This month’s #baketogether guest post comes from the lovely Barbara or, as those of us on Twitter know her, @blreiss . She’s a regular #baketogether participant, a true baking kind-a gal  and she really has fun with the recipes. For many month’s now, I’ve been posting a pic and description of her versions on the original Baketogether posts just above the blog links so that everyone can share in her baking fun. Sadly, even though I’ve begged and pleaded, I don’t think we will get this #baketogether gal to host her own blog (for now..) but I sure am happy to have her post her inspiring version of cornmeal muffins. Here’s my original recipe.

Here is Barbara’s Multigrain Blueberry Orange Muffin recipe…. She’s definitely in #TeamSweet ! I know you’ll like her as much as I do. And if you aren’t following her on twitter yet.. do so now @blreiss And check out this lovely lady’s background.. Whooa.. this is some serious smarts going on here!

A

Variations on #baketogether cornmeal buttermilk muffins
by Barbara Reiss Newman (aka @blreiss)

When I submitted my version of these muffins to Abby this month, she asked me to write this month’s guest post.  What an honor!  She suggested that I might want to start a blog, but you know, I have started blogs–several in fact–and months go by when I forget to write anything.  It’s a discipline, like anything else.  I’d really just rather bake.

I’m not what anyone would call a trained cook.  In fact, I was well into adulthood before I figured out that a cake baked from scratch was way better than one from a mix.  When I got interested in baking–really baking–I started with Maida Heatter’s wonderful cookbooks, and never looked back. I’m still trying to figure out bread and pie crust.  On my days off, I bake something and bring it to work the next day for my co-workers.

As for muffins, we’re definitely in the sweet camp.  I actually make muffins a lot because my husband likes to bring them to work for breakfast (and I finally got him off grocery store muffins, which I think are disgusting).  So I decided to modify Abby’s basic recipe to make them more of a multi-grain muffin. I used white whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and added a tablespoon each of wheat germ and oat bran.  I increased the buttermilk to 2/3 of a cup because I knew I’d need more hydration with all those grains.  In addition, I added the zest of an orange, 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract, and about 1/3 cup of blueberries (because I happened to have them in the refrigerator).  And I used melted butter instead of canola oil. (I’m not a fan of canola oil–sorry, Abby!)  We ended up with 8 delicious muffins that also froze really well–I put a frozen one in the car when I went to yoga class, and it was perfect with a cup of tea when class was over.

My husband has devoured the rest, so I’ll be baking more next week.  (I think with raspberries next time.  Don’t you think  raspberry muffins would be great?)   Also, I make a blueberry pie with a cornmeal crust that has lime and mint in the filling.

Hmmm….corn muffins with blueberries, lime and mint…the possibilities are endless!

There are a few members of the #baketogether family that are blog-less. But, as we know, us #baketogether folks are an inclusive bunch so for those folks that haven’t succumbed to my blog – nagging (yet), I add a small pix and a brief description of their entry to my post so they can join in. In April, I reached out to Jennifer (one such blog-less gal) and asked if she’d be willing to do a guest post and tell us about her multicolored Buttermilk Glazed Carrot Angel Food Cake in more depth. I’m delighted she took time out of her very busy work and family schedule to share her inspiring version of angel food cake. Here’s the original recipe.

And.. ps.. Jennifer is very humble and modest about her knowledge and kitchen abilities – her candies are remarkable! She’s the person I turn to with all sorts of confection questions. In fact, she helped me test and re-test many of the candy recipes in new Joy of Cooking. I also had the pleasure of joining in her NYC Chocolate Crawl a few years back – what an afternoon!  Here’s her wonderful Caramel Feature in Fine Cooking. You’ll need to join or, at least, do the 14 day free trial to read this but it’s worth it. I promise. If you are on Twitter, you can follow Jennifer’s feed at @jnerissa

Here’s Jennifer…. I know you’ll like her as much as I do.

A

Hello everyone, I’m Jennifer. Abby asked me if I would do a guest post about the April Angel food cake #Baketogether. She’s been trying to get me to start a blog of my own. Baby steps, Abby, baby steps.

Disclaimer: I am not a professionally trained chef. I am what you would call a pathologically obsessed amateur. I did run my own chocolate business for a few years when my children were born, and I wrote an article for Fine Cooking magazine on caramels a few years back. Those are my only real claims to culinary fame. Mostly I just like to play around in the kitchen.

