Category Archives: Cookbook Reviews

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY BABKA AND A COOKBOOK REVIEW

Posted in Breads, Cookbook Reviews by

I am absolutely thrilled to share my review of a GREAT sourdough bread cookbook, published just this week by my friend Elaine! This is her third cookbook, I have reviewed her two first babies here and here. Let me tell you, this is her best one. I wanted to make every single one of her recipes, they all had some kind of intriguing twist, unexpected addition, or unusual shaping. But first, let me share the first recipe I made, the moment the book arrived at my doorstep. The husband is crazy for peanut butter and jelly, so of course that was an easy choice for me.

To order Elaine’s book, click here

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY BABKA
(printed with permission from Easy Everyday Sourdough Bread Baking)

for the dough:
50 g active sourdough starter at 100%
350 g reduced-fat milk (I used full-fat)
500 g white bread flour
7g salt or to taste (up to 10 g)

for the filling:
50 g peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
100 g jelly of your choice (I used seedless raspberry)

In the early evening, mix all the dough ingredients in a large bowl until you have a rough dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a shower cap and leave in the counter for 2 hours. Perform a set of pulls and folds. The dough will be stiff at first, but will become smooth and come into a ball. At that point, stop, cover again and leave it on your center for one hour.

Perform one more set of pulls and folds, then leave over the counter at room temperature overnight (8 to 10 hours at around 68F). Our kitchen is warmer, but I had no issues with overnight fermentation.

Next morning place the bowl of the dough in the fridge, without touching it, for one hour. Prepare a 9 x 5 in loaf pan by spraying it with oil or lining it with parchment paper.

After one hour, sprinkle flour on the countertop and open the dough with your hands and/or a rolling pin to a dimension of 8 by 16 inches, making sure it has even thickness. Spread the peanut butter gently all over the dough, then the jelly. Roll up the dough from the shorter end. Once rolled, use a sharp knife to cut the sausage lengthwise down the middle in two equal pieces. Twist the two pieces together, then lift the dough and place it inside the prepared pan.

Allow the dough to proof again until it reaches the edge of the pan, 2 to 4 hours, depending on the temperature of the room. You can also proof in the fridge for up to 24 hours and bake straight from the fridge.

Bake at 400F for about 40 minutes, making sure to protect the surface with aluminum foil after about 30 minutes to prevent excessive darkening.

Remove the loaf from the oven and the pan, remove the paper, tap the base of the loaf and if it sounds hollow, it is baked, if not return it to the oven, out of the pan, directly into the oven rack to bake for a further 5 to 10 minutes. Allow it to cool before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The dough is a pleasure to work with. My only change was to use the KitchenAid for the initial mixing, just because I got so used to doing it that way for all my sourdough baking, that it became second nature. Of course, you can just mix by hand and it will be even simpler, less stuff to wash. Don’t worry about leaving the bread overnight at room temperature, it will be perfect. The amount of peanut butter and jelly is just right, don’t add more. Even though the peanut butter seemed to disappear once it baked, the taste was there, in the exact intensity needed. In the book Elaine gives alternatives to bake from cold oven, which is something she does often. In fact, every single one of her recipes offers the option of starting from cold oven.

The bread feels surprisingly rich, when you consider it has no butter or eggs in it. I love the texture, and because it has no sugar, you can definitely use the exact same formula and take it into savory territory with pesto, cheese, tapenade, or as Elaine herself did in her book with a surprising combo of flavors (check my summary of Chapter 2). I will definitely be doing that in the near future.

Of course, the husband loaded the bread with peanuts, because that’s what he does!

Now let’s dig into the review of Elaine’s beautiful cookbook shall we? 

The book is divided into chapters, according to the general way, in which you will bake your breads and that in itself is unusual and fun. I will now go into each chapter and give you a few examples of the recipes you will find 

Chapter 1: THE BREAD PAN COLLECTION
In this set of recipes, you will be using a regular Dutch pan or enameled pan with the cover that if you are used to baking sourdough bread is pretty much the container of choice. She opens the chapter with her Easy Shape Crusty White Loaf, which is what she described as the archetypal sourdough loaf.

