Author: amsal

Challah

• 3 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon (13 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups (412ml) lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup (118 ml) olive or vegetable oil
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) table salt
• 8 to 8 1/2 cups (1000 to 1063 grams) all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar in water; set aside for 5 minutes until a bit foamy.
2. Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading, but be careful if using a standard size KitchenAid–it’s a bit much for it, though it can be done.)
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
4. Form loaves. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
5. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375˚ and brush loaves again. Sprinkle bread with seeds, if using. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking.
6. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. (If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take it out when it hits an internal temperature of 190 degrees.) Cool loaves on a rack.
7. Note: Any of the three risings can be done in the fridge for a few hours, for more deeply-developed flavor. When you’re ready to work with it again, bring it back to room temperature before moving onto the next step.

Coconut Macaroons

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 1/2 cups (200g) unsweetened shredded coconut (see note)
• 1/4 cup (35g) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Directions

1. In a large skillet or wide saucepan, mix together the egg whites, sugar, salt, and honey.
2. Over low heat on the stovetop, stir the egg whites and sugar together until the mixture is tepid, but not warm or hot. You don’t want to cook them; just warmed slightly so they are looser.
3. Add the coconut, flour, and vanilla. Continue to stir the mixture over medium heat for a few minutes until it thickens to a cohesive mass. (It’ll be like very thick oatmeal and the bottom will very slightly start to scorch.) Remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
4. When ready to bake, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC).
5. Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch (4cm) rounds in your hands, squeezing the dough to coax them into rough rounds (remember, the French call them “rocks,” so they can be a uneven – for smoother rounds, dampen your hands), then place them evenly spaced on the baking sheet. Bake the macaroons until deep golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. I sometimes cook five minutes more to get them extra crisp. Cool completely. If you like, you can drizzle melted chocolate atop.

Author’s Note: I don’t bother with most of the instructions tbh. Usually I’ll just put everything in a KitchenAid and mix. Also, I usually put in 230g sugar instead. If you beat the sugar and egg whites first, they’ll be extra fluffy.

Adapted from David Lebovitz

Coffee Cake

Filling

• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1 cup walnuts (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Dough

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2.5 cups cake flour (300g)
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 pint sour cream OR 8oz plain yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Sift baking soda and flour. Cream the butter and sugar. Then add eggs, sour cream, juice. Then add dry ingredients.
2. Pour in half of the batter, and then add half of the dry mix.
3. Add rest of batter, then the remainder of the filling mix as a topping.
4. Bake at 350°F for 53 minutes, then maybe another 20 minutes if you’re not happy with the results.

P.S. At one point, two teaspoons of baking powder was included, but it’s now crossed out. Make of that what you will.

Commonly referred to as the Gertie Golden Cake. 