In April I played around with Abby’s angelfood cake recipe. I decided I wanted something visually stunning. The snow white color of the cake cried out to me for a color contrast. I settled on carrots – a carrot angel food cake. I even managed to find yellow and red carrots, in addition to the usual orange.I started with 12 oz of (about 3 large) carrots, and shredded them to make 1 ½ cups tightly packed. I followed Abby’s recipe, minus the tangerine zest, and gently folded the carrots into the batter after the flour.

Well, I did make one other slight change to it as well. I used extra large eggs instead of large. I discovered the benefit of extra large eggs in sponge/genoise/angel food type cakes years ago when I moved to Germany. All of my cakes were suddenly taller, fluffier, and lighter. It took me a year to figure out that German large eggs are equivalent to North American extra large, but I digress. Because of the moisture and weight of the carrots you may find that the angel food cake takes a little longer to bake, and it will not rise as high. This is OK. It will still look pretty and be delicious.

Here it is.. Oven -ready.

I replaced the caramel sauce in Abby’s original recipe with a buttermilk glaze. This glaze is a crucial component of my favourite carrot cake recipe, one given to me by a friend years ago. It’s originally designed to be poured over traditional carrot cake, and I highly recommend trying it. Really, try it.

To make the glaze:
¾ cups sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup butter
1 T. golden syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a much larger saucepan than you think you will need. Bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Because of the baking soda, the mixture will foam considerably. This is normal. Do not
be alarmed, just carry on and it will subside. Remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

If you are using this for ordinary carrot cake, pour the hot mixture evenly over just-out-of-the-oven cake. If you are using this for the carrot angel food cake you will not be able to do this, because angel food has to cool completely upside down in the pan. Instead you will to using the glaze to coat the outside. Using a pastry brush, brush the hot glaze evenly over the surface of the cooled, unmolded cake. You will have glaze left over. Save it. You will use this to plate the dessert.

Because carrot cake just isn’t carrot cake without cream cheese frosting, I added it as a third component in the dessert. For the frosting you will need one package of cream cheese, at room temperature, and a second batch of buttermilk glaze, also cooled to room temperature. Beat the glaze into the cream cheese until they are light and fluffy and well combined.

You are now ready to plate the dessert. Pour a Tablespoon or so of the reserved glaze onto the plate. Cut a generous slice of cake and arrange it over the glaze. Decorate with an extra large buttermilk cream cheese frosting rose. I love making these roses. They look difficult and spectacular, but are in fact, one of the fastest and easiest decorations you can make. It’s a pastry chef secret, and I shall now impart it to you. In order to make one you do need one special piece of equipment, but it is worth the investment. Buy a large star or flower tip. I use a Wilton 2D. Because of its size, it requires a large coupler instead of a standard one, or, if you are lazy like me, a bit of packing tape. I slide my tip into the pastry bag and tape it well all around the edges. It works for me, at least. Fill your pastry bag with frosting. Holding the tip perpendicular to the cake, starting at the center of the flower, squeeze, while moving the bag in a tight spiral pattern, from inside to out. When the flower is the desired size, stop. It really is that simple. Honest.

Like many cakes, this one tastes best the day after you bake it. The flavors have a chance to mellow and blend. I recommend baking and glazing the cake one day, and plating, frosting, and serving it the next.

There you have it, my #Baketogether angel food carrot cake with buttermilk glaze. Enjoy!

Call me crazy but I just couldn’t decide on this month’s recipe. For the past two weeks, I bounced between a sweet and a savory recipe. Both delicious, both beautiful, both fun but I just couldn’t choose between them. And then it dawned on me (at 3 am when most ideas pop into my head) that I should post a recipe that both team sweet and team savory will enjoy and have some fun monkeying around with. I’ll save those other two recipes for another month.. we’ll get to them. I promise. For now, let’s talk about the muffin at hand..

A few general comments:

• Both teams will love that this recipe yields only 6 muffins. Something I am personally thankful for as any more than that will only end up adding to my posterior (patting myself on the back).
• I didn’t include any how-to pix for these muffins. The mixing method is simple and straightforward and requires no power tools. Of course, if you have questions, holler at me. I’m always happy to help.
• Regardless of your sweet or savory preference, these muffins are best with served warm. If you’re not serving straight from the oven, cool them, cover and stow at room temperature up to two days and reheat before serving.

