CUCCIDATI, FROM TINA TO YOU

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

Remember Tina, the winner of The Great American Baking Show, season 4? She is still baking up a storm, doing TV cooking demos, sharing recipes on her blog, and interacting with her fans online. She is not only a superb baker, but a wonderful person! One of the great things about that “tent adventure” is that I got to interact with several of the previous contestants, both in the American and the British show. I think once you go through that experience, a surprising bonding takes place. But I digress. Today I share one of Tina’s many Italian recipes from the holiday season: Cuccidati. They are delicious bar cookies, but can you believe that she forgot to add one important step in the recipe? Do not try the filling before using. You may not have enough left…

CUCCIDATI BAR COOKIES
(very slightly modified from Augustina Zaccardi)

Pasta Frolla Dough:
260 Grams of All-Purpose Flour
60 Grams of Granulated Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon of Kosher Salt
114 Grams of Cold Unsalted Butter
2 Large Eggs

Filling:
1/4 Cup of Toasted Almonds
2 Tablespoons of Toasted Pine Nuts (I used sunflower seeds)
1 Cup of Diced Dried Figs (stems removed)
2 Teaspoons of Orange Zest
1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Cup of Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 Tablespoons of Honey
2 Tablespoons of Apricot Preserves
2 Tablespoons of Water
1/2 Teaspoon Rum Extract

Icing:
3/4 Cup of Powdered Sugar
3-4 Teaspoons of Milk
2-3 Tablespoons of multicolored sprinkles

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a food processor and pulse about 5 times until combined. Cut the butter into 6 pieces and add to the flour. Pulse 10-15 times until the butter is incorporated and the mixture looks powdery or sandy. Add the eggs and pulse until the dough comes together. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 5-6 times to form a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half and roll each piece between 2 pieces of parchment paper to an approximately 8” square. The thickness should be about 3/16”. Place both pieces on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes.

Make the filling: Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process until all the ingredients are combined and the mixture is a paste but with still some visible pieces of chocolate and almonds. Set aside. AVOID SAMPLING IT.

Assemble the cookies: Spread the filling as a 8 inch square over plastic wrap over a cookie sheet. Place in the fridge as you prepare the cookie component. Line the bottom of an 8” square pan with parchment paper so that some of the paper overhangs the sides. Remove one piece of the dough from the freezer and trim it into an 8” square or the size of the bottom of your pan. Place it in the bottom of the pan. If the dough softens a bit place it back in the freezer. You want the dough to firm when you spread the filling or it could tear. Carefully lay the filling over the dough, using the plastic wrap to help you out. Gently spread the filling to the edges with a spatula. Remove the second piece of dough from the freezer and trim it to the size of the pan and place it on top of the filling and gently press.

Bake for 23-25 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown.

Remove from the oven and place the pan on a rack to cool. When completely cool, remove the bars form the pan, peel off the parchment paper and place on a board. Mix together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Pour the icing on top of the bars and spread with an offset spatula. Scatter the sprinkles over the top. When fully set, cut in diamond shapes or any other shape you prefer.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I tell you one thing, the filling is spectacular. I envision it in small tartlets, bite-size, in a future adventure. It is sweet, nutty, complex. This was my first time making cuccidati, so I was not quite sure if the amount of filling was too much but I am glad with the way it turned out. I used the full amount for the 8-inch square pan. These are cookies perfect for the holiday season, but if you change the color of the sprinkles, it will be a Birthday-Easter-4th of July-Valentine’s-whatever you feel like it cookie. It is that good!

Tina, thank you for the constant inspiration!

ONE YEAR AGO: Festive Macarons to Welcome 2021!

