothpick. Place on a baking sheet and cook in the oven at 400°F for about 45 minutes, or until a knife can easily slice through the center of the potato. Let cool completely, remove skin, and mash with a fork.

blueberry and cheese danish braid

March 13, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

A sophisticated braid of flaky, buttery, lightly sweet dough filled with juicy blueberries and creamy cheese filling, speckled with vanilla beans and a little lemon zest.

I distinctly remember eating a certain almond Danish when I was studying in Italy (a certain one, but certainly not just once). The top was sprinkled generously with sweet, white dots of sugar along with slivered almonds.

If you’ve been to Europe, or to a European bakery, you may’ve noticed the pastries frequently have thick white sugar dotting their tops, a Scandinavian tradition, or so I conclude from my research. Each time I ate Danish in Europe, I noticed those sugar pearls and wondered if bakeries in the U.S. used this as well. I’m sure some had, and presumably more now, but I liked to believe that this sugar was somehow magical and only existed in the sweet back rooms of European bakeries. Isn’t it funny how you notice the tiniest nuisances of another culture when traveling? Often, things go overlooked in your own home; until you return with fresh eyes (like how large a jar of peanut butter or a jug of milk looks in the U.S. versus those you may find in Florence, Italy).

Unbelievably, it took me almost five years to buy this sugar when I got back to the U.S., after I discovered it wasn’t so mystical after all. The reason being, I had never considered making the Danishes, croissants, or other yeast-dough pastries they adorn, at home. I was intimidated and thought it’d be too time consuming or too frustrating or something only those who have attended pastry school could tackle.

I was so wrong—and I now kick myself for not having attempted sooner. Oh, the breakfasts I could have had in college!

You too can make Danish at home. Specifically—if you follow this recipe, which I selfishly think you’ll love—you can make a Blueberry and Cheese Danish Braid. It’s not hard, though does require a little preparation to give the yeast time to rise in the refrigerator after the dough is mixed.

So, decide when you want to eat the pastry and plan to make the dough the day or night before. You could also make the fillings ahead and keep refrigerated. Promise me you won’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe, I wrote it out to make it as easy as possible! You can try filling the Danish Braid with lots of flavor combinations if you aren’t fond of blueberries and creamy cheese (I believe the other word for that is crazy . . . kidding!). Please try it with whatever you like best: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, nutella, pastry cream, lemon curd, etc.

Whether or not you have pearl sugar on hand, the Danish experience will still be magical!

After dough is initially chilled overnight, you can begin shaping it to create the flaky layers that will be the danish.

after the roll and fold stage, you can already see the layers built into the danish!

roll out the dough after its second ‘chill’

cut out top outside corners and small triangles on bottom. This will serve to frame the filling.

cut slanting lines down each side. These will be crossed over the filling to create the braid.

fill the danish dough. Mine was a tad too runny, but turned out completely fine!

Brush with egg wash and drizzle with sugar and almonds, if desired.

magical sugar

enjoy with or without glaze!

*Apologies for the format of this recipe versus previous recipes. I felt it would be easier to read written out this way because there are multiple components.

Blueberry and Cheese Danish Braid
Adapted from Beatrice Ojakangas via Baking with Julia, Ina Garten

Makes 2 long braids; about 6-8 servings each. If you’d like to make just one braid, cut the dough in half after the roll and fold stage and freeze up to one month.

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: At least 8 hours (including chilling time)

For the pastry:

¼ cup warm water (between 105-115 degrees F)
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ cup milk, at room temperature (I used 2%, but any milk fat level will work.)
1 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter
1 egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
¼ cup slivered almonds (optional)
1 tablespoon pearl sugar (optional)
3-4 teaspoons cold heavy cream, for glaze (optional)
½ cup confectioners sugar, for glaze (optional)

For the Blueberry Filling

2 cups fresh blueberries (other berries can be substituted here)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Cream Cheese Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste, or extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

Instructions:

Prepare the dough: Pour the water into a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let both soften for two minutes. Add the milk, egg, sugar, and salt and whisk together. Set aside. Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Cut the butter into ¼ – ½ inch thick slices and drop them onto the flour. Pulse 8 to 10 times, until the butter is cut into pieces that are about ½ inch in diameter, but not any smaller than that. If in doubt, stop when the pieces are larger. It’s better that way, than to over mix. Empty the butter flour mixture into the bowl with the yeast and, using a rubber spatula, gentle turn the mixture over, just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Be cautious not to over mix. You’ll want to see pieces of butter throughout the dough – this will ensure it is flaky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (up to 4 days).