Many recipes called my attention, but my favorites would be Same-Day Chia Seed Boule, the Yogurt and Nut Boule, the Turkish-Style Seed-Topped Pide and her Cheesy Herby Pull Apart Rolls.

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Chapter 2: THE LOAF TIN COLLECTION
In the second chapter, you will be using loaf pans like the regular 9 x 5 in that is often used in bread baking. She will also bring into play the fun Pullman type pan, and will share formulas to get absolutley beautiful square loaves, that are so handy to make sandwiches. I wanted to bake pretty much everything! The chapter is divided in two sections, “Simplest” and “Flavored”. In the simplest section, the breads are made with seeds, ancient grains, or the super cool Whey and Honey Sandwich Loaf, that is calling my name really loud. In that recipe, the whey component can be the liquid that accumulates over yogurt. We consume A LOT of yogurt at home, so that is going to happen, trust me. The flavored section is unreal! The Peanut Butter and Jelly Babka I highlighted is from that part, but Elaine went wild on this brings all sorts of twists: Cheese and Ketchup Babka (I know this is a real winner because we talked about it when she first made it), Roasted Cumin, Coriander and Caraway Loaf, Dark Chocolate Chip, Hazelnut and Rye Loaf (be still, my heart!), Satay-Swirled Black Sesame Seed Loaf. Need I say more? The teaser recipe at the end of my post is also from this section. 

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Chapter 3: THE CAKE TIN COLLECTION
She opens the chapter with a question: How many cake tins do you have? I have quite a few and I never bake cakes!

Well, I bake cakes and have more cake pans than I care to admit in public, so this chapter is dear to my baker’s heart. And we are not talking just big cake pans! Elaine makes these small cute loaves in circular 8 inch cake pans, so adorable! I a a bit lazy to adjust amounts to different sizes of pans, so it was nice to have it all laid down nicely for me. Also, she puts Bundt pans into the universe of sourdough baking. Yes you got that right Bundt pans are not just for cakes anymore! Many recipes tempting me, I give you just a few: Pumpkin Spiced and Shaped Loaf, Fast Coconut and Cherry Tea Loaf, Feta and Spinach Bundt Tin Loaf with Red Onion Topping, Holiday Chocolate Enriched Bundt Tin Loaf (!!!!), and wait for the last one… Gingerbread Cookie Enriched Bundt Tin Loaf (wow, just wow!).

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Chapter 4: THE MUFFIN TIN COLLECTION
Ok, now I really have to tell you, I was in Nirvana with this chapter. The whole idea is to use your muffin pan to bake sourdough in all kinds of cute shapes and flavors. Apple and Apricot Enriched Sourdough “Roses”, Sweet Potato Apple and Cheese Roll Ups, Stuffed Pizza Rolls (OMG), Sweet Potato, Za’atar and Tahini Rolls. And the last one almost took my breath away (the picture is amazing): Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Bites.

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Chapter 5: THE OVEN TRAY COLLECTION
This chapter lists a series of recipes you can bake in a simple, humble baking sheet. Same-Day Cheats Baguettes, Seeded Pide with Cheese, Red Pepper and Baked Eggs (the picture made me drool), Butternut Squash, Pecan and Fall Spiced Focaccia, Spiced Cheese Sandwich Crackers. After this chapter, what she calls a bonus recipe: Air-Fryer Pitas. Needless to say, that goes into my list to bake very very soon.
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The photography of the book is simply outstanding! Every single recipe has a picture, they are stylish, beautiful, and since I know Elaine personally, I realize that they convey her style perfectly. The method behind her recipes is the same of he previous books: simple, straightforward, instead of feeling intimidated by a bunch of parameters and temperatures and factors you need to control, she makes you feel confident and ready to go to the kitchen and play. A perfect book if you are a beginner and a total delight if you are an experienced sourdough baker.

and now, for the teaser recipe….

