breakfast

Caramelized Apple Pancake

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Handsome Old Dog Learns New Tricks

I have been married for a bit over 34 years.  I think that it is safe to say that the closest my husband came to cooking in 32 of them had been to pour a bowl of cereal and milk. However, since Andrew has retired, he has become interested in learning to do some of the cooking. I know! (Our son seems to be learning somewhat faster, for which I applaud Frances.)

Andrew decided to first tackle brunch, an especially good place to start since I rarely do that meal myself. He has become quite adept at making different kinds of pancakes and waffles and I enjoy them all. it One of my favorites is the Amaretti Mascarpone Pancake. But for the past couple of weeks, he has made this Caramelized Apple Pancake. This just might be the best pancake yet. It is similar to a Dutch Baby.  This is the third or fourth different recipe he has tried and it is clearly the keeper. The original recipe called for skim milk, but the buttermilk we used gave the batter an almost sponge cake-like texture that absorbed the flavors and liquid from the apples. Try it and you may never need to go out for brunch again.

Lessons Learned

Now that Andrew has experienced some successes, he recently tackled a chicken curry and it was delicious. I made the accompanying dal and the rice pilaf since he hasn’t quite figured out how to put an entire dinner together, but that just made the process more fun. He is even talking about meal planning!

I have learned a few things from all of this: 1) never give up hope; 2) don’t give cooking advice unless asked; 3) don’t be in a rush to eat since his efforts so far take a very long time to come to fruition and 4) don’t get upset that every, bowl, spatula, cutting board and knife was used to make one meal!

You do need a heavy-duty cast iron pan for this recipe and flavorful apples such as Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious or one of the heirloom baking apples now more readily available in many grocery stores. I would not use the ubiquitous Granny Smith unless you truly cannot find one of the alternatives.

Caramelized Apple Pancake

JeanMarie BrownsonDinner at Home from Chicago Tribune Food and Dining, 1/06/2019 

Yield: 2-4 portions, depending on your appetite

Ingredients

3 large or 4 medium apples such as Honeycrisp or Yellow Opal, or a mixture

6 Tablespoons granulated sugar

6 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

2 generous teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk 

4 large eggs

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel, core and slice apples into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a large bowl, mix the apples with the sugars and cinnamon
  2. Put milk and eggs in a blender and mix (You can also do this by hand). Add the flour and salt and mix only enough to incorporate the flour.
  3. Heat one large oven-proof skillet (10-inches measure across the top) over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Add the apples to the melted butter and cook, stirring occasionally until the apples have softened – about 10-12 minutes. 
  4. When the apples have softened, remove them from the heat. Make sure that the apples are evenly arranged to cover the bottom of the pan but don’t obsess over it, please. Slowly pour the batter over the apples. (While my husband has started in the middle of the pan and worked outwards, you may want to try it the other way around. This might allow the pancake to poof more evenly.) 
  5. Transfer the pan immediately to the hot oven. Bake until puffed and golden (about 25 minutes). Serve immediately, flipping the wedges over on the plate so that the apples are on top, if desired. 

Vegan Banana Ginger Muffins

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

I have a fairly extensive collection of cookbooks that I have amassed over the years. I enjoy reading them the way other people enjoy novels, although I like those too. I recently picked up my cookbook from Macrina, a popular artisanal bakery in Seattle. I recall buying the cookbook for a particular recipe that I had seen somewhere, only to find that it wasn’t actually included in this collection. Oh well. I hadn’t really made anything from the cookbook yet, but in glancing through it, I came across this vegan recipe for a breakfast muffin. Not actually being vegan, I will only bake things that would be delicious to a non-vegan and which doesn’t require that I purchase a lot of flours and ingredients that I wouldn’t otherwise normally use. This recipe fits that bill. The only purchase I needed to make was for an egg replacement since up until now I have used aquafaba or applesauce. This recipe does not require any special skills or techniques and results in 8 fluffy, fragrant and filling muffins. The texture is light and this recipe produces one of THE best muffins I have ever had. The ginger is a back-note so if you are not a ginger person, don’t let this put you off. Give them a try – you won’t be disappointed! Vegan Banana Ginger Muffins8

