" I gave up working on my doctorate in gerontology to bake cookies in a restaurant basement (a job I was fired from) and thank my lucky stars I did. "

Dorie Greenspan.

Jelly Roll

This is a super easy, fun, delicious, and pretty dessert.  

Lemon Jelly Roll

cake adapted from Paula Deen. Curd adapted from Gourmet.

For the lemon Curd (this batch makes a lot: enough for 2 jelly rolls + 1 small jar of curd!)

finely grated zest of 2 medium lemons

fresh-squeezed juice of 4 medium lemons (about 1 cup)

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 3/4 sticks (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces

Whisk together the zest, juice, sugar, eggs, and a pinch of salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Continue whisking so the eggs don't lump. When hot to the touch, add the butter all at once and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until curd is thick enough to hold the marks of the whisk and the first bubbles appear on the surface, about 10 minutes. Immediately pour curd through a fine sieve into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill.

For the cake:

4 eggs, separated

finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon

juice of 1 medium lemon

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

3/4 cup cake flour, sifted

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly roll pan or baking sheet with parchment paper and butter the parchment well.  

In a medium bowl beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until light. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla, and mix well. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the sifted flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture. Fold the egg whites into the egg and lemon mixture and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 10-15 minutes or until the cake is golden.

While the cake is baking, prepare a surface for rolling: place a dry, clean tea towel on a countertop and dust it well with powdered sugar.  Invert the cake onto the dusted towel using your hands and a wide, flat spatula. Don't fret about flipping the cake, it'll be quite flexible. Trim 1/4-inch edge off each long side and, beginning with the end closest to you, roll the cake and towel up together and set seam-side down. Let this sit and cool to room temperature, about 15–20 minutes. 

Once the cake has cooled, gently unroll it and spread generously with the chilled lemon curd. Roll it up kind of loosely (sans towel of course), to keep as much of the curd in as possible. A lot will run out the sides and far end but most if it will stay inside. Lay the jelly roll seam-side down again, keeping it on the towel, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Transfer to a clean sheet of parchment, gently wrap the roll up and chill it for at least an hour or overnight. 

hot cross buns

The first recorded use of 'hot cross bun' is from 1733 when spiced currant buns were eaten by early-medieval Saxons celebrating the German Goddess Eostre through a month-long feast that would become Easter.

I combined a recipe from Florence Fabricant at the NYT and a recipe from Gourmet to make a small batch on Saturday. The process is straightforward and each stage is rewarding, particularly the first rise after kneading - the dough comes up beautifully. If you melt the butter rather than cream it you'll get a lighter, open crumb that's more bready than biscuity.

Hot Cross Buns

1 cup warm milk (105°–115°F.)
5 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 sticks (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
scant 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons icing sugar

In a small bowl stir together milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Let mixture stand 5 minutes, or until foamy. Meanwhile melt the butter and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and combine well. Add the egss and beat until smooth. Add the salt, spices, and citrus zest. Add the flour 1 cup at a time, alternating with the currants and raisins. You want the dough to be well combined before you begin to knead it.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and with floured hands knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a large, clean, olive-oiled bowl and turn it to fully coat it with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Butter 2 large baking sheets.

On a floured surface with floured hands knead dough briefly and form into two 12-inch-long logs. Cut each log crosswise into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and arrange about 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Let the buns rise, covered with damp tea towels, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven. While buns are rising, lightly beat the egg yolk with the icing sugar to make an egg glaze. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out a small amount of pastry dough about 1/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut 1/8-inch wide strips for the crosses. Once the buns have fully risen, bruch them lightly with glaze, lay the strips on their tops and brush again.

Slide the pans into the oven and bake for 12 minutes total, switching pan positions at 6 minutes. Cool on a rack.

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from Maman Xuxudidi.

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salted chocolate cookies

i made these the other day for a small event. They are reeeeally good. Be sure to use high quality dark chocolate & cocoa, and Maldon salt for the tops. I forgot to take photos of the dough and finished cookies so the 2 baking sheet shots above are Molly Wizenberg's, from Orangette.

The recipe was adapted by Molly Wizenberg from two other recipes: One by Elizabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson, co-owners of Tartine Bakery and Café in San Francisco & co-authors of Tartine Bread and Tartine, and the other by Renee Erickson, chef at Boat Street Café in Seattle. Quel pedigree.


Salted Chocolate Cookies

This dough tastes best - and is easiest to work with - when it’s been allowed to rest in the fridge for a day or so before baking.

225 grams (8 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
155 grams (1 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
50 grams (½ cup plus 2 Tbsp.) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
115 grams (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
225 grams (1 cup plus 2 Tbsp.) sugar, plus more for rolling the logs
2 large eggs
¼ tsp. table salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
75 ml (1/3 cup) whole milk
Maldon salt, for finishing

Pour water into a saucepan to a depth of about 2 inches. Bring to a simmer. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl that will rest securely on the rim of the saucepan, and place it over – not touching – the simmering water. (Make sure that the bowl is completely dry before putting the chocolate into it, and take care that no moisture gets into the chocolate. Moisture will cause it to seize.) Heat, stirring occasionally, just until the chocolate melts and is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Slowly add the sugar, and continue to beat until the mixture is completely smooth and soft, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the salt and the vanilla, and then add the melted chocolate, beating to incorporate. Add the milk, and beat until combined. Finally, add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. The dough will be quite thick and stiff.

Depending on what size cookie you’d like to wind up with, divide the dough into 2 or 4 portions. Put each portion on a large piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a log, using the wrap to help you smoosh, roll, and smooth it. Twist the ends to seal. Chill overnight. (If you’re into advance planning, the dough can probably be kept in the fridge for at least a week, or frozen for longer keeping.)

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put another sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Take a spoonful or two of sugar, and pour it onto the parchment, making a ridge of sugar of approximately the same length as your dough logs. Remove a log from the fridge, unwrap it, and roll in the sugar to evenly coat. Using a thin, sharp knife, slice the dough into ¼- to 1/3-inch slices. (If you’re making small cookies, the 1/3-inch thickness is best.) Lay the slices on the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with a few flakes of Maldon salt.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the top of the cookies looks set but still feels a little soft to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack, and leave the cookies on the pan to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Note: These cookies will keep at room temperature for several days.

Yield: a lot -about 3 dozen

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According to one Victorian, the pie is ‘a great human discovery which has universal estimation among all civilized eaters’.
Janet Clarkson has written a lovely volume on this most esteemed article of food: Pie, one of nine in the Edible Series, from Reaktion.

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French Apple Tart

A super simple tart from the great Ina Garten. Perfect for breakfast, tea, and dessert.

When I made it the first time I had no apricot jelly or jam in the cupboard and didn't want to leave the house to go shopping, so I used what was around: a jar of sugarless pineapple, rhubarb, strawberry jam (warmed and sieved). It was so good -far better than the second one I made with apricot jam (again, warmed and sieved). Less sugar gave the apples more clarity.


French Apple Tart

Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, diced
1/2 cup ice water

Apples:
4 apples (Granny Smith, Cortland, Macintosh or another firm, tart apple)
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) cold butter, diced small
1/2 cup apricot jelly or warm, sieved apricot jam
1 Tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water

For the pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14-inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.) Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.

Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

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