Alice Waters Chez Panisse Almond Cake

 

Alice Waters Chez Panisse Almond Cake

If you are lucky enough to get a reservation at the much sought after restaurant, Chez Panisse in Berkley, CA, you will be treated to some of the most delectable foods west of the Rockies.. Meats, vegetables, and fruits are bought daily to assure her standard of freshness. Baked goods are a daily feature. This is a recipe for her Almond Cake. It is dense but, oh what a flavor. Serve it as a breakfast treat, with a coffee, or as dessert. Dress this cake with a scoop of ice cream, fruit, or a favorite sauce. It is a special treat.

Ingredients

1 1⁄3 cups granulated sugar
3⁄4 cup almond paste (not marzipan)
10 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and prepare a 9-inch springform pan by buttering it liberally and lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

Break up the almond paste with your fingers and process it with the sugar in a food processor. Move the mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer.

Beat the butter and the vanilla extract (and optional almond extract) into the sugar/almond paste mixture and then continue beating until the mixture is creamed and is light and airy. 

Add the whole eggs (one at a time) and mix after each addition until you have thoroughly incorporated the eggs into your batter.

Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) and mix just until thoroughly combined.

Spoon the batter into your prepared springform pan, smoothing the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the top of the cake comes out clean and the center of the cake, when pressed, feels firm but springy. This should take between 1 and 1 1/4 hours. 

Remove the baked cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before releasing the sides of the springform pan. Garnish with powdered sugar and enjoy. Serves 8

 

Chocolate Chip Cupcake Cookies

Chocolate-Chip Cupcake Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk 

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch chunks 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line 2 standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Put butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk. Stir in chocolate chunks with a rubber spatula.

Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake until pale golden and a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Transfer cupcakes to wire racks; let cool completely.

Dios Beigli ~ Hungarian Walnut Roll

   

Dios Beligi

Hungarian Walnut Roll

This walnut roll is a beloved treat in Hungary, found in bakeries all year round but especially at Christmas. It’s a yeasted roll, long and narrow, with a sweet filling — usually walnut (dios) or poppy seed — and a crackly, mahogany-colored crust. The folks at Zingerman’s Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan shared this recipe with us, one they learned from the longest-standing baking family (five generations) in Budapest, the Auguszts. The family's use of both cake flourand all-purpose flour in their dios is a 100-year-old tradition, one that makes the bread extra tender and soft. The Bakehouse now makes beigli at Christmastime to the joy of their loyal customers and the local Hungarian community.

Ingredients:

Dough
6 tablespoons (85g) water, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (88g) King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour
2 cups + 1 tablespoon (248g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
5 tablespoons (50g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 tablespoons (70g) lard or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (64g) confectioners’ sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
Egg wash
1 large egg, white and yolk separated
Filling
2 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (326g) shelled walnuts
3/4 cup (84g) breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup (36g) grated lemon rind (zest), or the zest of about 6 large lemons
4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (91g) honey
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (161g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (90g) vegetable oil
1/3 cup (76g) water
1/4 cup (37g) raisins

Directions
To make the dough: Weigh your flours; or measure by gently spooning them into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.

In a medium bowl, combine the water, yeast, and cake flour. Add the all-purpose flour, butter, lard (or additional butter), confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Stir briefly, then use your hands to knead the mixture until it comes together in a smooth ball, about 5 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Flatten each piece into a 6" square and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for an hour; take this time to prepare the filling.

To make the filling: Finely chop two-thirds of the walnuts (216g, about 2 cups) in a food processor until ground (but not paste-like). Roughly chop the remaining walnuts.

In a large bowl, use a sturdy spoon to mix the ground and chopped walnuts with the breadcrumbs, cinnamon, and lemon zest.

In a small saucepan, combine the honey, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, water, and raisins. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add to the nut mixture, stirring to combine. Spread the filling out on a baking sheet to cool.

Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Gently tap it with a rolling pin until it’s soft enough to roll.

Roll each piece of dough into a 10” x 12” rectangle with the short edge closest to you. Brush the edges with water and fold over 1/2” of dough on each side and on the bottom short edge closest to you.

Place half the filling on each piece of dough and spread evenly all the way to the folded edges, leaving about 1” without filling on the top (the short side farthest from you).

Starting from the short side closest to you, roll the dough into a cylinder and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down.

To glaze the beigli: Using a fork, gently beat the egg white in one bowl and the egg yolk in another bowl. Brush the outside of the beigli with the beaten egg yolk.

Loosely cover the beigli with greased plastic wrap and let them rest at warm room temperature (around 75°F is ideal) for about 40 minutes.

Brush the beigli with the beaten egg white then chill, uncovered, for 30 minutes. This step will help create the beigli's final crackled appearance.