FAST SPELT, DRIED FRUIT, NUTS AND SEEDS LOAF
(page 86)

I am going to tell you something pretty major: this was one of the tastiest breads I’ve made. It is ready in less than 2 hours, essentially you mix all the ingredients, sourdough starter, baking powder and baking soda, and bake. It is rich, loaded with nuts, seeds and dried fruits (figs, apricots, cranberries, raisins), and OMG SO SO GOOD! If you can wait until it is totally cool and slice it thinly, place it in the toaster and you will have a ticket to Nirvana. Absolutely wonderful!

Elaine, thank you so much for allowing me to publish one of the recipes in my blog! You outdid yourself with this cookbook, and I know I will have a blast making more recipes from it!

ONE YEAR AGO: Painted Sourdough

TWO YEARS AGO: Over-the-Moon Blueberry Lemon Macarons

THREE YEARS AGO: Springtime Macarons Bake-Along

FOUR YEARS AGO: Macarons for a Little Princess

FIVE YEARS AGO: Gilding the Sourdough Loaf

SIX YEARS AGO: Lolita Joins the Bewitching Kitchen

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Cashew Cream Sauce

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Blood Orange Margaritas

NINE YEARS AGO: Smoked Salmon Appetizer

TEN YEARS AGO: Clementine Cake

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Springtime Spinach Risotto

TWELVE YEARS AGO: The end of green bean cruelty

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Torta di Limone e Mandorle

ENRICHED SOURDOUGH JAM-FILLED ROLLS, AND A COOKBOOK REVIEW

Posted in Breads, Cookbook Reviews by

I am absolutely thrilled to share this recipe, fresh from the press, part of the second cookbook of my dear friend Elaine (click here for her sourdough site and here for her new book ordering info). Sourdough taken straight into brioche territory, with just the right level of sweetness, filled with your favorite jam. The recipe makes 16 rolls, I actually halved it and divided the dough in 8 pieces for shaping as rolls. To divide the egg, I just mixed one egg with the yolk, weighed that, and used half. It ended up being 30g egg mixture for half the recipe, in case you’d like to go that route.

ENRICHED SOURDOUGH JAM-FILLED ROLLS
(from Elaine Boddy’s Sourdough Whisperer)

Either line a large baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with rice flour, or prepare fluted baby brioche pans (3 1/8 inches [8 cm] in diameter and 11/4 inches [3 cm] deep), lined up ready to fill on a baking sheet.

Makes 16 snack-sized buns
50 g active starter at 100% hydration
270 g milk, cold or room temperature
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk (reserve egg white for brushing)
75 g butter, at room temperature
50 g runny honey
500 g strong white bread flour, plus more for dusting
7 g (1 tsp) salt, or to taste
200 g jam of your choice (about 2 tsp per roll)
Powdered sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

In the early evening, in a large mixing bowl, roughly mix together all the ingredients, except the reserved egg white and jam. It will be a very sticky dough, and it may be easier to use a bowl scraper or spatula to mix it at this stage. Leave it roughly mixed, cover the bowl with a clean shower cap or your choice of cover and leave the bowl on the counter.

After an hour, perform the first set of pulls and folds on the dough. Lifting and pulling the dough across the bowl until it starts to come into a soft ball, then stop. The butter will not be fully mixed in yet; it will become more so as you work with the dough. Cover the bowl again and leave it to sit on the counter. During this first set of pulls and folds, the dough will still be sticky, but keep working with it.

Over the next few hours, perform three more sets of pulls and folds on the dough, covering the bowl after each set. The dough will remain sticky but nicely stretchy and will come together into a nice soft ball each time. Do the final set before going to bed. Leave the covered bowl on the counter overnight, typically 8 to 12 hours, at 64 to 68°F (18 to 20°C).

In the morning, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pull the dough into a 14-inch (35-cm) square that is an even thickness all over. Using a dough knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into sixteen equal squares. Place a heaping teaspoon of jam in the middle of each square, pull the corners and edges of each square together and stick them together. Turn each parcel over and shape into a ball. Place each ball onto your prepared pan, allowing space between them to grow, or place them in your baby brioche pans. Cover the balls with a large plastic bag and leave on the counter for the rolls to proof again for 2 to 3 hours, or until doubled in size.