Vegan Banana Ginger Muffins from More from Macrina by Leslie Mackie with Lisa Gordanier

Yield: 8 standard-size muffins

Ingredients

Vegan Banana Ginger Muffins5

1.25 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup stone-ground whole wheat flour

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons egg replacement (I used Bob’s Mill)

1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

1 cup walnut halves and pieces, toasted and coarsely chopped

2 ripe medium bananas (I like mine almost black for baking when the flavor is the most developed)

2 teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger (I always have a jar of this in the fridge for and find that it works beautifully and cuts down on my effort!)

2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)

1/3 cup amber agave syrup

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1/3 cup canola oil

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Garnish

4 small pieces of candied (crystallized) ginger, cut in half on an angle

1/4 cup turbinado or demerara sugar (which actually I forgot to use!)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the rack in the center position. Oil the top of a standard-size muffin tin with canola oil and line 8 cups with paper liners. Set aside.
  2. Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, egg substitute and salt in a large bowl. Add the toasted, chopped walnuts and mix well.
  3. In a blender or food processor, puree the bananas until very smooth. Add the canola oil, orange juice, vanilla and agave syrup and pulse through. Using a spatula, mix in the lemon zest and ginger until thoroughly combined.
  4. Working quickly and gently with a rubber spatula, fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients in 2 to 3 additions. Do not over-mix which can result in tough muffins – and who wants those?) Only fold until all of the flour is moistened. Don’t worry about a few lumps.
  5. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them to the top and mounding them somewhat. (As they bake you will see why you oiled the top of the muffin tin.) Top each muffin with a piece of ginger and a sprinkle of the sugar – which I forgot. (If you use the sugar it will glisten a bit more than mine but should not be enough to really affect the flavor. I added a bit post-baking for the photos.) Vegan Banana Ginger Muffins4Bake for 30 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown on top and a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Vegan Banana Ginger Muffins3
  6. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then carefully lift the muffins out of the pan and directly onto the wire rack to cool completely. The muffins are still a bit soft at this point. Once cooled – yummmmmmmmmm! Vegan Banana Ginger Muffins7

Lisa’s Pumpkin Bread

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Pumpkin Bread1

I had planned on surprising my husband with my Ricotta Rum Pound Cake when I realized that my ricotta cheese, which had been shoved to the back of the fridge, had gone bad… I hate when that happens! It was too late to go to the store to buy more and it also was raining heavily. I could have scrapped the whole idea of baking but I was all psyched to make something so decided to experiment with what I already had in my pantry. I tried to think of what I had that was a similar texture and consistency as whole milk ricotta and remembered that I was bullish on pureed pumpkin. At first I was going to try making the same recipe just substituting the pumpkin for ricotta but then decided that the pumpkin deserved its own special bread. I tinkered around and came up with this delicious pumpkin bread with a twist.

Lisa’s Pumpkin Bread 

Yield: One 9 x 5 inch loaf

Ingredients

1.25 cups cake flour

1/4 cup of toasted wheat germ

2.5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1.5 cups granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons unsulphured dark molasses

3 large eggs

15 ounce can pureed pumpkin

2 rounded Tablespoons orange marmalade

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 strips of cooked bacon (any kind) cut into small pieces (Optional but recommended)