Roll the dough: After the dough has chilled overnight, lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough onto it. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll the dough into a square about 16 inches on each side (the dough might be sticky, so keep the flour close and cover the rolling pin as needed. You can also cover the dough and chill it again if it becomes too soft to roll). Fold the dough into the middle in thirds, like a business letter that you’re going to put in an envelope. Turn it so that the closed fold is to your left. Roll the dough out again, this time into a long narrow rectangle, about 10 inches wide by 24 inches long. Fold the rectangle in thirds again, turn it so the closed fold is to your left, and roll into a 20 inch square. Fold the square in thirds, like a business letter, so that you have a rectangle. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 10 inches wide by 24 inches long. Fold the dough in thirds again, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days. If not using after 2 days, the dough can be frozen at this point for 1 month, thawing overnight in a refrigerator before use.)

Prepare the Blueberry filling: Stir the berries and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring frequently. Add lemon juice and cornstarch and cook 1-2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until fully cooled.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together on low speed until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined. Keep away from anyone who likes cream cheese or you might find some missing.

Shape the dough: After the dough has chilled from rolling and folding, lightly flour a work surface and roll the chilled dough into a rectangle 10 inches wide and 16 inches long (eyeball it). Lift onto a sheet of parchment paper and position the dough so the lengthy side is perpendicular to you. Cut the two top corners off the dough at an angle slanting downward and cut two small triangles out of the bottom of the dough. This will frame the space in the middle third of the dough for the filling, see image above. Using a sharp knife cut 10-12 slanting lines down each side, angling the cuts downward, not crossing over the space you framed for the filling, see image above.

Fill and Braid the dough: Spread some of the blueberry filling down the length of the dough (there will be juice leftover. Use the chunky portion. Spoon the cream cheese filling in a narrow line down the center of the blueberry filling. Fold the strips of the pastry into the center over the filling, alternating folding from the left side and the right side until you’ve reached the bottom. Brush the pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle with almonds and pearl sugar, if using. Allow the Danish to sit at room temperature while you preheat the oven.

Baking the Braid: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slide the braid, parchment and all, onto a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden, rotating once or twice during baking. Transfer the pastry to a cooling rack and prepare the glaze, if using. To prepare the glaze, stir the cream into the confectioners sugar in a small bowl, adding just enough until it produces a smooth, shiny glaze. Using a spoon or fork, drizzle the glaze over the pastry. Serve the pastry warm, or at room temperature.

lemon poppy seed muffins

February 1, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

I’ve been loving lemons lately (and apparently alliteration also!). I’ve been fully stocked on lemonade for the past month and I keep finding myself ordering treats with lemon zest. I’ve never been the biggest lemon baked good fan, so this has left me baffled. People go bananas over things like lemon squares or lemon meringue pie and, while I really, really want to love them, I usually take a bite and immediately make one or more of these faces.

Before this lemon longing (:wink:) fades, I needed to put a lemon recipe in the books. Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins seemed practical to enjoy on an early Saturday morning.

There are two awesome parts of making these. Or, two things I get excited about that will just make you think I’m a nerd.

The first is rubbing the sugar and lemon zest together in step two to release the lemon essence that comes from the peel. The sugary citrus scent is like refreshing aromatherapy.
The second is when you add the poppy seeds to the batter. You pour in just two tablespoons, which may not seem like much. After one swoop with the spatula, thousands of tiny seeds infiltrate the batter ready to add little pops to the final product.

If you really like lemon, you can add the lemon icing. I also think they are just as nice without. These are best when eaten the day of baking, if possible.

mix the lemon zest and sugar together with your fingers. The sweet citrus scent will instantly make you feel refreshed.

Prepare the dry and wet ingredients and mix the wet with the dry.

My favorite part. Stir in the poppy seeds!

Poppy seed speckled batter ready for the pan.

Pop them in the oven for 18-20 minutes.

drizzle cooled muffins with lemon icing (optional)

Enjoy!

lemon poppy seed muffins

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Author: Dorie Greenspan

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

2/3 cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted in a bowl and cooled
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 cup confectioners sugar (for icing)
2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for icing)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a standard 12 hole muffin pan with paper cups or, alternatively, butter/grease a muffin pan.
In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lemon is strong.
Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking sugar, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended.
Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with a rubber spatula, gently, but quickly, stir to blend. Be careful not to over-mix. It is ok if the batter is a little lumpy.
Stir in the poppy seeds. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool the muffins completely before icing.
To make the icing, put the confectioners sugar in a small bowl and add the lemon juice slowly until it forms an icing thin enough to drizzle from the tip of a spoon or fork. Drizzle over the tops of the muffins.

beignets

January 20, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

One year ago today Greg and I took our first real trip together. We were excited for a break from another frigid Boston winter, but we were more thrilled to go on an adventure in a city that has earned dozens of honors as “top U.S. city for food lovers.” It’s a city known as much for its parties as for its cuisine—The Big Easy; New Orleans.