For the gang in Team Sweet. The main recipe is written for you. It’s a touch sweet with just enough cornmeal to give it a nice texture and a nice splash of vanilla rounds out the flavor. With strawberries coming into their glorious-ness, I decided to add a bucket full (well, not quite a bucket full but you get my drift) to these muffins but, as always, feel free to fold in whatever fruit suits your fancy.

For Team Savory, I used this same recipe BUT, I reduced the sugar to 2 tablespoons, 86′d the vanilla and added 2 tablespoons of chopped scallions, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon additional table salt and 2 ounces of crumbled blue cheese. I served them for dinner alongside a bowl of vegetable soup…um, um good. Pretty much any cheese will work in these babies as will any herb. More thoughts below..

If you are new to #Baketogether – Welcome! We are a very inclusive  group of happy bakers and I just know you’ll have fun. Subscribe to my rss feed and use/follow #baketogether on Twitter so you stay in-the-know. For a few more details check out this post for some info on how we #baketogether.

This recipe is truly an evergreen and can be switched up too many ways to count. Here are just a few suggestions – these work for both sweet and savory versions:

• Change the fruit/cheese: I don’t know about you but I’m making these with the first basket of local blueberries. Use YOUR fave and keep us posted.
• Add more or different flavors: Adding citrus zest, ginger or finely chopped herbs (jalapeno, cayenne or dry mustard would be nice for Team Savory) to the batter is an easy addition. Or, you can really shake things up and go with cinnamon, almond, chocolate  .. maybe all three. Who knows?
• Change the shape: Maybe you want to make a 1 layer cake or coffeecake or a small loaf for slicing… go ahead.. give it a go.
• Add texture: Chopped, toasted nuts or poppy seeds can add complexity to the cake. If you are going here, I’d fold them in at the end along with the fruit/cheese.
• Bake on a streusel topping: Again.. this can be sweet or savory. Toasted nuts can be added in here too..
• Add a drizzle or a glaze: literally, the icing on the muffin

So which are you: Team Sweet or Team Savory?  Remember, here at #baketogether, we love all shapes, sizes and flavors equally so put on your thinking caps and start planing Cornmeal Buttermilk Muffins~Sweet OR Savory #Baketogether right now. As always, if you need further guidance or inspiration, give me a holler!

“They “say that April showers bring May flowers but I think they bring April Angel Food Cake. Call me crazy but spring seems like the perfect time to dust off the angel food pan, use up those egg whites in the frig or freezer  and whip up one of my favorite classic desserts. That’s right this #baketogether is old-school baby (spoken in a Cake Boss kinda way). April is a celebratory month what with Passover and Easter quickly approaching and, for me, it’s also birthday month! Alex and T were born 3 days short of 3 years apart – A on the 23rd and T on the 20th. This cake will be the perfect dessert for all these occasions. Oh, and if you don’t have any whites hanging around,  crack open a few fresh eggs and use the yolks to make a killer curd to serve alongside this cake. Check out my curd recipe on  FineCooking.com

And speaking of companionship.. I’ve added a second recipe to this month’s #baketogether. No, not because I want you all to work yourselves to the bone but because I think this cake deserves a little dose of friendship especially if it’s in the form of a bittersweet, salty and boozy caramel sauce. That’s right.. this killer sauce has a good shot of Grand Marnier in it but… you might want to make it espresso… or raspberry. You know.. be all kinds of #baketogether-y with it. And, just to make things really interesting, check out this technique. If you’ve ever wanted to make a caramel sauce “dry”, now is your chance. It’s the same as making a regular sauce but you don’t add any water to the sugar which allows the crystals to melt and caramelize nice and slowly. I’ve included a  few pix to guide you through this process – check ‘em out below. It’s a few more than usual so I made them smaller. Please let me know if you think there are too many or if you’d prefer them ‘normal’ size.

If you are new to #Baketogether – Welcome! We are a very inclusive  group of happy bakers and I just know you’ll have fun. Subscribe to my rss feed so you stay in-the-know and check out this post for some info on how we #baketogether.

Here are a few suggestions for switching things up:

• Change the shape: Maybe you want to try making angel cake layers or muffins or loaves.. Go on.. give it a try.
• Add more or different flavors: Adding citrus zest or finely chopped herbs like lemon basil to the batter is an easy addition. Or, you can really shake things up and go with coffee, almond, cocoa .. maybe all three. Who knows?
• Add texture: finely ground nuts, cornmeal or poppy seeds can add complexity as well as texture to the cake. If you are going here, I’d fold them in at the end.
• Change the sauce: Move over to another flavor entirely ( chocolate? Fruit?) or monkey around with this “dry” caramel sauce.
• Add a drizzle or a glaze: Any complimentary  flavor will be great.