Heat the oven to 325F. Mix the egg white with a tablespoon of water and brush the top of each ball gently with it. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the rolls directly on a rack to cool briefly. These are best eaten warm, with an optional sprinkle of powdered sugar.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This dough is wonderful to work with… smooth, elastic, easy to shape. Do not be afraid of letting it sit overnight at room temperature, unless you live in a super warm climate without air-conditioning. This rich type of dough tends to proof a lot slower than regular sourdough. For the final proofing, I used these brioche pans. They are a bit pricey but excellent quality. Love the way they look… But as Elaine mentions in the recipe, you can simply shape them as round little balls instead.

You can fill them with any jam you like. I used Morello Cherry preserves and it was absolutely delicious… A little bit leaked from the bottom of some of the rolls, but no harm done.

I don’t think I need to say much more, right? The picture is worth 1,000 words… They actually freeze well too. Just wrap them, and when you are ready to enjoy them, bring to room temperature for 20 minutes or so, then place in a warm oven to heat through. They will be as good as freshly baked!

Now let me walk you through Elaine’s new book, “The Sourdough Whisperer.” And in the end of this blog post you will see another bread I baked from her book, as a teaser recipe..

The book is organized in two parts, the first deals with everything you need to know about making sourdough: making a starter from scratch, maintaining it, ingredients, tools, her master recipe and timing your bread baking to suit your schedule. The essence of it all is exactly what we’ve seen in her first book: simplicity. I tell you one thing, in this first part she covers EVERY single question a baker might have as far as tweaking recipes, or changing proofing time and/or temperature. A must-read even if you are a seasoned sourdough baker.

Part Two is devoted to recipes, and you’ll find eight sub-chapters in it.

#1 – The Master Recipe Sourdough Collection. In this chapter she shows how versatile her Baby Master Recipe can be, adapting it to make different shapes, Wedge Rolls, Sandwich Loaf, a beautiful concoction using a Bundt Pan (yes, that is right, and the photo of that one is worth a prize), a Pullman Loaf, and she closes it with a cute little method to use up “ends of bags” of flour. Every single bread in the whole book has a picture, so keep that in mind. I love that.

#2 – The Enriched Sourdough Collection. I love this section! Normally I do a straight sourdough bread, so to me playing with enriched dough is not very common, which is one of the reasons why I chose the featured recipe. Elaine uses her default Enriched Sourdough in some formulas, and also offers a lighter alternative. The chapter opens with a total beauty, Enriched Sourdough Pesto Babka. Stunning! The Jam-Filled Rolls are part of that chapter, and I almost chose the Cinnamon and Raisin Enriched Bundt Pan Bake to showcase here.

#3 – The Spiced Sourdough Collection. I love bread with spices, if you follow my blog you’ve probably noticed. I definitely will be trying some of her versions like Smoked Paprika, Rosemary and Sun-Dried Tomato Master Loaf, and her Turmeric and Onion Seed Sandwich Loaf.

#4 – The Softer Sourdough Collection. Super interesting chapter. It centers on methods that will produce a sourdough with a much softer crust, something she achieves by adding milk into the formulas. She starts with a “Half-Milk, Half-Water Baby Master Loaf”, and moves to variations using different proportions and different liquids such as buttermilk (Buttermilk and Spelt Loaf with Pine Nuts and Oats, another thing of beauty). I made the teaser recipe from this chapter, “Olive Oil and Herb Master Loaf”, so check it out in the end of this post.

#5 – The Filled Collection. Maybe my favorite chapter, I just don’t know. In this section, she really shows her creativity, joining interesting ingredients together. First comes a Cheese, Fig and Walnut Sandwich Loaf, absolutely gorgeous and mouth-watering photo… Apricot and Almond Babka Loaf with very detailed pictures of the shaping. I absolutely MUST make the “Chickpea, Barberry and Lemon Pantry Loaf”.

#6 – The Flat Sourdough Collection. Elaine uses her master recipe to make focaccia, pizza, ciabatta, and fougasse. In other words, she covers all the classics. Pictures are wonderful, including once again quite detailed shots of shaping ciabatta, which can be tricky.