3/4 cup lightly toasted, chopped walnuts

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. You can toast the walnuts in the oven or in a dry frying pan on the stove top. Either way, be sure to watch them carefully. You really just want to barely toast them – just enough to bring up the flavor.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, spices and salt and set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Then add the pumpkin, molasses and marmalade and mix well on low speed. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl and mixing until well combined.
  4. Add the dry ingredients in batches, mixing through on low speed so you don’t make a mess or over mix. Add the walnuts and bacon pieces and just mix through on low speed or fold in by hand.
  5. Spray a loaf pan with baking spray with flour or grease the pan well and line the bottom with waxed paper, which you then also grease. Pour the mixture into the pan and gently shake the pan to even things out. Place the pan in the center of your oven and bake for about 75 minutes or until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. The outer edges make get quite brown which is not a problem. If it bothers you, carefully wrap some foil around the edges after 45 minutes to an hour to keep it from getting too browned. (I didn’t bother doing this.)
  6. Remove the pan from the oven rack and allow it to cool enough to handle – about 20 minutes. Then turn the bread out onto the rack and allow it to cool until just slightly warm before cutting.

Pumpkin Bread2

NOTE: The bread is delicious as is, but it can also be spread with cream cheese or butter. The bacon adds a subtle flavor and makes for a wonderful texture. You could leave it out if you really are averse but it really made this special in my opinion. Wrap any left-overs well and it will keep for up to a week, getting a bit moister and with the spices becoming more intense each day. While delicious at room temperature, it tastes even better when eaten slightly warmed. My husband likes to have some for dessert with a little vanilla ice cream….

Blueberry Muffins

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Blueberry Muffins1 (2)

I don’t obsess about too many things, but I can be quietly dogged over a long period of time in search of something that I want. And I want the perfect blueberry muffin. So far I haven’t found it, but these are coming a LOT closer. I started with the blueberry muffin recipe from that venerable Boston department store, Jordan Marsh, that was published on the New York Times website by Marion Burros. And then I moved on from there. My muffins have the tang of lemon zest (a natural with blueberries, in my opinion) and the addition of pure almond extract as well as some sliced almonds on top, mixed with the sugar of the original recipe. (You can leave out the almond extract and they will still be delicious. You definitely don’t want to overwhelm the pure blueberry flavor with almond here, but the amount I used was pretty gentle in its over all effect.) I also increased the amount of blueberries I used by half a cup based on reader comments. I reduced the amount of salt since I generally find that these recipes have too much salt for my taste. And while I used some beautiful organic blueberries, I knew from past experience that the blueberry flavor needed an extra boost to really achieve the result I wanted. The original recipe had you mash 1/2 cup of the fresh blueberries, but I decided to add some wild blueberry all-natural preserves from France to 1/4 cup of mashed blueberries instead. I’m sure that there are some equally wonderful American brands – this was simply what I had on hand. (Just don’t use jelly, which is too thin and try to buy the brand that has the fewest ingredients, with blueberries listed first.) These muffins are best eaten the day they are made but can be frozen, defrosted and warmed in a 325 degree F oven when you are ready to eat them. If you make them the night before, just don’t cover them or they will be too moist the next day. I did actually store additional leftovers in a glass container and briefly microwaved them to serve. While not perfect, they were still remarkably delicious. These are THE most blueberry-y muffins I have personally ever tasted.

Blueberry Muffins  

Blueberry Muffins2

Yield: About 1 dozen regular-sized muffins (I actually got 15 muffins but could have mounded them a bit higher.)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) of room temperature unsalted butter

1.25 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Generous 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract (Depends on how much almond flavor you want. I used only 1/4 teaspoon and probably could have used a bit more. You can also leave this out if you don’t want any almond flavor.)