So here’s your chance to chose one or both recipes to make your own. And, remember, here at #baketogether, we love all shapes, sizes and flavors equally so put on your thinking caps and start planing Tangerine Angel Food Cake #Baketogether right now. Let me know when the cake is cooled and I’ll be right over.  As always, if you need further guidance or inspiration, give me a holler!

To those that celebrate, Happy Passover and Happy Easter! And to A and T, in case you are reading.. Happy Birthday babies.

Cheers

Abby

ps.. My first give away is coming soon.. bakers are going to love it!

I thought a few hints and pix would help you before you dive into the recipes.

For the cake:

• Start with uber clean mixer and beater. I rinse both with cold water and a good splash of  vinegar (I use cider or white) to rid them of any hint of grease and dry with a clean towel.

• The beaten whites shouldn’t be too stiff. The peak should bend softly.

• The pan will be at least 3/4 of the way full.

• When I say that you cool this gal upside down, I really mean it.

• Here she is out of her pan.

For the Sauce:

• The crystals are beginning to melt around the edges
• Almost there and it’s time to swirl.
• Check out the color.
• Careful. The caramel really bubbles up when you add the cream and butter and the steam can cause some damage so please stand back.
• I use my flat whisk to smooth and blend the sauce but any wire whisk will work.

• The best and easiest way to clean the pan and whisk is to add water to the skillet and place over medium high heat and boil until the caramel is dissolved.

A final picture

Via Nickelmoon: Here is what I learned from this one: 1.Use only fresh eggs-the fine print on egg whites sold in stores says they WON’T beat up for cakes. 2. DO NOT grease the pan…had to search for that one…preparing the pan as you would for other cakes, doesn’t work with egg white based cakes because  they need to “grip” to rise. 3. There is a fine line to over-beating. 4. You CAN freeze egg yolks. 5. Everyone loves this cake—evokes memories of a kinder time.
Spicy Angel’s Cake: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice and black pepper as well as some homemade squash butter.  Softly spicy with a hint of heat.

Before I get to this month’s  recipe, I thought that as we’ve been baking together for a few months,  it was a good time for some reflection on the #baketogether process and protocols.

At the core, we are a laid back group who share a common love of baking, an interest in stretching our creativity, a desire to push our culinary limits, and, at the end of the day, offering up a tale or two while sharing a good recipe.  My hope is that through #baketogether, bakers of all levels of ability will gather together monthly around one of my recipes to explore, create, improvise, share and learn in the process.

Whether you come to the recipe with little baking experience, in search of a killer recipe or if you are an experienced baker looking for a challenge or a change of pace, please join in and spread the #baketogether love.

A few #Baketogether reminders:

• Use my recipe as your starting point and personal (not professional) use. Twist and turn it anyway you’d like.

• Post your version & pix on your personal blog (no posting the recipe on community websites, please) by March 31st. In your post, link back to my original recipe/site. You can also link the recipe and/or directions and simply list your changes in your post. The link love is much appreciated.

• Invite your readers to join our #baketogether . There’s always room in this virtual kitchen – the more the merrier!

• Leave me a comment on my original post & don’t forget to use the linky thingy at the bottom of the post to add your entry to the round up so everyone can see what you’ve made.

• Spread the word about your post via Twitter,  Facebook page (yours and mine) using the tagline #baketogether and we will all join in to share your wonderfulness with our readers, friends and followers.

• And, as always, if you have questions or need advice, please reach out to me – I’m here to help.

Ok.. back to our regularly scheduled recipe..

This month, I thought it would be fun to explore a savory recipe that packs big-time flavor, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth texture and, for added fun, employees a classic technique that we’ll be using in future #baketogethers (hint hint). Spicy Parmesan Sables is the recipe and spicy and sassy these crackers are. Made with butter, cheese, flour and cayenne for a kick, they make for a lovely hors d’oeuvre to serve with wine or cocktails and the possible twists are endless. Oh, and the technique is called “fraisage” . This simple method of smearing the just-mixed dough with the palm of your hand creates layers of butter and dough (think laminating) from the crumbly mixture which makes for a tender, flaky texture.  It’s easy to do but I’ve taken a few snaps (with my left hand) to give you some visual clues – check ‘em out before you dive into the recipe.