#7 – The Shaped Collection. Another super fun and creative chapter, she shares techniques for special shaping. Braided Loaf is the first example, but don’t think about challah, this braid decorates the top of the bread, super cool. Looks intimidating but the pictures show you exactly how to do it. A Chocolate and Nut Sourdough Crown follows, would be just amazing at a party. The one I intend to try soon is… Pull-Apart Sharing Sesame Sourdough. The chapter closes with baguettes, in my opinion the trickiest bread to shape correctly.

#8 – The Same Day Collection. Sometimes we want to speed things up, right? This series gives recipes to have sourdough prepared and baked the same day. It is all a play with amount of starter and proofing temperature. Sourdough Pizza and Pita are two examples, but my favorite might be Same Day Poppy Seed Sourdough Rolls. They are adorable.

If you bake sourdough bread, or if you flirt with the idea of venturing into it, you need this book. The tone is always friendly, supportive, positive, and again, reading the book and browsing through the wonderful pictures, I just wanted to stop and start baking right away. The mark of a captivating cookbook!…

And now, as I always like to do when reviewing cookbooks, I share…

A TEASER RECIPE

OLIVE OIL AND HERB SOURDOUGH

Isn’t that amazing? The crust is a lot softer than a regular sourdough, and the bread stays fresh longer. A pleasure to work with, great flavor with the herbs spread inside the crumb.

ONE YEAR AGO: Monet’s Glazed Carrots

TWO YEARS AGO: Brownies, Three Ways

THREE YEARS AGO: Berry Rebellion Tarts  (one of my favorite blog posts)

FOUR YEAR AGO: Emilie Raffa’s High Hydration Sourdough

FIVE YEARS AGO: Short-Ribs with Chickpeas and Chard

SIX YEARS AGO: Asian-Style Short Ribs 

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Herbed Goat Cheese Souffles

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Barley Risotto with Peas

NINE YEARS AGO: Jammin’ Blueberry Sour Milk Pancakes

TEN YEARS AGO: Scallops with Black Pasta in Orange Cream Sauce

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Stir-fried Chicken with Creamed Corn

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedo

MASALA SMASHED POTATOES: MUMBAI MODERN COOKBOOK REVIEW

Posted in Cookbook Reviews, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by

I am not sure how long ago I’ve started following Amisha through her food blog and IG page. But definitely it’s been a long time. She is one of those people who is good at everything, from cooking savory meals to baking spectacular desserts. When I heard she was going to publish a cookbook – Mumbai Modern – I pre-ordered it right away. And today I share a wonderful recipe from her book, a small review and as I always like to do, a teaser recipe with just the photo and a short description. If you are into colors and “fusion cuisine”, this book has your name written on it. Amisha is not only a superb cook, photographer and writer, but one of the sweetest human beings out there! I am thrilled to share this review with you.

MASALA SMASHED POTATOES
(slightly modified from Mumbai Modern)

for yogurt sauce:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt

for Masala potatoes
12 baby potatoes
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chaat masala

Heat the oven to 400F.

Make the sauce by mixing all ingredients in a high-speed blender. You should have a drizzle consistency. Adjust with a little bit of water, if needed.

Add the potatoes to a pot with water to reaching a level 1 inch higher than the potatoes. Add the 2 tsp salt. Boil for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and reserve to cool so you can handle them for the next step.

Make the olive oil sauce by mixing all the spices into the 1/2 cup oil. Whisk well. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, add them to a baking sheet sprayed with oil. I used a non-stick aluminum foil to protect the baking sheet. Place the potatoes over and, using a flat-bottomed glass, gently press each potato to flatten until each one is no thicker than 1/2 inch.

Brush each potato generously with the olive oil mixture. Place in the oven and roast for about 25 minutes. I flipped the potatoes and let them roast for 5 minutes longer. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes or so. Serve with the yogurt sauce drizzled all over them.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: These were absolutely WONDERFUL. Hubby said – well, your potatoes stole the show. And that they did. But of course, they were not really “mine”. They were Amisha’s… Nothing else got much attention at the table. I advise you to make more than you think you’ll need… They will be part of our dinner on a regular basis. The mixture of spices is perfect, not too hot, and very complex. If you don’t have chaat masala, add a little amchur powder, which is part of the mix, and will add a bright flavor.