TWO YEARS AGO: Episode 6, Cookies in The Great American Baking Show

THREE YEARS AGO: Brazilian Chicken and Heart of Palm Pie

FOUR YEARS AGO: Roasted Butternut Squash with Walnuts and Tahini Sauce

FIVE YEARS AGO: The Complicit Conspiracy of Alcohol

SIX YEARS AGO: Candy Cane Cookies

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Macarons: Much better with a friend

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Our Mexican Holiday Dinner

NINE YEARS AGO: The Ultimate Cranberry Sauce

TEN YEARS AGO: Edamame Dip

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Gougeres

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Beef Wellington on a Special Night

25Dec2021

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

I invite you to visit my baby blog for a series of Christmas cookies that close the season…

(CLICK HERE)

22Dec2021

STAR-SHAPED SUNDRIED TOMATO BREAD

Posted in Breads by sallybr

This is a type of bread we see often this time of the year, because it looks so festive, but it is actually quite simple to make. The filling can be sweet (think Nutella, caramel, raspberry jam) or savory. My version used sundried-tomato and cheese. You can take it in different directions, and it will always turned out great, with that visual impact we love so much, particularly during the holiday season.

STAR-SHAPED SUNDRIED TOMATO BREAD
(adapted from King Arthur Flour)

for the dough:
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
360g all-purpose flour, divided
1 large egg
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

for the filling:
¾ cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp herbes de Provence
½ teaspoon salt

1 egg for egg wash

To make the dough, place the milk, yeast, and 120g all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

Add the egg, olive oil, salt, and the rest of the all-purpose flour. Mix to make a soft dough, then knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth and supple. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled.

Mix together minced sun-dried tomatoes, salt and herbes de Provence. Reserve.

Divide the dough into four pieces and shape into balls. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Place one piece of dough on a piece of parchment. Roll it into a 10″ circle. Spread ⅓ of the sun-dried tomato mixture on the first layer of dough in an even layer. Sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese, leaving ½” around the outside edge uncovered. Roll out the second ball of dough to the same size as the first. Place it on top of the first circle and repeat the three layers of filling. Again, repeat with the third ball of dough and the last ⅓ of filling. Roll out the last ball of dough and place it on top.

Place a 2″ round biscuit cutter or drinking glass in the center of the dough to serve as a guide. Using a sharp knife, cut the larger circle into 16 equal strips, from the outside edge to the cutter/glass in the center, through all the layers. Using two hands, pick up two adjacent strips of dough and twist them away from each other twice, so the top side is facing up again. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough all the way around the circle. Remove the cutter/glass.

Pinch the ends of adjacent strips together all the way around the bread to create eight star-like points. Transfer the star on the parchment to a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes. Dough should look expanded and airy.

Heat the oven to 400F. Remove the plastic wrap and brush the star with a thin coat of the egg wash. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely golden. Remove the bread from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is a very rich dough, and a pleasure to work with. Even if you are a beginner at bread baking, the whole process is pretty forgiving. The circles of dough do not have to match precisely, it is all going to get twisted and any little gaps won’t affect the final product.

There are many videos available on youtube to show you how to shape the bread, like this one.

If you are still searching for a nice bread as a centerpiece for your holiday festivities, this is truly a great option…

ONE YEAR AGO: Cranberry White Chocolate Tart

TWO YEARS AGO: I dream of Madeleines and a Tower of Cheesecakes

THREE YEARS AGO: Dominique Ansel’s Chocolate Mousse Cake

FOUR YEARS AGO: Slow-Roasted Eye of the Round Beef

FIVE YEARS AGO: Steam-Roasted Indian-Spiced Cauliflower

SIX YEARS AGO: Creamy Zucchini-Mushroom Soup

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Ken Forkish’s Pain au Bacon

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Carrot and Cumin Hamburger Buns

NINE YEARS AGO: Potato Galettes a l’Alsacienne & Book Review

TEN YEARS AGO: Caramelized Carrot Soup

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Miso-Grilled Shrimp

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Pain Poilane

18Dec2021

ASIAN-STYLE CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Posted in Poultry by sallybr

I’ve been a user of “Copy-Me-That” for a very long time. It is a breeze to save recipes from any site in the internet. Much to my own amazement, I noticed that over the years I’ve saved 1,700 recipes! They can be retrieved with a search for main ingredients, cuisine, whatever you feel like. Sometimes I log into the site and have fun browsing through, re-visiting favorites from years past. This delicious meatballs were patiently waiting for me and I finally made them, with a few changes to accommodate our taste buds… These will go into regular rotation in our kitchen, the sauce is a dream!