One last comment. Make sure you bake these crackers until the edges are nice and nutty brown around the edges, otherwise the flavors will be muted and the texture will be soft and sad.

How about a few suggestions for switching things up:

• Change the shape: I’ve made three-bite rectangles but any size  rounds, squares or even cut- outs would work.
• Change the cheese: Swap out another cheese for the parm. You could go with a smoked cheese, a sharp cheese or a zest cheese like goat or blue. I recommend beginning with the same weight and then adjust up or down as you like.
• Add more or different flavors: Adding citrus zest or sesame oil or other herbs to the dough will change the character of the cracker to suit your tastes.
• Add texture: Chopped nuts, cornmeal or seeds like toasted sesame or poppy can add complexity as well as texture to the sables. I’d suggest you mix them into the dough during the fraisage process.

Here at #baketogether, we love all shapes and flavors equally so put on your thinking caps and start planing Spicy Parmesan Sables ~Your Way right now. Let me know when you pop the cork and I’ll be right over.  As always, if you need further guidance or inspiration, give me a holler!

Cheers

Abby

I thought a few photos of the “fraisage” might be helpful.

Dump the dough on the (un-floured) counter. The crumbles will be small and moist.

Using the heel of your hand, push and gently smear the dough away from you.

Give it one more smear…

Using a bench scraper, fold the dough together (it will be rough and crumbly) and turn it about 90 degrees and give it one or..

…two more smears with the heal of your hand.

Shape the dough into a 7 1/4-inch long and 2 1/4 -inch wide rectangle using the bench scraper to make the sides nice and straight. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until very firm, about 3 hours …

..before slicing and baking until the edges of the sables are nutty brown.

And from Barbara (DrBarb):  My mother makes these little crackers she calls cheese crispettes that she adapted from the Temple Sinai (New Orleans)1960′s cookbook.  I decided to use the same flavor profile–cheddar, cayenne; I used smoked paprika and panko instead of rice krispies.  (Yes, rice krispies.)

I’m so happy I have the time this month to bake with all of you – it’s been too long. We’ve had a few early  entries for this month’s cheesecake #baketogether and I’m looking forward to seeing more in the days to come. I wanted to be sure to get this recipe to you before Valentines Day so please excuse the ‘in your face” shot. I’m off to NYC for the Cookbook Conference at the Roger Smith Hotel for the next couple of days but, hopefully, my family won’t have eaten them all up and I can try for a better looking pic on Sunday.

These little 3 or 4  bite coffee-infused cheesecakes were inspired by a recipe in my upcoming cookbook – Mini Treats & Handheld Sweets ~ 100 desserts to pick up and eat (Taunton Press, 9/2012) . Like the minis in the book, this recipe takes on the big flavor and luscious texture of a whole cheesecake yet down-sizes it into small-sized treats. I’ve also scaled the recipe back so it yields 8 minis – modest for a cheesecake but perfect for serving a small group. Of course, if you are feeding a larger group or just want a few extra to pop in the freezer, feel free to double the recipe.

I think I said pretty much everything I had to say about cheesecakes in the original post so I’ll just add a word or two about the flavoring here.  I used the store bought coffee liqueur Kahlua but you can use any coffee flavored liqueur or you can even make your very own liqueur using my friend Barb’s recipe. I also used instant espresso granules but you can use instant coffee, even decaf, if you prefer.

Also.. if you have any topics that you’d like to see for future #baketogethers, please leave them in the comments section or drop me a line abby@abbydodge.com .

Wishing you all sweet things,

A

I’ve been dreaming (and talking) about this #baketogether subject for months and I am so happy it’s finally February and I can post Cheesecake ~Your Way.

I’m expecting big twists from everyone for this month’s recipe. Hey, no pressure but .. I know cheesecake devotees are a loyal, opinionated and vocal group and the mere mention of cheesecake will immediately elicit as many opinions as there are voices. You know who you are. Some like their cheesecake filling dense, sweet and rich; some like it fluffy, tangy and light and still others prefer an Italian –style ricotta filling and that doesn’t begin to cover the zillions of different filling flavors, shapes, crusts, sizes, toppings and combinations there are to choose from. The beauty of my version of the classic is it’s chameleon-like personality – one recipe can take on the attributes of everyone’s personal favorites making it, perhaps, the perfect #baketogether recipe.