And now for the teaser recipe…

SAMBHAARO
Cabbage and Carrot Salad

When I told you that if you like color you will love this book, that’s one tiny example of what you’ll get. I loved this salad so much that I was close to tossing a coin to decide which recipe to feature here. What makes this salad special is that you temper the spices in oil and they VERY briefly toss the veggies in the hot, spicy mixture. It changes their texture, mellows everything considerably. Brilliant!

Without further ado… let’s start a virtual tour of Amisha’s book…

To order the book, visit amazon.com with a click here

The book is organized in 7 chapters.

Pantry and Refrigerator Staples… She shares recipes for goodies that will be part of recipes in other chapters. For instance, her Apricot and Saffron Jam is one of her favorite concoctions, that of course stands on its own, but wait until you see the masterpiece Peacock macarons she fills with that jam… Like jewels, I tell you! I am making her Avocado, Cilantro, and Poblano Pepper Dressing this weekend.

Breakfast… Color opens the chapter: Apple, Fennel and Cardamon Tarts. Her description of being fascinated by things she saw in grocery stores in the US as someone arriving from a foreign country made me smile. I felt EXACTLY the same. My love-affair with TV dinners was something I cannot quite comprehend today. But her fascination with Pop-Tarts led her to make her own version, and that was a perfect outcome. More beautiful color in her Chocolate Cardamon Pastry Cream, Halvah and Pistachio Danish. Exotic (to me) and intriguing Sooji Dhokla (Semolina Savory Spongy Cakes).

Appetizers and Salads… Masala Smashed Potatoes opens this chapter and you know how I feel about them. Sambhaaro follows along. I would love to try the Dahi Wadas (Lentil Fritters in Yogurt Sauce), and her version of Arancini ( Aloo Tikki Arancini). They look amazing! Other serious temptations for me are Corn Mushroom Tomato Chili Cheese Danish, Handvo (Savory Rice-Lentil Vegetable Cake), and Khaman (Chickpea Flour Savory Cake).

Mains… Undhiyoo called my attention right away because it is a vegetable stew that includes bananas, and that of course reminds me of Brazilian cooking. Moqueca is originally made with shrimp and/or fish, but there is a version that uses a particular type of banana, and it is delicious. Vegetable Koftas in Tomato Cashew Curry almost made the cut to be featured, and I intend to make it very soon. Perfect for this time of the year. Same goes for the Ultimate Mumbai-California Veggie Burger. I simply must make it.

Desserts… Let me just say I would like to make them all. Period. Just choosing a few to mention here: Blood Orange and Hibiscus Tart (gorgeous!), Thandai Shortbread Cookies Dipped in White Chocolate with Pistachios and Rose Petals (swoon!), Carrot Halva, Chai Masala Creme Brulee with Cashew Cardamon Shortbread (OMG), Mini Maple Sandwich Cookies with Pear and Spice Buttercream, PEACOCK MACARONS (my heart flipped, I kid you not, they are masterpieces), Coffee Cardamon Mini Cheesecakes, Eggless Chocolate Fudge Cake (worthy of a Parisian boulangerie).

Drinks… Well, I don’t drink, but she has many non-alcoholic options like a Ginger Masala Chai, and Brazilians out there will be pleased with her version of “caipirinha” using Kumquat and Ginger. She also shares shrubs (I am quite fond of those) like one with Nectarine, Star Anise and Ginger. And a version of Turmeric Milk I might try soon: Haldar Nu Doodh.

Accompaniments and Snacks… Pass me the whole lot, and I want to make them all. Just a few to include here: Spinach Puri, Plain Rotli, Triangle Paratha (so so cute), Masala Puri, Masala Potato Chips, and Turmeric Rice (have I mentioned I am a Turmeric Cheerleader?). Chorafali Crackers are also adorably cute and I bet super tasty.

As most people who read my blog should know, I am not vegetarian, but I eat meatless meals often. Amisha’s book is a wonderful source of ideas, whether you are vegetarian or just flirt with that style of cooking sometimes. It is clear she put a ton of love, and attention to every little detail in the making of her book. The photography is outstanding, the tone of the book very conversational, as if she is standing next to you. I love it!