Zest of one small lemon

1/4 teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt

2 large eggs

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk (the recipe called for whole milk but I used skim plus some heavy cream which I happened to have)

2.5 cups of fresh blueberries, washed, well drained and picked over; mash 1/4 cup of berries and set aside

2 Tablespoons wild blueberry preserves (I used St. Dalfour brand)

3 teaspoons of granulated or raw sugar (I used raw for this to give a little extra texture)

Sliced raw almonds for sprinkling over the tops

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a standard-sized muffin tin with paper liners. (You really need to do this if you don’t want the muffins to stick since they are so moist.)
  2. Cream the butter, 1.25 cups of sugar and the lemon zest. This should be done by hand. Over-working muffin batter will make them tough. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla, blueberry preserve and mashed blueberries and almond extract. Gently mix through.
  3. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside a couple of tablespoons to toss with the berries.
  4. Add the flour mixture and milk to the creamed butter and egg mixture. Alternate the flour and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Just mix enough until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over-mix.
  5. Gently toss the whole blueberries with the flour mixture you had set aside. Be careful not to break them up. Coating them with the flour prevents them sinking to the bottom of the muffins. Fold the mixture through the batter very gently trying not to break up more berries than absolutely necessary.
  6. Generously line the muffin cups. You can even mound them slightly over the tops. I did not, which is why I ended up with 15 muffins instead of 12. They will be delicious either way.
  7. Sprinkle sugar and sliced raw almonds over the tops of the muffins and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Ovens vary so go by looks and smell as much as by timing.
  8. Remove the tin from the oven and carefully remove the muffins from the tin onto a cooling rack. I used a very thin metal spatula to help me lift the muffins out. Do not dump them or they will squish since they are so moist and laden with berries. If you leave them in the tin, the bottoms will steam. Just be careful. It takes a bit of practice but is really not difficult. If you can discipline yourself, try to wait about 30 minutes before eating. It won’t be easy!  Blueberry Muffins4

 

 

Ricotta Blintzes with Berries

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Blintzes are a brunch favorite that we almost never make because they are somewhat tedious, but the few times we do we are always left wondering – why don’t we make this more often?

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Some time ago Matt bought me Breakfast Comforts, a cookbook from Williams-Sonoma, as a Valentine’s Day gift. One might consider it a self-serving gift, but it’s turned out to provide joy for me to cook and for him to eat!

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We made a few modifications to the recipe as noted below, and the original recipe is from Sarabeth’s, one of the more popular brunch chains in New York. After making this recipe at home, however, it’s hard to justify going out and spending almost $21 per entrée!  The following makes about 10 blintzes.

Filling

16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
1.5 tbsp granulated sugar
zest of a lemon (optional – I forgot it and it turned out fine)

Crepes

1.5 cups whole milk (I used goat milk, a new discovery in the store and delicious)
6 large eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1.5 tsp granulated sugar
pinch of salt

Topping

Blackberries, Blueberries, or Raspberries or some combination
2 tbsp honey

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and the six eggs.

2. In another bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and the salt. Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the egg mixture, just until the batter is smooth.

3. With a rubber spatula, rub the butter through a wire sieve into another bowl to remove any lumps.

4. Brush a 7-8″ nonstick frying pan with the butter and place over medium high heat until hot. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan and tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly.

5. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip and cook the other side until golden, about another minute. Transfer to a plate.

6. Repeat with all the remaining batter, adding butter as needed. Stack the blintzes separated by parchment paper until all done. You should have about 10 blintzes.

7. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta, the sugar and the lemon zest if you are using.

8. Place one blintz, spotted side up on a work surface. Place about 2 tbsp of the filling just below the center of the blintz.

9. Fold in the sides, and then roll up from the bottom, enclosing the filling. Repeat with the remaining blintzes and filling.

10. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat with butter. Add the blintzes to the pan and cook, seam-side down until the bottoms are golden, about two minutes.  Adjust heat as needed so that the blintzes cook evenly.

11. Flip blintzes and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes more, or until they are also golden.

12. In a separate small pan, (I just used the one I had for the blintzes) add the berries and honey and cook over low-medium heat so that the berries release their juices and it becomes like a compote.

13. To serve, put the blintzes on a plate and drizzle with the berry compote.  (Optional: add a dusting of powdered sugar.) Serve immediately!