Let’s start with a quick rundown about this recipe:

This cheesecake consists of two, simple to prepare elements – crust and filling – making it a perfect recipe for all skill levels including newbie bakers.
⁃    The crumb crust can be made from any type of crisp cookie. Grahams, gingersnap and chocolate cookies are the norm but most markets and gourmet shops offer a wide variety so feel free to experiment. You’ll need a 9-inch springform pan. If you k=don’t have one, well, I think you should. The only skill needed  here is to press the crumbs into the pan with just your fingers, plastic wrap and a flat-bottomed mug or measuring cup.

⁃    The filling is just as easy but there are a few tricks to making a luscious filling that bakes without cracking. First off, for a smooth filling, be sure to start with fresh (not old and expired), softened cream cheese and beat it, scraping down the sides and beater frequently, until no lumps remain. Once you start adding other ingredients, it is difficult to get rid of those pesky lumps without overworking your filling which can cause it to over puff and crack during baking and cooling (not good). Also, be sure to follow the doneness test and remove the cake when it wiggles like jello when nudged, the edges are puffed and the center still looks wet. The cake will continue to cook as it cools.

⁃    For BIG vanilla flavor, I use vanilla beans to flavor the filling. If you don’t want to fuss with scraping the seeds from the bean but you still want those pretty little seeds, you can use vanilla bean paste.Or, of course, you can just use pure vanilla extract.

OK..  how about a few suggestions for making this recipe your own:
⁃    Change the shape: Make it bigger or smaller. Make it a tart  (I think I will) or Bars or Minis or how about a V-Day cheesecake for two.
⁃    Change the filling: Swap out the sour cream and add just about the same amount of of the ingredients like dulce de leche, pumpkin, peanut butter, ricotta, fruit puree or chocolate
⁃    Add more flavors: Match citrus; espresso powder; booze; ground spices with your filling to take it to the next level
⁃    Add a topping: This can add complexity to the cake as well as some high-wattage star power to the cake’s presentation. Anything from caramel /chocolate sauce to sweetened crème fraiche or fresh fruit to a bruleed sugar crust. Remember, this is the icing on your cake.

Here at #baketogether, we love all shapes and flavors equally so put on your thinking caps and start planing Cheesecake ~Your Way right now. If you need further guidance or inspiration, give me a holler or check out the options for a similar cheesecake I did for Fine Cooking a few years back.

xx A

A few #Baketogether reminders:

• Use this recipe as your starting point and twist and turn it anyway you’d like.
• In your post, link back to my original recipe & invite your readers to join our #baketogether – the more the merrier!
• Post your version & pix on your blog, Twitter & Instagram and FB pages by Feb 29 (or there abouts)  so we can all see your version.
• Tweet & post  Loud & Proud and we will all join in to share your wonderfulness with our readers, friends and followers.
• Leave me a comment so I know you’ve posted & don’t forget to use the linky thingy to add your post (below) for the round up.
• If you don’t have a blog, you can still join in the fun. Email me a pic & your switch-ins and I’ll add ‘em to the post.

Lastly..

A couple of pix to help:

Line the bottom of the springform pan and clasp the outer ring onto the bottom, leaving the excess foil on the outside. This will come in handy for moving the cheesecake from the pan to a serving plate.

Cover the crumbs with plastic wrap and use your finger to press the crumbs to the sides of the pan. The plastic keeps the crumbs in the pan and off your fingers.

Use a flat bottomed measuring cup to press the crumbs onto the bottom and edges of the pan — still using the plastic:

And cheesecake on a serving plate:

After more than a month’s worth of sweet, holiday baking, I’m ready to bake something savory, something comforting and perhaps even therapeutic to make. I bet you might be as well. So… the first #baketogether of 2012 is …. BREAD!

I know there are some folks that claim they are “yeast challenged”, but I really believe that this bread will change how you look at those packets of yeast. Who knows, this recipe might even be life altering. It’s that easy to make and that good to eat.   This soft, slightly sticky dough is easy to handle and it bakes up into a heavenly, aromatic, buttery, soft crusted round with a porous, chewy texture. Sliced into thick pieces, it’s delicious slathered with butter or jam, makes amazing toast and hearty sandwiches or is the perfect partner to  a warm winter stew. You will want to eat this bread everyday. Really.