Amisha, thank you for allowing me to publish a recipe in my blog! I wish you all the success in the world, and I hope you already have a second cookbook “in the making”.

ONE YEAR AGO: Lessons from Tanya: Sugar Cookie Silhouettes

TWO YEARS AGO: Cherry-Chipotle Chicken Thighs

THREE YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Mini-Mousse with Sugared Cranberries

FOUR YEARS AGO: You Say Ebelskiver, I say Falafel

FIVE YEARS AGO: Happy Thanksgiving!

SIX YEARS AGO: Two Takes on Raspberries

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Spice Cake with Blackberry Puree & The Global Pastry Review

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Own Your Kitchen with Cappuccino Panna Cotta

NINE YEARS AGO: Chicken Parmigiana, the Thriller

TEN YEARS AGO: Wild Mushroom Risotto

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Tartine Bread:  Basic Country Loaf 

TWELVE YEARS AGO:  Pugliese Bread

ALMOND RASPBERRY TRIANGLES & A VERY SPECIAL COOKBOOK REVIEW

Posted in Cookbook Reviews, Cookies by

If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you might know that I have my Baking Gurus, and by far the baker I respect the most is Helen Fletcher. I’ve faithfully followed her blog since 2014 (check this old blog post) and have made many of her recipes. Never a single disappointment. One of my favorites of a recent past is Sarah Bernhardt Cookies. She has decades of professional experience and was actually responsible for developing baking recipes using a food processor, back when that gadget was not very common in the home kitchen. Before the pandemics hit, she told me she was working on a new cookbook, all about cookies, and asked me if I would write a foreword for it. It was the greatest honor, the greatest gift online blogging provided me with. Her book, just released, is called CRAVING COOKIES: The Quintessential American Cookie Book. I adore it, and having witnessed all the love and effort she put into it, I am thrilled to share with you one amazing recipe from it, and a little review of the book.

ALMOND RASPBERRY TRIANGLES
(reprinted with permission from Craving Cookies)

for the cookie base and filling:
210 g all-purpose flour
140 g unsalted butter, very cold
65 g granulated sugar
1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam

for the topping:
170 g almonds, toasted lightly in a 350F oven, then cooled
150 g granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1/4 tsp salt
2 tablespoons Amaretto
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
60 g butter, melted
powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Heat the oven to 350F. Line a 9 x 13 x 2 pan with foil, being sure to also cover the sides of the pan. Spray well with non-stick baking release and set aside.

Butter should be cold and cut into small pieces. Place the flour in the food processor, add the cold butter and process until indistinguishable. Add the sugar and process again. It will be very powdery. Turn the dough into the prepared pan, and spread it out evenly. Press in firmly to compact and completely cover the bottom of the pan. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until medium brown and completely baked.

As soon as it comes out of the oven, use the back of a spoon to press the base firmly against the sides of the pan to fill any gaps. This will make sure no jam leaks under the baked base. Spread the jam over the base and set aside.

Make the topping: process the toasted almonds and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until completely combined. Pour the mixture over the raspberry jam. Place back in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and set. Cool completely.

To facilitate removal of the foil, chill or freeze the pan until very cold. Turn upside down, remove the foil, being careful around the edges. Turn right side up. Cut 4 across and 5 down to make 20 squares, then each square diagonally to make 40 triangles. Dust with powdered sugar if you so desire, just before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I have to tell you these were one of the most delicious cookies ever! The combination of raspberry with almond is a winner, and the triangles look every elegant. They would brighten up any cookie table. I left some as squares, some as triangles, some I dusted with powdered sugar, some I left plain. They were a huge hit. One of the things I love about Helen’s recipes is precision. You know they will work, the amounts will be right for the dimension of the pan, and all her little tips for success are spot on.

TEASER RECIPE

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD HEARTS

And now let me walk you through
CRAVING COOKIES: THE QUINTESSENTIAL AMERICAN COOKIE BOOK
(available to order here)

The book starts with an introduction to equipment and ingredients, which will be helpful particularly for those in their beginning stages of cookie baking obsession. Then she offers a full chapter on Techniques and I urge you to read it very carefully because she shares every single little tip that she’s learned in her professional career and most will have a huge impact in your baking.