Our long weekend was filled with food and fun. We listened to great jazz music on Frenchman Street, walked down the lively Bourbon Street, and watched the first Mardi Gras parade of 2013. Had a French 75 at the bar where it was created, explored voodoo shops and museums, and ate French Creole dishes at John Besh and Emeril Lagasse restaurants—as well as at tiny family run joints. We tried our first po’ boys, gumbo, couchon, king’s cake, and pralines. We did it all, but one of the most memorable parts of the trip was eating beignets covered in mountains of powdered sugar at the famous Café Du Monde.

Located on Decatur Street in heart the French Quarter, on the banks of the Mississippi river, Café Du Monde is the premier spot to get the classic French fried dough treat. Throughout our stay, whenever we passed their green and white awnings, Café Du Monde had a line that snaked around for at least half-a-block. We were lucky to catch an opening one sunny morning and enjoyed cafés au lait with a plate of hot rectangular beignets piled high with powdered sugar. It took every ounce of self-control for me not to blow the mound of powdered sugar across the table like snow. The texture of the beignet is a cross between an old-fashioned donut and fried dough. If you ever travel to New Orleans, I encourage you to add a trip to Café du Monde to your To-Do list.

A line of people waiting for beignets outside of Cafe Du Monde.

The beignets from Cafe Du Monde. They really love the powdered sugar! I held back a little on mine.

To pay homage to our trip, I made my first batch of beignets thismorning. This recipe is adapted from a cookbook recently added to our collection, Family Table, by Michael Romano and Karen Stabiner. I had to prepare the dough last night to give it ample time to set.

Prepare the beignet dough the day before you’d like to make them.

Roll out the dough, cut it into rectangles and add the twist, if you’d like!

Fry them up!

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

beignets

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: adapted from Family Table

Prep time: 15 hours

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 15 hours 20 mins

Serves: 12-15 beignets

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 vanilla bean split, seeds scraped out and reserved OR 1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), at room temperature
Peanut oil, for frying (I have been told Canola works as well but can’t vouch for any differences it may have)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar for finishing

Instructions

Sprinkle the yeast over 2 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl and let stand for 10 minutes, or until foamy.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, sift together the flour, sugar, and salt.
Change the mixer’s attachment from whisk to dough hook and add in the eggs, yeast mixture, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed for 10 to 15 minutes. The dough will be sticky at first and then it will come together around the dough hook.
Reduce the speed to low, add the butter, and mix until it is incorporated, about 5 minutes.
Put the dough on a floured plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a ¼ inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into 2×4 inch rectangles. Make a 1-inch vertical slit in the center of each piece and tuck one end of the rectangle through the opening to make a twist (I made some twists and some without).
Arrange the beignets on the baking sheet and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes, up to 1 hour.
In a large deep saucepan, heat 2 inches of peanut oil over high heat until it reaches 350 degrees on an oil thermometer. Fry the beignets 2–3 at a time, to avoid crowding, for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon or wooden chop stocks and drain briefly on paper towels.
Shake confectioners sugar over the warm beignets and serve immediately.

maple oatmeal scones with maple glaze

January 6, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

When someone tells you that you have ruined other scones for them forever, you know you have a winning recipe. That is what my (now) boyfriend said after biting into one of the Maple Oatmeal Scones with Maple Glaze I brought to the restaurant we both worked at a few years ago. To me, scones are a very underrated baked good and they are fairly often my breakfast pastry choice. At a time of day when my eyes are usually adjusting the to light of day, scones have just the amount of sweetness I need.

Whether savory or sweet, one important detail in making scones is the texture. I’ve tried recipes that ended up too dry or too soggy, too crumbly or too hard. Of all the scone recipes I have tried, this has to be my goldilocks. It is the ‘just right’ texture I had been looking for. Because it has a light flavor, it is good accompanied by nice butter or jam. It can also act as a canvas for other scone creations. When I made them most recently, I added in about a cup of dried cranberries and omitted the glaze.

One little tip I have for making these scones is to dice the cold butter and re-refrigerate it before you start with the rest of the recipe. The butter should be very cold when you add it to the dough, which helps the scones rise and adds flakiness. Prepping this beforehand will save you time as you run through the rest of the recipe.

I must direct the credit of this winning recipe to Ina Garten, a woman who I have found to have consistently reliable recipes. Ina, my boyfriend and I thank you each time we enjoy one of these with our morning coffee!

maple oatmeal scones with maple glaze

Recipe Type: Scones

Cuisine: Breakfast

Author: Ina Garten

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 14 scones

Ingredients

Scones:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound cold butter, diced
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water, for egg wash
Glaze:
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flours, oats, baking powder, sugar and salt. Blend the cold butter in at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Combine the buttermilk, maple syrup and eggs and add quickly to the flour-and-butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.
Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4 to 1 inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into 3-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are crisp and the insides are done.
To make the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. When the scones are done, cool for 5 minutes and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of the glaze. I like to sprinkle some uncooked oats on the top, for garnish. The warmer the scones are when you glaze them, the thinner the glaze will be.

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