Chocolate Sorbet

• 1.5 cups (12oz) water
• 130 g sugar
• 75 g cocoa
• pinch of salt

~~~

• 170 grams of bittersweet chocolate (broken to bits)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (177ml) water
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Bring to a boil and whisk while heating. Let it boil for 45 seconds. Keep whisking while you’re boiling. Boiling doesn’t mean it’s a zillion bubbles with everything flying everywhere. Some will suffice.
2. Remove from the heat and add to the mixture the second group of ingredients slowly, stirring constantly.
3. Put all of it in the food processor. Definitely put the tube in so that nothing comes out the top and hits the ceiling. Mix for about 15 seconds. Then put in a glass bowl (large) with top on. Put in fridge overnight.
4. Next day, 20 minutes in the ice cream machine.

Adapted from David Lebovitz

Eric Snorkel Cookies

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (+additional for rolling)
• 4 extra-large eggs (3 for batter, 1 for decoration)
• 8 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
• 3 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
• The grated peel of 1 large lemon
• 1 cup of sugar
• ¼ cup of whole milk
• 7 tablespoons of apricot jam
• 7 tablespoons of semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Mix together the 480 g flour, 3 eggs, the butter, baking powder, lemon peel, 225g sugar and 60 ml milk. I use a Kitchen Aid mixer.
2. Remove a chunk of batter at a time (about the size of a baseball) and roll it out to a thickness of 1/8th of an inch. Flour the work surface before putting the dough down to avoid sticking. 
3. Use the drinking glass to cut out small disks and place them on a cookie sheet.
4. Turn on the oven to 375°F. 
5. Mix the apricot jam and the chocolate chips together in a bowl. Begin distributing a small spoonful of that mixture on top of each of disks (in the center). 
6. Take the fourth egg and separate the yolk and the whites into two different bowls. Beat each bowl lightly. You can add a bit of water to each.
7. Smear the rim of the dough disks with beaten egg white, using it as a type of adhesive to stick the cookie together after folding each disk over into a half moon shape. (This is not a critical step so if you can’t be bothered, you should be ok.) Press the edges firmly to make a seal. 
8. Butter the pan and then dust with flour. Alternatively, use parchment paper to save time. 
9. With the cookies on the pan, brush the tops of them with beaten egg yolk. 
10. 10. Bake for 15 minutes. 

Chocolate Cookies

• 2 cups (256g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup (50g) Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 10 ½ oz fine quality bittersweet chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
2. Beat together butter and sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in standing mixer and 6 with handheld.
3. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Reduce speed to low, then add the flour mixture.
5. Add melted chocolate (use double boiler)
6. Form dough into a 14-inch log (2 inches in diameter) on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up dough.
7. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (up to 5 days).
8. Cut 1/8 to 1/4 thick slices from log, roll the edges in sugar and place onto parchment paper about an inch apart.
9. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
10. 10.Bake cookies, switching positions half way, for 12-15 minutes.
11. 11.Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to racks.

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Fruit Tatin

• 1 egg
• 1 cup (128g) AP flour sifted
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1/4 cup (60g) milk
• lemon zest from one or two lemons
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup melted butter (salted or unsalted)
• 2 cups of blueberries or sliced peaches
• some sugar and cinnamon for mixing with fruit

Directions

1. Mix batter in a bowl. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter a round 9” pan. Put parchment atop the buttered pan and mush down.
3. Spread the batter, which  is typically thick, on the parchment and flatten.
4. Spread the fruit, mixed with sugar and cinnamon, atop the batter.
5. Bake for about 60-70 minutes.

Commonly, but incorrectly, referred to as Blueberry (or Peach) Cake. 

Lemon Glazed Cookies

• 330 g flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• a little lemon zest
• 1.5 sticks of softened butter
• 300 g sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 160 g buttermilk

Directions

1. Mix everything together.
2. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
3. Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice for glaze.

Lemon Sorbet

• 2 1/2 cups (591ml) water
• 1/3 cup (66g) sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 lemons worth of juice

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the water and the sugar. Grate the zest of 1 lemon directly into the sauce. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups of water, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
3. Stir the lemon juice into the chilled sugar syrup, then strain the whole thing before freezing the mixture in your ice cream maker.

Chocolate Babka Buns

Dough

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, preferably whole
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) plus a pinch of granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 large egg, brought to room temperature
• 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Filling

• 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 pound (225 grams) semisweet chocolate
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Egg Wash

• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) heavy cream or milk

Directions

1. Warm 120 ml milk and a pinch of sugar to between 110 to 116°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you’re looking for it to be warm but not hot to the touch; best to err on the cool side. Sprinkle at least 4 teaspoons yeast over milk and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg and remaining 50 grams sugar, then slowly whisk in yeast mixture.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 250 grams flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Run mixer on low and add egg mixture, mixing until combined. Add 3 tablespoons butter and mix until incorporated. Switch mixer to dough hook and let it knead the dough for 10 minutes on low speed. At 10 minutes, it should be sticky and stringy and probably worrisome, but will firm up a bit after it rises. Butter a large bowl and place dough in it. Cover loosely with a lint-free towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled.
4. Meanwhile, prepare filling: If your chocolate is in large bars, roughly chop it. Then, you can let a food processor do the rest of the work, pulsing the chopped chocolate with the salt, sugar, and cinnamon (if using) until the chocolate is very finely chopped with some parts almost powdery. Add butter and pulse machine until it’s distributed throughout the chocolate. (If you don’t have a food processor, just chop the chocolate until it’s very finely chopped, then stir in the sugar, salt, cinnamon and butter until it makes a pasty/chunky/delicious mess.) Set mixture aside.
5. Generously butter a standard 12-muffin tin; set aside.
6. Form buns: Once dough is doubled, turn it out onto a well-floured surface and gently deflate it with floured hands. Let it rest for another 5 minutes. Once rested, roll dough into a large, large rectangle. The short sides should be a scant 11 to 12 inches. The other side can be as long as you can roll it. The longer you can make it — I got mine to 20 inches before I ran out of counter space — the more dramatic and swirled your buns will be.
7. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough’s surface. It’ll be clumpy and uneven and probably look like there’s too much chocolate for the volume of dough; just do your best. Tightly roll the dough back over the filling from one short end to the other, forming a 12 to 13-inch log. (Yes, it always magically grows because the dough is soft.) With a sharp serrated knife, gently saw 1-inch segments off the log and place each in a prepared muffin cup. Loosely cover buns with plastic wrap or a lint-free towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
9. Bake: If you’d like, you can egg wash your buns before baking them (whisking together an egg and the cream until smooth, brush over each bun top). I found the buns I brushed with the wash shinier but otherwise virtually indistinguishable from the un-brushed buns in color. Bake buns for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and brown. If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take the buns out when it reads 185 to 190 degrees in the middle of each bun.
10. Set buns on cooling rack. Theoretically, you should cool them completely before unmolding them (with the aid of a knife or thin spatula to make sure nothing has stuck). This, of course, won’t happen, so have at them; just don’t burn your tongue. Serve with iced coffee and a bowl of berries. For nutritional balance.
11. Do ahead: These buns can be formed, placed in the muffin cups and refrigerated (loosely covered with plastic, which you might want to oil to keep it from sticking) the night before, to bake in the morning. You can bake them directly from the fridge. They can be baked and frozen until needed, up to 1 month.

Via smitten kitchen