Let’s start with a quick rundown about this recipe and what you’ll need to have on hand to be successful:

•    A version of this recipe originally appeared in my book The Weekend Baker and is inspired by a bread I used to make when I ran the bakery at Hay Day Country Market (now Balducci’s) in Greenwich, Connecticut. The “peasant bread” was so popular that it regularly sold out faster than we could bake it – THAT good. What makes this recipe different from other yeast-risen breads is that I’ve teamed a bit of baking powder with the yeast to give the bread it’s chewy, airy quality.

•    This recipe calls for “instant” yeast not cake or regular granulated yeast. You can substitute these other types of yeast BUT make sure you adjust the water temperature and method accordingly as all yeasts do not play the same.

•    Use an accurate instant read thermometer. Take a reading of boiling water. Your thermometer should register 212°F. If not, adjust the temperature goal accordingly. All yeasts are very temperature sensitive and need the proper warmth to activate.

•    For the roundest shape, use an 8-inch round cake pan.

•    No stand mixer? Give me a hollah and we’ll go through the hand-mix method.

OK..  how about a few suggestions for making this recipe your own:

•    Change the shape! Make it rolls. Make it a traditional loaf.  Make it square.

•    Change the flavor! Cheese? Herbs? Black pepper?

Here at #baketogether, we love all shapes and flavors equally so put on your thinking caps.

A few How-To snaps that might help you:

After its first rise, shape the dough into a nice round and center it in a buttered 8-inch cake pan.

After rising, the dough will fill the pan:

And  will be  about 2″ above the rim in the center:

You all know the #baketogther drill, right? Use my recipe as a starting point and spin, twist and change it in any and every way you want. Take some snaps, write a post including info about #baketogether & links to this recipe and let us all know what you’ve created using all our fave social media (twitter, FB, instagram.. what have you). Once you’ve posted your version, leave your link below the recipe in this post so that we can all see and make your fab variations as soon as you’ve posted!

So, for now, I wish you all a very health and happy New Year and I’m looking forward to us all baking together in 2012.

Abby

Via drbabs: made w 1/3 cup white WW flour, 1 oz wheat germ, cinnamon, raisins & walnuts

Via RockiePie258

Via Cakewoman:

Holiday Cookie Season is here!

I know.. we all have a zillion cookies recipes forced on us every holiday season and I had vowed never to to do so but.. two things happened last week that made me change my mind.

First, I saw that my friend Lora over at CakeDutchess.com was doing a #cookielove link up and I couldn’t resist. Lora has a heart as sweet as the desserts she makes and as big as the entire holiday season — I mean, who wouldn’t want to join her holiday cheer cookie love?

Adding to my holiday cookie love, I attended the 2nd Anuual NYCookieSwap this past Sunday. Last year’s event brought 20 of us together but this year, the party grew to 70+! Hosted by the amazing team of Gail, Maggy, Ken and Jackie, this year’s event took place at Hill Country in NYC (AMAZING FOOD – go there asap) courtesy of the smart and talented Elizabeth Carmel and was a fundraising event for Cookies for Kids Cancers. Let’s see.. Amazing cause, incredible cookies, yummy BBQ and a room full of food loving folk. That’s my kind of party. It was so great to meet and chat with old friends as well as many new ones, too. For more round ups and pix of the #NYCookieSwap check out these posts: justcooknyc.com threemanycooks.com  jackiegordon.com HungryRabbitNYC

Oh and the icing on the cake.. I won a brand new Gorgeous 7 quart KitchenAid mixer – Thank you KitchenAidUSA ! My trusted KitchenAid stand mixer has 25 + years on it (it even has the “Hobart” label on it) and she’s slowing down so I’m delighted to be welcoming a new, improved and bigger KitchenAid “gal” into my kitchen! As soon as the new baby comes, I’ll do a post to introduce you to both of my girls.

Here’s a pic of the cookies I brought to the #NYCookieSwap. Caramel Macadamia- Coconut Shortbread.

The recipe is in my upcoming book so I can’t share now but will do so as soon as possible. Promise.

Back to the cookie du jour… Sparkling Ginger Molasses. That’s them up above on the cookie sheet.

This recipe is one that I’ve been making for years and it even graced the cover of the first, hardcover edition of my book The Weekend Baker.  The flavor is astonishingly good – big, bold double ginger (my fave) – and the texture is perfect- slightly crispy on the outside with a soft, chewy middle. My son Alex and my brother Tim both claim these sparkly gems as their seasonal fave and I sure hope you like ‘em too.