While the beigli are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F.

After the beigli have chilled, use a fork (or an ice pick if you have one) to make evenly spaced holes along the body and sides of the beigli. Push the fork deep into the dough; fifteen piercings will be adequate. This allows steam to escape as the beigli bake, helping maintain their cylindrical shape.

Bake the beigli for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 330°F and bake for another 35 to 40 minutes, or until the beigli are a beautiful mahogany color on the exterior.

Remove the beigli from the oven and let them cool completely before serving.

Store, well wrapped, at cool room temperature for a few days; freeze for longer storage.  Yield 2 loaves

Fried Chicken /Air Fryer, ~ Chick-Fil-A Sauce

 

 

Air Fryer Chicken 

Chick-Fil-A Sauce

Ingredients:

Chicken
One Cut Up Chicken or an assortment of chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks.
Buttermilk Marinade:

2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 tablespoons Buffalo Hot Sauce (optional)
Flour Dredging Mixture:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
Buttermilk mixture: Add the buttermilk, salt, black pepper, and Buffalo Hot Sauce to a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Then add your chicken. 

Place saran wrap over the chicken, and refrigerate for about 3 to 4 hours.

Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil.

In a large Ziploc bag, add the flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika, onion powder, basil, white pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.

Then one by one, remove the chicken pieces and shake off the excess buttermilk mixture and then place them into the Ziploc bag. 

As you coat them in the flour mixture, add them to the greased air fryer basket, careful not to crowd the basket.

Spray the chicken with olive oil (this helps crisp up the skin for the air fryer)

Set the temperature to 390 degrees F for 25 minutes, halfway flip the chicken, and spray the chicken coating with olive oil spray.

Check the internal temperature before removing the chicken; it should be 165 degrees F.
Plate, serve, and enjoy!

***

Chick-Fil-A Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons honey 
2 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Directions:
Blend all ingredients until well mixed. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to used.

Persimmon Rum Bread

 

                                                  Persimmon Rum Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled
2 extra large or large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup spiced dark rum 

1 cup persimmon puree (i used 2 very ripe large fuyu 

   persimmons) 
1 cup pecans
1 cup or so dried fruit (i used a mix of chopped whole 

   dates, golden raisins, or regular raisins)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  I will try 325*F next time.

Grease and flour or line loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper.

Mix flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour mixture in a separate small bowl. Toss in the dried fruit in the reserved mixture, making sure to coat each piece well.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, persimmon puree, pecans and floured dried fruit (note: you want to add any leftover flour that the fruit was tossed in as well...waste not, want not!).

Mix the batter just until combined (having little streaks of flour is okay...don't over mix). Pour the batter into the loaf pan and then place the pan in the oven. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan before serving.

To make Persimmon Pulp:

Alway start with Fresh fruit washed under cold water after stem is removed to prevent collectying dirt.

Remove the stems and slice the persimmons in half. Using a spoon, scoop the seeds out of the persimmons. Place the seeded fruit into a blender and puree.

Thomas Hooke/Demand Media

Pour the persimmon puree into a sieve over a bowl and press the puree against the sieve with a spoon. The smooth puree will be pushed through the sieve.

Salt Rising Bread

Salt Rising Bread

 Sister Abigail’s from The Shaker Cook Book by Caroline B. Piercy.
This bread makes, Hands Down, the best toast!
Ingredients:
1 c scalded milk
½ c coarse cornmeal
3 c milk
¾ t salt
1 T sugar
5 T lard or butter
3 c sifted bread flour
2 ½ c sifted all-purpose flour

*

Directions:

Scald milk; pour over cornmeal. Let stand in a warm place until bubbles rise to the surface (about 2 ½ hours).

Then heat milk just lukewarm and add to it salt, sugar, shortening and dissolve thoroughly. Now add the cornmeal mixture and set bowl in a dish of lukewarm water until bubbles rise throughout mixture.  

Work in sifted bread flour. When well blended, work in sifted all-purpose flour and knead until sponge is very elastic. Divide into 3 parts and work into loaves. Place in pans and let rise to double the bulk. 

Place loaves in a moderate (350°) oven for 15 minutes and then increase heat to 425°. Loaves should bake 1 hour total. Note that bread flour must be used in the above recipe. Since this is a painstaking recipe, it is best not to reduce the rule to a single loaf. 

Moreover, the bread gives off such a tempting aroma when baking that one will regret, at this stage, of not doubling the recipe.   This recipe doesn’t call for buttering the sponge, bowl, loaves or bread pans, but all of the other Shaker recipes do call for buttering each. In general directions it says NEVER to eat hot bread from oven as it will continue to emit gasses until it is cool.