ASIAN-STYLE CHICKEN MEATBALLS
(adapted from Confessions of a Fit Foodie)

Cooking oil spray
1lb ground chicken
1 T soy sauce
1 egg
1 T minced ginger
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)
½ cup of carrots, finely minced in food processor
¼ cup almond flour
½ tsp salt

for the sauce:
1/4 cup of honey
1/3 cup of soy sayce
1 T tomato paste
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 T finely chopped ginger
1 t Gochujang sauce

In a large bowl, gently mix ingredients for meatballs. Begin forming the meatballs and place on a plate or tray. I made 14 meatballs. Mix the ingredients for sauce and set aside.

Place meatballs on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil lightly coated with oil spray. Bake meatballs at 350 for 30 minutes or until cooked through. While meatballs are cooking, combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan and simmer on the stove until sauce begins to thicken.

Mix meatballs with sauce and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Carrots have a lot of water, so expect the meatballs to ooze some liquid as they bake. In her site, she gives options for air-fryer and Instant-Pot, but I made too many to fit in our small air-fryer, so I went with regular baking. Don’t worry about the liquid, just flip them over mid-way through roasting and lift them gently to add to the sauce later. I actually allowed them to simmer for a minute with the sauce.

A little white rice, some green beans with almonds, and we ate as Royals of The Bewitching Kitchen!

I love adding veggies to meatballs, meatloaf, and even burgers. They contribute moisture and a more complex flavor. Carrots were perfect with the ground chicken, and don’t skimp on the ginger!

ONE YEAR AGO: Cookies for the Holidays, SPRINGERLE

TWO YEARS AGO: Bread – Episode 2 of Great American Baking Show

THREE YEARS AGO: Apple and Sobacha Caramel Dome Cake

FOUR YEARS AGO: Cocktail Spiced Nuts

FIVE YEARS AGO: How the Mighty Have Fallen

SIX YEARS AGO: Festive Night at Central

SEVEN YEARS AGO: The Perfect Boiled Egg

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Light Rye Sourdough with Cumin and Orange

NINE YEARS AGO: Homemade Calziones

TEN YEARS AGO: Plum-Glazed Duck Breasts

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Holiday Double-Decker

TWELVE YEARS AGO: New York Deli Rye

14Dec2021

PECAN-CRANBERRY BREAD

Posted in Breads by sallybr

Absolutely perfect for this time of the year, this is a bread that does not require a sourdough starter, but uses a sponge instead, so you will need two days to make it happen in your kitchen. The recipe comes from a cookbook I am quite fond of, Pastry Love, by Joanne Chang. It is available online, so I will share that link and give you just a brief overview of the recipe.

CRANBERRY-PECAN BREAD
(from Joanne Chang’s Pastry Love, published in The Modern Farme r)

For the sponge, you will need to mix 140g flour with 1 cup water + 1/8 tsp yeast, leave 2 hours at room temperature then refrigerate overnight. Use that to make the dough as described in the site (it is the third recipe shared, scroll down to find it).

I made only half of the recipe, but the bread turned out so delicious, I regretted not going for the two loaves that it makes. It freezes super well also, so I strongly advise you to go for the full amount as published in the site I shared.

I don’t think the bread is particularly beautiful to look at, because all the goodies make for a rough, rustic look, but it compensates by far in the taste department. Absolutely wonderful with a little blue cheese.

I intend to make a sourdough version with the same flavors very soon, but for those who don’t keep a starter around, this bread has a very similar complexity of flavor, thanks to the sponge made the day before. Give it a try before the holiday season is over…