Filling recipe from: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/ricotta-blintzes-with-berry-compote.html

Crepe and Assembly recipe from: Breakfast Comforts, by Rick Rodgers

Mixed Berry Scones

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Berry Scones2

When I was growing up, fruit and vegetables had distinct seasons and everything we cooked or baked was dependent on that. Frozen foods were still in their infancy and while my mother was a wonderful cook and baker, if you can believe it, having a Swanson’s TV dinner was considered a BIG deal. With global markets food seasons are something of the past. Unless I am shopping farmers’ markets, I can get beautiful berries and flavorful tomatoes all year-long. However, even with changing weather patterns, winter is still winter, summer is still summer and spring, while totally unpredictable is still spring. Chicago’s spring has been chilly and damp on some days and summer-warm on others, but it is still spring and the trees have that new green and the first flowers are blooming. All of this makes me want to start using berries in everything. However, I have learned over the years, that if the berries are going to be mixed through a batter or dough that it is actually preferable to bake with frozen fruit, which also tends to be somewhat more consistent than fresh. The fruit will squish less, keeping the integrity of the berry. (I still buy and eat fresh berries every day and enjoy those fragile and delicious farmers’ market strawberries when I am lucky enough to find them.)

I wanted to make something that ticked all of my boxes and decided on these mixed berry scones.  The recipe comes from two recipes: Cook’s Country and the Pioneer Woman with a some tweaks from me. They will work for breakfast, brunch or afternoon “tea.” And while they may look heavy, they are actually remarkably light, not overly sweet and bursting with berries.

Mixed Berry Scones adapted from Cook’s Country and The Pioneer Woman

Yield: About 8 large scones

Ingredients

Scones

1 ¾ cups (8 3/4 ounces) frozen mixed berries

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, chilled

1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup heavy cream

1.5 Tablespoons berry jam

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 large egg

Glaze

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Directions

  1. FOR THE SCONES: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If your berry mix contains strawberries, cut them in half or quarters. Toss berries with confectioners’ sugar in bowl; freeze until needed.
  2. Combine flour, 6 tablespoons butter, granulated sugar, baking powder, orange zest and salt in food processor and process until butter is fully incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add remaining 6 tablespoons butter and pulse until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces, 15 to 20 pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in berries.
  3. Beat milk, preserves and egg together in separate bowl. Make well in center of flour mixture and pour in milk mixture. Using rubber spatula, gently stir mixture, scraping from edges of bowl and folding inward until very shaggy dough forms and some bits of flour remain. Do not over mix.
  4. Turn out dough onto well-floured counter and, if necessary, knead briefly until dough just comes together, about 3 turns. Using your floured hands and bench scraper, shape dough into 12 by 4-inch rectangle, about 1 1/2 inches tall. Using knife or bench scraper, cut dough crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally into 2 triangles (you should have 8 large scones total). Transfer scones to prepared sheet.

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  5. Bake until scones are lightly golden on top, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
  6. FOR THE GLAZE: While scones bake, combine melted butter and honey in small bowl.
  7. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Remove scones from oven and brush tops evenly with glaze mixture. Return scones to oven and continue to bake until golden brown on top, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer scones to wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve as is or with Devonshire cream and more honey or jam. Berry Scones

Gingerbread

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 3 Comments

Gingerbread1

When my son was growing up, I used to take great joy in treating him (and my husband) to home-baked goods. But even as someone who loves to bake, sometimes I just wanted something simple and fast that I could put together no matter how late is was or how tired I was. This gingerbread recipe comes from my trusty James Beard on Bread book. It is simple, delicious, makes the house smell the way houses should smell when you walk into them and did I say it was simple?? I’m sure that you can “tart” it up as everyone seems to feel a need to do today, but trust me when I say that it needs NOTHING except maybe some additional fresh, sweet butter. Serve it with dinner instead of a roll or as an afternoon snack with a glass of milk or with a cup of tea or coffee for breakfast. But serve it! And good news for those with egg allergies – there are no eggs in this recipe.