I’ll let you in on a few tips..

1. I’ve been known to triple this recipe. You can to as long as your stand mixer is big enough.

2. I’ve also been know to shape the dough into balls, roll ‘em in sugar and freeze ‘em until I need ‘em. This cuts down on time if I’m making  many batches say, for my gal pal’s local cookie exchange.

3. You can swap in the same amount of unsalted butter for the shortening – the texture will change slightly but they ‘ll still be delicious.

4. Unless you like a crisper cookie, resist the urge to over- bake ‘em.

5. The flavor improves and develops after baking, making the gems a great make ahead cookie.

Lastly, this cookie has great #BakeTogether options! Feel free to play around with the recipe and post #baketogether style. Check HERE if you want some info on #Baketogether or drop me a line and I’ll fill you in.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy HOliday Season – Cheers!

Abby

Quite a shot, huh? Don’t be fooled.. it’s not my photo skills here at all but those of Bon Appetit magazine that pictured this month’s #BakeTogether on it’s December 2009 cover. Gorgeous, yes, but this glam image might make this recipe seem intimidating. I’d like to state upfront that while this cake is a project, it is very do-able and can be – and should be – done over several days. Once you read the recipe, you’ll see that the components are very straight-forward and easy to prepare. And, as always, I’m just an email or tweet away if  you have questions!

Before we get to the recipe itself.. a funny story..

When the recipe first appeared I heard from lots of readers who had questions, who loved the cake, and still some more folks who were looking for suggestions of how to change up the flavors. One such person was Barb Kiebel of CreativeCulinary.com. Barb reached out to ask my thoughts on changing the flavors to suit her tastes (hazelnut and Frangelico, if I recall correctly. Or, maybe it was raspberries and framboise??). This exchange was the beginning of a great friendship that includes Barb’s complete redo of my website (the one you see here). Barb really is the Website Whisperer so reach out if you need an expert – she’s your gal. We are now friends on Twitter and trade comments, “barbs” and foodie observations on a daily basis – such fun.  Thanks B! Here’s Barb’s pre- #baketogether twist on this cake. Lucky Barb gets to make this cake a second time!

OK.. back to the recipe at hand.

Here’s the recipe as it appeared on the December 2009 cover of Bon Appetit As written in the mag, this recipe reminds me of an “After Eight” mint – a more sophisticated mint flavor than using ‘starlight mint” hard candies. This recipe gives you the amounts to flavor it with peppermint but because we #baketogether folks are all about spinning and twisting and changing the recipe to suit our own tastes and preferences, I’ve written the recipe below to be a straight-up chocolate cake with vanilla meringues. This way you are free to choose your own flavors or do it exactly as it appeared in BA.

Will you add a different flavor? Espresso? Raspberry? Caramel? Hazelnut? Orange? Or, heck, maybe a combo of two or more!

Will you make it round? Square? Individual?

Will you de-construct and just use the meringue?  (one note: if you just use the cake, make sure to soak it well in the syrup — its of the French variety so it’s drier than American-style cake.)

How about a different filling? Maybe mascarpone?

Will you make it with fruit in the middle? Raspberries sure would be pretty and pretty tasty.

What about nuts? Include or not.. just make sure to toast ‘em  up so their flavors are upfront and happy.

And what about decorations?? Is this a good time to bust a move with your killer piping skills? Don’t be shy – go for it!

And.. the biggest question: To whom will you be serving this awesome, impressive cake? I hope you include the details of your event.. #inquiringminds !

You know the #baketogther drill, right? Use my recipe as a starting point and spin, twist and change it any and every way you want. Take some snaps, write a post and let us all know what you’ve created using all our fave social media (twitter, FB.. what have you). One change I’ve made for this #baketogether : I don’t want you all to have to wait until January to see everyone’s recipes — you might want to make one of these versions for another party! So.. I’ve included a linky thingy right below (above the recipe) so post your link and pick your thumbnail asap so we can all see your gorgeousness ASAP!

So, for now, I wish you all the very happiest and healthiest of holidays and I’m looking forward to us all baking together in 2012.  Just a hint: I’ve got bread on my mind….

Abby

Via Jennifer Nerissa Davis: Toasted almond meringue and chocolate biscuit, layered with raspberry coulis and chocolate buttercream made with Cacao Barry Cuban chocolate (70%), which has a strong, spicy flavor profile that offsets the tanginess of the raspberries.