CHAPTER ONE

Cut-Out and Sliced Cookies. The first cookie in this chapter is Cardamon Black Pepper Snaps. I will definitely make them because to me nothing beats a cookie that goes into the spicy territory. Chocolate-Dipped Cappuccino Rounds look amazing with a quick-tempered chocolate coating, so they make my list of favorites to bake soon. Limeaways are a classic, and I must mention Chocolate-Dipped Sweet and Salted Butter Cookies (picture is amazing).

CHAPTER TWO

Drop Cookies. Nineteen choices for you. Baileys Chocolate Crinkles make my list for sure. Chocolate Snowballs coated with Swedish pearl sugar are a must. A version of Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies is calling my name because Helen said it is one of the recipes she is most proud of. I can imagine it will be perfection, so keep that one in mind. She also has two other choc chip cookies, including a big Levain Bakery Style. Chocolate Awesomes are a one bowl-concoction that her grandson made himself… In this chapter you will find the Oatmeal Cookies I’ve blogged about in the past, as she had them in her blog. They were to die for. Harlequins is a cute concoction, three color, which I made in the past also.

CHAPTER THREE

Meringues. Three recipes in this chapter, with a very nice introduction to pull these tricky cookies perfectly, no cracks, no problems. Anise Meringues flavored with LorAnn oil is a very intriguing twist. If you’ve always been instructed to avoid oils in meringue cookies, you will learn something new. I always do when I am around Helen. Cafe au Lait Meringues and Peppermint Meringues, they all seem great to me.

CHAPTER FOUR

Shortbread Cookies. Well, those speak straight to my heart, I simply LOVE shortbread. I fell in love with all of them, and the Chocolate Hearts made it here as the teaser recipe. It is spectacular and so very simple to make, particularly using the food processor. Double Ginger Shortbread, Nutmeg Baton Shortbreads, and Black and White Filled Shortbreads are all in my list of favorites in this great chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE

Stuffed and Filled Cookies. Can I say outstanding? The first cookie blew my mind away: Peppermint Ravioli. OMG. I am making it for the holiday season, but you can conceivably use a different square of chocolate and bake it anytime. Well, who cares, actually? Why would we reserve Peppermint and Chocolate for the holiday season only? Caramel-Filled Chocolate Gems are thumbprint style cookies that made my heart miss a beat. Creme de Menthe Patties are another masterpiece in cookie shape. Inside-Out Oreos, Almost Oreos, Neapolitan Cookies, my list is big.

CHAPTER SIX

Bar Cookies. Twenty amazing choices, each one of them very tempting. The featured recipe – Almond Raspberry Triangles – is part of it. With a great deal of struggle, I offer you just five top favorites: Banana Split Bars, Chocolate Raspberry Squares, Hermit Bars (so so cute), Lemon-Steeped Gingerbread Squares (OMG), and Creamy Lime Bars.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Brownies. Nine different brownies, including one I’ve made in the past and might very well be one of the best ever: Santa Fe Brownies. But next on my list might be her Macadamia White Chocolate Lightening-Fast Brownies. Or maybe her Frosted Brownies. We shall see…

Helen, I cannot wait to bake more and more recipes from your beautiful book, and I hope my readers will get a copy and join the fun. You did an outstanding job, but I knew you would. I am so lucky to have “met” you in the virtual world!

ONE YEAR AGO: Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

TWO YEARS AGO: Roasted Cauliflower Salad over Hummus

THREE YEARS AGO: Queen of Sheba

FOUR YEAR AGO: Brunch Burger

FIVE YEARS AGO: Mango Salsa with Verjus

SIX YEARS AGO: Raspberry Bittersweet Chocolate Chunk Brownies

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Scary Good Pork Burgers

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Review of exercise program Focus25

NINE YEARS AGO: Celebrate Wednesday with a Thai Seafood Curry

TEN YEARS AGO:  Post-workout Breakfast

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Semolina Barbecue Buns

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Lavash Crackers