Gingerbread 

Yield: One 9 x 9-inch pan

Ingredients

1 cup light or dark, unsulphured molasses (I use dark)

1/2 cup boiling water

5 Tablespoons softened, unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups, all-purpose, unbleached flour

Directions

  1. Place the molasses and softened butter in a medium mixing bowl. (A trick for measuring out the molasses is to lightly spray a glass measuring cup with a spray like PAM and then add the molasses. The molasses will pour right out. This works with honey as well.)
  2. Add the boiling water and stir until well mixed and the butter has melted.
  3. Add the baking soda and stir lightly.
  4. Sift in the flour, ginger and salt only enough to moisten and mix the ingredients. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfectly smooth. Do not over mix!
  5. Turn into an ungreased 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and place in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (ovens vary) or until the top springs back when lightly pressed and the bread begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Then inhale. This can be eaten immediately. Leftovers are also good but nothing beats it fresh from the oven. Gingerbread2

Easy Egg and Soppressata Breakfast Sandwich

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

There’s nothing quite like poking one’s head in the fridge and finding sandwich leftovers that make for a perfect breakfast sandwich.  We haven’t been making sandwiches of late, but I found some leftover soppressata the other day, sautéed it for a bit in a pan and then assembled it together with some sunny side up eggs, and voila! Fancy breakfast in 10 minutes.

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Ingredients

few slices of soppressata
2 eggs
thick toast (we used leftover challah)
grated cheddar cheese
dash of dried thyme

Directions

1. Sauté the soppressata over medium heat in a skillet.  Set aside after about 5 minutes.
2. Add some olive oil to the pan and over medium heat, crack two eggs into your skillet and cook until the whites are no longer runny.
3. Put the bread slices in a toaster and toast until crispy.
4. Assemble by putting the soppressata on the toast, and then layering with the eggs and grated cheese on top.  Enjoy!

Kugelhopf

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 2 Comments

kugelhopf2When I was a junior in college back in the ’70s, I spent five weeks of winter break in France – much of it in a small town in Alsace. I was the guest of a family that I have long since lost contact with, but that holiday was indelibly written into my food memories. Breakfasts consisted of cafe au lait with Kugelhopf (an Alsatian brioche) and beautiful breads baked in whimsical figures. We slathered the bread with fresh, creamery butter and homemade raspberry confiture. Every day we would take long walks on the snowy mountainside and would return ravenous. What we call lunch was the main hot meal of the day and the entire family would sit down together for at least a 2-hour meal. There was no central heating and so afternoons were spent by the fireplace, reading, talking and playing chess. We somehow managed to survive until supper by eating handmade chocolates filled with delicious liqueur and other fillings from a small shop in the village. We then sat down to a late supper of different “wurst” and cheeses and I tasted Clementines from Spain for the first time in my life. There was always a tisane before bed to help us sleep and to “cleanse our liver.” We ate wild boar for Christmas dinner and delicious fish in a cream sauce for New Year’s Eve, ending the celebratory meal with a gorgeous Mont Blanc of chestnut puree and whipped cream. No wonder the French obsessed about their livers! Amazingly, I didn’t gain an ounce that trip. Perhaps it was all of the walking and the energy required just to stay warm in houses lacking central heat. Of course, there was also the compensation of sinking into a feather bed every night where I dreamed about what food wonders the next day would bring.

While I can’t recreate those wonderful five weeks, I am including a small taste with this kugelhopf recipe. The Italians have their panettone  and the Alsatians have their kugelhopf. There are many versions of this delicious treat, but all are a yeast dough, rich with eggs, almonds and raisins. Try it dipped in cafe au lait for breakfast or with a sweet dessert wine later in the day.

As with so many recipes, I always read several and pick and choose judiciously what I believe are the best features of each. This kugelhopf comes from two pastry chefs – David Lebovitz and Christine Ferber. I looked at a third recipe, but since I didn’t use any take-aways, I haven’t included it here.

Kugelhopf

Yield: One Bundt cake serving 8 to 10  img_2618

Ingredients

1⁄2 cup raisins
2 tbsp. kirsch
2⁄3 cup plus 2 3⁄4 cups bread flour
1 cup milk, warmed for 1 minute in the microwave (or just until warm to the touch)
2.5 teaspoons active dried  yeast
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large egg yolks
Zest of one large lemon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
13 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing, cut into 1 Tablespoon-size pieces
1⁄3 cup whole blanched almonds, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Directions
  1. In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the kirsch and 2 tablespoons of water. Heat on high in microwave for 30 seconds. Cover and soak for 30 minutes, then strain, discarding liquid.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine 2⁄3 cup flour with the milk and yeast. Let stand for 30 minutes, then add the remaining 2 3⁄4 cups flour, the sugar, and the salt and mix until evenly combined. Add in the egg yolks and continue kneading until incorporated.
  3. Add in the butter and knead on low speed until smooth and shiny, about 8 minutes. (If you are making this by hand, it will probably take 10 to 12 minutes of kneading.) Add in the raisins, lemon zest and toasted, chopped almonds and knead 2 minutes longer. Cover the dough with a dry towel and place in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 1⁄2 hours. (My house was pretty chilly so it took considerably longer for this first rise, but under normal circumstances 1.5 hours should do it.)
  4. Punch the dough back down, cover with a dry towel again, and let sit until the dough has risen again, about 45 minutes longer.
  5. Lavishly butter an 8 cup Bundt pan, scatter the sliced almonds around the bottom and sides and set aside.  Using your fist, punch a hole in the middle of the dough and place dough in prepared mold. Cover with a dry towel and let rise an additional 45 minutes.
  6. Heat the oven to 400°. Place the Bundt pan in the oven and lower the temperature to 350°. Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Immediately turn out onto a wire rack and let cool. Dust with confectioners’ sugar to serve. After the first day, assuming you have any left-overs, you can lightly toast thick slices of the kugelhopf that have been buttered in the oven. Okay, so this may not be exactly on the heart-healthy diet, but once a year, this is heaven!

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Refrigerator Oatmeal My Way

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

IMG_1733I really like oatmeal, but when the temperature is in the 8os, hot cereal just doesn’t quite have any appeal for me. I’m always trying to find a healthy breakfast that will keep me going during the day. After reading several recipes for refrigerator oatmeal, I decided to make my own. This can easily be doubled or tripled and eaten during the week. The longer the oatmeal sits, the thicker it gets, but it is ready within 24 hours, so yes, this is something you need to prepare ahead if you want it. Once you get the hang of making it, you can vary it to suit your tastes. This is my basic recipe and when I actually am ready to eat it, I will often add fresh berries or a diced peach or apricot. It’s quite filling without weighing you down and on days when I eat it, I’m always surprised when it’s one o’clock and I’m just starting to think about lunch – especially since I usually eat breakfast before 7:00 am!

Refrigerator Oatmeal

Yield: One portion

Ingredients

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1.5 teaspoons chia seeds (I get mine from www.nuts.com)

a good pinch of salt

2 Tablespoons dried cranberries, blueberries or raisins or a combination

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

1.5 Tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, flavored with a few drops of rose water OR  sliced almonds

2 Tablespoons plain Greek or Icelandic-style yogurt

3/4 cup skim milk

fresh berries or banana or peaches, optional

Directions

  1. In a glass container large enough to hold everything except for the fresh fruit, add all of the ingredients and mix well. (I like to stir it through with a chopstick)
  2. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours or up to a week.

It won’t look like much, especially at first, but give it a try and then feel free to play with the seasonings. Sometimes I add nutmeg or cardamom, along with the cinnamon. I find the dried fruit gives me all of the sweetness I require, but if you wish to add a little honey or silan (date syrup) be my guest.

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